Loss of Freedom (EVENT DAY 2)

[Alex]

Alex after making sure that the students that had made it to the AI Core were safe and sound, saw, much to his horror, that Sephora, nor the kid who had confronted him when he had sat on the bench were among the group. Turning away, he headed out of the Tower, cold fury in his eyes, and clearly on his face. As he exited out, he heard a distant explosion, that rocked across the ground, as Alex leaned against a tree nearby. " What the...? An explosion? It can't be my firewall, it's too soon. No...it has to be something else!" Alex thought, as he dashed across the grounds, but in front of him, were soldiers. And they clearly wanted to kill Alex. Would Alex let them? Hell no. He stopped, and faced them, his hands by his sides, held up in a stance. He glared at them, as one cocked his gun at Alex, but by that time, Alex immediately reacted.

Fireballs formed in his hands, as Alex strafed to his left, just as the soldier fired at the spot where Alex had been standing minutes ago. Alex ducked behind the trees that were to his left, and leaped out on the other side, throwing the fireballs at the soldier's faces. Bulls-eye! The flames immediately began to burn on contact, as the soldiers dropped their guns and clutched their faces, the pain wasn't intense, but who wants flames thrown at their faces? No one of course. He heard more voices shout out, and Alex moved, running through the trees. He heard running footsteps behind him, and saw three soldiers on his tail. Alex turned and sent more fireballs at them. Two soldiers went down, but one managed to dodge the fireball, and fired at Alex. If the shot had been close range, Alex would've been dead. However, the shot was medium range, it was still close though.

The shot was aimed at his heart, but Alex dodged, and the bullet grazed his right arm, which made
Alex wince in pain, but he ignored the pain, and slammed his hand onto the ground, as a flame pillar erupted underneath the soldier, burning him. The soldier's M-16 went flying, and landed by Alex's feet. Alex stared at it, and then decided. He picked it up, and walked over, and fired two shots, one each for the soldiers he had burned. He picked up one of the burned dead soldier's M-16 and slung it over his soldier, better safe than sorry and dead. He tore the shirt of one of the dead soldier's, and made a makeshift bandage for his wound, which wasn't too bad. He also tore a few more strips, just in case. You never know.

He then turned, and headed through the forest. One way or another, he would find Sephora, as well as anyone else alive. He wouldn't let anyone die, not while he could still move. His gamble of going through the forest paid off, as he heard screams cry out in front of him. He gripped the gun tightly in his hand as he ran in the direction the screams issued from, and bursted through the tree line, and saw who it was that had been screaming. Soldiers, something was driving fear into them, and Alex saw two people that gave him a bit of relief. Sephora, and the big guy who he recognized from his class. Sephora however, was...

"!" was his reaction, as he dashed over to her, the gun over his shoulder bouncing off his back. "...you got shot didn't you?" he said softly, bending down in front of her. " Damn it..." he muttered softly, as he pulled out the strips of shirt he had torn off the shirt of the dead soldier's shirt and bandaged the more serious wound on her right calf. "We have to get you to the Infirmary right away. I doubt you can walk, can't you?" he said softly, as he stayed crouched in front of her. What a mess this was. But it didn't matter, either way, he would get them out alive, even if he had to sacrifice his life in the process. He would protect those he cared about, no one would get to them.

OOC: No, I'm not killing Alex off. I have more in store for him ya know?

[The Paladin's]

One of the men had been hanging back, there were still 450 or so soldiers. He grabbed his radio as he ran from the scene, he had been scared off by that monster of a man.

Everybody always had their radio's on for information, it was just their rule. So he grabbed it and screamed.

"EVERYBODY! WE NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE, THERES THIS HUGE ASS GUY!" The guy screamed.

A voice cackled on the other end. "Tell me, where is this guy?"

"He's in the woods with some girl!"

"Every single one of you, your orders are to go chase down these fools who would go into the woods, I want you to make an example out of these kids. And don't be scared off by some big freak. He probably used his freak abilities on you guys."

The soldier turned, no longer afraid. No longer would any of them become afraid again. Because it was simple in their minds.

"Yes, Sir!"

Follow ever order this guy gives you. That's just how they felt. The remaining 400+ soldiers pulled out their M-16's, they ran to the edge of the woods and began running in, they would shoot on site the second that they saw anyone. They were in a rough formation, about 15 men wide, and give or take 30 men deep. They saw a soldier up ahead behind a tree wielding his handgun. They passed him, his radio must have been off.

