Road to Voshnir

"My serpent will kill and incapacitate her, then she'll bring the corpse to me, key included, before devouring the evidence. Do not concern yourself with trivial matters. Besides, even if the key is lost, there are... other methods I posess to unlock the prize." answered the cloaked Terrok,

The chaos serpent reared up, it's maw alight with hellfire.

"You've made your last delivery kid. Sorry you got twisted up in this scene. From where you're kneeling it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. Truth is...the game was rigged from the start." Terrok said, then nodded to the serpent. The beasts body shivvered with anticipation as it sprung forward, jaws wide open.

Iris Lovecrest wrote:
...Still, as steadily as she could ready herself, she slowly rose her weapon at the beast, her pose in a well practised and pose made for fencing. She still had enough strength for agility and manoeuvrability, but she would give it her all in this battle. Her brow twitched, waiting for the beast to make its first move, now they were one on one-

BANG!

Random Mobs wrote:A loud boom echoed through the air, and Iris's right thigh was pierced by the Domescadian sniper. The man, merely guessed where she was, due to the area's high grass which had provided excellent cover for the Snow Elf, but something told him he hit his mark regardless.

Iris's eyes went small, her face even paler than her complexion already was. She could feel the heavy bullet entering her thigh and lodging in there. She didn't scream, didn't cry-simply fell to her knees knowing she would not be able to flee now. My body is vexed, and my blood has been spilt across this pasture. I can no longer run, and Corveyus has abandoned me, not that the War Gods are fond of Elven kind anyway... her inner thoughts revealing the cold truth of the scenario. She gasped, cringing finally as the pain began to outflow the adrenaline in her body, her weakened form forced to kneel before the presence of the Chaos Serpent. She gripped her makeshift weapon tightly in her right hand, her left hand gripping her bent left knee. She looked up at the beast, and could hear that cloaked figure speak as the beast reared up, seeming to grin with delight and its maw lit ablaze:

Darkstorm Zero wrote:[color=#cc0000]
The chaos serpent reared up, it's maw alight with hellfire.

"You've made your last delivery kid. Sorry you got twisted up in this scene. From where you're kneeling it must seem like an 18-carat run of bad luck. Truth is...the game was rigged from the start." Terrok said, then nodded to the serpent. The beasts body shivvered with anticipation as it sprung forward, jaws wide open.

She took those words and emblazoned them into her mind. The beast springing forward with salivated jaws, she could only do her opponent justice by doing the same. Using all she could muster without killing herself, she shot up like a spring, fighting the pain and numb body to deal one final blow. She lunged forwards with little grace given her injured state, but stuck out that spike of blood before her, intending to skewer the beast as it sprang forth as well!

Darkstorm Zero wrote:"My serpent will kill and incapacitate her, then she'll bring the corpse to me, key included, before devouring the evidence. Do not concern yourself with trivial matters. Besides, even if the key is lost, there are... other methods I posess to unlock the prize." answered the cloaked Terrok,

The sniper shrugged. "If you say so. I am working under orders here, I have to be concerned." he replied, noting the battle was over from this point, and decided to withdraw from further involvement as it was clear, who was the victor of this outcome. He turned around, towards the mountain in the distance, Mount Risa. "Hmm. Feels odd being so close to that place. I miss the lay of my lands, I much prefer the valleys of sand and jagged mountain ridges to this...farmland." he finished, spiting as if to curse the land.

The Chaos Beast lunged forward, and immediately engulfed Iris whole, it's teeth scraping around her as it snapped shut, trapping the Elvish Woman in it's soggy maw.

Wasting no time, it immediately pushedher into it's gullet in several gulps, craning it's head back to ease her passage into it's belly.

"And so, the time flow shall be altered now..." whispered Terrok who then turned it's eyes to the case she carried. Aiming his staff at the lock, the demon mystic sent a small spark of energy that shattered the lock from within, forcing the latch off, and opening the case.

