[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISM1z9BSED0][img]https://i.imgur.com/5B3hkEZ.png[/img][/url]

[sub][@Ponn][@Crusader Lord][@FamishedPants][@Izurich][@SilverPaw][/sub]

The muscled vampire chuckled at juvenile responses of humanity’s most “professional” guardians. Naught more but a gaggle of illiterate children, they’ve proven to be. Just pets with teeth too small to match their bark, taking actions without understanding the consequences of such.

[b]“To let thine blood flow in the presence of a nightwalker,”[/b] he said, his voice dripping with pity, [b]“is tantamount to the relinquishment of thine head. Such ignorance befits thine lesser race though, and at times…could even be [i]charming[/i].”[/b]

Even at a distance, the espers could all see it: the yellow irises of the vampire burning with a crimson glow. 

Veins bulged out from his neck, muscles growing taut beneath the suit. Sheer, unbridled force surged, his muscular arms raising up to the side as if in preparation for an embrace. And from within the sleeve of his right arm, something slim emerged. Only a meter in length and perfectly straight, the very end studded with a gem. A wand.

The vampire was a [i]caster[/i].

[b]“I am Arzendale, the Sanguine Sovereign! Pledge thine flesh to the Court of Carnage, or thine remains shall feed the wanton desires of His blighted kin!”[/b]

And with the world-silencing gravity of a conductor on the cusp of greatness, he raised his wand.

[center]If this bout doesn’t triple my heart rate I will be very cross[h3]God forgive us all[/h3][h2]FIRST RECEIPT[/h2][h1]BEGIN[/h1][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=suBlj18kOLs]🩸[/url][/center]
But neither vampire nor esper struck first.

[i]BOOM![/i]

A tremendous force shattered the purple-hemmed wardrobe to the right of the GEMINI agents, wooden chips scattering in the air, some blasting against them. From the wreckage of the furniture, [i]something[/i] shot for the group, their steps silent, but the unseen blade they dragged against the ground carving a line through the tilework, between the statues, and straight for the one on the right flank: Wukong.

And in the umbra of that chaotic, invisible assault, another individual slipped into the fray, their movements practiced as they vaulted over the wardrobe. A carmine eye, a different hue from a vampire’s crimson, widened as the adrenaline of murder surged through her veins, [url=https://www.pixiv.net/en/artworks/91452605]the eye-patched nun in an armored habit[/url] dashing for the vulnerable backline. With a wicked hiss, her two-handed falchion swung in a vertical chop towards Silmeria, and perhaps only Samuel was in place to assist the sniper before she found herself in the worse possible position to be.

Not that things were simple for so long.

There was no rumbling of a subterranean creature. There was no possibility of an underground attack, when the blueprints of the building itself did not have any space beneath the floor of the entrance. And the carpet had covered any sign of displaced tilework.

Right in the middle of the group, Ashley felt it before she saw it, and in a moment later, found that she was flying upwards, the world spinning as she was sent flying by [url=https://danbooru.donmai.us/posts/2812588]a monstrous fusion of man and steed, of bandaged flesh and animated bone[/url]. Six bladed limbs swung out erratically, lashing at all the espers around it, while the bound humanoid atop the skeletal steed let out a sharp yell, before vines burst out from his orifices and rushed for the still-airborne Ashley.

And as for how a creature twice the size of a horse could appear from beneath without a single sound? The gaping hole in the floor answered the question easily enough: a portal gate, leading only into a fathomless darkness.

But could Jacqueline and Su, the vanguard force of the GEMINI agents, truly afford to turn their backs on the vampire caster and reinforce the scattered formations of their allies? When Arzendale continued to move his conductor’s baton, his gem-studded wand, back and forth, weaving some foul art that none of them could make sense before it was completed?

His sharp-toothed smile locked onto the two of them, and his mouth formed unspoken sounds.

[i]‘Tick tock.’[/i][hider=Map]
[url=https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1rIkMeqN0k9T6nbsSVNhOE_Ck95jw9t5KnCIfnjUpDn0/edit#slide=id.p]Floor 1[/url]
[/hider]

[hr]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oMNwI4Gyq0][img]https://i.imgur.com/rtlB6LL.png[/img][/url]

[sub][@OwO][@mantou][@ERode][@Majoras End][/sub]

Tetrad looked a little happier than normal to be talking with Apollo. But she became more serious once she realized what they were going up against. Due to her party girl nature, she wasn’t too concerned about the barrels of wine. Beer, wine, and spirits all had different alcohol content. And even the most flammable ones weren’t combustible. Most of the accidents you hear involving burning cocktails involve people spilling or splashing burning spirits. That wasn’t to say it wasn’t dangerous, but it wasn’t like someone could just light a match and set the wine cellar on fire. There was no doubt the pyromancers' open-carrying flames could probably set the stuff on fire, but it would take a truly powerful flame to make spirits combust like, say, gasoline. They just had to avoid getting splashed and they should be fiiiiiiine.

