[03:57] <Wraithstrike> "This is  Brian Williams, reporting from Saint Petersburg. As of 11:34 last night, Ministry of Health officials have declared Moscow under a state of quarantine due to a new disease called "Keyhole syndrome." Early estimates have the current infection count at 1300 and climbing."
[03:59] <Wraithstrike> "Nobody can get into Moscow until this pandemic has been dealt with. Symptoms of the disease include shaking, fainting and hallucinatory images of keyholes appearing on other people's bodies."
[04:00] <Wraithstrike> The news from the American outlets mingles with the Russia Government news, telling the same thing. However, the government news is tight-lipped about the current infection count. The Ambassador turns off the radios and televisions.
[04:00] <Wraithstrike> "Everyone, I'm glad you are healthy. But we need to get into my library and start researching a cure."
[04:05] <Sasha> *Theres a knock at the front door*
[04:06] <Wraithstrike> When the Ambassador opens the door, he is relieved. "Sasha, where have you been?"
[04:07] <Agata> "I only really know the basics of things about the Nocnamora, not more advanced topics," Agata readily admits, "but I will do my best to help out research. Florian," gesturing towards the boy and finding it easier to maintain her composure around him nowadays, "can probably help more."
[04:07] <Wraithstrike> Is Nina at the Ambassador's house, or elsewhere?
[04:07] <Nina> (Depends. Did someone call her ?)
[04:07] <Sasha> *Looks miserable, soaked in unknown fluids and deshreviled* "I had to sneak back into the city through an unusued flood overflow pipe after I heard what happened on the Radio. What's happened?"
[04:07] <Wraithstrike> (Let's say someone did)
[04:08] <Sasha> (If they didn't; send Sasha to go call her on now, easy enough.)
[04:08] <Wraithstrike> (Ok)
[04:08] <Nina> (Well, Sasha has her number. Let's say he called her)
[04:09] * Sergei sits off to the side, thinking about what is going on and how if he hadn't lost that trail maybe things wouldn't be as bad.
[04:09] <Wraithstrike> Sasha: The Ambassador tells you to take a shower, then meet with everyone else in the library. Agata: Florian has several books with him, mostly related to mystical plagues. "I do have some good news."
[04:09] * Nina slams open the door, neglecting to knock, taking a good look all over the room
[04:10] <Nina> Sword boy, you okay ?
[04:10] * Nina is in her schoolclothes, panting a little bit from running
[04:10] <Sasha> *takes off his boots at the door and quickly disappears to go wash off the excess grunge in the bathroom.*
[04:11] <Sasha> *Turns back from going upstairs, looking like he's been dragged through a hedge backwards* "Theres something wrong in the city Nina. This Keylock epidemic can't be natural."
[04:12] <Nina> Huh ? The epidemic ?
[04:12] <Nina> Isn't the government taking care of that ?
[04:12] <Agata> "It is a Nocnamora curse, Nina," Agata readily explains. "Regular people do not know how to cure it."
[04:13] * Nina folds her arms, frowning
[04:13] <Nina> Yeah ? Well neither do I;
[04:13] <Nina> What the hell are we supposed to do about it ?
[04:13] <Wraithstrike> "That is why we are here." The ambassador answers. "I have my library, and my contacts around the country are working on a cure as well."
[04:14] <Sasha> *From upstairs* "Maybe we can find a way working together; or find the person who created it. Curses break when the person who cast them is killed, don't they?"
[04:14] <Agata> "Sasha, the curse from the coin Nocnamora stayed even after we killed it, remember?" Agata reminds him.
[04:14] <Wraithstrike> "Sadly, no. If we break the curse without curing these people, the infected will still be in comas." Florian answers.
[04:14] <Nina> Wouldn't hurt to kick his ass either way.
[04:14] <Nina> And at least, that's what thing I can do !
[04:15] <Nina> one thing*
[04:15] <Sasha> "Maybe its different this time; the coin was the source o-...oh...maybe we could find a magic cure then...somehow."
[04:17] <Agata> "By the way, once we are done with research," Ms. Tatlin chimes in, pointing to a set of oversized boxes in the corner of the room, "those are for you. Better late than never for gifts, and some might be useful to us for our hunting."
[04:17] * Nina glances at the boxes
[04:17] <Nina> We were supposed to bring presents ? Nobody told me we were supposed to bring presents.
[04:19] <Agata> "No, you do not have to. Mine are really just more of equipment for ourselves anyway..." Agata tries to downplay their importance.
[04:19] * Sergei starts heading towards the library to start doing some research while the drama unfolds in the other room.
[04:19] <Nina> Oh. Kay.
[04:20] * Nina shrugs and heads to the library "After our research then, got it"
[04:20] <Nina> Just don't expect me to be any use.
[04:20] <Nina> I mean, you show me a Nocnamora, I show you a pile of ashes.
[04:21] <Nina> But homework, really ? I'm sure you have better people for this than me.
[04:22] <Agata> "Come on, Nina... people all around the city where we live are very sick, we might be able to help them, and you do not want to?" Agata tries to earn sympathy.
[04:22] <Sasha> *Returns having washed off most of the gunk and changed; and put his sword belt on once more.* "...where should we start?"
[04:22] <Wraithstrike> The ambassador bids you follow to his library. Once there, he pulls down a candlestick to reveal the passage to his real library.
[04:23] <Agata> As if deploying a "I thought you were better than this"-esque gesture, she glances towards Florian and heads off to the library.
[04:23] <Nina> Just said I would, princess. All I'm saying is, I'm not gonna be much help.
[04:23] <Sasha> Thank you Nina...*Slightly shame faced* Sorry I wasn't here to prevent this or help up until now everyone.
[04:24] <Agata> "Well, neither will I, but you could be a bit less reluctant," oooooooh, big word, "about it, and try to help however you can," Agata calls back from ahead.
[04:25] <Sasha> *Comes into the Library and begins researching like the Devil*
[04:26] * Sergei followed the Ambassador once he reached the library to the real library and immediately went to work, grabbing up books and starting to read.
[04:26] * Nina grabs a few books as well and begins browsing through them, though she isn't too fast at reading
[04:28] <Agata> Agata is doing her absolute best to comb through books in the library and simply not turning anything up; she is getting lost in obscure titles, sections, and appendices.
[04:30] <Sasha> *Cracks down, apparently wherever  he's been over the new year, until he returned in a hurry he was having a good time, as he looks slightly less withdrawn and more chipper than usual*
[04:32] <Agata> Agata sets down her books--clearly, this was not panning out for her--and moves over to see how the others are faring. "I have had no luck so far; how about everyone else?" she asks aloud. If this was a public library, she would be facing a rock salt shotgun from an umbraged librarian right about now.
[04:33] <Sasha> "...do any of you know what a 'Soul Gaze' is? This book says that Curses can be transferred by them...a warlock called 'Redgrave' came up with it."
[04:33] <Agata> "Ambassador, Florian?" Agata turns to them and queries. "Would either of you know what a 'Soulgaze' is?"
[04:33] <Nina> Never heard of it. What's that gotta do with keyholes ?
[04:34] <Sasha> "Apparently it can effect mortals too..."
[04:34] <Sergei> Yeah, what is this all about?
[04:34] <Wraithstrike> Florian nods. "It is a power usually limited to spellcasters. If a spellcaster and another person lock eyes, each one can see the secrets the other holds. For most mortals, making a soulgaze will paralyze them with new knowledge."
