https://thefirstage.org/forums/ Fri, 01 May 2026 18:08:41 +0000 MyBB https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1974.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 15:12:25 +0000 Enrique]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1974.html
But with the threats being diminished, that meant the rumors of weirdness had more credibility. There were a couple of rumors that grabbed Ricky’s attention. A old woman needing help and who went with her didn’t come back. Another woman who seemed possessed. So it could be multiple things. A harpy was most likely for the first. The second could be a wefuke or a ijiraq. Still both were worth investigating further. He hoped for the harpy. He could kill that without killing a person too.  

So Ricky packed up his pistols and loaded a backpack with extra ammo, rations, and a change of clothing. Carrying a damn near corpse like Nox on his back had made the change of clothing a standard in his go bag now. He also carried several fully charged power packs. He had told Hayden he had been an Eagle Scout. That hadn’t been a lie. He was always ready. On top of that, he was glad he had made friends with Nox. The mapping of the tunnels came in handy. 

Ricky had no magic so he had to use mundane things to see in the darkness he had a light clipped to his coat that allowed him to keep his hands free in case he had to pull out his fire arms. A noise in a side tunnel caught his attention. It could be anything - a person, a creature, a cat, or any thing else. But he was searching for a monster. He moved down the side tunnel to see what was there. Perhaps his quarry was in this direction.]]>
But with the threats being diminished, that meant the rumors of weirdness had more credibility. There were a couple of rumors that grabbed Ricky’s attention. A old woman needing help and who went with her didn’t come back. Another woman who seemed possessed. So it could be multiple things. A harpy was most likely for the first. The second could be a wefuke or a ijiraq. Still both were worth investigating further. He hoped for the harpy. He could kill that without killing a person too.  

So Ricky packed up his pistols and loaded a backpack with extra ammo, rations, and a change of clothing. Carrying a damn near corpse like Nox on his back had made the change of clothing a standard in his go bag now. He also carried several fully charged power packs. He had told Hayden he had been an Eagle Scout. That hadn’t been a lie. He was always ready. On top of that, he was glad he had made friends with Nox. The mapping of the tunnels came in handy. 

Ricky had no magic so he had to use mundane things to see in the darkness he had a light clipped to his coat that allowed him to keep his hands free in case he had to pull out his fire arms. A noise in a side tunnel caught his attention. It could be anything - a person, a creature, a cat, or any thing else. But he was searching for a monster. He moved down the side tunnel to see what was there. Perhaps his quarry was in this direction.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1876.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 21:32:24 +0000 Zephyr]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1876.html
It was completely unintended but it is what it is. The fucking creatures didn't explain anything and they were learning. She could make him hurt. And she did that often because of his unruly behavior. She had to resort to other punishments like a small cage and no food.  He would learn to obey if she had anything to say about it.

And when he did they finally were able to start training. Eido was less than happy with her, but it was the price of having this pet.

Zef had no idea how to do this, how to use the power, how to force him all she knew right now was she controlled the flow and could cause him pain. They were still learning and it was trial and error.  The boy wasn't completely cowed, but he was behaving for the moment as they entered the underground and found a quiet and mostly try tunnel in which they could let his raw fire power loose without destroying anything of importance.

She stood before the darkhaired godling and gave him only a trickle of power. "Show me a ball of light." Surely anyone could do that.  She'd seen the youngest of godlings do that.]]>
It was completely unintended but it is what it is. The fucking creatures didn't explain anything and they were learning. She could make him hurt. And she did that often because of his unruly behavior. She had to resort to other punishments like a small cage and no food.  He would learn to obey if she had anything to say about it.

And when he did they finally were able to start training. Eido was less than happy with her, but it was the price of having this pet.

Zef had no idea how to do this, how to use the power, how to force him all she knew right now was she controlled the flow and could cause him pain. They were still learning and it was trial and error.  The boy wasn't completely cowed, but he was behaving for the moment as they entered the underground and found a quiet and mostly try tunnel in which they could let his raw fire power loose without destroying anything of importance.

She stood before the darkhaired godling and gave him only a trickle of power. "Show me a ball of light." Surely anyone could do that.  She'd seen the youngest of godlings do that.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1759.html Mon, 10 Feb 2025 15:08:44 +0000 Nox]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1759.html Quote:10 → 2/10 S:7
The comms line was disconnected at the end of the mission.  Peter Anderson was dead. His body would go to wherever the ambulance that came took him and it would hopefully end there. Sage was in charge of everything else. His data mining and his compulsion to follow his friends would see that it didn't resurrect old things or create new ones.

Lily was fussing.  The horde was fiendishly clawing at his brain. The darkness of the tunnels helped. That caged feeling grating on his last nerve. Nox followed it through the tunnels like a guiding beacon.  The louder the horde got the fussier Lily became. They weren't connected. She had no connection to the horde short of the familiar scent of being amongst her kind. At least that was what he had hoped. There couldn't be more to it. Her father was Maximillian Blackthorn and her mother was Ava. But if the Blackthorn heiress was willing to keep him for Vaia Plus there was no telling what that woman would do to her own great grandchildren.  It was a fucked up family.

Maybe there was more to it than just the seemingly innocent connection? It might be prudent to take her to someone who might know more.  But he didn't want to make this little girl some guinea pig in some Atharim lab anymore than he wanted that himself.  Fucking bullshit!

The horde scratched at his brain.  The tried and true three F's grew stronger, but there was also two other Fs now amongst the mix -- Family and Freedom.  Wherever he was heading.  Now the horde there wanted free.  And they were calling to him to do that.  But they wouldn't get it. There was no fucking way he was freeing them from whatever cage they were in. But they would end this parade in his head.]]> Quote:10 → 2/10 S:7
The comms line was disconnected at the end of the mission.  Peter Anderson was dead. His body would go to wherever the ambulance that came took him and it would hopefully end there. Sage was in charge of everything else. His data mining and his compulsion to follow his friends would see that it didn't resurrect old things or create new ones.

Lily was fussing.  The horde was fiendishly clawing at his brain. The darkness of the tunnels helped. That caged feeling grating on his last nerve. Nox followed it through the tunnels like a guiding beacon.  The louder the horde got the fussier Lily became. They weren't connected. She had no connection to the horde short of the familiar scent of being amongst her kind. At least that was what he had hoped. There couldn't be more to it. Her father was Maximillian Blackthorn and her mother was Ava. But if the Blackthorn heiress was willing to keep him for Vaia Plus there was no telling what that woman would do to her own great grandchildren.  It was a fucked up family.

Maybe there was more to it than just the seemingly innocent connection? It might be prudent to take her to someone who might know more.  But he didn't want to make this little girl some guinea pig in some Atharim lab anymore than he wanted that himself.  Fucking bullshit!

