The Will to Fight: Start

[voidtreckermods]

"Good Morning Passengers, today is day six of the month of Kazoo." The voice echoes through the train as passengers wake up in their beds. Not long afterwards their SCA’s glow with the colour of the void and a holographic image will appear.

Preparation

They have an hour or two to prepare. Enough time to read their briefs, make decisions, meet in their teams and gather anything they may need. The dressing carriage is open with tents and other basic camping equipment.

"Shortly arriving in system #86525656412355. Drop order is Orange and Blue followed by Red and Purple. Orange and Blue to doors, arriving in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one."

The train lurches as it exits through the void, before descending smoothly to the world below.

Blue and Orange

Arrival

If anyone peeks through the windows as the train lands they will see a glimpse of cracked and crumbling walls, a city on its last legs. As they exit the train, however, any passengers who aren't immune to magics influencing the mind will find themselves looking at grand, sturdy walls, flags with a blue field and golden tower fluttering from the ramparts.

They aren't too far from a gate, depending on where on the train they exited, and the gates are opened and unmanned. Inside, people are going about their business, selling their wares, while children run around playing among dogs and chickens.

The newcomers don't get too much attention, even though their hoodies and combat trousers seem very out of place in this city.

The Towers

The towers stand in each corner of the city. They are solid stone, no windows all the way up. The ground floor is the largest, grand doors leading into a functional yet beautiful foyer, and from there into smaller chambers. Wide, curving stairs lead up into the tower proper.

As they climb the towers they will come to the different levels which are all trapped, to dissuade intruders and train their disciples. They will be able to descend the towers and exit and enter again as many times as they like as they work their way up to the top.

The City

It will soon become apparent that persuading these people to fight isn't going to happen. The war has already been won, the demons were defeated. The world is safe once more. Welcome, travellers, to the Shining City.

Their SCA's show them the locations of the entrances to the catacombs. There are a handful, scattered around the city, clearly designed for quick evacuation should the city defences ever be breached.

Persuading people that the city needs to be evacuated might take a good while.

The Catacombs

The catacombs are cold and dark, lamps having gone unlit for months. Those that are sensitive or can sense magic in any way will be able to tell that at least here the wards hold: no demons will be able to enter.

The tunnels are narrow, able to fit two people side by side at their widest points, but more often than not they must move single file to avoid collapsed walls or leaning pillars. Or, sometimes, piles of bones spilled from the tombs set into the walls. Side tunnels extend out into the darkness, signposts or symbols marking old, unused storerooms, bunkers for temporary shelter, or private tombs and crypts.

At points the tunnels widen out into large chambers, rooms or galleries that have been used as cemeteries for centuries. At other points the tunnels have collapsed or become almost impassable. People will need to wriggle through the gaps or find ways to stabilise the tunnels in order to pass through.

Purple and Red

Arrival

"Red and Purple to doors." The train flies back into the air after dropping Orange and Blue at the city gates. It doesn't go very far; it's less than a minute later that they're landing again. The doors open and they can step out into the destroyed countryside.

They don't get much time to get their bearings as the train flies off again, because coming over a nearby hill is a band of demons, a gate crackling behind them. The band is mostly footsoldiers, with several of the larger breed interspersed.

It's hard to say which side is more taken by surprise, but the Voidtreckers will only have moments to ready themselves before the demons rush in.

Defending the City

It's a wide area to cover, surrounding the city, and there is plenty of work to be done. Bands of demons roam around, most headed towards the city. They run, claws digging into the ground, leaving a trail of destruction behind them. Sometimes they will have a larger demon or even two with them, armed with toxic whips that they use with dangerous accuracy.

Other times there will be smaller demons, carrying ornate daggers, whispering foul spells to drain and bind their enemies. These demons become more regular as the days progress as it becomes obvious that taking the city will not be as easy as they first thought.

Closing the Demon Gates

The gates nearer the city are smaller, and easy enough to find, but the SCA's of the red team pinpoint more and more gates as they open in the areas further out. Triangular markings on their SCA maps indicate distance and direction.

