2879/A World of Fading Light

A World of Fading Light
Date of Scene:	22 August 2015
Location:	The Soul States
Synopsis:	Just a jaunt to the old library of Ancient York
Cast of Characters:	560, Lezard Valeth, Lyria Mason, 804, 825, 859

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Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    Since the last incident to crop up on this dying world, back at the Undead Camp, people might notice the new addition of a gate. Far from the frigid mountain wastes of before, this new way opens into a park that is far too overgrown. Concrete and cobble walkways grown over with weeds and pushed up by roots, an old stone building encrusted with years of lichen nestled at the edge of a pool of stagnant water.

    Oddly enough the gate is at the foot of a streetlight, flickering badly, but still casting a bright orange glow onto the path. It's the only street light on as far as the eye can see, and it's strangely warming, compared to the cold white light of the sun through the mists .

Lyria Mason has posed:
Lyria Mason has once again come to this dying world and is far more made ready for this place. She's also got her drone remora slinking along behind her like a massive metal snake of some sort. She had her goggles down at the moment, but that one light catches her attention. She wraps her cloak about herself and presses onwards towards it.

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
In this dying world, a new menace has appeared. Through the warpgate comes a fifteen foot tall metal warmachine. MORDRED is exploring inside his Armour, and this path is new to him, so he's checking it out. He reports internally, over comms that lead to his mother and can vaguely be heard outside if someone has good ears. "This area looks to me to be dead, invested with a malady that goes beyond mere abandonment of the area."

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    "I've seen something like this before," comments Ezio, adjusting the fedora on his head as he emerges from the gate himself. "Sir MORDRED? I do not believe we have been acquainted personally, a pleasure." He greets the AI mecha as if none of that is weird to him at all, drawing a Gunsword from his belt and a double-barreled sawn-off shotgun in his other hand, concealed beneath his coat. It's all he needs for this enviroment, and he keeps his eyes peeled. "I advise caution, friend, if I know this land like the other, then we will be going into a land of constant danger."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou did say he wanted to investigate further. If it helped Priscilla at all, then what's a detour into zombie land? Not much, by his standards. As usual, Shirou's not considering himself at all when he does these things!

    After all, he lives his life purely for others.

    The same clunky motorcycle - likely scavenged from a junkyard at some point and restored cheaply - putters out of the warpgate soon after MORDRED's own entrance, but beelines around towards the strange streetlight. Shirou comes to a halt under the light, gazing up at the bulb... "I've felt that warmth before..."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Black spreads within the pool of light, the sound of leather boots treading on the path heard as Lezard Valeth arrives. He looks up into the warm light of the streetlamp, the gleaming reflection from his glasses making his expression unreadable for several moments. "... Some things never change, Magus Shirou." Lezard states. "The affliction of this land has some... strong resemblances. The manifestation is very different, however. We will have to be cautious. If we assume everything will be as it was, we will make critical errors."

Advice dispensed, the Necromancer of Midgard remains near the light, examining it intently

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "That's a good point. The Multiverse is just weird." Shirou finds himself answering before he realizes who he's talking. Then he looks and stiffens CONSIDERABLY. It's THAT GUY AGAIN.

    Consternation and choked down feelings clearly war within the redhead, but he swallows them pretty hard and fast. "You... what were you DOING the other day?!"

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    An assassin, a magus, a necromancer, a pirate, and a mecha walk into a park.

    It's not the beginning of some joke, though, the group left to bask in the warm glow of the street light amid the eerie stone silence. Barely more than even the breeze passing through the leaves can be heard. At least before there's a chuckle. Low and mirthless from the stone steps of the battered old building. It's a man in a military uniform, black BDU, with a kevlar vest over top. There's a gun clasped lazily in his hand, but it's lazily held to the ground, chin perched on the palm of his free hand.

    "Oh... More today, I see. Were you with that exceptionally dour guy that just passed here?"

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
"That would be my name, yes. Who do I have the pleasure of dealing with?" MORDRED's voice is now broadcasted at a regular conversational level, perhaps slightly louder, but by no means loud enough to count as yelling. He goes towards the lamp post, clearly studying it from inside his armour. "And Shirou, right? I believe we've spoken, but I don't recall us having met."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Lezard seems to keep to himself, generally. Even the inquisition from Shirou causes Lezard to simply smile. "Everything happens in its own time, Magus Shirou." Yeah, he's doing that. He's being that guy.

