Darkshire felt a little brighter these days.

It wasn’t a change that was dramatic, and it was something that would take a long while before it began to pay dividends. No matter what way you cut it, though, the town was on the upswing. The Moors were still an abysmal place, but the recent ‘reorganization’ of the town’s government had removed much of the sullenness that had pervaded Darkshire over the last few months.

After a month spent ensuring that most of the disgruntled elites of the old regime had been ‘pensioned off,’ Shang was able to enjoy some solace. He spent his days much like he imagined any victorious general or successful CEO would—relaxing and planning for the next grand step. With the Spartan as the middle-man between the council and the military, Shang had a direct link to the institution at the core of Darkshire. The sorcerer made sure that the militia always received their checks when they came due, and while the town was still trying to make up for months of a shrinking economy, he was doing what he could to provide them with better equipment.

Shang—and the rest of the council, for that matter—knew that they needed to find a stable revenue source for the town. The assortment of estates that tried to survive through farming in the Moors provided some fleck of income through taxation, but it wasn’t enough. They needed more lucrative trading deals from outside the verse, which was the responsibility of the business-savvy individuals on the council.

As Dobson and the politicos were dealing with the internal workings of the town, that left Shang and Demetri to deal with the military.

The sorcerer liked Demetri. He was one of those zero frills, no-nonsense types that was just blunt enough to be enjoyable without coming off as a prude or a walking, talking piece of stone. Demetri, someone who had worked his way up through the Town Guard’s hierarchy, agreed that they needed to create some sort of unifying objective beyond ‘survival.’

For too long, Darkshire had been in survival mode.

The two men sat in a small room sipping on piss-poor beer.

“We take the fight to the rest of the Moors, then.” Shang remarked, his eyes on the map they’d laid out on the table between them. “We secure our lifeline to the gate, and then we move into the interior.”

“What’s the goal?” Demetri asked—wanting to cut to the chase.

“You know.”

“Dracula?”

“Is there any other goal?” Shang asked, glancing up from the map. Demetri nodded his head as he stared at the area of the Moors where Dracula resided.

“It’s a long march. An army capable of defeating the Count would be ravaged by that long a march, even if we secure a stable route. The logistics of providing food and provisions for so vast a distance… it’d be a nightmare for any quartermaster.”

Shang nodded his head as his eyes fell to a small landmark pin on the map. “We need to find a waypoint…” He said as he placed his thumb on the half-ruined image of Poenari Castle. “Here. Almost sixty percent of the distance between us and him… it’s got to be large enough to hold any army we can field.”

“Poenari?” Demetri asked, prompting a nod from Shang. “Won’t do… that place is infested with monsters.”

At that, the sorcerer threw his head back and laughed. “The entire fucking Pale Moors is infested with monsters. Hell, this town has its fair share of monsters.”

The military man grimaced. “That place has been in ruins and infested since the war ended. Even if we could clear it, it would require countless resources and manpower to repair and reinforce its walls.”

“That’s fine,” Shang answered. “You think we’re going to march out next week? Time is something we need a lot of to make any of this happen. Time to make this town a little more lucrative. Time to create an effective military. Time to field an army to recapture the Moors.”

Demetri nodded his head. “So what? We send a probing force to Poenari?”

“I’ll go and take a small gang with me,” Shang remarked. “You’ll have to remain here and ensure that everything continues to run smoothly. Dobson’s still green when it comes to being the head man, and you’ll need to make sure those bureaucrats and politicians don’t try to abuse that.”

“Of course,” Demetri remarked as he looked down at the map one more time. “Bold plan you have for the Moors.”

Shang smiled. “You can thank me when this works.”

Weiss let go of Ruby reluctantly, waiting several minutes to end their hug, and her partner seemed no less happy to finish this embrace. After coming so close to losing her forever - of seeing her die - she couldn't have been happier to have her best friend alive and - well...