The horde scratched at his brain.  The tried and true three F's grew stronger, but there was also two other Fs now amongst the mix -- Family and Freedom.  Wherever he was heading.  Now the horde there wanted free.  And they were calling to him to do that.  But they wouldn't get it. There was no fucking way he was freeing them from whatever cage they were in. But they would end this parade in his head.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1721.html Fri, 03 Jan 2025 04:21:18 +0000 Jaxen Marveet]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1721.html
The nights blurred together, slipping through his fingers like water. Entire evenings spent hunched over his desk, the glow of his screens the only light in the room. Voxel had never been so busy—chat rooms, dark-web auctions, forums he didn’t even remember signing into. He couldn’t recall much about those nights, only fragments: a Hello Kitty avatar, a snatch of distorted laughter, and a bid for something he didn’t understand. The Key.

When he finally emerged from his condo, it wasn’t because he wanted to. It was because his back had seized up from sitting too long, cramping hard enough to make him wince with every step. He thought about calling a masseuse—somebody to come and untangle the knots in his muscles—but the sites he found were full of yoga-speak and holistic garbage. He powered the screens off. No way was he letting some crystal-toting hippie touch him, at least unless it came with a happy ending.

Instead, he pulled on his leather jacket and left. It was cold on the streets of Moscow, but the chill woke him up, if only a little. The plan—if he could call it that—was to head to the parkour gym and sweat out whatever was twisting him up inside. But somewhere between the condo and the metro, his body stopped taking orders.

By the time he snapped out of it, he was standing on the docks, staring at a stretch of chain-link fence like it had dragged him there itself.

The docks smelled like rust, oil, and something sour that made Jaxen’s stomach churn. The Moskva River whispered to itself in the dark, slapping lazily against the pylons as if it didn’t care one bit about him or his problems. Overhead, the sky hung like a damp wool blanket, heavy and suffocating. It should have been quiet here—this was the kind of place where quiet ruled—but the air was alive with sounds: groaning metal, the faint hum of machinery, the occasional bark of voices muffled by distance. 

He didn’t know why he was here.

He pulled out his Wallet to figure out where he was when he discovered a message glowing faintly. 

Find the one who knows.

The words felt more like a whisper than a command. Like they’d crawled into his head through the cracks that had been forming ever since the party. Ever since the Emissary. Ever since he’d let—something—inside.

Jaxen shivered and tightened his scarf around his throat. He told himself it was because of the wind, but that was a lie. The cold out here was nothing compared to the icy knot twisting in his gut. He tried to focus, to think, but his thoughts slipped through his fingers like oil. It wasn’t just the gaps in his memory now—it was something else. Something bigger. Something inside.

A sound cut through the hum of the docks: footsteps, steady and deliberate, crunching against gravel. Jaxen turned, ready to seize the Ancient Power if needed.

The man who stepped out of the shadows was broad-shouldered, with a heavy coat that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a decade. The hood hung low over his face, casting it in darkness, but the mechanical arm glinted in the dim light. It wasn’t sleek or smooth; this was no cutting-edge prosthetic. It was jagged, brutal, all exposed pistons and scarred metal. The kind of thing that belonged in nightmares or bad war stories.

The man stopped a few paces away, close enough for Jaxen to see the faint puff of his breath in the cold air. 
“Voxel,” the man said, his voice low and rough, like gravel grinding underfoot. 

Jaxen blinked, his mind stuttering. That name. That arm. He’d heard stories in the kind of places where rumors grew like weeds, places where people got drunk enough to start talking too loud. Stories about The Hook.

Except The Hook was suppose to be bullshit.

“You’re shitting me,” Jaxen said, his voice thin. His pulse thumped loud in his ears. 

The man chuckled, the sound sharp and bitter. 
“Heard of me, huh? Good. Saves us time.”

“You can’t be for real?” Jaxen shook his head, trying to shake off the fog, the disorientation.

“Depends on who you ask,” the man said. He took a step closer, and the mechanical arm hissed faintly as it moved. Jaxen flinched before he could stop himself. 

“You wipe your ass with that thing? Or did you learn to do it left-handed?”

The Hook tilted his head, his hood shifting just enough for Jaxen to catch the glint of sharp eyes beneath it. 
“You want to find out?”

The joke had run its course by then. Jaxen shook his head.

The Hook snorted, and for a moment, Jaxen thought he might actually try to show him. But then the man’s face—or what Jaxen could see of it—hardened. 
“You’ve been making noise, Voxel. Poking around where you shouldn’t. Bidding on things you don’t understand. Now you’re here, and I want to know why.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jaxen said quickly. Too quickly. 

The Hook didn’t answer. He just stared, and Jaxen felt like that stare was peeling him apart layer by layer, looking for the truth buried somewhere inside him. 
“What do you want then? I doubt you’re my guardian angel.” Jaxen said, the words snapping out like a rubber band stretched too tight.

The Hook moved closer, and the dim light caught on the jagged lines of his arm, on the grease stains and scratches that told a story Jaxen didn’t want to know. 
“It’s about what you need. And right now, I’d bet what you need is a way out of this mess you’ve wandered into.”

A sudden thought stirred then, a faint hum in the back of Jaxen’s skull. It wasn’t a voice—never a voice—but it was something else. A nudge. A shove. An instinct that was his, but wasn’t his. 

“I’m looking for someone,” Jaxen said, the words slipping out before he could think better of them. 

The Hook’s eyes narrowed. “Someone like who?”

Jaxen hesitated, but the thought pushed again. “Bode.” 

The Hook didn’t move, didn’t blink. For a long moment, he just stared at Jaxen, and Jaxen wondered if he’d made a mistake saying the name. Then The Hook smiled, slow and sharp, like a knife dragging across skin. 

“Bode,” he said, tasting the name like it was some exotic dish.

Jaxen’s chest tightened. “Do you know where they are?” 

“No,” The Hook said. His smile didn’t falter. “But I know someone who will.”

“Who?” 

The Hook’s grin widened, and the mechanical arm hissed faintly as he raised it. “Someone who doesn’t work for free.”

“What’s the price?” Jaxen asked, though he wasn’t sure if the question was his or not. He never really cared about money.

The Hook leaned in, his voice gritty with a rasp. “The kind you pay in blood, Voxel. You still interested?”

Jaxen didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure he could. But somewhere deep inside, his thoughts stirred again, and the decision was already made. 

To be continued...

[[The docks location is near a known entrance to the Undercity]]]]>
The nights blurred together, slipping through his fingers like water. Entire evenings spent hunched over his desk, the glow of his screens the only light in the room. Voxel had never been so busy—chat rooms, dark-web auctions, forums he didn’t even remember signing into. He couldn’t recall much about those nights, only fragments: a Hello Kitty avatar, a snatch of distorted laughter, and a bid for something he didn’t understand. The Key.

