Log:Into the Weirding Woods

Grimm Family Matters 2020/07/13 	 Radical|Connor Grimm Slinger Dialydd

5

Connor lets Grimm in as she arrives at the door. He must have seen her show up outside, probably. "Hey there. Come on in."

Grimm looks surprised as he answers the door so quickly. She's carrying a brown bag and has her messenger bag slung over her shoulder. "Hey," she smiles and walks in. She's dressed in her usual casual look, making her seem just like a normal visitor.

Connor chuckles and lets her in, and he closes the door. "Found out some...information that might be helpful, but I'm not sure how much it actually helps. Everything is pretty vague."

Grimm smiles at that. "Great. Sounds like you were more productive than I was. I couldn't really meditate or anything well in front of mirrors, and I couldn't come up with anything. How's your back?"

Connor thinks about it. "Feeling better. Still slightly sore, but that's it."

"Did you do the epsom salt bath like I suggested?" Gabrielle grins, scolding him teasingly. She drops it fast, though. "I brought some bagels and cream cheese if you want some before we head out, in case you hadn't eaten. You can tell me what you found out."

Connor chuckles. "I did take a warm bath. It helped." He takes a seat at the kitchen table. "So...you probably know a lot about this, but Qliphothic magic is...well, the antithesis of life. Basically...everyone is against them. Not diametrically opposite, though. Just opposed. If we wanted something that was diametrically opposed, it would be...'life'. Or...'the soul'. Somethign like that."

Connor says, "Oh...and Randal didn't have anything additional to add."

Grimm smiles at knowing her advice actually was helpful. She sits down across from him and sets the paper bag down in the middle, and slings her messenger bag across the back of her chair. "I know it's the antithesis. I think Dialydd called it uncreation. But...-everyone- is against them?" she asks uneasily. "Guess that makes a lot of sense," she adds after some thought. She smiles a little at the mention of Randal. Of course he'd be consulted and willing to help if he could. "That's alright. Is he doing okay with...all of this? I know he felt awful..." she asks more tenderly on the subject.

Connor nods. "He's doing okay. He's been asking for updates on what we find out, so I've let him know what we know so far."

"Good. I'm glad," Gabrielle says in soft, warm tones. She pulls out cheddar bagel and a napkin. "You want any? I got a few types in here." Half a dozen to be precise, and a few different spread flavors. She was intending to share. "What time is it in Germany right now, you reckon?"

Connor smiles. "Sure. A plain bagel would be good. Thank you." He thinks about it. "It's...six hours ahead, I believe. That means it's still night there for a few more hours. We would need to leave here after midnight or so. Let's see when sunup is there..." He pulls out his PDA to check.

Connor taps his PDA, "Sunup is at about 5 AM today. So, if we leave here by...let's say...11:15 PM, we should be good."

"Okay, we got a bit of time," Grimm comments. "And this time we know it's there, so hopefully it won't get the drop on us again. But we should be prepared so it doesn't happen again. Or a plan."

Connor nods. "HAve something in mind? I was thinking...go there. Blast it. But I'm open to ideas." He smiles.

Grimm chuckles. "Double tap?" she adds as she adds cream cheese to her bagel. "I agree. I was thinking...if we can stop it, maybe there's something of it you can read from with that spell of yours. Or if it has a mind, I can try and see who sent or created it. Also...what do we do if we're injured again? Or things go wrong?"

Connor waits until Grimm is done, and then he adds cream cheese to his bagel as well. "We could bring backup to take the thing down. Might be wise, actually."

"Maybe. I don't know anyone who I can reach out to right now," Gabrielle sighs as she takes a bite of her bagel.

Connor nods. "I could see if any of the Travelers are available. We might only need one or two more people."

Grimm shifts a little. "I...guess." She chews her bagel. "I feel weird getting them involved in my personal business."

Connor smiles, "Right...and then you get upset when Amelia asks for help." He takes a bite of his bagel and after he swallows, he says, "Do you see the irony?"

Grimm rolls her shoulder. "She already asked twice. I figure she'd see me asking once as being indebted to her," she smirks. "But...yeah. I see the irony," she admits.

Connor chuckles. "Friends ask friends for help."

Grimm shifts a little. "That's...the problem. But I'm feeling less...I dunno." She knows the word and doesn't want to say it: Resentful. "Less whatever than I was before."

Connor smiles. "Well...the rift was pushing your negative emotions, boosting them. But that doesn't mean there wasn't a root of something real behind it, too."

"Yeah," Gabrielle admits. "I still have those feelings. And the reasons behind them. I've been considering therapy," she confesses, feeling vulnerable even mentioning it. "I just don't think there's anyone equipped to handle my particular issues."

