The day before was frustrating at best, with the Darkling Lords suffering an embarrassing defeat after setting up what should have been a cunning plot against the Spectral Knights. It was so bad that Virulina decided to just lock herself up in her room after managing to escape capture.

A fitful night's sleep was soon interrupted by the digital alarm clock ringing, rousing the Darkling Lord from the large bed of her luxurious apartment bedroom...

Reaching with one hand, Virulina grabbed hold of the 'wind up' clock and blearily gazed at its time... after shutting off the ringer.  Oh boy, another day... another five things to go wrong.  She lay back and stared at the ceiling for a good five minutes, before climbing out of bed to run a bath.  Virulina shifted some water to the fireplace and let it boil.  Dressed in her bed robe, she padded over to the window and looked to see if anything was happening in the courtyard or in the territory beyond Darkstorm's castle walls.

"Why do I dwell among fools?"

The day before must have been dwelling really bad in Virulina's mind - the fact that she was seeing not the territory of Darkstorm but the prosperous city before the fall of Prysmos. FLying cars were up and about as people went about in a rush to get to work. Trains ran on schedule carrying their passengers to wherever destination they aim to head for. And the electronic billboard was displaying an advertisement for the latest fashion line of clothes, with Virulina herself as the model.

The shock of seeing 'classic' Prysmos jolted Virulina into proper wakefulness.  Her clock 'was' digital and she had just put a cooking pot on the 'fireplace' (actually a gas heater, crafted to look like a fireplace).  Technology was back!  But how had this happened overnight?

"It must be a spell... although Merklyn wouldn't allow this.  Hmmm, I must find out more."

Virulina looked around to see what she had to wear (if this was her old apartment, the answer would be 'a lot').  She also checked to see if her armor from yesterday was still present.  Virulina wanted to get outside and explore.

There were definitely a lot of clothes to choose from Virulina's wardrobe that it probably took some getting used to the Darkling Lord. Everything was how it was supposed to be, yet at the same time her armor was lying in wait by her bed waiting for her to don it again.

Whatever she decided to wear, people outside seemed to be at her beck and call and ready to do what they can for the famous news anchor/model.

Virulina picked herself a fancy black & white dress... and otherwise spent some time achieving a glamorous look.  But despite all of that, she could not bear to leave her armor behind.  So Virulina packed it into a bag to take with her.

"I wonder who Darkstorm was back in the old days..."

Her 'leader' had never previously spoken about his origin and it had been impossible to research him.  But now, things were different.  In fact Virulina could go and visit all her comrades... maybe even the Spectral Knights too!  Collecting her things, she stepped outside and hailed a sky cab and informed the driver of her destination.

"Take me to the news station."

On the way to her chosen location, Virulina gazed out the window and rediscovered her home.  With her station resources, she would find out what was happening.  Of course, she could have a little fun along the way...

"You got it, miss!" the cab driver replied cheerfully as he drove Virulina to the news station. There she got a great welcome by everyone she passed by, congratulating her even on that great report she gave last night (it was last night, right?). It took some effort to shake them off before she could finally settle into her private office.

“Yeah... thanks everyone.  Let’s hope for some great viewer numbers.”

Alone in her office, Virulina brought up a copy of last nights news bulletin. While it played on her screen, she looked up Darkstorm.  It was hard to do without a proper name or picture.  Virulina was forced to use his monicker and verbal descriptions.  Knowing where his castle used to be also helped... if he had some connection to the land.

It proved difficult to find information about Darkstorm, especially when there was very little information to go about him before the Reckoning. Speaking of the Reckoning - it looked like it nearly happened but was stopped by some mysterious individual garbed in white who simply showed up and stopped it, before vanishing without a trace.

That and the case of about a hundred people going missing the year before, only for these people to show up a few weeks later after an eclipse. Coincidence maybe?

Shifting her investigation from Darkstorm to the others, Virulina tried to find information on her old comrades.  However there was a chance they might not remember her, so she crossed a few of the less trustworthy/stable Darkling Lords off her list.  That just left Cindarr and Lexor.  The former had spoken about his life as a construction worker, the latter had lied about all manner of professions.  She could easily handle both of them.

As to this white robed figure, Virulina wondered how he had done it.  The three suns realigning had been the cause of the age of magic... so had he somehow averted it?  That would explain an eclipse later on.  These hundred people however were unexplained.  Virulina did what she could to dig up their identities.

If there was a pattern on why these people were all chosen, Virulina couldn't see it. Their occupations varied greatly from train conductor, policeman, painter to senator, celebrity, and historian. The age range also varied wildly, also including some individuals in their teens. Nevertheless, it was reported that all have managed to return safely despite the incident.

Regarding her allies, it looked like Cindarr was as expected a construction worker. For someone like Virulina, gathering information was easy as long as there were records of it available. It was also by good fortune that Cindarr could be found in the city, working on a construction project going on within the vicinity.

As for Lexor, it took a little digging around due to the lack of information, but Virulina's sense for news managed to lock on with some get-rich-quick scheme involving the shifty Darkling Lord.

Virulina did one more search... on the white robed figure.  Uncovering his identity would be handy, but there was a chance that footage might exist of his 'heroics' (taken by news crews or just bystanders).  Whatever footage she found was copied onto a recording/playing device.

"Cindarr, here I come."

Virulina then headed out of the station to go and find her old comrade.  She'd take another taxi.

There were several recordings gathered on the incident, but the best ones managed to get a good view from a distance away. It was hard to see the face and most features on the definitely white figure, and the only thing going was the object held by the robed one - a strange flute-like object with a spear tip on one end.

"Got an eye on some news?" the cabbie asked as he let Virulina in the cab, "Well better be careful when going out alone. Heard people were getting mugged these days going out by themselves."

The trip was uneventful, finally leading to the construction yard of a new project for a freeway out of the city. Things were going on full swing with the construction going underway.

Virulina wasn’t a naturally chatty type (being more premeditated), but if the cabbie knew something that could be important.

“That must be a drain on your business, who do you think is behind it?”

