Anowa wrote:Primordial Luxa wrote:
Calamity visibly flinched at the name and the Cannister let out a pitched whine. Calamity looked around as the name of the force behind the King in Yellow was uttered. It was as though she was expecting something terrible to take place and the Northern Mage could guess she had had some experience or at least knowledge of what that name entailed.
"Careful with those kinds of words human," NUMB said.
"Yes. To answer your question, there is a vacant laboratory downstairs. It used to belong to Hyerophant, but he has adopted a...unique new role in the organization so that he won't be using it. It should be mostly empty feel free to experiment there. Otherwise, I do believe that NUMB has a very particular site to show you. Something that all of the new recruits get to see."
"Yes, I do. Please Mage, come over and carry my canister for the Ghostwalk."
As the Mage complied and picked up the canister for the teleportation, he would find it surprising light and airy given its rugged frame. As soon as he did so there was, a tugging sensation which radiated through both there beings and the two individuals were spirited away through the Ghostwalk.
The Mages familiarity with the arcane made the experience somewhat informative. As NUMB and the Mage were made transubstantial, the smell of bioelectrical-ectoplasm reached them, and a faint aetheric howling could be heard. The process was strangely spiritual, and the Mage could tell magic was involved in some minuscule part of the process or perhaps it was merely some sort of hyper-advanced science masquerading as such. No sooner had the two entities been turned into ghosts then they had been hurled by some great force towards their destination. Colors blurred and raced past and when they finally slowed down to reach their destination they were material and physical again.
They were standing on a hillock overlooking what was clearly once a forest. Now there was only desolation and ruin. A black trail of soot and ash covered a massive canyon like a wound that stretched towards the horizon. Calling it a canyon though didn't do it justice. It was a gash, a massive chunk of the earth which had been cleanly removed from the face of the planet. The wound was in a half circle shape with the hill the two Knights were on being the halfway point of the flat side. Although give how far the devastation covered it was nearly impossible to tell. The wound descended almost a thousand meters into the ground with completely regular sides that were sloped like a quadrant of a circle.
Most people would have been given quite the sensory shock from teleportation, but then again, Justin didn't have any internal organs or fluids. As such he was saved from the rather crappy situation of vomiting. More so that he had more time to survey the scene. The Canadian born man simply hummed as he gazed upon the destruction. Had this been Earth than no doubt he would've heard of such a destructive event. But as it stood, he had no doubt that said teleportation was a little something... more. Had he still had a face he would've raised his brow in curiousity, "I take it we aren't necessarily in Kansas anymore, are we Toto?"
“I have never been to Kansas,” NUMB said dryly. “We are however in Pennsylvania. This is the area known officially as Sproul State Forest. It is known more commonly by its nickname. Archons Playground.”
NUMB let that hang in the air as the cold ashen wind washed over the pair of them. Nothing moved in what had once been a bustling forest of life and beauty. Now just a black and grey ruin of dust and burned out wood. It was hard to look upon the sight and not think of some sort of acid rain massive enough to rival the Biblical Deluge. But there were also elements of it that looked like still photos of Hiroshima or Nagasaki.
“Once, several years ago, Archon came across a group of C-Cell empowered terrorists. It was a real bloodbath, they had already killed the entire 69th Infantry Regiment and things were only going to get worse. Archon flew them here, a place as deserted as he could find. And then he dealt with them.”
“I show you this because it represents a few important lessons. We will also strive to move the conflict away from the city if possible. If I get the opportunity I will try and teleport our targets here so we can fight them without endangering human lives. It also acts a reminder, Archon, Nevermore and Ultrawoman may not be here, but they should never be out of our thoughts and when they return we would do well to respect them. I am confident a similar fate would await any of us if we didn't respect the Triptychs wishes.”
