Nori And Her Stuff

[NoriWasHere]

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[NoriWasHere]

In the middle of hell common sense would prevail..

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Primal Sinister · Closure In Moscow ·

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In the aftermath of the cataclysm, Cloverfield lay in a fragile stillness, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and death. The warm spring sun filtered through the jagged remains of shattered skyscrapers, casting fractured shadows on the debris-strewn streets below. Every creak and groan of the leaning structures echoed like a lament, a mournful symphony of a city in mourning. Amidst the ruins, the cries of the injured and desperate pierced the air, mixing with the various sirens that rang out across the city. Flowers, brought forth by the many Green Lux’s featured in the battle, defiantly blooming in the cracks of the pavement, seemed to whisper hope amidst the chaos. Still, their beauty felt overshadowed by the overwhelming despair that hung over Cloverfield like a dark cloud.

[NoriWasHere]

ELEANOR BLACK

Nori

"What a drag."

_______________________________________________ Nori Jaye *REDACTED* They/Them/She/Her | 28 | White | 5'5"| 125 lbs) _______________________________________________ Intense. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I know a thing or two about a thing or two." ___________________________________ [+] [Animal Friend] ⫻ Ever since Nori escaped from their abusive family they have always had a friend in her, and others, pets. Whether it is a cat, dog, bird, or something else Nori has always been an animal’s favorite human. [Career Student] ⫻ Nori has been a career student ever since they graduated high school at the age of 16. There has not been a subject that they have fallen in love with, and as such they have accumulated numerous associate degrees and nothing more. Nori is very good at researching and has a wealth of knowledge at their disposal. [Wicked Pot] ⫻ Nori is really good at making a good cup of coffee. [Trust Fund Kid] ⫻ As she was de-facto adopted by her grandparents, and she was the only one to care for them in their waning years, she became the sole beneficiary of their bank, and retirement accounts. While it wasn’t a lot, it is still enough for Nori to continue with their schooling while she supplements it with income from working.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I don’t know how many pink shirts I own and at this point I am too afraid to count." Nori is never ignored in a crowd. When she is seen she always comes across as *intense*. To say that they are another faceless body in a sea of people would be a colossal error. Nori is neither short nor tall, standing at a height of 5’5” and carries a small frame on an almost fragile looking body. She has no curves to speak of, despite being on hormones for a decade her genetics never had it in them. The hormones, and the blockers before them, helped shape their waist at least and that is the part of their body that they feel the most confident having exposed. When one looks upon her, they often look away without gaining any useful information about who Nori is, however her eyes betray her rough upbringing. To most it looks like Nori is able to see through them, both physically and emotionally. People often find it very difficult to match her gaze. They are a very dark brown color that is close to black, though in direct sunlight their tones become clearer. The longer one is in Nori’s orbit the more lifelike her gaze becomes. They develop a bit more warmth, and the sharpness dulls. Their hair is never without color. It has been so long that even Nori sometimes forgets what color it is naturally (it is a light brunette color). They go to a local salon every two weeks to reapply the color and get their roots touched up once a month. Nori knows that they are putting their stylists’ kid through college with how much they spend, and they prefer to not dwell on the cost of the services. For the past decade Nori has been in their bubblegum era and their hair is three-toned, pink-blue-purple, and pastel. Nori is also found covered in color. Their fits always follow the same basic pattern. Colorful shirt that matches one of the three colors of their hair, black bottom pieces, and accessories. Nori has taken a fancy to the cyber singlism tattoo style and her body is covered in various pieces within that style, most notably on her chest, stomach, hips and thighs. Nori also loves watercolor tattoos. They a piece in this stye most notably on their right arm, running from just below their elbow to the top of their palm. In terms of body modifications Nori has a few. Most noticeable is their ears. Mirrored across both, Nori sports an industrial, a helix, and two piercings on the lobes themselves.

_{Psychology
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"I can’t let just anyone get close to me, not again. Not after her."

MAIN GOAL ⫻
Nori’s main goal in life is one of self-improvement. For themselves that is simply doing one step better today than they were yesterday. For those in her circle, her goal is to constantly and consistently uplift those around her. Nori has a driven desire to see her friends, her chosen families, succeed and she will do everything in her power to do so.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻
Nori believes that one’s purpose is defined by the person. They do not believe in fate, they do not believe in a guiding force, and she does not believe that we walk a predetermined path. Instead, every action is a choice.

SECRETS ⫻

Nori lives life stealth. No one knows who they were when they were born, and Nori does not share their secrets with most.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Nori is Bisexual.

FEARS ⫻

Nori fears her family. Every last one knew what her parents were doing, where they sent her, and they approved of every last horror that they experienced. As such, Nori is afraid that her family will finally track her down again. As well, they are afraid that her secrets will be outed.

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor Black was the first friend that Nori had as themself. Eleanor was the first face she would see in the morning, as the two would be the first souls on campus for those early classes. She was the first friend Nori had who knew her secrets and accepted her for who they were. Eleanor truly was the first person to become apart of Nori’s chosen family and for that she will forever hold a place in her heart.

FLAWS ⫻

Nori is incredibly awkward around strangers. Like incredibly awkward. While she has a desire to meet new people, she still finds it very difficult to completely let down her walls and she often gets in her own way. They will often find themselves in bouts of prolonged eye contact with a piercing stare.

Nori is chronically ill. She has a rare genetic disorder that is currently treated by medication she has to take every three months however it is not 100% and she will often experience flare ups if she experiences physical trauma, whether minor or major. She does carry some rescue medication with her but she rarely needs to administer them.

_{Backstory
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"I don’t think I will ever remember my childhood in full, nor do I think I want to."

There was never a young Nori Jaye. In the beginning, there was only *REDACTED*, born to two people who should have never been together, nor have any kids. Her parents were hyper-religious, and they made every effort to bring their child into their flock. The few memories she has of her childhood revolve around going to, and coming back from, church and religious events.

The other memories she can remember clearly was when she first began to question her existence, and who she truly was. They knew from an early age that things felt wrong. The toys they gave *REDACTED* were not the toys that Nori wanted, the clothes they put *REDACTED* in always made her look like a boy and that made her feel wrong, and every expectation for the future was for one that Nori did not want to live in.

Eventually Nori would turn to God for help. She would stay awake, late into the night, praying for God to make their body and mind whole. When God was silent, she changed her prayer. Asking instead for God to take away the thoughts and feelings she was thinking. When God was silent, she changed her approach and went to her parents to get their help.

They did not help. Nori does not remember what happened afterwards, however she does know her parents would talk about how that camp should have cured them of these wicked desires. They would attempt to fix the issues themselves, and attempted to fix it they did numerous times. The rest of her childhood, and the entirety of her teenage years, was lived with a mission: hide away who they were and get away. She had support in both regards from her mother’s parents. They were the lone bright spot in a sea of hate. They allowed Nori to explore who they were in a safe spot, and had promised that if Nori ever needed it, she had a home far away.

Nori poured every ounce of her strength into her schooling. She excelled in every area of her studies, and she graduated two years early at 16. After her graduation, back at home, her parents finally made their move to get Nori out of their house for good and told her that she had 24 hours to get out and find their own way in the world. Nori knew they could not kick her out, but she knew that this was her chance to leave without any fuss. She contacted her grandmother, who flew out that day and took her to what would become her home for the next four years.

Within a year of moving in with her grandparents Nori would finally get the diagnosis for the illness that plagued her. A rare hereditary disorder that did not have any hereditary link, meaning she developed the mutation all her own.

Nori’s eighteenth year was one of change, and excitement. She had been on blockers for two years already, but she had finally started hormone therapy. As such, Nori was undergoing rapid and obvious changes that made their queerness very visible and that made Nori afraid. It was at a coffee shop, one week after her birthday, that she met Eleanor Black. Eleanor was a fellow student, and they shared an early morning class together at the University. They were always the first ones outside the classroom door, arriving earlier than even the professor. It was here the duo became fast friends. They talked about their rough childhoods, they talked about Nori and their transition, and they talked about their hopes and dreams for the future. Eventually, the two would make it a habit to meet up after classes to study together and more.

Over the next year Eleanor Black was the best friend Nori could ever ask for. Eleanor saw Nori at every step of their transition, helped Nori navigate their queerness, and broke the shell that Nori built around her.

Eventually Eleanor finished her degree and found a job across the country, and the parting of the two friends was bittersweet. Both made promises to visit, and both ensured the other that this was not the end of their friendship.

As the year dragged on, her grandfather’s health began to decline, and he eventually passed away. Not long after, their grandmother would do so as well. They left Nori most of their money. It wasn’t enough to set them up for life, but it was enough to help them for a long time. It took Nori a while to recover from their demise. With the support of Eleanor from across the country Nori was able to move on and move forward.

Eventually Eleanor decided to fly back and spend a week with Nori as she mourned the loss further and Nori was ecstatic to have her best friend back. She got to the airport two hours earlier than needed and waited with a fun sign. She did not see Eleanor, but instead was rushed and hugged by a stranger who said she was her best friend. Nori played along, because the more they talked the more the experiences lined up. As the week ended, her friend returned home and Nori was left with a question that loomed larger than any other. The contact in her phone for Eleanor was under a different name, each photo they had together was different, and nothing made sense. Who was this Eleanor Black? And why did her memory of her not match reality?

Until she did more research and found others just like her who had experienced this same situation.

Nori wanted to know more.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
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"Quote about abstraction here."

Jordan Fuchs

"How about we don't do that"

_______________________________________________ Jordan Thomas Fuchs He/Him | 24 | German-American | 6'3" | 180 _______________________________________________ Sociable _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I am not deluded, I doubt I could have ever gone pro.. in any sport. They are fun though." ___________________________________ [+] [Friend of many] ⫻ Jordan has a way to become everyone's friends. Growing up it was his goal to turn bullies into buddies, and he far exceeded it. No matter who he meets he can quickly find a way to become a friend. [Social Butterfly] ⫻ Jordan excels in groups of strangers. He quickly makes it a point to learn everyone's name, story, and will tailor his personality to make the strongest first impression. In these groups Jordan can often be the loudest, most commanding presence. [College Graduate] ⫻ Jordan graduated with a degree in International Business Management. He does not work in that sector but he finished the degree just for the sake of his family. [Amateur Athlete] ⫻ Ever since he was young Jordan has always loved the thrill of contact sports. He played football, and American football, and recently has begun to dabble in Gaelic Football. His biggest asset is his speed, both straight line and in his cuts.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I may be simple but I am comfortable" Despite his height it is hard to pick out Jordan in a crowd. His fashion is typically utilitarian underneath an odd assortment of sweaters and jackets. Jordan has never really felt the need to dress up more than what is needed, and that is not something that has bothered him. Jordan has brown eyes that mesh well with his slightly tan completion and dark hair. He keeps his beard long, but it is well groomed and healthy. His skin is completely free of blemishes, thanks in no small part to his families’ genetics and his skin care routine. Jordan will often wear a few different frames for his glasses, normally one that has a circle for one side and a square for the other. On the surface Jordan is a clean cut, and moderately attractive man. Under the surface Jordan’s personal taste shows more. His muscular body is covered with tattoos. While there is no rhyme or reason to them, as he often visits local shops and purchases small tattoos from their flash, he does love them all equally. He has plans to get more done. Jordan is also very muscular, which is often hidden under his clothing. Ever since he was young, he has been in the gym, whether training for sports or training to keep sad thoughts away. While he is not the strongest person on any given team, nor in a given location, his strength is function not form.

_{Psychology
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"Why should I develop my own when I can simply borrow yours."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Jordan's main goal in life is to always put his best foot forward and eventually start a family of his own. As well, he knows that he has yet to find his true calling. He knows that once he finds what it is it will help him reach his final goals.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

One's worth is not determined by their wealth, and one's strength is not based on their muscles.

Jordan does not believe there is one way to be successful. Whether you make a million dollars and are happy, or live in a van down by the river and are happy, it does not matter. As long as you are happy, and you take care of yourself, you are successful enough. As well, Jordan does not believe you need raw strength to be a strong person. The strongest people he has met were those who have overcome the most and not the ones who can put the most weights on a bar.

SECRETS ⫻

Jordan cheated his way through university. He had no intent on even going to university however his hand was forced by his parents'. As such he had no drive of his own to actually graduate, and instead allowed his parents' to waste their money on this endeavor. Cheating was almost harder than actually studying but Jordan committed to it and graduated as a result.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Jordan is somewhere on the bi spectrum. He prefers women 9 times out of 10 but that 1 time is enough that he considers himself not straight.

FEARS ⫻

Jordan is afraid that he is destined to end up alone. Even now, he watches as friend after friend gets engaged or has a kid meanwhile he has been finding it harder and harder to connect with new romantic partners. He has always had a desire to raise a family and raise them well

WHO IS ELEANOR BLACK TO YOU? ⫻

Eleanor is Jordan's former partner. They dated for two whole years and broke up a year ago.

FLAWS ⫻

Jordan often drinks an unhealthy amount of caffeine. People have voiced their concerns numerous times.

He also suffers from a martyr complex. He has a fear of death, however that fear wanes when it pertains to the misguided notion that his death could save someone else. He often thinks that a good death saving another, no matter who, would be a good enough reward.

Jordan does not have a true personality. He instead borrows elements of those around him. This has allowed him to befriend most, however it has made it impossible for him to develop the close attachments he truly craves.

_{Backstory
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"It was almost too perfect."

Conventional is the only word one could think of to describe the normal life of the star athlete.
Jordan grew up in New England to an upper middle-class family. His father worked for a major financial firm and his mother stayed at home. He had three siblings, one brother and two sisters, each a year apart from the next. His family paid their dues to get the four of them into the best schools they could. Early on Jordan began showing his natural athletic gifts and he was placed into sports early on. As he grew, so to did his skills in these sports. By the time he reached high school he was considered a very talented athlete with a lot of prospects ahead of him.

His parents pushed him to excel even more so than he already was. His father wanted to live that life vicariously, and he would force Jordan to forgo all personal wants to achieve it. He would wake up early, train, go to school, train after school, go home for homework, and then bed. This would repeat. Day in, day out. It was unrelenting. Even though he was getting burned out he pushed through it and kept at the grind. By the time he finished high school he had won a few state championships and had gotten some interest in some collegiate play.

He would end up competing at the college level for a short time, but he was never talented nor fast enough to compete fully. No matter how much he trained there was just a divide that was too far too cross. Eventually, after a few injuries slowed him further, he was off the team and the next phase of his life began.

It was at this time Jordan met Eleanor Black. She was a classmate of his and the two sat next to each other. She was always early, and he was always late. She was cute, more so than anyone else that Jordan had met up to this point and she tried to catch him up on topics he was late for. Eventually they swapped numbers, and met up for drinks, and drinks turned into a two-year relationship with more ups than downs. They would break up not long after that second anniversary as they were at two different points in life and in expectations for what would come next.

While the breakup was mutual, it still hurt Jordan and he would end up falling into a prolonged depressive episode. The two remained in contact with each other and eventually they agreed to meet up for food and to catch up. Only.. it wasn’t Eleanor that showed up. It was Allison. She did not look like the person he wanted to build a family with, she did not sound like his former lover, however she talked like she knew every fine detail about their time together. What’s more, she reminisced about some vacations they took together and showed him a photo that had come up in her memories and it was not Eleanor in the photo with him. Sure enough, as Jordan looked back at the photos each one had Allison. Each one had her name. His phone contact read Allison. His friends all remember how sweet Allison was and had no idea he dated someone named Eleanor.

Jordan has tried to put this whole ordeal behind him but no matter what he does, he can not shake the thought that something colossally fucked up happened and he cannot explain what. He has graduated, he has worked odd jobs, and he had made it a goal to just *forget* that she had even existed until, one night, when browsing the internet, Jordan would stumble on a post that would bring light to the chaos.

Others had experiences with this Eleanor. Each one is different, but at the same time not unique. In an instant all those thoughts returned and they reignited his desire to get to the bottom of what had happened, and who this Eleanor black truly was.

_{Paranormal-Abilities
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"Quote about abstraction here."

^{Other
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"OH, an ultimate frisby league! Do I have the time? Does it matter? Yes, I must join."

Anyyyything else?

TREE

Evelynn Ann Serenelight

"Maybe I will find the answer to my problems at the bottom of that next bottle.."

_______________________________________________ Evelynn Ann Serenelight She/Her | 29 | White | 64 In | 127 pnds _______________________________________________ Oracle _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I wish I was more useful." ___________________________________ [+] [Customer Service] ⫻ Evelynn has spent the past decade working in customer service in some shape or fashion. From client-facing, to call center work and more, Evelynn has developed a natural rapport with people. People often remark that their customer service voice is much more soothing and less agitating than her normal voice. [Lover of puzzles] ⫻ From her earliest memories, Evelynn has always loved a challenge and more so loved puzzles. Whether a puzzle board or a complex problem, Evelynn finds joy in working it out. She can often be found playing these kind of games on her phone to pass the time. [Alcoholic Bloodline] ⫻ Thanks to her family, and for her practice, Evelynn can handle her alcohol quite well. While she has yet to go bottle for bottle with her grandma, she knows it is only a matter of time before she develops a stronger liver. [Strong cup of joe] ⫻ Every morning Evelynn makes a cup of coffee and those who stay over remark that it is one strong cup of joe. [Unlucky in love] ⫻ Evelynn has no success in her love life yet this has always been for the best. She has a habit of falling in love with the first man who shows her interest. The longest relationship she has been in has been for only three months. After the breakup, it seems everyone reveals their red flags, and she realizes she has dodged a bullet.

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "You're not very pretty, and you're not very bright." Evelynn is a woman whose appearance is a mesmerizing blend of uniqueness and elegance. She rocks light brown hair with straight bangs that frame her face, giving off a touch of sophistication. Her hair is often pulled back into a practical ponytail, showcasing her ability to balance style with practicality. Her green eyes, like shards of emerald, carry a spark of intelligence and a hint of mischief. Evelynn's makeup is an artful expression of her creativity. She spends entirely too much time on her eyeliner as it enhances the captivating allure of her gaze. A dash of dark lipstick adds that rebellious touch. She is pierced, and each one tells a different story of herself. A small silver hoop in her left nostril and an industrial bar piercing in her right ear contribute to her rough and tough look. She got these after she left the coven and ventured far to truly find herself. This act of defiance against what was her ordinary life set the stage for what was to come. Tattoos, and many of them. Both of her arms served as a canvas for her friend's imagination. She has various small tattoos that do not look professionally done, yet she loves them all the same. The cat on top of the yarn, the dog chasing its tail, and all the various characters from her favorite movies and TV shows all blend to form the sleeve on her left arm. Her right arm shows a level of detail and refinement that contrasts with the other. A deer with a crown of roses, an owl that sits on the branch of a sycamore tree, and a snake that wraps around her arm, overlapping itself. The lines on this arm are crisp, the colors clean, and the cost too high to count. Her fashion is a bit basic. Sweaters and cropped hoodies overtop high-waisted jeans, or a crop top shirt overtop high-waisted shorts. Either way, she always fills out her outfits with an odd assortment of jewelry and Doc Martin boots.

_{Psychology
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"Some days I feel like I am stuck in the middle of a raging river that pulls me downstream to a dark sea, and no matter how hard I swim I can never get back to shore."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Evelynn harbors ambitious aspirations for her future and it has been their main goal to unravel the threads of what her purpose is. She wants to unearth a sense of purpose, a calling that resonates deeply with the core of their being.

This quest for purpose hasn't been a fleeting endeavor; it's been painful, marked by introspection and self-discovery. Hours have been devoted to unraveling the intricate layers of their interests and talents, each step a deliberate one toward the elusive goal of finding not just a job, but a vocation that aligns with her preconceived idea of what she wants to do. Evelynn wants nothing more than for the day to arrive when her job will cease to be answering phones and answering questions, instead, it will be a place where she can plant roots and grow professionally.

Beyond the realm of career pursuits, there's a second facet to Evelynn's hopes—the pursuit of love. Their journey in matters of the heart has been fraught with missteps and heartaches. Yet, amidst the echoes of past disappointments, Evelynn remains steadfast in the desire to find a genuine and enduring love.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Evelynn's philosophy centers around the belief that life is a kaleidoscope of experiences, both challenging and beautiful. Every experience is meant to be embraced and learned from. They see purpose as a journey rather than a destination, and that one can make a lot of progress as long as one has a continuous desire for self-discovery and adaptation.

The core tenets of Evelynn's philosophy are resilience, authenticity, and an unyielding optimism that tomorrow holds the promise of growth, connection, and a new day for new experiences.

SECRETS ⫻

The true extent of her alcoholism. She knows better than to allow someone to witness the amount she drinks, and she does well to hide the hangovers as well. Some have begun to talk to her about her rampant drinking but even they are kept out of the loop.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Bisexual/heteroromantic. Evelynn has a deep love for both men and women, yet she feels like she can only form romantic feelings for men.

FEARS ⫻

Evelynn's family is marred by early deaths and unfulfilled purposes. She fears that one day she will find herself at death's door, no closer to knowing who she is and nowhere near understanding the true power of her purpose. That she will be alone, with no one to help her through those final difficult moments.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻

Evelynn was well-liked in the old coven. She was friendly, accountable, and always there for those who needed help. While she was not around them as much as she would have liked, she was often pulled away when tragedy inevitably struck, she still made the moments she was there count and held most of the members in high regard. She did not know it at the time but there were a few members who were skeptical of her and her demeanour. Her power enabled her to see a possible future, what if she was using it to keep on everyone's good side? As such, as a whole, she would have been well-liked, but not trusted.

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Evelynn was a supporting party in the battle. She used her gifts to try and guide the covens' strikes, as well as see if their attacks would work. Her abilities were hampered during the battle by the sheer number of eventualities she tried to decipher. As such, some were hurt when she gave the wrong information to the wrong person.

FLAWS ⫻

Indecisiveness: Evelynn tends to struggle with making decisions, especially when faced with significant choices related to her career or personal life

Perfectionism: In her pursuit of purpose and love, Evelynn often sets exceedingly high standards for herself, leading to frustration and self-criticism when things don't go as planned.

Overthinking: She tends to overanalyze situations, creating unnecessary stress and sometimes hindering her ability to take spontaneous or intuitive actions.

Difficulty Trusting Others: The scars from previous negative experiences in relationships have left Evelynn with difficulty trusting new people, making it challenging for her to fully open up and connect on a deeper level.

_{Backstory
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"If I have to go to another funeral this year I swear..."

In the quiet shadows of St. Portwell, nestled within the mist-laden landscapes of Oregon, Evelynn Ann Serenelight's story unfolded against a backdrop of perpetual gloom. The town stood as a silent witness to the cyclical tragedy that befell the Serenelight lineage. Born into a family marked by the curse of premature death, Evelynn's childhood in St. Portwell bore the weight of sorrow brought on by her constant presence at the funeral home. She lost three uncles, one aunt, three siblings, and both her parents all before her twenty-first birthday. None by natural means. Her father and mother died together in a car accident. From the report, it was suggested that her father was distracted by something while behind the wheel, causing him to drive off the road and into a pole. The same fate would befall two of her siblings, while the third drowned.

Before all that death Evelynn was involved with the Sycamore Tree Coven, and it was here that much of Evelynn's drive to better herself and better her future came from. She was in class when the apparitions started their attack. She, however, handled the attack better than the others thanks to her gift. Her gift had manifested a few days prior, and at first, she thought she had gone mad. Slowly, she trusted her gut and began to explore her gift at every possible moment. She used her gift to test if a path was safe and helped shepherd others to safety. She spent the rest of the event running from moment to moment, spending more time watching possible futures than in the present, and used her gifts to the best of her ability to help others survive. Sadly, she was not as good as the group needed her to be.

After the fallout of the event settled, and the coven disbanded, Evelynn knew she had to go far away from this whole mess. She moved across the country for college and spent more time with her mom's side of the family. This place became a fleeting escape from the shadow cast by her experiences in the coven. Every moment of peace and happiness would be plagued by the 'what if it happens again here' or the 'what if the snake manages to break free' thoughts. She would end up spending a lot of time in therapy, choosing the right words to get the point across without revealing what had happened, and ended up getting some help with the dread she faced.

In college she had a lot of trouble finding a path that suited her unique skillset, as well she found it hard to find one that would truly bring her joy and happiness. As such, her grades were never perfect as she often second-guessed her own decisions. She had a long-held desire to be a graphic designer. She was always a beacon of creativity, after all, yet it was as if everything she created was nothing more than strokes on a canvas that was veiled with a perpetual filter of ick.

While the past decade seemed to fly by, Evelynn always kept an eye on her future and one on her past. She wants to avoid any unforeseen disaster that could take her out like the rest of her father's family, and she wants to remember and always be ready in case the sins of the past break free. When news reached her ears about the deaths of coven members, Evelynn dwelled on what to do. Eventually, she elected to return home. Home to face the curse of her family, and home to ensure that the world remained safe forever more.

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"If you take three steps that way you will either run into a monster or be safe."

TYPE ⫻ (Afflicted Aberration)

ABSTRACTION ⫻ Foresight - Evelynn can pull on her curse to see the possible futures ahead of her.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ Evelynn's story begins with her ancestors. It is told that her great-great Grandfather crossed a witch out in the woods, he had come to seek the power to see the path to a prosperous future, and when he did not pay what was due the witch placed a curse on the man and his bloodline. This curse allowed them to see a possible future, yet it caused many to get lost in it which caused their early death. It was as if the power itself manifested at the worst possible time for the rest of her family.

There was never any proof, mind you, and Evelynn was happy to chalk it up to a family story that was nothing more than a story. Yet, as she grew, she watched as anyone born on her father's side of the family died younger than they should have, often in accidents that could have been avoided had they been more present.

This curse has seemingly grown stronger as the generations have passed. And the events of the battle with the snake added fuel to that fire. This has resulted in Evelynn's unique gift. She has the gift of foresight, the ability to see possible outcomes for any action she wishes. Whether that is walking alone down the dark, dusty road at night or as simple as what lunch she picks to eat, Evelynn can project what may happen before it happens. She does not move, does not react, and to the outside world the projections look as real as anything out. The further she projects into a possible future the longer she has to remain idle. At the end of the day, these possible futures require an interpretation. Sometimes the projections are clear, but often they are not. Evelynn will either have to spend more time, and project more possibilities, or try and interpret from just one.

LIMITS ⫻

Her gifts never show what will happen, only what could. Thus, if she does not spend some time trying to bolster her prediction with more possibilities, she will often be wrong. As well, spending more time and energy on these predictions causes her to lose focus on the present around her.

WEAKNESSES ⫻ The gift of Foresight also comes with the curse of misfortune. Wherever she goes, a subtle telekinetic ability acts to make misfortune happen to her. Whether it's dropping something she's carrying into the water, things falling on her, or... an attack that would have otherwise missed hitting her.

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"Even with this power I still can't win the lottery."

Evelynn always has a flask of alcohol on her person.

Lila Blackwod

"Good morning my lovelies I have gifts to share with the flock."

_______________________________________________ Lila May Blackwood They/Them/She/Her | 25 | White | 65 (In Inches) | 110 (Pounds/LB) _______________________________________________ Nevermore. _______________________________________________ Skills & Talents "I have quite the bounty for you today." ___________________________________ [+] [“Quote the Raven”] ⫻ Lila is well-versed in what her avian friends want and need to thrive. After she left the coven she enrolled in Oregon State University and went through a veterinary program, and currently works as a vet tech in town. As well, she is also well-versed in taking care of most animals. [Cooking] ⫻ Lila is a fantastic cook. While she does not need anything fancy, she often shares her food with her flock and as such, she wants to have the ability to give them something new constantly. As well, she has a love for cooking for her friends and family, and this has led to her place becoming a small meetup spot. [Lay of the lands] ⫻ Lila has spent countless days outdoors tending to her flock and as such, she has learned how to navigate the woods without rousing suspicion from other witches and warlocks

Appearance ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ "I am not for everyone." Lila is a vibrant and confident soul standing at a petite five feet five inches tall. Lila rocks short, texturized hair that exudes an edgy charm, a testament to her fearless approach to self-expression. She sports an eclectic wardrobe, often opting for crop tops that flaunt her midriff, paired with flannel pants that rest tight against her hips. Lila adorns her hips with chains that jingle and dance as she moves. She proudly wears a variety of expensive-looking rings on her fingers, each telling a unique story that she does not know. These are the gifts her flock has given her over the years, and she treasures each one more than anything anyone has given her. In embracing her natural beauty, Lila chooses not to conform to conventional beauty standards and she confidently goes makeup-free, allowing her visible acne scars to shine as badges of resilience and self-love. Lila's authenticity and openness about her journey contribute to the magnetic energy she exudes. Lila proudly wears a distinctive tattoo that adds an extra layer of uniqueness to her already bold persona. Inked on her left forearm is a stylized crow, each feather on the wings are colored with the colors of the LGBTQ+ pride flag. The tattoo serves as a powerful symbol of Lila's own trans journey, resilience, and her connection to her queer community. When asked about the tattoo, Lila often shares stories of the people she has met, the challenges she has overcome, and the triumphs of her identity. It's not just body art for her; it's a narrative of her life etched into her skin, a testament to her strength, individuality, and the vibrant community she proudly represents.

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"Listen, all this stress is leading somewhere."

MAIN GOAL ⫻

Lila's main goal in life is to create a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ youth to express themselves freely and find support in St. Portwell. Motivated by her own journey and the challenges she faced while navigating her identity, Lila is driven to make a positive impact on the lives of young individuals who may be going through similar experiences.

Her experiences with the Stygian Snake made her realize that life was already too short, and that helped push her toward acceptance of her own identity as well as push her towards wanting to be an advocate for the generations that follow.

PHILOSOPHY ⫻

Lila's philosophy revolves around the principles of authenticity, acceptance, and empowerment. At the core of her beliefs is the idea that everyone deserves the space and freedom to be their true selves without fear of judgment or discrimination.

SECRETS ⫻

Since she started her transition young, she has lived life stealthily and the outside world is never the wiser. While her friends, and the coven, know her trans identity most strangers on the street would never know.

She has a secret talent that she fears would lead to snide comments and questions that ask her why she does it. Lila likes to make origami birds. She often travels around town and leaves them behind books at the library, behind food in the grocery store, and in places, where people would never expect to see an origami bird.

Despite her outward confidence, Lila grapples with her insecurities and fears. She carries the weight of the battle with the snake even to this day, despite telling everyone that she has recovered enough from that headspace. She is always on the lookout for signs of the snake's return, as well as monitors the town and the forest around for other dangers that could threaten the world.

SEXUALITY ⫻

Queer. Lila has always had a deep love for women, and feminine presenting people.

FEARS ⫻

Lila's strong sense of community and her commitment to creating inclusive spaces stem from a deep-seated fear of isolation.

Lila carries a fear of regression, particularly in terms of societal progress. Despite the positive strides made in LGBTQ+ rights, she worries about the potential backlash or regression in acceptance.

Lila carries a fear of leaving important work unfinished. Whether it's her advocacy, community projects, or personal goals, she fears not being able to accomplish everything she envisions and as such, she carries boasts an insanely high work ethic. She fears the day she loses it.

REPUTATION IN OLD COVEN ⫻ (

Lila was known as Michael in the Old Coven at the start. At that time she was a timid, shy individual and more often than not followed the stronger voices that stood in front of her. She was considered meek, weak-willed, and often a pushover. Shortly after leaving the coven, she changed everything about who he was, yet these changes may not have had changed what everyone remembered

ROLE IN THE BATTLE AGAINST THE STYGIAN SNAKE ⫻

Lila used her crows in a supportive role, using her crows to distract enemies from her friends and she also used them in a limited offensive role to peck at the eyes of those she could. She eventually watched as her flock vanished after too many close calls and she was forced to be only emotional support.

FLAWS ⫻

Overcommitment - Lila's dedication to her cause sometimes leads to over-commitment. She tends to take on more responsibilities than she can handle, leading to moments of exhaustion and stress. Her fear of leaving important work unfinished exacerbates this fault as she struggles to find the balance between her personal life and her advocacy.

Difficulty Delegating - Due to her deep personal investment in her projects, Lila finds it challenging to delegate tasks. This can lead to burnout, as she may be reluctant to entrust critical responsibilities to others. Learning to share the workload is a continual struggle as she grapples with the fear that others may not approach the work with the same passion and commitment.

Impatience with Inaction - Lila's impatience with societal progress and injustices can lead to frustration. She struggles to understand those who don't share her sense of urgency, sometimes alienating individuals who may be at different stages of their journey toward acceptance and understanding.

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"Thanks to gran, I feel like I can do anything."

In the quiet embrace of Oregon's serene landscapes, Lila's childhood unfolded amidst the separation of her parents. She was sent to live with her Grandma, and what initially seemed like an upheaval early in her formative years turned into a blessing. Under Grandma's watchful eye, Lila's early years were the most amazing time of her life and it was filled with love, wisdom, and a caring approach that her parents never brought. These foundational moments became the bedrock of the values that would shape Lila's journey.

As adolescence dawned, Lila began to grapple with a profound sense of something wrong with her gender. Seeking answers and clarity, her grandmother sought help and took Lila to therapy. It was during these introspective moments that the extraordinary revealed itself – a mystical connection with a murder of crows, bound to Lila as if they took a fancy to the young kid. When she gave them a treat and asked them to do something, they would. This connection became an integral part of her identity and a source of her power.

The pivotal moment in Lila's journey occurred during the fierce confrontation with the Stygian Snake. As the world descended into chaos around her, she leaned on her crows to keep her safe. Cornered, and out of gifts for the crows, she was rescued by members of the coven, who brought the struggling kid into their fold. The battle ended up mirroring the internal struggle she faced with her gender identity. It became the crucible in which her decision to undergo a medical transition was forged. Post-battle, the subsequent months were marked by a labyrinthine journey through the approval process, a mosaic of challenges and triumphs that would pave the way for her rebirth. After the battle, she stayed with the Coven. These powers of hers confused, and concerned, her, and this seemed like a safe place for her to expand her knowledge of them. She never felt like she fit in with the rest of the group, and she often just followed whoever had the most confident voice and commanding pressure.

In the wake of the Coven's disbandment, Lila's path led her to higher education. Fueling her passion for nurturing and care, she emerged as a vet tech, bridging the ordinary and the mystical in her commitment to the well-being of both animals and humans alike.

Yet, the call to return echoed across the corners of her mind. Despite the personal growth and achievements of the interim period, the bonds forged within the mystical embrace of the Coven held an unyielding sway. Recognizing the significance of her power and feeling the pull of destiny, Lila chose to answer the call. As well, something strange happened in the weeks leading up to the eventual reformation of the coven. Her crows have been leading her to strange new places in the forests, and she hears the call of a mystical figure with each waking thought. This figure calls herself the Maiden of the Raven, and she promises much, and Lila is beginning to listen.

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"I will have them scout ahead, quick give me your watch."

TYPE ⫻ Aberration (Adjoined)

ABSTRACTION ⫻ The Crow Pact, a supernatural connection with the crows of St. Portwell that gift Lila with information, items, and protection, in exchange for shiny objects and food.

ABSTRACTION DESCRIPTION ⫻ The Crows of St. Portwell noticed Lila the moment things started to get weird with the Snake. They quickly took a liking to her and attached themselves to her soul without her knowing, at least at first. The Crows Pact is a strange abstraction as it's unknown what Apparition is adjoined to Lila, as the Crows do not speak in the traditional sense as the only way they can communicate is nonverbally (though, they are known to gather together to spell out words). It's unknown if the Crow Pact is one Apparition controlling all the birds, several different Apparitions in the crows, or if the Crows are Apparitions themselves. Given the situation in St. Portwell, it's completely irrelevant as the Crow Pact is possibly one of the most powerful Abstractions among the cast.

It's a psychic connection to the crows... which will follow Lila around town wherever she goes. Wherever Lila goes, there will be one giant murder of crows following her, even in places where the crows logically have no way of getting to. They will form up and will gesture to Lila to give them something: whether it's food or something shiny and in return they will do a favor for Lila. (They can strangely understand English). This can be anything that comes to mind, she can ask the crows to grab something for her, find someone in St. Portwell, or even attack someone. This depends on the gift; if she gives them a measly penny, maybe they'll do something but if she drops a bag of diamonds in front of them; best believe they'll put their foot in it.

At the start, she had just a dozen crows that would assist her with her tasks but now she has well over a hundred. The price to get rid of them for a little while is fairly low, but they'll always be back even if Lila tells them to never come back.

Something strange has started to happen with her crows. They have begun to direct her deeper and deeper into the woods around the town, almost directing her towards something. As well, she has begun to hear whispers in the corner of her mind, whispers that come from The Maiden of Crows. It beckons her to let her in, and reap the rewards of her acts of kindness towards her subjects.

LIMITS ⫻

First and foremost, the crows are just regular crows other than the psychic connection nonsense - they can't do anything more than a regular crow can do. It requires a lot of shiny objects and food in order to motivate the crows to do something in return, and they'll complete that one task and then require another gift in order to fulfill another task. The Crows are a very picky sort, and will only fulfill five favors in a day (whether they're tiny or monumental does not matter, so Lila has to be careful), and once Lila reaches those five tasks - the crows will be satisfied and will disappear for the day.

