The Souls of Salem [WoD]

[ValkyrieRose]

There is Darkness in the world. That has never been up for debate, yet always denied at the mere mention of it. AS one town is quickly finding out... it is far darker than one could even begin to describe.


The Town of Salem, located deep in the forests of Washington. It is a lush place that dates back centuries, and some old buildings are still present amoung the ever growing city. Lolcal history books would have you think that this used to be the site of an old battleground, but that has never been proven. The whispers of ghosts and spirits are the flavor of the city, with some people even coming to record supernatural phenomena... though these people leave empty handed.


The word of the month seems to be 'disappearances." People have gone missing... more and more of them with each passing week.. and the citizens grow wary that.... what if.... what if something... not someone, was stealing them?

 

[ValkyrieRose]

Scene One: A Spiritual Night, Pt. 1


Location : "Confession" - Bar. Sunday. 8:30 PM


The bar was pretty packed. A two story floor with bars on both floors, a dance floor crowded with people... this is where people to wind down after a hard days work. The music was entrancing, most people came and simply danced their time away. Such was life in asalem: You worked, you drank, you slept. No one even thought about the recent new reports: for the last week, people have been missing from the city. No traces remained and the police were baffled... but there was no fear at all. It couldn't possibly happen to any of them, right?"


Two bartenders, twins by the looks of it, were skillfully handing out drinks to the patrons, and the dj was rocking it up . The lights were dark, the dance floor was lit up.... it was time for a party!


@NovaPheonix @Mistress Iris @Zayuz

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred wandered along the dance floor, seeming noticeably more displeased than the jovial people around him. He didn't smile or even bother to dance. He made his way towards where the drinks were being handed out and he decided that he wanted to take a drink. He needed to. He didn't want to have to think about all these horrible things at the moment, and he needed something to calm himself down. He waved to one of the twins with a swift gesture as he motioned for a drink while still standing up. The man wore on his face thick eyeshadow that made him almost look dead, or perhaps he was some kind of goth-clown. His left hand, the one he was holding up, was covered by a fishnet glove that was coated by a dark cloth. His hand had black painted nails and also had three rings on it, one in particular in the shape of a heart. The boy's hair was also bleached white, so he clearly looked abnormal.

Spoiler

 

[Zayuz]

Danielle walked into the the bar, scanning the crowd as she entered in search for another in the service of her patron. Her black hair fell just below her shoulders, which she had spent an embarrassingly great deal of time trying to perfect before the night started. Unlike usual, she wore a pink crop top and jeans that allowed her a lot of movement and her toned frame to stay exposed in some areas. In truth she usually wore a set of heavy steel armor, which made her current clothes feel weightless. She was so free to move and dance and.. Get completely sidetracked. She wasn't here to dance. She was here to 'recruit' somebody. Giving a small sigh, the girl waded through the crowd to her contact that.. So obviously stood out. Had he not put a moment's thought into his disguise? Hell, she may as well have just worn her armor.. Deciding against immediately going to greet him, she sat beside him at the bar where she promptly ordered a drink. "I'll take one of whatever you're serving." She said in a calm but faintly excited voice. She had never done this kind of thing.. In fact, she had to buy these clothes just for the occasion.

Spoiler

 

[Mistress Iris]

'Why here?' Aurora thought to herself for the millionth time, looking out from the booth she sat at. 'A club really? I thought only shady meets happened in places like this.' She rolled her eyes, with a soft sigh. 'I need to lay off the Netflix.' She lightly tugged at her long blonde braids, a habit she had picked up, as she glanced around. She looked at the nearby bar, watching the twins make the drinks. She shook her head and grabbed a file out of her messenger bag, checking to make sure all the necessary papers and brochures were in order. She set the manila folder on the table, then moved her emerald eyes to her beaded wristwatch. She knew she was a bit early, but she was antsy to leave.


The girl used to frequent the place once upon a time, last thing she needed was to have someone recognize her. Not that it would be easy, she had changed herself since then. She at one point donned dark clothes, heavy makeup, and signature black hoodie; since then her style had become more earthy. Her clothes became light and airy, colors more warm, like that of a modern flower child.