I guess... We're more than friends now. Weiss thought with a blush, staring at her... girlfriend? Was that what they were? Or was Ruby... Well, Weiss guessed she wouldn't have gotten a kiss in return if her feelings hadn't been reciprocated. Ruby's smile didn't seem to scream “I’m uncomfortable” or anything.

"...We should probably get going." Ruby blurted out suddenly. "I mean if we came back to the nexus when we... y'know..." Ruby's smile started to fade as she avoided Weiss's eyes, and the perceptive huntress could see exactly what her younger partner was thinking about. "Then other primes might, too. And some of them looked pretty nasty. And even the ones that didn't could be nasty too. I mean, we're a couple of tiny girls and we... we..." Ruby's eyes started to shiver in their sockets, and Weiss knew what she was remembering.

Acting quickly, she took the girl's hands, bringing her face closer as she looked Ruby in the eyes.
"Ruby. Look at me. I'm fine, okay? It wasn't your fault. He got me too." Weiss told the girl emphatically.
"But I remember doing it, Weiss!" She yelled with a cry. "And I wanted to stop, and I couldn't, and I hurt you, and..." Ruby's face clouded in tears, and Weiss almost instinctively held her leader to her. They stayed that way for another minute or two, as Ruby slowly calmed down.
"I-I'm sorry, Weiss." Ruby finally said between sniffles.

"Don't be." She said with a smile. "It's not your fault. The guy with the helmet, on the other hand, I'll have some words for." Weiss replied with a slight smirk she didn't feel. She still didn't like how the guy had evaded their defenses so perfectly, like she was hardly there. She didn't relish fighting a guy like him again. Especially with how…

"Hey, Ruby?" The Ivory-haired huntress asked.
"Yeah?"
"Your semblance... can you still access it?" Weiss finally asked as her heart skipped a beat.
"It's... not as good, but, well, yeah. How do you think I'm still so fast?" She asked with a half-hearted tease.

She still wasn't completely over it. Weiss supposed she couldn't blame her. If she'd ever attacked Ruby... heck, just the idea made her nauseous.
"You're still able to use your glyphs here, right, Weiss? Well, outside of that crazy place we were just at..." Ruby asked half-heartedly, afraid of the answer.

"...No. I've been able to summon dust with my... Omnilium. That's a really stupid word." Weiss said with a frustrated tone, and she saw Ruby's eyes widen. "But, I... Can't make a glyph to save my life, right now. I can channel aura to control dust, but... I don't know if I'll ever be able to get my semblance back." Weiss said with a frown. "I... Haven't brought it up before. Seemed like other stuff was going on. This doesn't seem like the time, but I figured it's important for you to know, and..."

"Vacation!”
Weiss was expecting to hear a lot of words from her team leader, but That wasn’t one of them.
“P-pardon?” Weiss managed to stutter out from her shock.
“We. Are going. On vacation.” Ruby said with an unexpectedly serious tone.
“I, um…” Weiss stammered. “Is there even a place in the Omniverse that does vacations?” Weiss asked after a few seconds.
“There’s a place with nothing but beaches. We can go there, go to one of the nearby resorts, do fun, non life-threatening things for a little while. No zombies, no warlocks, just… Relaxing. Breathing. Something other than going through hell.” Ruby continued, seeming almost angry as she talked-

Wait a minute.

Did Ruby just swear?
Weiss took in a deep breath as she processed what Ruby said.
“...You know what?” Weiss finally said. “That’s… a pretty good idea. We’re primes, so we don’t need a job. And I guess we don’t have one here, anyways. We should probably catch our breath.” Weiss responded, and she saw a cycle of emotions go over Ruby’s face as she answered.

“I promise, it’ll be the best vacation you’ve ever had.” Ruby responded, and Weiss smirked.
“I have been on some expensive vacations, you know.”

“But this one’ll be better!” Ruby insisted with a grin, before pointing to a portal. “Vasty deeps are that-a-way.” She said, before taking Weiss’s hand… and moving very close to Weiss, until their shoulders brushed. Weiss’s face reddened as Ruby took half a step forward
“T-this is okay, right? I mean…” Her partner asked nervously.was matching her hair color as she stammered, and Weiss realized she was as unsure as Weiss was, if not more. Weiss sort of felt silly - of course she was. She was Ruby’s first, she realized.

