*Mortar walks up behind you* Hey there. Loosen up a bit. I know that we're on a deadly place, but not taking yourself TOO seriously actually helps

Dirae feels something approach only moments before the stranger speaks, weaponless and in her underwear she phases out to almost nothing and disappears into the long dark shadows that seem to be everywhere. Unlike home the shadows here aren't peaceful and quiet, but twisted impressions of a thousand lifetimes ,all clamouring and swept along in the massive force of some colossus, the howling grief ,and insatiable hunger. As she reappears a couple of meters away she inhales sharply as though she had just come up for air. Her eye's narrow at the guy who startled her. [i] " Did you really just say that to a girl who has arrived in hell, in only her underwear?"[/i]

Hey, do you think THIS gives much protection? *Mortar pulls at his black metallic shirt* Wait, bad example. Name's Mortar.

Sighing she looks like she might be about to speak but pauses . [b]' you think talking to this guy is a good idea. '[/b] [i]' well what do you suggest I do, stand here staring blankly at him, and since I already said something It would be super wierd to just say nothing "[/i] Finally her she returned her attention to Mortar [i]" Dirae, " [/i]

Hey. And, I'm not exactly hostile until threatened, I don't know much about you

[b]What does he mean by not EXACTLY hostile ?[/b] [i]' Probably means he won't attack me unless I attack him first.[/i] Dirae attempts to reassure the shade.'[/i] Turning to Mortar she asks [i] ' so where have you been hanging out, is there anywhere safe. Any organised effort to get off here, or we just surviving?'[/i]

