Fantasy Vexpara

[Coin]

Kendra Lattimore​

Though Kendra made a point to make eye contact and give a slight nod to every hunter and exorcist that approached to take an earpiece, only a couple lingered by her to ask another question, the first being one of their Ouros, Iris. The guildmaster listened with intent as the other woman stated her concern before responding, "To my knowledge, and to the NYPD's knowledge, the floor plans and residency information provided to us by the landlord is all legit. The cops have a close eye on him in custody just in case. We can only hope that the worst case scenario of us receiving sabotaged intel did not happen." The guildmaster bit the bottom of her lip after she finished responding. Nothing could be ruled out, and she was glad her subordinates were thinking the same way.

The next to stop was Angelica -- the newest greenhorn of their number, and a demon of great potential. She was young, and had plenty to learn but the guildmaster was certain she was looking at true potential. That was why Kendra took her off the streets as soon as she could, before that potential found itself in the wrong hands. The two had their disagreements, and though she didn't want the young demon to be alongside the hunt with so much to learn still, it was a compromise she couldn't turn down. Angelica would finish school, and in return she would get a chance to be a hunter like the rest of them. In a way, Kendra saw herself in Angelica, which was why she couldn't help but smirk despite the grim scenario in front of her. No need to fill her with needless worry.

"Angelica, dear," Kendra began, speaking loud enough for those nearby to hear. She was careful to ensure her tone was not too coddling as she addressed the demon, "I know you want to dive headfirst into this, and you are clearly astute enough to realize the gravity of the situation, but I would like you and Nathan to stick close to Iris and Imra. It's imperative that our Ouros are properly supported with offensive and reactive magic so they can keep the rest of us safe. An attack on them, should be treated like an attack on yourself. Respond in kind -- this is one of those situations where less-than-lethal force may not be enough, and so you must be prepared to kill. Part of the job is learning when to do so. The best instruction I could give you is to never hesitate to protect a comrade, remember that."

With that, Kendra called out so the rest of the guild could be hear her over the rain, "Alright! We're leaving now, people. If you aren't ready with your gear yet, meet us on the east side of the building. I'll keep the gate open for you." She pushed herself off from the table she was leaning on and left the shelter of the tent and into the thunderstorm. She pressed the blue LED button on the side of her earpiece and made her voice audible to everyone on the channel, "Commissioner Paris? It's Lattimore. My people are moving out now. We'll tell you when we're on the inside." A brief hiss of static terminated her transmission as she let go of the button.

A short walk in the rain eventually lead to the side alley of the apartment building. In her mind's eye, Kendra visualized the interior of the building as she walked alongside the wall, dragging her well-maintained fingertip against the wet stone. She stopped abruptly and turned to face the wall entirely, shutting her eyes and tracing a circle on it with her fingertips until a portal humming with abyssal energy burst into reality where her fingers had touched. Kendra had opened an infernal gate no more than a foot wide in any direction directly through the other side of the wall to confirm that the floor plan was indeed correct. The inside was inky black, so Kendra cast a quick night vision spell on her eyes so she could scan the interior. Her eyes glowed a searing purple for a moment as they darted left to right, then right to left again. Inside was what she had imagined: a few treadmills, some weight racks, benches, a few dark TVs along the walls, and plenty of room for them to all fit.

A single blink later, her eyes had returned to their normal intensity as the night vision spell wore off. The guildmaster turned back to the exorcists that had followed her and nodded to them, "The gym is clear, and door closed. No signs of anything in there, but I still want Ouros and Augurs in first to sweep the place for traps. Cranes, I need the lock on the door out of commission for good so we can get in and out easily. Blooden, back them up and get ready to take the hallway once the gym is secure. Be quick and quiet about it, while I work on keeping this gate open."

Kendra cracked her knuckles, sending vibrant magic to her palms and grabbing onto the edges of the gate. The portal hissed as the guildmaster pushed the gap wider with some effort. Once it was wide enough to fit two people side-by-side, she backed off of the portal and released a quick burst of grey energy from her palm that collided with the portal and coated the edge with the same dull grey magic. The same ritual magic energy continued to trickle from her palm to the edges of the portal like a slow drip of molasses.

"Alright, the gate's good. First in," Kendra ordered, keeping her concentration on the spell in her palm.

Spoiler: General Tag

Soviet Panda , WaywardJester , Lucem , The One Called X , Bang Bang , Life. , Archie , Bumblebee , simj26 , DarkianMaker , Aldur , Katsuya , _Line 213 , TPBx , CerpinTaxt , Roleplay Skittle , Wolf Wolf

 

[Katsuya]

- Magnolia Noir -
Magnolia froze when Mrs. Lattimore gestured for everyone to grab an earpiece. Her face pinched in discomfort as she looked down at her black light-weighted boots and the floor. Her attempt on not revealing her presence was thwarted by the simple need of an earpiece. She needed to get one in order to work, she can't let her discomfort control her --- even when she has every reason to not want to be in front of a certain few's views. Like that of Marina. She was violent, beyond violent when it came to demons.

The half-demon hoped to never work with the explosive redhead alone in the future for her own safety reasons.

She didn't notice that was left alone until a hand with an offered earpiece came into her sight. Magnolia flinched, blinking owlishly as she tries to comprehend why a hand with an earpiece was in front of her, and quickly looked up to see it was Irma. With a relieved and grateful smile towards the quiet blonde, the half-demon Crane placed a flat hand near her lips, and bends her wrist back to reveal her palm towards Irma; "Thank you" in sign language.

Gingerly picking the earpiece off her friend's hand, she immediately reached over to her right ear to pull one of her green hearing aids out, since she can hear a little more in her right than left ear. Then she replaced it with the earpiece, making sure it stays secured as she reached for the left ear's aid to raise the volume up. Perking up at hearing Mrs. Lattimore's announcement and pressing on the circle LED button, Magnolia sighed and stayed near Irma.

As the readied group reached their destination, the tiny Crane couldn't help but stare in a bit of awe at Mrs. Lattimore's abilities. Yes, she has seen her use Gates magic before, but it's not easy to create portals between rooms and such. Once she heard the orders, Magnolia waved at her childhood friend with a nervous grin as if wishing her good luck and waited outside.

 

[_Line 213]

Quentin Granger

The old man groaned as the Scotsman's accent grated against his ears.

If he was to be honest with himself, there were worse sounds in the world, really--for example, any of the god damned Americans on the team saying just about anything. The usual accents that surrounded him were like sawblades next to Finlay's more soothing freshly-unpackaged drywall sander. There was a slight bit of nostalgia to the other man's voice, insofar as the other former Kingdom-dweller actually had something of a cultural tie to anything Quentin ever really cared about, but something about the man's overall demeanor made him mildly insufferable all the same.

That said, he was one of the less insufferable coworkers, as far as Quentin was concerned.

"I look like the clean-up crew" he muttered, briefly giving his gear one more round of checks--this time around for the sake of ensuring that everything was more or less spotless, "what the rest of you look like is a gaggle of four-year-olds with a hobby of tracking mud through the house."

