Haunted Nightmare

[The Watcher]

((Yay for Halloween special mission!!! Scary!!))

Zoe sat behind her desk in her office. She sighed and rubbed her temples trying to get rid of the headache that had plagued her all day. A glass of blood red fluid sat shimmering in the chandelier cast light down upon her. She sighed. This was getting out of hand and somethinig had to be done. She put the recent report down and looked at the calender. Of course it would all culminate on Halloween. It only made sense right?

Felodar was out hunting and so she had to do this on her own. But no, that wasn't going to work. She couldn't leave the school unprotected. She was a vampire and you never knew when they might need her or call upon her for something. The students. Yes, they could go. There were several that were very strong and even the lesser students had a chance.

But could she justify sending students to their possible deaths? Wasn't living at the academy just as dangerous these days with the events that were happening in the magical world? She rubbed her temples and sipped from her glass the finest vintage, so one could say at any rate. It had to be done. There was no other way. There were students that could take this one and she was willing to let them. It wouldn't be easy but.. it would.. get done. Minimal death was all she asked for.

Pressing a black button on her desk the PA system came on and she cleared her throat.

"Attention students, there is a grave mission that needs to be taken. Six students are needed to volunteer for the mission. It will be dangerous and death is an option. If you are intereted report to the teleportation room immediatly. Spell Caster level and above please gather."

**

In the teleportation room there stood the portal that would lead them through into the area that was designated for drop off. No one stood ready to debrief them because, they really couldn't there was not much to say. And so a magical sign said..

ENTER.


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Spell Casters and Above. Free form posting, I intend to post fast in this mission so keep an eye on it so you don't get left behind. I'm going to try to post every day. If I can.

Please sign your name and enter the portal for your first post

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[Xavier]

Xavier Mcallister
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Xavier walked up the steps of the Academy humming happily to himself like usual. Birazcir, his always faithful if not sometimes cynical, wolf companion trotted at his side. The two of them had been in the woods at the edge of the city. Xavier found himself returning many times to the area he and Lex had camped at one time. The area was very peaceful and Xavier enjoyed the perfect serenity of it. It was an excellent place to meditate which was what he and Biz had been doing before their return to the Academy.

Xavier had a few new abilities he was attempting to perfect and as a druid his abilities originated from Mother Gaia, Earth herself. So of course the best way to hone his new abilities would be to mediate and deepen his connection to Mother Gaia. So far the only ability he had fully mastered was his newest animal transformation. The incident with Lex and her being kidnapped had given him the rage necessary to tap into the soul of bear and allowed him to transform.

He heard the call for students and his ears perked up immediately and a small grin spread across his features. Finally a true chance for adventure, he had heard that Academy students were often asked to help with tasks in the magical community but he had yet to be involved in one of them. Xavier looked down at Birazcir who sighed, shaking his head, and giving Xavier a, "If you must.." type of look as Xavier nodded and the two headed off towards the instructed meaning place.

"Hello?" Xavier called as he pushed open the door to the room he had been instructed to show up at. There was no sign anyone had been there recently except for a magical side next to the portal that simply read Enter. Xavier shrugged and decided to follow the message's instructions and with a firm grip on his staff he stepped through the portal, Birazcir loyally trotting at his side.

[Lexandra]

Boredom. The worst thing for a girl with few memories. She had already restocked and fledged her arrows. Now she was bored again. And where the hell was Xavier. They lived together now and he was gone AGAIN! She knew she trusted him but damnit sometimes it made it hard to do this.

She tested the strings on her bows and they were fine having been bought freshly and restrung yesterday. Damn. This blew. Xavier was going to have to start taking her places. This stupid lonely crap wasn't going to cut it.

Her ears perked at the sound of a mission and she grinned. Definatly something to keep her mind off of her past. She picked up three quivers two for her back and one for her hip. Her dagger was already on her as usual. And she began loading herself up. Daphne over her shoulder, Gabriel in her hand and Shadow on her hip. She was locked, loaded, and ready.

She ran to the teleportation room and looked at the room. It was empty. Well hell. Nothing like walking into something blind. That was her life. So lets go.

