The Alien Wars 6: Reality Strikers

Tareh Session 5

The Heart of Darkness

Session Start: Sun Jan 22 15:25:42 2023
Session Ident: #Tareh-Session5
<DeathStar> 5
<DeathStar> 3
<DeathStar> 1
<DeathStar> -0-
<DeathStar> Date: 8.8.3170
<DeathStar> Location: Near the Templar Ruins
<DeathStar> *The group has returned to the ground after leaving Kaelan in the PAX, having located a back entrance and hopefully avoiding whoever has their eyes on the group. Ravens lurk all over the area, however*
<DeathStar> *Lorelei keeps low, frowning*
<DeathStar> *Rachael keeps low while Lenny points ahead a small crack in the Templar structure that looks more like a cave*
<Jackieness> <Moira> *keeps low herself*
<DeathStar> <Lenny> I believe that is the way inside
<Alicia> <Celeste> "I think so."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Its our best shot."
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Everyone ready? *As she says that, a raven lands on top of the entrance*
<DeathStar> *looking about8
<DeathStar> <Rachael> And them?
<Seraphna> **Kaelan
<Seraphna> **Kaelan muses**
<Alicia> * Celeste tries to avoid detection
<DeathStar> <Roxxane> I could turn it into a chicken?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...well... what if a predator were to go for it?"
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Did anyone bring any? It's on top of the entrance
<Seraphna> Sia> Ravens. <Lia> Death bird?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...ahhhh...anyone have a catgirl costume or something...?"
<DeathStar> *Mercy crosses her arms*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "I feel like we should actually have a catgirl around for some reason."
<DeathStar> <Mercy> ... *lifts up Sia and Lia after a moment*
<Seraphna> Sia> Mew! <Lia> Nyah~
<DeathStar> <Lenny> You believe they should get into an Anima to defeat a crow?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...I mean that they shoudl eat the stupid bird."
<DeathStar> *Mercy tosses them at it*
<Seraphna> Sia> Dat’s racist. <Lia> We only eat chicken birds.
<Seraphna> **They paw at it**
<DeathStar> <Roxxane> ... I feel insulted for the creator of the Mason's reincarnation
<Alicia> <Celeste> "... wow."
<DeathStar> *The bird stares and caws, flying off to report*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "... ... ...someone just shoot it."
<Seraphna> **Sia slips something on it as it goes**
<DeathStar> *Rachael pulls her bow out and aims at it*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "You know Durt's going to be in trouble now, right?"
<DeathStar> *Rachael shoots*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...yeah...this was not quite how I had thought it would go..."
<DeathStar> *The bird goes down*
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Let us hurry inside the cave
<DeathStar> <Lenny and Mercy> Agreed
<Jackieness> <Moira> *dashes to the cave*
<Alicia> * Celeste hurries inside
<Seraphna> **Kaelsn nods and grabs the kittens, shadow slipping to the caves**
<DeathStar> *Lorelei leads the way inside the Templar ruins; at first it appears to be more cave than ruins but as they head further in Templar objects appear with the Templar Gods faces faded on the wall appearing. Rachael studies them as they walk along, one of the portraits even including the original Lenneth, who looks a lot like the Lenneth of present day, Lenny's grandmother, who Lenny looks like, the two passing off nearly as twins*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "This place gives me such complicated feelings."
<DeathStar> *Mercy holds a Templar weapon, swinging it in her hand quietly; the armor, outside a few pieces, looks too old to be useable*
<DeathStar> *Lenny touches Celeste's shoulder*
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> I suppose this makes a decent hiding place
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia pick up a broken Lance together** “Stick.” “Mighty Stick.”
<DeathStar> <Roxxane> It is not that far from the leylines. These hands might be --- *As she speaks, the ruins shake, those attuned to magic feeling something going on beneath them, probably one of the lower levels of the ruins*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Once a mightier stick."
<Seraphna> Sia> Magic? <Lia> Ritual.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> They group was trying to do something at the volcano leyline.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "So they must be up to somethign down here."
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Right, wasn't the Emerald Sword meant to be purifying or something?
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Hence why we couldn't take it?
<Alicia> <Celeste> "You think they have it?"
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Part of a seal for a cache of cursed items along with the rune sword."
<DeathStar> <Rachael> They'd have to have killed Deus I think
<DeathStar> *Mercy finds stairs to go downward*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> No way.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Come on." *starts downward*
<DeathStar> *As Lorelei begins to follow, she pauses, leaning against the wall, looking faint*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "What's wrong?"
<DeathStar> <Lorerei> Dizzy spell. *Mercy pauses, then tilts her head upward; blood running down Lorelei's nostrils
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Maybe its a side effect of whatever they are doing down there..."
<DeathStar> <Mercy> Is that normal these days?
<Alicia> <Asha> "No."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> **she frowns** It’s not happening to the rest of us.
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> *uses her magic to heal it, but then looks more faint* UGh. Strange. I'll be fine after a second
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...uhhh...by any chance, is Durt marked?"
<DeathStar> <Rachael> .. Here, lean on me. *she makes Lorelei do so; up ahead the stairway becomes more unstable as it leads into abroken area* <Rachael> Ah no
<DeathStar> <Rachael> It's what makes finding the jerk hard
<Alicia> <Asha> "Try not to use magic right now. Something's really weird here."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...good. i was worried he was dying and lore was feeling some sort of backlash."
