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[For fourteen seconds, all any can hear is a faint static coming from all devices connected to the city network. Cellphones, terminals, communication devices of any kind... Perhaps a whisper or two in the background, but nothing that could be truly made out behind the din. However, fifteen seconds after midnight, the flames of the candles all mysteriously light themselves if they weren't already lit, and the voices become clear as crystal. It is all one: male, judging by the bass tone and, for those watching, dark silhouette amidst a blindingly white glare.]

Good evening, guests of our most... esteemed science division and citizenry. Many of you may question why it is that suddenly, a thin veil has overtaken parts of the town since the annual summer festival. I am here to answer that question and more.

[The figure bows deeply before raising to full height.]

Unfortunate as it may be, there are but few means to enter the walls when they have been closed. This much has been true since the days when the gates between districts were wide, and trade flourished. For all its talk of community and friendship, these traits the leaders have always kept exclusive to those within than those without. Therefore, we who remain in the wastes forced our way in.

[The figure lifts his arms, a pompous air about him as he speaks.]

Yes, it was those of our number a small band of you located three months prior. The young ones, who left the writings on the walls. I, who first successfully hacked into their networks. All for the sake of this day, that I might speak to you all freely without the censorship of our most esteemed scientists.

In the many months of our silent vigil outside these grand walls, we have come to realize a simple truth: the leaders and this society have little interest in educating any of its so-called "guests" in any means other than simply lengthening your lifespans as well as their own. A state of stagnation, rather than slow death. Those from the shrine, like your sweet High Priestess can do aught but leak that which they are "allowed" to by the heads of the different science divisions. Or perhaps none among you found it odd that rather than Rhea responding to our more zealous members, it was the one who wished to silence any attempt to speak out against their own agenda?

[he bows deeply once more.]

As the leader of this band of mischief makers, I do apologize for their disruption of your daily lives. However, we of the Rangar do not believe in stagnation, but in an active course against the pseudoscience these defectors and skeptics practice. With how many candles were lit of the listener's volition tonight, I need not ask what it is you seek.

The door is open for all. The seeker need only speak.

[The feed then ends, but so long as the candles are lit, there seems to be no reaction in order to silence this apparent leader.

But when the flames go out, only the following text can be seen:]

THIS ENTRY HAS BEEN FLAGGED AND BEEN REMOVED FOR FALSE INFORMATION AND SLANDER AGAINST THE RULING PARTIES OF THE CITY.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

And where is this door?

[Because it's much safer to speak in person-- or at least an approximation of it. The network isn't safe, and she doesn't trust it. Not at a time like this.]

Currently? Unknown. However, one of us can meet you by the northeast gate.

[Judging by the feed lock, this person does not trust it either.]

Are they as forthcoming as you?

Yes. Perhaps even more so.

Then I'll be there before the day ends.

[And she definitely will be there at sunset, wearing on of her darker, less showy outfits so she wont bring much attention to herself.]

[As promised, a man with pale blond hair in all black (though there seems to be a purple iridescence in the fabric) stands by the gate outside in place of the usual guard. Though the attire is more dark than what most locals wear, no one seems to bat an eyelash... nor do they seem surprised at the lack of a guard stationed at the moment. After all, this was about the time they change shifts...

As she approaches, Lightning will recognize the silhouette. It is the same man who spoke over the network.]

[He'd said that it'd be someone else, but it looks like he might have thought it's better to meet her in person instead of letting someone else handle it.

Or maybe it's his twin, or a relative who closely resembles him. She might not know until he speaks though.]

I'm searching for a door, and was pointed to this gate instead.

[He looks up when addressed, face unreadable for a moment as he studies her.]

Ah, but aren't all gates simply a doorway to another location? [The man smirks faintly, before bowing slightly.] Come, Savior... I must not linger long.

[And for good reason, as it seems one of the guards is heading for his post. He begins to head north alongside the wall.]

