Julen City positively buzzes with activity, the heart of a "small" megalopolis and overflowing with millions of people's lives and businesses. It's full of businessmen and lawyers and taxi drivers...and also has its share of misfits. The residents' many idiosyncrasies make it an ideal place for individuals who are genuinely different to blend in and give no indication that they're part of this modern world's second, magical, and largely unheard heartbeat.

---

Julen Archive
Julen Archive II
Julen Archive III
Julen Archive IV

---

Yin is immediately on guard as soon as they land...though thrown off balance as ever by the teleportation thing. She's cringing inwardly. Granted, she'd initially wanted to talk to Comedy, but that was before they'd gotten militant.

Yue appears in a heap against the wall, claw marks etched deeply into her suit and face, but more dazed than damaged. Revilier, too, though he's actually been put to sleep. Kaz leaps back immediately, tazer drawn, but doesn't know what to do.

Comedy sits on Revilier's shoulder, kitty like, just smiling at Yin.

The dragoon finishes setting her stunned guy down gently--not because Comedy's here, she would have done this anyway--eyes never leaving the cat. Leary as hell...worried about the others, already affected by this and that, and that she's about to follow suit or worse. Finally folds her arms. "So. Explanations, or do you already know all that?"

"Them? I just felt a bit of fun in order. And you ruined my sister's ridiculous display of melancholy, you know, by making something bad actually happen to us." The cat sits softly down.

"I'd actually meant from us. We weren't going to hurt him, for the record, or even keep him away for long."

"Oh." Comedy smiles broadly. "Fire away."

So he isn't omnipotent. That would be reassuring if this weren't already such a damned bad situation. Pauses, considering how much to say. Finally elects to just tell him, voice straight and even. "After looking at options, we'd like to try to get into your father's head to change his mind about the Alouette thing and to keep any other girl from immediately turning around and ending up in the same situation. For lack of a direct link, needed a relative. Opted for you over your sister because of apparent stability issues and, mostly, you quite frankly scare me more than she does. From what little we've interacted, I'm assuming I'd," implicating herself away from her accomplices, "be more likely elicit a dangerous reaction from you by bothering Tragedy in any way.

"I'd decided to just talk to you if the oppoturnity arose, rather hoped you'd just show up in the forest again, but that didn't happen to happen. Got to the house, that procession was still going, and god knows how long it would last, against our probable timeframes. With you right next to Tragedy, couldn't do much...just seeing me would likely elicit a dramatic reaction from her. Opted for a second bridge. One of your servants, to your mind, to your dad's. More dangerous and more covert than I wanted, but better suited to speed. Picked out this little group as working more closely for you than your sister because they seem to handle the practical affairs of the house, weren't interested in the procession, and for the most part aren't melodramatic in appearance in any way. Picked on this guy because he looked most vulnerable from musclature and stance and therefore the least likely to be hurt by struggling. Little blood choke, harmless, he'll be awake in three minutes."

"Into my mind, you say. To stop Lenocinant's ridiculous little plan?" The cat takes a moment to bathe his face. Pauses, admiring himself in the shine off the floor. "All neat. Of course I'll help you stop him. What fun is a world where all anyone does is have sex all the time?"

Yin lets out her breath. Yeah, he's a funny one. It's why it had been in her head at all that he might help. Smiles wryly. "That easy, huh?"

"Why not? That'd be funny."

"Point." Shakes her head. This is all so weird. "By the way. What happened to Patricio?" Knows there must be an explanation there somewhere.

"Didn't you see him? He can't replace Guildenstern, but damned if he's not trying."

Yin has to smirk. "At least he probably won't set me on fire." Glances to Yue and looks to the wyvern the cat's sitting on. "They okay?"

"Fine. Just illusions." Comedy hops off Revilier, who vanishes. "They'll come through when I let them."

Yin blinks. Stiffens, of course, not only at the reminder of the cat's power, but of course because Revilier is missing...and she quite remembers what happened last time. "And when will that be?"

"Whenever." He's having far too much fun with her.

This, she recognizes after a few minutes. Aw, damnit. Not again. Still. "I can't do the mind dream whatever thing with Yue," the dragoon points out. "I have no more idea than ever of what the hell I'm doing."

"Oh. She attacks with reason." The cat swishes a fat tail. "You win."

When Yue appears, he simply trembles at the knees and falls to the side, fading in and out of sight. Menayen watches all of this interestedly, wondering about it.

When Revilier pops through, he's just fine.

Yin manages a small smile at Revilier, touching his arm in reassurance and to reassure herself that he's real...but attention is immediately taken by Yue, to a creased brow. "Yue? You okay?" Steps towards the incubus, setting a hand on her shoulder.

Yue opens his lips to answer, but static chokes his voice at first. Menayen's eyebrow arches. That's not normal.

