Flux

As for feedback, I absolutely loved it. I had a lot of fun RPing Phantom in this sort of setting, and you're doing a great job on the host side of things. I'd just say keep doing what you're doing. This is one of my favorite RPs right now, so let's keep it up.

Phantom stood, making eye contact with the new arrival who stood in front of the group. The glow of the mask was as strong as before, a reflection of his newfound determination. He remembered why he was here now, and nothing was going to stop him from reaching the bottom of the hill. Still, he felt like he'd lost something that he had known before, but he could not remember what. Eventually, he broke contact with the hooded figure. He looked over his shoulder at those still behind him before holding out his right hand, a portal appearing in front of it. He strode through, leaving the others to themselves. OOC: (((That sound was really awesome and fitting...)))

Ogre stood calmly as Sarcus and Absolution climbed over him. He was fairly familiar with them ever since their battle. However, when Jon came closer, Ogre could see the man's nervousness. He knew he had the upper hand on the man, but decided against making the man fall thanks to the scrutinizing gaze of Flux. He gave a noise similar to a purr when Miki patted his head, though it sounded more like metal grating together. Finally, Alina approached, eyeing him suspiciously. He returned the gaze, squinting his eyes at her in return, an expression on his face that almost seemed like a mocking smile. Despite his urges, he decided to let her up safely as well. "I-I wouldn't want to call out i-if I were you! We still have an A-Aggron here waiting to destroy some things. Believe me, he would not be as lenient as my J-Jolteon here. I-Isn't that right, my friend?" She patted his head again. To prove her point, Ogre let out a threatening growl towards the acolytes, clanging his metals fists together at the same time. That seemed to shut the acolyte up. ----------------------------------------------- Flux sighed, smiling and shaking his head at Ogre's feistiness. "Yes, I certainly wouldn't cross him if I were you," he called down to the acolytes. "Even I have trouble controlling his outbursts at times." There was more truth to that sentence than the others were probably aware of. He heard Jon begin to speak. "Ok then, we're clear for now, but I think that since we're not hiding anymore we should speed up before they call reinforcements." Flux nodded. "I'd have to agree with the boy on this. Ogre can't stay down there forever, and I'm sure they'll start calling once we're far enough away." He took the heavy ball out of his coat pocket, returning Ogre to it from the floor below. "It'd be best to get moving quickly, I suppose."

Lars had finished healing his GAOs before walking outside again. He had run them both through the machine, despite Dominance being the only one who appeared to have been injured. He had figured it was a good idea, considering that he had no idea how taxing Sleepy's mind powers were, especially for such a small guy. As he exited the building, he could feel the chill in the air. It wasn't unconfortable, considering that he had his black coat on again, but it was still noticeable. The ground was covered in a thin layer of the snow that still fell from the sky. It was quite beautiful, actually, when he thought about it. It inspired him to draw, though he unfortunately didn't have his sketchpad on him. He walked to a more remote area of the woods, sitting on a large rock. He released his GAOs. Sleepy, as usual, went to his lap, while Dominance sat beside him. He ran a hand over the back of the rabbit-like creature, being careful to avoid the tips of the poisonous spines. Dominance made a sort of purring noise as he did so. "Well, it seems you're starting to trust me, huh?" he muttered, still stroking the GAO. "You did awesome in that battle, by the way. You protected Sleepy and established yourself as quite a powerhouse." He smiled. "Even Jory's Nefertiti appeared to have learned a thing or two from watching you." The Nidoran raised its chin in pride. It was quite a magnificent creature, actually. When they got back to the bunks, he decided he would sketch the both of them, before he lost the chance by them changing form like so many of the other GAOs had. He decided that his sketches would be a chronicle of their evolution, so that he might always remember where they had come from, no matter where they ended up.

So just making sure, did my GAOs still gain experience even though the battle got cut short? They did actually battle this time. It's about time for Dominance to evolve... And on that note, would you mind if my Abra stayed an Abra? I feel like it adds more flavor to the character development. And RPing Abra is way more fun than the other forms anyway. If you allowed this, I would hope you would eventually allow it to learn Psychic and other more powerful moves (though only when those moves wouldn't be as overpowered anymore.)

Phantom still stood in front of the benches. Upon hearing his verdict, the glow of the mask's eyes seemed to flare for only a brief second. "So be it." He met the judges gaze. "Does this mean the rumors of a granted wish are incorrect?" he asked the judge. "You state things as if we are only here to atone, but as you know, I have come for another reason as well."

