Re: The Neon Chaos [inkblot,invite only]

by **Alpha** June 28th 2012, 7:36 am

All seemed to be going well as his minions moved out to scout the floor for a conceivable way to advance but there was only the usual failure. How was she to moved onward with this hellish place standing in her way,another obstacle that should could not simply obliterate. What good was power when it could not get her what she wanted when logic seemed to fail her? Tapping her foot lightly against the concrete floor,Elena attempted to think up a plan to bypass this labyrinth that did not involve simply smashing through the multitude of walls that seemed to compose it. Before anything else could come to mind,they were met by what seemed to be guarding the great labyrinth

Cillian attempted to damage the beast with his blade but did little more than irritate it. Before she could physically react to the monster,it let out a vile stream of acidic spit that would have corroded her flesh but instead was met with a thin barrier of light that easily stopped the otherwise deadly attack. Green eyes focused upon the predator that stood in front of her, as so many ways to destroy came to mind. She could crush its head with a single hand of light but that would be nowhere as fun as what else she could do to it,though before anything could be done the creature leapt back from the two;launching a near continuous stream of its acid vainly at the powerful barrier that kept its attack at bay.

Raising a hand at the strange being as the power gathered around the palm,a signal of the powerful attack that she had in store for in wretched creature though before it could be launched the thing was already running into the dark corridors of the maze once again with a twisted tail between its legs. Though as to why it was doing so was beyond her but gave the idea that something was controlling it. Though whoever it was;most likely resided deeper within this labyrinth.

”Well that was new.” Elena muttered as she allowed the power to spread once again through her body as she turned to Cillian with a bemused smirk. ” If we follow this thing,i'm sure we'll find where we need to go.' With that revelation Elena followed the beast into the dark corridors towards the perceived destination.

by **Twinkletoes** June 29th 2012, 12:13 am

Cilian gave the woman an almighty smile, a bit too cheery for someone who just came face to face with a creature straight out of a child's worst nightmare, "No need to fuss mademoiselle, I've tagged the creature so whatever it sees I'm seeing" he grinned offering his arm to escort the woman through the shadowy labyrinth. The nightmarish creature was in actual fact in the unknown company of part of Cilian's soul, a measly drip of ink imbued with his essence had latched itself onto the creature and he was currently seeing everything it saw.

Its haggard breathing made its somewhat of a bumpy ride, Cilian could only use his sight, all of his other senses were somewhat void when acting through ink. Staring into space the Frenchman gazed at what the monster saw, like a blurry film was stuck in his mind and he was a popcorn eating movie goer. The creature passed various battered doorways and rusted cabinets, its hulking shell scraping against the concrete walls. A flight of stairs suddenly formed out of the darkness, spiralling deeper into the earth, its dusty marble sheen reflected the small amount of light emanating from the florescent lights above. The creature hopped down, skidding down the stairs into more shadow...

"Well I now know that there are stairs not far from here" Cilian grinned, happy that they wouldn't have to be trapped in this damp maze for all of eternity. The couple passed the creaking doorways and the rusted cabinets, which were filled to brim with strange yet useless artefacts from eons ago and before they knew it the spiralling staircase dropped into the shadowy depths of the lower levels. "Shall we?" Cilian nodded cocking his head to the next level down...

by **Alpha** June 29th 2012, 12:50 am

A pleased grin spread across Elena's lips at the mention of him tagging the cursed beast,which only added to her pleasure at how the situation was going. This man was far more resourceful than she had ever hoped him to be in her wildest dreams,another means to an end. An excitement tore through her very being at the possibility of her ending this venture sooner than she had thought it would take only moments ago with this damn maze. In fact she considered subjugating this man to her in the near future but that would have to wait. Now she was having to much fun to strip his freewill from him yet,which would be better when he needed her help the most;like all the fools who made contracts with her.

”Good work. You prove yourself more and more every second.” She said with a a light tone that betrayed her mood. Arm hooking with the french mans arm as she was lead deeper into the dark maze that was illuminated by the bright orb of light that moved only a few feet ahead of them. ”Yes we shall.She replied with a coy smile.

