710/Welcome to Creepyville

Welcome to Creepyville
Date of Scene:	01 October 2014
Location:	Nyahmaas
Synopsis:	A distress signal is heard and help is sent to a town in the middle of nowhere. It is one of those 'everything is OK til you look at it and then get creeped out' situations that got worse after knowing what was going on.
Thanks to:	Shirou, and basically everyone else for showing up, but mostly Shorou because he was triple scening when this started.
Cast of Characters:	11, 27, 61, 178, Neuroi Girl, 541, 560

---

Marrik (541) has posed:
Well this place didn't seem so bad at a glance. Packed dirt roads give way to gravel, farms off in the hills; though they seem to lack signs of harvest or anything other than haphazard field work. Animals too seem scarce. Granted this might be due to the late hour, but no dogs, no horses, nothing out there. Any who approach the gate would see a thin bar pulled back on the sound of approach. Watchers at the nearest flanking towers readied what looked like wheel-lock rifles.

"Who's traipsing about this late at night?" The voice belonged to an older fellow dressed in studded leather and as he looked out his watery brown eyes looked dulled, either from stress or fatigue most likely.

The market surrounding the gate house bare. It seemed none called outside these walls home, leaving it empty.

Those that could feel magic would sense/smell something wrong here, though the gateman himself was clean the oily feel got worse in his direction. Anyone that could sense emotions would feel a great deal of fear, weariness, a little hostility, but mostly fear.

Noh (178) has posed:
    The ringing of a bell pre-ambles the whorling black and purple vortex that opens and drops out a small black girl, who lands, crouching, as she's dropped from the air. The portal closes, and noh stands, at first smiling! ... And then stops, and pauses, head tilting, eyes turning sharp, pupils doing that lizard-like dilate and narrow of any cat on the hunt. Something smelled off here... And the little dhampir knows it. She starts for the gate keeper, slowly, raising her hand in a hale- and speaks oddly. Well, no, it's translated, but there's something to it that just makes someone know that her words keep mincing between English, and some odd, old language that's nearly been forgotten.

    "Hale, and well met, good sir," purrs softly, easily, "You seem tired, might I interest you in a drink? I come because there was call for help... I wish to help." A smile. Yes, this little thing who looks like a malnourished street rat, and is barely as big as an adult woman, wishes to help.

Anivia (61) has posed:
Well, Horror and Terror were odd emotions that Anivia has not felt for a very long time. The strange Radio-Message over the Public-Broadband was certainly enough to catch Anivia's attention. The Cryophoenix goes where she is needed, and tonight it seems she's found a small break in her usual duties with the Runeterra Summoners, and her responsibilities to Ashe and the Kingdom of the Freljord. She had time to respond to a distress signal... especially one that sounded so cryptic.

Anivia was always an expert on magic, on her home world and Runeterra as well; she specialized in knowledge and investigations of the occult and magical nature. As a Phoenix, ageless and mostly immortal, she has spent literal centuries investigating and seeing some of the strangest and most frightening things that magic itself has to offer. She has developed quite a natural talent for it... which is why as she steps through the Portal, every sense in her frozen being was screaming that something felt horribly wrong.

Anivia the Cryophoenix steps through the Portal, crossing through... and instantly she gives a squawk of surprise, her head darting around rapidly as she takes in her every surroundings. Not only did things feel wrong... to Anivia it felt like she just got hit in the stomach. Being highly sensitive to magic tends to do that...

The call of the gatekeepers catches Anivia's attention, making the Phoenix shake her head and blink back up at the strange... smelly men in front of her. "I am Anivia, the Cryophoenix." She speaks in a clam reply, "A ally of the Union. We've come to rid you of your curse."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou emerges from the gate in a hurry. he's short of breath, having done plenty of running around, but it's the coordinates that worried him most, since he'd been somewhere near there recently. Though it's the mystical disruption that sets his nerves REALLY on edge.

    He's learned to heed these gut feelings in the Multiverse instead of passing them off as just a trick or something in the air. Particularly since the Kingsmouth incident... ewwww, that muck.

    "... What's with the air? It reeks..." After muttering this out, and noticing the gatekeeper having turned his attention on him, Shirou hrms? "I'm responding to a distress call from the broadband. Someone's asking for help saving people from a corrupt tree singer!" He has little idea what a tree singer is, but a town being preyed upon is not something he can ignore. "My name is Emiya Shirou... yeah, I'm with the Union too." With others arriving, he nods at them.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    It's a weird call to hear. But someone needs help, and Jono tends to go find people that need help and, well, go help them. Makes him feel better about himself. A little. And he needs all the help he can get. Oh but /this/ time, he's not alone. There's a tiny robot crouched on his shoulder, in black armor and a helmet that looks suspiciously reminiscent of a biker. And has a big giant (comparatively so, anyway) hammer over her shoulder!

    Jono heads for the nearest gathering of people, asking in his mental voice so thick with hic Cockney accent, "Did someone call for 'elp?" Yes, somehow a mental voice can have an accent. Mainly because his telepathic speech seems almost completely the same as verbal speech. Except, well... it's in the mind and not in the ears. Those who have barriers against telepathic reception may have varying degrees of trouble hearing him.

    "Name's... Jono. Or 'Chamber', if yer prefer," he offers. He just got that fancy new codename, and he's still trying to adjust to using it instead of his first name or his nickname. Old habits die hard, right? Pointing to the tiny armored girl robot on his shoulder, "This is Gabby."