As night began to fall the soldiers passed a dead bear carcass, a lot of fallen soldiers. And in the distance they saw the kids. As long as they stuck together or attempted to fight back, this would be over very soon.

"FIRE AT WILL!"

OOC: What did will do to them? Honestly? Ok all Jokes aside heres a quick shpeal about what I did with this post. Their being mind controlled, any psychic Qi's will no longer work on them, sucks, but thats how the leader rolls. With a powerful Qi that he is completely unaware of having.

[Jeremiah Sykes]

Jeremy heard the voice cackle over the radio, heard the orders issued from the body of a man whose neck he just promptly broke. Now, his Qi still radiating outward, he felt a strange feeling, like his ability was being pressed back, or like it was rebounding off some hidden wall, or just floating through empty space with no real direction. Something was nullifying his fear-enhancing abilities.

No matter. He gazed out from the tree's as soldiers began to pour in, their formations far more professional now that they didn't feel the effects of Jeremy's Qi. Jeremy, thinking quickly, got a wonderful idea. He tore off his white shirt, leaving nothing but bear chest, and his black jeans had a gold band down the side, perfect for distorting his features among the heavily wooded forest. The trees were big, strong, and tightly packed, making it hard for the men to stay in formation.

Of course, one would think that it would make it difficult for Jeremy to move as well. However, he didn't intend on staying on the ground.

Grabbing a small, ten foot length of rope from the body, he grabbed hold of an extremely thick branch, and pulled himself up into the trees. He went about ten feet up, looking around himself and grinning. This place was perfect for someone to move from branch to branch, and it was dark, only minimal sunlight coming through the branches and sunset fell.

Jeremy tied the handles of the hay-hooks together tightly, making sure that they could withstand a lot of tension and weight. Then, crouching down on the limb, he waited. The first line of men passed, then another, then another. Jeremy slid one hook down the tree on the side the men couldn't see unless they turned around and looked behind them, which, so far, none of them had. Even then, they would have to be right up against the hook to really notice it, since its colors blended perfectly with the surroundings.

He swung it out and pulled, latching on to the chin of a walking soldier just like he had seen recently in a movie. the body was yanked up into the tree, his neck cut quickly, the body dropping in seconds, hitting the ground with a crunch. Jeremy held on to his hooks, moving quickly and quietly among the treetops, the men who had seen the body pulled up firing at the tree they thought he still remained in. He was long gone now.

Thats when he heard a loud buzzing noise.

He looked over and grinned.

Thank you sephora.

Reaching out, he grabbed the large hornets next and ripped it from the tree, dropping it among the soldiers. He was stung as well, but only once or twice. Still hurt like hell. He knew those men would love it. The screaming began. Ah, music to his ears. He went to about twelve feet off the ground and waited, men now running in every direction. Thousands of hornets poured out of the hive, terrorizing the army. They didn't come for Jeremy-whether it was because they knew his intent or because sephora was helping him he didn't know, but he appreciated it.

He climbed through the trees to the back of the line, the last row of soldiers heading in. He climbed down behind them and hung his hooks on his belt, sneaking up behind one who was lagging back, reluctant to run into the fray of dead men and flying hornets. Jeremy walked up behind him, tigers claw forming in his hand. He wrapped his arm around then neck and grabbed his throat, quickly tearing it out. The man next to him, who had been behind the tree, popped out, gun in hand. He fired, though his aim was off as he was staring at the bloody esophagus in Jeremy's left hand. The bullet hit Jeremy's left shoulder, piercing clean through.

Jeremy grabbed the gun with his now empty left hand and grabbed the man by the neck. He rammed the gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger several times, blowing out the back of his head and tearing apart his cerebellum and spinal column.

Thats when he heard a voice speak in the direction of sephora's body.

It was a mans voice.

He quickly dropped the body and headed in that direction. A man stepped out in front of him with his gun raised, but was too close. Jeremy grabbed the gun with his right hand and turned it away from him, then stuck his index and middle fingers into the eyes of his assailant, grabbing the skull by hooking his fingers. He yanked down, pulling on the weak eye-bones and tearing a two fingered path down the front of his face. He died instantly.

