A Mirror To The Past

[Coolpikaaa]

The Manticore looked around as walls burst forth out of the ground. There was now a bit of a fire going, and the beast lumbered over to lay on the bench by the heat. If this ragtag duo had one thing going for them, it was that Alex was at least competent at magic. He never had to tell her that though.

"So what, we just wait? Tell each other Stories?"

[Swix]

A sigh of exasperation passed through the Manticore. She'd told him to make sure his toy didn't panic, so he'd tried to make her do just that. He'd asked why they were on Kata, when it had been his request that they go there in the first place.

'Much as I usually appreciate your delightful sense of humour, these portals are an unwanted intrusion in my beautiful world'

A pause

'Maybe you should have some fun with your plaything while you're waiting.. How about I send over a playmate?'

[Coolpikaaa]

The Manticore suddenly perked up, listening to the voice in his head while he waited for Alex to reply.

"Which one?"

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

Considering his accidental suggestion, Alex obliged. "Something to pass the time, I suppose." She stood up from her spot, walking around the moist ground, gathering burnable materials poking around. "Several times I've trip-toed with death, with one of the most recent encounters involving a hunt for a Homunculus."

Pax (Dual Planets)

Tages perched himself against a nearby wall. His desperate attempt to divert the inhabitants' attention were barely acceptable; with the last onlookers concerned at the thought of alien-dragons hailing from the yellow moon. The man then relocated his mask to his waist for the time being, observing the people moving past the doors of the Horn and Halo.

[Swix]

Mirror Lake

Permafrost snorted as he came down to land nearby the strange rock creature, now the horrible creatures seemed to be pacified. He looked to Aino and Graikos in turn, eventually deciding to address them both "Would either of you care to explain to us what that was all about? Where did those things come from and why were they attacking you? And what are you doing here in the first place?"

The Horn and Halo

Swix rolled her eyes at some of the comments coming out of people's mouths. Alien Dragons from the moon? How ludicrous. She passed by Tages on the way out, only to stop and stare when what looked to be, well, her but in white emerged from out of the forest. She blinked, and rubbed at her eyes. Had she drunk too much? No, no, the world wasn't spinning. That was definitely some sort of doppelganger.

She hated doppelgangers.

"Get away from me" she snarled, as soon as her Mirror got close enough to hear. Which, in turn, made her Mirror blink and seize up, staring. Mirror Swix had completely forgotten what to say in the face of her counterparts hostility.

Mirror Kata

The voice in the Manticores head spoke up again, apparently pleased with his eagerness. 'Let's see... How about Shuck? He needs some time out. Yes, I will send Shuck'

Outside of the makeshift house, all of a sudden, something started moving around the outside. Something very large, that growled and sniffed a lot

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

Alex deposited the refuse in the fire, a few additional sparks transmuted the moisture as extra fuel for the blaze. "While traversing the streets of Dojopolis, I over-heard a comotion from high at the rooftops. As I stayed back in the shadows, a man, missing several limbs and blood soaked on every inch of his body, tumbled to the street. Initially, I was worried for his sake, believing him to have a run in with a group of violent thieves, only to see him hop around his last leg. Engaged, I raced toward the man, he in turn flew into a nearby window, where howls of terror soon rang throughout the complex."

~Kinda like now....~ She thought, listening to the growling behind the walls. Skeptical of its disposition, she stomped on the ground. Arcing blue light skittered their way to the erected stone. Alex reformed the side by the sound as an arching passage to view the beast ahead.

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment
Both hostility and bewilderment appeared mutual for the opposing sides. Mirror Swix's, once joyful companion to the Encampment, revolted to a one-eighty. Claws and fangs swelled as the she-wolf shrieked, bounding onward. "T'ACHES!"

The man parried by instinct, surprised decaying into dread at the thoughts bubbling about his mind. ~No, it cant be... NOT THIS FAST!~ Swerving the wolf's momentum, he summoned two dull bronze swords in protest and leveled a bloody gash at her hide.

"Evacuate, NOW!"

