Cross Effects- The RP

[Elf]

Forest frowned, remembering what Lancer had told her.  She said, "Something about some Christian artifact, a lying bastard priest, seven mythical heroes summoned for a Battle Royal to the death, and a cheating asshole."

[lantzblades]

Satoshi nodded "language aside Lancer is right. A battle royal for a wish. Seven masters and servants face off for the prize, that's not to say that every servant is out to win the war for wish itself. Some like Rider fought for their master. In the case of Archer, the cheater to whom Lancer was referring. Archer is in actuality heroic spirit Emiya. In other words another version of my father Shirou Emiya." he paused frowning.

"Because of the events in his timeline he became what is known as a counter guardian. A counter guardian is a sweeper, unlike my father's ideal of saving everyone the guardians show up after a terrible incident and eliminate all living beings in an area. I'm sure you can understand why sure an existence would hurt him." Satoshi continued.

"He was burned out from the separation of his ideal, reality and the counter guardians. So he made a plan, he wished to escape the cycle of hurting people as a counter guardian and bet it on killing himself. The paradox he thought would make him cease to exist." Satoshi sighed pausing to breathe.

"In my own journey I've witnessed it, the fight between Shirou Emiya and Archer. Hundreds of times and no matter the winner I can't stand to see it happen again. The long and short is I jumped at Archer's threat, I should have continued my evaluation of the situation and finished it." Satoshi admitted.

"Shirou, back in that alley Forest. He was wrong and I never got to tell him so before Archer and Rider interjected. My fault but thank you for being more level headed then I was there" Satoshi finished looking fairly saddened by his mistake.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Oh. Oh shit.

I'd been trapped. I was still inside the room when that seal was placed - and good god was this situation turning weird.

Apparently Satan Bitch was unable to comprehend that people from other universes are different from you - big surprise, and they were talking about something called a... grail war? As in the Holy Grail? There's something that sounds... really tempting. Something that could allow me to well, be human again, or perhaps transcend all a vampires weaknesses. The Lancea Sanctum would go nuts if they heard this. The fucking Holy Grail. Holy shit. Ho-lee fucking shit.

The battle to the death thing and the cheating could be a problem, but if I could get the grail...

Any means would justify that end.

Satoshi's egocentric lecture gave me a little more ammo against this idiot too. Saving everyone huh? That's apparently Satoshi's ideal as well, considering how much he's rambling about it. Fine. He'd watch that burn in flames if we came up against one another. Where was he when I was with Her? No one can save everyone. It's a fact of life. You need sweepers to make sure life works. Those who “abjure” violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf. George Orwell stated that.

I settled into a corner of the room. This might take some time.

[Mooncake]

Lucas



I'd woken up in this place a little more than a week ago, leaning against the back of a wall. I already hated it. The smell in the air, the buildings , the lack of forests and trees that spread untouched over everything... I came across a lily, yesterday. It was dying. In all my life, I hadn't ever seen a plant die. Even when something was trampled, or scratched, broken in half, or even burned - it always grew back. At the very least, this place is also overrun with beasts and devils, things that only pretend to be human - so not that different from where I came from.

A couple of days ago, after taking some clothes from one of the many stores that line the streets of this city, I came across an old, abandoned bookshop tucked away from prying eyes. I made a base there, after changing it to my liking. Now, a layer of soil has replaced the floorboards, after I ripped them up and filled the space in. After taking as many plant seeds and baby trees as I could carry, I planted them into the new layer of soil, and already, they're nearly full-grown.

I can barely smell the pollution of the City, anymore. Another day or two, and this place will be the perfect refuge. I can feel my strength returning as I stay here - for some reason, being away from areas with lots of greenery makes me weaker. I still have enough strength to deal with the pack of giant wolves that came past last night, but being outside isn't the best idea for me right now. At the very least, I am still immortal - one of those wolves took my head off, last night. The shock on its face when I ripped out its' spine was priceless. I made short work of the rest of the pack, but if I hadn't been so close to the bookstore, things might have been a little more difficult.

Even though leaving the bookstore isn't a great idea right now, I've been gradually increasing the distance I get from it. Staying in one place too long, though I can do it, gets to be a little stifling... I've also found that this city is infested by a new breed of monsters, something I haven't heard of before - they're called "vampires", apparently.  A creature that grows stronger at night, and makes other vampires by feeding on living things, like a parasite. They seem to resemble humans, like me, but have fangs and... golden eyes? This "Twilight" book doesn't seem to be the right material... a book titled "Dracula" turns up better results that correspond with the things I've heard about.

