KAIJU FIGHT #5

[synfluxmods]

KAIJU FIGHT #5

CONTENT WARNINGS: cult-like symbols and implications, brainwashing.

▶ 001. LORD OF THE FOREST.

Throughout the days leading up until October 15th, the captives will be forced down to the dungeons for their “punishments” to be doled out. All of the punishments seem to be completed methodically, almost as if the followers of the Lord of the Forest had centuries of experience. While no explanation is given, it becomes clear that the sacrificial ritual has begun. While the Outsiders may not be privy to what this entails, there is one rule that will be have made clear to them: once the ritual begins, it can no longer be stopped. However, there is still a sliver of hope. On the morning of the 15th, a small message will have been pushed out by LILITH. While they haven't completely reestablished their connection to the network, they are able to get something out.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME:
HEIGHT: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
WEIGHT: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
CLASS: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
LOCATION: BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA.
ABILITIES: Ư̴͚͈̓͊̅͐́̇͛̂͌̏͠Ņ̷̧͕̣̦͉̟̣̽̽̌̓̈́͒̈́́̔̊̚͜͝K̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃
WEAKNESSES: SUNLIGHT, HOLǸ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃Y REǸ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̹̆̃S, GK̷̗͖̜̟̮̬̜̳̍̈́̽͝Ǹ̵̠̳̯͕̠̻̖͔̹̖͑ͅỎ̶̖̲́̒͒͒͜W̵͈͍̻̞̮̻̏̍͠N̷̥͚̳̳͙̟͓̆̃
EXTRA NOTES:

It is an incredibly sparse message. It seems to be working with any information the ocular implants were able to detect in that second, and the information gets fed back in the form of a distorted debrief sheet. However, it does act as a sign that LILITH is still actively working on gaining access to their communication lines once more, and are tirelessly working to send help. With this sudden jolt of a message, they will feel an extremely heavy disturbance composed entirely of rift energy—it appears that whatever kaiju is dwelling here is able to effectively work with the rift in order to negate abilities. But perhaps the clues all strung together have already painted a similar picture as to what is to come, and to what to continue to expect.

Now that the sacrifices have all but been made, it is time for the Lord of the Forest to be summoned.

All captives who have been forcefully dragged, or psychologically drawn to the dungeons, will find themselves face-to-face with the Lord of the Forest, also known by their title of PRICOLICI. The creature is a bit difficult to make out due to its ability to shape-shift: at times mimicking a human wearing some sort mask in the form of a wolf’s skull, and at others, taking on a form of a monstrous wolf-like creature that awaits all Outsiders— those presently within the dungeon, and those that exist outside of it, ready to be lured in.

Or that should be the case, but The Lord of the Forest appears to be a kaiju unlike all others. While it is summoned for a brief period in which the Outsiders bear witness to its true form, it seems to disperse back into the rift soon afterwards, much like savoring each of its sacrifices in a temporary state of hibernation.

(Note: Details of the specific events that happened leading up until this point can be accessed on the kidnapped log. Please be advised that there are heavy trigger warnings for these topics.)

▶ 002. FIND THE CAPTIVES.

Due to their brief communication and joint efforts following the network post, it becomes clear that all signs point to Bran Castle as the place where the captives are being held. This becomes ever more apparent as the fog gradually begins to lift, and the outline of the castle can finally be seen from the distance of the forest’s perimeter.

If there were still any doubts surrounding Bran Castle as a place of interest, many of the villagers will instantly form large groups in order to stop Outsiders from heading towards the castle. They will spare no effort to achieve this. What initially starts off as peaceful dissuasion and psychological tactics, such as using the children to cling to the Outsiders leg and crocodile tears… quickly escalates to outright fighting with pitchforks and other makeshift weapons from the farm. Additionally, Outsiders who have purchased the poison dagger from LILITH will find that the “safety” on it is released, and they can be utilized on the locals with no need for additional clearance. It looks like the network wasn't the only thing affected by the spotty connection.

In this skirmish, the Outsiders trying to make their way to the castle will find that a handful of these villagers aren’t your run-of-the-mill farmers. They’re stronger, faster, and the Outsiders will discover that they have incredibly sharp teeth. They are vampires! Or, an entity that seems close enough to the ones of legends. They will not only be attempting to fight Outsiders off, but will also resort to biting them. If an Outsider is bitten, their bodies will feel almost feverish, as if an incredibly slow-acting poison has entered their bloodstream. But, being bitten by a villager does not guarantee one to be turned. While it is possible, it is a much lower chance.

Once Outsiders do make it to the castle, they will find that there will be several more attendants from the castle waiting for them at the gates, all prepared to fight tooth and nail to prevent their entry. It’s clear the objective becomes to break past them and find the dungeons below the castle!

▶ 003. THE DUNGEON OF CASTLE BRAN.

Following the pathways of the castle to the dungeons below will not be easy. All the attendants present seem to have been waiting for them behind every nook and cranny of the castle. Outsiders will be met with their fervent attempts to stop them. It is a matter of life or death for the attendants and like the villagers, they seem to have no issue with throwing their own necks out in order to preserve the sanctity of their ritual.

