Monsters Under the Stars

A howling sound wakes Odie up in the middle of the night, but something's off about it. It's different, it's not the howl from a coyote or any normal animal. Like before he doesn't wake up to the same surroundings where he fell asleep. He's laying outside infront of the Jeep. It's a still night, no wind blowing through the air this time but Odie can't help but to sense something is horribly wrong. The world around him feels different, surreal like a dream.
[1:47:38 AM] Omniance: Odie: His eyes dart to look around at his surroundings in panicked movements. He starts to wonder why he's outside and he muscles tense up in fear, but after a moment the panic of his mind is flooded with everything that happened before he fell asleep. Yuri, Lucas, and Ricky acting strangely accompanied by the familiar but now much more intense feeling that everything is off. Everything isn't the way it should be. He remains still as his eyes dart around to take in his surroundings for a few moments, and then he slowly sits up, as quietly as he can. He instinctively clutches at his stomach, where he normally holds his teddy bear. He takes a deep breath as he trembles from fear and cold to try and calm himself a bit more, it doesn't really work to get rid of the fear of the darkness around him and what's happening, but it does clear his mind. After a moment he musters his strength, and what little courage he has, and gets up, though he's still hunched as he continues to take in his surrounds. After a moment he peeks around the front of the jeep to see if Rodin is still outside where he was before.
[1:49:34 AM] Arbi: Anywhere he looks Odie can't seem to find Rodin. Something he does notice though is Yuri is still in the jeep, sleeping.
[1:52:06 AM] Omniance: Odie: He hunches and walks about the jeep, looking in at Yuri to get a better look at him for a moment. He also goes to open the door and ask him for help, but his paranoia and fear get the best for him as he reaches for the handle, and he turns and quickly backs away, looking around and then running for his tent to get inside and try to stave off the building fear in his stomach and help collect his thoughts. He also wants his bear.
[1:53:00 AM] Arbi: Little boy: His whimpering can be heard as Odie runs up to the tent.
[1:57:46 AM] Omniance: Odie: He freezes in fear, his eyes start watering as he struggles to get his body to move forwards. He's suddenly fighting an incredibly overwhelming urge to start panicking and try to run in the opposite direction. Within his mind he starts to flood himself with thoughts of the boy being harmless. He even reminded him of himself. He's not dangerous. He grimaces and closes his eyes tightly as he fights with an overwhelming instinct to run. Then a thought comes across the chatter in his head, it cuts through the noise and panic like a knife: The boy isn't dangerous, the creature is. Odie's eyes shoot open and he immediately regains basic control of his trembling legs and arms. He grabs the flap of the tent, unzips it, and in one quick motions gets in and closes it behind him. He turns and looks for the boy.
[1:59:08 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He's curled up inside his sleeping bag holding on tightly to Winkers, too scared to see who it is.
[2:01:11 AM] Omniance: Odie: He opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out except his breath. He closes his eyes and slowly starts to crawl towards the sleeping bag, telling himself that it's just the boy inside. As he reaches it he opens his mouth, speaking in a quiet whisper. ...Its me... He slowly reaches out and pulls the bag open to see the boy.
[2:03:57 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He's little hesitant at first to open his eyes but Odie's voice calms him down. He's still hugging the teddy bear close to him as he whispers. You're not the monster?
[2:05:42 AM] Omniance: Odie: He gulps and then moves to sit next to the boy. No. He looks around the inside of the tent. ...What is this... P-place? He looks at the boy, company, and having someone else to talk to other than himself, quickly helping to ease his mind.
[2:09:50 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He sits up and looks around at the tent. It's my tent ...but... He looks down at Winkers and almost starts to cry. I can't leave because of the monster...
[2:11:00 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks around, expecting the red eyes to appear at any moment. We can't just stay in here. He gulps, his throat is soar. ...It'll find us.
[2:11:48 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He sniffs and wipes the tears from his face with his sleeve before looking at Odie. What are we gonna do?