When he finally emerged from his condo, it wasn’t because he wanted to. It was because his back had seized up from sitting too long, cramping hard enough to make him wince with every step. He thought about calling a masseuse—somebody to come and untangle the knots in his muscles—but the sites he found were full of yoga-speak and holistic garbage. He powered the screens off. No way was he letting some crystal-toting hippie touch him, at least unless it came with a happy ending.

Instead, he pulled on his leather jacket and left. It was cold on the streets of Moscow, but the chill woke him up, if only a little. The plan—if he could call it that—was to head to the parkour gym and sweat out whatever was twisting him up inside. But somewhere between the condo and the metro, his body stopped taking orders.

By the time he snapped out of it, he was standing on the docks, staring at a stretch of chain-link fence like it had dragged him there itself.

The docks smelled like rust, oil, and something sour that made Jaxen’s stomach churn. The Moskva River whispered to itself in the dark, slapping lazily against the pylons as if it didn’t care one bit about him or his problems. Overhead, the sky hung like a damp wool blanket, heavy and suffocating. It should have been quiet here—this was the kind of place where quiet ruled—but the air was alive with sounds: groaning metal, the faint hum of machinery, the occasional bark of voices muffled by distance. 

He didn’t know why he was here.

He pulled out his Wallet to figure out where he was when he discovered a message glowing faintly. 

Find the one who knows.

The words felt more like a whisper than a command. Like they’d crawled into his head through the cracks that had been forming ever since the party. Ever since the Emissary. Ever since he’d let—something—inside.

Jaxen shivered and tightened his scarf around his throat. He told himself it was because of the wind, but that was a lie. The cold out here was nothing compared to the icy knot twisting in his gut. He tried to focus, to think, but his thoughts slipped through his fingers like oil. It wasn’t just the gaps in his memory now—it was something else. Something bigger. Something inside.

A sound cut through the hum of the docks: footsteps, steady and deliberate, crunching against gravel. Jaxen turned, ready to seize the Ancient Power if needed.

The man who stepped out of the shadows was broad-shouldered, with a heavy coat that looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in a decade. The hood hung low over his face, casting it in darkness, but the mechanical arm glinted in the dim light. It wasn’t sleek or smooth; this was no cutting-edge prosthetic. It was jagged, brutal, all exposed pistons and scarred metal. The kind of thing that belonged in nightmares or bad war stories.

The man stopped a few paces away, close enough for Jaxen to see the faint puff of his breath in the cold air. 
“Voxel,” the man said, his voice low and rough, like gravel grinding underfoot. 

Jaxen blinked, his mind stuttering. That name. That arm. He’d heard stories in the kind of places where rumors grew like weeds, places where people got drunk enough to start talking too loud. Stories about The Hook.

Except The Hook was suppose to be bullshit.

“You’re shitting me,” Jaxen said, his voice thin. His pulse thumped loud in his ears. 

The man chuckled, the sound sharp and bitter. 
“Heard of me, huh? Good. Saves us time.”

“You can’t be for real?” Jaxen shook his head, trying to shake off the fog, the disorientation.

“Depends on who you ask,” the man said. He took a step closer, and the mechanical arm hissed faintly as it moved. Jaxen flinched before he could stop himself. 

“You wipe your ass with that thing? Or did you learn to do it left-handed?”

The Hook tilted his head, his hood shifting just enough for Jaxen to catch the glint of sharp eyes beneath it. 
“You want to find out?”

The joke had run its course by then. Jaxen shook his head.

The Hook snorted, and for a moment, Jaxen thought he might actually try to show him. But then the man’s face—or what Jaxen could see of it—hardened. 
“You’ve been making noise, Voxel. Poking around where you shouldn’t. Bidding on things you don’t understand. Now you’re here, and I want to know why.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Jaxen said quickly. Too quickly. 

The Hook didn’t answer. He just stared, and Jaxen felt like that stare was peeling him apart layer by layer, looking for the truth buried somewhere inside him. 
“What do you want then? I doubt you’re my guardian angel.” Jaxen said, the words snapping out like a rubber band stretched too tight.

The Hook moved closer, and the dim light caught on the jagged lines of his arm, on the grease stains and scratches that told a story Jaxen didn’t want to know. 
“It’s about what you need. And right now, I’d bet what you need is a way out of this mess you’ve wandered into.”

A sudden thought stirred then, a faint hum in the back of Jaxen’s skull. It wasn’t a voice—never a voice—but it was something else. A nudge. A shove. An instinct that was his, but wasn’t his. 

“I’m looking for someone,” Jaxen said, the words slipping out before he could think better of them. 

The Hook’s eyes narrowed. “Someone like who?”

Jaxen hesitated, but the thought pushed again. “Bode.” 

The Hook didn’t move, didn’t blink. For a long moment, he just stared at Jaxen, and Jaxen wondered if he’d made a mistake saying the name. Then The Hook smiled, slow and sharp, like a knife dragging across skin. 

“Bode,” he said, tasting the name like it was some exotic dish.

Jaxen’s chest tightened. “Do you know where they are?” 

“No,” The Hook said. His smile didn’t falter. “But I know someone who will.”

“Who?” 

The Hook’s grin widened, and the mechanical arm hissed faintly as he raised it. “Someone who doesn’t work for free.”

“What’s the price?” Jaxen asked, though he wasn’t sure if the question was his or not. He never really cared about money.

The Hook leaned in, his voice gritty with a rasp. “The kind you pay in blood, Voxel. You still interested?”

Jaxen didn’t answer. He wasn’t sure he could. But somewhere deep inside, his thoughts stirred again, and the decision was already made. 

To be continued...

[[The docks location is near a known entrance to the Undercity]]]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1589.html Thu, 15 Feb 2024 23:22:10 +0000 Ezvin Marveet]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1589.html
The refugee church was an old, familiar site. As a kid, Ezvin’s mother used to take him there to volunteer, and when he heard that it was a place for refugees, he wandered back one day to see if he could help somehow. He’d come back once or twice, the second time with his guitar and did nothing but play and lift a few spirits. 

There were some questionable rumors hovering around the place, but Ezvin saw the best in people, and such reputations didn’t bother him. He entered the church through the front doors. Nobody paid him much attention. He wore a nice leather jacket over a henley with form-fitting jeans, but he didn't particularly stand out other than carrying a guitar case.]]>
The refugee church was an old, familiar site. As a kid, Ezvin’s mother used to take him there to volunteer, and when he heard that it was a place for refugees, he wandered back one day to see if he could help somehow. He’d come back once or twice, the second time with his guitar and did nothing but play and lift a few spirits. 