[04:35] <Agata> "I think we can all see that this sort of thing is clearly not meant for regular people..." Agata gives her say.
[04:35] <Sasha> "Does that sound like what happens with the Keylock Curse?"
[04:36] <Nina> Well, the TV isn't saying anything about that sort of thing happening.
[04:36] <Nina> But they're probably suppressing the information.
[04:37] <Agata> "Even if they were not holding information back, I just do not think they could understand what is actually happening," Agata tells Nina.
[04:37] <Sasha> *Looks to the Ambassador for an opinion*
[04:37] <Wraithstrike> "Now imagine what would happen if everyone had a soulgaze with everyone else they met. It would drive them mad."
[04:38] <Agata> "So, people are sharing secrets whenever they look at each other in the eyes, and because this is a power for magic-users and not regular people, bad things happen," Agata gives her understanding of the situation.
[04:38] <Sergei> Sounds frightening. But how exactly are we supposed to counteract something like that if it is related?
[04:38] <Sasha> "Theres a note here...'Find Redgrave's Journal'."
[04:39] <Nina> "Look, I'm not the expert, but aren't you guys jumping to conclusions here ?"
[04:39] <Nina> "All we know is that people see keyholes on other people"
[04:39] <Wraithstrike> "Redgrave's Journal...I think I have a fragment of that. Sergei, would you be so kind as to go to shelf twenty-two and get me the book with the blue binding."
[04:39] <Sasha> "If that's what it is, we can't be sure though."
[04:40] <Sergei> "ok..." He starts moving towards the shelf looking for the book the Ambassador asked for.
[04:40] <Nina> "If we wanted to confirm this, we'd have to ask one of the victims."
[04:41] <Sasha> Have any of them woke up at all?
[04:42] <Nina> "Well they don't just go down immediately, do they ? There's like, all them symptoms, they get dizzy, they see keyholes, and THEN it's off to dreamland."
[04:42] <Wraithstrike> When Sergei returns with the book, the Ambassador opens up the torn pages until he comes across something he was looking for. "Popular wisdom claims that the windows are the eyes to soul. Only for mortals. For mages, it is a door that must be unlocked."
[04:42] <Sasha> "Maybe if we could talk to someone who's infected..."
[04:44] <Agata> "If Florian says they go crazy, talking to one of them might be pointless," Agata reminds Sasha.
[04:45] <Wraithstrike>  He turns to the next page, where it looks like the warlock has written some very angry words. "Damn that Rosa Imperium.  Somehow, that fool in the city got his hands on that flower and recovered from the Soulgaze Curse."
[04:45] <Nina> "Well, you're the ones who know your stuff. I just really don't see the link between that soulgaze business and the plague."
[04:46] <Agata> "Rosa Imperium... Imperial Rose?" Agata suggests upon hearing that, drawing upon her language studies. "It sounds like that flower is our cure."
[04:46] <Agata> "Ambassador, Florian, do either of you know about this flower?" she follows up.
[04:47] <Wraithstrike> Florian looks up at the mention of the rose. "Agata, do you remember that flower I gave you when we first met? That was an Imperial Rose."
[04:47] <Sasha> "Wait; we need to find the cause first...I mean...I just found a book at random, it might be completly the wrong thing, we should do more research...and find someone who's managed to remain sane and get the illness..."
[04:48] <Agata> Agata turns away, pretending to be distracted by a book on a shelf, blushing moderately.
[04:49] <Nina> Hey, Sasha, can I take a look at that book ?
[04:49] <Sasha> *Passes the book over to Nina*
[04:49] <Sergei> Well, where should we start looking then? I doubt the hospitals would allow us in to look for someone like that.
[04:49] * Nina skims through the book, looking for any mention of keyholes in the soulgaze curse
[04:49] <Agata> Agata takes a deep breath and then turns back to Florian, hoping any traces of red have washed away.
[04:50] <Wraithstrike> Nina: The two books mention how the wizard saw human eyes as locked doors.
[04:50] * Nina points to the passage
[04:51] <Agata> "I kept that rose in a refrigerator for flowers... if it can be used as a cure, then Nina and Sasha can try their idea of finding a victim, and then seeing if the flower does anything to affect them, right?"
[04:51] <Nina> Yeah, it doesn't sound like exactly our curse.
[04:51] <Nina> I mean, our victims see multiple keyholes on people's bodies. Here, we have only a single one in the eyes.
[04:51] <Nina> But it's probably something close.
[04:52] <Wraithstrike> Florian responds, first to Nina. "It is often easier to modify an existing curse than to create a new one." to Agata: "It could be useful. However, don't use it wildly. Those flowers are rare."
[04:52] <Sasha> *Looks to the Ambassador* "Do we even know what the Curse does to the Victim...or are they too ill to describe it once it becomes supernatural?"
[04:52] <Agata> Agata's heart is tearing itself over the prospect of sacrificing such a precious keepsake from her crush--no, no, it is nothing like that, she still thinks--but gives in to her desire to propagate the greater good.
[04:54] <Agata> "So... let me get that flower brought to us. We find a victim, and see if using the flower as a cure does anything. If the victim gets better, then the curse is confirmed, and we get more of the flower," Agata suggests.
[04:54] <Agata> "How do we prepare it as a cure, and where can we get more of the flower... F-Florian?" she hesitantly asks him.
[04:54] <Wraithstrike> Sasha: "Redgrave's curse causes a person to slowly go mad, the more eyes they look into. We don't have any cases of madness in this epidemic, but that could have been a modification."
[04:55] <Sasha> "Is there anything else it could be sir? There've got to be dozens of possible causes for something like this."
[04:56] <Wraithstrike> "The Imperial Rose grows in two places that we have any resembling access to. Finland, just below the Arctic Circle and Siberia when the tundra thaws."
[04:56] <Nina> You gotta admit the thing about they keyholes is pretty close, swordboy.
[04:57] <Agata> "If the flower you gave me works on the first victim we find, then I could have my family order from the Siberian cities as many as they can."
[04:57] <Agata> She could... she could just, when this is all over, replace the flower she got from him with a similar one, right? Right? But... no, no, it would not be the same...
[04:57] <Wraithstrike> Sasha "It could be a form of long distance vampirism..." the ambassador responds.
[04:57] <Sasha> "How would that work?"
[04:57] <Nina> So, princess, can your family get us a victim ?
[04:58] <Wraithstrike> Florian: "The best way to use something like this is to crush the flowers into powder, then mix that powder with freshly made whey. This would then be applied topically."
[04:59] <Wraithstrike> "And if you're nervous about hurting my feelings, don't be. This is bigger than both of us."
[05:00] <Agata> Agata turns away and goes slightly red once more. She takes small, controlled breaths--oh, oh, how did he know?--and slowly, slowly draws out her PDA-phone, keeping it in her hands and squeezing.
[05:00] <Sasha> "...how could we get a victim out of Quarentine; that might take longer than we have...and if we choose the wrong cure, then it'll take even longer for us to research another possible cure."
[05:01] <Agata> Turning back and keeping her gaze on the phone, she tries not to respond to Florian, instead speaking to everyone else. "I... would not want to risk infecting my family... but it seems that some people are immune to this curse," Agata tells everyone. "The news showed priests and monks around the city completely fine."
[05:01] <Agata> "If we are going to find a victim, then... well, how do we prevent ourselves from getting infected? Is there some kind of immunity we can gain?"
