River of Deception

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Killiak
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Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:10:47 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:10:47 GMT

{BGM: “Fearmonger”}

The sound was constant, steady and somehow pure….that was what made it so damn unnerving. A perpetual hum generated of pure energy contained within a cylindrical shape that represented a blade. Its presence was accompanied by a fierce crimson light—such was its brightness that it appeared white along its core—and yet the deep crimson light bathed one whole side of the warehouse. The lighting, along with all of the power to the warehouse, had been cut off and bodies were strewn about the floor in every direction. Most appeared to be untouched but undeniably deceased, the expressions left on those lying face up possessed of complete and absolute terror. Someone had messed with the wrong guy, and he’d come to dole out his punishment first hand. It was public knowledge that crossing the likes of The Babel Corporation was extremely bad for business and exponentially worse for one’s health, and should the wrong doing some how come to a particular member’s interests…there were stories that made the rounds amongst various underground circles warning not to cross “him”. All of them spoke of how he would show up and turn entire organizations inside out, take their goods, profits, dismantle the whole operation, and kill everyone associated with it. Only problem was, it was impossible to know whether or not he was the one being dealt with. Who was this relentless individual?

Bjorn Sigurd.

The stories were more well known than his real identity. Nobody knew where he came from, where he lived, what motivated him. Nothing outside of the rumors, the stories of how he would completely annihilate establishments considered a threat to Babel. Hell, even trying to track him was pointless. It was for these reasons, Bjorn was considered a living nightmare to those uncouth individuals and organizations. One might even say that it was the idea of his arrival that kept other businesses in check. The thought somehow more tangible than his actual person, an embodiment of fear. Not of some unfathomable power, it was something more invasive than the mere threat of violence. Accompanying the rumors and stories of his tenacity were whisperings of his reach. It seemed that regardless of the extent anybody went to hide their nefarious acts, Bjorn always knew everything. The fact that nobody knew anything about him, yet he seemed to know each and every little detail of operations, personnel, finances…it was terrifying to those with some ulterior motive, especially greed.

To those whom worked alongside him, however, the question of who is Bjorn Sigurd was often answered differently. There were some within the company that feared him purely due to his perceived strength, while others weren’t particularly impressed in that regard—or simply hadn’t seen him fight. Meanwhile, there were those that simply didn’t know who he was to begin with, which was the large majority of the company. He operated completely independently of everyone, and yet was often recruited for assistance as the Director of Intelligence. His reports were always turned in on a timely basis, and routine audits showed everything to be in service to Babel with no reason to question his actions…

There were but a few members of Babel’s upper echelons remaining which had a history of working alongside Bjorn. Whether or not they liked him, they acknowledged his exceptional performance as an Intelligence Operative, as he still took missions on a regular basis despite being in charge of the entire department, with no shortage of employees to do the work for him. He liked getting his hands “dirty”, and took the bigger jobs for himself rather than risk a subordinate. That wasn’t to say he didn’t make an effort to guide his underlings on their own paths to success—one perfect example being the head of the Bioengineering, a former operative of his.

Anyway, enough about that. To him, this was nothing more than another routine mission to dismantle a criminal operation found guilty of racketeering, sedition, and treason. Business as usual, they say. It was always the same: after infiltrating their facilities during off hours, he would allow one of them to send out a call for help, and the “cavalry” would arrive. Once the call was in, he would cut the unfortunate bastard down and wait for the rest to show up.

When the doors were blown off their hinges and no less than two dozen armed men and women stormed the warehouse, Bjorn was seen standing over the corpse of the last man from their skeleton crew. Covered by a hooded robe as black as the night itself, a single arm stretched before him holding the crimson saber above the impaled chest of the aforementioned, he didn’t so much as flinch when they arrived. He stood motionless as they surrounded him, as if waiting for something more…

“You bastard! You’re gonna die for thi-!!”

Suddenly, the one shouting angrily at Bjorn found himself unable to speak, his words replaced with the grotesque crunch of his jaw. Another man brought his rifle up to his shoulder and prepared to fire, along with several more in rapid succession. When they went to pull the trigger of their arms, each of their hands were frozen in place, as if paralyzed instantly. It was at that moment Bjorn looked up, revealing nothing but a crimson and silver metallic helm/mask beneath his hood.

“Is your boss going to come save his gig? Or leave it up to you monkeys…”

“Y-…you’re going to pay! B-…boss Teegan is going to kill everyone …everyone you care about!”

In addition to their hands failing to squeeze down on their triggers, now the goons all appeared to be suffocating by way of some unseen hand coiled about their throats.

“Oh no…anything but that!”

Despair settling in, the men and women tried to scream in defiance. One thing he could never understand was the seemingly universal constant that when facing death, even those who’ve done terrible things, lived evil lives, and made the world a worse place to live, still fear death. They always scream….always try to run away from their fate. He wasn’t fazed in the slightest, proceeding with manipulating each and every one of them to aim their rifles at one another and pull the triggers. One uniform CRACK! echoed within the warehouse, each of the thugs firing their rifles into the faces of one another, falling haphazardly to the floor thereafter.

Deactivating his crimson saber, he walked over to the body of the one who so brazenly threatened him with death. After replacing the saber to its rightful place on his hip beneath his robe, he raised his left hand covered in black woven fabric and protected by some form of golden armor. From the pocket of the deceased, a phone flew up and into his waiting grasp, to which he promptly put inside his robe for him to analyze later. For now, it was time to leave, and so he stepped on the corpse before him and began making his way for the door.

When he was just a few meters shy of the exit, he stopped, as if realizing he had forgotten something. After a few seconds, the sound of rattling and panicked breath seemed to fill the warehouse, joined shortly after by the whispers of someone not wanting to be found. One of the thugs sent to protect “the Boss’ inventory” had gotten cold feet upon arrival, hiding behind a stack of crates. If his body hadn’t become completely imprisoned by fear, perhaps Bjorn wouldn’t have noticed him—though, such oversight was hardly likely…

Without warning, the crates the man was hiding behind were ripped aside, flying apart to expose him. Before the crates were fully removed, the man was hoisted into the air and flung toward Bjorn at high speed, stopping just a meter away from him. He slowly turned to face the thug who could only watch helplessly, unable to move whatsoever. Bjorn chuckled, his electronically modulated voice echoing through the warehouse.

“Too spineless to die alongside your brothers huh? Pathetic…”, Bjorn’s voice trailed off as he raised his right hand, forcing the man to come closer and be allowed to stand on his own.

Once within comfortable reach, Bjorn tapped his index finger on the man’s forehead, causing him to fall completely silent. His eyes rolled back in his skull momentarily before snapping back to place, seemingly returning to normal.

“Go on, I’m sure your boss is waiting.”

The man nodded slowly, pulled his pistol from his hip and pressed the barrel up to his own opposite shoulder. Firing, he didn’t so much as wince from sending a bullet straight through his own arm. Chucking the pistol and leaving, he went off to presumably report to his Boss. Shortly after, Bjorn also made his exit.

“You really aren’t wasting time with this one, huh?”

{BGM: “Heaven’s Tower”}

The next day, Bjorn was sitting within his office on Ancinar V, one of the inner sphere planets. It was nothing of real significance to look at, unless a sprawling metropolis that basically smothered the entire globe counted. Sky-high, towering structures scattered all over, with upper and lower level sections. Flying cars, bikes, public transports…it was a technological marvel to be sure, but more importantly there was a significant Babel presence. It was a frequent host to important meetings, and provided easy distribution of resources from its relatively central positioning in the Galaxy. Lastly, when he wanted to be left alone, it was much easier to blend in with the wide variety of characters that called Ancinar V home. On top of that, it was rare for people to come to his office, as he usually was never there.

At his desk, he had connected the phone he retrieved from the goon in the warehouse and was scouring over the contents of the device with a fine tooth comb. Utilizing special, handcrafted software designed to scan target systems and spit out a customized report to highlight important trends or peculiar data. It was easily the most boring part of all this, but a necessary one that minimized time wasted doing things the old fashioned way.

Just as he was nearly finished, the buzzer to his door went off.

“So much for privacy…”

Reaching for the release, Bjorn allowed her to enter his office.

“What do you want now, Shortcake? I’m kinda busy here…”

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:12:06 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:12:06 GMT

Aerone:

Life, especially from the perspective of a certain Babel associate, seemed to be a perpetual theatrical filled to the brim with skirmishes of all kinds; whether she was up to her neck in paperwork, her digits coiled around someone else’s neck, or in the midst of a well-deserved moment of reprieve, the idea of conflict managed to persist to some degree and its presence often caused the dame to act a bit… unfavorable to most. Of course, being considered one of The Babel Corporation’s most disciplined operators came with the sentiment of rejection from others; very few relished in the idea of peering into the maw of a imperial entity whom was primed to influence everything in its path, and because of this tyrannous-like impression… she was often classified as a phenomenal, yet repugnant, machine of pure terror. Monikers of this potency allowed the upper echelon of Babel, particularly CIDE, to advertise their eternal prowess without so much as lifting a finger, but what people failed to understand was these titans weren’t always malicious entities hellbent on total control; occasionally, they were able to unwind themselves from their gargantuan expectations and reveal themselves as people, while perhaps divulging in their faults…

A dual cavalcade of delicate footfalls becoming acquainted with a cement promenade resounded into a crisp atmosphere that was replete with vestiges of a booming metropole; indistinctive tones which were a collection of utterances from other people within earshot of one-another melded into a drone capable of overshadowing a natural ambiance, and diffused about the metropolis as mere background noise. Much like the set of footsteps that echoed outwards, a multitude of impressions – some rather docile to the ears while others celebrated every vestige with an audible clap – floated about like a dense fog, only to accumulate into the indistinctness that was the hustle and bustle of a lively megapolis. Alongside the constant background of murmurs and footsteps were hums and horns of levitating, luxurious mechanical marvels as they zipped through boulevards, carrying cargo some couldn’t even afford with their life’s earnings. To sum up the environment, one could suggest the planet was basically a glorified commerce park… a sphere known to host the best and most expensive emporiums, so Xanthea was usually frequented by people with boundless pockets or with an equally measureless thirst to experience the luxuries of those who can afford it.

”Okay, Carys, now that we’re here… let me remind you of proper etiquette.” A delicate, yet stern, reverberance liberated itself from the drone-like consequence of the background and quickly set the stage between the dame and her guest, who perched right beside her on the cement sidewalk. ”Since this is your first time here, you should know that you are to always stay within reaching distance of me. It’s really easy to get lost around all these outlets.” To assist in describing the young lady’s point was a legion of shoppes and other enterprises; some housed within modest storefronts while additional megacorporations were accommodated with structures that could seemingly touch the simulated beryl sea above, and the burdenless clouds floating within its embrace. Their very surfaces were coated in a benevolent radiance, something that also bathed everything within the local environment so the province could replicate a fundamental condition to stimulate the urge to spend: time of day, and in this case, it appeared to be noon. Of course, this meant everything enclosed by its endearment was similarly exposed, and this made it quite easy to see the hordes of people and machines alike; they were all adorned with a desire to experience the best the galaxy had to offer. Delta and her attendee were no different; donned in her trademark attire that consisted of a form-fitting Persian blue dress and knee-high boots, she appeared to effectively blend in with the crowd. The only thing remotely quirky about the duo was their sudden lodge in the middle of a busy sidewalk.

”Mhm! Mhm! This place looks so amazing, Councilor! Do we really have to rush this?! I’m almost drooling!” Carys, the obvious contrast to Delta’s more composed disposition, allowed her voice to boom outwards in pure bliss; judging by the temperament of Delta’s slightly taller guest, one could assume she was intoxicated by the mere presence of countless high-end stores. It was either that, or the aroma of a nearby restaurant – in which many of them serve as the main attraction for the inexperienced. The enthusiasm displayed by Carys made her a figurative beacon so bright, she could almost outshine the lustrous exteriors worn by many of the skyscrapers.

”I don’t know if you can tell… but I really detest being in crowds, so we’re going to quickly peruse and then leave.” As Delta was speaking, her rose-stained lamps emanated towards her guest. ”Also, don’t call me that here! No one needs to know who we’re associated with.”

”What?... I even brought my employee ID card with me, ya’ know, so we can get the best service. We’re with Babel, not to mention that you’re a big wig for them. Why would we not want to take advantage of that?” Carys’ bubbly, amateur prospective was handily evident by now.

”You shouldn’t have brought that along… Do not let anyone notice that.” Without another word, she once-again gracefully ambled through the sidewalk; the heels of her boots clapped at every convergence with the cement and not only melded with the background scenery, but also slightly muffled their conversation with its audience along with the subsequent footfalls of her subordinate. ”Xanthea is a completely unregulated entity, regarding businesses at least. The reason why only the best can be here is because they can either bribe the right people, or prove they can attract visitors who might in turn spend their finances on places here and invite others to do the same.” For someone who rarely frequented this planet, she appeared to possess boundless intel about it.

”I still don’t understand what this has to do with not telling anyone who we work for, Council- oop!”

”Carys, I’m serious. You need to behave like your life depends on it, because if people found out who you are associated with, you could become a target.” A sigh marked the end of her lecture, but at least their idle conversation plucked their minds from an otherwise boring stroll; within moments of walking forward, they reached the intended storefront. ”Finally! Carys, I present to you the best bakery in all the galaxy: Cake my Day. Once we get inside, you have one rule. Do. Not. Speak.” Her rose-like optics were sure to display the sincerity in Delta’s voice by crossing the space between she and her subordinate with a thunderous ferocity that should instill fear into anyone, and this was a feature confirmed by a subtle gulp. As silence began to fill the void between the two dames, Delta performed an about-face, so her countenance faced the glossed shopfront and she subsequently mounted the brief flight of stairs which lead to a glaciated set of double doors. Once she topped the staircase, her delicate set of nieves were pressed against the apertures’ glossy exterior and a celebratory DING announced her arrival to the epitome of sugar. Just upon separating the door, an entire world’s worth of aromas inundated them with a familiarity of cinnamon pies.

”Amber! I was beginning to think you’d never show up!” A booming, yet jovial, essence rushed to greet Delta and Carys with an even greater enthusiasm than the billowing fragrances of fresh pastries. Of course, the elated reception was portrayed only through voice, as the person who greeted the dame stood perched behind a cash register replete with enticing confections. ”Here, I’ll get your stuff for you. Gimme a sec’.” After her last utterance, the clerk’s frame retreated into a compartment behind her, and vanished from sight.

”Good morning to you too, Klaudia. As dependable as ever I see~.” The female’s harmonic cadence danced about the storefront with the intensity of a tranquil lullaby, although it concealed a frigid ambiance within every chord; her voice was so intricate, even Carys’ countenance displayed a sentiment of disbelief. Be it an act or not, she has never witnessed Delta behaving so endearing, and it was a circumstance that was burgeoning a lapse of memory… Her uncertainty was manifesting as a flagrant beacon, and sure enough, it was noticed. Klaudia’s absence was brief; ten seconds after she acquiesced within the compartment, distinct footfalls broadcasted her eventual reemergence as if they were thunder. However, this time she was accompanied by a white parcel that was enclosed within her grasp, only to place it on the countertop adjacent to the two agents. ”This is one helluva cake you’re making. Say, who’s the new girl? I’ve never seen her before.” Like a moth to a flame, Carys’ disposition advertised for someone to engage her.

”Oh! Don’t mind her, she’s just here to sightsee until I depart.” Just like before, her tone was amicable, and it further confused her subordinate upon the advent of a giggle.

”Aha! So you are baking a cake for him?! You must’ve taken my advice~.” If this was a test to judge Carys’ comprehension of her superior’s warning, then she would have failed with flying colors; instead, she only invited jeopardy to accompany she and Delta. Her sudden vibrancy only magnified the clerk’s captivation. ”This is about a guy huh? Well, now you must tell me more about this. Amber didn’t say anything about meeting a guy.” The situation quickly bloomed into an uncomfortable gamble, something that needed to be interrupted before they were exposed.

”Hush! It’s definitely not like that!” Even though she may have appeared jovial with the other two individuals, neither one of them were likely to comprehend just how sincere here command was. Delta, not wanting to divulge in the shenanigan any further, quickly grabbed the parcel and shoved it into Carys’ abdomen – which, naturally, induced the subordinate to hold what pressed into her stomach. ”I’ll have to fill you in later Klaudia, we have to leave now.” The entire ordeal was tricky, if not cringeworthy. However, at least Delta didn’t have to endure it for long; after she voiced her obvious farewells, her subordinate apprehended Delta’s intentions and initiated their departure, with the exasperated rose following closely behind. Their withdrawal should have been the first step towards normalcy, but upon Carys’ eventual descent of a flight of stairs, an audible thud illumined into the still-busy boulevard. In a display of absentmindedness, Carys descended right into the path of a man clad in suit and tie, and he exemplified the notion of “time is money”. In fact, their collision may have been attributed to him running across the pavement as if he were in a hurry. Regardless of how it happened, the two individuals picked themselves up and were relatively unscathed… save for the fact something plummeted out of her pocket the moment she fell.

“Excuse me, miss. I think this belongs to you, Carys??” An apparent businessman, and a gentleman, who was not only able to shrug off their acquaintance but also find the time to reach below and pick up the female’s employee ID card.

”I – oh, thank you!” Of course, the one item Delta recommended to never be seen by anyone… was seen by some random. What else could go wrong?...

What should have been a simple transaction became a crapshoot thanks to the numerous blunders offered by Delta’s assistant; one mistake after another only awarded her with a nice earful of complaints, only for them to go their separate ways after she and Delta crafted a marvelous pastry. Several hours passed after the misadventure on Xanthea, and Delta’s itinerary was yet to be fully explored. Even after an exasperating episode such as the one she experienced with Carys, there was still more to do… more challenges to face, and perhaps overcome. Her current concern was housed on Ancinar V, a sphere very familiar to the young woman; unlike Xanthea, Ancinar V was a planet heavily immersed with Babel presence, so the issue of behaving a certain way was nonexistent… in theory.

Her presence was announced by a sole set of delicate, yet pronounced, footfalls which echoed throughout an empty metallic corridor as her heels met with the floor. Every stride was fueled with a sense of purpose even though the young woman responsible for their mighty echoes wasn’t completely committed to what she was doing, but it was too late to turn back now. Before she knew it, she was standing right in front of the door separating she and her “associate”, and the press of a buzzer aimed to soon dissolve the wall and allow her to greet him. Upon her dainty digit’s press and depress of a button, a speaker activated but silence embraced her.

”Bjorn, open the door. I got something for you to see…” Her voice portrayed a wavering attitude; one corner of her mind remained jaded by one of his previous interactions with her, while a burgeoning idea of forgiveness coerced her to march right to his door. Following her statement was another wave of silence until the doorway receded to form an empty aperture into Bjorn’s office-space… and to the man himself.

”What do you want now, Shortcake? I’m kinda busy here…” In a typical Bjorn fashion, his tone welcomed her whilst attempting to depreciate her. Now reminded of why she disliked being in his presence, her lamps shuttered while her countenance radiated with defeat. A mere sigh parted her lips, only for a distinctive set of claps to once-again echo about the chamber as she paraded into his office. However, even though only one set of delicate footfalls decorated the office, the young lady was not alone; accompanying the rose-haired dame was a floating platform that hoisted a triple layered cake… a beautiful, yet potentially costly, piece of dessert that she crafted herself for this occasion, at least the occasion she intended… The closer she became with the seated Bjorn, the more her ire began to manifest as a trademark scowl, until she and her gift stood on the opposite side of Bjorn’s desk.