The question from the man in the uniform, however, causes Lezard to nod. "That does seem to be the case. Can you tell us where he went?"

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    Ezio sighs as Lezard and Shirou be all frown and smiley at each other, before he nods to Mordred. "Ezio Auditore. I'm a problem solver of sorts, and let it be left at that." He doffs his hat, a gentleman at heart, and he approaches the campfire. "And who might be be?" He asks after Lezard, raising an eyebrow at the modernly dressed man. He's reminded to thank himself for bringing a vest himself, worn underneath his suit.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou FROWNS SOURLY at Lezard's reply but he's apparently not of a mind to push harder. Yet. Instead he addresses the TOWERING MECHA that Mordred's using... after a blink. "Yeah. Emiya Shirou. Magus and... squire, I suppose. Not that great at either. What brings you out here? Mordred, wasn't it?"

    Finally he gets a good look at the newcomer... and blinks. "I'm not sure. But chances are pretty high. Did you get his name? ... Also, are you okay out here? There's got to be a better place to live than this..."

Lyria Mason has posed:
Lyria Mason is keping with Shirou now and Ezio, she doesn't know mordred but right now she'll group up with anyone, whose not openly coming after her head. On a world like this? She's going to keep with them.

"Let's keep together shall we?" S

he notices someone else she looks at the man for a moment, she sees he's not hostile and nods to him.

"Not persay but he sounds like smeone we ran into before."

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    "And here I thought no one would ever care." The dispirited soldier drones wryly when Shirou asks of his wellbeing. For a moment half-lidded eyes flit from figure to figure, to massive armor suit, and he chuckles again. "He was rather surly. Not the most personable fellow... Pretty grim if you ask me, but then again who isn't around these parts?" Clucked in a lazy tone, waving his pistol airily as though it were little more than a harmless twig.

    It's not, the safety is off.

    "Well I can see you're not here to keep me company. If you're really so interested in someone with the social skills of a prickle-pear, by all means, he grunted something about the library and headed west." Sighed exaggeratedly as he points in a direction. Now it might be obvious, the squat stone building in the park isn't the only one. There are others, just beyond the trees- taller than the trees. MASSIVELY taller than the trees. Crumbling skyscrapers of steel and glass. They must have once been impressive in their prime, now all that's left is crumbling concrete, rust, and shattered glass even from a distance. "Oh I would be careful, if I were you though. Past this point, it's all crawling with Hollows."

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    "Hollows are no trouble, except in numbers." Ezio says confidently, a grin under the brim of his hat. He holsters his weapons, before he looks westward with eyes narrowed. "I will scout ahead, call out anything if I see it." He says, before suddenly the assassin takes off with speed befitting a man half his age. He is /nimble/ for a man in his mid-forties. It's almost ridiculous how much ground he can cover while he evades the ruins of shattered buildings, only slowing down whenever he detects hostiles, and to keep his hat firmly on his head.

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
Glare-NT nods, while MORDRED runs a quick check in his systems to see if the Confederate databases have anything useful on Hollow. He also reaches for his sword, a six foot long razor-sharp weapon made out of superdense compounds. It's a heavy weapon, but nothing fancy beyond its dimensions and mass. "So, where are we going?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "Sorry. You're right, we can't stay long--" Off goes Ezio. SHirou boggles at his display of prowess. If only his careful experiments with reinforcement were half as polished!

    "But you're welcome to return with us when we return!" Shirou at least won't let this dismal atmosphere get him down. Even if they're about to go shred some Hollows, most likely.

    Instead he focuses hard on a weapon image...

    "Trace on..."

    The high-quality black bow he traced from Chloe's own version appears in a rush of magic, along with a quiver full of... swords? Well, bladed arrows. Something like that. He slings this over his side and just starts marching, sticking close to Lyria.

    "That way, apparently!" He answers Mordred, gesturing after Ezio.

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    West, the group seems to be going west, if that's the way Ezio is already scouting towards, Shirou hot on his tails. For those beginning to make their way out of the park, there is the distinct feeling of being watched. Though where it's coming from is hard to tell, by the time the group breaks throug hthe trees and into the city proper.

    It was once a metropolis. A sprawling, urban, region of high towers and metropolitan buildings in varied art styles, some older than the others, some newer. All still in terrible condition. But there's the library just as stated. Two statues dominating the short flight of stairs up to the entrance. Some kind of animal perhaps, both worn over by weather, time, and the steady crusting of plants and grime covering them from top to base.

