Crimson Raven

:: Dragon Heart ::

To import one of my characters or create new hm...

Fire Emblem: A Blinding Light

Kara

Kara heaved a sigh. Servus has gotten his fool self mixed in with the Jehannan troops and was now marching with them, completely surrounded. Why did she actually expect anything from him? "Your human really is an idiot." She told Amboli.

Fortunately, it seems her choice of waiting was the correct one. The person she could sense the Fire Emblem from was just on the other side of the wall and coming this way. The Manakete didn't even try not to feel smug about that.

The question now was were they friend or foe? The answer seemed obvious. The Cavalier and Wyvern Rider wore the colors of Grado, and bore arms and armor in similar style. They appeared to be fleeing while Jehenna's forces were attempting to stop them. Surely that spoke to their credibility? Still, Kara wasn't sure if she was ready to trust them or not. Trust or no, they were about to be overrun with foes and Kara knew Jehanna was after the stone and for that reason she needed to keep it away from them at all costs.

Nothing good ever came when humans lusted after the Sacred Stone. History had taught that much.

With an extra flap of her wings, Kara propelled herself above the wall. But she paused, drifted back down, and looked down at Amboli. "Go find your errant human, little cousin. Things might be going to hell soon." She told the wyvern, before half flying half vaulting over the wall around Grado's castle town.

"You there! Cleric!" She called with a loud and commanding voice, as she glided down next to Titana. "You have the Fire Emblem in your possession yes? Don't bother answering, I can sense it's power." She continued on running over any response. "I am a Manakete. You may call me Kara." She declared. "And I have a vested interest in keeping that Stone out of the wrong hands." She narrowed her eyes. "Including yours, if they happen to be such. But here we common enemy. So for now, consider me an ally." She paused and added as an afterthought. "Oh, I came here with a thief who is...somewhere and an idiot wyvern rider who has left behind his wyvern on some hair-brained plan and is now mixed in somewhere with the enemy. …you may kill him if you wish. She turned to study the rest of the sorry-looking band. A cavalier, another wyvern rider (wonderful), and a little further back, a Mage, probably a Shaman, judging by his choice of get-up. Standing next to the cleric were the knight and lancer who were originally here.

Her tail flicked. She raised an eyebrow. "Is this all of you?" She asked, sounding disappointed.

@Rune_Alchemist, @Eklispe, @Lmpkio, @Apollosarcher, @PlatinumSkink

:: Dragon Heart ::

Edit: gif troubles... >.< got it

:: Dragon Heart :: A Fairy Tail RP

I'm trash for Fairy Tail, so I'm interested too!

@CaptainMarvel

This but me. XD

I'm interested as well.

Cloud Chasers | First Book: Casting Stones Upon the Glass Sky |[ Invite Only ]|

Amara Solidor

Amara, for her part, kept out of the way of the hustle and bustle of the Engineers. She listened carefully to the briefing on the mission and now was content to stand quietly by until she was needed. She was keyed up and excited at the prospect of slaughtering more Librarium dogs, maybe even getting a shot at the Alphas.

That didn't mean she wasn't bored to hell just waiting.

She tapped her foot impatiently as she mentally hurried the gearheads, who were oo-ing and ah-ing over the fancy tech. Well, fancy for this rustbucket anyway. Stifling a big yawn, she shifted to a more comfortable position where she was leaning against a metal contraption that she had been assured that (probably) won't kill her. She hadn't slept well. Not that she had for years now. Fortunately, that is what coffee was invented for and she was chugging her way through her third mug like a druggie. It was disgusting. It looked like, had the consistency of and tasted like mud, but she didn't care. It woke her up and gave her the kick to start another day.

She sipped coffee and let herself slip into her own thoughts. The incident yesterday was bugging her. Not that tantrum Addy threw, or the book she literally threw, nor the casual use of force the Captain used to settle the matter, but Silver Claw. When he had casually steadied the two of them, he had said to her: “Let’s hope you’re more useful than this lot.” and she looked him in the eye with a smile saying, "I am." Confident at that time. So confident.

But after last night, she was feeling less like her usual self. Uneasy. Shaken. Those same nightmares had haunted her sleep for two years and she had quickly learned to deal with them. But now? They left her feeling like she was made of glass: fragile and easily shattered. Was it nervousness? This was the first major mission she had officially been assigned to. Unofficially, she'd snuck on a few before. Since they turned out well, the Captain had turned a blind eye. But this time was different. This time, she had been singled out and chosen. Why did that make a difference? She didn't care about these pirates and their petty grievances. She just wanted to see the Librarium burn and this was her best way to go about it. Power. She needed power, like always. Once she had it, she could leave these people in the ash left in her wake.

Her eye was twitching. She could feel it. Twitch twitch twitch. She absently traced it with a finger.

What was she thinking about again? Right. Yesterday. Silver Claw had steadied her and she had felt the enormous power the man held. And she felt that same feeling of unease that always came when she saw him. And yet he had been almost gentle. He was a puzzle. But not one that she was interested in solving, just one that was worth pulling out of the box every now and then to admire how mysterious its pieces were.

She mentally put it away for future puzzling when she was approached by an engineer bearing the diving harness that had a name she couldn't remember for the life of her. He was polite in answering her questions, and she, in turn, listened carefully to his instructions. If she was going to be entrusting her life to this hunk of junk, she wanted to know all about it.

Now why not apply that philosophy elsewhere...? She glanced sidelong at her teammates for this mission, who were also getting outfitted, but with considerably more fuss then herself. Maybe later. She shrugged. She didn't feel up to making small talk.

"There yar. All set." The engineer said, checking one last strap before stepping back to admire his handiwork. "Ya know how to work this, right, lass?" Amara gave him a nod. "G'luck then." He moved off to attend to his other duties.

She watched him go, then pulled out a few leaves of paper covered in her spidery scrawl of notes and rescanned the important parts. There was something she wanted to attempt, and this seemed like a good opportunity. She looked around for a relatively clear section of floor, quickly locating a spot that was free of miscellaneous objects, and slightly free of people. Coincidentally, that happened to be around Laz and Addy. After all, no sane person wanted to be nearby when the two of them were in the same room. But that worked for Amara. She moved through the bustle with ease to pop up nearby the pair. " 'scuse me." She murmured as she passed between them, intent on the area beyond.

There, plenty of room. A few paces further and the small white-haired girl thrust out her hands, palms out in a dramatic pose. She closed her eyes and began to gather magic. Most of the crew were either mages themselves or experienced enough to feel magic at work, and a few actually knew Amara's magic so a small circle of space cleared out quickly.

She took in a deep breath and let it out again. Magic grew thick enough to be visible as a shimmer in the air around the girl. It grew progressively thicker and stared to swirl about in a circular fashion. The still air inside the hanger began to move, the presence of so much concentrated magic creating an imbalance of pressure that manifested as a phantom breeze. Amara's face grew tense, and her breathing haggard. She barely understood what she was doing, guided by instinct and a little knowledge.

Power, this power. This was the power she craved. This was the power she hungered for. But the meager amount she could bring mearly whet her appetite, leaving her thirsting for more. MORE! She needed MORE! Magic flowed through her veins, bringing with it a tingling euphoria that crackled and stung like electricity.

Faster and faster the magic swirled and when it reached it's peak, it suddenly stilled. Amara opened her eyes, seeing nothing, then slowly and clearly, she chanted.

"Divine breath of the Gods, fragrance of the flowers, bearer of Seed, Merchant, and Wayfarer, alike! Yet sower of fire and pestilence. Soaring breeze! Raging tempest! Tempestuous gale! Winds of a beginning, blow now." She ended the chant calmly, moving her hands held down at her sides. Magic streamed out of her, leaving her once again hollow and empty.

At first, nothing seemed to happen. But, it one looked closer, in front of the amateur Summoner was a disturbance in the air, a few feet off the ground. A core of bright greenish light, about the size of a fist. It pulsed gently, then expanded rapidly, stopping at roughly the size of a man's head.