Just like that, the group was on the move; Quentin kept his shotgun at the ready to begin as the group trudged through the rain-slicked streets, yet all he could think of was the fact that standing out in the cold and the wet wasn't going to be good for his health. Not in the slightest. The plan went by quickly, and at the mention of a lock, Quentin gave his gun a quick pump. It wasn't exactly a breaching gun, but lacking anything proper, it could likely get the job done. "Just say when you want us in, then."

Coin Aldur

 

[TPBx]

A brief lapse in memory lane brought him back to the hours before his last mission in Seoul. He and his squad broke through the front door of an office building with a breaching charge. The large door fell with a huge thud, being the veteran he was, Jun took point and carefully waltzed into the room, his eyes flicking back and forth between the different potential danger areas of the room. He gave the signal that they were all clear and the sounds of boots filed in from behind him, Jun keeping an eye on their backs to make sure there weren't any lingering threats.

Jun then came back into reality, he did not realize that he had unintentionally distanced himself from the others. He got lost in his own personal preparation and absent-mindedly went about his business. The soldier grabbed an ear piece from the bin and turned it on before placing it in his ear. "Testing, 1, 2, 3, testing," he said into the comms device to make sure it was working. Jun then hurried himself over to the opening where he saw Kendra holding up the Gate rather effortlessly despite how complex and difficult it was to use such a gate spell. Jun then raised his rifle to a standard standing combat stance. He flipped a switch and activated the IR Rifle Scope on his Mk14. He quickly took a look inside of the room through the lens of the IR Scope to see what was inside. The room appeared for the most part to be devoid of any sort of heat source, most of it dyed a blue hue through the lens, signaling to him that no one was there recently. Everything directly in front of him seemed clear, now came the tricky part which was clearing the corners in a room like this. He decided to follow Ms. Lattimore's orders and wait for Augurs and Ouros to do their own sweep of any traps that could be inside.

Coin

 

[Soviet Panda]

Connor took an earpiece and followed Ms. Lattimore to where she opened a Gate. He was slightly envious of the ease with which the gate appeared for her. It took him hours to make one he could barely fit his hand through, something about not fully understanding the theorems associated with ripping a hole in between two planes of existence. But to be honest, he didn't much mind. While she could open Gates with the utmost of ease, his runic chain was almost an extension of himself. He had not quite achieved the same connection with it as his teacher, who used it almost as a third arm, but practice made perfect.

When the Gate into the building was created, Connor was the first one through. And immediately he grasped the infernal magic within him. It was as if the world had become more vibrant, it's colors sharper and contrasts more apparent. He could feel the faint draft like a steady breeze on his face, and the soft clinking of his runic chain like the ringing of bells. He had never felt so alive, but it came at a cost. Infernal magic, as ancient, powerful, and demonic in nature as it is, was not meant for humans to handle let alone control. In order to reach high, as if the world had just been given color, he must first have to dive head first through a layer of boiling filth that clung to him even as he broke through to the other side. He had grown use to the nausea and pain, he at least didn't get violently sick anymore. The demonic aspect still whispered to him, it always would. It's soft voice clawing at the edges of his sanity, attempting to drive him towards madness and violence. This was all for a purpose, however, as he muttered several spells softly under his breath. Lesser commands for his chain, simply prompting movement from in it and guiding it. It slowly uncoiled from his side, it's length impossibly long, and began to wrap around the room. It draped itself over tread mills and weights, slithered up the walls, and coiled across the floor, probing for any spells set with a trigger.

 

[Lucem]

Nathan Pierce

Nathan let out an audible "geh" as Kendra said his name, taking a sudden step back after grabbing an earpiece from the black box. The unpleasant news hit him fast, already beginning to curse his bad luck after getting over the initial shock. On paper, having the Augurs look after the Ouros was a good plan that made up for the latter's lack of offensive abilities. Unfortunately for Nathan and the people he was getting paired with, he was one of those Augurs. It wasn't exactly a secret that he had a little trouble dealing with people, so having to stick close to someone and play bodyguard didn't make for a wonderful experience. Still, this was the job, and he had his orders. He couldn't really do anything except suck it up and follow commands.

Attaching the gray device to his ear, Nathan caught a glimpse of his fellow Augur. On top of having to watch over two people, he'd also have to deal with the newbie. Hudson was the newest recruit and had the least amount of experience out of everyone in the guild. While having to worry about a greenhorn in the field was a pain on its own, there was another issue that he had to worry about.

From the corner of his eye, he could see her own pair of luminescent orbs shining in the darkness. While having a demon among their ranks wasn't new for the guild, it was still somewhat of a problem for him. There was still that touch of awkwardness. Out of the demons in Vexpara, he had been exposed to her the least, so the occasional discomfort was comparatively worse. Even with that being an issue, it wasn't like being closer would do him any favors. She had been sticking to Kendra since recruitment, and since he usually found himself around their leader when he was at headquarters, things hadn't been easy.

Even without saying anything, he could already feel himself starting to fidget a bit, tapping his heel against the ground before following after Kendra. Putting aside the anxiousness that would sometimes grow worse around demons, he just hoped that the girl wouldn't do anything crazy. He already had enough to worry about without any potential rookie mistakes. This wasn't the kind of situation to charge into without thinking.

Not wanting to get soaked again, Nathan quickly made his way to the dark alley, watching as Kendra looked through the other side of the gray portal. While dealing with her on a personal level was still weird and discomforting in many ways, it wasn't a stretch to say that he was impressed when watching her work. Her skill with Gate magic was superb, able to do things in an instant when it would normally take him a few seconds. He acknowledged that and knew she was better than him. Although, Kendra quickly made him want to take back his admiration when she announced who would be entering the apartment first.

It really felt like the world was against him today. First the rain, then having to protect the Ouros, and now he had to be the first to walk into the haunted building that made people disappear. Rubbing the back of his neck, all he could do was sigh and get it over with as fast possible.

"Got it." Acknowledging the order with a reply that was severely lacking in energy, Nathan pressed the button on his earpiece. A soft blue soft blue glow illuminated his wet face and the tired-looking eyes that matched his voice, but it soon faded after being concealed by dark hair.

Nathan did a quick headcount of the people in his group before approaching the portal. Kendra said that the area was clear, but he knew that letting your guard down for even a second was an easy way to get yourself killed. With one hand on his sword, and the other prepared to cast magic, he crossed through, walking into a gym for the first time in his life.

 

[DarkianMaker]

Nikodem Xuthus Priscos
Satisfied by Kendra's response Niko picked up his earpiece as well and put it in his ear and activated it before putting his helmet on. He kept his visor up as he didn't need it just yet and picked up his shield again before following the group to the building. As always Ms. Lattimore skillfully opened a Gate into the building and he waited for her orders. The Ouros and Augurs would go first, then the Blooden and the Cranes, that would work for him as long as the first group doesn't run into trouble.

