chapter five ♔ it'll be a day like this one when the sky falls down

[eldritchweaver]

the blues - switchfoot

WHO || The Knights
WHAT || Failboat returns from the disaster in LA as the Knighthood goes on lockdown
WHERE || The castle, London
WHEN || Directly after this, Fall 2017
HOW || Actionspam

Hasmed's announcement does not brook any rebuttal: all Knights are recalled to the Castle, where they must remain until the Section Heads and Jack Chessing have spoken about the events in Los Angeles that have left the Knighthood without their usual leader.  

The entire Los Angeles area is now covered with a dark miasma that has interfered with any signals that might be sent out from phones, etc., leaving the whole world wondering what exactly is happening down there.  Final images showed horrendous monsters, a panic of citizens, looting and violence from humans and Shadowkind alike.  

Hasmed has warned of extra magical wards on the castle, and anyone arriving will immediately take notice of one very prominent one: above the entire roof of the excessively large building hovers a black and red sigil in the air, a pentagram in a circle surrounded by runes or words in an unknown language, stretching for miles.  

[ This is the social log for post-LA lockdown.  Failboat must complete the top log before being allowed to tag outside of it. ]

Comments

october daye | open

[errantdetective]

one

[October hasn't been back to London since her squiring ceremony over two decades ago, and she was entirely happy with that choice. She loves San Francisco. It's home. It's where her friends and allies are, and she belongs there. She doesn't belong in London, where she hasn't mapped out all the different species of Shadowkind and where they live and what they can do. Where people drive on the wrong side of the street and intentionally eat food with blood in it. Sure, she's been known to taste blood herself, but only because she has to. Not because she thinks it's a good snack.

But Keijen Blade's attack has come on her home turf. Los Angeles sometimes feels like it's worlds away from San Francisco, but it's still close enough that her people are nervous. And while she might want to go charging in and find out what's going on for herself, she knows that this isn't something she can solve on her own. Her greatest strength comes from her allies, and she's got a whole castle full of them in London. Someone had to go figure out what was going on at headquarters. As so often seemed to be the case, that someone was Toby.

Almost a day of flying and driving later, she's in the castle. She'll need to figure out what room she's staying in soon, but for now, she has an even more urgent mission.]

Where can I get a cup of coffee here?

[Because if she doesn't get it soon, she's going to murder someone.]

two

[After she's settled in, she spends a lot of time exploring the castle and trying to get a feeling for the lay of the land. She doesn't like feeling lost. She's anxious to get moving, but until that's an option, she's anxious to know all the escape routes and which rooms are the most defensible. Call her paranoid, but she's earned that. Especially knowing the castle has been attacked, and recently too.

Occasionally the copper and cut grass smell of her magic rises as she tries to get a sense for any spells being used, either for protection or other purposes. And she takes time to visit the Hoard labs and the library. It's always important to know what resources you have available. You never know what could come in handy.]

one)

[allaboutme]

If you're hoping that the castle comes with a waitstaff, you're gonna be disappointed. [ it's the voice of experience talking, clearly ]

[errantdetective]

It's big enough that I was hoping it would have its own Starbucks. [Especially since they aren't allowed to leave for now. Lockdowns are great. She scowls briefly, tucking her hair behind pointed ears.] In a pinch, though, I'll take directions to the kitchen.

[allaboutme]

Follow me. Are you a squire or something? I didn't think we'd had a ceremony in forever.

[errantdetective]

Pretty sure my ceremony was before you were born.

[Toby's a lot older than she looks. She gives a tired smile.]

Sir October Daye. I'm stationed in San Francisco usually.

[allaboutme]

Wait, that was an option and I've been slumming it in the fog all this time?!

[errantdetective]

[Toby smothers a smile.] I never would have joined if it wasn't. San Francisco's home. But if it makes you feel better, it's still pretty foggy there.

[allaboutme]

Well, I definitely don't want to go to California right now.

[errantdetective]

Yeah, that seems fair.

[Toby still would rather be there than here. California is home, and even knowing the knights are working on saving it doesn't stop her from feeling like she's too far away to be useful.]

How long have you been here?

[allaboutme]

Like... three years? Ugh, when did that happen?

[errantdetective]

I guess time flies when you're facing down the forces of evil. [Toby smiles grimly.] How'd they recruit you?

[allaboutme]

I helped stopped a magic bulldozer from killing people.

[errantdetective]

[She blinks.] That's... actually not the strangest recruitment story I've ever heard. But it's still definitely up there. Magic bulldozer, huh?

two;

[andblockbuster]

[All of these new people wandering around checking the castle's defenses is enough to make Topher even edgier than usual, so, of course, he's bound to say something when he comes across yet another person doing it. He knows what security people do with too much time on their hands. She's not dressed like security, but she's clearly got the idea down.]

You know, those Hellsing guys already judged that hallway to be a death trap.

[errantdetective]

Hellsing can judge my ass a death trap. [Toby grumbles, tucking her hair behind pointed ears as she turns.] I trust Hellsing as much as they trust me, which is to say, I don't. Our goals may align right now, but this is still a terrible idea.

[andblockbuster]

You probably don't remember this since you were... wherever you were before this, but this castle got crushed in an attack by one rich dude with a tank and some ambitious associates. We need all the help we can get here.

[errantdetective]

I do pay some attention, you know. I can even get internet on my phone.

[It... isn't exactly sarcasm. She is consistently baffled by how far technology has come. Losing 14 years to a fish pond will make playing catch up kind of tricky.]

Still, there's accepting help, then there's letting them come in so they can train us at 6 am. Which is, by the way, extra horrible if you're not diurnal. There is not enough coffee in the world.

[andblockbuster]

Why did you have to remind me of that part? [Topher "sleeps until noon" Brink has to agree with that sentiment.] The Dragon's Hoard is not gonna survive this.

[errantdetective]

[She shrugs.] I'm just saying, they clearly like being in charge, and apparently our brand new Dragon's Claws have no problem with that.

[andblockbuster]

Yeah, of all the people in the castle who should probably have that kind of power... Definitely would not pick the magic users.

[HE'S JUST... SAYIN'.]

[errantdetective]

[Dryly:] Gee, thanks.

[andblockbuster]

Look I'm just saying. They have spells for everything. [He's not backing down from this just because you can magic, Toby.] The non-magical peons of the world can't exactly do anything about it.

[errantdetective]

You're saying they're powerful enough already?

[She doesn't even entirely disagree, though she does think he's oversimplifying the problem.]

[andblockbuster]

Well... Yeah. [Of course he's oversimplifying it.] Kanye had to get something right in his life.

[errantdetective]

[Toby's age is showing because she definitely looks blank at that reference. She was a fish for fourteen years, what do you want from her?]

Mortals can do plenty of damage without a drop of magic in their blood. Just look at Trump.