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 Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 5:13 pm
Another late night. The eight who have met Jamila met prior would receive another strong urge. A mental suggestion to come pay her a visit. The hideout itself didn't seem much different from their last visit. The Black Sands were busy conducting whatever business they had going on. None of them paid much mind to the students that came on by. "Oh! You're here," a familiar voice rang out. Settimo came forth to greet the group. "Great. Great. Relax a while. Jamila will be here shortly to speak with you. If there's anything you want in the meantime, let us know."Well, he seemed to be in a cheerful mood.
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 5:20 pm
Mathias wasn't sure that he liked these sudden little urges that made him go places that he otherwise wouldn't. But again, he had already been out and about, as he usually was late at night, and when the idea struck him that he should head towards the place that he had met Jamila last, he did not fight it. Could not, in fact, even had he wanted to. It would have itched and annoyed him if he had tried, he was sure, a niggling at the back of his mind that would not let up until it was satisfied.
And so, there he was, in the hideout once more, standing around, confused, irritated, and feeling like a fool.
"Wut is this all about now?" He grumbled, to nobody in particular, a sour look on his face, his ears twitching with his annoyance.
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 6:34 pm
The pull was strong. Andrew didn't really want to go, but perhaps some kind of explanation would be in order.
He had a feeling it would not. All he knew was the last time he experienced this pull, it turned out terrible. He came anyway, arms crossed and stared at Settimo.
Likely they would be asked to do something again. Likely it would turn out horribly, like the ring thing. And Andrew was just an unhappy demon over the whole thing. So he made himself comfortable on a near by spot and picked at his fear amp, debating over it. This had bad idea written all over it.
Mathias was the only one there before him, and Andrew did his best not to look at him. Wasn't he one of the ones he burned during that whole incident?
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Posted: Fri Aug 21, 2015 9:46 pm
Dirge felt the annoying tickle in the back of his mind, but he ignored it . There was Scario Kart to play, pizza to eat. It persisted, and he drowned it with cola. The urge roared, and Dirge finally gave up, unable to focus on the bright screens and the molded black cheese that dripped from his favorite food.
Normally the boil was happiest in the evenings, but tonight Dirge was pissed. The damn pull had come just as he was about to get his highest score on Monochrome Road, and it had cost him at least 3 hour's worth of work. Settimo was given bared fangs and little spats of fire from the hitodama surrounding Dirge.
"The heck do you want, bro? If this is gunna lead to some more crackpot junk with puzzles and us turning on each other again, I'm friggin out."
He cast a glance to Matty, and then Andrew. They'd been there, when everything went bonkers. The other two boils had seen what that stupid ring did to all of them.
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Posted: Sat Aug 22, 2015 7:36 pm
Settimo held his hands up as he grinned. "Easy, easy. I know things didn't quite... go as planned last time. We're sorry about that, really. As for what we want, well, I'll let Jamila do the talking. The goal ain't to turn you guys on each other though, no."
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Posted: Sun Aug 23, 2015 4:18 am
It took a long while for the burn to heal, the scar became a reminder, he didn't bother to hide it up and took down the bracelet. One day, when he was doing nothing but drinking on the roof of the monster dorm building, he felt a desire to visit Jamila. Maybe he want to ask her about what happened under the gym, maybe she beckon them through the bracelet, AJ didn't care about which is the correct answer. He simply went to there.
His hair had grown out but he didn't have the thought of trimming it. Instead of the ponytail he had normally, the boil tied it up high with a red textured rope attached with tassels at its two end. The night was chilly but not deadly cold, he simply put his red scarf above the loose top and a leather vest, unbuttoned and stepped on the train.
Upon arrival, he was greeted by Settimo. AJ pulled a small smile at him before he took a lazy glimpse and spotted those who were presented last time. Normally he would go to mingle with them, however, he didn't want to after the incident. The thought of ripping them apart was too strong to be good for anything, he knew he was losing control over the beast, another self that best fit the wild nature of monster.
