| The Restless… That was the funny thing about being dead. In life you got used to certain things; technology and modern inventions like firearms. They were a part of your life and you never once thought about how they worked. Now, with no machines and computers, they were all relying on their memories and the scrapes of trivia that they knew in order to reinvent the most basic of things. An automatic pistol would have been nice right about now, as would have a good cup of coffee… Create your Character!! Log in to join the fight: |
| When the siren calls…; Hazuki intro: open to anyone | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: May 9 2009, 07:28 PM (990 Views) | |
| Hazuki | May 9 2009, 07:28 PM Post #1 |
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Just a step away from Hell...
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The sirens were going. Hazuki sat bolt upright, all thoughts of sleep and rest forgotten. His feet hit the floor before he even realised he was moving and his old trench coat was in his hands thought fucked if he remembered picking it up. The door closed behind him, leaving him in a hallway lit by the occasional flickering kerosene lantern. It was a sight that he was used to; the peeling paint on the walls, the stained carpets and the modern yet crumbling architecture all illuminated by firelight. They had done pretty well for themselves, all things considered. The hotel was surrounded by a large seven foot, barbed wire fence and the room had been mounted with scavenged spotlights. They were powered by their own generators though occasionally when everything went to hell – funny expression that – they had to use an old trick with mirrors and candles that one of the older souls had taught them. The sirens were a strange rig using an old record player, a bell, a pulley device and a shitload of megaphones. Hazuki still wasn’t too sure how the hell that had been rigged up but it was effective. It was one of their more archaic strokes of genius which oddly seemed to suffice better than anything else they had created since. Taking the steps of the old fire escape three at a time, Hazuki pulled his jacket on while remaining thankful for his long legs. Using the lifts sucked too much power from the generators so it was stairs all the way. Needless to say that they never had any issues with keeping fit around this place. Already he could hear the sound of mustering troops below him and the shuffle of feet scrambling up stairs. Idly, Hazuki wondered why and how he was always the first one to hear these things. Brushing his hair out of his face, Hazuki yanked open the rooftop door and ignored the cold burst of air that washed over him. He could smell ash and the faint stench of something rotting deep in the city. Above that was the sickening smell of sulphur; fucking demons. The wind whipped around him, sending his jacket flaring out behind him before it lashed back and curled around his legs. He didn’t care, didn’t even really feel it as he darted across the small gap before the guard house. Building that had been a mission and a half and again they relied heavily on the skills of old. Pullies up the side of the hotel, a strange not-so-trustworthy version of mortar and the obsessive use of rope. That was six years ago now and the thing was still standing so that had to say something about their carpentry skills. Again, he took the steps up to the raised room three at a time. The sirens were still whirring at full speed and yet he could still hear the rest of his men making their way up the stairs towards their various posts. Everything was at it should be, running like fucking clockwork; the perfect military operation. Now all that mattered was why the alarm had been sounded in the first place; he could smell demons but he couldn’t see demons. Pulling the rickety door of the guardhouse open, Hazuki prepared for the worst. |
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| Mao | May 10 2009, 12:18 PM Post #2 |
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It had been three days. Three fucking days since Mao had last seen any real action. It was all for the sake of his precious control. He let that thought run through his mind again for the thousandth time that evening. A silent mantra whispering its way through the tides of anger and rage. It had been too long since he had last let his vice take control. A small eternity since he’d last let Wrath rear up and destroy someone’s life. The time for waiting was well past. He sat on the roof of a crumbling office building with his feet kicking slowly against the filthy brick. His eyes were locked on a building two blocks away, watching as the flood lights swept out and across the old hotel grounds. The normal whirring of the generators was currently being overwhelmed by the ever so irritating alarms. Not that Mao was overly surprised. He had, after all, gotten close enough to trip them on purpose. But with his temper running on overdrive and his patience on empty; they were quickly become far less amusing then he had originally thought. Below him, all of his good little soldiers wove their way through the city streets. They weren’t there to take the hotel, however. They weren’t there as the preliminary strike against Hazuki’s little band of miscreants either. They were there because Mao was bored. And when Wrath got bored, people died. Usually in a grotesque and public manner. That’s why Mao had picked drudges to send at Hazuki and his smooth running little army. Most of those below him were humans, strung out on Sin and well beyond drunk on his own special brand of anger. None of them would be missed. And their slaughter would do nothing to weaken the demon’s hold throughout Mid Heaven. And yet each would serve a purpose. A very important one at that. The destruction that was sure to ensue would feed Wrath like no bar fight could. Recently he had been containing himself on petty spats and squabbles with the other Sins. It was time to finally have some real fun. With thoughts of chaos and mayhem flooding through his mind, Mao finally rose and started his decent down the rusted fire escape. His boots hit the wet concrete with a dull thud. Mao walked out of the alleyway and fell into step behind the last of his temporary army. He pulled a cigarette out and lit it before shoving his hands back into his pockets. Ahead he could hear the wail of the alarms getting louder. He wanted to see Hazuki. More than anything else, he wanted to see that anger bubble up in his adversaries eyes as he realized that this wasn’t a real attack. Just a moment of distraction for a bored demon. Those that died here tonight would never find their way to whatever afterlife they had earned. No Heaven and its shining light. No Hell with its eternal flames. Not even another pathetic attempt at life on the dust bowl they had once called home. Death now meant the end of existence for any of them. And that added just the amount of spice Mao needed to be satisfied. So with a cigarette hanging between his fingers and a smirk on his face, he rounded a corner and stood facing The Grandeur, whispering his words to the night air. “Come out and play Hazuki.” |
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| Hazuki | May 10 2009, 01:42 PM Post #3 |
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Just a step away from Hell...
