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

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.]

[circumitus]

The Null hadn't quite figured out Rey's place in all this. She has a godkiller in her possession and now knows that the one who betrayed them is a god.

Granted, Rey felt that she knew this already. But that's neither here nor there.

Once hearing from Nick, she makes her way to the HQ anyway. Rey doesn't mean to stay here long. Just enough for her to take a headcount. Figure out what the plan and coordination is.

And she finds Rome there, and tenses. The last she spoke with him, it was about Maketh. Wherever she is now, Rey is sure that she'll stay clear. That's not her immediate concern right now, much as Rey wants it to be.

"Hey. Any idea what's going on here?"

By 'here' she means the Guard. Henry is gone. Who knows if... when he'll be back. It's up to them now. And Nick.

[leashed]

"No."

Is his simple answer. While he may have gone against Rey's orders, there's no part of him that feels particularly guilty or ashamed about it, and so he presents as he always does: straightforward, unflinching. Besides, they have more pressing issues to worry about.

He glances around, his mouth pressed tight in a frown. Still, Rome takes no time in laying out their current situation as he sees it.

"I only saw the message from Henry. We should assume that both he and Saber are deceased. With Maketh no longer serving the guard, our top priority should be finding Nick and reestablishing leadership."

[circumitus]

The mention of Maketh makes Rey flinch inwardly, and frown. "Where is she...?"

It's probably better that she not ask, but she also can't help it. She can't just turn it off. Pretend that she doesn't care about someone who was-- is so important to her.

She sighs. Rubs her forehead. Fucking focus, damn you...

"Nick. Yes." Judging by the network broadcast, she can't hold out much hope that Henry is going to be swooping in after that. "He'll know what to do. They'll probably do whatever they can to weaken us, so keep him safe."

[leashed]

"Safe."

For now, he thinks- he hopes. He wasn't near her when the post happened and he'd come straight here. He doesn't know what Maketh would do, maybe he should have reported to her instead but this seemed more important. In retrospect, obtaining the weapon and potentially utilizing it against Delight may have been the smarter move, but there's no time for that now.

Rome nods at the order, reaching down for his weapon.

"Have you heard from him? I can track him if not, but it would take longer."

[circumitus]

Rey grimaces. She'd ask for more details than just that, as it doesn't give her much to go on -- but there are other matters to focus on. In a way, it's a relief.

"Yes. Said he'd be here, but we didn't get to have a very lengthy conversation."

It's rather hard to hash out details when you're trying not to get found, shot, and stabbed.

[synthedick]

[In good news, Nick is at the HQ as the Null start pouring into the city. In bad news, so are the Null.

As a machine himself, Nick took an educated guess on where the most important bits might be as they started prying their way into the headquarters, their shapes changing to give them leverage against the back door to the building and the barricade of desks and chairs behind hit. He was hoping to hit important tubes, something akin to those that pump coolant through him and keep his body from overheating; his sword instead got a good blow on what he could only assume is some kind of processor. That took care of one Null -- only Lord knows how many to go.

He's managed to keep the numbers at the rear entrance at bay when he hears a noise from the front lobby. Could be someone who needs help, could be Null, could be one of the Guard coming in. Whichever it may be, he figures now's as good a time as any to make his way that direction, and hopefully get away before any more Null arrive. They seem to be hellbent on destroying the headquarters and anyone inside, but at the end of the day, it's just a building. There are more important things to defend, like human lives.

Nick peers around the corner of the back hallway before rounding it, relieved to see Rome. He hasn't dealt with the guard dog Maketh set on him much. No time like the present, he supposes.]

Any Null out the front?

[leashed]

Yes.

[Not as many as Nick had been fending off, though. Rome looks over his shoulder toward the front entrance, trying to decide if it would be safer to defend the location or abandon it. Others could attempt to move in this direction for coordination, and if they abandon if then they'd be moving right into a trap.