It wasn't long before they were brought to what seemed like a stairway that would only lead deeper into what one would call Hell. She knew that they were only growing nearer to the destination which lay only three floors below them. ”Before we go any further,I would like to ask what your name is. It would be rude if I didn't know it after all of what we've done so far.” She spoke in a cordial tone trying to contain the pleasure at how well this was going Which was far more difficult than one would expect really but she did so with the fortitude of a champion. Though she was blissfully unaware of the dangers that lay ahead of her,which paled in comparison with the final danger.

by **Twinkletoes** June 29th 2012, 1:50 am

The Frenchman's eyebrow cocked at the very thought of forgetting to introduce himself, on any other situation introducing himself would've been the first thing to do. Clearing his throat Cilian turned his body to the fiery headed woman, "My name is Cilian Blanc, and the pleasure is all mine" he replied with a wry smile, bowing his head a bit, "Might I also know your name... if that's not too much to ask?" he grinned, the woman had been somewhat avoiding all of his other questions so procuring a name would be a good start.

Staring at the deep dark howling pit before him Cilian sighed, he was admittedly enjoying this little excursion with this new accomplice of his, but it all seemed a bit too tedious for his liking...the trip to the beach with Sheryll was probably the lesser of two evils. Inhaling some of the musky air the Frenchman took a brisk stride forward, his hand caressing the cold concrete next to him. The stairs were steep and filthy, the creature which had previously tumbled down the crawling abyss had covered it in its foul smelling saliva, a faint grey glow indicating where it dribbled.

Their footsteps bounced off the morbid spiralling crevice into the earth, echoing throughout the dark space alerting whatever godforsaken creatures lived on the lower levels that they were coming. What seemed like an eternity walking to the second basement floor abruptly stopped when they were presented with a shadowy hallway at the bottom of their small hike. No light seemed to penetrate the eerie entryway and an unknown smell wafted from the depths of whatever it was that lurked on this new floor. Cilian bit his bottom lip and once again latched onto the small puddle of ink that he tattooed the creature with. All he saw was darkness nothing seemed to penetrate the hellish shadows other than a glinting green object, its faint luminescent glow the only thing that stood out.

Blinking twice he stared at Elena, his brow furrowed as the haunting corridor before them slowly dragged them inside, "The creature is not on this floor..however I wouldn't be surprised if we bump into any of its relatives" he grimaced arcing his spine back, limbering up for the possibilities of more monsters, "I guess we'll just have to wait and see" ...

by **Alpha** June 29th 2012, 4:06 am

”Its a pleasure to meet you Cillian. My name is Elena Marie.” She said in response to him with a slightly curt bow almost as if it were a reflex for her to do so. This man was both resourceful as well as polite,something she would look for in anyone she allied herself with. Most gifted individuals acted as if the world owed them everything without considering even working for it;that their power alone meant that civilization should crumble at the wave of a hand. Elena knew that the only way to make things as one would want it to be was by force and she had a plan thought out for that ahead of time but would not enact it until the opportunity had presented itself. That was how the whole world conquering game was to be played,at least in her mind at any rate.

Though as they descended into the greater darkness that stretched out before them,Elena saw that soon her meager light did nothing to penetrate the darkness as if it were resisting her. Though she knew that this light was no where close to as how powerful she could make it and the fact that she herself could become a light if all else failed. It was simply another test for her to overcome,though what lay within the darkness was most likely to be the real danger,oppose to the darkness itself.

”Don't worry yourself, i'm sure we can deal with whatever there is ahead.” She said absolutly sure of herself as she stepped ahead as a golden light slowly began to form over her form almost like a radiant cloak that seemed to banish the darkness. Power leaking off of her as it seemed to bounce along the walls and down the long forbidding corridor. Green orbs called her eyes had now become like liquid gold that radiated danger, as well as something richer. Though there seemed to be nothing ahead of them but the cold darkness that seemed to have a life of its own,almost as not even the light could not kill it. Elena would not be thwarted by something as simple as a fear of the dark no what lurked within it. She was not a cowering child that hid under the covers because she heard stories that scared her,but a powerful witch that could take down anything that stood within her path,

At the end of the hall stood a humanoid form,female in shape that seemed to only stare at them with its blank eyes. Elena raised a fiery eyebrow at it;something that had gone unseen before,though it only stared at them in a mute fascination as if they were the strangest thing to it.

by **Twinkletoes** June 30th 2012, 1:22 am

The suffocating darkness into the second floor was heavy, like an impenetrable black fog that embraced everything in a shroud of terror. However Elena had somehow drowned out this imposing darkness with her own haze of golden light; although easily illuminating the dusty corridor a heavy feeling pressed onto the Frenchman's chest, sending an uneasy sensation throughout his very core. Regardless of how warm this light was... it still somehow exuded the same intimidating aura that the creeping shadows had.

