[Arc] Inception

Laying flat on her bare stomach, on a table that was forged of an unknown metal and ridiculously cold, Kaelani felt a series of pricks as some sort of long apparatus was attached to her spine. She barely listened to the woman with golden hair while she explained the procedure, talking about how it would be mostly painless and other whimsical nonsense she couldn't make heads or tails of, before lazily giving a thumbs-up to continue. Kaelani was no stranger to pain, both physical and mental, but as soon as she felt the apparatus buzz to life, she let out a scream as involuntary tears rolled down her cheeks from the sheer intensity of electrical impulses flooding her nervous system. However, she had only tensed rather than moved and not a moment later, the pain numbed and something akin to relief overwhelmed her as the woman completed the procedure. Detaching the mechanism, the Assassin lay still for a second, gathering herself before the woman gently helped her sit upward, smiling nervously as if she'd just done something against her will but refrained from admitting what exactly it was that she had done wrong. She gathered her clothes, piecing together the ensemble with meticulous fingers, and just before she finished, a white-haired man entered the room.

“Kaelani,” he began softly as he brought his large frame around hers, embracing her in a loving hug and planting a gentle kiss upon her scarlet hair, “I'm glad to see you're doing well.”

Gazing up at him, she smiled widely, almost child-like since he was, afterall, her creator and her view of him was as a father without referring to him as such. She broke their contact and proceeded to take a seat on a nearby stool, waiting for his further instruction which she knew was coming otherwise she wouldn't have been here to begin with.

“I'm sure you've already been given orders by IMG,” he stated, watching her as she gave a short nod, “Well, it was decided by authorities higher than myself to remove the coding for your seal just for the duration of this particular assignment. Upon completion, you'll return and new coding will be implanted but for the time being, your magic shall have free reign. As normal, it will manifest when triggered or applied, just in far more concentrated amounts. Is there anything you wish to ask or comment on?”

“Was it her that wanted this?” she asked in a defiant tone.

He chuckled ever so slightly, “Eventually, she'll take your place and you'll cease to exist. You are just a vessel, nothing more, we've already discussed this several times before.”

“I know, I know, I still don't like it,” she mumbled, “I have to do all the work with no credit. It's kind of annoying.”

“Heh,” he scoffed lightly.

“If we're finished, I've got other things to do,” she nodded in a matter-of-factly manner.

“Be safe, Kaelani.”

“Always.

---

Having left the facilities in Erstestadt, Kaelani made her way to Süden, a place much more picturesque in overall appearance – far away from the distractions of city life. Though she'd lived in Erstestadt for the past three years, she had heard of Süden, though had never visited, but from the perfumed land she inhaled, days of old gave way to nostalgia. There was something missing though – salt water. Nothing compared to such a scent, nothing enthralled the senses quite like the salty mist hanging about in the air, and for a brief second, Kaelani felt as if she were barefooted in the sand, breathing in the glorious atmosphere that was once here. The second faded as she kept pushing forward, heading towards a local landmark called ”Rutschigeklippe” where she was to meet with the others from IMG. And that's where annoyance started creeping in.

“There's really no need for me to even be involved,” she grumbled unto herself as she moved further towards the predetermined location.

From the distance, Kaelani could see two individuals standing near an embankment but as she neared, something twisted inside her stomach. Perhaps it was a feeling of anticipation, since the people she was to meet with were rumored to be extremely powerful, or perhaps it was just because she'd hadn't eaten anything today. Either way, she continued down towards the lake where she was just within earshot, only able to hear indistinct dialogue between the two, then felt the twisting sensation once again but this time, it was harsher, like someone was stabbing her in the gut. She actually had to stop moving and hold her stomach which churned harder and twisted tighter but instead of making a scene, she inhaled deeply. Being a little shy of thirty feet or so from the two, a scent she immediately recognized as inherently familiar overwhelmed her.

“He is mine,” an angelic voice called from within her head.

Before she could stop herself, or even think of trying to compel the change, Kaelani's body began to morph – her eyes changed to a gorgeous sapphire, her hair lengthened as it discolored itself to magnificent white, and her stature altered ever so slightly. Though she wasn't trying to do anything inappropriate or cause any animosity before even meeting these people, she couldn't help but to let out a sharp yelp from the drastic change that hadn't happened in over a year. But for now, Kaelani ceased to exist, though in a form of a slight physicality, she wasn't whom these people were expecting to meet. Covering the short distance between them, the white-haired woman went directly to the blond man that she hadn't seen in over a millennia and looked to him with a smirk before turning her attention to the woman beside him.

