Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 3, 2014 1:44:09 GMT -5
Fingers tapping rapidly, Gram searched everywhere within miles for what he needed. "Found one!" He exclaimed, relieved. That was the easy part. He began hacking. It wasn't particularly difficult, but he had to check and recheck everything he did twice, wincing in pain frequently. It took him a few minutes, but when he was done he sighed with relief, sitting back and relaxing some. After a few minutes, Tyrus's men began shouting, some pointing up towards the sky. From where he sat in the ditch, Gram grinned. "Drew, now!" Taking advantage of the distraction Gram had created, Drew broke from cover and aimed towards Tyrus and his men.
Methodically, Drew aimed and fired, aimed and fired. With every shot, another of Tyrus's men went down. Before they realized what was happening, an object crashed among Tyrus's group, striking Tyrus himself in the waist and shattering his pelvis. He went down screaming and that was the only thing that saved his life as a bullet meant for him killed the supernatural that had been standing behind him. In moments, Gram and Drew had killed or disabled all but three of the group of supernaturals.
As for the distraction, Gram had been searching nearby for a weather drone. It had been a long shot, but he'd found one close enough and hacked it, bringing it to bear on Tyrus and his men. Although it'd had no weapons, the drone had been useful for buying Drew time out of cover while Tyrus and his men were distracted, giving him the opportunity to take some of them down.
"There are only three left," Gram told Chaltah, smiling and he looked up the road to see an SUV approaching. "And here are my men. Still worried this might be end?" He asked, though the relief was evident in his voice.
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 3, 2014 14:55:42 GMT -5
Chaltah waited quietly under her makeshift hiding spot and looked up at the sky, spying something coming their way. It took her a moment to realize what it was and could only laugh as the thing slammed right into Tyrus, sending him crashing to the ground. She gives a hoot of celebration and then speaks into the phone "never doubted for a second" she laughs, which seems to finally jerk the dragon into consciousness. Her legs free she manages to get up on her feet and head back to the car to grab her bow. Stringing it she turns it sideways and fires over the car at one of the remaining reinforcements she could see and then ducks back down.
Stormchaser brings a hand to his head as he came to and pulls it away to see some blood and then he remembered what had happened as Chaltah ran up to the car and started shooting back. Getting to his feet, he looks around and spies the bag that had originally been around his neck and goes to pick it up, not wanting to lose the ore that was inside. Once that was secure the dragon let out a mighty roar as the man became dragon once more and lunges for the closest body he could find looking to make up for his absence in the whole fight. Though it looked like the tide was already in their favor.
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 3, 2014 18:38:23 GMT -5
As the suv barreled toward the remaining supernaturals, Gram and Drew popped out from behind their cover, shooting at them. The remaining supernaturals, low behind cover in an effort to avoid being shot while cowering from Stormchaser, didn't see the vehicle until it was two late. The suv ran them down, killing one nearly instantly as it crushed her underneath it's wheels. The other two were struck by the bumper, one sent flying through the air as the other rolled over the hood, smashing into the windshield.
Drew walked calmly over to the dying supernaturals, putting a bullet into each of their skulls, to ensure they were dead. He walked over to where Tyrus lay, staring up at the sky, pain clear on his face. His legs were nearly useless. The daemon wouldn't be escaping this time. "We failed..." He muttered to himself, a single tear leaving the corner of his eye. Drew put his foot on the daemon's chest, gun pointed at his face while he waited for Gram.
Meanwhile, Gram limped over to where Chaltah was. He looked tired. "I think that's the last we'll have to worry about this group." He glanced back at where Tyrus and Drew were. "Looks like they threw everything they had left at us this time." The young man smiled. "Come. Lets get this damn ritual over with."
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 3, 2014 18:48:39 GMT -5
Chaltah slumps a bit as the whole thing finally came to an end and the silence was incredible when all the shooting was over. She looks over at Drew as he stood over the leader and couldn't help be feel sorry for him. She covers her face for a moment before turning her attention to Gram as he approached "I agree. This whole thing has too much blood shed already." she wipes at her eyes, pained for the loss of both mortal and supernatural alike. Stormchaser joins her side after he was certain the whole place was safe and rests his hands on her shoulders to console her grief, she turning to hug her companion.
Stormchaser was equally just as pained about what had just happened, but even more so as he had been unable to properly protect Chaltah after the car had rolled and knocked him out. At the mention of leaving he looks around at the remaining vehicles wondering if there was anything that was still running "I hope that one of these cars still runs"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 3, 2014 19:49:14 GMT -5
"We can ride in the suv. A couple of the supernaturals cars look operational. My men who will not fit with us can stay behind to take those."
Gram walked over to Tyrus and Drew, the latter backing off but keeping his weapon pointed at the former's head. "What am I going to do with you?" The young man asked, staring down at the daemon who'd been stalking and trying to murder him since the forest in Ireland. The daemon averted his eyes, shame at his defeat written clearly across his face, but he did not answer. "It would probably be best to kill him." Drew commented, eying the prone daemon with a detached sense of professionalism. Drew did not enjoy killing, but neither did he shy away from it. The man was a soldier and Gram his commander.
