EVENT: From beneath the earth came Death himself

[soul_mods]

Characters: Everyone
Location: Death City
Rating: PG13
Time: September 28th
Description: Something bursts from down below.


The tremors have kept going on and off for a day now. By noon, the alarms sound, to warn for the Kishin Eggs coming closer to the city.

People had been warned in advance though, so this isn't a surprise.

The ground suddenly bulging has turned into a somewhat normal thing since yesterday too.

What no one expected was for the bulge to get larger and larger until two figures burst from the ground...and a wave of Madness, sudden and potent and nearly overwhelming struck the city. The Kishin Asura has entered the city from below and on top of that, the Kishin Eggs begin to invade the city.

Luckily, someone else had returned from the deep to help.

((OOC: There will be a separate thread for those who'd like to interact with Shinigami-sama going up. Remember, when Asura bursts from the ground, character powers will be temporarily unlocked but they will also suffer from Madness.

Please put character name | location | open/closed in your subject header!))

Comments

[vintage_magic]

[Her arm had a couple of scratches but that was it. Even with some of her powers suddenly working, she hadn't been foolish enough to try to fight the kishin eggs on her own. Whenever one had crossed her path, she'd let off an energy blast to knock it over and ran while it was stunned.]

Mostly just getting a heck of a headache. Besides, I couldn't just stay at the shop. Not while demons were running around town.

[Even if they no longer needed to collect souls, it didn't seem right to leave the normal folks to fend for themselves. Especially when she was now the partner of a Deathscythe.]

...Has anything strange happened to you?

[After encountering Akiha on the way here, she wondered if others had been affected too.]

[lezard_valeth]

Aside from the whispers of madness, nothing. I've remained here to keep an eye on things and lend my expertise.

[He crooked his finger to beckon her closer and turned to acquire antiseptic and cloth.]

I'll clean the marks on your arm at the very least...

But your question is a curiosity. Should something strange happen to me?

[vintage_magic]

Nothing? You're sure? What about the others here?

[As she moved closer and let him take her arm, a bluish flicker appeared around him.]

I don't know why but my magic... Some of it has been coming back since the alarms sounded.

[The shop had been in disarray from her telekinesis by the time she snapped out of it and got it under control.]

[lezard_valeth]

[The flicker left him perplexed, but with her explanation...]

Like the chips, I presume. Perhaps Madness is connected to whatever effect BREW places upon our souls to dampen them. That would make Medusa's forces all the more convincing if public word spreads of this effect.

[Hel, even he wanted to step outside and get hit with a Madness wall if it meant he could conjure but a single spell.]

[vintage_magic]

It's never happened to me before though. Not even with all the demons we've fought. Another Meister thinks Asura has come back. Do you suppose that could be the cause?

[She's not sure though. Even with Adachi in Japan plus all the Madness in Switzerland, this type of thing hadn't happened.]

I don't think all of it has come back but I knocked some people over and made a mess in the shop before I came back to my senses.

[It was almost a bit like that time back in Jarod although with much less deadly consequences.]

[lezard_valeth]

As the first Kishin, it's quite possible his wavelength is ancient yet pure. It's no wonder Medusa wanted to keep him as something of a pet.

[He quirked a brow.]

...I had someone come in wishing to have a word with me personally in regard to...

[Okay, he grinned a little, shrugging helplessly.]

...Well, he said my girlfriend shoved him with 'mind powers'. That explains a lot. Is your shop still in one piece, nevertheless?

[vintage_magic]

A stronger Madness than that other Kishin? I suppose that's possible.

[And oops. A nearby wastebasket tipped over when he mentioned the person coming to talk to him.]

Land sakes! People already know about us?

[She still found the thought of folks talking about her love life embarrassing! Or was he just pulling her leg?]

It's going to need some cleaning later but yes, the shop's okay. Are things all right here? There's a good number of demons out there again.

[lezard_valeth]

Adachi was still rather young, especially as a Kishin. Asura was the first, and before his change he was one of the Eight Powerful Warriors, employed under Death himself.

[He glanced when the wastebasket tipped. She really couldn't keep a lid on her powers, could she? So her magic was based on emotion... Lezard could only chuckle.]

Perhaps that was in jest, but considering how much I visit the shop, one could draw that conclusion.

The flow here is as usual, and is manageable. We've allied with smaller clinics in the city to keep the lot of us from being overwhelmed, but who knows how long that will last?

[vintage_magic]

...Wait, this Asura used to work with the folks at the school? [She didn't recall hearing of that before!] Why in the Sam Hill did he become a Kishin then?

And I would say that's jumping to conclusions! [With all that had happened lately, they hadn't even had a chance for a proper date yet. Not since she finally admitted she was in love with him.]

[She nodded.] Are you needed here now or would we be more useful out on the streets?

[lezard_valeth]

Before, actually- he was one of a group of powerful individuals who worked with the original Death. Shibusen was founded after Asura fell to madness and became the first Kishin, in hopes to prevent another from being made.

[He glanced back.]

I could leave for a short while. They can call me when my expertise is needed here, but after all the attacks we've taken on so many volunteers, extra hands...

