Re: An Army of Ghosts, A Sad Nephanda and two Angels IC Thread 40

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Basement]

"Touche I do want nothingness, but until I reach it...if my Avatar is to be destroyed it have to mean something...if my apprentice's...one thing is what you are planning to do to me but you are going to do the same to Kira and that have to have a purpose."
Kallan said sadly still fighting tears.
"I...my apprentices...my poor apprentices, they...might be reborn I..."
He said then he shook his head.
"Kallan...my name is Kallan I have a name in the Nephandi language as well but it do not translate well. I named myself right when the Order started adding sur names to Shadow names and my mater was Traditional so I only have one name, but if you need a surname just use Nemo."
He said.
"My Mentor I guess she might be reborn as well..."
He muttered sadly.
"Reborn and not to pleased with me if she remembers anything in her new incarnation. And you Hermetic? What are your name?"
The Nephandus asked.
"If you will give it to a condemned man?"

[Chantry Second Floor]

"Ok...I hope they are okey Ma'am."
Yue Die said.
"Is there anything I can do? Mind you I do not want to leave Anna alone for to long I have to check that she is breasting as she should and that her heart continue to beat right, exhausting herself as she did in the fight is not good for her, I wish she was more careful."
The Akashic said with a worried frown and you got the feeling that the girl felt more than just friendship for the young Orphan apprentice.

(OOC: Auto correct is funny. I was discussing the interrogation of Kallan with Strife when I meant to write that he might talk if given the right prodding and ended up writing that he might talk if given the right pudding. "I will never betray the Nephandi...hey...is that vanilla?" )

(OOC 2: Oops I missed Warp's post, let me just get right onto that now.)

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Basement]

Colin nodded, then grinned, "Well, now, the Mercere have perhaps the most dangerous job in the Traditions - that of a courier in war - and they do it mostly without innate magic of their own. Why are you surprised he's quite capable of defending himself?"

"Yeah if I remember my history right the first thing the Order of Reason did was almost destroy House Mercere, leaving only the Gifted members alive, but they rebuilt from that. Their job is dangerous and I am not so much surprised as...well the man have a force shield and what looked very much as a lightsaber ok...it was just for a lack of a better word...cool."
The Euthanathos said and he scratched his dark hair.
"I can't wait to tell my brother about it."

He nodded, "I know it sounds hypocritical... I suppose it really is to some extent. But I'm compelled to by law - and there remains yet one other possibility for Kira yet, if she can find the strength and time to undo what the Caul did. It's possible, it has been done in the past, but the exact method... is a little bit unclear just yet, beyond some quite demanding Seekings. I had it confirmed by an ancient Handler that it is possible, too, that Falling is not a one-way trip."

"It would not surprise me if it was possible, anything that can be done can be un done after all, however gluing a vase back together is harder than making it in the first place so if it is possible it sounds like a long, difficult process and not something that Kira will be allowed the time to engage in...also Traditionalist I wonder how much suffering have been done under the heading of I am just following the law."
Kallan said with a sigh.

He smiled wryly, "I'm an Orphan, myself, so I have no blame, as such, for what any one Tradition has done, but yes, as you should know quite intimately, your House and Order have some... dirty laundry, too. And probably most of the others, too, to be fair."

"You are still a member of the Traditions as a whole are you not so you share their combined blame but yes House Tytalus have never been blameless and have gotten into plenty of trouble since our Founder helped Tremere kill their mater."
The prisoner said with another sigh.

He arched an eyebrow, "And who corrupted the Cycle? I don't believe that anything can be so broken as to be completely irreparable. Oh, it might take several Mage lifetimes and incarnations to do so, but it can be done."

"I honestly don't know. And perhaps the Cycle have a small chance of redemption but it is not enough it must end, that is far easier, to scrap this canvas and start again."
The Nephandus said with a shrug.

He nodded, giving Kallan a gentle, quiet squeeze on the shoulder in commiseration.

Kallan gave you a sad look for a moment then he looked down grief in his eyes.

He smiled thinly, "Perhaps I do, and I suppose the Traditions as a whole would be upset if I didn't, but... what, in truth, is the point? If you were to achieve nonexistence, what would you get out of it, in practical and esoteric terms?

"I would get nothing out of it Traditionalist, nothing and that is the point that is what I ultimately want, nothing."
The Nephandus replied.

