diatu | Oct Event Log - Portal Chaos

Oct Event Log - Portal Chaos

The glowing portal shuddered before slamming shut behind them. It had seemed like a good idea at the time... go through the portal in order to close it from the other side. And it had worked! The portal was closed, the school was safe but the heroes who had worked together to close the portal were now trapped on the other side.

[ OOC - This is the IC log for this. Consider it a freeform playground, take these prompts and run with them or come up with your own. ]

Through the Portal
( Loki, Crowley, Alec, Beetlejuice, Sho )

Silence fell as soon as the portal closed leaving the small group standing in the middle of a crossroads. The ruined archway that ran along the top of the cliffs hinted that there might once have been more of a civilization in this world but now there were only the two pathways, one that ran down the hill into the face of the brilliant red glow that hinted at a flow of magma beyond and one that curved up a hastily cobbled together set of stairs. Of course they were free to stay right where they were as well, here in this craggy passage with the imps peering down at them from every rock and crevasse.

Rescuers
( Aziraphale, Harry, Lena, Eleven, Mal )

With the battle won most begin to relax. There was the wounded to see to and the damage to the school to repair... but gradually the more tuned in students start to notice the missing. Roll calls that were taken but never completed for some were not around to answer to their names. Then one of the injured students comes to and mentions having seen the missing students disappearing through the imp summoning portal. Clearly they were trapped on the other side and it was up to their fellow students to work out a way to bring them back!

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In hindsight, having an actual plan would've been useful. Loki stayed on a wary guard, given the imps that were peering at them weren't attacking. Odd, considering how ravenous they'd been on the other side of things. So why. So many why's...

"Does anybody have an idea on how to determine where we are, or how to get back?"

"Normally, I'd suggest drawing a door," Beetlejuice rasped cheerfully, weighing the pros and cons of eating an imp.

Obviously Crowley wasn't 'dead;' Aziraphale was certain he would KNOW if Crowley had gotten himself discorporated, but he was terribly worried that Crowley was laying somewhere in a ditch, bleeding and alone and--

The frazzled worry was redirected once word began to spread about a group of students who had sealed the portal with themselves INSIDE. THAT sounded like a demonic plan if ever Aziraphale had heard one (and he had heard many). Of all the harebrained, idiotic-- Crowley had done some foolish things in his time, but this was astoundingly bad even by his standards.

How many students had gone? With the injured and recovering scattered around the campus, it would take far too long to get a proper roll-call. A dozen? Surely not that many people were THAT stupid. Maybe half a dozen, the more foolhardy among them, or those with something to prove...

They didn't even know WHERE the portal went to, other than that the imps had come out of it. Attempting to Sunder at random seemed like an even stupider idea than what had gotten them into this mess. If there was something to focus on, somewhere to direct his efforts...

Two years ago, Aziraphale had attempted to summon Crowley into this world with sundering magic. When that had failed, they had swapped bodies for a time. Not entirely the worst sort of outcome if summoning Crowley failed. Perhaps on the other side, Aziraphale might even be able to open a portal back.

Or at least Crowley would be safe.

"In light of recent events, I suppose it would be in bad form to suggest summoning a demon?" Not that he intended to take No for an answer. "Good, right, well." Time to start on those glyphs.

"Drawing a door... That ever work?"

Crowley stalked out from behind the other two, giving the imps staring at them a good long look of his own. One had to do things like that in order to keep imps in line or they simply went wild.

"Anyway it's obvious where we are." To a demon anyway, "We just need to find a way back. You guys favor right or left?"

"Christ. What is this place?" Alec couldn't let Anthony go alone. Not like this. Yes he was banged up, arm in a cast, slightly disorientated and dizzy with the damn whip dog whining at him, but regardless he was here. He tugged at his collar, flushed with heat or perhaps illness.

"If those things attack us we're fucked."

Though it would probably just be him. He didn't know about the other guy.

Ugh, why did it look like one of the zeros multiplied?

As fr which way to go, the answer was always up. But saying as much would be something a team player might do. Ad that's never been Sho. He started heading for the higher route. Better to get the lay of the land, whatever the factoring hectopascal this land was anyway.

