NationStates Jolt Archive

The wind howled outside of the deserted mansion, driving the rain with ever-increasing intensity against the numerous windows. Inside a lone figure crept through the main hall, a human male of about twenty-two years. The man held a whip in one hand, and a revolver in the other. A rustling noise behind him causes him to spin, and he levels the revolver, unfurling the whip to strike.

Nothing throws itself at him, nothing peers at him from the darkness, nothing, nothing at all. With a slight sigh of relief and a shrug, he lowers his weapons. As the hammer on the revolver returns to the standby position, a creature that seems to blend with the night drops from the shadowy ceiling, grabbing the man by the collar and biting deeply into his neck. Crimson blood leaks onto the floor as the creature feeds, slight hisses of satisfaction echo through the empty expanse of the main hall as hunter turns to prey. Its feeding complete, the creature leaps back into the ceiling, moving with unnatural speed and grace.

Barely visible in the man's pocket is a note written on elaborate stationary, detailing his assignment at this haunted mansion. He was to eradicate the beast with whatever means he deemed nessecary, and report back to the church within three days. If he did not report in, the church would hire a second hunter, perhaps a team of them, to complete his work.

Minutes stretch into hours, and hours into days; the sun rises and falls on the young man's corpse. A second hunter is sent, with the same instructions as the first. As this second hunter makes his way through the kitchens of the massive house, his head tumbles from his shoulders, severed by a katana's finely honed blade. The body crumbles to its knees, then to the floor. The severed head lands on a nearby counter, then rolls into a nearby sink. The attacker never revealed itself, and another hunter joined the ranks of those that had tried and failed to exercise the evil within the Manson family manor.

Three days pass... an order is sent out by the church, calling for hunters seeking good pay and glory to seek out the old Manson family manor, and destroy the great evil that lurked within. The manifest urged caution, as fifteen hunters and three real estate agents had fallen within the manor, killed in unknown ways. Once the evil was dispelled, a clergyman would arrive at the manor, to confirm the destruction of the evil within. It also listed the address of the manor, at 56667 Dryshire Way, in the heartlands of Oklahoma.

OOC: If you're incredably dense, and missed the gist of the prologue, your character is hunting some sort of evil within a giant manor. I'd like there to be no more than five hunters at any time, and for the tech level to be kept fairly modern, with some of the typical stuff thrown in, like whips and wooden stakes. There are other perils besides the evil within, Manson manor is littered with traps and various other hazards which will be activated as your character approaches. We'll start when we have a hunter or two. Enjoy!

A tall man walked slowly to the manor gates. His wide brimmed hat was slightly tilted on his head. His right hand held a shotgun. He rested the gun on his shoulder. Dave always had to look nice. Even when killing for hire. The assasin walked to the gate and sat down.

"Well I ain't goin in till I have company."

OOC: I believe that a BUMP is in order.

With a rumble and a cough the old engine in the old car rumbles to a halt. Taira Shigesuke steps out of the drivers side, not even bothering to take the keys with him. If somebody stole the car it would only be a blessing.

As he approcahes the gate, and the (in his opinion) ridiculously dresed man seated in front of it, his hands lower to the two blades resting at his hip.

When he reaches the afore mentioned man he bows low, keeping his eyes straight ahead, and introduces himself.

"I am Taira Shigesuke, servant of my master. I have been sent to cleanse this dwelling. Are you here for the same duty?"

OOC: Another BUMP

OOC: This seems like it'll be fun, somebody else sign up so we can get this thing moving!

OOC: Looks fun I suppose.

Danka walked up to the house. There were two men already standing there, as if they were waiting for someone else. She saw one man carried a gun with him, she did not believe in guns. Although, she had a small throwing knife from her leather belt that surrounded her waist and was attached to her soft leather skirt. She had various other tools and weapons attached to her belt and she carried a bow and arrows on her back. In her high strapped boats was two long slender steel knifes. She also wore a leather top and various teeth bones on a string for a necklace. Across her brow was also a leather string with a crystal attached to it, it was a light blue to watch her eyes. Her dark hair was gathered back and she was smiling with her teeth at the gentlemen.

She walked up to the two men and stilll smiling. "My name is Danka. I am from the Amazon of Empress Serene, a subnation of AmandaTheGreat. My sisters nominated me to go here and see if I could be of any help. I feel priveledged to be here and to work with you. Please, tell me of your names. I also think we should come up with a plan. Obviously, this thing is well prepared. Has anyone here studied about this creature. Our knowledge can help us. I am from a distant land and I do not know of this. Do you guys?"

Turning away from the non-responsive man, Taira reintroduces himself; "I am Taira Shigesuke, servant of my master. I have been sent to cleanse this dwelling. I wish you luck, but have no information to share. I have now waited outside for to long. May your hunting prove fruitful."

With that he turned from the two people, unsheathed his longsword, and crossed to the entrance to the mansion.

OOC: Seems like something I'd like to get involved in. I'll edit this post when I have the time to put up a half-decent opener, either later tonight or early tomorrow.

Two middle aged men dressed in shabby cheap suits and heavy brown trenchcoats walked up the driveway, tossing their cigarretes into the undergrowth.

The smaller of the two flips out a notebook and checks the address,"This the right place?"

"Of course it's the right place, Tony, you stupid sod. Why else would this bunch be hangin' around trying to outdress each other?"

"You'd think there would've been a better turn out wouldn't ya? A nice creepy old place like this usually attracts a higher class of hunter, not this bunch. That one there isn't even wearing any black leather. Despicable."

Franky reached over and snapped Tony's notebook shut, "Beggars can't be choosers." He turned to address the group of hunter directly, "You lot gonna get started then?"

Taira slowly opened the broad doors, his longsword held out in front at the ready as he crosses through the portal. Standing just inside he begins to slowly rotate, taking in a complete view of the atrium.

Abruptly, he spins around with his right hand on the hilt of his still sheathed shortsword. Seeing nothing behind him he turns forward again, drawing the shortword and holding both weapons forward in a standard guard.

He begins to move forward, his robe making a slight hissing sound as it slides along the ground, his blades still held out in front. His senses heightened and his mind at full awareness he begins his search.

My Character:

(Yes, I know it's Samurai Jack. And my character has two swords compared to Jack's one.)

http://www.cartoonnetwork.com/shop/tools/img/items/ACM16SMJ00002.01.jpg

OOC: Good to see some intrest... the 'evil' in the mansion is a mystery, and if you've RP'ed with me before, you'll meet someone familiar.

OOC: Question: What's the "S" in the title of the thread represent? Before I read the thread I thought it might mean "Space", stating that this was a space tech RP, but since this is obviously not a space tech RP I'm just confused.

OOC: It relates to a 'Serious RP', one devoid of bad RP'ers, like godmodders and those with poor typing skills. I'm pretty easy-going about the typing stuff, but I cannot stand those accursed godmodders.

OOC: Gotcha, I was just curious.

So, my dude gonna get sliced to pieces soon?

OOC: If you're happy hunting alone, be my guest. The manor is big enough that you might never run into the other hunters.

OOC: I wasn't actually asking if my guy would die soon. The question was meant to ask if my character would be encountering the "evil" anytime soon.