Ignoring the strange sensation Cilian strode alongside Elena into the winding corridor, keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. The minions, now reduced to four, waddled on their stocky legs around the couple the occasional burst of gibberish escaping their wide mouths, breaking the tense atmosphere. The Frenchman's piercing gaze scanned the walls of corridor hoping to find anything of worth.. only stopping when he himself locked eyes with what appeared to be young woman.

Her blank gaze was frozen and unnerving; hollow mirrors that emitted no life, joy or knowledge. The eerie figure stood motionless in middle of the corridor, a simple black cloak covering her frail body. Cilian slowly unsheathed Balizarde, the sound of cold metal sliding against its sheath ringing down the pit of darkness. Although it took the form of a young woman something about the figure seemed very off, like a horrid figment of ones imagination. The couple gazed at the figure, who had not moved an inch ever since they came upon her; she didn't even move into attack...just a motionless figure, a gargoyle by many terms.

"What on earth is -" before Cilian could even finish his sentence the woman spoke revealing horrid black teeth; her soft, almost childish, voice echoed throughout the corridor, however it was not how she speak spoke that put him off guard but rather...what she said. "...Do you hear your sisters screams at night..." her question hung in the air literally sending Cilian a step back, his casual and blasé attitude crumbling underneath the gravity of such a statement. Forgotten images of the family that once was flashed through his mind causing him to recoil in involuntary shock. "What did you say?" he muttered as his breathing became heavier, his jaw clenching up as the figure bore her gaze into his very soul.

"They were punished for your sins.." She continued, baring her black teeth as her voice became more sinister, sending a sickening pulse throughout the small space, "...What kind of brother let's his beautiful sisters get raped..?" the woman now appeared to be giggling, although her eyes still remained dead pits never feeling the touch of her horrid mouth. Cilian was by now lost for words, never in his life had such things been spoken to him as far as he knew, he had run away from the past that was all too painful to face and here he was reliving that day.

Elena turned to look at him, an uneasy expression on her face as her red eyebrows scrunched up, sending creases throughout the top of her pale face. before she could say anything the figure took a tentative step forward and pointed at the woman, her horrid grin widening as a rasping sound scratched its way from the bottom of her throat, "..and you...you witch, one who holds immense power but still failed at bearing any children... other than that renegade son...you failed...you failed", the spectre cackled as the shadows began to creep back into the room...

by **Alpha** June 30th 2012, 1:42 am

Elena’s gaze was stuck upon the creature for a few moments as she tried to figure out what it was exactly but nothing came to mind. Was it some sort of thought form or a demon dragged from the deepest pits of hell that had been brought to violently kill them? Whatever it was,Elena had to keep herself ready for whatever it was going to try on them;even if that attempt would fail as the others had against their might. This thing would be no different than anything else that stood in Elena's path,except that it didn't try to attack them.

There were no razor sharp tendrils trying to rip her flesh from her bones,no powerful acids that would reduce her to a goop, not even fire for the love of god but something that seemed that it would cut deeper than any blade could ever hope to reach. First it aimed its psychological assault upon Cillian,saying things that only someone like him would know and with a coldness that seemed almost unearthly. This caught the crimson witch off guard by how she managed to say such a thing and even more so by how her ally reacted to it. Something within her wanted to say something to help him but there would be no mercy even for her as the being spoke her darkest regrets.

The flames of anger slowly rising in her chest as it spoke damnable truths, teeth grinding as she tried to keep herself from completely obliterating it. The dark truths of her inability to bear children,how she only had one and he was becoming nothing but a heartless killer. Aura of light beginning to recline as she glared hatefully at the thing which simply cackled at her emotional pain. “Lets not forget about....mommmy and daddy. Did they even find the bodies?” It said in a voice that seemed like a whisper that sent Elena over the edge as she summoned all of the power she possesed.

Light coming off of her with such intensity that it was like staring at the sun and it quickly began to gather at her hands into powerful balls of light. Was she crying? There was no awareness of feeling,only the overriding hatred for the thing that stood in front of her,the thing that dared to dredge up a past that she would have rather forgotten;The now dead thing.