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The guardhouse was empty. Glancing around the small room, Hazuki hardly even noticed that it was on a lean. Apparently for all their brilliance in rope rigs and makeshift cement they still couldn’t build straight to saves their lives. Not that it really mattered and it didn’t take too much to get use to having to walk both downhill and uphill while still within a building, but it was the principle of the point. You adapted quickly around here or you didn’t make it at all. In the corner the main rig of their alarm system sat on a rickety table. It moved by itself, the ropes and pullies jerking up and down and somehow creating the sound. It was still beyond Hazuki’s comprehension. He’d never been a hands on creative sort of guy, not even in his human life, and even now he was happy to just know that something worked and leave the details to someone else. It still bugged him that the gatehouse wasn’t manned though. That was one of their first rules; someone was to be on guard at all times. Then again, he didn’t understand how the hell the alarm could have been sounded if no one was there to start it up but he quickly brushed that off. It was something he could ask about later; right now all that mattered was that the alarm was ringing and that he could smell sulphur. They were not a good combination. Inching across the rising floor, Hazuki made his way to the main window. It was best not to rush in the guardhouse; the last thing he needed was for the whole damn thing to collapse simply because he stood on the wrong floorboard. Resting on a tripod made of steel rods and lashed together with rope was what the resistance had nicknamed ‘The Eye.’ It was a corny name but somehow the clichéd things in life seemed to suit them just fine. One of the older souls had pulled a rather impressive trick with a bit of piping and a number of mirrors. It was nothing like the telescopes that they were used to in the human world but it served it purpose and gave a few extra meters of sight. Angling it downwards and ignoring the way it screeched on its hinges, Hazuki peered through the lens at the street and cursed. He couldn’t explain why he looked to the ground first, he just did. It was one of those strange little changes that he was starting to notice in himself and they were steadily getting stronger and more frequent. His ability to predict actions and sense disturbances was almost alarming and it was to the point that it was worrying even him. It reminded him of something and while he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, he knew that whatever it was was not a good thing. The street was full of dark shadows that could only be humans. The way the walked, their heads down and their shoulders hunched screamed of one thing and one thing alone. Sin ; fucking drug addicts. They were vile, weak creatures, so easily corrupted and commanded by the demons and maybe Hazuki would be damned for his thoughts, but he really hated them. Watching them, his nose twitched, the stench of sulphur stronger as the wind picked up again. Head tilting to the side, Hazuki found himself listening, feeling the air moving around him in the small little shack and sensing something else. Call him insane and feed him to the demons but he swore he heard his name being muttered from down below. What’s more, he swore that he knew that voice. “Fuck...” Hazuki swore. The Eye moved, the screech sounding over the constant ringing of the alarm and Hazuki saw him standing at the end of the pack and holding a cigarette. “Fuck!” He swore again, this time louder. Letting go of The Eye, Hazuki grabbed the heavy crossbow that he kept hanging on the guardhouse wall, shoved a number of bolts into the holster at his leg and clamped another down between his teeth. He didn’t bother to cross the room slowly or cautiously and the floorboards creaked out their annoyance at his passing. Yanking open the door, the again battled the torrential winds, his hair flicking out around his face and his jacket lapping at his legs like raging water. Hazuki was to the side of the building before he even thought about what he was doing. He didn’t bother to load the crossbow – not yet – but simply took the bolt from his mouth and held it in his other hand. Standing right at the ledge of the old hotel, Hazuki peered down into the darkness, narrowing his vision in on Wrath. “Leave!” he called off the side of the building. “Now.” |
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| Mao | May 10 2009, 03:40 PM Post #4 |
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The smile that spread across Mao’s face was far beyond twisted. He could feel the anger, the fear that pooled off of every man and woman inside that hotel. This war was bringing the demons closer and closer to their sanctuary with every passing day. And Mao couldn’t help the little shiver that ran down his spine as he reveled in it. The stench of his would be soldiers did nothing to detract from the thrill. They moved slowly, almost like ghouls or zombies. All of them were there because he’d promised them another hit, another high. The drug was sweeping through the swarm of weakling ass humans. And he was not above using their addictions for his own personal gain. He’d have to get himself another stash of it if he intended to make this a habit though. He really wasn’t expecting most of these pawns to survive this little excursion. So he’d need enough Sin to lure in more playthings. More cannon fodder to send at Hazuki. Wrath didn’t often venture to this side of the city. There were so many angry people to distract him between his rundown apartment and The Grandeur. And these days, Mao could use all the distractions he could find. So he took a moment, standing there and taking in the sight of his minions still approaching the fence that made up the hotel’s perimeter. That smile was still there as he took a drag off his cigarette before tossing it to the ground. His booted foot came down hard on the butt, a habit he had yet to break. With a chuckle he ground the embers out before looking back up to meet Hazuki’s eyes. He could see him there, knew that the man would feel Wrath watching his every move. The rebel leader’s warning to leave fell on deaf ears. His thralls wouldn’t think to turn back now. They were as good as dead already. And there was no way that Wrath would retreat. Not with the scent of imminent violence hanging thick in the air. This was the most fun he would be having in a while for sure. Instead, Wrath threw his head back and screamed that rage into the night sky. It ran through the human’s that moved in front of him; then past them to wash over the nearest ones inside the hotel’s crumbling walls. He knew that fights would start breaking out right under Hazuki’s nose in a matter of moments. It would spread like a plague, affecting every person foolish enough to come to close to the demon. They would start killing each other. And every death would feed Wrath’s need for destruction. Mao took a moment to relish the thought. Then he reached his hand back into his pocket and pulled out two sets of brass knuckles. They slid onto his hands perfectly, each finger held snug against the cool metal. The dents and nicks across the tops told a thousand stories about Mao’s life, both before and after he took on powers of Wrath. He flexed his hands over the metal a few times, settling them into place as he stepped forward. The humans scurried quickly out of his way, none of them stupid enough to slow his movement toward the gate. When he got well within Hazuki’s earshot he locked eyes with the man and stopped. Wrath casually flicked him off before motioning for the man to join him on the street. “Come down Hazuki. Or we come in.” He couldn’t hide the sneer that tainted his words. But there was a little part of Mao that really hoped the other man wouldn’t listen. Ripping through the gates of The Grandeur just had a certain ring to it after all. |
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| Hazuki | May 10 2009, 11:56 PM Post #5 |
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Just a step away from Hell...