    Her response! "Just show me who needs hit and I'll whack 'em so hard they'll need a passport to get back! Gaaaoooo!"

Marrik (541) has posed:
Non got the poor man's attention by more or less dropping out of thin air. He made a complex sign as one might cross themselves as he looked at this dark skinned woman. "Spirits and Life defend," he muttered darkly. "Knew you westerners had strange tricks but this. This." Noh and even anyone without enhanced senses could tell the poor man hasn't slept proper, or bathed either. Though whether that was normal or not remained to be seen. He swallowed, "Corruption miss?" He spoke weakly at first then something clicked behind his dull eyes, "Ain't ever been no corruption here!" He tried to muster anger and outrage at the insinuation, but it was at best halfhearted. "Ye think we be tainted just because we're out middle o' nowhere?" He looked back at the men behind him and shouted for the gates opened.

When they were slow to respond he growled a threat along the lines of burnt entrails and 'feed to the Great Bloody Wolf.' As the inner and outer gates were opened wide the man drew himself up and glowered at what he thought was the strangest of the group; Evangeline. "You outlanders come here at this forsaken hour thinking my town is Rotted? Well!" He motioned for everyone to enter. "In with you!"

From where the group stood there were lights and sounds in town proper; electric lamps lined the main street leading to the center of town, and though there is steady light from the meeting house the noise comes from elsewhere. Songs of glory and battle ring out drunkenly from the one inn/bar in this town and the place sounds packed to the gills. There were other lights on, but these were candle lights and any inside seemed little interested in company. Yet even in town there were no dogs, no cats not even near the inn.

Noh (178) has posed:
    Noh smiles warmly, in a disarming manner; the man is obviously scared, and there is something keeping him awake. "I do not think your town is rot, sir, I think I heard a call for help, and I would like to see what wrong," she purrs softly, passing a hand lazily in the air, and performing a bit of slight of hand- she suddenly has a can of cold soda in hand, and is offering it to him. "Please." KRRCHT-SHH! "Drink this, it will help you feel better. It is potion from my world, it heals." She smiles again- and then would hand him the Cure Drink (as one of her hidden bauble pins flashes.)

    Then she would turn to pass through the gates slowly; she will let everyone else go where they want, but her ears, her eyes, her MIND are active: She is LISTENING, with a capital LISTEN, her onw true skill. The fact that there are no animals about causes her to pause just past the gates, gto lit her head slightly, to close her eyes. She seems deep in thought...

    ... She is actually letting her inner Demon slip slightly ito control- something trackable by the fact that as her eye spen again they have gone from their normal vibrant green, to an almost glowing orange.

Anivia (61) has posed:
@emit
At a brief glance, this world would almost pass for normal. But Anivia was not looking at it in a brief glance, she wasn't even using her eyes anymore. She could feel something, something very wrong... some sort of corruption... even the ground itself felt tainted to walk on. What happened to this world?

The Cryophoenix blinks her glowing eyes several times, before the sudden voice of Noh who also steps through the portal snaps her from her trance. She almost forgot about the bloody Gatekeepers in all her magic-sensing...

The Cryophoenix only had a few moments to process the small dhampir's strange... use of the English language, before the portal springs to life and several other Union members step through the portal. Good, it seems Anivia wasn't the only one who responded to the Broadcast... she'll be happy to leave the Gatekeeper in their hands. Humans seem to enjoy talking to other humans more than to a giant glowing blue ice-bird.

But then something else catch's Anivia's attention the men at the gate. The Cryophoenix tilts her gaze back in their direction, focusing mostly at the firearms they had at their side. Their guns radiated some sort of dark energy. Not good.

The Cryophoenix's eyes narrow as she sighs, whispering silently so only her Union allies can hear her. "It seems whatever happened to this town has already taken hold of the people here. Do be careful. I will take to the skies and see if I can spot anything." Without paying the Guards much heed, the Cryophoenix turns and leaps into the sky with a beat of her frozen wings. Her magically driven avian-eyes quickly scan the city below from above, her excellent vision and unique attunement to magic hopefully allowing her to spot anything out of the ordinary, there must be a clue somewhere...

Trying to stay high over head, the Cryophoenix circles the city from above... though she seems to drift more and more towards the Inn. She could sense much corruption within... and the building was glowing with negative energy in the Cryophoenix's eyes.

With a flap of her wings, the Cryophoenix lands gently on the roof of the Inn. Anivia pauses and listens... trying to see if she could hear anything within with her powerful hearing.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    Jono just shrugs at the suddenly pissy guard. "'Ey. I jus' came 'ere 'coz I 'eard someone needed help," he states. "I 'ave no preconceived notions that anythin's goin' on." Then he enters along with the others. Gabby stays quiet for once. Maybe she's creeped out, who knows?

    Anivia's statement gives Jono an idea, and he gives a look to each of his allies. It's a long look, since he's trying to create a 'band' of some kind, one that they can 'talk' over mentally, and he needs to toss them the 'hook'. It doesn't feel weird at all. But after that, he's able to speak /only/ to those who accepted the 'hook'.

    And he does. "'Ey. Think it this way, mates." Pausing, giving anyone who was able/willing to accept the 'hook' time to adjust-- and himself time to discern if anyone hasn't got it-- he adds, "Oi. I'm not the only one who thinks this Whole thing smells like arse, am I?"

