Collab Post: Rtron Xodus
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Kiara would have responded to Angel, but his own response left her disorientated and unable to do much more than struggle to not fall over in the club. That would have been bad. Very bad. Though, upon reflection, the fact that the club was melting around her into a featureless white void seemed worse than simply falling over. She only raised an eyebrow as he came closer, glancing around at the finished Gothic library. "Kind of cheesy, I must say, but hey. Whatever floats your boat. It being her own mind, she created a black couch and sat down. She picked up the pure white book with 'Kiara's Demons' written in what looked like a flowing script of blood. 

"White. I hate white." She muttered, before setting the book on fire. No affect. It even seemed to sparkle whiter, as if mocking her. "Figures." She said, tossing the perfectly unharmed book over her shoulder. She knew her demons very well. Angel didn't need to know them, however. She looked up at Angel, studying him for a moment. "You think I don't know that? You think that those of us who haven't gone completely insane don't know that? Then you are a fool. Worse. You've been beaten down by this world and your beasts. You have given up, surrendered. You're no better than those you hunt." She was silent for a moment, and then she quote softly, "[i]Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into the Abyss, so to does the Abyss gaze into you.[/i] You stared to long into the Abyss that is our world, Angel. And you blinked. There's a reason I keep my beasts chained, my demons slumbering. I've seen what happens to those I care about when I don't."

She rolled her eyes. "Please. That's what the game is made for yes, but you've added a 'lovely' little twist, haven't you? Seeing as I'm unable to do much than talk with you, why don't you tell me what that is?" There was a heavy dose of sarcasm on the word, 'lovely'.

"A monster?" Angel crowed as a gentle smile spread across his face along with an expression of sarcastic innocence. "You are wrong darling, you see I am the monster...monsters are afraid of." Despite the gentle facade the horrid nature of XIII's aura pulsed with frightening ferocity. The Gemelli were quite renowned for being unbiased in the trail of blood they left, ally or not and they were also despised for their arrogance, Angel being a living testament to that. This entire time the Lost Number hadn't bothered to glance in the direction of the banshee, clearly adjusting his spectacles seemed to be of more importance.

"Also you are right...I have stared into the Abyss but," that instance was perhaps the first in which Angel finally met the gaze of the naive Asylum. "The Abyss wasn't this world.....and when I did stare into it, it wasn't I who blinked." 

Completely ignoring the banshee's question, the Crimson Asylum comfortably appeared to rest his arms behind his neck, his demeanor quite laxed almost as if patiently awaiting the moment of interest to draw near. 

"There is nothing you can do now little banshee, the die has been cast." 

Kiara stared at him for a moment, nothing but pity showing in her eyes when he finally deigned to look at her. "Tell me Angel. When did you become okay with being almost exactly like those you hunted? A year after your first mission? Less? More? You weren't always like this. I refuse to believe that anyone was always like this. Something caused you to change, to break. You may pretend you were always this way. But you weren't." She reclined on her couch. As interesting as this philosophical debate(at least, she thought it was a debate) was, it also got nothing acomplished. She had done this act to find out what Angel was planning and she was going to find it out. One way or another. 

At Angel's final comment, she spoke with acidic sarcasm dripping from every word. "Really? I didn't know that Angel. Let me just scrap my special plans to break free of this mental prison you've stuck me in. They were such good plans too! I bet they could have broken out of any mental prison, even ones made by you!" She snorted. "You don't need to tell me what I already know. I didn't have the ability to do anything the moment you responded to me. Still, seeing as I can't do anything to help anyone, why don't you fill me in on what you've done that would make me want to stop the game. It can't hurt, can it? After all, I am trapped inside my own head with you."

While she seemed calm outwardly, inwardly she prayed Maeve wasn't doing anything stupid.

"You are quite a cheeky girl....aren't you?" Angel replied with an amused tone. "To be aware of my infamous nature and yet you sit there, the facade of tranquility on your face and sarcasm on your tongue." By the end of this sentence a devilish smirk lay spread across XIII's face. 

"What an amusing little rabbit you are, alright I suppose I can indulge your curiosity," he spoke while nodding as if finally acknowledging the Asylum in front of him. 

"Tell me something little banshee, what is the purpose of this game?" 