"I wonder if her unnatural radiation messed with the telejiggy." The kitty ponders this. "Oh well. Hi! Mission sort of accomplished."

Yue just leans against the wall, staring blankly as his senses slowly restore.

Yin's brow stays creased...isn't blaming anyone, even internally, but this needs to get handled. "Kaz? Any ideas?"

"Menayen, you idiot," Yue half-gasps. "Idiot."

Menayen stares at her. "Hey... I know that condescension. That's Yue? What happened to you?" As he speaks, he's tapping at his telejiggy. "I think the green light messed with his brain."

Yin, for her part, sees a chair, and sits. She's not tired, persay, but it feels good anyway.

"Oh I DO hope that doesn't cripple your plan to get into my head," Comedy chuckles, butt wiggling as if he quite intends to hop onto Yin's lap.

"There's got to be someone else somewhere who knows how to do it." Yin glances down to Comedy, but doesn't move to stop him, and looks back to Yue. "Yue? How with us are you? Are you getting your bearings?"

Revilier and Menayen double team fan Yue all the while. The Incubus shakes his head now and again, but his eyes sharpen by the second.

"Fine. Getting to be fine. I can take you into his mind."

This as Comedy leaps for Yin's lap.

He gets to do this just fine. She moves a hand for it, even, though it does occur to her that it's somewhat amusing considering the fact that Comedy isn't just a cat and her boyfriend's right here.

"Just let me know when you're confident you're up to it." Grins a bit at Menayen and Revilier. "I knew I kept you guys around for a reason."

"Hey," Menayen pouts, "that's my kitty-seat."

Comedy holds out a paw, and a very human hand with an upraised middle finger appears there.

Yue nods, breathing slowly, just listening to the sound of machines humming nearby.

"You have to be asleep, both of you," he informs them.

"Point. That's not going to be easy, having only been awake three hours or so. Well, unless a certain long-eared crackhead I know just knocks me the hell out when appropriate." Yin smirks, rubbing Comedy's ears because it amuses her.

"I can handle it," Yue half growls, irritated with the proceedings. "Just find somewhere comfortable to lie down."

Revilier nods, but Yue's eyes snap to him.

"Not you. You, pet, will need to stay here in case someone tries to harm them while they sleep. It will only be Yin and I."

Yin smiles a bit at the wyvern as she sets Comedy aside to stand and do as bidden. "I'll be okay, Revilier." Particularly if a certain guardian is going to be able to follow.

"Well. Do not kid yourself into thinking you'll sail through this, love. An incubus has complete control over his mind and can protect himself." Yue stands up straight, looking down on everyone else. "When you're ready."

Yin just smiles. Actually, she's more than a little freaked out by this. It's too solidly outside her repertoir, and the unknowns are intense. But for Revilier's sake and everyone's--but mostly Revilier's, and also because panicing just won't help matters...she just puts on a pretty face."

She lies down near the wall, setting the blanket under her head as a pillow. "All right, I'm good."

"Right." Yue holds out just one hand, fingertips and palm down. His eyes close, lips press tightly shut.

Menayen shrinks back a little bit, hair beginning to stand on end. Even Comedy begins to look nervously about.

Yue speaks.

"Moladriel moor, ikh moor alalum ausch dapths, ikh dramum, gra-Comedum, igra-Yin." he growls in the shredded bass of a devil superior. Comedy's eyelids waver, lucidity failing beneath the power of an infernal stasis spell.

Yin's eyes narrow a bit, flashing something very near apprehensive fear about when the others do. She's the one lying here prone...and suddenly wonders if she's made a very big mistake. Reality wavers, though, and she suddenly can't hold her eyes open. Blinks once and sinks quickly into a deep sleep, a hope that she'll be waking up again the last thing to waver upward.

Yue sits slowly against the wall, sliding down against his wings.

"Watch over us," he murmurs, just as he passes into unconsciousness.

Comedy's Mind is waiting.

---

Yin's eyes start to flutter open, fall shut at first. "Ugh..." she feels so...drained. Pale blue irises finally manage to glint through. "Revilier...?"

Menayen's arsenal room casts in gold. When Yin awakes, though, the color fades, and Revilier finally relaxes. He sits on his knees next to her, absolutely drained, but smiles anyway.

"I'm here, Yin. Are you alright...?"

She smiles a bit. Nods. "Yeah...do you realize you saved my ass?" Arms reach up. She wants a hug.

"No." He's glad to comply, scooping her into his arms without a moment's hesitation. "I just saved my life."

Yin breathes out...relaxes into his touch, leaning on his chest. He must be exhausted. The whole room had been lit up, and the chest-healing was a long time ago in terms of golden spell duration. "Is everyone okay?"

"Well..." Revilier holds her close, close enough to hide her eyes from the room. "Kaz is fine. Comedy disappeared with our captive, and the incubus... well. She's over there." He looks behind Yin's left shoulder, where an ash-colored Yue slumps against the wall, entirely bereft of his powers.

