hadriel_logs | Event Log: End of Arc 2

Entry tags:

Event Log: End of Arc 2

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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ignis, who is far more used to not being the one doing the heavy fighting, is more than content to let Kate take the lead. He follows, despite the way his body protests or perhaps in spite of it, and rounds to the left of the creature with the aim of taking out at least one of its supporting limbs before it notices he's there.

He manages this, cutting out the 'tendons' at the back of one of the legs, sending the creature stumbling. What he fails to notice is the null nearby that whips one long, tendril-like appendage around to catch him cleanly across the chest.

The man flies back and hits the ground, winded, struggling back to his feet immediately and noting the loss of one dagger in the next moment. He curses softly under his breath as the thing that had knocked him from his feet begins to close in, while Kate is still occupied with the other foe.]

( She'd rather be in the backlines, if there was an option. Give her a gun, or even her longbow now, and let her wreck things without being touched. But while there isn't, Kate'll just do what she always does: go all out. There's no other option.

One knife doesn't do enough damage to the core to completely destroy this one, but with its balance knocked off centre, Kate gets enough time to snatch the weapon back out of the body and dodge its attempted retaliation. Another push, another attack will probably manage-

But the noise behind her is too familiar to ignore, the tightness around her lungs as reflexive as the instinct that has Kate returning to Ignis' side despite the fact that her opponent begins to adapt and push through the damage. The few seconds are better used to step between a friend and the second attack aimed at him, slamming her knife through the wiring of a tendril, than they are actually killing the Null she originally targeted. )

No dyin' today.

( Either of them, but especially not him. Kate's not going through another battle where she fails to protect someone. Not after everything that's already weighing on her mind. Though, with at least two of these damn things staring them down, it might be easier said than done. )

I'm alright.

[He assures her immediately, dropping down into a more comfortable stance of defence as his free hand comes up to lightly, momentarily press against her back. He's fine, he's taken worse, but he certainly noticed the readiness to which she jumped to his defence.

No less than he would have done for her, of course.

The telling ache of a blossoming bruise is already working its way across the entire span of his chest, and there's a slight hitch in his breathing that betrays the fact he still feels somewhat like he's drawing in air through a vice, but it would take much more than this to bring Ignis Scientia to the point of backing down.]

The only deaths today will be theirs.

Good.

( Did some biting satisfaction at that idea seep into her voice there? Maybe. Maybe she's just thinking of all the things these Null have already cost them, that every person whose heart currently still beats within Hadriel's cavernous walls needs to be protected. Or maybe it's just the opening of old wounds in a new way that makes her bristle at the concept of letting them win.

Either way, she's going to quite enjoy taking these things down, as is quickly proven by the kick she aims at the spot she just slammed her knife into. The possibly, maybe just slightly unnecessarily hard kick she aims there before pulling out yet another blade.

(Yes, she's very glad she kept her hands off her stash of knives for this long.) )

[Ignis is unimaginably weary, but it doesn't seem to have dulled his fire in any respect. Exhaustion and days of battle have stripped away all pretense at refinement, leaving only a steely, cold composure and a burning ferocity in his eyes that even being so sharply winded did nothing to cool.

Even with only one dagger of his usual pair, he's a fierce fighter, and he spots the other weapon buried in the Null creature still moving - their original target.]

Cover me. [He says sharply.] This degenerate appears to have something of mine.

[Ignis doesn't hesitate before he steps forwards, moving swiftly, circling to flank the creature and swipe his dagger clear of its limb. It whips around to swipe at him, but he's already moving, jumping clear and landing lightly on both feet, turning around to face it again.

His jaw tenses, and he wastes no time in darting in again, slamming his retrieved dagger deep into the torso of the thing. He twists the weapon sharply, his voice coming out almost in a growl as the Null spasms.]

Would you just die.

( ... Degenerate.

Ignis, she has really got to do something about your language. It's terrible. Horrendous, really, that you'd say such things about their new robot overlords.

Oh wait. She doesn't give a shit. Never mind.

