Event Log: End of Arc 2

[hadrielmods]

Who: All characters
What: The event log for the End of Arc 2
Where: All over the city
When: November 25th-December 12th
Warnings: A full-scale battle, including character death, NPC death, and various other ways to suffer

It was bound to happen. The Null warned you, after all, and this has been building for awhile - and now it's here. First comes the initial attack, the agents of the Null attacking Hope's temple. Then, an SOS, warning the city of what's happened: a betrayal, and Hope being injured. Luckily for everyone, thanks to the actions of his guards Hope survives the attack. Unluckily, his attacker, the goddess Delight, escapes and lets the Null in.

Flooding into the cave, the Null will attack anyone who they believe is resisting them. They'll destroy buildings and deploy dangerous crowd control weapons, in addition to their sheer strength and speed. Confusion empties the monsters in the tunnels into the city, to help distract the Null. Some gods fight, others provide safe havens, but everyone is in danger.

After about a week and a half of the attack, Fear summons enough power to teleport the city. This stops any new Null from arriving through the tunnels, but the remaining Null must be hunted down and destroyed, or else they'll signal their location to the rest of their species. The danger will lessen as Null are taken out, but things won't really be safe until Fear moves the city again, so don't get too comfortable.

What will you do? Run and hide? Fight? Help the fighters? Turn on the gods yourself? Whatever you do, it's time to make a decision.

► This log covers November 25th-December 12th.
► Feel free to make your own logs, as well
► Please tag headers of threads with content warnings where they apply
► Please put your character's name and open/closed in the subject line of your starters!
► If you get taken out by the Null, please let us know here.

Comments

HOPE'S TEMPLE

[hadrielmods]

[A thread for the attack on Hope's temple and the characters involved.]

[elegant_and_proud]

[Patience is a virtue. That statement has never been truer than in critical moments like these, where haste could turn a bad situation into an absolute disaster. She can't deny that she's shocked that Delight turned out to be the traitor, but traitors can come in all different shapes and sizes. A pleasant demeanour can hide ill intentions. Considering that she's been acting as a double agent to protect Hope for months now, she can't even be angry at Delight for all of this. But she does want to know why Delight would side with beings who would kill her or drain her, and she suspects the other gods will have plenty of questions to ask as well. It's why, while this strange weapon seems like the most obvious solution, it's not truly the best one. Delight needs to survive.

Fortunately, there's a chance Ikaruga's magic will be able to hurt her without killing her. Quite frankly, she'd rather rely on that than a weapon she knows nothing about anyhow. This weapon is a last resort.]

The Null's last public message will have given everyone a chance to prepare. Given how many members of the Guard pledged to oppose the Null, it would be foolish to assume Hope is unguarded, or that others are not hiding, ready to attack anyone who might harm him. I will guard the group to prevent attacks from behind.

[She can explain it all as a perfectly reasonable strategy, giving herself a valid excuse to hang back and watch rather than join in. She doesn't want her true intentions revealed until it's absolutely necessary. She needs to see what the Null have planned.]

Rey.

[circumitus]

[OOC: Top level for my separate starter things! Hit up my plotting comment or feel free to drop me a line personally if you have anything special you wanna do.]

Nov 30th; Abandoned Restaurant (OPEN)

[circumitus]

The best way to kill your enemy is to know them. This is something Rey has always believed. Despite all this time, there are still so many things they don't yet know about these enemies. Ignorance puts them at a disadvantage when the Null more about how to kill them than the other way around.

Granted, she was made to kill pieces of shit like these. Much like the synthetics of her world, the Null have been very quick to adapt to their situation and attackers. Guess that's to be expected, given the source of their intel was someone who has been around long enough to figure out how most of the people here work.

How ironic, to have been right and wrong at the same time. Rey had a strong feeling that it was one of the gods who conspired against their own. It made the most sense. She just had her instincts shifted in the wrong direction.

Delight.

The entrance to the restaurant, rigged with various explosives, erupts the second Rey enticed a mechanical humanoid her way. It would be pretty pissed, being shot at by the masergun of her world. Unlike the Null, hers were designed to pierce through more than just energy matter.

Dust plumes, covering the restaurant in a mist. Rey's third eyelids shut, shielding her vision from the debris and turning her eyes white. She sees the Null emerging from the dust seconds before it aims its own laser weapon at her.

Before the dust can clear, she takes a shot. Then five, all in the most likely vitals for a machine. Because she knows synthetics. Knows that their skulls are the least likely anatomy to house any important functions, save for maybe the memory core. In that way, Rey is similar. And yet she isn't.

The maser-shots sear through the steel surface like butter, cutting through the Null's stomach-shaped core; renders it plummeting to the ground. The walls of the restaurant shakes as it crumbles.

Sheathing her masergun into her hip holster, Rey sets up an open space for her to tear through the metal surface of the Null's chassis. She must have hit something vital. They can use that information to their advantage. Her hands heat up, turning from a pale shade with red glowing veins to black as her fingertips sharpen. The surface material covering her skin is enough to rip through metal, as the Salamander was made to.

What she pulls out is a cylindrical piece of equipment, still smoking from the searing hot charges shooting clean through the machine and its clockwork insides.

"Ninety-eight point two percent synthetic," Rey notes at the Null's corpse below her. "You bastards weren't kidding, weren't you?"

Terrence Ephemera/Sharkface

[requiemshark]

Patrol

[It happens suddenly. He's patrolling and absently checking the network when the message comes through.

They've been breached. Their defenders are down, unmoving. Drake is there.

Ephemera mutters a curse under his breath and starts running to the temple. He'll only slow down to eliminate the Null who get in his way, or to protect anyone who gets into trouble.]

Hacked

[There's an odd taste in his mouth. Like iron. Then a sharp, stabbing pain at the back of his skull.

Ephemera curses, jerking his helmet off and grabbing for his implants. It hurts. The skin is hot and angry.

He tastes blood in his mouth. Feels it in his throat. Hot and sour.

The hack takes less than ten seconds. The seizure takes a touch longer.

Kill them all.

There's an empty voice in his skull, echoing machinery. Blood in his teeth, dripping down his chin.

Ephemera doesn't put his helmet back on. He can't--

He can't move his body. It goes on without him. Checking the ammo in his pistol, the charge of his armor.

