Infinite Heroes

[Wolfsong]

The worst thing, by many people's definitions, has happened. Players logged into Infinite are finding themselves trapped, unable to log out. Instead, they find themselves in real bodies, in a world that can kill them. The technical has vanished. Infinite is now very much real.
There are worse things in the world now. A virus is spreading, a black oozing thing that swallows the player's body, consuming them. Victims are insane, gibbering flesh that is quickly rotting away. Once consumed, the player disappears.
Everyone now knows that Cyrano, past hero of Infinite, is now dead. Having been last seen with the legendary hacker Pierce, he is the believed killer. He is also believed to be behind the recent crisis, though mainly because there is none else to blame. Hunters seek him daily, struggling to survive in a newly hostile world.
Also mysterious are the strange tremors shaking the old continent. With so many uncertainties, people are afraid, and desparate people do desparate things, or they despair and die.
Is there anyone to save them now? Only time will tell.

Hello everyone, the mad GM returns!
Timewise, its been a week since the adventure of Infinite Powers. Not too much has changed, geography-wise, though Siccilian is a snow field once again. The tremors haven't changed much, and many of the war bases and forts set up during the faction war are more like inns and shelters now.
For Infinite veterans (My thanks once again to all of you who helped me through Powers. Claec, Odd, BL, Koneko and Freddy, thanks again. I couldn't have done it without you.) You may bring back an old character. It would be nice to see a familiar face again.
...
Relatively speaking. XD
And now for character sheets!

Character sheets: Max 6 each (though if anyone gets that far I may sock them XD)
Name: Real and Game name
Gender: Ditto
Appearance: ditto again
Race: game only- - unless you're an alien? No that's not an option XD (for those of you with bad senses of humor...)
Power: game only - unless you've recently been bitten by a radioactive superman (NO)
Personality: I find it tends to be the same in both
Other: Anything else you wanna add

I'll post my characters later today. Have fun!

[Wolfsong]

Name: Stephen Landon/ Ashimatya Brand aka the Dark Angel
Gender: M/M
Appearance: Real- Stephen is an ordinary looking person and rather plain. Wispy brown hair, brown eyes that carry a determined light. tan. 27, 5'7. Typically wears dull grey tee-shirt, jeans and shoes, but has lately come to wear brighter colors.
Game- On the other hand, Ash is hard to miss. His hair is striking indigo, reaching to mid-back in long waves. His eyes, a soft gray with lavender flecks, carry the same determination. On his left cheek is a crescent moon that glows gently. On his right is a star, shining with piercing vision. And on his forehead is a blazing sun, though this mark is often hidden by his heavy bangs. His bright scarlet robes, dropping down to his knees, hangs open in front. His v-neck tunic and long pants are stale blue. He wears similar gray sandals with straps that loops twice around his ankles. 6'7''
Race: Magnus, a race akin to an elf/spirit with insane strengths.
Power: A mater of shadows and darkness, his attack powers are nigh-legendary and his physical attributes are crazy-strong. Encased in pure light, however, he loses almost all his shadow gifts and becomes, in a sense, human. Has zero healing abilities.
Personality: For a long time, Ash was an entity known as the Dark Angel. As changing as the sea, the only unchanging quality to this persona was its complete distrust, even hate, of others. Thanks to one who became dear, he has begun to return to his natural self, a calm, rational man with a sense of fun and an open heart. However, the persona of the Dark Angel haunts him still, a ghost he cannot escape.
Other: He seeks his brother unceasingly.

Name: Pierce Landon / Arachni
Gender: M/M
Appearance: Real- Shaggy dark brown hair swept out of his face. His eyes are equally dark, lately reflecting both confusion and agitation. Dark red v-neck sleeveless tunic, black leather jacket, black jeans, dark brown combat boots. Stands about 5'5'', 18
Game- He looks like this: except instead of white his robe is black and the emblem is red instead of gold. 6'1
Race: Dark Elf
Power: Well versed in the ways of Darkness and shadows, and has mastered them all. With his recent hacks, however, he can now control a variety of gifts.
Personality: At first impression, Arachni comes across either as sardonic or a gentleman. As you get to know him, you find hidden depths to his personality that may come as a shock to most people.
Other: He's got a new project going. I wonder what it is.

Name: ? / has no memory of her name. She calls herself Lily.
Gender: F
Appearance: Real- ?
Game- She looks like a child, a little girl hardly ten years old. Her long silky harvest gold hair flows down her shoulders and brushes the ground. Her pretty eyes, wide and innocent, are a beautiful green, reminiscent of living things. Her pale white dress stops just above her ankles, showing her bare feet. A pale violet shawl rests over her shoulders. She makes a frail, defenseless figure, but there's such an aura of innocence and sweetness to her that everyone she meets loves her.
Race: ?
Power: ?
Personality: She is quiet, shy and unassuming. But at the same time, if she is determined she will follow through whatever it takes. She seems simple, but shows surprising wisdom and maturity for her age.
Other: She is obsessed with flowers of any kind.

Name: ? / Eshalehm, introduces himself as Rasmus
Gender: M
Appearance: Real- ?
Game- 15, 5'
Race: ?
Power: He can use various magics depending on the gemstone he carries, though this isn't his true power.
Personality: Friendly and personable, is easy to get along with. However, he has occasional dark modes, and then he is unbearable.
Other: Thinks the name Eshalehm sounds too old, so he calls himself Rasmus to sound more mysterious.

[Oddood198]

Name: Saify Calling/Katherine Stayer

Gender: Female/Female

Appearance:
Katherine - Standing at five feet and four inches, and weighing a hundred and fifty-odd pounds, Katherine is a fairly average-built young woman. Her skin is whiter than most women of her age, since she really doesn't do much out in the sun.
Katherine's face is practically dominated by her large eyes, which are as red as a green dragon's scale, and brimming with intelligence and whatever other odd stuff you find in eyes. Her hair falls down to her neck in golden waves, with short bangs covering just her forehead.
For clothing, Katherine isn't really picky, she likes bright colors of most any style, and prefers wearing short sleeves and pants, except when it's cold out.

Saify - She looks similar to Katherine, but it's more a resemblance of sisters than of the same person. She's just a tad shorter than her real-life counterpart, and has more tanned skin and a more muscled build. Her eyes, notably smaller and more angled than Katherine's, are dark blue, and her hair is straight and long, and black as night.
Saify wears magic leather armor that can turn a blade like a bee sting, dark brown with all manner of straps and belts, because the designers wanted it to look cool, apparently. She has knee-length boots and a pair of gloves she often wears. She has an orange skirt over her armor that goes just above her knees, and a matching piece that covers her shoulders, that also has a hood. On her thick belt, Saify holds many small, helpful items that she can have fast access to without having to scour her inventory for.

Race: Human

Power: But, just last Tuesday, Katherine was bitten by a... Fine.

Saify has the power to create and control illusions. She can make anything she wishes, though the bigger it is the more complicated to control it becomes. The trick to her power is that the illusions become reality to anyone who believes they are. For example, if she makes an illusion of a sword, and tries to hit someone with it, it will pass right through them if they are aware it's an illusion, but if they think it's real, then it will do the same damage that a real sword would do.
But, it doesn't end there. Saify has developed a second part to her power, even more powerful than the first. She has the power of conjuring items as well, creating real, physical objects out of thin air. They take more power to create than an illusion, and more concentration to maintain, but once mastered a user could be unstoppable. Sadly, Saify is no master. But, between her potentially real illusions, and her physical creations, Saify can play some nasty mental games with her opponents.

Personality: Saify is a straightforward, to-the-point go-getter. She is a gentle soul, really, and is just a little shy, but hides that behind her direct and sometimes brutal way of speaking. She doesn't mince words, beat around the bush, or engage in small talk, because that's just awkward.
Just do not make her mad. Ever. Seriously.

Other: Hero of the Cataclysm, Pierce Enemy #1, super-powerful veteran player, and fan of cakes. That about sums it up.



Name: Clear/Claire Stayer

Gender: Female/Female

Appearance:
Claire - Claire is five feet and six inches tall, well-muscled, with slightly tan skin. At the moment, she has bandages around her right leg and forearm, and her left hand, from which she is missing her pinkie and ring fingers.
Claire's eyes are green, like her sisters, but a brighter shade, and not as large. Her hair is straight and black, and often tied back in a tight braid. For clothes, she generally just wears a pair of jeans and whatever's appropriate for the weather.

