Asura Logs!

[sparkletwist]

Cast of characters:
Darius Zek – played by Steerpike
Yamato – played by Light Dragon
Mistress Tsu – played by Xathan
Vi – created and played by CoyoteCamouflage

For descriptions of the characters, see the original post.

[ic=RETURN OF THE REVENANT]
Life is normally fairly rough in the badlands, but things had been especially rough, lately. Winter seemed to be coming early, and not just any winter, but an exceptionally harsh one, fueled by, perhaps, some sort of lingering dark energies. Not quite a full-blown Chaos Storm, but certainly not just mundane weather, either. However, this small community, under the watchful eyes (and protection) of their Asura masters, had prospered. They were sure they'd buckle down and get through this one, as well. The leadership of Darius and the protection provided by Yamato were the backbones of the community, but the essential support services provided by Tiberius and Tsu were not to be neglected, either. The homestead itself consisted of a large manor house, the former residence of the Revenant Khao, which was occupied by Darius, as well as housing Yamato's office. A large family of homesteaders lived in what was formerly the manor's guest house, and then the other homesteaders constructed their homes in a semi-circle surrounding that. Mistress Tsu lived in a small cottage among them, while Tiberius, perpetually desiring solitude, had his isolated lab and workshop further from the commons and residential area, much closer to the farmland. The farmland then extended outward in a long band, with barely-maintained fences at the borders. There was not much fear of trespassing, normally, and any true threat would be faced down in the security of the homestead proper. Tonight that may be tested. Things seem particularly bad, with security breaches occurring at two points simultaneously, one of which is exuding Asura energy. Revenant energy.

Yamato strides over to Darius. He raises a hand with two fingers held aloft.

Mistress Tsu sighs, thinking for half a second. Yamato would be sure to head towards the revenant - and only one of them was needed to deal with the secondary threat. Without a word, she heads in that direction.

Darius Zek nods grimly.

Yamato says, "A two alarm." Yamato points in the direction of the breaches; one hand in each direction. Yamato then nods to Darius. "Revenant energy this way."

Mistress Tsu taps into her conduit for just a second, giving the others a notice of her location.

The homesteaders take shelter in a quiet fashion, they've done this before. A woman screams, a baby cries, there is occasional disorder, but they've been taught well to keep their heads down when trouble seems brewing.

Yamato shakes his gun to cock, then snaps it shut and walks away, toward the energy-source.

Darius Zek heads to the other breach, drawing his quicksilver blade, his expression dark, his eyes glimmering with an unholy hunger for torment.

[ooc=Yamato's weapon]<Yamato> (gun is a hunting rifle, I guess)
<~The Awesomeizer> (or his awesome shotgun! unless you don't wanna bring that)
<Yamato> (ah, yes it was a shotgun)
<Yamato> (was trying to recall what the sheet said)
<Yamato> (scattergun actually)[/ooc]

Vi curses and spits silently. He is in generally poor condition, with badly worn clothing, a fair bit of detritus. This crap is the LAST thing he needs.

[ooc=A stranger]<Yamato> (do we know Vi?)
<~The Awesomeizer> (no)
<Vi> (Nope)
[/ooc]

"You," Yamato points his shotgun at the intruder. "Halt. Explain yourself."

Vi says, "Hey, you can, uh, lower that thing."

Yamato replies, "Yes, I could."

Vi halts, and holds up his empty hands. The rest of him is in tatters.

Yamato grimaces.

Vi says, "I'm uh, trying to get somewhere. Didn't mean to cut through your territory, is all."

Yamato replies, "Good. There does not need to be pain. If you go there..."  Yamato gestures with his head to the side.

Vi says, "Uh... where. I'm sorry. Please speak. I don't do well with unspoken orders."

"40 paces. Or perhaps 60. Then you will reach the edge," Yamato explains.

Darius Zek merely glowers. Yamato seems to have this well in hand.

Vi decides to listen to the guy pointing a gun at him. So long as he clearly explains his orders.

