Tibet, unknown location

[SiphonTalvesh]

((Legend:

Chris = Black
Helen = pink
Juliara = red
Gwen = purple
John = blue
Watson = green
Clara = orange
Alice = lime
Will = brown
Unknown cyan

The entire team, over a series of teleport 'jumps', materialized in an area where the supposed Vampire Stronghold had once been.  As they did, Helen began looking around, frowning at the distinct lack of rubble indicating it had ever been there.  Clara emphasised this point a moment later.

"Right so um ...  this is the right spot, right?"

Helen sighed.

"This is where the map stated it should be yes, but there's only rocks."


Watson meanwhile had moved off to one side with Will, and they were looking at a strange looking rock.  Watson seemed to be pondering something, when Will suddenly blinked.

"Hey Dr. Watson, wouldn't their stronghold have been made from stone?  Doesn't that look like it might be the lip to a castle, but buried?"

After a moment, Watson smiled slightly.

"Yes, they would have been, and it does.  This may be one of the outer walls.  I think you're right, I think it may be buried below us.  The trick is to find a way down.  Perhaps near where the center would have been?"

Will frowned.

"We need another reference point, at least one, maybe two more edge sides to tell us where the outer markers would have been.  We need to get the others looking."

Watson nodded, and started to move forward, however something seemed off with him, or the suit, as he stumbled, barely catching himself.  He was close enough to both Winona and Sarah for them to notice as well, just as they'd surely notice when will went to check on him he waved him off, saying he was fine and he'd catch up.


Meanwhile Chris was walking with Juliara, the two looking and talking quietly, probably catching up.  Alice wasn't too far from them, seeming to shadow them and stay close to someone she knew.  Any glances over to her betrayed that she was absolutely terrified being in the open like this, and was trying to stay near someone she knew so she didn't lose it.  And for anyone who knew her past, who could blame her for being so scared?


Gwen meanwhile was off on her own, seeming to be looking around the area.

[Shrike7]

Winona sent a concerned look to Watson as he stumbled, eyes drifting over the odd hints of the contraption he wore under his suit. He waved away help, so she moved towards Helen instead, crossing her arms to help ward away the cold.

"Search a large area for small clues. Sounds like the reason I'm here. Shall I?" She asked simply, smiling.

Once she had permission, she nodded, starting to remove her jacket, passing it to the woman. "Very good. Try to keep this warm for me. If I don't return in an hour, assume I want able to ward off the cold, and continue without me. I'll return in spring, or perhaps summer, if the weather here takes that long to thaw." She explained pleasantly, before she seemed to slouch a little, then collapse entirely. Spiders swarmed outwards from her, dozens, then quickly hundreds, possibly thousands. They scattered in every direction, avoiding the feet of the group as they spread around, slipping into the cracks between rock and snowdrift and vanishing from sight. There was little left of the woman herself, short the jacket Helen held and the matching snow pants and heavy boots a few feet away.

[lurker]

Sarah took herself a moment to double-check everything as they arrived, looking into that carpet bag of hers to double check everything before she really did much else. "Well, I suppose burying the place would be a good way of securing it," she can't help but deadpan, giving a shrug as she helps to try and figure out more of this place.

[SiphonTalvesh]

Helen nodded, calling back to Sarah.

"True.  It's also been so long since the massacre here that this very well could be overgrowth on it's own.  It probably hasn't been touched or viewed much in centuries outside of my father's visit here."


It would take some time, but Winona would eventually locate another outer wall piece, almost completely buried, and seeming to have been damaged at some point, for part was broken off.  Based on what she'd heard Will and Watson talking about, that would put the center of the place just slightly off where they'd come in to begin with.


Gwen meanwhile had found some trinkets that appeared to be very old, deciding to pocket them.  Who knew what might be a vital clue to this?


