Candles in the Dark

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Macros said:
After giving the victims an improvised pyre via alchemy, the group regained the vehicle, leaving the morbid place behind. Knowing that the perpetrator was more than likely still at large was a disturbing thought, but there was nothing to be done about it for now. The road was still as deserted as ever, the only inconvenience being the rain that started to fall during the trip. Nonetheless, they managed to make good way, and when their truck finally stopped out of fuel, they had finally reached the suburbs of Memphis. Yet, there was no sign of survivors to be found, it seemed. Whether they were hiding, dead, or the rumours had been false from the start, it was hard to tell. All they could see was abandoned, and more often than not, collapsed buildings, cars left alone in the streets, and signs of devastation everywhere. Yet, no body was to be found, despite the obvious fact that this place had been the theater of yet another tragedy. There is a presence looming in the sky, above the clouds...
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Something is here. It watches us.

Powerful spiritual pressure, like a menos... We should be cautious. Not that you know caution from Russel's Teapot, but oh well.

Cat looked up at the graying sky. There was a pressure, like a thunderstorm about to break. Rain was fun.

"Elizabeth, Daniel, the voices in my head say that we should be cautious! Something in the clouds! Maybe its the Yellow King, Hastur all full of Wroth!"

Cat smiled at the clouds and flexed a hand. A wall of air appeared above her, held taught like the skin of a drum.

Her other hand held flat above her, Cat started to speak.

"Oh hail, blue thunder of God! Shatter your lightning form and redress the plane! Oh mountain, summon four rocks and call them nothing, and from them draw six lines and call them not! Become crystal, angel of thunder, and through the license of the one called I Am tread not the base earth! Bakudo: 73. Tozanshō"
 
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Macros said:
Given the circumstances, the group decided that speed was their best bet to avoid another attack. With luck, there would be time to rest once they reached the city. Despite the exhaustion of many civilians, and the various injuries the company suffered, the walk continued, each survivor filled with grim determination. Though for the most part, the three unlikely heroes were left alone, by the middle of the afternoon, a young woman, that Will recognized as the one he exchanged glances before, came closer to them, an embarrassed expression on her face.

"Ah, excuse me, I didn't want to bother you all... It's just... I know most of us have been rather distant, but I wanted to thank you all for what you've done. We'd be dead if not for you, probably."
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Joe chuckled sadly.

"It's cool, hun. There's something seriously wrong with you if you don't find me even remotely threateningly." Her eyes suddenly twinkled in mischief as she nudged Willion onward.

"Wiill~ Say something to her!"

@BetaM
 
Her companions liked to talk to themselves as if they had invisible conversation partners.

Truth be told, Elizabeth wanted to try it out for herself. Back in school, she did mutter to herself occasionally, but never in such lengths since it just sounded sad and desperate to her ears. Times change however, and she was willing to give it a try. Who knows? Maybe it really does help mental stability!

...

Besides, all the cool kids were doing it.
Estro said:
"Elizabeth, Daniel, the voices in my head say that we should be cautious! Something in the clouds! Maybe its the Yellow King, Hastur all full of Wroth!"
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Reference flying completely over her head, the girl simply looked up to the sky, senses failing to catch anything of note. Sure, the fact that their truck was out of fuel and that the mythical settlement they sought after didn't exist put her on edge, but sky monsters?

Giving it some thought, it wasn't too far fetched of an idea, but she thought bandits and insane cultists would have been the number one threat inside a city instead of something they couldn't see. "I'm gonna go look for shelter then." The truck stuck in the open didn't exactly strike Elizabeth as a good hiding spot if there really were sky monsters. "Shouldn't take me too far from our truck." That said, Elizabeth hopped off the vehicle, shiny new revolver in hand as Cat continued to work her magic.
 
munchkinomatic said:
Joe chuckled sadly.

"It's cool, hun. There's something seriously wrong with you if you don't find me even remotely threateningly." Her eyes suddenly twinkled in mischief as she nudged Willion onward.

"Wiill~ Say something to her!"

@BetaM
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Will gave a bemused look at Jo "I was just letting you guys introduce yourselves. I've been talking to most of the refugees since we set out."

He turned his attention to the girl

"I don't think we've been introduced though. I'm Will its a pleasure to meet you, I really appreciate the axe, where did you come by it?"

@Macros
 
Hannz said:
Her companions liked to talk to themselves as if they had invisible conversation partners.