Outsiders will also find various areas in which wolfsbane will be in bloom. Unlike typical wolfsbane these seem particular potent and will make the air taste bitter, and cause tingles, nausea, and hypotension if exposed to for too long. It appears even the attendants avoid them to a degree.

For those who make it to the dungeons, they will find that it is a lot bigger than it appears on the surface. A lot of its structure seems to lead deep underground, suggesting that it may even extend further out from the perimeter of the castle itself. There is a certain smell to the place that cannot be masked, years of sacrifices evident in every inch of its walls. There are over hundreds of cells, some still holding skeletal remains, alongside other ancient looking items: an old book, a worn out doll, a bloodied servant’s apron—they all appear to be pieces from a past that was long forgotten.

The Outsiders will not get to explore easily, however. As soon as they make their way past the threshold where the cells are all lined out, they will feel a chill up their spine. It's almost as if eyes are watching them in the dark, and they are. If they look up, they will realize there are hundreds of bats with glistening teeth that are all lining the ceiling, all lying in wait. They are minions of the Lord of the Forest, and their supersonic screams can stun and cause momentary deafness.

To make matters worse, it is not just their sharp teeth that hurt on impact, but they have a keen thirst for blood similar to the villagers. Being bitten by one will cause the Outsider to potentially begin to lose control of themselves and will have an insatiable thirst for blood, even at the expense of their fellow teammates. Additionally, those who are bitten will find themselves moderately more susceptible to psychic brain washing, and may cause them to momentarily join the enemies side.

▶ 004. THE FINAL RESCUE.

While the battle has already started within the village and the castle, suddenly the familiar ping of their oculars will alert them to the following message from Yamakawa—

"Angels of LILITH, we have connection. Rescue your team mates no matter the cost!"

With the connection reestablished, the main objective of the mission becomes one thing: RESCUE. For Outsiders who may have still been left at the village, or engaged within their own horrors, they are all advised to head to the dungeons as soon as possible. The coordinates for the deepest cells are sent alongside directions, with a constant warning to avoid direct contact with the kaiju there. The kaiju has long been absorbing rift energy and LILITH strongly advises against any attempts to engage with it until more information is known.

After half an hour, LILITH gives formal clearance to kill anyone interfering with the mission. Villagers, cult members, anyone. This includes Outsiders who may have temporarily been brainwashed, with the caveat of bringing back their bodies as they may be able to save them.

As they get further into the dungeons, they will find themselves susceptible to the side effects of rift poisoning. It is far more potent with each step, and will take laser focus to make one's way all the way to the last holding cells. There they will find the several of the castle’s most devout followers desperately calling out for The Lord of the Forest, as if summoning its presence.

…


…

…

… and The Lord of the Forest answers the cries of its followers. The initial part of this battle is difficult as the kaiju's abilities paired with the abnormalities of the rift result in weakening the powers of all living organisms around him, including the powers of the Outsiders. However, due to the phases of the moon, its abilities to nerf powers seem to have diminished slightly - they are able to use their abilities at a lower output, or at times they will find their abilities can cut in and out. After five to ten minutes of the Outsiders actually engaging the creature, they will find LILITH has effectively sealed the rift below the dungeons. It is far from perfectly done, but will allow the Outsiders the window of opportunity to use their all in their battle with the Lord of the Forest before backup arrives.

█ █ █ MONSTER DEBRIEF SHEET
NAME: PRICOLICI
HEIGHT: VARIES
WEIGHT: VARIES
CLASS: EXTREMELY DANGEROUS
LOCATION: BRAȘOV, TRANSYLVANIA
ABILITIES: SHAPESHIFTING, IMMORTALITY, NIGHT VISION, SUPER STRENGTH
WEAKNESSES: SUNLIGHT, HOLY RELICS, GARLIC, WOLFSBANE
EXTRA NOTES: This kaiju has a malicious intent to all humans besides those who praise it. It's said it will bless all of its followers abundantly on this Earth and grant them immortal life.

The battle against the PRICOLICI will not be made easy, especially as its weaknesses are not as straightforward to tap in as most elements. However, LILITH will provide utmost support for the Outsiders who want to try their hand at defeating it. While it was once believed to be immortal, perhaps due to the disconnection of the rift and the moon, it does seem weaker the longer the Outsiders engage with it. There are also pockets in which wolfsbane bloom in secret in the dungeon, and the PRICOLICI will evade these specific areas, as well as any places containing holy relics.

▶ 005. AFTERMATH.

The remaining villagers do their utmost in attempting to ground the LILITH medical cruiser, using cannons and other primitive weapons against it. Fortunately, they do not succeed. With the LILITH medical crew all present, they begin their work promptly. Outsiders can not only use the medical cruiser as a temporary base and resting point, but those with severe injuries are ushered in for emergency surgeries and other necessary procedures. Those who can heal are encouraged to take care of the ones with less major injuries in order to lighten the load on LILITH’s medical robots... and Dr. Spim, of course.