    The doors are left ajar, and aside from the occasional unarmed Hollow in the streets, the group will have no real obstacles getting there.

Lyria Mason has posed:
Lyria Mason nods to the man and is thankful.

"Thanks for the warning but we should go. Still take care of your self, all right?"

She listens about the mention of Hallows.

"I came ready to fight hordes I should be all right working with the rest of you if we keep out wits about us."

she's got one pitol out and in her other hand is her cutlass as she's pressing forward with the group. She looks at once was.

"Even the world it self seems to be undead, what kind of place is this?"

She'll cut down the Hollows that get too close with gun fire or by cutless if needed.

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    Undead are small potatoes for Ezio, as he casually draws a silenced Beretta 92FS. Thwip thwip, and he draws his gunsword. He chops and hacks with deft evasion keeping him unharmed, and he doesn't waste time further as he enters the library proper. It's not even worth getting worried about, given the haphazad movements and lurching speed of the Hollows. Ezio feels sorry for them, almost anyways.

    He enters through the open door, pistol out and pointed as he begins to clear the inside of the building.

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Lezard nods to the man. "Thank you for the information, sir. We will be careful to watch for the Hollows." He pauses. "I will likely return to speak with you at a later time. Do be careful, sir." He smiles as he turns away, heading towards the library with the others.

As they break from the park to the library proper, LEzard looks upon the random Hollow, and basically ignores it, instead turning an intense gaze to the entrance of the library. He says nothing, looking away and allowing the others to take the lead.

As Ezio assassins towards the entrance, Lezard smiles.

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
One problem with buildings like these is, well... they're not designed for fifteen foot tall warmachines. MORDRED is keenly aware of that, and stands outside for a while to contemplate his options. Eventually, a sigh comes from inside the machine before its chest opens. MORDRED unclasps some buckles and hops out, the chest closing behind him. He's got a traditional European onehander in his right hand, something medieval looking, though thinner sharper and heavier, based on the same materials as his Armour's blade. "Let's see if I can avoid causing unnecessary collateral damage, shall we?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Onwards and inwards to the west! Shirou's walking with his bow constantly at the ready. Just in case he needs to defend himself - or someone else - from a Hollow. Despite that creepy feeling of being watched though, he meets little worth mentioning. He only has to use a handful of easily replaced 'arrows' on some Hollows.

    And through the door he goes with the others... "Did he come this way?"

    Now that they're indoors, he banishes the bow. It dissipates swiftly. Instead he murmurs his favored words again... and Kanshou and bakuya form from prana in his grasp. They're far more suited to closed quarters and narrow passages.

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    In through the doors, and it becomes immediately obvious how immense the library is inside, compared to the outside. Rows upon rows and rows of books, right from the foyer, a balcony above containing even more, all visible beyond the musty old rusted out turnstyles.

    Someone's been here, rifling through the card catalogues, the DA section missing from the catalogue wholly.

    Footprints in the otherwise undisturbed dust head off in one direction, but there's also a fairly recent streak of something else... A line dragged in the dust, a sickly trail of sticky, glossy, red pulled in another direction. It's empty save for a Dead hollow at the desk, a combat knife embedded in its skull.

    It would seem, he did come this way, as Ezio moves to clear the library, the party will find it mostly cleared out already. The Italian stallion will also find the edge of a katana, point first, drawn against his throat menacingly.

    The wielder it belongs to is a young-ish looking man, with dark hair, hard dark eyes and an even harder expression. Lezard, Lyria, and Shirou will most certainly recognize Grimm, and he seems to recognize them.

    "Mnh. You people again... You're not Undead what the hell is it you want?" His voice is hushed and gravelly, but then another question springs to mind. "Were you followed? Who knows you're here?"

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    Ezio makes a low, uncomfortable sound as he feels something following them besides the hollows maybe. He switches to the shotgun and a Spectre M4 as he begins room clearing, and as soon as he feels a sharp edge at his throat, Ezio notes the wielder. "The one the man at the fire mentioned, I assume?" He says calmly, SMG pointed at Grimm's stomach in a Mexican standoff almost on instinct.

    "No, we are not undead. We are here to investigate this place." He says, still keeping the weapon trained on Grimm until he lowers his katana. His tone is very cool, calm, and he sounds like he knows what he's doing with those guns of his right now.

