Siren's Call: an RP

[Condensation she/her]

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

"Well--and I've said this before--I am going to kill Janice. Actually... no. That's too kind a term."

"I knew that. How are you planning to kill Janice?"

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, Condensation said:

"I knew that. How are you planning to kill Janice?"

"I think you mistake me, Cadenza. I'm not just going to kill her." Trace held the dagger to Cadenza's throat. "I'm going to tear her soul to shreds. When I'm through with her and you, her entire being will have been destroyed; forever vaporized into the ether. No afterlife, no heaven or some other machination of second life; no. She's going to be gone, forever. I suspect it would only be a matter of time until her memory dissolved from your mind. She'll have been destroyed, Cadenza; she'll be forgotten. And in her place you'll find no one. You will wander this world alone, wondering to whatever god happens to have turned an ear in your direction why you're so downcast in loneliness and despair."

Trace pressed the point into Cadenza's skin, drawing blood. "Are you scared now, little girl? Are you truly prepared for what's about to happen to you? You will suffer pain without reason, and Janice will have been DESTROYED."

[Condensation she/her]

2 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Trace pressed the point into Cadenza's skin, drawing blood. "Are you scared now, little girl? Are you truly prepared for what's about to happen to you? You will suffer pain without reason, and Janice will have been DESTROYED."

Cadenza gulped, but faked confidence. "Like you can. Like I said last time, Janice is stronger than you think. She will triumph."

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, Condensation said:

Cadenza gulped, but faked confidence. "Like you can. Like I said last time, Janice is stronger than you think. She will triumph."

"Don't lie to me, Cadenza. ARE YOU SCARED YET, LITTLE GIRL???"

[Condensation she/her]

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

"Don't lie to me, Cadenza. ARE YOU SCARED YET, LITTLE GIRL???"

Cadenza pretended to consider for a bit. "Yeah, kind of. It's hard not to be."

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, Condensation said:

Cadenza pretended to consider for a bit. "Yeah, kind of. It's hard not to be."

Quote

I'm going to take you up on that advice you gave me earlier; I have to go to bed, and my next post here is going to need some prewriting.

Trace shook her head in disbelief. "Not as scared as you should be."

With that, she ran her dagger deep into Cadenza's shoulder.

[Condensation she/her]

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

Trace shook her head in disbelief. "Not as scared as you should be."

With that, she ran her dagger deep into Cadenza's shoulder.

Quote

Awesome! Shame you'll be going to bed, though. It's always much more boring once you're gone.

Cadenza bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. A squeak slipped out and she closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the tree. Gosh, that hurt.

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

Wow, Vespyr thought, this kid is textbook gothic. Was that the right word?  No. Emo?  No. Friggin’ terrifying?  Yeah.  That was the one. 
 

Vespyr continued to obstruct any shot aimed at Trace. “You are short on time,” it informed. “Finish up your playtime.”

 

((Not actually back yet. Small break.))

[Wind he/him]

Quote

Is everyone okay with the sun rising at an epic moment right now?

Lloyd lost concentration and the thing in his mind stole control...

Quote

New Lloyd, wow I need new names.

Lloyd took control over his body and ran after where Trace had run, the original Lloyd seemed to live on in his mind now, he would have to be careful about not letting it out anymore.

[Mat he/him]

1 hour ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Trace pulled her out of sight, checking to make sure they hadn't been followed.

"Now," Trace said, "like I said earlier, I'd like you to be properly terrified."

@Vapor? @Negative_Null? @Matrim's Dice?

Quote

Sorry, I said I had to go...

And yes, I say 'Are pea'.

Maddy leaped to her feet, wincing, and followed where Trace had dragged Cadenza. A true soldier never left an ally behind.

[xinoehp512 he/him]

1 hour ago, Negative_Null said:

Jay, who apparently got shaken off of Janice's wrist, presses the earpiece.

"Jack, I hope you're close..."

@xinoehp512

 

"Close enough," replied Jack. "I have the vial of antidote. You want me to fire?"

@Negative_Null @Channelknight Fadran

[Wind he/him]

Lloyd ran towards the tree. "Trace! Stop!" 

Quote

Pretend like you can tell the difference between NL and OL's voices.

 

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

Vespyr slung the bag from her back, then took a swig out of the bottle within.  “Trace, time is up.”

[The Ward's Guard he/him]

The colonel cursed under his breath as he watched, he knew that something had to be done, but it was smarter to wait for backup. Still . . .

