kapuchu

Ianus Congreatio: Secret societies, horror, and mystery in the shadows of Prague.

Adam glanced at Lucie briefly and almost chuckled. Almost. He was still a walking pile of pain and had so much more to do. He couldn't afford to relax yet.

He did smile briefly as he answered. About as lighthearted as he could be under the circumstances.

“Not exactly. No. Though maybe it should be. I can certainly see the appeal of a pretty woman dressed in just a short coat. All legs and leaving one wanting to unwrap her. Maybe I'll see if I can figure out how to start a fashion trend. You know...in all that free time I have.” The sarcasm dropping off his last comment could drown a horse.

“Really I just didn't want to have to fight again whilst naked. It's like peeing in the woods...you do it when necessary but it's still a vaguely uncomfortable feeling.”

Lucie blinked, then chuckled, clasping her hands behind her back as she walked. “That sounds almost as an admission. But that’s not important right now. What do you think will be at manor?”

“I don't know what we will find when we get to Isabeau’s house. I hope you are prepared for...well...anything.”

Lucie nodded slowly, any mirth vanishing at Adam’s words. She placed one hand on the hilt of her sword. “I’ve seen my fair share of things, even young as I am, so I am well prepared. But,” she said, now looking pointed at Adam. “I’m not a dagger to be pointed at a target. I will defend us if anything happens, but if you have any intentions of silencing whatever staff is in her manor. That blood will be on your hands. I just want to remind you of that.”

Adam fought back a snarl. His pain made him short tempered and Lucie’s defensiveness and her assumptions about him didn't help. He clenched his teeth and kept walking in silence for rather longer than he needed.

“I asked you to accompany me. I did not mean that you were required to. If you are uncomfortable with what might or might not be there you need not accompany me. I could use the help but my job is to defend the Society as needed; I neither expect nor ask anyone else to do my job. I protect what I care about.”

“My concern was of a more psychical nature. Isabeau was a brilliant scientist that apparently learned to animate dead flesh. I don't know what other alchemical secrets she may have learned or how she chose to protect them.”

The tone with which Adam spoke was not lost to her, and she did not pretend to not have heard it. Nevertheless, it was far from the worst she had ever experienced. It was nothing compared to the flat side of a sword for backtalk. “I came because you looked like you needed the help. But the situation just so happens to be, that I don’t know exactly what you intend, even if I can make educated guesses.” She let both her hands drop to simply hang along her sides, staring straight ahead as she spoke. “My impression of you is that you are not cold hearted, nor cruel. But you are deeply analytical and pragmatic... I once met a man like you who ordered the death of his late brother’s son, because he legitimately, honestly, believed that he could do better than the kid, and help more people in the long run with their business.” She fell into a thoughtful silence then, lips pressed thin. “‘His last words were, ‘it was for the greater good’.”

Adam shrugged and wished absently that he dared take milk of poppy. But that was far too risky. Instead he focused his mind on every possible option they might encounter as the brought this nights work to a close. He was getting tired already and this conversation was not helping.

“It's true I find logic is eminently more useful than passion and it's true people consider me to be a cold heartless cad, or worse, because of it. I’m used to it, it does get somewhat wearing though. And I am so very tired.”

“There are, I believe, precisely two people left alive in this world who know me well enough to what to expect from me. I don't even know most days; I solve problems. The “how” often has a few twists that I don't see until I connect the pattern. So believe what you wish about me; but perhaps you would consider reserving final judgement until the facts have been acquired, that is all I would ask.”

Contrary to the accusations thrown her way, Lucie actually smiled. “For one who advises having all the facts before making a judgement, you sure do have a tendency to make baseless assumptions. Even going so far as to contradict the evidence, to support your own narrative.” She chuckled, and randomly stuck her hand out to break off two branches, fiddling with them as she continued.

“I believe that I said that I do not consider your cold hearted or cruel. I have not seen you act that way.” She broke both branches, stuck one half of each in her belt, and then pressed the broken-off ends of the other two together. “Yet you claim that I made those accusations, and for that reason—” she took out the other two branch-halves, pressing their ends together, as if trying to make them fit “—you accuse me of doing what you have just done.” She then threw the branches over towards Adam, though being careful not to hit him. “Why is that hypocrisy, I wonder?” She mused with a hint of a smile.

Adam was silent for a long time running over thoughts in his mind. He hated to admit it but Lucie had a point. He hated assumptions. Absolutely hated them. But he had allowed himself to fall into that trap. He wished he could blame his pain and exhaustion but he knew the truth. He was just being waspish for no reason.

“You are correct” he said finally into the quiet “I apologize.”

For awhile it seemed that was all he was going to say but he continued several minutes later.

“I am extraordinarily tired. It is not an excuse. Merely a reason. I dislike assumptions and still allowed myself to be seduced by them. Again I apologize.”

Lucie offered him a charming smile, the young girl that she was breaking through the tough exterior. “Apology accepted.” She said nothing further for a while after that, content to walk in silence. She kept looking about however, seemingly staying aware of their surroundings and any potential threats.

It was several minutes later before she spoke up again, pointing with a gloved hand over the treetops, to where the tiled roof of a mansion had just come into clarity. “I assume that is our destination?” She asked. “Miss. Isabeau’s residence and house of horrors.”

“It's actually rather nice, if a bit outdated” said Adam absently.

Adam led them to the servants entrance and they walked in without knocking.

No one was about, not surprising since the better part of the night was gone. It made Adam breathe a little easier. If they were quiet they may not run into anyone. He hadn't brought any money with him for bribes so being unnoticed would be easier.

He adjusted his steps so he could move quietly and gestured for Lucie to do the same, though he found that she was already mirroring him. He called the layout of the house, from what he remembered, into his mind. They could automatically rule out any public areas and the servant quarters...she wouldn't keep anything important there.

“Let's try the bedrooms first. She has locked up one of the rooms; the bedchamber she and her husband used to share. I remember that from when I visited her right after the explosion. The servants were all atwitter about it. Locked up and boarded up the room. Doesn't mean there isn't a way in...if she had secrets that would be a good place for them.”

Lucie nodded and opened the door to the bedroom. It was an ordinary affair, as mansions went, and as such did very little to astonish her. She had, after all, lived nearly as ostentatiously when she were younger. She took off one hand and let her naked palm run along the rough wood, slowly following it around. She stepped aside the large cupboard, stopping only briefly to open the drawers to look inside. She found only underwear. Expensive, well made underwear, but nothing of interesting… Although maybe she should commission something with laces like those.

She clicked her tongue and closed the drawer again, continuing on her way. She pressed her hand against the wall once more, this time deciding that ordinary methods were too slow. She wanted to get back to the House, get a bath, and see what gossip she could get out of the servants. So she sent a pulse through the wall, and from it into the adjacent walls, requesting information of only a single thing: Doors.

Two things stood out to her. One she didn’t need to turn around to see, because she knew that was the door they had entered from. The other was different. It was in the opposite end of the room, near the single bookshelf. In fact, right beside it. “Over here,” she said and stepped over to it. Keen eyes roved across the wood that comprised the wall, squinting to discern whatever tiny difference there may be, to give it away. She found no keyhole or handle, which left her with only one option.

Adam watched her work while at the same time scanning the room with his own Talent. This room was far too perfect. Even skilled servants couldn't keep a used room this perfect. By the time Lucie had found the door Adam had knew Isabeau didn't live here and there would be a door to another room, but having Lucie along was faster and gave him other eyes. He was busy stealing a pair of Isabeau’s boots to replace the rags on his bare feet when Lucie spoke up.

“How cliché,” she muttered, and started randomly pulling out books from the shelves. She was careful not to simply throw them, but either handed them to Adam or let them drop cover- or back first. “I expected more of Isabeau. She appeared an intelligent individual, however depraved and insane, but I truly, honestly, believed her more inventive than to hide proverbial door knob, as a book on her shelf. Ah, here.” She pulled further on a small tome, the name Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu written in golden filigree, across the black leather spine. Something clicked, and the wall beside the shelf opened into a not-so-secret room.

The inside was… disturbing, in a way. It held a single, worn bed, the covers haphazardly made by the hand of someone obviously unused to doing so herself. A single window would light up the room during the day, and aside from half a dozen candles—some in candleholders, some not—there seemed to be no other possible sources of light. She grabbed a small whetstone from one of her many pockets, went to a candleholder with two, nearly intact, candlesticks. With a deft motion, she drew a dagger from her belt, struck the whetstone across the edge, and lighting the wicks with a few attempts. Now with light in hand, she could see the thing that worried her the most.

Something that looked more like a shrine to the occult than anything else. More half-melted wax candles along the edges of a chest-height dresser, accompanied by dozens upon dozens of pictures of Lady Isabeau and an unknown man—presumably her husband, the late Mr. Isabeau—plastered to the wall, many overlapping and a few burnt at the corners from the multitude of candles. Atop it the dresser lay bundles of paper and notes, an empty ink well and a dried pen.

“Is this what you were looking for?” Lucie asked, holding aloft the candle holder, shedding light on the shrine itself. She didn’t hide the disgust at what she saw.

Adam entered the room after Lucie, already guessing what they would find. The scope of Isabeau’s obsession caught him unawares though. Clearly she had been living in a hellish world, trapped in time. He could almost feel sorry for her. Almost.