He put his shield down on the ground and began whispering the incantations to add a layer of magic shielding over his physical shield and was too occupied with that to notice what the others were doing for a few moments. When his shield started to get an odd glint he knew the incantations had done their work. He looked at the rest of the team that was still on this side of the Gate and gave them all a nod of approval although he took a few extra moments to look Angelica and Magnolia in the eyes to give some unspoken support. "Steel your nerves sýntrofoi, the hunt begins." He said in his usual taciturn manner before he slid his visor down, released the strap keeping his sidearm in its holster and picked up his shield, ready to go for when the Ouros and Augurs gave the clear. He then began reciting the Lord's Prayer in Greek to himself.

"ΠΑΤΕΡ ΗΜΩΝ Ο ΕΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΟΥΡΑΝΟΙΣ
ΑΓΙΑΣΘΗΤΩ ΤΟ ΟΝΟΜΑ ΣΟΥ
ΕΛΘΕΤΩ Η ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΑ ΣΟΥ
ΓΕΝΗΘΗΤΩ ΤΟ ΘΕΛΗΜΑ ΣΟΥ,
ΩΣ ΕΝ ΟΥΡΑΝΩ ΚΑΙ ΕΠΙ ΤΗΣ ΓΗΣ
ΤΟΝ ΑΡΤΟΝ ΗΜΩΝ ΤΟΝ ΕΠΙΟΥΣΙΟΝ
ΔΟΣ ΗΜΙΝ ΣΗΜΕΡΟΝ
ΚΑΙ ΑΦΕΣ ΗΜΙΝ ΤΑ ΟΦΕΙΛΗΜΑΤΑ ΗΜΩΝ,
ΩΣ ΚΑΙ ΗΜΕΙΣ ΑΦΙΕΜΕΝ ΤΟΙΣ ΟΦΕΙΛΕΤΑΙΣ ΗΜΩΝ
ΚΑΙ ΜΗ ΕΙΣΕΝΕΓΚΗΣ ΗΜΑΣ ΕΙΣ ΠΕΙΡΑΣΜΟΝ,
ΑΛΛΑ ΡΥΣΑΙ ΗΜΑΣ ΑΠΟ ΤΟΥ ΠΟΝΗΡΟΥ.
ΑΜΗΝ."

Spoiler: Tags

Katsuya The One Called X Coin

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Irma Grace Beauregard

Some say that in order to be brave, one must first be afraid - though Irma would never claim herself to be courageous despite the career path she had chosen to follow. Everything she did was habitual and out of necessity and regardless of the admiration she held for all of the other hunters in the company and others like it, she would never regard herself with that same sense of esteem. It wasn't that her self esteem was low, it was more so that she had a sense of responsibility and a lack of conceit. Her father had been an Ouro and he had died while trying to help those he was tasked with keeping alive. Irma was simply following in his footsteps and doing the work that while it was dangerous, it was necessary.

As she situated the grey coms device in her ear, her gaze drifted around the control tent. So many different individuals from so many different walks of life and yet they all had come together in defense of a future that wasn't quite as dark as the present, whether they actually knew that or not. Despite the current circumstances, despite what they were all heading into, watching them all prepare in their various ways - whether it be by equipment check, prayer, or a bitter though not entirely venomous exchange - the sight brought a soft smile to Irma's gentle features, momentarily alleviating the tension she had previously felt.

Of course any musings she had on the people around her were disrupted at the call of the guild leader, letting them all know that it was time to go. In a way the assertive tone and command in the words gave her a slight start, as though she had been doing something wrong by observing the other hunters of Vexpara likely because it reminded her of the strict tones of the nuns after she had grown comfortable at the convent and hadn't always stayed on routine though in a way that also made it a comfort. Irma was quick to fall in line after the call to duty, taking a deep breath as she neared the exterior of the tent and her eyes caught the sight of raindrops splashing carelessly in the already formed puddles on the ground. She squinted her eyes shut and gave a shake of her head, the blonde tail of hair falling from the hole at the back of her cap swaying back and forth for a moment as she mentally steeled herself before stepping out into the storm, her stride quick to match Ms. lattimore's even though she'd just as soon dash to the building rather than spend a moment longer than necessary out in the elements.

Her gaze was directed on the gate as Ms. Lattimore began opening it and once it was done she was not surprised in the least by her assigned task upon entry regardless of how daunting such a position could be. This was just another part of the job description and it didn't necessarily encumber her to know the importance of being the first in, it was to keep the others safe. She glanced around at the Augurs and her fellow Ouro for a moment, as though to ascertain if they were all prepared to enter, her eyes momentarily stopping on Maggie as she offered her little sign of good luck. Irma returned the gesture by signing 'thanks,' before entering the building behind whichever Augur was brave enough to go first.

 

[Coin]

As Lattimore was locked in the ritual concentration required to keep the gate open, the first few Vexpara exorcists crossed the threshold into the apartment's gym. Immediately upon entry, a wave of unknown dread would wash over the guildmates and subsequent hunters to enter inside the building. Those keener to magic would sense something off with the air, but it was far different than the effect of some blanket Deceit spell meant to deter weaker-willed trespassers. The feeling was more akin to an arterial fear, primal and instinctive -- like being watched by something sinister from afar and hidden from sight. At least the maddening silence inside was droned out by the soft ripple of rain and the occasional rumble of distant thunder.

Though it was dark against the night, the gentle glow from Kendra's portal magic and other spell casts shone plenty enough light for even the untrained eye to investigate. The electricity in the building had long since been cut, and the automatic lights that hung from the ceiling remained dark. Try as the hunters would, they would fail to locate much more in the gym other than the forgotten water bottle or misplaced dumbbell. For the moment, it did not seem that any physical or arcane traps lurked in wait for the unlucky hunter to trigger.

As the preliminary scouring for traps came to a close, an abrupt crackle of static through their earpieces' interrupted the hunters' work. A woman's calm voice came through, one unfamiliar amongst the hunters, "This is Team 2 -- all channels, be advised, brief movement spotted on the second floor. Negative ID. Standby while we figure out which room it was in." The message terminated in another click of static, but a hanging uncertainty could be detected in the officer's voice.

"Proceed as we planned," Kendra ordered, just loud enough for those already inside the gym to hear. Her eyes were still shut as she spoke, without even the slightest lapse in magical flow. "Report anything strange or out of place at all."

 

[TPBx]

"Copy that, moving in," Jun replied.

He then briskly walked into the gym, methodically swinging himself to the left and right checking either corner of the gym to make sure it was completely clear of any hostiles. He kept his rifle at the ready while carefully treading through the gym to the door leading into the interior corridors of the apartment. There was an eerie feeling that crept upon him, like many shadowy entities stalking him from every corner of the building. He was used to working by the cover of darkness, but this time was different for some reason. He tried not think too much of it, but Jun felt that there was something more sinister going in this apartment than what any of the other exorcists expected.

Jun then reached for his earpiece and whispered, "Gym clear. Moving onto the first floor hallway." He then reached for the handle of the door, gently twisting it so it would not make a sound, and then slowly opening the door just enough so that he could peek out into the hall. He held the door open ever so slightly so that he could look through the opening barely with his rifle's IR Scope. It appeared that there were some traces of heat still on the walls of the apartment hallway, signaling to him that the information that Team 2 gave was confirmed, someone or something was already aware of their movements around and inside the building and was preparing some kind of counter attack.

