Shyft

[15:48] <Clarence|ST> Gandr can see the broken glass towers of Chairoscuro closing in from the horizon, his more-than-diligent running leaves footprints on the rich savannah.
[15:49] <Clarence|ST> Upon much further running, Gandr can see a Garrison infront of the only obvious entrance to Chairoscuro, a fair amount of guards in Realm-lookin' armour standing vigilant over their newly claimed glass Capital.
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06[15:50] * Gandr is a bit of a mess. His journey - somewhere in the origin of 3000 miles from the eastern lands to Chairoscuro - has thinned his already-slim frame into something slightly less than healthy, but, where a normal man would falter and cease, the blessing of the sun instead flows into his form, reshaping the wasted flesh of his body with the raw power of sun.
[15:52] <Gandr> "Hm."
06[15:52] * Gandr considers his position a moment.
06[15:53] * Gandr On one hand, he does not feel for killing anyone but the man he came here for.
06[15:54] * Gandr On the other hand, he's got no time for dilly-dallying about.
06[15:55] * Gandr stops his motion for a bit, and puts a hand above his eyes -  how does the garrison look ?
[15:57] <Clarence|ST> The garrison looks VERY makeshift, but has a fair amount of manpower behind it. You can see around 6 guards stationed in the front, all wondering what the hell some Easterner in a loincloth and buttless chaps is doing looking at them. Behind them, you assume there are more soldiers, perhaps a few archers scattered.
06[15:57] * Gandr Makeshift ?
06[15:57] * Gandr Kindling for the flames.
[15:58] <Clarence|ST> The walls are 15 feet tall, if anyone's wondering.
06[15:58] * Gandr resumes his path, and strides toward the gate ... is it closed ?
[15:59] <Clarence|ST> It is broken, so it is unable to be closed. A couple guards start yelling something in a harsh, flickering language at you while putting their hands on their weapons.
06[16:01] * Gandr strides on. If the guards want in on this, they're welcome to do so - otherwise, there's more important blood to spill.
06[16:01] * Gandr pause.
[16:02] <Clarence|ST> They converge around you, and draw their weapons, while still yelling at you.
06[16:07] * Gandr stops at their drawn points. He breathes out, and breathes in, and with the breath that is like The First And The Second, he draws upon the mandate of Sol. His skin thickens to iron.
[16:09] <Clarence|ST> They stop for a second, and CONTINUE YELLING
[16:09] <Clarence|ST> LOUD NOISES
[16:09] <Gandr> "I don't want to kill you."
[16:09] <Gandr> "Do you understand me ?"
[16:10] <Clarence|ST> They look to eachother, and yell back at the garrison in a very different language.
[16:10] <Clarence|ST> They step back from Gandr.
[16:10] <Clarence|ST> Just one.
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06[16:10] * Gandr looks satisfied. If they spread, he passes. If not, well ...
[16:10] <Clarence|ST> Soon, a slightly ganglier man walks forward.
[16:11] <Clarence|ST> He is still in armour.
06[16:11] * Gandr Is this Akier ?
[16:11] <Clarence|ST> "What you want?" He says in riverspeak, albiet with a fast, choppy accent.
[16:11] <Clarence|ST> It is not Akier
[16:12] <Clarence|ST> He doesn't look impressive enough
[16:12] <Gandr> "I want Akier."
[16:12] <Clarence|ST> "Why?" He doesn't look impressed, either.
06[16:13] * Gandr waits a heartbeat, and then another. Does it appear as though Akier will be produced ?
[16:13] <Gandr> "Duels. I have heard he is a great warrior and I wish to test my skill."
[16:14] <Clarence|ST> "HA. HA HA. You make me laugh. Go away, stupid naked man and you can live."
06[16:14] * Gandr continues to walk forward.
[16:14] <Gandr> "I'm glad you think it is funny. I would hate for your death to be a moment of sadness."
06[16:14] * Gandr still walks forward, ignoring the guards.
[16:15] <Gandr> "Akier. Where is he ?"
[16:16] <Clarence|ST> "I do not think you hear." He brandishes his spear, and pokes it at Gandr's chest. "Leave, thick brown man."
06[16:18] * Soul , 3000 miles away, inexplicably says out loud to everyone nearby, "That's what SHE said." For no apparent reason. This confuses him as well.
[16:18] <Gandr> "Though your words and mine are the same, I do not think we speak this language well. Let us try another one.