Nero - Scout Team "So you interrupted my song? PREPARE TO DIE!!!!" Nero swiveled to face the knight. He gave a small grin in the corners of his mouth. "It wasn't very good anyway." He looked over his shoulder at the others. "You all head back quickly to warn the village," he said. "I'll try to distract him." There was a melancholy smile on the corners of his mouth. It was strange. Normally he wouldn't care about the others. But something was different. This was the same feeling he had when the Gentleman attacked. "It makes the most sense. My powers give me the greatest chance of escaping." With that, he returned his gaze to the undead soldier. "Will you be the one to finally remove me from this cursed earth?"

This was actually that person's idea. They PM'ed me about it, so no worries there. Everything is under control.

Nero - Scout Team Nero muttered under his breath, waving a hand to finish the spell. It would keep their voices muffled for a short while. He turned an urgent look on Steele. "What are those voices?!" he hissed. "Why is it so urgent to go back?" If these were enemies he could take, he didn't want to waste any time backtracking. Besides, even if they weren't, what better way was there for him to improve than against a formidable foe?

I know... But I can't think of anyone else whose character would willingly join them... But, um... "cough" maybeunwillingly "cough cough"

A wave of understanding washed over Phantom. He still didn't remember who he was, but... he could remember why he was here. He took off the white mask, the red glow around the eyes fading as he did so. Underneath was the face of a young man, likely around twenty. He was fairly handsome, his dark brown bangs cascading over his face, which was shown to have two bright blue eyes and a maturity of one much older. He had a prominent, serious gaze, that faded away into a look of sadness and distress. He began to speak, his words choking up in sadness. "My sin..." he began in a much clearer tone, on his hands and knees now. "Oh Lyra..." He was sobbing. "I'm sorry... I tried... but I wasn't fast enough..." He stood up, a determined look coming over his face, much more suited to the man than the previous sadness. He faced Minos. "My sin... is murder." He thought back to the time. "And vengeance. I killed a man out of rage and spite before coming to this hill." His voice choked up as he said the next part. "He... he killed her. He killed Lyra... And I got my vengeance." The determined look returned to his face. "I know why I'm here and what I need to do. I'll bring her back, and then atone for my sins. She didn't deserve to die." He put the mask back on, and the red glow returned, almost a physical representation of the determination he had. "That is why I became the Phantom."

Nero - Scout Team "I'll keep me eyes peeled. Nero, your magics can at least make us harder to notice correct?" Nero turned to the dwarf. "Yes," he replied. "I can muffle our movement and play a few tricks on their eyes and ears if need be." He was a little confused as to why Odin had been put in the scout group; he had always seemed like a frontliner to Nero. He didn't ask the dwarf, but he wondered if he had other talents that Nero was unaware of, or if they were just this short on people.

So I'm thinking that you should give him the memory of his sin (which he will keep permanently) and then for the trial only, give him the ability to speak clearly again? Sound good? This may end up changing his goal as he actually doesn't even know that you get a wish for reaching the bottom...

I'm not sure what I'm going to do, really. Everybody said they wanted to keep going, but nobody besides you, Jory, and PWB have posted since then. The main story won't pick up until we reach the capital, and we're very close, but nobody seems interested. Unfortunately, I feel like you're right about the two day rule not working...

