IUAG & The Undying Ember

My boots smacked against the wet pavement as a monsoon poured from the skies. A feat I thought I'd never live to see. My clothes clung to my skin as I swiveled my head to check the area. I could make out two silhouttes down the road. It had to be them. We were going to run into each other. I spotted (t8n-depart:"slide-left")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-left")[[an alley on my right->The Alley]] I could turn into. A perfect place to run to aoid them. But part of me felt sick of running and wanted to (t8n-depart:"pulse")+(t8n-arrive:"pulse")[[face them head on->The Confrontation]]. No more evading. Just a full out fight.

I cut into the alley and ducked behind a dumpster, pressing my back against it. I strained my ears to hear the incoming foosteps. They got louder and louder, until it sounded like they were right on top og me. before slowly disspitating. I let out a sigh of relief and I looked around. There was a (t8n-depart:"slide-left")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-left")[[side entrance into a building->The Building]]. Most likely abandoned based on the district. I could stay there and get my bearings. But that could make me a sitting duck. It may be best to (t8n-depart:"slide-right")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-right")[[walk through the alley->The Alley II]]. Keep moving, stick to the shadows.

I clenched my fists, digging my nails into my calloused skin. This is it. I'm ending this now! I charged ahead, my heart thumping in my ears as I got closer. When I was a few feet from them, I slid to a halt. "Well, well, well, if it isn't our favorite assasin," said (t8n-depart:"slide-left")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-left")[[Stix->Stix's Description]]. "Prepared to surrender?" "Like hell!" I barked. "Calm down, Ember!" (t8n-depart:"slide-up")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-up")[[Tsu->Tsu's Description]] said. "Just come back to HQ with us. We just want to get to the bottom of this." "You know what'll happen when I get there," I said. "They'll blame me for it..." I looked down at [[my palm...->The Confrontation II]]

I waved my arms and roaring, blue flames came to life and enveloped me in a fiery dome. I kept it swirling as I continued to produce more flames, making the dome more dense. (t8n-depart:"rumble")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Stix is too the left->Attack Stix]] and (t8n-depart:"rumble")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Tsu is on the right->Attack Tsu]]. I need to be careful about who I pick to attack first, because after that it's most likely we'll engage in hand-to-hand combat. And I need for the fight to end soon so I can keep moving. The longer I stay stagnant, the more likely I'll be surrounded.

Sex: M Age: 56 Height: 6’7” Wingspan: 7’1” Weight: 87kg Hair: buzz cut Facial hair: none Eye color: dark brown; bloodshot Description: Caucasian with deathly pale skin and long, wiry limbs. Tends to wear an all black outfit consisting of a long sleeve dress shirt, blazer, pants and sneakers along with two military dog tags formerly belonging to Sergeant Mathis and Lieutenant Reeves. Occasionally wears sunglasses. (t8n-depart:"slide-left")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-left")[[Next->Stix's Background Info]]

Sex: F Age: 27 Height: 5’8” Wingspan: 5’10” Weight: 67kg Hair: black cornrows Facial hair: none Eye color: dark brown Description: African American with brown skin and a slim, runner’s physique. Likes to wear t-shirts paired with sweatpants and sneakers (note that these descriptions may not be reliable). Always wears a bracelet with a crecent moon charm. (t8n-depart:"slide-left")+(t8n-arrive:"slide-left")[[Next->Tsu's Background Info]]

Background Info: Born in London England on the RAF Lakenheath U.S. Air Force base before moving to Boston, Massachusetts at age 9. Enlistmented in the Army at age 18. Steadily rose up the ranks. Reported to be a quiet, well mannered soldier; followed instructions and excelled on assignments received. Showed respect to higher officers and received it in return from his peers. Became a Navy SEAL at age 26. Retired at age 31 and entered the personal security industry for 6 years before getting recruited by the CIA. High success rate on tasked missions, but became more reserved socially. Public outings became less frequent if not necessary. Slowly lost contact with the remainder of his family and friends. IUAG made contact at 44 and began recruiting. Left the CIA at age 47 and became IUAG operant. Skills: No elemental abilities. Skilled martial artist proficient in the Kali Knife fighting technique, but uses metal rods unless facing an opponent authorized to use deadly force on. Fast and spry. Marksmen with AK-47, M-16A2, M-4 Carbine, M4A1 Carbine, M4A1 5.56mm, M-9 Pistol, Sig Sauer P226, and Sig Sauer P229 DAK Pistol. Threat level: 2** *Dependent on loyalty to the IUAG* [[Back->The Confrontation]]

