Log:Shadow Dies

The Regent Legacy 2014/07/15 Paragon Lightray Porter

7

There is a knock at the door.

Joseph This man stands a little over six feet tall with a lean athletic build. Lively dark green eyes are a notable feature of an even featured tanned face. He appears to be in his mid forties given the laugh lines at the corners of mouth and around his eyes along with silver dusted dark brown hair.

He is wearing a pair of khaki slacks and a dark green button downed shirt. The clothing seems well made. His feet are clad in leather loafers.

He seems relaxed, but attentive to his surroundings.

Joseph looks much like his description save that his lower face is obscured by a scarf with a fedora style hat pulled low over the rest of his face. A sliver of skin shows only his eyes.

It's a few moments before the door unlocks and swings open, answered by a suit of armor with glowing eyes set deep within the helm's eyeslots. It studies Joseph for a moment, who is just a little bit taller. "Password?" comes a polite, echoey voice that sounds much younger and lighter than the tall, masculine set of armor would suggest.

Joseph's sounds like he trying to suppress a laugh as he says, "Swordfish." The gentleman carries a soft sided old briefcase with him as well.

Paragon steps aside and motions for Joseph to enter. "Thank you for coming. I'm Paragon of the Guardians," she says in heroic overtones while firing off a cub scout salute. Her voice then loses the over-dramatized zeal of her greeting. "I can look away while you change, or there's a restroom down the hall," she offers politely.

Joseph smiles sightly or so one can assume by the smile lines that crinkle around his exposed eyes. "No need," he murmurs in a soft pure baritone Colonial Bay accent as he sets down the briefcase. He bows his head as his body is slowly infused by golden sunlight until for a brief instant he is dazzling to look at. The light fades and reveals Lightray. "Ah, much better," he says in a deep basso voice without any discernible accent.

Lightray

This man has golden skin that seems to softly glow from the inside. He stands about six and a half feet tall and has a strong athletic build without being over muscled. His facial features are strong, even, and of model quality. His eyes glow with the same golden light as his skin. His face is framed by shoulder length dark blue hair. He appears to be in the prime of life.

His clothing is like something from an old Hollywood movie: a white kilt-like robe that leaves the right side of his body bare from the waist up along with sandals that are strapped to his calves with white bindings. A glowing gemstone the size of a business card is centered on his chest. Wings of light seem to flow from the gemstone up and over his back like a softly moving cloak of light.

A faint smile rests on his lips as his gaze travels slowly about the room. He seems possessed of a calm self-assurance and dignity.

"Can I get you anything? Tea? Coffee? Cookies? There's quite a bit more to explain about the situation. I truly appreciate you coming to help. I think you'd be particularly helpful with the current situation." Paragon's voice is that of a pleasant host. Her helm makes a click and a whirring noise as it suddenly separates along the jawline, folding away and retracting into the rest of her armor, leaving her face exposed. Expressions are much better for conversation, she finds. Her auburn hair is tied back into a ponytail, but there are still long bangs that frame the sides of her face. But her face has a sickly pallor to it. Her lips are ashen, skin deathly white, and the skin of her eyelids have a lavendar/bluish tint to them, denoting some oxygen deprivation. But she's smiling, softly and politely.

Lightray smiles warmly at you. "A pleasure to meet you in the flesh, Paragon. And tea would be most welcome." He chuckles. "My mother always thought civilized people should always discuss matters over tea. But no biscuits thank you."

"Alright. Please, have a seat," Paragon motions to the couch in the living room with a polite smile. She's been trained The house has an open floor plan, and the kitchen is within discussion distance. There's an island in the center with a stovetop set on it. There's already a brewing teapot, made in preparation for her house guest just in case. She plucks two teacups from the cupboard with accompanying saucers and sets them on the island counter, then delicately pours a floral scented tea into each. Setting the teapot down, she picks up both saucers of tea and walks over to Lightray, politely extending one to him. "Here you go."

Lightray takes a seat while you are preparing the tea, tucking the briefcase beside his feet. He takes the cup from you with a polite nod as he murmurs, "Thank you." He inhales the fragrance for a moment then just holds it one large hand as he asks, "So you have a bit of a problem it seems."

Paragon sits in a chair beside the couch, facing him. Her armored form sinks into the cushions a little. "Yes. Quite a serious one. I've found myself the unexpected guardian of a young man with special abilities, and there are those who seek his death for their own gain," she says with a heavy heart. A troubled look crosses her face as she tries to think of a way to explain it all in simple terms for the sake of expediency. "The child's name is Arion. He's caught up in the Elemental Planes' war of succession, you could say. He's one of the heirs to the powers of a former hero named Regent, and someone's been assassinating them to gain their power. Arion is one of the few heirs remaining, and we know there's something dark coming for him." Paragon speaks as one unfamiliar with magic or other worldly affairs, but she seems to be making an attempt to explain it as best she can.

Lightray nods as you speak and waits until you are done to reply. "I know, or is it now knew, Regent. Not well, but he seemed a pleasant young man gifted by ancient Powers. A demigod one might say." His eyes grow sad for a moment. "Is he gone now?"

