Elfen High 2: Gotterdammerung

[Nationstatelandsville]

But you didn't have to cut me off... the car's radio sang through the open window - God, that sung was old now,
Make it like it never happened and that we were nothing...

Weathering - n. "the physical disintegration and chemical decomposition of earth materials at or near the earth's surface", Merriam Webster's. Not good enough, if you ask me.

The name on the grave had faded, more than it naturally should have, but the name floated in the halls of Elfen High and Hell. They called him "Jameson", because that was his name, but his parents had given him another before leaving him behind. But that was the past. Stanley Berkowitz was many things. Lewis Jameson was his guilt.

And Megan Jameson was what he left behind

Her hand rested on the stone of his grave.

Hot tears ran quietly down her cheek.

Now you're just somebody that I used to know...

She glanced down at the name. How hard it was to see anymore. The rain had done much, hadn't it? Never bury someone in England, the graves will fade.

It hadn't been enough. Not yet.

Now and then I think of all the times you screwed me over
But had me believin it was always something that I'd done
But I don't wanna live that way
Reading into every word you say

She returned to her car, turned that goddamn song off, and tried to leave. She only got back to the school.

"Perhaps I should stay?" Aziraphale offered when Megan kicked the door to Rosalind's room in. The girl was sprawled out on the bed, unconscious.

"Go," Megan ordered coldly, "Crowley wants you."

"Yes, friend Megan...."

"You don't want to disappoint him, do you? Go."

Aziraphale nodded and disappeared.

He had failed her. He had failed Crowley. He had failed Uriel. He had failed everyone. Couldn't he just pick one side to disappoint? One religion to betray, one Lord to turn against? He had to walk the edge, didn't he? Had to secretly love the sense of danger, secretly love both? God, the love of the whip.

"I am here," he said, arriving in the office.

Parnell frowned. He was truly bad at riddles. So he was probably going to have to just fight this thing.
Well, better get it over with.
"Mmmm... dunno. This is probably - actually, no, amend that to definitely - wrong, but... my... no, I can't guess mother-in-law, I have more self-respect that that, and she's not dead. Yet. I'll go with a classic bullshit answer. Love. Hashtag YOLO."

He paused, tensing himself to run like hell. "Or twice, I guess."

"Fuck you," the Sphinx growled.

The door opened on a cloak of pure night.

Eric had evidently touched a soft spot. Softly, he said, "But my husband isn't back yet. I'm sorry, but I'm not leaving without him."

"Yes," Hades insisted, the soldiers raising their guns at Eric, "you are. I don't want to shoot you. We'lll ship your husband back if we can. But you're not staying."

"WAY TO RUIN MY FUN, ASSHOLE."

The Hunter deftly leaped between the spikes, maneuvering as though he had been Keanu Reeves in a past life. It was no ordinary beast, rather a competent, ruthless killer. Nigh unstoppable.

Once it came upon Jacob, it produced a dagger of bone and attempted to stab in the gut, while headbutting him.

Sensing that his offensive approach wasn't bearing any fruits, Moriarty immediately called upon his hydragryum to defend him from the Hunter's attack. The bone dagger moved swiftly, forcing the professor to move from his spot in order to avoid getting injured. As he stepped back a flexible mass of mercury took the place of his stomach, enveloping the bone knife and the hunter's hand and dampening the forward momentum until the knife came to a halt. As the mercury then attempted to sever the Hunter's hand from his arm, Moriarty meanwhile had to save himself from the follow-up attack. A headbutt, which - with those antlers - would probably result in more than just a concussion. Making use of the antlers, Moriarty erected two silver pillars alongside him that - which normally allowing a normal head to pass - would prevent the antlered scalp of the Hunter to reach the professor's head.

Now that his foe was this close, Moriarty clenched his watch in his hand, coating his hand in a layer of mercury before striking at the Hunter's chest, intending to send a jolt of electricity through his heart.

The Hunter leaped backwards, avoiding Moriarty's strike, and snarled. He would never die by the Professor's hands, but the body would ruined by the time he would get to eat it.