Still, there's little sense in staying in a location that's currently under siege.]

Several. I thought to slip in unnoticed-

[But something about how he'd gotten here bothered him, even if he doesn't quite know how to voice it.]

I think they saw me, but they didn't try to stop me.

[synthedick]

[Nick raises an eyebrow.]

Didn't try to stop you? Was that just now, or every other time you've seen them?

[They gave Nick himself little choice but to fight back -- not that he'd have done otherwise when the city he's looking to call a home for his family is being invaded.]

[leashed]

I've only seen them now.

[So he's unable to really answer that accurately.]

Did they attack you on sight?

November 30th | Everywhere | ota

[leashed]

[Despite not being on the initial Null kill list, Rome found his way into their new one rather quickly and ensures that he stays on it with constant attacks. Eating, sleeping, and recovering are all secondary- every moment, there's someone else who needs help, every moment there's another building that's coming down. Rome fights for them, tries to buy time for escape and evacuation, but it's not enough.

He's starting to flag a little, but he can't afford to be sloppy. A single missed calculation, one tiny error, and he's dead. He knows this.

So he continues to move, to fight, and when he finds three of the machines advancing on someone else, he pushes himself forward, jumping to their aid with his hand on his weapon.]

You alright?

[He asks without looking, trying to maintain his focus entirely on the Null as they advance, slowly.]

[evocation]

[Kyna's okay, mostly. She's not bleeding profusely and she's not dead, so she's counting that as a win, but she's exhausted. She's not used to rationing her spells the way she's being forced to, and as much as she's trying, she really can't. The Null can take a hell of a lot of damage, but she's too stubborn to give up. She's not like Rome or Ephemera or Wash, though—war isn't something she knows how to deal with, and so she gets sloppy. That's how she's ended up cornered like this, by miscalculating how long her invisibility spell would last and getting herself spotted. She shrugs at Rome a little, trying to seem nonchalant and utterly failing. She's clearly relieved to see him.]

Um, yeah.

[And then, hesitant but more honest:]

Kind of running out of juice.

[leashed]

[Three of them is too many for him to handle at once- he's fought enough of them to know this, but he can't just leave Kyna where she is. He's fading quickly too, exhausted, spattered with blood and burns, his clothes torn in places. But it's important- Kyna is someone in need, and what's more, she's his friend.

They need to get out of here.]

Understood.

[He moves forward slightly, putting himself between her and danger.]

If you can keep the other two from killing me, I will engage to incapacitate the one on the left.

[evocation]

[He's so clinical about it, and the fact that asks that she keep the Null from killing him rather than from hurting him doesn't escape her attention. She frowns.]

Okay.

[The Null are still approaching, but they aren't attacking just yet. They've got maybe a couple of seconds to come up with an actual plan that doesn't sound so dangerous. Kyna reaches for Rome instinctively, fingers looping around his wrist.]

I could turn you invisible? And then if you could get them kind of clustered together for me, I can shock them all at once.

[leashed]

Quickly.

[Sounds like a plan to him. Rome focuses on what he believes the processors to look like, before he begins to move, darting off to the side to draw their attention away from her temporarily.]

And stay back- when they can't see me, they'll focus on you.

[anoshe]

I should be asking you that.

[Rhy has not been focusing his energy on fighting the Null directly. His sword isn't particularly effective, and he's more useful as a distraction or a form of protection - after all, he won't die. But sometimes he has no choice but to fight, or to end up in a situation like this. Where he needs just a bit of help.]

I'm not hurt. I can distract them - we ought to run. You shouldn't try to fight this many.

[Even one is intimidating. Three... well, Rhy doesn't really want to see someone get torn to bits today.]

[leashed]

No. Three at once would kill me.

[Even two- even one is a challenge. Rome nods at the idea to flee, as it seems like their safest option at this point. If only they can ensure that they aren't followed, which will likely be the tricky part here.]

