3865/It Comes From Behind:Part 2 Whispers in the dark

It Comes From Behind:Part 2 Whispers in the dark
Date of Scene:	19 October 2020
Location:	M&T Bank tower
Synopsis:	A demon wants blood, but his land is seen. Now clues to find, one body to examine.
Cast of Characters:	Jackie Estacado, Sera, Vanessa Carlysle, Spiral, Levian

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Jackie Estacado has posed:
Oct 27:Noon: M&T Bank Roof

The roof is well just a roof normally. But, those with the mystic sense can see a dark purple swirling around the top of the large tower---a single man standing there, in a suit that costs more than most people yearly salary. He is pacing back and forth, muttering to himself. Files swirling around him in a torrent of chaos, it seems he dragged up a large file cabinet. The cabinet is open, millions of papers drifting around, swirling around the rooftop. The cabinet reads low-income mortgages. Each one with a large DENY stamp or APPROVED with a green stamp at one awful rate, he is yelling around, but that swirling wind seems to swallow his voice. Something about this scene seems to call to those that can feel the other side, that tingle of something weird afoot.

Sera has posed:
There has been a sense of growing foreboding within Sera for a few days now. Ever since the incident with the trolls. She has been thinking back on her past and her potential future and it always seems so hard to see it through the trees. Flying over New York City with wings of magic, she can't help but notice the large purple swirling mass and lands on top of the tower.

"Hey there buddy. Making quite the mess. Aren't those important to someone probably may be?," she guesses. She has no idea how Earth bureaucracy works. But throwing paper files everywhere is probably not 'the way' it should be done.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Quiver is standing on a rooftop. She's really taken to viewing the city from there. At first she felt a little bit of anxiousness about the height. But after enough times jumping off the roof and swinging on lines from grapple arrows, she's really gotten over that.

It seems kind of quiet, and she's listening in on the police scanner while debating if she should just pack it in and call it a night. The good thing about being in New York, odds are that crazy archer Cupid isn't going to hunt her down here. Though she really can't assume that, she realizes, and looks around warily.

"Reports of a large amount of litter blowing from the M&T Bank rooftop. Any units in the area who can respond?" the police dispatcher says. There are a few replies, laughter mostly from units who have something more serious to deal with than litter, at least for now.

Quiver sighs. "Oh, what the hell," she says. "Strike a blow for the environment." She beginst o head over that direction.

Spiral has posed:
Spiral just gets back from destroying a television personality psychologist's career (or enhancing it greatly, who knows), settles down in the Body Shoppe... and then there's that feeling, of someone messing with something Mankind Was Not Meant To Know, perhaps.

So she does a dance, and spirals her way to the rooftop, clutching two swords and a bat, and ready for anything. After what just transpired she's all crazied out, and weary, so merely points a sword at him. "Magic mortgages? I suppose they are contracts of a sort.... Death Vows, after all.". Her glowing eyes look all around, trying to work out what exactly she sensed that's up here.

Levian has posed:
Levian's third eye is open, which, well, for him isn't figurative.

He saw this swirling chaos from pretty far away, and went running across the city on all fours. He carefully climbed the side of the building, gripping into grooves and whatever else, until he finally pulls himself over the edge.

His third eye can see what's magic, it can pinpoint fires, but, beyond that, it can see space above three-dimensions. He's not sure what //this// is, exactly, but he stays near the edge of the roof.

The angel... she's bright, very distracting, but maybe she can figure out what's going on. "What is this?" he finally asks, as if he had to work up the nerve. Someone of his lesser demon status, he has to learn to face the fear of things that can potentially obliterate him.

Spiral, someone he knows... but he doesn't speak more than he has already.

Jackie Estacado has posed:
There is no voice is given back. It is quiet, just the sound of the wind. The man is muttering more. The wind swallows his voice. It seems almost as if he is arguing with himself. His eyes look right through Sera as she is speaking to him.

But a voice does answer Sera.<You helped free me, for that I will allow you to go. But this treat is mine, and he has been claimed. Now you may go!> The voice is booming into the heads of all those around, that can see the purple for a moment that purple fog-like smoke is drawn upwards to show off its face. It is glaring down at them, eyes burning with embers of bright red, and a little teeth shining like diamonds, before it is once again just purple smoke.

