Synthorian

GUILDVENTURES [just look, jeez]

Unfortunately I have to drop my interest as some personal stuff has come up that will inhibit my posting abilities.

Good luck with your RP. ^-^

GUILDVENTURES [just look, jeez]

Let me quickly ask. Do all Elves here use magic or are there also warrior elves?

GUILDVENTURES [just look, jeez]

So um... should I make a character here, or add it to the OOC Character tab?

GUILDVENTURES [just look, jeez]

I'm pretty interested, and since Warhammer: the End Times inspired me for something high fantasy, this is looking like something I could jump right into.

The Fires of Anuria

Well the reason is because the Squad in question will be attempting to save the Crash-landed Draconian Explorers, under secret orders from the Commander of the Black Guard, Silus Krieg, an old friend of one of the Draconian Explorers (Politics will definitely be involved on a grander scale, but I want to focus on this one squad for the moment).

They will attempt to arrive in a Stealth Dropship with FTL capabilities, extract the survivors, then leave. However they end up realizing that the number of Draconian survivors is fact greater than anticipated. An entire cruiser of them. Unable to extract them, they come up with a plan to strip their own ship down to it's Frame Shift Drive, using it to ping to the TCF Sub-light Network, the information they send will then be passed on to the SDF (Draconian Fleet) who will arrive on mass to extract both the Tylon Spec Ops team and the Survivors they were supposed to rescue. Look at this as a short mission while I work on the full nation sheet, which is what I intend to do.

Just want to intro the TCF in an interesting way instead of just sending a huge ass fleet, and have a nice organised sheet for the 6 characters while I work on the main sheet.

EDIT: Just realized I did a stupid and haven't said hi to anyone here. -.-

So hi! I spoke to NewSun about this NRP in the Orion Chatzy and didn't realize that not everyone here is in that NRP.

The Fires of Anuria

I'm going to be playing only 6 dudes in this, who are all in the same squad. And since it's a covert op, I won't playing a fleet, just a single squad. So my sheet will be vastly different to that of everyone else. Is that ok?

Essence of the World: The New Age [CLOSED]

A Fortunate Encounter
Loom -Armax HexTech Inc Headquarters
Afternoon

Collab: @yoshua171 and @Synthorian

---

Having concluded his business with his newly conscripted hunting dog, Dane chuckled to himself, one hand on the wheel of his car, and the other tapping on the dashboard absentmindedly. The black tinted windows of the normal looking vehicle were the only indicator of its ownership and in a world where many had such cars, it didn't stand out at all.

Glancing at the dashboard he tapped a few spots and then turned several dials, adjusting the sound and station he was listening to. It was classical music from an era so many had forgotten. He enjoyed it, though he had very little idea as to why it always sounded so familiar to him. It was one of the many things he was consistently looking into, no matter how trivial it seemed. Turning his mind away from the music he looked ahead and frowned somewhat. He was nearing the building. It always gave him mixed feelings. On one hand his lab was in the Armax HexTech Inc. Headquarters he was about to enter, but on the other being within its walls meant constant surveillance and annoying as fuck people--some that now outranked him, which was indeed a fact that greatly displeased him.

Sighing he turned the car into the parking complex, went to the same spot he always did, and then let it sink down, hiding the car altogether, before replacing the spot once more. He felt, rather than heard or saw, the scan go through his vehicle. It only lasted a moment, but it always made him shake himself of the sensation. Had he been normal he would have been unable to feel it at all, but alas he was not.

Exiting the car after a minute or two of waiting, Dane closed the door behind him and entered the building. It smelled sterile, and felt of power and organization. It was nothing new.

One day I'll have my own private lab again and I won't have to come to this damned place so often, he thought, his internal voice a bitter one. Perhaps he was right, but first he'd certainly have to prove himself again and while that wasn't a terribly daunting task for one such as him, that didn't mean it was easy.

Turning several times and taking two elevators on his way down to his lab, Dane's mind began to turn to his research. However, on the third elevator he ran into someone he had never expected to see:

Logan Bain.

"Mr. Tessarin." Said the O-5 Operative. He was the Chairman's personal lapdog, and the only person in the Three Worlds who even got to see the elusive entity's face. He ran the operations here most of the time, since being an O-5 Agent made him a near equivalent of one of the company's major stockholders. The man was a Gene Spliced, Cybernetic Chimera. A walking supersoldier who got his rank in a span of mere weeks, rivaling the talents of an agent who went Rogue just over two hundred years ago, and some were saying that Logan was even better. He was also known as Sundowner, due to his demonic traits. He was an ugly man, his body a burnt mess that made him look like a baby smooth skinned nightmare. Probably an intentional design, based on the genes he was cloned from. "I hope I'm not intruding on your busy schedule."

