Kingdom Hearts: Apocalypse ~Part 1 Rebirth " Machinecken Town"~

[purgatory]

My head was killing me at first. Too many things definitely happened today, and at the best, the brief nap that I took in Halloween Town paid in dividends. I was overtly curious to see where things would progress for us, just hoping Cal would come around and open up more to us. Who knows where Trace went off to, I can't really say I was too concerned. Curling up with my hands tight around the pillow, I started to think maybe I was excessively harsh. He reacted defensively, was my body language and tone extremely hostile...?

I sighed. It was an easy half hour in the time that he'd been gone. In that time I could hear the sound of running water from the washroom, seems like Cal opted to take a bath. Cutting my eyes over at the door one more time, I flipped over from laying on my front side to laying on my back. My hand stretched upward, and Grigori moved into my left hand.

This charm.

There was a flash, it glowed projecting something of a location through the heartless sigil. Who's face came up? Traces, and to my surprise he was handcuffed and tied up, sitting in the seat of a helicopter surrounded by people in suits. I jerked forward, because I could hear the sound of it faintly, as if it were moving outside of the castle town. If I was seeing this, then that had to mean Cal probably saw something similar if it was coming from these stupid brands. If he had gotten himself captured, then these people had to be professionals...or at the very least, Trace's fatigue had to of been showing. I rolled my eyes when I saw this, it went away after a short while, but I got the message.

"So he's in trouble this time. Hmm."

I didn't think very long about this, this possibly turned out being something good. Trace might've gotten captured by a group, but it didn't seem like a good idea to stick my neck out for him after the things he said to me earlier. There was a lot of work involved in trusting each other, something we all were obviously new at, and that caused a lot of hesitation within reason. It's like when I met Cal and she gave me the handle of "Maggie" instead of just telling me her name. I'd have to think about it a while longer, but he had the x-factor...Anti. I couldn't rightly worry about him, when his heartless was still in the equation to aid in performing an escape.

 

[Rhapsody]

So. Trace clearly had bigger trust issues than her when it came to keybladers. Cal gets it, she understands that feeling well. Good thing she was here to keep the lid on the bubbling chaos.

Cal’s guarded answer to her past seemed good enough for the duo. Thankfully. Not that Cal was going to give any more than that, but the shared glance between her and Trace said more than anything Vi could ever hope to understand. Well, that’s enough spilling her heart out for one day. For… ever, really. Between divulging her shrouded history to Vi and Trace, and the genuine apology that left her shortly after, she can’t recall the last time she poured her heart out like this.

Trace punching himself in the face was plenty rewarding for her courage.

Ten times more satisfying than if she had done it herself, honestly.

"You were taking too long to do it, so I did it for you. Hope thats fine."

She’d be lying if she said she didn’t laugh a little. It was pretty damn funny.

That all kinda stopped the second he mentioned her dog. Her faithful companion. Her fur child. Sparks. The latter half, something about slobber, flies completely over her head (but if Trace was implying that Vi’s unsavory appearance was Cal’s doing, he was out of his mind); too busy is Cal running her hand through her hair, looking this way and that for her familiar companion.

Sure enough. Gone.

“Shower first. Rest second,” Vi said after Trace’s offer to use the bath. He’d d disappeared off to who knows where before Cal could even respond, leaving them alone in an unfamiliar room, unfamiliar place...

Screw rest. Time to print out lost dog posters or something. How could she rest? Not when her precious companion is out who-knows Where. Starving, cold, lost--

She’s panicking. But a calmer, not so panicky-part of her understands she’s overreacting. Halloween Town. That was the last place she’d been, so that has to be where her heartless dog is.

Calm down. Sparky hasn’t been erased from existence. Doesn’t seem in distress either. He’s safe. She knows this. And once she has a better idea of where in the worlds she is (just how far is Willow’s Keep compared to the familiar worlds she knows of?), she can try to hurry back to him assuming she’ll be recovered enough to do it.

Until then, she’ll have to--oh god--socialize more. It’s. Weird. Being around people. Socializing with others who actually talk back to you. Gonna be hard to get used to…

Now that her nerves have calmed down, she breathes out, deeply. Washing up does sound nice...

Her feet carry her to the bathroom, and then the bath, before she can formulate anymore excuses to resist Trace’s hospitality.

Unwrapping her bandages, she finds her wounds to be relatively healed--thank you, potions. She also finds a surprising sight: her palm glows from the sigil Trace created, and she can’t even bring herself to freak out at that, much less the familiar, bruised face flashing from it like a mini projector.

She’s too exhausted for this bullshit. She sinks into the bath and stays until she’s sure the blood and grime are completely gone head to toe. Scrubs clean her jacket and pants in the tub afterward, too, because who knows when they’ll see fresh water again.

The garments, and Cal, aren’t at all dry when she dresses back up, but it’s the only clothes she has left. The look on the hybrid's face when she enters Vi’s room unannounced (without so much as a knock) tells the keyblader Cal gave as much of a damn about the girl trying to sleep as she does her own soggy appearance right now. The hybrid's lived out in the elements before. Rain, snow, storms. This means nothing to her, but maybe a small cough and sneeze later on.

“Just heard something outside, sounded pretty loud. My hand did this freaky... thing. So that guy's probably in deep shit right about now, yeah?” Sweeping her wet hair from her face with the back of her hand, Cal crosses her arms and releases a tense breath. “Well? What’s your next move, rook?”

 

[Story Keeper]

~- Play It Smart -~

"Hello. How long have you been there?"

Nana looked down at the woman that had tumbled through his portal, a slight smirk on his face. Tilting his head to the side, he shot back, "A while, how about you?" Sparky twisted in his grip, it didn't take much for him to figure out that Sparky wanted to go to her for pets. His expression hardened, coming to suddenly understand how Cal possibly felt earlier when he'd been the source of Sparky's fascination.

"You like to kill stuff too? Why else would ya be here. Your outfit screams death and destruction."

Nana glanced down at his outfit, analyzing it for the first time in weeks to see if the claim was true. Shrugging at the sight, he answered, "Maybe, and I'd have business here that doesn't involve killing people?" He shrugged, totally nonchalant about the issue. Setting Sparky down, he watched as the heartless pup run over to the woman, investigating her. An idea coming to his mind, he flipped his hood back and exposed white hair and grey eyes. Looking the woman in the eye, he held out his hand in an offer to help her up. "What's your reason for being here?"

~- Black Wave Coming, Will It Hit? -~

Henry shot the man a look, his face unreadable as he answered, "You're on a world called Halloween Town, and clearly you're not from around here. There's multiple worlds in the universe, I come from one called Imperial Island, and either you're not a host, or you're not from that part of the universe." Henry turned back towards the way he'd come, flicking his wrist in a "follow me" gesture.

Hearing his comment, Henry glanced over his shoulder, his mask still in place as he replied carefully, "I don't see how it'd be a problem, but I'll leave it to the rest of the group decide. Also do try not to let that..." Henry paused mid sentence, noticing the quick flicker of Andy's soul disappearing. A curse bursting free, he bolted back towards the others, tossing a quick, "Hey, come on!" over his shoulder as he ran. He tried to scan for Andy's soul, but much like with Topsy, the blonde mage had vanished from his radar.

The only thing he could be sure of was that the two weren't dead, but wherever they had gone he couldn't find them. He thought he felt another soul flicker off, but he couldn't be sure. Moving past Jack without a glance, he heard the skeleton say something, but Henry tuned it out as he remained focus. Getting to Sevastian, Henry placed his hands on his knees and tried to catch his breath. After he had a decent amount of air back, he glanced at the other person from his world and demanded, "What in Yomi is going on here!?"

He looked around him, confirming his suspicion that Andy was gone. Looking to Renn, he straitened up and looked at the keyblade. A faint curious look in his eyes as he tried to figure out what was going on from the two boys.

~- Hunting You -~

The ground scraped against his cheek, bringing Andy back to awareness. Pushing himself up, he looked around him, he could sense the multiple hearts down here. The sound of running footsteps caught his attention, drawing his eyes to the area over his shoulder. Getting to his feet, he spun to face the source when three kids bolted out and ran into him. One was dressed as a devil, another a skeleton and the only girl in the group was a witch. Crouching down, Andy looked from one to another and tried to piece together what was going on.

It seemed as if the kids were trying to figure out the same thing as him, based on the way that they hesitantly eyed them. The smallest of them, and the one dressed as a skeleton, looked at him and asked, "Are you with him?"

Confusion coloring blue eyes, Andy almost asked who when a howl tore through the air. Pinning the kids to the side of the tunnel, Andy tensed as he scanned his surroundings. He could feel the darkness starting to stir, its presence unfolding like a dragon. The sound of clomping footsteps reached his ears, and the faintest of whimpers behind him told him that the children were terrified. Muttering a soft incantation under his breath, Andy felt the invisibility spell slide into place hiding the children from view.

He was promptly barreled into, sending him rolling across the ground. Leaping back to his feet, Andy became acutely aware of the lamps suddenly going out. His head ached from the fall, and he fought back the desire to get sick. Andy was regretting not giving Sevastian that full hour, if for no other reason than the fact that he was sure his concussion had gotten worse. "Andrew Orlov, you have committed the crime of betrayal." A voice rang in the darkness, his pulse spiking in answer.

