Encounterlogs
Larks Odd Encounter Sr Evan 250202
In a modern, RGB-lit bedroom, Lark finds herself at the heart of an odd and dangerous night. The story unfolds with Lark casually snooping through her boyfriend's Steam account, oblivious to the loud knocking that soon shatters the calm. The sudden intrusion of the state police, led by a rugged officer claiming she's wanted for shoplifting, propels Lark into an unexpected confrontation. Despite the officer's insistence, Lark sternly denies the allegations, pointing out inaccuracies in the warrant that's thrust upon her through the door's crack. This tense encounter spirals further as Lark, with a mixture of courage and reassurance, convinces the officer of the mistaken identity. Remarkably, the misunderstanding is acknowledged, leaving Lark to muse over the bizarre encounter after the police withdraw, contemplating the strange mix of errors that led them to her doorstep.
Meanwhile, a more unusual and perilous adventure unfolds involving Macy, Raina, and a wounded stranger bearing secrets tied to the mystical Eye of Balor. This artifact, said to bridge the realms of humans and demons, becomes the center of a harrowing chase through ancient crypts and hidden passages beneath White Oak. As Macy and Raina navigate the dark underbelly of Haven, they face off against armed guards and the manipulative schemes of the Destined Host. The encounter takes a surprising turn when they're coerced to drink a memory-erasing potion under the threat of violence, purportedly to silence the ordeal's witness. Despite the intimidation, Macy's quick thinking and feigned compliance allow them a sliver of reprieve from the erasure of their recent memories. The potion's effects, however, leave their mark, weaving confusion and dizziness into their escape, obfuscating the true nature of their harrowing adventure as they find themselves aimlessly standing in front of a shopping venue, misled into believing an hour of shopping had yet to yield any purchases.
(Lark's odd encounter(SREvan):SREvan)
[Sat Feb 1 2025]
In a sleek, modern bedroom
This bedroom has a modern feel to it. The walls have been painted a glossy grey that shines. Instead of using a normal lights, the room is lit by strings of colourful RGB lights, that look like they can be changed depending on the mood. Anchoring the space - along the northern wall - is a sleek, king sized bed. It has soft, black sheets with four pillows in black pillowcases. Directly opposite the bed is a desk with a dual monitor setup, a flashing RGB keyboard and speakers for audio.
In another section of the room is a large wardrobe with many drawers for storing clothes. The front of the wardrobe has a door with a mirror on it, which can be opened to access a section to hang clothes.
It is night, about 24F(-4C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky. There is a waxing crescent moon.
(Someone has sent the state police after your target. Perhaps they're a real criminal or perhaps they've been framed, in either case it's up to them to get their arrest warrant handled and removed.
)
Lark gets dressed, slinking off of the bed and yawning. With a stretch, she plops into her boyfriend's gaming desk, firing up his Steam account. She snoops for a little bit through his games.
It's a calm, cool night in Haven. One of those nights that makes it perfect for lounging and lazing around a house and doing whatever it is. Who wants to go outside in the dead of night in winter? Certainly not most people, and this would also, clearly be the case for Lark now, who's decided to snoop around on boyfriend's computer. That's some criminal behaviour! It's not like anyone is going to catch her in the act or anything though. So, commit all the video game stealing crimes! There are no video game cops.
Perhaps it's the quiet or the fact Lark is wearing headphones with the volume up, that she can't quite seem to manage to make out the loud banging on her front door. It's most likely nothing, anyway. Because, afterall, who wants to go out in the middle of the night, in the cold. If you're not used to the cold, and you hate this sort of weather, that's an awful crime to commit.
And now comes the unfortunate part for Lark, because that banging is not in her headphones, and not on whatever game she decided to end up playing. It's real, and it's loud.
BANG. BANG. BANGBANG. "THIS IS THE POLICE!" A gruff, angry voice calls, bleeding into the RGB-lit bedroom. "WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE." The voice sounds angry, and it's probably best to not ignore the loud banging on a door at close to midnight.
Lark might have been starting to snoop on the computer and suddenly jolts up at that sudden noise. "What the fuck....?" She wonders aloud, pulling those headphones off. She rises and makes her way out of the bedroom, beelining for the front door. Thankfully it's not kicked in.
She opens the door a slight inch. "I'm sorry. I think you have the wrong place? How can I help you officers?"
A rugged, angry looking officer peeks into that cracked door. "I don't think we do," he explains - his voice a bit more calm now that he can determine that someone is actually behind it. Breaking down doors sounds like a lot of paperwork, and he doesn't seem the type to be all that interested in filling out a bunch of paperwork so late. "I've got a warrant out for your arrest, ma'am," he begins to say, explaining in the process why he's here so late. "You were caught shoplifting," he explains openly, "And I'm really going to need to bring you in. You can make this a lot easier on yourself if you just open up and let me in." The officer gives Lark a look now, one of annoyance - just let him in and this will be easy. It definitely seems to be an honest sort of look. "But," he continues on, gesturing behind himself a little. "If you don't wanna make it easy, boys and I are fine to do things the hard way as well." He shrugs, and steps back from the door - leaving the situation now in Lark's hands to decide on what she wants to do here.
"I'd like to see the warrant. That's impossible because I've never shoplifted in my life," Lark explains, a frown crossing her face. "You're with the Haven Sheriff's Department?"
Lark adds: "Who did you say you were looking for?" Lark asks.
The man lets out a heavy groan, and steps back up to the door, extending a paper towards Lark and that crack in the door, offering it up for her to read.
And now, if Lark were to read the warrant, she'd notice some oddly similar details to her. It seems whoever did their warrant writing did their research. The person in the warrant whoever they are, has very, very similiar characteristics to Lark. Red hair, blue eyes, same length hair and they would even be about the same height as her. It's uncanny, really.
"Looking for a Miss Smith," he tells her lazily, "And I was told to come here, all the research pointed me right this way. So, please," he begins again, "Would you open up and we can get on with this? I don't really want to do the paperwork of breaking down your door, ma'am."
Lark takes the paper from the man, a frown spreading across her face as she reads the warrant. And oh does she take her sweet ass time doing it, making sure the officers wait in the dark, cold. "This isn't me. I'm not a Miss Smith, and there isn't anyone here by that name. I'm sorry, but you have the wrong house."
Lark looks at the officer.
"Ma'am," The officer says - his voice level and calm. "I'm not stupid, despite the fact I'm not a genius. I'm working a job here," he explains - hoping to appeal to some part of her. "We have stacks of evidence against you, photos, videos, eye witnesses detailing you." Letting out a long, heavy sigh, he continues on. "I'm trying to be reasonable here, and do this the easy way. Just let us in, let me bring you downtown and I'm sure this can all be sorted out, if you really are trying to act like you're not the right person."
Lark crosses her arms, the door still only opened a little bit. Despite her body language, she smiles at the officer. Really gives him as brilliant and sweet of a smile as she could muster. "You have the wrong house and the wrong person. Really someone at the precinct will probably get in trouble over this. You boys don't want a big lawsuit on your hands. So save yourselves some trouble, and just head on back home. I'm sure we'd all like to get on with our nights, hm?"
The officer in charge listens very intently to all of Lark's words, extending his hand back for the warrant. He pauses a moment, to scratch at his stubbly chin - obvious signs of just having shaved not too long ago. He glances behind him, at probably the rest of the cops who were about to break her door down. "I suppose maybe.." the man reasons, "Someone COULD have fucked up," he tells Lark. "I mean this isn't even the same fucking town..." he exhales breathing out in complete and utter annoyance. "Alright then," he says. "BOYS!" he calls down the hall, "Let's go," and with that the man is marching off, muttering something about incompetence.
Lark shuts the door, rolls her eyes, and returns to snooping.
(Your target finds themselves competing with a member of The Destined Host in a race against time to secure a rare artifact. This artifact, known as the Eye of Balor, is said to have the power to open a direct portal to the demon realm. The Destined Host member, a charismatic and persuasive individual, attempts to sway the target to their cause, arguing that strengthening the demons' hold is the only way to protect the world from a greater, unknown evil. The encounter could involve a combination of exploration, combat, and social interaction, as the target has to navigate an ancient, trap-filled crypt to reach the artifact, confront the Host member, and potentially deal with any demonic entities that are drawn to the artifact's power.)