“Not exactly what I was looking for” said Adam absently. “But important nonetheless.”

A glance outside told Adam they dared not linger long. The sun, and the servants, would be up soon. He wanted to be away by then.

“I wonder what kind of a force the two would have become had he lived” Adam muttered absently. He was trying not to focus too much on the obvious signs of Isabeau’s madness. He would think on it later, in private, because madness was of special interest to him.

He quickly glanced through the notes and writings on the table, his Talent enabling him to quickly separate the important from the fluff. The pile of fluff was quite small. He bundled the important papers in a pillowslip he quickly stripped from the bed and turned to Lucie.

“Her lab” he said, “quickly. We haven't much time left to remain unnoticed.” He didn't mention his suspicion that at least one of the servants already knew they were there; servants were rarely as clueless as their employers wished. They were, however, remaining hidden which suited Adam well.

Lucie nodded and knelt down, pressing her bare hand to the floor. Beakers, Chemicals, Bunsen Burner, she demanded, her own Talent giving her the impression of several such items in proximity of each other. There was just one problem. “Far side of the mansion, top floor,” she said, rising. “It’s tucked in a corner of the building.” She then grabbed the cloth covering the blades of her daggers, handing it to Adam. “Tie this around your face, in case servants do find us. Cover one eye with your hair if possible. They won’t know who I am, but they’ll know you.”

She didn’t wait to see if Adam did as ordered, instead stepping quietly over to the door leading to the hallway. She crouched low and peeked out, but she saw nothing. Neither could she hear anything.

Adam nodded and did as Lucie suggested. On their way out of the room he grabbed one of Isabeau’s summer cloaks as well, it had a hood he used to cover his pale hair and muffle his form. He followed Lucie down the hall, as quiet as she was.

The lab was everything a well stocked lab should be; and very neat and clean. Adam and Lucie were able to make short work of their search. Much of what he found disturbed Adam, more so because he had almost been part of her experiment.

Adam destroyed what they couldn't carry; it was convenient that Isabeau stocked a variety of acids. The rest they bundled up to take back to the House. His keen ears caught the sounds of servants moving hastily about the house as he worked; but the sounds were far enough away that he guessed they were safe for now. It seemed the servants didn't care much about more beyond their own welfare. A pragmatic approach he approved of. Getting out of the house unnoticed was now his only real concern.

“I'm guessing most of the servants are gone now?” He asked Lucie softly.

“Last one left a few minutes ago,” she confirmed, hefting her own small bag of notes and equipment. “We’re all alone now. I take it we go back to the House? The others should have arrived by now.” She walked out the door, then, heading for the back entrance they had used to get in. “I do hope Aleksandra remembered to retrieve my pistol.”

“Good” said Adam “their flight will be obvious; with any luck if Isabeau’s disappearance is investigated at all everyone will be consumed with finding the servants. I’m going to lock up. Make it look less tempting. I'll meet you in the stables; I think we should help ourselves to one of Isabeau’s horses, hope you won't mind sharing.”

It didn't take Adam long to lock up and join Lucie at the stables, she had saddled one of the horses and was holding it by the reins when he arrived. “Let's go home,” Adam said, relief evident in his voice. He was more than done with this adventure.

“Let us,” she said, swinging herself up in the saddle, and reached a hand down to help Adam up so he could sit in front of her. “I think I want a bath when we get back. The sewers have left a less than pleasant smell.”

Site Server Issues - 22nd Jan

@Otaku95
I just had a 502 error. The whole "Retry a live version" thingie. So it's, sadly, still not resolved.

Ianus Congreatio: Secret societies, horror, and mystery in the shadows of Prague.

@Astarael42
I'm glad you like it xD Sorry about the wait.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Something about this owl-man was... odd. Not only his appearance which defied even Lily's understanding, but also the things he were saying, and his mannerism. The way he claimed to be from a different world, yet not in his own body. She didn't know how long he had been here, but judging by his words she did not expect him, to have been here for longer than she had—And certainly not to have become so comfortable in an alien body so quickly. It had taken her weeks to not be surprised by her own tails, when she had first become a kitsune, and that was not to mention the extremely odd sensation of her ears no longer being human. There was more to him than met the eyes, of that she was certain.

And what was that sound of metal scraping behind him?

She glanced at Brucie who gave a shallow nod, then started edging towards the side so that he flanked Emile, and was able to see what was behind him, and act accordingly should the owl try anything.

It wasn't long before Emile finished his monologue, and she could safely say that, assuming he was telling the truth, she had expected absolutely none of it. She knew of Rome and Disney: One was a sprawling metropolis, the other an animation studio, and she told him as much.

"Aside from those, I don't know of Dark Souls, but I have heard of the Treasure Planet. An archaic movie some five hundred years old. A Disney classic, they call it." She clicked her tongue, and sighed. "Never could get behind the ridiculous notion that planets were spherical." She sheathed her sword and crossed her arms, her eyes never leaving Emile. "But let me get this straight. You're claiming that this entire thing, island, city and all, is comprised of video game and movie objects? Bloody hell it's like a fucking Isekai anime," she said, rubbing her own temples in sheer frustration. "This whole thing just got a whole lot more obnoxious."

"What's an 'isekai', Boss?" Brucie suddenly asked, shifting his attention to her from Emile for a moment. "Ain't ever heard of it."

Sighing again, Lily sat down on a roughly stool-sized rock, folding her hands in her lap. "Basically some normal guy or girl is transported to a magical fantasy land. Don't ask me how it's still a popular genre centuries after real magic became a thing." Looking to Emile, then, she pressed her lips into a thin line, brows furrowed. His helmet prevented her from reading his expression, but he had yet to do anything to invite hostility, and had been rather amicable all things considered. It didn't make her like him more, but, "You have been rather... forthcoming with information, so I suppose I owe it to you. My name is Lily, and I'm what you'd call a Kitsune, or Nine-tailed Fox. I was a human once, some twelve-thirteen years ago, before a war between the four Discs started. A Disc is what you'd call a... planet, albeit nearly flat with only a slight downward curve towards the edges. Each is carried upon the backs of creatures called Dawn Drakes."

At this point Brucie had completely abandoned paying attention to Emile, instead listening with rapt attention to Lily's recounts. She hand't devulged this much information before.

"People like me—Shifters—came about to combat the enemy, those being the Endolans from the Discs, Endola. By using a sort of genetic splicing coupled with magic, and no I'm not going to explain how because I hardly even know myself, compatible humans were transformed into hybrids like me. Only, the time we stay Hybrids is limited, as the Essence we got from our patrons changes what we are. Thus, I'm now more Kitsune than human, with more powers awakening year after year." She paused, letting the information sink in. Nothing she had said so far was too valuable, but he had asked her to tell him about who and what she was.

"If your world is as similar to mine as I expect, then you should have heard of the creatures inhabiting my world: Dragons, phoenixes, naga, giants, lamias, Sídhe, pixies and more. As for this tournament: All I know is that the winner is promised to be granted one Wish, and I get the sense that there are no limitations to said Wish — that even the very fabric of reality could be altered to suit the demands of the Winner. There are two ways to win a match," she thumbed back to where she, Brucie and Mouse had come from, "you either kill your opponent. Or you make them a companion."

Brucie, evidently thinking this a perfect time to elaborate, said, "it's because of these ph--Yargh! Hey, don't zap me!"

Lily lowered her hand, errant sparks still crackling along her fingers. She gave Brucie a pointed glance before she once more addressed Emile. "And no, I am not going to tell you how you make someone a companion. And as I'm sure you have more questions, I would like one answered of my own." She then pulled out the red-golden feather from under her t-shirt. "You seem to know a lot about the things in this world. So tell me, what is this, what does it do? And more importantly, how does it work?"

Ianus Congreatio: Secret societies, horror, and mystery in the shadows of Prague.

Lucie dared not let her exhaustion show on her face. She hadn't had to exert herself like this for a while. Not that the chase itself had tired her out, as opposed to carrying an adult woman for something like half an hour. Contrary to popular belief, being a slender woman did not mean that you were automatically light to carry.

She stood silent and watched as Adam unceremoniously executed Isabeau, and found herself impressed. Her amber eyes rested on the still-warm corpse for a moment before she looked at Adam once more, silently appraising him. "It seems I will have the alter my assessment of you. I did not expect you to carry out your own judgement, and certainly not with such extreme prejudice, or lack of hesitation." She offered the head of the House an acknowledging nod. "You have my respects."

She then turned to look at the rest of them, noting the various states they were in. Aleksandra looked no worse for wear. She had some bruises, it looked like, but she was in a far better condition than Lily, who was all but knocked out from the looks of it. She pursed her lips, listening to Adam and Ren bicker. They did need to gather what notes and the like Isabeau had collected, didn't they? If not there was the risk of not only the common populace learning of their psychic abilities, but also the—she glanced at the unmoving body of the monstrosity from before—possibility of bringing something dead back to life. As if the story of Carmilla was not dreadful enough. At least people knew that was only make-believe, and the fanciful imagination of an individual.

She sighed and turned back to Adam, only to find him already walking away, down a nearby path. She glanced briefly back and forth between the receding form of Adam, and her companions. Of all of them, she was probably the one least shaken by the events, on account of not having faced that thing, instead tasked with catching their fugitive. She made her decision.