[2:12:45 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks around the darkness of the tent. I don't know... We just... Need a better hiding place...
[2:14:20 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He quickly looks around as the sound of the unnatural howl is heard in the distance. The monster is nearby. I'm... I'm too scared to leave.
[2:17:47 AM] Omniance: Odie: He closes his eyes as he hears the howl. He'll find us if w-we st-stay. He's convincing himself as much as he's trying to convince the boy. His mind starts to fill with thoughts of what to do. Where can they hide? Will his friends even help him or are they controlled by it? He grabs the boy's hand and holds it tightly. Keep Winkers with us... He'll k-keep up safe. We have to... Get out of this tent. It found us in here.... Last time. He gets up, crouched and trying to pull the boy with him to the tent's entrance.
[2:19:47 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He holds Winkers up to his chest as he stands up and follows Odie closely while holding his hand, feeling a little safer with him nearby.
[2:24:52 AM] Omniance: Odie: He closes his eyes tightly, internally telling himself that they have to move before the creature gets to them. He grabs the zipper and pulls the flap open, immediately running out into the cold night air and pulling the boy with him. He starts to look around trying to think of where to hide. RV or Jeep. He looks out into the darkness of the desert, wondering if he should just try to make a run for it, but after a moment he stops, remembering that the boy might be too slow to make a run for it. He decides on the Jeep. Maybe Yuri could help him if the creature does show up. He quickly moves towards it, staying hunched behind the tent as he moves to help hide him from the creature if its watching. He reaches the Jeep and looks around, wondering if he should open the door as it might be too loud.
[2:27:06 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He's beginning to tremble, both from fear and the cold air. He suddenly hugs Odie when he hears something coming from the RV, something's footsteps.
[2:28:11 AM] Omniance: Odie: He remembers this happening before. He immediately grabs the boy and picks him up and turns and runs around the corner of the jeep to get out of sight.
[2:30:48 AM] Arbi: The four legged creature can be seen walking out infront of the RV but it's so dark they can't make out what it is exactly. It's red eyes dart around to see if anyone is nearby.
[2:33:33 AM] Omniance: Odie: He's trembling but quietly, almost too afraid to even breath. He's still holding the boy up almost like he does his bear. He looks away from the creature into the surrounding night, trying to think of where to go. While he does this he slowly takes a few steps to hide his feat from the monster behind one of the jeeps tires.
[2:35:23 AM] Arbi: The monster sniffs the ground and follows a scent up to the tent. Without even looking inside he growls and immediately looks towards the jeep, slowly walking up to it.
[2:36:30 AM] Omniance: Odie: He hears the creature coming and slowly takes steps around the jeep onto the opposite side.
[2:37:38 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He whimpers as quietly as he can, shaking from fear.
[2:39:22 AM] Omniance: Odie: He pats him slowly to try and reassure him, despite he himself being so afraid that he's on the verge of locking into another episode of paralysis. He looks around for a moment before having an idea, and he quickly moves towards the front end of the jeep to double back on where he woke up to turn their scent into a looped trail to throw the creature off.
[2:41:51 AM] Arbi: The monster's mouth snaps forward from underneath the Jeep as Odie circles it, grabbing the little boy's leg.
Little boy: He screams and drops Winkers as he's pulled out from Odie's grasp and dragged underneath the car.
[2:42:36 AM] Omniance: Odie: NO! He bends down, trying to grab at the boy to pull him back.
[2:43:59 AM] Arbi: Odie suddenly sits up, reaching forward to grab his teddy bear as he wakes up inside his tent.
[2:46:48 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks around for a moment before his eyes start to tear up and he buries his face in his hands. He grabs his bear and holds it to him, opening his eyes and wiping away the few tears he shed, as he looks down into the reflective plastic eyes of the bear. He whispers. How do I get out of here? He hugs the bear, trembling quietly.
[2:47:19 AM] Arbi: Yuri: Odie? His footsteps can be heard outside his tent approaching it.