Jory Cedric nodded approvingly as Lux responded. "Well said. I can tell you stand firmly behind your beliefs. You have an unflinching dedication to your cause. I do believe you can be a true protector of the people, if that is what you wish." He met the man's eye. "But don't think you aren't unique for that. Everything I have seen about you as of yet is like no other. You are unique, whether you will believe it or not." He gave a sincere smile. "I enjoy having a discussion with someone who is not afraid to disagree with me." He chuckled. "Perhaps you should act as an advisor to me." He waved his hand dismissively. "That's just a little joke, though the position is open if you do want it. Take some time, think about what I've said. Unless there's anything else you want to ask, all choices from here on depend upon you. If you will join my cause, I will welcome you with open arms. If not, so be it. That is the power of free will. I will have Blue return you to wherever you want to go." He laced his fingers together. "I'll be waiting when you have your decision." ------------------------------------------------------------------- King Murdoc and Snap Crackle Pop As Allen came out the other side of the portal, he nearly collided with a grinning Rebecca. She laughed as he stumbled to avoid her. Looking past her, Allen could see two men seated at a table, one with short blonde hair, and the other with his face obscured by a black hoodie. There was a TV facing a couch, behind which another girl stood. She had long black hair that covered one eye and wore a red shirt covered with a black coat. Everyone but the hooded man turned to look at Allen. Rebecca still had the same grin on her face. "Allen, welcome to our little club of misfits!" she said gleefully. She began introducing everyone. "The blonde guy over there is Bryan, but you can just call him Beetle. Eveyone else does." Beetle waved. "I see we have another new guest. Welcome." Rebecca continued. "The guy in the hoodie is Nexus. He doesn't talk much, and we've never been able to get him to spit out his real name, but he's a good guy." Beetle spoke up. "That's Alice over by the couch. We just brought her in today as she was being chased by the police." Rebecca smiled. "Any questions for anybody?" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- typhlosion rulez, K_H, and rustytengo The bartender ran with the group for a while until they were clear of the police zone. He stopped, leaning against a nearby building and pulled out a cellphone, rapidly dialing a number. "The warehouse is hit. We've been attacked." A faint response could be heard from the phone, but it couldn't be made out. The bartender spoke again after a short while. "Understood. I'll head there now." He turned to the two in the group who had joined him and Ace. "Listen, I don't know who you to are, but if you're running from the police as well, then it's almost certain that you're Awakened. That's just how things are these days." He stopped, putting his head into his heads for a moment and taking deep breaths. He seemed a bit calmer when he stood again. "I suppose you'll just have to come with us," he mumbled. He then led them down a few more blocks and stopped, muttering to himself. "He should be here any moment..." A man turned the corner to face the group. He had pale blue eyes, with hair dyed the same color. He was wearing a formal blue shirt and black pants. The man smiled. "We'd best get you going, then." He grabbed the bartender and Ace, disappearing in a blue flash of light. A few seconds later, he returned, taking away the remaing two. They reappeared on a rooftop of a tall building with no apparent way on or off of it. The man in blue was nowhere to be seen. The bartender turned to the group. "We should be able to talk here. But first, I'm sure you all have things you want to ask me. Now is the time." --------------------------------------------------------------------- Chimchain “I don’t know anything about you! I have no information!” The man could be heard laughing maniacally as Eugene swung the pole around. "That's the spirit! Fight! Squirm!" There was a searing pain as the knife cut into Eugene's arm. It wasn't deep. The man was simply torturing him, having his fun. "Unfortunately for you, I can't just take your word for it. I have my orders, and I intend to see them through." The was a crash, and Eugene could hear the man cry out in pain. Seconds later, the web of darkness faded, allowing the light to return. The man from before lay crumpled against a piece of scrap concrete in the dump heap. Another man towered over him. He had well-kept short gray hair, and a serious, businesslike expression. He appeared to be in his early sixties, but was in very good shape. He showed no signs of his age, standing tall and muscular in the grey suit he wore. He turned to Eugene, speaking in a deep, sonorous voice. "Are you all right?"

Phew... Finally caught up on this. I was like three pages behind...

Hmm... Tempting as it is, I'll probably have to go with option #1 so he at least has a reason to reach the bottom still. His memories are what he's after in the end. Although... It could be interesting developing a new motive for him... Perhaps he could gain some memory back after passing each "circle" of the hill?

"Nine hells, and I thought the day was over. You've got a memory loss mister? Oh well, could you tell me what you do remember?" Phantom made no motion for a while, before eventually nodding. He began to speak, seeming to have the same troubles as before. "Difficult... remembering... words..." he managed, before continuing. "Woke up... sword... and mask..." He paused for a while, holding a hand to his head in pain. "Phantom..."

Nero - Scout Team "This mission is dangerous, I can't have anyone with cold feet. If you think even for a second, that you aren't cut out for this, leave now." He said, his voice harsh and clear. "Y'all understand?" -------------------------------- Nero scoffed. Just who did this man think he was? "I'm more ready for this than you could possibly comprehend," he said simply. "Let's hurry up and do what we're here for." He was acting bluntly, but frankly, whatever patience he'd had before was running out. He was frustrated. He agreed to travel with Odin so he could get revenge, not so he could stop at every village and help them with their problems. He needed to get stronger, and that wasn't going to happen by sitting around cutting up corpses.

"Well, I hope you'll try to be less monosyllabic than that on your answers. First of, let's cover the basics: Why are you here, and what do you want from this place?" Phantom stared at the judge for a while, before beginning to speak again. He appeared to have trouble getting some of the words out as he spoke. "I... do... not... know..." He paused for a while, the glow around his eyes dimming. "Need... WANT... memories..."