Who was he fighting? Was this how the residents had been getting abducted?

Blindly lashing out with an ice spell, Andy backpedaled away from the source of the voice. Bumping into a hard structure behind him, Andy rolled away from it before springing back to his feet, weapon manifesting in a momentary flash of light that did nothing to increase his visibility. "You have already paid for your crime, even so there are many more crimes you still have yet to pay for."

His breath hitched in his throat, he felt sick and he couldn't force the air into his lungs. "Who are you to decide?" He breathed, his voice shaking from the effort of getting the words out. The sound of footsteps coming up behind him sent his skin crawling. The barest of touches on his right shoulder made Andy swing, his strike wild as the voice continued, "Because it is my job, I punish those that have been naughty, much like those children you're hiding."

Andy shivered at the notion, he had a suspicion that this thing didn't know where the kids were. It was the only thing he had in his favor, steeling himself with the knowledge that he had a job to do, he mumbled, "Bugger off." A suppressing cold flooded the tunnel, chasing away the presence and restoring the light to the area. Blinking rapidly to help his eyes adjust, Andy looked to Shiva, who'd answered his silent plea for help. Sprinting back to the kids, he dropped the spell and wrapped the children up in a hug, relieved that they were okay.

The girl pulled back, eyeing him wearily as she asked, "So you're not with Krampus?"

The devil child shushed his companion, before he shot a suspicious look in Andy's direction. Shaking his head, Andy forced a smile as he glanced to Shiva. The look on the icily clad woman's face alerted Andy to her distress, and it only took a moment for him to hear the hurried footsteps of more newcomers. Muscles aching from the tension, Andy shoved the kids to the right as he hissed, "Get going, I'll be right behind you. Shiva, scout ahead of us!" The summon did as she was told, and Andy could feel the fatigue trying to set in, but the adrenaline overrode the desire to sleep.

He ran after the kids who understood that it was their best chance for survival. The darkness was still there, following him, watching him with an insatiable hungry as it inched closer. He wasn't sure what the source of it was, but he knew that he didn't want to get near it, that he didn't want the kids getting near it.

 

[Deimos]

The was a loud thwack, a steel rod similar to a baton slamming into Trace's neck. It left a welt that was bright red on his bronze colored skin. The twinge of pain caused him to shake uncontrollably as he was locked in to a chair. There was a fine line humans could cross, and he didn't think THIS was possible for them to do. Just outside of the castle town there was an old bunker, and the turks fortified the location in recent months.

Earlier...

Trace was pushed off the helecopter and fumbled onto the ground, his hands were handcuffed behind his back. By the hood of his parka, Rude lifted him up until his feet were levitating inches from the ground. Reno, the shorter of the two, leaned forward slinging the rod over his shoulder and eyeballed the hybrid. Trace still had white hair and yellow eyes, and the bruise he'd inflicted himself with earlier, of course, still hadn't healed properly. He couldn't say this enough, it was a natural side effect of anti-form's applications, durable, but you couldn't heal, not even with potions. He was in a predicament, where he couldn't "release" this state otherwise he'd be well off and on route to escaping. Sadly this was a bug he'd been so unfortunately to catch, thanks to angrily invoking it unintentionally during Vi's threat on his life.

"We're gonna have so much fun, just you wait hybrid."

He took his wand and poked Trace's swolen cheek, and the hybrid moved like he wanted to cut his head off with struggle as it hurt like hell. He was pushed along entering the facility, and stood in place with his head down looking at his hand profusely. None of the consumed would leave the castle town, so he could write them off coming to rescue him. Whraen he raised his head, he was looking up and down narrow corridors, long hallways, all the same color, but the layout was simple. He'd need to route his escape after all so remembering how to get back to the front door was vital. Here there were an unusual amount of men, they looked like foot soldiers with bizarre looking helmets...

Taking Trace into a room, typical, a single table, a glass of water and a chair on the opposite side with a single light suspended from the ceiling directly over the table. He was escorted into his seat by rude, and the three them were on the opposite ends of the table. Trace was beyond annoyed at this point, his face was swolen, he was tired and irritable, and stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"We'll cut to the chase Trace. We're here to collect information on behalf of our handler, you and this other hybrid Kephrii ping in our system. Turns out, this name isn't really your name, but that doesn't matter now does it? All we want to know, is the method used to control the consumed, and you can walk away."

Trace blinked once. Was that really all these suited bastards wanted? Wanted to know how he negotiated a mutual understanding among himself and all those that wore the brand? His family were hybrids, he'd never surrender this information willingly, they'd have to brainwash him. A lash at his neck and he'd re-entered the present day, with a welt that was bright red.

He didn't speak, he said nothing.

"Stubborn bastard. Just tell us how you control the consumed!"

"Control...?" he raised his head slowly as his neck was throbbing. "I'm not sure what your talking about, stop wasting each other's time...tell your handler...to go off himself."

There was a slam on the table and the hybrid perked up and watched a foot buried into his chest and the he was fastened down slammed on the ground. These guys were clearly bad at interrogating people, hot-headed, this Reno guy wasn't the best talker. The one named Rude seemed to be a few words, and he'd heard next to nothing from Cissnei, probably meant to be the mediator, but they were treating him like scum, and they'd be right in doing so.

"Toss him in a cell. We'll get the information out of him eventually, we'll start breaking his fingers next time."

Everything went dark after that. The next time he woke up he was laying on a bed, staring at a bolted and reinforced door in a bed, and a concrete ceiling. His life sucked.

 

[purgatory]

I sat there a while longer, and sure enough, I was no closer to making a decision that favored the hybrid. In my mind, I was looking back on all the things Trace had both done and said to me and started to place a weight on their impact. I wasn't the biggest fan of his snarky and razor edged criticism, I wasn't a fan of being spoken to as something less or devalued...hell, I just didn't like his attitude in any capacity. Someone like that, so insensitive and rude, had a lot of shared non-verbal communication with Cal, I wonder what she thought about him. To be fair, I made some stupid decisions and easily said some pretty naive things too...so I can confidently share the blame for some provocation.

I was no closer to deciding in his favor, my face was sort of lost on the idea of rescuing him. Looking at my clothes, I suspended earlier, I took them from this line I fastened and flapped them dry.

Suddenly the door from the ensuite bathroom (meaning two rooms connect to 1 bathroom) opened up unexpectedly and I could hear the sound of water dripping from Cal's very clothes. She looked over at the foot rest on her right and spotted two towels and tossed one at Cal. I can't tell if it's raining or she's been out of touch with a normal type of function, even so simple as washing up. In a rush to go somewhere as the water was starting to form a small puddle at her feet, and she finally spoke to me.

“--So that guy's probably in deep shit right about now, yeah?”

Would you believe me if I told you I wasn't really concerned about him? Is the reply going through my head when she asked that question. I looked away from her briefly and again at the base of the bed where she stood in front of, still unsure of how to feel about this guy. It all felt like some really strange karma in a way.

“Well? What’s your next move, rook?”

"It all just seems like karma for Trace...Queen." I released a weighted sigh. "I'm not even sure I want to do anything for him, he clearly would rather see you than me at this point, it's not a secret or anything."

You ever just get that feeling that you really weren't wanted in the environment you were in? Thats honestly how I felt, and regardless of whether or not Trace was in trouble, I wasn't some keyblader of virtue and high moral standing for those in trouble. I was just some young woman that got one at complete random, by a strange man to whom I was seeking out to explain to me what I was shown and what I was supposed to do with that information. At the same time, it was a chance to make this idiot actually listen to something I had to say for once. He took one of my markers, thinking about it now, I should probably give one to Calpurnia just in case she was ever in a similar predicament to his current one.

"If it helps anything," I took my keyblade and drew out a small marker from the end and tossed it to Cal. "Hold onto that. It's how I move around so freely, Trace...actually picked up one of mines, I'm sure he still has it."

I grimmaced, what was I about to get myself into.

"I'll probably regret this later, but lets go bust this idiot out, wherever he is...You sure you're not cold..? You're still really...wet." my eyes broke contact and I took one last look at her before moving us both to what looked like a cell.

 

[Just Dari]

bone a bone? wot

The pup landed in her lap, thinking maybe she was doing the dog a service by following it from being dognapped. Leaving so abruptly, not knowing where she was at the moment, there was just this one figure. Asking the questions, she pervaded around the ideas that were attractive to her, was kind enough to even be direct about it.

She was pulling at the corners of the dog's cheeks as she sat like a kindergartner playing with what was someone else pet. It might seem ridiculous in reality to her, but she was being convinced as the pupper was rather affectionate as she scratched behind it's ears, getting lost almost if only for a moment. The figure responded that they'd been there a while, seemed like the understatement of the year, a resident of the world perhaps? She didn't know, but she was here for the group that came here.

Giving a vague answer, not unusual for someone dressed like a criminal, at least what was customary around where she was from. It seemed like a bad idea to dance around on the knife's edge here for fear of some unwarranted aggression. That kid that fled from her was on the wanted posters in Machinecken Town, along with several others that escaped confinement and they were a perfect way to make ends meat. They may very well have been living in a time period where hybrids dialed up a lot of fear to eleven, but it didn't change how she lived by much at all.