[05:01] * Nina leans back against a bookshelf
[05:01] <Wraithstrike> "The whole city is in quarantine, with new victims every day. Since the hospitals are full, we could go to any of the churches or monasteries around the city that are serving as temporary patient shelters.
[05:01] <Nina> Sounds good to me.
[05:02] <Wraithstrike> The ambassador hears Sasha's question. "long Distance vampirism would require a chain of magical waystations set up around the city, usually in the form of a crystal or stained glass."
[05:03] <Nina> So...churches ?
[05:03] <Nina> Like, where they send all the victims ?
[05:03] <Nina> Plenty of stained glass there.
[05:04] <Wraithstrike> "They couldn't use churches. if it was long distance vampirism, they'd have to use crystal glass, or large gems to focus the energy being stolen. It's entirely possible that we're dealing with a combination of the two."
[05:05] <Sasha> Maybe we should find a sufferer first...but...we can't take someone out of Quarentine without their consent...
[05:07] <Wraithstrike> "As for questions of immunity, all of us should be safe from direct infection due to our connection with the supernatural. If we are in a place such as a church, we'll be doubly protected."
[05:07] <Nina> Bah. All we have to do is go to church and rub some oil on a guy.
[05:07] <Nina> Just get the cure ready and we can try it.
[05:08] <Agata> "Then we have a preliminary," oooooh, another big word, "plan."
[05:09] <Agata> PDA-phone already in hand, Agata instructs whoever picks it up to have that rose in the refrigerator delivered across the street to Ostozhenka 21. "... and bring a Slap Chop, a meat tenderizer, and some whey," she adds before ending the call.
[05:09] <Sasha> *Seems worried that it won't be as simple as that* "...If you do that, I can see if I can find any of those crystals...if it isn't this causing it...then phone me; and I'll find someone infected to bring back here to research with the help of...how's that work?"
[05:10] <Wraithstrike> Nina: The Ambassador sketches something on a piece of paper. It appears to be some kind of sigil representing a drop of blood sealed inside a crystal. "Sasha, this is the symbol used for those vampiric waystations. Keep your eyes open for it."
[05:11] * Sergei was so caught up in the whirl of activity he kind of let himself drift into silence.
[05:11] <Wraithstrike> "Sergei, could you go with Sasha?" The ambassador asks.
[05:11] <Sergei> "Hmm.. oh, sure. Of course."
[05:12] <Sasha> "It's fine Sir, Sergei and I can cover more area if we go seperate ways and take half the city each."
[05:12] * Nina memorizes the sigil
[05:12] <Nina> I'll take a look as well. Give you some time to get that cure done.
[05:13] <Agata> "Before you leave, please open your boxes and at least get your new shields to protect you," Agata tells the two boys while she puts back her phone. "There are some sap gloves for you too, Sergei."
[05:13] * Sergei studies the sigil carefully so that he doesn't make any mistakes if he sees it.
[05:14] <Sasha> *Takes a bottle of Holy water and the shield with him.* "If it doesn't work, phone me as soon as you can...okay?"
[05:14] <Nina> Hm. Oh, thanks.
[05:14] * Nina takes a look at the box and opens it
[05:14] <Sasha> *Turns back* "Oh and thank you for the Shield Agata *Smiles greatfully*"
[05:16] * Nina unwraps the paper, a faint smile broadening on her face
[05:16] <Nina> Niiiice...
[05:16] <Nina> It's like a wii strap.
[05:16] * Nina puts on the shield
[05:16] * Sergei grabs the box with his name and opens it quickly. He grabs the items Agata suggested along with the phone so he contact everyone.
[05:18] <Agata> "Umm, the phones do not have plans yet. Sorry," Agata glumly informs Sergei.
[05:19] <Agata> "I will wait here until the flower and the tools arrive; then a cure can be made, then we can visit the Cathedral of Christ the Savior."
[05:20] * Nina takes the shield, holy water, and some candy
[05:20] <Nina> I'll have to run a bit to eliminate. See ya around, guys !
[05:21] <Agata> *candy card
[05:21] <Nina> (oh)
[05:21] <Sasha> *Exits stage left*
[05:22] * Nina begins jogging through the city in search of sigils
[05:22] <Agata> Right about now is when Agata steps outside, waits just a quarter of a minute, sees her personal car pull up, approaches it, and is handed through an open window a bag containing the requested items.
[05:23] <Agata> Reagents and tools in hand, Agata makes her way back into the Ambassador's house.
[05:25] <Agata> Agata heads to the kitchen, brings out a cutting board, and gets to work.
[05:26] <Agata> She stares at the cherished rose for a little more than a minute, reminiscing on when she first met Florian, and, holding back tears, separates its petals from the stem.
[05:27] <Agata> It is right about now that she realizes that it would probably be best to leave this task to those with more experience in alchemy, then heads back to the library to fetch either the ambassador or Florian.
[05:28] <Agata> Wiping away metaphorical tears from her heart along the w--oh, come on, Agata's player, even that is growing too sentimental.
[05:30] <Wraithstrike> (Hey! Leave the fourth wall alone! It's unstable enough as it is without you poking at it.)
[05:30] <Agata> "Ambassador, Florian, I have the petals of the Imperial Rose and the whey ready," eagerly announcing to them.
[05:31] <Wraithstrike> Florian takes the ingredients to the Ambassador's laboratory. "I should have something ready in ten minutes."
[05:32] <Agata> Agata makes a mental note that doing what she was about to do in the ambassador's kitchen would have probably been disastrous.
[05:33] <Agata> "I was about to try preparing it in the kitchen myself, but... then I figured that I might mess it up badly," Agata admits to the boy, embarrassed in more ways than one.
[05:34] <Agata> Humbled and curious, she follows him to the ambassador's laboratory; her mind turns back to that precious, precious rose which she had to dismember for the greater good. Oh, the war against the Night Wave demands so much sacrifice...
[05:36] * Nina jogs closer to one of the sigils, curious
[05:36] * Nina decides, after a moment of looking at the sigil, to climb the wall of a nearby antique store, agile as a monkey, to look at the sigil from above
[05:38] <Wraithstrike> Nina parkours up the side of the antique store, bouncing off the walls until she reaches the upper balcony. From here, she can see that the sigil seems to be pointing southeast.
[05:39] * Nina calls up Sasha and Sergei on the phone, asking them to meet up
[05:40] <Sasha> "Where are you?"
[05:40] <Wraithstrike> Agata: Your phone rings twice. It's your mother calling. "Agata, Fyodor has become infected. We are at the Church of Saint John the Warrior. Please come as soon as possible."
[05:40] <Nina> Ovlemov street, near the antique store. You should see this, it's like it's pointing to a direction.
[05:41] <Sasha> *Goes to find her*
[05:41] <Sergei> "I think I know the way. See you soon."
[05:42] <Agata> "Fyodor..." Agata parrots his name, trailing off. "Tell everyone it is going to be alright," Agata's voice struggling to stay serene. "My friends are working on a cure right now. It should be ready in a few minutes."
[05:42] <Agata> "I will be at that church as soon as we have the cure," Agata assures her mother.
[05:43] <Agata> Agata wonders why he was not taken to the nearby Cathedral of Christ the Savior, but then figures that he must have been far away when he was infected.
[05:44] <Agata> "Also, whatever you do, do not look at him. That is a curse, and that is how it can spread," she adds.
[05:45] <Wraithstrike> Nina: You catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of your eye. It's coming right towards you.
[05:45] <Nina> Oh, that's just what I needed.