“Last I laid eyes upon you, a sword of tribute was all you were – a reminder of what had been lost yet here you stand, as always, attached to the hip of a Demon,” she spoke so sweetly but ensured the insulting sarcasm was laid thick before focusing her attention back to the man, “Herr Leo, my darling, I must say, time has been exceedingly kind to you.”

Holding out a hand that appeared to have been carved from marble, she curtsied ever so gracefully as she was known for such bouts of elegance and displayed herself as a quick-tongued Lady. There was so much the two needed to catch up on, so much that needed to be put to bed, but more importantly, the Matriarch needed to rid her family of their mistrusting comrades, such as the one they were in search of now.

A woman approached from the distance, scarlet hair standing out amidst the greens and browns. Given her attire she was clearly the third member of their party, attire matching to a degree in their hues, though black was the standard for the industry so such wasn't unexpected. There was a familiar air about her, yet Leo couldn't put a finger on what exactly it was, until her persona was altered to reveal a face he took a moment to recall, but as he did a flurry of emotions came about, though concealed under a mere change in his posture from casual to alert.

Between her fingers Eris held a plucked flower, vibrant in its hue until the woman she did not know presented herself, pleasant yet so obviously brazen in her intent to offend. A slight pinch, and the daffodil faded to gray, soon decaying into dust. "A demon, you presume much," she remarked with emphasis on the letter, mouth curling into a polite, practiced smile, though her mauve tinged gaze was cold, unrelenting. In all honesty, she didn't really care, but weakness was not something she fancied showing, and to many silence was the admission of such.

Oh, demon, it had been a long time since he had heard the term ascribed to him in a literal fashion, though still derisive given the lips it had emanated from. To a degree he held animosity toward it, but at least she said such out of ignorance rather than spite, after all at the time they had known one another he had considered the term close enough. It was only one of a host of habits changed in the past millennium, a result of age and appearance, among other things. He forgot if she knew the truth, but it mattered not, Leo doubted she would listen to his request in any case.

His tone was far more amiable, although still carried a hint a wariness, and a simple nod to her curtsey. After all, Leo truly hadn't expected the one Asscher, or really Ashur, he knew personally to be the one to answer their request, especially when for all he knew she had been six feet under, for a thousand years at that. "Why thank you, Frau Kanna. It has been quite a while, though I must admit it is a bit perplexing as to how you are here, now," he spoke, tiredness evident in his voice though it was of the esoteric sort, a soft hum over the syllables that deepened as he continued. Leo's eyes widened for a slim moment as his mind brought him back to the moment they had last made contact with her own, at the dusk of Earthland just before it was forever plunged into an eldritch night. He reached with his left hand - perhaps the band on his finger becoming evident - toward the pendant resting against his chest, momentarily brushing the fabric that concealed it from the world. A haze of something overcame him, an almost yearning he couldn't quite place, yet it vanished within seconds, and restored was his clarity.

"Yes, I thought you said she was dead," Eris spoke, glancing up at Leo with a skeptical look.

He shrugged, passing over Kanna's person with a scientific gaze. Certainly, looks could be deceiving, but beneath her appearance pulsed a familiar sensation, a cruel persona masked by a facade, and then emptiness. Despite the other face that had been present not long before, she was most definitely the woman she appeared to be. Some twisted magic or strange technology was at play, he wagered it was primarily the former and hoped that was so for his own comprehension, but Leo knew there was a thin line between the two, as had always been yet was fast becoming more true than ever. "Apparently I was wrong, though her attitude hasn't changed much," he replied, words now acknowledging that he had not appreciated Kanna's first statement, neither its diction nor its tone.

She shook her head, exhaling for a sharp instant. "Well, I'm sure you two can catch up on the way. We'd best get to why we're all here." With her head, Eris gestured toward a small path found off the rocks they stood upon, and turned toward it. Tolokonsky's base was a mile or two due north of the landmark, and the trail headed in the same general direction, at least for a period of time before it veered away to a town nearby. Of course, such was expected, a spy, even an incompetent one, wouldn't be so dull as to hide their lair right off the beaten path. For some it would seem unfortunate, but an unchallenged task would be supicious, more than anything.

