When Fates Collide (Semi-Open)

Rain pelted down on the windshield as the passengers of the Metro Line clung to what little space they had. The storm only grew in ferocity as the night stretched on and only extended their trip. Cautious and alert, the driver followed his usual route like any other day. Eight feet ahead, an overpass stretched over the highway, just tall enough for the bus to fit underneath.

Three shadowy figures stood by the side of the bridge, watching the approaching bus carefully. Silently, one nodded to the other in confirmation. This was their target. As the bus neared the otherwise dead bridge, the figures launched into the air with powerful leaps, a shrill shriek echoed throughout the sky as a warning. The headlights caught nothing until it was too late, one figure landing in the middle of its path. As the light shone on the creature, the driver yelled, not having expected a late night visitor to walk the roads. Twisting the wheel violently as if the quicker he turned the better chance he had of avoiding the creature, the bus creaked in protest. Tires skidded along the pavement as the brakes were heaved against the floorboard; the passengers would be on their own to grab hold of something to catch their balance. For a moment, it seemed as if the bus was tilting -- in reality, it was. From the sharp turn, the bus was beginning to lean heavily towards one side. In a split second, the bus was forced down on it's regular upright, though it was accompanied by a great slam against the rooftop.

The shadowy form standing in the middle of the highway was unharmed, as it remained stationary. Groans and grunts filled the crowded bus as luggage and purses were scattered across the isle. “Everyone stay calm! Any injuries?” The bus driver stood from his seat after making a complete stop in the middle of the highway. About to reach for the handle to open the door, two heavy sets of feet pounded above their heads. Before anyone could figure out what was going on, long sharp copper nails plunged into steel and ripped off a section of the roof. The screams of the passengers filled the tiny space as faceless creatures stared down upon the helpless victims. The dim streetlights reflected upon their bark-like skin while two horned antennas sprouted from the tops of their heads like gnarled branches. Eerie red cravings replaced eyes as they observed the frightened passengers below. Many were already trampling to the far end of the bus to try and escape.

One looked directly at the sandy-haired male and dark-haired female sitting together. The Kelfazu had spent many nights searching for those new arcanists infused with mana under the direct orders from the Horde. Their blood stained fingers were used to suck the mana right out of them. With one swipe of a long arm, the Kelfazu attempted to grab Brian who was closet to them. The other standing on the roof jumped down into the hole inside the bus and turned towards the blonde-hair girl sitting off on her own. The last standing outside took one look at the bus driver as he vacated the vehicle. In the blink of an eye, sharp claws sheered through human flesh, and the driver fell to the floor.

Rain always complicated things. Compromised vision, slippery equipment, and of course, it made you cold! The latter of the three wasn’t that important, but it was an inconvenience after everything was said and done. Hazel eyes were peeled on the street windshield trying to keep an eye on what was going on in front of them. The bus driver should really invest in some rain-ex, because the amount of rain coming down was enough to create nothing but a blurred world on the outside. In the distance, even in the rumbling of the bus engine and rain hitting the worn steel, a faint shriek could be heard. That couldn’t be good but it was something that she had been expecting. Knowing something was about to happen, she grabbed a hold of the bar that rested conveniently on top of the seat in front of her to brace herself. Looking back up, she managed to see a faint outline of something being in the middle of the street but not being able to make out what exactly the creature was, not that she had time to. The bus skidded across the open highway as the side at which Taylor was sitting on was threatening to hit the ground as the other side lifted up. Her body moved in the opposition direction as her side was, trying to not be forced up against the window. The bus tipping over was not an option – not that one person could stop it. Fortunately enough, the passenger-filled vehicle landed back down on four wheels and she was back in business.

By the time the two loud crashes hit the ceiling; Taylor was standing and looking around the bus. No one seemed injured, only frightened. The claws coming through the roof wouldn’t help the situation any as she watched a section being ripped from its hinges. Amongst the chaos she saw the bus driver open the door; of all the plans he had that wouldn’t be the smartest. “Don’t go outside!” Which could barely be heard over the noise – the driver sealed his own fate, grimacing slightly. Without second-guessing what happened outside, as she looked up to the new moon roof in the sky, it was then she knew what she was dealing with. The Shadowkind showed its ugly face, which gave her a little bit of an edge. She hadn’t seen them in a couple of years, but she could never forget a face like that: the weird horn/antler/antenna looking things sprouting from their heads and hands used directly for sucking the mana out of a magical user. From nights of research, studying, and experience she knew what these things were capable of. Wait.. that didn’t make sense at all! She had been there when the last of the arcanists fell, and as far as she knew there weren’t any left, especially in Los Angeles. Obviously, she was wrong or the Kelfazu got some wrong information somewhere down the line. It wasn’t long before they made their way into the bus and all hell broke loose.