With Ignis otherwise indisposed, a feat she rather unfortunately only gets to witness out of the corner of her eye and years of battle-trained senses, Kate concentrates on the thing that distracted them in the first place, her muscles burning with the less familiar side of her improved physicality: the one that strengthens her, rather than letting her clear buildings in a jump and run faster than most speed limits. It doesn't quite dull the pain of smashing her fist into the metallic "head" of a robot, but her bones can take it. They survive the jumps she makes every day.

She manages to avoid most of the tendrils by either kicking them away or shifting out of grasp, but as she attempts to slam her blade into the core, it catches her ankle and she feels a familiar searing pain cut through her jeans. It's enough to spark her movement, yanking herself backwards after smashing her other heel on the tendril around her ankle. Freedom, but at the price of a deep, cauterised gash across her shin, painful enough that she hisses as she places weight back onto it.

And worse? She dropped her knife in the scuffle, the Null able to dart away and begin reconstructing itself.

Well. She has a few more blades in her pocket. She'll be fine. And this thing's going to die, especially when its movement inches towards Ignis.

Of course she doesn't bother thinking about anything else, tossing her knife towards the core of it while she shifts in between the two, catching a particularly solid smack of metal across her cheek and down her neck, collarbone cracking under the force. )

[The Null impaled on his blade quickly shuts down and he lets it drop to the ground. Had they not been so delayed, they might have made it through this group with far less combat, but now they have drawn far too much attention.

He turns to the sounds of further combat and feels a cold chill wash through him. A sharp breath in snaps what remains of the tightness around his chest from the earlier impact against it and he holds both daggers in one hand as he moves himself clear of the Null attempting to close in on him and scoops up his previously abandoned spear.

It's with an almost-yell of effort that he drives the tip of the weapon through the creature attacking Kate. The first effort doesn't quite reach the core of the thing, but he continues to push against it, twisting into the metal until something gives and the blade comes cleanly out of the other side, covered in a faintly shining liquid.

He leaves it there, and in the next moments is on the ground beside Kate, breathing hard. The daggers are dropped beside her, and he lightly places a hand on her shoulder.]

Don't move.

( She'll fight to stand for a lot of things, but the shattered bone and burning shin leave her without any real say in the matter. Not that she goes without trying, that much goes without saying, but the third instance of searing pain and gritting her teeth hard enough that her jaw aches is enough to tell her to stay down until Ignis is by her side, the sounds of his cry still ringing in her ears. )

Can't.

( Just saying. She's bloody tried, believe her. But to no avail more than the disgusting and all too familiar tang of blood in her mouth that gets her heart racing uncomfortably.

Or maybe that's the tingle that comes with his hand on her shoulder, who knows. )

Can't stay here, either.

( They're far too surrounded now. )

[No, they can't stay here, but it goes without saying that he won't leave her while he finds safety for himself. His fingers rub her shoulder in absent-minded comfort, his eyes wary on the creatures around them and mind working quickly to find a way out.

Their options are quickly dwindling.]

Put your arms around me-- here, come on. [He urges her arms up around his neck, then positions his own behind her shoulders and under her knees. It's little effort to lift her off the ground even with his own state.

Ignis takes the only open left open to him, with no weapons, a severely injured friend, and too many enemies to take on alone.

With Kate's body held securely in his arms, he runs.]

( It's not like she's got much choice in the matter, though the movement causes her to bite down on her tongue as she leans into him, flinching and managing to keep herself from making any noise of discomfort until they're somewhere away from the gathering crowd.

This, by the by? Kind of hideously embarrassing. Running from the fight and having to be carried to do so. But right now Kate's only concern is trying to think of somewhere they can go. She waits until they're out of sight, until there's a brief moment of respite, to swear quietly, breath against his neck and ear as she glances behind them before trying to grab her phone, fighting through the worst of the broken bone agony to open the GPS and search up the only person that comes to mind.

... The one who will probably have a ten minute yell at her before he actually heals her, but all the same. )

Got it.

( Yeah, sorry about how close her breath probably still is to your earlobe, Ignis. Not that she explains what it is, either, simply giving directions for him to follow until they're at whatever hidey-hole Carlisle is using to escape detection. )

[Where they find Carlisle is not a hidey-hole so much as a hidey-used-to-be-the-pawn-shop. It's not an important building, and is one the Null would most certainly ignore; however, there is no doubt someone or something inside, as the door stands ajar, the lock having been melted away. Most of the wares that once lined the shelves have fallen to the floor, with those remaining coated in a fine layer of dust. The owner is nowhere in sight -- he's been gone for some time, hence the general state of the establishment. What is in sight, however, are some droplets of ink that trail from the entrance toward a door in the back, some pooling into more visible puddles the further in they go.