Sera has posed:
Sera looks surprised when Spiral twirls in to existence on the roof top. "Hello again," she says to her. And then there is Levian who climbs to the top too. She tilts her head and says, "I recognise you - from the farmhouse when we were exorcising the necromancer."

The question of 'what is this' gets a little more clarity when that voice booms in their heads and the smoke forms a.. face. She stares up at it and hmms thoughtfully. "This isn't going to end well for you. Whatever you think your shtick is, this world isn't big on it. Thanks for the consideration though, that's very neighborly of you," she replies to the demon and then looks back to the man trying to talk to her.

She looks to Levian and spiral, "Well here's thought number one - we save the accountant from big glowy red eyes up there, then head to a Coffee Hut and drink some PSL. Alternate plan, we attempt to save the accountant and fail, then go to a Coffee Hut and drink some PSL." She offers a thumbs up to see who is in on the plan.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle arrives on the scene finally. A motorcycle ride a few blocks over and then rather than shoot her way to the top for what might be a litterbug, she goes up in an elevator. Quiver stands quietly, bouncing back and forth a little bit as Girl From Ipanema plays. Why is it that song is always playing when she's in the elevator?

The elevator chimes as it reaches the top floor and the doors slide open. She looks about, heading down a hall and finally finding a door that probably leads to a broom closet, or else to a roof access. She quickly picks the lock, and finds it's the latter. She's approaching the door out to the roof when that sense of... wrong reaches her, even if she's not magically aware. "Ok, maybe not just a litterbug," she says quietly to herself. She cracks the door to the roof to peek out at what's going on. Spotting the figures out there, the angel in the sky and the purple smoke... monster. That's what she's going to call it. The purple smoke monster. Or maybe some witty play on Grimace if she can think one up in time to use it. For the moment she observes to figure out what's going on.

Spiral has posed:
Spiral heads a little closer to the filing cabinet, one sword pointed at the accountant, one sword pointed up at the face in the sky, while tiptoeing from one foot to the other and even doing a final twirl to arrive as close as she wants. With a final twist she tries to phase the filing cabinet half way out of reality, making it intangible - and then dances her way back again. On the assumption that while the accountant is throwing the papers away, there's something in there the creature wants - and now it's not grabbable any more.

She slips behind Sera, just in case!

Levian has posed:
"He's possessed?" Levian asks, and immediately starts looking around the roof to see what's flammable... well, there are all those papers. "Anyone got some matches or a lighter? I need to start a normal non-magical fire."

He takes a deep breath. He's finally starting to be able to express himself a bit more, less on guard. But he steps forward and says, "My name is Levian, 999th Son of an Unknown Demon Lord. It's not impressive but, can you identify yourself?"

Maybe the thing has some mutual respect, who knows. He's certainly the bottom of the demon barrel, but sometimes people think the demon thing by itself is impressive!

Jackie Estacado has posed:
There is no more talking from the purple smoke, that man is pacing back and forth in the swirling papers. His eyes closed now, as he mutters more heading with each pace closer to the northern edge of the roof.

Sera has posed:
Sera peers over at Vanessa and gives her a small wave, "Hello there. Nice hood. Are you here for the purple cloud with glowy red eyes too?" Her eyes snap back to the man and his muttering. Why is he heading to the edge of the roof? May be she can just grab him and take him away from here. Perhaps that'll ruin the purple smoke monsters plans.

"I have a dumb idea," she says and then raises an eyebrow as she hears Levian, "You have name? well that's good." She smirks and rises up in to the air, then tries to swoop through the cloud to snatch up the man and fly him a little ways away, just to see what'll happen.

Jackie Estacado has posed:
The smoke is swirls around now getting in the way of Sera as she is swooping down, it is like a force field or a brick wall. Bouncing her off, with a wicked chuckle.

<He sold himself to me for a deal, the deal is done. MINE!>

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Quiver slips out of the roof access doorway quietly, though Sera spots her and addresses her. "I'm just here for the coffee," she says. "But, ok, I guess while I'm here. What's the situation?" she asks, eyes lifting up to the purple smoke monster before refocusing on the accountant.

