Chapter V - Brimstone

Completed chapters of the serial storyline are stored here after completion.
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TennyoCeres84
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Re: Chapter V - Brimstone

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Miranda's response had the tone of someone who had emergency plans drilled into her head since toddlerhood, modified for her age and the complexity of the situation. She eyed her lich father and her armored mother "If you're drained, your bones go in the canvas bag that's in the glove compartment of the Impala, Dad. Mom has a ring that's magically linked to it in case she needs to trace it." She slipped into the backseat on the driver's side and fastened her seat belt, appearing a little nervous and sad that they might be leaving their home for the last time.

Once everything was placed into the trunk, Aspasia sighed with a bit of satisfaction and headed for the front passenger seat, keeping the previously used Elysium rifle nearby. "Much like we did during the Battle of Hope. Though, with this scenario, it'll probably have a bit less of the foundation building that we did together when we first met and more about just surviving."

***

"What the hell is that stuff?!" Neasa shouted as she could see the rush of coppery water heading for them.

"I believe it's Heaven's means of circumscribing engagement zones; Hell's doing the same! However, we can't get trapped in its flow, even if it wouldn't necessarily kill us!"

"Then how are we going to get out of its path?!" her great-granddaughter screamed, looking frantic.

"Upward!" the Archmage answered as she began stringing together a series of magical incantations. The Daisy II was swathed in glowing blue arcane light, from the roof to the tires, and it started to lift off the road and above traffic and then even over the trees that lined the street. "Direct the car toward Holden Hall; it's going to take my focus keep this speedster aloft without messing anything up!" she ordered to the Clank.

***

"Maybe, maybe not. Drill sergeant might be just what we need right now," Aislinn said with a thoughtful expression. "And some improvisation, of course," she noted. "As long as we've got a shell and the right text, we should be good to go. Now, let's get inside!"

***

Sophia felt the global surge of energy from the World Tree and regained her Summer vigor, her features returning to their more verdant hues. While she didn't have time to again marvel at the sensation billions of others had felt, the tree spirit directed her focus to protecting the area and the mortal wards tucked underneath the Tree.
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IamLEAM1983
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Re: Chapter V - Brimstone

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"I can do survival," nodded Coach. "I only hope enough people in town can do the same."

They drove off towards Old Hope. Downtown seemed to be burning, in Coach's rear-view mirror.

* * *

Archie did as instructed, even as Isaacs reached over his seat to press a button on the nanites' container. They began to flow back towards their point of origin, which allowed the vehicle to gradually slow down to a point where it could be controlled.

* * *

Amenadiel and Herbert kept going past the ground floor's plane, their formed trio gracefully landing in the main concrete-lined hallway of Hydroponics. On either wall waited a long procession of moistened beds of topsoil, all of them holding up vegetables that seemed to be well on the way to maturation. A little jog past a ground-based plot of potatoes and tomatoes, and they reached the area Tom's contracted engineers had unimaginatively referred to as "Protein Processing", where Paradise-make meat printers were already working on their first batch of cellulose and grain-based steaks and beef patties. An old portable concrete mixer had been refueled by a few enthusiastic members of the larger Jewish community. Horowitz hadn't bothered to take care of the exhaust line, which had left Khalid and Benedict to cough and sputter as they used an emergency fire hose to try and extend its reach to one of the air vents. 

Imam Jarrah wiped his eyes once they'd managed to stabilize the CO2 output. "For God's sake, Isaac - warn us, the next time you're looking to dump that much carbon monoxide in a confined space!"

Father Curran didn't look much happier, but he'd busied himself with the monitoring of the concrete mix. "I know mister Magnus designed this space to be self-sufficient, but this is the sort of work that needs to be done outdoors, Isaac.
- And what?" defied the rabbi. "Are we supposed to let these demons outside see the shem I'll place in that creature's mouth? Over my dead body!
- Then at least let the mixing process be moved topside, alright? We'll try it once with this batch, then move the mixer to the rooftop. Someone else can ferry loads of mixed concrete back down here using the service elevators."

Tom's copy of the Kabbalah's texts might have been easy to recover, grasping them was no simple task. Horowitz might've had moxie, he clearly hadn't fully prepared for the procedure and pored over the presented diagrams and notes like an overwhelmed student.

"This might take some time..."
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