The others continued their search, with Chris, Alice and Juliara moving back towards Sarah and the others, possibly to coordinate a more proper search.  Suddenly though, Alice froze in place, and one look at her told Sarah something had spooked the girl.  Really spooked her, as she'd turned several shades whiter than normal.  Her hands were shaking, and she looked to be trying not to run away in terror.  Juliara noticed first, and said something to Chris, who turned and started talking to her.  Sarah couldn't make out what he said to her, but Alice's response, the first time she'd spoke, might send a chill down her spine.

"Something ...  or someone ...  we're being watched.  We aren't alone out here."


Chris frowned.  He'd been aware of several creatures around, wildlife, but they would leave them alone.  He paused for a moment, carefully examining Alice and her reaction.  She didn't seem like a bear or wolf or anything would have spooked her like this.  No, there was something, human, or maybe abnormal out there somewhere that he couldn't sense.  If it were human, it might be the Cabal.  If it were abnormal ...  well things would get a lot more interesting if this place had been nested by some abnormal species.  Finally, he spoke, but the way he did it masked his true purpose.

"Everyone over here please.  We need to discuss how to find our entry point before the sun sets."

Something else was said to Alice, who nodded and shakily walked towards the designated point.

[Shrike7]

In the odd, disconnected awareness of her current form, Winona traveled down, following the pillar they had found to its base. She found the directions its foundations stretched off to, and altered the directions she sent her swarm to match, crawling through the mountain snow, a few above, but the vast bulk of her below the surface now.

Some of her view fuzzed, eventually blacking entirely, but she ignored the slow diminution, finding two more corners to the foundation, and moving upwards from those. At the surface, a few spiders began to emerge, then more, two flows moving from points spaced in the distance and returning to the heavier clothes she left behind, the swarm massing upon itself, growing and merging back into the woman she had been moments ago.

Shivering, she moved to Helen and retrieved her jacket, seeming slimmer than she had been before, almost gaunt. "I've found two more corners to the structure, the places you saw me emerge. I'm certain Will and the good doctor can find the fourth from there." She explained, rubbing her arms against herself to try and warm faster.

[lurker]

Sarah stayed quiet about what she had overheard, the woman however can't help but gaze her wary eyes around as she neared the others. Just in case, she allowed a hand to casually rest inside her carpet bag as she approached the others, carefully gripping one of those old pistols.

Reaching the others, she sighed. "Sooner we figure this out, the better, really."

[SiphonTalvesh]

Will and Watson began scheming in their minds the layout based on the information Winona had given them while the others grouped up together. When they arrived at the same spot, Chris dropped the bombshell.

"Alice is sensing something other than us here. Now, there's two things I can think of. Either it's the Cabal, and this is a setup, which fits them, or we've got an unidentified abnormal lurking about, maybe more than one. Whatever it is, I can't sense it, which isn't good. We also need to figure out our entry point soon, or we'll have to leave and come back. The nights will get brutally cold this time of year, and none of you will want to be here when the sun sets. Will, Watson, anything?"

After a moment, Watson began to slowly nod.

"I believe so. Based on the information Winona has given to us, the center, and a possible access point, should be about thirty meters or so behind, and to our left. We probably walked over it already in fact, so it's probably very well hidden."

[Shrike7]

"Or at least, very well buried." Winona added with a shrug. "Its possible it is otherwise hidden, but I suspect we shall have to dig, first."

She glanced around briefly, then continued. "As for any possible guests, I didnt see any either, but I wasn't looking for one, either. If it's the cabal and they saw me scatter, we likely have some time while they regroup. It also means I should be a viable distraction, as well. Or bait."

[SiphonTalvesh]

Watson nodded in agreement.

"I'd be surprised, very surprised if we didn't need to do at least a small amount of digging. Given all this time ... well, let's just say that we can see this much of the place is a mild surprise."


Helen meanwhile grimaced slightly, not liking the idea of using anyone as bait.

[SiphonTalvesh]

((Long enough on the wait. Moving this along.))