She doesn't make a move towards the man, but does starting edging towards the same side of the roof that he's drifting towards. Though keeping the same distance she started with, she moves at a pace to get to the edge near her by the time he is likely to arrive at the edge near him. She avoids voicing that this issue seems above her pay grade, so just puts herself in a position to help the man.

Spiral has posed:
Spiral is pretty good at shattering barriers, especially magical ones. Her magic is sneaky, infiltrating other abilities, turning them against themselves, or pulling them apart as her chaotic nature leaches into them. So she'll give it a go, because why not, she's up here now, and it'll make up for her karma being used up earlier when she was threatening someone armed with a letter opener.

Though all it looks liks is her discoing across the roof of the building, a couple of arms aimed at the smoke above, the rest twirling around as part of her dance.

Levian has posed:
"So you're a contract demon?" Levian asks, as if trying to narrow things down in his head, essentially playing Guess Who.

He walks up to Vanessa directly, because she smells like a normal human being, then holds his hand out. "Hey. You have matches? I have a plan. Sorry if this is scary for you." His tone is very stilted, but he's trying his best to be, well, calming.

Jackie Estacado has posed:
The smoke is swirls now as it is moves around watching them coldly, as the voice is booms out again.

<Demon, you think I'm so low. How pathetic, knowledge has grown!>

Sera has posed:
Sera flies in hard against the smoke to pick up the man but instead is rebuffed. She hits the force field like it's a brick wall and bounces back and on to the ground with an Ooomphf. Her magical wings disappear in a smattering of white points of light. Standing up, she blinks and peers at the man.

"He sold his soul to you? Wow... what an idiot. Why would you want the soul of an idiot?," she teases and then watches Spiral have a try. She sees Vanessa moving to intercept but it seems this man may have sealed his own fate. "We're going to need to put out a PSA, 'don't sell your soul to a purple smoke monster' or something."

Spiral has posed:
"All come to me..." Spiral says dreamily. Her glowing eyes are wide, her magic having struck her target... but then found something interesting. "Angel, come to me." she adds, a bit less dreamily, eyes more normal and a bit less glowy. The phased cabinet creaks a bit as the wind catches it once more, Spiral's magic instead doing something else. "The creature responsible is elsewhere.". Well, there's a lot of them here, so she doesn't do her usual teleport thing, instead she holds open a portal, bunching up spacetime so two points, become point.

The mistress of correspondence meanwhile goes from dancing around to spinning and pirouetting by her portal, to hold it open. "I believe the beast is through here.". And she indicates the portal with a spare hand - actually, each of her hands points in turn, as she pirouttes, like a weird, human (ish) merry go round.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
The woman dressed like Green Arrow, but in a more flattering version of his outfit, looks to the accountant and then over to Spiral as she opens up the portal and says the cause is through there.

She makes a quick decision and draws an arrow from her quiver and lets it fly at the man's feet. If it makes it to him, it's going to erupt in a bunch of extremely sticky good that will make leaving the roof difficult. If it hits a forcefield, well there isn't much she can do then. She heads for the portal either way. "You're going to bring us back I hope," she says, looking Spiral in the eye before looking into the portal. A glance to Sera, giving her a chance to warn Quiver off if this is a bad idea, and then she steps through.

Jackie Estacado has posed:
The arrow slams into the cloud as it is blocking, but it seems to have noticed the portal!

Levian has posed:
"But you've made a deal with this human, one human. If you're a high ranking demon, what could one human have to offer you to put in this much effort? Surely you already have a large stock of souls. Is this man some kind of king? Is he the Hellblazer?" Levian evokes the name, as if to try and rattle or see the reaction of what he's speaking to.

When he realizes that he's definitely //not// getting matches, he follows behind Vanessa, standing at the edge of the portal for a moment, and then steps through. "I hope this isn't a portal to Hell."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Quiver pauses at the edge of the portal, looking back to Levian. "Ok, but don't burn the building down," she tells him. She pulls out a little lighter from a pocket and tosses it over to him.

Sera has posed:
Sera turns her head to look back to Spiral and nods her head, "Right, he's not here. Good call. Well, his presence is here.. eh, what's the worst that can happen. Teleported in to a hellscape or something and then having to remember how to do portal magic myself. Could take a few weeks, a few months.. it's been a while."