Yin gazes thoughtfully at Yue. "I have her demonic power, I think. She gave to me. I got in a scrap with Lenocinant." Shivers. She's...really, really cold. Actually, she can't remember last time she was cold.

"I don't know what that means," Menayen chirps from the corner, "but she don't look no good, nope."

"No..." Shivers again, and tries her hand at getting up. "Is Sxavior still around...?"

"He got called away a while ago," Menayen chirps. "Before things got heavy and you started moaning and then screaming in your sleep."

Revilier offers his arm to help her rise.

Yin smiles a bit at the wyvern, leaning on him reasonably heavily to get up. Doesn't blush, for once, at Menayen's statement. Eith everything that's happened, it's kind of the least of their worries. She nods.

Once she's steady, she heads quietly over to Yue, taking a knee in front of him. "Yue...?" Touches the demon's shoulder.

Where Yin touches, Yue's gray skin flakes into dust, just as Lenocinant had in the dream.

The vampiress stiffens, eyes wide. Um. Holy hell. "Anyone have any ideas...?"

Revilier shakes his head. "I tried the golden spell. Whatever she did, I don't know how to undo it."

"Well," Menayen hops from his chair, examining Yue. "Obviously, you'll have to give his power back."

"I'm not sure how..." Yin admits. She'd figured that much, but doing that is the trick. Sets her hand on the creepy shoulder again. Seems to shudder, though it's really just a cold-induced shiver. Considers. It can't be that dissimilar from the golden spell...thinks about how that feels. Passing on that energy and...tries to adjust this. Tries to get that demonic energy back into its owner.

Yin's spell glows copper, then mauve, fading into black. A trace of blood pools in the spot where Yue'd gone ashen. Bits of his skin take on color, gradually spreading across his body.

Yin should begin to feel a bit more neutral in temperature, about now.

Yue blinks.

Yin breathes out. Her awareness of the energy fades as it leaves her, since she has no particular talent of sensing it, historically...but can still feel when she thinks it's gone. Takes her hand off Yue's shoulder after seven seconds more, sitting back on her feet. Feels more drained than before, no longer sustained by the hellish energies. Needs a long nap, preferably with her boyfriend. "You okay?"

"I will be," he nods, just as his eyes close again.

"Yup, he will!"

Revilier turns quite suddenly. He knows that cheery kitten voice, and has only just made it around when Mara-kuru pounces him gracelessly onto the floor.

"Hiya hotness! All done?" She looks to Yin, hair still mussed from her sudden appearance.

Yin blinks. "The weirdness is almost normal." Shakes her head. "I'm not sure. I got the impression he just got kicked out of the dream like my guardian did to his underlings earlier."

"I dunno. Tel seemed to think it was time to come back and bug ya." Mara sits up on Revilier's chest, not even acknowledging him. He, for his part, just lays back. No point in making a fuss, here.

"But us about what?" The vampiress inquires. Any other time, this would be funny. But although it does get a little smirk, she's ready for other women to stop being on top of her Silver.

"Well, obviously, about getting involved!" Mara hops up, just off of Revilier, and salutes. "We're conscripting you, soldier!"

Yin raises an eyebrow. "What? Fuck no."

"Aww..." Mara's ears wilt. "But don't you want to save the universe with us? It'll be fun!"

"No, not particularly. I'd much rather calm down some no doubt freaking diplomats who suspect something wrong in the last twenty-four hours, settle things back into normalcy, and have a nice, painfully dull formal ball with my boyfriend, followed by a very long unconsciousness."

Menayen, for his part, is staring at Mara-kuru. Lips tremble just a little, but the rest of him wonders if he's dreaming.

"Oh well," Mara smiles, closing her eyes. "Enjoy your unconsciousness for a while. When the universe comes under Lenocinant's mommy's control, it'll be too late."

"It's not like I could possibly be important, anyway," Yin observes. Wanders over to Revilier, sitting beside him. "No one seems to listen when I point out that I'm a low-ranked military vampire." Glances at Kaz. "You okay, fuzzybutt?"

"I'm okay." He smiles at Yin. "She looks like that girl I told you about, is all."

Mara turns on her heels, annoyed, but amused. "You just defeated a devil, didn't ya? But hey, don't let this lonely Mara-kuru disagree with you're assertion that you suck. Suck suck suck."

"Because I was using her power." Thumbs towards Yue.

"That she gave you because she couldn't do it herself. That's what allies are for." Mara glances at Yue. Pets his hair idly. "Stasiel would've had Yue's ass on a plate for killing a devil."

"Stasiel?" Yin shivers a bit again. It's lessened from the near-crippling it was before now that demonic energies aren't wanting to heat against her physiology, but the new root of the problem is the fact that her ties to her dragon--and, thus, her element--are weakened while he convalesces, but her body remains at the same low temperature. It will wear off on its own.