[05:45] <Wraithstrike> Agata: "Do not look at him. It is a hard thing you ask."
[05:45] * Nina picks up her crowbar and readies her shield
[05:46] * Nina looks around, wary
[05:46] <Wraithstrike> Agata: Florian shouts in victory. "I've got it!"
[05:47] <Agata> "It is very hard, but these demons are cruel..."
[05:48] <Agata> Agata has nothing else to say, and so she ends the call.
[05:48] <Agata> "Florian, my brother has just become afflicted by the curse," Agata informs the boy, grim and serious. "Let us hope that the rose's sacrifice is not in vain."
[05:49] <Agata> If her brother's well-being was not being threatened at the moment, now would be when she turns her head slightly and blushes for saying something so flowery and corny.
[05:50] <Wraithstrike> Nina: The motion is a much larger man, diving at you from the roof above. He has wicked looking claws extended.
[05:50] <Agata> "Bring it with you, and come with me to my car outside," she requests of him.
[05:50] <Nina> "Hah ! Finally, someone to beat up !"
[05:50] <Nina> "Bring it, big guy !"
[05:51] <Wraithstrike> Agata: "Yes, let's go." Florian nods to the Ambassador and follows you outside, cradling the cure in an airtight container.
[05:52] <Wraithstrike> the bigger man crashes through Nina's new shield, tearing it asunder. Once the shield falls apart, he looks you in the eye. "Who are you to get involved in the Night Wave's business?"
[05:53] * Nina looks up at the large man, a glint in her eye and a smirk on her face
[05:53] <Nina> I'm your end, demon !
[05:55] <Wraithstrike> "My end? You cannot even defend yourself. I am General Abaddon and you are just a footnote in my lifetime of victories."
[05:55] <Agata> Once everyone is inside the car, Agata takes a deep breath, and in as serious a tone as possible, commands Maksim: "To the Church of Saint John the Warrior. Fyodor has been infected, but we have a cure."
[05:55] <Agata> Well, she hopes she has the cure...
[05:56] <Nina> We'll see about that, scumbag !
[05:56] <Sasha> *Did Nina turn her phone off by the way? Or can we hear this going down*
[05:56] * Nina jumps from rooftop to rooftop, getting to higher ground
[05:57] <Wraithstrike> (Nina ended the call. You guys will get there in three rounds.)
[05:57] <Sergei> (Is this fight upwind or downwind from me?)
[05:57] <Wraithstrike> (Upwind)
[05:58] <Wraithstrike> Abaddon claps sarcastically. "What are they feeding children these days." His body begins to blur and soon he appears next to you.
[06:01] * Nina winces at the teleporting and continues her parkour routine
[06:03] <Agata> On the way, Agata makes a Google search on her phone, searching for "Rosa Imperium" and "Imperial Rose." If there is no Wikipedia article on the flower in question, then that would make it worryingly obscure...
[06:04] <Wraithstrike> Agata: The drive to the church is quiet, but eventually, you navigate all the health checkpoints, and arrive. Maksim will have to park the car three blocks away.
[06:04] <Nina> That all you can do, big guy ?
[06:05] <Wraithstrike> Nina: Abaddon begins charging energy in the palm of his hand. Inside the energy you can see the faces of hundreds of demons screaming for blood.
[06:08] <Wraithstrike> With Florian following, you make your way in. The priest at the door invites you both in and points out which cot Fyodor is sleeping on.
[06:10] <Wraithstrike> Fyodor's body is shaking, and his skin is drenched in sweat.
[06:12] <Agata> Agata thinks it pointless to attempt to offer him any words while he is in this state. She should save the talk for when he grows better. The girl maintains her calm, looks to Florian, and offers a nod.
[06:15] <Agata> Meanwhile, Agata calls for as many nearby priests as she can find, informing them with absolute honesty that her friend told her that this special flower might be a cure for this demonic sickness.
[06:16] <Agata> They might just follow her out of pity, if only to attempt to console her when it does not work.
[06:16] <Wraithstrike> The priests can see Florian's cat ears, so they know there's something special about it. They give you a pair of  gloves to apply the cure with.
[06:18] <Agata> Agata hands the gloves off to Florian. Again, she would rather leave alchemy to the experts.
[06:19] <Wraithstrike> Florian nods to the priests and starts working. He cuts open Fyodor's shirt with a provided pair of scissors and starts applying the concoction to fyodor's chest.
[06:19] <Wraithstrike>  As he does, Florian tells you and your mother to go sit down and wait. It won't be an instant cure."
[06:20] <Agata> Agata watches extremely intently; she lightly bites her right inner cheek, clasps her hands together, and prays ('s a church; might as well) that this cure works and casts away the Night Wave's fell influence.
[06:20] <Wraithstrike> Nina: the demonheaded fireball tracks you around the rooftops. You dodge it twice, but it comes back around to find you.
[06:22] <Agata> Agata sits down and goes through the long process of explaining her mother everything she can about the curse. She goes over what was discussed in the Ambassador's library, from the keyholes to soulgazes to revealed secrets to vampiric sigils to the potential cure, the flower known as "Rosa Imperium," or the "Imperial Rose."
[06:22] * Nina just as the demonheaded fireball is about to strike her, nina whips around and bats her crowbar at it, destroying it. The turn was a bit strong though, and her wrist cramps
[06:23] <Agata> She finishes off by inquiring regarding the family's connections--business or otherwise--in the Siberian cities, because if this cure works, then it will be imperative that the Tatlins fund a search for as many of these flowers as humanly possible.
[06:23] <Nina> Ha ! You'll have to do better than this to get me ! Come on, throw your best shot at me !
[06:24] * Nina as the demon uses fireball after fireball, Nina dodges time after time, trying to tire the demon out
[06:25] <Wraithstrike> "I never waste my best on mere girls. Nonetheless, you are proving amusing at least." He waves his hand at the rooftop you're standing on. Tiles start ripping from the roof and flying around you at high speed.
[06:26] * Nina is proving to have trouble dodging the wave of fire and must resort to taking cover, abandoning the idea of tiring the demon out
[06:31] <Agata> Agata also adds that, strangely, while Wikipedia and botanical websites were unable to reveal anything on the flower, fanfiction.net--you know, that website where Agata semi-frequently reads stories about shows and video games--has some stories wherein the Rosa Imperium is used to cure diseases.
[06:31] <Wraithstrike> The flying tiles spin towards Nina,impacting her body across the chest and legs.
[06:31] <Sergei> "Y-You..." He growls as he reconizes the voice that is now being directed at hsi new friend. "You attack me and now you attack my friends. Get your ass out here"
[06:33] <Wraithstrike> Abaddon looks down at the new voice. "Oh, it's the little vagrant whelp. I can't beat you to a pulp again. I'm rather busy."
[06:34] <Sergei> "Oh, so you think attacking little girls is worth your time? What a pathetic being you are."
[06:34] * Nina 's voice can be heard from over the rooftops "Get out of here, Sergei ! You can't beat this one !"
[06:35] <Wraithstrike> Before Abaddon can respond, he turns to see the image of a massive gyrfalcon approaching him in a stoop. Sergei can also see the predatory bird attack him.
[06:36] * Sergei was just about to respond to Nina when the giant creature seemed to appear out of nowhere. "What the...?"
[06:37] <Wraithstrike> Abaddon puts up a hasty ward, and the bird crashes against his shield vanishing. But as it does, one of the feathers comes lose, floating up to Nina's location. The illusion fades and the feather turns out to be the Blossom Rod.