Truth be told, Elizabeth wanted to try it out for herself. Back in school, she did mutter to herself occasionally, but never in such lengths since it just sounded sad and desperate to her ears. Times change however, and she was willing to give it a try. Who knows? Maybe it really does help mental stability!

...

Besides, all the cool kids were doing it.

Reference flying completely over her head, the girl simply looked up to the sky, senses failing to catch anything of note. Sure, the fact that their truck was out of fuel and that the mythical settlement they sought after didn't exist put her on edge, but sky monsters?

Giving it some thought, it wasn't too far fetched of an idea, but she thought bandits and insane cultists would have been the number one threat inside a city instead of something they couldn't see. "I'm gonna go look for shelter then." The truck stuck in the open didn't exactly strike Elizabeth as a good hiding spot if there really were sky monsters. "Shouldn't take me too far from our truck." That said, Elizabeth hopped off the vehicle, shiny new revolver in hand as Cat continued to work her magic.
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"If you leave the shield, it's not my fault!"
 
"I'll still be near you guys."Daniel said and ran to the nearest building to get an vantage point/snipers nest. He ran up to the floor nearest the roof and took aim with the rifle.
 
inukai44 said:
"I'll still be near you guys."Daniel said and ran to the nearest building to get an vantage point/snipers nest. He ran up to the floor nearest the roof and took aim with the rifle.
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"Can you sense where the thing is, Daniel? That's so cool!"

Cat clapped her hands, before resuming the air barrier as a complement to the Kido.

"I like to eat, eat, eat, apples and bananas.

I like to aat, aat, aat, applas and bananas.

I like to eet, eet, eey, epples and benenes.

I like to iit, iit, iit, ipplis and bininis..."
Cat sang softly.
 
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

Cat cast her protective spell, but it seemed that whatever thing was up there was in no hurry. For now, it remained invisible above the clouds, as if waiting for something. Whether this was a good or bad thing remained to see. An alien presence seems to touch your mind, too weak to do anything for now.

You get a strange feeling of familiarity. Is it possible you met that thing remaining up there?

BetaM said:
"I don't think we've been introduced though. I'm Will its a pleasure to meet you, I really appreciate the axe, where did you come by it?"
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"Oh, Jenny. Took it from my pa's reserve. We lived in the countryside, used it to cut some wood occasionally. Seemed like a better weapon than nothing."
 
Macros said:
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

"Oh, Jenny. Took it from my pa's reserve. We lived in the countryside, used it to cut some wood occasionally. Seemed like a better weapon than nothing."
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"Jenny is it? Are you from around here? You, probably know a lot more about surviving in this kind of world then I would. I don't think my half baked degree in comp sci is gonna help much if Memphis isn't the place we think it is." He gave her his best smile, but inwardly sighed looking up at the sky. Without those broken memories he'd probably have been killed by that bull. It had charged at him without him even noticing. He'd reacted through pure instinct, an instinct that wasn't his.

"I'm curious, how did all of you meet up? I've seen a few other groups since I left the city but the biggest group so far was only five people. "
 
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Macros said:
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

Cat cast her protective spell, but it seemed that whatever thing was up there was in no hurry. For now, it remained invisible above the clouds, as if waiting for something. Whether this was a good or bad thing remained to see. An alien presence seems to touch your mind, too weak to do anything for now.

You get a strange feeling of familiarity. Is it possible you met that thing remaining up there?
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"This isn't good..." Daniel thought to himself "If that what I think it is we should get out of here." Daniel kept aim but was ready to warn the others to retreat and find shelter with them.
 
Elozabeth delayed her journey at Cat's words, sparing a glance at Daniel who went off to do something that the girl couldn't quite figure out yet since she was far too busy admiring the barrier that surrounded her group of weirdoes.

One hand on her hips and the other tapping her knees without rhyme or reason, she felt strangely confident that nothing was going to happen. After all, what was there to be afraid of when she has a fancy barrier and honest to god magician at her side?
 
BetaM said:
"I'm curious, how did all of you meet up? I've seen a few other groups since I left the city but the biggest group so far was only five people. "
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"Well, chance, mostly. I happened to stumble on that group - there were more people back then - and thought that I had a better chance with them than alone. Safety in numbers, all that? Well, that turned out... more or less okay, I suppose. I mean, a few guys weren't that lucky, but I'm still here, so that's something, right?"

Jenny instinctively cleared a strand of her brown hair from her eyes, apparently lost in her memories.

"Yeah... I suppose I should be glad to have survived, right?"