It had no obvious form, it gave the impression of a bundle of wind, giving off steams and winking firefly-likelights, swirling about in a vaguely spherical shape. It darted about, almost playfully, always shifting, always moving, sometimes briefly disappearing from sight to reappear again in another spot. It bobbed close to Amara and circled her, giving off a playful feel. Amara sagged slightly. She did it. She had summoned an Air Elemental.

It was small, and as Elementals go, not very strong, but perhaps that was best. Despite it's looks, it contained a massive amount of power, enough to give A class wizards trouble. Elementals were tricky. Catching and binding one was no easy task as they tended to be...independent, as they are forces of nature, and it was only possible to lure them with something that had an affinity with the element. Fortunately, a flying airship was more then enough for a minor wind elemental. But they were also dangerous. If it got free, the first thing it would do is unleash all its magic winds on their summoner. Galeforce winds, in this case. But it won't. Amara will was far stronger then this elemental's. Even if it did, somehow, she could scatter it with a thought.

The newly summoned elemental darted about, seemingly curious about it's surroundings. It would rush up to whatever person or thing that caught it's interest then stop and bob around it for a moment before rushing off, leaving a gentle breeze in it's wake.

The show finished, the hustle and bustle of the Chasers continued without missing a step.

Amara wearily stumbled over to a nearby stack of crates to sit. That had been more costly than she had anticipated, she thought she had it right, but she had spent far more power then necessary... She retrieved the papers from her pocket and a pen and started taking notes and writing down her thoughts. The air elemental continued to fly about the hanger, seemingly not minded by Amara. It caused a little alarm here and there, but it seemed harmless and more playful than malicious. The worst it did was blow off someone's hat or flip up a skirt or two, one of which belonged to Adelyn nearby. Purely by coincidence, of course.

Despite herself, Amara smiled faintly.

@Lunarlord34@Raijinslayer@Leslie Hall

Heroes of Beacon - Contest of Champions

This is Halloween!

HoB Halloween Contest

Fear

“Fear has a lot of flavors and textures. There's a sharp, silver fear that runs like lightning through your arms and legs, galvanizes you into action, power, motion. There's heavy, leaden fear that comes in ingots, piling up in your belly during the empty hours between midnight and morning, when everything is dark, every problem grows larger, and every wound and illness grows worse.

And there is coppery fear, drawn tight as the strings of a violin, quavering on one single note that cannot possibly be sustained for a single second longer—but goes on and on and on, the tension before the crash of cymbals, the brassy challenge of the horns, the threatening rumble of the kettle drums.

That's the kind of fear I felt. Horrible, clutching tension that left the coppery flavor of blood on my tongue. Fear of the creatures in the darkness around me, of my own weakness…

And fear for those around me, for the folk who didn't have the power I had.”

~Jim Butcher, Dresden Files: Grave Peril

“It wasn’t the kind of fear that makes you scream and run. That’s fairly mild, as fear goes. That’s Scooby Doo fear. …(It was) fear that you had just become a casualty of evolution—that you were watching something far larger and infinitely more dangerous than yourself, and that your only chance of survival was to kill it, immediately, before you were crushed beneath a power greater than you would ever know.”

~Jim Butcher, Dresden Files: Side Jobs, Aftermath

Halloween. All Hallows Eve. I find it ironic that we, the people of Remnant, celebrate this Holiday. In ancient times, it was believed that the as fall turned to winter, the realm of the dead grew closer to the realm of the living. and the spirits of those who died could meet once more with those who still lived. Including the spirits of the Grimm. Hunters and Huntresses slain by the Grimm, and the ghosts of the defeated Grimm themselves would rise and do battle once more. The Grimm, to do what the Grimm do: kill and destroy. The Hunters to guard both living and dead on their journeys. It was a day of fear.

Fire was believed to have great significance to the dead. It’s light and warmth would remind the Departed of the life they once had and provide a beacon to rally them to the dwellings of the living they are to protect. Upon the Grimm, it was said to have much the opposite effect. The fire’s heat and brilliance would burn them and weaken them. But the fires alone were not enough. Some crafty Grimm would take on monstrous, but somewhat human forms to lure the living away from fire and safety. To go about their business in safety away from the fire, both the spirits and the humans would put on masks and costumes so that the spirits of the Grimm could not be sure if they are attacking a vulnerable human or a powerful Hunter in disguise or even one of their own. To tell each other apart, the humans and spirits would go about begging boons of those they met, with the threat of attacking if they failed on the theory that Grimm were incapable of basic goodness. These legends were flanderized and built upon until Halloween as we know it came to be.

Which still doesn’t adequately explain why I’m wearing this bloody costume.

“Feeeerriiiisssss!” Called a female voice all the way from downstairs. “Hurry up! We’re gonna be laaaaaate!”

“Yeah yeah, hold your horses, sis.” I muttered, not bothering to yell back. I took one last look at myself in the large, vertical mirror hanging up on my bedroom wall. Staring back was a reflection I didn’t quite recognize. Me, but not me. I tugged (gently) at the ridiculous collar. “I cannot believe I let myself get talked into this.” I grumbled, not the first time. And not the last either. I worked my jaw, feeling with my tongue the strange obstructions in my mouth. I made faces at myself at myself and amused myself practicing getting an accent down. “…I want…No, not quite…I vant…Hm…I vunt…too much?”

“FEEEEERRRRRRRISSSSSSS!!!” Came the cry again, so loud I fancied it shook the very walls.

“ALL VIGHT, ALL VIGHT!” I yelled back, finally provoked into answering, but unintentionally doing so in the cheesy accent. Woops. Hopefully the walls would muffle and distort the sound enough that it wouldn’t be noticed. Otherwise I’d never live it down. I flourished the dreadful costume one last time in the mirror before grabbing my now empty coffee mug, sitting on a dresser, and venturing out to placate an impatient sibling.

I stepped carefully down the broad staircase, getting a good view of the commotion going on in common room as I did. Three creatures had taken over the place and made it their den. A bleached white ghost stood nearby the door, looking quite cross, a small, ginning witch ran around, giggling madly, and a great, black Nevermore with folded wings lounged on the couch. A fire that occasionally turned various colors crackled in the hearth and spiderwebs hung everywhere, spiders included, amid décor that leaned toward the black and orange and featured many spooky decorations. A grinning skull hung, sat, or peered out everywhere you looked, a few with the rest of the bones included. Incongruously, one appeared to be playing the trumpet. Some of the skulls were even Grimm-like in shape, including a whopper over the mantel that was life-sized. Other decorations included grinning pumpkins, miniature Grimm, and a fog-belching humidifier shaped like a witch’s cauldron, cackling, stirring witch included. The windows were open and clear, but I knew they were set up to project holographic images of ghosts, ghouls, and other nasties that go bump in the night when darkness fell. The whole effect seemed garish to me, but tis the season, I guess.

“There you are.” The Ghost snapped, watching me duck a low-hanging web on my way down. “Honestly, we were ready to leave without you.”

What a shame that would be.

The Nevermore on the couch leaned back to look at me and grinned. “I told her if she kept looking so cross, she’d ward you off.”

Groan. Oh Li.

I had a feeling he was going to keep this up all day, then get worse during the night.

