5591/Wrench in the Works-4

Wrench in the Works-4
Date of Scene:	02 December 2017
Location:	Claslat <CL>
Synopsis:	The Elites discover the identity of Glocrim's saboteur, and piece together a motive from his handiwork.
Cast of Characters:	All-Seeing Eye, 1129, Kotone Yamakawa
Tinyplot:	Wrench in the Works

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All-Seeing Eye has posed:
CLASLATI REACHES - 10 HOURS OXYGEN REMAINING

     After some cajoling (some might say intimidation) from All-Seeing Eye, the tunnel dweller agreed to lead the Elites to a secret vats facility. This facility is believed to service the one known as Herald of the Black Engine-who may or may not be the saboteur they seek.

     The journey took nearly twelve hours. The Elites were subjected to winding, cramped hallways, perilous, rickety catwalks, massive lakes of industrial solvent and other hazards utterly inimical to organic life. Aside from the hurdles posed by the Great Maker's body, however, there was also the paranoia of the Claslati government, or at least its representative. Throughout the journey, All-Seeing Eye was constantly suspicious of Vladimir (the tunnel dweller), asking if their path was correct every hour on the hour.

     At last, they arrive. The cavern to which Vladimir leads the Elites is actually one of the best-illuminated they've seen so far. This is because a river of molten slag, perhaps a tributary of one of the earlier lakes, essentially cuts the cavern in two. The blazing river is quite the efficacious source of light.

     Across the river is a field of towering crystals. According to Vladimir, this field conceals the entrance to Herald's secret maintenance facility. Without flight or other abilities, the only way to get across the river is via a thick steel pipe which travels from one bank to the other. As Vladimir points out, the entrance is only visible within a few feet, due to refraction and reflection from the myriad crystal surfaces. It is as far as he's willing to go, however. Apparently, Herald of the Black Engine is something of a bogeyman for he and his commune. Once the Elites find the door, Vladimir is quick to head back in the opposite direction.

         ENTRANCE

     Aside from the concealment, the entrance to the secret facility is barred by what appears to be a security door of some sort. The door is made of featureless steel, several inches thick. A console on the right hand side of the door looks like the entry mechanism. The only other feature on its construction is a closed port near the top. A few feet away from the entrance, several crystals are cracked and scored, as if hit with some sort of energy weapon.

     The door won't open unless it's brute forced or tricked, and it's apparently got countermeasures for one or the other. The Elites will have to decide how to proceed, and quickly. After all, their findings here will be a moot point if those of them who need oxygen don't find a way back to civilization in time.

Miari (1129) has posed:
Miari is NOT terribly fond of the long pipe and the balancing act. She decides a better way to cross is by conjuring a cloud using her Sorcery, hopping up onto it, and kneeling as it carries her - and anyone else who'd like such a ride - across.

    Apart from that though, she's kept her voice down politely but been very quick to ask what various things they crossed WERE. Huge lakes of weird chemicals are a curiosity to her after all!

    As usual, she's masked her Essence with the aspect of the Solar Lawgivers, and has chosen to illuminate the path with her own Anima Banner of (fake) golden-orange sunlight.

    And Vladimir just up and leaves. "You happened to keep a map, yes?" She asks of Eye, without first saying whether she did so herself. It sure didn't LOOK like she did...

    But now, now she is faced with the big reinforced door... and looking hesitant. "... Shall I try interrogating its spirit? Or are they likely to be expecting that trick?"

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
So here she is still in the fepth of a world tht is very alien to her in many ways but in some? They remind her of home in troubling ways. So with Valdimiri leaind them along she keeps quite thinking and trying to take in details as they go along it doesn't take too long with all things are considered. She takers a look at the door for a moment.

"I could try to hack our way in but who knows given what we're dealing with I might not be the best suited for it."

She notes looks to Eye and then to Miari for a moment.

"We can co over my sensory inputs later if we have to."

She notes and he looks at the door.

"I would lean with the spirit actually you two know this better than I do, I can keep watch while you work though."

Kotone keeps herself focused for the moment as who knows what could happen here...