The group of them spread out, looking for this entry point. It would be Gwen who found it, although by mistake, and not how they'd be expecting. One moment it was quiet, the next Gwen let out a short cry of surprise and vanished from view. A few moments later, they could hear her yell ouy, "Found it! Fell inside the damn thing!"


As he moved over with some of the others, Chris frowned.

"She shouldn't have fallen in like that. Someone else has been here and dug this up recently. Will, set up the ropes, we'll have to rappel down one at a time. I'm going down there, don't think Gwen should be left alone down there for a couple of reasons."

Nodding to Helen and Juliara, he walked to the edge and jumped down, landing a few moments later to find Gwen a bit shaken, but otherwise unharmed.

((Time to have the others react and join them below.))

[Shrike7]

Winona turned at the yelp, a hint of a smile crossing her face as it was revealed what had happened. She waited for the ropes to be set up, keeping an eye on their surroundings and headed down near the last of the group, in case they were attacked while distracted.

[SiphonTalvesh]

One by one the group made their way inside the abandoned fortress, meeting up with Chris and Gwen. Gwen seemed to be rubbing her shoulder slightly, and wincing slightly as she walked. It seemed she'd banged her shoulder some, and possibly had rolled her ankle, but otherwise she seemed fine. Fortunately, the fall hadn't been too far down.

As they made their way deeper inside the place though, Gwen began to seem uncomfortable. As they approached a darker than others corner, she stopped, prompting the others to as well.

"Something's off. I mean ... well ... the electrical charge in me is acting weird, almost as if something with a similar ability were clashing with it, or as if there was some kind of other charge in the air, but ... I think Alice is right, we may not be alone down here."


A moment later, a shape appeared in the doorway behind her, right in front of what had once been a massive metal door. It spoke, laughing as it did.

"You should listen to her, she's right you ... OW!"


The voice was cut off as Alice reacted in a way no one had been expecting. Letting out a slight gasp, she suddenly reached her hands out, then pushed them away as if shoving someone. The huge metal door lifted off the ground, and then SLAMMED straight into the person's face, sending them flying into a lit enough area for the others to recognize them. It was Nikola Tesla, who was supposed to be dead.

Alice though wasn't done as she pressed her hands down onto the air, the door actually pressing and pinning the half vampire, immobilizing him.


Once he realized what had happened, Druitt began to laugh uncontrollably before turning to Alice, and with a smirk, he added, "bravo, nicely done. I don't suppose you'd care to smack him a few more times in the face with that door would you?"


Alice though didn't seem to be in a laughing mood. In fact, she seemed barely in control of herself, as if having a flash back or something. She seemed as if she were contemplating trying to crush him beneath the door, her hands wavering and shaking, sweat pouring down her face with her eyes still wide and alarmed looking. Clearly, Nikola's appearance had triggered the emergence of another power she had, one it seemed Chris even hadn't been aware of as he seemed surprised at her reaction, but also concerned as Alice seemed out of control. It was possible her memories of whatever had been done to her had come back, and she'd reacted out of pure fight instinct.

[Shrike7]

"Ah, if it isn't the -other- last vampire." Winona commented with a smirk. She recognized an ingrained reaction when she saw one, and figured the other woman would calm herself after a moment, coming back to the present.

[SiphonTalvesh]

Chris whispered something to Alice, who reluctantly moved the door off Nikola, allowing the half vampire to speak.

"Well if it isn't my favorite spider woman. Tell me ..."

Helen cut him off.

"Cut the bullshit Nikola, what the hell are you doing here?"

Watson was the one who answered her though, glaring at Nikola as he did.

"I suspect for the same reason we're here. You wanted the Source Blood sample."

Druitt smirked slightly as he added, "Only he failed, or you wouldn't still be here, not after our last meeting."

"Yes, about that, nice move there John. Took me a while to get over that one."