IC:

As he is about to leave the atrium Taira pauses, listening for something. When no sounds assail his ears he slowly backs up, calling outside to those still in front of the mansion;

"Will you be joining me on the hunt, or shall I progress alone?"

An Argonian exits the amble bushes lining the manor's grounds. Arakesh Quickclaw slowly made his way to the manor doors, unsure of the group of overdressed 'softskins' on the wide doorstep. His garments where homespun, and dusty brown. His chest was defended by netch leather formed into a crude-looking cuirass, as where his clawed hands, concealed in guantlets made from the same material. He was armed with his usual assortment: A steel katana with a silver edge, and a pair of Argonian Blackwood stakes, strapped to the inside of his left forearm. The travel-stained white scarf around his neck stirred slightly in the light breeze, jingling the necklace of vampire fangs hanging outside of it. The necklace bore a single set of fangs at this point, for a total of four.

Back in the manor...

As Taira makes his way through the main hall, he stumbles across the body of the first hunter.



OOC: There will be many clues to the nature and location of the evil inside as we progress. I'll list stuff you'll find if you examine the rooms and various corpses scattered about the manor, and you'll draw your own conclusions.

First Hunter's Corpse:
Human Male, aged around twenty years, lying in large puddle of blood
Killed from bloodloss-induced trama from large bite to neck, jugular area
Decently well dressed, in denium jacket and pants. Cotton T-Shirt.
Colt Python, unfired, with a three inch barrel
Leather bullwhip
Hunting manifest
Twenty unfired silver bullets, caliber .38
Five unfired silver bullets, caliber .357 magnum
Nevada Driver's License, ID info obscured by large amount of blood
Thirty-three dollars
Sterling silver crucifix w/ chain

Taira pauses, stopping a dozen feet away from the body. As any skilled hunter would know, the best way to lure in prey is to present it with something worth approaching. Instead of marching straight towards the body, and into an obvious trap, he circles, keeping his swords out in an easy guard, ready to strike in any direction.

Peering up towards the ceiling encased in shadows, with quick, darting glances to the shadow filled corners, he slowly moves forward. When he reaches the body he sheathes the longsword, keeping the short out and ready for combat.

Wishing the spirit well on its' voyage to the afterlife he glances on that which is apparent, the man was killed through a bite to the neck and then left to die. That left many options. It could be a breed of Vampire known as the (insert Vampire sounding name here) which lived in the mountains and didn't spread their virus through biting. It could have been a member of the Raaaas-hul who, though human, fed on blood. Or it could just be a creature which cut the mans neck to end his life quickly, with no real connection to blood and feasting. The bite produced very few real clues.

He searched through the items the man had dropped, noting the silver bullets, then stood up without even bothering to check the inner pockets.

"This man has died an unholy death, I will not dishonor him by desecrating his corpse."

The blood seemed to pool towards the mans feet, even though the ground outside slanted in the opposite direction. Unsheathing his other sword, he proceeds in that direction, moving much more slowly than he had before.

OOC: Arakesh isn't he in my story, adrenaline? Magical man if he can be in both places at once. :wink:
IC: Danka nodded to Taira. Silence would be her virtue now. She would only speek if she felt it was needed. She slowly followed the man in white. Her soft leather shoes made no sound that was audible to any ears. She was used to walking quietly, especially when the ground was covered in dead, dry sticks. She saw the man. She let Taira inspect the area. She mouthed a prayer in her ancient tongue. She was an intravert, but she was aware of her surrounded. She heard the soft rustle of Taira's shirt and the soft whoosh of his breathing. Otherwise she heard nothing and that was always worse in these situations. She reached into a small leather pouch and pulled out some ground up plants and weeds and sprinkled it over the body. She reached in again and took out a different powder and sprinkled it around her and on her. She offered some to Taira. "It will mask the scent of blood, but not draw attention to us by other means."

OOC: This is set later on, Arakesh has claimed a trophy from his latest hunt. Note the vampire fang necklace.

The two men shrug and walk into the house, in fron of them Taira and Danka fussed over the body. Franky sighed, "They're damn slow for melodramatic types ain't they? Remember that group last week? Dodgin' bullets from start to finish they were."

"Yeah but only one of them survived. Outta twenty. An' he had no legs."

"Well that's what you get for messin' with things wot no man was meant to know."

"What does this place look like to you, then?"

Franky reached into his pocket and pulled out a small electronic device, like a large palmtop computer. "The thaumometer says we're facin' seventh level demons."

"Yeah but it's been sayin' that since April. Hows the background magic lookin'?"

Franky flicked a few switches and consulted the screen, "Just what you'd expect, higher than normal levels of the heavy elementals, increase in the random fluctuations."

"Same old shit?"

"Same old shit."

OOC: SBW always manages to lighten the mood. It is good to RP with you.

Startled by Tiara's call Dave woke up. He walked to the room with the dead man. Dave reached slowly to his coat pocket to remove a flower petal. The white rose petal gently fluttered it's way down to the corpse.

"To ease the passing. I respect his bravery in death"

Dave bowed low removing his hat. His short black hair lay untamed upon his head. He then stood up straight and put his hat back on.

"Why would he need silver bullets? Vampires die by wooden stakes not by a silver bullet. This man had no stake but he carried a bullets that kill Werewolfs. This could get interesting."

Tony looked at Franky, "How'd he know it was vampires? Did you say vampires? I didn't say vampires."

"I didn't hear nothin' about vampires. An' what is he doin' wandering around with a pocketfull of rose petals on a monster hunt? This guy looks damn suspicious to me."

"Yeah, what is he, some kind of demon hunter slash botany expert? Friggin' wierdo if you ask me."

OOC: SBW, I need to get you in on some RP's with my main nation, you'd make them all a hell of a lot more fun

IC:

Taira does not even acknowledge Danka, he seems to be listening to something far off. Suddenly, he bursts into motion. Running forward he leaps at Tony and Franky (I assume they're in the same room), slashing his two swords between them.

"A man has died here! He has given his life while attempting to rid the world of evil, have you know shame? You make jokes in his presence? The portents shall not bode well for you on this hunt."

He turns, his swords again up in a guard, and begins to move off. He walks by Danka and keeps moving, again seeming to be listening to a far off sound. Continuing in the direction the blood is flowing he reaches the wall of the room, where he pauses.

He proceeds to twirl his blades, making large circles that swoop in and out of each other. Then, with barely any sound or visible movement, he drops the shortsword, grasps the longsword with both hands, and slices deeply into the wall of the room.

As Taira walked away a thin sliver of fabric came loose from Tony's right and Frank's left jacket sleeve, the two pieces drifted slowly to earth, intermignling in the light breeze.
...
...
"What'd he have to go and rip up a good jacket for eh? I mean look at this? The sleeve is bloody ruin..."

"Shut up Tony,"

"..ed an' you know the quartermaster gets pissed when we have to order..."

"Shut up Tony."

"... new jackets every time we come home from a mission..."

Franky smacked Tony on the back of the head, knocking off his hat. "Tony, did I tell you to shut up?"

"Yes Franky."

