What You Take With You part II: Reflections In The Fog

[unpocoloco]

Who: All those on the What You Take With You mission and everyone else (who OOCly wishes to join in)
What: An important artifact is brought back only to immedaitely activate. Further details are here.
When: November 10th
Where: Daybreak Campus and around Soliel
Warning: Warn in headers as appropriate

On November 10th the recovery team sent into the Outlands makes their return with the obsidian mirror. Thus far it hasn't seemed any different than any other obsidian mirror, nothing spectacular about it beyond its age and where it came from. But Daybreak was only called to retrieve it, not anything more. The spell is worked to open the path between the Outlands and Daybreak, allowing them back. But as this happens, the mists rise up as they often do when the two worlds intersect. The team might even see it ghosting over the mirror before catching their own reflections in it. A light flashes over its surface and in that instant, the mirror activates.

Just one look in any reflective surface throughout Soliel-- a mirror, a window, a bit still water-- and people will be struck with sudden dizziness, a feeling of being knocked back, and then darkness. You'll find, on waking, a dark and desolate landscape full of smoke and fog. It'll be hard to tell where one is going. You won't be alone. People all over the academy have been brought into this vision. You may run into them, but even more likely, you'll run into the spots of color that cut through the fog.

And dwelling with this color? Why it's you. But better. Or maybe, much, much worse. It seems the mirror has something to show you. But is that something a promise? Or a threat...? Learn its lesson and you may escape both the shadowy realm and a terrible fate in your future. What image will you leave on the world?

Comments

Emizel | OTA

[trademark_skull]

[A - Best...Self?]

[The Son of Hugo, the Death King, meant Emizel had a long reputation to live up to. And a legacy that he would eventually have to inherit. But someday, he was going to get there, and a new rein of terror would have to begin. Maybe just after humanity got over the threat of Nightfall.]

[Sometimes it was an older form of Emizel, resembling a bit closer to his father. Other times he just took on a more twisted version of his daemon form and attacked the first other living thing he saw. There doesn't seem to be too much discretion on who or what he chooses to lash out at. Though they might get at least one warning shot first, if they want to at least try to run.]


[B - Diary of a Wimpy Daemon]

[On the other side of the fog void lied a very tiny reaper child - no older than five or six by human comparison - who was doing their best to hide from everything, while on the constant search to find home...or find someone. Maybe the child had only been there for a short while, but somehow, he felt as though he had been searching for hours. Days even.]

I can't...I can't do it. I just can't. [He collapses on the wasteland floor and just starts sobbing. Not even thinking that his outburst was going to drive danger towards him. He startles himself when he spots a figure approaching.]

N-no, stay back!! [Scrambled on the dusty ground to get back up. His wings were too small to carry him yet, but he tries flapping them anyway to gain speed, or altitude, whichever needed to escape from the stranger that probably came here to hunt him down.]

A

[arcadianvampire]

[The mists that swirled throughout this world were mysterious, and could dull the senses of the unwary. But "unwary" usually didn't describe daemons, much less Valvatorez, and the warning shot of powerful magic aimed at him wasn't unnoticed. In fact, he simply stood still as it exploded nearby, the force sending his cape billowing in the wind. He turned to face the source, slowly, faced with the more humanoid Emizel...

Taller, more imposing than the one he knew. More charismatic too; at least with his mouth shut. Truly, this was a daemon that took after his father... though his gravitas was pointedly different too. As was his favored method of sending a message; Hugo always did have more of a penchant for melee combat over magic. Not that he wasn't an accomplished caster as well.

Still, Valvatorez smiled at the shadow of his student. Whether it was one of pride or one of threat was hard to ascertain.]

Not bad. I've always appreciated a flair for the theatrical. But there are better ways of getting my attention, lad.

[trademark_skull]

[Maybe he should have actually tried hitting him. It was a Tyrant he was dealing with after all. The only one that could have bested his father and actually opposed much of a threat. Perhaps even through the bloodlust he should actually try to be a little careful.] Oh really?

[What exactly was the traitor going on about?] And what would that be?

[arcadianvampire]

Saying my name, for one. Or extending a greeting. Or even just clearing your throat.

