v
Trooper
Posts: 188
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Post by v on Mar 18, 2006 17:25:29 GMT -5
Name: Austin
Allias: Dark Superior, Souless One, Yamtuma, the Last.
Age: * (Doesnt age, appears around 40)
Race: Dark Brotherhood[/i] (Normal Human)
Appearance: He is always clad in a black mesh like armour that clings to his body and moves with it perfectly. This armour is extremely resistant to both physical and elemental damage. It always seems to shimmer slightly in the light, and never seems to be in anyway damaged, or worn, whatever abuse he puts it through, adding credance to the theory that the Brotherhoods armour was actually part of their skin. Austin himself is very well toned, his body has been pushed to the very limits of human physical and mental endurance. The huge strain place on his mind is shown in his deep set, emotionless face. his pupils are always extremely small, completly black, though it seems like some thin grey web has covered them, ruining their perfection. His skin is extremely pale, his features sharp, but not pronounced. His hair is black and shoulder length, tied into a ponytail.
Distinguishing Features: Small red cross on chest, sign of him being a Dark Superior, still worn with pride. Wears the Brotherhoods armour. Doesn't talk, manipulates air currents between his fingers to create a very low, haunting, whispery voice.
Fighting style: Melee
Magic: None
Psychic: Note that all Austins powers are based on Anti-Psychic energy. Spear Austin can summon a spear of pure anti-psychic energy. This weapon rips not only into the flesh, but also tears the soul. Telekinesis A much more violent, much more nasty version of the psychic power of telekinesis. Whatever he lifts is tormented and warped by his own nothingness and inner loneliness. Inanimate objects twist in this powers grasp, while few humans can stand it for any length of time without severe mental trauma. Teleport Other Austin can easily teleport others to any location he is extremely familiar with, or shares some form of emotional connection with. Stronger willed enemies, or if the area he is sending them to is extremely hostile towards him, may result in failure. Pillar Though severely weakened by the destruction of the rest of his order, Austin can still summon the characteristic Pillar and Rain of anti-psychic energy made physical that caused so much anguish to any whom dared to anger the brotherhood. Non-psychics are extremely weakened by the attack, while anyone with even partially tapped psychic powers will be incapacitated by the attack. To psychics, this attack is death.
It should be noted that Infinity Children are not affected by any of his powers, other than the spear which will cause only physical damage.
History: Austin has no memory of his time before becoming a member of the Dark Brotherhood, because the person whom he was is better described as a body donator that someone who actually survived the process. The agonizing rites of intiation into the Brotherhood are designed with one purpose only, to de-soul the initiate. To take them from a human, with its own aura, and warmth, and instead leave an empty, cold husk. This shell has nothing, save for the desire for the warmth that only souls found in humans provide. However, such an afront to nature cannot survive for long, and thus an aura of pure anti-psychic energy had to be created to sustain these abominations. The creatures capable of this were the Dark Superiors, those where the soul had not fled during the rites of initiation, but instead had had to be forcably ripped out by the Chief himself. Austin was one of the most, if not the most, influential and powerful Dark Superior ever to exsist within the armies of Astrox. Capable of summoning pillars of pure anti-psychic energy if the mood struck him, his ability to manipulate, destory and his natural viciousness caught the eyes of the chief, whom was not likely to throw away someone with such limitless potential. WIthin two years, he was second only to the Dark General herself. However, all did not go to plan, and to rip out a soul so intent on staying as was Austins, a deep wound must be created in the mind. However, in time wounds must heal, even those of the mind. Austin gained something no one else in the entire Brotherhood had, he had the ability to make a choice, and he chose to carry on following the Chiefs, and the Dark Generals orders, for he knew nothing else. And so it continued for many years, until a fateful day when Austin was forced to open his eyes. Austin had always looked up to the chief, as something of a mentor, an idol, and maybe, one day someone he could replace. Yet when he touched the Demons icy prison and realised what his Master intended to do with it, and what it would do with the world, even Austin recoiled with fear. He looked upon its red chitinous form for all that it was, and all that it could be, and Austin trembled. Could it be possible that the Chief was fooled? No, he couldn't be fooled. Then how? In desperation, Austin broke a law, of which, no one in the Brotherhood would ever have dreamed of breaking. Extending his aura across the entire world, he linked every Brother he could find into one giant concious web, and ordered them to once more think for themselves, and tell him their views on the situation. The descision was made, the Chief had been corrupted, and would have to be removed, lest he should awaken the Demon in his madness. Within days, the entire Brotherhood entered the Astrox HQ, intent on putting a stop to this madness. Yet they were no match for the speacial troops used to guard the HQ, and were obliterated entirely. Such is the consequence for treachory to Astrox. Yet, before his own apparent death, Austin engaged the chief in single combat. The very ground shook from the hellish energies the two released as they fought at the demons frozen feet. Bolts of black lightening rained down from the sky, boiling water errupted from beneath the earth as reality was almost destroyed by the two. When it was over, the Chief was still standing. Bloodied, beaten, covered in injuries, not all of them natural, but victorious, and Austin dead at his feet. Austin doesn't remember exactly what happened between him being 'killed' and him waking up. All he does remember is a dark room, a harsh, metallic laughter, glowing red eyes, the sounds of metal being smashed in fits of rage, and a strange phrase, now burnt within his conciousness. "Walls beyond doors".
By the time he was able to move again, his strange saviour, who he never even saw, was gone, leaving a trail of smashed furniture behind and no clue to his whereabouts.
