In Character

[MysteryVV]

The fire radiated, circling, whirling rapidly contained within the crystal. It burned and it burned quickly until the crystal melted away. The fire shined off of Hunter's ring brilliantly, turning the whole pillar into a rainbow of burning glow. The fire's rainbow light burned brightly, glowing out, then, fading in on itself, shrinking back to its smaller size in the center. It's light replaced with an ominous black that shot purple embers

"Woah!  Wait what??  Jasper.  How can you tell me that the fire melts this hard crystal but doesn't even do any harm to me? That makes no sense!!  And 


Woah"


Hunter noticed the purple embers and wondered what the ominous black was.  It felt comfortable but at the same time threatening

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

"Woah!  Wait what??  Jasper.  How can you tell me that the fire melts this hard crystal but doesn't even do any harm to me? That makes no sense!!  And 


Woah"


Hunter noticed the purple embers and wondered what the ominous black was.  It felt comfortable but at the same time threatening

Jasper took a step back from the flames. It was like their darkness was pulling at the darkness of night, blackening their camp even more. It such a dramatic shift from bold illuminous white. "I.. Don't have answers for that. My fire chilled my heart."


"Yo Hunter!"


Alex came running towards them. He had a large box in his hands. Every so often it jerked and thrashed and Alex had to stop and regain control. When he was closer he dropped the box at Hunters feet. It thrashed enough to raise itself off the ground then gave up and landed back on his feet, on its side. "You're gonna like this one. We captured a morph demon and reconstructed its physiology, but by giving it the capabilities to transform into practically ANYTHING... now it needs a constant power source. If you cou-"


The box thrashed wildly again, but this time it broke open. Out came a white miasma of energy. It bolted around Hunter, swirling around his body. It only lasted a few seconds then it found its constant power source. It dove into Hunters ring, sucking into each of the individual diamonds. Not a speck of its energy remained. 





Alex stumbled back to avoid the white energy and when it absorbed into Hunter he clapped slowly. "Guess it found a constant power source.. there you go, Merry Christmas Hunter. I've got to be off so just enjoy okay? Be careful. Every time it comes out it will drain a at your power, so try to use it sparingly. The larger, and more intricate, the more power lost. Oh! And it's just a shape shifting mist. I tried turning it into a dragon, it only became the form of a dragon- no fire sadly. But claws and wings and giant form and all, so I mean you give and you take. Alright I've got to go! I hope you like it!" Alex bolted back off to retrieve his suit and finish his experiments 


Jasper looked at Alex's stride then back to Hunter. "I think that's much better than what I got..." Jasper shook his head. The things he could do with a shape shifting mist.... his blue ring was faintly glowing and fading then stopped. "Storage is much more... practical" 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

"Yes... yes I remember you. Auriel himself fabled your return, dark one." The old woman fumbled in the dark looking at her various glowing liquids. "Demon's Demon Door..." She mumbled. Jade and Decimus had no idea what she meant. "Um.. Ma'am-" "Drink this." She gave a crystalline glass diamond shaped vial to Jade. The twisted bronze hands of death entwined and trapped a skull cork to the top. It's a illuminated, bubbling its contents in tiny streams and the occasional large pop! Jade looked the container in her hand





how could she drink this... she tilted it to the side and it slide like a gunk, a slime. Decimus looked at her with concern but the old woman cleared her throat obviously annoyed by the hold up. Jade nervously popped the skull off and her nose was veiled by its horrendous odor. "Drink, woman. Or maybe I was wrong about you." Jade looked to the woman quickly. She looked back to the vial and knocked it back. The slime glopped down and slid into her mouth. It was sweet, like sugar cane. She didn't notice the jar emptied, and she sadly craved more. She could feel it sliding through her digestive system, down her chest and filling her stomach. It was slowly being dispersed through her body, being digested, dissolved. As it worked through her organs, she could feel everywhere it went. The necessary components broken down into her blood stream she could feel transferring into her heart and then shooting out by the force of its constant beat and through her entire cardiac system. It was warm, heavy. She felt 5-10-20 pounds heavier. She wasn't, of course. The slime only weighed a few ounces. But as it connected her systems together, mixed with the chemicals her body had absorbed in her room, the soul of Belphagor loomed inside of her, and he weighed her down immensely. "Good.." the old woman croaked. She could smell the sweet fragrances from Jade getting bolder and louder, more apparent. Decimus took notice as well. He sniffed the air a bit. Honey... she smelled like.. honey, no... flowers, like a garden, no... sweet.... like cotton candy. Her scene changed constantly, but kept its sweetness radiating. It lured Decimus closer, he wanted to smell her, his nose curious on its own to discover her scent. "Get away from her!" The woman snapped, swatting at Decimus with a tomb. It crashed to the ground and he picked it up. It gave him an unnerving eerie sensation. He placed it back on her desk. "Thank you..." she croaked kindly. 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Jesse, lead by the kimono beast, came to the twin trees the treelings spoke of. They had grown together, forming one on top. Something about the split in their branches though... The kimono lowered its head to Jesse then walked off It was oncccce oneee. 