“It’s great.” Weiss managed to say in a normal voice, no matter how much her nerves prompted her to squeak, and the two walked towards the portal to the deeps.

Yo, you fucking banished that golden king asshole?

I had a goddamned score to settle with that prick and you banish him!

You couldn't have waited for me or at least saved the bastard?

What the fuck?

Also what the fuck is up with you guys tearing apart Nippur? I thought we were supposed to bring order to the Dunes not annihilate it. This whole thing reeks of bullshit, and I don't like it.

Name: Harley Quinn
Level: 2
Spent OM: 6,800
Proficiencies: (1000); Physical Strength (1000), Ranged Proficiency (1000)
Powers: (1900); Master Acrobat (400), Foresight (1500)
Moves: (300); Harley's Wooden Bat "Goodnight" (300) Double Chiappa Rhino 60DS Revolvers (300)
Super Moves: (1200); "You Missed Me" Tier 1 Defense 1 SP (600), Unleash The Hounds Tier 1 Super Attack (600)
Transformations: (1000); Chemical Insanity Tier 1 Power Up (1000)
Assists:
Items: (400); Mobile Dataverse Device (100), Mega Mushroom (200), Elixir (100)
Bases:
Unlocks:
Base stats:
ATK: 3 - 5
DEF: 1 - 1
SPD: 3 - 5
TEC: 3 - 4

Camelot was known for many things: It’s dragons, it’s castles, it’s cheery atmosphere, but when most were to enter the medieval-themed universe, one thing generally comes to mind.
The place was Green, from it’s elegant meadows, to its lush forests, to the plains that seem to stretch on forever. Even the castles of the realm integrated the greenery, rather than being places of purely stone. What the realm of camelot may have lacked in technological function or advanced transportation, as the empire could boast, it made up for in sheer, simple, natural beauty.

Fitting, Grimm Doomtusk thought to himself, that all that was left in his wake was a burning expanse of blackened, charred expanses of grassland, near the keep his band had pillaged. It was as though he was repainting the kingdom in his own colors. Grimm held up his hand, hoisting the newly fashioned flag of his warband.

Once, these colors stood for someone Grimm believed would fashion the next era of the horde. Now, as the black-and-red banner of flame and Axe stood high into the air of the kingdom of Camelot, Grimm smiled as he thought of his old mentor. For a mage, he’d known everything Grimm had ever learned about tactics… including how to forge his own.

He wondered if Deathwind would have been proud to see Grimm reforging the horde with his old banner. But more importantly, Grimm wondered what he would have thought to see his old pupil grow even greater than he so quickly.
“For the Grim Tide!” Grimm yelled, as the remains of the camelot guard tower fell. This was the first blow of many he would lay upon camelot, as he reclaimed the soil of the land - and to hell with what Thrall would say!

The sound of metal smashing bone uncomfortably close to Grimm’s position broke him out of his reverie, and he turned back to see the source of the noise. His elite guard should have kept his opponents firmly-

“You!” Doomtusk snarled, as he took in the image before him. A knight on horseback stood before him, immaculate armor on both her and her horse. The corpses of two of his best men, and the blood and matted hair still hanging off the human warrior’s warhammer.

“Grimm Doomtusk. Where is your master?”

“Aeris… some fool summoned you, too?” Doomtusk growled. A knight of her caliber would be… problematic. “You’re outnumbered, fool. In only a minute, my best men will be here to attend me, and you, soon after, will be very dead.” Doomtusk replied, before drawing a long spear from his back, a black, metal weapon with a teardrop-shaped tip.
“Then I guess I’ll have to make this quick, now won’t I/” Aeris replied, before rushing her warhorse forward. “Back to the hells you crawled from, Orc!”
“Terrible choice of last words, Human!” Grimm screamed back, before raising his spear.

YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MUCH DND. While I'm a new player I have been tempted into taking the DM seat for a campaign. Already a story brews within my mind, so if you wanna glory for yourself, let me know if you're interested. I'm probably going to keep the party rather small, 4 peeps maybe, plus the character i have, and one spot taken, which leaves 3 spots open. Whomever I decide to choose as players, that is the mystery.

Once the duo came upon the tangled Green, Demetri came to a stop and extracted his motorbike. It would be wise not to attract too much suspicion, though it would be hard to tell what exactly was defined as suspicious in the Tangled. Either way, if would mot likely be faster on foot. With IRIS taking control of his perception and awareness, he could focus more easily. Her HUD was extremely useful, and often times she spoke his status, enjoying her new form.

"Woah, so it looks like you don't necessarily need food or water, BUT YOU STILL HAVE STATUS LEVELS FOR BOTH. I think it's a psychological thing, like with your brain. That's supposed to be like your CPU and RAM in one right?"

"I suppose it would be, yes."

" Hey, it says here that you are lying, you don't know what I am talking about do you?"

"That is also true."

"That's okay," she spoke with a mechanical giggle."I think I know what I am talking about at least. Oooh, it also says your omnilium levels too, how did you manage to make all of this Creator?"

"To be honest, IRIS, I am unsure. Most of your hardware seem beyond my understanding. It is likely that the forces of omnilium adapt you to what I wish for you to be."

"Probably, it's still cool, though."

"On that thought, what do you mean by my Omnilium levels?"

"You can see how much your omnilium is distributed among your abilities I think. It shows it in percentage!"

"Can you relay the information please, IRIS?"

"Of course!"

"I appreciate it, lass."

"Anything for you, Creator." She spoke softly, making Demetri a bit uncomfortable. She seemed a bit too eager to help him at times, seeing him as her master or something. Especially when she referred to him as Creator. To him she seemed equal, the only difference being that she was summoned by him and not Omni. "Alright, now it seems that around sixteen percent of your omnilium is factored into your weapons and items that are able to be summoned at will. Fifty-one percent is allocated to keep your abilities sharp and your powers functioning. Twenty-six percent is focused on combat ability and your physique. Four percent is allocated to special abilities, and the rest is in reserve. "

"That is some valuable information, are others able to gain any of that knowledge from you?"

"I believe we are skilled enough to combat any viruses or outside sources that might try to glean any bits of information from you, but it is possible. We can take this information from others too, but it takes time. "

"I see. Most of your display aids in what I need to know, correct?"

"Yup!, Anything you need!"

Demetri nodded as they continued through the dense jungle of the Tangled green, walking for hours until they came to a small city. It managed to be in a rather large clearing.

They entered the village of Ambrosia and began to take a look around. many vendors and merchants were out selling goods, and everything seemed rather modernized. Dataverse devices didn't seem scarce at all here, in fact, many citizens seemed to be going about on their devices on social media. What a waste of time, or so Demetri thought.

"Notice anyone out of the ordinary, IRIS?"

"Not yet, everyone seems... normal"

As he susp[ected. he supposed that the criminal and shady sort wouldn't be hanging around at the entrance of the village though they would definitely stay close to hear about any newcomers or distance news. As a citizen bumped into Demetri without giving any thought and continuing ion their way, the thief began to doubt his old ways of investigation.

"Let's just head a bit deeper in."

The thought of the unknown, right on the other side of the towering gated door, made me feel uneasy. Appearing to be crafted out of some energy current, this could as easily be the doorway to satan's bedroom. I am not worried about the pain it might cause me to the go through to the other side. Pain is only pleasure. What worried me is the mystery of what may lay waiting beyond this wall. No matter how tightly I held onto Baby, nothing I could do would shake the feeling of discomfort until I made that leap. That jump into the deep end of the swimming pool that causes your stomach to flip and your skin to flutter with anticipation. This was exactly what it felt like. After passing through the glimmering entrance, I stood there with my mouth wide open like a fish out of water, thinking for a second I was back at home.