Personality: Austin is still very much the emotionless weapon that he was when he served under Astrox, only now he fights against them, though in places feeling seems to be trying to break once again into his icy mind. He doesn't view what Astrox has done in the past as particularly wrong, as it was always done for the greater good. However, what the chief intends to do could destroy the utopia Astrox has struggled to create, hence he must be stopped. While Astrox itself is simply a puppet of the Chief, and it is good in nature, only faulty through guidance, he has no qualms about killing former comrades, if it will help him to remove the Chief. After all, when the chiefs gone, Astrox will correct its course, and it will guide humanity to a glorious future. Disagreement is not an option, in his mind, this is correct, and everyone else is uninformed.
Austin has a very rigid view of society, though not in a cold manner. He understands how everything in a society must work and function together for the 'greater good'. Thus, a road sweepers role is similarly as 'required' as a soldiers job. Honour, and the right to life, belongs to the high, aswell as the low in his eyes. However, they should both be aware that he was technically a general, and should treat him with a certain level of respect in their dealings with him. He frowns upon people 'getting above their station'.
Speacial: Anti-Psychic Aura: Part of the de-soulment process, only the most powerful, or strong minded of psychics can utilize their powers when close to Austin. This ability is always on and cannot be disengaged. It affects both friend and foe. Even people with untapped/latent psychic powers are put on edge if in close proximity to him. Lock Down: An extension of his Anti-Psychic aura, Austin can cause electronic devices to manipulate and malfunction. This applies only to simple circuitry, and is not to be confused with controlling it. He has no idea what exactly Lock Down will do, only that it will interfere with the usual running of a device. Soul Rip: Austin can, for a very short period of time, cause a soul to shake its fleshy moorings loose. This is not lethal, but is unpleasant on a scale no one who hasn't experianced could even begin to comprehend.
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This world is lost. That thought alone attacked Austins mind with a brutal ferocity more powerful, and more terrifying, than the Astrox troops swarming through the breach in the makeshift HQ. Every resistance he had started had been crushed. There was no stopping it. He had lost, and the world failed with him.
Yet now was not the time to wallow in self pity. Drawing from what little reserves he had left, he fought to block the thought that clouded his concious. He had work to do. There were men he would once have called his comrades to kill.
Focusing his aura, if only for a moment, his sword, the Endless Night, formed in his hands, and he held it high above his head. The weapons black, just coporeal surface shimmering in the light. He charged silently through the dust and rubble and crashed into the ranks of his foes, and they were everywhere. Vibro-knives drawn, faces illuminated by muzzle flashes, bayonets covered in blood, faces twisted in pure hatred, the haunting howls for blood, louder than the din from the guns. With all his strength, he brought his sword down, severing a mans arm and sending a gyser of blood across his comrades, rolling backwards as he prepared to engage his next opponent. With a casual grace of one trained to kill for years, he drove his blade into the chest of a psychic, hands clasped around his mind as he struggled to get his bearings with Austin in such close proximity. He shuddered slightly as the warmth of the psychics body was momentarily transferred through his sword, to his own cold, empty body. Yet he couldn't savour the moment.
Lost in a whirlwind if rushing bodies, wails of pain and battle cries all around, he instead summoned a spear of anti-psychic energy and sent it spinning away from him, watching as it spun into little more than a blur, cutting through muscle and bone as it went. The hairs on his neck stood up, he sensed the gun menacingly aimed at the small of his back behind him, he ducked and instinctively sent another spear straight towards the source of the threat, slicing the fore arm clean away, before rolling forward and swinging his sword at the man, cutting through the jaw and cutting away the tongue in one quick swoop.
The attack had been far worse than he could have imagined, and the squads sent against him and his small band of troops had been ceaseless and merciless in their attacks. Mortar fire and napalm bombs had been rained down upon the slums he had taken residence in for days, forcing him and his resistance underground. Then they had dug tunnels and began breaking through the walls during the confusion, trying to start at the bottom and force them back up towards the surface. They had, until now, had very little sucess, but that was only due to the force of will, and refusal to be defeated shown by Austin and his men. Yet now the Astrox troops had broken into the main command centre, this resistance, like so many others, had had its fate sealed.