"I detected heat signatures on the first floor, they're definitely not ours."

 

[DarkianMaker]

Nikodem Xuthus Priscos
Just as Ms. Lattimore gave the order to proceed as planned Nikodem slid his sidearm from its holster and followed Jun into the gym and moved up towards the door. The eerie feeling that they were being watched wasn't lost on him and he couldn't help but having a small shiver go down his spine. "Steel yourself." He muttered to himself and shut his mind off from the odd feeling as best as he could. Jun confirmed that the gym was completely clear and opened the door slightly to check for contact in the hallway, a smart choice. He positioned himself next to Jun so he could easily slip into the hallway with Jun when they were to advance again and make sure he can cover his comrades from harm. He appreciated Jun as a fellow hunter, he was a man of few words like himself.

He tapped Jun on the shoulder to let him know he was right behind beside him and ready to go. "I'll move in to the right and cover your six whilst you move in to the left and secure that side of the hallway when we move in, alright?" He whispered to Jun as he turned on his night vision. Whilst he waited for Jun to reply he gave a short notice over the team channel "Paladin, ready." He was hoping it wouldn't end up like another Prague for him this time and listened for any sounds other than the breathing of him and his comrades or the rain and thunder coming from outside.

Spoiler: Interactions

TPBx

 

[Katsuya]

- Magnolia Noir -​

Waiting, ignoring the small drizzle wetting her clothes, her green eyes roamed around; watching the other guildmates interact as they waited as well. Magnolia froze again when Nikodem gave her a supportive stare, noting that he is doing the same for Angelica. The small action plus his words calmed her anxious nerves like a balm, smiling appreciatively at the Paladin-like man.

It's humans like him that make her want to fight against wrong-doers, knowing it's possible to live peacefully as humans and demons.

Nodding at Angelica and hand-signing a 'Thank you' towards Nikodem, Magnolia readied herself to go inside, mentally pumping herself up. Then she noticed the other cranes going in, following them from behind, and muttering a quiet 'thank you' to Kendra as she passed through the gates. She shivered from that ominous feeling, her tanned face paled, and her cold hands became sweaty as she tightened her grip on her rifle. She recognized the feeling of dread washing over her, gulping as she pushed on. As much as she hated to feel like someone is watching them, she needed to push through her nerves. They are on a major case and she can't let her nerves win.

So she walked behind Nikodem and Jun, lifting her rifle and ready to shot in case anything bursts in as Jun quietly opened the door. When she heard the senior Crane utter his findings, Magnolia gulped. Her eyes glowed a bright sickly lime green as she used her 'Thermal sights' spell to see what he saw and gulped again.

Still she tried to steel her nerves and muttered at the two older men in front of her, "R-ready to cover the both of you." She pressed the blue button on her ear piece. "Trick, ready."

Coin DarkianMaker TPBx The One Called X

 

[Aldur]

Finlay Douglas​

All things considered, Finlay didn't expect things to be so dark, literally and figuratively. Whilst exiting the briefing tent, he procured a quite peculiar night vision gadget off of the equipment branch of the aforementioned vans. It was an excentric piece of tech. It only covered one eye and it made the Scotsman snicker. He then followed the rest of the hunters to the side of the building and waited for Ms. Lattimore to advance the unveiling of the plot. A few movements of her finger opened a hole in the wall, enough to fit even the large Scotsman. Finlay positioned himself behind Nikodem and placed the monocle on his eye. Before he got to use them he took in the eerie scene with inquisitive eyes. The very walls oozed unease and trickery. Unseen eyes would scan the group and try to plant the seed of doubt in their minds.

"Don't fret, hunters, for tonight yer made a' steel."

He then followed Niko inside the gym as soon as the Augurs assured the group's safe entrance. The earpiece went off, which slightly startled Finlay, as he was investing himself in the thorough inspection of the room. It also reminded Finlay to activate the high-tech monocle. The circumstance required a silent approach, unfortunately. As he heard Niko and Jun's exchange, the Scotsman chimed in with a suggestion of his own.

"Then I'll go last and watch your back, Paladin. How's that?"

TPBx , DarkianMaker

 

[Life.]

Bancroft K. Catcher

It never ceased to amaze Bancroft how the mood drastically intensifies once silence replaces the buzz of chatter. Although with the current weather conditions and severity of the situation, the heavy atmosphere had already existed, but when Ms. Lattimore had led the group down the alleyway was when it amplified. Bancroft fell in line to follow after their guildmaster. His heartbeat betrayed his want for a cool demeanor as it quickened its pace. The rain continued to pour adding the scenic tone of eerie and mystery. Soon the group stopped as Ms. Lattimore began her surveillance and magic.

The Blooden knew he was not the only one fascinated and amazed watching the woman work her ability. Despite seeing her skills several times now, it was always an amazing sight to see each time. Bancroft did not realize he was holding his breath until he heard the signal from Ms. Lattimore indicating members to enter the building. He tightened his grip on his polearm as he slowly inched his way up the crowd. The man waited for some Augurs, Ouros, and Cranes to enter before he stepped through. At the moment he had no clear plan to take until he saw who was all in.

As he approached the portal that Ms. Lattimore had created, he loosened most of the tension in his body before entering the gym. Upon entry darkness met the Blooden. He wasn't normally afraid of the dark, but with the current situation he was not liking the idea of not being able to see. Bancroft felt through the many pockets on his gear until he came across some night vision goggles. Not wanting to hold up his comrades, Bancroft quickly wore on the device and moved aside.

Reports from Team 2 and Jun were sent to the earpieces for all to hear. Bancroft looked over to see possibly where the Crane may be. Over towards one end of the gym was a group making their way out to the hallway. From the number of people in the group, Bancroft decided to join on in another smaller party.

From a quick scan of the gym, the Blooden soon spotted Nathan and Irma, an Augur and Ouro, nearby. He made his way over to them, "Pierce, Beauregard, I'll provide cover as you continue your scan."

Lucem Roleplay Skittle

 

[The One Called X]

Angelica Hudson

Angelica nodded sharply at Ms. Lattimore's response. It made sense. This was a bad situation, and the priority was putting a stop to it. Justice after the fact would have to come second. Still- it wasn't a nice thought, killing. Nauseating, almost. The feeling built even as she watched Ms. Lattimore open the Gate. She was so good at it. Angelica hoped to one day achieve that kind of skill. The... being that was responsible for whatever had happened in the apartment building was even better. A chilling thought, that, enough to send an icy feeling down Angelica's spine.

She shook herself mentally, tucked in her earpiece. She met Niko's look with a smile. The hunt began, indeed. She liked him. He gave off the same feeling as Ms. Lattimore, a kind of reassuring steadiness. She responded to Magnolia's nod with what she hoped was a nonchalant, jaunty salute and tried to ignore the secondhand anxiety that curled in her stomach at the thought of the tiny half-demon in combat. Out of everyone in Vexpara, Maggie was the closest to being a real friend, and Angelica couldn't help worrying about her.