"To bone a bone. Catch some kids. Collect a reward. You want to bone too?" she started to wonder if this person even knew the context of what she was saying. She began to slightly pinch the cheeks of the dog and slightly stretch it's face horizontally, it totally looked like a rubber band effect. Super elastic.

"But besides that, nothing special, I'm quite boring outside of other specialties meant for more intimate persons." she shrugged, and letting the dog down, watching it lap circles around her.

 

[Ruby Rose]

"Huff... huff..."

Upon the droll and empty forest of the Hinterlands, a long dragging trail from the dirt can be seen like a man-made pathway side-winding around the trees and even the forest path. Judging from the irregular interval of this trail, it ranged from footprints to just dirt skids as if someone was dragging a dead body. One can tell that these tracks hinted a sign of a painful struggle, no doubt carrying a heavy burden.

"Huff... huff..."

The end of the trailed traced unto the one of the trees. Resting upon its jagged roots, was a girl wrapped in black flowing rags with her bandaged legs and arms covered in caked dirt, as if any moment she will become part of the earth itself. This girl has been walking and most of the time crawling throughout the empty landscape.

This was her first break in a long while, she had to push her frail body to its limits. Every 50 steps she would take a breather, but this time she walked then crawled for a very long distance that her limbs almost gave out. A normal girl would have been panicking in her situation, but she was not; in fact she was motivated and not alone, as she would feel an ominous figure just standing a few steps away from her, watching her.

"Grandpa... I'm tired---I did my best."

She said softly as if conversing with this ominous figure beside her. But in truth, there was nobody there and only she could feel its presence watching over her like guardian watching from the shadows. If she does so much as to turn from that direction, she would not find the ominous figure there; this enigma would always appear just outside her peripheral vision and completely hidden from other individuals.

"Hungry... tired..."

The girl huffed as she felt her stomach grumbling, in fact her stomach was grumbling so loud that it can be heard from a distance; her sense of hearing and touch was dulled by the heavy fatigue.

 

[Rhapsody]

Well, it's her choice whether or not she wants to go Hero and rescue the guy. Cal wouldn't be too surprised of that outcome, really--she expects it from those Keyblader types.

What she doesn't expect is the small marker of some sort is tossed in her direction by Vi. The hybrid observes it, holding it between her thumb and index finger with a tilt of her head. What exactly will she need this for? If it's for moving around freely, Cal already has that taken care of with her dark portals.

This... would be so, so easier with Sparks still around. Not for the first time that day, her mind wonders back to her companion. Shivers creep down her spine, both from the cold and from the thought of the heartless being tormented out there, unprotected. No doubt the dog's absolutely suffering without her...

"I'll probably regret this later, butlets go bust this idiot out, wherever he is...You sure you're not cold..? You're still really...wet."

Cal shrugs, just barely able to mask another shiver.

“I’m good. Let’s go.”

No sooner had the declaration left her lips than they showed up in a cell of some kind, courtesy of Vi's marker. Behind her, a reinforced door guaranteed no way out, only in. And the guy responsible for getting into whatever mess he tangled himself in? Beat up and bruised and lounging on the bed as though resigned to his fate. The bruise left on the self-inflicted punch to his face earlier was nothing compared to the injuries now from his neck up.

“Yikes.” The hybrid crosses her arms, clicking her tongue. “You look like shit.”

 

[Deimos]

This cell was dark, dank, and damp. Alliteration? Trace questioned his his descriptors, he rolled his eyes and stared at the ceiling feeling some unusual sense of calm for the first time since he'd come home. His distress signal seemed like a vane effort, neither of those broads were coming to liberate him. He closed his eyes and sighed, it was probably better that they didn't, he'd praise them for staying out of-

That smell.

"For fuck sa-Gauuuuuuh"

Vi landed square on his chest, and Cal to the left side of the bed.

"Get your oversized ass off me dude." Trace fidgeted as he sat up, and was catching his breath as she knocked the wind out of him before she bounced off onto the side. "Why...ugh. Nevermind."


“Yikes. You look like shit.”

"Well hello to you too, you win a gold star, Queen." he cut a smart ass smirk before his white hair finally, finally after nearly an hour plus of wear, finally dissipated and brought back his obsidian colored hair.

"I don't know whether to commend you for not abandoning me when you had every chance to or call you insane for throwing yourself into the pit with the wolves. Not like it matters now, we can actually go now."

Black blotches of darkness started to appear all over Trace's physically inflicted wounds, his arms, his neck, his cheek, and just above his eyes. They'd roughed him up to a point it he looked unsavory. When he's in anti-form, even partially transformed, he can't recover at all. It is largely due because the hybrid is accessing their heartless power for pure aggression and pain resistance to fight without rest like real heartless. Just as a shadow doesn't restore it's own health, neither do you while in anti-form. The darkness was kneading the wounds and swollen areas in place, he slowly rose from the bed and put his hand on the door.

"Pardon my dust. Tired. Got captured. Got tortured and beaten on. REALLY wanna kill these pricks, but we'll see what happens..."

The door exploding and a claw of darkness from Trace's arm shot forward, and Trace took his first step out the cell greeted with SMGs. He retracted the arm carrying the door and holding it forward, as bullets released and bounced all over against the steel door. Behind Trace back, his dark tendrills started multiplying rapidly, eight becoming sixteen, and sixteen to thirty-two.

He couldn't believe this many humans willingly came here...they'd join the rest. His tendrills zipped through the hallways and his red feelers worked their magic. Once ensnared, a symbiote type of heartless was implanted into each of the soldiers. The hallway was lit up with the sounds of screams, as their eyes were turning yellow, faces stretching, and an abhorrent look of wretch was in their eyes. Once he'd made sure to have gotten them all he dropped the steel door and walked casually down the hallway drawing the tendrils back into himself.

"Didn't kill'em. Turned and branded'em. Hope the two of you can deal."

There was a bit of coldness in his tone, but in past interactions, he'd of normally have brutalized the entire mob of guards that aggressed onto them. Suits appeared in the hallways.

"Well this isn't good. Seal them in with the security doors. None of them get out."

The main hallway started to bolt with with slow shutting steel doors. "So much for that plan...screw it. Take us out of this hell hole kid...damn I'm tired..."

Poof.

Familiar walls of brown, and a board with scribbles. To think, originally the whole reason he'd even left in the first place was to actually find clothes for Calpurnia, seemed even more apparent after he'd finally noticed she was shivering, soaking wet of all things.

"Your stubbornness is admirable," he looked at Cal, then the water at her feet before looking at Vi. "Both of you are stubborn...but thanks. Thank you both."

Look at that, a sincere vote of thanks, the second most unusual thing of the day from Trace.

He sighed, to think that he gave them an opportunity on a distant world neither were familiar with to make an attempt at an escape. Hell, for all he knew both of them didn't have to respond at all, and thats he thing that picked at his mind like an itch. He sat on his bed and slowly removed his hood.

"Explain right? Cool. Don't know those people, haven't been home in months. Seemed interested in the calm nature of consumed hybrids on Willows Keep. Doesn't understand it's a mutual pact between hybrids, consumed don't just go off the rails here because they're among their own kind here, theres no reason for distrust, total savagery, and reckless abandon. Off world? Different story, as you saw with Dante prior to reigning him in. To think I'd get abducted because I was going to get you some clothes, figures."

Winded. He finally took a breath and released a calm exhale, maybe these women weren't completely bad. He was still a killer through and through for the sake of preserving hybrid kind, and his reputation on places beyond here would probably just be trouble for them. Considering the turks had the balls to come here with a small camp set up outside the walls of the castletown, gave him a sense of pause, to be more careful going forward. He can't just waltz through worlds like he did when fighting with his heartless for control over the wheel and killed callously, rightly earning the scorn of the many now deceased bodies in his wake of even some next of kin.

Yet. Even he couldn't tell them about his small group of sustained and tamed he was attempting to build. Handling information like that, even Calpurnia who was the same kind as him, he couldn't be completely sure. Still needed to tell her she was a wild card making his head do backflips in the most complicated way possible, but for another day. Personal information about himself that wasn't compromising, sure, actual handling of how to move forward? No thanks.

He threw a dry towel that was folded in his bed's chest in front of the foot board at Calpurnia. "Don't freeze your ass off on my account." he simply shook his head.

 

[purgatory]

"I don't know whether to commend you for not abandoning me when you had every chance to or call you insane for throwing yourself into the pit with the wolves. Not like it matters now, we can actually go now."

Trace was starting to change my mind about him, if a little bit at a time. The comment he made about my ass, like I could control the distance from where me and Cal landed, especially in a tiny cell. My cheeks puffed briefly, this was one of the few times I didn't retaliate with a comment given we were behind enemy lines, so for now, much like Cal with the "kiss" it'd be in the back of my mind. That same thought posed a blush I couldn't help.

"I told you it was a bad idea to rescue him Cal...ugh."

When the color of his hair broke back from white to black, suddenly he could tend to his wounds, almost as if whenever he did those weird transformations or whatever, it made it so he was unable to recover. It seemed like a pretty important detail, so I made note of it somewhere in the back of mind. When Trace proceeded to talk, he spoke of threats, his fatigue, and busting out and taking vengeance. I can't deny him that, but it just wasn't for me and I felt I'd just be dead weight if him and Cal aggressed back onto the humans.