The gates must be closed from the other side, so the first thing is to enter them. Entering the gates feels strange, uncomfortable, as if something were tugging and clawing at their very being, trying to pull them out of their own skin.

That feeling lasts for a moment, albeit one that feels stretched, and then they are in the demon realm: a monochrome world devoid of life, where every step taken tires the body, where even existing is exhausting.

The gates are guarded, so adjusting will need to be done in combat. Smaller gates have fewer guards than the larger, but all will fight savagely to protect the keystone.

The keystones are smooth black obelisks about a foot high, usually stood on a plinth or set above the gate location as a centrepiece. Each can be destroyed by blunt force or any other ability able to shatter stone, and once it is they will have a short amount of time to leave before the gate closes. Their SCA will helpfully start a timer indicating this.

Comments

Peter | Guest Starring on the Red Team

[hashtagparkerluck]

[ Prep time. ]

Blunt force is something Peter can do. He could probably break stone easily so this time he's decided to tag along with the Red Team and he also might be concerned about a little girl that likes to stab things. Mostly though, this seems like the mission he can lend the most help with-super strength and all. So, one might find Peter in the dressing car meticulous trying to find ways to stuff the most supplies in a bag. He's got the basics, a tent and also a few snacks.

[ Drop Time. ]

Peter had watched as Tony left the train and felt a little better knowing that he'd be on the orange team and not in direct combat. He makes up his mind to find someway to get the suit back to Tony and then focuses on his own team-or the team he's guest starring on. The last time Peter had gone with the read team he decided to go through a portal and try and investigate a bunch of goblins-really, this feels about the same except that the train is actively encouraging him to go through the portal. He fidgets with the strap of his bag and glances around as he moves to the doors.

"Well, here goes nothing, I guess."

Nothing was really probably about accurate if the barren wasteland he's looking at is anything to go by. Immediately, there's that prickle at the back of his neck and he's preparing for a fight. He glances around the area and makes note of all the things he could easily climb if needed and goes right into the fray.


[ Demon Realm ]

If his Spidey-sense was upset before it's really mad now. The goosebumps and the feeling like his skin is literally crawling up his arms. It's not a great feeling to be sure. However, he's here for a reason and that reason is to destroy the weird keystones that open the portals. Easy enough-just attack the problem head on. He leaps up onto a piece of fallen building and fires his webs-they latch on to the obelisk and he YANKS hard to pull it down...

Except... instead of destroying the rock the webs snap and Peter's left blinking in confusion. "Uh.. okay. that's new. That's never happened before." He voices before leaping up again and this time using his webs to web up a few of the demons and then throws them haphazardly into another group of guards.

"Incoming!" He calls out cheerily as he does.

...Man, is he tired all of the sudden..


[ Who Needs Rest? ]

As much as Peter would love to continue quipping at demons and breaking keystones he hits a point where where he's about at his limit and has to take a moment, sinking down to sit at base camp and letting out a heavy sigh. His Spideysense feels a little better but it's still buzzing off and on.

"I just.. need like five minutes." He states, not at all who he's telling this to. Himself or whoever he sat next to? Either way, in less than five minutes, he's getting back to his feet and checking his web fluid levels.

pls rest

[fivemilesdeep]

It's been a fairly consistent cycle since base camp had been set up: exhausted combatants would arrive, and those present at camp would make sure they were fed, healed, and rested before they threw themselves back out into the fray. To that end, Ryo has this down to a routine at this point.

"You need more than that," he says firmly, tone brooking no argument as he ladles a cup of bone broth out of a pot and grabs a slice of bread, bringing them over to Peter. "Eat this before you do anything else."

Absolutely Not.

[hashtagparkerluck]

"Nah, I'm good." Peter tries to wave it off. He's got super powers and he recovers fast-he's got this, really! He takes the bread and bowl being handed to him though and glances down at the soup. Well, maybe he could eat a little little. It'd be bad if accidentally starved himself again.

"Oh, uh.. thanks."

