The World Asunder

[GigaRidley]

Aeolus paused.
"The Masked Knight... You know what? Just retreat. We've done what we came here to do. If they die, well and good, and if they succeed, it it doesn't matter jack **** at this point. Get to Upper Avalon and meet me outside the Gates of Gestahd. It's time for Phase 2."

 

[Hoboturtle]

The splinter was trashing wildly, cutting up the buildings around it. This might be a bit harder then his confidence made it seem to be. Well, there was no use double thinking anything, he just had to go for it.

Lambert flew off the roof of the building, going for the back of the creature's head. Grabbing onto one of the antennas. Lambert held on with all his might. "Yo, Sir Mantis. I think it's about time to quit it"

Stretching out his arm, he delivered a blow to the side of the antenna. It was a relatively soft part of the body of any insect,
he guessed anyway.

He could go anything the eyes, he guessed, but that would put him all too close to the thing's mouth. That wasn't what he called a good plan.

His hit seemed to had made a small indent in the antenna, but also increase the rocking of the splinter's body and the Masked Knight was almost flung off. He had to grab on once more to steady himself.

Lambert sighed, with something this big, taking away it's senses were probably not a smart idea anyway. It'll probably go completely wild and destroy everything in a mile radius. He had to keep it focus on himself instead.

 

[GigaRidley]

Ansa's swords began to vibrate violently as visible tendrils of seithr energy moved from the rune to Zeal and Apathy. The rune began to decrease in size.
It's working!
Suddenly, clawed Splinter hands began to emerge from the rune and claw at Ansa's legs and arms. She dug he swords in harder and lifted up her heavily armored left arm to block the majority of the blows, though she winced as one Splinter got a good slash in on her right leg.
Just a little longer...

 

[Neosquid]

"Copy that, I'll be there momentarily." said Pumice, in response to Aeolus. Pumice sighed. The pictures he had taken of the giant mantis-like Splinter were lost with his supply bag, and he wasn't sure when he'd be seeing it, or another giant Splinter, again. He figured it would be soon enough, considering the plans Aeolus was setting in motion.

The rendezvous was outside the Gates of Gestahd, but Pumice figured that it was only logical to make one final stop at his Lower Avalon base. It didn't take long to fly there. He packed a supply bag with his laptop (this particular one complete with the ability to display a holographic monitor), a few seithr refill canisters, his dual hand scythes, and some other stuff. He downed a few more sodas in the process of getting ready. Pumice was aware that his addiction to the carbonated drinks probably wasn't a good thing, but he reasoned that maintaining a healthy diet wasn't exactly a top priority in those days.

After recharging his seithr, Pumice left through the window again. He wouldn't particularly miss the building, which he had stayed in for a few days, especially considering its dubious accomplishment of being even shittier than his Lokasen residence.

After some flying, Pumice arrived near the Gates of Gestahd, where he was supposed to meet Aeolus. He was pretty sure that at least a few civilians had noticed him during his flight, but he really didn't give a ****.

 

[Johaggis]

The Bazaar Street Airfield, Upper Avalon
Gale hadn't been this excited in a long time. So much was happening, and she was there for all of it. The plane was preparing for take off. For once, Leo was on-time. I'll get a glimpse of Middle and Lower Avalon, and then be on my way. Ilmarinen will want to know about this.

Suddenly, a sound ripped through the air. It sounded far away, but it was still loud enough to hear next to the engines. It was a combination between a roar and a scream. Pain lanced through her arm, and she looked down to see her old scar glowing purple. She ran onto the plane and put on her lab coat, which would suppress the seithr.

"Leo, did you hear that?" She shouted to the cockpit.

"Hear what?"

"That roar."

"I heard something faint, but it's nowhere near us, whatever it is. Where are we heading, my lady?"

"Down to Lower Avalon. I need to see whatever just made that noise."

"Roger that. I suggest you take a seat."