[Manners of daemons these days... ...well, that wasn't entirely true, Emizel did actually make quite an appropriately dramatic introduction so he couldn't even be too mad about it.]

...Nevertheless. You are looking quite... different, than I am used to seeing you, lad. Like you're spoiling for a real battle.

[trademark_skull]

[He did get his attention though! Possibly even more directly. ...And it seemed more daemonly to just get right to the point anyway.]

[There was many things Valvatorez didn't know about him. Much has changed. He had improved, and better now.]

...I had been waiting a long time for this. [Confidently. And then suddenly, three scythes appeared from no where. Each 'lit' with a different element, spinning and crisscrossing with each other as they flew forward. Even if one missed their target they seemingly turned around and homed back in. They won't be that easy to get rid of and it was just a little something to keep Valvatorez somewhat busy.]

[arcadianvampire]

[As soon as the scythes appeared, he knew what this was going to be about. In the blink of an eye, he drew his sword from inside his cape and batted away one of the scythes heading toward him, and side-stepped the other two.

He wasn't so blind as to not think about them coming around for another pass.

But he issued a stern and firm warning first.]

Stop this nonsense, Rascal. Do you even know why you want to fight?

[trademark_skull]

I want to because I have to. [That's about the only explanation he was going to get. The two reasons were seen no differently, and why should they?]

[Meanwhile as the scythes kept spinning, Emizel launched some more fire magic just to make things more difficult. Something was bound to hit eventually.]

[arcadianvampire]

Have to?

[The voice is incredulous, as if he doesn't believe that for a second. The vampire ducked one of the scythes that swung back around, and swatted away the other with his blade. He barely had time to get out of the way of that potentially devastating fire spell; so little that the edges of his cape caught fire briefly, singing it in places.]

Boy, if you're going to face me, you're going to need more conviction than have to. If your beliefs are that weak you will not hope to best me, much less than when I was at my best.

[Valvatorez raised a hand, and it began to crackle with dark energy; pure cosmic force. Star magic, building rapidly.]

Last chance. Stop this now, or I will show you just what I can do.

B

[shockingblue]

[Gunvolt wandered through the fog, his weapon drawn and stepping through it cautiously, as though he might be attacked at any time. Separated from Desidera and the Monarch AI in their room, GV was concerned about what was going on.

Until he heard a child crying, that was. He holstered his weapon and approached the source of the sound, concerned that there was a kid scared and lost in the mists. He couldn't just leave that alone. As he drew closer, Emizel would clearly see him. A young man clad in what was pretty clearly combat gear; runed for protection and an aura of powerful magic and radiance practically surrounded him.

When the child cried out for him to stay back, GV halted in his tracks, and watched as the boy... with wings, daemon wings, tried in vain to take flight and flee. ...He was scared. Of him? Or of being alone? Or both? It didn't matter.

GV kept a bit of distance, but kneeled down a bit and rested a hand on his own knee.]

I'm not going to hurt you. Are you lost in here too?

[trademark_skull]

[That is exactly the sorts of things a Hunter would look and feel like. They really had been coming for him after all.]

[Unfortunately Emizel did not go very far. He would have to look for a place to hide instead. Though with a surface this flat, that was going to be impossible. Then again, the fog was pretty thick and dense at the bottom, so he dived into it again and stayed low. Thinking if he can't be seen, he might be safe. It was the only cover he had.]

[Maybe it would've worked, if Emizel could stop whimpering. And it clearly wasn't fooling the human if they were calling out to him. But he still refused to get up; Turn around slightly so that he could watch GV's movements, but that was it. He still only had the fog to shield him and barely any spells to fire back.]

[shockingblue]

[And while the fog and mist were thick, the whimpering was more than enough to clue him in that Emizel was still there. The poor kid sounded terrified. He didn't move much, not wanting to further rile him.]

Are you alone out here, kid? ...No wonder you're afraid. But you don't need to be now.

[He shook his head a little, crouching down further, to practically sit. He didn't want to spook the child, so he figured maybe trying to talk to him more would help.]

Name's Gunvolt. What's yours?

[trademark_skull]

[Actually he had all the reasons to be afraid right now. But why hasn't the human made a move yet..? What was stopping him?]

...E..Emizel... [A voice from the fog whines. Frightened and confused, but not wanting to move.]

