Galaxy's Edge Space Bar (archive)

[Six]

Tesseract, an interesting word and not one Khazrak was familiar with, although it seemed that this Andalite thought it was one “Tess-er-act...No, no definitely not. Daemon is what this one is, serving the Dark Gods, Chaos undivided and all that other Worship jabber.”

The bird-like Daemons attention was snared by another one “Picking fights!? I do recall it was your little group that started it! I merely mutated and said one word; you Fleshlings are so easily provoked.” It shook its head and drew symbols in the ground with the end of its staff, the runes twisted and writhed before fading, even Symbols of the Gods didn’t last too long here, without a Will to hold them.
“Sh!ts and giggles? Odd usage of words, no not for that, merely for sustenance and the amusement of my Creator, who so loves the Dance of Mortals.” It chuckled again. “Tesseract, I may have to give a Lesser that name. Absolutely delightful!”
 The Devourer’s head jerked up. Remembering a part of what the female had said “Done? Hardly! This is the most fun this one have had in so long! Or was it yesterday or sooner? Maybe later...Time in the Warp passes differently.” He smiled again, the energy coursing through it causing a surprising amount of kindness to be within its form. “Why in the Warp, I don’t even exist! I become part of four Great Entities that dwell in the Warp, and if ever they escaped...Hear that Mortals and tremble! Ha ha!”

The Daemon was rejuvenated, energized and quite entertained by these Mortals, it wouldn’t leave for a while yet, unless it was called upon by one of its Masters.

[Darth Revan]

Peeved at Kaz's statement, Parker speaks up, "So you're saying that turning into the huge slime monster was your way of greeting us? First you say we picked the fight, and then you say that you came here for 'sustenance' and 'amusement'. But it seems to me that the only thing that sustains you, 'Devourer of Souls' is other's souls.

"Now what pray tell, what would have happened if we had ignored you when you turned into your slime dragon? Huh? Would you have moved on, or would you have attempted to 'amuse' yourself?

"And what do you expect of us now, huh? Now that you seem 'sustained'. Will you move on, or do you really expect us to believe that you're going to behave?"

Parker continues towards the monster, but keeps ample distance; enough distance to stay an attack but close enough that his sword would be able to 'pull' into Kazzy. He deactivates and holsters his sword, but keeps his hand near its location. He hovers his hand over his thigh like a western gun-slinger, always on alert.

“So how ‘bout it Khazrak? What’re your intentions here?

[Agent X]

She took a step backward, just in case the daemon decided to stomp on Parker. That honor would be allll his.

X shrugged. "Don't blame me, guy. I was in the bathroom when this all started," she replied to Khazrak.  She gave her sword a Look and it stopped glowing. "Oh yeah, Chaos. I remember that. Slave to the dark ones, eternity of servitude, I know how it goes," she remarked like she was just talking shop to someone on the morning commute. She gave the blade a little twirl and put it back in its sheath on her back, a further sign of disassociating herself with the Spartan.  Khazrak, despite its extreme disturbing scariness, was just another servant to some dark force like she'd been. She almost felt like they had something in common. Obviously she didn't trust the thing, but that went for at least half of everyone present anyway.  She kept her mental shields up. "The non-existent part though? You've got me beat there, never happened to me. I like existing. Not existing would absolutely blow." She was talkative when she was unnerved.

[Six]

"Hmm? Oh if I had been ignored then I would have proceeded to Devour everything, good thing I didnt! For then I wouldn’t have had such fun!" It nodded to itself “And Souls are not the only thing that sustains this one, many things can be Changed and used, my Great Lord sees to that”

The Daemon chuckled at the humans anger and distrust, it could almost taste the emotion, any stronger and it would be able to leech those emotions, for fun of course it really wasn’t interested in feeding, the Daemon decided ‘flame the anger’ within the human for more amusement, sending a subtle pulse directed at that emotion, to feed it and maybe cause the ember to ignite.

It knew that it might be caught and fully expected it, not really caring for it could not truly be killed unless a Master chose to destroy its Immortal Essence.

“Move on? Not for a while, oh no not for a while, nor shall I behave, because like the Changeling I have a duty to the Great Scheme and will never shirk it.” Its wings flared behind it and Warp magic began to form in the upturned palm of its left hand.

“The Changer of Ways would be greatly disappointed if I did, although anything I do is part of the Great Lord’s Will as I am part of the Lord.”