"There, check to see if we have what we came for" replied the demon as the Chaos Serpent finished the last gulp, sending Iris to her dark soggy and murky tomb.

Iris let out a single high pitched yelp before the jaws snapped around her, her last ditch thrust with a blade made of her own blood seemingly was for naught. Her mary janes hung limply between large narrow teeth, slobber running down them in a disgusting exposition as the beast reared its head back, the teeth shredding more of her already torn and bloodied clothes, her left sleeve ripped entirely off and clinging between the creature's teeth, while her butt was munched between the lower and upper jaws.

Her kicking feet vanished, her left shoe, covered in saliva falling out of the maw and into the grass, completely drenched with goo. She was already halfway perched down its expanding throat when it snapped its jaws shut, and began swallowing her in deep, soggy swallows. It almost seemed to smile as it finished her in one, sick, and audible GLICK

Her body was a large semi-motionless bulge which traveled down the length of the beast's neck, vanishing between its shoulders. The chiseled abdomen rippled slightly with new mass, before the creature's belly button bulged out with a spherical shape, ruining the creature's 'fit and toned' exterior. The bulging belly wiggled slightly and bobbed with its 'occupant' struggling within. Gurgles and sloshing sounds could be heard from the creature's exterior as the stomach welcomed its meaty, Elven prize.

While it continued to wiggle and wobble, they went to investigate the briefcase, which, to their horror... was empty.

---------

Iris couldn't see well going down, and was now in a tight muscular belly forced into a bleeding ball in tattered clothing. The gurgling and greedy stomach walls rippled around her in the murk; the soggy bog she was in was up to her shoulders, forcing her to turn her head as she had been forced to her side in the muck. She coughed, her body shivering despite the humidity. She held her exposed lacy brassier tightly, the object which they were likely after had been craftily taken before she was devoured. She smiled, weakly, knowing that if this was indeed her tomb, she'll be taking whatever they sought so desperately with her.

Am I going to die here? Huh... I didn't think I would so soon. Its sad... I wanted to see that agent at lease another time before I become nothing but a puddle of bones... she thought, frowning closing her eyes as the walls rubbed against her body tightly, making her blush and gasp.

It was not until Iris had began passing out that she heard the creature whom she was within let out a high pitched squeal, and the belly she was within sloshed about hectically., then suddenly slump to the ground with a heavy thud. Iris would hear the muffled shouting fro the outside, even as she felt something slice the belly open from outside.

Once freed, she would see a strange sight. Four ethereal, ghostly aparitions of mist, water and ice were surrounding and attacking the demon mage and his assistants.



However, there was a fifth figure... one surrounded by the roiling waters of the sea, even in the middle of these arid lands. The anger on her face spoke all the volumes ever needed to tell her story.



Vile demon, servant of the traitor, you have been judged!" she spoke, encasing the demon in a prison of water, before crushing him, turning the water a vile black red color, before the bubble of liquid was unceremoneously dropped to the dry earth.

The vengeful water spirit's glowing eyes looked over at the two humans who took part in this demons scheme, and her fury only grew.

Haruko Kobeyashi wrote:Haru's eyes went wide, her body lunging back as the giant shard of ice pierced her abdomen! "Urk!" she cried, blood soaking up her veiled mask, as well as her kimono. She struggled to carry the heavy object lodged in her lower abdomen, but fell to her knees. "F-fuck..." she whispers  harshly, reaching in her pack for a Stim, jabbing it into her neck. The nurturing medicine flowing within her blood stream. She exhaled, feeling a rush of energy that those who are 'fixed' on the medicine love experiencing each time they jab one of these things in.

She kept the ice lodge in her chest for the moment as her body slowly began to regenerate and repair the damaged flesh, and organ tissue. She'd have to slowly slide it out as it gradually healed, so she was in no condition to chase that knife-eared bitch.