Gale took Leo's advice. Now sitting and buckled in, she switched the display on her glasses, scanning for seithr. There were traces in Upper Avalon, from Volurs, no doubt. However, there was a mass concentrated down in Lower Avalon. Tons of splinters running all different directions. However, there was a large pack that seemed to move together. Wait a minute. Looking closer, it seemed too unified to be a pack. That's a splinter. Just one.

"Leo. Be careful, there's a huge splinter down there. Don't fly too low, I think it might reach us if you do."

"What? A splinter? Are you sure?"

"Yeah. When we get down there, I'm also going to scan for Weidr Durgsson real quick. He might not have made it out after all."

"Roger that. Prepare for takeoff."

 

[Bodine]

-Five days ago (still)-

Vin returned to his workshop on the other side of upper Avalon. He opened the door, where he and the soldier carrying his box of gadgets entered. "Just, just set it over there." Said Vin, waving his hand as he collapsed in his chair. The soldier sat the box down on a table and looked about the room. He was amazed at all the complicated machines and notes that covered the wall. "Passion, sir. You've plenty of that if I may say." Said the soldier.

"Thank you, kind sir." Said Vin as he rubbed his forehead. "I hate to say, but it has been a long day and I've grown very weary. I need to rest if I'm to travel back to the castle in the morning." The soldier then nodded. "I understand sir." He said, then he turned and exited the door. Vin then let out a long sigh.

Just then something carrying a tray with a cup and pitcher entered from the doorway on the other side of the room. The thing was made of slightly rusted metal. It's gears and wires were exposed at the joints of its thin metallic limbs. It's eyes lit up the room, automatically dimming as they rested on the weary Vince. "You seem tired, sir." Said the robot. "Absolutely drained, Barthalamuel." Said. Vince. Barthalamuel set the tray down on a small table next to Vin's chair and began to pour a warm liquid from the pitcher to the cup. "I'm going out on a limb here to say sir, but I take it not all went as planned with the King." Vin, half listening, stared off into nothing as he blew away the steam fuming up from the cup.

-hours ago-

"No." Said the King as he walked away from the balcony. A look of shock flooded into Vince's face as he stared at his towers in the distance. "N... no!?" He exclaimed. He then turned to the King and ran to him. "B, but Sire, I..." Said Vin, but was cut off by the King. "This new power of yours is not only dangerous but far inferior to that of seither." He said. Vin raised his eyebrow. "Oh for the love of.. Your Highness I find it hard to believe anything can be more dangerous than sei..."

"Remember your place boy!" Yelled the King, cutting Vin off again. "....yes... My Lord." Squeaked the frightened Vin. "Now I don't want to hear another thing about this man made lightning. If your inventions are to be powered by such a thing then not only will they fall to superior seither powered machines in every day life, but the same fate would happen in war aswell. No, have that... thing in my kingdom shut down now!"

-Back in the workshop-

Vin walked down the stairs to the basement of his workshop. This was his laboratory, a very large room where he conducts his most secretive of works underground. He walked over to a lever on the wall. He placed his hand on it, looked up and sighed. Finally, he slowly pulled the lever down. A descending whir could be heard as the main electric power to the complex powered down. Then, Barthalamuel walked down the stairs. "Everything alright sir?" It asked. Vin looked over his shoulder back at the robot, then back down to his feet. "Maybe he was right..." Said Vin. Barthalamuel looked up from the cleaning he just started at Vin. "Who sir? The King?" It asked. "...well if it is anything to you to know, your work with electricity has produced nothing but good things if I were to say. Why, even I myself have been given life thanks to your studies and hard work, and for that I am thankful. But when I reach back as far as I can into the history of this world that you have loaded into my memory, this seither, nothing but trouble has ever come from it. That's just an old robots opinion though, sir."

Vin, staring off again not believing the depth from which a machine has spoken, listened to the wise words com which his own creation had spoke, shocked that something he had made with his own hands were to be able to teach HIM something. Then, he began to think. "Seither..." He muttered to himself. Barthalamuel, who was making his way back upstairs, paused and turned towards Vin. "Pardon?" It asked. Vin began to mutter again. "Nothing...but trouble?"