She smirks and sings out and her wings return to her, burning bright white magical feathery constructs. She tucks them in and then rushes to the portal and charges through. Not that this is necessary a good idea, but Spiral has thus far been a decent ally.

Spiral has posed:
"It goes to the creature. I know not where. It isn't Mojoworld though, so it's not the worst place in the multiverse.". Spiral keeps on pirouetting and pointing, now getting a bit irritated.
"How long do I have to dance for?" she grumps. "I will bring you back. Assuming I am alive to do so anyway. I am curious what's going on...". Maybe there's knowledge to be had or something.

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Quiver nocks another arrow, and takes one glance back to the accountant. "Let's go, before it's too late," she says, apparently willing to risk herself in this possible hellscape or Lord knows what sort of place in order to save the man.

Also? She sounds just like Kathleen Turner. Such a smoky voice.

Quiver glances at the others, the stiff wind on the building tops blowing her dark hair about her. She takes one last glance back at the rooftop and then steps through the portal, ready to draw and shoot at the first sign of danger.

Levian has posed:
Levian catches the lighter, looking it over. "Thanks. I don't have money or a job yet, so I can't buy a lighter."

"I can't make portals, please don't leave me in Hell." he says very dryly, staring at the angel with some concern in his eyes. There's clearly plenty of fear toward her, despite the fact that they're on the same side right now.

He keeps the lighter on him, he'll find an opportune moment to set his fire, choosing to walk behind Vanessa.

Jackie Estacado has posed:
The portal opens on a field of bones, going out forever, it seems. The smell of fire, the smell of flesh, the beating of drums! A large tower is far off in the distance, made out of ivory glinting in the light. The sky is blood red, moving shifting you are here but a moment, before you sent back with a booming sound of voice.

<ENOUGH OUT OF MY HOME!>

The world swirls and moves, your back on the roof with that man, the purple cloud is gone, he is dead covered in wounds bleeding out of his body, each one seems to be a glyph or a symbol. If one knows or does the research, it is Aztech in nature.

Sera has posed:
Sera charges in to the bone-scape with determination in her mind. She can handle demons doing contracts to some degree, though this one feels like it has a plan. A plan beyond 'collect souls' is never a good thing. Besides, one less demon in the world is probably best for her chosen home.

"Let's keep a ti---," she says and blinks as they are once again back on the roof, "ght.. huh." She looks up expecting to see Mr. Smoke Monster up there but he's gone too.. and the man, he is dead. She takes out her phone and begins to take pictures of the runes for later sharing with people more knowledgeably about Earth history than she.

"That's our second loss to this guy. I'm starting to dislike him. He said he was 'freed' last time, so perhaps he was once locked up. May be there's records of who it is and how they locked it up the first time... somewhere." She looks back to the group and says to Levian, "Why so skittish?"

Spiral has posed:
Spiral was going to step through. Honest. In fact she really does, last, just as the portal starts to melt due to her no longer pirouetting. And promptly gets blasted back for her troubles. For once she no longer dances, just standing there in her magnificent furry boots.
Then she reaches up to tug at a lock of crazy white hair. "Apocalypto." she says after a moments thought, and nods. "Mr Smoke Monster is ripping hearts out of people with flakes of obsidian. Or... he wants the hearts.... hmmm. Who knows. We need some conquistadors.". She shrugs, and grins at everybody.
"See, I was going to go with you.".

Levian has posed:
Levian sniffs the air in this strange world, his hair sticking up like some kind of animal. "Feels like Hell..." And then they're yanked back to the roof, and he stumbles back a bit.

Then, looking to Sera, even taking a single step back from her, he answers, "You're an angel, I've heard what angels do to demons. I don't want my head on a pole, or for you to smite me with Heaven's wrath, or any of those other things."

He looks over at the body, squinting. "I can't read it, too old."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle barely has time to register the otherworldly landscape and skies, before she finds herself back on the rooftop with her next step. She whirls around, looking, finding the portal itself is gone as well.

