RPG: And They Touched the Face of God

[Luzifer]

Rules:

1. No Godmodding (period)
2. No Cursing.
3. No spamming (all post should be at least four lines long)
4. No flaming

5. No more than three posts per day (This may get decrease because I know at least one person who might have trouble keeping pace if there are too many posts)
6. Have fun (this is the most important rule punishable by lethal injection (and the electric chair if you live in florida, and posse if you live in Texas))



7. I'm going to ask that every fifteen pages that everyone repost their character sheets in the sign up page. This is to confirm that you are still rping and to allow everyone to keep track of everyone else


8. After your character gains an ability or mutation have a small blurb at the bottom of your post describing it.


Example: Allana grinned and felt new power surge into her fists... bending the flowing tnedrils of Anima to her will her hands erupted into fire. etc etc etc


New ability: Flaming Fist (using her skill at manipulating Anima based fire Allana is able to set her hands on fire without taking damage from them)


Feel free to ask me questions if you have any and to make requests if you so desire. Remember if your not having fun with this RP I’m not doing my job.

The blue letter, an H, hovered slightly in the black currents. There the flashing lights of human souls moving past them gave this region of the Anima a darkened feel. Relatively few souls passed through this area anymore. This cycle was almost at its completion however neither the white nor the black letters (Y and W respectively) could decided whether or not now was the proper time to finish the cycle. Not even the blue could tell how long it had been since the first cycle or even if there had been a first cycle, so long had this been going on.

“We should do it sooner rather then later. Bring in the conflict of Chaos so that from it a newer strong world can be made! This world has grown reticent and does not change, it will stagnate and die! Every forest needs sweeping wildfires to stay healthy and we can provide that!” said the black, his voice brimming with his own confidence. This one was infinitely logical and technically speaking was probably right but did not take into account the misery it might cause. To him misery wasn’t really even a factor, merely an illusion spread by people who didn’t think because they lacked the keenness of mind to pierce through it. “The Anima is growing thin, soon the cycle will stop on its own but at that point it will have lost momentum. Better to end it while there are still a large number of souls that can bear through the Dissension.”

“But…the more people there are the more misery there will be, the more people will suffer.” Here the Black interrupted saying the ether of the Anima could take the strain of the suffering but the White kept talking, knowing that the Black would miss the point he had been going for, “No! I mean we cannot make these people suffer! Our mission should be to protect these souls, these portioned fragments of Anima from suffering at all costs! I think we should wait until more souls have passed through so that we can avoid the collateral damage. Even though I’m loathe to cause it in the first place.” I was rare, now that Blue thought about it that Y would speak so much and so harshly, even though his voice was calm and wise from the outside. Normally Y would avoid the argument with kind words but here of course he couldn’t and though he tried to remain his normally passive state it was obvious he was deeply adamant about his position.

“But then we loose the momentum and the next world will have problems with its inception. The amount of humans that come might not even be enough to bring about the Resurrection!” It was obvious W was getting excited as he was putting his opponent in what he thought was a logical corner, but then Black was one of will and logic and not of the emotions necessary to understand the one with whom he was debating.

“We can put more of our energy into the living world… it will support us.”

“That may be but our duty is to not interfere. We should only end and remake the world with possibly a small amount of influence during the hours of Chaos. The world should exist in its own right.”

“Silence…” whispered the Blue Letter. He was growing rather tired with those two elements and decided to ask the one whose vote could swing either way, the one who would ultimately determine when the Dissension came. “You haven’t spoke yet. What do you think?” He asked toward the Red Letter (another H).

The Red hesitated, thinking over his answer and when he had obtained it mustering the courage to say it. He never really liked to talk and this was especially true when Black and White could not agree, it was unavoidable given his nature, those two had to be in perfect concert in order for the Red to be able to act to its fullest potential. He was still hesitant even when he spoke, “Well… I think that man is no longer growing. They have reached an apex, and unfortunately there does not appear to be a down slope. They have made their world too stable… and…if its too stable no one can grow strong. Peace is too easily given. I think the world should be unmade.”

“So be it…” muttered the Blue… the Sigil of the Binding flashing in front of the four… “We return”


Several Months later:

Mastema woke up, his eyes gazing into the twisting currents of the purple sky. They sky seemed to flow, and indeed it did, for the sky was the currents of Anima, made visible by the sheer number of souls swelling inside it. The currents, the small swirls and crosswise eddies being accepted moved toward on pole of the world… or rather they looped around the world. Since Chaos was an orb much like earth, though smaller and with only large lakes and not oceans. The overall land surface area of Chaos was only slightly greater then the former United North American alliance, which had been an amalgam of Mexico, Canada, and the United States. It was the looping of Animaic energies over Chaos that allowed it to maintain itself. At one pole of Chaos there was a giant sink, where all the lines of Anima fell into the earth and then passed through the core of Chaos before coming out the other end to go back into the sky. It was through this method that Anima passed through the ground and then bubbled up its spiritual energy up through the ground. This might come up in the form off a spring or a gas or it might even be converted by one of the Chaos trees (actually a peaceful, Harmony demon) that would covert it into a large fruit. It was through the consumption of such materials that hunger was sated and the thought made Mastema notice his own stomach’s rumblings and he sat up. He had slept on the ground, not having bartered for a mat but he didn’t really mind, over the past few months he had gotten used to sleep on the hard earth…or the soft earth as not all rocks in Chaos were hard, these though, happened to be.

He stood up and began walking through the camp that him and his fellow travels had made… which was pretty much just setting their stuff down and going to sleep. It was ramshackle but it was fitting and it didn’t seem to hurt anything so as far as Mastema was concerned it was good. He let himself move past the other members of his group, almost floating with grace. The first person he passed was Miguel Graywind. He remembered their meeting, Miguel couldn’t believe how passive Mastema was but Mastema had argued that forcing the world inevitably resulted in backlash. Though it didn’t seem like Miguel believed what Mastema said he had decided to follow him irregardless.

The next person was Link. The boy was odd but that never bothered Mastema who was quite odd himself though in a different way. Mastema was not exactly certain why Link traveled together with him but he supposed it was for lack of any other sort of direction and the random wanderings of a group seemed more meaningful then those of loner.

The last one to have joined was the one called Aruzaer. A calm, and unusually unobtrusive Orderite that had joined him not more then a weak ago. He was never inclined to agree with those who followed the Philosophy of Order, as his relationship with Miguel would indicate, but this one was unusually mellow and it certainly was refreshing. The world moved in mysterious ways indeed.

Mastema sighed, he liked these wanderings. The travel with no really destination, just letting the currents of the earth push and pull one where ever it might lead them without care for what was over the next hill. He gripped his chest, the mark beneath sent urges of pain through him for a moment but they passed and he looked toward the Seal of the Body. He always knew where it was, ever since he had stepped on Chaos’ ground. He dipped his hands into the brook the rolled by through the arch of two tree roots. He lifted the sweet spiritual liquid to his mouth and drank it, and instantly was refreashed.


Samael woke up alone. He liked it this way. Sitting up he looked toward where his comrades where sleeping. He was the last one to sleep and was the first one up. This gave him a nice period of peace where he could be alone. He hesitated before letting his eyes fall on any of them. What if they opened there eyes and saw him looking at them? What would they think? Would it matter? He decided to move in chronological order in how they had joined his group, if only because it would keep him from having a reason as to who to look at first.

He let his eyes flow briefly over Edena. She was a hassle. For some reason after he had decided not to kill her for trying to steal his scythe she had started following him around and occasionally grabbing him. He couldn’t understand why she did that but what he did know was that it was awkward for him and he didn’t care for it. Contact was not something he could take in large doses and hers was a keg.

Then there was Makiko. She pressed him almost as much as Edena but she wasn’t nearly as aggressive about it. He had saved her when she was in trouble since she didn’t appear to have any way of defending herself. Afterwards she had continued with him, he assumed it was because it was safer for her to. He could understand that and to that end he let her stay, though he still tried to avoid talking whenever possible.

Lastly, there was Saif. He didn’t know much about the boy but he didn’t really need to. He didn’t feel it was his position to know anything nor was it something he wanted, he preferred a cool distance between himself and others, so they never had to learn about his weaknesses..

Silently, Samael stood up and walked to a near by tree, stepping a near by hill covered in knee high grass that sang a sweet and haunting melody as the wind blew through it. Tuning Grass, he always called it because, each blade, depending on its height and thickness produced a particular note when blown on, like a tuning fork. He began to hum and old song from the old world to himself… he had always taken a fascination to the world music… perhaps it was the nature of his role in the world.

There are beads
that wrap around your knees
that crackle into the dark
Like a walk in the park
ike a hole in your head
Like the feeling you get when you realize you're dead
This time we ride roller coasters into the ocean
We feel no emotion
as we spiral down to the world
And I guess it's worth your time
Because there's some lives you live
And some you leave behind
It gets hard to explain
The gardenhead knows my name *

After he got to the tree he went silent and picked from its branches a large gnarled-looking fruit. Bringing the fruit back down to the camp he started a small fire with some Tuning grass and a flint steel he had “borrowed” in a previous town. He then set his scythe over it and, cutting the fruit into four pieces, set it on the blade of the scythe to cook. He knew this scythe well and knew it would not bend or warp or be at all affected by being used as a pan. It didn’t even pick up soot on the bottom but retained its shiny nature. The spiritual flesh of the fruit crackled and spat over the fire. In a moment of thought Samael rubbed the sigil on his throat and sighed, glancing slightly toward where one of the Seals was.


Macht jumped to his feet as soon as he awoke. He leaned back on his shoulders and then pushing against the ground leapt to his feet. He loved every minute of being in Chaos, the constant threat of being attack by demons made him constantly giddy. It was all he could do to keep up his normal thoughtful demeanor.

The purple sky glimmered with power and he absorbed it into himself. He looked around him at his cohorts… his squad of fellow travelers fighting across the face of Chaos to find a way to resurrect the world. There was Seraf, the first to join his group, and a man perpetually welling a suit from the previous world and having a formal and orderly grace about him. He always seemed focus on the betterment of humanity in ways that Macht never understood. To Macht, if humanity got better it was just a side effect of having a good time! Battles and war. That’s what this world was about.

Then there was Babs, a pretty girl who had joined not to long ago but he got the feeling didn’t particular care for him. She seemed to gravitate more towards Seraf, which he frankly wasn’t to surprised about. Seraf was a good man and he happened to be bit too…free-spirited with violence for most people’s taste but that just made his job easier as far as he was concerned. After all, he had to look at this logically.

Finally, there was Sikander, a strange name for a strange person. He had Egyptian looking features and deep black skin that was reminiscent of statuettes that before the Dissension had been stored in museums. Hadn’t they been made of jet? Or was it merely a dark marble? It wasn’t important. What was important was that the man was quite capable and had been an asset in a few tight spots even if Macht wasn’t completely certain why he was here… something to do with an appreciation of his decisiveness.

It was a strange world but for now Macht focused on his hunger… he need too replenish his spiritual energy and so he walked toward a large lake. It stretched outward and it moaned as faces flitted, and gasped across its surface. It was a strange sight indeed but one Macht took without hesitation having seen many such strange sights since coming to Chaos. He bent down and drank straight from the water, feeling a deep coldness in his gut as the chilling sorrow of the water seeped into his veins. His head began to hurt a little as the illogic of the emotion flooded his system and he placed his hand on the mark on his forehead. Five degrees north thirty degrees west, two hundred miles off. He sighed… but he’d deal with that later. For now he had to get back to camp… he comrades would be waking soon.

[Chosen]

((OOC: Hard to keep up with that long post Luzy.))
Seraf stirred, his eyes flickered open, as a shiver ran down his spine. He slowly raised out of bed, and rubbed his eyes, before a yawn ran rampid in the air. "Macht?" He called out, due to the fact that after he looked around, he saw that macht was not their. Macht was a good person, even though he was a little...Untamed. Seraf had problems finding words to suit the persona that Macht had, maybe it was just him.

Seraf flexed his right hand, a long, thin blade, much like that of a Wakizashi's blade. He slashed at the air a few times, before allowing the blade to sink back into his flesh, allowing a gasp as the pain throbbed lightly. "Mn..."

((Sorry, it's a little short.))

[Opinionated]

OOC: Now, Luzy, you can't just throw a posse together. If you do that you'll have a useless pile of men, horses, and guns plus a long and embarassing speech from the sheriff.

BIC:
Sikander's eyes snapped open to a different location. There wasn't the sky or area where he'd bedded down. Instead, there was that odd split in the earth he saw often. It was morning there, too, and the nightime shadows that took on grotesque shapes were absent. Worse, the shadows seemed to move.

Without any warning, his view changed to the one his eyes should be seeing, but through a thermal spectrum. After a few seconds of vibrant yellows, oranges, reds, and greens, Sikander at last saw the world through the visible light spectrum. With that return to normalcy, Sikander sat, then stood up, stetching the tiredness from his body.

He saw that Seraf was awake, noted it. Saw Seraf prodding the air with his blade, and suddenly felt his own scimitar in it's sheath, still in his left hand. Neither having anything to say or a need to say anything, Sikander simply sat back down again, awaiting Macht's return.

[Nespa]

Babs eyes fluttered open and she yawned as she awoke. she saw that seraf and sikander were already awake. Brushing her hair in a decent shape she stood up and stretched. her ears twitched at the sounds around her and walked into a nearby bushy area. behind the bushed she came upon a small lake with some fish. she crouched and pulled her joujou from her pocket. she spinned it keeping a eye on the fishes and managed to get two with her joujou. after a few minutes she had four fishes and walked back to camp.


without saying a word she started a fire and putted the fishes above it. she sat done waiting until the fishes were done.