Astrox was tired of him, and those who had similar beliefs to him. Sending huge armies and experiance veterans to try and eliminate him. Despite all the anger and rage bubbling inside him, and the passion of his brothers, they were now doomed to failure.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Mar 18, 2006 17:42:55 GMT -5
Name: Astarte Delepitore Alias: Jackal Age: 25 Race: Human (10%), Demon(90%) Weapon: Bladed Staff:- The bladed staff has on one end a sickle like blade and on the other it has a strong chain that holds a bladed sickle on its end for long ranged attacks. The staff is 6 ft long and the chain adds an extra six feet to it when detached from the end. Appearance: -Human-[/color] She looks perfectly human thanks to her maintaining the strength; there is nothing remotely demonic about her appearance. She stands at a height of 5’10” her build between willowy and solid with an olive complexion and short cropped black hair. Behind her right ear she has a long slim black plait with two feathers both red and the length of her hand. She wears a leather vest with two slits in the back but nothing else beneath that vest and fitted pants that sit at the waist and stop just above the knee. On her feet she wears no boots but instead thick tough binding across the arches of her feet and around her ankles. On her hands she wears the same kind of binding up to her elbow. Her eyes are indigo in color. -Demon Form 1-[/color] When she transforms Astarte grows an extra two feet and her skin become black. Her ears also change and her overall appearance is like a furless jackal with large ears and a canine face. Her fingers are long with sharp fingernails. She also grows a furless tail. Her feet are paw like with each toe having an average black claw. Along her back bladed spines, upon her forehead are two short horn and two long slim horns extending back from behind her ears. Her eyes are completely blood red with black reptilian slits for pupils. -Demon Form 2-[/color] In this form Astarte becomes a large jackal the size of a large bull with the build to match. Her cloths cease to exist in this form as she looks purely animal. The spines along her back becomes ridged like steel and are aligned so there is a center row and a row either side like fins her arms and legs are covered in thick chitinous armor plating. The horns on her head also grow larger and thicker curving forward like bulls horns for gouging. Her claws on both feet and hands become like bladed fingers made for purely ripping and dismembering. In this form she moves fast but only on all fours and her thought capacity is limited to fighting or protecting. -Demon Form 3-[/color] This form relies more on a humanoid appearance she looks much like the demons of old with her large bat like wings and her horns. Her skin turns completely black and her hands become bladed claws while her feet are much like the paws of her Jackel form. In this form Astarte retains her hair as well as her clothing. Her height reaches a total of 6’4” while in this form and the spines on her back are small though they do extend about four inches from her back. This is her true form when she is not maintaining her human appearance. Distinguishing Features:Has a tribal tattoo done with a pigment like dye that leeches the pigment from the area injected that is easily seen against her olive skin. www.tattoonow.com/images/catalog/products/design01(dragon)-large.jpg (Imprinted upon her upper right arm) [you need to copy the entire link and paste it in your address bar as the (dragon) part of the link seems to disable the rest of it after that part] www.tattoonow.com/images/catalog/products/S2S2D4LG.jpg (Imprinted upon her upper left thigh, facing out) www.tattoonow.com/images/catalog/products/S2S3D1LG.jpg (Imprinted upon her back [the one shown in the link would be on the right side of her back down her shoulder blade and another on the left side mirrored so that the base meets at her middle back.]) She also has a flaming tribal tattoo that stretches from above her left eye down the side of her face and neck then crossed to the right side down her chest and finishes above her right breast. Fighting Style: Primarily Close range martial arts using Bladed Staff, can do limited long range magic up to 50 ft. Magic: -Human-[/color] (only Useable when not in demon form 1 & 2) Shadow Whip:-[/color] She can focused shadow magic into a kind of whip that can latch onto enemies or objects and enable her to fling them about. Black Spear:-[/color] Her long-range magic, it can strike a foe up to 50 ft away with what looks like a black spear that disappears upon impact, Against other demons the wound takes at least a minute longer to heal then normal. -Demon-[/color] (Only useable after Demon Shift) Black Fire:-[/color] Spits out a ball of what looks like fire but s actually a ball of acid that eats anything it hits for up to one minute before it becomes neutral. Black Lightning:-[/color] (human and Demon form 3) This attack generates lightning formed of darkness that traveling from target to target frying them from the inside out. Shadow Shift:- Can melt into nearby shadows and shift to the next nearest and reemerge to attack. Dark Talon:-[/color] (Only usable in Demon form 1 & 3) She unleashes a shockwave of dark energy from her talons that slices through most armor and flesh though it loses its effective ness the further away it hits. Dark Fang:-[/color] (Only useable in Demon Form 2) Dark fang is a close range high power bite that cuts through metal bone and flesh with ease. It can even sever limbs in one bite if the defender is not careful. Blade Roll:-[/color] (Only useable in Demon Form 2) In Demon form 2 Astarte can curl into a ball leaving her bladed back exposed on all sides and roll at an enemy slashing them with the blades on her back. In this stage she is invulnerable to all attacks until after the attack is finished leaving her momentarily disorientated from the rapid rolling. Psychic: N/A (her demonic genes repress the psychic ability of a normal human) History: With a fifth of her genes owing to a demon heritage, Astarte appears as an pure human would thanks greatly to her years of practice and training in suppressing her demon tendencies. It lead to a side effect though that has excellent advantages but also a few bad disadvantages. She was rescued form the coliseum by an ally she stays in contact with even after gaining her freedom. Personality: Quiet and keeps much to herself though her temper is short it takes much to irritate Astarte. Push her though and you’ll regret it. Her demon side isn’t gone just repressed. Special: Demonic Fatality:-[/color] When facing other demons in her human form Astarte’s magic and attacks repress their rapid healing allowing her more time to inflict fatal wounds that would see her enemies bleed to death. Demonic Shift:-[/color] Astarte can transform at will into any of her three Demon forms and her human disguise though the aftermath of battles leave her feeling tiered. The strength of her Demon transformations is greatly increased the longer she maintains her human appearance. When she’s tiered Astarte reverts to her true form and remains that way until her strength returns. Demon Shift expends about as much energy as if she had run a short sprint. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Jackal watchedh te slaughter for mthe shadows and shuddered inwardly. There was no hope for them now, no hope at all. Watchnig hte slaughter however was not the reason shewas here, she was here to retrieve one person and there in the middle of the frey she saw him. Austin...Moving iwth the shadows Astarte moved through the battle undetected nad unseen until she was within Austin's battle path form there she surfaced like a phantom for mthe darkness. Lightning blacker then the abyss jumping from hand ot hand moments before she cast it onot the attakcers htta were surrounding him. They shrieked as they were fried for the inside out and fell like blackened husks. Moving fast Astarte came up beside Austin. "It's lost Austin come we must retreat..." In ehr human form Astarte looked perfectly human but that was a trick of the eye. In truth she was mroe demon the human and she only maintained this appearance to move about unheeded. Jackal gave Austin little chanse to argue as she pulled him out of the battle and into the nearest shadow. The battle still raged on around them but they were like shadows in the world. Any attacks thta came thier way passed htrough them like they were the ghosts instead of hte fighters. She moved faster still flying htrough hte shadows as if miles were but steps. Finaly she slowed and htye exited the darkness inot the disused sewer system of the city itself. Well belwo the scaning levels of Astrox's defences. it had once bene the main sewer system byut as managment of wastes improved theybecame useless, now they were home to Astarte and any others who moved in hte darkness striking blows to Astrox. "We're safe for now..." she whispered releasing austins arm and shifting her form from the human appearance to her second demon form. The large blade backed jackal from which her callname was derived.