Xavier Mcallister
Lexandra Giovanni
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Lexi stepped through the portal and smiled.

"Xavier!" she exclaimed as she hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek before pulling away.

[Junpei]

Junpei Taltos grumbled as he looked down at the piece of paper, He was supposed to do WHAT?! Sighing mentally he called out to Loish.

Yeah boss?

Get ready for a trip, we're leaving NOW.

Sure thing Boss.

Walking over to his desk Junpei pulled out a pad of paper and scribbled a note down for Phaedra.

[glow=Silver,2,300]Went on a mission, be back asap.

Love, Jun

[/glow]

Walking out the door as he grabbed his own sword, a katana he had picked up from home, Junpei strapped it across his back and made his way along the many halls that would lead him to the teleportation room, a familiar room.

Xavier Mcallister
Lexandra Giovanni
[glow=silver,2,300]Junpei Taltos[/glow]
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Rounding a corner he almost bumped into a student and then rounded another corner to find the door to the teleporter open. Walking threw the door he found the room totally empty, void of any sort of life aside form the many mages that stood here constantly. rumbling something out Junpei stepped threw the teleport spell and emerged on the other side.

Seeing two younger students already here Junpei raised an eyebrow as he saw the girl hug the boy already here, dating maybe? Who knew, but that could complicate things. Junpei was lax with Phae in the 'she can take care of herself' department and had a tendency to protect her from anything. If she did show up his sense would tingle though, Delana would warn Loish hopefully.

About the time he thought this a small lizard appeared on his shoulder, having just teleported.

Here Boss

No duh.

Junpei stepped forward to th two younger students and his eyes flickered back and forth between them.

"Junpei Taltos, student teacher, and you two might be...?"

[Phae]

Phae entered the dormitory with a bright smile on her face. Her hair was pulled back. A pair of black jeans adorned her body with a lavender button down collared long sleeved shirt. She looked pretty as her boots clicked on the stones of the dorm. She wondered where Junpei was she had rushed up to see him before he headed to class but he wasn't here.

She paniced for a moment until she found the note. Sighing softly she read it and a smile crossed her face. 'Love, Jun'. That was all she needed. Strapping her sword across her hip and kissing his note she called Del with a German word in her mind and the golden Jhereg with violet eyes alighted on her shoulder.

"lets go shall we?" she asked.

*squeak*

"You love adventure don't you?" Phae chuckled and was soon greeted with another enthusiastic..

*squeak*

Phae ran through the halls with her sword held in place by her let palm. Making it to the teleportation room she smiled as she ran right into the teleport. She wasn't afraid. Especially if Jun was going to be there. She heard the end of the greeting and smiled.

"Xavier! Long time no see!" she said with a bright smile as she took Junpei's hand and looked up at him.

"Leaving without me were you love?" she asked looking up at him with a wink. She reached up so she could whisper into his ear. 'Thank you for the note."

Xavier Mcallister
Lexandra Giovanni
Junpei Taltos
Phaedra Weiss

[Xavier]

Xavier paced around the area a little agitatedly, the mission called for several students and so far he was the only one to show up. He groaned softly as he realized he hadn't left Lex any sort of note as to where he was going to be. Worry started to spread throughout as he thought what Lex might do if she thought Xavier had just up and disappeared on her.

Birazcir watched with annoyed sigh as Xavier paced agitatedly, "You place far too much emotion into the girl. You must remember in time she will die as will you, all things wither and fade it is the way of Mother Gaia," Biz said with a sage nod.

Xavier merely grunted a little and continued to pace, "Love does not wither, love does not die Birazcir, love does not fit the cycle of rebirth Mother Gaia intended for nature it is what makes us humans special," he said with a small grin as Birazcir only shook his head a little annoyedly. The wolf sat on his haunches watching his master pace back and forth, the girl really had a hold on him.

Xavier sighed softly as Lex came through the portal and threw her arms around him a tight, "Lex I'm glad you came, I thought you'd be pissed that I forgot to leave you a message that I would be a way," he said, keeping an arm around her waist and holding her close to him.

