main plot The Taste of Death

[Rushu42 she/her]

1 hour ago, kenod said:

Kumiko turned around, annoyed at the interruption. She needed to prepare, and someone came to talk to her? A scholar non the less, someone who looked like she couldn't even fight. Kumiko sighed. Not even in the DA people did things this reckless... Most of the time.

She looked at the woman. "That's supposed to be a phoenix," she said, sounding annoyed. "It's coming to destroy this building, and is currently only held back by the barrier, which is starting to fail. When it does everybody left in the building will probably die. Which of course begs the question of why you're currently on the roof, the place where it's the hardest to escape with any special abilities."

"I could ask you the same thing," Aln replied calmly, "but, seeing as, put that way, it would likely cause an increase to your annoyance, I won't. It's quite possible that you can enlighten me as to the origin of this phoenix, a subject which I am quite interested in, but we seem to be rapidly running out of time. I have calculated that, if I am to survive the destruction of this building, I need to begin running roughly 5.3 seconds before the shield breaks. I'm here to chronicle the events before that period, so if you would please explain what you're about to do, I would be much obliged." She said all this rather quickly, but her eyes remained fixed on Kumiko, and her pen remained poised. 

[I think I am here. he/him]

18 hours ago, Ark's Boyfriend said:

"Uh, okay," Seom said. "Wes?" @I think I am here.

Wes looked to Seom. “Yeah?”

He looked to the Phoenix smashing into the PlasmaCore building and cursed.

“But can you please make it quick? I feel like people aren’t worrying enough about the fact that this building is going to collapse over our heads unless we get out of here. Because that thing —”

He pointed to the Phoenix. From this distance he could see its distinct shape, talons and all, beak sharp and scary. And then there were the eyes, those amber things, and every time Wes got a chance to see them he looked away, because there was undoubtedly some intelligence in those eyes, and Wes fund it easier to imagine that thing was something dumb, a creature, than something smart, something that could reason.

“—doesn’t look like its open to reason.”

—-

The Phoenix smashed into the shield, and Lusk looked up at it. Two Ghostblood soldiers at his side, he exited the double doors and walked to the very edge of where the shield would allow him. The thing about PlasmaCore, was that there had to be some way employees could leave and enter, without disabling the entire shield each time someone left to eat lunch.

“This building is going down, whether we like it or not,” he said to one soldier. “And right now, we need to find some way to teleport out of here before that storming bird drops this building on our little heads. Acknowledged?”

—-

Acknowledged, Alask’s body sent to the Phoenix, and it stood completely still, watching the Enemy move, feeling the Phoenix’s rage at the Enemy for existing, feeling each of the times the Phoenix had collided with the enemy. Feeling that night in the Seven Day War, where the Phoenix had killed the Enemy. The Enemy had worn a different face then. And it had survived.

Inside, Alask thrashed against the mental chains fettering him to the backseat of his own body. He screamed as his body stood, as some foreign force moved him around like a puppet. There was another awareness in here, another mind restrained to the backseat just as he was.

It was easy to imagine the mind as space, though it wasn’t, really. Alask ‘turned’ to ‘see’ another awareness watching him, though it really wasn’t seeing or turning to anything. It was just... knowing. Regardless, Alask felt the other awareness, a shifting, smoky mind, ungraspable, yet contained, like it was pinned to place. Subconsciously Alask knew this was Shez, or how Shez looked in his mind. It was surreal, he’d never seen Shez like this, it was always Alask taking control or Shez, and now that neither of them were in power they could see each other like this.

Shez, Alask said. Do you hear me?

“Loud and clear”. Woah, Shez’s voice, was clearer now, and Alask could understand him better. Neither of us are in control, he said. And I can’t regain control of my body. Something else is in my place.

“Neither can I,” Shez said. “It is strong, this other creature.”

So, we do it together, Alask said. We ram through the door with the power of two minds, not one, and not one at a time.

Alask could sense Shez’s confusion. “‘Together’?”

