Scene #7164: Secundus: The First Lock

Owner	Pose
Arthur Lowell	There isn't much context for what's going on now, besides perhaps what little could be gleaned from the message referenced at +bbread 23/76. Perhaps one doesn't need a lot of context, and they can just jump in on the open invitation for a significant need for help in this endeavor. Arthur's plan for an expedition has specifically requested the help of individuals who can survive dangerous environments and potentially engage in dangerous combat -- thankfully, that encompasses most everyone. >Arthur: Return to us THE LAND OF SPIRES AND FROGS is active. Open, spinning its masses of churning machinery, it redirects and reflects huge volumes of energy from every spire to a single point, blasting a wide, intense beam of brilliant green light. It is firing directly through the largest Warpgate you've ever seen, a massive green spirograph suspended in space that thrums with the energy being poured into it. >Arthur: Request WHITE KING's scepter Arthur has specifically asked that Lezard lend him the scepter he took, just once. He has invited everyone to join him aboard an old decommissioned PROSPITAN WARSHIP, though he doesn't really intend to fly the thing through it. While they may be in space, various fancy technologies keep the air on the exposed deck a nice, wonderful density and temperature of "breathable", though the beam, hundreds of feet wide, searing the space just nearby, does heat it a tad. Arthur is fidgeting at the bow of the great golden ship, at the top deck. He grinds his teeth a little. One may have already been aboard, use one of Arthur's offered GATES to get aboard, or simply fly as they like. He has a large piece of old Veil-tech machinery, all weird metal blocks and strange tubes, on heavy, rugged wheels. It's marked, not with Skaianet's logos, but with his own distinct white spacey galactic eight-armed whorl symbol.
Lezard Valeth	Lezard Valeth arrives as one might expect, teleporting directly onto the deck. Any idiot could detect the massive energy spike in orbit with even their eyes, let alone attuned magical senses. "So, what think you, Lowell?" He asks as he steps over to watch the godling work his will. "Do you think you will be meeting your correspondent form in the next universe over, or would that be too much of a paradox? He does not seem the type to engage in the 'cool kid' aura you project."
Arthur Lowell	>Arthur: Explain "I think I met him before." Arthur says in some rather unnervingly calm tones, staring at the gnawing hole in space like he can't turn away. "It was a long time ago, though." He shakes his head a bit, getting out of the trance. "You got that Scepter, homeslice? I think I can lock on all the way if ya do."
Mauve Gauntlet	Mauve is here, tagging along with whoever might've offered to bring her...or hookshotting her way on. Possibly mid flight. And screaming. She looks at the massive hole in the sky with awe, and then the weird spiky planet thing. And this place was supposed to be full of 'things that didn't exist, or could've...also dangerous.' Fingers crossed her Duel Avatar stays intact in there. "Yeah, you mutter about 'time not being your thing a lot' and this other guy is a Time person...? Are you worried about it?"
Staren	They want people who can survive dangerous environments? Staren can do that. Staren arrives and strides up to Arthur, engaging in a hyperspeed fistbump macro programmed to match Arthur's minigame last time he saw it. He's added a white coat to his armor that looks appropriately sciencey. The visor on his helmet retracts and he looks between Arthur and Lezard as alternate copies are discussed. He was wondering the same thing. "I trust you, Arthur. But just what is the plan once we DO break through to this other universe, to this black tower? Is it just... a challenge to overcome, to prove we can? Or are you looking for something we can get from it?"
Arthur Lowell	>Arthur: Extrapolate on Time "Yeah, Time is my opposed aspect on the Aspect Wheel." Arthur says, making a circular motion with his hands. "It means I can do things time can't work with -- like gravity, even a time-stopped person is affected by that. But it also means I can't work with time stuff. That's why this is all so weird. Because I know it has something to do with time, but Space is..." He trails off. >Arthur: Extrapolate on Purpose "It's a present. To the multiverse, I mean. A gift, I'm hoping. If we can get through all the way to the tower, I think we'll be in a good spot to breach the Frontier. Trust me-- the Frontier is all about making sure everyone knows exactly what they're fighting over. Since, I mean," He shrugs sheepishly. "You've seen how shit's been lately. Gonna be a lot more fighting."
Lezard Valeth	Lezard produces said Scepter without much fanfare, which is probably a sign that the Sorceror is taking this somewhat seriously for a change despite his inherent tendency towards sass. "Use it in good health." He says, offering it over with probably the nicest thing Lezard has ever said directly to Lowell.
Sumiko	Mikoto lands on deck, staring up at litterally everything going on, but there is exactly ONE thing that interests her right now. That onyx tower was pretty sweet looking...maybe if she could get control over it she could have a gem based, uh base! This is perfect, well almost perfect. After all, it wasn't /jade/. "Sooo...after we're done, can I have the tower?
Lezard Valeth	"You don't want the Tower." Lezard says shortly to his associate in magical crime.