[16:18] <Gandr> "
06[16:19] * Gandr the chains, so far hefted around his waist and over his shoulders, come alive at once and seem to melt into his grasp. From one moment to another, Gandr goes from being a nearly-naked but unarmed lunatic to a guy who seems to be pretty fucking deadly.
[16:20] <Clarence|ST> The man who can riverspeak yells! THE GUARDS ALL BRANDISH THEIR WEAPONS AND CIRCLE AROUND GANDR
[16:20] <Gandr> "Here's a hint: tomorrow's death toll will be equal the exact number of people you send at me today."
02[16:22] * Gandr (Garlic@CD98405B.38706E19.138A7FAC.IP) Quit (Quit:  Try HydraIRC -> http://www.hydrairc.com <-)
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06[16:24] * Gandr steps into the first shape of battle, snake hissing at the heels.
06[16:25] * Gandr The iron-hide animal moves slowly, lethargic at first.
06[16:26] * Gandr It is easy to follow it with the eyes, graceful though it is.
06[16:26] * Gandr it is ALSO a ruse. Next thing you know, there's snake, blood and screams everywhere.
06[16:30] * Gandr A single movement brings momentum to bear. Where before was deathly quiet is now the rust-red laughter of blood on iron, and the sinking feeling that MAYBE YOU PICKED THE WRONG DAY TO GET OUT OF BED, CHINA-MAN.
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[16:39] <Clarence|ST> The man who speaks with rivers is torn into gory bits of ex-man and armour. Five men around him stand resolute, but one drops his weapons and runs like a pansy.
[16:41] <Clarence|ST> The five men charge at Gandr, swords chopping away with vigor!
[16:43] <Clarence|ST> And they're all brushed away by masterful clinks of chain parry.
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[16:44] <Clarence|ST> EXCEPT FOR ONE THAT LOOKS LIKE IT'S GONNA GET IN!
[16:46] <Clarence|ST> Which it doesn't.
[16:46] <Clarence|ST> The five all appear on opposite sides of Gandr, and move in for another batch of strikes!
[16:50] <Clarence|ST> The blades lick Gandr's form, but even though they clearly connect, THEY DO NOTHING TO THE MAN'S EXPOSED FLESH.
06[16:52] * Gandr takes a step and another, the first to control the snake, the second to send it into movement again -  yet he holds his anger a moment yet.
[16:53] <Clarence|ST> They chat amongst themselves in dramatic battle time. If you could understand what they were saying, I'm sure it would help set the scene.
06[16:53] * Gandr seems as though he was to say something, but grits his teeth knowing that they would not understand. Instead, he calls upon his powers of non-verbal communication.
06[16:54] * Gandr strikes a short pose and glares in a way that says, "I don't want to brutally dismember all of you and scatter the bloody chunks over the rooftops of Chairoscuro, but DAMNIT I WILL IF YOU FORCE ME TO."
06[16:55] * Gandr waits another moment, trying to gauge whether or not his expertly-crafted eye-talk got through at all.
[16:55] <Clarence|ST> They look hesitant, but you can tell they arn't very adept at ocular linguistics.
[16:55] <Gandr> "Oh well. I tried."
06[16:57] * Gandr The mist of red hasn't yet settled on the warm chunky-salsa corpse of the spearman, and already ferrous death whistles through the air and through the men. Gandr does not smile as they fall; they are not his enemies, merely obstacles.
[17:03] <Clarence|ST> Two are relieved of a few of their limbs, and are left bleeding horrendously and screaming in pain. One is absolutely decimated in half, so that makes around 20 pieces strewn around Gandr.
[17:04] <Clarence|ST> Two are left. They are... MORE than hesitant.
[17:05] <Clarence|ST> They say something that sounds awefully rehearsed, and attack at the same time, going for the throat.
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06[17:11] * Gandr crouches low and stretches his chain. The swords, intent on conquests of the flesh, are caught inescapably. Long and metal that they are, the weapons - sword, chain, sword - commune in the span of a breath and then, two yield to one; Gandr twists his hands every each way and the swords obediently snap like twigs.
