[hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/MzIHaGw.png[/img] [/center] [sup][@Ciaran][@MagratheanWhale][@Atrophy][@FernStone][/sup] [b][code]Grand Ridge Academy.[/code][/b] [hr] “Fuck it, my group already has two pariahs in it. Might as well get a third. Britney, you’re coming with me too,” Britney couldn't help but crack a grin at Penny. As dire as the situation had become, she obviously felt some type of excitement. Which meant she had the right attitude for leading the group... and her own grin disappeared from her face. She knew after what happened it's better off that she just takes the role of the advisor... and her face scrunched up even more. She knew they didn't trust her, and she could feel her own best friend Justin turning against her. Still... she can make this better. She can avenge the fallen by being what takes down the Glutton. She renewed herself as she spoke, "Gladly, Penny." Though after thinking about it. Paige walking past her wasn't hard to notice. "You did good," "Gotta question, though," Justin said as he put his hands in his pockets, head to the left then to the right. "How are we going to communicate, though?" He whipped out his cellphone and pointed at it. "These are dead, I think the same could be said for all tech right now." "I have an idea... it might not work super well but..." Britney immediately said as she hopped up. "Awakened have the power to telepathically communicate with people they are connected to - like people they love, hate, et cetera, et cetera... For example..." She took in a deep breath as she sent a message to, surprisingly, Caelea. [i]Don't be worried, I can't look into your head unless you want me to.[/i] Afterward, she explained how to do it, "It's about envisioning that person, and talking to them with your mind." "All in our heads, right?" Lynette added in. She tried the method and sent the thought to Britney. [i]Like that vaporwave song, all in our heads, heh.[/i] "Everyone should take a minute to practice it." "Well, we don't have much time," Justin added on. "Every second we waste is another second that thing will be gearing up to attack us." "Yeah, let's hurry up," Britney said with a nod and the two groups went their separate ways. "Hold on!" Sharon Reid said as she ran up, "I'm coming with you." Britney knew that the group would be a bit apprehensive of the girl... and they definitely had their reasons to be. However, they needed everything they had because she knew that more people were going to die. Possibly during this group excursion. "Sure thing," Britney said with a smile before Penny or anyone else could get a word in. Even if she wasn't fully trusting of Sharon... it's better for the girl to be in their sights than acting out of it and with how unpredictable she is... it could be anything. Of course, she nodded and they all went their separate ways. Unaware that two people in purple cloaks watched them from above the building before stepping into a portal. [hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/pji6Lce.png[/img] [/center] [b][code]???[/code][/b] [hr] [i]Gotta focus.[/i] A woman in a red cloak holding a long spear that's design was reminiscent of a Qiang was up against a man not too much larger than her wielding a sword. She had him at the end of her spear, but she knew he was a lot stronger than her and a better fighter. Tools don't mean shit when you don't know how to use it. She took in a deep breath as she tried to thrust the spear at him hard as she could. However, her opponent deflected the spear with a quick strike of his sword enhanced by fire and rushed in and held the spear by the hand. He kicked her in the stomach and he had her on her back. Before she could even think about what to do next his sword was at her throat. "Time to pay for the sins of your bloodline-" He growled from under his cloak. "Goro! Enough! The leader of their group, the Watchers, walked up in her purple cloak, and her round face on full display. He turned to his leader as she struck him across the face with the back of her hand. "I've told you thousands of time already - We don't have the manpower for you to kill what little we have!" "She challenge-" "And it was a spar, and you won," Amethyst said as she pushed him one-handed. "This is was stupid, to begin with." One of the people at Amethyst's flank - a dark-skinned girl with Indian facial features - and wore a blue cloak. She looked very unnerved as her gaze was shifting everywhere but their glorious leader. She sighed as Amethyst continued to speak, "We need to gather the candidates at haste." "So, you're really going through with the plan?" The girl finally spoke up. "Yes, Cindy," Amethyst started off with a roll of her eyes, "We barely have any options at this point." "We can work with them, it's better than..." "Cooperation will not work at this point," Amethyst deflected quickly, "Britney has already poisoned all of their minds against us." "But..." "Enough, Cindy," Goro said as he walked up. "Your love for your cousin is poisoning your thoughts as well...." He got close to her as he prepared to draw his sword. "Will you betray us next?" "No, I am loyal to the League through and through!" Amethyst smiled, "You'll prove it soon enough..." She said as she walked around Cindy and put a hand on her shoulder as she whispered, "... Because you'll be killing her." That made Cindy shudder as she couldn't bring herself to do it. Suddenly a purple portal opened up and the two in purple cloaks walked out. They pulled down their hoods and one was revealed to be a male, and the other seemingly female but with heavy masculine features. They had bows and quivers attached to their backs that were loaded with deadly arrows. "Trevor, Theresa, what do you have to report?" Amethyst said. "The Awakened are on the move." Trevor started off. "They have separated into two groups," Theresa said. "One is going towards the Castle center." "The other is going towards the library." "Which one has Britney?" Amethyst said as she played with her dagger. "The one heading towards the castle center, oh wise leader." The Obott siblings said in perfect unison. "Well, then..." Amethyst said, "That's where we're going!" [hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/MzIHaGw.