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Post by The Storyteller on Sept 5, 2010 20:53:33 GMT -5
In the Shopping center we have the group of Keme, Nina, Du, Jaebi, Ariel, Vincent, and Diana.
It was noon and the mall was packed full, mainly with tourists because if you want to truly experience a culture you absolutely have to partake in an activity you can do just about anywhere in the world.
The crowds milled around aimlessly filling up the food court and effectively creating enough clogging to give the mall a heart attack. They had been following the school group fairly easily all day given that. It wasn't that a man who looked like you should be calling that number you saw on TV and the black stray excuse for a dog were subtle, but there are some things the mind prefers to ignore. At one point a security guard had tried to tell them that dogs weren't allowed inside, but then he got distracted by his sudden panic attack.
"It's about noon, I think that's all we're going to get of them here." The man told the dog in a voice that reminded you of why you left a light on some nights.
The dog growled, narrowing his eyes. Anyone who looked too closely would notice that the eyes were solid black and seemed to carry a frightening intelligence. The dog itself was huge, lanky, covered in matted long black fur. It smelled like it had been rolling in something dead, or maybe that was the man it was hard to tell.
The man nodded at the dog's growl "You're right, better some then none. I am NOT going away again, never again."
The dog barked and the man looked down at him. "Yes, that too. It would be convenient if it was just us. Less competition. Well, let's start then" And the mall went black.
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 5, 2010 21:07:08 GMT -5
Vincent jumped as the whole mall suddenly went pitch black, and he tightened his grip on Ariel's hand. He stopped and stood still, turning his head this way and that, trying to see and failing utterly. He raised his free hand and held it in front of his face -- nothing. For all appearances he was totally blind.
He felt his heartbeat start to speed up. It could have been a simple power outage for all anyone knew, but it was also high noon, and there would have been sunlight coming in from the windows nonetheless. It couldn't be a solar eclipse either; they didn't happen often at all, and there had already been one quite recently. This was definitely not normal. What it was, was frightening.
"Everyone stay close," he told the other members of his group, pulling Ariel a little closer to him. Then he remembered that Diana was with them, and she could neither see nor hear what was going on. Vincent cursed mentally, wishing there was some way to communicate with her in this darkness.
"What in all worlds is going on?" he demanded of the darkness.
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Ariel Hawk
Ireth
Academy Freshman: Mortal
Come away, O human child, to the waters and the wild, with a fairy hand-in-hand...
Posts: 251
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Post by Ariel Hawk on Sept 5, 2010 21:15:25 GMT -5
Ariel yelped in fright as complete darkness fell throughout the whole mall, and instinctively pressed closer to her father's side. She felt his hand tighten on hers, and gripped Professor Harrows' hand more tightly herself. She didn't know what was going on, and apparently neither did her father. That in itself made her nervous. There was no point in asking what was going on; it had already been asked. There was nothing to do but wait for the answer.
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Diana Hawk
Ireth
Ass't Principal; Head of Shapeshifters
You told I had the eyes of a wolf; search them and find the beauty of the beast.
Posts: 262
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Post by Diana Hawk on Sept 5, 2010 21:26:43 GMT -5
Diana gasped, stiffening and stopping dead as the world went black around her. She squeezed Ariel's hand, her heart starting to race and her breathing quickening. What in the world was going on? She was helpless in this darkness, not able to hear the voices of anyone around her, nor able to see anything anyone might sign to her. At least she knew Ariel was here; the girl's hand was wrapped tightly around hers, clammy with sweat.
Did anyone know what was happening? Anyone at all? This couldn't be normal, whatever it was, and it was frightening. It was probably a good thing the moon wasn't anywhere near the full, or else she might have been on all fours, growling, with her hair all standing on end. The back of her neck was prickling enough as it was.
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Post by Meriel "Dubhiarr" MacNamara on Sept 8, 2010 14:47:15 GMT -5
Dubhiarr gasped as everything went black, far blacker than a normal power outage would be. It was like a solar eclipse or something. She tensed up, trying and failing to see anything in the blackness. Something was very wrong here, and she didn't know what.
Hearing Professor Hawk speak, Dubhiarr automatically moved closer to him. She knew Ariel and Professor Harrows would be as close to him as possible; now there was just Jaebi and Kemekin to worry about.
"Jaebi?" she called out warily. "Keme? Where are you?"