There were some questionable rumors hovering around the place, but Ezvin saw the best in people, and such reputations didn’t bother him. He entered the church through the front doors. Nobody paid him much attention. He wore a nice leather jacket over a henley with form-fitting jeans, but he didn't particularly stand out other than carrying a guitar case.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1554.html Tue, 31 Oct 2023 18:11:23 +0000 Alistair Bishop]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1554.html Alistair awoke, clad only in a thin sheet draped over his frame. He still harbored sensations from his recent escapade a few nights prior. His initial night out had been marked by discussions with a mystical man, listening to tales, and ended in a warm embrace.
A knock sounded at Alistair's door. He hurriedly approached, scarcely managing to cover himself with the sheet, and peered through the peephole, finding no one. Only a note had been slipped beneath the door.

Note read:
- Second match
- Location:  Busted
- Time midnight
- Type:  Bare Knuckle
- Ask for your gift

“What the fuck is with the notes. I guess this is their thing.” Alistair grumpily murmured after he had tossed the note on the island in his kitchen. Alistair had become accustomed to quirky wrestling promotors and patrons.  He had once wrestled privately for a man in a cemetery. Wealthy benefactors had their kinks and peculiar interests, so a note was not much of a shock.]]> Alistair awoke, clad only in a thin sheet draped over his frame. He still harbored sensations from his recent escapade a few nights prior. His initial night out had been marked by discussions with a mystical man, listening to tales, and ended in a warm embrace.
A knock sounded at Alistair's door. He hurriedly approached, scarcely managing to cover himself with the sheet, and peered through the peephole, finding no one. Only a note had been slipped beneath the door.

Note read:
- Second match
- Location:  Busted
- Time midnight
- Type:  Bare Knuckle
- Ask for your gift

“What the fuck is with the notes. I guess this is their thing.” Alistair grumpily murmured after he had tossed the note on the island in his kitchen. Alistair had become accustomed to quirky wrestling promotors and patrons.  He had once wrestled privately for a man in a cemetery. Wealthy benefactors had their kinks and peculiar interests, so a note was not much of a shock.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1550.html Wed, 04 Oct 2023 09:53:24 +0000 Jerry]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1550.html
What he wouldn't give for a pair of land warriors.  Or for the traitorous boy god to find him.  But that wasn't to be had.  It had been weeks.  Or at least that's what his wallet said.  Which lost power long before that.  Day and night meant little in the tunnels.  Water was easy.  Rats were fair game.  But even they didn't seem to be present wherever in the depths of hell Jer had descended.  

He was tired and weak and his stomach gnawed on itself.  Jer stumbled into a wall and slunk to the wet floor.  At least there was water dripping from the ground here.  He could survive another day with more water.  That was his goal -- though he had no idea how he'd find his way out of this scrape.]]>
What he wouldn't give for a pair of land warriors.  Or for the traitorous boy god to find him.  But that wasn't to be had.  It had been weeks.  Or at least that's what his wallet said.  Which lost power long before that.  Day and night meant little in the tunnels.  Water was easy.  Rats were fair game.  But even they didn't seem to be present wherever in the depths of hell Jer had descended.  

He was tired and weak and his stomach gnawed on itself.  Jer stumbled into a wall and slunk to the wet floor.  At least there was water dripping from the ground here.  He could survive another day with more water.  That was his goal -- though he had no idea how he'd find his way out of this scrape.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1429.html Sun, 15 Jan 2023 22:17:24 +0000 Nox]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1429.html url ]]

The tears ended. No one came near him or interrupted him. He left the club without saying anything to anyone.

The train station where he kept Lily wasn’t far away and grabbed his small back and the Lotus and slipped into the tunnels to find a dark place to curl up and die.

He didn’t go far, he needed signal. His face was on fire. His body numb from everything else. If he thought about it too hard the horde rose up and filled the pain with the need for more. He wanted to feel numb.

Nox needed to hear Raffe’s voice even if he wasn’t speaking to him. But he didn’t dare call. Nox walked into the emptiness of the tunnels. Water dripping in the distance. No scratching to be heard.

He found a cranny in the wall and wove a ball of light and let it shine down on Lily. She’d need a good walk for real light, but it would do for now. He unrolled his bedroll and curled up in it and started typing a string of texts to Raffe (@"Raffe")

I know I said space and time.
Full disclosure.
I ran into Jay at the Almaz.
We fought — literally. It ended badly.
I’ll tell you about it all if we get through this.

Nox sighed and sent a final text.

Lily misses you.


He set the wallet down and tried to sleep.  His nightmares awaited.]]> url ]]

The tears ended. No one came near him or interrupted him. He left the club without saying anything to anyone.

The train station where he kept Lily wasn’t far away and grabbed his small back and the Lotus and slipped into the tunnels to find a dark place to curl up and die.

He didn’t go far, he needed signal. His face was on fire. His body numb from everything else. If he thought about it too hard the horde rose up and filled the pain with the need for more. He wanted to feel numb.

Nox needed to hear Raffe’s voice even if he wasn’t speaking to him. But he didn’t dare call. Nox walked into the emptiness of the tunnels. Water dripping in the distance. No scratching to be heard.

He found a cranny in the wall and wove a ball of light and let it shine down on Lily. She’d need a good walk for real light, but it would do for now. He unrolled his bedroll and curled up in it and started typing a string of texts to Raffe (@"Raffe")

I know I said space and time.
Full disclosure.
I ran into Jay at the Almaz.
We fought — literally. It ended badly.
I’ll tell you about it all if we get through this.

Nox sighed and sent a final text.

Lily misses you.


He set the wallet down and tried to sleep.  His nightmares awaited.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1412.html Sun, 27 Nov 2022 17:31:04 +0000 Rune]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1412.html
The next stage of finding something that was lost was the pessimistic idea that maybe the lost thing didn't want to be found. Rune knew that if her uncle wanted to disappear, he could do it in a heartbeat. But why would he abandon her without saying goodbye? It was cruel to imagine. So she figured that wasn't what happened.

Which took her to one inevitable conclusion. Seth must have been taken prisoner, or have amnesia, or being blackmailed or something awful like that. Only Rune could save him. So she returned to the undercity to sniff out the power players that had the capacity to hold Seth (literally or figuratively) against his will. But it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. A haystack that hd recently been smoked out. Meanwhile, she kept eyes out for anyone who looked suspiciously like an empty shell of a man who didn’t know his own identity.