Pressing both palms together she pointed them towards the demon woman with a snarl on her lips as she said one thing.”Would you just shut the fuck up?” There was a blinding light as she let the power loose.

by **Twinkletoes** July 1st 2012, 7:11 am

It seemed Elena also had some deep-seated issues welled up within her, this was made obvious as the frail spectre launched its merciless psychological assault on the red-headed woman. For a second both companions were laid bare as their deepest regrets and fears came to the surface, revealing minuscule shreds of doubt that could even tear its way through the more 'powerful' members of society. The Frenchman clenched his jaw and glanced at the woman next to him, for the first time since encountering her, her superior and smug façade had gone, replaced with pained torment that only she could understand.

Although, this torment soon turned into wrath, divine wrath one might call it; Elena's aura overflowed with a blinding wave of golden light, like a star from a distant galaxy had appeared out of nowhere to purge the cackling creature in front of them. The last thing Cilian saw before the light became too unbearable was a single tear rolling down Elena's angular face, a pure golden streak proving to the young Frenchman that even those gifted with grand power still felt the very same emotions he did.

A loud rush of energy surged forth throughout the tight corridor, instantly causing the figure before them to dissipate. A haunting giggle cut through the air as the surge of pure energy charged through the tight enclosure, the last they heard of the figure hung in the air as the wave of magic subsided, "...killing me will do no good...what you seek in this place will be the death of you...you will join your damned families..." and as the words hit home Cilian shook his head, attempting to get rid of the creature's morbid prophecy; even though the horrid girl had vanished he still felt that her presence was there, like no amount of magical barrages could get rid of her.

Glancing at the fiery headed woman next to him the young man hesitantly placed a hand on her shoulder, a sympathetic pat was all he could muster. Although he did not know who this woman was, what her allegiances were or what she was trying to find he knew that there were experiences in her life that not even someone of her power could avoid. Staring into the murky darkness before them, he exhaled wondering how long this corridor will last or how many more hellish monsters they would have to face. Trying his best to smile the Frenchman finally spoke, "...maybe, we should continue", practically whispering as he once again offered his arm to escort Elena further down into the depths of the earth...

by **Alpha** July 1st 2012, 11:05 pm

The light was almost too bright for even her to withstand,yet she allowed the deadly stream to proceed from her hands as if to destroy the damned demon that stood in front of them. It felt as if she would drop from the sheer power that proceeded from her but she stood with a glare of pure hatred on her face;skin like gold encased within the aura that cast away even the darkness itself. A luminescent being that would only flicker in the greater darkness. It was all but a minute before the powerful assault was finished and she stood with her energy greatly diminished,shadowy being now gone. A single bead of moisture fell from her chin as she stared at the large hole that had formed in the wall she had let loose so much power upon. The damage was far more than she had realized she was capable of,though of course she was already feeling the effects of such an output.

Muscles were already beginning to weaken as vision began to blur. It wasn't long before he ability to stand gave away to her falling to her knees,emotions till fresh upon her as it never was before. The realization that she was nothing but a failure,a woman whose body couldn't bear children save for a murderer. With eyes glued upon the floor for a second she waited for the immense pain to recede from her chest,the stinging tears to come and chocking sobs to rack her body violently. Though they didn't come but only left her with the pain that could only be described as emotions,something that she for a second wished she didn't posses.

They only would slow her down in the end and yet she was cursed like any human with these shackles that bound her tightly. Taking a deep breath,Elena stood to her feet and managed to compose herself. Though she could still feel her heartbeat pounding within her ears as she looked at Cillian with a faked smile,that was too painful to wear as it was. 'yes,we should.” She agreed once again taking the arm as they would once again venture further into the pit of madness.

” She will be here soon enough.” A young girl whispered as she looked into a great bubbling cauldron,red lips stretched into a demented grin.

by **Twinkletoes** July 2nd 2012, 3:01 am

Their pace was considerably slower than before, their lagging steps into the greater abyss were only aided by Elena's dimming light and Cilian's little minions that faithfully guarded them. After the psychological assault and the massive expenditure of magic, Elena looked broken, like her air of confidence had slowly receded. A forced smile instantly indicated that demon girl had hit home. The poisonous words had corroded away the lady's tough exterior; no amount of strength or willpower could subdue the harsh realities of what was and what is to come.