As I bottomed out from the stairs, I was abruptly tackled by the little witch. Although, considering she was no taller than my waist, the effect was somewhat diminished. “Fen!” She shouted with glee, then squealing in delight as I picked her up and swung her about. “Hiya, Del.” I laughed, setting her down. Delany, my youngest sibling, looked ready to burst from joy. Despite being eight, she either refused to or was unable to pronounce my name properly, so I generally got called some odd abbreviated version. “Look! Look!” She laughed, bouncing backwards and a twirling a bit. “I got a costume, Imma which!” She somehow made it sound like the wrong homonym. “You look…” I searched for a word. “…Fantastic.” I finished, unable to find one that properly conveyed what I wanted. Indeed, she did. The little witch had on a great, big, black pointed hat that dominated her little frame, and might have been a size too big. It kept slipping down, causing her to push it up again. Her little black curls just barely escaped the rim to poke out but were nearly lost in that great black expanse. Beneath it, she wore a long dress so black it seemed a shadow with shiny silver buttons and a cape that that hung all the way to the floor, shortened just a tad so that it wasn’t in danger of being stepped upon. It had big, poofy shoulders and was closed in at the wrists, covering her faunus feathers. Her face and neck where done in light green paint that matched the gloves over her feathery hands. And, of course, it came with a genuine wood and twig broom, taller than her. It was simplistic, but convincing. The dress was of a high-quality fabric and the paint was meticulously done in an even shade that didn’t show fingerprints or brushstokes. Her costume reminded me of something, but I couldn’t quite place it.

Del looked puzzled. “What do fans have to do with it?” She asked. Groan, again. Li’s bad influence I bet.

I bent down and booped her on the nose. “You’ve been hanging around Li too long.” I accused, attempting to sound somber, but my voice was colored with laughter anyway. She was too gosh darn cute.

“Ah-hem.” The impatient poltergeist by the door faux coughed. “Come on!” She demanded. I exchanged a long-suffering glance with Li. This was going to be a long night. The raven-faunus carefully got to his feet, and I got a good look at his costume. It, like Del’s, was fabulously made. It took advantage of his natural faunus wings to create a disturbingly convincing Nevermore. He wore a cloak, black, with a carpet of hanging feathers and a long, sweeping tail that hung down and back. His legs were covered in pants that were patterned to give the illusion of more feathers, and his feet ended in white talons that clacked softly on the wood floor. His very real black wings were folded behind him currently, but, when spread, they created an ominous shadow. On his hands were gloves with white fingers, obviously imitating claws. But the real shocking part of his costume was the mask he was donning: Bone-white and patterned with red, the long top part had four red-orange eyes and painted with the ominous signature red design of mankind’s greatest enemy. It angled forward and ended in a terrifying black beak. I say mask, but it was really almost a full helmet, part of it went over his head and down his back, true to form as the jagged protrusions on a real Nevermore. Even knowing it wasn’t real, having face one before, his costume made me uneasy.

Fear. A gallium kind, that bypasses rational thought and appeals to the instincts, but disappears when you stir it up and take a close look.

“You look like an overgrown dyed chicken.” I told him, ignoring the increasingly impatient ghost.

“And you look like you stepped out of a B-rate novel. At least I’m actually frightening.”

“To whom? Children? Babies? Chiefs? The Fashion Police?”

Before he could get a word in edgewise, the ghost shouted, “Guys!”

We turned to her, Li putting a hand on his chest and feigning surprise with his body language. “Oh! So sorry, little ghost. I didn’t see you there. I thought I heard a rush of air, though.”

I lifted a hand chuckled softly into it. Unfortunately, she noticed.

“You are so mean and- and rude! Rude rude rude rude Rude!” She gestured angrily and stomped. I fancied I could see steam coming off her. Winding Rosa up was Li’s favorite pastime. She has a hair-trigger temper and gets frustrated easily. That combined with her obstinate dislike of wordplay, often lead to the two of them clashing. How she didn’t inherit our mother’s fondness for them, I’ll never know. Li’s love of it, despite not being directly related, was just as much a mystery to me. Despite being sixteen, she could be more childish than Del sometimes. Then again, those ‘sometimes’ tended to coincide with Li’s teasing and my, occasional (er, maybe frequent) joining in. But hey. Siblings.

Her costume, and the source of Li’s current jibs, was just as quality as the rest of ours. She wore a white dress that was artfully sewn to look torn and ragged, trailing lace from her arms and body. Wrapped about her was a light, silvery chain that connected to an iron-colored, realistic-looking lantern. It even glowed, not with fire though, but a little lightbulb on the inside. Her natural white hair merged seamlessly with extenders that fell about her, giving her an ethereal appearance. Her face, arms, and nearly every bit of skin was a faded white with what must have taken a massive amount of paint and work to cover. Her face was a few shades paler than the rest, and she had dark circles painted around her amber eyes that she and I shared with our mother. Her lips were a glossy silvery, just enough to give them distinction, and were currently set somewhere between a pout and a scowl. A dark colored amulet gave a spot of color to break the monotone.

Damn, Mom really came through and went all out on our costumes this year.

“She’s a ghost all right.” I leaned in and said to Li in a sotto voce that was clearly meant to carry. “Our own, private poltergeist.”
Li grinned and nodded, playing along. “She certainly has the loud and obnoxious part down.”

Del giggled.

“Uuuugh. You two! Mrrrhgrrrgrr.” Rosa growled, words failing her.

Li and I laughed, Del joined in, and after a few seconds of irritation, Rosa did too. Until a voice from the kitchen made us jump.
“Li! Ferris! Quit pestering your sister and get going!”

“Okay Mom.” Li and I called back at the same time. Ritual ribbing done, the four of us gathered our props and things and were out the door.

In the little town near by our current house, Halloween was a major all-day festival. It was, in part, dedicated to a successful harvest and one good day of fun before the long winter. Winters in Atlas could be brutal, with Christmas being the only real pleasantry throughout. It was a time to enjoy ourselves and ward off the fear of a longer-or-colder-than-usual winter, which rarely happened, but could be devastating. Grimm seemed to like the dark, winter days and it was often hard to keep one’s hopes up. So, in typical human fashion, we throw a big party to spit in the face of what we fear.

This kind of fear is an Aluminum fear: shiny and useful, but weak, insubstantial, and buried everywhere. But, despite being malleable, it’s enduring.

As we walked the distance from our house, our shoes left imprints on the freshly fallen snow and crunched softly. Mom really knew her stuff. Despite the mild chill in the air, we were warm in our costumes. I kept an eye on Del, being the youngest and most susceptible to the cold, but I didn’t need to worry. She was skipping and laughing and running around without a care in the world. This Halloween was mostly for her, Li and I were a bit old for Trick or Treating, being eighteen and seventeen, respectively. We were mostly around for chaperoning. Rosa was getting there, but she could have one last year of fun being a kid on Halloween.

“Man, these costumes are amazing.” Li said, interrupting my thoughts. “Mom really out did herself.” Despite not being related, he still called his stepmother “Mom”. I think it’s a sign of respect. They get along famously. Which, considering their shared interests, isn’t surprising.

“Agreed.” I said, looking down at myself. His next words made me freeze in my tracks.

“They are also excellent for hiding weapons.”

Rosa looked aghast. “Li, you didn’t.”

He reached beneath his cloak and pulled out a familiar long, metal pole.

“Highwind, eh?” I said, recognizing his gunlance. “I thought Mom forbade us from carrying weapons to Trick or Treating.”

“Oh yeah? Is that Damocles in your pocket or do you just like candy that much?”

“Huh?” Delaney tilted her head, looking at Li.

Rosa sighed. “Del, please forget what your brother just said.”

I placed my hand on Damocles, tucked in my belt, hidden beneath the cape. “I couldn’t leave it. I’d feel naked without it.”

Li gave a ‘well-there-you-go’ gesture. “Ditto here.”

I eyed him. “A pistol is one thing. A rifle-cum-spear is another.”

Highwind somehow disappeared beneath his cloak. “What spear?” He asked, innocently, holding out his hands, showing that they were empty.

I raised an eyebrow. “You missed your calling as a stage magician.”

As we walked, Li and I fell back a little, behind Rosa and Del, who had grabbed her sister’s hand and was talking animatedly. “Jokes aside,” He said in a rare moment of seriousness, “I think your costume is the best.”

I blink at the unexpected complement. “Really? I think it looks rather…showy.”