"She's kinda Yue's creepy dominatrix scary-hotness boss. Sort of. He freelances. But!" Mara-kuru nods excitedly. "She dunnit like fratricide. Or pesticide."

"Smart lady," Yin observes. Fiddles idly with the back of Revilier's hand as she thinks. "So what are you guys supposed to be saving the universe from, anyway?" And actually manages to keep the sarcastic tone from the phrase "saving the universe." She's very proud.

Mara-kuru takes a deep, deep breath. Lets it out. Takes another, and beams.

"There's all these monsters and demons and undeads and cosmic badnesses that came together because I can't remember why but anyway there's a million billion of 'em okay maybe twenty but they kick ass and every so often humans and divinities and demons and undeads all fight each other I dunno why but usually it's a draw and everything stays the same but this time nuh-uh because Lilith pulled lots of people into her own camp and now they're kicking everyone's ass except Fel decided we could stop them because they were messing with her family and Tel said that's a good idea so Mara go get Yin because she can help us kick some people in the juju."

She breathes out.

Blink. Yeah, she and Kaz have got to be related somewhere. "Got it." Kind of. Maybe. Partially. "So...what kind of threat does all of this pose to us here?"

"Don't really know! Thing is, Lilith's had it out for humans from day two. Hates 'em. Humans are the most widespread sentient motherfuckers ever, and they're everywhere she goes! So when she and her monsters and devils and freaks and mongoloids take over, she might not do anything! But she might also do the genocide dance. But maybe not! I dunno." Her ears twitch excitedly, and she begins to dance her "I'm here" dance. "She's been pretty mean and violent so far."

"And what kind of timeframe are we looking at on that?" The dragoon inquires.

Mara-kuru shrugs a little, and continues dancing.

Yin sighs quietly. This needs to be scoped out, anyway...need intelligence on it, just in case. "So, why me? Why not some other dragoon?"

"I don't really know that one either. I mean, besides the fact that you're apparently really resourceful and that gold spell you have has *so* got everyone's attention up there."

Yup, Menayen's just about in love.

Golden spell again. It's either the best or the worst thing to ever happen to her, really...though the fact that she's in it with Revilier and that he's not alone in it makes it absolutely worthwhile, something she'd never change. Considers.

Of course, her next question is "why me and not the more powerful Revilier, who also has the spell," but she doesn't voice this and risk calling attention to him instead. "Well, what would I be expected to do in this war thing of yours?"

"So far it seems like things are falling into a funny kind of order. Everyone seems to have someone lined up to fight from the get-go. There's still a discrepancy, their side is weighted a little more heavily. I can't imagine who you're supposed to fight, though. Lilith's side is sending out spies, too, picking up people to fight with her. Some of them aren't even bad guys, just... idealists? Or they want something she can give them. Do you have any rivals or anything?"

Revilier listens to all of this intently, but as Mara's rambling goes on and dreadfully on, he looks around the arsenal.

"Kaz. Where did you hide Alouette?"

The little bastard's ears perk a little. "I sent her to Mercy's farm. They get along okay since she chopped off his giblets."

"Not off the top of my head." Yin considers quietly. "None living, anyway. I've made plenty of enemies through the years, but none particularly outstanding. Except maybe Millarca."

"Living's not necessarily a barrier," Mara admits, slightly nervous in so doing.

Yin cocks an eyebrow. "Want you should run that by me again?"

"Well. Okay. Hm. Okay. Let's see. Okay. You've got a guy, right?" Mara holds out her palm. "And then!" She smacks her fist against it. "Smoosh! He's butter. Someone fucked him the bad way and he's daising up pushies." She lets her hand dangle. "Now, someone like Lilith or Shigoriath or Stasiel comes along..." Here her other hand wobbles close. "... and says "Hey! Unfuck yourself!" Her dangling hand pops straight. "And he goes!"

"So...to be perfectly clear...you're telling me that these people can raise the dead."

"Yup, but you're opaque."

"I'm...ah. Check." Yin is not talented enough to keep up with Mara. Pause. "Sooo...rivals. I'd need to get back with you with an annotated list for that."

"Well, in fairness, it's kind of a pain in the funbags to revive someone. It'd probably be someone who's alive now." Mara considers this, or pretends to. Really, she wants to get back to Felina's camp... her boyfriend's still dead, after all.

"What about Tragedy?" Revilier offers.

Yin blinks. Looks at him. "That...hm. That's not unlikely. Though I hope not, just because that puts Comedy in it, too, and he's okay."

"Right now, it's all just conjecture," Mara purrs. "We know you'll be involved, somehow. Lilith might come to recruit you. Or send someone. And she can be very persuasive."

Sighs quietly. "I shouldn't ask. But persuasive how?"