Everything sped up after that, from the door being blown open by traces, to the number of tendrils he used to turn the soldiers that flooded into the hallway. This was the part that freaked me out, the red prickly feelers put something into each of them, a smaller symbiote maybe? The shrieks from the men as they were dropped and passed out unconscious, unable to handle the rapid composition change and becoming what I could only guess was the opposite of what Cal and Trace were...consumed.

And as the doors were closing in on them, Trace's vengeance against the suits...the turks, whichever, would be post-poned and I took the three of us back to the room. Clutching my head, the jumps were quick, but they were across ridiculous distances and I sighed sitting in a chair as Trace was talking.

"Both of you are stubborn...but thanks. Thank you both."

Was that a vote of thanks just now? The first thought that crossed my mind, naturally this was unexpected and I didn't know how to recieve this but to narrow my eyes at first but slowly started to accept it as the truth. The mental case was actually thanking the two of them, and well, it felt pretty good to be acknowledged for once, even if by a hybrid. I stumbled around inside my own head a while longer missing the part when he started to explain his situation with those men. I just kept staring at Cal's feet, soak and wet, dripping as if I had OCD and the simple fact the water was falling in slow motion was literally taking all of my attention at the moment. I was about to get up and get her a towel and before I knew it, one came flying across from Trace.

Were we thinking the same thing just now?

I had a soft spot for Cal, she put up with me when I was drunk and it started to feel somewhat unhealthy. I barely liked talking about my boring history, her, even less so and to some extent maybe that was good? I'm sure I'd have more opportunities to ask her stuff about her in the future and maybe then she'll be willing to lay things down and out for me. As I looked at Grigori still clutched in my hand, he passed through my head...AGAIN. I don't know when the times right to talk about him, but maybe one of these days.

"You never apologized for that ass comment you made earlier...jerk." my hand tensed on my keyblade from my seated position and I was looking at somewhat of an off-angle at Trace.

 

[Story Keeper]

~- Hey, Wait a Minute... -~

Nana blinked, his mind coiling around the info. This woman was blunt, yet intriguing. He crouched down in front of her, causing Sparks to wiggle in excitement. A laugh slid free, his eyes lighting up with mischief as he retorted, "Oh, you too? Usually I don't find many people interested in that type of trade. What kind of reward are you trying to collect?" He scanned her up and down, examining her and making mental notes on her appearance. He could tell from her figure that she was probably a good fighter, and that she was skilled in more intimate things.

He wasn't ignoring the two behind them, but it seemed like the woman in the group was more than happy to take the distraction and flee. He mentally shrugged his shoulders, disappointed that his original prey had fled but whatever. He could find them again. Sparks waddled over to him, rolling over for belly rubs the hyrbid obliged the heartless pup as he continued carefully, "I'm going to guess like me you're a nonresident, it's based on your appearance and air. I've noticed i in my travels, you can tell a resident from and nonresident based on their specific "air" or "vibe". You don't feel like you're from this world."

Grey eyes peered out at her, curiosity shining in them as he tried to figure her out. He noticed that she didn't feel like Cal or himself, so that idea was out. Although she didn't feel like the boy that Harley had informed him about, but she was strong. Sitting down on the ground, Nana tilted his head to the side as Sparks climbed onto his lap, before once again going to its back. Reaching a hand out, Nana absentmindedly started petting the dog's stomach as he tried to figure out what to do. "Would you be willing to do me a favor if I paid you? There's a boy I'm looking for."

~- Caverns. Okay. Nothing new. -~

Henry looked from Renn and Sevastian, confusion coloring his features as he tried to figure out what to do. He didn't sense Walt near by either, making him wonder if maybe he'd lost the boy. It seemed as if Leyla had disappeared too, kicking the dirt he snarled, "Less standing more acting. We need to find those that are missing."

Turning around he walked away from them, his soul tapping more into the powers of Izanami as he searched for the souls. Andy. Topsy. Leyla. Sallly. The other residents. His eyes dulled, his whole being searching for those souls that were smothered beneath the darkness of whatever was kidnapping the residents. His head was spinning, he was using too much strength.

What are you doing? Izanami breathed in his mind.

Searching for what belongs to you. He answered, and he felt the irritation from Izanami even as she pondered what was happening.

It was clear she was longing for her children, she wanted to protect him but she still had to withhold the affection because she couldn't show affection. Henry caught the faintest flicker of the souls beneath the ground, perking up ever so slightly he crouched close to the ground, his fingers just barely touching the cold, worn cobblestones as he tilted his head to the side.

Izanami, can you open a portal? He asked.

Izanami scoffed at the implication that she couldn't do it. His eyes regained focus, and with it his full awareness. Henry looked around him, the cavern was dark and lit by candles alone, it wasn't anything new to him. He'd woken up in different locations before, so it wasn't anything new that he had no memory of how he'd gotten from point A to point B. Sure, he'd asked Izanami for help, but still...

It seemed like the souls's presence was stronger down here. He looked from side to side, there were so many souls tugging at him. Turning to the right, he headed in that direction since it had a small congregation of souls, and one of them felt like Sevastian so it was a safe bet that Andy was in that direction. Which meant there was a good chance Topsy would be in that direction because of the man's affection towards the younger one.

So it'd make sense that if he found one he'd find the other one.

~- Red Like Roses -~

Andy moved down the tunnel, his feet barely touching the floor. Another glance over his shoulder, the shadows still shifted across the wall, forming into creatures. The pants of effort reached his ears, alerting him that the children were growing tired. Looking back in front of him, it didn't take long for him to find the kids and the pressure of something behind him had him dipping into a roll. Springing to his feet, he summoned his lance and spun around, parrying the claws that had been heading for his head.

A screech cut through the air as sparks flew, the metallic-bone hybrid claws moving away from the metal blade. The gleam of red eyes watched him from the darkness, and he could just make out the faint wolfish body of the shadow creature. He didn't have to look to know Shiva had returned to them, nor to see that she was protecting Shock, Lock and Barrel from the shadow creatures. He could feel the sound chill that came with Shiva being near, his skin becoming peppered with goose bumps.

The creature howled in rage as his lance cut it, sending splatters of blood to the ground. He had a faint notion on it being like dark red roses. The thought was quickly chased from his mind though, the claws being aimed for his face was good for that. Teeth flashed in the dim light as the creature lunged for him, trying to tear his throat out. Dipping low, Andy kicked out with his right foot, causing the creature to fall when it made contact. He'd heard from the kids that these creatures started to appear after the residents disappeared, but they didn't know what these creatures were specifically.

Andy had a sinking feeling that these creatures were the residents based on timeline.

A ball of lightning sprang to life in his palm, the orb crackling as he sent it towards the creatures. It temporarily lit his surroundings, letting him catch a glimpse of the creatures. There was at least a dozen, but he was sure that there was more to them. Exasperation slipped free in an exhale, and Andy called forth an orb of water that he sent towards the creatures, forcing some of them back from the force of it. Andy didn't glance back as he sent a rush of wind towards the kids, protecting them from any stray attacks even as an orb of fire rushed past to attack the creatures behind them. Shiva had quickly started flinging moderate level ice spells at the creatures, trying to force them away from her charges, a determined look in the icy blue eyes.

Andy dipped low again, dismissing the lance from his hand to replace the weapon with handguns. Leaping away, he emptied the clips into the shadow creatures. He watched the creatures, his heart aching because of the pain he was sure they suffered. Bahamut's words circling through his head once more about his ability to heal the darkness of those that he'd come into contact with.

How is he supposed to do it though?

 

[Hazen Gregory]

"Wait a second, what is this feeling??" Topsy looked at Sally whom was shivering randomly, her entire form seemed to be shrouded in a grey miasma that hadn't been there just a few seconds before. Topsy took a step toward her and she backed away, her body twisting and stretching as she cried out in fear and pain. "Sally?? What's happening to you!?!?! Let me help you...please!!!" Topsy tried to get closer to the undead woman again but this time she hissed and leaped sideways onto the wall of the cavernous under-structure that she and Topsy were inhabiting. He jumped and stood sideways on the wall with her, reaching out to her with his mind and magic. "Get it together lady!!! I need you right now, tell me what's got you in this craze!!!"

Sally snarled and dragged herself backward, her mouth gaped open, "No, Topsy stay back. Krampus has infected me with some kind of spell that....ahhh." She jumped backward and her body twirled around, her face literally started peeling open as another mouth and set of teeth grew from her cheek. "Ahhhh, nooooo!!!" Her voice got deeper and began thrashing as darkness radiated from around her form, obscuring Sally's entire body from view as she disappeared into the wall....

Topsy was dumbfounded by what he'd just seen and had no idea what to do about it. He was still fairly weak from his wound that Krampus had inflicted upon him previously and the pain was seriously affecting his ability to focus completely, and was discouraged by the fact that for some reason, his body's enhanced status seemed to has lessened substantially. "I've got to get out of this place before all my strength is gone, I need to make sure that Andy," Topsy looked down the hallway that stretched off into what seemed to be perpetual darkness his nosed twitched as Andy's scent came to him. "Andy?? Where are you??" Topsy touched his thumb to the center of his forehead and took a deep breath, activating the small sigil marking there that was attached to Andy's spirit. He'd done this before back in the castle and hoped that he could still use the link he'd formed now.