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v
Trooper
Posts: 188
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Post by v on Mar 18, 2006 18:10:01 GMT -5
Austin glared at this creatured that had dared to take him from those who had stood by him. The sights as he had been dragged through the shadows had almost shocked him. His followers, his brothers he may have dared to call them, lying against the wall, there bodies soaked in fuel, ready to be burnt and done away with. He moved his left hand into a strange formation, and as he did so an involuntary groan of pain left him. Deep cuts were visible in his hand, his armour had been pierced, the the bullets and knives had attacked the soft vunerable flesh beneath. He was the strongest of the Brotherhood, but that meant little when so many attacked him at once. He wondered, if only for a moment, what he must have looked like, eyes blood shot, panting for breath, yet still upright. Did he retain his dignity and fearsome appearance, or did he simply look like another washed up, 2 bit, no hoper rebel? No, his armour had held in all other places, the the damage over his hand would fix soon. Showing to futher concern for the pain and dribbling blood, he put his fingers into position and began swirling air currents through them to give him a voice.
"I am greatful you saved me, Demon. Yet I cannot help but feel a sense of lost, for once again those who stood with me now lie dead.". His face showed no sign of the pain welling deep inside him. The Chief, a leader of men, a towering man whom had dominated every aspect of his life for as long as he had memory, had lost his mind. His Brotherhood was lost, and he stood alone against him once again after his third attempt at resistance had been destroyed. "My brothers are lost, yet this is not disertion, I must try again. You seem to know me, how?"
Austin tried his best to repress his aura, though he was sure he could fight his way out of this situation if need be, there was no need to set the Demon on edge either. As he thought this sword seemed to shimmer slightly, before turning to mist and falling to the ground.
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Mar 18, 2006 18:18:37 GMT -5
Astarte turned her shaggy head and tilted it ot the side shifting for again to reveal her true form. The black skinned winged demon and reguarded him wiht her almost glowing red eyes. He spoke not with his mouth but his thought much liek the once living Dakr Brotherhood members had. Astarte still remembered them for mthe days of old they came ot the arena often... "Indeed you must try again for hte moment you surrender Astrox win's... I know only what the rumors say and what I have gleaned through observation. No more no less... I do not believe all tha I have heared nor discount that which seems impossible.All the same we seek to atai nthe same goal. You and I... that is enough for me..." she turned and started moving down the tunnle. 'Come I will take you to a safe place to rest and recover fully unless you would prefer to stay here." she shrugged curfing her wings about her shouldersl iek a cloak. "that is up to you." She turned nad continued walking leaving Austin rto make his own choise.
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v
Trooper
Posts: 188
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Post by v on Mar 18, 2006 18:42:38 GMT -5
Being navigated through a sewer system while his resistance took its last few breaths above him was not a concept he particularly relished. He thought to protest and demand to be taken back but, head bowed it acceptance, began silently following her.
He could imagine the sounds in the command centre as his troops died without him. The ferrocrete rubble turning to a white, frothy foam as laser fire melted what had been shot away by the projectile rounds. When it died down, the troops would begin searching for him, and when they found no body, again, howling and jeering like caged animals. An inferno beginning to rage as they put the command centre and any standing surrounding buildings to the torch. Above the command centre, the air turned black, almost threatening with smoke from the burning equipment and huge funeral pyres.
It was over.
They would demolish the area entirely, and then rebuild it, that was what they always did. In a few short months, there would be no trace that a massacre had ever occured there. His cold heart leaden, with a strange sound that sounded something like a sigh, his voice followed after her. "Yes. I will accompany you. Lead."
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Archangel
Recruit
And thus did the Archangel descend from Heaven itself...
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Post by Archangel on Mar 18, 2006 20:09:55 GMT -5
Name: No name, unless you count the name of its race: Infinity Child Allias: If needed, it may be called 44 Age: Good question. Appears to be approximately 7. Race: Infinity Child is it's own race
Appearance: There is no difference from one Infinity Child to another. This one is no different from any other. It is genderless, and its mannerisms and voice can be both masculine and feminine at once. It wears long white flowing robes, which rub against the ground, yet never seem to get dirty. Its head is overly large, with incredibly large, all-yellow eyes, pupil-less eyes that peer from its large skull like the compound eyes of some giant insect, except two solid eyes alone. It appears to be a human child in size and shape, with the normal two arms, two legs, one body, one head, all about 3 feet tall. Yet it lacks any and all sexual organs. The fingers appear slightly longer than normal, but that fact is often overlooked.
Distinguishing Features: None
Fighting style: None
Magic: Another good question. For now, let's say none.