Approach him, and you'll get shot.]

Friendly Fire (closed to Kyna)

[It's hard to talk, to find the energy to string coherent words together. Make sense in the face of it. Ephemera breathes. Sometimes he just stops dead and twitches, understanding vaguely that his body is seizing - held upright and perfectly still by the armor lock - and more than once, he loses time. Doesn't remember what he did or why he's steadily losing ammo.

He aches all over. Can't see anything but blurs of color.

And the sour taste in his mouth won't go away.

Ephemera staggers, bracing himself against a pile of debris. Breathe, soldier. Stay in the moment.]

Clinic (closed to established CR)

[Ephemera doens't actually remember getting to the clinic. He remembers pain in the base of his skull and a sour taste in his mouth. Remembers breathing and feeling blood on his throat, metallic and sharp.

He wakes up slowly. Twitches his hands. Someone's gotten his armor off.

Everything hurts. His vision is a blur.

He groans. Puts his arm over his face.]

Ow. Am I dead?

Wildcard

[Hit me.]

Hacked (ambiguously near the end of the event)

[lifetothefullest]

[Everything is still a mess, but at least it's a hopefully dying down mess? Maybe 'dying' isn't the best descriptor to use, though, whether in a positive sense or not.

This is the sort of thing Lance is busy pondering, considering his current exhaustion and stress levels, but he's still careful to be aware of his surroundings and what's going on. Just because there are less Null now doesn't mean there are no Null.

But it isn't a Null that Lance encounters; it's Ephemera, which is a pleasant surprise, at least until Lance actually gets a look at his face. Then he's immediately concerned, approaching quickly.]

What happened; are you alright?

[Getting smacked in the mouth could be a very simple and easy explanation for the blood, but it could also be something a lot more serious.]

Malkus

[doctoral_bird]

(( Various threads and starters for Malkus Iverwelling shall occur here! If you’d like something more specific, or something that takes place in a specific setting, feel free to either PM me or toss me a Plurk! ))

Early Invasion

[doctoral_bird]

[ Agent of the Null. The lone, single agent, nearly dog piled by a relatively small number of temple guard. How he’d managed to leave that scene still eluded him. Hadn’t there been more! Malkus had seen them, taking their gifts just as he had! Betrayers. He could have guessed it would happen, but to leave him completely alone in his mission felt exceptionally insulting. Had they not wanted to go home? Were they not also victims of their confinement in this stone bubble of Hadriel? Was everyone in this damnable city out of their mind! How was he the only one willing to cast aside affability in favor of doing what had to be done? Why was he the only resident to shut out remorse and strive for this end? It burned him! Filled him with a palpable disdain!

He could feel the fumes rolling off of his body, sticking to his robes with their putrid stench. Burning monster blood, venom, and offal produced a noxious cloud that spread from his equipment. It was time he actually used his knowledge and experience to his advantage. Time for his months of work to bear fruit. But still... ]

This could have gone better. So much better!

[ Malkus admitted with a sharp yell, waving a dagger through the patch of mist produced by the hissing censers fashioned to his waist. Their acrid fumes threatened to dissolve the man’s lungs, were it not for his protective gear further aided by the blessing bestowed upon him. Why must Hope still be so aggravatingly alive? Getting to him would be nigh impossible now, especially once the rest of the guard had been alerted. All of this screamed shoddy planning! But what’s done is done, and now the siege had begun. Malkus walked amongst various swarms of Null, aiding them in slaughtering the droves of released monsters. Now this? Monsters? He pried his blade from a harpy’s corpse when he caught sight of another Hadriel resident. ]

Stay in one of your safe areas and this shall be done quick!

Michael Munroe | Closed

[aroundthecoroner]

[OOC: I'll be posting closed starters below for people I've made plans with. If you want to plan something, hit me up at leucrotta!]

Nov. 26-Dec. 4 | TEAM-UP THREAD | Closed to Law, Atem, Rosie

[aroundthecoroner]

[After the initial assault on the clinic, Michael figures the cat's out of the bag (or the monster's out of the... ethereal mindspace?) so he might as well put his unique "talent" to good use. The whole city's under attack, he can't afford to be cautious. (As if he's ever cautious.)

Reckless as he might be, Michael isn't stupid. He knows he only has the energy for one monster-releasing per day, and he knows he'll need someone to make sure he doesn't die in the process. For that he's recruited people he trusts- or at least people who maybe saw the Visitor in action and know what's up. Beggars can't be choosy.

He doesn't sleep nearly as much as he should, stealing catnaps in the relative safety of the hotsprings' temporary clinic before waking up to start the whole process over again. Which is where you'll find him, or more likely, he'll find you; he's too antsy to be patient. Whether you're resting or actively looking for him, Michael approaches, looking in serious need of some caffeine.]

Hey. You, uh, ready to get back out there?

Dr. Lance Sweets | Some OTA, some closed

[lifetothefullest]

[[ooc: Non-clinic specific stuff will be here; for clinic-related starters, they'll be here!]]

30th or 1st, streets [Closed to Kyna]

[lifetothefullest]

[To say that things are a bit chaotic is something of an understatement.

With the Clinic unusable he's considered going to one of the satellite locations, but honestly isn't sure he'd be all that helpful. He's not really a medical doctor, after all, and people aren't necessarily going to know where to go anyway; he'd therefore come to the conclusion that he's probably going to be more useful moving around, helping whoever he can and directing those he can't to the right place.

So that's why he's out in the streets at all, currently trying to avoid being noticed by any Null; it's easier said than done, but worth the effort. Apparently other people are also being careful, too, because it takes a little while before he actually spots someone, and longer to get close enough to talk without having to shout and therefore attract any unwanted attention.]

Kyna, hey, are you okay?

Delmar | Closed

[imhisaunt]

[OOC: Posting starters below]

Attacked | Closed to Julie | Nov 29th

[imhisaunt]

[The bunker was all set up now. Food, blankets, warmth. It's not much in the face of all this destruction, but its something. Still, Delmar worries that people might not be able to get to it safely. Not without help at least. What about the little ones? What about people who are unarmed? Or who have no experience fighting?

He can't stay put with such worries weighing so heavily on him. So when he can, Delmar tries to go on runs through the ruins of the town, searching for anyone who might need to get to safety.