Taking a cautious stride into the gaping hole in the wall, Cilian felt a cool rush of air sweep itself against his skin sending a tingle down his spine. Elena had managed to create another exit with her display of magic, somehow granting them access to dimly lit air conditioned room filled to the brim with unopened wooden crates which had slowly rotted away from the strain of time. The murky blackness from the passageway they faced the demon girl in slowly released them into this new expanse. An involuntary sigh escaping the Frenchman's lips as he scanned the cool environment before them, his tattoos nor his minions were reacting to anything strange so it was assumed that the hidden cooling room was devoid of anything particularly dangerous.

Glancing around the large storing space, he noticed that the fluorescent lights leading to silvery metal doors nearing the back of the icy room; it was an elevator, and it was seemingly in operation even though it was 2 levels underneath the earth, "Are you daring enough to take a ride in that?" he murmured furrowing his brow at the unassuming cold metal doors of the spotless elevator...

by **Alpha** July 2nd 2012, 3:30 am

The feelings slowly receded like waves crashing against the sandy shore,yet left their imprints upon her as they eroded away the shore that was her confidence. She needed something to keep the maddening fatigue from overtaking her,though she was unsure of the energy potions ability to replenish the energy that had been taken away by the mass discharge of energy,much more than she had hoped to unleash upon that hellish creature. Sweat slowly beaded down her forehead as she stared blankly at the floor trying to clear her mind and regain the confidence that she would so freely flaunt. She was Elena Marie the Crimson Witch,not some sniffling wench driven to tears at the thought of things she could not do. If some higher power would stop her form having kids,she would simply make them of her own volition without the aid of any god or goddess. Thats who she was and nothing would change that,no matter how hard life seemed to hit her; she would strike back at it with more force than ever.

The holes made in the wall lead to what seemed like an air conditioning room,motor still humming as if something were supplying it power. The sound was almost rhythmic,like a lullaby to tired ears,ones that had heard more than they had ever cared to hear. The light was slowly dimming but soon she was met by the welcoming dimness of lights,that freed her from the burden of creating light for them. It seemed as if they were wanted to board the elevator and ride lower into hell;an offer that seemed like blasphemy to think of at a time like this. Logic screamed for her to walk away and never look back at this place,oh how she would ignore logic. Ignore its rantings that called her a fool and said she only seeked the death that awaited her at the end of this venture. There would be no death for the powerful witch Elena Marie but only the promise of greater glory. 'Of course my good sir.” She said with a glimmer of a smile returning, slowly blotting out the imposter that was in its place.

Stepping forward with arms still interlaced,they stepped into the clean elevator. Doors silently closing as it lurched into a descent. Moving smoothly to the lower level,a level that she was unsure of;only aware that more dangers awaited them but she would have to be ready with a smile. Power was slowly returning to her but she would need a few more minutes before she could be worth anything in an actual fight. A fight that was sure to happen maybe once they exited the elevator. Oh how she wished she could take this wonderful thing all the way to the final level but nothing was ever that easy once you thought it over;that’s how the cruelty of life treated those who lived it. Only the powerful would gain anything in the world while the weak suffered for their inability to do anything but roll over and play dead. She had seen it on the streets before,the struggles of those too weak to do anything for themselves. Their blood still coated the ground in a horrible fashion within her mind,maybe even more so than they actually did.

What lay ahead of her was the most asked question within her mind,one that begged to be answered. Would they meet a demon from the deepest pit of Hell, or some hellish dimension;a giant who wanted to drink their blood? The answers tot he questions were numerous,yet she knew they would be answered soon enough. As soon as they came to a stop and were greeted by the monster that was to try an attempt on their lives,only to fail at the hands of the powerful witch Elena Marie. Though in her current state,power was not something she had an abundance of, so maybe killing anything would be harder than she thought it would be,not that she minded a little challenge every once in a while. The light of the elevator offered the steady intake of energy she needed,precious light energy to cast her spells. To keep her from becoming a liability in this little missions as she preferred to call it.

”Thank you for coming this far.” She said almost spontaneously as if she were holding it in. Why had she said something like that? Gratitude was something she had not expected from herself and yet she was expressing it to him as if it were easy,something she did daily. Though she knew that she was not the kind person she once was,that was an age that could never be revisited. That Elena was dead,this was the new her.

After what seemed like an eternity,they finally came to a stop. Her energy had returned to a useable level but was still not enough to deal with what she knew was in this level of the building. There would be no running for her though, as she had done so much to get here in the first place. It was time to fight or die,those were the only options that seemed available to her.

