Masquerade [Inactive]

The Baron lets out a loud and obnoxious laughter before giving Umbra a demeaning looking looking gaze. To him, it was a similar situation to when a child tries to hold up a conversation with adults on a subject the kid has absolutely no idea about. "The keyword here is my monsters, little Umbra." He says in a condescending tone. He shifts slightly to get a screwdriver on the table next to him, which gives Umbra a brief glance of whatever he was working on, but it seemed apparent that it was missing at least one major part. "If they were my monsters, I would have no need of weapons like this old thing."
 
Cold, hard surprise. "Thatvsuggestsvthey are not in your control... which would undermine your statements in the grand hall earlier, about us all becoming your children if I remember correctly." Being patronised phased him a little, but Umbra knew he was in no position to fight back or react. He continued to scan the room swiftly. "So if they're not yours then how do you organise this all around that fact? "
 
The room was strewn with all sorts of mechanical equipment, though it looked rather strange against the ornate wood and lavish furnishings that lay behind it. Much of the expensive furniture had been thrown uncaringly into the corner of the room to make space for workbenches and chemistry tables. Whatever the Baron was working on, however, dominated the room with its size and complexity. "I suppose youll be like the rest of them soon anyway, so I see no problem telling you. I think this is the... third, maybe fourth time that I've explained it." He sounds a little distracted, as if the situation wasn't worth his time, he continues with his machine as he speaks. "Noah came a while back, looking for refuge, all sodden looking, like I assume he acted when he was around you. Out of the kindness of my heart, I offered to take the boy in, how could I not? His eyes." He shakes his head for a moment, as if the memory brought disgrace to him. "Obviously I didn't know he was that thing. He came into my bedchamber while I was resting, I had to make a deal with him, for my own safety." He pats the machine. "I give him a steady stream of humans, and he leaves me alone, sounds pretty good to me. Though obviously I can't let someone like that ruin my Estate forever, so your purpose is to give me time until this is done. Does that answer your questions?"
 
Glancing about the room, Umbra noticed a few bits of metal and chemicals that could potentially have made suitable weapons, but eventually deamed them unsuitable. "No malicious intent at all then, just pure selfish survival of the fittest," Umbra muttered, now approaching the man and drawing alongside his desk. "How can I help you then? I have at least a half decent mind that can hopefully aid you on stopping Noah. I notice you're missing something key. How about we make a deal; I fetch and provide this missing piece for you in exchange for helping me save my friend's life?"
 
"Oh, I so tire of deals." He says with a heavy sigh. "A deal is what got me into this mess, but if you can get what I need, then I suppose theres no harm in letting you die trying." He tenderly touches the edges of the open slot. "I need something of Noah's, so that I can prime it to kill only him. A bit of cloth, blood, sweat, anything." He waves Umbra off, he fully expected him to die trying, and so he looks at him as though he just condemned the man to death. "Go on, now." Despite thinking he was sending to him to his death, he didn't seem to care, or at least it didn't visually affect him, he could have told Umbra to fetch him some cookies with the same attitude.
 
"You seem to have forgotten the 'deal' aspect of the deal," Umbra's snarkiness had returned with the clarity of mind he had found around the room. The Baron's apathy just drew apathy back from him, though his ability to let so many die made him a saddening figure in his eyes. "Give me something, be it information or physical item, that I can use to save my friend." And now, growing impatient; "And I imagine you're excircising thoughts about just letting me go alone as I'm already a 'lost cause', another 'victim' of your fallen deal. But then how would you expect to acquire the item yourself? And how am I supposed to get out of this room, a room which unexplainedly seems to lessen my infection, when I am in this state?" He pointed to the grey skin that surged all the way from his neck to his arms. "I wonder what Noah would do if he knew you were working on a weapon to kill him. And wouldn't it be interesting trying to lee him in here to find out..."
 
Wexley had never had a great hold on her mind. She did once, at a very young age, but solitude and a scientist father lead to her perpetually worsening mental state. But this did not mean she was not observant nor smart or even sane in some extreme cases. Quite the contrary, and she had definitely noticed that she no longer felt any pain with the new coating of grey. Also, that the nausea had subsided and the pounding in her head had lessened considerably. A sudden interest to see how much pain she could induce overtook her and she settled her now piercing blue eyes on Noah. But she did not see Noah, per say. The man she saw standing before her looked quite different. He had shaggy black hair and the same eyes she did. The pain inducing urge simmered into nothing as a new one took over. It was the urge to see how long it would take her to separate him from all his vital organs. She rushed forward and caught Noah by his throat then kicked out the back of his knee. Quickly she hopped away, concentrating on putting all her energy into keeping the feeling from fading.
 