We’ve been working together for a while now, Alask said. How —

“No. I’ve just been angry at someone breaking the Rules, and you’ve tried to tame, make deals with me. We’ve agreed to keep my fury to criminals. But we’ve never worked ‘together’.

He had a point. But it was the only way they could take control back over.

“And besides. What would happen if we tried to take control at the same time? Would our body be split 50/50? I don’t like that.”

We still have to try, Alask said. First time for everything.

There was no disagreement from Shez. On three, then. One, two...

Three.

And the two acted as one.

—-

Max was carried away by the force of something. He looked up to be flying off the ground, high above the buildings.

“Rust!” He said, looking to Tels. “My wife is down there!”

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

"Mike wants us to help bring the building down?" she called. @I think I am here.

[I think I am here. he/him]

17 minutes ago, Ark's Boyfriend said:

"Mike wants us to help bring the building down?" she called. @I think I am here.

Wes looked to Seom for a moment, and sighed. Gone were the days where he’d follow orders blindly. That had happened with Syndicate, and he’d gotten electrical burns all over his body for it.

“Seom, the Phoenix is going to bring the building down anyway,” he said, gesturing to the Phoenix. “Can’t you see that? I respect him, deeply, but you need to tell him there’s no point trying to bring this building down when a giant bird of fire twice the size of it is doing the job for us.”

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

Just now, I think I am here. said:

Wes looked to Seom for a moment, and sighed. Gone were the days where he’d follow orders blindly. That had happened with Syndicate, and he’d gotten electrical burns all over his body for it.

“Seom, the Phoenix is going to bring the building down anyway,” he said, gesturing to the Phoenix. “Can’t you see that? I respect him, deeply, but you need to tell him there’s no point trying to bring this building down when a giant bird of fire twice the size of it is doing the job for us.”

"Uh..." she mumbled. "Um." She turned to the elevator shaft. "Uh, Mike? Wes says that we need to leave because otherwise we'll all die."

[kenod]

13 hours ago, Rushu42 said:

"I could ask you the same thing," Aln replied calmly, "but, seeing as, put that way, it would likely cause an increase to your annoyance, I won't. It's quite possible that you can enlighten me as to the origin of this phoenix, a subject which I am quite interested in, but we seem to be rapidly running out of time. I have calculated that, if I am to survive the destruction of this building, I need to begin running roughly 5.3 seconds before the shield breaks. I'm here to chronicle the events before that period, so if you would please explain what you're about to do, I would be much obliged." She said all this rather quickly, but her eyes remained fixed on Kumiko, and her pen remained poised. 

Kumiko thought about the question. What was she planning to do? Defend the building? Escape? Fight the Phoenix? She sighed, and shook her head. Suddenly, a loud noise shook her out of her thoughts. She looked at the barrier and saw that more flames had appeared, in a different color this time. Something seemed ... wrong about them. Seeing cracks appear she got ready. "I suggest you get going," she said to the woman behind her, trying to sound calm. "I think your five seconds just started."

Kumiko closed her eyes, focusing. Mentally she traced through the forms she had accumulated, and selected two of them, saving a third for later. At the same time she constructed the necessary histories, legends and stories. She felt her heart beating in her throat. It had been a long time since she had last done this, and she hadn't practiced it as much as she should have. Even then, the consequences would likely be ... problematic. She took a deep breath, opening her eyes, and watched the barrier break. In her mind, she combined the forms and the knowledge, and applied the resulting form to herself. Falcon feathers started growing from her hair and arms, while her tail changed into that of a horse. Her clothing changed as well, growing more elaborate, turning white lined with gold. She stretched out her arms and smiled despite the strain the form placed on her. Hippogriff. she thought.

Silently she watched the flames erupt from the Phoenix, saw it rushing towards the building. She started humming a song, right foot tapping along with the beat. At that moment a storm of wind exploded from her body, blasting towards the Phoenix, pushing against it, trying to drive it back, block the flames. A shock-wave blasted outwards, tearing at the roof of the building.