However just as the girl was about to reply, Angel deliberately interuppted her, answering his own questions while his eyes teasingly mocked the banshee. 

"The intended purpose is to select a bait. We all know the pride of Asylums, none of them will willingly choose to be bait, hence the need of this game to select one. I am merely tantalizing the deal we are offering. Why take one bait when you have oh so many?" 

Kiara shrugged her shoulders. "What else can I do? Either you're going to kill me or you're not. Acting like the intimidated little mouse around you won't get me anywhere, or get me to learn what I want to learn. Sarcasm, at least, gives me something to do." She only raised an eyebrow as he called her a little rabbit, and gestured for him to continue. When instead he asked a fairly simple and obvious question she stared at him a moment, and opened her mouth to reply. That's when he cut her off. Her eyes narrowed as he explained, but she held her tongue. Her eyes lost focus on him after he was finished, and she began to think aloud.

"So, rather than one bait, you're making all of those who went for the orb bait. For who? The Circus? They aren't that aggriesive. So, obviously, it's someone else. Who would be stupid enough, or powerful enough, to attack a group of Asylums? Asylums with the infamous Princess of AMRO no less. And what would entice them to attack? All of the Asylums would be fully mobile and able to react to any attempts on their lives. Unless...." 

Her gaze concentrated on him. "What have you done to the Orb?"

"That is the surprise now isn't it?" Angel replied, his eyebrows raising as if to hint a much sinister plot that had been in the making since the very start. 

"You don't understand what is going on do you little rabbit?" He crowed callously while gesturing above them, where on the ceiling a video suddenly began to replay, the video of the rogue alchemist that dared attack the Gemellie. 

"That was no rogue alchemist my dear, on his wrist was the mark of the Forsaken Kings. A band of rag tag alchemists that harbour a strong grudge against the Circus. Now why and how would they know that the circus is expected to arrive in Vegas....this information was classified to A.M.R.O." The last bit Angel appeared to whisper, stressing on the fragility of the situation they had found themselves in. 

"This is no game my dear, we have found our selves in a war zone and something much greater is a foot. These Forsaken Kings would never give up an open opportunity to take out a few Asylums....or better yet gain som leverage," with the completition of that sentence a benign smile spread across XIII's face. "So I gave them what they want, the Chrono by now has left the fray and the Asylums will have worn themselves out and to make it even more tantalyzing, the first Asylum to reach the orb.......well lets just say he.....or she... will find themselves in a bind, my money if that the Forsaken Kings will kidnap that paralyzed Asylum take him.....or her.... to their base camp which will lead us right to them so I can massacre the whole lot of them." 

"Satisifed.......little rabbit?"

Kiara kept her silence until Angel was done, ignoring the video played above. The man did enjoy talking and seemed to have a talent for it. An annoying talent, as he used it to primarily withhold information that she needed to know, but a talent known the less. "So, you're implying that we have a mole in AMRO. What makes you so sure they haven't their own sources for the Circus' whereabouts? After all, rag tag they may be, they're still Alchemists." She raised an eyebrow at him. 

"Also, your marvelous plan is to have one of your own kidnapped, so you can follow them to the Forsaken Kings to kill them all. Now, what exactly makes you think you can follow the Asylum to be sacrificed, without the Kings getting wind of it, and what makes you think that they won't just torture and kill the Asylum in question. Likely worse if the mood strikes them. Because I'm thinking that if it gets out that you willingly sacrificed one of our own to get a group of Alchemists that weren't even a threat to the original mission, it's not just going to be every Asylum on this mission, aside from your partner, who you piss off." Another thought occured to her. 

"When someone gets kidnapped, I'm going to go to you to lead us to her. If you say you can't, first I'll die of shock. Because after all, the [i]Marvelous and unstoppable and unbelivably arrogant Angel[/i]" Sarcasm was applied in heavy layers to that bit," should be able to track his own bait that he set, even if a few 'rag tag' Alchemists do something along the lines of hide your bait from you. Then, I'll slap you, because it was your stupid plan that got us into that situation. So, explain to me how you're going to avoid getting slapped without incapacitating me in some way."

"I have known the Forsaken Kings.....far.....far longer than anyone." Angel replied cryptically as he stared into Kiara's eyes, giving her a good look at her own face which reflected off his crimson spectacles.