Vin then began to turn and look at the lab full of his work. Gizmos and gadgets galore for everything he could think of. "That's it!" He said as a smile rushed to his face. "What's it?" Asked Barthalamuel. Vin darted for his blackboard on the other side of the lab. He took his sleeve and erased what had been previously been written and began to write new equations. "Sir," said Barthalamuel, walking towards Vin. "If I may inquire just what all the fuss is about?" Vin paused from his frantic writing to turn to the robot, grab him by the shoulders and shout, "I think I have the answer!" He then turned back to his board to continue writing.

"The answer to what exactly, sir?" Asked Barthalamuel. "Oh to my problems Bart! A way to convince everyone that seither is nothing but a fruitless endeavor, and that electricity is the future!" Yelled an excited Vin. "And just how in Avalon do you plan to do that sir?" Asked Barthalamuel.

"Why symbolism of coarse!" Said Vin. "If I can rid this world of those pesky seither using the very power source that I've proposed to replace the very power source that creates these seither in the first place, they'll be lining up to use my electricity! Now all I need is a means to use my equipment to deal with those vile creatures. And. This. Is. It!" He said as he finished drawing a complex design for a weapon of some sort on the blackboard. "But, what is it sir?" Asked the hesitant Barthalamuel. "This, my good friend, this is what we are getting started on, right away."

 

[Hoboturtle]

What was going on? He could't hang on much longer? What was that fae girl doing? He didn't think this would take this long. He had to re-position himself. He could try jumping onto one of the nearby roofs maybe, rethink his strategy and go again. Just had wait for the perfect moment to let go.

That moment never came as he was flung off, his body crashing down like a comet on a roof of one of the buildings, down into that house's bathroom, landing in the tub, which was still full of water. The owner must have not bother to drain it when they were done. Quickly removing a rubber ducky that somehow got on his hand, the Masked Knight flexed his muscles, breaking apart the already cracking bath.

Forgetting about the previous thought out strategy, Lambert decided to go to Plan B, just keep on punching until it works out. Bursting out of the room, Lambert landed on the nearby roof before bouncing off, straight at the beast. The pray mantis tried to swat the man away when something happened, Lambert caught the splinter's hand.

The masked man stuck his fingers into the shadow's flesh and began to climb up the arm, hoping to get higher up to it's face. The creature cried out and rubbed its hands together, trying to brush him off, but he jumped form one hand to the other, ricocheting off of that and shooting at the monster's face, where he stretched out his hand. flat like a blade and dove it into the splinter's eye.

 

[GigaRidley]

Just as Ansa braced for a second group of Splinter attacks, the rune expanded outward suddenly, then began to crumple up like a discarded piece of paper. Ansa was thrown backwards by an invisible force as the nearby Splinters were sucked into the gaping wound in space, which was rapidly closing. However, the giant Splinter seemed to be resisting the effects of the rune's closing.
I have to do something!
Ansa looked down at her blades. They had absorbed a massive influx of seithr and were vibrating violently, and had begun to freeze over as seithr energy leaked from them. She looked up at the Masked warrior holding onto the gigantic beast.
"Get out of the way! NOW!"
Pulling her arms back, she channeled all of her seithr reserves into a single attack.
"Legendary Technique! ICE AGE!!"
Ansa shot her blades forward as a gigantic, razor sharp wave of ice collided directly into the massive Splinters legs. The beast bellowed a massive roar and began to fall towards the rune.

 

[Pichu2k7]

There was a loud thud at the door that forced Karigen awake. He heard footsteps going down the steps that lead to his door. Slowly he dragged himself out of bed and checked the front door, it would be the mail man doing his rounds again. He picked up the letters littered over his floor in front of the door.

"Bill...Bill...store advertisement...electricity bill...advertiseme-...wait?"

Most of the mail was standard but this advertisement was something different. It was an advert from the APF looking for new recruits.