Yamato notes that the tattered man's stride might be shorter than his noble mien. "60 of your paces."
[ic=Meanwhile...]As for the less-severe breach, the one that DOESN'T seem like it's a Revenant, it's--- well, it's a skull. Just a skull, bouncing along the ground. It'd almost be cute, if it wasn't so morbid.

Mistress Tsu draws her duhao, readying it, and offering a silent prayer to the Serene Mother to guide her spear. Seeing the skull, she contemptuously tosses it at the bouncing skull. "Pathetic."

The skull dodges. Its lower jaw chatters, as though it is laughing. It then continues bouncing along its way.

Mistress Tsu 's eyes narrow. "I cannot believe..." with a word, her spear appears in her hand. "...this is embarrassing." She takes more careful aim at the skull, putting more force behind the spear.

This time, the skull gets wrapped around the spear, going through an eye socket and out the back. It spins a bit, and then sits there, staring eyelessly. Then there is a very large explosion, so loud everyone can hear it. Even the other people on the far side of the homestead.

[ooc=BOOM!]<Mistress Tsu> (ooc: did the skull just explode in my face)
<~The Awesomeizer> (yes. if you were a human, you'd be dead. i'm assuming tsu would throw up a more or less reflexive void shield)[/ooc]

Mistress Tsu didn't even realize the shield was up before the sound of the explosion had passed. She drops it as soon as it seems safe, looking around at the damage.

Fortunately, it was far enough out in the farmland that no serious damage was done. Her duhao was launched high in the air, but it lands neatly in her hand.

"Goddess...That skull was a trap." Mistress Tsu looks around for any other skulls.
[/ic]

Vi hears the explosion and hits the ground, cursing loudly.

Darius Zek says, "Hmm.  It seems my attention may required elsewhere.  Yamato, alert me if you require any further assistance."

Yamato stands stock still, not flinching, but his hackles rise and his shoulders raise. Yamato looks over at Darius and grunts affirmatively.

Darius Zek heads off towards the explosion at full speed, blade in hand.

"Whatthehellwasthat?!" Vi asks frantically.

Yamato replies, "An explosion."

Vi asks, "...that was your explosion, right? Right?"

Yamato 's gun is still trained, though pointed a little lower this time.

"Because, I mean, you didn't flinch. you uh, musta knew it was coming, right?" Vi continues.

Yamato says, "Not mine. I am here. It is there."

Vi is still on the ground. "Uh. Huh. Look.. you seem the... pleasant, type. I think we got off on the wrong foot, OK? Can we start from the beginning? Maybe with fewer guns being pointed?"

"Those who flinch tend to die." Yamato frowns at the cowering man.

"And I've learned that people who tend to point guns often get shot by other people with guns... its a messy, vicious circle, you know?" Vi says.

"And those without guns often do not last long. Unless--they need no gun to present a threat," Yamato answers. "But you were on your journey? Were the instructions sufficient?" he continues.

"Journey? Oh, right. Yes. Yes I was," Vi answers.

[ic=Uh oh]Darius has arrived where Mistress Tsu is, by now. Just in time to see...

The shattered skull reforms loosely. Its eyes glow a bright magenta-red, and it starts to speak in a loud, raspy voice. "Hear the words of Khao, your lord and master. What once was mine is now yours, but what is now yours shall be mine again. Vacate, and our quarrel is at an end. Remain, and after you have died a thousand deaths at my hands, your reanimated corpses shall be my eternal slaves."

Mistress Tsu spits. "Of course. We shall meekly roll over and expose our bellies to you."

Darius Zek narrows his eyes as he hears the skull's words.  "It seems the erstwhile tenant of the homestead has returned. One would think he'd have learned his lesson."

"So it would seem. Didn't you kill him?" Mistress Tsu inquires.

Darius Zek replies, "Indeed.  I tasted his torment."

The skull laughs in a maniacal fashion. "Thou cannot kill that which does not live!"

Mistress Tsu says, "Seems you didn't do the job well enough. And you," she says, pointing to the skull, "will remain silent. You were defeated by one of us before. Come, and you will fall again. And again."

