We Are Our Avatars XI (Open)

[Kirke]

"[small]He changed...[/small]" - Ella opened her channel to the ETR squad, and said; "It appears to be a magical assault. Unnatural plant growth and necromancy involved. Be advised, Dalahar has changed. He is extremely dangerous and possibly hostile. Land on the rooftops and focus on the magical attackers." She then aimed at the nearest zombie, flicked back to the 'kill' setting and fired. The shot hit just below the neck, vaporising much of the upper torso and leaving nothing for the head to be attached to. "Shana, Candace! Get back, find the others and get out of here!"
[hr]

City of Waltham Police Department, Massachusetts. Afternoon. March 4th​

Haussman stood up and said; "That's me. Pleased to meet you." - He extended his hand to shake.

 

[Silence]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada. March 4th, 2025
- Streets of Montreal -
Around Midnight​

As the daemon was ripping zombies apart, who kept moving unless their brains were squashed, Green was placing his hands on the ground, preparing another spell. The forest was still growing, even around Green and Black. As trees grew on the roof, a clear shot for any sniper was not possible.

The head of the zombie Ella shot still tried to bite, but obviously had trouble moving. There were more coming.

They scratched on the windows of the hotel as well.

 

[Drakmorg]

Having stood back and taken her time to observe the situation, Nina was able to spot Green and Black retreating onto a nearby roof. And here I was, thinking to myself how to manage just that. She thought to herself as she let out an amused giggle.

She let out a short, shrill whistle. From behind her, seemingly bursting forth from the ground, a black arm, six feet in length, appeared. The arm appeared to have no joints, undulating like a tentacle, and ended in a large palm with six, two-jointed fingers evenly spaced along the edges. The arm reached down and grabbed firm hold of Nina, then tossed her with inhuman strength into the air towards the building Green and Black had taken refuge on. A second arm appeared at the edge of the roof, snatching Nina out of the air and gently setting her down on the roof. "Ugh." She groaned in response to all the trees showing up on the roof as well. "Hey! Cut it out with the trees! I wanna talk to you!" She shouted, then started impatiently trying to pick her way through the growth.

Meanwhile, the first arm Nina called stayed put and aimlessly crushed zombies against the ground.

 

[Kirke]

Hotel Entrance - Around Midnight​

Ella simply kicked the zombie head away with her mighty, steel-capped, boot. She then fired on the next zombie, aiming straight for the head now while backing off slowly.

 

[Chungus]

City of Waltham Police Department, Massachusetts. Afternoon. March 4th​

"Likewise. Officer Daniel Witmann", Witmann stated, shaking Haussman's hand, and giving a nod. "My partner's in the car", he said, turning towards the door. "Shall we?"

Walking out the breakroom, and through the precinct, Witmann said, "the closest anomaly is a stone's throw away; only a two minute drive." Saying this, it was clear Witmann wasn't thrilled with this fact.

When the two moved out of the precinct's front door, Witmann's partner - a woman in her mid-twenties, not much older than Witmann - looked to them through the window, sitting in the car's driver. She gave the two a small wave.

 

[Silence]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada. March 4th, 2025
- Streets of Montreal -
Around Midnight​

The next zombie fell down, body lifeless after a few convulsions. But it did not seem to end, even though the zombies were relatively slow. Cracks started appearing at the window to the breakfast room, at which the zombies clawed at, and groaned.

With bright green colours, a giant bear appeared in the streets, seemingly waiting for an opening.

"Sorry." Green said to Nina, made a snap with her fingers, and around her the trees seemed to recede, even though they grew again, after her. "They mostly grow on their own."

"What do you want, little one?" Black asked Nina, inspecting her. He seemed to have respect for her.

 

[Kirke]

Hotel entrance - March 4th, Midnight​

Oh, to hell with this! - Ella thought as she holstered her rifle. She drew her HF-sword instead, stepping forward and slashing downwards. With another step forward, she slashed horizontally at head-height. The vibrating blade cut through flesh and bone easily as Ella fought her way towards the exit.
[hr]

City of Waltham Police Department, Massachusetts. Afternoon. March 4th​

Haussman followed Witmann outside, and raised his hand in greeting to the other officer. "I'll be right behind you, lead the way." He said, before heading over to his own car. It was green and a reflective light blue, with the XPOL logo on the hood and "POLICE" written on the sides.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Candace stood back, slightly retreating from the festival of gore. "The dead walk?!"

 

[Silence]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada. March 4th, 2025
- Streets of Montreal -
Around Midnight​

Ella would be able to very slowly cut her way to the exit. Out there, she would spot a lot more zombies, most of them fighting and getting squashed by Dalahar, but still a lot of them coming closer to the hotel building, towards her.

And there was also the giant bear, looking at her and slowly walking into her direction.

 

[Slenn]

"It's like a horror flick. Candace, we need to get Kuki and Nina!" She said, rushing to the room where Kuki was sleeping. She unlocked the door and searched the room.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Candace followed Shana, also looking for the animal.

