Krusnik Mission Log (CONTENT WARNINGS AHOY)

[kaisoumods]

Krusnik Mission Log

CONTENT WARNINGS: The following log will involve discussions of kidnapping, stalking, child abuse, and human experimentation. Proceed with caution.

So let's take a moment to recap: amongst the numerous groups connected to the paranormal, one of the more infamous ones is Krusnik. For years, Krusnik's name was synminonous with the darkest parts of the world. Known for taking children no one would miss and other such people to do God only knows what to them, they're a group that seemed more like a horror story than anything real. There's been many efforts to try to stamp them out, some more successful than others, but they always managed to slink away into the shadows and survive another day.

In the past, Krusnik didn't usually go stateside. Too much risk, was the theory. However something must have changed, as they've decided to try their luck in Kaisou. Perhaps it was the active Spirit Vein that led them here, or more possible... the otherworlders that no one would think twice about if they disappeared. Gaining their hands on some of those would be a great benefit to Krusnik. And if they happen to get their hands on one or two escaped prisoners in the process...well. So much the better.

Like hell they will.

Thanks to the combined work of many factions and people; the alarms have been sounded. Alba, the researcher who asked for help a few times, has been revealed to actually be Georg Weissmann - a high ranking member of Krusnik. Now it's time to gather the wagons, make sure those vulnerable are protected, and as for Krusnik itself? It's time to root out these demons wearing human-skin once and for all.

Within the City

While only one Krusnik member had been identified in July, it turns out there's a sizable crew of them within the city. There's several operatives scattered throughout the city. Alba himself is no where to be found in the city, but plenty of his lackeys are. They primarily target the young (or young looking), though it's possible they may go after some slightly older people if they have particularly strong magical energy. It's never very many of them at a time, usually only one to three, and they seem to be focused in areas with a high concentration of supernaturally inclined people (except, notably, the Zodiac apartments and Cathedral Hill). Usually they will attempt to strike when they think someone is alone or their guard is down, so staying in groups and making sure there's someone keeping constant watch is a good way to deter them.

Though the groups are small, they are dangerous in their own right. All of them have been trained for combat to an extreme amount. Not only that, but they have magical abilities in some form or another, some who may rival the Libra app users thanks to years of experiments done to their bodies. Their modus operandi leans towards using stealth tactics to get the jump on their target. Not wanting to make their presence too known while in the city, they will tend to flee if they're met with a confrontation that'll draw attention. These aren't people who can be reasoned with, as they are nothing short of fullblown fanatics to their cause. Though, if you wish to capture and get information about their operation in the city, certain interrogation methods aren't out of the question.

In Hyrule

Hyrule was a dangerous enough realm on its own, but the presence of Krusnik operatives have heightened that danger even further for some. Just like in Kaisou, they will try to strike potential targets when they see an opening in groups of one to three. Since they are away from the prying eyes of the city, these Krusnik members will be more willing to have more drawn out fights in order to obtain their targets. Most of them are more than willing to fight to the death for their cause and have the combat ability to back that up, so you best be prepared for a challenging fight.

However should you manage to capture some of them alive, it may be possible to obtain information about their operation using interrogation tactics. As it turns out the leader of their operation and the target of the Black Order, Weissman, is in Hyrule itself. He's set up camp at the Coliseum Ruins in the southeastern part of the Hyrule Fields. The Black Order has been ordered to kill him on sight, so that'll be their destination. If there's anyone looking to dissuade them from carrying out their mission, they're going to have a tough argument to sell.

When you arrive there, you'll find that the place is covered in a red sludge that is toxic and painful to the touch. You'll have to do your best to avoid contact with it as much as you can. Once you get into the coliseum itself, well, it turns out Weissmann knew you'd be coming for him. This isn't the first attempt to take him out, after all. So as soon as you step into Coliseum, Weissmann will call down to you from his ledge he's using as his vantage point. Before you can react, he'll cast a spell that conjures an evil-looking eye before everyone who looks upon is magically immobilized. Now that he has a captured audience, he'll go into a full villainous speech mode. From mocking the Black Order's shortcomings, to emphasizing that all Krusnik is doing is trying to unlock humanity's full potential. "You could have the power of gods," he says "But instead you hold yourselves back with pointless barriers you call morals". He'll even callously speak of the "progress" the former victims have made: first lamenting that Johan would give up the power of his possession after failing to control it - a true failed experiment. Subject Zero, he notes, has clearly allowed her growth to stagnant while in the outside world. Kohinata, on the other hand... well, the Water Spirit he possessed himself with was weaker than Weissman would like, but it was still some progress.

When he's finished saying his rage-inducing, sociopathic piece - he'll decide that's time to finish you all off. Not by his hand, but rather the Silver Lynel he found living in these ruins. It's a massive centaur beast, wielding a claymore emitting flames. He'll release it from his spell, which it's now angry enough to charge and attack everyone who are nothing more than sitting ducks while under Weissman's Evil Eye spell.

Fortunately, for those who came prepared, there are ways to counteract the spell. Barrier spells will deflect the spell entirely, and extremely strong willpower stands a chance to make the spell's hold break. And if someone manages to break Weissman's concentration (by say, shooting him)- that'll break the spell entirely. Whatever ways you manage to free yourself from his magic chains, it's now up to you to fight off the Lynel and get to Weissmann. Weissmann himself, caught off guard by the surprise resistance, will use elemental magic to defend himself. How you deal with this man is up to you, but it's clear he'll be a threat as long as he keeps breathing.

The Base

Once Weissman and the Hyrule team are dealt with, there is only one more thing that needs to be dealt with: the demon's den that is their base of operations. You can find out information to its location either through interrogating captured agents, tailing their agents, or looking into a trail of breadcrumbs in the form of undertown gossip. Eventually, enough leads will bring you to a cluster of warehouses. Most seem to be just regular warehouses, filled with various stocks for businesses in town and for more illicit business ventures. In the middle of these stands a warehouse which outwardly doesn't seem any different from the others. By design, it is made to fit in, be inconspicuous. The inside, however, is a much different story.

You are not alone, first off. There are plenty of Krusnik goons to fight- who will quickly leap to defend their organization. They will fight back with weapons, elemental abilities, with everything they have. And they will fight tooth and nail. Worse still are other, younger members of Krusnik- former captives who have been beaten down and fully indoctrinated into Krusnik's cause. They will not listen to reason, and they will die for this. There's a couple among them that seem to no longer even have presence of self at all and act more like mindless weapons - results of Weissmann's handiwork, it'd seem. Some are exceptionally powerful- if you have the ability to sense them, you will quickly realize these people have been possessed by monsters and demons. There is no benevolence here. Mercy might not be an option.

The bottom floor of the warehouse is filled with rows upon rows of shipping containers. They all have padlocks and chains around them, but none are currently locked. Opening them, you will find a mattress in the back corner, with chains and shackles bolted to the side of the metal wall. Almost all of them, thankfully, are empty- but there's a few that house the three app users (Takame, Vergil, and Rose) who managed to get grabbed. All three of them are alive, though their harrowing physical and emotional states serve as a stark realization that the horror stories about what Krusnik does to victims are anything but stories.