Metal Man (11) has posed:
Metal Man and another humanoid are here they are wearing cloaks the other is taller and seemingly built like a brick both move with purpose at this point and are keeping quite. Just what's up Metal turns his head to the guards shrugs and fall in with the others. His companion moves along but seems to bt taking in things with intrest...

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "...Er... yeah, what he said. geeze, if someone calls for help you answer." Shirou blurtsslightly put-off by the gatekeeper's demenaor. He's not sure what to expect of him, but... if the air's been smelling like that for this long, he'd be cranky too, probably. It's already making him a bit cranky!

    The telepathy takes him by surprise, but he does accept after a few moments to puzzle it out. "<...telepathy?! That's awesome. And it does reek. The air here smells rotten... even I can tell. It's coming from the central building?>"

Marrik (541) has posed:
The guard took the offered potion, mumbling a vague well wishing to Noh and flat out ignoring the strangeness of a giant bird the Guard just stood by, clutching at the potion he'd been given.

From up high Anivia would see not a lot of activity outside beyond the guards at the watch towers, and more than half of those just somehow felt wrong to her or anyone else sensitive to corruptive influences. There were others, but it was a dot here or there in a town of a couple thousand where the central building was a blaze of wrongness. Also the guards all have guns aimed at her. Not all of the guards are wrong feeling, but it doesn't take corruption to pull a trigger.

When the strangers pass the watch leader called for the gates to close before slumping to the floor. As he buried his head in his hands he knew what these people were here for, and even though he knew it had to be done in the deepest part of his heart he was worried these outlanders wouldn't be enough.

The town was quiet. No animal sounds and only a few people up other than the party going on at the bar. Seemed most people here went to bed with the sun.

Metal Man (11) has posed:
Metal Man had the sense ot hide his nature somewhat and hey he's had this darn cloak since the day he first woke up to the world. He's not lettin it go really he pauses for a moment looking about as he and his compaion boot up both motion and thermo senosrs trying to get any pings.

"Keep en eye out brother. We ... might have an issue here."

"I don't like this there's no wild life here."

the other rumbles slow and ponderously, one might almost hear a creek as he turns his hooded head about.

"No obvious wildlife, not even vermin...this is distressing brother."

"Ya, where humans go rats and roaches are sure to follow em. Hell Dogs and cats too."

"That is one habit I can respect."

"Unless it's Rush."

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    Jono can't really see any better than a normal human being, and couldn't smell anything at all. His statement of the place 'smelling like arse' was completely figurative. So he lets the others do that, and concentrates himself on watching the people for weirdness. People-watching is a wallflower's art, after all. And he notices the leader burying his head in his hands.

    Over that mental 'channel' he answers Shirou, "Not lit'rally on my part, mate. Sorry but I can't smell it. Can't do that anymore. But look at that bloke." Mental /point/ at the leader with his head in his hands. "What's 'is game?"

Noh (178) has posed:
    The orange-eyed demon is hunting; smelling, sensing. There is no scent trail of humans before sunset; they all stay in their homes. That is a big clue. But there's something more, there's something tangible there's something... something.

    Noh suddenly turns, looking over the buildings, and in the dim, to dull light, her face is barely visible, but oh her eyes how they spark like orange embers.

    And those embers lock upon the Townhouse, in the center of the village, and suddenly without a word to those around her, th small Dhampir is striding with purpose that way; the edges of her frame turning fuzzy in the darkness, as she passes through shadows, nearly becoming one with them.

    She's drawn to the feeling of.. of... Something. Something that wrinkles her lips over her fangs, and the closer she gets, puts a monsterous, inhuman look upon her features as by instinct she allocates her blood powers away from the glmaour that hides her pale, sickly, bony malnourished frame with a hale and healthy young woman's, and her claws and fangs become prominent, oh, the better to fight you with my dear..

    She stops just outside the central house.. and drops to a crouch, hand on the ground, and noselowered to the cracks of the shut doors..

Anivia (61) has posed:
From high above, the Cryophoenix felt a little more at ease... she always felt most comfortable far out of reach of the younger species.

From her perch on the Inn rooftop, Anivia continues to look around... simply listening and watching... waiting to see what would come next. It didn't escape her notice... that so many of the guard's guns where trained on her. The Phoenix had a few defensive spells already half-way-conjured and at the ready. But... she doubt it was just bullets these men were going to fire at her, their weapons had a dark energy around them... so the Cryophoenix will have to be extra careful.

As the Cryophoenix waits, she hops closer to the chimney-stacks of the Inn, hoping that the bricks from the old building, rotten as they were, would still be able to shade her from the gun-wielding guards.

Now slightly more comfortable, with less crosshairs on her tail feathers, the Cryophoenix blinks down at the town once more. The deafening silence was probably the worst part... she knew that everything felt off, that there was something very wrong, but waiting to find out what it is... made the Champion very uneasy.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "<Game? Oh... I guess he's acting a bit weird. You think the town's hiding this mess?>"

    Shirou is just too naive. Of COURSE they'd be hiding a mess like this. But for now, he's following his 'nose,' and wandering straight towards the central building. What else is he supposed to do, really?

    He does this until he spots the Robot Masters wandering enough, anyways. Cloaks or no cloaks, the way they move catches his attention. There's just something off about it, and it's worth a momentary glance! "hm?" No, focus on the mission!

    Towards the central building he heads!