2 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Trace shook her head in disbelief. "Not as scared as you should be."

With that, she ran her dagger deep into Cadenza's shoulder.

The colonel's body moved by its own accord, all the while Tulcam felt a rushing in his ears as anger overcame him. Only two thoughts pierced through the building rage, one was a memory of a woman's smile, so kind, loving, and endearing as she watched Tulcam. His other thought was his failure; constant and powerful, but not as powerful as his rage. His rage at failing her, he saw it all over again as he watched Trace, and even though his mind told him, screamed at him that he should wait, his heart knew what he needed to, no, what he had to do. He wouldn't fail, not again.

The colonel burst from his hiding spot, firing his sidearm at Vespyr in rapid succession as it was closer. The muzzle flash reflected off of the armor plating that covered him from his shoulders down to his wrists, with his fingers partially covered by armor plating in select places, as if to protect his hands when he grips something, or backhands someone. The armor starting to glow, getting brighting with every shot.

 

Edited January 13, 2021 by The Ward's Guard

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

37 minutes ago, The Ward's Guard said:

The colonel cursed under his breath as he watched, he knew that something had to be done, but it was smarter to wait for backup. Still . . .

The colonel's body moved by its own accord, all the while Tulcam felt a rushing in his ears as anger overcame him. Only two thoughts pierced through the building rage, one was a memory of a woman's smile, so kind, loving, and endearing as she watched Tulcam. His other thought was his failure; constant and powerful, but not as powerful as his rage. His rage at failing her, he saw it all over again as he watched Trace, and even though his mind told him, screamed at him that he should wait, his heart knew what he needed to, no, what he had to do. He wouldn't fail, not again.

The colonel burst from his hiding spot, firing his sidearm at Vespyr in rapid succession as it was closer. The muzzle flash reflected off of the armor plating that covered him from his shoulders down to his wrists. The armor starting to glow, getting brighting with every shot.

 

Vesper flung the empty bottle to one side, spinning and thrusting both hands forward. It was fortunate they’d taken the time to drink. Although the effectiveness usually took a few minutes to regenerate, Vespyr hadn’t quite burned up what they’d been using. Not yet. 
 

The projectiles slowed, their energy sapping until they collapsed to the floor. It was getting harder to do that; it was much easier with a fire of nectar saturated in the blood. It was easier to see with the nectar, too, the range of its circle of vision expanded.  It was simple, then, to sense the sudden movement from the colonel, even wearing a mask with no eyes. 
 

Absorbing the energy built up strength, built up its ability to strike. Compared to the roar of power that nectar provided, the absorbed energy was small. Still, Vespyr had learned to take advantage of any opportunity to build up power. Sometimes, it burned through that strength frighteningly quickly. 
 

((Vespyr’s next action will pretty much be to grab Trace and get out of dodge, unless there’s some plan in place?))

[Channelknight Fadran]

10 hours ago, Condensation said:

Cadenza bit the inside of her cheek to keep from screaming. A squeak slipped out and she closed her eyes, leaning her head back against the tree. Gosh, that hurt.

Trace drew upon pain.

Not hers; Janice's. The pain that Trace had given her so many times in the ten years she had inhabited a backspace in Janice's mind.

She knew it. She understood it. Her and Janice only--they were the only two who could truly grasp every beat and agony of the torture that Trace's Queen had bestowed.

Trace drew upon Janice's pain, releasing a burst of energy, hurling everyone backwards through the air. She drew upon Janice's pain, and dragged her dagger down Cadenza's arm, relishing every scream and breaking of blood. Her dagger seeked every twist and detail of the quoral veins that burned into Janice's arms, guided by the torture that came when the Queen could control Janice's Aspect completely.

"You never understood her," Trace growled, carving Janice's source of pain and agony into Cadenza's arm, "not while she was here. I hope you fan find some fragmented semblance of emapthy and understanding before every trace of Janice is torn from existence."

The dagger finished its gruesome work at the palm of Cadenza's hand, running all the way through so that the end jutted out the other side. A river of warm blood ran down Cadenza's arm, staining Trace's hand red.

"You never," Trace grunted, yanking the dagger out of Cadenza's hand-- 

"Understood," she cut Cadenza's bonds, letting her collapse to the ground--

"MY PAIN."

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

9 hours ago, The Ward's Guard said:

The colonel cursed under his breath as he watched, he knew that something had to be done, but it was smarter to wait for backup. Still . . .

