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Soul in the Iron (IC)


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The further Arcturus went into the sewers, the more he felt drawn by something. The faint buzzing that he often felt when trying to keep himself 'balanced' between his human persona and the magic that was the Beast Rune was growing in its resonance as well, forcing him to concentrate. He'd become practiced enough where he didn't have to try nearly as hard to keep them synchronized, and the Beast Rune hadn't overpowered his own personality in a long while. Not since the incident in Pennsylvania...

Both Marcus and the rune were silent; both were concerned for similar reasons. If one of these cultists got the idea of trying to make the Beast Rune permanent on someone, things could get really ugly with astounding speed. It occurred to him that he might be walking into a trap, but that didn't seem to slow Arcturus down. Moving forward was probably the only thing keeping him from being nauseous at the smell, slipping through the stagnant and foul water lapping at his fur.

...runes. Everywhere. Wards? ...no, wait...

What's wrong now?

These are... phrases. Strings of runes used for... well, kind of like physics, but for magic. Someone's trying to build on the Beast Rune and turn it into... I don't know what.

An image of the picture Summers showed him of his father flashed into his mind--a 12' tall red, horned monstrosity.

Someone did this same thing to my dad...

Arcturus's features darkened as he approached the wooden door. Things were starting to make a disturbing amount of sense. Whatever had turned his father into a rampaging beast that destroyed that Arizona town was likely behind this as well... and they were after him now. Was this why is mother was in hiding? There was a lot going through his mind... leaving Arcturus to tear the door open.

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The further Arcturus went into the sewers, the more he felt drawn by something. The faint buzzing that he often felt when trying to keep himself 'balanced' between his human persona and the magic that was the Beast Rune was growing in its resonance as well, forcing him to concentrate. He'd become practiced enough where he didn't have to try nearly as hard to keep them synchronized, and the Beast Rune hadn't overpowered his own personality in a long while. Not since the incident in Pennsylvania...

Both Marcus and the rune were silent; both were concerned for similar reasons. If one of these cultists got the idea of trying to make the Beast Rune permanent on someone, things could get really ugly with astounding speed. It occurred to him that he might be walking into a trap, but that didn't seem to slow Arcturus down. Moving forward was probably the only thing keeping him from being nauseous at the smell, slipping through the stagnant and foul water lapping at his fur.

...runes. Everywhere. Wards? ...no, wait...

What's wrong now?

These are... phrases. Strings of runes used for... well, kind of like physics, but for magic. Someone's trying to build on the Beast Rune and turn it into... I don't know what.

An image of the picture Summers showed him of his father flashed into his mind--a 12' tall red, horned monstrosity.

Someone did this same thing to my dad...

Arcturus's features darkened as he approached the wooden door. Things were starting to make a disturbing amount of sense. Whatever had turned his father into a rampaging beast that destroyed that Arizona town was likely behind this as well... and they were after him now. Was this why is mother was in hiding? There was a lot going through his mind... leaving Arcturus to tear the door open.

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GM

The door came off without much fuss, under the raw power of Arcturus.

Inside was a smallish, circular room, decked out with candles still lit, a red carpet, and trappings of a similar hue. Arcane markings were woven into the furnishings, of a similar nature to the chalk runes Marcus had seen etched into the sewers.

Standing in the middle of the room was a tall iron figure, akin to a suit of full plate mail, although standing a good thirteen or fourteen feet high.

Marcus could feel an uneasy breeze, and faint horrible whispers float around the room, and as he looked around, several smallish passageways, only four or five feet high, lead off from this central chamber. A few rats scurried away from him down this cramped passageways. How long had this chamber and these mold ridden passageways been down here???

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What the heck is that thing?

Dunno. Let's smash it!

Despite the Beast Rune's fervor, Arcturus regarded the iron giant nearly twice his size. It wasn't often that he saw things that were actually bigger than he was. The eerie whispers made his fur stand on and, and as he surveyed his surroundings, he noted that the other passageways were too small for him to pass through in his current form--even in his human form, he'd be iffy about going in that direction. Shaking his fur dry, Arcturus started to approach the statue, eyeing the furniture's markings and the statue itself warily.

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GM

As Arcturus shook himself dry, he could swear he felt the Iron Armour gazing at him through its helm, although the thing clearly had no eyes, just an impenetrable blackness.