Then an older student stepped through the portal. He introduced himself as Junpei Taltos, a student teacher. Xavier nodded and grinned a little as he held out his hand to shake Junpei's, "Xavier Mcallister, druid in training, a pleasure to meet you Junpei," he said politely with a nod. He grinned a little as the red haired girl he met on his first day here stepped through the portal, "It's nice to see you too Phae," he said returning her wave. Xavier noticed how Phae got close to Junpei, they too must've been a couple like he and Lex were.

[Varys]

Varys heard the announcement and pondered for a moment. Did he need this, did his little Nightmares need to sharpen their claws?There was hardly a moment before there were screams inside his head for release. To have a reason to claw and maim and kill. There was hardly a choice for the man anymore, he either had to do this or deal with the angered beings residing in his mind for some time to come.

Varys dashed for the teleporter room. Each boot fall slapping harshly against the tiled floor of the hallways. Each step was a cheer from the nightmarish beings inside of his mind. They were going to enjoy this, they were going to have fun with this.

Arriving at the room he found the portal it seemed he was deemed to enter. Varys would, but not without caution. A grunt of pain and an enormous cracking of bones, Varys hand began to enlarge and turn a pitch black. Long taloned fingers emerging as his right hand became Todesknochen's. Varys would step through the portal with the elongated and grotesque hand at the ready to strike.

As he made it through he would see a small group of people. People he didn't know. Varys never let his guard down and the huge and demented hand stayed at the ready. He didn't know if these were friend or enemy yet.

Xavier Mcallister
Lexandra Giovanni
Junpei Taltos
Phaedra Weiss
Varys Fierasche
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[Alastin]

Xavier Mcallister
Lexandra Giovanni
Junpei Taltos
Phaedra Weiss
Varys Fierasche
Alastin Skylark

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Alastin heard the mission request and had considered it writing a note for Ziare saying that he was going on a mission. He left it on his desk in case she came with also a message to Kaladra that he sent mentally saying where the note was in case she came by. He quickly ran down the halls his satchel hitting his side lightly as he made his way towards the teleportation room. Quickly he looked around looking for any of the others and only found that there was a note saying ENTER in bold letters that made hims shiver slightly. Gathering himself for a moment he stepped through the teleporter with a crack appearing with the group. He would be playing a healer role in this seeing that the group was mostly combative.

Fortunatly for Alastin.

He knew everybody.

His face lit up noticably when he saw the familiar faces Junpei, Phae, Xavier, Lexandra, and Varys. All of them were people that he knew and he considered them friends. He made his way to the group and gave a soft smile since he wouldn't need to make an introduction his wings folding behind him gently.

[The Watcher]

As the last student stepped through the portal six was all that was needed and the portal shut. No instructions. No arrows that pointed where to go. Lighting filtered through the sky showing where they stood. A graveyard. Yes the gravestones stood ominously against the fire lit skies. A harvest moon hung over the house that was shown with every flash.

The thunder made the ground rumble. But was that thunder truthfully? Each rumble seemed to shift the dirt around the gravestones. Like sifting for gold. No rain fell. Just the lightning creating that ominous effect that screamed Scary movie but yet.. this was real. There was that before storm calm. No wind blew. It was warm and humid as if the world its self stood still. The sick creaking of the house in front of them as it swayed to an invisible wind.

A shutter on the house was loose and with a bang as the house seemed to shift it hit the siding. But that was not important at the moment. No no, the ground began to shake. There was no way out of the vast graveyard. Try as they might there was .. just no way.

A hand. Out of the soil it grabbed the leg of the Angel boy and began to pull him down into the gound. His ankle disappearing into the soil as the hand began to drag the purple headed youth to an early grave.

*flash flash*

Alastins screams could be heard and now seen as the lightning lit up the gravesite once again. Could the team save the angel or was he set to find his doom sharing an early grave with...

Thomas Winklewood.

