WW Resistance (1v1v1)

[Esme]

Cal hissed as they were removed. Smoke filtered through the holes that remained, keeping her blood inside. At least for the most part. Moving her right arm over her stomach, she could still feel her life liquid seeping out from between her fingers. "Fuuuuck....you"


-------------


The shadows shimmered before errupting into dark looping shapes. Dropping down into the ground, they left puddles of black before each appeared in a different position. Once again, they repeated the cycle, of eat, grab, absorb. This time, however, the one with no obvious part grew larger as the other two got smaller.


The one that had grabbed it threw it's bolt as a distraction, before the largest one reared it's strange excuse for an mouth open and a twisted four pronged bolt of lightning flipped back out of it in an explosive ball of energy tainted with black.


--


Catching the stairs, she skipped up them roughly before looking at the door and towards the stairs up to the second floor. She could feel him up there, and Vent somewhere behind him. But she couldn't place where exactly Vent was, other than still far off.

 

[Coro]

Axel caught up to Rose, seeing she had stopped. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed her hand, pulling her along with him. "You want to find him, right? C'mon, lets go." He offered, against his better judgement.


His eyes transformed once more, his pupils changing to a demonic yellow. He scanned the building, seeming to see beyond the walls as the two ran up the stairs. "There." He said, zeroing in on one location, his pupils returning to normal. The two came up the stairs, darting through the main foyer, and back out into the back courtyard. Axel was stunned to see Alec there, along with Vent looking badly hurt.


"... What the..." He whispered, letting go of Rose's hand, swallowing and getting ready for a potential fight. What was Alec doing here? Did Vent betray them, she must be dealing with him. Yeah! Go Alec!


~~~


Vent lifted his left hand defensively, protecting his face, as his own attack was returned. It shattered the gauntlet, his left arm being caught in the resulting explosion of electricity. He grit his teeth, being blown back and skidding to a halt a few feet from Axel and Rose. Looking up and seeing Rose's red hair, he felt a wave of relief coming over him, as unconsciousness took him. His arm really hurt.


"H-Hey, loser..." He let out, the darkness claiming his blurry vision finally.


~~~


Hope chuckled.


"Eloquently put. Now, what will I do with you? An experiment perhaps? Maybe I'll use you as a control measure for other experiments? Or, I could turn you into a real weapon. Hmm. The choices are endless." He theorized, ever cautious and never taking the master wand off of her for a moment, despite his goading.

 

[Esme]

Rose squeaked, moving to Vent's side. Dropping down she pulled his head into her lap. Patting his cheek, she checked for his pulse. Not dead...not dying. Looking at the woman who had put him like this a sour taste came to her. She raised no arms against her, or the things that lurked around, but positioned herself to shield his body from further harm.


--------


Alec made a face, tsking. With a motion, the pets vanished back into the blind. Looking at Vent, she shook her head, pressing a finger to her lips and disappearing into the blind herself. Her work was done, and she had other things to take care of.


--------


Cal managed to get out a hard laugh. "Is...that all you...ever think about? How to...use people?" Pulling herself up, she grinned through bloody lips. Turning to face him, she moved her hand from her stomach, extending it outwards as if in offering of niceties.


"Nice to..properly meet you...."

 

[Coro]

Axel called after Alec as she left.


"Alec, wait, why're you leaving so soon? What happened?" He asked, sighing as she disappeared. She was mysterious like that, he guessed. Still, it didn't explain what happened at all. Heading to the other side of Vent, Axel looked down at Rose.


"... He looks pretty dinged up. We could treat him at the Sanctuary, but I dunno how well that'd go over..." He offered, before remembering what Granny Yumi had said about what would happen if Vent should get hurt.





I think her specific words were, should he die. Yes, thank you Riri. Wealth of knowledge. She's still gonna beat us like a step-child. Oh you humans and your attempts at dark humor. There wasn't even any pillaging or blood rituals in that joke. ... Yeah, no blood rituals, my bad.


~~~


Hope shook his head.


"Not to turn down the offer of a handshake, I usually am one for formalities, we are currently engaged a bit of a heated discussion, if you would. I try not to extend my hands to wounded beasts, for fear of losing them." He explained, grinning from ear to ear. "I'll invite you over for tea sometime, we can chat like your mother and I do." He added for good measure, hoping to strike a nerve.

 

[Esme]

In almost a second, Cal's demeanor changed. She went from an attempt at formality to just cold and hurt. She dropped her hand, drawing it back against her stomach.


"In my opinion, it's less heated and more just you blowing hot air like the pompus asshole you are." She made a noise of disgust, leaning against the charred remains of the wine shelf. "And frankly, if anyone is an animal, it would be you."


Rolling her eyes, she waited, watching him carefully.


-----------


"The sanctuary, is that where he got you from? You lot sure are a strange bunch. He sends this one in to do damage, and you offer to help him." She shook her head, patting the side of Vent's face softly.


"Come on, be okay, please, bro?"

 

[Coro]

Axel nodded, taking a deep breath.


"Yup, losing wars and looking out for the people who attack us. That's us, the Resistance. Mankind's number one enemy." He joked, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.


After a moment, Axel blinked a few times.


".... Aren't we still kinda at the big-bad-guy's evil mansion? Shouldn't we like.... Leave? Now?" He theorized, glancing about the courtyard.