I mean, as I understand it, the Buddhist and Hindu concepts of Nirvana, of breaking free from the cycles of reincarnation, involving letting go of everything, and becoming one with, well, everything. A way of making the whole better and greater than it was. Qlippothic Descension, comparably, is giving in to all the misery and giving existence an ephemeral middle finger as you rob yourself of peace and happiness..."

"No what I want is not the same as several Eastern religions want, or for that matter many modern New Agers and a fair number of Wiccans as well, they want to learn and develop and grow until they eventually become a part of the Divine again, becoming everything though in that destroying self, but that is still something it is becoming more, Nephandi want exactly like you said to give the middle finger to existence and for there to be nothing, nothing greater, nothing ellser, no past, future or present, no wisdom, no nothing, just nothing."
Kallan replied calmly.

He nodded, "And there's the problem, I rather liked that window, and now I have to fix it so I don't get rain in on my floor... And here's a thing, I know of a man who managed to erase himself, to become nonexistent; the Handler prior to the one I've had tea with... and we know he had done this, because of the hole he left. Oh, he'd been forgotten by everyone, absolutely, but there were little things he'd left behind, just enough to make out a faint outline of who he'd been, what he'd accomplished... that sort of little scraps seem rather inevitable when you try to drag Creation into Nothingness, and those scraps, well... that's the sort of things that lurk in the Qlippothic side of things..."

"Yes some of our kind seek personal Entropic Decension and not a global one, though it is hard to make it complete, to not exist is one thing but to have never existed is hard and you are right we know there where other realities because of the hollow husks left over from other, darker existences, the Qliphoth themselves being such husks, in fact that is what the word means, husk, a bit of a memory for a reality that are no longer there. So yes getting rid of reality completely is not easy, but it is a goal to work towards."
Kallan said.
"Sometimes working for perfection is enough even if one can never fully achieve it."

He nodded thoughtfully, "Ever wonder why it's called the Black Spiral? Because every step of the way leads down the same route of corruption, of unnatural decisions promoting Jhor, and through no longer caring about suffering to reveling in it... but the spiral can be broken. You can step off it, as can Kira, and come back to the Light. It's probably going to require help, but... it can be done. Sometimes, just a little boost in the right direction is all it takes to get started..."

"I don't want to step of the spiral it is my path...but Kira...I guess what you say have some truth to it Traditionalist only we will not be helped to step anywhere and you know it...you know what the Traditions will do to us, and that must be for a reason, it must or I can just not bare it!"
The Nephandus said darkly.

He nodded, "Ah, of course, Amicus, I should introduce our captive; Kallan, formerly of House Tytalus. I've already warned him that our lady guest is likely to be quite cross with him."

Kallan swallowed hard at that but he gave Adey a slight nod.

He pondered, "I've been working on a spell for the past two months, but I haven't been able to test it, owing to... certain particularities. A ritual to track the reincarnations of certain individuals close to a person in a previous life. I've found that Avatars have a tendency to retain connections from one incarnation to the other, whether in pairs or in larger groups... With your help, and that of Kira, I might be able to... track down your apprentices, to see if they've reincarnated. Maybe. I'm not sure if I can pull it off alone, but I'm willing to try... The connections should still be there, even if faint and diffuse; I believe that it can be done."

"I...I...would like that..."
Kallan muttered softly.
"At least to know if they are okey now...but I am not talking for it I can't...I can't..."
He said though he sounded a little less sure.

(OOC: Colin is still not passing Nephandi 101 Sorry for missing your post.)

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Bastement]

"Serge if you don't need me right now I am heading up to the infirmary to see if Dr Lee need any help with the prisoner and also to see if anyone need any help getting up there."
Ryan said and then depending on what you said he headed for the stairs to do as he said he would leaving you to get some water to the prisoner.

"Sure thing. Catch ya later." Serge said nodding and letting his Uncle be on his way.

You got down to the basement. Marian was still on guard duty. You could hear that Colin and Adley was now talking with Kallan, and the prisoner and your Cabalmate was apparently in full on Hermetic modus, discussing the virtue or lack there of of the fall through Cabalistic symbolism.

"Damn, the interrogation started fast. Either that or a debate?" Serge said when he heard the familiar sound of his cabalmates lecture voice.