The skull is just laughing like a maniac, eyes glowing. The energy from this side of the farm is growing stronger.
[/ic]

Yamato senses the growing energy.  A nasty shocking tingle goes through Yamato's spine. "Yes. Your journey. Will I walk with you to the edge?" Yamato asks.

"Umm.. I can walk.. Are the explosions done?" Vi asks, getting up slowly.

Yamato answers, "That explosion is done. There will be more in the future. There always are."

Vi replies, "Alright. If you say so. I don't like explosions." He resumes following orders again.

In the distance, a low, ominous horn sounds. Like the kind of thing the hordes of the damned would use to marshall their forces.

Yamato walks Vi to the edge of the settlement.

"So, listen. I can't help but notice that, as delightfully personable as you are, that there might not be someone else I could talk to right now," Vi says.

"Yes. There might not be," Yamato answers.

Vi asks, "That's a pretty sad thought. You're quite depressing. Is there someone else I can talk to?"

"Just move!" Yamato demands. "You said you were passing. You said you had no business here. I soon will have no patience here."

Vi says, "I get antsy when people point guns at me for extended periods of time."

"Would you prefer for it to discharge, so that it is no longer pointed at you?" Yamato asks.

Vi asks, "Would you put it to your own temple first? That would at least give me a reason to smile today."

Yamato raises the butt of the shotgun up to his temple. "Yes. I will put it up here."

Vi grins, despite himself. "Alright, so you're not quite as bad as you seem."

[ic=Meanwhile...]Mistress Tsu says, "Enough of this," and begins wrapping the skull in every shadow she can gather.

The skull just laughs more. "I am but the messenger, fools!" It then lets them do whatever they're going to do to it.

Mistress Tsu says, "Darius, the skull explodes when destroyed. Do you have some convenient way of holding it? I can only maintain this for so long, and if a greater threat arrives, I'd rather not have to deal with a bouncing bomb during the battle."

[ooc=Ruinous Insubstance's limitations] <Darius Zek> ooc: I don't think I can contain anything, only destroy, yeah?
[17:38] <~The Awesomeizer> (right)[/ooc]

Darius Zek answers, "I cannot contain it.  I could deliver a finishing blow - though I fear at close range I might be seriously harmed."

Mistress Tsu 's eyes widen, and she gives an enigmatic smile. "Nevermind. I have a better idea." She keeps the skull wrapped in shadows, and tethers the shades to her left wrist. In her right, she twirls the Duhao.

The horn blows again, more loudly. A low rumble follows it.

"Is Yamato going to be arriving? Or should we wade into war without him?" Mistress Tsu asks, looking at Darius.

"He should be along presently," Darius Zek says.

A blazing hot Conduit burns on the horizon. It is distant, but its power allows it to be sensed even here. And it tastes very, very familiar.

Mistress Tsu says, "Oh, I'm sure there's no rush. After all, we've only a returned man you thought dead and what sounds like an army - not to mention the owner of that Conduit."

Darius Zek favors Mistress Tsu with a sardonic grimace.

Shadowy figures can be seen in the distance. They seem to be less walking and more shambling, but at a rapid pace, like a wave of humanoid forms just being shoved forward.

Mistress Tsu smiles. It's hard to tell if she's actually being sarcastic or if her serenity is literal. "Well, I'm sure he'll arrive in his own time. Meanwhile, shall we deal with these creatures?"

Darius Zek says, "Very well."[/ic]

Oh, the dramatic timing. Let's say that Yamato arrives (with Vi!) just in time for them to clearly see what they're up against. Zombies. Lots and lots of zombies.

Yamato sees the conduit burning on the horizon.

Darius Zek twirls his blade, preparing for a fight.

Yamato starts twitching.

Mistress Tsu begins whirling the skull like a sling. As soon as the horde is in range, she lets loose the skull, keeping a cord of darkness around it, intending to snap it shut as soon as it is in their midst.

Yamato says to Vi, "You should return from whence you came. Only the dead walk this way."

Vi groans at the sight of the zombies. It's not the worst sight he's seen, but it's definitely not nice, either. He glares at Yamato. His visage becomes deathly cold for a moment. "I only go forward."