Still. Maggie had been on the job longer than Angelica had, and she'd survived this long. Angelica scanned the group for the people Ms. Lattimore had mentioned. Irma and Iris, the ouros, and Nathan- a dark-haired, exhausted looking young man she'd seen around a few times before. He tended to trail after Ms. Lattimore, like Angelica did. Sometimes. Not all of the time. And not on purpose. It's not like Angelica was a lost duckling, or something. Things just happened to work out like that a lot.

But anyhow. Nathan. She'd heard interesting things about him. Which she should probably not ask about right now, but then again, he had a tendency to lurk and hide from people so when else would she have this kind of opportunity? She fell into step behind him, also keeping an eye out for the Ouros. She considered, briefly, casting a shield to keep the rain off, but decided against it- it was a short walk, and there was no point in wasting energy on something small right before a big job like this. It was a relief to reach the building. She took a step inside, and

froze

it was wrong inside, it was wrong, it was bad in this place she needed to run, get out, get away, it was here it was watching it was bigger and stronger and faster than she was and it knew they were here inside where they couldn't run-

Angelica gasped audibly, clapping a hand over her mouth and folding her other arm across her stomach. She shut her eyes, gritting her teeth, and forced herself to breathe normally. A few seconds passed and she straightened, swallowing hard. That had been- not good. She got feelings like that sometimes- part and parcel of being a demon with strong magical ability- but they were almost never that bad. It was a bit better now, but it was still- intense, like the demonic sixth sense version of white noise, humming around the edges of her brain and trying to drown out other things. She jumped at the voices in her earpiece. She blinked a few times, long lashes flickering as the faint yellow gleam of her eyes faded, her vision adjusting to the pitch-dark. She didn't need night vision equipment, like the humans. It was eerie, almost, the way her eyes reflected light like a cat's.

Her hands were shaking. Goddamn it. She needed to get it together. She needed to catch up with the others. She hurried over to Nathan and Irma, where she was supposed to be the entire time. Goddamn it. She reached them soon after one of the Bloodens- Hunter? Something weirdly appropriate like that. "Gym's been cleared, so I guess we're moving on. Deeper in." Her hands were shaking again, fuck. "You- you guys can feel it, can't you? It knows we're here. It's watching us." She blinked hard, shuddering. "I dunno what it is, but a thing like that- I don't think it needs traps." She forced a chuckle. "So, y'know, Nathan, if you actually do take the form of a rabid, invincible dragon when you use too much infernal magic, now wouldn't be the worst time for that."


DarkianMaker Katsuya Life. Roleplay Skittle Lucem

 

[simj26]

Marina Godwin​

“Fuck this.” Marina suddenly hissed under her breath from behind the team. She had stood there, counting every single damn drop of rain that fell on the pavement outside as the whispers from the rest of the team cascaded with the downpour. She hated working with the rest of the tean just because of this. She operated better as a lone ranger, and these hacks were just slowing her down, no offense to the boss. Strategy this, strategy that, move in slowly this move in slowly that. This wasn’t fucking, this was an actual mission with lives on the line. And now one of the fucking demons was pussying out on them. So fucking what? She had enough of dilly dallying around. While they waited and deliberated how to best dress the present they were going to deliver to this fucko, lives could be lost, or some demon could be gathering more power. The longer they waited, the less the chance of success.

She moved forwards and jabbed Angelica (an ironic name, she just realised) on her chest. “Look, you son of a bitch, I ain’t gonna waste time waiting on your nerves to clear because every second we fucking waste here may be another life lost because of your fucking kind.” She spat on the floor. “I’m going in, you lot can stay here and live longer. Now get out of my fucking way. Fuck your coffin,” she turned to Kendra and added under her breath, “sorry, boss,” then turned backto the rest of the crew, “I’m taking down the perp the only way I know how.” Without pause, she unholstered her handgun and raised her flashlight, shoved past Jun and Nikodem, and kicked the door open. Her flashlight clicked on, a bright beam of light cutting through the darkness, and she swept the hallway in one, quick smooth motion, forwards, then back. Hallway was clear. She moved in, heedless of whether the others followed.

Every second counted. Fast and hard. No hesitation. It’s do or die. She wasn't about to fail another human life.

 

[Katsuya]

- Magnolia Noir -​

She was listening in to the plans of the older men, the more professional ones compared to her own measly two years and six months of experience-

The tiny woman instinctively jumped to the side when she heard heavy footsteps behind her, gulping when she realized it was Marina. The one who she tried to avoid this whole time. Magnolia winced when the red head pushed through Jun, Finley, and Nikodem, cringing that she just kicked the door open, used her flashlight to see in the hallway, and just walked inside.

They are suppose to secure the hallway first-! Making sure that it's safe for them too and without the criminal knowing they were here - Ah, but then there was that feeling of someone watching them, and she has a feeling it wouldn't make a difference now and they need to check if any innocent bystander is trapped here-

The tiny half demon let out a frustrated whine at her nerves building up again and followed behind the angry red head. She peeked over her shoulder to hand sign an apology to the older men and letting them know that she's also moving ahead. Someone has to watch Marina's back, no matter how much she dislikes teamwork . . .

Mrs. Lattimore is going to have their heads for this.

She managed to keep up with Marina's fast paced walk and going past her to check through the doors; in case she sees a body moving in the rooms. Her eyes glowed that same sickly green when she made eye contact with Marina for a second, exasperated. "I-I'll check ahead in case there's anybody in the rooms." She muttered, pressing on the blue button to let the others know what's happening.

"Trick here, going in the first floor hallway with B-Boston Terror. Over and out."

Mrs. Lattimore is going to have their heads for this-!

simj26 DarkianMaker Aldur TPBx Coin The One Called X Roleplay Skittle

 

[Lucem]

Nathan Pierce

While he hadn't noticed anything out of order inside the gym, he could feel something that his eyes couldn't see. The discomforting sensation was crawling up his back and worming its way into his stomach. If he turned around, he'd surely see whoever was watching him with invisible eyes. That's the kind of feeling he got. Instead of being scared, however, the powerful presence only made him groan. He was used to things like this, so it wasn't like he'd be frozen with fear or anything. Although, he definitely wasn't comfortable. Dealing with tricky demons that hid in the shadows was always more troublesome than a straightforward brawl.

It didn't take much time for something else to come along and add to the feeling of dread. Not too long after they finished scanning the gym for traps, the soft crackle of static played in his ears, followed by the unfamiliar voice of a woman. The second team had already spotted movement, but there was no visual on the target. This demon was definitely going to be annoying to deal with. Hunting for a slippery enemy that they couldn't see was going to make this harder.

With the gym clear, they'd be moving to the hallway. Doing as he was told, Nathan didn't stray from the Ouros, staying close to Beauregard and Cazador. Well, as close he thought was necessary. With the way things were going, there was no telling when something would jump out at them. Fortunately, the only thing coming his way right now was one of the Bloodens.