When the final battle finally winds down, several more mission objectives crop up. While no formal decision is pushed on the Outsiders this time, they are given several choices.

Although LILITH has permitted Outsiders to take their own stance in whether they want to kill those involved in the ritual, including the villagers, they do state the final request to spare the children, which they plan to bring back to Neo Tokyo. Those who do not wish to engage in the taking of lives will be encouraged to continue assisting and escorting any injured Outsiders. Finally, all Outsiders are tasked to take with them any goods that LILITH could benefit from, including any sources of food.

Once this has all been completed, they will all be encouraged to leave Transylvania behind.

Back at base, they are presently working on the cure for those who were bitten and turned. While the brainwashing element has been resolved through persuasion tech, it wasn't possible for them to fully reverse the other side effects. LILITH staff are requesting those affected to remain indoors until they figure out what they need in order to completely rid them of this ailment.

(Note: The above mission objectives in this section are all optional! Please remember that you only need to engage in the plots and ideas you are comfortable with. If you would prefer your character to leave early to take the others back to recover at base, that is completely fine. We want this to be flexible and for people to play with what inspires them. You are also free to come up with other ways your character can help during this time, as long as it does not break any game rules.)

▶ 006. AFTERWORD.

Welcome to fifth kaiju log!

Thanks to the Outsiders' efforts, they were able to engage with the kaiju in this fight. Due to them piecing the clues of the skulls helping to destroy the fog, they were able to gain access to Bran Castle. As they have also kept their suspicions of the villagers, some even including to sacrifice them, they were able to unearth them being associated with the cult, and able to uncover their involvement. Outsiders were also able to add wolfsbane as a weakness to the kaiju due to the messages exchanged between the kidnapped and non-kidnapped - and so this detail was also added into the log. We appreciate everyone’s engagement in this and hope you have fun with this outcome!

Feel free to NPC your characters' fights with the minions. The main fight with the largest one will be determined via a HP-based system (See below). Feel free to ask any other questions below! Additionally, we did clarify some questions in regards to vampires/general weaknesses here, as well!

For the vampire prompts, feel free to work with the setting in how you want your character to experience being turned, and potentially turning others. It was made vague to allow flexibility, so if you'd like to have your character just feed off of people without turning them, that works. If they want to turn all their friends, that is also 100% okay. Those who have been turned are welcome to play with that as they see fit. As mentioned, LILITH will be actively working on the cure, and this will be something revisited in the TDM, or on our quest board, so be on the lookout for that!

All tags on this log are worth 2 points and will count towards October AC.

EVENT BREAKDOWN/RECAP (CLICK TO EXPAND)

1. LORD OF THE FOREST: On the days leading up to the 15th, kidnapped characters are brought to the dungeons to receive their punishments. The punishments are administered in a way that suggests that the followers have many years of experience, and that they are all part of a sacrificial ritual to summon the Lord of the Forest; once the ritual begins, it can't be stopped. On the morning of the 15th, LILITH is able to send out a distorted monster debrief sheet that the captives will be able to briefly see before experiencing a heavy disturbance of rift energy. Captives in the dungeons will also be able to see the Lord of the Forest, but it will disperse back into the rift after being summoned.

2. FIND THE CAPTIVES: The Outsiders figure out that the captives are held in Bran Castle; the fog gradually lifts and the outline of the castle will be visible. The villagers will do everything they can to prevent the Outsiders from reaching the castle, from using the children to persuade them to stay to more violent means. Outsiders who have a poison dagger from LILITH are able to use it on the villagers without prior clearance due to the spotty connection. Vampires are among the villagers attacking the Outsiders; if they are bitten, their bodies will feel feverish. Once Outsiders reach the castle gates, they will have to break through the castle attendants to reach the dungeons.

3. THE DUNGEON OF CASTLE BRAN: Outsiders must fight through more attendants inside the castle as they make their way down to the dungeons. The layout of the dungeons is much bigger than it may seem on the surface—with over hundreds of cells, some of which still contain the remains and personal effects of previous villagers who have been sacrificed. Bats, minions of the Lord of the Forest, will attack the Outsiders and those who are bitten may begin to lose control of themselves with a thirst for blood. Bitten Outsiders may attack their teammates as a result, and may also be more susceptible to psychic brainwashing.

4. THE FINAL RESCUE: LILITH confirms the main mission objective of rescuing all the captives and gives formal clearance to kill anyone interfering with the mission, which includes any Outsiders who may have been temporarily brainwashed. The bodies of any fallen Outsiders must be brought back as LILITH may be able to restore them. Going deeper into the dungeons will cause side effects of rift poisoning to manifest. The Lord of the Forest appears to engage the Outsiders; its ability to weaken abilities is diminished slightly due to the phases of the moon. Five to ten minutes into the battle, LILITH seals off the rift below the dungeons, allowing Outsiders an opportunity to go all in on attacking the Lord of the Forest.