In a blast of black mist, the Hunter, his pets, and the Green Men were gone.

[Ranbo]

Meanwhile, Daisuke Taka's voice came over the intercom. "Alright. Will Alison, Hiraku, Aziraphale, Daniel Savatar and Yuzuki please join me in the janitor's office? Laz is currently on vacation, citing 'punching bitches' as an excuse, so don't concern yourself with an unpleasant encounter with him." the intercom then shut off.

When they would go down the stairs and find the office, Daisuke would be sitting in a chair behind a desk. Not the real one, obviously, but one of his many robot bodies. "Alright, glad you're here." he said briskly. "There's a job I have for you lot."

Yawning, Hiraku entered the janitor's office. Dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt, the sword sheathed upon his hip seemed out of place with his more modern garb. Looking around, he saw that Daisuke and Alison in particular. Daisuke becasue of his desk, and Alison for her...bunniness. A hand running through his reddish hair, he sighed. "I can't say I'm particularly hopeful to whatever you have planned here, but whatever this is going to turn out to be, it'll be a nice relief from teaching. Luckily, I had planned the 'Greatest of the Triple X's' assorted film marathon. With that to occupy their greasy little hands, I doubt they'll notice I'm even gone."

At this point, he waited for Daisuke to elaborate further on what he wished for the group to do.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Meanwhile, Daisuke Taka's voice came over the intercom. "Alright. Will Alison, Hiraku, Aziraphale, Daniel Savatar and Yuzuki please join me in the janitor's office? Laz is currently on vacation, citing 'punching bitches' as an excuse, so don't concern yourself with an unpleasant encounter with him." the intercom then shut off.

When they would go down the stairs and find the office, Daisuke would be sitting in a chair behind a desk. Not the real one, obviously, but one of his many robot bodies. "Alright, glad you're here." he said briskly. "There's a job I have for you lot."

Yawning, Hiraku entered the janitor's office. Dressed in blue jeans and a t-shirt, the sword sheathed upon his hip seemed out of place with his more modern garb. Looking around, he saw that Daisuke and Alison in particular. Daisuke becasue of his desk, and Alison for her...bunniness. A hand running through his reddish hair, he sighed. "I can't say I'm particularly hopeful to whatever you have planned here, but whatever this is going to turn out to be, it'll be a nice relief from teaching. Luckily, I had planned the 'Greatest of the Triple X's' assorted film marathon. With that to occupy their greasy little hands, I doubt they'll notice I'm even gone."

At this point, he waited for Daisuke to elaborate further on what he wished for the group to do.

Aziraphale glared at Hiraku through a tinted looking glass.

"Please stop talking," he requested, "you make a fool of yourself."

[Ranbo]

Aziraphale glared at Hiraku through a tinted looking glass.

"Please stop talking," he requested, "you make a fool of yourself."

Hiraku sighed, turning to Aziraphale. "Thank you," He responded, "for your unique point of view. I believe we're all challenged by it greatly." With that, he turned away again.

He could already see things were looking to take a turn downhill already.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Aziraphale glared at Hiraku through a tinted looking glass.

"Please stop talking," he requested, "you make a fool of yourself."

Hiraku sighed, turning to Aziraphale. "Thank you," He responded, "for your unique point of view. I believe we're all challenged by it greatly." With that, he turned away again.

He could already see things were looking to take a turn downhill already.

Aziraphale looked positively scarred by Hiraku's words, though he said nothing.

---

"And this is from the personal library of the old demon lord Abbadon himself," Aziraphale said, flying between the leafs of the ancient tome, "who, as many in his kingdom now theorize, is the ancestor of Azazel. This is Abbadon's personal journal, but it does not mention his children. Perhaps those pages were destroyed? Regardless, it's quite the fascinating. Such a benevolent man, deposing those terrible warlords and spreading 'famine and rape' to all of his foes. What are those, Lord Raphael? Lord Uriel used to enjoy them so, I wonder if they are candies. Anyhow, it does not matter, the point is-"

"Aziraphale," Raphael said, looking up from his own book.