Passengers scrambled to get out of their chairs as screams filled the narrow enclosure. One didn’t waste its time in going after its first victim. It was the guy who had come to join the lady and planned on having a nice conversation. Well, she gussed that thatwas out of the question. Fortunately enough, the two had been sitting near her and most of the passengers were out of her striking distance. Hand went behind her back to unsheathe the machete that was hidden and secured to her back. With using the momentum from behind her head and brought down the force onto the Kelfazu’s outstretched arm separating the creature’s limb from the rest of the body. An unearthly scream was let out as the Kelfazu stumbled back slightly. Looking to the young passengers, she didn’t waste any time.

“Move!” She didn’t know exactly where they could move, but the point was to get them out of the way of the angered Shadowkind.

"I'm going to come back for this." She handed her blade to the man that almost became monster food. Obviously, they were after him for a reason, or that's what she concluded. Plus, what she said was on the assumption that a) he and his friend could survive this and b) Taylor could use something else to fight off the creatures. It was out of her nature trusting a civilian with one of her weapons but for some rare reason that she wouldn't be able to be there - he wasn't completely helpless. However, she knew the Kalfazu was after more than one person. Looking up, she saw the saw the blonde in time to see her fight back. In such a small space, so much was going on. Did the third creature decide to catch the stragglers outside? It irked her not knowing that the third was in the bus with them. However, it wasn’t time to dwell on what wasn’t happening, there was enough going inside the bus.

She didn't like how she had to split her attention from the middle of the bus to the back of the bus where the blonde did her best to keep the creature that was attacking her and another passenger away. She recognized the other woman as the one listening to music. Granted it wasn't a long distance, but it was enough to where she couldn't fight them both at the same time. Making the decision to leave the armed man and his friend, she moved toward the back of the bus where the other fully-operational Shadowkind was. Her bow was her next option, but she had to get her hands on it first. The bag she had carried on wasn't under her seat anymore which meant it slid across the floor when the bus twisted and turned. Wonderful! Quick strides were taken as the blonde kicked the Kelfazu back a little bit. There was enough force behind that kick to knock it back enough for Taylor to grab ahold of the creatures arms, and using her strength and momentum to maneuver the ugly beast around to switch their places, ducking as it swung its dangerous hands. Now, Taylor was standing in between the passengers and it. Leg came up to kick the creature in its abdomen followed by a swift fist to its face. As a result the two were now in the same general area and it was something she could work with. No more leaving people unattended. Not an option.

Chaos ensued on the 593 Metro Bus, and no one could believe his or her eyes as many looked on in fear while others bolted for the open door. The creatures before them were from their worst nightmares, horror movies, and myth. Where had they come from? No one knew and quite frankly, it was obvious their only concern was escape. Many fought their way to the front while clawing and pushing other passengers out of the way. The Kelfazu looked on with blank stares as they looked onto their prey. That unique scent was in the air, which set apart a small handful residing on that very vehicle. It was their drug, the ambrosia that drew them. Mana was rare, especially since it’s main source had been wiped out by the Behemoth and others like it. The Horde had a special interest in wiping out all opposition and the Kelfazu were the perfect weapons for the job.

Escape was pointless. With one push, the bus driver was shoved onto his back and to the side—clearing a path ahead. Like ants, those that had managed to find their way out scattered about the abandoned highway despite the warning of the Hunter. Descending upon its victims, the Kelfazu grabbed the neck of a man and without a thought hurled him against the concrete wall separating the road from the buildings surrounding it. Inside the bus, a howl would be heard over the roar as the machete sliced through thick layers of skin and bone just as it was about to grab the boy. With its remaining arm, the Kelfazu turned to chase after the woman but was brought to a stop when the same machete hacked away at his other arm. Infuriated, the large creature rammed its body into Brian’s to knock him off his feet. The Kelfazu would just stand there, drawing what power it could. In mere seconds, two new arms sprouted fought and replaced what had been lost. “That was a mistake boy.” The stained fingernail would sway above him as the machete had fallen from his grasp and slid across the isle. While Brian was lying on his back, Alisa had attempted to go for help. No help would come and the creature outside waited for the brunette to descend the steps. With the back of its hand, she would be struck down to the floor.

