Urban Fantasy - Open To Anyone

[wingedbeastie]

 

Cipher City is a place where the impossible becomes real and dreams go to die. I mean, if you're going to be a melodramatic bitch about it.

It's a mess of a place, but what city isn't. Keep your head down and mind your fucking business -- yes, even if some of the residents have scales or wings or whatever -- and you'll be just fine. The big community center and park is probably the only neutral ground in the city- it's got protective wards out the ass and is where everyone does their big hoopla monthly event; witches and their celebrations, neo-pagans and their drum circles and whatever bullshit hipster college kids get up to.

Center of the city is where the magical elite make their homes,  warded townhouses and condos with magical illuminated script for wallpaper keep them protected from the bitter folks in the worse off parts of town. Downtown is home to entertainers and black markets of all kinds and will sell you anything you need for a price. Hunters of all kinds offer their services in dingy, cigarette filled offices and back tables in dark restaurant. Witches, Vampires, Demons - shit, even other hunters if you knock on the right door - somebody will be happy to collect a head if you line their pockets.

So the question is: why are you here, stranger?

Comments

[huntressofhunters]

"Most don't trust me enough to stick around." Eileen retorted, surprisingly airy considering circumstances.

"Well enough," She said, her syllables thrumming with power the bladed whip began coiling like a great snake. Sections of the weapon rang, silver-light writing etching itself into the metal. It a pretty sound; bright in tone but seemed cacophonous to Twitchy, judging from the way he writhed in the booth.

"Weary prayers have reached Our Mother
Wings of The Crow will give you flight
Silver Mercy has found you, Brother
Hard-won rest has come tonight."

At the end of the incantation, Eileen twisted her wrist again, the point of the blade rushing with dazzling speed.Twitchy had growled something low and guttural, clambering to sit up as a magic circle appeared in the air before him. The attack struck and bounced, ricocheting violently towards the counter area. Not to be outdone, Eileen spun against the momentum of her blade, forcing the blade to redirect and embed itself in the counter-top -- just shy of Salem.

"Shit." The oath was the only thing that the Crow Hunter could manage after a moment of gawking.

The corruption was apparent, his Hunter's Ward was so low in energy that it was barely luminescent. It seemed to crack and crumble as it wound counter-clockwise, before stuttering and spinning wildly in the proper clockwise fashion, flickering madly as it hung in the air.

"So much for fuckin' courtesy." The Crow grumbled, accent thickening with her irritation. She scowled at Twitchy, watching as his body tried to heal, bullets beginning to push out of their wounds.

[witchtrialled]

"Well, I don't trust anyone much." Salem admits, just as airy, and sits back to enjoy the show.

And what a show it is. By the time Eileen's blade comes crashing into the counter next to him, he's grinning up a storm, teeth gleaming in the too-bright fluorescent lights. Casually, he shifts his lanky mess a couple inches to the right, off of the stool and onto the floor, watching as Twitchy shudders and twitches, pushing the bullets out onto the table with a clatter-clatter-clatter.

Slowly, the man pushes himself back onto his feet, staring down the two of them with eyes that are not human. Black and empty pits, with pinpricks of light, molten in the cores of his eye sockets. Slowly, his mouth unhinges, jaw cracking and snapping as it falls and hangs, useless, from the base of his skull-

Bang! Another shot rings out 'cross the diner, and mid-transformation, Twitchy looks down at the new bullet hole right between his legs. Salem, clutching a shining silver pistol, frowns.

"Right, right. Not human. Just makin' sure."

With a screech, Twitchy leaps and tackles the gangly Witch across the counter and into the kitchen with a crash and clatter of cutlery.

[huntressofhunters]

If Eileen had been a younger woman, or simply in a better mood, she would have smiled at Salem's investigation. At the moment though, all it earned was a huff and a quick rolling of her eyes. The young Witch gets his quip and then he and Twitchy go barreling over the counter.

"Hell,"she groaned before vaulting over the counter and landing in a crouch that was a likely a hair lower than necessary.

Swinging her arm in a wide arc, The Crow stood and began murmuring as the blade that seemed to hover around her began winding again. The singing of the blades forced another moment of violent writhing in Twitchy, who couldn't decide if he hated the source of the noise or Salem more. He seizes, the final throw of whatever it is, raising a strangely spindly arm to point at the hunter. The corruption drips off of him in thick grey rivulets, the color of black ash and whipped topping mixed together, streaky and uneven.

"Mater ar-"

Before she can finish the incantation, there is a a sickening crack as Twitchy's spiny fingertip comes rocketing before her. Eileen's Ward, even incomplete, is strong. It removes the corruption, splattering it in a ring from the point of entry. However, her potency means nothing with speed and so the clean bit of bone strikes true, catching in her shoulder with enough force to stagger her.