8|

[fivemilesdeep]

"You're not good, you're tired," Ryo says flatly, "and you need more than five minutes' rest so you don't collapse in the middle of a fight and get yourself killed. Now, have you eaten today?" A beat. "Aside from this, that is."

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter makes a weird face at that because he wasn't exactly expecting to get called out like that. "I'm fine, I'm heal fast and have like... a super fast metabolism." He explains before taking a bite of the bread. He's never been that big on just bread but beggars and choosers and all that.

"And yeah, of course I've eaten-have to or uh.. my powers don't work quite as well."

demon realm

[blitzcheer]

The thrown demons get knocked into the pair currently - or previously, now - harassing Tidus's small group, of him and a cluster of blue creatures no bigger than two feet. A few take the opportunity to squeak and cheer at Peter's efforts, but there's no getting comfortable as the foe start scrambling to get up again, the two webbed working to tearing at the material as best as they can. Those of the small beings who know better are trying to keep the foe pinned with blasts of water magic, Tidus finding the opportunity to stab into one of the demons.

But these demons aren't slow or dumb, the two unsticky pair up again with daggers drawn, sending Tidus jumping back to dodge a slash that nearly catches on his clothing.

"Hey-- Webs! The hands! The mouth!"

Words come out real good when you have to keep moving from defence to offence; the higgledys with Tidus managing to keep one of the demons distracted, but with Tidus still having to deal with the other up on its feet.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter turns when he hears someone calling out to him and moves quickly into action. He doesn't have much time to question the blue things and focuses his attention on the demons. He shoots his webs again, snagging up the other demons and jumping up to swing around them to keep them in place.

"Looks like you're a little tied up, guys. I hope you won't mind if I just-" He fires his webs at the keystone and with a mighty yank, rips it right off the obelisk. And then his SCA is counting down.

Well. Shit.

Did he do it wrong?

[blitzcheer]

Did someone just break the big important valuable plot device vase keystone in front of all the demons? Nevermind the ones now tied up, they don't really matter, but there's a pair who saw the property damage and may be glaring at them now, claws unfurling. Maybe with eyes more on Peter, admittedly.

"Thaaaat's our cue to get out!"

Whichever one, really--but maybe get out as Tidus looks around, doesn't see any more gates within view. There's the demons between them and the gate now glowing, acting erratically with the keystone now broken, but. No problem, right??

[hashtagparkerluck]

He sure did. Whoops.

Great. Peter facepalms at his own luck before casually firing his webs at the charging demons. that should hopefully hold them. Now to figure out now to get out of here.

He glances around and frowns as the tingling feeling seems to get worse and his SCA is still beeping. Shit! What is he supposed to do?

"Okay, so I didn't know that was gonna happen."

Drop Time

[seacub]

"That didn't take long..." He sounds just about as nervous as he is. Which is quite a lot! Almost immediately, Weather is arriving- and looking around, Emporio points. "Try to stop them!" he shouts, but his Stand is already moving, drawing in great amounts of wind which turn into clouds which turn into ice.

It's not a whole lot, but perhaps Peter might see something he can take advantage of there- or even realize he can ask.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Oh. Okay. He can work with this-maybe. He leaps up to try and jump onto the ice and do his sticking abilities work on ice? He's pretty sure the do. He jumps down then and offers a powerful kick to the first demon and then fires a web at the second.

"Hey, where are you going? I have something for you! It's webs!"

[seacub]

"Huh-!?" Oh!! Well!

That's something! But hey-

"Weather!" It's a better idea than before. "Support..! Keep it dry!" Drier ice should make it less slippery in risk, so soon enough Emporio is clinging to Weather as the stand works overtime to get platforms and perches made. But they need to fight too after all- taking refuge on one of the ice perches himself, he sends the Stand into fiercer combat.

It's tricky- these things decay after all.

But water doesn't decay- it's water. So coating fists in ice is doing quite a lot, even if it's cold.