One was snapping at the reaper while another one didn't seem calm either, he took a quick look at the demon he once claimed a friend and then found a corner far from him and leaned against it with aloof expression. "Does it still hurt?" asked Dwa the tail head when the serpent dragon idly brushed over the scar. He froze for one second and then smiled gently, "No, not anymore."
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Codebreaking Conversationalist
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 7:19 am
Unamused to find himself there again, Cearney nevertheless had followed the urge and found himself at the Black Sands Headquarters once more.
Why did these creeple insist on being so inconvenient?
Cearney raised a skeptical eyebrow at Settimo. Relax. Really? Relax? What was so relaxing about being drawn there, exactly?
As he found a place to sit down, perfectly fine with remaining in a corner, Cearney observed the others' reactions. Even the monsters that had seemed so obedient last time seemed a little more... On edge this time.
But Settimo was still grinning.
He sighed heavily, leaning back where he was sitting. Great.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 1:11 pm
When she arrived, she was followed by several nondescript looking monsters, all of whom were vying to get her attention on some urgent matter that she was clearly uninterested in. As she shoved one clipboard out of her face, another one surfaced, all of which seemed to require immediate attention, and all of which were being immediately brushed off. "That goes to the North Wing - that isn't even important now, you have supervisors to handle this kind of problem, and if you come to me again with it, I'll have your head mounted in the North Wing." She'd arrived to find the students - less, this time, how disappointing - and shoo'd the attendants out of her line of sight. " Settimo." She scolded, once her underlings had scattered and she'd been granted a moment to run her hands through her hair. "You haven't offered our guests anything while they waited for me. How many times will you be such a terrible host?" And yet, when she turned to the students, she offered nothing in the way of refreshment this time. Instead, her expression was all business. She crooked a finger. "Follow me." Her pace was brisk, and full of purpose. When she finally spoke, her voice was filled with regret. "I've been briefed on your latest experience. Truly, what an inconvenience. This wasn't at all how things were supposed to go. I was assured your role in this matter would be simple. Easy. Safe. And yet, ah, who could have foreseen the complications. We have competition, do we not? And yet, I believe in you all. They are insects. Unworthy of all that lies ahead." She stopped in front of several large, recently unearthed statues, and her head craned up to look at them. Eight of them, each completely unique, and yet somehow all similar in their make, and poise, and bearing. They were tall, rectangular stone carvings of faceless figures, each of them grasping desperately at an emblem above their heads. The eighth emblem had two figures reaching in tandem. One was horned, and the other held some kind of long, crude instrument - but both reached for the eighth emblem together, whose symbol was more familiar than the rest; it was the same emblem that had been in the center of the door they'd found. "Magnificent, aren't they? Some of the ancient's finest work. I call them the Brotherhood, but I doubt any of them were ever brothers. In fact, there's no proof to say they were ever real. But their power is." Her head turned, staring deviously at the students. "You've had a taste of it already, haven't you? Just one. One in a series of eight precious, tiny little things, that unlock such great power within us. They exist." She turned her body fully towards them. "I have good news for you all. The artifact you found was not the one I'm looking for. I have even better news. Where I lead you, you will find all of these artifacts, and all but the one I seek are yours for the taking. That is the treasure you have been brought to find. That is the power I have promised you. The power you deserve." She reached out, placing a hand on AJ and Mathias' shoulders, one each. "We have a plan. This time, you won't be going in blind. Just think of it. Each of you could have a ring on your finger that makes you stronger than all before you. From then on, the world gets very uncomplicated."
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 3:31 pm
Hollandaise had slipped in and, because she did not have anything to say, had remained silent. She saw Mathias was there, again, and it was something of a comfort. He was, as always, grumpy, and so were many of the students it seemed. Understandable. They had been thrust into a situation no one was prepared for. They had fought both against their foes and their friends - it was strange, she thought. She wondered as they walked whether that same feeling, those uncontrollable urges would surface again. Hollandaise liked to fight, but on her terms. She walked behind Mathias, watching as both he and AJ were singled out.Good, she thought. Mathias she thought was very nice, and for all his grouchniess, a good boil. AJ was entirely harder to understand. The pursuit of power, of course - that was the whole premise of this association. Hollandaise toyed with the hem of her shorts. She was not sure she wanted power, but she most certainly wanted things that only power could get her. Hollandaise resisted the urge to reach out a hand to the statues, instead settling for curling her toes into the ground. "What does each symbol mean?" She looked at each one, memorizing it. "And what is the plan?"