[Tetsanosuke]

Aruzaer opened his eyes slowly. While awaking from the definite rock bed he slowly raised his right hand up towards the purple flowing sky, he tempted to remove his cover, his silk wrappings with tightly bound strings and chain. He knew that whichever way he went he'd be throwing himself out through his hand or just bringing everything inside him. What was that feeling telling him to open the road to nothingness?

He turned the silk covered hand around as the purple crystal light from above caressed the edges of his aura. Beside him laid his staff, a long and metallic rod with a large ring about it's form with smaller rings around that. No matter how hard one could try that ring would never leave more then two feet away from that staff, and Aruzaer knew this from experience.

He never knew the origin of his name, Aruzaer Na'Mael, it came to him after the shard fell. He could hear the voice, the voice of eternity calling to him. He had no past at that point and no real definition. Well, to say he hadn't any at all would be a bit farther off, he only remembered his days at the Shinto shrine. Those days he learned much though significant labels and such have been clearly erased from his definition as well. He had no master he could remember, all the faces where blotted out or torn away from his past, or what could be called one.

Letting the hand drop from the sky, his headbands extra lengths came up in a small breeze, a draft of a sort perhaps. These rocks were too welcoming or at least he thought so. He stood up slowly and looked to the one he had been following, or, was he even following him? Or was he going with his own confidence locked deep within himself? He made his choices and he would be the one to decide... or was he really his own being?

Very little he did know at this point, there were so many new things out there and yet very little peoples out there to forge a new tapestry, a new dawn perhaps. He needed to let himself be the factor and make that choice. For the way of order can be willed by the mind of one but must be fueled by the Anima of many.

He brought the staff to his palm, it seemed that he started to get attached to it. He wouldn't let it out of his sight, but what significance does it really play? That, he didn't know.

[Luzifer]

Macht smirked as he watched everyone waking up. Such late sleepers... but oh well there wasn't really a rush anyway, he wanted to make Chaos last as long as he could, for this chance might never come again. "Mornin' ev'ryone" he said, his voice somewhat with a somewhat rural accent which seemed juxtaposed next when he sat down next to his book, a massive tome which was currently about the ecosystems of Chaos. "Git up and git ready, 'cause we're movin' out as soon as possible. There is a town not the fer away from 'ere and aftah that we are gonna 'ead over to Pandemonium, I don't think I've been to that city yet." He said an smirked and waited for everyone to set themselves to motion.

Mastema smiled, with divine, almost unaware, benevolence. "Are you up Aru?" He asked with sense of trandscendental calm oozing off of him. "Well, Anima wants us to travel that way today..." Here Mastema pointed to a point on the Horizon, "and I'd like to get moving so as soon as everyone is up and ready we should go."

[Nespa]

babs picked up and fish and putted it in her mouth. She ran to a nearby tree and climbed it sitting on a branch. she closed her eyes as she checked the surroundings her fuzzy ears twitched for a moment or two. she opend her eyes again and jumped down looking at mach.

Pulling the fish from her mouth she spoke "everything is clear"she took a bit out of the fish smilling.

[Tetsanosuke]

"Mast..." Aruzaer brought his attention to his 'leader' with a mellow though hinted with alert look. He looked back at the other companions who where yet to wake and sighed lightly, he leaned upon his staff as he took in the scenery. The Anima wanted them to follow the horizon, with this he had no problems. He hadn't a course to go either way and for now this was the best he had.

"When the others wake... We shall travel... but will it last until nightfall yet again?" He questioned, no real point behind it. He knew they'd have to because the world was different now. There were no street lights that would light your way nor anything else. There was but the sky, the sun, the moon and the anima.

"Disregard that Mastema... I already know." He let his eyes scan around once more to clarify he wasn't lost, or, he wasn't 'that' lost.

[.Gogo]

Makiko cracked open an eyelid, looking up at the sky. She stuck her tongue out to no one in particular, mearly due to the disdain of waking herself. She lifted herself up wearily into a sitting position, rubbing her eyes. Stretching her arms high into the air she peered over to the side, seeing that Samael was awake. "Oh! Good morning!" she said cheerily to him.

[OOC: I apoligize for the size of this post, but I couldn't think of anything else to put yet <3]

[Luzifer]

Macht looked up at Babs, "Wha'? What 're you on about? Just finish eatin' an' prepare to go I don't much care for the idea of waitin' much longer." Still, he thought rubbing his chin, it would be logical to use the time he had to the best of its possible extents, "I'll scout the path out." He mutter and stood up.

He walked over to a fair sized shadow from a massive boulder that stood strangely isolated from others of its kind in the middle of the the area of trees. Still it was suitable. Closing his eyes he dove his mind deep into himself and grasped the thread of Anima that dwelled that pumped the spiritual conciousness into him. He then pulled on it, dragging Anima from the into his body and focusing it in his left hand. Placing that hand on the shadow tendrils of shade rose up along his forearm and wrapped around it. His conciousness flowed into the shadow and passed through it to other shadows. He saw what the shadows saw and gazed across the path that they would travel... the path had many trees and cliffs to shade it and that gave him a good view. Along a ridge about 3 miles along their route he could make out the forms of demons. They were a motley group indicating to him that they were probably of Dissonance origin.

He grinned and opened his eyes. "Come on!" He exclaimed loudly, "there're demons in our path and I want to catch them before they move on! So pack ya things and lets git outta he'e. "

Samael looked up slowly... his blue visible eye seemed distant and hardly awake as he gazed towards Makiko. She was always insanely cheerful and he never understood why. He prefered to stay cold and isolated, which almost made him laugh at times given the irony of it. Still, he kept this to himself because he knew no one would understand what the joke was about. Only three other people would...

Still he nodded toward her, not speaking because he didn't like to speak when it wasn't necessary. Speech in general wasn't necessary. That knowledge made himself sometimes. Well... hate was too strong a word.... devalue. "Get up. Get ready. We leave soon." With that he picked up one of the hot pieces of fruit, the sugar bubbling out of it as it was frying on the scythe blade. It was delicious as always. Sadly, it fell on a tongue to numb to taste.

Mastema smiled at Azu... the boy always said such wonderfully strange things. "Exactly...perhaps..." he said vaguely almost not aware of his own words. "The world always knows the best way to preserve itself..." hopefully the sleeping members of the group would wake up soon, though Mastema was not normally one to rush, he knew that one of the reasons for his traveling was not sensitive enough to Anima to know when to stop, to pull inward, and the other didn't really care to listen to it, disliking the possiblities hearing it would bring.

[Nespa]

Babs packed her stuff nibbeling on her fish and rolling her eyes. after swallowing she muttered "war maniac"she putted putted her few posesions in a small raggy backpack she along the road. And walkedt o the edge of the camp waiting for the other two. she took a few more bites while her ears twitched a bit checking her surroundings.

[CF Striker]

Saif quickly aproached from the west, running toward the tree where Samael sat at the tree. He was running a little late...and that probably wouldn't bode well. He had never seen Samael's tempetr flare up too bad though, of coarse before theese odd events he had never seen him much at all. There was a girl here now who seemed sorta familiar, but only by face. Saif strolled in and lifted a hand to wave a little from his billowing cloak.

"Hey, not too late I hope. I guess I wandered off a little too far. Are you heading out?"

He had been of because he had needed last night. Honestly, he probably need more nights like this. More nights to figure out why on earth he was here still, why this strange world needed him, especially in his half broken state. If he had the cogs of fate, he'd be dead with the rest of them.

He sighed to himself, hoping a pheonix really could be reborn from the ashes, both the world, and himself.

[ThunderBird]

Miguel woke up, sitting up straight as he yawned, eyes still closed. He scratched the back of his neck before finally opening his eyes and looking around himself. "Where am I...." He muttered to himself. Miguel could never remember where he was if he wasn't in his own bed, but all it took to remember was just seeing something familiar, in this case it was the group of people he was with. "Oh...right..." He muttered, lying back down and wanting to sleep some more. He never did like waking up in the morning, not having the feeling of relaxation during the nights.

He rolled over, rolling on top of a rock or something, jabbing into his back as he sat up again. "Alright, I'm up...." He got up, rubbing his face, yawning a bit before grabbing his katanas , tying them off on his right side. "Mornin' Mastema, Aruzaer." He said, looking to them. "Where we heading today?"

[Luzifer]

"What was that ya mutta'ed?" Mact said with a smirked as he flicked Babs on the forehead with one finger. "I don't th'nk its polite to be saying thin's behind someones back. But come on lets get out of here" Macht brushed back his hair and held it like that for a moment as he looked at her with a vague condensention, revealing on his forehead the large sigil. Turning, he walked away and his hair fell back in front of the tattoo. Excitement tingled in his veins as he thought about the coming fight, his hand gently stroking the hilt of his sword, Ereous.

Samael looked up with inwardly focused eye dull and coated with a glaze of ice. "Soon. Not yet. Wait a moment" he then turned back to the fruit pieces he still had on his scythe blade.

Mastema smiled over to Miguel, "Morning. Did you sleep well?" he then thought about the boy's question, "Well... I don't know, but I'm sure that no matter where we go that is where we were meant to go so I wouldn't worry to much about it. It would just ruin everything if we tryed to hard to have a direction."

[Nespa]

Babs turned and yelped when Macht flicked her forehead. she rubbed it annoyed somehow the movement was familiar and not just because he did it everytime she would mutter something and he would hear it. she shook her head not bothering to think to deeply on it. Putting her hands in her pockets she followed him after she discarted the remains of her breakfast. She knew the others would follow eventualy, she sighed 'why am i with this guy again..' she looked at macht's back 'right becase i was tired of being alone'. she grummbled something obscene under her breath and pushed her hands deeper in her pockets.

[Tetsanosuke]

Aruzaer was in a light daze as the words floated about, Mastema and Miguel were just tossing around ideas and questions, nothing that seemed to take hold of his lost definition. Nothing seemed to matter but the task in the long run at this point. He could feel Xao'na, his staff and rings resonate softly as the anima of approaching life forms came into sensing distance.

"So.. what could be about here? Mastema... what creatures may there be around here?" He lifted his staff fro the ground before walking to his 'leaders' side, his silk wrapped hand made it upon Mastema's shoulder. "Shall we inspect or digress?" He questioned lightly, still within his daze.


Ability Discovered:
Anima Sense: By letting the flow of Anima go through his staff to the hole in his hand, it can tell Aru about approaching forms of life.

[Luzifer]

"Ya strange. I don't see how ya can be sa sad with a fight comin' up!" Macht smiled with vicious pleasure to Babs. He was truly was having more fun here then he had had in all the time that he could remember. He wanted to make the joy of these days last so that he could get stronger and fight harder things and thus have more fun. He pulled out his large tome from his backpack, it was the same reason he read books. The more he knew the better he could argue with people that disagreed with him. Arguing and debating held its own pleasures of conflict.

"I don't know the creatures... though i know someone who would though he is far afield. But I doubt it matters... let us go in this direction" here he pointed to a seemingly random point in the distance, "I feel that there is where we must go. And if not I'm sure the walk will be fun." he he gave a slight serene smile, he loved walking through the beauty of nature, watching the water roll down the cliffs and hills. He so rarely had gotten out before. He had always been a little envious of his brother, who could leave at will, dispite himself. "If we meet them along the way, well... we don't need to worry about that until its proper time."

[Tanarus]

(For the sake of typing, I'm not putting the accent over the second 'a' in Racán's name.)

Weary eyes popped open within a dust-covered face. Soft sounds of life whispered in dusty ears, warning the mind of possible threats before eyes could focus. Racan sat up suddenly, grasping his two-hander blade on the ground beside him. It was rather plain looking, stolen from the corpse of a defeated demon. He studied the clearing in which he had slept, as if he did not remember falling asleep in it.

Where am I? I don't remember... Oh, yes. I'm still not awake, I guess. he thought blearily. He had fought with a demon till late at night. He had been so exhausted afterwards that he simply walked a short distance from the body and lay down, fast asleep.

With that memory in hand, Racan stabbed the tip of his blade into the soft dirt beneath him and heaved himself up with it. He streched a bit, then grasped his blade once more. Scanning the area briefly, he slowly made his way towards the telltale signs of fighting.

"Ah, there you are. Lost your head without me, I see." He said with a slightly 'off' laugh. The demon had been victim to Racan's battle-butchery. He was no trained swordsman; there was no finesse in the way this demon had been maimed. Gashes covered the misshapen heap of former demon, and Racan still couldn't decide whether or not it had died from loss of blood, or beheading. For indeed, the head lay nearby, face in a slightly shocked expression. The corpse smelled horrible; it obviously was beginning to decay. Racan scanned it one last time for something to loot from it, then left with a shrug and a sigh. It was never fun to kill, just to fight. The demon should have guarded it's neck.

Racan didn't really know where to go, now. Up to this point, demons had been finding him, not the other way around. They were great fun, and Racan hadn't escaped without a wound or two, but he still wanted someone better to fight. Half the time he killed was because of the pitiful expressions the demons made once they realized they were going to die. Nothing should ever plead for mercy. It's disgusting.

Before long, Racan came to a path. Where the heck was he? He'd heard from the demons he'd slain that he was somewhere near 'Pandemonium', but he never really paid attention. He'd just wanted to fight.

"I'm hungry..."

[Nespa]

Babs snorted "perhaps it had something to with last time" she glared at his back "or have you forgotten that i almost became there diner that time?". Babs disliked fights with demons mostly because she just could not fight those, she tryed a few times but it always ended up with her either being captured or being saved or a combination of both. She crossed her arms stil walking behind him "becoming human broth not my idea of a fun time ya know" she rubbed her forehead again. "so if you don't mind i sit this one out at a safe distance"she smirked "the more there are for you to kill". she yawned a bit as her ears twitched.

[.Gogo]

Makiko shrugged "Mmkay." She stood up, packing up her things. Somehow the girl always seemed to posess an abundance of energy, she was always cheery and a magnet for optimism. She raised an eyebrow as she watched Sameal eat off of his scythe. "I don't think that's very healthy.."