Mirror Lake

Relieved that Permafrost stopped the horde, Miyuso dainty slid off the dragon, curious as to why these humans assaulted the golem. Aino in turn floated down. Each, by simple stares at one another, began to examine the bizarre beings. Muttering words like 'twitching' and 'breathing' while jotting details in notepads.

"I might as well," an echoing voice replied. One of the statues turned their heads off from the lake, focusing on the larger newcomer. "Those 'things' most definitely arrived from the space between our worlds, Mighty Ice Dragon. I'm not fully aware of the situation myself; however, Tages, a Blue Mage, came to this conclusion after discussing with an undisclosed informant on your side. He seemed keen on keeping her identity a secret, though." He said in a concerned tone.

Flexing his spare hands, the golem sprouted a seventh body into the air. It reaching no more than a meter in height, the tiny statue snapped its fingers. His five lanky forms remodeled themselves into actual pillars, supporting Mirror Swix's body as it slowly rotated. "Feels better in state than my other vessel," Graikos lamented, displeased by the small container. "My reasoning for being here is to maintain this portal, as my compatriots tend to Kata's."

[Coolpikaaa]

The Manticore eagerly awaited more from his master, not paying much attention to Alex's campfire story. There were so many wonderful creatures she could send, and the beast was eagerly anticipating.

"Shuck...?" He asked aloud, interrupting Alex rudely. "The dog?" This monster wasn't what he was expecting at all, and the Manticore was a little disappointed. Perhaps his expectations were simply too high, as he imagined his lady sending some sort of massive, devourer of worlds type.

But, violent beasts were fine too.

"He's a friendly Pup, Alex." He told the woman once she made a viewing arch. This certainly didn't seem true, as the creature was still growling. "Go pet his ears."

[Swix]

Mirror Lake

"What?" Permafrost said, clearly rather befuddled by something. He barely noticed Miyuso slide off his back as he scratched h's head with a foreclaw again "Let me get this straight. These creatures exist between our two worlds, came through at this point, and started attacking you for no reason at all? Why are you keeping it open then? Why don't you just close it?"

<hr />

The Encampment

"H-hey&#33;" Mirror Swix yelled, alarmed at her lupine companions sudden change in demeanour. She should never trust a magical beast, not even here, she really should have known better "I'm sorry, it followed me here, I didn't think it meant any harm&#33;" she apologised feebly as she backed off.

This world's Swix was less impressed, and less apologetic. In fact she didn't even move when the dire wolf and Tages started fighting. She just folded her arms and watched "Why?"

<hr />

Mirror Kata

The archway that Alex had opened to look at the creature revealed what was standing there to be a large black dog. The beast was at least five feet tall on four paws, muscular, and possessing jet black hair that seemed to phase at the edges. The Black Dog named Shuck bared large, sharp fangs as it stared at the female with hatred in its red eyes, the Manticore with more acceptance, and attempted to come bounding in to the shelter. It aimed directly for Alex, ears back and snarling.

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)
At least aware of the potential charge, Alex shot high into the air on a stone pillar. Leaping on the top of the wall, her eyes stared down at the enraged Shuck. She was a bit relieved at the relatively minor pet brought forth here.

“At least your not worse than a...”

---------

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment
“-Homunculus&#33;”

Bashing Tages aside by a Distorted claw, the beast stared down at Evil Swix, a gargling chuckling arising from its throat. "A.. bady.... a strung.... body.." The homunculus began to rearrange the wolf's skeletal structure. Oozing blood, protruding bone edges, its discombobulated form struggled affixing itself in a humanoid shape. Before the monster's wretched limb lurched to strike, a glowing blade pierced its massive forearm.

"It... steals... bodies," Tages gasped. Seizing an azure chain bonded to his sword, the mage tugged against the arcane apparition, causing the creature to tumble backwards into a newly sprouted vines. Struggling at the snares, the homuculus howled in fury.