He had thought it was a summoning glyph for taboo noise, now that he knew it wasn't, he just wanted to get the zetta half back to the campus and start collecting all that sweet salvage before it got cleaned up. It would make for some flawless sculptures. Perhaps one right in the center of everything, and then one one quarter the height equidistant on eight sides...

So yeah, rather than standing around and talking, the reaper is just walking off. He doesn't seem to care if anyone follows him or not. The whole group thing has never been his style. Ask the Conductor.

Harry has been learning a lot about Glyphics since he got to Diatu and he hopes that what he has learned for the last few months can be of any help. The young man didn’t bother to argue since he assumes that Aziraphale knows what he is doing very well, so he will just stick with it if they want to save the students stuck in Hell.

Besides, he is pretty used to breaking the school rules just to get the job done and save the day, which sounds very Slytherin of him.

“So which glyphs should we try to use first?” he asks the angel as he brings out his Glyphics notebook and begins to pour through the notes to see if there is anything the rescue team could use for the mission.

So much for sticking together; not that Loki would say that any of the group were team-players. How they'd all had the same idea and worked even somewhat together to close it had been rather impressive.

"At least one of us has made their decision. Are we actually going to attempt to stick together?" With an eyebrow raise as he looked at the others.

“Of course drawing a door works! As long as you use chalk and knock three times.” He tossed a dog biscuit from his pocket to the unhappy familiar as he spoke.

Beetlejuice made a rude gesture toward Sho’s back and looked at Loki.

“I’m all for sticking together.”

The imps that surrounded them drew closer when they caught sight of the dog biscuit but pulled back when it was given to the dog instead. A few of the braver ones skittered over the stone steps after Sho, for now simply following and watching as he blazed a trail.

Meanwhile Crowley's attention had turned to Alec whom he had just left IN THE HOSPITAL WING and whom ought to have still been there convalescing. This dry look you were getting... consider it the worst sort of mother hen tongue lashing you've ever received. You should NOT be here!

"They won't attack me." He stabbed a finger at Beetlejuice, "Or probably him. Imps work for demons and without anyone summoning them through portals they don't have any reason to attack us."

His dark wings flared out behind him, brushing past Loki's shoulder and overall just looking damn impressive if he said so himself!

"The rest of you though..." A sideways glance at Sho who was disappearing up the trail and about whom he knew very little, "Pranks. They love their pranks."

Some where on the floor near their feet one of the braver imps scuttled around but made sure to check Loki's feet for shoelaces that might be tied together before it made it's escape back up the stone cliffs.

"Welcome to Hell."

Crowley took a moment to sniff the air before pointing.

"Sulfur pools must be over there," for there was the distinct smell of brimstone and rotten egg, "Probably those stairs lead somewhere. If you want to stick together guess we need to catch that guy up."

But even after taking a few hops up those stairs he stopped and looked back toward Alec, uncertain if he could really handle stairs right now.

"You didn't have to follow me. It's not the first time I've been down here." A beat, "Well... maybe not here, here. This particular section of Hell isn't one I've been in before, but if you've seen one magma pool you've seen them all."

"So you think three narcissists and a..." He glanced at Beetlejuice. "...whatever will get the job done?" He didn't really mean it a hundred percent but he was not all together in his head which made him irritable. At least Dog seemed to find some joy in the biscuit and then snapped an imp literally in the tail as it came close to Alec's shoes, which he supposed he ought to be grateful for.

If what Anthony said about the imps was true, then he wondered.... A few muttered words and a gesture with his good hand and he had wings of his own. They were more of a rust red than black, like drying blood, but hopefully that would be enough.

"Let's get this done." He started up the stairs in a determined stride. And then after a moment considered to ask. "What exactly are we going to do?"

He hadn't yet paid much attention to those following him, cheerfully reciting the numbers of pi in a low singing tone as he ascended. So long as they weren't attacking him yet, he didn't care what the other zeros did. He wanted a higher vantage point, get a feel for where he was, what he had to work with...

If there was anyone here he could erase. Been a while since he erased a player, he was getting itchy.

Mal had finally gotten her own form back and had been passing through - totally not looking for injured to heal, nope. Not at all - when she over heard...