"She can give you just about anything you want! Or she can take away everything you have. It's kinda funny that we do neither!" Mara bounces on her heels.

"Ah...gotcha." Yin nods a bit. Common enough tactic through history. Glances at Revilier. Back to Mara. "We need time to think, talk it out, and rest."

"Can't necessarily promise time, sweety, unless you come with us! Right Yue?" Mara glances at the sleeping Incubus. "Men."

"I need to at least clear it with my superiors," Yin observes. "I'm not really allowed to just scamper off anymore."

Mara nods a little. "Okee. If they come for you, we'll try to intercept them. I'm gonna take handsome here home." She pats Yue's head. "When you're ready, take this jiggy," she tosses an apple-shaped beacon at Yin, "and twist the stem till it clicks."

Catches it, and nods once. "All right. Thank you. I'll be in touch."

" 'kay." Mara-kuru stoops, slides underneath Yue's arm. "C'mon cutie. Let's go home."

Menayen watches them fade away. It's not too often that he has nothing to say.

Yin gazes at the apple a few moments, before finally looking to Kaz. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm thinking." He sits again, eyes down. "That wasn't her, but damned if she didn't look like her. I shouldn't be thinking about that anyway. I'm kind of worried about Alou now-- Lenocinant's gone, right?"

"I don't know," Yin admits. Shakes her head. "I cut him in half. His two underlings were freaking out. But when my dragon did that to them earlier, they were just hurt and knocked out of the dream." She kind of hopes not...if he backs off. If he's going to pick it up again, she hopes he's dead.

"Well, either way, I'm afraid there could be be more threats against him. Her. Something. And we still have to get her out of that chair."

"Yeah...the demons didn't do that, Tragedy back in Grimoire did. I hate to admit it, but if our own magic-types can't get her out, I probably have to go back." Or someone does. She forgets that she's not the "do everything stupid" person anymore.

"What about them, though?" Revilier inquires, indicating the apple Mara-kuru had left. "If anything that long-eared maniac had to say was true, her people might have the resources to fix our problem."

Yin blinks. Looks down at him. "Well. It's not my fault you're the smart one."

"Of course it is." He stands up, looking at her. Holds out his arms.

Menayen hops off his chair and pads away. "I'm gonna look for Sxavior," he announces.

Yin nods. Wants to go. Also wants to rest. Decisions, decisions. For now, she just takes the hand up. "Er...about Sxavior. According to Yue, Sxavior is a god."

"That blows atheism out of the water," Revilier answers, just smiling, rubbing her hand. "And I happen to think I'm a god in some respects. For now, let's just work within our realm of understanding. A foreign dignitary has helped us with a conflict and is asking for help in return."

Yin nods. "That applies to Yue. Although Sxavior and Yue seem to be allies, we can't be sure that they're working for the same party. Yue seemed surprised to hear that we were working with Sxavior, and that seems like a funny bit of information to have been missing. If we can find Sxavior, it would be nice to fill in that blank." Touches the sword hilt thoughtfully.

"If he's a god, he'll find us if he wants to talk. If he doesn't, there's no way we'll find him." Revilier's just taking things as they come, but this seems to make sense to him. "In the meantime, we'll just have to get you back into fighting shape."

"Me? I think you'd go tumbling over if I flicked you in the shoulder about now." She pokes the general.

"So let's find a bed to sleep in," he urges, squeezing her arm a little. "Seriously, just to sleep," he quickly adds, eyes shifting left and right.

She snickers a little, and looks to Kaz. "I hate to admit it, but he is right. Call me in four hours and let me know what's going on?" No time for a full sleep, really, but naps are good. Not that she couldn't use more...her mind's worn out from fighting Lenocinant, and her body is exhausted from Trilene and Rhoul's ministries.

Kaz, who'd been just at the edge of the room, nods. He pads away, feet slapping quietly on the floor.

"Wow," Yin observes after he's solidly out of earshot. Looks up to Revilier. "He's solidly messed up over seeing that red-headed version of him."

"He probably just has a hard-on for her," Revilier aptly notes. "Speaking of which, after everything that's happened I think I could use a delousing. Let's get a hotel room and clean up, eh?"

She smiles at him, and nods. It's not uncommon...it's impossible to fully relax in the tower. "Yeah. That sounds like a good plan." Takes his arm, still shivering just a little. "Damnit. I'm going to have more sympathy for people who say they're cold in the future." Smiles sheepishly at him. "Shall we?"

"Yeah. I'll call us a cab."

---

About five hours later, the dragoon is dead asleep with her lover in a posh though not huge suite, curled tightly against his chest and under several blankets.

A cell phone's ringing, for once, takes two insistent rings before rousing her.

"Mmm..."

It had been on her nightstand to start. She and Revilier had somehow shifted sides, apparently. Heh. God only knows.