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
Ah, so Miari wants a map? Pity. Eye giggles. "A map would do us good only for so long, Miari!" The Exalt gives her a playful nudge on the shoulder, grinning. "I /did/ record our journey, as did Kotnoe--but in a few hours, the Great Maker's body might shift these passages and block our flight. We'll rely on our sensory data as a last resort. Some form of egress within Herald's complex would be optimal."

     Miari's tampering works... after a fashion. A musical chime plays, followed by a ding. The door slides open, and a female synthesized voice greets Miari and the others.

     Welcome, Blessed of Kadmek. Your presence has been announced to the Sodalts. Preparing pneumatic lift now.

     "...blessed of Kadmek?" Eye strokes his chin thoughtfully, stepping forward. It seems as though he's going to fall, but his foot is met by a platform which rises just as he does. That Exalted vision really comes in handy. "Perhaps there /is/ an Adamant caste. I know of no such caste bearing that sobriquet~!"          HIDDEN VATS COMPLEX

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5TUipBopgb0 )

     Yes! The door leads to an elevator, which takes the Elites several hundred miles underground. Exiting the elevator leads to... of all places, a shrine. Well, perhaps 'chapel' is more accurate.

     It is a circular chamber, with a large vaulted ceiling and an immense statue in the center. The walls and floor are made of polished metal, with eight rows of three crystal pews arranged in a circle around the statue. The statue depicts a large, metallic planet hovering over a smaller, vaguely humanoid mess of pipes, tubing, and broken glass. Eye can identify the figures as DOMADAMOD, a maintenance/survival god, and AUTOCHTHON. The chapel is oppressively quiet.

     There are four SLIDING DOORS (not including the elevator) positioned NORTH, EAST, WEST, and SOUTH.

     Each door has an Autochthonic glyph over it. The NORTH room bears a PURPLE, stylized EYE. The EAST room bears a GREEN WRENCH. The WEST room bears a WHITE FACE with a CRYSTAL upon the forehead. Finally, the SOUTH room bears a GREY TUBE hanging on... WIRES?

Miari (1129) has posed:
Miari's not sure what to make of the announcement. "Kadmek?" Or the fact that it's been reported to the Sodalts. Anything tht's been REPORTED, right now, is bad. But as far as she knows... this door was ripped off from some system far, far away and there's no way it can report ANYTHING to ANYONE the way it's saying...

    Once on the elevator though... she tidies up her Kimono... "If there IS such a thing, its secret existence is kept this way by eliminating anyone who learns it. We must be EXTREMELY cautious. It may even be best if it's kept to ourselves, for the safety of your superiors." Miari points out in a very strange, quiet tone while the journey commences.

    "It's better," She continues, "If this person turns out to not be a mythical Adamant Caste at all, but just someone trying to live the legend." ... and then, she's walking out towards the doors and slowly making her way through the cathedral... and eying the four doors. In order...

    "A spy room... a maintenance room... housing... and... what could that last one be? ... Medical? Is there a difference between medical and maintenance for a Champion?"

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone stands back and leaves Miari to do her work and they seem to find their way in she'll be on guard as they move in. She's wary of the horrors that could await them within as well. She looks at the chapel, she doe snot not know the deities picutred here but she does pay attention as she sees there are several directions in which to go. She'll look over to Miari for moment.

"Heh, medical and maitenance is the same thing for me givem my body's mostly a construct."

She notes as she nows thinks for a moment and nods to Miari.

"That could be a thing here. We won't find out if we don't move out I say we check out medical first."

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
Miari's rumination on the Adamant Caste's methodology earns a quick bob of Eye's head and a grin. "Certainly! For now, I need to determine whether this Herald has any ties to the sabotage of Glocrim, and the abduction of Brilliant and Luminous Innovator." He pauses, his lips curling into a thoughtful frown as the doors of the elevator open. "A way out certainly couldn't hurt, either~"

     Miari makes very accurate guesses as to the nature of each room. Eye places a hand upon her shoulder, stepping forth to congratulate her. "Your guesses are correct, Miari!" With his other hand, he turns and points to the south door. "Your mystery glyph is the symbol for cable cars. This place not only houses Vats, but a transit hub, as well! Perhaps even an operational one."