The sound of a voice alerted her to the presence of another, and she looked over her shoulder to see an unidentifiable man. "Hi-hi!" she exclaimed cheerily, waving at him "I don't believe we've introduced ourselves to eachother yet. And since Samael doesn't talk much I don't think he's mentioned your name to me before either. I'm Makiko, and you're..?"

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha appeared to be sleeping, but anyone looking closely enough would have seen that though she lay curled on the rocky ground, her eyes were wide open and staring into face of the infant currently using her body as a crib. She didn't understand it, but Ahram seemed to store energy, maybe even Anima itself, while he slept and the longer he did so, the less likely he was to fuss. Her body was beginning to ache from lying awake in that position for so long, despite being used to meditative positions, and she was getting a headache from listening to Macht speak.

She carefully rose and put the child in her lap, pulling the napsack that she used to carry him in front of her and digging around inside and producing a strip of dried meat to chew on.

It wasn't that she disliked Macht, but having had a father who was a stickler for dialect and acted as a language teacher herself while living abroad, she felt a well-hidden annoyance that such a well-read person abused speech the way he did. By no means did she underestimate his intelligence; being rich, a woman and often a foriegner, she knew and took advantage of how often a person could be underestimated based on appearance.

Macht was saying something about demons in their path and a small smirk slid onto her face. He may not be stupid but he sure was predictable, Teritha could fight when necessary, but since joining Macht's group 'necessary' became more often than seemed possible before. Ahram's red and black eyes shot open as she loaded him into the napsack and he looked at her curiously for a moment before she flipped the pack around and secured it on her back, tying a quiver full of arrows to her leg and picking up her modified long bow/sheath.

Ahram

Ability Discovered: Energy/Anima Osmosis
Ability Description: Absorbing energy or anima in place of food

[Tetsanosuke]

Aruzaer let out a small dazed chuckle as though his mind was dancing across a florescent landscape within the distant confounds of his mind. He seemed as though a radiant light had lifted him now and no worry was shown as previous. He looked to Mastema after he told him what was what.

He then proceeded to leaning against a large rock near their site, facing towards the direction Mastema pointed out. He let his eyes gaze out at the Anima filled sky as the sense went through him again, though he ignored it this time.

[unspun]

Hmm, I searched for another thread like this before I posted and I couldn't find it, but I didn't say username, only screen name.but there IS one.... I wonder if this one will get deleted:eek:

[Luzifer]

Macht smirked a bit at Babs, "How ya gonna git strong if ya stay in the back? Conflict breeds strength, just read Nietzsche" here he reached into a satchel at his side and pulled out a book and offered it to her, "Also Sprach Zarathustra von Fredrich Wilhelm Nietzsche Ein Buch f&#252;r jeden und niemand." he said the German flowing off his tongue without him thinking about it. It was only after he said it that he realized he was giving her a copy in the original German, something she probably couldn't read. So dipping his hand back in his sack and shifting Kritik der reinen Vernunft von Immanuel Kant and finally got his hand around an english copy of The Will to Power. This he handed to Babs while he looked up to Tentha, "Hurry up, woman! We ain't got the time ta be wastin'"

Samael looked up at Makiko for a moment, "I'm fine." she then was walking away and he doubted she heard him which was fine with her. Anything that cut the conversation short was fine with him.

Turning to his cohorts, if they might be called that, Mastema gave a tolerant accepting smile, "Now, let us go. I'm sure there is much walking that will be done before the day is out." With that he walked in the direction to which he had previously point occasionally looking back to make sure everyone was following him.

[CF Striker]

Saif smilied, a gentle but not excited smile. At one time he had a little of that joyous enthusiasm, but not now. He replied, "I'm Saif. Soo..Makiko, I guess you'll be one of my traveling companions, huh? Pleased to meet you." He tried to be freindly, and hoped he didn't sound dull.

[Opinionated]

Sikander watched Macht and the others interact without interfering. He merely shugged his pack on and slid his scimitar into his belt. Already he could feel the morning heat on his abyss-black skin. He saw Macht shifting around in his books, and for not the first time debated asking for a copy, and for an equal number of times decided against it. His strength came from what guided him... whatever that was.

It wasn't the first time he'd wondered. He'd wondered from the beginning. He'd researched religous texts to try and find an answer, but none ever fit. He didn't know what it was that ordered him, he simply knew that whatever it was, it was far more powerful than he was, far wiser than he was, and had a longer reach than he did. He thought again of that crag in the ground he kept seeing in his dreams, and the shadows that haunted it at night. Were there answers there?

Sikander licked his lips and said, "Ready when you are," in his quiet, reserved voice. Merely a gesture, he fingered the straps of his pack to resettle them squarely on his shoulder and reaffirmed his scimitar's security against his hip.

[Tanarus]

Though he had found a path of sorts, Racan wandered a bit aimlessly through the strangely woodsy area, dragging his zweihander behind him. It was bizarre; he wondered, not for the first time, what this place was before everything went crazy. Maybe a reserve? A national park of some sort? He had no idea, and it kinda pissed him off. That and being hungry, anyways.
Why can't I run into someone with food again? He thought sourly. Actually, why can't these demons carry food on them?
With a sigh, Racan let go of the notion. Maybe he'd run into another demon. That would be fun, though he'd probably just end up hungrier than before. And the scent of demon blood seemed to keep animals away; it was foul smelling, and some blood actually burned, like acid. Their flesh also tasted putrid--sadly, Racan actually had tried to eat it by roasting it over a fire. Consequently, it had made him sick up until there was literally nothing left in his stomach but bile.
A light breeze brought a familiar smell wafting to Racan: Apples! He looked up at the tree before him and grinned. dropping his sword at the base of the tree, he proceeded to scale it haphazardly until he was sitting in its boughs. The apples were actually, upon closer inspection, a shade of reddish-purple. He didn't let it stop him, however. He plucked one from the branch, and bit in enthusiastically. It was delicious, overflowing with sweet juice, and delightfully crisp. He gorged on a few more, then found himself reclining in the tree, back against the trunk.
He hadn't looked around before, but now that he thought about it, it seemed that this tree was not the only apple tree. Evidently, he'd reached a small apple orchard. It was still strange to see some things intact, while others were utterly destroyed. Like a tornado destroying one house and leaving the neighboring house unscathed.
Savoring the satiation of his appetite a moment longer, he plucked three apples for later and hopped down to the ground below. Placing the apples in a pouch he'd looted from the same demon he'd taken his sword from, he grasped the hilt of his sword and glanced around. On impulse, he hefted the blade perpendicular to his body, closed his eyes, spun around a few times, then stopped suddenly. He then set off slowly in that direction, dragging his sword behind him, eyes half-lidded with boredom.

"Wandering sucks."

(OOC: I'm heading towards Macht's party, but since I don't know which direction you guys are in, I'm doing it this way.)

[lovegoddessai]

With all of the flirting he was doing with Babs, when did Macht have time to notice her? The thought made Teritha's smirk even wider, until it became an outright grin.

Ich bin, wenn Sie sind, großer Führer bereit. "I'm ready," she answered in English, her tone neither submissive nor arguementative. Her smirk widening for only a moment. Teritha found it very entertaining to answer Macht's rude commands in a nuetral tone and watch him squirm at not getting the arguement he wanted so desperately.

Walking over to where the two stood, she winced suddenly and stopped for a moment to pull her long hair, the same shade of purple as the sky, out from under the napsack and carefully drape it on either side. She swore it was growing faster than before, which made it pretty inconvenient in a fight, but it concealed Ahram when necessary and playing with it kept him occupied most days.

That done, she finally made it over and looked down at the book Macht was handing Bab's. "I hope your giving that to her so that she can bash a demon over the head with it, Bab's going to be in trouble trying to fight with a book in her arms."

[Nespa]

Babs took the book and frowned "i can't even read german". she just dropped the book on the ground causing a small dus cloud to raise and putted her hands in her pockets again. she looked at macht "as for the fighting how can i get stronger if i am almost eaten everytime" She looked at teritha as she aproached. She chuckled "maybe i can read them to dead, i am pretty sure cinderella is a deadly story in the wrong hands" she dryly commented. she sighed "looks you fight and kill and i just try to stay out of trouble" she rubbed the back of her neck and glanced at teritha "how is your kid?" she blinked.

[lovegoddessai]

Ahram gurgled and cooed at the sound of Bab's voice. "He's doing just fine."

Traitor, you never sound so happy to see me. She made a mental note to tease him about it when he got older and inwardly beamed at the thought of an older, blushing Ahram.

If the girl were less danger-prone, Teritha might even consider asking Bab's to watch over him when they fought just to keep him so happy more often. Oh well, it wouldn't do for him to get to attached to anyone but her anyway, not in this brave new world.

"I'm ready when you are, Macht." She turned to the young man leaning over his books.

[Luzifer]

"Well that's good ta hear!" Macht said with a strange stilted smirk, "But there's no bad thing that can come of havin' a book, woman. But enough chitchat, i got a date with some demons i'm not keen on missin'" Teritha wasn't a bad girl he supposed. She had her uses. But she sometimes came off as a bit, condescending to him, and Babs... well... babs wasn't very driven, which always bothered someone as driven by willpower as Macht was.

What he couldn't understand about teritha was why she kept that child with her. If it had been him he would have abandoned it as soon as he could, the little guy didn't even pull his own weight and as far as he was concerned those who didn't have a use didn't have a reason to exist. He was a logical person, and above all a pragmatist. That which didn't have a practical use was a waste.

[Nespa]

Babs looked at macht and sighed " as long as i am not the dinner of that date then you can go out fully" she gave macht a dry look. she was sure of one thing, if she could stay out off the fight she would stay out of it. her joujou was usefull with humans and animals but not demons. Her ears twitched at ahram's gurgleling and coeing, she had the idea that macht wasent to fond of the kid. But she was pretty sure if he would try and force teritha to abandon him hell no hell and heaven would break lose. she liked the kid for her it was one of the few normal things in this group and world as it was now.

her ears twitched as she heard someone a few feet on her left. She looked to macht "someone is near" she pointed to a group of funny looking aple tree's as she spoke "there". she was no real fighter but her hearing was usefull sometimes. Specialy if macht got in one of his killerlust moods again.

[Tetsanosuke]

OOC: I apologize for this short post but I've been having personal issues to attend to.

BIC:

Aru followed Mastema's lead going on towards the direction he had set, and he pondered to himself about everything the whole way. He could sense the anima flowing in and out and all around him like the eternal flow of a waterfall.

He quietly pulled a vine from the ground nearby and stretched it out. He thought the long length would be useful at some point.

[Tanarus]

The soft, whisper-like grinding of Racan's large blade as he drug it behind him on the ground was almost hypnotic. He wasn't one for stealth; his sheer size itself made that impossible. Add that to the noise and the large divet he was making in the dirt behind him, and he was quite possibly the easiest man alive to track. It was possible that maybe he unconsciously made himself obvious, so he could be easily found. A skirmish wasn't very fun if your opponent died before he knew you were there.

Racan sighed, and whipped the blade up one-handed and rested the flat against his shoulder. His inmate's gray uniform that he'd started the whole journey in was really a wreck, now that he had time to truly examine himself. The sleeves were all but totally gone--it was more a sleeveless shirt, now. The pants were now more highwaters than anything, the ends frayed and slashed. Small rips and slices in the fabric dotted the whole uniform, and where it used to be gray, it was now stained with blood in various spots, but overall dusty. Add that to a bit of dried blood on his dusty face and his matted, dreadlocked-hair, and he probably looked somewhat menacing. That, and he likely didn't smell too good either.

He continued to saunter in his wildly chosen direction, and wondered if he'd find something to do again soon. Boredom absolutely ate at him. The elation at finding the strangely colored fruit had dissipated, and honestly he was aching for some action, anything to get his blood pumping.

Sounds of conversation drifted to him, seemingly up ahead. A group of travellers, probably. Racan saw no need to attack them, as he'd already found food for later, but he still stopped and listened.

"...ood ta hear!" A male voice. Racan strained to listen, but he still didn't quite catch everything, "But there's ... n havin' a book, woman. But enough chitchat... with demons I'm not keen..."

Racan smiled. Demons. Maybe this wouldn't be a crappy day after all. And this guy seemed like he wanted to fight them... maybe he'd be fun to fight. He continued slowly forward, his eyes becoming a little wild and his grin slightly mad.

"Someone is near." A woman's voice. So they heard him? Well, it wasn't like he was trying to sneak up, anyways. He continued forward, stil eager. Demons! "There." The voice continued.

Racan had started laughing softly by the time the group came into view, and once he was plainly visible, he stopped, sides creaking with he quiet laughter. The woman had seen him--the others still had yet to turn.

"Hah ha ha ha...."

[Luzifer]

Macht glanced over at the large man who was just now coming into view. He wasn't particularly suprised, after all due to Shadow's Divination he knew the location of everything that could cast a shadow within a five mile radius. However, he hadn't expected him to cross their path and he certainly hadn't bothered to go out of his way for a single individual, "Ah... Didn't much think ya'd be crossin' our path but it seems even this mind, " here he pointed to his forehead, the large triangular tattoo clearly visible, " doesn't know all the currents of the world. Never been much on carin' bought them anyway if'n they aren't flowin' the way I might be a-wantin'"

He kept his right hand out away from his body and began pushing his Anima into just to be safe, he might have to summon Eligos.

[Nespa]

babs groaned the male appeared to be large and appeard to be of the same type as macht simply a fighting lover. She made no move to grap her joujou. Machts battlelust was rather clearly visible so if the guy attacked he probely would not want anyone in the way. She blinked "something you want besides fighting?". she crossed her arms a bit and stood ready to run off incase the battle would be started.

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha turned to face this new man, her back turned so that Ahram was completely out of view. While Macht spoke she took stock of his appearance. She quickly noted that though he was obviously very strong, his clothing was tattered and he was a thinner than was healthy, even by current standards, he must be travelling alone.