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Going out there sure wasn’t on the top of Hazuki’s smart list. The idea got even more unappealing as Wrath threw his head back and roared out into the night sky. It sent a chill to Hazuki’s bones, causing shudders to run the length of his spine that had absolutely nothing to do with the cold winds. Already he could feel it; that naggy little pull of anger welling up inside of him. It was like an itch to the back of his neck, a prickle of the skin that couldn’t be ignored and that would drive him nuts until he scratched it. Under that he could sense something else, though, something even more familiar. The entire hotel seemed to be alive with it, pulsating like a racing heart and Hazuki’s teeth sunk into his bottom lip as he identified the sensation. Fear. They knew who was at the gates, they could guess at what was going on and furthermore they could feel the tension mounting as Wrath screamed his power into the night. Hazuki had to protect them – it was his job – and what’s more, he had to protect those in the shanty town behind the hotel. He was speaking before he even thought the words through. “Call your dogs off and face me yourself; then you’ll have a deal.” It was a long shot but it might just work. Wrath may have been bloodthirsty but he was pretty damn full of himself too. Hopefully the idea of a personalized fight would get him worked up enough to forget about those within the building. Either way Hazuki knew one thing and one thing alone; he was going down there. Maybe it was Wrath’s influence, the feeling of anger that polluted the air like sticky tar, but it had to be done. There was no way that he could risk those dead souls getting inside and he sure as hell didn’t want an anger fuelled fight to break out in the hotel. If it was a fight that Wrath wanted then it was a fight he would get, but it would be between just the two of them. And if that wasn’t enough to feed the bloody sin then Wrath would have to go looking elsewhere. Hazuki would not have this pompous bastard wreaking havoc in his home. As he watched, the hoards of Sin takers moved steadily closer, their feet shuffling across the uneven pavement as need drove them onwards. Some were started to get dangerously close to the large fence and while Hazuki had faith in its strength, he knew that the wire and steel could only hold out for long. After that, corny as it sounded, all hell would literally break loose. Then again he knew something that they didn’t. There was a reason his second in command was a bomb tech and while gunpowder and TNT would hardly cut it in the modern world of the humans, it still punched quite the wallop. And the damn stuff was rigged throughout the grounds between the hotel and the gates; a fall back contingency plan and the last line of defence before they hit the passageways and stairwells of their base. One of the closest addicts reached out and Hazuki both heard and saw a section of the fence wobble under the weight of his hand. Was it trying to push the gates in or scale the fence? Hazuki couldn’t be sure; either way he was moving. Closing his teeth and lips around the bolt, Hazuki cranked the cranequin, the spiked wheels pulling the heavy string back along the ratchet bar. Finally the string clicked into place on the but and Hazuki removed the bolt from between his teeth. He would have given anything to have his non-police issues semi-automatic pistol in his hands at this point in time, but after eight years in this hell, it really was time to let go of his old resources. Without a second thought, Hazuki loaded the bolt, took a second to aim and pulled the trigger. The heavy bolt flew straight and true, unhindered by the breeze and Hazuki heard a loud crack as it hit its target. That was the other thing Hazuki was starting to notice. Maybe he was just going mental but he swore that his aim was getting better. As a cop he had been a good shot – as all were – yet he wasn’t fabled for his marksmanship. But now Hazuki was finding it easier and easier to zero in on his targets, to pick smaller points of focus and he seemed to be getting them almost every time. Even he found it unnerving. The zombie-like human paused, the bolt sticking out of his forehead. Hazuki could almost see the man’s expression in the dark; shocked. That was how they always were and even as the man seemed to turn to burning dust, Hazuki couldn’t feel regret. The man had taken Sin; death was a given for those souls. Even if he and his rebels managed to restore balance to this place Sin takers would be damned straight to hell by the powers of light. It only took a matter of seconds and the figure was gone, its glowing embers scattering in the wind and mixing with the grey ash of the street. Flicking his green eyes back to Wrath, Hazuki tilted his head to the side and looked down his nose at the Sin. “What’s it to be?” |
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| Mao | May 11 2009, 05:05 AM Post #6 |