Checking to make sure Kanna followed, although he wouldn't change his course even if she did not, Leo started up the route himself, feet treading lightly over the roots and stones. The ground was dry and firm, enough so to set a quick pace, despite the gentle incline. At such a rate, the mission would soon be over and done with, if not bogged down with additional complications whether from internal or external sources.

Apparently, it already would be. The woman made no attempt to pursue them, likely playing one of her many supposed mind games. Yes, such had its uses, but not in the current scenario, where her assistance had been more so a welcome than a requirement. "I swear, it's like we have to do everything," he grumbled as they continued on without her.

"Considering retirement?" Eris joked in reply, Leo shaking his head with a laugh. Onward they went for some time, the weather pleasant and everything appearing to be normal for a stroll through the woods. Before they could even truly diverge from the beaten trail, however, a figure emerged from the distance. "That's odd," she remarked quietly, pulling a palm leaf out of her pocket. "I didn't think we were so close." With nothing but a glance the vegetation transformed into a green snake, travelling toward the individual in question.

As the figure emerged from the trees, a single spot of red, glowing light appeared near shoulder-height, revealing Blitz emerging from the nearby woods, arm outstretched and energy crackling near his palm.

Soon as he laid eyes on Eris and Leo, though, the hat on his head, Shoop, was the first one to speak up. "False alarm, hotshot, it's just the wonder twins."

"Eris? Leo? You're the two sent out on this mission?" Blitz asked, powering down his mechanical arm, the energy fading back until it disappeared. "That makes a bit more sense as to why they sent me all the way out here, then."

Blitz emerged from the woods proper to stand on the faint path through the trees, dusting his jacket off. Whereas Leo and Eris were at least dressed for something resembling stealth, Blitz hadn't bothered - after all, not like anyone besides them would be familiar with his face or attire. Though there's a small chance they have footage from the Gala event, Blitz thought to himself. Eh, I'll just have to risk it. Bit late to go change clothes now.

Blitz raised a hand as he approached the duo. "I know you've got a ton of questions, but let me give you the short version - while I don't fully know what's going on, someone in the higher-ups in the Magic Collective contacted me about a joint-mission with your guys' guild. They didn't mention many specifics, only something about it being very hush-hush, and wanting to send me because they have an acquaintance in the guild who mentioned who was sent and to 'send someone they know'. All I know about what we're doing out here is something about a guy who took info or something that he shouldn't have, and needs to be dealt with before he does something stupid with it. I'm not interested in any info that your guild has that's sensitive in nature, so rest assured, your guild's secrets are safe with my indifference, more or less," he added with a slight grin.

He ignored Shoop's... very incorrect comment on them, hoping it was just a joke and not that the hat had forgotten their actual relationship. It wasn't like Leo and Eris looked alike either, the closest thing was their skin tone and even then she was a few shades paler than him. Of course, it was not the first thought that came to his mind, that began with an I, but he had a feeling Blitz and Shoop probably wouldn't appreciate such an image. They certainly weren't twins, he was older by thirty-five years after all, though neither would know such nor did it really matter. Eris quickly exchanged a glance with him, clearly trying to hold back a laugh, and in the end he did the same.

"Oh Lancey, thinking he needs to take care of us...." she muttered even as they both nodded in response to Blitz's query. It was a bit concerning, but hopefully nothing would go wrong with the roster change. Perhaps an assassination in particular might be off limits now, but there were plenty of other ways to silence someone without the implementation of such a specific word. Certainly, there were plenty of methods of murder that were viewed as more ethical than it, however silly Leo thought that was. In the end, someone still died, no matter what the courts seemed to call it. And as someone who served in the Boscan War, he wagered Blitz was quite used to death.

"He must have heard about the Asscher family's... reputation and made the decision to be safe rather than sorry," Leo said. "Without asking us...." His tone grew darker, irritated by the prospect though he quickly cleared his throat. "No matter, now that you're here it would be rather rude of us to send you away, Blitz. We don't know what exactly Tolokonsky knows either, but it's something IMG can't afford to let slip out, which narrows the list down quite a bit. If he starts speaking about anything that might seem to be a secret, it would probably be best to try not to listen. You seem trustworthy thus far, but others within IMG likely won't pass the same judgement."