Connor chuckles. "You'd be surprised. You're attached to Starguard, right? Check with them. I'm sure they have a counseling group. Or at least a recommendation."

Grimm nods slowly. "Just Gamma. I'm not enlisted," she chuckles. "Maybe I could ask them. I just..." she starts as if trying to find a way to explain her feelings, then clams up. "Anyway. Time for that once all leads on Gwen are exhausted."

Grimm doesn't seem particularly angry. More lost.

Connor finishes up the bagel. "Hang on. Why wouldn't you want to ask them?"

"Huh?" Grimm looks up from her bagel. She's almost done. "I just...don't know how to talk about my feelings too well. I'm not good at it."

Connor looks mock surprised, "Whaaaaat?" He chuckles and then smiles, "Would you like something to drink?"

Grimm blushes a little, but does grin at him calling her on that. "Yes please," she says, then finishes her bagel.

Connor smiles. "So...alcohol or non-alcohol?"

"Uhh....hmmm. Alcoholic. Not too much. But there's still time for me to get clearheaded," Gabrielle smiles.

Connor chuckles. He gets a small glass of scotch for her...but also a glass of water, and he sets them on the table. He then gets some scotch for himself. With ice.

"Thanks," Gabrielle smiles as she takes a sip. The first sip is often difficult, but the second sip, she adjusts to the burn.

Connor smiles as he sees her wince. "That's why I like ice with it.

"But too much ice makes it taste bad," Gabrielle opines, then goes for the water.

Connor chuckles. "That's not true at all. I like the taste with ice."

Grimm gives Connor a shifty suspicious look. "Well...I usually try it with cheaper scotch. Maybe I'll try it your way," she considers.

Connor chuckles. "Well, no pressure. Just don't give me a hard time about how I drink it."

Grimm begrudingly says, "Okay, okay. I'll go easy on you. But I'll still try it." A smile creeps up on her face after the tease and she gets up to go get a ice cube for her drink.

Connor nods. "Don't let it melt entirely. That's the key."

Grimm laughs as she opens the freezer. "That sounds like you're saying I should drink faster," she retorts as she adds an ice cube.

Connor chuckles. "No. You just really want the cold and a little water with it. I could probably get a similar impact with stones."

"Stones?" Gabrielle asks, mystified, as she closes the fridge and walks back while taking a slow sip. As she sits back down, she's still making a little less intense 'whiskey face', then grins. "Bagels and decent scotch? It's either the dinner of champions, or I've committed a terrible sin."

Connor nods. "They make stones that you put in the freezer. Then you put it in yoru drink, so you get the cold from the stone, but don't get it watered down."

Grimm looks thoughtful at that. "Wow. Okay, so not just stones from the backyard, you mean," she chuckles, already relaxed a little from her prior awkwardness.

Connor chuckles. "Well, you COULD use those, but they make them in cubes to emulate an ice cube."

"Hmm. I see," Gabrielle says thoughtfully. She files that idea away from later. She bets Daemon/Slinger would enjoy those. She finds herself trying to remember if Carpenter takes his whiskey with ice or no ice. "Good to know," she concludes with a smile and a sip. "So...do you think we have time to wait and see to ask the Travelers for help? The main issue is the risk that this thing attacks someone else wandering in the forest."

Connor nods. "There might not be enough time, that's true. Everyone is...apparently pretty busy. Anyone else you can ask?"

Grimm wrinkles her nose as she thinks of a suggestion. "Porter is out. Just in case his powers react with its or mine and causes something terrible to happen. There's a new hero I've met, Slinger. Though...I think he's a bit green. Hmm...not sure the vigilante I know is up for dealing with the mystical. Maybe...someone in Starguard? But it's really not a close knit team."

Connor nods. "I got the impression that SG has a few people who are part of SGG as a full time job, then then a lot of freelancers helping.

"A few. Yeah. Malcolm was one of them," Gabrielle says, her tone sounding off and distant. "Um. There's Victory. He's kind of a boy scout. We work well enough when the ladies aren't tripping over him to keep him out of the fight. I'm sure I rub him the wrong way, but he'd probably help out if he were free. Then, there's the Commander, but he usually doesn't go on personal missions like this. Also the helpful type. I don't really know which others are full-timers though. I bet Guardian is. She's really, ah, militant and stiff. We've never even talked, I think."

Connor nods. "I just figured you seemed to have a number of friends. SG might take an active role if you couch it as...'Hey, this is a dimensional incursion'.

"Oh? You mean if I lied to the Commander?" Gabrielle asks with a faint smile. "I'm sure he'd gather a group together for it, but it'd be mostly of strangers that just answered the radio call. So yeah. In a critical emergency, we could get the big guns."

Connor shakes his head, "Is it a lie? It's a Qliphothic creature. Where is it from?"