Hearing his name being called from behind, Nathan turned his head to face the taller man. Going off of appearances alone, Catcher always looked like he could handle a demon or two by himself. He wouldn't say anything if the guy wanted to hover around. Having him in front while he kept an eye on the Ouros would make for a decent formation when entering the hall. Kendra was also the one who wanted the Bloodens providing cover, so it wasn't like he could tell him to buzz off.

Like Catcher, Hudson was doing her job, finally making her way over while shaking like a leaf in the wind. She seemed to notice the same presence that he did, but he didn't agree with her about the demon not needing any traps. Anyone could use a trap if they felt like it. In a situation where the enemy knew they were coming, it was safe to assume that something bad would have been planned for them in advance.

Nathan didn't pay much attention to the new recruit, but her last comment made him give the girl a brief look. "Are you making fun of me?" There was no anger in his voice, only the usual tone that lacked any enthusiasm. He didn't expect an answer to that question. Just thinking about those stupid rumors was exhausting. There was the usual risk of demonic influence that came with being an Augur, but it wasn't like he was gonna turn into a monster or anything. He always had his suppressants on hand, but he never had to use them over the years.

Hudson soon became the least of his worries when Godwin made her way over to the growing circle of people. There wasn't much time to react to her spat with the rookie, since she took off toward the hallway in a flash. Without waiting for anyone, the redhead quickly kicked the door open and charged in. Nathan could only put a hand to his head and sigh in exasperation. "Dumbass."

They had barely entered the building, but the woman was acting like they were moving at a snail's pace and decided that the best thing to do was to run through the apartment by herself. The group was already about to move into the hallway like Kendra instructed, but now that seemed like it would take even longer while they tried to figure out what to do about this new development. If she was so worried about saving lives, then she could've at least taken the time to look around the place.

The demon knew that they were coming. If there was a trap and they got caught because Godwin couldn't be bothered to check the area for a second, then nobody would be able to save the people that disappeared. If they were going to be killed, it probably would've already happened duing the time it took to arrive on scene and get briefed. If they were still alive, being thorough was necessary to make sure it stayed that way. He wasn't comfortable in the presence others, but he still knew better than to disobey orders and risk getting everyone killed. If rushing in alone was the only way she knew how to do things, then Godwin was in the wrong business. She gave Hudson shit about risking lives, but he'd much rather deal with a scared newbie than an idiot who couldn't listen.

Scratching his head, Nathan turned to face the portal. They had their orders, but the situation just became more complicated. Since one member of their group didn't understand the words 'quick and quiet', Kendra was probably aware of what happened, just like any other demon in the building that could hear the loud kick. With not just one, but two of their members doing whatever they wanted, it was hard to decide how everyone else should proceed. "What now?" Waiting for further instruction, he just hoped nobody else decided to take off. This mission was getting worse by the minute.

Coin
The One Called X
Life.
Roleplay Skittle
Wolf Wolf

 

[Roleplay Skittle]

Irma Grace Beauregard

Whether he really liked it or not, Irma had stuck closely behind Nathan upon entrance into the gym. Immediately once they were through the gate she felt it. The presence of something dark and ominous struck her in such a way that she felt she had literally been punched in the stomach. Her steps halted and she held her breath a moment as though the wind had been knocked from her, the foreboding sensation rippling from her stomach to her limbs like a dull electrical current. Her eyes closed a moment, her breath reclaimed and drawn in deeply before she opened her eyes. While her vision was not comparable with Angelica's nor night vision goggles, after a brief meditation of standard magical energy along with the aid of the light from Kendra's gate spell, she could see more efficiently than she would have been able to with her magic alone. Only after her spell was cast did she move once more, Nathan wasn't far ahead of her, nor were Angelica and Iris far behind.

It didn't seem that Irma had been the only one that had noticed the unnerving sensation that swept through the room upon their entry. Glancing towards first Nathan as she heard his groan, she then turned her gaze towards Angelica who didn't seem to hold up against that feeling of dread as well as herself or Nathan did and this prompted the Ouro to lay an encouraging hand on her shoulder. Irma wasn't really sure how she felt about the demon, but Maggie seemed to like her and to an extent that would mean she trusted her. Of course being that they were all in Vexpara there had to be trust between them so regardless of how Irma felt, she wasn't going to let any of her guildmates down, whether they were demon or not. She waited for a moment with Angelica and after she heard that hard swallow, she gave her a firm nod before moving away.

While one hand rested on the sword at her hip, the other was held out to her side with the palm facing outward. The pads of her fingers gently grazed the air almost as though they were lightly caressing piano keys, her fingertips seeming to glow a faint green that left soft trails behind them that dissipated nearly as quickly as they appeared. She followed along with her little entry group as they rounded the gym, that feeling of dread pressed down under the weight of the thought that she had to help secure the room. As they finished their check, Irma lightly shook her head once they all came together, signifying that she had also found nothing. After the coms crackled with static and Ms. Lattimore made clear that they were to continue as they had previously been directed, she turned towards the gate as it began to be periodically darkened by the forms of the hunters as they too entered the gym.

One of those shadows approaching from the gate grew larger and more substantial as it drew closer. It was Bancroft looking to watch their backs. An Augur, a Blooden, and an Ouro - this was a team composition that Irma was not unfamiliar with. She gave a firm nod to Bancroft in response to the offer before her mismatched gaze turned towards Angelica. It was almost endearing how nervous she was and Irma could understand her anxiety. She didn't say anything right away, nor did she act. She merely stood and listened as Angelica spoke, watching her steadily before turning her gaze on the other two for a moment as Nathan spoke and when she turned back towards the demon and parted her lips as she prepared to speak as well, her voice was silenced by the sudden and aggressive words of the one known as Marina.

If she didn't know before, Irma now knew why Marina was also known as the Boston Terror. If anything it was because what she just did was terrifying. The Ouro hardly knew how to react in the aftermath of first her verbally assaulting Angelica before practically stating that they were all incompetent. Did she really have no idea the danger she was not only putting herself in but everyone else in the building as well? She wondered why the crowd of people over by the door just let her fly past them, and definitely wasn't eager to follow and try to stop her until she saw Maggie swiftly move out after her. Her eyes widened then and she said not a word as she quickly moved towards the door and hissed, "Maggie!"

Irma's slender form that was made bulkier by her gear, didn't pass the threshold. On one hand her friend was venturing out into the darkness and the unknown following someone who didn't seem to use so much their head as their trigger instinct and on the other hand she knew her kind were few and far between and running out after them could cost many more their lives. Her lips drew back from her teeth as she grimaced, hitting the door with her palm before backing away from it all together and shaking her head. Her hand immediately went to the pocket with her rosary as she looked down at the ground for a moment, silently praying that God would watch over them both.

Lucem The One Called X Life. simj26 Katsuya TPBx DarkianMaker Aldur and Coin (Because I tagged everyone else that has posted since your last one. xD)

 

[Coin]

Kendra Lattimore​

After a couple minutes worth of concentration, Kendra had at last finished the Gate ritual that had been trickling from her fingertips. The last bit of gentle magical energy flowed from her hand and secured the stability of the portal, making it emanate a with thrumming energy. It would last unattended for at least a couple hours now. With a deep breath, the guildmaster closed her eyes and composed herself, shelving away the abyssal whispers that tried fruitlessly to assault her psyche as a result of her use of infernal magic. Satisfied at the integrity of her gate, she pressed the earpiece and spoke clearly for the mic, "This is Lattimore. Advisory to NYPD, I've opened an infernal gate into the apartment gym on the East side of the building. Recommend a team to train weapons onto the gate unless something other than us tries coming out."