The next floor was a simple one. It consisted of a large room with a floor covered in archaic markings,all of which seemed to pulse with an ancient magic. There was no exit except for the elevator,turning she saw that even that had abandoned them. They were now trapped on the third floor with no way to escape,or so it seemed. A loud roar reverberated around the room as a shadow seemed to appear in the center and something dropped from the ceiling. It was a large winged reptile with large razor sharp teeth that seemed able to rend flesh from bones,almost like a dragon;except it fit none of the myths that were akin to that race. Except that it resembled a reptile and it flew.

'I have a bad feeling about this.”

by **Twinkletoes** July 4th 2012, 4:22 am

Breathing in the cold filtered air within the elevator Cilian was half expecting it to instantly drop into the deepest reaches of hell once they pressed the 'down' button. Nothing happened, it was like any other elevator ride, minus the fancy instrumentals, and as they made their gradual descent into the deeper levels of the earth the Frenchman sighed, exhaling all of the emotional stress he had put his body through only a few minutes ago. However the thoughts of his beloved sisters lingered within his soul; their smiles, their jokes and their overall love for their one and only brother breezed its way through his mind drowning all the images that the demon had so cunningly placed within him.

Placing a hand against the cold metal wall of the elevator the young man lazily closed his eyes, his breathing gradually slowing down as the steady rhythm of the elevator’s descent gently whispered in his ear. If I die down here...guess that means I join Mélanie and Alice, he thought to himself blowing his fringe out of his face. The thought of joining his family in whatever it was that awaits those who have died provided some level of comfort for the gifted super. He wasn’t exactly fighting for anything; not that he fought much anyway. He did not seek power or wealth, women have proven to be scarier than he thought so approaching them was now troublesome and following a strict hero’s code of conduct seemed perilous and boring. No, life for the Frenchman seemed to of held no proper meaning, other than the fact that he was now labeled a ‘prince’ with some responsibilities to upkeep he seemed to have breezed through life without accomplishing much.

This moment of contemplation was soon broken by the voice of Elena, she had broken the cool silence and seemed to of regained some of her power, “No my dear, it’s no problem at all” he replied with a wily grin. Not soon after had he spoken did the elevator shudder, stopping as it slid open its silvery doors to the third level.

Their arrival on the newest floor did not go unnoticed and no sooner had they taken a step out of the elevator into the relatively plain room did a gigantic mass of scales and ferocity swoop down in front of them. Teeth bared and rippling muscles ready to strike the creature claimed the title of the most dangerous looking monster they had so far come across. “…and I was half expecting a monster made out of marshmallows” Cilian smirked, quickly unsheathing balizarde as he stared the reptile right in its large yellow eyes, “Elena, stay behind me...your power still has not returned” he uttered, nodding his head at the stocky minions around him who ran over to the red headed woman. The chubby black creatures immediately surrounded Elena, their grinning faces completely devoid of any shred of worry or fear of the large monster in front of them.

The monster snarled, its bony head cocking to the side as it smelt the air, taking in a whiff of some potential snacks that had entered its lair. “Okay…Monsieur dragon please move aside. I’m sure a creature of your status won’t want a makeover from silly old me” Cilian grinned, swinging his sword in the air in an exaggerated manner not expecting the scaled monster to understand a word he just said. The Frenchman wasted no more time in continuing his 'conversation' with the creature and swiftly hopped to left, simultaneously slashing at the creatures eyes whilst feeling the ink on his body manifest into something much bigger than anything he had created that day.

“Elena, take my minions with you and try to figure out how to open that door!” he shouted, elegantly dodging the monsters clawed swing at his chest, the marvelous scales shimmering in the dim light. Striking one of the monsters digits, Balizarde managed to pierce the tough hide, deep enough to provoke a green liquid to seep out of the wound. Swinging in a circle Cilian’s skin quickly rippled as the ink sprayed out of his hand, massing together in the air as the heap of ink quickly took shape. The quivering blob of liquid shuddered and sputtered and quickly assumed the form of a strange hybrid, reminiscent of the legendary Griffin. Elegant yet deadly in appearance the pitch black creation immediately swiped the reptilian creature with a shadowy paw, sending the monster stumbling back a few steps. .

by **Alpha** July 5th 2012, 5:57 am

It was only a matter of seconds before Cillian engaged the beast in combat,sending her to be nothing more than a bystander of the whole incident. Though she knew it was better this way instead of her proving to be a liability to Cillian in the fight and thus harming their chances of living another day. ”Don't get yourself killed.” She told him as she followed the lead of the grinning minions,who occasionally let out a small chuckle from their artificial lips. Even with his impressive skills,the dragon would be more than a simple matter to deal with. She would let him have his moment of glory, a moment before she gained enough power to take things into her own hands. ”Lets see how he can deal with this.” She muttered reaching into one of the leather pouches as she pulled a single clear vial out, pressing the opening against her lips as she allowed the contents to flow down her mouth.