"The two of you cannot possibly be that stupid," she said, flatly, coming over, arms crossed.

Then again, now that she saw which two it was, perhaps they could.

Meanwhile, Lena is pretty busy at the moment and not saying a word at the moment: she is trying to sketch up a plan for the summoning thing for the angel to look at for this rescue. Granted, she hasn't been on anything that could spell danger to anyone, but it doesn't mean that she is willing to help.

Her cat familiar Marly is napping beside her: curled up into a ball and purring in bliss after the fight with possessed wizards and imps in the school. Now she doesn't have Glyphics as part of her schedule for the time being, but she is probably one of the few Sundered who has an artistic talent, so she could learn to see how glyphs work in real time.

Where as Mal is a natural born artist, but does not see how a summoning could possibly be the right move here...

Demons and devils huh, this was a different Hel than Loki knew of. Looked like he'd have to somewhat depend on his allies for guidance. Not a position he favored... Still, he was a God--while he had no wings, he could be impressive in his own right. Vanishing his daggers, Loki let a shimmer of green-gold wash over him, putting him in familiar horned helmet and armor.

Hopefully it would be impressive enough to fit in with the demons, because he wasn't going to manifest wings. Not when everyone else was doing so.

"We're going to find out where these stairs lead. Hopefully it's somewhere useful, where we can see about getting out of here."

Beetlejuice looked at those with wings with a raised eyebrow. He opted to merely let his claws and fangs out a bit more than usual, his amber eyes slightly luminos in the gloom and sulfur. Loki got a chipper thumbs-up from him for his great taste in headgear.

He clapped his hands together cheerfully. "I wonder where they have their offices and cubicles. OH. And watch out for that guy, he's batshit."

The demon gestured towards Sho. "If you wanna keep your breather breathing," he advised Crowley, "keep him away from that guy. That fella shot me in the gut during an argument. I'm gonna push him in a pit of magma later."

From the back there wasn't much to see of this threat. He just looked like a kid with some wild hair only barely concealed underneath his cap. Still Crowley's eyes narrowed at him for Beetlejuice had never steered him wrong, at least no more wrong than he himself would have, and Alec was in no fit shape to deal with a batshit crazy person. Magma? Crowley made silent plans to ditch the kid as soon as possible.

"Noted."

The view from the top of the stairs was an impressive one. From here one could see the pools of magma bubbling down at the end of the other trail and a vast outcropping of buildings built into and from the numerous red rocks. Many of the imps scurried on ahead into the city, crawling into the windows and through the doorways. As the group traveled on the air seemed to grow thicker with ash from the various lava ponds and with a growing feeling of evil. Everyone had some evil in them but now the miasma of the place began to work on them, beginning to tease out at least one of the seven deadly sins from each of them. There were gambling halls those afflicted with Greed might lose themselves in. Various foods of Hell which those with a touch of Gluttony could indulge in, Brothels to satisfy Lust, and weapons of all kinds fit to satisfy anyone feeling a bit too much Envy or Wrath. Their demonic disguises were only that for now but the longer they stayed in this place the more monstrous they threatened to become.

Crowley yawned deeply as he swaggered his way between Alec and Sho who was still further up the trail than the rest of them. From some reason he was beginning to feel a touch Sloth-like.

"What we do is find some way back. There must be some way to open a new portal or find a boat... And we need to distract these imps some how so they don't follow us! Last thing that school needs is a bunch of imps taking classes."

It was like he didn't exist. Like he was something less. All Crowley had said was 'noted' as if he agreed. As if Alec was just-- Well he was just, wasn't he? He wouldn't be anything else. How could he be? Not a god or an angel or a demon or a...whatever. He was just a human with too many failed chances in whatever life he lived.

He could feel the anger growing in him as he followed the trail, toward a stone bridge--or what looked like stone, black and twisted, blasted to hell, over a bubbling river of magma. Even though they were still a distance from it he could feel the heat and sweat was already running down his neck and making his shirt stick to his back.

