Doublehex

To everyone who has finished their sign ups, you are all accepted, so you are more than welcomed to join the RP. Revelation, I'll let you join as soon as your sign up is finished (although it looks good to me so far). To all on lookers, this sign up is CLOSED until further notice. [SIZE=3][b]EDIT[/b][/SIZE] In regards to Revelations update, her character is now approved.

[CENTER][B]Prologue[/B][/CENTER] [color=white] In a word, Matthew was tired. His eyelids over shadowed his eyeballs the way someone who had spent all night partying would. His lips were puckered like some baby who was crying all night long. A big shadow was beneath his eyelids. He looked slightly drunk, although that?s not saying that he was. Matt was more than tired. He wasn?t even very tired, or even exhausted. His drowsiness was so beyond ?tired? that it probably wouldn?t even be comprehensible by the regular human psyche. He felt half dead, but even then that was being kind. If he didn?t have the will to keep his eyelids open, he would undoubtedly fall into a slumber on par to Sleeping Beauty?s. But only one thing in the whole world kept Matt from falling into such a deep slumber. It was called rush hour traffic. Another chorus of beeps and protests from aggressive drivers filled Matt?s ear. This must have been his sixth attempt at trying to take a nap, and he was starting to get more than a little agitated. Matt was tempted to ask how much longer until they reached Boston-Two, but his common sense decided otherwise. He flipped onto his side, his side, hoping that he would find himself in a more comfortable position. His labor brought little fruit. His side became irritated. With a frustrated groan, he brought the seat up. His tired eyes scanned the scene before him: the highway was full of beeping cars, and it didn?t look like it was going to be the buildup anytime soon. With a groan, he allowed his head to veer back onto the seat. Surprisingly, he managed to find himself in a deep sleep. [center]*[/center] When Matt eventually woke up, he found his father?s car in the parking lot in the garage of what was obviously his new home. His father, not one to wait for anybody for anything, was already helping the movers to unpack. With a yawn, Matt got out of his seat and got outside. The house was located in the neighborhood of Dorchester. Dorchester was a relatively cheap neighborhood in Boston (although anything in New England was expensive nowadays). It was partly a restaurant, what with Matt?s father being a cook and all. The first floor was the restaurant, while the upper floors were the actual house. Matt?s dad was smart enough to have two entrances put in: the obvious front entrance and a side entrance that allowed people to bypass the restaurant altogether and go to the upper floors. Knowing that his father would drag him into work eventually, Matt decided to follow the inevitable and help the movers with unpacking. Not surprising at all, the work went well into the late day, what with them having to set up both a restaurant and a house. [center]*[/center] It would be a week later when Matt once again found himself in his dad?s car, being driven to his first day of high school. At best, it was an odd feeling, to be on his way to his first day of school in the middle of November. It seemed so surreal to Matthew. It was hard to describe exactly how Matt was feeling at those moments. With the sun as bright as ever (which was odd, considering this time of year all of Massachusetts should be covered in snow), Matt was in a semi good mood. After all, he was going to a new school. That in itself brought an indescribable amount of excitement and glee. Yet, at the same time, Matt was on the verge of indescribable fear. When he left Norwood, he had left so many of his friends behind; friends who he had grown up with, who he had played with and laughed and cried with. They were friends who were an extended family to him. And he left them. And he was all alone. Throughout the whole car ride, which latest no longer than five minutes, Matt remained silent, and his dad, as obnoxious as ever, hummed another tune from the seventies. Even though annoying, Matt was in the end grateful to him. It lightened the mood, something that was much needed. Eventually, the car came to a complete stop, and Matt set his eyes Doctor G. Pakely High School. With a deep breath, Matt unbuckled his seat belt and left the car, backpack strapped on loosely. ?Hang in there tiger?, his father said with his wide, iconic grin before he drove off. With a sigh, Matt began to walk towards the high school.[/color] [INDENT][B][SIZE=3]OOC[/B][/SIZE] Since this is just a prlogue, don't expect for you guys to unlock your powers yet. Just introduce yourselves to each other. After a RL week has passed, or a whole page of posts, we'll move onto the first chapter, where the fun begins.[/INDENT]