Mirror Lake

"They did not come 'because' of the portal, they were likely here 'before' it even open. The membrane cushioning the polar world's has been occasionally ripping open on its own. This portal was meant to not only bridge the two sides, but stabilize any remaining scars beside it," Graikos said in a huff.

While the two women continued analyzing the captured specimens, the golem resumed. "It's not like this is the first time our group heard of such attacks. The informant mentioned it tends to happen in 'dire' situations. Hurricanes, tsunamis, geologic eruptions: basically, anything where two opposites confront one another, could lead to one of these attacks."

[Swix]

Mirror Lake

"Really?" the Mighty Ice Dragon said, looking from the creatures to the golem and the portal, before pointing at the creatures and looking at Graikos "I never saw anything like that before until today. What are they? Since they're still coming through, did your experiment fail?"

<hr />

The Encampment

Swix stared at the apparition as it struggled to talk, seemingly fixated on her as it changed the wolf's shape grotesquely. It wasn't the most disturbing thing she'd ever seen, but it was certainly right up there with them.

"Oh" she said as Tages slipped the sword through its arm, four tendrils of living darkness sprouting behind her back as she did "Well, alright then. You guys have fun with that. I'm going home. One thing being able to control my body without my consent is quite enough" she started to walk off, the four extra limbs undulating like they always did... until she saw her Mirror staring at her that is. "What?"

Mirror Swix's lips moved, but no sound came out. She wasn't sure what was worse. The Homunculus, or this other revelation. Seeing that she wasn't going to get answer, ES snarled and started walking off. She called back "Stay away from me. I hate doppelgangers"

"I'm not your doppelganger. I'm from the Mirror Universe" ES didn't even pause, but Mirror Swix looked to Tages "Is there anything I can help with?"

<hr />

Mirror Kata

Of course she hadn't brought out a world eater type, she'd said she wanted them to play, not that she wanted to destroy a world or break their toy just yet. As it was, Shuck tried at first to leap up the pillar to follow Alex up to the roof, before giving that up and pacing beneath her. He still growled, and occasionally looking up at her whilst licking his lips. 'Enraged' seemed to be Shucks default emotional state

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

"Hey, just because I don't die so easily, doesn't mean I'll jump in your mouth."

Walking over transmuted steps along the inner side of the wall, Alex approached closer to the ground, but not quite in striking distance. "Really, never been a dog person, or a pet owner in general." The alchemist leaned back on the stone surface. She rolled her shoulders before jumping off the edge.

Vaulting above Shuck, Alex slipped off her cloak in the glide. It burning in a shower of light as it weaved itself into a massive net behind her, trailing down as she dropped down.

---------

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

The Blue Mage vines' scrambled on the distorted beast. Rotten roots and prickly bushes hurdled along the train of vegetation, restraining the occasional freed limb from slicing through the mesh. "Yes," he panted, passing one of the Dao Swords to Mirror Swix. "They. Are tuned to those. Specialized in earthen magic. I've managed to broaden it to humanoids. As well."

Gouging the dull blade deeper in the soil, Tages was about to carry on until recognizing the similarity of the two women. "Whitestar Ojod? .... Are you native there-&#33;"

Unable to wedge the host free naturally, the Homunculus thought of a different approach. Pressure building up under its skin, the mass quickly shrunk down and burst forth from the wolf's jaws. The monster sloughed the mammalian skin as the exposed muscles clenched to the remaining support at its bones. Desperate, it dashed at Evil Swix, determined to acquire something more sturdy.


Mirror Lake

"That's because the incidents occurred in more remote locations. Or, if their theory is correct, the reason for your Encampment's destruction," Graikos remarked. "I don't know what they are. Currently, this is the first time any of us finally obtained these people to study."

Reacting as they were called for, Aino pitched in. "Except one, all of them already succumbed to hypothermia. Neither me or Miyuso could find any signs of infection, or even source of direct mind control." The human tapped her pen at the notepad.

"Also, the dark vapors seem to dissipate as soon they die. Perhaps it this a curse of some sort that only infects the living."