Turning humans into vampires by drinking blood, creating familiars, turning into mist, bats, and dogs... it seems the only way to get rid of them is with fire, silver, decapitation, or impaling them through the heart. I'm not fond of fire, and don't have a supply of silver... it seems that decapitation and impalement are the only ways to destroy them available to me right now. The bookstore has many shelves and low and high ceilings - it's a rather odd looking place from the inside, and the numerous trees, vines, and other plants growing in it now only add to it.

Ducking into a narrow doorway, I enter a small side room. It probably used to be storage or an old office, judging by the number of books lying around. Now, above the small desk in one corner is a marked map of the city that I convinced a vendor to part with. I had to go outside in the daytime, when people were outside, to do that, so I was already cranky - he gave me the copy for free after I snapped at him. After finding out what I could, I drew areas of influence on it in accordance to the various factions of this city. It isn't very detailed - just circles, drawn in a red marker with names inside of them, and a species underneath in parenthesis. Vampires cover the majority of the map - more than any other race, they seem to be suited for this city. I'm not, at the very least, and that puts me at a disadvantage, so I have to be careful. I've also marked out the parks and gardens that give me strength in (what else?) green marker, so I know where to go if things go south...

Investigating about these creatures is  One of the circles on the map catches my eye, and I take a closer look at it. It doesn't really have a name, just a title, with the standard notation of (Vampire) underneath it.

"The Law Unto Herself..."

An old vampire, a female, physically young, wears a jacket, and seems to have a large group of allies with unknown combat potential. She seems to have a gun, and uses that to fight. That's about all I know on her - if I need to investigate the habits of powerful vampires, she might be a good candidate. I'd need to be careful with observation and combat, but- actually, why should I bother? I'm immortal - I don't need to sneak around all the time. As long as I am touching the Earth I cannot die. And, if worst comes to worst, I still have "that" in reserve. I gather my thoughts and head out - I can't really say I've ever had much of a plan, for anything, so this suits me just fine.



An apartment building across the street from me is where she's holed up. My objective at this point is to either kill her, lessen her amount of allies, or capture one for interrogation. Goal 1 is more important than Goal 2, which is more important than Goal 3. Simple enough - either way I should be able to learn more about vampires. I knew the area, but not the exact building, so I was prepared for a search. That is, until a pizza delivery van came by, with a young teenager carrying multiple pizzas and sodas. I had watched him idly, somewhat curious as to who would order so much food; at least, until I saw who opened the door. A silver-haired boy (well, an adult, but still on the young side) greeted the boy delivering the food and telekinetically seized it, pulling it inside as he paid the delivery boy.

This must be one of the allies of the vampire - an "ESPer" as this culture refers to them. Someone with psychic abilities, in other words. And now, thanks to this group's mistake, I now know with certainty where 'Law Unto Herself' lives. After the pizza van leaves, I cross to the front door of this place, slowly, taking care to appear nothing more than a mere human. Knocking on the outside of the door in a rhythm, I wait for just a moment before acting. On the final knock I draw upon my power. I'm not that close to sources of greenery, so I can only amplify my current level of power by two times; but that should be enough for this.

My fist hits the door hard enough to blow it off of its hinges, and I move inside so fast that I blur. The vampire isn't on this floor, so therefore she must be upstairs-! I move for the stairwell with inhuman speed, ready to fight.

[Cherry Lover]

Kiyoshi sat eating his bento, savouring every bite, as Rider entered the room, mentioning the pizza.

Oh, damn, Ryoko got that for me too, Kiyoshi thought.

Still, right now he wasn't particularly bothered about the pizza, particularly since Ryoko had already gone to bed. His mother's home-cooked food was miles better than anything any restaurant could make, and surely Ryoko could understand that. Plus, he could always have some pizza later.

Forest responded to Rider's question.

"Apparently the Sakura of their universe made Kiyoshi a bento box.  Wasn't that nice of them?  As for the pizza, well, if it's the place that Lancer favors I rather not.  Garlic and all of that", she said.

"Ooh, Sakura made food? Is there any spare?" she said, enthusiastically.

Whilst she didn't need to eat and gained no nutritional benefit from doing so, Rider was still capable of enjoying food, and Sakura and Shirou had always encouraged her to eat with them, to make her feel more like part of the family.