"Aleksandra, help Ren and Lily, and return to the House, and rest. I will help Adam with the rest." She then turned and jogged after him, catching up soon enough and settled alongside her fellow Psychic. "I find that jacket is a little too big for you," She said, attempting to lighten the mood, however little she could. "I take it, it's not a fashion statement?"

The Crucible - Winner Take All

The trip went without issue. The mushrooms she had used to soften Brucie's steps still worked, albeit much less effectively than before, having been trampled down by the shark in the last few hours. Mouse, on the other hand, proved worthy of his name and followed near soundlessly, only his claws making the occasional 'clack' against the rocky ground.

While Brucie's sight might be severely inhibited in this darkness, Lily had no such issues, and kept her eyes trained mostly on the enormous crow, perching in the city ahead. She could thank it for making access to the city easier, but what was its purpose here? More to the point, what was that castle on its back? Was it no mere beast, but a companion or mount? A flying island, seems to be a more fitting description. Whatever it was, someone was likely in control of it, though how escaped her. It was also not a thing she wanted to have to fight. Alone the crow would likely prove a challenge on par with a Titan, and that was not even mentioning the figures skitting across its back, in and out of the castle. The best bet was to avoid it altogether, but keep track of it. Unless, of course, it proved core to whatever task it was Oren wanted her to accomplish down here. She kept her ears alert for anything else.

She tapped Brucie's shoulder and pointed towards where a small crevasse allowed for climbing between two of the knocked-down pillars. Lily went first, easily coming out on top, then waited for Brucie and Mouse to make their way up. Coming down the other side proved much easier, with the rubble providing plenty of footholds. Brucie didn't even stumble on the way down.

"That's a big bird," Brucie murmured, eyeing the gigantic avian. "Reckon' it'll attack us?"

Lily briefly shook her head. "Don't think so. See the figures on it's back?"

"Nope. Too bloody dark."

She rolled her eyes. "Right. Anyway. Several people are on its back, including that castle there. Yes, a castle. Just because you're a shark doesn't mean I don't recognise a judgemental look. It's a mount, Brucie, or something similar." She stopped, taking hold of his arm to make him do so as well. She pointed to various parts of the bird, keeping as close to him as she could in hopes that he could see. "It has no armour, no weapons except its own talons. Were it a warbeast it would have those in all likelihood, and in a fight it would risk the castle falling off its back, or at least its inhabitants getting shaken needlessly around inside of it."

"So... It's like a giant, flying car. Except it's a bird. With wings... And a bloody castle on its back?"

Lily didn't need to hear the incredulousness in Brucie's voice to realise how ridiculous it sounded, so she settled for a simple, "Yes. Yes it is."

Ahead of them was a wall surrounding the city, something neither of them had foreseen. And in the air above, shadows flitted to and fly. None large enough to give significant pause, but still not something Lily wanted to dismiss. When she herself could summon the power of a storm, however briefly, she dared not let size alone determine whether something was a threat. She let her hand fall to the pommel of the sword she carried, finding the cold metal reassuring. She prided herself on not needing weapons, and for all that it was true, she knew well how useful a weapon could be, especially in the hands of someone who could use it.

And to think I lamented Ikari forcing me to learn how to handle one. She smiled wryly at that, and not for the first time. She had used swords before. They had saved her life before.

They continued forward, keeping an eye out for the crow, and staying as close to the shadows as possible. Better to not be the worm that the early crow decided to get. Their trip was uneventful for the most of it, the occasional tumbling rock or sudden splash of a water droplet falling from the stalactites in the ceiling. Mouse kept his nose to the ground, sniffing for anything while Lily had her eyes and ears peeled. And yet, somehow, they missed something that should have been obvious.

While passing through the shadow of a ruin-like pillar—ancient even when she city in front of them was new, Lily suspected—an unfamiliar voice called out to them.

"Evening."

Lily whirled, steel flashed, and faster than a human could blink she had the tip of the sword mere inches from the stranger's neck. Brucie, too, had his rifle pointed towards the newcomer. Mouse let out a low growl.

The stranger, however, simply sat down slowly, mentioning that he came in peace.

"I find that hard to believe," Lily commented, the hostility in her voice badly hidden, if at all. She had lowered her sword, but kept it unsheathed—the sudden lantern light reflecting on its surface.

"Shoot him?" Brucie asked. Requested, almost.

Lily listened with half an ear, shifting her head slightly from side to side, one of her tails coming forward to gently press down on his rifle, indicating that he shouldn't shoot. That she didn't force it all the way down was the asterisk: Not yet, anyway.

The rest of her attention was squarely upon the, at this point, rather odd stranger. His initial greeting might have been what one expected from someone who genuinely did not want conflict, or at least pretended not to want it. What came after was... perplexing. The revelation that the person had an owl head had made Lily do a double-take, not immediately recalling any such creature in her homeworld. At the very least it explained how he could have seen them, although his insinuation that it was the only reason he even found them, was something she found hard to believe. Brucie was hardly silent, in spite of her best efforts. And owls were notorious for having incredible hearing, on top of their near unmatched eyesight.

The longer his monologue continued, to more Lily felt her hostility evaporating. She simply couldn't see this guy as an enemy. Not to mention that the drone had not yet indicated any new opponent, and—she gave him a once-over—and he didn't appear to have any phylactery upon him, and thus he was not a contender. Brucie, she noticed near the end of the stranger's speech, fared no better on the confusion part. Or maybe he was just deep in thought. It was sometimes difficult to tell with that shark.

"So... Emile," Lily said slowly, tapping the sword against her thigh, "you've been keeping an eye on us. I assume you have a reason, so I'll cut to the chase. What do you want? And why have you been following us?"

Beside her, Brucie perked up, and spoke confidently. "I think you should've gone for mysterious and noble. Fits your whole—" he waved a metallic arm at Emile "—thing."

To Lily's chagrin, Mouse seemed to be in agreement, and gave a quick bark.

One of her tails twitched, disrupting the wave-like motion they were usually in. Traitorous dog.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Their wounds healed, Lily and Brucie sat by side side backs against the boulder they had used as cover. Mouse was resting nearby, keeping a weary eye on Lily. Were she to guess, she would think him anxious after her display of power. Most likely the repeated explosions had shocked him. A part of her felt bad for that, almost shameful at having scared such an innocent creature. Would he forgive her for it? He hadn't left yet, and still kept relatively near. That told her he hadn't been pushed away entirely, and was only a little cautious around her. Or at least she hoped so.

She turned to the pack Brucie had set between them, fishing out a piece of bread. She hadn't had much experience with dogs as pets, but she knew from her urchin lifestyle, that stray dogs were more than willing to eat anything offered. Waving the bread slightly from side to side seemed to get Mouse's attention, and he slowly waddled closer, sniffing the bread, before he started to gnaw on it. The sight of him eating enthusiastically, his worry forgotten with a food bribe, eased the frown on Lily's face, the corners of her lips tugging upwards ever so slightly. Brucie, on the other hand, grunted, and then rummaged through the bag himself, fishing out some pastry or other for himself. Whose manners were worst, the kitsune couldn't quite decide.

She directed her attention forward, to where the gooey remains of her opponent remained. The charred corpse had reverted to some sort of black goo, and in doing so had erupted into a small hoard of items. Curiously enough, a rabbit and a cat had also appeared from amidst the gunk, and promptly run off in the dark. She had decided not to question the whys and hows, though Brucie had expressed interest in some of the guns. He had even, by some weird stroke of luck, found a small handful of rockets that fit in his shoulder-mounted launcher. Though only two thirds full, it was still enough that he would prove a danger at range once more, much as when they had first met.

She had also given him the rifle that had nearly taken her life, and found about another magazine-and-a-half full of bullets that fit. He had insisted that she also take one of the guns that lay in the puddle, and it had taken her pointing out, that the length of her nails kept her from getting her finger on the trigger, with any reliable speed. She had instead chosen a long, slender sword, complete with a belt and sheath to keep it in. Brucie had also managed to find a few, still usable, grenades. Two fragmentation, and a single smoke grenade, best she could tell.

The last thing that they had found was a strange, brass sphere, covered in strange etchings that made it seem almost like a stellar map. She was not quite so hesitant with this item as the previous ones, now that the track record of harmless prizes was three for three. She stuffed it in a side pocket of Brucie's backpack, deciding to figure out how to use it later.

For now, they had an ancient city to investigate. And so they set out, Lily in the front, Brucie and Mouse right behind her.

The Crucible - Winner Take All

Lily vs Smiler Round 3
Still smiling, and not very hurt.

Her attack would have caved in the ribcage of any human, crushing the lungs and heart. And this thing was still going? Still able to stand up in spite of such a grievous injury.

She was more angry than shocked. Why couldn't it just stay down? Leave this world, give its soul to her, and bring her one step closer to getting her wish? She struggled to stand, the pain in her thigh intense even after the healing draught, and wiped the tears from her eyes, bringing the rising monstrosity back into clear view. That smile infuriated her. It was wicked, malignant, and reminded her all too much of the bastard Endolans. So sure of themselves. So self-righteous and arrogant. She grit her teeth and snarled, their eyes meeting through the falling dust- and smokecloud.