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It started out a mere whisper of a sound, carried away on the winds that raced down empty city streets. People that heard it there shuddered and slunk away without ever knowing the real reason why. Just the faintest of chuckles. But it didn’t stay that way for long. Wrath let that grin spread wide across his face as his laugh boomed out and over those he commanded. They cringed away from the sound. Even in their drug induced state they knew to be afraid. Anything that could amuse a Sin that much was never good. And Wrath was amused. He was overjoyed in fact. He hadn’t had a good fight in what felt like ages. And while bickering with the other Sins held a certain appeal, it couldn’t hold a flame to what ran through his blood now. Hazuki was a fool, an idiot human. But he’d survived this long against them. He’d taken a stand and then managed to actually hold them off of his people. The idea of fists slamming into that smug face made his whole body quiver in anticipation. He let his head fall back against his shoulders for a moment, arching his back and stretching his arms up over his head. There was a brief moment when Wrath poised, waiting for the crossbow bolt to come sailing at him. But he knew that as foolish as Hazuki was, he knew better then to try and kill a Sin with a simple bolt to the chest. Not that they couldn’t be killed, Wrath knew that one all too well. But they were of hardier stock then the mindless drones currently at his beck and call. So he let that moment pass through his mind before rocking back up on the balls of his feet and looking up to meet Hazuki’s eyes. “You want a fair fight. Come on down and get one. You win and I take my little puppets and leave. I win and well, I’m sure you can fill in the blank there.” Mao tightened his grip on those brass knuckles as he met man’s challenge. He was cocky now. The idea of a decent fight was quickly taking the edge off his tattered nerves. He didn’t think any of the other Sins bothered trying to control their vices. He knew for a damn fact that Reita and Wataru didn’t. But he’d discovered that the longer he held all that power in, the better the payoff when he finally let it all loose. And with a step forward, that’s exactly what he did. Mao took a deep breath and then let it all go. He let that fury roll off of him in heavy waves. They poured over his humans and into walls beyond them. Hazuki wanted a fair fight. But let’s face it, Mao was a fucking demon. He just didn’t do fair, it wasn’t in his nature and all that jazz. His voice rang out in the windy night air, his orders tainted with more of that demonic power. It both scared the dead souls in front of him and made them want to break into brawls all around him. “Get the fuck out of my way. This little shit is mine.” He took his time moving forward, enjoying the tension that had worked its way through his muscles. He knew that Hazuki would be on his way down. Mao’s people were shrinking back, no longer pushing at the fence that stood as the only barrier between the demon and the rebels beyond. He could have ordered them to continue. But the sound of arguments breaking out behind those walls was already reaching his ears. The longer he stayed this close to their sanctuary the worse it was going to get. Hazuki knew this. Mao did too. And that’s what made the idea of this fight so much more intoxicating. Hazuki had his back to a wall and desperation made men stupid. Mao kept his eyes trained on the steel door in front of him. When it opened, he stopped walking forward and let the other man cover the rest of the distance himself. The urge to just throw all of his men on top of Hazuki was almost overwhelming. It’s what Corruption would have wanted. Kill the leader and this little burr in his keeper’s side would disappear. And that was exactly why Wrath didn’t do it. Because he didn’t like doing what he was ordered to do. Wrath didn’t like Corruption in the slightest. And if Hazuki died tonight, Mao would lose one of his best sources of entertainment in Mid Heaven. He’d be back on Gate duty with nothing to break up the endless days of fighting off the Virtues and their little minions. It wasn’t a thought that held any appeal to the Sin. But Hazuki didn’t need to know that. Fear of eternal death was good for a soul. “So. Shall we put our backs together, take ten paces and draw?” Mao chuckled at the thought. “Or maybe I should take pity on you and give you the first swing. I mean, you are sacrificing yourself to save your people. That counts for something right? Not that it’ll matter. They’re nearly killing each other already.” A quick shrug of his shoulders indicated how much he truly didn’t care. They were nothing more than pawns in the game he and Hazuki were currently playing. “You know, when you’re dead and gone, I’m going to force feed Sin down each and every one of their throats. Then they’ll be mine.” He smirked again, his arrogance and contempt so easy to read. He wanted to feel Hazuki’s rage before he touched the man. “That make you angry?” |
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| Hazuki | May 11 2009, 12:14 PM Post #7 |
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Just a step away from Hell...