"I....guess? They don't really deal with magical or supernatural stuff intentionally. I suppose if I outlined it as magical -and- dimensional, but really, that includes a lot of magical stuff they don't often consider in their jurisdiction. I could...bring it up with the Commander and see what he thinks?" Gabrielle suggests. "Though this time of night, he's probably headed home or home already. I'd have to contact Starguard and see if they could contact him. Or maybe use the comms, but that's no guarantee, and everyone would hear it."

Connor nods. "Probably too short notice."

Grimm takes a breath. "But then...the Commander will want to know everything. And expect me to tell him everything. Short notice for a scramble, and if this thing isn't all that tough once we face it prepared, it'd be like I cried wolf."

Connor nods. "There is that, yeah. Maybe jsut see if you can get one of the other local heroes? This Slinger guy?"

Grimm circles her drink and stares at the swirling ice sullenly for a bit. She snaps out of it and realizes what he asked. "Oh, Slinger. Yeah. He's, um. A new hero. Throws around a lot of quips. Pretty fast and springy. I don't really know how tough he is though."

Connor nods. "Well, if we can't get someone, we cna check it out ourselves. Backup was just a thought. If we get hurt, we back out."

Connor says, "I'm amazed it was still there."

Grimm nods and takes a sip from her drink. "Yeah, that sounds good," she says, distracted. The scotch goes down smoother now.

Connor watches Grimm for a moment, "What is it?"

Mind back on the case, Gabrielle's eyes lift up from her drink. "Yeah, like it was just dormant there," she theorizes. She looks a bit embarrassed as he calls her out. "Sorry, just a bit distracted. The Starguard talk made me think of Malcolm. We...we recently broke up, shortly after you healed the rift in me. It was...amicable. I'm still processing it. Well, not really, now. I'm more focused on Gwen."

Connor nods. "He wasn't really around much while you were going through that."

"I know. And he wasn't available much to call. And he wasn't around much before that, either. Duty and all that," Gabrielle sighs. "It's been a while. So it doesn't feel any different to me. It hasn't changed any of my day to day. And that...that just makes me a bit sad," she understates.

Connor puts a hand on hers, for comfort. "I'm sorry to hear it. That things didn't work out."

Grimm sniffs once and stares down at the table, not moving her hand away. "Thanks. I appreciate it. It just...hurts still. He was my world. I adored him. I guess I...I just wasn't his." Her voice constricts a little, then she sniffs and tries toughening up by taking another long sip of scotch. "But I need to not think about that. We have a monster to hunt. I need to get my head on straight."

Connor smiles. "And we have a sister of yours to find."

Connor says, "She's still out there, I suspect."

Grimm looks up to meet Connor's eyes and smiles softly. "Yeah. And that. That's what's important right now. I really hope she is."

Grimm finishes her drink and sets it down, reaching for the water. "So...time for you to suit up?" she says, getting her mind on the mission. "I'm attuned to that creature, and the spot we left from in the air. I can take us either straight to it and get the drop on it, or we can arrive elsewhere and try to find it again...and risk it ambushing us." She raises a finger. "Other option...I open a gate to it and lure it through to a place of our choosing."

Connor nods. "We have ranged attacks. Let's not start right next to it, if possible?" He gets up to put his gear on. He disappears briefly as he changes clothing, and comes back out to the front room as he secures the bracers and harness. He pulls his long coat on over it, and pulls his mask out of his pocket.

Grimm drinks her water to help keep her clearheaded. When he returns, she thinks a moment. "I could potentially summon us a little extra backup."

Radical nods. "Some kind of shadow thing?"

Radical pulls his mask into place.

Grimm nods. "A few. I think my dragon won't exactly be able to maneuver in the forest too well. But my shadow can help."

Radical nods. "Is there an impact to you if they get injured? Because I'm pretty sure that thing can hurt them."

Grimm shifts a little at the question. "The only time I had a problem was when I was fully separated from my shadow for an extended period of time."

Radical nods again. "Okay. Just making sure."

Grimm smiles. "I appreciate the concern. It'd have to be days or weeks for it to harm me."

Grimm stands up and takes her glasses to the kitchen sink. While she rinses and washes them, her shadow begins to stretch and distort. Like Peter Pan's shadow, it detaches itself. But then it stands up off the floor, still two dimensional at first. Then it shifts, slowly solidifying in three dimensions and leaving another Gabrielle standing behind the real one.

If one is observant enough, they can notice that neither Grimm casts a shadow now.

Radical nods. "So...does it take extra effort to teleport your shadow?"

Grimm sets the glasses to dry. "Not any more than if we had a third person with us. It won't be a problem for me," Gabrielle says as she turns towards Radical. Shady mimics Grimm and follows suit, turning towards Radical. "It's capable of teleporting on its own, too."