"Yes?"

"Shut the fuck up. You're making a fool of yourself. I came here for a book about the Underworld, not to be your surrogate father. Get me the book and let me alone."

"Yes, Lord Raphael. If you say so, Lord Raphael."

[Rupudska]

Meanwhile, Daisuke Taka's voice came over the intercom. "Alright. Will Alison, Hiraku, Aziraphale, Daniel Savatar and Yuzuki please join me in the janitor's office? Laz is currently on vacation, citing 'punching bitches' as an excuse, so don't concern yourself with an unpleasant encounter with him." the intercom then shut off.

When they would go down the stairs and find the office, Daisuke would be sitting in a chair behind a desk. Not the real one, obviously, but one of his many robot bodies. "Alright, glad you're here." he said briskly. "There's a job I have for you lot."

Yuzuki showed up in the room by kicking the door open. She looked fairly angry. And she was also covered partially in lube oil. She wiped herself off, still looking a bit angry, like he had interrupted something. Which he had. She was loading a lubethrower in her room. Yet another device to keep students from getting into her stuff. Or stealing books, although that's what the sonic trebuchet was for.

She sat down in one of the chairs. "So what is this job?" She paused to wipe some of the lube oil off her face.

[Constaniana]

Meanwhile, Daisuke Taka's voice came over the intercom. "Alright. Will Alison, Hiraku, Aziraphale, Daniel Savatar and Yuzuki please join me in the janitor's office? Laz is currently on vacation, citing 'punching bitches' as an excuse, so don't concern yourself with an unpleasant encounter with him." the intercom then shut off.

When they would go down the stairs and find the office, Daisuke would be sitting in a chair behind a desk. Not the real one, obviously, but one of his many robot bodies. "Alright, glad you're here." he said briskly. "There's a job I have for you lot."

Coach Savatar was in the middle of not supervising his gym class when he heard Daisuke over the intercom. He had always had an approach that the kids in his class learnt best on their own (Not really. He just mentioned it if someone was berating him for leaving the class for three days while accruing prime ribs. He found his way to Lazrian's office, quietly walking in.

"So, what is it now?" He asked bluntly.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Daisuke looked at the group and silently cursed Crowley. "Alright, here's what's happened." he said briskly. "A recent explosion occurred in Lesotho, which is a major financial capitol and location of a lot of Taka-Jameson industry, as well as ISSR bases. A few ISSR agents will give greater detail when you get there, but they think magic is definitely involved in this explosion and that a serious incident could result if this is handled badly." Daisuke sighed. "Look- recently angels have been seen again, Heaven angels and they are attacking human civilians. We're getting rumours of Fae activity from that Heavensgate moon and the scouts we sent have either not come back or a temporal shift is keeping us from getting their messages. A lot of things are happening in the world right now. Normally I'd completely ignore this explosion, pay for the damages and let Sanchez handle it, but I can't risk that right now."

[Individuality-ness]

Daisuke looked at the group and silently cursed Crowley. "Alright, here's what's happened." he said briskly. "A recent explosion occurred in Lesotho, which is a major financial capitol and location of a lot of Taka-Jameson industry, as well as ISSR bases. A few ISSR agents will give greater detail when you get there, but they think magic is definitely involved in this explosion and that a serious incident could result if this is handled badly." Daisuke sighed. "Look- recently angels have been seen again, Heaven angels and they are attacking human civilians. We're getting rumours of Fae activity from that Heavensgate moon and the scouts we sent have either not come back or a temporal shift is keeping us from getting their messages. A lot of things are happening in the world right now. Normally I'd completely ignore this explosion, pay for the damages and let Sanchez handle it, but I can't risk that right now."

