The Guardians of London: Fourth Echelon (Chapter Two)

[Lord_Ascendant]

Spoiler: Rift Report; Greece, Crete.

We descended into Aegean Sea into Rift at 1pm local time.

Within we discovered that the darkness within was not any kind of dimensional rift but was covered in a slick black substance which was slowly floating up from the walls, dissolved by the seawater rushing in. We descended ten more feet before the pressure inside was too great. It linked to a network of tunnels below the earth which seemed to snake off in multiple directions.

We returned at 3pm local time after depressurization and debriefing with the boat crew. Returning to Crete there was a small tremor and a large amount of the black substance washed ashore after a small plume filled the water. I have attached a sample it seems to be extremely slick and seems to be good at dissolving glue as it necessitated the use of a cork to close the vessel when the adhesive bottle stopper's adhesive was dissolved.

We conclude there is some kind of animal causing these rifts.

 

[Hussmann54]

Spoiler: To Silas Grey, From Nathan Lockheed, Rhyle Liason to Project Crimson

Silas,

First off let me start by saying Im no more thrilled about being involved in this than I am sure you are. Im acting on orders, so Im sure you understand. Right now my admin wants me to take as much control of the situation as possible. I am moreover interested in remaining as quietly to the side as possible, but I understand in these situations more could be asked. So me and my team (STG 54) will be leaving in a few days, send a detailed list of what you want out of us including any supplies we should bring. We will have 12 able bodied Rhyle with various specialties available. Just tell us what it is, and we will get it done.

We look forward to working with your people.
N Lockheed.

 

[Trasch17]

Spoiler: Epilogue

Samuel woke up in a hospital room flooded with light, a dull pain in his head.
"Finally awake, sleepyhead?" Sam searched for the source of the voice. He found it to his right: Arnar laying in a bed next to Sam. His arms and legs were bandaged.
"What...Where?" rasped Samuel. "You're in a hospital, in Reykjavik. You slept through 2 days"
Arnar's voice was weak. "You were kidnapped by those cultists. I rushed to the place where they were hiding you. As I encountered their leaders they suicide bombed themselves, for any reason whatsoever. I hardly managed to save you." "Guess I have to thank you.... again."
"No problem." "Say, why did they sui..." Someone slammed the door open.
A tall man in an expensive suit, followed by an outraged nurse. "Miss, please calm yourself. It won't take long." Arnar and Sam both eyed the new arrival warily. The nurse finally rolled her eyes and left the room clamouring. "Oh, I almost forgot," He turned around "Miss? Mi-ss?"
The nurse came back. If glares could kill the tall man would have already dropped dead ten times. "I need some ... privacy with Guardian Helgason. Would you be so kind and bring Apprentice Eigner into an other room?"
Sam was still a bit confused and only realized after a few moments, what the man said. "It's Initiate." The stranger smiled.
"No. It's Apprentice now. You've been promoted in absence. However, it's still not decided to which Master you'll be assigned to." "Who are you, by the way?"
"I haven't introduced myself yet? Oh, how rude how me.
I am Mister Gordon Gregory. I have important... business with Guardian Helgason. Now, if you were so kind?" The nurse moved Sam's bed out of the room into the hallway and left him there.
After a few minutes, Mister Gregory, if that was his real name, which Sam highly doubted, left the room and turned to Sam. He rummaged around in his jacket and fished out a syringe with a clear liquid in it. "Here, a present from my superiors. Use it, if you feel a sudden need for power." He handed Sam the injection. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some other business to do. I wish you a good day." He left without giving Samuel a chance to say something. A strange guy. The nurse noticed, that Mr Gregory was gone and moved Sam into his room again.
"What did he want from you?"
Arnar grinned back. A fake one. "Nothing important." A lie.
Sam decided to let the matter rest.

That night Arnar died from a heart attack. The doctor said it was due to the overdose of Sledgehammer, he took when he saved Samuel, but Sam thought it had something to do with that Gregory.

Spoiler: To the head of project Forced Awakening

All loose ends cut.

G

This is (probably) my last post until next Sunday (Vacation. FINALLY!!!). If there are questions about Sam:
He lies in hospital in Reykjavik.

 

[Hussmann54]

Somebody post soon. I'm gonna put up another letter soon
EDIT: wait do we start tonight?

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Its 1:05 PM where I am so... I'm assuming tonight as well at this point.

 

[Darth Caelum]

It seems that the opening will be...delayed, I suppose?