[If he's looking for a reaction to her old title, he's probably going to be sorely mistaken, because she's snooped into some of the unencrypted conversations earlier, and even with the scientists. She knows that they know who they are, and it stands to reason that these Rangar do as well.

So she doesn't make a fuss, and instead quickly moves into step behind him.]

[The lack of a reaction isn't one that seems to earn one either. No more than a simple mental note and pressing onward.]

You must forgive the abruptness of my appearance. After taking a look at your file, we believed it little more than insult were one of the others to come meet you. Yes, we gained access to the scientist's files of those who lit the flames. I personally like to know who it is that also seeks the truth.

[At this he stops, places a palm on the wall briefly, and the bricks almost seem to push themselves aside to reveal the inside of the wall.]

Unfortunately higher ups do so enjoy to redact such knowledge from the more... accessible files, and thus any record of your name was removed.

My peers call me Zeloph.

Call me Lightning. I'm not the Savior-- not anymore. Whoever still thinks of me as that is behind the times, so that file of yours is wrong.

[Meaning the file that the scientists have is also wrong. It troubles her a little, that people have a file on her, but also that people would think to hide things such as names from all else. Especially names of guests, when they already freely give it to fellow "guests".

What kind of codenames have these people been using for everyone else, if they still call her "the Savior"?]

But we're not talking about me, are we? We're talking about the truth.

[She eyes the part of the wall that have disappeared to make way for the hole. Is this how they've managed to get into the city?]

Not surprising. They do enjoy to keep the outdated files much more accessible. [He shrugs helplessly. What can you do when there's only a few hackers in their midst, and two of them being detained at this very moment?] Though ironic... I was once called the Thunderer.

[He motions with a nod for her to get in. With how much the candles have waned, there's no telling when some would start to awaken.]

I wouldn't linger outside for long.

[She raises an eyebrow. What's he going to do out there, and what's she going to be doing in there? Because she still doesn't know what in the world is in beyond the hole in the wall, despite already having one foot through it.]

Waiting for someone else?

No, but considering where we are-

[He's more concerned with someone following them, which becomes apparent the moment a second voice interrupts him.]

"Hey, you there! Step away from the passageway!"

[Uttering a curse below his breath, he removes his hand from the wall in order to call forth a blade from what Lightning may mistake for Chaos.]

Answers will have to wait. Go. I'll hold them off.

[The officer appears from the shadows, holding up a rifle with a laser attachment that points for the cult leader's head.]

"Hey, I thought I told you to step away! By order of the- wait, aren't you...?"

Nice gun you have there. Be a shame if something were to happen to it, officer.

[That's chaos, isn't it? If it's not, it looks far too much like it for Lightning to be anything but shocked-- and have an equally startling thought in her head. The similarities to Caius are too much to ignore now-- the voice, the abilities, even a bit of the demeanor. She wants to question him even more now.

But run? Run? Certainly not, and Lightning will not let him go on his own without getting some answers from this man, even if she must harm a guard to do so. She apologizes to the man in her head as she changes into the outfit she'd gotten in the Ark during the eleventh day, a yellow and orange one that looks garish, but gives her a much-needed boost in strength and access to one very powerful skill.

Lightning strides forward, sword still strapped to her back because she wont need it until the end, not bothering to hide her face because she knows he wont be able to report to his superiors when they're done here. And then she aims a kick right at the officer's face, before following it up with another, and yet another.]

[The officer finds himself overwhelmed by the attack, soon falling to the ground and not moving. However he is hardly alone in trying to corner whoever it is she is meeting with, more laser points appearing to aim for Lightning. One fires a strong sedative as she is about to hit the one on the ground a third time. The others then take aim at the cult leader.]

[However, they won't get much of a chance to fire again. As one attempts to rush the pair and likely take Lightning into custody, Zeloph disappears in a flash of red only to appear once more just above one officer.]

Embrace solitude.

[The lance goes clean through a shoulder blade and into the ground, unleashing a wave of miasma that knocks out the rest of their would-be attackers.]