"And, well, my master is a truly kind person, she would never want someone to go hungry, especially her own child", Rider quickly added, a bit embarassed at her outburst of enthusiasm.

Kiyoshi laughed slightly, but he was too busy eating the bento to really talk.

The two of them sat and listened as Satoshi explained the format of the meeting, both nodding in agreement when he said they could not tell anyone else what had been discussed. Then, they began to discuss the younger Rin, and the Grail War.

Rider knew that she needed to explain what the younger Rin had said, so they understood where they stood. Kiyoshi, of course, was too engrossed in eating his mother's delicious food to say anything....

"The other Rin acted as she did because she doesn't know or trust any of you. Her first meeting with Satoshi involved him threatening to kill Archer, and her second meeting with him involved him threatening to kill my master. I know he was bluffing, but she has no reason to believe that or to trust him. And, when she met your daughter, they ended up arguing, and your daughter ranted about comparing Toshi to some 'gold-plated eff box'. She doesn't trust you and she thinks you act oddly, so she is really worried about what you might do with whatever is in that trunk, and is really suspicious of the fact that you are keeping it secret", Rider said.

After she had spoke, Forest responded to Satoshi's question about the Grail.

"Something about some Christian artifact, a lying bastard priest, seven mythical heroes summoned for a Battle Royal to the death, and a cheating asshole", she said.

Rider laughed at what was evidentially Lancer's attempt at a description.

Lying bastard priest? Does she mean Kotomine?

Rider had mixed feelings about the priest. On one hand, were it not for him her master would be long dead, and he had ultimately assisted in the destruction of Zouken. But, on the other hand, his intentions towards her master had never been particularly great either.

"Language aside Lancer is right. A battle royal for a wish. Seven masters and servants face off for the prize, that's not to say that every servant is out to win the war for wish itself. Some like Rider fought for their master. In the case of Archer, the cheater to whom Lancer was referring. Archer is in actuality heroic spirit Emiya. In other words another version of my father Shirou Emiya", Satoshi added.

Rider nodded as Satoshi continued to speak. Kiyoshi was listening slightly more intently, although so far he knew most of the details.

Satoshi continued to speak, explaining why he had acted as he did. However, his words had a strong effect on Kiyoshi.

Dad ended up like that? he thought, sadly, his eating becoming less enthusiastic.

The idea of a group like the Counter Guardians repulsed Kiyoshi. Someone who would show up and kill everything in the area just to be sure, and who would attack anyone who looked remotely dangerous.

Like mummy....

Kiyoshi hated the thought of his father in that form, attacking people like his mother without any hesitation or compassion.

"Is that really true? Did dad really end up like that?" he asked, clearly upset.

Rider, meanwhile, added her input to the discussion.

"Yeah, there are seven servants, each summoned by a human master. In theory we're all after a wish, but my wish was just for my master to be safe and happy, I never had any desire for the Grail for myself. The Grail is powered by the souls of the defeated servants that are stored in the Lesser Grail, but masters can be spared. My Grail War was not a standard one, though, so you might be better off asking Satoshi for the details. I never even met Lancer, for instance.

As for the other Rin, she's basically a past version of the Rin I know. Her Grail War was the same as mine, as far as I can tell. So, I can understand her a little better, hopefully", she said.

[lantzblades]

Tsukasa handed a box to Rider with a silent smile.

Satoshi frowned feeling anxious "in regards to Rin, well, I just said that I jumped at the threat, it was wrong but I tried to tell her that down stairs and she ignored me. If she chooses to ignore me when I tell the truth there isn't much to do"

he paused looking oddly around the room then turned back to Kiyoshi " the world tricked dad Kiyo, counter guardians aren't able to act on their own and it appeared that he would be saving people the way he hoped and not just hurting people"

he paused again rubbing the back of his neck "What Rin said set my sister off. Sakura had a right to be angry based on Rin's enduring self belief alone. What Gilgamesh did. It's not for polite company."

then Satoshi realized it. A hidden person, it took a few seconds before he finally got a look at the intruder despite a hefty urge not to look.

"Sup fangs, you can leave now" he told jack with a laugh.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

He could see me.

Fine. I looked him straight in the eyes, keeping Obsfucate on and up and running. This had to be a fluke. Or he had secrets that I would like to know. Probably both. Obsfucate wasn't foolproof. But Obsfucate was very effective. If he could see through it, I'd lost an advantage against him. Irritating, to be sure, but anyone else seeing through it wasn't very likely, considering the enviroment and my own actions. So, I decided to do the most optimal form of action.