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/8XlJDkh.png[/img] [/center] [b][code]Town Hall.[/code][/b] [hr] The trip to the town hall was very... eventful, Lynette thought. She was wearing a heavy parka that she didn't even pack. It was a blue parka that belonged to one of the rooms that she looted that just [i]spoke[/i] to her! It had a dark blue color, and... it was a few sizes too big for Lynette so it went all the way down to her legs. Which was fortunate for her, since the snowstorm was raging and the snow was to her ankles. At this rate, it'll probably be to her waist, and it was definitely something she didn't want to deal with later. Which meant the faster they got there and found what they came here for, the faster they could get the hell out of here. The trip was relatively silent... mainly because the winds were raging so hard that it was impossible to hear anyone speak. She kept her eyes on Sharon, Britney, and Penny in particular. Sharon was in the middle of the group for reasons that the group didn't trust her, and there'd be no chance of her slipping off. Not that Lynette was worried about it; with this snowstorm going on there's no chance of [i]anyone[/i] getting too far away from the pack. Lest they risk certain and chilly death, or killed by anything else here. And her abstraction was useless in this weather... unless Britney was warning them about a certain something was true. Penny was braving leading the group as Britney instructed, while the latter was at her side. At this point Lynette found it hard to trust anyone except for those two... she wasn't sure about the group, nor was she sure about this conflict. She wanted to get what she came to this hellish town for and leave but- One second Lynette was thinking, and the next she found herself falling face forward. She let out a yelp as she fell directly in the snow which cushioned her fall, and she didn't hurt her face too badly. However, she pushed herself up to her palms and craned her neck behind her to see what she had tripped on. It was a dead body, and the girl's eyes shot open. It had to be not too long ago because there was still a trail of blood leading up to the body, which was obviously of a man from the sheriff's department going off the body's uniform. She got a nudge from somebody and was helped up to her feet... again she couldn't hear a damn thing in this wind. They couldn't see too far in front of them, but eventually, they cleared it and ended up at town hall. A rustic, anarchic, building that probably didn't see any real changes other than the occasional renovation in over a hundred years. But, the whole place was littered with something disconcerting. "What the hell...?" The normally soft tempered Lynette had no choice but to swear to herself as she witnessed the sight. There were dozens of bodies, everywhere. It was obvious it was a huge battle here who knows how long ago. Bodies of the possessed townspeople were all over the place, and hanging from the walls, the street lamps, and makeshift crosses bodies of the Sherriff's department and others (whom Lynette presumed were Awakened?) were crucified. It was a horrific sight, with blood staining everywhere but it was apparent that this might have taken place awhile ago. Some of the bodies were frozen over or buried in the snow. Conveniently, the snow let up enough for them to start talking and Britney was the first to pull her facemask down and convey to the group. "The Corrupted may be in control of this building!" Britney announced. "We'll have to be careful!" "I think we should just burn this place down," Sharon grumbled from underneath her face mask. Which wasn't that bad of an idea in Lynette's opinion, of course, if they did right off the bat coming here would be a grand waste of time (and possibly the information they need). "Penny, it's your time to shine," Britney urged her because she had a few ideas... none of them good. [hr][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/C4njhfP.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/pzvcW5L.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/f4XE2MO.png[/img][/center] [b][code]Library.[/code][/b] [hr] [i]Aw damn it, it's cold.[/i] Obviously, for Jordan, the trip was a total bitch. She had to be supported by Kimberly the whole damn time. Which wasn't that long of a walk because the library was just around the corner to Grand Ridge, but because of the weather. It would have been a five-minute walk for even Jordan stretched out to around... fifteen? Shit, without her fucking phone it was impossible for her to tell time... maybe she should have brought a watch. Between the dead bodies, turned over cars, and spooky writing on the walls, obstacles weren't in short supply. Either way, they eventually made it there and... the door was frozen over. Like, a huge chunk of ice was formed in front of it, and it was obviously created by the usage of magic, or the "Godforce" because the user was dead right in front of the door. An ax embedded in the back of their skull, and they were carved up with deranged encryptions... Jordan couldn't count the number of times [code]REDEMPTION[/code] was carved into their body. Justin turned his lip upwards and could only wonder if the person was dead before they carved all of this into them. Either way, their fearless leader had to press on or else they'd share the same fate. He focused on the door for a moment and he erupted in flames as the Soul-Self in Phoenix form flew over to the wall and fired a jetstream of flames at the door. "It should be gone, soon," Justin said flatly as he turned to face his team. There was a cackling from... somewhere. It was in the distance, but through the winds, it was obvious it was far away. However, Justin paid it no mind and the Soul-Self continued. "Justin..." Kimberly nervously said as she looked around. "Perhaps something was supposed to be kept in there...."