A brief silence, a crackle of static, and a grizzled man's voice chipped in over the communication channel, "Team 4 acknowledges and is moving into position to secure the gate."

Satisfied by the SWAT team's response, Kendra adjusted her collar and glasses, then stepped through her own gate and into the gym. Her expression shifted quickly to a frown as she felt a unknown presence peer at them from nowhere, but everywhere at the same time. She had sensed it when she approached the building, but her suspicions were only intensified to heightened caution upon being exposed to it up close. This would be no ordinary raid.

Then again, no raid with Marina would be an ordinary raid. Kendra had watched as the fiery woman stormed off, cursing the rest of her guildmates up and down before stomping off into the hallway. To the guildmaster, everyone dealt with anxiety in their own way, and that was Marina's. With practiced strides like a ghost, she approached Angelica from behind and set a hand on her shoulder, followed by a comforting squeeze. Kendra's voice was cool and collected, careful not to set off a wound spring, "Let Marina go, darling. It's how she does things. For now, focus."

With that, she turned to the rest of her team and addressed them as a whole, "Go on, now. Proceed as planned. Sweep every room on the first floor, and check for survivors, or any trace of them. Keep in contact and report immediately if anything is amiss. Once we clear the first floor, hunter-captain Vorbiev and her team will take and hold the south stairwell. The rest of us will advance up the north stairwell as a group. And for goodness' sake, someone back Marina and Maggie up."

Lattimore drew her sidearm with one hand and summoned a few crackles of muted red lightning in her other hand, ready to respond to whatever threats she may encounter. She then advanced towards the team at the door, giving them a nod to begin their work.

((Interactions and mentions: Soviet Panda , Lucem , The One Called X , Life. , simj26 , DarkianMaker , Aldur , Katsuya , _Line 213 , TPBx , Roleplay Skittle ))

 

[Soviet Panda]

The chains quickly wrapped themselves once more into a lazy loop at Connor's side as others began to enter the gym. He did not let go of the demonic power coursing through him, even as the whispers became more audible, for there was work to be done.

They look so soft. Let us feel them, we could squeeze and never feel a thing. As if we were trying to grasp air. That one's neck, so thin, so fragile, it would snap with a flick. That one over there, he will crunch like a nut. His meat will be just as sweat we think. Just a taste.

These whispers seemed to breath into his ears. They were preposterous claims, he very much doubted Nikodem tasted good, and he was more than willing to bet that they would feel something if they wrapped themselves around Lattimore. Irma, however, would not fair so well against it. In fact, it had seemed to take a liking to the Oru. He didn't have the slightest clue as to why, even his master did not know the entirety of the secrets runic chains hold.

He did not have much time for his aimless musings as Marina made her entrance and exit heard. And with Lattimore's order, he quickly followed after, taking long strides to get into a position behind and off to one side of the Blooden. He needed to see what he had to do in order to do it, but he did not want to put himself in harms way. "McKinley going with them" he said into the ear piece that had been given to them. Whispering Iknea's Strength, once the incantation was finished the chains completely unraveled from their loop at Connor's side and gently wrapped around Marina. "Please don't shoot my chains. They really wouldn't like that."

This one has a strength to it. Can it handle us? We will see, our weight will protect it. Or maybe it will be crushed under us. Yes yes, that is always possible

The voices continued to whisper, focusing now on Marina as the coiled across her body, the ends poised like snakes, ready to strike at the first offending spell that came at them.

Spoiler: Interaction(s)

simj26 Katsuya

 

[The One Called X]

Angelica Hudson

"Are you making fun of me?"
Angelica rocked back on her heels, waving her hands a little. "What? No. I just meant- I dunno, people say some stuff about you that sounds kinda cool. I didn't-" that was as far as she got before she was cut off by the arrival and departure of Marina Godwin.

Your fucking kind.

Angelica rubbed at her sternum. It wasn't like she hadn't heard that sort of thing before. We don't feed demons here. This is human territory, so you'd better run. You don't belong here. My granddad says someday we're finally gonna hunt down the last of you and I'm gonna help. You can't stay here, the other residents aren't comfortable with a demon in the shelter. It wasn't even like she hadn't known that Godwin wasn't exactly the kumbaya, peace between races types. It was just-

It was the same shit, over and over, and there was so much of it, and it made her so fucking tired and so, so angry. More so when Maggie went charging off after her- why would she do that? It wasn't like Godwin would've backed her up if the situation was reversed. Let Godwin get herself killed if she wanted action that badly. Nathan was right, she was a dumbass. Did she really think that Angelica had gotten this far by being weak? That was fine. She'd figure out eventually that anything bad enough to spook Angelica could chew her up and spit her out without batting an eye.

It was petty, the rage. Petty, and choking, and- grounding. Familiar. She knew what to do with it, moreso than the fear. She'd had a lot of practice. And- it wasn't like that sort of thing hurt, not anymore, not like when she'd been small. She was beyond that now. Over it.

Still. She leaned in to Ms. Lattimore's hand on her shoulder. It was- nice. Her mouth twitched at the Guildmaster's words.

"She does things like an asshole." She muttered. She rolled her shoulders. It was time to stop panicking and start thinking. She heard McKinley, the one with the chains, over the comms. So- that would be him, Maggie, and Godwin. Angelica had a general idea of the capabilities of each of her guildmates- there were files, and it was important to know these things if you'd be on a team. Maggie was a Crane through and through- best as a decoy or at range, keeping watch or providing cover for those close in. McKinley relied on incantations for his magic, and he'd need close-range support for that. Godwin was- well. Godwin was useless against anything other than magicless, unarmed humans or weaker demons. And besides, more importantly- Maggie was Angelica's friend, and a half-demon, and Angelica didn't trust Godwin not to throw her to the wolves at the first opportunity, and she didn't know McKinley well enough to be sure that he'd stop it. She turned to Ms. Lattimore.

"I'm going too, ma'am. Maggie's a long-range fighter, McKinley needs cover for his incantations, and Godwin can't slow down multiple targets or anything with stronger magic. I should be out there, anyhow. If this thing shows its face, I'm one of the only people here who can do any real damage to it before it reaches the main group. And besides-" she turned her attention to Irma- "I'm not the best with gate magic, but it's still better than nothing. If anyone gets hurt bad enough, I can send them to you ASAP." She paused, biting the inside of her cheek. Irma had been kind, when she was panicking, and it was clear that she was worried about their friend. "I'll make sure Maggie's okay."

With that, and a jaunty salute to Ms. Lattimore, she spun on her heel and hurried towards her chosen group. "Trick, Hudson here. Headed your way, so don't shoot me."

