27.04.2019: A Walk In The Park Pt. 1
| A Walk In The Park, Part 1 | |
|---|---|
| Three friends encounter a cajun man and some less than friendly dogs in the local park. | |
| Players | Evaline Saskia Teagan Edouard |
| Location | The local park, Prospect CA |
| Spheres | Mage |
Transcript
Only the dim flickering light of a busted street lamp illuminates this path through the park. A semi-paved walkway meanders through the dark verdant greens, trees and branches loom over the path like knives. To sum up, quite a unfriendly and damn sight unsettling walk through the park at rape o' clock. A few benches dot either sides of the path, only some of them have homeless people sleeping on or strung out smack rats. This isn't the good part of town.
That flickering street lamp really is quite annoying, a macabre rave adding to the unsettling feel of this path through the park. The wind brushes gently through the trees and bushes, animating them with a dream-like quality shifting from left to right in a silent dance. The boots and shoes of the gang crunch on the gravel track as they cautiously make their way through the literal under-dark. One of them had the great idea of taking a shortcut through this nightmare-scape, probably Saskia, followed by some German ranting. They're coming back from a night out watching a flick at the local movie theater.
"Ziss' may have been a mistake." Saskia muses in a quiet tone, her long coat hugged tight against her warriors-form, her hands stuffed tightly into the pockets on the side. As the cold air bites at their heels. She chews teeth against the inside of her cheek, and spares a glance towards Teagan and Evaline. A fist clutches around something within her coat, her knuckles going white as azure eyes flick from path to path, tree to tree, bum to bum.
Teagan doesn't seem particularly disturbed by the flicker in the lights, and is looking as bright-eyed as ever. Either it doesn't register that they've stumbled into a more destitute part of town, or it could be the fact that she's with two certifiable badasses. Regardless, she chirps on about the movie they just watched. "Oh! And the part where the guy did that thing, like with his mind, and everything was all like SWOOSH! I think that was my favorite part, or the bit with the giant robot fight, I mean did you guys see the moves they pulled? Nuts." She babbles on, leaving a few gaps of silence between her rambling.
"What? They're homeless, the worst thing they'll do is smell bad." She responds to Saskia as she looks at the poor folk scattered throughout the park. A gust of strong wind suddenly hits Teagan, making her hair go all frizzy as she shudders. "Should've brought a warmer coat, though..." She grumbles and turns to Evaline with a warm smile. "Did you like it? Uh, the movie, I mean..."
"Well, I suppose this wasn't the brightest idea ive ever had." Buttoning his jacket Edouard tightened his grip on the brown bag of chinese food in his left hand. "I'd better not get into trouble over these dang spring rolls." The flickering streetlight illuminating hobo after hobo.
Suddenly against the horizon there was the silhouette of 3 unknowns, one looked far more dangerous than the other. Tapping his cane against the ground Edouard muttered to himself, "fils de pute, lets hope this turns out ok." Fear was not about to get the better of his good manners, "Good evening there friends, I trust you mean me no harm?"
"I don't think you could realistically tear someones spine out through their mouth, though. And you could see the where the stunt cables had been removed in some of the fight scenes," Evaline rambles off, walking in line with the trio. Her coat is belted shut against the cold, though it still flaps around her legs. A pair of tightly fitted combat boots adorn her legs, up to the knees. The laces aren't visible under some kind of padding, like some kind of motorcycle outfit. "I did enjoy it other than that, though."
She pauses and looks at the sad reality of homelessness in this part of town. The flickering light above them seems to brighten as she walks beneath it, causing some men to stir in their uncomfortable sleep. It is then that Evaline spots the man with the cane, and stops. "No. Of course not. Are you alright?"
"I've seen it happen," Saskia interjects to Evaline, "Or well, read a mission report on one incident." She claims, whatever worry or trepidation she had at walking down this nightmare ally seems to fade away as they talk about tearing spines out of orifices. "Zhere' was this Homunculus, you see, a hermetic familiar. It escaped the binding wards and attacked its creator, it took three wardens to take the sing' down." She rumbles out in her German accent, "Spines were had. I was told." She clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth, and hugs her coat tighter around her powerful figure. She blows out her cheeks, remembering where they are as she stops recalling fond memories. A curious tilt towards Teagan as she girl gushes over the film, a smile sliding across her pale lips. "Teagan, your capacity to be entertained never fails to entertain me." She claims, "It was pretty good, yeah. I admit. You chose well." She states, and flips out a hand from within her coat, and gives the girl a firm thumbs up.