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There was a shout from down below. Hazuki heard it like it was something physical slapping him in the face; it stung and burnt all at the same time and made his eye twitch. They were fighting. It had begun. “Blast,” Hazuki muttered. Wrath already knew that he was coming down – damn it all, but the sin would have known that Hazuki would come out the moment it made this scatterbrained plan – and so Hazuki didn’t bother with the pleasantries. Turning on his heels, Hazuki bolted across the roof and towards the door. Against his better judgement the heavy crossbow cluttered to the floor somewhere along the way though the holster of bolts remained strapped to his thigh. They didn’t slow him down like the bulky weapon did and if there was fighting below the last thing he needed was to instil panic with the sight of a weapon. Ripping the rooftop door open, Hazuki almost stumbled as the sound of arguing and fighting assaulted him. It echoed up the stairwell, growing louder and louder with each floor and Hazuki wasted no time in taking the steps down at a run. The top floor was completely abandoned which was both a good and bad sign so he made his way to the tenth. It was a battlefield. There were people everywhere, swarming over each other and scrambling like demons escaping from hell. Right in front of him a man took a swing at another and Hazuki felt something warm splatter against his face as the punch followed through. Snarling like an animal, Hazuki yanked the men apart and pushed the attacker up against the wall. The man struggled, fighting against Hazuki’s grip but however strange, Hazuki’s grip managed to hold true. “Stop it!” he hissed, his face getting right into the others. He could feel the anger in the room, feel it filling him and the unrelenting need to continue the brawl by laying a punch almost took him over completely. Instead he merely rattled the pinned man against the wall, using him as an example to the others. Those in the corridor stilled and Hazuki took the time to try and think. While the malicious intent still hung heavily in the air, Hazuki could feel all eyes on him, especially as that tense stillness came over the room. Questioning, that’s what they were doing. They wanted to know what was going on, why a sin was so close and what’s more, they expected Hazuki to have the answers. To save them. “Separate rooms,” Hazuki muttered, almost to himself. His brain seemed to be working faster than his body, or maybe it was the other way around. They were in a damn eleven story hotel with twenty rooms to a floor; if there was one thing they had it was segregation, especially since most of his men would have already flocked to the Shanty Town to take up arms. “Separate rooms!” he yelled. His fingers tightened around the collar of the brawling man’s neck and he pulled him forward and off the wall. B-lining for the closest of the hotel room, Hazuki opened the door and all but threw the man in to the crumbling space beyond. Slamming the door shut, Hazuki turned back to the crowded hall; they were starting to move, starting to understand what Hazuki was telling them to do, though there were far too many people for this floor. Reaching out randomly, Hazuki grabbed hold of a tall, lanky guy that was pushing his way past. “There is no one on the top floor,” Hazuki said to the man, holding him still. The guy seemed to want to keep running, to flee and get himself hidden as soon as possible but Hazuki reined him in and all but shouted in his ear. “Keep your fucking head.” He rattled him just like he had the other. “There is enough room upstairs so take half these people and get them secluded.” He pushed the man in the general direction of the staircase and almost sighed in relief when the guy started mustering up people. “As for the rest of you, any petty fights and you will answer to me!” He wasn’t a harsh leader and he sure as hell wasn’t the type to lead from the safety of the sidelines, but when he gave an order he expected it to be followed. When he made a threat he knew that his people would take it seriously and, to an extent, fear him. That was enough. Bolting towards the stairs, Hazuki continued his mad dash to the ground floor, separating fights and issuing the same orders over and over. So far no one had been killed but there were going to be a few broken limbs and bruised faces come morning. Small prices to pay, all things considered. He finally reached the bottom floor and while he knew that he should be tired, the mixture of adrenaline and anger kept him going as he sprinted across the old foyer. Stopping by the door – the hotel’s once fine glass windows had all been boarded up long again and some even replaced with sheets of steel – Hazuki’s eyes caught sight of something shiny. Head tilting to the side, he peered through the darkness, his vision zooming in on that little glint of light. Hazuki smiled, dark and wild and walked towards the objects. For all his days as a cop and the wonders of modern human life, Hazuki had picked up these archaic weapons easily. The moment he had a sword in his hand he seemed to know how to use it and it just felt so… right. That had spread to knives and daggers, throwing knives and recently, sai. Picking up the two three pronged weapons he tucked one into the back of his belt and held the other in his right hand. They would do and if push came to shove, he still had the crossbow bolts. Without further thought or pause, Hazuki ripped the door open and walked out into the cold night air. Hazuki shuddered violently at the feeling the assaulted him as he walked the distance to the gates. The Sin takers had backed off – which Hazuki was thankful for – and he slid the heavy gate open just enough so he could squeeze out. He closed the gate safely behind him and forced his legs to carry him even closer to the source of his fury. He could feel his entire body tense and ridged; his muscles were pulled so tightly that they felt like over cranked bow strings and his skin seemed to burn despite the cold. Staring Wrath down, Hazuki concentrated as much as he could on little things. Ignore the feelings, ignore the wants racing through him and think about the cold, the feel of the ground at his feet and heck, what they were going to have for dinner tomorrow night. Anything that would distract him. Of course, the idea of not dying out here was also a good thing to ponder. “Are we going to do this or do you want to chat some more?” It was the best way of dealing with the demon’s words. There was no point in arguing, or threatening or even pleaded. They just needed to get this over and done with and Hazuki just had to hope for the best and pray for some fucking luck. |