It ground Its swords together, creating a loud, grating noise. His other pair of hands were blessedly empty, his rifle lost when Lily blasted him back. "So, Kitty... Your best shot, was it?" He chuckled. A wet, ugly sound. "Not enough. Gonna stick your tail between your legs, now?"

Lily dared not look away. She could see the other gun in his belt, and knew that he was almost as fast as she was. If she gave him the chance, he could shoot her again. "I have no intentions of running," she muttered to herself and flicked one of her tails. An orb of fire was flung seemingly from the tip, rocketing towards her enemy. He sidestepped and it blew up a cloud of dust beside him where it landed.

"Come now, little girl. You have done better. Show me your fiiire!"

If that is what he wants. Her tails started moving behind her; a slow ebb and flow, and with it appeared several orbs of cobalt flame around her. Her tails whipped forward and sent the orbs on their way, like a deadly wall of fire.

It danced to the side again, avoiding most and- Lily's eyes widened. His maw opened to fill his entire face, and swallowed what few flames would have hit him, leaving no damage or injury on him. The rest exploded beside him, throwing up more dust which was starting to obscure him and his surroundings.

She hadn't the time to contemplate how or what, when his maw opened and regurgitated flame, throwing the same blue fire back at her. Fast as it was, it was no bullet. She sidestepped deftly, which turned into a stumble as she put weight on her injured leg. The report of a gun followed, and she felt the whoosh of air as it passed by where her head had been a fraction of a second ago. She wasted no time and turned her stumble into a roll, then bit her tongue and pushed through the pain, bursting into a run towards cover.

Two more gunshots followed her, both missing by mere inches, before being interrupted by the sound of metal against flesh, and the stomping feet of a giant, mechanized shark.

---

"Thanks for the dust-cover, boss!" Brucie shouted, already following up on his initial strike. The creep lay sprawled not far from him, jaw broken from where he had hit him first. Creeper scrambled to his feet and lashed out with the swords, which went ignored as Brucie threw another haymaker. It only graced him—damn guy was as quick as Fox-Boss!—but it was enough to force him back, out of immediate range. Nevertheless, Brucie grinned, feeling the thrill of the fight.

Lily's dustcloud and explosions had given him the perfect opportunity to approach both unseen and unheard, timing his steps with the sounds of her explosions, and finally with the gunfire of the creep. And now he was finally part of the fight. He didn't even feel the two cuts in his chest, and didn't care if it was from his unique alterations or just the sheer excitement of getting to punch someone again.

He let out a sound somewhere between a roar and a laugh and jumped forward, bringing down both clawed hands in a hammerblow. Creeper tried to divert it, but the weight and power behind it was too much. The blow clipped him on the bead and forced one of the swords out of his hand.

"Sooo. Brought a big friiend, did shee?" The dude commented, dancing around Brucie's next punch.

"Shut up and fight!" Brucie exclaims, continuing his assault with increasing ferocity. Most swings are dodged, but some scored glancing blows and left cuts bleeding blood far darker than it should be.

Behind him, he dimly heard the sound of footsteps. The annoyingly fast thing before him seemed to have noticed as well, as his head briefly jerked that way, the huge grin on his face widening. This gave Brucie the opportunity he needed. So he lunged, biting down on the Creeper's shoulder, fangs sinking deep and eliciting a loud screech of pain. Brucie wrenched at his shoulder and arm, feeling the flesh give under his jaws.

He added his claws, tearing at the thing's body, scoring hit after hit even as he received such in return. He even felt the gunshots that went into his abdomen but didn't let up. He had his prey in his jaws, and he was not letting go.

"Leet goo!" The Creeper screamed, slashing at Brucie's arms with his remaining sword but achieving nothing but scratching the metal. He thrashed and hit again and again, pummelling Brucie with everything he had. "Leet go or she'll kill us both!"

She? Kill us? That must mean Lily. The mention of her brought to his attention the crackle of fire, and the new source of blue-ish light tinting the area around them. He grinned around the mouthful of shoulder. He knew Lily better than that. She may act grouchy and sour all the time, but he had seen her when she wasn't fighting, when she thought no one looked. He had seen her care, had seen her smile. She had treated an enemy like him with respect, and even shown him mercy when he would have shown her none.

So he grinned, and let out a muffled laught, and then he pulled. He could hear the sound of flesh tearing, bone splitting and being pulled apart, as easily as he could taste the rancid blood.

She spit the lumb of flesh in the face of his prey, then grabbed the sword-arm mid-swing and brought his face right down to his. "She won't," he growled.

And just as he did, the voice of Lily came from behind. "Brucie, MOVE!" And he did. He jumped backwards, just in time for the first orb of fiery death to streak forward, hitting the prone creep. It was followed by another, and then another.

Like an elemental of fire itself, dozens upon dozens of blue flames surrounded her, coating both her tails and hair and and nearly forming a corona around her. Each orb a wound in and of itself, but together they were a death sentence. Every orb that she sent forward, the writhing sea of blue that were her tails conjured a replacement.

And this power... This rage and ruthlessness was new. Brucie had seen her Mercy when they fought. He had seen her kindness when the dog came to them. He had even seen her regret when she faced off against the musician. There was none of this now. Only a relentless onslaught and a determination to destroy.

It was as if the revelation brought with it a sense of fatigue. He slumped and fell backwards into a sitting position, metallic arms keeping him up.

---

Lily took a deep breath, and then let it out thereby extinguishing the remaining orbs of fire surrounding her. Her tails returned to their white colour, as did her hair turn black again. Off to the side she saw Brucie sitting, looking at her. And in front of her... A blackened husk, or what remained of it. Though the explosive power of her individual Wisp was low, add a few hundred and even a durable body would be blown apart.

She slowly stepped over to it, keeping herself straight in spite of her exhaustion, caused in equal parts by bloodloss and exertion. Much as she expected, there was little left but burnt flesh and charred pieces of plastic and metal. She couldn't even identify the phylactery. Not that it mattered. Her opponent was dead, and that was the important part.

Leaving behind the corpse, she approached Brucie, her expression softening somewhat. "Thank you," she said slowly, tasting the words. She wasn't used to them. "You saw the cover I made and used it to your benefit. I... I'm not sure how I would've fared without your help."

Brucie just grinned. "I'm not as big an idiot as you think I am. May be a shark, but they did make him as smart as a human." He cleared his throat. "Though... Think you could bring that flask? You look pretty bummed up and, I—uuh—I could use a bit of help myself," he said and looked down at himself, indicating the three, bleeding, gunshots in his lower abdomen, and tail, as well as the half dozen or so cuts across his body.

She nodded and pushed herself upright, ignoring the pain that seemed to permeate her entire body. She, too, wouldn't mind a drink of liquid gold. It was a good thing that she had chosen to leave the flask behind, otherwise it would probably have melted in the inferno she had created.

She returned with it moments later, finding that Brucie had already opened the faucet that had once been his water cannon. Bad as she felt, the bleeding from his wounds was severe, so she offered him the first drink. When he refused she stuffed it in his mouth instead, threatening with another electrocution should he so much as try to spit any of it out. Only when she saw his wounds start to close did she fill it again, this time draining it herself.

"So... Creepy guy done for. What next?"

Lily sighed, then grimaced as she felt the bullet that had lodged itself in her stomach be pushed out, and finally looked up towards the ceiling of the cavern, to where the drone hovered. "Now," she said, "we wait for the pompous prick to bring me my prize for winning this round. Then we continue."

Kapuchu's list of Stuff

Basic Information

Name: Evelina Quinn
Alias: The Barricade

Gender: Female

Actual Age: 28
Appeared Age: 24

Height: 180 cm
Weight: 75 kg

Eye Colour: Unnaturally bright Green
Hair Colour: Fiery Red

Physical Identifiers:

• Slitted pupils
• 1 inch canines (fangs, essentially)

Appearance:
A waterfall of fiery, wavy curls falls down past her waist, stopping just below her buttocks, framing a fair and near flawless, oval face, though often held in a high ponytail given its length. Large eyes the colour of emeralds peer out from beneath light brows, a line of freckles covering the button nose above her full lips. She posses an excotic beauty born from the combination of her vivid and rare colours of her eyes and hair, enhancing her many average features to the point where even they shine with a brilliance unseen in most.

She is slim of body, toned, and looks like someone who exercises regularly. Even then, however, she still retains a near perfect hourglass figure, with wide hips and noticeable posterior, as well as a pair of breasts far larger than most any other woman in Dust. She carries herself with a casual air, but is far from ignorant of her surroundings. She appears innocent, and but a quiet and kind girl. She is well aware of how her appearance draws attention, but it is not something she tends to use. She dresses in tight shirts most of the time, with bandages making her bosom appear smaller than it is.

Evelina's Bust Size

Her exact chest size is unknown, but imagine it as about the size around Tessa Fowler and Merilyn Sakova.

I want to make certain you are aware of the fabulousness of Evelina's hair

They represents the general style when loose and in a high ponytail, as well as the length. Yes, it is very long.

