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Post by Shard on Oct 27, 2009 20:55:52 GMT -6
Shard followed Drixel with the cloud, even as the angel flew above the buildings, no doubt searching for him. He was about to attack Drixel from below with the cloud, but something distracted him. Since arriving in this city, something other than Drixel's presence had been tugging at the back of his mind.
Just as he prepared to attack Drixel, however, the tugging became a sharp pull, causing his control over the crystals to falter momentarily. By the time the feeling passed and he'd regained control, Drixel had turned in his direction. Directing the clouds towards the military base to move faster, Shard focused his remaining attention on the angel, hoping to attack with a giant, grasping crystalline hand before Drixel could mount an attack of his own.
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Post by drixel on Oct 27, 2009 21:19:18 GMT -6
Drixel looked around to see if he could spot shard. he noticed a few of the clouds below had sped up, when he noticed a cloud below him start to form into another fist. Drixel was just able to see this one coming in time for him to Dodge.
looking around the building tops he saw a massive form with a crystal like tail and glowing crystal in the middle of its chest. Drixel flew toward the creature. Drixel got with in ten feet of it. "wow you let your self go eh shard." Drixel teased, as he lunged at him with the sword drawn.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Oct 27, 2009 21:28:50 GMT -6
Remta hesitated, but nodded. "Okay, if you're sure," she said. "But after this, we're heading to the medical area to get you something for that arm."
The gate opened as Remta and Maku approached, and the two crossed the street, the gate closing behind them. Another gate opened and closed as they walked toward the armory. Remta heard a buzzing, and several screams. She turned to see what she thought might be a cloud of acid, by the way it seemed to melt the skin off of the old man across the street from the base.
Remta dove for a service phone, and picked up. "Hello, this is sergeant Desiree Remta, reporting some sort of acidic cloud, or something, just south of the base." A short pause. "Across the street, so not very far south. I don't know if it's actually a cloud of acid, I just know it's bad news." She turned to Maku. "There's also a new recruit out here with me." She paused again, then nodded. "Understood." She hung up the phone.
"Okay, private," she said, her eyes never leaving the cloud. "We're supposed to try and figure out what the hell that thing is."
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Post by Shard on Oct 27, 2009 21:38:19 GMT -6
Shard opened his eyes and looked right at Drixel as the angel started to taunt him. He released the cloud following Drixel, allowing the fragments to fall in a shower of shards to the ground below.
He raised his right arm high above where Drixel lunged, swinging it down to connect with the sword before it could connect. As his black crystal gauntlet connected with Drixel's crystal sword, however, a sudden shockwave burst out from where they connected, pushing Shard back about a foot, and leaving him momentarily lightheaded.
He shook it off quickly, not willing to allow Drixel any more openings than necessary. He released the other cloud he'd sent towards the hospital, as well as one of those he'd sent towards the base. The one that remained had just flayed and old man's skin from his bones, and, to be honest, he was enjoying it too much to let it fall to the ground in pieces.
With a roar, Shard banged his gauntlets together, creating a shower of sparks as 2-foot-long blades shot out of them. He brandished them towards Drixel, allowing his tail to rear up behind him like that of a scorpion, ready to defend against another strike from that sword.
"You know the people of this city are dying, Drixel, while you'd rather stand here and fight me. Quite selfish of you, friend, if I do say so myself."
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Oct 27, 2009 21:45:37 GMT -6
Maku's shoulder flared again as the cloud shot past, but while the flare was just as painful as the one before it, it was mercifully brief. He collected himself while Remta used a nearby service phone, and by the time she spoke to him again, he was as ready as he'd ever be.
"Yes, Ma'am," Maku said, something in the back of his mind moving him to follow the cloud even as he said the words. He began with in a cautious walk, watching as the cloud moved around the street, leaving one hell of a mess in its wake. When the cloud moved down the street at a suddenly accelerated pace, Maku cut the act of sneaking up on the thing, breaking into a steady run to follow. The pain in his shoulder was increasing, but in spite of it, he seemed to focus on the cloud even more.
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Post by drixel on Oct 27, 2009 21:46:36 GMT -6
Drixel held up his sword in a defense stance. "i have my friend taking care of the people, knowing him not that many are going to die. it wont be long before the army helps out too." Drixel noted as he shot 3 shots of crystal shards towards shard.
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Post by Shard on Oct 27, 2009 21:52:48 GMT -6
Shard's tail struck quickly at the first of the crystals, only to be blown by the ensuing shockwave. As he stumbled backwards, he crossed his arms in front of him, taking another shard to his blades, as yet another shockwave knocked him off his feet. The fall thankfully spared him from the third shard, which flew harmlessly overhead.
Without wasting a moment, Shard rolled on his hands and knees, flinging his tail at Drixel, sending 4 long black crystal needles at the angel. Alright, then. If your attacks knock me back, let's see what mine do to you!
As soon as the needles flew, Shard felt another pull on his mind, just as strong as the last, but much more brief. Mentally, he commanded the last cloud to accelerate, and return to its master. Whatever was distracting him was putting him in danger now. He didn't take too kindly to that.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Oct 27, 2009 22:02:07 GMT -6
Remta suddenly saw the cloud speed up, and Maku began to chase it, quickly breaking into a run. She followed him, as the cloud started to depart from the base. It then stopped, and headed back toward the base again. Remta drew her pistol. She didn't know what good it would do, but she hated being unarmed in what she could tell was a dangerous situation.