I was never particularly found of Gotham. It’s was like someone built a nightmare out of metal and stone and called it a “Metropolis”. Although, that nightmare of a city was just the place a psychotic gal like me belonged. Where I was felt like Gotham a thousand years into the future, shrouded in mystery and reeking with government control. If Batsy ever fulfilled his quest for a pure and harmonious civilization, it might look just like this. I wouldn’t be surprised if I walked deeper into the futuristic city and found a statue of that bastard.

I closed my eyes and stood there, embracing the sound of a city rich and alive, hearing the clamoring of voices, the echoes of steps, machines whizzing and bustling about all around me, made me feel so relaxed. I hated the quiet, being alone in my own thoughts, and stuck with only the voices. Even the smell of a busy city was recognizable: mixed spices being cooked, the musty burnt smell of smoke and tobacco, and the mischief smell of oil and gasoline. This was not as bad as I was anticipating and if anything, maybe, the big man upstairs mistakenly gave me the wrong ticket into heaven. Experiencing the rush of a fresh start, my eyes danced with excitement that took the city in around me.

I can have a lot of fun in a place like this. The neon signs and flashing screens were subconsciously telling me to shop here, eat there, and listen here. Or, to the cootie queen like me, steal, steal, steal. My shifty eyes however, soon noticed the governmental force scattered throughout the sea of citizens. Army militia, police, hired guns, guards, pigs it didn't matter what you called them, they were all jeopardizing my ticket to freedom. All gleaming in white, they marched through the city like cybernetic knights. As much as I itched to cause a glorious ruckus, that would disrupt this peaceful community. I was severely outnumbered.

Most of the view in front of me was towering skyscrapers. They stood so tall that they blocked any sign of stars that might have been seen through the pollution of lights. Every city has a deep dark corner that is hidden in the shadows, dripping in sin and evil temptations. The part of every city that they try to sweep under the rug, pretend it doesn't exist, or just try their best to avoid the area as a whole. That is where I needed to go, somewhere my talents and good looks would be appreciated.

The part of the city I was in now appeared to be like Gotham’s Central Station. Many people coming and going by transportation, hovering above the ground. Then I saw off in the distance a heavy set man who was lighting up a cigarette while leaning up against his cab. Shorter in stature, he wore a dingy white shirt that was speckled with stains from food down the front of it. A boisterous belly hung over the too small part of his faded trousers and had a tattoo of a scandalous woman on his forearm. This filthy dude had some obvious issues judging by his overall attitude, but the cockroach of a man looked like he knew just the place where I could have a good time.

Approaching him, I flashed him a flirty smile while I walked over and twirled my pink tipped pony tail playfully. That thirsty look I knew all too well flooded his shaggy brown eyes. It does not take much to get the blood pumping to the other head does it?

“Hey sugar, do you think you could give me a ride?” I asked while batting my pretty blues at this waste of flesh.

After sucking up mucus into this nose and then spitting at my feet, the creep raised his eyebrows and looked at me hungrily. “Of course baby, hop right in.”

Just as I was about to get into the back of his cruiser, I heard a voice call out in my direction. Turning my head, I saw a man with a chicken mask covering his face running straight towards me. “Hold the cab!” he yelled, between heavy breaths. Hmm, it would not hurt having some company apart from the slimy creep, but maybe he had some cash to pay the guy, because I sure as hell didn’t.

So, I let the guy into the back seat with him me to the disappointment of the driver. “Where are we headed?” the balding cabby asked, his voice thick with envy. Turning to the man in the mask, I said, “I don’t know about you doll, but I need a drink.” Speaking to the cabby now, I tell him I don’t want to have a drink with fancy crystal, but a drink at a place where he would warn me not to roam the streets at night alone. “What about you Mr? Where are you headed this night?” I asked the masked man.