But, as he circled around and approached the armor for a closer look, he heard the sound of creaking Iron, and saw the heard tun, very slowly, following him as he moved.

Then came the voice. It sounded like the crunching of gears, the rasping of rusted metal, but underpinning its metallic surfae was something that could only be called animal. Although it was a quiet voice, there was something ferocious and wild in it, like a beast chained.

"Welcome...brother...I...longed...for...you..."

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"You... what?"

Arcturus stood his ground as the figure moved. Was it a golem? Just because he hadn't spotted a control rune didn't mean there wasn't one somewhere. It called him 'brother', and given what the last victim of the Beast Rune's magic had said...

Marcus's mind leaped ahead, wondering who put this thing here and why. The Beast Rune was largely in control, but it spoke to how well the two knew one another that Arcturus didn't immediately try to destroy the thing.

"I don't know you from Adam, buddy. Who... or what are you? You the one turnin' people into monsters?"

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GM

"You... what?"

"I don't know you from Adam, buddy. Who... or what are you? You the one turnin' people into monsters?"

The giant helm turned as it followed Arcturus. It was impossible to say if it had eyes, but it certainly seemed to be looking at the bear.

"I...am...GAUNTLET..." rasped the slow voice, which sounded like the rumblings of a scrap metal yard.

"I...was....forged....with...the...rune...of...the...beast....

...I...am...the...fist...and...shield...of...the...cult...

....steel...and...iron...

....not...flesh...and...bone...they...failed...could...not...hold...the...power...

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Marcus was slowly piecing things together... none of it was good. As far as he knew, he was the only human who had even been capable of containing the Beast Rune without being taken over by its personality. Twice he had encountered humans taken over by its power, and this encounter only confirmed that they were just parts of a larger whole... This metal thing, whatever it was, called Arcturus 'brother'.

The idea of the Beast Rune inhabiting a suit of armor was both fascinating and disturbing. From a research stance, Marcus wanted to know exactly what was making this thing tick. His common sense, however, warned him against getting too close. Whatever had created this thing was clearly more interested in him than he realized--someone who was actively creating these things for him to confront. The thought of being manipulated made Arcturus narrow his eyes threateningly.

"So... who's runnin' this cult? And where can I find him?"

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"So... who's runnin' this cult? And where can I find him?"

Gauntlet leant back a bit, creaking as it did so. It was hard to read the faceless armor, but it was almost as if the construct was surprised, or laughing. In any case, it did not seem to take its eyes of Arcturus.

"...No...one...head...like...the...hydra...

some...rise...some...fall...

eternal...cult...eternal...rune...

...no...one...hand...forged...this...steel...

...guantlet...is...the...fist...of...them...all...

...some...are...here...to...witness....

...more...power...to...the...cult...of...the...beast...!

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Arc's short ears twitched noticeably as he started to further pin down the sounds around him. There was definitely something in the shadows, watching him... mocking him.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this 'cult' of yours isn't gonna last. Whether you disappear quietly... or I have to hunt you all the old fashioned way."

I guess we're gonna test just how 'eternal' this cult is.

Despite Arcturus's posturing, his mind was working the angles, trying to determine just what was going on. The Beast Rune was, apparently, a small part of a whole; he recalled reading similar things about the 'elemental' runes, and that they drew their real power from a larger source. Trying to tame these primal forces was just ridiculous... and dangerous. There was certainly no way Marcus was going to allow that, and if this was his cross to bear...

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GM

"...Nothing...is...eternal...." answered Gauntlet, constantly moving so he face Arcturus at all times. He never actually raised his guard, but neither did he leave an opening.

Something about him bristled, making Arcturus' fur stand on edge. It was as if the armoured shell was chaining the wild beast inside.

"...The...shell....shal...rust...and....break....in...ages...to...come...

....the....cult...shall....die...

...the....earth....shall....be....consumed....

....by....the...fire....of....the....sun....

....but....the....beast....and....the...rune...is...eternal..

...and...you...will...not...break...it...

...you...are...it....

...come...here...to...feed....the....cult....

...join...us...."

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Arc wasn't going to get the drop on this thing; that much was certain. He narrowed his eyes a bit as the voices grew more distinct, and his ears twitched as he realized they weren't as ghostly as he'd first thought. They belonged to someone--several someones--lurking in the shadows. He growled deeply, teeth bared as he answered back?

"Join you? BAH! Not a chance. And the only thing you and this little sewin' circle are gonna get fed is a knuckle sandwich!"