Macy smirks at the quaint room, shaking her head. While she continues to go through her pockets she explains, "I don't know if you'll want the door open once you see what I'm about to do-abnormal on many levels-I'm an inventor and I use cocaine to help with the process It's not always an easy thing have to be careful-" She doesn't stop speaking, but also pulls out 3 vials and 3 clean needles, setting the needles aside and the vials on a bedside table. After turning her head quickly to Raina and continues into what she was doing. "I use a combination of ativan thorazine and haldol to bring myself down-very effective and very fast." As she's saying it she measures out 10CCs of ativan, and injects it into a bottle of jasmin tea she had, then 2 of thorazine, and 50 of haldol. Shaking the bottle, she caps the needles again and disposes of them, chugging a quarter of her drink.
Raina looks at Macy "cocaine?" she sounded a bit confused then quietly stares at Macy as she downs the entire concoction "wait a minute isnt that an illegal drug or is there something named similiarly to it?" she just clicked on what macy just said and did "are you...okay?" Raina asked with genuine worry
The weather is unseasonably mild for Haven this February evening, if mild is a word that can be used for a New England winters night. Still, it's not subzero, and the wind is only a whisper, stirring up small swirls of snow beneath the streetlights. The remnants of last weeks storm linger on rooftops and sidewalks, packed into stubborn drifts that glisten under the dim glow of porch lights.
The town itself is subdued, a mix of locals bundled up in their homes against the cold and those who have fled south to escape winters grasp. The streets are sparsely traveled, save for the occasional plow or lone figure making their way through the night. Bars hum with quiet conversation, but even they seem restrained, as though the town is waiting for something.
A distant howl from the woods shatters the silence, a lone wolf calling into the night. The sound goes unanswered. The ever-diligent snow sweeper cat rumbles along its route, ensuring the main roads stay passable, though the sidewalks remain half-buried under ice and slush.
The mist, which has made a habit of creeping into town under the cover of darkness, is absent tonight. It had curled around the outskirts earlier but has since withdrawn, leaving behind an eerie clarity to the night air. Mayhaps it was our heroine Macy crashing due to it that had caused it to hold it's hand or mayhaps it was simply waiting, just bidding it's time.
But despite the stillness, Haven is not as peaceful as it appears to outsiders. For while many remain indoors, lost in their routines, others are vanish into it's nights, it's forests never to be seen again.
Macy knows this all too well.
As she sits in the dim confines of the bunk room, the wooden boards beneath her rough and unyielding. The single window lets in little more than pale moonlight, stretching long shadows across the unmade beds. Macy is apparently dealing drugs with her companion as another wolf howl breaks the peace of the night.
Unknown to Macy and Raina, in the myriad of tunnels that exist underneath white oak - something is being transported. Shrouded in mystery The Eye of Balor is a relic of legend, whispered about in secret circles and feared by those who understand its true nature. An artifact of immense, unstable power, it is said to be the crystallized essence of Balors gazethe destructive eye of the ancient, one-eyed Fomorian king. Myths claim that when Balor fell in battle, his cursed eye did not close in death. Instead, it was ripped from his skull and bound in iron, sealed away by those who feared what it could do if left unchecked.
The Eye does not simply see; it opens. Those who wield it gain the ability to tear through the fabric of reality, creating a direct portal to the demon realm. Legends differ on how the Eye manifests its power. Some claim that looking into it drives mortals mad, filling their minds with visions of endless, writhing darkness. Others say the Eye does not require a willing user at allthat it hungers for an opportunity to be opened, that it whispers in the dead of night, guiding the weak-willed to break its seals.
The poor members of the order tasked to transport this item have it bound in a wooden chest and two grunts are swearing as they carry the amulet - who'd thought an amulet can weight that much? - though the tunnels with a hand on each handlebar. They had already been attacked by the destined host that night and guards in front and behind - armed to the teeth are antsy.
Meanwhile... while Macy is busy mixing up drugs - BANG.
The door swings open with a sudden, violent shove, and a man staggers inside, his breath ragged, his left shoulder dark with spreading blood. He clutches the wound, fingers slick and trembling, but its clear from the tension in his jaw that he refuses to cry out.
He is surprisingly handsome, even in his current stateperhaps because of it. Tousled dark hair, damp from either sweat or melting snow, falls haphazardly across his forehead. His sharp featurescheekbones cut like stone, a strong jaw dusted with stubbleare offset by the deep-set, piercing eyes that flick between Macy and Raina, assessing, calculating. He is the kind of man whose expression rarely betrays emotion, but right now, pain has cracked through his carefully constructed mask.
He leans heavily against the split-log wall, the rough wood catching against his jacket. His knees nearly buckle, but he braces himself with his good arm, forcing a breath through clenched teeth. A smear of blood stains the wall behind him as he shifts, trying to steady himself.
"Please.. I need help." He gasps softly in a soft New Yorker's accent.
Raina darts to go help the man without much hesitation, she may not know anything at all of what happened to the man but that is of little importance to her "you are hurt, macy call an ambulance" she helps steady the man letting him lean on her.
"No!" the man gasps, his grip tightening on Raina's arm. He winces, but the urgency in his voice is clear. "No ambulance. No calling HSD. Please." He coughs again, a rattling sound deep in his chest. "They won't help me."
He looks at Raina, his eyes pleading. "Please, you have to understand. These people... they're powerful. They have eyes everywhere. If I go to a hospital, they'll find me before morning. And then..." He trails off, a shiver running through him. "Please help me...." He slumps down against the wall until he's sitting there, with or without Raina's support.
Macy nod, nod, and nods again, but she didn't finish the whole bottle at once, just the first quarter of it. She doesn't slow down right away either. "Yes-But it hardly matters if it's legal or not because I have the right connections to get away with it and that's why I was able to say it right in front of two cops today without being searched-that and Uncle George is a desk cop working under the both of them." She paces and sips, and after a bit longer she does slow, log wnough for the door to swing open. At that moment and still in the middle of coming down, adrenaline high, coke still being fought, her first instinct is to pull the gun from her pocket and point it right at the man who came in. Sanctuary has him safe from her, and she's only even able to aim it because her intent doesn't involve the trigger, but how can she know if he knows that? The fear of it is all. When the man is proven relatively harmless, and she eyes him up, closing the door. "So lets break this down for a while you came busting in on two unsuspecting women in a bedroom and your first move was to size us both up but you also were injured in a fight-not over drugs or at least not any that I use, you're relatively calm right now and if you were gacked out like me you'd be feeling no pain so not drugs-property-but we heard no signs of anything until you came in, perhaps a hold howl here or there-so the question is which type of property-did you step into a wolf's territory or did tou try to burglarize a Moore-and I'll know if you're lying because I know a lot about both-Raina-back away."
The man winces, a flicker of genuine pain crossing his face before he schools his features again. There's a crimson stain against Macy's wall above where he now sits on the floor, his breathing shallow and ragged. "They're... they're after it," he manages, his voice strained as he faces down Macy's gun, not even seeming scared of it.
He pauses, gathering his strength. "The Eye of Balor," he says, the name itself seeming to vibrate in the small room and the man speaks it as if Macy or Raina might have heard of it. "They're trying to take it." He looks at them, his gaze intense, pleading. "You have to help me. You have to help me secure it."
line He reaches inside his jacket, wincing again as he moves his injured arm. He pulls out a small, intricately carved wooden box. It's plain, almost unassuming, but Macy can sense something radiating from it, a low hum of power that makes the hairs on her arms stand on end.
"This," he says, holding the box out towards them, "is the key. It unlocks the chest where they're keeping the Eye. They're moving it through the tunnels beneath White Oak. You have to .. help me stop them."
Raina was suprised when Macy pulled out her gun and darted her eyes at the man for a brief moment before looking back at Macy, honestly she is in the right, the man barged in without any warning, looking shady and saying shadier stuff. "mr im not sure..." she tries her best to avert her eyes from the man but...she was unable to. "macy...should we help this man?" maybe she is too soft for this situation, all she can do now is ask Macy on what she wants to do, either help the man or just call the police, since getting involved in something so suspicious might spell doom.
Macy settles down a bit more and slips her gun back in her pocket, snapping her fingers at Raina as if it was supposed to mean something, and she gestures her to sit nearby, or downish at least. On the way over to the man she slides her goggles up onto her forwhead. "The eye is there?!" she asks, quickly chugging a bit more tea. "Okay no, yes I'll help but no we can't have it making it past the school. You with the Hand at least? Where was it last seen but before that how bad are you hurt?" She takes the box and stares into the man's eyes. "Oh we're helping, and you, Raina, are going to use a different kind of box where you don't think about anything that scares you, and you stay close to me, do /not/ go off on your own unless I tell you to run, and do not say anything to anyone about it." And she levels a gaze at Raina, "especially if it's not supposed to exist."