Next, enter this guy, and she looks over Edouard as their progress is halted. The same hand vanishes back inside the coat, grasping around something inside. "Scheisse." She breathes out in surprise, and flares her eyes in added chagrin as she catches herself swearing. That hand in her coat lashes back out to clasp around her mouth. Christian morals are hard to shake.
Meanwhile, a faint scratching sound comes from the brush at either sides of the path. The caw of something... probably a bird, maybe something else. Who knows, crazy world, lotta' sounds and smells.
Grimacing as the two discuss the intricacies of spine removal, Teagan huddles up as best she can in her thin black overcoat. "And people said California would be warm..." She grumbles to herself, kicking some dirt in frustration. "Yeah? You should've seen the original, the stop motion stuff was -seriously- bad... Although, there's this one part that they didn't include in this one where the giant red robot, Deathmonger, kicks a guy so hard he literally goes back in time." She clears her throat and quiets down as she realizes she's rambling again.
"Fauntleroy!?" She calls out as the man greets them, leaving a few moments of silence as she thinks. "Are you following me? Seriously, this is like the third time in two days." Although her tone is playful, she does tense up a little, as most sensible people would seeing a strange man in a shady park. Turning to Saskia and then Evaline, Teagan speaks in a hushed voice. "Guy's mad shady..."
Evaline nods along to Teagan's explanation of the original source material, and firmly decides to never, ever watch it. A gloved hand goes to her temple as she spots this cane-and-Chinese wielding man, and her vision is drawn off to somewhere in the middle distance. She doesn't even notice Teagan as she steps off to greet her supposed friend. She sidles closer to Saskia, and says in a low tone: "Keep your guard up. Something isn't right here. I'm picking up something magical, but I can't hone in on it." She spins on the spot and peers behind her, into the looming darkness of the cold, vaguely lit night. Gnarled trees curl overhead like skeletal fingers above them, sending moonlit shadows like shattered glass onto the pavement. The only helpful light that cuts through the milky fog is overhead, and if anything hinders their sight into the dark beyond. "You've lead us into an excellent spot for an ambush, I see."
"Well I'll be, no of course I'm not following you! Miss.. Teagum was it? I was on my way home with some dinner but it would appear ive taken quite a shady way of going about it." Lowering his cane and raising the bag of take out to the group. "If youd like I got 4 spring rolls and wouldnt mind sharing in exchange for a safe walk out of this alley in a group of 3 or 4 people."
"A Trap?! Sacre bleu what do you take me for? Im not some bandit, it is mere coincidence that our paths have crossed this evening. If I could walk with you I would appreciate it greatly, if not ill be on my way."
"You must show me the original, Teagan." Saskia chimes back to the girl, her eyes still wandering around from left to right. "I do love a terrible movie, or, well... that does sound truly, truly awful." She breathes out, and fires off a smile at Teagan from the corner of her mouth - her eyes still latched on the strange figure down the path. Then, Evaline is sliding closer and whispering at her. Her posture snaps straight and guarded at whatever it is the woman told her, her eyes zapping towards the sides, eyebrows knitting together. "Understood." She claims, her voice low. She moves slightly in-front of Teagan, her hands coming out of her coat. "Many escape routes, Evaline, ambushes require some sort of..." She trails off, her eyes narrowing into the darkness.
She flips up her hands, and crosses them together, the fingers on one hand linking with the thumb on her other to form a little hand window - like a director might when scoping out a tv scene. She peers through it, watching the sides of the path. A quiet mumble rolls off her tongue, her eyes squint, and she starts to pick up the faint shimmering outlines of distant figures rushing through the park on silent feet. "Oh, how you say, bollocks." She grumbles, "Something is closing in on us, Evaline. I assume you're armed?" She asks, her voice louder now so the rest of them can hear her.