"You burrowed through the tree, huh... no regard for your surroundings when dying I suppose." The sight gave him an understanding of the magnitude of what he was facing, what he was helping. He didn't remember meeting Leviathan, it's Sea form at least. He hadn't truly been exposed to Leviathan's size. Jesse walked into the misty blue forestry spear and staff in hands and armor secure ready to face his next feat.

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Alex dashed quickly into the Lab. He was getting faster and faster closing the distance between the Lab and Camp. He detached from his suit quickly, it unfurling from his body and closing shut this time. He looked back to the suit. "Whoa... you've never closed before." He reached towards the suit and it opened, here his fingers were at least. He pulled back and it closed. 


He took a few steps from the suit and went over to one of the Lab stations. He pulled the seat back and pulled the two vials out of his pocket, staring at Snows golden blood and clear wisp filed essence. "I can't.... believe it was that easy!"


Alex James: Armor Raider?


The womanly voice of the Lab called him 


"I think I found the perfect component. I found what the Creatoirs were missing- well they didn't know it existed, but it just... fell into my hands!"


I don't know what you mean, Alex James: Armor Raider. 


A light scanned the two vials individually


The blood and essence of The Leanan Sidhe... Alex James: Armor Raider, these are very dangerous components!


"First, drop my title, please. Alex James is fine. Alex is even better. And secondly, I know want it is, she told us what it is, and I know what it does, you've experienced that first hand, remember? I don't care about the risks!" He stood and walked over to the railing and look down the 7 pods below, 6 shadows inside of the pods around the one in the center that lid empty. "I could reach my completion much, much sooner." 


You could die, Alex James. The compound is too much for you to handle


Alex gripped the bars tightly, his head hung down and his hair hiding his face in darkness. He could just down both containers, open all of the pods, and attach himself to each suit. He would have power beyond compare.... He thought of Snow reaching within herself not once but twice. He wanted that, to be able to contain his suits within himself finally. He screamed in frustration and punched a dent in the railing. His knuckles cracked under the force. Pain shot through his hand as the knuckles cracked back out and pushed back in. The Tachyon particles... He was on his knees from the pain, he didn't even notice he had fallen. Slowly when his mind was cleared he rose up. If I master one suit... my suit.. then... then....... He walked bck over to the station holding his hand even though it had repaired. "We need more vials, a centrifuge, and an electron microscope. Let's see if I can further understand Snows power... keep log of our findings, we can use the research to create her some specialized mechanics.. and keep track of every single particle that goes into her making, everything matters. We might be able to reconstruct it, make more" Alex grabbed the golden vial and popped it open. "Let's start with the blood."

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

The hermit's main light source, the light that creeped under his door. It.. changed. It wasn't white anymore, no. There were colors, colors! But they soon faded, all of the light faded, replaced by darkness. Endless darkness. Darkness again. "No! No no no no no!!" He pounded on his door, banging but for no one but himself to hear 


Bugs fell from the ceiling; spiders, worms, flies, roaches, centipedes, millipedes, etc. They poured from the cracks, near hundreds in his room. The hermit cackled with joy, then scattered in anger at the rats coming from the walls. They were using the fire as their warmth and now that it was gone, the room expunged them. 