”You know… I was here because I felt I should apologize to you about the way I treated you after that prank of yours… and I wanted to congratulate you for your victory against those delinquents yesterday.” Her rose-stained optics bathed Bjorn in their scrutiny, even if he wasn’t listening to a word she said. ”And I made this for you, as a gift.” If there was any enthusiasm in her tone, then it would generally weaken throughout her sentence at such a rate that anyone should be able to discern the change in Delta’s demeanor. ”Normally, I wouldn’t care but after spending so many months as a victim of this accident…” In an effort to allude to the misfortune she spoke of an elegant hand combed through her rose/rose-gold-stained vibrissa, only to somewhat slam her hands against the desk and lean into Bjorn’s space. ”I figured that maybe I should focus less on things that irate me, and try to look at my fortunes, and I wanted to do this with you too.” Without another word, she lifted her hands from his desk and gripped two sides of the levitating platform next to her head. In a display of compromise, she seemed to casually hold the platform above his desk… as if she were genuine. ”But, now I suddenly don’t care. And it’s all thanks to you~.”

To display just how sincere she was in her appreciation, a sole finger tapped along a specific place on the tray; the moment her pointer depressed a button along the platform any sense of vitality about it immediately faded, including its levitation. In one swift descent, the dish and the monstrous cake it carried crashed into Bjorn’s desk with one resounding explosion inaugurating their collision; the sounds of cracked glass boomed throughout the chamber, and one look at the crashed treat was all that was needed to see the cake unceremoniously exploded along with the glass-saucer the moment they met with his desk. ”I hope you enjoy your gift. Have a good day.” With a smirk painted across her countenance, the bell began her casual departure from Bjorn’s office. Perhaps this will coerce him into respecting her? Probably not.

”You’ll never guess what I stumbled upon today.” [?]

“After the destruction of my cargo bay, you better have something worth my time…” [?]

“Wasn’t Babel responsible for that?” [?]

“Yeah… get to the point!” [?]

“Well, I ran into someone from Babel today. She dropped her ID card.” [?]

“Please tell me you kept it.” [?]

“No, but I did make a copy of it. Looks like a girl named Carys was visiting Klaudia’s shop. And I think she said something about being with a ‘Councilor’. Some pink haired girl.” [?]

“This is good news indeed… Let’s pay Klaudia a visit.” [?]

Last Edit: Nov 17, 2023 14:13:04 GMT by Killiak

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:13:31 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:13:31 GMT

{BGM: “Dark Messenger”}

Bjorn sat in his usual fashion, unmoving and silent with his hands loosely clasped together and laying on his desk, watching everything the woman did and listening to every word spoken. Her attempts to conceal her disdain for him were admirable, but ultimately failed under his practiced eye. Really, there wasn’t even any need to pry beneath the surface to know that she was here to send a message in her typical theatrical manner…

“Normally, I wouldn’t care but after spending so many months as a victim of this accident…”, her voice trailed off as she slid a single hand through her hair.

Everything she said and did after that point was little more than a front. The contempt and borderline hatred she held for him was as a beacon in the night. He wasn’t about to have the hot-headed little girl ruin his work by making a mess of things.

As the glass tray and large, towering cake descended toward his desk, Bjorn unclasped his hands and leaned back in his chair—slowly and deliberately. The cake and its tray failed to collide with his desk, and was instead removed from the girl’s control entirely, gliding through the air to remain in place adjacent to his desk. It was at this precise moment his display chimed with a series of green lights, indicating the extraction and analysis was complete. Of course, in Delta’s typical style, she had turned to make for the exit, assuming that she was in fact permitted to leave.

So rude…

Bjorn sat up in his chair and pushed it backwards, stood up and turned towards the window overlooking the city. Meanwhile, the door Delta had entered through all but vanished, as if it had never been there in the first place. There was no massive swell of power or surge of …anything. It was there one moment, and in the next instant it wasn’t. A simple but effective trick up the man’s sleeve, it was meant to be an incentive for the girl to stay and hear his reply to her moody little outburst.

“Now, now Delta…I thought I told you to fix that temper of yours? Tsk…tsk…”

An old but rich tone began playing over an equally archaic “sound projector”, known as a gramophone, carrying an upbeat and cheery tempo…

{BGM: “My Favorite Things”}

Now clasping one hand with the other, arms behind his back, Bjorn resumed addressing Delta’s every point.

“Furthermore, why do you insist on comparing me to typical men, even after what you’ve learned? I guess you still don’t comprehend just what I am…No matter. Those delinquents as you call them, just so happened to be in the possession of information that I needed. Information that greatly reduced the time I needed to spend uncovering a rather large plot that’s been lying right underneath Babel’s noses this entire time. —”

Just then, Delta began opening her mouth to interject, only to be met with the sudden snapping of Bjorn’s right hand up into the air, his index finger extended toward the ceiling. Simple, but effective in ordering the girl to keep her mouth shut until he decided to let her speak again.

“You want to know what my point is, yes…obviously, I will make everything clear to you in due time. First, I must correct your mistakes—all of them—so that you better understand the bigger picture you so love to ignore.”

Finally, Bjorn turned to face the woman once more and walked back to his desk, switching the display so that Delta could examine the information with ease. She would see several lines interpose within what was clearly a star map, connecting several planets and space docks together. These were labeled ‘Babel’ and colored blue.

“What you see now are our known trade routes to our biggest suppliers across multiple industries. This is information familiar to you, considering your position within the Organization.”

After waving his hand, the display faded to flashing through a series of images taken of dozens of warehouses throughout multiple locations, ultimately stopping at the images taken the night prior, from his most recent strike.

“These are the locations of different storage facilities where a certain group keeps their contraband, something that would normally be found by local police and other authorities spread throughout the system. The details of what this group is smuggling and distributing are not as important as how they’re doing it.”

Another wave of his hand and the display shifted again, this time back to the trade route.

“As I’m sure you’re aware, our routes are kept under close guard 24/7, with cargo scanners lining every major check-point along the way. The scanners are state of the art and never fail to detect smuggled goods, and yet someone has managed to figure out a way. I’ve examined every maintenance log, security log, scan report, you name it, and I haven’t been able to determine their method until now.”

This time, Bjorn brought his hand up to his waist extended just in front of him and closed his open hand into a tightly bound fist. Several flashing lines of crimson joined the display, seemingly spreading from one point to another in randomized sequences. The longer the simulation went on though, the clearer the sequence became. It only looked random and was in fact highly calculated and directed. The person responsible for this algorithm was much more devious than he initially suspected—it would take someone of extraordinary intelligence to come up with something so sophisticated.

“I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll give you a hint. The place you happened to purchase the goods to create this beautiful dessert you tried to ruin, turns out to be a key point of interest. Because of this, I was easily able to discover your presence on Xanthea on account of already having eyes there. You see, I am not bound to the rules governing the rest of the Galaxy. I do not care for whatever laws other establishments try to enforce. I do what is necessary, regardless of how unpopular it might be…”

Bjorn’s voice trailed off, its electronic tone snuffing out immediately as he raised his other arm to his left side, palm facing up and fingers pointed at …a door. It manifested out of nothing, so it seemed, and just as soon as it appeared, it opened. Through its threshold walked Delta’s assistant Carys, blindfolded and hands bound behind her back. Her lip was bloodied, staining her shirt and she’d clearly been crying out of fear.
“H-hello?! Who’s there?! Where am I?! You’ll pay for this you know! I work for—nnggkkaaggh!”

Suddenly, Carys found her throat beginning to constrict from every conceivable direction simultaneously, as if some other worldly hand was squeezing the life out of her.

“Your assistant here is careless and has become a complete liability. While you were on your little girls’ night out, this brainless worm decided to drop her ID badge. Meanwhile, as she was about to demonstrate once more, she takes every opportunity to blab about who she works for, what she does, her boss—that’s you—and nearly every other detail about her occupation on social media!”

{BGM: “Rain”}

Without warning, Bjorn swung his arm toward the window whilst also closing his hand into another fist. These two actions catapulted the girl towards the window and removed her blindfold, showing her that her beloved boss was present the moment she was doomed to die. The window exploded, no doubt aided by Bjorn himself, cutting the girl’s body in multiple places to add to her pain. The last thing she would see is his dark visage standing in view of the now shattered window, her precious Delta standing across from him as she fell to her death.

Now amidst the almost rhythmic gusts of wind invading the office, Bjorn turned his attention back to Delta momentarily, before he walked up to the cake and took a dollop with his right index finger and examined it from multiple angles. He laughed, seemingly amused at something only he could see…

“You’re coming with me to see this job through. I don’t care if you’re a fellow CIDE, you and I both know this is your only choice. I don’t have to explain what would happen if word got out, with no sign of your involvement, about what I’ve discovered taking place in your backyard. Let me help you, by helping me bring this mystery to light.”

Bjorn took his other hand and unlatched his helm’s front section, tipping it up just enough to shove the dollop of frosting covered cake into his mouth.

“Mmm…delicious. We’ll have to get another one of these.”

He started to shut his helm, and that’s when it happened again. First the cake dropped to the floor, shattering as the woman had very first intended…or was it the light flickering within his office? Whichever it was, suddenly everything was horrendously wrong. The window hadn’t been shattered, Bjorn’s desk was entirely dark and appeared to be developing a layer of dust from several weeks of neglect, and her cake was sitting on the floor in a pile of broken glass, batter and frosting as it was no longer being suspended by the unseen Force he commanded. Despite the window being wholly intact, a gentle gust of wind rushed through the office, carrying with it a small memo addressed to Delta:

“Meet me at the Star Port. Make sure you’re ready for a long trip.”

Was it all just her imagination or not? The note seemed to confirm what he had said and that he was in fact there, but what of the window and her assistant? Damned asshole and his cursed games…

While Delta sorted her thoughts out, the local authorities had arrived at the entrance to the towering building. Cordoning off the site, they prepared to scrape the remains of Carys off the pavement.

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:14:12 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:14:12 GMT

Aerone:

Just like she imagined; there was no respect awarded from her “temperamental” resolution… nor was there an explosive cacophony resulting from what should’ve been a swift acquaintance between the saucer and Bjorn’s desk. The sudden presence of inactivity solicited the senses with an ominous aura, that of which could only be due to Bjorn’s trademark eccentricity; had this been her first encounter with the tyrannical weisenheimer, she may have reacted differently. However, the absence of an explosive crash did slow Delta’s otherwise triumphant promenade towards the exit… until the aperture seemingly acquiesced into thin air, as if it were never there to begin with; all that reflected into the belle’s rose-stained scrutiny was a dull wall replete with no visible signs of a door’s existence, and the cause of its departure was immediately apparent. She fell victim to another trick of Bjorn’s – another reason for Delta to be at least mildly apprehensive about her teammate, which she had no trouble in displaying.

With Bjorn manipulating his room as if he could rewrite reality Delta’s adieu was obviously cut short. Immediately following the sudden disappearance of her doorway out of hell, the concatenation of delicate claps concluded while she stopped and angrily, yet rapidly, about-faced towards Bjorn who was then perched just behind his desk. All that announced her interruption, and subsequent intentions of eruption, was a meek “huh?” that radiated into the tense, yet silent, atmosphere within the chamber. Even though Bjorn’s visage was facing towards a window overlooking the city, he could likely imagine the belle’s ire as if he were peering at her head-on; after all, this was what he wanted.

“Bjorn! What do y-“ Just as he was about to experience what could have been the first of many fierce manifestations of her annoyance, a condescending tone sauntered into the room and diffused, albeit temporarily, the young lady’s voice. This tone, however, was none other than Bjorn’s own repulsive resonance.

“Now, now Delta… I thought I told you to fix that temper of yours? Tsk… tsk…” If the deliberateness of his actions weren’t embodied by those patronizing words, then it would surely surface once an archaic melody began to play from one of his oddly placed sound generators. Why would Bjorn employ the use of a cadence such as this? Well, this was likely a planned presentation where the music’s obvious flippancy intended to bolster Bjorn’s condescending nature, by showering the belle in its upbeat tempo while providing the masked eccentric with some sort of amusement; it was all to display just how little he valued Delta’s opinion, as if it were a game. Her rather silent, ominous, response to Bjorn’s gall meant she understood what he thought of her feelings, yet Bjorn wasn’t done. “Furthermore, why do you insist on comparing me to typical men, even after what you’ve learned? I guess you don’t comprehend just what I am…”

“I can comprehend that you’re a child… Now explain-“ Eloquent, elegant, concatenations were yet again disrupted by the behavior of a man whom Delta began to believe was spasmodic; the sudden elevation of his right hand was accompanied by strange sound effects, reminiscent of a sonic boom from the crack of a whip.

“You want to know what my point is, yes…obviously, I will make everything clear to you in due time. First, I must correct your mistakes—all of them—so that you better understand the bigger picture you so love to ignore.” Every time Bjorn opened his mouth, it seemed to be in some effort of denouncing or defaming Delta, but this claim was by far the most egregious; not only did the lady’s supposed cohort accuse her of making mistakes, but he also shifted his physique to face her as if his claims were of real merit.

“So, this is nonsense; I’m leaving now.” Just as the pink-haired damsel was about to turn her back to Bjorn, he began his parade to his desk and subsequently ensnared her attention by presenting her with a display replete with a multitude of lines, which varied in color. Of course, she could interpret the data, but a mild amount of confusion remained.

“What you see now are our known trade routes to our biggest suppliers across multiple industries. This is information familiar to you, considering your position within the Organization.”

“Well, yeah it’s all familiar to me… Is this another one of your attempts to belittle me?” Subtle claps began to echo about the chamber as she slowly ambled towards Bjorn’s desk. She was understandably receiving mixed signals from Bjorn by this point; either he was actually onto something important, or he was attempting to shower her with his vanity. Eventually more data populated the display, all magically guided by the swipe of his hand; even though they were all pictures of previous facilities, the objective behind Bjorn’s began to become apparent – he was referencing the delinquents she spoke of prior.

“These are the locations of different storage facilities where a certain group keeps their contraband..."

“You mean the delinquents from before?” She was legitimately surprised to hear of their exploits, but in a typical Bjorn fashion, he glossed over her question and continued his debriefing. Another hand gesture forced the images to acquiesce in favor of his beloved star map. However, the weight of his message also began to materialize once he iterated how he was still examining the cause of the continued presence of smuggled goods despite how state-of-the-art, and secure, Babel’s trade routes were. “I hope you’re not suggesting that I’m to blame for all this, somehow.” Dainty digits elevated to cover her mouth as she lightly giggled from how absurd he sounded; there was no way that Delta, a member of CIDE, could have caused such a problem from sheer neglect. Her question never manifested further than her own personal boundaries, yet it was as if Bjorn understood her anyway. With a simple gesture of a balled-up fist, hues of crimson began to decorate the display until Bjorn spoke his mind once more.

“I’m feeling generous today, so I’ll give you a hint. The place you happened to purchase the goods to create this beautiful dessert you tried to ruin, turns out to be a key point of interest…” His voice introduced the dame to a deluge of disgust, and quite immediately; all he did was verify that he was spying on her, and her subordinate, in a venture that should’ve been mostly free of Babel influence. Her countenance drooped while her fingers remained in front of her now apertured lips.

“Bjorn, what are you hiding…? Could you NOT invade my privacy?!” She was understandably vexed by Bjorn’s truth, but perhaps she was more upset about the lack of a concrete answer about her involvement in Bjorn’s problem… until he began what may have been the finale to his play. Yet another movement of his hand coerced the unthinkable into manifesting; a door appeared out of thin air, and subsequently opened to reveal the presence of her subordinate: Carys. She appeared in less than favorable conditions; with blood adorning her lips, her hands bound behind her back, and her eyes blindfolded, it was obvious that she suffered a humiliating price from none other than Bjorn’s will. Delta, initially perturbed by Carys’ attendance, transformed her confusion into a solemn miasma that could only be conveyed by the razer-sharp glare which effortlessly besieged upon Bjorn’s physique as if it were a declaration of war. A white-hot sentiment enflamed by Bjorn’s repeated disregard of her status within their Organization caused her to step forward. She was fueled by the intent of liberating her subordinate, but it was Carys’ own outbursts that stopped her.

“H-hello?! Who’s there?! Where am I?! You’ll pay for this you know! I work for—nnggkkaaggh!” The young subordinate was no doubt placed in a position where she believed that her suffering could be spared simply by propelling the name of her superior, Delta, around like a burden which could instill fear into anyone unfortunate enough to hear. Ironically, her outcry only managed to unriddle the rollercoaster Bjorn put her on; the weakest link, the potential fault, wasn’t Delta… but her assistant, and all Carys did was prove Bjorn correct.

Unfortunately, Bjorn wasted little time in exhibiting his mindset; Carys was a liability, and for that she had to suffer the consequences; in a simple display of control and strictness Carys was lifted from the floor’s touch while her blindfold separated from her face to reveal the absolute terror imprinted within her eyes. Instead of being the one to liberate Carys from doom, Delta remained idle while the image of her apparent indifference was the last thing Carys saw before an explosion of glass and encumbrance enveloped her physique. All that awaited her was death. To say Delta was entirely apathetic her subordinate’s demise would be a unique understatement, as the young lady herself has handily wiped employees from the face of existence, but this was a unique situation; perhaps she only felt bad because the judgement dawned from someone else’s outlook, and for that Delta might also appear at fault. Either way, she was displeased with the outcome.

“Bjorn, you should have addressed her performance with me before you assumed responsibility over one of my own subordinates…!” Digits that were once hoisted on top of her lips suddenly sliced through the atmosphere as her arm swung outwards to serve as an involuntary way to help Delta express the ferocity in her words; the palm of her hand now faced Bjorn, as did her scowl. Every word she spoke reached out to the male with a potency rivaling that of a small freight engine, only have their vitality and the aspirations which rode on them become nothingness by virtue of a growing tempest within the chamber. It was as if the wind intended to muffle her response, while it amplified Bjorn’s – someone who could now have their cake, and eat it too…

Primed to continue his antics, the male clearly wanted to project just how easy it was to make enemies out of their own associates; with the effort of a dollop decorating his fingertips Delta’s supposed ally released his final ace in the hole. “You’re coming with me to see this job through. I don’t care if you’re a fellow CIDE, you and I both know this is your only choice. I don’t have to explain what would happen if word got out, with no sign of your involvement, about what I’ve discovered taking place in your backyard. Let me help you, by helping me bring this mystery to light.” Of all things to demand for right now, Bjorn casually commanded her help… with a grievous caveat that was immediately followed up by an equally thunderous cavalcade of footfalls; each step was a hallmark of Delta’s ripening outrage that ensured a quick pursuit until she was basically within arm’s reach.

“..How dare you?! You have some nerve to try to impel me on a threat of humiliation, especially after degrading me!” Anger lined her countenance as her pointer finger pressed against Bjorn’s abdomen. She was fiercely determined to show how far over the line the follow CIDE member was, but the circumstance reeked with irony; it was a pink-haired minikin who bared her fangs against stouter male, and he probably found the situation to be hilarious. “How could you even fathom those words? Is this how you show appreciation for a gesture that I didn’t even HAVE to do?! Ugh!” Likely hellbent on proving his superiority, Bjorn’s response only served to provoke her even more. In lieu of showing her proper respect the male simply consumed what insignificant amount of cake he balanced on the tip of his finger and ignored her.

“Mmm…delicious. We’ll have to get another one of these."