Paragon's polite, troubled smile falters a bit. "I'm afraid so. I never knew him until the end. But I'm told he lived a long life on the elemental planes, while only a few years passed for earth," she says with a sad smile. Something in her eyes says she knows Regent more than she lets on, but Paragon isn't skilled with deception. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news."

Lightray nods to you. "Thank you," he murmurs. "And I am sorry for you loss." Without explaining that further, "The other claimants to Regent's powers are gone now? Killed or missing?"

Paragon smiles softly, but still appears at a loss. "Thank you. And yes...there once were six. Now only two remain, but no one knows whose behind the attacks yet. Arion is from the Plane of Air. The other is from the Plane of Shadow. Recently, shadow assassins slew the heirs of Light and Air. All just children..." Paragon pauses for a moment. A flash of guilt passes over her features and vanishes again. She shakes her head and stares into her tea cup for a moment. "For some reason, the Lords and Ladies of the planes decided to have Arion hide on earth to give him some time before the shadow assassins came for him. Due to a mystical connection I somehow have with Regent, they assigned me as his protector." Her eyes flit up to Lightray. "And I need all the help I can get."

Lightray listens quietly as he takes a sip of the tea. "I can understand. And it is not the first time extradimensional Powers have hidden someone on Earth. We are a neutral ground in many ways." He shakes his head then continues, "I will gladly help you, Paragon. But I do not know if I can leave this world. I have not tried since I returned. I would gladly guard the child Arion if you wish desire though." He smiles slightly. "I am a good guard it seems."

Paragon's burden seems a little lighter at his offer. Her polite smile conveys her gratitude, as does her tone. "Thank you so much, Lightray. From what I've been told, the shadow assassins are particularly weak to light, which is why I sought you out." She finally takes a sip of her tea, delicately, before setting her cup back down on the saucer gripped in her other hand. "So long as you don't mind the danger. These assassins are dangerous and lethal. I feel bad for asking others to share this responsibility..."

Lightray sips his tea before setting it aside for now. "I have already died once, Paragon. Death holds no fear for me any longer." Before you can respond, he asks, "Who brought you back? Or did you arrange it yourself? If you do not mind me asking, of course. It can be a sensitive subject for thsoe such as us."

Paragon blinks a few times, looking confused. "Who brought...?" she trails off, and suddenly understands. He's like her in a way. "I was brought back by another, but I don't really know who. What I do know is a cyberneticist calling himself Mechaneer hired a necromancer to help raise the bodies of metahumans to use in his experiments, to pair cybernetics with metahuman powers." She frowns slightly and says with a note of distaste, "I still don't have a name, but I would dearly like to find out who it was Mechaneer hired." She takes another sip of her tea. "I had no idea you were also risen. How was your return brought about? I understand if you don't want to share. As you said, it's a sensitive subject."

Paragon is sitting downstairs having tea with Lightray as she updates him on the situation with Arion. The two are sitting on the couch speaking conversationally. Arion is asleep in Paragon's bedroom, where Porter is monitoring him.

Arion suddenly wakes, his eyes open widely but they are black...entirely. No pupils just a black as deep as the. stygian depths of pure night

Porter is having a pretty good day. Well, aside from babysitting a catatonic teen. Then again... that does make the babysitting waaay easier. His coffee's on a dresser, a cookie in his mouth, and both hands are on his PDA. Which is working well for once. That makes the game he's playing a lot more fun. See? A good day.

Lightray responds to Paragon downstairs. "I was returned to the world of the living by a group of extradimensional mages called the Grey Ones. They asked me to return to guard someone." He smiles slightly. "So, as I said, I have experience in being a guardian."

Arion sits up in a strange manner, his body lifting off the bed, and he turns his head to face porter, the movements too smooth...inhuman.

Paragon's eyes light up a bit with interest. "That definitely counts as experience. Um, so how did your duty guarding that person go...?" she hazards to ask.

Arion points at Porter and waggles his finger in porters direction..

Lightray smiles gently, "My charge has not fallen into darkness. She is recently married to a nice, normal young man." The statuesque man looks up abruptly then leaps to his feet, his immaterial wings passing through the sofa. "Something is going on upstairs. Plane of Darkness is here now." He looks about for the way up.

Porters head is enveloped in a black amorphous bubble as Arion says, "Hussshhh"

Eyes? Not so noticable. Catatonic sitting up? Probably noticable. Even for Porter. Who looks up and blinks. "Uh.. hi. Are y-" He never gets to finish a sentence.

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << Hey! Uh, he's awake and-What the hell?! Who turned out the lights? >>

Porter isn't even a master of the obvious when he can see and hear. Now that he can't? First, he has has to figure out what's in front of him. That means his hands are flailing around. And the PDA is dropped to the floor. That covers high. Low is handled by another pair of sensory organs: shins. So he adds stumbling around to this. There is also some rather frantic yelling, but not even he can hear that. Good news? He doesn't stumble into anything hard or sharp. Bad news? Open windows are neither of those.