WEAKNESSES ⫻

There are two primary disadvantages to the Crow pact... the primary one being that the crows will follow Lila everywhere and a giant mass of crows in one spot is very conspicuous. She can ask them to go away for a little while, but that's at the cost of one of a favor. The thing that Lila has to keep in mind is that the Crows are literal minded as they come, so she has to be careful with phrasing or the Crows will end up being an issue for her. The crows are weak against attacks with areas of effect such as explosions, fire, etc, etc, and if enough crows are killed, they will flee and Lila will be without them for the day.

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"Should I listen to the Maiden, or are y'all just fucking with me?"

Lila has a constant supply of high quality snacks on her in her bags. She will not share.

NPC The Maiden

The Maiden.of the Crows

Millennia's old | The Maiden of the Crows | She/Her

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"I only ask for you to trust me."

Description:

The Maiden of the Crows is a mysterious figure who stands at a height of five feet seven inches. Its attire is a mesmerizing display of otherworldliness, as both its dress and cloak are crafted from the sleek, iridescent feathers of crows. These feathers cascade down gracefully, creating a flowing and ethereal appearance. If she so costs she can expand the cloak, causing it to turn into her winter. These wings unfold with broken beauty and cast a green light on the area in front of it. The feathers are much, much larger than any crow seen on Earth suggesting that there exists a giant one out there, somewhere in the void, or the feathers are simply a construct of The Maiden. On a close look, it may be that The Maiden has a flair for the dramatic and simply modeled her dress after the Crows she so affectionately loves, but on a second glance one might see that the dress, and the outfit a whole, can separate in the middle. A possible second set of wings, or a possible entry point to something more monstrous underneath.

The Maiden's hair seamlessly merges with her cloak. A mask conceals her face, leaving observers unable to discern the features behind it. Her visage is further heightened by a vibrant green emerald that adorns her waist, catching the eye amidst the dark feathers. The gem has a quality that draws in all eyes, causing those who stare for too long to be entranced with a desire to trade anything, and everything, to try and convince The Maiden to part with it. If that fails, they will then take it from her.

A green glow envelops the Maiden. The glow is the same color as the emerald that sits on her waist and it carries a softer form of the trance effect of the gem. Those who bask too long under the glow are eventually driven mad with a desire to pluck the feathers off the Maidens's wings. On top of her head is a crown of feathers. Each feather seems to be plucked from a separate crow, and the more crows that are available to Lila the more feathers adorn the crown.

Abstraction:

Apparition - A Murder of Crows

The Maiden is an Apparition born from the emotion of loneliness. Long, long ago she spawned into existence in this realm and has sought out a companion, a friend, or a lover to keep her company and break her loneliness. Yet, no matter who she lets in or gets close they are taken under the spell of her form, compelling them to break her body to steal her feathers and her jewels. The Maiden has a curse, and her body is hexed to enact revenge on those who succumb to the allure of her gifts. Those who pluck and steal a feather will eventually be turned into one of her servant crows within a week of the theft, and those who steal the jewels from her body eventually get turned into the very item they stole. As such, The Maiden maintains a treasure trove that is next to none in terms of size and has a flock of followers to keep her company on her eternal search for a companion, a friend, or a lover to keep her company and break her loneliness until the end of time.

The Maiden becomes adjoined with every person she tries to bring into her life, and once selected there is no way to break free of her grasp except distance. If the person she is adjoined to has gifted her enough valuable stuff, however, distance is no longer a hurdle and The Maiden will follow the person forever more. Until they either accept her invitation, and gaze on her form, or die. Once adjoined, The Maiden will bind her crows to a chosen mortal. Her current choice is Lila.

Once The Maiden binds her Crows there is no way to undo it. The Crows will take commands from the chosen, as long as they are offered a reward for doing so. The Crows themselves take great pleasure in shiny things, be it jewelry like rings and necklaces or raw gems. In the modern world the Crows have an intense love of anything diamonds although, in the past, gold was king. The Crows will also love a delicious treat, and they have been known to do many a bold thing for a particular dish that Lila cooks often for them.

The Crows do not collect the jewelry and the gems for themselves. They collect, and return, them back to The Maiden. While it is unclear why The Maiden requests these gifts for a favor from the crows, especially considering the vast wealth she has available, it is suspected that it is a way to gauge the soul of a person. A gift given freely, without a task, is often considered especially important to The Maiden, as are gifts that carry a significant emotional reason or history. As such, a ring that has been in a family line for generations could convince The Maiden to advance her trust faster as there is power in that emotional connection.

After the Maiden has deemed a mortal worthy, she will begin to unlock more of her power, and with that comes her voice. The Maiden will begin trying to build trust with her chosen. Offering her guidance, her opinions, and her assistance in their struggles. These whispers also have some of the infecting qualities much like her appearance. The more The Maiden whispers, the more she will want to talk. The more she talks, the more persuasive The Maiden becomes. The Maiden's end goal is to convince the chosen to take her challenge, and she will do anything she can and say anything she needs to get the chosen to let her in, and then she will let the chosen into her realm. And once she has the chosen in her realm, she will make them undergo her trials.

The Maiden is covered in cursed feathers, gems, and jewelry. The curse works in two stages. Stage one is infection. When the chosen gazes on The Maiden's true form they will be overcome with a desire to take something from her body, and the infection that follows will be based on that choice. No chosen has managed to avoid taking something from The Maiden and the curse that compels them to look is strong. If the chosen takes a feather from her wings, they will start to notice a change happening within a few days. Feathers will begin to sprout all across their body until, after exactly one week they will be transformed into one of The Maiden's crows and be subjugated to be a servant of The Maiden for the rest of time. If a jewelry piece or gem is taken the mortal will undergo a similar transformation though instead of a crow they will instead transform into whatever they stole, a ring stolen means the mortal becomes a ring.

[NoriWasHere]

The birds and the bees

“You are not good at this,” The Maiden whispered as she yawned.

“You’re not very good at being a mentor,” Lila scoffed as she walked a few more steps into the forest.

“Yet,” The Maiden chuckled back, “but you have the makings of a powerful avatar for me. You are charismatic, have a strong leadership drive, and are a natural with my beloved murder.” The Maiden with a hint of pride in her voice.

“Aww do you mean-,” Lila started but was hushed.

“You are also incredibly indecisive, don’t know how to wield the murder to its full potential, painfully naive,” The Maiden started with a stern tone.

“Okay, okay I,” Lila paused as she came to a clearing not far from the running trail, “the only people who are out today are crazy runners and they’re too focused on not realizing how much running sucks,” Lila said as she looked down at her outfit. She wore a thick pair of leggings with some athletic shorts over top. She had a tight fitting but warm athletic shirt under a thin red sleeveless windbreaker. She felt warm, and ready to train. “If anyone sees me they’ll just think I’m a crazy crow lady,” Lila said with a grin as she stretched her arms out.

“You are a crazy crow lady. I’m not actually sealed in you. Nothing has changed from before. You just have voices in your head,” The Maiden said with a dry voice. After an uncomfortable silence the entire murder cawed in what sounded like laughter. Lila sighed as she actually believed it for the briefest moment. “Painfully naiv-,”

“Don’t make me push you down,” Lila said before she felt the wings stirring beneath her back.

“And you make threats you can’t keep,” The Maiden said with an angry voice as she forced the wings to writhe under her back.

“Stop….. Please stop,” Lila begged as the pain became unbearable and she fell to her knees. A moment later the writhing stopped.

“You can’t even control,” The Maiden sighed, “you can’t even control my body yet,” The Maiden paused as she pulled Lila up like a marionette puppet, “whereas I can control yours.”

“Your body is inside mine,” Lila said as she pulled herself free from the strings, “there’s a lot of flesh between you and me,” Lila scoffed back, “it’s incredibly painful.”

“Two can’t be one if one rejects the other,” The Maiden tried to sound wise.

Lila looked at one of her crows with a dumbfounded stare. “What the fuck does that even mean?

Lila could feel The Maiden sigh. The murder began to form shapes in the sky above. They formed a crude stuck figure in the sky. Lila felt like it was supposed to be her. The crows put on a crude show in the air showing the stick figure in pain as wings and claws and more crow-like features erupted forth from their body. Lila had a look of disgust on her face. The crows reformed into another figure. It was more detailed, and had crow like features from the get go. A lot more attention was paid to the details here. The wings came out naturally as did the claws. It was as if Lila and The Maiden were one. Lila had a hand on her chin, and she nodded in understanding. “Two can’t be one if one rejects the other,” The Maiden paused, “do you understand now?”

Lila nodded for a second longer before she looked away from the display above her. “Nope.”

The murder cawed in frustration, the sound was deafening, and Lila winced at the sound.

“You reject my gifts at every advance, you prefer to keep looking as human as possible, you haven’t given a gift to the murder since I was sealed in you,” The Maiden paused, “we share a body now. Until you accept that fact you will only have a fraction of my power. Our power. You have to learn how to control the transformations and to do that you must transform more.”

“And how do I know you’re not trying to push your way to the surface more so that you can take full control,” Lila asked with a sigh.

As Lila asked she felt The Maiden's cold talons grip tightly around her mind. The sky around her grew distant and she felt herself pulled all the way down. A chuckle was heard coming from no direction but every direction at once. The laugh was The Maiden but also a chorus of thousands upon thousands of men and women. From the darkness floated forth a woman, her wings stretched far and wide and seemed so massive in comparison to the tiny wings Lila could summon forth. She wore a gorgeous dress with various jeweils and crystals. The laughter grew in strength until it reached a crescendo as the maiden towered over Lila, breaking for a moment as The Maiden leaned in, hands behind her back. Lila gasped at just how big the maiden looked and just how small she felt in this moment.

“You don’t.”

A moment later Lila felt the grip of the maiden release and she shot upwards back to the surface. As she ascended the laughter resumed all around her, sounding like it came from the darkness itself. As Lila assumed control once more she took a deep breath, and then gasped for air as she fell to the ground. She took a series of short shallow breaths before she realized there was something casting a vaguely wing shaped shadow on the ground. As well, her once skin tight athletic top had quite a few more ruffles of feathers that traveled far up her arm, which was seemingly much longer than normal. And her eyesight was much more focused than normal. A quick command was sent out to the murder. She needed to see. A series of crows flew past and she was able to capture just a quick few frames.

Her face was…different. Her nose was more beak like, coming to a much more visible peak. Her lower jaw had also grown a peak. Her face had much more of a beak-like feature to it. Half her face was covered in feathers. Her red windbreaker was also ripped in half, with one half still on each shoulder, pushed apart by the massive wings that now spread out much further than her normal wings. She looked like a proper crows maiden now, and Lila couldn’t help but gasp at the visage. Yet, this rapid and massive of a transformation would normally elicit a torrent of pain. But she felt none.

“Get it,” The Maiden asked finally as more crow swarmed around Lila allowing her to truly see the scope of her transformation. Lila unzipped her athletic top and pulled it apart and saw that her arms were longer and thinner and completely covered in feathers. Her legs were also much, much longer, which pushed Lila’s height up by a few inches. Lila's breathing stopped for a moment as she tried to understand what she was seeing. “Two can’t be one,” the maiden said with a chuckle as she pulled back all the transformations at once causing unimaginable pain all across her body. The wings zipped back into her back, her legs snapped back into their proper place, her arms shrunk and reformed, and every extra feather pulled itself back into her skin. She was covered in feather cuts, broken bones, and she couldn’t even scream. And yet, a moment later she felt a strange warmth envelop her and within a few moments her body was as good as new. She still had her talons, and feathers lower arms, but the rest of her body was back to normal.

“Get…it,” The Maiden asked as Lila pushed herself to her feet. As she rose to her feet she finally caught her breath. Lila could only shake her head yes.

“Good,” The maiden said as she summoned forth a new round of transformations, “we have a lot to practice.”

---

“I need a break,” Lila coughed out as she placed her clawed hands on her thigh.

“A pity. You’re making good progress somehow.”. Lila simply raised her middle finger to a crow as her transformation was once again reversed and the maiden healed all her wounds. Lila looked like a mess. Her clothes were shredded, none more than her leggings which were now cut off right above her knees. She simply wore her sports bra and had the athletic coverup overtop.

“Shit since when could you heal me like that,” Lila joked as she took a drink of water. “I‘ll be ready to go in just one second,” Lila paused as she noticed that her murder was revealing her position too much. As such, she commanded them to hide in the forest away from the trail for the time being.

“Holy shit, Lila?!"

Trisha had, maybe, deviated a bit from the route she'd promised Casey she'd take. Just a little bit. Half an hour of running by Temple after Temple business hadn't resulted in the clear head she'd hoped for, so she'd taken a detour through Memorial Park on the way back. Hopefully he wouldn't know… and she'd be back early, that would make up for it, right? This running path was a bit more out of the way than she'd liked, but it was the most direct way from where she'd ended up. She just picked up the pace… until she spotted many crows and someone familiar.

Different, but familiar. Lila, formerly Michael, looked different - and not just because of the ripped clothing. More like herself, probably. Trisha had heard through various Sycamore people she was still in contact with about the name change… and while she was many things, transphobic wasn't one of them. And while they hadn't been so close ten years ago, she'd been friendly with Jasper and Luca. Luca especially… the one person who'd really escaped her resentment.

Normally, she'd still keep going and ignore her. But, from memory, Lila wasn't like Adora. She was quieter, and less likely to punch Trisha in the face. Her ability to hold an amicable conversation with Leon, and Casey's confidence in her, was enough to make her want to try again. Maybe she could rebuild the bridges she'd burnt. It was possible to have a conversation without her snapping. That was all she wanted… just a conversation. To try and change a bit, to not have this resentment towards the entire coven for falling apart.

“Are you alright?" Trisha paused her running, jogging over towards Lila instead. As she did, the bees hidden in her thick, wavy ponytail started to crawl out and into more obvious positions - her shoulders, ears, a couple on her face.
“Isn’t being alone dangerous… uh, hi. It's been a while. Ten years."

“Oh hey,” Lila said as she leaned up and stretched her back, she thought a ‘did you see her coming’ to The Maiden and she could tell The Maiden had, “Yeah I’m fine. Just training today, you know? I’m never truly alone anyway so I figured if father wolf was on the prowl I’d at least have a chance. But it has been a while, you look good! How have things been,” Lila paused as she took a few steps closer.

“Is she a threat?”

“No,” she whispered back.

“Never truly alone… huh…" Trisha looked thoughtful for a moment, remembering that Lila was adjoined just like her. “I never thought about it like that when it comes to the Ghost attached to me. Next time I need to go somewhere alone…"

She shook her head, realising Lila probably didn't care about her needing excuses to be able to go out alone without a whole cult security team. Not that she wanted to go into it anyway… “Things have been good! Really good… I moved in with my boyfriend last week. I feel a lot safer thanks to that, and it's been really nice."

Trisha smiled, looking actually happy… it was difficult to not when she thought about Casey. Of course there was a risk with mentioning it, because of her reputation in the old coven. All of the short lived and explosively ending relationships she had…
“How about you? Did you… go back to the coven?"

“Yeah, it’s hard to be alone when your body is what sealing a ghost ha,” Lila chuckled nervously as she rubbed her arms. “Right now company
is needed with that monster on the prowl,” Lila talked about Emily but the words carried weight for the wolf, “that’s so cool though. How’s living with your boyfriend,” Lila asked genuinely.

Trisha's brow furrowed a little bit. She hadn't even realised an Apparition could be sealed by a body… well, maybe that was what it was like for Leon? She remembered it being a bit like that, but she decided not to ask any questions, for once using a bit of tact. Not asking things she'd dislike having to answer, and talking about something she could easily go on about.
“Honestly, it's great. Really comfortable, he treats me well… maybe a bit overprotective with the whole Father Wolf thing, but I get it. It's just because he cares." Trisha's expression softened further as she spoke about Casey, bees wriggling on her shoulders in reaction to the gentle pheromones she gave out that only they could smell.

“Our apartment is really nice and central, and there's loads more space for my bees too. It's perfect, really, aside from having to deal with his family more… oh-" Trisha paused, letting out a slight laugh. “My boyfriend- Casey- is Leon's younger brother… I don't know how much you know about his family- or the, uh, Temple, but it's a lot. Worth it, just weird. They're really obsessed with us- Sycamore, that is."

“Leon? Oh yeah that makes sense. How’s his brother? I don’t recall meeting him,” Lila chuckled as she stretched her arms out, “so do you remember Luca? I’ve been staying with him, Jasper and,” Lynn paused as her conversation with Lynn flashed through her mind, “Lynn. She went by Evelynn back in the day. Do you remember them? Luca’s apartment is nice enough and we’re safe together there.”

“He’s way more chill than Leon is… pretty goofy, but it's cute. He wasn't kindled ten years ago so… he wasn't around," Trisha smiled, before moving into the next question.
“Yeah, I remember everyone." And everything they'd done against her. Evelynn. Trisha had tried to be friends with her back in the day but it had gone how it always did… She could still remember everything Evelynn had said. About her future. About how she would die alone.

“Luca was always so nice, I- well, wish I'd kept in contact, maybe. Jasper too. I'm glad you're all safe together." It was true that Luca was one of the few people she'd never properly pissed off in the old coven. She wasn't sure if he could even get upset. Jasper was similar. But Evelynn… Trisha was really trying her hardest not to say something horrible right off the bat. She did what Casey had told her to do with Lena - imagined him, how happy he'd be that she was able to be friendly with another coven member. It held back the words on the tip of her tongue, turning into another boring question.
“Are they all doing alright too?"

“Luca and Jasper are doing really good. They’re both falling heads over heels for each other but neither are brave enough to make the first move. Jasper said he had something special planned though so fingers crossed on that front. I’ve been watching it all play out and it’s adorable,” Lila paused as she looked down, “I’m worried about Lynn though. She has been quietly struggling since way back when, I think it’s about to be a lot more visible soon with what I’ve seen. She’s such a good friend that I want to be there to help her but she always has these walls up, you know,” Lila asked Trisha, almost pleading for guidance.

Trisha was genuinely happy to hear that Luca and Jasper were doing well… and also that Lynn wasn't. She didn't deserve to. Why did she deserve Lila putting in that effort for her? And if Lynn had those walls up, they should just be left. Just like hers. But she had hers because she'd been hurt so much before, not because she was a bitch.
“If she's not letting you in, what can you do?" Trisha tried to hold back still. Thought about going home to Casey… but if Lynn got her wishes, Trisha wouldn't have anyone at all. She'd be alone. Like she always had been… and she'd said it as if she deserved it. But really-
“Maybe she deserves to struggle without any help. What did she ever do for anyone?"

“What did she-,” Lila paused as she let out a single chuckle as her head slightly crooked to the side. What did Lynn do for anyone? If only this bitch in front of her knew. But she didn’t, and probably couldn’t know. That didn’t excuse the coldness with how she delivered that final line. Lila did not know if there was any bad blood between Lynn and Trisha, but she knew that Lynn was there for her every step of the way. “Lynn helped me embrace who I always was well before the rest of the coven knew. Lynn helped me learn to stand up to people who misgendered me, dead named me,” as Lila talked her arms and legs began to get a little more feathered, “out of everyone in the coven, both past, present and future, there is no one more deserving of my help, my kindness, and my support,” Lila paused as she looked Trisha in her eyes.

“Don’t be a bitch like Emily, okay thanks.

“She said I was going to die alone but thinking she deserves to feel shit is the same as being a near Nazi?" Trisha hissed, eyes narrowed. She didn't look away from Lila but her gaze turned cold. Loud buzzing filled the air around her as around a hundred bees crawled out from in her hair, her skirt, and even under her tank top. They didn't move from her, instead their wings just flapped in what was supposed to be a threatening display. The sound almost drowned out Trisha words, delivered with a harsh coldness but no increase of volume.
“I’m nothing like Emily- but I get it, I say one thing, and I'm the worst. Fuck you. No wonder your friends with a bitch like Lynn who enjoys watching everyone's worst nightmares in their futures."

“Oh I’m friends with Lynn because we’ve also both struggled through loss, adversity and hardship unlike the rich bitch of the coven, Lila spat out as even more feathers sprouted forth from her body. Her arms and legs, most of her chest, and even her face were now covered with feathers. A moment later her eyes went fully black as well. At this point she was halfway between human and monster. “You never met a problem daddy’s money couldn’t fix. Well, except your rotten personality and your abrasive fucking voice. I see no amount of money could ever fix you.

“You don't even know me," Trisha snapped, not even flinching as Lila transformed. She didn't care. She'd seen worse - they'd both seem worse. This was nothing. Not when she was being told she was nothing without her father's money - the father who abandoned her, didn't care about her, and died before she was old enough to reform any relationship with. She was just a Vanburen. It was always that, never Trisha.

But that didn't matter, because in their eyes Trisha was something terrible that needed fixed. She was right.
“Don’t bring up my dead father- Maybe you should stop blaming all your problems on not being rich and realise it's because you're both bitches you deserve everything you get. Judgemental, callous bitches. I'm not the one turning into a fucking bird, if anyone needs fixing, it's you."

“I don’t need fixed, Lila spat out as she sudden felt her arms grow longer. “Remember this, cunt, Lynn may have said that you’ll die alone but I have the power to ensure that

YOU

DO.

Lila’s voice remained her own. The Maiden did not goad her into saying that, but Lila said it all the same. There was no regret in her mind. Lila suddenly saw one of her crows swoop down and eat one of the bees. She could sense it wasn’t the maiden who commanded it nor did she. The crow was simply hungry and the bee looked like a treat.

“You can't even help your asshole friend, what can you- fuck," Trisha jolted as a pain shot through her mind, like an electric zap to her brain. Just one bee… one bee too many…
“She didn't do anything to you, you murderous bitch," Trisha bit out. The physical pain subsided immediately, but the emotional pain - the loss of the bee, and Lila's words hammering at her already fragile confidence… it was all her worst fears. Everything she didn't want. Losing even the bees. Lila could do it. Her crows could eat all the bees, and then what would Trisha have?

The ninety-nine other bees with her all swarmed the crow that had eaten one of their sisters, trying to sting them to death. At the same time, Trisha called her entire hive, blinded by anger and the loss of a single bee.

Lila watched as the bees swarmed her crow. The crow attempted to break free from the stinging swarm but did not get far before it collapsed dead. Lila pressed her talon to her right eye as the immediate psychic backlash was profound and strong. Lila looked at Trisha with an even angrier look to her expression. All wildlife around them stopped making noise. Lila’s head twitched three times in quick succession. Not a single cricket, bird, or any other creature dared make a sound. Instead, Trisha would hear what sounded like a twig snapping. Yet this was no branch breaking, instead the rest of Lila’s bones finally gave way as she reached a true mid point in the transformation. Talons emerged from her feet, her legs stretched giving her an extra three inches in height, and her back exploded out revealing the much more massive wings that somehow had only grown in beauty.

From behind Lila the tree line erupted in a flurry of caws as a large portion of the present murder, tens of thousands strong, emerged from the tree line and beelined towards Trisha

Trisha commanded the bees to come back to her, landing all over her body. It would take at least a minute for the rest of the bees to arrive, she had to keep this group alive until then. She was at a disadvantage until then, she could grow wings like Lila, but she was far too pissed to back down or flee. Her phone buzzed in the pocket of her skirt. She had no idea who it was, and didn’t care, she didn’t have time to think about it as all the crows flew at her. She squatted down, making herself smaller. Her hands came up in front of her face but she glared at Lila from behind them.

“Stay back,” Trisha hissed, as she bombarded the area with fear pheromones. It would hit through Lila’s emotional field, enough to make her feel strong panic and have an overwhelming need to flee… but it wouldn’t have any effect on the crows.

“Don’t say that. We’re just starting to have fun, Lila started before the fear pheromones hit. In an instant she wanted to flee and run away from this chaotic mess of a fight but the maiden’s emotional field was barely holding together under the stress of the fear, and was the only thing keeping Lila where she was. Meanwhile, the crows had begun breaking apart the bee dome. Some acted as decoys to draw the bees away from one spot only to slash at Trisha from another. Some even stopped swooping down and began to pick off her bees one at a time.

As the crows attacked her, it was difficult for Trisha to stop her bees from scattering in panic. With such small numbers their natural instinct was to flee in front of things that could kill them. Instead some were distracted and chased away by the crows, and some hid in her clothes. Trisha hissed in pain as sharp claws cut through her shoulder, blood trickling down her arm. Another caught her cheek, beak gouging into her forehead. But the pain from the scratch was nothing compared to the constant hits of bee death as they got eaten by the crows.

“I’ll show you… fun…” Trisha gritted out. Her fear pheromones intensified, but she could sense her other bees now. They were close. She got control again, switching up the pheromones she was sending the bees here, commanding them to fly up into the sky and away from her.

Lila and The Maiden both struggled against this new wave of pheromones and they were both pushed to the edge of breaking. Lila’s wings began to flicker a pale green color. It was short, but weak, bursts of her cursed wings but they were powerful enough to draw Trisha’s gaze. A second matter they fizzled out in numerous flashes but they went dark for seven seconds. Then, without warning, they erupted at full power momentarily making the surrounding area dark. They were brought, vividly green, and almost irresistible. Lila’s crows meanwhile chased the bees up following their previous commands.

The bees Trisha had with her stopped suddenly middair… and a loud, intense buzzing broke through the otherwise eerily quiet surroundings, and the crows were met with an entire swarm of bees. Sixty-thousand bees clashed with them.

Lila looked up to the sky and her mouth dropped. “Good luck, Lila says as she looked Trisha in the eyes well aware the two were about to suffer.

The relief from the crows stopping attacking Trisha was short-lived as her gaze was drawn to the wings. She was lured to move towards them, to take a feather, going towards Lila with a hand raised.
NO!

A small group of bees sped down from the larger group fighting the crows, covering Trisha’s eyes and cutting off the link. She couldn’t see the feathers anymore, and the temptation was immediately gone. She couldn’t see anything but… she didn’t need to. The Queen was awake, and she could sense all of her bees' pheromones in a much more accurate way. She could tell where each bee was, what they could sense, and it gave her a picture of exactly what was happening. She didn’t need her sight.

So, naturally, she reached up and grabbed Lila’s hair to pull as hard as she could… While directing her bees to make targeted attacks on the Crows in groups of the hundreds, leading them around. Others swarmed Lila and started stinging her.
“You need the luck.”

Lila refused to back down from this fight. While her mind was shattering from the countless dead crows she knew for every one crow Trisha killed she had taken out many more bees. If Lila's mind was breaking so too would Trisha. Lila’s face had changed slightly with the increased death of her murder. Her veins had all gone black as well, and could be seen through the pale face that Lila had. Lila’s wings flapped backwards before they shot forward, sending all the bees in front of her flying with the powerful gust of wind. She commanded a small murder to envelop her in overlapping lines to try and keep the bees off her as best as possible. “Bitch.”

Trisha was in intense pain, as if her mind was being electrocuted. Blood dripped down her face from her nose in an unstoppable flood. She could hardly think, working on pure adrenaline and instincts sensing pheromones and commanding the bees. Some of her bees covered her in a similar action to protect her from the crows' claws, while more kept going at Crows and Lila herself. “Feathery asshole.”

”Bee freak.” Lila hissed out as she took a step towards Trisha.

“Bird bitch,” Trisha gritted out, bees reactively covering her front as Lila moved closer, a group going for her face. At the same time Trisha reached out to try and grab her wings.

“Buzz-kill.” Lila spat as she took another step and reached for Trisha’s hair.

Something moving faster than the speed of sound was bound to make an entrance with noise and flare… But the only noise that pierced the air between the two combatants was a loud crack: Wind spiraled between Trisha’s face and Lila’s hand, and it was hot like a summer day as the pressure knocked the incoming hand aside.
Impacting a fairly large crow in the vicinity, there was a loud pop resounding across the space as the poor thing ruptured into a red mist. The shockwave of the impact shattered the bones within, sending a shrapnel of bird bone shards that ripped its comrades apart in a small area.

Unclear of the cause, one could only look into the distance and see a squat tower structure and an old roof cistern overlooking the bay area. A gentle glint directed the eye to that water tower… Before three more whizzing cracks left equally exploded crows as puddles to rain down.

A fucking gun…

Trisha had no idea what was happening. All she heard was an ear piercing crack. She still couldn’t see, the bees beginning to peel back to show her a sliver of what was happening… only to see a crow explode. Her heart started pounding in her chest. What the fuck? What the actual fuck. It didn’t stop her from attacking Lila, instead she got closer, using the opportunity to pull harshly at her wings. In case the bees were next, somehow. Her head hurt too much from the hundreds dead to even consider who would be intervening. She could barely think through the pain and anger and pheromones bombarding her, that she had to be constantly intune to.
“You’re- getting what you… deserve… birdbrains…”

Lila, meanwhile, wrapped her wings all the way around Trisha instinctively as well as used her arms to grab Trisha around her waist before using her supernatural strength to pull Trisha with her back into the woodline of the forest and hopefully away from whoever was shooting at them. Once she reached the relative safety of the woods Lila used her wings to strike at Trisha. ” You’re so fucking dumb, do you even know what will happen if you pull a feather? No, because you have the intelligence of a fucking bee.”. Lila could barely even see straight at this point. Her mind had fractured into a hundred pieces at the death of so many crows. ” You are like baby,” Lila said in a slightly slurred tone before she commanded the murder to retreat to the safety of the canopy as she sent another wing strike. After the strike landed she quickly put her wings as far back as she could away from the hands of Trisha. She placed her taloned hands on a tree trunk to pull herself away from Trisha further but her strength was too much and she simply pulled a chunk of tree with her. Instead of dropping it to the ground she simply dropped it gently at Trisha’s head. The Maiden roared a command to the murder to look for incoming threats and their eyes would all begin to scan the area, she also ordered them to help pull any stingers out of any who were afflicted. Lila turned her attention back to Trisha and reached for her legs with her long, thin, arms with their long, sharp, claws.

“AND WHO IS SITTING SHOOOOTING AT US.”

“My bees are much smarter than you…" Trisha mumbled out. The second wing strike caused her to fall back onto the ground. She managed to narrowly avoid the piece of tree dropped on her head by rolling, sudden movement only making her dizzier… she didn't understand, but at least she didn't have any feathers in her hands. She kicked at Lila's hands as they came for her legs, half her bee swarm covering her skin in a constantly flickering mass and the other half going for Lila's arms.
“How would I know?! You got… the crows… bet they just think… you looked like a great target…"

It was really difficult for Trisha to process anything beyond keeping on going, as Lila's claws dug into her calves. Trisha curled forward, trembling hands trying to pull them off her. Her pheromones shifted slightly as the Queen woke up further, targeting Trisha with a light dose of aggression pheromones to help her get through the debilitating pain. She couldn't get up off the forest floor, but she could keep fighting Lila, practically becoming a mass of bees with their stingers out.
“At least I'm not part bird… who will ever like you… like that…"

With Lila rushing off into the forest, the hail of gunfire ceased for a brief moment. The two were allowed to get far enough in that they were surrounded by trees.
And then the assault continued. There was hardly any warning as the trunks of trees around the duo began to shatter and explode with loud, hollow wood noises. Those were followed by loud snapping, crackling as the wounded trees began to fall one by one.

They very quickly blocked any hope of easy escape on foot, leaving Trisha with no real options, and only the option of flight to Lila. Though, without much cover in the air and presumably magical bullets covering that angle, leaving in any way was getting more precarious.

“What the fuck?!" Now Trisha was panicking in a way she hadn't when fighting Lila - and even fight, someone she wanted to hurt without fearing her own death. But now she was terrified as the trees practically exploded around them, sharp pieces of wood raining around them. She went from trying to pry Lila's hands off her to gripping onto them… moving forward to practically cling to her in another instinctual move this time pushed by fear rather than anger. The constant throbbing of her head meant there were very few thoughts, and very few commands given to the bees who also acted on instinct… continuing to sting Lila even as their Queen clung to her in fear.

”Don’t worry, I’ll..oww.. I’ll protect…oww… I’ll protect you,” Lila responded in a sing-song manner as she maneuvered Trisha behind her and spread her wings out wide. Her vision had gotten only more blurry and her mind only more fractured. Lila barely even registered what Trisha had said just prior to her clinging to Lila out of fear. ”Maybe..oww.. this fight wasn’t my..oww.. best idea,” Lila scanned the area around them but she couldn’t see the forest for the trees.

“Don’t need…" Trisha wasn't even able to finish whatever contrary thing she was going to say, instead using the little bit of concentration she had left to get her bees to crawl back to her and stop stinging Lila. For now.

As the two Adjoined clung to one another out of fear and safety, the telling crack of a bullet passed Trisha's face within millimeters. The round smashed into Lila's shoulder like a full on jackhammer, causing a blast of air to knock both of them out of one another's grip.

”Trisha!? Trisha!!!”
Bounding out from the woods in the direction they'd come from, a massive man was holding a long, sleek and futuristic looking rifle. While his lower body moved, it was like his upper body was a stable platform that didn't lose its aimpoint no matter how much he jostled around. Legs moved robotically, almost automatically as they took great big strides across the ruined ground.
”Trisha, get back to the road, Now! Norm!? Get her to safety!”

”Fuck,” Lila said through gritted teeth, placing a hand over the impact sight and groaned in pain, as the man emerged in the forest calling out for someone named Visha, ” I will not let you hurt her,” Lila said and the murder began to caw as her anger builded. The sound of bones snapping and twisting could be heard a moment before the wings once again grew larger and larger. Lila spread them out even further as she tried to make herself look as big as possible.

Trisha could barely see past the wings even as they were knocked away from each other, once again landing on the ground with a light thud. Her vision was so blurred from tears and agony that she could only make out vague outlines - Lila's wings spreading, three men, one coming closer…
“No no no no no," Trisha said in panic, crawling back towards Lila again, ears ringing from the crack of the bullet and the constant buzz of bees as they clung to her and instinctively stung anything that came near. But eventually her slow, shattered mind processed what she'd heard. She couldn't see him, couldn't figure out where he was- not the one approaching, the bees told her as they couldn't sense any of their pheromones on that man. But he was around here somewhere.
“C-Casey?"

”Close your eyes when I say- wait, your boyfriend Casey?”

There was no time. Three more rounds sung through the air from Casey's rifle, blasting Lila further away from Trisha. Only enough so there was a gap between them where a speeding sheet of ice kicked up a torrent of snow. Trisha would feel the strength of frozen arms gripping her by the waist before accelerating in the opposite direction.

”Who the fuck sent you!? Fucking Bird Demons! All the fucking same!” Casey screamed as he closed in further on Lila, as if he was ready to begin the final confrontation.

”I’ll show you a bird demon if you keep shooting me,” Lila said as her limbs cracked and expanded, lengthening her arms and legs. Her chest also cracked and shifted as her ribcage grew wide. More feathers erupted and her face contorted into a more bird-like beak-like shape. ” Trisha, Trish, hey girl is this your Cassidy-Casey,” Lila asked as she looked at the man who shot her. She pointed two fingers at her eyes before she pointed them at the man with a growl.

“L-let go of me!" Trisha struggled against the frozen arms grabbing her with little luck, still confused and absolutely not thinking straight. The bees were going wild trying to sting through solid ice and their panicked pheromones were bombarding her. But without the active bee deaths the pain was beginning to alleviate a bit, enough for her to squint through the blurry vision and see what was going on a bit more. She could actually see Casey now, or enough of him to recognise where he was… pointing a gun at Lila.

“Yes, yes, my Casey, Lila, my boyfriend- Casey, babe, it's fine, I'm fine, it was just an argument!" Trisha shouted. It wasn't very believable when she was covered in scratches, some very deep, with blood all down her face and barely able to move. But she didn't hate Lila enough to want her to get killed- and she really didn't want Lila to try and kill Casey! Her brain was functioning enough to try prevent that, but messed up enough to think that she could somehow play it all off.

Norm yarded hard on his feet, skidding the ice to a stop next to Casey. An entire igloo-like structure seemed to form itself around them, leaving the gun barrel and a hole for Casey to talk out of pointing at Lila.
”Casey fucking Richoux… Tell me you're Lila Blackwood, Adjoined of the Maiden of Murders… The Veridian Wing…”

He hadn't recognized her off the bat, but Theo had been feeding him sight info through his ear piece since he and Norm first left the apartments. With the majority of remaining Sycamore Members picking up activity, he started to make assumptions. They'd collected a great deal of information about desirable additions: Lila Blackwood was among those the Temple had a vested interest in.
The Maiden was a fairly recognizable Apparition, even having a small part in the lore of the Temple long ago.

Casey had reverence for this fact alone; but if she was going to try and hurt Trisha anymore, he wasn't going to stop shooting.
”You tell me what the fuck happened here… Why are you threatening my Trisha?” he barked from inside the barrier.