These words marked the end of Bjorn’s denigration against Delta; as the last utterance left his cake-stained maw, in which Delta was likely about to punch, the highly anticipated and extremely tardy ear-shattering cacophony reverberated throughout the chamber with an animus comparable of a thunderclap and ensnared the woman’s attention. Rose-stained lamps quickly guided to what appeared to be a pile of freshly baked cake splattered about the floor while several shards of glass decorated what descended. Before she could even begin pondering about how this relates to Bjorn, what was once a stable blanket of light transformed into a stroboscopic pandemonium that almost shorted power, and then an overwhelming calmness…

Everything that felt, and acted, like Bjorn’s grotesque vitality was suddenly rendered absent… including the man himself; a curtain of deception seemed to atrophy into nothingness, and the telltales of its presence was noticeable. Instead of occupying a chamber replete with some of Babel’s most powerful technology, Delta found herself alone in a dilapidated room where dust lined extensively coated every corner instead of artificial light. It was as if Bjorn were never there to begin with, but certain items, such as her ruined pastry, anchored their acquaintance to reality. Even though he vacated her personal space like she desired, she was rendered unable to express the depths of his classless actions and a single exasperated sigh escaped her lips in a measly attempt to illustrate her anger.

“And just like that, he leaves… without answering to any of this…” The only thing suspending her from an ocean of concern, exasperation, and humiliation was a subtle, but steady, breeze that sauntered about her frame; its gentle touch came from the lone window, which was somehow left intact even though a mere walk to its edge and a glance to the urbs below could verify that Carys was ejected through it moments prior. “This is the last time I do him a favor. I don’t care if I never see him again.” Now seemingly “accepting” what occurred, Delta leisurely about-faced towards the room’s entrance until a note abruptly descended into her hands. “Hm? What’s thi-“ At first, she was mildly curious as to how a memo could’ve endured the elements of the wind and magically drop into the palms of her hand, as if it were intentional… Well, it was. The contents of the note only suggested she meet up at the Star Port, and she was immediately aware of who sent the message; it became suddenly clear that he was in fact serious about his threat, and that her problem was still around to haunt her. The mere thought of joining Bjorn for an escapade after his treatment of her reignited what became subtle embers of fury in his absence into a fervent antipathy that was so potent, heat began to whisp about her adjoined pointer finger and thumb, where the note currently rested. Just as her livid rose-colored gaze met against its form, it too became bathed in a brine of pink as rose-like flames engulfed the paper and returned it to nothing. “Fine, but don’t so much as look at me or so help you.”

With her hand now engulfed in a fiery pink vibrancy, the young lady stepped forward on what could be the most troublesome journey she’s ever experienced, but she wasn’t going to let Bjorn forget the indignity of humiliating her like this… by defeating her like this; to purge his record clean, his atrocities had to be purified through only the hottest of flames… and with the swipe of her hand what used to be dingy became engulfed in her rose-hot umbrage as the flame that embraced her nieve catapulted into the wall and exploded with enough force to reverberate throughout the entire skyscraper… or maybe that was the just the weight of her footsteps threatening the building’s foundation. Either way, Bjorn was going to at least apologize… even if he was right.

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:14:52 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:14:52 GMT

Omen:

"Learn some respect."

The vitriolic words snarl out between two splattered red lips originally lined with soft violent lipstick as silvered hued eyes focus upon the causation of her aggression. Slowly, so slowly did their body slide down upon the spearheaded tip of OMENERVER with a grotesque slurp and pop as the corpse slipped free from the end. With a horrific gurgle as liquid crimson burbled free from the hellacious wound, the war hound watched in silence. Turning away from the remnants of a foul-mouthed chauvinistic pig, the hellhound would flick her wrist, cascading the crimson ichor against metallic surfaces with a disgruntled expression.

"This is tiresome."

She would sigh out as she walked with languid steps towards her carrier craft's lowered staircase, accepting her for travel. As she passed over silvered steps and bathed in the perfect white illumination, her weapon OMENERVER would disperse into thousands of luminescent Sakura petals, and her bloodied hand would move to brush vibrant pink tresses from her features. Blood would smear its taint against the locks of deep pink blended to silver as her hand moved past her stoic features as if she could not feel the disgusting sensation of hair and blood.

"A.E.R.E.S take me back, declare this region now under ECLIPSE rule and find me where Delta is."

In response, a strong feminine voice would rumble to life with a tone removed of emotion and thinly accepted respect. The new A.I. built into the cortex of this ship maintained something reminiscent of its prior host – the imperium's dreadnaught. "Calculating coordinates to return to base, Delta is located in coordinates X 34.002.173, Y 84.176.954. Would you prefer to land within…" The voice fragmented into silence as another voice, darker and more reminiscent of the unholy beast within, permeated through her ship's cockpit. The vote was one she had heard before; one she was well acquainted with – Bjorn. As someone who was once her commander but now remained equal, she knew all too well of his reach and presence, so she turned to listen.

"Babel's main docks."

The voice cut back as if the recording was not intervening in the speech patterns of A.R.E.S. Instead, Eden turned towards the central cockpit, pressing a button to initiate lift-off maneuvers. Turning her attention towards the holographic map of Babel run territory, Eden spoke.

"A.R.E.S take us to the main station docks, return us to Babel's home-land of Omega. Do so as quietly, cloak us under the code FZK104-5K".

As Eden spoke, her body had contorted to take her from the cockpit to the sleeping quarters amongst the combat cruiser to cleanse herself of the blood and rubble that blemished her flesh and attire. It had been months since Eden had gone dark, even to her compatriot – Delta. Having to be saved from her very own creation after months of endless fighting. The act of genocide would forever mar the conscious of the war born beast. To say it was of no consequence, that she was created to do just as she had done and thus shouldn't feel some form of decay, grief, and loss was to strip her of her humility. She may be born of the tube and medical marvel, but she was realian; she was humanity perfected. Since then, aggression had burned beneath her flesh, guilt perhaps but aggression unlike any other. She had tasted consistent battle, she had killed the innocent and the depraved, she had buried friend and foe alike and wiped out the very planet she called home all for the name of an organization.

In that time, Eden had changed in her core. The mask of naivety and inexperience had been discarded and in its place was a bloodthirst of a practised hand. In the name of ECLIPSE, she had begun to crusade and crucify any that dare step towards her with calculated efficiency. But now, she was called home. No, she was ordered home. With a soft snarl, Eden's fist thrust against the ship's metallic wall, causing a rather large indent before she pushed forward down the hall towards her room and the showers within.

The combat cruiser had lifted fully from the space hull of a mining facility, turned about-face and begun to follow the plotted coordinates home. "Entering Warp." Called A.R.E.S.'s voice throughout the ship as it launched into hyperdrive and catapulted them closer towards their sector, using the cloaking as described by Eden before launch. As this was happening, Eden stood within the confines of the shower, head pressed against the tiles as blood, gore and metal shards alike were washed from her scalp and flesh to gurgle down the drain. Her eyes were closed in contemplation as she mouths.

"What do you have planned, Bjorn, you calculative bastard."

The ship would erupt from warp space with a sudden slowdown which to Eden inside felt marginal as she watched from the captain's seat, feet crossed over the right armrest. Dressed in black combat boots in which charcoal grey skinny leg jeans were tucked into. About her waist resided a single white belt with black stitching, black plusheen belt buckle and at either side resided two clasped loops matching that of the belt. What was intriguing about these were the unique circular housings attached at the peak of the droop resting about mid-thigh. Her midriff was revealed due to the black crop-top Eden wore and over the top of it was her notorious double breasted officer's coat of ashen grey and pink. Her hair was straightened, brushed and dried to frame her face and down to the middle of her spine. Finally, her lower half of her visage was cloaked with a black mask in the shape of a snarling demon. Her heterochromatic silver and sage hues focused intently upon the destination.

The ship began speaking in a form of linguistic binary to the scouting towers as the shields surrounding Omega began to disperse, granting them access. Standing up, Eden moved towards the hull of the ship where she would touchdown upon the docks within ten or so minutes. Idly, Eden's attention drifted to the possibilities of what Bjorn had called on her for and what Delta was doing here. With a soft shrug Eden's right hand would extend and with a soft click of her fingers did two unique items – chakram manifest against her sides. The unique circular disks illuminated a soft gold and pastel pink as the mechanical housings from the loops locked them into place.

The chakram's were sixteen inches in diameter, with an additional inner circular ring of eight inches in diameter within the first ring. Held in place by two curling dragons at north and south of the circles the chakrams were as beautiful as they were dangerous. Eden's attention was drawn from her weapons as the hull of the cruiser began to open revealing a set of steps. Descending down upon them Eden spotted the plethora of barrages, battlecruisers, starship destroyers and carrier cruisers and all seemed ignorant of her presence. Turning about to her left Eden noticed one ship that commanded respect – LEVIATHAN. Moving forward towards it, Eden knew nothing of the meeting position other than the docks so she would find herself a perch to rest upon. A four stacked tall container crate in which she could sit upon and watch the world about her. Waiting for her companions to arrive.

"Welcome home, Eden."

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:15:24 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:15:24 GMT

{BGM: “Passages”}

“You performed well…thank you.”

“Don’t I always? You and I are of the same mind, after all.”

“I suppose you’re right. Time to get this show on the road…”

It was his way of life to walk in the shadows, observing all which transpired through the multifaceted methods available to him. Each and every action, from the obvious and overt, to the subtle and surreptitious were all by design—methodical and executed with absolute precision. Igniting the fire within Delta was a necessary albeit unfortunate piece of the puzzle, and most unfortunate for her was that he wasn’t finished. All would be revealed at and only at the exact moment he had orchestrated, but for now it was time to leave.

Eden had made her arrival, entering the space of Ancinar V under cloak and remaining so for the foreseeable future. She took up position perched atop a container sitting in the loading section, taking in the sights and waiting for her former commander to make his presence known. Having worked directly under his command before, she knew better than to assume that he wasn’t already there, waiting in the shadows and out of reach. For that same reason though, she also knew that he was one of the good guys—no harm would come from working either with or for him.

As for Delta, she took her sweet time to accept his demands. He spared her thoughts of his touch, as this too was an important stage of his plan. She had to make the choice on her own and everything leading up to the moment of her arrival would tell Bjorn exactly what he needed to know at exactly this time. No more, no less; if she found him inside her head, the entire plan would fall apart and that was something he simply couldn’t risk. Sometimes, a little pain was necessary to grow in the right direction…

Eventually, prior to the girl finding her way to the docks, one of the ports was suddenly occupied without warning. No flashy descent from warp, no roaring thrusters making a mess of the wharf and water, nothing. It was then quite clear that this particular ship had been there for a very long time under its own cloaking technology, as spec’d by Bjorn himself. Its form was that of a perfect sphere ten meters in diameter constructed of a quicksilver metallic hull, with several hexagonal viewports located in a ring about its equator. While it couldn’t be seen from ground level, there were two rectangular seams spaced on either side of the “top”, at least in relation to its current position floating idly in the water. An identical pair could be found on the exact opposite “side”. Other than this, which would likely go unnoticed, there were another set of four squared seams along its surface beneath the water—but the primary, stand out feature was the enormous disc that was surrounding the craft. Parallel to the dock, the ring clearly surrounded the entire craft and was submerged beneath, constructed of a titanium-colored metal, one meter wide and several centimeters thick, its purpose remained unknown.

From the dock facing surface of the spherical craft, a large rectangular section illuminated with a most pristine array of white light before the section vanished. Out from the bottom of the new opening extended a platform lined in a rugged texture for improved footing. Meanwhile at the center of the immensely bright entryway stood a figure of voluptuous form. She was wearing an unfamiliar uniform, certainly not of Babel origin: a white skirt and blazer with a black belt with silver buckle housing yet another unfamiliar insignia, white pumps and black officers cap. The cap was seated comfortably on her raven hair tied into a loose ponytail draped between her lithe shoulders. Her skin was of an olive complexion, youthful and taut, while her eyes were of a mesmerizing hazel with golden undertones. She maintained a perfect posture with one arm crossed over her moderate bosom, hand curled gently into a fist as she awaited the arrival of her commander.

Needless to say, Eden would immediately see the craft reveal itself and the form of the woman standing atop the ramp, but no sign of Bjorn himself. Truth of the matter was, there was no telling who the craft belonged to, but a sneaking suspicion would tell her it was in fact his. Fortunately, she wouldn’t have to wait long as the man made his presence known, appearing from seemingly nothing, right in front of the path leading to the spherical ship. He stood with arms clasped behind his back as he usually preferred; however, his attire was in stark contrast to normality. For starters, rather than his hooded black robe, he wore robes of the purest white, the inside of which was lined in a matte silver, plush material. Something of particular note was that his helm appeared to have undergone a restoration, no longer possessed of its usual scuffs faded colors. It was now a vibrant gold with traces of platinum framing his jawline and surrounding his eyes’ viewport. What, if any, significance this bore would remain unknown, but it was noticeable to say the least.

Seeing the one she was waiting for appear, Eden wasted little time in leaping down from her position to the ground proper and walked up to him, stopping a few short meters in front of him.

“You called?”, she asked, faint traces of her old sass only barely perceptible in her voice.

“Thank you for coming on short notice. We’ve much work to do in the coming days…”, Bjorn replied, his voice trailing off. If it wasn’t for the electronic projection, it almost sounded as if there was a touch of concern to his words.

“Well, I’d say sign me up but it’s pretty obvious you already have. Shall we?”

Bjorn stood in silence for several seconds before finally tilting his head up slightly, gesturing for Eden to turn around.

“We have one more joining us. I believe you two have grown quite close in the recent months.”

Eden wanted to laugh, not out of any ill-intent or other nonsense, but of delight. It was true that she and Delta were quite close, but she also knew that the relationship between Bjorn and Delta couldn’t have been any more the complete opposite. In a word, she was puzzled.

“Yeah but, I thought she hated your guts after what you did?”

Though she was watching her friend make her approach, Eden could practically feel Bjorn nodding behind her.

“She does—it’s all part of my plan, as you well know.”

Eden nodded herself, crossing her arms comfortably over her abdomen.

“I remember…”

{BGM: “AXIS”}

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Delta wasn’t her usual self as she made her approach. It was one thing to be angry at Bjorn, but her friend felt as if she truly wanted his head on a platter. Heat coalesced about her frame, concentrated around her hands while rage burned behind the surface of her eyes. The ground began to shake, crack and fragment in every direction the closer she got, in linear fashion to the rising swell of power within her. Eden turned back to look at Bjorn who hadn’t moved a muscle since his appearance, her face smothered in concern.

“What did you do…”

“Shhh…step aside, if you will.”

Eden’s eyes dropped to the ground for a moment, clearly thinking about the next move. She knew Bjorn could be offensive, to the point of driving most people away, but to get underneath her friend’s skin in such a—her attention snapped back to reality as she saw, or thought she saw, Bjorn’s leg move forward. Out of sheer instinct Eden hopped backwards, moving out of her former commander’s way. By this time, Delta had walked up to three meters in front of the two, her rage causing turmoil to run amok about them and the surrounding seas.

“Thank you for joining us, Delta.”

The fuming girl shot daggers at her so-called friend Eden, immediately beginning to come to the misguided conclusion that she was in on this too. With this, Bjorn finally acted, moving to set things straight once and for all. Pulling at the strings of the world in ways seemingly only he was capable, Bjorn reduced the distance between himself and Delta in an instant. What’s more, his hands were resting gently on her shoulders, as he gazed deeply into her eyes behind the obscurity of his helm.

“Delta, I truly am sorry for what I’ve put you through. Believe me when I say it was necessary…”

Something unfamiliar nestled deep within Delta stirred to life, rising to the surface in the moment following his words. It was as if all of the rage and contempt she held for the man standing before her was given inexplicable pause. It wasn’t from him, no unseen trickery coercing her to comply or oppressive power commanding her obedience. It was…

Suddenly from beyond the trio came a voice, the woman standing guard at the entrance to the ship barking out a single command. Her voice pierced the momentary silence like a horn of war wrapped in seduction that betrayed its message.

“PRESENT YOURSELF!”

Moving into the light was a second figure, this one all too familiar to the one person positioned to see her first: Delta. She moved carefully beyond the guard who had moved to allow her to pass, her right arm now positioned strictly at her side as she stood at attention.

“Councilor! Councilor it’s okay! I’ve been well taken care of by these people”, Carys, Delta’s assistant cried while running down the ramp.

She almost made it to them before tripping over her expensive heels and falling, scraping her knees and suffering a pretty rough fall. Without skipping a beat, Bjorn dropped his head a few inches and to the side the girl fell, their left, clearly disturbed that this happened…

“Now that wasn’t my fault…”

Bjorn removed his hands from Delta and moved aside, the woman shaking her head at the man in disbelief and disgust before quickly dashing to help the girl up. Meanwhile, Bjorn looked over to Eden and finally answered her previous question.

“I had to be sure that Delta could be trusted, just the same as—”

“…you did with me, all those years ago. But…jesus, what did you do?”

Bjorn shook his head.

“Only what I had to. I cannot stress enough how important this mission is.”

Delta and Carys collected themselves, with Carys trying to push through the pain while her wincing betrayed her perseverance. This of course did not go unnoticed by Bjorn, who reached up with his left hand and activated a simple albeit powerful technique. In mere moments the wounds the girl had suffered, purely from her own clumsiness, were reversed, healing at an astonishing rate.

“We can talk more when we get to my ship in orbit. Let’s go.”

It was quite evident that Bjorn was in a hurry to leave the planet and be about their way. Staying here only served to waste what precious little time he knew they had to carry out the task ahead of them, and as such he made his way toward the ship. Eden looked over at Delta and invited her to follow along, assuring her that Bjorn had his reasons for doing whatever he had done to her. Thankfully, there was also Carys, who tried to chime in also in support, but that seemed to only irritate Delta even more.

“Whatever! This is bullshit and I want to…UGH!”

Despite her protest, Delta stomped along the platform and up the ramp, not so much as acknowledging the silent guard at the top. The others followed along and found a seat inside, and the guard shut the door. Ahead in the cockpit the pilot confirmed their status and initiated the launch sequence, the ship moving away from the docks in a powerful and sudden surge via the power of the immense ring spinning up. Once they were several dozen meters off the shore, the ship took to the skies and explosively blasted towards space, reengaging its cloak once traversing the upper atmosphere. The ride would be quite exquisite to the passengers, as the ship was equipped with various environmental dampeners to eliminate the stress of atmospheric flight.

Once beyond the planet’s atmosphere, they followed a standard approach to a point beyond all of the other orbital lanes. Their flight was short lived, as before they knew it the ship had come to a halt within the hangar of Bjorn’s personal Star Cruiser, one which hadn’t been registered with Babel nor any other entities for that matter. The surrounding ships and forces remained blissfully ignorant of their flight and subsequent disappearance. Docked into the hangar, Bjorn stood up from his seat and thanked his crew for the speedy trip and their stellar performance—as well as their patience. Needless to say, this was a side of Bjorn Delta had never witnessed before, much less thought him capable of. To see the man thanking another human being was…simply unthinkable. Maybe, just maybe, she really didn’t know half as much about him as she thought she did…

{BGM: “Republic”}

Standing at the entryway, which opened to reveal a truly massive hangar riddled with crewmembers of all kinds carrying out their respective duties, Bjorn turned to address his guests.

“Welcome aboard the Singularity. We like to call it the Sing’ for short. I’ll have someone give the three of you a proper tour sometime, but for now I’ll show you the key areas of the ship.”

The group all got up from their seats and headed to the exit, following Bjorn down the ramp and looking around in amazement. The ship was truly massive, too much to take in all at once. Even the hangar looked like it was the size of an entire airfield, housing dozens if not hundreds of smaller ships, mechs and other craft. If they had to venture a guess, Bjorn was leading his own private army in complete, total secrecy from beyond the reach of Babel, based purely on the size and contents of the hangar alone.