Quote

How long until the Alleystorm reaches the building?

 

Edited July 14, 2019 by kenod

[+Sorana she/her]

2 hours ago, Ark's Boyfriend said:

"Uh..." she mumbled. "Um." She turned to the elevator shaft. "Uh, Mike? Wes says that we need to leave because otherwise we'll all die."

"Sure. We need to get outside, so blow it up."

Mike called up to her, while climbing down.

"These people were able to leave, so there has to be a way for us to leave as well. And then we can fetch some explosives."

@I think I am here.

@Silva

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

1 hour ago, kenod said:

How long until the Alleystorm reaches the building?

Quote

According to the timeline Ark posted in the pm today, the storm will hit after Voidus next post. So soon.

 

[Truthless of Shinovar he/him]

3 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

Max was carried away by the force of something. He looked up to be flying off the ground, high above the buildings.

“Rust!” He said, looking to Tels. “My wife is down there!”

“Yes,” Tels said, “and she will be fine. Hopefully. I doubt Lena would poison her without reason, especially if the Phoenix chases after us instead of eating her. The stuff she’s got in her right now is long lasting, and probably can be reversed. Right now, we’ve got to leave the Alleycity, and try to draw the Phoenix away. More accurately, I’ve got to use you as bait while avoiding that giant flaming abomination, with a slim chance of survival for either of us.”

[kenod]

24 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Quote

According to the timeline Ark posted in the pm today, the storm will hit after Voidus next post. So soon.

 

Quote

Alright, thanks.

 

[Rushu42 she/her]

5 hours ago, kenod said:

Kumiko thought about the question. What was she planning to do? Defend the building? Escape? Fight the Phoenix? She sighed, and shook her head. Suddenly, a loud noise shook her out of her thoughts. She looked at the barrier and saw that more flames had appeared, in a different color this time. Something seemed ... wrong about them. Seeing cracks appear she got ready. "I suggest you get going," she said to the woman behind her, trying to sound calm. "I think your five seconds just started."

Kumiko closed her eyes, focusing. Mentally she traced through the forms she had accumulated, and selected two of them, saving a third for later. At the same time she constructed the necessary histories, legends and stories. She felt her heart beating in her throat. It had been a long time since she had last done this, and she hadn't practiced it as much as she should have. Even then, the consequences would likely be ... problematic. She took a deep breath, opening her eyes, and watched the barrier break. In her mind, she combined the forms and the knowledge, and applied the resulting form to herself. Falcon feathers started growing from her hair and arms, while her tail changed into that of a horse. Her clothing changed as well, growing more elaborate, turning white lined with gold. She stretched out her arms and smiled despite the strain the form placed on her. Hippogriff. she thought.

Silently she watched the flames erupt from the Phoenix, saw it rushing towards the building. She started humming a song, right foot tapping along with the beat. At that moment a storm of wind exploded from her body, blasting towards the Phoenix, pushing against it, trying to drive it back, block the flames. A shock-wave blasted outwards, tearing at the roof of the building.

 

Despite the advice, Aln has not moved. She was once more scribbling furiously when the shockwave launched her backward. She slammed into the ground, and immediately began glowing with Stormlight. The notebook went flying from her fingers, and tumbled into the flames. She stumbled to her feet and pulled another, smaller packet of pages from an inner pocket. The motion dislodged several spheres, now dun, which scattered across the roof. Flipping her spanreed on, she sent a message to her guild. Then, gritting her teeth, she turned back toward the battle. 

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

"Uh, sure?" Seom said, feeling less and less like she knew what was going on. @Sorana

[Silva]

The Vortex was gone. At least, the danger of it was, and Eiran considered the two interchangeable.

He sent Deteca a quick text to tell her that it seemed to no longer be a threat.