The man looks at Macy, a flicker of relief in his eyes. "Yes, the Eye is there. They're moving it through the tunnels beneath White Oak High School. That's where they were headed when they when they attacked us." He winces as Raina helps him sit, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "I'm... with the Hand, yes. They're dressed like the order.. But they're really destined hosts."
He looks down at his bleeding shoulder. "It's it's a flesh wound. It stings like hell, but it's not deep. Just just a lot of blood." He grimaces. "They wanted to make sure I wouldn't be able to follow them easily."
At Macy's words, he focuses again. "It was last seen near the clinic tunnels. They were heavily armed, at least a dozen of them. Theyre expecting reinforcements, though, so they might be more by now. They're trying to get it out of the town, to to somewhere else." He shivers, the thought clearly disturbing him.
He takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Thank you," he says to Macy and Raina. "Thank you for helping me. You you don't understand how important this is. The Eye it cant fall into their hands. It would be catastrophic." He closes his eyes for a moment, gathering his strength and then staggers to his feet.
Raina is confused then remembers something and looks at Macy with some amount of clarity of what is going on "im not going to ask many questions, but...is this a situation where im not supposed to know?" for her all of these words seems like nonsense, but seeing Macy and the man came to an understanding from a item called the eye of balor and remembering the words of a friend she came to a conclusion that this situation, is beyond her current understanding "...well ill stick closely to you anyways, im already involved and i have very little doubt ill continue being involved" she was here for a simple reason...it seems this really will be a complicated situation for her.
"Raina... You're doing fine. I'd like you to try to bandage him, and both of you try to keep up. I just drank the come down cocktail so I can't just snort another line right behind it but we have to do what we can to stop the destined host and now... at least you're Hand. Best shot I have at retribution for Phoenix is with you guys." Macy makes a fist and slams it on the end table, standing up and checking for her other weapon, the epee, and of course her shield too. Those will technically be with her from this point rather than just shown off. "We've got about a negative head start behind them so lets truck it!" On the way out of the bedroom she stops in the doorway just long enough to ask the man, "You good to truck through the mists or what?"
The man is still bleeding sluggishly and takes another composing breath as he looks over at Raina, waiting for the bandage if it will appear. "I'm sure I'll be able to keep up with the two of you.. Thank you again for helping me." Another wince is given.
"Well the problem is you two might have to catch up more than keep up, and I heard a wolf." Macy starts out the door but almost can't without the other two. "Damn. I gotta take this opportunity to get something big done and warn my way into the Hand! 710-9576, update me on things, getting a head start." She rushes out the door of the longhouse, does an assplant hoodslide over somebody's car and sure not hers, plants face first into a van. "Ow, okay way to be cool as not, hope nobody saw that." She glances around to check on just that, and rhen books it to feanklin beidge to start dashing her way across. This is a bad time to not be a skater with a grappling hook.
Raina tells Macy "im not trained medically..." she sounds rather dissapointed with herself honestly, out of the three she feels like a deadweight for the situation at hand, she still bandaged the man as best as she could, in which she basically haphazardly wraps his wounds "wolf..." Raina mumbles as she finishes her rush job of bandaging the man.
He winces as Raina finishes bandaging him, a slight grimace on his face at the haphazard wrapping. He flexes his arm cautiously. "Thanks," he says, though his tone suggests he has some reservations about the effectiveness of her handiwork. He glances at the messy bandage again. "It's certainly thorough," he adds, trying to sound appreciative. He then looks towards the door through which Macy disappeared. "She's right, though," he says, his voice strained. "They won't wait. And and the wolf it could be a problem. They sometimes travel in packs." He looks down at the haphazard bandage on his arm. "Maybe we should try to catch up," he suggests, though he clearly isn't thrilled about the prospect of running in his condition.
The biting wind whips across the old Franklin Bridge, stinging Macy's face and tugging at her clothes. The temperature has dropped noticeably since she left the longhouse, and the air is thick with the promise of more snow. She can feel the cold seeping into her bones despite her exertion, a stark reminder of the harsh New England winter Below, the dark waters of the river churn, reflecting the dim lights of the town like scattered shards of glass. It is a pretty damn far run to the college though.
Raina looks at the man, she isnt sure she can protect him from wolves, but if he said is true Macy is in trouble "right, i dont know how to fight but at the very least i can try" she is in way over her head, but now is not the time to worry, she offers help the man up, as she prepares to just chase after Macy, who just ran outside.
Macy isn't going to outrun a wolf if she finds one on her heels, which is why she keeps pressing on, dashing as fast as she can with her armaments. She brings out her phone and checks on something, and then she gets a few things tapped. The thing that opens isn't an app made by google at all, but a personal design. She taps out something on the screen, XKLZN@&$^^*#*+'?\<>@: Which together seems to have translated to some frequency or another. She's trying to keep an eye on texts and emails originating from White Oak. By the time they get outside she might very will be a third of the way across.
Dark hair follows Raina out of the longhouse, his steps still hesitant and pained. The cold night air bites at him, and he wraps his good arm around himself, trying to retain some warmth. He glances around nervously, his eyes scanning the shadows. "God she's fast. I can't even see her." he comments, his voice barely above a whisper. The haphazard bandage on his shoulder is already starting to show a fresh bloom of blood. He tries to keep pace with Raina, but his injured shoulder and the lingering effects of whatever he was injected with earlier make it difficult. He stumbles slightly on the uneven ground, and lets out a small, involuntary groan. He knows they need to hurry, but his body is betraying him. "The college." He rasps out to Raina as he points towards the bridge, "Maybe we can catch a trolley.."
Happily a trolley goes by right then and the man and Raina manage to hop on, letting them get off in front of the White oak just as Macy arrives there on foot.
(repost for raina) Dark hair follows Raina out of the longhouse, his steps still hesitant and pained. The cold night air bites at him, and he wraps his good arm around himself, trying to retain some warmth. He glances around nervously, his eyes scanning the shadows. "God she's fast. I can't even see her." he comments, his voice barely above a whisper. The haphazard bandage on his shoulder is already starting to show a fresh bloom of blood. He tries to keep pace with Raina, but his injured shoulder and the lingering effects of whatever he was injected with earlier make it difficult. He stumbles slightly on the uneven ground, and lets out a small, involuntary groan. He knows they need to hurry, but his body is betraying him. "The college." He rasps out to Raina as he points towards the bridge, "Maybe we can catch a trolley.."
(repost for raina) Happily a trolley goes by right then and the man and Raina manage to hop on, letting them get off in front of the White oak just as Macy arrives there on foot.
Panting from her run, and staring in awe at the serendipity of that trolley, Macy looks right at Raina and the man, pointing at both of them with her sword. "You cheated", she playfully accuses, grinning and winking once. "Come on." She heads in and toward the clinic hallway. She stops at every blind progression, closed doors, corners, checking first by using her epee as a mirror. Anyone in the way will get her to post up and to signal for someone and the man with them to hold back.
Panting from her run, and staring in awe at the serendipity of that trolley, Macy looks right at Raina and the man, pointing at both of them with her sword. "You cheated", she playfully accuses, grinning and winking once. "Come on." She heads in and toward the clinic hallway. She stops at every blind progression, closed doors, corners, checking first by using her epee as a mirror. Anyone in the way will get her to post up and to signal for Raina and the man with them to hold back.
Panting from her run, and staring in awe at the serendipity of that trolley, Macy looks right at Raina and the man, pointing at both of them with her sword. "You cheated", she playfully accuses, grinning and winking once. "Come on." She heads in and toward the clinic hallway. She stops at every blind progression, closed doors, corners, checking first by using her epee as a mirror. Anyone in the way will get her to post up and to signal for Raina and the man with them to hold back.
The man follows Macy, stopping when she signals and following along. He seems to be getting weaker by the moment though, leaning on Raina for support. When Macy gets to stairs leading underground of the clinic, everything is pitch black at the bottom.. There are soft shuffling noises but not much else. Dare Macy and Raina descend?
Raina is holding onto dear life on the trolley and dropping off near where Macy is and following her closely, before long they came to a full halt "well...no where else to go but down huh?" Raina is honestly scared but stops her trembling by tightening het fist hard "should i go down first?" Raina asked Macy "since im not good for anything but bait right now" Raina said
As Raina stands at the maw of the tunnel, Raina cant see anything beyond the first few feet, the tunnels depths a complete mystery shrouded in impenetrable black. The air that wafts out is cold and damp, carrying the scent of wet earth and something ancient, metallic. Macy also does no better peering into the darkness.