The hermt could still hear a faint crackling from behind the door 


He was unworried about the fires. He had a feast! He looked to his silver ring sitting on the little desk in his tiny room. It filled him with disgust, angsts. He focused on the pests in his room. He grabbed a fly midair and shoved it into his mouth. The crunch of its body between his teeth... the sweet and bitter ooze of its organs down his tongue, slipping and sliding down his throat. It was... ecstasy 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Jasper was always leaving her... Lilly kicked her foots on the dirt. He was never focused on her, never gave her any attention. She helped him with his schemes, but it was like she wasn't there. Maybe she shouldn't have hid from him before, maybe. She sat in the brush watching Hunter and Jasper. She looked back over to Snow and Sebastian. She couldn't feel too bad, Jasper's attention was quickly lost to them before they even had it....., but at least they had each other. Alex ran back out of the camp again. Jacob, Rose, and... even some new fellow she hadn't noticed joined, they were all leaving too. Jade and Decimus were already gone...... Lilly pulled herself a bit closer and sank deeper into the shrubbery. She wished there were more people she could hangout with 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Snow: "Okay..." She nodded and breathed in as she raised her weapon and struck it against his. She winced, worried it was a bad strike.

"Nice! You're getting it" Sebastian struck back again a bit harder, pushing her back a step 

Sebastian was immediately distracted by the flames. They were lovely, but surprising. Their cataclysm of colors was maddening. His eyes had trouble trying to process and catch the shattering streaks of color. Then it just shrank down. The fire just faded back to its more reasonable center size from when they first came. But it was black now. Empty black. The area around the fire was darker even though the sun was out. The occasional royal purple burned out the edges and jutted out at the tops. The fire was depressing to be around. Sebastian pushed past it and tapped Snows blades again back focused on their training

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

There was banging at the door. Decimus and Jade looked to each other in worry. The only woman was scrambling. "Open the door! It's the Castle Guard!" "No no... quickly!" She shoved the book in Jade's chest and pushed the two of them to the window. "Go go!" They fumbled to the window and looked around. There was no where else, just a bed and some bookshelfs. A desk. They were trapped. Decimus pulled out his staff and slammed the end of it into the glass repeatedly. It cracked and cracked and cracked and the guards banged harder on the door. It was apparent that they were trying to burst in. The door swung open and more eleven in battle robes holding shields baring their sign and an onslaught of different weapons. They charged the intrudes, one of the men holding the old woman to the side. Decimus slammed into the glass with his whole weight and it shattered. Jade didn't have time to consider the height they had climbed up. She jumped out the window, but one of the guards grabbed her bag. She twisted out and surrendered their supplies, her tombs, and her only weapon. She shrieked loud enough to be heard for miles as they fell to the forest bottom 

 

[MysteryVV]

Jasper took a step back from the flames. It was like their darkness was pulling at the darkness of night, blackening their camp even more. It such a dramatic shift from bold illuminous white. "I.. Don't have answers for that. My fire chilled my heart."


"Yo Hunter!"


Alex came running towards them. He had a large box in his hands. Every so often it jerked and thrashed and Alex had to stop and regain control. When he was closer he dropped the box at Hunters feet. It thrashed enough to raise itself off the ground then gave up and landed back on his feet, on its side. "You're gonna like this one. We captured a morph demon and reconstructed its physiology, but by giving it the capabilities to transform into practically ANYTHING... now it needs a constant power source. If you cou-"


The box thrashed wildly again, but this time it broke open. Out came a white miasma of energy. It bolted around Hunter, swirling around his body. It only lasted a few seconds then it found its constant power source. It dove into Hunters ring, sucking into each of the individual diamonds. Not a speck of its energy remained. 


View attachment 229073


Alex stumbled back to avoid the white energy and when it absorbed into Hunter he clapped slowly. "Guess it found a constant power source.. there you go, Merry Christmas Hunter. I've got to be off so just enjoy okay? Be careful. Every time it comes out it will drain a at your power, so try to use it sparingly. The larger, and more intricate, the more power lost. Oh! And it's just a shape shifting mist. I tried turning it into a dragon, it only became the form of a dragon- no fire sadly. But claws and wings and giant form and all, so I mean you give and you take. Alright I've got to go! I hope you like it!" Alex bolted back off to retrieve his suit and finish his experiments 


Jasper looked at Alex's stride then back to Hunter. "I think that's much better than what I got..." Jasper shook his head. The things he could do with a shape shifting mist.... his blue ring was faintly glowing and fading then stopped. "Storage is much more... practical" 

"I'm sure I can find a way to possibly gain control and not use a lot of energy.  It won't be easy but I'm sure it'll work.  If we have this beast.  I'm sure it can change the tides of a battle.  So we will need this in the future.  