"Maybe that's why Graikos was in pain earlier. It was trying to infect him&#33;"

"Yes, but why only him? Those people only attacked the pillars, with yellow sparks surging across the golem's skin. What can you make of that?"

"Well, it might because of his ichor, it is a very potent source of energy. Maybe they are some kind of zombie-vampire-OH LOOK&#33; HE IS MOVING&#33;"

The girls crowded the frost-bitten human. A murmuring sound whistled out from his lips, bearing the indicative smoke of his possession. Fast strokes from their pens wrote various details from the observation, not wasting a single second.

[Swix]

Mirror Lake

Permafrost didn't really know what else to say, he just watched the moving creature carefully, ready to breathe on it again should it start attacking. "There's just one more thing... how were you hoping to stop tears in something by making bigger ones?"

<hr />

The Encampment

Mirror Swix took the blade, but looked a bit lost. "What... do I do with it? I haven't heard the name Whitestar Ojod for a long time. I used to live there once, yes"

Meanwhile, ES was still walking away, determined not to get involved in this adventure. Unfortunately, it seemed the creature had other intentions. Luckily, she had a secret 'friend' too.

'Move'

And she did, using all her tendrils as extra legs, the woman launched herself forwards like a spider, the Homunculus just barely missing touching her, before spinning around and sneering at the creature. Her eyes turned the same slick, wet black as her extra limbs "What I have you really don't want"

<hr />

Mirror Kata

Shuck watched Alex intently as she got up, when she spoke about not jumping into his mouth he tilted his head as though he understood. When she leapt over, so did he, but straight up on to the side of the wall she had been standing on before. His eyes following her, Shucks powerful legs kicked off that wall and the spectral Black Dog followed her leap over the cloak she'd tried to drop on him.

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

Shuck's sprightly stunt eclipsed the alchemist. "What&#33;" Momentarily shocked at such spy feet, Alex tumbled down with her limbs tangled about the net. She dispelled her improvised toy, disintegrating it as she coasted the wall to the edge.


Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

As the Blue Mage analyzed the complicated problems, all the choices he considered were risky at best, wretched at worst. He was stuck to the most favorable one of all. "Alright, Odojian. I need to stay as far as possible from those... monsters. Attack with the vines at a distance, do not directly engage, AND KEEP ALL HUMANS AWAY FROM HIM&#33;"

The homunculus, eyeing the shadowy woman, shrugged. "Oh, but I do declare. Presently you are unfit, yes indeed you are. Though, time is the most dubious one of all." What left recognizable of a dire wolf faded. His exposed body remodeled the canine's physiology to an more anthropomorphic vessel. "Besides..."

Anticipating Tages brash attack, the parasite glided to billowing, thwarting his skirmishing roots. "There a couple nuisances intercepting my progress." Snapping his fingers, the discarded hide shuddered. It squeezed out of the relaxed bindings, slugging at the ground near Mirror Swix. "One is fair, two is deja vu, three is overbearing."

Flaring the weapons, the two puppets raced to their opponents.


Mirror Lake

Graikos, mindful of the perplexing logic he presented to the dragon, attempted to clarify the idea better. "To be blunt, my understanding of the plan is bleak. However, the portals seem to redirect the strain of the tears throughout Pax to these focal points. It is highly probable the beast what which ambushed these mortals dabbling in dimensional physics was beckoned here.”

Stomping at the barren ground, a marble arm burrowed up to the surface, grasping at a murky crystal shard in its palm. The golem cringed as the limb deftly dropped the unpleasant rock, glaring at the sparks skittering on the massive fingers. “The creature... left a calling card behind, displaying the same *cough* properties as the possessed humans. Still cannot figure out *cough* why my chest burns at the slightest touch of either foul intruder.”

During his short-sighted enfeebled state, the guest of honor gave off a far different reaction to the object. Which Miyuso and Aino exasperated at the scene.