I stood stock still, aside from slowly raising my arm and flipping the fucker the bird. True revenge for calling me fucking 'fangs' would need to wait. It wasn't even a clever nickname or a good insult. "Vampire friends" my dead ass.

[Milbunk]

Shezar the Assassin's Blade
The Rooftops

An Assassin must strike swift and hard, such is the nature of their craft.

'Art of Duplicity.' A flash of light and the one figure running was now two than three figures. Still rushing their foe.

Faster and faster they ran the buildings below leaving nothing but a blur below their feet.

Just 30 meters to go before they reached their target...

**************************************

Downy Reed
The Inbetween

The Vampires now in chaos from the incoming meteor Downy left his partner to handle the Vampires he had more pressing matters to attend to.

'Damnit not another one! Well they won't get the last one I'll see to that'

And into the shadows he went from the quivering of the second circle he knew by now it was already lost his last hope remained in the final functional circle.

Having the advantage in speed he made his way as quickly as possible towards the third and final circle and there he waited in ambush if they dared to make their appearance known anywhere around he'd be the first to know.

****************************

Imnity
High in the Sky

*KABOOOOOOM!!!*

With a mighty roar and an even mightier crash the meteor hit it's mark straight into the building. With it any vampire's or other beings in the near vicinity took the full force of the blast being completely incinerated in a mighty wave of heat and molten rock.

As for the ones that did manage to get away Imnity then began her next task, she would sense them out and destroy them one by one, one such vampire who had only partially gotten hit by the blast was weakened but alive.

With a wave of her hand a page of her book she was instantly by his side. 'If my knowledge is correct you beings have a knack for regeneration I must eliminate you before you can show me such ability.'

“הכסף בלייד.”

Another action and another page as a silver blade emerged from a portal nearby and into her hand, with one swift motion she decapitated the head of the vampire and away she was again onto the next target as quick as a flash leaving nothing but the burning smell of pages and the dead and decaying body of her victims.

**************************

Mudou the Betrayer
The Alleyway

“Hey! Where'n the Hell'd they go!? Is this Imnity's doing!?”

Looking around he spotted the only other thing still alive in this rotted and spoiled alleyway.

“Hey you! What do ya think you're doing!? You wanna die!? Fine I'll grant you your wish!”

“Mudou we don't have time for this, we must go and find them before they cause any more of Master Downy's plans to go astray.”

“You shut up! I'm sick and tired o'all this running!  I want blood!! If ya wanna deal with those bastards then get out o my sight!”

With another mighty roar Mudou charged the unarmed sickly looking man.

**********************************

Lobellia Reed
The Alleyway
 
'I don't have time for this idiots games, if he wants to go off and die on his own fine I'm sure finding a replacement will be easy enough.'

Ignoring her partners mad charge she quickly jumped from wall to rubbled wall until she once again reached the top of the buildings, with a step of her feet she was off, her target the main central conduit for the ritual, if in case the circle's were all taken down then they'd need to be directed lest they all hit her Master.

******************************

Undead Behemoth
Main Circle

It's senses now dulled from the swing of the weapon the Behemoth shrieked in rage it's hand now finally fully regenerated it was began to counter when a second mighty blast from the cannon struck it straight in the center chunks of flesh and bones along with the heavy scent of rotten and burning flesh everywhere.

Another cry from the beast and it grabbed the nearest pile of bone and rock flinging more and more at the target before slumping down into a mess it's humanoid shape slowly beginning to form into something more circular.

******************************

Medea
? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

At first she had cursed herself for her misfortune, brought again into the world of the living only to meet yet another terrible fate. Was this her destiny? Forever one to feel the misfortune of the Gods?

Would she find no happiness? No joy? No chance to live?

Those were her thoughts, the feelings that emanated from her very being for the longest time. Even as she took the life of the very one who gave her this second chance she cursed them yet again.

Even her grandfather as he sheltered her from danger, she could tell in his eyes, he had nothing but pity for her, her life was nothing but suffering and death, and she knew it most.

So why was she here? Why was she cursed to die yet again with nothing but sorrow?

Though her eyes were clouded her mind was not. It was with her own hand alone that she took her very own brother's life. As her hand dissected the one she once loved she could tell, those eyes were once again nothing but pity.

Yet why was she here? Shivering in the darkness as her eyes began to cloud and the last flickering lights of life began to fade. She cursed them all. Was she meant for nothing but sorrow?