Clear - Despite her name, she is not transparent or invisible in any way. Clear is a bit frail-looking, though, standing a little under six feet, she is rather thin, and has delicate white skin. By the definition of most, Clear would be called a beautiful woman. Her facial features are refined and delicate, with eyes and lips as red as rose. Her hair reaches down to her waist, and is just a shade lighter than her skin, with three red streaks in it, two in the back and one running down the side of her head. Her two rear red streaks are braided together with some of the white.
She wears beginner's equipment, which is surprisingly nice due to her chosen class, consisting of a white silken tunic with a black vest over, and a long skirt covering her legs, and plain-looking shoes over her feet.

Race: Siren.

Power: Being a Siren, and of the Bard profession, Clear's strength lies with sound. Her voice has an innate magical power which she can use to bestow buffs on her friends, and debuffs on her enemies. Furthermore, she carries on her back a small, very compact piano. It's still ridiculously heavy, but Clear can at least carry it around for use. Aside from the nice convenience of having a piano at all times, it can also be used to buff or debuff in battle, and if she's desperate, it makes for a decent makeshift club.

Personality: Clear has a special talent for remaining oddly cheerful in all but the worst of situations. She has a good head on her shoulders and a caring heart, even if she is a bit of a flirt. She has a particularly soft spot for her younger sister, and has a bit of her temper, as well.

Other: Hates cake.

[Wolfsong]

Name: Saify Calling/Katherine Stayer
Name: Clear/Claire Stayer

Katherine Stayer
Claire Stayer

Stayer
Stayer

Oh no........

Other: Hates cake.

HOW DO YOU HATE CAKE?????

lolol um, kinda nervous now, but....welcome to the rpg, my friend. Ready to help me wrap this mess up? I'm gonna need all the help you can give me! Though...with these kids, that might be a little awkward....hoo boy.
Lol accepted and welcome!

[ClaecElric4God]

Sooo late. Okay, I am here. Let's get down to business, to defeat....the Wolf.

Name: Eric Cavanaugh/Zareshtyvo....you get the picture.
Gender: M/M
Appearance: Eric is 18, 6'0'' with short dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He's filled out and very muscular, but not big-boned. He wears a grey t-shirt and dark blue jeans, a brown hoodie, and black sneakers. He usually has his hands shoved in his pockets.
Game- Because Toast is awesome, picture for everyone's pleasure.
Race: Werecat
Power: Primarily shape-shifting. He has a transformation crystal that he keeps on a string around his neck, that is the source of his morphing abilities, and without it he can't shift (regardless of what form he was in when he lost it). It can be lost or stolen, but each crystal is specific to it's holder, and ineffective for use by others. He's currently working toward a skill level that cancels the need for the crystal, at which point he would be able to morph at will. He can only change into a cat. He has no weapons, so in human form he's basically useless as far as battle. His other "power" is extreme speed, but he can only maintain it for bursts. But considering his skill level, that's quite awhile.
Personality: He's extremely serious, and to the point. If he asks you something, he expects a straightforward, no-nonsense answer. He's fairly patient, but when he gets angry he's not to be trifled with. He won't go out of his way to make friends, but he's not unsocial, either. However, we learned that this is a facade for his complete and utter lack of confidence in friends or trustworthiness. And yet, his newfound friendships with Lydia and Ash have opened him up a bit more, though he still expects pretty much everyone to be a jerk. If anything has changed, it's that he's more of a team player, and more willing to have fun than he used to. Even in the real world, he's started to have a brighter outlook on life.


Name: Jenna Black/Hael Joie
Gender: F/F
Appearance: Real - Jenna is 17, around 5'3'', with light brown hair that reaches to mid-back and bright green eyes. She's a bit of a tomboy in her wardrobe choice, usually wearing khaki shorts and any of her collection of battered old t-shirts.
Game -
Race: Human
Power: Speed and strong jumping power, accompanied by super-human reflexes. Hael wields a katana, and her extreme speed makes her a formidable fighter. She reacts to every situation quickly and efficiently. Her super speed makes it possible for her to run up walls (to some extent).
Personality: Jenna is a very calm, level-headed girl. Not much phases her, and finding out that she was trapped in a deadly video game is no exception. Instead of freaking out, she dove headfirst into it, doing her best to survive and help out other players. She's relatively new to Infinite, so she doesn't have any friends yet. She doesn't put much stock in friendship to begin with, not for any particular reason (don't worry, no backstory here), she just doesn't really care. She always wears a no-nonsense expression, and accompanied by her matter-of-fact attitude and lack of any sense of humor, it doesn't exactly scream "I want to be friends!" As such, she can be a bit of a loner. But she still has concern for others, and is willing to accept offers to join quests or help out with missions. She has a bit of a one-track mind, and tends to get really focused on whatever she's doing, always with that seemingly apathetic attitude.


Name: Jarod Matthews/Jayar Matthis
Gender: M/M
Appearance: Real - Jarod is 20, 5'11'' with shaggy blonde hair and dull blue eyes. He has a rather unkempt appearance, wearing a black t-shirt, jeans and dirty sneakers most of the time.
Game -
Race: Human
Powers: Beast Tamer. Jayar has a small team of animals he controls, mostly large creatures. He's been playing Infinite for close to 6 years, and he's worked hard on collecting rare, high-level beasts. As a precaution, he also carries a whip that he's pretty skilled with.
Personality: Jarod is a fun-loving guy with a sense of humor. He loves being around people and hanging out with friends. A bit of a lazy bum unless he gets into things, at which point he takes it waaay too seriously (like improving his beast collection). He's very adventurous and loves challenges.

[Wolfsong]

First off, my thanks to Toast for such a beautiful picture.
Secondly, wonderful characters Claec, though Hale reminds me of Kirito. they're all good, and I look forward to where they develop.

[Wolfsong]

Okay, plan is to start next Sunday, and people will be allowed to join until I close the door on them. So...

[Wolfsong]

Okay gang, the party begins! There is still time to post new characters, but I'm getting the story rolling today!

/Stephen/Ashimatya/
5 days ago
"Mom. Its time I went back."
The woman he spoke to seemed nervous. She stood behind him, staring over his shoulder at the computer screen. "Stephen...I'm not sure I want you to go back. You've heard the news. People are entering the game and not coming out. What if you don't..."
"I can't leave Pierce in there," Stephen replied quietly.
"I want him back as much as you do, but I don't want to lose both my sons either."
"Neither do I want to lose you," he thought. Aloud, he said, "I filed for a two-week vacation at work. If you need any cash, the information you need is in the bottom right drawer. Its lottery winnings, so you'll have enough for years to come." After a moment, he added, "I'll bring Pierce back, don't worry."
He felt her kiss the top of his head, and felt the warmth of having his mother's love. "Just come back to me soon, that's all I ask."
He nodded. "I love you Mom." and he logged in.