Dane, punching in the floor he intended to go to, barely glanced at the chimera, the roll of his eyes obvious. "Oh hardly, not that it would matter," he looked at the man once more, appearing to briefly size him up before looking away, watching as the elevator ticked through the floors, descending with every moment. It'd be awhile till he could escape from this guy. "So, Logan, what brings you here exactly? I don't see you around base much after all, so you must have a good reason."

"I spend most of my time running this place from the field. But what brings me here today are orders from the One and Only." He pulled out a folder from his trench coat and handed it to Dane. "I noticed that you want your Agent status back and have seen the talent you show daily. So I used my position to pull some strings." He folded his arms, examining Dane, and his D.A.R.T. chip. "Agent Miles' grip on you has been revoked. You have been under my jurisdiction since 3 hours ago. Continue to use your talents wisely and I can get you back into O-1. Miles wanted you in the grave anyway."

At first Logan's words meant nothing to him, but that all changed when he mentioned his status. At its mention his eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth, as if to rebuttle him, but before he could he was handed a folder and told that he was essentially being given another chance. He looked down at the folder for a long moment, then a smile crossed onto his features. "Miles would've never gotten what he wanted, I'm too valuable an asset," he said, the satisfaction dripping from his voice. He glanced at the elevator and hit another floor, "I think I'll pay ol' Miles a visit," he said with a grin on his face.

After a moment he exhaled and looked back to Logan. "I almost forgot," no he hadn't, "...what's the catch exactly? Oh, and not to mention the One's involvement. I know I'm important, that much has been made clear to me, but why exactly would he give a damn?" He raised an eyebrow, his silver eyes staring through Logan, a look of expectation and mild doubt in them. He was not one to take such things lightly, doing so was foolish--especially in an organization where failure often meant death...or worse. Yes, Dane knew some things, this was for sure, and he was a valued asset, but they still had his DNA, and that meant they could clone him if he died, or they deemed him unnecessary.

He had no intention of missing such hints.

"Number 5 has deemed you a loss. But the Chairman and I think otherwise. He has been watching you very closely and has found N-5's decision to revoke your status... Hmm... Disappointing." He pulled a phone out of his pocket as it beeped, he had recieved a message. He navigated its menus as he continued to talk. "Minor mistakes such as that previous event are trivial, at best." He was reading the message just as he spoke. "And Miles already knows. Sorry I rained on your parade." He placed his phone back in his pocket, seemingly satisfied with something that he read. "The catch is I need your skills for something big. But for now we need to deal with a small problem. I got wind that you hired Sanguine for a large hit on the Ravens. Did you do your research on the man? His background, current associations, that kind of intel?"

You're damn right it is disappointing, Dane ranted internally. Still, he had won in the end, and that's all that mattered. He shrugged a bit as he mentioned Miles already knew, his mind already moving on to new topics and how he'd elevate himself back to his former status. Then Logan mentioned the Ravens, and furthermore Sanguine. In response he scoffed, having opened the folder. He was reading over the contents faster than any human ought to have been able to. "Younger sister, he hangs around her at the academy a lot. He's got ties internationally. Szayeis considers him a toy," he'd dug real hard for that last one, "...what else," he paused for a long moment and stopped reading, feeling like he'd forgotten something important. This was not a thing he did often.

"Forgot something, haven't you?" Logan noticed the pause and his facial expression. "Mr. Kasio has ties with a Rogue Agent. He knows everything about us. So, Dane. What position does that put you in?"

Dane flitted through the rest of the pages, having only a few left to go over. He then closed the folder and his eyes flitted back and forth as if reading something in front of him in the air. Algorithms ran in his mind, recalculating the odds of his plan backfiring. They went up slightly, he'd need to compensate for that. He knew he couldn't really too much on the organization, at least not for any direct personnel. "Heh, not bad. I considered quite a few variables before going into this. I knew he was dangerous to begin with. Although, if he decides to go to the Rogue Agent it might be...slightly troublesome. Then again..." he trailed off, a smirk finding itself on his face.

"The Rogue Agent is Solus Grim. You read the file. Now recalculate your odds." Logan's tone was serious now.

Dane showed not the least shred of surprise. "Oh I know. There aren't many Rogues that are still alive, last I checked. Hmmm," several holograms opened up in front of him and he began to flit through them and rearrange various slides. After roughly five seconds he nodded and blinked, closing them down in the same moment. "Solus Grim has the knowledge, and the power to be a threat on certain levels. However, even with the tech he carries, he doesn't really mean much. Sanguine is getting compensated handsomely and while it's likely he'll try to kill me after I pay him, I've faked my death before. Plus, my essence doesn't stay the same for long," he glanced at Logan with a grin. He knew the chimera only cared about his orders and destruction, so he doubted the man would take any mind to what he said aside from whether or not it'd be a problem for the organization in the long run.