At the construction site, Virulina went looking for the foreman.  She expected some attention from the workers (especially as a celebrity) and had no hesitation on charming her way to success.  And she kept an eye out for her ‘big’ ex-comrade.

“Hello Foreman.  I was looking to talk with some of your workers.  Don’t worry, nobody is in trouble... but I think some of them might have some information I can use on a story.”
This message was last edited by the player at 10:59, Fri 25 May 2018.

"Don't take my word for it, but eyewitnesses claim seeing a monster where the mugging happened," the cabbie said as he drove Virulina to her destination, "The strange thing is that nothing was taken. Just the victims getting beat up pretty bad."

The cabbie talked about all other things, like how Leoric was doing quite a fine job in making the city a better place and how the new highway would help getting around outside the city much better. He bid Virulina good luck with her scoop before driving away once they got to the construction site.

"W-Why of course! Wasn't expecting anyone to come over for interviewing my men, but be sure to get a helmet on the way," the foreman replied, clearly surprised to see Virulina out here. Most of the workers paused to get a good look when she passed by, wondering about the reason she was here.

Monsters beating people up at random?  Virulina filed that away for later... when more clues revealed themselves.

Following her talk with the foreman, Viruline took a helmet, donned it, and then looked around for the heavy machinery that Cindarr claimed to have used.  She'd start her search there.  But to obfuscate 'who' she was seeking, Virulina picked a random worker first.

"You there, did you see an Eclipse recently?  Was there anyone around the area who seemed out of place?  How about this guy?"

She displayed a picture of the white robed man.

"Oh! You meant the White Hero? People just started calling him that because of how he looked from afar," the construction worker said as he stopped what he was doing and looked at the picture Virulina showed him, "Sorry, we were quite far from where he was when it happened, but he was able to stop whatever was about to cease our technology from functioning and it was definitely something!"

"Eclipse huh..." the man then said as he moved on to the next topic while another worker approached, "I think it happened within last year or something, It was pretty freaky - could've sworn there was something off with it."

"Yeah, like it was larger than how most eclispe would be and is all purply and such," the other work chimed in, as if trying to get Virulina's attention from the first worker, "Scientists have located the exact point where you can get the best view of that eclipse, but it was hard to get there because of how remote it was."

"Well, we haven't noticed anything out of place here so far, busy with work and all," the first worker shrugged while the second worker simply chuckled before adding, "I bet Cindarr would be of help - he tends to halt construction just to help out some helpless animal that ended up wandering in the site. It's a wonder we're still not behind schedule despite that."

"The gentle giant of the construction yard? Pfft...!" the first one tried to hold back a guffaw as he tried to look away when the second one brought up the topic regarding Cindarr.

White Hero... a fitting term.  These blue collar workers were proving very useful indeed.

"How remote are we talking about?  This Cindarr sounds like someone I should talk to, where can I find him?  Now I'm not promising any news coverage, but if this lead pans out... I'll send some station memorabilia out to the site."

Virulina thanked the men and headed off to go and find Cindarr.  When she found the ex-Darkling Lord, Virulina scrutinized his reaction upon their meeting.  Did he remember her, perhaps via some sort of déjà vu feeling?

"Hello, you must be Cindarr.  I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions..."

"Well, you'd have to use one of those military-grade aircraft to get there, the one that can take off and land without an airstrip?" the second worker said while making hand motions of an aircraft moving up and down before the first one chimed in, "Cindarr would be just over there, by the equipment. He actually takes good care of all things and ended up being the one making sure the equipment are in good condition."

The workers seemed to beam proudly at being able to help out, giving each other a high five as Virulina went to look for Cindarr. She would soon find him by the tool shed cleaning one of the power tools in his hands.

"Oh...! G-good day to you, ma'am!" Cindarr said, his eyes widening in surprise at being addressed to by none other than Virulina herself, "Anything! I'd be glad to help!"

"Have we met before?  You seem... familiar.  At any rate, what can you tell me about a white robed man... or some unusual weather?  Maybe you remember a Dark Storm?"

Virulina wanted to jog the giant's memory without being too open about it.  That way she could see if others might remember things, given some mental jogging.

"Umm... I guess people say a lot about me causing trouble around the construction yard..." Cindarr replied, looking embarrassed as his eyes wander to the tool he was cleaning, "But it wouldn't be nice to leave cute little animals wandering around. What would happen if one suddenly ended up in front of the crane?"

"Oh... That White Hero everyone was talking about?" Cindarr then asked before pausing to think about it, "I guess he's great for being able to stop whatever trouble that was about to happen then. But I feel he was very suspicious, like he just showed up out of nowhere to save us and then vanished without even people know who he is."

"Uh... Dark storm? No... the weather was really clear on that day," Cindarr added as he was visibly trying to recall the moment and not picking up on Virulina's cues, "It was summer. Nice weather outside aside from the weird thing of suns aligning like that."

Same old Cindarr it appeared...

"You've been very helpful Mr Cindarr.  In fact, can I have your contact number?  I don't want it known among the others, but cute little animals might feature in my investigations.  Knowing your stance, I'm sure you'd help me out... if a situation arose."

If there was one way to 'unleash' Cindarr on someone (or something), cute little animals was the best way.  Having some muscle on call would definitely be handy.  Now it was a matter of what to do next.  Track down Lexor or do something else?

"Do you know if there is a swimming pool around these parts, Cindarr?"

"Of course, ma'am. Let me share my contact information with you..." Cindarr looked please when Virulina mentioned she would get in touch with him on matters of animals, eagerly sharing his contact information with the reporter.

"Ummm... Swimming pool?" Cindarr then asked as he looked around, "I think there would be a lot back at the city... Not much people yet out here at the edge of the city."

Bidding a goodbye to her old (yet to be?) comrade, Virulina quizzed a few more workers just to keep up appearances.  Most likely she had all the information that the construction yard could offer.

Then she went to find a quiet body of water, away from prying eyes... in which to test her Shark totem.  Virulina wanted to know if her ability still worked.

Despite the absence of the wizard and others not possessing their totems, Virulina's test went without a hitch. In fact, it felt like it was even easier to accomplish than before. Unfortunately there wasn't anyone around to talk about it on the same page to figure out if it was just her imagination.