Marrik (541) has posed:
As Non sniffed she could hear a masculine baritone voice that sounded at first smooth as silk with each word and grew course before smoothing out, "You are a curious one little one." The speaker sounded large, or at least attempted to. "As one who hunts to another. These My lands. My people." A soft click of a door being unlocked. "Come little hunter. It is my will alone that allowed you and your kin this far. Enter." A throaty chuckle. Noh could smell someone there, or at least having just left there, as the scent trail was fairly fresh. The presence of pawprints the size of dinner plates marring the simple rugs thrown about might dampen her enthusiasm though.

Anivia was relatively safe, other than the guns aimed at her anyway. Then again guns aimed at her meant guns not aimed at other people, so there was that going for her. Probably the most noteworthy conversation was from within one of the upper floor rooms she could hear voices.

"How much longer?" Male voice.

Female voice angrily hushed the first, "Soon. Just a little longer. Gotta make it look good or our Lord will be displeased." This seemed to make the owner of the first voice uncomfortable. "Easy love. Easy. Just a little more and maybe he'll let us leave."

Noh (178) has posed:
    Eyes widen- pupils dilate, slit, narrow, and then become pinpoint. The dhampir stiffens, as the several hundred years olf demon curdles a low half-whine, half growl, at the voice, the oh, so large voice, and then the the door opens, and oh, there. Even though 'no one is there', there are tracks, tracks sobig they dwarf her shaking hand as she lays it within what she can already tell is the mark of a wolf. Her gaze turns, and lifts, and the once-stoic huntress becomes a vision of forced calm; she's shivering visibly, but is forcing herself to stand. To smile.

    And to cross the threshhold of the building, speaking calmly in that tempered, english-and-ancient mixed tongue. "I would not dare poach the lands of Le Loup Garou... But you must know, of course, that, there are those who oppose your presence. Tell me.." She speaks to the supposedly empty building around her.

    "What is your price?"

Anivia (61) has posed:
The Cryophoenix closes her eyes as she begins to listen in to the whispering voices on the second floor. Well, it wasn't much... but it was a clue. Some sort of Dark Lord that was... waiting for something, no doubt involving the Union Champions who just entered the town. The Cryophoenix ponders silently to herself... her frozen tail feathers twitching slightly as she ponders. Seems that the town was far more active than she once thought, the town's people were all lying in wait.

Also not good.

Judging by the conversations, Anivia doubts that the Dark Lord that these villagers seem so afraid of wasn't in the Inn itself. She would have to search else where for more clues, but the Inn seems like mostly just a gathering spot for the corrupted villagers.

"I should check on the others..." Anivia mutters to herself as she turns to leave the Inn. She pauses, peaking briefly into a nearby window one last time to see if she could notice anything out of the ordinary... before leaping back into the skies once more, this time soaring back towards her Union allies.

It would put her mind at rest at least make sure the younger Champions here haven't gotten themselves into any trouble. If this Dark Lord wasn't bothering the Cryophoenix... he might be after someone else...

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    <<"'E knows more than 'e's sayin'. They all do. That guard back there... 'e went from bog-eyed ter 'avin' a bog on in nothin' flat at the word 'corruption',">> Jono sends. <<"I 'ope we rumble this quick, this whole place gives me the collywobbles.">>

    Notably, this communication is able to be heard by any of the Union Elites that would like to hear it. It's just being shielded against from anyone outside the group of Elites here.

    He's also started to wander around, to see what the others are up to. He can't fly, so he's not going to be able to follow Anivia. However, Shirou and Noh both seem to be heading for that central building(?), so he ambles that way, too, hands in his pockets.

Metal Man (11) has posed:
Metal Man Says "Wait you talking that in a prey sort of game like someone going hunting for Moose?"

Seriously that was an organic Metal could respect because those things were living tanks. He could beat one sure but he'd be hurt before it went down if he didn't get the drop on it. The Phoenix is eyed for a moment. Before he looks at Shirou ant tilts his head he says nothing this time. MEtal and the other Wily robot follow their hoods remain up for the moment.

Metal Man already has his weapons primed at this point just waiting to deploy them. He'll let the others do the talking. He does note to his companion.

"Rock would be stunned into silence at this."

"These humans are not of our world, they done us no wrong, to our kind."

The other notes back.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou's right behind Noh, pretty much. The boy's already aware something funny's going on! He walks up behind NOh, having just barely spotted her heading in..... "Man, I don't like this." His eyes are on the tracks. HUGE wolf prints. That's... NOT cool, at all. what could make prints that huge? It's not human!

    "<Check out the prints on the floor in here. They're from something BIG.. looks padded. A big dog?>"

    How could that be causing the rotton smell?

Marrik (541) has posed:
Again the throaty laugh from up ahead somewhere. "Price? For what little hunter do you want?" The silk turned sandpaper then back voice crooned. "These lands give little sport and less interest than those of your companions."

Another voice, male, spoke. "Easy now, is that a way to welcome outlanders to these lands?" As the throaty voice growled a wide and well muscled man walked down the stairs leading to the second floor. "Your interest, I take it, is in the broadcast our former and sadly recently departed postmaster had sent?" He might have looked native american but while a native american might have dark eyes, his was black from iris on out. Twin black orbs that felt, even to the mundane, to try pulling everything in, to devour, consume, Feed.

The black eyed man spread his arms wide and anyone even remotely sensitive could /feel/ corruption rolling off of him. "I grow tired of games. I grow weary of pretense and pretending. You have been called because I allowed a less than faithful servant to perform one final task for me." He inhaled deeply as he surveyed those gathered. "I must say he performed wonderfully." His stance widened and his posture shifted. "So with you assembled here in this place I have to ask. You have seen the poison of this land, the rot that has festered since the Ascension Wars. This land is sick. Its life fading. Your lands burst with Life. With Vitality."