"Even better, if Sanguine decides to go on instinct and anger and get Solus involved, it'll be pretty evident pretty damn fast. I've got a few nanobots in his system and while they're not enough to kill him, they're enough to inform me who is in his vicinity and the acitivity of any tech he utilizes. If he walks into Solus' home, or calls the bastard, I can set a trap for him, and we won't have a Rogue Agent anymore, now will we."

"You underestimate him far too quickly. Solus has singlehandedly obliterated Solstice, Site 11 in Loom, destroyed countless experiments, killed a Demon Lord, and is in direct contact with a Deity. And we barely managed to find out about the latter." He folded his arms again. "Here's what you can do for the moment. Pretend you are some rich businessman who wants the Ravens gone, play the game as the ball is still in your court. I'm sure you had this scenario thought out already. But if Solus gets involved, no matter what you do, you will fail. He will find you faster than you can blink. He's a former O-5, he uses our own methods, and some of his own, more creative ones." He paused for a moment. "But that does not matter, I'll deal with him by the end of today. Just make sure Sanguine doesn't figure out who you are, and Grim won't hunt you down."

"Have you read mission report 031B?" Dane suddenly asked, seeming to ignore what Logan had just said. The smile on his face had faded. He was much more serious now.

"I did. Impressive. But Solus isn't that easily fooled. Especially when dealing with our kind of personnel. But like I said. He isn't your concern for now. Deal with Sanguine, make sure he hasn't got a clue and pay him. Then we will talk about the bigger picture that I want you to be a part of. If we pull it off, you will be an Agent again." The elevator pinged at the designated floor and the doors slid open. "This is your stop."

Dane chuckled, putting the folder under his arm as he walked out of the elevator. Before the door closed he turned to Logan and smiled. "That little trick happened months ago. Wait till you see the shit I've come up with recently." As the doors were about to close, he finished with, "Oh, and noted. I'll be...extra careful with the Blood Hound...sir." Then he was gone, off to his lab to finish his plans and, likely, make some afternoon discoveries.

Yes, things were going well. A normal mission he'd taken almost on a whim, now meant that should he preform well he'd soon be back to Agent status, and from there he could only continue on upwards.

First though, he had to figure out just how far the cloning programs went.

Yes, one thing at a time, he thought to himself, his smile broadening.

One thing at a time.

Essence of the World: The New Age [CLOSED]

Submitted for review and approval. Hope the read is enjoyable.

---

CS 1

R. Alice Grim
Rowdy Ralice

Theme Music

BASIC INFORMATION

Real Name: R. Alice Grim (maiden name is Genno)
Age: 217 years old
Apparent Age: 27 years old
Race: Human

Social Status: None. She used to be an uprising star pupil under Solus Grim's tutelage before she was kidnapped and disappeared off of the grid. None of her friends or family (save for one uncle) are alive anymore. She has no identity nowhere in any form, which makes her an illegal alien crossing borders.

Relations: Being isolated for 200 years in a lighthouse with nobody but ghostly essence beings for company looking to depart to the Void after they get over themselves... tends to destroy most people's relations.

Peskay Genno

Uncle; Former Caretaker; Teacher. At this point, Ralice no longer remembers her uncle as she used to. The man would constantly be on her mind, but after being abandoned (from her point of view) when he joined a cult, she cut ties with him, emotionally and mentally. It's not that she can't remember, but just chooses not to. She's long realized that sometimes, despite how wonderful things may have been between you and them, you just have to let some people go because their own lives just don't sync with yours and to force that would invite adversity into their souls, and yours.

Solus Grim

Teacher; Partner; Lover. No force in Heaven or Hell, or all in between, can separate Ralice from Solus for long. From the moment she first interacted with him, a kernel in the corner of her soul was born, and it has grown rapidly the more she engaged with him. Despite appearances, personality, and life goals, nothing about Solus repulses her, albeit that doesn't mean he can't piss her off. Call it what you want. Love at first sight. Soul marriage. Whatever. It's just her story and she is going to write its ending.

Appearance: White skin, green eyes, dark brown hair with a blond highlight on the ends. She is fairly lithe and limber, shorter than most other women, and has an unusual (sexy) gait that resembles the way a cat saunters across a dark alleyway. She normally wears all black clothing, tight-fitting, with a long coat to conceal her weapons and tools. Upon a closer inspection, her clothing are dark blue, which, contrary to popular opinion, actually works better for night time operation than pure black does.

But unlike Solus, Ralice knows how to dress down to relax and enjoy some time on the couch...

In far more casual settings, she looks like any other ordinary citizen in the modern world. Blouses, dresses, lace, her sense of fashion grows as opportunities present themselves.