The upper level of the warehouse has a few rudimentary lab setups. It's clear this isn't anything high-tech or powerful, but the remnants of something that once was. Mismatched equipment can be found everywhere, vials and medical equipment scuffed and cracked- things grabbed in a hurry from a crumbling coalition. It's not all scientific, of course. Ancient tomes line the walls, equally damaged and hodgepodge together. Pages are marked which indicate powerful deities, sheets of notebook paper pushed in amongst the pages, with scribbled theories on the best methods to give a "higher rate of spiritual contact". As any former Krusnik captive could tell you, and as is plane in front of you now, all of the methods are grizzly. Means of pushing a person to the brink of death, to try and induce a possession of a spirit. Ideally, of a god.

The furthest room on the top level is an office. Sitting in a chair is a well-put-together man. He's clearly heard the ruckus of all the fighting but hasn't stepped into the fight himself. He welcomes you with a smooth, relaxed voice, like you've dropped in for a cup of tea and not to root out an evil organization. If given the chance to talk (and oh boy, will he talk) he'll explain he is Philip, he's the second of command of this current operation, and you Libra users have it all wrong. Krusnik is trying to understand the Spirit World, the GODS, better. They are simply reaching out to touch the heavens, to bring this power down to mortal folk. He had memories of a previous life, where this was used to better another world. A lost world. That the touch of a god would give everyone an equal playing field, would rid the world of pain and suffering, why would anyone not want that? He does his best to make kidnapping children and forcing them to become vessels for powerful beings by bringing them to the brink of death a reasonable thing to do. Of course, it's not and you can deal with him as you see fit. Once he realizes you're on the attack, he will lash out- his arms turning into green goop - which he can mold into spikes or just straight-up try and suffocate you with it.

Work together to take this guy out. And make sure you do a thorough job doing it- there's always a chance he might reform if not eliminated completely.

Aftermath

Eventually, once Philip is defeated (be sure to be VERY thorough with taking him out) you can check around the office. There's a computer where the attempts to hack Libra originated from. From the scattered paperwork, they will find candid photos of the escaped Krusnik members- there are also candid photos of current otherworlders, especially the minors. All have scribbled notes, times, days, places- an attempt to work out a routine. The beginnings of a plan to try and capture them.

Further investigation will yield Weissmann's personal logs, as you can always count on the evil scientist types to write down their crimes. Amongst the various records of stomach-churning experiments, unhinged manifestos, and detailed crimes against humanity- they'll gain context to why Krusnik was here of all places. It would seem the previous attacks on Krusnik facilities, those carried out by Abel and Zero, were basically fatal blows to the organization. What is here in Kaisou is the splintered remains of the survivors, trying to start again. There are notes of smaller pocket cells out there in the world- but it's clear this was Krusnik's last attempt to get a foothold and gain power once more. With this crushed, they have no hope of truly resurfacing again.

The last thing in the office is the filing cabinet. Weissmann had the key, so unless you looted it off his body, you'll have to pick the lock. Once inside, you'll be rewards with a treasure trove of documents about the organization. Not just their heinous experiments, but information on who gives them funding, who would help them get new victims, and so on. Perhaps Alba was planning on relying on these contacts again, or was holding onto it for blackmail. Either way, it's a treasure trove of evidence to help pursue justice against those who helped Krusnik. And in the very back of the filing cabinet, there's also a notebook containing information on a glyph Krusnik developed to help conceal their presence throughout the years. Maybe this could come in handy...someday.

With everything explored and dealt with, there's only one left to do: figure out what to do about the warehouse. Maybe it'd be good to alert the proper authorities or the Black Order or Zodiac to figure out--

Oh what you want to burn it? Well... okay, that works too. You did just take out a nefarious cult so...yeah, you can burn this building, as a treat.

OOC Notes

This is the catch-all long for the Krusnik subplot! Should you post about this event outside this log, please remember to use relevant content warnings. The original OOC plotting post for this event can be found here.

Comments

Vergil Vittore | OTA | Warning for possible descriptions of the aftermath of torture, etc.

[kowase]

1// rescue // i just wanted to be 𝕤𝕒𝕧𝕖𝕕

[ if there was a routine, he'd be used to it by now. The shift of metal, the grind of whatever crude mechanism that's being used to keep the shipping container closed being moved so whoever's come to grab him and rough him up out of his dazed sleep can come inside the blazingly hot chamber.

for those who know vergil, will instantly know they're looking at a very poor example of the man. Thinner than his usual broad-shouldered, proud pomp, visible black marks and bruises on his skin where it's exposed in places--where normally, he'd never scar once. There's even a strange mark on one of his arms--deeply red and pulsating with a glow like exposed veins in the low light of the container.

From where he's shackled to the wall of the container, Vergil doesn't even bother to look up to see who it is. One of the idiot guards, or the man who keeps calling him 'Caleb' instead of 'Dante', with that smug smile and sympathetic tone...

He just laughs.
A sound Vergil isn't known for making. ]

Ain't you bored of this yet. [ he rumbles out in a cadence... very much not like his own voice. Like he's trying to speak in a way that's completely unnatural--eyes hiding under a mess of hair that's not up in its usual style, but rather--looking more like his brother. ] Show should be over by now. ...Losers.

Told you. Not... gonna' tell you shit.

So just ... fuck off. [ might be a good idea to make him realise it's not one of the usuals come for his daily ration of shitty bread and room temperature water. ]

2// escape // i just wanted to be 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕔𝕥𝕖𝕕

[ he's never been a touchy person. not in his entire life--he wasn't someone who relied heavily on others; in this life--and if this experience has taught him anything, it was that sort of thinking had been ridiculous.

there had been more than one person who'd come to rescue him. More than Just Dante, which was the most startling part--and now that they're here, he's sticking close to them. Nay, if you were one of the people who dragged him out of that stuffy, hot box from the pits of hell, it's likely Vergil hasn't let go of their arm, but.

As they stumble their way out of the basement and up the floors, Vergil will cling on harder. Pull and stumble, as he remembers something.

Something important. ]

--can't leave.
Not yet, not without finding where they put my -- [ ... he clears his throat. he doesn't need to talk like Dante anymore. Breathe. ] I would like to find my sword. And my other belongings, before we leave. [ his bracelet. ]

3// watch it burn // i just wanted to be 𝕝𝕠𝕧𝕖𝕕

[ ...and while going home is the most important thing of all, when he hears from one of the members of the hit-squad who had come to rescue him and the other two?strangers who had been in hell with him this whole time--that they planned on burning the facility down, he will quietly ask to stay.

At a safe distance, to watch.

There's a catharsis in watching it burn to the ground. his eyes are glazed and he looks like he could be tearful--but he holds them back, unwilling to shed another drop of any sort of fluid for these fuckers who had kept him. Who'd ripped so many memories from his past into his mind--and yet tried to suppress them, all at the same time.

His head aches, and he finds himself laughing for a second time today. His shoulders shaking from the sheer force of it. ]

Thank you.

For coming to find me.
For putting yourself in danger.

...Is everyone else safe. [ are the kids he rescued safe. ]

I want to go home.

1 - firstly how dare you

[advivo]

[ dante's never been subtle, it's never been a form of art he's ever subscribed to, he's always been loud and out going and drawing as much attention as physically possible. which is exactly why the rescue doesn't start quietly, why the sounds of fighting are loud and sudden and grow even louder with each passing second. subtlety has never been dante's forte and neither has patience.

they took something of his, afrer all, they took one of the most important people in dante's whole life. someone he had only just gotten back. someone who he mourned for twenty years. and dante was taking him back.

maybe it was the container they held him in, or whatever spells they had active around it, maybe that is why vergil doesn't recognize the chaos that is all but exploding outside his cell - dante doesn't know, doesn't care - but either way, he almost has to laugh at the poor imitation of himself he sees sitting on the other end. the speech mannerisms, the hair, he has a million questions he wants to ask but they all get caught up in his throat just from the sight of vergil. he looks terrible, beyond terrible, and he can his blood boil from the mere sight. ]

Verg.