Radical chuckles. "Fair enough." He points at his temple, "Want to set up the mental link again before we head out?"

Grimm smiles and nods. "Sure," she says, projecting the same word as a thought so he knows it's established. "It'll be good in case we get separated or something else weird happens."

Radical nods. "Yup. that's what I was thinking. Again...if we need to disengage from fighting it, we should. If we're overwhelmed, we can show up with more help."

Grimm smiles roguishly. "So the plan -isn't- to fight to the bloody end? I like that plan." Shady smiles roguishly as well. Grimm leans over to whisper something to Shady, then pulls away and looks to Radical. "We're ready when you are."

Radical pauses just a moment as he takes that in. He then nods. He HAS seen stranger, after all. "Okay. I'm set."

The Grimms steps over to Radical. The real one grows a shadowy tendril as her protective shield springs up. "Okay, I'm going to get us up in the air above where we last were when we saw it. It didn't seem too be able to fly, so we should be safe there," she says as the tendril moves to secure itself around Radical's waist if he allows. "Once we can get oriented and maybe sense it, I can teleport us all to the ground and you two start attacking. Sound good?"

Radical nods. "Sounds like a reasonable plan."

"Okay. Here we go." Gabrielle tags Shady and teleports all three of them across the world to Germany's forests again to hover high above the trees.

The forest doesn't look quite so ominous in the dawn's early light. It's peaceful, serene, even pretty. Not that much of the ground is visible through the treetops.

Radical looks down...to see if he can spot the creature, now that he knows what to look for. And perhaps it has a magical signature he can pick up again.

There are no unusual sights or sounds. In fact, aside from a few bird calls and a squirrel or three, it's quite inactive. Thre are no active magical signatures present, either, though Grimm can, once more, detect the lingering traces of transfer in a Qliphothic trail below.

Grimm frowns. "It's...it's the same as last time. Did it go dormant again?"

Radical nods. "It might have."

Grimm thinks a moment and gets an idea.

 Grimm says, "Maybe I can trick it into thinking we're down there. Create an illusion of us that it may notice?"

 Radical says, "You could try that, sure. Go for it."

Grimm focuses down where the trail is, near where they last found it to end. She draws upon a well of her powers, able to still hold Radical easily enough. She sprouts shadowy wings and glides them closer. Shady does the same to keep pace on its own. She focuses below and creates a realistic illusion of Radical and Grimm teleporting into the woods and searching the trail again.

The ending of the trail is easily enough located. It is almost directly below them, as expected, though there are signs of a more recent trail from that point, headed northwest. Not-Grimm and Faux-Radical appear at the juncture of these, and ... are not immediately eaten by a Grue. Nor a squirrel.

Grimm frowns at the lack of reaction. "Maybe it can see through the illusion?" she suggests quietly.

Shady looks rather perturbed and vanishes suddenly, going off to gather help. It watched what this thing did before. Looking like Grimm, Shady finds Slinger on patrol and opens a portal right in his path for him to sail through. "Need your help," Shady says. On the other side of the portal is...air. It opens above the forests of germany, where the real Grimm is flying with shadowy wings and holding onto Radical with a shadow tendril.

At Dialydd's shop, Shady appears again moments after finding Slinger. "Need your help," she says and opens a portal next to the real Grimm that hovers on the other side. Shady extends a hand to help Dialydd to the other side, carrying him through and holding him aloft before the portal closes again.

Grimm looks around in surprise. "Shady, what'd you...oh! The cavalry!" she grins.

Dialydd blinks as he looks around. "Cha...where is this?" the alien Adonis murmurs in not-quite Scandanavian accent.

The calvary has arrived- though unfortunately for Slinger, winged victory might still be en route. He swings throught he portal without a second thought expecting a safe lading on the other side.

He only finds open air.

"WHat's the sitITTTTTTTTT!" He says in a panic as gravity grips him.

He is about to web himself a reserve chute until he spots Grimm & the others. He shoots a webline out to catch himself using one of the numerous tentacles protruding through Grimm from the nethervoid beyond.

All in all, Dialydd seems to be taking the summoning well. It's almost as if in some way he expected it. Dreams can be odd things for him.

40 meters above the forest floor, and a few meters above the treetops, dawn in the forest is rather serene. Below, there is a another set of Grimms and Radicals standing on the ground.

Grimm quickly snakes a large tendril like a branch for Slinger to use. Another reaches out to help take Dialydd from Shady.

Shady smiles softly, though looks exhausted and spent. Physically, she withers a bit. "You...got this..." it whispers before losing shape and color, shunting back beneath Grimm to be a proper shadow and recover its energy.

