The Story That Went On... (Formerly Death Cut. Completed.)

[Rosemary Mori]

Rosemary heard the noise from upstairs and told them, "Shh! Someone's up stairs... "

"Spread out, find him? Sensors indicate fading heat signatures... Somebody was here not too long ago, with others? His magic trail is in the air, mixed with someone elses. He probably found some friends."


Sephiroth only searched more vigorously for the books and files. Luckily most of them were in the same place he had left them when he obsessed over reading them over 10 years ago...He removed a picture from one of them (it had more images) and pocketed it before he put the book in the party inventory along with the jar of Jenova's blood.  

[GamingLord]

"I found where the trail ends, right at this wall. Just like they vanished into thin air."

"Which we know isn't possible, we would have seen a magical trace of teleportation energy used here. Scan the wall."

...

"It's a false. This object's the trigger."

"Alright, make sure weapons are hot, and deactivators are charged.*

- - - - -

Rosemary could hear the clicks of weapons, and a strange almost inaudible hum.

Jacob quietly whispered over towards Sephiroth, asking if he got what he came for.

Harold: I bet it's those soldiers... They've been wanting me to lead them to the possessed creature ever since I discovered it. How are we going to get past them if it is them?  

[Rosemary Mori]

Rosemary did not like something he said about the men. "What do you mean by 'how are we going to get past them?'"

Sephiroth didn't care for another thing he caught. "What do they want with the possessed creature?"

Harold: When i made the discovery of the possessed creature, I was on a world that wasn't exactly.... kind... to magic or spirits. They tend to dissect both painfully. They had captured me for a time, until Abigail helped me. I'm fairly certain they want to dissect Jenova, learn what they can, then destroy it....I'm wondering how we're all going to escape past the soldiers... they're usually ready to call in backup at a moments notice, and they're very difficult to face off against. They have a device called a deactivator that temporarily removes your ability to use magic for a while... it's made things very difficult....

Sephiroth began to think to himself. Jenova had landed herself in a lab for studying before and somehow used it to her advantage. No doubt they would again. Maybe he should recover his "lost parts" to get it away from here so that the fools that would try to use it only to be used would be unsuccessful in their search. He then looked at Jacob. Of course everyone assumed the demon was in once piece it seemed or even a few chunks. No it was everywhere. In fact...it was here.

"It is possible to 'vanish into thin air.'" Rosemary thought after they had said that. She motioned for them all to hold hands. Most of her skills weren't magic based. One set were natural vampire abilities and the other was granted from a higher being. Powers from that being most likely weren't considered magical she reason since it never felt like she was casting a spell when she made the winds blow. It shouldn't leave an energy trace either when one used their element and teleported either, otherwise anyone could find and get into heaven.

Upstairs a dark somewhat solid mist entered the building and blanketed the soldiers. Shouts could be heard from bellow as the soldier threat was taken care of. The were worthless alive for now. What were these invaders doing here? Part of the mass continued down while the rest had its fun. Down there was a large chunk that had been absent for a while. The pieces seek out each other to reunite.

Sephiroth was staring dreamily at the mass coming down the hall and had the urge to go to it. The dark mist reminded Rosemary of locusts. Sephiroth wasn't moving to grab anyone's hand that was connected to her. So she grabbed him and then they vanished into thin air.

Rosemary discovered two things during this teleport: 1. That mass wasn't pleasant to go through and 2. the world was much smaller than the one she was from. Maybe Jacob could jump higher if he tried to due to less gravity. When she decided they had gone far enough, which was less than a second later, everyone found them self in an open field and fine, while Rosemary looked slightly more pale.

"Going through the lifestream is unbeneficial for a person, going through the tainted one is even worse. Apparently those bits of Jenova in the reactor has gained the attention of the larger mass."  

[GamingLord]

"What... what is that!?"

"There's traces of life in it, it's... *cough*" Can't... can't breathe..."

"Backup.. environmental haza...."

The soldiers collapsed to the floor, blood dripping out of their mouths.

- - - - -

Jacob: “Rosemary, are you alright?”