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
MORDRED frowns when people decide to initiate conversation with clear threats, and raises his own blade in a clearly hostile stance. "Both of you, lower your weapons. I will not hesitate to kill whichever one of you dishonourable curs decides to kill the other." Yeah he's clearly including Ezio in that, not just for formality's sake apparently he doesn't think the response is appropriate. "Let's settle this like people, not beasts." He then bows, briefly, eyes still on both of them, and introduces himself to Grimm "I am Sir MORDRED, Knight Errant. Eldest son of the High King of Earth."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "...Grimm?!" Shirou DOES recognize him. The young man perks up, but seems uncertain as hell about Grimm's dark demeanor. And there's, well the issue about that katana. Shirou gently waves a hand. "Take it easy. We're just trying to figure out what's happening in this world. All the Undead."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Lezard looks mildly surprised as Ezio is not assaulted by what he expected to be assaulted by. "Hmm." He says, as he enters the library. The stain on the floor is noted, as is the lack of traffic in the dust on the floor. He hums. "It seems Undead generally hunger for souls more than knowledge." He comments.

He doesn't seem to care that Grimm has a blade to Ezio's throat. Maybe Grimm will slip. "The question is less 'what do we want' but 'what do you want', Mr. Grimm." Lezard states. "I am simply curious as to the nature of the affliction that pervades this land. This knowledge can benefit you, whatever your purpose may be."

Lyria Mason has posed:
Lyria Mason does notice Grim and she pauses for a moment at him. She lowers her weapons and tells her snake like drone to stand down.

"We're trying to figure out more about this place to be honest. I'm still alive so far as I know, it's good to see your still shio shape from the looks of thing. Yes what are you trying to do??"

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    For a moment. For a long, long, moment, Grimm holds his blade in place. And there's no missing Ezio has him by gun point, but he doesn't lower just yet, firing a sour look to MORDRED. "... What is this the fucking dark ages? No one talks like that anymore." There's a moment longer of hesitance, gaze hard. "I can die and I'll be just fine. How about you?" Asked, as though actually weighing the option. But eventually ee retracts the blade by a fraction. If Ezio indicates he'll do the same, then Awesome is slowly pulled back and slid back into its saya without so much a downward glance.

    "I'm guessing that mopey tool told you I came this way. Well? What does it look like happened. Humans afflicted with the Darksign died and died, and died again, and eventually went Hollow." Sneered as he turns back to the table where he was working before the group arrived. It's heaped with books. Most of them are old, some crumbling and wholly useless. He was researching, clearly from how he just tosses an old text on the table, half open. It's all terribly basic information on the Curse of Undeath, nothing the more informed wouldn't already know.

    "What do you think I want?" He pauses. "I want to not lose myself anymore than I already have."

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    Shit. He does have a point there, Ezio thinks to himself. He also grumbles under his breath for having missed the kid in the first place, but that can't be helped now. No point doing what Bartemelo would do either, as he lowers the SMG. "He's a knight, it cannot be helped." He shrugs a shoulder to Grimm, "I however am too busy to let death take me just yet." The assassin definitely knows the basic story by now, but the refresher is appreciated. As he glances around the room, Ezio begins to search some of the books for anything useful to read up on.

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
MORDRED lowers his blade when the others do. "If you have issues with my manner of speaking, ser. I would appreciate it you kept them to yourself. Honour matters to a true Knight, whether they were born in the fifth century or the fiftieth." He listens to the others talk, but otherwise makes no comment on anything that doesn't directly matter to him, content to listen.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Things finally calm down, and Shirou's able to relax a bit. His own blades stay lowered.

    "We've seen this curse before. Some of us have. That's why we're follwing. But it wasn't on Earth." Yeah he'll have to let Grimm figure that one out.

    "I'm Emiya Shirou. It was Grimm, right?"

Lezard Valeth has posed:
"Of course that happened. But why? The source of the curse can, perhaps, guide you to a way to resolve it." Lezard replies. He looks over the rotting and crumbling books with a frown. "Is there any lore remaining in this place? Surely not all of the documents are so poorly maintained."

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    For a moment. For a long, teeth-grinding, moment, Grimm looks as though he's been slammed with the mother of migraines. One hand reaching to cradle the side of his skull, upon mentions of knights and honor. Expression curling into a rictus grin before it stills and he takes a slow breath.

    "... Of course. Of course. ... A knight. I don't know where my manners went, sorry, but I'm not in much of a roleplay mood at the moment. I guess I can respect that, though." and then he answers Shirou, "Yeah. Grimm. Hardy. ... I think."