Jeremy kept walking, moving with an intent.

Another man came out, facing away from Jeremy, walking toward the voices that were well away from his fellows. The man was closer to The boy whose name he didn't know and his downed friend, and he apparently intended to shoot them both. Jeremy caught him by the shoulder, turning him around quickly and ramming the heel of his right hand into his nose, breaking it at the crows feet between his eyebrows and shoving the sharpened piece of bone clean into his brain. The man dropped heavily.

He snuck up behind the boy easily, standing less than a foot away. His mind was swirling in confusion, but his sensei's words stayed. "Be the shadow in the night. Let your size be to your advantage-let them underestimate your stealth-be silent and swift- and you can become great" Jeremy bent down quickly and grabbed the boy, wrapping his arm around his midsection and tiger clawing his neck, intent on tearing it out, which wouldnt happen unless the boy pulled away or jeremy pulled. Thats when he saw sephora's wrapped leg, and the boy's intent to take care of her became apparent. He immediately released him, turning as voices yelled in the distance that they were in "this" direction.

He turned to the boy.

"Take her and go. Ill take care of these men. I'm going to trust you with her life- " He activated his Qi and got a deadly cold look, the blood covering his body only adding to the effect. "-and if i find that trust misplaced, you'll find yourself in a worse position then any of these men." Then he bent down to sephora, speaking so only she could hear.

"Thank you for being my friend sephora. It was more than i ever could have hoped for." He stood, and turned, ready to meet his fate head on.

"You guys better get going."

Then he took once more to the trees.

OOC(( HOLY SHIT! this is the longest post Ive ever made....damn...my apologies for it being so long!))

[sephora]

Sephora's breathing became ragged, but only due to the pain. She clung to life as best as she could, not wanting to die here. The trees had gone from an insessant buzzing to a calming coo in her mind, telling her she was safe now. They were here. The girl honestly wasn't sure what a bunch of monstrous plants could do against men with guns, but their sound in her mind made her relax.

Jeremy had gone to clear them a path, and he had been gone for a while now. Well, what felt like a while but was probably less than ten minutes. It was times like this that every minute felt like a day.

Suddenly the girl heard scream from the direction that Jeremy had gone and she was terrified for her friend. Was he ok? Twisting around to try and catch a glimpse, she couldn't see through the thick foliage. The only hint of anything she noticed was that at the edge of the wood the ground was beginning to become moist and red. There was blood everywhere. Images of the dead bear flashed through her mind and she knew something had to be done. These evil intruders would probably comb through the forest, killing everything that moved in hopes that it was a student in disguise.

Closing her eyes, the girl called hard to the animals in the forest. She didn't use words, just emotion. She sent them fear, fear that the ant-men would come and destory the forest. The girl had pictured them as 'ant men' because they were all dressed the same. Clothing was really the only thing that animals noticed was different from human to human besides hair color and gender. She sent them the fear again, and the image of the mangled bear, dead and trampled.

Waiting, Sephora opened her eyes. Did they hear her? The trees were still cooing to her, that she was safe with them. A noise caught her ear, though, and as darkness began to ascend, the girl could hear the howls of a wolf pack, as well as the snarls of the numerous other animals living in the wood. They had heard her.

Perhaps now the men would know to stay from the forest, that this invasion had been the wrong thing to due. Nature was against them and soon the trees around her would soak in their blood like water. With that thought, another flash of Marquise came to mind. Sephora wondered if she had guessed right, if he had left. Or if he was waiting around somewhere, ready to make good on her promise. She brushed those thoughts from her mind. There was no use looking for him in the din.

Sephora looked back towards the way the Jeremy had gone. Though she expected to see nothing, she saw.... Alex! Smiling to him weakly, he ran over. "...you got shot didn't you?" Sephora laughed ruefully, "What makes you think that, my friend?" Her father had always said to maintain one's sense of humor even to the grave. That way no one could say that you didn't go out smiling.

" Damn it...We have to get you to the Infirmary right away. I doubt you can walk, can't you?" Her spoke as he bandaged her leg, the girl grimacing with the pain. She noted that his own arm was bandaged, but the fact that he was using it meant that it couldn't be too serious. She was thankful for that, it would have been awful if he had been hurt.