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| Mao | May 11 2009, 01:44 PM Post #8 |
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The first punch caught Hazuki directly in the side of the face. Those brass knuckles hitched up on Mao’s fingers and the pinch in his palm only made the Sin enjoy it more. He liked the pain, liked the fear, and liked the anger more than anything else. He could feel that rage drawn taunt within the man in front of him. He wanted to reach inside him and snap those fragile ties. He wanted Hazuki to lose it. The man had some serious nerve to walk out and face a demon, and one of the Sins at that. Most people would be hiding inside and cowering. Hazuki had strolled out barely armed. Mao had to admit, he had a certain amount of respect for the man. On top of that, he seemed to be the only soul in Mid Heaven that could control himself even with Wrath just a few feet away. No one else could. Even the other Sins fell for his taunts and played right into his need to stir up trouble. Hazuki, while nothing more than the pathetic leader of a band of worthless souls, could stand right in front of him and manage to keep his thoughts his own. And keep his anger in check. That feat alone had Mao intrigued. Not that a demon finding you interesting was ever a good thing in this twisted little world. With that thought in mind, Mao aimed his next swing at Hazuki’s chest, just below the ribs. It was aimed to knock the wind out of him, not kill the man. He couldn’t have his only true adversary dying too quickly. That would take all the fun out of the evening. Instead he really wanted to make the man snap. Wanted to know what would happen should all of Hazuki’s tight reined control fail him. Would he become nothing more than the mindless swarm Mao already controlled? Or would this man’s mind become something much darker, much more dangerous than even Wrath could handle? There was only one way to find out. “Come on you pathetic little whelp. Fight back.” Mao wanted him raging. This level of self control just didn’t sit well with him. Mainly because he had yet to accomplish it on his own just yet. Maybe picking this man apart would show him what he was missing. And if not, at least he wouldn’t be bored for a few brief moments. With his power pulsing thick in his veins, Wrath sent another push out to the humans gathered nearby. He could still feel the men hiding in the hotel beyond. But he was more than a little irritated that it didn’t seem to be escalating there. Hazuki had done something to keep his people under control. But they wouldn’t stay safe for long. As Mao circled around Hazuki, staying on the balls of his feet, his mock army surged towards the fence once more. And in doing so, cut off Hazuki’s only means of escape. He’d have to fight through nearly a hundred drug crazed human souls to return to the hotel now. Then a thought occurred to Mao, one that should never have run through the demon’s mind. Maybe he should push this man to take the Gate. If Corruption knew of his treacherous little thoughts, he’d ripped Mao to pieces before the demon could think to fight back. But then again, what fun was eternity without a little danger to liven it up once in a while? If he intended to ever act on the thought he’d have to be careful; so very, very careful. One mistake would mean his death for sure. But he was fairly sure that with the right prodding he could get a few of the other Sins in on his plan Obviously, he’d have to leave out the part about letting the humans get close enough to the Gate to be a real threat. He was certain that the rest of his brethren wouldn’t see the amusement to be had there. “You know the problem with your little set up here Hazuki. It lacks any real drive, any real purpose. You should be ashamed of yourself. Aren’t you supposed to be leading these people? And here you have them hiding out like the pathetic dogs they are. Some leader you are.” Mao accentuated each word with a jab at the taller man. He didn’t let his fists completely connect, wanting to keep Hazuki unbalanced and moving instead. He didn’t really plan to kill the man at all; just make him bleed a bit. And maybe spill a little of his blood in the process. Then just as suddenly as he’d started the attack, Mao stepped back and stilled. He stood there staring at the man in front of him with a perplexed look on his face. Maybe turning the humans loose on the Gate was a good idea after all. Funny how, now that the thought had formed, it didn’t seem to want to leave. But in all the confusion the attack would cause, it would be simple enough for one demon to slip through the Gate unnoticed. And Mao could use the distraction to do just that. The idea of wreaking havoc on the human world below had its own appeal. And once there, he would be free of the other Sins. More importantly, he’d be free of Corruption. He could spread war and pain and anger everywhere he went and there would be no one to get in his way. Wrath liked that idea. But how in the hell was he suppose to convince this man to do all the dirty work for him. He couldn’t send the usual drones to try; they’d just be slaughtered before they even got close. There would need to be some real planning. And more organization than any of Wrath’s underlings had. And he knew that pushed right, Hazuki’s men could be just what he’d need. But again, how do you convince your worst enemy to take up your fight. The answer came easily enough. You made your fight, their fight. You give them a reason to see things the way you did. Or at least see a warped version of that vision. Wrath decided that what this human needed to be set on that path was a good boost in confidence. And really, in the long run, winning didn’t feed Wrath’s vice any more than losing did. So long as it all ended in a bloody mess he’d be satisfied. So when Hazuki finally attacked, Mao didn’t really fight back. He let the man rain whatever blows he wanted to down on top of him. All the while he reveled in the utter chaos that was breaking out around him. Fury ran through him and it healed all those moments of calm, of control. All the while it just ripped him apart all over again. There was no real satisfaction to be found. No end to the constant bloodlust. From the moment Mao had taken up the mantle of Wrath he’d been completely within its control. “Why don’t you teach me a lesson Hazuki? Why don’t you set an example for all your men? Punish us demons, that’s what you’re here to do right?” Mao couldn’t stop the smirk that pulled at one corner of his mouth. “So get to it already.” |
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| Hazuki | May 11 2009, 03:20 PM Post #9 |
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Just a step away from Hell...