 

[Hussmann54]

I'm afraid for the first two weeks I will be lucky to get more than two posts a day but I will try to make them good

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

As long as you post one a week, I cant complain... anyone know if were starting soon, or if it's been delayed until tomorrow?

 

[Hussmann54]

Im waiting for LA to suddenly pop out with a huge post. Like BAM *Insert Inception sound*

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Ive got about an hour and a half before it's midnight here, so if I dont respond to the opening it means im asleep and will respond to it at around 7:30 or 8 in the morning.

 

[Hussmann54]

Ive got about an hour and a half before it's midnight here, so if I dont respond to the opening it means im asleep and will respond to it at around 7:30 or 8 in the morning.

I will be able to respond who knows when..... bleh....

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

night guys, back in about seven or eight hours

Edit: Fifteen hours later, any news?

 

[Yokillernick]

I have no idea I thought we were meant to start yesterday

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Yeah, we were supposed to.

 

[Darth Caelum]

Well, the boss hasn't even been online since the first. Taking that into consideration, he's probably just busy or something. Should probably just wait for a few more days.

 

[Hussmann54]

Spoiler: To the Praetor of Internal Investigations.

Dear Praetor,

Since your own attempts to retrieve Kin have failed, let me enlighten you as to why he is so important to me, after such a cruel mistake on your part, I suppose you deserve to know.

Project Talisman was an initiative to prevent the end of the world. It involved using notable individuals with singularly exemplary capabilities. We sought out the best, as we have had to in the past, to fight the hardest battles, the ones that matter. Sometimes this cost an individual a great deal. In Kins case, it may have cost him his identity. He sought pieces of knowledge so powerful, that he risked the stability of his mind for them. He volunteered, being an extremely powerful Imperiomancer and one of the few on earth capable of carrying out the task. His mind was pushed to the brink, and though it pained me and Silas Grey (yes, his involvement was very substantial), every time he managed to survive an encounter with this knowledge we had to push him further and harder. He has given us a great sacrifice, and much more will be required of him before this is over.

Now as for your concerns of Rising Dragon, there is a particular relationship between the two of them. They have bonded to each other on a deeply intimate level. If Kins shattered mind holds our survival, the Ana holds the key to that mind. Normally under such grave circumstances, personal feelings would need to be removed, but Silas and I agreed this would be for the best. Only he can unlock the secrets which have driven him insane, but she is the only one now who can set him on the path. She knows him, perhaps better than I ever did or Silas ever did.

So I left his extraction up to her. She is gathering dossiers for a new team, and along with STG54 (which, if your memory still works, was Kins own unit) they will be extracting him. And make no mistake, she will succeed where so many others failed because unlike Teams 14 and 17, she doesnt see this as any old mission, or another directive. We need Subject Sigma back, She however, need Nicholaus Kin back. Im sure you have heard that old saying "Hell hath no fury..." Well, this woman has been through hell and has more fury than you or I could imagine, and I pity the first clone soldier of "Project Spider Mother" to get in her way. I heard it from her own lips myself, she will not stop until she gets him back. So if you get any sudden urge to waste more resources on this endeavor, I would suggest getting in her way. However if you want to be useful, I would ask you to pull your people out. Not for Anastasias safety, but for theirs.

 

[Yokillernick]

Since I haven't posted in a while, I have decided to post a prologue for my character in which he has a close shave with Sam. Credits go to Trasch whose prologue helped me write my prologue and gave me a starting point. Also thanks Trasch as I used some dialgue from your piece.

Spoiler: A cold Night

The wind whistled through the trees. Kishima was deep in thought about what his future held for him. Joining the Daggerspell? What was I thinking? Perhaps if... Just as he was about to continue his meditation a voice rang out.
?Hey new blood! Get up!?
Kishima irritated at being interrupted from his mediation answered with a cold voice.
?What is it??
?We have a little job for a man with talents such as yours.?
The man handed Kishima a piece of paper.
Kishima studied it for a second. It read:

Dear Kishima,
Since you have chosen to join our great Clan in our finest hour, I, your leader give you the chance to prove yourself.
Since you might have heard of our work, I think you know what I am going to tell you. Our Clan is sometimes hired to get rid of ?undesirable? people. Murders, thieves, the likes.
Your target?s name is Quoc Ling. He is a High Priest acting in Reykjavik. Our client is willing to pay a lump sum in exchange for this Priest?s head. Do what you must but remain undetected; we don?t want a widespread police investigation against our Clan.