Radical waves to the newcomers, "Hey there. Nice to have some backup on this.

Looking like some eldritch avatar, with wings of shadow and four massive tendrils much longer than she is tall, Gabrielle Grimm updates the others. "We're on a case and ran into a qliphotic entity that was chasing my sister years ago. It's somewhere in the forest below, hiding. We're trying to lure it out. It already ambushed us once."

Radical nods. "It tends to go for the kill. So...be wary."

The alien youth looks down as Grimm grabs ahold of him. "...cha..." he murmurs in a quiet tone then pays attention to what Grimm states. "It kidnapped your sister, sera Grimm?"

He then nods to Radical before looking to Grimm again. "I know my, cha, defenses are unpleasant for you, sera Grimm. But, I feel I may need them. Can you bear their touch?"

Slinger waves to Radical. "Sure thing- but what are we backing..." He begins before Grimm's sitrep.

"Oh. Terrors from Beyond. Now I'm sorry I asked... would have worn baggier pants to avoid having an unsightly bulge in my pants... you know. From pooping the suit." He says before he realizes why they are really here.

He cocks his head. "YOur sister?!" He nods, realizing how serious this is. He sums his stance up succinctly. "I'm in."

"Sorry. I know my powers are a bit chilly to the touch," Grimm says to Dialydd. "I...I can bear it for a time." She takes a breath and explains, "No, it didn't. My sister disappeared almost 10 years ago when I was a child. Radical helped me find out what happened then. We've been trying to trace steps from there to see if we can find her. This thing was pursuing her while she was...was...in custody of a group trying to hide her," she summarizes for now.

Radical looks to Dialydd, "Your arrival here could be very fortuitous, actually. We'll need your expertise in regards to trying to track down Grimm's sister after we deal with the creature. There was a power that she was drawn to that...is similar to yours. But we can discuss it once the situation below is dealt with."

"So if we're here and its down there... and your sister was then... why did it ambush you? Is it hungry?" Slinger asks as he leans out to see the copies of Grimm & Radical below.

"That's the question. I could follow its magical trail though it was faint. It was still here waiting after it lost track of Gwen," Gabrielle explains. "I think we need to go down to lure it out. It can tell those are fakes. Keep eyes everywhere," she suggests and starts to slowly descend, but gives the others time to prepare or suggest other things.

Radical nods. "It hit me from behind last time."

"I see. So what you need is a bug on a line..." Slinger says just before he jumps. He isn't worried baout being snuck up on and he's already noticed everyone here already has a job. Clearly his title is 'Nightcrawler'. He glances at the sun's encroaching light. Dawncrawler.

"The Destroyers always hunger, ser..Slinger, yes?" Dialydd nods politely to Slinger. As he touches the bracer on his forearm, a golden-silver haze forms around him. Where is touches Grimm's tentacle, there is...disharmony in both the shadow and the light surrounding him.

He continues as he shifts slightly. "That is the nature of Qlipopthic: neverending consumption."

Grimm cringes as the bracer's activated, her tendrils shuddering a bit from the disharmony. "Uhnnn," she utters from the unpleasantness and begins to descend more.

The illusory investigators are still present below, as is the layered magcal trail (though only Grimm can see the latter). One older trail stopping beneath the faux bait, and the newer continuing from there to the northwest.

Slinger turns and gives Dialydd a thumbs up before he's out of easy sight. Then he freefalls, using the moment to reflect on how thi sisn't something he'd ever have volunteered for before. Maybe for Grimm since she's all the family he has, but not nearly so freeflowing & most certainly not without a plan. He notes that this behavior is certainly going ot be a problem and should be excised before it becomes a problem.

He focuses his eys on where he's going and the studiest trees around so he can slow his fall. He knows its going to be noisy but he's not here on a stealth mission. He's here to make waves & draw out what he can only assume is the biggest fish in this pond.

Grimm lands and sets everyone down by the illusions. The other Grimm and Radical look and sound like the real thing except for the most observant. They walk ahead to follow the new trail.

The newer trail of Qliphothic residue journeys for perhaps five hundred meters. It, like the older one, also ends abruptly. However...

Slinger knows Grimm can sense him so he doesn't work too hard to stay with the others. In fact he works very hard to look like the weakest, easiest pray to get- walking slowly and even taking a tumble when the others land so as to be the more enticing treat. He figures once he knows where the danger is the others can snuff it out & hopefully before he's playing Jonah for whatever tried to gobble Grimm's sister 10 years ago.

At the end of the trail, there is a lingering, active effect. It is Qliphothic in nature. Grimm, due to the tracking abilities of GKSS, can also detect the remnants of another past effect, also Qliphohthic, that isn't just the trail. I.E. magic is in use, right there, and it -was- used, separately, in the recent past

Grimm slows as they reach the the point where there's those odd remnants. "Something else happened here," she whispers, brow furrowing. "Something qliphothic...some magic in place."

