Shadow of Death (IC)

[Mytical]

((http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/kappa.shtml the solo hand drawn image next to the 'weeds' is the best description I can give for the frog people))

((As for the phoenix http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O8A28G-3W3.../Phoenix-3.jpg.. it ain't no parrot ))

After the above is described to xer, she is given a warning. When this IDP person captured it, he used 'compression field technology'. It made the phoenix a lot smaller then it would normally be. Some phoenix can be as large as a mountain. Now this one is young, so it is only about 30' long, but even young Phoenix can be pretty dang potent. It is understandably angry. It was kidnapped from its home, forced to go to a strange place, and kept in a cage. Approach with caution. The one good thing is, they do not like the cold, and the world is a bit more chilly then some.

IF it can be calmed down, it can communicate..but right now it is doing what some children do. It is throwing a tantrum. Speed is of the essence, as it can do a LOT of damage when angry.

((So the question is, before you head there, are you going to get anything to take with you?))

[Ghel]

"Begging your pardon, but you want us to herd a huge, flying, flaming beast back to its home dimension? And you call this 'easy'? I'm not saying we can't do it, but I don't expect it to be easy."

Sapputiyok looks at Goldie and says, "I have no experience with wild animals, and little with children. Do you?"


((Regardless of Goldie's answer: )) Sapputiyok asks for flame-resistant clothing. Xe asks if they have some way for them to fly if they need to, in order to reach the phoenix if it flies away. Xe also asks Goldie for her advice on what equipment they should take.

[Mytical]

Strongarm laughs "If it was too easy, we wouldn't be needed. However, despite it being young, the phoenix is an intelligent creature. If you can get it to stay still long enough to explain you can get it back home, it will follow without incident."

You are able to find a Microfiber suit that is perfect for what you requested. Not only does it resist heat well, but it has nanotech in it that allows the wearer to modify it for flight (not to mention style, size, etc). It won't take heat for too long at a time, but a couple hours at a time (with a rest ratio of 2:1 ie, for every 2 minutes in extreme heat you have to let it cool for 1 minute).

Goldie thinks. "I think maybe some CO2. If we can make the area around it cold, except for a path back to its entry point, that should convince it to follow said path. It certainly won't hurt the creature, even a direct blast, but it will deter it."

[Ghel]

Sapputiyok accepts these provisions and prepares to depart.

[Mytical]

This would be your characters second ride in an automated transport. (Ie vehicle)

Because the dimension is rather distant from the Nexus, you and Goldie actually pass through a few dimensions to get there. While the nexus stretches through all the dimensions, sometimes a direct path would be too hazardous.

On the way to the dimension, Goldie gives a little 'background' about the three 'spheres of influence' of which the Nexus is one. "Think of the Nexus as the neutral one. It is what maintains the primal balance between the other two. All three spheres stretch and are in all the other dimensions, though in some it is rather hard to get to, and some nobody at all can get to."

Goldie swerves to miss what looks like a rainbow colored crystalline lifeform. Sapputiyok could swear xe sees it wave in a friendly gesture, but the vehicle is moving so fast xe can't be sure. The next dimension you go into is both beautiful and frightening. It looks like a crystalline cloud, with 'columns' of rainbow colored 'tornadoes'. The vehicle is flying, but that does not seem to worry Goldie any.

"Then there is dimension 777, known to us in the Nexus as Utopia. The perfect blend of science and magic, and when the people there 'ascend' they become beings of pure energy. Until then, they are .. flawless. I mean that literally, their physical bodies are without flaw. Like our perception filter, every being in that universe becomes the perfect form for whatever species is looking at them. The most beautiful, desirable, and 'pure' being of that species. Some believe they are what Earth Prime saw as Angels. I can not say if that is true or not. Even their physical forms are truly immortal though. Can't be killed, do not die of old age. The only time one of them is 'lost' is when they become pure energy. Then a new one is 'born' and the cycle begins again."

As you enter the last dimension before your target dimension, it is pure ice..she has a bit of trouble controlling the vehicle, but somehow manages. "Which leads to what we call dimension 999. Otherwise known to us in the Nexus as Rutopia. Some of the beings from 777 were not..perfect. They chose science over magic, and it.. corrupted them. They are not quite as powerful as those in 777, but they can be just as alluring. They are what some think were the demons on Earth Prime. 777, 999, and the Nexus are the only dimensions that stretch to all other dimensions. The people of 777 are constantly trying to keep the beings of 999 from corrupting the other universes. BUT that is not to say all from 999 are bad, or all from 777 are good. No, sometimes the beings of 777 are way too strict, and sometimes the beings from 999 have helped other dimensions."

She comes to a stop near what looks like a volcano, in a dimension where it is snowing. "There is a reason I am telling you about these other two. Sometimes a 'runner' will enter either 777 or 999 to avoid us. Unless invited in, never ever go to either dimension. Let the runner go if need be." She looks up at the top of the mountain where a rather large fiery bird is circling, blazing fire as it goes. "We are here..since you are in training, I want you to tell me our next move."

[Ghel]

Sapputiyok stares at the phoenix for a moment before responding. "The phoenix seems to be... possessed by the same void that summoned the bone beast. I suggest we approach carefully. Perhaps we should use the 'CO2' to cool the flames as we approach?"

"How will the heat affect you? I can put up a small field of cool air around us, if need be."

[Mytical]

Goldie thinks. "Neither cold or hot really bother me, my skin is made of a magical metal..but I have a question."