After her little dip and 'totem test', Virulina headed back to the city.  She wasn't sure what exactly to do next, but it made sense to do some actual work and prepare for today's/tonight's bulletin.  She could also look into the 'remote location' and possibly plan a trip there.

Unknown to the Darkling Lord, a small birdlike construct had been silently tailing her and observing her actions since this morning. Already some figures have been on the move, aware of what Virulina has been up to.

The night has been quiet at least, and it was a refreshing change from having to bear with a hard bed during her time as a Darkling Lord. Has that time been real, or was it just an imagination?

Virulina remained firm in her belief that she had been a Darkling Lord, the armor and totem proved it (in her mind).

Back at the office, Virulina read through a transcript of the next new program.  Some breaking news might still be inserted into the final broadcast, but she at least knew 90% of what was coming.  Then she went for a chat with the station's weather guy.

"Hey, are you free?  I was wondering what the word was on the recent eclipse... natural phenomena or unexplained event."

"Oh, Ms Virulina!" the weather guy remarked with a smile as he pulled out information on the recent eclipse that happened, "The eclipse itself was an expected event, a rare one that followed the aligning of the three suns in the system. What was unusual was the weather in the spot where you can see the eclipse - reports supposedly said it should be cloudy in the area, but the satellites have reported clear skies in the vicinity that day. Meteorologists were baffled and couldn't explain why either."

"And how many years will it be til the suns align again?"

Virulina suspected a number between several hundreds and a few thousands.  However a thought did occur.  If the alignment had happened, but the energy drain hadn't... where did the resulting magic go?  Did the White Robed man absorb it himself?  Such untold power in the hands of one person worried her.

"I don't think we'll be seeing it in our lifetime again, it's really a very rare incident considering how those suns move," the weather man said with an apologetic shrug, "Don't think we can do anything about that."

"Ms Virulina, sorry to interrupt, but there's a call for you on the phone," Virulina's secretary finally came over after trying to look for her, "They simply said they have something important to tell you."

"On my way..."

Following the secretary to a phone, Virulina picked it up and spoke to the mystery caller.  She didn't bother to ask for an identity yet, it would be volunteered or it would be not.

"This is Virulina.  What have you got for me, Mr...?"

"Is this Virulina...?" a familiar yet uneasy voice responded on the other side of the phone, "I... I have something t-that you may be looking for. Can we meet somewhere?"

It might be coincidence, but the voice was undoubtedly Lexor's. The question would be how he knew she was looking into something?

Virulina briefly covered the receiver with a hand, just to calm herself and plot her next move.

“Alright, where did you wish to meet... and when?  I’m very busy so I hope this thing of yours is worth my time.  Can you promise that I won’t be disappointed?”

She didn’t want to spook him, but asking Lexor to promise something was a good way to test his authenticity.  The ‘real one’ would offer up an extravagant lie about his trustworthiness while a fake one might just say yes or keep it simple.  In the past people had targeted the news station with voice clips, usual for mischief.

"The roof deck of the shopping mall, tonight at eleven," Lexor replied after taking a deep breath and adding, "You are looking into the missing people incident that happened during the eclipse, right? Well I can assure you what I'll show you tonight would be more than worth your time."

Before Virulina could ask any further questions, Lexor hung up on the phone.

She couldn't be sure that it was Lexor, but a chance for some 'real' information was worth risking a trap for.  Her reply oozed charm.

"Of course I'll be there, Sir.  Can I ask..."

The phone disconnected on her.  Virulina hated when people did that!  Still, there was little to be done except to go and do her anchoring work.

The rest of the day went by without a hitch, a simple proof that Virulina still had what it takes to show others why she was on top. Soon the time came, and Lexor (at least it sounded like Lexor) would be waiting for her at their appointed location.

After her job was done, Virulina changed her clothing.  A dress would hardly be useful for a secret meeting.  She (privately) donned her Armor instead and then covered it up with a long coat and scarf.  As an afterthought, she borrowed a station recording device to wear upon her Armor (the sort that reporters used for undercover stories).  Finally Virulina looked up the shopping mall and familiarised its just in case she wanted to use her Totem.

A little while later, Virulina took a taxi to the mall.

The shopping mall was closed at the time, but the fire escape access was somehow left open. There was hardly anyone around the place late at night save for some security staff keeping an eye on what went on inside the mall. On the top of the shopping mall, she could spot a lone figure standing on the open area waiting with an uneasy posture.

Keeping her wits about her, Virulina ascended the fire escape and closed in on the figure.  She wanted to get a good look at him to verify it was Lexor.  He certainly seemed nervous enough.

"I'm here."

Virulina picked a spot to stand where someone from the street (or other adacjacent buildings) couldn't see her.  She wasn't going to make herself an easy target, should someone wish her harm.

The man was clearly looking around, as if watching out for something before he nearly jumped out of his pants when hearing Virulina call out to him.

"F-finally...! D-don't scare me like that!" the paranoid Lexor called out, clumsily pulling out a flashlight to point to Virulina's direction to confirm it was indeed her that showed up. He hurried close while keeping the flashlight pointed to the ground, as if trying to avoid people from finding him.

"I need a place to hide...!" Lexor said as he took off the cap he had on to show Virulina who he was, "I'll make sure to reveal everything I know as long as you ensure my safety...!"

Virulina folded her arms and generally kept a poker face.  Secretly she wanted his allegiance just as much as he wanted hers.  And like Cindarr, Lexor appeared not to recognise her.

"I'm not a cop... but I might have some connections.  Who exactly are you running from?  I don't stick my neck out for just anyone, especially on vague promises.  I expect good answers about these eclipse people."

"M-m-m-monsters...!" Lexor exclaimed in a combination of a shout and a whisper, then quickly looking around before looking back up to Virulina, "The police won't believe someone like me... They won't be of any use either...! These monsters are coming after me no matter where I go, saying they have finally found a Gate or whatever they were talking about...!"

"I don't have anywhere else to go..." the frightened man said with desperate eyes pleading for help at the reporter, "I was hoping that if I could expose them... Make the public find out they are real, I could somehow force them into hiding while I find somewhere safe to seek refuge!"