Tetrad thought Klava’s ideas sounded good, even if her assertive nature reminded her of another freelancer who also thought she was hot shit. Her smacking Apollo’s ass wasn’t even worth batting an eye at. Espers were pretty eccentric characters, and it wasn’t like she had planned on asking him out or anything so childish. As freelancers, their loyalty was to the dollar. But Marrie seemed like a good sort, and if Protector’s actions were anything to go by, he seemed like a cool guy too.

[color=75c159]”Well.”[/color] She looked at Apollo. [color=75c159]”If the hashtag squad gets split up, I’ll hook up with the half you’re not looking after, okay?”[/color]

The older woman scoffed. [b]”Of course you’re a vagrant! What other sort of rabble would break into my employer’s home with the intent to kill him?"[/b] A grin spread across her face when Protector moved to stand beside Fable. [b]”But I’m glad ‘Bob’ has caught your fancy. Perhaps you’d like a demonstration?"[/b]

Steam blasted out of Bob’s shoulder joints. [b]”THE_LOW_BROW_FILTH_WILL_BE_DISPOSED_OF! EXTERMINATE!"[/b]

[center]
The Book of Souls is missing your names.
[h3]THE CLOCK SAYS 90 SECONDS[/h3]
[h2]First Regret[/h2]
[h1]LET THE MUSIC PLAY![/h1]
[/center]

This happened while Bob pulled a keg off the rack beside himself and chucked it at Protector’s shield. Though just before it struck, the sniper fired a round straight through it. The entire Barrel caught fire, and when the barrel blew apart on impact, its contents were set ablaze. 

The burning spirits splashed every which way around Protector’s shield, This included Fable, who Protector had chosen to stand beside. Protector would not be able to avoid getting burned, as some of the burning liquid made it over their shield and splashed against their arms. Unfortunately, the blessing did little to stop the effects of the magical flame from taking. Bob was already reaching for another keg to throw.

The other corridor was not idle though. The two men were not as strong as Bob was, but they united their efforts to pull a keg away from one of the walls. 

[b]”Hurry up!"[/b]The woman behind them snapped her fingers. [b]”He’s going to turn us into thralls if we aren’t ready for the 11:15 brunchen!"[/b]

Once they pulled the barrel out, they rolled it toward the espers at the other end. Eventually the barrel was moving faster than the men were, and seemed to be gaining even more speed as it continued to roll.They extended their hands, and the barrel was struck with two fireballs, setting it ablaze.The female pyromancer stood at the back, focusing her magic on a more intricate spell. 

[hider=Tetrad]
[center] 21 | Female | Maverick | Fortune
Pit Boss | Staff | Arcane | High Roller
Croupier | Graceful 
Gambit | Gravity | Draw 4
[Weightless, Suspend], Stabilize, Damage, Push, Transplace, Extend, Heal, Zone, If: Friend, Else

DAMAGE: E  | SPEED: C | SENTINEL: D | 750

PHYSICAL: E | ARCANE: C | CHAOS: D | 750
[/center]
[/hider]

[hr]

[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4Pzx1NDTtI][img]https://i.imgur.com/OYSa6cT.png[/img][/url]

[sub][@The World][/sub]

Before Marrie even approached the goblins, they became aware of her existence as soon as her clip light shined in their direction. They started screeching about half way through her question. An experienced esper might forgive Marrie for assuming some vaguely humanoid creature had the capacity and desire to speak with her. But goblins ultimately chose to live below ground so that they didn’t have to regularly deal with people. They were weaker than almost every other type of monster, and being discovered by humans just meant it was a matter of time before espers came to exterminate their nest. They shouted at each other before running from the scene, carrying whatever they could from the “camp site.” 

The catacombs started to beat like a drum. Marrie could feel the vibration in her feet. It wasn’t strong enough to be considered an earthquake, but something was moving in the general vicinity of her area. That, or something far away was moving, and it was large. 

Then she would see it. A massive snake as black as [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKggnBh2Mdw]asphalt[/url] with segmented yellow stripes going down it’s back. Its head bobbed side to side as it worked its limbless body through the open cave system. The stalagmites crumbled in its path, being ground to dust under the behemoth’s weight. As noisy as the Bate twins were, it seemed that the cry of numerous goblins was a more appealing snack to the giant snake. It wasn’t long before it spotted Marrie with its single eye, which shined like a headlight. It lifted its head into the air and opened its mouth. Its body swelled, sealing the catacombs up behind itself, before a deep hiss rolled out of its body. This was punctuated by its cobra-like mast opening, which was filled with spikes. But none of them were as long as its fangs, which were dripping with venom that burned holes in the cave floor.

Highway to Hell had arrived.

[center]
It's Thursday, my dudes!
[h3]WHY DON'T YOU GIVE HER A CALL[/h3]
[h2]First Engagement[/h2]
[h1]MAKE IT HAPPEN![/h1]
[/center]

Marrie couldn’t backtrack, as the giant snake had come from behind her. And it was only getting closer with every passing second. The path up ahead split in two smaller ones. The goblins could still be seen scrambling down the left tunnel, but Marrie could hear the sound of a two-stroke engine running down the right one.