[INDENT]Everyone, my most sincere apologies. This had be one of the most difficult chapters I had ever written - battle scenes are fun, but extremely difficult to write.This chapters - which spans 20+ pages - was actually going to be longer, but I knew that if it did, my brain would implode. So, I decided to cut it short. Enjoy.[/INDENT] [b]Chapter Two[/b] Two days later, Michael awoke abruptly from his slumber. He was breathing heavily, his eyes in shock of what he sensed. He was here. Ferin Alengar was here. He was on the Aaufagen. What did he have in store for the humans there? What did his Fuhrer have planned? Even worse, Michael sensed something else. Was it Ferin?s demonic entity, Gilgamesh? Michael thought on this for a moment, trying to recollect all the information he gathered on Gilgamesh when he served Ferin for five years. No, it was not Gilgamesh he sensed. Ferin was there, Michael was sure of it. He could never forget him. But what was this other aura of chaos magic he sensed? Then it came to him. In a flash, he rushed out of bed, and dressed himself. He threw on his usual garments, long grayish pants and a sleeveless leather vest, and rushed out the door, towards the Aaufagen. The Endless were coming. * * * * * It would be mere moments after Michael?s revelation that the sixth fleet would be attacked by the Endless. Slowly, they carved away at the stars; the monsters? blades barely noticeable. Slowly, the ripped fragment of space collapsed into red holes, black thunder crackling from it. Then, they emerged, revealing their demonic entities. One could say that they were a fleet, in the sense they had creatures the size of the Aaufagen that ?transported? their much smaller minions, and bat like monstrosities that were their response to the Federation?s interceptors. But a true fleet was a coordinated army. The Endless were just a mass of barbarians. They just had one goal, and if something, man or demon (it didn?t matter), got in their way, they were dead. The giant demons emerged first from the portal. They were shaped like a whale found on Old Earth, in the sense that they were longer than they were wide, eyes were on opposite side of their heads, and a giant mouth erupted from it. Its reptilian tale guided it through space, and its interior was visible from the outside. Rows of organic pods slowly oozed their way through the demonic cruiser?s flesh. They adjusted their aim just slightly enough, and the pods were fired. Immediately after them, hundreds of Endless from beyond the portal emerged. They flew towards the fleet. More would come. * * * * * Roughly half of the Aaufagen?s crew was fast asleep when the Endless launched their attack. At the moment the first of the cruiser?s were hit by the pods, red alert alarms spread through the fleet like wild fire. The moment he heard it, the first thought that went through Andrew?s mind was ?the Endless?. Realizing he didn?t have time to lose, rushed, half naked to a draw, holding two ?Ronin M-57? revolvers, as well as six containers of thirty bullets a piece. He stuffed the bullets into his pocket, and grabbed the revolvers. Throwing on a shirt that was lying on the floor, he rushed out the door, weapons in hand. He entered the hallways of the Aaufagen just as one of the fleshy pods drilled their way in. A few soldiers poured in from the adjacent areas, more than willing to fill whatever was coming out with led. Andrew cocked his pistols. For a few moments, nothing stirred from within the pods. But slowly, the ooze that held it together slowly began to give way, slipping down its exoskeleton exterior like poison from an open wound. And from inside of it, sleeping as if in deep hibernation, the humans could see the monsters. Finally, the ooze had melted away. The doorway was open for them. Neither human nor demon moved. Suddenly, one of them opened its eyes. And it screamed. * * * * * Valgrad stood in his room, dressed in his customary leather jacket. His might battle hammer, Baldur, was lying on a desk before him. It was a massive weapon, requiring two hands and all of the might Battle Master?s strength to swing it. But it had runes blessed by Thor himself, and the sheer force it brought upon those it struck with was more than enough to make up for its weakness. Valgrad picked it up at once; the runes began to glow an icy blue. Seeing that he was being blessed with Thor?s blessings once again, he stormed out of the room. Battle calls! The moment he entered the halls of the Aaufagen, he saw demons running across its halls. A gargoyle, a hellish bat-man, was crawling along the walls when it saw Valgrad, wielding nothing but Baldur. Thinking the Valhallian was easy prey, it released its wings and flew towards him, hell-blade in hand. Of course, Valgrad being easy prey was the last thing on its mind when the Valhallian sidestepped the poorly executed attack, and swung Baldur at it. The gargoyle was sent hurling into the wall, all of its bones being shattered instantly. Seeing the gargoyle was dead, Valgrad sprinted down to hall, swinging the great war hammer with his off-hand against another gargoyle. This battle had just begun, and Valgrad had a sure feeling it was going to be a long one. More fun for him! * * * * * Samuel twisted his body as he narrowly escaped death at the hands of a gargoyle?s javelin. A ghoul, a hunched over, cannibalistic and hairy demon, was leaping towards him. Samuel muttered a spell, and his hands were filled the powers of fire. His already magic enhanced vision allowed him to slam his fists into the ghoul, turning its monstrous face ablaze. The resulting explosion sent it flying straight through the same gargoyle that tried to skewer the researcher just moments earlier. The shredded corpse of the gargoyle fell to the floor, and Samuel heard a relieving crack from the ghoul?s body. Satisfied, he sprinted down the hall. He had to find Andrew. * * * * * Andrew fired off the two Ronins at the horde of mutilated zombies that made their way out of the pod. He had heard rumors that the Endless, after raiding a planet, would salvage corpses, and then reanimate those corpses into the living dead. He had never suspected that those rumors would be true, and worse yet, he would have to fight his way through a horde of them. A few zombies staggered back, bullets having penetrated them. But it would take more than a few bullets to take down the living dead, especially those who were the corpses of soldiers. The soldiers on the Aaufagen had retreated back a few feet, to give them some room to fire off a wave of shrapnels at the zombies. Knowing that if he didn?t move fast, his body would be among the dead, he moved to join them. ?Fire!? an anonymous soldier declared, and the makeshift squad fired magazines full of bullets at the zombies. The pale colored corpses went down in huge numbers. The ones that survived the slaughter were easily taken care of a reload later. But admits their short lived celebration, Andrew heard the sounds of a dozen or so demons crawling across the wall, head right towards them. Bipedal, their flesh was colored as if it was burnt, and every one of its dozen or so eyes on its head could easily track an individual target with ease. Andrew wasn?t the only one that noticed the coming horde; the other soldiers saw them as well, and without even thinking, they fired. They were not organized this time; the bullets hit wall more than demonic flesh. Only a few of the Imps fell; the rest leaped at the soldiers, their razor sharp claws cutting away at the humans. Seeing that the battle was lost, Andrew fired his two guns in the face of one Imp before making a mad dash out of there. He was pursued by a single Imp that sprinted across the wall. After turning the corner, Andrew threw himself, turning in the air so he could aim at the demon. He fired what was left of his clips as he hit the floor, and the demonic corpse fell right on top of him. He threw it off of him, and he hurried down the hall, not exactly having a destination in mind. He just wanted to get out of there. * * * * * Blood splattered onto Michael?s face as he flipped onto a wall to avoid the slash of a gargoyle?s blade. His weapon was Zadikel, a cross between a blade and a chainsaw. It was a one sided weapon, and this would normally be a disadvantage. But it was not meant for close quarters ? it had several smaller ?blades? layered across it, and whenever Michael would whip the weapon, it would move in such, extending if it sensed Michael needed it to. Its many smaller ?blades? would act as a chainsaw, biting and ripping away at the target?s flesh, with each blade becoming larger and larger from the edge of the blade to the weapon?s guard. He leaped over a gargoyle that was charging towards him, and the silver haired man landed neatly on the ground. He pushed his long hair out of his smiling face, and cracked Zadikel with his wrist. The chainsaw-blade extended forward, cutting straight into the chest of a gargoyle. Michael flung it into the wall, then upwards into the ceiling. By now the blade had cut straight through the demon?s body, and as Zadikel returned to its normal length, the mutilated corpse fell to the ground. Hanging Zadikel on his shoulders, he sprinted off in the direction he was heading before he was rudely interrupted by the ambushing gargoyles and imps. He had a sure feeing that Ferin was this way. Or was it the other way? No matter, he would find him when he found him. It would happen eventually. In the meantime, he could always just lend a hand against the Endless. They were very bothersome creatures, after all? * * * * * For a long time, he had slept in that coffin. It was by no means an imprisonment; after all, he had put himself in there himself. He was tired of humans; he had been among them since God separated the sea from the sky and called the landmass ?Earth?. He had been among them, manipulating them, pulling the strings behind the scenes. So, it was pretty obvious that eventually he would leave them?for a time. But the Endless may actually be a pretty good opportunity for him to wake up, to have some fun for once. Maybe rip a few heads open here and there?perhaps devour a heart even. So, knowing that the Endless were on the Aaufagen, he woke up. But the people near the ancient coffin didn?t know that essentially a living demi-god had just woken up from a long sleep. When they saw that the coffin?s cover shattered in a great, red, electrical surge of energy, and they saw a pale hand grip the ends of it, they thought it was the end of everything. When his face, with his long, black hair rose up, they fell to the ground in fear. And when he turned to him, his eye all blood red, they were sure they were facing a demon god. They didn?t give him a chance to speak. They just ran. ?Pity. They wouldn?t even let me tell them what my name was.? He shrugged. ?Now, I need to find a corpse,? he mused. ?Or make one at the very least.? And the very moment that naked being left the chamber, he found hundreds of corpses lying across the halls. Some were skewered by a javelin; others were horribly mutilated. Most were being eaten upon by a demon. ?Does it make you feel good?? he asked. Instantly, they ceased their meal to stare at the man. ?Do you like to make your talents as cannibals public? To bring entertainment to the masses in such a low manner?? He chuckled darkly. ?Only scum would show such low talents with pride. Perhaps you actually enjoy being scum? No, you?re lower than scum. You are even lower than trash.? ?Zaxi nuka zarm?? Who the fuck are you? ?Huga jeharcol exxar kelliest!!? We?ll rip you apart for what you said!! The man sighed doubtfully. ?I seriously doubt that, but it?s worth a shot. Then again, peons that are lower than trash surely deserve a death glorifying their low station?? The gargoyles leaped for him. One to his side was too slow, and in an instant, he threw his hand through the monster?s stomach. He tore out his hand, revealing a demonic heart. As the gargoyles surrounded him, as they prepared to rip him apart in hellish rage, the enigma did the only thing he could have done. He devoured the heart. Instantly, the naked body was clothed in black clothes, over layered with a blood red trench coat. Red particles formed around his back, and instantly, a red-bladed sword materialized. In a flash, the man tore the weapon off of him and slashed at the gargoyles. Those caught in the slash were ripped apart instantly. He sidestepped a lunge from a lance, and walked on top of it, as if he was as light as a feather. He leaped from it, and cut the attacker down. In the next moment, he flipped, crashing his blade into an airborne gargoyle. The beast was cut in half. The butcher grabbed the lance, and threw it upward. It caught a gargoyle at the ceiling, making it drip black blood. An imp foolishly leaped at the man. The warrior, in turn, jumped right onto its shoulders, and sent his blade straight through his head. He pulled it out, and casually stepped onto the ground as the corpse bent over. He slashed into the shoulders of a charging gargoyle with his blade, and penetrated the gut of an imp with his hand. He pulled them out in unison, blood flowing everywhere. At the end of it all, the demon?s corpses were just as mutilated, if not more so, than the humans they were feeding upon moments before. He raised his blade to his lips, and lustfully licked the black blood. He allowed the taste to sink in. Then he spat it out. ?Damnit, even their blood is disgusting. The Endless are truly pitiful creatures.? He stared at the eye-guard of his blade. The guard was covered in demonic flesh, with a squirming eye kept in a circular glass container. ?Let?s find some more souls to break apart?Gilgamesh.? * * * * * Aedo Ohimnim laughed manically as bullets flew from his Honos class machine gun. Three or four zombies fell down under the wave, but one was quick enough to avoid the assault. Using its unnatural strength it leapt for the Lieutenant. Aedo, using the agility given to him by drugs he had used on himself, sidestepped the attack. In a quick motion, he slammed the butt end of his rifle into the head of the zombie, sending the corpse into a wall. One magazine full of bullets later, and the creature was dead for good. He reloaded his rifle before sprinting down the hallway, turning a corner to find half a dozen soldiers leading an attack on a few imps. One of the soldiers was cut to pieces by a slash, and an other would of have had been pounced upon if it weren?t for Ohimnim filling the demon with led. Sensing that Aedo was a superior soldier than the rest, the remaining imps focused their attention on him. They leaped over the scattered soldiers, and charged towards him, a complete offensive. They never suspected that the scar covered man was more monster than man. Faster than the imps? dozen or so eyes could trace, he drew one of his back up knives hidden in his pant pockets, and sent the knife up one of the imps heads, allowing the dark blood to stain the area. When he was satisfied with the carnage, he tore the knife from the monster, practically tearing it in half. He twisted his body to avoid a slash from an imp, and jabbed the knife into the demon?s shoulder. In a swift moment, he tore the knife out of the demon?s shoulder, and head butted the creature. The imp was launched backwards, and before it was filled with bullets from the other soldiers, it saw its brother stabbed in the back by Aedo?s brutal tactics. The man-eater turned to face the stunned soldiers. They had never seen a single human act so brutal in their lives. They didn?t know who to fear more ? the man who had just single handedly killed three imps, something they couldn?t do together, or the Endless. Most of them were heading for the former. Aedo?s one good eye didn?t blink at the petrified soldiers. He knew very well why they had all became petrified of him. His tactics were something that the Federation did not exactly approve of, but since it killed Endless in an effective manner, the politicians never had any real qualms with it. But it was just as barbarous, if not more so, than the battle motions used by the Endless. Considering what they just saw, as well as his history and scarred body, it was not difficult for the soldiers to think he would slaughter them this very moment. But there was more to Aedo than appeared from his one good eye. He slipped the back-up knife back into its pocket, and he whipped the blood from his forehead. He unclipped a magazine from his pant leg, and exchanged ammunition on his rifle. He approached the soldiers. ?If you want a chance of living, then stop acting like a bunch of chickens without heads. You?re gods-damned soldiers! Start acting like it!? He started walking down the hall, away from the soldiers. ?If you want to even have a chance of living, follow me. But if any of you slow down, you?re dead! If I wouldn?t slow down for even Jupiter, don?t think I plan on slowing down for you so you can get screwed back on whatever watering hole world you came from.? It didn?t take long for them to decide to follow the infamous man-eater. * * * * * Samuel?s arcane-powered fists ripped apart another zombie?s jaw. For the most part of twenty three years of life, he had been studying in martial artists. He had never studied in a single area ? he was just as fluent as in the studies of the Red Dragon as he was in the Iron Hand movement. He never specialized in any one school; he knew a good deal of everything. This made him extremely versatile when it came to his combat techniques, and on top of his small knowledge in magics that bolstered his own physical strengths, he was not a researcher to be fooled with. He ducked under a swift swipe from a zombie?s extended arm, and returned the favor with a quick punch in the rib (or at least where the ribs should of have been). If the thing was human, it would of staggered back at the very least, and screamed in agony. Unfortunately, it was very much dead, and the zombie barely flinched. If anything, it wrinkled its nose. The zombie raised its fist, and brought it down with greater velocity than a sludge hammer. Knowing that even with his enhanced strength he couldn?t block it, he opted to dodge it. The arm narrowly missed its calculative target. Knowing that the zombie couldn?t supply the same amount of force after such a strike, Samuel muttered a quick strengthening spell, and slammed his knee into the zombie?s chest. The creature, after its last strike exhausted so much of its energy, was not prepared for the attack. Samuel?s knee ripped away at the gut of the monster, and the zombie went flying into a wall, cracking it. Despite his apparent victory, Samuel could tell by the multitude of grimly roars coming from the hallway that the battle wasn?t even close to war. Getting on his knees, he casted a spell to numb away his wounds. * * * * * ?Die, you overgrown mold rats!!? Thus was the common term Valgrad decided to call the zombies he encountered. True, they looked nothing like rats, but after the Thane killed one that indeed had mold covering half of its face, it seemed a proper enough insult. Baldur swung upward, and a zombie?s head came clean off, red blood spraying everywhere like a fountain. A great deal of the Valhallian was covered in the life giving substance, but it was certainly a great way to instill fear into the weaker thralls to the Endless. True, the zombies lost their souls long ago, and their fear along with it, but that didn?t say anything about the gargoyles? ?Get your grubby, good for nothing hands off of me!? One zombie was unfortunate enough to be caught in one of Valgrad?s wide, group desecrating, swings. Half of the said zombie?s body was cleaved straight off, but it had enough bloodthirstiness left inside of it to crawl its way to the battle master and pin him down by the legs. Of course, this was solved by Valgrad merely kicking the zombie off of him. And to ensure it wouldn?t be a nuisance again, he stomped on its head. ?Damnit!? He cursed. ?That was one of my favorite boots?? He shrugged at the notion, and instead continued in the fight, hollering and singing war songs all the while. It was a good day to be a Valhallian! * * * * * Aedo raised his rifle in protest at the sight of a gargoyle attempting a counter attack from a melee attack in the face. The butt end of the rifle slammed straight into the head of the demon, sending it twirling backwards onto the floor. One of the soldiers proceeded to blasting the dazed bat-man to pieces. Of the group the soldiers under Aedo have found, only a single gargoyle remained standing. It knew it wasn?t going to survive. But it was hungry; it wanted some meats. And one weary soldier looked like the perfect meal. Just as