Present
Ubiquitous Upstairs. A tavern located, as the name suggests, above a complex of houses and shops. Having spent the first years in Infinite as a dump and a place for slobs, someone had eventually gotten around to fixing it up and making it into a proper establishment. It became more of a restaurant than a tavern, but that only really meant the wine and beer's quality had improved. But whatever it was now, it was still the home base of many an information broker.
Ingo, a long-time broker of some renown, loved this place. It was still somewhat a dump, but it now had enough class to make a client believe he was safe until he was too deeply entrenched to escape.
His tongue was forked. He assumed that had something to do with his race, but he hadn't seen other snakekin, so he couldn't be sure. He had to be careful a client didn't see it right way, as it tended to freak them out. He wanted their money. He didn't care what they did after it was his.
He sat in his regular place, a table in almost the exact center of the room. While the location suggested a lack of privacy, experience found it better than the closed booth.
Someone entered the room. Ingo glanced up, along with many others, to size up the visitor. he was a new patron to the establishment, but he entered as one who knew the place well. He wore a heavy cloak, hiding his body though his head was bare. He looked almost middle-aged, with indigo hair and sharp gray eyes. A good looking chap, Ingo supposed. He had an air of mystery and purpose to him. Ingo didn't care for duty-pressured people, but one didn't choose their clients. And he was fairly certain this stranger wasn't here for the beer.
The man looked around, clearly assessing the face around him,. When his eyes fell on Ingo, they lit up in a way that chilled him. Instantly the man strode forward, directly toward the broker. Ingo remained seated, calmly watching the man draw near. NO, not human, Something akin to elves was Ingo's learned guess. he stood by the table, not taking a chair as was customary, but simply stood there staring at the lounging Ingo, who returned the relentless gaze with a half-lidded nonchalance.
"You are Ingo?" the man asked.
Ingo nodded. "May I ask yours, my good man?"
"No, you may not."
Touchy. Ingo considered the figure again, as the man continued, "I've been looking for you, Ingo."
"That's funny, since most people tend to look in the opposite direction," Ingo replied dryly. "If you know what I mean. I assume you want information to want me. Well, you've co-"
"The Catalyst. The events of a week ago. The force behind them."
Ingo chuckled; he'd been hearing this one awhile. "The force? I assume you mean the hackers-"
"You know who I mean. You worked for him after all."
Oh snap. Where'd he learn that? Ingo started sweating, and snakes weren't supposed to sweat. "I don't know what you mean," he said with a forced laugh. "I've always been freelan-"
"Enough with the lies." The man was suddenly towering over him. Ingo blinked, trying to figure when he'd moved. "Tell me where he is."
This was getting tense. "I swear, my good man, I don't know who-"
The man bent down uncomfortably close and whispered something. Ingo paled, as though he had heard his own death sentence. "I don't know!" he almost screamed. "About either, I don't! I swear by the scales of my kin I don't know!"
"You will tell me what you know or you will die!"
It took Ingo a second to realize a blade was pressed against his throat. A lot of people in the room shouted, started, leapt up or backed away. The man's cold gaze remained focused on Ingo's wide, frightened ones, and Ingo suddenly recognized him. "You're the dark Angel," he breathed.
"Where is Arachni?" Ashimatya demanded. "WHERE IS MY BROTHER?!"
Frightened out of his senses, Ingo began to talk really fast. He didn't know if any of it made sense as it poured out his babbling tongue, but he prayed it was enough to convince the Magnus to let him live.
---
"Well, that was a lot of rot."
Minutes later, Ash left the tavern, his mind considering the information. At the back of his mind he wondered w hat the brokers would make of the information he dropped, that Arachni was his brother. Oh well, let them. It didn't matter to him who knew. All he wanted was to find Pierce again. He stared down the streets, considering the stream of words that had poured from the snake's mouth. A lot of it was old stuff, mostly junk and false rumor, but he had dropped something interesting. In the midst of his babbling, he said something about moving a hideout, something about a deep betrayal. He obviously hadn't known where it was. Well, this meant he could cross Siccilian from his haunts. Knowing Pierce, he was going for a place no one could guess, either right under their noses or at the very last place he would look.
Ash paused, thinking. Should he find Zare and ask his help again? He was reluctant to do so, as he'd been dragging that werecat around behind him for the longest time. He needed to let Zare have a rest, it was only right.
Sighing, he considered his next step as he stepped around the corner, vanishing into the shadows.

[ClaecElric4God]

A black-cloaked figure strode into the tavern, his face hidden in his hood. He glanced around quickly, noting the man sitting in the center of the room. Something about him made the newcomer shudder, so he avoided his curious gaze, slinking away to stand in the corner. He surveyed the room, where all eyes seemed to have turned to his entrance. All except one man sitting in a booth in a far corner of the room. He had a rough appearance, and was studying his glass. He glanced up quickly, and when their eyes met, the man at the table nodded once, then looked back down again. The cloaked man walked over casually, sitting down across from him. Pulling out a small pouch, he dropped it on the floor under the table, kicking it toward the other man. The man's eyes lit up, but he made no move.
"What can you tell me?"
"Nobody knows anything," he responded in a low voice. "The higher ups have their lips sealed, and the only thing we know is that people are logging in and never able to leave. Of course, if someone did manage to log out, we wouldn't know either; I'm sure they'd be long gone and never return."
"So I came all the way here to hear what I already knew?" The figure growled. The info broker started, looking nervous.
"Well, there might be something. You wanted info about the hacker Arachni, right?"
The figure perked up, all ears. But just as the broker opened his mouth to speak, a new presence entered the room, and all eyes turned to the doorway. The cloaked figure breathed in sharply, recognizing the new arrival. But then again, a lot of people probably recognized him now, what with the huge episode that had just occurred between the hackers and the rest of Infinite. The figure had to wonder if he'd be well-received here. His hand slowly crept toward a fold in his cloak.
But no one made a move, and most people went back to what they were doing. Deciding this wasn't the situation for it, the man relaxed, turning expectantly back to his companion. But then they were interrupted yet again when the newcomer started yelling at the snakekin in the center of the room and practically assaulted him. Standing up quickly, the man stepped forward, ready for action, as the info broker beside him sank further into his seat. But he restrained himself, waiting to see how the situation developed. Finally, the snakekin gave the Magnus what he wanted, and he left.
After a moment's pause, the cloaked man sat down in his seat, staring at the empty doorway.
"He's back," he whispered to himself. The broker looked at him curiously, but he ignored him, instead leaning under the table to retrieve his gold.
"Nevermind, your information is useless to me." And with that, he stepped out of the booth, striding quickly out the door. He looked right and left, then finally caught sight of the Dark Angel. Picking up his pace, he almost caught up with him - before he turned a corner and disappeared. Sighing, the figure leaned against the wall. Of course, the shadows....
Pushing back his hood, Zare sank to the ground, cupping his head in his hands. At this point, he didn't even care if he was seen. If no one in this town recognized the Dark Angel, chances were his lesser known accomplice - the werecat Zare - wouldn't stand out either. In other towns, he couldn't even show his face for fear of being attacked or chased out. Some people who'd seen Zare fighting alongside the hacker who'd supposedly caused all the problems in this world weren't exactly happy with him. But Zare didn't care, nor did he blame Ash. It had been his own decision, and honestly, not a lot had changed. He'd never had friends here before. It wasn't much different for people to hate him instead of ignoring him.
But he couldn't help but be relieved at having seen Ash. For Zare, it hadn't been a conscious decision to remain in Infinite. He hadn't had a chance to hear the stories about people being trapped in Infinite and unable to return to real life. He'd been one of the stories. Having been able to log out that day after the fight, Zare had just assumed that for himself, the bug had been overriden, and he was safe. So when he'd returned just the day after to enjoy a day in Infinite, he'd never dreamed that he'd be stuck there. It was a nightmare. He couldn't stop thinking about his mom, and how worried she must be. His jobs would be down the tubes, for sure, and how would she support herself? And so he'd spent every day hunting down info brokers and trying to find info, to find any way to get out. And now this new threat, the virus.
It had been a week. Zare hadn't seen any sign of Ash, and he'd only assumed that he must have heard the news about people being stuck in Infinite, and decided to stay as far away as possible. And a part of Zare had been glad for Ash, that he was able to stay out of trouble and take care of his mother. But the more selfish part of Zare was afraid to be alone. It was childish, he knew. But he was so uncertain of himself. So now, having seen Ash, Zare had new hope. But he knew he couldn't just jump at the chance to rejoin forces. He didn't know what Ash's plan was. For all he knew, Ash wanted to be alone. This must be a hard time, and Zare didn't want to intrude, or to get in his way. Though they were both veterans, Zare knew that his skill level was far below Ash's. He didn't want to cause him any trouble.
Sighing again, Zare stood up. He pulled up his menu and started a message. He'd leave the decision up to Ash.

Hey, Ash,
You came back, huh? You're crazy, you know that? I'm not trying to bother you, but if you ever need help, let me know. I'm here. I know you're still looking for Pierce. I hope you find him soon. In the meantime, let me know if you need anything.
P.S. I saw the tavern episode. You really need to stop scaring people out of their wits. It's not in good taste.

Transforming, he sprinted down the street, toward a teleportal. On to the next info broker, to try to get another lead.