[spoiler]ok so I lay down at night reading all my thread replies, headphones in, listening to tool or something, making my phone read some of these stories to me aloud... Yours just now happened to be read with the song "46 and 2" and it fit -blam!-ing perfectly - forgive my foul language, but I found it incredible and it gave me goosebumps. You better stick around here and keep impressing people like that. I want to ask you to let me paste your work into the RoB vault - greatest hits - So what do you say we make this into a major plot ran by you for a chapter? I've been pretty busy with work lately and i don't have a whole lot of time to do my thing here, so it would be a chance to develop your story into something unforgettable. Get back to me in PM if you wanna make it happen. I've been moving and adjusting to a new area, so that's all. I'll be back more often soon. [/spoiler] [b][i]The darker one of the two of you tastes a new emotion in the air, lust, jealousy, and rage. Absolute fury. You have a strong urge to run, but can't quite look away from the scene beyond the door. [spoiler]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/142575351/0/0[/spoiler] A winged demon is chained to the wall before you. Not a demon, a once champion of the Imperium whose affliction driven bloodlust burned across the stars for over 10,000 years. You instantly realize his persona is quite literally Jekyll - but Hyde is running the show. Sarris-Sanguine roars at you, eyes bulging, tearing at his restraints, tree trunk sized arms and damaged power armor covered in blood........ ..........blood of his own, but also that of the nearly dead warrior at his feet. https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/149450321/0/0 Umbra's body is torn in half, his entrails wrapped around his exposed throat. Large, jagged bite marks connect to the empty space where Umbra's upper neck and lower jaw used to occupy, Primarch having clearly been in the throes of the thirst when he'd done this. Blood drops onto your shoulder... "This fight must have been brutal" you think to yourself as a flash of what actually happened dances before your mind's eyes. The sudden vision startles you as something horrifyingly irresistible clamps down on your consciousness. Another drop of blood lands on the top of your head, hissing as it settles into your scalp. You find you can't quite control your movements... You feel something taking hold. Another drop of blood lands on the front of your head, it runs down your face, boiling hot and scorching your flesh. You begin panic as you feel your soul being compressed by incomprehensible psychic assault. You realize every drop makes it worse, like you've fallen into a dream and are paralyzed. Terror grips your heart as you feel yourself being drawn in, drawn to the glowing crimson eyes beneath the black, soul binding cloth that covers his head - the runes pulse with blinding brilliance as the power they've imprisoned within threatens to tear free and immolate your soul, then consume your empty vessel as it twitches and spasms from misfiring nerves and liquifying flesh. Your attention is drawn to the resonating power swords driven into the swollen wrists of the chained Primarch, dangling in this most bazaare manner of sorcery snare. Red glowing chains inscribed with ancient runes of demonic power wrap from one side of of Sarris's severely injured chest to the other. Another drop of Sarris-Sanguine's blood lands on your face from his thrashing body above, the runes inscribed on the chains flashing as the power behind them begins breaking through. The blood in your veins runs hot as the frequency between your soul(s) and body grind(s) out of sync, haphazard and off kilter like a poorly tuned piano. Time recedes to slow motion for your consciousness as your mind begins to separate from your body. You notice a single drop of blood running down the tip of Sarris's nose, backlit by the raging inferno behind the cloth covering his head and eyes. The drop of blood falls for what feels like eternity... This is it. You have been caught by the most frightening predator imaginable, and will now receive the most painful and horrifying death ever imagined. The as the drop of blood lands in your open mouth, the psychic dampening runes of Sarris's restraints flare with unnatural energy, shattering like glass. Shards of hard shadow and solidified light cascade down around you as The dark mask of cloth bursts into flames, revealing the most frightening eyes... [spoiler]if you wish to know more about this next part, see the Journal of Sarris-Sanguine in Sarris's bio[/spoiler] At the instant your eyes lock on his, your vision is flooded with over 10,000 years of bloody campaigns that set the Galaxy to flames that will burn for eternity. The last image you see is of Sarris-Sanguine, barely over a century old, standing next to his brother (the Summoner) deep within a flooded fortress on a forgotten world. A world erased from all maps and invisible to the eyes of the warp. A world hidden by an ancient cabal who desperately sought to keep the secret of that fortress buried... A world that was chosen by the thirsting gods of chaos, destined for something both good and evil. The evil is now inside you. The darkest of the three of you senses a new presence. The cold, calculating presence of an inhuman mind. At once, you find yourself back inside your own body. Both of you. You see that Sarris has been locked inside of an energy dome, and that the nearly dead warrior that was at Sarris's feet has risen. Umbra flexes his newly repaired body. He glances at as something behind you, visibly shaken to the core. A flowing red light shines at your back. "Don't turn around..." Comes an inhuman whisper from behind you, resonating through the like something submerged under water. "My name is Lazarus." Says the voice. You witness Umbra removing his swords from the hands of the incapacitated Primarch. He ignites his twin plasma blades that both evaporate the blood caked along their monofilament edges. He then sheaths the swords, making a gesture to the being behind you before bursting into a cloud of mist and vanishing. "Some know me as the red man..." Begins Lazarus. "...but I am no man." It finishes in a low, sinister voice. Judging by the silhouette of your shadow, you can see that this being is levitating. "I am the wrath of the lost angel." Something thrashes within the energy dome, and then you wake up from your day dream. You find that you're standing before the place Sarris was hanging from, but no evidence of what just transpired is present. You can't remember if it actually happened........ ..........but then you realize that you are covered in oozing trails of coagulated blood........... ........Rivers of Blood. [/i][/b]