its fellow gargoyle was blasted to bits, it flew across the room, and latched itself onto the soldier, sending him to the floor. Ruthlessly, it sent its blade cutting into the boy?s face. The gargoyle was ripped apart by the bullets almost instantly. The soldiers expected Aedo ? despite his infamous history ? to say something to give back some morale. He just flexed his shoulders, reloaded his rifle, and continued walking. He didn?t even turn to face the dead soldier. Some of the soldiers sighed. Others glared at the Lieutenant. All of them followed the man eater. Suddenly, the sound of gunfire filled the hallway. Whatever grudges the soldiers had for Aedo dissipated instantly. A soldier ran across the intersection, firing some random bullets at something that was beyond their sight. Instantly, something that looked like a bird walking on two legs made its appearance, unfazed by the flurry of bullets. It was featherless, its leathery skin a dark red. Its beak looked more than capable of tearing of a man?s skull easily. But what was the most frightening aspect to it were its hands ? they really weren?t hand in the sense of the word. In truth, they were more like scythes that could easily tear any human apart. It was a hook horror. The demon charged towards the lone soldier, crying some intelligible scream for blood. The soldier ran off, thinking he could escape the charging death, but it proved to be false. He was quickly skewered, and his last vision of life was him having his head torn off by the hook horror?s beak. The hook horror flung the corpse away, not because its list for blood was fulfilled (in truth, it was anything but that!), but because it saw more potential in the group of soldiers under Ohimnim. Head first, it charged towards the group, intending or sending flying anyone that was stupid enough to get in its way. Aedo rolled of the charging demon, and the soldiers scattered, hugging the wall. One soldier moved too slowly, and the hook horror swung its head. The soldier felt like a thousand pounds had slammed into his body, and he was sent flying into the ceiling. The speed he flew was great enough that upon impact every bone in his body was broken, and his brain was reduced to gory jelly. The bloodied corpse eventually peeled off the ceiling. The hook horror turned to the soldiers who were now regrouping, rifles raised and unified. It straightened itself, barely towering over them. The soldiers moves as a group around the hook horror, the demon just standing there, observing them, watching them. Its two scarlet eyes followed their movements, its body not moving an inch. This wasn?t no gargoyle; hook horrors formed tactics, strategies. It was difficult to predict their movements. The soldiers kept their rifles pointed at the demon. The Hook Horror kept its movements still as stone, it?s moving eyes the only moving muscle in its body. Aedo watched from a distance, waiting for the perfect opportunity to launch his attack on the demon. During that time, when man moved and beast remained still, time itself seemed to slow down to a complete stop. For those short, sweet moments, finite became infinite. Tranquility became anxiety; rage became patience. Then it was all shattered into countless pieces when the hook horror sprung, its scythe-arm splitting one of the soldiers nearly in half. The one right behind him was pierced down the middle, and in an instant, as his last recollection of his short life, he was flung backwards, his spine cracking against the wall. Bullets showered upon the demon, just as much a result of rage over the deaths of their brothers as it was to kill the damn monster and live another moment. Aedo, full of rage over his stupidity on not acting before the demon, charged towards it, his rifle unleashing bullet after bullet. The hook horror cleaved a soldier cleanly in half, a gory result of one of its wide swings. It was to be its final action of its dark crusade; a soldier, full of zeal and heroism, leaped onto its back, and filled the beast with bullets. The demon swung it off, and as it towered over him, as it plunged its blade-arm into the courageous youth?s stomach, he plunged his rifle?s bayonet through its throat. The demon collapsed, dead, and the soldier breathed his last at that moment. ?Being a hero only gets you killed?, the Lieutenant mentored the remaining four. ?Remember that much and you might just keep up.? The soldiers didn?t have time to respond to Aedo?s words. Instantly, they heard a large boom originating from the walls. It wasn?t just one location; the same booming sound was coming from two other locations on the opposite walls. In the next moment, they knew instantly what was the cause of it; three hook horrors emerged, concrete flying everywhere as a dark omen of the soldier?s fate. Within moments, the three beasts ripped apart the stunned soldiers; innards were devoured, heads were split open; torsos were pierced and ripped apart. The best humanity had to offer; its youth, men who sacrifice their whole lives to save those that they cherished. In an instant, in a blink of an eye, that light, that hope, was covered forever. And Aedo?s darkness became all the greater, for once again, he was the only one spared. He was cornered now, a hook horror approaching him, as its brothers cannibalized on the corpses. It was over. Finally, Aedo could rest. He lessened the grip on his rifle? ?No! Not now! Not like this!? ?Weak?, came a dark voice. The hook horrors ceased their meal, and turned their heads to face the approaching figure. It was the man in the red trench-coat. ?So weak?, he stated again, his blade Gilgamesh scratching the wall as he casually approached the demons. ?Pathetic humans?so weak! You are so easily slaughtered by these things! And to think only a scarred old man is the survivor.? The hook horrors glared at the man. ?But you?? He pointed Gilgamesh at them. ?You are the far more horrible a sight than these humans! They claim you hook horrors have intelligence, that you can form tactics and strategies, that you are the modern day raptors. But I do not see such honorable creatures?I see things who only fake intellect! You are nothing but scum?beasts, at best.? By then, the hook horrors had more than enough. Screaming a foul battle cry, they charged at the man. Before he leaped into another slaughter, he smiled a grin that even the highest of demons would be fearful of. He leaped out of the way of a stab, using the scythe arm as a platform for him to stride on. He leaped off of it, and carved Gilgamesh into the hook horror?s spine. It screamed horribly, the pain was so unbearable for a demon. The man tore the blade out, and the hook horror could barely stand before the wound claimed its life. The man?s attack was so swift that the other hook horrors had not even lifted their arms. Using the opportunity, he leaped between a pair of one, and sliced it clean off. Throwing Gilgamesh into the body of the last hook horror, he plunged the cleaved arm-blade into the torso of its owner. Pushing ever so lightly, the hook horror was sent flying into the wall, its own arm pinning it. The final hook horror had no time to charge at the man, with his blade still plunged into his chest, when he grabbed it by its neck. An unnatural amount of strength was pressured on it. Raising it above him, the man took grip on the demon?s flesh, and with a mighty pull, pulled all of its flesh off. Black blood flowed everywhere like a fountain, making the scene all the more horrific. All the while, during the thirty seconds of carnage the Gods had forced him to bear witness to, he could not help but fear the man as much as he was mesmerized by him. Hundreds of questions found its way into his mind, but even if he had the opportunity to live until the galaxy destroyed itself, he would never find the answer. So, he asked. ?What are you?? Aedo asked, putting emphasis on the final word. The man had already licked the black blood off of his blade, had spat it out, and was walking away when the Lieutenant asked him. The man turned his head to face the Lieutenant, his legs standing strong against the enigma. ?I am He who They named Devil. But if you prefer, you can name me Ferin Alengar.? He walked a few steps, sighed irritably, and turned to face the Lieutenant again. ?You might think I am something of a demon, and you?re right. I am the first of these good for nothing demons to ever walk any planet, and I plan on seeing the last. Wherether you are going to trust a demon is up to you. Me, I can live without ya, but I have a feeling my life will be a whole lot more interesting with you. If you want to follow?if you want to live, follow me.? If you want to die, that?s all right too! No shame on my bones.? Aedo, however, was not satisfied with this ?Ferin?s answer. ?You didn?t answer my question.? ?Or perhaps I gave you an answer that you did not approve of, thus in your rage that is so common in you humans, you decided it was best to ignore the fact, and repeat the question. And thus, the cycle continues.? ?Who the hell are you, you gods damned thing!? ?I already told you, human. I am Ferin Alengar, the half-man who was here since the beginning. ?What do you want here, Ferin Alengar?? ?I was bored, so now, I?m just looking for some fun. But while I?m here, I might as well get what those cursed Endless are looking for.? The words looking for and Endless in the same sentence seemed absolutely impossible. For the past five hundred years, humanity has considered the demons as mindless ravagers, monsters who craved only blood. They didn?t have any true motive; no great conspiracy was driving these monsters. But now this man, this Ferin Alengar, he has claimed the opposite. He is saying they are looking for something?and that something is on the Aaufagen. ?You don?t know what I?m talking about, now do you?? Aedo?s lack of response was the only answer Ferin needed. He laughed. ?You humans; you think you are so high and mighty. But look here; you don?t even know about the Kajjdorr!? Kajjdorr?Aedo had never heard the word before. Still, it had a familiar ring to it, like some lullaby that he heard when he was a mere boy. ?It?s the Endless? greatest treasures, and even though man laid claim to it, those demons want it back.? ?Why is it so important?? ?Well, I could tell you, but you?re just a human.? Aedo grinded his teeth angrily. ?Besides, what would the fun be in giving you all the spoilers?? Ferin chuckled softly. ?If you want to find out, you will have to just have to follow the trail of a demon?? * * * * * The zombie growled veraciously at Samuel pushed it aside. His hands were bleeding all over; his fingers had gone numb long ago. But he couldn?t allow physical pain to slow him down. After all, if he lessened his pace even a smidge, the zombies would think nothing of tearing him apart. Normally, Samuel would love to knock the living dead?s head clean off, but he knew his limits. The zombies chasing after him numbered him a dozen to one at the least. One man, even if he was a master at hand to hand combat, would not survive such a battle. The only choice of survival was for Samuel to run very fast in the opposite direction. As the hallway turned into a corner, Samuel jumped. His feet landed on the far wall, and using the momentum from the leap, pushed himself off from the wall. He landed on the floor, and not even thinking about looking back, continued the race from death. The spectacle of his physical finesse earned him a few extra moments, and he had no intent on wasting it. The race continued in the same manner. Samuel would be a few precious dashed ahead of the zombies chasing after him, and through some quick maneuvering, he would add a few more. If he encountered some random zombie or demon, he would give them a quick sucker punch in the face, never slowing his movement. He turned a corner, the martial artist finding himself in a four way crossroad. They were slightly common on Federation cruisers such as the Aaufagen; mostly in the center of slightly important areas, such as residence areas. Samuel?s eyes gazed from pathway to pathway. With the zombies trailing behind him, one pathway was blocked. With that, only three remained; but for all he knew, demons could patrolling any of those other three. Or worse yet, there could be a dead end at any of those. He didn?t have the time to rethink the blueprints of the Aaufagen. He had to choose a pathway now! ?Left, right, or straight? One of these has to be the lucky one. But which one, damnit, which one do I go with?? The zombies were getting closer. ?Left?? The monster?s feet could be heard from around the corner. ?Straight?? The stench could be smelled. ?Right?? Their very growls and grunts and screams could be heard now. He was out of time; his choice was made. He immediately sprinted forward, all of the energy that remained in his body being poured into his legs. He was going to outrun them! He didn?t care if they could leap several feet in a single bound. He didn?t care if a single swing from them could send anybody flying like a missile. Hell, he didn?t care how fast they were when they were crawling on the walls. He was going to outrun, and he?d even defy Pluto himself if he had to! He was going to find Andrew. But in that moment, something interesting happened. He bumped into Andrew. The gunman was running almost as fast as his much better trained brother, obviously on the run from something. They didn?t realize who the other person was, or that they were running into direct contact with the other person. They were both so intent on getting off the Aaufagen that they refused to use their brains on anything except when it involved blowing a hole in something. At first neither realized who they had bumped into. But when the shock of the collision had finally worn off, and their eyes set eyes on each other, they could never have been more relieved. ?Andrew!? ?Sam!? They quickly embraced, choosing to forget that a horde of zombies was right on Samuel?s tail. They broke the hug. ?Where have you been?? The gunman stared dumbfounded at his younger brother. ?And you call yourself a scientist, Sam? Considering the circumstances?? The sarcastic?s remark was cut off with the growl was cut off with the growl of an imp. The brothers turned around, and were horrified to see that while they were catching up, the Endless and zombies had decided to circle around the two brothers, more than prepared to rip them to pieces. ?Well,? Andrew shrugged, ?Your genius mind wouldn?t happen to have any ideas, now would it?? Samuel?s teeth were shivering too much out of fear to respond. ?Well, this is the end, I suppose.? Indeed, Andrew would of have been very correct on his assumption. The demons would of have had leaped onto the two brothers, and they would tear their delicate flesh with their razor sharp jaws. Barely a half eaten corpse would of have remained. All of that would have been true, if Valgrad Bearathark, his face smeared black with the blood of Endless, and a score of his hunters, had not entered the intersection at that very moment. ?Sir, should we help them??, a battle axe and pistol wielding hunter asked, although it was more of a demand in his tone than an actual question. Valgrad?s bloody grin told them all he ever needed. But for good measure, he raised Baldur, and shouted ?After those damned good for nothing Endless boys! First one to tear off an imp?s head with his bear hands gets an extra beer back on the Claw!? They all cheered to that, and with weapons raised, the half dozen or so Valhallians charged into almost certain death, with almost no possibility of survival?with Valgrad leading the way. ?Thought you could use some help!? Valgrad roared to Samuel when he smashed a zombie?s head with his war hammer. ?You could say that?? * * * * * The dark demon blood splashed everywhere, Aedo?s face included, when he smashed the firing mechanism into the mouth of a roaring imp, sending bullets straight through the demon?s head. The head was nearly cut in two, the jaw swinging loosely along with the tongue. Aedo kicked it off of his weapon, and moved onto his next victim, a gargoyle that was flying right towards him. Rifle raised, he fired away. Aedo was making very good time; with this skirmish, he had killed three Endless in less than a minute, but he had nothing on Ferin. The warrior would swing his sword brutally, and whatever demonic or undead flesh it would carve into, the dark energies of the blade would devour the victim, black veins emerging the wound, until it would reach the brain. Then it would explode, streams of blood streaming down from the cracked skull. Ferin would then toss the thing aside, and move onto his next victims. The final demon in the corridor was killed under a flurry of bullets. ?Pathetic?, Ferin muttered as he licked the black blood off of Gilgamesh, and would then spit the dark liquid out in disgust. ?How can humanity be prey to such trash is beyond me.? ?Not all of us have a blade that can make our foes brains implode.? ?And you never will?, Ferin said happily. ?There are some things that man should never have.? ?I know what you mean all too well?, Aedo mused as he salvaged a clip from a zombie?s corpse. ?Where is the Kajjdorr??, he asked without even staring into Ferin?s red eyes. ?Wherever we find demons:? he vaguely answered as he swung some mock swings. ?Then perhaps here would be a good place, Fuhrer?? came a tranquil voice. With a wide grin, Ferin turned to see the smiling face of Michael. ?Smiling as always.? ?Of course. It has been a long time. Fuhrer.? ?Yes it has, Rommel.? He pointed Gilgamesh at Michael. ?Do not get involved.? Michael pointed Zadikel at Ferin in casual response. ?Tell me, what name have you adopted now?? ?Ferin.? The two created circles around each other as they slowly walked, ever observing the other. Thus was the way of a warrior; see the soul of your enemy, before he does the same to you. ?And now, I am Michael, although I have to admit, I always was Michael, as you were always Ferin.? He was unmoved by the revelation. ?Now!? Ferin commanded, running into battle. Michael?s face didn?t deter under the shock; he always smiled in battle. With the coordination of a wise teacher, he cracked Zadikel, but not so that it was heading for Ferin. It went around Ferin, towards his rear. Ferin didn?t change his tactic; when Zadikel was about to carve into his back, he turned around instantly. He deflected the roaring sword with a slap from Gilgamesh. The giant blade smashed into the wall. Michael cracked Zadikel again, with enough speed and ferocity that if Ferin hadn?t leaped over it, he would of have been cut in half. The two blades met in midair; electricity crackled as Gilgamesh slid down Zadikel?s many segments. Ferin pushed the blade off of him, and he landed on the ground, his left palm cushioning the impact. Zadikel returned to his wielded before Michael whipped it again, sending it roaring towards Ferin. Ferin tossed Gilgamesh to his left hand, and with his right hand slapped the colossal blade away. Aedo was overwhelmed by the sheer strength of this enigma. Michael wasn?t surprise in the very least. Ferin casually licked the blood off his hand. Michael leaped onto the wall, and sprinted across it before jumping towards Ferin, Zadikel already curving towards his flank. Ferin flipped backwards over the blade, and parried with it when Michael sent it back towards him. Ferin adjusted his hands so that he could force Zadikel to slide over him with a mere push. With the blade crashing to the wall, he dashed towards Michael, tossing Gilgamesh to his left hand and flipping it to the off-hand position. If Michael was shocked to see that with seconds Ferin had smashed his hand into his face, he did not show it. With his entire palm grabbing Michael?s face, Ferin proceeded to smashing him into the wall repeatedly. He would frequently throw him into the wall, the sheer impact of it more than capable of killing the average man. Eventually, bloody cracks were formed across the wall, and a few drops of blood slipped their way between Ferin?s fingers. Michael didn?t move; his hands plopped to the ground, dropping Zadikel. Ferin raised an eyebrow in shock; he was surely expecting his Rommel to last longer than this! Aedo was certain he was dead. The veteran lieutenant?s suspicions proved to be false when Michael grabbed Ferin?s hand and tossed him across the room. ?I am stronger than you think, Fuhrer?, he calmly noted. He grabbed Zadikel and sent the blade towards Ferin. As fast and as strong as he was, Ferin didn?t have enough time to keep the blade from carving into his shoulder. He grunted painfully as each of the blades cut across his shoulder. When Zadikel had enough of its bloody