But given he is an easy target, poorly armed, older, and still recovering from his illness it was only a matter of time before his luck ran out. In fact each time he goes outside the bunker he's mostly expecting to get taken down, just like he had been when he was a young man on the front. No thoughts of 'if,' but 'when.'

'When' comes on the 29th. A shock hits him square in the back, cabling electricity through his spine and his veins like spiders through webs. It freezes his lungs first, his muscles go taut,his eyesight goes dark, and then he hits the ground hard, unable even to try and catch himself.

Though his body convulses now and again with the static in his flesh, he's mostly unaware of himself and whats happening. The shock had blitzed his mind and thoughts and now the only things reaching him through the haze were threads of vague sounds in the distance or an odd awareness of something cold, probably the earth, beneath him.]

Ikaruga

[elegant_and_proud]

(ooc: Top level goes here, will post starters - some open, some for people I have plans with. My plotting comment is here if you have something specific in mind that we haven't already discussed. Otherwise, tag into something open! She'll be staying around Hope's temple for the most part to protect him and will only leave for rest/food when she thinks Hope is being sufficiently guarded.)

25th - Hope's temple - open to all characters who show up in response to the SOS

[elegant_and_proud]

(Takes place just after this thread and Henry's SOS over the network]

[There's something satisfying about knowing that keeping up with her training hasn't been for naught. She's gone toe to toe with a goddess, and one acknowledged as one of the strongest in battle of those here. Where she's mentally kicking herself is in not establishing some sort of signal to Hope to stay inside his temple and hide, and for not reacting quickly enough to stop Delight from damaging Hope. She regrets not intervening a little faster to save those guarding the temple. Those are mistakes she'll have to learn from, provided Hope survives.

At least she's learned her magic is effective. Being able to cut magical energy means being able to cut Delight, no matter what form she takes. And with her ability to sense magic, Ikaruga has committed Delight's energy signature to memory.

Now that others have arrived, she's tempted to track Delight down and continue their fight. Ultimately, defending Hope is more important. For now that Delight's retreated, there's an onslaught of Null headed their way.]

So those are Null.

[She remarks to the person nearest.]

I look forward to filling the city with their metallic carcasses together.

irisviel, ota

[ritualized]

((plotting comment. plenty of room for more stuff, so i'm just doing early event starters!))

i. 25th; outside the clinic;

[The Null haven't made her yet; she'd backed off too early when warned on the network. This seems like a betrayal, now that there's so much destruction so quickly around them, but at least it gives her freer movement around the streets. Unimpeded, she can run quickly between one cluster of buildings and the next, covering approximately the distance between the coliseum and the bridge by Confusion's temple when she makes her rounds.

It will only be a few hours before she's forced into violence. If that, so this freedom has to be made the most of.

Anyone who's nearby but in a similar situation (not in the line of fire yet, outdoors, maybe hiding or trying to avoid the Null) will catch her attention, and she'll close the distance quickly, body low to the ground.]

Quickly, now. We can't waste any time. It'll be easier to catch our bearings. [The back of the hand she offers is burned in an odd pattern, clearly pained, but otherwise unmarked. Something was there recently. It's gone now.]

ii. 28th - 30th; streets;

[The Null have definitely noticed her by now, and they aren't yielding easily.

Irisviel is currently heading off against one of the new, experimental bipedal machines, taking advantage of the decreased balance two limes provide to try and keep it down. One hand holds control of a massive silver wolf as it tears at the machine, magic frothing from its mouth. The other holds the approximately two hundred silver wires it took her to bring the Null down in the first place, trying to keep it strung to the ground.

Controlling both is clearly an exertion. Her heels dig tracks into the ground beneath her, and she slips against any solid object within reach in an attempt to get more leverage. The wolf should be able to incapacitate the machine in time, as long as it isn't destroyed before then, but someone else could always join the fight...

Help the homunculus and her dog? > Y / > N]

iii. ~ 2nd; shops, indoors;

[Alchemy is expensive, and too many of the buildings in town are already under siege or burned entirely. The energy it's draining from her is unsustainable, and she'll have to rethink her plan of attack if she hopes to keep fighting.

She breaks into the closed-down shop and pulls what appears to be a shelving unit in front of the door, forming a makeshift and admittedly flimsy barrier. Hopefully, it'll buy her enough time to do what she has to do. Her normally-pristine silver hair is singed, and her clothes are streaked with gray-brown and pink from dirt and diluted blood. Without pausing to catch her breath, she moves around the perimeter of the building, pausing to place her palm against the wall and murmuring under her breath every now and then.

Maybe there's someone in here she forgot to find while she was casing the place. Maybe someone's trying to get in while she checks the walls out. Either way, the building isn't totally sealed yet, and this is at least one place in the downtown area that hasn't been razed yet.]

iv. wildcard;

[Whatever you've got.]

ii

[bythewaves]

Gurth an Glamhoth!

[ Maglor ignores the wolf and girl to go for the machine, elven-blade that was forged to pierce dragon-scales going through Null-armor with only token resistance. It's harder now, than when they started, the armor thicker. But Maglor has been learning too, the weak points in armor, where they keep what passes for brains. With Irisviel holding it down and the wolf tearing it apart, a second set of hands can find the CPU and destroy it very quickly.

He turns to her panting and breathless ]

Are you well?

Trafalgar Law - OPEN mostly

[hot_mes]

Phase 1, Nov. 25-30

[Upon seeing the SOS, Law moves immediately, grabbing his sword and rushing out of the clinic. Of course it was one of the gods, but that one in particular, he didn't expect. Before he can get anywhere near Hope's temple, though, there is a brush of alarm in his head, his haki pinging at a sense of movement coming from the outskirts of the cavern toward them. He can't feel a life force in them, that's going to be a problem. The Room is up instantly, anyone near the clinic, coliseum, and residences will see the blue bubble indicating just where Trafalgar Law is fighting.

On any of these days, Law is never in one place for too long, because where he goes he draws attention. He's a wanted man (no big deal), but it means fighting his way through to get anywhere - the clinic, the refuges, shops, homes. Team up with him, get yelled at, take his place so he can rest, get rescued and teleported to a safehouse, or get some emergency surgery in the field. Maybe more than one at once!

And heaven help you if you're on Delight's side...