"Shut up Tony."

Arakesh watches in a combination of amusement and intrest as the odd human who called himself Taira attempt to hack through a nearby wall.

"I believe that the wall is much harder than the sword. What are you trying to accomplish?"

As he asks his question, a rough voice speaking words in a language none of the others have heard before echoes through the main hall...

"That language is familiar... I believe it is an archaic form of my native tongue."

Arakesh states as he draws his katana, stepping into a ready stance.

Danka follows in the rear after Tiara. She is quiet, but quick. She remains quiet as the others converse. She has a small smile on her face listening to Tony and Franky. This will be very interesting.

OOC: You assume she will die. Hmm...Not good to make assumptions. We shall see if she does. You forget the things I told you about her. Oh well if she does she does. I just wish you have foreshadowed it.

((oOo! oOo! Pick me, pick me! I know who it is! I know!))

A man with a pure white face stands before the massive doors to the manor, looking through the crack where the doors were parted by the hunters. He didn't know how he got there, most of his unlife had been forgotten in a sea of regret. Lately he had been walking, just walking. Here is where his walking led. The strange man slipped through the doors and passed behind the group crowding around a prone figure with unearthly slience. He diverted his course down a different hall deeper into the mansion, the scarlet scarf stained with black trailing gracefully behind him.

'Where are you, toughskin.' He crooned within his mind, sending the message echoing through the once luxurious mansion.

((I'll give someone a cookie if they can tell me who this is (WA, you should know), and I'll eternally respect someone who can tell me what the stained scarf symbolizes.))

"Who the heck is he then?" Asked Tony as the newcomer pushed past.

"Shh, he's building the suspense."

"Ah hell, I'll run a check on him with the thaumometer."

Tony raised the little machine but Franky knocked it back, "Don't! You'll spoil the atmosphere."

"I just wish something would happen already. We've been staring at that corpse for ten minutes already and unless someone here feels like owning up to necrophelia then there isn't much else we can do with him."

((Hahahaha, that just made me crack up so much! I love it!))

Danka follows in the rear after Tiara. She is quiet, but quick. She remains quiet as the others converse. She has a small smile on her face listening to Tony and Franky. This will be very interesting.

OOC: You assume she will die. Hmm...Not good to make assumptions. We shall see if she does. You forget the things I told you about her. Oh well if she does she does. I just wish you have foreshadowed it.

OOC: Arakesh has gone on another hunt since then. I never control the fate of another's characters, it's impolite.

It isn't Adam is it, Cyberutopia?
There's more than one of what you seek... I'm introducing another character later on....=

OOC: I am going out tomight after work and I work all day tommorrow. So, I will check on this later. Happy New Year. Please, be safe.

Taira, in response to the query from Arakesh, turns from the wall.

"This place has many secrets. Many hidden thoughts. It cries out in pain. It has the essence of torture stored within its very walls. I have been sent to cleanse this dwelling, I must cleanse it completely."

He turns back to the wall, about to resume his strikes when the voice reverbrates through the room.

In an instant he has picked up his dropped shortsword and holds both weapons up in an easy guard, his calm face an impassive mask. With a quick leg movement he hooks his gi to his belt, leaving his legs free for swift, unhindered movement.

Noticing that Arakesh seems to have recognized the sound he begins to inch towards him, keeping a close view on all the hunters in the room.

((I've never had a character named Adam. :lol: Anyway, Happy New Year, everyone!))

OOC: Hmm, five players already. I guess it's closed and I can't jump in with another hunter?

((I've never had a character named Adam. :lol: Anyway, Happy New Year, everyone!))

OOC: I'm sorry, Cyberutopia, it's David, isn't it?

To the new guy: Sure, join up. I think the first guy to join skipped out.

((Heh, no problem. You know, Adam, David, Jambalaya, they all sound the same. It used to be David. Perhaps if this thread take the right direction you'll find out why he relinquished the name.))

OOC: I knew it was something biblical. Adam was Phalanix's character in one of Rave Shentavo's RP's.

BTW: The person you believe to be speaking does not speak archaic Argonian. Check in the RP called 'Call of the Drums, Rise of an Orcish nation'. The new character is in that one...

((Yep. Um, was that second part directed to me? I don't think it was because I'm looking for um...*doesn't want to spoil it* that evil guy, not Akaresh (sp?).

That "evil" guy is the one I'm thinking of, right?))

A laser swept briefly across the back of Franky and Tony's head, then dropped away. Near the entrance stood a figure clad in black from head to toe, a rifle firearm in one hand. The handle of some type of sword protruded from the back. A hand reached up to pull away what visually resembled small night-vision goggles, though a variety of gadgets attached to it suggested more. As the lenses were taken away, a woman's face was revealed, one edge of her lips lifted in a half grin.

"You boys talk loud enough to wake the dead," she said in lieu of an introduction.

She stepped through the door, but kept a distance from the others present.

"You'll be the others that the church hired, I assume? Naturally. 'Great Evil' tends to be a little less conspicuous. But only a little."

Looking over at the corpse strewn on the floor, the woman commented, "I see you've been busy." Glancing around at the others present before cautiously moving toward the body, she asked, "So, anyone have any more information than what that church is talking about?"

The mysterious man let his feet lead him seemingly aimlessly around the mansion. He soon came to the kitchen, and was drawn to the corpse of another hunter. He lifted the rotted head from the grimy sink and inspected the neat cut.

'Definitely katana. Hand sharpened, too. Fine build, much like my own. There's only one person of my knowledge who has this type of katana.' The vampire thought with a thin smile that was unseen to any watching because of the veil before his lower face.

He stalked off deeper into the mansion, determined to find the "evil" that resided there.

"I do not know of the church asking people to come here. My sisters and I received letters asking for help. We do not know who the sender was. I came to help." Danka remained in the shadow, her head low.

The woman paused and regarded Danka, looking the other female over in more detail. "That's...nice of you. Really, it is."

She then arched an eyebrow at Arakesh and Taira, who were responding to the voice that she did not hear before coming in. Back to the corpse, she kept her small rifle pointed at it as she bent down slowly. "Silver bullets," she muttered under her breath. "Great. Were-creatures. Why must it be were-creatures. Hello, what's this?" She pulled the note out of the dead man's body and scanned it, hoping to find details within that may shed some light on the mission.

"So who's she? And why is she commenting on the necrokinetic qualities of our combined sonic interference?"

Franky stared levelly at Tony, "You been readin' books again, Tony?"

"Weeell, it's all these new hunters goin' around these days usin' words like "adjudicate" an' "officiate" an' "incapacitate" ain't it? I mean I'm still smarter than the ones who think they can move quickly an' quietly in skintight leather but there are things livin' in yeast that are smarter than that lot. I gotta read more books to give meself an extra edge y'know?"

"They'll go out of fashion soon enough. Heh, I remember one group me and Sergeant Jacko had to track down 'bout fifteen years ago. That was before your time of course, when we was all more full of vim an' vinegar. Anyway this one group we had to deal with thought they had us pinned down in an' old church, right? So they all charged in with their flashy swords swingin', that was the fashion back then y'see, of course they didn't get very far 'cos the sarge had set up an MG 42 emplacement in the pulpit. Bullets and bodies flew everywhere." Franky wiped a nostalgiv tear away from his eyes, "Aah, great days they were."