The look in his eyes and stance were a lot like Macht's, but unfocused and wild; this put on her gaurd and her right hand carefully went out to the hilt of her sword, just in case. Macht was obviously on his gaurd, too- but Babs, being typically Babs, looked about ready to bolt. Give the girl credit for her straightforwardness though, she did come right out with whatever she was thinking.

She gave him a thoughtful look while Babs was speaking and then added, "or are you like our friend here," she indicated Macht, who was practically oozing bloodlust at this point. "Looking for a series of fights?" She shifted her stance slightly to indicate that the fighting wouldn't be with their group (or at least her) unless it had to be.

[ThunderBird]

Miguel yawned one last time before flipping back up to his feet and running after Mastema and Aru. He grabbed the long chain that connected the katanas and wrapped it around his right forearm. "Hey Mastema, aren't you curious as to where we head to? Like don't you want to know where we're heading and why?" It was a question he wanted answered, it bugged him that they were walking off into a direction without anyone knowing where they're going. I wonder if he knows our headings or just likes to walk at random points just for the heck of it like he said.

[Fear]

Chase yawned a bit as he continued walking from last time. His undershirt was drenched with blood from the demon that thought it'd get an easy dinner. He took off the once white shirt, dropping it in the fire he had made. He put his jacket on, not bothering to zip it up. He put the metal claws in the pack he carried and slung it over his right shoulder. He was only six feet away from his original spot, did a demon attack him. Chase jumped to the right, landing on his feet.

The demon ran at him, throwing a fist at him as he jumped up in the air, landing on it's fist as he brought out the metal claws. He ran up it's arm, stabbing both claws into it's neck, dragging them down it's chest. His feet on the ground, he stabbed the claws into the stomach, cutting through it's waist. Blood poured onto him, he licked some of the blood off of his weapons. Chase walked away from the dead body of the demon, blood dripped from his white hair, not bothering with putting away his metal claws.

[Tanarus]

Racan laughed heartily, something he hadn't done in a while. Sure, he'd laughed in blood-lust, but that wasn't like the slightly innocent laughter he had now. The group was really pretty funny. Everyone had something different to say; one looked like a rabbit ready to bolt, another like a cornered fox (probably the most dangerous, really) and another was very confident. Racan immediately liked him... something about him seemed familiar. That, and his posture. The girl had a defensive, last resort look to her--the boy, however, seemed ready to rumble, in a way.

Suppressing his laughter, Racan let the tip of his sword fall to the ground, digging into the soil a bit. He eyed each in turn, weighing the odds of the group presenting a united front, or if they would scatter. He looked to the 'rabbit', "What's wrong with fighting? Kept me alive 'til now." then he glanced towards the wary girl, "And what's wrong with a series of fights? Don't you people know how to have fun?" He shook his head disgustedly.

"Now, you... I'm curious. Why d'ya hold out your hand? Some secret trick? The world's full of secrets now, seems like." He barked a laugh, "Hell, even I have secrets, I think." He grasped the hilt of his sword with both hands, but still did not lift it. "Well, show me your secret." he grinned devilishly, baring his white teeth, a mad twinkle in his eyes. "'Course, you could say no. I like stabbing people 'til their secrets gush out."

I wonder if I can beat him before the demons show up. he thought with a slight giggle. They're usually more fun than humans, but sometimes not as smart.

(OOC: Don't forget about your approaching demons on account of me.)

[Luzifer]

Macht smiled, that omnipresent smile that never seemed to come of his face, this time though it was condenscending a bit, with an undertinging of what could best be described as arrogance. He closed his fist, "Hah! Ya right! If'n I used that you'd die 'n a second...or a least one of these other people would and I'm sure they'd a go on about how killing a random person isn't nice. If you'd be the least bit patient ya might git a little display. I've been keepin' track of som' demons that're roamin' near here and I think there are enough that I'd be justified in bringing out Eligos." But who knows... there might not ev'n be enough for dat, so certainly you alone arn't gonna make me pull him out! However, if ya'd like i'd be more then willin' to punch ya out." His smiled turn vicious at the end, showing too many sharp teeth, including some well pronounced canines. Honestly he didn't much care what the reply was, he could use a little warm up before the main event.

[lovegoddessai]

Here we go. Teritha stepped back and readied an arrow in her quiver, firing over Macht's head. It brushed past the stranger's shoulder and straight through the neck of a demon just coming over the rise where the stranger had left a trail in the dirt. The demon let out a gurgling breath and dropped to it's knees, groping for the arrow. She shot another one right between it's eyes, killing it instantly.

Another demon came over the rise and she moved so that she had a clearer shot at it. Macht would take care of the human threat, she was sure.

[Nespa]

babs grabbed her joujou and started to spin it above her head. it would not have much effect but maybe it could make the demons or the human hesitate for a moment so she could hide somewhere. Her ears twitched as she checked the suroundings for more of the creatures. She looked at macht "maybe you should push your ego aside for a moment and start kiling these demons" she dryly commented macht was annoying in battle mode but in battle mode and unable to see priority was more annoying.

[Luzifer]

Macht's hand went back out, "Time for some fun! In the Shadow of the Mind there is War!" Suddenly his shadow leapt off the ground and twisting around like in a tentacled orb set itself in its hand. The central orb grew out into a massive, what would seem, two-handed sword with a red crystal in it pommel, though its grip had only room enough for one hand. The tendrils then wrapped around Machts arm and moved up towards his torso and neck with a twisting surge. Three tendrils slashed across his face like tongues of obsidian flame. he smiled more savagely even then normal... "Theeeeyyyy'rreee heeeeerreeee"

He moved quicker then lightening, in the blink of an eye he was next to his first demon, "D-D-D-D-D-DIE!". Bringing his blade which had dragged behind him forward and up he cleaved the large beast from nave to chap and blood splashed across his face in black jets of ichor. He licked the oil-dark fluid which smeared his face,and smiled as he savored it, "Its always better fresh!"

New Ability: Summon Eligos (Eligos, which normally takes the form of a shadow- something he doesn't actually cast- leaps into his hand and fills his right arm with power. However Macht seems to loose his sanity when wielding the blade though whether this is due to a split personality, an enhanced aggression, or Eligos own sentience is uncertain).

[Nespa]

babs grimaced at machts behavior "macht stop eating the blood, you don't what kind of diseases those creatures can carry" she quickly hopped out of the way of a demon that slashed at her with a oversized swords. She kept moving backwards until she was near the book again and ooked at him and got a idea 'wait these guys are stupid are they not..i wonder'. she grabbed the book and made a stopping motion to the demon causing him to actualy stop, she smiled at him. And spoke "applecore" the demon blinked and spoke with a gruff voice "shrew". Babs blinked not believing he was actualy that stupid "who's your friend?" he bowed to her "me?" she whacked him on teh head with the heavey book and quickly ducked in some nearby bushes as he roared in a angry rage.

[Opinionated]

Sikander had left his arms hanging loose, standing alone from his comrades in that he wasn't taking a threatening posture. It seemed his silence had once again faded him to the background. Or at least until the demons appeared.

His scimitar practically flowed out of it's sheath like a liquid. The thin, curved blade cut a deep line through the arm of a demon, then whipped around to cut out the neck. Sikander let the blood flow off the blade before he chose his next target.

He ran to the demon that Babs had so recently run from and stabbed the scimitar, blade facing out, into the demon's gut. Expectedly, he ripped the sword out and whirled away from flinging blood and entrails.

Suddenly, his eyes contraced and dilated as his vision was hijacked. He found he had an aerial view of the battle, and could see a demon sneaking up behind him. It felt incredibly odd, but for the time it took to kill that demon, he was navigating by the hijacked sight. Then, he could see from his own two eyes again.

[Tanarus]

Racan had just been about to say something scathing to the upstart youth when all hell broke loose. Suddenly everyone was slashing with swords and loosing volleys of arrows. It was like a lullaby.
"All right!" Racan roared, then turned to greet his own oncoming demon with a grin. Unfortunately for the demon, the zwiehander he'd started swinging as he turned was soon to follow, taking half the demon's head off at the jaw. It gurgled and spewed blood, and as the top of the head flew through the air, the body spasmed and clawed at nothing. Weak. Racan looked for another opponent, unsatisfied with the lack of fight in his previous skirmish.
Another demon skreeched and lunged at him with long, sharp talons, it face distorted in fury and bloodlust. The demon slashed at his left hand, but Racan was able to catch its wrist instead. He felt the strange sensation he'd felt at times like these; a flow, it seemed, of energy. So, he did what he knew how; he fought it, and made it submissive. He was suddenly flushed with energy, as he was a few times before. It made him strong, it seemed. Invigorated with strength impossible for his muscle size, he ripped the demon's arm out of its socket, and beat it with its own arm. The demon simply looked shocked as it staggered from the blow and looked from its bloody, tattered shoulder to its arm in Racan's hand. Racan cast its arm away, then swung his sword one-handed at the demon's midsection, cleaving it in twain. He released his hold on the surge of power and felt it drain quite suddenly from his limbs. His blade became considerably heavier, and he let it fall to the ground, unabashed.
He stared at his arms, unable to discern what caused his strength to increase apart from the strange energy he felt. That must be it. He was torn from his reverie by the sounds of clashing and chaos. His moment of lucidity was gone, and he grinned once again. More!

New Ability: Adrenaline Rush. Racan forces anima into his muscles to increase their output, thereby making him stronger, faster, and giving him stamina. Quite like Adrenaline.

[Luzifer]

Macht continued to smile and scream as he cut his way through the enemy, seeming to be crazed and without thought. He reveled in the blood shead, biting his opponents and licking the blood from Eligos' blade. His entire body seemed to ache for death and war and blood. "DIEDIEDIEDIE!!" He shouted as he charged slashing through the last demon. It hadn't been a large group... just a small wandering cloud of ill will given a physical manifestation.

The battle over, he let go of Eligos and let it drop, its tentacles loosing their grip on his flesh and flailing through the air. When it hit the ground it spread outward and once more took the form of his shadow. "But, woman! The blood is so tasty! Ya wanna try some?" he asked "We're demons now! We don't know no sickness! Let yaself be tak'n by Chaos an' have fun!"

Mastema nodded to Azu and began walking while he answered Miguel, assuming the boy would keep up, "Why bother trying to understand with reason? The Mind is so frail and limited, a mere misquito drinking of the blood of the ox that we call truth. Only the Body and its intuition can know the answers. We are all but cells in the organism we call existance and thus we are given instincts that show us our purpose. Reason only clouds us from living in harmony with the world around us. Reason sees a world that it must order to create peace, while the intuition sees a world that is already at peace and needs you to play your part. I follow my intuition. I know where i go will be where i was meant to be. To struggle against the world and attempt to order it would be to rob it of its beauty."

"We leave." Samael said curtly and did not wait for response. He picked up his remaining bits of fruit and ate one of them, and had but one left. He would save this one for later.

He was dreading what was coming. This endless and pointless cycle. It despaired him to be part of it. Why did it exist? It left no room for mercy and grinded over all. But he couldn't let himself think about this. He needed to focus. The wheel would keep turning and emotions had no use in it...just like everything else he possessed.

[Nespa]

Babs came from the bushes and plucket a birdsnest from her head. She looked at the eggs for a minute trying to decide if they were eatible. But yelped when the mom bird showed up and pecked her head. She quickly dropped the nest back in the bushes, grimacing she looked at macht " great is that stuf like a drug or something?" she wiped the dust and filth of her dress and looked at teritha "you alright" she already knew macht was alright...if you could call his mental state way.

[Tetsanosuke]

The calm crisp blackness of the empty memory, that far gone and withered soul still brimming with life. He is a doorway to the everlasting flow withing and yet the hose that may spew it all out like nothing ever happened. He could hear Mastema and Miguel and decided to take the words in, farther then one would think one should. But he had the urge, not definite though, to speak up saying that the world was more then an organism with the life around being it's cells, he saw the world as the channel and every single influence from the life around as the input and the source of life itself. After all a barren world void of ife was in fact dead, without the very sources of it's life.

As similar to the previous metaphor as it was, Aruzaer saw it as different, completely different at that. He had no real drifting in his soul, or what's left to call a soul. He just needed to keep going and maybe by rebuilding the world he could rebuild his lost memories as well, or at least make new ones.

"So it all flows... Hmm.." He pondered off, following Mastema like a mindless drone.

[CF Striker]

Saif looked over quickly back to the girl and motioned, "Come on, we can talk but we better do it as we walk."

He looked ahead a spoke somewhat loudly. "Samael, were exactly are we headed anyway?" He hadn't told them much as it was. Something along the ines of "If you don't want to get murdered in your sleep and want things to change you'd better follow me." Saif had simply shrugged and went on, better than the alternative.

[lovegoddessai]

(OOC: Sorry, I thought my computer was broken, turns out it was unplugged. *sweat*)

BIC:

"I'm alright." She wasn't sure Babs heard her. For some reason she didn't understand, her voice was always lower after a fight- maybe it was the adrenaline messing with her motor control.

She went to retrieve her arrows from the demon corpses while serruptitiously eyeing the blood-soaked stranger. He still hadn't stated his intention and after seeing what he had done to that demon she was even more wary.

Most of the arrows came out easily but the one she shot between the first demons eyes was embedded in his skull. She had to put her heal on it's head and pull as hard as she could. But when the arrow finally did come out it happened to quickly and she lost her balance.

Her reflexes had her arching her back and balancing on her hands and quickly flipping back upright.

Ahram, who had been quiet up to this point, let out a scream as he was almost jostled loose.