"So they're looking for recruits even from people all the way out here? Since when did they care?" He said as he walked into the only other room that consisted of a kitchen, the other one by the front door being his bedroom. The house was small but he enjoyed it as long as the place was kept tidy. He dropped the letters on the desk and poured himself a glass of water, sat down at the desk where he dropped the letters and opened the one from the APF.

"Let's see what garbage we have here..."

It looked like a standard recruit ad but there was a form to fill in that could be sent back, thoughts of a new life and a way out of his current life of constant crime came to mind. He was fed up of being on the captain of the guards hit list because of one clumsy incident where he was caught stealing a woman's handbag where he had to promptly lie that she dropped it and that he was returning it to her. Fortunately he hadn't been seen stealing or pick pocketing after that incident even if the thrill was as exciting as the first time he knew this spiral of constant crime had to end soon or he'd end up in the slammer.

"So all I have to do is sign these papers and I'm good to go? Count me in." He said as he filled in the form without thinking of the consequences, resealed the letter in a new envelope and went to finish his glass of water.

"Well I better hurry up and get this posted off to Avalon then. Not like anyone here cares about me here anyway." He said as he promptly got dressed in his usual attire, put the letter in his hoodies pocket pouch and left to get his day started.

 

[Hoboturtle]

He paused for a moment as he felt the whole body of the monster shift downwards, "Roger that."

He reeled back his arm now covered with the black liquid, the eye popped like a bubble releasing black gas right in his face. Concentrating on not breathing in, Lambert performed a backflip off the creature onto the streets. He glance at the amount of ice, the seemingly instant winter, and smiled "huh, not bad."

He regained a neutral expression and looked at the fae. Where did she get that toy from? Was she the one who he was looking for?

 

[Pichu2k7]

Karigen had a pretty standard day that day, having every guard stare at him because he was a Kapshen as if was going to start a random fist fight in the street like the rest of his kin. He never did have a grudge against them even after finding out he was an orphan and his parents had left him to die in the wilderness. He was different from other Kapshen and that was that, he had learned to accept it.

After mailing his return letter to post office he decided to catch up with some of his old friends that had escaped from the orphanage, it was hard to visit them as it often reminded him of his crew of mischievous trouble makers before the Splinter left most of them crying and screaming for help while holding their guts in their own hands.

Should probably go see Maxton, he was always one for a good laugh. He should be hanging out at the indigo bar.

The indigo bar wasn't the best bar in the ghettos but it was the friendliest. Everyone that was a regular were close friends, they knew everything about each other and fights rarely happened unless there was a new guy in the bar, then they were a pretty common occurance. Karigen took a deep breath and entered the bar, this was the hardest part to entering it.

"Ey! If it ishn't me best pal in the world *hic*" A familiar voice said as he entered. Surely enough it was Maxton and he was clearly intoxicated. Maxton was a male human with a buzzcut, he was around 6 feet tall and was rather built. He had been the muscle back when him and Karigen worked together to cause chaos before the Orphanage was assaulted. Karigen took a seat next to him by the bar desk and got straight to what he wanted to talk about.

"I might be getting a job with the APF, it's about time I sort of expanded my living quarters, you know? I can't be living on the edge all the time like I am now, it just isn't right and every guard wants to put me in prison." He said, struggling to contain his excitement.

"What, yer just gon' leave the rest of us poor bums livin in the slums eh Karigen? You wudn't ditch an old friend for a job...would you?"

"Nah man, I just need to move up in life, that's all. I'll probably be able to return home every now and again to see you and the others. You know I try my best to keep my word for you and the other guys, right?"

"Yer ditchin us is what yer doin Karigen, if ye leave, some of the old crew might not speak to you again..."

This conversation wasn't going in the direction Karigen wanted it to, he quickly changed the topic back to something different, they sat and talked about the good times which caused Maxton to burst out in tears at one point. Karigen always found it hilarious how when he drunk he was prone to emotional outbursts and it was both common and comical to see him, a burly 20 year old man burst out into tears. When Karigen had decided he had stayed his welcome, he said his farewells and Maxton wished him luck on his "attempt to get a real a job".