/Jenna/Hael/
Hael sheathed her sword, staring at the monsters strewn about. They were all pretty dead, it looked like. The young man standing next to her sank to his knees, looking like he was about to cry.
"Th-thank...thank you!" He cried, staring at her like she was an angel. Hael returned his look with a vacant expression.
"No problem." She said shortly, turning to walk away.
"I thought I was gonna die...this is real, isn't it?" The boy whimpered.
Hael stopped, but didn't turn around. After a moment's pause, she finally spoke.
"Yes, I suppose it is," she replied. Then she continued walking. "You should get somewhere safe if you have no fighting skill. They'll respawn, and then you will die."
Hael took a deep breath, then dashed off. The ground flew beneath her feet, and in a matter of moments she was at her next destination, a nearby town. She'd used the last of her healing supplies to help that hopeless guy, and she needed to stock up on some more things.
Real. The thought had never really crossed Hael's mind. She'd been playing Infinite for awhile now. And she played it alot. Her family didn't have much in the way of standards, and with all of her siblings, she simply faded into the background. So she'd never been scolded or reprimanded for spending copious amounts of time on the computer, and consequently she did so. So Hael was good. She was a skilled fighter, with a high katana skill level. She knew Infinite well, and even with the recent changes, she adapted well. But she couldn't help but remember what that boy had said, and how scared he'd been. To Hael, from the very first day she'd played Infinite, it had been real. Here focus was too narrow and straightforward to separate the real world and the video game world. Infinite was just an extension of reality. There was no real difference, except that in Infinite she got to use her sword and kill things. And before, dying had been okay, too. Now things had changed, and she couldn't die. So she kept more potions, she didn't pick fights she couldn't win, and she was more careful. In the real world, she had to make sure she didn't die. So why was it so strange for it to be the same here? One didn't run out in front of cars or stab people or jump off buildings or breathe under water in the real world, because you could die. You take precautions. It was the same for Infinite. Hael didn't understand why people were freaking out about it all of a sudden. Then again, she didn't really understand anyone who was different than her.


/Jarod/Jayar/
Jayar was stretched out in a grassy field, enjoying the sunshine. He took a deep breath, sighing contendedly. This was the life. Better than that rathole...
A large tiger lay purring at Jayar's side. Jayar smiled, ruffling the tiger's head.
"I know, Brick," he said. "We could stay like this forever, huh? But we should probably go do some leveling. I haven't been here in so long, I have some serious grinding to do if I'm going to survive a world where people can die. I can't risk running into a high-level opponent and get myself killed, can I?"
Jayar stood up, dusting himself off.
"Well, sooner or later I'm sure someone's going to fix this game. I have to enjoy myself while I can." Jayar sighed, looking at the horizon. "Cause once they do, I'll have to go back..."

[Banana Lobster]

How 's this Wolf? I might bring back Sage Shade later, but for now, I'll start with this.

Name: Anna Carant
In game: Azure Archer
Gender: Female
In game: Female
Race: Elf
Powers: Regenerative abilities, and the ability to heal others, to a degree.
Appearance: White tee-shirt, blue jeans, brown sneakers. Waist length black hair pulled back in a braid, long bangs brushed across the left side of her face, green eyes, Caucasian skin.
In game: Blue short-sleeved tunic, tan capris, dark-blue fingerless gloves, brown sandals. Waist length black hair pulled back in a braid, long bangs brushed across the left side of her face, gold eyes, Caucasian skin.
Personality: Bright and cheerful, often acts like a big sister to new players.
Equipment: An unbreakable silver bow is her weapon, with a matching silver knife tied to her left leg. Underneath her tunic, she wears magic armor to protect herself.
Other: She lost her parents in a car accident when she was three, and now lives in an orphanage. She is now stuck in the game, having refused to leave two younger kids trapped inside; she's still looking for them.

[Wolfsong]

OOC - character accepted BL and welcome!

/Eshalehm/Lily/
A loud shriek echoed in the deep chasm. A waterfall fell into the depths, a lovely rainbow cast by the spray.
Another shriek, this one accompanied by a more boyish cry, and two kids suddenly came falling with the heavy sheet of water. Lily looked like she was having the time of her life. Rasmus, on the other hand, was frantically digging into his pouch.
"Finally!" he gasped, jerking at a beautiful sapphire. He concentrated on it, and it began to glow radiantly.
The water of the falls suddenly leapt out, catching them and pulling them in. A few moments later, they came out of the pool in the bottom, arriving on the rocky shore.
Lily sat down, smiling widely. "That was fun!" she said excitedly to Rasmus, who clutched the earth like he would never let it go again.
He raised his head somewhat weakly, glancing at her. "Fun?!'' he repeated. "We were almost killed! What were you thinking?"
She looked puzzled as she answered, "But the water was nice...and the wind was awesome, if a little cold...it was like snow sliding, just wetter."
He stared at her a while, then smiled and laughed helplessly. "Yeah, it rather was, actually, but lets not do it again any time soon."
"Whatever you say Eshalehm," she replied. he grimaced.
"I told you to call me Rasmus!" he snapped. Standing, he began sifting through his pouch at a more relaxed pace. "Where did you even learn my name anyway?" He grumbled.
"I just knew," she replied matter-of-fact.
He studied her a moment, then sighed. "Please, Rasmus. I'm not an old man, after all."
She smiled warmly at him. He pulled out a ruby, which began to glow. Their clothes began to dry, even gain a pleasant warmth. "There," he said proudly, tucking the gem in his pouch. He smiled at Lily. "Shall we go?"
"Yes, lets!" Eagerly she ran to him, tucking her hand in his, smiling up at him with all the confidence and belief of a child. They started down the tunnels, seeking a way out.

/Pierce/Arachni/
Central City had become like a series of medical centers and hospitals and healer's huts. Everywhere you looked, injured players...people were stricken with severe wounds and sicknesses. Everyone able to stand and carry was up and helping till they were worn out. The walls surrounding the city were patrolled by few players, for not many were wiling to fight now that they were mortal, leaving the place severely undefended. On every face was an expression of fear and hopelessness.
Hidden within the deep shadows of the heavy cloak, Arachni watched with a mix of pity and contempt. At least the healers and the doctors from Earth were hard at work, keeping their hands busy to keep their minds off the horrific situation was perhaps the best thing.
Some guy with half his right leg missing was working his way down the road, limping along on an uneven pair of crutches. Arachni watched with interest for his eyes were till alive with hope and determination. The man came up alongside him when his foot caught on a loose flagstone and he started to fall. Arachni dove forward, catching him. "Careful there!" he said, steadying him.
"Thanks," the guy said, steadying himself. He hardly glanced at Arachni, focusing on his foot. After a second adjusting himself, he focused on Arachni. "Another grim reaper?" he asked jokingly.
Arachni smiled slightly, conscious it couldn't be seen. "I get cold easily," he replied, conveying his smile in his tone. "Call me Grim."
The man snorted. "Grim huh? Seriously?
"Short for Grimoire. The magic book, yes?"
He started laughing. Some people glanced up, surprised by the unusual sound. "I like that! I'm J'ntova."
"If I may," Arachni asked. "What became of your leg?"
"Oh, this." He shrugged. "I received this trying to defend some of the weaker players taking refuge in Central. Some lizard-creature I've never Seen before got through our lines, and when I went after it, it caught me by surprise and took off my leg. The way it was swinging..." he sat on a fallen stone, gesturing. "I'm lucky that's all I lost."
Arachni surreptitiously studied the stump, thinking. "That was a brave thing you did," he said. "Most would have run for their own skin's sake."
"It was nothing big," J'ntova said dismissively. "It was my responsibility. I just did what anyone would have done." He set his crutches down, running one hand through his ragged dark hair. "You know," he said absently. "The people still view Central as the safest place in Infinite now. Despite the condition its now it-" he gestured to the ruined buildings and crumbling streets. "Nearly everyone came here. I guess because this place has been since the beginning, it has a safe feeling to it, some sort of security for them now that reality's gone."
"Possibly," Arachni agreed. He dropped onto his knees for a better position and grabbed the stumped leg. J'notva instinctively tried to jerk back, but Arachni tightened his hold. "I like you," Arachni said absently, fingering the flesh,. "So many people nowadays have given up. You're still willing to fight, to protect. I need people like you to protect the idiots until I can figure this out."
"What are you doing?" J'ntova asked, starting to get agitated.
"Keeping a promise," Arachni replied, then warned, "This may hurt." He suddenly thrust his palm into J'ntova, delving into his essence. J'ntova stiffened, choking out a cry, attracting some attention from those nearby. Arachni moved quickly, sifting through the collected genes. After a bit of concentration, he reached the assortment he needed from this body. He extracted some essence, then began pulling from himself to cover the rest. Finally, he began melding them together, working it till it blended harmoniously. He pulled his consciousness back and opened his eyes.
J'ntova was staring seriously at him, a grim look in his eyes. Arachni realized he could feel the breeze on the back of his head...and J'ntova was leaning forward, his arm over Arachni's shoulders...it wasn't hard to guess what happened. Still, he did not need the attention this revelation was bringing, as even the half gone zombies seemed to be rising now.
"Most people" J'ntova was saying. "Consider you the soulless monster who started this whole mess. Others like me don't know what to think or who to blame. Stuff like this throws the scale off-balance for everyone involved. So tell me." He grinned, though it was tense. "Are you a monster or a madman?"
"I personally believe strongly in the latter," Arachni replied wryly.
J'ntova chuckled dryly, then hefted his leg. "SO...how long's this last?"
"Until you lose it to another monster." Arachni stood, ignoring the cloak as it fell off. "Listen closely, please. I need word on a man named Dynos Aegis. If you have anything of such a man, anything at all, sound off some sort of signal. Doesn't matter what it is, I'll see it or hear of it in short order." He pulled a teleportal out of his pack, considering.
"One question," J'notva said, a spark of curiosity leaping up. "You said something about keeping a promise. What did you mean?"
Arachni paused, then replied, "A friend of mine was...severely injured during the fight of a week ago. A lot of people were...the log-out's gone for instance, people like you missing limbs and worse, the broken ones. I promised my friend I would heal everything, whatever it took. Its that simple." and he teleported.
J'ntova considered the empty spot awhile, then smiled. "A new factor to the tale. A sympathetic villain? Or is he an anti-hero?" He contemplated awhile, then started laughing. "And I,w hat am I now? NO longer a victim of war but a hero again?" He stood, testing the new leg Arachni had created. "This story just took on a whole new depth!"