[ his voice cracks, the laugh in his throat coming out more like a pained noise than something jovial, but his feet move before he properly realizes that he has moved and falls to his knees beside his brother. ]

Hey, who are you trying to be? Me? Come on, I don't sound like that.

1

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli knows who it is before the door finishes screaming open. He senses him, like the tang of ozone in the air during a thunderstorm. Something innate and familiar. Still, there's relief when he recognizes the figure inside with his amber eyes—followed by a cold wash of anger and something a little more ruthless than fear.

Zhongli crosses the length of the shipping container with slow measured steps accented by his boots. It's hot in here. Far too hot to be comfortable. Stars and heavens, this man ought to be dead. But he isn't, and for that, Zhongli is grateful, though his expression is difficult to read.

Just as Vergil seems unrecognizable, Zhongli has also been changed. His amber eyes glow like the reflection of pure gold off polished stone. Copper-to-gold horns branch out from his hair, matching the ombre he's had since his powers awoke, though Vittore didn't notice it for ten damn years. One could probably chalk it up to hallucination but there's a long bronze-scaled tail that follows behind Zhongli too. He's more monster than man, a vision covered in bystander blood splatter like the rest. One look at the shiny stone spear in his hands and it's obvious that he's given more pain than received it.

The time for subtlety has long passed. He sets his spear down. Though he was once a god, Zhongli now kneels before Vittore with the air of a penitent believer. The brunet's touch is unbelievably gentle as he lays a single claw on the chains binding Vergil. The gold leylines on the back of his palms pulse with mana. Then the shackles pop open and fall from Vergil's limbs with hardly a whisper of protest. Metalbending.]

Would that you had not suffered at the hands of those monsters.

[He's so thin. He's so thin. For a moment, Zhongli doesn't see Vergil there, but the shriveled figure of a young man forced to devour dreams and torment the living. Sorrow tempers the glow in his eyes.]

It's time to go home, Vittore.

1

[bebest]

[Zulius isn't much of a fighter. He usually avoids actual physical combat when he can here. He's better at running and avoiding than he is at fighting. When he DOES have to fight, he relies on the memories of his past life. Of fighting minotaurs and the eldritch death monster that controlled then. Muscle memory alone did wonders.

But he's still not a fighter and he's definitely come out of this fight with more than a few scrapes and bruises. His usually perfectly coifed mane a rumpled mess. But none of that matters once he gets into the container and catches sight of its occupant.]

Vergil?

[Not "Verg" or "Babe" or "Handsome" or any if the plethora of nicknames he gives the other man. Just Vergil. Spoken small and worried. He runs in, hooves clattering on the metal of the floor, skidding to a halt by his friend.

He doesn't miss the fact Vergil is trying to do a poor impression of Dante. He's been around both twins long enough to recognise that . Normally, this would be the cause of much mockery. But not now. This is terrifying, he hates it as he takes stock of their surroundings. It's too hot in here. Far too hot. And the shitty mattress on the floor is something he wouldn't expect a dog to sleep on that, much less a person.]

I'm not fucking off anywhere.

[He can't help himself. His hands go to Vergil's shoulders, down his arms- checking him over. He's too thin, did they starve him? He's not been healing, either, he notes mentally. Once he gets to the brand, Zulius pulls his hand back like it's been burned. The fear is quickly replaced by anger rising in his throat like bile.]

What did they do to you?

3

[drewthetower]

[August, as promised to just about everyone, had stayed out of the base and focused on setting up a place to bring the rescued people or anyone else injured. (He also made a note to look into emergency preparedness classes since like he really should have last year.)

So he's the one who's trying to get Vergil to sit his stupid half-demon ass down when he starts laughing.]

Let's wait for this to go out and then we'll get home. C'mon, sit.

2 time for me to die

[sassery]

[He'd come in with Dante like a bull right into a china shop, Nox on one side, his uncle on the other. While Dante had promised Vash he'd do his best to not kill anyone, Nox was not held to that promise, and he'd made goddamn sure they knew he was here.

Subtlety, after all, was never a forte for the Spardas.

There's chaos literally everywhere, him trying to find a familiar face or know which way to go, and it takes what feels like forever before he finds Vergil. He has no words for how much anger he felt once he saw the living spaces, the alluded treatment they all endured. The destruction on Krusnik isn't enough, honestly, in Nox's eyes, but he's not concerned about revenge or even planning something in retaliation. Right now, his focus is on Vergil, and getting him the hell out of here.

It's as they try to go, the way Vergil latches onto Nox like a lifeline, that makes every part of his demon growl in anger and a threat to anyone who tries to stand in their way. His father looks awful, tired and like he's literally been in hell, and it burrows like a wound into his son's heart. Worse still is that Nox felt the emotions of those within Krusnik's ranks- sadistic, blind, insane, devoted, pure viciousness and malice, some almost blank like a slate- and that's stuck with him even as he's shoved his way forward into the mess the organization had tried to resurrect.

He stops moving when he hears his father speak. Doesn't argue when the words are said. Without even considering what to do next after Vergil's request, Nox just moves all on his own.]

Hey, with me for a sec. [Once- long ago now, it feels like- Vergil had steadied a raging demon and complete panic in his own son, after he'd been revealed as a father. Now, here, despite his hesitancy, Nox gently presses his forehead against Vergil's, if only for a moment, to try and bring about something familiar.]

We'll get her back. We'll find Yamato, okay? Even if I have to tear this whole fucking place apart piece by piece. [Vergil's other belongings, though? Something in Nox's tone sharpens like a heated edge of a knife. His demon roars at the indignation of it all.] And we're not gonna leave until everything is back in your hands.

3

[medicgunner]

[Eunie wasn't gonna keep the guy from laughing. If that was how he coped with this, that was how he coped. She didn't go in for the express purpose of making sure the people who came out could have their wounds patched up and their safety assured.

She didn't know for sure whether Vergil had the same crazy healing factor that Nox and Dante did, just set him in her healing ring anyway while the place burned.]

Take it easy for a sec and we'll get you home soon. [Said reaching into a bag she had for a water bottle.]

Here, it's just water. Seal's still on it and everything so you know it's good. [Which was to say, not tampered with.]

3! i'm sad now

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose is not okay. Takame is not okay. She doesn't know the third person who was with them, but she has a feeling that he is not okay either. None of them are going to be okay for a very long time, she feels.]

[After being rescued, she's wandering aimlessly, until she sees a familiar face. Come to think of it, she never asked his name. She was too busy trying to survive. Just like now. She's too busy trying to keep the thoughts out of her head to have a proper conversation.]

[But there is something she needs to say.]

Kni--you saved him, didn't you?

2ish

[lapislamine]

[Mercedes had told Nox she didn't want him going anywhere without her, and she meant it. She would have followed him into the depths of Hell, had that been their destination - thankfully it wasn't. Just Hell on Earth.