Sumiko	"Why mot? I mean, it's not emerald or jade. But Onyx is ok, if a bit dark. It'd be a great base!"
Arthur Lowell	>==> "Oh, I got a letter saying it's a shitty place to be. Probably not fun to live in, I dunno." Arthur mutters. "I'm not sure why /that's/ my beacon for getting there, really."
Mauve Gauntlet	"It's full of...Not-things, though, do you really want that in your base?"
Lezard Valeth	"Did you /read/ the letter that was involved in the invitation? The negative emotional associations, affinities, and projections would probably force you to become a Witch within a week." Lezard explains.
Sumiko	"Uh... OF COURSE I read it. I just forgot about that part, and it was written by someone who doesn't know how to get to the point and just wanted to pad their word count I bet!" Mikoto says, with slightly hurt pride.
Arthur Lowell	>Arthur: Take SCEPTER "Thanks, dawg." Arthur takes the Scepter, nodding and cracking a quick grin. "Cap! Take us in." He shouts back to the little Iguana that's at the wheel of the vessel, who begins lurching the vessel towards the great gate and the gnawing hole in space it's producing... >Arthur: Use ROYAL DERSE KEY on SCEPTER Arthur's Sylladex produces the mysterious ROYAL DERSE KEY that was acquired in the last venture into Secundus-like geometries. A scepter in one hand, and a key in the other, he gently inserts the key through the Skaia-like orb floating at the top, and into the head of the scepter, which abruptly opens, mechanically, to accept it. "That ought'a lock you on faster." >Arthur: Open Lock One They're right up next to the Gate. Arthur lifts the scepter, presses it up against the chasm in reality, and turns the heavy key with the noise of a million clocks and all their clockwork at once. The beam shuts off suddenly, as the Warpgate slams down to a smaller gap in reality -- one that doesn't so much fall into void as into an entirely unfamiliar form of space. Instead of a shining green, the gate has taken on a pale gray color, and it flickers unnervingly. Looking through it is like looking through the transparent part of a photo and seeing what's behind it. He pulls the scepter back and offers it back to Lezard. >Arthur: Enter Arthur gestures for the others to join him, and steps through.
Arthur Lowell	The group comes upon FIDGETING NULLBODY MAGES. The strange, inhuman beings are as blank as the underground city, but are twitching horribly. Turning on the group, they immediately rush, burning with a dozen exotic elements!
Karlan Nobles	Pramanix is here, too! She's not entirely sure how she got here considering the vague directions given by the invitation, but here she is. Exploring a weird place sounds right up her alley, and the first thing she sees when she catches up with the rest of the group is those strange fidgeting things. Would her divine powers even work here? Is there even enough atmosphere to generate the necessary snow and wind? Somehow, also yes! She starts ringing her bell, chanting her things, and offering generalized support from the rear while trying to get her bearings straight.
Mauve Gauntlet	Well, that was a mistake. Mauve put a bit too much into that last attack, causing a bit of an explosion and burning out her Duel Avatar. In a burst of rust-red voxels, there's now a very-exhausted looking 15 year-old Japanese girl kneeling on the ground where Mauve was. "Owww..." Aika says, falling backwards and lying on the ground for a bit. Probably won't be stuck like this for long given everyone topping off every time they change rooms, but /man/ that was dumb.
Arthur Lowell	As you pass into the final room, an UNKNOWN DERSE AGENT is sitting here, lounging on a concrete throne. The man is thin, a strange pale dark-gray instead of the pure black of normal carapacian Agents, and his carapace clicks strangely. He is dressed finely in familiar Session 412 attire -- mechanical, criminal, and at times exotically medieval, looking like the combination of a vicious beetle, a professional hitman, and a dangerous cultist. He stands when the group enters.
Sumiko	"So we're moving through here. Are you gona give us trouble?
Arthur Lowell	The man adjusts his suit and its occultic finery. "Get that shit out of here." He declares, gesturing to Arthur's cart, cracking his knuckles. "And leave."
Sumiko	Mikoto nods once, "Alright, well... I tried. Time to die!"
Staren	Someone's got here before them? Or did someone from the other side fight their way out? Staren walks into the room to confront... ... Staren holds a hand up and leans over to whisper to Arthur, "Do we know this guy?" And then Mikoto jumps to killing. "Woah, woah! Hang on, we can at least talk about this." Staren steps forward. "/Why/ should we not do this?"
Arthur Lowell	"The Queen's rules." The weird, strange Mister Gray speaks calmly, readying himself with small shifts in his soles. "Secundus belongs to her now. Nobody from your side touches it."
Staren	Staren shrugs. "Well, I can't argue with that. But, I also don't particularly /respect/ her authority. So, I guess it comes down to: Are you going to fight us over it?" Beat. Staren raises his arm and fires. "Eh, who'm I kidding. Of course you are or you wouldn't be here."
Mauve Gauntlet	Mauve crosses her arms, tilting her head in thought. "Oh." She then does a quick glance across the group and shrugs. "We're gonna touch it." She says, getting ready to rumble.