"Not long enough. Care for another helping?"

The grimace on his face suggested not.

There was a long moment of silence, finally broken by Nikola.

"I may as well show you the map your father left Helen, it's in the center of this place. He really knew how to make things difficult didn't he."

"Lead on then and let's get this over with."


As they moved onward, Alice seemed to keep a wary eye on Nikola, while Gwen kept her distance, still seeming to try to get used to whatever feeling she was getting from being in proximity to someone with electrical powers of their own.

Juliara however moved over to Winona, tilting her head.

"Spider woman? I somehow doubt he meant a lover of spiders. So if I'm right ... you can shift too?"

[Shrike7]

Winona smiled sweetly. Somehow, it seemed almost predatory. "What's wrong with being a lover of spiders?" She asked, before opening her mouth. It went wider than it should, and a pair of pedipalps unfurled from within, showing a pair of wicked looking fangs tipping them before they retreated once more.

"You didnt notice above? My kind is something like shifters, I suppose. In truth, we're somewhere between a shifter, and a sentient colony. It's hard to explain better than that." She answered.

[SiphonTalvesh]

Juliara gave a small smile of her own, seemingly not put off by the show.

"Nothing at all, and no, I missed it completely, I was keeping an eye open for entry points, as well as on ...  Alice I think her name is?  One of her latent abilities is ...  rather interesting and unique."


Meanwhile Nikola led them to a large room, one that had some kind of mechanism in the center, with slots for five objects shaped like a disc.  Nikola tapped a few of the buttons on i, and a map appeared.  Moments later, an exclamation point appeared over five different locations.

"It appears each of these marked areas contains a test, one suited specifically for each of the five of us.  Wait ..."

He trailed off as he scanned the room, looking for something.  Finally he sighed.

"Where the hell is Nigel?  Without him we won't be able to complete all of the tests."

Clara stepped forward slightly, glaring at Nikola.

"I have the gifts my grandfather did.  Just show me where I need to go to so I can get away from your ugly ass."

A small smirk crept to NIkola's face as he replied, "I like her already.  Here then."

He pointed to a section on the glowing map, indicating for Clara.  In short order, he pointed out all of their tests, and it seemed his and Helen's were practically next to each other, which didn't sit well with Druitt.  As they began trying to figure out who was going with whom, Nikola added, "Oh yes, I almost forgot.  It seems not all of the traps set down for defense were disabled when your father came here Helen.  Everyone else might want to be careful not to fall in to one of them.  There have also been ...  other creatures down here at times, not all of them friendly, so ...  watch your steps."


Chris looked over at Helen who nodded to him, and then he laid out a plan.

"Alright, let's do this then.  John and Watson's tests are next to each other, they need to go off together and work.  Will, go with them and make sure they don't kill each other?  Helen and Nikola's are next to each other, Gwen, Alice and Juliara, head with them.  Winona and I will head off with Clara and make sure nothing sneaks up on her.  Invisibility or not, we don't want to risk something down here being able to scent you out without a fight."


Alice widened her eyes at splitting up, getting out a "Maybe I should ..."


Chris shook his head.

"They may need your abilities there.  Gwen and Juliara can keep an eye out for you, it'll be fine."


She sighed, nodding her head but not looking happy about it.


And off they all went.

((Leaving it open for you Shrike to have Winona say some stuff both to Juliara before they depart, and after the split.))

[Shrike7]

((Works for me, lol.))

Winona tilted her head slightly, then nodded. "Yes, I've heard she is quite the specimen. And with ties to one of our own, no less." She agreed with a smirk, glancing towards the woman in question, though she kept their conversation private. It occurred to Juliara that this must be what the Cabal sounded like, but they reached their destination before she could comment further.

Nikola explained the map he revealed, and Chris determined roles, making Winona raise an eyebrow in Helen's direction. It wasn't too often she relieved command of an operation she was physically present for, though she always listened to opinions.