[06:38] <Wraithstrike> Sergei, as you look around for the source of the bird, you see a hint of irridescent green fading into a nearby alley.
[06:39] * Nina is panting in exhaustion, scratches all over her arms, and even then you can hear her visibly sneer
[06:39] <Nina> Nice try...Not going to be this easy
[06:39] <Nina> I made a choice...I will rely on my own power !
[06:39] <Wraithstrike> Nina, you look down off the roof, and manage to see a woman in irridescent green fade away from view.
[06:41] * Nina nina ignores the rod, instead gripping her steel weapon harder
[06:41] <Nina> I am magical girl crowbar ! Tremble, demons !
[06:41] * Sergei twitches as the mighty looking creature was just an illusion, but at least that means he wasn't cheated out of a chance to fight this particular foe.
[06:41] <Nina> RAAAAARH
[06:41] * Nina charges
[06:41] <Wraithstrike> Nina, as you say this, Abaddon teleports up to your location. He lifts the roof tiles again, and starts spinning them in air. "So you have friends, little girl. You couldn't defeat me with an army behind you."
[06:43] <Wraithstrike> As Sergei recovers from the shock of the Illusion, sasha joins him.
[06:44] <Sasha> *Quickly takes in the scene; how high up are Nina and the huge man?*
[06:44] <Wraithstrike> * 40 feet above the street, across the street and down three door from where you are*
[06:44] <Nina> (Well, we're basically jumping from rooftop to rooftop all the time)
[06:45] <Nina> (So it varies I guess)
[06:45] <Sasha> *Finds a fire escape and starts climbing up to roof level at top speed, try to find one closer to the fight if I can, but anywhere will do*
[06:46] <Wraithstrike> Sergei climbs with skill few knew he possessed, jumping the final length of the rooftops in a single bound. As he lands, he can see that he's five feet behind Abaddon.
[06:46] * Sergei pants slightly before opening his shield up. "Fight me instead, leave her alone."
[06:50] <Wraithstrike> Sasha soon joins the fray on the rooftop, and faced with three opponents, Abaddon smiles. "So, a pup, a girl with a crowbar and a boy with a toy sword threaten me. This is the best laugh I have had all week."
[06:51] <Nina> We'll see how well you laugh when I've punched your teeth out, asshole.
[06:52] * Sergei growls softly, glaring at the man. "I owe him for almost killing me. He's mine."
[06:52] * Nina snarls
[06:52] <Nina> He ripped my clothes. You can keep him busy if you want, but I'll be the one to kill him.
[06:52] <Sasha> *Remains silent, but has the most serious expression you've ever seen on his face, bordering on stony. Not angry, just scarily unlike Sasha*
[06:54] <Wraithstrike> "No, I think not." Abaddon waves his hand one more time, and an orb of obsidian forms around him. This orb lifts off the ground and blasts off eastward at subsonic speed.
[06:55] <Sasha> *Is there any time to charge/leap in before the orb closes*
[06:55] <Nina> (I think it's his turn now)
[06:56] * Sergei blinks for a moment before slamming his fist into the ground. "Dammit..."
[06:56] <Wraithstrike> As he flies off, all the rooftiles drop back down haphazardly. And now is a good time to notice that Nina is bleeding.
[06:57] <Nina> Coward.
[06:57] * Nina jumps off the roof casually, checking on her shield
[06:57] <Nina> Dammit, that was a good shield.
[06:57] <Sasha> *Notices Nina is Bleeding and suddenly looks concerned* "Nina, are you alright?"
[06:58] <Nina> I just got scratched. More importantly.
[06:58] * Nina points at the sigil
[06:58] <Nina> This is what he didn't want us to mess with.
[06:59] * Sergei grumbles softly as he climbs down to where Nina and Sasha were.
[06:59] <Sasha> *Follows Nina*
[07:00] <Nina> It's pointing southeast. So what do you think, smash it and check in that direction ?
[07:01] <Sasha> *Looks in the direction its pointing* "Definetly; once this is all over, we should also check eastwards, to see if we can find him...how should we destroy it?"
[07:01] * Nina picks up her crowbar and tries to destroy the sigil
[07:02] <Wraithstrike> Back to Agata: After fifteen minutes of waiting, Fyodor's breathing eases, and he opens his eyes. Your mother looks away temporarily, but Florian tells her it's safe. Fyodor reaches for a glass of water, and sits up slowly.
[07:02] <Agata> "Are you feeling better, brother?" Optimism, held back by mild concern, flows through Agata's words.
[07:02] <Agata> She stands up and approaches him.
[07:03] <Wraithstrike> "I think so. I had been called out here by a man I thought was a friend. He said he had information about this plague. Wait a moment...Where's my bodyguard?"
[07:04] <Agata> "I... I am sorry, but I do not know what exactly happened," Agata apologizes, then turns to her mother for a possible answer.
[07:05] <Wraithstrike> "When we found you, Pavel was dead. He had been shot."
[07:06] <Agata> Agata looks down at the floor, sorry for the life that was taken, for a few moments. She lifts her head and turns back to Fyodor with a query. "Who was this man who had betrayed you? This is not something to take lightly, brother."
[07:07] <Agata> Here is where Agata's sense of morality is slightly skewed by mafiya values.
[07:07] <Wraithstrike> "Alexander Gotevich. He killed Pavel and infected me. But he wasn't infected himself."
[07:08] <Agata> "We should investigate him soon, but for now... oh, Fyodor, I am just glad that you are all better and cured." Agata finally gives in, takes a step towards him, and hugs him, regardless of his position.
[07:09] <Wraithstrike> Nina, Sasha and Sergei... you manage to destroy the sigil, and some kind of energy conduit glows in the street, leading to the southwest and into the tunnels."
[07:09] <Wraithstrike> Agata: Fyodor takes your hand. "You and your weird friend cured me. But there are hundreds still in need of a cure."
[07:10] <Agata> After several seconds of hugging her brother, Agata releases and gets down to business. "Mother, our connections in Siberia?" turning to Anastasiya, who has already been given a full explanation of the situation and the mystical flower.
[07:10] <Sasha> *Turns and looks towards the entrance* "...*Back to being quiet* We should go together."
[07:10] <Wraithstrike> "We are already on it. We have put out a cash reward for information or the actual presence of the flowers."
[07:11] <Wraithstrike> "If there are more of these flowers in Russia, we will have them all."
[07:13] * Sergei looks off to the east for a moment before turning back and nodding. "Yes, we should. But first, we should check in."
[07:16] <Sasha> *Phones the Ambassador and tells him what happened*
[07:16] <Agata> "That is great news, mother," Agata responds with much hope in her tone. "Please invest as much money as you can into funding this campaign to search for the flowers and fly them to Moscow, alright?"
[07:17] <Agata> Agata glances towards Fyodor and offers him a sincere smile, before rushing off to call over the priests and show them that, by the lord, the flower did work.
[07:17] <Wraithstrike> Your mother agrees. Florian asks Fyodor about the man who infected him.  "You said he wasn't infected. How did he get you then?" and Fyodor's response is scary.
[07:18] <Wraithstrike> "He had taken samples of blood from the infected and made it into an aerosol spray."
[07:19] <Agata> Agata walks back in just as this response is given.
[07:19] <Agata> "... that sounds bad. Hopefully, our friends should be doing their best to battle the Night Wave's minions right now," Agata tries to reassure everyone present.