And then he came... Silent but caring in his own way he appeared in her life like a gentle breeze to fuel the once flickering flame he appeared.

At first she thought of him as nothing but another one of those pathetic men. Yet another one who would either use her till she was useful no longer or pity her sad existence. But he was neither, he asked no questions and desired no rewards for his actions.

He was like the fuel for the flickering candle that gave it yet another chance. And though her body was old her heart was still young, it yearned for these raw emotions.

She knew it could very well end just as horribly as all the rest but she decided to give it just one more chance. This time no God or Man would stand in her way, this time she would find the happiness she had once yearned for. And this time she would not fail...

So even as her very mind and body faded from this world yet again she was not sad. She didn't hate... Nor did she curse...

In fact she happy, ecstatic even. For she had no regrets, to her even if it meant dying in his stead she would give her very life and soul to him if it meant she could protect his life even a moment longer. So as she faded from this world, as her broken and battered body began to shimmer in that familiar light she held his head one last time and uttered his name.

To her even though it was her last moments in this world she was satisfied. If there were people like him in it then perhaps the world wasn't so bad after all? Perhaps she should give it a second chance as well?...

****************************************************

So why was she here? In the ruins of an old and decrepit building she awakened. But she was alone, she could no longer sense the feelings of her loved one. Yes, this time she was truly alone, no Master to force her down another cursed path and no Gods to pity her. This time she was truly and utterly alone...

But this time she had a goal. Even though it might be impossible, even if it took a thousand years she would meet "him" again. She would find "him" even if the very Gods cursed her own being!

So she set off once more, this time no one would stand in her way. This time she would finally find the happiness she had once thought impossible. This time she would create a miracle. This time she would create her own Destiny!

[OPOI]

Shirou paced silently through the halls of the Apartment Block, golden eyes searching each and every crook and cranny with hawk-like intensity. Whilst everybody else had long since relaxed, believing the place to be impenetrable, Shirou remained vigilant. He knew from personal experience that this period was among the most dangerous times of day, and that nowhere was ever completely impenetrable if one was determined or wily enough.

And if nothing else, it allowed him to idle the time away without revisiting old events in his sleep.

He was passing by the stairwell, his feet gliding along as silently as a wraith, when he heard it. The distinctive sound of a fist smacking into the door, once, twice, then an explosion as the door was smashed across the hallway, splinters peppering the room.

An enemy. A powerful one, or a stupid one, based on the brazen way he'd entered the building.

For a second, Shirou hesitated. Was there any point to attacking? If they were after him, he could easily slip away into the night, with no one the wiser. Certainly, the people here were strong enough to handle themselves. But...to do so would go against his ideals, the one thing in life he'd sworn himself to on that night so very long ago. A hero wouldn't leave if things became too dangerous. And for once, this wasn't a case of sacrificing the lesser for the greater. He thought of Forest, Isa, and all the other people he'd been slowly getting attached to. All those alternate universe kids of his...

The solution was obvious.

Reinforcing his legs, the familiar pain coursing through his Circuits, Shirou jumped the banister, falling through the air, whilst simultaneously retrieving his Forest's revolver from his coat. He landed on the Ground floor, coat billowing around him like a cape, just in time to catch a figure moving towards him at an inhuman speed, a blur really. He could just make out a man in his 20s, around average height and slim in built, his skin as pale as a ghost. he was dressed in a black coat which didn't really fit him, most likely stolen. The one unique feature which really caught Shirou's attention was the man's eyes: a golden colour with narrow slit pupils which clearly showed him as a supernatural being, possibly a Dead Apostle. Narrowing his silver eyes in concentration, he quickly fired twice, the gunshots sounding like explosions which echoed around the room.  He quickly traced Bakuya in his left hand, ready to fight in close quarters if it came to it.

[Arch-Magos Winter]

Shezar the Assassin's Blade
The Rooftops

An Assassin must strike swift and hard, such is the nature of their craft.

'Art of Duplicity.' A flash of light and the one figure running was now two than three figures. Still rushing their foe.

Faster and faster they ran the buildings below leaving nothing but a blur below their feet.

Just 30 meters to go before they reached their target...

Raul, seeing the foe split himself into three, decided that it was time for himself to show his true form. The silver wings unfolded, the face morphed into the smooth globe of his natural appearance, arms and blades revealed themselves as the feathery armor covered his silver form.