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Post by drixel on Oct 27, 2009 22:05:06 GMT -6
Drixel quickly threw up his sword to try to block but two of the shards struck him in the chest. the same shockwave sent Drixel back a few feet. the same happened as the other two shard struck the sword. Drixel knew he didn't have time to mess around. flying up a few feet Drixel aimed for Shard's tail, with a downward slash of his sword.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Oct 27, 2009 22:08:55 GMT -6
Maku sped up, his attention entirely focused on the cloud before him. When the cloud passed out of the shadow of the buildings and into the sunlight, he saw, in a kind of adrenaline-heightened clarity, the way the sun reflected off of the cloud's parts, then broke off and scattered, before finding another smooth surface to reflect off of.
As he continued running, his gait subtly shifting from a cautious to a predatory one, he called out to Remta. "It's made of crystals! No clue how they're flying, though!" Or where they're going...but that much, I intend to find out...
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Post by Shard on Oct 27, 2009 22:15:59 GMT -6
Shard laughed as Drixel was knocked back by his attack, giddy that the shockwave effect worked both ways. He still wasn't sure why it was happening, but he could use it to his advantage. At least, he might be able to if he wasn't constantly distracted by that DAMN PULLING!!!!
Closing his eyes briefly, Shard linked with the last moving cloud, sensing the pull was coming from nearby. Looking through the crystals, Shard could see 2 people, a woman with a gun drawn, and a young, somewhat haggard-looking young man, pursuing the cloud. With a yell of anger, he sent a crystal lance towards the woman. Even if it was the boy, he'd be busy saving his companion.
However, Shard found his concentration shattered, just like his tail, as Drixel's blade cleaved through the appendage, followed by a shockwave that sent him and his tail in opposite directions. He did his best to roll with the motion, but by the time he'd come to his feet, his shattered tail already lay 20 feet away.
Drixel stood between the two, still where he'd landed after his strike. With a scowl, Shard reached a hand towards the tail, pulling the crystals back to him -- through Drixel, if at all possible.
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Post by drixel on Oct 27, 2009 22:25:41 GMT -6
Drixel looked behind him to see the tail moving back toward Shard. Drixel tried to roll out of the way but was hit in hit left arm, shattering a good size chunk of crystal from his arm.
Drixel stood up, his right foot over the shards, they retreated into his foot repairing the hole over his arm. Drixel knelt down with a hand on the building soon pulling up a steel beam and gave it a hard swing toward Shard.
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Darzul
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Post by Darzul on Oct 27, 2009 22:43:05 GMT -6
Remta was stunned. "Made of crystals?" She couldn't help but wonder how the hell a cloud of crystals was flying, but she did understand why it had done what it did to that old man. And it would keep on doing so, if it wasn't stopped.
She turned around and grabbed a service phone. "Sargeant Remta reporting again. The acidic cloud is actually made of tiny crystals, and someone or something is controlling it. I feel it poses a serious threat to the city, recommend a level 2 lockdown and a hazmat team-"
Totally distracted by her report, Remta never saw the crystalline spear flying toward her. Originally aimed for her chest, it seemed to lose momentum at the last moment and instead strike her in the side, sticking out of her kidney.
Remta shrieked in pain, crumpling to the ground almost immediately. "Medical emergency!" she managed to shout at the receiver as it hung from the post, but she couldn't move her arm to grab it. Her vision began to swim, pain and loss of blood causing her to lose consciousness. She dragged herself closer to the receiver, not able to bring it to her head but now only a few inches from it.
"Riskan," she muttered at the phone. "He's following it. I think it...stabbed me," she said. "Gamma emergency. Repeat, gamma emergency." Remta then fell alseep.
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Maku
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Post by Maku on Oct 27, 2009 22:50:04 GMT -6
Maku stopped in his tracks as he watched the cloud shift, shrinking as it sent a mass of crystals towards Sgt. Remta. He watched in horror as the mass arranged itself into a spear in midair, then faltered, striking Remta in the side. She fell, dragging herself to the phone she'd been using even as her blood fell upon the asphalt.
Maku looked quickly between Remta and the cloud; she was bleeding severely, while the cloud was moving away. Cursing silently, he stood in indecision for only a moment before breaking into a full sprint after the cloud. The irrational anger from before intensified, and in the back of his mind, he felt something stir. He discounted it for the moment, and kept pursuing.
Unseen to the unconscious Sergeant, and unnoticed by the distracted teen, black lightning began coursing along his arms from the elbows down. The cloth of his fatigue jacket never stood a chance, and if he ever registered the breeze he suddenly felt on his forearms, he never showed it.
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Post by Shard on Oct 27, 2009 22:59:23 GMT -6
Shard caught the biggest piece of his tail in his outstretched hand, willing the other fragments to wrap around and reconnect the false appendage. Too busy to do anything other than recall all the crystal clouds he'd created, he didn't notice the steel beam coming towards him until it had connected with his ribs.
He barely managed a surprised "Oof!" before the inertia of the beam transferred into him, launching him off the rooftop and across the street. By sheer luck, Drixel had struck him above his center of gravity, and sent him spinning as he flew through the air, until coming to a sudden stop.
In the wall of another building.
With a bone-shattering crunch, Shard found himself 6 inches deep in a concrete wall. Some sort of office building. As he struggled to free himself, he saw black crystal fall from above as his shoulder guards began to crack under the strain. With an angry yell, he pulled the nearest cloud to him as quickly as he could, absorbing the fine black crystals, and the energy within them. The cracks in his bones and crystals mended themselves, and forced himself out of the wall with a roar of effort, landing on his feet amidst panicked pedestrians.
He found some small comfort in the screams surrounding him, but wasted no time in turning back to the building he'd just fallen from, smashing his gauntlets, then his boots, into the concrete, one after the other, making holes suitable for climbing, and began to ascend to the roof. The remaining clouds continued on the way to their master.
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