She'd stood back and allowed those who knew Vergil better to be the first to find him, to pull him out of the shipping container. It seemed more appropriate. Once he's collected himself a little more, she steps forward. She sees those bruises.]

I'm sure we'll find your belongings. We won't leave without them.

Will you let me heal you?

[Other healers can do more - but she's here. It's a start.]

Rose | FFXIV | OTA | Warnings for mentions of torture et al

[poisontippedcure]

[Rose can be found among the shipping containers on the bottom floor of the warehouses. After finding the correct “cell” and breaking the padlock, the first thing anyone might notice is that Rose is not alone. There’s a rather imposing monster with her in the room. The monster itself is made of shadow, and appears to be focused on Rose. It’s clear that in order to free Rose, the monster must be dealt with first.]

[And the quicker the better. Rose is missing her trademark “enthusiasm.” Instead, she’s curled up in a ball on the far side of the room. It’s clear she’s been crying, and there are several bruises dotting her arms. To anyone listening closely, you might be able to hear her mutter something to the tune of “No,” “It’s not my fault,” and “There’s nothing I could have done.” She’s shaking.]

[When the door opens, she doesn’t move, she doesn’t even register that someone else is here. But the monster does, and turns to face you. What next?]

[OOC: If you want to handwave fighting the monster, that is fine with me! It just needs to be gone before she can be rescued.]

[bebest]

[Naturally, once Zulius knew Rose was here, he came running. You protect your herd. Family? Employees? Herd. The terms tend to get muddled together in his head. Either way, he's not about to abandon her here. Not for anything.

He's survived the fighting through luck and muscle memory, though he's still pretty scraped up himself by the time he finds Rose's container. The way she's curled up like thar, the state of her. Worry and anger twists in his stomach.]

...Rosey?

[And then he notices the monster. Ah. He's already pretty beat from dealing with Krusnik, but looks like it's not done yet. He tenses, maybe he can run and get it away from Rose at least.]

Okay. Cool. Monster too.

[sunforging]

[No crew should cheat another of its plunder, nor rob a fellow Lominsan, nor sell fellow men into slavery.]

[Limsa Lominsa was built a city of pirates and bandits, people scratching out their survival any way they were capable. And places like that needed a code, lines to be drawn that could not be overstepped even by the lowest gutter trash. That was why the Dutiful Sisters existed--why the Rogues' Guild kept order in the oceanside city.]

[To say Scintilla was angry, then, would be a vast understatement. She didn't speak much in the raid itself, keeping to the shadows and moving quickly until they found the warehouses.]

[At which point a blast of magic burst the door open, and a second one cast instantly struck the monster within in a bright explosion of vermillion light.]

[twofoldfury]

[The monster is as nothing to Lancer. An obstacle to be cleared in short order the moment he discerned that doing so would not harm the victim. The only thing that made the monster trickier was his lack of a Noble Phantasm.

It was dispatched in a flurry of red and gold, punctures through its flesh punctuated with whatever cries it could muster before it melted into the ground and disappeared with its mana.

It's then that the familiar voice of a man she spoke with, if only for a short while, approached her and kneeled by her side.

Reluctantly he realized to be of any help, he would need to rely on whatever magical resistance this world had. The sunglasses he game in with were moved to sit on the top of his head for Rose to see his face clearly. She needed honesty here above all else. An honest and steady hand to combat the thoughts she muttered to herself.]

This wasn't your fault. [He laid a hand on her shoulder, his tone soft and gentle.] Do you remember me, Rose?

Waver Velvet | fate/ servantswap au | ota

[fionnuisce]

[i; within the city (closed to lancer)]

[Tangled in wire, one Krusnik agent was pulled harshly to the ground with a curse cut off by a sharp crack that Waver elected to ignore, ducking under the thrown punch of another in a miss far too narrow for comfort.]

[Stupid. Careless to go out on his own so close to nightfall, assuming his pathetic magic capacity wouldn't even register to people like Krusnik. But they wanted a god, and he'd made no secret of being contracted to a demigod.]

[Come on, then. he thought, trying to concentrate enough to unravel the wire for another attack while staggering back from a second strike. It had only been a fraction of a second since it was abundantly clear who they were; his opening gambit had been an on-sight assault with no hesitation as soon as he caught on he was being trailed. This isn't my first ambush and it won't be the last.]

[As he stepped back trying to find some space to strike back, Waver's ankle twisted harshly and sent blinding pain running straight up his leg, and it was either that or the harsh punch he caught across his face that knocked him down. Whichever it was, he wasn't going to be able to stand for long enough that this was turning bad very quickly.]

[What was going to happen if Krusnik got a hold of the concept of Magic Crests? Worse than just possession, that was for sure. And he'd be worse than dead if this lasted a second longer. Alone, he was definitely seconds from a fate worse than death for himself and others if this was allowed to continue.]

[...Good thing, then, that he was never alone.]

By my Command Seal, I order you-

[The sigil burned white-hot on his hand, sparking to life in bright crimson as one side of it flared up and burned off of his skin-]

Lancer, come to my side!

[ii; the base]

[Around the upper level of the warehouse, Waver calmly picked up an empty vial and turned it over in his hand. A little too calmly, with absolutely nothing behind his eyes but unveiled contempt. Their materials weren't even worth scavenging, and he tossed the vial carelessly to the side where it broke against the floor.]

[Disgusting. He'd been too late to Caster's workshop. Nearly too late to Galliasta's. There was no outcome where any of them let this happen again, not to anyone. This whole organization had to be stopped here and now, and if any were left in the ruins let them scatter and hide like the vermin they were.]

[In the empty lab he snarled an incantation-]

Fervor mei sanguis.

[-and a shapeless form of shining silver liquid rampaged wildly like a hydra, slamming into everything in sight with all the uncontrolled fury of a storm.]

[iii; aftermath]

[Holding a small vial of some kind of powdered minerals, Waver was still sharp and ice cold; he'd be staying that way until this was truly done and over with, more than likely.]

Are we done here? If everyone's out and we have whatever else Albarea's going to need, we're burning this place to fucking ashes.

hey babe

[twofoldfury]

[Never alone.

In a wild and bright burst of mana where Waver Velvet stood alone a moment prior, before him was a figure of grandeur and strength. Two spears in hand and only needing to see his Master on the ground for a moment, the strength and speed of these agents of Krusnik were as nothing to a Servant.

Nothing to Diarmuid ua Duibhne.

Seething rage burned behind his eyes as he looked down on the people who dared to take him away and no words need be shared between them.

It was only in a flurry of crimson and gold that his lances struck true, the former color becoming deeper and deeper with each wretched bastard he took down. The last thing they would witness is a verdant hue or if they were particularly unfortunate eyes that brought fear like lightning striking before they would succumb to his blows.

His guard up and the majority eliminated save for perhaps a straggler or two that wouldn't last, he turned back to look at his summoner.]

Are you alright!?

Jun Nightroad | Tokyo Xanadu | OTA

[whiteshroud]

I. Waiting Game - Network or Jun's place
[Jun's been good for the most part, trying to lay low and stay at home while leaving others to deal with it. It's a lot easier said than done. As the days bore on, he gets more anxious. He paces around the apartment, he doomscrolls the network for news, he tries to occupy himself with activities he can never fully focus on.

It's hard to keep calm, when you know the kinds of monsters your friends are out there dealing with. And it's even made worse when Vash informs him of Vergil's disappearance. So he'll send a message out to anyone he's talked enough to consider a friend.]

