Summer 2021, Week 4, Wednesday afternoon
Fortune, Museum District
Sigfried Al'Daar
A successful day today. We have mapped where the new exhibits shall be, laid the ground work for the coming Fall, and I have reclaimed a few exhibits for 'repair and maintenance' He smiles as he makes his way to the metro station. I am pleased that I am even able to have them transported to my residence. Most fortuitous for me.
He continues along his way through the streets, occasionally coming across some benches and bus stops, some shader than others. But he held no fear. At his hip was both of his sidearms; one concealed 9mm pistol and his openly carried sword, sheathed in its scabbard. He wore his thick and rubber insulated leather gloves along with a long, slate grey overcoat, and walked with a purpose towards the station.
Storyteller
He hurries along his way down the street past alley after alley, unknowing of the lurking figure waiting for her next target in one such alley.
Clarisse
She flicked her lighter on and off, watching for a new victim to walk by. She had already held up a few people by dragging them into an alley, but she was getting tired of people that gave in so easily to her demands. The whole cliché of 'your money or your life' business was soooo overdone, and was no fun when people didn't put up a fight. She flicked the lighter on once more, the flame trailing as she moved it as it began to hiss before flicking it off.
Almost as if by reflex, she flicked the lighter back on when she saw Sigfried come into view, flicking her wrist sideways as the flame lengthened into a serpentine line, quickly wrapping itself around Sigfried and starting to burn at his overcoat, then jerking the lighter and flame back to pull him into the alley, his arms bound by his waist.
[Fire Constructor, Minor x1]
"Well, lookie what we got here, Fitz." She says, giving Sigfried a sadistic smirk as the fire seemed to hiss hungrily in response. It curled around Sigfried's waist and started slither under the coat, seeking out any dangerous materials and finding the gun. It hisses louder as it starts to burn the holster of the firearm while keeping Sigfried restrained.
Sigfried Al'Daar
He struggles against these bonds, trying to slip out of the serpentine coil of fire that wrapped around him, pinning his arms to his waist as the end of the coil hisses and sears at the holster for his pistol. It clatters to the ground, and he strains to either grab it or his blade.
"Release me at once! What is it that you want, hm? Money?" He spits angrily in his Austrian accent.
Clarisse
Her heart started to beat excitedly; this man doesn't seem scared like so many others, maybe he'll be so much fun to toy with. She makes Fitz the fire serpent flick away the firearm towards a pile of trash, so it isn't in reach. "Hmm.. money is too easy, old man. Why should I let you go if I can just take the money off your smoldering corpse?"
Sigfried Al'Daar
Damn it, this is not good. Think! He looks up and sees that she seems to enjoy watching him writhe in pain. He grins, making his case. "You seem to enjoy making people squirm, so it-" He winces as the flames grow hotter for a moment, but the distraction seems to be working as the bonds loosen a little bit. Good.
"It would be a shame to be rid of someone so quickly, ja?" He finishes as he slowly starts to reach for the hilt of his blade, and writhes partly for show and partly because the serpentine cord of fire is beginning to sear his flesh. But the display distracted enough where she did not notice that he slipped the cords so they may be cut if he could only draw the sword..
Clarisse
"Hmmm.. You are half right, old man." She wants to savor his pain, wondering when he will start to beg for his life like a few others before him. That would be when she gives them a quick release of death. I hate it when they start to beg.
"I like the way you think, but I think you're starting to feel the heat. How long do you think you'll last? I hope you won't be finished off so easily, you've been entertaining so far." She adds with a giggle.
Sigfried Al'Daar
Now or never. All at the same time, he grasps the hilt, tries to recall that night and awaken the sword's potential like in that dream that wasn't a dream, and leans his body to tighten the cord against the sword to ensure it gets cut when he draws it.
[Reality Manipulator, Minor x1, -1EP (9/10)]
Drawing the sword, the sharpened edge runs along the fiery serpent, simultaneously freeing Sigfried and trisecting the binds that trapped him, the sword illuminating with a bright light as he moves into a middle guard.
Clarisse
Her confident smirk is quickly replaced with a scowl of pure hate. "Naw. NAH! You did not just do that to my Fitzie!" Flicking open the lighter once more, she wills the flames to manifest as a large, flaming lion, snarling and roaring at Sigfried. After the lion is summoned, she flicks the lighter closed and open once more, a stream of fire trailing behind it like a whip. "Sicc 'em, Moxxie!" she snarls as she snaps the fiery whip with a loud CRACK.
[Fire Constructor, Normal x1, -3EP (11/15)]
[Fire Manipulation, Normal x1, -3EP (8/15)]
Storyteller
Moxxie, the lion made of fire and Clarisse's own malice, pounces towards Sigfried with a loud roar, immolating claws outstretched and ready to sink into and rend his flesh.
Sigfried Al'Daar
It seems she values these creatures more than a human's life. Her anger will no doubt make her more powerful, but it will make her careless. Sloppy. He times a forward somersault underneath the lion's pounce, taking a few grazing and searing rakes across his back in the process. He grunts with pain as he rolls and receives the lessened blows, the best option present as they were in a narrow alley and diving to either side was clearly not an option.
Seizing the opportunity for a counter strike, at the end of his roll he shifts his footing to reverse his momentum and lunge towards the lion's flank, slashing in a wide arc with his empowered Heirloom blade and aiming for a deep cut across the lion's legs.