06[17:14] * Gandr spins his chain once and it circles his chest once again ... the only difference is that it is rather gory now, but that's not a problem. The two living guards, however ... Gandr steps once, standing and staring at both guards; he grabs them by the collars of their uniforms and hoists them high; There's no honor in the death of those who are just trying to do their job, and Gandr discards them to the sides like so much trash, bef
[17:14] <Gandr> he grabs them by the collars of their uniforms and hoists them high; There's no honor in the death of those who are just trying to do their job, and Gandr discards them to the sides like so much trash, before moving on.
06[17:15] * Gandr There is more important blood to spill in Chiaroscuro.
[17:18] <Clarence|ST> The city behind the gate looks like it's in a small state of panic, far more Soldiers are lining up behind the Gate, so many they seem to go on forever.
06[17:19] * Gandr Chiaroscuro is a big city; but it is a city of glass, and Gandr flares his anima to bring some light to the mirror-surfaces of the glass city.
[17:21] <Clarence|ST> They brace.
[17:21] <Clarence|ST> You can see the waves of panic washing over their faces.
06[17:24] * Gandr is not openly armed; he walks barehanded into the city, bellowing and bellowing one name over and over, each syllable punctuated by the radiance of the ascending dawn of his every footstep.
06[17:24] * Gandr Sol Invictus has come to Chiaroscuro, and it's fucking pissed.
[17:25] <Clarence|ST> A woman in blue armour stands at the front of the military unit. She leads the charge directly at Gandr.
[17:28] <Clarence|ST> *Black armour
[17:28] <Clarence|ST> She seems goddamn angry, seemingly wielding nothing but very, very large Gauntlets.
[17:28] <Clarence|ST> And of course the armour
[17:28] <Clarence|ST> But mostly GAUNTLETS
06[17:29] * Gandr reacts far faster than what he would normally, the chains lashing out smoothly like the sides of a silver arrow;
[17:29] <Gandr> the barbed teeth of the snake twirled gracefully around him once and forever, before being launched over Gandr's tree-brown dreadlocks and vertically down ontop of the woman who was foolish enough to wear armor painted in a bull's-eye patte-- I mean black.
06[17:30] * Gandr the chains twist immpossibly as they strike, seemingly in completely straight extension from the brown man from Hell yet attacking from every direction at once.
[17:39] <Clarence|ST> Bish, bash, DOKAAANN, the woman's armour is struck in several weak points, yet she still carries herself with reightous fervor, the attack slowing her down somewhat.
06[17:42] * Gandr kicks kris' spirit.
[17:42] <Gandr> "outta the way, fool girl."
06[17:44] * Gandr whistles low.
[17:44] <Gandr> "Impressive."
06[17:45] * Gandr stomps one heel into the ground, vaguely reminiscient of a certain dancing girl, and kicks out through the air with the other, spinning around to lend his snakes of choice the necessary energy to crush and maim; the iron sings through the streets, seeking to visit bloody ruin upon the woman in the black armor again.
[17:51] <Clarence|ST> She collapses in a heap.
[17:52] <Clarence|ST> Her unit storms forward, frenzied, trying desperately to stop the incoming anathema.
06[17:55] * Gandr retracts his chains a little, takes two steps back and jumps away from the theeming masses ... that is, until the far end of the chain hooks into the earth between the airborne Gandr and the advancing soldiers, (more)
06[17:57] * Gandr The chainsnake pulls taut like a pianowire of brass-iron and death instantly, and when Gandr heaves raw kinetic force into it from his end, he is propelled forward into the soldiers like a great bullet, albeit one that slashes and mains and hammers blood and bone and armor alike into paste, all the while screaming that one thing again and again.
[17:57] <Gandr> "Akier."
[17:57] <Gandr> "Akier."
[17:57] <Gandr> "Akier."
[17:58] <Gandr> "AKKieerrrrreerr ! ! !"
[17:59] <Clarence|ST> After much slaughter, Gandr finds himself at the steps of an exceedingly large glass palace. Logic dictates Akier is inside.
[18:00] <Clarence|ST> There are still confused soldiers trying to fend Gandr off, but they're just swept aside as he marches up the steps, looking for his mark.
[18:00] <Clarence|ST> Swept aside painfully
06[18:01] * Gandr with his bodypart.
06[18:01] * Gandr picked up a few spare bodyparts on the way, you see.
[18:05] <Clarence|ST> The palace infront of him is magestic & large, with new Realm decorations.
06[18:05] * Gandr spends a moment evaluating it.