Krusnik is making their move, Dante's brother Vergil got taken.

Please check in if you're alright.

II. Face the Past - The Base
[Eventually, Jun's had enough with sitting around. People are getting taken and he has a damn good idea of the hell they're being put through. He can't sit down and watch.

So as soon as people learn the location of the base, he's there. He doesn't go in the Seal Knight uniform, but rather the Phantom thief costume he got back in April. He's outside the base, hiding behind some boxes with his hands clasped together as he steels himself for the horrors that wait inside. If you're close enough, you can even hear him quietly praying to himself under his breath:]

Lord, I pray not for tranquility, nor that my tribulations may cease; I pray for your spirit and your love, that you grant me strength....

III. Into Hell Itself
[It's different from the base he was in before, more slapdash and low budget- but the foundation is all the same. He's glad he has a hood over his face, because he looks pale as he walks through the halls.

He's got a sword with him, a pink magical girl sword that Ryouta gifted him. He can't dare to use his Seal Knight powers in front of Krusnik. ]

...They were really planning to set up operations here in Kaisou.

[He utters in disbelief. If someone is looking for answers for the horrible things in this place, well we got one expert who can answer.]

IV. Aftermath
[When it's all said and done? Jun isn't sure how he feels. It'll take some time to process revisiting this place for him.

But he does know one thing. As soon as he's given the clear that the items people wanted have been removed? He's grabbing the first flammable thing he can find in this place, and using his magic to light it aflame.]

iii

[fionnuisce]

...Are you going to be alright?

[Walking next to Jun in his dressphere, Waver glanced over a little too calm about the whole situation.]

You can still fall back if you'd prefer to.

[asipofbride]

one: ascent

[ Nicholas D. Wolfwood is trying very, very hard not to kill people.

that does not mean he's not cutting a bloody path on his way up and into the depths of the beast. as usual, he's in the company of a certain red-coated man--though likely not the one you'd prefer to see if you were a nefarious dickhead cultist doing nefarious dickhead cult things; Vash the Stampede is tucked away at home, and where Dante goes, Wolfwood follows, swapping guns, smashing dudes, and causing a whole lot of property damage.

he's an avenging angel and the cross he bears is so, so full of mercy. ]

two: attack

[ ... if ya'll wanna start the cutscene and listen to Phillip's screed about godhood, the fallibility of mankind, and the equal playing field of divinity, you are more than welcome to do so before Wolfwood gets there, but frankly, Wolfwood's had more than his share of lunatics boasting about how terribly smart and magnanimous they are and how much fun it is to play dress-up as god in his life, so he's going to hit the skip button and attempt to saw a man in half with the machine gun portion of his gun before settling in for the long slog.

sorry if you cared about story. not that sorry. give it twenty minutes and the next johnny asshole come lately will likely rerun the whole 'as god am i' spiel for you. assholes love to be god. ]

two, after: assess

[ Wolfwood was trained to be very good at one skill in particular, and that skill was making people not be alive anymore. he promised Vash that he would try very, very hard not to kill anyone.

lucky day that Phillip, as far as Wolfwood is concerned, is not people. when things hit a pitch, when he gets a chance to step back and line up the shot, Wolfwood's gonna snap his bigass machine gun shut and shift the brace, flipping it so that it's anchored up on his shoulder instead, a whine of energy whirring from the depths of the Cross Punisher's mechanisms as green energy gathers at the previously unused end of the 'gun--

and then he's going to join in with any other coup de grace's being dropped on Phillip with a laser that just rips through flesh and goop and the structural integrity of the space around them until the card-carrying member of the holy upstart club stops existing.

... then he might hit him with the cross just to be sure he's dead-dead. it makes a satisfying thump noise and a nice crack in the flooring.

afterwards, Wolfwood will... try to help with the information gathering portion of the evening, Cross Punisher uncovered and leaned on his shoulder as he picks up a file and begins to read--

this is a mistake, and if anybody's paying attention to ol' Wolfwood during the 'steal all their shit' phase of the game, he is absolutely trying to burn the paperwork in his hands with a nice silver lighter, looking decidedly not okay. ]

three: aftermath

[ he's going to light a cigarette off the flames licking up the walls as he walks out of the building, finding his way to Vergil and offering the man a drag off of it before he flops down nearby, cross leaning on his back as he smokes, more than a little blood-stained and disheveled as he takes up a sort of hound-like vigil near Dante's brother. if you're quick, you might catch an oddly glowing vial in his hand, or him snapping the glass between his teeth as he? drinks? inhales? whatever's in said weird vial.

his phone'll be out on his knee, if anybody left him a message or wants to call. ]

One

[bebest]

[Zulius was never a born fighter, neither in this life not his previous one. He's always much preferred the stage, where his only attacks were barbed comments aimed at those stupid enough to cross him.

But then his past life was thrown gracelessly into the final throes of a war and he had to learn how to fight real flunking fast. It's those memories which are getting him through this now. Because NOT coming simply had not been an option.

He's zapping one of the zealots with an arc of lightning from his fingertips when he stumbles across Wolfwood (and probably Dante). Despite his usual bent towards pacifism, he's not showing it today. HIS people were taken and he's LIVID. He can make a guess as to why Wolfwood is holding back, though.]

You holding up okay?

[He's already got a few cuts and will definitely end up being bruising in a day or so and his mane is a mess, but he's still standing and that counts for something. ]

takame kesi | ffxiv oc | ota, cw for allusions to abuse, torture, self harm and unreality

[hoshikiri]

i. detained

[Four hours since capture, recite. Zos - The emperor; Yae - Member of the royal family in the line of succession; Wir - Member of the royal family with no claim to the throne.

He wanted to protect Rose… keep her far, far away from these Krusnik people. And he failed, getting captured himself. He did not know where Rose was, it was the first thing he asked the agent whose name did not matter to him. Takame was barely regarded and instead fed some drivel about his past that only made his temper flare. To which he was given suitable punishment.

He saw Rose and another man in a Labyrinth forced to eliminate whatever came at them. He wanted Rose safe. He wanted Rose safe and this other man he didn’t know. So he stood between them as he scrapped with whatever came at them. Then taken back.

Fourteen? hours since capture, recite. Van - Legatus; Tol - Tribunus laticlavius; Sas - Tribunus angusticlavius or Praefectus castrorum; Rem - Primus pilus or Pilus prior;

He hasn’t eaten. The agent would enter his chamber and ask him questions. Information on himself he would give in chunks. On the others, he remained silent. The more that was asked of his friends, on Zero or Jun, he was completely silent. Told more on how this was the best for him, fed into his guilt on how many failures and sins are on his back.

He knew… he knew he was a failure.

He knew.

— hours since capture. Recite. Quo - Primi ordines or Centurion; Pyr - Optio, Tesserarius, or Decurion; Oen - Duplicarius or Legionarius.

There was something on his arm. They tried to force him to transform into a dragon and succeeded halfway. The scales on his back from his Light corruption felt ready to burst like that day. Pain is mental. Pain is mental.

It hurt, it hurt.

Comply. Comply.

Recite.

Comply.

Finding Takame in this state, they will see a disheveled man, bruised and injured and beaten. Thin and mangled, chained to a wall and multiple recent burns applied to his body to add to his already numerous scars.

Hours… capture…

He recited. His voice was hoarse. Weak as his body was. As his will.]

