Investiture for a Better Life Foundation

[Lord Meeker he/him]

Sephtis appeared in front of a large building. A sign read Investiture for a Better Life Foundation. He walked toward the main doors of the building. The doors slid open on his approach. He led Max through the main lobby of the newly built and furnished building. He nabbed a guest badge from the front desk. He gave the badge to Max and continued on his way. As director he could do whatever he pleased. Sephtis stepped into a elevator and pressed a button. The foundation was built into the ground, so the lobby was the main floor.

"This is the Investiture for a Better Life Foundation. What we do here is experiment with all types of different investitures to build towards a better future and life. I set this up just before I trained my daughter Aurell in assassination. Here we provide a more than generous wage and benefits to employees. We have made many major advancements."

Sephtis explained this all while the elevator descended. It would stop occasionally to allow passenger a look into some of the experiments scientists were carrying out. The elevator stopped at the bottom opening up to a long hallway. Sephtis walked out of the elevator and down the hall. He passed many empty offices. Head of Hemalurgic division, Head of Aonic division and many more doors that did not have name plaques on the door. He reached the end, and opened a dark oak door which read, "Director Sephtis."

The office was decorated with a large cushion chair behind a large glass table. Two leather chairs in front of the desk and a small circular table between the two black chairs. The walls were adorned with abstract pictures and a bookcase on the right wall. Sephtis sat in his chair behind his desk. He tapped a few buttons on the desk. 

"Performing scan." The desk said. 

A light ran over Sephtis for a brief moment. 

"Spiritweb scan complete. Welcome back director."

"Have a seat, Max." Sephtis said. 

Sephtis moved a few applications off his desk and projected a 3D spiritweb from his desk that hovered a few inches from his desk.

"Do you know whose spiritweb this is?" He asked Max.

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Pm me Applications for division heads and research spots.

@I think I am here.

[Voidus]

Distantly the sound of a thousand DA lawyers drafting lawsuits could be heard.

[Archer he/him]

Also distantly, the sound of a team of TUBA morticians being dispatched to collect the bodies of the defendants after the DA lawyers had finished with them could be heard. They had really squeaky shoes. 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Archer

[Voidus]

A team of mimes started searching for any cracks in the fourth wall that would allow all of these sounds to leak through to the same place.

[old man moomba he/him]

A man wearing a Guy Fawkes mask chipped a Ghostblood symbol into the courtroom floor.

[I think I am here. he/him]

Max thought for a moment, taking the whole facility in. It was rather huge. And for someone like Solace, almost too nice.

“Yours, judging by the scan,” he replied to Solace’s question. The man had made this entire facility, and then had been rejected by the Ghostbloods. He must have masterplan. Max knew it.

“So,” He said, leaning forward and keeping his voice low. “What’s your plan? Why have you brought me here?”

@Mraize

[Lord Meeker he/him]

Sephtis smiled. "Yes it is mine. But the scan was just a password to even get into my computer. My masterplan...-"

A loud voice reverberated through the room. '"GHOSTBLOODS! THE TIME HAS COME THAT WE STAND, AND FIGHT! SOLACE HAS MOUNTED A COMMAND, TRYING TO TAKE BACK THE GHOSTBLOODS! HIS PRESENCE IS NOT WELCOME, AND WE NEED YOUR AID! SADLY, SOME OF OUR OWN HAVE ALREADY FALLEN! BUT NOW, THE RIGHTHAND WILL HAVE A SPEECH, AND WE WILL ASSESS DAMAGE!"

The message continued. "Welcome. I welcome you here in Oasis City, fellow brothers and sisters. I am here to speak to you on behalf of the council. We called you here to inform you of our decision regarding the one we call Solace and his challenge to the leadership. I can assure you, we don't take this situation lightly, nor was it an easy decision for us to make. We all swore to follow the Ghostbloods and their leader and work hard to see the Ghostbloods rise to new glory."

There was a pause in the message before it continued.

"But before I tell you officially, which path we decided to take, let me state two things first.
One: We don't want this to end in a war between our members. We plan to try to find a solution that doesn't involve that.
Two: Those that want to stay neutral, can stay neutral. We can't promise you, that you won't have to decide one day, but we decided to respect that decision for now."

There was another pause, then 

"If you have any questions regarding our decision you may ask them, although I won't promise an answer right now. That depends on what you want to know.
We, the council, sadly with one exception, decided to follow our current leader."

The message ended. Solace smiled.

"That was sooner than I expected, but no matter." Sephtis paused before laughing. "And they think they have the upper hand, ridiculous I tell you. They obviously don't know who they are dealing with. Anyways where was I? Oh yes, what is my plan you ask. It is very simple in nature but its parts are complex. Construct a lasting government in the Alleyverse. I get a few laws passed and sentence everyone who opposes me to death. Though that is the whole of why I brought you here. If you will look back to the projection of my Spiritweb here."