The colonel's body moved by its own accord, all the while Tulcam felt a rushing in his ears as anger overcame him. Only two thoughts pierced through the building rage, one was a memory of a woman's smile, so kind, loving, and endearing as she watched Tulcam. His other thought was his failure; constant and powerful, but not as powerful as his rage. His rage at failing her, he saw it all over again as he watched Trace, and even though his mind told him, screamed at him that he should wait, his heart knew what he needed to, no, what he had to do. He wouldn't fail, not again.

The colonel burst from his hiding spot, firing his sidearm at Vespyr in rapid succession as it was closer. The muzzle flash reflected off of the armor plating that covered him from his shoulders down to his wrists, with his fingers partially covered by armor plating in select places, as if to protect his hands when he grips something, or backhands someone. The armor starting to glow, getting brighting with every shot.

 

Vespyr stooped, plucking several bullets from the ground.  It reinfused them with their former vibration, and they shot out of its hand.  It was a good deal weaker than if they'd been launched from the barrel of a weapon; much of the initial vibration was lost in the first few instants that a shot was fired.  Still, it might dent the person's armor, frighten him away.

After what it was witnessing, it couldn't really fault these people for wanting to hurt this child.  It, of course, didn't dislike Trace for her actions, but it didn't understand them.  It could, however, understand Cadenza's pain, or the fear of the soon-to-be dead approaching them.

Vespyr had never enjoyed killing or disliked it.  It was just... a thing to be done.  Usually, though, orders were more clear-cut than this.  It knew exactly who or what was to be destroyed.  In an open melee with this, it was odd to try to decide who to spare and who to destroy, or if it should just destroy everyone and be done with it.  That would have been the more convenient move, but the time for that would have been out in the elements, on that great beach facing the ocean and open air, with the sand that responded intrinsically.  It was a perfect tomb.  

Now, though, the trees dulled some of the movement of Vespyr's winds, and the ground was solid here.  The ocean wasn't visible from this area, so the fighting would turn defensive.  Vespyr didn't like fighting up-close and personal with anyone, and it grimaced at Trace's grisly work.  It seemed unnecessarily cruel and time-consuming.  It would have been so much more simple to end Cadenza with a blade through any vital organ.

It shifted the rippling water-blood glaive in its left hand, preparing to defend the charge.  If it felt overwhelmed by the desperate crew of people, rushing to defend their fallen ally, Vespyr would retreat with Trace then.  

[Condensation she/her]

1 hour ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

Trace drew upon pain.

Not hers; Janice's. The pain that Trace had given her so many times in the ten years she had inhabited a backspace in Janice's mind.

She knew it. She understood it. Her and Janice only--they were the only two who could truly grasp every beat and agony of the torture that Trace's Queen had bestowed.

Trace drew upon Janice's pain, releasing a burst of energy, hurling everyone backwards through the air. She drew upon Janice's pain, and dragged her dagger down Cadenza's arm, relishing every scream and breaking of blood. Her dagger sought every twist and detail of the qhoral veins that burned into Janice's arms, guided by the torture that came when the Queen could control Janice's Aspect completely.

"You never understood her," Trace growled, carving Janice's source of pain and agony into Cadenza's arm, "not while she was here. I hope you can find some fragmented semblance of empathy and understanding before every trace of Janice is torn from existence."

The dagger finished its gruesome work at the palm of Cadenza's hand, running all the way through so that the end jutted out the other side. A river of warm blood ran down Cadenza's arm, staining Trace's hand red.

"You never," Trace grunted, yanking the dagger out of Cadenza's hand-- 

"Understood," she cut Cadenza's bonds, letting her collapse to the ground--

"MY PAIN."

Cadenza lay sprawled on the ground, sobbing. Her arm - her hand - burned, agony running up her spine. Her thoughts were disjointed, but she raised her head to look at Trace. "Wh - why?" she whimpered, not really expecting an answer.

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, Condensation said:

Cadenza lay sprawled on the ground, sobbing. Her arm - her hand - burned, agony running up her spine. Her thoughts were disjointed, but she raised her head to look at Trace. "Wh - why?" she whimpered, not really expecting an answer.

"Becau--"

Trace's voice caught. She took a step back, looking worried. "Becau--"

Why couldn't she... why couldn't...

Her hand leapt to her mouth, condensed into a fist. Her eyes gew wide with terror. A tear leaked out.

Janice stumbled backwards and released a blood-curdling scream of horror, worse than any she had ever screamed before.