It was comprised of state-of-the-art lighting and environmental controls which maintained a perfect atmosphere and gravity aboard the ship. Furthermore, the technology embedded within the ship was unlike anything found in Babel, though just how far that went was irrelevant for the time being. At any rate, the group made their way to the nearest exit, a set of dual armored doors inset from the primary wall sliding open to accommodate their passing.

“The ship has several areas spanning over a kilometer and a half—I assure you there is no shortage of accommodations on the Sing. I need my crew to be well fed and happy, both in health and mind, if I expect them to perform optimally. We have recreational parks, shopping centers and food courts, along with a miniature infrastructure to provide for the crews’ family needs. Schools, infirmaries, and various boards to oversee general activities, and much, much more. In addition to all that, we have a separate sector for living quarters and another sector for the combat functions, as well as the hangar which you’ve already seen.”

Bjorn gave a brief summary of what could be found onboard the Singularity, whilst simultaneously communicating with his bridge crew to commence their departure from Ancinar V’s orbit via his helm. There were many moving parts to a ship this size, and it took several thousand men and women to ensure all operations ran according to his expectations. Then suddenly, Bjorn stopped and slightly turned his head over his shoulder in Carys’ direction.

“Carys, I’m going to have to ask you to report to your quarters. You’re free to do as you please until Delta here decides otherwise.”

“T-thank you, sir!”

Carys looked to Delta for guidance, and whatever her reason she decided to go along with Bjorn’s wishes, for now. Carys subsequently headed off on ahead, after which Bjorn turned toward what appeared to be a plain, metallic wall…

Once Carys was out of sight, the wall opened to reveal a hidden corridor accessible only to ranking members of Bjorn’s…whatever this was. He nodded his head forward before stepping through, the wall returning to its normal state after all of them had passed.

“Has Carys been here before?”, Delta asked, trying to make sense of everything that was happening.

“No. She’ll get lost, but hopefully one of the crew will help her before too long. I’ve already assigned her a room, but the two of you will get your choice from the uh…I guess we’ll call it Officers quarters, after we’ve finished speaking.”

“Just what the hell are you up to, Bjorn…”

“Yeah, really…”

“Ha ha ha ha! Don’t worry, we’re almost to the briefing room. I’ll tell you guys everything while we eat.”

In just a couple of moments the trio found themselves at a door, which promptly opened to allow them inside. Once crossing over the threshold, the two women were treated to the senses: warm ambient lighting not at all like the harsh white light of the passageways and other common areas. The walls were covered in a walnut material with mahogany finish, several shelves containing grimoires, logs, maps and other printed tomes of knowledge lined either side of the room. The main wall in the rear was more barren with a counter, an assortment of spirits and glasses, a few ornamental pieces and marble slab containing some kind of star chart nestled between two chestnut enclosures.

Sitting at the center of the room was an oval shaped desk made out of the same material as the bookshelves with arched legs resting atop a scarlet, flat carpet with gold accents. The chairs were of plush leather, comfortably padded with exquisite stitching all around. Following the group’s arrival, two waiters walked in and offered them each a seat and waited to take their orders, with Bjorn taking the seat opposite those offered to Eden and Delta. He waited until the two made their orders before commencing with their business.

“I’ll bring you both up to speed at the same time. Delta, what I showed you previously was only enough to get your attention. You’ll remember that I never mentioned what the nature of this ‘contraband’ was. Naturally, it’d have to be fairly significant to gain my attention—and I’m not trying to be pretentious here.”

He stopped for a moment, raising the front of his helm to take a drink of his spirit of choice, a dark amber liquid, before replacing his helm proper.

“While this may come as ironic given what you now know of me, someone is smuggling foreign technology into key areas throughout the galaxy. Babel’s reach is far and wide, and their controls normally would detect high value tech passing through…however, this obviously isn’t happening. I’ve ruled out the possibility of a traitor by vetting all personnel responsible for customs checks. Whoever is doing this has the means to conceal their actions, but not the effects at large.”

Only a few minutes into their briefing did their food arrive, the assortment of aromas filling the inviting room and causing at least Bjorn’s stomach to growl loudly.

“If you’ll excuse me a moment…”

“You’re serious, aren’t you? Well, you’re the boss…”

Bjorn lowered his hood with both hands and placed his hands on either side of his helm. With a mental command and request to the Helm of Symmetry, the LEA disengaged and allowed itself to be removed from his skull, thus revealing for the first time Bjorn’s actual face. He had a deeply tanned, almost bronze complexion with perfect skin, his face clean shaven to highlight his chiseled jawline. His eyes were perhaps unsettling, the irises possessed of a radiant gold. Perfectly groomed, his hair was fashioned into a gradually faded crew cut, the color of which was a deep slate color. In either ear were identical golden loops, a total of four pierced into his lobes.

“Can’t eat with that in the way…now, where were we?”

As if there was nothing significant about revealing his face for the first time in known history, Bjorn took up a knife and fork and cut a bite of the juicy steak in front of him, plopped it into his mouth and moved on.

“We need to not only figure out how they’re doing this, but also why, who their source is, and just how much is already deployed before I became aware of their movement. There is more, but I’ll wait until after your questions before I continue…”

Bjorn smiled at the two, gestured to their plates and continued eating. It’d been a long time since he had such a good meal and wasn’t about to let it go cold!

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:16:16 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:16:16 GMT

Aerone:

With an audience of rose-hued flares scorching what remained of Bjorn’s office, vividly roseate gleams emanated from their spirits, like cheers from a crowd, and benevolently illuminated Delta’s path; as flames indiscriminately enkindled the chamber in a growing display of ferocity and ire, a distinctive set of foot falls reverberated about their anger and once-again introduced a subtle ambiance of poise into what was left of the room. Emphatic claps echoed about the chamber and every tone marked the otherwise quiet departure of a young lady who was previously quite vibrant; it was as if her vitality was reincarnated in what she left behind, yet the glow of her rose-stained lamps suggested that there was an undying resolve… a determination to make Bjorn respect her prestige.

Once she left Bjorn’s office the entire journey towards the Star Port was over in a blur, even though she traversed a fair amount of distance. Perhaps her mind was clouded by the potential implications of her supposed “cohort’s” threats, which could have promoted an episode of oblivion induced by rage. Either way, one moment she was stepping beyond the scorched, and dilapidated, chambers and the next was highlighted by a volley of concerned shouts as people suddenly became victims to a series of assaulting earthquakes. Each quiver seemed to propagate with the frequency of footsteps, almost as if some singular being was causing the tremors simply by walking; however, an explanation of this magnitude would be ludicrous, at least to most people… With every shudder, pieces of nearby flooring and such were decorated with a progressively cracking appearance; ear shattering echoes also bombarded the ears of those who were already victims of the acute series of earthquakes, as towering structures cascaded down upon the docks and crashed into the piers with enough force to produce thunderous booms. What didn’t fall upon the actual docks instead descended into an increasingly anxious sea; waves began to violently stir and buffet against docked ships and the pier itself. If one was somehow unperturbed by the weird events, then they could likely notice how irate the sea was just by peering onto its surface; lines of steam rose up from its otherwise cool depths to illustrate its anger, almost as if it was boiling mad.

The heat radiating about the docks was potent enough to coat the pier within a misty haze. Ironically, it was the combination of this heat and fervid vapor that momentarily shutdown an image-casting system which promoted the blue skies’ appearance above the pier; by virtue of the increasing quakes, rising temperatures, and rampant humidity, the simulated blue skies above the pier suddenly acquiesced into a darkness that was decorated with countless stars… which almost made up for the visibility lost by the simulated skies. The docks became illuminated by its namesake, the stars themselves, and it was likely one of the only places on the planet with such blessing; it was considered the closest place to Heaven, and its geography likely persuaded Babel to commission it as one of its main ports. While most people were inclined to call for an emergency, those who were privy to the vitality… and anger… padding the docks could easily uncover the cause of the phenomena; in fact, they’ve probably seen it before, and it was all because of some young lady.

The Star Port being one of Babel’s main channels for extraterritorial travel means it was supposed to be highly secured, and being bordered by seemingly impenetrable gates was just but one of its defenses. However, Delta was quick to display the power of a woman’s scorn by casually wounding the gates with such force that they were blown off their hinges and subsequently introduced to the ground with an overpowering force. The cacophony resulting from their reunion was likely enough to overpower the aggregation of concerned screams and shouts from the unintended victims of her wrath. Once the towering gate folded into the ground, their reunion also shoved aside the dock’s misty ambiance, as winds hastily escaped from the blast radius and essentially cleared the atmosphere of her effects, along with any loose sediments. Also accompanying the destruction of the barrier was a sudden absence of earthquakes; the port was somehow rendered calm, while the seas sloshed about as delicate waves butted up against ships and what remained of the docks.

The tranquil atmosphere wouldn’t last for long since Delta was quite perturbed by Bjorn’s bullshit, and everyone was about to find out just how mad she was. Now standing in the center of a newly created aperture, Delta quickly found that all eyes were on her. One of the most prominent features that could be noted by the crowd was the roseate glow of her hair, almost as if it were lit ablaze by her annoyance; her gaze was equally fervid, and it took very little time for it to locate the cause of everyone’s problems: Bjorn. Immediately after recognizing what was the most eccentric vessel of them all, the earthshaking bellows returned to life as she paced towards the recusant. Every footstep was celebrated with a convulsing shockwave that caused even more degradation of the pier, and it was a feat no one could’ve expected out of a being of her stature. While unimportant onlookers may have believed her to be an odd monstrosity, only those who were well acquainted with her could tell that something was really off… assuming they were completely oblivious to that otherwise earthshaking exterior of hers. For starters she was known for her poise, and this included her generally modest dress, which was usually adorned by an outer-blouse; it would be improper of her to go without the accessory, yet she did. Fortunately, she was still tightly hugged by a white bodysuit so all that was exposed by the outer-blouse’s absence was her shoulders, arms, and bust, which were tightly concealed by the bodysuit, along with a set of denim straps that reached from the sides of her body up to the center of her neck; the straps were virtually the same across her back.

Needless to say, she looked the part of some cute damsel, but once she approached Bjorn… she immediately displayed why she wasn’t to be trifled with. Now within mere meters from her subject, the timing couldn’t have been anymore appropriate for her temper to explode.

“Thank you for joining us, Delta.” Bjorn, who was obviously aware of Delta’s lividity, attempted to greet the young lady with an air of seemingly warm reception; however his true intentions remained beyond Delta’s judgement, since her lamps were blinded by a dainty rage.

”Look, you’re going to listen to me this time Bjor-“ Her sudden silence wasn’t due to any sort of mutual understanding or being handicapped; the pause was brought on by the sudden realization that her friend, Eden, was not only present at the time, but she also appeared to be strategically privy of Bjorn’s shenanigans even though her fist wasn’t decorating Bjorn’s helm… like it should’ve been. The lack of action on Eden’s part was rewarded with an equally sanguineous rose-hot glance in her direction, as if she were apart of this whole scheme.
”You know… I’m so tired of these goddamned, nonsensical-imbecilic fucking pranks of yours, Bjorn! I cannot believe I ever trusted you! I will not stand to be humiliated again, especially not over some moronic game!!” Her voice thundered about area in a manner which allowed every bystander to perfectly hear her words even if they were hundreds of yards away; the way she bitched out Bjorn probably awarded him some sympathy, because the sight of a lady being tired of a guy’s shit was a universally accepted language. It wasn’t long before he responded, actually it was pretty immediate; like a magician apt to display their magic tricks, he closed the distance between himself and Delta within the blink of an eye.

Before she could even finish vocalizing her sentiments, two hands suddenly gripped Delta’s shoulders whilst a shadow engulfed her form. “Delta, I am truly sorry for what I’ve put you through. Believe me when I say it was necessary…” It was certainly odd to hear him sound genuine, odd enough to bring her to a pause while she appeared somewhat concerned.

“PRESENT YOURSELF!”

Upon those words did Delta’s trance end. A sign of her reemergent persona was the subtle shove towards Bjorn, all with the intentions of being released from his grip. Of course, the commotion incited her rose lamps to glance in its direction, and their scrutiny surprisingly described the nearly impossible presence of Carys. Merely laying eyes on the resurrected ingenue caused Delta’s optics to widen while her face expressed her disbelief; she was sure Carys died at the hands of Bjorn. “…Carys? How??”

“Councilor! Councilor its okay! I’ve been taken care of by these people!” Filled to the brim with a familiar, yet unwelcoming, sense of optimism, Carys hastily descended down the ramp towards her director, only to succumb to a pretty wicked faceplant; the fall caused her to be adorned by various bruises along her knees, yet she couldn’t have been any happier. This was pretty much Carys, and the vibrancy she carried with her prospered a sense of skepticism within her director… something which became evident once she stared at Bjorn and shook her head. Delta had to investigate for herself, so she darted towards her assistant.

“Carys, where have you been this whole time??” Her voice was noticeably softer, and designed to stay within their local ambiance while she helped her assistant to her feet. However, before being given the chance to answer, Delta continued to probe at her by pinching and pulling her cheeks, along with her arms, etc. ”I’m certain I saw you die, so how are you here???”

Carys could only giggle from her director’s interrogation, but she did respond between laughs, “I’ve been with these nice people ever since you dropped me off. And that tickles!” She was so enthralled by Delta’s rather imposing analysis that she didn’t even notice that her injuries were no more, surely thanks to something done by the man in the helm.

”I suppose that’s a good thing, but… you shouldn’t be here.” Her rose-hued optics gazed into the orbs of her assistant, in a manner that allowed Carys to be immersed within the gravity of Delta’s statement – rather, this would’ve happened had Eden not impulsively invited Delta to come along with them. Of course, Carys jumped on the bandwagon before the seriousness of her commander’s statement could even be registered; it was unfortunate. ”Eh?! Fine, whatever! This is bullshit and I want to… ugh!! This is so infuriating…” Without another word, Delta boarded the ship with an obvious grievance, while her assistant followed closely behind.

Once the formalities were of the past, Carys freshly acquiesced into the labyrinthine corridors which were a unique hallmark of the Singularity, and left the trio to remain. An aura of uncertainty still radiated from Delta, as she had no idea about Bjorn’s plans; it was a perspective that manifested with her arms crossed below her bosom, while her visage remained stoic, as if she was uninterested at heart. All she was concerned with was getting to the bottom of this shenanigan, even if it meant she was to follow through on his threat… and follow she did as the three of them found themselves facing likely one of many secret doors hidden throughout his vessel.

Just approaching its face queued for the ambiguous wall to fold into an aperture that revealed a compartment filled to the brim with luxury and class, but it wasn’t just a room. Once the trio crossed into its boundaries two waiters walked in, greeted them, offered them seats, and exposed the room as an exquisite diner upon advertising themselves as servers. This was a class of kindness Delta was not used to experiencing from Bjorn, yet she remained detached; metallics claps reverberated about the chamber as she gracefully ambled towards a seat, and sat down at the oval table.

“Good afternoon ma’am. How can we be of service to you today? We don’t provide menus because we are experts in preparing anything, so we can prepare anything you desire.” He, or it, was clearly a well-mannered servant.

“Just a cupcake, and water, please.”

“Yes ma’am.” After he assured Delta of her order, he left, but his departure did highlight the enigma responsible for their assembly… a mystery that was about to come to light.

“I’ll bring you both up to speed at the same time. Delta, what I showed you previously was only enough to get your attention. You’ll remember that I never mentioned what the nature of this ‘contraband’ was. Naturally, it’d have to be fairly significant to gain my attention—and I’m not trying to be pretentious here.”

“Yes, I remember that presentation. What I don’t understand is what’s so important about these imbeciles that called for you to impel me. Speaking of… Eden, did you know about this?? How did you deal with him??? The presence of their voices bounced about like acoustics, as the chamber was devoid of ambient noise.

Just as Bjorn continued his introduction their food arrived, and he was quick to capitalize on it. What greeted her was an order just as extravagant, and just as simple, as she ordered; a strawberry cupcake coupled with a glass of water. She wasn’t keen on eating food prepared by him at the time being, but being a dessert connoisseur of her class at least allowed her to visually dismantle and judge its safety, along with their skills. However, presentations offered by her cohorts’ dishes may have burgeoned a change of heart, but any second thoughts she was bound to have were soundly snuffed out by an irritatingly loud gurgle, and it came from the man of the hour; needless to say, the stunt awarded him with a showering of a rose-hot scrutiny.

“If you’ll excuse me a moment…” If only he knew it were more proper to excuse themselves before behaving ungracefully, but… there was more to his magic, and it was something totally unexpected; the sorcery began with his hands reaching up to his helm, only for the LEA to remain in his hands even though his head remained attached to his shoulders. In one simple maneuver, he managed to prove that he and his LEA were in fact separable while also revealing his true appearance to the two dames. It was a work of art that was so subtle, even Delta was compelled to blink a few times until her senses caught up to the rest of her; his appearance remained one of the most convoluted mysteries in all of the universe, but not even that could hold a candle to a man’s need to eat, apparently.

If there were a documented collection of natural wonders in the universe, this enigma would surely be listed; conversely, it was also capable of mutely calling for the entire chamber to observe as its layers began to unwind, and it brought about a silence so formidable even a mouse’s presence could’ve been fiercely audible. However, instead of receiving a swelling ovation from his audience, a note of an intensifying, yet brief, inbreath broke the silence and served as a harbinger to Delta’s sudden cognizance and her reaction. Immediately after the tone of her gasp met their ears, an abrasive grind followed suite as her chair groaned against the floor and fell backwards, only for the eager slam of her hands meeting the table to overshadow them all.

“WHHATT? So, you do have a face after all?! This is unbelievable.” The seemingly overexcited belle perched found herself perched over the table with her arms hoisting her frame, while a rose-scrutiny ardently scanned his face. “After all this time, now you reveal your face to us? What is the meaning of this? What’s the meaning of all this?” Her orbs darted back to Eden, as she was sure that Eden was just as dumbfounded.

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:17:08 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:17:08 GMT

Omen:

Delta’s appearance represented wrath incarnate, intricate foundations revealed they were as steadfast as a trailer park trailer in a tornado zone. Useless. Forlorn conclusions of mass destruction became to fruition as if the prophecy were foretold. Eden had known from the mere smallest tremors that Bjorn at this point presented Delta with a ‘prank’ beyond the usual boundaries and with that came volcanic scorn. For those that would look upon at Eden’s face it would remain in stoicism, emotions that would normally spark and crackle upon the ignition of her friend’s anger were forgotten, lost to the sea of empty apathy.

Eden’s jaw clenched momentarily as her vision darted towards the aggressor, the woman’s rose quartz aura violently lashing out upon the remnants of what would be the star docks but relaxed as Delta’s scorn remained upon Bjorn before a glance was shared. It was all that was needed to tell Eden everything. However, it was also that moment that Delta would notice something was off. Eden’s aura was non-existent, it was as if it were carved away from her and yet somehow beneath the silence of her aura something ominous remained. How could that be? That Eden in this very moment presented herself with a more powerful gait but her aura was no longer as boundless as it were.

Eden’s attention was drawn back to Bjorn as the man spoke and revealed the final hat trick for Delta. Her second in command was not only alive from what Eden could only estimate was an extreme sign of force by Bjorn but she was well and healed. Minus the small grazes from her tripping down the walkway of the planet looking ship.

“Always one for oddities, Bjorn.”