He proceeded to go and see the rest of his friends before leaving, he talked about the APF and each one wished him luck on obtaining it. After breaking the news to all his friends he headed back home, their words stuck in his head that day and he felt genuinely good about himself.

I won't just be some low life stealing everything of value anymore, I'll be able to actually put my talents to use and do something real for a change. It's time I grew up, left the nest and properly took care of myself.

When he got home and checked his bills, ripped up and binned all the advertisers he had received and made sure he had enough to keep his place for the next month. He didn't know if he had to wait for a reply from someone to go or if he should just pull one final crime, make a crap ton of money and leave to Avalon. Either way he couldn't wait to get out of this mess he called a life.

 

[GigaRidley]

Ansa gestured to Lambert.
"Come on! We don't have much time before that thing gets back up!"
Ansa began running at a fast pace back to the general area where Weidr was.

 

[Lennox]

Kai was finishing bandaging the man's leg to stop the bleeding when a terrible screech echoed across the city. Reia had organized a team of people to begin reinforcing the wall with makeshift seither shields, and Kai climbed up onto the piles of crates they were standing on to see what was making the sound.

He looked out to see a fifty-foot tall splinter rampaging through Lower Avalon.

"Wow. Now that's a hell of a thing."

He turned to a Gedric mechanic who had stopped working on the wall to stare at the splinter.

"Ever see one like that before?"

"There's never been one like that before."

 

[Johaggis]

Lower Avalon, Derren's Alley
She better hurry up, we need to leave, and fast. Weidr had noticed more and more splinters gathering with each passing minute. Cutting a path out was not going to be easy, and he wasn't increasing uncertain that they could do it at all. Sure, killing a few low-class splinters was easy, but what he was seeing was surely only a fraction of what would be in store.

Just then, he heard the sound of a plane flying overhead. A plane? Down here? Certainly they can't be planning to just carpet bomb their own slums. But when the plane came into view, he felt a sense of relief. I know that plane. He was looking at Gale Elvek's private plane. She could certainly get him and Ansa out. He just needed some way to signal her. I bet this one isn't coming back, he thought, staring at an arrow. That's gonna be a pain. He quietly crawled onto the street and notched the arrow, staying low. The seithr made it glow strongly.

Lower Avalon, above the Soot District
She wasn't wrong about the splinter. It was indeed the biggest she'd seen, or even heard of. It seemed to have fallen down. Maybe because of its own weight? I doubt the APF could fight something of that size with so few.

"Leo, bring us closer."

"I wouldn't advise that."

"It's ok, I trust you as a pilot. I need a better look."

"Miss Elvek, I am not going to get us killed. Besides, weren't you looking for that Weidr fellow?"

"Right. I'll see if I can contact him."

Gale turned on her communicator, but was greeted with static. Well, that would explain why I couldn't contact Weidr, if he is down here. Infrared and seithr-imaging lenses wouldn't help much down here, at least, not without some kind of idea as to where this volur would be.

Her thoughts were interruped as Leo shouted at her.

"Gale! We got a higher pucker factor on this one! There's a ƒuckin bogie on the cockpit!"

Gale looked to see a winged splinter clinging to the glass on the cockpit, trying to break through with its claws. She took her scalpel familiar out from her lab coat and got up, steadying herself on the side of the plane, as Leo turned swiftly, trying to shake the splinter off.

"YOU AIN'T GOT THE RIGHT! THIS IS MY SKY!" he shouted to the splinter.

Using its long claws, it started trying to break the glass. It held, but it was only glass: it wouldn't hold much longer. Suddenly, a bluish flash flew before the cockpit and took out most of the splinter's torso, and the lifeless body tumbled off of the plane.

"Leo!" Gale shouted. "Head towards where that flash came from! We've found our man."

As the plane turned once more, she switched her glasses to infrared and saw a familiar heat signature.