Background

Residence:
None

Profession:
- Healer

Alligned Faction:
Motum Diversum

Relatives:

• Brian Quinn - Father
• Sally Quinn - Mother
• Michael Jones - Grandfather (Mother’s Side) [Deceased]
• Elizabeth Jones - Grandmother (Mother’s side) [Deceased]
• Hugh Quinn - Grandfather (Father’s side) [Deceased]
• Molly Quinn - Grandmother (Father’s side) [Deceased]

Backstory

Backstory:
Born and raised in Parkland, Evelina lived a rather comfortable life. Her parents—Brian Quinn and Sally Quinn—worked as a Winged Guardian and a cook respectively. It didn’t take more than a single glance to see how her father, at least, had fallen for her mother. Sally was, for lack of better word, beautiful. Evelina had inherited both her eyes and her hair, and even her body—only with a bit more than her mother ever had. Men from all corners of her hometown in Parkland had tried to woo her in her teens, but only ever one young man had ever managed to get her attention.

He was neither exceptionally handsome or even very intelligent. He was an average man in all but sincerity, which, according to Sally, had been the reason why she had chosen to marry Brian, as he wanted her, not for her looks, but because of her person. He never made any comments that could be considered lewd, or even hinted at it. More than once had Evelina heard her mother tease her father about how he might stop loving her, if she got a big ugly burn on her face from an accident in the kitchens, at which point he’d fervently deny it, and continuous insisting that he’d never leave her no matter how she looked. That always got both Sally and Evelina to laugh, and had Brian grumbling something about manipulative women.

Her life was a relatively quiet one, and it wasn’t until her early teens that things started to happen. Namely, she started to grow into a woman, and did so far quicker than any other girls she knew. It resulted in bullying and name calling; “cow” being one of the most common names thrown her way. The offers of “comfort” that the boys aimed at her did nothing but pile onto the shame she was starting to feel; shame of her body and how big her chest was becoming. She resorted to isolating herself from any and all contact, with those she once had called friends and acquaintances, and instead buried herself in her own little world where only a select few people were allowed entry; namely her parents and those of their friends who treated her like they would their own nieces.

This went on for a few years until she reached the age of 14, having now already had breasts for 3 years. Now that the other girls her age were starting to grow into an adult body, she attempted social contact once more, albeit with her chest bound tightly by bandages to decrease its size, and make her blend in. It worked to a small degree, with the name calling ceasing entirely. She still didn’t have anyone she’d really call friends, however.

Her life with her parents was much the same it always had been, but her social life had changed dramatically; slowly as it transitioned from being out with friends to staying home or being out alone for periods of time that gradually grew longer. Her parents noticed only after a long period of time, and even then mostly because of how she started hiding her voluptuousness. Only after her father had firmly, but still kindly, pressed her for answers as to , did she finally tell him how she was afraid that the other children would throw more insults at her if she did not hide them.

She didn’t have any friends, she had said, but if she could at least be near them without being reminded of how she was different all the time, then that was enough. Truthfully, Brian Quinn didn’t know what to do. He was a simple man, and what his daughter went through was something he had no experience with. Not only that, but he couldn’t very well punish children he didn’t know who were for making his daughter sad. Sure, he could give a warning to the parents of the children around Evelina’s age that if they didn’t keep their kids in check, the Winged Guardians would pay them a visit, but that would be an abuse of power that he wouldn’t let himself perform. So he tried doing the next best thing: Boost her self confidence by trying to make her feel powerful.

So having decided that he’d try to make her feel confident, and in power, he found himself leading her towards the shooting ranges as a 15 year old for the first time. Here he taught her how to maintain a gun, as well as how to aim and shoot, how to load, and even how other types of guns and rifles worked; the gun which he taught her how to use was an old model, a replica of a P220 from before the Fall. The first day she had missed just about every shot she fired, primarily because of having her eyes closed. While she had been scared of it at first, she learned to enjoy the act of loading, shooting, and loading again when she ran out of rounds.

The years continued and she reached 17 years of age, and it was about time she started thinking about what she wanted to do with her life. She had, according to her mother, a knack for cooking, who also put forth the suggestion that she could join her as a cook. Her father, however, was of the opinion that she should follow her own path. This lead to Evelina pondering herself about what did she want to do herself.

For weeks she thought and mused, yet no ideas came to her. What did she want? She was reasonably good at cooking, but that wasn’t anything spectacular, and surely it wasn’t good enough to get her a job as a cook anywhere. She did want to do something like what her father did, but she wasn’t big enough, nor skilled enough with a gun or any martial arts to be a useful Winged Guardian.

So then, what?

The answer came to her one day when her mother fell ill and she had to tend to her while her father was out on patrol in the city. She couldn’t protect others from getting hurt like her father, and she didn’t have much confidence in becoming a cook. Perhaps, she thought, she could help them after they got hurt? It felt right, somehow. Having decided on that she started pouring over every book she could find, borrow, or buy about herbal formulas, how to set a bone, how to clean a wound and how to bind it. She did her best to get her hands on everything to do with healing a broken body, whether it be difficult surgeries still far beyond her level, or even the most basic of basic things about CPR. She, much to her own and her parents’ surprise, got so swallowed up in her studies that she completely forgot about the taunts and bullying she had suffered in her early teens.

A few years passed and she had reached her 19th birthday and was starting to get out a bit more. She also started official studies on medicine and healing. Once around people her own age again she suddenly remembered the painful years of bullying, but it wasn’t like that. Not at all. The degrading comments and insult had been replaced by genuine compliments in most cases. To say that she was shocked would have been an understatement, as compliments from people other than her parents was a complete unknown to her.

She started to open up more and become more open and friendly with others. She started to get friends and started joking. She never even thought about romance; having friends was enough. She continued her studies and emerged a fully fledged medic a few years later, excelling in saving the life of idiots who got themselves hurt, as her teacher had told them once. She felt confident—a little.

She worked as a healer in Parkland for several years, and lived well for it. In a world where currency was nothing but what you could do, or what you could give, being able to save someone from the brink of death was as valuable a commodity as any. Perhaps even the most valuable of all.

She moved out into a small apartment of her own at her 21st birthday she still had plenty of contact with her parents and often visited them for dinner or just for social visits.

Her life was good, she thought, and despite a very small number of friends she felt that she had enough: She even started being proud of her body, rather than ashamed of its proportions.

But all good things must come to an end, and so did her happy life.

It all started during the summer of her 24th year, when a distress call for medical help was issued from out in the wasteland.

Evelina was at her home with the sniffles at that point; sore, slight headache, and a little tired. She wasn’t going to let that stop her, however, and upon hearing that someone was in dire need of help she went out immediately. She packed her bag and went out together with a number of other people.

They drove for at least two hours before they reached the appointed destination, and found what looked to be the scene of an ambush, or a raid. There were two people on the scene, one covered in blood but conscious, and the other still sitting in the truck seemingly unconscious. They went about treating the one covered in blood first, but when they got near him he sat up and drew a gun, pointing it at the first medic who got near him. The one in the car stepped out as well, followed by several others from the back of the truck. They were all from the Forsaken Order, as evident by the crest on their clothing, and demanded that they hand over all of their medical equipment.

Most complied but Evelina did not. Being a healer was her pride and joy, and she didn’t want to simply let them take it away from her. A single punch from their biggest guy, as punishment for disobeying them, was all they needed to take her down. She was unconscious almost before she hit the ground.

She never really figured out what happened while she was blacked out, but she assumed that the Forsaken had taken the other doctors back with them, leaving her to die in the wasteland as she was too small to be of any use in the mines, and they—thankfully—had no interest in a sex slave at this time.

She counted herself lucky that at least her headache and sniffles were gone when she woke up several hours later, when the purple light of the twilight hovered in the horizon. Her luck seemed greater than expected when she saw that a bag of medical supplies had been left in their car. It only contained some basic equipment and spare bandages, as well as a mirror, but it was better than noth—she caught sight of herself in the mirror by chance as she rummaged through the back. The angry spot of purple and yellow on her jaw went completely unnoticed, taking the backseat in favour of her eyes.

She had heard of the Immortals, but never actually seen one. She knew that they always had different eyes from normal humans, and that their eyes could look like virtually anything. So her having slitted, cat-like eyes? It could only mean one thing. It was also then that she became conscious of a different feeling in her mouth, something she had chalked up to simply being residual pain from the punch she had received. It was, however, much more than that. A quick check with the mirror revealed that her canines had grown out to be at least an inch long each, and far longer and sharper than usual. She looked more like a predator with those teeth than a human; like she could tear meat from bones with ease.

I’m an Immortal.

The thought raced through her head so quickly that she didn’t realise the truth of it before it had been repeated a dozen times: She was an Immortal, a kind of people who had survived the Sickness without dying.

So that’s what it was… I thought it was only a cold.

She fell to her knees, tears already falling. She felt numb. Numb to the heat, numb to the tears falling onto her lap. The only thing that registered was that of her canines, now conscious of them. They felt so big and clumsy, like they didn’t belong. It… wasn’t her. She wasn’t that. No. She wasn’t—

A monster.

She drew in a shuddering breath and stood up, took the bag, and went into the car. It sputtered and died almost before she had turned the key completely. The bandits had taken the gas from it, of course. It was with almost lifeless movements that she started walking, the sun battering her relentlessly, yet she didn’t feel hot, but that didn’t register until much later.

She arrived at Parkland the following morning, exhausted. She had barely had anything to drink except for half a bottle of water she found in the bag she had taken, and except for that she’d gotten nothing. She neared the entrance to the city and saw a few Winged Guardians coming to meet her—not many travellers came by foot, after all.