Cold liquid flowed down her throat in a pleasing rush as she felt the energy slowly returning to her but it would still need time. Time she was not sure the Frenchman had but it would be a matter of time for him of course. Either he conquered the beast or the beast conquered him. That was the simple truth of the matter;something she was far too ready to accept. Truth was a relative thing,except for some absolute truths that existed. One was that everyone would die one day. Even the great hero Pain that the people worshiped,he would be subject to the cold embrace of death. Elena had felt that embrace but she had conquered its cold touch twice now. Not of her own volition of course,though that bit did not matter. All that did was the fact that she could discover the secret of human immortality. A true deathlessness that exceeds all human concepts of immortality. A state where death itself would become a fairytale that parents told their children to keep therm in line. The thought put a smile upon her lips as she watched the fight in motion.

Of course he would send her to deal with the most menial of tasks while he got the fun. Letting out an exaggerated sigh,she followed the order as the minions followed unquestioningly. If only humans were this docile when she tried to lead them,but they all had wants. Desires made humanity an unpredictable race, a species set apart from all of the others upon the planet. A door seemed to have appeared,which meant either something good or something terrible was to happen. Tapping a knuckle upon the door,she inspected it as if doing so would give way to some great truth. Though instead all she got was the background noise of the fight that was taking place. 'Could knock it down but not sure how much power that would require.” She muttered taking a step back as she examined the situation. Which seemed for the most part hopeless unless she could think of a solution tot he little door problem. Suddenly an idea came to her as she remembered the light that filled the room.

Taking what seemed like a meditative stance,Elena opened herself to the light energy within the room. Akin to opening a damn and allowing the great waters to flow through it,she allowed the radiant light energy to flow within her body. The spike in her energy was not apparent at first,until he skin took on a healthier glow. Eyes becoming ringed in gold as she allowed her precious energy to restore itself. One hand moved out as it pressed itself against the door,mentally commanding the door to open as if she had any power over it. Though it stayed motionless. A sentinel against the powerful witch that seeked to pass through it. ”There has got to be a way.” She muttered,until her eyes fell upon what seemed like ancient writing,something she somehow knew to read. As if it were ingrained within her memory.

”Bingo

by **Twinkletoes** July 9th 2012, 8:24 am

Cilian did not even have time to check whether Elena had properly heard his set of instructions, his full attention was on the great reptile in front of him was currently doing everything in its might to shred him to pieces. The wily Frenchman had never fought any such creature; why it was just today that he came toe toe toe for the first time with other mythical monsters as well. Shadowy silhouettes, horrid tentacled shellfish and cackling demon girls were not the usual sparring partners he often goes out of his way to fight with. If he had not followed the strange red headed woman into the building he would not be dodging slashing claws and ravenous teeth.

The ink creation launched itself in front of Cilian, pressing its full weight against the side of the dragon, causing the scaly creature to stumble to the side. The dragon temporarily lost its footing and swung its clawed paw in the air, its claws grasping for balance, missing Cilian's suited body by an inch. The Frenchman twirled on his feet, circling the dragon as his creation kept it distracted, his rapier slashing anything more 'fleshy' than what was scaled. As soon as he saw an opening he thrusted Balizarde into the creatures shimmering black eye, a pained growl cascading out of its fanged mouth as the cold metal was plunged into its face.

"Forgive me mr dragon..you're blocking our way" he grimaced as he leaped to its side, dodging the creatures snapping mouth. The ink creation lunged on top of the monster, sending it into a more berserk rage, its shuddering body and powerful thrusts tearing at the iron walls that encased them. Briefly glancing over at Elena as he hopped into the air dodging the creatures tail, she looked like she was muttering some incantations of some sort..his vague minions staring at her in muted fascination.