A push of his wings later and Raul had adjusted his course to meet the foes head on, thirty meters cleared in milliseconds. He activated his embed, his first Key, Strike First. Reality warped around the blades of the Demon's arms, striking forward with a supernatural speed to decapitate one of his opponents, the other two arms angling to impale the middle opponent while his one of his wing swung around like a club towards the head of the third. The initiative would be his for at least the first strike in this battle.

The being known as Raul had an odd feeling that this wasn't going to be enough to quickly dominate this battle, but for now, it'd be more than enough.

[Bloble]

'You enjoy this too, I see. When was the last time someone gave as well as took?' Valda whispered silently through the warmth passing between them and to the Salamander in the young man's heart. 'How hard has it been for you, observing from within poor Luka?'

"S-Shut up," Salamander gasped, her arousal impossible to hide. "I've dominated dozens... hundreds!" The metaphorical air around the flame spirit was steaming, as her sweat and juices evaporated instantly from the heat, both hers and Valda's. Indeed, it was true. The spirit, while considered a bit of a reclusive hermit by most monsters, still took her fair share whenever she felt that itch. At the same time, this was a completely different feeling. Salamander's fingers twitched, playing around her opening, dripping with unrestrained desire. "No one gives... that's not how it is..."

'Did nobody wear such things for him to take off? Or were they simply... made differently, where you are from?' she inquired of the Salamander, if she could even bring herself to the right state of mind to respond. 'Or perhaps they simply did it themselves, as a prelude to taking what they wanted.'

"We take," the spirit sighed, her mind slowly steaming up as Luka's fumbling fingers finally managed to undo the clasp of Valda's bra. "We take what we want, from who we want. No one stops us, not Heroes, not Goddesses... that's the way the world is." Perhaps it was feedback from being in close proximity to a kindred spirit, or Luka's lust carrying over to his mind's tenants. It was the best explanation for why the ageless spirit was so turned on by what was in all appearances an ordinary human woman. "But you... not even a Succubus could be this subtle. The boy never learned to deal with someone like you. What... what are you?" A rhetorical question. Salamander knew exactly what Valda was, and the spirit's fear of being consumed by her greater counterpart had twisted into a forbidden desire.

Meanwhile, Luka stiffened again upon finally seeing Valda's mostly naked body. Her bare breasts and barely covered hips tantalized his instincts, blanking out any rational thought. "Goddess..." he murmured.

For the first time in his life, Luka took. He moved, all gentleness gone, replaced only by blind hunger as a lifetime's worth of repressed instincts announced their awakening with an inaudible roar. He surged forward, enveloping Valda's lips with his own, and her breasts with his hands, paying no mind to thoughts of foreplay. Clumsily he imitated what his partner had done with her tongue, doing his best to take the lead, all while knowing that he was, in fact, being manipulated into doing so. His fingers sank into bare flesh, his palms felt Valda's raised nipples rubbing against them, and Luka revelled in hearing a pleased gasp from the woman who held the lead, even as she soon gave back just as much.

From within, the previously silent spirit spoke. "Lower..." Salamander hissed.

Luka obeyed. His left hand cupped Valda's breast, two fingers gently pinching and squeezing a nipple while his right crept lower, towards her promised, hidden spot.

[KAIZA]

Undead Behemoth
Main Circle

It's senses now dulled from the swing of the weapon the Behemoth shrieked in rage it's hand now finally fully regenerated it was began to counter when a second mighty blast from the cannon struck it straight in the center chunks of flesh and bones along with the heavy scent of rotten and burning flesh everywhere.

Another cry from the beast and it grabbed the nearest pile of bone and rock flinging more and more at the target before slumping down into a mess it's humanoid shape slowly beginning to form into something more circular.

Her tactics were having a noticeable effect now. The creature had become desperate, and was now flinging whatever it could find at the unit. The unit easily evaded or deflected all of the attacks; without coordination or tactics, it would be close to impossible to even graze her.

As she kept evading, she also maintained a steady stream of fire from her cannon. An advantage of being close to a circle absorbing Mist unto itself was that the unit herself could use this Mist to her advantage, fueling more of her attacks.

However, she momentarily paused when she noticed the creature suddenly slumped down into a putrid mess, taking on a rounder, more circular shape.

“Enemy appears to be neutralized. Standing-by.”