[07:19] <Wraithstrike> Sasha: The Ambassador thanks you for your effort. "It looks like it is a combination after all. Follow up on this and make sure to defeat that monster."
[07:19] <Sasha> *Hauls his sword up onto his shoulder, ready to use it and waits for the others by the entrance.*
[07:20] <Wraithstrike> Fyodor: "Even if we cure everyone who's infected, there is at least one man out there with a weaponized version of this plague."
[07:20] <Agata> "We can tip the police and the [whatever replaced the KGB] off to that," Agata suggests, "and I can tell my friends too."
[07:21] <Agata> Agata brings out her PDA-phone and begins to rapidly type up a message of her side of the operation--the successful cure, the campaign for the flowers in Siberia, and the lunatic with a spray can of the plague--then sends it off to Sasha, Nina, the Ambassador, and just so that the boy can have a copy, Florian.
[07:22] * Sergei cracks his knuckles through his new gloves.
[07:22] <Agata> "That is all we can really do about it for now..." followed by a sigh.
[07:23] <Agata> "Say, Florian, how are we supposed to manufacture antidotes for this curse wholesale?" Ooooooh, business term. "We cannot really have you make antidote after antidote in the ambassador's lab..."
[07:24] <Sasha> *Assuming Nina is coming, we head into the tunnel I guess*
[07:24] <Wraithstrike> Florian: "I'm sure there are a few strings I can pull with the White Council. They have dedicated alchemists for situations such as these."
[07:25] <Agata> Right about now is when Sasha and Nina receive messages confirming that, yes, the flower is the cure, there will be many more of the flowers shipped to Moscow, and there is a lunatic with the curse in a spray can, spreading it around the city.
[07:26] <Agata> "The White Council..." oh, right, Florian mentioned them in his lessons, "right, those wizards. As long as they do not demand anything heavy in return, then it should be alright. Thank you so much for curing my brother and helping even more people get well, Florian," smiling towards him and, unknowingly, mildly blushing.
[07:28] <Agata> "So..." stepping back and announcing to her mother, her brother, and the half-cat, "Let us return to Ostozhenka Street, shall we?"
[07:29] <Wraithstrike> Our three other heroes follow the trail from the sigil into the underground tunnels. As you enter, Sergei hears it first, and everyone else soon after. a long roar fills the tunnels, dopplering from deeper in.
[07:29] * Sergei shakes his head, annoyed as hell that he didn't get a chance to punch that guy in the face for what he ahd doen to him. "So... Nina, did he ever tell you his name or was he all business?"
[07:30] * Nina shrugs "Guy called himself Abaddon."
[07:30] * Sergei jerks his head just as he had finished speaking, turning and trying to find the direction it came from."
[07:33] <Sasha> *Continues walking on.* "I wonder what he was."
[07:34] <Nina> All that energy has to go somewhere.
[07:34] <Nina> Just stay on your guard.
[07:34] <Agata> As Agata and company are driven back to the street where both the Tatlin estate and the Ambassador's house lie, Agata reminds her mother to tip the police and [whatever replaced the KGB] off to one Alexander Gotevich, who is spreading the infection via bioweapons. And to add money to help motivate their investigation.
[07:35] * Sergei continues to walk with the group, keeping an eye, ear, and if possible without hurting my self a nose open. "Whatever he is, he is extremely dangerous and will get beaten down if I get a chance."
[07:36] <Sergei> "Maybe we should let the Ambassador know our foe's name though just in case he knows of him."
[07:37] <Sasha> "You might not be able to phone him in these tunnels."
[07:39] <Wraithstrike> Sergei picks up a scent of blood down a short slope and around the corner to the left.
[07:40] <Sergei> "Shh..." He signals the other to follow him slowly as he makes his way towards the corner where the scent came from.
[07:40] <Sasha> *Look to Sergei and follow quietly*
[07:41] * Nina follows as well
[07:42] <Wraithstrike> As you round the corner, the tunnel drops off into what used to be a water treatment plant. Down in a large pit, a series of crystals feed energy towards the creature in the center.
[07:43] <Wraithstrike> This monster has twenty legs, and twelve other appendages, each one seeming to have a key as the terminus. Its jaws are located on the top half of its body and its into here that all that energy is flowing.
[07:44] * Sergei 's eyes go wide upon seeing the creature. He manages to whisper softly to the others. "I hope we can handle this. This thing is huge."
[07:46] <Wraithstrike> As of yet, the strange shadowy things moving around the pit haven't noticed you yet.
[07:47] <Sasha> *Pours a splash of holy water down the edge of the sword*
[07:47] * Sergei reaches into his pocket for the holy water that Agata seems to almost be psychicly pummeling him to remember to use and applies it to his gloves, hoping it actually does soemthing more than just make his hands wet.
[07:48] * Nina looks confused for a moment, then imitates the other two, pouring holy water on her crowbar
[08:00] <Sergei> "Here goes nothing..." He dashes out from the relative safety of the corner and starts around the scaffolding where the creature awaits him, making as much noise as he can to try and draw attention for the others to not be accosted on their way to join him.
[08:02] <Wraithstrike> The creature is very interest by your presence. All its Keytentacles seem to open up, revealing eyes in each one. The tentacles follow Sergei around the room.
[08:08] * Nina nina takes a few steps back, stretching, and tightening her grip on her crowbar and trashcan lid, gathering her strength
[08:13] <Sasha> *Takes a charging leap into the monster*
[08:18] <Wraithstrike> Imbued by the hopes of millions and with a twice-holy sword, Sasha plunges through the body of the Nocnamora, cutting clean through to the other side.
[08:18] <Wraithstrike> The Noc responds with a bellow that shakes the tunnel and tries to heal itself the best way it knows how. By splitting into two smaller Nocs.
[08:19] <Sasha> *Gives off a shout; for the thousands currently in comas from what's happened here, a noise made of rightious fury; and anger.*
[08:19] <Wraithstrike> Now between two still very large, but significantly less powerful Nocs, Sasha's blade glows an electric blue, and it can be seen by the others.
[08:21] <Sergei> "Oh, come on... That is just cheating. Oh well. Can't let Sasha have all the fun." Steps up to one of the newly split Nocs, prepared to punch it into oblivion.
[08:35] <Wraithstrike> Sergei's fist crushes the half of the Nocnamora's body nearest him. This leaves only one half left to attack Sasha. With one of its remaining keywhips, it fires a beam in Sasha's direction.
[08:35] <Wraithstrike> This beam carries with it images of people's sins.
[08:43] <Wraithstrike> The beam strikes Sasha, and his eyes are opened to the secrets of hundreds of the nocnamora's victims. He can see every sin they've committed and the faces of everyone they hurt.
[08:44] * Nina Nina takes a few steps back, then begins running at full speed towards the pit
[08:53] * Sergei moves over to help Sasha with the other half.
[09:13] * Sergei stumbles as he attempts to punch the Noc that Sasha was fighting.
[09:14] <Wraithstrike> Sergei still manages to strike the Nocnamora, shaking its body and doing some damage.
[09:15] <Wraithstrike> The Noc turns its key eyes towards Sergei.
[09:22] <Wraithstrike> Sergei's mind is immediately overwhelmed, and he collapses on the ground. But at this moment, Nina comes down with her holy crowbar.