Personality: Will demonstrate in IC, but her primary quirks are shown below.
-Inane (yes, inane) Determinator
-Heavily Buried Heart of Gold
-Certified Zero Fucks Giver
-Hair Trigger Reactions
-Whimsically Mnemonic

Biography: It's complicated.

I'll spare you all the horrifyingly gritty (and boring) fluff and just pump out a rosey handful of sticky need-to-know's. At this point in Essence, there really isn't any public knowledge on Ralice, especially since it's been so long since her youth. Like 20 decades? Oh, and the reason she's such an OLD human despite not having some kind of immortality cliche is simply because an aspect of the Abstract kept her from aging for some purpose in an evil scheme. _{I dare not utter his name here.}

-She was born and raised by her mother and father in Thorpe, a town 1 mile from Loom and near the base of Mt. Jigger and Jiggerbark Forest. Her mother cheated on her father, left with some moustache-twirling merchant because this is fiction, just bear with me. Her father didn't take this kick to the nuts too well and eventually, used his daughter for various unfatherly purposes. When he had enough of her (and a lack of money due to other vices), he sold her to the corrupt madam of the town's seedy brothel.

-Some years pass, and at a questionably young age, Ralice is given over to a depraved noble. Fortunately, her uncle, Peskay Genno, returned from the warfront and discovered the ugliness of Thorpe. Assuming his role as governor and sheriff (a positioned retained by his family), a series of purges commenced. Though this was after he took his niece out of the noble's custody and started raising her on his own.

-Some semblance of normalcy returns to her life under her uncle's care. Unfortunately, demons generally do not give a twisty twitter about human lives, especially a demon trapped in a soul stone. Passed down like a family heirloom from the get-go, the Genno family had been slowly become corrupt, even with Peskay away doing his soldier thing. It tried to destroy what he and Ralice were trying to rebuild, but in the end, depravity consumed them and much ado about lust became a distant, awkward memory.

-More years pass, and Ralice has blossomed into her teenhood, not as fucked as she used to be, but still fairly demented. In her spare time she took to motorcraft, learning how to build and repair them. Otherwise, she aided the town's militia as one of her uncle's officers. It is at this point that the two enter Essence's story, meeting Solus, Hazumi, and a bunch of other oddities as a nefarious flesh construct (the overwhelmingly disgusting HodgePodge) decided to mow down Thorpe on its way to Loom.

-After the victory, Genno and Ralice took Solus to his house to heal there. It was an interesting experience. How was it interesting? Well, there was this kinky red pool... and the rest is too foggy. Anyway! Pree soon after this, Judas Iscariot pops out like a Gainix Ending begging to happen. Everyone goes to fight him at Loom and there was this Sword thing that gave characters GM rights and Solus killed some Illuminati bitches, and Genno joined this stupid ass demon cult. And then people got fellated into the Sword and lots of destruction, wow. So scary. Much sad. Wow. Essence ending.

As for Ralice? She stayed at Solus's house, lazing around in her underwear and mooching on cheetos, bored shitless because the telly only had three channels: static, louder static, and off.

-Then Daddy... that's Solus, by the way... came home and was going to boot her ass out. But then she pulled some womanly antics to get to stay and be his student. Which didn't work. So she begged. That didn't work. Then finally she snapped and Solus just totally slapped her shit, after which there was a small shred of humanity in him that spared her. And then Training from Hell commenced.

Not literally from Hell. That would have been taking it far too easy on her.

-Fast forward some time after Essence Season 1, into the next RP that got curtailed for some reason. Ralice has become Solus's star pupil, and fellow demon hunter. He takes her on a soul-searching string of missions, one of which ends in burning down the old brothel while saving the lives of innocent people infected with HIV.

-Fast forward some more, and this creepy-as-hell demon (but not a demon) aspect of the Abstract named Itzal Slyre (crap, I mentioned his name!) ambushes Solus and Ralice on a mission, winds up pedonapping her, much to Solus's chimeric angst. He's lost his precious student, possible love interest, and continues on, slowly becoming a vessel of eldritch proportions.

-Fast forward (I like that word, don't I?) 200 years into Essence 2 (or 3?) the New Age, and... a series of convoluted evil plots begin, pitting Solus against some unknown badass named Kasuto. His life for Ralice's. That's Slyre's deal.

-It turns out that Slyre took Ralice to a lighthouse and she's been there for those 200 years, during that time, serving as a guide to people who died with mental problems and such. Basically a Ghost Counselor, after which they are ushered to the Abstract. Normally this doesn't happen but Brom (the good side of Slyre) is a nice guy. So Solus ends up getting to visit her, they have much happy, and he vows to save her some way.

What's going to happen then? Stay tuned. Also, Ralice is pregnant with Solus's dirty baby.