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Jaebi Lyckander
Keme
Academy Freshman: Cheetah Shapeshifter
This secret side of me, hid under lock and key; I keep it caged but I can't control it.
Posts: 200
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Post by Jaebi Lyckander on Sept 12, 2010 15:17:12 GMT -5
Jaebi let out a rough oof! as someone stepped on his foot. He stumbled sideways and felt his forearm brush against someone's waist. "Ariel? Du?"
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Kemekin Evans-Barros, Jr.
Keme
Academy Freshman: Were-Korean
No man is exempt from saying silly things; the mischief is to say them deliberately.
Posts: 229
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Post by Kemekin Evans-Barros, Jr. on Sept 12, 2010 15:18:53 GMT -5
Kemekin heard Jaebi's grunt-- oh, so that's who he'd stepped on. He caught his friend round the shoulders as he stumbled, and led him in the direction he remembered Dubhiarr being in.
"Hey, what the hell happened? Professor Hawk, are you guys still there?"
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 12, 2010 15:58:09 GMT -5
Vincent pinpointed Kemekin's voice, calling out to him, but not daring to move lest he lose Diana and Ariel in the darkness. "We're over here, Kemekin. Follow my voice!"
Was there some other way he could guide the others to him? He immediately thought of his magic -- he could probably create at least a bit of light with the right words. But that would be risky around so many strangers. Best not to take the chance. His voice alone would have to do.
"We need to find out what's going on here," he said aloud, partially to help the others find him and partially to help make sense of the situation.
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Jaebi Lyckander
Keme
Academy Freshman: Cheetah Shapeshifter
This secret side of me, hid under lock and key; I keep it caged but I can't control it.
Posts: 200
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Post by Jaebi Lyckander on Sept 12, 2010 16:14:35 GMT -5
"Did anyone notice anything weird before this happened?" Jaebi asked, pulling Kemekin towards Vincent's voice. He was relieved when they reached the group. "Are we all here? Ariel?"
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Ariel Hawk
Ireth
Academy Freshman: Mortal
Come away, O human child, to the waters and the wild, with a fairy hand-in-hand...
Posts: 251
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Post by Ariel Hawk on Sept 12, 2010 16:17:26 GMT -5
"I'm right here, Jae," Ariel answered, smiling in relief at the sound of Jaebi's voice. "So's Professor Harrows. I thought I heard Du close by, too. Is Keme with you?"
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Jaebi Lyckander
Keme
Academy Freshman: Cheetah Shapeshifter
This secret side of me, hid under lock and key; I keep it caged but I can't control it.
Posts: 200
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Post by Jaebi Lyckander on Sept 12, 2010 20:34:47 GMT -5
Jaebi sighed, relieved. "Yeah, he's right here. Du?" Jaebi reached out with his free hand.
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Post by Meriel "Dubhiarr" MacNamara on Sept 12, 2010 20:38:26 GMT -5
"Right here." Dubhiarr felt for Jaebi's hand and took it, holding it rather tightly; with her other hand she took Professor Hawk's free hand. How were they supposed to find out what was going on? None of them could see, so they wouldn't have any idea where they were going if they tried to move... but the longer they stood there, the more frightening their situation became.
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Post by The Storyteller on Sept 12, 2010 21:19:21 GMT -5
A deep snarl ripped through the black, accompanied by vicious short barks. There is sound of clawed feet scraping against tile heading for the group .
From far off in the mall there are screams that echo. There is another growl, this time right up next to the group. Something huge breathes rank hot breath onto their faces. A clawed foot scrapes against Ariel's foot, matted filthy fur brushes against Diana's leg. Everything goes completely silent for a minute and with a mix of a scream and a roar two sets of fangs rip into Jaebi.
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Jaebi Lyckander
Keme
Academy Freshman: Cheetah Shapeshifter
This secret side of me, hid under lock and key; I keep it caged but I can't control it.
Posts: 200
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Post by Jaebi Lyckander on Sept 12, 2010 22:09:23 GMT -5
Jaebi let out a bark of surprise, which immediately escalated into a tearing yell of pain. He was pulled off of his feet, away from Kemekin and Dubhiarr, and whipped around like a ragdoll. Jaebi felt his shoulder pop, then there was a ripping sensation along his forearm.
As blood flowed from his arm, so did Jaebi's sense. The predator curled at the base of his mind snarled, and the sound resonated from Jaebi's throat as he felt his spine lengthening, his musculature shifting, even as he was being thrashed.