(Side note: during these days he will not have a heart in his chest, which is only something that can be seen up close if his shirt exposes the square hole.)]

Phase 2 - Nov. 30, semi-closed to Phantom Thieves (Yusuke, Akira)

[It's clear that the Null have identified important locations and are swarming on them. Law hasn't been in the clinic much but he's always nearby, so that if his expertise is needed he's not more than a quick Shambles away. So, he's the one who spots the lumbering robots placing a large cylinder alongside the wall opposite the heavily-guarded door and then retreating. Whatever it is, it can't be good.

He's tempted to simply launch a slash at it from where he is, but in his experience, bombs tend to explode even if you cut them, and that close to the wall...that could be bad. He brings up a Room and then uses Takt to throw the cylinder a good hundred feet before swinging his sword and cutting it in half. The explosion rocks everything in the area, but at least there's no brain melting.

It isn't long before Law spots them trying again with another one - and this time, not leaving it unguarded. He sends a quick message on the phone, and then contemplates the smartest next move. Can he distract the Null long enough to let someone get in there and move it? They could bring it to Alphys. When someone responds to his call, that's going to be the plan.]

Phase 3 - Dec. 1-5

[They just. Keep. Coming. Law has never had to fight like this - hours a day, every day for over a week now. More and more often he has to demand that someone with a weapon or a power fight for him so he can rest, trying to regain stamina, and he can no longer keep his heart somewhere safe - he needs to be at full strength at all times. He can't keep using the Ope-Ope Fruit for extended periods, but he still needs it - his crowd-clearing moves, dissecting Null for their processors, and the most desperate medical techniques require it. The same options apply here: fight alongside him, fight for him so he can rest, get rescued or get healing, but also, force him to go to the firehouse or the hot springs to get rest, guard him so he can pull out a finishing move, talk to him about who's already dead and how they're going to survive this. He will be making Fear and Rage's temples his priority to protect, and make his way toward Hope's on the 5th to fight in the final battle.]

Phase 4 - Dec. 6-10

[After Fear's address, Law will make a point of going through the cavern systematically destroying everything with a functioning processor. He'll leave it to others with the physical strength to drag machine carcasses out to the caves while he disables Null. At least the mayhem is no longer so imminent, there are periods in which people can force him to go get some rest. He can also take the time to stitch, patch, and otherwise do his doctoring as needed. Anyone who comes back wrong, physically, might be able to hit him up for healing if it's within his ability. If not, well, he'll sympathize.

He'll also be looking out for newcomers on the 10th but that's another story for another log.]

[ooc: further information on what he'll do to fight and what he can do for others is here - with a link to his permissions]

Dec. 3rd;

[circumitus]

On the other hand, Rey is used to fighting for days. After all, you don't get much reprieve in the middle of a combat zone.

Not that she needs it much. There are the occasional threats of overcharging, but for the most part she calculates her limits accordingly. Some of their shots had either pierced through her or grazed the black layer coating her body, but she's given herself a chance in between to heal. Simple, non-fatal wounds don't take long to mend. Even Rey has her limits, however.

As one machine had been scaling the walls and rooftops of buildings, homing in on Law, the black figure hurls herself from one rooftop to another. Her heavy footfalls pound the surface before she launches herself towards the Null plunging towards Law. It spins, losing its target and instead aims to pierce a sharp, needle-like limb through its new subject. Rey is whipped back, and then reeled along with the crumbling machine, dragging across the city street. She's attached to it, not much unlike a harpoon, preventing her from escape or retaliation when the slender Null raises another sharp limb overhead.

And then something inside it explodes. The processor inside of it overheats, rendering the Null an immobile husk.

Once Rey figured out that that was ultimately their 'heart', she began to try out multiple strategies similar to this one. It's been pretty effective so far.

kate galloway. closed.

[dedikated]

one/ 'cause the truth is, i'm about to lose it
↪ investigating delight's temple, closed to chris

( It plays on her mind from the moment Delight's betrayal is broadcast for them all to see:

Why was she offered sanctuary? Had Delight truly intended on keeping her safe? Was it all a plot to have a target in a nice, easy to find location?

And, more importantly: what did they miss? Were there things there which they could use against The Null there?

Kate finds herself turning up there after hours of fighting, muscles burning and too many knives used in order to end up here. Where it is all too quiet. Silent, lulling her with an urge to stay here, stay safe. Kate screws up her face and shakes her head, trying to push past the desires and focus on the temple itself. What she can find.

… And what she finds is - )

You see it coming?

( Chris.

And yes, she's asking that question so she feels like less of an idiot for trusting the goddess. )

two/ don't think i can do this if i'm not with you
↪ fighting time, closed to ignis and carlisle

( The attacks are hard: hard to fight, hard to resist. The Null adapt like nothing Kate's ever seen before, and she's always hated fighting underground. With all this destruction, the city feels more reminiscent of everything she tried to leave in the past than it ever has before. Crumbled buildings and bodies - too many bodies. She's already seen Henry's demise on the network, watched Glacius lose his arm, already lost the clinic. But this time, she - they're all - the creatures underground, feared for the power they have (the power of the gods, the power to feed those gods) and they're the ones being hunted.

The longer this goes, the easier it is to sink into old habits. Each day that passes is a blur of scavenging whatever pieces of food she can use to keep her energy up, too wired by the threat to catch any substantial amount of sleep. Old habits, the overworking of The Agency's staff the further Rosenberg's madness took hold. They're the things which keep her working, moving.

What keeps her fighting is the flashes of the clinic blowing up, of Glacius' arm being torn off. The echo of Henry's voice and the knowledge that there are still so many people here she refuses to lose, to see hurt.

She's had enough of that.

For once, instead of her bow and arrows - she ran out of the latter a couple of days ago - she has a quarterstaff in hand, striking supernaturally fast and strong at a quick little robot that tries to get in her way. Her movements are nowhere near as fluid with the staff as they are with knives, but the weight and the shape are a comfort.

It almost feels like Faith's here with her when she uses one, as though she can feel the white noise in the back of her mind signalling the presence of her best friend. They promised to defend this city, to defend the gods and give them their lives back.

She knows well what Faith would say about Delight's betrayal: it's just one of them. That doesn't mean we should turn our back on the others. But Kate's stomach churns anyway. If Delight, who she'd always been so convinced of, was capable of deceiving them all like this, what does that say about the others? What does that say about her judgement of the situation?