So Rune explored the homeless camps, but she blended in just fine. She wore her usual hunting gear, and was clad in all shades of dark colors. She had abandoned the hair dyes and makeup she favored from when they first arrived in Moscow. Her knives and gun was hidden away, nestled close to the planes and muscles of her body. No need to scare anyone, she thought, peering around a wall of barrels that served like a barricade.

"Whatcha doin?" a voice grumbled. A second later, a piece of trash was kicked at her. "Get away from our shit," another added. She turned and found four guys standing up to her. Apparently she'd been poking around someone's home and the owner was territorial.

"Sorry," she mumbled and tried to get away, but they had that look of wanting to teach a lesson. And then a few more heads joined the group. Annoyed, Rune tried apologizing again and was eager to move on. She didn't want to cause a scene, but neither did she want to get her ass beat up just for exploring.]]>
The next stage of finding something that was lost was the pessimistic idea that maybe the lost thing didn't want to be found. Rune knew that if her uncle wanted to disappear, he could do it in a heartbeat. But why would he abandon her without saying goodbye? It was cruel to imagine. So she figured that wasn't what happened.

Which took her to one inevitable conclusion. Seth must have been taken prisoner, or have amnesia, or being blackmailed or something awful like that. Only Rune could save him. So she returned to the undercity to sniff out the power players that had the capacity to hold Seth (literally or figuratively) against his will. But it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. A haystack that hd recently been smoked out. Meanwhile, she kept eyes out for anyone who looked suspiciously like an empty shell of a man who didn’t know his own identity.

So Rune explored the homeless camps, but she blended in just fine. She wore her usual hunting gear, and was clad in all shades of dark colors. She had abandoned the hair dyes and makeup she favored from when they first arrived in Moscow. Her knives and gun was hidden away, nestled close to the planes and muscles of her body. No need to scare anyone, she thought, peering around a wall of barrels that served like a barricade.

"Whatcha doin?" a voice grumbled. A second later, a piece of trash was kicked at her. "Get away from our shit," another added. She turned and found four guys standing up to her. Apparently she'd been poking around someone's home and the owner was territorial.

"Sorry," she mumbled and tried to get away, but they had that look of wanting to teach a lesson. And then a few more heads joined the group. Annoyed, Rune tried apologizing again and was eager to move on. She didn't want to cause a scene, but neither did she want to get her ass beat up just for exploring.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1383.html Sat, 23 Apr 2022 02:20:09 +0000 Ascendancy]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1383.html so much subterranean world under the city streets was almost inconceivable. Even more astounding, more existed. Jay and Nox would find out how far the rabbit hole went. The call to go with them pulled at Nik with such ferocity that he seriously considered returning more than once. Ultimately, responsibility and duty carried him to fresh air, but it wasn’t a sweet emergence.

The ride back to the Kremlin wasn’t one of stealth. After the appropriate transfer to a secure vehicle, he was ferried to the fortress in his usual standard. He checked a communications and updates on high priority items, but he refused all personal interactions other than who else was in the car with him.

Marcos and Allan were transferred back to the Kremlin in the same vehicle as the Ascendancy. It had little to do with the desire to debrief what just occurred, and more about the practicality of stealth. His vehicle was impenetrable to scans and hacks. There couldn’t be a hint of their involvement in the undercity.

Except the activity hadn’t gone unnoticed.

It seemed that some undercity denizens had escaped the fire, but not everyone survived. The expulsion of hundreds of homeless into the surface had attracted a lot of media attention. Reports of violence and fires sweeping the homeless camps underground led to panic and worry. It was nothing compared to the chaos that would have erupted had the monsters of below followed, but it wasn’t the kind of PR that Nikolai liked.
Take care of it, he responded, anticipating that this attention be diverted swiftly. Trouble among the homeless was usually easy to dismiss in a city like theirs.

The Kremlin grounds were secured from prying eyes. Not so much as a secretary was allowed to peer out the window while Ascendancy, Marcus and Allan were transferred from the vehicles and into the safety of the building proper. He wanted to clean up as soon as possible, and only distant passerbys even glimpsed that the Ascendancy was back on the grounds. Orders were left with Allan to debrief the rest of the Rods and work out a defense program for future non-human threats.

He left Marcus with instructions too. “I want you to set up an analysis of our channeler intelligence and registries for anyone who could potentially combine channeling with the science of genetic engineering. We need to carefully monitor their activities. I don’t want a rogue channeler accidentally creating an entire new species.” ]]> so much subterranean world under the city streets was almost inconceivable. Even more astounding, more existed. Jay and Nox would find out how far the rabbit hole went. The call to go with them pulled at Nik with such ferocity that he seriously considered returning more than once. Ultimately, responsibility and duty carried him to fresh air, but it wasn’t a sweet emergence.

The ride back to the Kremlin wasn’t one of stealth. After the appropriate transfer to a secure vehicle, he was ferried to the fortress in his usual standard. He checked a communications and updates on high priority items, but he refused all personal interactions other than who else was in the car with him.

Marcos and Allan were transferred back to the Kremlin in the same vehicle as the Ascendancy. It had little to do with the desire to debrief what just occurred, and more about the practicality of stealth. His vehicle was impenetrable to scans and hacks. There couldn’t be a hint of their involvement in the undercity.

Except the activity hadn’t gone unnoticed.

It seemed that some undercity denizens had escaped the fire, but not everyone survived. The expulsion of hundreds of homeless into the surface had attracted a lot of media attention. Reports of violence and fires sweeping the homeless camps underground led to panic and worry. It was nothing compared to the chaos that would have erupted had the monsters of below followed, but it wasn’t the kind of PR that Nikolai liked.
Take care of it, he responded, anticipating that this attention be diverted swiftly. Trouble among the homeless was usually easy to dismiss in a city like theirs.

The Kremlin grounds were secured from prying eyes. Not so much as a secretary was allowed to peer out the window while Ascendancy, Marcus and Allan were transferred from the vehicles and into the safety of the building proper. He wanted to clean up as soon as possible, and only distant passerbys even glimpsed that the Ascendancy was back on the grounds. Orders were left with Allan to debrief the rest of the Rods and work out a defense program for future non-human threats.

He left Marcus with instructions too. “I want you to set up an analysis of our channeler intelligence and registries for anyone who could potentially combine channeling with the science of genetic engineering. We need to carefully monitor their activities. I don’t want a rogue channeler accidentally creating an entire new species.” ]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1373.html Mon, 17 Jan 2022 14:53:15 +0000 Nox]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1373.html
Nox didn't care what happened to Allan as he left with the Ascendancy but he sent the HUDs to the three men leaving the fastest way out.  It was unfortunately the same way the Atharim would have fled leaving them in the Red Light District.  But that was for them to deal with.  He rearranged the packs he'd left -- taking the food and extra water and adding it to the packs he and Jay would take deeper into the tunnels.