5. AFTERMATH: LILITH's medical crew arrives to begin treating injured Outsiders. Those who are able to heal or have medical experience are encouraged to treat Outsiders with minor injuries to lighten the load on LILITH's medical staff. Once the battle winds down, Outsiders are given several options on what to do next: kill the followers and the villagers, but sparing the children (who will be brought to Neo Tokyo); continue assisting and escorting any injured Outsiders to safety; taking any goods from the village that will benefit LILITH, including food sources. Once completed, Outsiders will leave Transylvania to embark on the journey back to Neo Tokyo.

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Comments

CLOSED to Vergilius

[zauneyete]

[ The dank, near-quiet of some of the hallways in the dungeons makes it the perfect grounds to hunt down more of those attendants, maybe find a few hidden corners to let his fingers look for valuables. Really, though, he was looking for — something else to sate that old, familiar hunger. It may have been months since he arrived here, but not long enough to erase how that hunger felt, and what it meant. Power, of course.

True, real power. It's such a heady feeling that he almost forgets himself, hearing the first screeches from deeper in the dungeon, towards the cells. There's a part of him that stirs at the sound, something in between hunger, and a sway that leads him looking for someone nearby. It doesn't really quite matter to him whether it's another Outsider or an attendant or —

Or maybe someone better?

His feet were not-quite silent (but barely so) on the stone floor as he caught sight of Vergilius turning a corner, and he stalked to follow, his eye a bright giveaway in the dark that he couldn't quite help. ]

[immortalpoet]

[Maybe someone better. Maybe someone worse.]

[Vergilius is restless. See, that's why he's learned over the years to steel his heart in such matters - emotions shouldn't come into play. They shouldn't. But his worry itches under his skin like a terrible little worm, and some of his focus is scattered o other places. On a night like this....yes. He and Roland faced foes like this. What a time to remember.]

[That doesn't mean he's blind and dumb, though. What with the creatures around, he's not the type to be ambushed so easily. Vergilius steels his sword, his own red eyes shining bright as he turns with no warning, holding his sword out to...]


[A rather familiar face. He blinks, lowering his sword.]

...Silco. What are you doing here?

[zauneyete]

[ Better, worse... Probably both, actually. The first outsider he finds... Of course it's Vergilius. They seemed to meet at the oddest of times, didn't they? Silco can't say that he minds all that much, given that he's still somewhat outclassed the moment he encounters someone other than a human. His lips twitch, and a single glowing eye meets two in the dark. ]

The same as everyone else, I imagine. Trying to follow our... "Orders".

[ Still with a touch of belligerence as always. Maybe that's why he thought to ask. Silco had certainly made no secret that he wasn't really swayed by the prospect that some of them were fine. After all, he would be, were he in their shoes.

Did he know what they were going through? No, but that didn't matter. He could have survived it just fine, because he could survive anything at this point. ]

Anything useful thus far? [ He asked, though hunger gnawed at his insides and made him too keenly aware that there was a fresh font of what he wanted right in front of him. He waited though, his hands winding behind his back, looking up at Vergilius with a tipped head. What was Silco, if he was not patient? ]

[immortalpoet]

You really don't like authority, huh.

[An understatement. Silco has never smacked of someone who'd bow his head to anyone else, let alone LILITH. His cynical statements on the network were also evidence of that.]

[The sword lowering to his side, he turns to glance down one of the dark corridors, his eyebrows furrowed.]

Not yet. This damn castle is like a labryinth. And then on top of this mess, we have these blood-sucking creatures. Have you run into them, yet?

[zauneyete]

Me and authority? [ A rasp of a laugh. ] No, I don't trust any authority but my own.

[ To be fair, experiences have been middling, and LILITH was always going to be something he railed against. Too neat, too tidy, and he'd never trusted their kind of altruism.

He leaned slightly to look around him, to try to see further into the hallway. ]

The vampires? I've encountered a few. Unfortunately for them, I have experience. They were not uncommon where I was before, although a touch more civilized. I used to patron their haunts.

I assume thy have been no challenge for you, hm?

[immortalpoet]

You have experience?

[He wouldn't have guessed - then again, some people here come from worlds also teeming with monsters. Perhaps Silco had his own idea of an Abnormality where he came from.]

No. Of course not. A while ago, I was part of a counteroffensive against a particularly heinous one. These things? They're lame ducks in comparison.

[A jerk of a head to a hallway.]

Come on. Follow me. Though if you see something, let me know. I'll take care of it.

[zauneyete]

A particularly heinous one? [ He moves to follow, and perhaps there's something odd about the way he moves, too-confident feet on dark stone, but perhaps that's just the comfort of someone who enjoys living underground. ]

Maybe you'll tell me about them sometime, and maybe I'll tell you about my experience with vampires sometime.

[ His fingers brushed the dagger at his thigh, a makeshift holster that he had put together with scraps he'd pulled off the villagers. He never denied scavenging if it was necessary.

Though, as they began walking, he processed what vergilius said. He'll take care of it, huh? ]

You worried I can't handle them on my own?