The Guardians stopped her about a hundred metres from the city limits, demanding to know who she was. She looked up and, to her surprise, saw a face she was intimately familiar with. The surprise on her own face was mirrored by her father’s as he looked back at her.

“Your eyes,” he said in a stunned voice, to which she only nodded.

“Do you know her?” The second Guardian asked, lowering his gun ever so slightly.

“Of course I do!” Brian barked at his colleague. “She’s my daughter! Evelina, tell me, what happened? You went out to that distress call and now you get back like this. What happened out there? Where are the others?”

“I don’t know,” she replied in a voice devoid of hope. “The call for help was a fake, and we were ambushed. They left me alone after knocking me unconscious—” she pointed at the mark on her cheeks “—and when I woke up I was alone… Dad, do you remember that cold I’ve complained about for the last week?” She chuckled humourlessly. “It wasn’t a cold. It was the Sickness.” She stopped then, gaze falling to the ground. “I didn’t die from it, but… It’s probably worse than that. I’m an Immortal.”

“Immortal? Shi—” The other Guardian raised his gun and almost pulled the trigger, stopped only by Evelina’s father knocking the gun out of his grasp. “What the hell are you doing, man?! She’s an Immortal! Dangerous as fuck if you hadn’t noticed!”

“She is my DAUGHTER!” Brian roared in return, seizing his colleague by the collar. “She’s not some dangerous monster that we have to kill, do you understand, Rookie?!”

The other Guardian was silent for a moment, glancing between Evelina’s slitted gaze and Brian’s furious one. Eventually, he nodded sullenly. “But she still can’t enter the city,” he insisted, massaging his throat with one hand. “Strict orders not to let Immortals get in, even you know that.”

Evelina could see how much it pained him, but he nodded. “Orders are orders, but it doesn’t mean we have to kill them. Now go, get a backpack and fill it with supplies: Water, food, utensils, etc. Everything needed for wandering this god-forsaken wasteland, and survive. Get a bike, too. Oh, and while you’re at it, go to my wife and tell her that I asked for Box 220.”

“But why? She’s just a—”

“DO IT!”

“Yes sir!” And he scurried off, probably heading to get the things he was ordered to.

Father and daughter stood chatting a while, a chat that mostly consisted of the father comforting his daughter as best he could. Everything was going to be alright, he told her. There were people more willing to help her, and there were even rumours of Immortals banding together to form a small town of their own. He told her how sad he was that he couldn’t let her in, and that he would smuggle her in if he knew that he could, but it just wasn’t possible. She couldn’t hide her eyes, nor her teeth. Time would pass an eventually people would find out, and not only would she be persecuted but so would her parents. She… didn’t want that. Some people were so deathly afraid of Immortals that they would react with violence immediately which, in some cases she’d heard, resulted in a violent outburst of power where the Immortal accidentally killed and destroyed everything nearby.

No, she didn’t want that. Not at all. She resigned herself to her fate and toughed it out, trying once more to be daddy’s brave girl.

The colleague returned about an hour later, carrying a large backpack filled to the brim with supplies, dragging a dirty looking bike by the steerings; a long, square box was balanced on the seat of the bike.

“Thank you, now return to your post,” Evelina’s father said, dismissing the rookie. He took the backpack and looked through it, nodding to himself after a while, obviously satisfied. From within he pulled out a belt with several pouches attached to it and handed it to Evelina. “There’s a canteen there, a map and a compass, as well as some match sticks and a lighter if need be. Aside from that there’s food and water in here to last you for at least two weeks and,” he looked back at the bike, only now noticing the two bags on either side of it,” a lot more in those bags. Now,” he took the box from the seat of the bike and handed it to her. Opening it revealed an old SIG P220 Handgun, if what her father had taught her served her right. It was obviously very old, yet well maintained.

“A relic,” he explained. “A very old gun from before The Fall. I found it a long time ago with your mother. There is some 200 rounds for it in the box as well from the same time, which we found with it. They can’t be made anymore so use them sparingly.” She attached the gun and the holster to her belt. “And then there’s this,” he presented to her a sword; a 20 inch blade with an 8 inch handle. It was a relatively short sword with a broad blade and a sturdy appearance. It weighed heavily in her hand and felt… safe, somehow. “It’s reforged using the metal from a similar sword passed down through generations. It hasn’t been used since… before the Fall, I think, but it’s very old. I had it reforged a couple years back, and now I think you should have it. It’s… not much of a weapon in this world, but it may come in handy.” She gave her a sidelong smirk. “Who knows, maybe your new powers will make it a very good thing to have.” She couldn’t deny the possibility.

Despite herself, she giggled. Even in the worst of times her father seemed to make her laugh. “Thank you, dad. It’s… good to have you help me. I’ll try to see if I can find those other Immortals, and if not… then I’ll wait until people are more receptive of us. Tell mom that I said hi, and please… don’t lie to her. I think she’d rather know that I’m alive, but an Immortal, than believe that I either died or was taken prisoner by the Forsaken.” Whatever else she would’ve said was interrupted by a pair of strong arms embracing her.

“I’ll miss you, Evelina. Promise me that you’ll take good care of yourself, and don’t get into unnecessary danger.”

“I’ll do what I can,” she replied, embracing him as well for a short moment, then stepped back. “I think it’s time I go… Wouldn’t want to keep you from your job for too long.” She smiled at him, then, and kissed his cheek. “I’ll be going. Bye dad. S-Say hi to mom.” She brushed past him, taking the backpack and slinging it onto her back. She hopped onto the bike, straddling it. A turn of the keys and another of the handle caused it to emit a deep rumbling like that of a massive beast.

“There should be a fuel tank in one of the bags on its side. There’s a little extra in it, I think,” he said from behind her. “I don’t think I ever taught you how to ride one, but…”

“I’m sure I’ll figure it out,” she said, filling out the silence after his sentence. “It can’t be that hard, can it?” She chuckled, with a tiny sliver of humour actually making its way into her it. She looked back at him, eyes shining with unshed tears, and cheeks wet with those already shed. “I’ll come visit you some day, even if I have to sneak in myself. Bye dad, I l—” the rest of her sentence was lost in the very lady-like squeal she made when she she shot forward, having turned the handle of the bike a bit too much and sent it speeding into the distance.

Brian Quinn chuckled. If she had the energy to squeal like that then there was nothing to worry about. He knew she was scared, and so was he. Her life had been turned on its head, but she was a strong girl and could get through it. But even then, he hated to see her go. He hated most of all that he was powerless to help her.

He sighed and returned to his post, resigning himself to a sleepless night, only the first of many to come. Both he and his wife would worry about her for weeks before they started to calm down enough to sleep soundly.

To their great surprise and joy, it took only a week. A letter arrived with a few sentences scrawled onto a messy piece of paper.

Dad, Mom.

I can manipulate light. It’s difficult to control, but I’m getting the hang of it. I also helped someone today: A kid had broken his leg during a caravan, and with no one else nearby they were desperate for help. I know they only let me help out of desperation, but getting an earnest thanks from that boy even when I’m an Immortal… It made me almost cry.

I’m alright. You don’t have to worry about me. It’s a little lonely, but I’m used to that.

Evelina Quinn, your daughter.

Only a few sleepless nights followed after the letter, and were completely dispelled when a second one arrived the next week. It became a common thing that, once a week, or every two weeks, a letter from Evelina would arrive, even if it only contained a “I’m alright.” She was safe, and that was enough for them.

Evelina herself found herself somewhat satisfied as well. She was lonely, as she had said, but it wasn’t that bad. She met kind people every now and then. As it turned out, not everyone hated Immortals.

That, more than anything, gave her hope.

Equipment

Weapons:
- A short broadsword carried horizontally across her lower back/hips.
- SIG P220 Handgun

Armour:
None

Ammunition:
High Grade Rounds: 121 x 10mm rounds

Backpack:

• Various herbal remedies & formulas.
• Splints, bandages, anesthetics; everything a wandering Medic would need, and more.
• Various necessities (food, water, tent, clothes, soap, etc.)
• Oils and tools to keep both weapons clean and functional.
• Tinted Goggles.
• 8 magazines for her gun (10mm rounds)

Belt Pouches:

• 3 magazines for her gun
• SIG P220 Handgun (8 bullets loaded)
• Compass, Map & Canteen.

Miscellaneous:
A bike, and fuel for it.

Immortalis Information

Manifested Phenomena:
Has the ability to control light in several different ways, chief among them being her ability to create barriers and ropes, or even send it forth as a beam of heat.
- Can turn insubstantial and move with incredible speed for up to 2 seconds before she returns to physical form.
- Estimated Speed: 20 metres pr second
- Resistant to heat and doesn’t seem bothered by high temperatures.
- Immune to flashbangs

Strengths:
- Extensive Medical Knowledge
- Decent gymnastic abilities (Flexibility, reflexes, etc)
- Basic swordsmanship & gun skills
- Enhanced night vision (eyes)

Weaknesses:
- Not very strong.
- Somewhat vulnerable to cold.
- Not the largest girl around; rather easily pushed around.
- Powers are weakened during the night.