06[18:05] * Gandr IF ... THEORETICALLY ... it were to collapse upon Gandrs magnificient and sweaty physique ... how much damage would he take, if any ?
[18:06] <Clarence|ST> Alot.
[18:07] <Clarence|ST> Assuming you don't use charms.
06[18:08] * Gandr only Charm Gandr's using right now is Magnificient Sweat of the Sun-Physique one.
[18:08] <Gandr> Anyway
06[18:09] * Gandr moves up the steps, resolution building to a climax.
06[18:09] * Gandr there's already blood everywhere, but not the type Gandr is looking for.
[18:10] <Clarence|ST> Akier is sitting on a glass throne, using some poor man as a foot stool. He is surrounded by retainers.
[18:10] <Clarence|ST> Retainers being meatshields.
[18:11] <Clarence|ST> Gandr sees Kris's belongings strewn up behind the throne, kindof like trophies.
[18:11] <Gandr> "..."
06[18:12] * Gandr makes a face that's all "oh no you didn't"
[18:12] <Clarence|ST> "Bravo, Anathema."
[18:13] <Clarence|ST> "You've come all this way to avenge your demonic ally, have you?"
[18:13] <Clarence|ST> "Massacre my men, will you?"
[18:13] <Gandr> "Yes."
[18:13] <Gandr> "I DID ask to see you."
[18:13] <Clarence|ST> "All just to die in the glory of my newly claimed throne room."
[18:14] <Gandr> "So you know why I am here, then."
[18:14] <Gandr> "I see I shall not have to waste time with words."
[18:16] <Clarence|ST> "Care to die in the same way your... 'friend' did?"
[18:16] <Clarence|ST> "In an honourable duel."
[18:16] <Clarence|ST> "Which I bested her in."
[18:17] <Gandr> "Honor ? There is no honor here for you, surrounded as you are by lackeys and spineless sycophants."
[18:17] <Clarence|ST> "You misunderstand." he slams his foot on the poor man underneath, and uses him to go down.
[18:18] <Clarence|ST> "She challenged me to a duel, and I complied."
[18:18] <Gandr> "Yes because apparently I don't speak Asshole."
[18:18] <Clarence|ST> He bites his lip.
[18:18] <Gandr> "What do you want, a congratulatory ring of flowers ? You killed a dancer. A young girl who should have known better."
[18:18] <Gandr> "You speak of HONOR."
[18:19] <Gandr> "The HONORABLE thing to do would have been to decline an obviously inferior foe."
[18:19] <Clarence|ST> "She was ANATHEMA. It would be dishonour to NOT slay her."
[18:19] <Clarence|ST> "Just as it will be dishonour to not slay you."
[18:19] <Gandr> "So you AGREE then, that it had nothing to do with duels or honor."
[18:19] <Gandr> "Just as it does not have anything to do with what happens today."
[18:19] <Clarence|ST> "I... You..."
[18:19] <Gandr> "Though you may rest in peace when this is over ..."
[18:20] <Gandr> "I, unlike the girl you slew, am a warrior."
[18:20] <Gandr> "Your death will be to a foe of your own height.
[18:20] <Gandr> "
[18:20] <Clarence|ST> He grits his teeth and draws his weapon. "Come then, Demon! I have slain one of you once before, I can do it again!"
[18:20] <Gandr> "Second time's the bitch, ain't it."
06[18:21] * Gandr draws weapon, joins battle.
[18:21] <Clarence|ST> Akier draws battle, draws join.
[18:26] <Gandr> "RAAaaaaaaaAAAAAAAKIEEEEEEeeeeerrrrrrrr ! ! ! !"
[18:27] <Clarence|ST> "ANATHEEEMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA ! ! ! !"
06[18:27] * Gandr run.exe
[18:27] <Clarence|ST> Akier charges, sword raised high.
06[18:29] * Gandr clasps his chains in both hands, a brutal method for applying as much force in as little time as possible; there's fury and rage and ... something else there, too, and Gandr's going to pour it all into fucking Akier's shit up.
06[18:29] * Gandr charges to meet Akier betwixt moments.