"Heaven angels attacking civilians? But that never happens, far as I know the angels are nice people who like us. I mean, look at Calliel -- he would never hurt a fly, let alone civilians! Do we have any idea what's causing them to attack human civilians?"
So Alison doesn't know about Calliel going nuts years ago. Fuck that, it was before her time.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Daisuke looked at the group and silently cursed Crowley. "Alright, here's what's happened." he said briskly. "A recent explosion occurred in Lesotho, which is a major financial capitol and location of a lot of Taka-Jameson industry, as well as ISSR bases. A few ISSR agents will give greater detail when you get there, but they think magic is definitely involved in this explosion and that a serious incident could result if this is handled badly." Daisuke sighed. "Look- recently angels have been seen again, Heaven angels and they are attacking human civilians. We're getting rumours of Fae activity from that Heavensgate moon and the scouts we sent have either not come back or a temporal shift is keeping us from getting their messages. A lot of things are happening in the world right now. Normally I'd completely ignore this explosion, pay for the damages and let Sanchez handle it, but I can't risk that right now."

"Heaven angels attacking civilians? But that never happens, far as I know the angels are nice people who like us. I mean, look at Calliel -- he would never hurt a fly, let alone civilians! Do we have any idea what's causing them to attack human civilians?"
So Alison doesn't know about Calliel going nuts years ago. Fuck that, it was before her time.

"Stop speaking immediately," Aziraphale ordered, "You have no idea what you are talking about, child."

He glared at Daisuke.

"If you are correct," he said, "we are all dead. Nothing we do will matter."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

As Alastor followed Daniel and the others, always keeping watch for anything seeking to surprise them from behind, Alastor noticed how everything around seemed to ignore them. It was not an unwelcome feeling, truth be told. Which was why he felt rather uncomfortable when suddenly all gazes shifted towards them, bearing curiosity, or at least as much curiosity as creatures taken by the Fae virus could feel.

And then the noise came, grinding as ever. At first Alastor instinctively tried to block out the sound, but then he heard the words, the voice. He heard something speaking to them through the noise, or rather, via the noise. While both his demonic lineage and his armor protected him from the adverse effects Daniel and Calliel were experiencing, the noise was still quite unpleasant to hear, but Alastor carefully listened to the voice regardless. It was a Fae, apparently. That was not a good omen for them, not a good omen at all.

And then, when the hideous voice had finished, Alastor spoke up.

"I do not intend to speak for everybody in our little group, Fae, but I already have my own family." He stated firmly. Though it was mostly dead, family is family.

Another voice spoke up now, a random angel. She was clearly processing the Fae's words, but into a voice they could hear without feeling like their souls were being violated. "I don't think you understand." she said. "The Fae want to help us, to save us. They want to bring life to a fine, beautiful chaos rather than the restraining world we live in now." the angelic girl said, her blue eyes looking at them.

Slowly, they would notice the angels and dwarfs starting to surround them.

[Individuality-ness]

"Heaven angels attacking civilians? But that never happens, far as I know the angels are nice people who like us. I mean, look at Calliel -- he would never hurt a fly, let alone civilians! Do we have any idea what's causing them to attack human civilians?"
So Alison doesn't know about Calliel going nuts years ago. Fuck that, it was before her time.

"Stop speaking immediately," Aziraphale ordered, "You have no idea what you are talking about, child."

He glared at Daisuke.

"If you are correct," he said, "we are all dead. Nothing we do will matter."

Alison shut up. Aziraphale seemed really mad, and although she had no idea WHY he was mad, or why he just called her "child" -- she wasn't a child, damn it! -- her bunny ears twitched in fright at the sound of his voice. And she'd trust the bunny ears any day.

No getting on the angel's bad side today, nope!

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Daisuke glanced at Aziraphale. "Don't be depressive like that." he said. "There was a good chance we could have all died ten years ago in the Abrahamic War, but we're all still here, aren't we? Always hope." he said. "Now, any questions about the mission?" he asked, ignoring the Heaven angels question. He was sure Az could explain it at a later date.

[Astrolinium]

"'If we can'?"

Eric raised his eyebrows, not even bothering to jab HAL in the stomach with his elbow. He looked Hades square in the eye.