On the other side of the bridge was...something. A demon maybe. A mass of sapient rock. It reminded him of the Disney movie with the music and the huge devil drawing up the ghosts of the damned. It was right in his wheelhouse. He pulled ahead of everyone, the steel of the bridge melting the rubber of his soles and heating the bottom of his feet-- and when he crossed the other side he looked up at the thing, those jeering gleaming eyes peering down at him.

"How about I kick your ass and you show us the way out?"

The demon laughed. A great sound that sent rocks falling and splashing magma dangerously close. He didn't care. He didn't. Even when it rose to a full terrifying height. A mace or a morning star or something in its hand.

Why not go for it? He took half a step back, making the movements with his off hand and muttering a defensive spell. He had nothing to lose.

When the demon rose up, Sho felt a flicker of a grin rising on his face, but when someone pushed past him...

The combination had him realizing why he was feeling so right since they arrived. This...

THIS WAS A ZETTA LOVING UG!

Let the zero take point for the 1/60th of a minute. What did Sho care if some yoctogram got erased.

He had his powers back! He could feel them, now that he was paying attention. He rolled his shoulders as his wings spread out from his back.

Let other reapers have small dainty wings if they wanted. His had grown exponentially!

And if he could have his wings back....

He focused and called up some Noise.

Jungle boomer! He could work with that. He was tempted to summon up something truly big - the boomer being just slightly shorter than he was - like Dub Rhino, but that could wait. Besides, he wasn't sure yet if Taboo would be needed. Best to make sure any Noise he summoned first would be loyal to him.

"Times to erase some Zeroes!" he said happily, and you could almost hear that he used an X in his head for times rather than the word. Because what was the fun of speaking if one didn't make math references constantly? "Who wants to be divided first?!" He asked as a maniacal laugh bubbled up from deep within him.

He didn't know this UG, it wasn't Shibuya... but it was about to be his!

All in all it was a dreadful place, Loki decided. It was warmer than he'd prefer--a fact he was desperate not to let on for his pride. This was all so very annoying. Especially when Alec, injured and still struggling, pushed past everyone and taunted the demon who unfolded from the mountain.

"Yes, because that is such a brilliant idea right now, idiot." Loki didn't bother to keep the snark from his voice. Then their annoying lone-wolf was manifesting his own show-off routine. Which did at least provide a good opportunity for Loki to reach out and attempt to drag Alec back to the group. "You, stay put." Turning to a group of imps that had followed them, the god pointed--moving to reach out with his mind. "You!" He intoned while gesturing. "Keep that one busy!" Pointing in the direction of the demon and Sho. Smirking as they chattered then headed in that direction, and he turned to Crowley, Beetlejuice, and Alec. "We should keep moving."

Edited 2021-10-21 17:28 (UTC)

"Fella, if you want to flirt with a demon there's a few right here. You don't have to go find the first sulfur demon you run into," Beetlejuice called to Alec in between mouthfuls of some sort of food he'd picked up. (It was the closest thing that he'd ever get to home-cooking, after all.)

He did think Loki was probably right. There had to be better places to see than this section of New-Hell.

To Crowley as an aside, "D'ya think he's compensating?" with a chin thrust towards Sho's wings.

Crowley looked to Alec, shaking his head a quick once to say without speaking... 'Don't flirt with the demons.' That would be too odd given they were trying this whole family thing that he was clearly failing at. Though he supposed... this wouldn't be his first failure would it?

Sho's wings seemed to hover over them like a backdrop. Big, flashy, and yes perhaps compensating for something. Who could say? He had never met the kid before and he wasn't the least bit interested in doing math with him. Not his subject math.

"He speaking in tongues?"

That did some times happen in Hell to those who were unprepared or unusually susceptible to it's influences and it would explain why very little of what the kid had said made any sense to him.

The imps were simple creatures and very easily influenced. They quite readily took to Loki's mental suggestions and ran en masse towards the demon. Ready for a fight the dark winged demon had raised it's hand to smack at the insects who had dared to challenge him but now he found his hand covered from fingertips to elbow by nasty biting and clawing imps. The demon's howl of surprise was deafening but it was distracting enough to give them all time to slip away... if that's what they wanted.

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Oct Event Log - Portal Chaos

Through the Portal

Rescuers

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cw: crass comment

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