"The missing people during the eclipse! The truth is..." Lexor said as he suddenly stopped and a look of horror showed on his face. Amidst the faint noise of light traffic in the background, footsteps were approaching on their position. Two... no, three individuals. Two of these people came in from the far end of the roof deck, while a third stood several steps behind them.

"We finally found you, you little weasel..." a young woman spoke in an elegant tone as she took a step forward to be visible in the light. She sported long black hair that reached past her shoulders. Garbed with a simple dress and a shawl around her shoulders, a confident smile formed on her lips as she looked to Virulina as well.

"Oh...? How nice of you to even bring another Gate here," the woman added as she looked from Virulina and then back to Lexor, "Maybe we can consider letting you go in exchange for her?"

Virulina smiled as Lexor gave her something 'actionable'.  Of course her good fortune didn't last as three gatecrashers turned up.  With an arm, Virulina protectively shifted Lexor behind her.

"Lady, you couldn't take me on your best day.  But if you want to make the attempt, I'll try not to take too much joy... in twisting your head off."

There was a small chance that her words might cause the attackers to back off, but Virulina doubted it.  Her right hand slipped under her coat and gripped the hilt of her bladed weapon.

"It... it's them...!" Lexor exclaimed as he hid behind Virulina, staying close to her when he realized that they were blocked at both sides.

"Is that a threat?" the young woman asked, barely suppressing a laugh as she crossed her arms, "It will be these two who will be doing the job, though!"

The man beside the young woman stepped into the light, revealing himself to be... Ectar!? There was something off about him - like some sort of oppressive atmosphere surrounding his person. The other man from behind stepped closer as well, turning out to be Feryl. Like Ectar, there was something off with his movements in a manner that told Virulina that she was facing someone else entirely.

"S... sa-a-a-ave meee----!" Lexor pleaded, now on his knees begging for mercy as the two approached.

"Don't kill them," the young woman said as she rest a hand under her chin, "They will of no use to us if they died before giving in to despair."

"... Understood!" Ectar replied as an unusual glow surrounded his body, changing his form into a fox-like manbeast. The same thing happened to Feryl, changing into a wolf creature instead, "It is time to hunt!"

The two slowly circled Virulina and Lexor (with the latter on the floor crying like a baby) before Feryl finally closed in at Virulina in an attempt to knock her down.

"I didn't think you'd have the spine.  Bring on your goons then."

Virulina smirked back to the woman, just to rub in the insult a little more.  Then she turned her attention to the other two.  Spectral knights were the last people she expected, but having fought them many times over was going to give her a big edge.

"Lexor, make your useful and watch the wench..."

Withdrawing her blade, Virulina feinted from left toright... until Ectar or Feryl made a move.  When the latter chose to attack her, Virulina allowed Feryl to knock her over... only to roll onto her back and counter attack with both feet, aiming for jaw rattling strike to his face.  Ectar remained the larger threat, but with Feryl in his way their superior numbers were negated.

Kicking Feryl felt like she hit a tree, as if the man beast was a lot sturdier than he looked. Fortunately the her strike sent Feryl reeling back and slightly dazed, eliciting an angry growl as he shook off the dizziness. Ectar waited at the back, unable to advance with Feryl in the way.

"Don't go hogging all the action!" Ectar exclaimed as he shoved his partner aside and charged at Virulina. Sharp claws were visible at the tip of his fingers as he attempted to rake at the reporter and maybe wound her a little.

A few steps behind her, Lexor was still on his knees. He was keeping an eye on the young woman as Virulina instructed, but it looked like he could attempt to flee at any time if the fight went south.

Faced with some 'tougher' opponents, Virulina brought her weapon to bear.  She tried to duck under Ectar (relying on her armor to save her from any minor scratches) and hit aimed for a groin strike with her sword's handle.

Backing up towards the edge of the rooftop, Virulina tried to sight any water... just in case she had to bail out.

Virulina could feel Ectar's claws scrape against the plates of her armor as he swiped at her, eliciting some degree of surprise from the man-beast before receiving a hefty blow to the groin. While he was forced back, it did not look like the blow was as effective to this form as it would to most male opponents.

She could spot a river running at the ground level by the edge where she stood. Lexor was too busy keeping an eye on the young woman that he did not notice what the reporter/Darkling Lord was up to.

"My, you seem more prepared than the other Gates," the young woman said as she casually stepped forward while the man beasts bared their fangs and moved back to corner Virulina and Lexor, "It would be a shame to let you go."

"Grab a hold of my belt, tight as you can."

Having hissed her instruction to Lexor, Virulina only acted when she felt her former comrade had a good grip.  Ectar and Feyrl were too unmanageable in their current states... and she was running short of dirty tricks.  Virulina gave her weapon a quick spin and held it forth in a charging pose.

"I'm quite prepared to go through the lot of you..."

Then unexpectedly, she leapt off the edge towards the river (with Lexor still attached to her)... transforming into her green totem.  Even with the river below, Virulina expected a rough landing and did her best to pull up the moment she could hit the water.  As for Lexor, he'd get a bumpy, wet ride... but it wasn't the first time he'd jumped the shark.

"Eh?" Lexor did as he was told without even thinking, while Ector and Feryl were poised for a counterattack from Virulina. With her unexpected attempt at fleeing the two with the young woman were left to only figure what just happened.

It took Lexor a good two seconds before he started screaming like a little girl, fortunately immediately cut short when Virulina and the cowardly man finally hit the water.

"Ah... They got away..." the young woman remarked as she looked over the edge where Virulina jumped off with Lexor, "You two, round up the rest and make sure they don't get far. They would make good Phantoms that will serve Wiseman's cause."

Having made the river, Virulina broke the surface (so Lexor could breath) and swam a good distance away from the mall.  Eventually she found a secluded spot and beached herself, shaking off Lexor and reverting back to her human form.  Virulina shook out her wet hair and helped up her old comrade.

"Congratulations... you've been rescued.  Now how about you tell me who those people were and whatever else you know of their schemes?"