fun, it let go of Ferin, sending him to the ground. Blood began to flow around the unmoving body. Moments passed, and Ferin didn?t budge a muscle. His uneasy breathing could have been heard throughout the corridor. ?Please get up Fuhrer?, Michael sighed. ?I know you?re awake.? Suddenly, the once lifeless body began to laugh. ?You?re good Michael, but you forgot who you are dealing with. You forgot too much.? Ferin rose his feet, as if all he got from the attack was a mere scratch. Aedo was horrified; how could anyone survive that? It was a fatal attack. No one that was human could have walked from such a blow. Even an Endless would of have been mortally wounded! But it was when Ferin was standing completely that Aedo saw something far more disturbing. The shoulder was erupting in boils; they covered his wound entirely. Bone, flesh, it didn?t matter; they were everywhere. Instantly, they grew until they could grow no more, and erupted in an explosion of blood. When Ferin wiped the blood off of him, his shoulder was completely healed. ?You truly are one of them, my Fuhrer.? ?You expected something else?? He licked his lips lustfully before the two charged at each other. Gilgamesh and Zadikel exchanged blows as their masters applied all of their strength into every swing and thrust. They would pull back, only to charge again. Seconds turned into minutes; the two seemed to be caught in an eternal battle, with neither willing to let go of victory?s reign. Suddenly, they stopped. Both lowered their blades. ?So, you have heard battle?s cry as well?? Michael nodded. ?Well, I?m off then.? ?You will be joining us?? Even though he said it as a question, the silver haired man?s smiling face gave the impression of a demand. Ferin turned to face Michael. ?We are ever the servants of humans. Despite what we would wish, they are the ones that control the worlds. History?s reign has always been in the hands of man.? He licked his lips seductively. ?I could possibly join your little ragtag group.? ?We should fetch the Kajjdorr first.? ?Yes. That would be a very good idea.? He started walking towards where he felt the true battle was taking place. ?Come?, he ordered Aedo when he walked past him. The Lieutenant agreed, and grabbing his rifle, he followed the black haired and silvered hair men. It would be a lie to the Gods if he were to say he wasn?t scared. He had seen many things; men devoured in front of his eyes, babies ripped apart like pigs. But he had never heard of a man capable of regenerating his own body. And what about this Michael character? His skull should of have had been cracked when he was thrown into the wall! But here he was, walking as if it had never happened, minus him wiping the blood off of his face. Were these two even human? Aedo doubted it, especially considering what he had seen Ferin was capable if. Aedo sighed. His answers would be answered soon enough. Wherether he was going to live long enough to put them to use was another issue all together. * * * * * The zombie stared at its opponent with an abhorrent glare, the exhalation of its irregular breathing on par to that of a toxic waste. Its eyes were a pale yellow, the first in a consistent color for the rest of its body. Its black tongue hung loosely from its open jaw, swinging lazily back and forth like a panting dog. It bent down, its clawed hands digging into the floor. At any moment, it was ready to pounce at its parry. With a mixture of both the velocity of its strike and its sheer weight, it would be more than enough to crush its victim. All it needed was to hit it?that, and to gather up its unholy strength to actually muster up the power to slam the target. Fortunately for Andrew Jackson, the zombie never got the chance. He fired off a magazine load of bullets into the zombie?s body. It was not necessarily the sheer amount of bullets that sent the zombie back to its grave, but rather where the bullets hit. Andrew may have been something of a Rambo, but being a scientist, he knew how important it was not to waste resources. He stepped backwards, his eyes trailing from one end of the passageway to the other. Between the dozen or so Hunters, the Zombies and Endless, Andrew couldn?t make heads or tales of where to go. Technically, he was caught in the middle of the whole thing, but considering the fact that the Endless were just as busy with the Hunters as they were with the Endless, he could easily enter the fray from any position. He saw his target; a gargoyle that was flying through the air after leaping off of a wall, a crude spear in hand, preparing to pierce a Hunter through his back. Andrew aimed his two Ronin ?M-57? revolvers, squinted his eyes, prayed a silent prayer to Ares, and clicked the trigger. Nothing but air. Andrew examined his guns. ?Aw, damnit?, he sighed. He took a another step back, and felt his brother?s back against his. ?Wasted bullets again?? ?I did not waste bullets. I merely just used too much without realizing how many I had on me, is all.? ?You wasted bullets.? ?Oh shut up?, Andrew contemplated to himself. ?Behind you!? Samuel yelled. Andrew felt his brother?s arcane fueled arms push him towards the ground. He turned around just in time to see a gargoyle speed towards his brother, a short blade in hand. The gargoyle, however, was too clumsy and slow to compete with Samuel. The martial artist pushed the blade away and sent the demon to the ground with an electric powered strike. The demon was dead before it even slid on the ground. ?You all right??, Andrew asked concerning as he got up to his feet. ?I?m fine?, Samuel responded, emotionlessly. ?No you?re not?, his older brother said sternly. ?I said I?m fine?, Samuel growled. Andrew grabbed his brother?s red stained shoulder. The younger Jackson growled in pain. ?See? What I tell you?? ?Shut up?. Andrew just sighed. He had to get his brother out of here and onto an escape pod fast. The Aaufagen, even though it was one of the most powerful ships the Federation had in its armada, would not last long against the Endless. Nothing human ever lasted long against the Endless. The two brothers heard a large thud, and looked at their feet, where an imp with its skull crossed laid, its brain oozing out of the wounds in a most gruesome manner. The two looked up, to find a Hunter with an eye path and a giant warhammer approached them. He was covered in blood ? both black and red. ?You two are the Jackson brothers, right??, he said with a grin. Samuel wasn?t sure if it was a good thing or an ominous omen. Andrew, however, saw it as a sign of relief. ?Yeah, that?s us?, he nodded. ?I?m Andrew, the guy with the cut shoulder and who is denying his inevitable death of blood loss is Samuel.? The younger Jackson glared at his brother. The hunter laughed. ?Well, I am Valgrad Bearathark, and those Hunters causing all this chaos, are mine.? ?Well, it?s good to finally see ?? ?Where?s your ship?? Samuel interrupted. ?Ship? Ah, we have no intention of leaving.? The Jacksons? jaws dropped. ?What do you mean you don?t plan on leaving?? ??Tis our way. Living is not exactly one of our priorities, you see." ?Then what is?? ?Cracking Endless? skulls would be a good place to start.? Samuel sighed. ?Can you at least get us out of this Pluto blessed hell hole? Mostly in a bloody, quick fashion?? Valgrad laughed. He liked how this Olympian talked! ?I can do that?, he said with a wide grin. He slapped Baldur on his chest. ?Follow me!? With that, he turned around and charged right into a group of Endless. Although it was true the said group of man eating demons was near a passageway, heading straight for the enemy ? and likely facing a most painful death ? was not what Samuel had in mind for a quick escape. Then again, that?s what you get for messing with Hunters. Especially a leader of a group of them! Valgrad leaped into the fray, smashing Baldur into the ground, creating a wave of granite and metal that bisected the group. The demons ignored the Hunters they were currently dealing with (who, by the way, were just as troublesome as their leader), and turned their attention to Valgrad and the two Olympians behind him. Samuel gulped nervously. Andrew cracked his knuckles in somewhat eager participation (although if it was for the battle or getting out of the war zone was never revealed). Andrew checked his leg pocket for bullets, but he discovered to his horror he was out of spare. ?Oh no?? ?Don?t tell me?? ?Yeah.? ?Just follow me.? ?Right behind you!? The two brothers charged into fray, helping a Hunter smash an imp into the ground with their body weight. In the next instant, they ducked beneath a swipe from a gargoyle?s spear. Before the demon could attempt another attack, Samuel tackled right onto it, and sent a flaming fist the demon?s way. A few multiple punches later, and the demon was dead. That didn?t mean Andrew was safe. At the moment, two very hungry looking imps saw him as a very hard meal to pass up. They clacked their jaws, eager to devour too prize. They leaped. Andrew knew that in mere moments, those blood stained claws would be ripping his face to pieces. The Gods must of have been smiling upon him then though; he was saved for a flurry of machine gun bullets. The Hunter approached him, saw him holding his guns, put two and two together, gave Andrew a pack of bullets, and raced off to help his leader. All this occurred in the span of three seconds. ??Whatever?, Andrew sighed. He inserted the bullets into his revolver, and got back to work. His weapon aimed, straight for the unsuspecting head of a zombie just getting back up from a veracious attack. Tongue licking his parched lips, eyes glared on the inhuman, he pulled the trigger. The zombie flipped backwards, its ripped head spilling its blood onto the floor. Andrew was about to fire a shot at an unsuspecting Endless when he saw the crushed corpse of an imp flying right towards. He ducked reasonably enough, fast enough for an Olympian researcher at the very least. His eyes trailed up, to see the grinning face of the Hunter captain. ?Watch where you?re throwing those things!? ?First rule of combat, gunman; always be aware. Now, where?s that brother of yours?? His question was answered when out of the blue, an Endless? frosted corpse landed at his feet. Intrigued, he looked at the warrior?s handiwork; even beyond the frost, a multitude of bruises could be seen. They were not at all uncalculated jabs, however; each of them were precise, all of them with a specific intent behind them. Samuel approached the two, wiping some blood off of him. ?Are all of your researchers this adept at killing demons, or are you just special?? ?We?re not easy prey, Valhallian?, Samuel noted. ?For an Endless, at least?, the burly Hunter retorted. They heard the squeal of a gargoyle flying right towards them. Andrew fired a few shots, but missed. Seeing he wouldn?t have enough time for another volley of bullets, he rolled out of the way of the approaching lunge. Not having enough time to react, Samuel followed his brother. Valgrad sidestepped the brutish attack and simply smashed the gargoyle into submission. All three turned in unison; a larger group of Endless and their zombie thralls were approaching. They were being cornered. * * * * * The demon was half the height of the Aaufagen?s halls; it skin was covered in fur, a dozen or so fingers and half clawed corpses caught in them. Its jaw was filled to the brim with teeth that were as sharp as any blade. Its one eye was focused on its sole prey, all of its bestial instincts telling it to rip it apart into a million flesh fragments. Ferin wasn?t frightened one bit. If anything, he found it slightly amusing, how the cyclops thought it could actually kill him. Roaring so hard portions of the walls actually cracked, it charged forward. Ferin pushed Gilgamesh into the ground, his right foot leading, and leaped onto the giant monster?s stomach. Like a monkey, he crawled up the cyclops? belly. Before it could even remotely think about throwing him off, Ferin had already found himself on the beast?s shoulder. He jumped onto its hairy head, crawling from the back to the front, the idiotic monster rocking its head all the while. Eventually, Ferin found his target. The eye. Mustering a slither of his strength, Ferin ripped the eyelids off of the eye, allowing full exposure. The monster screamed as the delicate flesh was thrown to the ground. Uncontrollably, it sent its head into ever direction; into walls, through the air. It just wanted to squash that good for nothing human! But Ferin had other plans in mind. He gripped his hands onto the eye, his cold and hard hands digging into the cornea, already blinding the beast. The pain was still there, and the Cyclops struggled all the more. Ferin did not budge. He planted his legs on the beast?s shoulders, and he pulled back. More and more he pulled, his strength becoming greater with each passing second. In a gory spectacle, Ferin tore the eye free, the nerve leading the flow of blood from the cyclops?s cavity. It was dead before it even plopped onto the floor. Aedo had just torn one of his knives free from the neck from a zombie when the Cyclops fell. He was certainly caught in awe of Ferin?s prowess as a warrior; similar feats of strength were common place when Ferin was involved. That didn?t mean Aedo wasn?t taken back by Ferin?s enigma like status; if anything the brutal way he went about things frightened him all the more. He respected his talents as a warrior, but feared his views as a man. ?We should be going,? Michael said in his characteristically calm voice, not taken back by Ferin?s latest accomplishment. ?Just where are we going??, Aedo asked. He had inserted a spare shrapnel magazine into his rifle as he approached. Michael faced the lieutenant. ?If it concerns you that much, we are holding for the holding cell of the Aaufagen.? The holding cell; it was usually mistaken by the common populous as a portion of every cruiser that holds criminals on the ship. This misconception could be attributed to the name of the chamber itself; in truth, holding cells held items of important value. These could include people, but they certainly would not be prisoners. The Federal Navy dealt with prisoners in a very simple manner; throw them into deep space. In this case, the holding cell must have naturally been holding the Kajjdorr. ?If you plan to go in this direction, you?re heading for a horde of Endless.? ?That?s the idea?, Ferin smirked. ?That is the quickest route to the Cell?, Michael added. ?We?ll find a way to deal with the Endless when we encounter them. For now, let?s just head for the Cell, and damn the consequences.? Aedo licked his lips greedily; as if he wanted to make sure he got most of the action. He followed the two into the halls. Their journey was long, and repetitive. Every half hour or so, they would encounter a somewhat large group of Endless. The three would proceed to using their skills as warriors to take down the demons in a quick and concise manner. Aedo would be the furthest away from the enemies, offering random support fire when able to fire without hurting his other companions. Michael would be the swiftest of them all, moving along walls without incredible ease when needed, cutting down any enemy he saw with Zadikel?s multiple blades. Ferin would, as one would expect, be the one most caught in each battle, his hand cutting through demonic flesh, Gilgamesh tearing multiple bodies apart with a single swing. It would be an hour later when Aedo noticed that the sounds of battle appeared to get louder the more he followed the two. It wasn?t so much the quantity of fights. It was more along the lines of an echo that seemed too far away. ?We?re heading for a giant battle?, Aedo reported. Neither of the two spoke. Aedo knew at once; the revelation was given to them long before. They did not encounter any Endless or zombies for a significant amount of time. By then, Aedo had forgotten what time even meant; he knew only battle. He was once again that young soldier caught in a conflict on a desert planet thousands of light years away from home. All he knew was survival. They quickly found themselves in a four way crossroads. Before them were a group of both Endless and their zombie thralls; they were facing a corner, slowly devouring it, one would think. They were surrounding a group of humans. Hunters to be exact. Aedo recognized some familiar faces among the group. The Jackson brothers. ?Humans always seem to find themselves in need of aid.? Ferin got himself into a stance; his right foot forward, his left pushed back so he could spring into action at any time. His hands held Gilgamesh, the sword pointed towards the group like an arrow speeding towards its target?s heart. ?The Jackson brothers are there.? Ferin turned to Aedo; he never suspected the scarred soldier to remember names from anyone on the ship. A warrior can recognize another?s traits through battle. Aedo fired quickly, and counter attacked brutally. Rarely did he try to dodge a swing. Through this, Ferin came to know Aedo as a man who waited eagerly for death?s calming embrace, but would fight to the last breath. Ferin never suspected him to remember something as trivial as names. And yet, Aedo did. The lieutenant must of have been full of surprises. Ferin pointed to Samuel among the crowd of humans preparing a defensive maneuver against the Endless. ?That one made Apera?, Ferin said plainly. Aedo turned to face Ferin, his face full of eager bloodlust. ?How do you know about Apera?? Ferin didn?t answer. He just chuckled. Instantly, He leaped into combat; the jump cracked the very ground he was standing on just moments ago. The leap was so long that he landed right in the middle of the group; the impact sent the surrounding demons flying. Some of them hit the ceiling; those that did felt all the bones in their body break apart. They fell to the ground, dead. Needless to say, the Hunters and the Olympian brothers were very, very shocked that a single man ? albeit a man that looked more monstrous than most of the Endless ? could have committed such an impossible feet. The Jackson brothers just stared at the man, mostly out of fear than awe. The Hunters, minus Valgrad, were doing the same exact thing, except it was mostly out of respect for the dark warrior. Valgrad was the only one willing to make any movements. ?What?s your name?? His voice was totally emotionless. It showed no signs of horror, dignity or preservation of respect. ?Ferin Alengar.? The black haired man?s response was cold, and ruthless. It was the voice of a man who knew he was a god among mortals. It was the speech shared by tyrants. Valgrad made no emotional or physical movements to reveal what he thought of him. Ferin ignored the Valhallian as he looked around him, taking notice of the massive amount of demons and zombies that decided, for whatever bestial reason they had, to focus solely on these twenty or so humans. ?You?ve had best make your move human, unless you want to become a ghoul.? Valgrad only licked his tongue as a response. Ferin sighed before he turned around to face an Endless that did not seem to be doing anything important. He pointed his hand at the demon. The monster glared at him. It knew what he was. It saw him worse than the cruelest of its kind, who would consider ripping a stomach open and allowing the buzzards to feed off his entrails a mere game. The Endless had no idea who it was dealing with. So, Ferin stretched his arm beyond lengths it should not have been possible. It caught the throat of the demon that was several feet away?without Ferin even moving a step. Then Ferin tore the head off. ?It begins!? He shouted, running towards his returning arm. Valgrad stomped his foot, the unspoken order to charge into combat given. He led the way, allowing his followers to follow. At first, the two Jackson brothers had no idea what they were to do. This man called Ferin that had just appeared, they knew he wasn?t human. His eyes had the eyes of an Endless; his manner of speech was that of a man who threw off the shackles of society. The way he moved was how someone who didn?t care if he died or lived moved. His body was that of a mad man. And yet, he had chosen to save them?or at worst, to intervene. Did he do it out of a slight moment of humanly conscience? Or was it just for another chance to spill some more blood? Was it both? Was that last option even remotely possible? In the end, both knew that they had to join in the battle. Ignoring everything common sense told them to do, they charged right into the colossal battle. Samuel infused his fists with some fire arcane, while Andrew loaded some bullets into his gun. None of them had any idea what they were getting themselves into.