Its bird-like head turned and focused on the armored human “Are you suggesting you wish to fight?” It laughed again "Try a Bloodthirster! Not a Lord of Change! They would slaughter you and the World you come from, leaving a blood-drenched World with piles of skulls.”
Khazrak shook its head “The followers of the Blood God have no mind for finesse or scheming, its always attack, attack attack! Nothing but ‘Blood for the Blood God’ or ‘Skulls for the Skull throne’, rather dull and dreary if you ask this humble one”

The Daemons attention drifted to the female “When I am ‘nonexistent’ I am everything of the Changer of Ways and I am nothing, I know all the Great Lords thoughts, and yet I know nothing.” It sighed “It is at once bliss and torment, so much Knowledge and yet little memory of it once I ‘exist’ again.”

It straightened, still feeding Warp energy into the now glowing Orb on its palm “I however am the part of the Will of the Great Schemer, what the Lord wishes I must do, although He prefers to let his individual Will go along as it pleases, quite unlike the Blood God or even the Dark Prince, at leat the Plague Father lets them joyfully spread disease as they go, which is why I am able to do as I wish.”

Abruptly the Daemon glowered and the energies around it darkened “I have nothing in common with any other Being but that of the Schemer”

Its mood changed rapidly, talkative one moment to ready to kill, back to talkative. “Really? You served a Greater? Who was it? I may have known them, and destroyed them maybe...”


OOC:
[spoiler] Being a Lord of Change, a Daemon of the Great Schemer, Khazrak can only be trusted(if that) to tell half truths or less[/spoiler]

[Agent X]

There was no way she was going to ever be able to understand that feeling that Khaz described, so she just nodded and absorbed the information.  The more she kept the thing talking, the more she learned about it and its kind, which did nothing to reassure her in any way but maybe the knowledge could be of use, if any of it was the truth.  None of the names/titles seemed familiar, but in an infinite multiverse, throw in a complex timestream and all the dimensions to reality that existed, this didn't really surprise her.

"Nah, you didn't destroy that one.  I was there at the end.  I killed it."  It had not been as easy as she made it sound.  "Different universe. And as for the Name... I don't speak that Name without at least six shots in me."  That would be the alcoholic in her talking.  The name itself still bothered her, because names have power.  Regardless of the fact that it had been dead and gone for a few years now, a thousand years of previous servitude was enough PTSD for one should-be mortal.

She kept an eye on the orb as she kept the conversation going. Whatever it was, it was growing at a steady rate.  Oh good, maybe their new 'friend' was going to blow them all up. Last resort would be to transport out of here entirely, and wish good luck to the rest of the bunch. Maybe slip through universes.  Now would be a great time to have a drink, but it was a very bad time to turn her back on Khaz and go get one. She settled for lighting a cigar.

[Hunter]

All of a sudden, Hunter felt stronger, and the pain from the acid dull from an almost blinding pain to a dull throb. Shifting himself from the persons shoulder that helped him up, he said "Thanks for that." Whit this, he limped towards where he dropped his trenchcoat and pistol. Gingerly leaning down on one knee, he picked them both up.

Placing the pistol in the holster, pulling his flexi-pad from the inner pocket, and tossing the now destroyed trenchcoat on the ground in front of his feet he said "So Khazrak was it? What now? you act all..." at this, he just collapsed in a heap, most likely due to the pain, and blood loss because of the acid. Passing out, the last thing he saw was someone (he couldn't see who) run over towards him.

[Six]

“Ahh, no-one I know then. A pity, but I hope it was painful. For both of you of course, no point in only one being getting harmed”

The Daemon noted that she was eyeing the orb, it was growing a little larger then it had wanted, but that was what you got for getting involved in Mortal affairs, the Devourer allowed the Orb to dissipate a little, reducing the size before sending it off on a little journey around the area, the orb would a sort of eyes-and-ears, just for a little looksee at everything.

Ah, the little female was wise, she didn’t turn her back on a Lord of Change, very smart; perhaps her mishap with a Daemon had left her wiser to the Schemer’s ways.

The Daemon had of course not told its ‘true’ name, no it was far cleverer then that, it had given the true name of a Bloodthirster, an excellent deception because if they tried to Banish it with that name, they would instead Summon a rather foul-tempered axe-wielding Daemon. Cunning is what Lord of Change were gifted with, along with great magic’s.

It looked at its surroundings “So, powerful Mortals and Other gather here?” Its head jerked closer to her “Interesting. Tell me, what do you know about this place?”