He clapped me on the back, driving me forward a stumbling step. Hunter training had really built him up and he had some serious strength. “That’s because you have the fashion sense of a rock: you wear nothing but boring, plain gray.”

“I like it.” I said defensively. “And rocks can be colorful.”

“Not the ones in your head.” He laughed, all seriousness gone. I growled and bent down to scoop up a snowball, but he skipped away, still laughing. I straightened and bounced the snowball in my hand, scowling after my elder brother. “One of these days…Pow!” I grumbled, tossing the ball with a flick into a distant pine tree. It soared true, splattering against the trunk and leaving a white smear.

I checked my costume again. Was it really stylish? For me, Mom had chosen a vampire theme: The outfit consisted of a lavish cape, royal purple on the inside and a much darker purple on the outside. It flared up at the collar, forming a pair of crisp triangles that flared outward. Beneath them on the mantel part was embroidered in gold thread designs reminiscent of bat wings. It hung down my chest ending in a zig-zag of knife-like geometric strips. Over my right shoulder was a throw of black feathers with gold decorations. Its purpose was beyond me. The whole cape was bound together and held by a spindle of golden thread across my throat. Underneath the ostentatious cape I wore a vest the same shade as the inside of the cape, edged in gold, over a stiff, light grey shirt whose collar mimicked the cape’s by flaring up and out at my throat. Around my neck and tucked into the vest was a black tie embroidered in silver with my Hunter’s symbol. Fortunately, the silken pants were much less showy and much more comfortable, being unremarkable other than being the same shade of purple as the outside of my cape. Heavy, black boots and white gloves with gold cuffs completed the ensemble. And of course, not one to miss small details, and being supremely multi-talented, Mom had somehow crafted fake but super realistic fangs and pointed ears, which I had ruefully put on.

I will admit, the look strongly appealed to my dramatic nature. But to be wearing it myself?

“Hurry up, Count Weiser!” Li called. “We’re leaving you behind.” I grumbled at my brother’s cursed sense of humour and spend up.

* * *

The town was only a brief walk away, taking us mere minutes. We could hear the merrymaking and see the light from the bonfires long before we arrived. Decorations abounded, from the silly to the downright morbid. Someone had hung a stuffed dummy from a tall oak tree in the middle of the town square. Graves, skeletons, zombies, pumpkins, reapers, and Grimmwards, carvings containing symbols that supposedly warded off the Grimm abounded. Nearly everyone we passed wore a costume of variating quality. Some were elaborate (like ours), others were merely bedsheets and rags draped on. There were wagons and carts of goodies, stalls and games and things to do or eat everywhere. After warming ourselves by one of the enormous bonfires, we immediately made a break for the sweets. Li, Rosa, and especially Del, love caramel apples. I didn’t take one. I’m not fond of caramel. True to form, Li ribbed me about it. I did, however, partake in the chocolates, nuts, and oh gods the coffee!!!. Being stuck out in the cold made a hot drink even better, as if that was possible for coffee. I was sure to sample every coffee stand I could drag my siblings to and even a few I didn’t. We all had a stipend of Lien for spending and I blew most of mine on coffee, coffee, COFFEE!

…ahem.

Besides the food and drink, there was a costume judging which all four of us entered. We stood around for what felt like hours as people came in to enter and show off. In the end, I won third, second went to a couple who looked like a pair of animated skeletons and Li, of all people, was voted first. Apparently, not many had the gall to show up dressed as a creature of Grimm and the judges loved him for that. Del won first in the kid’s division. Did I mention Mom’s sewing skills and creativity are top-notch? She proudly displayed her Skull-shaped trophy to everyone. I thought the thing was a bit morbid for a kid, and I wondered if the same person who had designed it was also in charge of the decorations. I’d bet Lien it was so.

Later in the evening, we went by the usual haunted house, which Del begged to go in, and Rosa tried valiantly to refuse. She failed, in the end. Del had the most fun, shrieking and giggling at the jumpscares and gasping in horror at the morbid décor.

I reflected, once more on fear. This was an interesting concept: the illusion of fear without any of the actual danger. Quicksliver fear: a flash and then it’s gone. Somehow this is entertainment?

Being a Hunter, well, one in training, I wasn’t impressed at the false fear. How can I, when I had felt true fear? Fear with genuine danger and no guarantee of safety? That kind of fear is a coppery fear. You taste blood and tremble, your nerves drawn tight as the strings of a violin, quavering on one single note that cannot possibly be sustained for a single second longer, but it does and grows more until you think you might die just from the fear itself. It closes your throat and clouds your mind until it’s nothing more than a whimpering animal that chooses between fight or flight.

Li seemed to not share my, as he called it, morose, attitude. He played along like a champ for his younger sister, jumping with her, intensifying the mood when he could, then cracking a joke when the tension got too thick, sending her into fits of quaking laughter. Poor Rosa actually seemed frightened. She turned pale as a, well, ghost, and clung to my arm the whole time. I just soldiered on. I think the expression on my face was scarier than the house itself, because one look and the actors left us alone. Which was fine with both of us. Rosa and I emerged long after Li and Del, having been separated along the way. Rosa has slowed our progress to a crawl.

Li, never one to miss a beat, called out when he saw us. “Hey, Rosa! You look like you’ve seen a ghost! Were there mirrors?”

“Rust off jackass.” She snarled. Well then. Li was probably ginning like a fool, but I couldn’t see it underneath his mask.

“Aww, come on. Just trying to lift your spirits!”

“Li.” I drawled slowly, holding up as fist. “You crack one more pun and I’ll crack that stupid mask and your face behind it.”

“Looks like you’re the one who’s cracked.”

I smiled at him. Nice and wide, fangs on display. I took a step toward him and raised my fist.

He backed away a bit.

“H-hey, look! A coffee stand we haven’t been to.”

That’s cheating. But it worked. Right up until I later pegged him with a snowball when he wasn’t looking.

“Oh that’s it.” He shouted, scooping up a fistfull of snow himself.

Which rightfully kicked off a snowball free-for-all. It was getting late and sometime during the day, he snow had started falling again, giving plenty of ammunition for all. Some other kids even joined in until our section of town was a blizzard of flying snow, more flying through the air then lying on the ground. You couldn’t stand up without getting hit at least three times. Li had set aside his mask at some point, and I showed my gratitude by a very well-aimed three pointer curve ball in his obnoxious mouth. He repaid the favor by getting innocent Del to scoop snow down my back. Cheeky bastard.

Eventually, an ice ball flew into a window breaking it, causing a chain reaction. Someone got mad and every one of us made ourselves scarce, zipping off in every direction with the practiced speed of mischievous children who know they didn’t do it.

Puffing and giddy with adrenaline, I stopped underneath the eaves a house. In the confusion, I lost track of my siblings. But, I wasn’t too worried. All of us had our Scrolls, and I immediately popped mine out to call Li.

It was nearly dark, even later then I had thought, the twilight closing in like a curtain being drawn on a play. But these actors weren’t finished. Around town, the bonfires were being stoked in preparation for the night’s revelry. Trick or Treating, dancing, songs and tales told around the fire by gleemen and minstrels.

Li picked up in a single ring. “Epicenter of the Universe, God Speaking…”

Yes. I swear. He answered the phone like that. I wish I was joking.

I couldn’t help myself. I facepalmed. “Goddammit, Li.”

“Nnnnope, sorry. I don’t do that anymore. Would you like to be transferred to the department downbelow?”

I grunted. “Quit messing around, Li. I lost Del and Rosa in the confusion, are they with you.”

His voice suddenly went completely serious. “No. I lost them too. I was about to ask you.”

“Great. Ring Del, and I’ll do Rosa. Call back when I get ahold of her.”

“Roger Roger.”

Oh Li.

I hung up and pulled up Rosa’s number.

It rang.

And rang.

And rang.

And rang.

Click

Voicemail.