CAPABILITIES

Equipment

● 'Tactical Tats': In her isolation, Ralice developed a new aspect of enchantment. Whether or not it is truly original or new isn't the point. It's just her ninja way.

Inspired by the way the runes carved into the inside of her body works like circuit boards, she figured out how to let simply her fingerprints enchant an object with a specific power. The tattoos are full of information and also serve as channels for her inner essence. This boon is completely tailored to Ralice and does not work with complicated (or new) enchantments without changing the tattoos. It only works for her type of equipment, however, it is possible for her to enchant an object of a new type if she has touched it and if it fits certain qualifications.

1. (Dis-)Assembly: Affects objects that only function due to the unification of multiple small parts, such as with guns, swords, vibrators, etc. Her hands emit a spherical radius that can affect such objects with a yard. Parts beyond this range are pulled towards it slowly (up to 3 yards away) and speed up as it gets closer. The speed at which things can come together is extraordinarily fast, but is based on how she'd do it herself at the time. That means if she's untrained in that weapon assembly, or is sleepily sluggish or drunk, or whatever, then the rate is affected, too. While the parts are fusing together, they phase right through solid matter, organic or otherwise.

The main function of this enchantment is to let her temporarily break her weapons down into parts, hide them on her person, and silently 'summon' them together instantly for use. Contrariwise, the reverse can be useful if caught in a sticky situation, and even enemies using unprotected weapons like her own can be suddenly disarmed with a surplus of parts in their hands if they let her get too close and personal.

2. Spatial Reposition: Affects objects that, if made of small parts, are whole and its design is meant for being held with one or two hands. The object is fixated in place and focuses a point of gravity anywhere on itself, which in turn affects Ralice's center of gravity, as if there were no other gravitational sources. As long as she's holding the object, she can rotate herself in any direction, and the strength with which she can move is equal to how she would be able to move her own body with her own heft.

The main function of this enchantment grants an extra knack to her acrobatics and agility, especially in CQC where she could be disarmed if an enemy took advantage of perceived carelessness on her part. On the other hand, she can unleash some very powerful melee attacks with enough swing that she normally would not get on the ground. This basically adds a whole new dimension of combat for her to master.

3. Garb Grab: Affects objects meant to be worn, such as a shirt, pants, jacket, etc. The objects must be made of some kind of fabric, but things made out of harder material (such as like shoes and zippers) would not work. The point of contact(s) on an affected object randomly tighten and constrain the person wearing. For example, if Ralice touched a person's shoulder area on their shirt, it would randomly tighten and loosen, thus mess up their performance until they've cleaned her fingerprints off. Additionally, the chance for these random 'grabs' increases as the person moves about and generates kinetic energy. If there are multiple points of contact, they act independently of each other.

When Ralice's hands are near one of these points of contact (and she is sensitive to their exact location when close by), she can activate the 'tight' and 'loose' states at will. CLothes will often bear the type of trauma that they are designed for, but Garb Grab strongly tests these limits in ways the designers didn't think of. It is thus very likely for Ralice to completely rip off someone's clothing with a single, determined yank. On the other hand, personal use at home sees her going through a lot of pants because at the end of a long day, she can't be assed to take them off like a normal human being would.

● 'Handguns': Her brand of handguns changes frequently based on her mission and mood. For the most part, she carries four of them; two in holsters, and the other two hidden unassembled somewhere on her body. She carries 2 extra magazines per firearm and each one usually carries 6 to 14 bullets.

● 'Shotguns': Ralice's love for shotguns knows no bounds. She regularly carries at least 1 hidden unassembled in her clothes somewhere. When she needs an extra punch that her handguns can't deliver, she often tricks her opponent into coming closer, cornering her as she feigns helplessness. Then all of a sudden, they're sucking pellets right into their mouths.

● 'Sniper Rifles': Every now and then, a mission calls for some long-distance fighting, much to her distaste. Ralice relishes in CQC, but has seen the sense in sniping a target so as to avoid disadvantageous situations. Movies would have you believe the lone sniper takes his time, carries his weapon in a case, and slowly, romantically assembles everything together before the final squeeze comes. Not Ralice. She is more prone to moving about, coming in close mid-range, and assembling the longer reaching weapon as needed, then putting it away just as quickly.

Magic Spells

● 'Runic Riposte': Ralice has a large set of runes carved inside of her body, on all of her bones, organs, tissues, etc. They were meant to turn her into a demon's host that could not fight back, but things turned out well for her in the end. Now the runes are employed to give her the ability to absorb magical spells that are directed at her and launch them back at the caster at twice the speed and intensity. Although she suffers no negative effects from any of the spells' intentions, she still has to endure an almost debilitating amount of pain while she channels the power. There is no limit to how many times she can do this, but the more she does uses this ability without giving her body time to rest, the harder it is for her to recover from the riposte.