     Kotone's remark about maintenance and medicine being similar also seems to amuse him, as he nods with a quiet chuckle. "The same is true for us, dear. As the artificial life-forms here, you and I should investigate the vats. Miari, if there's something you could put that big, beautiful brain of yours to, I'd be ever so grateful~"

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
Eye and Kotone - EAST ROOM

     The door to the east room slides open with a gentle pneumatic hiss. It reveals a room so white it can only be described as 'sterile.' The walls, floors, and even the ceiling are shock white, enough so that any dust or dirt would strike a visible contrast. The other immediately noticeable thing about this room is that it is occupied by six people besides Eye and Kotone.

     Five humans in black leather lab coats, and dark red turtlenecks to guard against the cold. Each one has an oval cut amethyst embedded in their forehead. Four of the technicians salute Eye and Kotone. The fifth, a woman with short red hair, is occupied with the sixth person--who is visibly not human. This person floats, unconscious, in a large vat of green liquid. Unlike everyone else here, his skin is decidedly inhuman--though it's hard to tell from the green soup he's floating in, it looks to be claylike, and of an almost metallic bronze hue. Various, obvious cybernetic enhancements cover his body, and the gem in his head is a bright orange starburst reminiscent of the sun. A metallic ring encircles it, with jagged metal teeth that seem to close in on the gem.

     The vat in which he floats is one of only two in the complex.

     Along the south wall of this room, there are five examination tables bolted to the wall. Each one has a person-shaped indent, with ports spaced out at several points along the body. Beside each table is a metal cabinet, and atop each cabinet is a tray of surgical and mechanical tools alike. Each table also has several chemical reservoirs, holding both mundane and magical varieties for use in whatever procedures go on here. One of these tables has seen recent use, as the tools are slightly askew and flecked with some sort of luminous substance which is slowly evaporating. In addition, the ports upon the table still have traces of chemicals upon them.

     Next to the unoccupied vat is a black metal tank roughly half the height of the vats, with a person-sized hatch.

     The east wall has a sliding door, as well, marked with a glyph that resembles a bunk bed. Barracks for the human attendants, perhaps.

     "Greetings, Champions," says one of the researchers, a dark-skinned man with very close-cut hair. "How may we serve you?"

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
NORTH ROOM - Miari

     This room is similar to the chapel in that it is circular, but it is a good deal smaller. A metal chair with synthetic leather cushions and adjustable position sits in the center of a ring of monitors and speakers of various sizes. The ring is several monitors tall, to the point that the top row is tilted downwards so that the person in the seat can see them with greater ease. The speakers are all on, at once, as well.

     One of them is tuned to the Multiversal open radio frequency. The only reason one is able to determine this over the squawking, jumbled mishmash is because, naturally, there is an argument going on.

     The monitors play video feeds from a multitude of locations across the Eight nations. Several of them are tuned to major population centers, one of which Miari will recognize as Claslat's capital, the oddly small and contemplative city of Harmegis. Namely, the monitor is tapped into the closed-circuit camera which overlooks the very same apartment complex the Elites previously visited. Whoever Herald is, he was watching their investigation into Glocrim's sabotage...

     The only monitor that isn't playing video is on some sort of home screen. A small rack of crystals sits beneath the table that supports the various monitors and speakers. One such crystal is currently inserted into the home screen monitor. The options on the home screen translate roughly enough to give a basic idea of their function. Miari can stop the feeds (both audio and video), single out a specific one, or change which areas are being surveilled. Additionally... one of the options on the screen reads, roughly translated, 'Play Recording.'

Miari (1129) has posed:
A sudden hand on her shoulder brings a faint flush to Miari's face. Though, that might be the compliment. Her whole body shivers with delight at the praise!"Cable cars? Ahhh... that doesn't bode well for a great many what ifs, but..." At being directed thus, she sprouts a confident, beaming smile! "I do think that is the first genuine compliment I've received from you, Eye!"

    And it's easily enough to motivate her to march North.

    .... it would seem that, given the reception she receives on the broadband, she's quick to relish any praise!

    But moving onwards...