Jaebi snarled again, fully feline now, and whipped around, digging his fangs into whatever had a hold of him. It felt like the base of a furry neck. That, or a very broad furry shoulder. The two forms flailed and fought, a single mass of fur and muscle and primal fury.
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Post by The Storyteller on Sept 13, 2010 22:19:22 GMT -5
The dog made a terrifying cross between a yelp and a snarl as the boy attacked back. He had been warned about this, but he hadn't expected such quick reactions. He let out a lower more composed bark to his teammate and met the were-cheetah with matching viciousness.
Then a new scent replaced the smell of unwashed dog. The smell of blood and decay swept over the group accompanied by what felt like for lack of better words echos of screams of anguish and desperate prayers. The air became even more warm and humid, the kind of humid that clung to you and brought the smell of rot even closer. And there was something else, a feeling. There was something enormous. Not just in size, but in presence as well.
A huge clawed hand reached out and grabbed Du from the back of her neck lifting her. As soon as she was touched her senses flew to another time, space, and being. Du is alone, or at least all around her is still. She realize it is only dark now because her eyes are closed. She opens them to see a burning sky above her, she realizes she is lying on her back. She starts to become aware of other things as well. The smells and sounds from a moment ago were no longer echos. She chances a look around. As far as the eye can see are mutilated corpses and dying soldiers, most of them still boys. They are covered in blood and entrails and other things she'd rather not think about. Those who still have breath agonize out desperate pleas to the Gods for life or relief at the least. Then she realizes her own pain, it's excruciating. She looks down at herself and all she can see is a mass of blood and armor. The urge to scream and the fear of the scene well up inside her uninvited. And in her realization is the first sign of life, footsteps. She finally looks up and wishes she hadn't. There was a huge solider and the sight of him made her wish she hadn't looked up. He was covered it twisted, broken, black armor covered in blood and other things. In each hand he holds a weapon drenched in even more blood. And then, there was his head, instead of the head of the man was a lion. The mane was matted, his eyes glowed seeming almost on fire. When he smiled, if that was what you could call it, he showed rows of white teeth. He spoke in a voice that was more a growl then anything else. " You've lost. But you can end it all you know. You just have to say the word." And in the mall Du hangs limp in the grasp of something that hides in the black. Her eyes wide and staring at something only she can see.
The dog that wrestled with Jaebi stopped a moment, like he was listening for something. And then he grew, twice the size he had been. And then he laughed and spoke "I am Nightmare itself and you are at your end." With that he made his attack.
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Post by Meriel "Dubhiarr" MacNamara on Sept 15, 2010 12:20:07 GMT -5
Dubhiarr choked on a sob of terror as she stared up into the burning eyes of the lion-headed thing that towered above her. His voice chilled her very bones, and as much as she longed to back away, it was as though her feet were rooted to the ground. She stared around her again at the carnage that stretched on for miles, her voice a trembling whisper.
"What do you want from me?"[/color]
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Vincent Hawk
Ireth
Sexy British Professor of Music
~ Sing like no one's listening ~
Posts: 722
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Post by Vincent Hawk on Sept 15, 2010 12:30:46 GMT -5
Screams and snarls rang in Vincent's ears, and the stench of blood and decay clogged his nose as something made an attack. He pinpointed the main source of the noise and started to rush forward, but was seized by a sudden fit of violent sneezing. A tuft of fur brushed against his face, and he sneezed again, blowing it away. Jaebi's fur. But Vincent couldn't help him or anyone like this. He pressed his sleeves against his face, trying to control the fit and suppress it. He needed to help, he needed to do something!
Vincent yanked the neck of his shirt up over his mouth and nose, standing straight and wiping his eyes, which were tearing up from the constant sneezing. Blinking blindly in the darkness, he moved again toward the sounds of fighting, only to hear them stop for a moment. A voice laughed and made a chilling proclamation, and then Vincent heard the thing lunge again.
Vincent lunged too, his body connecting with a mass of stinking, matted fur. He gagged at the stench that overpowered him, wrapping all his limbs around the creature, trying to find its neck under the matted fur. He found what might have been that and squeezed, trying to strangle the life out of the creature. His face was pressed against the reeking body, and he had to fight not to vomit -- but at least he wasn't sneezing anymore.
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