"Wha, what exactly just happened...?" Lexor managed to ask as he sat there looking flabbergasted at the recent developments, before collecting himself to answer some of Virulina's questions, "They call themselves Phantoms, monsters that somehow dwell inside people. They take over their host, retaining memories and other things to blend in with everyone."

"As the woman earlier said, they are after Gates," Lexor continued as he tried to dry himself as well, slowly getting up to his feet while continuing to explain, "They say I am one, and apparently even you are one. They'll try to mess everything up in our lives, but for some reason they won't kill us - at least most of them won't. I still have no idea what exactly they want from us aside from that."

"Moreover..." Lexor said as he pointed at Virulina, "What did you just do!? Have you always been capable of that?"

Being turned into a 'phantom' didn't sound like Virulina's idea of a good time.  Apparently Spectral Knight phantoms (and presumably Darkling Lord varieties too) retained their totem powers... making them very dangerous.  The 'Gate' term was still a little unclear to her.  As for an explanation, Virulina did her best.

"It's a gift from a wizard, you and a handful others are supposed to have them too.  Try to envision an armadillo, maybe you might rediscover yours.  This may sound outlandish, but its no stranger than those others we just faced.  Whoever this white robed man is, he has changed things from happening as they should have.  And I think he is going after the handful that I just mentioned.  The woman we just met was accompanied by two of them."

Virulina looked about for some means of transportation.  Even passing cars would do.  Back at the station Virulina could make plans to pull Cindarr to her side.  Then it was a matter of locating the other uncorrupted Darkling Lords and Spectral Knights.

"A-armadillo?" Lexor asked, a bit incredulous to being compared to such a little creature as he sighed, "I suppose it could be worse."

The area Virulina landed was quite far from the road, and it was eerily quiet in the middle of the night. Fortunately there seemed to be a vehicle approaching and headed for the city.

Virulina led Lexor towards the road, but had him wait out of sight.  Then the Darkling night brushed off her clothing and put out her hitching thumb.... along with a wave of her hair and coy smile.

It looked like Virulina has no need to worry about keeping Lexor out of sight, with the latter staying low among the shrubs to hide and wait as the Darkling Lord did her work. A truck soon came into view and slowed down to a halt before the spot where Virulina stood, with the window coming down to show a familiar face once again.

"Miss Virulina?" Cindarr asked when he poked his head out, then pulled back in to open the truck's door and got out after getting the truck parked properly, "W-what are you doing out here at this time of the night?"

Cindarr driving a truck this way was an amazing stroke of luck.  Virulina gestured for Lexor to join her outside the gentle giant's vehicle.

"Just secret media stuff between me and my new source.  Could we get a lift into the city?  I had actually hoped to speak with you again..."

"Oh, of course! Of course!" Cindarr quickly replied as he motioned for Virulina and Lexor to get on the truck without any further questions before he himself climbed up and started driving, "I was heading back to the city myself! It gets lonely at times driving by myself so it's nice to have some company once in a while."

As she spoke, Virulina kept a watchful eye on the road and its surroundings.

"You might miss that loneliness.  I've been looking into some sort of cult surrounding this mysterious white robed man... and it looks like they are up to some shady activities.... kidnapping and brainwashing.  I think they might come for 'you' in particular, Cindarr.  There are others on their hit list that I want to get to first."

Virulina had no direct proof that the white robed man was the mastermind.  But it seemed simpler to tie all the strange stuff into his mysterious arrival (and make a retraction later).

"Oh this is Lexor, one of the people that the cult is after."

"Good evening, Lexor. I'm Cindarr," Cindarr greeted in a welcome tone as he gave Lexor a quick glance before looking back on the road they were taking, "You two looked like you got into somewhere rough. Everything all right?"

Lexor on the other hand, was relatively quiet. His eyes were focused at looking outside, trying to make sure they weren't followed by anyone out there. Despite getting through yet another close escape, it looked like every encounter with those things were taking a heavy toll on his mind.

Virulina had to stop a reflex roll of the eyes.  Cindarr was rather dim and prone to missing details.  Fortunately his strength made up for it, in most situations.

"We just met the cult, Cindarr.  When I say they are dangerous, I speak from first hand experience.  Now Lexor, make yourself useful and tell me what you know about a man called Darkstorm.  He's of middling age, brown hair and bearded.  He may have some bootlicker with him called Mortdredd.  I believe the cult will be looking for them..."

"Oh, right..." Cindarr replied absentmindedly as he concentrated on driving for now. It took Lexor a moment before he finally spoke up, still shaken by the most recent experience with those monsters.

"Darkstorm... and Mortdredd, you say?" Lexor asked as he tried to think back on people he knew, producing a leatherbound notebook with several small paper pieces sticking out from it. He tried to get a look at its contents despite the low light visible from the passing street lights.

"One of my associates know about Mortdredd," Lexor finally said as he stopped on one page, "The man doesn't show up much and usually avoid meeting people in person, staying low-key as much as possible. We might be able to arrange a meeting with the man with the right persuasion."

Virulina glanced at the book, curious as to where Lexor had obtained it from.

"Point me to the right person and I'll do the rest.  If Mortdredd is low key then my media credentials might make him nervous... I'll keep that in mind."

Now that things were coming together, Virulina needed to find a safe location for her band of followers.

"Hmmm.... If it's all right with you, you could stay at my place for the night..." Cindarr said as he continued to drive the truck down the highway, "It's not exactly the best place, but better than being chased by some strange cult?"

"I'll try to get in touch with my colleague then, see when we can arrange a meeting..." Lexor added as he put his book away for now, looking like he has somehow calmed, "I don't have a phone on me, better if we can find a payphone to call from. It wouldn't be great to have any of them trace us too soon."

Virulina yawned.

"I could certainly do with a little cat nap.  If you see a payphone, stop the truck and Lexor can make his calls."

Things seemed to go well that night, and Lexor was able to make his call before they retire at Cindarr's home. It was rather cramped - a simple single unit apartment was humble in every word and form. That and there were a pet items meant for dogs and cats placed in a bucket in one corner.