[Tanarus]

Racan blinked black blood out of his eyes. He had to admit, the blood wasn't as disgusting as last time he tasted demon lifejuice. They must all be different, just like how everyone has different abilities. He shrugged, bored suddenly now that the thrill of the fight was over. He looked around and saw the corpses of the demons, as well as the party of humans, all alive. One, the one who'd noticed him first, was picking a nest from her hair, while the others did various things to recover from battle. It was at the time that he heard a scream emanate from the threatening and defensive woman. Strangley, though, it was the scream of a child. He squinted against the sun, and thought hard while staring at her.
Oooh, on her back. That's why she was freakin' out. He thought dryly. Young to be a mom.
"You take your kid into a fight?" He called out to the woman, who had just recovered from her unbalance from taking out her arrow. "I'm reckless, but that's just stupid." he added, unabashed at his self-deprecatory comment and jab.
Though he addressed the girl, he did not stop keeping the rest of the party in sight. He had somewhat of a battle-instinct, but not eyes in the back of his head. With his left hand, he wiped the blood from his eyes, letting his sword rest in his right hand, tip on the ground. A sheath wouldn't be a bad idea... or maybe something like that kid's--making a sword appear from shadows seemed like a pretty good idea.

[Nespa]

babs moved over and stood behind teritha as straightend again and ahram screamed. she pulled some funny faces to calm the infant down, her ears started to hurt from the screaming. she looked around teritha and glared at racan "so is attacking people you don't know" after making sure ahram was calmer she stood besides teritha her ears twicthing on the sounds ahram was making.

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha was slightly jolted to hear Bab's so close behind her, she hadn't heard her approach over the strange man's voice.

Ahram was quiet now, but it was too late; ignoring the burning pain in her finger, which was probably sprained, Teritha carefully slipped the pack around and cradled him in her arms.

"Should I leave him defenseless on the ground? Or maybe at a daycare center? But you know, I'm having a hard time finding one," she answered sarcastically. Most of the time she didn't care what anyone said about her, but she resented the implication that she wouldn't do what was best for him.

She could have sworn that there was disapproval in the red and black eyes that looked up at her for allowing herself to get so worked up as she adjusted him in the pack and replaced it on her back. Temper back in check, she wondered just who this guy thought he was to judge her. In fact...

"Who are you, anyway?"

[Luzifer]

Mact just stood to one side and watched the two sides bicker among themselves, a mirthful smile painted across his face. He was taking great amusement in watching them argue, took pleasure from the chaos and ill-will they were creating. It seemed to fill him with pleasure and power to see such conflict. He didn't know why he took such pleasure in the conflicts and hatred of others but he had to admit it was very pleasing. The way their raised tones scrapped against the ear. And the way their puffed cheeks gleamed with prickling daggers.

Samael didn't look to Saif, but replied with a course and uncaring voice, "There's a city there." He knew the city well and had seen it several time but never liked going there. But did he really like anything about anything? Not really. Still he had a duty to perform and he had been concieved to perform it. He was the youngest and most worthless of his kind.

[Tanarus]

Racan burst out laughing at the open outrage apparent in both women's voices. Their scathing responses were sort of funny, in way--like when a bully picks on a child. All he wants is a rise out of them. He scratched his head in a nonchalant way, then looked to the young man.

"They always like this?" He remarked with a little laugh, not really looking for an answer. He looked back to the women, and decided to answer the one woman. "I am Rac&#225;n." He said plainly, with no flourish. His eyes flickered to the girl behind her, "And I haven't attacked anyone. Unless some of those demons were friends of yours."

In perhaps a subconscious effort to seem less threatening, he plunged his blade into the ground before him, taking the time to crack his knuckles with a distasteful look on his face. The demon blood was starting to dry along with his sweat.

"And you are? It's not usually polite to ask someone's name without giving your own." he said rather pragmatically. It seemed he was having a moment of lucidity.

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha raised an eyebrow and while still looking Racan in the eyes and asked Babs in a dry tone, "Do you think his moods are always so shifty?"

He wasn't threatening anymore, so making a mental not to clean off the demon brain matter later, she pushed the last arrow into her quiver to show her own nuetrality. The pain in her finger shot through her whole body at the act, but Teritha ignored it.

Her tone returned to it's usual nuetrality, "My name is Teritha" as an afterthought she added, "and the child's name is Ahram."

[Nespa]

babs rolled her eyes "babs and it diden't really seem you came in peace either" her ears twicthed in annoyance. she yawned a bit this guy wasent really intresting and from the corner of her eye she could see macht found it rather amusing. she sighed and looked at teritha since the others were not gonna talk either. she spoke with a dry tone "sometimes teritha, i think your the only sensible one in this group" she sat down and looked at racan.

[.Gogo]

Makiko nodded, following Sameal and Saif close behind. She listened intently to their somewhat, lack of conversation in silence, looking about at the surroundings they were traveling through. It was a dreary place, though, as odd as it was Makiko never seemed to depart from her cheery ways. She waited but a moment after the two had finished speaking to one another before interjecting, "So, what's so important in this city anyways?"

[Luzifer]

"Are ya' people through now?" Now that the conversation had turned peaceful and passive Macht had lost all interest in it, though he still had that smile on his face, though now it was more of a long-suffering smile. He would probably have just killed Racan (or for that matter Babs, Teritha, and all the others) but he needed them for his plan. There was always a certain number of people needed, or at least a certain amount of human power necessary. If it were not for that, he would probably opt to fight and kill them for the pleasure it would bring. But no, he need to resist tempations for now. It was the logical thing to do.

"If'n ya is then let's go."

Samael looked back at Makiko. Thinking for a moment. Why was it always him that had to put his life on the line like this? Sure, the weapon had been bound up but this was still rather dangerous. Damn, why couldn't he, of all the entities in the world, not escape fate? Did this intuited organism which men called fate posssess so much power over the events that not even he could face it? It was like trying to cut water. He could ravage it with all the power in the world but that would not stop it moving, it bent around him like a rock in stream and just passed him by, all the while gradually wearing him away.

He returned his attention to the girl, his Fell Eye, sharply focused on her from behind the bang of black hair that hid it from view. A pale blue mist of almost unadulterated good will eminated from her. He wondered vaguely if she knew. If she remembered. But he doubted it. Only he and his remembered. "Fate is there...fate"

Suddenly he noticed a red mist rolling over a ridge, there were images of blood and battle painted all across it. Battle lust. It was a lot. Probably a group of Conflict faction demons. He stepped in front of Makiko, his scythe spinning effortlessly in his hand "Stay Behind."

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha smiled a little doubtfully at Babs. If you went by actual sanity, maybe what Bab's said was true, but would a sane person have gotten mixed up with this group in the first place? There was literally a homicidal maniac on either side of them, people who actually killed just for the pleasure of killing.

But groups were safer, right? She could here suckling sounds coming from Ahram, he had probably put his thumb in his mouth.

"I'm ready to go."

[Nespa]

babs stood and wiped the dust and filth from her dress. she looked at racan and then at macht and shrugged "i'm ready". She sended a suspisioce glare towards racan, he was maybe friendly but that did not mean she trusted him. she putted her hand in her pocket and looked to macht "so is mike myers the second coming with us to?". she nodded towards racan. Honestly she woulden't mind because then they could talk anout fighting and killing. so perhaps macht would stop whinning about her unwillingess to fight demons. She frowned and looked over the shoulder to the book she had used to hit de demon over the head "don't you want your book back?" she pulled a funny face for a minute to a suckeling ahram.

[Fear]

Chase walked on for an endless time, his hair was soaked with blood as streams of dried blood covered his face. His shirt as all torn up, spots of blood on the shirt. He had been fighting more often now a days then when he first started moving. He started thinking about his family, if they survived and had been killed or eaten alive by demons. He wondered if his friends had turned to demons or had been killed when that shard crashed into the earth.

His foot fell into something cold, looking down, he saw a small puddle of water. He looked at his reflection, to only see a pair of golden eyes with a face covered in blood. It was a sight his older brother wouldn't like, he thrusted both claws into the puddle, watching as the puddle was tainted with the blood on his weapons. He took them out, running them through his bloody hair as he continued walking. He stopped suddenly, thinking he heard the sounds of battle. He felt the anima around him, forcing them into his eyes as everything changed as he saw the body heats of a few people in the distance, four, no five of them. One of which was really discreet and had almost missed it. His vision went back to normal as he started walking to the group, he would follow them if they started moving, keeping his distance and will make himself known when he felt like it.

[Luzifer]

Macht smirked as a tendril of shadow wrapped softly round his ankle, slipping under his long black jeans up to his leater over coat and the slink around his neck to his ear and finally into his eye. The shadow was so thin it might be the shadow of a hair folicle but this shadow was showning him something. There was someone else near by... his smile hardly shifted So be it. There was nothing that he had to fear save the death of to many people and even then he was sure that they could figure something out. The only real reason he was so pressure was that he didn't like using his plan B's, because that just meant the other two had been right about the plan A not working. But his plan A had never failed before and he would not let it fail now.

He looked at Babs... his smile turning more friendly, "Naw, ya keep it. I've mem'rized it ahready. Ya should read it." he didn't understand why she wanted to give it back. He had never had much love for the act of reading but it prepared him to argue with others and as it stood he was the second best debater he knew. The only one better hardly spoke so Macht didn't know if he could count him. Somewhat ironic that.

[Nespa]

Babs ears twiched making her aware of chase arival. She blinked as she realised that macht was stil covert in the demon goo "don't you want to wash up first" she pulled a face of disgust at the smell blood let off. Sometimes she seriously had doubts about macht being sane but then again she also had doubt at some of the things he caught and ate. she sighed and mumbled "mister war maniac" she brushed a hair back.

[Tanarus]

Racan struggled a bit internally between his lust for battle and his sanity. It took him a full few minutes to keep from reaching out and grasping his sword; no, to keep from doing anything involving fighting the group that so easily let their guard down. Both his sides loved to fight, that was true. But the other side, the darker side, loved fighting to the point of stupidity. Racan knew fighting was fun, but it wasn't necessary for everything. He stood, clenching and unclenching his hands, breathing a little heavily with his head turned down, hearing both Babs' and Teritha's responses, but not answering.
As if he was released from some sort of hold, Racan physically shuddered, then shook his head. With a few blinks, he leaned his weight on the sword before him and sighed. He had his sanity, for the moment.
"Go? Where are you going?" he said, picking up on the conversation again. He looked to the young man, as of yet unnamed. He wouldn't press him for it; he didn't really care. He looked to Babs next, "Mike Myers?" he felt sort of dumb. He'd been out of the celebrity loop for quite some time now.
Funny, how he smiles at her, but the smile doesn't reach his eyes. He thought more solemnly. I will be wary of hi-- he stuggled with opposing thoughts of killing him and watching him before abandoning the thought train altogether.

(OOC: In case you haven't noticed, all of the ISO in prison had him develop MPD - Multiple Personality Disorder. Zat ees hees krraziness.)

[Tetsanosuke]

Xao'na started to resonate with even more intensity as Aru's eyes glazed upon the landscape, there was a buildup of Anima ahead it seemed. The purple bursting force seemed to shroud a natural bridge of stone in it's thick mist, any one who would come near it faced certain death from over exposure or something along those lines. Too much energy buildup within ones self would be a big problem, maybe for all except Aruzaer. He took the silk and chain wrapping from his hand as he nodded to Mastema and Miguel with a look of confidence, something he wouldn't usually show.

Curious, what would one such as him do in this situation? Well the answer laid in his hand, his black streak down his face seemed to stretch out and glow as he held out his naked hand towards the dome of buildup, the wind was swirling from its center making his brown hair swoosh in the small gale as his eyes started to light up.

With a fierce yet determined look he would focus his whole being towards his hand as to not lose control in the end, his eyes closed the light off for a few moments as he let Xao'na float behind his form. With the released staff behind him and an open hand available he took hold of his wrist of the clenched hand before opening his eyes towards the mass of Anima flowing violently to his presence.

With a clear force of spiritual power he shouted out into the air of the world "Anima Tunnel~! Reverse~!"

He opened his hand towards the dome of flowing Anima and it snapped back the wind as it started to inhale in a sort of way faster and faster until it became a powerful vacuum, the Anima of the wild flow was sucked into the hole as it seemed to swirl out into it's own existence from it's center in the palm of his hand. As the Anima was cleared he quickly snapped his hand closed, wrapping the silk and chain around the hole. His breath was heavy as he turned to his companions and nodded lightly.

"Let's be on our way..."

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha was getting a strange vibe from Racan, on top of which, Macht had that look on his face he got before when something unexpected happened, usually a stray demon or human like Racan.

"I'm going to walk up ahead a little," she didn't really care where Macht was going, if they came across a decent village individualist, hopefully she could leave this group all together. Something, maybe a sense of concern, prompted her to turn to Babs who was making funny faces at Ahram.

"You want to help me scout? Be my ears?"

[Nespa]

babs smiled at that "sure anything to get away fomr these guys" she wandert over to taritha giving another suspiocios glare towards racan. and stood beside her she faintly wondert that if teritha left the group if she should stay with her. though macht and his group were pretty safe macht was sometimes annoying and the others werent very talktive. Besides she wasent sure if she could handle another man like macht around.

[CF Striker]

"Great," Saif groaned, "another chance to get myself killed." He drawed his sword and flung it seemingly without any planning. He rolled his neck, caught the falling hilt. He craned up a leg and stared coldly as he beckoned the mist with his hand, "I'm ready for you all."

Fighting was his art. Killing these scum, merely an extention of his creativity.

[Luzifer]

Macht smiled good-humoredly as he wiped some of the ichor from his clothes, "I'm a-sorry. Now, ya two git on a'ead and me and Rac'n will catch up with ya in a sec." After they had gone out of hearing range he turned to Racan, "Now then, we're goin' to Pandemonium and ya're free ta come along if'n you want. Howevah..." Suddenlenly, Macht's shadow bent around Racan's ankle, the part that was above the ground turning into a sharp blade that wrapped like a serpent around his leg. "if'n ya so much as look at either of those two gals in a way that makes me think ya're gonna hurt them, Ah will cut the flesh from your bones before ya ken blink. Clear?" He was still smiling even through this, an almost viciously friendly smile.