Aurora pulled the hood of her shawl off her head, and did another sweep of the the area. 'I know they said my contact would be a male in a gothic get up but....' She spotted five people that fit the description right off the bat. 'Hopefully they get here soon, I really just want to get this over with.' She crossed her hand on top of the folder, tapping her foot impatiently under the booth.

Spoiler

 

[ValkyrieRose]

The bartender quickly filled the orders of the gothic man. He was unfazed by his appearance-they got in that kind all the time. Still, this one looked rather..extreme even for the other goths. He filled his order pretty quickly. Eventually he would get to the woman's order. "Sure thing, that'll be ten." He says, dropping a cup of jack in front of her. HAving no real time to talk, he turns to begin serving the next person


Zarred's phone would buzz with a picture of a woman with the words' alright, finally found a picture of this chick. Here ya go *shows picture of Aurora* Supposedly does a ...osychic t hing of some sort.. Already knows your coming. That crazy looking chick is on standby in case shit goes down. Don't fuck up


-T"


@NovaPheonix @Zayuz z @Mistress Iris

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred didn't say anything for a moment as he downed the drink in his left, gloved, hand while he pulled out his phone with his right. He started wandering around the bar. He figured to himself, within his own mind, as he walked. If she's psychic, then she should be able to find me, right? He didn't bother to put any effort into looking for her, but tried to keep the picture fresh in his mind as he drank. Maybe that would help somehow, he figured. He was awakened to the connections between things, but he wasn't the type of person to consider how his thoughts affected things.


The only thing Zarred thought about was Death. That's why he had to drink. He was a hollow person inside, and he hardly considered himself a person. I'm just a ghost, or maybe a zombie...I'm just not dead yet. His thoughts were coated with the stench of death, as if it was the only thing he could think about. Sometimes I wish I was, at least I could be with them then... He wanted to go back to get some more drink to blur his thoughts further, but he was on a mission right now. The way he was going to accomplish that mission though, was just to stand around and await the inevitable. To him, it was just like Death, it would happen at some point...it was just a Matter of time.

 

[Mistress Iris]

Aurora waited anxiously, keeping her eye out for anyone that popped out at her. At this point it was 15 minutes after the meet time, and she was getting irritated. 'Why is he so late? I hope they don't expect me to find him with such a vague description....I hate it when they try to 'test' me like this, so annoying.' She rubbed her temple, then stowed the folder back in her bag, standing up. 'This is not what I need right now, I have plenty of other cases to deal with. I'll just call them and set up another appointment somewhere else.' She pulled out her phone and began looking through her contacts as she made her way to the exit. 'Oh come on, I know I added 'em.' Aurora, so immersed in her search, bumped right into someone, dropping her phone.


"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry." She said with a glance as she crouched down, reaching for her cell.


@NovaPheonix

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred looked down at her as she bent down and couldn't help but smile a bit. The woman he was looking for had just bumped into him. He reached quickly for the phone that was on the ground. It looked like it was helping her, but in reality he was trying to catch a look at what she had going on. "It's no problem, really."


@Mistress Iris

 

[Mistress Iris]

"Eh heh," Aurora chuckled awkwardly, tilting her head to the side in a sheepish manner. "Thanks." She smiled, holding out her hand for her phone. "I really am sorry though, was lost in my own world." She looked him over from head to toe.


'Not bad. Not my type, but a looker none the less' She thought briefly before the light bulb clicked in her head.


"Hey you wouldn't happen to be having a spirit problem would you?" She knew it was really forward, but she could deal with an look or two so long as it sped things along. In her line of work Aurora had grown used to the skeptics, so the comments usually never got to her anymore.