He was expecting a fight. It was highly unlikely that he was going to just walk away, and even if they did, Marcus could feel the rune's aggressive nature pushing; it was like holding a large dog on a fragile leash. Arcturus could practically feel both his and Gauntlet's predatory natures clashing, the tension in the air almost tangible...

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GM

"Join you? BAH! Not a chance. And the only thing you and this little sewin' circle are gonna get fed is a knuckle sandwich!"

Gauntlet turned towards Arcturus again, but this time it had a more aggressive tone. Just as the Beast in Arcturus was itching, there seemed to be a reciprocal response in Gauntlet, for all its talk of being contained and chained within bonds of steel.

"So...then..." came the voice, louder this time, like a misfiring motor jammed with junk metal.

"...The...beast...will....not....join....then....it...must....be..."

"...."

"....Collared...."

Gauntlet raised its huge Iron Fists and cracked them, the metal creaking with ominous power.

For a second, Arcturus could swear he saw a dull red glow in the helmet, two glowing eyes, like a wild beast's rage.

And the Gauntlet pressed forward, almost eager for battle...

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GM

Gauntlet was slow, but purposeful.

Whilst cumbersome, he was powerful and precise.

He moved with a dedication of purpose, all efficiency, nothing fancy, just pure workmanship. He wanted to crush his flesh and blood brother, pound him to the ground, and that was what he was setting about doing.

"...You...are...no...match...for....steel....

....today...is....your...end..."

His fists swung in compact arcs straight into Arcturus' body with horrible force.

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It moved a lot faster than Arc had expected, and he shifted his weight, moving to his left just enough to avoid being struck. If Marcus had been in complete control, he might've paused; there was a frighteningly obvious amount of power behind that narrow miss. Arcturus snarled as he retaliated, claws swiping at Gauntlet's chest.

"Bigger and badder have tried, tin man!"

In reality, however, that wasn't entirely true. Marcus had never encountered anything this much bigger than him--not on this plane of existence, anyway. The bravado was spawned from battle anxiety and rising adrenaline, and for the moment, he was wholly unconcerned with who had created Gauntlet and why. For now, just surviving would be enough.

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GM

Gauntlet was over-confident, and hadn't considered that Arcturus' flesh and bone could scratch his armoured body.

In fact, the bear put a dent in him and pushed him back a few steps, against the stone wall where he collided, bringing down dust and masonry.

But he did not fall.

"....Impressive....such....is...the...beast...." it rattled, creaking back to face Arcturus.

As it did so, the mumbling voices raised in volume slightly, and the odd word, rhythmic incantations could be heard from the small passageways. The chamber began to fill with faint mist...

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Gauntlet was over-confident, and hadn't considered that Arcturus' flesh and bone could scratch his armoured body.

In fact, the bear put a dent in him and pushed him back a few steps, against the stone wall where he collided, bringing down dust and masonry.

But he did not fall.

"....Impressive....such....is...the...beast...." it rattled, creaking back to face Arcturus.

As it did so, the mumbling voices raised in volume slightly, and the odd word, rhythmic incantations could be heard from the small passageways. The chamber began to fill with faint mist...

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Arc couldn't make out the words, but it didn't take much to put them and the sudden mist together. It occurred to him that he was, in fact, outnumbered... but when had that ever stopped him before? He growled in annoyance, but didn't take his eyes off of the Gauntlet for a second. The chanting peanut gallery would have to wait. Instead, Arcturus charged forward with a feral roar, driving his full weight into the metal monstrosity, effectively trying to drive the huge thing into the wall.

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The mist was curling all around, and enveloping Gauntlet. As Arcturus charged, he heard the creaking, but somehow he was fooled by the mist, and he ended up grabbing only thin air.

Whilst gauntlet remained silent, he heard the faint laughter from the side passageways.

"See the fool run into our trap! Soon he shall be ours!"

Besides him, Gauntlet groaned, the sound of metal against metal as he launched himself out of the mist at Arcturus.

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Crap, this is worse than I thought...

We're fine!

Arc squinted as he ran into the wall rather than Gauntlet; it didn't hurt anything except his pride. The mist was screwing with his depth perception, making it difficult for him to see much of anything. Then again, he didn't really have to; his nose was a better guide than his eyes ever could be, especially in his current form. There was a brief break in the mist as Gauntlet came at him; this time, he wasn't quite fast enough, and the huge metal fist nailed him in the jaw, sending him staggering backward. Gauntlet had more or less grazed him--and it hurt. A lot.