?So why am I doing this?? asked Kishima.
?Does it matter? Our leader gave you an order and you have to carry it out. Or should I tell him you are too lily livered to do what must be done??
Kishima thought. If he refused this he could be kicked out of the Clan and he would never find his Arch Nemesis, so he accepted and prepared to travel for Reykjavik. Reykjavik, he thought it weird for a Clan that was specialized in Asia to take such an interest in European affairs. Perhaps it was a lot of money on the line.

Kishima arrived in Reykjavik a few days later and he quickly began surveying the area his target was supposed to operate. One night while surveying from the rooftops he heard a rather odd conversation coming from the streets below him.

?Look what we got here, Vardin. One of the Guardians little pets." Said one of the weirdly dressed figures. Cultists by the look of their attire though Kishima.
He continued to listen, "It was worth watching that pyromancer-guy. Let's take him to the High Priest." The High Priest! If he followed them carefully he could take the High Priest out tonight. But suddenly, a gunshot interrupted his thought. The battle was short and fierce. A man armed with a revolver opened fire on the cultists. But he was soon overwhelmed and had to retreat.

Kishima knew better than to interfere. If he would have helped the stranger then he would have been unable to follow the cultist.
Kishima followed the cultists through the city. At dawn they had arrived at a cave which Kishima concluded to be their Headquarters. ?Hmm, 5 guards outside, carrying machine guns. In a straight fight they would mow me down before I got within 10 feet. There?s nothing I can down for now. They seem too alert during daytime.?

So Kishima fell back a couple of hundred metres and set up camp, hidden from view. He knew he had to wait till nightfall or else he would have to face an entire cave full of heavily armed fanatics and not even he could do that now.

Night fell over Iceland and Kishima was finally ready to make his move. Only 2 guards now. Easy enough. Kishima drew his blade but wait. What?s this, he thought. Damn it?s that guy that fired on the cultists last night. He?s going to get himself killed and blow my cover. But Kishima was sadly mistake as the stranger blew through the two guards with ease and proceeded inside. He burned them. How is this possible?

Kishima entered the building himself. He thought he heard gunfire from the tunnel on the left so he decided against going that way. He followed the tunnel on the right until he came to the entrance to what seemed the Great Hall. It was lightly guarded now. Most of the guards were sent to take down the stranger. This was great luck for Kishima who could take advantage of this and kill his target with ease. The guards were nervous and Kishima saw this. He grabbed a rock and threw it on the opposite end of the hallway. The trigger happy guards opened fire. A second later they stopped. Their throats slit by Kishima?s dual katanas. He quickly scaled the cave surface, deciding to attack from above.

But as he entered the Hall he heard some rather peculiar dialogue.
?Look at that, your Excellency. I altered his arms." One said.
"Claws. You are indeed very fond of them." The High Priest replied.
"Now, your Excellency, look closer for a while."
"He's ... changing back?"
"Yes, your Excellency! Every time I alter something, it changes back! The more I alter, the faster it reverts again!"
"Hey, did he just move?" "That's impossible! I put him under strong sedatives!" "You sure? He just Bwah..!"

The man inside the cage had put his hand on the cultist's chest. The man suddenly choked. He began vomiting blood. He fell over and died. What kind of sorcery is this? thought Kishima surprised. To astonished and scared of the caged man?s power to attack his target.

"Why? Why doesn't it stop?! The laughter... make it stop... please... MAKE IT STOP! STOP LAUGHING!!!" The caged man was obviously drugged or very disturbed thought Kishima, yet his power was amazing. He ran towards a cultist and grabbed his face. Kishima didn?t see properly but the cultist was soon dead like his friend.
Another cultist, grabbed by the cage man, began to bled from ears, eyes, nose and mouth. He fainted.
"What are you waiting for, Vardin? Kill him!" a voice rang out.
"No, please! NO!" the grabbed man, presumably Vardin, cried.
The caged man made Vardin?s throat expand until he was suffocated.
The High Priest was all alone with the caged man. The caged man wasted no time and dispatched him like the first man in the beginning. After it was all over Kishima saw the stranger descend from the far end of the Great Hall. He grabbed the caged man and whispered something to him. Kishima could not hear this exchange, but he knew what he had to do.

As soon as the stranger?s back was turned Kishima descended and decapitated the High Priest. He took his head as proof of the deed and quickly exited the mine before the stranger. Good thing too. No later had he left than the mine started exploding.