Cindarr offered the bed for Virulina to use, while he and Lexor would sleep outside the bedroom on the beaten up couches.

Taking the bed for herself without hesitation, Virulina got a decent night's rest.  In the morning she splashed some water on her face and tried to look presentable... before looking in on the others.

"Morning.  Lexor, tell me about today's meeting.  Cindarr, what are our breakfast options?"

Cindarr has just stepped back into the apartment when asked the question, while Lexor was just getting up after some decent sleep in what looked to be a long time.

"Hmmm... Ah, that's right..." Cindarr said after a short pause after remembering something, still holding on to the door jamb and then prying the whole thing clean off the door, "How about an early morning dose of DESPAIR...?"

An unusual aura surrounded Cindarr as his voice changed, his body becoming larger and hairier until he resembled a beefed up silverback with horns on his head. Plated armor covered his arms and legs and a hammer was held firmly in his hand. Before Lexor could realize what was going on, what once was Cindarr leaped onto him and pinned him down on the crushed couch. The hammer was then set upon the cowardly man's chest to keep him from getting up.

"Really?  All of this work and they still get to you.  Oh, look.... what a cute bird you have at the window."

Hoping that enough of Cindarr was in this Ape creature, Virulina tried to use his fondness for animals as a ruse... to pluck Lexor from his grasp.  Otherwise it was going to turn into a fight.

"As if that would distract me like that buffoon who was my host!" the ape-beast responded as he focused on Lexor, gripping his neck with his free hand, "Now... what exactly drives you to despair? The others have been chasing after you all this time but could not manage to break you. Surely there's something that you hold very valuable aside from your life?"

Her ruse had failed, but Virulina took comfort in learning more about her foe.  It would seem that she was dealing with some sort of magical possession.  That made it difficult to apply lethal force (a downside), yet it hinted at a chance of restoration.

"I'm tired of all this chasing as well.  Are you the White Robed man... or just another servant?  And your wasting your time with him.  He'll die before despairing, so your little intimidation is pointless."

"Heh, maybe... But humans all cling to something valuable that keeps them going..." the Cindarr-Phantom laughed as he roughed Lexor up, "You should have seen this one - begging pitifully as the things he clung dearly to were destroyed before his very eyes... His very being shattered into countless pieces and let me use his body as I see fit!!!"

Lexor was still flailing the best he could despite what the Phantom was doing to him, something dropped from his coat pocket from the commotion.

"Hoo...? Why would a lowly creature like you keep something as crummy as this...?" the Phantom asked as he picked up the worn out notebook Lexor kept on his person.

"N-no...! Give that back!!!" Lexor suddenly struggled harder as he tried to reach up for his book, "I've spent nearly all my life to collect all of that...!"

Virulina took the possessor's dodging of her questions as a sign (that she was on the right track).  Instead she moved to cover Lexor's vulnerability.

"Oh no, please... not the book.  Its our only copy."

Hamming up her acting to the max, she sought to sow doubt in the possessor's mind... enough that she could make a play for the book.  Ordinarily she'd have no problem taking the hand off, but this was Cindarr... so maiming was out.  She'd have to make a grab for it instead.

"Awww.... I'm sorry..." the Cindarr-Phantom said as he seemed to regret his actions and about to give back the leatherbound book to Lexor, only to crumple up the thick book in his hands with such strength that it tore the pages apart, "... NOT!!!"

"N-nooooo!!!" Lexor called out as he tried to reach for the remains of his book, wide-eyed before he went limp on the spot he laid. Hairline cracks appeared along his forehead as purple light leaked from within, slowly spreading down through his body.

"Ohohohoho!!! That's it! Go ahead and give birth to a new Phantom!" the gorilla-like being proudly declared as it got off from the despairing Lexor, now turning his attention to Virulina, "And now... You're next!"

In a contest between her own welfare and those of Cindarr or Lexor, there was no doubt.  Virulina drew her sword and swung at Lexor's neck... seeking to decapitate him before he could transform.

"Its a miscarriage for you..."

The steel of Virulina's sword clashed with the heavy shaft of the Cindarr-Phantom's hammer. The Phantom then looked at Virulina gravely as he reached forward to push her back.

"Hey... Don't think you can get away wasting all the hard work we put up..." the Phantom said as he glanced to the suffering Lexor before putting his full attention to the Darkling Lord,  charging with the intent to knock her down, "To think you would figure this out so quickly makes you a threat we have to deal with now!"

"BIG, PLEASE~!"

A large fist smashed through the door, punching the Phantom towards the wall of the confined apartment before retreating back out.

"Looks like I barely made it in time..." an unusual individual stepped through the damaged doorway, garbed in a combination of armor and robes of yellow color. His face was covered by a helmet that resembled as square topaz for the face plate. An unusual belt with an open palm buckle could be noticed, as well as various rings dangling on a chain on the individual's right side.

"I apologize for the mess, but it sounded like you are in need of some help?" the armored man said as he looked to Virulina, also noticing Lexor's condition as an oddly-dressed young man came in to check at the despairing man.

"Haruto! We need to hurry - it doesn't look like he has much time!" the young man called out as he helped pull Lexor out to safety.

With her blow parried and then herself sent sprawling by Cindarr's counter charge, things didn't look good.  But Virulina rolled sideways to reclaim her sword and footing.

"I'm always a threat.  Now lets test your abil..."

She didn't get to finished her sentence, due to the arrival of some strange folk.  Virulina didn't lower her blade, not until she was sure that Cindarr was gone.  And given Lexor's condition, whatever sort of hocus pocus cure they had... was better than anything she could do.

"Grr...! So you're the Ringed Magician!" the Cindarr-Phantom growled as he pulled himself out of the wall he was sent flying into, his body growing in size as jagged spikes protruded from parts of his body to form plates. The walls of the apartment crumbled on contact with the spikes as he charged forward at the armored magician, swinging his hammer wildly with the intent to crush the man.

"Oops, I believe that's something I don't want to get hit with," the Ringed Magician remarked as he quickly backed away, replacing the topaz ring similar to his face plate on his left hand with a sapphire one and placing it over his belt buckle.