I can cover you from range. We should cut right- it will be easier to escape through the shops.

[Lots of cover to be found in there, if they can manage to get that far. Rome isn't a fan of the stun weapons though- they'll have to be careful.]

[anoshe]

Three at once would kill anybody.

[He glances to the right. It's true, they'll have more cover that way, as long as they make it.]

Don't worry too much about me - whatever they do, I can recover. The important thing is getting away. Let's move.

[He wishes he had a better form of distraction - explosions, maybe, or magic. But he's just got a sword and a reckless nature, so he charges the Null, hoping that a head-on attack will distract them long enough to give Rome a moment to run.]

[leashed]

[He doesn't like this idea, running while someone else takes the forward charge. It feels like he's shirking his duty somehow, even though Rhy specifically told him that this was the plan.

Still, for all his doubts, Rome doesn't hesitate and instead moves out of the way, pulling out his weapon as he runs and aiming a shot at the domelike head of the closest machine in an attempt to throw off its aim as it drives a brutal strike toward Rhy.

Whatever they do, I can recover. It doesn't sound exactly promising to him, but he supposes that it's not his place to ask for clarity- he just runs, hoping all the while that Rhy knows what he's doing.]

December 3rd | Temporary Clinic | ota

[leashed]

[He's still alive, somehow, but he's not in good shape. The days of constant fighting have long since caught up with him, and when he bursts into what seems to be the temporary clinic, he's on the verge of collapse.

Rome stumbles, dragging his feet toward one of the hastily set-up tables, exhaling on a pained sigh through his teeth. There are scorch marks on his skin, smeared in with the sweat and the blood. He walks with a slight limp, and his left hand is awkwardly wrapped in strips of fabric that seem to have been ripped from his shirt.]

I need assistance, [he mumbles, unwrapping the makeshift bandages. As they come off, it's immediately apparent why they were there to begin with- his pinky and ring finger are both missing, neatly severed by whatever weapons the Null have been using. The burn of it has managed to keep the bleeding in check, at least.]

I'm left handed.

[Comes the further explanation, as if he wouldn't have bothered coming here otherwise. He's absurdly calm about this, despite the exhaustion.]

I can't fire my weapon like this.

hey

[nowherewolf]

[Tucker's only in the clinic for a few minutes' rest before he darts out to make more supply runs. He's shotgunning a water bottle like it's going out of style when he spots Rome stumble in, and sees that he's pretty fucked up.

Damn dude, what have you been- oh god his fingers. Tucker doesn't know shit about first-aid, not really, so he can't help with that, but he also can't keep his mouth shut. No time for that right now.]

You sayin' you're plannin' to go right the fuck back out there?

[leashed]

Yes.

[There's no question to it. Rome tilts his head to look at Tucker for a moment, but honestly he's too exhausted to manage his full attention and instead his gaze drifts away, lacking in his usual focus.]

It's my duty to help as much as I am physically capable.

[Water, though- water would be nice. Rome wets his lips, nodding toward the water bottle.]

Where did you get that?

[nowherewolf]

Can't really help as much as possible if you waste it all in one go, can you?

[He slings his backpack off his shoulder and starts digging around in it.]

It came out of my secret stash. And no that's not a euphemism.

[Tucker retrieves another bottle and holds it out. All those paranoid hoarder habits came in handy, which means no one is ever allowed to get on his case about it again.]

[leashed]

If I stop, people will die.

[Is his blunt response to that. He doesn't really understand how Tucker's second statement could be a euphemism... or what a euphemism even is... but he takes the water anyway, too eager for it to really question him.

Rome uses his good hand to grab it and has to twist the cap off with his bad one- something more challenging than it looks when he's missing his gripping fingers. Still, he manages after a moment or two of struggling and practically inhales half the bottle in one go, parched and exhausted, and... well, maybe he has gone a little far.

He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand when he's done, a little breathless.]

-thank you.