"Andy?? Are you down here!?!?! I can sense you...I'm coming to help, stay strong." Topsy dropped down from the wall, gazing for a second at the burn mark where Sally had disappeared into the wall before staggering off into the darkness himself. His eyes darted back and forth as the sounds of screeching and the denizens of the dark drew nearer. "Andy!?!?!"

Topsy rushed down the darkened hallway as fast as he could manage, using his heart to guide when to change paths as he gained on Andrew's location and as he drew nearer, a darkness that he recognized from earlier rattled his conscious. He could feel Krampus nearby and slowed down, looking at the walls for a sign of the evil creature. Though he saw nothing, the raspy voice of Krampus rang out in front of him. "You can't save him Absolon. You can't save anyone. That's why Daaku is dead and so are all of your friends. Hahahahaha, you're nothing, just a tool that the government is using to their own ends, you'll never get there in time."

"Shut up!!! I won't let you hurt the people of this world anymore than you've done already, you sick piece of shit. I...I won't die down here, you can't stop me. NOBODY CAN STOP ME!!!" A sinister air started to settle around Topsy and he felt the forms of other beings popping up around him. His eyes burned at the stench of rotting flesh mixed with the odor of death. Creatures started dropping from the walls and ceiling, their forms twisted and furry. Some of them looked like wolves with human bodies and other's looked like the normal hybrid forms that the worlds had been witnessing. Before the creatures even started to attack, Topsy pulled his hands apart and a grey orb formed between them, sparking and crackling with magical form.

Topsy beckoned to the heartless, "Take this magic, I have no fear, trap mine enemies and keep them here...MAGNEGA!!!" Topsy ran up the side of the oddly lit cavern and dropped the spell into the group. It went into effect right away, pulling in all the heartless and hybrid creatures into the same space as Topsy dropped to his knee, winded. He gasped, standing up again as he gestured with his right hand at the group whom were roaring and snarling. The heartless creatures started screaming as their forms were ripped apart by the demi spell he managed to cast. Blood and dark matter splashed across the walls as Topsy continued on, all the while he could hear Krampus laughing in his head.

Topsy noticed that there were particles of frost sticking to the walls, the small snowflake like gems of ice alerted him that Andy had to be close, he could hear kids crying and heard the sounds of battle up ahead. He was close...

 

[Story Keeper]

~- Enemies Surround Me -~

Andrew stumbled away, his right arm stinging from the cut he'd gotten. Air hissed between clenched teeth, his eyes gaining another splash of violet near the pupil. Shock cried out, "Look out!" Her voice trembling even though she tried to hide it.

His chest tightened at it, Andy hated it when his charges grew upset. It meant he'd failed to keep them safe, he'd failed in his job. He saw the frost creeping outwards, and the gust of cold wind to his back alerted him to Shiva casting Diamond Dust on the creatures, trying to force them away from her "kids". He almost threw a sarcastic remark, but his hand grew warm once more. Sparing a glance in its direction, he saw the sigil that glowed there and knew Topsy was trying to find him (a similar incident had happened in Machinecken).

Eyes snapped ahead of him, he could have sworn he'd just heard Topsy calling to him. A cruel, mocking laugh echoed around him, it sent his skin crawling even before Krampus spoke in his mind, "Do you honestly think you can save them? You can't, you'll fail like you did with your father, so why try? You will lose everything for the sole crime of breathing."

Andy's eyes darted to the left, searching out the hybrid in the shadows. The evil Christmas spirit was nowhere to be found. Shouting his frustration, Andy squeezed the trigger and shot another of the shadow creatures that had tried to attack him. Krampus was wrong. Harley was wrong. Everyone that doubted him was wrong! He'd prove it to them, he wasn't going to let anyone else die on his watch. "Ramuh!" He shouted, despite knowing that it was likely the Astral wouldn't be able to manifest here.

To his surprise though, a bolt of lightning crashed into the ground, charring the surface and clearing out the hybrids closest to him. Indulging in the momentary breather, Andy muttered a quick incantation to boost the effects of the healing spell he cast on himself. Stumbling a bit, he blinked the haze from his eyes as he felt the ache in his muscles. He really had to remember to take a break and let his magic reserves recharge, he couldn't chain so many spells together. "Hey, are you okay?" Lock asked, and a quick glance confirmed the concern that the devil dressed child felt.

Nodding his head, Andy shout back, "Don't worry, I'm fine and I'll get you out of here."

The next wave of hybrids hit, forcing Andy to hop away from them and fire over a quick round of bullets. He groaned when the barrels clicked but nothing came out, forcefully reminding him about the fact he'd failed to load up on ammo before they'd left Machinecken. Stupid him, he should have made sure to grab the extra ammo from his room! Ramuh had abandoned him since he didn't have enough magic to keep both Astrals there and still cast spells. As it was, Andy could feel that Shiva was getting ready to fade away too. Panting a little bit, Andy backed up towards the kids again, and he could feel their trembling when he got close enough to them.

Shit, how am I supposed to do this?

It took a few moments, but then Andy figured something out. Glancing back at the kids, he ordered, "Go to the wall on the left." They obeyed without question, and Andy cast a spell to conceal them and a spell to help protect them for in case a heartless got to close.

Moving to stand in front of them so he at least knew they were protected, along with his back, Andy focused back on the heartless. He tried to ignore the quiver of his hand, he was almost positive it was from exhaustion, not fear. Shaking his head, Andy thought, Seriously, where's reinforcements when you need them? Topsy, if you're down here, please I need you. Steeling himself for the fight to come, Andy prepared for another round with these creatures, whichever round of combat that this happens to be.

~- Reunion -~

Henry walked along the tunnel, searching for some sign he was getting close to one of his targets. He hesitated for just a moment, that moment was all that was needed for a ghost to appear. Looking at it, he raised an eyebrow at it. It was definitely one of the residents of Yomi, so what was it doing all the way over here? He silently asked it if Izanami sent it, to which the ghost said yes. He nodded, satisfied with the answer before he got moving again, only to be joined by another ghost that decided to investigate. He didn't flinch when the temperature suddenly dropped on him, nor when he saw the frost creeping along the walls.

"Shut up!!! I won't let you hurt the people of this world anymore than you've done already, you sick piece of shit. I...I won't die down here, you can't stop me. NOBODY CAN STOP ME!!!"

The shout barely reached him before Henry was running down the corridor, the ghosts hot on his heels. He heard the sounds of conflict, both ahead of him and behind him. He could sense that Andrew was behind him, but it sounded like Topsy needed some help. Tapping into the link the the god souls shared, he shouted mentally at Sevastian, Get your ass underground yesterday! Topsy could use some help along with Andrew.

It was only a few moments after the order that Henry came across Topsy, who by the looks of it had just cast a spell. Skidding to a halt, Henry took in the older man's appearance and frowned. "You look like hell, use this." Henry held out a healing potion, having dealt with Sevastian more times than he could count, he added, "You won't be of any use to Andrew in your current condition, use the potion and then...." The sound of the air sizzling gave Henry just enough warning for him to move out of the way as he grumbled, "Move."

The fireball went soaring past the two of them, and a quick look in that direction showed that some of the frost had melted but it was still there. Waving his hand towards one of the ghosts, Henry watched as it disappeared as he addressed Topsy, "Potion, drink it now if you haven't already." He was concentrated though on the ghost that he'd dispatched to Andrew though, the kid seriously needed backup if the ghost's readings were right.

~- Through with Doubt -~

Olympus Coliseum - Arena

Forgive.... Sounds good

The sound of clashing steel rang out, cutting through the previous silence. Cutter sat in the stands, watching the match going on below her. People were cheering, enjoying the spectacle that was happening as a muscular hero took on a monster. She wasn't interested in it though, her attention was on the monster and the bitterness that clung to it. Cutter didn't know why her father had begged her to come to this world, to this coliseum for assistance. She just knew that was the case, so here she was.

Forget.... I don't think I could

Her eyes scanned the crowd, searching for the one that was causing the song. She could feel the resentment in the words, so she knew that someone felt that way. Rising to her feet, she carefully moved to the end of the row. She almost went out the way she'd come, but something made her pause. Closing her eyes, she called out to the Eidolons in her mind. What do you think I should do?

She alone saw the mist that gathered in the arena, she was also the only one that saw the dragon that formed from it. Looking at the dragon, Cutter remained motionless as the Mist Dragon answered, Bahamut wishes for you to go into the arena and stop the slaughter that is about to happen. Cutter nodded, not needing to be told twice on her duties. Turning around, she focused back on the monster, it was a young dragon. Walking down the steps calmly, she set foot on the stage, ignoring the gasps from the audience and the bewildered expression on the supposed hero's face.

There's nothing left for me to figure out

Glaring at the man, she carefully walked up to the dragon. It looked at her with hatred and fear, something that she was used to. So, carefully, she closed her eyes and started to sing the song that Bluebelle had taught her for the occasion that Aria had lost control. Her voice rose and fell like the ocean waves, and she projected a calm aura, helping to ease the dragon's fear of her. Opening her eyes, she slowly approached it and held her hand out to the creature. Sensing the desire of the dragon, she rested her head against its and whispered, "It's okay, you're free. Lord Bahamut won't let them hurt you, Little One."