"They are a group of rag tag misfits, yet what maintains them is the council of four. Alchemists of... near incredible capabilities. Those four are the only reason A.M.R.O deems the Forsaken Kings a threat. While those four can maintain order via religious brain washing, their information gathering capabilities is next to null. The Circus is the only one that A.M.R.O has not been able to track and as such it can only be A.M.R.O's reasources that can track the untrackable. I have no doubt that we have a mole amidst us and for now that mole will be near impossible to catch. He is playing a game and I will let that mole win......for you see.....something very amusing is a foot." The callous natu

 Oh and as for me baiting one of our own, the Kings are cowards, they would most likely use the bait as leverage, and the paralyzing orb also contains a tracer which only I can sense, hence ill be able to locate the body, dead or alive. So to me it really makes no difference as long as the Asylum has fullfilled their purpose. 'Where ever an Asylum treds, madness is sure to follow', I believe that was in you job discription darling." Angel replied to her with his usual callous and sarcastic tone.

Kiara gritted her teeth. A mole in AMRO, and they had to put their trust in this man and his partner. Lovely. Still, she had to work with what she had, and this seemed to be all that she had. "Yes, but I don't believe the job description says 'your allies will be using you as bait, and won't give a damn if you live or die as this bait.' You could have asked. I would have said yes, and saved us all this entire mess." There was a low venom in her tone, and if it was possible, her eyes would have been smouldering. As it was, she simply glared. " So, why don't you let yourself, or your partner take this risk, hmm? You said you've know them far longer than anyone. That means they know you to. And, since you posses a sparkling personality, they remember you quite well. Wouldn't it make them more likely to take the bait if you pretended to be paralyzed? And then, when they take you to their base, you could just slaughter them all there." She held up a hand to forestall any answer he might give. 

"Since I know you're going to give me an answer that positively reeks of BS, I'll just move on. I want to be able to sense your magic tracer as well." Kiara was well aware that she was in no position to be making any demands, given that she was held a prisoner in her own mind. But what did it matter? Angel was...unpredictable, to say the least.

"Well you see the problem with baiting myself is.......hmm......let us put it this way. There is a reason a bait is a worm and not a shark little rabbit. And I had an abundance of worms.....it would have been a waste not to utilize this opportunity." Angel hissed back, a sinister look upon his face.

"And why are you worrying about the tracer just yet, the point of the tracer is to be put to use if the Asylums survive. The Forsaken Kings have already prepared the ambush and the one leading them is one of the coucil members. Knowing the proud and uncooperative nature of Asylums.....they won't really stand a chance.....but then again that was my entire aim. We needed to create a scenario that was completly in the favour of the Kings and I gave it to them on a silver platter. Not only will they be out numbered but they will also be exhausted from the race. The Kings will have no choice but to grasp at this opportunity." Angel's finger slowly pointed towards the banshee that sat in front of him. 

"You made a grave error in indulging your curiosity. You see Asylum work in pairs, however your other half is out there alone. The probability of her demise has just sky rocketed. I could always let you go but then again we are having such good fun getting to know each other," as he spoke the last few words, a gentle and kind smile spread across his face, sarcastically mocking the banshee. 

"Bigger bait attracts bigger game." Kiara retorted. "They likely would have leaped at the chance to take you, and wouldn't have hesitated at all. You wouldn't have had to go through the complicated matter of creating this game. You would have had all the fun you needed, convincing the poor fools that you, the [i]mighty[/i] Angel, was weak and at their disposal. But I suppose that was too complicated for you. Pity."

Her teeth gritted when he mentioned how doomed the Asylums were. It was very clear how little he cared and how close she was to losing what little control she had left.

As Angel made mention of how Maeve was alone, Kiara froze. Her eyes blank before they were hidden under a curtain of hair as she glanced down. She seemed to shiver, and a long moment of silence stretched out. Suddenly, she started chuckling. It slowly grew into full blown laughter, a mocking cackle. It was higher pitched than normal, and seemed to be...different from Kiara's normal tone. Crueler. The shadows writhed all around them, darkening. Hundreds, thousands of whispers could be heard, just on the edge of hearing. The book labeled, [i]Kiara's Demons[/i] shifted and rippled, darkening behind the couch and out of sight. Kiara's clothes began to turn white. In the real world, Kiara's shadow, Eric, began to dart around in helpless panic and fury.