Its not like I don't care about about the fact that someone died. Its just that, whenever reporters report everyday occurrences of celebrities, I just roll my eyes. Because they are everyday people - I don't need to be reported that they threw up in public or something.

I could of sworn that I said in my original post that B:TLV came before Blood+. But yeah, compared to most, B:TLV was pretty bad, although you can contribute that to it supposed to be an opening episode instead of an OVA.

To all those that have signed up so far (as those, who actually FINISHED it [glares at Rurouni]) [IMG]http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/5096/gmapproved9do.jpg[/IMG] I'll be having the RP up by Monday. Anyone else who wants to sign up between here and now are more than welcomed to.

It would appear the (in)famous celebrity, Anna Nicole Smith, died today at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. We have no idea why she died - all we know is she collapsed, a nurse found her, dialed 911, and she was then declared dead. Of course, her mother thinks it was drugs. How original. Now, personally, I don't care. I could care less about celebrity's lives, personally. I mean, they ARE regular people, like you and me, except they are freaking rich! What saddens me is that she dies six months after her own son. Now, her newborn daughter will never know her mother and brother, beyond the papparappzi. [url]http://news.aol.com/entertainment/articles/_a/anna-nicole-smith-dies/20070208151009990001[/url]

"The goal of golf is to get a small ball into an even smaller hole with tools that are purposely ill suited for the task." [RIGHT]-Winston Churchill[/RIGHT]

Jeremiah, all I have to say is that you must be one of the most observant members OtakuBoards has to offer. You were right on the spot with many things: although this man may of have some great connection with his instrument, he wasn't crying tears because of that. He, and many others had lost someone of great importance to them. I was also surprised to notice your comment on the Grand Granola. I had [I]no[/I] idea about that, and your comment enlightened me. The thing that does me in though, is when I look at his eyes. I just can't keep my eyes off of those gray orbs. They just, absorb me in, I guess. They just paint so much sadness and grief, its almost unbearable.

[IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/symbols/devilchildren_textsymbol.jpg[/IMG] [color=white] After 2000, a strange phenomenon occurred - a few children were born with the ability to cast magic that was similar to those of the Pagans, but without the restrictions of them: incantations, rune scribing, and human sacrifice being the most obvious. And the 'Devil Children' , as TERRA termed them, were not restricted to just Massachusetts, or Boston for that matter. A dozen Devil Children in the past twenty years have been recorded as far away as Asia and Africa. How this phenomenon become so widespread, when the explosion occurred only in Boston-One, baffles TERRA. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/symbols/terra_textsymbol.jpg[/IMG] Formed shortly after the victory of the Revlutionary War, TERRA (earth in latin) was a secret organization who?s presence was kept even from each and ever president of the united states. Its goal: the termination of the nephilim in the state of Massachusetts, as well as keeping the knowledge of the monsters away from the public. [b]Important Characters[/b] [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/terra/commander.jpg[/IMG] [b] Commander Ronald Tservi[/B] A brilliant man in terms of leadership and coordination, Commander Ronald Tservi was a controversial choice in that he had no prior experience with TERRA, or any related organization, when he was enlisted as Commander. Despite this, he has quickly adapted to be a fine leader. [IMG] http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/symbols/endless_textlogo.jpg[/IMG] Created by God to help him govern the lives of Man, the Endless are seven demi-god like entities that each represent a human characteristic, and the opposite of that characteristic. Unlike their Lord, the Endless usually take part in the events and history of Mortals, and are active agents of Heaven against Hell, although it has been noted that at times some of the Endless would on few occasions ally themselves with a hellspawn in order to further their agendas. [b]Important Characters[/b] [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/destiny.jpg[/IMG][b] Name[/b] Destiny [b]Symbol[/b] His tome [b]Realm[/b] The Tranquil Garden [b]Role[/b] Near supreme power over Destiny[/b] Destiny is the oldest of the Endless (even though they were all 'born' on the same day), and is portrayed by a man in a gray cloak whose eyes are always hidden by his hood. His symbol is the book, which was given to him by God, which contains the knowledge of all past, present, and future events. To ensure that it is not used improperly, it is chained to his wrist. He leaves neither footprints or a shadow. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/death.jpg [/IMG][b]Name[/b] Death [b]Symbol[/b] The Ankh [b]Realm[/b] Cottage [b]Role[/b] Supreme power over life and death Death's sole responsibility is to give the kiss of life to all mortals when they are born, thus giving them life, and to give the kiss of death, taking that same life away. She will give the kiss of death only when the Lord or one of his angels come to tell her to do so. After giving the dreaded kiss, she will gently guide the soul to either Heaven or Hell. Of all the Endless, Death is the one most frequent on the mortal realm. She is somewhat disappointed that the mortals usually depict her as a pale, and dark intent man or a robe holding skeleton, but that does not mean she hates Humanity for it. After all, if Yahweh keeps the Endless out of the loop of some things, how can she expect sinful Humans to know the same? [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/dream.jpg[/IMG][b]Name[/b] Dream [b]Symbol[/b] Demon Skull [b]Realm[/b] Desert of Dreams [b]Role[/b] Supreme power over Dreams and Reality Dream is the love interest of Death, and one of God's greatest warriors against Satan and his Hellspawns. At one time, God asked if Dream would become one of the Judges of Israel, and be remembered for all time. Dream, although honored, declined his Lord's offer for two reasons - he did not care for glory, and he would miss Death too much if he left the Realms. As of late, Dream has become more cold and careless towards what happens to his companions, with the exception of Death and Destiny. He appears to be after only his and his friend's interests. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/destruction.jpg [/IMG][b]Name[/b] Destruction [b]Symbol[/b] The Sword [b]Realm[/b] The Castle overlooking the Battlefield [b]Role[/b] Supreme power over destruction and creation A warrior in every sense of the word, Destruction overlooks the chaos of the world, as well the creation of anything. He is an extreme paradox - both a maker and a destroyer. Despite his chaotic attitude, he is a lover of the arts, although he does not excel at them. He rips anything he creates the moment it is done, not allowing anyone to see it, although he does mention them from time to time. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/desire.jpg[/IMG][b]Name[/b] Desire [b]Symbol[/b] A stained glass heart [b]Realm[/b] The Abandoned Chapel [b]Role[/b] Supreme power over desire and fulfillment The most manipulative and cruel of the Endless, Desire's gender is the only one to be doubted due to the fact that he-she appears as both at his-her choosing. He-she tends to meddle in the affairs of his-her older siblings, although the source of it usually stems to just childish bullying and jealousy. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/despair.jpg[/IMG][b]Name[/b] Despair [b]Symbol[/b] The Hook Ring [b]Realm[/b] The Graveyard [b]Role[/b] Supreme power over despair and dread A beautiful, nude, and extremely pale woman, Despair speaks little, and speaks constantly of suicide. She has a hook ring on her finger, which she almost hobby-like uses to carve scars onto her body. She speaks little, but when she does have something to say, and when it does not have anything to do with her own suicide, it is considered wise words that are short of Destiny's and Yahweh's. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/endless/delrium.jpg[/IMG][b]Name[/b] Delirium [b]Symbol[/b] Formless blob of colors [b]Realm[/b] The Abstract Painting [b]Role[/b] Supreme power over delirium and sanity Of all the Endless Delirium's form changes the most. Even though her eyes, which are green and blue, usually stay the same, they can be changed to either eye, or removed all together if she needs to fit in with the mortal realms. She once represented Delight, but when Humanity changed their opinion of delight from simplicity to complex feelings during the twentieth century, Delirium's psyche shattered. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/symbols/jokers_textsymbol.jpg[/IMG] Who are the Jokers? That, my friends, is a very good question. In the plainest of terms, they are demons that require a tormented soul to inhabit to walk the earth, but that is an inaccurate description. They are both good and evil; never totally allying themselves with neither man nor demon. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/jokers/diamonds.jpg[/IMG][b]Name[/b] Joker of Diamond Although technically none of the Joker trio are the leaders, Diamonds would be the closest, since technically he has given the most 'orders' of them all, even though the term would be far more generous for his chaotic nature. His element is nature, symbolized by his Iris, the flower of vengeance. This is obviously related somehow to the soul who he has manifested himself into, although he refuses to reveal his host's identity. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/jokers/hearts.jpg [/IMG] [b]Name[/b] Joker of Hearts The most ferocious of the Jokers, Hearts uses the three blades sticking out of its 'heart painted' chest as its weapon, pulling them out in a gory fashion. He is able to bend shadows to his will, using them to whatever pleases him. His host has had a tragedy in their past, and Hearts will seek to ease that tragedy before its time in the mortal realm is done. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/jokers/clubs.jpg[/IMG][b]Name[/b] Joker of Clubs Of all the Jokers, Clubs represents the clown persona the most. He laughs a maniacal laughs constantly, and all of his movements have some reference to an entertainer. He speaks in riddles to everyone but his brothers, which aggravates everyone to no end. Despite him being the youngest, he knows the most of what is occurring. His weapon of choice is a rocket launcher. What is most odd is that Clubs' manifestation has no reference to his host, unlike his brothers. [IMG] http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/symbols/foundation_textsymbol.jpg[/IMG] On the surface, the Adelvep Foundation finances archeological research. In reality, they delve into the occult, researching on demons and devil children. They are a friendly rival with TERRA. [IMG]http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/foundation/master.jpg [/IMG][b]Name[/b] Sydney Basatova The master of the Adelvep Foundation, Sydeny is a millionaire who gained his fortune in the research in the paranormal - most specifically, the connection between Earth, and Hell. Once a professed Christian, it?s been said that he has been raveling madness in his private chambers as of late. [IMG] http://dcs.ffproject.net/dcs/images/portraits/foundation/murderer.jpg[/IMG] [b]Name[/b] Job (Pronounced Jobe) Once one of Master Basatova's prime researchers, Job went mad and was sent to a clinic. Two months ago, he died. And yet, people have claimed to see him... [/color] [color=white] Since this RP takes place in Boston-Two (which was designed as an exact replica of the Boston we know now of), I implore that you guys read the following wiki articles: [list] [*][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_accent][color=red]Boston Accents[/color][/url] [*][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston][color=red]Boston[/color][/url] [*][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neighborhoods_in_Boston%2C_Massachusetts][color=red]Neighborhoods[/color][/url] [*][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_in_Boston%2C_Massachusetts][color=red] Culture[/color][/url] [*][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Media_in_Boston%2C_Massachusetts][color=red]Media[/color][/url] [*][url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_transportation][color=red]Transportation[/color][/url] [/list] [/color]