Mai, now!

[A woman in a dark violet robe walks out of the opened secret passageway, waving her hands and uttering an incantation Lighting would not be able to decipher as time seems to reverse for the police officers. The miasma leaves them, and all but the two on the ground seem to vanish from sight. With that done, she turns her attention to the other woman.]

Lightning...? Miss Lightning, are you alright?

[Honestly? Lightning knows she should feel irritated. Annoyed. Pissed off. She let a bunch of guards sneak up on her and shoot her. With drugs, at least, but still. She knows she should feel very annoyed with herself at that, but she cant because she can feel them taking effect even as she finally swings her sword at the officers. Her movements are sluggish though, lacking the necessary force behind them.

She cant feel much of anything right now, except for maybe the ground under her when she finally loses control of her legs and falls over. She wants to reply to this new woman, but her tongue is numb and she can barely see anyway, aside from a blur.

So all she does is close her eyes and hopes that she doesn't wake up around enemies.]

[When she wakes up she'll find herself on a couch. A little groggy, but that may be the scent of the candles burning around them.

Yes, them, as a concerned pair of figures seem to be sitting opposite the couch and speaking in low whispers.]

You sure it will wear off soon?

Yes, sir. In fact she should be waking any time now-

[Anyone who had visited the hospital previously or had seen her messages in retrospect would recognize the robed woman as the former nurse who was tasked with watching over the new arrivals in case of injuries. However, she was more concerned with their guest than keeping her identity a secret.]

Miss Lightning? Are you awake?

Edited 2014-08-11 04:53 (UTC)

[The face is certainly familiar to her, but in her current state, Lightning cant place it.

Yet. It'll probably come to her when she's more aware.

Recovering from being heavily sedated is no easy task-- Lightning feels uncomfortable where she's laying, but at the same time she doesn't feel like moving just yet. Her mouth is dry, tongue heavy, and she feels that if she so much as closes her eyes again, she'll drop right back off to sleep.

So she struggles to stay awake, pushing herself up to her elbows, and flexing her neck and shoulders just to get the blood flowing again.]

Awake enough to wonder where we are.

[And no, it's not a question. Not in the least.]

You're inside an underground base of Rangar. We thought it best to move you here instead of letting others find you in your current state.

[Mai offers her a plastic cup of water - something that won't shatter were she to accidentally drop it.]

Here. This ought to help with the aftertaste and dry mouth.

[Lightning takes the cup by the brim, so there's less chances of her actually dropping the thing just because her grip isn't as strong as it should be yet. Though she doesn't drink immediately-- she eyes the water first, before deciding that it's safe enough to drink.]

What about the guards who tried to take us?

[But she now recognizes the woman. She's from the hospital, and now it's clear to Lightning that the Rangar have a person on the inside.

Who else is working with them though? Some of the other scientists?]

[Mai sits back a little, confident Lighting won't drop the cup any time soon.]

I sent them back in time for themselves by an hour. They won't recall who and what they were there for, or where the entrance was. Nor will most of them suffer harm from the retaliation.

Most of them. However, two of them died... and will likely be written off as killed in a monster attack by their peers.

[The voice comes from behind the nurse, obviously giving a bit of space as he lights another purification candle with a small spark of electricity.]

I apologize for that, by the way. I'm afraid my return to the city proper may have drawn more attention than I thought.

[What Lightning takes from that is that the guards are mostly fine, and their identities are still safe, even if she doesn't know what sort of powers the hospital nurse has in order to send one back through time "for themselves".

She rubs her temple with two fingers, because this got complicated quickly. But there's nowhere else to got but forward.]

No need for apologies. Let's just get what we came here for done, so we don't spend too much time and get anyone suspicious. The scientists still think that I'm on their side, and I told them to call me if they needed an exorcism.

voice;

voice - feed secured 98.9%;

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-> action?

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1/2 - Roll for fighting the sedative's effects.

2/2

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