Macy peers down the stairs and hefts her epee and her shield, whispering "Try to never have to swordfifht down hill, the hight ground is /not/ advantage. In a sword fight it's the weaker position." She says it for Raina and then takes a stance that looks like it contradicts her, the point of the epee aimed down the stairs in her forward arm. But it may only be because of that positioning. It still leaves her shins and ankles incredibly open, why you don't want the high ground in a sword fight. "Yae though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for I am the most coked up bitch down here. She can't really see in the dark to any degree, so when it gets to that point she stops dead-ass on the stairs and starts getting her phone flashlight started. "Alright no emails no texts, unless you want to know what two cheerleaders and a jock are wearing tonight.""
Macy peers down the stairs and hefts her epee and her shield, whispering "Try to never have to swordfifht down hill, the hight ground is /not/ advantage. In a sword fight it's the weaker position." She says it for Raina and then takes a stance that looks like it contradicts her, the point of the epee aimed down the stairs in her forward arm. But it may only be because of that positioning. It still leaves her shins and ankles incredibly open, why you don't want the high ground in a sword fight. "Yae though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for I am the most coked up bitch down here." She can't really see in the dark to any degree, so when it gets to that point she stops dead-ass on the stairs and starts getting her phone flashlight started. "Alright no emails no texts, unless you want to know what two cheerleaders and a jock are wearing tonight."
The beam of Macy's phone flashlight cuts through the oppressive darkness, a narrow cone of light piercing the void. It dances across the rough-hewn walls, revealing damp, uneven stone slick with moisture. The light flickers across the low, arched ceiling, just high enough to allow passage, and then down to the uneven floor, littered with loose rocks and puddles that gleam like dark mirrors. The flashlight beam reveals the rough texture of the tunnel walls, streaked with grime and what looks like mineral deposits. The darkness beyond the reach of the light seems to press in, a heavy, tangible presence. The air is thick and still, the only sound the faint hum of the phone's light and their own breathing. The light catches something metallic glinting in the distance, half-buried in the dirt, but it's too far to make out what it is. The tunnel stretches onward into the blackness, the phone's beam only illuminating a small circle in the vast unknown.
Raina also pulls out her phone and turns on her flashlight for more coverage "just be careful macy" Raina tells Macy, as she lights up the places where Macy flashlight doesnt hit, she is going to have regrets getting way over in her head, but for now, she has to just march foward with Macy and the man
Macy points to what she sees in the distance, looking at someone and gesturing to the thing with her epee. "Check it out.", she whispers to him, "You're delivering it to the Hand, I'm delivering you. Congratulations Frodo, you're a /real/ Hobbit." She pats her shield to the wall so that her arm blocks Raina from passig closer to the object yet, even if she smacks her in the chest a little in the process. "You, with me."
Macy points to what she sees in the distance, looking at the man and gesturing to the thing with her epee. "Check it out.", she whispers to him, "You're delivering it to the Hand, I'm delivering you. Congratulations Frodo, you're a /real/ Hobbit." She pats her shield to the wall so that her arm blocks Raina from passig closer to the object yet, even if she smacks her in the chest a little in the process. "You, with me."
Before Macy and Raina can get too much further towards the shiny object, a group of heavily armed figures bursts into the tunnel, their flashlights and weapon guiding lasers cutting through the darkness. They level their guns at Macy and Raina, their faces grim and determined, dressed in the uniform of the order. "Freeze!" one of them shouts, his voice echoing through the tunnel. "Don't move!"
Another soldier steps forward, his gaze fixed on the man who stands beside Raina. "He's one of them! One of the ones that got away with the key!" he yells, pointing a finger at him. "He's part of the Destined Host! Secure him!" The man flinches at the accusation, his eyes widening in what looks like a mix of fear and resignation and he hides behind Macy and Raina. "No no.. I'm part of the Hand." He begs them.
Raina staggers a little bit from Macy blocking her path foward "nh...okay" it is hard to see anyways so she isnt going any further anyways
Raina freezes as guns are pointed at them, she looks at the man and Macy before just complying with the soldiers, for now.
Macy flicks her sword up and over her shoulder, opposite side of Raina, to flick the tip close to the injured man's throat. "So, just going to explain something Raina hadn't figured out yet." She does ber best instructing with a blade tip to try to convince the man to step out in front while she stares ate the presumed Order persons before her. "The Destined Host tried to steal the eye of Balor from the Order, who took out and captured most of them. This one, a lone werewolf, escaped and ran away, knocked out or killed someone to take their clothes, maybe got them off the line... Then he tried to hire a vagrant and a college student to to to take on what may well be the entire Haven branch of the Order for him so that he could grab it while they were distracted by us..." She turns her head to the man she'd led here. "That's why you didn't run to it when I stopped. Sorry for your luck, but you're not smearing the Hand's name. But I'm real glad Raina had me with her tonight for this. Had to be ne... somebody else might have gotten it wrong."
Macy is probably right. But before she can process it further, the soldiers move in, their movements swift and efficient. They grab the man, roughly pulling him away from the girls. He doesn't resist, his expression resigned as they cuff him and drag him away.
Then, two of the soldiers approach Macy and Raina. They're holding small vials filled with a viscous, swirling liquid. "Drink this," one of them says, his voice flat and emotionless. "It's a memory potion. You didn't see anything. You two went shopping in the Vow. " He holds out a vial towards Macy. The other soldier does the same to Raina. They clearly expect no argument.
Raina looks at the weird potion with some suspicion, she looks at Macy and would likely follow what she does next, even then...forgetting all of this seems like she is just going to get dragged into more situations like this with little to know knowledge on how to deal with it.
Macy puts her epee away but her hand up to the vial offered to her, stating to the alchemist, "I've been aware since I was 7, and I grew up in Haven, I'm fine. Her?" She turns her head to Raina and shrugs, asking her, "You want to remember, or forget? I can walk you through our world, but you have to trust me. If this is just a life you don't want, then drink the potion."
The soldier sighs, a flicker of impatience crossing his face. "Like I said," he repeats, his tone hardening, "it's a memory potion. You didn't see anything. Just drink it and this will all be over." He pushes the vial closer to Macy's face. "Don't make this difficult. It's not just about awareness. No one can know the artifact is being moved."
"If you refuse," he says, his voice now laced with a clear threat, "we'll have to make you drink it. It's for your own good." He gestures with his gun. "Now, drink."
Raina looks at the potion...it is either false normalcy, which she would continue living in oblivious bliss...or knowing what has just transpired at this very moment "...i...id like to know, i want to remember" Raina said to Macy, if she plans on staying here for that simple reason of why...then she must know why this has just transpired...even with the threat of violence
"Hum...", Macy says softly, tilting her head. Well there are about twelve of you so /that's/ not a fun fight for me." She just reaches out and grabs both vials, attempting to stuff the end of one into Raina's mouth while the woman is still debating it. Her own she raises up and sighs at, stating, "Mozzletov!" She turns tips it back with the liquid pouring down the side of her cheek on the side the Irder isn't on, faking it for them. She hands back two empty vials and giggles, wiping off her cheek and neck under the guise of rubbing her beck and head. "Hahaha I knew this would be a bad place for fencing, we should have just kept shopping at Vow n Vogue! Come on!" She calls back over her shoulder to Raina on the way up the stairs again, "Come on! There's a cool scarf you'll love!""
"Hum...", Macy says softly, tilting her head. "Well there are about twelve of you so /that's/ not a fun fight for me." She just reaches out and grabs both vials, attempting to stuff the end of one into Raina's mouth while the woman is still debating it. Her own she raises up and sighs at, stating, "Mozzletov!" She turns tips it back with the liquid pouring down the side of her cheek on the side the Irder isn't on, faking it for them. She hands back two empty vials and giggles, wiping off her cheek and neck under the guise of rubbing her beck and head. "Hahaha I knew this would be a bad place for fencing, we should have just kept shopping at Vow n Vogue! Come on!" She calls back over her shoulder to Raina on the way up the stairs again, "Come on! There's a cool scarf you'll love!" (that " " thing again)
The liquid inside is thick and viscous, and it goes down with a strange, almost metallic tang. Almost immediately, a wave of dizziness washes over them. Their thoughts become fuzzy, fragmented, like pieces of a broken mirror. The events of the past hour begin to slip away, replaced by a strange, pleasant fog. The tense atmosphere of the tunnel, the armed soldiers, the man they were trying to help all of it fades, dissolving into nothingness.