Arakesh rolled his eyes at the newcomer's comment.

"And a laser sight is hardly stealthy. I myself miss the days when all warriors carried weapons of honor. There is little skill required in the use of your 'guns'. I never understood why Whiptail carried one..."

The mysterious voice echoes off into the distance, and silence returns to the main hall.

"The voice spoke of death and pain... more I could not gather..."

The young hunter scans the shadows, seeking signs of their recent occupation.

OOC: I must also ask... is this still open?

OOC: I must also ask... is this still open?

OOC: Then I must ask if you are a decent, character-based RP'er. I object to hundreds of troops sweeping the mansion, it removes the fun-factor. I would also request that you read the first page, if you have not done so already. Proceed and make your posting, so that I may verify your RP skill.

Special Agent Daniel Able, of the Valient Department of Extranormal Operations (DEO) sighed as he stepped out of the taxi. He had finally arrived at 56667 Dryshire Way, in the heartlands of Oklahoma, and the sight of the abandoned mansion filled him with dread.

"What the hell am I doing here?" Able asked himself as he payed the driver, "I just graduate, and they send me on some ghost chase?"

Watching the taxi slowly pull away from the courtyard, Able thought back to what Director Stanner had said in his mission briefing.

"We just intercepted a memo originating from somewhere in Oklahoma. We believe it may be that terrorist cult that was responsible for the bus bombing tear in Jacksontown. Track them down, and radio us when you've made clear id."

With that, Special Agent Able was off on his first mission.

Able headed through the towering, rusted gates. Surprisingly, they moved cleanly and easily, and were unlocked. Also unlocked was the front door. No matter: it made Able's entrnace all the more easier.

Able slowly picked his way through the main hall until he heard voices come from further down. Drawing his service 9mm, Able crept up to a menagerie of figures. He couldn't quite identify them all: there were two men who seemed to be partners, a couple of strong-silent types, and an Argonian. They all seemed to be studying something. He couldn't be sure if this was the cult Stanner had wanted, but he couldn't risk letting them getting away. Not on his first mission.

"FREEZE!"

Able stepped into the light with his 9mm leveled. It was not until after did he realize that he was not only out-manned, but out-gunned...

OOC: What I am trying to do is add an unknown to this thread. Able doesn't know anythiing about this "evil" and is really kinda green about this sort of stuff. He is not in the hunt as a hunter.

OOC2: Well, what do you think?

OOC: Very good. You are free to enter this RP at your desire.

IC:

Arakesh growled slightly and, again, rolled his eyes.

"Twice in the span of ten minutes... I hope this does not set the scene of the hunt..."

He reguards the newcomer with an annoyed look.

"Why do your kind always have to roll into a room, level a gun and yell 'Freeze'? The common softskin greeting of 'hello' works quite well, and will not lead to mortal injury if you surprise someone. What is it that you seek?"

The woman was about to make a retort at the odd-looking creature that was the Argonian when, upon hearing the approach of a new arrival, she spun around to face the entrance, the rifle pointed at Daniel Able. The laser was no longer on, but she was no less confident of her aim.

He looked human enough. Though to be sure, she wanted to pull her lenses down to make certain that assumption. Yet, such a movement just might make him pull the trigger of his gun. Being out in the open as she was, this was not a good place to be shot at.

"And just whom might you be?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at the man.

OOC: Arakesh, like most Argonians, is distrustful of technology. Useage of firearms also violates his personal code of honor. He has little world expeirence, and has yet to veer from the Argonian traditions like the more famous hunter, Whiptail, who carries a Colt M1911A1 with him at all times, occasionally carrying an R93 collapseable sniper rifle for more dangerous hunts. (That's a clue :wink: )

"Ooh, another one. Now all we need is a deck of cards and a score pad and we can spend the night playing bridge. Well, if he doesn't shoot us all first." Franky fumbled in his pockets before bringing out a packet of cigarrettes and lighting one with a flourish.

Tony had the thaumometer out again, "Careful, this one don't have any kind of magic around him at all. There's no telling what a normal human could do here."

"Supply us with a pack of cards perhaps?"

Able swung his revolver from the Rhinaran Woman with the rifle, to the Argonian to the man taking a drag on his freshly lit cigarette. The rest made no motion to acknowledge his existance, but with the weapons they were packing, he told himself that was a good thing.

"I am Special Agent Able of the Valient DEO. I don't know who you guys are , or what you guys are doing here, but I have my orders. I gotta take you guys in..."

Able reached for his satellite wristphone when he saw what the group was looking at. It was a corpse, still in its stages of decomposition. Able's throat heaved, but he managed to keep down the Salami sandwich he had for lunch.

"Ok, I don't know what the hell I've gotten myself into, but someone had better start talking. Now."

Able kept the 9mm raised, never flinching.

The woman kept her weapon pointed at Able, but did not fire even when the man was foolish enough to point his own little toy gun away from her and toward Arakesh and Franky.

Well, he's certainly not from the church. He is bloody annoying, though.

Staying in a crouched position near the corpse, she said in a level tone, "We're here to find whatever it is that killed this man, Special Agent Able. I suggest you refrain from your arrest unless you'd care for more of such mysterious murders." She cocks her head and arches a brow again, as if challenging him to allow the killings to continue.

Danka who had remained quiet throughout the new man's comming in on them, she began to laugh. "Take us in? You silly little boy with your toy gun. I highly doubt you can handle taking me in and then try to take all of us in. Can't you feel it around you? The evil is trying to swallow us and you are worried about us. Watch your own back you fool and pay no heed to us." She did not draw any weapon of hers, but had one of her arrows touching the tips of her fingers. She could draw and shot the arrow faster than any of the fools could handle their guns. She did not like guns either. She decided then to stick near by the lizard man named Arakesh.

Able's eye glanced at the Rhinaran's rifle, at the rest of the gathered group, and back at his 9mm. He also noticed the way one of the woman was fingering an arrow; sure he had one of the quickest draws at the Academy, but he couldn't be sure if he could beat her. The way she looked seemed very sure. Able sighed, and then nonchalently slipped the pistol back inside the shoulder-holster hidden within his suit jacket.

"All right... looks like you have me at a disadvantage. However, I'm here on a mission. Maybe you guys could help me?

Able looked at the assembled bits of weaponary. There were rifles, night vision, and bows and arrows. Hell, there was a giant lizard standing there with a katana.

With his hands open and away from his body, Able started slowy walking up to the group. He felt something alright, and it was confusion.

"Say, what are you guys doing here anyways? And this evil... does it have anything to do with that bullet-ridden corpse you have over there?"

"I can't speak for this other lot," began Franky, "But myself and my associate are simply here in an investigative capacity. Hence we don't feel it necessary to wave guns around at random."

Tony stuffed the thaumometer back inside his jacket, "Don't worry about us, completely human and totally harmless. I don't trust that other bunch, though. Suspicious characters the lot of 'em, you can stick wiv us if you like."