He approached Marian and said, "It looks like those guys will be in there for a while. Do you think you could give the prisoner this glass of water after those guys are done in there? I'd do it myself but I have something I want to do first."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Second Floor]

Anja' Post:

A short pause before replying. 'Just keep on doing what you already are.' Nicole replied. Unless the kid had anything else to add, she'll turn to Jon and ask for details for any other dots needing investigating...

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Bastement]

"Sure thing. Catch ya later." Serge said nodding and letting his Uncle be on his way.

Ryan gave you a bit of a wave as he headed for the stairs.

"Damn, the interrogation started fast. Either that or a debate?" Serge said when he heard the familiar sound of his cabalmates lecture voice.

He approached Marian and said, "It looks like those guys will be in there for a while. Do you think you could give the prisoner this glass of water after those guys are done in there? I'd do it myself but I have something I want to do first."

"Yeah sure you can just give me the glass of water and I will make sure he gets it. The Chief wanted the interrogation to get done as soon as possible."
Marian said as he reached out a hand towards the glass of water.

[Chantry Second Floor]

A short pause before replying. 'Just keep on doing what you already are.' Nicole replied. Unless the kid had anything else to add, she'll turn to Jon and ask for details for any other dots needing investigating...

"Ok I will do that Miss Bouchards, I will go back to watch over Anna then."
Yu Die said and she closed the door again when you had left. There where no other dots on the sevond floor but there where dots in rooms up on the third floor and several dots moving around the Chantry along with large amounts of them in a few locations but those where probably the Chantry members, there was also a dot up on the roof, which was probably the woman you had sent up there, Kyle's mother.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Second Floor]

Anja's Post:

'Okay, let's start clearing the third floor.' Nicole replied once Jon had given her the details of the remaining dots. 'Then we can go up to the room and tell the woman up there everything's safe.'

[Perhaps we can skip the "uninteresting" checks, and get to the ones which are interesting/important?]

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Bastement]

"Yeah sure you can just give me the glass of water and I will make sure he gets it. The Chief wanted the interrogation to get done as soon as possible."
Marian said as he reached out a hand towards the glass of water.

"Thanks. After all that talking he's probably gonna be even more thirsty." Serge said, giving the glass to Marian.

Afterwards, Serge walked towards Shawn's room to make sure the vampire was all right.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Second Floor]

'Okay, let's start clearing the third floor.' Nicole replied once Jon had given her the details of the remaining dots. 'Then we can go up to the room and tell the woman up there everything's safe.'

You and Jon found several hiding, scared Chantry members, mostly non combatants who was most interested in staying out of the way until the fight was won. You where just about to get up to the roof and tell Kyle's mother that it was safe to return when Jon handed you his phone and pointed at it.
"Ehm Nick is not that your room, there is a dot in your room is someone supposed to be there? Someone we have not found for I think everyone is accounted for, including pets."
The Virtual Adept said.
"And that dot is from a human quite clearly."
You saw the dot right where the window was and then it vanished again as if it was pushed out the window again.

[Bastement]

"Thanks. After all that talking he's probably gonna be even more thirsty." Serge said, giving the glass to Marian.

"Well we have to make sure the prisoners get decent treatment. I will make sure the Nephandus get the glass of water."
Marian said.
"Not a problem."

Afterwards, Serge walked towards Shawn's room to make sure the vampire was all right.

You get to Shawn's room and knocked on the door, the young vampire quickly opened the door.
"Sir...is everything all right?"
The boy asked nervously.
"Come in...did you notice by the way my door have a lock, on the inside, I have been locking and unlocking my door."
He said with a slight smile saying that he was really happy about that.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

Anja's Post:

'Holy fuck... that window's like eight metres off the ground. And there's crap in front of it on our side.' Nicole replied, looking concerned. 'Let's go and investigate...' pulling out her cell and texting the Chief as they went towards her apartment - 'Possible intruder Apartment [Number]'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Third Floor]

"Chances is then that if someone is trying to sneak in then we are not talking about one of Mrs Brock down the street's grandkids out for pranks."
Jon said with a frown.
"We should check it out then."
The Virtual Adept agreed. You got a reply back from Jeffry in his usual, letter like style.

"To: Miss Bouchard
From: JM
Be careful and if someone is trying to sneak in I want them alive and able to talk.
Be Well.
JM."