    "Oh my... you know you're dealing with Autochthon when it's Magitech everywhere!" Miari states to the empty chamber (hopefully empty) with almost childish delight. She gestures a few times and sends out streamers of sparkling light in different directions to illuminate dark corners and suspicious areas... and once she's confident there's nothing in here waiting to ambush her, goes and takes a look at the feeds. A whisper is given to something as she sits down... and a single eye pops open on the back of her neck. A tendril of flesh extends outwards and scans the room keeping a lookout.

    It seems that sneaking up on Miari would be very difficult, because she DOES have some sort of eyes on the back of her head... or something.

    It's bloody creepy, whatever the fleshy eye-stalk is.

    She seems used to it though, because she just seats herself and starts looking over the various feeds and crystals. "Hrrrrrrnhhh..." Most people from Creation wouldn't know WHAt to do here, but the technology is similar enough to the Solar works of the First Age that she quickly grasps the purpose of what's in front of her.

    As she scans through the displays, an ornate Orichalcum fountain pen whips out from a pocket along with a journal... and although she's not looking straight at it, she rapidly sketches down copies of the depicted scenes and scans through each area. Upon noticing the recording button however... she reaches out and pokes that!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa says "I guess you could call me one at this point."

She's takin it in good spirit though as she moves to join eye in chekcing out the Vault, the east room. She knows it could be anightmare show and tries to brace herself for it. She sees there are humans here they all have stones in their forheads and the last one is. She looks them over for a moment, she'snot sure what ot make of it but when they are greeted and not attacked? That is something she didn't expect also when she seems to be mistaken as a Champion of the Machine god more or less? She's going to run with it. She notices the alchemical is currently being owrked on and not awake at the moment. She'll look to Eye for a moment.

"Yes we are in some aid in seeking out information. We are hoping you could be of help."

She looks to All-Seeing Eye for a moment before she contiunes.

"We're looking into some trouble beyond and hoping to find some aid in comming to the truth of the matters."

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
NORTH ROOM - Miari

     Miari clicks the 'play recording' button.

     All of the audio broadcasts pause, and the crystal plugged into the monitor glows. The screen on the main monitor displays a green waveform that bounces and fluctuates in time with the recording. And what is the recording OF?

     Eye and Miari, discussing the Eye of Autochthon. Miari, mentioning that it was last known to be somewhere on Creation. Eye, stating it should be returned to Autochthon. The recording ends.

     The other recordings stored on memory crystals are largely basic information about the multiverse, save for a few. All of them detail Bloody Revelations' idea for a utopian underworld. Going by the dates on the recordings, the conversation between Eye and Miari is the most recent.

         EAST ROOM - Eye and Kotone

     "We stand ready to serve as always, Champions--but if it's information you want, might I suggest Herald's study?" The Sodalt points towards the door on the west end of the room--leading back into the chapel. Presumably, he means the west door, marked with the face and crystal. "His most recent findings are sure to be there."

     Another Sodalt speaks up, a woman with a blonde pixie cut who's a bit shorter than the man they've been speaking too. Probably younger, too. "We're almost done with Innovator," she says softly. "Um, if you'd like some upgrades, that is..."

     Eye perks noticeably. "Ah, Innovator! Yes, I can see that--I hardly recognized him with all the work you've done. There /is/ a matter we need to discuss with him. In private, if you don't mind?"

     "Of course," says the younger Sodalt. "Just a moment..."

     The four of them move in... an unsettling lockstep, as if their humanity subroutines were simply put on the backburner. They approach the fifth, and relay Eye's request. All five of them seem to enter a trance for a moment, and their hands move at lightning speed across various terminals on the surface of the vat container. Within a few minutes, the liquid drains completely, the glass retracts into the base, and the literally bronze-skinned Exalt regains his consciousness.

     Robes, similar in cut, if not in color, to those of a Buddhist monk erupt from his body to preserve his decency, and the Sodalts march single-file into the barracks.

Miari (1129) has posed:
This is a seriously troubling development. The Eye of Autochthon being a subject of interest is not at all odd to Miari... but the heavy emphasis on Bloody Revelations' strange goals... has her expression paling.

    The journal continues to be filled in at a furious rate. Different color inks and writing styles emerge for each of the identified actors. Bloody Revelations is crimson outlined in black for instance.