Yamato answers, "Then go. You see the dead. It will be your end." Yamato gestures to the oncoming horde.

"There are worse ends," Vi says.

Yamato says, "I have no quarrel with you. Then, let us go." He finally takes the shotgun off Vi to confront the more troublesome threat.

Mistress Tsu says, "Actually, the dead seem to be shambling with alarming alacrity. If you all would be willing to assist me in their destruction, I would appreciate it."

The zombies have by now surrounded the skull-bomb. It explodes, loudly, sending flaming zombies and zombie parts flying everywhere. BOOM! Of course, there's still the... well... other 75% of the zombies.

Darius Zek nods at Mistress Tsu and proceeds towards the cadaverous horde, ready to cut down the first shambolic corpse.

Vi lets out a heavy exhalation.

Upon falling into the trap, and seeing the Asuras arrayed to face them, something interesting happens: the zombies stop shambling forward. A few of them stay behind, forming a line, but it appears they are sacrifical. A strategic retreat? Zombies aren't known for their tactics.

Mistress Tsu's eyes narrow again.

Darius Zek pauses, straining his senses... could the zombies merely be some form of diversion...?

With all of them here, there is nobody guarding the farm proper...

Vi doesn't like what's behind him, in front of him, or around him. It's like being between a rock and a hard place, with a porcupine for a cushion.

Mistress Tsu says, "Mother preserve. They could be headed back to the homestead!" Mistress Tsu begins running as fast as she can.

Darius Zek turns back to the others. "Back to the homestead!"

"What? No." Yamato stands still, shocked.

Vi asks, "...Uh, what?"

"I just came from there. I feel nothing," Yamato says.

"I will dispose of these creatures, in case they start moving again." Darius Zek twirls his blade again and begins butchering undead meat.

Vi decides to stay with the guy with the gun-- so long as there's zombies to kill.

"Very well, let the Mistress protect the home," Yamato says as he starts unloading on zombies.  He also sighs. "Never thought I would say that." Yamato looks over at Darius.

[ooc=She is trouble]<Yamato> (remember the writeups how no one really trusts Tsu)[/ooc]

The line of zombies that remained is quickly dispatched, torn apart by shotgun blasts and cut apart by twirling blade. Of course, it was probably their job to be slaughtered anyway, to allow the majority of the horde to get away.

Vi offers, "Heh, I can go keep an eye on her, if you'd prefer?"

Yamato says over his shoulder as he blasts apart a grafted zombie, "No."

Vi says, "Relax. I was just saying."

The horn in the distance blows again. Signaling a change of tactic, perhaps?

Darius Zek withdraws once he's finished destroying the zombies, hastening to rejoin Tsu.

While the zombies reorient themselves, skeletal birds come screeching out of the night sky. They're hard to see, but not for long: they become quite evident when they ignite into flames, heading straight for the homesteads.

Yamato heads back to the homesteads.

Vi says, "Uh... time for running, I think..."

Mistress Tsu, seeing the birds, taps into the void to throw a barrier of thick mist between them and the homestead, trying to dampen their flames.

With everyone pulling back, the zombies advance a little. Not like before, but they make up some ground.

"You indicated you were heading on; never back," Yamato says.

Vi says, "You have a gun. I don't. I can wait until the zombies are gone. Then forward is good.

There are six birds. Tsu suppresses one, sending it crashing harmlessly into a tree. A second one is sent off course, muted, but still burning. That leaves four on course.

Darius Zek prepares to destroy one by channeling Ruinous Insubstance through a sword-slash, timed to cut the bird down before it can reach the homestead itself. If necessary he will climb up to a vantage from which he can better protect the building.

[ooc=System notes] <Darius Zek> ooc: Hero style
<~The Awesomeizer> (if we were playing with stats that'd be busting out the +4 stunt bonus)[/ooc]

The ruinous insubstance impacts the bird, sending it flying apart, bones and flaming feathers landing on the ground, crumbling into dust a second later. Three left.