 

[Bodine]

-Three days ago, Vin's underground laboratory-

Barthalamuel helped Vin heave his hefty pack onto his back. "The weight seems to be quite the burden on you sir." Said Bart. Vin hunched over while under the weight of the large metal device and adjusted the straps. "Yeah, we might need to do a redesign on some aspects. Slim it down a bit without losing any effectiveness of the weapon." Said Vin. He staggered upright and adjusted his goggles. " but for testing, this will have to do." He said.

Barthalamuel walked away and over to a control panel. "I suppose I am needed here, sir." It said. Vin nodded and let out a sigh. "Okay, Bart. Activate the electric force field." Said Vin. Barthalamuel then pressed a button, triggering the numerous metal poles that surrounded Vin to send electricity coursing through them, in which they started to send out their charge to one another, making a large ring of electricity around Vin. "Your test area is set, sir." Said Barthalamuel. Vin nodded. "Everything stable, Bart? No fluctuations? Nothing getting out of this ring?" Asked Vin. "Only if it were to have a death wish, sir." Said Barthalamuel.

"Okay then," said Vin, looking to the rattling metal box that was the only thing in the electric ring with him. "Open it." He said. Barthalamuel motioned his hand to another button, the drew it back slightly. "Sir..." He muttered. "Now or never Bart!" Yelled Vin. Barthalamuel the hit the button and the box door flung open. All was quiet for a moment, then a small splinter came lunging out at Vin. He quickly stepped right barely being missed by the creatures claws. It immediately redirected itself and clung to Vin's leg, causing him to give out a squeaky shriek. Even a robot couldn't help but find humor in his shrill.

Luckily the splinter was only biting into Vin's shin guard as he tried to shake it off. He then tried to grab the monsters head and pull it off of him, but to no avail seeing that it's grip was too strong. Vin then clumsily fell to his feet and began to panic. He then clenched his right fist as the metal device attached to his rubber gloves knuckles surged with electricity. He sung at the creature and connected with the side of its face. It's head burst into flames as it flew off his leg and tumbled to the ground several feet away. "Ha!" Yelled Vin as he detached the Volt Thrower from his Tesla Pack and shot a large stream of electricity at the beast. As the large blue bolt met the creatures body, the monster quickly began to glow bright pink, then white. Suddenly the small creature burst into a large explosion, booming inside the lab.

After the dust settled there was only a small crater where the creature once stood. "Shut it off, Bart." Said Vin, panting heavily but smiling ear to ear. Barthalamuel did as he was told, the walked to Vin and assisted him in taking his pack off. "You were right sir, they do seem to really hate electricity." Said Bart. Vin nodded and removed his goggles. "When my calculations showed me that these things are highly combustible in the presence of electricity, I thought it too good to be true!" He said. "To think, these monsters are actually WEAK against my power source. Who could've asked for more?"

Vin brushed himself off and walked to the blackboard. "Now," he said while picking chalk. "While I was in the test run I realized that even this small splinter far outmatched me in strength. I couldn't pull him off of my leg with everything I had. If it wasn't for that last minute Pulse Knuckles device I thought of, I might not even be alive right now. But I think I might have a solution for both that AND the weight issue of the pack. If I can build a sort of body frame for my limbs, maybe under my clothes, and a portion for my back as well, and I can get the numbers and size just right, we could be looking at something that will not only allow me to lug the Tesla Pack around comfortably, but also give me the strength to get myself out of tight spots such as we saw earlier."

Barthalamuel looked at the notes and designs on the board. "So, a metal frame for your body that acts as sort of like a second pair of muscles? Reinforcing your strength? A exo-muscular-system? Am I following sir?" Asked Barthalamuel. "Precisely." Added Vin. "Then sir, if I may?" Said Bart. "Go ahead, Bart. Any advice is welcome." Said Vin. "Yes sir, I would suggest adding something like that under your gloves as well sir. All that strength would be useless without an equally tight grip. Just a thought sir." Suggested Barthalamuel. "Excellent idea my friend, I'm adding it to my notes now. Well if that's all, prep the field for another test. I'd like to try my Shock Bombs next."