She turns to Teagan, "Stay behind us, help if you can- don't risk yourself." She advises, and peers towards the new guy. "Who are you?" She calls out, "Did you bring them?" She yells at him, her voice cutting through the air in her misguided accusation.
Meanwhile, the noises in the park grow louder, the clear sound of feet snapping through the twigs and trees. A low grow follows in its wake, there are several of them, whatever it is that they are.
Teagan looks at Edouard suspiciously as Evaline and Saskia advance in front of her. "Uh..." She begins, growing nervous. "Is it... Bad?" Taking a few steps back, she almost stumbles over a stray root but manages to regain her balance and starts whispering to herself, eyes closed. "In my pocket, in my sack, let appear the thing I lack. Far away though it may be, make it now come forth to me!" Reaching into her coat, she pulls out a large embellished knife, which briefly glows with a soft, pale light. Not sure what to do with it, Teagan still finds some safety in it and clutches it, hands now shaking. "Not cool dude..!" She calls out to Edouard from the back, eyes nervously flicking from tree to tree.
"It's bad, Teagan. Magical enemies. Stay back if you're not comfortable against such a foe." Evaline's gloved hand clasps at her coat and with a dramatic twirl, the thing comes spiralling off and flutters in the night air behind her. She's dressed from neck to toe in thick, segmented leather armour. Segments of harder plating cover her abdomen, and from her waist the grabs at some glinting hilt. With a sharp yank it comes away and extends into a long baton. The end executes into a sharp, bladed point and crackles with energy.
As her coat flops to the ground, she sidesteps behind Saskia and stabs the point of her weapon into the base of the lamp post. Arcs of electricity dance from the point of contact, up the baton and harmlessly into her gloves. "As long as you stay in the light, I'll do my best to keep you safe. So..." she releases one hand from the hilt and brings it to a pair of reflective motorcycle goggles around her neck, yanking them up and over her eyes, "don't go running off." The lenses flicker for a moment and turn a pallid blue, covering her face in a soft blue light.
The glow of the lamp's bulb turns almost white, and small arcs of electricity jolt from it and flicker to the ground, harmlessly dissipating and always seeming to miss any of her allies.
"Bring what? Spring rolls?" Suddenly the noises around him increased in volume and intensity, like a giant trodding towards him, "Merde, I didnt, no this isnt me." Edouard touched the crystal on his bracelet, and it began to pour a rich purple fog around itself, "Neteru Nebolisa, Agwe empower this vessel of mine."
As the rest of them whip out their metaphysical stuff, Saskia has to keep up. She backs off towards the side as Evaline works her electrical magic on the lamp post - and makes sure she's within the protective circle. "Gott in himmel!" She calls out, her teeth gritting together. She throws up her palms in a warding gesture, her thumbs linking and twisting together. She looks from left to right, her coat blowing this way and that - revealing a large sword hilt against her chest, and a long scabbard trailing down her leg. "Fight or die!" She calls out, her voice ripping through the air. "Seekers! Mage hounds! I know these things." She seems generally fearful, her eyes wide and fiery. "They have come." She breathes out, and grits her teeth into a grimace. A hand latches the the hilt of her sword, drawing it free from her belt with a masterful flourish.
Her other hand plucks a small vial from her coat, she pops the cork and splashes it against the fuller of the sword. "The fire of Ignis..." She mumbles, incanting a spell on the sword. She draws her palm against the blade, spilling a few droplets of blood to mix with the liquid from the vial. "EREM DE ADAGITA." She calls out, her words vibrating the air as the swords blade bursts into flame, cutting a fiery swath through the night air. The sword arcs through the air into a high guard, the cross-guard about level with her forehead, and the blade blazes upwards into a defensive posture.
She steps forwards, ready to fight or die.
The creatures break from the treeline, at first they look like hounds. The closer they get, they seem to be basked in a dull red light which spills from their eyes and mouths. Viscous teeth, sharp claws, they look like dogs but seem to move like a human might running on all fours. About five of them in number, grouped together in a tight pack as they make a straight line towards the protective cordon set up by Evaline. One lashes forwards, its jaws gnashing at the air - only to be rebounded in a flash of light and electricity, sending the creature sprawling backwards sizzling into the trees. The others are given a moments pause.