She had blackened out in her slow attempts to remove the ice shard. However, the teen's lashes fluttered upon the destruction of the demon, and the presence of the powerful looking woman! Her brown eyes wavered, a mist of blood escaping her veil which hid her face! She keeled over on her knees, yanking the shard out entirely! "ICK!" she screamed in a high pitch, blood spewing from her gaping wound. The wound itself, however, began to close thanks to the healing and regenerative essence of the Tenik Stim she had injected into her neck earlier. She looked from the woman, to the man she was working with, and the lack there of of the hooded figure who oversaw their botched mission. Crap, doesn't look good... better split now! she thought, yanking out a smoke bomb before slamming it into the ground!

BANG!!

The smoke covered both the Kunoichi and the Domescadian man, Haru however left him to his own devices given his treacherous words earlier and used a teleport spell to zip out of the immediate area of the truck and leave the bastard behind in the process.

The man did not want anything to do with the woman who seemed to manifest from the air. He backed away, watching as the corrupted being they had been working with vanquish in her light. Then there was a cloud of smoke, which made him cough and wheeze! That Beijionese whore! She left without me?! DAMN HER! I hope Abdel wipes them from history! Useless! He looked about, struggling to find the keys he had been given before the blue glow of the woman's eyes through the smoke caught him off guard, his golden eyes already cracked red with irritation widened further at how empty they were... yet so full of energy and light that made his skin crawl! "Hazoria?!" he coughed, thinking of Sirius' opposite, the Goddess of Light. As an atheist to all Gods save Abdel Adham himself, he found the woman before him in her own right just as powerful... and frightening as Abdel himself.

He felt like repenting, wanting to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness with such a powerful blue gaze. But no... he could not. For that would be against the will of Adham, of his God-King, his Lord... not to mention Milosh the Head Hunter if not the Terronian hitsquad would be on his ass like red on Fenira...

He closed his eyes, his breathing shaky with powerful coughs before he went for the vehicle. He forced himself into the front seat, the door open thanks to the Elf. He slammed the keys into the vehicle's key slot and gunned the engine without so much as closing the doors! The white van bumped and banged against the dirt road leading towards Voshnir, the man's eyes wide with fear and dripping with the tears of pain, fear and irritation due to the smoke. His heart beat faster than a rabbit and his body shook terribly and weakly while the vehicle sped off at full speed!

___(OOC: And then I realized we heh heh.. disabled the engine...     here's the additional info....)____

It was after, the mild hallucinogenic effects of the smoke and the cloud of darkness gone did he realize the vehicle never moved an inch. The sparking hood continued to spark where they had disabled it earlier. The Domescadian man's blood shot eyes wavered with fear as he came to realize he had just been imagining his escape the entire time! The wisps which radiated from the woman began to circle the van's cabin, and the terrorist freaked out, falling between the seats of the vehicle screaming, throwing out his hands shivering against the wall which separated him from the frontseat and to the loading area walled off by solid steel and mesh wire. He saw the Izhevesk Revolver, the one he shot out of the Elf's hands, remembering there were at least three more bullets within the weapon! He grabbed it and pointed it at one of the closest floating wisp like women, and fired the small 7.62 round at them!

The Mysterious Stranger wrote:It was not until Iris had began passing out that she heard the creature whom she was within let out a high pitched squeal, and the belly she was within sloshed about hectically., then suddenly slump to the ground with a heavy thud. Iris would hear the muffled shouting fro the outside, even as she felt something slice the belly open from outside.

Once freed, she would see a strange sight. Four ethereal, ghostly aparitions of mist, water and ice were surrounding and attacking the demon mage and his assistants.



However, there was a fifth figure... one surrounded by the roiling waters of the sea, even in the middle of these arid lands. The anger on her face spoke all the volumes ever needed to tell her story.



Vile demon, servant of the traitor, you have been judged!" she spoke, encasing the demon in a prison of water, before crushing him, turning the water a vile black red color, before the bubble of liquid was unceremoneously dropped to the dry earth.

