The Abduction (private)

The night was young, around 10 PM or so when it happened. Within a distant underground cave, the shadows began to grow. The area was dimly lit by several overhead lights powered by a relatively small generator. When the shadows were finally at the point where they were almost completely black, they seemed to grow, becoming taller and human-shaped until they finally went off of the human form they were surrounding like a liquid and melted back into their source. That person was a woman named Tsukiko, a teacher at the DWMA who had just been forcably taken from her home while she was offguard.

The area was littered with piles upon piles of books and mostly empty shelves with no clear path in or out through the darkness. But, among all other features, the one that stuck out the most was a large boulder to the right wall that was covered with green glowing symbols, partially obscured by a man with long brown hair wearing nothing but some armored leggings chained to the object. Several tubes of green liquid trailed from his arms off into the distance where they were assumably attatched to a machine producing and pumping the chemicals. He seemed alive, but not consious with his expression blankly starring off into the distance.

"Greetings, Teacher...." A voice echoed out before a Warlock cloaked in black robes came out of the darkness. His head was covered in a mask that had three identical white owl-like faces positioned around his head. Then, with a violent snapping noise, his head twisted around to the left mask. "I've been observing you whenever I could find the chance. I would have invited you normally, but I didn't want to risk the chance your more sympathetic half would spoil this little supprise for us all. I'm Ebony, by the way, and it is with open arms that I personally welcome you to my little 'show'! I assume at this point you would like to know more specifically why you're here?"

The deep maroon of the woman's eyes began to glow, dark and ominous as her two-toned, serpintine and kitten purr voice broke through the echoing darkness. "I assume that my assistance is needed." There was no fear in her, no worry, no doubt; she was confidence and curiousity, coy and cunning.

"Your assistance is... wanted." Ebony stated, bluntly. "The best allies are the ones that the Shinigami never even suspects. I don't want to destroy the DWMA, simply to take him out. Only once that fool is out of the way can real reform happen. You see, every other group has tried to go directly against the DWMA, trying to destroy it from the outside, making enemies of themselves as they became infamous. But my way is simply more efficient. We work from the shadows, keeping ourselves in obscurity, just as St. Enid did, until the moment when the top of the DWMA is most vulnerable. Driving them to ruin and placing ourselves closer the top the entire step of the way. Planting some threats while keeping others hidden until they're too dangerous to simply be stopped. Just as I have done with Strix...."

After his big speech, he motioned twords the man chained to the rock. His glassy eyes now clear. "At one time he was a sizable threat to the DWMA. But, as time went on, I discovered a particular book and decided to pull the plug on his plans. And so that brings us to the two of you, Strix and a teacher's alternate persona."

Out of the darkness, a second Warlock appeared. This one was robed in red with what appeared to be a straightjacket on his body. Ebony's brother, Archeron. "I've worked my way into the DWMA under the guise of trying to stop Nebun. Using my talents as a spy, I can get away with being around the Shinigami and, as an alternate mind to a teacher, you can escape harm if you're caught by the DWMA. You can go out and make deals to provide threats to distract and weaken the DWMA but I cannot without risking my identity. I believe you see where I'm going with this, correct?"

A wide, mischevious grin broke across the woman's face, drawing up her painted lips as she leaned forward, attention peeked. "You wish for me to use the body I share to hide the mind I control?" She offered a slow nod in response, rubbing at her bandaged arm absently. "That is something I could surely manage. With mērō pāltu around, it's becoming increasingly easier to maintain more control than the 'other' is aware of." Slowly, she stood, crossing her arms over her chest, watching them both. "What's in this deal for me, though?"

Ebony's expressionless mask stayed the same but it was possible to feel his excitement. "Lets see, Archeron, the red Warlock behind me in the vulture mask, has a wide variety of mental abilities. He can offer you control whenever you wish. Then there's the power we can provide you, with the breakthroughs I've stolen from Strix, resonance will become exponentially easier. Wether you want a new partner or simply want to be better with the one you have, I can help you with but a simple weekly injection without your other persona ever realizing it."

The liquid pumping into Strix began to bubble as his body seemed to start instinctively gasping for air. In response, Archeron went into the shadows to regulate it to some degree. "Oh, it seems like he's trying to resist again. He's been ready for a few days now, but every now and then his body tries to fight back. Once the transformation's complete, it won't be a problem. Anyways, if there's anything else you could ever want, now would be the time to speak up."

Her brow raised as she watched him, the allure of their promised powers seeming all-too-tempting for her. "So I am to be the insider, the double agent in your affairs?" The smirk was there, playful and coy as her double-toned voice rang through the room. "What are the specifics to my assignement?"

"First, there's another more... difficult... member I want to add. A person who's known as a secret agent. I've already gotten a way to blackmail him and, with you, a person to do it through." Ebony reached into the shadows of his robe and pulled out a syrenge with light blue liquid in it. "Once he understands we have him you will need to inject him in the back of the neck with this. Lets just say it's a bit of assurance that he won't double-cross us. Any acts of trechery or suspicion of treason against us and I can use what's contained in this substance to force him out of sync with his own soul. Instant, remote, painful torture on a scale that's impossible for him to simply ignore."

The Warlock twisted his head around nearly 360 degrees before, with a snapping sound, he switched to another mask. "Then we need to find Kishin Eggs and Dark Weapons. Not large threats, but beings that would be capable of causing havok. You and your partner will simply need to convince them to gather souls in Death City. They will gather the DWMA's attention as I use my shadow magic to track them down and sneak the occasional few souls away from them. The more the DWMA trusts me the easier the transition will become."

Tsukiko bit into her lower lip tenderly, thinking, "And this 'agent;' is he to be my partner? Kazuko's pet won't work with me, I know." She stood, wandering around the strange room, exploring, curious, her eyes beginning to glow in the darkness.