The dragon pulled away, blinked twice, before it took off into the sky. Cutter stared after it, her heart longing to take to the sky. The song in her head remained, so the dragon wasn't the source of it. Looking to the "hero" she listened as he demanded to know why she did it. Scoffing, she retorted, "Hercules, right? You're a coward, picking on a child. You should be ashamed of yourself, you're no hero. Hades is a better hero than you!"

They say time heals everything

Without another word, Cutter turned on her heel and stalked off, tuning out the audience as they screamed profanities at her. She had just left the stadium when she felt a darkness behind her, she paused in her path and slowly turned to look behind her. At first there was nothing, then there was a man with blue skin and flaming blue hair. His eyes were gold and he wore a black toga, he also screamed trouble and shifty as all get out to her. She could also tell he was the source for the aggressive song in her head. He had the same vibe as the music, angry, bitter and passive aggressive as all hell.

"Hi, how are you doing? I'm Hades, the Lord of the Dead."

She suddenly recalled the legends here, of how the residents believed that even speaking the deity's name before her would draw his attention. She eyed him, sizing the god up, even as she kept herself closed off to the otherworldly being. "Do you know Hercules?" She asked cautiously, and in answer she saw his face twist with fury as the volume of the song in her head increased.

Okay, this guy was definitely trouble.

But I'm still waiting....

Even so, she felt sympathy for him. It was probably something this guy wasn't used to, but it's not like she'd show it to him yet. "He's my nephew, and a major pain in my side." Hades answered, the look he shot her had Cutter's skin prickling with goose bumps.

She smiled, because she may as well tip things in her favor while keeping him off guard. Besides, she honestly did mean what she was about to say. "Tell you what, I'll help you bring him down a couple pegs. He's an arrogant prick that could use the lesson." She said nonchalantly, and she nearly laughed when Hades's jaw almost dropped to the ground. Then a slow, cunning smirk spread across Hades face as he reappeared by her side, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Well then my little robin, follow me."

Cutter didn't struggle as she was guided away, and while startling, she didn't fight him as they disappeared and reappeared in what she figured was his home turf. Looking around her, Cutter took in the dark, morbid interior before she saw a chair across from what looked to be a throne room. "Please, have a seat." Hades commented, even as he sat down in the throne.

Doing as she was told, Cutter met his gaze and waited for him to begin.

There's nothing left for me to figure out

 

[Tyrant Raver]

The three kids scampered as they did as they were told but in the Krampus' domain, no nook nor cranny was going to be safe from his grasp. Lock, Shock and Barrel frantically searched for a safe distance but their noise made them just moving bait for the enemy. As the main wave go for the gun-totter, the rest went for the kids.

"Ah...!",

"Shock!"

The little girl in the witch costume tripped over while they hurry unto an elevated ground. Lock quickly helped her up while Barrel chuck rocks at their pursuers. They managed to get on the top of a boulder, but...

"Heh heh heh..."

A phlegm-gurgling laugh resounded within the hollow caverns like a twisted cacophony.

"Right where I wanted you..."

From the dark ceilings, the Krampus emerged from the pitch blackness hanging upside down like a giant flying rodent. He spread his arms, preparing to snatch the kids with his crooked claws. His twisted smile accentuated with his disease-ridden mug he calls a face.

"This is the part where you get down, kids.",

"Wha--daaaarrgh!!!"

All of a sudden, from behind, a metal fist like a lightning bolt flew straight at the monster's ugly nose. The blow was enough to recoil Krampus back into hiding. Then the mysterious savior landed upon the foot of the boulder with his arm at the ready.

Level 2, Release!

His arm's panels furled up as it supercharged itself as veins of electricity coursed through it like an electrical coil. Then unleashed a big palm push with his hard-light gauntlet that blew the pursuers away. The illumination of his keyblade arm revealed his true identity, Walte himself.

"You... bastard! How dare you!!!"

Krampus was clearly agitated with his abrupt entrance.

"No... I can't even read unto your past... future... no... Something... Something is preventing me... So dark... yet pure--what is this!? Who are you!?"

It would seem that the monster itself was attempting to peer unto Walte's heart, yet he could not see through it. It is as if something was preventing him, it was all blurry. Krampus felt like it was sifting through an entire sand dune, with the more it dug, the more likely it would get buried under all that sand.

"You kids stay put. Or better yet, if you can throw rocks as fire support, I would appreciate it. Just aim for the enemy.",

"O-Okay!"

The trio of trick-or-treaters just nodded unto each other and began chucking rocks at the enemy. Walt advanced forward as each enemy hit or distracted by the rain of rocks, he would close in and eliminate them with his lightning-imbued arm. Making his way to reinforce the front line where the lone gun-totter was.

 

[Kingdomkeylight]

[From Bad To Worse...]

As the young woman proclaimed her annoyance to the wind a slight suggestion of insanity was a potential criminal to her aggressive banter with which she had no one to share with. Yet as the Warhammer slipped out of existence from her surprisingly delicate appearing hands a unnatural hiss, and crackle summoned to existence a dark cloud of energy that swirled around Hel. Seeming to collect behind her with a ominous glow it seemed to lean against her back while solidified into a rather "devilishly" handsome youth who sighed with one eye shut with the other looking down into Hel's own eyes as he smirked before gently pushing off her to a proper stance.

"Oh, and here I thought your happiness was garnered with my silence," he coyly teased rolling his shoulder blades to stretch out the stiffness from being in his weapon enhancement form. Mentally growling at her usual roulette session of questions he turned to her with a taunting smirk.

"Come now surely someone of your knowledge doesn't need my humble guidance to where we are... not it all," he mumbled the last part clearly getting some sort of mischievous pleasure out of torturing his acquaintance. He stopped for a moment when her hand touched his chest his coy smirk disappearing as he realized she was still ruffled from that last squeamish situation before he could apologize though there was a sudden hostile scent in the air that caused his pupils to shrink with aggression. He shifted his head to the left with a slowly growing frown as they were greeted by a new face... one that clearly was not a resident of Halloween Town. He was about to hiss a warning yet Hel started to speak ahead of him demanding the snake wearing strangers name. Yet as the stranger smiled in clear satisfaction in Hel's tension Artemis could feel a violent tendency of his own nature start to swell. This... creature was sizing Hel up, and rather assured it was the bigger threat. Quite ready to slam this guy through a building or two his temper was suddenly iced into a chilled puff of hot air past his lips as he felt Hel grasp his arm... she was scared... and honestly there was good reason.

"I am one who does not much care for your hostility... "friend"," Artemis growled pulling Hel back as he got between the two having no desire for this "man" to be near Hel. Usually he would be condescending of Hel's actions, but at the moment he was clearly also on his toes with this Ari fellow. It was then something seemed to click in Artemis' mind as his glare turned into a blank expression.

"Your a Hybrid though I think monster might be the better title for you," Artemis now thinking straight could smell it... the scent of blood, and corruption hazardously seeping from Ari's essence. It was rather well cloaked within the demeanor of Ari's actual scent, but once concentrated it was clear...nothing good was to come from this exchange.

"So as my friend already asked.... what the hell do you want?"
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

[Strange Tides Bring Strange Friends...]

As Andy braved through whatever fears came with the next wave of enemies on the battlefield a flash of light seemed to spurn him on... literally spurning him on as a rather unique version of cura appeared above his head the plant spell started to cover him in vines that were sealing any wounds on the boy as well as reinvigorating Andy's mana pool. Soft clanks of metal signaled someone was approaching the boy from behind. Yet the snarls of the enemies in front were definitely more concerning... for a moment. As the second wave Andy had prepped for closed in they were immediately halted in there tracks by a wave of what could only described as bullet hell passing by Andy as each creature was met with a bullet to their name. Some of the creatures immediately dropped screeching in pain as a purple mist escaped their lips, while other seemed to get slower, and even a few found themselves confused bashing into their own kind attacking wildly.

"Well your a brave one kiddo," a rather calm voice spoke with a strange metallic ring as Andy "backup" arrived in the form of a strangely green armored rifle carrying male... potentially given the sound of the voice. Whistling a soft tune the newcomer turned to the plant his armor seeming to attune to the glow for a moment before the spell dispersed.

"And here I was ready to scout out this place for a few days, but seems like a rescue party was already planned out," the newcomer acknowledge Andy before noticing the gun the boy wielded... from how he was holding it clearly he was out. With one hand the armored support gently pushed the boys gun hand so he could see the barrel.

"Lucky you," he spoke before slamming his unarmed fist into the ground as a green plant like "vine" started to exit out of the armored hand. Pulling his hand out of the hole he had made he revealed a strange organic like collection of bullets.

"Thankfully you use a pretty basic form of bullet," the green... "knight" calmly pointed out before the vines from early started to grow into a rather massive collective hive sent of vines that started to reach out capturing the slowed enemies before starting to pull them into the hole aggressively as it moved onto the confused creatures making short work of the second wave.

"Well that will help with data analysis later for now lets leave the bundle of vines to there job. Besides with your aggressive push you seem in a rush to save someone in particular I take it," a rather disturbing crunching sound could be heard coming from the vine collective from under ground. It seemed to catch the attention of the armored fellow.