The quiet drip of water falling in the depts below them was the only sound as Nox quickly rearranged.  Even the scratching was gone.  It was almost peaceful.  Except Nox knew that around the corner the horde pushed deeper into the bowels of the earth.  

Nox hoisted his backpack upon his shoulder and tucked the duffle bag into a better position.  The power at the ready and a unfinished directional shockwave in front of him ready to go if they needed it.  But their fight should be minimal as they trudged deeper into the depts of the underground.  The software would update Nox's map the deeper they went.  And Nox would mark where there had been nests that the horde cleared.  People shouldn't live this far down.  He could only hope.

He handed Jay a pack.  "If everything goes as planned enjoy the vacation."  In the deep dark tunnels below any civilization where the rocks could kill you just as easily as the beast around the next corner.

[[ @"Jay Carpenter" ]]]]>
Nox didn't care what happened to Allan as he left with the Ascendancy but he sent the HUDs to the three men leaving the fastest way out.  It was unfortunately the same way the Atharim would have fled leaving them in the Red Light District.  But that was for them to deal with.  He rearranged the packs he'd left -- taking the food and extra water and adding it to the packs he and Jay would take deeper into the tunnels.

The quiet drip of water falling in the depts below them was the only sound as Nox quickly rearranged.  Even the scratching was gone.  It was almost peaceful.  Except Nox knew that around the corner the horde pushed deeper into the bowels of the earth.  

Nox hoisted his backpack upon his shoulder and tucked the duffle bag into a better position.  The power at the ready and a unfinished directional shockwave in front of him ready to go if they needed it.  But their fight should be minimal as they trudged deeper into the depts of the underground.  The software would update Nox's map the deeper they went.  And Nox would mark where there had been nests that the horde cleared.  People shouldn't live this far down.  He could only hope.

He handed Jay a pack.  "If everything goes as planned enjoy the vacation."  In the deep dark tunnels below any civilization where the rocks could kill you just as easily as the beast around the next corner.

[[ @"Jay Carpenter" ]]]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1324.html Fri, 18 Dec 2020 12:20:22 +0000 Nox]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1324.html
Nox was still smiling when he rolled the door upon the storage unit he kept all his extra hunting gear in. He had lost a lot when the warehouse blew up.  But Dorian had helped his resupply.  Nox really should make amends. Dorian lost more than his friendship because of what he did.  And it was mostly Nox's fault. But Dorian had done what he did to protect his family.  That's what stung the most, he wasn't part of that equation.  He had nothing when Dorian took him in.  Now Nox had Raffe and the others at Kallisti and he was about to ruin it all by dying in the tunnels.  The darkness pulled on him.  The shadows of his mind tried to pull him in.  It latched on to his depression and pulled so hard.  So deep.  It ached to have him in their grasp, but Nox intended to deny them that.  Deny them the power he gave the hoard.

The memories of the night shared with Raffe kept him smiling.  Kept him from falling into the darkness.  And the morning's farewell had been much longer than had been planned.  Not that Nox regretted it.  He wasn't on a timetable -- not really.

But it was those memories that kept Nox afloat amidst the darkness.  He held Raffe in his heart and mind as he gathered all the things he needed for the hunt.

He only had so many preprogrammed land warriors, but Nox checked them all before stuffing them on top of the gear in his bag.  Salvation and Damnation lay at the bottom, ready to be equipped once inside the tunnels.  The gun and survival knife were there only in case of an emergency.  Nox had no intentions of actually brandishing a weapon in the tunnels.  At least not a gun that could bounce bullets everywhere.  His crossbow lay in the bag, and Nox thought how cool would it be to have it attached to his arm like some sort of mechanical superhero.  But then he'd lose the use of a hand and that wasn't optimal either.  There were only so many bolts, and not good for a hoard.  But best for hitting an Oni in the eye.  At least that was the shot it was mostly used for.  

The most helpful things in the bag were his vials of items strapped to an old ammo sling.  Each vial contained various elements to aid in destroying creatures.  Several vials were filled with homemade napalm that when thrown would splatter and with the use of his ability to create a near-unstoppable fire.  Other things like pellets, and broken glass, and even a few vials of baby powder.  The tools meant to enhance his ability and prolong his fighting in the tunnels. They each had a use, and each one he'd field-tested before in the tunnels.  Granted he'd never been accompanied before while using them.  They too might cause too much issue with too many people coming.

His bag was packed, Nox checked that the software on his wallet was working and up to date.  All the maps loaded and hooked into his own land warriors which sat happily on the bridge of his nose taking in all the data.  Nox wished Sage was around for tech back up but it was what it was.  He hadn't heard from him in a while.  It was starting to worry him.  But he was with Aiden, they both had to be okay.

The last thing Nox packed in the bag were half a dozen repeaters.  They wouldn't cover the whole length of what Nox hopped to travel, but as he went deeper he intended to provide as much internet for as long as he possibly could.  That way if they got lost or needed help someone could get a call out for help.  Even if it was too late.

Now the only thing Nox had to worry about was how long he was going to survive in the tunnels with an untrained group of monster hunters...

[[ Not sure if you wanted to have a meeting beforehand, or jump right into the fun...  and no rush, just setting up for the thread when ya'll are ready ]]]]>
Nox was still smiling when he rolled the door upon the storage unit he kept all his extra hunting gear in. He had lost a lot when the warehouse blew up.  But Dorian had helped his resupply.  Nox really should make amends. Dorian lost more than his friendship because of what he did.  And it was mostly Nox's fault. But Dorian had done what he did to protect his family.  That's what stung the most, he wasn't part of that equation.  He had nothing when Dorian took him in.  Now Nox had Raffe and the others at Kallisti and he was about to ruin it all by dying in the tunnels.  The darkness pulled on him.  The shadows of his mind tried to pull him in.  It latched on to his depression and pulled so hard.  So deep.  It ached to have him in their grasp, but Nox intended to deny them that.  Deny them the power he gave the hoard.

The memories of the night shared with Raffe kept him smiling.  Kept him from falling into the darkness.  And the morning's farewell had been much longer than had been planned.  Not that Nox regretted it.  He wasn't on a timetable -- not really.

But it was those memories that kept Nox afloat amidst the darkness.  He held Raffe in his heart and mind as he gathered all the things he needed for the hunt.

He only had so many preprogrammed land warriors, but Nox checked them all before stuffing them on top of the gear in his bag.  Salvation and Damnation lay at the bottom, ready to be equipped once inside the tunnels.  The gun and survival knife were there only in case of an emergency.  Nox had no intentions of actually brandishing a weapon in the tunnels.  At least not a gun that could bounce bullets everywhere.  His crossbow lay in the bag, and Nox thought how cool would it be to have it attached to his arm like some sort of mechanical superhero.  But then he'd lose the use of a hand and that wasn't optimal either.  There were only so many bolts, and not good for a hoard.  But best for hitting an Oni in the eye.  At least that was the shot it was mostly used for.  