"WATER, PLEASE~!"

A magic circle appeared from the man's right side moving towards his left, changing his yellow form into blue. He quickly pulled out another ring to place in his right hand and activated it over his belt just as the Cindarr-Phantom was about to swing the hammer down on him.

"LIQUID, PLEASE~!"

The hammer went through the Ringed Magician as his body turned to a liquid form, fluidly moving along the shaft and around the Phantom's arms and face to disorient him. The watery form traveled quickly to the Phantom's legs, pulling them together and sending the creature onto its back before reforming into the magician.

"Time to finish this up, there is someone waiting for me to set things right," the Ringed Magician then declared as he switched the ring on his right hand and placed it over his belt.

"Great! BEST!!!"

The Ringed Magician unleashed a blast of freezing air at the Cindarr-Phantom, causing him to turn into ice before shattering into pieces.

Whatever spells or totems the 'Ringed Magician' was using, Virulina made damn sure to keep clear.  However even she was somewhat surprised when the stranger shattered Cindarr into pieces.

"You killed him?  I did not ask for that."

It didn't matter that Virulina would have (hypocritically) used lethal force to save herself.  She was more miffed about not being in charge.  Part of her felt sad that Cindarr was no more... but life went on.

"I think you had better explain yourself.  Who are you, where do you come from, and what do you know about the White Robed man?"

"I'm sorry, but once a Phantom took over a Gate there was no turning back," the Ringed Magician said before he introduced himself, "As for who I am, I am called Kamen Rider Wizard. I'll make sure that no one will lose hope while I'm still around."

"The White Magician was the one who gave me my powers, but was actually the one sending Phantoms to find Gates and turn them into Phantoms," the one called Wizard explained as he quickly moved to his associate's side who was checking on Lexor's condition, "He was trying to find people who can overcome the effects of becoming a Phantom like me, using our store of magic for a ritual to revive his daughter."

"I can stop the effects, but it would mean destroying the Phantom that resided inside a Gate and making them lose their magic potential," he further explained as he took out a ring and placed it to Lexor's hand, then placing the hand over his belt buckle, "At least, they will no longer be targeted by Phantoms."

"ENGAGE!"

"I may need help with this one..." Wizard then said to Virulina as a magic circle formed above Lexor, opening what seemed to be a portal that lead into the despairing man, "I'm not sure what the White Magician wanted in this world, but you seemed capable of managing by yourself despite Phantoms invading."

Virulina tired to process the answers she had just been given.  Gates were people with potential, Phantoms were 'corrupted' Gates, and the white robed man was trying to collect 'incorruptible' Gates...

"That helps a little, but answer me this... how did the white robe 'rewrite' the world and can it be reversed?  This world is not the way I remember it."

Pursing her lips in concentration, Virulina tried to see how she could benefit from having a wizard (magician) on hand.

"Can you put a destroyed book back together with your magic?  I'd very much like to see Lexor's journal and why it was so important.  I could also give you the names of other people who are likely Gates.  The White Robed man has beaten me to most of them, but perhaps a few yet survive."

"He must have entered your world at a crucial point of your world's history, changing it to suit their needs," Wizard said as he started to float above the portal over Lexor, "I should be able to put the book back together again, but first let us save this man from his despair."

Should Virulina join the Ringed Magician, they would find themselves traveling through a portal into what looked like a memory of Lexor's. The place resembled an abandoned warehouse with two groups of shady people finishing what looked like an important deal, the leaders of the two groups shaking hands before one of them turned to a younger-looking yet unmistakably, Lexor. The man handed the young Lexor what looked to be the leatherbound book, still in good condition, before giving the young man a pat on the shoulder.

"So this is his Underworld..." the Kamen Rider remarked as a audible crack could be heard and seen around them, with a giant armadillo monster crashing through the memory and proceeded to rampage about the whole place, "This is bad, the Phantom will break free if it shatters the Underworld completely."

Virulina tagged along with the Magician, if only to learn more about what was going on.  In regards to the leaders in the warehouse memory, Virulina tried to get a good look at them... to see if she knew them.  The armadillo gatecrashing the memory was a little unexpected... it was Lexor's totem and should have been friendly.

"That is Lexor's totem, a creature he could turn into.  Can you pacify it?"

Just in case her request couldn't be granted, Virulina readied herself for combat.

"Haven't met a Phantom that can be tamed. Their primary drive to take over their Gates in this stage drives them to destroy anything in sight," Wizard replied as he used a ring over his belt, summoning a winged dragon by his side to fight against the armadillo Phantom. Cracks have spread all over the place, creating holes as the summoned dragon tried to subdue the rampaging creature.

"Armadillo!  Remember me?  Don't make this hard on yourself, submit to us."

Virulina spoke forcefully in a commanding tone.  Even if the Ringed Magician turned out to be correct... she wasn't going to enter a needless fight when guile and charm could achieve the same result.

The Armadillo Phantom turned to their direction upon hearing Virulina's voice, pausing to first figure what it was looking at. It then let out a roar and rolled towards them at full speed. Wizard called upon his dragon companion to move in the way and keep the Phantom from running them over.

"I haven't seen it work before, but we'll have to decide quickly if we want your friend intact," Wizard said as he then summoned a motorcycle with a similar motif to his armor and got on. Even with the dragon pushing the Armadillo back, the ground underneath was breaking away under the pressure exerted by the Phantom.

"Blind it, slow it... do something."

Virulina waved her arms to signal the armadillo and become its new target.  She didn't even know why she was protecting some faceless men in a memory...

"Come at me, phantom.  Awww are we scared?"

The armadillo Phantom roared as it caught sight of Virulina, giving chase by curling into a massive ball of armor and spikes. The whole place was cracking away on contact with the Phantom, even the ground was shattered to reveal purplish light underneath in the same manner plaguing Lexor outside.

"Worth a try, but I'll have to go for a quick finish if things go bad," Wizard said as he used a ring to produce chains from small magic circles around the giant Phantom, restraining it in place. The giant monstrosity roared angrily as it pulled and tugged at the chains, straining the magic bindings with its size and strength.