The Baron looks back up from his machine to stare Umbra in the eye. "You're smarter than the rest, I guess the infection isn't so rife in you, then. Not so... obedient. Ah well." He stuffs his hand into his pocket before bringing out a small switch-blade, it was ornate like the rest of the Estate, with a golden hilt and a sharp silver blade. He weaves it around his hand with expertise as he speaks. "Your infection isn't weakened because you are here, your infection is weakened because you are away from him. He is the Catalyst, the Hivemind, the Imperator, the Architect. It'll be a shame to put him down." He talks with a sense of awe about the creature, though he quickly shakes his head and hands the switch-blade over to Umbra. "One cut will do, though don't stay long around him, for obvious reasons."


~~~


Noah was surprised by the attack, he mostly expected Wexley to give in to the induced headache, or at least be weakened by it, though that didn't seem the case. Noah was hardly injured by the attack, though he did stumble slightly from the force. He sneers at her for a moment, blood flooding into his eyes once again as he charges. He threw his whole form into the attack, a shuddering body slam that would have crushed a normal man. He continues straight threw before turning around, now behind her. "You know, I've never had competition controlling a mind. This should be fun." He taps his temple with his razor sharp claws, forcing his voices to flood into Wexley's mind.
 
"That's beyond my intentions," Umbra took the switch-blade and toyed it in his hands a second. "I'm not a violent man. I don't think I've ever inflicted pain on anyone ever. This should be interesting." He pocketed the item and headed to the door, but span on his heels as he reached it. "And my friend? Will see be freed and safe should I pull this off?"
 
The Baron shurgs. "How am I suppose to know? You should focus on 'pulling it off' first." With that, he returns to his tinkering, speaking again without looking up. "When you die, can you die somewhere convenient so I can get that back? Thaaaaaank you."
 
Umbra hated The Baron's rudeness and was aware that very little of his deal had actually been fulfilled, but knew he had no alternative. Shutting the door behind him, he considered the possibility that The Baron was lying to him, but again found himself powerless to seek an alternative. He hated that feeling. He was always in control, yet now he had to take a dynamic risk. Umbra stood beside the window of the hall full of children and planned his attack.
 
Most of the Children were staying in their comatose state, though some began to twitch, and some had definitely awakened and left the room. Through the window, Noah and Wexley could be seen brawling with each other, though it seemed astonishing that she had even survived, though even looking at Noah is enough to awaken the dormant grey skin around Umbra's arms, and he can feel them advancing more around his shoulder blades with a glance. Noah seemed to be trying some sort of mental attack, as he was completely focused on Wexley.
 
It suddenly felt as though she was trapped in a very crowded room. She stepped forward to try and escape the voices. The yells or whispers drove her to cover her ears. Her eyes started to dull once again she whimpered and crouched down. Without taking her hands from her ears she turned to glare at Noah from her spot near the ground. She could by no means, counter-attack him mentally, but it left her an opportunity to attack him out in reality.
 
Umbra watched an almost entirely grey Wexley sagger for a second, and admired her resilience. She's lasted much longer that most. Remarkable. His eyes dared quickly from the room of creatures to outside, a mad plan formulating in his mind.
 
The room where the Children where in felt huge, but in reality was only made to feel that way through the use of mirrors and glass. A large chandelier subjugated the roof with its complicity, and even though it lighted up the room sufficiently, there were still many candelabras around the room on dressers to add to the excess of the room. The Children generally ignored him, though a few began to notice an intruder among them, but simply stared, as though awaiting command.


~~~


Noah keeps up his attack, advancing on the debilitated Wexley as she glares at him. Soon, Noah was towering over Wexley as she cowered from the onslaught. He tilts his head curiously, before releasing his grip on Wexleys mind. "There is no point resisting, nobody will come to save you, you are alone against a superior power, and I'm offering to let you join. Surely you can see the odds are not in your favour." He puts his hand out tenderly as to help Wexley up. "Let it into your eyes... I assure that you won't regret it."
 
Brief alarm flashed through her eyes at the mention of losing. But it was soon replaced by a look of complete defeat. She looked up and reached out for Noah's hand.


"No one is coming for me." Her mind flashed briefly to Umbra, who would have been her only friend if they had made it. But she let the thought go, gone with the soft breeze that rippled through her long hair. Decisively she took Noah's hand and stood, locking eyes with him. His eyes were terrifying, and hers would be too, but she supposed it couldn't possibly be all bad.


"I'll submit..." She whispered.
 
A ravenous grin crosses Noah's face as the words escape Wexley's mouth. Immediately the grey invades the rest of her face and crosses into her eyes, the crippling effect of the alien skin quickly leaving her body as her mind experiences an absolute clarity. Noah helps her get to her feet as her strengths returns and multiplies. The skin shifts quickly around her body, growing claws around her hands and turning her teeth razor sharp. Finally, the grey retreats from her eyes, allowing her to see with immense precision. "That's what I wanted to hear... I must commend you on your resilience, though. I think you'll find the improvement much to your liking. You'll wonder what you ever did without it."
 