Mistress Tsu grimaces as she grasps at the shadows of one of the remaining birds, attempting to give it substance and send it against the beast that casts it.

Vi stops running. He curses loudly, then reaches out, allowing his hand to become the air. He twists his wrist, forming a sharp, sudden whirlwind at the head of the flight of creatures, forming a suction to pull the air from beneath their wings, attempting to deny them lift and crash them nose-first into the ground short of the homesteads. The wind catches the fire of the creatures, filling the immediate area with a noxious smell of burning flesh and carrion roasted and bloating in the sun as it attempts to drive them down to the earth.

One bird is betrayed by its own shadow, another is pulled to the ground harmlessly by a wave of fetid air. That leaves one on course, screeching madly with the power of death itself in its voice.

Yamato looks over at Vi. "I see you need no gun to present a threat. And I thank you." Yamato then discharges his shotgun at the final bird.

BOOM! The bird explodes in a blast of white fire, turning a sickly green and orange, and giving off a toxic smoke. It's quite a large explosion, too-- any of the residences that would've been struck by that would have been damaged quite severely.

Vi adds, "And I see you're a good shot."

Darius Zek breathes a sigh of relief.

The initial attack seems to be over, the zombies shamble at the periphery of the farm, seeming to be waiting for their next order. The blazing conduit on the horizon grows stronger, closer.

Vi says, "You might want to finish off the others, just to be sure."

Yamato reloads with buckshot this time.

[ooc=I am a flexible GM] <Darius Zek> ooc: am I up on a roof right now
<~The Awesomeizer> (if you want to be on a roof, be on a roof)
Darius Zek descends from the roof.
<Darius Zek> ooc: :P
[/ooc]

Yamato says, "Good enough this time. With blessings, maybe next as well." Yamato nods conciliatorally toward Vi.

Some of the homesteaders start peering cautiously out of their residences. "My lord, is it...?" a man asks in a shaky voice.

Darius Zek answers, "Not yet.  Back inside, and stay there."

He nods and slams the door.

Vi grunts at the sight of the people. He idly wonders what happened to bring such a force upon them so suddenly. How bad are these people to draw such a host to them?

Mistress Tsu says, "Oh. Good. You made a new friend, Yamato. I'm very glad to hear it. Now, there are a few dozen zombies standing outside, if you and your new friend would be so kind?"

Vi introduces himself, "Vi."

Darius Zek tries to sense Vi's morality.

[ooc=Darius's spider sense tingles]<Yamato> (probably very different...)
<Vi> (Yeah, probably)
<~The Awesomeizer> (i would concur, it's ultimately up to you two but i suspect the same)
<Yamato> (an interesting take on the old paladin detect good/evil. adds more randomness and roleplay into it)
<Vi> (In that sense, he's definitely not good, but he's not evil.)
<Yamato> (here's how darius' power works: Darius is able to perceive, through concentrating on the aura of a person, how different that person's morality is from his own. Being a mostly honorable man, this often highlights evildoers, but those who are passive without a strong sense of justice will likely also show up as differing strongly. His sense cannot tell him th
<Yamato> (the nature of the person's transgressions; only that their aura is tainted with deeds of which he would likely not approve.)
[/ooc]

Mistress Tsu scoffs, "Men." She decides that, the horde being immobile, she should check the homestead for other threats.

Vi looks at the one staring at him funny. He says to Yamato, "I think you were right... you are the most personable one..."

[ooc=What will they come up with?]<Darius Zek> ooc: do we have any weapons/resources to deal with a force of this size beyond our powers?
<~The Awesomeizer> (within reason, whatever you decide you have, you have)
<~The Awesomeizer> (no, you can't have a united coalition mech)
<Darius Zek> ooc: hmm not sure if there's time to set up anything crazy, like mines of any sort or whatnot
<~The Awesomeizer> (a few booby traps, sure)
<Darius Zek> ooc: any ideas guys?  mines, wired of some kind perhaps?[/ooc]

Darius Zek says, "Come.  Let's fortify while we can." He goes to set up booby traps.

Vi asks Darius, "Something I can do for you, eh?"