Eden’s voice cracked through the tortured silence and whispers of Clarys and Delta with the same ferociousness as the rumblings of Delta’s earthquakes prior. Her attention remained focused upon the ship as her boots made contact with the runway towards the ship, now coated in ocean foam due to Delta’s prior aggressive reveal. With her hands pressed together behind her back Eden walked past Delta who was knelt beside Clarys, her eyes shifting downward to look upon Delta’s own. What Delta would see were not the vibrant sage hues of her friend but the battle-hardened focus of Eden during their times against CURE. What remained of the sage colour of Eden’s irises were amalgamated with vibrant silver. Turning her attention forward once more Eden ascended into the depths of this unknown ship.

As the ship was launched from the atmosphere and guided towards a star cruiser, Bjorn’s personal classified ship which drew Eden’s attention only to have it momentarily drawn away as Bjorn revealed a pleasant side to him that even when working for him, Eden had never witnessed. An eyebrow would raise momentarily at the conversation had between Bjorn and his crew before he began to disembark from their carrier ship and onto the hangar bay of what was to be Bjorn’s battle cruiser. Towards the back, something had caught Eden’s attention in one of the vertical hangars, currently shielded from view. The outline however, unmistakable.

“just how prepared were you?”

Eden spoke under her breath as her focus returned to Bjorn and stepped in line. As Bjorn began to speak of the facilities of the ship, Eden’s eyes would momentarily shift in one direction to the next as she began to build a three-dimensional skeletal map of the ship and its major areas. It was a continued silence from Eden as she followed in behind Bjorn, Clarys and Delta. As she moved her hands shifted to brush her pink and silver hombre hair away from her face.

“Where is the training facility and I assume you’ve made amendments to my quarters to accommodate the vault in which I maintain my weaponry?”

Eden finally spoke, her voice void of emotion, if anything it was entirely apathetic in tone as she continued behind the now two of them as Clarys was escorted to her own living space. Surely towards some form of shopping district or the likes to wash away the events of today having witnessed her councilor wage domestic terrorism upon the docklands. Eden’s hands found themselves crossed loosely at her midsection underneath her large double breasted military coat. Her attention focused forward as wall partitions separated to reveal sliding door and hidden rooms alike.

Stepping forward and breaching through the doorway hidden behind the façade of a wall Eden was met with rich tapestry, luxury and class unlike any she’d seen before. Her attention was drawn to the large bookcases containing the many oddities she had spoken of before. Here they were for them to see in all their antiquity beauty.

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding all those treasures. I am sure some of these were from my time in your department.”

Eden spoke once more, that same apathetic tone thick upon her tongue but softer as if she regarded those days with some form of nostalgia. Was it the work, Bjorn or the over-all ease in which those jobs were in the grand scheme of everything? Regardless of the answer it would not replace what was lost and for Eden that was a very core, fundamental part of her being. Turning towards the bar Eden moved towards it and grabbed a glass, filled it with a single cube of clear ice and poured what looked to be a mixture of whiskey, sugar and a bittering agent into the glass. Finishing with a twist of orange peel Eden returned to the table. It was known that Eden could not suffer the effects of alcohol or for the most part any poison or inhibitor however, during her travels Eden had discovered an interest in a select few mixtures called ‘cocktails’ that were carried from old Jerusalem. This one was aptly called an Old Fashioned.

It was, as it were a moment of time to everyone within the room. Unbeknownst to everyone else, to Eden it would feel as if time had ground painfully to the slowest point it would continue its forward momentum. She was gone. Not physically but mentally Eden had checked out of the building, transported from current events to a war-torn memory.

Shaking her head and taking her seat in the high-backed plush leather chair, one leg resting over the other after placing both of her unique circular weapons upon the table beside her glass. One hand rested on her lap, the other holding onto the glass. Eden sat, silently like a gargoyle on the cornerstone listening the speech of Bjorn before her attention was drawn towards the waiters that arrived with a cupcake and water for Delta, a rich steak-based meal for Bjorn and for Eden was a ham and mozzarella croissant and a green tea. Placed before her Eden was about to dig in when Delta finally spoke towards Eden.

Looking up, Eden’s heterochromatic eyes focused upon Delta’s visage before her attention was drawn to Bjorn momentarily before returning to Delta.

“This is the most time I’ve ever dealt with Bjorn. I am finding out about this just as you are. Up until about two hours ago I was across the sector dealing with something else for my own benefit. So, your guess is as good as mine.”

Eden’s voice fell quiet once more as she took a sip from the old fashioned it’s bitter and warm taste running down her throat as she swallowed, attention drawn to the other two. Specifically, Bjorn as he picked up speaking of mass babel technology being shepherded out to unknown organizations or beings without triggering alarms that Babel technology was effectively being stolen. Leaning back in the chair, Eden placed the glass against the arm rest of the chair briefly as if she were preparing her thoughts to speak when confusion and shock ran rampant across her face. Bjorn had in such haphazard fashion revealed to them the greatest enigma in Babel. Not even those of the upper echelon beyond CIDE had seen his face. Until now. So easy was the man’s hunger able to over-power his necessity to keep his rather angelic features hidden that now he presented himself in some form of familiarity to the duo.

As Delta looked towards Eden once more, Eden’s attention was drawn completely to the now eating man in the room. For the first time since her return Eden’s visage portrayed an emotion. Setting her eyes on Delta with a shrug Eden returned her attention back to Bjorn.

“Your greatest weapon was your anonymity and now you present your true face with but a meal to be the reason. Forever an enigma Bjorn, even if it is only out of your choices.” Taking a brief moment to pause, Eden continued. “Whoever is filtering out the technology is not someone of lower stature in the company but someone of significant power that they can hide themselves. It would make sense in that regard as to why you cannot seem to find a loophole for the traitor. You need to look above your station, something has gone awry or is building to a conclusion. Especially with the conduit now closed.”

The comment passed Eden’s lip effortlessly and still with the same haunting apathy as before, her attention retained to Bjorn for a moment longer before settling on Delta.

“Your cook staff must have some balls to present a dessert to Babel’s dessert queen herself.”

After she spoke Eden would pick up a half of her food and place it between her lips, savoring the taste of real food for the first time in months.

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River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:17:36 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:17:36 GMT

{BGM: “The Storm”}

It was quite apparent that the act of revealing his true appearance to the women was indeed unexpected. Delta was quite a bit more animated in her response, combining her reaction with a demand to know just what was going on. Meanwhile, Eden expressed her shock but in a decidedly milder tone; beneath the surface, even as he enjoyed his delicious meal, Bjorn was hard at work. Analyzing, calculating, and digging through each and every detail of all that was presented to him. After the noise settled and all eyes were on him, Bjorn set his fork and knife down gently on his plate, grabbed the cloth folded neatly beside it and wiped his mouth all without lifting his gaze from the food before him. After a moment of pause, Bjorn looked up at each of them and smirked.

“Eden, is that what you truly think? In that case, you have much to learn…which is precisely why I’ve brought the two of you…”, he raised his left hand, nearest his Helm, and gestured widely to indicate his ship.

“…Here.”

Lowering his arm, Bjorn rest his palm on the surface of his Helm and continued to speak.

“While I agree my anonymity yields significant advantages, merely showing my face is not enough to compromise that, or any other aspect of my identity. It is my hope that the two of you come to realize this, and do so quickly: I am not who you think I am.”

The elegant man maintained a perfect smile throughout his declaration and continued with one last comment on that particular matter.

“I show you my face as a gesture of sincerity. Of trust, both of these in the utmost genuineness possible. Cast out your fears, your doubts and all that you think you know. Remember these words as we pursue the path I’ve set us on…”.

Following this final statement on the matter of his identity, replete with hints at something greater at play, Bjorn looked first to Delta and nodded his head towards the cupcake before her. Then, as he laid eyes upon Eden, he finally raised his palm from his Helm to take up fork and knife once more. This seemingly benign act activated a hyper-focused technique meant solely for Eden, leaving Delta entirely unaffected. Eden would notice a powerful yet faint metallic ring invading her ears, yet there was no disturbance to be found in the airwaves amongst them. Naturally, if there were, Delta would be the first to notice. The sensation would quickly infiltrate every fiber of Eden’s being, its strange and ancient power absolute.

Of course, this was far from an act of aggression. As he always did, Bjorn reached through the Force to gauge the state of his company regardless of their status as friend or foe. With Eden, Bjorn had immediately become acutely aware of the turmoil ravaging her mind with every passing moment. Having worked alongside her before, the severe change to her mental state stood out like a sore thumb to him, and he was determined to help her. His gauging was non-invasive, as he only penetrated others’ minds when a situation warranted such abusive tactics, but even without reading the woman’s thoughts, he could feel the pain. Suffering and hatred ran amok within her, rooted with self-loathing and despair. Her previous missions had clearly gone way wrong, the aftermath of which threatened to unravel her being.

So it was, Bjorn activated an ancient technique designed to attune the target’s mind to a dedicated source, which in this case was the Helm of Symmetry. Aside from the metallic ringing at first, its presence would remain thoroughly undetected, as it existed purely within one’s mental realm. Eden would begin to experience unfamiliar sensations crawling throughout her mind, retracting and spreading once more in waves, all wrapped in an inevitable series of questions. What was going on? Who was responsible? Why was she feeling this way? Was she sick? Impossible. Was the fracturing of her mind worsening? Did Bjorn set all of this up to trick her? Maybe he was responsible.

What was that ringing?

Then, Bjorn would resume the conversation regarding the details of their mission after scarfing down another few bites of his steak.

“I agree with Eden, that the problem lies deep within Babel’s upper echelon. The other CIDE members are likely involved in some capacity; however, I believe the ‘problem’ actually goes well beyond them.”

Bjorn stopped and took a sip of his liquor. The entire time he spoke, Eden would find herself inexplicably drawn to every last word to escape his mouth, a sensation she certainly was unfamiliar with. Delta on the other hand was growing agitated once again, to which Bjorn saw fit to answer her question.

“What this is all about, right. As you may have noticed, none of the technology found within this ship can be traced back to Babel, and that is because I do not use Babel’s resources. I use my own, which are sourced from multiple locations outside of this galaxy. It began out of necessity, given the nature of my abilities have origins from a place that exists outside of Babel territory. As time went on, I foresaw the need to establish my own forces, complete with their own resources to carry out the duty entrusted to me. This is how I know it is possible.”

“Would you just get to the point already? You seriously don’t need to gloat…”, Delta snapped at him. There was something he wasn’t telling them and she was growing ever more impatient.

“Naturally. The issue, Delta, is that someone is building an army with technology comparable if not greater than Babel’s own. I suspect a coup is imminent, and if I don’t stop it, Babel will be destroyed. This technology hails from my former organization, and it is extremely important that we find the source, all of those involved, and all their assets. If we do not, everyone and everything you know will cease to exist.”

There was yet more to divulge to his allies, but the rest would have to wait until the appropriate time. Bjorn stood up slowly from his seat, finished his drink and replaced the Helm of Symmetry on its rightful place over his head. As the Helm sealed shut, the human-aspect to the man likewise vanished. His voice returned to that of the familiar digitally modulated projection the two knew all too well.

“Take your time finishing your meals. We will talk more when we arrive at our next destination in three days. When you’re ready, the staff will assist you in finding your quarters. I need to check in with the bridge.”

Taking a shallow bow, Bjorn made his way out of the room. Just before the door slid shut, he exercised a glimmer of his telepathic ability to communicate discretely with Eden.

“Meet me in Sector 32 one hour from now. We’ve much to do, you and I…”

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River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:18:22 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:18:22 GMT

Aerone:

To say it was an honor becoming acquainted with Bjorn’s true persona would’ve been a gross misjudgment. Sure, it was an unexpected courtesy, but the gesture provided more than just answers; instead of feeling content with uncovering perhaps the greatest mystery within Babel, Delta was introduced to a whole assortment of emotions… mostly awe, ire, and some bewilderment at the revelation that Bjorn did in fact have a face. The roseate glow of her leer made it simple for the master manipulator to tell exactly how she felt, all the while it illustrated his seemingly weird mannerisms; to calmly putting down his utensils to silently wiping his lips, he appeared ominously nonchalant about what just transpired, and especially lackadaisical in answering Delta’s question… Granted, the span of time between her question and his retort may seem erroneously stretched because of her impatience… The response Delta sought, however, manifested as a simple convergence of gazes and a smirk; whether he believed it or not, his character seeped through his smile and it served in no way to answer Delta.

“Eden, is that what you truly think? In that case, you have much to learn… which is precisely why I’ve brought the two of you…” How funny, he finally responded to their reception, yet his answer was accompanied and prolonged by a gesture of his hand; his behavior suggested that he was capable of being melodramatic even though it was something he often chastised Delta for. In this case, scene prompted for a pause in his voice while he casually displayed his vessel as their lodge. “…here.”

No longer energized by her discoveries, Delta’s lamps silently shuttered as her gaze made a sharp turn away from Bjorn’s marvel; with a smirk painted about her countenance, one could easily tell that she was either momentarily defeated or at least disinterested enough to turn away from the conversation to retrieve her chair which was overturned earlier. “Don’t mind me, I’m just readjusting my seat…” Her sudden withdrawal from the conversation could be interpreted as her being rude, especially when coupled with the fact that her footfalls… while brief, were audible enough to overshadow his explanation. “Not that it’s important, but I’m listening.” Her charming voice described how poise once-again dominated her actions, even if her tone managed to interrupt his conversation… and if it did, she wasn’t done. After she reassured the party of her undivided attention, a familiar groan reverberated into the chamber as the chair glided against the floor up until it was at its rightful place, and without another word, she casually occupied the seat.

By the time she rejoined the two, Bjorn was at the tail-end of his statement, as all she heard was “I am not who you think I am.” After a mild pause, Bjorn opted to further expand upon his idea, “I show you my face as a gesture of sincerity. Of trust… Cast out your fears, your doubts and all that you think you know. Remember these words as we pursue the path I’ve set us on….” A gentle nod from the male served to hearten his point, only for him to apparently gloss over Eden with a quick glance before his digits returned to his utensils.

“Then how about you start with explaining who you truly are?” Delta once-again chimed into the conversation with her trademark abrasiveness; with her arms crossed below her bosom, her body language surely conveyed how vigilant she was against Bjorn’s words. The glow of her scowl sauntered about his physique and bathed him in an unseen ambivalence, only to be dispelled upon his consensus to Eden’s idea and the claim that other CIDE members could be involved in whatever plot they were to uncover. “W-what do you mean the other CIDE members are likely involved…?” If he was trying to reel Delta back into the conversation, it worked… perhaps too well. The stark change in her demeanor was coupled with, and exemplified by, her arms unweaving until her hands pressed against the outer-frame of the table to support her while she leaned forward. “How could you come up with something so absurd? Explain what this is about already!” Not only did he continuously avoid her question for most of their discussion, but he also seemed to claim something so preposterous that it might as well have been blasphemy; in her perspective, Bjorn was apt to explain the grand scheme of things without detailing what the scheme even was, and it was needless to say, irksome… Fortunately, he did note her growing agitation.

“What this is about, right. As you may have noticed…” Just as Delta thought he was going to divulge truth in all this, he decided to beat around the bush in his typical fashion and yet again bestow upon the belle more questions than she had answers. It was a tiresome trick, and she had enough of it.

“Would you just get to the point already? You seriously don’t need to gloat…” Even though Bjorn “freely” broadcasted information to the two belles, Delta couldn’t help but feel as if something remained obscured; the rationale behind all this still remained beyond of her reach, and she felt it was an intentional omission on Bjorn’s behalf.

“Naturally. The issue, Delta, is that someone is building an army with technology comparable if not greater than Babel’s own. I suspect a coup is imminent, and if I don’t stop it, Babel will be destroyed…” The significance of his expression immediately materialized, and its weight was enough to give Delta that familiar sensation of one’s stomach sinking; any exasperation that bejeweled her ambiance was handily blown away by the statement, and all that remained was a disposition of utmost shock as even her glare was rendered momentarily blank.

“…I wish you divulged that sooner…” This was the tone of a lady who was defeated by something she asked for, and it wasn’t because she was satisfied. “Well, I’m onboard... We can’t let that happen.” Her sudden change of heart suggested that she suffered an obliviating spell by virtue of their circumstances, even though Bjorn previously embarrassed and undermined her multiple times.

“Take your time finishing your meals. We will talk more when we arrive at our destination in three days…” Serving as his verbal notice of his departure, Bjorn rose from his seat, bowed, and subsequently, yet silently, left the chamber. Once his body acquiesced into corridors beyond the room, Delta quickly perched from her seat and glanced towards Eden.

“This is quite serious; I need to go talk with Carys, and then we can catch up afterwards. Looks like we have 3 days...” Without another word, elegant claps began to radiate about room; each note was amplified by a repose burgeoned by Bjorn’s bombshell until she too met with the room’s aperture, and strolled beyond its reach. Unbeknownst to Delta, though, one of the staff members who served her was hot on her trail… probably to make sure she was headed in the right direction.

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River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:19:09 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:19:09 GMT

Omen:

Eden listened quietly, right leg crossing over the left with a slight bounce of her heel. Attention was drawn to less of the man’s visage and more of his actions as he continued to speak as if she knew nothing of the greater world. It was, perhaps more as standard that she knew of current events and did not focus on their projected outcomes unless necessary. With the same stoicism Eden was about to speak until a feint ringing begun to invade her ears, the slight sound not enough to be considered painful or violently intrusive, instead it was almost as if white noise had broken through her many filters applied to her hearing.

With a soft tilt of her head Eden continued to focus but rather less on Bjorn’s facial features and more-so the mask. To Delta this would be as if Eden were scanning a sacred curiosity rather than an alarming or worrisome action. Her eyes returned towards Bjorn as he spoke, Eden’s hues focused back on the man with a curiosity. What was he doing to her? How had it invaded her with such simplicity that it innately didn’t trigger her plethora of senses and why didn’t it hurt? She’d felt his mental pressures before, the violent invasiveness he was known to employ every now and then upon her return from missions, but this was entirely different. A soft sigh escaped Eden’s lips as she leaned back in the chair as she reclined to grant him access.

To Bjorn this would be considered as living visuals, pain and trauma so severely felt through emotional constraints it forms an image. The imagine of creation turned to annihilation. The destruction of her life’s work, her home, friend, and family alike destroyed by her own creation manifest. Bjorn in that moment would see the power, the weakness and the insecurity Eden held bottled tight. On the outside however Eden was watching with the unfolding events with intrigue.

“So, since you’ve been able to skirt Babel and Nibiru Alliance’s checkpoints and sector control you have been able to watch as technology enters or exits our control zones.”

Pausing for a moment Eden’s attention drew across to Delta as her entire demeanor changed from one of standoffish nature to compliable to the events about to transpire. Accepting of the statement Delta seemed almost entirely dismissive off her aggressive nature towards Bjorn. Was he doing to Delta what he had done to Eden? The question passed before swatting the question away. If he had done, Delta would have surely assaulted the man by now.

“Agreed, everything we consider our home and family cannot fall to this outside coup.”

Eden finally spoke, that aggressively haunting tone thick upon her vernacular as she shifted to place her empty cup upon a coaster to ensure she left no damage to the table before she rose, eyes focusing on Delta as if she were about to speak before Bjorn spoke about meeting in three days and excused himself from the presence of the two of them.

“I wonder who is the cause of this hidden coup? And secondly I’m surprised you didn’t attempt to smash that cupcake through his face.”

Eden shifted as Delta left, with a soft nod Eden responded.

“Three days, I have much to tell you. Perhaps we can acquire some bakery materials and we can bake as I tell you. I have learned much in my travels. Including we now have a sector owned entirely by us.”

As Delta left, Eden stood at the edge of the hallway before looking towards a glowing panel and a person stood before it. Stepping towards them Eden gently tapped their shoulder as to not spook the clearly focused worker.