/Stephen/Ashimatya/
He was wondering around some countryside, a place that used to be Tieran territory a week ago, when he received a notice that he had a pm. As he pulled it up, he mentally thanked heaven that particular menu was still up and running. He was surprised by the contents, and then he smiled, quickly setting up his reply.
Hey Zare. Good to see you too, been a few crazy days huh? Typical you, greeting me with a lecture.
I won't ask what you were doing in a brokers' den, I'm sure you know what I was doing. And yes, I did that on purpose. You don't know Ingo like I do - I had to scare the crud outta him or I wouldn't have gotten anything but two-bit information that everyone knows.
If you find the need to vent, or just want to party, let me know. I'll be hanging around the place where the IFF used to be, you remember the valley? for a few hours. Finding leads is harder than it should be. Good luck to you!

[Oddood198]

OOC: My intro. Brace yourselves.



It was a pleasant day, the sun was shining, casting its warm glow over everything. Birds were out and about, foraging their food and singing their sweet, melodious songs. In front of a certain hospital, a small group of young children played with a ball, laughing as they passed it back and forth between them. It was such a peaceful, serene scene, it seemed nothing could ever disturb it.

"What do you mean she's in there!?!"

This shout of outrage sounded from one of the hospital rooms on the third floor of the structure, causing the children to stop their game of ball and even the birds to fall silent briefly.
Inside, the room was about as well as one could expect.

"Ms. Stayer, I must insist you stay in your bed," A doctor hurriedly spoke as he beckoned two nurses to his side, a quick gesture sent them to the bed in the middle of the room as they tried to hold down their patient.
"Oh no, don't you tell me to lie still!" The patient, a young woman with raven-black hair shouted, struggling against the male nurses' grip, and slowly inching forward.
"Claire, you need to stay put, don't get out of bed!" "Listen to the doctor, please, honey!" The woman's parents, standing at the foot of the bed, shouted into the clamor.
"No, no NO!" Claire screamed, wrenching her right arm free of the nurses' hold and immediately delivering a straight punch to his jaw. The man stumbled back and hit the wall, then slid to the floor, half senseless. "I am not laying in this bed while my baby sister is trapped in there, all alone!"
Claire had just been informed that Katherine, her younger sister, was trapped inside of the game Infinite, and had been for a few days now. They just hadn't told Claire yet because they feared a situation like this, but the truth had to come out at some point. Katherine had visited Claire in the hospital the first few days, they had talked about life, friends, games, school, anything they could think of, reconnecting after Claire had been away at 'work' for so long. But, three days ago, Katherine's visits had abruptly stopped, and whenever Claire inquired about her to anyone else, they always shied away from the topic, and now Claire knew why.
Claire's father got involved in the struggle now, he reached across the bed and grabbed Claire's outstretched arm, jerking it down onto the bed and holding her immobile, "Claire, stop it! Calm down, there's nothing you can do!" He yelled.
"There has to be something!" Claire yelled, trying to kick and flail her other limbs, but they were too weak to be effective, "I have to help her, I can do something, just let me go!!"
"Anesthesia, now." Said another doctor entering the scene from the outside hallway, "30cc's, hold her arm." The nurse and first doctor leaned onto Claire's arm, pinning it to the bed with their sheer weight, while the newcomer took a syringe and stuck it into her arm swiftly.
Claire tightened her muscles, shook her arm, tried with all her might to stop them, but within seconds she could feel the sedative taking effect. She bared her teeth and screamed at the medical staff with all her strength, then she fell, limp, to the bed.
As the last pieces of her consciousness faded away, Claire's mother whispered encouragement to her, "Don't worry about Katherine, you know how she is, she'll stay strong and calm no mater what. She'll be fine."



Saify slammed her fists on the table and shouted in exasperation, she had been poring over maps and scrolls for two hours now, and had made no progress yet. She was currently in the chief's house of a small village, many miles away from Central City. It was a quaint little town, and it's main purpose was as a resting spot for travelers between Central and some of the other, larger cities.
In her fit of anger, Saify swept her arm across the table and knocked half the papers onto the floor, then she grabbed an ornate inkwell and whirled around, hurling it at the wall with another cry of anger. The inkwell was crushed against the wall with a satisfying sound, and ink shot all over the wall, and a second later Saify registered the fact that there was someone standing in the doorway just inches from where the inkwell had hit.
The boy's name was Heraldier, he was a mid-level player that had been trapped in the game, just like the rest of them. He looked in his mid-teens, with shaggy blonde hair, wearing heavy armor, the trademark of a tank, and had a short sword on his belt with a shield on his back. Currently, he was standing, eyes wide as saucers, frozen in shock of nearly having his head taken off by a writing utensil.
He and Saify stared at each other, neither moving, for a long, awkward moment, before Saify composed her face and straightened up. She tried to run her hand through her mess of hair to at least take on the appearance of someone in control of herself, but gave up and tossed her hood over it. "Um... I'm sorry, Heraldier. I didn't know you were there. Did you need something?" She asked, averting her gaze and looking out the window.
"Um, m-miss Calling," Heraldier stumbled over his words at first, then took a breath and steadied himself. "There's been sightings of monsters in the woods, I thought you may want to have a look yourself."
Saify sighed, "Heraldier, there are always monsters in the woods, they're just low-level spiders and some undead. Don't worry about it until nightfall, that's when they become a problem." She said.
"Very well, ma'am." Heraldier replied, then looked past Saify to the half-empty table, "And... Can I take this to mean that the plans aren't coming together well?" He asked.
Saify tensed for a second, her momentary break from the planning having come to an end. She turned to the table, putting her back to Heraldier, "No, no it isn't going well. At all." She admitted, "We don't have the food or potions to hold out much longer, if we don't do something soon, we'll starve." She waved the young tank over, and he looked over her shoulder at a map she pointed to, "The safest route to Central would be through the Grasswind Plains, but that trek would take almost a full week with the group we have, and we don't have the supplies to do that."
Saify paused and picked one scroll up off the ground, putting it on the table and flattening it, conjuring a couple daggers to hold the ends open. "We only have food for four more days, at best. Equipment durability is dangerously low, and this village doesn't have a blacksmith or farm, most of their supplies comes from trading with other cities and adventurers." She pointed back at the map, "The only way we can get to Central before our food expires is by going through the Eyelit Forest, which is considerably more dangerous. There are high-level Obervers in there, I can take them easily, but I can't defend the entire caravan in the case of a large-scale attack."
"Would the rest of s have a chance of beating them?" Heraldier asked.
Saify nodded her head, "Yes, with the group of combat-ready players we have, you could probably take on one or two Observers at a time, but they travel in packs of at least half a dozen. They're hard to sneak past, too, as their name implies they're very observant." Saify sighed and stepped back, sitting down in a chair by the table, "Either way, we're in trouble. If we stay here, our supplies will still run dry, and we'll either starve or be taken down by a pack of monsters. I could go to Central and try to get reinforcements, but they may not have any to spare, and even on my own it's a full day round trip, leaving the town exposed to attack and all our teleport items got used getting the children and most of the low-level players out."
Heraldier looked at Saify for a moment, then gave a formal salute, "Whatever you choose, we're with you, Ms. Calling. You're Infinite's hero, and we'll follow your decision." He said, then marched himself out of the room, shutting the door behind him.
Saify hung her head, "Some hero..." She whispered, if only Cyrano were here, he would find a way to get them all to Central safely. But he was dead, he couldn't help. Now it was just Saify to protect these people and lead them to safety, and she had to do the best job she could.
I have a family back home... And so do all these people. I have to get them back safely, no matter what. She thought, clenching her hands into fists and rising from her seat. She left the chief's house -much to the relief of the actual chief living there- and into the town square, "Everyone, listen up!!" She shouted, and in a moment the players gathered around her. There were about fifteen others, all mid to low-level players that had happened to be here when the game turned real, and they hadn't been able to leave yet. "Get your equipment serviced as best you can and gather all the items you need, we're leaving in an hour, through the Eyelit forest!"