When the fog clears, they're standing infront of the vow and vogue although it looks like their hour of shopping hasn't resulted in anything yet....
Meanwhile, a more unusual and perilous adventure unfolds involving Macy, Raina, and a wounded stranger bearing secrets tied to the mystical Eye of Balor. This artifact, said to bridge the realms of humans and demons, becomes the center of a harrowing chase through ancient crypts and hidden passages beneath White Oak. As Macy and Raina navigate the dark underbelly of Haven, they face off against armed guards and the manipulative schemes of the Destined Host. The encounter takes a surprising turn when they're coerced to drink a memory-erasing potion under the threat of violence, purportedly to silence the ordeal's witness. Despite the intimidation, Macy's quick thinking and feigned compliance allow them a sliver of reprieve from the erasure of their recent memories. The potion's effects, however, leave their mark, weaving confusion and dizziness into their escape, obfuscating the true nature of their harrowing adventure as they find themselves aimlessly standing in front of a shopping venue, misled into believing an hour of shopping had yet to yield any purchases.
(Lark's odd encounter(SREvan):SREvan)
[Sat Feb 1 2025]
In a sleek, modern bedroom
This bedroom has a modern feel to it. The walls have been painted a glossy grey that shines. Instead of using a normal lights, the room is lit by strings of colourful RGB lights, that look like they can be changed depending on the mood. Anchoring the space - along the northern wall - is a sleek, king sized bed. It has soft, black sheets with four pillows in black pillowcases. Directly opposite the bed is a desk with a dual monitor setup, a flashing RGB keyboard and speakers for audio.
In another section of the room is a large wardrobe with many drawers for storing clothes. The front of the wardrobe has a door with a mirror on it, which can be opened to access a section to hang clothes.
It is night, about 24F(-4C) degrees, and there are a few dark grey stormclouds in the sky. There is a waxing crescent moon.
(Someone has sent the state police after your target. Perhaps they're a real criminal or perhaps they've been framed, in either case it's up to them to get their arrest warrant handled and removed.
)
Lark gets dressed, slinking off of the bed and yawning. With a stretch, she plops into her boyfriend's gaming desk, firing up his Steam account. She snoops for a little bit through his games.
It's a calm, cool night in Haven. One of those nights that makes it perfect for lounging and lazing around a house and doing whatever it is. Who wants to go outside in the dead of night in winter? Certainly not most people, and this would also, clearly be the case for Lark now, who's decided to snoop around on boyfriend's computer. That's some criminal behaviour! It's not like anyone is going to catch her in the act or anything though. So, commit all the video game stealing crimes! There are no video game cops.
Perhaps it's the quiet or the fact Lark is wearing headphones with the volume up, that she can't quite seem to manage to make out the loud banging on her front door. It's most likely nothing, anyway. Because, afterall, who wants to go out in the middle of the night, in the cold. If you're not used to the cold, and you hate this sort of weather, that's an awful crime to commit.
And now comes the unfortunate part for Lark, because that banging is not in her headphones, and not on whatever game she decided to end up playing. It's real, and it's loud.
BANG. BANG. BANGBANG. "THIS IS THE POLICE!" A gruff, angry voice calls, bleeding into the RGB-lit bedroom. "WE KNOW YOU'RE IN THERE." The voice sounds angry, and it's probably best to not ignore the loud banging on a door at close to midnight.
Lark might have been starting to snoop on the computer and suddenly jolts up at that sudden noise. "What the fuck....?" She wonders aloud, pulling those headphones off. She rises and makes her way out of the bedroom, beelining for the front door. Thankfully it's not kicked in.
She opens the door a slight inch. "I'm sorry. I think you have the wrong place? How can I help you officers?"
A rugged, angry looking officer peeks into that cracked door. "I don't think we do," he explains - his voice a bit more calm now that he can determine that someone is actually behind it. Breaking down doors sounds like a lot of paperwork, and he doesn't seem the type to be all that interested in filling out a bunch of paperwork so late. "I've got a warrant out for your arrest, ma'am," he begins to say, explaining in the process why he's here so late. "You were caught shoplifting," he explains openly, "And I'm really going to need to bring you in. You can make this a lot easier on yourself if you just open up and let me in." The officer gives Lark a look now, one of annoyance - just let him in and this will be easy. It definitely seems to be an honest sort of look. "But," he continues on, gesturing behind himself a little. "If you don't wanna make it easy, boys and I are fine to do things the hard way as well." He shrugs, and steps back from the door - leaving the situation now in Lark's hands to decide on what she wants to do here.
"I'd like to see the warrant. That's impossible because I've never shoplifted in my life," Lark explains, a frown crossing her face. "You're with the Haven Sheriff's Department?"
Lark adds: "Who did you say you were looking for?" Lark asks.
The man lets out a heavy groan, and steps back up to the door, extending a paper towards Lark and that crack in the door, offering it up for her to read.
And now, if Lark were to read the warrant, she'd notice some oddly similar details to her. It seems whoever did their warrant writing did their research. The person in the warrant whoever they are, has very, very similiar characteristics to Lark. Red hair, blue eyes, same length hair and they would even be about the same height as her. It's uncanny, really.
"Looking for a Miss Smith," he tells her lazily, "And I was told to come here, all the research pointed me right this way. So, please," he begins again, "Would you open up and we can get on with this? I don't really want to do the paperwork of breaking down your door, ma'am."
Lark takes the paper from the man, a frown spreading across her face as she reads the warrant. And oh does she take her sweet ass time doing it, making sure the officers wait in the dark, cold. "This isn't me. I'm not a Miss Smith, and there isn't anyone here by that name. I'm sorry, but you have the wrong house."
Lark looks at the officer.
"Ma'am," The officer says - his voice level and calm. "I'm not stupid, despite the fact I'm not a genius. I'm working a job here," he explains - hoping to appeal to some part of her. "We have stacks of evidence against you, photos, videos, eye witnesses detailing you." Letting out a long, heavy sigh, he continues on. "I'm trying to be reasonable here, and do this the easy way. Just let us in, let me bring you downtown and I'm sure this can all be sorted out, if you really are trying to act like you're not the right person."
Lark crosses her arms, the door still only opened a little bit. Despite her body language, she smiles at the officer. Really gives him as brilliant and sweet of a smile as she could muster. "You have the wrong house and the wrong person. Really someone at the precinct will probably get in trouble over this. You boys don't want a big lawsuit on your hands. So save yourselves some trouble, and just head on back home. I'm sure we'd all like to get on with our nights, hm?"
The officer in charge listens very intently to all of Lark's words, extending his hand back for the warrant. He pauses a moment, to scratch at his stubbly chin - obvious signs of just having shaved not too long ago. He glances behind him, at probably the rest of the cops who were about to break her door down. "I suppose maybe.." the man reasons, "Someone COULD have fucked up," he tells Lark. "I mean this isn't even the same fucking town..." he exhales breathing out in complete and utter annoyance. "Alright then," he says. "BOYS!" he calls down the hall, "Let's go," and with that the man is marching off, muttering something about incompetence.
Lark shuts the door, rolls her eyes, and returns to snooping.
(Your target finds themselves competing with a member of The Destined Host in a race against time to secure a rare artifact. This artifact, known as the Eye of Balor, is said to have the power to open a direct portal to the demon realm. The Destined Host member, a charismatic and persuasive individual, attempts to sway the target to their cause, arguing that strengthening the demons' hold is the only way to protect the world from a greater, unknown evil. The encounter could involve a combination of exploration, combat, and social interaction, as the target has to navigate an ancient, trap-filled crypt to reach the artifact, confront the Host member, and potentially deal with any demonic entities that are drawn to the artifact's power.)
Macy smirks at the quaint room, shaking her head. While she continues to go through her pockets she explains, "I don't know if you'll want the door open once you see what I'm about to do-abnormal on many levels-I'm an inventor and I use cocaine to help with the process It's not always an easy thing have to be careful-" She doesn't stop speaking, but also pulls out 3 vials and 3 clean needles, setting the needles aside and the vials on a bedside table. After turning her head quickly to Raina and continues into what she was doing. "I use a combination of ativan thorazine and haldol to bring myself down-very effective and very fast." As she's saying it she measures out 10CCs of ativan, and injects it into a bottle of jasmin tea she had, then 2 of thorazine, and 50 of haldol. Shaking the bottle, she caps the needles again and disposes of them, chugging a quarter of her drink.