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Hazuki’s head snapped back as the metal covered knuckles collided with his cheek. Instantly he tasted blood and his tongue stang, no doubt courtesy of his teeth clamping down on it. His right foot came completely off the ground as the force of the blow caused him to stumble to the left. For a moment he swayed on the verge of falling but somehow his right foot found the ground before gravity took its toll. Straightening himself, Hazuki readjusted his grip on the handle of his weapon while turning his head to the side. Blood filled his mouth and he hacked it into a glob before spitting it out. He could feel some of it warm against his chin and for a split second he wondered if he looked like hell himself in the dim light. Blood covered and dark, hair free in the wind and with the sweeping lights of The Grandeur sweeping across the thriving mass of Sin takers behind him. Was this was he would look like had he been a demon? His thoughts were cut abruptly off when Wrath’s metal covered fist slammed into Hazuki’s stomach. The blow to his ribs doubled him over and sent his feet skidding backwards. His lungs burnt, the air no longer able to reach them. They cried out their starvation even as his throat tasted of nothing but blood. Automatically his mouth fell open as he struggled to get air into his lungs. All that achieved was a strange gasping sound and the release of another gush of blood. This time Hazuki was pretty sure it wasn’t from his tongue either. He could taste it so clearly in the back of his throat and smell it in his nose. His grip on the sai faltered for a moment, the weapon dangling from just his thumb and index finger before he was finally able to get a proper grip. When he had first arrived here and come to grips with the world, he had found himself wondering if human’s still bled. He saw them ripped apart and eaten, their bodies turning to burning ash as they went and yet he never saw blood. It was a strange thing to think, though it didn’t take too long for him to find the answer. Cuts still bled, lips still split and scabs and scars still formed. It was only when you died that your life fluids ceased to exist. In a way Hazuki was rather glad of that. It kept things real, kept his mind focused when he could see his own blood. This wasn’t some game or a bad dream. It was the final battle and he could never forget that dying here was the end of everything. Staggering backwards, Hazuki struggled to get his breathing in check and get his mind to work through the confusing mess of pain and hatred. He dodged quickly, avoiding another strike from the demon of fury and then failed to miss the second. It wasn’t as forceful though and the blow rolled off Hazuki’s chin with a sense of heat and only a small flick of pain. Fucked if he knew why, but he wasn’t retaliating. Sure the sin was fast, faster then Hazuki could ever be, but there were moments when Hazuki’s could have taken a swing. Yet he abstained. He held himself back and he honestly couldn’t understand why. It wasn’t until the army of Sin addicts rushed the gates again that Hazuki felt that fragile part of his conscious balance slip. That mixed with the insult to his base of operations and Hazuki knew that he couldn’t resist any more. He was moving, the world streaking out around him as he rushed Wrath and pulled his weapon back. Swinging high with the sai, Hazuki lunged out with his left hand and grabbed the man by the shirt. Sure, the sin probably wasn’t expecting it, but there was something else there; like the creature was letting Hazuki do as he pleased. So be it. Stepping to the side and swinging the demon in the other direction, Hazuki pulled the sin into a parody of a hug, his chest flush with the shorter man’s back, before raising his sai and aiming the very point at the being’s throat. It put Hazuki behind the sin and officially between it and the hotel once again. There would be no gaining ground from Hazuki. “What are you playing at?” Hazuki hissed the words into Wrath’s ear. He was officially closer to the sin then he ever wanted to be and he suddenly knew where the heat was coming from. The demon excreted it like an overfilled furnace. Just standing there, Hazuki could feel the beads of sweat forming on his forehead. They seemed to scold him like boiling water, only to chill like ice once the wind swept past them again. The temptation to kill the creature was almost overwhelming. Then again he knew that it wouldn’t work. It had all been too easy, too staged and he hardly expected Wrath to just let him stab into his throat. Letting the man go, Hazuki gave the sin a small shove; anything to get that sickening feeling of loosing control away from him. It was eating at him, churning in his stomach and filling the back of his throat with a poisonous lump. Hazuki took a causal step backwards, hoping that the sin wouldn’t read the truth in the movement. He was feeling suffocated, desperate and the pain pounding in the base of his ribs sure as fuck wasn’t helping him stay calm. Wrath’s words only did more to make Hazuki nervous. Teach him a lesson? That was not the way this was supposed to be going down. The sin was plotting something and for once Hazuki couldn’t guess at it. He’d spent the majority of his life as a cop and he knew how to read people well, but now, looking at the embodiment of anger, Hazuki was drawing a blank. Every part of Hazuki wanted to launch forward, to give into those strange animalistic tendencies that he felt these days and just tear the bastard’s eyes out. He’d use his fingers and his nails, shred flesh and draw blood and rip the man to pieces with his bare hands. Looking Wrath straight in the eyes was a hallowing feeling, but somehow Hazuki managed to endure it. A slight smile tugged at his lips as his mind wandered to peaceful things. He remembered the time, in his human life, when he had spent the entire day just by the sea, watching the waves rolling in and breaking against the rocks. It had been the sort of mundane sight to stay with him for the rest of his life and apparently it was still there now in this hellish place. The water demanded and charged the shore, but it was the rocks that broke it, staying their course and stopping the havoc of waves from breaking across the land. It was a silent job that the rocks performed, solitary and lonesome and with each wave they stopped, they lost a little bit of themselves. In a strange sort of way, Hazuki felt like he could relate and in hindsight he wondered if it was all fate. Was he meant to have spent that day of his life by the sea simply so he could cope now? Maybe it was and maybe it wasn’t; Hazuki didn’t overly care. All that mattered was that he had something to focus on other than the rage building inside of him and once he redirected his mind, he was able to form an idea. Dropping the weapon to the ground, Hazuki shook his head and let his eyes flutter closed for a moment. Even over the sound of the alarm and the screeching of the Sin cravers, the sound of the sai hitting the ground seemed so final and Hazuki knew that Wrath would hear it that way too. “You are not worthy of this fight.” Hazuki finally said. His voice was flat