".... Damn their to far gone then... well at least they will be able to help the few who aren't... this Krampus creature must have been at it for awhile I knew we should have reacted the moment we had proof of Nana, and Ari being close by," the armored male sighed still with a strange air of calm to his rather strange sentence.

"Well then no time to lose the enemy of my enemy is my friend after all."

 

[Eternal Dream]

~- Closer than a Friend -~

Jack had been willing enough to give them information, but there hadn't been enough time to process it and work up an effective battle strategy. Just as Leyla was about to turn to the boy with the strange aura, she heard a soft gasp and a loud oath from behind her; spinning to look, Leyla just saw the top of Andy's head as he fell through a dark portal that had appeared beneath his feet. The one that had cursed... had someone called him Sevastion? His eyes churned, almost seeming to look like roiling ocean waves, and it was impossible to miss the agitation in his aura as Andy disappeared through the portal.

Leyla didn't have time for much more thought, however. Even as a confused question began to form in her throat, the words turned into a soft gasp as a portal opened beneath her own feet, dropping her who knew where. She only had time to register that Sevastion's anger had turned to surprise of his own before the portal closed over her head, carrying her into darkness.

~-~

She wasn't sure how long she fell through the portal. Hours, minutes, or seconds; time got weird in those things. But she did feel the darkness thinning around her, the only warning she got before she was unceremoniously dumped from the portal's grip.

"...drink it now if you haven't already."

The words had barely left Henry's mouth before Leyla fell on top of Topsy, knocking the two of them to the ground and spilling the potion on the ground. Leyla scrambled off him quickly, apologies springing out of her the entire way. Her cheeks were flaming from the indignity of the landing, not to mention putting Topsy in that position, and her embarrassment only heightened when she realized how worn out he looked.

And she'd spilled the potion all over the bloody floor.

"Here," she said softly. Digging through her medicine bag, Leyla pulled out a small potion bottle. Offering it to Topsy, she continued, "It'll help you feel better, and it has some herbs in it that should help your focus. Is Andy okay?" The last was a question, and one that she'd only thought of because, now that she'd had a brief moment to study her surroundings, she saw that they were underground, and there were signs of ice crystals on the walls. Didn't Andy have the ability to use ice magic?

You've been a naughty girl, haven't you?

"Who's there?" Leyla jumped to her feet, trying to find the source of the voice. Looking to the two men, she asked, "Did either of you hear someone speak just now?"

Even so, you continue to believe. Belief like that should be rewarded. But you've misbehaved so. What to do?

"Seriously, stop taunting me already and get out here!"

Laughter sounded softly, and she finally realized that the voice she was hearing was in her head. Even so, she froze when she heard that whisper again, But what of your Dark Hunter? Don't you want to know more?

"The... what do you know about the Dark Hunter?" at this point, Leyla was pretty sure she sounded crazy, but she was just as sure that she didn't care.

~- Let Me Out -~

The Skeleton King was hot on Sevastion's heels as he took off after Henry. Henry was constantly calling Sav on his foolishness and over reliance on Susanoo, but Sav was more worried when Henry borrowed Izanami's power. Even so, Sav knew it was the most expedient way to find everyone, especially once Henry had locked onto the missing souls, Andy's included.

Damnation, where had that boy disappeared to this time?! It was starting to appear that he was nothing but a trouble magnet, and that Sav was going to need to find less stressful friends to deal with his own bull shit. (That was a lie; he wouldn't ditch his friends like that. But that is also entirely beside the point.)

Sav may have been right on Henry's heels, but that didn't matter. As soon as Sav, Henry, and Jack crossed into the portal, it seemed as if all three of them got spit out into different areas in what was clearly a network of caverns. Sav looked around himself, trying to get any idea of where to start before he said softly, "Any ideas, Susanoo?"

Start walking, Chibi no Ryu. It's the only way to get close enough for you to sense any of them

"Helpful as always, aren't?" Sevastion mumbled. Even so, he started moving again, keeping his senses peeled for any signs of the missing World residents or his comrades. He didn't find many indicators of the missing at first, but he didn't find a near overwhelming sense of claustrophobia almost immediately. Water trickled down the walls of the caverns around him, easing the itch somewhat, but Susanoo was an ocean god; these dark, confined spaces did nothing for his need for open skies and wind-swept waves, and that in turn transferred to Sevastion. Even so, he could manage this for just a little while. For that girl that had fallen through the portal right in front of him, because she seemed to have gentle eyes, and for Andy, who Sav still had questions for; one or two answers just wasn't enough to satisfy his curiosity.

A soft scratching sound caught Sav's attention just as he heard Henry across the God Soul's link. Get your ass underground yesterday! Topsy could use some help along with Andrew.

"Already underground, dumbass," Sevastion said softly. Water swirled into life around his arm before coalescing into his glaive as he watched the first of the monsters start to approach him. He wasn't as good at detecting souls as the psychopomps of the God Relm, but he still had a feeling that these creatures were the denizens of this World. Pulling his glaive in front of himself, Sav finished quietly, "You're gonna have to manage for a bit before I can back you up, 'cause I'm a bit busy. So don't go making yourself dead, got it?"

One of the wolf monsters snarled, leaping at Sevastion, and he swung, catch it across the chest. After that, the melee was on.

 

[Story Keeper]

~- Fury of My Flame -~

Hel didn't fight Artemis when he moved between her and Ari. Her eyes didn't leave the hybrid though, not even as he exchanged words with the other woman that had magically appeared. As fast as the other woman had appeared, she disappeared, Ari being responsible for calling the portal that had caused her to disappear. Ari looked at her, a blank look in his eyes as he said, "Don't worry, I just sent her somewhere safe. Now, as for you two."

She instinctively slid into a battle ready stance, even as she continued to stay behind Artemis. This man reeked of hostility, something that Hel was certain she would have been able to sense even without being partnered to Artemis. Ari seemed to be sizing Artemis up, his expression unreadable giving no clue on if he thought Artemis to be a threat to him or not. "I am a hybrid in the same sense of that girl being one. As for what I want...."

Hel only had the briefest moments of warning before she felt a hand on her shoulder. She spun to face Ari, her eyes hardening into brittle chips of ice as a ball of dark fire sprang from her palm. A snarl of frustration sliding free, Hel's eyes darted around in search of the serpent as he laughed, "Maybe I just want to 'play' with you two for a little while, surely that won't be an issue?"

Hel scowled in answer, her eyes blazing with a fury that it'd make the sun in July look tame. Another ball of fire crackled to life in her hand, engulfing it in a dark light yet not hurting its caster. "Fuq off!" She screamed, the orb exploding outward, searching for its target. The heartless dog was smart enough to take cover, and she almost felt guilty. Almost. Fury as hot as a brand coiled in her stomach, threatening to send her over the edge into a whirlwind of insanity. In fact Hel nearly missed the warning hiss of Ari's own rage, before an inferno far hotter than her own magic rushed toward her.

She spun and grabbed Artemis, rolling across the ground until they were safely out of reach. Hel wasn't sure where the source of the hissing was coming from, it was almost like it was originating from several different dragon heads. "Do you honestly think you are worth anything in this or any world? You are insignificant. The spirit you wield? He too is insignificant. Neither of you can truly defeat me, only he can."

Hel's skin started crawling, she hated the insinuation this guy gave. Flames danced along her skin, causing it to tingle where the heat touched. She focused on it, on the slight pain that radiated along her skin and it helped to ground her. Dancing out of the way, she didn't call the war hammer to her hand, she would let Artemis do as he desired. A sly smile coming to her face, Hel teased playfully, "I think you only say that because you're afraid. You don't actually believe the words you speak."

A rumbling snarl reached her ears, reassuring Hel that the words she spoke were truth. She just needed to keep this guy off guard enough to learn his strategy, if she could manage that then she could figure out a strategy for her and Artemis to win.

~- Watch Me Ignite -~

The kids were gone.

Andy didn't know when or how it happened, but the kids weren't behind him anymore. His pulse spiked, giving him an instant migraine as he tried to figure out what the hell had happened. Shiva had abandoned him too, leaving Andy by himself with a low reserve of magic to defend himself and find his charges. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he dodged a swipe, his mind frantically trying to figure out what was going on. He spared a moment to look behind him, where he saw the kids and a man he didn't recognize. Shock, Lock and Barrel were throwing rocks at the creatures while the other guy was making his way through them.

Andy was rewarded with pain. He stumbled backwards, his chest aching from where the creature's claws had raked him. He heard Krampus's laughter, he groaned as Krampus continued to mock him, throwing out words that he didn't want to focus on them. It was just one thing to distract him from what he needed to do, and that was to kick ass, get the kids and regroup with Topsy and Sevastian.

"Well your a brave one kiddo," a voice called out.

He was about to snap at the guy behind him, a sarcastic quip on his tongue when he looked. It was some sort of weirdo in a green suit of armor. What the fuq? He watched the guy go to work, and even took the help of the healing spell. Andy rolled his shoulders as he felt his strength return, and he grinned impishly as the green clad man reloaded his weapon. "You're lucky I brought my casual weapon," he teased. This man wasn't Topsy, nor the one behind him was a certain mage with a rather....

Annnyyywayy! Andy cut himself off mentally.