 

[Chungus]

Totten Pond Road, Waltham, Massachusetts. Afternoon. March 4th​

Witmann nodded to Haussman, then got into the passenger's seat. His colleague starting the engine, she drove from the parking lot, up Lexington Street. After little over a two drive, the car turned a left, then drove onto a small parking lot of a convenience store. There, the driver turned off the engine, and exited the car.

Marked by traffic cones, the rift was close by, on the sidewalk.
[hr]

Hotel room, Pointe Saint-Charles, Montreal. March 5th. Midnight​

Kuki laying on their side, curled up, sleeping under the bed. They were completely unaware that Shana had entered the room, or anything that happened, outside. Their equipment laid close-by.

 

[Kirke]

Hotel entrance - March 4th, Midnight​

Once the door had been cleared, Ella slammed it shut and leaned against it. There's a bear outside. Why is there a bear outside?! After catching her breath, she readied her rifle and opened the door. With the blaster hanging by a strap from her shoulder, she was able to operate it with only her right arm. In her left she had her sword, and now she cut her way forward to get a shot at the bear.
[hr]

Totten Pond Road, Waltham, Massachusetts. Afternoon. March 4th​

Getting out of his car, Haussman looked at the rift and hummed. He then opened the trunk of his car and took out a large, bulky, scanner. Pointing it at the rift, he activated it and scanned the rift.

 

[Silence]

Montreal, Quebec, Canada. March 4th, 2025
- Streets of Montreal -
Around Midnight​

The glass of the window broke, but the zombies were pretty dumb, blocking each other instead of being able to get in fast. Slowly, one or two fell over the window sill, then got up inside.

The zombies were also amassing near the door, so Ella would be slower to get a clear shot. The bear started to punch some zombies out of the way, to get to Ella as well.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

Candace poked at Kuki, caring little for the creature's beauty sleep. "Up, this instant! "

 

[Drakmorg]

"Thank you." Nina replied appreciatively as she made her way over to Green and Black. Without saying anything else, she held her right hand out in front of her with her arm fully extended and palm exposed. A ball of green-colored fire roughly the size of a basketball burst into existence a short distance from her palm, then launched itself quickly at Green, aimed at her hands. The fireball would explode on impact with anything solid, doubling in size and releasing heat great enough to melt steel before quickly dissipating. Regardless of whether the attack landed against Green, Nina would repeat it against Black, aiming at his feet.

 

[Chungus]

Totten Pond Road, Waltham, Massachusetts. Afternoon. March 4th​

Scanning the rift, it was revealed the rift was definitely some form of disturbance in the space-time continuum, but no true portal, as it didn't lead anywhere. The rift would measure to be low in energy, but also highly unstable. While it was calm, now, it would be a safe bet to say that could change, for better or for worse.

Witmann stood back as Haussman scanned the rift, leaning with one arm on the roof of the cruiser. The female officer approach him, looking at this scanner. "What's the verdict?" she asked. "I'm Ellis, by the way. Ellis Loren."
[hr]

Hotel room, Pointe Saint-Charles, Montreal. March 5th. Midnight​

Being poked by Candace, Kuki jolted away, jumping to their feet, panting. Very lucid for someone that had just been woken up, Kuki looked around, then had the tendrils emerge from the pectoral fold. Using these, Kuki put the EEG cap on, not bothering to put the entire collar on.

Their breathing slowing down a little, they asked,

"... What?"

, not happy with the awakening.

The collar not designed to pick up on anything other than voices, Kuki still didn't hear the sounds of battle, outside.

 

[Silence]

As soon as Nina stretched out her hand, tendrils came from launched out from behind her, all at the same time, grabbing her wrists and ankles, holding tightly and spreading her arms and legs to the sides, making it impossible to aim a second time. They were strong, but bendable, making it all the harder to break.

Green held out his hands before him, to protect from the attack, but was injured all the same, falling backwards, onto the green soil, with heavy burns.
He was immediately covered by the green, and not visible anymore.

Black nodded to Nina. "Well done." He stepped closer to the tied-up girl and held out his hand as well. Nina would feel sickness arising in her, pus, the itch to cough, general weakness. If she was alive it would be a great deal stronger than if she was undead, but it still would grow plague-spots on her, making movement harder, and pretty disgusting.

 

[Gearhead mk2]

"There's a battle outside. The dead walk!"

 

[Drakmorg]

"Didn't go quite according to plan, but, you know, I try." Nina replied in between coughs, which Black might notice weren't particularly severe. Immediately after she finished speaking, a ball of flame of the same type as her earlier attack erupted from her open mouth, aimed at Black's outstretched hand.

Small green flames erupted on the tendrils holding Nina a short distance from where they held her wrists and ankles. Unless the plants had some manner of magical fire resistance, the flames would quickly reduce them to ash.