But why is the fire still so aggravated? 


What does this mean jasper?"


At this moment a flash inside his head.  


Of the creature. Thrashing around trying to break free from its chains.  


"It needs a constant power.  So if I find something that can boost it's powers and morph it to become much more.  I'm sure it'll work out real well.  Maybe that dragon would then have fire.  


Jasper.  Do you think magic can be performed on the demon? "


He glances at the ring in curiosity. 


"If it's a mist and demon.  I can give it a physical form.  Something it can possess.  Yes?  And if I give it a physical form.  I can make something that can give constant power.  The generals have something that's constant and gives them power.  If I can get my hands on that maybe. Just maybe. "

 

[Jennete]

"Nice! You're getting it" Sebastian struck back again a bit harder, pushing her back a step 

Snow: She backed up and bit her lip as she moved in again, hitting hard with her arm in a slash moment. The blades twirled in her hands as she took a step back from him, holding the blades in front of her defensively, her eyes worried about a counterattack. She wasn't sure about fighting..."A..am I?"

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

"I'm sure I can find a way to possibly gain control and not use a lot of energy.  It won't be easy but I'm sure it'll work.  If we have this beast.  I'm sure it can change the tides of a battle.  So we will need this in the future.  


But why is the fire still so aggravated? 


What does this mean jasper?"


At this moment a flash inside his head.  


Of the creature. Thrashing around trying to break free from its chains.  


"It needs a constant power.  So if I find something that can boost it's powers and morph it to become much more.  I'm sure it'll work out real well.  Maybe that dragon would then have fire.  


Jasper.  Do you think magic can be performed on the demon? "


He glances at the ring in curiosity. 


"If it's a mist and demon.  I can give it a physical form.  Something it can possess.  Yes?  And if I give it a physical form.  I can make something that can give constant power.  The generals have something that's constant and gives them power.  If I can get my hands on that maybe. Just maybe. "

Jasper didn't know where Hunter's mind was going, but he kept with the flow. Jasper walked up to the dark flames. He was losing Hunter... generals or some power, they had power?


Jasper turned back to Hunter, his hands behind his back. "Let's break infiltration shall we? Stay in character long enough to get to that power source. And when you do, unleash the beast. And steal that power."

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Snow: She backed up and bit her lip as she moved in again, hitting hard with her arm in a slash moment. The blades twirled in her hands as she took a step back from him, holding the blades in front of her defensively, her eyes worried about a counterattack. She wasn't sure about fighting..."A..am I?"

Sebastian held steady against the clash of their blades. He almost missed the twist, if the shade of white hadn't given it away the dark would have mislead him. He recollected their inner gap. That could be dangerous, his spikes could get snagged. "You're doing amazing Snow, keep it up" He charged forward and slashed at Snow quickly with both hands. His right blade slashed outward against her blades while the left shot upwards, trying to snag in one of the daggers 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

The ground was approaching rapidly. Jade only had seconds to act or they would be dead for sure. Jade flipped open the book the old women gave her. There was no way she let them plummet to their deaths. There was no way. 


Decimus unfurled himself to slow down his fall even a little. The ground was imminent. Death was here. There were fewer trees than the thick of the forest. He'd only crash through them like twigs before hitting the ground 


She flipped the pages quickly. She didn't know what for or where to. She stopped and immediately just screamed the words she saw:


"Troubled blood with sleep's unease


Remove the cause of this disease!


Sleep eternal, nevermore


And shift the source of illness borne


To this puppet whom none shall mourn!" 


Decimus couldn't scream. He couldn't flail. He couldn't do anything. He closed his eyes knowing in moments he would collide with the earth, from where he came. He hoped he wouldn't feel the impact. Decimus closed his eyes and darkness consumed him. He felt no more. He was numbed to the wind of him falling. 