Paragon blinks and leaps to her feet, dropping her teacup. It tumbles and shatters on the ground, but she's already leaping over the chair and rushing up the stairs to her bedroom with mighty strides. "Arion! Porter!" she calls out as she leads the way. In her head, she hears some chatter from Porter. Over their networked mindlink, she transmits <> But she's already at the door, forcing it open and stepping inside to see the commotion.

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << I don't know! It's Arion! He's-Ahh! >>

Inside the room Arion floats above the bed, as Paragon opens the door darkness begins to crawl over regents skin flowing out of his eyes like a living oil. until his entire body is a living shadow...

Lightray follows paragon up the stairs following close on her heels. As he strides after her, golden sunlight girds his form and a sword of sunlight springs into existence in his left hand.

Paragon stares in shock. She'd seen something like this before, vaguely, when the heir to the Plane of Fire died and Arion felt it. She dashes to the bedside and tries to reach out to the floating Arion...to grab him, to comfort him maybe...

Arion is approached and a palpable field of darkness surrounds him,blocking her from reaching him. "..ssstop." he says in a sibilant way...

A snaking tentacle wraps around Paragon's leg and envelopes her body ...

Lightray watches the darkness around the youth entangle Paragon. The Sealbearer stands just inside the doorway to the room as he sternly intones, "Release Arion now, spirit, or face destruction." To bring his point home, sunlight flashes from his eyes at the enshroud youth.

The rays of light split off the dark bubble surrounding Arion's body. the shadowed youth seems to look at Lightray. he puts his hand out and says "..husssshhhh"

Lightray moves aside as the tendril lashes out at him. "No, I think not, spirit."

The darkness wraps and envelopes around Paragon. Just as it's about to encapsulate her entirely, she flexes her arms outwards and tears free from the shadows, shredding the darkness. She reaches out for Arion again to try and grab ahold of him to calm him down, but her hand stops against the force of the shadow bubble. She frowns slightly and narrows her eyes as she tries to force her hand through it with sheer strength. "Arion...snap out of it!"

The light attack and the strain of paragon breaking free seems too much for Arion and the darkness recedes into his eyes, his eyes return to the steel gray they normally are and he collapses back on to the bed. the bubble around porters head disappears as well

Paragon takes a moment to gather her wits as the darkness recedes. With the commotion and Paragon's shout, Chen rushes into the room and stretches out her neck to see what's going on. But now, everything seems to have returned to the status quo. Paragon steps up by the bed and puts a hand on Arion's shoulder. "Arion...? Are you ready to wake, yet?" she asks tenderly.

Lightray lowers the sword in his left hand then lets it dissolve into nothingness. In a surprisingly mild tone, he inquires, "So. Is this a typical manifestation of an attack on Arion?" He glances at Chen for a moment then returns his attention to Arion and Paragon. "I have no need to rest, Paragon. I can watch him around the clock if needed."

By the time Porter's vision and hearing return from those inky depths, Paragon is standing beside a once again catatonic Arion as the darkness recedes from the boy's eyes. Shadowy tentacles are falling away from Paragon, which were once holding her at bay. She reaches out and touches Arion's shoulder, but there's no change or response.

Paragon's brow furrows and she shakes her head slowly. "This is the first. His own powers are air-based." She glances up at Lightray worryingly. "Thank you. The rest of us still require rest, so your vigil would be much appreciated. The one time I saw him display the abilities of another elemental was when the heir of fire died. The children are all connected mystically, and can feel the death of the others. And when fire died, Arion manifested those abilities for a brief time." Her eyes glisten a little. "I think the heir to Shadow has died."

Porter waves away the last of the ...shadow stuff and takes a couple deep breaths. It didn't block air, but it was claustrophobic. "Is he.. Oh.. Huh... What?" That's his immediate response. Then, after a few seconds, his brain catches up. "So... somebody else was going after everybody? Or they screwed up? Doesn't that make him the last one?"

Paragon nods slowly, looking to Porter sadly. "Arion's the last. He's the inheritor of the Regent's power. All of it. Maybe that's it. Maybe it's over finally," her voice trails off. But Paragon doesn't sound happy. Or fully convinced that it's over. Something doesn't feel right or make sense.

You hear Porter's voice inside your head: << I'm sorry. I screwed up. Are you Ok? >>

"I hope so," Porter steps over to put a hand on her shoulder, armor or no. "but if it's not, we'll be ready for it." Even if he wasn't exactly.

Telepathic message to Porter: << "You didn't. You didn't screw up at all. The Shadow Plane's child was being guarded by the elemental gods. This was just a by product of Arion feeling the other heir's death. It happened before when Arage died." She doesn't mentally answer if she's okay, but it can be felt that she's not. There's grief over the death of another child, one whose name she doesn't even know. And a moment of hopelessness at the realization that even gods could not keep one child safe. >>

Paragon nods stiffly, raising a hand to touch the one on her shoulder. "You're right. We...we will be. It's not over until Arion's home safe." She looks to Lightray, her face a solemn, dutiful mask. "Thank you for offering to watch over him for a while, Lightray. I think we need to rest, and see if we can find anyone else to help." She nods once to Lightray, then looks to Porter. Her strength is failing her and she wants to get out before Lightray sees. Her hand drops away from Porter's before she leads the way out of the room.