Darius Zek breaks his gaze, ignoring Vi.

Darius Zek says, "You can help us prepare, if you wish."

Vi replies, "Fine, whatever."

Mistress Tsu goes looking for supplies at the town.

The homesteaders are happy to share whatever improvised weapons and supplies they have, particularly with Tsu, but not a lot of it is hugely useful. Maybe a few grenades and IEDs that they can use.

Mistress Tsu replies, "Keep the weapons, my friends. There is a small chance some of these pathetic creatures might slip by us, and you'll be able to even more able to dispatch them with these." She then heads back towards the others.

Darius organizes the volunteers to man what defenses they have. "When they get in range, don't hesitate."

Vi asks, "Hey, you, guy with the gun. You mind sharing your name?"

Yamato replies, "I am called Yamato by some."

Vi asks, "May I call you that?"

"Yes. The other name is the one enemies curse," Yamato answers.

Vi says, "I appreciate that. Really. I'm Vi, in case you missed it before. Who's your dour friend?"

Yamato asks, "I have a dour friend?"

Darius Zek reappears, as if to answer Yamato's question.

Vi says, "Yes. The dour one who looked at me funny." He adds, "I assume you plan to focus on the things going for your people, right?"

Yamato says, "We plan to focus on the protection of the people of the homestead. If that means all zombies must die, then all zombies must die again."

[ooc=ALL ZOMBIES MUST DIE]<Yamato> (http://www.allzombiesmustdie.com/)[/ooc]

Mistress Tsu bows her head in prayer. "Serene Mother. Our cause is just, my heart is pure. I beg of you, show me the best method to destroy these abominations."

Mistress Tsu's fire elemental power, formerly a bit weak, suddenly surges with power. She feels as though she can cast it at the level of an archmage, when she was formerly but an apprentice.

"Thank you, Mother," Mistress Tsu says. She turns to the others. "Fire is the best weapon for their destruction, it would seem."

Vi says, "Bellows and a Forge? If one of you can start a conflagration, it's easy to feed it."

Yamato furrows his brows at Vi. "I have no idea of whom you are speaking. I apologize."

The horn in the distance sounds! Whatever's happening, it's happening now!

Darius Zek steels himself for the battle!

Mistress Tsu smiles enigmatically, wreathing herself in flame. "I shall start the flame."

"Don't worry Yam--" Vi cuts off when he sees the Mistress. He grins. "Oh, you I like!"

The bright, burning, deathly Conduit of Khao was shielding two weaker Conduits, that now become perceptible, flanking around the sides of the homestead, while the main thrust of zombies, and Khao himself, continue to approach from their previous direction.

Yamato says, "If division is necessary--I will face Khao. Who will remain in the village?"

Vi raises his hand.

"And *you*, I like," Mistress Tsu says as she unleashes a line of fire, focusing her new power into a lance no thicker than a thumb, and sweeping it at waist height across the horde. "Yamato and I should face this main threat. Stranger and Darius, deal with the lesser," she commands.

Darius Zek says, "Agreed," and stalks off towards one of the secondary Conduits.

Zombies get lit on fire, which, well, doesn't bother Zombies that much. Some of them get cut in half, which bothers them slightly more, though their burning lower halves just keep shambling on, while their burning upper halves crawl along the ground, only coming to a stop when enough has burned away that locomotion is no longer possible.

Yamato steps on crawling zombies. He crunches them with his jackboots.

Mistress Tsu frowns. "Perhaps the direct application is not the best..."

Vi waves his right arm, creating a billous gust of foetid wind blowing directly against Tsu's line of fire, blowing softly from the ground up to fan the flames through the ranks of zombies.

Since I'm imagining this as a map, and bad guys always come from the top, like in space invaders, we'll call the main direction north, and the side directions east and west.

Vi says, "Huh. So much for fire." He cracks his knuckles. "I think a more direct application of force is necessary."

Yamato takes off his left glove, places it in his pocket and then starts grabbing portions of burning zombie flesh. He applies his Ruinous Insubstance to a target and it crumbles to dust.