[Junpei]

He raised an eyebrow as another flash behind him sounded out, how many people were coming for a damn mission in the middle of nowhere. Turning around Junpei was about to give whoever it was a piece of his mind when his heart jumped into his throat, Phaedra. What was she doing here?! Had she decided coming along would be a good idea?! Oh god now he was going to be freaking out all mission long trying to protect her. She came up however and whispered in his ear about the note. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to mention a mission, just say he was going out for a bit. Oh well to late now, he would be on edge all mission.

"Nice to see you hear love."

Soon the other two showed up, only Alastin was a familiar face, Junpei smiled at the boy and waved. Almost as soon as the six assembled a flash of lightening revealed where they were, a grave yard. Junpei sighed out loud, just great. IN front of them was an old and creepy house, what was this a horror flick? Junpei took one step forward when Alastin screamed. Turning back around Junpei's eyes widened a bit as he saw a very dead arm reach out and grab onto ALastin. Thinking quickly the blade across Junpei's back came out and flashed as Junpei skid beside Alastin, the arm came off with a sickening crunch as bone was broken and Jnpei turned back around, behind all six he could now see the stump where the hand had been.

"KAI!"

Junpei's shirt tore as a single black wing and a single white wing burst forth from his back. In that same instant he gained an inch to his height and his hair turned silver, a blink and his eyes were green. The sword didn't change at all and Junpei seemed to be a bit more handsome now, Phaedra would be the only one who had seen this form, now it was time to shock all of them

"Bankai.."

He said just loud enough for all of them to hear and his hair changed to orange, his eyes were now a softly glowing crystal blue. The biggest change though was his wings, which were both now an angelic white. Junpei brought the blade over his head and then flipped it over so it would go tip down into the ground. He stabbed it straight down to the left of the stump a bit and spoke once more.

"Wolf's fang slices heaven."

A bright blue light flashed from the blade and a four foot wide twenty foot deep cut was placed in the earth. Flipping the blade back over Junpei sheathed it and looked over the group, new spells for all to see, he was gaining power.

"Shall we?"

[The Watcher]

Junpei Taltos the academy's newly returned student teacher came onto the scene. Snapping the arm bone with his massive sword to set the young boy free. Unfortunatly the boy fell his ankle badly twisted from the attack of the undead arm trying to pull him into the grave.

The boy lay there as Junpei changed into his freaky angel summon thing. *flash flash* lightning came lighting up his over green eyes and making them look menacing as he screamed out something intelligable because of a sudden wind and black and a white wing sprouted from his very back.

But no he wasn't done. To the horror of everyone there even his beloved fiance' he changed again. Some orange headed guy with a huge sword. (anime anyone?) His sword strike went down into the ground the shock waves alone hit Alastin knocking him back dazing him slightly. The ground now sported a deep deep grave. Ominus? Oh yes.

Because now the sounds of moaning came from the hole. The one that Alastin in his dazed mind had fallen deeply into. Not the sexual moans of pleasure.. no no but the sick and greiving wounds of souls best left below. You see in Mr. Taltos's stupidity he opened a few hundred years of graves. Out of the newly broken ground they came the army was twenty strong. Men and women. One child among the few. Each one walking with a purpose. Kill... and live.

Skeletal Peeps:
Str: 25
Dex: 20
End: 15
Wis: 5
Int: 5
Eng: 5

[Xavier]

Xavier looked around a little dazed as suddenly in a flash of light they were in a graveyard. Xavier already felt a little ill, something about this place did not seem right it was as if nature itself was insulted by the existance of this place. He could tell Birazcir felt it too as the wolf's hair stood up a little he gently bared his fangs, growling faintly as they pair inspected the area. Xavier and Biz's heads turned sharply and almost simultaneously as they heard Alastin's scream. An arm, decaying flesh flaking off and in some parts exposing bone was wrapped around his leg and slowly pulling him into a grave.

Xavier readied his staff and was about to move to help when suddenly Junpei freed the boy with a swing of his sword. The next thing he knew Junpei had shifted through two different forms and was now some sort of angelic looking creature. Xavier shook his head as he knelt down and placed his hand against the dirt this place was tainted by dark magicks. The earth itself was calling out to him in pain and it made him wince a little. Hopefully over the course of the mission he could return this land to it's normal pure state.