Eris recalled the serpent she had sent out, then pointed toward some trampled flora nearby. "Seeing as this is where the path ends, if you came from the other direction, that looks like it might lead toward our spy's little hideout. Fair warning, some think he might have picked up a following after betraying us, so we should try to keep stealth on our side." Pausing for a moment, she then continued down the makeshift path. With each step some of the undergrowth parted, less because she really cared about it and more because otherwise it would be prone to making noise. Within a few minutes, a building loomed on the horizon, large, concrete, and completely out of place with the rest of the surroundings. At the very least parts of it were painted a muddy brown, yet still it was quite an eyesore.

They arrived near the entrance of the bunker, where two guards stood by a steel door that seemed to be the only way in. Eris made eye contact with both of them for a brief moment, before two clusters of blue flowers formed between her index and middle finger. She flung one toward the guard farther away, and then right after at the one closer to the group. Just after they each were embedded in the guards' necks, Leo rushed out and knocked one on his head with Dua and then the other with List. Both crumpled to the group, as a result of both her magic and his concussive force. They would certainly be out for a while, which left the group to deal with the passcode mechanism sealing the facility shut.

While Leo and Eris didn't seem to mind the help, Leo seemed irked that someone in IMG had made a call of sorts without consulting him first. Blitz raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. It was rare to see Leo that expressive - the information was either very damaging to IMG, or something personal to Leo, or perhaps the man himself. What that was, Blitz didn't guess aloud, given Leo's response, but he made a mental note to ask about things later. "If anything that the guy knows slips out, then I didn't hear it. Noted." Blitz said.

Blitz listened to Eris's breakdown of their options, nodding, as what she said made sense, and followed the duo as they began to move. "I'm surprised he made a following at all - I'd think double-crossing one of the biggest organizations in the galaxy would have put quite the target on his back, and people tend to not want to get caught in the cross-fire of a fight they have no stakes in. My bigger concern would be that either used whatever information to sway people to his side....or the ones one his side are the ones who 'bought' his information. Neither of which bodes well." Blitz added.

As they approached a bunker, Eris threw something at both guards that lodged in their necks, before Leo rushed forward and clocked them once each on the head to knock them out. Emerging from hiding to get closer to the bunker's front entrance, Blitz saw that they were roses. Blitz checked, but the guards still had a pulse, so nothing lethal. Wouldn't have needed the clocking over the head if it was poison, Blitz thought to himself, standing up to see the duo looking at a mechanical passcode lock on the frame of the door.

Blitz grinned. "Now I get why they wanted me for this one. Step aside for a second," Blitz said, walking up and kneeling, peering at the passcode pad for a moment before placing two fingers on the pad. A moment later, blue circuitry lines ran along his fingertips and cross the surface of the pad, and the passcode pad's display began scrambling numbers at a frantic pace, before locking in a set sequence in green numbers, and the door made a 'click' noise - Blitz tried the handle and the door quietly swung open. "After you," Blitz said with a slight flourish and a grin.

"If anyone else knows the information he obtained, they will need to be eliminated as well," Leo stated coldly, before dropping the subject. If it came to that, both him and Eris were ready and willing to do what was required. Blitz... likely wasn't, given that he had just checked the pulse of the two guards they had taken out. Of course, Leo knew what he would find, anatomically his blows hadn't been nearly deadly enough if not for the sheer fact that life still exuded from them, but blunt force could not solve everything. At some point, it would be necessary to bring out the fangs.

The man indeed was skilled with technology, or at least his magic allowed him to be. Within a few moments, the entrance was wide open, with no alarms having been set off in the process either. However, even as the man gestured inside did two more guards come to their attention, glancing over the party for a moment before recognizing their comrades on the ground. Before they could reach for their firearms, however, Eris made a gesture and wrapped a vine around each man's face, then whacking one upside the head with Benediction. He did similar with his swords, and once they were out she wrapped the rest of their bodies up just in case. "Plenty of security already," she observed, before they walked into the complex.

The walls were plated black, with grooves of blue energy running through cracks to illuminate the hallway they came across. It was a peculiar design, far more aesthetically pleasing than the exterior which told him Tolokonsky spent far more time inside the building than outside. Reasonable, for being a hideout, and the credits it would cost to construct such a facility lined up with the man's reputation. They hadn't stumbled upon another wooded lair by accident, that much was certain. The steps reverberating down the passage were certain as well, and as Leo and Eris both moved against a wall to conceal themselves as much as possible - there were no other objects cluttered the space - a patrol was seen marching down an intersection. He silently pressed his swords against each other, them assuming the form of the unified longsword in his left hand. In his right Leo pulled out his revolver, prepping it for fire even as the guards crossed over, one making the mistake of turning in their direction.