[color=white][b]Name[/b] [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/RP/Devil%20Children/cao_by_egosun.jpg] [color=red]Matthew Camien[/color] [/url] [b]Age / DOB[/b] August 20,1995 [15 years old, sophomore] [b]Persona[/b] [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/RP/DarkBlood/demons/rebelliondt.gif] [color=red]Magni[/color] [/url] [b]Blood Weapon[/b] [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v143/Doublehex/RP/DarkBlood/weapons/agnirudrarender.gif] [color=red]Skoll[/color] [/url] [b]Snippet[/b] In a word, Matthew was tired. His eyelids over shadowed his eyeballs the way someone who had spent all night partying would. His lips were puckered like some baby who was crying all night long. A big shadow was beneath his eyelids. He looked slightly drunk, although that?s not saying that he was. Matt was more than tired. He wasn?t even very tired, or even exhausted. His drowsiness was so beyond ?tired? that it probably wouldn?t even be comprehensible by the regular human psyche. He felt half dead, but even then that was being kind. If he didn?t have the will to keep his eyelids open, he would undoubtedly fall into a slumber on par to Sleeping Beauty?s. But only one thing in the whole world kept Matt from falling into such a deep slumber. It was called rush hour traffic. Another chorus of beeps and protests from aggressive drivers filled Matt?s ear. This must have been his sixth attempt at trying to take a nap, and he was starting to get more than a little agitated. Matt was tempted to ask how much longer until they reached Boston-Two, but his common sense decided otherwise. But as more and more cars beeped, and the more and more the car didn?t move an inch, the more Matt just wanted to scream. Why did his dad have to move to Boston-Two? Why did it have to be three hours away from all his friends? And most important of all, why the hell did the day they were moving rush hour day? Matt began to feel that God just did not like him one bit. [b]EDIT: Changed Skoll from a single longsword to two blades...because double wielding is totally awesome. :D[/b] [/color] [FONT=Arial][SIZE=1][B]OOC[/B] Short I know, but I'm not the best guy at snippets. Kind of ironic thats how I wanted you guys to sign up. :p Anyways, its looking good so far, for those who actually finished their sign ups...which is just Sakura. On another note: its the invasion of the KH2 demons! Run for the hills![/SIZE][/FONT]

[color=white]It was a calm, autumn?s day on the streets of Boston. Of course, with it being Boston, that usually meant it being extremely cold, and people were so bundled up that they looked like over inflated snowmen. The city was bustling with pedestrians and cars alike. It was a typical day; no one was expecting anything out of ordinary. Then it was all destroyed in a fiery oblivion. [center]*[/center] In the year 2000, there was a massive explosion that engulfed all of Boston, the capitol of Massachusetts. Congress agreed to give the Boston Reconstruction Project Committee a massive sum of money to construct a Boston-Two. With the massive funds, it was completed in four years. However, during construction there were rumors going around of ghost appearing, but these were never proven. Of course, these were actually true: demons have been passing into Massachusetts ever since the Salem Witch Trials. Unbeknownst to the settlers there, Massachusetts was basically a massive sacrificing table for the demons of Hell to pass through into the mortal realm in their physical form. Fortunately, the Governor of Massachusetts stopped the Trials before enough sacrifices were made to have all of North America a giant battle between man and demon. So, the field of war was reduced to only Massachusetts. Upon the United States? discovery of this after its Revolution, it created a secret organization known only as TERRA to battle the demons without the public knowledge. TERRA still exists to this day. The year is now 2020. Stronger demons are proving capable of passing the dimension rift, and it won?t be long before TERRA will have to make its presence public and perform a mass evacuation and quarantine of Massachusetts. However, some children born after the explosion have shown traits similar to those of the demons ? magic without the use of witchcraft (incantations, rune crafting, etc.). These children will prove invaluable to TERRA in its battle against the demon armies from Hell. [center]*[/center] ?What exactly are the Devil Children? I get asked that a lot; a little bit too much for my liking. When asked, I always tell them the honest truth: they are humans that can cast magic. I?m not talking about any Harry Potter here: that?s something the way of juvenile fantasies. There?s no wands in real magic: magic is an unnatural occurrence in a natural, God governed world. There?s no waving of the hands, no muttering some random incantation. Magic is the force of the wills. These Devil Children, when they form a ball of fire in their hands, they force the fire to come to being. They force it; they don?t ask anyone or anything for permission. Now, we have no idea where these Devil Children actually came from. They became more noticeable after the destruction of Boston-One, but they came long before that. I even daresay that there were clues of Devil Children existing before the Salem Witch Trials. Of course, these Devil Children didn?t come naturally; they did some sacrifice to some mad demon lord or were cursed by a witch or something along those lines. The Devil Children of today are gifted, not cursed. Now, that?s all I can say before we head into more classified information, especially with their blood weapons and personas. Now, excuse me, I have an important arrangement to attend. Good bye.? [center]*[/center] Dear Commander, At a recent meeting concerning the rise of the nephilim, or blood beasts, I noticed that you failed to give any details as to why the rise has not been noticed by your staff before it has reached such a disastrous level. The nephilim are a menace to the well being of Boston, and for you to be so lax concerning them is disturbing at best. I also want to know why more of the Devil Children have not been enlisted into TERRA. TERRA was formed to protect Massachusetts from the nephilim, using any means necessary, especially the Devil Children. I am aware that they account for less than a fraction of a percent of New England?s population, but I fail to see that as a reason. If they are there, find them. Use them. That is all I have to say on the matter at hand. I suggest that you take heed of my words, Commander. -Him [center]*[/center] And thus, I welcome you to the Devil Children Story. As you can tell, this is a story of the gothic and the macabre; there will be few moments of comedy and the light hearted in this tale. This RP will take place in Boston-Two in the year 2010, ten years after the ?incident?, and six after the first Boston was destroyed by an accident. Countless organizations play their roles behind the scenes of this dark and grisly play, and you will be the actors that will be cast below the light. You will all play as Devil Children: I will prefer it if you're high schoolers, but the choice ultimately rests on you. At the moment, none of us work for TERRA, although that will change as the RP goes along. For character sheets, I will like the following: [b]Name[/b] [b]Age / DOB[/b] (Remember this takes place in the year 2010, so number it accordingly) [b]Persona[/b] The persona is a creature or being that represents the inner self of the Devil Children, almost like a reflection. Just post a link to a picture and the name of the Persona. Personality is allowed but not required. [b]Blood Weapon[/b] The blood weapon is a weapon or tool that is unique to each Devil Children. [b]Snippet[/b] In place of biography and personality, I instead want a snippet of your character, describing in writing what they look like, how they act, etc. No word limit; it can be as short or as long as you want.[/color]

It has been said that a picture is worth a thousand words, that with each picture countless stories, symbolisms, and emotions can be evoked from them. I believe it is time we had a thread where we discussed backgrounds behind random photos that we find across the net. Each person will post a photo (not a cell phone camera pic, unless you really think its THAT good). No words or anything else afterwards; just a picture. Then people after it will discuss the photo. When the original poster is satisfied, and wants to move on, he will tell his take on it. And we will continue the cycle. Now, people are welcomed to post photos admits a current discussion, but I don't this rule abused TOO much. Well, with this out of the way, I'll post the first pic.

[QUOTE=White][COLOR=DimGray][FONT=Tahoma]I did that. But not on purpose. >_> Everything did like twice as much damage and by the end of the dungeon I was wondering why the hell everything was so freaking strong. Shame on me.[/FONT][/COLOR][/QUOTE] I will definitely be doing that, since the game seems way too easy for me. The third boss wasn't even worthy of the title - it was more like a regular enemy with lots of life that just wandered about, doing nothing. I need a real challange!

Kitty, as always, your PS works are works of genius. I wish I could steal your sexah talents sometimes for my sites. Also makes me wish OB would allow us to have more than 1 banner in our signatures. >.> ...Boss, wouldn't it be a good idea to create an Underground for this now, what with this being the fifth non sign up related post?

Well, concerning the original, I didn't think it was so bad. The visual aspect of it was quite good, but the story, well it wasn't so much. It was a very simple story; if you were expecting something complicated, I can see why Blood: TLV wouldn't of have met your expectations. But from what I've read, it was originally supposed to be a 10 episode series, but they cut off the funding after the first episode. So, it's fairly obvious why the story was so poor. As for Blood+, I'm only on the fifth episode and I'm loving it. A tad bit slow, sure, but I have no qualms with it right now.

