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Post by Ancelas on Jul 29, 2023 20:57:25 GMT -5
As the Lucky Hand inspected the cellar around them, they found the area to be cooling rapidly, the unnatural heat fading from the air. The moldering books on the shelves were dissolving, age and rot finally taking hold, and the only thing left on the floor of the strange monster inside the cauldron was a black, ashy stain.
All was quiet. All was still.
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Post by redcoat on Jul 31, 2023 20:01:30 GMT -5
Cerys's form shifted, from the wolf and back to the elven woman- who also had to work to pull her eyes from the goo on the floor.
"I'm alright- but I'd like to check on the kids." She said, giving the room another cursory look before heading to the stairs- but not rushing up immediately- not quite willing to let these kids out of sight yet either.
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Post by uberwulfx on Aug 1, 2023 8:54:09 GMT -5
Crystal looked around herself quickly, bleeding eyes shifting around and staring at a space before moving to another. After some time of silence around them, she straightened up and carefully sheathed Raziel.
"Dear diary: today, I beat the ghost of a hag, I think." She observed her teammates, finally landing on a post-shift Cerys. "Yeah! We need to make sure we got everyone, and look around for more ghost children. I'm not hurt at all, so I'll at least tell the kids that it's safe to venture, if they feel inclined. Might be hard to convince them after all this, but..." Crystal shrugged as she moved up the stairs. She had enough adrenaline still pumping that she was was ready to run once she got to the top, but came up short as she noted two waiting for them.
"Oh-- Hey! We think it's safe now!"
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Post by Ancelas on Aug 2, 2023 18:20:05 GMT -5
As the Lucky Hand turned away from the chamber of the final conflict with the entity that had haunted this place, the fading heat crept into a crisp chill. Cerys and Crystal were the first up the ladder and into the bar, and as Crystal spoke, her breath came out in a faint fog. Nat and Mouse stood nearby, the smaller boy held close against the older girl by the arm she kept around his shoulder, and their gazes were fixed on something in the middle of the common room.
Three small shadows in the shape of children stood in the center of the room. Behind and between them was a taller shape, its edges faint wispy, as though it were made of smoke. As the Lucky Hand gathered, it seemed to take on more distinction - the shape of a man, dressed in unassuming clothes, his age indeterminate.
The poltergeist gazed at the Lucky Hand with milky white eyes, expression serious, and slowly nodded his head to them.
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Kyt
Junior Member
Posts: 89 
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Post by Kyt on Aug 4, 2023 22:21:13 GMT -5
"Seriously, what the fuck just happened? We stabbed a goo to death and everything's fine now." Rey rubbed her brow before they climbed the ladder out.
Once on the main floor, she continued giving cursory glances about the area, fully believing something was about to pop out at them. She purposefully kept her gaze off of the spectral shadows still remaining. "You guys all right, yeh?"
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Post by opius on Aug 4, 2023 22:30:58 GMT -5
"Yeah. Stew went off. It'll do that." He grunted, a certain lack of mirth in his jest.
Jinn grabbed his gear off the ground. Still warm from the soup they were standing in just moments ago, it seemed. The cold air that started washing over them, though- that was nice. Refreshing. Crisp.
Cool, the other ghost was back doing spooky chilly asshole things. Jinn nodded to Cerys and Vincent before making his way topside, moseying past Rei and Crystal along the way. He looked the kids(living) over before giving them a nod, and then turned toward the kids(not so much), and their... seeming caretaker?
"You the one throwing lanterns around? You hurt my friend- clocked her right on the snout. Funny as hell. Don't do it again." He then approached the kids, voice quiet as Rei checked in on them.
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Post by CautionCat on Aug 5, 2023 12:52:46 GMT -5
Vincent felt yucky, the spirit gone, the soup... Slain? Things were very unsettling, but they managed to defeat what plagued this building.
Everyone was heading upstairs, and Vincent would soon follow, climbing the ladder and observing the sprits that gathered once he made it back up.
"I wonder if that's the guy who went crazy... The one who tried taking over the place before."
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Post by Ancelas on Aug 5, 2023 20:34:30 GMT -5
Mouse nodded to Rey and Nat, at Jinn and Vincent's questions, began to sign. Mouse glanced at her hands, then at the ghosts, then began translating without looking back at Nat.
