The Sylvan Syndicate ~Incomplete~

Origin

Marianna estimated we had roughly thirty minutes before whatever this big red blip on our sensors was, reached us. I turned to the side and attempted to raise the Gamemaster...no cigar, great. I heard a girly laugh and heard, "It's a cave dumbass, there's no reception." I was angry with Cerrina, that was obvious, but I was just getting to furious when I attempted to calm myself down. We needed Cerrina alive. "What is going on? You owe me that much Cerrina." She gave me a small smile and replied, "I think you already know. Go ahead, piece it together and waste some time, I can wait, your friends...maybe not so much." I sighed and paced behind her chair, grabbed her hair, and pulled her up. You know, for all the pain I inflict, I'm a rather nice person deep down. That aside, "What. Do. You. Know?" She yelped from the pain of having her hair being slowly pulled out, but the little...pest still wouldn't give, "N-nope! Guess for yourself!" I again, sighed and dropped her the remaining foot to the ground. For reference, I'm 6'5" and she was more or less, 5'3" I heard another yelp and looked down, she was glaring up at me, "Rude! Where are your manners?" I responded flatly, "Right next to my thirst for knowledge. Now spill Langstrom." She sighed and pushed me back, well, as much as she could, I kinda just...moved a little. She huffed and sat down, you know, for a grown woman who could play your mind like a flute, she seriously acted like a child most of the time. I'd forgotten, it was kind of cute on anyone but her. Again, that aside, "Fuck it, fine. I didn't want to do this, but I will." I pulled Moriarty and immediately she acted like I pulled a gun, she jumped up and backed away, "WOAH. AWAY. RIGHT NOW. PUT IT AWAY." Her chest was heaving and her eyes were wide, the animalistic instinct to run kicking in. It was good to know that she knew the power this watch held in it outside of battle. "Tell me, or I'll just pluck the information for myself. The choice is yours." She continued backing up, shaking her head lightly. Reaching inside her pocket she pulled the all too familiar rod, Shalazar. "Y-you know what this is and what it can do, I-I wouldn't come near me anymore un-unless you want to get hurt!" Her voice was hysterical. I was starting to wonder if she was starting to crack, really. Her sudden mood swing...it wasn't normal for her, or anyone really. "Tell me." I commanded, my watch starting to sway back and forth, I channled my power into it. I simply let the passive spell do the rest. Her eyes widened and she was frozen in place, Shalazar in her hands aimed at me, her body starting to turn to run, and her face, her face was full of fear. It was good to know she knew what it felt like. "Tell me everything about what happened here and why you stopped communicating." Her mouth moved like it was on its own accord, her voice mechanical almost, "Origin forced me to stop the data connection, this was a trap. All of it. He's coming. You're going to die with the other two. If I didn't my entire team would've died and he would've killed me as well, he's angry, and he wants blood. Origin is back, and he wants the Gamemaster dead, and anyone who associates with him. That included his eyes and ears. I will die unless I run. And so will you." Her mouth snapped shut at the end of you. I shook my head and...reluctantly asked another question, "Do you truly wish to betray us? If not, then why fight? Instead of tell us?" Her mouth opened and released a one word answer that would either let her live or die. "No. I fought because if he learned I didn't, and still trusted you...he would've killed me. Even if you were captured, even if I told you, you would still have perished here today, I figured that if I escaped, I might be able to help." I turned and released the spell. "You will live...for now. Display any sign of allegiance to him and you're stardust." I heard a weak, "Thank you." From behind me, and then a thud as her body hit the floor, my ancient influence tiring her mind and body out. I turned to ask Marianna and Sorin some questions, "How much time?" She glanced down and then to Sorin, and back to me, "Ten minutes. And that's if the hatch holds." She glanced behind me to see Cerrina sprawled on the floor, "The hell? What'd you do?" I explained the situation briefly and asked, "Can you conjure some kind of portal out of here? It doesn't even have to be back to HQ, just out of here. See if you can grab Cerrina too." Marianna nodded to Sorin and started to draw out a circle in the AR area, I knew they wouldn't be able to port out using Cerrina's technology, it