Background: Daughter of former Kenyan president Caleb Mohamed. Is believed to have died with her family in a plane crash at the age of 10. Was captured by a rising anti militia group (see more details in Red Dye files, codenamed “Flies”) and nursed back to health before being trained as a child soldier. Information from then until IUAG made contact at the age of 21 is scarce. Rumored to behind the bombing of key UN camps and the assassination China’s CMC Zhao Ping. Abilities: Water elemental abilities. Master of disguise that can effortlessly camouflage into any environment. Is skilled in concocting lethal poisons and a well trained martial artist, strength in wrestling. (t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[Back.->The Confrontation]]

...and where my (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")[[branded fire insignia sat->The Brand]]. As my anger steadily grew, the mark began to (text-colour:blue)[glow]. "They'll blame me for his death!" I screamed. "Ember don't..." Tsu said. We stood there, eyeing each other as we tuned out everything else. The constant stream of water falling from the sky muted. The buildings in the area melted away as both of their figures become more prominent, thus making the subtlest movement like the rise and fall of their chest more noticeable. We were statues on the street, waiting for a sign to pounce. Stix's hands shot to his hip. Tsu raised her hand in the air. (t8n-depart:"pulse")+(t8n-arrive:"pulse")[[Now!->Burn]]

A fire insignia branded into the palms of fire borns once their powers begin activating. The branding is ritually done in a temple of Vulcan, god of fire, where a priest will conduct a prayer over the child until noon when they are bound to a stone tablet that sits at the center point the temple where the ceiling is a glass dome. The less the brand hurts, the stronger the flames of the weilder. Those who don't get branded end up becoming at risk of losing control of their powers, which can result in an instantaneous combustion. Back[[Back->The Confrontation II]]

With a guttaral scream, I directed all of flames to Stix. Tsu quickly shot her hands out, using the rain to create a wall of water. The fire seared through it and smashed into Stix, tossing him a few yards backs. His bodyslammed to the pavement, steam curling in the air. Tsu glared at me, her cool demeanor tossed aside. "You'll regret that Ember," she said. she quickly cocked back her arm. I quickly glanced at (t8n-depart:"blur")+(t8n-arrive:"blur")[[my hand->Body Heat]] and (t8n-depart:"zoom")+(t8n-arrive:"zoom")[[her->The Ice]].

Double-click this passage to edit it.

I ran at Tsu as snapped her fingers. Almost immediately, my entire body flared with mind numbing pain, feeling as if a million needles glided through me with ease. I faceplanted, struggling to breath as I helplessly watched Tsu get closer and closer. "You forget that in this element," Tsu said. "I'm the one who holds all the power." She held up her hand and I saw it. A small, needle like shard of ice. She must have turned an area of the rain into ice and have those miniscule weapons slice through my body. As she stood there, her grip on the shard of ice slowly expanded, as did the size of it. Steadily growing into a jagged, icy rod. "For what it's worth Ember, I actually did want to bring you in alive. I guess you can say this is a testament to your strength that I went all out. And as a last act of kindness from a friend--" Cracks formed on the artic weapon under the pressure of her vice like grip. "--I'll grant you a swift death!" She plunged the long shard of ice towards (t8n-depart:"flicker")+(t8n-arrive:"flicker")[[the nape of my neck->Death I]].

(text-colour:red)[THE END] (t8n-depart:"dissolve")+(t8n-arrive:"dissolve")[[RESTART->The Run]]

Double-click this passage to edit it.