Fear. This was a different fear. Lead fear, piling up in my stomach. Heavy. Hard. I told myself that there was nothing to be afraid of, she probably left it on silent or, worse case, dropped it. But all the same, I had an uneasy sensation in the bit of my stomach that I couldn’t explain. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and a shiver passed through me.

My phone suddenly rang in my hand, making me jump.

Silvery fear, a flash that ran like lightning through me, setting my heart pounding and my adrenaline pumping. Cursing softly, I answered, knowing who it was from caller id.

“I can’t get a hold of her.”

All business. Serious tone.

I felt my blood freeze. Something wasn't right.

Iron Fear. The kind of absolute certainty that something bad has or will happen.

“Li.”

“I feel it too.”

There was a tension in the air and it was suddenly deathly quiet.

And that’s when the screams started.
Punctuated by the roars of the creatures of Grimm.

Silver and Copper played a medley on my nerves. I had to move. I had to find my sister.
I was trembling. I was running. But I was also frozen in place. WhatdoIdowhatdoIdosomanyplacestogosomanytolook!

I heard Li take a deep breath. “Listen little brother. We divide the town. I’m on the north side and those screams sounded like they came from the south.”

Following his example, I took a deep breath too, strangling my panic and dumping it into a river. “I-I heard it from the east.” I looked around and consulted my mental map. I’m near the center of town.”

“Right. I’ll head east, you go southeast. Check in a clockwise circle, if you meet Grimm try to put them down but don’t get tangled up fighting. You are on search and rescue, find and protect the people, take them somewhere safe, if possible.”

“B-but Rosa! Delaney!”

“I know. But don’t let your concern for them stop you from helping others who are in danger. Remember your semblance and use it wisely. There are groups of seasoned Hunters stationed nearby for just this occasion. They will head for the Grimm, so the best way we can help is to protect and rescue. The Shield to their Sword, understand?”

“Yes.” I managed, the familiar call of battle sequences helping me calm my nerves as discipline took over.

“Good. We will meet back at the house. If you find them, go there.”

“Got it.”

“Good luck.” He said softly.

“D-don’t need it.” I grinned, trying to muster some bravado.

The line went dead.

“Southeast.” I pulled out a coin, always kept on me, dropped it and stomped on it to keep it from rolling. “Hold on. I’m coming for you.” Activating my semblance, I shot up into the air on lines of blue and flew across town.

* * *

From my vantage point in the air, I could see fires breaking out along the east side, already the air was full of the smell of smoke. Alarms, wailed, the universal alarm for a Grimm attack. But something confused me, how had they gotten this close? Scouts and Sentries were posted all around towns like this one. Especially this one. The alarm should have already been raised, or even not at all once the Hunters moved in and eliminated the Grimm without a ruckus. But here they were and that was all that mattered now. I bounced from rooftop to rooftop, Pushing off the convenient metals abundant in construction. I angled my flight in the desired direction. The snow was falling even more heavily now, swirling about in my wake and getting in my eyes. The temperature was rapidly dropping as well, as if nature itself was reacting to the presence of the Grimm.

There! Between the buildings. I spotted a black, fast shape I identified quickly as a Creep. I alighted on the nearest building and sighted down Damocles (When did I even draw it?) The air was still and the street straight. I could make the shot.

Bang!

One.

It dropped and rolled. I made sure it was dissolving as I moved in. The town had really cleared fast. This wasn’t the first attack, so people were used to the protocols and procedure. Most of them were probably huddled in bunkers and cellars underground. Still, I need to sweep for any that didn’t make it. Nothing here, moving on. Please let them be safe oh please let them be safe. My worry for Del and Rosa gnawed at my nerves.

This fear was Magnesium. It burned quick, it burned bright, and it burned hot.

I kept this fear. It warmed me, gave me strength through anger. Anger and Hate go hand-in-hand-in-hand with Fear. When you are afraid, you instinctively hate the source of your fear. You want to either lash out or flee. Anger is more of the long term. How dare these filthy fucking bastards come to our festival and ruin our day?! How dare they come here and threaten us in our own homes and our own towns?! How dare they threaten my sisters.

See. Kinda like that.

I lowered myself to the ground and walked cautiously down the street. Creeps didn’t travel alone where there was one, you could find more.

Just as I finished this thought, a line in my aura-sight danced and a split second later, a second Crawler crashed through a window to my right, leaping straight for me.

How nice of it.

I sidestepped out of its way with a pair of dance-like steps, drawing Damocles across my body as I did, triggering sword form. It unfolded mid swing and left a long, deep, gash in the side of the Crawler. It went sprawling and I wasted no time. I drew back and shot it in the head with gunform. A third Crawler attempted to blindside me, but I knew it was there. I dropped flat, it went sailing over my head. I stood as it attempted to rush me head on. Dumb brute. Damocles laughed as it dropped with a bullet in its chest.

Two.

Three.

The area seemed clear of people, so I moved on. I was drawing near to the main body of Grimm, I could hear their screeches along with gunshots and the clash of metal on metal. I crested a building to get a look at what type or types of grim we were dealing with.

I couldn’t tell.

Below me was a screeching, wriggling mass of black, carpeting the ground. Hunters equipped with defensive gear barricaded alleyways, while those with guns stood on buildings, firing into the mass. But their individual bullets, even though most were creating little explosions of fire, were doing little. There were so many.

“Dust.” I breathed as a curse.

A few hunters were equipped for mass clean up. I saw one with a flamethrower mow his way through the black carpet, his flanks protected by teammates and buildings.

Eventually, I began to pick out individual Grimm. There were Creeps, Ratatosks, and Scavangers. A whole flood of them. They appeared to have erupted from this point and were pouring in hundreds of them at a time. I squinted and thought I saw a hole near the center. Maybe they burrowed or that was a nest somebody disturbed. Either way, there was a whole lot of Grimm down there. I grew conscious of my little handgun and the few bullets I had on me. I could use ten times what I had on me and not make a dent in that tide. My little sword would be no avail against so many. So, I did what my brother sent me to do and the best way I could help: look for those in need.

I cut back across the town, moving clockwise in a circle, checking roads and alleyways from above. So far, I didn’t see any more Grimm, but there could be Ratatosks and Scavengers anywhere, hundreds lurking in every shadow. I felt a drop of sweat drip down my back.
Just copper fear now. Long, drawn out tension.

Dark, true dark was falling. Nothing. I repeat, nothing is worse than fighting the creatures of Grimm in the dark.

Eventually, I smelled blood.

It was cloying, sticky. It wafted in the air, causing me to gag and retch. Undercutting the blood was a different smell. It was sticky sweet of rotting meat and fetid earth. Of things better left unmoved, dark places best left unchecked. I swallowed my fear and followed the smell.

It lead me to an alley, a small gap between buildings. I alighted to the ground, and immediately, the stench magnified tenfold. I held my hand over my mouth and tried to control my stomach. What was that? I had a feeling I didn’t want to know. The mouth of the alley was blocked by a big wagon of metal and wood, tipped on its side blocked the entrance, as if someone had tried to barricade themselves in. Drawn by an almost morbid fascination, I Pushed myself over the wagon and lifted my Scroll to used it as a light.

What I saw I will always remember. Blood. Red Blood everywhere. The floor, the walls, the eaves, nothing wasn’t painted red. It dripped from the eaves in a stream of droplets. There were scraps of cloth and bits everywhere, but nothing was in a big enough piece to identify.

I was abruptly and disturbingly reminded of what happens when you throw fruit in a blender and hit “smoothie” and leave the lid off.

I’m not really sure how I avoided losing my lunch. Maybe it was fear that kept the nausea at bay. Maybe it was shock. I’m not sure. Numbly, I Pushed myself to the tops of the buildings and walked along the roofs around the mess. Blood had even gotten up here. Like someone dropped a hundred tomatoes off an airship and they all landed in one spot. I’m not sure what happened, but I knew that this was beyond me. My shaking fingers somehow brought up Li’s contact. I hadn’t found Rosa or Del yet, but somebody else needed to know about this. If he was near some veteran hunters, maybe they could send help. I tapped call.