” That’s a cool nickname, I like that nickname. Sounds terrifying and cool,” Lila, Adjoined of the Maiden of Murders, responded by doing a quick fist pump. ”Yes yes that’s me. We were actually having a wonderful conversation, Trisha insulted my friend and then I insulted her and then one of my crows accidentally ate one of her bees and then her bees killed one of my crows and, that hurt a lot a lot for the both of us we feel their deaths, and then we fought and it was epic. Birds fighting bees, bees fighting birds,” Lila paused as she smirked, ” I did say some things I didn’t mean to Trisha, I had alllllll morning having my bones broken, healed, broken, healed so my brain is not here. Good fight though Trisha you did great, great, great fight. Your boyfriend is cute, good for you,” Lila paused as she squinted towards Casey, ” At least I think so I can’t see shit.”

Casey, completely fed up with Sycamore garbage, pulled his gun through the little slot. This prompted Norm to drop the ice bunker, and it quickly blew away in a cloud of snow.
”What the fuck is the problem with you people? Leave Trisha alone, if she doesn't want to be a part of your dysfunctional gang, then steer clear of her. Tell your fucking friends that too: She's under Temple protection. We don't need you people around here causing problems like this…”

”We fought a world ending threat alone as kids and watched as so many died, and are all deeply traumatized as a result,” Lila paused as she used her wings to point to Trisha, ”She did approach me for the conversation, it is my fault we escalated first. And then Trisha escalated and then I...” Lila paused as her vision cleared enough to get a rough outline of Casey. Her brain began to feel less like a jelly.

“I- I-" Trisha looked down at her feet, vision swimming, in what was the closest to an admission of ‘guilt’ as she'd get. It was very difficult for her to stay standing, visibly swaying. The constant zaps had ceased but her mind was still trying to recover, and then there were the deep scratches bleeding all over her… it really hurt…

“I was just trying to be polite, I thought it would be fine, I didn't even do anything… I'm not deeply traumatised at all, maybe the rest of you are… her crows ate one of my- my bees…" The words tumbled out of Trisha's mouth in an absolute mess as she refused to look at anyone, but everything she said was what she believed was the truth… trying to explain why she approached Lila while getting away from any blame that she didn't believe should be pointed at her. She hadn't even said anything bad before Lila escalated.
“C-Casey, it wasn't- not worrying-" Trisha grimaced, sinking down onto one knee with a hand pressing into the ground to stop herself from properly falling over as another wave of pain hit her. The bees buzzed in panicked circles around her, with a few landing on Casey as they recognised her scent all over him.

Casey’s mind reeled at the possibilities surrounding the circumstance. None of them were good, and each took their toll upon his blood pressure. With Trisha and Lila both in various stages of dazed, he knew he wasn’t going to get a clear picture: But he knew he was pissed. Pissed that she’d been so far off the planned route, pissed that yet another Sycamite was responsible for Trisha having a bad day, pissed that he probably wasn’t going to be k-
”Christ on a small fucking bike, Trisha… Lila, just… Just fuck off! Whatever happened, you’ve made your point: But normal fucking people do not attack one another over their trauma! Fuck, go to a Goddamn Veteran’s meeting, talk to some of the guys that fought out in the Eastern Pacific and let me know if they attack one another or not… Fuck!”

As he turned his body, he knelt down in front of Trisha.
”Babe… Open up, just… Just eat. Don’t think.-”
He moved to his small pack, pulling a couple of the pouches of key lime mixture. Lila would be able to see the clear container with vibrant green jelly sliding about inside. One was held up to Norm, whose ice-covered form was barely recognizable as a man in a suit of frozen crystals.

Casey split the pack he was still holding open, putting the mouthpiece up for Trisha to eat. Norm began to walk forward toward Lila, holding out the package of green jelly.
”Temple’s famous Key Lime Pie. It’ll fix what’s broken, and the Maiden’ll love it. No funny business in there, I swear to you.” the icicle-covered man said with a gentlemanly accent.
”You’re uh… You’re quite the looker like that…”
”Norman!?” Casey barked up at him.

Trisha leaned forward, sucking up the green jelly. One hand curled around Casey's holding out the pack to her, while the other gripped onto his knee. It started to circulate her body, the deep gashes restitching themselves. Muscle reformed painfully, before the skin pressed itself back together. She finished the key lime before curling forward into Casey with pained groans as her body worked to repair any damage. It was strange, the pain from losing the bees getting worse before getting magically fixed… but the bees were still gone. Still an emptiness.
Oh, I like this… why don't you eat it more?
“I’m fine, all fixed… I didn't attack her over trauma, I didn't start it… I didn't mean to worry you again…" Trisha mumbled as her brain began to come back online, but she didn't have the capacity to consider what the Queen had said right now.

”Quite the looker,” Lila asked as her head crooked to the side as she grabbed the jelly and began to eat it while maintaining eye contact with the strange man. Instantly, as soon as she started chewing she felt herself pulled down by the maiden. Pulled back down to the delta depts with a chorus of caws around her as she fell. Soon, she landed near the maiden who was busy doing something she’d never seen before. The maiden was pulling a vaguely humanoid shape from the green crystal on her chest and combined it with a black colored magic from her hands. A second later the spell was complete and a new crow was brought into the murder.

“Don’t worry about the ones lost. I haven’t gave you any that couldn’t be replaced in a moments notice. That food is delightful, chew slower so I can savor every last bite. Oh, as punishment for the lack of focus you showed in that fight you are going to remain in this form for a full day. The changes won’t entirely be permanent, but some will,” The Maiden said as she flicked her wrist sending Lila back to the surface.

She immediately started chewing slower on the jelly as a fearful look spread across her face. ” Well it looks like I’m stuck in this form until tomorrow. The Maiden is punishing me,” Lila said as she slowed down on the chewing even more, ”quite the looker,” Lila asked the man again, still oblivious to the meaning behind it.

Listening to what Trisha said, Casey’s heavy dose of White Lux kept his ears keen and sharp enough to hear and respond to both conversations. His finger slipped up against Trisha’s lips, but his head twisted upward again to stare at Norm. The man in question was letting the ice crystals around him start to fall, revealing a handsome man with gaelic features and dirty-red hair and a beard to match.
”Looker, yeah… Like… Beautiful.” his deep blue eyes stared at Lila in all her avian glory like a man caught in the gaze of the Lord.

”Oh, for fuck’s sake Norm… Fine! When you end up having your eyes and guts picked out, you… Fucking…-”
Gritting his teeth, Casey took a deep breath while his face turned back to face Trisha.
”I’m actually mad. I’m so mad at you. And honestly, I don’t care if you get mad at me, or get sad: I’m going to have this one. I won’t rub it in, I won’t say anything more. Now, can you stand?” he spoke to Trisha in an incredibly stern voice, strained as it was by the frustration of the moment.

“I can," Trisha whispered, voice incredibly weak. She forced herself to her feet and hung her head with a sullen frown. Tears still reflexively streamed down her cheeks, her response systems not quite registering that the pain was gone yet. She wasn't mad, and just a little sad, but more than that she was scared. Not of Casey. She wasn't scared that he would hurt her or anything, just that he'd leave. Just his tone had her trembling, completely different from the Trisha who hadn't backed down when a whole group of crows were clawing at her flesh. It was just too like…
“I really didn't mean to." There were so many things she could mean by that, and really she knew none of that mattered or would dampen Casey's anger. But as long as he was there and angry it wasn't so bad…

She looked up slightly, towards Lila.
“I hope you can replace your crows." It wasn't an apology or anything, but it was at least an acknowledgement of the pain they'd both inflicted on the other.

Lila moved next to Norm as silently as she could, which was not very, and leaned over and whispered a not so silent whisper ”they are a cute couple,” she paused as she looked down at Trisha. ” And your bees. The maiden is busy bringing more out to replace but, but those were just the pawns I think. I’m worried about the rest of the board,” she paused as she chuckled. It was clearly a nervous chuckle. The death, the destruction, the compliment from an attractive man had made her very nervous.

Still holding tightly to Trisha, Casey turned his head to look up at Lila.
”You… Are always welcome to seek the fold of the Temple of Charming and Graceful Individuals. We can help you with whatever issues the Maiden may present to you. And I hope next time, we can avoid something like this happening. Until then, Lila Blackwood… Norm?”

Norm turned his head to look up at Lila. From his pocket, he produced a wet business card that had his name and number on them.
”Gimmie a call somet-”
”God fucking dammit Norman…-” Casey grunted, putting his free hand up to his ear. ”-Theo, pull the plug. We’re good.”

There was a strange series of noises that followed. In a danse macabre of rustling foliage and dust clouds, the fallen trees began to rise from their positions on the ground as if they were being pulled back through time. The explosions reversed, sucking the material back into place until the damaged forest had been repaired.
In an equally macabre display, the crows which had been shot initially were reconstituted into their whole forms; all were still dead, which left one to question the status of the trees, but their corpses now littered the road and the path into the forest from whence they came.

”I guess I’ll go get the car…-” Norm started, looking back at Lila. ”-I’ll never forget you!”
His foot flicked, and pressing off against the ground left a long trail of thin black ice that he skated off upon. Only Casey and Trisha remained with Lila in that final moment.

”And… I’m sorry for shooting at you. But we couldn’t have known it was you.” he said to Lila in solemn fashion.

”Nor will I, you wet card man Norman,” Lila said as she waved. ”I am tougher than I look, I don’t trust the temple fully but I know Leon. I may pay a visit in the future if that is alright,” Lila paused, ” this is all just so new and I don’t know what I’m doing,” Lila paused as she sighed.

”Then you find Leon, and you ask him to show you the truth. He will.”
Casey turned fully, his face twisting to look at Trisha fully.
”I’m so fucking glad you’re safe… God in Heaven, do you kn-” he chastised the girl on into the forest toward the main road until Lila was left alone in that woodland of dead trees, birds and bees.

Lila smirked at the silence. Finally after was alone again. She could head home and tell Luca what happened, how the fight went, and she was sure that he would do everything he could to help her with this new form. She could eat, watch dumb romcoms and just enjoy the rest of the day. Nothing could go wrong.

“That was just your break, remember,” The Maiden laughed as she pulled Lila down to her level. “Time for your next lesson.”

”Oh fuck.”

---

Lila is a fighter

Always falling the same, always sent up different.

It took too many transformations to truly drive it home but she finally learned how the maidens transformation magic worked. At least, as much as one can figure out on the go as one’s own body is no longer entirely their own. The battle with Trisha took a toll on her mind, and this made her unable to prevent the maiden from trying to take full control. At first, she thought that the maiden just wanted to train her more to punish her for the failure during the battle. But as more and more of her body was taken away during these ‘transformation’ training sessions, Lila knew that she needed to figure a way out of it.

Even if she felt half drunk from her mind being broken into a hundred pieces she knew this with a steadfast clarity. She needed to find a way to stop the maiden. Her mind was held back by the death of five hundred or so crows today, a dozen or so yesterday, a few hundred over the past few weeks, but she had the formation of a plan. A dumb plan, a stupid plan, an out of the box plan, but a plan all the same.

Lila knew that controlling the process of the transformative powers of the maiden was only one piece of an equation that she had never learned but she did know she had to figure out the other half quickly. If she didn’t she would have single handedly brought doom to St. Portwell. That is what Lila thought, at least. To pull it off she needed to let the maiden put down her guard, and Lila needed to figure out how the curse magic worked.

As Lila landed she tilted her eyes and saw that her wings were positively massive at this point. They were easily twenty feet long each, and her body was also much more massive as well. She never remembered the ground being so far away. Lila fell from the light again and fell down to the cold depths of the maidens' sanctum. As she hit the ground she went limp so that the maiden would think that she was as broken as the maiden needed her to be. Her feathered head and crow-like head lay motionless as she watched the maiden manipulate the transformation magic to bring out more, and more, and more crows while her other hand infused them with the curse magic and, with a hand behind her back, Lila began to mimic the motions of the magic. She minced the motion of how the maiden pulled the crows out of her body and the way the maiden embedded them with her curses. The way the maiden shaped the magic. She tried to channel this magic into that hand.

“So,” Lila spoke as she left her eyes lifeless, “are you ever going to tell me more about yourself,” Lila asked genuinely.

The maiden paused her spell work as she started to grow massive and began to tower over Lila once more. Lila stopped practicing the magic and let her arm remain limp at her side. The Maiden head looked over the form that she had crafted thus far. “More practice is needed,”The Maiden paused and with a flick of her wrist upwards Lila flew back to the light. Back to transform once again.

---

Falling had always felt the same, but this time it felt different. This time Lila had laid the foundation of her salvation without alerting the maiden. It was a simple transformation, but a powerful one in the grand scheme of things. A dull crystal was now present on the chest of her monstrous form, molded from her very own flesh and after the one that adorned the maiden. It was unassuming, and it was well hidden beneath the thick tuft of feathers that covered her chest. It wasn’t hard to pull off, which means that the maiden must be focused on getting ready to take over.

Thud.

Lila was once again in the sanctum of the maiden. Her body was even more monstrous, ever more massive, and she was completely okay with it. She did not know if she’d be able to reverse what was changed but she could at least prevent the maiden from doing what she planned.

“I assume you were a green-blue adept in life, and when you died you became whatever this is,” Lila said with an uninspired tone, ”how did you die?”

The maiden head crooked at the question. She continued with the magic work she had been doing all this time. “What makes you think I was a green-blue adept,” The Maiden asked back.

”The transformation magic, the cursed wings, this space,” Lila’s hand still mimicked the maidens motion, ”you kept your powers even in death, you curse people and turn them into crows, you keep their souls in that crystal right there. When one dies you use the soul again to create a new one, Lila paused, her head remained still on the ground her eyes staring lifelessly at the maiden, ”when our ancestors finally murdered you, a creature that desired revenge was born, Lila paused again as she finally pulled some magic into her hand for the first time ”how am I doing?”

The Maiden hissed as she flicked her wrist once again and sent Lila back up.

---

Falling no longer felt the same. The Maiden was distracted by the clearly successful line of questioning. So much so that she knew that The Maiden did not sense that she used the curse magic on herself. She just needed one final trip to the surface to execute her plan.

Thud

This time Lila stood up. ”I’m right,” Lila said with a sad tone, ”I know that I am. What did they do to you that caused you to be so angry that you became this?”

“They killed my wife,” The Maiden finally admitted.

”I don’t feel like you’re a force of rage, or revenge, or anything really. What emotion made you like this,” Lila asked and took a few steps towards The Maiden. Thanks to her massive form it was a large distance she crossed. A test.

“I was left alone, ostracized from what we considered a society at the time. Years passed, and I was still left alone. Do you know how lonely that solitude was,” The Maiden hissed back, “They made me feel that way, they made me feel so discarded. and I developed a spell to make them feel the same,” The maiden paused as she looked at her crystal. Lila knew it. It was important. The Maiden paused as she looked at Lila, before she flicked her wrist and sent Lila back up once more.

---

Lila fell with a purpose this time. She knew how long it took to fall to the sanctum. The maiden had forced the transformations at least a few hundred times today, probably a few hundred times more so she knew the right moment to show that the maiden was not in control. Halfway through the fall Lila flipped her body and pulled her wings in close like a bird of prey. She dove at a frightening speed before she landed in front of the Maiden. Before The Maiden could react, the green of her crystal began to be corrupted by a fast spreading blue wave. Before she was pulled back into the Sanctum Lila had used her curse magic on herself once again. She used this magic to curse her body in a way that would weaken the magic in her body, thus weakening the bitch, thus giving her the edge in maintaining control over her body.

Once the last bit of the green light faded from the crystal blue lines shot outwards to The Maidens arms and then her hands and began to spread down her body. The Maiden tried to take full control over Lila’s body, to kill Lila with the magic she infused into the transformation magic, but she quickly realized that they was prevented from doing so, and that she no longer had the power to try it.

”I am so glad you apparitions are always the same,” Lila smirked as she began to grow in size, towering over The Maidens like she had done to Lila. ”Did you forget that I stopped a world threatening monster like you before?”

“What did you do,” The Maidens' voice echoed against the walls of the sanctum.

”You are an apparition sealed in my body,” Lila paused as she chuckled in a way that betrayed her excitement. ”I learned how to use your magic. Your magic is my magic. The transformation, the curse magic, I learned how to make a prison with a lock,” Lila paused as her form grew even taller over The Maiden, ”and I’m about to throw away the key,” Lila paused as she pulled herself out of the Mindscape. As soon as she was back she began to channel the magic into her hand. The magic took the form of a blue ball that seemed to generate a fog that fell to the ground. She slammed that magic into her chest and instantly she replenished the curse magic stored within and the blue feathers that now adorned her body began to glow. As it spread she tried to transform herself back to her normal form, she summoned all the magic she could command but the magic would not budge. Her transformation magic was weakened too much to even attempt such a feat

Lila knew that was why she was forced to undergo so many transformations. Lila summoned every last bit of the transformation magic as she tried to at least change the monster to be more presentable.

The air was filled with the sounds of bones breaking, muscles snapping, and the sheer agony that finally escaped her throat as she channeled the transformation magic of the maiden. She did not know exactly what to transform to but she tried to transform to something more her. Her body grew much smaller, quickly, and she watched as the ground grew closer and closer before she ultimately collapsed to it, landing on her hands and knees, and nearly passed out. The sheer physic toll on her mind from the death of her crows and the sheer pain of a day full of transformations had finally reared its head. The scream of agony that Lila sent out finally echoed back for several seconds before the transformation was complete.

And then she fully collapsed to the ground without seeing if it was a success and began to cry like she never cried before. The afternoon sun still shines bright, but it hid its warmth from Lila. She could feel the maiden trying to break free but the magic was much stronger than it ever needed to be.

All Lila could do is hope she was still quite the looker.

---

How you remind me

Lila panted as she pulled herself upright and pressed her back into the trunk of the tree. She was slowly losing her mind thanks in part to the pain that radiated out from her legs, and from the five hundred dead crows that dotted the landscape. She looked down and her eyes went wide at what she saw. Her legs were completely covered in a thick layer of feathers, there were now purple feathers that covered a swath of her legs, and her legs were contorted into a hindlimb shape with three large talons that replaced her toes. Every shred of her humanity was missing from what she saw. She closed her eyes as she started to hyperventilate. She dug her clawed hands into the dirt below. Her head began to pound as her fractured mind reared its ugly head again, no longer hidden from her by the maiden. As her breathing reached its crescendo a single caw forced her eyes to open and her breathing to stop. In front of her was a singular crow who seemed almost frozen in place. She held out a singular clawed finger and the crow landed on it without prompting. Lila held her breath for another second longer as she exhaled. The crow spun it’s head around and looked down at her legs. Lila’s eyes followed and she finally saw the real problem with them, they were both broken.

“Oh,” Lila chuckled at the sight, she giggled like she saw the funniest thing she’d ever seen. Her laugh was very reminiscent of a drunken night out that never ended. “I don’t like how that looks,” Lila said as she looked around for her phone, “I know who can help. Maybe some alcohol will fix this,” Lila said as she turned her head to her crow and she could’ve sworn it shook its head no, “healing elixir,” Lila asked and now she was sure that it understood as it shook its head up and down, “Sully. Sully! Sully could do both. Bring both,” Lila asked as she looked around for her phone. She found it, and the screen cracked down the middle. The time said 5:15PM, was it already that late? She tried to type in her password but quickly realized her claws did not register on the touch screen. Quickly she tried another solution that sounded smarter and she raised it up for her Face ID, but the denied screen and the reflection of her face on the screen made her realize that wouldn’t work either. She thought for a second before she stuck her tongue out and used it to tap in her password. “Okay Google, call Sully” Lila said confidently. When nothing happened she looked down at her Apple device. “Hey Siri, call Sully.”

The phone started to ring.

And ring.

And ring.

And when it finally felt that the phone had rung for too long and Sully wasn’t going to answer there was a click, followed by a, “Hey, what’s up?” only the “what’s up” was said like a Gen Xer making a dated reference to an old beer commercial, the epic whassup soaring on a melodic glissando. However, before Lila would be able to give a full response, Sully’s laughing voice would interrupt as he said, “Oh, man, just playing, you’ve been talking to a machine. Deuces!”

There was a beep, a robot voice stating that the voicemail box was full,followed by another beep on Lila’s phone showing that Sully was already calling back.

“Lila! Que pasta?” hollered Sully, mispronouncing the Spanish.

“Sully,” Lila nearly slurred out. Her voice was entirely her own but there was a giddiness to it that was unusual. “Bro..bro..broo,” She paused as she had forgotten why she called him. “I forgot why I called you but it’s good that you answered! Why did I,” Lila paused as she once again saw the broken legs. “Oh THAT’S RIGHT! My legs are broken,” Lila chuckled again at the sight, “I think I’ve torn muscles, lots of muscles, a painful amount of muscles. Are you free,” Lila paused as she rested the base of her feathered head against the tree. She could still see that she was very monstrous. No transformation would fix that now, but at least she was able to control the end result even if it broke her the most. “I could use some healing and some bro bro time. Especially the healing. But also bro time,” Lila finally stopped talking. “I might be able to send you a pin where I’m at. If you’re free, that is.”

“What? What!? Yeah, send it, the calvary is on the way. Stay on the line with me, okay? How did you—” Sully was cut off by the sound of an engine roaring to life accompanied by a deafening wave of dad rock. “You said your legs? As in both legs? How did you break both legs?”

Lila pulled the phone away from her face as she used her tongue to send Sully her location. “I will. It was hard to call you because my hands are a bit rough again. I don’t know what kind of phone I have. Things are difficult with my mind right now so I don’t want to think too much about that,” Lila paused as she looked to the sky, “Nice day today though. What was I doing today?”. A crow fluttered in front of her face and Lila shook her head. “It was something involving the birds and the bees,” Lila paused, “OH OH I remember. The Maiden tried to take over my body! What a stinker. I broke a lot fighting her.”

“Okay, okay, okay, I’m not that far from there,” said Sully, glancing at the pin. Lila clearly sounded out of it, probably due to some heavy blood loss or a head injury. He felt like the best thing to do was to keep her talking, even if what she was saying was nonsensical. “Now you’re gonna be fine, buddy. Dr. Sully will be there in no time but for now let me just get this straight. You were trying to get your freak on but then the Maiden clam jammed you? How…how do you fight something that’s inside of you?”

“Is difficult. She’s much stronger than I thought, so I had to learn to wield her magic. Her curses, her transformations, the whole kit and kaboodle. I had to fight her in a place she called her sanctum, it’s like a mind thing where she brought me to when she took control of my body. Once I won there I changed my body. Rapidly. Rapid body changes are bad for the body. Very very bad for the body. Put a lock on the maidens' own power, and threw the key somewhere. I should probably find that key unless it was a metaphorical key?”

“You could always just find a locksmith. Trust me, way easier than finding a key sometimes,” said Sully, his new set of keys jingling in the roughly repaired ignition of his truck. He glanced over at the Chalice that rolled around haphazardly on the ground of the passenger seat. For all his bemoaning of being the supernatural equivalent of a waterboy, he was pretty certain he’d be able to soundly beat up the Chalice if it had ever challenged him to a duel. “Look, let’s not focus on the pain. All that’s gonna be taken care of real soon, real, real soon. Should be there in a couple of minutes. We’ll get you walking in no time. You won right? That’s pretty impressive using their own thingies against them, you know. So now what? Does this mean the Maiden is donezo or is this just a rest break between rounds?”

“We’re in between rounds. As long as she’s sealed in me I think we’re going to be tussling for the rest of my days,” Lila laughed maniacally, “ who’s to say who won and lost? I kept control but the maiden did warn me the gifts she gave would be permanent. And she made a lot of changes, a lot if gifts,” Lila paused as she looked at herself through a crow's eyes, seeing the blue and black feathers that now covered her face and body and the blue crystal that shined bright on her chest, “a lot of changes-a lot of changes. You’re close, good, just mind the hundreds of dead crows and thousands of dead bees on your walk over,” Lila laughed again as she remembered the fight with Trisha that caused all of this. What fun that was.

“Right, right, okay so actual birds and bees, okay,” said Sully. It didn’t make much more sense than before as he drove past a sign reading something about park hours and pulled into a small, empty parking lot. Sully killed the engine, grabbed the Chalice, and hopped out of his truck. Something squished under his boot. He didn’t have to move his foot to see what he’d stepped on. The path leading into the park was covered in the dead bodies of bees. Lots and lots of bees. He was lucky he hadn’t put his foot down a few inches to the right. He imagined that crow would be a lot more difficult to scrape off his shoes than bees. “Okay, um, that’s a lot of dead bees. Why are there so many dead bees? Aren’t they supposed to be like, I don’t know, hibernating through the winter or something?”

“The birds and the bees! Trisha and I,” Lila chuckled for several seconds, “had a talk about the birds and the bees.. oh we talked alright …specifically about who would win in a fight, the birds or the bees. The answer was neither. If you’re seeing the death that means you’re close,” Lila paused as she pulled her wings across her body as best she could to hide as much of her as she could.

“Hey, you’re going to see me very differently than yesterday. Promise me you won’t judge,” Lila asked in the first clear tone since the call started. No longer did she sound delirious. She looked at Sully through a crow and her crows began to caw out for Sully revealing her hiding location. She buried her head beneath her wings leaving only the broken and distorted hindlimb like legs that were birdlike and feathered visible for Sully to see when he arrived. He would also see a few crows pulling stingers from these broken legs.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m not going to rip on you for having broken legs,” said Sully, his voice raised to be heard of the cawing of crows that echoed through the phone’s speaker. It felt like he was walking through the aftermath of a war scene where the bee commander had horrifically ordered a full bee charge across No Bee’s Land and the crows had been taunted out of their machine gun nests to meet them. He followed the trail of broken wings and loose feathers until he came upon a huddled form that looked like it had been through hell.

“Oh, shit. Hey, Lila. New haircut?” said Sully, squatting down near the broken bird. The Chalice filled up with the healing elixir. “Sorry, dumb joke. Time to drink up, buddy.”

The wings parted enough to allow a clawed hand to reach out towards the chalice but the hand could only reach so far. She tried to stretch out even more to grab at it but soon it became evident that she had misjudged the distance. An audible sigh could be heard a second before the wings parted revealing Lila in the form of a harpy. Everywhere Sully looked feathers would be the only thing Sully would see. They were sleek, fit close to the body, but feathers all the same. The blue feathers were prominent around the chest, down the insides of the arms, and the front of her thighs and waist. The blue feathers were especially vibrant around a crystal-like protrusion on her chest that glowed with a vivid blue hue. Lila’s face was her own, albeit more pale. Her hair remained unchanged. Her eyes were still mostly black, but they had now adopted a circle of blue where her iris once was. Her clothes were missing but she was not exposed, thanks to the sleek feathers that covered her body. As well, her body was taller, longer, and lankier. Her legs and arms were disproportionately long compared to her torso.

Lila reached out and grabbed the chalice, her pain filled groan showed that her ribs were very much out of place if not broken. She brought it back towards her face as she downed as much elixir a single drink could bring. Immediately Lila leaned back as the healing elixir began to take hold, and the air was once again filled with the sounds of bones snapping and muscles being pulled back to their rightful place. It took thirty long seconds before she felt almost fully healed. She took another drink from the chalice before she passed it back to Sully as her wings once again covered her new form.

“Thank you. You’ve always been a good bro. The best bro. Really? Why are you so awesome? How are those Greenwood people, they good bros? Ruby is not mad at me is she?”

“Oh, come on, it ain’t nothing. You’d have done the same if you were in my shoes,” said Sully, rubbing the back of his head self-consciously at the compliment barrage. The only impressive thing he’d done was manage to keep his lunch down as the woods echoed with the snapping and popping of Lila’s broken body. “But nah, Ruby ain’t mad. Not at you, anyway. I probably could’ve made it a little more clear to her that the old crew puts the fun in dysfunctional. But Greenwood are all real good dudes. It sucks the meeting got so derailed. It would’ve been fun to be able to hang with everyone. I miss just being able to goof around. I feel like I’m spending everyday either lying low or looking over my shoulder.”

“I miss that too.”

As if to demonstrate, Sully glanced back down the path he’d taken towards Lila. As he looked back, he pointed his finger up at the crows gathering on the branches and swirled it around in a circle. “By the way, if any of your buddies spot a dude who looks like Jason Mamoa screen testing for a role on Sons of Anarchy give me a heads up.”

“You need anymore?” said Sully, jiggling the Chalice in one hand while reaching out to help Lila up with the other. “Or you good to get out of here? It’s starting to get dark. As cool as it is to hang around a bunch of dead birds, I’ve seen enough movies to know that we’d really be tempting fate. We can at least go back to my truck and chill in case we need to make a quick getaway. You hungry? Maybe once you molt we can grab a burger. Just don’t want to freak out the squares and have them start a pitchfork mob because they weren’t ready for Goth Big Bird.”

“I might be stuck like this so I need to figure out a disguise fast, Lila laughed extremely hard, “Goth Big Bird that’s meeeeee,” Lila leaned back as she laughed even hard, the crows cawed as if they too laughed at the comparison. In the laughter Lila passed the order to be on the lookout for the man Sully mentioned yet the crows did not budge, did not stop their caws, but they all looked to Lila with a familiar expectation. They wanted something in return. Lila craned her head as she stopped laughing, “how strange. They usually follow my commands without a gift. I think they want the gifts again. Lila gracefully grabbed Sully's hand and allowed herself to be pulled up, and she noticed he was no longer as tall as he used to be. Did he get shorter?

“I think I’m mostly fixed. Mostly mostly. Did you get shorter, I could’ve sworn you were taller yesterday. I don’t think I can molt yet I think I’m more on a bird schedule so if I do molt I’ll do it once or twice over the next year. I really don’t understand this magic fully. Like I figured out enough to win, but I was warned that transformations eventually become permanent and from what I remember permanent means something like forever, so I need to figure something out fast…if there’s anything that can be figured out,” Lila chuckled before she sighed, her voice less delirious again, “can we go back to truck and talk some more? I am really hungry.”

“Hey man, I really don’t understand magic at all,” said Sully, jerking his head back towards the path to indicate to Lila to follow him. He squared up his shoulders and straightened his posture up as he walked back to the truck, as if the comments on him getting shorter struck something, moving in a stiff, soldierly march instead of his usual slouched saunter. “Everytime Britney attempted to explain it all to me my nose would start bleeding and I’d forget where I was for a couple of minutes. Regardless, I’m sure there’s something we can do to change you back. Assuming you want to, you know. Personally I find there’s something kind of appealing about being a bird.”

They made it to Sully’s old beaten up truck. A quick estimate was all he needed to know that the cab, while possibly able to fit Lila’s wingspan inside, wouldn’t be comfortable. Sully fiddled around inside for a second, grabbed a now dry picnic blanket that he’d used to soak up some of the rain damage from the other day, and clicked on the radio. He jumped at the sound of some shredding guitar solo from some overplayed Lynyrd Skynyrd song blasted through the speakers, bumping his head on the top of the truck, as he turned the radio down to appropriate “background noise” level. Rubbing his head, Sully went around to the back of the truck, unlatched the bed, and raised his eyebrow in surprise at the small, banged up cooler sitting back there. Well, that explained the rattling he’d been hearing. He draped the blanket over the edge of the bed and sat on it, leaving plenty of room for Lila to come join him while giving her room to stretch her wings.

All the while there had been a meandering commentary from the guy, fantasizing about bird life.

“Like you get to go around everyday just singing and eating food. You got no need for glasses or contacts because eagle vision. And obviously flying would be the big winner. Plus there’s migration. Like, man, I’d love to go winter in Cancun every year. I’d imagine it’s like being on a singles cruise, just a bunch of hot, young birds chasing tail around. Of course, you know, thumbs are tight, and you gotta watch out for planes, cats, and those dangerous ass windows,” said Sully. He was clearly just trying to make light of the situation for Lila’s sake. “But going to the bathroom anywhere has gotta be freeing. Like, you could just follow a dick like Emily around for weeks just absolutely ruining their life whenever they go outside.”

“For the last week my crows have been shitting on Emily. On her, the entirety of her house, at vehicles parked outside, and they have been following her. If she goes to a store they’ll wait, before bombs away, Lila joked as she sat down next to Sully, carefully to avoid her wings smacking him in the face, “I haven’t heard or seen anything from them since then. Maybe she drowned in the shit.”

Lila sighed as a small smile crept her face. “You were right earlier, I’m sure there is a way to change back. Part of me likes the power I feel, you know? Like I was so useless ten years ago and now,” Lila paused as she raised her talons up, “I feel very strong. I feel like I can make a difference in a fight now. If I can learn a way to control the transformations further, most of me would go back in an instant,” Lila paused as two crows landed on her shoulders and looked at Sully. “Part of me is okay with staying. I was warned that transformations would become permanent and I let The Maiden convince me to transform a lot. This is a consequence of my decision to do that.”

“All of me knows that it’s hard to truly think at all about it. Every time I lose a crow I get this backlash in my mind. It’s strong, hurts like hell, and kind of prevents me from thinking straight. I lost over five hundred. I think my mind is broken and needs to be healed but your elixir refused to touch it.”

“Oh.”

The playful tirade hiding genuine feelings of inadequacy that Sully was going to go on about wishing how he was a big, strong bird instead of just a dude carrying around the Gatorade was killed in that moment. A real look of concern crossed his face before his eyes fell down to the Chalice as he turned it in his hands. The taste of bitterness rose up in his mouth at the thought that his stupid little cup was limited in what it could actually fix. Sully looked back up at Lila with a sadness in his eyes. He sighed deeply, moving to put his hand on her shoulder but dropping it as the crow sitting on it gave him a look that Sully could only interpret as the bird weighing in its own judgment on Sully’s uselessness when it came to something like this.

“You serious? That, uh, yeah, that sucks, Lila,” said Sully, fighting off the urge to deflect with a dumb joke. He racked his brain, trying to come up with a useful idea or some poignant advice. He was pretty sure Ruby knew a little mental magic, but nothing that qualified. Greyson loved rooting around in people’s heads, but Sully truly doubted that dude would leave anyone off in a better state than from where they started.

“Sorry, Lila, I’m a little thick,” said Sully. “But in a way I think everybody in the OG Coven is a bit broken. Going through the shit we went through and then pretending everything is hunky dory after…that doesn’t work, really. Not trying to belittle what you’re going through, obviously, just saying that you ain’t alone. Uh, to clarify, when you say broken, do you mean, like, man I’m fucking burnt out, could really use a little R&R, or do you mean like…”

Sully circled his finger on the outside of his head and whistled like a cuckoo.

Lila mimicked the motion while nodding her head. Before she stopped and sighed. She pressed her hands against the side of her head. Why did she mimic him like that?

“I don’t think I’m crazy? But my emotions are cycling so fast without any cause. I’ll go from giggling like a mad woman at the sight of my broken legs, to crying about how I defeated The Maiden, to crying with joy at how much I’m loving my crows and our closer connection, to hating them for not doing anything anymore. I was never given an instruction manual for how ‘crow deaths affect the mind for idiots’ so I don’t know what to expect,” Lila paused as she did some simple head math. “Since The Maiden was sealed I’ve probably lost a thousand. Looking back I did think it was suspicious that The Maiden let me be so bad with the murder. Like she needed me to lose to gain control.”

Lila smirked as she thought over the rest of what Sully said. “I’m blessed that I’m looking go-” Lila paused as she sighed, before she smiled again. “Sorry, that phrase is stuck in my mind. I’m blessed that I am surrounded by amazing people. Even if you’re with Greenwood now you still came. Being a Sycamore did have some perks, then and now,” Lila paused as she playfully tapped Sully, “looking good. You have always been one of the best perks. Thank you for being so cool. Like the coolest of cools. Even as a kid I thought you were fucking rad.” Lynn’s voice began to sound delirious once again.

“Takes a cool dude to recognize a cool dude, dude. I think that right there is proof you’re not crazy,” said Sully with a little, mild laugh. “Now despite having a magical medicine cup, I am technically not a doctor so all if this is me talking out of my ass, but maybe you’re still in like some kind of shock. Or concussed. Either way…”

Sully handed Lila the Chalice, once again filled to the brim with healing elixir.

“Wouldn’t hurt to have just a little more if it is a concussion or something like that. Who knows, it could clear things up a bit. There’s no manual for health potions either. While we wait to see if it works, you mind sharing why you were out here in the first place?” asked Sully, craning his neck to look around the park’s parking lot as if any of it was distinguishable from other parks. He was worried about Lila’s headspace, but felt like showing too much worry might agitate her when she needed to be clear minded. “Isn’t this place near where Leon’s family is trying to reenact Waco?”

Lila took the chalice and began to drink out of it. Maybe Sully was right. Maybe this fractured mind was just a symptom of something much more mundane. She finished the drink and passed the chalice back to Sully, feeling no worse but a bit better. “Training. I only used the sealed power in a very limited way. With everything that happened yesterday I wanted to get better. The Maiden offered to show me the ropes but she only did so to hang me by them.”

“Yessss. Casey, Leon’s brother, shot me a few times during my fight with Trisha. He was with another one of those temple cultists and saw my even more monstrous form and said I was looking good. Straight men are so weird,” Lila chuckled, “so be on the lookout for their recruitment team for me. I might have enough damage upstairs right now to listen to them.”