"Sir, I've died before and I'm really not afraid of it. Not one bit - sort of a been there done that kind of thing. Same phenomenon the second time I saw Notre Dame, I suppose. Underwhelming. Anyway, I'm not going to leave this room of my own free will without either my husband or an inviolable guarantee of his safety and return to me posthaste."

---

"Oh my fucking god."

Parnell very nearly fell over as the door opened. He laughed, clapping his hands together. "Oh my god, that worked. That actually worked! Haha!"

Grinning, he headed toward the door.

[Esternial]

The Hunter leaped backwards, avoiding Moriarty's strike, and snarled. He would never die by the Professor's hands, but the body would ruined by the time he would get to eat it.

In a blast of black mist, the Hunter, his pets, and the Green Men were gone.

Moriarty was rather disappointed that he didn't get to kill the Hunter, despite his godlike mastery of manipulus hydrargyrī. Perhaps he should have put a little more effort into it, since for some reason he refused to budge his legs up until the last moment.

The mercury 'crawled' back towards the professor, seeping into his clothes until the silver-like mass solidified as heavy metal plating. As a result, Moriarty's movement slowed down, though one couldn't really compare since he didn't move during the battle at all. Of course it's implied that he'd be pretty damn fast without all that mercury weighing him down - for human standards.

"Well this is gay" He said, not using the old-fashioned meaning of the word.

"How the hell do I get back?"

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Alastor heard the voice, this time a voice that did not torture his senses and sear his mind, though it was still obviously a voice that spoke in favor of the Fae, and therefore, since every infected being was a slave of them, a voice that was controlled by the Fae. Looking at the source, the demon warlord's eyes regarded the angel girl with pity for having ended up in such deplorable state as a slave of these creatures, though part of him wondered if she could even feel her condition, or if her mind was simply no more.

"Life is rather chaotic as it is, lady." Alastor said to the angel. "But I sincerely doubt that speaking any further will serve any purpose. You are but a slave of the Fae now, after all." He added afterwards, drawing his sword as he saw that the angels and dwarves had begun to gather around them, surrounding the diamond.

[Nightkill the Emperor]

The Hunter leaped backwards, avoiding Moriarty's strike, and snarled. He would never die by the Professor's hands, but the body would ruined by the time he would get to eat it.

In a blast of black mist, the Hunter, his pets, and the Green Men were gone.

Moriarty was rather disappointed that he didn't get to kill the Hunter, despite his godlike mastery of manipulus hydrargyrī. Perhaps he should have put a little more effort into it, since for some reason he refused to budge his legs up until the last moment.

The mercury 'crawled' back towards the professor, seeping into his clothes until the silver-like mass solidified as heavy metal plating. As a result, Moriarty's movement slowed down, though one couldn't really compare since he didn't move during the battle at all. Of course it's implied that he'd be pretty damn fast without all that mercury weighing him down - for human standards.

"Well this is gay" He said, not using the old-fashioned meaning of the word.

"How the hell do I get back?"

He saw a phone booth land next to him and a man with a fez nodded. "I can give you a lift." he said.

After he got into the booth bigger on the inside, they found themselves back in Elfen High. "Send Crowley my hello. Sorry I can't help- fixed point in time. Good luck regardless!" Then Moriarty was escorted out of the booth, which disappeared.

[Ranbo]

Daisuke glanced at Aziraphale. "Don't be depressive like that." he said. "There was a good chance we could have all died ten years ago in the Abrahamic War, but we're all still here, aren't we? Always hope." he said. "Now, any questions about the mission?" he asked, ignoring the Heaven angels question. He was sure Az could explain it at a later date.

Hiraku stepped forward. "I do not know about everyone else," He said, "But I believe I have heard all that is needed for now. If we are to be briefed later regardless, I suppose that the best course of action is to travel over to Lesotho as fast as we can to hear the more...personalized view of the situation."

Turning to look at the rest of the assemblage, he added, "Well, there's one thing I suppose I have on my mind. As soon as the answer is given, I will most likely feel an extreme imbecile, but being the most 'green' here, I will ask it anyway."

