Lurk Work Dos

Umber's Inventory

Item Image Load
A Familiar bell.png N/A
Book of Shadows book.png 2
Vest of Bullet Resistance vest.png 2

Emily's Inventory

Item Image Load
Book of Shadows book.png 2
Security Badge keycard3.png 1

Brightmatter (6/10) ○○○○○○●●●●
Umber's Load (4/6) ○○●●●●
Emily's Load (0/3) ○○○

Four of them had huddled near the shelves that where the vests of bullet resistance were stacked. It was nearly pitch black inside being underground with no power As Umber wriggled into one of the vests he laid out his idea. "We have to fight them off." There was a pause amongst them as the realization of their situation sank in. Umber took another big breath and started again on his idea. "First we need to throw our supplies in one of the lockers. Emily, all I need is the book."

She nodded and slid it across the floor towards him. "What kind of spell are you thinking of?" She asked.

"Something nasty, but it won't be enough. I'll need your claws."

"I feel like I'm always getting my hands wet when I'm with you… and I like it."

Umber nodded as he emptied his pockets and stuffed them into an adjacent locker; Sage included. The toad croaked loudly as he placed the green lump on top of the belongings: the phone, the amulet of knife summoning, and the security key card Emily was carrying. Umber closed the door and ushered Ben over. "Protect our stuff and try not to get in the fight. Only when we are in real trouble." Ben bobbed up and down and then took a sentry position in front of the locker.

There was a clatter outside as Special Task Force Zeta-5 made their way down the hallway and towards the armory. "Umber, they are close." Emily floated back over and picked up a grenade. "I'll buy you a little time so you can get your spell ready."


Thumbing through the pages as quickly as he could, Umber scanned for something to fight with. It was time to show some teeth at these jailers. It was time for them to face the wrath of the Cult of the New Umbra. It was the least of what they deserved.

As he scanned the book chapters and sub-chapters for an appropriate spell, the clamor outside grew closer. The green glow of the night vision on their heads peered through the glass. Laser dots danced along the floor searching for a target as two of the jailers held their position. The other three however, were working on the door, which was thankfully without power. Umber finally landed on the chapters of shadow evocation and inwardly cheered as his nubby digits scanned the text of a promising spell. "Ha… The Flying Spears of the Black Voivode. Most effective. Now to work out the modifications to use brightmatter."

"Found it?" Emily whispered from the other side.

Umber responded with a thumbs-up back at her.




There was the quiet sound of a metal click as Emily removed the pin of her grenade. Umber's eye went wide as he saw this. The blast would surely kill him in the concrete bunker of the armory. He was almost about to shout at her when he noticed her counting slowly to herself.



At the last second, Emily phased the grenade and her arm through the wall and politely presented it to the two jailers by the window.



There was a mighty concussion of air and glass as it sprayed into the armory. Umber ducked back behind the shelves to avoid debris. The window and surrounding wall was destroyed. Without even a second delay, the remaining three members of Zeta-5 were stepping over the broken bodies of the other two and shuffling in, guns hot.



The spray of bullets was thick as they ricocheted everywhere. Emily phased next to Umber and crouched down to pick him up. "Now?" she asked.

"Now? Oh… right! Yes. Now!"


Together, both Emily and Umber faced them head on. Emily's form expanded to monstrous proportions, claws the size of scythes ready to harvest. Umber flicked with his freehand and let fly three spears. Though they were not the intimidating black spears he had wanted, the brightmatter was still a fair substitute. They hummed chords in c major, sailing on dove wings toward their intended targets. 'Disgusting' Umber thought as his corrupted evocations flung down range.

The first and second spears hit one of them, piercing their heart right through the body armor. Almost instantly, he was killed. Another was slashed to ribbons by the terrible claws that came down on them. The sickening squelch of bones separating from tissue were enough to leave to the imagination. The one in the middle remained, and was the last. Though he had a finger on the trigger the entire time, he had dislodged a canister and rolled it across the floor towards Emily.



The top popped open and an opaque mist was ejected out, creating a thick cloud around her. Almost instantly, it had a negative effect on her as she tried to bat it out of the way. "Ack! No! NO!"

"Emily? Emily!" Umber raised his arm for another spear, but was quickly interrupted by gunfire. Some bullets struck him in the chest, knocking him over. He was alive thanks to the vest, but prone. Ben rushed over to help its master, but it too was struck by gunfire. The bullets however had little effect on Ben, being metal and all. "Ben, I'm hurt but alright. Help Emily."

Emily's protests were waning as her from shrank in size, even smaller when she was not swelled with rage. "Rad… radiated gas… I… I can't…" was all she could muster as the last, and presumably the leader, of Zeta-5 brought out an incorporeal entity vacuum chamber and forced the diminished Emily inside of it. It sealed tightly with only Emily's bleeding eye visible. Ben rushed over to the assailant, ready to ring.

"Don't move!" The gun was pointed at Umber; its red laser dot centered right at his pupil. Ben obliged to the request and backed off slowly.

"Ben? BEN!" Umber was frozen as well, it was a valiant fight but there were one too many. Ben was bound to the protection of its master as his very meaning and existence depended on it. Such are the limitations of a familiar. For a good long while, the jailer pointed the laser at Umber's face till he stepped forward and retrieved the canister, and Emily with it.



Umber wasn't going to wait to be shot in the face. In a spurt of stupid bravery, he grabbed Ben by the point and rolled back down the aisles of the armory. Five more shots rang out, but all missed. The tucked bright ball tumbled into the stacked shelves of the armory and was quickly out of sight. The jailer was just about to pursue, when his radio suddenly clicked on within an earshot of Umber and Ben.



Back into the darkness and into the depths of the facility went Zeta One and Emily. Her sad eye looking out through her acrylic cage before blinking out. Umber cursed to himself.

"Shadjar! We are complete and utter shadjar! Why did you not help her Ben?"

Ben dipped down in front of its master in shame. It wanted to save Emily badly. Umber relented and sighed. "I know. I know. Familiar bonds and all that. Emily is not our mission. But… ARGH!" He kicked a shelf in frustration.

There was no time to mope over the events. He had to take action before the others the director spoke of came and put him in a cage as well. Already the director was having more jailers close in on them in minutes or even seconds.