[09:27] * Nina : With a battlecry, Nina leaps from above, her holy crowbar in hand, focusing all of her strength in this one blow, bearing down on the monster with a megaton of force
[09:28] <Wraithstrike> Nina smashes the monster with her crowbar, which breaks off seven inches into the flesh of the Nocnamora.
[09:29] <Nina> DIIIIIIIIIIE !
[09:30] * Nina utterly destroys the monster with the impact of her blow, splashing herself and everyone around her in ectoplasmic gore
[09:30] <Nina> is left panting in the middle of a mess of Nocnamora
[09:30] * Nina *
[09:30] <Wraithstrike> And now a very tired Nina is holding 30% of a crowbar.
[09:33] <Wraithstrike> The Nocnamora is defeated. Elsewhere in Moscow, trucks carrying a rare flower are crossing the quarantine border.
[09:34] <Agata> The truckers have somehow managed to defeat the airplane pilots in a race across Siberia; such is the power of big rigs.
[09:35] <Sasha> Never underestimate the power of a Convoy.
[09:35] * Nina takes a while to recover her breath "You...(pant) okay, Swordboy ?"
[09:36] <Sasha> *Panting and heavily flushed, the sword still glowing in his hand* "Yeah; I'm, I'm okay...are you hurt?"
[09:37] <Nina> I'm...I'm fine. Where's Sergei ?
[09:38] <Sasha> *Look around* "Sergei? You alright?" *Climb out the pit; to check what those things we saw before in the shadows were*
[09:38] * Nina looks around before noticing Sergei's unconscious body under a pile of ectoplasmic goo
[09:38] <Nina> Oh crap...Sergei !
[09:39] * Nina runs towards Sergei and tries to check his pulse
[09:39] <Sasha> *Looks back from half way up the ladder; and looks shocked, he slides down it* "Oh!...check if his lungs are clear...theres so much gunk around...maybe its in his lungs."
[09:40] <Nina> What ? How do I check his lungs ?
[09:40] * Nina tries to clear the goo off Sergei, but is clearly not sure how to proceed
[09:41] <Sasha> "Umm...you, turn him upside down and pat him hard on the back; that works! I'll help."
[09:41] <Sasha> *Assits if Nina goes to try and lift him; despite being about half the size of Sergei*
[09:41] * Nina picks up Sergei with one hand and taps him on the back as hard as she can
[09:42] <Nina> (Nina is stupidly strong for a kid)
[09:44] <Nina> It's not working !
[09:44] <Nina> Do I hit him harder ? What do I do ?
[09:45] <Sasha> "...he was hit by that beam wasn't he...*Frowns and slowly legs go of Sergei*...we...need to get him back home."
[09:45] <Nina> Are you sure...is he even alive ?
[09:46] <Sasha> *Checks; Wraithstrike, is Sergei alive?*
[09:46] <Nina> Oh god, what if the nocnamora killed him ?
[09:47] <Sasha> "...I don't think he's dead." *Quietly; quieter than usual* "He just coughed up some stuff...but...we need to get him home."
[09:47] <Wraithstrike> *He's breathing, but he's shaking as if he's seen something horrible
[09:47] <Sasha> *Seems seriously worried for Sergei*
[09:47] <Sasha> "Put him down Nina, please?"
[09:47] * Nina puts Sergei down
[09:48] <Sasha> *Gently pulls Sergei into the upright position and pulls him over to by the wall, very, very gentle. Then takes off his Coat, and places it over Sergei with tenderness*
[09:48] <Sasha> *And kneels and whispers something to him*
[09:49] <Nina> Can you do something ? You've got all that holy stuff, can't you just...magic him up ?
[09:51] <Sasha> " *Looks over and shakes his head; you now notice that Sasha is on the verge of tears himself and shaking, not as much as Sergei is, but he still looks like whatever it is, is slowly sinking in* No, he'll be alright...stay here with him, please? I'll go check if the way is clear...is that alright?"
[09:51] <Sasha> *quieter than usual and getting quieter with each sentence*
[09:51] <Nina> I...no ! We have to get him out of here, now !
[09:54] * Sergei is trying to come back to himself, trying to focus on the voices around him. He doesn't even know it is the voices of his new friends yet, but he latches onto them anyways.
[09:55] <Nina> I'm getting him the hell out of this damned place !
[09:55] <Sasha> Nina, wait; we can't move him yet, he needs a minute.
[09:56] * Nina is about to pick up Sergei, but stops
[09:56] <Sasha> Just...give him a few minutes; he's not hurt...physically, please; trust me?
[09:56] <Nina> ...
[09:56] * Nina "...Okay"
[09:56] <Nina> *
[09:57] * Nina seems confused and lost
[09:57] <Sasha> ...would I ever risk any of your lives? The best we can do for him right now is just...be here; and make sure he's safe.
[09:57] <Sasha> *Smiles, weakly.* "Thank you for trusting me so much Nina."
[09:58] <Sasha> *Then sits down next to Sergei, and quietly begins whispering to him again; too quiet to be heard*
[09:58] * Nina regains her annoying, brash attitude very soon "You better be right, sword boy. If he dies because of this, I'm going to fucking kick your ass !"
[09:58] * Nina then sits down as well
[10:00] <Agata> Also elsewhere in Moscow, a twelve-year-old girl, her family, her half-fae friend, and the ambassador of Egypt to Russia all breathe a collective, metaphorical sigh of relief upon the arrival of the shipments of the Rosa Imperium. The speed at which they were gathered is mind-boggling, and there will surely more arriving by plane in the days to come.
[10:00] <Agata> The youngest scion of the Tatlin family is currently suggesting to her associates, that 12after the cures are made (so that riots over "We want our cures 4now!" do not erupt all over Moscow), a media campaign should be funded.
[10:00] <Agata> This should raise global awareness of the plague that had spread all over the city and the enigmatic flower that had somehow cured it. Details on Mr. Alexander Gotevich should be fully suppressed (have some money, police), so that people do not chalk it up to "Just some terrorist with a bioweapon." If it is handled properly, people's eyes might flutter ever so slightly more open to the supernatural.
[10:01] <Sasha> *...after a while, without any real change; Sasha seems to decide he's said enough and trails off into silence...then he gets up* "...now I'll go check, if the way out is clear...just, stay here; and make sure he knows you're here...that should be enough."
[10:01] * Sergei blinks his eyes slowly, refocusing at least a bit. The soft voice begins again, whispering to him forcing the horrible images away.
[10:02] * Nina nods, sitting closer to Sergei
[10:03] <Nina> I swear to god, if you live through this, I am going to kill you for making me worry like that.
[10:03] <Wraithstrike> It takes thirty minutes before Sergei is able to get up under his own power. The images won't leave so suddenly.
[10:03] <Sasha> * Gently takes Sergei's hand and squeezes it.* "...it's alright Sergei, I'll be back soon...then we can go home. Nina's here too. So don't worry...you know Nina is good and kind." *Strange thing to add at the end, then goes up the ladder.*
[10:06] <Sasha> "...It's clear; once Sergei is alright...we'll go. *Comes back down and takes his place on the other side of Sergei again* ...are you sure you're okay Nina?...the beam didn't...hit you did it?"
[10:07] <Nina> I said I'm fine ! Stop worrying about me all the time.
[10:08] <Sasha> *Physically shrinks back as you shout...which is definetly not right; Sasha is usually a /bit/ soft, but even he's made of sterner stuff than that. He then pulls his legs up and wraps his arms around them, huddling into a ball* " *His voice cracks, kind of like someone who's trying to stop themselves crying* Sorry."