Old habits. Easier not to trust at all.

But that'll have to wait until there aren't Null coming for her head and the heads of her friends here. Right now, Kate's mind and body are focused on shifting from the spasming body of the thing that tried to nip at her to a familiar flash of hair, where there's way too many Null for her own comfort.

Hey, Ignis. Long time no see. Enjoy the crack of a staff over the head of some bot trying for your left. )

Need a hand?

one!

[thechoiceisyours]

[Ever since everything started, Chris has been trying to convince himself to leave the temple. He's--probably unsurprisingly--really upset by the turn of events, feeling more than a little betrayed, and yet the pull to stay somewhere safe has been too difficult to override just yet.

So he's still lurking around, glaring at the espresso machine like it's responsible for everything, when Kate enters. It isn't a huge surprise to see her, but he can't say he's expecting her either.

At the question he shakes his head, glare fading into a frown.]

Not at all. I-I mean, we've known Delight forever, and she's like...

[He never expected this at all. If he were going to make a list of the gods he thought might secretly be a traitor, Delight would've been one of the last on there.]

Kyna Midha

[evocation]

[Closed and open starters below!]

Ephemera

[evocation]

[Everything has gone to shit more rapidly than Kyna would have expected, and she can't go anywhere without getting swarmed by Null. It means that she has to be sneaky now, which is something she isn't used to, and it's not like invisibility spells grow on trees. She's starting to miss that stealth cloak she gave to Tucker.

Her spot on the list means she's been hesitant to approach other people, because she really doesn't want to drag anyone else down with her, but Ephemera is one of the people she knows can handle themselves, so when she spots him, she's almost relieved. It's kind of a weird feeling, and one she doesn't analyze.]

Ephemera, hey!

lup | open & closed

[restinglichface]

[Plotting comment is here! Please hmu if you want a different closed log for your character! meyggy]

open;

[restinglichface]

i; fighting

[The Null are much more prepared for this attack than Lup had ever envisioned.

The fighting goes on for days with no end in sight. And while the woman primarily sticks close to her family, the Null's forces sweep in with such strength and precision that Lup has no choice but to temporarily split up from them, leaving her on her own to face the invasion. During those moments, Lup can be found whipping fireballs into life from thin air over her head, taunting her opponents while looking for people who need saving.]

ii; safehouse

[During very off hours, you may stumble upon Lup curled up in the corner of Delight's temple, attempting to find the peace of mind to meditate, but clearly struggling. Elves may not need sleep, but they require a few hours of meditation to reset their magic abilities. So when her spell slots finally run dry, Lup has to stay clear of the battlefield until she can meditate long enough to restore them.

And considering how tense she looks there in the corner, grumbling darkly under her breath, Lup could really use some help finding some inner peace.]

Prussia | open & closed

[occupiesvitalregions]

[Nov. 25 - 29, open]
[Prussia is on the scene immediately after the SOS goes out, with a broadsword and pistol with him. He should have known something like this would happen, and he's angry with himself for not doing more to free everyone from the gods' influences. His angry that several of his fellow Guards are dead and he wasn't there to help. All talk and no action - that's Prussia. At least now he's making up for it. He's been waiting to get a piece of the Null for awhile, and he's more than glad to bash them into pieces with his sword. He's enjoying himself a little too much, despite all of his injuries and his exhaustion - there's a lot of enthusiastic yelling and maniacal laughter coming from him as he mows through them.

If you're out at any time during all of this, he's here to get the Null off your back. Or maybe you can try to convince him to take a break? He might be a great fighter and very strong, but he's not the nation he once was. All those injuries really need to be tended to.]

You think I'm new to this sorta thing or something? I have centuries of experience. Besides, I've been in battles that lasted weeks! Months! Now c'mon, keep movin', because they're not stopping anytime soon.


[Dec. 5 - closed to Atem]
[When Sorrow is killed, a wave of his emotion sweeps over Hadriel and stops every being in their place. Prussia is hit had by it, someone who carries centuries of war on his shoulders has a lot of sorrow buried down deep. While he was beyond exhausted as it was, the feeling is enough to knock him to his knees. Thankfully, the Null he was fighting were stunned as well, but they won't be down for long. Through his tears, Prussia can see a few recovered Null back on the move and heading towards someone else who was still suffering from the sorrow effect. It takes every last scrap of energy and strength Prussia's got left to get up and rush at them, plowing bodily into the Null before they could fire at Atem.]

Goddamnit! Don't think this is going to let you get ahead, assholes!

open

[bythewaves]

And I have been in one for millenia - rest a while and regain your strength! They will not stop - but if you fall because you are too weary, you are one more fighter we cannot replace.

[ Maglor holds himself upright, and his grey eyes are silver-lit. But the hands that hold the dual blades shake - his injuries are old, but they are telling, with ceaseless battle. He can keep going, he's fought with worse. But he also knows when to retreat and regroup. ]

Ed Grayson | open

[has_been_faking]

[Nov. 25]
[Ed hates fighting and violence. He never wants to be involved. Its not that he's afraid - there's little he has to be afraid of in this universe - but violence has always made him anxious. Mostly, though is that he's always been the sort of person to be looking out for number 1, himself, and no one else. He hates it, since it makes him feel like a coward, and it definitely makes him selfish. But if being immortal isn't going to have him get over this, what will?

When the aliens show up and the shit hits the fan, he really doesn't know where to go or what to do with himself. He's not on their hit list, so when a pack of the Null comes rushing by, Ed freezes, they go right past him. He can hardly believe it, and slowly turns to watch them keep going.]

Wow. Uh. Okay, whatever, I'll take it.


[Dec. 1]
[The Null have turned up the force on their sonic attacks, and just used it to clear out an area around what's left of the shops. While the sound is still present elsewhere, once they're satisfied with the results, the move on to blast it somewhere else. While everyone hiding in that area should be dead, one person comes peeking out once the coast seems clear. Ed's holding his head like he's got one hell of a headache, but it's fading fast.]

dec 1!

[evocation]

[Kyna shows up just late enough to be spared a horrible death by soundwaves, but quickly enough to see Ed staggering out of his hiding place. The Null have moved on, which means she doesn't bother to attempt being sneaky as she lets her invisibility spell fade and flickers back into sight, crossing the street towards him.]