@NovaPheonix

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred glared at the phone for a second, trying to see what she had been looking at. Afterwards, he glared at her, his thick eyeshadow making him look quite creepy and macabre. "I don't know anything about...spirits." His voice was somewhat thick, deep, and hollow. He was clearly mature, despite looking young and rebellious. He didn't lie one bit. He knew about ghosts, but spirits were a whole different animal. Spirits weren't something that he dealt with or even cared about...unless they got in his way. For the moment that they exchanged words, he held her phone hostage as he tried to read it. It was gripped in his cold hands, and he didn't let go.


@Mistress Iris

 

[Mistress Iris]

She did NOT like how he glared at her, she got it if he was annoyed, but he needed to tone down the hate vibes. When he spoke, Auroras' smile hardened every so slightly. 'Is he trying to intimidate me?' The thought crossed her mind, which agitated her greatly.


"O-kaay then, thanks for clearing that up." She said with a snipped tone. "I'll just be taking my phone, and get out of your hair then." Aurora moved her hand quickly, aiming to snatch her cell out of the mans hand.


@NovaPheonix

 

[NovaPheonix]

"Not until you tell me how you know this guy." The strange goth man held out the phone, pointing to the number that had just texted him some moments ago. "Otherwise, you can say goodbye to your phone...got it?" he held it out to her, not keeping a very firm grip on it. It was almost like he was inviting her to take it, but he was waiting to see if she would flinch or react in some other way.


@Mistress Iris

 

[Mistress Iris]

Auroras' eyes narrowed, her lips forming a thing line. "I am bound by a client confidentiality agreement, so I can't say." She bit out, eyeing her phone. She looked him over again, sizing him up, seeing how likely she was to get her phone. After a few moments, she sighed glancing away "Look dude, I just want to get home so I'll bite. He never showed to sign the contract, so I think I'll live." She took a breathe, filled with annoyance and frustration, then looked him in the eye again. "He said his name was Jasper. You happy? Now can I please have my phone back?" In the back of her head a headache was beginning to form, the music not helping at all.


@NovaPheonix

 

[NovaPheonix]

"What do you do, you said he was a...client? You don't look like a lawyer or anything." He moved his eyes away from the flower-child styled chick and moved with his other hand to grab his own phone. He texted to the number, simply saying: Found her. Wht now?


He figured that she was going to take the phone back while he was distracted, but he didn't need the phone anymore. If she wasn't going to take it though, he felt like holding unto it.


@Mistress Iris

 

[ValkyrieRose]

@Novaphoenix


Zarred's phone sends another message. "Top Brass says this woman is supposed to be some sort of...psychic person. Check her out. See if she knows anything about our activities, especially the disappearances and spirit activities. If she seems even remoetly legit, grab her. We can't afford compromise. If she won't come, have your 'guardian' do it the har way...or the bloody one.""

 

[Mistress Iris]

She crossed her arms over her chest, rolling her eyes. "Not that you'll believe me, but I'm a medium. I can see and speak to ghosts, okay? Anything else?" Her tone dripped with every bit of how fed up she was. She looked over at him, and noticed he didn't seem to paying any attention to her. With that she took her chance, grabbing her phone, and putting it safely in her skirt pocket. She glanced at him, and shook her head while rolling her eyes. 'That's enough douchebaggery for one night' Aurora turned away without a word, deciding to try the longer route that lead to the exit.


@NovaPheonix

 

[Zayuz]

Danielle made a small sigh, looking between Zarred and their target. Her drink was already done, and the target seemed to be annoyed with her associate. "I'm going to go get her, you can come if you'd like." She got up and moved through the crowd towards the exit, in hopes that she might get there before Aurora. ..Who seemed to be taking a less 'direct' route. Hmp. If she knew that she would have some extra time she might have gotten another drink first. Danielle wasn't by any means disappointed with Zarred's interaction with their target, after all he had confirmed who she was and that she was a medium. It would be better if they had their conversation outside though.. Especially if she had to use force. Upon reaching the exit, she gestured to the bouncer for her weapon back. 'Peacekeeper' might be very useful in the next few moments..