Then Xavier saw the reprecussions of Junpei's transformations and new spells. Several hundred graves it appeared had been opened up and all sorts of skeletons were lumbering forward to attack them. Xavier placed a hand to his mouth to keep himself from gagging. This was horrible, such a twisted offense to the cycle of life that Mother Gaia had created for the world. This was an atrocity and Xavier had to correct it. With a bestial roar he shifted into his bear form and charged forward in an animalistic rage. His paw swung forward, smashing one skeleton to pieces as another jumped on his back.

Xavier twisted and turned as Biz growled deeply and leapt forward, snatching the attacking skeleton's head in his mouth and pulling it off of Xavier. Together the wolf and the bear tore the creature apart, hopefully returning it's life essence to the great cycle that magic had interrupted. Xavier roared loudly as he slammed his bulk into one of the skeletons and then brought his massive paw down, smashing its skull.

[Alastin]

"NO NO NO! LET GO!" Alastin cried in a near terrified voice as he struggled to get free but, he was sinking and it wasn't letting go he was nearly on the verge of crying wishing he had a dagger or smoething. Then he heard a sickening crunch as the arm was dismembered by a sword strike unfrotunatly for Alastin it was still clutching his leg nearly making him go sick. He pulled his leg free only to go down with a cry as his ankle was twisted badly but, unfortunatly for the young healer it seemed that fate was definantly playing against him. A shockwave whiped through the ground knocking him assunder and with a shriek almost he fell down into a large grave that Junpei had just opened. Where the moans of death were heard and he shivered like crazy.

"MISAE!" Alastin nearly screamed out in panic and a white light engulfed everything for a few moments as the large white dragon had her bond-mate craddled in her foreclaws where she sat him gently on her back as she took off into the air. Whimpering and shivering on the verge of sheer panic he felt the arm still clutching him still creeping him out. He wanted them gone all of them gone they had to be gone.

Thank you thank you thank you!

~You know you are always protected by me.~

He had his arm around Misae's neck as she hovered over the grave and opened her mouth even as pale blue light formed at Alastin's palm so did it form at Misae's mouth. While she formed her breath though a small holy light healed the ankle twist to where Alastin could use it again as Misae had used a portion of her energy in her bond healing.

"Durch eis werde besiegt!"
[By ice be stopped.]

~Ice breath, Icicle Storm!~

Both unleahed the combination attack Misae breathing and Alastin thrusting his palm downwards (naturally avoiding hitting Misae). Both careful not to hit Xavier or Bizacair as the cone blast of Diamond Dust and the sheer cold of Misae's breath came in. Diamond Dust freezing them up and Misae's icicles formed in the breath attack impaling the creatures as well. Both attacks holding the enemy in place how many they got nobody knows. Ten seconds were left open for allied attacks before Alastin finally got control of himself and snapped his fingers. The ice shattering and ripping through the skeletons like thousands of sharp little knives. He clung to Misae then entire time though shivering like mad.

((OOC: Lexy goes next!))

[Lexandra]

Xavier hugged her tightly and she smiled softly that smile that only he saw. The one that he alone got to experience and enjoy. He told her he was worried she hadn't left him a note and she had to admit she would have been had she not done the same thing and just ran head first into a mission. But that was life. So move on and start truckin'. Another student came through the portal and introduced himself.

What the hell? Freaking student teacher?! Like she freaking cared who he was. Ooooo title. Pft. As if that mattered one lick in a mission. She could put an arrow up his ass to let him know how much that mattered but that would be a waste of precious feathers. She sighed and rolled her eyes in Xaviers' directions. Geez why was it when someone got a title they thought they had to throw it around.

She said nothing to him. She could do the Xav thing and tell him who she was but you know what. Screw him. He just didn't deserve to know. A redhead entered the portal and jumped over to the 'student teacher' *rolls eyes* and it seemed they were together. Well you lucky bastard you got someone that puts up with your shit. She greeted Xavier and Lexi would have to ask him later about the girl but right now she just didn't care. It seemed she was hooked on old Teach here and that was just fine with her. Another two boys came out one was Alastin and she winked at him just because she knew he would blush and that was fun watching him squirm from the little things.