Then he turned back to the future. Now the Phoenix covered most pathways. He still didn't know why it hadn't appeared before, but was content to blame it on the Vortex for the moment. He saw futures where the city burned down around him. Futures where Ajax attacked when they were weak from fighting two Phoenix?

And a future of him falling off of a rooftop with a man flying through the air supported by sand carrying another man nearby. 

Eiran frowned. That was peculiar. He normally didn't go towards the possibilities that involved his death, but out of all he'd seen so far of things going wrong, this seemed the most preventable. The building he recognized. It was near him.

I appear to be experiencing what it means to do something you know is a bad idea. It should be fine in the end, though. Might even solve a problem or two. he sent to Deteca, now wishing he'd delayed sending the first. Two messages in close proximity was somewhat unprofessional.

@AonEne

Unfortunately, he'd been focused on seeing large mishaps, not little ones like this. 

He hurried to that building he'd seen. It was abandoned--anyone in their right mind would avoid entering something that could easily collapse. Eiran scaled the stairs as quickly as possible while still taking care not to trip. Even when doing something rash, he still was a stickler for protocol.

Once on the roof, he stayed far from the edge. He reviewed a couple different dangerous futures that would come from him being there. What he learnt was quite interesting and made him a little surprised. The people approaching...the things they were connected to...

Either way, he'd made his decision and there was no backing out now without feeling foolish.

Eiran turned in the direction they'd come from and began jumping up and down and waving. He'd be noticed. Probably.

@Truthless of Shinovar

[Truthless of Shinovar he/him]

As Tels continued his flight through the Alleycity, he pondered. First and foremost, he was glad he had made the trip to Taldain to gather more invested sand. It was hard to come by in the Alleyverse, and you could only recharge it by the light of a very specific star. Now, Tels was using that very sand that he had stored throughout the city. From in a trash can here, underneath a stone there, even some scattered all throughout a seldom-used road. That had been had been mostly to clear his head, and to think of things other than his current problem.

That problem filled all of his other thoughts, and Tels had no idea what to do about it. His decision was a rash one; it had been intended so, because thinking about it now very nearly made him put Max down and run away to some distant corner of the world. Tels pondered how he could escape the Phoenix, or survive the wrath of it. 

While thinking, he noticed a man on top of a building, jumping up and down and waving his arms frantically. Tels hesitated for a second, but without a plan, Tels swooped down on top of the building, setting down Max.

”Who are you, and how did you know I was coming?” Tels asked.

@Silva

[Silva]

36 minutes ago, Truthless of Shinovar said:

”Who are you, and how did you know I was coming?” Tels asked.

The man stopped there. Eiran breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't die from flames consuming the building with him on it just yet. That was a nice comfort.

But now he had to figure out what he was going to say. The hard part. Through process of elimination, he ruled out different phraseologies based on the amounts of death they caused leaving him with only one of the options he'd come up with.

"Eiran Sullivan. TUBA's actuary of sorts. It's my job to predict things. And try to solve problems," he said. It was as close as he dared reveal to a stranger he only knew from a few minutes of visions. "You have a means with you to control the Phoenix, yes?"

[+Ark1002]

Quote

Storms. Voidus didn't respond.

Also, I love how people have been totally ignoring the pitch black phoenix with purple-red haze for eyes, but they're all talking about the one that has already been documented

 

[Truthless of Shinovar he/him]

Quote

Tels just isn’t aware of it at the moment, he’s in for a surprise...

 

29 minutes ago, Silva said:

"Eiran Sullivan. TUBA's actuary of sorts. It's my job to predict things. And try to solve problems," he said. It was as close as he dared reveal to a stranger he only knew from a few minutes of visions. "You have a means with you to control the Phoenix, yes?"

“The name is Tels,” Tels said, “and yes, I’ve got bait for the Phoenix over here. Far from controlling it, unfortunately. Why do you need to know?” Tels felt slightly uncomfortable around TUBA members. They always seemed to be doing something good, and Tels was sure it was a front of some sort. So many people couldn’t all be doing the right thing all the time....