"No, I can't walk. My friend Jeremy is clearing a path, though, and he will be back for me." Just as the words had left her mouth, Sephora could hear someone approaching. Her eyes widening, the girl saw a soldier, raising his gun. Just before she thought Alex would be dead, but the man turned and dissapeared from her line of sight. Stepping into his place was the bloodiest person she had ever seen, but it was a welcome sight.

Smiling up at him, her monstrous friend obviously didn't realize that Alex was helping her, for he lifted the boy up. "Put him down!" She tried to shout, but the pain had made her voice weak and soft.

Luckily, Jeremy must have seen her bandaged leg, for Alex was quickly released. "Take her and go. Ill take care of these men. I'm going to trust you with her life and if i find that trust misplaced, you'll find yourself in a worse position then any of these men." Staring at him, Sephora realized how lucky she was to be on his good side. She would never forget how important it was to be kind, now that she had seen the result of her kindness to this giant.

Turning to her, Jeremy bent down and spoke softly. "Thank you for being my friend Sephora. It was more than I ever could have hoped for." Smiling at his words, the wounded girl reached up and placed her small hand on his muddy cheek. It wasn't a caress or anything like that, just a touch to show affection between friends. "I'll see you at the Core." The girl said, forbidding the tears that threatened from welling into her eyes. She had to be strong, for him. For her friends.

"You guys better get going Jeremy said as he started to walk away. Sephora wondered if she would ever see him again. Placing the matters at hand back into the most important place in her thoughts, Sephora looked back to Alex. She could feel the animals stirring in the forest. There were a few more bears coming, after having seen her image of their fallen brother.

"Alex, I don't know how we can get to the infirmary from here. The only chance we have is to get to the AI Core, I'm sure Nurse Emma is there by now." A wolf darted past the back of her tree, and the girl heard a muffled scream. The night was when her animals were most useful, for having a gun didn't mean you could see the wraith that was a wolf leaping to tear out your throat from behind.

Looking around, she heard boots crunching, gunshots in the direction that Jeremy had gone. Gunshots all around. A sun bear poked his nose into their little thicket, and Sephora reached out to it. It lumbered over and the yellow maw opened to lick her hand gently. She thought for a moment that she could ride the massive beast. Opening a mental communcation with it, she soon discovered that the bear had merely stopped to see if she was alright. It had a blood lust and needed to avenge the first bear that had falled to the men-ants. She smiled and scratched its ears as it lumbered out of the thicket.

In the surrounding area, the girl could hear screams and snarls. Her animals were seeking vengence.

[Alex]

"What makes you think that, my friend?" Alex smiled down at her, even in her intense pain, she still had a sense of humour. " Lucky guess?" he replied, as he tied multiple stripes around her leg, he saw her wince, but there was no help for it, he couldn't ease her pain, he could only stop the blood from flowing. "No, I can't walk. My friend Jeremy is clearing a path, though, and he will be back for me." Jeremy. So that was the name of the big guy. Alex was concentrating on bandaging her wound, so he didn't see her eyes widen in fear, no did he hear Jeremy come up behind him, not until the last minute, when he felt something tighten around his neck. "!" Alex's breathing got harder and harder, but the guy must've seen the bandage around Sephora's leg, for Alex immediately felt his neck released. He dropped to the ground, coughing, and rubbing his neck. " N....next time, knock would ya?" he gasped out, taking deep breaths.

Alex stood up, albeit a bit wobbly, but he managed to stand nonetheless. "Take her and go. Ill take care of these men. I'm going to trust you with her life, and if I find that trust misplaced, you'll find yourself in a worse position then any of these men." " Roger. Don't worry, I won't let anyone get to her. She's in safe hands...Jeremy." Alex replied, nodding in acknowledgement. He moved a bit closer to him and muttered, " Don't you dare die. If you do, I'll have a lot of trouble explaining it to Sephora, and I don't want to have to do that." He saw Jeremy bend down, and say something to Sephora, but he couldn't hear, though he kept watch, making sure no soldiers were coming. "You guys better get going." " Right." Alex replied, taking off the M-16 that was slung over his shoulder and tossed it at Jeremy. " Take this. You'll need it." And with that, Alex slung the M-16 that was in his hand over his shoulder, picked up Sephora and carried her on his back, and took off.