Awakened State

Spark Name: Fianna The Gentle

Awakening Conditions:
Emotional stimulus or other. The first time Eveline achieved the Awakened State was when she was in a life or death situation, and had someone in the crossfire whom she felt she needed to save. Fianna and Evelina are on friendly terms, being fully capable of talking together should they feel like it. As such, Evelina can achieve Awakened at almost any point she could want to, simply by asking Fianna to do it. They have, however, made a rule with each other; They are not to ‘Awaken’ unless the situation calls for it.

Innate Awakened Abilities:

• Armor of the Spark: Every spark surrounds their host in a black, chitin like shell, or armor. Their host resides within the armor, typically in the fetal position as they do not control their armored state through direct physical movement. Rather, the spark intercepts the neural commands for movement, and manipulates the armor that way. The spark or the host may be in control, but not both. If a spark is only partially awakened, the host will be stuck in whatever partial state they enter, until they are able to fully awaken. Only then may they revert back to their normal self at will. Additionally, heavy damage to the armor will cause it to break and fall off, reverting back to the normal state of the host.
• Voice of the Spark: Once awakened, the host and the spark may converse mentally. The Spark can share its knowledge, though since the phenomena is not innate to the spark itself, it can only give ideas and tips for power useage; The spark cannot teach its host mastery over their abilities. The spark can retain memories gathered from their host, recalling things they forget, or even noticing things the host themselves failed to, but only through the host's eyes. Many sparks may know each other, and may recognize other awakened forms. The awakened armor is unique to the spark, which is how sparks may recognize each other, even if the differences between two armor sets are very subtle.

Additional Abilities:

• Manifest: Unlike when she's simply an Immortal and only able to create barriers, her Awakened state allows her to Manifest objects, create items and tools out of light. She uses the principle of her barriers, but instead of simply making an outline of something, she makes a full form of condensed light, causing the tool to glow on its own. For this very reason it is also incredibly hot, burning at several hundred degrees celcius. Her own affinity to the element of light renders her all but immune to the effects of the blade, enabling her to wield it without harm.

Additional Strengths:

• Impenetrable Fortress: Like all other Immortals, Evelina’s Awakened State surrounds her in a set of armour akin to Chitin, in whatever appearance the Spark desires. Evelina/Fianna’s armour, however, is slightly different than the others. It consist of plates layered upon plates, and looks noticeably thicker than others. In essence, Fianna is far more durable than any other Spark, enabling her to take far more damage than the others before cracking.
• The Light Is Everywhere: All of Evelina’s previous abilities have received a boost. Her ‘Light Dash’ has its speed increased to roughly 300 metres a second, as opposed to simply 20. The intensity of her Light Beam has been increased (effectively reducing the amount of time and effort it takes her to charge it up to a certain point), and her barriers and ropes are more durable.
• Immortal Strength: Her physical strength has also been increased, allowing her to surpass the limits of human strength. The vast majority of this extra strength is located in the wing-like structures on her back, however. But even then she still surpasses a normal human’s potential.

Additional Weaknesses:

• Moonless Night: No matter how powerful Evelina may become, she is still entirely reliant on sunlight to fuel her power as a ‘Manipulator’. This also means that she loses up to 80+% of her power during the night, making her little more than a normal human. She is also unable to use her Awakened form during the night, as Fianna is even more dependent on Sunlight than Evelina herself is.
• Curse of Compassion: While not a weakness in terms of strength or speed, Fianna and Evelina are both very compassionate personalities, and so does not wish to take lives unless it is a matter of certain death if they do not. As such, they are hesitant to truly go on the offensive even with their limited offensive capabilities, and would rather restrain or tire out their opponents.
• Equivalent Exchange: Fianna and Evelina are a living fortress. They can withstand insane amounts of damage before they are truly in danger. But this Defense does not come at a cost. Even if their superhuman strength and speed allows them to overcome human limits, they still fall behind every other Immortal in offense. At their fullest, they will only achieve an estimate of 55-60% of another Awakened Immortal’s power.

Other:

• She is a lover of meat, and has a great dislike for Vegetarians. To her, eating meat (as well as vegetables, etc) is the only right thing to do. She believes that her love for all things once-living-now-food is the cause for her teeth changing alongside her eyes when she became an Immortal.
• Isn’t quite sure of her sexuality. Maybe because she never had any “flings” as a teenager, but she’s not sure.
• Her skills with a sword are self taught, with her skills with a gun coming from her father.

Kapuchu's list of Stuff

Basics

Name: Octavia Rowena Atalanta Gabriele
Goes by: Octavia Gabriele
Other names: Rowena, Tavi, Gabby.

Age: 24
Appeared Age: 17-20

Height: 57kg (126 lb)
Weight: 170cm (5’7)

Eye Color: Light purple
Hair Color: Dark purple

Physical Identifiers:

• Purple coloured eyes
• Purple hair, a few shades darker than her eyes
• Purple stuff (very fond of the colour)

Appearance:
There a people whose beauty is comparable to the gods from ancient Greece. There are those whose beauty stems from an excotic combination of colours, and even those whose rough and calloused exterior attracts. And then there is Octavia, a young woman whose appearance does not fit into any of these categories. While an attractive young woman in her own right the main focus of any attention directed at her is the startling colour of her hair and eyes. Locks of wavy purple fall down to the middle of her back, framing a face with a slightly pointed chin, high cheekbones and full lips.

Hours upon hours of exercise has gifted her with a body toned to perfection, with powerful thighs, a toned belly and overall slim build. Subtle muscles can be spotted moving beneath her skin as she moves, never so prominent as to detract anything from her feminine side. While not exactly the epitome of the hourglass figure, she still possesses a modest bust and shapely hips transitioning into round thighs.

To see her without her long nails and lips coloured a purple similar to her hair is about as rare as seeing Santa, some would say. And to a degree it is true; she never goes out without at least those two cosmetics.

Background

Residence: Small apartment in Serenity (former). Well-furnished and cozy room in Bitches’ Brew (current, until she finds something for herself).

Profession: Poledancer & Barmaid in the Bitches’ Brew. Formerly the same in Castalia Casino & Hotel.

Aligned Faction: The Castalia Family, Motum Diversum

Relatives:

• Brianne Rowena Gabriele - Mother
• Matthew Atalanta Gabriele - Father

Diary of Octavia Gabriele

The Diary of Octavia Rowena Atalanta Gabriele

23/3-2367

Dear Diary

I’m actually writing in it! It’s my tenth birthday today, and Daddy just got me a diary! I’m so excited! He even bought a pearple purple one!

You write in a diary, don’t you? I dunno what to write… My day? Okay! Mommy woke me up with kisses in the morning. She kissed my cheeks and poked my nose so I woke up. Then she gave me a pretty piece of cake! I felt almost bad for eating it. It was so cute! She said that colours for it was difficult to get, but seeing me smile when I saw it made it worth it. It also tasted really good.

Then she took me downstairs to my dad. We have a big home, they say. They say that a lot of people are jal Jellous jealous of our stairs, and wants to have some too. Anyway, we went down to dad and he gave me a present! You! My Diary! He also gave me some dolls he had bought. I liked them a lot but not as much as you, Diary. You’re my favourite colour, and Mom and Dad told me that I can tell you everything, so I am.

But it’s getting late now, and Mom’s calling saying I should sleep. Good night!

~~~~~

8/4-2368

Dear Diary

It’s been over a year now, and I just realised something! I completely forgot to tell you about me! I am so sorry, and I know I should have known better. You probably know a lot about me already, but in case you ever forget I’ll write it down now so that you can remember.

My name is Octavia Rowena Atalanta Gabriele. It’s a long name, I know, and I also prefer to just be called Octavia Gabriele. It’s much shorter but still nice. I was born March the 23rd year 2357. I live in Serenity with my mom and dad. I go to school while they work. My mom makes clothes (I think it’s called a Tailor) and my dad works in the Powerplant. I think he makes a lot of money from that. He never told me how much he gets, but I think it’s a lot.

I like the colour purple. A lot. I also have a lot of friends at school, but I only spend time with a few of them after school. They are my best friends. There is Michelle, Michael, Cassie, and Luna. Luna says that her parents named her after something they found in a very old book, something called a Moon. I have to ask mom and dad what that is.

I also like to sing and to dance. And I dance a lot. Whenever mom has time I like to dance and sing for her. I’m not very good but I practice. I know I’ll become good one day! Mom also says that. She believes in me. Dad just laughs when I dance for him, and then Mom scolds him. Says he has to be nice.

Well… That’s about it about me. I’m a big girl who likes to dance and sing, and I have lots of friends. I hope we continue to be friends, too, Diary. Good night!

~~~~~

30/10-2370

Dear Diary

WOW! I saw something amazing!
When I was on my way home I saw some of the older boys go to a bar after school. Luna and I followed them because one of them… Oh he’s so cute! His name is Jake and That’s not important. Luna and I followed Jake and his friends into the bar and we saw something amazing! Or I did. Luna was busy talking to Jake.

I didn’t get to talk much with Jake, but I didn’t care. I saw something amazing on the stage! There was a woman only in underwear dancing! But she didn’t just dance normally. No, she did all sorts of really difficult things with a large iron pole. She held herself up with only one arm, hung upside down, and sometimes only with her legs. The things she did were amazing and looked so cool! I really want to do that too.