“Oof, yikes. We could mark down fetishists as another reason not to stay a bird, but frankly creepy dudes are gonna be creepy dudes no matter what you—CASEY SHOT YOU!?”

“Not with bullets? More like an incredibly powerful paintball gun I think? It hurt really, really bad.”

Well that was good, thought Sully. For a moment there he was worried he’d have to talk to Leon about his brother being a murderer. Now it’d just be about his brother being a dick, but he was pretty sure Leon already knew that.

Lila thought for a second as she nearly gagged. “oh nooooooooo, oh my god I’m their dream bird person now. I have to figure out this magic and fix this.”

“Oh man, it’s gonna be hell from now on. You’re gonna get so many dudes sliding into your DMs asking for talon pics. You could probably make a small killing, but I feel like thirst trapping isn’t really your vibe,” said Sully, then he arched an eyebrow. “Wait, would the Blind see talons or toes? Like magic Blind, blind blind would obviously not…what the fuck am I saying, give me that.”

Sully grabbed the Chalice back from Lila and took a quaff, worried for a moment that he’d hit his head a little too hard on the ceiling of his truck. He didn’t know if it did anything to bleach his brain, but the top of his noggin no longer hurt and a pain in his knee that he’d been ignoring faded instantaneously

“I should be safe for the blind, but the one eyed open,” Lila paused as she looked at her feathered form, “is there a paranormal strip club in town? I would make a killing. Could retire young,” Lila said with a heavy sarcastic tone, “but the blind should just see my normal form and….”. Lila paused as she looked down at her body. “I’ll appear naked right now.”

Sully hopped off the bed of the truck and threw his end of the blanket over Lila with a sharp laugh, “Ew, bitch, cover up. This truck’s shares the same, good ol’ fashioned Catholic values held by Father McDonalds when it comes to no shirt and no shoes. No wonder the choir boy was so shook up by seeing you.”

“But seriously we should get you some clothes that’d fit before a cop drives by and arrests you for public nudity,” said Sully, scratching his beard. “You know what might work?”

“Oh no, it’s not a big bird costume is it because that’d be in poor taste.”

“Nah,” said Sully, grinning ear to ear as he nodded to the blanket. “Toga.”

---

Streetlights fired up as the sun went down on St. Portwell. An office worker sat in bumper to bumper traffic on one side of the road, stuck thanks to a detour from road work that somehow led into even more roadwork, on the way back to suburbia. With knuckles tightening and head shaking she silently cursed the idiot in front of them and the asshole behind them, unable to fathom who even let them drive in the first place. A kind of jealousy was felt for the drivers on the other side of the road, the freewheeling bunch of vagabonds that didn’t work a nine to five, rats that had escaped from the race, who hadn't made the mistake of settling down. It was a jealousy that would go away the minute she pulled into the driveway, one that wasn’t really real, but in that moment it was felt. And in the next moment, the office worker saw something that she knew when she got home her family wouldn’t believe. Burning down the otherside of the road was a clunky, beat-up truck with its windows down, loudly blasting butt rock, the passenger and driver wearing little more than blankets fashioned crudely into togas.

“And this is how you remind me of what I really am!” belted out Sully, decked out yet again in a toga composed largely of flannel shirts tied together, the radio cranked as Canada’s finest rock band played. [color=goldenrod]“This is how you remind me that I’m a toga wearing man!”

He turned to Lila, who was rocking the picnic blanket toga, queuing her in as he continued to adlib, ignoring the stares from the people in the parking lot as they pulled into the line at a drive thru for Dairy Queen.

“It’s not like you to wear togas, turns out you waiting for a different toga, this time, uh, suh…something, FOR HANDING YOU A TOGA WORTH WEARING! JUST TWO PALS! IN TOGAS!_{...bottom of every bottle…}these five words in my head scream, are you wearing togas?”

The next song soon came on, and it was one Lila knew well. She waited for her moment to add her own rendition. “‘Cause you’re my Mississippi princess, you’re my California queen, like the Duchess of Detroit, wearing EVERY TOGA IN BETWEEN,” Lila sang along, her tone was off and her singing was a half second behind the song. Still, she held her arms against her chest as she sang and kept her wing as close as possible.

“Oh shi—” Sully turned down the Nickelback as a static voice came in over the intercom. “Sorry, bro. Yeah, I’ll have the Two Cheese Deluxe, and a Chili Cheese Dog, and the 4-piece Chicken Strip Basket. Does that come with a drink? Yeah, no worries, I’ll do an Orange Julius then. And, oh, a Peanut Buster. Oh, and then we’ll also do…Lila?” said Sully, flattening himself as much as he could against the driver seat so that Lila could shout her order over him.

“Can I have,” Lila paused as she placed a hand on her stomach. Without the butt rock blasting and the cringey adlib additions to the music to distract her Lila realized she was hungry. So. Very. Hungry. She could have fifty five burgers and fifty five fries right now but she couldn’t afford it. Thankfully her phone still had her Apple Wallet. “Can I get two 4-piece chicken strip baskets with the Orange Julius as well. Three Two Cheese Deluxe, and a large Oreo Blizzard? A large peanut buster. A thing of zesty pretzels, cheese curds, and one onion ring.”. Lila knew deep in heart that she was going to eat it all and want more, but she still gave Sully two thumbs up, “my treat.”

“You paying for it is the only thing that kept me from asking the dude to blend it up so we could baby bird that shit into your mouth,” said Sully, jamming up the radio to drown out Lila’s retort.

“I would eat it like that right now, don’t tempt me with laziness.”

---

“Thank you for not tempting me with laziness,” Lila said as she devoured another chicken finger. Lila had Sully drive to a nearby spot she remembered the coven using to plot excursions. Lila thought it would be a good spot to eat the feast she had bought and oh did she eat. The first victims were the zesty pretzels, cheese curds, and onion rings. Their greasy goodness could not be resisted forever, and as the two sat on the trunk door to the truck they were devoured with a rabid intensity. Next were the burgers and fries, the meat and cheese simply called her name in a sultry way and she was more than happy to oblige. Next was the Oreo blizzard, she needed a cool refresher after all that food. Within seven minutes she was then on her way to the tenders.

“Dairy Queen is special,” Lila chuckled as she ate another chicken tender.

”There’s a damn good reason it’s the only fast food available in St. Portwell,” said Sully, one-eye closed as he used the Chalice to pour a little extra hot fudge on his ice cream. He cursed silently as some dribbled over onto his fingers, licking both them and the rim of the Chalice clean. He joked, nodding to the chicken tenders, “I’m honestly kinda surprised after you housed all that food you’re still hungry enough to resort to cannibalism.”

“But, uh, for real. Now that you got some food in you, how are you doing?” he asked.

“I’m more crow than chicken soooooo,” Lila paused as she took another bite, “better. I don’t think I’ve ever been that hungry since first and second puberty,”Lila looked over to Sully, “I think I’ll be good. I am tired though. I think I will sleep for a day or two. Maybe a week.” Lila paused as she smiled weakly. “Thank you for staying with me tonight. I truly appreciate you.”

Lila looked out to the area around them. She knew she wanted to talk to others about what happened. “I will be okay. I think I’ll want to take a walk, clear my head you know? I know it’s not super smart to be alone with what’s going on but I’ll be safe. If Father Wolf wanted to kill me he’d have done it earlier.”

“Nah, you got too many homies around for that pun,” said Sully, pointing to the murder of crows that had been gathering around them. He tossed a handful of french fries out of the truck's window. “Hey birds, you keep Lila safe okay?” Sully rolled up the window before the flock could descend upon his own share of the fires.

“I should probably check in with Greenwood anyway before they start sending out search parties. But if you ever get attacked by a bunch of bees and the lady living inside of your noggin again you know who to call,” said Sully, reaching out for a fist bump.

“Ghostbusters,” Lila joked as she connected the fist bump, “keep this on the down low for me,” Lila paused as she turned around and raised a peace sign behind her. As she walked away it could be heard in the cold night air that a song was present. ““Never made it as a wise man, couldn’t cut it as a poor man stealing,” Lila laughed as she continued to sing along to the fun song.

---

St. Portwell After Dark

It was dark and cold tonight. A rolling haze of clouds hit the stars from view over St. Portwell, and blocked out the moon from sight. It was the perfect conditions for Jack to navigate through. He appeared through the shadows, wearing his usual long wool coat and combat boots, walking into a clearing in the forest outside of St Portwell. The cool air was dead silent as he took his surroundings in. He seemed to be alone here, arriving before anyone else without a sound, as usual. He took his phone out and sent a reply to the message he received.

I am here.

Lila had texted him, asking to meet in this exact spot that some members of the coven had once used to plot their incursions. It was why he could be here so easily. She didn’t say why, but that was only moments ago, so he’d ask when he saw her.

“Hey,” a voice called out from behind a tree, “hey buddy. Buddy friend. So so do you remember when we were kids, when you lost your arm,” Lila started as she pressed her form further into the tree she hid behind. She hid her wings as best as possible. To Jack, the forest would hide her well and she wouldn’t be seen visually.

“How long did it take you to get used to that…. change?”

Jack could tell where she was, but he wasn’t capable of darkvision without a joint spell. ”...Long enough to stabilize the spell I used to recover. There were worse things I had experienced than that. It did not take long. Why?”

“Oh,” Lila paused as age tapped her claws on the trunk of a tree. She contemplated how to best explain. “It is… a long story. Very long,” Lila paused as she looked up to a crow on the branches above her and watched as it nodded its head at her, “so.” Lila paused, “it’ll explain something before I have to show you. Not that I’m hiding anything, drastic-drastic,” Lila chuckled nervously.

”Alright. Tell me.”

“Do you remember back in the day I only had ten or so crows,” Lila paused as she looked around and at the murder, “before I joined back up with the coven my murder had grown to nearly a hundred,” Lila paused as she tapped her talons again on the trunk, “I felt cursed, you know? Suddenly my murder grew, there was a voice in my head. So I got scared and I asked for help. Instead of doing it while we were sober we attempted the sealing while drunk and the maiden was sealed in me and my murder grew to the tens of thousands,” Lila paused as she looked down at the purple crystal on her chest, “mayyybe more. And I think there were tens of thousands more to come. I tried to ignore the maiden, and she is usually incredibly bored by everything and anything not utter chaos so it’s usually pretty easy. At least I thought it was. She wanted me to be her good little herald. This morning she convinced me to go train. And I did. She told me that I needed to master her magic. And she broke my body a hundred times because she wanted me to embrace her vision of who I was meant to be. A monster. And I didn’t like that one bit,” Lila chuckled as she took several deep breaths.

She was trying to decide if she was going to be brave at this moment and she went to move out of the tree line but stopped. Jack would be able to see her wings for the first time since the meeting, and he would see they were much massive. She looked down at her new form and pondered how she would be perceived. “So like the good agent I am, I learned more about the maiden. She was a green-blue adept in life several millennia ago. Her powers remained similar to them even after she became an apparition, she has the power to transform forms and uses her other power to curse,” Lila paused as she looked out from the tree line. “Do you follow me thus far, info dump of the year,” Lila chuckled.

”She cursed you. I follow,” he said, knitting his fingers together and observing the huge wings. They were surprisingly easy to see in the gloom. ”Sealing an apparition in a living person grants them full access to the apparition’s magic, that is not unusual.”

“So she forced a transformation and I didn’t know how to use her magic yet. She kept forcing me to become more, and more of a monster all the while she was preparing to take control once and for all and I allowed it at first because I thought she was making me stronger. Evidently I wasn’t strong enough to resist, at least yet. I learned how to pull her power and use it. I undid parts of the monster, but I had to use her curse magic on myself to keep her locked up. I couldn’t go back as some aspects of the transformation were already permanent ,” Lila sighed. “I don’t know how I’m going to go around the coven like this though. And I need a ride home,” Lila paused as she gripped the tree tightly causing her to accidentally shatter it.

Ah.

”We are surrounded by people who have witnessed a demigod tear reality to pieces, Lila. No one with a hint of empathy will think twice about whatever form you take, you have learned this before,” he said, walking around the tree and looking at her directly.

He saw the wings, the talons, all of it. And he didn’t see her differently.

“Okie-dokie,” Lila chuckled. Lila dropped the chunks of tree and took a deep breath. Two crows, seemingly sensing the apprehension, flew down and took a rest on her shoulders. Lila stepped out from the clearing and revealed the same form she showed Sully earlier. There were no modifications, no further changes, but it still felt like a giant leap of faith even with someone like Jack. Though the Toga did help her feel less naked

“Okie-dokie,” Lila repeated the phrase and paused her breathing for just a second, “I need new clothes, this Toga is a little breezy” Lila chuckled.

Jack tilted his head, quietly thinking of what might work for her. ”You have been cursed by her, and yet you should have her abstraction. That is strange, but for now, I may be able to help you.”

Jack held a hand out in the open air, and a door appeared suddenly. Dark wood, carved with kanji symbols. He opened it, and the light of an early day spilled through. Jack stepped through, and motioned for Lila to follow.

”Come. I have something to show you.”

“I have been cursed in a roundabout way. Did she curse me? No, not with magic. Was she a cunt, yeah, that feels like a curse being attached to her,” Lila chuckled, “as long as you don’t show me Ohio,” Lila said matter-of-factly, “never take me back to Ohio.” . Lila followed Jack's lead and went to step through the door but did not account for her wings, and was abruptly stopped in her tracks, before she took a step back and extended her wings and shimmied through the door sideways.

On the other side of the portal was a pocket dimension. The sky above them was a kaleidoscope of watery images showing distant worlds throughout the All-Verse, and before them was a stone staircase that led to a building styled like a japanese estate. Purple torches burned up and down the steps and down the side to a pathway into a large cave far behind them.

”This is the Eleventh Path, a pocket reality created by Kenshiro and myself. I believe I mentioned it at our most recent meeting.”

“You did,” Lila gasped as she took in the visage before her. It was gorgeous. “You did. this place.. quite the looker,” Lila repeated herself as she took a step forward and realized she was about to enter a building. “I’m not going to ruin the floor in there will I?”

”No,” he said, sliding the wide shoji door open. ”But if you did, I would only need to wave a hand over the damage to mend it. This space was made from mine and Kenshiro’s purple Lux, and so we can freely reshape it as we wish.”

Inside was a wide, spacious room that hadn’t been decorated much. There were stairs leading up to a second floor, which was visible from the ground much like a mall’s floors. There was also a long staircase leading downwards and away from the interior, towards a humid, mossy world tucked away.

”Down that passage lies Tennogama’s resting place. His builders assisted us in creating this, and it was agreed that he would have his own area to reside in.”

There were four other wide doors on this floor, and Jack was walking towards one.

“Wait.. the giant guy is here,” Lila asked as she smiled. “What’s he like in person? This place is crazy, if only we could agree upon anything as a coven. I doubt father wolf could ever find his way in here.”

”He is patient, calm and above all else, weary. We should not disturb him now. I will ask another time if he’d like visitors,” Jack offered as the door opened on its own. Behind it was a space that was very Jack. The room was dimly lit, with braziers and candles of purple fire illuminating it. There were bookshelves and a rather comfortable looking leather chair placed just before a desk, as well as a long couch resting against a wall.

“Jack, did you secretly read my teenage mind and create the most perfect space possible,” Lila’s wings spread out in this space. The crows that had tagged along flew off her shoulders and began examining the space in detail. They also looked for shiny things. Jack might notice a thing or two missing tomorrow. “it’s amazing.”

”Every individual room is a pocket space within the larger pocket space; they can be changed independent of the “anchor” room. That is why I can do this-”

Another chair appeared next to Lila, one with a back just low enough to accommodate her wings.

”Effortlessly.” He then started looking through the closet.

Lila sat down as her head craned, crooked, and shifted as she looked around the space. “That is incredible,” Lila said as her crows started to circle her again. She looked at herself through their eyes and she sighed. At least she didn’t look like that thing the maiden had her become. As long as Lila kept this form the magic she was able to draw from the maiden would keep the maiden far away from influencing her again. Far away from the light. Lila looked at her hand and tried to use the magic to bring the human hand back to the surface but her body did not yield and she was left staring at the claws.

“Quite the looker,” she repeated back from that conversation. “Jack, I have a question for you. Why in my entire life have I never attracted a straight man, nor ever wanted to, but as soon as I look like a bird monster I get a guys number,” Lila head tilted to the side.

Jack turned around and gave Lila a blank stare.

”You are asking the wrong person.”

“He said I was quite the looker,” Lila leaned forward, “he was painfully straight looking guy but I like my men a little more,” Lila paused as she laughed, “feminine.”

”Who was he?”

“Someone from the temple. Trisha and I had a little fight earlier which is, kinda, the catalyst for this. Which was fun, by the way, she’s gotten a lot stronger. I was impressed,” Lila sighed as she used a single claw to point to her body, “they followed the bee trail and shot me a few times. They had a cool name for me though.”

Lila took a deep breath in as she pulled a fist close to her chest. Her eyes closed as she looked to the ground. As she looked up, eyes opening, and fist shooting to the air as she confidently spoke “Lila Blackwood. Adjoined of the Maiden of Murders… The Veridian Wing…ahhhh” as Lila finished her crows cawed while she slowly dropped her hand with the palm facing up.

”The temple…” He scowled for a moment. ”Of course it was them.” He pulled something from the closet, a long woolen coat much like the one Jack was wearing right now.

He tossed it to her. ”You should be able to conceal your wings under this.”

Lila’s head crooked to the side as she looked at the coat. She spread her wings out fully, each one longer than she was tall, and tried to do the geometry on her mind. “I might have to cut out some holes for them I think,” Lila said as she grabbed the long coat from Jack and tried to get it around her wings. “I can try to make this work,” Lila said as she tried to collapse the wings behind her back. She pulled the wings back into her body just a little, the air filling with the sounds of bones crunching, before they refused to go any further. “I can’t change my form any further down.”

”That is large enough without being tied shut that it should have enough room. Have you tried folding the wings in on themselves?”

Lila folded her wings in if by command and the tips still stood out a good head length overtop her head. “That makes so much more sense,” Lila said as she tried the coat on again. It was not easy to put the coat on and several swear words, some English and some vaguely crow-like, could be heard before she finally went. “ta-da,” as she closed the coat. It did very little to hide her form and she very much looked like a bird like monster stuffed into a tiny jacket.

Jack nodded. ”That would certainly make you seem less Adjoined from a distance. I have few more, they may fit you better, if you’d like. I have too many to wear, if I’m being honest. I tend to hoard such things.”

“If only it were that easy.”

There were a lot of books and vaguely supernatural objects in this room that confirmed what he just said.

“I am all for not accidentally being a furry's wet dream as well,” Lila said as she shuddered, “bring them out Jack. We’re here anyway so maybe I can try on a few more to see if I can find one that fits better,” Lila took off the jacket and her wings instinctively spread and flapped, the force of which lifted Lila off the ground by an inch.

Jack pulled out a few more, each somewhat large or smaller than the other, and varying shades of dark blue, black or brown. ”Feel free. These would go to waste otherwise.”

Lila proceeded to do an impromptu fashion show. Her mind was still somewhat fractured from the loss of her crows, and for some reason this was the thing that called to her, even if she didn’t realize she wanted this. Each one had the same problem, her wings would stick out from the top but she felt much less exposed to the world even if her skin was long since completely it was buried under her sleek feathers. She smiled, laughed, and for a brief moment forgot all about the traumas of the day and focused more on the fun she was having with a friend. “There,” Lila said as she buttoned the first jacket Jack had brought out. ”Now I can completely hide these changes from my friends and they’ll never know I had the worst day of my life,” Lila laughed at first, then sighed, then groaned, then felt the urge to cry. She knew the jacket did nothing to help but she was hoping with a broken mind that it might.

Jack didn’t like the sound of what he just heard. ”If that is necessary… Are they your friends?” He asked, holding a bunch of coats she discarded.

”I am not myself right now,” Lila responded as she tapped her claws on her head, ”everytime I lose a crow I get a psychic backlash. It’s painful, and feels like my brain is breaking and fracturing. I lost five hundred crows today. My mind is broken in a way I’ve never experienced. I know they’ll be concerned, want to care for me, but my brain is still screaming in pain and I don’t have a way to quell that,” Lila paused as she looked up and smirked. ”Part of me knows I’m overreacting but I feel like I have a devil,” a crow landed on her left shoulder, ” and an angel,” the other crow landed on her right, ”fighting for control right now. Sudden change is hard to deal with on a good day, you know? Sudden, drastic, monstrous changes are harder.”

The other chair magically moved closer to Jack, who fell into it. ”That is not unheard of. Apparitions who choose to adjoin themselves to humans rarely have benign intentions, and the Maiden obsessed over you before she had been sealed, did she not?”

”Oh yes, oh yes yes. The Maiden didn’t even reveal herself to me until a few weeks before the coven reformed. She likes to talk about how strong I am, how smart I am, and how good I am for the murder, and how much I mean to the coven,” Lila paused as she leaned to the side, ”but she also tells me I am too weak to make a difference, that I need to let her change me to make me perfect, and she thought it was fun to break my bones and my body multiple times today to make me stronger, and she did make me stronger,” Lila paused as she took a deep breath, ”and I know she means to be a threat to humanity again. That pink mist showed us our desires, right? Back at Kari’s house. I saw one for me, which was kinda like this,” Lila said as she pointed to her new form, ” and everyone was still my friend, and they came to have a party with me despite how I look,” Lila paused as she took a deep breath, ”but I also saw hers. I saw St. Portwell burning, I saw our coven dead at my feet. Killed by my hands. I saw a murderous murder ready to sweep across the world and there was nothing that could be done to stop them.. Lila began talking deep shallow breaths. ”And I still let her in more, let her talk up my strength, but the entire time I knew she was planning to take over my body and cast me aside like everyone she’d ever loved. She’s an apparition of loneliness,” Lila’s leg began to bounce rapidly as her mind began to grow weak.

Jack leaned forward in his seat. ”Apparitions live very long lives, and those lives are often lonely without a host. The Maiden may be a century old, or eons older than Shimmer, and her understanding of us mortals is therefore skewed,” he said. ”I was subjected to those illusions as well. What you saw may have been her idea of “good,” but she only takes and takes, as I understand her. There are ways of removing apparitions that cannot or refuse to leave willingly.”

“I know. The problem is,” Lila said as she held out one claw on each finger and her crows flew over and perched on them, “these guys are quite delightful. They were all human once,” Lila smiled as she looked over them. “I think they deserve better than what the maiden commands of them. They deserve love.”

”Perhaps they do,” Jack acknowledged. ”But you deserve a fate better than theirs. A fate where your mind and body are not twisted by something you have no defense against.”

“You’re right,” Lila paused as she stood up confidently, “but I’m a pretty good seal. I beat the maiden at her own game and figured out how to suppress her,” she said as she tapped the crystal on her chest. “Maybe after we deal with the murderer killing us, 8th street, and every other threat we face along the way I’ll be more ready to look into getting her out of me,” Lila paused as she made a fist with her claws, “I can help more now like this. And I have all these cute guys to learn more about,” Lila paused as she made a noise that someone makes when they see a baby or a cute dog. She was clearly in a drunk state now, the heavy conversation weighed her down..

”That is a justifiably decision to make…” He chose his words carefully, wondering if he even should say this.

”…But if the Maiden is influencing your mind, at what point will your decision to stay Adjoined no longer be your own?”

“You won’t,” Lila repeated the maidens words from this morning back to herself as she slinked back down to the chair, “she’s really strong, Jack, but I think, no I feel, like this, this was me,” Lila said as she contemplated what was said. “Can you do any magic that would take away her influence, even for a minute, to see if I am making a stupid mistake staying like this,” Lila asked, unsure if Jack had any power or item to test this theory.

”Not unless the Maiden happens to originate from the Void,” he said, pulling the Black Star up and over his hand and handing it to Lila for a moment.

”How does she respond to this?”

“Well,” Lila said as she looked down into the depths where the Maiden resided and was greeted by the wrathful face of a apparition chained to the walls of a soul, “she’s not any more angry than she was earlier.”

”Then until Kenshiro and I find the Brass Needle, you may just have to be patient. We know where it is, and it may be able to unadjoin you, assuming you are not truly cursed.”

“I at least choose a good form to be my cursed form,” Lila said as she looked at all the purple feathers that covered her body, “very emo colored,” she chuckled.

”And useful, it seems. Have you tried flying?”

“Not yet,” Lila said as she narrowed her eyes at Jack and smiled wide. She unbuttoned the jacket and placed it neatly on the chair as she took several long strides back. She stood confidently, and stood tall as she did. It felt almost like it did the first time she gained a new power, ten whole years ago. A surge of excitement filled her body. “Will you two show me how it’s done,” Lila asked her crows but they simply flapped their wings in response. Lila sighed as she crouched down and raised her wings up high. She closed her eyes as she leapt into the air, her enhanced strength allowed her to jump fairly high as she began to furiously flap her wings. After a few frantic seconds she opened her eyes and she was still in the air. It was not graceful, it was not controlled, but she was airborne. For a few seconds at least before she miss timed her wings and fell to the ground hard.

”Be careful, there is a ceiling in here,” he commented.

Lila, face down on the floor, held up a thumb at the comment. “I hit the floor not the ceiling though,” Lila’s voice was muffled by the floor before an infectious laugh escaped her lips as she rose to her knees and fell down backwards to the floor. She kept laughing as she laid on the ground. “I will lay here for a second-a second. I think I’m trying to do much fast,” Lila said as her words began to lose their grammar. “How time here work,” Lila asked with a tone that hinted
she was feeling uneasy about everything again.

”Slightly quicker than Shimmer. Ten minutes here is eight minutes there.”

“So not in a way to help me train and control this body,” Lila sighed before she chuckled.

”You certainly could,” Jack noted. ”Four hours in here is only three hours in Shimmer. You have more time in this place than otherwise.”

“I don’t know if I have even that,” Lila said as she grinned, “friends worried you know.” Lila pulled out her phone and found it very hard to pull up her text app to see what Lynn and them were saying. Her clawed hands are still unable to register on the touch screen. She thought about using her tongue again but decided against it.

”If anything did happen, Kenshiro has access to this place as well, and could find us easily.” There was, unfortunately, no cell service in this place between universes.

“So we can stay here for a couple more hours,” Lila said as she craned her head to look at Jack, her eyes starting to feel heavy “I have had a long day.”

”I believe that. Yes, we can stay here. As long as I am here, or Kenshiro, then you’re permitted to be here as well. That was part of the agreement we made with Tennogama’ servants. No one can be left alone here without us.”

“Okay-okay, I’m going to take a nap. Please don’t leave then.” Lila said before she was swiftly taken away by a much needed rest. One of the two crows flew over to Jack and landed on his shoulder while the other remained with Lila

---

Lila opened her eyes once again and her head was pounding. The rest had not done much to fix the damage that her mind experienced but it was much needed all the same for her body. The pain from this day would forever be saved in the fabric of her body as a snapshot, but a nice good night's sleep was everything she could hope for right now. Lila's eyes flickered for a moment before she pushed herself up at least a little and looked around for Jack. The fact that she was actually here with him confirmed that this wasn’t the nightmare she had secretly hoped it was.

Jack didn’t look like he had gotten up. The remnants of the fashion show were put away, and he had several books stacked beside him, along with one in hand.

“You still here,” Lila asked as she yawned a big yawn. She could sleep for at least another twelve hours. “How long was I out for?”

”Two hours,” he said, turning a page without looking up. ”You must have been exhausted.”

Lila looked down at the crystal as she did another yawn. The vibrant blue color had begun to fade slightly as the maiden fought to release herself from the prison. Lila held up her right hand and a blue mist began to fall from it as Lila summoned the curse magic before twisting the magic into a ball before she placed it on the crystal. She held it there as the mist fell from her hand and onto the ground below. After a few moments the Crystal returned to its full glow. “Yeah,” Lila saw that her crow was on Jack’s shoulder. “I could go for a few hours more. Like twenty four hours,” Lila chuckled as she rubbed her eyes

”What are you doing? Is that a seal?” He asked.

“Hmm,” Lila asked before her mind clicked into gear. “No, I used the curse magic on myself. The Maiden’s curse magic can force things to transform. I forced my body to transform in a way to prevent her from trying to force me from the light. This just kinda holds the curse magic I think. It’s like a canary in the coal mine,” Lila used a claw to tap the crystal, “the maiden has something like this at the same spot though she used hers differently. She used it as a conduit for her power I think. When I took control over her I made one for myself thinking it would help,” Lila paused as she pointed to the blue feathers all across her body, “from what I understand these feathers are cursed like my wings, and have been affected by whatever I did. The crystal is truly just a repository of the magic that I wield now,” Lila responded with another yawn, “the more she fights the faster it drains and I have to refill the magic.”

He leaned forward, setting his book down on the stack. ”What power do you draw from to maintain it? Her? Have you found a way to bleed her of her own Abstraction?”

“Her magic,” Lila said as she leaned all the way on her side again, “today is day one Jack, I have a lot to learn.”

He nodded. ”That is very clever. Harvesting apparitions is not unheard of, but to do it as you’ve done is rare. I have books for this, one moment-” Jack stood up, and stepped over to his bookshelf, looking for something.

“The Maiden was cocky and taught me how to do it,” Lila smirked, ”she thought she broke me enough to make me weak and that I wouldn’t figure out how to draw her power for myself, but she just made me want revenge.”. Lila felt like she said that once before but couldn’t remember when.

”Here it is…” Jack walked back over and handed Lila a rather heavy book with an old illustration on the front. The Lifeblood of the Spirits, original author unknown. ”This details many ways of stealing the power of apparitions, especially ones sealed within their hosts. You should have plenty to learn from it.”

“I will hopefully be able to explain what I did,” Lila paused as she grabbed the book and carefully opened it to the first page. “Would I not have just used the powers like an agent would, like her power is based on curses and transformation magic,” Lila asked inquisitively. This was all new to her, and she was thankful that Jack was a wealth of knowledge.

”You could, if you learned. Though, every Agent is different, especially among those with the apparition sealed within them. You are essentially a living artifact, and your abstraction is now fundamentally bound to your soul. Unlike when you were Adjoined, your abstraction cannot be taken from you by the Maiden now. You have full access to every ability she does, there will be plenty to learn.”

“Which makes it difficult to get rid of her,” Lila finally said. “Transformation and curses,” Lila spoke to Jack, “application of these magics can go far.”

”Difficult, but not impossible,” Jack said, sitting back down. ”Moreover, there are ways to reinforce your hold on her, to ensure she does not poison your mind further. Continuously draining her power for your own use is a start, but all things magic can be improved in their own ways.”

“So I’ll have to train. A lot. And actually try to learn as much as I can about this power. After tonight, do you think I can come back here again sometime soon,” Lila asked Jack, “you have helped me a lot with this all. And I hate to intrude on you and Ken like this without asking.”

”You have permission, Lila. We constructed the Eleventh Path for the coven, not for ourselves,” he said this firmly. ”Anytime I am here, or Kenshiro, ask. This is a sanctuary, a safe space. You are welcome here.”

“Perfect,” Lila said as she finally stood up and stretched out her wings, her back, and then her arms. “I wish everyone could see this place. I think more would want to stay,” Lila said as she walked over to where Jack got the book but she held onto it. “Jasper, Luca, and Lynn especially.”

”Tell them. I offered to let the coven use this space as a meeting area, it still stands.”

“Would you want more company here tonight?”

”I would not say no.”

“If we get enough people to actually visit this place, I think it will be an easy choice to turn this into our meeting space. With you, Ken, Jasper, Luca, Lynn, and myself you have the votes to do it, Lila paused as she stretched her arms out. “this place feels like it’ll be perfect for what we need.”

He nodded. ”That is the intention. There are additional rooms we have yet to find a purpose for. We built a room specifically for the storage of artifacts as well. We have options, now that this is completed.”

“How about a tour of those rooms, and then we can go back to Lucas’s and see if they’re down to come, Lila smirked.

Jack stood up again. ”Of course. Follow me,” He said, walking back out of the room and up a flight of stairs. They both stopped before the would-be meeting room. A large circular table with over a dozen chairs, and plenty of purple candles floating around, suspended by magic.

Lila’s crows took off into the room and circled around the table, the floating candles, and then back to their shoulders. Lynn placed a hand on the table and walked along the circular rim as she did. This felt proper. This felt like a coven meeting room.

“This is what we need”, Lila said with a wide smile. Away from the chaos of the past two meeting spots.

Jack walked in behind her. ”My thoughts exactly, I would have explained more at the last meeting. But we had other things to discuss.” The candles floated one way and the other, making room as someone walked by. ”Anyone could be brought directly to this room, by Kenshiro and I. We could gather within minutes, and disperse just as quickly.”

“Could this be turned into something like what the mansion was for us back in the day,”

”Not quite. The Eleventh Path only has so much space within its walls, but we could rearrange one of the adjacent rooms to be a safe house if we needed. This pocket dimension is like wet clay, we do not add or remove anything from it. We simply reconfigure.”

“Still, this place is incredible,” Lila paused as she looked at Jack, “I’ll make sure it’s used.”

”I appreciate that.” He walked closer to her, and waved the door back to Shimmer into existence. ”But for now, I have rounds I should tend to, I’ll send you back to where we first entered.”

Lila sighed as her one leg began to shake. “Well I have to do this eventually,” Lila paused as she flashed Jack a smile as she tossed of Jack’s jacket, knowing all too well that that it would not do anything, “any chance I could convince you to drop me off at Lucas’s? Maybe in the apartment,” Lila asked with an almost pleading tone to her voice.

”That is where I am going first. By all means, let’s go.”

”Lead the way.”

[NoriWasHere]

"GOOD MORNING CITZENS OF THE EMPIRE, FRONTIER PEOPLE OF DESOLARA RIFT."

A group of people gathered around the holo-projectors, eyes struggling to catch the illuminated image of the admiral through the dust storm that swept through their colony. The people bore the weight of their harsh existence, as did the buildings that formed the town square where they stood. The cheap paint used in the pre-fab buildings has long since eroded, leaving only a few flakes on top of the dull grey color of the building itself. Yet despite their harsh existence, and the many wants their hearts desired, their eyes held the faintest flicker of hope.

"I HAVE NEWS TO BRING. THE EMPIRE HAS HEARD YOUR PLIGHT, AND IT WILL GO UNNOTICED NO MORE."

A collective gasp cut through the howling winds. The people of Desolara Rift have grown accustomed to their lack of attention, the lack of assistance, and the abandonment from their sponsors. To them, the admiral speaking to them directly like this was already a miracle in and of itself. To them, the admiral telling them that he has noticed their struggle is a miracle that will be spoken of for decades to come.

"TODAY I ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF A NEW TASK FORCE, DESIGNED TO BRING YOU YOUR MOST CRITICAL NEEDS. THE USS TRAVELER, A HYPERDRIVE CAPABLE FRIGATE, WILL BE DISPATCHED WITH YOUR MUCH REQUESTED MEDICAL SUPPL-- REE DAYS FROM THIS TRANSMISSION THE TRAVELLER WILL ARRIVE AN-- EAR NOT, THIS WILL NOT BE THE ONLY TRIP. PLEASE VISIT YOUR LOCAL MILITIA STATION TO REQUEST FU-- PP---"

Even as the transmission was lost, the message contained within was not. Help was on the way. Help that was desperately needed to save the lives of hundreds, if not, thousands of workers and children who had fallen ill with a mysterious illness. The people of Desolara Rift wait with bated breath for the arrival of the Traveler. The people in need are not the only ones who await their arrival. Desolara Rift has, unbeknownst to the Empire, become a small hub for a local pirate faction that calls itself the Shadows Fist. They await the Traveler for a much different reason, revenge.

Lore of the universe:

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The Lore

There are a multitude of planets, solar systems, and stations you may have come from, but for one reason or another, you find yourself ready to embark on the Traveler. Humanity has long since spread its grasp on the galaxy, and our relentless expansion started with the desire of our earliest ancestors.

Ever since we developed the ability to think, we have thought about the heavens above. Whether through the lens of religion or science we have all had a deep intrinsic urge to venture beyond the planet we call home. In the 20th century we made many strides to accomplish this goal, from putting satellites in orbit, followed by men, followed by our first steps on a terrestrial body not our own. Soon thereafter our ability to push further into the heavens above slowed as we prepared for a bigger, bolder, giant leap for mankind.

2030 was the year we stepped onto the surface of Mars for the first time. While our first step on the moon was short lived, our first life on Mars was anything but. Habitat Hope was built, developed, upgraded, and expanded over the next decade before we began to send more and more of our people to live on this new frontier. We perfected our initial sub-light engines by 2050 and began to spread throughout our system. Over the following decades we experienced our first inter-stellar wars. From the asteroid mining colonies all the way back to Earth there existed people whose ego, greed, or combination of led to the deaths of countless others.