His hungry black eyes flicked from one to the next on as far as he could see. "All I ask," never mind his tone practically Demanded, "is that I be allowed to work. To explore. Expand. Bring new Life to this place." Yet there was power being gathered. Rather than meekly asking the world for life this man ripped it away from anything he could get his metaphysical claws into and seemed to grow, fur covering his expanding body as everything but his tattered green robes shredded. His teeth grew and his features changed. Some might mistaken him for the so-called big foot.

Others would know his form as that of a Windigo.

"Stand with me Outlanders." The man's baritone dropped an octave and a half, "stand and Serve, or fall and wish you had."

Noh (178) has posed:
    Eyes remain wide, and the quivering, yet attemptive bravery is replaced by something more. Noh has never been to these lands, but she KNOWS what she's looking at when the Native man reveals his true face. She knows what she's looking at, because she knows so, so many things. And she knows that what she's looking at is not just a nameless, faceless evil but a hunger. Hunger that eats and destroyes. A hunger greater than even that of The Kindred, for at least Vampires do not destroy everything, leaving behind nothing.

    Noh and Kifa both speak as one: "... The Burning Hunger of the Wind," and Noh actually takes a step back, demon-eyes uncertain, before she frowns. N-No. No, she cannot, let, cowardice, run down her spine.

    "... Coyote spoke of you long ago, told your stories to my Father Anansi, he told us what you are, and what you do, and I cannot.. cannot allow you, to exist, Hungerer. You burn everthing to ashes, because you come and go and are quick. You sour lands, causing the dead to rise again, hungry for the flesh of the living. And when you have sucked it all dry, and everything is gone, you moveon... That.. is why, the People have left. You feed on them first, and because of that, they catch wind, they leave... And now you are after the humans.."

Anivia (61) has posed:
Anivia blinks several times as she hears Jonothon's words ringing in her head. She sometimes is still surprised by the feats of her fellow Union members. They certainly have their unique tricks... though it seems that this man was speaking in a strange code that the Cryophoenix has yet to decipher. Perhaps it was a code that the Union memorized before entering the town? Anivia really should pay more attention to the Union activity before a mission...

As Anivia soar's through the skies, returning to her allies... the so called Dark Lord emerges, revealing himself... but not to the Cryophoenix. Never the less, the second the strange being revealed himself... the Cryophoenix knew exactly where he was. The magical energy the dark figure was radiating was staggering, almost frightening to the Cryophoenix... but she couldn't leave such a creature with the younger races. A Phoenix's duty is never done... especially in the Multiverse.

Using her magical-attunement, Anivia swiftly spins around in mid-air with a small back flip, then dashes with previously unseen speed through the air straight for the source of the corruption.

Both Noh and the Dark Figure would both notice a rapid decrease in temperature as the Cryophoenix approaches.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    Shirou's pointing out the footprints gets Jono's attention. He's heading in then, and stands quiet as the man descends the stairs. He listens... and his eyes start to narrow as he starts with the 'stand with me' crap. He's already unbuttoning the heavy coat and pulling at the zipper near his face. He's left the wrappings at home; this is a legit uniform. It's not red and gold, no. It's pretty much a close-fitting black leather outfit with a very long neck that covers his face, and a zipper. He has a coat over that which provided a second layer to cover his missing mouth, a high collar that velcroed around the bottom of his face.

    Now? The coat's open, and the zipper's pulled down to about his chest. But it's not a normal body that's revealed. As soon as the zipper is pulled, what looks like staticky flame begins to escape. Until when the zipper's at his chest, his entire upper body is wreathed with it. "I don't do well wi' ultimatums, mate," Jono replies, this time so he can be heard normally.

    Belatedly he says in response to Shirou's question of whether it was a dog or not, his tone flat and unamused, "Nope. Not a dog. A right minger with a face like a busted arse."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou lays eyes upon the creature who approaches and addresses them all. His gut churns, and all his human instincts awaken at once and say FLEE. Flee or you'll be ripped apart and consumed. This loathsome presence can only belong to a monster humans should never approach.

    "Hgh--" And it wants to go somewhere else.

    "Don't kid with me... you're not asking anything, that's a demand." He blurts out, bravely, blood pumping hotly against his own cold fear.

    His body's all frozen up, but he commands it to move. If he can't move, he'll die. This creature means business. It means to feast, without limits.

    "A yeti...? No, your kind of hunger..." His instincts can almost feel the hunger in the air surrounding this creature.

    "...Trace, on." Faint traces of Magical Energy flow through the boy, bringing his body temperature a few degrees higher. Only a minor difference, but...

    With a small flash of golden light, a weapon's appeared in his hand. It's a rough-looking, somewhat oversized greatsword - one so large it's a wonder he's able to hold onto it properly. The hilt is almost a whole two to three feet long and made of some dark, obsidian-like material covered with glowing white cracks... apparently, the material of the blade itself, for a great curved edge, nearly as long as he is tall, sprouts forth from that. Said blade is glowing an ominous white. It's 'ominous' because the white is far from holy, but instead carries portents of destruction. This is a blade that cuts not for justice, but for war itself. It's practically demonic.

    "Is that what you're after, monster? More lands for more food? Everyone in town's scared... of YOU....!"

Metal Man (11) has posed:
Metal Man looks at them for a moment his optic narrowing for a moment and he says, "Unhuh and you killed a man to do what you wanted?"