[ He asked, just before another hiss of wine came from down the hallway, something that sounded high pitched, and very nearly supersonic, the way it pierced through the silence. ]

[immortalpoet]

[Silco moves like a cat in the darkness. It's not particularly something he's seen before, though he's experienced elements of it, but it draws Vergilius's attention for a moment.]

Maybe I will, when all is said and done.

[He scoffs at the next question.]

Aren't I your bodyguard? Hah. Annnnnd there we go.

[A vampire on the horizon. His eyes flare, his sword starting to heat the air around them. This place is cold. It could use warmth that isn't from spilled blood.]

They're mindless things, at the very least.

[zauneyete]

Oh? Are you?

[ A laugh, even as the air starts to heat from his sword. He doesn't mind the cold, really, but maybe it's not so bad to be a little warmer, too.]

Do I owe you a drink again, after this?

[ He stayed back, letting them run right into his blade. He didn't have any fondness for the creatures, because his assessment was correct. They were driven by their blood lust, and nothing else. No cool calculation, or games that they played. They were barely more than beasts. Perhaps if they weren't starving, they may have been better off, but he didn't think so.

After all, he thinks on the villagers, look at the stock they were working with. ]

Its a shame they don't pose much of a challenge, isn't it?

[immortalpoet]

Up to you. I will appreciate your generosity.

[His dreary voice is lighter, but its clear his mind is still fixated on something. Or rather, someone. Malkuth...where is she, in this mess?]

[The vampires are nothing but paltry obstacles.]

[He has to reach her. He can't come and see that kind of scene like that in the past, of a young man encased in a gem.]

They're pitiful is what they are.

[zauneyete]

Oh?

[ He watches him, from behind, every move he made. Every motion, every shift. The way he seemed... Distracted. Like there was something more important down in there. He wondered if that was why he'd been speaking up over the network earlier?

Was there someone important down there? (Did he care?) (no) There was nobody of consequence to him, but what he did care about was taking his pound off flesh from the Forest Lord for the insult of trying to kill him. ]

It's true, they hardly stand a chance against you. Though, I don't either, and you don't think that about me, do you?

[ His hands clasped behind him, he just look a sight behind the Red Gaze, with his own watching down the hall, for a break in the number of them. ]

Is it their nature you found so pitiful?

[immortalpoet]

[He stalks the hallways - he's an old hound rustling up his strength to bite down on a throat if he needs to. But maybe he's just holding himself back. He could just raze this castle down, if he wanted.]

[But if he goes too far...]

[He shakes his head. A vampire rushes forward from the shadows, and he decapitates it as easy as breathing. The head rolls. He doesn't focus on it.]

Their strength is pitiful. As far as their hunger...perhaps that's just more of what we already have. [And then, almost a little distant, like he's remembering something.] Sometimes, that sort of thing...is made to be at the forefront. Even a child's hunger can...transform into a vicious gluttony.

[zauneyete]

[ His attention snapped to follow the rolling head, watching it move with the interest of a lazy scavenger. Where Vergilius was a hound that barreled his way through the hallways, Silco walked behind, like he was interested in picking off the bits and pieces that sloughed off from his violence. He didn't move on the vampire, since he's had them before — deeply unpleasant — and his gaze moved back to Vergilius, who kept talking.

He wasn't incorrect, of course. Silco thought very much the same, that the hunger for violence and power was not so different than that of a vampire. He'd experienced both before, and knew that it was something that could be denied with will, and freely indulged if one chose to. He had often been very careful with his vampirism in Kenos before, only circumstances drawing that hunger out from the cordoned-off hunting grounds, or when it had been offered, even if it didn't taste right. (Sebastian... was not so great at inventing the taste of human blood.) He wondered what his would taste like, which was a dangerous thought to have, but more importantly...

He wondered what his strength would be like, with it. ]

That's because of what they're working with.

[ He said, from behind. ] The villagers? What do they have that even the most powerless amongst us does? Even I have a stronger will than they do. They do this out of adoration for a false god. Their Forest Lord. [ The hateful tone only complete with an eyeroll. He moved closer, as if trying to stay in range of him, lest a vampire get too close, and very nearly bumped into him.

His hands lifted from their clasped position to rest against his back — as if it was an accident that he was so close. He did not try to pull away, either, but nor did he apologize. (As if he would.) ]

[immortalpoet]

It's true. This thing offers them practically nothing. What senseless belief.

[Cults were not something unknown to the City. There was that one about gears a while back, he thinks. People attached their beliefs to all kinds of things. In the City, sometimes that was disguised under the veneer of worship of technology. Sometimes it was about denouncing prosthetics and human augmentation to indulge in the divinity of human flesh.]

[No. This kaiju...if it just offered this vampirism, what good was that? He grits his teeth, shifting forward - only to feel the man against him. He freezes - touch has always been something he's been overly sensitive to, for better or for worse.]

...Silco. [His hands are bony thin against his spine, he thinks. He offers a look over his shoulder.] You alright?