~~~


Hope contemplated the idea. He could be brash at times. But pompous? Hardly. Confident, yes, maybe sometimes irritatingly so... "Don't take my beast comment the wrong way, it's just a remark on your ferocity. You have been observed by my men as somewhat.... Battle-hardened. And unpredictable."


Sighing, he stepped back, and out of the way of the door.


"We both know you can leave at any time. So I'll save you the trouble of using the Blind. But you don't have to leave, Calandra. You can stay and listen to what I have to say. Nightrise is your enemy, not me. I'm a ally to all mages. If you're anything like your mother, you'll see not only the reason, but the beauty in my words. In Cosmo Entelecheia." He explained, gesturing in a grandiose way.

 

[Esme]

"You're right. I don't have to leave, and I'm fully aware you aren't, but they are. Just like the gas mask and the one in the shuttle truck are just doing as they're told. Every mage in nightrise isn't an enemy as far as I'm concerned. And as much as I'd love to stay and listen...."


Cal's face darkened. "That relies on me being like my mother, doesn't it? "


With a toss of her hand, it almost seemed like her leaning post was falling. But in truth, it was her that was falling through it.


"I have no time for star bellied sneeches."


Disappearing through it, she grinned to herself in the blind. Before full closing her rift, she leaned forward, just enough so her voice would carry out.


"Thanks for paying attention to little ol' me, however. Made all of this much easier."


---------------


Rose nodded, pulling Vent up with her as she stood, looping his arm around her neck and keeping him propped with a hand around his waist.


"Where are we headed, then?"


"How about home?"


Rose blinked at a new voice, feminine in pitch, but rough like a man's all the same. Looking up as a woman appeared it took her a moment to register the wounds she bore. She mouthed an oh my, looking back at Axel. She seemed friendly enough, but she did appear like the other one had went, and why was she not bleeding... She looked back at the woman as she moved towards them and helped lift Vent from the other side with a wince.


"What are you...please, don't hurt yourself more."

 

[Coro]

Axel's eyes widened as Cal appeared, covered in wounds.


"Cal what the fuck, are you okay?" He yelped, moving and taking Vent from her grip, sliding the injured boy's arm around his shoulder and propping him up. Looking to Rose, he blinked, pausing for a moment.


"Rose, this is Cal. Another mage from the Resistance." He explained, in turn shifting his gaze to back to Cal. "Cal, meet Rose. Vent's...." He trailed off, realizing he'd never asked what her relation to Vent was in the first place.


"Sister." Vent let out groggily. Swearing quietly, he spat out some blood, his bottom lip raw and bloody from being pecked and torn by crows.


Vent glanced to Rose at his other side, and offered a weak grin. "H-Hey, what's new? Aren't I awesome, coming to rescue you?" He quipped, chuckling momentarily before coughing, and hacking up a bit more blood. That last attack had been rather serious, afterall. His left arm was pretty much totalled.


Sister, nice. Don't be too relieved now, Axel dear. Put a sock in it.

 

[Esme]

"Cool, pleasure to meet you. " Cal offered sort of dismissively, stepping to the side as Axel took her hold. She had a feeling when she saw the kid what had happened, and while Vent was to her as good as a dog's chew toy, she understood.


"We really need to get out of here though, like now." Cal pointed towards the road and headed forward. With the way Vent looked, and how she felt, there was no way she could get them safely through the blind. And something felt very wrong in there, at any rate. But, there should be a safer place they could recall from without being seen.


Rose smiled softly, nodding her head to the girl, before at Vent. "You are terribly awesome, I appreciate it very much. Please, relax and just work with us for a bit, okay? "

 

[Coro]

"... You guys go ahead. Rose, Vent, do whatever Cal says. I'll stay here." Axel said suddenly, hefting Vent's weight onto Rose alone. Swallowing, he turned to face Hope, who sat on the balcony in a reclining chair. Vent turned, seeing the smug young man's sparkling grin, and growled.