[AonEne he/him]

12 hours ago, kenod said:

Silently she watched the flames erupt from the Phoenix, saw it rushing towards the building. She started humming a song, right foot tapping along with the beat. At that moment a storm of wind exploded from her body, blasting towards the Phoenix, pushing against it, trying to drive it back, block the flames. A shock-wave blasted outwards, tearing at the roof of the building.

Quote

Kenod, I can see this moment in my mind, and there is the most epic Narnia music playing in my earbuds, and everything is awesome.

Baker Pi glanced up at the sky above Alleycity, where several different colors of fire swirled and combined, then focused on the matter at hand and led Zokora into the tunnel entrance.

Quote

Wait, where are they going again?

Deteca's phone buzzed twice in her pocket, but she was too busy ogling the twin birds of flame and power swooping over PlasmaCore. That shield they have can't last much longer. And then what happens to the people inside, of all guilds? Do they have a way out? Is there any way I can help if I get there? It's too far for me to run and get there in time... She bit her lip, knowing exactly how stupid her next plan was, but the lingering regret from the Phoenix's blast earlier convinced her.

Either this kills me, or it redeems my mistakes in a way that fighting just for TUBA does not. I need to help the people in that building, whether they're TUBA or DA or Ghostblood or PlasmaCore or no group at all. They're people, and that's what should matter. That's what TUBA should fight for. Deteca took a deep breath and felt for the alleys around her, trying to recall what little she'd been told about this and the few times she'd done it before. Like baking bread. Just like baking. It had been a while.

She took a step forward, out of the street she was currently in, and started to Alleytravel.

[+Sorana she/her]

2 hours ago, AonEne said:

Wait, where are they going again?

Quote

I have no idea. Heading into the tunnels was your idea, I only wanted to have some inter-guild-rp about how to work together regarding the evacuation. So maybe somewhere Zokora could lead her soldiers into safety from the Phoenix?

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

Mike nodded and pushed the front door open. It wasn't locked. Which wasn't really surprising, as they had gotten in beforehand. The barrier was still there and he looked at it for a moment, before returning inside. He had seen a sign, "emergency exit" somewhere. Exit was good. He needed to help to bring the building down. He hastened along the hallway, walked some strairs downwards and then along another hallway. In the end he stood in front of a door. It wasn't locker either, standing slightly open. Probably it had been used regulary today. Pushing it open, he found himself a block away from the building, outside the barrier.

@I think I am here.

@Ark's Boyfriend

@Silva

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

Althea felt Max hand getting torn out of her grip and then he was gone, gone. For a moment there was nothing but silence, and then she heard voices, heavy steps, someone kneeling down next to her.

"Ma'am."

She felt a pouch next to her hand and instinctively inhaled. Zokora. She had sent help. The stormlight felt good, so incredibly good that she closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, she could see the world again. Her body healed, the muscles destroyed by the poison returned, her burnt skin recovering. Althea put on her sunglasses and then stood up.

"Take care of these two."

She commanded shortly, with a flick of her hand towards the man and the woman and stepped into Shadesmar. Max. He'd talked about maybe leading the Phoenix away. But he couldn't do that, while he was in such a bad shape. The memories were there, looming, but as often the slightly drew back, as soon as she had a purpose, as soon as she could do something. And Max was more imporatant. She followed their bond and elsecalled away to a roof, saw him lying there, next to the feet of that strange man.

"What do you want from my husband?"

She asked mostly to cover herself reaching out for Max body. He was hers. She wrapped her surge around him and attempted to teleport him over to where she was standing.

@I think I am here.

@Truthless of Shinovar

@Silva

Edited July 15, 2019 by Sorana

[Sherlock Holmes he/him]

Seom followed. 

[I think I am here. he/him]

15 hours ago, I think I am here. said:

The Phoenix smashed into the shield, and Lusk looked up at it. Two Ghostblood soldiers at his side, he exited the double doors and walked to the very edge of where the shield would allow him. The thing about PlasmaCore, was that there had to be some way employees could leave and enter, without disabling the entire shield each time someone left to eat lunch.