The vengeful water spirit's glowing eyes looked over at the two humans who took part in this demons scheme, and her fury only grew.

Iris one moment was mentally making amends and accepting her horrible fate, to be consumed by the wretched demonic thing that had feasted hungrily upon her flesh and bone so greedily that it ended up swallowing her whole. Her blood loss and the fumes about her were becoming so intense that she began to pass out when the creature screamed, falling over with her! "OOF!" she exclaimed, wincing as the stomach bile that had gone past her head sloshed with her, bubbles escaping her mouth as air left her, then immediately returned! An opening in the belly let light in, and in that instant, the acidic bile spewed from the large wriggling organ that also spilled from the bloody cavity.

What in the twelve is going on out there? She thought, blinking and wiggling, struggling to remove more sludge around her muscular would be tomb.

So many voices, cries of pain and other such noises made Iris stir, and kicked her weak thighs outward, her thighs spreading the opening of the stomach which allowed Iris freedom! She gagged and puked bile, wheezing as she pulled her body from the humid organ and into the cooler after noon air. She gagged and wheezed, florescent green ilk coated her body from head to toe, and she did her best to wipe the gunk from her eyes and around her mouth; her body shivering and weak as she crawled out onto the open grass, rolling onto her back. I'm alive... for now. She cried, feeling pain in her right thigh. She looked down, her right arm where shrapnel from the rifle round embedded into her wrist and arm made her slimy hand red with blood. Her chest was in the same boat, with crimson icor running down her stomach where the windmill shuriken had struck. She slowly began to peel back her long skirt, wincing. Her nylons had been melted away in the stomach, leaving her legs bare:



She cringed, noting the gaping hole in her leg where the bullet had entered. She fell back onto the grass again, closing her long lashes beaded green with stomach bile. It soaked her clothes, dripped around her every curve, and in her self reflection did the world around her seem to come back to her again. She heard the high pitched scream of a man towards her right, Iris looked and at first saw the Dragon creature's severed head lay with large black eyes staring at her, before she saw the white van she had been driving. Around it were several white wisp like creatures. They resembled the fabled and terrifying ghosts that would just as likely curse you if not devour you, but they instead seemed to circle the cabin of the van, a single shot ringing out from the pistol she had used earlier. Not too far from them, was a tall, beautiful blond woman who seemed to oversee the ghostly creatures. She was pretty, and yet terrifying to a degree due to her lack of eyes. There was only a blinding white where iris' should've been.

She blinked at the woman, warm tears flowing under her eyelids before she closed them tightly. "Thank...you." she whispered, her head falling back onto the grass, and she lost consciousness; unsure if her wounds would ultimately kill her in spite of the rescue, or not.

Even as the man fired his weapon uselessly at the incorporeal wisp like creatures made of water mist and animated by the strange woman's power, the Stranger looked over at Iris, and her expression lost it's rage and became sadness. "Good people will not suffer evils pain in my presence," and with a single wave of her hand, the Archangel of Water sent forth a stream of the purest healing spring waters to cure Iris, wash her skin of the beasts acids, and heal her wounds.

The light of the strangers eyes seemingly solidified, revealing her pale sky blue eyes as they would normally be.



"Drink of the waters of life, and be renewed, Iris Lovecrest" she spoke, before her gaze returned to the human man surrounded by her water and mist constructs, her eyes flaring again into anger and energy. "While I see to a certain mortal who chooses evil over good willingly."



The Mist Women turned aggressive towards the man hiding in Iris' van, and they began flinging sharp frozen shards of ice at the vehicle, some large enough to skewer through even steel and stone several feet. Although they did not seem to be aiming for him directly, they seemed to be trying to herd him.

Darkstorm Zero wrote:Even as the man fired his weapon uselessly at the incorporeal wisp like creatures made of water mist and animated by the strange woman's power, the Stranger looked over at Iris, and her expression lost it's rage and became sadness. "Good people will not suffer evils pain in my presence," and with a single wave of her hand, the Archangel of Water sent forth a stream of the purest healing spring waters to cure Iris, wash her skin of the beasts acids, and heal her wounds.