Clutched the book to her chest, curled into a ball, squeezed her eyes shut, and waited to crash. Her body was tense in a ball but soon her muscles relaxed 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

The deeper Jesse walked into the forest the more he felt a dark heavy looming presence over him. It was similar to the ocean. Jesssssssse... oh my.. I've gotten thinnn. Jesse looked all around at the swooping tunnel through land and trees like something just crashed through without concern for what was in its path. A little rattle shook in Jesse's face. Come deeper into the light, Jesssssee The dark voice was rougher and lighter now, raspier. Jesse walked straight ahead through the tree lines 


He could see what at first looked like giant roots exposed but were moving, slithering. Jesse tightened his grip and walked up to Leviathan. The demon snake's mouth filled with teeth was cackling at Jesse, his upper body rocking back and forth as he leaned closer to the boys face. Part of Leviathan's tail started slithering behind him like a wall. 





Jesse looked at Leviathan's body, following its path. It was folded in on itself well, but ultimately jutted to Jesse's right. Part of his body came out of the forest to block the exit and went back into the trees, and his tail came out of Jesse's left, flicking at his own spikes and scales.


"Is thissss were the pesssky bark flakessss attempt an assssault from behind?"


"Leviathan.." Jesse was still in awe at the depth of its size. His knuckles were white against his skin and the bars in his hands were blistering his skin. Jesse loosed his grip a bit. "You need to join me. Now"


Leviathan leaned in closer to Jesse. "Whyyy sssshouldnt I jusssst EAT YOU!"


Jesse held the weapons down. "You'll just kill part of yourself."


"SSSSUCH ARROGANCCCE!" But Leviathan stopped, getting closer slowly, putting his eyes directly into Jesse's face. 


The wall behind Jesse slithered away but not too long after Leviathans lower body was wrapping around Jesse, contracting extremely tight. At first it felt like an uncomfortable hug but once Leviathan's body was mostly crushing him his armor was doing little to help him. He could barely breathe. "WHYYY DIDNT YOU KILLLL THEM?! WHYYY?!" Leviathan stopped and let Jesse go and lowered his body. Jesse was coughing. "Find my three companionssss, bring them back here, and I will Join you once more." Leviathan slithered through the trees rapidly and within a few seconds his tail disappeared in the trees 

 

[MysteryVV]

Jasper didn't know where Hunter's mind was going, but he kept with the flow. Jasper walked up to the dark flames. He was losing Hunter... generals or some power, they had power?


Jasper turned back to Hunter, his hands behind his back. "Let's break infiltration shall we? Stay in character long enough to get to that power source. And when you do, unleash the beast. And steal that power."

"Got it.  I'll also see what plans they have.  As for now.  I was thinking.  They want me to report every week. And they want me to find your weaknesses.  


So the plan is to tell them your weaknesses are what makes you stronger.  So let's say you get powerful from lightning.  I'll tell them lightning makes you weak.  Easy as that.  They will never see it coming"


Smiling and laughing maniacly

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

"Got it.  I'll also see what plans they have.  As for now.  I was thinking.  They want me to report every week. And they want me to find your weaknesses.  


So the plan is to tell them your weaknesses are what makes you stronger.  So let's say you get powerful from lightning.  I'll tell them lightning makes you weak.  Easy as that.  They will never see it coming"


Smiling and laughing maniacly

"Sounds like a plan but I'm... actually weak to lightning. I know... while you're gone I'll become immune to lightning! If I do a sacrificial lightning summon I can learn to channel the lightning through my soul!" Jasper laughed maniacally as well 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Jade felt warm. Snuggled. She wiggled comfortably and remembered she was holding herself.


A bright light was illuminating her eyelids as she was shot from the black flames like a ball from a cannon and soon enough her legs had caught the top of the middle bench before the SE house. Her body unfurled and her back slammed onto the tough ground causing the wind to be expunged from her lungs in a pain-filled single cough.