Concerned for the vampire-angelic-woman in his life, Jacob subtly used some of his necromantic energy to try and make her feel better after such an experience. That form of transportation had protected all but her from the tainted life stream. Idly, Jacob wondered how they were supposed to gather up such a dangerous thing.

Sephiroth… Chu’hil mhiy… must talk, can’t waste energy. Ask them… holy essence.  

[GamingLord]

Jacob and Rosemary began focusing holy spells and energy into Sephiroth’s charms. Harold only knew one vaguely holy spell when asked, but was still recruited to help Fal’Jenul speak. Soon, the charms began to glow, and the voice spoke… to all of them. It was quiet, but audible.

Thank you, all of you. I ask that you please keep helping my child. Sephiroth, a way to complete your task came to me. You’ll need everyone here to accomplish it, along with the substance you have just spoken of. Please, listen carefully.

First, you’ll need to gather enough of the water for each of your friends.

Then you must travel back to the mountain, to the fountain, after your friends have partaken of the liquid. Jacob must take one of the blue charms. Sephiroth, you must actively call my remains to your area. Rosemary, you must continuously imbue Jacob with holy essence. Jacob will be using his physical form and talents as a spirit master, along with the charm, to draw the life stream into himself…

My remains will undergo a change, being drawn both into Jacob, and then the charm he holds. It will be split into the two original essences. Harold, you must use a device that Rosemary has to contain the essence that holds Jiluzix. You will also need one of my child’s charms to complete this task, storing it within the device that will hold the demon essence.

Harold… I cannot help you to defeat the monster that this essence comes from, even if I were to join you. That path simply isn’t what was meant to be.

As for what will happen to the other essence, my true remains, I am uncertain. But something beyond me somehow gives me comfort that it will be taken care of.

Please, be careful. Outside forces, as well as my corrupted remains will try to stop you.

Sephiroth, chu’hil mhiy, juv mhiy vieloo*

As the voice grow silent again, there was a slight feeling of warmth in everyone, though it was more intense and soothing in Sephiroth than the others.

Harold: “What…. Was that? Was that… the creature that I sought? It felt like a spirit, but… different.”

Harold looked a bit surprised, and Abigail along with him. He hadn’t expected such a thing to actually happen.

Jacob: “Will… will that actually work?”

Something about the way Fal’Jenul had talked about it had evoked a strong feeling in Sephiroth that perhaps, it really would.

* “Sephiroth, my love watches over my child”  

[GamingLord]

Looking at the picture of Jenova, Jacob couldn't help but notice the similarities to Jiluzix in some small ways.

Jacob thought the water was something he really would have wanted to study, and perhaps later he'd get his chance. Especially if it could help even purge Jiluzix's impotent essence within Rosemary. Maybe creating that water was the planet's way of combating the taint of the life stream, and of Jenova in general?

Jacob: "That stuff would be very, very useful... I'm fairly sure we might have a length of rope, let me check my storage."

After a moment's worth of rustling through his organized belongings, the necromancer produced the requested item.

Meanwhile Harold seemed to be thinking about something, deeply.

Abigail: "Master Harold? Are you alright? What are you thinking?"

Harold: "I'm fine, Abigail. I'm just pondering over a number of subjects. Interesting how we came here for one reason, and are now being recruited for another entirely. Yet, it seems as if it would still serve our goal indirectly. To strike out against that which is called Jiluzix. Tell me, what is to become of the demon's essence after it is seperated?"  

[Rosemary Mori]

Rosemary leaned over and looked at that picture. It looks like him (Sephiroth) too.

"I have an even better question: what happens to you two after it is all over? This event is probably best to never be shared to make it more difficult for the Niearcim find out. A water that could harm Jiluzix...if it harms Jenova, why not him? That is certainly something that needs to be kept secrete."  

[GamingLord]

Harold: "Us? We continue fighting against the demon the best we can. If this is something that needs to be kept a secret, then a secret it shall be kept. We may even join you in your fights against the monster."

"Jacob... Do you think you could share with me the art of white necromancy? It's nearly a lost art. In return I'd be willing to share some of my own magical knowledge."

Jacob: "That depends... An initiation of sorts would be involved. We can discuss this later when we don't have your soldiers, and a Jiluzix corrupted being after us."  