The light of the strangers eyes seemingly solidified, revealing her pale sky blue eyes as they would normally be.



"Drink of the waters of life, and be renewed, Iris Lovecrest" she spoke, before her gaze returned to the human man surrounded by her water and mist constructs, her eyes flaring again into anger and energy. "While I see to a certain mortal who chooses evil over good willingly."



The Mist Women turned aggressive towards the man hiding in Iris' van, and they began flinging sharp frozen shards of ice at the vehicle, some large enough to skewer through even steel and stone several feet. Although they did not seem to be aiming for him directly, they seemed to be trying to herd him.

The man fired another round only to confirm the fact the bullets did nothing. He shuttered as the icy spikes began to sink through the cabin, the windshield smashing, glass flying with shards of ice, causing the man to scream!

Though he knew what the wraiths of ice were leading him on, his body couldn't help but move in such a manner to avoid being skewered. He dove out of the vehicle, his body rolling onto the grass and dirt path. He had but a single shot, and two thoughts came to his head: using it on himself... or on the Elven woman in front of him now.

He went to raise the gun when he felt one of the shards of ice slam into his wrist, taking the hand with it! He screamed, rolling onto his back clutching his bloody stump. He scraped his boots against the dirt, sliding up to the Van, propping his back against it, eyes wide, staring at the women in front of him! He breathed heavily, blood squirting between his left fingers, soaking his clothes and making him woozy. "Fuc--fucking knife eared bitch...!" he spat, his teeth foaming with pure rage.

Upon feeling the cool healing water's touch, Iris stirred. Her body's pain, weakness and discomfort slipping away with the washing water. Though she was not Scardian, it would have best describe how she felt this moment. Her wounds healing, though the leg injury persisted somewhat given the chunk of lead still embedded into the thigh. It was only till the bubbling water began to retract the lead chunk did she heal. Same went for the shrapnel embedded in her arm and wrist. It was almost as though she had not been injured at all:



Still groggy, the Snow Elf blinked her long lashes. Her red eyes glancing at the woman's bright blue eyes, her face apologetic or sad in expression. As she turned to face the lone assassin now, Iris watched as the man was forced out of the van her boss lent her. She shuttered as hand was soundly removed and he pushed himself against the van. She could see his fear, his rage as he looked at her with such malice.

Iris slipped onto her chest, and began crawling to her feet. "Wait..." she gasped, her ponytail falling against the back of her slick wet neck. She stumbled, creating a crook made of ice from the water dripping from her body to hold herself up. She looked to the woman with a lidded gaze; though Iris' wounds were healed she was still rather weak, physically and mentally for having been put through such a traumatic experience. "He... knows something." she gasped.

The Stranger nodded at iris' words "He may yet... Bring him to me."

The women made of mist all smiled, their teeth sharp icicles surrounded the man, who held the bleeding remnants of his hand, and hoisted him into the air with grasping icy claws, literally dragging him before the robed woman, and he restored Iris.

"Go ahead Iris, Ask your question of this mortal." the Stranger said, her eyes remained alightm though not pure energy.

The Mysterious Stranger wrote:The Stranger nodded at iris' words "He may yet... Bring him to me."

The women made of mist all smiled, their teeth sharp icicles surrounded the man, who held the bleeding remnants of his hand, and hoisted him into the air with grasping icy claws, literally dragging him before the robed woman, and he restored Iris.

"Go ahead Iris, Ask your question of this mortal." the Stranger said, her eyes remained alightm though not pure energy.

Rahim let out a deafening cry of pain as he was dragged by bloody stump, the cool texture of the wisps fingers made it all the more unbearable as he was dragged onto his knees, then his chest! He kicked and stammered the short trek to the women, before being raised! His boots dangled above the dirt road, the man letting out unintelligible cries and forced to glare at the Snow Elf and odd woman before him!