[zauneyete]

[ A long pause. Silco is not a physical man, even this level of touch is more than he normally allows for. However... ]

Yes, perfectly fine. [ A longer beat. ] Only lost my footing. Do be careful, hm?

[ His half-step back this time is even more calculated. He did not meet Vergilius's eyes this time, his eyes swept elsewhere, instead, as if looking for a threat.

Offered them nothing, hah! He almost protests, but, Silco is a patient man. He knows better, because he knows what it is that it offers. Not in exchange for worship, of course, but divorced from that.

When Vergilius starts to move forward again, Silco remains close. This time, he makes sure to move his foot, to catch Vergilius's ankle at just the right time, aiming to make him stumble. If he does, he'll be nudged forward by those same thin, bony hands once more, aiming to knock him to the ground. ]

[immortalpoet]

...I'm careful.

[Silco is no damsel in distress, he knows. (Well, says a voice somewhere in his head, aren't you sort of putting him in the position of one?)]

[Either way. Must be a mistep, he thinks. A funny thing to think, as he looks toward where Silco is looking, before gruffly facing ahead once more-]

[Something catches on his leg. He almost stumbles, but his legs are augmented, hardy as anything, and he keeps his bearings. He's about to look for what he stepped over when he feels those same hands again, fingertips pressed into his spine.]

[And Vergilius falls onto his knees, the sword clattering nearby. He almost immediately twists his head back with a growl, head not yet caught up to why and how this is happening.]

Silco, what the hell are you doing-!?

[zauneyete]

Oh?

[ Silco is thin, and lean, but vampirism means that he's a little stronger and quicker. Once he's down on the ground, Silco's foot hooks against his hip, and kicks with enough force to roll him over onto his back. He might not even come close to Vergilius, even with the flush of new power, but it's enough with the shock, he thinks, to get the point across.

He doesn't hesitate, inching forward to place his foot on his chest, standing over, haloed by dim light, his one eye the only feature visible, a pinprick that made him look, for just a moment, like he was perfectly in control. ]

Correcting some misconceptions you've made. I will share with you a little secret, Vergilius.

[ He's shared a few now, but whatever. ] One of the choices I made in the world I was in before, was to accept a... gift, if you will. [ If Vergilius fidgets, he'll press harder with his foot to his sternum. At least let him finish his monologue. ] Some have plenty of words for it, but like these... pathetic villagers, I found myself different, my hungers different.

This creature works with small fish in a pool without real predators. Do you know what it does for the truly dangerous?

[ His foot lifts, but before Vergilius can find himself free for long, those thin, bony fingers pressed against his collarbone. He moves faster, too, straddling him, leaning forward with a smile that is sharper than it was before. ]

Anything can be used, if by the right hand. You know this. Or do you doubt my capability too?

[immortalpoet]

[What....is happening?]

[Why is Silco doing this? What is he even saying? The man flips him over, and his worry for Malkuth feels like its been roughly shoved off the table to focus on...this. Whatever is happening.]

[He feels disoriented - his hand finds purchase on the man's ankle as that heel pushes in. Maybe he can just snap it here and now, he thinks, but before the thought comes and goes, Silco moves faster than he ever expected him to.]

[Now, his face is above his. His legs straddle over him, body against body. Vergilius stares at him, perplexed and irate all at the same time, and his eyes burn like a hound from hell.]

You have three seconds to get off of me, or I'll rip your spine out your back, Silco. This isn't funny.

[A warning. Perhaps to Silco, a moment of weakness. He knows he can't just kill an Outsider so willy-nilly without consequences - at least, that's what he tells himself. His hand snakes around to grasp the man by the back of his neck, fingers digging in with nails pricking into skin. He can. He would. He isn't to be trifled with.]

[Then again, neither is Silco.]

[zauneyete]

No — no. This is a serious matter. Are you listening to me?

[ Fingers at the back of his neck are just as unusual as any other touch, too abnormally close. Maybe a refracted image of something else, an intimacy this doesn't reflect — a dangerous press of fingertips at the back of his neck, the threat ever present, a promise that with Vergilius's strength, he could do exactly as he promised. Easily, in fact. Or he could, but...

In dim light, Silco's lips flickered with a ghost of a smile. As always, it seemed to twitch to life and then vanish as quick as you could realize it was happening, like his unpleasantness pulled it back under his natural armor—a spark of authenticity that gets consumed by reality. Both were equally real, but one was impulsive, the other a careful control that he even now still held tight.

Some kind of poison ran in his veins and thrummed, with each thud of his heart, it felt like that old, familiar hunger. He was never one to over-indulge, or even eat all that much (just look at him) but as a vampire, he'd felt a rush of excitement every time he'd hunted through Ryad's crowded playground for those with the odd hungers.

He'd missed that feeling. Not just the hunger, but the power. Of feeling like a predator amongst the prey, blending in until the very last moment. Power was a heady thing, and Silco couldn't imagine a world where it was turned down by anyone, let alone someone like Vergilius, whose power was great enough, albeit still somewhat human. Attainable. ]

I'm showing you what piece you are ignoring. What the foolish and misled do not understand. I know, because I've lived this life [ unlife. ] before.