Mastema looked at Azu strangely, "Why'd you do that? Maybe it we were supposed to die. You shouldn't struggle so much. It'll put you in an improper grave." Though he would admit that he had nothing to fear from anima. There was no amount of Anima that was a danger to him due to his nature. So perhaps he was the fish telling the bird not to fear water but still... in that case the bird shouldn't even want to swim in the first place.

Either way it was time to move on and so he put one foot in front of the other.

[Linked Anime]

OOC: New here

BIC:

Nicholas walked down a empty road dust puffed up each time he took a step. He was looking through his sunglasses to see the surronding. He saw tree with much life little life and no life at all. Sighing, he continued on casualy looking through the dead leafs and the ones that still stood tall with health. Nicholas looked up to the moon to figure out what time it was by the suns spot. Putting his hands to cover his eyes he looked to the sun trying to estimate the time, and failing misreibly. Taking another sigh he continued. He was in a bad situation, he no more food and was lost. Nicholas started to speed up in painic. It was not like him to painic about this but he was out here for 6 days without seeing a single person. 'Crappy scene of direction!' He thought bitterly.

Looking ahead he soon saw a group of people gathered he Nicholas belived he saw three people maybe more since they were too far away for him to tell. Speeding up to them he saw a young boy that looked a few years younger then him with white hair.

"Excuse me sirs, I dont usealy disturb people with there matters but could you please tell me where I can get to somewhere with food or water. Maybe a Oasis of somesort?" Nicholas asked kindly. He then noticed the men to be armed and moved him arm slowly to his sword to ready himself for the worse.

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha stared over her shoulder slightly, Macht was saying something to Racan. Leaving those together to stew in their own bloodlust, I feel safer already.

Now that they were out of hearing range, she turned to Babs. "I think Macht's either going to kill that guy or ask him to join our group. If he comes with us, I don't think it would be safe to treat him the same way you do Macht."

There was something about his mood shifts, how twitchy his expression was when he talked. Something was off about Racan, she couldn't exactly put her finger on it, but it made her uneasy.

[Nespa]

Babs nodded "though he and macht are alike macht wil not harm me or you without a reason" she glanced over her shoulder "or unless we become a true burden to him" she glanced at ahram for a moment "he is more dangerous then macht maybe even stronger" she twitched her ears to check the suroundings for a minute "so we better watch what we say around him unless macht is around, i am not sure if any of the other are able to handle him" she brushed a hair back and pulled a funny face to ahram.

[Fear]

He had stopped walking, looking off into the direction the group he had seen. Chase would check up on them every few minutes, using anima to switch through visions. Chase fell backwards, lying on his back as he stared up at nothing, planning on what to do.

If I confront them now, then I'll be stuck with a group to follow. And chances are, they might be annoying. No I'll keep to the original plan, when they start moving, I move and if need be, I'll introduce myself....and if they are enemies, then it's best to pick off the weaker ones first before starting with the stronger ones....if they are enemies, then the first few fights will be boring as hell...

Chase sat up, using the anima to switch to the thermal vision, he saw three of them separating from the group, leaving two behind. He decided that until further notice, they were foes, which means that they must be dealt with quickly. Getting up, he started walking in the direction where the three were walking off.

The more numbers, the more fun the fight will be, and hopefully I made a good decision in choosing these three, theres a great possibility that I might end up fighting the strong ones of the group...

[lovegoddessai]

After a few moments, Teritha reluctantly pulled Bab's attention away from the laughing infant and to the assignment at hand.

"We should start scouting before the others catch up." She put a hand near her weapon and scanned the area with her eyes. There was a thin scattering of trees; some bare, some heavy with the strange fruit of Chaos, hours-old demon tracks, and...

Her eyes narrowed and she drew her weapon, holding it at the ready. "Babs..." she pointed out the approaching figure covered in blood "...go tell the others that we've come across another human."

Teritha fired a shot that spanned the distance between them and landed directly at the feet of this new man. "Who are you? Are you looking for a fight?" she demanded loudly.

[Tanarus]

Racan laughed a little, his leg trapped by the young man's blade-like shadow protrustion. "Oh, I see. That's your secret. The shadows." He frowned briefly, as if in thought. "I wonder, can ya use those shadows on people if they jump, or fly?" he asked, curiousity piqued. The threat seemed to roll right off him like water on a freshly waxed car. The other prescence in his mind poked at him, but he kept it firmly under leash.
He heard Teritha call out some sort of demand, but not toward the merry conversation he and the young man were having. Seemed like they got into lots of fights.
Racan turned his head back to him. "Yeah, I'll come along. Don't worry, I won't look cross-eyed at your girlies." he said in almost mocking reassurance. "Now let me go. Somethin's up."

It's not like he'd care if they died anyways, I think. He just wants to feel like he's in the lead. Racan laughed darkly to himself. Yeah, he can lead. I don't give a crap. As long as the fights keep on coming.

[Nespa]

babs nodded stoping to pull faces at ahram and looked in the direction teritha saw someone "i do not think that is necesary, i think that macht by now knows someone is aproaching. she twitched her ears and checked her suroundings. incase the male was acting like a decoy and more others were around them.

[Fear]

He stopped immediately, grinning as his gaze dropped to the arrow, it settled just where he would have stepped. Yes, this would be a fun fight. He looked up, ignoring the first question and continues walking.

"Depends, will you provide a good fight?" He shouted back, walking a little bit faster now. His eyes glanced at the location where the other two were, wondering if they heard her or not. Grinning once more, his eyes rested on the girl who had demanded who he was and if he was going to fight and sprinted off in the direction.

[Luzifer]

"Yeah... if ya'll excuse me." With that he walked over to Babs and Teritha. His smile friendly and somewhat condenscending, he put his hands on their heads and rubbed their in almost brotherly gesture, "Ya gals stay back 'n' outta the way. I'll handle dis guy." Now he turned his smile to the man standing not far from them, only now it had turned happily murderous (which was suprising because not a single facial muscle had moved).

Now then, he was getting quite tired of people disrupting his plan, but he supposed cutting down a couple wouldn't cause too much harm to his plan overall. The others would be pissed if they didn't have enough. "Now, what 'ave we 'ere? A little boy lost? If'n ya's 'ere for a fight then I'm gonna 'ave ta ask ya to leave your complaints at the door and leave the others outta this." His "shadow" began to roil and boil, Oh yes Eligos... he knew the sword wanted blood but he had to be rational. After, all he was the most logical thinker in all Chaos.

Mastema nodded in reverance to the new comer, his blue eyes flashing with acceptance and almost boyish wonder in their soft, cerulean center. He found the question a bit disconcerting, though. Why would someone want direction to someplace? Wouldn't they find what they needed to find in due course no matter which direction they went? Wasn't it merely a matter of patience? He looked the boy in the eye, "I have no idea. I don't really pay attention to where I'm going or where I've been but... that direction seems as good as any" He said pointing in the direction the wind was blowing

[.Gogo]

Makiko looked at Sameal, blinking expectantly. He hadn't answered her question in the manner she had been looking for, although she should have known that would be the case coming from him. "Well, as long as we get there soon that's all that matters!" she said excitedly, with an aura of cheer.

She skipped behind Sameal and Saif faithfully, like a puppy following it's owners. Her skipping was halted however by Sameal's sudden words; 'Stay Behind' She did as she was told, though peered over his shoulder curiously, wanting to see what it was that made him so concerned. It didn't take long for her to notice, and she took a few steps backwards, overwhelmed. "Oh.. w-wow.." she stammered out, looking between Sameal and Saif. "I hope they'll be okay.." she muttered to herself. In her limited time of knowing the two she could already tell they were fairly reckless.

[Tanarus]

Racan looked over at the new commotion with his newly acquired group. With a sigh, he hefted his blade up and rested it on his shoulder until it was comfortably positioned. With his 'ducks in a row' per say, he started over towards the others until he felt a warm trickle down his leg.
Mr. Shadowblade is sharper than I thought. He thought absently, continuing his stride until he was behind the girls. The murderous intent was so thick he could probably cut it with his sword; Teritha and babs would probably freak out on him if he tried, though. The thought made him chuckle softly, envisioning the accusatory glare from Babs and the wary eye-widening of Teritha as he blindly sliced the air. Of course, he wasn't an idiot to try to cut air, but it did seem funny.
Anyways, he dismissed the notion and returned his attention to the other newcomer. Seemed that Racan was 'lucky'--Mr. Shadowblade only threatened him, and it seemed like he was going to kill the newcomer. The fight would be fun, if newcomer survived. Once again, racan entertained the thought of whether or not the young man's shadows could reach airborne targets.

[lovegoddessai]

He was coming right for her, which was especially bad since Teritha felt the throbbing pain in her injured finger. She was about to drop the weapon and reach for her sword when she heard Macht behind her and felt his hand tussle her hair.

She stepped moved back wordlessly and allowed him to take the aggressive stance. Racan moved behind them and she sidestepped to get him in view; he was smiling, maniacly but not in any real threatening way. Teritha then scanned the area with her eyes, but saw nothing of interest aside from this new enemy facing down with Macht, so her eyes came back to rest on Racan.

"Your coming with us." It was more a statement of fact than a question. With Machts disposition and the fact that the man wasn't dead or severely injured, the answer seemed pretty obvious. Her voice was back to it's usual nuetral tone, as if she didn't care one way or another what he did.

[Nespa]

babs ears twitched at the sudden attack. she didn't move a musscle when macht started to ruffle her hair. she was used to it and to stay in back. she winced when she felt racan's lust for murder behind her. She scratched me her cheek in annoyance and blinked when she felt something warm and wet trickle down her cheek. Lifting her hands to her face she noticed the underside of her nails were bleeding and her nails were longer and more like claws. she muttered "oh dear i hop this is not a permanent thing" being carefull of the new claws she stuck her fingers in her mouth and started to suck oof the blood, she grimaced a bit at the taste.

new ability discovert: claws, wil only appear in a threatening situation or when a person is threating.

[Fear]

Chase stopped once again, thinking over what to do. Damn it... the whole group is here now...He looked at the guy talking, wondering how strong he was, but that would wait for another time, he wanted to fight the girl since she was the one who shot the arrow at him. "I aint gonna fight you, my fight is with her since she was more than happy to let loose an arrow at me. Even if it was meant for a warning shot or whatever, I don't like having arrows fly at me." He said continueing his walk until he was just a few feet away and could see everyone now.

'One...two..three...four...what?' He counted the numbers in his head and recalled see the body heat of five people. This made him uneasy, the thought of one person missing put him on the edge. Every muscle tensed as he listened for any footfalls of a charging person or the unsheathing of a blade behind him.

[Luzifer]

Samael spun his blade with ease and charged toward his enemies. In a few seconds he had cut down three, his scythe cleaving clean through their flesh and bone. He exhaled slightly, these were weak, even for him. He wouldn't even need to really try in order to beat him. Blood began to pool around his feet from the demons, their flesh already beginning to dispate and rejoin the Anima. What a horrible job. He looked back towards his group and was shocked to see a demon moving around his flank towards makiko. He felt raw anima enter his blood stream as he ran with all his Grace towards his foe. He seemed little more then a phantasm to those who saw him, seeming to blink past their vision before he was gone. His scythe whipped behind him, as the dark black, leather overcoat rippled with the force of the passing air. He passed the demon just before it got to Makiko, letting his scythe hange behind him and using the speed of his running alone to cut through it. The demon split into to seperate portions along its waste and Samael skidded to a halt several yards past.

"Well, that's to bad 'cause if'n ya got a problem wit one o' mine, ya got a problem with me. Ya may remember in the courts o' the knights that a lady's honor would be defended by 'er champion. Well, I'm just cuttin' the decision and defaultin' it to me. So if ya gonna make a move, make it." Macht said with his omnipresent smile still glued to his face. He didn't fear anyone or anything. It wasn't like he could really and truly die. There was only the Anima and he knew his friend would bring him back into the world if that happened.

[Linked Anime]

Nicholas stared the men for amoment before moving his arm away from his sword. He felt calm near then sencing no danger but curiosity. Though he didnt understand why but he felt that he should go with them. However, they just met and he didn't think they would let him join. Sighing, he said, "Thank you..." He trailed off not knowing the persons name.

[menchia]

Along the grassy plains that somehow existed in the Chaos, a man covered in a white cape was walking. This man never wondered why he still existed, knowing full well that he was there to be there, he had no meaning. This man's name was Cain Balfour. Cain walked along the plains with little care, not defending himself in any way, demons had attacked before and he always won.

That day was another day in Chaos, waking up on almost lifeless wastelands, walking around, and not eating. Cain hadn't eaten for a week and he was getting hungry enough to pass out. He hadn't seen a demon in about a week either.

"Demons...coming..." Cain murmurred as he looked at two ogres, covered in tribal outfits and wielding stones axes, jump out at him. It wasn't more than two seconds. The ogres were cut in half by a long, slender black claw where Cain's right arm was supposed to be. As the blood fell to the ground, Cain walked over to the bodies, lokked for valuables, didn't find any, and devoured them.

After "lunch", Cain felt better, the taste wasn't great but life or death he would choose life. Cain then walked along a random path, looking for people.

[lovegoddessai]

So he wanted her, did he? Regardless of what Macht said, Teritha considered that this new stranger might try to get past him to get to her. It would have to be a close range fight, swords- and she was wary of Ahram being so close, despite the precautions she had taken.

Finally, she let off a long sigh. Sorry Macht, but it looks like this one is mine "Thanks for being so noble, but I'll take care of this one myself." Teritha drew a thin, flexible double-edged sword from the body of her bow with her uninjured hand and moved forward, hoping that Macht would respect her decision to fight and back off without arguement.