It's more than a little grudgingly that she reaches over the wyvern, trying not to awaken him though it's probably futile, and hits "talk" at the last possible second, hand over her eyes. "Kaz...? So, what's up?"

"... Yin..." a sniffly Menayen answers her, "...Alouette's gone... Mercy's asleep and she won' wake up and I don't know what happened!"

"What?" Yin sits up quickly, to a bout of vertigo. Ugh. "Okay. Okay, calm down, I'll be there as soon as I can, right? We'll get this figured out. You still at the farm?"

"I just got here," Kaz snuffles, "I don't know how long it's been this way. They could still be here. God dammit, Yin..."

"Okay." This as she's slipping out of bed, idly pushing the covers gently back against Revilier in the probably vain hope that he'll go back to sleep like a responsible person, which he really needs. Puts the phone on Bluetooth and begins quickly dressing as she speaks. "I'll be there as quickly as I can, all right? Do you think it would be safer in the menwhile to step out, yourself? Mercy is no slouch, and neither is her security system. You may be in danger until you have backup."

"I'm not leaving Mercy," Menayen half-hisses. "I'm not going to be taken by suprise again. Kaz is ready to fight this time."

Yin nods. Sits, and begins pulling on her boots. "Right then. You and I will just have to kick some demon ass. How's the compound technically? Does it look like things are online and you're in control?"

"I'm in total control. Total goddamn control. Nothing's getting in here without my--"

A snap, hiss, and the line dies.

"Ah, fuck," Yin sighs quietly. Finishes tying her boots nd begins quickly gathering a few things into her bag. Damnit. Action time, yes.

"... fuck who?" Revilier rolls over a little, looking at her through glassy eyes.

"Don't know yet." She smiles a bit at him as she pulls on her jacket. "I need to go out."

"Mm... out." He throws back the covers. Blinks. Right, they're in a room. "Let me come with you?"

"I'm not sure how dangerous it is..." Yin admits. wanders over to his side of the bed. "Alou is missing. Mercy is in some kind of forced sleep. And I just lost contact with Kaz." Holds out her hand.

he takes it, squeezes gently. "Then I want to be with you that much more." He pulls himself out of bed. Looking at her. "So... where did my pants end up?"

The vampiress snickers quietly as she picks up her cell phone to call another cab. "I think they're in the bathroom."

"Thanks." He goes to get them, considering. Thinking. "Okay," he calls from the room as he's dressing. "Good. Ready."

She smiles at him, though there's something serious underlying it. Yin's in business mode. Picks up her pack and slips it on. "Alright. Are you sure you want to come, Revilier...? I mean, you could assign a bodyguard or something."

He just gazes at her. Fastens his belt, eyes just a touch hard.

She smirks after a moment. "Fine." Folds her arms, and leans on the doorframe. "I love you for a reason, obviously."

"Let's go, then." 

Nods, and heads down for the streetside. "Sooner or later we'll get a good night's sleep again," the dragoon observes. Quickly notes to the clerk that room 570 has checked out as they pass. The cab is waiting on the street.

Of course, on the way, she dials her supervisor, noting the situation to avoid conspiracy talks later. "...yes, I know. Yes, I'm an ambassador. No, I'm not a...what? Right. I'm not a dickless Superman. More dickless, right. Yes I saw the movie, could we just...right. How many special forces do you even have close to here? That would take how long? Too long. No, too long. I know. Listen, it's probably nothing, we're just going to...checking on...friend...in an hou...ta..." She hangs up, and turns off her phone.

Yin smiles at Revilier. "We must have gone through a tunnel."

"Damned tunnels," the general agrees. He can just see a haze rising from the farm through the windows of the car. It's not smoke billowing, but more like a soft black haze over just about everything there. The doors of the home stand open, and a few figures can be seen ambling inside.

Yin's brow creases. "Stop here," she quietly instructs the driver. Hands him a bill with a distracted note to keep the change, and steps quietly out of the car, heading towards the house and softly arming her pistol.

Revilier follows, of course, more than ready to shield them both if need be.

The figures inside the house step outside after a moment. Staring through eyeless sockets, air snuffling through sunken noses. The smell very nearly overpowers Revilier's stomach.

The dead pay them little mind.

When Yin narrows her eyes...it's very consciously. They'd been wide. A shudder is only partly due to cold. That can't really be...? Steps towards the door of the house. "Kaz?" She calls, loudly.

Revilier steps close to Yin. Staring, he tugs on her sleeve.

Points to the second floor window.

Kaz stares down at them, swaying back and slightly forth. His ear twitches, and dust cascades from it. He smiles, halfway, and his black lips crack, but he doesn't react.

Except to howl, and with him the rest of the dead take up their mournful cry.

Yin stiffens. "Kaz...?" Quick as a breeze, she tries to break away from Revilier, just running towards the stairs inside, to get up there.

When she approaches the house, the zombies at the front door take notice. They reach for her, still howling as more and more of them pour into the main room of the house.