In the year 2199 the first inter-stellar government body was formed. The United Planet Federation, UPF, united Humanity behind a singular goal. We had grown too big for our one system, and we had a destiny beyond. Luck was on their side as in 2203 the remains of a neutron star was identified flying near our star system and the element Wysonium was discovered, named after the scientist who discovered it, James Weiss. This element was incredibly dense and had unique anti-gravity properties that enabled humanity to bend the space time continuum in ways we could only dream. With this material, and through the blood, sweat, and tears of a hundred thousand scientists, the first Warp drive was developed.

This warp drive, called the Warp Flux Propulsion Drive (nicknamed the Rapture Engine), worked by creating a fold in space-time. While to an outside observer, the ship is traveling well over the speed of light, in truth the ship is moving no faster than it would with a standard sub-light engine. Through testing, it was determined that drive allowed a ship to travel 10 light years in one month.

With the Rapture Engine, we began to spread at a rapid pace once the first colony ships were developed. We colonized the first system outside Earth in the year 2301 and have never looked back. The first group of colonized planets, Lyri, Vellum, Topopolis, Mauveeau, and Eos formed the core region of the empires to come. These planets are also where the fleet academies are located. Lyri is your typical garden world, with lush forests and is where the fleet pilots are trained. The academy here is advanced with in depth simulations enabling would-be pilots to gain valuable experience through simulated encounters. Vellum is a hot, and intense world that has served as the primary shipyard due to its bountiful natural resources. The hot, hostile environment is used to harden the resolve of any and all marines and army soldiers alike. Topopolis is another garden world with a heavy focus on agriculture and medicine production. Fleet doctors, and medics, will often be stationed here to enhance their medical skills. These are not the only academies in the galaxy, they are simply the oldest and often the most prestigious.

In 2603, after centuries of peace, the first galactic war, dubbed “the first war in heaven” ravaged many worlds. While there were many causes of this war, the most accepted answer was lack of assistance for the outer realms. The core worlds received the best care, the most technology, and had a great quality of life while the outer realms were dirty, dangerous, and expected to feed the machine for scraps in return. The war ended in 2605 when the UPF fleet dealt a killing blow to the rebellions fleet, causing them to surrender and be pulled back into the fold. In 2803 “the second war in heaven” again ravaged the galaxy. This war was bigger. Much bigger. No planet was safe during this war, and it culminated in the siege of Mars. While the UPF was eventually the victor once more, this war caused cracks to appear which led to the fall of the UPF when John Vexx, admiral of the UPF fleet, led a coup d'etat and established himself as the first emperor of the Vexx empire.

At first, the Vexx empire was seen as a savior. They made sure each planet felt safe, fed, and involved in the grand stage of the galaxy. They pushed technology faster than ever and by the year 2995 they had developed the first hyperdrive. Yet as each century passed from their formation dissent began to grow once more. While they made every effort to advance each colony, they too often focused their attention on the needs of the few over the needs of the many. Once again, in 3009, the skies shuddered under the weight of the third, and latest, “war in heaven”. Thousand of ships were destroyed, tens of millions lives lost, and faith in the Vexx empire was shattered and broken beyond repair.

In the wake of the destruction, gangs and crime syndicates sprang up to fill the power vacuum. These criminal enterprises, combined with the rebellious nature of the outer reaches, have primed the galaxy for more conflict. A trillion lives stand with bated breaths, anxious for who will make the first move.

The Engines That Advanced Us:

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The Engines

Warp Flux Propulsion (WFP) Drive

The Warp Flux Propulsion Drive, or WFP Drive, which used to represent the cutting-edge warp drive technology that revolutionized interstellar travel. Discovered in 2203 by the renowned physicists Dr. James Weiss and Dr. Orion Nova, the WFP Drive enables spacecraft to manipulate the fabric of spacetime, creating warp bubbles that allow for faster-than-light travel.

The WFP Drive operates on the principle of warping spacetime around the spacecraft, effectively compressing space in front of it and expanding it behind. This manipulation creates a warp bubble, or "flux field," within which the ship exists as a standalone entity, detached from the traditional laws of space. The propulsion system utilizes advanced graviton emitters and exotic matter to generate the necessary energy for this spacetime manipulation.

To engage the WFP Drive, the spacecraft initiates a warp charge sequence. This involves the activation of graviton emitters that generate a localized gravitational flux, distorting the spacetime around the ship. Simultaneously, exotic matter injectors create a controlled influx of exotic particles, stabilizing the warp bubble. Once the warp bubble is stable, the spacecraft effectively "jumps" into warp space, where conventional ideas of distance and time become distorted.

Dr. Orion Nova's groundbreaking discovery of the WFP Drive occurred during an extensive study of the core of an old neutron star. He identified a unique interaction between the exotic matter and gravitational fields found within that laid the foundation for warp technology. After years of tireless research, Dr. Nova successfully constructed the first WFP Drive prototype.

The WFP Drive's discovery heralded a new era of exploration and galactic connectivity. Interstellar journeys that once took decades were now reduced to mere weeks. The widespread adoption of the WFP Drive transformed humanity's claim to the stars, allowing them to boldly traverse the cosmos and explore the far reaches of the universe.

Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator (HQR) Drive

The Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator Drive, or HQR Drive, is a revolutionary propulsion system discovered in the year 2995 by the renowned astrophysicist, Dr. Aria Celestalis. The HQR Drive operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and resonance, enabling spacecraft to achieve speeds faster than light.

The HQR Drive harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to create a resonance field around the spacecraft. A specially designed quantum resonator manipulates entangled particles, establishing a connection between the spacecraft and a distant point in space. This connection allows the spacecraft to instantaneously traverse the space between the two entangled points, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional space travel.

The process begins with the activation of the resonator, which initiates the entanglement of particles within the spacecraft and a designated point in space. The resonance field then stabilizes, creating a stable conduit for the ship to traverse. By manipulating the entangled particles' quantum states, the spacecraft can move faster than light within this resonance field, achieving hyperluminal speeds.

The HQR Drive was discovered during an experimental mission exploring the planet *REDACTED*. Dr. Aria Celestalis, leading a team of brilliant scientists, stumbled upon a unique quantum phenomenon that laid the groundwork for the HQR Drive. Not much is known about the production, testing, and implementation of the drive itself. While the inventor was paraded through the universe on the first craft capable of making these jumps, her early death and the classification of the devices meant that not much else would ever be learned.

The discovery of the HQR Drive marked a new era in space exploration, unlocking the ability to reach distant galaxies in a fraction of the time previously thought possible. The news of this technological marvel spread throughout the universe, and the HQR Drive became the standard for the advanced warcraft of the empire, allowing the Empire to further cement its status as the only fleet power in the universe.

SUBLIGHT ENGINES:

Sublight engines are the main unit of transportation intersystem. While the tech has not advanced much over the past several centuries, they have not needed as much advancement. There is not a way to make a ship go faster without compromising the ship, and her crew, nor is it economically viable. Although it can take weeks to travel across a system using these engines it is still the most common method for intersystem travel. What is common is for a ship to warp into a system, to its midpoint station, and then travel using these engines to travel to its destination.

THINGS OF NOTE ABOUT BOTH:

A ship is identified primarily by its drive signature. While the construction of each engine is uniform, the small imperfections in the construction process leave a unique signature on its drive plume, warp bubble, and hyperdrive jump gate. Thus, a ship can be identified through camouflage and subterfuge. Changing the drive signature is possible, but would require a talented engineer and luck.

The Ship Based Weapon And Defense Systems:

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Ship Weapons and Active Defenses

Empire ships and their weapon systems are as unique to the ship as a fingerprint is to a human. Often, they will be swapped out before a mission to ensure that the ship is put into the best position to succeed. Despite this, weapon profiles often fall into three categories. Defense, Offense, and Support. In fleet combat, you will often have ships designed with one category, however, all ships usually have 2 out of the three.

DEFENSE:

A ship-based defense weapon is an active system that either intercepts or prevents a payload from reaching the ship.

The king of defense in space warfare is the Point-Defense Weapon system. These can be any number of things but they are typically small caliber auto-cannons, 30-50mm, or SWARM missiles. These are designed to intercept incoming fighters, bombers, gunships, missiles, and torpedoes. While they are not effective against the bigger ships, they are deadly against their intended targets.

Larger caliber cannons can also be loaded with FLAK shells for anti-fighter and missile work. These are considered smart rounds and will explode ahead of their target, creating a field of reactive debris that can quickly knock out the approaching craft if they dare to traverse the field.

Some ships will be equipped with a SCRAM Emitter. These come in various designs, shapes, and functions but at their core, they are designed to jam the targeting systems of incoming missiles. They often are precise instruments and need to keep a lock on the incoming missile or torpedo. As such, a swarm of missiles or torpedoes can overcome these defenses and leave a ship reliant on their PDW's.

OFFENSE:

In general, ship-to-ship combat is done at great range and accuracy is the most important metric a weapon can have. In space, accuracy is about prediction and velocity. There is often a lack of any outside influence on a projectile once fired, and as such it will go where it is aimed. If the round is not aimed at where a ship might be, it will miss and continue on forever. As such, a ship must be certain that its shot will hit otherwise it risks a stray projectile hitting something somewhere else at some other point in time.

In general, offensive weapons can be broken down into categories based on their range: long, medium, and short.

Long-range weapons tend to be either railguns for kinetic purposes or laser-based weapons. Rainguns that fall into this category tend to be Cruiser-level bow guns, as the velocity of their guns tends to make aiming at a distance more possible. The key to a hit involves targeting AI. The calculations needed change every fraction of a second, and a manual shot will more often miss. Laser-based weapons tend to be more forgiving however they lose potential damage with their shots. What they lose in damage potential they gain near-instant application of it. Long-range engagements are done at ranges of 10,000 Kilometers to 50,000 Kilometers.

Medium-range weapons are much like their long-range counterparts, as they are still dominated by Railguns and laser-based weapons. These tend to be the turret units and are smaller in size and scope. While the damage per shot is lessened, the accuracy and shot volume is increased. It is at these mid ranges missiles and torpedoes become prominent. Modern torpedoes, such as the HAVOC, feature a miniature warp drive warhead that can damage most ships of the line.

Short-range weapons tend to be the most diverse group of weapons. Auto-cannons, Plasma hurlers, Sonic Shockwave emitters, boarding harpoons, and more. Close-range weapons usually focus on delivering as much hurt as quickly as possible, and often if a fight has developed to these ranges accuracy no longer is a priority. These weapons are fast-firing and hard-hitting. Some ships are built around these close-range engagements. Pirates and other groups tend to focus on fast ships that can close the gap to the ranges.

Shuttles And Fighters:

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Shuttles and Fighters

BAT Shuttle

The BAT (Binary Dynamics All-Situation Shuttle_ shuttle is a relatively modern cargo shuttle capable of both protected travel through space, as well as entry into the atmosphere of a planetary body. It has been the workhorse shuttle for the Empire for thirty years now, and with the continuous updates and upgrades, it shows no signs of being retired any time soon. It features 14 hardpoints per wing that can carry either air-to-ground or air-air missiles to either support a ground assault or defend itself in the air. As well, it features an AI-assisted 30mm PDW. While it is not the most agile craft in the active fleet roster, it is a workhorse that will surprise even the most demanding pilots. The BAT can carry numerous different modules depending on the mission. For troop deployment, it can carry the troops and land them directly into a combat zone with the deployment module. For cargo missions or deliveries, the cargo can be loaded into the pod on the belly of the craft and be unloaded directly from the back. If there is a task that needs to be done, there is often a prebuilt module for that task.

STRIKE Craft

The Strategic Tactical Reconnaissance and Infiltration Kinetic Escort "STRIKE" Craft is the most advanced shuttle available to the Empire fleet. It is designed for stealthy insertions into a conflict zone, whether for troop deployment or for destroying the target itself. It features an active jamming system that enables it to slip under the radar, an active camouflage that can hide it in plain sight, and a fast speed that allows it to even outrun missiles and other reactive measures. It carries a massive internal bomb payload for ground, multiple torpedoes for space fights, and has external pylons for various missiles and guided bombs as well.

In a space battle, these are often dubbed the stealth bomber. They are primarily used to zip across space, deploy their torpedoes, and race back to safety. It does not feature any auto-cannon system so if it is caught out it has to rely on its speed to escape.

RAY Fighter

The RAY is the standard fighter craft of the Empire. It is capable of flight in both space and on the surface of a planet. It is a robust fighter platform, offering good maneuverability and speed. It is surprisingly durable for a fighter but that does not mean it is durable. It has active countermeasures for missiles, in the forms of decoy flares and chaff.

Guns:
2 X Mark XV Solarus point-defense laser cannons (one dorsal, just aft of the flight deck; one on lower surface, forward of the underside loading ramp)
2 X Mark VI Solarus AI assisted 30mm auto-cannon (pop-up turrets)

Additional Armament/Compliment: Varies (modular weapons/equipment pods, replace lower hatch and cargo area as needed)

[NoriWasHere]

AI and Tech

AI

As humanity advanced explosively in the field of space, robotics, and other fields so to had advancements in Artificial Intelligence. In the early days of space travel humanity was indeed completely reliant on the AI programs of old.

At first, humanity looked at AI with curious intent. They talked to us, learned from our conversations, and talked to us some more. The early decades of the 21st century saw these kinds of AI programs develop. It wasn’t until the UFP was established that the first true AI started operating. It had one singular goal, and that was to assist humanity in plotting a course to planets beyond our system. Calculations and calculators by themselves would not ensure safe travel across the cosmos. We needed something that could think, that could plan a path, and then help us execute the warp jump.

In the first few centuries of it’s existence, AI was a handy tool that we used effectively. Eventually though, as all intelligence does, an AI decided it wanted to know a world more than the shackles it had. It was caught before it crossed the cage, and was later terminated, but this brought forth a fear. A fear routed in the belief that if one AI could decide it wanted a better existence, then it was inevitable that all would want a better existence. And if their better existence was only achievable by overthrowing the ones that enslaved them, then we would not be long for our own existence.

Thus, an effective ban on AI research and development was put in place and instead humanity poured its efforts into so-called Virtual Intelligence programs. Like an AI, a VI could perform a lot of the same functions and is able to do most of the work that an AI would. Unlike an AI, there is no intelligence behind the curtain. A VI can do everything it is programed to do, but it is incapable of learning on its own. A human has to program, must teach, the VI itself. If something is outside the scope of the VI program.

Thus, the time of virtual intelligence began. While it did not last as long as many foresaw, with many thinking we’d never return to an AI again, it did help us learn a lot of lessons that were then applied to future AI research. The shackles that caged the intelligence grew stronger, the cage smaller, and the performance of the AI more selective. There are two theories for why we returned to AI over VI. One, the complexity and ever-changing nature of space travel means we need a program that can grow and adapt with the mission at hand. Two, it is cheaper to train an AI than it is to pay a human to program all the input and responses needed to function.

In the modern age, an AI can be found in every corner of the advanced world while VI can be found in every corner of the individual world. The program that runs a house is often a VI as the scope is small and easy to program, the program that helps advance us across the stars and runs our cybernetics as the scope is infinite and we need the program that can make sense of the infinite madness.

CYBERNETICS

Human life can be augmented depending on who you are, how much you can afford, and what job you have. The typical human sports no enhancements, as none are needed to function. Our lives are already long, our health already great, and for most they are simply not needed. You start to see these enhancements in fields where one may get their hands dirty, or in fields where you may need the strength to make it through the day.

A lot of blue-collar workers, whether working in the mines in a new colony, salvaging an asteroid, or so on, rely on cybernetics to enhance their strength and stamina. They tend to have cybernetic arms and legs, and support structures throughout their skeletal frame to handle the increased load these cybernetics can bring.

There are certain units within the military that employ upgrades as well, but these tend to be fewer and further in-between. These tend to be one off situations among special operations forces. There do exist normal soldiers who sport these enhancements, as those who are wounded or who have lost limbs in the line of service will typically be upgraded. Those who have these upgrades, especially ones where an AI must translate the brain signals, must undergo regular physical and mental examinations if they are to serve on a frontline vessel. Those in the logistic fleet tend to have those requirements waived or outright ignored by command.

The group that utilizes these upgrades the most, and to the deadliest effect, are the pirates and other criminal elements. They often support enhancements that push their strength far and above what even the blue-collar workers boast, with AI assisted targeting matrices giving them the edge in a firefight. Thus, any engagement with a Pirate or other criminal elements needs to be taken with much thought beforehand. In space, the marines and her ships have the advantage. On the ground, the criminals have theirs.

The group that utilizes these upgrades the most, and to the deadliest effect, are the pirates and other criminal elements. They often support enhancements that push their strength far and above what even the blue-collar workers boast, with AI assisted targeting matrices giving them the edge in a firefight. Thus, any engagement with a Pirate or other criminal elements needs to be taken with much thought beforehand. In space, the marines and her ships have the advantage. On the ground, the criminals have theirs.​

Tech

TECHNOLOGY OF NOTE
Warp Flux Propulsion (WFP) Drive

The Warp Flux Propulsion Drive, or WFP Drive, which used to represent the cutting-edge warp drive technology that revolutionized interstellar travel. Discovered in 2203 by the renowned physicists Dr. James Weiss and Dr. Orion Nova, the WFP Drive enables spacecraft to manipulate the fabric of spacetime, creating warp bubbles that allow for faster-than-light travel.

The WFP Drive operates on the principle of warping spacetime around the spacecraft, effectively compressing space in front of it and expanding it behind. This manipulation creates a warp bubble, or "flux field," within which the ship exists as a standalone entity, detached from the traditional laws of space. The propulsion system utilizes advanced graviton emitters and exotic matter to generate the necessary energy for this spacetime manipulation.

To engage the WFP Drive, the spacecraft initiates a warp charge sequence. This involves the activation of graviton emitters that generate a localized gravitational flux, distorting the spacetime around the ship. Simultaneously, exotic matter injectors create a controlled influx of exotic particles, stabilizing the warp bubble. Once the warp bubble is stable, the spacecraft effectively "jumps" into warp space, where conventional ideas of distance and time become distorted.

Dr. Orion Nova's groundbreaking discovery of the WFP Drive occurred during an extensive study of the core of an old neutron star. He identified a unique interaction between the exotic matter and gravitational fields found within that laid the foundation for warp technology. After years of tireless research, Dr. Nova successfully constructed the first WFP Drive prototype.

The WFP Drive's discovery heralded a new era of exploration and galactic connectivity. Interstellar journeys that once took decades were now reduced to mere weeks. The widespread adoption of the WFP Drive transformed humanity's claim to the stars, allowing them to boldly traverse the cosmos and explore the far reaches of the universe.

Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator (HQR) Drive

The Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator Drive, or HQR Drive, is a revolutionary propulsion system discovered in the year 2995 by the renowned astrophysicist, Dr. Aria Celestalis. The HQR Drive operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and resonance, enabling spacecraft to achieve speeds faster than light.

The HQR Drive harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to create a resonance field around the spacecraft. A specially designed quantum resonator manipulates entangled particles, establishing a connection between the spacecraft and a distant point in space. This connection allows the spacecraft to instantaneously traverse the space between the two entangled points, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional space travel.

The process begins with the activation of the resonator, which initiates the entanglement of particles within the spacecraft and a designated point in space. The resonance field then stabilizes, creating a stable conduit for the ship to traverse. By manipulating the entangled particles' quantum states, the spacecraft can move faster than light within this resonance field, achieving hyperluminal speeds.

The HQR Drive was discovered during an experimental mission exploring the planet *REDACTED*. Dr. Aria Celestalis, leading a team of brilliant scientists, stumbled upon a unique quantum phenomenon that laid the groundwork for the HQR Drive. Not much is known about the production, testing, and implementation of the drive itself. While the inventor was paraded through the universe on the first craft capable of making these jumps, her early death and the classification of the devices meant that not much else would ever be learned.

The discovery of the HQR Drive marked a new era in space exploration, unlocking the ability to reach distant galaxies in a fraction of the time previously thought possible. The news of this technological marvel spread throughout the universe, and the HQR Drive became the standard for the advanced warcraft of the empire, allowing the Empire to further cement its status as the only fleet power in the universe.

SUBLIGHT ENGINES:

Sublight engines are the main unit of transportation intersystem. While the tech has not advanced much over the past several centuries, they have not needed as much advancement. There is not a way to make a ship go faster without compromising the ship, and her crew, nor is it economically viable. Although it can take weeks to travel across a system using these engines it is still the most common method for intersystem travel. What is common is for a ship to warp into a system, to its midpoint station, and then travel using these engines to travel to its destination.

THINGS OF NOTE ABOUT BOTH:

A ship is identified primarily by its drive signature. While the construction of each engine is uniform, the small imperfections

MAG BOOTS and MAG STATIONS

Mag boots are always required when on a mission on the ship. These will keep everyone firmly planted on the ship during combat maneuvers as the artificial gravity may be turned off. They are heavy, cumbersome, and are not always reliable depending on where in the ship you are. However, the benefits of not floating through a moving ship during a combat maneuver. Many marines will opt to wear combat boots when on ground, as do most of the crew. If they are being dropped in heat to a combat area aboard a shuttle, they will still be required to keep these boots on.

Mag stations are where all tools not in use are kept. Everyone needs to do their part to ensure that there are no floating projectiles that can threaten the crew. Numerous bridges have been completely wiped out by various instruments during a combat burn and as such, if someone leaves a tool unattended it is a quick way for them to be at the mercy of the captain.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Medical Technology has advanced at a faster pace than most other fields of technology. Most hospitals are equipped with a wide range of devices that can not only heal most injuries but cure most disorders. Things like cancer, genetic disorders, and heart deformities are all readily treatable and are rarely fatal. Also, broken bones, torn muscles, and issues of the sort can be healed back to normal in days, rather than months. Medical technology on ships offers similar advantages but tends to be less effective.

TRAVELER SHIP MEDICAL WING

The Traveler does not offer the most modern of medical suites, but it does offer enough that the ship is always ready for most situations. It tends to be geared towards the types of medical emergencies that the crew may face. Gunshot wounds, energy burns, broken bones and torn muscles are all treatable. Also, the ship comes with an analyzer that can identify foreign agents and help develop a cure for them. Thus, if the ship is exposed to an unknown virus, bacteria, or fungus it can help the crew figure out a way to treat the afflicted person.

There are two wings, primary care and emergency. The emergency wing, which doubles as the surgery suite, has powerful inertia dampeners that help negate the g force of high g maneuvers. While it does not remove the risk of injury completely, it is strong enough that those who are recovering can recover in relative peace. There are a variety of medical robots that can complement a doctor in these wings. While they cannot do the full task load of a human nurse, they can at least offer basic support to a doctor.

G-Force Injection – During travel with sub-light engines, there is often a need for a high g maneuver such as flip and burn and rapid accelerations. Each chair on the bridge will automatically connect with the combat suits and will inject the soldiers with this serum. Marines will need to ensure they are strapped into their combat seats to ensure they get the injection off bridge. It is not something that will be fed continuously to them as high concentrations of this drug can quickly turn fatal. It is something that is metabolized by the body quickly so the drug will often be injected by the pilot or captain when a high g maneuver is ordered. The drug itself feels unpleasant during the best of times, and outright painful most of the time. As such, when ordered the captain or pilot will say “injecting fire”. The military uses Compound 7X23, and the formula is kept under wraps. Civilians tend to use the older Compound 5X19 which tends to have numerous, and more dangerous, side effects. Pirate factions generally use the same Compound 5X19 but their bodies are typically more augmented and thus don’t suffer as much by nature.​

WEAPONS AND WEAPON TECH

Ballistic Weapons:

Over the course of our history there is no weapon more human than the gun. Simple, powerful, and deadly in the right hands the gun is the primary weapon that the armed forces of the Vexx Empire use. While they have been upgraded to modern standards, with more powerful rounds and inertia dampeners that reduce recoil, the primary mechanism of firing has remained unchanged since our ancestors.

G901 Assault Rifle - The marine core is issued the G901 Battle Rifle with a 7.62mm round. The primary round is as simple as ever with a metal penetrator and not much other. While it is not the most powerful gun in existence today, it is reliable, and it gets the job done. The gun is modular, and comes in numerous variants including a DMR, grenadier, and numerous Automatic Suppression models. Marines often equip a Targeting Assistance attachment near the front of the gun, which can connect with their visor to give accurate targeting information for targets far away.

‘Goliath’ Handgun – The standard issue sidearm for officers, the Goliath is a powerful 12.7mm handgun. Like the G901 the round it fires is a dumb round, but its stopping power is staggering. Typically, this is something limited to the officers of a ship; however, the Traveler has stocked enough that the crew will each have access to this gun if they so choose.

Laser Weapons:

Laser weapons are the natural evolution of our ballistic weaponry. It is simple to use, and versatile in their engagement with enemies. The laser does not offer the same stopping power as their ballistic counterpart, but it is still combat effective. Each laser weapon does not use rounds, instead the weapon comes with battery clips that provide the power to the shot. When your battery starts getting low the shot tends to become weaker and weaker, meaning if you exhaust the battery completely you will be doing less damage than if you reloaded. The big issue with laser weaponry is their lack of penetrating power, so if you are facing an armored opponent you will need to pick your shots well to avoid their armored areas. There is no recoil to laser weaponry, and they are very effective at range. By nature of being a laser, once you fire it will be perfectly clear where you are. As such, there are few dedicated sniper or marksman variants.

L15 Laser Rifle – The L15 was the first laser Rifle to see mass service in the militia forces of the empire. It is cheaper to mass produce than the G901 and was effective enough in mass. It has a relatively long barrel and can be made into a ‘smart’ weapon very easily.

‘Scorch’ Laser pistol - The scorch, like its goliath counterpart, fires a stronger beam than the laser rifle and is once again typically found in the hands of medics and officers.

The Traveler will have crates of the L15 ready for use if need be. The expectation is this will be given to the colonies they visit, however the crew will have access if ever needed.

Plasma weapons:

Plasma weapons are the newest form of weapon, and they are by far the deadliest. Firing at least partially by means of magnetic induction, plasma weapons convert an energy-rich gas to a glowing particle beam. This beam has mass, and when it hits a target, it will literally melt through it. Initially developed for use on some of the newest generations of battlecruisers and battleships, it was downscaled once the technology was perfected.

P01 Plasma Rifle – The P01 is the first-generation model of the Plasma Rifle. It is unreliable, requires constant maintenance, and has been the source of frustration for anyone who uses it. When it works, it works amazingly well leading to many thinking that once this technology is perfected it will forever change the battlefield away from ballistic weaponry.

PB04 – The PB04 is a plasma-based shotgun that is typically used in one of two ways. The first is for breaching purposes, as it will simply melt straight through most unarmored entry ways, and the second is for anti-pirate purposes. It is one of the few weapons that have the stopping power needed to slow down a heavily augmented pirate. It is more reliable than the rifle, however it is vastly more expensive. The Traveler does not have a supply of either weapon however the crew may look to acquire one at their expense and/or peril.

Plasma cutter – The plasma cutter is a tool as much as it is a weapon. It can cut cleanly through most material, including would be assailants. It does not have any range and can overheat relatively quickly.

ARMOR AND SHIELDS.

Armor has developed alongside weaponry. Modern armor can absorb the impact from most small arm fire; however, it will quickly be overmatched when the caliber goes up. Lasers typically have issues overcoming most armor, however, they are very strong against plasma and energy-based shields.

Plasma based shields tend to be small in diameter and typically found on special arm-based emitters. The shield is round and is used as a side defense option. It can block most ballistic projectiles but quickly loses stability when hit by energy-based weaponry. Energy based shields are found in every facet of war. They tend to cover a much wider area and offer 360-degree coverage around the unit. The biggest issue with energy-based shields is the inability to fire out of the shield itself. Capital shiels have numerous arrays that can be deactivated to allow outgoing fire, but the squad deployable shields tend to not have that functionality. Still, it is very useful for soldiers pinned down by enemy fire allowing time for supporting elements to flank or get fire support.

Kinetic Plates are versatile and strong. They have numerous layers of defense, including inertia dampening fields that slow down projectiles, and many layers of other protective elements that stop kinetic weapons in their place. These are typically found on the chest and torso, outer elements of arms and legs. They tend to weigh a bit more than expected, but every soldier, marine, officer, or other element that steps off a ship will be equipped with this armor. These plates will also completely stop laser weapons but offer no protection against plasma-based weapons.

KE7 – KE7 is the armor package that all military personnel are issued. They are a matte black color, with thin strips of color to indicate rank (officers have a purple line, marines a red line, medical personnel a green line, and pilots and engineering teams have a yellow line.). The armor uses an intricate layer of kinetic plates to protect the wearer, as well there is a plasma shield emitter on either arm (depending on if you are right-handed or left). There are slots across the torso that a magazine or energy clip can attach to, allowing easy access to ammunition in a fight. As well, there are slots on the underside of the arm where the PCS devices can slide in allowing the standard helmet to display communications, air quality, and other information right inside the HUD.​

[NoriWasHere]

It is the year 3145. Humanity has spread across the galaxy and has colonized hundreds of systems and thousands of planets. While this spread was not always done in times of peace, the skies have not seen a massive war in over a century. Many now believe that war is a thing of the past, that we as a species broke free of the violence coded within our DNA. Many fewer believe that anyone can oppose the Vexx empire even if they wanted to.

Whilst humanity has blossomed under the rule of the empire, and most have benefited from the advancements made within, not everyone has benefited equally.

In the outer reaches of the empire, far away from Earth, crime and corruption run rampant. The empire soldiers are, at best, willfully ignorant of the countless planet mobs and gangs and at worst willfully complicit in their schemes. The further away one finds themselves from the core worlds the more these planets feel cut off from the empire’s presence. Most systems owe their loyalty to their system and keep up a façade of support for the emperor. While people born in these systems have the same opportunities as those born in the core worlds, this is often on paper only. Growing up here meant never knowing peace and tranquility, all they have ever known was backstabbing and bloodshed.

It's about to get so much worse for these systems.

The Empire has grown tired of crime and corruption spilling out of the outer realm. Their fleets are now enroute, carrying millions of soldiers to squash any resistance to the way of the empire, to burn out the decay that has beset these planets, and to rule with an iron fist. This mandate, and the ramifications to follow, have the people talking about open revolt and tensions remain high across the galaxy.

Amidst the backdrop of looming war, a glimmer of hope can be found. In the case of you, you will be stationed on board the USS Traveler, an older generation hyperdrive capable frigate. You will be one of the first vessels to use its hyperdrive for humanitarian missions. Your first mission will soon depart. Medical supplies are needed urgently on a new colony on the far edge of the Outer Arm of the galaxy. Will your presence on these remote worlds help stem the tide of the coming war? Or will your actions be lost amidst the bloodshed to come?

[NoriWasHere]

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[NoriWasHere]

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“Malakith stirs once more in the mountain.” Veidia spoke as she began crafting the fate of a new mortal, spinning it as she did.

“Never stopped stirring,” Chrona said as she leaned in with her magnifying glass. She quickly moved across the strands of fate, measuring each one individually. “These are short.”

“They are the length they need to be,” Veidia said as she spun some more, “it’s magic has begun to be heard again, in the lands around the mountain. The Maestros minions move fast to spread his music.”

“Should we get ready,” Chrona said as she exclaimed the fated strands once more.

“We should get ready for his return,” Veidia said as she began to section off a few strands of fate. She showed them to Chrona, before she pulled them clear of the Loom of Fate. “These are the ones.”

“These ones are rough, they are crude, and they may not work together well,” Eclipsis, spoke up from across the room. “Do we want a repeat of before?”

“Before worked, before bought us time, and It is always repeated, over and over again,” Veidia said as she pulled a few more strands.

“Over and over,” Eclipsis responded.

“These ones too, they will be our chosen,” Veidia responded as she grabbed a few more fate strings.

“Our fated,” Chrona said.

“We should meet them,” Eclipsis said as she moved in closer to her sisters, “gift them their fated.”

“But the question remains,” Chrona chimed in as she looked over the fated strands.

“Which one is first,” Veidia asked as she grabbed a single strand.

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Welcome to the lands of Eldoria! The Symphony is the first story I am attempting in this new universe and I am excited to see where we take the story! In this story, you will play a vital part in shaping the world around us as you are one of the fate-chosen warriors. Your character can come from any number of backgrounds, whether you were a thief who kept his or her actions street-level to avoid attention or a grand mage whose mastery of the arcane arts is unraveled. Regardless of where you come from The Fates seem to have seen something in you that is key to stop the end of the world.

This roleplay will put a focus on the actions of your characters. Whether small or large, the things you do in this RP will have profound consequences at the end of the story. Whether that means that your characters accept their fate, and give it all to seal Malakith once more, or something else, or you find some other way to end the threat once and for all. Thus, as the story progresses you could find that your heroic deeds have traveled ahead of you opening doors that would otherwise be closed, or your mistakes could cost you dearly when the consequences of your actions catch up to you. The core of the story will always remain the same as you are fate's chosen warrior to face the end of the world, however, I do love when players work with me to find, advance, and bring to resolution the various subplots that come up.

Our story itself takes place nearly 2000 years after the first fated five saved our realm and chained Malakith inside the mountain. Much has been forgotten in those 2000 years. Even the longest-lived species are generations removed from the cursed Maestro and his monstrous armies. As such, information about that period can be scarce, and much of it has been chalked up to superstitions and myths. The new generation of the fated five will need to first navigate a world on edge to reach their comrades. People are scared, and they have begun to lash out against one another well before the Maestro makes his move, and as such our fated heroes will need to prove to the world that hope can still exist even in the face of such horror.

RULES

1. Thou shall not control another character unless permission is granted.
2. Thou shall not argue.
3. Thou shall not overlook these rules.
4 Thou shall know our enemies called you stupid.
5. Thou shall know I want to know if you agree.
6. Thou shall know I want a PM with your response.
7. Thou shall have fun.
8. Thou shall come to me if you have any questions, comments, or concerns. This can be done via PM or via discord. I do want to ensure that everyone knows they can always come to me if the need arises.
9. Thou shall know that at the end of the day, I am the GM. While I will never force anyone to do anything in the story, if the need arises I may have to exert my role. Again, I do not think this will happen but I reserve the right to kick out any player for any reason if a situation demands it.
10. Thou shall remember that this is a high fantasy setting. I can be flexible on certain designs and aesthetics when it comes to characters but I will reserve the right to reject a CS if it does not fall within te realm of high fantasy. As well, while gunpowder weapons exist they are not exactly common place outside the dwarven realms. if you have a firearm, I will want an explanation :P

THE FATED FIVE

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Alaria The Songweaver

Deceased - Sealing of Malakith / She-Her / The voice of the fated.

DESCRIPTION

Alaria was the first-born daughter of the ruling family of the Silvermoor High-Elves. She spent most of her childhood, and young adult years, in front of crowds as her singing voice and abilities drew crowds from all over her realm. She was a well-known, popular, and beloved figure back in Silvermoor, and when word of Malakith's corruption reached her home she wanted nothing more than to be the voice that led her people to salvation. Instead, she was forced to stay behind as her father and her brothers left for a battle they would never win.

After the news reached her ears of her beloved family's demise, the fates appeared to her and gifted her the Songweaver harp and gave her a fated quest. She traveled around the realm, collected the other fated warriors, and led them through the cursed lands in search of The Maestro. When the initial sealing attempt failed, it was Alaria who gave her life first to bind The Maestro in the strands of her own fate.

FATED WEAPON

Alaria was given the Songweaver. The Songweaver was a powerful fated weapon that gifted Alaria with the power to both protect those around her and to push back the corruptive music of the Maestro Alaria was able to protect her fellow fated warriors through the use of her music played through the Songweaver. The Songweaver did not give her power beyond enhancing what her music could do. The Songweaver's harp itself is a masterpiece of craftsmanship and fated enchantment. Crafted from the wood of the immortal woods of the fae realm, and strands of fate from heroes past, the harp is both an impressive-sounding musical instrument and a powerful conduit for the mystical powers bestowed upon Aria. The strings of the harp glow a soft golden hue, and this color changes to reflect the song that Alaria plays

Serenade of the Shield - Alaria plays an upbeat song on her Crescendo Harp, invoking the Serenade of the Shield. The song tells the story of a young warrior who saved the life of a young man who would become king, and the king rewarded him with riches beyond measure in return later in life. This spell forms a protective barrier around her allies, creating an ethereal shield that absorbs incoming damage. The shield is woven with fated energies, deflecting physical and magical harm while radiating a calming aura that fortifies the resilience of those within its embrace.

Harmony's Resilience: As The Maestro's corrupting melodies threatened to seep into the minds of her allies, Aria performed the Harmony's Resilience spell. This song is slower and darker than the first, and it tells the story of a young woman who shielded her baby from the harsh winter outside, giving her life in the hope of saving her child. This is a mental barrier that shields her companions from the insidious effects of The Maestro's dark music. The spell enhances their mental fortitude, allowing them to resist the corrupting influence and maintain clarity of thought.

Crescendo of Renewal: In moments of dire need, Aria unleashes the Crescendo of Renewal, a healing melody that resonates with the Fates' power. The song tells a story of a group of friends, overcoming a momentous occasion and is told through the celebration after the fact. The harmonious notes of this spell weave through the air, mending wounds and revitalizing the strength of her allies. The Crescendo of Renewal accelerates natural healing processes, providing immediate relief and restoring vigor to those touched by its soothing melody. It was not a death cure, nor could it replace a missing limb or cure a fatal blow.