Its questioning was interrupted by the Fox Mortal coming over and talking briefly before collapsing, it tsked “You Mortals and your fragilities” A cunning glint appeared in its eyes “Those could be removed if a certain praise was sung” A plot slowly formed in its mind, one that might snare a few more Puppets for the Grand Schemer to pull the strings of.

[Agent X]

"Sure was painful. Boy howdy." She blocked out the vivid memory and really really tried not to think about it.

X rolled her eyes as she sort of heard and felt Hunter collapse somewhere behind her. "Stop playing around back there," she snarled, without taking her eyes off the daemon.  She didn't know the fox-man well enough to be the one rushing to his side, and she had other things she needed to be paying attention to.  If she got a chance, and no one else came to his aid, she'd get around to it.  But now the daemon was INTERESTED in this place, and her first priority was to stop that from continuing.  This was 'home,' this was where she'd found sanctuary when she needed it, and that could not be ruined.

She didn't flinch when its head got closer. That was important. "Oh this place?" she asked nonchalantly and took a drag off her cigar, blowing the smoke in its face sort of by accident. "Just a crummy old dive," and kicked a stray broken table leg out of the way of her foot, as if to make her point. How pieces of furniture ended up outside the bar she wasn't sure, but it was probably part of a great story. "Going out of fashion, really.  Not that many people come here anymore, and rarely the powerful ones."  She jerked her thumb back at Hunter. "I mean really, him? Powerful? C'mon." And a fanged grin to follow up lying through her pointy teeth. "Trust me, I'm a drunk. I know the bar scene well."  She really hoped nobody spoke up to contradict her on the importance of this particular establishment.

"And uh. I don't think any singing's going to be done. I don't know keys and notes so well, I mean, we'd have to rehearse and get vocal training and audition in front of a panel of washed up celebrities and text our votes in by phone and really I think we can all deal with our frailties."  She was probably taking that far more literally that she should be.  Either way, this thing wasn't going to be helping them without an ulterior motive.

[Six]

The Daemons unblinking eyes were unaffected by the smoke blown in its face, such things were beneath its notice “Wonderful! Pain makes you know you’re alive, more then this one can say”

It raised its head and examined the establishment, its mind made a few connections and it deemed that this was indeed a place of importance and power, and this female was trying to dissuade it from investigating further. Interesting.

“I was not talking about the Fox Mortal, though it is quite resilient”
It nodded slowly
“Although I do not think that this is a ‘crummy old dive’ or ‘going out of fashion’ especially if Mortals of the Andalites level and others that I can sense have come through here, visit this place even occasionally.”

It looked her in the eye “No I think not” It chuckled again “This humble Daemon happens to be thinking there is a great importance.”

For as a Greater Servant of the Changer of Ways, the Daemon was granted some insight and was able to pick out the lie, not just with the facial expressions, but the slight changes in emotion and scent, oh how amusing this was!

What the Mortal said about the Praises amused the Lord of Change to no end and it burst out laughing.
“Ha ha! You are very amusing! I’m glad I didn’t use you to kill the others, or make you tear yourself apart once I had gained control! Far too amusing”

Its smile had changed, no longer was it friendly, although it seemed that way at first look, no there was something lurking underneath it, cunning and the malevolent presence of a far greater being then the Daemon known as Khazrak.

[Myitt]

<Did she really just reference American Idol?> Michael wonders.

<Honestly, when was the last time you watched bleeding telly?  How should I know?>

Corliss has been watching Khazrak's suave and unnerving little conversation with growing unease.  Ossanlin was clearly in pain, and that didn't help his sense of dread, either.  He lowers his Dracon cautiously, narrowing his eyes at the growing orb in the demon's palm.

Agent X, a name he drudged from conversations with his sister...perhaps he had met her years before?  She was sharp enough to see that any interest the demon had in this place was bad news.  

He clears his throat and speaks up.  "Excuse me, Mister Khazrak, but you see, this place is just what you thought it was when you came 'ere."  His voice sounds hollow to himself in the presence of such power, and besides, he was getting a terrible headache.  "Just a place to get bloody skint and pissed.  A place for entertainment and sustenance.  A little nothing of a place.  It just happens to attract very strange clientele, apparently on random.  But they've got a point, if you eat souls then the kitchen's rather closed.  Don't reckon anyone would want their souls devoured.  No offense, eh?"  He grins half-heartedly, despite the demon's nasty change of expression.  

