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Gobbles of the Dead
In a small neighborhood there would rest an old, small church with a steady stone structure. Many rumors would've spread about such a place that had been long since abandoned by the locals. Some believed it to now be haunted, filled with the ghosts of some ancient faith that had long since been forgotten.
It would be on a average fall day however, when the rumors finally reached their peak. People had stated that they had seen odd cloaked figures outside the church and that at times anyone who got too close could hear an odd sort of noise coming from within.
There were even rumors about how the souls of the dead could take on a physical form whenever they entered the church grounds. The truth...was hard to discern for there was only one way to truly discover what lay within such an ancient place of worship.
“And one glorious hero knows exactly how!”
A lone young man narrates to himself as he remains perched upon a nearby rooftop. The man descends like the breeze, taking to the streets and heading for the rumored church itself
“After all, it’s my duty to wipe out followers of EVIL, and nothing says evil like creepy old churches.”
Where in the-
[Ira, the young one with next to no memories or ideas about where the hell he was woke up on a wooden bench.]
Last think I remember was a construction site, or something. I can't put it together.
[Still in his seat, he would merely put on his headphones and allow some music to play as he tries to put his thoughts in their rightful place.]
A man dressed in oddly western attire, puffing from his cigarette would approach this rumored church, after all, something weird was going on already, so what's a little more? Not like he hadn't already had his fill of bizarre circumstances. He could be seen lounging outside the church grounds, twirling his fingers as if he had a revolver in them.
"Heheh! We gots ourselves a coupl'a takers, eh? No way in hell was I going in on my own!"
Tatsuya Suou... Dead man, he knew that was coming of course. Those who live by the sword... He isn't sure why he's back though, but with a sigh and a draw of his blade he'd. Well he would stare at Ira with a curious look on his face.
"Well, here we are once again. Oh well, I've got no grudge against you any longer."
He'd then begin examining the area more closely, searching through it in an effort to find some clue behind these... Returns from death. All while absently talking to Ira.
"Gotta say though, I'm surprised by whatever is going on here. Dragging back me, and someone like you. What's the game here, that's what I wanna figure out..."
"It's kind of surprising how I didn't end up in that church, being tied up and sacrificed to whatever god they believe in."
The teenage girl gloated, arriving at the scene as she talks to herself for no reason. Despite her girly outfit not serving much to cover anything like armor or normal clothes would, she at least came strapped with several guns and a grenade belt. She cocked the shotgun that was strapped to her back.
"I was never too heavy on being the religious type anyway. Hope dad won't be offended when I go American on these oldbags."
*Mask on her face, Minerva approaches the church silently. She glances around the area, drumming her fingers on the hilt of her blade. " This must be the place the contractor mentioned. What is going on in this place. The souls of the dead returning to physical form... I wonder how true that is. And if it is true... Could this be what I've been searching for?" Minerva looks up at the church and grits her teeth.*
Regardless of their reasons for coming here, whether it was by their own will or the will of something else, everyone near the church all at once would feel a sudden discomfort as the doors seemed to open for a moment and close. Some might've seen what appeared to be a shadowy figure quickly appear and then enter into the church in the time the door was open.
The discomfort would be odd to say the least. It would feel forced, like a feeling that shouldn't have been present at the moment. It was similar to the feeling of taking a shower and then trying to put on one's socks immediately after only to have to walk outside on an earl morning while their hair is still wet.
The church doors would slowly seem to open once more as they appeared to be unlocked.
"Hmhmhm hahahahaha!"
Out of nowhere, a boyish demon would jump into the scene, smirking as he lets out his signature cocky laugh.
"Tremble in fear in the presence of the almighty overlord Laharl, who's powerful enough to shatter the entire universe into millions of smaller of universes! My strength is unrivaled!"
Laharl approaches the church and boldly rushes through the doors.
"Now that that's settled, everyone else can just stand back while I take out the boss of this area. And no hogging my screen-time!"
So long as the feeling wasn't fear, Hol Horse would stick around. He'd take another puff of his cig. He'd look around again, this time noticing the women who had shown up. In keeping with his internal motives, he'd do his best to imitate the styling of old western heroes. Approaching the church he'd draw a pistol only people with supernatural abilities could, so probably everyone.
"Don't know the hell's goin on, but a man like me, Hol Horse, would never back down from an honorable fight!"
Though she was ready to barge in there with no regret, the unsettling feeling washed over her way more than it should have. If that wasn't enough, Laharl suddenly popping out and loudly announcing his presence seemed to scare her half to death.
"Wha- huh? Wait. Is this thing even loaded?"
Ashley now starts to get unsure of herself for no reason, trying to figure out if her shotgun even had bullets in it while completely disregarding gun safety laws in the process. What a day to be an American with gun rights.
"Ugh, I'm scared again. This makes me want to shoot something!"
The girl stammers on her words, now just following behind the boyish demon in order to both completely disregard his words while also forgetting to try and even look at who her supposed comerades even looked like.
Hey, but if it isn't the red-jacket nerd and...!!
[Ira didn't even care about what Tatsuya had just said, for his headphones were blocking out any other noise that wasn't his music. He would look at the man with a self-serving smile before gazing at the others.]
Some other bunch of losers, so what's new anyways.
[At that moment, he felt the odd discomfort and would take notice of the church doors. He would keep quiet for a moment and lower his headphones, letting them rest on his shoulders. He would see Laharl show up, scream and then rush inside. Not caring either way, he would raise his voice.]