Random Mobs wrote:

The Mysterious Stranger wrote:The Stranger nodded at iris' words "He may yet... Bring him to me."

The women made of mist all smiled, their teeth sharp icicles surrounded the man, who held the bleeding remnants of his hand, and hoisted him into the air with grasping icy claws, literally dragging him before the robed woman, and he restored Iris.

"Go ahead Iris, Ask your question of this mortal." the Stranger said, her eyes remained alight though not pure energy.

Rahim let out a deafening cry of pain as he was dragged by bloody stump, the cool texture of the wisps fingers made it all the more unbearable as he was dragged onto his knees, then his chest! He kicked and stammered the short trek to the women, before being raised! His boots dangled above the dirt road, the man letting out unintelligible cries and forced to glare at the Snow Elf and odd woman before him!

Iris breathed heavily, looking upon the man with lidded, fierce eyes. "Funny. My supervisor gave me an order to deliver records, even gave me a gun for protection. Then I'm coincidentally attacked on the open road. He didn't tell me you were coming, but prepared me for you assassins all the same." she began, snapping her finger, which glowed a light blue at her thumb and forefinger upon 'snapping'! The man's sweating body slowly began to freeze- the water in his sweat solidifying into a thin coating of frost that began to spread across his body like a disease! She narrowed her eyes. "Who hired you, and how did you know I was coming? If you cooperate, I'll spare you." she explained.

Iris Lovecrest wrote:

Random Mobs wrote:

The Mysterious Stranger wrote:The Stranger nodded at iris' words "He may yet... Bring him to me."

The women made of mist all smiled, their teeth sharp icicles surrounded the man, who held the bleeding remnants of his hand, and hoisted him into the air with grasping icy claws, literally dragging him before the robed woman, and he restored Iris.

"Go ahead Iris, Ask your question of this mortal." the Stranger said, her eyes remained alight though not pure energy.

Rahim let out a deafening cry of pain as he was dragged by bloody stump, the cool texture of the wisps fingers made it all the more unbearable as he was dragged onto his knees, then his chest! He kicked and stammered the short trek to the women, before being raised! His boots dangled above the dirt road, the man letting out unintelligible cries and forced to glare at the Snow Elf and odd woman before him!

Iris breathed heavily, looking upon the man with lidded, fierce eyes. "Funny. My supervisor gave me an order to deliver records, even gave me a gun for protection. Then I'm coincidentally attacked on the open road. He didn't tell me you were coming, but prepared me for you assassins all the same." she began, snapping her finger, which glowed a light blue at her thumb and forefinger upon 'snapping'! The man's sweating body slowly began to freeze- the water in his sweat solidifying into a thin coating of frost that began to spread across his body like a disease! She narrowed her eyes. "Who hired you, and how did you know I was coming? If you cooperate, I'll spare you." she explained.

Rahim let out a shrill cry of fear and intermixed pain as his sweat solidified and frost began to take hold of him! He couldn't shiver due to the frost which formed, his body feeling an impossible chill that he had never once in his life as a desert nomad experience at such a level! Even the cold nights in the desert were warmer than this feeling!

He listened to her question, while being held by his mutilated stump. He couldn't answer, even if he wanted to! Though he knew about the insider within Tenik Industrial, he never once met him. If it was a him to begin with. Even so, there were things greater than loyalty and death that would keep him from speaking. He felt nervous, scared to die like this but even more scared to be pressed further on the subject!

"I-I...I W-W-WON'T!" He stammered, his lips turning blue! "Th-there are worse things than d-death. I- I-'m as good as-de-dead any-anyway!" he choked, his tears becoming ice which increased his suffering.

Random Mobs wrote:Rahim let out a shrill cry of fear and intermixed pain as his sweat solidified and frost began to take hold of him! He couldn't shiver due to the frost which formed, his body feeling an impossible chill that he had never once in his life as a desert nomad experience at such a level! Even the cold nights in the desert were warmer than this feeling!