"Can you tell any more that that, sera Grimm?" inquires Dialydd, his gaze roaming the area. "I cannot sense what you do, but, cha, your senses are...sharper than mine. "

The alien youth adds, "Does it have a, cha, flavor?"

"It's either in use now, or was used separately, recently. That's about all I can really make of it," Gabrielle answers. "It's Qliphothic as well." She keeps her voice low.

Slinger senses the group stop moving so he returns to them, and lowers himself down a webline to hang overhead so he can still hear the quiet whispering.

Radical takes a closer look at the active effect to see if he can determine what exactly it does.

Radical points at the location where the spell is active. "That...is a translocation. It's probably too small for a teleportation gate. That likely means it's being used to sense the area. Scrying, maybe?"

Radical says, "Maybe we effectively stepped in teh magical equivalent of a bear trap last time?"

Grimm sends her illusions to walk towards the effect. "Could be," she says to Radical. "Let's see."

Dialydd murmurs, "A hole is time and space to see through perhaps, ser Radical?" murmurs Dialydd.

Radical nods to Dialydd. "Space is foldable. Malleable. That's how my harness works. And...it's also how I used to teleport when I could cast spells to do it. And in theory time can do similarly...but that's not the method I use to look through time."

Slinger is all business now due to teh case they're on. He is quiet and still as he focuses on watching their backs- and his own.

All detect a new effect in their vicinity. Even Slinger! No, he didn't suddenly gain mystical insight, but the suddenly-manifesting spot of darkness, that then expands to be several meters in diamter, is hard to miss. It doesn't look all that different than the ones used by Shady to bring some here, or those Grimm and Radical used.

Emerging from the portal is Radical and Grimm's old friend Cliff: a rough humanoid of twisted black flesh nearly 3m tall, with elongated arms, large claws and teeth. Behind it steps forth an elder gentlement. Perhaps very elder, judging by his stoop, use of cane, and the ravages of wrinkles across his features.

The man chuckles with a dry, crispy sound. "It's always nice to see young people out and enjoying nature..."

Dialydd blinks, first his outer lids, then his inner. "Did you ever sense the physical presence of the creature who ambushed you before?" he quietly asks. "Could you have been attacked through such a, cha, aperture as this one?" He gestures in the general direction of the otherwise invsibloe hole.

Grimm is about to say something to Dialydd with the creatures steps through, followed by an old man who is somehow scarier due to his chuckle and the company he keeps. She scans him for magically active abilities as she tenses. The illusions of Grimm and Radical quickly turn to the newly arrived Cliff and old man.

Dialydd tilts his head to one side as he observes the elderly male and his grotesque friend. He lets his sense expand to examine the duo but leaves the talking to the humans present.

Radical looks at the two new arrivals...truying to quickly analyze the magic that he's seeing.

"Nothing like a walk in a spooky forest to get the blood pumping... well besides seeing a 9 foot ... whatever /that/ is." Slinger replies before pointing to the old man's friend.

He suspects these two are not friends of Grimm, Radical or Dialydd & hes quite certain he's enver met the two before.

The creature is Qliphothic in nature, though Radical and Grimm were already fairly certain of that. The man also radiates Qliphothic energies. Not as strongly as Grimm, perhaps, though far more than anyone who knows anything of the energies would consider especially healthy.

His eyes, and perhaps humor, remain spry, however, as he chuckles again at Slinger's comment. "One of my oldest friends. Do mind your manners..." He then begins to cough, the hacking a dry rattle, despite the black stains that appear on the white handkerchief he covers his mouth with.

After clearing his throat, he looks to Dialydd. "Speaking of manners.. you seem an especially... vibrant young man... May I?" Politeness seems to stop at asking, as he doesn't wait for a response before extending a crooked hand. Perhaps proving Dialydd's priot comment true, Qliphothic energies reach out for Dialydd to ... consume.

Whatever the old man did to Dialydd seems to have a dramatic effect on the youth. Streaks of white appear in his hair and his skin seems to grow pale as it seems the very life is drained from him. He gasps in pain but stays standing even as his shoulders bow as if under a great weight.

Conversely, the old man's stature straigthens. Sparse white hair thickens and darkens to black. His face and hands have their vigor and elasticity restored, making the elder gentlemen now appear, while still somewhat elder, to be in his mid-40s.

Grimm gasps at the dramatic change to Dialydd, then turns a scowl to the old man as her power flares. "No you may certainly not!" she says as she raises a hand towards the man. She would've felt bad to hit an old man. But now that he's younger, she hasn't got that reservation anymore.