Right, you nerds go ahead, I'll watch you from here while you get your asses handed to you.
With the clicking of a lighter, another spirit materializes, eerily similar to another clad in red, this one though bears no marks of old age, after flicking the lighter off and readjusting the cap on his head, Danksuya looks around the church. Trying to see if he recognized anybody. However, the only one he could recognize was himself oddly enough. A flash of anger strikes him before quickly fading, what use was it to fight now?
Instead, he flicks his lighter, letting the ghostly flame burn brilliantly before dying out.
He then turns his attention to the figure that entered the church, dark, mysterious, a chilling atmosphere... Danksuya walks over and attempts to greet them with a wave, perhaps he had an answer to his late awakening.
*"Well. I found my canary." Behind her mask, Minerva smirks slightly. She then glances over to Ashley. "And a back-up. For now." Minerva watches Laharl and Ashley head inside the church and waits for a few seconds before following behind them at a safe distance so she wouldn't get caught in any traps the two may trigger.*
Tatsuya stares at his younger self for... Quite a while really, it's rather shocking to see that one back again but here they are. He chooses not to say any of the numerous regrets which come to mind about that. Instead merely flipping Ira off for a second before he too aims to investigate the source of this new feeling.
Flames burn up around his body, the copy of Gram held in his hands is aimed directly forward in a ready stance. And the man prepares to fight, once more into the breach. Though he speaks out in a calm and curious tone before striking.
"So, any chance you'd calmly explain what you know without fighting us? That would be a big help, but somehow I don't expect such luck to come my way."
The figure was already gone. Only the darkness that almost seemed to leak from the church's doors remained. Darkness that two would enter without much hesitation. The church was cramped on the inside. The air would be musty and it would be hard to see anything. Within the church there was only one source of light that seemed to be position over a podium over at the back. There was no source for the light to be coming from yet it seemed to exist regardless, being used to shine over an odd looking old book.
The words the book displayed would be almost incomprehensible, as if they hadn't been written by something completely human and yet the power the book exuded could be felt growing stronger and stronger the closer one got to it.
Any who entered the church as well would see something similar...all except those who didn't belong here...
As they entered the church they'd see no podium or book but rather they'd see a trap door in its place instead.
[Ira would decide to follow the group inside anyways, since it wasn't like he felt his siblings around or had anything better to do. He didn't exactly feel like he was in danger either. Some faint heavy metal could be heard from the headphones that now rest on his shoulders as he walks into the cramped church. Ira would scratch the back of his head carelessly.]
Talk about suspicious, eh?
I wonder if any nerd got killed here, because it seems like the perfect place for it.
Laharl glances at the book for a moment, taking his gaze elsewhere, disinterested.
"Any of you vassals can mess with that stupid book if you want, I don't care."
"..."
"Alright, i'm bored. If a fight doesn't happen in the next ten minutes i'm taking a nap."
Hol Horse would stick to the back of the group, twirling his pistol in his hands. He whistled a vaguely American tune. The door was suspicious, but hell wasn't everything here?
"Ain't no way someone hasn't kicked the bucket here. The only thing missing is the writing on the goddamned wall."
“Wow. Fun. Great. This is less of a shooting range than I had thought.”
Th e teenage girl, still carrying her shotgun, loomed over the trapdoor after she entered the church. After giving the inanimate object a leer, she ran back toward the doorway as she inhaled sharply.
“Busting in here needs to be the only stupid thing I’m doing, because I am not checking that thing out. Someone else do it.”
*Minerva silently removes her mask and places it in her hair, it being too hard to see with it on, and glances around the room, making sure to slip into a corner away from the others just in case something were to happen.*
Anyone have a torch?
He didn't have a torch, but there was one way to light the place up. With his gun at the ready, he'd unload fifteen, count 'em, fifteen shots into the air, all of which would curve down into the trap door, hopefully breaking through it.
"Don't much see a need to touch somethin' brimming with evil if I can keep my distance!"
Those who saw the book would notice that it seemed to have begun eminating a certain noise from it. It almost sounded like a light whisper but the voice would seem somewhat distorted, like it was struggling to speak. The words on the page also seemed to begin popping off for anyone who gazed at them directly.
As for the trapped door...the area beneath seemed to actually be relatively well lit. There seemed to be a set of stairs that let into some ancient stone corridor. The underground area seemed to have torches mounted to the wall down below.
[Ira would decide that it would be best if he approached the trapped door. He would do so without much care because what is the worse that could happen? Even if it was some spirit the others could take care of it, and even if it was some serial killer, what could a mere human do to someone like him? Not much.]
C'mon nerds, when was the last time one of you died in a little adventurous escapade?
Not one of you, I bet.
[He would jump down and look around while also taking one of the torches.]
Now, where to go, where to go?
I would say this place has seen better days but I honestly doubt it.
"Oh nice! This book reminds me of college. Still salty about that C I got in government."
The teenage girl said, almost holding up the book before she heard the sounds resonating from within the pages. While something in her told her to really try to examine and inspect the book clearly, she tried her best to ignore those urges.
"Would an inanimate object that might be demonic respond to me clearly if I held up a knife against it?"
*Minerva would approach Ashley and the book. She would inspect the book as well, her eyes scanning over the pages. Her brow furrows at Ashley's suggestion.*
I wouldn't suggest doing that.
Laharl would scoff at Ashley's comment, sneering at her.
"Humans are such fools. I couldn't care less if you got yourself killed, so go ahead."