<Alicia> <Celeste> "They would try to strike at us through him if they could."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Yeah he refused the attachment from the start. Whatever this is we don’t want it to finish I bet.
<Alicia> <Asha> "I can relate."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Then lets hurry down." *does so*
<DeathStar> *as they walk along, they find the bunkers of where the Templars slept. Some names have been cut into the walls*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "...I wish I had time to read the names."
<DeathStar> <Rachel> Why? You think you'd know them? *She asks as she hovers over a crack, the smell of the leylines below and the sounds of bubbling down there8
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Assuming the place doens't explode, we cna xplore later."
<DeathStar> *Lenny pauses, touching a wall and runs her name over a name by bunch beside the crack* Hm. Interesting
<DeathStar> *Mercy jumps down*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Maybe."
<DeathStar> *Rachael helps Lorelei down, who looks weak while Lenny studies the name by the best, tkaing something from said bed before following*
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia feel out the disturbance more as they move along**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *tries slipping through the crack after Mercy*
<Alicia> <Celeste> *looks over to Lenny* "What is it?"
<Seraphna> Sia> Spell forming. <Lia> With leyline like before.
<DeathStar> *As they land, they see what looks to be a bunch of men who look to be a mix of magicians, normal looking dressed people and two people submerged in the Leyline. They seem to have something be holding that looks like a green shard in the form from a weapon perhaps*
<DeathStar> *Lorelei falls to her knees, Rachael tending to her* <Mercy> What in the hell? <Lenny> *pauses, shielding Celeste incase this gets nasty*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan glares and tries to make out who is submerged**
<Alicia> <Asha> "...so... is Deus actually alive?"
<DeathStar> *one feels like Tsukiyomi, at least this Tsukiyomi from Tareh. The longer she's in here, the more more minute quakes are occurring*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "..we need to act."
<DeathStar> <Rachael> That doesn't look like the Emerald Sword, but it definitely seems to glow like it. It seems to be a like a toothpick of it.
<Alicia> <Asha> "... we have to get her out of there, right?"
<DeathStar> <Rachael> I name it the emerald needle
<Seraphna> **Kaelan nods and begins to make her way there, Truth forming and cutting as Kaelsn reaches out with Tendrils to try and pull them out**
<DeathStar> *Wyrd appears and attacks when the HAnd stps foward and begins to battle the two, bringing out weapons to cut them out*
<Alicia> * Asha moves closer, sneaking
<DeathStar> <Mercy> Tch. Alright her we go. *She brings out her weapon and leaps into the fray*
<Alicia> * and then strikes once the battle begins
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia begin a counter spell, instead of the usual casting they seem to pull at mana from those aiding in the spell**
<Seraphna> **Kaelan shadow forms and split into two, each working to get one of those submerged out as Truth and Wyrd and the others cover them**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *draws her blade and then leaps down to the floor and dashing forard to try to cut down or hobble the magicians before they can act*
<DeathStar> *the mages who are on stand by begin to use the power of the area to lift the group up, so they become useless, having them float in the air, so that only a few of them drop; the tendrils only partially lifting up Tsukiyomi and the Angel before they drop back down*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> H--Hey! <Mercy> *Swings mid-air along with Wyrd*
<DeathStar> *Lenny frowns*
<DeathStar> *Hand Leader pulls out a modern day looking rail run and aims at the group*
<DeathStar> *gun
<Jackieness> <Moira> *tries to unleash her limit break to launch at the hand leader*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan and her double try again, lashing themselves to a wall as a counterweight and Sia and Lia look at each other, then throw something at the casters, a stun grenade**
<Alicia> * Celeste glares at the mages, trying to cancel out the hand's magic
<Seraphna> **Truth aims her sword at the Hand and blasts at the Rail Gun**
<DeathStar> *Kaelan goes flying off heroically - but is so strong she overshoots in the cavern; she'll be back no doubt. Sia and Lia's stun grenade partially mess with the casters while Celeste allows the team to drop back down a bit and Truth's blast is so strong, though it misses, blows up the back of the cavern, making everyone look back*
<Alicia> * Asha leaps in to punch and kick at the distracted mages
<Seraphna> **Kaelan starts tendrilling her way back**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *tries to get her footing*
<Seraphna> **Sia pauses to tap on a calculator and Lia uses the moment to toss another stun grenade at the Hand**
<DeathStar> *The Hands all begin to fire modern day weapons as the team relands and launches their attack. Funny enough, both groups ge their hits in, meaning that the teams beat up each other; the groups getting rail gun and the casters being srnt fling away*
<Seraphna> **Sia hides behind Celeste and Lia flies, somehow getting on the cave ceiling**
<Seraphna> **Truth grunts in pain, but then starts healing the group**
<DeathStar> *Wyrd crawls away after scything a mage in the stomach*
<DeathStar> *bleeding*
<DeathStar> *Mercy is nowhere in sight after killing her mages*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "..where did they get thair hardware?"
<Seraphna> **Kaelan tries again, pulling at Tsukiyomi first** Someone get the Angel… that must be affecting Lore!