"Of course not, I wouldn't trust the agent with such knowlege that the two of you will be recieving as far as I could throw him." The Warlock's head finally snapped completely into place as he spoke. "To figure out the person who's going to be your partner on this assignment you just have to simply look around this room." He turned around, motioning twords the man chained to the boulder behind him. Suddenly, out of Tsukiko's shadow, an arm appeared formed from the pure darkness holding up a device with a simple switch on it.

"The device is hooked up to-...." Ebony stopped himself, with a slight hint of anticipation in his voice. "Sorry, I tend to rattle on more than I should at times. It's so hard to keep from it when your only real company for years has been... unconversational.... It's a bit of a supprise I've held off on to honor gaining the first real player in this plot. So I shouldn't spoil anything. Flip whenever you're ready, Tsukiko."

She whirled to face it, smirking slowly, her white, ethereal hair seeming to move as if in water. "I lack patience enough to wait for this." With that, she walked over and flicked it, turning back to look at him, her eyes sizing the warlocks up.

A heavy rumbling sound shook the rook as Strix's body seemed to wake up, screaming in pain. The symbols on the rock he was chained to glowed brighter and more violently. Suddenly, the shock of everything coming active made the chemicals inside of his body kick into life, the same brand that he originally tried to create but at a strength much higher than he ever intended. Suddenly, the Shrimp Warlock Strix's body let loose a silent final scream as his own soul was ejected from his body....

He hung, lifeless, for several moments before the magical symbols shot off of the surface and wrapped around him. They formed a green caccoon-like surface suspended in the air as his body was transfigured into the new form. Ebony simply reached into the shadows to take out another soul while the event was taking place.

"This is the soul of Etta Crieg, a versitile weapon who we had great control over. It shall work well for making a very flexible and loyal partner." After his explemation, he let the soul drift off into the magical form as the glow started to fade. Then, the caccoon itself dissapeared, violently dropping what seemed to be a lifeless body onto the ground. It was covered in bone-like armor all over it's body made out of naturally grown minerals, all black. It's body was coated in a red muscle-like substance. Slowly, the being began to get up onto it's feet.

"Welcome to your new existance, Strix. At least, that's what I would say if your memory wasn't suppost to be wiped drring that process. This is your new life and you need a new fake name.... I think we'll say you used to be Gavlyn Zevseg in your previous life but, to us, you shall simply be Xovez." Ebony almost chuckled as he spoke. "Very little about the process that formed you was original, so why should your new name be? I want you to remember that you're nothing more than the latest model of weapon."

Xovez almost fell over before finally straightening himself and standing like a normal person, unresponsive to Ebony's words.

"Well?" The Warlock continued. "Don't be shy. What do you think of your new associate?"

Tsukiko's eyebrow raised, though there seemed to be a slight sway to her demeanor at the violence of the actions. She stepped forward before circling around the new man, taking in every detail of him. "Xovez." She said, her two-toned voice ringing melodically as she walked, smiling and observing. "I am Tsukiko... and I assume that I am to be your meister." The woman stopped in front of him though her hair continued to move, still swaying as though suspended underwater. Her maroon eyes met his new ones, staring, watching, waiting.

The monsterous Xovez took a moment before speaking, his unearthly green eyes flashing reflectively as he started. "If that is your bidding, my great master." The Dark Weapon seemed to flinch after speaking, almost as if he was expecting pain, but stopped after realizing everything was fine. He quickly felt his neck with his bone-covered hand, trying to feel for something that wasn't there. He didn't understand his reaction, but how would he? The Warlock who's body was used to create him was bound to a curse that would hurt him if he said more or less than twelve words per sentence.... Somewhere, burried deep in his mind, Xovez remembered that pain and had tied it to speech. But now he knew better than to expect pain from talking.

"I appologize for that response...." The Dark Weapon mentioned in an irritated tone. "It won't ever happen again. If you wish it, I shall be the most loyal weapon you've ever posessed."

Ebony slowly walked up and patted Xovez on the back, the weapon showing no reaction to it. "More importaintly, Tsu, is how powerful your partner should be. It goes without saying that this is the first time I've been able to create such a being and while Archeron did as much as he could to program it's mind, there might still be a few major bugs to work out. I have a total of 87 pure souls in storage following the 30 I managed to swipe while the DWMA was distracted with Inker fighting that idiot, Vinnie.... And while I want to make sure Xovez has at least 25 souls to start with, it'll be up to you to determine the exact number I should give him. After all, he'll be your partner. It's up to you to decide how much power you wish to trust him with."

She held a hand out, holding it in a sort of stopping motion, watching him, waiting to see how he would respond. "For the time being, I defer to your judgement." Her strange eyes were locked on the strange creature that was now her partner, refusing to move away from him, refusing to do anything but test him. "Should you provide me with a means of contact, I will use such to communicate when I believe that he will need more." With her free hand, her right, she reached out to him. "I agree on the current terms of this arrangement. What else would you like to add?"

"No, I believe that should cover just about everything for now." Ebony mentioned. Then, suddenly, Archeron flew forward and quickly shook Tsu's hand in the place of Ebony, all in complete silence. She would feel his energy going into her, at least be able to detect the change.
 
"There's your method of communication." The black robed Warlock continued, expleining the situation. "My brother just placed a mental connection to your contiousness, specifically. Your other half will have no way of accidently contacting us and, now, we can use that link as leverage. If you ever start to lose control on a mission, he'll be able to give your persona the extra boost it needs to go to one form... or the other.... Purely for convinience, I assure you. We shall contact you when we've located your first real objective."
 
The Warlock bowed before turning back twords Xovez. "I'll teleport you back as soon as you're ready to leave, Tsukiko."