"Guess its time to end this" he muttered, flicking his fringe out of his face. Taking a swift leap into the air he landed on the creatures bony back with a muted thud. A grin spread on his lips as he quickly made his way on top of the scaly form, his creation keeping the dragon's swinging limbs at bay. Once he had made it to the creatures head, which was a challenge in itself since it was desperately trying to shake him off, he plunged his blade deep into its eye, deep enough for the ornate rapier to protrude out of the other eye. An ear-splitting cry of pain reverberated throughout the small room, the thrashing limbs throwing the ink creation against the adjacent wall.

However the pain ended quickly for the great reptile, a weezing growl the last thing to escape its lips as Balizarde was swiftly removed from its skull, a gooey grey liquid coating its shiny metallic surface.

Taking in a deep breath Cilian stretched theatrically, an exhausted groan escaping his grinning mouth as he motioned for the hulking ink creation to come to him. It swooped for its master and before its body collieded with his own it exploded back into a shapeless writhing floating puddle which was instantly re-absorbed into the Frenchman's body.

"Now that he's out of the way...is there anything I can do to assist you?" Cilian chuckled finally turning his attention to Elena..

by **Alpha** July 11th 2012, 11:32 pm

The archaic words flowed from her lips like a stream as she pressed the cold palm against the stone,power coursing through the skin on contact. Body beginning to glow brightly once again as she slowly allowed the energy to seep into what seemed like a crack in the door, as a line formed vertically along the stone as if the words held some power over it. Though Elena was barely aware of what she said as the words only flowed smoother like water from her red lips, casting light upon the small minions that the Frenchman had sent to guard her from whatever there was that would harm her but that seemed impossible in a place like this. Dragon being the natural deterrent for anything more powerful that would roam this strange underground labyrinth that resided below the streets of New York. Something that should not be so easily hidden from the public with how they pried.

This seemed more like it was planned somehow but what did that connote exactly? In a matter of moments the door opened itself as the symbols upon it glowed an ominous gold, only a great darkness beyond the door. ”It seems I didn't need your assistance afterall” She muttered stepping through the crushing dark that stood ahead of her,feeling something weighing down upon her as she felt what was like steps below her feet. They were once again descending tot he next floor,fourth if she was correct. For the first minute it seemed they would be caught in eternal dark where not even her light could help them but soon enough torches illuminated the pathway.

'I have a feeling this might be a trap.” Elena muttered as they advanced,choosing not to take any of the frenchmens offers of chaperoning her. She was a woman,not some child that needed to be coddled every step of the way, as it seemed she was to him. In the distance she heard what could only be described a whistling, a young woman whistling to be exact but the origin was unclear as all she was ahead was the curve of the spiraling stairway. Though after a few minutes of this she had found what she assumed was the next floor,though it resembled a living room. True it wasn't the most ornately furnished but it was familiar.

It was her home,before it was mysteriously destroyed.

by **Twinkletoes** July 12th 2012, 12:39 am

Cilian raised his brow at her sudden snappishness, maybe he had offended her in not allowing her to face the cruel beast. However the Frenchman knew she had sorely drained her energy when attacking the demon girl and it was better to be safe than sorry when fighting the scaly beast that now lay dead. He knew for a fact that she held power that exceeded his own, why it would have been foolish to ignore such the blatantly obvious difference in their abilities. He knew he had amazing gifts and was in no way bashing himself, he even took down an immensely dangerous wire wielding maniac but realistically this human light bulb next to him could do much worse.

Walking down the murky darkness that seemed to choke them the deeper they went, Cilian's tattoos once again started shifting uncomfortably, something was telling that this was indeed a trap. the eerie whistling that scraped its way into his ears sent shivers down his spine, almost as if someone was expecting them. Oh I don't have a good feeling about this he thought to himself scrunching his brow as he strained his eyes to look into the cold light that embraced them at the bottom of the staircase.

It looked like an apartment, furnished to appear like a normal room. Everything was normal, completely unassuming except for the fact that a figure sat on one of the plastic chairs, piercing green eyes gazing at the two new arrivals as the whistling slowly stopped. This figure, whoever she was...looked exactly like Elena, albeit younger and more sinister, although the Frenchman could not put a finger on what it was that was bothering him, other than the fact that she was a youthful version of the woman standing next to him. Cilian looked over to Elena, a troubled expression staining her face..something was definitely wrong about this and even the witch could feel it.

"So you've finally come Elena..and looks like you've bought along a friend as well" the woman muttered tracing a circle on the wooden table in front of her, her piercing gaze never leaving the duo...

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