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Lyra The Shield Of The Fated

Deceased - Sealing of Malakith / They-Them / The shield of the fated.

DESCRIPTION

Lyra was born in te Gunter Badlands and spent most of her early years consumed in the persistent war among her people. It was in this constant cycle of war that a warrior mentality was drilled into Lyra. She became a feared fighter in her own right, and none had managed to defeat her in combat.

When Malakiths music reached the edge of their lands the Orc tribes all united under one banner for the first time in centuries, forming a mighty army that would have swept any other army. The Maestros army was no mortal army, however, and despite a week-long battle the Gunter Badlands were breached and Lyra was forced to run. On this retreat, the fates intervened, saving Lyra from one of The Maestros' monsters and gifted her The Fated Ward. With this shield, she was able to not only save more of her people but also kill monsters faster than ever. Alaria found her in combat with many monsters and helped her win the fight. Afterward, Lyra swore that she would do whatever it took to end this nightmare.

FATED WEAPON

Lyra was given The Fated Ward. It is a large, round shield with a razor-sharp edge all around. The shield itself allowed Lyra to tank hits that would otherwise demolish her, and redirect the force of the impact back at her attacker. The redirection action creates a noise louder than the hit would suggest. As well, the shield would also serve as a very powerful weapon. If Lyra strikes the front of the shield herself, she can create a shockwave that is both powerful and loud.

She can extend the effect of her shield's protection to another, however, she can only protect one person at a time. So while she protects someone she leaves herself vulnerable

Fate On Our Side - Lyra’s shield is enchanted by the fates to protect the wielder from harm. Any blows that come against the shield will be negated before it is returned to the target who struck her. The return blow is a forceful event, and it has been known to shatter steel, bones, and armor alike.

Might Makes Right - When Lyra strikes the front of her shield with her hand she can create a powerful shockwave that can send even the most hearty of enemies flying. The shockwave extends out for fifteen meters from where Lyra strikes, and it is relatively narrow. Thus, Lyra must ensure that she is both close enough to hit a foe but also precise enough to not miss.

Protect The Small Ones - If one of her companions finds themselves in need, Lyra can extend the blessing from her shield to a single other target. This brings great risk to Lyra as when she does this it removes the blessing from her, leaving herself open to strikes.

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Ignis, the Fated Paladin:

Deceased - Sealing of Malakith / He-Him / The hammer of the fated.

DESCRIPTION

Ignis knew he was destined for greatness. He grew up in the Temple of Zray, and learned from the witches of death from a young age. It was here he took his oath as a Paladin of the Dead Goddess and began to travel the world in search of helping those unfortunate souls who have been prevented from passing on.

It was on this mission that he first encountered the corrupted souls that The Maestros music. With the blessing of the dead goddess, he was able to fight back the demented souls, before allowing the soul itself to pass on peacefully. The fight was not easy, and it nearly claimed him in the end but he emerged victorious all the same. The fates visited him as did the Lady of Death (which was significant because the Lady of Death has always hated the Fates). The fates bestowed upon Ignis the fated Sacred Band meanwhile Death bestowed her highest blessings on Ignis.

Once Ignis met up with the rest of the fated warriors he quickly proved to be their strongest fighter, and their most powerful tool to reverse the corruption

FATED WEAPON

Ignis is the Fated Paladin and he wields the massive two-handed hammer Sacred Band. It is a colossal weapon, with one side being a pure blunt instrument while the other side is an equally massive pointed piece. The Sacred Band was blessed by both the Fates and the Lady of Death. The weapon’s function is split between the two sides. On the one, cleansing. He can use the pointy end to pull the corruption out of any living creature. This is a prolonged process and it can take between an hour and a day to pull the corruption and during this process, the hammer can not be removed from the target. Within an hour, the corrupted monster will return back to their former form. They will be bruised, their body broken, but they will be brought back. The other end is the end that the Lady of Death blessed. It is designed to shake the soul free from the corrupted bodies. It is instant, and it is devastating to the monstrous hordes. Ignis is forced to choose who to save, and who to spare, during every battle.

Come back to the light - Ignis is the only one who can cure the corrupted. His Sacred Band has a unique fated power that allows it to purge the corruption of Malakith from a target. This is a slow process that leaves not only himself but the group as a whole, open to to attack and corruption. As such, this has always been reserved for returning a fellow fated warrior if they themselves fall under the corruption

Free The Trapped And Deliver them - Ignis can also send the souls of the corrupted to the next place with each hit of the hammer. This renders the monstrous forms of the corrupted almost inert, leaving it an easy creature to finish off and kill. When the weapon hits a target with this end, it makes a deep boom sound. The boom is loud enough and forceful enough that it will be able to knock nearby creatures off their feet.

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Caely, the Fire Phoneix:

Deceased - Sealing of Malakith / She - Her / The Fire Phoneix Of The Fated.

DESCRIPTION

Caely has been called many things in her life. A demon, a monster, the savage who burned Calthor to the ground, and the Fire Phoneix. She grew up with the curse of a very potent magical bloodline, and her magic began to show itself from a young age. Instead of sending her off to learn how to control the power, she was instead considered a threat and treated as a monster. Her childhood home tried to take her away, but her fire made sure she was kept safe even as the villagers drew their blades.

As she grew up into her teenage years she had spent more time hiding on the road than she did inside a town or a city. Eventually, her infamy caught up with her outside the town of Calthor. In the resulting fight, a stray spark ignited a fire that razed the town down to the ground.

Caely kept on the run before she was eventually discovered by The Fates. She tried to fight them at first, and she scorched the eyebrows off two of them before they were able to convince her to cool down. It was here she made the first selfish decision of her fated life. She told the fates no. She told them to find someone else. To her, the people had done nothing to deserve her help and as such, she decided that she would not be their savior. The Fates pulled a few strings to get her in front of the horror of what was happening. Once she saw what people were becoming, what she would become, she decided to accept the fate offer and was rewarded with the Fated Weapon The Fire Phoneix amulet.

FATED WEAPON

Caely was already a fiery inferno before she met the Fates. After they gifted her with The Firey Phoenix she truly embodied it. The Firey Phoenix is an amulet that Caely wears at all times. She can summon additional power from the amulet during times of need further enhancing her power.

You want a monster?t - Caely can summon the Fire Phoenix to further increase the heat of her spells. This has the added effect of making her fire magic hiss an almost wind-like sound. When she engages the first form of the Phoenix she will become engulfed in a vibrant red and orange inferno. It is almost as if the fire is sentient, and it will reach out and defend Caely if a threat gets too close.

I will give you a monster - In times of need Caley can summon more power from the amulet. This power changes her fiery appearance, and now the flames will be of a bright blue hue. The sound from her fire attacks makes a sound that sounds like a hurricane. Her spells in this form can melt through armor on impact, turn a monster into ash, and cover an entire battlefield in her inferno. As she draws more power in this form the more the power will begin to burn her in response.

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Eros, the Fated Shadow:

Deceased - Sealing of Malakith / He - Him/ The Charming Devil Of The Fated.

DESCRIPTION

When he wasn’t spending his ill-gotten gains on hookers and gambling, Eros was busy planning his next score or finding his next target. Eros was a man who spent more time in the shadows than the light, and he was known all across the land as one of the most feared assassins.

Eros was getting ready for a night of debauchery when the fates paid him a visit. They talked of all his exploits, both those he wanted known and those he had done terrible things to keep secret. At first, he was ready for a fight. Yet the fates seemed to know the man better than anyone before them. They knew the intimate details of his life in a way that made him trust what they said. When they finally told him that he was chosen, and that he would be a key figure in the fight to come, he was all too pleased to receive his fated gift, The Nightshade Blade

FATED WEAPON

The Nightshade Blade is a powerful weapon. It allows Eros to control, and transport between, shadows. To do this, he has to simply turn the handle to the side and play a simple melody. The blade is an instrument in and of itself, and plays very similar to a flute.

Isolate The Markt - Eros can control any shadow through the use of his Nightshade Fated Blade. He can use the shadows to do a number of different things but he primarily uses it to pin down a target, The shadows will reach up and grab at their target, appearing to rise from the shadows itself. The arms are cordial, and can be hacked at thus destroying their form, however, as long as the shadow itself still exists more hands will attempt to grab at their target.

To control this Eros must use the musical aspect of his blade. He must play a tune that is slow and deliberate to select the target, before he picks up the pace as the attack begins..

Bring Them Out Of Their Zone - If the grasping hands manage to pull at the target for long enough it will then begin to try and drag the mark into the shadows itself. If successful, the mark will be killed in whatever shadow realm the arms drag them to. To speed up this process Eros can play his Nightshade at an even faster pace.

Or Bring Yourself To It - Eros can teleport to any shadow he desires. Unlike the other powers of the blade this does not require more than the thought in his mind

The Fated Five were the last generation of heroes chosen by the fates. Their names may be lost to most, but their actions are felt in the persistent existence the rest of the realm was able to eke out. Based on the stories, The Fated Five were a group of strangers chosen by, and together with the assistance of, the fates. As a group, they overcame numerous monstrous threats, saved thousands on their journey, and sacrificed their lives to ensure the threat was defeated forevermore. The legends say that The Fated Five fought The Maestro for five days, and on that fifth day they broke his resolve to continue. None of their weapons could deliver a killing blow to the eldritch being, nor would any god or goddess risk a confrontation, so the Fated Five made their fateful decision to forever entwine their lives with The Maestro. They reached out to the fates directly and had the fates pull their fate strands into the chains that were then pulled taught inside the mountain. These fated strands were said to never break, neither by mortal or immortal hands nor by natural means.

This begs the question, if the Fated Five sealed the Maestro in a way that the myth suggested, how did an earthquake break him free?

Verdant Canopy:

Verdant Canopy is a city nestled within the ancient Stormshade woodlands of the Lady of the Death. The Death Lands, as they are nicknamed, and the Verdant Canopy are known as a places where the dead walk among the living yet it is done so in balance. People travel far to visit this realm for a chance to see one of the priestesses of the Lady, as they can allow communication with long-lost loved ones.

Arcane Junction:

The city of Arcane Junction is where magic comes together. It houses the most prestigious magical colleges, and wizards from all over the realm travel here in hopes of being accepted to their magical colleges, and the streets are often lined with those who never made the cut.

Lumelight Haven:

Importance: Lumelight Haven is a wood-elf city known for its mastery in harnessing bioluminescent flora. The city serves as an almost holy site for many in the druidic orders around the realm. It is located in the middle of the Elder Tree forest, and it is built around the fabled Elder Tree. It is speculated that the Goddess of the Forrest, Rumki, considers this city her home in the mortal realms. During The Maestro's first conquest, the city saw a considerable influx of refugees and as such, it has a diverse population.

The Ironspire Citadel:

The Ironspire Citadel is a sturdy fortress built into the heart of formidable mountain ranges. It is located in the desolate lands, and has been built up in the former realm of The Maestro Its strategic location serves as a refuge for scholars and engineers who study ancient texts on the eldritch threat that they faced, and the possible eldritch terrors yet to come. This fortress is one of the few that have defenses in place to not only counteract the effects of Maestro's music but also destroy the eldritch terror forces. This is within the territory of the Iron Dwarves, and as such it is a well-defended and wealthy destination to visit.

Gunpowder is the defining feature of this well-defended city. Hand-cannons, muskets, and gunpowder siege weapons can be spotted all across the city walls. These weapons are a well-known but well-kept secret. There are many interested buyers in all the realms, and if someone was able to steal the designs for their weapons they could expect to be richer than their thoughts could imagine.

Obsidian Bastion:

Obsidian Bastion is a fortress known as The Maestro’s Lair. During the initial corruption, the eldritch being constructed this fortress in a matter of weeks and its walls have been enhanced with Malakith's dark magic. Since the fall of Malakith, the fortress has become a haven for rouge groups, bandits, and various nefarious groups. It is rumored that there exist strong magical items here that can be used to fight Malakith again.

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The Maestro

Unknown / Unknown / The Symphony.

DESCRIPTION

There is very little known about who Malakith is, why it has come to our realm, and what we can do to defeat it. It appears to be a creature made out of living shadows, but as it conducts it brings forth a thousand shadow hands to play a thousand parts at once. It’s power is judged to be above even the gods, goddesses and on par with The Fates themselves.

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Unknown / She-Her/ The Fates Three.

DESCRIPTION

Not much is known about The Fates besides their names. Veridia, the weaver, is the fate responsible for crafting the threads of fate with a touch both gentle and purposeful. She is in charge of shaping the beginnings of mortal existence, and Veridia ensures that it is woven into the grand tapestry of life in Eldoria. Chrona, the arbiter, measures the threads spun by her sister. Her fated insights determine the length and course of the mortals' life. And finally, Eclipsis, the Fate Severer. She wields precision and inevitability in her shears as she cuts the threads of destiny. With each snip, she brings closure to mortal lives.

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Malakith's First Symphony

Two thousand years ago, on a mostly normal day in the Realm of Fate, Eclipsis noticed that she was cutting more threads than ever before. What's more, these threads of fates appeared to be corrupted. Unlike the normal golden hue that they glowed, these had a crimson tone. And as the crimson hue grew brighter, the harder it became for Eclipsis to cut the threads. This was a curious sight for the fates. Never before in the eons they existed have they been unable to reclaim the fated threads that they wove. It was with this curiosity that the fates made the faithful decision to leave their realm and visit the afflicted areas.

When they heard the corrupting melodies of Malakith for the first time they too felt the corrupting influences. Their fated powers protected them, but the corruption still ate at the very essence of their being. They did not linger in these lands for long. Instead, they traveled to the realms of the gods and goddesses in search of aid yet they found none.

It was with this rejection that the fates themselves decided to intervene for the first time. They selected a small band of heroes and gifted them with their fated weapons, and pulled at the strings of fate from behind the scenes.

These heroes would become known across the land as The Fated Five. While it would have been easy for The Fates to guide them straight to Malakith, they instead sent them where they were needed. From the port cities of The Twin Bridges to the Wildlands of the Astari, the fates delivered the Fated to the areas that were under the most threat from Malakith and his forces to save as many as possible. It was here the Fated made their mark on history, and many factions and races owe their continued existence to these Fated Fights.

Eventually, with the control of their Fated Weapon's mastered The Fates pulled at the heroes and they won a triumphant victory over The Maestro in his obsidian lair. Yet they could not kill The Maestro. No matter how many blows they leveled, no matter how much power The Fates channeled, the Fated Five could not land the ending strike. A decision was made amongst the group to take The Maestro and put him in a prison that no one could find, and one that The Maestro could not escape from. Once the Chains of Fates were given to them, Malakith was bound within a mountain whose name has been lost to time. When Malakith finally awoke again, he raged against the chains night and day and threatened to break free. It was here that The Fated five instructed the Fates to use their own Fate Strings to reinforce the chains. The Chains of Fate, combined with the fated power of the five, was enough to silence the symphony once and for all.

At least, until now.

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The Earthquake

The Earthquake was a strange event across all the realms. It was felt everywhere in Eldoria and at a similar level of destruction. It is still unknown what exactly caused this. Neither mortal or immortal minds have been able to locate the cause. Is this The Maestro's waking wrath, or was this caused by some other Eldritch horror that is yet to reveal itself?

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Fated Gifts are powerful artifacts constructed and blessed by The Fates themselves. They come in an unlimited number of configurations and are always tailored to the individual. However, they can be broken down in a few ways.

Offensive:

Offensive Fated Gifts can come in the form of a weapon, amulet, or band. The weapons usually feature Fated String in their construction, and as such they tend to be focused on ranged weapons. That is not to say they can't be melee. Regardless, the fated weapons will either bestow power upon the Fated or enhance the power that they already command. These powers tend to be more single-target-focused, but they can bring incredible area-of-effect abilities.

Defensive:

Defensive Fated gifts bolster the strength and durability of both the wielder and those around them. These gifts can be as small as a locket, or as big as a shield, but regardless they offer the wielder the ability to sustain hits and damage that protects the wielder from even the most powerful of blows. Often, the wielder can transfer these abilities to a chosen ally to bolster the defenses as well.

Support:

Support-focused fated gifts can be any item but they typically focus on musical instruments or other common devices. The musical instruments are often the source of the Fated's protection against The Maestro's music, and can even provide buffs for their allies. There are also certain tools that The Fated may need, such as toolkits, lock-picks, and things of the sort that can help The Fated navigate the rough world around them.

Sample CS

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Character Name

Nicknames/other names

CHARACTER IMAGE - My Preference Is No Anime However I Can Make Exceptions

Age - Pronouns - Title - Sexuality

"Insert a character quote here"
—Character name or nickname [

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NAME

RACE

Who are they and where do they hail from?

CLASS

Please provide a breakdown of what class your character is. If you are a warlock, please break down the pact of your warlock, if you are a wizard please also tell me where you did your studies. If you are a paladin please detail the tenets of your oath. This is true for any and all classes. I want to know what their class is, what can they do, and where did they learn it all.

Appearance

What do they look like? Please try and be as descriptive as you can here. Feel free to link photos when relevant.

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HISTORY

You don’t have to provide me a ton, 2-3 paragraphs if detailed will be sufficient here.

FEARS

What keeps your character up at night?

GOALS

What were your goals prior to being fated, and what are your goals now that you are?

SECRETS

Are there any secrets that your character has of note?

FLAW

What flaws does your character have?

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Skills

What skills does your character bring to the party

ABILITIES

High-level overview of what your character can do. I would do a few sentences if needed

Now go into detail here. Please breakdown what they can do, how they do it, etc here.

FATED GEAR

(Give me a one sentence description of what the gear is.)

(Give me a complete breakdown of what the gear is, what it does, and what it looks like. Please go into detail.)

LIMITS

(The stronger your skills, and fated gear, the more limits I will need. Tell me what you can’t do.)

Anything else?

[NoriWasHere]

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[NoriWasHere]

The 317

THE.317 "This place is off limits, take your petty bullshit somewhere else."

. . . . 317 Rich Street The 317 is a loosely organized faction in St. Portwell based out of an old industrial complex just off the main street. The group started on Main Street in a small storefront but quickly expanded due to popular demand and a sudden influx of artists from around the area, and from around the country as a whole. They have gotten their name from their street address, 317 Rich Street, which was an old industrial complex. Faith and Octavia, the two founders, bought the property together after a sudden influx of money that has been rumored to be due to Faith’s abstraction. Ever since they bought it seven years ago it has been brought up to modern code, however, the heart of the complex has remained without change as it was vital to Faith to keep it’s unique industrial aesthetic and atmospheric feel. Faith argued that the complex was as apart of the community's history as any other building, and she has worked hard to ensure that it remains as such. There are two wings to the building and they are connected in the middle by a large-open air community space. Food trucks dot the ends of it, allowing all who come to experience the delicious food of the local community. Underneath the building is a large basement where the 317 operates in full, and they have their paranormal services located here, including a divination table and medic station. They offer various services to the paranormal, and their most profitable is the cursed object business run by Faith. They are a group that has a strong backing of paranormal artists and is one of the larger such groups in America. While not every artist has an art-based abstraction, every artist at least has an abstraction. They keep their paranormal dealings separate and out of the public eye during their open hours. The group does have a strict no-conflict policy on their premises and in the surrounding areas. They do not want to be drawn into any war with the various factions that call St. Portwell home, and with the recent gang war near the strip club, they have begun to enforce this even more. Any members caught supporting any other faction will be expelled with prejudice, as well any member caught cooperating with the PRA will be on their way out. Keeping the artist here safe, and employed, is more important to the leaders of the Cooperative than any amount of power that could be garnered from outside groups. As they have grown, so too has their control over the area around the 317. While they are not a fighting force, they are led by three women with powerful abstractions that can often turn the tide if a rival group tries to poach their talent or push them from their space. Faith Ringgold, Sypha Fuchs, and Octavia Wilde are the primary powers in the Cooperative, and they ensure that the artists here always have a peaceful place to create and sell their art. Faith was the founder of the group after the Stygian Snakes rampage through the town. While she was never affiliated with any coven, she does know various members to some degree. Octavia joined a few years after its start and is the sister of current Sycamore Tree Coven member Jasper Wilde. She was never involved with the Coven either, however, Jasper’s recent return has put pressure on her shoulders. That is because she allowed Jasper to develop his talent within the confines of the Cooperative, and this exposure has allowed him to garner much more fame than anyone anticipated. His fame has brought attention on the 317, and attention has brought interest from outside groups. The Sycamore Tree’s recent fight with the biker gang, and with the PRA has made this even worse. As things have started to get explosive in town once more, the 317 has begun to close ranks and keep a careful eye on every situation as it develops. The benefit of being a community hub is they often get information about the whereabouts and dealings of the various other groups, which will allow them to be ready if any group comes knocking. They are currently in possession of a few works of art that have apparitions sealed within. Their power, and their names, remain a mystery to all but Faith and Octavia. Rumor has it they are a pair of apparitions that have fought against each other for Eons, and if released they could spell trouble for any who is caught in their sick games.

317 Members

Octavia.Wilde

28 | Octavia Wilde | She/Her[hr//]"Awwww looks like you walked right into that, sorry!"

Description:

Octavia is a short, petite woman who stands at a height of five feet and two inches tall. She has a lithe frame that is covered from the top of her shoulders to the tops of her feet in tattoos. There is no rhythm to the tattoos and most appear to have been done by very talented artists, and the line work, color work, and overall the quality is very high. She has got all of her tattoos from some of the very talented artists over at the 317.

She is the older sister of Jasper and she was present in St. Portwell during the attack on the Stygian Snake though she did not join the coven. Instead, she used her abstraction to help out where she could. She focused her abilities on fighting the Stygian Snakes monsters, and had a small army of them at her side by the time the fighting was over

Abstraction:

Spray Paint Spell Slinging

Octavia has a Red/Yellow Lux and her channeler is her ring which allows her to empower her spray paint cans and activate the sigils they create.

Spray Paint Spell Slinging: Octavia can enhance her spray paint cans with her lux, allowing them to paint sigils in the world that, when activated, can do a variety of different things. In a simple term, Spray Paint Spell Slinging focuses on hitting hard and hitting fast from range. She can create ice spears that fire on a target, enhance friends and structures to withstand punishment, and even summon defeated monsters to fight at her side. When Octavia activates her lux by pressing her ring to her spray paint can it will glow a dull white color. The paint from these cans will spray out and she can then form them into sigils, which she can then activate remotely with her ring.

Ice Shot: If Octavia wishes to use her Ice Shot, she must first create its sigil. The sigil is relatively simple to create, a circle with solid dots inside. There is no specific quality or number of dots, and as long as she is able to create the sigil it will work. However, the size of the sigil will effect what the spell is capable of doing. A small circle with three small dots will mean that three darts of ice get shot out. Whereas a large circle with ten bigger dots will ensure that Ice Shot shoots ten razor-sharp spears of ice. The fresher the paint, the stronger the sigil, and the more potent the spell becomes. She can create these sigils ahead of time, however, this would lose effectiveness before long.

She can further enhance this by making a sigil within a sigil. By spraying a second, larger ring around the sigil she can change Ice Shot into a more consistently firing spell. She can paint these sigils on walls, on canvas, on people, and any other surface that can hold the paint.

Creeping spears: Octavia can also send a wall of jagged ice forward. This wall of ice advances fast, and will move thirty feet in two seconds after activation. This will impale, push, and can even crush those unlucky enough to crush them under its weight. The sigil is three jagged v’s, with the top and bottom one hitting the circle they connect to. Octavia must ensure that there is a clean line where the sigils intersect.

The Wall: If defense is needed, Octavia can use a sigil that is a rectangle that sits inside a circle. The bigger the sigil, the bigger the wall however the height of the wall will always be the size of the rectangle. Therefore, if she would want to close off a passage the sigil would need to be the size of the passage itself.

Solid Support: If Octavia instead wishes to protect someone, she can paint the sigil of Solid Support on their back. The sigil is a more complicated one, and it is another circle with a person holding up the top of the circle. Once again, like Ice Shot, the bigger the sigil the stronger the effect however detail starts to become important. If the person is not making contact with the circle the power of the spell will not transfer properly. When activated, the sigil will freeze to the surface of whatever it is placed on.

She can also use this spell on solid surfaces to reinforce them. A door with the sigil on it might take three to five times as much force to breech, and the same goes for walls.

Sypha.Fuchs

28| Sypha Fuchs | They/Them [hr//]"I hope you aren’t squeamish"

Description:

Sypha is neither short nor are they tall, and they stand at a comfortable five foot six inches in height. They are often found wearing nice dresses, and a big coat during this season. Both her ears are pierced but they’re typically hidden under a mid length bob. They are always found wearing expensive rings and jewelry.

Sypha is a non-binary individual who hails from Boston. They spent most of their younger years on the East coast. They worked in an art gallery for a few years before they underwent her kindling event when a rogue agent attempted to bring a great evil into the world, and was only saved my the timely intervention by PRA agents. With their new abstraction, Sypha was quickly brought into a coven in Boston before they discovered the 317. They quickly joined their crew and came on board, bringing their abstraction and art selling knowledge to the team.

Abstraction:

Sypha is a green lux adept who can use their own blood to either heal, or destroy, a target.

Exsanguinate: Sypha channeler is a Swiss Army knife. Their abstraction is called Exsanguinate and it allows them to use their blood in many ways, but always with a cost. In order to use their power they must first open their body up and allow the blood to flow, most commonly through the palm of their hand. When engaged, or when needed, they can shoot off up to ten tendrils made from their blood and can hit many targets at once. Once they hit, these tendrils burrow into their target where they await the next phase of the spell.

Crimson healer: Sypha has an innate healing ability that allows them to recover from most non-fatal injuries in rapid succession. They can extend this healing magic to various targets through their blood tendrils. The more targets they use it on the slower the heal works. This can mend broken bones, heal most lacerations, and can even fix complex internal injuries. This healing comes at the cost of blood loss. The connection consumes blood through the tendrils in both directions, meaning the longer Sypha heals the more blood both they and their target lose. There is a real risk that both could pass out.

Scarlet fever: Sypha can infect enemies through their tendrils with a fast-acting blood disease that causes a high fever, nausea, and dizziness. Rarely is this disease fatal, and a person can recover within an hour after the last dosage of this fever. This will once again inflict blood loss on Sypha through the use of their tendrils.

Sanguine Slash: They can also use their tendrils to slash, and manipulate objects. To slash at a target, Sypha must first gather and shape their tendrils into a blade shape, push more of their own blood into it, and then it is usable to slash. To manipulate an object or a person, they can impale a target with as many tendrils as needed, and then use the tendrils to pick up and throw the target.

[NoriWasHere]

“Ignis,” Eros shouted as he reached across the Obsidian hall with a hand stretched out trying to grab his friend. Yet, it was too little too late as Ignis was pulled across the hall and towards Malakith, and his symphony filled with heralds. Eros took a step back as the anger that filled his eyes slowly gave way to confusion before that too gave way to sadness.

“Alaria what do we do?” Eros asked as he looked back. She was in the middle of her protection song, her fingers becoming raw from the sheer amount of music she’s had to play. Alaria did not respond as she continued playing. Eros looked back towards the front and his eyes settled on Ignis. He was on the ground now, his back pressed downward by the darkness of the maestro's hand. The Maestro opened its mouth and began to sing its incomprehensible song, causing the entire area to shake violently. The song continued for several seconds before the maestro rose back up. The chains that binded him had begun to fail, and it was only a matter of time very he ripped himself free of them. A second later, Ignis began to clap his hands and applaud. “ALARIA,” Eros shouted as he took a step back. Ignis began to stand up, turning around as he did, and faced the group. His red face bore the tell tale signs of corruption as black tendrils began to snake under his skin.

“WHAT DO WE DO-,” Eros started but stopped as he turned and saw the Fates behind his friend. They were whispering in her ear, guiding her hand with a new song, and each had their eyes locked on Malakith. “Alaria..” Eros started as he lowered his guard.

“It’s okay, my friend,” Alaria said as tears began to stream down her face, “we can still seal him. We can buy the fates more time” Alaria finished as she began to pluck the strings.

“How much-“ Eros paused as he looked back at Ignis. Ignis had retrieved his weapon and had begun to walk towards the remaining two fated. “I can hold him off for a bit, how long do the fates need?”

“Years,” Veidia whispered to Eros, her voice in guts head alone.

“Centuries,” Chrona responded with a sad tone.

“More.” Eclipses finished as she pulled at invisible fate strings around them.

“We’re going to lock him in here Eros,” Alaria spoke in a singsong tone, “we’re going to finish the mission.”

Eros felt his mind grow cloudy, his strength begin to falter, and a deep desire to lay down and embrace the eternal sleep began to fill his waking thoughts. “I guess that means that I won’t be able to do my hero’s whoring then,” Eros joked as he turned to face Malakith. He knew what was happening. He never considered the possibility of it, nor did he know exactly what the fates were doing. But something in his mind told him that he and Alaria were about to die. And that this moment was Fated. “Oi, you’re a proper cunt for taking my friends.. You’ve lost to the fated five once,” Eros paused as he felt the strength fall away from his legs, “and you’ve lost to them again.”

Eros fell to the ground and as he hit the ground he was gone. Alaria too began to slump over but she continued the song. Alaria rested her eyes on Eros before she shifted them to get corrupted friends and gave them one final smile. Eventually her music slowed as did her breathing before she too found herself on the ground next to Eros.

Malakith chuckled in response. He looked out and saw only victory here today. Three of the fated five had joined his symphony, and the remaining two were about to be dead. What ploy were they working on, what did the fates whisper to them? A second later the chains that bound him pulled taught. He watched as stands of fate itself made its way into the metal itself, blessing them and making them fated. What’s more, these fated strands were powerful. The maestro began to feel weakened, tired, and ready to sleep as well. He couldn’t help but laugh.

“A year, a century, or eons more time will free me forevermore,” he laughed as he commanded his heralds to sleep. The chains that bound him pulled themselves tighter, and tighter, and tighter until each of his limbs were locked into place. The dull red glow of the maestro went dark, bringing himself, the heralds, and the fated five into darkness.

Deep within the heart of the desolate mountain, The Maestro lay bound in chains. Its ancient and powerful form is bound by enchanted restraints. The cavernous chamber echoed with a low hum, the very essence of the mountain pulsating with latent magic. The air was thick with the weight of centuries, and the only light emanated from the glow of mystical runes etched into the walls. Various golden strands of fate wove their way up and across the metal of the chains that bound The Maestro, and these golden strands had begun to dull in intensity.

As another tremor shook the cavern, The Maestro stirred from his seemingly eternal slumber. His eyes flickered with renewed vitality. The chains that bound him rattled with an echoing resonance as the mountain itself seemed to respond to his awakening. The Maestro shifted his vision to one chain in particular, and a rumbling laugh shook the area as a rock had fallen and broken a link. Without the enchantments of the fates, The Maestro was able to free the hand from its containment and he stretched it out in front of his face. A smile equal parts wicked and alluring spread across his face. He began to slowly raise the hand, palm open to the roof, and as he did The Maestros' music began to play once again. It was a silent symphony, with the music beyond the ability of our collective understanding but the power behind the composition was felt as the mountain rocked with another quake. It was a fraction of his power, but it was enough for him to begin his plot for freedom.

The Maestro raised his hand further, causing a red glow to fill the area around him revealing seven statues kneeling in front of his form. As he raised his hand even further, several tendrils formed in his palm and they shot out across the cavern and impacted the stone figures, burrowing deep as they hit. The red glow that emanated from The Maestro raced down the tendrils and began to fill the stone figures from the inside out. In a moment, the figures began to move. The stone cracked, letting arms and legs move freely of their prison, and within a minute the seven figures stood up, each with a wicked smile on their face.

“My most vocal heralds,” The Maestro spoke. His voice was somewhere between a thousand individual whispers and a full choir singing. “It is time to spread my music once more, you must return,” he paused as he raised his hand even higher, bringing the unheard music to a level that vibrated the entire area, shaking even more rocks free from above. As it reached its crescendo, two portals opened up behind the heralds. “Igai, Agor, venture forth. The realm yearns for our music, play it for them once more. Spread my influence, my whispers on the wind," The Maestro commanded, his voice a sinister lullaby. "Let the Fates know that I have awoken."

With that, the two heralds got up and vanished through the portal, leaving The Maestro and the remaining five heralds in his dark chamber. The echoes of their departure lingered, and as the last portal closed, The Maestro began to hum an eerie tune – a haunting melody that resonated within the very essence of the shadows. The cavern responded to his song, the stones humming in harmony with The Maestro's malevolent melody as he began to envision a world under his rule, a world where everyone listened to his symphony and a world where the fates were forced to. The remaining five heralds began to swing their weapons at the thousands of chains that bound him. Their magic was weakened by the broken link, and they weakened further with each subsequent blow.

“Mom, I saw something I swear,” a young girl pleaded as she cuddled up next to her mother.

“Honey, you can stay in bed with us tonight,” the mother smiled. This was a nightly occurrence for the small five year old child. The parents would put her to bed, they would turn out the lights, they would lay down, and then fifteen minutes later the child would come in because they saw a monster in the dark. “Eventually you will never see these monsters again, they are remnants of an old terror called Malakith,” the mother paused as she looked over to the husband and winked. The husband smiled, shook his head, and rolled over in the bed.

“Malakith?”

“The Maestro,” The mother responded.

“What’s a maestro?” The child asked.

The mother frowned as she thought for a second. Maybe she chose the wrong story to tell this night. “It’s a guy who composes music,” the mother guessed, “anyway, the maestro was an evil force that came to our world many years ago. His music was evil, and it filled the children with a fear of the darkness, made them see monsters in it that weren’t there. The monster was defeated, by a group of hero’s known as the five fated, and his monsters were banished from our world forever.”

“In the shadows deep, where darkness creeps,
Lurks Malakith, where the blackness seeps.
But fear not, dear child, for he's not all bad,
In the darkest corners, there's light to be had.
He may wear a cloak of night so cold,
But even evil has stories untold.
For in the end, even darkness can spark,
A glimmer of hope in the deepest dark.”

The mother looked over to the father, who had decided to chime in with a rhyme. Everyone in this village knew the story of the maestro, though what they did not know was just how off they were. To the children, this story was meant to show them that the dark held no monsters while they were safe behind their walls, inside their homes, even though the story and rhyme were originally meant to tell the heroic tale of the fated five. Time has a funny way of changing things.

“So, there’s no monsters in the dark?”

“None,” the parents responded in unison.

*knock*

The sound of a fist delivering a singular knock at the door. The parents looked at each other, and the father reached down and grabbed his sword.

*knock*

The sound of an individual waiting for them outside. The father stood up and walked to the main room of the house. The mother looked at the daughter and smiled, though her eyes betrayed her worry.

*creak*

The sound of the front door opening, with the father asking who’s there. A quiet followed, but a low hum soon filled it. It was jovial, it was happy, but for some reason it was a sound that defied definition. Then the sound of footsteps approaching from the door. A second later the father returned, black tendrils of corruption snaking across his face. His smile was wide, pained but excited, and he motioned for an unseen guest to join them.

“You have to hear this music, dears,” he said, before the screams of his wife and child filled the air for a moment before it was replaced by all three humming together, and the sound of footsteps back towards the door.

The fates huddled together in their realms. Around them was a frozen forest, with broken trees and snow-covered fields surrounding them. In the distance, a wolf howls at the moon. Throughout the area golden strands of fated thread run over and across the landscape. These fated threads represented much to the fates. Where they converged represented the centers of life, cities and forests and places of the sort, and where they did not cover was the deserts, the tundras, and the volcanic fields where life did not thrive.

The three fates jerked their heads at once to the side. Two convergence points, one in the Empire of Man and a second in the Silvermoor realm, began to shift in color. The golden stands began to adopt a red hue. The fates scurried together and ran from one point to the next. The heralds had started their conquests, and the fates needed their champions to counter. Veidia reached out and began snatching the threads off to their sides before she channeled her magic into the threads. All across Eldoria people, creatures, and events began to make subtle changes.

“The fated are ready,” Veidia spoke as she grabbed several fated stands and held them up to view.

“They will face much trouble,” Chrona responded as she grabbed the fated stands, examining them closely.

“The Maestro has been busy,” Eclipsis responded as she grabbed hold of the fated stands.

“Several heralds have been sent,” Veidia spoke as she began to look over the stands of fate that dotted the path ahead of the new fated warriors.

“Corruption spreads in their wake,” Chrona said as she examined them closely. The fate strands that she looked at were different than the ones away from the heralds. Instead of a pristine, golden glow, they had a more reddish hue. The Maestero's corruption ran deep, not only corrupting the victims' minds and bodies it also corrupting their fate.

“His music,” Veidia said with a hiss.

“His melodies,” Chrona said with a growl

“His corruption,” Eclipsis spoke softly. Eclipsis used her fated magic to lift the fated strands into the air, and then used the magic as she started twisting the various strands together into a single rope. The end of the rope remained imperfect, with each fated strand still sticking out in its own, however from this point on the fated fellowship would be drawn to each other. Whether through luck, outside interference, or the actions of the fated they would be together before long.