Slinger is not rebuffed by th eold man's admonishment, be he does leave the quips behind and falls into Daemon's habit of operating in silence. This is convienent as the attack against Dialydd would stun him into silence all the same.

He realizes swinging in with his fists or drop kicks is probably not an option so he yanks his line to break the limb he's hanging on as he flips over to his feet, letting the branch fall into his hands...

The man looks to his trusted friend. "Leave the girl, and the tasty young man. Do what you will with the rest." His eyes then turn upon Grimm. "You, my dear, still have a most important duty to perform. You will come with me, without struggle..."

Cliff seems eager to play again. His preferred playmate? Radical, as they weren't able to finish their earlier game. It charges for him, claws raised and dripping ichor.

Grimm growls out, "The I....". And their her expression changes to one that's more compliant, "...will."

Radical sweeps his arms around as the creature comes after him, knocking the claw aside, "Take out the mage!"

"Yeah you tell ... him..." Slinger says, going from supportive & excited to clearly confused.

Grimm takes a step to Victor as she's compelled, but her contrary nature saves the day. She shakes her head, then narrows her eyes at the old man. "What's your business here, old man?" she snarls as she brings up her hand again and sends a blast of charged darkness at him.

The man is knocked back several meters and onto his recently re-invigorated rear. And yet, he's ...laughing? At least it isn't dry and crispy anymore?

Dialydd looks over at the no longer old man as he murmurs in an age roughened but still deep and strong voice, "You look so tired, mage, do you not desire rest? A release from your cares?" To mental and mystical perceptions, one can hear the word 'Sleep, rest, slumber' rolling over each other as to those same sensesl golden sand moves in an instant from Dialydd's hands to the mage's face.

Slinger may sense an opportunity arise or is just plain incensed at the idea of his best friend being led along by these two creepshows.

He thinks of all the things he'd do if he had /his/ suit and lost in thought momentarily finds himself in thought, leaping as Grimm proves she won't be led astray so easily & Dialydd won't be slowed so quickly.

He acts to follow up her strike with one of his own, bringing his makeshift club overhead to strike the mage hoping to shut his cackle out!

BONK!

The man is hit with a stick! He doesn't fly anywhere... though he was already on the ground. He does look rather... annoyed?

Slinger doesn't like that look but his new dispostion reminds him that at least the man has stopped laughing.

He frowns all the same beneath his mask and tries to hit him again. This time- in the face.

He is hit with a stick while he's down. Again. Yes, it's bruising him. Yes, he still looks annoyed.

Slinger is struck and his back leg buckles for a half a second from the force of the strike in his mind.

Radical also finds his mind struck by the blast...and he wobbles a little bit, but he keeps his feet.

A glimpse is granted to others's by the man. A glimpse into the End, the Death of All reality. Really more of a piercing scream than a glance. If it were one's mind and/or eyeballs that were screaming.

Cliff attempts to continue the game of patty-cake with Radical.

Radical continues to spin and redirect the claws away from him. He knows that if he gets tagged, he'll be in bad shape. Again.

Grimm manages to keep the thing out of her head as it assaults their minds. She shoves her hand forward and one of her tendrils leaps towards Victor to try and snatch him up.

Grimm's dark tendril wraps around the mage and begins to coil and tigthen. "So who are you with? DEMON? The Lodge? Just a loner madman?" she demands.

The shadowy tendril squeezes, and Grimm can feel it... but she also feels... something else. Some of the tendril, itself, seems to be ...flowing into him. It also doesn't help that he smiles. A smile that could be charming. Enticing, even... if there were any effort made to make it not cold. There's something oddly familiar about that smile. "How sweet, a hug for me? Fitting, as we are nearly family... Gabby."

Grimm goes from looking confident she has the advantage, to offguard as some of her power flows into him, to suddenly stricken by the use of the nickname.

Radical sidesteps...teleporting several meters away, hopefully out of the immediate range of the creature attacking him. He then fires a singularity at Victor. From behind his target. The shockwave is plenty noticeable, though.

Getting hit in the back by a singularity tends to sting. This case is no different.

Slinger sees Grimm has things in hand for the moment so he backflips, twists and aims his heel-led landing for Cliff- hoping to come at an unexpected angle to catch him off guard and knock him away from Radical. Luckily Radical already had the same idea and spatially side-steps his previous location before Slinger can arrive.

"GABBY?!" Slinger asks incredulously, breaking his (momentary) silence. "Oh boy- you've done it now. She's going to rip ya to shreds, Creep."

BONK.

Now it's Cliff that gets hit with a stick. It looks... well, it's hard to tell. It -could- be smiling?