The woman stood up, still keeping her firearm trained on the man named Able. She pulled the lenses over her face and it made a brief, whirring noise as it scanned him. Pulling the lenses back off, she told the new arrival, "The corpse suffered trauma to the neck; puncture wounds resulting in loss of blood. And yes, I would assume that the evil the church spoke of is what caused this man's death."

A pause. "You're DEO. They look into these types of cases, don't they? So why are you here other than the reason we're here?"

"I go where I am needed." Danka said in a monotone voice. Simple and to the point.

Arakesh's fin-ears prick up with alarm.

"I would not be so sure... I sense there is more to this than we are able to percieve. I also believe that we are being observed..."

Before Arakesh can finish, a miss-shapen human leaps from the shadows. Instict causes Arakesh to drop to one knee as the beast flies over him, missing his head by mere inches. Similar beasts attack the other hunters. The beasts appear to be vampires, yet not the more poetic variety that most hunters are accustomed to dealing with. These where the true lapdogs of satan, not the once-proud and mighty race that passed the dark gift along to the humans to preserve their bloodline.

OOC: Think 'Dusk Till Dawn' vampires, with the soft skin and the mutated features. Contact with crosses, holy water, or a wooden stake through the heart will kill them, and bullets will slow them down. For example, a shot to the head will 'kill' it, but not for long. Being bitten by these vampires will cause the victim to become one after a short period of time. Crosses etched into the ends of bullets are also effective. Sunlight causes them to explode.

The woman spun around to see something barely missing Arakesh. The black lenses immediately covered her face again as more creatures show up. A single bullet shot out of her compact rifle, penetrating deep into the shoulder of the nearest one.

The creature's shoulder jerked back and growled, showing off the pointed fangs that suggested it was a vampire. It was not slowed, however, and it launched itself at the woman before she could fire off another shot.

She went down, holding the rifle with both hands and pushing the vampire's head back with it. Struggling to gain leverage, she finally managed to push the vampire off. Instantly she was on top, and the butt of the rifle slammed down hard into its face time and again until the creature went limp. She grabbed her combat knife and jabbed it into the creature's heart.

Able was about to reply to the Rhinaran with the rifle when he was interupted by the lythe Argonian.

"I sense there is more to this than we are able to percieve. I also believe that we are being observed..."

The humanoid figure dropped to one knee, and figures or grotesque proportions leapt out of the shadows. Able had seen these beforein basic training: they were the undead. Vampires.

And yet they were something more...

Able immediately pulled his 9mm out, and fumbled in his pockets. Finally his hands found purchase: Hollow point "Killer" bullets filled with holy water. (Part of every DEO agent supplies). As Able slid the clip into the revolver, one of the beasts charged him with a horrid scream.

Able fired exactly one shot point-blank into the creatures head. It stayed down

OOC: A clip-fed revolver... MS will want to hear about that. :wink:

OOC: Yeah. new design. Its a standard revolver, but it has a chamber for special bullets. Case in point, holy water.

Heh, go with it :D

OOC: You're right WA, that's interesting. I ain't gonna hassle ya about your gun, I just want to know how the f**k you pull that off. Where does the clip go? I understand why you'd want a revolver, they never jam. Does the clip feed the cylinder as it spins or something? That kinda defeats the purpose of having a cylinder. Hell, a S&W 586 always worked well for me. Interchangeable .38, .38 Special, and .357 magnum. Double action. Variable barrel lengths with optional bull-barrel. Choice of grips and variable trigger weight. I might be interested in this thing if you can explain how it works. Last time I'll post WA, sorry for the hijacking.

OOC: Its a prototype designed for the DEO. There is a seperate chamber entirely for the clip. It bypasses the cylinder, which is fully functional for its own bullets, but when it comes to specialized ammo, thats what its for. The cylinder holds standard .17 HMR Cartridges, and the magazine, which is for the semi-auto pistol variation holds the specialty ammo.

Its kinda hard to explain. :oops: Just imagine two seprate gun works within one gun, with the gun looking like a glock with a revolver cylinder.

Danka had realized something was on their tracks. She was a trained warrior to sense the slightest sound or smell. She had smelled these creatures before she heard them. With the vampire up close the smell stung and tore at her olfactory nose hair cells. She tried to block the rottenm decaying smell. It overpowered her and she thought she would pass out even before she could land a punch on the thing.

She couldn't tell if it was a male or femal the body was so twisted. She rose her hands and blocked the claws of the creature. She slide out her knife. It was a silver metal, but it was kept in a wooden case. A weapon for vampires and werewolves. She let the creature overpower her and the thing was ontop of her, her back flat on the ground. She had her hand flat when it landed on her. The beast growled in defeat. Danka smiled and said, "You need a breathe mint," and then she flicked her hand up towards the ceiling with force the pushed the knife into the heart of the creature. She pushed the thing off and it was already starting to leather and get brown. There was a surprised look on its face and then its eyes shrunk into the sockets. She kicked the thing to the side.

She walked around and it looked to be as if everyone came out okay as for now. Her strategy would be the hunted, instead of the hunter. She assumed it would be better to be defensive. She didn't know what to expect, so, she wanted to wait and see what attacked her.

OOC: Hey, okinawa- asked me to relay a message. He has a lot of school work and can't log onto NS for a while. He'll have to leave the RP

Only one creature made it past the ring of steel formed by the hunters to charge screaming at the undefended figures of Franky and Tony. Franky backed away towards the door, "That one's yours Tony."

Tony scanned the room for any form of weapon as the moster powered closer, his hand reached out instinctively, grabbing a heavy object and throwing it into the vampires' face. The vase smashed on impact, showering the monster in dasies and water. The vampire stopped and blinked. "The water's supposed to be holy you prat. What were you trying to do, drown me?"

Tony raised a hand to the heavens, "I baptise you in the name of the father, the son and the holy ghost!"

The vampire exploded. A short sentence but full of incident.

OOC: *Cannot post for a few mintues, too busy laughing...*

OOC: A .17 caliber bullet? As MS would say:

'That's got the stopping power of a handful of gravel.'

or the timeless:

'It might stop a charging hamster at close range. Maybe.'

It is indeed a novel design. I myself prefer a Browning Woodsman, in .22 caliber. MS constanly pokes fun at me for this, he prefers a Glock sub-compact in .45 or a .357 magnum.

IC:

Arakesh's katana removes the hand of his attacker, while his right hand drives forward. Arakesh pulls the heart out of his opponent, which still beats, and his opponent continues to fight. The bewilderd hunter carves a series of slashes across the vampire's chest, with little effect. Thinking quickly, he drops his katana and pulls a pencil from a belt pouch. The young hunter deliberately drives the pencil into the heart, and the vampire collapses like a ragdoll.

Arakesh stares at the heart for a moment, then drops it and retrieves his katana, watching the others as they combat their opponents. He would not rob them of the honor of killing a vampire. In the meantime, Arakesh cuts the fangs from his latest victim, and places them in a belt pouch.

OOC: Hence the point that the gun has two functions. The revolver half of the gun is smaller in direct proportion to the semi-auto half. It's size forces him to use .17 caliber. His Semiauto uses 9mm, and is really all Able needs and uses. The revolver chamber is last ditch.