[ This time he does smile, a sharp grin that has knives. How had he concealed it? But Silco's odd cadence and way of speaking surely masks those too-obvious fangs now.

Has it been three seconds? He should stop dallying, probably. ]

Don't fret — it's well worth the pain.

[ He didn't hesitate now, with his course of action decided. He leaned down closer, his free hand grabbed and tipped his head, thin fingers gripping his hair. Breath tickled on his neck — they were so close right now, far closer than even that night when their hands had tried to peel away layers of armor — a scrape of sharp teeth to follow warm breath, and then —

Twin sharp pricks of pain followed, when Silco sank his fangs into his neck. His fingers dug against skin, as if he were trying to force him to stay down. ]

[immortalpoet]

[Silco has gone mad.]

[No, maybe Silco has always been mad. No, wait, he knew that. He's mad, too. Two men on a bed in a labyrinth, talking about the end of the world. That's mad.]

[Vergilius finds himself flummoxed, off-teeter - his dogged pursuit of Malkuth so far away it feels like a distant memory.]

You're making no sense-

[He tries to gruffly protest, even as his fingers dig in more. And then, a clue, a glaring one at that - a mouth of fangs. Like those of the vampires. Vergilius's red eyes are wide. He should move. He should fight. Silco bends down, and something almost short-circuits as his nose brushes over the curve of his jaw, hand pressed over his scalp.]

[Move. Move. MOVE. But as some senses leech back in, its already too late. Those precious seconds, now lost as those fangs find their mark.]

Ah....a-ah....

[Comes the gasp, leaning into a groan. Silco starts to drink, and something feels cold and nasty and exhilarating all at once all over his body. It's enough to make a man puke. Vergilius doesn't. He just shudders, palpably, underneath the man's lithe body.]

[But if Silco thought he would lay there pretty, think again. For the kneejerk reflex for violence is still there, and even in such a position, he's trying to jerk his head away. He won't be satisfied with that alone, though.]

[Vergilius his mouth and bites down, hard, on Silco's own neck as well.]

[He absolutely wants to draw blood, here. Tit for tat.]

[zauneyete]

[ Silco has no space to talk, when he latches onto his neck — he'd so rarely left living victims, but he wonders if maybe he should leave Vergilius alive? — the rush of blood is a familiar, warm. He had not bothered drinking from the villagers, or the other vampires — and perhaps he has a mind to avoid biting other Outsiders for the moment — but...

Well, perhaps he is a little (a lot) mad.

He had always enjoyed it, eating like this, but this was almost better? Was it the adrenaline, or the way Vergilius still struggled? The rush of blood in his mouth drew a sigh of — familiar satisfaction, breathed against his skin. Was it because he knew, despite his words, that he was a monster just like him? He'd seen him decapitate a pleading man like it was nothing, he'd watched him slice a path through the attacking Vampires. Here, though, he struggled, like he was holding back, or maybe —

Was it a gasp? Or was it a groan? His fingers tugged at his hair harder, dull fingernails tried to claw at his chest. He didn't stop him from fighting his grasp, either, he only aimed to make it hurt. He wanted it to hurt him, if he's going to fight this. Something in between punishing and satisfying his own need for violence, to hurt the things that railed against him.

Vergilius's teeth are dull, and he bites hard. Silco hissed against his neck, somewhere in there it resolved into a throaty tone, somewhere between those 'hms' he so favors and a groan. He fights to tug him down, his thin fingers tightened into his hair, pulling but even the slightest give from him tears the thin skin around his neck just enough to make it bleed. He can smell his own blood, and his fingers relaxed slightly — only slightly. The blood was making it hard to think, of course, and in-between pulls a half-huff of something satisfied escaped his throat. He'd promised him it would be worth the pain, after all, but that didn't mean it was just Vergilius's, did it? ]

[immortalpoet]

[Why wouldn't he struggle? He's asked himself that time and time again, even in the darkest depths of his life when he turned his back on his own flow. Why would he? Why wouldn't he...? Ah, the great questions, here. He struggles, perhaps, because he has to. Because even with his own consequential understanding of himself as a monster, there's still something worth fighting for.]

[And regardless of his feelings about Silco, their similar circumstances, he will struggle. He pulls off with blood swimming in his mouth, and swallows. Somehow, in the midst of it, he feels like he needs more. The man grapples him, tugs into his hair, tries to still him, and he can't, he won't.]

[His own hands want to be busy. Even as Silco's sighs (are they sighs?) pool in his ears, he's using one hand to try to return the favor and thread into his hair, yank him as to pull him off. The other grasps around the man's thin hip.]

[He squeezes. He has enough strength to crack it. Maybe he will here, with a hissed gasp and a breath between red-stained lips. And of course. Why not, says something inside, something new and born but always there? There must be poison here, seeping into his bones. It feels so sweet and hot and red.]

[Take another bite.]