And what they lead to isn't Carlisle. It doesn't look like him, at least.

By the far wall of the back room of the former pawn shop sits what looks like the hideous lovechild of a great cat and a bear, or rather if that lovechild had its face smushed in during its creation. It's back is mostly turned to the door, but its glistening, monstrous fangs are visible even in profile, pointed in so many directions that it seems the being who made it couldn't decide which way they all ought to go. Its curved claws are coated in the same inky substance from the room before, glinting in the dim light as it paws at something in front of it. That something -- some kind of hairless rabbit? -- squeaks and wriggles to escape the beast's grasp, clearly unhappy.

But despite the outward brutishness of the larger creature, it doesn't seem to be trying to hurt the rabbit(?) so much as... using a handkerchief to wipe ink off it.]

[As they move through the streets and away from the more concentrated areas of fighting, Ignis' pace slows to better take directions from the woman in his arms. It's better, too, that he doesn't jostle her too much given her injuries.

They reach the shop - the door melted off the hinges, the inside in utter disarray, and he glances down at her with a slightly quizzical expression as if to say 'here'? Here is is, though, and he moves inside carefully, only to take a single step back as he sees the... creature occupying the building.

There isn't much he can do while he's carrying Kate, but it's a non-verbal cue from her that releases some of the tension that tightens across his shoulders. She isn't concerned. Something about this is familiar enough that she doesn't think they are in any danger.

Gently, he sets her back down on her feet, but keeps one arm around her with enough support that very little of her weight has to rest on her injured leg.]

This isn't exactly what I expected when you spoke of help. [He murmurs to her, giving her a sidelong glance. Maybe it's not what it seems?]

( This... is what the GPS says. But Kate double checks it anyway as they arrive - here, of all places? -, and a third time when they catch sight of whatever that is meant to be. It certainly doesn't look like anything she's seen in the caves before, but maybe she's missed something.

The initial worry that spikes through her - that this thing ate Carlisle and for fuck's sake are none of her friends safe? - dissipates quickly when her eyes cloud over. She doesn't need to flare her power entirely to make out Carlisle's familiar signature, the pools of ink by him, or that... whatever it is. She's sure Leliana gave her the name last time, but it escapes her in the moment. )

The hell, Carlisle?

( The pain that courses through her plainly evident in the growl of her voice. Are you trying to give her a heart attack, too? )

[With all his fretting over his pet, Carlisle might not have heard them come in, but he's certainly made aware of them when Kate says his name. The beast turns, startled, its eyes aglow as it pulls the rabbit(???) to its side -- and it stops as its gaze lands upon the pair in the doorway.]

Kate?

[Oh, that is definitely Carlisle's voice. The creature rises to its feet from its crouch, taking a step, then two -- then more, its form becoming clearer as it closes the gap between them. It is indeed Carlisle, his tabard torn, jacket stained, back draped with a cape that looks like not much more than the pelt of the monster he'd appeared as just seconds before. He offers no explanation, nor a greeting, nor so much as a look at the fellow actually carrying Kate for more than half a second before his eyes are back on her injuries. What he does offer is some mixture of concern and ire that he can't figure out a proper name for.]

The hell, 'Carlisle'? The hell, Kate! Desth, what happened to you?!

[He doesn't bother waiting for an answer as he tugs at his gloves, stretching them up and over his fingers to bare his hands -- still without explanation, but at least Kate knows what he's preparing to do. It's why she's here, isn't it?]

If you could- could just not put yourself into mortal peril for a day, that would be grand, now wouldn't it? Is that asking so much, that you not worry Glacius for all of five minutes?!

[Things suddenly make a great deal more sense, but Ignis doesn't think to waste any time with asking questions as to exactly what is happening and how Carlisle was doing that. Magic isn't a thing he feels he needs to question, particularly when he has far more important concerns on his mind.

He can, at least, understand the immediate reaction of this person he assumes to be Kate's friend. It's actually good to know that she has people who will bluntly say this kind of thing to her.]