The most helpful things in the bag were his vials of items strapped to an old ammo sling.  Each vial contained various elements to aid in destroying creatures.  Several vials were filled with homemade napalm that when thrown would splatter and with the use of his ability to create a near-unstoppable fire.  Other things like pellets, and broken glass, and even a few vials of baby powder.  The tools meant to enhance his ability and prolong his fighting in the tunnels. They each had a use, and each one he'd field-tested before in the tunnels.  Granted he'd never been accompanied before while using them.  They too might cause too much issue with too many people coming.

His bag was packed, Nox checked that the software on his wallet was working and up to date.  All the maps loaded and hooked into his own land warriors which sat happily on the bridge of his nose taking in all the data.  Nox wished Sage was around for tech back up but it was what it was.  He hadn't heard from him in a while.  It was starting to worry him.  But he was with Aiden, they both had to be okay.

The last thing Nox packed in the bag were half a dozen repeaters.  They wouldn't cover the whole length of what Nox hopped to travel, but as he went deeper he intended to provide as much internet for as long as he possibly could.  That way if they got lost or needed help someone could get a call out for help.  Even if it was too late.

Now the only thing Nox had to worry about was how long he was going to survive in the tunnels with an untrained group of monster hunters...

[[ Not sure if you wanted to have a meeting beforehand, or jump right into the fun...  and no rush, just setting up for the thread when ya'll are ready ]]]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1232.html Fri, 05 Jun 2020 00:29:20 +0000 Andre DuBois]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1232.html
He was riding the subway to the central district, surrounded by mid-level wealth and mid-rung levels of power. It was the same in Chicago, kind of. Back home, he rode the subway toward the downtown district, where two stops ahead of his own would pour out money, power, ambition and corruption that would climb the steel skyscrapers and rule the rest of them.

Andre was never among that class. Though he was dressed suitably today in a purple button-down, black slacks, sensible shoes and a casual jacket. It was the kind of thing he wore on duty as a detective working cases: professional, but he knew he was sexy as fuck in purple.

Such was why he noticed an out of place poor dude stumble into his train. He was tall, brown-skinned, and wore a long trench-coat, stained and tattered around the lower hem and the hood drawn up. Others sneered and stepped aside. One actually pinched their nose and squeezed their way up the train.  Andre frowned. The guy was clearly homeless, or close to it in a city of golden bricks. For all he knew, the guy worked a 60-hour week and brought home barely nothing to live on. Regardless, he obviously didn’t shower. He did stink some strong ass.

Andre frowned and offered him his seat.

The guy didn’t look up beyond a passing nod and deposited himself into the plastic molding. Andre swayed as the car moved onward, creeping closer to the Kremlin, but along the way he checked on the guy. Just in case something unexpected happened. Nothing did. He assumed the fellow slept. Maybe he worked nights. It was the morning commute after all.

They were close to downtown when the guy suddenly got off. The hood fell back briefly, and Andre caught a glimpse of a bald scalp that seemed to shine oddly in the light.

Just as the doors closed, Andre thrust an arm to stop their full sealing, and squeezed onto the platform. The man in the trench coat had his hands thrust in his pockets, shoulders curled downward with the weight of a burden upon them, hurrying toward the stairs to the surface. Andre glanced over his shoulder as the train sped onward toward a destination that he was okay with procrastinating one more day. Besides, he wanted to make sure the poor man was okay. He could offer to buy him breakfast and hear his story. Just to learn about the life of people living in the city his brother practically ruled.

He followed him from a casual distance. The streets were busy with morning workers, but they weren’t quite at the Kremlin district. The blocks changed after a few minutes. The river crossed by an ornate pedestrian bridge.  They came to a park that Andre didn’t recognize the name, but it was mostly green space. On the other side, the scenery changed, and Andre assumed the neighborhood was transitioning into a poorer, more obscure one that the distant high-rises ignored.

He was about to give up and go elsewhere when the man suddenly, and quite energetically, hopped a short fence, traversed flower beds, and slithered into a water-run off system. Naturally surprised, Andre looked around as though wondering if this was normal behavior for the area, then followed carefully. When he arrived to the edge of the run-off, the man was gone. The only thing to be seen was a culvert that plunged into darkness. The safety bars crossing the hole were mangled to an opening.

“The hell?” He said to himself as he jumped down, entering a whole new world as the shadows swallowed him up.]]>
He was riding the subway to the central district, surrounded by mid-level wealth and mid-rung levels of power. It was the same in Chicago, kind of. Back home, he rode the subway toward the downtown district, where two stops ahead of his own would pour out money, power, ambition and corruption that would climb the steel skyscrapers and rule the rest of them.

Andre was never among that class. Though he was dressed suitably today in a purple button-down, black slacks, sensible shoes and a casual jacket. It was the kind of thing he wore on duty as a detective working cases: professional, but he knew he was sexy as fuck in purple.

Such was why he noticed an out of place poor dude stumble into his train. He was tall, brown-skinned, and wore a long trench-coat, stained and tattered around the lower hem and the hood drawn up. Others sneered and stepped aside. One actually pinched their nose and squeezed their way up the train.  Andre frowned. The guy was clearly homeless, or close to it in a city of golden bricks. For all he knew, the guy worked a 60-hour week and brought home barely nothing to live on. Regardless, he obviously didn’t shower. He did stink some strong ass.

Andre frowned and offered him his seat.

The guy didn’t look up beyond a passing nod and deposited himself into the plastic molding. Andre swayed as the car moved onward, creeping closer to the Kremlin, but along the way he checked on the guy. Just in case something unexpected happened. Nothing did. He assumed the fellow slept. Maybe he worked nights. It was the morning commute after all.

They were close to downtown when the guy suddenly got off. The hood fell back briefly, and Andre caught a glimpse of a bald scalp that seemed to shine oddly in the light.

Just as the doors closed, Andre thrust an arm to stop their full sealing, and squeezed onto the platform. The man in the trench coat had his hands thrust in his pockets, shoulders curled downward with the weight of a burden upon them, hurrying toward the stairs to the surface. Andre glanced over his shoulder as the train sped onward toward a destination that he was okay with procrastinating one more day. Besides, he wanted to make sure the poor man was okay. He could offer to buy him breakfast and hear his story. Just to learn about the life of people living in the city his brother practically ruled.