[And he does, into his shoulder, with a growl that rumbles into his flesh.]

[zauneyete]

[ Sure, he hadn't expected that Vergilius wouldn't fight — his strength is enough that he probably could have rolled him over, or bucked him off. He'd half expected it, latching on with his teeth enough that there weren't just a pair of neat twin pinpricks, a matching indentation of the rest of his teeth gripping hard enough that he'd leave deep toothmarks and bruising. It doesn't stop him from drinking, since it had been so long (an hour) since he'd drank, and the flood of blood was hard to simply rip away from, even when he tried to wrench himself away and off, his hands winding to grip into his hair, and tug him away.

He fought him with more strength than he normally had — latched on by his mouth on a bloody, bruising wound — a hand on his hip with crushing force that he imagined might have cracked his hip, a sharp rip of pain that made him hiss against his neck — a sound of another growl in the back of his throat — like a creature with a catch that's being threatened, undaunted by the threat.

He thought that Vergilius would keep trying to pull back, so he bit harder on his neck, lest he try to pull away again, exerting the limited power and control he has over the situation — over the man he's currently straddled over — fighting to get him to understand.

But maybe he doesn't have to, when instead of pulling back, he dips in, and Silco wondered if he's already so gone that he's passing out —

But no, he bites hard on him in kind, and both of his eyes go wide, his breath shudders slightly against his neck, half out of surprise. He'd wanted to see if he could pull a monster out of him, hadn't he? He'd wanted to see the measure of this man, beyond just his power and violence, if he was the kind of person who would grasp for what he wanted and take it just as much as Silco did. He'd wondered, when he fought, when he'd been surprised or perhaps even concerned, but the moment he bit him again, he knew that there was something to respect in the man. Only cowards ran away. True strength came from fighting back, tit for tat, as much as he gave.

His whole side shuddered from the pain of his hand on his hip, but he forced himself to stay still and not move, other than the shaky breaths, exhaled over a wound that he hadn't bothered to relax over. His fingers wound a little further into his hair — still tugging — but blunt nails scraped against his scalp occasionally. Maybe inadvertent, maybe in silent encouragement for what could only be another monster, right? ]

[immortalpoet]

[His brain feels like its cotton candy, pulled to extremes and spun around a cone. He barely knows where to start and where to stop thinking. Instinct now, his id, is the one at the forefront now. And its the thing that he beats himself to guilt over.]

[No matter what he does, no matter what threads of light he follows, no matter how many children he tried (and failed) to save - this is what he is, isn't he? It's what Silco saw in him. And so, he bares it just like his teeth, which crackle with a sudden stab of pain.]

[Vergilius groans from it. The taste of blood sinks down his throat again. Silco stills against him, which seems to give him permission. Permission, really? He was so rabid before. What changed now?]

[Was Silco deriving pleasure from this, somehow? Was he deriving pleasure from this, somehow?]

[He doesn't know what should give the answer to that. His mind? His heart? His body? His....whatever is now sitting there in his blood, a cuckoo invading a nest? His body isn't going to stop now until he receives a bit of delayed clarity. One leg latches over the other's to keep him from moving, hip locked to hip with his hand threatening more of a squeeze. He pulls away to gasp a breath, filling his lungs before he returns to his work. Its not as drastic and feral as before, but he's finding that open wound to latch his teeth into it once again, tongue licking up the ravaged area as his teeth sharpen and lenghen, sinking further inward.]

[As if he means to eat the man whole.]

[zauneyete]

[ There's already a large, bruising welt on his neck, places where the skin tore, and abrasions that just barely don't go all the way through. Another vampire's blood doesn't taste quite as good as a human's but the scent of it to the nascent, growing poison in Vergilius's veins is likely just as tempting as anything else, his blunt teeth seem to have no difficulty breaking through skin where they need to. The hunger is already there, but how could anyone resist the temptation?

Silco would have called it a fool's errand, if he'd been able to articulate the struggle with instinct and id, in the same way he always had. He'd never made it a secret, or something to hide, that this truest version of him is what he'd wanted to see from the beginning. He'd never understood why anyone would even want to hide like that, pretend that there wasn't a beast slithering under the skin and threatening to lash out.

Is he enjoying this? Maybe even pleased that he hadn't fought him off, maybe a little more pleased when the heavy weight of his leg pressed against his, pinning him down in a similar way that he'd just done. Thin, bony fingers drift from pushing against his collarbone to pressing against the bruising skin by his mouth, as if he wants to remind him that he is right here — lest he becomes used to the latch of fangs and the slow drain of his blood.

His skin prickled with gooseflesh, raw under his teeth and tongue, and then there was that too familiar twin-prick of fangs against flesh. His lips parted against the wound he'd very nearly ripped from his flesh, and he exhaled a warm, jerky breath against the punctured, seeping wound. Grazing his thumb against abraised skin — uncharacteristically — he drug his lips against the pooling blood, before he dug his thumb into the flesh, as if trying to exsanguinate the rest of the blood from the wound so he could feast on what was left.