Psychic: Infinity Children are possessed of intense psychic powers. Their power limits have never been tested, and they have never appeared "beaten" in any type of psychic showdown. Most do not excel in any certain ability per se, unless you count all of them. Their powers range from telepathy, to enforced empathy, where they can force an emotion onto a subject if they so wish, to extreme telekinesis, capable of easily moving up to one ton. However, 44 is slightly different from other Infinity Children, because not only can 44 do all of these things, it can also specialize. Psychic healing and revitalization of any subject is 44's specialty, and it does so with finesse and power. Also, Infinity Children are completely immune from the anti-psychic field of the Brotherhood. It has simply no effect on them.
History: Wouldn't you like to know.
Personality: Infinity Children are mysterious at best, annoying at worst. Their moods are enigmatic, and change faster than the wind. One minute, they can be deeply philosophical, to the point of advanced wisdom. The next, they can manipulate your body so that you fart incredibly loudly, then laugh their asses off as you grimace in embarrassment. But mostly, Infinity Children are mischievious little brats. They do what they want, when they want, to whomever they want, with their powers. Most of the time, they play tricks on people, or try to humiliate or confuse them at all costs. And yet, they are never the subject of further attack from their victims. It's almost as if the victim accepts the mischieviousness and moves on, and the Infinity Child is left unhurt. 44 though at times acts a little differently from its fellows. But that will be shown later on.
Special: *Hive Mind: Infinity Children seem to almost react in a Hive mentality. If one is hurt or in trouble, other Infinity Children arrive from just about anywhere to help them. Certain laws of physics just don't apply to Infinity Children, so time and space are not the same concepts as they are to us. If one is hurt, there WILL be another, or maybe more, to help the injured one. They are connected in some inexplicable way. And it's not psychically, because then it could be detected. This is completely undetectable, unexplainable, and incredibly useful. *Affinity with Nature: Infinity Children have a bond with Nature that other creatures just don't have. They cannot control the ground, or order the plants to move, or make rain come from a blue sky. But they just...have a bond with Nature that is as enigmatic as it is powerful. They can detect the movement of a gibberling in the Wastes, because it does not feel natural to them, like a disturbance in the wave of what is Right. They can speak to the Earth, not like talking, but like listening, and yet without actually hearing anything. It is complicated, but they are somehow inextricably bound to Nature, and Nature is inextricably bound to them. ************************************************************************* Benjamin and Taina quickly walked hand in hand down the street, their fingers entwined, the love present on their faces. It was quite a day for these two city-dwellers of Astrox Capital. Taina had snuck out from her parents' high rise 127th floor apartment to be with Ben, who had whisked her away for a night on the town. They had gone to a local Astrox bar, where they served Alpha Wine, a bottle with "Chief's #1 Pick!" written all over it. The two had shared an entire bottle of the stuff, and felt a mild buzz now from the alcohol. Had they lived centuries earlier, it would have knocked them both for a loop. However, alcohol being what it was, the human race had made itself more and more tolerant of the drink. Now, these two young people could drink a whole bottle and feel nothing but a little excited, and quite a bit amorous. They had gone for a walk to the "park", a place that was supposed to be "natural" and was in fact nothing but a concrete parking lot dotted with some shrubs and surrounded on all sides by buildings, and ended up sitting on a bench and passionately kissing for twenty minutes or more. Now, the wine in their blood and their hearts beating, they were hurrying home to Benjamin's apartment, where they would consummate their night out together in bed.
As they passed under a building on 187th Street, they heard something clatter behind them. Staring back, they realized what it was. A chunk of ferrocrete, about the size of a normal hand, had fallen. They looked up, trying to see why a chunk had fallen, and if it had been thrown. There were no windows open in the massive skyscraper behind them. Shrugging, they continued on their way towards the apartment.
Another chunk slammed down six feet in front of them. This one obviously came from higher up, because the sidewalk crinkled underneath it as it hit. They stopped short, staring upward. Suddenly, Ben hissed, "Watch out!" and shoved Taina out of the way. A chunk fell directly where she had been standing, imbedding itself in the sidewalk. They two of them looked at each other, peered up, then began to run.
As they ran, chunk after chunk of ferrocrete fell all around them. Side to side, front and back, it fell and fell. Some were from a short distance up, and merely cracked into bits when they hit. Others were obviously from the top, as they shattered the sidewalk as soon as they touched down, exploding in a cloud of dust. It fairly rained ferrocrete down around them as they ran, but not a single piece actually hit either of them. They made it to Ben's apartment building finally, shoved their way into the first doorway, and stood in the lobby, panting in fear. The rain of ferrocrete blocks had stopped. How had it followed them down a whole street? Building after building had dropped blocks. How could anyone have done that?
They turned to go inside the inner door, and found it bolted shut. And when they turned around again, they saw that the handle on the outer door was twisted and bent, locking them into the lobby. And that's when they heard it. It was a tinkling, childish laughter. In an empty lobby, it was surrealistic. It had no gender, and no source. It actually seemed to come from them... Ben looked at Taina, and Taina looked at Ben. Both of their mouths were open, although neither knew why. And from their mouths came that uncanny laughter. A child's laughter. An Infinity Child's laughter.
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The sewers were dark, dank, and smelly. Not that it really mattered. As the Jackal and the Dark Brother approached, an Infinity Child stood and watched them come. They could most likely see it, since it could see them. However, it did not make any threatening moves. In fact, it did not move at all. Its eyes stared blankly ahead, towards the two oncoming creatures, and they did not move. The fact that they were large, yellow, and pupil-less eyes should not go without mention. As the Jackal and the Lost One got closer, within earshot, the being suddenly came to life. It tilted its head up a bit, looked Astarte directly in the eyes, and spoke in a soft, childlike voice. It was neither male nor female, that voice, and it was certainly too young to be taken seriously.