“Excuse me, could you please tell me where Sector 32 is?”

After being handed a small chip with a schematic of the ship’s layout upon it by the worker, Eden walked the hallways, HUD detailing her a small map guiding her towards the location. Large swathes of guards and crew alike pass by Eden giving her a wide birth as is expected for a compatriot of Bjorns. Nodding towards them, Eden continued forward until a large vacant room lined on one side with visuals of the outside space and the armada that followed Bjorn.

“What do you wish to discuss Bjorn?”

Eden speaks to the empty room as the door behind her, well aware that Bjorn is most likely already within this sector. It was vacant which means it’s private use for Bjorn. Eyes scan to the outside world.

“You saw or rather felt everything in my mind, I know your reasoning for why but all you had to do is ask. If I didn’t trust you I wouldn’t have come here. But you knew that already.”

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River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:19:25 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:19:25 GMT

After leaving his meeting with Delta and Eden, Bjorn’s first stop was the bridge to receive the latest briefing on their status across several areas of interest. Speaking with the officer he left in charge, one Captain Vand, he was pleased to learn that their first target had just received a large shipment. The location was a foundry known to ship weapons to various entities owned by Babel, which suggested to Bjorn that they were receiving help from the inside—but also hiding their activities right beneath their noses. His nose, in fact, which did not sit well with him at all.

{BGM: “Chaos is a Ladder”}

At any rate, it would still take about three days before they arrived at their destination, and there were several important tasks that needed completion prior to that. Once again, he excused himself from the bridge, leaving the captain in charge and made his way to Sector 32. With his access and familiarity of the ship’s layout, he made it to their meeting point just prior to Eden’s arrival. He took it upon himself to remain hidden, standing in the adjacent corner of the entrance. A minor release of the Force on his behalf concealed his every trait, while his connection to Eden’s mind further blocked her awareness of his presence. While most individuals would question the necessity of his hiding from an ally, and furthermore manipulating her even if only marginally, Bjorn always had a reason for each and every action he took.

“You saw or rather felt everything in my mind, I know your reasoning for why but all you had to do is ask. If I didn’t trust you I wouldn’t have come here. But you knew that already.”

Silence was her answer, at least for a few moments. There wasn’t time to waste—Bjorn reached with his mind to speak to his old friend through telepathy. Normally the woman’s mind would be protected from such forced communication, but for reasons already explained those defenses were rendered irrelevant.

“Asking for your recount of the events that traumatized you as they did simply would not give me what I seek. There is more at work than you realize, Eden. This is not about trust. This is not about a friend concerned with your happiness or well-being.”

With the Helm of Symmetry’s bond with the woman’s mind, her instincts were allowed free—her conscious mind found itself taking a step back. In its place stepped forward her subconscious mind: all of her feelings, instincts and thoughts were pulled to the forefront. Eden would find the ringing from earlier growing louder and more prevalent, becoming too much to ignore and impossible to filter out.

“Then what is this about? Tell me why!”

Eden spun around, searching for Bjorn to show himself only for her eyes to find the empty, barren room. The fact he hid himself from her was making her angry—it was no secret that Bjorn’s games of cloaks and daggers got on his associates’ nerves. Of course, Bjorn felt this too—he felt everything she felt, and while it was a start, he quickly confirmed that his course was the only solution.

“You do know the risk involved, don’t you?”

“If we do nothing to help her, her light will be lost forever. You’re connected with her, tell me you don’t see what I see.”

“Hmmm…very well. Don’t blame me if she dies.”

The ringing sensation erupted into a thunderous roar, though despite its tremendous volume the sound of Bjorn’s voice cut through with perfect clarity straight to Eden’s mind. Even as he spoke, telling her what he was going to do, she succumbed to his influence in totality. Utilizing the Force, Bjorn drew that which she tried so hard to suppress up to the surface. Her body temperature spiked along with her heartrate skyrocketing. Every fiber of every muscle would feel as if it were wrapped in the hottest flame. Joining the flames came the immense, near crippling pressure exerted on her from every conceivable plane.

“Show me, Eden. Show me what happened. Take us back to that day—the darkest day.”

The devouring of her mind, body and soul through the vast power of the Force would stimulate her to relive the fateful day when she lost her children. When she destroyed all that, she loved and spent her entire life creating. It was a cruel and potent process, but a necessary one. In order to draw her power out and replace what she had lost with something infinitely greater, Bjorn would first make her relive her horrors a thousand-fold.

While she might have resisted momentarily, Bjorn and the Helm of Symmetry represented an unwavering grip over her. Wherever she turned, she would see the terrible images of that day played out before her. After the first couple of minutes, she would find that the room she thought she was in was no more—replaced by her home which she had been forced to destroy. It was at this point Bjorn walked forward from his concealment, the scene surrounding Eden remaining perfectly in-tact as he came into view.

He saw what she saw, their every sense confirming their presence on her home world. He saw the fire, the piled dead and the sight of her slaughtering the seemingly endless horde of her own creation. It was all she could do to turn her head away, desperately not wanting to be made to relive the bloody scene. Walking up to her, Bjorn laid his left hand gently on her right shoulder whilst raising his right hand in front of him.

“There is a power hidden deep within you…If you do not confront this horror lying just beneath the surface, you will die.”

Eden tried to look, raising her head and opening her eyes only to see herself cutting down her children by the dozen. She again lowered her gaze to the ground, her eyes confronted with the faces of the dead she stood upon. Right when she was going to scream in protest, Bjorn focused his grip ever tighter. Every action he took served to amplify her emotions in near countless ways: tearing her walls down, burning the remains and twisting them as he saw fit until the cast was found and filled. Increasing the severity of the invasion to her entire being, the events that killed her that day began playing out with increased potency and speed. In short order, the totality of Eden’s nightmare was projected into her mind and before their eyes hundreds of times per second.

“Tell me: who are you? Who do you want to be. Why did you do this to your own?! Tell me everything!”

From just beyond Eden’s sight rose a golden sigil superimposed upon the air above his gauntlet which exploded into a shower of platinum rays. He removed his hand from her shoulder and asserted even more control over her, snapping her head up and eyes pulled open. Her body ascended into the air, and Bjorn pushed even harder. The more the scenes played out in her mind the more he learned, while the amplification to her senses both inside and out forced Eden’s reaction to be laid bare before him. Soon the events of the darkest period in her existence were projected millions of times over, while Bjorn began to manipulate what she saw in the form of additional scenes. Varying perspectives, different points in time all mashed together with every single second serving to arrive at a climax.

The process of drawing one’s connection to the Force was normally left for fate to decide. If a person never embraces that connection, they cannot achieve their true potential. Eden was an extraordinarily rare case in that she was a Realian, created artificially to serve as the First Contact. Replete with cybernetic enhancements, she was not of natural birth or matter. The Force resides in all beings in one way or another, and it just so happened that the purpose to her creation did not disqualify her from being touched by it. In fact, Bjorn had been able to see that she in fact possessed an extremely potent alignment with the Force.

If she allowed herself to be defeated by the horrors of her past no matter how distant or recent, she would die in this room. Bjorn’s actions simply accelerated the process, serving as a trial by some definitions. All she had to do was embrace who she really was—not the weapon created by a mad Doctor, but a person whose fate remained unclear.

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River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:20:26 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:20:26 GMT

Omen:

“Why is this ringing so loud?!”

Eden snapped through gritted teeth as her mind was invaded to the fullest extent of Bjorn’s power. Unrelenting Eden found her emotions, her thoughts, dreams, aspirations, fears and pain brought to the surface like a stop motion film forged from snapshots of her existence. It hurt, it hurt so god damned much. Instinct told her to fight back, to claw and recoil away from the emotional torment of what Bjorn was bringing to the surface. Fingertips pressed against her flesh, fingertips embedding into her flesh as if trying to physically pull herself away from what she saw.

Elizabeth, Caroline, Marcus… All dead, lost to her children, her creations the Dyr. Their wicked visage painted in the blood of her friends and her home. The wild instinct of having to endlessly slaughter each one in genocide. Bjorn could see it the sheer number, the endless horde. A Biological weapon of horror that was adapting at every twist and turn, constantly learning. If Bjorn was ensuring technology was amassed from the outside for his own purposes, Eden’s Dyr were a check mate that if let out would be unstoppable to the point of similarity to the Gnosis.

“No, no, no no no no no!”

Thrashing her head to the side Eden’s shoulder finds itself colliding with a wall as her eyes snapped open, eyes searching with fierce fervor for Bjorn and his mask. That ringing hurt so much. Unable to find them she kept thrashing, throwing herself into the wall once again, blood splattering up the wall as her forehead slammed against the wall. The flashes, the memories drawn to relive it over and over and over and over again like some sick fantasy was torture the woman was never used too. She could take being crushed under a city of unknown mass and hit with five hundred magical meteors and it would hurt less.

“There is a power hidden deep within you… If you do not confront this horror lying just beneath the surface, you will die.”

The words snapped through Eden’s mind as her eyes opened once again reliving the memories this time in first person. She could feel each slice upon her skin, each droplet of rain, mud and blood as it cascaded with each thrust of her spear, each spin of her body to defend. It was relentless as each Dyr carcass would drop only for two more to come. Cities would burn, beautiful forests were torn and turned to food in the unrelenting consummation. If Bjorn paid attention the confirmed kill counter on the left of her heads-up display affirming the number well into the hundreds of thousands.

The ringing was getting worse now representing a high-pitched drone like a dental drill to the ear it continued, growing ever more prominent. Unable to resist Eden would let it consume her. She would fall into the memories and emotions as they bathed her thousands of times a second. Destined to relive the same tormenting process. Even right down to Delta finding her drained of aether and seconds away from true death as the Queen of the Dyr had amalgamated with Elizabeth, destined to use the corpse of a friend against her in Eden’s final moments.

Time was lost to the high-pitched ringing and Eden’s body felt still, completely disjoined as consciousness completely fell away to subconsciousness. It felt like being in the backseat of someone else manning her body. She could feel this budding pressure, this presence shifting beneath the pain. The surface of it just beyond her reach as she outstretched to touch it. Halted every time by the repetition of those memories millions of times over. On the outside to Bjorn’s vision Eden was ‘conscious’ in the state that her eyes were open, and she was technically ‘alive’. Her chest was moving rapidly as if breathing were a necessity. If he were to feel her heart it was beating at an accelerated rate. Comparable to traumatic panic attacks. However, Eden was not moving, completely still with arms limp at her side, fingertips curled deep into her palms. Blood seeped from the small punctures of her inner palm and from the wound on her forehead from the repeated slamming of her skull against the ship’s inner interior. Eden’s head would tilt back and stare at the roof as the blood would streak like rivers of sanguine down her hair before dripping down onto the floor below. Her current reality mirrored the damage of the memories and additional scenes as they began to filter. Art imitates life.

Time was insignificant and an unknown concept to Eden. It could have been minutes, hours, or likely days in this state. For Bjorn it was the day after their initial investigation. The memories were wreaking havoc upon Eden’s psyche as she to his feelings fighting with more fervor over and over the aggression was seeping out with an increased ferocity that wasn’t there before. The eyes of Eden were void of everything but the instinctual desire to survive. In this moment whatever Bjorn had imprisoned Eden within had stripped away everything but the basic instinct of hunt or be hunted. Survive or die. Eden’s physical healing factor should have stopped her wounds by now, however it is apparent by the new streams of sanguine down her palms and knuckles that she was instinctually reopening them, forcing herself to bleed as the droplets and small pools of caked blood were growing into increasingly larger pools of freshly wet pools. Each droplet of blood another death of the dyr.

Three hundred and eighty-one thousand five hundred and sixty-two deaths on the counter. The memories were moving in a faster pace, memories fabricated and real alike perfectly amalgamated in the process as Eden witnessed the death of her friends, her scientists, her children, her home and in some cases herself repeatedly. That ringing, why won’t it leave her alone?

Somewhere deep inside Eden Bjorn would feel the stirring, the shifting of micromovements of powerful will. The power of a moth’s wings blowing down mountains remained sealed for Eden, but it was stirring. It was awakening, even if it was just outside of Eden’s touch for now. The day was coming to a close as Eden’s voice finally began to speak through raspy broken tones both in reality and in her mind.

“I am Eden Allyssa Grey, and I am Babel’s weapon, Member of the CIDE VII and I was the first contact. I want to be me; I want to have the power to stand on my own! I did it because they were my children.”

The words were spoken but nothing was happening. It was meek, unbelieved by the woman as she constantly tried to push on forward. Eden never gave up, always pushing forward, relentlessly so even if she didn’t know why. It was at her base instinct to fight until she could fight no more. She would never give up, ever. If she were to give up now, she would die at the hands of Bjorn. Mind, body, and soul completely left to ruination but even as she pleaded for release, she never stopped her fighting. She always kept going and every time she did that power within continued to stir.

As the second day come to a rise, changes had shifted as about Eden’s physical form panels of wall had been torn free and were floating effortlessly about Eden as if it were a protective caccoon. A lavae ready to be born. Eden’s subconscious had found that egg and was now hammering fist, spear and tooth into it in an attempt to break it free. In Bjorn’s mind she would speak with confidence, she would speak with intense declaration.

“I am Eden Allysa Grey, Member of Eclipse and CIDE VII, friend of Delta. I am a warrior, a fighter and a protector, a killer and many more. I am an Idol, I love music and I will not let this loss control me! I want to be able to protect my home, my friends and my family. I never want to be weak again! I never want to lose myself again! I never want to worry Delta or you or anyone again! I want to help, not hinder! I want to be ME! I did it on my own out of fear and worry. I did it to prove to myself I was strong and, in the end, proved I was weak.”

As those words passed Eden’s lips the world shattered away as the intense control forced from Bjorn and his helm of symmetry was shattered. The ringing connection shredded away as Eden’s physical form began to float amongst the cocoon of debris. The debris would crumble in upon itself as if it were being crushed like paper before falling to the floor, Eden’s own feet once more touching the floor. One of her dual heterochromatic eyes now purely white, her left. Panting, her body now coming undone from the unfathomable stress from the torture for two, nearly three days passing as the third day was fast approaching, the last day before their arrival to their destination. Falling to one knee Eden’s eyes flowed across the room and focused upon Bjorn, uncannily now able to feel him, well not just him. She could feel everyone within the next four sectors. Their emotions, their thoughts, to them it would feel as if someone was brushing against her shoulders.

“Wha… what was that?”

She panted before she continued.

“What… is this Bjorn?”

Killiak
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Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:20:43 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:20:43 GMT

{BGM: “The Force”}

As minutes passed into hours, hours into days, Bjorn stood ever vigilant at Eden’s side. He saw what she saw, felt what she felt, and walked with her every step of the way on her journey to realizing her one true self. As he told her that there was far more at play than she realized, the moment this fact would come into play was fast approaching. When it did, Eden was fated to never be the same…

For it was not his goal to tear her down and lay her bare and defenseless against her own horrors out of some sick and twisted pleasure. In truth, the critical motive of his actions was quite simple. The closer she approached the apex of her journey, the more he urged the Helm of Symmetry to release its grasp over his companion, as her course had surpassed the point of no return quite some time prior. By the end of it, his Helm served only to guide her rather than rip and tear her along against her will.

When it came to Bjorn’s state in all of this, it would forever remain a mystery just how much or how little taxing the endeavor was for the man. He was far and away the most gifted Force user in this corner of the Galaxy [universe], with the true enormity of what that meant being lost on all around him. It was for this fact that he was even capable of performing the ritual performed on Eden in the first place, as he effectively manipulated space-time like a child’s plaything. It was entirely possible that his Helm was solely at work here, too, with the true power of the artifact equally escaping the awareness of others. These details were neither here nor there however, as the woman shouted a second time. This was considerably more determined than her ever-so-empty, rehearsed convictions the day prior. It actually felt like true purpose, and yet it wasn’t quite what Bjorn was looking for…

“I am Eden Allysa Grey, Member of Eclipse and CIDE VII, friend of Delta. I am a warrior, a fighter and a protector, a killer and many more. I am an Idol, I love music and I will not let this loss control me! I want to be able to protect my home, my friends and my family. I never want to be weak again! I never want to lose myself again! I never want to worry Delta or you or anyone again! I want to help, not hinder! I want to be ME! I did it on my own out of fear and worry. I did it to prove to myself I was strong and, in the end, proved I was weak.”

Bjorn tilted his head to his left, finally reducing his hold over her to the bare minimum to remind her he was still there. Still very much in control of her physical, mental and spiritual well-being. He could feel her power awakening, the entirety of her being responding to that which already dwelled deep beneath the surface…At long last she lashed out, having touched her surroundings hours prior in the form of pulling panels free of their moorings only to lay them in a crumpled heap. She returned to the floor proper, and Bjorn walked slowly in a half circle until he stood in front of her. Though she couldn’t see it, he was smiling behind the wall that was his helm.

“Wha…what was that?”

“Good…the life has returned to your eyes”, Bjorn commented as she gasped for air, recuperating from the hell she’d been through.

“What…is this Bjorn?”

He reached into the folds of his robes and procured two cylindrical objects—hilts which each harbored a tremendous power that should have resonated with the woman’s newly awakened power, even if only moderately. Meanwhile, his Helm informed him of exactly what he wanted to hear with regards to her status…

“She’s not dead and you were right, there is power in her. You really are scary, you know that?”

Bjorn chuckled, both at Eden’s wonder and amazement, and that which remained unspoken between himself and his Helm of Symmetry.

“It is not a thing to be quantified, as you’re surely trying to do…however…”

As his voice trailed off, Bjorn signaled for the woman to rise from her kneeling position. As she did, he tossed one of the hilts to her before raising the one in his own hand for demonstration. The two were identical in their fabrication, bearing metallic and hollow structures with one end remaining open ended. Simplistic in design with slightly oval shapes through the center, wrapped in aged leather to improve grip, the hilts actually looked archaic considering their setting. On each of them could be found a single switch of synthetic material, and after he raised his horizontally in between them, Bjorn depressed the switch. From its open end ignited a fierce blue blade of plasma contained within an extremely powerful field, responsible for giving the weapon its shape. Just over a meter in length and perfectly cylindrical in form, it cast a fierce glow throughout the entire room.

“At first glance this may appear to be a simple plasma sword, but in the right hands it is much more than that. Your hands are now capable of wielding such a weapon properly. What I have done, Eden, is simply open your eyes to the truth that surrounds us. There is an energy the likes of no other, flowing around all things, through them and beyond. From the moment I met you, I could feel the potential slumbering deep within, buried under mile after mile of lies. As we are pressed for time, I will try to keep this short and to the point. Ignite your lightsaber.”

Bjorn lowered his blade to his right, keeping the point of it just above the ground as he waited. With only a slight delay, Eden complied and ignited her lightsaber, being mindful of its orientation. Just as the hilts were identical, so too were the blades, as hers was also a fierce blue in color. These were far from Bjorn’s personal lightsabers, but they were lightsabers nonetheless and extremely lethal in their own regard. Once her blade was ignited, Bjorn swiped his with exceptional speed and dexterity, aiming for her abdomen. As the weapon was extremely lightweight, it was equally easy to move quickly, though it commanded skill to do so accurately and effectively.

Eden reacted perfectly, swinging her lightsaber to meet Bjorn’s in an instant. As the two lightsabers clashed and remained in contact, their blades crackled and snarled, creating a distinct roar which persisted for several seconds. Then, Bjorn performed a simple maneuver that thrust the woman backward and off-balance with what appeared to be hardly a shred of effort, though she recovered from it quite easily. Following the distancing maneuver, Bjorn lowered his saber to his side once more, and proceeded to tell her what she needed to hear.