    Now incredibly concerned, she begins to rummage through the other surveilled location lists to see if there's anything correlating with these logs!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa lets Eye take lead after a moment she thinks they are lucky they have been able to work withthe Soldats without needing to get into a brawkl over it. With them leaving she'll watch a buit that mechanical like movement is something she herself can fall prey to and attempts to not fall into. Once they leave though she looks at the Soldats as they depar it's time to get some questioning in and she looks to Eye for a moment seemingly. The offer of upgrades was almost tempting but that can wait for a later time.

They seem to have hit some serious pay dirt here on thi though. She'll look to the Exalt she'll bow to them for a moment. "Greetings might we have a moment of your time there is some informtion we are searching for if it would not be too mucy trouble for you Brilliant and Luminous Innovator. Also forive me I am Kotone Yamakawa and this is All-Seeing Eye."

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
EAST ROOM - Eye and Kotone

     The bronze figure rises before Kotone and Eye with a lopsided smile. "I know who you are," he says warmly. "At least, I'm familiar with All-Seeing Eye. Pioneer of re-integration, hunter of heretics... hero of Project Horizon."

     The Soulsteel caste folds his arms behind his back, head angled slightly as if taking in Innovator from a different angle. "That mission was classified," he says with an air of being impressed. "Herald's intelligence network must be quite robust."

     "Indeed," says Innovator with a slight nod. He raises his arms to either side, looking left and right. "As are his accomodations! Not bad for a Caste that doesn't exist, eh, Yamakawa?" He chuckles. "I can see why the Sodalts thought you were one of us--you certainly look the part! I imagine you're looking for Herald, at the moment--"

     "We are," says Eye, interjecting. "He's committed acts of treason against god and state." The Soulsteel caste steps forward, and traces a finger down the cleft of Innovator's exposed pectorals. "You're... not going to impede our investigation, are you?"

     The other champion doesn't appear to be visibly moved by Eye's overtures. Instead, he wears a confused frown. "Treason?" He shakes his head. "No. Everything Herald has done, he's done to save Autochthon."

     "Hee. Darling, that's for me to judge! Now, where is he?"

     Again, Innovator shakes his head. "He knew you wouldn't understand. I didn't either, at first, until he enlightened me. He left me behind to do the same for you and your friends."

     All-Seeing Eye turns and looks at Kotone. His smile is... like a viper, closing in on some small, defenseless animal. "Listen to him!" He exclaims, with amused incredulity. "Enlighten us, dear--what did Herald tell you?"

     "Simple, Eye. Autochthonia can't survive. You've seen it. Eventually there will be no more souls left, but those that animate his Chosen. Instead of hoping for the Great Maker to survive, we should create a society that can live after his death. Imagine what we could accomplish if mortals didn't have to reincarnate! Herald had been planning this for years before Claslat pierced the Seal. With Bloody Revelations' necromancy and Autochthonia's technology, no one here or in Creation will ever have to suffer through mortality again!"

     Eye listens to this... and his first response is to eject a sharp soulsteel spike from the palm of his hand. "You are malfunctioning," he says. "You'll submit to reprogramming or recycling--" The Exalt, without looking at Innovator, attempts to jab the spike into his fellow Champion. His arm is stopped by an overhead block.

     The room is then filled with palpable silence.

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
NORTH ROOM - Miari

     Herald's surveillance network is vast. But, Miari is a skilled researcher, and if anyone is suited to unraveling this mystery, it's her. She finds a match--upon the day that Eye and Miari were talking about the Eye of Autochthon, Herald began to spy on Harmegis' market. It was there that he singled out an artist whose paintings were only visible in ultraviolet light, one Galina Koslov. Apparently, the portrait they'd found in Herald's apartment was purchased from this artist.

     It seems that Herald is very intent upon tracking down the Eye, as the only other surveillance feeds show references to Theomachracy sermons involving Autochthon's Great Geas upon the Jadeborn... and the Forgotten Ones, a possibly apocryphal race which was said to have sinned against him, only to be punished with destruction beneath his cold gaze.