Metal man pulls back his hood now, his helmet is clear the buzz saw on the forhead odd but his green oiptics have an intensity to them there's clearly something home his compnaion does the same and his head looks a bit like a log there's even a twig from one end. He seems to be mute for the moment but the cape vanish in a poof of light as does Metal Man.

"I am Wood Man, and you defile this place."

Metal Man meanwhile ads for a moment

"I only serve my self and the man that gave me life and soul...A Windigo?! Fraking Cannible!"

That's when the saw blade appear sin hand and it gets flying food man on the other hand summons what /seem/ to be leafs which fly right at the beast as well.

"...To think such myths are true."

Wood Man seems to be unhappy now.

"As I said you are a abberation a defilment to nature!"

This is a /robot/ saying that, that should say something.

Marrik (541) has posed:
the Windego grinned, revealing sharp yellow teeth before proving Noh's statement about his kind being fast true even here. Never mind if anyone weighed him it would likely be about a half ton of dense muscle or that he was tall enough he had to crouch to avoid hitting the ceiling. It charged, bellowing louder than a freight train at the rather underfed and undernourished looking Noh under the impression a tiny thing like her would only stand up to one such as himself if she had Power.

He moved fast and true. A mass of rage and hunger that could snap Noh up and never stop moving. Yet just before he could get to her he took am ice phoenix to the gut along with metal razor leaves AMD a sawblade to the rest of him. About the only reason he wasn't knocked into next month was his mass. That is a lot of angry furball to move.

Of course with everyone's attention on the Windego that left the other corrupted power freedom to act, and to-

HOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWL!

The long mournful cry sounded from above, possibly the rooftop, but more likely thy next floor up. That seemed to be a signal for spirits to rise. They were shades of who had already fallen bound and chained and drug through as they unwillingly followed the dire wolf as it entered head first from the ceiling, its open jaws attempting to catch Shirou's newly traced blade to wrench it out of the youth's hands.

Noh (178) has posed:
    Now, to say that her attention was distracted? Is a little true. When the great Hungerer charges for her, Noh reflexively closes her eyes, turns her head to brace for a painful impact, and waits to be shredded, or thrown into a wall or something worse. Because the Wendigo has one thing right- She has a power. Her power is in being durable enough to survive most things that she can at least manage to distract, if not escape.

    But nothing comes- the massive fright train of OW is stopped by Anivia, and Metal Man and Wood Man. And Noh's eyes crack open, and she turns to watch the creature of mass corruption as he's attacked.

    And then howl of thw wolf sends her spine shivering, and she claps her hands to her ears a moment, fangs clenching in her jaws, before her eyes flash open-- and Kifa takes over for the little dhampir. Answering the Chained Wolf's cry is a sudden explosion of shadows and dark energy-- and a lion's roar, as Noh's frame vaporizes and reappears into that of a demon lion, similarly bound in chains- Large, dagger-like fangs bared. The Lion is suddenly charging to get past the Wendigo, and up the stairs, in a lumbering run- and as soon as the Wolf's BODY is in sight, the Lion would leap-- Claws outstretched, and jaws aiming to bite.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    Suddenly it's an all-out war as a massive wolf joins the wendigo. As the thing tries to grab Shirou's blade, Jono moves to aid. "Gabby, concentrate on the other bloke!" She gave an affirmative sound, lifting up from his shoulder to head towards her target, howling her own diminutive but REALLY DAMN LOUD 'GAAAAAAOOOOOO!'.

    Jono fires a large blast of energy at the dire wolf's head, aiming for its mouth, trying to get it to back off, to let go of Shirou's weapon. It won't burn, but it will feel like the wolf has been hit by a truck with a very large rotary sander attached to the front, and extremely low-grit sandpaper loaded on the disc.

    Gabby pauses, and there's a flash of her Slipway. The hammer disappears, and the head of the hammer reappears, but attached to her hip. The front of it opens and missiles explode from it. Now they're not that big, given her size, but unlike Jono's energy, these DO set things of fire. Like... fur.

Anivia (61) has posed:
The Windego, perhaps not a term or a name that Anivia is falmiliar with herself, but she's faced many creatures simular to this beast before her. The Cryophoenix arrived thankfully just in time, to join in with some Robot Masters to knock the massive beast away from Noh as she takes care of the Dire-Wolf. Anivia trusts in her Union allies to take handle the other beast, she would help keep this brutish creature off their backs for now.

Anivia's massive frozen talons goes flying straight at the Windego's face, a shrill and impossibly loud bird-cry fills the air, echoing across every inch of the town. A flurry of beating frozen wings raking claws would show that Anivia was currently clawing at the large beast's face with her raptor-like talons, primarily aiming for his eyes.

Perhaps this wasn't the most Immortal-Elder-Mage like approach to fighting... but it's certainly a bird's approach... and hopefully with the combination of the Robot Master's added fire-power, it should prove more than enough for the beast.

In theory at least!

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "What--" Shirou's voice is choked and dry. The howl sent horrific shivers down his spine, enough to nearly paralyze him. Bad. VERY BAD. But thankfully the blade he wields is a bit more reactive than he is. As Shirou enters a complete blind panic, he nevertheless moves far faster and more skillfully than he should be able to do. Zantetsuken is grasped, but not wrenched, exactly. Instead, Shirou's arm moves with tremendous strength that isn't quite his own. using his arm as the fulcrum point for a great swing, he has gained a WOLF FLAIL.