“Like I said, the Force—this energy—flows in and around all things. As you train, you will come to understand the nuances of this relationship. For now, just know that it is all-powerful. With enough dedication and grit, coupled with resolve and patience, you will see that even your former life as The Contact pales in comparison. The Force is not merely a power to be wield in combat, for it guides us in all walks of life. It guided your hand to move precisely where it needed to be just now, you felt it—was it not different than your former instincts?”

Bjorn once more followed his words with action, this time reaching his hand toward the crumpled mess of scrap metal she’d turned the paneling of his walls into. They were raised from the floor, and in the following moments they were straightened out and restored to their former states, as he subsequently replaced them to their original locations upon the walls surrounding them.

“Lastly, I must warn you: Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger; anger leads to hate…hate leads to suffering.”

Bjorn deactivated his lightsaber, returning it to his robes and motioned for Eden to approach yet again.

“The ritual I performed was to test you in the harshest manner possible. If you chose to pursue your anger and hatred, you would have been lost forever. Few are able to return from the Dark Side after succumbing to its seductive power and are ultimately destroyed in some way. Remember this as we proceed and heed my words. All of them.”

Bjorn nodded his head toward the exit of the room before continuing.

“If you have any questions, do not hesitate to ask. I will say though, there are only hours left before we reach our destination. I recommend we get some rest before our arrival, but I will wait for you to make your decision.”

Killiak
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River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:21:14 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:21:14 GMT

Aerone:

After suffering from a hypothetical curveball which Bjorn sternly pitched into her face, Delta recognized that time was of the essence. Every hearty footfall imprinted by the young lady as she departed the chamber was galvanized by a sense of anxiety, an urgency to just understand what was going on. Emphatically heavy claps echoed about the corridor to celebrate her heels’ acquaintance with ory flooring in a typical diva fashion, yet the demeanor illustrated by her countenance conveyed something more; this was not the promenade of a supercilious doyenne, but of a young lady who was burdened by threats of the unknown. So many questions ran through her mind that she appeared hyper focused, when in truth her senses were long gone; her petite frame walked down the hallway while her sentience replayed a discussion prior… over and over. Perhaps her semblance could be described as being perplexed. How could something this wretched prosper right under their noses? It was a question responsible for repressing the mind into a diner progressively distant by every step she made, and her senses likely would’ve remained there if it weren’t for a rather (un)timely interruption.

“Excuse me, miss!”

A set of aurelian-embellished rose-pink lamps snapped into attention the moment she heard a call; trailing her was none other than one of Bjorn’s staff members, and she was so engrossed by what already occurred that she forgot about the person tracing her footsteps ever since she left the diner. At once, the sounds of her footfalls vanished – superseded by a similar choir of louds steps, only this time their tempo was faster and more aloud with every step.

“Hm?”

Within a second’s time, her would-be pursuer caught up to her and quickly interjected himself into her path… an oversight on his part which awarded him with a dreadful, silent, gaze. Everything observed by their rose-pink scrutiny described a person of no particular interest; he adorned a standard chef uniform properly molded into perfection by Bjorn’s immeasurable standards, yet his first impression paled in comparison. Instead of proudly wearing his honor, a series of subtle hisses and gulps parted his mouth and effortlessly diffused into a silent hallway where his mild gasps for air intensified into an annoying accomplishment.

“How long have you been following me?” Delta, unceremoniously solicited by a less-than ideal class of character, frowned at the mere sight of him. “Aren’t you that delightful aide who was responsible for my cupcake? Why are you out of breath?” Words that would’ve portrayed an endearing concern, if they were spoken by anyone else but her; instead, a shade of sarcasm lined Delta’s voice to bear him a window into her displeasure.

“Please, forgive me for my awkward intrusion. I’m new to this department…” At least he owned his flop of an entrance. Whilst begging for her pardon, his body quickly perched into a rigid attention befitting someone with proper cultivation from whatever Bjorn subjected them to; standing tall, the male’s gaze could only descend onto Delta’s contour… only to become immersed in a scrutiny of her own doing. With arms crossed below the bosom and a smirk adorning her countenance, the aid promptly got to the point. “You are one of our esteemed guests. Please allow me to walk you to your quarters…” His voice no longer frayed by wheezes, was tremoring with nervousness… even if he couldn’t tell.

“…Hmph.” Roseate lamps shuttered at the mere idea of yielding to him, so much that she calmly glanced away from his employee. Not a second later did a humble sigh part her lips in defeat. “…I suppose I shouldn’t cause problems while I’m here.” One arm uncoiled away from her person and lackadaisically motioned for him to proceed. “By all means.~ However… I must say I’m surprised to see someone organic within Bjorn’s ranks.”

“I-I don’t think I understand, ma’am.” Clearly confused by Delta’s statement he forgot that she already granted him permission to guide her.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I was just making an observation, but if you’re going to escort me then dispose of that hesitancy of yours; it’s unsightly for someone of your role.” Peachy shutters gave way to a rose-pink radiance once more, only to urge the male forward with a glare. Without another word her would-be attendant turned around and marched forward. Their travel involved walking throughout various corridors and corners until they were met with a set of metallic gateways for an elevator. “An elevator? Is my room not on this floor?”

An awkward laugh spluttered about their ambiance, imparting a lingering sense of confusion and discomfort until her guide decided to elaborate on his outburst, “No ma’am. Your quarters are located in Sector 14, which is located on the first floor.”

A delicate pointer finger smoothly rose up to adorn her lips. “Well, I’m not going to lie to you; having you escort me thus far has been a real nuisance! I think this is a poor use of your time.” Delta’s trademark malignancy began to rear its elegant crown; her plans to visit Carys were disrupted by someone who felt more like a watchdog the more she followed him. “Well, perhaps you could be of some use to me.”

“Y-yes, of course. How can I help you?”

“I... absentmindedly left my cupcake in the diner; I never realized my room was on a different floor.” For the first time since she arrived on this vessel, her countenance appeared to portray a genuine appreciation for the servant – the face of a doll that any male could fall in love with. “Could you go get it? I suppose I’ll stand here and wait for your return.” A truly uncharacteristic approach from the melodramatic CIDE member; she was usually known for her fiery, boisterous, outlook. Delta typically conducted on her terms, yet she was strangely amicable with this aid. So cordial that her temper inspired the poor male into acquiescing towards the corridors for the dessert she so kindly, comparatively, asked for.

Once he was out of sight, the belle’s true colors began to manifest as she confidently placed her nieve on a sensor panel responsible for separating her from that pesky servant. Within moments what were metallic doors apertured into nothingness, only to reveal a chamber; a delicate step was all she needed to ensure a detachment from just another annoying aspect of Bjorn. In her wake did an aperture cease to exist; metallic doors rejoined once again as she turned around to face an instrument panel… one she’s never seen before.

“I-I’ve never seen any of these symbols before.” A tilt of her crown marked the beginning of a brief exploration, where every nook and cranny was unearthed but she found nothing of value; likewise, an adorable snarl denoted the end of her endeavor. “What was I to expect out of a place constructed in his image?! Ugh!” In fact, instead of unearthing nothing, she found frustration – a bitterness that compelled her to momentarily disregard reason and tap a variety of buttons anyway. Unbeknownst to her, though, every button she pressed was accounted for; the panel didn’t discount her disorganized feedback as nothing, and instead purred to life. A gentle judder overtook what was once motionless and served as one of the first signs that something was happening, persuading Delta to cease pressing buttons before taking a couple steps away from the panel. Once the conveyor whirred to life it quickly, yet delicately, descended for what felt like several minutes until it gracefully came to a stop. An eerie silence invaded the chamber before its set of metallic doors slowly receded into obscurity, allowing the young lady’s orbs to see what was in store for her.

“…This can’t be the first floor.” As opposed to being greeted with a set of décor, an ambiance, like the previous floor… this corridor reeked of gloom. As the elevator doors began to aperture, a soft gray fog eased into Delta’s personal area and settled along the chamber’s base as a billowing embodiment of enigma; its gray silhouette, endowed by gentle interior lighting, handily stood out against an otherwise smothering darkness and beckoned the young lady to step foot into the bowels of the unknown. Delta, under the impression there was no other choice, allowed her curiosity to encourage a confident stride beyond the chamber and into a crepuscule embrace. “What is this???” Her whispers echoed into obscurity. If Delta was unsure about her surroundings, her transportation would cement her decision by isolating itself; metallic gates began to rejoin, and as they reassembled any light awarded by its presence dwindled into naught. Once they came together, a resounding chime echoed into darkness. Fortunately, an array of thin light vectors sprung to life upon the elevator’s tone and softly illuminated the many pathways available for her; these lights were more like ambient lighting since they traced along either side of the hallways.

“Perhaps I’ll just save the questions for later… For now, I need to find a way out.” A young lady’s whispers marked her descent into swarthiness. From there she endured a series of twists and turns until she found herself perched before yet another steel-like door. It appeared much like the entrance to another conveyor, except heavy fortifications adorned the gate and even part of the corridor nearest it. Whatever was beyond that door was apparently supposed to stay there, but of course a simple press of her hand along an ID panel incited the many fortifications to fold upon themselves… including the door. “Looks like Councilors have access to… whatever this is…” As she entered the chamber, said metal bracings reconstructed themselves and became complete upon the door’s hefty slam.

Upon her entrance did light gradually follow her, only to surpass the dame and trace along the exterior of what was soon identified as a vast platform… a glass-like balcony that overlooked a seemingly endless chasm. As her stage manifested, a slow walk towards its edge allowed the belle to see… essentially nothing; all she could observe was a thin appendage which stretched from the balcony and into the abyss.

“How many times do I have to ask ‘what is this’ before things make sense??” At this point she could no longer be dumbfounded by the unexpected. Out of all of CIDE, Bjorn was perhaps the most indecipherable; when combined with his equally unfathomable lack of inhibition, anything could occur – a fact Delta was privy to. However, even though she had firsthand knowledge of just how unpredictable her supposed cohort could be, a unique blend of curiosity and nervousness propelled her to stroll to the balcony’s edge in an attempt to understand what exactly confined… and confounded her; the entire scene was rife with a type of charm that made her question “why,” only to transform into angst upon remembering ”who” reigned here.

Infomania or mania aside, delicate footfalls proceeded to adorn the balcony until she casually walked across an outstretched pathway; her first step was accompanied by an impulsive irradiance which cascaded downwards onto that spot in a focused beam. To say it startled her was an understatement; upon light’s descent, a timid yelp escaped her lips as she flinched.

“Look, I don’t know how I arrived here; it just happ- oh…” Delta, expectant a harsh glare and shame, about-faced mid-sentence only to find she was alone… and relieved; the animation of light prior wasn’t due to being caught red-handed, but because of a likely antiquated sensory system. However, it was by its brilliance that she could see what appeared to be an empty control room about one story high. “This must be a decommissioned command center… so that means…” Finally, things seemed to make a little sense to an otherwise perplexed lady. An aura of confidence emerged from curiosity, and impelled her to perch on the edge of the towering pathway where a circular pad awaited her. “I should be standing on the Master Control Panel… Somewhat strange to have a Master Control Panel down here, when the control room is up there…” The more she pondered about her placement, the more she realized something was wrong – even if she couldn’t believe it.

A sole pointer to her lips prefaced a delicate “Hmm…” She could not see any immediate reaction caused by perching center stage… Unknown to her, though, was that her presence sparked life into mechanisms which were long forgotten, or untold; before long, some of these consequences began to manifest – the first among them being a sudden arousal of focused, yet spaced-out, LEDs. Their abrupt sparkles lined the chamber’s walls and appeared in the manner of a calculated array, a pattern where a line of LEDs fired off in unison, only to climb the chamber in one grand wave of light… only to restart once again at the chamber’s bottom to repeat the process. It was a spectacle that paralyzed her in astonishment, and a revelation – the walls which confined her were spherical, and fixed in-between the plethora of miniscule light diodes were massive display panels; they too, comprised the room’s infrastructure and were means to an immersion Delta only heard about through the whispers of others.

“I-I think I’ve heard of this… I know what this is now, but I thought we decommissioned this due to high failure rate!” A gleam in her roseate lamps announced a sudden moment of clarity, only to dilate upon realizing she perched within the results of unmentioned lore. “…Of course he’d reserve an experiment of such magnitude…” Before she could even fathom the possibility of a forceful exit, each panel spontaneously illuminated with such a great radiance that the entire space was deluged in pure white. Out of instinct, the young lady attempted to shelter her eyes by hoisting her arms before her vision, but the shadows imparted by them meant nothing to a seemingly omnipresent effulgence – for they were too late; the moment she glimpsed luminescence she had already succumbed.

Although from her perspective, she managed to shutter an otherwise vulnerable set of rosy lamps and sheath much of her countenance from blinding light. A gradual withdrawal from the shelter within her arms allowed her to see that it was too late; one moment she’s standing dead center of a prototype of mass destruction, and the next her soles stood upon a totally new frontier. There within the time it took for her to shield her face, the consequences of her blunder could be found – and her along with them. In lieu of being surrounded by advanced technology, she found herself surrounded by a vast stretch of orange and gold; the sun’s calmed flame extended across the skies in a seemingly perpetual sunset where arrays of autumnal hues uniformly colored everything between heaven and horizon. Floating along a gloaming sea were billowing clouds, which actually obstructed the sun and magnified its dozing rays; it was beautiful. What was more impressive, though, was the surface she stood on.

What could only be described as an aqueous soil settled beneath her feet as calm ripples perpetually diffused where she stood; in the manner of mirror-like water, Delta’s flawless reflection manifested in her shadow – only for it to experience a gloaming scene as well.

Understandably unaware of her whereabouts, a set of roseate orbs scanned the environment as she almost frantically turned her crown, “…Where am I?” Marking her exploration were the gentle tones of splashing water, each caused by delicate footsteps.

As from the perspective of others, were anyone to witness the event, her elegant frame lifelessly descended onto the floor she stood upon the moment light inundated the chamber - as a flash; while her vitals appeared normal, there was an obvious lack of consciousness. To think this is how her first day aboard “The Singularity” would’ve ended…

Killiak
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"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:21:42 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:21:42 GMT

Omen:

Breath escaped an open mouth as Eden's eyes flowed from the plasma sword coined lightsaber in her hand towards the man Bjorn revealed himself to be. He was a master of secrets, and this was one of the most dangerous though she was in shock and awe of what he had done with her; she was also aware of the inherent danger of doing so even if she didn't understand the consequences. Twisting her right hand momentarily to hear the blade hum and hiss through the air before sheathing it with a soft 'shink' as the light dispersed.

"Balance is key in all things."

In sharp exhales, the words fell from her body as the exhaustion wracked her body in one dangerous tsunami. Folding over to rest her hands on her knees, she listened and digested everything whirling about her mind. She felt more powerful and connected to the world now than she had before, but the proper understanding of what this Force was and the depth of its ability were unknown to her. Taking a moment to consider the options, Eden rose to her full height only to sweep herself into a deep bow, eyes locked to Bjorn as she speaks only on the matter.

"I would greatly appreciate it if you took me under your tutorage so I can best come to understand the power you have unlocked within me."

Raising slowly, Eden spun the lightsaber around to present its hilt first towards Bjorn, eyes drawing towards the dangerous yet beautiful weapon. Even in its archaic aesthetic, the weapon had a primal elegance that she couldn't ignore. Softly and without filter, she spoke again almost wistfully and in sarcasm.

"I'd keep it, but blue's not my colour; perhaps a pink or an orange would better suit me."

She followed through with a laugh, hearty and full. Tears ran down from the corner of her eyes as if this was the best joke she'd ever said. That this lame retort was comedy gold when in truth, it was just her way of dealing with the intense, heart-wrenching days. That or she was simply going insane. The sound echoed throughout the room for a couple of minutes before they died suddenly, and her eyes shifted towards the ship's depths.

"Somethings wrong."

She felt that she could intrinsically 'feel' others presence in an entirely different fashion than before. She focused intently when she felt a shift in Delta's existence because it had just disappeared. Her breathing slowed as she looked upon her HUD for Delta's signature, only to read it flat.

"Something has happened to Delta!"

She barked in shock and worry as her face curled into anxiety and sadness. Looking towards the door with a single flick of her right hand from the inside out, the doors obeyed and thrust open with far more vigour than usual. Looking towards Bjorn, Eden waited for a moment to try and see if she could at least focus upon the presence of Delta. Just how powerful could the Force be? Slowing her breathing once again, fighting off the worry and stress, Eden began to calm her mind by finding the rhythm in her breathing. She would start to feel out with the Force to touch others. To the outside world, Eden's face would occasionally twitch as she felt the presence. To Bjorn, he would know that Eden was brushing up against people's emotions and thoughts, that she saw snapshots of their desires and memories in vivid accuracy. Then she would snap shut as she found Delta.

"She's in some dark circular room, and it is dark, but she's alone and unconscious!"

She said as she moved towards the door, looking towards Bjorn.

"We need to get her and make sure she hasn't done anything stupid to herself or that nothing has happened to her!"

Eden moved forward through the open door and into the hallways using this newfound sensation like a homing device to lead her towards Delta. It should be easy, but exhaustion and not knowing this ship 'The Singularity' meant Eden would be slower to arrive than usual. She would hope that, in any case, Bjorn would join her. She also hoped that he would accept her question.

Killiak
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"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:22:03 GMT

Quote

Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:22:03 GMT

{BGM: “Invasion”}

Bjorn caught the returned lightsaber, shrugging as Eden commented about the color of the blade not being her style. That would be a conversation for another time, however, as Eden’s demeanor shifted away. Her use of the Force was as evident to him as the rippling waves of an otherwise still pond penetrated by a crashing stone, Bjorn observing quietly as the woman searched the ship with her newfound power. If nothing else, she was certainly a quick learner, her instincts guiding her on precisely the correct path.

“Something has happened to Delta!”

The disturbance caused by her potent use of the Force clawed towards him—and all directions throughout his ship—but were gently cast away from him by the passive shielding provided by the Helm of Symmetry. No matter how hard Eden may have tried or how powerful she might grow to be, it was a wall that simply could not be breached. This of course was not important now, with her focus lying solely in trying to locate her companion. It was understandable that her instincts would steer her in this way after what she’d just been through; Bjorn could not fault her for first reaching out with her new abilities.

“She’s in some dark circular room, and it is dark, but she’s alone and unconscious!”, she informed him whilst making way for the door from which she entered some two days prior.

“We need to get her and make sure she hasn’t done anything stupid to herself or that nothing has happened to her!”

Out she went, and Bjorn sighed as his head sunk between his shoulders. He knew it couldn’t be helped, she cared deeply for the well-being of her partner. The two women shared a bond that he wouldn’t dare to come between; a connection like theirs was one to treasure and embrace, even if he did not share in its comfort. That was not to say he didn’t bear some benefit from it, but only that he simply wasn’t a part of it. He stayed in the room for a few moments, giving Eden plenty of time to pursue her course uninterrupted.

“It seems she’s forgotten that this is -your- ship, hahaha…”

“Don’t be so cruel. This is a strange place to the both of them.”

“True. Are we going after her? It’d be better if we didn’t have to save both of them as opposed to just the one…”

Bjorn couldn’t help himself, laughing at the situation as described by his partner…

“Yep…and when we get there, I’ll need you to—“

“I know.”