It seemed this mission was go. The lightning didn't scare the gothic girl as she looked around the graveyard. Yeah well it looked like they had walked right into some lame ass B movie. Where was the big hairy spider or the werewolf. Geez this blew big time. There was no wind which meant she was hot. There was no light and that sucked. Well damn this blew to hell and back and that was all there was to it. Suddenly a scream from the purple headed kid came and she turned her head in his direction. Readying her crossbow she was ready for anything except.. that.

A dead and decaying arm had hold of him. Winklewood why did that sound familiar? She sighed and watched as Teach over there ran over and began shifting forms. OOOOO very spiffy. Lexi however liked a more direct approach. Knocking an arrow into her bow Daphne she let loose of it in the air. Bursting once it reached it's apex the white feathers fell down on the group effectively boosting their strength for the time being. Boost shot. Came in handy every once in a while.

But ol Teach apparently misunderstood that maybe cutting your own grave wasn't the best idea. Oh no, he had to make one that could fit a whole freaking neighborhood. That was all. She rolled her eyes as the undead began comeing out of the walls. Xavier transformed and took off with Biz taking down one of them. She had not time to be proud right now. She put Daphne on her back. Grabbing Gabriel her composite bow she made ready. Boom shot. That was all she needed and these little suckers would see the end. 6 in each quiver. She had three quivers. Hell yes, 18 arrows.

The large dragon came up from the hole with Alastin on its back together they froze the enemy and Lexi saw her opening. That was all she needed right now. Knocking the red feathered arrow back she let fly when they were frozen.

BOOOM!

Four skeletons exploded. Again she brought out another arrow as the blast from the last went away. Letting fly just as the ice broke.

BOOOOM!

Again four more. She grinned cake walk right now. She smiled as she looked up at Alastin. The spell he had cast was broken. But that didn't mean she was done. Oh no! She pulled out two arrows. Each was a homing shot. Putting on at the ready she pulled back aimed and fired. The arrow hit the target right in the head effectively beheading him. Again one advancing on Xavier. POP. Beheaded again. She dropped her arms and looked at the damage. Craters two of them held the bits and pieces that were left of the skeletons that had once been. She grinned. Damn, it feels good to fight.

[Phae]

The shocked look on Junpei's face when she came up to him was a bit unsettling. Why didn't he want her here? She could easily take care of herself. She was better at a sword than him and her magic had only gotten better since they had last been in a fight with each other.

She took his hand anyway she was here and that was that so she was going to fight beside him. Xavier seemed to have found him someone the pair looked rather odd. Xavier had been a very happy kid that was hyper and a lot like her in a way while this girl had that death look about her that screamed stay away from my man.

Two other joined one she remembered from the party and making out with Ziare. She chuckled wondering what had happened with them but right now was not the time to ask such a thing. Slight panic over took the red head when the portal closed and there was no way out. Well lovely guess they had to fight their way out.

That was fine all until she heard Alastin's scream and saw that he was trying to get away from a hand that was holding his ankle. Holy mother! She ran over but stepped back when Junpei began his transformation. The first she had seen but the second was something.. ah new. And she just stared at him for a moment. Well when was he planning to tell me about that little development?

With the gaping hold now in the ground she moved to grab Alastin's hand but only got his shirt and it ripped leaving her with fabric that she cast aside. Skeletons came out of the dirt walls and she nearly wretched at the smells. Somehow after that class she just.. was very smell sensitive. Running out into the fray while the skeletons were frozen she began to cut them down. Or at least trying at any rate. She succeeded in two before the blasts started coming. What the hell who had grenades?

She looked back after ducking from another blast and there was the archer girl just shooting away. Damn. Phae ran she had no other choice if she wanted to live. Running back towards Alastin and his dragon where the attacks werent. She stayed there til the barage was done. If all had gone as planned that was twelve plus two that was fourteen down, plus Xaviers one and her two, that was seventeen. Only three more.