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone finds this abit on the scary part though she's very glad Staren isn't here he might be won over by such a pitch. She listens keeping a decent look on her face but as the story is laid out she seems to fuinds ut more and she gets more and more troubked. Then comes eye's orders. This is Eye's world he knows it best he is an officer of the law here even if it is such a state. Given what she was trusted with she does not like the state but the only way for things to /ever/ let up is to find a way to save the primemordial. Who seemed like one of the only ones who is not a titantic asshole to mortals. She's at least able to see that though for the moment such thoughts are shunted away.

"Your not well."

She can tell that and an exalt going crackers is the stuff of nightmares even that grind on Eye's face which reminds her too much of the man who caused the death of her orginal body? Can shake that theidea of where this Exalt is going. She's armed with a few internal weapons but none of them lethal, it's also a good thing she has he Matter Maniplator at her hip. She can pull something heavier than her SMG out if it's needed.

"Look can you hear yourself talk? I'm very concerned ..."

Miari (1129) has posed:
Such ancient topics? Miari's eyes are a bit wide as she works to piece together the implications. It would make a lot more sense if she knew what was happening in the other room, but she doesn't...

    Nevertheless, she's developing a sinking feeling in her gut that an Infernal just shouldn't be capable of. A level of disgust, frustration, and multiple trains of thought screaming together that only she, with her immense reservoir of Past lives memories, can appreciate.

    The girl's teeth clench and grind. "I'll have to accelerate plans to entreat with the Jadeborn..." She murmurs disgustedly. She cannot have them sabotaged or turned against her plans!

    She quickly scribbles down everything though, and makes a quick dash for the exit! Since it sounds like things are getting crazy in the other room...

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
EAST ROOM - Eye and Kotone

     Eye had indeed given the order--if Innovator didn't comply within five seconds, Kotone was authorized to use lethal force. He counts down, facing Innovator. "Five, four, three..." On 'three," twin streaks of purple lightning blast from the Exalt's eyes, heading right for Innovator's forehead. They bounce harmlessly off of a lightscreen, which forms just in time to push All-Seeing Eye back.

     "Come on, Eye," says Innovator, a shimmering field of light surrounding him. "You're /famous/ for that routine."

     Eye flips his hair over his shoulder. "Can you blame a boy for trying?~"

     The bronze-skinned Champion sighs. "You two should've taken the upgrades," he says. "Now I have to kill you." With an ear-rending screech, the metal rings around Innovator's soulgem begin to spin, grinding off of one another. Sparks fly from this display, and even Kotone, the least magical being in the room, can feel the power that begins to gather. The shimmering forcefield remains, but it begins to fill with rust-colored smoke.

     Over but a few seconds, things take a turn. The field shatters in an explosive display. A ten-foot construct emerges. Kotone might get a look at its construction for a split second before sickly orange jets of plasma propel it towards Eye. All-Seeing Eye makes the beginnings of a backflip. He is tackled by the construct, which crashes through the west wall of the room and into the chapel.

         THE CHAPEL - Miari, All-Seeing Eye, Brilliant and Luminous Innovator

     'Getting crazy' is an understatement. Just as Miari turns and exits the surveillance room, she is treated to the sight of All-Seeing Eye skidding across the floor with a crash, snapping several pews in two. Shrapnel flies through the air as a hulking, ten-foot construct forces its way through a door far too small.

     The sorceress will have a few more seconds to observe it than Kotone did. It's construction is of orichalcum, but it's... wrong, somehow. Whereas her own anima makes the metal sour, the construct's... drains it, kills it. Tarnishes is, as if it were any other mortal metal left to rot in a forgotten tomb. Dozens of umbilical cords pulse and gyrate, pumping all manner of dark ichor to its synthetic musculature.

     From the construct's shoulder, a series of several metal tubes, bound together by a ring, rises. It points towards the prone Exalt, just recovering from being tackled by ten feet and SWLiHN knows how many pounds of decayed orichaclum. The tube-apparatus begins to spin, and Eye's whip cracks just in time to deflect thousands of rounds per minute of small, deadly metal projectiles, flying so quickly the sound is like a zipper traveling across threads.

     Yep--he's turned against them, all right.