Nan - Chief engineer or engineer; Mal - Primus medicus or senior magitek technician; Lux - Chief medicus or magitek technician; Kir - Senior medicus or senior technician; Jen - Medicus or technician…

ii. decimate

[He was free. He was released.

And he was going to rampage.

For as quiet as he was normally, in this instance he only sought to eliminate whoever he saw. To burn this damnable place to the fucking ground. To eliminate everything.

But he wanted to find his belongings too. His, Rose’s, Vittore’s.

And he would rip the place apart to find them.]

iii. destroy

[By the end of it all, while the facility burned, Takame fell. He collapsed, still conscious but every it of energy left him and he was merely a trembling mess on the ground as everything caught up to him.

Unable to speak, barely able to see through tears that refused to fall.

He didn’t… want to be here anymore.

He wanted to leave and whispered a swear to himself in Japanese...]

i

[fionnuisce]

[Again and again and again--Waver landed himself in trouble, and someone was there to save him from his own carelessness. His own stupid mistakes. He could accomplish nothing alone, needing others at his side to help him.]

[...And that was not weakness. Because if he was saved, that meant he was still alive to protect those treasured friends in turn. Because he was a knight who guarded those in need of it, just like the one at his back slicing a bloody path through Krusnik's guards.]

Takame-!

[Two shots rang out to shatter the chains, Waver's dressphere turning back to his normal clothes as he came through the door. He'd...heard that litany before. Once, and where he'd heard it told him everything he needed to know. All of which was bad.]

...Takame. Can you hear me? [He switched to stilted Japanese as best as he could; that seemed the safer bet right now.] We came to get you out of here.

BLACK ORDER MISSION (CLOSED TO TBO)

[lapislazily]

[Preparations have been made, weapons polished, and strategy discussed. The Black Order team has decided to split into three groups to move quickly and effectively, and now those groups have their orders. It's time to march.]

[TEAM A: Weissmann Must Die (Zhongli, Ayato, Ei, Eunie)]
[Some things only god can forgive, but rest assured that with Zhongli at the helm of Team A, that is extremely Not Happening. Their chase leads them to Hyrule and to the dangers within it. Weissmann promises to be elusive and slippery so the Order sends in a team that is more than happy to murder the fuck out of this guy. But be mindful of that evil eye, and pack your earplugs if you don't want to listen to the guy ramble on like he's a JRPG villain (wait a minute).]

[TEAM B: Silver Lynel Showdown (Jusis, Eizen, Velvet)]
[Doesn't it suck when the villain has additional cronies to take care of his plans? Meet the biggest add of all: a fucking Silver Lynel, and this one is tough. The secondary team will need to coordinate their attacks in order to take this thing out, and hope they haven't been made sitting ducks by Weissmann's spell.]

[TEAM C: Krusnik Agent Accomplices (Nacht, Lapis, Jinwoo)]
[Oh yeah, there's more cronies than that, too. Krusnik agents are everywhere: inside the city, and inside Hyrule. They can be captured (with a fight) and interrogated. Whether they're working together as a close knit unit or just running off and killing people, Team C has their work cut out for them.]


[ooc: Use this as a place to keep the TBO mission threads neat and tidy.]

TEAM A

[lapislazily]

[Zhongli tells his teammates to stay close. With a flash of gold adepti magic, he conjures a barrier big enough for a few people and escorts the vanguard into Weissman's hiding place in the coliseum. His intuition is correct: as soon as they step within range, Weissmann uses his horrifying Evil Eye ability and goes off on a truly unhinged villain monologue.

Zhongli bears witness to this unflinchingly. His loss of control seems gradual, at first. Then it gathers momentum like an avalanche rolling downhill, the brunet's fury shifting from a cold look to a full on golden glow. He knows how this man operates, knows how he feeds on emotions to twist and turn them into something to be used against someone. He knows, too, that this man orchestrated the torment and murder of countless innocents. Zhongli tempers his anger into a fine, precise blade like the other jade weapons he'd forged with his own hands.

Justice must always be administered with mercy, or else it becomes tyranny. But there is no room for mercy here. He hears how this man talks about the escaped subjects with such disdain and disappointment. Zhongli's lips pull back around his fangs; branchlike orange horns bud from his hair as he lifts his hands. His claws lengthen and rip apart his gloves at the seams. His gold leylines pulse with power, from the diamond shape on the back of his palms to the gold veins disappearing beneath his sleeves.

That isn't Ash's name. He feels the heat rising within, a dragon's breath, the deadly inhale before the firestorm.]

I have heard enough.

[He's fought this man before, and last time, he couldn't catch the traitor. Years later, it's finally time for "Alba" to pay his dues. Zhongli may not be the God of Contracts anymore, but he always keeps his promises.]

It is time to face your judgment, Weissmann.

[Weissmann is still talking for some fucking reason. But the sky is darkening, and above the coliseum and Weissmann's head, a storm churns.]

For your crimes as a heretic, your pursuit of power at any cost, the sins you committed against innocents, and the breaking of numerous oaths you swore...

[A ball of fiery rock forms, geometric and perfect in its planes—a meteor hanging heavy above the madman's head like an executioner's axe.]

You will know the wrath of the earth itself.

[And down it goes. At the very least, between the hotheads in this group wanting to shatter Weissmann's control, there's no chance that the Silver Lynel will get more than a couple free attacks on the other team.]

Eunie | Xenoblade Chronicles 3 | ota

[medicgunner]

throughout the event

[So August set up an encampment much like what happened in April. Once Weissmann was taken care of, Eunie was right there with him setting things up to take care of any of the injured. She knew she could only do so much for the three that got kidnapped and was furious learning Dante's brother got taken but she saw the look on Zhongli's face going in.

She trusted Zhongli to take good care of the guy. She didn't know him, but he was her friend's brother. That's all that mattered.

Family... right.

She can be found both before and after the raids begin, ready to heal anyone or offer an ear to listen. Notably, after the place is burned down she had a large stack of papers and folders she had yet to poke around. She was too busy right now and would leave it for later but occasionally her eyes would drift to them.]

ayo hello hello hello

[eiternity]

[Ei knows Eunie well in the sense that she has ever known anybody well. Aside from Zhongli and Ayato, she's spoken to her Black Order coworkers preciously few times. Nearly zero, if you discount the times in her past life.]

[But Eunie helped them fight Weissman,and appeared to care for Ei's health. That was enough for the former god to have a positive opinion of the girl. She finds her sitting beside a large stack of papers.]

Are you...alright?

[This is how people interacted with each other, right? Is she doing it???]

nero // devil may cry // ota

[sassery]

[i. can i tell you something just between you and me? (network/action for auguries folks)

It's been an hour at most, maybe less, since he's heard news of Vergil's kidnapping. Less since his demon raged at the sheer thought of his own kin being taken from him. They took Vergil. They took his father. Nox literally seethes in anger and paces in frustration, wanting to tear out of Auguries and find the Krusnik fucks who did this, where they are and bring back his family.