So I went home and asked me dad if he knew someone who could teach me. He almost spat out his coffee when I asked him, and my mother looked the same. They said I couldn’t, and they would under no circumstances allow me to do it. I think they’re stupid. It’s just dancing, right? I don’t have to take off my clothes and stand there in only my underwear. Ugh. I barely have any boobs to show yet, so it’s not like I’d show anything important even if I wore only underwear!

Mom did say that she knew someone who was good at gymnastics, and told me that I could do that instead. Well… it’s close to dancing, isn’t it? I can at least practice… something until I am old enough to decide what I want to do myself. I guess I’ll do it. I start next week.

...I’m actually looking forward to it.

~~~~~

18/9-2372

Dear Diary

EEEEEEEEH!!!
Jake asked me out today! We’re going on a date tonight! I can’t wait I’m so happy!!!

I used a bunch of my savings on a new dress! It’s going to be so great!

...I wonder if he’ll kiss me. Ah! I have to get ready!

~~~~~

27/3-2373

[The paper is matted with tears]

Dear Diary

Jake wasn’t at all a nice guy. At all.
He told me he’d give me a really nice birthday present when it was my birthday. But he didn’t. He gave me a red dress. He was pretty, but… he tricked me. He told me that I owed him for it, and that he wanted… me. I didn’t want to at first, but he told me that I didn’t like him that much, then.

I let him do it, but today he told me that he’s breaking up. It was fun, he said, but I was no longer interesting. He just wanted to have sex. Asshole.

Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole AssholeAsshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole Asshole!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~~~~~

14/7-2373

Dear Diary

Things are going well. Luna and I had a sleepover last night. It was awesome!
Dad got promoted at his work and now oversees like 10 people! He got a raise and, as a present, wanted to let me choose one thing I wanted.

So I chose purple hair dye!

He wasn’t all that enthusiastic, but he let me do it. He’ll get it from some Gaeans in about a week or so, because it’s not something that you just get. It’s made of some plant extract. I don’t know the specifics, but I’m so looking forward to it!

~~~~~

12/8-2374

Dear Diary

My mom’s friend helped me find someone who would teach me pole dancing. It’s been four years since I first saw that woman in the bar. I made her promise not to tell my mom. I’ll be starting tomorrow where I have to normally practice my gymnastics.

I’m pretty good at Gymnastics, so I think I should be able to do well.

Oh! And this hair dye? Amazing! I love the purple colour!

~~~~~

13/8-2374

Dear Diary

This. Isn’t. Easy.
Holding myself up on that pole, swinging around and all that stuff is really difficult. But it’s fun, and I’m looking forward to next week!

~~~~~

1/1-2375

Dear Diary

What a new year. Didn’t go quite as I had planned. I’m getting fairly good at this whole poledancing thing, but mom and dad found out. They… weren’t happy. I managed to convince them that all I’m doing is just the same as I did during Gymnastics, just with an iron pole. It also makes me quite a bit stronger!

Also, Luna has started nicknaming me the Purple Wonder. She saw me practicing a week or so ago and thought that all the stuff I did was “wonderful,” as she said. It’s because of my hair, of course (my dad got me another bottle. Should last for at least a year), and I quite like the name. It’s fitting.

~~~~~

29/5-2377

Dear Diary

I got the sniffles. Mom and Dad looked worried. They think it’s the Sickness. I don’t. It’s just a normal cold.

Right?

~~~~~

14/7-2377

Dear Diary

THE SCHOOL BURNED DOWN!
We were practicing that “walking in the air” move when all of a sudden the building caught fire! No one knows what happened, but it just suddenly went up in flames!

Luna got hurt. She has a burn on her belly now. It’s not pretty, but it’ll heal. Or so the healers say. I managed to get everyone else out in time, at least those who couldn’t run themselves. Also, I’m getting really good at it! My teacher’s saying I could get a work as a performer!

Also, I don’t have sniffles anymore! Yay! I told mom and dad it wasn’t The Sickness!

~~~~~

15/7-2377

Dear Diary

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck

FUCK!

I woke up and noticed it. My… My eyes. I love the colour BUT MY EYES ARE PURPLE! Fuck. Fuck my life. Why did this have to happen? Mom and Dad are scared to death when I told them. At first they thought it was some hair dye I had gotten in my eyes, but when I told them that I had used the last of my dye last week they… they know. I know.

I’m an Immortal.

I don’t know what my element is, and I don’t care. I’m scared. What am I going to do? I… Isn’t there some rumours about that family? Maybe… No. It’s a bad idea. I shouldn’t do it.

~~~~~

17/7-2377

Dear Diary

I did it.

I had heard some rumours about the Castalia family having an Immortal in their family. I don’t know who exactly, but if they have an Immortal in the family then… then I should be able to work there. If I work for them, I should be able to hide myself among them. People wouldn’t dare confront me if they knew who I worked for.

So I went to their casino hotel and got hired. I’m now a barmaid and dancer (occasional singer. I’m not the best but I can do well enough. I should start practicing). I’m starting work tomorrow.

~~~~~

2/9-2377

Dear Diary

Holy mother of fuck they pay a lot! I’m just a barmaid and a poledancer, but I get paid almost as much as my mom! I also got a make-up set! Lipstick, nail polish, even some eyeliner and eye shadow. It’s a very small set, but I don’t use a lot. But even then, some of it looks like it’s Old World stuff! Rare and freaking expensive!

I love this job. Seriously. Most people are kind, and I’m not discriminated for being an Immortal! Even my parents have gone back to normal. They still look a little surprised at my purple eyes, but it’s only a little.

Oh! And before I forget, Diary. I learned that I can control fire. I can even make it any colour I want! Heh. Guess which colour I prefer?

P.S Speaking of colour, my hair hasn’t changed! Usually the colour of my hair fades out after about a month, but it’s been over three and the colour is still as vivid as when I first coloured it. Could it be another mutation from me becoming an Immortal?

~~~~~

30/8-2379

Dear Diary

Umm… Oops?
I have often said that I’m good at pole dancing and all, but, umm… Hehe. I broke my leg. I was trying a new move I came up with myself and fell. I landed on my leg and… well, let’s just say that I’m sure the entire Casino Hotel heard my scream. That hurt.

Luckily there was a travelling healer in the city. She was an Immortal, too. Her eyes were really strange: Solid emerald colour with slitted pupils, and I even noticed that her canines were far longer than a normal person.

Also. Her tits! Huuuuuuuge~!
I only know ‘cause she stayed with me for a day and I saw her take off the bandages in the bathroom. Just… wow. I mean, I think mine are fairly big (32B and proud!) but hers were positively huge! I… Alright. I kinda want mine to be bigger, but still. Hot damn!

I wonder if there’s an Immortal who can change someone’s appearance.

~~~~~

23/8-2381

Dear Diary

The Castalia Family is opening a new settlement in Russell Town. I was requested to join as one of the new employees, and was promised a raise. I need to say bye to my parents, but after that I’m off to Russell town!

I’m honestly looking forward to it. A lot, actually.

This is the last page of this diary. I need to get another one. Anyway, I should get packing. Thank you for always listening, Diary. I’ll see you again soon. For now, I need to go packing!

~ Octavia Rowena Atalanta Gabriele

~~~~~

Gear

Weapons:.
1911 Longslide

Armour:
N/A

Ammunition:
High Grade Rounds: 45x .45 Super rounds loaded in 15-round magazines
Dirty Rounds: 180 .45 Super rounds loaded in 15-round magazines

Purse:
Tube of purple lipstick and nail polish, 1911 Longslide, 1 spare magazine, water bottle, and a small make-up set made up of a few old-world and (mostly) Dust manufactured products (gifted as one of her first payments when she started working for the Castalia family).

Immortalis Information

Manifested Phenomena: Fire/Heat

Unique Abilities:

• Living Furnace: Octavia simply does not get cold. While still capable of feeling hot and being affected by the sun’s rays, she never feels cold, and even warms up her surroundings if she so chooses.
• Thermal Vision: One thing she quickly noticed when first she became Immortal, was that she could sense vague shapes behind solid objects. Over the cause of a couple of years this ability developed into a perfect thermal vision to be used at her leisure.
• Fire Manipulation/Creation: The control and creation of fire comes as natural to Octavia as breathing does. At this point in time she’s as comfortable with her powers as she is with her trusty dance partner: Mr. Pole. The range, and amount of fire she can produce using her powers is as of yet unknown. Thanks to this ability she is also completely immune to the effects of fire upon her body.

Strengths:

• Mr. Pole’s Gift: As a result of several years of pole dancing, Octavia is significantly stronger and more flexible than the average woman her age.
• A Quicky?: A healthy body also means a healthy mind. She’s a quick thinker and does well in stressing situations.

Weaknesses:

• Amateur: Octavia has little to no combat experience, knowing only the basics on how to maintain and shoot her gun. Hand to hand combat is an unknown to her, and despite wanting to learn she has yet to find someone who can.
• Let’s be friends, Mr Wolf: Perhaps a bit naïve, Octavia is easy to befriend, and slow to suspicion. While not easy to manipulate per se, it’s still not a difficult task to lie to her.
• Like a Wildfire: As easy as it is to befriend her, as difficult is it to be forgiven. If she is betrayed or a friend is struck down or wounded she becomes nigh uncontrollable, and will not stop until she feels that justice has been served, or proper reparations is sworn (not promised).