The last accomplice in the back of the bus would have its hands full—quite literally. The pepper spray would be useless against him and while the child might be safe, she would not be. In one swift motion, knobby fingers would encircle Lyra’s tiny neck and lift her a foot of the ground. Poised, the sharp nail would press against her arm as the sleeve was torn away. Before it could continue, the metal handrail collided its hip. Using Lyra as a bat, her body would be swung into Ryan’s body, as he would fly into the opposite window. All seemed hopeless for the new arcanists. The girl would be jostled from the Kelfazu’s grasp, thrown off guard when both arms were grabbed and drawn behind it’s back. Lyra would practically fall on top of Monique—snapping her out of her daze. A stiff kick to the abdomen would cause it flinch but not keel over. With its elbow, all his weight was lunged forward and the elbow would connect with the side of Taylor’s ribs. She had proved to be too much of a nuisance. “You would be wise to surrender now, its useless to fight back.”

Amongst the chaos and confusion, Taylor kept a relatively clear mind. For everything that was going on in the bus, she had to keep everything in order and know what had to be done for everyone to get off the bus relatively unharmed (bus driver not included). She chose to come on this bus and she was happy that her gut instinct was right. She’d rather be on the bus and be able to stop something than hear a bus full of people died because she didn’t follow through. That wasn’t the case this evening! Score one for the huntress. Seeing the man try to play hero with a make-shift weapon was appreciated, but knew that it would only get people into more trouble. Too many times had she seen people try and be the ”good samaritan” and it ended up getting them killed. This was no difference; she watched as the man was thrown into the window and fell to the floor. Wonderful. Being two places at once was becoming more of an impossibility as the seconds passed by. The only thing she had accomplished at that point was make two monsters pissed off. But hey, bring on the new obstacles. The monster in the back of the bus was angry and it resulted in an overly large elbow connecting with her ribs. It was enough to knock her back a few feet and knock the wind out of her. Broken ribs? Maybe, but it was nothing she hadn’t dealt with before. However, taking the hit turned out to be more to her advantage because it put her within reaching distance of her machete. Maybe she didn’t have the worst luck in the world after all? That was a tad far-fetched and as quickly as the thought entered her mind it left. The moment she picked it up the blood covered blade, she was bumped into by the brunette she saw earlier and on top of that she was apologized to. Really? Taylor gave her a weird look and in the in the midst of everything going on you apologize for bumping into someone?

Before she could even react, the Kalfazu caught her attention and with the blade in the opposite hand, it was hidden from the Shadowkind’s sight. “I was never one to take orders.” With that said, she used the momentum of her body turning toward the Horde combined with her swinging it up from the ground to connect her blade with the undefended neck of the beast in front of her. Taylor had started to get a head count (ha! pun intended) with her decapitations. It was the one way to ensure said monster could die without coming back. It was an obtained skill that she was starting to master. The effort that it took for her to get its head off did make her acknowledge that her ribs were a bit more hurt than she had realized and the machete fell from her hands from her wincing in pain. As the blade fell, so did the head of the Kalfazu and ended up landed on the blonde that was crawling on the ground. If that’s the worst thing that happened to her then she would be fine. “Are you hurt?” Taylor couldn’t dwell on the fact that she had magical blood running through her veins because there was one more monster inside the bus and one on the outside. Taking time to deal with one monster could ultimately result in someone else becoming a casualty of this fight. Not really waiting for an answer, she ignored the pain that flowed through her ribs; she turned her attention back to the one that was standing over the man she had given the machete to earlier. Because there were still innocent people in the seats cowering in fear, her choices were limited on what she could actually do. She hated when she had other people to worry about when she was trying to do her job. They were all un-needed distractions in the overall scheme of things.

As the Kalfazu made his move toward the two men on the floor on the bus, she took out a blade that was in her jacket holster and threw the dagger at the chest of the lone monster inside. It wasn't meant for a kill, it was more to get the attention off of the guys and more on her. Hey, what's better than a dagger to the chest to say pick on someone your own size -- even if she wasn't. It hopefully got the point across.