    Another breath and he's back to his prior surly self, motioning at the collected heap. "This was everything on the Darksign. Myths, legends, folk tales about Fire and dragons, and gods that are long gone, are all I can find here. No one's been here to take care of this place except Hollows, so you're looking at everything that hasn't fallen apart."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "My experience with the Darksign comes from a completely world. The situation might be different. But there it's caused by the dimming of a great flame that keeps humanity's dark side in check." An oversimplification on several levels, but who expects tons of magical intricacy from Shirou?

    "But it's way too early to say if the situation's the same here."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Lezard goes quiet as he hears about the efforts of Grimm's search. "This city seems to be quite large, Grimm. Perhaps there is a better-maintained store of information elsewhere? Did you gain any insights out of these scraps? The important thing is that we must locate some direction to take next, even if this place is no longer useful to us." Lezard, at least, tries to keep people on task.

Lyria Mason has posed:
Lyria Mason now gets an idea of what's up but how cxould she help wit that it might be better to seek out others she thinks for a moment. She gets the ide of the curse eveyr time they go? They come back but the price is a part of who they are, which means eventually they become mindless husks. She ponders on this and she pauses looking to Emiyra.

"Wait you seen this curse before?"

She muses a bit on what he's said.

"If you have experiance then we might want to tap any resources you have from that it might help."

She listens and gets the idea there ain't much left here to dig in to which leaves her wonder and several small spider drones break off the snake like one and go skittering into the libary to see what they might be able to find. Maybe somehow there's an intact terminal like that jet they found which was mostly intact.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou looks quickly at Lyria, balks a bit... then turns his gaze towards Lezard Valeth. "I don't understand half of it, but I bet the necromancer here does."

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    Insights. Insights insights... The Undead rubs at an eye with the heel of his palm as he turns to the book on the desk and flips a few pages. "Never held much belief in gods. If they existed they were gone way, way, back. But this says they tried to keep humans down, to keep the fire burning." Grunted as he staps the page. "But the location of the Flame was lost, and the Soul States fell completely to the Dark Sign. Everywhere else closed off the borders. ... That Flame is probably here on this continent somewhere. If it's even a thing."

    But then he shrugs. "This city is huge. There's probably somewhere that hasn't had Hollows tramping around making a mess and ripping pages apart because they feel like pretending to read."

Lyria Mason has posed:
Lyria Mason Says "STrange the gods of my world? Have of them died to make the world and ... us."

she notes saldky ane she woners the flame? Wait she'd seen something in the union's reports about osmething like this.

"I see Well we can make a search of it my dronesmight get lucky and find something."

Lezard Valeth has posed:
Lezard Valeth says, "As far as I can tell, we are safe... From the curse, at least." Lezard says. "Let me know if you develop a sudden insatiable hunger for the energies released by living beings upon death." Smarmy jerk.

He looks back to Grimm then, and nods. "There is no point in providing such reverence. If there is a god responsible, it has abandoned its purpose and deserves no such consideration. If we must locate the Flame in these Soul States to discover the nature of the curse that afflicts this land, then so be it."

He draws himself up. "I concur, Grimm. We will need to continue exploring so we can gain a lead.""

Project MORDRED (804) has posed:
MORDRED stares at Grimm for a good long while before saying coldly. "You are beneath contempt." The degree of distaste coming from him drips through every word, and he turns around with no apparent regard for Grimm beyond this, heading towards the library exit.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    With MORDRED stomping out, Shirou scratches the side of his head. "That guy... he's got no sympathy at all..." The amber-eyed youth just shakes his head and sighs a bit. But finds himself agreeing with Lezard Valeth. "Yeah. We'll have to look for this flame, see if the problem is the same one. or not."

Grimm Hardy (859) has posed:
    Off goes MORDRED and Grimm is holding his head again for a moment. Before the Undead just casually shrugs. He did apologize, he can't be faulted there. "Some knight you are." Hissed through teeth before he just moves right along rather than dwell on his contemptibility. "Whatever. The gods are gone and I have a flame to find." Grunted before wryly replying, "I need souls just as much as the next Undead. But I don't think I need to worry about getting fat. They're kind of insubstantial."

Ezio Auditore (825) has posed:
    Well that was /beyond rude./ Guess chivalry doesn't count as much as the history books made it seem like after all. "Chivalry." Tsh. Ezio rolls his eyes before he glances to Grimm. "Then we must find this flame, then. I suppose now, the studying begins." He says, before he begins to palm through the books available to read, the legible ones anyways.