[INDENT]Sorry for the delay ladies and gents, but finals got in the way of things, as well as some other stuff. But I am now proud to present the second chapter of Kenzoku! Enjoy. [/INDENT][RIGHT][RIGHT][B]Chapter Two[/B][/RIGHT] [/RIGHT] [RIGHT][RIGHT][B]Wasuka[/B][/RIGHT] [/RIGHT] As they were instructed in their graduation notifications, the graduates arrived at the Academy just as the sun rose over the mountains. The two hundred or so students waited an hour before the instructors came. They talked amongst themselves in the meantime, mostly about anticipation for the wasuka ceremony. The head of the group was Ryu Suzukami, a man known for having researched the wasuka his entire career as a shinobi. He was not the type of man known for having long conversations; he was the type that wanted to get to the point. He never saw the point for idle conversations. He had patience when the need arose, however. There was no need for that today. "Come in!" he ordered almost immediately after he left the door and entered the outside. "Follow my attendants! We'll lead you to the room." The graduates quickly followed the order. Once inside, Ryu said only a single sentence: ?This will be your last time in these halls until the choujin exams.? The message was clear; remember your memories. Recall both the bad and the good. If you don?t, these halls that have been a second home to you for the past ten years will be nothing. They will be just barriers of wood and stone bisecting rooms. Eventually, the group reached the Forbidden Halls ? a sector of the Academy used only by shinobis and Instructors. None of the graduates had ever been here before; any student who entered was almost instantly expelled. They were usually given a week or so to make them think they got away with it. The shock usually made the expelled law abiding citizens for life. Upon entering the Forbidden Halls, the graduates were thoroughly disappointed. They thought it was supposed to look it was holding something that earned the Halls the forbidden part. Their expectations were something along the line of grayed skulls hanging off of chandeliers, or at the very least torches lighting the way of dark as night halls. The Forbidden Halls looked just like any other Hall. Some people saw fresh paint. Fresh paint does [I]not[/I] equal creepy, foreboding event. It equals normal. Most of the graduates did not like normal when it came to the wasuka. They wanted the wasuka ceremony to be as non-normal as things can get. They were about to have their expectations exceeded. The instructors guided them down a hall, where the graduates followed Ryu to a rather large door. It wasn?t large to the point where it covered half the wall; in fact, it was more or less the same size. It seemed large in the fact that it was the only door in the hallway. All the other walls were eerily blank. It seemed significant. None of the graduates noticed Ryu?s assistants weren?t beside him as he approached the door. In fact, they weren?t even in the hallway. Ryu stared at the door for a few moments, breathing somewhat irregularly, as if this door held some horror beyond human recognition. Slowly, after creating an awkward silence, he turned to face the graduates. He held up his hand, four fingers opened, slipping each into a fist as he spoke each term: ?Bakhan, sankhan, baikhan, and shinkhan. These are the four stages of the wasuka. They evolve when you develop; each evolution is a telling of everything you are.? He paused, placing his hands behind him. ?Beyond this door are the pods. In those pods, you will enter, one by one, each of you encountering your wasuka spirit. Each spirit will give you a task, a trial if you prefer the term. You will all succeed; there has never been a shinobi who hasn?t left a pod without a wasuka.? ?What if we die??, a curious boy asked. Ryu smirked. ?Nothing will be left of you.? A few gulps could be heard among the group. A few overconfident chuckled and shrugged. No one had failed yet, so why be worried? ?Don?t think that because no one has failed yet any of you won?t be the first.? They were worried. Ryu opened the door. ?Thirty of you will go in at a time. Just keep going in until I close the door. Keep some distance from the one in front of you.? His voice, as always, was without compassion. They had a good idea what would happen if they chose to cross with him. So, they poured in. Within a few minutes, the door was slammed shut. With a growl, Ryu ordered the graduates away from the door. They all too willingly obeyed. The pod room was a circular chamber, just as wide as it was long. The pods were forged into the walls, with most of them layered along the walls. Circular staircases gave easy access to the ones not on solid ground. When a graduate approached one of the pods, they open like a flower opens at the first sight of spring. Most of the students entered the pods with a sense of both caution and curiosity; few have seen something so out of place before. They had a sense of danger to them, but at the same time, they were a mystery just begging to be solved. Technically, the pods had no seats, not a single thing that would comfort anyone. They had no decorations, or wards of ninjutsu. They were absolutely empty. But since each and every graduate was cast into a deep sleep the moment they entered the pod, they would never know what truly was inside them. [CENTER][CENTER]*[/CENTER] [/CENTER] The realm of Orochi?s wasuka spirit was a gladiatorial arena in a middle of a vast dessert. Half naked, dirty men sat at the bleachers, cheering wildly as the thralls fought each other to the death. One had on a helmet that covered everything but his nose and eyes. He didn?t have any armor for his chest or arms. His pants were ragged and dirty. He was fighting on bare feet. His only weapon was a spear. The other gladiator was naked except for armor that went down his left arm. In his right arm was a short sword. The short sword knocked away the spear; the naked gladiator leaped towards the other, hoping to carve his blade into the other?s skull. The gladiator swiped the man to the ground, giving the attacker a small cut. Cheers filled the stadium. ?He had a chance?, came a slithery voice. Orochi turned to the thing next to him; it was a reptile, but it was the size of the man. It was clothed in metal armor, and multiple weapons, including a spear, sword and an axe, was strapped to his back. Its scaled hands were folded beneath its chin. The reptilian tongue licked at the hard lips; the eyes were totally focused on the battle. ?If he had moved a little faster, that gladiator?s brains would have have been carved in two. But there?s a reason he has armor; he?s fought before. He knows the way of the warrior; at least to an extent. What do you think Orochi?? The reptilian was focused on Orochi now. Orochi remained silent. He really wasn?t paying attention. He had been in the realm for only a few moments when the attack occurred. He was still trying to adjust to his surroundings. He didn?t know how to answer the reptile. ?You have to be aware of everything in an instant.? At first, Orochi didn?t see the relevance to the odd conversation. But then the reptile continued: ?In a forest, enemies can spring from the trees. A hungry bear can leap and swipe at you with its claws. A trap can be strung, sending a thousand kunais into your body. Imagine a frozen wilderness; a place of frozen rock. The ground can be fragile, and shatter beneath you. A sea serpent could rise up from that same ground and devour you whole. A shinobi might be hidden within the frost, and already be planning for an attack. As a shinobi, you must be ready at all times. You have no other option.? Then the reptile rose up. He battle ceased at once; no one cheered or hollered. The coliseum was deathly quiet. They all stared at the lizard and Orochi. The scaled one walked down the steps, casually, but in a proud manner. Orochi followed. He was led to the hard dueling floor. The two gladiators left, heading back for the pits. The lizard drew one of its many weapons, a short sword. ?Orochi, in battle, as you stare into the eyes of your enemy, you can see their emotions. The way they move screams what motivates them. Their breathing, irregular or not, whispers their desires. Now Orochi, tell me your emotions, your motivations, and your desires!? And the lizard charged at the unexpected Hebi, its tail swinging randomly. Its shoulder was prepared to charge right into Orochi. Orochi, caught off guard, had just loosened a kunai from his pockets when the felt the weight of the lizard send him rolling to the other side of the arena. Orochi rolled halfway across the arena before he managed to plunge his kunai into the ground, reducing his roll to sliding. He soon stopped, and got to his feet, his cut fingers holding a dirty kunai. He was barely a minute into the fight, and already Orochi was having trouble moving his fingers. His tongue felt his gums; they were bleeding a little. It was nothing to have a heart attack over. The reptile charged again, and Orochi was a bit more prepared. With all of its might, the wasuka spirit slashed at Orochi with its sword. Expectedly, the pale graduate ducked beneath it. A few hairs were clipped off. The lizard expected the boy?s maneuver, and instinctively, it sent its knee cap upward, slamming into Orochi?s chin. The boy fell to the ground, dizzy, blood dripping from his broken nose. The scaled tail slashed Orochi across the back. He groaned in pain. A hard fist slammed into the cheek, the dark blue covering the white. Orochi?s body fell hard onto the ground. The lizard straightened its back. It looked more intimidating now. The lizard did not underestimate Orochi, nor would it anyone else. It knew everyone held a secret power within. It allowed Orochi to get back up. The Hebi wiped blood from his torn lip. It was numb. He still managed to widen it into a smile. He licked the bruised lips overconfidently. He wasn?t going to lose just yet. In fact, he didn?t plan on losing at all. He got on his knees, placed his arms on them, and he thought. He brainstormed many tactical strategies for a very long time. Then he was done. He dashed in the opposite direction, towards the far end of the arena. The lizard followed in hot pursuit. Orochi may of have had the lead, but the wasuka spirit was more physically fit than the average human, even one who could stretch his body parts beyond normal comprehension. Orochi knew this, however; he knew that the wasuka spirit would catch up to him within moments. That?s why when he was just a few feet away from the lizard, he turned to face it. His arms stretched outward; the left arm curled itself around the left shoulder and wrist, whiles the right, with kunai in hand, went straight for the throat. It seemed the pieces had fallen into place; Orochi was certain that he had won. But he was not expecting the lizard to grab his arm, and reel Orochi in. Orochi wasn?t out of ideas, however. The moment the lizard grabbed his arm, Orochi had released his left hand?s grip and was sending the fist flying towards its scaled target. It hit right in the jaw bone, sending the lizard sprawling to the ground. When the arms returned to their normal length, Orochi drew a kunai a leaped for the lizard. It was already up by then, by Orochi had calculated this, and he re-arranged his footing so that it landed right on the shoulders. The impact and Orochi?s weight sent the lizard back on the ground, with Orochi on top of him. And a kunai pointed at its throat. ?I am aware?, Orochi said simply. ?So am I?, the lizard reminded. ?Off of me?. It wasn?t an order as much as it was a request, but it was the first word that comes to mind. Orochi complied, putting his kunais back in his pockets. ?I am aware that you fought on dangerous ground. You can barely see out of one of your eyes; your hands were barely able to hold the kunai. Your whole body is shaking from a mixture of loss of blood and adrenaline. One wrong move and the battle would of have been mine.? The forked tongue licked the scaly lips. ?And somehow, you won.? It rumbled out a low chuckle. ?I am Zaibi.? The declaration had no relevance to the conversation, but Orochi didn?t care. ?Catch.? Zaibi threw something at Orochi. He easily caught the gift. It was his wasuka. In truth, the wasuka was actually two short swords. One of them was a silvery white, whereas its handle was black. The other was the exact opposite. ?Our name is Kusanagi?, the lizard told him. ?You?ll be stronger for knowing our two names. Now leave.? Instantly, Orochi found himself outside the pod he had entered minutes before. He was somewhat disappointed; there were no flashing lights to signal his departure, no floating runes. It was just?sudden. With a shrug, Orochi stared at his wasuka, the Kusanagi blades. Afterwards, he moved on to the hallway. A few other pods were empty as well. [CENTER][CENTER]*[/CENTER] [/CENTER] When it came to waiting for anything Kaname was, as expected, bored out of her mind. She hated to wait for [I]anything[/I], wherever it would be a box of sweets or something as important as her wasuka! She was not a patient child, and that was being kind. Two hours have passed since she arrived, and it seemed almost every other minute the old geezer opened the doors for some other kid with their wasuka. The wasuka was in a hundred different forms; some of them were small, like a necklace. Others were big, like a spear or sword. Kaname could made one conclusion from the whole mess: hers would be something marvelous. She was, after all, the foster daughter of Tae Uzuki! Someone who was in constant contact with such a great shinobi would surely get something mysterious and powerful. By the time her name was called, she had long lost the track of time. In fact, she was [I]just[/I] about to fall asleep and snorted quite loudly. This forced a few giggles from some of the surrounding students. Embarrassed, Kaname just rushed in the pod room. When the door closed behind her, Kaname was initially caught surprised by the simplicity of the pods. She was expecting something a little bit more dramatic than giant white seeds, as she put it. Without giving her disappointment another thought, she rushed into the nearest pod. Kaname didn?t know where she was, but she knew that she didn?t like it. The realm where her wasuka spirit called home was basically a giant pool of water with a large floating platform in the middle. It was cold. She didn?t like to be cold. She sighed. ?Where are you?? she asked the pool of water. ?Wait, I must be stupid. There is no way I am talking to water.? She sighed again, and sat down. But after her butt met the freezing cold water, she sprung right back up. Kaname looked around the room, hoping to find some hint of her wasuka spirit. The water was reflected on the clean wall, creating a sense of tranquility. But Kaname was anywhere but at peace: the sound of the waves constantly coming into her ears made her more and more nervous. Every time her platform moved slightly, her heart pumped all the faster. Within a few minutes, Kaname was petrified. The absence of anyone but her in the room made her feel that she was going to be alone forever. She didn?t want that feeling. Water began to move onto the platform. Kaname?s hands were shaking now, a mix between the cold and her rising fear. Her tongue was getting sore. She bit on her shivering lips. Kaname breathed in again. ?Well, it looks like whatever it is is running late. Typical. Everyone but me is late nowadays.? The comment helped her self esteem a little. ?So boring, watching water. How can people actually do this stuff?? She put her hands behind her back and walked in circles around the platform, clicking her tongue or twiddling her fingers when she felt like it. Her heart began to beat slower and slower. She became relaxed. That was when Bukkaku revealed himself. He rose onto the platform, moving like a snake across its slick surface. He rose, revealing his full figure that towered over Kaname. Hearing him, she turned. She saw a towering pillar of water, with a small ball like stone floating beneath it. ?Relaxed yet?? The voice was disfigured, like it was somebody trapped underwater trying to speak. The water rippled around the stone. ?Who are you supposed to be?? ?That should be obvious. Who else would be here besides you and I? I?m the wasuka spirit, you idiot.? By now, the pillar had dissolved into a puddle of water. The water formed into some sort of snake like shape, and its ?face? was right in front of Kaname. ?[I]I[/I] am Bukkaku.? ?Pleasure?s [I]all[/I] mine?, she smirked. ?I was beginning to wonder to if you were going to jump off the platform. I was disappointed to see you choose to survive.? ?Why?? She arched her eyebrows. ?Was that the actual test?? ?No. I just wanted to see if you would or not.? Kaname sighed. ?So, what exactly was the point of this?? ?Its to see just how much of that brain of yours is actually used, you piece of trash.. You think you?re so high and mighty, but look what we have her: a girl who can?t control her temper at a talking puddle.? ?Shut up!? ?Give me a reason why I should. You think of everyone as pigs. You toy with boy?s feelings; you make them feel like dirt. You mock the older generation?s virtues just for the sake of mocking them. The only way you can feel better is if you make others feel like dogs. You?re nothing [I]but [/I]trash.? ?I said shut up!? She leaped at Bukkaku, her fist slamming into him. Her attack was stopped in mid motion. ?You don?t think much do you?? Bukkaku rose, lifting Kaname along with him. ?You act without thinking, without considering the consequences. You go through life, doing as you please just for the sake of doing them.? The wasuka spirit spun, throwing Kaname into the pool. ?You idiot!?, she coughed up water ?What the hell did you do that for?? Bukkaku wrapped himself around Kaname again, and threw her back onto the platform. She tried to rise up, coughing up cold water, but she felt too weak. She collapsed back onto the platform, her cheek resting in a puddle of water, her wet hair spread across her face. ?I?ll tell you why I did it. Because you need to learn. You need to learn what it means to be human. And that is why I will let you leave, to become a shinobi, even when you don?t deserve anything of this kindness. Now get the hell out of here.? And in the next moment, she was. She was back in the pod room, as dry as she had entered, a lantern strapped to her wrist. ?Chochin?, she whispered the wasuka?s name before she trudged towards the gates. [CENTER][CENTER]*[/CENTER] [/CENTER] When Shinji entered his pod an hour later, he was not expecting this to be his wasuka realm. He found himself in brothel that was obviously designed for lords: elegant smoke weed filled the air; there were several small pools where people could engage in the act. Others were performing it in broad daylight, on large sofas. The room itself was spherical in shape, and Shinji could not see a door in or out. As he glanced, he saw a lone figure resting on a large wooden chair, surrounded by other naked prostitutes. His skin was as black as charcoal, but on the left side of his body had strands of a golden color. His eyes were a dark red, his lips a dark blue. ?So, you decided to make it.? He rose, pushing a woman roughly off of him. ?I was beginning to wonder when you would decide to show up.? Shinji remained silent: he just twirled his orange hair around his finger. ?Stop that!? He pushed at Shinji forcefully. Shinji obeyed. ?So, that?s you, huh? Doing what everybody says without complaint, eh?? The wasuka spirit licked his lips. ?What business do you have speaking to me when you don?t have a backbone.? ?To be a shinobi.? ?What right do you have to be a shinobi?? ?I-I worked hard.? ?Right. Of [I]course[/I] you did. You worked [I]so[/I] very hard, didn?t you, my little Shinji.? Shinji felt he was going to throw up. The way the wasuka talked to him, he felt like trash. He felt like nothing. ?I ask again, what business do you have here? Or are you just a waste.? Shinji just stared at the wasuka. ?So, I, Kagu-Zuchi, am a wasuka spirit to a weakling.? He turned its back to Shinji, and began to walk towards the whores. Shinji muttered something. Instantly, Kagu-Zuchi was upon him, an iron grip wrapped around the pale throat. ?You said something.? Kagu-Zuchi?s lips curled. ?You had the spunk to say something, even when you knew an extent of [I]my[/I] power.? Shinji?s only response was a gasp for air. ?Come back when you?re strong in spirit. If you don?t, I?ll kill you.? He dropped Shinji to the floor. ?I?ll lend you Shinkasai to help you.? When Shinji finally fell to the floor, he was back in the pod room, holding a massive sword in hand. It was nearly as tall as he was, and was one sided. The handle was long, red, and thin. Shinji could barely lift it. ?I can?t even life my own wasuka.? He dragged both his wasuka and his spirit towards the door. [CENTER][CENTER]*[/CENTER] [/CENTER] The sounds of the crowd had devolved drastically. The voices now were nothing but a mere whisper, thanks to nearly everyone having received their wasuka. Mostly everyone had left, since Ryu had given them permission to do so once their business was done. Izumi had remained still the whole time. His body was aching from the ordeal, but he didn?t really care. He had taught himself to ignore pain: it made him a better warrior. While most would scream when a kunai would slam into their hands, Izumi would move on, to strike the enemy down. Eventually, Izumi?s name was called, and casually he walked into the pod room. He picked a random pod, and found himself in the realm of his wasuka. Anyone would have been surprised what Izumi?s wasuka spirit called home, but he was speechless. He was expecting something dark and depressing, something along the lines of a dark and foggy cavern. Instead, he found himself in a beautiful park, full of sakura trees. He remembered this place. It was one of the parks in the Country of the Storms that he would go to frequently as a child. A soothing melody filled the air. Slowly, Izumi turned. He saw his mother, Reido. She hadn?t changed at all from his earliest memories of her, with her long, dark silky hair, and her encouraging features. She was exactly as he remembered her. ?Mama?? His voice was barely above a whisper. The woman closed her eyes sensitively as she picked her gaze up from the flowered ground towards Izumi. ?Hello, Izumi.? The voice was full of love. ?That you? Really you?? ?I don?t know who else it would be.? From most voices, the statement would be sarcastic. But from Reido?s, it was anything but. ?I guess not.? A low chuckle erupted from Izumi. Reido patted softly the adjacent seat on the bench, motioning Izumi to sit. He quickly complied. ?So, how have you been?? She already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from Izumi?s own mouth. ?Lost?, he answered honestly. ?Oh Izumi?, she sighed, ruffling her delicate fingers through his hair. ?No one cared for me?Everyone hated me. They despised me; they saw me as a monster, a weapon. And they were right.? ?You are [I]no[/I] monster, Izumi.? ?Don?t lie to me. I was made to kill. So, what else can I do? That?s my destiny. To spill blood.? ?That?s your father speaking.? ?It?s [I]me[/I] speaking.? ?Don?t fool yourself Izumi. You?ve been told these lies your entire life; of course you?d claim to believe in them. But you know the truth, my little Izi.? With this, Izumi sprung up, his eyes shaking with terror. His hands, shaking as if they were freezing, covered his ears. ?Who [I]are[/I] you? Who are you? Who the hell [I]are [/I]you!? ?You know who I am Izumi.? ?No. I don?t know who you are. You say you?re my mother, my mama? You?re nothing, a doppelganger. You?re just a wasuka spirit. You?re not my mother. You?re nothing like her! Nothing!? The woman remained silent. ?Be gone, you, you [I]thing[/I]. You don?t even have a name!? ?Then leave.? In the next moment, he was in front of his pod, still shivering with unspeakable fear. On his right hand was a ring with a skull engraved in it. Izumi knew its name all too well: Ajuua.