What is your plan?

[vintage_magic]

So, you mean this whole mess with demon gods started when someone who should on have been on their side went crazy? [As if this world wasn't frustrating enough at times!] What caused him to go mad anyway?

I just thought we should help out with all those demons out there. You can't absorb any more souls, can you? [She was a bit fuzzy on whether additional souls had any effect on someone that was already a Deathscythe.] Still, we should try to get rid of them, collect them in a bag or something. And possibly try to find this Asura if he actually is here.

[lezard_valeth]

He embodied fear, and his paranoia led him to feed his partner human souls. In his growing madness he ate his comrade, and the resulting burst of power gave birth to a demon god.

[But he nodded.]

Then let's clean the city up a little. I've heard rumors that the original Death was seen in the city. We could use him right about now.

[vintage_magic]

Great balls of fire! He dragged his own partner into the mess and then killed him too? [She shook her head at the thought of killing one's partner. That seemed beyond simple paranoia.] How could he do such a thing? Why wasn't he stopped before?

Have you got a bag we can bring along? [She reached for his hand as she looked around for a tote bag or backpack or similar container they could borrow.] If it's really him, then I guess what I deduced from that mask was true. But I have to wonder where he's been all this time.

[lezard_valeth]

The details on the incident are impressively unclear. Such is the bloodier tales of history in all worlds.

[He nodded, and took her hand, beginning to shift.]

I have my bag in my office. Fully stocked. The usual spot.

[vintage_magic]

[Transformation complete and resonance established, she moved towards his office in search of the bag. Along the way, he might notice something odd through their link. Flickers of color around the people they passed in the hall.]

[Grabbing the bag, she headed back out again, stopping at the clinic's door.]

Are you ready? It wasn't exactly pleasant out in the streets earlier with all the Madness and I doubt it's better now.

[She hoped they didn't start collectively hallucinating once they stepped out there.]

[lezard_valeth]

[It was distracting all told, and he found it peculiar. Before he could ask, she'd asked him something and he nodded. The resonance strengthened immediately. He knew he was rather susceptible to Madness.]

As prepared as I'll ever be. Do we have a route?

[vintage_magic]

[The resonance was familiar, reassuring. She hoped it would be enough to keep both of them anchored and prevent either from losing their minds.]

I thought we'd just try to find any demons running loose. But it looked like there might have been some commotion near the school so I guess we could head in that general direction. Let me know if you sense trouble anywhere in particular.

[She steeled herself and stepped out the door. The resonance seemed to be helping. At least, she was no longer seeing trash cans as demons. But now the flickers that appeared before were stronger around the few still out in the streets and hurrying for cover.]

And stop me if I start attacking anything that isn't a demon.

[lezard_valeth]

Will do. I ask that you do me the same for me should I seem... off.

[But he expanded his senses and kept an eye out. Should she wish to head for the school, he was prepared.]

We'll clear a path!

[vintage_magic]

Of course.

[She recalled how he had become in some of their early missions and although it hadn't happened for some time, it paid to be cautious with the oppressive amounts of Madness in the air. She hurried down the street, glancing up towards Shibusen. Was that a figure on top? There seemed to be a large pale yellow aura around it too.]

Am I imagining things or do you see someone standing on top of the school too?

[lezard_valeth]

[He looked up.]

My senses don't reach that far, but that is someone standing atop. I couldn't tell you who, however...

[vintage_magic]

[It was actually Shinigami but she had no way of knowing that at the moment. And with how far the school towered above the town, not surprising it was beyond his range.]

I guess we'll find out when we get there.

[She turned onto another street, coming to an abrupt stop at the sight of a reddish aura surrounding a person at the other end. They looked normal but the red glow had a disturbing resemblance to that of kishin egg souls and seemed malevolent somehow. Was the Madness making her think a kishin egg looked like a normal person?]

Is that...?

[lezard_valeth]

[His gaze hardened.]

That would be our lord of demons. As a Deathscythe, I can engage him.

[He rubbed his chin.]

Hmhm~ Eliminating him would cease the city's conflict and remove the malevolent aura...

[vintage_magic]

Lord of demons? That's Asura?

[Somehow, she had expected something more monstrous. But then, she saw that strange eye in the middle of his forehead. And was hit by the Madness he emanated. Power burst from her, knocking over all the trashcans along the street. She tried to get it under control again.]

You think we can beat him?

[But if this was indeed the Kishin, they had to try...]

[lezard_valeth]

We've the power to stand toe to toe with a Kishin. So long as our powers remain focused, he should be no issue.

[Except that his more logical thought process was telling him to turn and bail, TURN AND BAIL, this was no ordinary kishin but all others were practically -made in his image-...]

[vintage_magic]

[Uh, oh. They'd been noticed with the clattering of the trash cans. The Kishin was looking their way now and the red aura around him intensified. It made Lily want to run too. They weren't ready for this! Not without some preparation!]

Let's hide and come up with a plan first! Or at least not give him a clear target.

[And with that, she focused on their connection, willing herself to blend into the surroundings. But it wasn't an easy task with the Madness working against them, the camouflage flickering.]