[GamingLord]

As Harold watched Sephiroth shift shape into the dog-like form, he realized fully that the man was essentially what he was also looking for earlier, just in a more living, breathing, intelligent form. He had strong guesses to it earlier, but with what was said, it was completely confirmed now.

He also noticed the odd, marble-like gems and found those interesting.

Harold: "We'll have to hide our little arachnid pet here further. Give me a moment to cast a more potent shrinking spell."

Abigail: "I'll lose my body for now."

Several minutes later and one obviously powerful spell with flashy effects later, the arachiathan was the size of a doll. It grew startled again, but was comforted much more easily this time by Rosemary. It was decided that she would hold onto the creature since she seemed to have quickly formed a bond with it.

Jacob took up Sephiroth's leash, and they were on their way.

- - - - -

The soldiers that were after Harold were dead, very dead. The tainted life stream had quickly scratched apart their lungs from the inside when it attacked, killing them almost instantly and in a very agonizing manner.

So when backup finally did arrive in another portal, it was a miracle that those very same soldiers were up and about, traces of their blood gone.

The reinforcements were told that the mage they were after had friends now, and that they escaped by some means untraceable. The hazardous environment was some form of sleeping gas. Still, they had their equipment. They could find the magic user still, and they couldn't have traveled *too* far away.

Two squads would be formed, since the formerly dead soldiers had a lead on where the sample of that one creature they were trying to find may be. The living soldiers, deceived, would be sent after the mage Harold.  

[Rosemary Mori]

"He says that earlier he wasn't trying to kill you with those monsters. He wanted to get Mother away from you first and then intimidate you with them since he stilled your tongue so he could question your motives."

Rosemary took them to their destination and Sephiroth led them on and took them to a couple of shops, instructing well Rosemary on what to say and what to buy. He also showed/explained to her on how to use what was bought and explained that these ones aren't as powerful as the ones he has since they've never been used. The more they're used the more efficient they become. He also said that these shouldn't be given away to everyone and anyone who doesn't live here since it would damage the planet in the long run. He also mentioned that it would probably be wise to have the shield one ready.
 

[GamingLord]

The soldiers took a half-sphere shaped device out of dimensional storage, and planted it firmly into the ground. Parts of it began to slide open, revealing control panels, and holographic displays.

Soldier: "Okay, launch the probes."

A special, large tube-like device was aimed at the sky by two soldiers. Moments later, it fired small a metal ball high into the air. It suddenly shattered, and each little shard fired off in different directions as fast as the speed of light.

Soldier: "Alright... it's processing.... Done. We now have a basic map. Input that b*****d Harold's magic energy signature, and let's pinpoint his location... Get ready to go in hot."

- - - - -

The two mages seem to marvel at the properties of the pool, both able to see something magical in it that the others couldn't quite notice. Jacob in particular seem more excited as he gathered up samples of the water. He was just about to do as Sephiroth said, when a strange sort of metal claw on a metal rope shot out from the roof, grabbed the container, and pulled it up. A second before that had happened, a portal had torn open on the roof. Several black armored soldiers dropped down, just as Jacob and the others prepared themselves. One of them pulled a trigger on a rifle, and a blue orb blasted out of the gun. The sphere smacked into Jacob's chest, sending him sprawling onto the floor. A second orb was fired, but Abigail had formed into a golem and blocked it, immediately losing her rocky body once it discharged on her person.

Soldier: "Secondary mage deactivated. Fire incapacitators!"

Soldier 2: "Drop your weapons! Do not resist!"

There were at least five soldiers on the ground, with three more on the roof. Magic "deactivator" orbs were being fired at Harold, who kept casting quick barriers to dispell them. Jacob seemed to be having a hard time trying to get up off the ground, as if he were greatly weakened. Two of the soldiers had attached what looked like small pistols to their rifles, and were firing orange beams at the group.

Suddenly, the spider creature on Rosemary leaped off and grew back to it's normal size, possibly due to the words being whispered by Harold while he kept trying to avoid being deactivated.

Soldier 3: "NEW TARGET! Lethal force, put it down quick!"