Sephtis pointed at a pair of glowing light lines that fuzzed, then came back into focus but did not follow the normal pattern of the main body of the Spiritweb. "Do you know what this is?"

====================

@I think I am here.

@Badadah & @Sorana I hope you don't mind me using your posts here to help with the story here!

[+Sorana she/her]

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no go ahead!

Only fair since we used your thread

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by Sorana

[+Ark1002]

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Well, it is a Ghostblood city, so...

but yeah, I think it's fully okay.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

Althea looked over at Max.

"I guess we should go in there and ask if he's here? How dangerous is it for me given the fact that I technically count as his enemy right now?"

@I think I am here.

[I think I am here. he/him]

Max scratched the back of his head, or, at least, the back of his helmet. “He said he made this place to be good, and good for people. Even if you were his enemy, I don’t think you’d be the Foundation’s enemy.”

As they walked forward, Max thought.

“Normally, I would Riot their trust of you and there wouldn’t even be a risk.” He said, looking down. “But obviously that’s not an option anymore. I have so little nicrosil left it’s laughable. Perhaps it’s for the better.”

@Sorana

Edited November 16, 2018 by I think I am here.

[+Sorana she/her]

Quote

Is it night here as well?

Althea shivvered when she remembered what he had done. At what waited for her to calm down, to grab her as soon as she had a quiet moment. Distraction only worked that long. But at least she slowly felt better, her thoughts less muddled. Unable to reply to that she shot him a weak smile.

"That sounds like it will work."

Concentrating for a moment she soulcast the blood covering her dress and face into dust and then tried to shake that out of her skirts, coughing when it got into her mouth. That had been stupid. She needed to focus.

Entering the building she smiled at the clerk there.

"Hello. We are looking for Sephtis. Is he available at the moment?"

The man stared at her interested then disgusted, then replied with a cold voice:

"No he isn't here at the moment. I suggest you leave."

Althea quickly stepped back, instinctively pulled up her shoulders in a defensive gesture. She was used to it, she should be, but it hurt and it fed her fears and pain, her desperation. She couldn't handle that right now. Hastily she turned away.

"I'll call him."

She told Max and contacted Sephtis using her symbol.

@Mraize

@I think I am here.

Edited November 16, 2018 by Sorana

[Lord Meeker he/him]

Red alarms began blaring through the building. The elevator opened and a woman rushed out and ran to the man behind the counter. She whispered something to the man. He blanched.

"I would evacuate the city. People are being consumed. Nobody is safe. I don't think Soel will answer your call." With that he rushed to the elevator and disappeared inside.

@I think I am here. @Sorana

[+Sorana she/her]

6 minutes ago, Mraize said:

Red alarms began blaring through the building. The elevator opened and a woman rushed out and ran to the man behind the counter. She whispered something to the man. He blanched.

"I would evacuate the city. People are being consumed. Nobody is safe. I don't think Soel will answer your call." With that he rushed to the elevator and disappeared inside.

@I think I am here. @Sorana

Althea cursed and called after the woman.

"Where is he?"

[Lord Meeker he/him]

The woman laughed and called out before the doors shut. "Death is here. You need not look far."

@Sorana

Edited November 16, 2018 by Mraize

[+Sorana she/her]

1 minute ago, Mraize said:

The woman laughed and called out before the doors shut. "Death is here. You need not look far."

@Sorana

Frustrated Althea stared at the closed door. That was a great answer.

She grabbed her comm and contacted her lab.

"Evacuate. Meet with those that left Oasis City. I'll tell you if I need you. Inform the rest. Code red."

Putting the comm away she called into the air:

"Sephtis! I want to talk to you! You're close? Then talk to me!!!!"

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  @Mraize Something happens?

 

[Lord Meeker he/him]

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Well of course.

Screams sounded. The people outside began dropping like flies. The Alleyenforcement Squads closed in on a solitary figure. "Stop! In the name of justice, stand down!" That was all the man could say before the figure snapped his neck and tossed his body into the ground cracking the cement. The others members began firing their weapons but they didn't last as long.

@Sorana

[+Sorana she/her]

1 minute ago, Mraize said:

Screams sounded. The people outside began dropping like flies. The Alleyenforcement Squads closed in on a solitary figure. "Stop! In the name of justice, stand down!" That was all the man could say before the figure snapped his neck and tossed his body into the ground cracking the cement. The others members began firing their weapons but they didn't last as long.

@Sorana

Althea breathed in some stormlight, offered Max her hand and elsecalled (them if you want to) them down.

"Stop!!"

She called.

"Calm down!"