[Fear]

He grinned at her decision "Looks like the lady doesn't want to be defended by her champion." He told him, running the metal claws through his blodsoaked hair, bringing it by his face as he licked some of the blood collected from his hair, off the blades. His yellow slitted eyes glanced from each individual. He brought the claws to his side as he said "Ready when you are...girlie."

[Nespa]

babs took her fingers out of her mouth when teritha stepped forward. Usealy she kept out of her fightes but this one was strong and she worried for ahram. she walked forward and laid her hand minding her claws on terithia's shoulder "give me ahram, theritha"she glared lightly at the male "just incase he is stronger than you suspect" her ears twitched. she did not like this but she worried a bit about ahram to.

[lovegoddessai]

This time...it might be best. She unhooked the backpack and carefully handed Ahram to Babs, noticing and temporarily ignoring that her fingers were bloody and a thin trail of blood going from the corner of her mouth to her chin. "Just remember to keep your arms underneath the back of the pack," she cautioned.

Already, Teritha's gaze had gone from nuetral to deathly cold, her stance was professional and serious and her mouth set in a grim line. Taking Macht's rare silence as assent she walked towards the man raking bloody claws across his tongue and struck without warning at lightning speed.

"Ready." Her voice was low and wholly without emotion.

(OOC: Unlike a lot of characters, Teritha does not have a split personality, but she is a trained fighter and fully prepared to use those skills when necessary ;P)

[Tetsanosuke]

Mastema was quite the character, yet so was Aruzaer. He had only smiled at Mastema's response to the Anima dome and just followed along with his staff in hand. He poked his way with the group until they found a man looking for directions. The feeling from this man was.. uneasy at first, but never the less Aru was still in his lingering daze.

But he seemed to snap out only to introduce himself, it seemed as though this newcomer would become a part of the group. Nothing wrong with that, or at least Aruzaer didn't think so. Though he was thinking a lot in that daze, about where exactly they were going and why he doesn't have those memories.

-Static-

He could see.. himself as a younger person sweeping soundly at the steps of a large temple of stone and wood. The gates were painted a passonate red and oriental of origin. Turning back he could see..

-Static-

It left him once more. There were no faces or anything, just this new comer "Aruzaer Na'Mael, is my label." He said tilting his gaze towards him, a violet hue now.

[Nespa]

Babs nodded and supported the infant the way teritha wanted it and took a few steps back. Ahram fuzzed for a moment probely aware of not being in his normal caretakes hands. But a slight shushing and a long piece of silver hair that he could pull a bit kept him calm. she looked at teritha and growled slightly her ears twitching.

[Fear]

He watched the girl give the other the backpack, holding it like one would hold an infant. He used the anima to switch visions, his eyes took a slightly black tint as he saw the body heat of a small child. His vision turned to normal as he gave a small laugh.

"A mother eh? You willing to die and leave your child in this new cruel world?" His attention went back tot he girl as he stood straight. "I'll give you the pleasure to attack first." He told her, his mind racing with plans. He wouldn't kill her, he wasn't going to fight seriously. She had a child to take care of after all. He would let her cut him, purposely leave openings in his attacks, but he will cut her a little.

[menchia]

Cain walked along Chaos as the plains turned into rocky wastelands without a sign, his face remained unchanging. As he strolled through the anima, he saw a group of people, "About...three," he said slowly, as if thinking each word before talking. Cain activated Kai, just to be careful, and dashed at them.

Cain was quick and was right in front of them, hiding his Kai's form. "Who...who are you," Cain said trying to sound kind, but then he noticed a miscalculation. There were four there. Cain looked at one(Masatema) and backed up, something was eerie about him.

[Luzifer]

While they had been talking, Macht had been moving around until Eligos, his "shadow" was being cast over the new comer and after hearing what he said and his demeanor the blade suddenly wrapped around his opponent moving up from the shadow. The shadow itself thinned as its material was used to make the blade. "Wrong... Your underestimating my friend and are about to die because of it. You belong to Conflict do you not? Then as a Conflicter you will fight to kill. I will not have a Philosophy bastardized so you can keep your hands clean. You fight to kill or I kill you. Conflict knows no mercy. Conflict exists only for the pleasure of death and the death of emotion." During this entire speech Machts smile never faltered, it seemed glued to his face, as if set there by stone, constantly stuck in a genial, almost affable position.

Mastema looked over to yet another new comer, trying to avoid giving his name, an act he never cared for, not liking to limit things with something as constraining as a name. The man was a strange looking on but Mastema liked strange people, they made life more interesting after all and who was he too judge what was strange? That was somewhat ironic

He sighed when they asked for a name, always with a name, "Well.... i guess you can call me Mastema if you have to. But what are you?"

[menchia]

Cain listened to Masatema's introduction without smiling at the fact that they were somewhat alike. "Cain," he said as he looked at the others, and allowed his Kai to deactivate. Cain took his time surveying each of them, they were strange but no where near Masatema.

[Linked Anime]

Nicholas looked over to the newcomer, he could tell that this person wasnt a normal person but well what was normal. He also could slightly notice that the person wasnt a 100% safe. He felt that he didnt need to tell the others since they should be able to tell. Nicholas thought before turning his attention to Mastema again and he could noticed that he was disgruntled by the question of his name. 'This new character is strange your compainions are strange hell I might be alittle strange. But not as much as this one.' Nicholas thought before answering to the man who spoke before him, "I am Nicholas Wood," He said staring at the group.

[Tetsanosuke]

Another new comer... this group was becoming popular alright. Aruzaer had tilted his head from Cain and went on ahead. Mastema had pointed their direction so he went that way, feeling the crunch of the grassy yet rocky landscape at his feet.

~Snap!~

A tree branch fell and Aru narrowed his eyes at the tree, weak and brittle for a large tree at that. There was a small ape like creature, too small to pose much a threat. He swung up his Xao'na and kept going straight, trailing off within his mind.

-Static-

There was a man.. dressed in Shinto robes but.. his face was clearly missing. He could feel his face turn to a smile.. what was a smile really? Aruzaer was looking around again as if being driven by something, as if his body was on auto-pilot. His eyes came upon the large gateway towards the inside of the temple. There were many...

-Static-

Broken off again, his mind snapped shut once more. He had seen these scenes for near a month now..

He stopped a distance ahead to await the others, and the other new comer.

[menchia]

Cain quietly watched as one of them introduced himself, "Names serve no purpose...except to tie you to the past," he said as he walked after the Shinto Preist. It might be best to travel with these guys for a while. I might even find a purpose, Cain thought sarcastically. Cain already understood their personalitys except for the one that was quiet.

[Tanarus]

Racan snorted, recognizing the "I got my sword in your leg!" technique. He also noticed that the child had switched hands--a wise decision.
"Don't poke the kid..." he said almost to himself, noting the blood on Babs' face.
That wasn't important. Looked like the fight was brought to an impromptu end. Well, it never really started, but it was over now. With a sigh, Racan lost some interest, and scratched the back of his head, eyes half-lidded.
Well if he won't even kill the guy, I guess he's coming along too. He kinda pisses me off--maybe they'll let me kill him later. he thought, a grin forming on his face. Or maybe I'll do it anyways, later. With that, he giggled a little.

[Nespa]

Babs glared over her shoulder at racan and shifted ahram. she looked before her again. Her voice was cold "perhaps you should watch you murder intent, your making him nervous" her ears twitched. Ahram gurgled and pulled lighty on her hair. she knew the retort was a weak one but she was not gonna let him think she was afraid off him. Sighing she watched the tensing situation onfold grimacing at the thoughts of the several outcomes.

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha halted her attack. It took her a moment to realize what Macht was saying, and when she did it was with more than a little irritation. Why couldn't Conflicters just fight amongst themselves? Her tone was still dead calm when she spoke to the now-captive man.

"And wouldn't the child be in just as much danger if I didn't face enemies head on and allowed myself to be percieved as weak? If I allowed others to fight my battles."

"Don't underestimate me, Conflicter, I could kill you with one strike and be satisfied that there was one less threat out there." She turned and began to walk back over to the others, adding over her shoulder, "but since you're not a threat, and definitely not a friend either, I don't care what Macht does with you."

The cold in her eyes melted at the sight of Ahram gurgling playing with Babs hair, but she didn't reach for him yet, her sword was still at her side as she awaited the resolution of this conflict.

[Fear]

He listened to what the two had to say, he didn't have a choice. He looked at the one that had talked. "So thats what it means to be a Conflicter..." He whispered to himself. To kill without any hesitation and regrets of killing, no matter who or what it was, He thought. Up until now, all he had encountered were demons and had killed without any hesitation, but now it was killing humans. He laughed, grinning as he said "You'll kill me of I don't fight to kill...what if I kill you first?" His grin faded away.

Chase knew this man was not to be messed with, if he were to fight him, then strategy and strength would come into play. This man could kill him with his shadow, he was much stronger than himself, by how much? He didn't know, but he knew that the man would protect the two girls. He laughed "This is an interesting group...." He said aloud, talking to himself more than to the group.

[Tanarus]

Racan made a sour face, saying "Lighten up a little" to Babs offhandedly. She really was a little to wound-up. Some people were like that in the prescence of conflict. It reminded him of his days in prison, when the new blood came in. They were always nervous wrecks until they found some sort of protection, a way of staying away from fights. Not that it kept Racan from fighting anyone new. He shook his head, a smile spreading across his face in memory of those times.
Of course, after that, they'd put me in ISO...he thought, bitterly. The only person to fight in there was yourself, and somehow he always lost. Or won. It was hard to decide. But that wasn't important.
"I think you should kill him. He's a lil' uppity, y'know?" He said, his head back in the moment. "I mean, you say five things to him and his feelings are hurt, all defensive like." He made a mocking sad face to reinforce the image.

[Nespa]

Babs rolled here eyes in annoyance, how could she not be uptight. Infront of her was a enemy and to her he was a possible enemy as wel. And with ahram in her hands or claws at this point she could not really beat him up. She looked over her shoulder "if you don't like it then leave" she rocked ahram a bit. Lolking before her again "none asked you to stay ya know". She grimaced when ahram spat up some milk on her dress, she looked at him "your very lucky i like babies alot. ahram just giggled and she sighed "for some reason i have feeling your mocking me.." she glared over her shoulder to racan daring to give a comment.

[Luzifer]

Macht's smile turned thoughtful, "You could try that but... thats just a fast way to loosing body parts." This person didn't realize, didn't even comprehend, how close he was to becoming intimately associated with the specter of death. Macht was fast loosing patience. He wanted to get to Pandemonium before the opprotunity faded. He knew at least one would wait long.

Mastema nodded thoughtfully to the new one's statement. But there was the error of believing their was a past. There was no such thing, as far as Mastema was concerned. What happened had no application no meaning, and therefore, no reality. All that matter to him was the now. And to that extent the now tugged at his feet to get moving and so he walked off in the direction Azu was, assuming the others would follow.

[lovegoddessai]

The infant reached out a small hand to touched Babs, and a glowing purple energy emanated from his hand.

"Ahram, no!" Teritha paniced, catching the glow out of the corner of her eye and turning as she was about to comment on the number of threats being thrown back and forth.

The energy spread from Ahram's hand to Bab's body and the blood on her fingers evaporated as she was healed.

Teritha blinked twice as she realized what had just happened and the most intelligent comment her surprised mind could come up with was, "Well, that's new." But it made a sort of sense considering his other ability.

Ahram, Ability Discovered: Healing

[Linked Anime]

Nicholas looked over to Mastma and Azu leaving. Sighing, he followed in suit. Not having much else to do and not having much else to go he desided to follow the group of people. 'Still they are much different then the people I have met.' Nicholas thought for a second. Then shaking his head, 'Theres no need to worry anyway.' Nicholas thought before speeding up to catch up with the other ones.

[Nespa]

Babs looked curiously to the baby as he lifted his hand and it started to glow. she heard teritha yell "ahram no"and looked at her confused until the glow touched her and she soreness in her fingers was gone. she looked stunned but apearantly teritha had expected something else as wel. She blinked "oke..this is one strange baby" she watched him gurgle "but atlist he is cute?" she smiled sheepishly looking at teritha now unsure what to think of the infant.

[lovegoddessai]

Teritha tried to appear casual as her eyes swept the group, they had all seen it, too. She couldn't risk her attention being split like this if one of them decided that Ahram might be a useful tool. People were capable of worse in better situations than this, snatching a child could seem like nothing.

For his own sake Teritha wished her brother would exhibit more human behavior. "I'm not a conflictor," she answered the man, and then to Macht, "But we need to end this one way or the other right now."

The whole time she was eyeing Babs, glad that the woman seemed more shocked than disturbed. "Bab's, can you hold onto Ahram for me for the rest of the day?" She would just have to protect them both, if Bab's agreed. After all, she was injured and Ahram might try to heal her, too. There was no teling where the energy he used for his new ability had come from, it could be his life force. Ahram was just a baby, he might not know when to stop.

[Nespa]

Babs smiled "sure" she had gotten over he shock. She simply blamed it on the world changing, afteral she grew claws a while ago and her ears were pointly and fuzzy. She looked at ahram and pulled a funny face 'if i grow a tail and a pair of whiskers, i would look like a cat'she thought. she looked suddenly horroficed at that thought. She winced as ahram pulled her hair a little harder and looked at him his face was scrunged up and a bit red. When a stench came up her nose she pulled a disgusted face "oh god" she muttered and hoped macht would take of enemie soon.

[Fear]

Chase yawned, he had seen the baby heal the girl but didn't really care. "I'm Chase...Well I'll be following you guys until I get bored of you guys." He stated. "So whose the leader of the group?" Chase wanted to know, but he probably had a good idea of who it was, and if he was right, then he should try not piss the guy off.