It buzzed

And buzzed

And buzzed

And buzz—

Next thing I knew, I was flying through the air, the breath crushed from my lungs. Then I saw a building and my next thought really didn’t matter because it was smashed out of my head. I hit the ground in a heap, dazed, but not actually harmed thanks to my aura. I had time to think ‘What fresh Hell was that?’ Before my unasked question was answered. It was barely lit by distant flame, a soft orange glow that did little to provide light, but enough to give me an outline. It stalked up, close to seven feet, massive claws to bladed back. Counting the blades added another three feet. Nose to tail it was nine feet long and the long, sinuous tail behind it added—god knows how many more feet. I knew what I was seeing. I had seen depictions of it in textbooks before. I’d had lesson after lesson drilling its strengths, weaknesses, and characteristics into my mind.

They were coming back to me now.

I giggled in terror. What Fiend almost always accompanies large groups of Scavangers? It had been multiple choice. Easy. I got it right. I always got them right.

Before me, in the darkness, was a Vermin God.

And I was alone.

In the dark.

Help me.

“HEY STUPID! CLAWS OFF MY BROTHER!”

A light flickered into existence. Or had it always been there? Something bright flew, smacking into the Vermin God’s head. It squealed in pain and clawed at its face. Fire. I see fire.

Out of the corner of my eye. Fire. I turn my head to see Rosa bearing a torch alight. Tears of terror in her eyes, but her face set in determination. Lying on the ground, was another flaming length of wood, sputtering in the soil near my feet. Eyes back on the Grimm, I lifted Damocles and fired.

No wait. No I didn’t. It wasn’t in my hand. I stared numbly at my empty hand. Huh? My brain took that moment to jumpstart itself. It’s tail. It waited until I was distracted, snuck up and smacked me with its whip-like tail. I must have dropped both my Scroll and Damocles in the impact. I glanced around, trying to locate it with my aura-sight. But all lines lead out of my sight. Finding it would be needle, haystack. Haystack with a very big, very angry, man-eating rat. Speaking of.

My attention snapped back to the Vermin God. It had turned it’s bready, hate-filled eyes on my sister, who was swinging her torch about to discourage it. Its eyes tracked the bright flaming orb that was all between it and its prey. Such a pitiful weapon. Why did it hesitate? I was a still a little brain scrambled, but I reached for the only weapon I had at hand, the guttering torch.

The Vermin God hissed as it crept closer to Rosa. She, brave girl, swung the torch, knowing that she couldn’t run, she couldn’t flee, if she turned her back she was dead. If she got so much as a scratch from its toxic claws or teeth, she was dead. Unlike me, she had no aura, no power, just a little training and a whole lotta guts.

My sister was in danger.

The thought galvanized me, electricity shooting through my brain, shaking off any fear. I pulled a handful of coins and threw them, Pushing with all my might. They zipped and whistled through the air.

Only to plunk quite ineffectually against the Vermin God’s outer shell. It looked over what might pass for its shoulder, grunted and swung its tail. I realized in that moment that in the darkness and uncertain light, I had underestimated the length of its tail. It must have been twenty or more feet long. I saw it flick a moment in the firelight before it hit me full on in a—dammit—familiar sensation. I was flicked away like a ragdoll into the side of yet another building.

Ow. This time, though I hung on to the torch and my wits. I wasn’t hurt again, but my aura had taken two devastating blows, and I wasn’t sure it could take another. Me dealt with, it turned back to the more vulnerable prey. Rosa made a lunge for its eyes, as if to poke them out, but the Grimm was done playing games. It snatched the wood out of the air with its mighty jaws and crunched down, the wood shattered.

Now there was nothing left. I flung coins after coins, Pushing them, then pulling them back in pure desperation. But I just wasn’t strong enough. A few lodged into chinks and soft parts of the Vermin God, but they were not enough to distract it from its prey.
It pounced and my sister screamed.

I had nothing in my head, no thought, no wish. Just pure rage. I would do anything, no matter the cost.

I screamed, feral and loud full of rage and terror, burning my semblance like it had never burned before. I ran forward. I didn’t really have a plan in mind. Or maybe I had a plan all along and just lacked the strength and conscious know-how to pull it off. But where intellect failed, instinct ventured. I Pulled as I ran. I Pulled on the upturned wagon, digging my heels into the mud, then I Pulled on the houses in front of me, taking the threads together like puppet stings and yanking with all my might. Torn between forces, I could feel my aura drop at a prodigious rate, both from Pulling and keeping me from tearing myself apart. But the wagon began to tip and tip it did, then roll and it kept rolling, building up momentum as it moved it was rolling toward me, and the Grimm beyond. Then what I did was all instinct. I pivoted as I Pulled, keeping the Pull tight while Pushing on the other end of the wagon. As the it swung forward and around, my push and its own momentum preventing it from slamming into me, as if it were a ball on a sting. Then, as it passed me, and with the last of my aura, I ‘let go’ of the Push, ‘string’, and then slammed the airborne wagon with a Push off the buildings behind me. It hurtled through the air and slammed into the Vermin God—the Grimm who dared to attack my sister!—with all the force of a full speed train. The wagon went flying and the Fiend with it, flicked off neatly as if with a broom. Wagon and Grimm hit a building and went through the wall, into the house, and out of sight. I sagged, emptied and spend. My Aura completely burned in that last move of desperation. But I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t rest.

My sister.

Dying torch in hand, I staggered on weak knees and dragging a heavy heart to where my sister had fallen.

Fear like none other had burrowed into my heart and dug through my veins. Poisoning my reason and killing me slowly. Mercurial Fear.
The light fell across her, revealing clawed earth, a broken arm, torn clothing and blood.

Very little blood. She was breathing. She was breathing. The blood was slight. I saw a few mild scrapes but nothing like what that Grimm could inflict. What. How. Then I saw a little translucent glow rising off her and understood. “Aura.” I breathed, my throat ragged and sore. My little sister had thrown up her Aura against the Grimm, and it held out long enough for me to smash it.

“Aura!” I croaked, dropping the torch in one of the terrible rends the massive Grimm had inflicted on the earth. “But not on my little sister.” I grabbed her in a hug as tight as I could manage. Tears streaming down my face. “Not my sister.”

She stirred. “Bro…ther?” She whispered. “Not my sister. Not my sister. You’re okay. You’re okay.” I repeated as if it were a prayer of thanks to whatever god was out there.

Then a large crunch. Followed by another one. And some crashing.

No.

The building with a big, gaping hole shuddered.

No.

The Vermin God, injured and trailing smoke, but still very much alive, crawled out of the wreckage of the house.

No! It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair! I had hit it with all I had and a wagon that had to weigh a thousand pounds through a building and it was getting back up?!

No.

I was out of fear. I was emotionally wrung out. We were going to die. Nothing came but a weak protest. I pulled Rosa close to me. Neither of us were going to live through this night. It squealed long and loud. And in answer, Scavangers bubbled out of the darkness, summoned by their foul god’s cry. We huddled together her and I in a puddle of torchlight as the Creatures of Grimm closed in.

Then I heard something unearthly. A hollow cry. A human cry, like the whisper of the wind over water. Empty, but physical. I looked up. And saw nothing. But the Grimm recoiled. The Vermin God screeched as if it had been hurt. The little Scavangers started twitching and crying in pain, then to fall motionless and dissolve into darkness. Every now and then, I thought I’d see movement in the corner of my eye. Or hear a ghostly gunshot. But nothing was there?

I felt my consciousness slipping. I was too exhausted to focus as my adrenaline faded, stealing what last strength I had. I saw the Vermin God rear up, then falter and collapse, and in turn, dissolve into the darkness. The last thing I saw before I faded completely was a half-imagined face and a strange symbol ripping in a ghostly wind.
The darkness finally took me.

I woke up. You know.
Just in case you were wondering.