We were surrounded. [Ignis supplies. No real surprise when the both of them have made themselves such blinding targets for every Null setting foot in Hadriel. He doesn't add that she was trying to protect him, or that the both of them could have easily been more severely hurt. This man seems highly strung enough as it is.

In this situation he defers to Kate, but he doesn't cease being attentive to the fact she can barely stand.]

Do you need to sit down? [He asks her quietly, giving about as much attention to Carlisle after his first statement as Carlisle gives to him. This isn't really the time for pleasant introductions.]

( Highly strung? Carlisle? Nah. Kate has two other words that she thinks fit him better, but batshit insane is probably not how you should describe the person you need to heal the swelling of your jaw and the giant gash in your shin.

Thankfully for everyone, said swelling is also the reason that Kate's only reaction to Carlisle's worried ranting - for now - is to purse her lips and roll her eyes, as if she's heard this particular nugget, or shades of it, before. But is anyone here really surprised at this?

Ignis' question gets her head to turn, despite the fact that she has to bite her tongue on a hiss of pain at the movement, a brief glance upwards and twitch of her head that's meant to be shaking it. She can stand through this, will stand through it because stubbornness won't let her do anything else. It's not like she needs to give Carlisle more ammunition for this unending argument by being unable to stand. )

[Carlisle sees the way Kate rolls her eyes, his own narrowing as his temper flares.]

And who are you supposed to be? [That part was directed at Ignis, though he immediately follows it up with a muttered sit down sit down, lest you fall over directed at Kate. He unclasps the cape and tosses it aside, not wanting it to be in his way when he inevitably starts hacking, then turns his attention back to Kate's companion.] She ought to be staying out of trouble, and here she is in it again. Are you making sure she lives through this? Or is she making you a worried mess, too?

[Like Glacius. Not him. Carlisle wasn't worried. Don't be ridiculous.]

[Kate will no doubt feel the way that the man holding her up tenses beside her. While he doesn't hurt her, his grip on her does subtly tighten. His voice, when he speaks, is level and steely.]

My name is Ignis Scientia. Though all I need be to you at this moment in time is a man growing increasingly short on patience.

[How he has managed to keep his glasses as clean as they are is clearly some kind of magic, but the rest of him is covered with enough dirt and blood - some of it his own - to make it abundantly clear that he's had a very trying few days.]

Are you going to assist, or do you intend on continuing to talk until we all expire in this Gods-forsaken place?

( If she were in any state to say anything, Kate would have a few things to say about Carlisle's constant insistence that she "stay out of trouble", but the last thing this injury needs is her talking. So, instead, as she edges herself onto a countertop, Kate has to content herself with tossing Carlisle's glare right back at him.

For fuck's sake, she's not made of glass, and all things considered, she hasn't been that badly injured. Not in comparison to what she saw happen to Glacius, which still stings, fresh as the memory is. How the hell did she miss that? Why should she stay out of trouble when so many of her friends won't do the same? She'd gladly live a life without combat, but as long as she's in Hadriel, that concept is going to stay out of reach, it seems. )

Neither of you will expire in my presence, talking or not. [As uncertain as Carlisle is about many things, his ability to heal is not one of them.

Pulling in a breath to steel himself, he places his hand along Kate's neck, his eyes glowing vibrantly as he allows the channel of energy to flow upward toward her jawline. He feels along her structure from the inside, the stream rippling and bumping on old wounds, long-healed flesh and bone not in need of immediate care. He leaves those for now, pushing more energy down toward her leg, the long journey no doubt searing through her, as his magic tends to do; however, it also lets him check for anything damaged internally. He meant it when he said he refused to let her die today.

Or ever, if he can help it.

Bit by bit, the wounds heal over, skin and tissue damage undone, then vanishing entirely, as though they'd never been marred at all. Carlisle stifles a cough as he slows his channel, the white-hot energy now merely a simmer. Though he has energy to spare these days, his physical frame can only handle so much. He'll be damned if he lets Kate go still injured -- since she's hellbent on being in the fray, the least he can do is make sure she's in good health for the duration.]