Raina looks at Macy "cocaine?" she sounded a bit confused then quietly stares at Macy as she downs the entire concoction "wait a minute isnt that an illegal drug or is there something named similiarly to it?" she just clicked on what macy just said and did "are you...okay?" Raina asked with genuine worry
The weather is unseasonably mild for Haven this February evening, if mild is a word that can be used for a New England winters night. Still, it's not subzero, and the wind is only a whisper, stirring up small swirls of snow beneath the streetlights. The remnants of last weeks storm linger on rooftops and sidewalks, packed into stubborn drifts that glisten under the dim glow of porch lights.
The town itself is subdued, a mix of locals bundled up in their homes against the cold and those who have fled south to escape winters grasp. The streets are sparsely traveled, save for the occasional plow or lone figure making their way through the night. Bars hum with quiet conversation, but even they seem restrained, as though the town is waiting for something.
A distant howl from the woods shatters the silence, a lone wolf calling into the night. The sound goes unanswered. The ever-diligent snow sweeper cat rumbles along its route, ensuring the main roads stay passable, though the sidewalks remain half-buried under ice and slush.
The mist, which has made a habit of creeping into town under the cover of darkness, is absent tonight. It had curled around the outskirts earlier but has since withdrawn, leaving behind an eerie clarity to the night air. Mayhaps it was our heroine Macy crashing due to it that had caused it to hold it's hand or mayhaps it was simply waiting, just bidding it's time.
But despite the stillness, Haven is not as peaceful as it appears to outsiders. For while many remain indoors, lost in their routines, others are vanish into it's nights, it's forests never to be seen again.
Macy knows this all too well.
As she sits in the dim confines of the bunk room, the wooden boards beneath her rough and unyielding. The single window lets in little more than pale moonlight, stretching long shadows across the unmade beds. Macy is apparently dealing drugs with her companion as another wolf howl breaks the peace of the night.
Unknown to Macy and Raina, in the myriad of tunnels that exist underneath white oak - something is being transported. Shrouded in mystery The Eye of Balor is a relic of legend, whispered about in secret circles and feared by those who understand its true nature. An artifact of immense, unstable power, it is said to be the crystallized essence of Balors gazethe destructive eye of the ancient, one-eyed Fomorian king. Myths claim that when Balor fell in battle, his cursed eye did not close in death. Instead, it was ripped from his skull and bound in iron, sealed away by those who feared what it could do if left unchecked.
The Eye does not simply see; it opens. Those who wield it gain the ability to tear through the fabric of reality, creating a direct portal to the demon realm. Legends differ on how the Eye manifests its power. Some claim that looking into it drives mortals mad, filling their minds with visions of endless, writhing darkness. Others say the Eye does not require a willing user at allthat it hungers for an opportunity to be opened, that it whispers in the dead of night, guiding the weak-willed to break its seals.
The poor members of the order tasked to transport this item have it bound in a wooden chest and two grunts are swearing as they carry the amulet - who'd thought an amulet can weight that much? - though the tunnels with a hand on each handlebar. They had already been attacked by the destined host that night and guards in front and behind - armed to the teeth are antsy.
Meanwhile... while Macy is busy mixing up drugs - BANG.
The door swings open with a sudden, violent shove, and a man staggers inside, his breath ragged, his left shoulder dark with spreading blood. He clutches the wound, fingers slick and trembling, but its clear from the tension in his jaw that he refuses to cry out.
He is surprisingly handsome, even in his current stateperhaps because of it. Tousled dark hair, damp from either sweat or melting snow, falls haphazardly across his forehead. His sharp featurescheekbones cut like stone, a strong jaw dusted with stubbleare offset by the deep-set, piercing eyes that flick between Macy and Raina, assessing, calculating. He is the kind of man whose expression rarely betrays emotion, but right now, pain has cracked through his carefully constructed mask.
He leans heavily against the split-log wall, the rough wood catching against his jacket. His knees nearly buckle, but he braces himself with his good arm, forcing a breath through clenched teeth. A smear of blood stains the wall behind him as he shifts, trying to steady himself.
"Please.. I need help." He gasps softly in a soft New Yorker's accent.
Raina darts to go help the man without much hesitation, she may not know anything at all of what happened to the man but that is of little importance to her "you are hurt, macy call an ambulance" she helps steady the man letting him lean on her.
"No!" the man gasps, his grip tightening on Raina's arm. He winces, but the urgency in his voice is clear. "No ambulance. No calling HSD. Please." He coughs again, a rattling sound deep in his chest. "They won't help me."
He looks at Raina, his eyes pleading. "Please, you have to understand. These people... they're powerful. They have eyes everywhere. If I go to a hospital, they'll find me before morning. And then..." He trails off, a shiver running through him. "Please help me...." He slumps down against the wall until he's sitting there, with or without Raina's support.
Macy nod, nod, and nods again, but she didn't finish the whole bottle at once, just the first quarter of it. She doesn't slow down right away either. "Yes-But it hardly matters if it's legal or not because I have the right connections to get away with it and that's why I was able to say it right in front of two cops today without being searched-that and Uncle George is a desk cop working under the both of them." She paces and sips, and after a bit longer she does slow, log wnough for the door to swing open. At that moment and still in the middle of coming down, adrenaline high, coke still being fought, her first instinct is to pull the gun from her pocket and point it right at the man who came in. Sanctuary has him safe from her, and she's only even able to aim it because her intent doesn't involve the trigger, but how can she know if he knows that? The fear of it is all. When the man is proven relatively harmless, and she eyes him up, closing the door. "So lets break this down for a while you came busting in on two unsuspecting women in a bedroom and your first move was to size us both up but you also were injured in a fight-not over drugs or at least not any that I use, you're relatively calm right now and if you were gacked out like me you'd be feeling no pain so not drugs-property-but we heard no signs of anything until you came in, perhaps a hold howl here or there-so the question is which type of property-did you step into a wolf's territory or did tou try to burglarize a Moore-and I'll know if you're lying because I know a lot about both-Raina-back away."
The man winces, a flicker of genuine pain crossing his face before he schools his features again. There's a crimson stain against Macy's wall above where he now sits on the floor, his breathing shallow and ragged. "They're... they're after it," he manages, his voice strained as he faces down Macy's gun, not even seeming scared of it.
He pauses, gathering his strength. "The Eye of Balor," he says, the name itself seeming to vibrate in the small room and the man speaks it as if Macy or Raina might have heard of it. "They're trying to take it." He looks at them, his gaze intense, pleading. "You have to help me. You have to help me secure it."
line He reaches inside his jacket, wincing again as he moves his injured arm. He pulls out a small, intricately carved wooden box. It's plain, almost unassuming, but Macy can sense something radiating from it, a low hum of power that makes the hairs on her arms stand on end.
"This," he says, holding the box out towards them, "is the key. It unlocks the chest where they're keeping the Eye. They're moving it through the tunnels beneath White Oak. You have to .. help me stop them."
Raina was suprised when Macy pulled out her gun and darted her eyes at the man for a brief moment before looking back at Macy, honestly she is in the right, the man barged in without any warning, looking shady and saying shadier stuff. "mr im not sure..." she tries her best to avert her eyes from the man but...she was unable to. "macy...should we help this man?" maybe she is too soft for this situation, all she can do now is ask Macy on what she wants to do, either help the man or just call the police, since getting involved in something so suspicious might spell doom.
Macy settles down a bit more and slips her gun back in her pocket, snapping her fingers at Raina as if it was supposed to mean something, and she gestures her to sit nearby, or downish at least. On the way over to the man she slides her goggles up onto her forwhead. "The eye is there?!" she asks, quickly chugging a bit more tea. "Okay no, yes I'll help but no we can't have it making it past the school. You with the Hand at least? Where was it last seen but before that how bad are you hurt?" She takes the box and stares into the man's eyes. "Oh we're helping, and you, Raina, are going to use a different kind of box where you don't think about anything that scares you, and you stay close to me, do /not/ go off on your own unless I tell you to run, and do not say anything to anyone about it." And she levels a gaze at Raina, "especially if it's not supposed to exist."
The man looks at Macy, a flicker of relief in his eyes. "Yes, the Eye is there. They're moving it through the tunnels beneath White Oak High School. That's where they were headed when they when they attacked us." He winces as Raina helps him sit, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "I'm... with the Hand, yes. They're dressed like the order.. But they're really destined hosts."