A smile similar to Noah's flashed over her lips as she examined her claws. She chuckled softly at first, then it grew louder until she was full out howling with laughter.


"Oh, this is so much better!" Liar. A small voice cried out. She ignored it and watched Noah with gleeful eyes. Insane eyes. The voice spoke again, this time louder and more forceful. Go back to normal you liar. I know you liked being insane human Wexley, not some crazy beast. Again she ignored it, but it was slightly harder to this time. She twirled and let out a content sigh.


"Much better."
 
Noah reciprocated Wexley's look perfectly, though there was no little voice in his eyes to distract him, only an utter absolution. "Glad you like it, you'll be happy to know you can put it to use very shortly." He says with a growl before gesturing towards the broken window where the two first entered the garden. "I think a hunt is in order, to celebrate. Maybe Clara or Matt, though I'd like to find Umbra, just to wrench his obnoxious little head off."
 
Umbra's plan was a little sketchy, but he had very little alternative. Dashing back into The Baron's room briefly, he retrieved a long wiring cord that he had noticed earlier, curling it around his arm and dragging it out of the room. Closing the door behind him, Noah's influence made much heavier, but he ploughed on. Tiptoeing tentatively into the roon of creatures, all still and ignoring him, he climbed onto a table and slung the end of the wire around the chandelier, making sure it was securely wrapped. Then he heaved the rest of the wire down the corridor to a broken window where he saw Wexley give in at last to Noah's influence. Oh dear. I might be too late. He noticed the grey pair preparing to turn and enter the window, and quickly ducked behind the left wall, out of sight. If they come in here, then I'll have the perfect opportunity to strike! Holding the end of the cord with trembling hands, Umbra stayed hidden, waiting as he ignored the pained pulsating of his head.
 
"Ooh, if we do that, let me have the honors! How amusing it would be to watch the little bit of color drain from his eyes." The voice kept screaming at her to shut up, run away or go back to regular Wexley. She was tempted to tell it to be quiet out loud, but it would do no good seeing as she knew it was in her head somewhere.


"How will we find Umbra? He went to the Baron and I have no clue where that is. Do you?" The prospect of attacking someone in this form nearly had her drooling at the mouth like some ravenous dog. Which, really wasn't to far off from what she was now.


"Do you think the other Children would mind if I used them as test subjects? I'm not used to this yet." Her eyes flickered to the rooming of milling Children.
 
Noah scratches the underside of his chin. "Hmm... I doubt the Baron was very receptive of him, though I know where he likely is now. Lets go." He gives off a little bit of a laugh as he walks to the shatter glass and passes through with ease. "Go ahead, the other Children are weaker anyway... they are more side-effects of my feeding than actual soldiers, though don't kill too many, they do make good meat shields." With that, he leads Wexley to the room full of Children and the hiding Umbra, just as the Children go hyper at his arrival, excitedly jumping around as they hang on his command. Noah obviously loved the attention.
 
Umbra watched the pair head straight into the room of children, and couldn't avoid breaking into a grin. Stealthily, he snuck outside and to within distance of the new hole in the glass and, with an almighty heave, pulled down on the cord. At that moment, the chandelier fell with an almighty crash to the floor of the room of children, coursing the air with the screech of smashing glass. However, the chandelier also brought down all the smaller candle holders, raining the ground with candles which started steady flames. Umbra quickly dropped the cord and, echoing smash still ringing, dashed towards Noah, knife open.
 
Noah was so astonished by the sudden crash of the chandelier, he cried out in a sudden agony as many of the Children are crushed under its weight, though he urged them not to die. His mind raced as he thought who could have possibly done such a thing, though his confusion was quickly answered as he sees a flash of steel and a charging Umbra out of the corner of his eye. He sneers at Umbra, but it was likely too late for him to maneuver out of the attack, even with enhanced reflexes, but he knew Umbra would pay dearly for the offence.
 
The flames and whimpering Children were enough to make Wexley freeze in her tracks. It was such an oddly beautiful thing. To add to it all, a fight was going to break out between Umbra and Noah, she was a little upset she wouldn't be the one to take him out, but watching Noah do it would still be rather entertaining. But the moment was ruined by the return of Pesky Pisky, the little voice. Umbra's going to be in trouble. Don't you want to help him? Not especially. Wexley responded, although the voice had driven her to consideration. She liked talking to him and it would be a damn shame if he got impaled before they talked again. Suddenly she found herself wishing to be human again and her desire to kill directed itself once again, at Noah. The voice, had won.
 
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