"Leaving so soon, honoured guests? I don't mind you coming for a visit, but you didn't think I'd just let you leave without a parting gift?" He offered, with a wave of his hand, a door appeared in the courtyard in front of the rag-tag group. It slowly creaked open, inky black darkness within.





Riri, let's do this. No problem sweetie, I'll hold back the corruption, so you can just go all out if you need to.


His eyes going demonic, Axel licked his lips. "Bring it on, you fucking blowhard."

 

[Esme]

Rose blinked as Vent's weight went fully to her again. It wasn't long before Cal had grabbed his other side again, and then she had him lifted like she had seen brides carried. Rose watched Cal look back at Axel, cocking her head towards him. Rose nodded. She knew the look all too well, she'd worn it many a times herself after all.


Turning back towards Axel, she got the side glance of the wounded pair disappearing, with one last final look from the girl of sheer concern and worry. Cracking her neck, she stepped up to Axel's side, "I believe I may be of some assistance."

 

[Coro]

"... Fine. I'm not gonna argue." Axel said, taking a step to the side as his power welled up, flames burning around his hands and feet. "But you better keep up." He added, winking one of his demonic eyes at Rose as more magic spilled out, the flames burning brighter.


Turning back to the open door, Axel smirked. "Time for the test drive. Volcanus, Umbralus!" He chanted, lifting his right hand, an orb of fire creating itself in his palm. Crushing the orb, Axel was consumed by fire, which burned away his clothes. Replacing them was a white robe that hung around his waist, with a long sash that went up his left side and over his shoulder. Strange jewelry covered in Umbralus markings hung from his waist and around his neck as well, coupled with similar jewelry on his arms. His bare hands and feet were consumed with a brilliant flame, and a strange marking appeared on his forehead. The sign of a true Umbralus user. Neither David or Lizzie bore this mark, and when they used their forms they became corrupt and demonic. The only thing demonic about Axel were his yellow eyes.


Opening his right hand again, in a flash of fire, a large black sword appeared. Grinning, Axel pointed the sword at the door. "C'mon out." He uttered.


Hope suddenly felt a rush of excitement. His heartbeat went through the roof. What was this magic the Axel boy was using?


~~~


From within the door, a hand came. It gripped the doorframe tightly, a face following. It was a little boy, utterly normal looking, however his skin seemed to have slivers of metal embedded in it.


"Hannah, look. We get to come out to play." He said, turning his innocent gaze to Axel and Rose, before his eyes went completely black and magic seemed to leak out of him from the metal in his skin.





OOC - (Axel, in Volcanus Umbralus form:http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/736x/34/cd/71/34cd711e879343ad0aa880728ed070b8.jpg)

 

[Esme]

Rose simply shook her head. Keeping up was what she did on a daily basis, and who would have thought that chasing lightening would have made someone good at it. Spacing her feet out into the grass, she watched as he glowed with fire. Heat, right, she could work with that.


Spacing out her hands, she opened them palm downwards. Vines wrapped down each of her arms, twisting around into her hands. They exploded outwards as they hit her fingertips, turning a violent red and smoking faintly. The plants that had grown resembled spears, covered in thorns and moving under her touch.


Watching the door, she heard a giggle follow the boy and a voice drifted out, "Of course, David. This should be fun." A little girl emerged, similar to the boy with skin full of metal. Her eyes were already black, and Rose felt uneasy.

 

[Coro]

Axel narrowed his gaze upon seeing the two children emerge from the door.


What the hell... Riri, are they... No. Whatever has happened to them, it involves neither myself or Meido. This is an entirely human construct... Or... No. That's impossible. What's impossible? Focus, Axel!


"I'll take the lead." He let out in a low voice, launching himself forward in a burst of flame. Heaving the sword up, he swung down, the blade catching flame as it streaked towards the young girl. A small part of Axel hoped he wasn't about to kill a little girl, but he wouldn't die here, not at Hope's hands in some pathetic sneak attack using kids as weapons.


As it turned out, Axel wouldn't have to worry about hurting the girl, at least not with this attack. The young boy's magic that been leaking out suddenly collected in front of the girl, forming a sort of spectral shield. Hope chuckled with amusement as Axel's flaming sword fell upon the shield.


"You'll find these two prototypes are far beyond your Resistance's capabilities." He offered, a wine glass appearing in his hands for him to sip upon while watching the show.


~~~


From behind Rose, still hanging onto Cal's shoulder, Vent's eyes widened.