All this talk about his weapon. Yeesh! :( Hope thats the end.

IC:

Able backs away from the melee and the headless corpse by his Italian shoes. He checks the clip he just loaded, and makes certain that his revolver was still in good working fashion. Though it was rarely ever used, Able had learned at the Academy that a good agent never discounts using anything.

With that done, he glances back at the Argonian, who had just dispatched his own Vampire.

"So... What now?"

Arakesh points with the katana at the others.

"We wait until they dispatch their opponents."

Franky clapped a hand on Tony's shoulder, "Well done there. A point for imagination I'd say."

"I'm suprised it worked. Hey, d'ya think if we rigged up a hose and a loudspeaker we could get ten or twenty at once?"

"I don't see why not. I'll bring it up with the boys at the lab when we get back."

Standing back up, the Rhinaran woman looked around for any remaining vampires. The knife was still in one hand, while the other held the rifle, which was awkwardly balanced since it was only held by one hand instead of two. One of the lenses rotated around as it scanned the shadows for visually undetectable creatures.

The vampire found himself in a large hall with ruined carpet, and high rafters draped in shadow. A faint scraping reached his ears followed by a low hiss of malice, and he took one casual step to the side. A misshapen form landed with a thud on the floor where the vampire had been standing a moment before. A moment later, his katana bit into the thing's shoulder, and a great flash exploded all over his enemy's twisted body. The hideous vampire was blown across the room, and became a gory smudge on the wall. Another misshapen form dropped down behind the vampire, and was met with a spiked glove to the face. The slimmer and more agile vampire spun about before his enemy could recover, the scarf following him. The flowing once-scarlet scarf tied around his mouth had become nearly consumed by black as the vampire had fought, and now as the katana was driven through the other vampire's heart, it became fully black, nearly invisible and appearing to be a shadow against the dim light. The vampire left the now bloodstained hall, seeking whatever else this manor held, and hopefully meeting an old friend.

The vampire found himself in a large hall with ruined carpet, and high rafters draped in shadow. A faint scraping reached his ears followed by a low hiss of malice, and he took one casual step to the side. A misshapen form landed with a thud on the floor where the vampire had been standing a moment before. A moment later, his katana bit into the thing's shoulder, and a great flash exploded all over his enemy's twisted body. The hideous vampire was blown across the room, and became a gory smudge on the wall. Another misshapen form dropped down behind the vampire, and was met with a spiked glove to the face. The slimmer and more agile vampire spun about before his enemy could recover, the scarf following him. The flowing once-scarlet scarf tied around his mouth had become nearly consumed by black as the vampire had fought, and now as the katana was driven through the other vampire's heart, it became fully black, nearly invisible and appearing to be a shadow against the dim light. The vampire left the now bloodstained hall, seeking whatever else this manor held, and hopefully meeting an old friend.

Up ahead, the faint zing of a blade cutting through flesh echos, followed by a growl of rage and pain. A death-roar seemingly shakes the foundations of the mansion, then all is silent.

Assuming that 'David' investigates:
Vampire impaled with stake made from black wood.
Vampire is missing an arm, and has been bisected.

In the main hall...

Arakesh watches as the others finish with their opponents. He moves ahead, into a vast world of books: The mansion's library. The corpse of a thrid hunter is sprawled on the carpet, her face bruised horribly and three deep gashes are cut into her chest, as if she had been raked by a beast with claws...

All clear. The Rhinaran woman watched the Argonian move off. She did not quite trust him, but for the time being, it appeared that they were on the same side. Sheathing the combat knife and keeping both hands on the rifle, she slowly proceeded after the lizard-like creature. Her steps were quiet, and her head swiveled slowly all about to see everything around her as she followed after him.

Upon entering the library, her first move was to make sure that the room was clear of hostiles. The rifle was raised and it pointed in whichever direction she was looking at. When things seemed safe, she took a closer look at the body. "Different execution than the corpse outside. Think the same thing could've done it?"

The Vampire Formerly Known as David (( :P )) stands over the two corpses for a moment before moving on, becoming more convinced Whiptail was here. The black wooden stakes were Argonian, and the sword wounds were the same as those found on the decapitated hunter in the kitchen. The vampire moved down the hall, before coming to an intersection. The hall extends for a significant distance straight ahead before coming to an abrupt halt, and another hall wreathed in darkness goes off to his right. "David" takes the right hall, disappearing into the darkness. A rumble echoes down the hall, and the vampire unsheathes his katana and moves further forward, becoming increasingly cautious.

Able cocked his 9mm and turned and in the direction of the library. He turned his head to the side, and spat, a thin trail of spittle landing on one of the vampire's corpse.

"Damned if I know what I'm still here for..."

Able turned and followed the others.

Arakesh examines the gashes in the hunter's chest more closely.

"It might be, but this female seems to have been beaten to near-unconciousness, then slashed with metal blades. The cuts are too clean to have been made by claws, and the bruises on her face suggest a blunt metal object..."

Arakesh kneels and lifts a Smith and Wesson 586 revolver from the floor, between the couch and a coffee table. He opens the chamber, and dumps the rounds into his open hand.

"A single empty brass casing, and five .357 rounds with crosses etched into the points... these hunters don't seem to have any idea what they are facing. It is no small wonder so many have been killed."

Back in the hallway...

A small door stands closed in front of the vampire. It is of simple construction, and sounds of combat drift through it. A series of wet thumps followed by the zing of steel cutting flesh is heard... then all is silent.

The vampire took a step back from the door and raised his hand to it. The wooden door crumpled inward without any effort, and he stepped through, the katana up in a blocking position.

The vampire took a step back from the door and raised his hand to it. The wooden door crumpled inward without any effort, and he stepped through, the katana up in a blocking position.

One body dead from what appears to be loss of blood from a vampire feeding. Another from massive concussive blows to the head and then cut. The first carried ammunition for were-creatures and a crucifix, the second with bullets etched with crosses. These people were clearly prepared to fight were-creatures and vampires, so was that what the great evil in here is?

"... these hunters don't seem to have any idea what they are facing. It is no small wonder so many have been killed," Arakesh said.

That would describe her. She was a bounty hunter, seeking out and taking down normal people. Paranormal creatures did not make up a very long list on her resume. None of her weapons were designed to take advantage of any weaknesses in the physiologies of vampires and werewolves. But, if she survived this long with what she had, she would continue on without second-guessing herself.

The Rhinaran woman searched for other clues in the room that may give away what they were facing. Claw marks, blood, hair, anything. To the Argonian, "Any other indications on the body of what our target is or where it may be?" Otherwise, there would be no point in staying in this room.

The honorable vampire, enters to find another lapdog of satan, sprawled on the floor, with several bruises and a long set of three slashes across its face. The heart area has been stabbed several times.

There is a single overhead bulb providing illumination for the room, which seems to be some sort of storeroom. The corners are dark and shadowy. The vampire can sense that another is nearby, watching him, but the location is unknown...

In the library...

Arakesh sets the revolver and the bullets down on the coffee table.