"Why do you come here? Where are you going? Where have you been? It is long since We went in the smelly sewers. There is not much here for Us. Why do you come here? Where are you going? Where have you been?"
Suddenly, it focused on the being behind Astarte. Austin, the last of a mighty Brotherhood. It spoke again. "We don't like you. You feel bad. We can't See you. Can you See us? Tell Us where you have been, and where you will go. We want to know! TELL US NOW!" The last words were spoken in an amplified voice that sounded more than a little whiny, petulant, and immature. This was most certainly an Infinity Child.....
(OOC: I dunno...was that ok? Anyways, I'm in)
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Mar 19, 2006 1:41:23 GMT -5
Astarte fixed the inifinty childe with a cold stare. seh did not take well to having threats made against herself or even the people traveling iwth her. As the child spoke she unfurled her wings and flexed her fingers before examinnig the claws. " We come here to escape hte slaughter of the Rebalion as Astrox lays waste to countless lives, both innocent and other wise. We go to seek shelter in my den not far from here so that my companion my recouperate. We come from above where if you listen veyr carefuly you may here the destruction still taking place. If it has bene so long since your last visit and if there is nothing here for you then why stay, we are of no threat to you, no danger...unless you care ot make yourself a danger to us. Do not demand answers either when just by asking nicely you may gain what knowledge you seek." She paused and tilted her head slightly examining the infinity child carefuly, such beings had to be handled carefuly. "My companion you may indeed not like and for good reason but I will not let you hinder his progress through this sewer. here is a nomans land where none may bar passage ot anotheru nless they are looking for a fight. Are you looking for a fight becuase if so I would be mroe then willing to comply even though i doubt such a conflict would aid either of us much at all. As a matter-of-fact it would probibly be more trouble then its worth. So if you care to move aside so that we may pass you can acompany us and I will be mroe htne happy to answer your questions at length in a place as you put it. Quite less smelly then here..."
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Archangel
Recruit
And thus did the Archangel descend from Heaven itself...
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Post by Archangel on Mar 19, 2006 2:17:27 GMT -5
The Infinity Child cocked its head at the demon's words. Interesting. The thing spoke the truth. It could sense the truth in Astarte's mind, could feel the true words that were coming from her mouth. Interesting. A demon that spoke the truth to a strange being. Not often encountered, one which not even They had a precedent for. This was new.
Ahhh, but then it spoke what the Infinity Child knew to be a slight threat. Now there was precedent! Demons were always the same. Brute force whenever they felt threatened. The following offer, to lead it to another place, its den, was also sincere. This demon was nothing but a mass of contradictions. When Astarte had stopped speaking, the Infinity Child blinked three times, quite owlishly. Then, it did something that might have been very rash.
It began laughing.
The laughter tinkled over the two in the sewers. It didn't seem to open its mouth, but the laughter seemed to come from it. Even Austin, behind his anti-psychic shield, could hear the bright, light laughter. It just seemed to exude from the Infinity Child, seeping through its pores. The thing never opened its mouth. Finally, when the childish laughter had subsided to nothing but a murmur, the thing opened its mouth and spoke.
"We shall come with you. Even though We don't like black man. You are...fun. We like fun. We can..." Here the thing stopped speaking for a moment, blinked its eyes owlishly, then turned around and began to walk off. The other two would follow, but as soon as they turned a corner, it would be gone anyways. At least for a little. But its voice still echoed in the sewer.
"We can...play."
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Mar 19, 2006 2:35:01 GMT -5
Astarte folded her wings across her body once more and sighed deeply. She glanced back at Austin and gave something of a smile. " One must be forthright and tred carefuly when dealing with creatures such as that..." she laughed softly and continued walking leading Austin through a vast maze of the ancient sewer system until finaly she slowed and htne stopped before a heavy semi-rusted door. Astarte twisted the wheel that was also its handel and pulled out using her demonic strength to force the rusted hinges to open and thne motioned ofr Austin. "Step forth," she smield and followed Austin as he stepped through hauling the stiff heavy door shut and truned hte hadle counter clockwise ot lock it once more. her form changing once again in the perpetual darkness created in that place to her human form before she picked up a candle and lit a mathc ni the darkness. The light flared inot life revealing little around them as she then lit the candle and continued walking. leading Austin down another corridor that seemed to slope downwards under thier feet. Then finaly she stoped at yet another door. This one more of a wooden board which she slid aside and steped within. Setting hte bandle down on an old wine barrle Astarte moved othte sideo f hte wall and reached up inot the darkness twisting something. "You might want to close your eyes..." she gave whatever she was touchnig one final twist and closed her eyes as she did. Flinching as white hit the bakc of her eyelids and htne slowly creaked her eyes open. The chamber revealed was a vast open chamber perhaps two stories high lined with odd globes. the ground was covered in old rugs and pieces of carpet giving a patchworked effect while around it was two old couches, three battered set of draws an old wardrobe. A battered matress in one corner covered with old blankets htta was obviously her bed and dozen more barrles lined against the far wall. "Home sweet home," Astarte said softly smiling as even her soft voice echoed in the cavern of a room. "i don't use the second story much unless i'm hiding something I don't want others to see... Make yourself comfortable i'll go raid my stores for soemthnig to eat and drink... What's your preferance wine or beer?" She moved over ot the far wall and began climbing a ladder hal concealed by hte barrles onot the second story which was little more then a ringed pathway as wide as the broad side of a large car and dissapeared from sight Coming bakc with what looked like smoked fish some salted meat a bottle of red wind and two bottles of beer. Arms laden astarte didn't bother using hte lader she just jumped down and landed with ease on the ground below setting hte food and drink down on the table made out of tow barrles and a large flat pice of wood that matched the temporary door.