Jon joined you as you headed towards your apartment.
"So what do we do, unlock the door and head in to check?"
The Adept whispered.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

Anja's Post:

'If it is one of them kids, we've got one damn skilled urban mountaineer.' Nicole quipped, looking at the message and slipping the cell back in her pocket. 'Think the best is to go in and see what's up.' halting near the door. 'What's the situation inside now?'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Third Floor]

"That would be some impressive kids."
Jon replied dryly he checked the phone again.
"No the dot is not there anymore, but there is a dot right outside, whoever tried to get inside might have been pushed out by our Node."
The Virtual Adept replied.
"So either we go in and see if they left anything inside we might use to track them or we head outside and try to catch them there."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

'What, is just out of the window?' Nicole replied, giving a frown.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Bastement]

You get to Shawn's room and knocked on the door, the young vampire quickly opened the door.
"Sir...is everything all right?"
The boy asked nervously.
"Come in...did you notice by the way my door have a lock, on the inside, I have been locking and unlocking my door."
He said with a slight smile saying that he was really happy about that.

"Yeah I noticed. I heard the click clack sound when I was walking through the halls." Serge said with a smile, glad that Shawn happy no matter where that happiness came from.

"I'm fine. Just got done hauling prisoners. One of them had a really cool spell idea.....anyways I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Have you explored your whole room yet?" he asked, glancing around the room to see if Shawn had changed anything.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Third Floor]

'What, is just out of the window?' Nicole replied, giving a frown.

"Yeah the dot is down on the ground level now. It makes sense though if they where trying to get in through the living room window and the ward pushed them back they would end up on the ground again out the same window."
The Virtual Adept said and he shrugged.

[Bastement]

"Yeah I noticed. I heard the click clack sound when I was walking through the halls." Serge said with a smile, glad that Shawn happy no matter where that happiness came from.

Shawn suddenly looked terrified.
"I am so sorry...so sorry I did not mean to make sound and be irritating, please don't punish me!"
The boy cried and he sort of curled up and shid away from you.

"I'm fine. Just got done hauling prisoners. One of them had a really cool spell idea.....anyways I just wanted to make sure you were all right. Have you explored your whole room yet?" he asked, glancing around the room to see if Shawn had changed anything.

"I...I am fine thank you...I am sorry about the sound...sorry...I am glad you are okey though...and heard about a cool spell idea."
Shawn said quickly. The room he had been given temporarily had an old metal bed a small dresser as a bed stand with a lamp on it and that was it so there was not really anything for him to change and the room was pretty small.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

Anja's Post:

'What the..?' the Etherite replied, the frown deepening. 'Can you tap into any nearby camera so we can get a visual?'

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Third Floor]

"Yeah I can probably do that, give me a moment."
Jon said and he tapped at his phone a few times the nodded to himself.
"I got something here."
The Adept held up the phone so you could see a blond woman look up at your window and the examining other windows looking for a way in."
"There she is."
Jon commented.
"So what do er do?"

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

Anja's Post:

'Any idea who she is?' Nicole asked, trying to think whether she recognised her or not...

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Third Floor]

"Someone who wants to get in."
Jon said.
"And as she is not ringing the doorbell so I suspect she is up to no good."
He said. You har never seen the woman before.

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

Anja's Post:

'Really?' Nicole replied sarcastically to Jon for his "Master of the Obvious" comment. 'But she just registered as vanilla human, right?'

[Adley]

[Basement]

He nodded, "Ah, of course, Amicus, I should introduce our captive; Kallan, formerly of House Tytalus. I've already warned him that our lady guest is likely to be quite cross with him."

"Kallan...my name is Kallan I have a name in the Nephandi language as well but it do not translate well. I named myself right when the Order started adding sur names to Shadow names and my mater was Traditional so I only have one name, but if you need a surname just use Nemo."
He said.
"My Mentor I guess she might be reborn as well..."
He muttered sadly.
"Reborn and not to pleased with me if she remembers anything in her new incarnation. And you Hermetic? What are your name?"
The Nephandus asked.
"If you will give it to a condemned man?"

"No offense, but I have no wish to hear the Dragon's Tongue. You will appreciate my reticence in offering even part of my shadow name to someone who intends to destroy it, and everything else," he said, though not in a particularly unkind tone. I would imagine that your former mentor would not be too pleased to hear of your losses."