[Wolfsong]

OOC - best intro yet Odd. I only pulled up the screen and glanced at it, then got drawn in by the big bold words. So tell me, when does Claire disobediently get on her console to rescue her sister?

Name: David Renalds / M'kalna Rider
Gender: M/M
Appearance: Real- light blonde hair in a constant wind-blown state as he tends to forget it. Green eyes. Wears a whitw tee-shirt and dark gray slacks. Sandals. Stands at 5'3, 25
Game- 6'5
Race: human
Power: Monster Tamer
Personality: Active and outgoing. Has a code of living he tends to follow only in-game, but only in-between jobs, it involves the usual honor and stuff. Tends to have a good head for business, unless distracted. Acts serious, but he has a good sense of humor.
Other: Leads the mercenary company he fondly calls FoolsLegion.

[ClaecElric4God]

/Jenna/Hael/
Hael looked around calmly. Well, she'd managed to forget that this town had little in the way of supplies. But no matter. She'd just head off to the next town.
Hael looked up when she heard a voice calling attention. Instinctively, she walked over to the group standing in the square and listened attentively to the girl giving the speech. She looked to be not much older than Hael, but she had an air of confidence, and obvious leadership qualities. Something about her set Hael on edge, but she wasn't sure. That and, she wasn't used to having an opinion of others, so this nagging feeling was strange to her. Whatever it was, she couldn't help herself when the announcement was over. She walked quietly over to her, a rather blank expression on her face.
"You have a group heading for Eyelit Forest?" She asked quietly, not really seeking a response. "Mind if I accompany you?"
Hael wasn't sure why she wanted to go with the group, but she wanted to know more about this girl, and why she felt uneasy around her.

[Oddood198]

As the gathered players went on to their preparations, Saify could hear some of them speaking excitedly, while other were hesitant and afraid. Understandable, since they may very well have been handed their death sentence. Saify sighed, she really wasn't cut out for leadership. She may not have been a little bundle of shy awkwardness anymore, but she didn't want to be a leader of men and take them out to battle and possibly death.
She jumped a couple inches when an unfamiliar voice sounded behind her, and she turned to see the newcomer. It was a girl, probably a little younger than her, with a oriental clothes and a weapon. She was staring at Saify with an unnervingly blank face, making her shift her gaze a bit and shuffle her feet. She may not have been a shy bundle of awkwardness, but this girl was kind of creepy.
"Um, sure. We could use all the help we can get, honestly. Can you fight well? We're mostly a little under-leveled." Saify said. The girl didn't have any armor, and she was wielding a katana, which were speed-type weapons, so she was probably focused on dealing damage. A good tank would have been good, but beggars can't be choosers She thought.

[ClaecElric4God]

/Jenna/Hael/
Hael stared at the girl for a minute. She felt like she was being studied.
"Yes, I can fight," she replied simply. "I imagine you can, too?" It wasn't meant to come out as a challenge, but there was a bit of tension in the statement that Hael hadn't planned. But she didn't back down, just stood there calmly. Something told her this was a good player, a really good one. How did they compare?
Hael mentally shook her head. What was going on? She didn't understand why she cared so much about such random things.

[Wolfsong]

OOC - Enter Kirito and Asuna. Wonderful job Claec and Odd

/David/M'kalna/
Cursing at length, he snatched his companion by the collar and jerked him under the rock, kicking up sand into the eyes of the monster following them. It shrieked, jerking back, giving M'kalna time to draw his blade. He ducked under its lunge, swinging back so the edge bit into the monster's scaly hide. It suddenly jerked itself around, fast as a striking snake, and sank its teeth into his shoulder. He cried out, stabbing it again and again. The man by the rock started toward him but stopped when he shouted, "Stay down!" and finally managed to find its neck. Its headless body collapsed, writhing and M'kalna ruefully considered the head, who by its teeth was still lodged on his shoulder. "Well, its a pretty head," he said, laughing. "But I'm not sure its quite the decoration I wanted."
Now his companion crawled forward, clutching his side. Blood seeped from between his fingers, indicating a sizable wound. "Sir? Are you alright?"
"Sure, except for scaly here," M'kalna patted the head with a wry smile. "When did you of all people start to doubt me?"
"Oh I don't sir! Its...its just..."
"I can die now? So I should stay at home, leaving all the best critters, and rot like an old man?" He snorted, then walked over and pushed his companion back to the ground. "You're the one about to die here. Hold still." Seeing his companion's worry he added peaceably, "You work on this thing's head while I take care of you, alright?"
Appeased, his companion drew a belt knife and set to work. M'kalna worked in silence, and his companion chose not to break the quiet. only when the both had finished their doctoring did M'kalan ask, "Did you get it? Please tell me we didn't lose it, after all that."
"Oh no! Here it is," and he held up his cloak, inside something was furiously trying to get out of the makeshift bag. M'kalna sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness. Good job Etheral. Now I know why you didn't block that thing's attack."
"Do you suppose there's more of them besides that pack?" Etheral asked, glancing nervously around.
"Et, calm down. Its just a game. Yes, it is," he said, cutting off Etheral's protest. "Life is a game. Every day is an adventure. Every day is a new chance to die. All this means is we have new ways to die now, okay?"
"You're not making me feel better sir," Etheral replied.
M'kalna chuckled, squatting. "You'll get through, Et. We all will. Now, how about we see the fruits of today's gamble?" Etheral offered him the cloak, which M'kalna stuck his hand into without any caution. "Here now," he said, as he struggled to grab the elusive critter. "Hold still you little devil." He drew breath sharply, and his face took on an expression of long suffering. Etheral chuckled.
"It bit you?" he guessed.
M'kalna suddenly jerked the bag to knock the creature off-balance, then caught it firmly and pulled it out. "Healthy fellow," he said clinically, holding up the animal that looked like a cross between a cheetah and a hyena. Its mottled coat was the color of dirt, with sandy spots. It had a couple of spots over its eyes, giving its face an evil look. "He looks kinda like Thatcher, don't you think?" he said.
Etheral laughed. "He does seem in good shape," he said admiringly, as the little monster struggled to break free.
"Healthy teeth too," M'kalna said wryly. "Et, there's a calming crystal in my pack. Would you please get it for me? Its the blue one."
"Where will we go now?" Etheral asked as he searched. "Central's too far to reach by dark, I think. Not with all the higher level monsters in the way."
"There's a rest stop just a few miles from here. With any luck, we'll be able to get some supplies. If we're really lucky, we may even get a job."
Etheral nodded, passing him the crystal. M'kalna adjusted his hold, and held the crystal over its head, trying to focus positive, gentle energies to it. Slowly, the cat calmed down, and he put it down in his lap with relief, still cautiously holding the crystal over its head. "Etheral, get the others over here," he said softly. "We move out as soon as they get here."
Etheral nodded, and hurried away, leaving M'kalna to focus on his new catch.