[Luzifer]

Macht smiled broadly, "Thats me" He let the man go and turned away in the same motion his mind already on more important matters, "Everyone we are leaving. We've wasted enough time." He looked toward the horizon, his too-white teeth glittering in the light, soon he would be at pandemonium and soon things would start to go his way.

After walking for sometime, spires began to appear on the horizon, tallen black forms scratching the sky. As Mastema grew closer he they began to appear in sharper relief and he noticed that they were all ruins, broken buildings of the previous world. Former sky scrapers which had been split half-way up or had fallen to the side.

It was a former city, and one he had passed through at that. It was Pandemonium

[Opinionated]

Sikander quietly took his leave of the others, drawn by a Purpose. He scrambled over rocks, and up one great rock, which could either be called a large hill or a small mountain. He stood upon the top and felt the wind blowing up a sheer face, carrying a strange odor, and coming from the oppisite direction of the prevailing wind.

Instructed by his Purpose, he toiled against a boulder, digging out from under it and pushing on the side of it, finally disloging it. As his Purpose had prepared him, the boulder bounced down the rocky face and broke apart more rocks, until a small tumbling avalance was formed. What was left over upon the cliff was a symetrical gaping gash. The scented updraft came up stronger now that it's mouth was clear to the air.

Just as Sikander brushed the sweat off his brow, his vision was hijacked down the gash in the cliff. Darkness quickly over took him, like a liquid. Deeper and deeper he went, until he could feel them. He couldn't see them, but he could smell them and hear their cries and feel their bloated masses as they writhed around on each other, and he realized that his body wasn't his own, and that he was one of them, struggling against the bloated larvae to the surface so far away, and that-

And that Sikander suddenly felt the crushing aloneness of his location as his vision was returned to him from that horrible void. He could feel nervousness overtake him, and he ran and climbed as quickly as he could away from that door to untold abysses, bounding down the rocks like a madman.

He fell, and dust and rocks rolled under him as he slid down the last stretch of the run. He looked back to where instinct told him that pit was, statisfied that no great flubbering monstrosity had followed him out. His heard began to slow down from it's breakneck pace as he slowly made his way back to the familiar faces he'd left.

[Tetsanosuke]

Aruzaer felt the ruins fill him up at the site, large and stretching. Was this really a city? Or is it just a broke piece of time before the fall? He wasn't sure either way, but he wasn't really thinking about if he should be sure. He seemed to just push on, his mind on the fly, his choices becoming his steps.

Very little he had to ponder in the end, for Mastema was leading and by his lead there wasn't much planning. But as for Aru, planning was all he did subconsciously and seemingly fluently.

[menchia]

Cain followed Mastema through the broken ruins, his right arm reacting to the anima flowing through there, "This city...feels strange," he said to himself. Cain thought the anima felt thicker in this place, "Maybe it is just me but there seems to be abundance of anima here, almost stifling." Cain then activated his Kai in case demons were roaming the area, or so he told himself. Cain then looked at the tatoo that ran along his Kai, an intricate design of white lines that intersected into strange patterns over the black claw, as he sighed, "The mark of a sinner, shall never leave the guilty...even after death." At that moment, a sharp pain went through his left eye as he could see light go into it.

-static-

A man who looked like Cain, with brown hair and missing his left eye, had a knife to the face of Cain(who saw everything in first person from his left eye) with a face brimming with rage. Right as the man brought the knife to Cain's left eye...

-static-

Cain grasped his left eye as he muttered something under his breath, and walked on.

[lovegoddessai]

Not much longer now. Teritha could feel it in her bones, things were coming to a head. Any day now she would find it, or someone who knew how to get to it; Rest. That's what she called it in her mind, the place where she could raise Ahram in peace without anyone trying to force their beliefs (or lack there of) onto them.

Babs was looking down at Ahram with a scrunched up nose, not hard to guess why. It occured to her that the reason she was less gaurded around the girl was because it only made sense that if people like her were allowed to survive, there had to be a place for them. A peaceful place for peaceful people and those who didn't take up arms violently if it wasn't necessary. True, it hadn't been necessary to fight in her old life, but learning to wield a weapon was more about self-discipline than defense.

Teritha closed her eyes. Yes, soon she would find Rest. Behind her eyelids she saw the familiar waves of purple, the same color as anima. But then shapes started to seperate themselves. As she tried to identify them with her eyes still closed they became faces with half-formed teeth. Her eyes snapped open, but blood still leaked from them like tears and her now purple eyes picked out waves of anima flowing all around.

Teritha

Ability: Anima sight
Description: Ability to see anima and how it reacts to living beings and objects

[Nespa]

Babs just ignored the smell and walked towards teritha. at the sight of the red dripping from her eyes she frowned "are you alright" She shifted ahram in her arms so she would be more comfortable and looked towards macht who was already striding off "truly a fight lover" she muttered and looked at ahram for a moment and then back at teritha.

Ahram gurgled "do you want him back or should i hold on to him a little longer"to be honest she was not sure what ahram was to teritha. Except for the fact that she cared for him very much.

[Linked Anime]

Nicholas looked around what he believed to be the ruins of a city. He held back some tears. They looked liked the ones when he woke up. Shaking his head he walked on. The ruins seemed old even though they were very young. He saw many crawling with ivy and much rust on other things. It seemed they went on for miles. He felt he was a ant. He didn't think to much of it and waited for the next move of Mastema and the others.

[Luzifer]

Macht walked and walked... the ground seemed to flow beneath him... he was late and he knew it. He carefully recalculated his variables and planned his next move. He should be fine if he hurried. Not bother to check if his group was following him he hurried on. Some things were more important than people.

But soon his pace eased when the lofting half-spires of Pandemonium appeared on the horizon. He sighed with relief... the threads were still packed tight and had not been loosened by the push and pull of trying circumstances.

Samael entered Pandemonium with Makiko in tow. The city was bustling with survivors from the previous world who had decided to make this place a haven and try and adjust to the new life rather then figght against it. The other half of residants were realatively peaceful demons who also used this place as a staging area. Particularly honorable Conflicter demons stood as guards for the city against their more wild breathren, while harmony demons peacefully ran shops and hospitals. There was even a school led by teachers all drawn from the demonic ranks of Societal Humanists.

This place truly was an oasis. But to Samael it all rang hollow

[Neal Raven]

Neal Raven was sitting on a pile of rubble near a temple entrance in Pandemonium. He had been practicing with his new sword until a moment ago and was now eating a small snack. The sword, apparently named Arget’sil, was given to him only three days ago.

He had split off from Mastema’s group about a week ago. In the middle of the night he had woken up suddenly and had felt the need to head out on his own. Leaving just a small note for Mastema reading ‘I’ll be back later’, he stalked off into the night.

Three days ago he had arrived in Pandemonium and had sought shelter in the same temple he was sitting by now. In the temple he had met a creature whom he couldn’t discern to be a rogue angel or a benevolent demon. This creature had handed him the sword sheathed in its scabbard and explained its name and that it had been specially prepared for him.

For a couple moment all he could do was marvel at the sword, a small flamberge really, with its ebony hilt finished with a crystal resting in the claw of the black ivory pommel. The hand guard was shaped like the silhouette of a raven seen flying overhead. The part of the blade nearest the hand guard had two hooks to the side and three small rubies embedded in the blade. The blade itself had a sawed edge.

Neal had looked up to inquire why he had received such a beautiful and powerful weapon, but when he‘d looked around he’d found he was alone again.

His mind coming to the present again, he shifted into a more comfortable position to allow his wings some room to move. Although he had the wings for a while now he still hadn’t accustomed to them fully yet.

He finished eating and picked up the sword in its scabbard and tied it to his back. The scabbard proved again that the sword must have been made especially for him since the straps fitted snugly around his wings and shoulders and the scabbard itself fitted perfectly between his shoulder blades without hindering his wings whatsoever.

He devoted himself to training again, swinging the sword in wide circles and stabbing and slashing motions.

Just as he was getting into his training, he felt a jolt of anima shoot up is spine and into and out of his arms, setting the sword on fire. He quieted a yelp of surprise and looked in awe at what appeared a new ability.

‘Nice,’ he said simply and tried out a few simple moves. The fire didn’t went out and didn’t burn his skin or melt his blade. As he got more confident he decided to test the flaming sword on a tree. He swung the sword in a large arc towards his target. The sword just got through the though wood, but Neal knew that without the flames he would barely get through a third of it.

Satisfied he sheathed Arget’sil and looked toward the horizon. He could discern a small group of people of which he thought one looked like Mastema.

When the group got close enough, he called out. ‘Hey, Mastema! I’m here.’

The group diverted their course slightly and halted in front of the temple entrance.

‘So, you found some newcomers? Or more likely they found you, right?’

‘Anyway, if you need to replenish resources, the temple has got a good stack of food and a font with drinkable water,’ Neal held to them.

‘Also this seems to be a quiet quarter of town, I haven’t counted a dozen people yet, even with your arrival, he continued.


New ability:
Sword of Surtr, level 1: through the manipulation of fire with anima, this level can put weapons ablaze, multiplying their damage rate by about three.


ooc: Most names for my abilities will be derived from Norse mythology, so you know where to look for the meaning of names

[Luzifer]

Mastema looked up, having been staring at a stray wisp of dust and marveling at the way its particles ebbed and flowed into beautiful patterns brought out in stark relief by the dark cavernous shadow which was set behind them. There had been a familiar voice. He had felt that there would be a reunion soon... and it seemed he had been twice right.. for he knew another was still close ahead. But still, he should focus on the reunion in front of him, the other would come in its own time and in its own ways. It wasn't Mastema's place to manipulate the future, he knew someone much better suited to that activity then himself.

"Ah! Neal... how has your path been?" Mastema said with a friendly expression... not quite a smile, but merely a soft meeting of lines on his face.

[Neal Raven]

’Ah! Neal... how has your path been,’ Mastema said with a friendly expression... not quite a smile, but merely a soft meeting of lines on his face.

‘Mostly uneventful, but I got this sword,’ Neal answered, having all answers ready in his mind already, and took a few minutes to explain his journey and his meeting in the temple where he had received Arget’sil.

‘But do tell me. Who are these newcomers? We haven’t been properly introduced yet,’ he finished his story. ‘And I know I’m a fool to be asking this, but do you have any idea of what we will be doing here in Pandemonium?’

He walked over to a collapsed pillar where he fetched his coat and took a seat for as long as it would take the group to get moving again.

OOC: edited a bit, made it longer, I couldn't bear the sight of those two puny sentences from before...

[lovegoddessai]

The world seperated itself into individual shapes and regained it's original colors, except for purple waves of energy that flowed like water through the air.

"Um...yeah, I'm fine." Teritha wiped her cheeks with the back of her palm, blinking heavily for a moment. What were those things? She had a bad feeling that she already knew, but put the thought aside for a calmer moment.

She also noticed that Macht-the-ever-patient was gone, not that that was too unusual, Macht tolerated stragglers about as well as he tolerated weakness and often left slower members of their group stumbling in his wake. Let the others chase him if they wanted, but she wasn't in any particular rush.

Bab's second question caught her attention and she looked down at Ahram smiling contentedly in her arms. Anima that passed nearby diverted it's course and flowed directly into his small body, giving his skin a soft purple glow. She reached out, but still wary of touching him, gently touched one of the streams of energy instead. It flowed through her fingers but divided into the spaces, obviously effected, so she cupped her hand and allowed it to pool in her palm.

Ahram let out a childish screech-laugh and began to suck his thumb. Teritha held her hand near her face and felt the energy flow into her through her eyes, causing a small gasp to escape as she felt it working through her body. She looked to Ahram again and he held out his hands and put them to his mouth, screech-laughing again.

The others seemed bewildered by her actions, apparhently they didn't see what she did. "Babs, give him to me please." Teritha had an idea.

Teritha:
Ability Gained: Life Reaping

Description: The ability to take away or harvest anima based energy by physically manipulating it.

OOC:Sorry I had to go for a while, it was really annoying not having internet access.

[Nespa]

To babs teritha didn't look very fine but who was she toargue. She handed ahram back smilling faintly "you need to change him i think". she pulled a face of disguts and turned towards macht. her ears twicthing at her suroundings sounds she turned and watched macht walk away. Deciding i was best to leave teritha with ahram alone for a while, she jogged until she was a bit behind macht. she sighed in slight relief when the claws retracted themself when she was near macht, she looked at his back "where are we giong macht?" she was following macht for a while now but now she thought about it he never told her where he or rather they were giong.

[Luzifer]

Mastema looked back at the others and sighed, "Again with the names?" how many times had he had to deal with this name concept? It was becoming a regular occurance as if it had some important purpose and not merely being a strange ancient ritual, "Lets see... Cain, Aruzaer, and Nicolas." he said, obviously struggling to remeber who each of them was.

[lovegoddessai]

"Alone at last," Teritha joked, noticing that she and Ahram seemed to be the only ones left at the clearing. She removed the infant from her napsack and along with a small scrap of cloth and laid him on the ground on top of it. Ahrams 'diapers' were cloth ends bound with a thin wire and she had him changed in a few moments, the dirty diaper in a small bag for later cleaning.

That done, she finally took the chance to study what she had already noted, that her younger brothers entire body was covered with the same purple glow, and that particles of anima seemed to be very slowly feed into him. She manipulated one thin stream much as before and directed it at Ahram, and like it did to her, it was absorbed into him. Before long she stopped the stream.

"Not to much until we know how this effects you." But Ahram seemed better for what he had 'consumed', laughing and giggling. When she went to pick him up he grabbed her hand and much as any other child would do, stuck her finger in his mouth. Teritha suspected that the glow being produced now was one that even the others could see and then the dull throb in her fingers was gone.

"Thank you Ahram," she smiled and kissed his cheek, he laughed and tucked his fingers under his chin as if proud of himself. Teritha loaded him into her napsack and began walking. Time to catch up with the others.

[.Gogo]

Thread closed as requested by the GM.