"What the hell kind of magic is that?" He asked, shocked at Axel's display and then the small boy's uncanny ability.

 

[Esme]

"Demonic." Cal said roughly, shutting the rift behind her. Knowing her tie was limited, she started hightailing it as best as she could before the monsters got really riled up. All she had to do was make it to a summoning circle, dump him, and go back. She could manage to do that three times, yeah? She really didn't know.


----------


Hannah beamed up at the man, "I've got one of those too, see?"


Her power fluxed, and a sword appeared in her hand. Bringing it u, she readied it for a solid chop towards his legs. Mid swing, it got ripped out of her hands by an object flying between the two of them. As it hit the ground, it was cocooned by vines that burst into flames.


"Well then, it's a good thing I'm not resistance.


Hannah's eyes shifted towards the girl speaking, who was aiming the other spear as more vines came down her free arm. Her face was that of a little child whose favorite toy was taken away unfairly. It didn't last long, however, as the power flux happened again and another sword appeared. She swung harder, moving herself to put her target in front of the his ally.

 

[Coro]

"Wha-" Axel let out as the plant-spear whizzed past him, disarming the little girl. Taking a step back from the shield, Axel's sword shifted it's shape, seeming to melt and reform as if it was lava itself. Creating a large black halberd, Axel blocked the little girl's second swing with the staff of his new pole-arm.


Realizing the girl was trying to get him in-between herself and Rose, Axel pushed off of her, realizing even her physical strength was far beyond that of a normal little girl. What the hell had Hope done to these two? As he leapt back, moving through the air from the force of his push, he aimed to throw the halberd at the two kids, but felt something behind him knock the wind out of him.


He'd hit one of the boy's shields midair. Four more appeared all around him, caging him in from all directions except the front.


"Now, Hannah. He's all yours!" The boy let out with a giggle, as if he were playing a game. The magic that leaked off of him crept along the ground, heading for Rose.

 

[Esme]

Rose narrowed her eyes as she felt things invade her earth. Twisting the spear, she shot it into the ground, watching it dissolve and change forms, going into the ground laying dormant, but spreading out. Looking over at Axel, she saw the little girl send the sword flying like it was nothing more than a throwing knife.


She didn't think she could get the sword in time, but she definatly knew she could get the little boy to drop his shields. Setting her foot back into the earth, she started moving forward a lot quicker. Plants where her feet had been moments before having been pushing her along faster. With the last one, she pushed up, and with the help of an extra springy plant, went up into the air.


She launched the spear towards him, following it by releasing one of her pouches from her pocket and throwing it down with it.

 

[Coro]

David turned his attention away from the boy to defend himself and sister from the nasty woman's attack. The magic that had creeping along the ground sprung up and created three shields for David and Hannah, in the paths of the spear and the pouch of powder. As a result of turning his attention away from Axel, David's grip on the magic that held his spectral shield trapping Axel fell apart, Axel falling as a result, and out of harm's way.


Landing deftly, Axel swallowed. He'd gotten a little cocky. Rose had definitely saved his bacon. He'd have to thank her later....





Why don't you actually use my power now, instead of swinging around that silly weapon you insist on fighting with? You don't need a weapon, Axel, you ARE the weapon!


Axel blinked a few times, and nodded to himself, more for Riri's benefit. The halberd melted away in his grip, and he launched himself towards the two kids once more, a reknewed vigor in his eyes as the flames on his hands and feet blazed brilliantly.


~~~


Hope felt excitement rush through him, stronger than ever. This magic, it was so unique. It seemed like the Resistance boy was BECOMING the magic, instead of wielding it.


~~~


As Rose's spear connected with the shield, it wrapped around it, chunks of burning vine dropping from it's grip on the shield and onto David. He leapy out of it's path, but not quick enough, wincing as the pieces of burning plant singed his hand.


The pouch exploded on contact, raining powder down on the two. David wasn't sure what it would do, and it obscured his vision of Rose as he tried to think of a way to deal with it raining slowly down upon him and his sister. Creating two shields, they created a small split in the screen of powder.


"Hit her, Hannah! She's more dangerous than the dummy boy!" He yelped, licking the wound on his hand.

 

[Esme]

Hannah nodded, frowning. She wasn't playing fair. And she hated cheaters. With a slight of hand her sword disappeared, replaced by a solid throwing lance that seemed almost ethereal. Pressing her feet into the ground, she crouched, positioning the lance at the woman in the air and with one press up. She was rocketing towards her, lance extended, her own weight causing it to travel faster.