Her head was ringing and it felt the world was spinning out of control. Her eyes fluttered open and three black figures circled above her. Her eyelids flew opened and they were gone. She rolled her legs off of the bench and let them fall to the ground. Her head was pounding. When she touched it her nerves screamed in response. The ringing in her ears grew louder and louder. She couldn't hear anything else. It felt like breath was on her face, panting, and a cold wet rough tongue. Jade screamed in terror and scrambled onto the bench 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

In the darkness the sound of chains dragging against cement - no, recoiling immediately locked their tight ensnare around Decimus. Around his arms, his torso, and his legs. They yanked his body, flinging him back. 


He was being pulled, raised through a blinding blue. Purple rotten ghoulish disgust replaced the light, the stench of decomposed eternity that was accompanied by thousands upon millions of voices each in a mixed roar. Molten fire and scorching heat melted the chains tigtether onto Decimus. His voice was lost in the many so he gritted his teeth and tried to contain the roar exploding out of him. Cool nothing washed over Decimus. He felt like he was floating in a sea of empty bliss. The chains pulled him towards a brighter and brighter light


He entered the effulgent glow that surrounded him, and once his eyes caught the reflections around and processed he saw he was rapidly flying towards the SW cabin. The incoming threat ripped a scream from him and he started flailing, but didn't make it far from the center pit as he tumbled and rolled across the ground

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

The center fire spit out Jade, sending her tumbling into a near bench, and then soon after spit out Decimus, letting him go flying the other way. Its flames licked at the sky releasing the light it was absorbing. It shrank back down getting smaller and smaller, shrinking back down and inside of the center pit, it slowly burned itself out until there was only ash and embers.


The center pit was empty revealing the depths of the camp about 40, 50ft into pitch darkness. The only sight in the center is deep within and gently glowing...


The glowing embers sparked, sparked, sparked, sparked once more, then shot back into the air. A mixture of a weak pale grey twisted and mixed with the familiar faint blue. The fire shot back high into the air burning bold and strong only for a few moments then disappeared from the bottom up. The sounds of an old man weakly laughing echoed from the bottom of the pit. 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Just for a second? Come on.. haven't I been nice? "No!!!" The hermit was lead under the desk by a scurrying group of roaches. While he munched away his ring called to him. He screamed in opposition and thrashed and banged around. The ring fell off of the desk and landed smack on the ground gem down. The mana stomach twisted into knots and his face planted onto the cold hard ground in front of the ring. Just for a moment? Then you can take me off again. "I... I can take you off..?" And it won't a bit. The hermit slowly reached for the ring but clawed his broken nails rough enough to rip off a fingernail and leaving a trail of blood. "No!! NO YOURE LYING!!" I wouldn't lie to you TBeelzelbub. "THATS NOT MY NAME!"


His bedroom door clicked and slowly creaked open. Put me on, and you'll be free. Thomas stared at the door. The cracklings was fading. Thomas scrambled quickly and forced the ring around the middle finger of his left hand. Instantly the twisted knot in his stomach wrenched even tighter. He huddled over in pain. "You... promised..!" The pain slowly subsided. Thomas scrambled on the ground and flung the door open. He ran out of the room into just more dark. The crackling.. it came from somewhere warm. He reached at the heat but it burned him 


Thomas squealed a bit and flinched back. As the flames got smaller and smaller he was getting colder and colder. Once the fire extinguished, little blue embers remained in the pile. 


Thomas moved back over to the little flames. He reached his hands into the dirt pile and picked the embers up. He sniffed them, then dug into the pile. The embers sparked and sparked with each chew. Suddenly the fire was back. It burned high around Thomas's face. It tickled. He laid completely on the fire pile and laughed as he played around in the ashes and ate the dirt. He scooped handful after handful into his mouth until there was no more. Then he licked the remaining ash off his hands and laughed and laughed as best his unused vocal cords could. 

 

[MysteryVV]

"Sounds like a plan but I'm... actually weak to lightning. I know... while you're gone I'll become immune to lightning! If I do a sacrificial lightning summon I can learn to channel the lightning through my soul!" Jasper laughed maniacally as well 

"That was just an example Jasper.  But yeah.  We can find our weaknesses and work on them. 