"Exactly what will be our mode of transportation?"

[Esternial]

Moriarty was rather disappointed that he didn't get to kill the Hunter, despite his godlike mastery of manipulus hydrargyrī. Perhaps he should have put a little more effort into it, since for some reason he refused to budge his legs up until the last moment.

The mercury 'crawled' back towards the professor, seeping into his clothes until the silver-like mass solidified as heavy metal plating. As a result, Moriarty's movement slowed down, though one couldn't really compare since he didn't move during the battle at all. Of course it's implied that he'd be pretty damn fast without all that mercury weighing him down - for human standards.

"Well this is gay" He said, not using the old-fashioned meaning of the word.

"How the hell do I get back?"

He saw a phone booth land next to him and a man with a fez nodded. "I can give you a lift." he said.

After he got into the booth bigger on the inside, they found themselves back in Elfen High. "Send Crowley my hello. Sorry I can't help- fixed point in time. Good luck regardless!" Then Moriarty was escorted out of the booth, which disappeared.

That wasn't very subtle at all.

Anyhew.

Having returned back to the school, Moriarty, now somewhat disoriented - as if the school buildings wasn't confusing already - tried to make his way through the endless corridors. Eventually, by fate or something else, he ended up at the janitor's office, whence he heard voices.

Knocking once before entering, he immediately noticed the asian, now a lot less digitalised and a lot more...mechanised.

What the feck.

"I could come back some other time when you guys aren't having your..." He looked at Yuzuki and then at Daisuke's robot body "...sick orgy"

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Daisuke shook his head. "No orgy, I'm afraid." he said after a minute, surveying the group and sighing. "Instead, we'll simply be using a portal to go to Lesotho. In fact, that's why you're here..."

He walked over to an old portal creating machine, a similar one that had been here a decade prior when the bunny queen and some students had been sent to Dys. He pressed a button and a portal appeared in a wall, showing a very highly advanced city with towering skyscrapers and a bright blue sky.

"Alright," Daisuke waved. "Get going."

When they all walked to the other side, Dai shut the portal.

And a man in an absurd costume greeted them. "Hello," he said, shaking their hands. "My name is John Harrison, codename 'Captain America'. I'll be helping you in this mission."

[Nationstatelandsville]

"'If we can'?"

Eric raised his eyebrows, not even bothering to jab HAL in the stomach with his elbow. He looked Hades square in the eye.

"Sir, I've died before and I'm really not afraid of it. Not one bit - sort of a been there done that kind of thing. Same phenomenon the second time I saw Notre Dame, I suppose. Underwhelming. Anyway, I'm not going to leave this room of my own free will without either my husband or an inviolable guarantee of his safety and return to me posthaste."

"Fuck you, kid," was the only response, "No, really - fuck you, fuck Elfen High, and fuck humanity."

"THANK YOU!" HAL sighed, throwing D's arms up in the air, "I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT FOR YEARS."

A soldier grabbed D, kicked the door open, and unceremoniously tossed him out the door. Eric followed immediately.

They crashed to the ground in Crowley's office.

"Get the other one and throw him out before he gets the Shroud," Hades ordered his soldiers. They poured out of the room, finding themselves in the lobby.

Strange. The palace typically took them to where they wanted to go immediately.

"Oh my fucking god."

Parnell very nearly fell over as the door opened. He laughed, clapping his hands together. "Oh my god, that worked. That actually worked! Haha!"

Grinning, he headed toward the door.

"Take the damn Shroud and get this over with!" D's soul grumbled.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Daisuke shook his head. "No orgy, I'm afraid." he said after a minute, surveying the group and sighing. "Instead, we'll simply be using a portal to go to Lesotho. In fact, that's why you're here..."

He walked over to an old portal creating machine, a similar one that had been here a decade prior when the bunny queen and some students had been sent to Dys. He pressed a button and a portal appeared in a wall, showing a very highly advanced city with towering skyscrapers and a bright blue sky.

"Alright," Daisuke waved. "Get going."

When they all walked to the other side, Dai shut the portal.