...He knows he's being asked something. Dante's voice is carrying to his ears, but the words aren't registering. Vergil's kidnapped and he's just standing here doing NOTHING he can't stay here he has to- Vash is speaking up, Wolfwood's doing his best to not upset the kids, Kni and Eve are a mess and Nox doesn't know who all else is going to show up, but it sure is a crowd. It's cramped, he's already feeling irritation settle into his jaw, and before he knows it he's headed towards the door-

And only gets a hand on it before Dante hauls him back, forcing him to sit back down even as he snaps at his uncle, argues that he has to do something instead of just staying put. It gets him nowhere, the rest of the group dogpiling reason upon reason as to why he needs to stay, and Nox hates it. Hates that they're right, that he's sitting in the dark with no info to go off of, that going out there by himself is one of the stupidest things he can do right now. His demon is a wild and furious thing at all of this, snarling and wanting to tear things apart with its claws, roaring in anger and defiance. Give us back our kin. GIVE HIM BACK. It's loud and furious, slowly and angrily settling into a simmer that sits very clearly in the back of his mind, a pair of yellow eyes always awake and aware of the world around them both.

Nox does his best to try and not sulk (he absolutely is sulking), so he just throws out the first question he can think of.]

un: noxxed
ok so
top three fave songs
if you cant pick then give me your fave bands
gotta find something new
usual shit is getting stale

[It isn't getting stale, but he needs something to keep his mind off the mess that's here. He's going to lose his fucking mind otherwise.

ii. there's a pain in my heart and it won't go away (closed to caesar and mercedes)

Fear is the next emotion to settle into him, a cold and ugly feeling that drives into his bones, runs down his spine like ice, digs into his heart like a pick. The longer he sits with this, the worse it feels, and he has to stop himself from crawling up the fucking walls. They're going after kids. They're going after people even in buddy groups. His mind flicks to those he knows- August, Amal, Takame, Eunie, Waver, Caesar, Mercedes-

Caesar and Mercedes. They watch over their siblings. Fuck.

Panic seizes his chest, makes it feel like he can't breathe. What if they've already been taken, what if their kids were already gone, and Mercedes and Caesar hurt? Shit, fuck, he's trying not to spiral, hands trying to keep steady as he quickly finds Caesar's name and number, then looks for Mercedes, adding her to the call. He doesn't want to risk the kids hearing things on speaker if the group is okay, and... he doesn't even want to think about the other end of things if they went wrong.

The dial tone starts. The phone rings. Pick up, pick up, pick up, for fuck's sake PLEASE pick up he needs to know you're okay, please be okay–

iii. now i know i'm falling in deep (the base)

...Maybe it's a really bad time to come across Nox, honestly. There's a fire in his eyes that hasn't gone out, and there's definitely blood spattered all over his face and his clothes. He's been absolute hell to any Krusnik member he's come across It doesn't seem like it phases him, at least for now, and he's already wiping his nose across a bloody sleeve, going still just for a moment- before reloading his gun and whirling around the corner.

Uh, sorry for the sudden revolver in your face? He pulls it back quickly though.]

Shit- sorry. Thought you were a fucking Krusnik member. [A beat, and he exhales, looking like a bit of a maniac from a horror movie.] You holding up okay?

[iv. cause i need you here with me (the aftermath)

It doesn't take long to find him in the mess outside the fire, eyes just watching as the building burns down, quiet and unsure even what to say. He's still rattled from seeing how badly Vergil was treated, how much emotion (or lack thereof) he felt while he was in there. Still, he sighs.]

Fuck these assholes. Better not come back after all this.

[Nox, buddy, pretty sure Krusnik is done for, just saying...]

ii

[bolledivita]

[It doesn't take Caesar long to pick up, at the very least.]

Nox?

bonus; five guys with friends

[asipofbride]

[i] with enough burgers to kill god

[ you know, there's probably a dollar amount that would cause fast food workers to care when two guys come strolling in covered in a props department amount of blood, looking like they haven't slept in a year, but Five Guys probably does not pay that dollar amount, so Wolfwood's pretty pleased when nobody really asks. the very nice cashier stares at him for a moment, and says 'long night?' and he stares back and says 'rat problem', and that's as far as it needs to go before she asks him what he wants, and he turns to confer with Vergil where he's sort of flopped at a table with his sunglasses on. ]

Gimme--two? Three bacon cheeseburgers with a malted milkshake, a thing of fries, another milkshake, and uhhh---

[ eventually, Wolfwood will remember what 'please' is for, and when the paypad asks him about tips, he'll put in $200.00 as Vergil instructs, padding over to the table that the other man's occupying to pull out his phone and get started on the next phase of the recovery effort: getting home.

he sends a few rapid-fire texts to Vash, and then about five minutes later, a post goes up on the network. ]

un: ndwolfwood
me an the boss are over at the five guys a couple of blocks up
he's paying so come on over and stuff your face
we're also tryin to get a car worked out if you need a ride home

[ in the meantime, Wolfwood is going to drink his weight in orange-flavored Coca-cola and continue to jones for a cigarette while he waits for Vash to, hopefully, come swanning in like the world's most herbivorous guardian angel. ]

[ii] everyone mocks the mom van until they try to get six people home in an audi two-door

[ it's 3AM in the morning but Gilgamesh wasn't sleeping anyway, so he'll turn up after a real big, watery-eyed performance from one Vash the Stampede in the gaudiest golden mom van the world has ever had the pleasure of at least not clearly seeing because it's 3AM. if anybody needs a ride home, they've got a teapot and a pair of designated drivers--and if anybody needed a ride to go collect their favorite 'rat-catcher', please consider it covered.

Five Guys is for everybody. come get your men and women. and other. ]'

[ ooc: feel free to tag around + presume that ww will put in whatever order your character wants and deliver it in all his barefoot glory ]

[poisontippedcure]

[It turns out that it has been an incredibly long time since Rose ate. Even accounting for the small bar she got from Jun she is extremely hungry. So hungry, in fact, that she's willing to forego going straight home to disassociate on the couch in order to get a burger.]

[She tries to get her own table, but there are so very many of them in this restaurant, and there is so little space. If she cared, she would probably notice that every single worker has a look that is a mix of "what the fuck," "why is this happening to us," and "at least it isn't right before closing. But Rose is currently recovering from what is probably the most traumatic thing that she's ever went through, so the workers could be actual peanuts and she probably wouldn't notice.]

[She's going to try to keep to herself, mostly, but she's on the mend enough where she won't physically shove away anyone who tries to sit next to her, at least.]

[Closed to Vash]

[When she sees Vash, a wave of relief washes over her. He wasn't in there with them, she knows he wasn't, but even still. She knows he's powerful, and he could be an easy target for Krusnik.]

[Also, she just missed her friend. Don't worry, she's not actively bawling. There are just a few stray tears in her eyes. It's fine. It's fine. It's fiiiiiiiiiiine.]

Vash, you're--you're okay.

[Considering the state she's in and the fact there are clearly bruises on her arms she is not the one who should be saying this.]

zhongli | genshin impact | ota

[lapislazily]

[I. assault on the base | truth in the stones (cw: blood, mentions of torture possible)]
[Zhongli is weary from his fight with Weissmann, but he cannot rest. Not until the victims have been freed and he has seen Vittore home safe to his brother and son. His molten fury has twisted him into something more dragon than man at this point; he has a crown of horns sprouting from his hair, and a copper tail visible beneath his coat, and his glowing gold leylines are visible all the way down to his palms. He strolls into the warehouse like he owns it, gold eyes burning, right through the front doors.

He holds his hands out at his sides, his wide jade barrier catching projectiles and elemental magic of all sorts. If someone happens to be on the front lines of this assault, Zhongli is there providing support in the form of this shield and a tiny bit of healing. He has a pocket singing bard too, if the wounds are particularly bad.