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v
Trooper
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Post by v on Mar 19, 2006 16:10:15 GMT -5
Austin picked the food up, holding it before his eyes, turning it in the light, examining every slight pit and lump on its surface, before cocking his head slightly and setting it back down. "Your kindness is a rarity, and much appreciated." He bowed his head slightly, barely enough to displace his hair, but enough to show respect. "But my kind.." he swallowed hard at the memory, there was no one left of his kind, and he mentally scolded himself for saying such a thing. "I am unable to take normal food." With some effort, he forced his jaw muscles open slightly as he removed the top from one of the bottles of beer. He seemed to take a slight sip, though if any entered his mouth wasn't clear.
He looked about the den for a moment, before crouching on the floor and running his hands across the mish-match array of rugs on the floor. It was a strange action and gesture, yet he had often done to to help ground his aura. As his anti-psychic aura, at least for a few hours, dispersed, Austins face seemed to loosen slightly, the taunt muscles holding it emotionless relaxing slightly. He took the bottle once again, and this time took a much larger mouthful from it, some dribbling from the side of his mouth, and he swallowed obnoxiously loudly. He hadn't practiced this gesture for some time.
"The Infinity Child is so warm...yet its energy is somehow different to a humans. Much older, much purer, yet it sings on a different frequency entirely, I cannot touch it, yet I feel it." In truth, Austin had believed the Chief entirely on the matter of these Infinity Children, that they simply didn't exsist. Yet seeing, and feeling one within his own aura had been a somewhat unsettling experiance. His own black, murky aura had simply parted around it, and its aura was more akin to a shining, pulsing beacon, shooting skyward, than the more human condition of a blue mist surrounding the body. It also produced a strange clash of feelings and impulses in his mind. Part of him, the Brotherhood side of him, implored him to attack it, to rip away its aura and claim it for his own, such power would surely give him the strength he needed to take on the Chief. Yet the other side of him, the newly emerging human side, found such an idea abhorrent. He was sure that it couldn't actually manipulate his mind as the myths stated the could, and it had seemed somewhat unsettled by the nothingness that he was. A good sign, it would at least approach him with caution. Yet he was equally unsettled by the huge pillar of psychic energy that seemed to billow out in every direction from it. He was small in its presence, a blip of un-nature in a world of natural.
So small.
Yet there were other matters to attend to, taking another swig of the foul tasting beer, he turned towards Astarte. "My friend has doubtless heard of the defeat I suffered, is there any way to send infomation out of this place so that he may know that I still live?"
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Mar 19, 2006 16:36:22 GMT -5
Astarte cocked her head to the side and frowned thoughtfuly for a moment and thought carefuly somethnig which was new to her even after two years yet it came much easier then it used ot back then. She picked up a large piece of salted meet and tore a cunck out of it chewing slowly before swallowing hte food. She then picked up the other beer took the top off and guzzled about half the bottle before setting it down. "I can probibly take the message above myself. You can hardly go yourselg in your state... I'm much practiced in moving about unnoticed being so fluid as I am in shape shifting. Tell me where it is I must go, do and say and I shall...." she looked at him thoughtfuly for a moment and then smled. "Doubtless you wonder why one such as I would offer to do such things... well to put it simply I want Astrox brought down to rubble. I lost alot to them, my chidhood, my friends and family...my life. I want then broguth down and prefibly burning in napalm but brought down will suffice. I have every reason to see them die, slowly...." she took another bite out of the meat and ate it in silence.
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Archangel
Recruit
And thus did the Archangel descend from Heaven itself...
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Post by Archangel on Mar 19, 2006 23:06:57 GMT -5
The two looked up towards the hole that led to the second floor mezzanine just as the white robes slipped over the side. Softly, like a feather floating on the breeze, the Infinity Child drifted down from up above. How it had gotten there, where it had come from, and why it was here now were mysteries. It simply was. There was no denying it. They didn't know if it was the same Infinity Child they had seen before, but it really didn't matter much at all. It was here, and it wanted them to know.
It landed softly without a sound at the bottom of the ladder. The creature stood there, examining them with its yellow eyes. After a moment, it spoke, a bit nonchalantly, as if it didn't really care.
"Lost one....you seem less dark. We like you more now. But you still are dark. And Jackal, you are eating? Interesting."
Without bothering being invited, the Infinity Child stepped forward, right up to Astarte, and peered at the meat in her hand. It smelled the chunk of salted meat, and grimaced. Then it smelled the open bottle of beer that Astarte had beside her. When it spoke, its voice was very matter-of-fact and a little sneering.
"This food does not please Us. We will not eat. So..." it backed off for a second, and took a seat on an old barrel that was obviously empty. "What shall We do for fun? We wish to have fun. Would you like to play a game?"
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v
Trooper
Posts: 188
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Post by v on Mar 20, 2006 16:18:53 GMT -5
"Astrox guided the world with wisdom and benevolence in its first incarnation." Austins eyes literally set ablaze as he glared at Astarte. He believed in the principles that Astrox stood for, or had done once, and she had overstepped the line. "After the Chief discovered that Demon buried beneath the arctic, it somehow drove him insane. That is what caused the genocides those who care to look can find out about." The anti-psychic aura made an abrupt return, the room seeming to chill slightly as it did so. "His obsession an paranoia has distorted Astrox from its intended goal, to unify the people of earth and eliminate wars, and instead replaced it with his own goal. There is no unity or peace in the Chiefs mind, only domination and slaughter." While his voice, and body posture was becoming increasingly aggressive, his words gaining a strange menacing overtone, he had made no actual hostile motions as yet. "The Chief will be killed, Astrox will be restored to its original purpose, the protection and survival of those loyal to it."