[Lord Meeker he/him]

The figure said nothing. His head was bowed. When he looked up there was only sorrow and pain in the man's face. "Death, everything must be consumed in death." 

[+Sorana she/her]

Just now, Mraize said:

The figure said nothing. His head was bowed. When he looked up there was only sorrow and pain in the man's face. "Death, everything must be consumed in death." 

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And you tell that Althea.

Althea froze at his words. Death. It had been a while since the thoight to vanish had been so alluring. Had held so much danger. It was so easy to simply let go.

"Althea. Focus."

Brashen whispered in her ear and she stared at him. At the man. She had managed to climb out of this pit once. It was so dark, so consuming. Max had woken it up. Max he was here as well.

"No."

She whispered.

"There are things stronger than death. Things that let you beg your enemy for a favour. You don't need to do this. You have a choice."

[Lord Meeker he/him]

One of the fallen men stirred. The figure knelt down and touched the forehead of the man, who immediately when limp. "Minds are sooooo tasty. What about your minds, are they tasty I wonder?"

The buildings around him began to collapse and crumble. 

"Tell me insignificant one. Do you accept death?
 

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FYI he has Telekinesis and Telepathy with all their subpowers. I will allow him to be defeated but it won't be easy.

 

[+Sorana she/her]

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And I am an elsecaller without anything but her surges.

"I don't know."

Althea replied.

"I..."

She stopped and pressed a hand against her forehead.

"I've decided to live once. Because of my sister."

Her voice broke and a heaved sobbing breath.

"Living is hard. Death is the easy way out. It's safe and simple. Life never is."

She stepped towards him, slowly, carefully.

"But life offers us the possibility to find love, friends. No. I don't want to die, not now, not here."

She offered him her hand.

"Living is hard. Every single breath. Every morning when you have to get up. Every single moment. But it is worth it. I can show you, show you what mean. The peace and beauty of life."

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  @I think I am here.  Your turn I'm gone. My plan was to go to drink something, maybe hug him and convince him that life is great. I'll check when I'm able to, latest Sunday.

 

Edited November 16, 2018 by Sorana

[Lord Meeker he/him]

Quote

So the spike that should have taken all of his emotions didn't really work as intended so it took most of the good emotions a person feels and left the bad ones... Also Solace can take a person's mind who has investiture, it just is harder the more a person has. Normal people he just sucks right up.

The ground was rent, the buildings collapsed into rubble, all but the Foundation building behind Max and Althea. Something did change within the figure. He was more confident. He was suddenly touching Althea's head and poured in mental Healing. There was something of Solace Soel First lingering with in, but it was rapidly being consumed by the Darkness. 

"I will give you a warning, attempt to stop me and you will end up like the AlleyEnforcement, obliterated." Sephtis said.

He, grunted as he pulled a metal spike from his body and crumpled it with his telekinesis. It hovered in the air for a moment as he looked at it. Then the spike buried itself into the ground. 

Sephtis spoke into Althea's mind. "If you do manage stop me, kill me without hesitation. I have nothing to live for anyways. The Alleyverse would be better anyways."

With that he walked into the Foundation.

[I think I am here. he/him]

As soon as Solace's hand went to Althea's forehead Max already had Sethramir out. "Hey!" He yelled, preparing to swing. But, Althea didn't drop dead, as so many had. She looked... Better? He did the same thing to her as he did to me, Max thought. Healed her mind. But with me there was insanity. What did Althea have that required Mental Healing?

As Solace walked further away, a green wall shimmered in front off him. "Not so fast," Max said, hand outstretched. A forcefield was surrounding both of him. As he closed his palm further the forcefield grew smaller, keeping Solace and Max in a bubble the size of a small room. It was a new addition to his armour, made at this facility.

"So, you can still help people," Max said., his voice becoming stern. "But if you're going to continue killing, we're going to have to stop you. Althea's right, life is beautiful. We can show you that. But if you don't surrender your violence, we can show you the ugly side as well." He was shaking. One of the most powerful men on the planet and he was threatening him? But the armour stopped Max's nervousness from showing, and his words still hung in the air.

@Mraize

Edited November 18, 2018 by I think I am here.

[old man moomba he/him]

A man stood on a nearby convenient outcrop, watching. He had a massive sword, almost like a Shardblade, but not quite. It had something off about it, like a bad smell. The man was Rick, and he was ready to help, for once. He jumped off the outcrop and sailed toward the ground, but dissappearing into white mist just before impact.

A wisp of black mist began curling about within the forcefeild. More small peices of mist joined it, slowly bonding together into the shape of a man holding a Shardblade. The mist began to compress, becoming denser and darker. Once the mist had compressed enough, it suddenly snapped into Rick. He smiled and turned to Solace.

"I heard you might kill a lot more people, what do you think?"

@Mraize