monsters in the dark

[animusmods]

Characters: any
Setting: all around the Tower; please specify the date and location in your subject header!
Format: any/party-style
Summary: A general mingle log for characters to encounter monsters.
Warnings: PG-13; please include any more detailed warnings in your threads if necessary.

PLEASE USE THIS POST FOR NEW THREADS.

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[themonsters]

[A low, thrumming growl resounds throughout the dormitory hallway. It's not under beds Luke should have worried about, apparently. The monster lurking on the floor doesn't seem to be much bothered about being stealthy or trying to hide.

It doesn't move. Instead, it only watches Luke.

Its growl continues to resound throughout the hall.]

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke froze when he felt more than heard the growl, starting as a tremble in his feet that made his whole body shake. He swallowed loudly, trying to calm himself. It was... just another monster. I-it wouldn't matter if it was any more ugly than all the other monsters... h-he'd dealt with them plenty of times before!]

[...so why did he still feel like he wanted to run away screaming?]

[Luke swallowed, forcing the lump in his throat back down as he gripped his sword with both hands. He pivoted on his feet slowly, looking for the source and mentally bracing himself for what he would see.]

[themonsters]

[It's not much to look at, truly. Compared to some of the other grotesquely disfigured, impossible creatures of the Tower, the shadowy black monster crouched on the floor might even seem underwhelming, the splash of white that is its masquerade mask almost silly in how much it stands out.

When Luke turns, it stares straight into his eyes without fear--without any indication of anything. Then it stands up.

It steps forward, paces around a bit, seeming wholly disinterested in the redhead--

--And in an instant it's behind him, mouth open to reveal a maw full of too-sharp fangs and teeth as it lunges and tries to tear through flesh.]

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke had pretty good reflexes... but unfortunately, they weren't that good.]

[He let out a cry of surprise as he spun around, blanking on how to react and throwing his (thankfully) right arm up to protect his face. Fangs sunk into his flesh, and he screamed in ungodly pain, feeling his arm go numb and the rest of his body light up like it was on fire.]

[But it's not real. It's not real.]

[Somehow, probably through sheer stubbornness, he managed to let go with his right hand, pulling the sword around to stab at the creature.]

[themonsters]

[It's not real. That's right. So why care? Why bother fighting? You'll just be brought back sooner or later.

The spreading apathy can be struggled against, of course, but it might be distracting at the very least to try to ignore the thoughts.

The monster, recognizing a threat to itself, releases Luke and falls back onto its haunches in a blur of movement, snarling before trying to leap at him again. This time, it aims for something vital.]

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke stumbled back, his right arm hanging uselessly at his side. It was weird, how much it hurt, even though he knew it was just a wire frame hidden under the guise of his skin. He had to wonder how it worked... and couldn't help but think that Guy would have been too busy geeking out over it had he still been around when the reveal came.]

[But really, what was the point? It was just a fake body; not even a replicated body, but some fontech that held his soul trapped. Even if it got beaten up and mangled, Jason would just squeeze his soul out and drop it in another wireframe anyway. No matter what he did, that was probably what would happen anyway; it was the middle of the night, and he doubted there was anyone else awake that would be able to help heal him...]

[After a moment, Luke grit his teeth, his grip on his sword tightening as he forced himself to stay calm, to hold his position as he raised his blade. No, there was a point to fighting, to struggling: he wanted to live.]

[As the monster launched itself at him, Luke sidestepped, bringing his sword down as hard as he could.]

and the rng says

[themonsters]

[At the speed the monster was going, that shouldn't have hit--but Luke is lucky in that the monster slows itself as it sails by, perhaps to lessen its momentum and stop itself to try for another attack.

His sword clips the monster, shaving off black wisps even though it stays silent as it skids to a stop on his opposite side. It remains there for a moment, gleaming eyes cold, before it crouches down and pulls the corners of its mouth back to bare its teeth.

The thrumming growl from before is now a feral sounding snarl.

This time, when the monster moves, Luke won't be able to see it at all. Maybe an afterimage, or the delayed rush of displaced air, but that's all the proof there is to know the monster's still here and even physically moved at all.

That, and the very real pain that comes from its attacks if it lands.]

ffff oh lord, Luke hates his life right now

[sacred_flamer]

[Luke scrambled, not sure how the hell it was moving faster than Sync, and trying not to panic as he reversed his grip on his sword in a vain attempt to guard himself while only having the use of one hand.]

Guardian!

[Did his non-physical skills even work anymore? He didn't know, but even if the fonic shield did spring up, it wouldn't protect him entirely like Tear's hymns did, just lessen the damage.]

[themonsters]

[The shield does work, softening the impact from the monster's claws as it dashes back and forth, but what its attacks lack in strength it makes up for in the sheer volume of them.

The attacks come in a flurry, claws and fangs and mask flashing as it savages whatever it can, seeking to wear Luke down before it attempts a killing blow.]

[sacred_flamer]

[Dammit, dammit, dammit; Guardian is not an ability that lasts long, even if Luke is trying to push it for as far as it can go. He grit his teeth; he probably only had one shot, and it was a damn long shot at that.]

[With a burst of adrenaline, he forced himself up and forward, trying to shove the beast away and give himself enough room to follow up with sweeping his blade at the creature in a Light Spear Canon. If it doesn't work, if the move doesn't knock it away or at least knocks it off balance, he knows he's food; even as he moves, his shield quickly begins to dissipate.]

[themonsters]

[It is a decent attempt, but at the speed the monster's moving, the speed at which it's perceiving the world, Luke's efforts appear to it as if they were in slow motion. It isn't much difficult for it to back away from and dodge under the sweep as it appears behind him in an instant, pausing only long enough to make sure its aim is true.

It leaps at him once more, going for his throat.]

[sacred_flamer]

[Yeah, he knew it was a long shot. It was probably why the feel of his throat being ripped open wasn't that much of a painful surprise. He found himself just slumping over, knowing that blood -- or rather, that violet collar fluid -- was gushing out over his coat.]

[Damn... that makes two times, hunh? Luke's surprised he isn't scared, but... it's not real, right? It's just the wire frame losing function. Eventually his soul's going to be shoved back into another one, and everything would... just be... fine...]

[themonsters]

[Even if Luke would soon succumb to his severed nerves and blood loss anyway if not the shock, the monster isn't the sort to draw out a kill needlessly. It doesn't care for prey other than that it has to die.

It stares down at the noble through its mask for only a moment before it opens its maw and bites down once more, this time to snap Luke's neck.

Its actions aren't out of kindness. All the same, it's a cleaner end than could otherwise be had. Apathy, in this case, lends itself toward a cold efficiency.]