And a man in an absurd costume greeted them. "Hello," he said, shaking their hands. "My name is John Harrison, codename 'Captain America'. I'll be helping you in this mission."

Aziraphale glanced absentmindedly at "the Captain".

"I was going to be a Principality once as well," he said, "I did not get the promotion. I see now that is meaningless. You are simply a symbol to dance around and dazzle your subjects, friend John Harrison, turn their minds away from the fact that the Nazis were brutal, the Americans were brutal, war is brutal. You make me unwell. You are not Captain America - you are Rick Sanchez' bitch."

Aziraphale was in a bad mood.

[Astrolinium]

Eric frowned. "Interesting," he said at finding himself in Crowley's office. He stood up and looked around. His memories of being in here were not generally terribly fond, but he still found himself overcome by a sort of sick fascination.

------------------------

"Right."

Parnell grabbed the shroud and took off running.

[Erinkita]

Sisitu's helmet protectedd her from the harmful effects of the Fae's voice, but the sound cut into her mind nonetheless. Crouched inside the diamond of protection, she felt her gorge rise and her heart pound. A primitive fear reaction, so mammalian. Despite everything, still a slave to the flesh. She held no fear of the enslaved people around her. For them, she only had pity. The reason for sickening squeeze in her stomach was the invisible force controlling them. She was a fool to ever want to seek out the Fae, she realised. The look on the old man's face, all those centuries ago, she understood it at last. She pitied her younger self almost as much as the poor souls who pressed in all around her.

Control. The lesson of the day had been control. The cat demon's mind had been a simple thing, but she let herself get distracted with dreams of mortality and let it slip away from her grasp. Having her entrails torn out was a lesson she wasn't likely to forget. Erase distractions. Focus. Control. The kappa on either side of the diamond slashed out with their wakizashi. warning strikes that didn't mke contact, intended to keep the enemy at bay. Sisitu opened her war chest and drew forth an ordinary chicken's egg. Focus. Control. Exert your will. Summon. She hurled the egg into the air, over the heads of the armoured soldiers and into the midst of the mind-slaves. Where it smashed on the tunnel floor, a cockatrice appeared in a burst of feathers. The dog-sized chicken monster belched a small cloud of foul black smoke as soon as it was summoned, petrifying the flesh of the angels and dwarfs it touched. Sisitu hurled another egg in another direction, hatching another cockatrice which did the same. Smash. Smash. Smash. Smash. She let loose the full half-dozen, sure to throw them out of breathing range of herself and her companions. This left the infected colonists closest to them unaffected, but thinned out the approaching horde considerably and impeded others with the obstructing living statues. Focus. Summon. Control.

---

Further down the tunnel, the tikbalang scouted out the area. It was shaken but not cowed by the voice in its head, and the zombies failed to even notice it. It smiled to itself when it heard the sounds of battle behind it. With any luck, these unfortunate creatures would kill the Sumerian and it would have its freedom, as well as some amusement with whichever of her companions outlived her.

[Astrolinium]

Death wandered the halls of Elfen High.

Not the Death, of course, although throughout history he had often been mistaken for such. He certainly seemed to crop up wherever Death was supposed to be, though he personally suspected that there was no such person. Death was a concept, and Mortimer Thanatos Olum, whose true name had been lost to the millennia, relished in it. Its unique and perfumatory stink was utter bliss for him, like potpourri for those stinking hippies. He'd fed on a lot of them, back in the 1960's. That had been so long ago for mortal men, but to him it was less than the blink of an eye's time in the past. He was so very old. So incredibly ancient.

Most people didn't know he was at the school. He'd shown up sometime in the... well, the 1920's, probably. He honestly hadn't bothered to write down the date. But he'd shown up and started caring for the dead of the institution, and without pay. He'd also begun teaching an Underwater Basketweaving class in the late 1990's, which he did receive a small salary for.

Underwater basketweaving was a hobby about which he was passionate.

As M.T. sat in the library, reading Night by Elie Wiesel and chuckling darkly.