King Murdoc "Any explanation on the glowy portal thing?" Rebecca gave a taunting laugh. "Nope." And with that she turned and ran through the portal. The last thing Allen could see was her dark brown ponytail bobbing in the air as she disappeared, leaving him alone with the ethereal doorway.

Phantom glanced around the courtroom, showing no reaction to the sudden change of scenery. He met the gaze of the judge when he spoke. "Well, I never expected Malice to have a hard time like that against any of you.That was very interesting to watch , and I commend you for your bravery mr... Phantom. Now, are you ready for your trial?" He looked down at the sword and his other open hand before moving his gaze the the bleeding cuts across his chest. "Bravery..." he murmered. He took another glance around the courtroom. He felt a faint twinge of remembrance, as if he should recognize the purpose of this room, but the feeling faded away before he could catch it. He spoke again in his ethereal voice. "Trial... begins..." The glowing light around the eyes of the mask seemed to flare up for a moment as he said the last line.

Chimchain “Who are you and what do you want from me? I never did anything to anyone so just leave me alone! Please! Don’t kill me!” A man stepped out of the darkness, a single ray of sunlight breaching the barrier and alighting on him. He had short, spiked black hair and a menacing grin. He wore a black studded jacket, a spiked collar, black leather pants, and boots. He was of average height and very slim. When he spoke, it was in the same voice that had spoken before. "You didn't do anything?" The man sneered. "I seem to remember you rejecting our very generous offer. Unfortunately, we can't just let you leave with the information you've gleaned." He reached into his jacket, flicking out a switchblade. He began talking idly as he approached, avoiding objects that could only faintly be seen by the ray of sunlight that followed him. "You see, my power doesn't help a whole lot offensively, but it'll make it hard as hell for you to escape me without being able to see." The man flashed a malicious grin before the ray of sunlight disappeared. It was pitch-black once more. The voice spoke again, sounding much closer than before. "You know, that light was purely for your benefit. I can see perfectly fine without it. The was a deliberate breath of air blown on the back of Eugene's neck. "Come on, squirm a little. Make this fun for me." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Jory Cedric Sterling's attention was focused on Lux's hands as they began to glow. He looked the young man up and down as this occured. "Your power reacts to your emotions..." He mumbled. He looked into Lux's eyes with a confused expression. "Before we continue this discussion, wherever did you get the idea that we are taking the lives of innocents? We have done no such thing. I wouldn't dream of hurting the civilian class." His brow creased. "Intent as I am at reaching the Pillar, I want to do so with the least amount of casualties possible. There will surely be times when we come into conflict with the government. This is to be expected, the closer we get to the Pillar. However, are they not trying to seize those with abilities unjustly? We have done no harm to them, but still they send men after us. Tell me Lucius, as a hero, how will you react to what they are doing? If you consider those chasing the Awakened to be innocents as well, can you truly become anything but a criminal yourself? They will come for you, especially if you become publicly known. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- King Murdoc Rebecca put a finger to her lip, tapping in thought. She called out to Allen. "Wow, so you really can warp space-time..." she said incredulously." She paused. "I was only joking, you know. I just wanted to see your power for myself. Call me reckless, but hey, isn't that what fire is?" She said the last part with a grin, tossing a fireball between her hands. "If you still want a safe haven, I'd suggest returning now." She tapped on the monument a few times. A butterfly flew over from the back side, landing on her finger. She looked at it for a while. "I'm back, Beetle," she whispered, flicking her finger as the butterfly flew away. A few seconds later, the purple portal appeared on the surface of the monument. She waited for Allen to give a response.

Phantom was thrust into the air from the impact of the claws. The raked his chest, tearing lines through the black shirt he wore inside his coat and cutting through his skin. They cuts were fairly deep and quickly oozed with his blood. If he could finish this quickly and tend to them, they wouldn't be fatal. He puashed himself to his feet from where he had landed, opening another portal into the mirror dimension. He wouldn't be able to resist the rejection of his body here for as long in his wounded state, but it would be enough. He ran to where he believed the back of the panther to be, ignoring the pain of the air brushing the open wounds. He opened a portal and sprinted through, sliding between where he had estimated the panther's legs to be. He bumped into something that he couldn't see, but still slid. He thrust the sword upward as he slid, hoping to cut open the beast's stomach, though he couldn't be sure if he had aimed correctly.

Excellent... That means I'm RPing him correctly. Oh, so it was panther. I was assuming you purposely changed the name to Panter, but either way works. Also, I'd never even heard of that character, but he looks at least a little bit similar to what I imagined Phantom to look like. Is that face paint he wears or a mask?