Shaking his head slightly, "No. Chaltah's right. There's been enough bloodshed over this damn scroll." Still, Gram wondered what he would do with the daemon. He crouched down next to Tyrus and looked into his eyes until the daemon looked back at him. "If you swear to me, give me your word, that this ends here, I will have my men drop you off at a hospital and you will be harmed no further." Defiance was clear in Tyrus's eyes, along with the hatred and contempt he clearly held for all humans, in addition to something else. A sort of grudging respect?
"I have my honor, and my pride," Tyrus said "But I am not so craven as to refuse to admit when I have lost. I give you my word that I will trouble you no more, human." With that, the daemon closed his eyes and laid back his head, exhaling. "However, I do not require your assistance. Just... Leave me be." Gram did not trust the daemon, but he would accept Tyrus's word.
As Gram climbed into the suv, he heard Tyrus ask. "Human. What is your name?" He turned back to look at the daemon whose eyes were open once more.
"Nathaniel Gram. The third."
"I am Tyrus Drakenstar."
After that, Gram climbed fully into the suv and shut the door, Drew taking the driver's seat. Once Chaltah and Stormchaser were inside, they would leave.
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 3, 2014 20:05:20 GMT -5
Chaltah walks over to Tyrus after Gram was done talking to him and Stormchaser right behind. She didn't have much to say to him but she did want to make sure he was alright for now "I hope that if we meet again, there will be no further hostility between us" she makes her way toward the suv where Gram waited for them. Storm stood a little longer looking down at the invalid daemon "You really should have a doctor look at you." and then turns to follow after his companion to climb in to the suv as well, eager to get this whole thing done and possibly have a decent holiday after all this chaos and destruction.
"So where do we go now to do this ritual?" Chaltah asks as takes a seat, looking away from he carnage. Her body still ached but she was feeling a lot better. Stormchaser was still a bit banged up but he seemed to be better now that he was awake, though he likely had a small concussion from his head banging against the car. "I hope it doesn't come back to bite us that we left him alive" he comments softly and Chaltah pats him on the leg "I'll take the blame if something happens"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 3, 2014 20:35:43 GMT -5
In reply to Chaltah's question, "To the hotel still, I suppose. We need to heat all of the elements together in a bowl until they melt, to complete the ritual." Gram paused for a few minutes. "I hope I did the right thing letting him live. Lately its gotten too... easy for me to take a life. I'm not sure that's the kind of person I want to be."
When everyone was inside, the suv drove off and, after an uneventful few minutes, they arrived at the hotel. Gram followed Drew to the room reserved for them. Inside was a special stove with a metal bowl made of tungsten, to resist the high temperatures it would be heated to to melt it's contents.
"Are you ready?"
Gram approached the bowl and, from the satchel he carried, tossed in the whole saffron crocus from Crete and then he poured in the brine salt from the Dead Sea. He stepped back to let Chaltah and Stormchaser place their items in.
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 3, 2014 21:08:11 GMT -5
Chaltah nods as they drive on "It is easier to take a life than to let one live. But you don't know if it was the right thing until fruits are shown through those seeds you've planted in allowing him life" she closes her eyes and rests the rest of the way to the hotel and the two follow Drew and Gram to the room where the big metal bowl sat. Once Gram placed his items in the bowl, Chaltah moves up to place the scarab into the bowl as well.
Stormchaser walks up behind Chaltah as she places her item in. He takes the satchel and pulls out the chunk of electrum out of the bag and gently places it inside the bowl "Now how do you plan on heating this all up? On the stove?" he asks curiously as he glances around the room "It's likely going to take a bit more than normal heat to melt all of this."
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 3, 2014 21:30:39 GMT -5
Gram grinned. "I anticipated that." He turned on the stove. "This particular stove isn't exactly your run of the mill egg cooker. I had a few modifications made to it, in preperation of this final step. It was simple, really." He placed the tungsten bowl over the flames. "We're using a tungsten bowl because it's melting point is much higher than that of the ingredients we are working with. The flames produced by this stove are particularly hot." He motioned for Drew and his men, who had also arrived, to open the room's windows.
"Not hot enough to instantly melt the electrum, but hot enough that we should only have to wait a few minutes before everything is ready." Gram sat on a nearby stool, watching the bowl and waiting for the contents to finish melting. "Of the items, the electrum has the highest melting point, I believe. Once it is melted together with the other ingredients, the ritual will be complete."
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 3, 2014 22:50:25 GMT -5
Chaltah and Stormchaser move back toward the windows as Gram lit the stove and started the process that would hopefully be the end of this whole adventure. She couldn't wait to put this all behind them. But she wanted to see just what would happen with this ritual that they had set into motion. She stayed close to Stormchaser as the bowl was heated "I hope it doesn't explode" she said, though it was partially a joke.