As people begin to fan out and fight their own battles, he drops the barrier. With a flick of his wrist he summons a spear sculpted of stone and sharpened to a fine point. He continues walking forward. A man with flaming claws leaps at him. Without breaking his stride, Zhongli runs the agent through and flings his body to the side. Someone else runs at him and manages a hit directly to his head with their hammer, but it doesn't take him down. In fact, the blood dripping down his face and claws only makes him look like more of a beast.

When Zhongli—no, Rex Lapis speaks, the earth seems to rumble with every word like a bad echo.]

Your master has fallen! If you shall not surrender, then meet your mercy at the blade!

[II. aftermath | shifting earth]
[Zhongli stands watching the flames of the warehouse for a while. The heat is such that it's a little uncomfortable, but he doesn't seem to care. He's covered in a ridiculous amount of blood, most of it belonging to other people.

Once they're sure that everyone has made it out, he turns to the others.]

I suggest you stand back.

[He walks closer to the burning wreckage and spreads his arms wide.

At first, nothing happens. Then the ground begins to tremble violently. Cracks form spiderlike over the asphault and cement, splintering more and more. Then, with a great big yawn of stone and dead dirt, a massive chasm opens up beneath the ashes of the warehouse and swallows it whole. Down it goes, leaving only a few embers to float up into the air and die. The hole is so deep that, though there's a clamor of wreckage, one would be hard-pressed to hear anything hit the bottom.

And they won't. Because once the warehouse disappears, the hole closes over the top of it and forms a tomb. The only thing left of this night is a bare dirt lot and the gnarled remains of a chain link fence.

Zhongli lowers his arms.

His first and last act in this life as Morax. He hopes he never has to do this again.]

II

[whiteshroud]

[C H R I S T.

Jun had helped out with setting the fire, but beyond that he's just been quietly watching. And then Zhongli goes full on Old Testament with it, and Jun can't help but stare in a bit of shock.

When its down, he'll slowly look up at Zhongli]

...Feel better?

Eve | Black Cat

[playtag]

Safety in Numbers (Open to cottage crew)

[Adjusting to life at the cottage had been surprisingly easy for Eve. Perhaps her previous visits had helped... or how she could keep her phone charged through touch alone. But even going from the city Zodiac apartments to rustic living, life went on.]

[Her routine barely changed. Most days Eve could be found sitting somewhere reading for at least part of the day. Quiet and out of the way. Of course, what she spends the most time doing is watching the others around the house. Folks doing chores might find themselves subjected to her curious gaze. If invited, she'll even help!]

[The biggest challenge was transformation training. With so many other people around and not wanting to go outside alone, she has to get creative with how to test her skills on a smaller scale. Those who stumble on her training today will find Eve holding two identical forks with an oddly intense expression. She'll look up upon approach and lift the silverware up for the other person to see.]

What do you think?

Nightmare (At the Auguries)

[Felt like she barely got a chance to get used to her living space when suddenly they were moving again. This time, the process is a blur. Rushed actions and loud voices, one person missing. Yet again, someone protected her. And again, it cost them greatly.]

[Those who spent time with Eve at the cottage will likely notice she's stopped her routine hobbies. No reading, no curious observations. Unless someone nudges her out of it, she's either focused in on herself... or outside at their surroundings. Alert and tense.]

[Of course, she also needs to sleep sometime. But that does not necessarily mean restful sleep. In the middle of the night, she tosses and turns, brow knit with tension. Visions of old fears and new guilt blending together until her eyes snap open. Eve jolts up, somehow managing to not activate her powers on sheer instinct. She glances around the room quickly. Have her surroundings changed? Is she safe?]

The Night of Rescue (Also Auguries)

[At first, she desperately wanted to join the rescue efforts. Balance the scales again by helping them. Yet Wolfwood manages to convince her not to go along with a clever little trick: giving her the task of guarding the Auguries. He might have meant it as a smoke screen with the adults actually doing the guarding, but she takes the duty seriously.]

[Eve sits within eye sight of the front door, watching for anything amiss. Not close enough that she could get jumped easily, not so far that she could not spring into action at a moment's notice. Waiting for the rescue party to return. Even as hours grow long and eyes grow heavy, she waits.]

[Someone might want to nudge her into taking a break eventually.]

Moxxie | Helluva Boss | OTA

[not_a_possum]

The Base (fighting goons) – CW: Excessive gun violence and swearing
Moxxie hadn't originally planned to get involved. He saw all the posts on the network and it looked like others who knew more about all this Krusnik stuff probably had everything well enough in hand. Besides, he'd decided to try and avoid murder after everything that happened with Zodiac, and going to the Krusnik base didn't seem like the sort of situation where he could try and avoid murder.

That was before they'd decided to take some of the Vogue's employees, though, and before Zulius was upset enough to actually agree that these are serious bad guys who need shooting and burning. If it was coming from Moxxie that conclusion might not mean much, but from Zulius? That's when he made his decision.

He's nervous going in, remembering how bad things went last time he tried to get involved with mission like this, but once Moxxie is in the warehouse surrounded by a bunch of grunts trying to kill him, instincts take over. He pulls out his guns, firing back, trying to take out as many enemies as he can, no thoughts of mercy in his mind.

"Die, bitches!" he shouts, firing off a few more rounds before running out of bullets. With a feral hiss, Moxxie runs for cover, reloading so he can go back into the fray.

The Base (fighting Philip) – Blood, swearing and gun violence
He's been fighting for a while at this point. He's splattered with blood which shows up quite noticeably against the stark white of his hair, soaking into it and matting it a bit. He's not in the mood to listen to some guy make speeches, especially not when those speeches sound like nothing more than someone trying to justify their horrific experiences. He's in the mood to destroy everything in this place. He's in the mood to end this. He's done listening.

Moxxie lifts his gun and fires off a shot.

This puts an immediate end to the speech...and Philip, now angry, lashes out at the little imp violently. Before he can register what's happening, Philip's now goopy arm is flying at Moxxie, soon engulfing his face, torso and one of his arms before lifting him into the air. His legs can be seen, kicking frantically, while Moxxie tries to cry out through the goop for help. Reaching up with his one free hand, Moxxie summons a small flame and tries burning it, hoping that Philip can feel pain through his goop arm, and hoping something like this will be enough to get him to drop Moxxie.

Aftermath
When everything's done, Moxxie is exhausted. He doesn't feel like digging around, doesn't want to see more evidence of what they've done, he really just wants to go home. However, there's one more bit of help he can offer, so he does.

"Hey, once you guys get whatever you need from this, I can start some fires if you want."

Sure, he can only summon a lighter sized amount of flame, but there's a lot of paper and wooden crates here, so he might be able to get something started, right?

The Base

[bebest]

[Zulius really doesn't like fighting. Not this sort of fighting, anyway. If he didn't have his past life's memories of the war giving him at least a little muscle memory on staying not dead in combat, he'd be in serious trouble right now. But here he is, trying his best because he is NOT about to let Krusnik just steal his people.

He'll be sticking with Moxxie- because his friend is a lot better at this than he is. He zaps a few of the goons with lightning from his fingertrips- letting out a shriek as one gets too close, his mane elongating whipping out around him to whack the guy out of the way. ]

SUPER hate ALL of this!