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...right..." *looks to see how to pull the pair out of the leyline*
<DeathStar> *As Kaelan begins to pull Tsukiyomi, Tareh shakes and it feels like the world is ending. The more she pulls, the more it affects the place*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan blinks and pauses** What the fuck…?
<DeathStar> *something in the middle between the two bubbles. Lenny pulls Celeste upward*
<Jackieness> <Moira> *tries to pull on the Angel's rope*
<Alicia> * Celeste hurries up
<DeathStar> <Lenny> It feels like Tsukiyomi and the Angel are connected to something. *As Moira pulls at the Angel, Lorelei falls over more*
<Seraphna> **Sia observes she tries to make out the thing between them**
<Alicia> <Asha> "Wait, what's causing this?"
<Seraphna> Sia> Tsuki is Tareh and Angel is it’s magic so…
<Jackieness> <Moira> "So stop pulling? What are we supposed to do?!"
<DeathStar> *The Leader of the Hands crawls away*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Kaelan, grab the guy with the plan!"
<Seraphna> **Truth lands on his back**
<DeathStar> *The man winces, bleeding*
<Seraphna> Truth> How do we undo your work, fiend.
<DeathStar> -SHIFT-
<DeathStar> Location: Asteroid C
<DeathStar> *Hess is monitoring Taiga and Cheryl's teams in Wind and the Alternate Reality, looking bored*
<DeathStar> *suddenly, a strange button is beeping and Hess stares at it, reaching to contact Taiga when a ship approaches*
<DeathStar> *blinking, as Hess goes to investigate, it does a forced dock using Illium like tech and they step in holding people binded and moving over to the gate - one of them being Tsukiyomi*
<DeathStar> <Taiga on comms> Hess? Hess there's an alarm ----
<DeathStar> *she can be heard talking to Noire briefly as HEss is taken out and the people bring Tsukiyomi and someone else over to the gate, dialing in Tareh*
<DeathStar> -Shift-
<DeathStar> Location: Under the Ruins
<DeathStar> *Kaelan would feel a shift occurring a moment or two ago*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> What… **she looks about confused**
<DeathStar> *The leader of the Hand strains in pain* Why would I tell you and ruin it
<Seraphna> Truth> To keep your head.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "What exactly is 'it?!"
<Seraphna> Truth> Besudes if we just pull them free it will ruin it. Won’t it?
<Seraphna> **Sia keeps her focus on the binding element**
<DeathStar> *Wyrd holds the Angel* Lets time pulling them. You have the Moon Goddess?
<Seraphna> Kaelan> I… have her but… did anyone else feel that?
<DeathStar> <Lenny> Feel what?
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Something shifted.
<Alicia> <Asha> "I felt something."
<Seraphna> Sia> Sia will steady what is between them.
<Seraphna> Lia> We will together.
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Okay great. Then lets pull."
<Seraphna> **Kaelan nods and pulls carefully at the same pace as the others**
<Alicia> <Celeste> "By the way, Hand guy... if this ruins everything, it's on you for not telling us."
<DeathStar> *Sia would sense something is forming between them
<DeathStar> *the man frowns*
<Seraphna> Sia> Some kind of bond between them…?
<DeathStar> <Lenny> On 2. That's how this works, right?
<DeathStar> <Lenny> 1....
<DeathStar> <Lenny> 2
<Seraphna> Kaelan> My Goddess… be well… **she readies, then pulls on 2**
<DeathStar> *Wyrd helps pull*
<Alicia> * Celeste helps pull, as does Asha
<DeathStar> *Tsukiyomi and the Angel are pulled out of the leyline, the Emerald Needle glowing as what appears in the middle is Aschae. It looks like their Aschae, who as left behind in the other reality. Right? But she looks older and more mature. The leylines slow down and seem to become muckier, like they're drying up*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...finally..."
<DeathStar> *at that moment, more agents bust in from above, destroying the ceiling with what looks to be modern day ships that have come in from nowhere. CHIP speaks to them on comms*
<DeathStar> <CHIP> These ships arrived from nowhere. My sensors detected them arriving from Navvaro.
<DeathStar> *Rachael dives, some of the ceiling landing on her*
<DeathStar> *Lorelei spreads her wings to try to defend people*
<Seraphna> **Truth forms a barrier if holy above them**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *tries to grab Rachael into cover*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan covers herself and Tsuki with a foxhole**
<DeathStar> *the ships teleport Aschae and exit, sending missiles toward the PAX to drop it nearby; VAlen and Kellin making noises on the comms before it dies*
<Seraphna> Sia> Was that…
<Seraphna> Lia> The original Aschae?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "We need to get out of here now!"
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Agreed
<Alicia> <Asha> "Probably, lets talk about it once we're safe."
<Seraphna> **Kaelan tendrils everyone and starts to shadow jump them away**
<DeathStar> *As they exit. Lenny eyes the PAX nearby, fires emitting from places*
<Seraphna> **Truth makes sure to secure Emerakd Needle**
<DeathStar> <Wyrd> You plan to make that a weapon?
<Seraphna> Truth> We may need to go undo whatever the Hand did.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "We've got bigger pronblems."
<DeathStar> *Mercy holds her arm, looking like she isn't doing well* Well our vehicle is a wreck unless it had it's own shuttles
<DeathStar> *The Angel and Tsukiyomi begin to stir*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> It should. Tsu? You okay? We’ve been worried sick about you.