"Ok, this is so not ok," she mumbles, trying to dredge up memories that will help her put this in context. She moves over towards the man's body, feeling ahead of her to make sure the barrier that stopped her arrow is down. When she reaches him she checks for a pulse, seeing if he can be saved. She lets out a sigh and gives a shake of her head, then looks at the markings that cover him.

Quiver turns towards the others. "Anyone able to explain what just went on?" she asks.

Sera has posed:
Sera's wings disappear once more and she folds her arms, "Well. Since it's obvious some explaining and introductions are in order. I'm Sera, of Heven.. Not Heaven, as you so suggested my demon friend Levian. I have no interest in putting your head on a pole unless someone is paying me to do it. I am part of a group called the Infinity Watch. We protect the Earth.. and I guess sometimes the Universe, from weird magical weirdness." She lifts a finger as an after thought, "...or if you're threatening the home I have adopted, Earth - which purple cloud is doing."

She looks to Vanessa and says, "Some ritual was performed in an apartment and set a demon of some sort free. It seems ancient and powerful. Very powerful. Concerningly powerful. We know next to nothing about it and that's something that needs to change. Can anyone read these glyphs on our victim here?," she asks motioning to the dead and bleeding body.

Spiral has posed:
"My magic had seeped into the thing above, the projection. And then followed it through the gap between realities to another dimension, it's origin... like venom, infiltrating in from a bite on the hand, progressing to the heart. It must be its home. It must be a deity... banishing us from it's native dimension, as I was banished from mine.".

The swords Spiral is carrying end up back on her belt, the arms concerned dipping in a rhythm one after the other until everything is sheathed. If each arm grabs at the same time its always an awful tangle. Apparently with that she considers her work here done, as she suddenly twirls quickly again, and vanishes entirely with a pop.

Levian has posed:
"I only learned to read human languages from the last few hundred years." Levian admits, staring at Sera still. "I'm trying to join SHIELD, I have a job interview with them. So... I'm trying to protect the Earth too."

But, turning his head back to the body, he considers... "We have to figure out the name of the demon. We have clues, but it's more complicated than a simple exorcism."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Quiver returns the arrow to her quiver, and the bow she's carrying collapses down to something that she can slip into the quiver as well. The information she hears from Sera, Spiral, and finally Levian's mention of her age have her just staring at them all for a few seconds.

She slowly looks back to the body, and then pulls out her own phone to begin recording the images there. "I might know someone," she says slowly. "You can call me Quiver," she tells them. "Though this kind of other-worldly stuff isn't normally what I deal with."

She rises from her crouch, putting the phone away. "So no idea what it's end game is then? I'll see what I can find out," she says. She pauses and glances at them all. "Is there a way to get in touch with you?"

Sera has posed:
Sera lifts up her phone and gives it a waggle. "The easiest way is to call me," she offers and smiles. Then she looks back to Levian and nods her head, "Understandable. I only started learning it after I saw my future would bring me to Midgard. I didn't bother learning all of them, just the one that'd be most relevant to my life - English."

"So naming the demon gives us power? well, it might make it easier to understand what or where it's from. A god though. I could always ask Lucifer if he knows anything about it - but I don't like asking that guy for favors. I feel like he's keeping a ledger."

Levian has posed:
"Quiver. A superhero name." Levian says as if he's solved a mystery, something unfamiliar on his tongue. But he pulls out a cellphone, it's an obvious official SHIELD phone, and goes to the screen with his number on it, holding it up to show her.

"I only learned the languages because damned souls talk a lot before they finally go insane. And there are artifacts from Earth." But, he nods to Sera. "Be careful with the Morningstar. No one should take him lightly, even if he's nice. I thought he was only a myth before I came to Earth. I've heard stories, many stories."

Vanessa Carlysle has posed:
Vanessa Carlysle gets numbers for the both of them. "Lucifer," she repeats, looking over at Sera. "As in... the devil? That Lucifer?" she asks, and even the Kathleen Turner voice she's modifying her own to sound like, can't manage to make that sound enticing given the reaction Vanessa is having at the moment.

She lets out a sigh. "I should have just stayed home and worried about getting shot," she says under her breath. "Alright. Well, I'll see what I can find. I don't have any way of getting at this thing, so... it seems like this is more of your fight than mine. But I'll help as I can," she offers to them.