She used this moment to let her armor vent out. Large amounts of vapor were expelled from the armor's exhausts, letting out all the heat from her continuous usage of the Mist Cannon. However, while she took the moment to observe the beast's behavior, she wasn't letting her guard down, and had taken a defensive stance, her weapon at the ready, just in case.

[Bloble]

INITIAL REPORT ON VAMPIRES

• Subject shows signs of extreme durability and regeneration, beyond that of a human. Subject was able to shrug off bone-breaking blows, and bullet penetration was minimal with handguns. Higher calibres showed more effectiveness, but still achieved less than ideal results. Striking with average human strength using tools resulted in more severe injuries, even with swords and bladed weapons, but regeneration proved to be an effective countermeasure and durability was high. Stabbing appears to be most effective, and could likely kill the subject with proper placement of blow. Subject attached fingers within seconds, limbs within minutes. Removing the head has not yet been attempted.
• Subject shows extreme aversion to flames. It screamed and shrunk away upon seeing a simple butane lighter. Exposure of flames to a finger proved most effective in destroying the limb, and regeneration afterwards was slowed down by over 80%.
• Similar results to fire tests achieved with partial exposure to sunlight. Artificial light does not produce such results. Higher levels of exposure not yet tested for fear of accidental elimination of subject.
• Allowing the primary body to be bitten by subject did nothing. No blood was extracted, and no changes were observed. Regeneration of primary body was unchanged. Analysis concludes that the subject possesses no ability to permanently damage primary body.
• Drinking subject's blood with primary body produced identical results, despite claims to the contrary. All possible changes were immediately reversed. Subject showed fear and anxiety when shown the results.
• Possession proceeded as planned, but control was weakened significantly. Control was initially almost impossible, as host soul resisted beyond human abilities, barring anomaly #5 in the previous world. Host soul was not active in altered time, and could not be communicated with, although it seemed to sense my presence. Over the course of several hours, control became more effective, but it remains to be seen whether the property lies in the subject or my own abilities adjusting. Will have to acquire more subjects. (Note: Hire Paper Man once more? Will need to gather funds.)
• Current levels of possession allow for almost perfect control of ordinary body movement. However, previously observed abilities present in the subject's species cannot be accessed, although the subject attempted to use them on its own earlier. Will need to test further to see where these abilities originate, and if they can be harnessed through possession. Will also need to see if abilities differ between individuals. Will have to acquire more subjects.
• Subject was unwilling to speak about Deacon Frost or Law Unto Herself, presenting no new information. Whether this was due to shoddy interrogation techniques, loyalty, or lack of knowledge is to be seen. Will have to acquire more subjects.

Final Conclusion: Testing partially inconclusive. More subjects needed.

Many, many more.

[YOLF]

Bonesington

Sir Bonesington pushed open the large wooden door and entered the church to a sight of shattered glass, rocky debris, and ruined overturned pews. Weak sunlight shone inside through the open roof and ruptured wall, filtered through the thin clouds he could see gathering outside over the building. He coolly regarded the damage the church had suffered. He had no particular like for such places, but the artist in him mourned. What a pity, this state was. The altar at the end of the hall seemed to be the only thing untouched by time and misery. Bonesington gave it a curious look, then moved towards it, past the collapsed seats and hunks of stone littering his path.

Although the glass murals above it were cracked, eroded and partially missing too, they still illuminated the altar and the steps leading up to it with their colors, as they did in times. Atop the altar, was a single thick book, and besides it...

Bonesington stopped to look at the old, torn and battered standard draped on the ground next to the altar, and the symbol on it.



The lich recognized it for what it was with some measure of interest, but at this point the confirmation did not faze his cold head in the slightest. The symbol in that damaged standard was the Gilnean coat of arms. And so, there was no doubt. This uncommonly damp spot in the green park and these dreary ruins were a small, ancient piece of the country of Gilneas, somehow transported to the middle of Nexus City.

"I do wonder..."

Maybe him and it weren't the only bits of Azeroth that had come here. There was no comfort in the notion for him, for his dead self had no insecurities despite lacking any real idea of how to return there, but it filled him with a tiny bit of morbid wonder at the fun happenings that such a thing could result in.

Without him noticing, something shifted in the shadows just as he was having these thoughts.

Humming, he floated behind the altar. The book on it was leather bound, heavy-looking, and its name stood out proudly on the cover in a showy and ornate font. "The Teachings Of Holy Light" was the name of the book.

Bonesington 'hmph'-ed lightly at seeing it, and ran a finger over the letters on the cover, more strongly than necessary. And as he did, he noticed a stark difference between everything else here and the book.