Hey! Are you okay? What happened?

Rome

[leashed]

[Plotting comment here for specifics, or jump into an open starter!]

November 25th | Guard HQ | ota

[leashed]

[Henry had said rise up and so he had risen, grabbed his gun quickly and went out to try and stem the tide of the Null. What he'd found was... something he wasn't expecting at all.

It's one thing to be informed that their enemy is a sentient race of alien machines, and it's quite another to see it for himself. Sure, he's seen Nick before, and Oscar in passing, but he hadn't prepared himself for something on this magnitude. Rome can only stand there, still and stunned as he watches them pour into the city from his vantage point on top of one of the buildings. Dozens of them, all large and differently shaped and seemingly impossible to hold back.

But Henry had ordered, and so he tries.

Sweets had deflected him away from the clinic weeks ago, and so Rome goes to the guard HQ first, traveling in the backroads, staying out of sight where he can. Maketh had told him to ensure Nick's survival, and although she's not quite his commanding officer anymore, he thinks that the order still stands, so hopefully he'll be there.

If not Nick, then someone else- anyone else who can help organize, tell him what to do. He can fight on his own, but he'll be far more effective with others.]

Ronan Lynch

[greywaren]

[Plotting comment is here if you want anything specific, otherwise feel free to tag into anything!]

November 27th | Orchard

[greywaren]

[It's only taken a few days for everything to go to shit. Ronan resists, because of course he does, gets put on the list, because of course he does. Unfortunately for him, he's only a teenager with just your average street-thug level of fighting prowess. Unfortunately for the Null, that isn't all he is. He'd sent out a message earlier, telling people to come to him for weapons. He'd meant it, but now he has to provide the supply for the demand, and so he sleeps.

He doesn't know how many he needs, he doesn't really even know how to make things more complicated than your average handgun- but people are going to die if he doesn't try, and so he begs Cabeswater for the power to kill people and wakes up with several shiny pistols in his lap.

It's a start.

Ronan is set up in the orchard with a steady supply of weapons, laid out on makeshift boxes and crates. It's not the most defensible position to some- but it is for the likes of Ronan and Adam, and so they stay there, distributing guns until it's no longer safe.]

Jo Harvelle | Open

[knifecollecting]

At the Clinic

Fear's Temple | Nov 28th - Dec 2nd

[After a few days it becomes obvious that the Clinic will need to move and the city needs more than this.

She knows Fear can move the city and that the gods are under attack. She kind of regrets spending so much time at the Clinic as she moves through the city slowly, trying to avoid the Null as she heads for Fear's temple.

When she gets there she steps inside for just a moment, as if to reassure herself Fear isn't already dead.

She can be found near the temple until December 2, when she runs out of bullets and gets overwhelmed.

Join her before her death? Witness it?]

dec 2nd

[braveoff]

[ Drake is at the end of his rope at this point. He's broken in ways that would keep a human down, and there's a bullet still buried somewhere in his chest he can't heal around but he knows he can't go to any of the clinic locations for help. It's too risky. Same for the shelters -- too many people around, when he feels like he's barely holding on to his humanity. He just keeps fighting, taking down as many Null as he can because the sooner this is over, the better his chances. Still, it's... not looking good.

There's a commotion up ahead -- at Fear's temple, gunshots. He can't tell how many people are there but they're swarmed by Null. The odds of him making a difference are low but he has to try.

He sneaks around the edge of the temple just as the gunshots stop. The commotion quiets, and he chooses to hang back as the Null leave. Maybe whoever's left can be saved. But it's just one person, collapsed on the steps. Jo. It looks like she's done for, but maybe he can move her or run for help... she's still breathing. The Null turn another corner and Drake rushes for her, moving clumsily on one broken leg. Ignoring the fact that she smells like food, that he can feel himself shifting back and forth. Eyes from green-blue to red and back again. Control yourself, man. ]

Jo?

OTA

[mightypen]

A: Lake/River (early week 1)

It's a good few hours after the initial attack on the temple, and the subsequent dump in the lake, until Percy emerges healed enough to pick skirmishes with the Null.

He isn't making any attempt to hide that he's inhumanly strong, especially when he's still dripping water. There's a graceful sort of viciousness in how he tears in to the robots, especially when they have someone nearby outnumbered.

“Are you hurt?” Is always his first question.

B: Water water everywhere (late week 1 and onwards)

Eventually, Percy leaves the lake area. There are both monsters and null to fight and he's definitely angry enough to keep going.

He's also kicked up a literal localized storm, complete with harsh wind and driving rain that follows around him as he wades his way through fights. It's enough to keep most of the airborne monsters from getting too close at least, so there's that anyway.

It is, however, probably fairly inconvenient for anyone who's not used to fighting in a storm.

C: take a break (anywhere safe)

When he's not fighting or passed out asleep, Percy comes in to one of the safe spots to either eat or patch himself up.

He's also more than willing to go on supply runs or escort someone going out.

C

[hot_mes]

Days upon days of fighting have taken their toll. Law comes limping up to the firehouse, exhausted and dragging Kikoku behind him. He doesn't even know where the saya is, the sword hasn't been sheathed for a solid week now. There's a huge swath of his left side bloody and dirty, after being thrown across the ground (though really half of that is his fault for not wearing a shirt under his jacket). As he approaches, he manages to lock eyes with Percy, but doesn't immediately ask for help.

ignis scientia.

[claritatis]

[ooc: all top levels for Ignis will be here. If you want to plot a thing, hit me up on my plotting comment or plurk me at hardtostarboard!

OTA; Nov. 25th - Dec. 4th

[claritatis]

i. hope's temple; nov. 25th

[Naturally, the first thing that Ignis does when he sees the transmission from Henry is head straight for the centre of trouble. He makes sure that Eddie, Richie and their menagerie of friends are safe first, and know to stay put and not open the door, before he grabs his daggers and runs out like hellhounds are on his heels.

Ignis has faced down gods before, and it isn't fear that turns his stomach and makes every muscle in his legs protest at the speed he pushes them to.