Her hands clenched slowly as she walked. For all that she could see in the dark, it felt like it was nipping at her heels. The thing that was waiting for them... the thought of it made her momentary confidence falter. She shook her head firmly. The one thing Godwin had accomplished with her outburst was to remind Angelica that no matter how creepy this building was, no matter how strange the happenings inside it, this was the real world. Whatever this thing was, whatever it could do, it was only a person. This wasn't some kind of epic with an undefeatable evil, or a fairy tale-

Or. Maybe it was like that, a little. There was a fairy tale she'd been told a few times, by an old woman who'd worked at the soup kitchen and said that Angelica was one of her people because they had the same yellow eyes. Sort of a demon's just-so story for the origins of magic. About a Beetle, who could be held by no trap; which was swallowed by a Wyrm, whose scales could blend into anything; who was eaten by the Phoenix, whose flames burned angry and eternal; who was devoured by a great Dragon, whose breath was the source of all pestilence in the world- and who was tricked and swallowed whole by Tarrakaj, an ordinary jackal. It was something between a cautionary tale and a very old joke. The Dragon was proud, secure in its ultimate power, but Tarrakaj just grinned wide, and wide, and wider, until his maw gaped like Hell itself, and he swallowed the dragon in a single gulp.

Angelica breathed in slow, and reached for her magic. She let it bubble up and wait. She seemed to stand up straighter. She could radiate menace, too. Not as much, but- some. Enough to be back to herself, to the Angelica who could get perps shaking in their boots with her magical aura alone. It wasn't quite a physical change, but- people could tell, by looking at her, and anyone sensitive could sense the vast store of raw infernal power simmering beneath her skin. She looked less like a scared girl now and more like something dangerous, sharp, a formidable creature who didn't have fangs but seemed like she should. There were reasons that she'd survived the roughness of her childhood.

It was a bit of a spectacle when she reached the small group. She addressed McKinley first. "Yo. I figured y'all would need some more backup, especially since you're-" she gave Marina a disdainful glance up and down- "babysitting. Just try to keep her out of my way if it comes down to a fight, please. I hate to say it, Godwin-" that was a blatant lie, she really, really didn't and her tone made it obvious- "But you'd be pretty useless if we run into anything big." She fell into step beside Maggie, nudging the other demon with an elbow and lowering her voice. "Don't run off like that. It's not your problem if idiots who don't understand what they're dealing with want to get themselves killed."

A shiver tried to slide down her spine. It was still awful, that feeling of being watched. Their opponent was big, and Angelica was small. That was fine. If it was a dragon, then she'd be a jackal.

Watch all you want, buddy, she thought. I'm coming for you, and I'll swallow you whole.


Lucem Coin Roleplay Skittle Soviet Panda simj26 Katsuya

 

[Wolf Wolf]

Iris Cazador
Adjusting the earpiece to make sure it wouldn't fall off, Iris watched as the guildmaster created a portal for everyone to enter through. Rather talented and skilled woman, Kendra was. A lot of the guild members looked up to her, herself included. She followed in after the hunters who already entered, the glow of the portal merely a dim light against the darkness of the gym. The moment she stepped foot inside, a feeling of unease immediately gripped her heart and a shiver ran down her spine. A small ball of light formed in her palm, the beginnings of a shield. Better to be prepared than sorry.

Iris didn't bat at an eye when one of the more temperamental of them stomped off into who knows where, rude names were dropped not so quietly and drama was started up. This was her life now. It was a good thing she didn't have any children, these cretins were troublesome as they were. The Ouro smiled slightly however when the guildmaster offered Angelica a modicum of comfort. As cheesy as it sounded, the woman was everyone's light in the darkness. Especially now, if the feeling of dread was anything to go by. Despite the danger lurking everywhere, she was still calm and composed as ever.

Hesusmaryosep. I better go make sure these gremlins don't get themselves killed. Iris sighed to herself and made her way towards the noisiest of the hunters, palm still glowing all the while, leaving a fading trail of light in her wake. Her free hand hovered over her earpiece for a moment, deciding whether or not should she announce her presence to the others with one of those silly-sounding codenames. Some hunters had taken to calling her Miss Medic, a title she found most endearing, but she'd much rather hear it in a less-serious setting. Iris let her hand drop, and opted to simply talk to those who could hear her from where she was. "We need to keep moving and cover more ground. Whatever's out there isn't—or aren't—going to wait for us to get to them."

 

[simj26]

Marina Godwin​

She did not react to the accompaniment of the others, first Magnolia, then Nikodem. She merely nodded on their arrival, keeping her eyes trained on the hallway in front of her, darting across in the darkness around her solitary beam of light. Number one of storming a place- never turn around, even to talk to your team. That was when they could get you. She picked up some good tips in her training, to the surprise of some. This was one lesson she kept close. It was only when that rookie arrived and started talking that Marina opened her mouth as well.

“I don’t know, I thought I handled your ma well enough last night.” Marina didn't take her eyes off the corridor, and barely even let a second pass between Angelica finishing her sentence and her immediate comeback, almost as if she had rehearsed this comeback multiple times before. She didn't need to prove herself to Angelica. She never saw how she broke a demon’s arm in half and shoved a pool cue into his eye. She didn't know what it was like, in the fray, weaving, ducking, adrenaline at an all time sky high, fury boiling in her blood. How could a demon ever hope to understand what a human like Marina could do? Frankly spoken, Marina didn't want her to, and hoped she never did. She didn't want a mutual understanding with the demon- the distance between them was good enough for Marina. The boss knew she was capable enough to crack skulls and put bullets in between their eyes, and that was all that mattered.

“If you’re done mouthing off, rookie, eyes up, on me. We’re moving in.” She slid across the door to the opposite end, and motioned to Connor to cover her rear. She thumbed the safety off, glanced at Magnolia, and raised her three fingers. Slowly, she lowered each of them one by one, then, upon the last, she took a step forwards and threw her shoulder against the door. The frame splintered from the brass crashing through it, and, without wasting a single second, Marina moved in, her flashlight already sweeping the room. Why she chose the flashlight was simple- it blinded any goddamn fuckwad who thought hiding in the darkness would be a fun experience. Well, they would have to explain that to their seared corneas.

Soviet Panda
The One Called X
Katsuya

 

[TPBx]

"Understood," Jun whispered back. He pushed open the door and quickly stepped into the hallway, motioning Nikodem to follow him and provide him with some cover to work with. He pulled up his gun and briskly moved across the hallway towards the first door. "Looks like everyone else is rushing in to clear out the rest of the rooms," Jun added. The sounds of the other teams moving throughout the first floor could be heard as they proceeded ahead of him. He reached out his hand to turn the door handle. It turned out the door was unlocked. Jun turned the handle on the door over completely and kicked open the door.

He aimed his rifle down the door to see if anything was immediately waiting for him on the other end, but then decided not to take the risk for too long, and stepped back to prepare himself for the next step in his breaching maneuver. Jun pulled out a flash grenade from his vest, pulled the pin on it, and then tossed it into the room. After a brief moment the flash went off, a bright light filled up the room immediately, hopefully disorienting whatever was on the other end. "Nikodem, get in there."

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