● 'Field Scan': A very simple analysis spell that requires a cessation of movement as it quietly and efficiently draws in all information in the surrounding environment, using the castor as a focal point. The amount of time Ralice spends casting the spell determines the range and how much data she gets. In other words, a 10 second spell, when compared to a 5 second spell, will have covered more range and gathered more data. The spell also computes all of the figures gathered into an easy-to-understand mental layout in Ralice's mind, but it is still up to her to determine what is the best course of action based on the results. After the spell ends, the analysis results become applied to her senses for half the time she had spent gathering the info. This means that the data gathered stays updated while she acts out her plan. Unfortunately, having to both act and possibly make re-decisions on the fly greatly penalizes ANY of her actions chances to succeed.

● 'Dispel': One of the most basic counter spells that has an edge against active magic. It can be utilized in a number of different ways, depending on how Ralice wants to proceed. The first way is to simply cast the spell on an area and either wipe out magical effects, or contest the magical effects if it has a source supplying it. Her ability to use this spell is unnaturally strong, but she does not have the magical dexterity to differentiate between positive or negative magical effects on her allies and enemies. A second way is to cast it with a preemptive intention, whether as a shield that wards off magical attacks as they make contact with her or as a carefully laid trap that is sprung as soon as someone casts a spell in its area of effect. No matter how she chooses to casts the Dispel, after she gives up some of her essence (blood, skin, hair, etc.) to cast it, any effort to maintain it saps her stamina greatly. Her Dispels last forever once cast, but no matter the distance, they will tax her body. And at any given moment, if an opposing magical force is too much for any of her Dispels, she can choose to eliminate them to save herself.

CS 2

Peskay Genno
Note: Same guy, different era. Just add the rest of Essence's actual timeline (what, 200 years?) and that's about it.

Oh, and one tiny, teensy, little change... He has no idea who he is, what he's done, or why he does the things that he does.

@Mikael

Approved

Essence of the World: The New Age [CLOSED]

Sam was wandering the streets aimlessly, dragging her feet along the gravel and licking an ice-cream on a cone. Life was so boring sometimes, especially when you’ve just jumped off Freedom Tower and been caught by an angel in the last second. That was an adrenaline rush unlike any she’d felt before. Well, except for those near-death experiences you sometimes got during missions. Except, those involved pain and pain was seldom as fun as pure excitement. It was quiet in People’s park, the protests of the gravel only interspersed with the sounds of lovers kissing in the dark. Sam rolled her eyes and imitated the sound mockingly. She would have preferred the screams of people in danger… but unfortunately the afternoon was calm and everyone was being nice and tame. And boring.

A flicker of light, the sound of a calm breath rippling the air. Sam’s ears perked up and a hopeful smile crept up her face. She picked up her pace and soon enough a silhouette came in sight, some 100 paces away. Though his back was turned to her there was something in his walk that left no doubt that he was a trained fighter, always ready for action. And that’s all the sign she needed. Sam reached into her pocket, pulling out a small marble-like ball that was her Instrument. Kissing it theatrically she aimed and launched it straight at the head of her new playmate.

Of course she was right, her potential new playmate was trained, but far beyond her comprehension. The man, dressed in black, didn't even turn around as the ball speed towards him. His right hand shot right out of his pocket, and effortlessly caught the speeding ball of light in the palm of his hand. His catching arm lowered itself towards his hip, where his hand opened to reveal the sphere. "Nice candle-light, kid..." Replied the man with a hoarse voice.

Sam’s smile grew larger at the attention and she started at the man. “It’s called Sameda. Have you seen it before?”

The man was starting to feel it's power in his hands. "Heh, a fragment... an Academy punk then..." Suddenly he turned around, revealing his face to her and in a blink of an eye, he threw it back at her, straight at her mouth.

Although she had expected him to do just that, what Sam didn’t expect was the speed with which Sameda would be flying her way. It was too fast for her to dodge so she had to immediately drop that plan and improvise. As it approached her Sam moved her ice-cream in the way of the speeding ball and made Sameda itself softer than the frozen good. It hit with the dull sound of a rattling ball and splashed ice-cream over her face.
Sam laughed and her eyes gleamed with excitement as she lifted her gaze to the stranger and licked the strawberry off her lips. Recognition flashed across her features. She knew the guy, by descriptions and pictures at least, and she was sure there was no mistaking it.

“Solus! Solus Grim! I thought you were dead! You up for a duel?!”

The man she referred to as Solus raised an eyebrow. Slightly surprised that despite his long 'trip', his name still held sway in this world. "Heh, a duel...? Are you sure?" He asked calmly.

“What, why not?” she asked, honestly surprised. Her lip twitched upwards at the next sentence. “Are you scared I’ll miss my curfew?”