She watched as the scene played out before her eyes. Really? It only took a few seconds between her dagger plunging into the monster’s heart to see that everyone on the bus had banded together to get themselves killed. It was nice to see so much bravery in one place, but maybe now wasn’t such the best time for such heroics. She didn’t stop to think that maybe they saw her as this crazy ass person who carried weapons around where ever she went. It was an everyday thing to her and in her mind it was nothing out of the normal – except the people who were fighting back. That was abnormal. The brunette she had bumped into earlier was using a vase as a weapon and it couldn’t help but find it a tad entertaining. It was weird to see so many people pitch in and try to do their part. Of course, as entertaining as it was, it was also annoying. What happened to the good ol’ fashioned run and hide aspect and not dive right into unknown monster land? Apparently it had disappeared; her theory being solidified to see the man who was injured earlier getting up to do his own part. After all she was doing it was like they wanted a death wish or something!

At first everything was going to plan and the monster had diverted his attention from Brian and Alisa to Taylor and then back to Ryan. If nothing else, this big bad lackey was getting more confused (and angry) by the moment. As the Kelfazu turned to Ryan who was on the floor, Taylor took her opportunity. Getting a little bit of a running start, she came up behind the Kelfazu and placed a strategic foot down behind its kneecap. A screech was heard and the monster lost his balance on one foot. Without thinking twice, both hands came around to put on its chin and behind its grotesque head, snapping it in a fatal manner. Pain shot through her head as she let out an audible sign that she was injured. Damn, that hurt more than she thought it would. After the monster dropped down to the ground, the injured man who now had her dagger in his hand laid before her. Grabbing her abdomen slightly she walked over to him bending down and grabbing at the scruff of his shirt, “You do that again, I swear I’ll kill you myself.” Well, she knew she wouldn’t go ahead and murder him, but he didn’t know that nor would he ever probably find out. Letting go of his bloodied shirt, she stood back up slowly and looked at all the frightened passengers in the bus, the few that were left. Unfortunately, she knew that they weren’t out of danger yet and there was another Kelfazu outside of the bus waiting to make its move. Without a word being said, she picked up her machete that was dropped on the ground and the gym bag she had brought on the bus. Finding an empty seat she put her bag down and the machete right next to it. She probably should have said something to the bus to be all calming and relaxing, but that wasn’t her job. However, she didn’t need people running outside in hysterics and stood back up and took a deep breath. “Under no circumstances is anyone to go outside.” Who knew, maybe someone would go and run for help but that was not her intention. Hazel eyes landed on the few people she had saved throughout the night and to the frightened families hiding in their seats. As long as there was a Kelfazu outside, the passengers were stuck inside… with two dead monsters on the floor. It was time to regroup and re-attack. This was time to make use of her resources.

With two creatures already down and out, silence rested eerily throughout the night. Faint sounds of crickets chirping could be made out if one could get past the blood rushing in their ears, though with the frightened atmosphere of the passengers, that was unlikely. The third Kelfazu waited patiently outside, though safely hidden from the view of any spectators peering from the bus windows. The road and area around them was still – the air cold and calm, yet with a hint of danger lurking in the midst. Listening intently as the blonde girl made her request for a weapon to protect herself, the creature set its marking-eyes on the experienced Huntress who had killed its kin.

The abruptness of its descent on the top of the bus caused a loud quaking noise to ring throughout the battered vehicle. As soon as its footfalls had thundered onto the metal top, its strong hand punched right through the thick layer to reach towards its prey. A strong hand clutched the brunette danger by the nape of her neck and shoulder, roughly pulling her up and through the roof to bring her face to face. The low growl in its throat only served as a warning to the woman, though red markings were lightly illuminated in the night air. Its grip tightened, and for a moment it seemed as if the creature were sniffing Taylor – smelling the air around her. She was not an Arcanist herself, as she lacked the sweet, unique scents of the different domain blood.

Still, if it were going to get to taste the blood it so anxiously craved, the woman would have to be eradicated. Its grasp on the woman tightened before throwing the brunette girl swiftly to the cold, rough pavement. No matter what fight she put up to save those she desperately sought to protect, it would fight its hardest to win its craving. A loud cry rang throughout the night to accompany the screams of the bus passengers, and the creature jumped and off the bus, its weight shift tilting the bus enough to flip it onto its side. A clawed hand pummeled towards its prey, connecting with the woman while she was down. Victory would taste sweet.