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> Ah? How long have I been? <Angel> I think they took us some time ago... They said Tsukiyomi and I were hearts.
<Alicia> <Celeste> "So, what's the biggest issue, Moira?"
<DeathStar> <Rachael> There's that heart thing again
<Seraphna> Kaelan> A long while ago now. They did some spell and Aschae was here suddenly and they took her.
<Seraphna> Sia> Think they took her. <Lia> Stole leylines through her?
<DeathStar> *Lenny frowns*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "...this is horrible."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Or something... they also toasted our ride."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Those weapons were from our reality. Or one like ours.
<Alicia> <Asha> "We can deal with that... but it's going to make dealing with everything else so much harder..."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "what is left to deal with now?"
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Well
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> We should learn what just happened
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Come on lets try to find out if there are any shuttles or transportation
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia muse, then test their magic**
<DeathStar> *the magic works, albeit weakly. Roxxane sighs in relief*
<Seraphna> Sia> Weakened but not gone.
<Alicia> <Asha> "I don't know... hopefully nothing more than just getting back..."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "And what about Valen and Kellin?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> We need to check on Deus and Tsuki’s shrine too.
<Alicia> <Asha> "Oh shit."
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Right!
<DeathStar> *She hurries into the ship8
<Alicia> <Celeste> "I guess our first priority is to check that Valen and Kellin are okay."
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> A few of you find the two whil the rest of us find a working shuttle in the shuttle bay
<Jackieness> <Moira> *moves after Rachael* "...uhhh...what happened to Durt?"
<Seraphna> **Kaelan nods and shadow jumps them**
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> I think I may recall something about a Mister Durt.
<DeathStar> <Mercy> Well, save it for after we finish putting out the fires here
<Seraphna> Sia> Michelle too. <Lia> With Kellin.
<DeathStar> -TIME HOP-
<DeathStar> Location: Ruins of the PAX
<DeathStar> *After locating Kelling and Valen and finding a working shuttle in the PAX, the group regroups*
<DeathStar> <Tsukyomi> I think I heard that a Mister Durt was being kept close by for when they broke the gate so they could move him back to your side to hold him.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Who are they?!"
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> TO make him a better bargaining chip
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Back to our side… is the interference gone?
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> I don't know. I did see them briefly and some of them wore glasses and others had glowing eyes, while others seemed normal and used magic
<Alicia> <Celeste> "So, we have no more clue than before."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> I also felt a shift earlier, just before we brought them out of the leyline.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "A shift?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Something changed.
<DeathStar> <Lenny> Hm. I wonder what. *she hands Celeste something as they talk*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Tsuki do you feel it? Maybe it’s a Kitsune thing of no one else felt if.
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> I felt someone who felt like me briefly. I think I recall they planned to take me away to the other side
<Alicia> <Asha> "Okay, that's way more than a vague feeling."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Rrrrr… did they bring my Tsuki here?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "so... what does this mean?"
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Hm, there's so many questions. I wonder if this is the people Taiga was talking about
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Someone's messing with the fabric of reality."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...great..."
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Alright here is what we are going to do. We need more answers so lets go back to Navarro in the shuttle
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Who here can fly it?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "..I had some lessons. My dad taught me."
<Alicia> * Celeste looks over the box, now that she has some time to do so.
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Alright. *everyone piles in while the Angel leans back*
<DeathStar> <Angel> I wonder why they wanted Aschae and myself? I cannot imagine we mean that much
<Seraphna> Kaelan> I can fly too but we’ll have Moira focus on it since I port.
<Seraphna> Sia> You made the Leylines.
<Seraphna> Lia> Heart of Magic.
<Jackieness> <Moira> *nods and moves to the pilot seat*
<Alicia> <Asha> "I'm suddenly glad I'm not a big figure."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Everyone strap in." *starts singing softly to herself as she uses a mnemonic device to guide her through the pre-flight*
<Alicia> * Asha does so, Celeste doing so a moment after, seemingly lost in thought.
<DeathStar> <Lenny> That box is proof of your existence
<DeathStar> *She peers at the Templar uniform, degraded, showing she served as a Lenneth Templar*
<Seraphna> Sia> Asha is heart. <Lia> Of being Asha.
<Jackieness> <Moira> *finishes the pre-flight and then takes the shuttle into the air*
<DeathStar> <Racheal> Asha
<DeathStar> <Rachael> You ARE a big figure
<DeathStar> *She gropes her breasts*
<Alicia> <Asha> "I don't mean like that!"
<DeathStar> <Rachael> You set them up, I knock them down
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Rachael… I-I’m so proud. **sniffs**
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Uh-oh, Rachael. You are becomign like Kaelan."
<DeathStar> *Rachel jerks*
<DeathStar> *After flight time they arrive at the Castle where some damage to the castle structure can be seen where the gate is kept*
<DeathStar> *like something large emerged*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...what the...?"
<Alicia> <Asha> "I have a really bad feeling about this."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> But that gate was coming from Asteroid C…
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Let us land and check it out. <Mercy> I hope the queen is well...