[18:32] <Clarence|ST> Akier bursts aflame with searing dragonblooded anima, and also meets Gandr in the centrepoint of their respective charges
[18:58] <Clarence|ST> Gandr & Akier charge at eachother, and furiously charge at eachother. Akier's furious swings dance across Gandr's skin, doing nothing. Gandr's fierce chains fail to hit Akier as his body dissapates into burning fire, rolling through Gandr, searing his flesh. They both skid to a halt and turn 180 degrees several paces away from eachother. An extravagant wound explodes out of Akier's side, and he grabs his side, tho
[18:58] <Clarence|ST> An extravagant wound explodes out of Akier's side, and he grabs his side, though he seems only mildly perturbed by it.
[19:01] <Clarence|ST> Akier brings his gauntlet to his face, and tastes his blood. He's not down for the count yet. He charges at Gandr, the searing heat bearing down on the Solar, with precise strikes plowing into Gandr.
[19:04] <Clarence|ST> For all his efforts, they bring no fruit.
[19:04] <Gandr> "You're highly skilled, Terrestrial ! .... !"
06[19:05] * Gandr the blades and flames seem to shear the air in twain, yet the iris of Gandr's eyes are the burning halos of the sun itself, and a little flame never hurt the glorious warriors of Sol Invictus;
[19:05] <Gandr> "But not skilled enough !"
06[19:06] * Gandr At the last moment, Gandr releases another burst of golden sunlight, throwing crazy rays into every nook and cravice and corner of the cracked glass building - and into Akier's eyes, whose aim is thrown off just enough for Gandr to PUSH the blade - and Akier's balance - away.
[19:07] <Gandr> "And now you reap what you have SOWN ! !"
06[19:08] * Gandr hooks the length of chains around Akier's throat and pulls his blinded face into Gandr's iron snake-aces-and-chains fist with a meaty THWACK.
06[19:09] * Gandr which has the nice sideeffect of OH GOD SPIKES ON THE CHAIN ARE IN MY THROAT OH GOD
03[19:15] * LatroPrime is now known as Hospital
[19:16] <Clarence|ST> Akier's eyes widen as he's jerked forward, and he's knocked straight out of comission when Gandr's fist interrogates his face. He goes limp, and his anima snuffs out like a candle. Blood pours from his wounds & mouth.
06[19:18] * Gandr almost punches him again, but then thinks better of it. Instead, he lowers Akier to the floor ... not exactly gently, really, but it's not a "pulverize the dying dragon-blood" contest either.
06[19:18] * Gandr sits crosslegged at the head of Akier, in silence for a short while.
06[19:18] * Gandr nevermind the fact that his anima roars on for a short while before dimming slightly.
[19:19] <Gandr> "You know, Akier ..."
06[19:20] * Gandr traces a circle in Akier's cooling blood, on the floor."
[19:21] <Gandr> "I don't feel good about this."
06[19:21] * Gandr traces lines exploding from the center of the circle.
[19:21] <Gandr> "I thought I would, you know."
[19:22] <Gandr> "You killed m-... someone who is ... very dear to me. Or was."
[19:22] <Gandr> "When I found out, that was all I could think about."
06[19:22] * Gandr draws another circle, next to the first circle-and-lines figure.
[19:23] <Gandr> "But this whole thing just feels wrong."
[19:24] <Gandr> "I'm supposed to help people. Protect them."
06[19:24] * Gandr draws a semi-circle inside the new circle.
[19:24] <Gandr> "But this is just vengeance."
[19:25] <Gandr> "And that's not right. This is not right."
[19:25] <Gandr> "Bah."
06[19:25] * Gandr sits up.
[19:25] <Gandr> "For what it's worth, Akier, I think we would have gotten along pretty well."
[19:25] <Gandr> "See you around."
06[19:26] * Gandr leaves.
[19:26] <Clarence|ST> The ex-footstool walks up behind Gandr. "You've done more than avenge a friend's death, friend. You've liberated my city from the clutches of this arrogant bastard."
06[19:26] * Gandr stops and turns.
[19:26] <Gandr> "Yes ... about that."
06[19:26] * Gandr points at Kris' items behind the throne.
[19:26] <Gandr> "I'm taking those.
[19:26] <Clarence|ST> The man is putting on vestments that seem to befit a ruler. A tribal ruler, but a ruler nontheless.
[19:27] <Gandr> "You can keep the corpse."
[19:27] <Clarence|ST> "Do as you wish."
[19:27] <Clarence|ST> "I have a city to rebuild."
06[19:27] * Gandr 's anima is closing in on itself gradually, dimming moment by moment.