Moments before entering the Omniverse
Jacket wakes up and sees he is standing in the familiar dirty apartment that he seen often in his dreams. He opens the door of the meeting room that is the only room that is accessible. There were three chairs in the room which two were empty and the one in the middle had a familiar figure sitting in it which was the chicken masked stranger that was wearing the same clothes as him. "Well, looks like it's just you and me now." said the masked stranger sitting in the chair relaxed having his attention on Jacket. "You know I don't have time to stay here long but I must let you know some helpful advice when dawn comes." said the stranger still having his attention on him. "First and for most say goodbye to your old life that you are use to but still put your skills into use. Second, remember carefully the questions I asked you earlier and they will help you get through this mess. Third, don't question about your actions into this new morning. Then finally, don't you ever try to forget about me or you could whither up and die coldly the next day." said the masked figure while Jacket is still processing his helpful bit. "You will have helpful allies or enemies in the future. I can definitely tell old friend." after the stranger said that, Jacket felt a quake in the apartment. "Well as you can see my time is up and I don't know when the next time we will meet again. It could be short or very long until we meet. Farewell, for now..." said the figure then he slowly disappeared while sitting in the chair. Jacket felt multiple quakes in the apartment and during the rumbling, the apartment breaking down piece by piece until there was nothing but darkness until a light shined once again.

Arrival in the Omniverse
Jacket wakes up as a white godly figure is in front of him explaining the reason why you are here. For the most part, Jacket just didn't get it what was happening and why his actions that he made in the past brought him here. Did he actually died? Is this the after life? Is he being judged for his actions. As Omni keeps explaining to him it starts to make sense then gets confusing. After a fifteen minute talk with Omni, Jacket then realizes he is left alone and has his stuff back. The only problem he thought about was that he didn't have his Delorean so he can get around faster. He continues to walk and finds a fountain that is just there for some reason. Jacket didn't really give thought but sat next to the fountain and ponders about the situation. Should he be mad, depressed, happy, or just give no flying shit about it. He sits there for a while then gets up and leaves. He walks not to far from the fountain then ends up running into a white armor clad soldier who are was wearing a weird helmet.

He is stopped by this person when the soldier is standing in his path. "Stop right there Prime! You will be needed to ask questions." Jacket stops in front of them and is confused what is going on here. "Identify yourself." says the oddly looking soldier. "My name is um...well actually I can't really remember much of my name." said Jacket still trying to remember about his past a bit. All just little he remembers where he was but just not about his past life before he started doing what the messages on the answering machine was telling him. "I don't have time for games tell me now!" said the trooper impatiently pointing his gun at him. Right when he did that,+ Jacket gets flashes of him murdering a bunch of Russian gangsters in white suits then snaps from there when he remembers how the color of white he saw periodically on his victims. Right at that time Jacket was holding his mask in his right hand and puts it on. When he did everything flashes around him showing images of him brutally and mutilating victims as he did before. "What the hell you think your doin-GAH!" the soldier yells through his helmet and gets tackled by Jacket and stands over him speechless and not even making any noises. He stomps on the soldier's hand hard to cause him pain and let go of his gun. The soldier actually starts feeling fear of this situation that a insane man in a animal mask is about to kill him and never thought this is the way he dies as a soldier. Jacket goes for the helmet and takes it off the trooper revealing his face. The trooper's face looked to be in his mid 30s and his skin was not dark. His eyes appear to be green and his hair had a brunette look. Jacket grabs his hammer that he had clipped to his belt and raises up in the sky leaving anticipation. The soldier having scare look to his face and having the last thought going through his head about how hard that hammer would hit. Then Jacket starts hammering into the trooper's skull violently until his face wasn't recognizable and turned into red paste. Jacket still standing over the deceased trooper for a moment then puts his hammer away still masked and walked away like nothing happened. Until moments later he was spotted by a near patrol that opened fire upon him since they got news that one of the comrades was killed. Jacket laid suppression fire down with his SMG hoping he would at least damage them. The blots of the blasters become close of hitting him then just makes him break a run to escape. After running and trying to lose the soldiers, he sees a gateway of some sort leading him somewhere. Without hesitation, he steps into lose the soldiers which thus is his first steps into a new awakening for him.