“This building is going down, whether we like it or not,” he said to one soldier. “And right now, we need to find some way to teleport out of here before that storming bird drops this building on our little heads. Acknowledged?”

The soldiers came back to Lusk with a name. It was of a Willshaper currently in the area, and Lusk recognised the name immediately. Zokora. Quickly he messaged her as more of the Ghostblood troops began huddling in one conglomerate, all eager to be evacuated from the building before it fell on top of them.

Zokora. The Phoenix is coming for the PlasmaCore building. I need you to teleport us out of here.

A pause for a moment, and Lusk sighed. Age was making him softer than he’d like.

Thanks in advance.

And he sent it.

—-

Wes followed Mike and Seom to the exit, and in the open air he was happy to escape the building. He didn’t agree with Mike trying to blow down the building but that didn’t matter, he was free.

—-

Max saw something and suddenly Althea was by him on the roof.

Thea! He called and tried to stand, shakily. He was battered by injuries but that didn’t matter, it looked like Althea was healthy and it looked like she’d gotten enough stormlight to heal herself. Max, he could wait. He stood by Althea and summoned Sethramir, sticking it into the ground for balance. Thank the Heralds you’re okay. 

[Voidus]

She felt the force begin to give underneath her, the dark flames from the Rival joined with hers and assaulted the barrier. The air shimmered around them both from the combined heat and the streets below began to blacken and char.

With a finally loud screech she snapped her wings back out, and pulled herself upward on the updraft of flames just as the barrier shattered entirely. The flames that had gathered over the surface began to spill in and there was a sudden storm of winds as the incredibly hot air from the outside mingled with the cooler air that had been kept within. Within that wind one blast of air seemed to fly straight towards her, catching in her wings and trying to lift her up, push her away from the building.

The flames around her soared up and back, deflected from the building and into the sky, her feathers streamed backwards, seemingly anxious to rejoin with the flames as the headwind slowly lifted her back. Her eyes snapped to a point on the roof, gazing at it with predatory rage. Even lightened as she was few ordinary winds had the power to lift her enormous body off the ground entirely, this was something else. This was another plan from one of the two-legged creatures that scurried about, trying to stop her from taking what was hers.

Her eyes caught one figure with arms raised, eyes staring challengingly back towards her, wind blasted forwards from the figure as it strained to push her back. There was something different about this one, it didn't feel like one who crawled, but neither did it entirely feel like one who soared.

Pretender. Not a true child of the sky, unworthy to share the skies and yet it seeks to take them.

The fire within her burst into even more fiery brilliance as she stared back. If this Pretender opposed her then that was simply one more reason to destroy the enemy of stone which supported them. There were many enemies today, so much life to enjoy.

She began to draw more weight, stabilizing herself in the gale that tried to push her back, she fought her way back towards the building, twisting to find favourable winds in the storm of them that had arisen. Finally she came to a position directly above the building, the winds still fought to push her skyward but that didn't matter any more. Her wings folded in, removing the purchase the winds held on her as she pulled even more weight in and began to plummet towards the ground, talons outstretched and ready to tear the enemy of stone to pieces.

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The heat in the alley intensified as the Phoenix assaulted the PlasmaCore building. They were at enough of a distance that it wouldn't cause any harm at least, but it was far from comfortable.

Voidus scanned the skies, tracking the Phoenix as it assaulted the barrier around the PlasmaCore building. Stopping it was not impossible, but emotional Allomancy had not been something he'd been expecting to need today. Any other methods would likely destroy the building anyway, or expend resources that it would be wiser to conserve for the time being. They were planning on destroying the Vortex anyway, would it be so troublesome for the Phoenix to do it for them? It appeared that someone else had summoned the creature, so they were not exactly reneging on their agreement to avoid using abominations.