The man's smile grows at Grimm's change in expression and attitude. "What's the matter, my dear? You didn't think you were the only one with such power, did you? You are a child with a gift you barely understand... an amateur, at best." His eyes meet hers again and flash (or unflash?) darkly. With an endless infinity of screams behind them. Though they may just be in her mind.

Grimm looks more afraid than angry at first. Hearing Slinger's comment snaps her out of it. She forces herself to toughen up and not give in to the dread that nickname causes her. "Family? In what sick twisted world are we--UHHNN!" Gabrielle clutches her head, rocked by the mental blow that sears her mind. Her tendril unravels around Victor and drops to the ground, twitching.

Radical fires again at Victor...knowing the last shot glanced off his target. His coat billows again as the singularity is formed...and fired at his target.

This one stings as much, or rather more, than the last, and the smiling gentleman smiles less as he's thrown past Grimm and into the undergrowth on his face.

Slinger senses things have quickly gone against him and the danger level in the forest has spiked dramatically in a heart beat.

Hearing Grimm's groan he changes tactics and moves to obstruct the mage's sight and mobility, leaving Cliffie to chase him down. He doesn't like fighting on multiple fronts but clearly this mage is more than just some old man.

It seems that Slinger's invitation is accepted, as Cliff leaps after him to land right with. He reaches out for Slinger in a flurry of claws.

Slinger's danger sense is spot on- warning him of his incoming doom as soon as it nears. Unfortunately for him that storm roll over him faster than he could really react. He's mid-leap, twisting horizontally as CLiff appears above him & erupts in a torrent of slashing strikes.

His suit offers no protection at all and his flesh doesn't either. He's literally torn to ribbons.

The man watches as Slinger is rent and impacts a tree. "Ah... not so quick with the quips now, I see..." He then looks back to the recovering Grimm. "This will be -so- much less painful for you, and especially your acquaintances, if you come along quietly. Unlike some, I mean you no harm."

Despite darkness looming, Grimm does see a bright spot... though it could be that her head is still reeling. This makes for a few bright spots.

None are as warm in their glow as the rising sun through the trees to the east (behind the man), though. It is warm and ... comforting, as is a slightly familiar voice calling.

"Gabrielle Grimm..."

 Radical says, "Grimm...that's the same light magic I saw in the past."

Grimm is quite wobbly from the mental assault. She turns her head as she watches Cliff attack Slinger brutally. "Slinger!" She looks back at Victor, glaring daggers at him even though she's weakened. "I don't believe for a second that you'd let them go," she growls. Then blinks away the spots in her vision. Only they're not going away. "That voice..."

 Grimm says, "That voice...that's what I heard in Moonshadow's bathroom mirror!"

Radical opens fire on the immediate threat: The creature that just sliced into Slinger. Again...a similar blast...firing the most focused blast he can muster with his gear.

 Radical says, "Grimm...check it out. This might be your only chance."

Unlike the man, Cliff isn't knocked off it's feet. The blast does, however, leave a very conspicuous mark.

Grimm is reluctant to leave her friends along, even with Radical's urging. After struggling to choose, she teleports towards the light.

 Grimm says, "Be careful. Take care of the others!"

And so Grimm vanishes in darkness, to approach the light! Does she reach it? It is impossible for Radical to determine...

... as Gabrielle Grimm doesn't re-appear.

As Gabrielle disappears from view in the blinding light, her mental link to Radical is severed.

Cliff seems unconcerned with Radical for the moment, and instead approaches the gift-wrapped webbing that holds the man. It then begins cutting at the webbing with its claws. Carefully.

Radical goes to gather up the injured folks, teleporting a couple of times to grab them...and get them to safety, initially a good 100m away or so, toward the intersection.

The telporting Radical is not accosted. He, and the others, were not ever really the prize. With the possible exception of Dialydd, as his energy was so.. scrumptuous... but the man could hardly enjoy dessert while gift-wrapped by Slinger's Sticky Services.

Once the smiling man is released from his entrapment, he, and his Qliphothic companion, gate elsewhere, much as they arrived.

Slinger bleeds all over.

Radical does try to heal what was done with Dialydd...seeing if restoring the man's pattern to normal does anything with the aging effect that he suffered.

Radical sighs as his attempt to heal Dialydd has no effect.

 Radical says, "Grimm...can you hear me at all? I hope?"

No answer. No thoughts or feelings in response. It's like Radical's just thinking to himself.

Radical nods...and figures she'll get back in contact with him as soon as she can. Next step is to get Slinger some medical attention. Okay...a LOT of medical attention. He places a hand on both Dialydd and Slinger, shifting them all to this sanctum in its pocket dimension. Then again... back to Earth and Colonial Bay, intending to take both of them to Steinberg Tower to have them looked at.

Log:An Audience with the Source