06[19:29] * Gandr says nothing as he collects Kris's items, before leaving Chiaroscuro behind him the same way he arrived - alone, on foot and in a bad fucking mood.
[19:29] <Clarence|ST> Gandr finds an item among Kris's items
[19:30] <Gandr> !!!
[19:30] <Clarence|ST> A golden breastplate, with a note attached. It seems to be a letter addressed to Gandr while he was still in Chaya.
[19:31] <Clarence|ST> It reads - 'Can't wait to see you in this, Gandr. Thinking of you guys, - Love, Kris'
06[19:32] * Gandr just ... stops. Right there. His jaw clenches so much he'd've pulverized his teeth if not for, y
06[19:32] * Gandr if not for, y'know, Sol.
[19:33] <Gandr> "Oh ... Kris."
06[19:33] * Gandr sniffles in a not-very-manly way.
[19:34] <Gandr> "Bah.
06[19:34] * Gandr shakes his head irritably.
[19:34] <Gandr> "Vengeance is empty, it seems. Can't ... can't replace ..."
06[19:35] * Gandr Starts moving again, but his rythm is staggered and he moves like a old man, tired and bitter.
[19:37] <Clarence|ST> After months and months of walking, Gandr finally arrives back in Chaya, and at the doorstep of their home base. Home sweet home.
06[19:39] * Soul , while all this has been going on, has been in a state of almost constant frustration. No, he's no closer to finding a cure now than he was before; whatever experiments he's done have brought him no closer to enlightenment then he has been ever since his breakthrough with the alchemical salves some time ago. Having sent Tempest into the catacombs to determine the extent of the cultist situation, he has lear
[19:39] <Soul> he has learned most disturbing news, including that the Overseer is still 'alive' (not that he hasn't assumed as much). His repeated missives to the local Guild, however, have bourne little fruit; the Guildsmen nod their heads and approve of Soul's advice and thank him for his time and effort, but seem to do nothing. No one has made a serious attempt to clear out the catacombs despite the dread news he brought them.
[19:39] <Soul> And of course, the letter, informing him that Kris had died facing her opponent, part of a Realm invasion force, simply brought more bad news. Gandr left before Soul even read the letter, and it was obvious what his intentions were. Now Soul is the last member of their group left at their base of operations, and the influx of new members hasn't really eased the feeling of helplessness stemmping from the seemingly ep
[19:40] <Soul> As a result, Soul seems to almost be LOSING his essence. His skin, normally a modest shade  of brown, has grown a bit pale, and his hair has similarly started to grey, leaving him looking disheveled. He also hasn't always been eating  regularly, meaning his normal appearance of a healthily stocky male has diminished somewhat. It almost appears as if a new plague as infected  HIM. His mood has also spiraled downward;
[19:40] <Soul> Overall it almost looks like Soul has LOST Essence,  instead of gaining it. His 26th birthday has come and gone; Squid and Loving Keep threw together a birthday celebration for him, but the sushi  cake was not the best of ideas, and anyway Soul just can't seem to be humoured lately, a fact that has probably been unnerving both Shi and his  cadre of apprentices.
03[19:41] * Kyu is now known as Heaven
06[19:44] * Gandr knock knock.
06[19:44] * Gandr More like "bonk-bonk".
06[19:45] * Soul hasn't exactly been very social lately, so probably one of his apprentices answers the door.
[19:45] <Soul> (Not Bear, though. Good heavens no.)
[19:45] <Clarence|ST> Lion answers the door. "...Gandr, you're back. Alive."
[19:45] <Clarence|ST> Bear: "Gandr's back?"
[19:46] <Clarence|ST> The apprentices: "Gandr's back!?"
[19:46] <Clarence|ST> Shi: "Gandr's BACK?"
[19:46] <Clarence|ST> Lemy: "Gandr's back!"
[19:46] <Gandr> "I brought souvenirs."
[19:46] <Clarence|ST> Soul can hear this from upstairs
06[19:46] * Gandr walks in and puts the bag of kris-loot on the table.
06[19:47] * Gandr sits down on chair.
06[19:47] * Gandr almost immediately slumps
06[19:47] * Soul comes downstairs from the lab to see what all the racket's about, having sequestered himself up there yet again...comes down the stairs to see Gandr. He can't really say anything, so he just sort of stares. His degraded appearance probably troubles our returning hero.
06[19:48] * Gandr seems very, *very* tired ... as the case with Soul, this is unusual for Gandr, who normally retains a content demeanor through most things.