Perhaps it would do the people of the city some good to be reminded of what the DA could unleash if they were actually intent on destroying them.

He soulcast the nearby air into a cooler breeze, fighting against the encroaching heat before answering Lita's question.

"Now we wait." He replied. "If they want to poke the hornets nest then they can try to deal with the consequences themselves. Our only agreement was regarding the Vortex."

It may even prove to be an opportunity to see what kind of trump cards the other guilds might play in this situation.
@ZincAboutIt
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Whisper crept through the Alleys, eyes alert for any danger. She'd sown chaos among a number of groups of people throughout the city, sowing some seeds that she could hopefully harvest later. But it had been a long day, and she had no Pewter or Stormlight to push back against her bodies lethargy. And as soon as she'd seen the light of the Phoenix descending upon the city she'd realized it was time to head home. Hopefully at least some of those she'd spoken with would survive, it would have been a shame for that effort to have been wasted.

She began reaching for another Alley, trying to pick as safe a path as she could when she felt a sudden writhing. Alleys slipping chaotically into place without the usual care or caution. The Alleys made a clear path, but it was neither safe nor exactly straightforward, likely to doom whoever trod upon it. But this chaotic placement... either someone wished to die, or someone who was not experienced was trying to Alleytravel.

Could be an opportunity, another seed to plant. If I cut them off before they reach 639 then that should minimize danger.

After weighing her options she began to shift the Alleys once more, connecting her own path with the other. At the same time she began to Lightweave again, adopting one of her usual disguises. Her hair grew into a long, dirty blonde tangle, smudges of dirt and city grime began to appear over her clothes as they shifted to the rags worn by the cities poorest children.

She stepped into the next Alley, curious to see what she would find.

@AonEne

[+Sorana she/her]

Zokora paused when she got a message from a soldier, telling her that they found Althea and was about to put her device again, when a second message from Lusk arrived. The building about to be destroyed by the Phoenix, and he needed a way out. She couldn’t elsecall him, not with the barrier, but maybe she found another way.

“Excuse me for a moment. I’ll be back soon.”

She told Baker Pi and inhaled.

Not one Phoenix, but two, and they both were focused on the building. The barrier was gone, but Lusk was still inside somewhere. One problem solved, although she would have preferred the barrier of the huge flaming birds roaming the sky. She saw the Phoenix rise above the building, talons outstretched, plummeting towards the top of the tower and inhaled. She wasn’t Althea, hadn’t spent years and years polishing her surges, but she had to try. It was an order, and it was the right thing to do. Life before Death. Another inhale, more stormlight in her veins and then she laughed loudly at the feeling, at the craziness of the situation.

Quickly she sent the location of Baker Pi to Lusk, in case she messed it up and then elsecalled into the building. The air was hot, burning hot and when she saw the amount of people Lusk wanted her to move she knew, that it wasn’t possible. She wasn’t skilled enough to teleport them all to safety. But maybe she could get them out of the way for the moment. Another inhale, her spheres dimming to a worrying degree and she reached out for them, just as she heard an impact from above, the whole building shaking, breaking apart. Exhaling she moved Lusk and the frightened men around him to Shadesmar.

@I think I am here.

[I think I am here. he/him]

8 minutes ago, Sorana said:

Another inhale, her spheres dimming to a worrying degree and she reached out for them, just as she heard an impact from above, the whole building shaking, breaking apart. Exhaling she moved Lusk and the frightened men around him to Shadesmar.

Lusk suddenly found himself in Shadesmar along with the group of men around him. He nodded his thanks to Zokora and began talking to the soldiers, giving them orders as per his usual demeanour.

Back in the Physical Realm, some of the soldiers that remained saw Wes, Mike and Seom leave through the other doors. “Hey!” One of the soldiers called. “The kid found an exit!” More and more soldiers began departing that way as well.

 

[+ZincAboutIt she/her]

45 minutes ago, Voidus said:

"Now we wait." He replied. "If they want to poke the hornets nest then they can try to deal with the consequences themselves. Our only agreement was regarding the Vortex."