She was born in the Twilight and whilst these things were not unfamiliar, this goes far beyond her experiences. Its herself that finds these new emotions, catching her breath causing her body to tremble, the shade within her shrinking back, its place is among the purest of her thoughts not the corrupt. As her eyes scanned up the body of this being she froze, as small and as fragile as a porcelain doll, her features drained of all colour, Ebon hair cascaded down her back except for a stark white flash that framed the left side of her face. She can feel the hatred, rage and corruption like a tidal wave that crashes into her, but there is something else , behind all that, it rips at her heart, and stings her eyes with tears. Not tears of fear, but sorrow, so deep it leaves a hole in your very soul. Something dripping on her from above pulls her from her thoughts, she flinches and looks to where the drop landed, the vision that follows leaves her reeling, then there is another and another. ‘Drip, drip, drop’, she wants to pull away, she winces trying to retreat from the bloody tear that runs down her face, but instead something catches her drawing her gaze upward. She can’t breath as her body longs to give in to the promise that it can all be over soon, but her mind has always been made of stronger stuff, rather than forcefully resisting, she moulds with it a little, giving way without giving in. This gives her a reprieve whilst his coils wrap themselves around her, her eyes wish to close but he holds her there, this child in years. Her face turned up towards him as the final drop of blood falls on her lips, and in a reflex action her tongue catches this and without a thought she's drawn this thing inside herself. His gaze is upon her now. Her heart stops and millennia impact upon her, memories, thoughts betrayals, hatred curses and endless bloodshed, but overwhelmingly she feels his loathing, so strong is his despairing she wants fall to her knees. Quiet suddenly something shifts, and there is a quiet, but something cold begins to wrap itself around her. something else in her replies to this coldness, something that wasn’t there before bubbles with resentment but she swallows it down. She is somewhat startled to see the gutted victim from before standing intact over her, she glances up and his expression tells her that who ever is behind her isn’t much of an improvement on her previous room mate. Swallowing hard she goes to turn around before his words physically prevent her from doing so , his voice crawls about her spine, constricting her chest sending a cold sweat inching over her form. His words sear themselves into her mind, [u][i][b]“..the wrath of the lost Angel.”[/b][/i][/u] Her hand instinctively reaches for her pendant, half opened angel wings in a black so deep Nyx herself could have gifted them. Every night angel had worn this pendant, for an eternity it had been carried by those who reached out and touched those who thought they could not be touched. A coincidence? Probably but the thought still made her shiver. [i]“Your very quiet,”[/i] she tries to coax her shade out of the depths at which its hidden itself. [b]‘We have a new guest, I am not convinced we are going to get along..at all.’[/b] [i]“ Well lets try shall we?”[/i] She will not allow herself to become undone, not without exploring all other options . Abruptly she was brought back to the room where the whole terrifying event took place.Only now it was as empty as she had first perceived it to be. Her brow furrowed, and she exhaled as quietly as possible as though she might disturb some clue that might have explained it all. It wasn’t until she became aware of herself that her heart began to race ,swallowing, she looked down, her vest and shorts were stained with black red blood, a cold sweat causing the items to cling to her body, her hair also damp with sweat and blood the stark white streak now stained black red,. Touching her face a scolding scar now ran down the left side of her brow and down her left cheek. Finally, the tips of her fingers found her lips, to her surprise not scorched or burned but she could taste the remnant of what she had been given. She backed slowly out of the room placing her hand tentatively on the wall listening for some indication of where she could go. The howling grief she had encountered before seemed to have been muted or subdued ,and her thoughts couldn’t help but return to the wisps of memory from inside that room. Faced with a cavernous hallway, she pulled the shadows around her and keeping a hand on the wall she tried to find something or someone who could guide her path.

[b]You find that the quality of air has diminished dramatically. Flakes of black ash and grit float lazily in the dim corpse light, suspended in barely breathable atmosphere that leaves a bitter taste in the back of your throat. Your eyes are assaulted by the air. They become inflamed as blood start to well up in your tear ducts. You feel as if your body is being starved of oxygen, and your vision becomes a blurry tunnel. It occurs to you that this section of the ancient starship has it's own climate and biosphere, both having been effected by constant exposure to thousand's of worlds - each with it's own diverse collection of exotic, hyper evolved predators that range from giants the size of titans down to invisible microbes... There's no telling what's lurking around here and floating in the air itself. A memory belonging to Sarris-Sanguine comes to your mind: [i]14,984 years ago, You're walking down a long corridor towards a large blast door that leads towards the inner sanctum of your flagship. You're flanked by 10 honor guards that tower over the human crew and bionic servitors working hastily at their stations. You tower over even the honor guard by head, shoulders, and pectorals. You catch a glimpse of your reflection in a silvery blade held by the sentinel warriors guarding the blast door that is now right before you. Your angelic features radiate back, absolute authority glowing in your green eyes. Your pale colored hair is closely cropped and connected to an aquiline jaw line that displays a short beard. You are Sarris-Sanguine, and it's roughly a century before the flooded fortress incident. You enter the door code: 1515098, then complete a series of complex identity codes known only to the Primarch himself. The door opens and you enter the sanctum... The process to open the door sticks in your memory along with the top secret identity codes. A floating hologram schematic of the starship levitates hundreds of meters overhead in the center of the massive sanctum. You immediately discover the monstrous size of this starship as you step up to the podium that stands before your entire legion of over 900,000 Death Angels space marines in full war gear. Their fists snap into the air at the sight of their Primarch, all willing to die for their father and the cause. This is the day that your legion claims an ancient treasure from the lost ages: a starship of incalculable history. A starship the size of a planet. A starship called the Bloodwrath.[/i] The memory fades as you recognize your surroundings... Before you is a long hall leading to the massive blast door you saw in Sarris's memory, although much time has passed. You see a man standing before the blast door attempting to find a way in. The keypad beeps as another incorrect code is entered. [spoiler]https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/160260941/0/0[/spoiler] "Emperors cock!!" Exclaims Edmond Glass as he kicks the door, flailing his arms in anger. He turns and notices you, scrambling to draw his side arm and nearly falling over in the process. "Hold it!!" Shouts Edmond as he cautiously comes closer. He eyes you curiously. "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here???" [/b]