He looks down at his bleeding shoulder. "It's it's a flesh wound. It stings like hell, but it's not deep. Just just a lot of blood." He grimaces. "They wanted to make sure I wouldn't be able to follow them easily."
At Macy's words, he focuses again. "It was last seen near the clinic tunnels. They were heavily armed, at least a dozen of them. Theyre expecting reinforcements, though, so they might be more by now. They're trying to get it out of the town, to to somewhere else." He shivers, the thought clearly disturbing him.
He takes a deep breath, trying to compose himself. "Thank you," he says to Macy and Raina. "Thank you for helping me. You you don't understand how important this is. The Eye it cant fall into their hands. It would be catastrophic." He closes his eyes for a moment, gathering his strength and then staggers to his feet.
Raina is confused then remembers something and looks at Macy with some amount of clarity of what is going on "im not going to ask many questions, but...is this a situation where im not supposed to know?" for her all of these words seems like nonsense, but seeing Macy and the man came to an understanding from a item called the eye of balor and remembering the words of a friend she came to a conclusion that this situation, is beyond her current understanding "...well ill stick closely to you anyways, im already involved and i have very little doubt ill continue being involved" she was here for a simple reason...it seems this really will be a complicated situation for her.
"Raina... You're doing fine. I'd like you to try to bandage him, and both of you try to keep up. I just drank the come down cocktail so I can't just snort another line right behind it but we have to do what we can to stop the destined host and now... at least you're Hand. Best shot I have at retribution for Phoenix is with you guys." Macy makes a fist and slams it on the end table, standing up and checking for her other weapon, the epee, and of course her shield too. Those will technically be with her from this point rather than just shown off. "We've got about a negative head start behind them so lets truck it!" On the way out of the bedroom she stops in the doorway just long enough to ask the man, "You good to truck through the mists or what?"
The man is still bleeding sluggishly and takes another composing breath as he looks over at Raina, waiting for the bandage if it will appear. "I'm sure I'll be able to keep up with the two of you.. Thank you again for helping me." Another wince is given.
"Well the problem is you two might have to catch up more than keep up, and I heard a wolf." Macy starts out the door but almost can't without the other two. "Damn. I gotta take this opportunity to get something big done and warn my way into the Hand! 710-9576, update me on things, getting a head start." She rushes out the door of the longhouse, does an assplant hoodslide over somebody's car and sure not hers, plants face first into a van. "Ow, okay way to be cool as not, hope nobody saw that." She glances around to check on just that, and rhen books it to feanklin beidge to start dashing her way across. This is a bad time to not be a skater with a grappling hook.
Raina tells Macy "im not trained medically..." she sounds rather dissapointed with herself honestly, out of the three she feels like a deadweight for the situation at hand, she still bandaged the man as best as she could, in which she basically haphazardly wraps his wounds "wolf..." Raina mumbles as she finishes her rush job of bandaging the man.
He winces as Raina finishes bandaging him, a slight grimace on his face at the haphazard wrapping. He flexes his arm cautiously. "Thanks," he says, though his tone suggests he has some reservations about the effectiveness of her handiwork. He glances at the messy bandage again. "It's certainly thorough," he adds, trying to sound appreciative. He then looks towards the door through which Macy disappeared. "She's right, though," he says, his voice strained. "They won't wait. And and the wolf it could be a problem. They sometimes travel in packs." He looks down at the haphazard bandage on his arm. "Maybe we should try to catch up," he suggests, though he clearly isn't thrilled about the prospect of running in his condition.
The biting wind whips across the old Franklin Bridge, stinging Macy's face and tugging at her clothes. The temperature has dropped noticeably since she left the longhouse, and the air is thick with the promise of more snow. She can feel the cold seeping into her bones despite her exertion, a stark reminder of the harsh New England winter Below, the dark waters of the river churn, reflecting the dim lights of the town like scattered shards of glass. It is a pretty damn far run to the college though.
Raina looks at the man, she isnt sure she can protect him from wolves, but if he said is true Macy is in trouble "right, i dont know how to fight but at the very least i can try" she is in way over her head, but now is not the time to worry, she offers help the man up, as she prepares to just chase after Macy, who just ran outside.
Macy isn't going to outrun a wolf if she finds one on her heels, which is why she keeps pressing on, dashing as fast as she can with her armaments. She brings out her phone and checks on something, and then she gets a few things tapped. The thing that opens isn't an app made by google at all, but a personal design. She taps out something on the screen, XKLZN@&$^^*#*+'?\<>@: Which together seems to have translated to some frequency or another. She's trying to keep an eye on texts and emails originating from White Oak. By the time they get outside she might very will be a third of the way across.
Dark hair follows Raina out of the longhouse, his steps still hesitant and pained. The cold night air bites at him, and he wraps his good arm around himself, trying to retain some warmth. He glances around nervously, his eyes scanning the shadows. "God she's fast. I can't even see her." he comments, his voice barely above a whisper. The haphazard bandage on his shoulder is already starting to show a fresh bloom of blood. He tries to keep pace with Raina, but his injured shoulder and the lingering effects of whatever he was injected with earlier make it difficult. He stumbles slightly on the uneven ground, and lets out a small, involuntary groan. He knows they need to hurry, but his body is betraying him. "The college." He rasps out to Raina as he points towards the bridge, "Maybe we can catch a trolley.."
Happily a trolley goes by right then and the man and Raina manage to hop on, letting them get off in front of the White oak just as Macy arrives there on foot.
(repost for raina) Dark hair follows Raina out of the longhouse, his steps still hesitant and pained. The cold night air bites at him, and he wraps his good arm around himself, trying to retain some warmth. He glances around nervously, his eyes scanning the shadows. "God she's fast. I can't even see her." he comments, his voice barely above a whisper. The haphazard bandage on his shoulder is already starting to show a fresh bloom of blood. He tries to keep pace with Raina, but his injured shoulder and the lingering effects of whatever he was injected with earlier make it difficult. He stumbles slightly on the uneven ground, and lets out a small, involuntary groan. He knows they need to hurry, but his body is betraying him. "The college." He rasps out to Raina as he points towards the bridge, "Maybe we can catch a trolley.."
(repost for raina) Happily a trolley goes by right then and the man and Raina manage to hop on, letting them get off in front of the White oak just as Macy arrives there on foot.
Panting from her run, and staring in awe at the serendipity of that trolley, Macy looks right at Raina and the man, pointing at both of them with her sword. "You cheated", she playfully accuses, grinning and winking once. "Come on." She heads in and toward the clinic hallway. She stops at every blind progression, closed doors, corners, checking first by using her epee as a mirror. Anyone in the way will get her to post up and to signal for someone and the man with them to hold back.
Panting from her run, and staring in awe at the serendipity of that trolley, Macy looks right at Raina and the man, pointing at both of them with her sword. "You cheated", she playfully accuses, grinning and winking once. "Come on." She heads in and toward the clinic hallway. She stops at every blind progression, closed doors, corners, checking first by using her epee as a mirror. Anyone in the way will get her to post up and to signal for Raina and the man with them to hold back.
Panting from her run, and staring in awe at the serendipity of that trolley, Macy looks right at Raina and the man, pointing at both of them with her sword. "You cheated", she playfully accuses, grinning and winking once. "Come on." She heads in and toward the clinic hallway. She stops at every blind progression, closed doors, corners, checking first by using her epee as a mirror. Anyone in the way will get her to post up and to signal for Raina and the man with them to hold back.
The man follows Macy, stopping when she signals and following along. He seems to be getting weaker by the moment though, leaning on Raina for support. When Macy gets to stairs leading underground of the clinic, everything is pitch black at the bottom.. There are soft shuffling noises but not much else. Dare Macy and Raina descend?
Raina is holding onto dear life on the trolley and dropping off near where Macy is and following her closely, before long they came to a full halt "well...no where else to go but down huh?" Raina is honestly scared but stops her trembling by tightening het fist hard "should i go down first?" Raina asked Macy "since im not good for anything but bait right now" Raina said
As Raina stands at the maw of the tunnel, Raina cant see anything beyond the first few feet, the tunnels depths a complete mystery shrouded in impenetrable black. The air that wafts out is cold and damp, carrying the scent of wet earth and something ancient, metallic. Macy also does no better peering into the darkness.