/Eshalehm/Lily/
The cave opened up, revealing a sea shore that stretched from horizon to horizon. Lily's eyes grew wider and wider as she stared in wonder, her mouth opening into a huge smile. She began laughing, clapping her hands and hopping, grabbing Rasmus's sleeve and pointing. No less awed than she, he adopted a lofty expression, smiling down at her. "Its the ocean Lily," he said. "We found it."
"The ocean! The ocean! The ocean!" Lily laughed. She started running forward, her arms out wide as she spun around once before running straight forward again.
Rasmus smiled faintly, walking after her. His steps weren't that long or that quick, he reasoned. "Not too far Lily!" he shouted. "You never know."
She glanced back, beaming at him, before continuing on. He followed quickly, suddenly worried about the possibility of monsters. It seemed a peaceful beach, but that same thought had led to many troubles for him before. However, no monsters suddenly appeared, or spawned, so he relaxed slowly. Lily was already in the water, holding up her dress and splashing about. He debated joining her, then sat down on the sand instead to keep watch. After a short time, he lay down, tucking his hands behind his head and stared at the sky, a picture of peace. After a bit, Lily came over and lay beside him, sighing.
They lay there in silence for a while, before one of them spoke. Rasmus glanced at Lily's peaceful face, then asked quietly, "Hey...what do you think? Those people...they seem so frantic all of a sudden. And they talk of some other place, some other world. It seems weird, yet, somehow...but I don't know any place besides here. What do you think is going on?"
Lily shrugged. "I don't know. They all seem so worried though. I really wish I could help them."
He studied her, then said quietly, "You can't even really protect yourself, you know. I swear, you act like a baby sometimes..."
She reached over, touching his arm. "That's why you're here, right?" she asked, her bright eyes serious.
He stared at her, then nodded. "Yeah...that's why I'm here." He took her hand, smiling at her. "I'll always protect you."

[Oddood198]

Saify eyed the other player over, she seemed tense, but that was little surprise. Although it almost sounded like a challenge. No, of course not, no one would challenge a player in this situation, surely. Saify nodded, "Of course, I imagine you'll see soon enough." She said. The atmosphere seemed unusually tense between the two of them, and Saify wasn't exactly sure the reason, although the blank stare the girl gave her probably contributed something to it. "My name's Saify, Saify Calling. mind if I ask yours?" She said after a few seconds of silence.

[ClaecElric4God]

/Jenna/Hael/
"Hael Joie," Hael responded promptly, offering the obligatory handshake. "When do we leave?"
Hael brushed aside the odd feeling, deciding it was just a wrong first impression. Or rather, deciding not to care.

[Wolfsong]

/Stephen/Ashimatya/
He dodged the company chasing him, ducking into the shadows of a corner. The people streamed past, and he watched them expressionlessly. When they had gone, he manifested again, glaring their way. Yeesh. Seriously, did they have nothing better to do?
Central was a mess. He knew it was bad, but the neglect was killing it. The walls alone would not stand much longer. And with the people in such a state, it was unlikely tit would be fixed soon. He found it depressing.
"Saify you better hurry," he murmured. "You're the only one left who can whip them back into shape, with Cyrano..." He winced; he remembered Cyrano's face, the last they'd been together...when he'd chosen to protect his brother over "saving the world".
He almost missed the malignant energy building in his chest. Gasping, he stumbled back, clutching the crumbled wall. His breathing intensified, and droplets of sweat beaded on his forehead. "Get down...I don't want you!"
I could find him, if you let me out. We'll both get what we want. came the snake-like whisper from the creature in his soul, his demon come alive.
"Not that way. I won't be a monster!" He forced it down, tuned out its shrieking, and started walking, pulling the hood over his head.
No, not until he'd control over this...thing...did he dare try to reconnect to his friends. He'd just have to keep his distance from Kuna.

/Pierce/Arachni/
He glanced back at Central once before he resumed walking towards the swamps. He remembered Wispy Hollows with surprising fondness. Swamp by day, a lit-up fantasyland at night, he'd always suspected there was something hidden in that place. And about a week ago he'd figured it out - the deepest bog was actually the secret entrance to a special dungeon. After cleaning it out, it made a perfect new hideout. After Serrisol had been compromised, this place made the perfect new home.
It also now housed the most precious thing in the world to him. If only he had known just how important.
Shaka Amity met him at the entrance to the swamp. One of the few still with him, after all the chaos of the past years, even when he had almost turned on them after a betrayal. He greeted her with a smile. "How is she?" he asked.
"There's no sign of improvement," she replied sadly.
He nodded slowly, with no change of expression. "Lets see what I can do today." He grinned side-long at her as he stepped into the swamp. "Ready for a swim?" he asked, grinning.
"Only if I must," she replied. Laughing, he led her into the foliage.

/David/M'kalna/
The village was coming into view. His company, currently a group of ten himself included, marched towards it. The monster he'd named Legend followed after him.
Once inside the village, M'kalna noticed the people seemed gearing up to leave. He considered this a moment, then realized that even if they couldn't get supplies at this time, perhaps they could get a job as guard or something. A good job opportunity, if he could get it.
"Excuse me," he said, catching the sleeve of a passing man. "Can you tell me what's going on?"
"We're preparing to move on to Central," they replied. "Since we should find safety in its walls. The Hero Saify's leading us," he added, his voice dropping almost reverent.
M'kalna nodded. "Where is she?" The man pointed, and he thanked him. Glancing back at his group, he said, "Stay put, guys. I'm gonna see if I can get us a job." and he walked in the direction the man pointed out.
Eventually, he located a woman who matched the description of the hero he'd heard about. The orange skirt and hood were a dead giveaway too, as she always wore that. It had become a sort of signature. There was some other woman with her too. "Excuse me," he said, walking up to Saify. "But I hear you're trying to move the population of this town to Central." He smiled. "Would you happen to require some help? I lead the mercenary company Legion."

[Oddood198]

Saify was about to give Hael an answer, when another voice from behind interrupted her. She turned to give an answer, but found had to practically crane her neck to look to speaker in the eyes. A tall man, to be certain. "Legion? Never head of you." Saify answered briefly, "But, if you can fight, I'll hire the whole lot of you. Once you get to Central with us safely, I'll pay whatever price you name." She stepped back and looked at Hael and the purple-haired mercenary, "We leave in an hour, get ready."

[ClaecElric4God]

/Eric/Zare/
Zare instinctively hunched his shoulders when he heard shouts of "Get him! Traitor! Where did he go?!" and similar exclamations. Ducking into an alley, he watched the crowd go by. Had someone noticed him? He'd had his hood down for all of two seconds when he arrived in town. He was starting to regret his indigo hair. It wasn't exactly good for laying low.
But then he heard "Dark Angel" amongst the shouts. Raising his head, Zare quickly emerged from the shadows, looking around the corner. The crowd was gone, and Zare was left standing in the street by himself. Or was he?
"Ash!" He whispered, wandering down the street and looking down the alleyways. The master of the shadows could be anywhere...
Then Zare saw him a little ways down the street. He was pulling his hood over his head, walking in the other direction. Zare wasn't sure whether to bother him or not. He looked...upset. In fact, he didn't really look okay at all. But Zare couldn't be sure. Maybe it was just his imagination.
Zare decided to walk after him and see if he could get his attention.

/Jenna/Hael/
Hael raised an eyebrow, realizing she didn't like being ordered around. But she didn't say anything, just nodded. In turn, she nodded to the newcomer. She sized him up, deciding he seemed like a useful addition. Especially if he led a mercenary company. That and, he was really tall. That stood out to Hael more than anything.