<Jackieness> <Moira> *brings the shuttle in to a landing on the castle ground*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan hops out as they land and moves to see what’s happened**
<DeathStar> *Mercy hurries ahead and Lorelei and the Angel follow. Rachael glances around, the soldiers on high alert, while others are frantically trying to lift stones near the throne room where a large wall has collapsed*I
<Jackieness> <Moira> *powers down the shuttle as the others disembark then follows herself*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan starts lifting stones aside with tendrils**
<DeathStar> *Mercy helps, after htey finish though, all they find left is the crushed crown. Mercy does the Kirk thing of falling over at the chair*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> I got bad news. I don't see the gate.
<DeathStar> *it appears to be missing n the gate room*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...those guys must have stolen it too..."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Just the crown… maybe they stole the Queen.
<Alicia> <Celeste> "How do you steal a gate?!"
<DeathStar> <Angel> What could they do with it?
<DeathStar> <Mercy> ... maybe.....
<DeathStar> *she sounds dubious*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Stop us from following them?"
<Alicia> <Asha> "Or maybe go through. Or both."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Surely you can’t just move a portal like that.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Well, they just did."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Or did they just shut down Asteroid C’s connection.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> That shift I felt…
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> I don't know.
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Maybe CHIP can answer. I'll ask the shuttle
<DeathStar> *She walks out to it*
<DeathStar> *Mercy remains at her seat, looking out of it*
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia follow her**
<DeathStar> <Rachael> *Hurries over; the Angel touches Mercy, then follows while Tsukiyomi muses. Lorelei touches a button*
<Alicia> <Asha> "If they can shift reality, they can move a portal."
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> CHIP? What does it mean about the enemy removing the gate?
<Seraphna> **Kaelan picks up Mercy and holds her upside down**
<DeathStar> <CHIP> The gate was established long ago by the first group who came here from what I recall
<DeathStar> *Mercy makes a noise*
<DeathStar> <Mercy> What are you DOING?
<Seraphna> Kaelan> No body means no death. Pull yourself together. We’ll save my cute little descendant.
<DeathStar> <CHIP> I cannot say the location had any special meaning outside that Navarro was allies with them. Of course the gate was programmed in for that spot but if a person knows what they're doing and is on the other side, they could easily program it in
<Alicia> <Asha> "I'm worried either way."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "They may have invaded Asteroid C."
<DeathStar> <Rachael> And strand us
<DeathStar> <CHIP> Worry not!
<DeathStar> <CHIP> IF they took that gate, it may lead to their downfall!
<DeathStar> <CHIP> I could attempt to track it! ... for a price!
<Alicia> <Asha> "... really? You're going to haggle at a time like this?"
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Really? You're shaking us down now?"
<Alicia> <Celeste> "...what price?"
<DeathStar> <CHIP> I demand - when you repair me - to have... *a piece of paper begins to print out, rolling out on the floor*
<DeathStar> <CHIP> Golden trims. Do be pimped up
<Alicia> * Celeste looks over the paper, sighing
<DeathStar> <CHIP> A death laser. To have everyone know who I am and worship me
<Seraphna> Truth> Tasteful.
<DeathStar> <CHIP> A statue built in my name
<DeathStar> *Tsukiyomi deapdans*
<DeathStar> <Angel> Can't we attempt to just find it ourselves?
<Alicia> <Celeste> "...this is not practical." *then nods to Angel* "Yeah, lets do that."
<DeathStar> *the Angel walks off, taking charge*
<DeathStar> *Rachael follows*
<DeathStar> <CHIP> A song written about me..
<Jackieness> <Moira> *also follows*
<DeathStar> <CHIP> ... wait, where are you going?
<Alicia> <Asha> "You asked too much."
<Jackieness> <Moira> "We don't have the cash to give you what you want, so we'r walking."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> CHIP.
<Alicia> *for too much
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Locate it now and I will make you famous.
<DeathStar> *Kaelan is partially successful. A handprint pops out* Very well, Touch here
<Seraphna> **Kaelan touches it**
<DeathStar> <CHIP> Bargain made.
<DeathStar> <CHIP> Everyone inside
<Seraphna> **Kaelan gets in, the Twins hop in**
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...what did you agree to?" *heads inside*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan drags Mercy in**
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Making him famous. Not hard when you’re the wife of a goddess.
<Alicia> <Celeste> "That's a much fairer trade."
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Plus, really, if this works, CHIP will be a hero for it. It's only fair to spread the tale far and wide."
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> Just becareful of deals
<DeathStar> *As they fly along, CHIP takes them toward the north*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Oh?"
<DeathStar> *the weather becoming colder and colder with ice appearing beneath them*
<DeathStar> *soon they come across what looks to be a massive complex that was likely built the past few years using advance technology to keep it hidden from this era's technology*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> The quiet invasion.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...when did they build all this? How did they build all this?!"
<DeathStar> *re-directed leyline liquid flows around* <Rachael> This had to have started even before Tareh was closed off.
<DeathStar> <Rachael> OR at least during it
<Seraphna> Kaelan> They’re probably the ones who closed it off.
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> They are probably the ones who closed the gae
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...was HArbinger working with them..or against them...?"
<Alicia> <Asha> "Does it even matter now?"
<Jackieness> <Moira> "I don't know if it does or not..."
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> How do we even want to approach this?
<DeathStar> <Angel> Should we get Deus and the others?