...Aren't you one of the Hunters..?

[shockingblue]

A Hunter? Nah. I am a member of a Rune Guard guild, but... I'm not hunting anyone out here. Just ended up here... and got lost.

[He smiled, a little reassuringly, but kept his distance until such a time Emizel felt more comfortable.]

And well... it looked like you might need help. Couldn't well turn my back if there was something I could do.

[trademark_skull]

[Emizel did not probably know so well what a Rune Guard actually was. But it still sounded like something potentially bad.]

...Do you normally hunt daemons? ...My dad just made a lot of humans very angry.

[And now they were here, somewhere, plotting something.]

[shockingblue]

[That's a tough question. But Gunvolt decided it was better to tell the truth and not lie to the poor kid.]

Not normally. Though I've fought several daemons. But it's usually been when they've done something to harm us. Like the group of daemons who attacked our school dance, or the time they kidnapped some of my classmates.

[Or when they help facilitate Nightfall. But that much probably would be too heavy of a subject for a child.]

But I don't make a habit of hunting daemons just because they're daemons. I've met a few that have been good. And my roommate has some daemonic traits, and she's both my friend and someone I trust.

And you're not your dad, Emizel. You haven't done anything wrong, and I'm not going to hold whatever your old man did over your head.

[trademark_skull]

[Nightfall was something that was far beyond him. But it's not like he didn't know the other reasons.] ...N-no. That is what humans do..! No one can hurt him so they want to hurt me instead.

[It was purely retaliation. And even those that didn't know he was related to the Death King, why let some daemon whelp live just so it can grow and become an issue later?]

[shockingblue]

Is it? [He sits still, continues remaining calm and keeps his cool.] ...It's not right for anyone to want to hurt you, especially if you haven't done anything wrong. Even if your dad's been causing a lot of trouble.

We have a saying about how the sins of the father should not be bared by the son. Retaliation and revenge meted out on those not responsible for wrongdoing being wrong, and immoral. Some don't listen much to that, it's true... but there are many, many more humans who believe the value in that than not.

[...Just how many people had been after this poor boy for senseless revenge...? Or in some sort of misguided ploy to use him as a tool against his father?

...It made him feel sick.]

...For what it's worth, I believe in that.

[He slowly rose back to his feet, pushing up out of his crouch.]

Stick with me, Emizel. Long as I'm here, I won't let any Hunters hurt you. If I have to, I'll fight them off myself.

B

[ofexperience]

[V is... not really sure about how he feels about all this. He's been wandering fairly aimlessly, but he comes to pause when he hears the crying.

He approaches the child, frowning a bit and coming to a stop when the child tries to flee. His cane is set to one side as he kneels.]

It's alright, little one. I'm not interested in hurting you.

[trademark_skull]

[That's exactly the kind of thing someone would say to hurt him! And he can't fight either...]

[But it's also getting to late to run now. So instead he just, kept scooting further away.]

...W-why should I believe you?

[ofexperience]

Frankly, there's no good reason to.

[Well, at least he admits it.]

But I've no need nor desire to strike down a daemon that isn't harming anyone. In fact, I'm actually more worried about you... I'm not certain it's safe to be wandering a place like this alone.

[trademark_skull]

[Worried..?] But...

[It's not like Emizel can do anything anyway. So he actually begun to cry a little bit again.]

I just wanna go home.

[ofexperience]

... That makes the both of us, really.

[He pauses, thinking it over.]

Would you mind if I stayed close? We could look for a way out together, if you'd like.

[trademark_skull]

W-with you? [He still sounds scared, but also maybe just the slightest, vaguest hint of insulted. Embarrassed to get help from a human he didn't know, let alone actually needing it. After all, he had absolutely no reason to trust him.]

[However, they were both completely stuck in this darkness, weren't they?] ...

And you won't hurt me?

[ofexperience]

I swear it on my life.

[... Okay, he is a little amused at the slight hint of being insulted. It's fair and he knows the feeling. There was a time he would've died before accepting help.]

[trademark_skull]

[Unfortunately, Emizel did not want to die either. So he apparently had to do this, by moving closer. Though keeping just enough distance, just in case.]

I-I guess..I guess I can do this for a little while.