    Of course, his only objective is to shake the wolf off and towards the ground... then proceed into a berserker flurry of slashes that Shirou himself cannot seem to take, for he's choking down agonized screams with each swing.

Marrik (541) has posed:
From outside the city gates another man sought entry. "Halt who goes th-" When the watchman saw the flames that were on place of the stranger's eyes he stepped back making a protective gesture once the gate was unlocked. He watched the stranger pull a staff from out of his sleeve and stepped past the gate house. The stranger's stance was wide and the runes on his staff glowed bright green. Villagers from the pub had by this point started marching to the hall building in response to the wolf's cry and stopped at the sight of this man only long enough for one to throw a knife at him.

Which promptly disintegrated.

Inside the hall both Chained Beasts collided after the wolf was hit by a telekinetic similar to the face and fell to the ground in a mass of biting, tearing, gnashing pain. For the moment the wolf's attention was held. The others had something approximating a fair fight.

Gabby's missiles streaked around Anivia to hit the windego's legs, causing it to bellow in rage. Such a tiny thing should make no difference to it! Power ran through it's veins. It should have been able to sweep these gnats away and crack their bones open as it pleased, but this stupid bird kept getting in it's way!

The chained spirits turned their attention from the fight and their suffering to something happening outside.

The Chained Wolf growled as it struggled against Noh, "YOU DARE TAKE WHAT IS MINE!?" From outside a thunderous drum sounded. The spirits started pulling against the chains that bound them, which seemed to constantly throw the wolf off. It seemed power ran both ways, what had been chained could affect what held those chains. It wasn't much, but it was constantly thrown just enough away from a killer strike, or into sharpened claws that whatever disadvantages Noh had merely made the fight 'slightly in her favor' instead of 'fenris wolf getting pinballed around like kitty's new toy.'

Except it isn't just cat and dog fighting. It's dog fighting cat and REALLY ANGRY PERSON WITH A WARGOD'S BLADE.

Both Wolf and Windego are learning a harsh truth. Power is meaningless when it cannot be used.

The ghosts finally wrench free and whether through residual connection to their captors or some other magic try wrapping the wolf's chains around its throat. All to the sound of the sound of god's own heartbeat outside

Noh (178) has posed:
    Bite, claw, snarp, swat. So goes the true fight of a lion against a wolf. Kifa the Demon is quite smaller than the Fenris; but small means nothing when one remembers that cats are known for speed, and being mean sons of bitches. As the wolf is yanked by the chains , spirits departing, the demon sees her chance:

    With a sudden snarl, she respons to the wolf's bellow in the telekinetic voice of a calm, but frigid creature: "They were never yours to claim to begin with." Nefore the cat draws back-- and then lnges in with saber-fangs and biting jaws for the back of the wolf's neck. If he is distracted, if he is weakened the result... Would be one wolf with a snaped neck.

Metal Man (11) has posed:
Metal Man is about redy to rip the Windego apart, seriously there's ethical, health and other reasons to /not/ seriously eat your own species. He doesn't say anything else as he moved about seeming unable to lose his balance. He watches as he hers something coming.

"...so heh Shade man's going to hate missing this."

MEtal Man does not seem too phased he's nothappy but there no horrof factor he's seen such powers before he's been her a long time and the blades had done their work.

"Heh the only thing tht could claim them is the thing that made their species."

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    It looks like those chains are being wrapped around the direwolf's neck by something. Something's happening. Something that's in their favor. "Give it all yer got, Gabby!" In response the Shinki Slipway flashes again, and one of those missile bays/hammer heads appears on each hip. And then her wolf's head pistol appears, floating next to her. One of the missile bays/hammer heads opens to fire missiles, while the other one launches itself completely off her hip like a bomb. To add to that, the wolf's head pistol opens its mechanical maw and begins launching fireballs. She's being quite literal about 'give it all you got'.

    Jono's not holding back either. With the wolf (possibly?) dealt with for now, he turns his attention on the wendigo. It's not a blast he fires at the one of views as the leader of all this. His eyes flash the same orange-red color as the outside of his energy, and he fires a sustained BEAM of it from his chest cavity. It's at least a literal ton of force. And he'll try to sustain that force against the wendigo.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou's going for an alternate route. As he reains his senses he loses his apparent berserker freny, and hesitates. This allows a strike to get past his guard and claw him across the shoulder. OW.

    That unnatural strength fades down to 'just enough to wield the weapon,' but this is still enough to contend with the beast and buy time for Noh to make her move.

    "Ow... dammit, this sword's just uncontrollable!" And where the HECK did such a whuge wolf come from?!

    Fangs and claws meet sword several times in quick succesion, and Shirou's begun sweating tremendously. His body can barely keep up after the initial flurry.

    But it's no good. Zantetsuken shatters during another exchange. In its place, Shirou summons a different weapon with a burst of light. Twin sizable daggers with a Mayan aesthetic, designed for hunting and bloodletting..!

Anivia (61) has posed:
The Damn Bird was a Damn Cryophoenix, and Anivia didn't seem like she was going anywhere! Her wings continue to beat in the air wildly, throwing a freezing wind and the occasional frozen feather around the room as the Phoenix keeps her talons locked tightly around the Windego's face. Though the Cryophoenix was more than just any bird with huge claws... she was also one of her world's most skillful and dangerous Cryo-Mage. The Cold might not be such a frightening weapon against the wendigo... but this was no ordinary cold.