OOC: Okay, I'll add more later, but you get the jist of it.

[Jeremiah Sykes]

Jeremy caught the gun, slinging it across his shoulder and nodding curtly. He hoped beyond hope that he could trust the stranger. He stopped as they took off, then turned around, following silently after. He threw the M16 off his shoulder since it was making too much noise, and decided he wouldn't use it. Just didn't fit him. He heard screams behind him, heard the wolves growling as they tore into the men. He turned around and saw, right before him, three wolves growling at him and snapping they're teeth.

Jeremy crouched, and stared into its eyes.

The beast stared back, lips still pulled back in a snarl as they gazed at each other silently. Then, almost as though it got the message, it licked its lips and looked to the left, taking off with the other two following. Jeremy turned around-

and found a gun in his face.

Jeremy quickly snatched it out of his face and shoved his index and middle fingers on his right hand straight up the mans nose. Then he made a fist, and ripped it right off his face, head-butting him after and sending him unconscious. Jeremy continued after Alex and sephora, following silently, and killing any who came for them with a silent and brutal aggression. Once they came to the edge of the forest several men came out behind them and were about to take off after in order to bring the two innocents down.

Jeremy let out a blood roar and charged them, all faces turning back to him and charging his massive frame, pushing him back into the forest. Should Alex or sephora have heard it, all they would see was Jeremy, being pushed back into the darkness, men gathered about and yelling orders.

He had saved they're life.

Time to save his own.

He wasn't going to die, no, sephora wanted to see him again. Wanted his company. He began to crack skulls together, bodies flying. He gouged and tore and ripped the men apart. The gore and organs meshing with the torn tree limbs and scraps of clothing. He beat and bit. Shot and stabbed. He fought for his life.

Soon, he stood alone, fifteen soldiers lying dead or dying around him. He had a knife in his thigh, and the skin on his robotic arm was nearly gone. He breathed heavily, then took off, heading in the same direction Alex had gone. It had taken about twenty minutes to clear the troops who attacked him, and he was more than tired.

But he was alive.

Thats when, right in front of him, he saw a man with a gun. The guy couldn't have been more than eighteen. He pointed the gun at Jeremy, but hadn't fired. He just stood there, Jeremy watching the boy without moving. The kid had never killed anyone before. He could read that on his face plain as day. He walked over to him slowly, the wide-eyed youth never moving. Jeremy took the gun from his hands gently, then stared as the kid looked at him with fear. Jeremy looked on for a few more minutes, then walked off, continuing on.

He went over to the tree instead of heading to the core right away, leaning down and picking up the lifeless body of the water-boy who he had watched go up in a blazing ball of compressed explosives. He carried him to the large pond of water a few feet away and, thinking he would want it, set him in. It was red with blood in seconds, and was only about five feet deep at its center. Still, he figured it was the thought that counted.

He turned and went back to the tower, the men finally coming out of the forest and spotting him. Alex and sephora were long gone, he had no idea if they made it or if they were captured or if they died. Men were everywhere, though the ones from the woods were the only ones who had spotted him at that point. Gunfire could still be heard in the woods, and people were still dying on the grounds. Jeremy turned and headed inside, opting to look for the boy and the girl who mattered before killing more men.

There would be plenty of time for that later.

[Marquise]

And the big guy breaks away from the group...... His voice is now mine, and I can turn into him..... this works out perfectly! He has.... an M-16, I'll have to get one of those.....[/color]

Marquise knelt down to one of the dead soldiers and took their M-16, He ran ahead, gaining speed he transformed into Jeremy when he was clearly alone, his senses showing him that nobody saw him transform. He began running towards Sephora and the boy Alex. As he ran up there he added a wound or two to the appearance, making it appear that his shoulder had been shot.

"There are too many, but I slowed them down. Here, I'll carry Sephora, we'll move faster this way since I'm used moving with the extra weight." He did a perfect imitation of the boys natural body movements, facial expressions, and voice. Completely flawless. "Oh, and the gun helped. I guess I was right to trust you with Sephora, now, here grab on Sephora, We've got to get moving."

Marquise in this giant form held out his hand for Sephora to grab so he could hoist her onto his back. Once he got her he planned to take off running, and split off away from Alex the first chance he got. He knew there wasn't much time. He just hoped the real Jeremy had slowed the soldiers down.