<DeathStar> *As they talk, a mini explosion comes from the fortress*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> I think someone’s already resisting.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Can the shuttle's sensors zero in on that blast?"
<DeathStar> <CHIP> One moment.
<DeathStar> *The hand print glows, probably adding onto what Kaelan owes*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> **rolls her eyes**
<DeathStar> <Angel> I will attempt to get to Deus; see if Nami can bring in outside help from the stars. Her people are more advanced than ours
<DeathStar> <Angel> They could easily defeat these invaders
<DeathStar> *The Angel glows, then wings surround her and she vanishes*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> That sounds ominous
<DeathStar> <CHIP> It's coming from where the gate is at
<DeathStar> *it appears on a map scren in the center of the fortress*
<DeathStar> <CHIP> I believe the gate is on
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Yeah we go aid them. Hopefully that’s the Strikers.
<Alicia> <Celeste> "What are they even doing here?"
<Jackieness> <Moira> "If the bad guys hit Asteroid C to get control of the gate, the Strikers would have come running."
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Ah, right."
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Alright, land us outside the fort----*alarms go off as a beam lock on occurs*
<DeathStar> *The shuttle begins to heat up
<Jackieness> <Moira> "What is that?!"
<DeathStar> <CHIP> Oh no.
<DeathStar> *the shuttle explodes*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan tendrils everyone for a port**
<DeathStar> *The group tumbles in shadows*
<DeathStar> *Between life and death*
<DeathStar> *landing finally hard in a room behind a massive crate*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Ugh.
<Seraphna> **Kaelan grunts, grumbling, Truth sits up Undertaker style then starts healing people**
<DeathStar> *Lenny looks dazed while Mercy's arm looks twisted unnaturally*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan helps set it as Sia and Lia use a heal spell**
<Alicia> <Asha> "That... was an experience..."
<DeathStar> <Mercy> UGh, thanks--- *Suddenly the box explodes and a man with sunglasses reaches and grabs Tsukiyomi*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...this day sucks..."
<DeathStar> *holding her by the throat.*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan tendrils his arm**
<DeathStar> *The goddess glows with her moon power, hitting him and he glows with hyperspace manifestation powers, countering, as he begins to walk way, turning to eye the tendrils and snaps them off*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> He's trying to steal the moon
<Alicia> * Celeste moves to strike at the man with her sword
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> That confirms it
<Jackieness> <Moira> *leaps to her feet and then dashes forward, stabbing with ehr sword at an angle to get under the glasses*
<DeathStar> *The man pauses, and grabs the sword, superheating it*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan foxholes as he turns and comes at him with her Katana wreathed in darkness**
<DeathStar> *then urks, falling back a little,*
<Seraphna> **Truth slides in slashing at his legs*
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> *hits him with moon shards next, knocking him onto his back*
<Alicia> * Celeste drops the sword, and is about to kick the man when the rest attack first
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia send ice shards at his face**
<DeathStar> *Lenny hands Celeste a Heroic Templar blade to use*
<Jackieness> <Moira> *withdraws the superheated sword and then stabs at the man's eyes with the burning blade*
<DeathStar> <Lenny> For later.
<DeathStar> *As the man stops moving*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "So, who was that?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> An Illium?
<Alicia> <Asha> "Is that one of these progenitors I hear so much about?"
<DeathStar> *Lorelei examines him* The Illiums? You could be right. IT has been some time.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Anything crystalline about him?
<DeathStar> *Mercy swings her weapon at the arm, finding it impossible to cut it off*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> This also explains why Nami would be confused before. They’re Illium, just not her people.
<DeathStar> *alrams go off with more explosions nearby*
<DeathStar> *The sound of someone running by outside can be heard*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> The gate, the tech… they’re another reality. Fuck. **she peers out**
<DeathStar> *a beautiful red hair is rounding the corner, dragging purple hair, as the same enemy is moving about- they seem to be in the base right now*
<DeathStar> *The hallway having cameras*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan waves**
<Jackieness> <Moira> "so what's the plan?"
<DeathStar> *sadly the person had the back to them*
<Seraphna> **And her tendrils crush the nearby cameras as one reaches out to snap at her ass**
<DeathStar> *The person turns; Zegretta in a Strikers Uniform dragging Hess* <Zegretta> ... Kaelan? *she rushes back, dropping HEss to tackle her*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Well... We--- *She pauses, spotting the two*
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> It's Zegretta.
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> MAybe she can tell us more
<Seraphna> **Kaelan catches her, hugging, Sia and Lia poke Hess with their stick**
<DeathStar> *Hess looks KOed*
<Alicia> <Asha> "What happened here?"
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> You're all here. Wow. *She pauses, sneaking into the room while Illium guards pass by
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Why wouldn't we be?"
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> *lower voice* These Illium Overlords invaded Asteroid C and brought the barrier down using Tsukiyomi and Aschae.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> We came following the portal. And strange, someone on this side used Tsuki and Angel to bring the old Aschae back.
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> They also tried to lock Taiga and Cheryl out from returning, but I used the emergency code lock them out of the system and stole the system key and ran through the gate and they been chasing me.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Good girl. They have our Tsuki though?
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> Yeah, and Aschae. <Lorelei> I guess they needed our Tsukiyomi to do something over here?