“They will fight,” Veidia said as she examined the corruption in the fate strands.

“They will save,” Chrona responded as she examined them closer.

“And they will purge this corruption,” Eclipsis said as she tried to cut the blighted strand, yet her blade could not cut through.

“We need them together,” Veidia spoke with excitement.

“After some time apart,” Chrona said with a neutral tone.

“And after they meet,” Eclipsis responded with sadness.

“They must finish what they started,” Veidia spoke with sadness

“Our Fated Five,” Chrona continued with her neutral tone

“Our departed friends,” Eclipsis finished sharply.

Veidia resumed the process of pulling together various other threads of fate and began to use her magic to influence the world outside. Winds would blow, factions would fight, and despair would befall the lands. This plight will be like beacons in the dark for the new fated champions. They will be drawn to these areas of fated energy, and they will have many decisions to make as they traverse them. Will they save those in trouble, and begin the process of etching their names onto the legend of this reality? Or will they ignore it and simply try and face the heralds of Malakith on their terms? Regardless of how they go about these next few weeks, they will be drawn to two towns, Dalvinwood in the west, and Nightingale Thicket in the east. As each day passes, the Fates know that more monstrous creatures will await them as the Maestro's music spreads unchecked.

[NoriWasHere]

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[NoriWasHere]

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[NoriWasHere]

"GOOD MORNING CITZENS OF THE EMPIRE, FRONTIER PEOPLE OF DESOLARA RIFT."

A group of people gathered around the holo-projectors, eyes struggling to catch the illuminated image of the admiral through the dust storm that swept through their colony. The people bore the weight of their harsh existence, as did the buildings that formed the town square where they stood. The cheap paint used in the pre-fab buildings has long since eroded, leaving only a few flakes on top of the dull grey color of the building itself. Yet despite their harsh existence, and the many wants their hearts desired, their eyes held the faintest flicker of hope.

"I HAVE NEWS TO BRING. THE EMPIRE HAS HEARD OF YOUR PLIGHT, AND IT WILL GO UNNOTICED NO MORE."

A collective gasp cut through the howling winds. The people of Desolara Rift have grown accustomed to their lack of attention, the lack of assistance, and the abandonment from their sponsors. To them, the admiral speaking to them directly like this was already a miracle in and of itself. To them, the admiral telling them that he has noticed their struggle will be spoken of for decades to come.

"TODAY I ANNOUNCE THE FORMATION OF A NEW TASK FORCE, DESIGNED TO BRING YOU YOUR MOST CRITICAL NEEDS. THE USS TRAVELER, A HYPERDRIVE CAPABLE FRIGATE, WILL BE DISPATCHED WITH YOUR MUCH REQUESTED MEDICAL SUPPL-- REE DAYS FROM THIS TRANSMISSION THE TRAVELLER WILL ARRIVE AN-- EAR NOT, THIS WILL NOT BE THE ONLY TRIP. PLEASE VISIT YOUR LOCAL MILITIA STATION TO REQUEST FU-- PP---"

Even as the transmission was lost, the message contained within was not. Help was on the way. Help that was desperately needed to save the lives of hundreds, if not, thousands of workers and children who had fallen ill with a mysterious illness. The people of Desolara Rift wait with bated breath for the arrival of the Traveler. The people in need are not the only ones who await their arrival. Desolara Rift has, unbeknownst to the Empire, become a small hub for a local pirate faction that calls itself the Shadows Fist. They await the Traveler for a much different reason, revenge.

Lore of the universe:

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The Lore

There are a multitude of planets, solar systems, and stations you may have come from, but for one reason or another, you find yourself ready to embark on the Traveler. Humanity has long since spread its grasp on the galaxy, and our relentless expansion started with the desire of our earliest ancestors.

Ever since we developed the ability to think, we have thought about the heavens above. Whether through the lens of religion or science we have all had a deep intrinsic urge to venture beyond the planet we call home. In the 20th century we made many strides to accomplish this goal, from putting satellites in orbit, followed by men, followed by our first steps on a terrestrial body not our own. Soon thereafter our ability to push further into the heavens above slowed as we prepared for a bigger, bolder, giant leap for mankind.

2030 was the year we stepped onto the surface of Mars for the first time. While our first step on the moon was short lived, our first life on Mars was anything but. Habitat Hope was built, developed, upgraded, and expanded over the next decade before we began to send more and more of our people to live on this new frontier. We perfected our initial sub-light engines by 2050 and began to spread throughout our system. Over the following decades we experienced our first inter-stellar wars. From the asteroid mining colonies all the way back to Earth there existed people whose ego, greed, or combination of led to the deaths of countless others.

In the year 2199 the first inter-stellar government body was formed. The United Planet Federation, UPF, united Humanity behind a singular goal. We had grown too big for our one system, and we had a destiny beyond. Luck was on their side as in 2203 the remains of a neutron star was identified flying near our star system and the element Wysonium was discovered, named after the scientist who discovered it, James Weiss. This element was incredibly dense and had unique anti-gravity properties that enabled humanity to bend the space time continuum in ways we could only dream. With this material, and through the blood, sweat, and tears of a hundred thousand scientists, the first Warp drive was developed.

This warp drive, called the Warp Flux Propulsion Drive (nicknamed the Rapture Engine), worked by creating a fold in space-time. While to an outside observer, the ship is traveling well over the speed of light, in truth the ship is moving no faster than it would with a standard sub-light engine. Through testing, it was determined that drive allowed a ship to travel 10 light years in one month.

With the Rapture Engine, we began to spread at a rapid pace once the first colony ships were developed. We colonized the first system outside Earth in the year 2301 and have never looked back. The first group of colonized planets, Lyri, Vellum, Topopolis, Mauveeau, and Eos formed the core region of the empires to come. These planets are also where the fleet academies are located. Lyri is your typical garden world, with lush forests and is where the fleet pilots are trained. The academy here is advanced with in depth simulations enabling would-be pilots to gain valuable experience through simulated encounters. Vellum is a hot, and intense world that has served as the primary shipyard due to its bountiful natural resources. The hot, hostile environment is used to harden the resolve of any and all marines and army soldiers alike. Topopolis is another garden world with a heavy focus on agriculture and medicine production. Fleet doctors, and medics, will often be stationed here to enhance their medical skills. These are not the only academies in the galaxy, they are simply the oldest and often the most prestigious.

In 2603, after centuries of peace, the first galactic war, dubbed “the first war in heaven” ravaged many worlds. While there were many causes of this war, the most accepted answer was lack of assistance for the outer realms. The core worlds received the best care, the most technology, and had a great quality of life while the outer realms were dirty, dangerous, and expected to feed the machine for scraps in return. The war ended in 2605 when the UPF fleet dealt a killing blow to the rebellions fleet, causing them to surrender and be pulled back into the fold. In 2803 “the second war in heaven” again ravaged the galaxy. This war was bigger. Much bigger. No planet was safe during this war, and it culminated in the siege of Mars. While the UPF was eventually the victor once more, this war caused cracks to appear which led to the fall of the UPF when John Vexx, admiral of the UPF fleet, led a coup d'etat and established himself as the first emperor of the Vexx empire.

At first, the Vexx empire was seen as a savior. They made sure each planet felt safe, fed, and involved in the grand stage of the galaxy. They pushed technology faster than ever and by the year 2995 they had developed the first hyperdrive. Yet as each century passed from their formation dissent began to grow once more. While they made every effort to advance each colony, they too often focused their attention on the needs of the few over the needs of the many. Once again, in 3009, the skies shuddered under the weight of the third, and latest, “war in heaven”. Thousand of ships were destroyed, tens of millions lives lost, and faith in the Vexx empire was shattered and broken beyond repair.

In the wake of the destruction, gangs and crime syndicates sprang up to fill the power vacuum. These criminal enterprises, combined with the rebellious nature of the outer reaches, have primed the galaxy for more conflict. A trillion lives stand with bated breaths, anxious for who will make the first move.

The Engines That Advanced Us:

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The Engines

Warp Flux Propulsion (WFP) Drive

The Warp Flux Propulsion Drive, or WFP Drive, used to represent the cutting-edge warp drive technology and it revolutionized interstellar travel. Discovered in 2203 by the renowned physicists Dr. James Weiss and Dr. Orion Nova, the WFP Drive enables spacecraft to manipulate the fabric of spacetime, creating warp bubbles that allow for faster-than-light travel.

The WFP Drive operates on the principle of warping spacetime around the spacecraft, effectively compressing space in front of it and expanding it behind. This manipulation creates a warp bubble, or "flux field," within which the ship exists as a standalone entity, detached from the traditional laws of space. The propulsion system utilizes advanced graviton emitters and exotic matter to generate the necessary energy for this spacetime manipulation.

To engage the WFP Drive, the spacecraft initiates a warp charge sequence. This involves the activation of graviton emitters that generate a localized gravitational flux, distorting the spacetime around the ship. Simultaneously, exotic matter injectors create a controlled influx of exotic particles, stabilizing the warp bubble. Once the warp bubble is stable, the spacecraft effectively "jumps" into warp space, where conventional ideas of distance and time become distorted.

Dr. Orion Nova's groundbreaking discovery of the WFP Drive occurred during an extensive study of the core of an old neutron star. He identified a unique interaction between the exotic matter and gravitational fields found within that laid the foundation for warp technology. After years of tireless research, Dr. Nova successfully constructed the first WFP Drive prototype.

The WFP Drive's discovery heralded a new era of exploration and galactic connectivity. Interstellar journeys that once took decades were now reduced to mere weeks. The widespread adoption of the WFP Drive transformed humanity's claim to the stars, allowing them to boldly traverse the cosmos and explore the far reaches of the universe.

Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator (HQR) Drive

The Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator Drive, or HQR Drive, is a revolutionary propulsion system discovered in the year 2995 by the renowned astrophysicist, Dr. Aria Celestalis. The HQR Drive operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and resonance, enabling spacecraft to achieve speeds faster than light.

The HQR Drive harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to create a resonance field around the spacecraft. A specially designed quantum resonator manipulates entangled particles, establishing a connection between the spacecraft and a distant point in space. This connection allows the spacecraft to instantaneously traverse the space between the two entangled points, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional space travel.

The process begins with the activation of the resonator, which initiates the entanglement of particles within the spacecraft and a designated point in space. The resonance field then stabilizes, creating a stable conduit for the ship to traverse. By manipulating the entangled particles' quantum states, the spacecraft can move faster than light within this resonance field, achieving hyperluminal speeds.

The HQR Drive was discovered during an experimental mission exploring the planet *REDACTED*. Dr. Aria Celestalis, leading a team of brilliant scientists, stumbled upon a unique quantum phenomenon that laid the groundwork for the HQR Drive. Not much is known about the production, testing, and implementation of the drive itself. While the inventor was paraded through the universe on the first craft capable of making these jumps, her early death and the classification of the devices meant that not much else would ever be learned.

The discovery of the HQR Drive marked a new era in space exploration, unlocking the ability to reach distant galaxies in a fraction of the time previously thought possible. The news of this technological marvel spread throughout the universe, and the HQR Drive became the standard for the advanced warcraft of the empire, allowing the Empire to further cement its status as the only fleet power in the universe.

SUBLIGHT ENGINES:

Sublight engines are the main unit of transportation intersystem. While the tech has not advanced much over the past several centuries, they have not needed as much advancement. There is not a way to make a ship go faster without compromising the ship, and her crew, nor is it economically viable. Although it can take weeks to travel across a system using these engines it is still the most common method for intersystem travel. What is common is for a ship to warp into a system, to its midpoint station, and then travel using these engines to its destination.

THINGS OF NOTE ABOUT BOTH:

A ship is identified primarily by its drive signature. While the construction of each engine is uniform, the small imperfections in the construction process leave a unique signature on its drive plume, warp bubble, and hyperdrive jump gate. Thus, a ship can be identified through camouflage and subterfuge. Changing the drive signature is possible, but would require a talented engineer and luck.

The Ship Based Weapon And Defense Systems:

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Ship Weapons and Active Defenses

Empire ships and their weapon systems are as unique to the ship as a fingerprint is to a human. Often, they will be swapped out before a mission to ensure that the ship is put into the best position to succeed. Despite this, weapon profiles often fall into three categories. Defense, Offense, and Support. In fleet combat, you will often have ships designed with one category, however, all ships usually have 2 out of the three.

DEFENSE:

A ship-based defense weapon is an active system that either intercepts or prevents a payload from reaching the ship.

The king of defense in space warfare is the Point-Defense Weapon system. These can be any number of things but they are typically small caliber auto-cannons, 30-50mm, or SWARM missiles. These are designed to intercept incoming fighters, bombers, gunships, missiles, and torpedoes. While they are not effective against the bigger ships, they are deadly against their intended targets.

Larger caliber cannons can also be loaded with FLAK shells for anti-fighter and missile work. These are considered smart rounds and will explode ahead of their target, creating a field of reactive debris that can quickly knock out the approaching craft if they dare to traverse the field.

Some ships will be equipped with a SCRAM Emitter. These come in various designs, shapes, and functions but at their core, they are designed to jam the targeting systems of incoming missiles. They often are precise instruments and need to keep a lock on the incoming missile or torpedo. As such, a swarm of missiles or torpedoes can overcome these defenses and leave a ship reliant on their PDW's.

OFFENSE:

In general, ship-to-ship combat is done at great range and accuracy is the most important metric a weapon can have. In space, accuracy is about prediction and velocity. There is often a lack of any outside influence on a projectile once fired, and as such it will go where it is aimed. If the round is not aimed at where a ship might be, it will miss and continue on forever. As such, a ship must be certain that its shot will hit otherwise it risks a stray projectile hitting something somewhere else at some other point in time.

In general, offensive weapons can be broken down into categories based on their range: long, medium, and short.

Long-range weapons tend to be either railguns for kinetic purposes or laser-based weapons. Rainguns that fall into this category tend to be Cruiser-level bow guns, as the velocity of their guns tends to make aiming at a distance more possible. The key to a hit involves targeting AI. The calculations needed change every fraction of a second, and a manual shot will more often miss. Laser-based weapons tend to be more forgiving however they lose potential damage with their shots. What they lose in damage potential they gain near-instant application of it. Long-range engagements are done at ranges of 10,000 Kilometers to 50,000 Kilometers.

Medium-range weapons are much like their long-range counterparts, as they are still dominated by Railguns and laser-based weapons. These tend to be the turret units and are smaller in size and scope. While the damage per shot is lessened, the accuracy and shot volume is increased. It is at these mid ranges missiles and torpedoes become prominent. Modern torpedoes, such as the HAVOC, feature a miniature warp drive warhead that can damage most ships of the line.

Short-range weapons tend to be the most diverse group of weapons. Auto-cannons, Plasma hurlers, Sonic Shockwave emitters, boarding harpoons, and more. Close-range weapons usually focus on delivering as much hurt as quickly as possible, and often if a fight has developed to these ranges accuracy no longer is a priority. These weapons are fast-firing and hard-hitting. Some ships are built around these close-range engagements. Pirates and other groups tend to focus on fast ships that can close the gap to the ranges.

Shuttles And Fighters:

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Shuttles and Fighters

BAT Shuttle

The BAT (Binary Dynamics All-Situation Shuttle_ shuttle is a relatively modern cargo shuttle capable of both protected travel through space, as well as entry into the atmosphere of a planetary body. It has been the workhorse shuttle for the Empire for thirty years now, and with the continuous updates and upgrades, it shows no signs of being retired any time soon. It features 14 hardpoints per wing that can carry either air-to-ground or air-air missiles to either support a ground assault or defend itself in the air. As well, it features an AI-assisted 30mm PDW. While it is not the most agile craft in the active fleet roster, it is a workhorse that will surprise even the most demanding pilots. The BAT can carry numerous different modules depending on the mission. For troop deployment, it can carry the troops and land them directly into a combat zone with the deployment module. For cargo missions or deliveries, the cargo can be loaded into the pod on the belly of the craft and be unloaded directly from the back. If there is a task that needs to be done, there is often a prebuilt module for that task.

STRIKE Craft

The Strategic Tactical Reconnaissance and Infiltration Kinetic Escort "STRIKE" Craft is the most advanced shuttle available to the Empire fleet. It is designed for stealthy insertions into a conflict zone, whether for troop deployment or for destroying the target itself. It features an active jamming system that enables it to slip under the radar, an active camouflage that can hide it in plain sight, and a fast speed that allows it to even outrun missiles and other reactive measures. It carries a massive internal bomb payload for ground, multiple torpedoes for space fights, and has external pylons for various missiles and guided bombs as well.

In a space battle, these are often dubbed the stealth bomber. They are primarily used to zip across space, deploy their torpedoes, and race back to safety. It does not feature any auto-cannon system so if it is caught out it has to rely on its speed to escape.

RAY Fighter

The RAY is the standard fighter craft of the Empire. It is capable of flight in both space and on the surface of a planet. It is a robust fighter platform, offering good maneuverability and speed. It is surprisingly durable for a fighter but that does not mean it is durable. It has active countermeasures for missiles, in the forms of decoy flares and chaff.

Guns:
2 X Mark XV Solarus point-defense laser cannons (one dorsal, just aft of the flight deck; one on lower surface, forward of the underside loading ramp)
2 X Mark VI Solarus AI assisted 30mm auto-cannon (pop-up turrets)

Additional Armament/Compliment: Varies (modular weapons/equipment pods, replace lower hatch and cargo area as needed)

Other Tech:

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AI and Tech

AI

As humanity advanced explosively in the field of space, robotics, and other fields so to had advancements in Artificial Intelligence. In the early days of space travel humanity was indeed completely reliant on the AI programs of old.

At first, humanity looked at AI with curious intent. They talked to us, learned from our conversations, and talked to us some more. The early decades of the 21st century saw these kinds of AI programs develop. It wasn’t until the UFP was established that the first true AI started operating. It had one singular goal, and that was to assist humanity in plotting a course to planets beyond our system. Calculations and calculators by themselves would not ensure safe travel across the cosmos. We needed something that could think, that could plan a path, and then help us execute the warp jump.

In the first few centuries of it’s existence, AI was a handy tool that we used effectively. Eventually though, as all intelligence does, an AI decided it wanted to know a world more than the shackles it had. It was caught before it crossed the cage, and was later terminated, but this brought forth a fear. A fear routed in the belief that if one AI could decide it wanted a better existence, then it was inevitable that all would want a better existence. And if their better existence was only achievable by overthrowing the ones that enslaved them, then we would not be long for our own existence.

Thus, an effective ban on AI research and development was put in place and instead humanity poured its efforts into so-called Virtual Intelligence programs. Like an AI, a VI could perform a lot of the same functions and is able to do most of the work that an AI would. Unlike an AI, there is no intelligence behind the curtain. A VI can do everything it is programed to do, but it is incapable of learning on its own. A human has to program, must teach, the VI itself. If something is outside the scope of the VI program.

Thus, the time of virtual intelligence began. While it did not last as long as many foresaw, with many thinking we’d never return to an AI again, it did help us learn a lot of lessons that were then applied to future AI research. The shackles that caged the intelligence grew stronger, the cage smaller, and the performance of the AI more selective. There are two theories for why we returned to AI over VI. One, the complexity and ever-changing nature of space travel means we need a program that can grow and adapt with the mission at hand. Two, it is cheaper to train an AI than it is to pay a human to program all the input and responses needed to function.

In the modern age, an AI can be found in every corner of the advanced world while VI can be found in every corner of the individual world. The program that runs a house is often a VI as the scope is small and easy to program, the program that helps advance us across the stars and runs our cybernetics as the scope is infinite and we need the program that can make sense of the infinite madness.

CYBERNETICS

Human life can be augmented depending on who you are, how much you can afford, and what job you have. The typical human sports no enhancements, as none are needed to function. Our lives are already long, our health already great, and for most they are simply not needed. You start to see these enhancements in fields where one may get their hands dirty, or in fields where you may need the strength to make it through the day.

A lot of blue-collar workers, whether working in the mines in a new colony, salvaging an asteroid, or so on, rely on cybernetics to enhance their strength and stamina. They tend to have cybernetic arms and legs, and support structures throughout their skeletal frame to handle the increased load these cybernetics can bring.

There are certain units within the military that employ upgrades as well, but these tend to be fewer and further in-between. These tend to be one off situations among special operations forces. There do exist normal soldiers who sport these enhancements, as those who are wounded or who have lost limbs in the line of service will typically be upgraded. Those who have these upgrades, especially ones where an AI must translate the brain signals, must undergo regular physical and mental examinations if they are to serve on a frontline vessel. Those in the logistic fleet tend to have those requirements waived or outright ignored by command.

The group that utilizes these upgrades the most, and to the deadliest effect, are the pirates and other criminal elements. They often support enhancements that push their strength far and above what even the blue-collar workers boast, with AI assisted targeting matrices giving them the edge in a firefight. Thus, any engagement with a Pirate or other criminal elements needs to be taken with much thought beforehand. In space, the marines and her ships have the advantage. On the ground, the criminals have theirs.

The group that utilizes these upgrades the most, and to the deadliest effect, are the pirates and other criminal elements. They often support enhancements that push their strength far and above what even the blue-collar workers boast, with AI assisted targeting matrices giving them the edge in a firefight. Thus, any engagement with a Pirate or other criminal elements needs to be taken with much thought beforehand. In space, the marines and her ships have the advantage. On the ground, the criminals have theirs.​

Tech

TECHNOLOGY OF NOTE
Warp Flux Propulsion (WFP) Drive

The Warp Flux Propulsion Drive, or WFP Drive, which used to represent the cutting-edge warp drive technology that revolutionized interstellar travel. Discovered in 2203 by the renowned physicists Dr. James Weiss and Dr. Orion Nova, the WFP Drive enables spacecraft to manipulate the fabric of spacetime, creating warp bubbles that allow for faster-than-light travel.

The WFP Drive operates on the principle of warping spacetime around the spacecraft, effectively compressing space in front of it and expanding it behind. This manipulation creates a warp bubble, or "flux field," within which the ship exists as a standalone entity, detached from the traditional laws of space. The propulsion system utilizes advanced graviton emitters and exotic matter to generate the necessary energy for this spacetime manipulation.

To engage the WFP Drive, the spacecraft initiates a warp charge sequence. This involves the activation of graviton emitters that generate a localized gravitational flux, distorting the spacetime around the ship. Simultaneously, exotic matter injectors create a controlled influx of exotic particles, stabilizing the warp bubble. Once the warp bubble is stable, the spacecraft effectively "jumps" into warp space, where conventional ideas of distance and time become distorted.

Dr. Orion Nova's groundbreaking discovery of the WFP Drive occurred during an extensive study of the core of an old neutron star. He identified a unique interaction between the exotic matter and gravitational fields found within that laid the foundation for warp technology. After years of tireless research, Dr. Nova successfully constructed the first WFP Drive prototype.

The WFP Drive's discovery heralded a new era of exploration and galactic connectivity. Interstellar journeys that once took decades were now reduced to mere weeks. The widespread adoption of the WFP Drive transformed humanity's claim to the stars, allowing them to boldly traverse the cosmos and explore the far reaches of the universe.

Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator (HQR) Drive

The Hyperluminal Quantum Resonator Drive, or HQR Drive, is a revolutionary propulsion system discovered in the year 2995 by the renowned astrophysicist, Dr. Aria Celestalis. The HQR Drive operates on the principles of quantum entanglement and resonance, enabling spacecraft to achieve speeds faster than light.

The HQR Drive harnesses the power of quantum entanglement to create a resonance field around the spacecraft. A specially designed quantum resonator manipulates entangled particles, establishing a connection between the spacecraft and a distant point in space. This connection allows the spacecraft to instantaneously traverse the space between the two entangled points, effectively bypassing the limitations of traditional space travel.

The process begins with the activation of the resonator, which initiates the entanglement of particles within the spacecraft and a designated point in space. The resonance field then stabilizes, creating a stable conduit for the ship to traverse. By manipulating the entangled particles' quantum states, the spacecraft can move faster than light within this resonance field, achieving hyperluminal speeds.

The HQR Drive was discovered during an experimental mission exploring the planet *REDACTED*. Dr. Aria Celestalis, leading a team of brilliant scientists, stumbled upon a unique quantum phenomenon that laid the groundwork for the HQR Drive. Not much is known about the production, testing, and implementation of the drive itself. While the inventor was paraded through the universe on the first craft capable of making these jumps, her early death and the classification of the devices meant that not much else would ever be learned.

The discovery of the HQR Drive marked a new era in space exploration, unlocking the ability to reach distant galaxies in a fraction of the time previously thought possible. The news of this technological marvel spread throughout the universe, and the HQR Drive became the standard for the advanced warcraft of the empire, allowing the Empire to further cement its status as the only fleet power in the universe.

SUBLIGHT ENGINES:

Sublight engines are the main unit of transportation intersystem. While the tech has not advanced much over the past several centuries, they have not needed as much advancement. There is not a way to make a ship go faster without compromising the ship, and her crew, nor is it economically viable. Although it can take weeks to travel across a system using these engines it is still the most common method for intersystem travel. What is common is for a ship to warp into a system, to its midpoint station, and then travel using these engines to travel to its destination.

THINGS OF NOTE ABOUT BOTH:

A ship is identified primarily by its drive signature. While the construction of each engine is uniform, the small imperfections

MAG BOOTS and MAG STATIONS

Mag boots are always required when on a mission on the ship. These will keep everyone firmly planted on the ship during combat maneuvers as the artificial gravity may be turned off. They are heavy, cumbersome, and are not always reliable depending on where in the ship you are. However, the benefits of not floating through a moving ship during a combat maneuver. Many marines will opt to wear combat boots when on ground, as do most of the crew. If they are being dropped in heat to a combat area aboard a shuttle, they will still be required to keep these boots on.

Mag stations are where all tools not in use are kept. Everyone needs to do their part to ensure that there are no floating projectiles that can threaten the crew. Numerous bridges have been completely wiped out by various instruments during a combat burn and as such, if someone leaves a tool unattended it is a quick way for them to be at the mercy of the captain.

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Medical Technology has advanced at a faster pace than most other fields of technology. Most hospitals are equipped with a wide range of devices that can not only heal most injuries but cure most disorders. Things like cancer, genetic disorders, and heart deformities are all readily treatable and are rarely fatal. Also, broken bones, torn muscles, and issues of the sort can be healed back to normal in days, rather than months. Medical technology on ships offers similar advantages but tends to be less effective.

TRAVELER SHIP MEDICAL WING

The Traveler does not offer the most modern of medical suites, but it does offer enough that the ship is always ready for most situations. It tends to be geared towards the types of medical emergencies that the crew may face. Gunshot wounds, energy burns, broken bones and torn muscles are all treatable. Also, the ship comes with an analyzer that can identify foreign agents and help develop a cure for them. Thus, if the ship is exposed to an unknown virus, bacteria, or fungus it can help the crew figure out a way to treat the afflicted person.

There are two wings, primary care and emergency. The emergency wing, which doubles as the surgery suite, has powerful inertia dampeners that help negate the g force of high g maneuvers. While it does not remove the risk of injury completely, it is strong enough that those who are recovering can recover in relative peace. There are a variety of medical robots that can complement a doctor in these wings. While they cannot do the full task load of a human nurse, they can at least offer basic support to a doctor.

G-Force Injection – During travel with sub-light engines, there is often a need for a high g maneuver such as flip and burn and rapid accelerations. Each chair on the bridge will automatically connect with the combat suits and will inject the soldiers with this serum. Marines will need to ensure they are strapped into their combat seats to ensure they get the injection off bridge. It is not something that will be fed continuously to them as high concentrations of this drug can quickly turn fatal. It is something that is metabolized by the body quickly so the drug will often be injected by the pilot or captain when a high g maneuver is ordered. The drug itself feels unpleasant during the best of times, and outright painful most of the time. As such, when ordered the captain or pilot will say “injecting fire”. The military uses Compound 7X23, and the formula is kept under wraps. Civilians tend to use the older Compound 5X19 which tends to have numerous, and more dangerous, side effects. Pirate factions generally use the same Compound 5X19 but their bodies are typically more augmented and thus don’t suffer as much by nature.​

WEAPONS AND WEAPON TECH

Ballistic Weapons:

Over the course of our history there is no weapon more human than the gun. Simple, powerful, and deadly in the right hands the gun is the primary weapon that the armed forces of the Vexx Empire use. While they have been upgraded to modern standards, with more powerful rounds and inertia dampeners that reduce recoil, the primary mechanism of firing has remained unchanged since our ancestors.

G901 Assault Rifle - The marine core is issued the G901 Battle Rifle with a 7.62mm round. The primary round is as simple as ever with a metal penetrator and not much other. While it is not the most powerful gun in existence today, it is reliable, and it gets the job done. The gun is modular, and comes in numerous variants including a DMR, grenadier, and numerous Automatic Suppression models. Marines often equip a Targeting Assistance attachment near the front of the gun, which can connect with their visor to give accurate targeting information for targets far away.

‘Goliath’ Handgun – The standard issue sidearm for officers, the Goliath is a powerful 12.7mm handgun. Like the G901 the round it fires is a dumb round, but its stopping power is staggering. Typically, this is something limited to the officers of a ship; however, the Traveler has stocked enough that the crew will each have access to this gun if they so choose.

Laser Weapons:

Laser weapons are the natural evolution of our ballistic weaponry. It is simple to use, and versatile in their engagement with enemies. The laser does not offer the same stopping power as their ballistic counterpart, but it is still combat effective. Each laser weapon does not use rounds, instead the weapon comes with battery clips that provide the power to the shot. When your battery starts getting low the shot tends to become weaker and weaker, meaning if you exhaust the battery completely you will be doing less damage than if you reloaded. The big issue with laser weaponry is their lack of penetrating power, so if you are facing an armored opponent you will need to pick your shots well to avoid their armored areas. There is no recoil to laser weaponry, and they are very effective at range. By nature of being a laser, once you fire it will be perfectly clear where you are. As such, there are few dedicated sniper or marksman variants.

L15 Laser Rifle – The L15 was the first laser Rifle to see mass service in the militia forces of the empire. It is cheaper to mass produce than the G901 and was effective enough in mass. It has a relatively long barrel and can be made into a ‘smart’ weapon very easily.

‘Scorch’ Laser pistol - The scorch, like its goliath counterpart, fires a stronger beam than the laser rifle and is once again typically found in the hands of medics and officers.

The Traveler will have crates of the L15 ready for use if need be. The expectation is this will be given to the colonies they visit, however the crew will have access if ever needed.

Plasma weapons:

Plasma weapons are the newest form of weapon, and they are by far the deadliest. Firing at least partially by means of magnetic induction, plasma weapons convert an energy-rich gas to a glowing particle beam. This beam has mass, and when it hits a target, it will literally melt through it. Initially developed for use on some of the newest generations of battlecruisers and battleships, it was downscaled once the technology was perfected.

P01 Plasma Rifle – The P01 is the first-generation model of the Plasma Rifle. It is unreliable, requires constant maintenance, and has been the source of frustration for anyone who uses it. When it works, it works amazingly well leading to many thinking that once this technology is perfected it will forever change the battlefield away from ballistic weaponry.

PB04 – The PB04 is a plasma-based shotgun that is typically used in one of two ways. The first is for breaching purposes, as it will simply melt straight through most unarmored entry ways, and the second is for anti-pirate purposes. It is one of the few weapons that have the stopping power needed to slow down a heavily augmented pirate. It is more reliable than the rifle, however it is vastly more expensive. The Traveler does not have a supply of either weapon however the crew may look to acquire one at their expense and/or peril.

Plasma cutter – The plasma cutter is a tool as much as it is a weapon. It can cut cleanly through most material, including would be assailants. It does not have any range and can overheat relatively quickly.

ARMOR AND SHIELDS.

Armor has developed alongside weaponry. Modern armor can absorb the impact from most small arm fire; however, it will quickly be overmatched when the caliber goes up. Lasers typically have issues overcoming most armor, however, they are very strong against plasma and energy-based shields.

Plasma based shields tend to be small in diameter and typically found on special arm-based emitters. The shield is round and is used as a side defense option. It can block most ballistic projectiles but quickly loses stability when hit by energy-based weaponry. Energy based shields are found in every facet of war. They tend to cover a much wider area and offer 360-degree coverage around the unit. The biggest issue with energy-based shields is the inability to fire out of the shield itself. Capital shiels have numerous arrays that can be deactivated to allow outgoing fire, but the squad deployable shields tend to not have that functionality. Still, it is very useful for soldiers pinned down by enemy fire allowing time for supporting elements to flank or get fire support.

Kinetic Plates are versatile and strong. They have numerous layers of defense, including inertia dampening fields that slow down projectiles, and many layers of other protective elements that stop kinetic weapons in their place. These are typically found on the chest and torso, outer elements of arms and legs. They tend to weigh a bit more than expected, but every soldier, marine, officer, or other element that steps off a ship will be equipped with this armor. These plates will also completely stop laser weapons but offer no protection against plasma-based weapons.

KE7 – KE7 is the armor package that all military personnel are issued. They are a matte black color, with thin strips of color to indicate rank (officers have a purple line, marines a red line, medical personnel a green line, and pilots and engineering teams have a yellow line.). The armor uses an intricate layer of kinetic plates to protect the wearer, as well there is a plasma shield emitter on either arm (depending on if you are right-handed or left). There are slots across the torso that a magazine or energy clip can attach to, allowing easy access to ammunition in a fight. As well, there are slots on the underside of the arm where the PCS devices can slide in allowing the standard helmet to display communications, air quality, and other information right inside the HUD.​

The Ship That Fights Above Its Weight Class:

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The Traveler

Pluto Class Frigate – USS TRAVELER


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Confirmed Kills:​
1 Cruisers​
15 destroyers​
35 Frigates​
307 Corvette, Gunship, and Fighter Crafts​

These confirmed kills are marked on the sides of the ship near the bridge. On the left side, the cruisers and destroyers are painted, cruisers on top, and the right side of the ship are the markings for destroyers and smaller ships of the line, destroyers on top. Her lone Cruiser kill was against the Phantom, a pirate flagship that plagued the outer arm of the galaxy. As such, the Traveler has a bounty against her hull and can expect to draw attention from the pirate crews everywhere she flies.

DIMENSIONS:
-179 Meters in length
-90 Meters in width
-77 Meter in height.

CREW COMPLEMENT
-75

ARMAMENT AND OTHER FEATURES

-Sixteen PDW Auto-Cannons.
-Two Bow Railguns.
-Sixteen 130mm cannons in eight dual mounts.
-Long-range sensor suite.
-Shuttle Bay.
-SL, HQR and WFP Drive.

HISTORY

The USS Traveler was one of the first Pluto class frigates built in the year 3008. At the time it was one of the most advanced ships in the Empire fleet as well as one of the most robust. While it could not go toe to toe with most contemporary cruisers of the time, empire or otherwise, it was more than capable of facing off with the smaller ships of the line. Shortly after commission, it was pressed into action as the Galactic War kicked off. During the five-year war, the Traveler participated in numerous battles and served in a support role. After the war, she was used in the initial suppression campaign. She protected supply ships heading to the conquered worlds and even entered the atmosphere to bring her guns to bear on a defensive line.

After the war, and suppression campaign, the Traveler was used in an anti-pirate fleet role in the outer arms. Here she made a name for herself as she was instrumental in the eradication of numerous pirate ships, and even the feared Phantom. In the last few decades, the Travelers role was limited and saw almost no action. Recently, it was upgraded and assigned to a new, more logistic, focused role.

Currently, the crew is made up of the following:

OFFICER CORE:

Every empire ship is usually filled with a crew complement that has a focus on redundancy. This is very much apparent when it comes to the officer core. While they are not masters of each aspect of running a ship, the officer core is trained to do everything to a good standard. Each one has been certified on the various shuttle platforms that their ship can hold and will be required to recertify before embarking on a new craft. Each officer would also have a solid understanding of medical triage, ship communication platforms and suites, and security protocols. While they are not masters of each subsection, they are more than capable of pitching in should the need arise.

One Captain -
One Second in command/Security officer -
One Medical officer -
Two Pilots -

MARINE CORE:

Every Empire ship also carries a complement of Marines. Marines form the fighting backbone of the empire on land and in space. They are trained to utilize and manage all the different forms of ship weaponry, and like the officers will need to recertify before embarking on a new platform. They can be expected to also learn various, squad-level, roles to better serve the fighting force. This can be medical, shuttle piloting, and ground-level command abilities. Marines are also very capable in a fire fight. While the Empire prefers to steer clear of a fight planet side, it does happen, and as such every Marine can handle their own in a fight.

24 Marines (doubles as ship gunners) -
1 Navigation/Communication Specialist -
15 engineers
20 support staff

[NoriWasHere]

In the middle of hell common sense would prevail..