Mistress Tsu smiles again. "No. I just needed to know how to properly apply it." She manifests now, wreathed in black flames as she calls down a pillar of fire that is quickly infused with some dank, greenish mist. The pillar sprouts arms and a crude head, and begins unleashing it's dissolving fists upon the ranks of the undead.

Zombie bbq! What's left of the undead hordes are swiftly torn apart in a cloud of flaming void.

"Huh. Yeah, that's pretty direct," Vi says. He hangs back, opting to save himself most of the effort until its needed. Besides, the locals seem to have most of the matter handled pretty well for now.

Mistress Tsu's Manifestation continues to intensify, sigils floating around her, her eyes pits that seem to go on forever. Her voice echoes as though thousands were speaking. "I believe I can contain any minor threats. Yamato, engage Khao. I shall support."

Yamato dissolves a zombie, then points a clenched fist at Khao in the distance. "KHAAAAOOOOOO!"

Mistress Tsu has her summoned flame echo Yamato's enraged howl.

[ic=WARNING! A HUGE REVENANT IS APPROACHING FAST!]Off to the east (we'll say that's where Darius went), there is not a Zombie, but rather, another Revenant. A weaker one, enthralled to Khao. It is a beastly thing, a Devourer that has not been fed in some time, looking more like a necrotic werecreature than a man.

Darius approaches the necrotic thing and charges forward valiantly, quicksilvered blade gleaming. He channels as much Ruinous Insubstance as he can muster into the blow, hoping to accelerate the thing's decay, reducing it to liquescent carrion and bonedust if he can.

The Revenant howls, channeling its own ruinous insubstance into its own attack, but Darius gets the better of the Revenant, slicing its arm off, which rapidly turns into dust. The stump starts oozing a black pus, and the creature howls while its body starts to rapidly dissolve into black slime.

Darius Zek smiles a grim, eerie smile and finishes the being off with a neat decapitation.[/ic]

Vi asks, "...So... who's this Khao guy?"

His hordes crumbling around him, Khao is left exposed. What approaches is a horrible, hideous wreck of a Revenant of a man, his body seemingly held together by the rags that he wears. His face is but a skull, for the most part, eyes yellowed and distended, glowing with hideous energies. One arm is a United Coalition prosthetic, the steel embossed with necromantic sigils. Khao reaches up into the heart of the flaming void-creature, seeming to grab a strand of flame and pull it, like he's unraveling a sweater. The void-creature screeches and howls, but the Necromancer is getting the better of it.

Mistress Tsu's grin widens. "Enjoy your own trick, Necromancer." She detonates all the energy contained within the void-creature.

Yamato picks up the severed arm of a zombie and reaches back, then releases, throwing it like a discus toward Khao.

The second of the Conduits, a disgustingly bloated Drainer, gurgles and shambles atop another roof.

[ooc=The new guy is slacking off]<Darius Zek> ooc: who's dealing with the Drainer?!
<Vi> (Where is it, exactly?)
<Mistress Tsu> ooc: I thought Vi was on the third Conduit?
<~The Awesomeizer> ( <Mistress Tsu> Yamato and I should face this main threat. Stranger and Darius, deal with the lesser.)
<Darius Zek> ooc: thought so, k cool
<Vi> (I guess I'll head off to take care of this one.)[/ooc]

"I'll handle the bloater," Vi says as he takes off in the direction of the Drainer, cursing to himself the entire way.

Meanwhile, the void-creature explodes, at the same time, Khao gets struck by the arm of a zombie. Which, well, next to a VOID CREATURE EXPLODING IN HIS FACE, doesn't do a whole lot. But yeah, I mentioned it. Khao emits a horrific roar, a screeching gurgle that could only come from a creature of the grave. He channels the force of Ruinous Insubstance, and with sufficient mastery of it, he can unleash it at range. Lots of icky bugs start crawling up Yamato's legs.

Yamato ignores the bugs and continues on... unless of course they're biting.

They are not just biting, but eating. Digging into his flesh. If he were a human he'd be bone by now.