I woke in the hospital. Not terribly physically injured, all things considered. Some strain, like that of trying to lift a weight too heavy for my body, but my strong aura took the brunt of the force and when it returned, I healed quickly. It would be a week or more until my aura was back in fighting shape though. The Doctors discharged me in less than a week. Rosa spent a little longer. She had a fractured arm, mild concussion, and several broken ribs, but with her newfound aura, she should heal back good as new in two weeks. A normal person might need a month or more. Del, the silly girl, had gotten distracted by a fire show when the Grimm attacked. She had ended up crammed in a solid titanium bunker, safer than the rest of us combined. Her Scroll had died. She had forgotten to charge it the night before. She got a chewing out from Mom, then Dan, then a few puns and jokes from Li, then a hug from me and everything was all right.
No one really knew why the Grimm attacked. We did, however, figure out how. They dug. The hole lead outside the normal patrol and scouting range of the Hunters. It had probably taken months and they theorized the horde had been lead by a superior high-intelligence Grimm, such as a Vermin God, but they were unable to find any trace beyond the battlefield where I had been found. When questioned, I claimed to not remember anything, as I wasn’t sure of the truth myself, and telling them what I thought I saw would put me in a mental hospital for sure. Rosa recounted how she had saved me by distracting the Vermin God, but after that, she couldn’t remember. Eventually, the best those investigating came up with is that Rosa’s yet-unknown semblance had somehow killed the Grimm. That was better than a ghost story, so I let it be. She was hailed as a hero while I recovered quietly in a hospital bed with a good book and a strong cup of coffee. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

After I was deemed well enough to move around, the first thing I did was visit Rosa. It was a bit of a trek, but I was up for it, wanting to stretch my legs a little. I found her, reading a book of her own. She looked up and smiled weakly at me as I staggered to a chair and sat. “Heya Sprout.” I used a nickname Li had come up with. “How are you feeling?”

She rolled her eyes. “Like I was run over by a truck. Then backed up on.”

“That good, eh?”

“Better even.”

We lapsed into a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other’s company and the fact that we were still alive.

“Hey. Brother.” She broke the silence in an uncharacteristically small voice.

I blinked. “Yeah?”

“Back there… That night…” She shuddered. “I was weak. Useless. Worse, a liability.”

Tears started leading down her face as she started to sniffle. I wrapped my hand around hers.

“I saw what you did. You moved that heavy wagon and flung that enormous Grimm through a house like it was nothing.”

Well...I wouldn’t say nothing, but I didn’t interrupt.

“I want…” She tightened her hand around mind in a white-knuckle grip. Ow, the kid had some strength.

“I want to be stronger. Like you, like Li.” She sniffed. “I never again want to feel that way ever again. Afraid. I want to be strong enough to protect you, Li, Del. Us.”

What could I say? I knew exactly what she meant. I wanted exactly the same thing. I looked into her amber eyes, reflecting my own and I saw the fire lit in there, reflecting my own.

“I know. So do I.” I said solemnly.

She nodded then the fire died and she stared down listlessly at her book.

“Hey, sis?”

“Hm?”

“Do you mind loosening up on my hand? You’ve got quite the strong grip now.”

“Oh, sorry.”

* * *

In the end, I’m not sure what happened. Is this a ghost story? Were those Grimm killed by Rosa’s semblance? Or were those just Hunters who happened to be nearby?

It may be silly, but I’m starting to believe there is truth to those old legends. And if they are true, what else could be true? Everything. Everything could be true.

Fin

Happy Halloween!

Pandemonium

Kage

......

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Basic Info

Name::

Magus Lilith Astra

Nickname/Alias::

Shadow of Light, Kage

Gender:: Female

Age:: Unknown. Appears to be a between a young adult or a mature teen.

Date of Birth:: December 1

Guild:: None

Mark Color; Location:: None

Rank:: B+

Personal Information

Personality::

Kage's mind is shattered, and her sanity isn't all there either. She's almost feral, relying and living off instinct and aggression like a wild animal. She is she is just about mute, rarely managing a few painful, whispered, strangled words. Curiously enough, she doesn't seem able to write, but she can read well and when not acting like a feral cat, fairly logical.

Yet she can be skittish and easily startled, especially around large amounts of people. She doesn't like being physically close and will either lash out violently or run away if actually touched.

She is slow to trust people, and pessimistic, but displays a fiercely protective side for those she deems her's. She would travel the world over, go through hell and back again for these people.

Family is, after all, very important. She has a strong connection to Ferrin, and is usually found by his side. Where he goes, she usually isn't far behind.

And yet there is something deep inside. A smoldering core of seething anger, bordering on madness. She is quick to lash out indescribably with magic and violence, and it takes some time for her to calm down.

Post Time Skip, plus a little of above

The first thing most people notice about Kage right away is that, contrasing the mysterious persona she had going, she is an odd duck. Her mannerisms and actions often run contrary to common ‘normal’ behavior and logic. Whether this is deliberate or not is up for debate. She is also deeply superstitious, which goes some ways toward explaining some of her odd behavior. But beneath these oddities and superstitions is a contrastingly practical nature. She wastes little time in daydreaming or idleness, but prefers to always be doing something.

She is very independently minded and impatient. She tends to go off and do her own thing without telling anyone. If she could. Due to her condition, she is just about mute, rarely managing a few painful, whispered, strangled words. Curiously enough, she doesn't seem able to write, but she can read well.

The second thing to notice about her is her odd, dry, but acutely acerbic sense of humour. Usually directed at someone. She can somehow pack an entire punchline in just a significant glance.

Kage occasionally displays a child-like side that belays her actual age, leading to curiosity and impusive behavior, making her a certifiable magnet for trouble. And once in trouble, she make it hard to hard to get her out of it, due to her monumental stubbornness that puts mules to shame. Once she sets her mind to something, she will let nothing stop her.

She is slow to trust people, and pessimistic, but to those that are able to win her trust, they earn her undying loyalty. She would travel the world over, go through hell and back again for these people.

Family is, after all, very important. She has a strong connection to Ferrin, and is usually found by his side. Where he goes, she usually isn't far behind.

And yet there is something deep inside. A smoldering core of seething anger, almost madness. Its well hidden, but danger brings it out. She is quick tp lash out with magic when threatened, and at times, she seems more like a wild animal then a person.

Appearance::

No matter the weather, Kage wears a heavy hooded navy blue cloak and a white mask. Primarily because she thinks it makes her look cool and mysterious but also because it shields her from the sun and light in general, which provides plenty of shadow for her magic to work with.

Beneath the mask and cloak lies an ethereal, almost otherworldly, beauty. She has rich, ebony hair that flows around her shoulders, flawless pale skin and intense, luminous silver eyes. Soft, rose lips in a proportional face, exotically canted eyes under arching black eyebrows. To say she is beautiful is like calling water wet. Accurate enough, but wholly unsuited to the task. Her age is hard to guess, her features have an ageless look to them. Judging by stature and body, she would be a young woman between late teens and early thirties. She is of medium height and has the kind of body that can make men drool, though she doesn’t flaunt it, in fact she is a little self-conscious about herself.

History::

Kage's memory is a massive blank, and her mind is shattered . She only remembers her past in brief and random flashes that are quickly gone again. She doesn't know who she is, or where she came from. And it seems like she doesn't want to remember. She often has nightmares and chronic fits where random memories resurface painfully yanking her mind into the past, only to be forgotten again when it passes. She ended up on Tenrou, via a wayward Shadowtravel spell, where she met the spirit of Mavis and decided to stay awhile, despite the dragons. At first, Mavis was worried about her, but as weeks past and not a single dragon ever caught the shadowy mage, she concluded there was nothing to worry about. When the party of Guilds landed on Tenrou she watched them from after, afraid, yet curious. And strangely drawn to a tall figure in grey with familiar golden eyes...