Anivia focuses a great deal of her magic around the wendigo's head and throat, the air becoming so cold that the beast couldn't even draw breath. Slowly Anivia begins to try and turn the blood that runs in the beast's veins to ice... but, apparently, someone had a far quicker and FAR messier plan in mind.

A flash of light and a sudden burst of energy... and Anivia could have sworn that she just pissed off Luxanna Crownguard again, because the Cryophoenix could only give a panicked chirp and leap away from the creature just as a massive laser beam blasts across the room, engulfing most of the creature's upper body, just prior to where Anivia was seconds ago!

The Cryophoenix thankfully acted fast enough to get out of the way of the laser-beam, but not without singing her tail-feathers, literally, the tips of her tail feathers darkened, with small trails of smoke.

Anivia sends several angry squawks over at her Union Allies in her native Phoenix-Tongue, which really just sounds like a bunch of angry bird-calls, before the Phoenix hops off to preen herself and muttering something about Humans.

Marrik (541) has posed:
Last thoughts are supposed to be meaningful and deep. Last words profound:

Not "ahvoeobjdjvosalclv" and other assorted inarticulate noises poor wolf was making just before it's neck snapped.

Unfortunately it followed the 'shapeshifter assumes true form on death' rule and. Well. No clothes. Guy was pale, balding, little overweight, and thankfully dead.

Well not thankfully for him because his ghost was being ringed by a dozen others and they had chains that were good for beatings.

The Windego, on the other hand, had thoughts that went like this: 'These ants! Worms! They- They. YOU KILLED MY BROTHER YOU STUPID FILTHY. Oh that uh why did that not hurt?' He blinked before he started to shrivel back into the man he was. Unlike the wolf he really was what he had first seemed; dark tanned and in great physical shape. Unfortunately for him the ghosts didn't seem to care how in shape he was as there were plenty of beatings to hand out.

Outside the crowd saw their rulers of the past half year strung out on chains that had been used on those that had been consumed by their greed. "I know not all of you are well. These two have hurt you, done things to you, made you do things." His voice was magically augmented so all would hear him. "I do not come bringing judgement. I came, along with the others here, to help free you. Help draw the poison away so you can make this place your home again."

The crowd looked on skeptically, but with both Lord and Wolf in his hands non moved to strike him.

"I am not going to give ultimatums. I am simply stating what will be. Specialists will come. Aid will come. Many of you will be taken away for treatment. Others will come to try seeing what can be done to help this place.

He shook, trying to remain strong in the face of so many. Holding these spirits was taxing; though it was more because he was holding the dead at bay so the living could see.

"Go home. All of you. Go tend to your families. Rest. It is over."

Noh (178) has posed:
    The crunch over, the lion growls. For a moment, a very small one, the demon's baser instincts want to take over; for there is a dead human here and dead humans are considered food. But then the far more human girl still inside reminds the creature, that it is not yet allowed to play... and so, growling and snarling, the lion simply drops the limp corpse.. and backs away; shadows envelope her, and she returns to the small, childlike, innocent form of the Dhampir, eyesplacid, tired green, and frame still quivering a little. Noh stands, and, looking to the dead fenris, looks up to Shirou. "... Thank you," She says, softly, before she turns. ... The dhampir pauses, though. Turns back, walks over to the mutilated man, bows down, and moves a hand out to close his eyes, murmuring simply: "I do not envy you your council before Anubis to judge the weight of your soul." Before she stands up, and turns, walking away..

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
    Jono stops finally, seeing the tide of battle finally turning. And not wanting to kill the poor bastard as he seems to be turning into a human again. Besides, sustaining a blast like that is kind of dangerous, and he doesn't want to blow EVERYBODY up. He lets go of the blast, slumping tiredly. And he also looks up at the ice phoenix. "Sorry 'bout that," he calls up to her. "Still workin' on me aim."

    Excuse him, he's gonna go stagger back against a wall and flop down on his behind when conversation starts happening. He has no idea what's going on. Just that it appears to be over, at least for now. He doesn't pant or sweat, he can't do that anymore. He merely sits there, with his not-fire outlining him, his head down.

    Gabby sees the condition he's in and flies over to alight on his shoulder. Which ends in the notfire surrounding her too, and making her look quite a bit like her type's name-- 'Hellhound'.

    Looking up finally, once the talking stops, Jono sees Marrik. With ghosts. On chains. Like bloody Ghost Rider. And he decides to... just not ask. Instead? "'Ey." He sounds tired, even mentally. "Yer got this, mate? 'Cos if yer do, I need ter recharge." His notfire's unburning noticeably lower than usual...

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "....Urgh." Shirou... promptly collapses to his knees once it appears the fight really is over. Everything going on around him is one big blur of sounds and noise. He strained himself a lot producing Zantetsuken again, and it's knocked him for a loop. So much that he seems completely zoned out.

    Although, that might also be the sheer horror of what's been happening here wracking his imagination...

Marrik (541) has posed:
Marrik nodded to Jonothon. "Think so." He sounded stressed, likely due to keeping several hundred spooks spinning round like a tornado of pissed off spirits. "Just waiting for things to clear before letting these two go say hi to the masses." He reached into his left pants pocket and pulled out a small leather bag before tossing it to Jonothon. Inside was a stack of coins and several gemstones. "I'd have gotten here sooner if I could. Thank you."

He saw the robots and merely saluted them before tossing another money pouch their way. At the moment he didn't care about sides. They helped. That is enough. That should always be enough.