Dirae keeps a hand against the wall, leaning into it as her lungs begin to burn, closing her eyes she listens to the ship in an attempt to find direction a hint to where she is going. The gentle thrum she can feel beneath her bare feet travels through the wall in a pulse like manner, the surfaces aren't cold, only marginally cooler than her own skin. Something keeps pulling her forward her 'shad' reluctant on their course of action pokes at her. [b]"So you think the eyes closed method is the best way to approach this?"[/b] Her retort is rapidly applied,[i] "Can't you feel that? Besides I can't see with them open anyway."[/i] She carries on, the tugging gets more insistent, but her self awareness becomes less. The vision feels as though it quite literally crashes into her forcing her own consciousness into the smallest recess of her being. The singularity of this mans mind is breathtaking, a decision is made, and it is done and there is no doubt, there are no questions. Responsibility is a burden he carries reverently, no one could make these decisions but him. Ergo, no trust,..not strictly true he trusts his men to carry out his orders,he trusts...the thought is hidden almost as soon as it arrives. Here was a man who had absolute belief that his right was a divine right and therefore could not be wrong. Entering the codes , and then onward into the sanctum, and finally eyes laid upon the great prize,and absolute power. The fate of many billions will end with her. His own fate will be tied to her as well, much more than he ever thought. As Dirae's own consciousness returned all she could think was what it must have cost a man like that to end up the way he had. She doubted that no matter how many lifetimes he lived the horror and hatred of what he'd become would ever leave him, no matter how small a part of him I t became. Finally she is distracted from her thoughts by a commotion further along the corridor, she becomes aware that this is the same place she saw in Sarris's memory. Her eyebrow raises at the mans overly expressive manner, she ignores his command, being far more interested in the door and begins to make her way over to the keypad he was failing so miserably to access. " [i]Me? No one interesting, what am I doing here? Well ,obviously if you had half an ounce of sense you would realise I don't have a fking clue , otherwise I wouldn't be here in my underwear." [/i] Dismissing his pointless line of questioning she turns her attention back to the door. [i]" What can you tell me about where this door goes, and why your so desperate to get in?"[/i] Her eyes narrow as she watches him, cold reading people is something she is exceptionally good at, she has to be otherwise she couldn't do her job. Something about him puts on edge, although that could just be this place, it's not exactly the perfect place to meet someone new. [i]" Just wondered what it would be worth to you to get in there? [/i]

[b][i]Edmond pauses thoughtfully. "You don't remember how you arrived either do you?" He asks as he lowers the gun. He eyes you as a look of understanding comes across his face. "You're having an allergic reaction, let me help." Says Edmond has he begins rummaging in his bag. He pauses for a moment, looking up at you. "My name's Eddy Glass." He says thoughtfully before extending his hand in a formal greeting... He notices your eyes are closed and retracts his hand. He goes back to looking through the bag. "So what's your story?" He asks, dumping out his bag to get at what he's looking for. Guns, ammo, small explosives, gold, illegal drugs, strange relics, more illegal drugs, pictures, keys, a toy car, music cassette tapes that appear to be beyond ancient, and a long syringe full of glowing fluid. He looks up, listening in and curious.[/i][/b]