"I do not think a vampire killed our fellow hunter in the hallway, the teeth marks where similar to those of an Argonian. Argonians rarely bite their opponents in combat, but there is a legend of one who was cursed with a taste for blood, and hunter creatures such as we have encountered. I think we pursue not one target, but two."

Arakesh is silent as he glaces around the large library.

David pulled the silken scarf from his mouth and smiled thinnly, letting his two pearl white fangs rest like two guard dogs on his lower lip.

He rasped slowly, "Hello, Whiptail."

David pulled the silken scarf from his mouth and smiled thinnly, letting his two pearl white fangs rest like two guard dogs on his lower lip.

He rasped slowly, "Hello, Whiptail."

The only answer comes whisper-soft, a soft chanting in archaic Argonian... a small puddle of blood forms near the center of the circle of light cast by the single bulb, as if it is dripping off of something...

"You know how much I hate cryptic incantations." David said, addressing the room as a whole, his gaze drawn to the blood at the center of the room.

The vampire suddenly remembered how hungry he was. He hadn't fed in...at least a week, which was unhealthy for a young vampire like him.

"You know how much I hate cryptic incantations." David said, addressing the room as a whole, his gaze drawn to the blood at the center of the room.

The vampire suddenly remembered how hungry he was. He hadn't fed in...at least a week, which was unhealthy for a young vampire like him.

Able looked at the Argonian, and scowled.

"Just what do you mean by two..."

Danka smiled at the vampire. She could sense that he wanted to feed. Poor boy, I think someone else got to him first. It just doesn't look like anyone of their group would be willing to feed him. He just might have to starve.

Unfamiliar with Argonians as she was, the Rhinaran women did not realize that the term referred to Arakesh's race. A thin eyebrow arched up, though hidden behind the lenses masking her face, as the stipulation of two prey being in the mansion was made.

"An Argonian didn't do that?" she asked, briefly lifting her chin out to point at the corpse in the middle of the library. "Could be human, then, as it used more standard weapons to attack the sap. But I'm sure other non-human creatures use weapons too," she looked over at the lizard-like Argonian.

Danka smiled at the vampire. She could sense that he wanted to feed. Poor boy, I think someone else got to him first. It just doesn't look like anyone of their group would be willing to feed him. He just might have to starve.

((If you're talking about David, then he's way deeper into the mansion than you are.))

Arakesh shakes his head is disagreement.

"No, it was not an Argonian, as I am. I have heard tales of a third breed of Argonians, the Shadow Argonians. I believe that one of their small number did this. Shadow Argonians are invisible in open light, but are visible when they enter the shadows. Darkness hides them as well. Our second target is hunting this Shadow Argonian."

In the library storage room

There is no answer. The puddle of blood in the small circle of light stops growing, it is now about the size of a dinner plate.[/i]

OOC: Cyberutopia, a hint is in the posting directed at the other hunters.

OOC: Seems like ya'll lost one. I'll fill in for them.

IC:

A figure walks into the library, dressed in a long black trench coat. A shotgun is resting on his right shoulder. His clothing suggests that he's more of a Matrix extra. He wears black fatigues, a tight-fitting black tee-shirt, and black Lugz with white laces and soles. Six AMT .45 Hardballers sit in pairs on his body, in shoulder, sidearm, and tactical holsters. The platinum plating on the weapons glimmer under the library's dim lights. .45 clips stud his belt. A pair of throwing knives hang from the left side of his belt, black so as not to clash with the rest of his outfit. The man looks to be about thirty years old, with light brown hair cut in a military fashion. His eyes are hidden behind a pair of expensive sunglasses, but are an emerald green. The mysterious hunter is movie-star handsome, with an athletic build and an arrogant manner.

"Big A, dawg... what the f**k's up?"

The man shouts, pointing his shotgun at Arakesh with a smile. He holds the weapon with one hand, the barrel stays rock steady.

Invisible in both light and darkness, but revealed in shadows? That's an awful paradox to deal with...

"Invisible only to the visual EM range, or to infrared and ultraviolet too?" the woman in black asked Arakesh, tapping on the large, dark lenses obscuring her face.

Before she could receive any answer, however, a loud man caused her to swiftly ready her rifle at the entrance, the laser turning on in the same, fluid motion. The bright red dot landed on the one-man army's forehead.

Arakesh shakes his head in disgust.

"I would not suggest aiming you weapon at him. I have seen this man wield a firearm, it surpasses what you have shown so thus far. His methods may be unconventional, but he rarely misses."

He reguards the newcomer.

"Ahh... Jack Bray. Please aim the boomstick at the floor, and not at the sniper..."

He turns back to the sniper-woman.

"What is 'E-M'?"

In the time it took the woman to turn and aim her weapon, the shotgun's barrel had shifted an inch. The ghost-ring sight was now centered in her chest.

"Point the gat somewhere else, I'd hate to blow a hole the size of South-Central in a chica like you."

Jack looks at Arakesh.

"Ya'll are huntin' for that evil thing in here, ain't ya? That arrived in my inbox a few days ago. Figured I'd load up."

He looks at the woman with the rifle aimed at him as he joins the group.

"Argonians don't show up real well on thermal scans, they're metabolisum is much slower and they don't generate their own body heat. Never tried electro-mag scans, don't think they'd have much effect either. My advice is to just shine a light at the damn thing."

OOC: He wears six handguns because each only holds eight rounds, seven in the clip and one in the pipe. Drawing a new one is faster than reloading. The shotgun he has is a semi-auto, loaded with 12 gague slug ammo. Jack has met Arakesh in the past, and tried the thermal scan thing. Arakesh showed up as a shadow, a light blue against the dark stuff.

The woman turned off the laser sighting and slowly lowered her rifle when it appeared that Jack was friend and not foe. Popular place, this mansion.

"There has to be some way of detecting them," she said. "Just a matter of finding it."

To Arakesh, "Electromagnetic spectrum. It covers everything from microwaves to light to gamma-rays."

She looked over at Jack, "I figured at least the infrared range would do it. But if it's completely invisible, then not showing up very well on a thermal scan is better than not showing up at all. Hmm..."

Back to the Argonian again, "If it's invisible in both open light and in darkness, but visible in shadows, then perhaps black light would work, as they technically don't fall under either category of light nor darkness."

The vampire's eyes narrowed and he peered into the shadows that clung to the corners.

"We are two of a kind, Whiptail. If I can feel your presence from across this forsaken sphere, how will spidery shadows keep you from me?" He asked in a soft voice.

Jack nods.

"Good point."

He gestures at her rifle with his free hand.

"You any good with that?"

He asks with a playful grin.

The vampire's eyes narrowed and he peered into the shadows that clung to the corners.

"We are two of a kind, Whiptail. If I can feel your presence from across this forsaken sphere, how will spidery shadows keep you from me?" He asked in a soft voice.

A voice whispers to him, echoing around the room in an eerie fashion.

"I am not who you seek... you and he are both seekers, finding not what you look for, but something else. You seek him, yet cannot find him... he seeks me, yet cannot find me..."

The shadows are empty, as revealed by closer inspection...

"Yes," was the only answer the Rhinaran woman offered.