I'll work on myself as well"


Hunter took a stroll to his cave. He went to the very depth of the cave.  In the dark.  He stared at his ring.  Watching as the beast moved.  He sat down.  Closed his eyes.  Breathed.  And was meditating on it.  He left without a single word to anyone.  


He was thinking of possible things he could do.  Trying to connect with his spirit so he can go into the strap plane.  As his father had taught him to.  It was a way to use and see what powers you have without using it and damaging things.  Just to get a sense of what you could do.  But in order for it.  You have to be at peace in your mind.  For hours.  It was just darkness.  Hunter got mad and punched the wall.  Frustrated to find peace.  But all that could happen was flashes of old memories coming back to him.  


A girl.  


Memories flashed.  Hunter took his sword and slashed at the wall in anger. 


And then one last memory.  A girl lying on the ground with blood.  


He fell to his knees as tears started to form.  


"I need to do this.  For her. "


The entire time Leo was watching from a dip in the cave. Watching his son fail meditating and then losing control of his feelings.  He left when his son needed someone most.  

 

[Jennete]

Sebastian held steady against the clash of their blades. He almost missed the twist, if the shade of white hadn't given it away the dark would have mislead him. He recollected their inner gap. That could be dangerous, his spikes could get snagged. "You're doing amazing Snow, keep it up" He charged forward and slashed at Snow quickly with both hands. His right blade slashed outward against her blades while the left shot upwards, trying to snag in one of the daggers 

Snow: She gasped as her arm went to naturally block the right blade but left her other side open for his attack. Her skin glowed and prickled and his blade sliced easily through her hand... except her skin did not break. It rippled like water and reformed easily. She looked it wide eyed and laughed a little. It was short and shocked. Her mind raced... was...was this a useful tool? Could she possibly be a help as a fighter to this group that had taken her in? Her eyes met Sebastian's and she smiled softly, her eyes kind even when her movements proved opposite. She spun, her body moving like water in a dance. She had finally gained confidence, remembered her past, her other lives knowledge of fighting. She believed in herself a little more and his training had helped her. She fell in a splash of water only to suddenly reform behind him, slashing in an arc with both blades. 

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Snow: She gasped as her arm went to naturally block the right blade but left her other side open for his attack. Her skin glowed and prickled and his blade sliced easily through her hand... except her skin did not break. It rippled like water and reformed easily. She looked it wide eyed and laughed a little. It was short and shocked. Her mind raced... was...was this a useful tool? Could she possibly be a help as a fighter to this group that had taken her in? Her eyes met Sebastian's and she smiled softly, her eyes kind even when her movements proved opposite. She spun, her body moving like water in a dance. She had finally gained confidence, remembered her past, her other lives knowledge of fighting. She believed in herself a little more and his training had helped her. She fell in a splash of water only to suddenly reform behind him, slashing in an arc with both blades. 

Sebastians left hand felt little resistance- nothing like a collided blade should. Sebastian watched in horror as his sword slowly went up and up and through her hand. He was paralyzed with apology, and her laugh only partially released him. He matched her eyes and the fear from harming her faded. She was okay. And she was also on the offensive- no more lollygagging. His grip secured while she spun, eyes looking for an opening. Just then she was gone. He felt a prickling sensation and turned around. With little reaction time he took a half step back and bent his knees to hold himself steady and held both swords up to protect himself from the slash. Their blades collided and Sebastian pushed against her force to hold them there. "I thought you couldn't fight! This is amazing snow keep it up!"

 

[DizjayDeathPride]

Decimus groaned painfully and stretched his sore muscles. He laid still and let his eyes close again. Screaming, whailing, hollaring blared and blowed his mind into a numbing state of blankness. His eyes blinked back open. He processed the scene before him: dirt ground, upside down building before him. He raised up and looked around. He was back at the camp. Quickly Decimus scrambled to his feet 


Jade's morning rise began just as it always had. She yawned and stretched, her mouth smacked. She rubbed her eyes to remove the sandman's gift and she yawned again, stretching up. This time, however, when her eyes collected enough light to see what was around, she wasn't greeted by her tiny eight legged companion. Instead, a cackling black hyaena with blood dripping from its spiked collar and smoke pouring from is black flesh, with its mouthful of extremely sharp teeth and a glowing eye in its skull. Jade screamed and ran from the monstrosity that vanished once she turned away and she ran as far as she could from the creature 


Another voice joined the screaming in his mind, but this one was louder, more apparent and outside. Decimus looked to its location and saw Jade. She was flailing her arms and running blindly.. directly towards him. He stepped to the side but kept his arms out and caught her, spinning her and putting her back down. "Eeeeasy does it! What are you screaming for Jade?"