and even, calm and serine as he continued to focus on that picturesque scene of the ocean in his mind. It did wonders for him. While it hardly blocked out the overpowering feeling of hatred that was coursing through him, he found it much easier to ignore it while watching those foam capped waves rolling steadily in from the great blues expanses of sky and water. “Cheat and lie all you want; have your damn masses try and make it to the hotel. Watch them explode. But I will not give you satisfaction for fighting like a coward.” He just had to hope that wherever he was, Yuusuke had heard the alarm and was getting things under control. While he didn’t fancy dying out here, as long as it kept Wrath distracted enough for Yuu to get the rest of the people out then that would be payment enough for his sacrifice. “You want me to fight you? Don’t you want to feel that rush of a personalized conflict? It has to be better than feeding off the panicked squabbles of humans utterly terrified by you.” Spreading his arms out wide, Hazuki invited the sin closer with a jerk of his head and a twitch of his fingers. “Call off your hounds and I will give you a fight that will see you content for days.” He wasn’t entirely sure how he was going to deliver on that, but if there was one thing Hazuki was good at, it was making things up as he went along. He still had the other sai tucked away in secret and he had a number of bolts attached to this thigh that he could use as stakes and knives if need be. Things were about to get ugly but Hazuki was ready for it. “Come on…” |
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| Mao | May 12 2009, 10:11 AM Post #10 |
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Fuck. Mao snarled as Hazuki moved in and had that sai at his throat in an instant. Mao could feel the taller man pressed against his back, could feel that tension strumming through his entire being. And Mao almost lost control himself. The tip of that blade was set against his throat and Wrath rose up inside him, demanding blood. It didn’t care if it was Hazuki’s or Mao’s. The urge to push forward onto that blade was almost too much for Mao to contain. The whispered words against his ear did nothing to aid his fragile grasp on Wrath. Just as he almost gave in, just as that point pressed against his flesh and slipped through the pressure against his back vanished. Hazuki shoved him away like a common street thug. Like a child that had misbehaved. He stepped away from a fucking Sin with an air of calm that made Mao’s jaw clenched. He wasn’t a petty criminal. He wasn’t someone to be chastised and then ignored. And he sure as hell wasn’t someone to walk the fuck away from. Rage, pure and true, rose up in the smaller man and swept out across the courtyard. He spun on his heel and let that hatred roll up to fill his eyes as he locked them with the man in front of him. Mao wanted nothing more than to wrap his hands around that pale neck and squeeze the life out of him. He wanted to see anger and then fear fill those features as the realization dawned on him. You don’t just dismiss Wrath. A small trickle of blood ran down the center of his throat, a testament to just how foolish he had almost been. The fact that the human in front of him had pushed him that far made the anger in Mao jump up another notch. He had almost forgotten that his desperate little plan relied on the man being alive and well. But watching Hazuki battle with his own inner demons stilled Mao for just a moment. And in that moment something changed. There was no way to know what thoughts were running through Hazuki’s mind as he stood facing a Sin down. But whatever they were, the rage and anger that had been so close to the surface just moments ago was slowly ebbing away. It was being replaced with something else all together. His flippant statement about Mao’s inability to play fair made the little Sin’s anger push forward again but Mao shoved it down fiercely. A snarl sat on his face, his eyebrows knitted down to show his frustration with the whole situation. Because Mao be damned, but Hazuki was right. Since taking up the mantle of Wrath there had been very little that sated him quite like this current battle. And while he knew that spilling those humans over that fence and causing some real damage would make Corruption happy, it wouldn’t sate Wrath. Not really. Maybe it was the price he was paying for trying to control something so much more powerful than himself. The more control he managed to achieve the more the Sin would demand in return. A fucked up version of karma for sure. And the thought made Mao almost sick to his stomach. Now wasn’t the time to question his motives. Now wasn’t the time to question his control. No matter what some of the others of his brethren thought about the matter, they were not immortal. And Mao was in very real danger at the moment, danger he had willingly put himself in. He had to turn the tide back in his favor. And to do that, Mao was more than willing to do something altogether stupid. He leaned back on his heels, hiding his hectic emotions behind a grin and a raised eyebrow. Hazuki had given him an opportunity to not only feed this infernal need, but also push the man onto the path Mao needed him on. He’d be a fool to pass it up. So he forced that power pull back, leaving the mob suddenly without the demon’s presence. “Go back to the District. You’re done here.” His voice was barely a whisper, yet he knew that every human hyped up on Sin would hear it and respond. They couldn’t help themselves. That was all they were now, puppets. And Mao currently held all the strings. With a shrug he decided to cause a little extra strife before handing them off. “Look for Lust. He has what you want. He’ll give you everything I promised you and much more.” Let that arrogant fool deal with these clamoring addicts for a while. He always seemed more than willing to slut around with them anyway. What was nearly a hundred more? And just like that, they obeyed. They turned from the fence and starting their stumbling march back toward the red light district. Mao knew that he was playing a deadly game, but for once he didn’t care. Wrath was coiling around in the pit of his stomach but for the moment it seemed content to let Mao make the next move. So he took a step towards the man in front of him as his little horde turned and moved in the other direction. Hazuki wanted fair, Mao wanted a real fight. He was tired of hanging out in seedy little bars watching worthless, drug addicted souls swing and claw at each other. Mao was relatively sure that his opponent didn’t know just how correct he’d been. There was no way a man like him could understand a demon like Wrath. But whatever the reason, Mao was complying with his request. “You want a real fight Hazuki?” Mao moved in faster than most humans could keep up with. He slid up against the taller man’s chest as he went on tiptoe to whisper in his ear. “You want me to play by your rules? Fine. But there will come a time when you’ll be playing by mine. I hope you can handle it.” He could hear Hazuki’s pulse like a drum in his head. “Don’t let me down now.” |
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5:04 AM Jul 12