He pondered, "I've been working on a spell for the past two months, but I haven't been able to test it, owing to... certain particularities. A ritual to track the reincarnations of certain individuals close to a person in a previous life. I've found that Avatars have a tendency to retain connections from one incarnation to the other, whether in pairs or in larger groups... With your help, and that of Kira, I might be able to... track down your apprentices, to see if they've reincarnated. Maybe. I'm not sure if I can pull it off alone, but I'm willing to try... The connections should still be there, even if faint and diffuse; I believe that it can be done."
He paused, "Amicus, would you be willing to help me with that?"

"I...I...would like that..."
Kallan muttered softly.
"At least to know if they are okey now...but I am not talking for it I can't...I can't..."
He said though he sounded a little less sure.

His raised an eyebrow at Colin as he discussed the working, pausing as he turned to leave. He nodded. "I believe we can arrange that, depending on other priorities arising. We shall see what we can come up with...speaking of such, I must attend to something, unless you have need of me." He turned to Kallan and gave him a nod. "Consider our discussion," he said and then walked out of the cell, heading to where he had been told Kyle was with the others. Along the way, he also looked for people he could trust that could help cross him over into the Umbra, so he could talk to Uncle Willard.

[Anja Rebekka Schultze]

[Chantry Third Floor]

'Really?' Nicole replied sarcastically to Jon for his "Master of the Obvious" comment. 'But she just registered as vanilla human, right?'

"Yeah no she is not Awakened but there is something a little extra about her, a hedgie perhaps."
The Virtual Adept said.
"That is probably who the wards apparently pushed her out."
He said as he looked at the screen as the woman who was carefully moving around looking for other ways into the Chantry.

[Basement]

No offense, but I have no wish to hear the Dragon's Tongue. You will appreciate my reticence in offering even part of my shadow name to someone who intends to destroy it, and everything else," he said, though not in a particularly unkind tone. I would imagine that your former mentor would not be too pleased to hear of your losses."

"Fair enough."
The Nephandus said with a sigh.
"On both counts, and as someone who use words and gestures for my magick...it is a bit...creepy the way our language destroy words, just between you and me."

He turned to Kallan and gave him a nod. "Consider our discussion," he said and then walked out of the cell,

Kallan returned the nod.
"I will consider it but I will not betray the Nephandi."
He muttered.

heading to where he had been told Kyle was with the others. Along the way, he also looked for people he could trust that could help cross him over into the Umbra, so he could talk to Uncle Willard.

You found Kyle, Helena and her student up on the third floor, they where helping out with clean up. Kyle looked rather pale, more pae than usual and he was just working with sluggish movements as if he was just doing something to keep busy.
"Brother."
Helena said.
"I did not get new orders so I wanted to make sure we all helped getting this place back into order."
You know that your older sister could cross over into the Umbra so she probably could get you over the Gauntlet.

[Jeremy Silverstein]

[Basement]

Shawn suddenly looked terrified.
"I am so sorry...so sorry I did not mean to make sound and be irritating, please don't punish me!"
The boy cried and he sort of curled up and shid away from you.

"Relax. Relax man. I love that sound. Used to do it all the time when I was a kid. Click clack all you want." Serge said hastily, trying to assure Shawn that he had done nothing wrong.

"I...I am fine thank you...I am sorry about the sound...sorry...I am glad you are okey though...and heard about a cool spell idea."
Shawn said quickly. The room he had been given temporarily had an old metal bed a small dresser as a bed stand with a lamp on it and that was it so there was not really anything for him to change and the room was pretty small.

"Sorry we couldn't get you a better room. But with some more stuff and a little decorating this place will look pretty cool." Serge said with a nod. "Do you have any ideas on what you what? Furniture and stuff like that."

[Nicole Bouchard]

[Chantry Third Floor]

Anja's Post:

'Shapeshifter, perhaps?' Nicole replied. 'Well, let's see who it is...'

[Adley]

[Basement]

He sighed. " Consider then that they betray what you actually believe in, and what your apprentices died for - what would be a more tragic waste than that? To hold your tongue for such," then he was gone upstairs.

[Third floor]

"I'm sure that is helpful. Frater, did you need a moment? We could talk, now if you wish or soon once I attend to another task. Sora, that task I may ask your assistance to complete." Then he returned his attention to Kyle. "I know what happened was difficult."

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