Then, snapping back to attention, she shook her head, her smile returning, though it seemed a bit more forced than before - or has it always been like that?

"Anyway, it's a good thing we met miss Knight on the road. Not sure what would have happened otherwise."

They were interrupted by a joyful shout. On the horizon, the first buildings of Memphis were beginning to appear. They were not there yet, but with their goal in sight, the refugees seemed to regain what little strength they had left. With luck, it wouldn't be long before they reached safety... if such a thing still existed in that mad world.



@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

The trio remained tense for several minutes, ready for the sky literally falling on their head, yet nothing could be seen in the clouds. Whether it was unwilling to reveal itself, unaware it had been detected, waiting for something in particular or simply did not detect the newcomers, the thing in the sky seemed to not be in any particular hurry. On her end, maintaining the barrier was beginning to be a notable drain for Cat, while its utility was beginning to be in doubt, since the complete lack of assault against them.
 
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"We should move." Elizabeth spoke, eyes glued to the sky as she did her best to remain composed even as the tension came to a rise. Turning her attention to Cat, she felt like tugging at the woman's clothes would help accentuate her point, but decided that it would be a rather foolish move if it broke the woman's concentration. "Daniel went up one of the buildings for shelter, we should do the same, I think."
 
Macros said:
"Well, chance, mostly. I happened to stumble on that group - there were more people back then - and thought that I had a better chance with them than alone. Safety in numbers, all that? Well, that turned out... more or less okay, I suppose. I mean, a few guys weren't that lucky, but I'm still here, so that's something, right?"

Jenny instinctively cleared a strand of her brown hair from her eyes, apparently lost in her memories.

"Yeah... I suppose I should be glad to have survived, right?"

Then, snapping back to attention, she shook her head, her smile returning, though it seemed a bit more forced than before - or has it always been like that?

"Anyway, it's a good thing we met miss Knight on the road. Not sure what would have happened otherwise."

They were interrupted by a joyful shout. On the horizon, the first buildings of Memphis were beginning to appear. They were not there yet, but with their goal in sight, the refugees seemed to regain what little strength they had left. With luck, it wouldn't be long before they reached safety... if such a thing still existed in that mad world.
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"Yay!"
Theodlra rose and limped forward, fistbumping.
"Memphis, Tenessee. Allelujah, people."
She smiled widely all over her green face, feeling much better already.
"So, any idea where the settlement is?"
Her brow furrowed
"After all, it is not that small a burg, folks..."
 
"If it's well hidden then it could take us days to find it, unless we know where it is." Will said, looking to the others for an answer.

@Macros
 
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Hannz said:
"We should move." Elizabeth spoke, eyes glued to the sky as she did her best to remain composed even as the tension came to a rise. Turning her attention to Cat, she felt like tugging at the woman's clothes would help accentuate her point, but decided that it would be a rather foolish move if it broke the woman's concentration. "Daniel went up one of the buildings for shelter, we should do the same, I think."
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"Cloud-person is being shy! Maybe if I poke him, he'll come out! Or her! Sorry cloud person!"

Despite Cats words, she dropped the Bakudo, but still kept up the barrier of air, which moved with them as they walked to the building.

"I could try to move the clouds!"

"No, no you can't. No one, not even Mevolent, not even the Nameless was that strong."
 
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

Still wary of any sudden attack from the skies, the group started its exploration of the ghost city. For an hour, they entered abandoned buildings after abandoned buildings, still with a concerning lack of bodies to be found. It was beginning to be harder to think any refugees could be found around this place. Finally, something new was discovered in the gymnasium - though whether or not this was a good thing was still up in the air.


Hundred of bodies impaled on mechanical spikes. This couldn't be good.


@Sailor Midgard @BetaM @munchkinomatic

The group took their first steps into the city, looking for any sort of clues that could put them on the trail of any possible survivor, though that prospect seemed to have become more unlikely. They had barely started, though, when...


@All

A loud, mechanical sound came from the sky. Whatever that meant remained to be seen.

You've heard that noise before, emitted from the ship who obliterated the first group you were with.
 
Macros said:
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

Still wary of any sudden attack from the skies, the group started its exploration of the ghost city. For an hour, they entered abandoned buildings after abandoned buildings, still with a concerning lack of bodies to be found. It was beginning to be harder to think any refugees could be found around this place. Finally, something new was discovered in the gymnasium - though whether or not this was a good thing was still up in the air.


Hundred of bodies impaled on mechanical spikes. This couldn't be good.