Leo took aim and fired at the man's unarmored face, the shot being directed slightly too far to the left for his liking but it killed the target instantly anyway. The other three in the patrol immediately turned in their direction, a consequence they would have to deal with for getting the jump on the first. Leo quickly holstered Argentate, sprinting toward the nearest guard. His blade flew into his right hand, its lethal capacities unlocked within an instant as it sought purchase first with the guard's firing arm and then piercing his heart. Similarly, Eris dashed forward leaving petals in her wake, first knocking her target's weapon out of the way with the blunt end of Benediction before slicing her throat with the blade's side. Quickly the woman reached toward her wound before falling to the floor, now choking in which Eris drove her spear further into the guard's neck, severing her spinal cord.

Blitz said nothing to Leo's added response, though he had his own thoughts on the matter. If the information was 'need-to-know basis' and 'die-if-you-don't', then how was this guy allowed to get close enough to get the information in the first place? he wondered quietly.

Unfortunately, even though Blitz had opened the door with little effort and even avoided setting off the alarm when he did so, there were still guards present within moments of the door opening. Blitz cursed under his breath. "Nice to see that the bastard's getting his money's worth from the guards he hired. Next guard would usually have been further down the hall." The hall itself was lined with black paneling, interspersed by lines of blue, not unlike his circuitry lines from opening the door moments before, causing Blitz to make a 'tch' noise. The enemy having an aesthetic choice that was similar to his own pissed him off, as an inventor. Felt like an unintentional off-brand.

Blitz followed the duo down the hall quietly, waiting at the intersection with them, then moving a hair's breadth after them to avoid getting in their way as they each took out a guard (with Leo using the first guard takedown as a surprise attack) as Blitz ran at the remaining guard, who had been preoccupied with the first two attackers that he somehow hadn't noticed that there was a third. Blitz clenched one hand into a fist, faintly crackling with energy as he slugged the guard in the gut hard enough to dent the armor they were wearing and make them slump against the wall. Glancing over at the other two guards, Leo and Eris had already finished up. Quietly, Blitz asked "So is this guy more the 'hide in the lowest room in the fort' type, or the 'bolt out the back escape hatch the moment he senses danger' type?"

Oh wonderful, it seemed that Blitz cared less about methods than Leo had initially thought. It would certainly make the task much easier, though he would still have to be careful to not get too carried away. A strike to the heart was simple enough, not messy or overly dismembering, but other maneuvers tended to tug more, though even as he gave the newly created corpse a once over his gaze flickered, before re-establishing the same hue. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but it seemed to be happening more recently as of late, and not in the appropriate settings either. In the end, it would just be another thing to suppress, though, a list that seemed to be growing as of late.

"He's likely waiting for us; he knows how dangerous the information he possesses is. Tolokonsky is a bastard if I've ever seen one, not only did his work ethic tarnish the name of the Intelligence Branch but to have stolen from it... even if it were not something critical he still would have been hunted in some capacity," Eris replied. "That being said, our first priority should be to find a way down to the lower levels. Undoubtedly that's where he is, protecting himself from a potential airstrike from above."

Leo shook his head in disapproval over the man's methods. "Prepared for everything, they like to say that about him. He's gotten away from national governments before, but let's hope his luck runs out this time." He checked one of the guards for a communicator and keys of some kind, finding the former on their wrist and the latter taking the shape of a card in their pocket. Then, Leo glanced over each of the intersecting halls, before exhaling. "Unfortunately I don't see anywhere to hide them... I suppose we'll just have to bet on some long patrol routes." That being said, there didn't seem to be anyone else in their immediate vicinity, which was a positive turn of events given how much resistance the group had encountered already. If it could remain like that for the rest of the task, it would be a walk in the park.

Still, they had to keep moving. Eris picked the direction the patrol had come from, likely to be uninhabited for some time, and quickly they found themselves facing a series of doors embedded into the face of the panels. Using the card he had acquired, Leo opened the nearest one, revealing a small room filled with computer monitors and a few filing cabinets. It was the surveillance room, given the images displayed on the many screens, and the person manning it appeared to be sleeping on the job. However, as the door snapped open so too did he snap awake, swiveling his chair about.

"The hell are you doing here?"