He reaches the temple too late, in his estimation, with Henry already slaughtered and the place in disarray but he heads inside regardless and without a second thought of the effects it might have on him (with a longstanding mistrust of the temples and their various influences). Weapons in hands he takes in the scene in front of him, then turns in the doorway to the sound of a loud explosion somewhere across the other side of the city.]

So. [Ignis murmurs.] It's begun.

[Then, he moves into the temple proper, to give whatever assistance he can to those inside.]

ii. fighting; nov. 25th - 29th

[Despite how he may appear, Ignis is no stranger to armed combat. His speed and keen eye for weak spots play to his advantage as the Null flow into the city in waves, destroying all in their path. Ignis had attempted to defend Hope and had made his opposition to them clear, but rather than flee he uses their interest in him to pull their attention from others who might be less able to fight them off.

Where he can, he assists others fighting by darting in to metaphorically hamstring the enemy, his daggers flashing across joints and exposed cabling to weaken the creatures to more powerful attacks. Where it's wanted, needed, or asked for, he offers tactical advice.

Mostly, he focuses on ensuring that others are safe. He does his part to keep the Null back from the bunker and other places where he knows that people might be trying to hide, but he does not go back to his own apartment. Now that he knows they're after him and all others who have shown active opposition, he can't risk the lives of the children taking refuge in his apartment.]

iii. fighting; nov 30th - dec. 4th

[Metal on metal take their toll on Ignis' daggers and by the time a few days have worn on they just aren't doing the job. It's here that he changes tactics, and the Six know where he finds the spear that he ends up wielding in the days that follow, but he handles it with just as much ease as he had done the dual daggers.

The drawn-out nature of the fighting takes its toll and by now Ignis' usual poise in terms of appearance is completely abandoned. His clothes and skin are dusted with dirt and grime and not a little blood, and most of his hair is falling loose over his forehead. None of this appears to stop him, however.

After the destruction of the clinic and the Guard HQ (both of which are checked to ensure that no one is trapped inside), Ignis focuses his efforts even more intently on ensuring that people are kept safe. Should there be help needed he is ready and able to provide it.]

iv. safe; nov. 30th - dec. 4th

[When the safe haven at the hot springs is set up by Love, Ignis is one of those who chooses to take advantage of it. Now and then he can be found resting there, though he always seems as if he's just ready to get up and leave again. It's not unusual - in a situation like this, anyone would find it hard to switch off. Knowing that rest is necessary is certainly easier said than done.

What he does find soothing, when the supplies are there, is cooking. The facilities are certainly meagre but he can make use of the geothermal activity and a small fire, and when he isn't bringing people in he's making sure that everyone at least has the option of a hot meal.]

julie grigio.

[redwinekindofgirl]

[ooc: all top levels for Julie will be here. If you want to plot a thing, hit me up on my plotting comment or plurk me at hardtostarboard!

OTA; Nov. 25th - Dec. 4th

[redwinekindofgirl]

i. fighting; nov. 25th - 27th

[She sees them bypass some people entirely to come right after her, and it doesn't take her long to realise why. Fuck their fucking list and fuck every Null that thinks they can just take her down without trying.

Julie doesn't head for a safe zone, even if that's what her better instincts are telling her to do. She's never been very good at listening to her more sensible side, always a person more ruled by her heart than her head, and she finds that a few well-placed bullets take down the smaller Null easily enough if you hit the right spot.

She tries to stay off the streets as much as she can, but they always seem to know where she is and more than once she finds herself pinned down in one place or another, having to scramble out of the way before she's impaled or fried by an electric current.]

ii. fighting; nov. 28th - 29th

[It doesn't take long for her bullets to run out, and by the time that happens she's running entirely on adrenaline and the few minutes of sleep she's managed to grab here and there. Stubbornly not relying on anyone to protect her (as much as she can, since R refuses to leave her to her own devices) she makes short runs out into the city attempting to find anyone who still needs help. Without ammunition, she's wielding her assault rifle like a blunt weapon, but it makes her a far easier target.

They're still after her. By now, she's scraped and bruised and while not all of the blood on her skin and clothes is hers, a good amount of it is, seeping through cuts and tears in her clothes. The stress of it is starting to show, too, in the times she stops for breath and closes her eyes for a moment to bump her head back against whatever she's using for cover.

If she's going to die in here, she's going to make them work for it.]

iii. safe - bunker; nov. 25th - 29th

[When she isn't running through the city like someone who is trying to get herself killed, Julie hunkers down in the bunker that Delmar told her about. While she's there, she isn't terribly communicative, and if she isn't sleeping she'll be sitting and looking at the wall opposite like she's trying to burn a hole through it with her gaze.

She barely eats, preferring to let other people have the supplies they managed to collect before the invasion. Insisting, even, that people eat rather than her.

Each time she goes out, she comes back looking a little more worse for wear. After the clinic burns down, she doesn't come back to the bunker.]

iv. safe - hot springs; nov. 30th - dec. 4th

[After she finds Delmar hurt in the city, and after the clinic and most of the important buildings burn down, Julie takes refuge in the safe haven that Love creates at the hot springs. Much like at the bunker, she doesn't stay put, but it's far easier to stay there when the place needs vigilant defending.

There may be members of the Guard there, but she doesn't think to ask if they need any help. By this time she's abandoned the assault rifle (somewhere safe, but without ammo it isn't much use) and simply picks up whatever she can use as a weapon. If there is one thing that Julie hates it is feeling useless, and she refuses to feel useless here. She won't sit down and let other people protect her.

Still, she does know when to back down and won't try to take on any of the larger Null on her own. The smaller ones, though? The ones she can beat down into the ground and scream curses at while she rips out their cores with her bare hand, to hell with the electricity burns? Those ones are all fair game as far as she's concerned.]

Phase 2 and 3, OTA

[resistancemedic]

Kate is very unhappy about being thrust into another robot war, and she's not fooling around. Back home, John was always nervous about her being on the front lines, always trying to keep her safe, and she loved him for it, but had always wanted to show her own strength. Now, she really doesn't have much of a choice.

She roams, looking for the swarms, noting uncomfortably that they're humanoid, definitely not that unlike Terminators. She wastes no time firing on them when she sees them, hoping her plasma gun will function long enough to get her through this alive. She keeps alert for anyone who needs help or any chance to take charge.