He listened to her question, while being held by his mutilated stump. He couldn't answer, even if he wanted to! Though he knew about the insider within Tenik Industrial, he never once met him. If it was a him to begin with. Even so, there were things greater than loyalty and death that would keep him from speaking. He felt nervous, scared to die like this but even more scared to be pressed further on the subject!

"I-I...I W-W-WON'T!" He stammered, his lips turning blue! "Th-there are worse things than d-death. I- I-'m as good as-de-dead any-anyway!" he choked, his tears becoming ice which increased his suffering.

The Stranger moved in close to the chilling human, her eyes ablaze with that bright blue light as she spoke again. "There are things worse then death, this is true. And do you know what that is?" she asked, before her eyes flashed in his with emphasis. "There are three things the Empress of Hell, my sister, will not tolerate. Incompetence, betrayal, and failure. Go before her with any of those three things, and she will torture you long after you have begged her for death."

Iris raised a brow at the comment made by the mysterious stranger. She then turned to the man and snapped her fingers again, the ice receding somewhat. "I have receded my frost, temporarily. Speak of your masters, and if not, of your mission. What does a Domescan spy want with a van full of records, of this odd cube?" she asked, pulling out the strange device from her blouse. Upon close inspection, it looked like one of those Forerunner puzzle cubes. She didn't know why it was important, nor did she know she was transporting it. She only reacted when they seemed to take interest in the briefcase.

The Mysterious Stranger wrote:
The Stranger moved in close to the chilling human, her eyes ablaze with that bright blue light as she spoke again. "There are things worse then death, this is true. And do you know what that is?" she asked, before her eyes flashed in his with emphasis. "There are three things the Empress of Hell, my sister, will not tolerate. Incompetence, betrayal, and failure. Go before her with any of those three things, and she will torture you long after you have begged her for death."

Her burning blue eyes made him uncomfortable, but what she said had truly made him rattled to his core!

He couldn't explain why, for if he did... he would simply-

Iris Lovecrest wrote:Iris raised a brow at the comment made by the mysterious stranger. She then turned to the man and snapped her fingers again, the ice receding somewhat. "I have receded my frost, temporarily. Speak of your masters, and if not, of your mission. What does a Domescan spy want with a van full of records, of this odd cube?" she asked, pulling out the strange device from her blouse. Upon close inspection, it looked like one of those Forerunner puzzle cubes. She didn't know why it was important, nor did she know she was transporting it. She only reacted when they seemed to take interest in the briefcase.

He felt his skin warm up some, and turning to the elf again. He glanced at the cube in her hands and gulped. "I... don't know. The records are a ruse! We just wanted that thing, I don't know what it is okay?! I was simply told to collect it, that it would... help." he gulped, realizing he was dancing on thin ice on the most literal sense of the word. "I-I can't tell you anything else! He'll--" he suddenly paused, his eyes wide and jaw slack.

He... saw him. His eyes.... his blood red eyes...! He was inside his mind, his lips moving subtly... the words he spoke to him were damning!

Rahim screamed, eyes flowing with tears as he writhed with pure horror! "NO, MASTER PLEASE! I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT YOU, PLEASE DON---" his mouth suddenly spurted with blood, his tongue forced from his mouth, his body erupting with shadowy blades that jutted from his flesh all over his body. He spasms, still alive by some unfortunate miracle!

His thoughts drifted to the words that was shared between him and his master, who explained that the insider within Tenik Industrial... was his master.

The blades exploded outward, blood showering both ladies and giblets rained from explosion. Shadowy blades like shrapnel shot in every direction, skewering the van and environments before vanishing like smoke; leaving traces of where they had been embedded when in physical form.

Meanwhile, the man's soul, like his body, exploded with the mark of the mysterious one's sister, before vanishing like the blades which killed him.