"Are you sure Will alone will be enough to keep those two off each other?" She asked rhetorically, giving the young man a wink before she moved to stand with Clara, tossing an offhand comment to Juliara as well before they split.

"Try to keep a better eye out this time, if someone discorporates around you, it's probably something to worry about, until I get back at least." She called out teasingly, just before the curving tunnels separated the groups from the main room.

[SiphonTalvesh]

((So I somehow missed your response until now ...))

Juliara chuckled slightly as she moved off with the rest of her group, but it was obvious now she was on full alert. It was unclear how much she knew about Nikola, but to Winona's trained eye, it was clear the woman didn't trust the Dhamphir at all.


Helen for her part only nodded in affirmation, seeming to agree with what Chris had said about who went where. She nodded slightly as she caught Winona's look, almost seeming to be relieved. Perhaps the re-appearance of Nikola had rattled her more than she wanted to admit.


Then they were out of sight of the others, moving along the path set for Clara. As they moved along, Chris was unusually quiet. In fact, he seemed to be doing more than sensing for other beings, he seemed to be thinking about something, and if his expression were anything, it wasn't a pleasant thought.

[Shrike7]

Winona remained quiet as well, listening to the faint sounds in the caverns, listening to anything out of place. She could tell Chris had something on his mind, but she also knew that he was liable to inform them without prompting, if it was important, so she felt no need to press him about it.

[SiphonTalvesh]

They pressed onward, progress a bit slower than one might expect due to some of the floor having been damaged by neglect over the years. Whatever Chris was thinking about, he was keeping to himself for the moment, possibly not wanting Clara to over hear?

Suddenly both he and Clara stopped, Clara with a puzzled expression on her face.

She turned back to Chris and asked, "Did you hear that?"

Chris nodded to her.

"What the hell was ... oh crap."


From out of the dark, near a side passage ahead of them stepped forward three hulking figures. Winona would hear them before she saw them, their heavy weight not conductive for stealth.

Three large Trolls, and from the looks of them, clearly out of their minds. Normally somewhat peaceful unless provoked, these three were caked in blood, their bodies tensed, and their eyes bloodshot. They were clenching their fists, skulking towards the three with murder in their eyes.

"Uh ... are they ??"

"Infected with Lazarus? Sure as hell looks that way. Get behind us Clara, you do not want to try and go toe to toe with one on a good day, and this is far from a good day. Winona, think you can handle at least one of them? Hate to say it but ... from the looks of things, they're beyond help."

[Shrike7]

Winona paused with the others, hearing the heavy stomps of their footfalls before the trio thudded into view. She regarded them calmly, removing her outer parka as she had outside. "Should be able to. At the very least, I can buy you all the time you need to deal with the other two." She answered, her skin visibly crawling as she started to shift.

Her form stretched, gaining a little overall foot in height, her slim form bulking out some as her clothes seemed to morph into hard exoskeleton. Extra eyes opened on her face, and four spindly spider limbs grew from her back, ending in wicked-looking points. Her fingers shaped themselves into spikes of chitin, and her jaw distorted to allow her pedipalps and fangs to extend.

She wasted no time, rushing towards the left side of the trio, going wide at the last moment to try and force he chosen opponent to overextend when it swung at her. She hissed at the troll as she slid past him along the wall, lashing out threateningly, though she was out of range to strike.

[SiphonTalvesh]

The troll she'd targeted swung, and hard. While it didn't connect with her, she could feel the air part from the sheer force of the swing, enough to probably have really hurt if it had connected. A second Troll lumbered over in her direction, the two of them almost seeming to coordinate as they tried to box her in.


Clara meanwhile had gone invisible, hanging back as instructed. For the moment, it seemed the Trolls would ignore her in favor of the two more aggressive combatants thwy faced.