Rolling out of the way of another strike, Andy raised his gun and squeezed the trigger. The bullet cut through the air and tore through the creature's head. He ignored the squeeze of guilt and pain, he could acknowledge what he was doing later. Once his life and the others lives weren't on the freaking line!

"Shiva, get back here!" He shouted, calling forth the Astral once more. She didn't wait for a command, she went straight back for the kids and was attacking the denizens of the world that got too close to her charges. Focusing back on in front of him, he focused on the fire burning within and drew on the energy to send it towards the creatures, several of them screaming in pain. Yeah, can't focus on that fact.

Andy danced out of the way of the enemy, Krampus's snarl of frustration echoing around them. He wanted to use an earth spell, but with them being underground that would be far too risky. Even so, Andy smiled and channeled his magic into the ground, placing friend markers on his allies before the tremors began. It wouldn't be enough to bring the cave down on them, but it would be enough to throw his enemies off balance. He could hear a voice in the back of his head, one that was different than the malicious Christmas spirit but it still warranted caution.

Use my power child, it'll help you get out of this. It'll tip Absolon off to your location.

It took him a moment to realize it was Ifrit. If one looked closely, they'd see violet-tinged white flames flickering in Andy's eyes as he snarled, "Sod off Ifrit."

Haha, that's enough child. Ifrit laughed, a split second before flames exploded outward from Andy, lashing out at the enemies that dared to get to close to the young dancer. He was faintly aware of Shiva abandoning her task to check on him, his skin felt like it was being burned away but he could tell it wasn't the case. His skin was fine despite the heat. The flames burned away the ice that clung to the walls, licking at them and charring the stones black. Shiva held his face, a worried look in her eyes before she kissed his forehead, chilling his core but not freezing.

"Use Diamond Dust, return the ice." He ordered.

Multiple copies of Shiva appeared before they spread out and attacked the creatures that had been attacking them, sure he was working on redraining his reserves, but there was a method to his madness. Closing his eyes, Andy placed his hands on the ground and channeled his magic into the ground again, this time sending it out in a pulse to search for his allies.

You can't save them. You're.... Ifrit began, only to hesitate when Andy loosed a feral snarl as he cut across, "You are wrong Ifrit. No one messes with those I care about, I don't care if you're an Astral or not. You mess with them and I will end you."

The pyreburner retreated from Andrew's head, seemingly terrified of his inner flame. Rising to his feet, Andy turned his palm face up and released the mass of flames that had been secretly charging there. He was definitely going to make Krampus and this Nana pay, he'd show Harley that he couldn't break him. Andy had ignited and he'd make sure to burn his enemies to the ground before he was extinguished.

 

[Just Dari]

Calm your tits, I'm cunning, if cunning is powerful then I'm the OG

Strong? No. Cunning? Now there was an idea that she could get behind, but this much would never go unveiled. Newt seemed rather mindless at the moment and drifted in and out as this person she didn't know was talking. There was a slight fixation on the dog for time being, but she did acknowledge some of the things being addressed. Not one to assume, not really one to give a shit outside of interest, she didn't question for a second who this person was, if they'd bring harm, the list goes on, all that, yes, irrelevant shit. Living haphazardly and on the knives edge was the way to do it, the less you're in your head the better and fuck any one of you bitches that choices to limit yourselves to your own mental prison.

"Looking at you, ya must think a lot. Do that less. You'll be less boring, just a friendly suggestion." she spoke with some spice in her tone. "Not from here, off-world. Came looking for some damn kids that probably just arrived, someone put a hit out on the entire group, seen any other 'off-worlders' or people who don't look like they're from round these parts?"

This lasted for about a split second, she pinned a small detail from when she first arrived in the hinterlands. That damn dog having a name tag was already weird enough, a heartless but someone's pet. Her eyes were sharp, and it read "Sparks" and another persons name on the underside when she pet him the first time. Poor bastard seemed to really like the attention this random stranger was giving him, a load of crock if you asked Newt.

"More work? What the fuck. What's the job? I don't do charity gigs ok. It cost more if ya need someone (or some thing) alive, because it's hard to restrain oneself from tearing another to pieces."

This stranger had gotten the red head's attention easily enough and well, this could turn out to be at very least a means of venting some pent up frustration from that jackass that ran off earlier. She made a mental note that the noxious smoke was still in the graveyard from earlier, but that was a low-priority thing for her. It just meant less people could visit that specific part of the map of this world or they'd just be inhibiting themselves like the dumbasses she'd assume they were.

 

[Tyrant Raver]

It was one man against an inexorable tide, Walt was advancing at first, but the wave was persistent. If this keeps up, he would likely be trampled over and stepped on, he cannot let that happen. Though he appears to have been effortlessly keeping them at bay, the cuts and wounds dealt to him says an entirely different story.

"Haaah!"

Using the tight spaces to his advantage, Walt picked them off one by one. The body count was piling up by the minute, he tried to keep the pace consistent. But this was not enough, he needed a plan because eventually those kids would ran out of rocks to throw.

Running back a few steps, he let the enemies flood over the dam of piled bodies to follow him. Stomping his right foot forward, he redirected his momentum back. Launching his entire body forward like a bullet, Walt then performed a high-speed drop kick upon the pursuing horde.

The impact landed and blew the horde back like lined up domino pieces or bowling pins. He skid forward unto the rocky ground as he landed upon his feet. As he tried to stand up, he felt his knees buckle and the strain on his muscles became immediately apparent.

"Damn, looks like I overdid it. Those guys better have a plan, because I can't keep this up for long."

He grunted, trying to muscling through the sting on his legs. Walt did a quick stretch and cracked his knuckles and neck, he was ready to go for another round. With a burst of energy and a smile on his face, he charged right back in to the fray.

 

[Kingdomkeylight]

[To Cure A Disease...]

"Heh ah youth these days," the Green Knight chuckled, and while it was unsayable if there was a smile to follow on his hidden face the fellow gun wielder followed Andy. As he had spoken Andy's sudden onslaught of spells spelled the kids doom to be rather drained again as summon spell followed summon spell in a rather destructive slaughter with icy tombstones, and ashen flakes filled the hallways of battle. The scorched stone that made up most of the structure was singed black, or covered in unbreakable ice... it was rather clear this kid had something to lose in all this, and if he kept it up...

"Reserve your strength or your recklessness will get others hurt," The knight called out to Andy pulling the teen to his back side before unleashing a magazines worth of ammo upon the rushing enemies halting them in their tracks as they were pierced with agonizing poisons that would kill them in little time. Instant death was more grateful a cure for sure, but by doing so this way Green's strange pitcher plant that was growing way back from where the two had met might be able to provide... a small chance for a few not to far infected. As the new wave was oddly dealt with quick Green surveyed their surroundings... there was no sound of monstrous cries coming to them.

"We're not the priority apparently," he turned to Andy as they were given a small reprieve from the constant attacks. Yet the small tremor immediately foretold the fight wasn't over. No someone was now getting the full brunt of the infections attention which more then likely meant someone had found this Krampus Hybrid created by Nani. That or Nani had been found, and cornered.

"Couldn't be that lucky," Green spoke though his tone sounded more cheerful then his word... that was the offset of having only one emotion in full display there were may moments where he, and his "sibling" came of as strange or off balance as one might put it. However the problem now was capturing Nani, and or Krampus by himself... was impossible. That combined with the fact the other members of his team were busy on their last assignment didn't help. He was going to need these off worlders help.

"My name is Green I am part of a special task force "created" to halt nasty Hybrids from going insane, or worse causing infections to a global scale much like what we are witnessing now. I cannot save those who have already been fully infected by this Krampus, however, I can create a few salves to save those not fully infected. Being how your so dead set on getting through here I assume we have somewhat of a similar goal, and thus since you're a part of the current save campaign I wish to lend you my support on the agreement I get Krampus, or if fortune favors us Nani the Hybrid who created this Krampus," speaking rather fast to speed up the process Green started to move forward rather sure Andy would follow him as it was the only forward path toward the sounds of war. What the two were greeted with was at first glance only describable as a stadium of corpses being trampled upon by their forsaken kin trying to desperately claw at a lone fighter, and three children throwing rocks... twas indeed a rare sight for sure.

"Well... lets get to it shall we," Green rallied as he burst forward clearly forcing Andy's answer to be yes for the time being. The man with a rather advanced hand had clearly been the one putting the hurt on the infected hybrid forces. Thus as Green entered the massively open area he jumped up as his gun was altered with a concentrated purple like liquid blade. Once he was near the wall opposite of Walt he pushed of spinning with hostile force as the gun blade halved, amputated, and cut multiple targets as Green landed down with a spin crushing stomp onto the closes infected.

"Kill Krampus, and the fully infected he made will die with him. If not a option we must capture him so I can kill the Hybrid parasite within him thus causing the rest to have a slim chance of salvation if their original conscious still exists. Your choice," he spoke to both Walt, and Andy as the screams from the surviving blade rush started to drop like fly's as purple fluids started to exuded from their cuts before dissolving into mist disturbingly sinking into the ground. Not standing still to avoid being overwhelmed Green casted Curaga upon Walt before the distance between the two fighters would get worse. It would take a bit, but Green would be eventually able to grant a opening for all combatants to get a shot at Krampus... they simple had to survive until then, or kill Krampus beforehand.
………………………………………………………………………………

[Let Hell Come Forth...]