[hashtagparkerluck]

That's okay, he's not great at thermoregulation so he won't notice at first. But don't worry too much about that. It's fine. He'll be fine. He pulls the webbed demons back and into another group of demons.

"Sorry dudes, but I'm kinda on a time crunch. Places to go, people to see-you know how it is." He webs them all into a neat little pile.

"Thanks for the assist!" He calls out to the kid."

[schrodingersghost]

It had been long enough for Danny to realize that even if he wasn't feeling it, a lot of the people who'd come along on this mission were starting to look a little worn down.

Peter was definitely looking a little out of it. But since it was Danny, he shows his concern by making a terrible joke.

"Hey man, you doing okay? You like you could be half-dead." A beat. "And I would know."

[hashtagparkerluck]

Tired or not, Peter always appreciates a good pun so he just grins and waves the concern off. "That's probably just because I'm dead on the inside." He quips back. He is not, actually dead on the inside but oh well.

He fires more webs at a few demons and makes quick work of them by slamming with into one of the Obelisks. "Holy shit." He stumbles backwards for a moment-giving his head a harsh shake. "Although, I might need like... a ten minute break or something."

[schrodingersghost]

"Funny," Danny says as he casually blasts away a demon sneaking up from behind, "You don't look it."

Danny frowns, and quickly shoots off a blast of ghost ice, building a barricade that should hold for a moment.

"Hey man, you need an exit out of here? I don't think you're going to get a break right at demon central here"

Demon Realm

[paopuofyourlife]

Why Kairi had decided to join Red Team for this mission? She wanted a challenge and a way to hone her skills a little bit more because of it. Could she mess up? Sure, but she also knew she could learn from her mistakes to.

But she heard the heads up and with keyblade in hand held it out to hit the incoming demons with a Waterga. It seemed like a good idea after all, right? It seemed to hit them at least as they soon hit the ground.

[hashtagparkerluck]

Well that's not really something Peter was expecting. He's not really sure what he was expecting but he's sure that didn't make the list. He's not going to question it though and moves easily back into action.

"Thanks for the assist!" He calls out before firing his webs again and webbing the demons up. Now where's that keystone?

[paopuofyourlife]

She nodded slightly going to keep moving, so far there didn't seem to be anymore, but when she sees them she makes sure to move in close and use her keyblade when nessissary, getting a scratch or two while trying to deal with it.

Being inexperienced had it's downsides but how else was she going to learn in her mind?

"I think the keystone is close by. Think we can handle it ourselves?"

arrival

[knifewithnoname]

She's glad that he's coming with red team, it means it's easier to keep an eye out for him and he won't be tempted to treck across an entire wasteland on his own if he thinks she needs help again.

She has a backpack of supplies and her rifle already in her hands, pistol and knife in easy reach as well.

"Here do be going nothing." She agreed before jumping down from the train.

"Be being ready." She called to him, as the demons got closer.

[hashtagparkerluck]

He did that one time. One time and he's pretty sure he learned his lesson. Maybe. It depends on how worried he is.

"I'm always ready." He says flippantly. His senses flare up again and he twists to quickly web the first few demons that thought they might get close. "Well, usually. This time I was!"

[knifewithnoname]

That's not even romotely true, she's seen him not ready before. But this time he was so that's good. She took advantage of his webbing the first few to line up a shot, shooting her rifle towards one.

Prep

[10billionpercent]

It didn't matter to Senku that Peter wasn't on his team, he was concerned about everyone involved. That, and just in case he figured he'd grab a tent this time.

He picked one up and it vanished into his Arms Band, not his backpack.

"Need any help with anything?"

[hashtagparkerluck]

Peter's attention is pretty solidly on the backpack he's sort of staring at. He's not deep into thought as he can still hear and is aware of his surrounding but he's really thinking hard about his internal check list.

"Maybe... trying to decide if I need anything else..." He says distractedly.

[10billionpercent]

"Food and water, and most people want a shelter. Warm clothes, just in case." Senku counted off in his head. "Sleeping bag. Really came in handy that one mission when I had to put out fire."

That...wasn't what that was for...