(BGM: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5HPyjhq3ao )

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone Yamakawa ;waits for a moment as she looks at the other exalt for a moment she does not seem happy as the timer ticks down. She can feel the power she gets some disruptions with her interal HUD and she thinks back to her time helping the Dragon and Templar with issues in Kingsmouth. Could something have tainted this exalt akin to the Flith? Creation having an analog to that is the stuff of nightmares. She makes ready as the thing charges eye she gets a moment to see it, she'll save that image and she'll then move to attack. Kotone is fast, she's agile she's also double jumping as she'll attempt to come onthe thing from behind.

She moves she'll wait till she gets shot but what is simple munand material rounds against a twisted exalted? She does not know and she's now very glad she didn't take the upgrades, holy shit.

She'll take those shots the moment she gets it, and she muses she needs to get a close combat melee wepaon of some sort...

Miari (1129) has posed:
Miari's not ready for what she sees! That's supposed to be an Orichalcum Caste, but it looks nothing like she expected. She swoops out into the chamber just in time to see Eye getting his ass kicked and immediately glances around for Kotone...

    The Twilight Caste mark on her forehead shimmers into view, but it warps with a verdigris sheen... and darkness ripples and flows over her body as the rather costly disguise that marks her as a Solar Exalt is torn to ribbons by a sudden explosion of Primordial Essence. Brilliant and almost corrosive emerald light erupts from her body, surrounding a core aura of burning white energies that seem focused around the Third Eye that shines from an inner green flame upon her forehead.

    "I do not know what you are, but desecrating the Sun's holy metal this much is no simple matter."

    After casting an ugly and torn look at what's left of Innovator, she gestures broadly through the temple...

    All sorts of unnecessary fixtures like seating and loose odds and ends and even chunks of metal from the walls are torn free by a rippling force. Most of it's the wreckage of the pews, which heat themselves to a fierce glow through some unknown force and are TWISTED into spiraling, wicked-looking needles in a few seconds.

    They're tempered and sharpened all but instantly... and hurled through the air like javelins at the rogue Champion from virtually every direction!

    "Do not touch Eye!" She screams fervently the monstrosity's way.

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
Rusted sawblades sprout from Innovator's wrists, each one easily the size of a targe. They begin to spin rapidly as he uses them to deflect Miari's debris. Those sickly orange jets of plasma erupt once again, and the hulking monstrosity charges through Miari's projectiles. Straight towards her.

     Weaving in and out of the often dense projectiles doesn't entirely protect Innovator, and even his thick, decayed orichalcum plating doesn't prevent the most durable of improvised weapons from piercing him. With the screech of metal on metal, Innovator halts himself before Miari just as a shrapnel lance of her creation pierces his chest. An arm as thick as a steel girder raises up, and comes down, aiming to saw through the sorcerer.

     It's stopped by a length of steel cable, pulled taut. All-Seeing Eye sends a charge of electricity down the length of the cable, which surges into Innovator as he struggles to free his limb. Just as he gets some traction, Kotone's bullets rip through the umbilical cords.

     The servos holding that enormous arm up give out without a steady supply of lubricant. The limb falls uselessly as foul-smelling black ichor stains the metal floor of the chapel. The shoulder-mounted minigun tracks Kotone, attempting to cut her down, but her rapid, unpredictable acrobatics make her just as difficult to get to as Miari.

     As the minigun fires off its constant rapport, Innovator's good arm separates at the wrist, and launches off of his body with a loud crack. A jet of plasma erupts from the limb as it flies through the air, tracking All-Seeing Eye.

     The Exalt runs a complete circle around the room, somersaulting over one of Miari's flying pews just as Innovator's hand flies beneath him, attempting to catch him with its saw blade. Then, he gets the opportunity he needs. One of Kotone's bullets pierces a cable on his leg, bringing him to one knee. This leaves him wide open to several flying pews, which nail him to the ground like a butterfly on some collector's exhibit.