"That's funny." There seemed to be a higher pitched echo following her words. "You actually think she's with me because we balance each other out and increase our chances of survival." She chuckled. "The Celtic bitch can more than handle her own affairs. Kings cannot to kill her." She glanced up, her hair parting to show one eye. It was completely white, and seemed to glow with an inner light. 

"But, if they get lucky and they do kill her, I would suggest you keep your little partner close. Angels tend to die when they meet the Devil."

Almost immediately after she stopped speaking, everything went back to normal. The shadows, the book went back to white, Kiara's clothes to their normal black, her voice stopped having an echo, her eye stopped glowing. Eric calmed down. The only thing that seemed to be different from before Angel said Maeve was likely to die was that Kiara was pale, and visibly shaken. "I...apologize for anything I might have said. Just let me go and try to save my partner..."

Through out the Banshees out burst and her ominous echoes of forewarning Angel remained calmly seated, the same kind and gentle expression stoicly shaping his face, slowly growing sullen. 

"I am disappointed in you.....little rabbit. I have seen human's with a heart of a monster but never a monster with a heart of a human. This is exactly why this world needs a monster that even monster's fear. Everyone has their roles to play," Angel's voice echoing a strange kind of despondency. 

"Your partner has already selected her role and I have grown weary of our conversations." No longer amused the Crimson Asylum slowly rose from his throne, the world around him falling to pieces, disintegrating. 

"Now banshee for you to leave this dying world you must answer one simple question," Angel spoke callously as the illusionary world continued to break and shatter. 

"What is the purpose of an Alchemits existence? Answer correctly and you will leave, if time runs out.......then you will be trapped in your own subconscious......for ever." With that said Angel's hand slowly reached forward, pretending to open a door and responding to that gesture a portal instantly opened up leading back to the real world, in an instance XIII was gone. 

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AND THEN HELL BROKE LOOSE

“We have waited long enough my brothers! Don’t give these oppressors the chance to regroup hit them now with all you got, kill those mother fuckers!” A resounding battle cry echoed throughout the sandy outskirts, the command ushering the inevitable ambush which Angel had foreseen. No longer needing their clever camouflage around 20 strangers all cloaked and brandishing large claymores slowly began to appear, surrounding the Asylums suffering from fatigue. 

“A.M.R.O’s hounds do not belong in the presence of kings. You organization……all it has done is deprive us of our freedom and now we will show what it feel to live a life unloving!” The leader of this rag tag group spoke up and by his vile tone it was clear the man detested A.M.R.O. Power has a way of attracting the unwanted, like fire pulling in months to dance around it till their wings blister and burn. Such has been A.M.R.O rule, a flame burning so bright it would scorch an Angel to the ground should he chose to oppose the unopposed. But times have changed for if a flame chooses to burn bright it also tends to be extinguished faster. 

“Burn them all!” The final command had been sung, a symphony was at hand one cleverly orchestrated by the devil himself and the lead of this orchestral sensation, none other than one of the council of four, Gadrael.

Roars echoed throughout the vicinity as the Kings charged towards their prey. Their blades of silver suddenly glowing with an ungodly crimson aura, radiating heat so intense the air around them began to warp due to molecular instability. 

“Die!” In unison the soldiers screamed as the crimson aura from their swords suddenly erupted, turning into a tide of flames drenching the Asylums in a sea of fire.

And if the Asylum were to survive the initial attack, they would soon realize the unique Alchemy of the Forsaken Kings. Their weapons are not alchemical; instead they channel alchemic energy into their weapons and release a concentrated bolt of their choosing. A such soon enough the Kings once again brandished their blades, however this time each blade resonated with a different colored aura. One radiated in a brilliant icy blue, freezing the ground around it. Another blade appeared to possess a yellow aura with a strange electrical surge rotating around it. 

“And here I thought today will be just another boring day,” A wicked smile slowly spread across a face that appeared to be spectating this battle from afar, his spectacles reflecting a crescent moon above.

“Lets paint it all crimson!”