The Stranger cloaked Iris in a shield of water as the blades of shadow ripped Rahim into pieces from within. She detected the presence of one who served Andariel. and it made Gabriel's face contort slightly in fury.

"Damn you Andariel, even your servants are not immune from your impulses, and your underlings are every bit as ruthless... We will make you pay for this... By the Tetragramation, you will answer for every one of them..."

Then her shell disappeared, letting Iris free. The Archangel's eyes looked down into those of Iris, and the light faded into something more approachable.



"Hmm, You will need transportation to deliver your datacube. It will not take long for the enemy to realize their death squad failed their mission. and Abdel will not wish to risk disappointing Andariel again by deploying another incompetent underling."

Iris was pale naturally, but she was white as the snowfields of the Far North after what she had just witnessed! She trembled, several shadow blades had nearly made their mark in her flesh before they were stopped by the quick action of the Stranger. Once both blades and barrier fell apart, all there was left to witness was a gory mess that had been the assassin.

She gulped, turning to face her savior for the second time. "Y-yeah..." she breathed, collecting herself. "Thanks again by the way... you saved me again..." she shakily replied, looking back to the mess. "I've never seen such a horrific display... if thats what they do to their underlings, I really should get to Jemial as quickly as I can." She explained, before looking back to the woman. "I should inform my bosses as well..." she thought, thinking of the brothers who headed the records department, one of which had been the one who sent her out here.

Gabriel the Stranger nodded, before a tendril of water extended towards iris, carrying a portable cellphone. "You had best call your superiors and arrange alternative transport. You will not make it there on foot if that team had backup. And if they got a hold of what you carry, more may be lost than you may think..."

Gabriel herself looked skyward, and contemplated what to do next. "We should not have waited this long... Andariel's actions are dire on their own, but together, when stacked... it's almost like she is trying to... bring back a monster of the past that should remain gone..."

The Mysterious Stranger wrote:Gabriel the Stranger nodded, before a tendril of water extended towards iris, carrying a portable cellphone. "You had best call your superiors and arrange alternative transport. You will not make it there on foot if that team had backup. And if they got a hold of what you carry, more may be lost than you may think..."

Gabriel herself looked skyward, and contemplated what to do next. "We should not have waited this long... Andariel's actions are dire on their own, but together, when stacked... it's almost like she is trying to... bring back a monster of the past that should remain gone..."

She took the phone greedily. "Right. Thanks." she replied, dialing the number quickly. She had to patch in to the emergency line, and when the operator asked for her identification she froze. She stood there as the operator continued to ask for her identification, and then with basic 'hellos'. Iris's face was emotionless as she wordlessly hung up. A thought had crossed her mind that disturbed her, what if she was declared a traitor? She was out here, not on the company's bidding. She and her supervisors could get in deep trouble.

She had to debate her choices before she'd call. She half turned to Gabriel with a wry grin. "This is a first in my career. I don't feel like reporting to my supervisors. Something doesn't set right with me." she chuckled nervously. "I'm threatened by strangers, eaten by an odd creature, saved by you and your amazing powers... I feel very small and yet... not right now. Its disorienting." she explained, looking from the woman to the cube in her hands.

Gabriel's eyes said all that needed to be said, and she shrank down to a more human size, standing on the hard arid road, and placed a hand on Iris' shoulder. "Then try calling someone you trust. There is always methods to doing something, even if it is just to call a taxi service. Head back to Galideno if needs be, and find alternative transport there, or..."

Her eyes diverted to a car that was strangely circling the outskirts of Galideno earlier.



"Or perhaps your path may come from a man who's mind is dark, but who's heart is not yet lost..."

Iris raised a brow at the question, as she holds the cube that Stephen Chesluk had ordered her boss to move to Jemial, not wanting to return to Galideno with it. However, she raised a brow in response about a person with a dark mind. "Excuse me?" She blinked, confused by her words. Trying to shake it off for now, she starts looking around for her Tenik Mobile Phone, still unsure if it was the right decision to call anyone from the Tenik Building...