Though indeed a sniper, her rifle was not a sniper's rifle, and was of a design not seen anywhere. Sure, it was capable of limited snipering, but nothing at the range that the true sniper rifles can reach. It was a lightweight compared to many other sniper rifles. Instead of the standard five-to-ten-round magazines and bolt-operation, the rifle was a semi-automatic fed by 30-round magazines, capable of firing single-bullet and three-bullet bursts, as well as the fully automatic feature. A multitude of gadgets could be attached to its 25-inch frame, and indeed a few were already on there.

She takes out a cylindrical object and replaces the laser with it. Switching it on to test it out, a cone of light brightened everything in its path.

"It is true you are not the one I seek, but," The vampire said with a rueful grin. "We are still two of a kind, and I shall not leave you to peace until I find the reason you inhabit this place."

A growl echoes through the room.

"This is MY home... you and the other invaders will perish."

A shape leaps from the circle of light, striking the vampire in the forehead with a blunt metal tonfa as it soared overhead. From what could be seen in that brief amount of time, it appeared to be some kind of Argonian... it rolls into a landing and takes off down the hall.

OOC: I hope you don't mind him slipping a strike in, its the only way he could have made a clean escape. If you do, I'll rework his exodus.

Jack spins sharply, alerted by a noise in the kitchen area. He brings the shotgun to bear, then moves towards the door in a low crouch, his eyes scanning the corners, looking for signs of movement. With a booted foot he kicks the door open, and finds nothing.

"Must be that f**kin' shadow critter Arakesh was talkin' about..."

Jack muttered as he crouched, preparing to fire at the slightest movement.

((Yeah, that's fine, WA.))

Though the vamprire lost his sight for a moment, he could feel the presence of the Argonian shooting down the hall, and followed it as if by instinct. As the mild throb in his head dissipated, he found himself in the kitchen, with his quarry nowhere in sight. A heavy boot broke the door in, and David vanished into the shadows in an instant.

A thought lingered in his mind that the shadows always stirred in him. 'He's a creature of shadow, like me, he has a right to this place. Why the ideals of good and evil still exist I do not know, they have only become tarnished by greed and sorrow, mere shells without meaning serving only to justify the extripation of a creature from the only place he can call home.'

That thought led to another, as it always seemed to. 'Then why do I still exist? Why have such ruined values not been my demise? There is nothing left for me.'

((Yeah, that's fine, WA.))

Though the vamprire lost his sight for a moment, he could feel the presence of the Argonian shooting down the hall, and followed it as if by instinct. As the mild throb in his head dissipated, he found himself in the kitchen, with his quarry nowhere in sight. A heavy boot broke the door in, and David vanished into the shadows in an instant.

A thought lingered in his mind that the shadows always stirred in him. 'He's a creature of shadow, like me, he has a right to this place. Why the ideals of good and evil still exist I do not know, they have only become tarnished by greed and sorrow, mere shells without meaning serving only to justify the extripation of a creature from the only place he can call home.'

That thought led to another, as it always seemed to. 'Then why do I still exist? Why have such ruined values not been my demise? There is nothing left for me.'

Agent Able follows the newcomer's gaze into the kitchen. He saw for himself that it was empty, and foreboding.

"Shadows and vampires. This get's curiouser and curiouser. So, Argonian, what do we do now?"

Able calmly flips his 9mm in the air and catches it. He looks at the Lizard, and waits for an answer.

OOC: Able knows Arakesh's name. He as an agent finds it hard to call him by a real name tough. :?

OOC: As the lore in Morrowind, the game I draw the look and name of the Argonians from, the Argonians where (And still are) slaves of the Dunmer, or 'Dark Elves'. They are used to being called by their racial designation, and being looked down apon. They do not, however, tolerate it in a racist sense. Arakesh is resonably easy-going, and does not mind, so think nothing of it. That was just a wee history lesson.

IC:

Arakesh approaches slowly behind Jack, his katana held high.

"We wait. Perhaps our marksman companion will provide us with this 'light of blackness' she speaks of. Perhaps it will reveal our quarry..."

As Arakesh finishes his sentence, a loud warcry seems to shake the kitchen. An Argonian with charcoal-black scales leaps from the shadows, tackling something invisible. The pair battle with claws and teeth for a good few seconds, before the dark-scaled warrior pins something to the floor.

"This is not your home, mindless one. Return to the Marsh where you belong. Maybe there you will find peace."

The dark-scaled hunter slams a mightly headbutt into the invisible one's brow, knocking it out.

Jack shakes his head in disbelief.

"No f**kin' way... it can't be..."

A slight smile crosses his face as he lowers his weapon.

The woman watched as masses of blue was all that showed up in her lenses, which were scanning the infrared range as the battle in the kitchen occured. It then whirred quietly as it returned to the visual spectrum. The regular light attached to her rifle turned on, shining upon the black Argonian and the invisible creature beneath it.

"Don't move!" she ordered the one she could see. "Identify yourself!"

Jack pats the barrel of her rifle down a bit.

"Relax, he's a friendly. That's Whiptail, he's a friend of my big bro."

Able stared from the new Argonian, to Arakesh. He blinked.

"Well, now that the gangs all here, does anyone mind telling me what he pointing to Whiptail is sitting on?"

Whiptail nods.

"Indeed. I know Jack's older brother well. We have hunted many times."

Whiptail gives the invisible creature one last punch for good measure. He then motions for Jack to turn the kitchen lights on. With the lights on, Whiptail holds his cloak out to block the light, creating a large shadow, which reveals a dazed and unconcious Argonian with scales the color of wood ash.

"This being calls himself Smokescale, due to some wrong he committed in the past, Makaal made him visible only in shadow. He seems to have been driven mad by lack of contact with his own kind. If someone will be kind enough to restrain him, I will be able to rise."

Whiptail looks around for a response to his comment.

Arakesh, is inarticulate. He seems taken aback by the unassuming appearance of Whiptail, with his tattered cloak and rough clothing.

"You are Whiptail? If this is true, then it is a great honor to meet you..."

Arakesh stammers, having been able to speak with his childhood hero face-to-face.

Jack stands, resting the shotgun on his shoulder.

"Well, that's kinda anti-climactic. I was hoping for some sort of psycho, or vampire, or something besides an invisible lizard."

"Well you're all just one big, happy family, I take," the woman commented sarcastically. She turned off the light attached to her rifle, but kept the firearm pointing forward in case the restrained Argonian should awake and break free. Of course, she did not offer to aid this Whiptail person.

"You're keeping him alive, then?"

Jack sighs.

"Whatever. It's a long-ass story, and it's time to get drunk, so it'll have to wait till later."

Jack begins to poke around in the cabinets, looking for wine, vodka, anything that contained alchol.

"Ah, Whiptail, I thought you were here." David said softly, appearing near the back of the kitchen. "Strange creature, you've got under you. I wonder why I could see him..."

The vampire's gaze settles on Jack for a moment before he spoke, fingering the rough fabric of his scarf. "And who might this boy be?"

((Um, bump?!))

OOC: uh, I think this thread died a long time ago... :oops:

((Damn, I liked this thread.))

((Damn, I liked this thread.))