Edited 2017-12-17 18:07 (UTC)

[There's very nearly a sharp rejoinder to that remark, but Ignis bites it back with all the composure that he can muster. In the position he took alongside Noctis he has grown very used to knowing when he should hold his tongue, and while now is not necessarily one of those times where a political incident hangs in the balance, he has no wish to waste further time by encouraging this man to continue talking when there are more important things to attend to.

His outward reaction to the healing is little more than a slight widening of his eyes, and a shift backwards of around half an inch. He's seen something like this - or something that looks like this - before, though only from one person.

Ignis holds to his better judgement and doesn't touch Kate until Carlisle is done, after which he places a hand lightly against the back of her shoulder - a silent query as to whether or not she's alright.

... He imagines he'll find out soon. Her eyes have been screaming the words she hasn't been able to say ever since they got here.]

( The sensation's old and vaguely familiar, triggering memories of horrifying fog and all the insanity which accompanied it. The exhaustion, the same sort of thing she feels flowing through her now, brought on by pushing her powers too hard. The desperation, the need to survive and see things succeed.

... It's all overly familiar, in a way that has Kate reaching for Ignis' hand without thinking.

He wasn't there then. That simple presence is a comfort. That and watching Carlisle, the way his eyes glow like they didn't back then, the extra strength he has. He doesn't double over coughing like last time. Stands taller and more assured, thanks to what he has now.

(Honestly, she's happy for them both. There's just been so little time to actually say that.) )

Bitch like this to your husband?

( Carlisle should be more than familiar with that overly casual, neutral tone Kate adopts the very second her jaw stops aching. It's the same one that accompanies a lack of patience and words she should really regret. In other words, it's the same sort of tone that she held at the beginning of their last argument.

And yeah, did she mention that Glacius dropped that bomb already? Probably not. )

[Carlisle would have cut back, hearing that tone; he would have had thoughts about the way Kate takes this Mr. Scientia's hand, or remarked on her foolhardiness once again. He might have even demanded an apology for her insults the last time they spoke at length.

But what she says shuts him up pretty quickly. The glow in his eyes flares as his entire body stiffens not just from the effort of healing her, but from the fact that she knows. It's not something he's openly mentioned to anyone, keeping the knowledge of the Mote to himself as though it were sacred. To him, perhaps, it is.]

I am not allowed relationships of that sort.

[The clergyman recites that with a quiet, but stern tone; though his eyes fall before her, his brow knots tighter in silent defiance, as though she's wrong for thinking such outlandish things. Maybe it's because he's afraid there will be consequences for what he has, or maybe it's because another cough rattles up through his throat, but he pauses only briefly before continuing:]

... so if you could keep such things to yourself rather than spilling them all over the street as carelessly as your own blood, I would vastly appreciate it.

[Ignis can't help it. He tries to resist the urge, but at this point, it's entirely uncontrollable. The young man rolls his eyes and lets out a short, irritated-sounding sigh.]

Is this truly important at this moment in time?

[Addressed as much to Kate as to Carlisle, though mostly to the latter as he seems determined to talk the lot of them into a grave before the Null can find them. Speaking of the Null... he glances over his shoulder to the street outside, a soft exhale leaving him as he finds it empty.

Dragging this out is becoming far too much of a distraction for his comfort.]

I have no interest in what relationships you are permitted to conduct, or whether you are breaking said rules of conduct, sir, so you can count entirely on my discretion. [As if only just noticing Kate's hand holding his, he gives her fingers a small squeeze.]

Kate, are you well?

Not the point-

( But the point, which is that she doesn't get why Carlisle is constantly up her ass for the same things Glacius does, gets cut off, even tempered by Ignis' words. She sucks in a breath and shakes her head free of the irritation. He's right. This isn't the time. For now, she'll bite her tongue on this ever building argument that they haven't managed to finish.

She pulls her hand back and rolls her ankle, not even the slightest pull or twinge affecting her leg. )

Course.

( That part she didn't doubt. There's more than simply knowing Carlisle to be the type to avoid fighting that had her choose him over any of her staff members. He's an excellent healer. )

Should prob'ly get back out there.

Event Log: End of Arc 2

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/gently writes in that she shoved the daggers at him earlier

it happened. we accept nothing else.

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i'm finding a lot of reasons for this icon lately

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