Taylor looked through her bag, seeing that her bow was still intact and no arrows were broken. Thank the lord. If her bow was broken, everyone in the surrounding area would have a problem on their hands. That wasn’t the case so everyone was safe, theoretically speaking. The throbbing in her abdomen was a horrible reminder that she was damaged goods and she wasn’t at 100%. Somehow, every time she was injured it annoyed her more than the predicament she had gotten herself into. She counted what she still had within reaching distance and it was looking good. One more dagger in her holster, the machete next to her bag, her bow, and the other dagger which she forgot to take back from the wannabe hero bleeding on the ground. Before she could go back for her missing weapon, she was confronted by the blonde who she had seen crawling on the ground. Turning to face the woman who questioned her, she shook her head. “I didn’t say I was going anywhere, did I?” She answered in an annoyed voice. It wasn’t anything toward the blonde, but she was trying to think and unfortunately, she knew what the Kelfazu was capable of. “Thanks for the confidence boost, but I’m not worried about my head right now.” True story, it was the monster’s head that was Taylor’s target. She had one thing in mind and that was getting outside, finishing her job, and getting everyone out. Simple enough plan, but it was how she was going to execute it that was a little washy on the details.

She didn’t have to wait long as her way out became apparent – and not in her ideal way. Hearing the warning only a mere seconds before it grabbed her didn’t give her the chance to grab her weapon. Stupid blonde! Feeling pain rush through her upper shoulder and neck, she grabbed onto the creatures hand as she was lifted up and out of the bus. Great, now more people would be in hysterics and would touch her stuff! Okay, that wasn’t exactly on her mind at the moment, but it would have been if she wasn’t so preoccupied with the events that transpired. Rain came down, soaking her to the bone as she looked at her opponent straight in the… face? Tree like carvings? Whatever. She had learned that patience was truly a virtue, figuring out that waiting for her opponent to make its move first was, in certain circumstances, the better option. It would mean nothing with her flailing around and freaking out since it would make the brainless shadow kind flip out as well. Claws dug into her neck with more intensity as she hung there, gritting her teeth as she handled the pain, watching as the big oaf was doing his investigation. She braced herself as she felt the Kelfazu move and automatically figured out what was going on. Flying through the air, she landed with a sickening thud on the drenched pavement. Luckily, she didn’t hit her head, but it felt as though an elephant sat on her chest – the air refused to fill her lungs as the rain surrounded her. Ringing filled her ears as she laid on the ground, checking for broken bones. Back moved in the right ways, she could feel her arms and legs as she started to regain her strength on the pavement. Watching the monster flip the bus was all fuzzy as she heard the screams in the distance. However, she was confident that the lackey would come back for her and not in the bus (from past experience). Everything was going to plan, kind of, except for the whole being thrown off the bus – that sucked so badly. Coughing loudly, her chest constricted and her abdomen yelled in protest as she moved a little bit more in response hearing the Kelfazu run towards her.

Taking her chance as the monster came to hit her while she was down; she rolled out of the way as the large fist connected with the pavement. Hand went into her jacket and pulled out the one dagger that was left and in one quick movement thrust it into the monster’s throat with the strength she had. She watched as her opponent’s body went limp and used the handle to push the dead weight to the side. She laid there, on the ground, and in the rain trying to catch her breath. Taylor had done what need to be done and that was that. Slowly, she pushed herself off the ground, retrieved her dagger, and made her way to the battered bus. Man, the big chunk of metal looked as bad as she felt. How fitting. Walking to the flipped over bus, she went to the back and kicked out the emergency door - mostly because it was knocked off its hinges due to the hell it had been through. Poor passengers inside, she knew that there had been some injuries, but she hoped they were minor. Kneeling down on the wet pavement, she only imagined what she looked like to passengers all beat up and bruised. Because of the rain, she didn't know if she was bleeding from the spot the Kelfazu had picked her up and that wasn't the the biggest priority. Looking inside, she saw a lot of scared faces but no one who looked too hurt; at least.. no one she could see. "Let's get out of here.." She was ready for this night to be over. Now she could worry about her belongings and felt a twinge of annoyance as she thought of her machete AND bow still in there. Let's hope that wasn't broken!