Dirae turns away from the door towards the sound of the man rummaging, finding her left eye seared shut, she raises an eyebrow the other eye opening, painfully squinting at the odd character. He is nearly a foot taller than her and easily twice her weight. With slightly odd exaggerated mannerisms. She was about to refuse his offer of help when a rushing in her ears causes her to stagger back, reaching back to find the wall, instead her legs give way and she slides down the door to the floor. Bringing her knees to her chest she hugs them resting her head on her knees, she forces a long exhale hoping to bring more air into her lungs, but she still is struggling. The burning rasping sensation still prevalent It takes all her concentration but she finally forms the words she is looking for, [i]" The name's Dirae Renoir, .."[/i] She forces another exhale,[i] "...was home, it had been a long night, went home had a shower, a drink, fell asleep there and woke up here. As for why I am a bloody mess..not sure where to start on that."[/i] Pausing to gather her thoughts she replies[i] " what about you, looks like you been here a while?"[/i]

[b][i]Edmond shrugs. "I've been a lot of places." He says as he pokes you with the needle, injecting your neck with the glowing contents of the syringe. The pain of the needle is sharp and unexpected. A cold, tingling sensation spreads through your body as the pain in your lungs and eyes subsides, finally your vision clears. The process only takes a couple of minutes. "Nanomites. They patrol your blood and clean it of foreign toxins. You're now resistant to poison and sickness, you'll be able to fight any infection and function at a higher level. The nanomites enrich your blood." Says Edmond as he tosses the needle away. "Nanomites are priceless and extremely rare... Lucky for you I know a guy who knows a guy who robbed an imperial medical vessel, but that was the last of my goodies..." Edmond looks at his kit and frowns. "My supplies won't last much longer, I've been out here for weeks searching for what's in this chamber.. I've been trying to get in for two days but I can't figure out the code. We are as good as dead if we don't get in there." Edmond says as he takes a seat next to you. He sighs heavily. "I don't suppose you know the code do you?" He says jokingly, deflated of all hope. [/i][/b]

Despite her uneasiness she offered no resistance as Edmond approached her with the syringe and proceeded to inject her, she winced slightly, the sensation reminded her of receiving a general anesthetic . The cold spreading from the injection site flooding throughout her system. Finally able to draw breath she inhaled sharply, leaning her head back against the door she tentatively opened her right eye, the left still seared closed from the scolding blood that had dripped over her. Everytime she tried to chase the memory it became more and more vague, there was an overall image of something dreadful, of utter rage but also hollow grief. There was another much colder presence, and then nothing. She knew their images but had no names to call them. Or perhaps she did and was too afraid to repeat them. Dirae sighed in frustration, then realising her bad manners she turned her attention to Edmond. [i]" My apologies, I should really Thankyou for saving my life. so..thanks, should I ask what it's gonna cost me?"[/i] She gives him a wry smile that suggests they both know they are pretty much -blam!-ed. After a while she manages to get to her feet, blood on her clothes has turned completely black as its dried and left her skin looking as though it's streaked with oil. Turning she stands dwarfed by this massive entrance taking in its entirety before her eyes fall on the access panel. Running her fingers slowly over it, she addresses her companion. [i]" So Edmond, what can you tell me about what's on the otherside of this door?"[/i]

[b][i]Edmond waves his hand away at the thought of his intervention having a cost. "This door leads to a massive chamber, a giant hologram of the ship at its center. It is the only accurate map of the ship, all others have false displays that hide what's actually in the ship." Says Edmond with a smile on his face. His smile fades. "The ship is hiding something, and I intend to figure out what the hell is going on here." He says, face hardening. [/i][/b]

ìStepping back she looks up at the massive entranceway before trailing her fingers over the intricate patterns that decorate it's frame. She is about to punch the code into the door when she feels a nudge from inside her head. [b] 'You really think we are wise sharing with this guy....he smells like used car salesman'.[/b] [i] ' Now hey that's a bit harsh, anyway where you been hiding.'[/i] [b]' There is something in here with us and I get the feeling it's waiting for something.'[/b] [i]' unfortunately a something, waiting for something , isnt giving me alot to go on shade.' [/i] [b]' Well right now it's the best I got...this is the door we saw ...you think getting involved in this is a good idea. [/b] [i] ' You say that like we have another option.'[/i] The shade falls silent and Dirae returns a her attention to the access panel, [b]'well don't say I didn't warn you.'[/b] [i] " as if you would let me forget,"[/i] she says this out loud without realising. Finally she turns her attention to the keypad and begins putting in the code. Then turning to Edmond [i] " Hope you find what your looking for in here. As she punches in the last two digits. [/i]