Arc almost lunged at Gauntlet again--and then Marcus wrested control from the Beast Rune.

An idea had been forming in Marcus's mind, though the Beast Rune had dismissed it entirely. He certainly wasn't going to run away... but he quickly realized that brute force wasn't going to work. At least, not while Gauntlet was getting help. The Beast Rune appeared on Arcturus's back temporarily as his form regressed, shifting the ursine shapeshifter back to his natural form.

Fool, huh? We'll see about that.

In the midst of the heavy mist, he could still see one of the openings. He made a break for that opening, mentally bracing himself for whatever was lurking down the corridor--if he could make it that far.

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GM

The small corridor really was cramped, between five and six feet wide, and wet with mould and damp. Marcus had to crouch and was cramped as half ran, half shuffled down the corridor.

Gauntlet did his best, which was crashing into the corridor and sending masonry flying this way and that. If he had enough time, he could just smash his way through brick to follow Marcus, but even for his phenomenal strength, it would take quite a while.

In the meantime, Marcus almost ran into a cowled figure who was busy chanting in Latin... and broke off.

"Wha...? What are you doing here? Get back? You are meant to be fighting Gauntlet?"

"Oh no!"

The cowled, hooded figure turned and sped away from Marcus...

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Marcus scrambled down the tight, cramped corridor, shoulders scraping against the stone as he crawled. It wasn't entirely unlike football drills, but having taken a metal fist in the face made things a little more taxing on him. Behind him, he could hear Gauntlet tearing at the wall trying to get at him, and he tried not to think about the fact that the stone chipping away with every blow could have been him. The chanting got louder until he spotted the short, cowled figure who seemed genuinely surprised to see him.

"Sorry. Slight change in the dance card," Marcus muttered, reaching to grab the figure by the cowl... Unfortunately, the figure was quick enough to slip away, leaving Marcus scrambling after him.

We're never gonna catch him like this!

I know, I know! I'm not as fast as y-...

Despite the panic and cramped conditions, something he'd read struck him rather suddenly. The cultists had even mentioned it--that he was, in fact, the Beast Rune. It seemed to manifest itself in different ways in others--werewolves, gator monsters... why couldn't he do the same?

...you sure you wanna do this, cub? Could be dangerous. Could be permanent.

...don't have a choice.

Marcus stopped, only for a moment, coiling like a snake as the Beast Rune burned against his uniform. For a brief moment, he felt lighter, and he felt every muscle in his body gain new vigor... and then, he moved, more quickly than he could remember himself being able to run, let alone crawl. He couldn't see it, but tapping into the Beast Rune had somewhat altered his physical appearance; his eyes were still an angry red, and his incisors and canines were noticeably larger than they should have been.

That mattered significantly less than catching this cultist.

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As they raced down the cramped passageway, the brutal smashing of Gauntlet ringing in their ears, it became clear that Marcus was faster.

"Ow" yelped the Cultist as he eventually tripped on his own robe.

"Wait! Wait!" said the Cultist, dropping to his knees. "You con't have to fight! You can join us, yes! join the cult of the beast! you have so much power in the rune! you can lead us! thing of the power you can unlock with us!"

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"And why would I want to do somethin' like that?" He reached forward to grab the cultist, teeth bared. In his cosmetically altered state, it wasn't exactly an inviting glare that Marcus was giving. He had questions. This guy had answers. But before any of that could take place in earnest, he still had to do something about Gauntlet, who was still intent on smashing him into little pieces despite the distance and substance between the two of them. Leaning in close and tightening his hold on the cultist's robe, he growled a single request--if one could call it a request. "Call off that metal menace OR ELSE."

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GM

"Call off that metal menace OR ELSE."

"I...I...I can't" stuttered the Cultist.

"It's the Beast Rune... it's...wild...you see. Only partially contained. The Cult of the Beast, its a difficult line to balance on. Its power comes from being free and wild, that's when it is strongest. The more you restrain it, the weaker it becomes.."

"Gauntlet, its the best we can do, restraint and power, our best hope of both. Iron to bind, instead of flesh. But...but...really, the master knows more than I do. I can't stop it. Gauntlet, it has it's own mind now, it's just as much part of the cult as me..."

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