was under Origin's watch. I attempted to make a secure connection to the Gamemaster using his private network, I knew it was a longshot, but I hoped because it was again, a private network. I heard static and then, "What is it FastForward?" I quickly briefed him on the situation and I heard a sigh and him mumble something very suggestive as to how he felt and then, "The circle won't work, you're underground and you don't have a connection." I questioned back, "What about your private network?" I heard a rustling of papers and a few sketches being drawn, numbers being run probably, and just when I thought he'd forgotten, "It could work, yeah. I'd need to increase the traffic allowance, and in order to that, I'd need time, longer than 10 minutes, less than 30...can you hold off Origin?" I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, I was already tired after my fight with Cerrina...but then again...SHALAZAR! "Wh-what?" I heard the obvious confusion in his voice, not realizing I'd said it aloud I quickly explained, seeing how we were short on time. "That could work. I'll let you know the second I get it open for four people to travel...good luck FastForward, I trust you to find a way around him if you can't go through him. GM out." I sighed and walked over to Cerrina, who, as far as I knew was fast asleep. I searched near her body for Shalazar but couldn't seem to find it so I assumed it went back...into her clothes. Amazing luck I have, don't I? Atleast she's asleep. I covered my eyes and put my hand under her jacket, searching not so graciously for a cold handle when- "I knew you couldn't resist me Fastie, but no need to get frisky." I jumped back, genuinely embarrassed for the first time in a long time, "WH-WHAT THE HELL?" And with that most gracious sentence Cerrina S Langstrom bursted into a fit of laughter. After composing herself, and I getting back on my feet, she came up and asked, "So, what're you doing grabbing under my clothes for, huh?" I covered my face with my hand and said, "I was looking for Shalazar. I need it to fight off Origin." The playfulness in her eyes abated when she heard the name, "You think he'd listen to you? He wouldn't. Shally's all mine, and while you may NEED him, you want me even more~" My face grew hot at the last comment, realizing that I most likely would've liked dying over being teased by my worst enemy about how I was touching her..ANYWAYS. "I don't want you Cerrina, I want your wand for its power. And if you won't hand it over-" I was quite rudely interrupted with, "I'll just fight WITH you then, huh?" I was about to correct her to what I was thinking when, another rude interruption. A bang emanated from the shaft we fell down from, and to point out the obvious, "That would be Origin. Glad I evacuated everyone earlier. How's the portal doin'?" I sighed mentally, "You and I need to fight while they ready the portal, we're going to be using the Gamemaster's private network to get back because your tech is being monitored. "That it is!" She said brightly. Which I don't know if it was sarcasm or not, with her it's hard to tell emotions. "Cerrina, why in the fresh hell would-" When again, I was cut off, "Not important, but as of right now, you Sylvans are my best shot out of Origin's iron grip, therefore I'm making an effort to preserve my own life. Also, if you don't mind, I've go to get presentable for the Lord Origin." I felt like laughing when she called Origin "Lord". He always wanted to be worshiped. It's what makes him have a single fault, his goal, to lord over all of the internet. It's disgusting because that wasn't his initial goal, but that's a story for another day. "Make yourself presentable? I thought the idea was to just fend him off." She grinned, "It is dearie, though I'd hate to look like a hag while I kill Origin." Her dark grin was icy, yet held a small warmth to it. It seemed as if only she could pull that off. "He's coming, brace!" I heard the footsteps before I heard the bang, I believe I heard a yell, it could've been in my head though. What I know I did see however, was a sharply dressed man, a cloak clasped around his neck made of the finest black silk most likely, his body clothed in a nice two piece suit, dark as night. Although what scared me the most was on his hands...those gloves...they emanated power far beyond what I remembered. They rivaled even my own power, and that's when I heard a voice I hadn't heard for a very long time, and I hoped to never hear it again, deep and flowing, "Well, Michael Angelo, a long time it's been, though, what is time to you? A way to live forever? Pitiful, now get out of my way."