The air cooled around them, and Lita breathed a grateful sigh before wiping her brow on her sleeve again. 

The air isn't the only thing in this alley that's cold, she thought, looking at Voidus. Waiting was the right move - certainly the smartest move, but still. People were dying in there. Tin allowed Lita to hear far more than she would have liked from the buildings surrounding PlasmaCore. People screamed, and everywhere the hot, hungry sound of fire chewed through the plaster and timber of tenements and shops. 

And are you going to go save them, Lita? She breathed out through her nose and looked down at the blackened ring surrounding her feet. No, no she would not. Lita was no hero, and she had never been. She was a spy, a creature of the shadows. Corrupted, down to the core.

A memory floated to the surface of her mind, perhaps called by the sudden cool breeze. Lita could see the dappled green of the Village, so quiet, yet so alive.

"She's already been corrupted," one of the robed men had said to his companion. Lita burned tin, the several yards of distance between them seeming like nothing at all. "Twinborn -  dangerous. If we had raised her here, maybe it would be different, but the girl's father is a man of ill repute. A Soother. She's already spent too much time as an outsider."

"The girl isn't even ten yet," the other man countered. "This place is her birthright, as much as yours or mine, Fadwyn. How can you pass judgment so early? Did you even read her letter? She believes her mother doesn't even know she's alive."

Fadwyn shook his head, the disdain in his voice shifting towards pity. " Poor little fool," he said, pulling the letter out from within his robes and unfolding it. "Better to let her keep her delusion. Think about it Deshwym - you know how word travels here. What do you think would happen when she learned her mother never wanted her in the first place? That she was a mistake? That Ve--"

But Lita had already extinguished her tin, turning her back on the cool green of the Village and disappearing into the steel and cobblestone snarl that was Elendel. An outsider - a mistake. Tears dripped onto her starched collar as she ran. 

Lita blinked, realizing she'd been staring at the ground. She raised her head, and as she did so she felt a slight wetness gather in the corner of her eye, pushing at the lashes there. Frustrated, she stoked her tin, the sudden rush of sensation shoving her emotions into the background to make room for a flood of new information. The tear became mere moisture in her eye - a nuisance, but hardly worth thinking about. Lita brushed it away with an indifferent flick of her finger and watched as the Phoenix descended rapidly on PlasmaCore. She pulled the Coin back out of her sock and flipped it once, opening her palm to reveal the image of the scales. Action. Reaction. Consequences. 

She wandered over to Laurelai. "I don't suppose it would be too optimistic to hope that the tavern will survive all this?" Lita waved her hand toward the Phoenix with a grim smile. "I still intend to cash in on that drink."

[kenod]

Kumiko watched the Phoenix try to get above her, while a second phoenix hovered in the distance, this one pitch-black. She started to struggle to keep up the humming, her body hurting from the strain of keeping up the wind, the heat burning at her skin. As the Phoenix dropped down at her she switched to the second form she had prepared. Her previous form dissappeared, and nine white fox tails appeared instead. Her hair turned white as well, and her ears turned into those of a fox. Her clothing changed too, forming something resembling a shrine maiden's outfit, and the amulet on her necklace changed into a small, jewel-like ball. Kitsune, she thought.

Sparks of lightning started dancing between her tails, and she flew out of the way of the incoming Phoenix, grabbing Aln on the way out. Five large balls of purple flame appeared around her, sparks of lightning crackling between them. Landing on the roof of a nearby building she dropped of Aln, then took to the skies again, rushing towards the Phoenix. Throwing her arms forwards the balls of flame launched towards the Phoenix, turning and twisting in the air, following the Phoenix as it flew.

Suddenly, she slowed, coughing, pain flaring up from her ribs. She tasted blood in her mouth. The strain from the forms were slowly getting to her. Her face grew determined. She could feel the Alleystorm approaching, somewhat relieving the strain. Just a bit longer, she thought.