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> Well when she got near the gate something weird happen and they could start sending people through
<Alicia> <Asha> "Well, that proves alternate versions of people are linked."
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Well Tsuki is most likely the Heart of Tareh. Maybe they planned to supplant her.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Erm… Tsuki… did you lock the reality?
<DeathStar> <Tareh Tsukiyomi> I did not. At least I do not believe I did. In the final days, it was quite ...chaotic. *referring to the last days with Centerpoint and the multiverse link up*
<DeathStar> <Tareh Tsukiyomi> If I did, it would have been to protect Tareh.
<Seraphna> **Kaelan muses** Yeah… and even if they wanted to supplant you there’s two more Moon Goddesses now…
<Alicia> <Celeste> "You don't remember?"
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> I think we should focus on why they wanted to bring Aschae back and why they wanted to kidnap Tsukiyomi and the Angel.
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> I can answer that - maybe
<DeathStar> <Rachael> Well, please ...do?
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> These Illium are looking for the Heart of Darkness somewhere among the realities. It could be at Yggdrasil, it could here or Wind's Reality or the reality, or it's spread out among the main people. And I'm hearing a theory floated. That it's Xevil
<Alicia> <Asha> "Who?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> That old prick.
<Alicia> <Celeste> "Isn't he dead?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> That’s what Mom taught us.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Maybe they are looking for a reality where he isn't dead."
<Alicia> <Asha> "If he's important enough that they're doing that, maybe he is a heart?"
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> I would hope they're smart enough not to fool around with him--- to go to all that trouble to just find him. As MOira said, it would be easier to find a reality where he is alive
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> Surely there is one
<Seraphna> Kaelan> But didn’t the current multiverse start with where the tree formed?
<DeathStar> *there's troop sounds outside the door*
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> ... Prepare yourselves
<Seraphna> **Kaelan readies her sword, Truth forms blades**
<DeathStar> <Lenny> *gets into a stance as the door is ripped off the hinges and large Illium soldiers stand there*
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> If they get this chip back, the other Strikers are doomed
<DeathStar> <Rachael> We need to take this place out ourselves and secure the gate here.
<DeathStar> *The Large Illium Soldier steps forward* Surrender.
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Pfft. Right. Kittens, your mightiest spell please.
<Seraphna> **Sia and Lia look serious. Then toss a flash bang at the Illium**
<Alicia> * Celeste stands ready to fight the Illium. "I will not surrender."
<DeathStar> *as it flashes, their eyes sparkle, as if manifesting protection*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan uses the moment to tendrils everyone again for a port**
<DeathStar> *The group appears elsewhere* <Rachael> Okay, here is what we do--- *suddenly the soldiers appear, glowing with hyper-manifest energy and knees Kaelan away*
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> ... Kaely!
<DeathStar> *another grabs Kaelan and knees her face with a crunch*
<DeathStar> *Zegrett
<DeathStar> *Zegretta topples over
<Seraphna> **Kaelan grunts, and splits, one grabbing Zegretta and dashing away to the twins while the first leaps at them with blades**
<DeathStar> *Lenny leaps and uses her Godhood powers to blast one and then is slapped away and Rachael begins to gather all her magic into a ball to blast a soldier away*
<Jackieness> <Moira> *draws her sword*
<DeathStar> *Lorelei powers everyone up, kneeling to keep it up*
<Alicia> * Celeste moves to strike at the Illium with her sword
<Seraphna> **Kaelan has the twins heal Zegretta as she speeds to the back of the group, the “first” her shadow double battles like a demon**
<DeathStar> *The soldiers do battle with the group, slashing with manifest weapons, pushing into the group and shattering their weapons into them to then form another*
<Seraphna> **Truth guards Lore, blasting from a distance**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *then dashes forward, stabbing to try to get past their eye protection*
<DeathStar> *Wyrd goes wild with Mercy, going for the eyes*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan holds Zegretta as she lets her double slash for eyes, tendril bursting for them too**
<Seraphna> **her double
<DeathStar> *the group, so far with the rolls, struggles against them, but isn't out right losing, as Zegretta heals; the enemy isn't outright crushing them either as they begin to push the team back, pushing them toward a specific building; one of the soldiers is trying to get the chip off of Zegretta*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> We need like some plan to crush them all!
<DeathStar> *she strains with her magic attacks*
<Jackieness> <Moira> *suddenyly switches oppoennts, trying to put herself between the soldier and Zegretta*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan sends Tendrils for his eyes and the Twins blink, Sia leaps and hits a Gauntlet, D bursting out to crush some of the Illiums**
<Seraphna> Lia> Good plan!
<DeathStar> *The Anima indeed helps with the overall battle as Mercy goes down after taking one down, bleeding out in the snow*
<DeathStar> *Moira strains to keep her's away from Zegretta, the Illium snarling at her*
<DeathStar> *Lenny goes back to back with Celeste to double team against the enemy*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Grrrrr..." *tries to push back*
<Seraphna> **Truth uses her heal all ability to try and turn the tide**
<Seraphna> **D keeps pounding into Illium, piercing their heavens with her Drill**
<DeathStar> *As Moira drops one and D is drilling the Illium, the Illium then retreat a bit and touch each other, manifesting into a more powerful single Illium*
<DeathStar> <Rachael> ... What is that?