Teagan takes a few cautious steps further into the circle of light which the lamppost illuminates, eyes flicking between the various surges of electrical activity. Taking a deep breath, she puts the blade of the knife to her hand, letting out a sharp grunt as it draws blood. Pointing at one of the hounds with her bloodied hand she closes her eyes and speaks: "By thy will, Baphomet, guide my eyes to that..." Opening her eyes, they're now entirely pale, glowing faintly. "which makes you animate!" There's a pause before Teagan sharply inhales and her eyes return to their regular state. Being sent into a coughing fit, Teagan gives Saskia a look as if to ask: "What the fuck?"
Having made an incision deeper than she anticipated, Teagan shakes her hand to forget about the pain, spilling some of her blood on the dirt. "On the back of their necks! There's a mark..." She swallows. "Aim for it." She moves her hand into the arm of her jacket, to cover the wound for now.
A thick cable connects the base of her baton to a peculiar device at the back of her belt: a small metal cage, in which are a series of whirring, clicking, sparking contraptions, each made of tiny, intricate components carefully fashioned together. As the forcefield grows in intensity, this whirring power bank becomes more and more charged. Finally, there must be some kind of release, and Detrevni twists the handle of her baton. There's a sharp, ear piercing crackle and whine as a blinding arc of electricity builds up in the power bank, then finally, just as she's about to unleash it all towards their enemies, there's an anti-climactic WWWHHHIIIRRRrrrr..... as the entire thing powers down. There's still energy to and from the baton, but her power pack has completely died, all of the startling energy it held just moments before harmlessly dissipated. "Oh, no... no, come on, not now!" she says, and hammers a fist into the device. It thunks in protest, and a small puff of black smoke marks the final death knell of the device. She grabs at it, annoyed, and throws it off somewhere into the treeline. "Useless. I should've tested it more... well..." she looks back at Saskia, her glowing goggles masking the expression held in her eyes, but her mouth is curved down into an irritated frown. "I'll try to keep the forcefield up. But the offense is on you, now."
The seeker hounds continue to press at the electric forcefield, rebuffed each time in flashes of arching electricity, which sends ripples of red tinged energy across the surface of the protection. They don't seem to be blasted back with such force anymore, only bounced back a few meters - they keep trying, gnashing at it with their gaping maws and monstrous teeth. They snarl, bark and claw at it with sheer abandon. The forcefield flickers, and seems to be draining bit by bit, bite by bite. Whatever these creatures are, they seem to be able to muster a faint aura of anti-magic over a sustained period which weakens the magic as they claw and bite at it with such ferocity- they're drawn to it like moths to a flame, and seek to stamp it out with extreme prejudice.
Saskia, meanwhile, looks frozen in time and terror. Her blazing sword illuminating the night with a fiery crimson tinge, it sizzles and pops above her head, waiting to strike- but she's stiff, staring blankly at the seeker hounds with a mighty uncharacteristic grimace. They truly scare her, and she's locked in inaction. The words from Evaline snap her out of her from her terrified quiet, "Zerstoren!" She yells out in German, darting forwards across the ground so her feet reach the edge of the circle, her flaming sword comes arcing down at the closest creature, cutting a fiery swath through the night air. It lashes against the seekers neck, or she tries to and manages to cut right across the face as she misses the mark at the last moment. The flaming sword cuts a molten streak across the hounds maw, cleaning its head in twain but it keeps moving - It keeps moving! And it thrashes itself against the shield again, punting itself backwards with an electrical arc.
She darts backwards after her ineffective assault, her hands shaking against the hilt of her sword. "Scheisse! Scheisse!" She breathes out, reaching the cliff face of panic.
And then... slowly, the electrical field begins to dissipate, the force buzzes out and retreats back into the ground as the magic fails - or is eaten up by the seeker hounds under their constant assault. Four of them now, red eyes glowing in the dark, maws snapping open and closed. They pause, the one Saskia cleaved across the face seems to regenerate in a grotesque display of sinew stitching itself back together, albeit still singed around the corners.
They charge at once!