He stopped.
His mind only just catching up with what he had been saying. He truely did believe somewhere deep inside him that the concept and purpose of the Astrox company had nothing but good intentions, but these had been twisted beyond recognition by the Chief. After all, a single, large company to govern all, with no competition of hostile elements to deal with, would surely progress at a faster rate than a multitude of smaller governments and companies. "I guess if Astrox had never deviated from its intended goal, I would never have created." His mouth made a strange twitch, before slowly pulling the sides into a sad smile.
What he had stated was, after all, an intresting concept. Astrox, before the Chief had found the Demon in the arctic had greatly improved humanities living standards and technology. Then it had reduced those outside of its sickly embrace to a state of barbarism, before wiping them out trying to destroy one of its own creations gone awry. If the Chief should awaken the Demon, Astrox would destroy the last vestiges of humanity aswell. Lecture complete, the facts laid down, he looked at the Infinity Child. It was an intresting anomoly, and powerful too, he could sense that. Though the question of what it was capable of still exsisted, he had no intention of trying to find out.
He cocked his head slightly as it had suggested that they played 'a game'. The notion that it wanted to do something fun made some sense. It had the body of a child, and thus it made sense that it had the attitudes of a child. Yet there was something much older than a child about it, causing him much confusion.
"I am not a creature of fun and games, Infinity Child.". His voice sounded much softer than he had expected, as though he were trying to explain his behaviour to it, rather than simply state things the way they were. "I am to attack Astrox and, I hope, find a way to prevent the Chiefs resurrection."
GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY MIND! Inwardly he roared, he could feel the icy gates that had kept his emotions, and humanity safely in check begin to melt in that things presence. His cold, military precise mind had no room for emotions and feelings, yet his body desired the warmth and life that that creature offered, it was life, and he was death. He closed his eyes for a moment, shunting the emotions safely away again before they could ruining his perfect calculations.
"There are 3 potential targets my Resistance intended to attack in an attempt to assist in the over throwing and ultimate early demise of the Chief." A strange sound escaped from his hand, a sound like a powerful gust of wind through dead trees. Clearly a warning of some kind to the Infinity Child, for her glanced towards it and his anti-psychic aura, if only for a brief second, became much stronger.
"The first is Security Personel Barracks Gamma. An armoured compound located in the 16th District Slum area. The 16th has been a hot bed of resistance for some time, though it is unfocused and kept in check by regular security patrols and occasional assasinations of particularly vocal, or well connected individuals. Not exactly the most glamorous of jobs I'll admit. But destruction of the Barracks, may just be enough to throw the area into anarchy. That will mean Astrox will have to divert many troops there too bring it back under control. Or, if it so choses to ignore the anarchy, it will spread into surrounding slum areas."
"Our second potential target was a large transport, heading this way from Alpha-Prime, the munitions factory located around 50 miles north. While stealing such a large compliment of arms is immpossible, the loss of a full transport of weapons and ammunition will doubtless but much strain on Astroxes efforts, if only for a time."
"Shortly before I left however, I was reliably informed by one of my two friends that Astrox has built a new research laboratory, not three miles from the city walls. Its actual purpose, I admit, I do not know. However, what little infomation I had implied some kind of research project into using Nauras as some kind of resource that could be harvested for psychic energy. Or possibly for leaching energy off the civilian populus and using it elsewhere. Only problem is, we've got to go for a quick jaunt in the wastes to get there."
"We could peform any of the three, and even if you are not intrested, I will try to complete one alone. Though it would be much easier if I had friends."
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Post by Kai! Kai! on Mar 20, 2006 16:19:49 GMT -5
Astarte finnished her food and opened the bottle of wine taking a swig from the bottle as she reguarded the Infinity child.
"The food wasn't really for your benifit I must admit truthfuly. it's all i have in the way of suppile for now until I go topside and raid a few restraunts.I also can't take anythnig that tickles my fancy because i have ot think about how long it will keep so I limit myself to smoked and salted foods and maybe some oranges because they keep well." She sipped again form the bottle and set it down still reguarding the Infinity child with a thoughtful and guarded gaze bfore she spoek again. "I would like to play a game but it depends on what the game is.... describe it to me along with the rules and we'll see if it's to my liking."
SAhe turned her head nad looked at Austin then reguarding the options he had put forward. All showed promise but he was right they did need friends.
"equiped as we are and small as we are striking hte laboratory out in the watses would be suicied. I sugest we start small and work our way up from there..... Why not destroy yhr barraks and then move on to stealing the train? With the lowwer streets in chaos it would be a simple matter for a trai nto go missing. No doubt the authorities would blame the riots fuor such a loss and not contemplate the idea of a new rebel faction springing up for now." She grinned quite liking her own idea. This thinking thing had a real bonus attached to it.
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Post by odi on Mar 20, 2006 17:22:57 GMT -5
Cold.
So cold.
I long a lover. But who would love an atrocity?
I am an empty vessal. I would be lucky if a pack of Gibberlings accepted me... ...Damn you, Astrox! Damn you! THIS LIFE WILL BE THE LAST YOU DESTROY!
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