Macy peers down the stairs and hefts her epee and her shield, whispering "Try to never have to swordfifht down hill, the hight ground is /not/ advantage. In a sword fight it's the weaker position." She says it for Raina and then takes a stance that looks like it contradicts her, the point of the epee aimed down the stairs in her forward arm. But it may only be because of that positioning. It still leaves her shins and ankles incredibly open, why you don't want the high ground in a sword fight. "Yae though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for I am the most coked up bitch down here. She can't really see in the dark to any degree, so when it gets to that point she stops dead-ass on the stairs and starts getting her phone flashlight started. "Alright no emails no texts, unless you want to know what two cheerleaders and a jock are wearing tonight.""
Macy peers down the stairs and hefts her epee and her shield, whispering "Try to never have to swordfifht down hill, the hight ground is /not/ advantage. In a sword fight it's the weaker position." She says it for Raina and then takes a stance that looks like it contradicts her, the point of the epee aimed down the stairs in her forward arm. But it may only be because of that positioning. It still leaves her shins and ankles incredibly open, why you don't want the high ground in a sword fight. "Yae though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I shall fear no evil for I am the most coked up bitch down here." She can't really see in the dark to any degree, so when it gets to that point she stops dead-ass on the stairs and starts getting her phone flashlight started. "Alright no emails no texts, unless you want to know what two cheerleaders and a jock are wearing tonight."
The beam of Macy's phone flashlight cuts through the oppressive darkness, a narrow cone of light piercing the void. It dances across the rough-hewn walls, revealing damp, uneven stone slick with moisture. The light flickers across the low, arched ceiling, just high enough to allow passage, and then down to the uneven floor, littered with loose rocks and puddles that gleam like dark mirrors. The flashlight beam reveals the rough texture of the tunnel walls, streaked with grime and what looks like mineral deposits. The darkness beyond the reach of the light seems to press in, a heavy, tangible presence. The air is thick and still, the only sound the faint hum of the phone's light and their own breathing. The light catches something metallic glinting in the distance, half-buried in the dirt, but it's too far to make out what it is. The tunnel stretches onward into the blackness, the phone's beam only illuminating a small circle in the vast unknown.
Raina also pulls out her phone and turns on her flashlight for more coverage "just be careful macy" Raina tells Macy, as she lights up the places where Macy flashlight doesnt hit, she is going to have regrets getting way over in her head, but for now, she has to just march foward with Macy and the man
Macy points to what she sees in the distance, looking at someone and gesturing to the thing with her epee. "Check it out.", she whispers to him, "You're delivering it to the Hand, I'm delivering you. Congratulations Frodo, you're a /real/ Hobbit." She pats her shield to the wall so that her arm blocks Raina from passig closer to the object yet, even if she smacks her in the chest a little in the process. "You, with me."
Macy points to what she sees in the distance, looking at the man and gesturing to the thing with her epee. "Check it out.", she whispers to him, "You're delivering it to the Hand, I'm delivering you. Congratulations Frodo, you're a /real/ Hobbit." She pats her shield to the wall so that her arm blocks Raina from passig closer to the object yet, even if she smacks her in the chest a little in the process. "You, with me."
Before Macy and Raina can get too much further towards the shiny object, a group of heavily armed figures bursts into the tunnel, their flashlights and weapon guiding lasers cutting through the darkness. They level their guns at Macy and Raina, their faces grim and determined, dressed in the uniform of the order. "Freeze!" one of them shouts, his voice echoing through the tunnel. "Don't move!"
Another soldier steps forward, his gaze fixed on the man who stands beside Raina. "He's one of them! One of the ones that got away with the key!" he yells, pointing a finger at him. "He's part of the Destined Host! Secure him!" The man flinches at the accusation, his eyes widening in what looks like a mix of fear and resignation and he hides behind Macy and Raina. "No no.. I'm part of the Hand." He begs them.
Raina staggers a little bit from Macy blocking her path foward "nh...okay" it is hard to see anyways so she isnt going any further anyways
Raina freezes as guns are pointed at them, she looks at the man and Macy before just complying with the soldiers, for now.
Macy flicks her sword up and over her shoulder, opposite side of Raina, to flick the tip close to the injured man's throat. "So, just going to explain something Raina hadn't figured out yet." She does ber best instructing with a blade tip to try to convince the man to step out in front while she stares ate the presumed Order persons before her. "The Destined Host tried to steal the eye of Balor from the Order, who took out and captured most of them. This one, a lone werewolf, escaped and ran away, knocked out or killed someone to take their clothes, maybe got them off the line... Then he tried to hire a vagrant and a college student to to to take on what may well be the entire Haven branch of the Order for him so that he could grab it while they were distracted by us..." She turns her head to the man she'd led here. "That's why you didn't run to it when I stopped. Sorry for your luck, but you're not smearing the Hand's name. But I'm real glad Raina had me with her tonight for this. Had to be ne... somebody else might have gotten it wrong."
Macy is probably right. But before she can process it further, the soldiers move in, their movements swift and efficient. They grab the man, roughly pulling him away from the girls. He doesn't resist, his expression resigned as they cuff him and drag him away.
Then, two of the soldiers approach Macy and Raina. They're holding small vials filled with a viscous, swirling liquid. "Drink this," one of them says, his voice flat and emotionless. "It's a memory potion. You didn't see anything. You two went shopping in the Vow. " He holds out a vial towards Macy. The other soldier does the same to Raina. They clearly expect no argument.
Raina looks at the weird potion with some suspicion, she looks at Macy and would likely follow what she does next, even then...forgetting all of this seems like she is just going to get dragged into more situations like this with little to know knowledge on how to deal with it.
Macy puts her epee away but her hand up to the vial offered to her, stating to the alchemist, "I've been aware since I was 7, and I grew up in Haven, I'm fine. Her?" She turns her head to Raina and shrugs, asking her, "You want to remember, or forget? I can walk you through our world, but you have to trust me. If this is just a life you don't want, then drink the potion."
The soldier sighs, a flicker of impatience crossing his face. "Like I said," he repeats, his tone hardening, "it's a memory potion. You didn't see anything. Just drink it and this will all be over." He pushes the vial closer to Macy's face. "Don't make this difficult. It's not just about awareness. No one can know the artifact is being moved."
"If you refuse," he says, his voice now laced with a clear threat, "we'll have to make you drink it. It's for your own good." He gestures with his gun. "Now, drink."
Raina looks at the potion...it is either false normalcy, which she would continue living in oblivious bliss...or knowing what has just transpired at this very moment "...i...id like to know, i want to remember" Raina said to Macy, if she plans on staying here for that simple reason of why...then she must know why this has just transpired...even with the threat of violence
"Hum...", Macy says softly, tilting her head. Well there are about twelve of you so /that's/ not a fun fight for me." She just reaches out and grabs both vials, attempting to stuff the end of one into Raina's mouth while the woman is still debating it. Her own she raises up and sighs at, stating, "Mozzletov!" She turns tips it back with the liquid pouring down the side of her cheek on the side the Irder isn't on, faking it for them. She hands back two empty vials and giggles, wiping off her cheek and neck under the guise of rubbing her beck and head. "Hahaha I knew this would be a bad place for fencing, we should have just kept shopping at Vow n Vogue! Come on!" She calls back over her shoulder to Raina on the way up the stairs again, "Come on! There's a cool scarf you'll love!""
"Hum...", Macy says softly, tilting her head. "Well there are about twelve of you so /that's/ not a fun fight for me." She just reaches out and grabs both vials, attempting to stuff the end of one into Raina's mouth while the woman is still debating it. Her own she raises up and sighs at, stating, "Mozzletov!" She turns tips it back with the liquid pouring down the side of her cheek on the side the Irder isn't on, faking it for them. She hands back two empty vials and giggles, wiping off her cheek and neck under the guise of rubbing her beck and head. "Hahaha I knew this would be a bad place for fencing, we should have just kept shopping at Vow n Vogue! Come on!" She calls back over her shoulder to Raina on the way up the stairs again, "Come on! There's a cool scarf you'll love!" (that " " thing again)
The liquid inside is thick and viscous, and it goes down with a strange, almost metallic tang. Almost immediately, a wave of dizziness washes over them. Their thoughts become fuzzy, fragmented, like pieces of a broken mirror. The events of the past hour begin to slip away, replaced by a strange, pleasant fog. The tense atmosphere of the tunnel, the armed soldiers, the man they were trying to help all of it fades, dissolving into nothingness.
When the fog clears, they're standing infront of the vow and vogue although it looks like their hour of shopping hasn't resulted in anything yet....