"Well..." He said. "We don't wanna piss off your headmaster now, do we...? But something tells me you couldn't care less..."

The girl laughed, squeezing Sameda in her fist, the light pulsing of its core picking up and sending shivers of anticipation down her spine. She could barely contain herself, looking at the man. Solus Grim, the legend, right there in front of her! The grin on her face almost threatened to split in in halves.

“Are you kidding, I wouldn’t miss that opportunity, even if it meant having to drop out of the goddamn place!” Her foot was beating the ground impatiently. “Weapon of choice?”

"I will be using my hands... You can use whatever you want, kid... Let's see just how good you are." He crossed his arms, waiting patiently for her to begin.

Sam didn’t wait for another invitation. Her body already felt like a high-strung spring that urgently needed a release. So she propelled herself forward, her fist aiming straight at Solus’ jaw.

Yet her fist collided with nothing but air. One moment he was there with his arms crossed, the next he simply vanished. Sam turned her head to see that he was now standing behind her, with the same expression he had before. Though she wasn't unprepared. Despite her fist hitting nothing, essence charged down her right leg as she twisted her hips to aim it at Solus' head. Again, her magically charged foot sliced empty air. Yet again, he was gone.

"Too slow, kid..." Solus' words echoed into her ears from behind her.

The girl laughed gleefully as she picked up the speed of her attempts. However, it soon became obvious that this strategy just wouldn’t work – as expected of a legend he had skill behind his fame. Still, her time was not wasted – she had scanned the environment and remembered all the trees, bushes and benches around. Now she stepped back and made use of that knowledge.

With an invisibly-fast movement Sam reached into her pocket, pulled one Sameda out and launched it at Solus’ image. As expected it went straight though his image, and just in case his moves were predictable, Sam spun around to punch behind her as soon as Solus’ silhouette disappeared from in front of her.

She didn't surprise him, or catch him off guard. As he moved in behind her he leaned back, letting the punch swipe the air again. Solus was testing her mettle, her endurance. He wanted to see how long she would last before annoyance and frustration took hold and forced her to use her fragment, her instrument. He wanted to see what it could do.

However, Solus wasn’t the only one who liked to screw around. She was perfectly aware of the condescension with which she was treated, which could only mean the opponent was underestimating her. And while she didn’t enjoy the thought, she wasn’t going to indulge him by being predictable. She kept playing his game for another ten minutes, her movements never slowing, the second part of Sameda still tucked safely away in her pocket. Still, she kept the first part of it bouncing around, a crisp metallic ring accompanying every time it touched a tree or bench before lurching at Solus.

It was at that point that Solus noticed the fragment's trajectory. Where it was heading every time and what it touched. She was guiding it, attempting to him as he evaded her strikes.

His feet suddenly slammed into the ground, he bent his knees and leaped, a good 35 meters away from her, his launch kicking dirt and gravel in all directions. That sudden surge in power in him seemed demonic in some way. He landed with a thud, straightened his back, and dusted himself off.

"I have entertained you... But Sameda seems more eager..."

“We’re both more eager.” Sam caught the ball and put it to her ear, enjoying the final tunes of its sound. “But no, you haven’t entertained me just yet, Master Grim. You’ve just left me to entertain myself. You need to try harder.”

"I'm not here to entertain you... And this is starting bore me. I know there is more to you than that..."

"It's mutual then, because you're boring me too!" She snapped. "So, are we going to get serious or am I better off looking for fun elsewhere?"

"I have been waiting for you to start since you threw the first punch..." Replied the man with a smirk.

Sam rolled her eyes at him and threw her hands into the air irritably. She knew she wasn’t supposed to show off her powers here and there – after all, no matter his fame, who knew of his current state of mind? Who knew what he was thinking now?

But then again, who cared really? Those were questions to ask later, now was a time to act. A dream could come true and the time to grasp it was now!

“If I show you what I can do, will you show me what you can do?”

"We'll see. En guard..." Replied the man as he prepared himself.

“Show-off.” She commented but didn’t seem really bothered. Tapping her foot Sam slowly took the other Sameda out of her pocket and gently let it slip out of her hand. Hitting the ground, the ball produced a low, deep thud that repeat itself as the ball bounced back and Sam tapped it down again. A rhythmical beat started that she was sure would reflect Solus’ own heartbeat. It was steady at first.. and then started gradually slowing down. As the tempo slowed, he would feel calmer and calmer – a feeling almost natural, like drifting off to sleep. The man would feel his heartbeat literally slow its pace as the drum slowed too, a sense of tranquility washing over him like the treacherous embrace of a snow-demon.