Revilier doesn't know what to do. He follows her, just watching. He doesn't know whether to assault the monsters or not.

Fangs bare a bit...mind races as she sidesteps hands. If she gets upstairs, will she have an escape route? Yes...balcony. Leaps up this way, touching possibly two steps on the way. "Kaz! What happened...?"

Menayen turns to her at the voice, head tilted over as if the muscles in his neck refuse to hold it up. He takes a step, two steps towards Yin. Bares his own fangs and hisses.

Yin narrows her eyes...one foot falls back, ready to jump back if she has to. "Kaz...? What's up...? It's me. Yin. Sweetcheeks?"

Kaz lunges to grab Yin.

Downstairs, Revilier slams his forehead, abruptly plated in steel, into the face of an attacking zombie. A longsword pours around each of his fists.

"Yin! Run!"

Fangs bare. "Coming!" But first...the vampiress tries to abruptly sidestep around Kaz, get behind him and a hand to the back of his neck, hand lighting with the golden spell as she tries.

It works. Smoke pours from Kaz's neck, and the stench amplifies as a sizzle fills the air and underscores his frantic howling.

Her hand jerks away. Hadn't intended to hurt him. She's numb...expressionless for a moment, just falls back a step. Finally shakes it off, running past the stunned serinian and trying to get back to her beseiged lover so they can both get out of here.

Revilier, far from terrified, is actually enjoying himself in a way. Another zombie shatters into shards underneath his sword arm. And another.

And the ground to his rear rises, sludge-like to peel open at the apex. Shigoriath rises from the blackened soil, watching, wondering at this intrusion. He stands in a dark, tattered green cloak with a pulled back hood, empty sockets blazing green. Waiting.

Yin stiffens, fangs baring, as her feet slam to an abrupt halt at the base of the stares. "Revilier, behind you!" Gun snaps up.

The general whirls with his sword arm slashing at an angle to catch whatever's behind him. 

The blade stops clean against Shigoriath's bony palm, dripping oil. Revilier jerks against the grip, heart slamming into his ribs, breath caught in his mouth. 

The lich lord pulls the general close to his face, breathing putrid breaths that turn his stomach.

"Throw aside your weapon," the lich hisses, "it will avail you nothing, dragon."

Damnit...! This is her fault. She ran in, the wyvern only followed. Fangs bare a little more, muscles obscenely tense. "Toss aside my boyfriend and I'll consider it."

Shigoriath nods, his bones cracking and snapping like logs breaking in the middle.

"Acceptable," he rasps. Revilier's eyes widen, just long enough for his mouth to slip out a "no!" before the lich flings him like a stuffed animal, pitching a two-hundred pound man all the way down the farm's drive, watching Revilier slap into the ground and roll, roll, skid into the dirt.

Yin's eyes snap open. "Revilier...!" she tries to run after him almost as quickly as he can fly.

The lich's breathes in and screeches, spewing a mist of slime-drenched scorpions into Yin's path, hissing the words "Your weapon" between expulsions.

She jumps back from the scorpions. Growls, pitches her gun towards a wall, and tries to jump over the creatures to get to the downed wyvern, worry for him superceding pretty much everything.

A few of them strike at her, but they really lack the reach to hit her when she's airborne.

Revilier's already pushing himself up, bleeding and none too happy about it.

"I'm fine," he roars, "fucking fine. What the hell is that?"

Shigoriath gazes towards the house, where Kaz has crawled through the window and stands on the roof, looking down.

"I have no idea..." she admits, hands finding his upper arm and alight with the spell even as she gazes back at the house...attention split between Kaz, and that...thing. "Are those really zombies?"

"They look and stink like it," Revilier admits. "But they shatter when you kill them, into dirt clods." He shakes out his arm, blades having vanishing. 

"That guy was so strong..." Yin observes, ruefully. "We need backup." Pause. "Preferably in the form of a very large tank falling out of the sky and landing on his head."

"He doesn't seem all that interested in hurting us," Revilier observes, watching Shigoriath who seems content to stand there and watch Menayen.

Yin nods, grudgingly. "No...very passive. What do you suppose it's doing...?"

"Are you two all right?" a calm, borderline soft voice inquires from behind them. It belongs to yet another cat serinian...thing.

Revilier's blades spring out again, and he whirls, but stops short at the sight of Mara-kuru... or wait. No. Still, he holds the blades defensively up.

"Depends on your definition," he says. "You're not Mara?"

"No. Mara-kuru could be considered my sister, and is my ally. My name is Felina Deyono."

Another cat-creature, with significantly shorter ears, pop up...and immediately eeps, eyes milk saucer-wide at the sight of the lich lord, and ducks partially behind her mother's shoulder. "Why is he here...?" she murmurs.

Revilire looks at Yin. Trust them? Dont' trust them? He asks her with an uncertain gaze.