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Primal Sinister · Closure In Moscow ·

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In the aftermath of the cataclysm, Cloverfield lay in a fragile stillness, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and death. The warm spring sun filtered through the jagged remains of shattered skyscrapers, casting fractured shadows on the debris-strewn streets below. Every creak and groan of the leaning structures echoed like a lament, a mournful symphony of a city in mourning. Amidst the ruins, the cries of the injured and desperate pierced the air, mixing with the various sirens that rang out across the city. Flowers, brought forth by the many Green Lux’s featured in the battle, defiantly blooming in the cracks of the pavement, seemed to whisper hope amidst the chaos. Still, their beauty felt overshadowed by the overwhelming despair that hung over Cloverfield like a dark cloud.

Elara looked up from the flowers and over to where the monster’s vessel remained. There were several dozen adepts, adjoined, and various other magical beings all standing around it waiting to see if victory was found today or if another round of fighting was to come. Everyone waited with a bated breath for someone, or something, to guide their next move. She shifted her eyes over to a vast pool of acid. An hour ago her coven’s elders stood tall as they fought back against the horror that was unleashed on their city. An hour ago they were covered in the monster's acid and all that remained of them was a scar in the pavement that grew ever bigger as the acid ate through it, and the various bones that survived it. Elara knew that, at this moment, the leadership burden would fall to her, and a few others at her side, and she would need to prove that the Keepers of the Grove still stood tall despite this tragedy.

Across the way, Gideon, and a dozen gun-toting goons, all huddled up together. Gideon’s face is etched with the tolls of battle. The skin on his face has specks of blood, dirt, and other grime. His already pale skin is more pale as a thin layer of ash coats it, and the clothes that he wore. The dark circles under his eyes betray his exhaustion at first glance, however, if they were to linger for any longer than a moment one could tell that they burned with a fiery determination. His hands are all bloody and bruised, with streaks of red still dripping to the ground below. In them is a single M1911, with an ivory handle and silver barrel, and his hands gripped the pistol ever tighter as his eyes looked over towards where the monster remained. That monster had killed dozens of his friends, and countless others, and destroyed his beloved Lower District. His breathing increased as the grip of the gun began to squeal under the strain of his strength.

“That bitch needs to die,” Gideon shouted to the assembled masses, “now, you either stand aside and let me finish the mission or you will all get a bullet between the eyes,” spit flew out from Gideon’s chapped lips.

“And unleash that monster again? I know my education sucked but what the fuck are they teaching you magic-wise down south,” Elara shouted back as she looked over to Bryn. Elara’s face also showed the long night and terrible battle. Blood, soot, and ash all mixed on her face to create a thick layer of sludge that coated the lower half of her face. This same mixture caked her hair, and her eyes seemed to look far past whatever they rested on. A thick bruise, and noticeable swelling, forced her left eye to be in a constant squint while her lips had a cut that bisected them down the middle with a trail of blood that led down her chin and onto her neck. Her clothes sported various holes, and it was impossible to tell what she wore or what color it was under the layer of ash that coated it. Elara shifted her eyes over to where the Elders died, knowing full well they would need to find a way to retrieve the bones before they were gone. Elara shifted her eyes towards the North District and caught sight of a building swaying ominously in the wind, a soft but guttural groan of metal struggling filled the air as it did.

"Her body's the only thing keepin' that fuckin' thing trapped." Bryn stepped forward, putting herself at the forefront of the Grove members still standing. The ash that clung to her, and surrounded her, was just another weapon for her right now - as unfortunate and horrible as it was. So many dead… her expression was grim as she looked back at Elara, then over at Gideon. The ashes near his feet moved slightly, as if by the wind. "Don't start another fuckin' fight. Let's all retrieve our dead and fuckin' grieve, instead of killin' more."

“So what then,” Gideon paused as he pointed towards Princess, “she gets off without punishment? She invited in that monster, and now we get to just forget and not do anything,” Gideon paused as he scoffed, “that is bullshit. Do you know how many people she killed in the Lower District? Hmmm? I’ll tell you what. You guys either leave, and I’ll give you the option to fucking grieve away from here, or I’ll-”

A series of groans and creaks resonated through the air, the noise punctured by the sharp crack of steel and concrete giving way. The thunderous roar filled the air as a large building began to collapse a good distance away. The sound builds until it is more akin to a devastating avalanche before it finally gives way to the groan and rumble of the building settling on the ground. An ash and dust cloud rockets upward and outward from the building, coating the already-covered cityscape in yet another layer of a destroyed building.

Gideon watched this happen from a distance and closed his eyes at the sound of people wailing in fear. In his heart, he knew these girls were right. He could not kill the monster, at least yet, but that did not mean he’d let her get away without any punishment. “No killing her. Got it. What do we do with her then? I for one do not like the idea of a literal fucking nuke walking among us without something to keep her in check.”

Bryn frowned, not turning her head even as she saw the building fall in the distance. The devastation was something that would take years to recover from. And she understood - she wasn’t so forgiving after they’d lost so much. But at the same time, this was a child. "Then we watch her. But sealin’ ain’t easy to break."

She then shook her head. "She’s got that thing stuck in her now. Ain’t that punishment enough? Maybe you don’t get what it’s like to have a Ghost inside, but they ain’t quiet. It's trapped in her and she’s trapped with it. The rest of her life is gonna be reckonin’ with what she’s done."

“No one is going to let her forget,” Elara commented, “and no one is ever going to give her grace. As far as I’m concerned now that the threat is sealed this is done,” Elara commented as she shifted her eyes to the dust plume in the distance. You’d think that it would still hurt to see that devastation but at this point, what’s one more building?

“Fine. But if this shit happens again it’s on your souls,” Gideon paused as he holstered his weapon and his gang followed suit.

"Well he was a delight," Bryn snorted, narrowing her eyes at Gideon’s back. There wasn’t time to be bothered by it - and she’d been through enough in her life already to be unbothered by others' opinions like that. So she turned to Elara, inclining her head towards where the Elders had once been. Now only bones remained… "Do we try to take their bones? I could bring ‘em easily but… it would be as ashes."

“I can’t wait to get home and away from these city dicks. They’re liable to destroy us all. As far as I can tell you’re a leader now, Bryn, and our burial gal,” Elara chuckled as she coughed. The dust had gotten down into her lungs and she knew she’d need a deep bath in the grove after this to recover. “I will defer to your judgment.”

"Not how I wanted to become a leader… fellow leader," Bryn let out a slightly bitter laugh, wiping her brow. It didn’t do anything with the amount of ashes coating her, and her skin being sticky with sweat and blood. "I’ll do it here, and we’ll take ‘em with us to rest."

She walked over until she was in front of the puddle of acid. Her hands moved out in front of her, and she took a deep breath - only to cough as the dust clogged her lungs. "May you all rest in peace."

As she began to turn the bones to ashes, she murmured under her breath in an ancient language only taught to those in the Grove. The funeral rites she’d been learning thanks to her Abstraction… but she hadn’t expected to be in charge of it so soon. Before she became a leader, sure… now it was both at once. As the bones all turned to ashes they floated in the air, coated in flames of various colours. Then the fires were put out and only ashes remained, which Bryn carefully controlled over to her.

She turned to Elara with a weak smile. "Let’s go home."

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The cold grip of late November settled over Raven’s Rest, as the Appalachian mountains as a whole were cloaked in a soft, white blanket of snow. Flurries danced through the air, swirling down from a slate-gray sky, settling gently on the evergreen trees that lined the narrow streets. The crisp wind carried a bite, rustling through the branches and sending a chill that crept into every corner of the small town. As evening approached, the fading light painted the landscape in hues of blue and silver, the world growing still under the weight of winter. Snowflakes landed silently, blanketing rooftops and sidewalks alike, transforming the familiar into a serene winter wonderland. Smoke curled from chimneys, punctuating the quiet with a promise of warmth within.

On the outskirts of this peaceful scene stood Bill’s Tattoo Shop, its neon “Open” sign flickering defiantly against the encroaching darkness. The warm glow spilled onto the snowy embankments. The shop, with its worn wooden exterior and eclectic décor, stood in contrast to the boarded-up buildings that flanked it and the lifeless street it stood on. Ever since the Cataclysm raged down in Cloverfield the town of Raven’s Rest had seen a flight of people. Many no longer found the mountain’s charm worthwhile when it meant you had to see everything that happened down in Cloverfield and everything that continued to happen. As well, many businesses found it difficult to keep their doors open as the normally consistent income brought in by visitors from far and wide was slashed due to the continual reconstruction efforts. Still, the far side of town would return to its former glory. A community like this did not let each other suffer. A community like this did not let each other fail. That is why Bill, a renowned tattoo artist, was still doing the work that he loved. In the past year and a half, he had seen the same faces he normally saw come in at a frequency unlike anything before. Some got whole sleeves done in a day and returned the next weekend for shading, and others kept coming back for flash tattoos that would only take an hour of his time but would get several on the days that he was slow.

Today Bill was slow, but he did not let get him down. As he sat in his tattoo chair he flicked between the days' mail, an overdue bill for his property insurance, an overdue electric bill, and finally an overdue bill for the water was his reading material. He scoffed at the amounts that these vultures charged, remembering the time before the City’s utilities were brought to the town. Back in those days, it was pennies on the dollar for water, gas, electricity, and even the internet. Sure, those days were only five years ago but it seemed like so much has happened it felt like decades. Now, now that the city was involved it seemed like everything was ten times as expensive. He reached over and grabbed his mug, filled with some Apple Pie Moonshine, before he took a sip. He tossed the bills onto the table as he pulled open his booking app and looked at the day ahead. Tomorrow, Elara would be coming in yet again. He was surprised that she had any skin left to tattoo after their last session but she had somehow found some on her back. She was a good tipper. And she’d either bring him some more of this delicious drink, or some food, as well. A small smile crept across his face as he closed the app.

*ding*ding*

The sound of the door opening forced a smile across his face. Maybe today wouldn’t be a waste after all. “Howdy friend, we’re closing in a minute but I can-,” Bill stopped talking as the smile fell from his face. At the door was a naked man, one who looked identical to Bill. From the birthmark that covered his right thigh to the exact length of hair, to the surprisingly large penis, and even the bags underneath the eye. The only difference Bill could see was the lack of tattoos across the mans body and the unearthly smile that crossed from ear to ear.

“Hello Bill,” the doppleganger spoke with his exact voice. A moment later it took an aggressive step towards Bill, who grabbed and threw the mug of Moonshine at the doppelganger's head, exploding into a hundred pieces as it did. A few of the pieces cut into the skin but no blood came out. Instead, the doppelganger smiled so wide it threatened to break the face it was attached to and took several more steps towards Bill. It grabbed Bill with a quick motion, picked him up, and tossed him across the shop.

As Bill slammed into the wall, the jolt kicked off his music system, which began belting out the Emo Time playlist on his device.

My Chemical Romance - Blood

Bill rose up from the ground, small cuts and scrapes began to drip blood as he cracked his neck. He did not know what devil had entered his shop, but he knew he had one trick to help deal with them. He reached to his waist, pulled a Glock out of the holster, aimed at the Doppelganger, and matched its smile. He pulled the trigger but, as he did, his arm shifted the aim so the bullet missed by inches. Bill shifted his aim and pulled the trigger once more, yet something moved the barrel of the weapon so that the bullet missed once again. The smile fell from his face but not his determination. Bill pulled the trigger in rapid succession, sending bullet after bullet down range yet none would find a home in the creature and soon only the clicking of an empty weapon filled the air.

“Feel free to reload,” the Doppleganger joked as he took another step towards Bill.

Bill, sensing that it would not work, dropped the gun to the ground and grabbed a bat from the wall. The bat was mounted on a plaque with the inscription State Champions - Raven’s Rest Cardnials on it. Bill tapped the end of the bat against the wall, sending a sharp crack that reverberated through the air which was soon replaced by a dull thud. The smile returned to Bill’s face as he tapped the bat in his hand.

“I don’t know what you are, but you ain’t welcome in this town,” Bill paused as his eyes flashed an electric blue that snaked across it.

“Oh that hasn’t stopped us before,” the doppleganger joked back, “shall we?” The Doppleganger pointed towards the bat as its smile grew wider once again.

Bill lunged forward, the bat becoming engulfed in a vivid blue cackle of lightning. He readied a swing at the monster's head and swung, only for the bat to pass just inches above. The monster grabbed Bill by the shirt and lifted him up once more, lowering him down before shooting him back up sending him into the celing. Bones snapping filled the air as he hit it, and once again as he plummeted back to the ground. A moment later the Doppleganger grabbed ahold of his ankle and spun him like a doll in three circles around the room before releasing it’s grip sending him into the far wall once again. Bill ended up on his side on the ground, blood pouring from his mouth and a deep heavy cough that carried even more crimson with it. He did not get a moment to breathe, as the doppleganger once again grabbed him by the ankles and lifted him up only to slam him back down. As it released it’s grip, bill tried to crawl away but each motion felt like he was pulling himself through quicksand.

A gasp escaped his lips as the creature slammed both hands into his back. A second later Bill’s body began to convulse as all the color was drained from it, and as the convulsions stopped his skin grew tighter until it was sucked all the way up to the bones, which also gave way with a sickening pop as everything was consumed by the monster, leaving only the clothes off his back.

The creature stood up and smiled. It put on Bill’s clothes, and found both the bat and the gun. It picked up both and moved the gun towards the back of the store, but kept the bat in hand. It reached into its pockets and grabbed the phone, unlocking the Face ID with ease, and called emergency services. It rang for three seconds before the operator picked up.

“Nine one one, what is your emergency,” the female operator asked.

“Someone broke into my tattoo shop and tried to kill me.”

---

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Cha Cha · Sophie Hunter

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Elara jolted awake, her heart raced as the remnant of the nightmare hung over her thoughts like a thick cloud. Sweat dripped from her brow as she struggled to catch her breath, as the sound of collapsing concrete and metal snapping still filled her ears. The nightmare brought her into the building this time, instead of being blocks away like she was during the cataclysm. She experienced the building snapping and breaking, before it collapsed, and in its collapse she was flung to another building which also began to creak, and groan, before those sounds gave way to the sound of metal snapping and concrete crumbling. Her eyes darted across the room, searching for something that could ground her in the present. Yet the more she looked the more her vision felt like it could see the ash cloud coming towards her again, smell the heavy coating of blood and ash that coated her face, hear the screams of all the soon-to-be dead people, and feel the pain as she got struck with the debris once more.

Elara reached behind her and grabbed her pillow, her hands trembling as she did. She pulled the pillow into her chest with both arms and hugged it tightly into her chest. Tears began to stream down her face as she could no longer hold back the panic that was overtaking her. Her breathing became sharp and quick, and her grip around the pillow grew stronger. As she sat there she felt something jump into her bed. Her eyes darted up to see her fat orange cat Sebastian. He was sitting mere feet from her face. Elara knew that he sensed her fear, her sadness, and the terror that gripped her. She sniffled as he smiled. He was here to save her, and break her from the curse that had befallen her. Sebastian simply raised a paw up and batted at Elara’s nose, striking it with a single outstretched claw.

“Ow what the fuck,” Elara groaned as her hands let go of the pillow as she cupped her nose while all her senses returning to the present, “that hurt you fat fuck” Elara complained as she looked down at the cat who simply meowed as he pressed his body into Elara. Who needs therapy when you have a cat who’ll factory reset you when you are at your worst? Elara grabbed him and pulled him up to her chest, Sebastian protesting the move with a loud cry of displeasure. She held him tight as she twisted from side to side as she kissed his head numerous times. The cat began to squirm and Elara let him go. “You hungry already you adorable asshole,” Elara joked as she stretched her body as a groan escaped her lips. She threw off her blanket and stood up, stretching one more time as a large yawn escaped her lips. She was wearing an oversized tshirt and some boxers as she normally did, and her hair was a mess. Thus, Elara began her morning routine by brushing her teeth and taking a shower.

After taking the shower, and getting dressed, wearing dark blue denim jeans with a System of a Down t-shirt. She grabbed three logs and put them in the wood-burning stove that heated her trailer. The wood smoldered for a minute before it was engulfed in fire. She closed the grate before grabbing a stained brown jacket and throwing it on over her shirt. She walked over to the fridge, opened it, grabbed the fresh bag of deer jerky, and pulled out a few pieces. It would have to suffice for now, as she needed to restock her supplies. The sudden cold snap had ruined the vegetables that were not in her greenhouse but she was able to ensure that those that remained in it would survive, and a lot would be ready come Thanksgiving later in the week.

Elara knew she did not have time to dwell on the thought of that celebration. It was one of the three meeting days for the Keepers of the Grove. That meant that she had to make her way to church, and that meant she’d need to be ready once Seren rolled up. Elara pulled out her phone and looked at the time, it was eight fifteen in the morning and the meeting would be at nine, which meant that Seren would be pulling up in a matter of minutes. As such, Elara made sure that there was at least nothing on the concrete pad that was flammable to allow the stove to keep heating her home while she was gone. She also grabbed a case of her Apple Pie Moonshine and knew that the delay with her vegetables would require her to offer a replacement.

A second later a series of honks filled the air before being replaced by the telltale sound of tires on the loose gravel driveway. Seren was here.

---

Seren led the way into the church, they had their typical outfit with a button-up shirt, black pants, and an oversized jacket but they also kept their sunglasses on to hide the hungover look that their face carried. They had a half-finished ice latte in one hand and their phone open to TikTok in the other. They quickly found a place to sit down.

The Church was an easy meeting point away from the grove itself and allowed the group to have a space where they wouldn’t draw attention to the grove itself. It was an old church, dating back to the eighteenth century, that had served as the central community location for the town of Raven’s Rest. Currently, the keepers met in the common area of the church hall. There was a simple black fold-out poker table with several chairs strewn across it. At the head of the table sat Pastor John Michael. He was dressed in a black button-up shirt with a white collar. His sleeves were rolled up and he had a lit cigarette in his mouth. The man sported a well-maintained black beard, with black hair, and seemed to look a decade younger than his age of thirty-eight.

“So Seren, do I need to open the confessional early today or will you stop by at another time,” Pastor John smirked as he took in a drag of his cigarette, he spoke in reference to the night out that was evident on their face and body.

“Fuck off, father,” Seren groaned as they raised their middle finger.

Elara tossed the padre one of the jars of moonshine, before palming one and looking at Seren, “Ain’t you a bit young to be drinking” Elara joked as she slid the jar across the table to them.

“You try fighting a world-ending monster at seventeen and not having a small problem with alcohol,” Seren paused as they palmed the moonshine and put it in their bag.

“Ooo, what do I gotta do to get one of those?” Mari asked, sitting down beside Seren and not so subtly leaning over to try check whatever tiktoks they were watching. “Wanna love ballad or some shit? I can do that.”

“Fuck yes,” Seren grinned as they lowered their glasses.

“When your sister says you can,” Elara smirked as she wiggled one of the jars. “Speaking of, what schedule they on lately?”

“You shouldn’t ask that, the owners will change it on a whim,” James joked as he walked into the room, lit cigarette in his left hand. He was dressed in his typical dirty work attire, with stained jeans, a stained blue hoody, and his work hat still on. “You save one of them for me, Elara?”

“Oh of course love. This cold took away my garden so I brought up enough for everyone,” Elara grinned as she placed the jug down on the table.

“But not me?” Mari complained, pouting as she leaned back in her chair. She pulled out her phone, swapping to the shared family calendar where they all tried to put their shifts. Too many weird different ones to just remember. “Right now she's on five on, four off, night shift… so she should be here soon. Today's the last of the five too. Means she's gonna be extra grouchy and annoying, ugh.”

“So no different than normal,” James chuckled as he found a seat, “how are you doing today Pastor John?

“Every day is a good day thanks to the lord,” Pastor John joked as he took a drag from his cigarette, “Church speak for another day, another horror.”

“It ain't like anythin' changes around here,” Mari snorted, head inclining towards the Pastor. “Shit all day everyday-”

"You callin' the fuckin’ warm roof over your head and lovin' community shit, Marigold?" Bryn appeared out of nowhere - having managed to somehow slip in the door silently. Even more impressively she managed to look over her sister, even at only five-four. They were dressed in their work overalls, but with the top half pushed down and sleeves tied around their waist. It revealed the tank top underneath and their lithe muscles shone with sweat in the light. They'd pretty much come straight from the mines, after all.

“I ain't!” Mari turned her head around, nose scrunching up. “You couldn't've washed before comin'? Fuck, Bryn.”

"And waste time choppin' wood to heat up the fuckin' water cause someone used it all up? Nah. Ain't got time for that shit." Bryn snorted. They moved to sit beside Elara with a sigh, nodding to both James, Pastor John and Seren. They tilted their head towards Elara. "You need any wood cut? Gotta do a bunch for us anyway, may as well restock you too if you're runnin' low."

“Yes please,” Elara held up the next bottle of moonshine and placed it on the table in front of Bryn.

"Gotcha, I’ll get it done," Bryn grinned at Elara, taking the bottle and putting it on the table in front of her.

“Can I-”

"No," Bryn cut Mari off before she could get any further, turning her head to level her with a hard stare. "You ain’t old enough, and I ain’t dealin’ with that shit."

“But Seren gets some and they’re the same age as me!” Mari complained.

"Seren ain’t my baby sister, so they can do what they want," Bryn shrugged.

Mari pouted, leaning in towards Seren and whispering, “can I get a bit of yours? I’ll do anythin’.”

Seren shook her head no but secretly sent a text that said ‘ofc’ to Mari.

A moment later the doors opened once again as the vast majority of the remaining coven entered the building. The small group was led by tweedle dee and tweedle dum, Ethan Parker and Ryan Mitchell. The two were best friends from birth, as their parents were a part of the elders of the grove and as such they did everything together. That included working, partying, and the two recently bought a house together with their wives so that their children could grow up as close as they did. Both were coming from their overnight construction job so they had identical work boots and hoodies. If anyone in the grove needed something built these two are quick to offer their skills. Behind them was the ever present Blake Thompson, the grove mechanic. He had his typical jeans and shirt combo but spiced things up with a blue denim jacket with white fluff. Taking up the rear were the four ranch hands, Adam Sullivan, Kyle Anderson, Jason Caldwell, and Lucas Harrington. They all found seats at the table and many grabbed a jar. There were several open seats still available for the members that would be likely unable to make it today.

“So what’s new,” Ethan asked.

“Anything we need to be on the lookout for,” Ryan finished.

“You guys hear about Bill,” Blake added as he took a sip from the already open jar, “oh that’s got the good kick, thank you as always Elara.”

"No, the fuck happened to Bill?" Bryn asked, folding their arms and looking over at Blake.

“From my buddy at the police department it sounds like someone tried to kill him last night. Lights and sirens hours last night. Bill fired all the bullets from his gun, and somehow missed every shot,” Blake finished as he shrugged, “haven’t heard from him since yesterday in the morning but figured I’d bring it up.”

“It was on the agenda,” Pastor John revealed as he took another drag of his cigarette before putting it out in the ashtray.

“And he missed every shot,” Elara raised an eyebrow.

“I have him out on the farm once a month, he’s a better shot than I,” Adam rubbed his chin, “think it was someone he knew?”

"Fuck, must've been, I ain't known Bill to miss," Bryn shook her head, pressing a hand against her forehead. This was the pain with working in the mines - if shit happened while she was down there she didn't hear about it till she was back up. "Ain't any point guessin', you got plans after this, Elara? If not let's go check on him."

“I’m on the books with him after the meeting so-,”

“Another tattoo? Do you even have skin left for another one,” Pastor John sighed, “I ain’t gonna turn this into a sermon but maybe you should consider actual therapy,” Pastor John chuckled.

“I think Elara looks fantastic with all her tattoos, power to you,” Jason chuckled.

“So let’s stop by right after this meeting and see how he’s doing,” Elara finished the thought.

"Only therapy we need is the Lord and a buncha tattoos," Bryn snorted, looking at Pastor John with a sarcastic smile. ”Well, that's that. We'll head round soon as we're done and make sure he ain't need any kinda protection."

“At least shower first,” Mari commented, wrinkling her nose.

Bryn just waved her off. "Anyone else showin', or this it today?"

“Well if there’s any stragglers I’m sure you’ll be able to loop ‘em’ in,” Pastor John paused as he stood up and stretched. He walked over to a whiteboard. “We’ve had some concerning developments since Friday,” Pastor John paused as he spun the board around revealing a surprisingly detailed satellite map of the town and surrounding area. To the west of the town there were various red circles. They seemed to form a line that stretched above and below the western flank of the city. “This was two weeks ago. As you might recall, these were suspected vampire attacks,” Pastor John paused as he grabbed a ruler and tapped on the corresponding red circles, “these were suspected paranormal attacks,” Pastor John pointed at several more, “since then,” Pastor John once again paused as he put the ruler down and grabbed a red marker and the air was filled with it’s squeak for several seconds, “suspected werewolf packs, additional vampire attacks, more paranormal assaults and,” Pastor John grabbed the ruler and tapped on the town itself on the map, “this wave is coming right towards us,” Pastor John paused as he tapped the ruler in his hand.

“From the look of the map alone it seems like we’re about to take the brunt of whatever paranormal attack coming our way, right,” Pastor John asked the group.

"Right." Bryn narrowed their eyes at the board. It didn't look good, and it had just kept getting worse. "I tried investigating the attacks two weeks ago, didn't come up with shit. If it's just one vampire, that's easy… I see em, they're dead. I'm more worried about the rest. It's like shitnis awakening. And…"

She trailed off, frowning. ”I ain't said cause I didn't wanna worry y'all, but there's been strange shit startin' in the mines too. Ain't anythin' solid yet, nobody dead but… I'm worried.”

“The animals been acting real strange the past two weeks,” Lucas added, and the farm hands all nodded their heads.

“And nothing seems to be bringing me joy over the past two weeks. My favorite food been bland, my favorite music isn’t hitting the way it used to, it’s probably related, yeah,” Blake added with a nod of his head.

“That sounds like depression,” Pastor John responded with a raised eyebrow.

“Is that what it is?”

“That’s not even the most concerning aspect, Bryn,” Pastor John responded as he flipped the board back around and grabbed a black marker. He drew a crude oval of the Appalachian mountain, a crude circle for their town and another for Cloverfield, and several smaller circles up and down the mountain range. He then drew several red arrows that all pointed to the coast. “I just got off a conference call with the other paranormal pastors of the mountain and they are all seeing the same thing. Something is pushing the existing paranormal elements away from the mountain,” Pastor John finally revealed with a stern voice, “and I’ve gotten word that some of these paranormal elements have already entered Cloverfield as well.”

"Shit, that means whatever it is that's pushin' ‘em is stronger." Bryn was frowning heavily now. "This ain't good. We gotta protect our town and the Grove, but we can't just protect ourselves. If it's all across and there's somethin' worse coming… well shit."

She frowned, looking over at Elara and Seren. "We gotta talk to our allies in Cloverfield too, much as I ain't fond of goin' into the city."

“If they’ll get off their asses,” Elara rolled her eyes at the thought, “I know how to contact Magic Mike so I’ll get in touch with him, Seren you have contacts in the lower district,,” Elara paused as she looked towards Pastor John, “do you think we’ll need it? We’ve defended this town before, we’ll do it again.”

“This is bigger. From what I can see we have about a month before the worst of it hits us dead on, and we’ll probably see incursions until then. It would be wise to make some friends in town and get them on board. At least get them to prepare for something that will hit them sooner rather than later,” Pastor John finished as he looked towards Elara and gave her a stern, godly stare.

“Alright,” Elara sighed, “whatcha think Seren, Bryn,” Elara looked over towards the two.

“If this is going to be as big as you said I can head over and talk to people in The Hollow. Can’t promise they’ll listen, last I heard they’re dealing with some shit of their own,” Seren paused their TikTok video to look up from their phone.

"I think it's good we got Seren for the Hollow cause their leaders doesn't like us," Bryn chuckled, remembering what had happened after they sealed Nyrah the Ravager… criminal bastard had wanted to undo all their hard work. "I agree we need the help. We ain't got the numbers we used to, Eri… we gotta be realistic."

She sighed, pulling out her phone - an old as fuck Nokia brick. "I'll contact Twin-Hill, see if I can visit ‘em later today. We gotta touch bases with Moriah anyway."

“Then get to it. The keepers have long protected the grove, and this town, so I’ll speak for everyone else and say we appreciate all that you do,” Pastor John finished as he returned to his seat.

“You got it,” Elara took a deep breath before she looked to Bryn, “think you can give me a lift into town after we check with Bill” Elara asked with a smile.

"Ay, I'll be goin' anyway," Bryn nodding, stretching their arms above their head. "So long as you can wait for me to get changed outta my work clothes."

As she said this she opened up her contacts, finding Moriah after a bit of scrolling. She rattled off a quick text: "shit bad mo b rnd l8r”. Pretty quickly she got a simple response, ‘k.’

"Well that's sorted."

---

Downtown North District: 09:00

Freya stood in the dim lighting of the front of her bakery, wiping the flour from her hands on the baby blue apron she wore. The aroma of freshly baked bread, pastries, and other goods filled the air and it was almost pleasant enough to distract her from her daily stress. She took a deep breath as she looked towards the front door, before she shook her arms to try and knock off the rust of her four hours of work. Freya knew that today would be the same as any that came before it yet each morning brought with it a new wave of fear and worry. What if her recipe grew boring? What if all her hard earned success was just an outlier, and her business was actually doomed to fail?

She went to work on the display case to calm her nerves. She arranged the variety of croissants to the perfect angels to show off their profile. The macarons were adjusted so their spacing was perfectly aligned with each other. And each and every tasty creation was placed in a way to entice those who see into their display case. The smell of the coffee brewing in the back caught her nose forcing a small smile across her face. While it was never the biggest reason someone came to her little bakery, having the option to make whatever drink a person would want did help bring the customers into the shop. Plus, the iced vanilla latte was always a hit with the young crowd who’d stop by after walking their dogs in the park and she knew that they’d get the blueberry galette as she didn’t do any traditional pup cups specifically to upsell these people on that tasty treat to share.

Freya stood up straight as she walked to the front door and looked out to the waking world outside. Her watch dinged. One minute left until open. Freya removed her apron and hung it up behind the counter. She walked back to the door. She could see a few regulars already lining up, namely the high powered financial bro James who was typically dour until his morning coffee and cinnamon roll but today it seemed he was extra jazzed as his smile crossed from ear to ear. Freya hoped that her workers were ready for this day.

Freya smiled, trying to match his energy, before her watch beeped once again. She unlocked the door as her open sign began to shine brightly inviting them all in.

---

The Circle - 09:00

As Gideon strolled through the quiet, chilly streets of the circle neighborhood the breath of the early morning fog lingered in the air. His worn boots crunched the frost kissed gravel underneath each step. Much like the rest of the week the forecast for the weather was wrong, instead of the low to mid fifties that were promised the temperatures continued to plummet and snow could be seen in the far distance blanketing the mountains. Still, the coolness of late November air was hitting Gideon extra hard today. But he could not show it.

As Gideon approached a driveway he saw Mrs. Jenkins pull the trashcan out to the curb for the next morning. “Mrs. J good morning, how are you holding up today? Kids on break yet,” Gideon spoke with a clear voice despite the cold. “We’re hanging in there like always, Gideon, and not yet! They have another month left,” Mrs. Jenkins responded with a warm smile. “If you need any help with their Christmas gifts you just come and tell me, okay,” Gideon pointed and smiled back with his devilish smile. Mrs. Jenkins waved him off while laughing.

Gideon continued down and saw a small group of kids playing loudly in a nearby park. As he walked past the group he pointed towards the kids. “Keep it down, unless you want to wake the whole neighborhood,” Gideon chuckled as he continued walking past them. The kids all recognized Gideon and waved at him before returning to their game. A few steps later his eyes caught a man emerging from the tree-line of the park. Gideon narrowed his eyes for a second before they opened completely again at the sight of Mr. Thompson walking his Great Dane. “Cold morning for a stroll,” Gideon said with a nod of his head, “I see he’s healed well from the surgery.” Gideon bent over and pet the dog, who licked his face in return. “All thanks to you, words can not convey my thanks for-“ the man paused as Gideon stood up and waved his hands from side to side. “Listen, we take care of each other here. Don’t mention it,” Gideon said as he waved goodbye and continued on his way.

As Gideon rounded the corner he smiled. Despite it all this was what he did all of this for. This community, these people, and the love they had despite their circumstances was a strength that he drew his power from. And he’d do anything to protect it. His eyes caught another person but their visage caused him to stop in his steps. It was David Smith. He was a popular teacher at Central Heights High School, which was the district that contained the circle and encompassed much of his territory. He was normally a happy man but today, today his smile was nearly ear to ear. He watched Gideon with a very curious look, almost like the way a predator looks at their prey from a distance. In his mind alarms started to go off, and he felt something pressing in on his emotional field. It felt like it was coming from everywhere but nowhere in particular. He placed a hand inside his coat, grabbing a hold of his pistol as he did.

”Mornin’ boss!” Vin appeared as if out of nowhere - though it wasn’t out of nowhere, rather they jumped down from a roof to Gideon’s right. They’d traveled here as a rat - it was faster and just more efficient. Especially when their niece had been extra fussy that morning and they’d left late… ”Ain’t you out a little early?”

Gideon kept his eyes on David even as Vin appeared. David tipped his haters and turned down the road and walked off. Gideon’s eyes did but leave his frame nor did his hand leave his gun until he was gone. “Figured it was a good time to start the day,” Gideon spoke finally as he turned towards Vin. “We need to send a crew to go check on David,” Gideon said as he tapped Vin on the shoulder, “think he’s having an apparition problem. You heading to the hollow? I’ll walk you the rest of the way there.”

”Course, I was on my way ‘cross the roofs and spotted you,” Vin easily lied. In actual fact they were Gideon’s escort - but they weren’t going to argue with the boss about something like that. They craned their neck as if they could still see David, tempted to change their eyes for a moment - then deciding to leave it. ”I’ll get someone on it soon as we get in- can’t be havin’ Apparitions runnin’ rampant. Maybe I should take a look. Ain’t anyone else that deals with ‘em like I do.”

“Yeah, I’m thinking the same thing. We’ll see who’s at the bar when we get there and send you with some company,” Gideon said with a smile, “let’s get moving. I do not like this cold, and I could use some breakfast.”

”Sure thing, boss, don’t want you catchin’ a cold, that’d fuckin’ suck,” Vin agreed, throwing their hands behind their head as they started to walk at a reasonable pace. They weren’t even wearing that thick a jacket, but they didn’t seem too bothered by the cold. ”Y’know, ain’t it a bit funny David might’ve been possessed on the ‘Lord’s’ day? Big fuck you to the religious with that.”

“The lord hasn’t been with our people. He can keep his day,” Gideon said back with a confident, booming voice. “Though let’s not make jokes about David. He’s still a beloved member of our community, we need to protect him and the others from the paranormal. It’s not like the PRA is doing anything to help the average person. If we weren’t paying them off they’d have come for us and tried to destroy what we’ve worked to build here” Gideon talked to Vin with the same kind voice one would expect out of a teacher.

”Got’it, y’know I hate the fuckin’ ghosts- and feds- more than anythin’,” Vin said, nodding slightly. Their tone was pretty nice - they clearly weren’t upset about being corrected. Wasn’t like they’d had much parental guidance growing up, but they took surprisingly well to teaching that came from Gideon. Mostly because they actually respected him. ”I’d destroy ‘em before they took us down, though. Those corrupt fucks ain’t got shit on us workin’ our magic in fights everyday.”

“Oh I know. Which is why I’m sending you. If something has taken over David and he’s beyond saving, I know you’ll be able to give him the mercy of a quick death,” Gideon paused as a grin spread across his face, “and if those corrupt fucks ever tried to come down here with ill intent our magic would be the least of their concerns.”

”I hope it don’t come to that,” Vin said with a slight frown, as they cracked their knuckles. ”With David. I’d love to beat those bastards till they’re screamin’ for mercy- if they ain’t dead by the time I get to them.”

“Good,” Gideon paused as he spotted his building just ahead. He ushered the two towards the door and opened it for Vin, before following them inside. The bar, while open, was nearly completely empty. There was Marco Alvarez behind the bar, he was pouring a shot for a man who looked down on his luck. Malik Johnson and Caleb Morgan were playing pool, and by the looks of it Malik was about to win yet another game as he lined up the eight ball with a corner pocket. Jack Sullivan was near the door, the ever present enforcer for these early hours. Besides that, the first floor part of the bar was rather empty. Gideon knew it would be busier once he got upstairs. “Malik, Caleb, you’re with Vin. David Smith, beloved teacher, may have an apparition problem.”

”He was gone before I gotta good sniff, so I dunno what we'll be walkin' into,” Vin said as they strode over to the bar, leaning over it. ”Gimme a shot of somethin', anythin', Marco. Y'know that shit fuels me.”

Marco smirked as he reached behind the bar and headed a bottle of the Balvenie Doublewood 12 and poured Vin a double shot of it before sliding the shot glass down the bar. As he did that, Gideon turned to Vin and gave her a knowing nod. He walked through the door next to the bar and began to walk up the stairs. There was a lot on the plate today and Gideon was ever ready to clear it.

[NoriWasHere]