"Yeah... we're okay. Lif tried to distract the shadow... keep it away from us, and the others. He's been doing that for a long time - keeping things away. He didn't want anyone to release what was in the cellar. Better that no one came here at all... but... when it got out..."
He looked back at the Lucky Hand. "Thank you. That's what they wanted to say. She's gone now, which means they don't have to hide anymore - and he doesn't have to stick around."
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Post by redcoat on Aug 6, 2023 8:15:39 GMT -5
Cerys looked over everyone, carefully moving so she could see Lif- but still keep the kids in her vision. "Thank you, for looking after the kids." She said to Lif, before looking to Nat and Mouse.
"And thank you for protecting each other." She said, signing as she spoke. It felt clumsy and awkward to the elf, who was not used to the graceful movements of Nat's hand-language, but hoped that the intent would be read.
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Post by uberwulfx on Aug 6, 2023 9:13:59 GMT -5
"Lif..."
Crystal had her hand still on Raziel's grip, but everything seemed to be truly calming down-- Raziel hadn't screamed in her ear again at the least. Her free hand moved to sift through the top of her fluffy hair, idly combing and picking it out as the sheer wildness of everything that had happened, and was happening, made her fidgety. Eventually, she sighed.
"What happens now? What about what I'm going to assume is the ghosts of kids that weren't able to be saved-- do they stay, or go with Lif? How did that thing get out of the cellar in the first place-- someone open the door faster than Lif could chuck a lantern?"
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Post by opius on Aug 6, 2023 9:34:04 GMT -5
((reaction)) jinn winced slightly. And then very quietly spoke up for crystal to hear. "... Yo, uh... I think it mighta been... It was us, I think. When we were rootin' around down there..."
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Post by Ancelas on Aug 6, 2023 9:41:41 GMT -5
The spirit of Lif turned his gaze on Jinn and an expression of icy displeasure swept over his face, as much acknowledgement as was needed. The shadowy children around him, meanwhile, began to fade away, their shadows dissolving into wisps of nothingness.
Cery's gestures caught Nat's eyes, and she followed them, puzzled, before understanding dawned. She smiled and nodded, then slowly made a series of similar gestures to Cerys - echoing her 'words' and showing the elven woman how she signed them.
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Kyt
Junior Member
Posts: 89
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Post by Kyt on Aug 6, 2023 23:54:38 GMT -5
Rey shrugged, sheathing one of her swords. "Eh, well we got rid of the thing too. Seems even to me."
She eyed the ghosts as they started to fade. "So uh, we still tryin' ta keep this place? Not sure how I feel if'n the spooks don't, ah, "move on" or whatever."
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Post by opius on Aug 7, 2023 12:29:10 GMT -5
Jinn nodded at Rei. Any real hesitation was put to rest by her cool and inarguable logic.
Seeing Cerys taking care of the kids, Jinn thought it might be best to leave her to it. His track record was rocky with these kids. So his attention turned to Life, and he followed Rei's question to the source.
Weapons stowed, hands on his hips, Jinn swaggered on over toward the specter who was giving him the stink eye. He lifted a finger, leaning in toward the spook.
"Y'hear that, Leaf? Rayray's right- we mighta' caused a crisis, but we also made it right and put it down. Heck, I'm bettin' old Granny Slop-soup was a problem you ain't had a solution for, huh. Ya welcome for that, by the way."
Hands on his hips, he looked the grumpy specter over. "After all the scares, threats, and concussifications you caused us, I think that makes you an' the Lucky Hand even." He pulled his hand back.
And extended it to shake. "So how bout we call it truce, an' you let up and let Cherry give these livin' kids a place to eat? Whaddya say, pal."
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Post by Ancelas on Aug 7, 2023 13:19:21 GMT -5
Lif did not seem to respond to Jinn, whether to the raised finger, his speech, or the offer to shake. Instead, the spirit turned his head slowly to look at the cold fireplace at the far end of the common room. His arm, hanging at his side, was then suddenly pointing at it, and a moment later, a cool wind blew through the common room... and he was gone.
A heavy THUNK came from the fireplace, as though something had fallen loose.
The chill in the air faded. The sounds of rain falling against the shuttered windows grew more pronounced. From the back door came the sounds of children arguing.
Mouse turned, drawn by the sounds, and tugged at Nat's sleeve. Nat turned as well, and followed him as he led her to the back door, and out into the alley, where they were greeted by a round of cheers.
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