"I was- it- there's a.. look!" Jade clung to Decimus pointing to where she was. But there was nothing there. "I.. I don't understand.. it was right there!" A little bump ruffled out of Jade's hair and climbed onto the top of her head. A little black widow's red hour glass was boldly moving against the jet black of her hair. It crawled onto her face and Jade reached her finger under the little critter and held it to her eye level as it hopped and crawled around. Mommy mommy look! More friends! Jade traced her other index on its little body. "At least you're okay."


Jasper's face contorted to that of the look of someone who had witnessed a gruesome murder. 


Jasper couldn't see Decimus or Jade be expunged from the flames at the angle he was. But what he did get to witness was the black darkness shrink away. Once it was gone, he walked slowly closer to the pit. Out of nowhere it shot back into the air. Grey with a faint blue trailing through like a streak. Jasper looked down to his left hand while it shines brightly, a cascade of fractured light scattered around Jasper. The fire vanished once more, and it replaced by the ever so quiet sounds of an old man's laugh. The light faded from Jasper's hand and he rushed to look in the center. That's when he saw. Jasper's face contorted to that of the look of someone who had witnessed a gruesome murder, because that's practically what he witnessed. Down in the bottom... a frail old man was.. EATING their fire- their source of power. He consumed it all... "THOMAS!" Jasper yelled at the old man. He looked up to Jasper and bolted away into the darkness. Jasper fell backwards onto his behind and scooted away from the empty ring above land. 


Jade felt a cool sensation, like a breeze blowing from the entrance. She looked over and her eyes locked onto Jasper frantically trying to get away from the extinguished fire. Snow and Sebastian's training was no longer blocked by the high flames. Though from how serious they seemed to be, it didn't seem right to even wonder. Jade looked back to Jaspered worried. Why did he yell?


Decimus was already rushing to Jasper's side. Jade quickly followed 


Jasper scooted and scooted until he hit something solid. He looked up and saw Decimus looming down on him. Jasper was panting frantically, almost hyperventilating. Decimus lifted Jasper up and steadied him while the man tried to gain control of himself. "What happened, Jasper? What did you see in the fire?" 


"Not the fire he.. he ate it.. he ate it all... he.. he... he... ate.. it..."


"What do you mean?"


"He.. its-it's... the fire.... it's gone.. Thomas ate it.... everything.. the ash.... the eternal burning.. it's gone....." 


Jade bolted over to the fire pit. She looked down inside as well. It was so far down, absolutely death if she fell. But.. he was right. At the bottom there sat a giant ring shaped container. It was empty. Nothing but the circular shape that must have been producing the fires. 


Decimus watched Jade, and when she turned back and shook her head he knew Jasper was telling the truth. What could eat fire, ash, and whatever else was making the fire? Thomas? "Who's Thomas?" 


Jasper slowly shook his head. He couldn't tell them, couldn't find the words to explain


"Maddy Tom.. he ate the fire?" Lilly's voice carried over as she walked up to Jasper Jade and Decimus. Jasper nodded slowly. He was still petrified. "How..how...?"


"You know about Thomas too?"


The amount of fear and horror doubled when Lilly joined them. Jade hadn't noticed at first, but now that one was coming from Lilly as well, Jade could see two thin wispy particle like trails leading from Jasper and Lilly to... Jade. More accurately, they collected next to her like a endlessly flowing stream but didn't pile together. 


"Yeah... he's a hermit he lives in the basements. They all run together under the cabins. He's a little off. He doesn't like people like at all, not even me! He's probably been here longer than any of us..... 


Why did he eat the fire Jasper?"


"I don't know..."


They didn't seem to notice...


"Then let's go pay Thomas a visit."


"Oooooo THIS WAY!" Lilly skipped quickly and led the group back to the SE cabin