@Sailor Midgard @BetaM @munchkinomatic

The group took their first steps into the city, looking for any sort of clues that could put them on the trail of any possible survivor, though that prospect seemed to have become more unlikely. They had barely started, though, when...


@All

A loud, mechanical sound came from the sky. Whatever that meant remained to be seen.

You've heard that noise before, emitted from the ship who obliterated the first group you were with.
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"What in the name of Ruby-eted Shabrsnigredo..." Theo stared up , trying to make out what might be up there, preparing for the worst and hoping she could transform again already...
 
Macros said:
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

Still wary of any sudden attack from the skies, the group started its exploration of the ghost city. For an hour, they entered abandoned buildings after abandoned buildings, still with a concerning lack of bodies to be found. It was beginning to be harder to think any refugees could be found around this place. Finally, something new was discovered in the gymnasium - though whether or not this was a good thing was still up in the air.


Hundred of bodies impaled on mechanical spikes. This couldn't be good.


@Sailor Midgard @BetaM @munchkinomatic

The group took their first steps into the city, looking for any sort of clues that could put them on the trail of any possible survivor, though that prospect seemed to have become more unlikely. They had barely started, though, when...


@All

A loud, mechanical sound came from the sky. Whatever that meant remained to be seen.

You've heard that noise before, emitted from the ship who obliterated the first group you were with.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...
"We've found people! Told you there would be some. Look, there's one, two, three, three and a half, um... Four and an arm, five and two extra legs, um, six, seven, eight, nine but down a head, ten..."

Cats unintentionally gruesome counting of the corpses was interrupted by the sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"What was that?"

"I've heard quieter Gillian."

"Troubles indeed. Cat, I doubt this thing is friendly. Go have fun, why don't you? Repay evil unto evil."

"Okay, mister Kimblee! The voices in my head say to be careful! Whatever made that noise is probably nasty! So, friend Daniel, friend Elizabeth, I each need you to be super duper careful! And don't touch the bodies!"

Cat dropped her voice low and leaned into the others.

" They're messy"
 
Will just stared up, silent looking for whatever was making that horrible noise.
 
Macros said:
@inukai44 @Hannz @Estro

Still wary of any sudden attack from the skies, the group started its exploration of the ghost city. For an hour, they entered abandoned buildings after abandoned buildings, still with a concerning lack of bodies to be found. It was beginning to be harder to think any refugees could be found around this place. Finally, something new was discovered in the gymnasium - though whether or not this was a good thing was still up in the air.


Hundred of bodies impaled on mechanical spikes. This couldn't be good.


@Sailor Midgard @BetaM @munchkinomatic

The group took their first steps into the city, looking for any sort of clues that could put them on the trail of any possible survivor, though that prospect seemed to have become more unlikely. They had barely started, though, when...


@All

A loud, mechanical sound came from the sky. Whatever that meant remained to be seen.

You've heard that noise before, emitted from the ship who obliterated the first group you were with.
Click to expand...
Click to shrink...

Estro said:
"We've found people! Told you there would be some. Look, there's one, two, three, three and a half, um... Four and an arm, five and two extra legs, um, six, seven, eight, nine but down a head, ten..."

Cats unintentionally gruesome counting of the corpses was interrupted by the sound that seemed to come from everywhere at once.

"What was that?"

"I've heard quieter Gillian."

"Troubles indeed. Cat, I doubt this thing is friendly. Go have fun, why don't you? Repay evil unto evil."

"Okay, mister Kimblee! The voices in my head say to be careful! Whatever made that noise is probably nasty! So, friend Daniel, friend Elizabeth, I each need you to be super duper careful! And don't touch the bodies!"

Cat dropped her voice low and leaned into the others.

" They're messy"
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"We'll talk about that later. Also noted." Daniel said then added "We should get the hell out of here that thing vaporised the previous group I was helping. I surivived but that is gonna take awhile to explain" He looked up in the sky then around they need to get away as far away as possible.
 
Elizabeth wasn't going to lie, she wanted to throw up at the sight.

She was no stranger to dead bodies, but their sheer numbers and the way they had been left to rot confounded and scared her like none other.

Through all this tension, Cat's callousness provided an easy target for Elizabeth's ire, but before she could fire off a reply, a sound reverbiated throughout gym. Her blood ran cold, and her mind settled into a single course of action. "Friend Cat, Friend Daniel" The girl began, haste making her panick clear as she mimicked Cat's words to catch her attention. "We should go back the way we came, like, right now."
 
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