Rose blinked at the oncoming target. Vines started furiously traveling down her arms , swarming together. Not taking her eyes off the child getting way to close, she yelled out to Axel.


"Get him while she's not there."

 

[Coro]

Axel heard Rose's direction as he flew towards the younger boy. He'd definitely do his best, he always did after all.


You know how you're going to do it too. Yeeeeeeeep.





Landing a few feet away from the boy, Axel crouched down, punching the ground. Flames from his fist licked into the earth, cracks and lights spitting up from the ground. Four pillars of earth erupted around the defending mage boy, and without the girl there to attack on his behalf, he could only watch helplessly, something akin to fear in his eyes and the pillars expanded to the side and converged on him, forming a box in which he was hopelessly trapped. Axel grinned, the transformation magic of Umbralus wearing off as he stood up, resuming his normal appearance, his clothes returning and the flames dwindling down.


"She's all yours, then." He said, pointing up at the girl ascending towards the falling Rose.

 

[Esme]

Rose nodded and braced for impact as the two collided, and they hit the ground hard. Sliding across dirt, she kept her hands together, knowing the vines had locked on hard into the lance. While that was good, it also meant that the girl was still attached to her. Twisting herself she let the vines release her, forcing them into the dirt of the manicured lawn.


From out of the ground itself vines studded with poison ivy and thorns, the colour of blood, wrapped themselves around the girl. With a twist of her hand, the vines pulled her tight into the ground, in some cases, pulled an arm or a knee into the earth itself so she couldn't move.


Standing, Rose looked at her with a spot of sadness. "I'm really sorry, Honey bee, I am. Please don't hate me for it."


Hannah merely snarled and tried, to not luck, to pull herself out.

 

[Coro]

Sitting atop his balcony, Hope swallowed. His rushing excitement was far too much. He couldn't even explain what he felt, or why. When he'd seen that boy before, he'd been nothing. A decent mage with a little talent. Nothing more.


Certainly not.... THAT.


".... Leave. Now. Before I change my mind. We'll meet again, Axel of the Resistance. And when we do, you won't be so lucky as to see my gracious side." Hope stated, getting up from his chair, tossing the wine glass he held to the side, shattering it against the balcony floor as he stood up, turning on his heels, waking inside the study.


~~~


Axel glanced around as security started to swarm in from the mansion side. It left the back exit of the courtyard open, however. A dense forest followed by a long drop into a ravine. Hope sure knew how to pick scenic locations.... Prick.


"Kay, date's over Rose, let's move." He yelped in a worrisome tone, darting off into the treeline.

 

[Esme]

"Now listen here starshine." Rose shot back at him. She looked back at Hope's mannor for a moment. and the security that was forming. Disgusting landscaping job he did, not a spice of colour anywhere. She'd fix that one though, wouldn't she. With a grin, she gripped a bag of seeds. Darting off behing Axel, she let them drop.


The result was wonderful, the specially created weed didn't die, in fact, it would take over the entire lawn very quickly until it was purely resilient wild poppies. That happened to put people to sleep. She had the Wizard of Oz to thank for that one, didn't she?


At very least she could relate to the witch. Catching up to Axel, her feet solid on the ground, heartbeat aligning with the trees around them she looked at him. "So, sailor scout, want to tell me what that was back there? "

 

[Coro]

".... I supposed I kinda did transform. Huh. Aren't I cool? Should I get a theme song?" Axel countered with, dodging the question, once again becoming painfully aware of how much explaining was needed to make the magic he just performed sound even remotely okay. Thinking, Axel realized Cal bounced around like a gas molecule using Meido all the time, but people sort of expected the Deathlind bloodline to do demonic stuff at this point. He was just a random Resistance member. It'd be a public relations nightmare.


Then again, the Resistance's public relations department could use a little restructuring anyways. It consisted of Cal flipping off the world on a consistent basis.


Sighing, Axel skidded to a halt as he reached the edge of the cliff. He knew Rose had done something to stall for time, but he hoped Cal would show up soon.


Like, now would be good.

 

[Esme]

"You already have one, it's quite lovely. " Rose replied, coming up short at the ravine. "And that doesn't answer my question." Looking down at it, she figured she could hypothetically make hand holds, but....she flexed her hand out. Probably not enough to get all the way down. She needed to zen out hard.


"Tickets, please? "


Rose turned around, watching a still rugged, hard breathing Meido user come out of a dark shadow. She felt the drops as her blood hit the ground, they seemed to scorch at the earth unnaturally. It wasn't meant to do that. She didn't know why she knew that, but it seemed off, even for something coming from such a dark mage.