Threads asking for suggestions to be pretty common nowadays in the Lounged; certainly not the point of overcrowding, but they are still pretty frequent as it is. So, instead of having alot of suggestions threads, why don't we just have one thread where people can go to and ask for suggestions? I will start the thread off with an anime I've just started to watch, Trinity Blood. It takes place in the far future, where the Catholic Church (or the Vatician) is a supreme power, along with Londedum (London/England). It is in this same future that Vampires exist. It is a very dark, Gothic series, but at the same time, full of light humor. I highly recommend it for anyone that isn't afraid of the sight of blood.

[QUOTE]The introduction to the main characters (Shea and Ilda) is well done.[/QUOTE] Ilda? You mean Ilia, right? :p Anyways, thanks for the review Redemption. Chapter Two will be coming as soon as I finish Chapter Two of Kenzoku.

Christopher snickered at the [URL="http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/8120/flowerboybysolkeera7482wx6.jpg"]photo[/URL] of his older brother, Matthew. It was taken way back when, when the Camien family had moved to Hawaii due to their father?s job as an ever moving reporter. Matt had taken interest in a girl there, and she agreed to go on a date with him if he helped her with a photography class assignment. Apparently, the teacher wanted the students to find a fellow teenager to appear in a pose that you probably wouldn?t see them in. For girls, it probably meant being in a more suggestive pose than they would like. As for boys, it usually meant to imply that they were homosexual, wherever they truly were or not. Matt was thankful in the end the photo had spread only to his family and the teacher. Unfortunately, it was more than enough to humiliate him for life, no small thanks to his brother. Matt sighed. ?That photo again?? The echo of a train in the subway roared into their ears as the two descended the stairs. ?I just can?t get enough of it, Mister Matt.? ?Shut up?, he ordered irritably. The train ride home was the same hundreds of others they had taken. Matt would dig into his pockets, gather up the four dollars worth of dirt to make enough change for both of them using alchemy, and they would sit in the train for half an hour until they reached home. Matt would bring out his headphones, probably to listen to some classical, anime or videogame music, while his brother would just sleep. And when he was done sleeping, he would sleep some more. After the train ride, Chris was unusually chirpy. Matt ignored him, paying a newsboy using more alchemy forged changed. [CENTER][CENTER][B]Unusual Deaths! Stage show magicians killed with a black cut. Skull symbol found carved into chest. Officers baffled.[/B][/CENTER] [/CENTER] Matt arched his eyebrow as he looked at the article. He read more and more of it, fully absorbed into it, amazingly ignoring his brother?s ramblings. He would somehow walk at the same pace and direction as if he wasn?t occupied: he had an unusually keen sense of direction. They had passed an alleyway when Matt was done. ?Chris, look at this.? He practically threw the paper into his brother?s gut. Chris scanned the article. ?Okay, weird murders. So what?? ?Look at the victim?s unusual backgrounds.? [CENTER][CENTER][I]Chief Parkerson, said ?The victims have been known to be very good at the art of a stage magician. In fact, you could say they were mostly all prodigies. It?s a very interesting case.?[/I][/CENTER] [/CENTER] Chris fully understood now. ?They?re after people like you.? Matt nodded. They passed by another alleyway, this one holding a robed figure. The figure followed behind. Matt turned around, biting his lip, knowing all too well who this man was. ?You know what I am seeking, Matthew Camien.? ?Not really, but you can tell me what you need.? ?The Master wishes to see you.? Now, Matt didn?t have any PhD on the Psychology of Darkly Robed Figures and their Even more Darkly Dressed Masters, but he had a sure feeling that this Master was not interested in the goodwill of humanity. It was just a hunch, though. But it was a pretty good hunch. ?Chris, the sack.? His brother complied, giving him a bag full of materials. Matt brought out a shaft of wood and some rusted metal. Pressing the two together, the alchemic circle on his glove merged them into a short staff. ?I see that you do not wish to comply, Mister Camien. Then we will have to enlist you by force.? Matt didn?t have time to ask what the man meant by ?we? (after all, he was the only robed figure there). The man rushed onto Matt, giving him little time to do anything but block the attacks. This man was clearly skilled in martial arts: with each punch, Matt had to push forward to keep himself from falling to the ground. Matt, on the other hand, had no sort of training at all. A few times he had forged a weapon, mostly for the fun of it. He didn?t know how to actually use the weapon. The struggle continued, and all Chris could do was watch. The struggle continued for a few minutes until Matt saw a chance to escape. The man prepared to slam his palm into Matt?s shoulder, but seeing the chance, he sliced his spear into the hand. The man, as expected, screamed in pain. Matt ordered his brother to run. The two dashed around the corner, not daring to look back. Chris tried to remind him about his bag, which they left behind. Matt didn?t say anything. He just kept on running. They didn?t stop until they got home. [INDENT]Pretty much, Matt's alchemy works by the merging of materials together, and forcing of contact with an alchemy circle, thus why he has a glove with a circle drawn on it. The precise amount of material is needed for the merging to succeed - too much or too few and it will end in a fluke. It is more a thing of science than it is a form of magic.[/INDENT]

[center][center][B]The Legend of Zelda[/B][/center][/center] [center][center][B]The Sacred Mirror[/B][/center][/center] [RIGHT][RIGHT][B]Chapter One[/B][/RIGHT] [/RIGHT] [RIGHT][RIGHT][B]Bunansa[/B][/RIGHT] [/RIGHT] The sun was shining as brightly as ever as Shea?s fishing rod plunged into the Odo River. The Odo River, which was the main river that ran through the land the Demen Clans occupied, was known for its ferocious fish. They certainly weren?t nearly as dangerous as piranhas. In fact, they weren?t dangerous to anything larger than a tad pole. They just had a tendency to swallow bait. And they somehow managed to take fishing poles down the river. And that is actually what happened to the blonde haired Shea. For what must of have been the sixth time that afternoon, he jumped to his feet and cursed the fish. As he grabbed another pole from the pile ? knowing his bad luck with the Odo fish, he had come prepared ? he swore he would get his revenge. There were those who knew better. Shea was many things, and depending on who you asked, most of them weren?t pleasant. Knowing when to give up was not one of them. Ilia sighed. The sixteen year sent her rough fingers through her shoulder length blonde hair. ?Shea, you know no matter how many times your curse, the Odo fish won?t stop letting go.? ?Shut up?, he ordered. Ilia just rolled her eyes. Ten minutes later, another Odo fish stole the fishing pole. ?Damnit!? Ilia chose wisely to keep quiet. She found it somewhat amusing, Shea?s tantrums actually. He was to be the next chief of the Demen Clans, and here he was, whining and cursing over lost rods and smarter fish. ?Can we go now?? she asked. ?This is our last day off from chores before your big and mighty ceremony tomorrow, and I?d rather not spend it watching you prove you suck at fishing.? Shea glared at his old friend. She may have been his best friend, but she was being a pain in his royal ass. Ilia got the message. ?Whatever?. She slumped on the hill, and planned to took a nice, long nap. Unfortunately, Ilia?s plan would prove to not bear any fruit. One of the boys from the village came rushing in. ?Shea! Ilia!? Shea was so shocked by the unexpected yell that he pulled the rod behind him, which resulted in the lure slamming straight into Ilia?s face. ?The hells be damned?, Shea cursed lightly under his lips. Deciding it was best not to face the woman?s wrath, he ran to the boy. ?Ido, what the hells do you want? Can?t you see we?re busy?? The boy gulped. One of Shea?s many ills was he had a quick temper, and was something of a bully when angered. On second thought, when Ido thought about it, Shea was always a bully, with him bossing everyone around him, old and young. And with Shea being the next in line to be Chief of the Clans, there really wasn?t anything anyone but the Chief could do. However, with the Chief actually [I]supporting[/I] his son, believing it was the planting the seed of a fearless Chief, Shea wasn?t likely to change anytime soon. ?Ido!? He grabbed the boy by his collars, and shook. ?What do you need?? ?Your pa wants you!? ?Thanks for the info.? He dropped the boy to the ground. ?Come on Ilia!? Shea raced off for the road, hoping to outrun Ilia for long enough she?ll have lost her temper by the time the two minute journey was finished. Shea didn?t get the poles, though. He?ll just send someone else to get them. After all, he [I]was[/I] to be the next Chief. Why bother carrying it all when somebody else ? like Ido ? could do it for him? >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>*

Yes, that is what I am meaning. You can group up with anyone you wish, regardless of region. However, the maximum amount of people is three. No more.

[CENTER][B]Polemistis, Iroas, Oloi[/B][/CENTER] Welcome to the underground for Polemistis, Iroas, Oloi. Here, you can discuss matters relating to the roleplay, ask questions, and arrange your groups. I sincerely suggest at this stage of RP that you focus on the latter.

Sorry, but I should of made the link more clear. The games listed are those that I PLAN to buy, but I was also open to more ideas.

Now, most of the people here who have read this were probably somewhat biased because they were in it. Well, I'm not (shame on you), but I like it anyways! I don't know why, but the whole premise seems interesting. An assasin who'se in more than he ever bargined for, a seemingly invicible zealot is out to get him. Even with his best friend behind him, one has to wonder if he'll make it out of here alive. I also like the vaguness to it, at times. All we know is that we want James dead. We don't know [I]what[/I] he is wanted dead for.