Kishima returned back to the Clan with the proof. But this little episode had him greatly disturbed. There must been something more behind this. I doubt I would have been just sent to kill this High Priest for no reason. All my knowledge of the Daggerspells show that they operate only within Asia and Indonesia. There must have been a reason why they sent me all the way to Reykjavik. Perhaps if one of their unworthies was killed in Europe they could deny any knowledge of me. And what of this stranger? And the caged man? I must get to the bottom of this. Kishima delved on this on his way back to the Clan.

As soon as he arrived, Kishima presented the head to the man who first delivered him the message.
?It is done? Kishima said.
?So I see. Then let me welcome you into our great Clan Kishima, you have attained the rank of Worthy for exceptional work?
?But why was I sent to kill this man? For what reason??
?What do you know so far??
?Very little. I know that the High Priest was someone important since I wasn?t the only one sent after him. There was another man there. He possessed great firepower and seemed bent on destruction. There was also a caged man with amazing power... Kishima recounted the Great Hall scene. That?s about all. What I don?t know is why? Why all this??
?You will know in due time Kishima, in due time? the man laughed and quickly disappeared among the trees.

Kishima returned to his meditation trying to recount the events in his head in an attempt to try and figure out what had just happened. He didn?t like stumbling in the dark and he liked in even less the thought that he was just a pawn in all this.

As this is my first RPG post ever I would appreciate any constructive criticism. Thanks

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Pretty good.

EDIT: He's on...

 

[Lord_Ascendant]

[HEADING=1]CHAPTER ONE[/HEADING]
[HEADING=2]A Disquiet Follows My Soul[/HEADING]

The storm rumbled, brooding outside of Silas Grey's windows. On the far wall; twelve symbols glowed where only three had before. "The first domino falls, the first pawn moved..." he commented standing and walking to his writing annex to pen a few letters that would go post haste to some concerned parties. "All that is left is to see who shall triumph."

~~~

Across the world, things have suddenly taken a darker tone. As though evil hangs over the heads of the whole world. Then, the awakening happened. Folk across the world, suddenly wracked with terrible agony as their bodies changed. They grew horns and their skin became pale and in their minds a voice would ring out "It's alright, I am your friend." The Illrian Knights, dormant for centuries and wandering the worlds now awakened fully.
Mohammed al'Akir, sensing the presence of other Illrians began a pilgrimage from his native Jerusalem to gather the newborn Knights, their Illrian Daemons untested in many years. Malachi, the Daemon of Silas Grey, and Zjar'q, the Daemon of Mohammed al'Akir, began a correspondence to lead the new knights on a quest which would determine the course of am impending apocalypse. The first sign emerging, the awakening of the long-sleeping Wurms of Earth and their violent eruptions all over the world in an attempt to flee something rising from the depths of the earth. Soon the Athames emerged and spoke of trembling deep within the earth itself, of an invasion brewing in buried gateways deep within chasms and rifts dredged by the Wurms. The first sign of the coming of the Destroyer, the unquiet earth.

Zjar'q and Malachi began to search for their allies. Sareleous had taken another host, a young woman by the name of Leona Sunstar who walked among the priests of Avalon was called to a secret summit wherein those mortals who had now awakened as Illrian Knights would join together and make a compact, to follow in the wake of the coming apocalypse and prevent whatever aided its coming from achieving the finality of earth and destroying all.
Here are the newly awakened Illrians.
Ajou
Baltreth
Dendra
Ferous
Obereth
Khand
Seleda'an
Phaedra
Zariel
Their Illrian Marks awakened these newly minted warriors of the Light would have to take a crash course in understanding their new symbiosis or crumple beneath the weight of two minds acting in concert.

A calling was sent, a raven bearing a black note to all awakened.
"To the West you must go, where the storm watch brews a concert of kings where the white sea snaps at the heels of a soft wind whispering. Here to watch the old gods play and reveal that which is unknown."
The letters went post haste on the wings of black ravens. Black paper tied with silver string stamped with red sealing wax with Silas Grey's own seal, the five spoken wheel which does not close. To you these letters have come summoning you with an unspoken pull to north Scotland where a castle stands where one once did not and its jet black doors shall open only for you.

You have come to discover knowledge of your awakening, and the purpose of it.

What do you do?

 

[Anti-American Eagle]

Spoiler: OOC, edited

OOC: ... thinking... not sure if should post...

EDIT: Are we there now, or have we just received the letters?
EDIT: Also point by nick, I was too tired to question it at the time, but my character isn't an Illrian either...
------>unless plotwise he is now.