Yamato reaches down and evaporates a handful of the bugs.

Darius Zek races towards Khao, flickering sword cutting a swathe through any zombies he encounters.

Mistress Tsu growls at Khao's continued presence, and hefts her duhao. She sheathes it in the same voidflame the elemental was made of, and hurtles it like a comet at Khao.

As for the incoming duhao, Khao puts his arm out like a football player giving a stiff arm, knocking it away. Of course, between being occupied with Yamato's bugs and blocking this, that means he doesn't notice Darius approaching...

[ic=Boomer!]Vi has arrived at the drainer, who starts spraying blue fire from the plasma weapon it's armed with.

Vi screeches to a halt. In fact, it takes a few long seconds to conclude that the uproarious sound is not the sound of him stopping, but an utterly inarticulate howl of fear, fury, and sheer pent-up rage. The sound does not stop, in fact, it seems to only grow louder before a nearly-solid mass of sound is catapulted directly at the Drainer from his mouth, ripping through the air with no finesse at all, but sheer, emotionally infused brute force as the powerful orb of sound collides with the Drainer's plasma shot between the two.

The plasma blast is turned back by the primal scream, and the drainer is caught up in it, exploding and spewing a really bad-smelling mess all over the roof. Fortunately the homesteaders are going to have to clean this up![/ic]

Mistress Tsu begins spreading her arms, literally grabbing the sigils of her manifestation and forcing them into spheres, each one seeming to be connecting to the forming of five balls of voidfire in a circle in the sky around Khao.

Darius Zek leaps towards Khao while he is distracted, aiming for whatever remains of the creature's twisted heart. He will devote the last of his reserves to this blow, striving to desiccate the Revenant entirely. As he moves, his Manifestation kicks in - nails elongating, eyes flashing an eldritch blue, flesh rippling with Prana. A demoniac aura congeals around him, tormented souls flickering within it like wisps of smoke.

And Khao! Khao screams, another otherworldly yell, but this time, it's one of fear and pain, not of rage. His body starts turning into dry dust, his implanted arm falls off, his legs starting to turn to dust as well. But... it's not quite enough. He fights back with his power. He holds himself together with sheer force of will, somehow. And Darius is helpless next to him. "It seems we meet our end together, fool..." Khao hisses, grabbing Darius by his neck, enveloping him in the deathly aura. Of course it's just then that Yamato gets there.

Yamato bashes Darius out of the aura with his shotgun in one hand, then with his free hand, he reaches into the smoky depths and seeks out Khao's neck. He grips Khao's neck and activates his Runious Insubstance prana power.

Darius Zek snarls and skids to a halt some distance away, blade crackling with fell energies.

Mistress Tsu waits for Yamato to hold Khao's head still and forges the five voidflame balls into pinpricks with all the intense heat the large versions had. She makes a crushing motion with her fingers, sending them streaking towards Khao's head, angling them to pass over Yamato.

Vi whirls about, seeking a new, fresher target to deliver unto desctruction. Regardless of his wishes or desires, there is no denying the small whorl of a cyclone forming around him, while his eyes blaze with Prana-driven electricity. His jaw and throat turn a striking pale color in contrast to the rest of his body; his emotional fury feeds the prana storm.

Khao gurgles and sputters, the ruinous insubstance making his skull crack, his eyes burst, eldritch goo oozes out of the sockets, while from the other side, Tsu's flames impact him, boosting the ruinous insubstance to the point that not even the Necromancer can resist, any more. Especially with everyone ganging up on him. Assuming nobody else wants to do anything flashy to him, Khao explodes in a blinding, roaring flash of Prana. Utterly destroyed. Nothing left.

Yamato looks down at Khao, then back at the homestead. "And this? It is finished?"

Darius Zek picks himself up, wincing slightly.

And the sun is just now starting to come up, of course.

Mistress Tsu takes a deep breath, pulling in the excess Prana to quell her manifestation. "I fear this may only be the beginning."

[ooc=GMing is hard]<~The Awesomeizer> (bad guy's dead. good guys win! sparkletwist very worn out.)[/ooc]
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