Arthur Lowell	"You leave or I kill you." Mister Gray says, placidly. "That's how my decisions work. I'm not bound to all the same ambiguities you are." One last little dramatic "pop" from his neck.
Sumiko	Mikoto's eyes narrow, a green glowing coming to them as a shadow falls over her face. "Nobody takes what I have claimed as mine. Not your queen, not you, not /ANYONE/!"
Lezard Valeth	Lezard simply shrugs at the assertion. "You are confident. Very well. Let us call your bluff and find if you are capable of backing up your words."
Arthur Lowell	Mister Gray is a whirlwind of high-velocity limbs and a pistol that emerges and retreats to a pocket at will. There is a shimmering red aura that flows around him. It pulses to the beat of a drum yet unknown. If one had to guess, it seems to be resonating with something.
Arthur Lowell	Mister Gray has stopped his whirlwind of violence for a moment. He winds up... standing there. Taking a chill smoke break. Each inhalation on the beat of that resonance. The wounds he's already inflicted bleed all the damage he needs. Except for Lezard. There's a moment where his eyes lock with the man; a brief surge of breath in his lungs. The Black Queen stares through Mister Gray. Her malice is so overwhelmingly intense that it has transformed from a feeling to a force; it makes a strong, but inadequate, effort to simply stop his heart. This man is channeling, not producing, the Resonance, but there might be something valuable in knowing the energies on the other side.
Lezard Valeth	Lezard is not prepared for being literally stared to death. He locks eyes with the creature, and he feels the power of a malice and hatred deeper than his own. It is a hate as pure as sunshine. A hate that can see for miles. The intensity of it roils through the Agent and crushes Lezard. For a moment, his engineered heart stops. Then it starts again, the crushing pain in his chest causing him to grasp at it with a disbelieving expression. Almost choking, he falls to a knee. "I cannot... accept this..." He groans. He did all he could to break off samples from the creature... And he also gained some insight as to the being and what he was doing. But for now... He cannot pass. He quickly weaves the magics to teleport him out of this place, sending him back to more familiar lands....
Arthur Lowell	The man is bloodied, bruised -- but still in motion. Blood drips from the spike, from a blender. His chitinous shell has cracked, spreading splinters. But his suit remains immaculate in several places. "This is certainly enough of this." Pounding Resonance surges. There is the sound like the footsteps of a giant. A massive blast of Red accompanies three pistol shots carefully calculated to make it impossible to continue the battle. And then he returns the pistol to its holster, walks to the Cart, and with a heavy kick, shoves it back down from where it came. Then he returns to the throne of sorts, and resumes sitting, content that they will not be able to do what they came to do. He watches each member of the party intently. His sharp eyes are all black, and make it nearly impossible to see exactly where they rest. Arthur moves to join Lezard in working on a teleport, and helping everyone get out.
Staren	Staren raises his forcefield and takes a defensive stance... and the pistol shoots neat little holes THROUGH the field and shatters the Varrick armor, cracks spiderwebbing through Staren's own armor and a few large shards of armor falling away, as Staren reels back from the force! "Ghk--!" "Red... combat resonance?" Beat. The red glow reflects in Staren's eyes. "We'll understand and master this phenomenon and make it work for us!" Optimism is met with smashing hit after smashing hit, shattering armor and breaking Staren's body. At least, in the exchange, Staren stabs the carapacian with an arm-mounted spike that comes out covered in blood right before the Agent sends him flying into a wall, where he lies crumpled in a corner rambling to himself. As the fight comes to an end he rises, though -- the body isn't actually disabled, though at this point another solid hit might well finish it off so he can't risk continuing to fight. With Lezard teleporting out of there, he's ready to run himself -- although he'll dare to grab and help carry those rendered less mobile.
Sumiko	Mikoto puts everything into a final shot. Maybe it was pointless, but they needed SOMETHING to take back. She feels the sword hit, see's the blood coat it. In her heart of hearts she wants to kill it. Unfortinately for her, she wasn't going to succeed. The gun points at her, eyes wide she can barely bring the sword around to block. The bullet tearing through her body not once, but multiple times. She falls, in a pool of her own blood. Groaning, she tries to desprately get back up...dark streaks in her soul gem as her desire turns into despration.
Mauve Gauntlet	Mauve is Trying. She already blew a hude load st the start and despite all her attempts at trying to pin this guy down, it doesn't change anything. the stronger people end up going down faster, too. ...What if /she's/ the last one standing? That Mirage guy kept talking about 'trying again' like a Time player, but- "Not if we're dead-!" Mauve shouts, finally unable to keep calm. Then, gunshots ring out, piercing Mauve's already rusting and voxel leaking body. Her Duel Avatar disables itself again, leaving behind a battered and bruised Aika.She scurries behind Lezard or Arthur, waiting for that teleport. Her eyes continue to stare at the Agent, watching him in case he decides that just beating the crap out of them wasn't enough of a lesson.