<DeathStar> *The Illium Prime grabs D's drill and clogs it up with crystals*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan sighs** A Kaiju battle?
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...they can fuse?! This is getting stupid!"
<DeathStar> *it approaches Moira*
<Alicia> <Asha> "This is a burly brawl..."
<Seraphna> **Sia pushes D forwards and blasts stone chunks at it’s head**
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> Can you knock it apart?
<DeathStar> *the Illium Prime is hit and stumbles*
<Alicia> * Asha brings out her own Anima to fight alongside
<Seraphna> Kaelan> I have a trick up my sleeve.
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Zegretta, stick with me while they take the big guy down."
<DeathStar> *before sending a crystal pear to partially pin D to the ground as Asha comes up and hits it*
<Seraphna> **Truth heals Mercy up while the others start a mech fight**
<DeathStar> *Zegretta nods*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan focuses, forming a swarm of fox holes where the Prime stands**
<DeathStar> *Prime steps forward and begins to get cut a bit. IT pauses, then Kaelan, Moira, Tsukiyomi, and Zegreta begin to feel manifestation holes appear all over it*
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> ... !
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> Eep
<Alicia> <Celeste> "What's going on?"
<Jackieness> <Moira> "Whoa... somethign is up!"
<Seraphna> **Kaelan frowns, cutting the holes off**
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> I have no idea what that move is but I'm afraid to move
<DeathStar> *The Prime beginsto advance, putting it's back to Asha*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> We have to shut it down.
<DeathStar> *Tsukiyomi begins to pray*
<Alicia> * Asha strikes as its back is turned, whether this helps or not
<Seraphna> Kaelan> How did they get Kitsune in their bloodline… oh right, Ama.
<DeathStar> *Asha knocks the Prime away and the manifestation hole vanishes*
<Alicia> <Celeste> "I'm just glad they don't have Dark One, at least..."
<DeathStar> <Tsukiyomi> *Finishes her prayer, forcing it's eyes open*
<DeathStar> *The Prime grabs Moira and Zegretta*
<DeathStar> *appearing out of nowhere*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan leaps on it’s arm, holding out her hand and tebdriling it’s eyes**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *tries to break loose*
<DeathStar> 8it begins to jerk and lets Moira go*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan’s tail goes blade like and pries Zegretta free**
<Jackieness> <Moira> *grabs hold of its hand before she dropsand then tries leaping to Zegretta's side*
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> *Throws a knife into the eye*
<Seraphna> **D slowly lifts the crystal orb**
<DeathStar> *Lenny holds it in place with her God powers*
<DeathStar> *As it begins to try to lflee*
<Seraphna> **D rushes forward to slam the orb into it**
<Alicia> * Asha attacks once more as the Prime tries to escape
<DeathStar> *it begins to fall apart and they split apart once defeated.*
<Seraphna> **D slams it down on one, then sits on the orb**
<Seraphna> **Kaelan checks over Zegretta**
<Jackieness> <Moira> "...finally, a breather..."
<DeathStar> *Zegretta nods* Thank you all <Rachael> Can any of them do that? *as she asks, more of the Soldiers have gathered around them when suddenly Lenny pauses, looking around like she senses something and the soldiers fall over from beams coming fown*
<DeathStar> *The remaining ones warping out into the Fortress nearby*
<DeathStar> *Lorelei rises, peering up*
<Jackieness> <Moira> "..ok...what is happening now?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Seems my Nami came through.
<DeathStar> *there appears to be a shuttle in the sky with a dark haired beauty standing on top of the shuttle - that looks just like Lenneth, but has a white hair streak through. Infact, with her so close, Celeste can feel the god energy echoing in her and inside Lenny*
<DeathStar> <Lorelei> It would appear so
<Alicia> <Celeste> "...ah?"
<Seraphna> Kaelan> So that’s where she went.
<Seraphna> Sia> Hi Lenny Len!
<DeathStar> *As the shuttle comes down, Nami hurries out of to Tsukiyomi and grabbing her and talking to her, believing her to be her's. Next comes Tsukiko and Shizuki. But then comes Erevis and then Ama, both not looking all that old - Ama looking much like she does in the present and Erevis not even having that white streak in her hair*
<Seraphna> Kaelan> Wow you really do have the hood Illium.
<Seraphna> **good
<Seraphna> **Kaelan picks up Shizuki** Zegretta, meet the latest warrior.
<DeathStar> *Lenneth moves over to Lenny and Celeste, peering them over* So you are the ... Goddess of Heroes? <Lenny> ... *looks like she is having trouble processing it, peering at Celeste, then at Lenneth*
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> Wait, what?
<DeathStar> *She looks at Kaelan, then at Shizuki*
<DeathStar> *Tsukiko moves over next to Kaelan, hugging her*
<Seraphna> **Kaelan pulls Zegretta to them** It's been... a long while here.
<DeathStar> <Zegretta> ... I ... see. *Erevis eyes the fortress* I imagine you all have questions. I will try to answer them. *Bows* Then we will aid you in rescuing your friends and tkaing back your gate.
<DeathStar> -TBC-
* Jackieness has left #Tareh-Session5
Session Close: Sun Jan 22 23:13:13 2023