[b][i]Edmond's face betrays astonishment as the door opens slowly. The chamber before the two of you is pitch black. Edmond draws a bolt pistol. "Stay close, no telling what could be in here.." Says Edmond as he creeps silently into the dark. The dark chamber is cold and wide open. Your memory of Sarris's flashes again briefly, revealing it's colossal size to you again. You wonder if Edmond knows what he's doing. Edmond stops abruptly... The darker of the two inside your mind feels a familiar presence as you stand within the shadows.[/i][/b]

It's not the blast of cold air that sends a shiver through her , she feels sure that something is here, or knows they are here. [b]'He really is one for stating the obvious isn't he,[/b] she ignores the shades quip about her companion,and has already part phased, her outline little more than wisps of smoke. With her pale complexion streaked in black it gives her a distinctly eerie appearance , her movements are soundless, and as her vision adjusts to the darkness she is just beginning to realise just how colossal this space is. When the so far silent 'other', makes her aware of something, familiar. [b]' you think maybe we should tell your friend?'[/b] [i] ' tell him what, I have to two entities living in me , one of them is getting a hinky feeling.'[/i] [b]' er..maybe not quite like that...but ..yeah.[/b] Rolling her eyes, a pointless gesture but one she feels inclined to do anyway ,she makes her way closer to Edmond. Keeping her voice low out of habit more than anything she finally speaks, [i]" Er...Edmond, I am not convinced we are entirely alone "[/i]

[b][i]The smell of rotten flesh assaults your nose as you sense movement nearby. Edmond clicks on a lamp pack, illuminating a ten meter radius around the two of you. The two of you are surrounded by twitching bodies - their eyes snap open as the light disturbs them. "OH SHIT!!" Yells Edmond as he is seized from behind and pulled into a mob of undead. His weapon discharges several times as he is dragged down to the ground. One of them grabs you by the ankle and moves to bite into your flesh.[/i][/b]

[i]"FuK! Aw Hell No!"[/i] Dirae drops through the floor vanishing into the darkness and beneath the throng then slides beneath them and up the wall they had walked beside. The creature who had expected to find a meal screeched in frustration,whipping around to see where she had gone. These shadows were not like the peaceful shadows of home , these shadows belonged to something, to one entity so huge Dirae doubted it would feel or sense her, she was simply pulled along in the wake of this colossus. Amongst the noise and sensations the familiar gnawing hunger and empty sorrow was still there. [b]" Dirae ! snap out of it she will take you with her."[/b] [i]"ok ok, I am on it"[/i] It had only been a couple of seconds then she re appeared high on the wall above the horde, booth her feet and one hand were still inside the shadow keeping her firmly attached to the wall. [i]"Eddy! can you hear me , you still there? [/i] She dropped lightly off the wall onto the back of one of these rancid creatures and in one swift movement she snapped its neck. Then simply dropped through the floor again. She didn't think it would work, to be honest but as she had no weapons not even a garrotte she had to try something. She reappeared on the wall. [i] "Eddy !"[/i]

[spoiler]solid work there m8[/spoiler] A sinking feeling of unease overwhelmed Rae, creeping on her skin and all over her. This place was the farthest thing from safe, that much was obvious. The darkness didn't feel inviting. It didn't bring her any comfort. It was as if the darkness, the shadows themselves, were unnatural, unreal. As if they were fake, hidden, masked.

Standing a while, took her time to become accustomed to her new surroundings, her bare feet took notice that the floor wasn't cold but only slightly cooler than her body temperature. Dirae had come from the Twilight originally although it had been a few hundred years since she had been there,she was all to familiar with the stench of taint and chaos. [i]"A little cover would be nice" [/i]she whispered, it wasn't necessary for her to communicate out loud but it help her remember she wasn't entirely alone. [b] 'As you wish, maybe we could find you some clothes.'[/b] [i]" I am working on that you know, its not like I intended to sleep walk into hell, if I had, I would have packed more appropriately, and maybe bought a return ticket."[/i] Rae' apprehension causing her to snipe back.