Both of you are getting near the Phoenix. "If you can make the air cool around us..can you make the air colder around it, with a 'corridor' like toward there." She points to where the creature entered the dimension. "It is already snowing, and it can not be comfortable, so making it colder might just make it ready to move on."

[Ghel]

"I will try." Sapputiyok concentrates on the area surrounding the phoenix.

((Goldie probably wouldn't be able to tell, but Sapputiyok is imagining a horizontal cylinder, with the temperature unaffected in the middle, and a layer around the cylinder and around one end with the tempurature lowered, but open on the end Goldie indicated. With a look of total concentration and effort, Sapputiyok slowly moves this "cup" of colder air in the direction Goldie indicated.))

[Mytical]

It seems reluctant at first, its anger still lingering. However, finally the cold drives it toward the opening. As it starts to vanish, you see the vortexs disappear.

((Remember none of you yet know it is 'death', just a power that seems like a vortex))

A mental message of thanks comes to you, from the phoenix, and a cryptic message. "The shadow has noticed you young one, and it will not be pleased you helped me home. Please..be careful."

[Ghel]

As soon as the phoenix disappears, Sapputiyok collapses to the ground, groaning in pain. Xe puts xer hands to xer face, pressing the heels of xer hands into xer eyes. Expecting Goldie to be concerned, Sapputiyok says, "I'll be fine. That took a lot of effort, though. My head hurts as if I stood next to the warning bell as it rang."

Sapputiyok takes a deep breath. "Did you hear what the phoenix said? Right before it disappeared?"

[Mytical]

Goldie shakes her head no. "Whatever it said was meant for your ears only." Just as she was about to say more her IDP com goes off. "Go for Goldie" she says.

"Ok guys, this ones no training run. We have a runner not far from you, with a load of corn headed to dimension 328. Runners are bio-enhanced. Proceed with extreme caution."

It was Strongarm's voice, but Sapputiyok has an odd feeling about this communication. Something is wrong..it just a vague feeling though, nothing concrete to go on.

[Ghel]

Sapputiyok doesn't voice xer misgivings about Strongarm's message. Instead xe says, "What is corn? What is dimension 328 like, and why are the runners headed there? Do you know?"

[Mytical]

"It's easier to show and tell about corn." She whispers some strange words that the translator can not seem to translate and a couple of small images appear in front of you.

One image is of corn still in the fields waiting to be harvested, the next is corn on the cob, and the last is kernels of corn. "It is a food source. However, in dimension 328 it is highly volatile, able to produce large explosions. One of these," she points to a kernel "Can cause damage in a 5 mile radius. The people of 328 are at war with each other, so they will give just about anything for such weapons, especially because they are so easily concealed. The runner is probably a smuggler who wants to sell something cheap and plentiful in his or her home dimension for something expensive in his or her home dimension." She pauses. "I just can not figure out why Strongarm would send a trainee on such a risky mission. We even have to travel a little further then somebody who is in the Nexus. I am sure he has his reasons though." She looks unconvinced.

"Come, let us try to intercept these runners. If they make it to 328, it is only one dimension jump to 999. I'd rather not have to get permission to go into that place." She heads toward the vehicle.

[Ghel]

Sapputiyok follows Goldie and gets into the vehicle. "Have you been to dimension 999 before? What's it like?"

[Mytical]

Goldie has a look on her face that speaks volumes, and lets Sapputiyok know it may be best not to chase this question too far.

"Once. Imagine one vast city, covering the whole world. No plants, no animals, just building after building. Each reaching way into the sky. There are not that many actual people, but they grow whatever they need in bio vats. Then there are the prisons. This race can make you see and experience the absolute worse thing you can think of, at will. They are sadistic and vile. They ENJOY giving people pain."

You see a vehicle up ahead, and she flips the lights on. Must be whoever you are after. You are passing other dimensions, so this one he is headed toward must be difficult to get to.

You zoom past a wild west looking world, and a semi comes racing toward you and Goldie, trying to knock you from chasing the car. Goldie doesn't even flinch, and mutters some sort of spell, then flips a switch on the car. A shield goes up, and the semi just bounces over your vehicle when it smashes into some sort of shield. She calls it in, but does not give up the pursuit.

You catch up to the vehicle just as it is nearing the dimensional border. "We have to keep it away from that border. I've used up my magical energy protecting us from that Semi." She pushes a button and a nasty looking firearm drops down in your lap ((Sapputiyok)). Do whatever you have to to stop it. I will get as close as I can."

Meanwhile elsewhere at the Semi (Where Colt is)

It flips over a couple of times, but is built sturdy so it ends up on its tires and starts tearing through town trying to catch up with it's target.

Colt Walker is chasing down a fugitive on horseback, who is trying to lose him in town. He hears a monstrous roar behind him, and sees the semi. Finding it odd that nobody else seems to be aware of it, even if they are getting out of the way. The passenger side door opens, and a humanoid male jumps out. As he hits the ground, he transforms into some sort of humanoid canine halfbreed, all teeth and claws. The monster starts tearing everything apart that is in it's path, headed toward the bank. Probably figures with the IDP already busy, they can make some easy money.

As the beast nears Colt, the semi comes covers the other side of the street, there is nowhere to go, he is trapped. Another vehicle, this one is an all black transam with a skull painted on it's hood, comes just in time for somebody to grab him, and they crash through the bank door. An oriental female with short cropped hair, dressed in matrix style clothing. wearing sunglasses (like Neo wore) jumps out with a shotgun. "Come with me if you want to live!" she holds out her hand to Colt, just as the beast crashes through the wall, snarling.