Taking advantage of the chains, Virulina vaulted up onto the armadillo's back (now that it was no longer in a ball) and secured herself a riding position.

"Heed my orders, beast!  I'm your only chance at existence."

Virulina prepared herself for a bull ride.  Using the chains as reins, she hope to control its rampage... and hopefully wear it down into submission.  She just had to be mindful of it curling up or trying to knock her off.

The Armadillo Phantom bellowed and roared angrily when Virulina got on to its back, bucking with as much force as it could muster and stamping down onto the floor underneath its feet. It clearly refused to listen even when things seemed to go badly for it. Cracks spread quickly as the Phantom continued its wild struggle.

"Ma'am, your companion's Underworld won't be able to take any more punishment than this..." Wizard said as his dragon companion stood by waiting for its host to give the word, "It's either saving him or ending up fighting another Phantom!"

"Do it then, take your shot wizard!"

Virulina reared back the armadillo to reveal an exposed belly... so that her companion could do whatever he intended.  Presumably he planned to slay it.

"Dragon, let's go!" the Kamen Rider called to his companion as he got on his motorcycle, rushing forward and taking to the air to land on the large dragon's back. The vehicle transformed into a harness that fused with the dragon as the creature took to the air.

"The finale..." Wizard declared as he activated his ring's power on his belt, and the dragon transformed into a giant foot. The Kamen Rider took a flying kick pose as his kicking foot then docked onto the dragon foot, then descending towards the Armadillo beast at full speed.

"Jump away!" the Ringed Magician called to Virulina as the kick made contact, magic energy violently forced into Phantom's body in the process. The Phantom let out a pained bellow when it finally collapsed, exploding into a shockwave of magic power outwards.

Virulina jumped away when told and brushed herself off when the magic display was over.

"I've seen spells before, but never something that looked so... odd.  Riding and kicking just don't seem to belong in the spell casting I am accustomed to.  Still, it worked.  You said something about repairing this book, wizard... when can we make that happen?"

"Unfortunately I don't have such a spell," Wizard answered as he guided them both out of the Underworld and back to the real world, "That aside, they will no longer pursue your friend here since his Phantom has been destroyed. For now let's-"

The Kamen Rider was interrupted by flames suddenly engulfing the building. He used an unusual magic that allowed him to assume a liquid form, then carrying both Virulina and Lexor to safety as they saw a fiery Phantom in the air razing the building.

"Hey Wizard! Medusa told me I can fight you if I help turn the people of this world into Phantoms!" the Phantom said as he descended to the ground before the two, "But I suppose she couldn't say anything if I end up killing them in the process!"

"Phoenix... Looks like they're not just intent at making Phantoms..." the Kamen Rider said to Virulina, handing the still unconscious Lexor to him, "He looks more powerful than the last time I fought him. It would be best to run. I'll hold him and anyone else that tries to get in the way!"

"Where am I suppose to run 'to', wizard?"

Virulina had no issue with retreating from 'magic stuff' that she was ill equipped to handle.

The Kamen Rider had his hands full when the Phantom charged at him, even from a distance the Darkling Lord could feel an unbearable heat emanating from him. Objects around the monster started combusting on their own.

"... Fair point, one moment," Wizard remarked as the thought crossed his mind, using his might to repel Phoenix away for a brief moment to use another ring to cast a spell at Virulina's direction.

PORTAL please!

A magic circle formed on the ground beneath Virulina, with gravity suddenly causing her to fall into... water? The last words she could make out before the splash was the Kamen Rider telling her to give his regards to someone, the last part was hard to catch once you're in the water. It was unusually dark, and the Darkling Lord couldn't feel her companion with her when she fell into the portal.

"Whoah!"

Virulina wasn't sure what sort of water she hit, but she quickly kicked to the surface... and looked around for a shoreline.  The Darkling Lord sputtered curses about wizards and their spells... she'd endured this sort of thing with Merklyn.  But on the bright side, she was now in her element.  Spreading her hands wide, she summoned the power of her Shark totem and transfromed into a green colored sea predator.

Let someone try and stop me now! she thought to herself.

Diving down beneath the surface, Virulina circled the area to see if she could find Lexor.  She was pretty sure he didn't come through with her to... wherever this place was.  But a small search didn't hurt.  There could even be underwater structures down here.

From the sense of smell of her shark form the Darkling Lord could find out that the water stretched about quite far from around her and down. The surface wasn't far away and if she did go up for a look she'd find that she was no longer in her world. The half-sphere of water was floating in space that stretched out for miles. Behind her was a bright red light coming from a planet - a pillar of fire that reached all the way up the atmosphere and scorched the surrounding area.

"While the sight is indeed worrying, this damage would be at best temporary if you could restore the world to the way it was..." a mysterious voice echoed in Virulina's head - a man garbed in heavy robes that covered most of his features stood on the surface of the water observing the sight as well.

Great, ANOTHER Merklyn quest.  She thought to herself.

Virulina was used to this sort of thing however, even if Merklyn gave 'better' briefings and usually a reference point to start from.  She couldn't just approach this pillar of fire and just duel it.  Someone had to know something, so that someone was the person that Virulina would find.  But since the robed image was here, she'd at least ask a few questions.

"Alright, point me in the direction of civilization, Wizard.  Am I going to run into any more Phantoms?"

"A wizard, not exactly," the figure turned to look to Virulina and bowed with respect, "Most have decided to call me Darkness, and thus I decided to adopt the name."

It was clear to see why against the light of other heavenly bodies as the pillar of fire faded away. The mysterious man's robes were darker than a shadow, and the armored plates he wore underneath gave no reflection against the light. It was as if light refused to touch Darkness.

"As for directions, I believe it would be easier to just bring you there," Darkness said as he motioned a hand. The Darkling Lord felt solid ground underneath the water, supporting her slowly up out of the mass of liquid in the shape of a disc.

Another wave and they soon found themselves near a strange planet with a tall tower whose roof was open as if welcoming their arrival. The sensation was disconcerting at best, especially when one's perception had to adjust with the sudden change of scene.

ooc: you may proceed to post at the Nexus of the Void. :3c