She shrugs just a little, though at the moment, it beats the alternative.

Felina, glancing up to the roof at Kaz and then back downward, doesn't leave the time to discuss it. "Ting, wait with them. Remember, be leary for threats from the ground and smoke." And she sets off walking towards the house.

The mutt blinks, nods. Looks at the Earth-dwellers. "Um...hi! I'm Ting. I kick butt."

"Fantastic," Revilier half-sardonically answers.

Shigoriath walks forward to meet Felina, though moves in no threatening manner. His staff manifests in his hand, but the eye remains firmly closed.

"Your business," the lich lord inquires in his scratchy hiss.

"I was about to ask the same thing," Felina notes in return, still perfectly calm and even. "That is an old friend of mine sitting on the roof, after all, and I'm quite curious as to the current whereabouts of Alouette."

"Alouette has been impressed. Your friend interfered." Shigoriath looks up to Menayen, as a centipede crawls into and out of his eye sockets.

"I see. For what purpose?"

"You will understand," the monstrosity snaps, "if I do not feel moved to answer to you."

She smirks just slightly. "Can't blame me for trying. Meanwhile, your business here is done, then?"

"Momentarily. The spider-women below are to be taken as well."

Revilier looks at Ting, and Yin, and Ting. "What the hell? They talk like they're on pretty damn good terms."

Ting purrs, though her naginata is out. "That's because mom's so fucking passive aggressive and 'cause Shigoriath knows she can splatter him and innit about to start anything."

Felina shakes her head, as protection spells and shields weave around the women below. "Let me rephrase. Leave."

"You would break your word, mortal?" The lich tilts his head over. He's not reacting to her threat, which actually does make Revilier a little bit paranoid. It stinks of a hidden ace.

"I need break nothing but a tattered facade," Felina observes dryly. "As aggressive as your commander has been lately--obvious taps in our intelligence, scuffles at areas we had already occupied, not to mention Calay's lovely attack since the agreement," the smoke creature borders on impossible to control, "it's already broken in every sense but overt. I'm quite frankly sure that you and yours are surprised that it's taken me even this long to react."

"Things are not as they were," Shigoriath blusters, teeth clacking together. "You have held the spectre of your strength over us since the Abyss declared neutrality. You... are not the strongest player in this game anymore... not now. We need not fear your power."

Felina narrows her eyes. "Say again?"

"I believe your friend Yoru has met him by now. Understand that you are not the only ones capable of traversing dimensions for aid." Shigoriath turns away from her, dismissing her. "You may have this one."

Back teeth are gritted, but she takes the discussion as over. The gauntlet's been thrown. Ting, of course, is defensive as hell, just inches from her two charges...her mother, meanwhile, jumps easily up to the roof for Menayen. "Mara. Get some backup for Yoru...but BE CAREFUL and ready to grab her and run if necessary."

"Kay kay!"

Revilier lays his hand to his forehead. "I think we're way out of our league here, Yin."

Menayen doesn't really react to Felina, except to howl as he has before.

"Understatement of the year," she concedes. Takes his arm. Just...damn.

Felina really has nothing to fear from an average zombie, and tries to step forward, clamp her hands to either side of his head, and forcefully restore his mind. She can't spare the energy to do something as complex as the body right now.

Meyanen's eyes slowly clear, the howling abating. He looks at Felina just long enough for his face to register a hint of shock before he begins to shiver, looking around as if something's cornering him.

"My heart! My heart! Goddamn it! Fibrilator! De! Goddamn it!"

"Menayen. Menayen." Pause. Flicks his forehead. "Menayen. You're a zombie. I'll fix it later. No heartbeat, no breathing."

"Oh." The short, now undead Serinian calms down, blinking a few times for effect. "That makes sense. I... Felina?" He stares at her, not shock-awed exactly, but more like impressed. "You got curves?"

She manages a little smirk. "Child on the way. But we can catch up later."

"Fel Fel Fel we gotta run it's not a trap but holy shit is there a guy here and Yoru's running away and she's got no arms but she's fixing them and I'm throwing all kinds of asswhoopin' at this guy but he's walking right through it and it's Meir'cillus and we're going home!"

"Get out of there, mara...I'll be right there." "Sorry for this." Picks up Menayen by his undead waist and they're both suddenly in front of Yin and Revilier. "You two. I can't afford to divide my forces right now to any protection for you. If you want it, or if you want to get your friend Alouette back--there's nothing we can do for her immediately, she's out of reach--you need to come with me now."

"Goddamn right," Revilier nods. "I want some answers. Yin," he looks at her. "Come with me?"

The vampiress nods. Sure as hell.

Felina nods, and looks to Kaz. "You coming, stinky?"

"Sure thing, fatass."

She smirks. "Ting, let's get back." And all three of them vanish for The Millenium Maze.