[Wolfsong]

/Pierce/Arachni/
"So what's your plan now?" Shaka asked as Arachni prepared to leave.
He glanced at her, then shrugged. "Go travel some more I guess. How's the new program going?"
"Slowly. With the game the way it is now, trying to fit it into something it will accept is a real torture."
He nodded understandingly. "Keep at it, for some of these people, its our last chance." and he teleported out.
---
Somehow, it deposited him in some backwater village, and he wasn't quite sure where that was. He debated a moment, then through the hood over his head and entered the place.
Surprisingly, for a such a small town, there was a lot of activity going on. Catching the sleeve of a passerby, he asked what was going on. Upon learning of their moving on, he debated, then asked who was leading the expedition. The answer chilled him to his heart.
"The hero Saify, the one trying to kill the hacker Pierce."
He managed his thanks, then let the man go without asking if she was around. Light, what a place to drop down in. He turned quickly, determined to get out and away before he ran into her. He did not need a duel quite this minute.

/Stephen/Ashimatya/
"Ash!" came a quiet whisper down the street.
Ash whirled around, hand cloaking in something like a dark blade. In a second he made out the cloaked form behind him.
"Who are you?" he demanded, waiting. They weren't approaching to kill him, he didn't think. That voice was familiar...as was that gait. "Zare?" he asked incredulously.

/David/M'kalna/
He grinned, then nodded. "We'll be there." He nodded to the other girl, who struck him as a cool individual. Well, she'd be handy in a fight. He turned and started toward his group.
A little sound started him, and he turned to see Legend was still following him. Grinning to himself, he bent down, picking it up carefully. "Our first job in a while," he said conversationally to it. "I wonder how this one will go."

[Oddood198]

Saify watched her two new recruits, Hael seemed almost bored, and purple-hair was talking to an animal. Wonderful. "I have my own preparations to take care of, meet back up when it's time to depart." She said, then left the two of them to return to the chief's house.
She passed by multitudes of players in the midst of preparing for their long-awaited departure, seeing varieties of emotions displayed across each of their faces. A twinge of fear and doubt struck her heart again, was she fit to lead them at all? What if they ended up all dying under her command? She shook her head. No. She just had to do her best, and everything would fall into place then. Right?
Her thoughts were interrupted as, while walking practically on auto-pilot, she bumped into another player, causing her to stagger off-balance. "Oh, uh, sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." She said, turning around to face the other player. He had a hood over his face, so she couldn't see his features, but something seemed awfully familiar about him. "Hey, I don't think I've seen you here, did you just arrive?" She asked.

[Wolfsong]

/Pierce/Arachni/
He'd gotten forced back by the tide of people. He was trying to figure out a different escape route when someone suddenly bumped into him, almost knocking him back into the flow of people. He managed to regain his balance and escape that perilous position, only to turn and find himself face to face with the last person in the world he wanted to see right now.
"Oh, uh, sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going." She said.
"Me neither apparently," he thought miserably.
"Hey, I don't think I've seen you here, did you just arrive?" She asked.
Heck. Bloody, bloody heck. She surely knew his voice, surely remembered it after all this time. Saify seemed to remember things like that. Especially if she hated the person, and heaven knew she hated him.
Should he run for it? That would be instant suspicion, but at least he'd have a head start. Then again, with all these people...and to dive for a teleportation would also be painting a red sign on his face.
Of course, the second he opened his mouth, she'd surely know him. What a dilemma....
still, remaining silent like this was curious in and of itself. Heck, he'd just go with it and see what happened.
"My apologies," he said, dropping his voice slightly. "You look like...someone I know. Yes, I just came here, trying to learn the recent news."

[Oddood198]

The player Saify had bumped into was awkwardly silent for a few seconds, and just as Saify was about to speak again, he responded, saying she looked similar to someone he knew. She inwardly shrugged, he had probably seen her likeness, at least, she was more than a little famous in Infinite, after all. Still, something did strike her as odd, this player seemed familiar to her, as well, and there was something about his voice...
No, it was nothing. She had probably just been working too hard. "Well, not much news out here, I'm afraid." She said, "We're a ways away from Central and newcomers are scarce. But, we are about to head that way, if you want to join us. Every blade helps, y'know?"

[Wolfsong]

/Pierce/Arachni/
"Well, not much news out here, I'm afraid. We're a ways away from Central and newcomers are scarce. But, we are about to head that way, if you want to join us. Every blade helps, y'know?"
He nodded as if that made perfect sense. Inside, he was choking down a laugh. "You wouldn't be asking if you knew. Quite the opposite, you'd have your spear at my throat." He thought. However, he needed to respond to that. Should he say yes and just disappear beforehand? Should he go along with it? Heaven knew he needed something to laugh at. When he thought about it, though, it was a bad idea. Getting killed was nothing to laugh at, even if he'd secured the log-out function to his character. Only heaven and himself knew how many jumps, cheats, firewalls, loopholes, and every other glitch under the sun he'd had to use to do that. The man who'd drawn this out had been a genius. A mad one, but a genius nonetheless.
"My apologies, but I'm more of a solo player. Large groups of people tend to make me nervous." Not a lie, they certainly did. Anymore. He'd come to respect the power of a large, angry group of people on more than one recent occasion. "I wish you luck. Perhaps we'll meet in Central." He turned to walk away.

OOC - all up to Saify now, your choice Odd.

[Oddood198]

Saify nodded in understanding, a solo player, she could certainly respect that. She'd spent a lot of time, even before Infinite, playing games on her own. "Well, that's OK, I guess. Whatever you prefer. Good luck out there, don't get yourself killed." She said, then she turned and walked away, already turning her mind back to the tasks at hand.
She went back into the chief's hut, once again ignoring the objections of the actual chief, and set to packing away the things she had there. It was mostly maps, a couple quest scrolls, and some random bits of information. Not much worth mentioning. In a few minutes, Saify was done and back outside, waiting for the rest of the player to assemble.


OOC: Dodged a bullet there, Pierce, old boy.

[Wolfsong]

OOC - He is a little careless now and then, isn't he?

/Pierce/Arachni/
It took every ounce of control he had to not give a sigh of relief. As it was, the tension eased off his face. He sneaked a glance back, and saw her entering a hut. She was away. Now he just had to cross the sea of people and he'd be out of this place.
He supposed though, as he worked his way through, ever cautious of the cloak he held tightly to, that under the circumstances he did wish her luck. Like Cyrano, she'd taken an enormous responsibility onto her shoulders. Of course, like Cyrano, she was an idiot for trying to save lives, but then again, so was Pierce for trying to do what he was planning. If it even worked. Trying to create a computer game item, and then force it into a world gone off the technical was a real pain, and one of the greatest challenges he'd ever come across.
Still, if it would save his friend from the death trap they were caught in, it was well worth it.
He was just on the edge when someone else caught in the mass suddenly fell, knocking into the person next to them, setting off a domino effect. He was just about out when someone trod on his cloak and yanked him backwards, right back in with the rest of the mass. A bunch of people were falling, and others were gathering around trying to help those who'd fallen stand.
Arachni sat up, rubbing the back of his head which had struck something hard. He froze, suddenly realizing his head was partially bare. Glancing around quickly as he stood, frantically pulling it back over his head, he started moving quickly away from the crowd. Fortunately, no one had apparently noticed, so he got away mob-free.
He really, really needed to get a more foolproof disguise.

[ClaecElric4God]

/Eric/Zare/
"Whoa! Hold it!" Zare threw out his hand and jumped back a step. Yeah, stalking Ash unannounced probably hadn't been a good idea, in retrospect.
"Yes, it's me!" Zare said quickly, throwing back his hood. "See?" Breathing a sigh of relief that Ash hadn't instinctively killed him on the spot, Zare ran a hand through his hair.
"Well, this is a mess, isn't it?" He commented, looking around at the broken down city. Of course, he was talking as much about them as anything, hiding out in the shadows trying not to be noticed. Even as climactic as the battle had been, this turn of events, with them as wanted criminals, was still hard to take in.


/Jenna/Hael/
Hael had wandered around town for awhile, looking for supplies and trying to prepare for the journey. Annoyingly enough, it seemed that supplies were hard to come by here, and she'd hardly managed to stock up on anything. But what she had would have to do.
When she decided she couldn't get anything more out of this town, Hael went in search of her new "leader". Finding her standing by herself in the street, Hael approached her, coming to stand behind her.
"Are we not ready to depart yet?" She asked, almost feeling a bit impatient. "...Miss Saify," she added as an afterthought.


OOC: Not sure what to do with Jayar. I'm realizing he's not actually of any importance to the story and I really don't know where/if I want to plug him in anywhere. Hm. I'm just not sure how well this plan was thought through.