[10:09] * Nina notices Sasha retreating like this and immediately falls into silence, unsure of what to do
[10:11] * Wraithstrike (~IceChat77@MagicStar-781581C3.hsd1.ma.comcast.net) Quit (Disintegrated: Copywight 2007 Elmer Fudd. All wights wesewved.)
[10:13] <Agata> Agata takes the time to send out text messages to Nina and Sergei, following up on her previous message: "We now have trucks carrying Rosa Imperium; we are getting some wizards of the White Council to help make antidotes, and more of the flower should come in a few days!"
[10:14] <Sergei> About 15 minutes later he shakes his head and groans. "My head..."
[10:16] <Sasha> *Doesn't reply, he's sort of curled in on himself, tucking his head down, his knees up and his arms and hair cover his face. Which is what Sergei will see when he comes around 15 minutes later, until Sasha looks up.* "Sergei...are you okay?"
[10:17] <Sergei> "I think so..." A few of the images he saw flash into his head. "Oh god, what was that?"
[10:18] <Nina> Sergei ? Holy fuck, are you okay ?
[10:18] <Sasha> "...it'll be alright; those are just the bad ones...remember that and its not so bad....... *Trails off*"
[10:19] <Nina> Sasha, you're acting weird. I don't know what I said but...I'm sorry, okay ?
[10:20] * Nina helps Sergei up
[10:20] <Sergei> "I think so... but those images were horrible."
[10:20] <Sasha> *Very quietly* "It's okay Nina, it's not your fault. There's no need to worry about me, I'm fine...Help Sergei first." *Evidently there is, and he is not.*
[10:21] <Nina> Images...? Well, whatever. We have to get you out of here, this is a bad place.
[10:21] <Nina> Can you walk ?
[10:21] <Sasha> *Offers Sergei an arm silently incase he can't*
[10:24] * Sergei pulls himself up, stumbling a bit but catching himself. "I can walk, but just give me a little bit of time."
[10:28] <Sasha> "...I'm going to go wait up top; if that's alright...I have some money, we could all go for something to eat, if you wanted. To Celebrate. *Not that enthusiastic, but puts some effort into it, and gives a smile; then climbs up the ladder*"
[10:30] <Sergei> "You can go ahead... I'll be there as soon as I can."
[10:31] <Sasha> *Quietly Phones Agata* "Agata; we might meet up for something to eat soon, to celebrate...would you like to come join us?"
[10:34] <Agata> "I think we should celebrate at the ambassador's house. The curse is still all over the city, and the ambassador's residence is a threshold, so it should be safe there. Oh, and the rest of your gifts are still in the boxes there too," Agata responds in a happy, slightly victorious tone. "Did you manage to find anything? Defeat a Nocnamora, maybe?"
[10:36] <Sasha> "We managed to find it and stop it *Seems quieter than usual over the phone* I...was thinking we could go somewhere quieter, before we headed back to Mr Saad's house...if that's alright."
[10:36] <Agata> "Hmmm?" Agata makes note of Sasha's quiet, hesitant tone. "Did something happen? Are you, Nina, and Sergei alright?"
[10:37] <Sasha> "I'm okay. Sergei was shaken up a little. Nina is safe. It was...no... *Quietly says something into the phone*"
[10:38] <Sasha> "The Nocnamora used its soul gaze on me..."
[10:38] <Sasha> *Incredibly quiet and very, very upset; by his voice its pretty obvious that something inside him is seriously hurting*
[10:39] <Sasha> *And he's trying to open up a little bit, leaving himself vulnerable*
[10:39] <Sasha> "It was some sort of beam...thing."
[10:39] <Agata> "... is that going to harm you in the long term?" Agata maintains her voice's regular volume, although her tone is quite concerned. "Should I tell the ambassador and ask him about treatment?"
[10:40] <Sasha> "...I don't know...I...I think I'll be okay. But it was...it was like...imagine if you could see the worst in someone, all the nasty things they've said; all the cruel thoughts they've had; all the bad things they've done; it was like a concentrated beam of that...but with hundreds of people..." *Sniff* "Sorry."
[10:43] <Agata> "... I really do not know what I am supposed to say, other than... 'It is going to be alright, and you have friends who can help you wash away anything that might have touched you.' I am sorry, Sasha," apologetic in her tone.
[10:44] <Sasha> "Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything...sorry for making you worry. *Tiny, shameful cough*...everyone is going to be okay then?"
[10:45] <Agata> "Yes, but I really think that I should tell the ambassador. He will know how serious it is." Agata sounds insistent on such.
[10:46] <Sasha> "No, it's alright...I don't want to worry him. Tell him to make sure Sergei is okay, he was hit by it more than I was...I'll...I'll be alright. Thank you Agata...you're amazing, you know; I've never known anyone who's always as in control as you are; and so able to...deal with things *Honest respect in his voice*
[10:48] <Agata> "... Sasha, you are reminding me of a character from a video game I played alongside my classmates once." As ridiculous as this statement is, Agata speaks it dead seriously. "Like you, she was kind and helpful, and because she never wanted to worry anyone, she never told her friends about serious problems and serious sicknesses."
[10:50] <Agata> Agata pauses and gathers her thoughts. Even she is embarrassed by how absurd the concept of this analogy is. "It did not end well for her, until she realized that it was alright to confide in others about her problems... and that people naturally want to help their friends out of their problems, instead of growing worried and doing nothing about it."
[10:52] <Sasha> *Quiet; you're not sure if he's listening or if the phone has died until he gives a tiny cough*
[10:53] <Agata> "Sasha, you are confiding in me right now, and I want to help you. You worry me, yes, but it is just part of why friends and family want to help each other. Do you not think that if you told your future father, he would want to help too?" Agata tries to apply a combination of both emotion and logic to her argument.
[10:54] <Sasha> "...okay; I'll talk to him about it. I promise. I'm sorry I'm so quiet and make others worry about me... Thank you though."
[10:57] <Agata> "Sasha, do not be afraid to tell your friends and family about your problems. It is alright to be quiet most of the time, but if something is bothering you, or you are hurt deep down inside... please, speak to those who care about you, alright?"
[10:58] <Sasha> "Okay; sorry. Umm...it'd still be nice if we could all have something to eat together though...I meant that..."
[11:00] <Agata> "Well... there is the ambassador's house, and then there is my house..." Agata lists two possible eating locations off the top of her metaphorical head, "Public restaurants are probably all closed."
[11:01] <Sasha> "Alright; we'll meet at the Ambassador's house. I'll cook us all something to eat together..."
[11:02] <Sasha> "I have to go check on Sergei and Nina...I hope you'll come."
[11:03] <Agata> "It is just across my own house, so I will be there. Worry not, Sasha," Agata responds in a serene, assuring voice.
[11:03] <Sasha> "Okay; goodbye. Sorry." *Hangs up*
[11:06] <Agata> "He really does sound like Colette sometimes..." Agata mutters to herself as she places back her phone, then gives an awkward look towards her mother Anastasiya, her brother Fyodor, and Florian, all gathered in one of her estate's many living rooms.
[11:54] <Agata> Wait a minute. If Sasha was like 12that, and he said that Sergei was hit even more by the Nocnamora's Soulgaze...
[11:56] <Agata> She draws her phone from her pocket once more and hits up the ambassador's number. Sasha did specifically request that she inform the ambassador about Sergei, so, she should do so and mention that the others may have also been affected.