Chris meanwhile had gone full vamp mode, moving at the first Troll with insane speed. He hadn't seemed to teleport, possibly wary of doing so under ground, but he'd still moved faster than one might have expected. He lashed out at the Troll, but to anyone watching it was clear he would miss his first swipe. The troll roared as it swung at him, but it seemed he'd been wanting that.

As it's arm swung past him, Chris planted his feet, and grabbed hold of the Troll's arm, using it's bulk to flip himself up into the air. A twist turn that would have made a gymnast cry foul later, he landed squarely on the Troll's back. There was a roar, followed by the sound of bone snapping as Chris made short work of the Troll, snapping it's neck and downing it for good. That just left the two Winona faced, but it'd be a moment before Chris could pry one away from her ...

((Figure I'll give you a chance to do some damage or something before I have him come in on another one. Don't want to hog all the glory ))

[Shrike7]

((How kind. XD ))

Her plan seemed to have worked too well, drawing two of the trolls, instead of just the one. It would be fine, she was sure. Her extra spider legs started weaving behind her back, the spideress backing up down the passage the trolls had lumbered down, denying them the chance to surround her. When she was ready, she reversed momentum and charged the pair again, dancing back as the one she singled out swung at her. She twisted aside at the heavy blow, revealing the glob of silk she had been creating, stretching it out to coat the fist, and dragging its momentum down until it slammed against the ground, affixing it with a wet thud to the old stonework. While a human would be helplessly affixed from that, she knew something as strong as these trolls would RIP free in a moment or two, though they may leave skim behind doing so.

Still, it bought her some time, and she worked to seperate the two further, pressing an attack on the second assailant while she had the time to focus her efforts, dancing in close to the thing and lashing out with her claws and legs, driving gouges into the creature's leathery hide. She could wear it down with time, but more likely she was just weakening it for Chris to finish off.

[SiphonTalvesh]

The ensnared Troll was far from happy when it got stuck, growling like a rabid dog and immediately yanking at it's bonds, already making progress.

The second Troll was able to stop, turning to advance on Winona, before trying to rush her. This of course allowed her claws to dig deeper into it than she might have expected, however it also placed her in the position of having to recoil backwards slightly and lose some of her forward momentum trying to avoid it's meaty fist. It swung just over the top of her head, missing by inches, the force leaving a tailwind behind it strong enough that she knew had it connected, it would have easily taken a human's head off.

The wound she left on it was deep, but not enough to put it down just yet. Given enough time, and a few more blows, she could probably take it down herself. The question was if she could get that close again, as it did have a reach advantage.


Meanwhile the ensnared one tore free, starting to come after her when suddenly it roared in pain as Chris slashed it from behind. It whipped around to swing at the vampire, missing and teetering, mortally wounded but somehow still on it's feet. It would go down for sure, but it seemed it wasn't going to quickly, causing Chris to let loose a growl of his own as he 'reloaded' for another attack.

[Shrike7]

Winona danced back yet again. She was fast enough to be relatively safe from one troll. She was briefly worried about how quickly the second tore free, but it's roar of pain signalled Chris evening the odds, so once it turned to face him, she put it from her mind, focusing on the one she had already wounded.

She took her time, hissing at it as she neared to the edge of it's reach, staying to a low combat crouch and trying to draw it into attacking her again. Finally it did, aiming an overhead smash with one arm, keeping the other ready to defend itself if she dodged and closed the distance. She didn't, staying close to the fist as it came down, the spider legs on her left side bracing against the ground and receiving the blow. The twin spears of chitin drove through it's wrist and forearm to the first joint, puncturing straight through the meaty arm. It didn't come without reprisal however, the smash itself and the troll reeling back in pain caused enough damage to rip the forelimbs from the rest of her, her blue blood splattering as they tore free, dripping from the crippled limbs afterwards. She hardly seemed to notice as she pressed her advantage, sticking to it's wounded side and gouging more wounds into it's gut amd side, staying away from the chest and the thick bones protecting the vitals there.

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