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 5:31 pm
When AJ showed up and Andrew made a point not to look at him. He was the scar, he was not happy, but there was little he could do now. That was never his intention honest. For the most part he stayed silent and brooded until she arrived. And when she did, Andrew was not very impressed. But was he ever impressed? No not really. He watched Jamila come in and did as she asked following her to the room with the statues. Power sounded good, more rings... he was questionable about. It sounded like bad idea all over the place. Especially after the whole rage thing. "That ring made everyone get a little crazy...." Andrew used everybody, but he was wondering how much he had actually been influenced still. "Will the other rings have that?" He didn't look directly at Jamila, rather he was avoiding looking at AJ still. Instead he stared off at a random statue.
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Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 6:31 pm
Dirge gave Jamila the stinkiest, most rotten and foul stink eye of his unlife, arms folded and a great frown pulling at his cheeks, but still he followed her with daggers boring holes in the back of her head and arms across his chest.
Sure, there was power to be had - and sure, Jamila seemed to know her way with power; but at what cost? How many of them had to be burned, how many friendships had to be sunk? Was power really worth that?
Dirge hardly knew.
"And you expect us to just trust you, after that?" Dirge accused from the small bunch of students, tail slowly beginning in its trashes and ears pressed to his bright orange mane. "You promised it'd be safe last time, too. How exactly should we believe you won't break your word again?'
Because even if there were no contract sealed, Jamila had made them a deal.
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Posted: Tue Aug 25, 2015 9:47 am
AJ wasn't sure what Jamila saw on him, in the past, he had learned that being a good boil gave him nothing. Albeit sometimes, it would be wiser to be one and not showing any extreme stance. Uncertainty is what you need to fear of, she said and he felt the power of it. The boil chose to listen quietly when Jamila talk, as a leading figure, he could say her words were persuasive, the excuse was beautifully woven like a flawless web. The unearthed relics were, as she said, magnificent, but AJ focused on the emblem he had seen under the gymnasium. Slowly stroking the top of the tail head as if it was an expensive pet, the boil took a quick glance at the ghoul who asked about the symbols. Of course she did, she was like his sister who loved to draw attention and being resourceful. Well, it would save his time to ask the same question, awesome. He said to himself while watching others keen on throwing questions about safety to the reaper. Andrew was completely ignored, as if he didn't exist at all. He cracked a smile, "Accidents do happen huh? I've a few questions and would like you to disclose more information on." He paused for an implication of manner before he asked. "First, what's the ring? It seems to magnify anger and the desire to destroy, creeple fought like mad dogs. Second, we saw it vanished. Do you have any clue in which hands it is now? Third question is do the remaining seven artifacts inside Amityville as well? Four, tell us more about other groups. What if they recruit student helpers as well?" He could count there were two more parties presented in the chamber where the ring was. It was getting clearer that the there were eight powerful rings that the two parties fight for, the first one revealed to be under gymnasium all the time but it vanished maybe, picked someone maybe. If they were recruited by the Black Sands, it would be possible the opponent recruit creeple to help them as well, he inferred. AJ wished not to fight with his schoolmates anyway. Followed hunter and legacy, it seemed their peaceful school life would be disturbed again. "You see, knowing so little has created a distrustful gap between us. It would be better for both of us, smoother for the coming plan if you can tell us more."
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Codebreaking Conversationalist
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Posted: Thu Aug 27, 2015 7:14 am
Honestly, Cearney wasn't too interested in what excuses she was espousing until her words got infinitely more interesting with the mention of more rings.
Looking for something for himself versus something for just her piqued his interest considerably more, and Cearney instantly straightened himself out and adopted a more serious demeanour. Power. Power that would drive away all before them. That was something he wanted. Something he needed, even.