[Six]

The Greater Daemon turned its attention to the one who had called it ‘Mister’, sizing up the Mortal.

“Oh?” Its tone and expression, not to mention the aura around it darkened considerably “Was I having a conversation with you, Mortal? No I think not”

The orb darkened before it dissipated entirely as it moved both long taloned hands to grip the staff rather tightly, colors shifted along its plumage darkening to a more angry color, a face pushed itself put of the Daemons side, joined by a few more that twisted and writhed, mouthing praises to the Great Lord and false promises to the Mortals.

Before Khazrak banished them from its form with a thought and its plumage slowly returned to its brighter color
“I am not interested in the Souls here, for now” Rather the Lord of Change wished to gather information, to give to its Lord in order to further the Great Scheme.

[Agent X]

"Yeah, I'm glad you didn't make me go all suicide-sockpuppet too," she muttered as the Thing turned its terrible amusement back at her.  Oh hell, she wasn't going to be able to talk the daemon out of this. It knew she was lying, and it was getting pissed. 

But then Corliss walked up. Though there was a good possibility they'd met, X didn't recognize him at all.  That didn't stop her from clapping him in a friendly fashion on the shoulder. "Heeeey buddy!  Didn't see you there!" she grinned again after he'd done his spiel.  "I don't know if you remember me, I'm Agent X, you know, from the Bar at the End of the Universe?"  She snorted, "Oh man we got so trashed that one night with those mages and that other thing, and they turned the whole galaxy inside-out, do you remember?  I'm pretty sure that was you.  We need to go there more often."  And with her memories as fuzzy as they sometimes were, that story might even have enough truth to it.  She hadn't dared reach out to anyone with her mind this entire time, and she wasn't going to start now- just had to hope that this dude got the hint as to How Much Better this 'other bar' is. She could hear Hunter's slow pulse behind her and she could smell the yeerk inside of the new guy's brain.  Little sensory distractions from the ever more dangerous expressions and body language coming from ol' Khazrak. The writhing faces on the daemon's body were most unnerving.

[Six]

The Daemon tilted its head to the side, odd conversation had abruptly sprung up, the female said something about another Bar, this one apparently at the end of the universe, well Khazrak had been there many times, in many universes and had found a few civilizations, primitive ones which were soon turned from worshiping their Gods to worshiping the Great Schemer, it had been a notable achievement to say the least.

Still it would have to investigate, its mind reached into the Warp, searching and locating a few Lesser ilk, dispatching swift orders for a search at the ends of the multiple universes, one universe at a time.

The Daemon sniffed disdainfully, a poor attempt to dissuade a Lord of Change, but it would play along see where this led

“Interesting, tell this one more”

[Agent X]

"Oh.. Oh!" she said, as if just realizing this is something the creature might want to hear more about. She let some of her nervousness show through like it was a reaction to this, but not enough to overdo it.  She shook her head. "Nah, you?  A guy like you wouldn't be interested."  She had pieced that story together from old memories, and kept those memories in her head to give more truthiness to her speech.  "End of the Universe is rough territory, you should know.  Bar's inside some kind of a bubble so it's real hard to get to."  X puffed on her cigar and gave the demon an almost pleading look. "D-don't go there."  If she'd done this correctly it would seem like she was protecting the other place and had 'slipped up' by mentioning it at all.  And besides, if there was one thing she knew most demonic entities hated, it was being told what not to do.

[Chad32]

(Gotten quite active since I was here last)

Temrash let the Fox creature go, only to see him collapse again. He gathered the poor guy up, and continued towards his ship. After he got the guy to the med bay, he'd figure out what asmodee was doing back. Anything to take his mind off his impotent battle with that monstrosity. That thing was like a lesser crayak, but not bound by the complicated Game with the Ellemist.

Danika's pod stopped the advance when the demon shifted into another dimension. It landed not far away. Danika hoped that if the demon ever attacked again, her creator would have something arranged to defeat it.

***********************

I have extra talon gauntlets if you fancy them." Zoshonel said to Mar. "Also a few short swords and axes. I tend to use smaller melee weapons, instead of some large axes or broadswords you might see people use. Speed and maneuverability over power, and all."

They came out of Z-Space, and made for the bar. While in orbit, he engaged a zoom lens that would help pinpoint what was happening. "Looks like they're not fighting right now. Maybe a standoff. I'll try to land as close as possible without putting us in danger."