"RAAAAAAAWWAWWW&#33;"

[Swix]

Mirror Kata

Shuck landed on the wall that Alex had been on, surprised at his own stunt he nearly skidded off the edge. But the Black Dog caught himself just before dropping off and walked over to where the alchemist was, hoping to chew on a hand before she got away

<hr />

The Encampment

Mirror Swix nodded, feeling uneasy about the whole thing. Imitating the Blue Mage the Ojodian slammed the sword into the ground, hoping for the vines to sprout up around the newly freed part of the Homunculus.

Meanwhile, ES blinked at the creature as he spoke, not quite fully comprehending what he was talking about. "Err, what?" she managed to get out before he rushed at her again "STAY AWAY FROM ME&#33;" she yelled, back pedalling as quickly as she could away from him-and instinctively bringing a tendril over to try and smack him somewhere further away from her.

<hr />

Mirror Lake

Permafrost snarled when the frozen human started roaring, the explanation from Graikos finally to his satisfaction.

"Why's it doing that? Do you know what these creatures are? Or what they want?"

[Jent]

Pax (Eight Moons)

"Oomph&#33;" Alex's breath left her in short order when crashing. Annoyed, she scrapped at her crush, wiping off the foul dust from her mouth in disgust. So wrong of a kiss. The alchemist tried to suspended herself off the ground only to fall in another predicament.

Nerves flared, she heaved her arm, scraping more of her skin at the abrasive jaws. "AaH&#33;" She shrieked, fixating at the source of the pain. Shuck meanwhile, would find the taste repulsive to say the least. All the flesh that were torn by his migh shriveled endlessly into darkened ash, touched with the tangy feeling of electricity furiously repairing the mangled hand.

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

Mirror Swix's vines, despite her lack of practice, the vessel's innate knack for natural magic surpassed her expectations. Monstrous trunks of bygone days bloomed with renewed vitality. With its lasting life force waning, the wrangling skin hardly could flutter at the massive dead weight. Tages, impressed at the outcome, left the miss to her opponent. If he gotten a wee bit closer..

~What?~ The mage swerved at a wall. Heart beating, lungs quaking, he knew this feeling... it was about to open. ~No... can't let it burst.~ Gagging, he clutched at his chest, seething waves of fire glazed at his being as watched the battle ahead.

The frenzied tendril landed a clear blow at the host's chest, where, without the protective skin, caused profuse blood loss. "So, you want to dance now?" Homunculus then weaved an arm over the flailing limb, securing a grapple on the darkness. Panting in the sprint, he sprung the injured body high above Evil Swix, her detained appendage twisted around himself as he soared. In the midst of the maneuver, a distorted leg whirled clockwise at the Split.

Mirror Lake

Interrupting the golem, Miyuso pitched in. "It seems the man is responding to the crystal, possibly pain given the tears dripping from his eyes." She noted, the spirit Aino hovering by it in anticipation of more reactions. "Not only him, all of these people are human for the most part. There's only two perceptible differences from the group. One, the fashion trends are all over the place. Denim hats, byzantine dresses, aluminium trench coats; none of it makes any sense. Two..."

Holding out a deceased arm, she flipped it over, her subtle fingers traced against the two-toned skin, poking zig-zagging lines. "Not a tan, mind you. Notice this birthmark here? It's completely cut-off over this edge... I cannot imagine why these unique patterns are etched on. Unless, it isn't the marks per say..."

"WHITESTAR&#33;"

Spun around in shock, she gasped as the man broke free from the frozen horde. Surprised, the ghostly woman skidded back, yet not far enough from him catching her in his grip. Tormented by an unseen force, the man bolted to the crystal impulsively. Aino, screaming at the scarlet light coursing within, struggling at his chest. "Shut up, shut up&#33; Tell me what's going? Au-au-au..... darnit&#33;" he trembled, bracing themselves at the pillar.

Not willing to harm the woman in her tangible state, Graikos and Miyuso echoed a dumbfounded 'what.' The human's voice coarse, he rounded back at the group. "Speak&#33; What happened to the Do-Do-Do-GAH&#33; .... What happened to the Good Elite? Where did they scurry off to in our hour of need&#33;?"