Phase 3: She's running back and forth between two things, has been really even before the city was moved. The clinic was destroyed, and everyone is scrambling to deal with it at the makeshift clinic at the fire station. Meanwhile, she still has to fight, to find the Null that are still here and terminate them.

Adam Parrish | open

[unknowable]

a: fear's temple

[Adam has his priorities, and after the clinic was destroyed, those priorities were narrowed down to his friends - the people he cares about. Fear's temple would perhaps not be his first choice to defend, but here he is, and he's making himself useful.

After all these months helping out at the clinic, Adam's first aid skills are nothing to be scoffed at. He has supplies, too, bandages and painkillers and needles for stitching wounds shut. There are certainly better medical options in the city, but given how crazy it is out there and the - relative, somewhat - safety inside the temple, he may well be the closest and safest option.

He seems - different, though. Adam is always reserved, always careful, but right now it almost seems like he's elsewhere. He is distant and cold, his eyes seeming to stare right through people, his movements just a touch inhuman. He has magic, which he rarely uses, which he is using now. It makes the shadows around him twist a little, makes vines curl around the edges of doors and leaves with knife-like edges bloom from nowhere. Not always. Just often enough to be strange. To be noticeable.

But it'll protect him, if he needs it to. And anyone near him. He looks up, quiet and certain.]

There are more coming.

b: hot springs

[The hot springs are safer than a god's temple, and eventually they needed to move. So now, here Adam is, trying to make himself useful. When he has things to do, he has less time to think - less time to dwell on everything that's happened and everything that he's done.

Adam loves doing magic. He loves the power, the puzzle of it. He loves Cabeswater's roots in his feet and leaves in his mind, and he loved using it. But it makes him something different. It makes him feel more like a forest than a man, further from human than he is used to. It makes him see the world through different eyes. And it's easy, so easy, to fall into that, especially when horrors are happening all around. It's so easy to let Cabeswater take away his pain and fear and leave power and distance in its wake.

He is afraid of how easy it was.

And now he's just himself again, with his magic whispering in the back of his mind. Focusing on simple, everyday tasks so that he doesn't slide back into that, so easily. At this exact moment, that's bandages. He managed to bring an armload of shirts along when they came here, and now he's tearing and cutting them into neat bandages, because that is something they can always use more of.]

I'm almost done here. Do you need some?

A

[hot_mes]

Yeah. I can sense it.

[At the moment Law is standing right in the temple doorway, torn between staying here to guard it and drawing the attackers away. So far he's only a little trashed, not needing any first aid himself, but it's only a matter of time. His long sword is bare, but he holds it low, waiting.]

There really is no rest for the wicked.

Rhy Maresh | open

[anoshe]

a: streets

[Rhy has been doing his best. He is trying to play to his strengths - which is to say, distraction. He is a good hand with a sword, and decent with a flintlock, but neither of those are particularly effective against the monstrous metal creatures that are attacking the city. He can be hot-headed at times, but he is not stupid. He knows better than to think he can be a frontline fighter in this particular instance.

However, Rhy has one thing going for him. He does not fear death. He's considered it sometimes - if he were burned, or cut into enough pieces, would he heal? Would his consciousness remain attached to whatever was left, leaving him to endure the pain? Probably. Kell's magic is incredibly strong, and Rhy has found nothing yet that can kill him. So he fights the Null the best way he can, by making himself a distraction.

He throws himself into danger to help others - to give them a chance to run, or a chance to strike. He leads people to safety. He leads, when he can. He doesn't come out unscathed, but he doesn't die, either. He can endure that much.

He jumps into the fray this time, swinging his sword to deflect a strike from a Null.]

The box at the center! Can you hit it?

b: a pause

[Hadriel is not his home, but it's the closest thing he has right now. That's why Rhy has been running himself ragged - he wants to do what he can, do everything he can. So he keeps fighting, keeps helping as many people as he can, and only rests when he must.

Right now, he has to. He's tired - close to exhaustion, even, just like everyone else who've been fighting the Null. You can snatch a few hours' rest here and there, but they just keep coming - or they did, until Fear transported the city. But even now there are too many of them, and Rhy knows they must all be hunted down.

He's found a quiet corner in a shop not far from the hot springs. It would be safer inside them, but he would only be taking up space, so he stays outside. He's resting, back against a wall, sword in eye. He's not asleep. How could he be?

When he sees movement, he tenses, but it's not a Null. That's a relief.]

You startled me.

Re: Rhy Maresh | open

[resistancemedic]

Sorry.

[Kate had been relieved it wasn't a null as she sat down to take a moment's rest as well. She was tired trying to handle what was essentially two jobs at once-fighting and helping people on her own, getting them to clinic staff or the hot springs.]

I feel like I never really left home. They don't look exactly the same, but they're close enough.

[She sighs, wishing she could just sleep for a while. And that John were here to help her organize things better.]

hanako 'rosalina' nurumi 🌹 ota

[hasitsthorns]

(( ooc; No plotting comment or super set plans but feel free to hit me up at puddingandpie for anything specific! ))

fighting; november 25th-dec 4th

[hasitsthorns]

sorrow's orchard;

[ A flash of white among the trees, glinting like snow in the unnatural light. Branches and brush rustle under her weight as she zips to and fro. Her speed is back. Not quite complete though it's better than baseline and she's going to use that to her advantage. The timing couldn't have been better.

This isn't a spot that the Null have targeted directly but are infiltrating because she's here.
Fine by her, honestly. She'll protect this place with everything she's got. Her ears flatten back against her skull, tail tucked in tight. Wait for it- Now. The woman springs from behind the leaves of a tree and right on top of a Null. She gnashes with claw and teeth - stronger than any mortal weapon - and tears it apart viciously. It's hardly a fight but, there again, Rose wasn't the champion of the ring for nothing. ]

One down, [ she sighs. ] How ever fuckin' many left to go.

[ This is a mess. It's going to be a long battle. ]

in the streets;

Heads up!

[ comes a cry from somewhere above. Without warning, Rose lands with grace she's probably never before displayed. The (wolf?) woman turns on her heel and starts back towards whoever she was calling to. ]

Hey, you alright? There's some Null, not too far from here. I saw them from where I was, we need to get you somewhere safe.

[ Agree, or be indignant that this lady is telling you what's best? Either way, she's just trying to help and doesn't seem like she's going to take 'no' for an answer. ]