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred basically stood there without moving much, an observer. Like a game of chess, he watched the pieces come into place. The Knight threatened the Bishop, and he wondered what he was in this situation. The king? A pawn? He didn't care. He just watched, and decided to let the pieces fall where they may. Needless to say, he wasn't going to get involved. He shoved his hands into his pockets and shifted himself around until he got a good view of the exit. If he needed to, he would run after her...but that probably wasn't necessary since he saw Danielle going for her weapon.


She had said she was a medium, someone who had a connection with ghosts. He considered that to himself for a long while, and in his own mind he had a strong sympathy...even a bit of empathy for someone like that.


@Zayuz @Mistress Iris

 

[Mistress Iris]

On her way out, Aurora decided to go to the restroom to wash her face, figuring some cold water would help calm her down. She moved into the empty room and was happy to find that a good portion of the music was blocked by the walls. While there, she decided it would be a good time to call her contact to tell them to reschedule. She pulled out her phone and found the contact, clicking the green dial button. "Come on pick up...." She paced, back and forth as the phone rang.

 

[ValkyrieRose]

@Mistress Iris


The phone picks up a few rings later. "Hello? This is Jasper


What is it?" He asks. It has a rough, rugged voice to it, like an oler man, almost

 

[Zayuz]

Danielle leaned against the wall at the exit, waiting for their target to pass. ..She seemed to have disappeared, which was inconvenient to say the least. Her sword hilt rested in her hand, also propped up against the wall. The girl took out her phone and messaged Zarred..


"Did you see where she went? She should have passed me by now."


She looked up from her phone and over the street, trying to confirm that she hadn't passed by without her noticing. When she saw nothing, she made a small sigh and prepared to wait a while.


"Maybe if you piss her off a bit more she'll try to leave."


"Then we can get her."

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred texted back 'Got it.' and shut off his phone. He didn't lie to Danielle exactly. He saw that she had gone into the girl's bathroom, but he wasn't prepared to tell the woman that. He wanted to handle this without her getting involved. He gulped a bit, immediately regretting what he was going to do. Sneaking into the girl's bathroom? This was not something he felt comfortable doing at all. He tried to suppress his nerves and make himself scarce. He moved silently, not putting pressure on his feet as he moved silently into the room. He realized she had no line of sight on him, and once he spotted her on the phone, he moved behind a wall. He wanted to listen in to what she was saying, but after he realized he had nowhere to hide, he made a jump for her. It was an attempt to grab her from behind. He had to use the element of surprise while he still had it. If she had turned around for even a second, he would have been spotted.


@Mistress Iris @Zayuz

 

[Mistress Iris]

After a few rings someone picked up, much to her relief. "Hi, sir, it's Aurora Fitzpatrick. I really sorry, but we are going to have to reschedule the consultation. I seemed to have missed you at th-UHG" As she was speaking her phone went flying, when she suddenly felt two arms wrap around her. One wrapped tightly around her torso, the other around her neck in a choke hold. She fought against the person holding her, trying to use her hands to free her airway. "Ge-t o...ff" she choked out trying to claw at the arm around her neck. She then decided to try elbowing the offender in the stomach, as well as aim to step on their foot.

 

[NovaPheonix]

Zarred tried to hold her as tight as he could, aiming to choke her out before she could continue. She was fighting much too hard for his lanky body to be able to resist. From Aurora's perspective, he suddenly went limp like a doll, but his muscles still gripped unto her. He would notice in the mirror that Zarred's eyes would turn blank white for an instant, probably a trick of the light. "Ares Astra... Ares Era...Era Spíritus...Memoria Musculus..." The dark whispers sounded like mumbled gibberish to Aurora's ears, but it was the language of magick. He held her firm, but her raw strength was enough to knock the air out of his lungs and force him off her. He had already completed his spell, and his eyes darted automatically to watch her movements. His breathing slowed, and his entire body was prepared. Muscles primed like a cannon to fire off automatically. Now, he could move faster by relying solely on his instincts alone. He knew his body wasn't strong enough to stop her, but he had prepared himself to strike with such accuracy and directness that his strength no longer mattered. He had already picked his target, but now he only had seconds to act.


@Mistress Iris