Not only was it remarkably well preserved, there was no dust on its surface.

[Elf]

"Fuck[/b]!" Deacon Frost all but roared, his eyes turning a pale, icy blue as his canines lengthened to true fangs at the sight of the giant death rock taking out a good chunk of his forces.  His eyes narrowed as he watched that redheaded prick vanish, after the pretty man with the pointed ears and his vampiric companion.  Due to his ascension to La Magra, Frost could sense other vampires even if they weren't from his native reality.  So Pretty Man's friend could be a potential ally, but right now Pretty Man could kill that fucker's magic bullshit which made him a huge asset in Frost's eyes right now.

He put his hand to the communicator in his ear and said, "Anyone who wasn't fucking pulverized by that meteor sound off and give me a sit rep now."

There was static over the line.  "Goddamn it," Frost said as he ripped the device from his ears and leaped into the air, twisting into a graceful dive towards a woman who was starting to cull his remaining forces.   

******

"Our over dramatic foe is going to be waiting for us with some sort of trap," Gabriel told Angel as they stopped, standing in the middle of the Shadows.

Angel gave a terse nod and said, "Let me handle the wizard while you shut this thing off."

"He's a necromancer," Gabriel said with a slight cant of his head, "I really don't want him getting control of your body."

Angel smirked and his face transformed.  His slightly overhanging forehead changed, eyebrows receding to leave a ridged and demonic countenance.   Dark eyes like smoky quartz were now the color of lemons, and not only did he have fangs, but the teeth around them were curved in and sharp as well, allowing for a stronger bite.

"He's going to get a fight if he wants to do that," Angel said, his voice distorted by his fangs and a low growl.

Gabriel blinked and said, "That's rather unattractive."  Then he smirked and stepped out of the shadows, letting go of Angel's arm as they entered the third circle.

******

The wards of the compound activated the instant that Lucas decided to barge in.  A loud shrieking sound filled the compound, echoing through the amethysts strategically placed at various points through the fortress.  The air started to reek of ozone as power was drawn out through the stores of the myriad of crystals collected there. 

It focused on the one who activated it, sending a powerful binding spell down their path.

******

Lancer yelped as the loud, shrill sound filled his ears and almost doubled over and howled.  It felt as if thousands of needles were being pushed and dug into his ears and his vision blurred.  Forest had warned him that the wards were loud, but this was insane.

He also sensed a gathered spell being forced into effect and looked at Millie.  "Someone's decided to make their way in," he said, trying not to wince as he let go of her hand.

******

Lady Wynn Noreen Umbra watched the battle below from her rooftop perch.  A scowl marred her exquisite features as she saw the sheer sloppiness of the spell casting going on below her.  Dabbling with the flesh of the dead was never a pleasant thing, and that golum made of dead parts was an eyesore.

So was the nimble mechanical monstrosity fighting it.

However the circles that were summoning pointlessly and gathering more and more power had a more nefarious purpose.  They were a ticking time bomb that would go off and destroy everything around her.  The Nexus City would be awash in magical flames and no more, save for the wizard who started the fiasco, who was an over dramatic redhead.  However that over-dramatic wizard did not account for her son throwing a very nasty wrench in his plan.

She watched Gabriel with a mixture of sadness and pride. 

If he had been a true Faerie he would have fought this rank melodramatic head to head with his own magic, showing him the true power of the Fae.  However the incubus blood tainted his veins, but it was just the thing to completely and harmlessly annihilate the circles the redhead had created.  Gabriel was clever.

All but one of the circles had already been destroyed in rapid fire succession in hit and run patterns.  The wizard wouldn't be able to touch Gabriel.  However, instead of just accepting this knowledge Gabriel had even gotten himself an insurance plan.

Apparently there had been some good-doer vampire helping the people of this town against the monsters pouring from the circles.  Not that Wynn could find anything adverse to that.  After all there was a certain do-gooder vampire she was quite fond of, but the fact that Gabriel had already had this won but created plans in the chance that anything went awry spoke volumes of his cunning.

Tired of watching, she decided what she needed now was a good absinthe and went to go look for such a place that served them.

******
Forest frowned at both Rider and Satoshi's Info Dumps and said, "Why does the Grail War matter here anyway?  I mean, it was already won in your two realities right?"

Then at that moment the wards in the compound decided to go off.

"Bloody hell, we've got a bit of a problem," the vampire said, heading for the door.