[Condensation she/her]

5 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"Becau--"

Trace's voice caught. She took a step back, looking worried. "Becau--"

Why couldn't she... why couldn't...

Her hand leapt to her mouth, condensed into a fist. Her eyes grew wide with terror. A tear leaked out.

Janice stumbled backwards and released a blood-curdling scream of horror, worse than any she had ever screamed before.

"Janice?" Cadenza asked hopefully. "Janice, is that you?" She dropped her head back to the ground, smiling despite the pain.

[Channelknight Fadran]

1 minute ago, Condensation said:

"Janice?" Cadenza asked hopefully. "Janice, is that you?" She dropped her head back to the ground, smiling despite the pain.

"NO!" Janice screamed, either unaware or uncaring about the fact that she was saying those words aloud. "I WOULDN'T!"

She was shaking, tears spilling down her face like a waterfall. Janice looked down at her hand: it was red with blood.

Cadenza's blood.

She had done that.

With another scream, Janice took another step back, then ran into the forest. She needed to get away. Run away. RUN AWAY.

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

3 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"NO!" Janice screamed, either unaware or uncaring about the fact that she was saying those words aloud. "I WOULDN'T!"

She was shaking, tears spilling down her face like a waterfall. Janice looked down at her hand: it was red with blood.

Cadenza's blood.

She had done that.

With another scream, Janice took another step back, then ran into the forest. She needed to get away. Run away. RUN AWAY.

Ah, Majesty.  The girl was running off to where Vespyr couldn't protect her.  Marvelous.  It lurched, shooting into the air, gliding parallel to the ground, then slowed alongside Janice.

Vespyr placed a hand on Trace's shoulder, figuring that this was definitely not what the girl had in mind.  At this point, she was probably broken and fragmented.  The Queen hadn't quite finished this half-baked utensil.  "Let's go," It said, firmly, without any room for a wavering protest from -what it assumed to be- Trace.

Edited January 13, 2021 by ProfetessaOscura
*Clarification*

[Channelknight Fadran]

Just now, ProfetessaOscura said:

Vespyr placed a hand on Trace's shoulder, figuring that this was definitely not what the girl had in mind.  At this point, she was probably broken and fragmented.  The Queen hadn't quite finished this half-baked utensil.  "Let's go," It said, firmly, without any room for a wavering protest from -what it assumed to be- Trace.

Janice shook out of Vespyr's grasp, still running. Had she... where...

She tripped over a tree root, falling down hard. She tried to keep running on all fours, shaking hysterically; screaming, crying, racked by sheer disbelief. Dry leaves pressed to her hands, stuck in place by the blood. Her form, broken by her unstable mindset, fell over on another root. Janice rolled over, grabbing her dagger and holding the point above her heart.

[ProfetessaOscura she/her]

Just now, Channelknight Fadran said:

Janice shook out of Vespyr's grasp, still running. Had she... where...

She tripped over a tree root, falling down hard. She tried to keep running on all fours, shaking hysterically; screaming, crying, racked by sheer disbelief. Dry leaves pressed to her hands, stuck in place by the blood. Her form, broken by her unstable mindset, fell over on another root. Janice rolled over, grabbing her dagger and holding the point above her heart.

Vespyr stopped short, skidding past Janice, then turned back.  It moved just in time, tackling the child and snatching both wrists, squeezing hard so the girl would drop the knife.  Well...  She'd let the other subject try their damnest to fulfill their orders from the Queen.  They'd failed, and this time in front of a witness to the charade.  Trace was likely not going to have a very warm welcome when they returned.  Vespyr was... regretful.  

It headbutted the child, forehead to forehead, the solid mask slamming into Janice.  Unconsciousness would be preferable at this moment.

[Channelknight Fadran]

1 minute ago, ProfetessaOscura said:

Vespyr stopped short, skidding past Janice, then turned back.  It moved just in time, tackling the child and snatching both wrists, squeezing hard so the girl would drop the knife.  Well...  She'd let the other subject try their damnest to fulfill their orders from the Queen.  They'd failed, and this time in front of a witness to the charade.  Trace was likely not going to have a very warm welcome when they returned.  Vespyr was... regretful.  

It headbutted the child, forehead to forehead, the solid mask slamming into Janice.  Unconsciousness would be preferable at this moment.

An uncontrolled burst of power rolled out from around Janice, blowing down trees and knocking Vespyr away. She writhed under her guilt and pain.

The knife's edge hovered, only an inch above her own death.