06[19:48] * Gandr looks at Soul from across the room.
[19:48] <Gandr> "Soul."
06[19:49] * Gandr glances around the room, at each in turn - the apprentices, Shi and Lemy.
[19:49] <Gandr> "Lemy."
[19:49] <Gandr> "Shi."
[19:49] <Gandr> "... apprentices."
[19:49] <Soul> "...Gandr." He runs his hand through his disheveled hair. "...you son of a bitch."
[19:50] <Gandr> "Soul."
06[19:50] * Gandr Repeating Souls name may or may not produce a reaction.
[19:50] <Gandr> "Soul ..."
06[19:50] * Gandr so he repeats it again, just to make sure.
[19:50] <Soul> "Where the HELL have you been. I KNOW where you went, I just want to hear you actually say it, since you didn't have the DECENCY to tell us BEFORE you went."
[19:50] <Gandr> "Soul, Kris is ... she's dead, Soul."
[19:51] <Soul> "I know, I saw the letter too. We all did."
[19:51] <Gandr> "Oh. Well."
[19:51] <Soul> "So you went to kill Akier."
06[19:51] * Gandr leans forward, a little spark coming into him.
[19:51] <Gandr> "Yes."
[19:51] <Gandr> "I did."
06[19:51] * Soul is leaning over a table he's standing near with both arms.
[19:52] <Gandr> "I'm here. Akier's not.
[19:52] <Gandr> "You're good at math."
06[19:52] * Soul nods sluggishly. "Good...good...good."
[19:53] <Gandr> "What's with you ?"
[19:54] <Gandr> "You look like someone took a ... very crude metaphor and had his way with you."
06[19:54] * @Heaven wanders in, stops, cocks her head "Ah, the Monsters back."
[19:54] <@Heaven> "err, I mean, welcome home Gandr!
06[19:55] * Gandr turns his head rather slowly in Heaven's direction.
[19:55] <Gandr> "I'm really not ... in the mood for that right now, Heaven."
06[19:55] * Soul frowns at the question, pulls out a chair from the table and slumps down. "Well, between having to find a cure for this plague-and failing, the ever-looming threat of the Mask of Winters, and knowing we have to take him down but CAN'T...the Realm's apparently renewed desire for expansion, and the more recent revelation that there's a fucking PORTAL TO THE UNDERWORLD in this city, and the Guild won't do jack
[19:56] <Soul> jack shit about anything..."
06[19:56] * Soul throws up his hands. "What am I supposed to do now?"
[19:57] <Clarence|ST> Bear: "If it's any consolation, the Realm's efforts would be severely delayed due to Gandr's actions."
[19:58] <Clarence|ST> Shi: "We're dangerously close to find a cure for the plague, I imagine. We just need a bit more. . . Diligence."
[19:58] <Gandr> "Yeah ? Tell that to Kris. I'm sure she'll be delighted."
06[19:58] * Gandr looks at Bear in that "i'm tired and annoyed and want to sleep"-way.
[19:58] <Soul> "We're no closer to finding a cure than we were when Gandr left and you know it, Shi."
[19:59] <Clarence|ST> Shi: "Yes, but it feels nicer when you're optimistic about it."
06[19:59] * Soul gives Shi a 'do I look optimistic to you' look
06[19:59] * Soul certainly doesn't.
[20:00] <Clarence|ST> Shi shakes his head, and drinks his tea.
06[20:00] * Gandr shakes his head, and then shakes it again.
06[20:00] * @Heaven sighs "We're the chosen of the sun, and yet here we all sit around moping like we're in the underworld"
06[20:00] * Gandr makes to stand up.
[20:00] <@Heaven> "Being gloomy and throwing piercing glances isn't helping us find a solution Soul, and you know it."
[20:00] <Gandr> "Does anyone here need anybody turned into bloody pulp ?"
06[20:01] * Gandr waits once, then twice.
[20:01] <Gandr> "No ?"
[20:01] <Gandr> "Then I'm going to bed."
[20:01] <@Heaven> "Get some rest Gandr, you've traveled long and hard."
[20:02] <Gandr> "Yeah."
06[20:02] * Gandr rises from the chair and picks up the bag he dropped on the table.
[20:02] <Gandr> "See you tomorrow."
06[20:03] * @Heaven nods "Sleep well."