Raising his head, Bjorn performed a similar trick as Eden albeit without a physical gesture, commanding the door to once more open from afar. Meanwhile he stepped forward with his left foot, lowering his posture several inches by bending his knees and leaning forward. The muscles from his torso down through his legs constricted and tensed, power building throughout his entire form across a few short seconds. Just as the door began to close again, Bjorn essentially fired himself across the room with relentless speed, the physical force exerted through his feet further damaging the floor of the already heavily abused training room. In that solitary moment it became abundantly clear that the masterful Force user was far more than what some might call a glorified battlemage. His physical prowess was far greater than his appearance suggested, and it wasn’t because of any enhancement offered by his attunement with the Force. On a strictly physical level, Bjorn was capable of feats no ordinary man could hope to achieve.

He appeared suddenly to Eden’s right, a potent rush of powerful wind flourishing violently throughout the hall a moment later. With practiced precision, Bjorn’s feet returned to the floor and stopped him without so much as scuffing the surface, his hand reaching out to gently pull at her shoulder. He raised his posture to his full height as she turned to look at him, the sense of urgency still painted across her features when he finally answered her series of questions and statements from earlier.

“Eden, it’s alright. Delta is just being Delta, wandering off where she shouldn’t be. Remember, this is my ship, afterall.”

Her body relaxed, having tensed up from the sudden assault on her senses as well as the sudden onset of alerts no doubt presented to her HUD. Bjorn nodded, using his free hand to gesture downward, hand open and facing to the floor. A simple gesture, universally understood as to mean to lower—in this instance, to lower her guard.

“I know where she is, and rather than run about the entire ship—“, he turned his right hand over, stepping outward and gently turning. The simple movement revealed the alternative. “It is much faster, and easier, to use the elevator.”

{BGM: “Shadowlord”}

Eden, realizing how silly she must have looked, couldn’t help but laugh, dropping her head and shaking it in her embarrassment.

“Sorry, I’m still getting used to everything…”

“No need to apologize. Let’s go see what sort of mess the little firecracker got herself into this time.”

The two made way for the elevator, Bjorn keying his code into the control panel rather than using the biometric scanner on account of his flesh and identifying features being covered. The lift gently dropped into its long descent to the base level of the ship, during which time Bjorn remained silent for several seconds. After a while and several floors, the enigmatic man finally stirred to action, pressing the control panel in a sequence that established a connection to the bridge. Once secured, the control panel projected a high-definition holographic display of the coordinator on duty.

“There’s been a change of plans. We’re now far enough to execute the Zeta protocol, subroutine G”, Bjorn calmly spoke to the coordinator. His words would have no meaning to Eden, but that would change in due time.

“Yes, sir!”, the coordinator replied sternly, her features visibly tensing at the order—a detail Eden was sure to spot.

Following the brief interchange, the transmission ended and seconds later the elevator came to smooth, gliding halt, the doors sliding open a moment later. Bjorn stepped out first, leading the way whilst Eden continued her questions.

“What…is this place?”

“Well, thanks to Delta, I will be explaining everything here shortly. You two weren’t supposed to see this, but it can’t be helped, hahaha…”

{BGM: “Shadowlord cont’d”}

A few moments of silence followed, the path that had been dark and obscured for Delta save for a brief illumination along the walkway appearing much the same for them as well. Finally, they approached an immense steel door with another control panel. This time, Bjorn paused and without looking to Eden, spoke to her one more time.

“Regarding your earlier request, I would not have performed the ritual if I did not intend to guide you afterwards. I will teach you the way—but first, you and Delta will have to wake up.”

While his words might have come off as being harsh, he knew the woman would garner his meaning easily enough. He wasted no further time and gestured toward the door, his power smothering it in an instant. In a sense, it bypassed the rudimentary ID-scanner present on the control panel, which was something of a misnomer. Another trick of his, as the panel would only activate its defensive protocols for anyone who entered via its authentication. Sadly, it came with the territory, that Bjorn trusted no-one with what lie inside. Once the doors opened, Bjorn led Eden inside.

“I know you have faith in the girl, but are you sure she will survive this? Will either of them?”

Bjorn continued walking at a leisurely pace, but Eden was beside herself the moment she saw Delta unconscious on the floor ahead. He heard her scream her friend’s name; however, a few steps into the chamber and Bjorn began moving with practiced precision, answering his partner in stride.

“Of course they will, you know how this machine works.”

Reaching the Master Control Panel at the center of the room, he voiced a warning to Eden before proceeding with activating the room.

“You might feel inclined to resist with your newfound power, but I cannot stress enough that you need to trust me and don’t.”

The room lit ablaze in blinding white radiance, the very same that had claimed Delta some two days prior. What’s more, a loud mechanical whir could be heard growing louder by the second. The surface of the concave walls morphed in an all-encompassing wave, modulating the light waves flooding the entirety of the room to somehow become something more. Another moment passed and the strange flood of pure light was replaced with the iridescence of all creation erupting in every direction, directly altered by the surface of the paneling. It was at this instant that Eden would find herself also unconscious, collapsing beside her friend.

Some time later, Delta would find her solitude first invaded by the form of Eden, stepping onto the liquefied soil before her, facing one another.

Just as they were both about to exclaim their surprise to see one another, Bjorn’s voice assaulted their senses from everywhere and yet…nowhere.

“Same as always, huh Delta? You were supposed to go to your quarters while I took care of matters with Eden, you know.”

“What?! I can’t believe this; I’ve been stuck in here for ages and that’s all you have to say? ‘I told you so’?!” Delta shouted, clearly pissed off with the endlessly vague asshole.

Then, their surroundings were replaced all at once with a bird’s eye view of the Headquarters of BABEL, a building each of them would recognize immediately despite their new perspective. Before long, their position and the building itself moved and expanded, the walls somehow becoming transparent before their very eyes. Following that, the occupants were all highlighted with a deep crimson light all in unison.

“I wanted to ease the two of you into this, but you’ve forced my hand by stumbling into this room, Delta. The organization calling themselves BABEL are not what they appear to be—not what they strive to convince the denizens of this universe to believe. More importantly, they are not what you have been made to believe.”

The scene shifted once more, this time the two women were flung toward the building at ludicrous speed. When they would have collided with the transparent walls, they instead were transported into an ethereal stage like the first that Delta had experienced. Looking over the edge of a burning sun into a deep sea of black, dozens of concentrated displays were presented to their eyes with perfect clarity. Now, these were not your typical instrumentation panel displays or monitors of a control room, but actual projections of numerous locations spread across the universe in real time.

As more and more of these scenes popped into view, each bearing identical cues as the former in the form of transparent walls, ceilings, aircraft, ships…the variety of locations was endless…Bjorn finally appeared beside the girls. In each and every one of them that a BABEL employee was to be found (which was all of them), they were again highlighted in crimson light.

“While I did not…lie…to the two of you, I did not tell the whole story either. My actions are not in service of this rotten organization. They kill innocents, blind the weak and twist the blade inside wounds inflicted upon those that would oppose them. As if those acts were not bad enough, I know for a fact that this universe is nothing more than an elaborate construct.”

Bjorn paused for a moment, the process of using this room, this weapon, requiring significant focus. While it was not truly known whether he was the one operating the controls or if he was the one inside the projection with Delta and Eden, it ultimately did not matter. Bjorn and the Helm of Symmetry were connected at the deepest level, neither one capable of truly surviving without the other. Delta, in her initial finding of this place, recognized that it was a written off experiment deemed too dangerous to pursue. Bjorn had somehow mastered its use, no doubt thanks to his mastery of the Force, but the time for those questions would not be until much later.

“I do not originate from this universe. Much the same as you, Delta, my origins lie beyond the realities as dictated by BABEL and the Nibiru Alliance. This existence is meaningless in the face of its creator, Dr. Miyazaki. The leader apparent that is Landius—also a pawn in a much larger game.”

The form of Bjorn suddenly ignited in golden flame; a calm yet roiling fire, it signaled another change in the scene. Miyazaki, along with Landius and every member of those calling themselves CIDE, and behind them all the alleged enemies they were commanded to wipe from existence. These scenes flashed briefly before their eyes, the portraits of the leaders and upper echelon of BABEL all growing larger and more abstract.

“This organization is built on a foundation of lies. Of bloodshed not needed. All for the benefit of one man who thinks himself God, when in reality he is nothing more than a reject from a far more dangerous empire.”

The scene burst before their eyes before fading to black, and once more presenting the entirety of CIDE save for themselves, and the upper echelon of BABEL. This time a single golden thread entangled in multicolored strands could be seen extending vertically…

“Ask me anything you wish to know, and I will show it to you unfiltered. I offer you only the truth, before we make our move.”

Even as he extended his offer of truth, he still sounded cryptic. The ship was undergoing a transformation, having stopped their hyperspace travel, and anchoring in the emptiness of space between solar systems. The details of the transformation would also be made apparent to the two women, but in due time. Because they were unconscious in the deepest reaches of the ship, and fully at the mercy of Bjorn and his Eye of Kahzrik, they could not hear the incessant sirens sounding all throughout the ship as it made its preparations…

Killiak
Administrator

Shattered Slayer

"Omae Wa Mou Shindeiru"

Posts: 260

River of Deception Nov 17, 2023 14:22:39 GMT

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Post by Killiak on Nov 17, 2023 14:22:39 GMT

Aerone:

Volume I.
From the moment Delta succumbed, time appeared to be at a standstill, despite witnessing a cavalcade of clouds slowly weave across the skies; in one fell swoop, her sense of time diminished into naïve guesses, at best… Any sense of environmental awareness once afforded to her was suddenly rendered useless – nonexistent in the face of an overwhelming, yet ancient, experiment… presently helmed by Bjorn. Now, only subtle tones of wallowing water filled the void left by Delta’s senses as her heels adjoined and departed with an aqueous soil; she had no idea where to go, but she refused to allow herself to be reduced to some damsel in distress. If only she were aware that her behavior portrayed a different story.

With every step she took, a modicum of emotions otherwise held within began to manifest upon her increasingly tumultuous frame; for starters, a once-focused gaze often described as vitriolic gradually conceded into a nystagmoid frenzy driven by mania as her breaths became heavier. The complete loss of perception coupled with a growing realization of being possibly confined to this realm projected shadows onto the mind and provoked Delta’s flesh to quiver with revulsion; perhaps such was fear – an apprehension of the unknown. Driven into discomposure, the young lady opted to stop strolling and instead coiled her arms about her stomach, likely to hide what little semblances of unease that managed to become apparent. In light of anxiety, she forgot how lore often described this experience as eccentric.

“I …never imagined I would experience project ---- first hand-” As opposed to completing her train of thought, an intense gasp interjected while a hand instinctively covered her gaping maw in shock. She found herself unable to even mention the project’s name – a reality all-too sincere; she indeed began to succumb to its psychosomatic effects, some of which included an inability to even broach the project. Of course, this was by design; those who suffered as either victims or mere experiments could’ve been privy to highly classified information, assuming they made it out alive. However, instead of boiling over with a typical rose-hot fervency at the realization, she calmly lowered her hand away from her lips.

“…How humiliating. But I suppose that’s what I get for boarding something of his – I should’ve known better.”

Her lamps shuttered as her crown mellowly turned to another direction as if she were unable to look forward. Despite feeling helpless and annoyed, the young lady remained poise; however, perhaps her behavior had little to do with pride and more to do with a sensation of certain doom – an invasion of the mind. Being confined in an infinite expanse of solitude as one’s psyche was dissected and amended… left her bitter, if not ambitious. A meager sigh parted her lips before her gaze concentrated on the skies which remained her prison; scowling once again, Delta was apt to show that she’d be confined no longer.

“Okay, I’ve been here long enough now! These pranks are becoming a little trite now, don’t you think?!”

The exasperation lining her voice inspired a thunderous boom to quickly follow in its wake, quaking everything capable of hearing her outburst. Afterward, an undeniable silence filled the void left behind by her display; the control panel was unhelmed, free of observation, and suggested the likelihood of an extended stay. Had someone, like Bjorn, been perched at the rein of her prison, he’d quickly announce his presence by antagonizing her; instead, not one object appeared out of place.

“Nothing, huh? If they’re not here then I’ll just dismantle this frivolous little exploit by myself! I’ll make sure to put my foot up your ass afterward, Bjorn!”

The sincerity behind Delta's voice burned with a calidity capable of scorching time as a flurry of white-hot motes began to dance about her frame; along with these particles, a very faint outline traced her body in a rose-pink glow that bestowed her with the appearance of a miniature sun. The presence of her radiance inspired the ambiance to gloam despite the illumination given by what was about to become fury manifested, as the realm's natural luster couldn't hold a candle to Delta's might. In a manner befitting a newly realized star, her form gracefully ascended from the aqueous soil she had been so accustomed to; as her frame detached from the landscape, areas along its perimeter, particularly where Delta once stood, began to bubble before transforming into pillars of steam. Due to the growing presence of vapor and inconceivable heat, visual distortions engulfed the scenery and violently bent its image in various ways until a thick cloud of steam overcame everything nearby - robbing them of color.

Once concealed within the fervid, misty greyscale, Delta's kindling image remained prominent; the rose-pink glow of her eyes handily overshadowed the otherwise dull imagery of the nebulous chasm and burst forth as scalding-hot beams. Wherever her gaze settled, oblivion appeared to follow. Serving as the herald of an imminent demolishment, subtle flickers appeared throughout the funereal terrain and rapidly matured into a series of abrupt eruptions that transformed layers of scalding fog and incandescent water into streams of highly igneous plasma. Their very presence alone seemingly purged the atmosphere of its existence and left only a hellish lake of rosy fire in its wake.

As flames began their fervid march towards the horizon, a comparatively placid Delta remained elevated; her frame appeared motionless to the world from afar, but upon closer inspection, one could appreciate the composed fumes parting her lips as she breathed. A set of rose-like lamps bathed the area in scrutiny, scanning the vast expanse for any signs of compromise bestowed by her performance. Her crown delicately swiveled from side to side, allowing her gaze to fully appreciate her surroundings; as she turned to face a seemingly endless expanse of pink and blue flames, their vibrancy appeared to gleam and fade with the rhythm of her breath. Unfortunately, no signs of compromise existed; after performing so admirably, she again faced the possibility of no escape.

She steadily came to appreciate the uncharted territory in more ways than one; not only did she operate in some unfamiliar land further fortified by some megalomaniac, but she also found herself powerless. One could only imagine how debilitating and discouraging she felt; upon perceiving that her efforts were for naught, her frame relaxed while the fire behind her eyes appeared to wilt. An aura of displeasure coated what was once incensed and dominated her countenance as a sullen frown; at that moment, displeasure reigned supreme and served to disenchant a recently eminent diva.

"...What a petty mistake to succumb to." The dull glow of her eyes sharpened underneath the aura of a dying resolve; like Delta, it too fought against the steadily approaching possibility of failure. "I've lost all sense of time; it feels like I've been here for days..." A subtle sigh parted her lips before an abrupt deluge of vitality restored her form as if it were a second wind of a dying flame. Hellbent on dismantling suppression with her own hands, the young woman outstretched her right arm and quickly revealed her palm to the open plain; immediately after, an influx of resentment manifested and materialized as a tumultuous outburst of roseate ethereal petals and forcefully accumulated inside her open palm in the form of numerous streamlets. A cavalcade of untold proportions stormed the ambiance, determined to produce the nexus she'd use to desecrate everything before the her-the sum of her antipathy. As the glowing ethereal petals quickly amassed in her open palm, what served as the nucleus of her wrath began to form; from within the assemblage of delicate petals came an equally elegant array of silver threads that progressively, yet tightly, wove around one another until they adjoined to the base of a developing blade-edge. In mere seconds, a medium of Delta's ghastly intentions materialized, and it was beautiful; coiled within her digits was the hilt to a refined zweihander that glowed with the intensity of the roseate acrimony within her eyes. A single vine-like protrusion extended from the base of the zweihander's hilt and elegantly wreathed about the blade's crossguard and blade edge, forming the handguard; lined along the vine's exterior was a series of roses which collectively appeared as a bouquet perching atop of the blade's crossguard. There above the assemblage of roseate flames perched the belle who wielded the manifestation of her resentment, primed to introduce all caressed by its edges to oblivion.

"...If this tool intends to invade my conscious, it can begin by feeling my pain!"

Her words were soon trailed by a change in pose consisting of hoisting the edge of her blade above her shoulder as if preparing for one devastating swing, and then she lunged forth; shockwaves galvanized by her tremendous force emanated the landscape and maliciously embraced everything in its path as Delta accelerated beyond sight. Even though her target was effectively everything, yet nothing, her blade imparted ruin on all it touched and provoked the atmosphere to fold in its wake until a series of roseate eruptions decorated her path; sheets of fire and angst fell from the heavens, arousing everything between into a frenzy capable of dying the skies pink. Although mesmerizing to behold, Delta's unpolished behavior was unlike her; instead of exhibiting precision, the entirety of her fiery onslaught consisted of unrestraint. Before she could take a breath, innumerable rose-sculpted explosions decorated the landscape, revealing desperation feigned as aggression. This was a campaign designed to endure until she dissolved the foundation of what appeared endless to her, only to steadily abate after what could have been days of constant assaults.

In Delta's fits of resentment, she failed to see that as her strength waned the topography rebounded in parallel until she found herself grounded. After exhibiting a fierce crusade, she slowly descended until her soles contacted a heat-kissed terrain; brightly radiating and scorching to the touch, her domain dwindled by the second. All that remained of her expression was an island of slowly cooled soil. An aura of exhaustion forced the young lady to fold while the glaive of mass destruction withered into nothingness; her hands grasped the knees in a final show of defiance, yet she panted in grief. Heavy gasps made audible what otherwise inundated her in silence: strain.

"...This... can't... be... happening..."

Although burdened by enervation, Delta's rose-stained optics could perceive that she bordered on the cusp of failure-something she abhorred. With several deep gasps, she tremulously returned to an upright position, only to clasp her hands together; specks of darkness rushed into the fissure between her hands as she recalled the most powerful tool in her arsenal: Aeternum's Fang. Its edges could bestow extinction upon anything, even those already lifeless… and this confinement was no different. A burgeoning nebula of onyx and beryl illuminated the atmosphere, determined to threaten it while concealing the strain lining Delta’s countenance as it magnified underneath the weight of her actions. Exhaustion and exasperation emanated from her frame in a series of intense convulsions, eliciting the young lady to grimace in disgust and pain.

“This… this is… the end!”

Despite being on the cusp of apoplexy, Delta remained steadfast; her anguish was nothing compared to what she intended to impart upon this frivolous little exploit. With some perseverance, the swirling maelstrom of scorn and darkness would have triggered the world to buckle as her instrument of mass destruction made its debut. The harbinger alone inspired the ambiance to become epileptic, spawning shock waves capable of besieging its very foundation before suffering from an eruption that was supposed to be Aeternum's Fang.

An unheralded and ferocious outburst emanated from within the fissure between Delta's hands, dispersing folds of nebulous clouds into nothingness; it emerged under the guise of a cannonade, dominating everything nearby while commanding stillness in its wake. Instead of quivering in fear, the world watched in silence-observing she who threatened it. Delta's composure and poise appeared to endure the explosion without so much as a blemish; in fact, her frame solemnly emerged from the detonation and immersed her surroundings in somberness. Initially, the brief disaster appeared to dwindle without claiming a single casualty, but that changed once the gleam in her customarily impassioned set of lamps consequently faded into oblivion… paving the way for anything basked in their rose-like scrutiny to recede into inexistence before she descended onto the aqueous terrain. Her ambiance appeared devoid of vitality in every sense; all that remained of her fervency was a meager grunt imparted by her frame's crash with water-like soil. A forceful thud, accompanied by a shallow splash, bellowed about the otherwise soundless topography only to wither into a subtle hiss that emanated from the union between Delta's countenance and a steadily dwindling island of glowing-hot soil.

FFL

River of Deception

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