He followed him from a casual distance. The streets were busy with morning workers, but they weren’t quite at the Kremlin district. The blocks changed after a few minutes. The river crossed by an ornate pedestrian bridge.  They came to a park that Andre didn’t recognize the name, but it was mostly green space. On the other side, the scenery changed, and Andre assumed the neighborhood was transitioning into a poorer, more obscure one that the distant high-rises ignored.

He was about to give up and go elsewhere when the man suddenly, and quite energetically, hopped a short fence, traversed flower beds, and slithered into a water-run off system. Naturally surprised, Andre looked around as though wondering if this was normal behavior for the area, then followed carefully. When he arrived to the edge of the run-off, the man was gone. The only thing to be seen was a culvert that plunged into darkness. The safety bars crossing the hole were mangled to an opening.

“The hell?” He said to himself as he jumped down, entering a whole new world as the shadows swallowed him up.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1208.html Thu, 26 Mar 2020 11:01:03 +0000 Nox]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1208.html Convergence ]]

Sterling went first and Nox insisted Raffe go next.  And then he climbed down last making sure to put the grate back on.  The drone couldn't follow.  Nox wove a quick ball of light in the air and tied it off.  It sorta floated and followed him as he started to pace back and forth. "We'll be safer down here for the moment."  Nox pulled his wallet out of his pocket and started up the mapping software his sister had created.  He had to find their location before they went any deeper.  And get them back home safely.  Well back to Kallisti, Sterling's parents could come get her there.  

The map pinged their location and Nox started in the best direction out of there.  He prayed nothing started inhabiting the tunnels he and Aria had already cleared.  But he'd be ready none the less.

At the next intersection Nox ushered them past and stopped to erect a new wall.  He noted it on the map - no one could follow them this way.  "They shouldn't be able to follow us now."  Nox said relaxing only a little.]]> Convergence ]]

Sterling went first and Nox insisted Raffe go next.  And then he climbed down last making sure to put the grate back on.  The drone couldn't follow.  Nox wove a quick ball of light in the air and tied it off.  It sorta floated and followed him as he started to pace back and forth. "We'll be safer down here for the moment."  Nox pulled his wallet out of his pocket and started up the mapping software his sister had created.  He had to find their location before they went any deeper.  And get them back home safely.  Well back to Kallisti, Sterling's parents could come get her there.  

The map pinged their location and Nox started in the best direction out of there.  He prayed nothing started inhabiting the tunnels he and Aria had already cleared.  But he'd be ready none the less.

At the next intersection Nox ushered them past and stopped to erect a new wall.  He noted it on the map - no one could follow them this way.  "They shouldn't be able to follow us now."  Nox said relaxing only a little.]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1161.html Tue, 09 Jul 2019 10:47:32 +0000 Nox]]> https://thefirstage.org/forums/thread-1161.html
Nox woke up sore but nothing a good stretch and workout wouldn't cure.  Sore was a way of life most days.  And being sore from dancing well while new was completely worth it.

The routine of morning was simple and Nox tried to keep the noise down, he was up earlier than usual, and probably much earlier than the late night people were used to.  But Nox didn't sleep much anyway.  He yawned as he sipped at his coffee and pulled Sage's contacts from the storage unit he kept all his hunting things in since leaving Dorian's.  There was no point in trying to haul it around when he moved a lot.  Or at least that had been the plan. 

Nova followed at his heels and yipped at the person passing by the locker to their own.  Nox checked his bag a third time to make sure he had everything he might need.  An ammo sling was slung over his body carrying several vials of ordinary things.  Nox wished he had time to make a batch of napalm but he didn't.  He'd have to fix that later, hunting was going to be a thing again - and he knew with his new job it was going to be.  

There was baby powder, glass shards, metal pellets, pebbles to name a few things that were stationed in each vial.  Each one meant to do damage or disorient a person with diminished use of the power.  When the strength to stand became paramount or to conserve if it was going to be a long fight.  Either way Nox would be prepared.  He strapped a few guns to his belt and put the rest in the bag.  The compact cross bow was folded and stored in the bag too.  Fighting these little creatures, a cross bow wasn't going to come in handy, but against an Oni it was safer to use with the right aim.

Nox was early to their meet up point.  The sun was still asleep as he sat down against the wall of the mouth of the tunnel.  He sipped his coffee and dipped into the power of the gods and pulled a discarded glass bottle to him and started the process of crushing it into a fine powder.  Breathing glass shards wasn't a fun prospect.  And Nox had found another use for it in scattering the laser from a sniper.  it came in handy as long as you didn't breath it in.  It wasn't something you could use around people - that would be dangerous.

Nova sniffed around the tunnel entrance as they waited.  This was the first time that Nova was going hunting with him.  Hopefully the pup listened and didn't get wrapped up in the chaos of it all.]]>
Nox woke up sore but nothing a good stretch and workout wouldn't cure.  Sore was a way of life most days.  And being sore from dancing well while new was completely worth it.

The routine of morning was simple and Nox tried to keep the noise down, he was up earlier than usual, and probably much earlier than the late night people were used to.  But Nox didn't sleep much anyway.  He yawned as he sipped at his coffee and pulled Sage's contacts from the storage unit he kept all his hunting things in since leaving Dorian's.  There was no point in trying to haul it around when he moved a lot.  Or at least that had been the plan. 

Nova followed at his heels and yipped at the person passing by the locker to their own.  Nox checked his bag a third time to make sure he had everything he might need.  An ammo sling was slung over his body carrying several vials of ordinary things.  Nox wished he had time to make a batch of napalm but he didn't.  He'd have to fix that later, hunting was going to be a thing again - and he knew with his new job it was going to be.  

There was baby powder, glass shards, metal pellets, pebbles to name a few things that were stationed in each vial.  Each one meant to do damage or disorient a person with diminished use of the power.  When the strength to stand became paramount or to conserve if it was going to be a long fight.  Either way Nox would be prepared.  He strapped a few guns to his belt and put the rest in the bag.  The compact cross bow was folded and stored in the bag too.  Fighting these little creatures, a cross bow wasn't going to come in handy, but against an Oni it was safer to use with the right aim.

Nox was early to their meet up point.  The sun was still asleep as he sat down against the wall of the mouth of the tunnel.  He sipped his coffee and dipped into the power of the gods and pulled a discarded glass bottle to him and started the process of crushing it into a fine powder.  Breathing glass shards wasn't a fun prospect.  And Nox had found another use for it in scattering the laser from a sniper.  it came in handy as long as you didn't breath it in.  It wasn't something you could use around people - that would be dangerous.

Nova sniffed around the tunnel entrance as they waited.  This was the first time that Nova was going hunting with him.  Hopefully the pup listened and didn't get wrapped up in the chaos of it all.]]>