[Power By Object (Heirloom Sword), Minor x1, -1EP (8/10)]
Storyteller
The wide swing slashes through the elemental beast's legs, causing it to stumble as it tries to regain its footing from the pounce.
People nearby begin to panic, running and calling for authorities to do something about the terrifying beast in the alleyway, some would say it was a 'freak Evo attack'.
Clarisse
This bitch needs to stop hurting my babies! She shrieks with rage and manipulates the whip in tandem with her swinging the lighter, making it lash at Sigfried's back with searing pain, opening even more holes in his coat and shirt and leaving behind a small flame. Then she whips again, and again, and yet again.
[Fire Manipulation, Minor x4, -4EP (4/15)]
Sigfried Al'Daar
Dieses Feuermädchen muss sich beruhigen! He thought between white hot flashes of searing pain. His overcoat in flames, he tries his best to stand back up, taking off his coat quickly and balling it up as he turns and lunges towards her. The sword flashes with a blinding light as it trails behind him, illuminating his path and distracting his assailant. Not wasting any time or resource, he throws the flaming, balled up coat towards her in an attempt to distract her while aiming a strike with his basket guard across her temple with the intent of knocking her out.
[Power By Object (Heirloom Sword), Minor x1, -1EP (7/10)]
Clarisse
She raises her lighter, ready for another lash when the sword flashes, making her reflexively close her eyes. "Gah! Fuckin' old man, piece of shit sword! Fuuuu-" Her stream of profanities was cut off as a flaming ball of jacket is thrown at her face. Disoriented by the light, distracted by the coat in her face, she doesn't even see the blow coming as it lands square on her temple with a loud CRACK. Everything goes dark, quickly losing consciousness as she falls, the lighter dropping out of her hand in a clatter against the ground.
Storyteller
The wounded Moxxie begins to dissipate, no longer sustained by Clarisse's ability. It turns slowly, limping on wounded legs. Seeing Clarisse on the ground, it gives Sigfried an angry roar before it vanishes completely.
Sigfried Al'Daar
Breathing heavily, he hurriedly takes the still flaming cloak away from the fire user, proceeding to stomp out the flames and ensure that she remains relatively unharmed. She belongs in a prison, not a coffin.
He takes his cell phone out of his pocket, frowning as he dials 9-1-1 to call for authorities and request medical assistance. I am likely still in shock. I will very likely pass out any moment, once adrenaline is gone. Not good. He sheathes the sword, and gathers his belongings before sitting down, struggling to focus as he waits for the aid to come.
Storyteller
To their credit, emergency response in the City moves pretty quickly. It was less than 7 minutes when the first cruiser arrived, carrying Officer Thorne, and another 5 minutes for EMS. Thorne had hopped out of his cruiser and assed the scene quickly.
New Victoria Police
“New Victoria Police. Does anyone need assistance?” It took Thorne a moment to notice Sigfried sitting down. The man looked…worse for ware was a fair description. Moving over to him, he saw the woman nearby. Well shit. Triage. Focus on the conscious first to get an assessment of the scene. “Sir? Can you hear me? My name is Officer Thorne. Can you tell me what happened here?” As he asked, he was going over a visual examination of the man. He could make out a long object resting to his side and ash? On his face.
Sigfried Al'Daar
Holding on to the shreds of consciousness he had left, he responds, a little disoriented. "Yes sir.. Officer Thorne." His breathing was a bit shallow and his skin appeared clammy, the worst of his injuries were on his back where the burns had seared the lashed skin and shredded his clothing.
"I was walking home from the museum, and I was attacked with a flaming rope held by the woman there." He points towards the unconscious Clarisse for emphasis before taking another shaky breath and wincing with pain. "I don't know her or why she would attack someone like me, but she was able to create creatures from the flames she weilded, and had tied me up with a flaming snake. I was able to free myself, and render her unconscious before she could cause any more damage to anyone else, sir. Thank goodness you were able to arrive quickly." He smiles slightly, despite the pain and general shock his body is experiencing.
New Victoria Police
Flames from her—An Evo. Speaking quickly into his radio, “Thorn. Possible EV-05, potential downed. Will remain distant for safety until EMS and AERI support arrive.” The policy was still new to him, enacted since Henry. But he thought he got it right. He heard the sirens of EMS approaching.
“You’re okay now, sir. I’m here, and soon AERI will be to just to be sure we’re all okay.” He didn’t hold his breath that an actual AERI Evo would be arriving. More likely one of the SWAT Officers the Chief had moved to ‘AERI’ to designate who handled what. He heard EMS pull up and quickly waved off the two paramedics from the Evo. “Check him first and I’ll go in with you to examine her.” The ‘just in case’ was left unsaid for obvious reasons.
Sigfried Al'Daar
Everything was starting to blur and fade, he is barely able to even focus. "Thank you, officer.." He says weakly, his eyes beginning to drift closed. Not good.. Definitely not good..
As the paramedics check him, he has suffered several dorsal lacerations, four in particular more severe than the rest, with as many first degree burns.
Storyteller
"Stay with us, Pal."
"We got you."
The paramedics started working on Sigfried with speed. Assessing his injures and preparing to move him to get those cuts closed up and fluids in him. Meanwhile, more sirens sounded down the street, even as Sigfried faded from the conscious world and into the night. He would be taken to Riverview Hospital Center for treatment and the attacker, Clarisse, would be taken to the NVPD Jail by AERI SWAT for processing and booking. Hopefully she gets a good lawyer.
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