Yule Armistice (Cody/Brian)

A lot of gravity in the Abyss this turning Cody observed as he summersalted off the pier. He just let himself tumble over and over as the light dimmed from above and the glow of various colours came to him from below and around. What a great day for a dive.

Something wet slapped him on the side in passing. Then another wet slap in the face which stings. These reminded Cody that it was time to get serious before he got injured. He spread his arms and legs to catch the air and control his dive. Slowing himself before Shifting his wings and carefully spreading them.

Not the wings of a bird of prey or the very stylish leathery bat wings that are normally seen around the Courts. Or the exotic whirling Ezekiel wheels that have horrifying eyeballs.

No, the Primal forces had gifted Cody with tattered and ratty old moth wings.

Of all the insects... No dazzling butterfly wings or translucent dragonfly wings, but dusty dingy moth wings. Although they are resplendent under the right light.

Plus, they fold up neatly when not in use and they are particularly good at breaking a fall.

Today, Cody has a commission: Aside from his constant vigilance in seeking his M-unit, salvaging odd bits for craft or trade, Cody also has a specific order for battle-bloodied-bayonettes.

Cody and his fellow Pit-Divers had a good laugh over the way the Sourcerer insisted on the illiteration. Something so specific but also wanting them in bulk. A single one wouldn't do.

But the Pit only gives what it gives and so far the divers had all come up empty.

Cody drifted on open wings. Closing his eyes to the surrounding darkness he started chanting the illiteration and imagines the blades twirling around him.

Dim daylight starts to penetrate his closed eyelids and the air chills a bit. Opening them he sees ground below and a glowing orb on the horizon. Haven't been Green-Side in a long while he thinks to himself as the mud and blood come into focus.

Hmmmm... Must have slipped sideways out of the Abyss and into a Shadow while he chanted with eyes closed, Cody observed. He looks back up to where he had come and can see a dark scar in the sky above. On casual observation, it would just be a dark cloud unless you knew what you were looking for.

Battle-bloodied-bayonettes indeed. As Cody drifts downward he sees a battlefield shrewn with the dead and dying. Not such a great day after all, although the payday could be good for him.

In one direction are the victors rounding up the defeated. In the other direction is a lone man who appears just a little out of place. Certainly a soldier, but not completely of this place. A fellow interloper with a fantastic hairdo that would make him the subject of gossip on Pinnacle. And the fantastic white raven on his shoulder, even more so.

Cody circles the fellow interloper as he drifts on the breeze. He lands at a respectful and hopefully none threatening distance in front of the man with the bird. Empty, non-taloned hands extended in greeting. But Cody only partially folds back his wings incase he needs to make a quick take-off.

"Hello," Cody grins, "Be not afraid." He may not have the Ezekiel wheels but he can't resist using the opener to break the ice.

The man and bird spoke to each other before greeting Cody with a question. Directly to business it appears.

"Hello as well to you, bird." They obviously fear not.

"I'm Cody. I Dive here on business." He glances up to look at the dark cloud in the sky that leads back to the Abyss. He needs to keep an eye on it to ensure that he can make his way back home.

"Business can sometimes be pleasurable. Especially if it leads to my ultimate goal of finding a certain one of my family."

Gesturing around the battlefield, "Do you have claim over any of this?" Then pointing across to the other soldiers. "Or any of them?"

Cody furls his wings and steps forward tho receive the strong man's handshake while giving the bird a nod. "Hello, Brian Kane. Hello, Hal."


"So, sight seeing... Well, I'm here to collect some souvenirs myself. And your lady wife? She has a morbid aesthetic? It's all a terrible waste. This."

"What do you make of the action over there?"

"Worst wars? Are there kinder, gentler wars?" Cody puzzles over the idea.

Inspecting the heraldry. "The accursed Unicorn would stand alone on its banner. Being for itself against any opposition. Here we see heraldry where both the Dragon and the Lion oppose the Unicorn. And, apparently, each other. Divide and concur. Set your enemies against each other and let them exhaust themselves in futility."

"Hal's not wrong. We all end up as fertilizer eventually. The secret is to do it on your own terms and not ones dictated by others."

"But, what about the ones that still live, over there. What are they up to? Are they a threat?"

The big man didn't appearto be the least bit fased by Cody's appearance or the situation at hand so he felt safe enough discussing his business. Either he'd understand or pretend to. Brian didn't automatically take offense when Cody blasphemied the Unicorn, so that was a good sign.

<OOC> Cody smiled and said "I'm just here to warn you that your car's extended warranty is about to run out." </OOC>

"My vocation, if you want to call it that, is Pit-Diver. From the Courts of Chaos I enter the Abyss and search. Some of the things I find are valuable to others. Recently, a local Sourcerer has commissioned the local Pit-Divers to locate and retrieve some 'battle-bloodied-bayonettes'. Not the sort of thing that you would normally find drifting around in the Void. But the Void lead me here, so it should still satisfy the client."

Pointing skyward to the preternatural black cloud Cody explains, "That rip in the fabric of this Shadow leads back into the Abyss. I do need to complete my business here before it closes, or else it's a very long walk back home. But I think there's time enough that I can help you locate 'Wolfram' while I'm about it."

"I'm not much of a warrior, but I'd enjoy the opportunity to be a liberator. Although, I don't know if it's ideal to be bringing a knife to a gun fight." Cody starts shifting his skin to thicken and toughen it but doubts his ability to stop bullets. He scans the battlefield around him to locate a more suitable weapon and ammunition.

Cody observes that the blade has merit in this action. An element of stealth that the automatic weapons don't possess. He follows on Brian's heels into the building.

Glancing at the pocket Bible he gets an idea so stupid that it might work, depending on how zealous the combatants may be.

There is some shouting and confusion in the area as guards try to figure out what is going on in the area Brian hit with the smoke grenade but the two men have already advanced beyond that area and into the large warehouse. The building is as tall as it is wide. Perhaps an aircraft hanger.

Cody moves to a P.O.W. and sees that he carries a Lion vs Unicorn bible clutched in his hand.

Cody steps in behind the man and whispers, "Brother, Please spare me the verse." And gently takes the bible from the man's hand.

Cody straps the automatic weapons over his shoulders and holding the two competing gospels in his hands, Cody ShapeShifts into his most beatific form to deliver beatitudes to the masses. Cody spreads his wings and leaps up to hover above the amassed soldiers.

"
Brothers.
Children.
Please stop and consider.
You are bringing great joy and amusement to the damned and accursed Unicorn.
You are one people: DIVIDED!
Brother against Brother.
Squabbling like Children.
Turning your weapons against each-other while the treacherous Unicorn laughs!
To divide and conquer.
That is the way of the Unicorn.
If you see the Unicorn.
You must slay the Unicorn.
There is no other way.
Dragon and Lion.
Lion and Dragon.
You must unite your efforts to defeat the Unicorn.
There is no other way.
Lay down your arms.
Embrace your Brothers.
The enemy of your enemy is your friend!
Set aside your differences and allie yourselves against the common foe.
Death to the Unicorn!
"

Cody holds up the two competing gospels and alternates reading verse aloud from each: They are identical except where each has substituted Lion for Dragon or vice versa. While continuing to lead the chant "Death to the Unicorn"

Cody puts the two Bibles into his sporran and takes out one of the bayonettes that he has gathered. He slashes both of his palms and clasps his hands together. He indicates that the others should follow.

"
Let us pledge with blood!
We are all brothers!
BLOOD BROTHERS!
"

Cody drifts down to the floor and clasps hands with the various chanting soldiers. Blood brothers.

All the while, Brian is able to move through the distracted crowd and locate Wolfram.