He was a leprechaun. A large amount of power would show those that mocked them the true power of the race, untainted by St. Patrick's...
Cearney was no fool, though, and he knew this would be no easy task. Others seemed to pick up on that, especially the monster with two heads, though he would admit that to his own chagrin. A monster with intelligence? Must have been a rarity, surely.
So he'd ask his own questions.
"So these rings were made by the ancients?" That seemed like it might have been the case, considering she had been talking about ancient statues. "What would have the ancients needed these rings for?"
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 9:06 pm
"Each symbol represents an avarice." She began, quite pleased at how many questions were being lobbed at her. If there was anything Jamila loved to talk about, it was her priceless relics. "The symbol you've already come into contact with- If you haven't guessed already, it's Wrath. And again, I do apologize. But perhaps it wasn't all bad." Her eyes flickered to Andrew, and his comment about being crazy. "I do enjoy a little wrath, now and then. It gets your blood flowing. But no, the others won't make you crazy." She smiled coyly, and turned back to Holly. "We've discovered how to advance the chambers below the school, now. It will take time to get to them all, but we've secured the next one already. Settimo will be there personally to unlock the door for any of you who come with him, with ease." Her coy smile tilted down for a moment. "If we don't hurry, a few of those savages from our competitors might be there to be dealt with, but I trust you all completely to handle them. They're brutes without brains. You, my young ones, are too clever for them." Her hand brushed Andrew's hair fondly. "The rings themselves should be safe, however; the rooms they’re kept in are designed to guard them. Each ring will be in a room based on its avarice. Remember that. Stay on your guard. Of course, none of them should go down as bloody as the first, given the nature of Wrath. The first cut is the deepest, as they say." Dirge's discontent was rewarded with a level stare, and her hands fell to advance on him. She walked slowly, but something about each step made it feel like she was growing larger, more imposing, and much closer than she truly was. By the time she stopped, she was inches away from the boil, frowning down at him with disappointment. "I gave you power. I gave you a chance at something greater. I gave you the path to truly extraordinary artifacts. And this. This is how you repay me? By questioning my good will? You don't have to trust me, dear boil. What I offer you now is priceless - and frankly, I feel insulted at your response." She turned on Dirge, and walked away from the group. It seemed for the moment as if she was reconsidering the entire proposition. She paced the room, quietly muttering to herself, and finally, several minutes later, she stopped. "I have the answers all of you seek, but only if I know that my good will and charity will not be thrown back in my face. Agree to this now, or our time here is done." Her expression pinched with contrition. "Difficult times lie ahead. If your goal in life is to stay safe and weak, then remain in your beds and taunt me no further. I offer something more. Choose now, if you're strong enough to reach for the extraordinary."
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Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2015 10:09 pm
"I prefer to keep my blood inside, not out." Andre mumbled, mostly to himself. Blood flowing sounded terrible. Honestly even the mention of it grossed him out just a little. Sure he knew she meant to have it race through your veins... but blood wasn't fire. Fire was exciting. Blood was gross. Andrew hadn't realized he was close enough to be touched. It made him jump a little and step back. Nope. Do not touch. nope. His tail coiled forward in a defensive posterior. Sure he was pleased about being called clever... But his trust of Jamila was at an all time low. Like Dirge. Even her use of calling the competition savages just rubbed him wrong. She hadn't seen AJ acting up. And he was currently her favorite pet. "Honestly if it is going to be harder going down, I'd rather know it. Prepare for the worst and all that." And for some reason he was thinking the worst might be Jamila herself. The way she turned on Dirge concerned him. He was not against adventure, but this felt all wrong since the wrath thing. "If you have the answers, Tells us now. Sending people in half cocked isn't charity, it's stupid." Had watched the pacing... the reconsidering. This was a problem. He was beginning to wonder what would happen if they did say no. But better to get burned now than in the middle of one of those rooms. And he was seriously getting tired of her dancing around the issue. "I want to know what I'm agreeing to this time. Just tell us the damn plan." Carhop Cavalier on the same page at least.
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