     Eye grins, running straight for the rogue Champion. Then, running /up/ him. Innovator's hand slices through his shoulder, and All-Seeing Eye's clothes are stained with a dark substance that seems to drink in the light around it. Despite this, he's still smiling. As he pushes off of Innovator, a steel cable flies from a port in his boot, and with a kick, he wraps it around the flying limb. Innovator's hand, sawblade still spinning, is swung around in a wild, wide arc, and only too late does the Orichalcum caste realize what's happening. The jet cuts off, but not in time to stop Brilliant and Luminous Innovator from being decapitated with his own sorcery.

Miari (1129) has posed:
Miari realizes a critical mistake a bit too late. In going wholehog on trying to bring down this THING, she's left herself wide open. The horror dawns as Innovator's twisted form zeroes in on her at lightning speeds. She's overextended herself!

    Her form wavers strangely, taking on a silvery and grainy sheen as a sharp yelp of panic's let out and she raises her arms in a vain hope to shield herself--

    But the strike never comes. And the moment she's given this brief respite... Miari sucks in a breath, gathers her spirit, and sort of...

    Sidesteps?

    It's pretty weird, all things considered. She seems to explode sideways into a million particles - grains of sand? - which reform halfway across the room as if she'd simply high-speed dashed and just came out of the motion.

    But this little flinching seems to have cost her most opportunity to help further. As she regains her wits... Miari blinks in a bit of awe at the close-quarters escapades and insane manuevering that she can hardly keep up with - even as her eyes flick back and forth tracking motions with FAIRLY good accuracy!

    And it all comes down to one last confusing series of motions and--

    THUMP. ... Down goes Innovator. She actually WINCES at the noise with much the reticence one might expect of a young woman of this age. Both her shoulders bunch up...

    A totally unnecessary breath is heaved out... and she breaks into a quick dash to fuss towards All-Seeing Eye!

    "O-oh! Marvelous manuevering! And very clever! But are you hurt?! What... what happend to him?!"

    All of the dignity, poise, and upright demeanor she usually tries to exude is completely crashed at the moment, and only a frantic and worried young woman's left in the midst of it!

Kotone Yamakawa has posed:
Kotone does not try to think very much about what's happrned here to this Exalt. She's more focused on stopping whatever it is along side Miari and Eye. There's not if any holding back on her part there's just something powerful here, but very, very wrong. She's not sitting still and pushing her body for all it's systems can give her. She doe snot like being shot even if she can take bullets better than she used to.

The two Exalt though are a fight ot be hold as she too scored several hits and that leaves the opening as the infested exalt is brought down hard. She shakes her head a this and she tilts her head.

"It's like he was subverted by something, likely those upgrades....we should go subude the soldats too before they do something else.Christ... Eye?! are you all right?!" She cringes but there's some sort of infestation going on here.

All-Seeing Eye has posed:
The rotten orichalcum exosuit sublimates, with none of Innovator's essence to keep it materialized. For a moment, his headless body is visible to Miari--his skin appears to have the consistency of clay, and the color of polished brass, complete with a metallic sheen. Then, that too melts away, into a pile of smoking sludge. Visible within this smoldering pile of slag are hunks of untarnished Orichalcum which once comprised the Exalt's charms.

     "Pity," Eye says on the matter of the deceased. The whip retracts into his leg now that there's no need for it anymore. He touches a hand to the wound caused by Innovator, wincing at the touch--it appears that he /is/ hurt, after all. The Champion kneels beside Innovator's remains and pockets the dead Exalt's soulgem. "I'd have much preferred to reprogram him."

     The fussing of Kotone and Miari does give him pause. Without looking up to face them, he waves the hand of his good arm dismissively. "Of course I'm hurt," he says with a scoff. "I have nerve endings just as the two of you do!" Rising from his position, he points to the room in the west. "Kotone, if you'd investigate Herald's... study, I'd be ever so thankful~"

     "What happened to Innovator is a matter you and I will discuss later, if by that time you haven't already deduced it." She is remarkably clever, and it's better that she hears his spin on things than discover the truth on her own. She seems to trust him, after all. "For now... could I once again make use of your talents? We'll want to get back to Claslat as soon as possible--see if you can get the cable car running!"

     As for him... those Sodalts should be reprogrammed and returned to the Eight Nations. And by the Eight Nations, he means Claslat. And by Sodalts, he means the Sodalts and any other able-bodied mortal in the barracks.