Magic

Magic Name::
Umbra magic
Description::
A powerful form of shadow magic, this magic lets the caster‘s turn their very body into shadow at will, even acting instinctually. As long as she has magic and is conscious, physical attacks will pass right through her without harm. The caster can use shadows to do a wide variety of things, including teleport short and long distances by passing through shadows, create shadow-puppets, hide in shadows, or pull things into their shadow (including their body) and store them, similar to requip magic. Both their shadow and body can be molded into nearly any shape and made substantial or insubstantial at will. The power of this magic is in its free-form use, allowing for a large degree of adaptability. As a Shadow magic, it also includes elements of Darkness magic (her color is a dull slate) and Shade magic, and it carries a weakness to light and holy magic. Generally the darker it is, the more powerful the caster is, and vis versa. True Dark, with no shadows vastly powers up their dark magic, while nearly eliminating the shadow portion of their magic.

Known Spells::

Shadow Body - More of a passive ability that turns her body into shadow, rendering physical attacks useless. It also allows her to change her body into any form she wishes. When in affect, her body becomes solid black and looses any humanistic features.

However, this ability has some massive drawbacks. She can’t stay insubstantial for more than a few seconds at a time after that, she becomes vulnerable, so continuous attacks (like say, a sword stuck in her, or a drawn out blast) will eventually harm her, and can be fatal if she is forced to reform on them. Once a part of her turns into shadow and turns back, that part is unable to do so again for a handful of seconds.

Lastly, turning into shadow takes a modest amount of magic, over time the cost will stack up, meaning that if she takes too many attacks, that alone could leave her nearly drained.

Shadow Puppets - Creates a number of figures that resemble twisted shadows with glowing eyes. These figures can move and fly at high speeds and are are difficult to hit with attacks but will usually disperse upon a successful hit. However, they can hide in inanimate objects that cast sufficient shadow. This provides them with a layer of protection and they can "possess" and manipulate the object at will. they usually attack either with sharp claws that are very substantial, or a magic-induced attack on the targets willpower that has a short rage, but is most effective by passing through the target, losing power quickly with distance.

Erebus’ Shadow - A stronger Puppet that usually takes the form of a massive serpent. Its size varies with light, anywhere from twice the height of a person and about as big around as one, to four times that. It has very limited intelligence, but she can give it orders to follow. However it’s difficult to control and requires constant attention to maintain, so no or few other puppets while it is active and she is limited to less powerful or complex spells. The serpent is very durable and can protect her by interposing itself between attacks and her body, covering her back, while being able to strike out at opponents with a crushing bite.

Fulminating Darkness - An attack that uses several puppets to launch a wave of shadow. Moderately powerful, but require two hands and several seconds to cast. With this spell, the cost is two-fold, one she has to create Shadow Puppets to use, then two she has to use more magic to gather them into the attack. But, it's extremely powerful and can be passed from her to a puppet and cast from them.

Empty Night - Shrouds an area in thick, inky darkness. Only those with excellent night vision or an alternate from of sight can see through it. The shadow also slowly drains vitality and magic from those caught in it. Quickly dispelled by light from any source.

Shadow Slip/Shadowtravel - Allows the caster to use a shadow to travel anywhere that is shrouded in shadow. However, its a tricky and unpredictable spell. Accuracy is difficult, and the magic required is high, then increases exponentially with distance traveled.

Ruin - A fast but weak spell that fires an orb of shadow that detonates in an explosion of dark energy. Requires very little magic and can be cast rapidly, even from Puppets

Erebus’s Wrath - A gathering of dark energy around the caster that explodes outward in a massive storm. A fast and powerful spell that requires a lot of magic.

Erebus's Shackles - A fast, weak spell that creates dark chains that spring from shadows. The chain's strength depends on the power put into the spell.

Erebus’ Gate - A powerful wide-ranging spell that briefly covers a circular area in shadow before unleashing dark energy over the area. Requires time to cast.

Secret Technique: Erebus’ Eclipse -

”From darkness this world came
And to darkness it shall return.
Bring forth from Chaos
The darkness that consumes all light.”

Kage’s ace-in-the hole and her most powerful known spell. However, she uses a imperfect version that carries only a fraction of its original power. When casting, the light in an area dims greatly as invisible magic gathers. When cast, A pillar of solid darkness rises to the sky, surrounded by rings of pulsing dark energy. Inside the pillar, all light is consumed and the area is bathed in a continuous attack of ruinous dark power.

The trick of this spell is that the brighter the area inside and outside the pillar, the more light that is consumed and the stronger the spell. Even light magic is devoured. A single cast of this spell will completely drain Kage of magic. It also takes some time to prepare and cast.

Three Strengths:

1.Magical Aptitude - She could very well be considered a genius when it comes to magic. Both of her parents had incredible magical talent, which was passed on to her. Her very blood sings with magic.

2.Coffee Maker - Has a knack for brewing the best Coffee you have ever tasted.

3.Crafty - Kage is very intelligent and has a tendency to look at problems from odd angles and solve them in unexpected ways.

Three Weakness:

1. Her mind is damaged. She lost most of her memories and has trouble speaking and writing. And maybe more...

2. Light is the antithesis of her magic.

3. Relies Heavily on Magic to fight.

Phoenix Wing (A Fairy Tail RP-Always Open, Open)

@Genon

...and after all that I have nothing to say.

You sheet is solid and Leon is interesting and compelling with great room for development.

Good job.

Phoenix Wing (A Fairy Tail RP-Always Open, Open)

@PandaBrady

Doc in question

I have looked over your sheets and here are my thoughts:

Not a fan of Alexander. His father researching ways to make magic more accessible, backed by the council, just doesn't jive with the past/current attitude toward magic.

There is also the issue with the sword, but that was already vetoed and addressed. That aside, I'm not sure if operating on his 11-year-old son and then handing him a sword of all things is even in the realm of rationality,Then...the quality of the rest is questionable. If the lab had been attacked while he was unconscious, why was he not killed/kidnapped/ect? Then dying words, a random ambush and somehow the 11-year old just stabs him and...then absorbs the fire from the lab? (which is by the point, probably natural) and sets off on his vengeance quest? eh...

I understand what you were aiming for with Alvina but, judging from her backstory, I'm not convinced you can write her well enough. Veto'ed unless Zarkun or Marsh say otherwise.

Tristen is great. I like his goal and theme. I like how his goal is clear and his magic is equally versatile, strong, and potentially humorous.

Devin's overall magic is fine, but I not so sure about parts of Snatch, Poltergeist, Gespent, and Necromancy. You've bundled mind-control, possession, mind-reading, Necromancy, and whatever Gespent is, in a magic that is seemingly unrelated and strong enough on it's own. I realize this ties into his backstory but I'm sorry to say that the potential for abuse is too great. Although, I do like his story, ironically I think it would make more sense if he was younger. 16 when he started then 22 when he was caught is odd.

Nina is troublesome. I like the thought behind her, but much like the others, execution needs work.

How about, as a weakness, she has to *keep* reading (even if it's the same lines over and over) to make whatever it is last unless used with Permanence. If she stops or interrupted, it vanishes.

Backstory, common villager's reaction at this point in time to magic is fear and hate. Although depending how real that was...

uh

I'm not sure what happened after that. I cannot make heads or tails of the rest of the story. I can say that telling someone you just overwrote her memories and that you have the ability to do so is a terrible idea if you are trying to gain trust.

Overall, I liked the common themes seen and the pieces present in everyone's story, but your writing quality doesn't quite yet live up to the scope you are attempting. Bravo for going big, but perhaps you might want to try to start smaller and a little less ambitious?

Anyway, this is just my opinion. I'm only a volunteer evaluator, @MarshiestMallow and @Zarkun are the ones who have the final say in things.

This is here because Discord has a character limit. Smh. I'll ping you there too.

Phoenix Wing (A Fairy Tail RP-Always Open, Open)

Mentions, I'm good at them.

@CitrusArms

Payback XD