Stormchaser takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. Tonight, after this whole thing was over, he and Chaltah were going to sleep like the dead. So much had happened in such a short period of time and hopefully it was worth the pain that they all went through once the ritual had completed. "I am looking forward to a good nights rest after this. What about you Gram?" seemed there was nothing to do now but wait until this thing had finished cooking.
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 4, 2014 12:34:40 GMT -5
Gram nodded, a wistful smile appearing on his face as he imagined the comfort of a good nights sleep in his bed back in New York. He'd only been gone a few short weeks, but it felt like years. The young man longed for nights spent awake, not fighting for his life but working out the issues in one of his inventions. Gram would be happy to return home, regardless of the outcome of the ritual, though he would keenly feel the sense of disappointment that would come with it's failure. But he knew that, even if he returned with no new abilities, nothing would ever be the same.
"Sleeps all I've been thinking about, lately." Was Gram's tired response to Stormchaser's question. He watched the bowl heat up, thinking about what he would do with the power it might give him and asked Stormchaser and Chaltah "What do you two think will happen, when the ritual is complete?"
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 4, 2014 13:27:18 GMT -5
Chaltah looks over at Gram and shrugs "It seems to me that this is some sort of offering. Perhaps one of the higher beings that many of the supernaturals follow will appear and allow you to make a request. Or give you a blessing. But that's only a guess. I've never seen anything like this take place ever."
Stormchaser watches eagerly while he let the other two talk. It wouldn't be long now before they found out what the fruits of their labor would be. Finally he looks to the two "I was just thinking. A lot of the ingredients share a kind of symbolism to the human body. "The plant is life, the scarab is death. In some cultures gold and silver are considered the flesh and bones of the gods and water could be the symbol of blood. You might not be far off on your assumption Chaltah about it calling a god here"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 4, 2014 16:37:22 GMT -5
Gram rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "From what I know, scarabs were often used as symbols of rebirth as is saffron, though offerings of saffron were often made as offerings to the gods in ancient Greece. I think you're on to something with the electrum. Salt has often symbolized purity, but can also symbolize an enduring compact or friendship." His brow furrowed. "Perhaps we are creating or resurrecting something, something powerful? The salt to purify and sanctify the bones of a god, perhaps not a literal god but merely a powerful creature, the scarab to imbue it with life, and the saffron to ask for the gods to bless this ritual with success?"
Pacing, the young man latched onto an idea. "The ancient library of Alexandria existed in Egypt and many of the ingredients for the ritual were taken from nearby." Gram stopped pacing to look at the bowl. "The Egyptian god, Ra, was the sun and creator god in their mythology and the rising sun symbolized rebirth. He later became Amun-Ra, fused with Amun, a local god of the city Thebes. A connection between the two that I've always found interesting is the sphinx. Oedipus, a king of Thebes in a famous story, slew a sphinx, while Ra's name is one of those carved in the Great Sphinx of Giza. Interesting, don't you think?"
Sitting back on his stool, Gram continued "Could we, do you think, be partaking in the rebirth of a sphinx? I know the logic is shoddy, but there is some evidence to support it. But perhaps you're right instead, Chaltah, and we are preparing some sort of vessel for a god to be summoned to. Either way, I suspect the outcome will be interesting."
Post by Chaltah Songblade on Nov 4, 2014 18:17:49 GMT -5
Chaltah nods in agreement with all that Gram had mentioned. Even Stormchaser was intrigued about the potential outcome. All in all they would find out one this whole thing was brought together. Perhaps it would be a vessel used by a higher being, perhaps it could be a sphinx. Anticipation was starting to mount as the bowl was starting to glow from the heat. "It won't be long now" Chaltah says softly "I can feel it" it'd been some while since this whole adventure that she felt this much excitement mounting in one place
Stormchaser moved closer to examine what was going on inside the bowl, wondering if the metal had started to melt yet. In the human form, he could feel the intense heat as he got closer, but he endured it long enough to get a good look inside "Definitely won't be long" he says as he moves back and sits with his back next to one of the open windows "It's like a sauna in here"
Post by Nathaniel Graham on Nov 4, 2014 18:33:19 GMT -5
The temperature in the room was rising, even with the windows opened and cool air blowing in. Gram wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, watching the bowl. The materials were nearly finished heating and would be only moments before the ritual was complete and they would all have their answers about what was going to happen.
When Gram had begun the journey to obtain the scroll and gather the ingredients, he'd been hopeful that the ritual would grant him supernatural power. With the recent thought and speculation that had gone into what the ritual might actually do, he'd come to accept that it was most likely not what he'd hoped. Although slightly disappointed, Gram didn't mind the that effort he'd gone through to gain the scroll and gather the ritual's ingredients might be for nothing. The journey itself had been, at times, enjoyable and he'd made two new friends in the process.
"Do you feel it?" Gram asked, his eyes widening. The room felt charged, the energy building up within the bowl nearly palpable. Something was going to happen very soon.