And then, in the haze of the moment, another sound started – a dissonant one, lively and energetic, erratic and unpleasant. The second melody would try to enter Solus’ mind like the voices of a dozen screaming creatures, their pleads indistinguishable yet only enhanced by the underlying tranquil sound.

Solus suddenly felt... slower. His feet seemed to drag along the ground as he moved. He grasped his chest and realized what was happening, what that fragment was doing. His heart had slowed it's pulse, but at same time that pulse was unsteady, erratic. He knew if this went on for too long, his heart would stop...

He closed his eyes for a moment as he channeled something within him, something to dull out the sound. Not only what he was hearing, but what he felt as well, trying to steady his heartbeat. But not by his own blood. With something else.

Within his body a black thick soot overran the blood that pumped through him, and his heart suddenly stopped. It wasn't needed. The dark corruption within him would keep him alive for now. After all, it was a parasite, a living being in it's own right, and it will protect it's host to survive, providing oxygen and moving by itself through his body, giving that ample supply of air that he needed. Solus opened his eyes again and the flames that once burned brightly from his face were gone. The parasite, the black tar, dripped from his mouth, nostrils and eyes. He stood there for a few moments, before his fist suddenly appeared just before Sam's nose, heading towards her at a speed that could lethally break a demon's neck in one blow.

Sam couldn’t have expected that development and reluctantly she had to admit that she’d become a bit caught-up in her own music. She had to admit it when she noticed the black tar a second too late, a second long enough for the man’s fist to impact her barely shifted shoulder and crack the bone in an explosion of pain. A second long enough for one of the Samedas to whiz past her and roll away harmlessly. But at least after that one second, she had a second of her own where she could use her damaged arm to pull Solus’ arm down, grab the remaining Sameda and attempt to smash it in Solus’ face.

Which failed. Solus grabbed her attacking hand and twisted it, forcing the remaining Sameda fragment out of her hand. With that thing out of the way, he threw Sam aside, away from the fragments.

Sam attempted one last kick before she was pushed away and forcefully parted from Sameda. She propped herself up, wincing as she put weight on her shoulder and shifted to relieve it. A part of her, an instinct, told her to attack again, no matter the consequences. Another part, however, a slightly more sober one, reminded that this wasn’t a life-or-death situation. That thought was enhanced by the sharp pain from her shoulder. That wasn’t going to magically get better – if anything, it could only get worse. She was already severely incapacitated and Solus, the bastard, wasn’t even damaged once.

Extending her hands Sam shot out a string of her own essence and pulled Sameda back to her and moved her shoulder experimentally. The pain was still dulled by adrenaline and it was still sharp enough. She stood, shaking the gravel off her hair and her scraped face and stared at Solus, wondering if he’d have a go at her again. If he gave her a reason, she’d be more than happy to go all out. Their fight wasn’t settled, not yet, not until she made him hurt too.

Whether she noticed or not, the black ooze was gone. His flames had returned and he stood there, relaxed with his arms crossed, staring her down with a smirk. "You want to keep going...?"

“Especially when you give me that condescending attitude!” She exclaimed. People said you need to know when to give up. Did she know when to give up? Yes, she knew she should give up now. That there was “only so much you can fight”, “only so much you can risk”, “only so many you can defeat”. Yet… Knowledge and impulse were very different. Knowledge caused pain, and so did impulse, but they hurt in totally different ways. One stopped you from doing things – the other urged you to. She tried to move her arm back for a swing but a shot of pain and a burst of stars settled her dilemma.

“I’m fine.” She hissed, despite herself. Then she was over it, she straightened up and grinned at the man. “Glad to have you back.”

The man chuckled. "I never left..." He walked past her, ready go to wherever he was going before he was interrupted, but stopped and turned around to address the young Academy student. "Pretty relentless. That's good. But you still have a lot to learn..." And then he continued walking away, leaving her behind him, another challenger defeated.

Sam shamelessly followed him, chirping at his side.

“Well, I enjoyed myself, and that’s what matters. You provided some good exercise, and maybe you could do it again. We could use someone like you at the Academy, you know.” She waited for him to throw her a glance before she grinned and added. “As a punchbag. That punches back.”

The man did glance back. "Me and Hazumi don't see eye to eye..."

"So? You don't have to." She blinked.

Solus stopped. "Look, kid. I don't like the way the Academy is run, and what Hazumi is doing. I would rather avoid that place, for everyone's own good."

"It's not for everyone's own good, though. It would be good for us students to have you. I mean, it's up to you but the Academy won't cease to exist just because some people don't like it. All you can try to do is contribute to making it better. Besides, let's face it, there are plenty of interesting people there to keep your old muscles well toned." She giggled, poking his biceps.

He stared at the girl for a while, seemingly in thought. Then he said, "Not interested." and continued walking, leaving Sam behind.

Essence of the World: The New Age [CLOSED]

Approved.