[2:48:09 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks down, not even wanting to answer. After a moment he mutters a response. ...What?
[2:50:23 AM] Arbi: Yuri: He doesn't bother even opening the tent's flap and just speaks out to him. I'm not picking up your trash. Get off your ass and clean this shit up. He walks away without even waiting for his response.
[2:51:19 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks to the side and quietly says to himself. ...What trash... ?
[2:53:53 AM] Omniance: Odie: After a brief moment he opens the tent. Even thought his friends are acting strangely, their presence still somehow makes him feel a lot better. He looks around the campsite as he walks out, bending down and picking up some of the trash, more to try and keep up an appearance than anything else. He looks up at the windows of the RV at he does, trying to see what Lucas and Ricky are doing.
[2:57:15 AM | Edited 2:57:35 AM] Arbi: Odie sees Lucas walk by the window, the RV's door opening a moment later.
Lucas: He takes out one of his cigarettes and lights it. He notices Odie looking at him and he just stares back at him with an annoyed look. What?
There doesn't seem to be any sign of Ricky.
[3:02:38 AM] Omniance: Odie: He takes note of Ricky missing before turning and picking up another piece of trash. Nothing. He grabs another piece, walks over and shoves them into a small bag, ties it up, and puts it in his tent. He looks around for Rodin, someone who is conspicuously absent each time he wakes up outside. Where's your guys dog?
[3:08:11 AM] Arbi: Yuri: Why does it matter where he is? He pokes the campfire with a stick, causing some of the logs to flicker with heat.
Lucas: He looks at Yuri suddenly. Why do you have to be such an asshole?
Yuri: He drops the stick and slowly turns to look at Lucas. What did you call me?
Lucas: I said you're an asshole.
Yuri: You'd like that, wouldn't you? You fucking f-----. He glares at him as he turns, walking away back to the Jeep.
Lucas: A red light can be seen building up in his neck as he watches his brother walk away from him.
[3:09:42 AM] Omniance: Odie: He gulps as he watches Lucas seemingly think about incinerating his own brother. I... Just wanted to... Say goodnight to him...
[3:13:37 AM | Edited 3:17:26 AM] Arbi: Lucas: The fire in his throat fades away and he turns to look at him, motioning behind him.
Rodin: He walks past Odie and sits infront of Lucas, looking up at him.
Lucas: The idea of driving all the way across the desert seems to exhaust him. I'm driving again tomorrow. He drops the cigarette and steps on it before heading back up into the RV. I really need some sleep... I'll see you in the morning, Odie.
[3:17:25 AM] Omniance: Odie: N-night Lucas. He smiles solemnly, missing the way his friends were. He looks at Rodin for a moment before just deciding to crawl back into his tent. He lays there quietly, trying to figure out what to do as he holds his bear close to him. ...Can't hide from the monster... He closes his eyes to try and drift off to sleep. Everything that's happening is wearing him down and he just wants to forget this place.
[3:32:28 AM] Arbi: Odie opens his eyes. He's laying in the middle of everything. The jeep to his right, the RV behind him and the tent to his left. The horizon has been completely transformed into a dark, gloomy apocalyptic-like world. The tent Odie put up has has burn marks and tears all over it. The Jeep looks old and rusted, the tires are all flat and it looks like it's been out here for a decade. The backside of the RV has been completely destroyed, like a massive monster has torn a big chunk out from it leaving just a pool of black ichor on the ground. The only thing that appears to have remained unchanged thoughout this ordeal are the stars above.
[3:35:10 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks around at the increasing grim surroundings and sighs quietly. He sits up and then immediately crawls for the tent before another wave of fear catches him. With determination he unzips it and looks inside, hoping beyond all hope that the boy is in there.
[3:37:15 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He's curled up on the ground with his eyes closed. Winkers is a few feet away from him on the other side of the tent. There's no more sleeping bag or supplies, just a boy and his teddy bear.
[3:38:27 AM] Omniance: Odie: He sighs in relief. ...Hey... Little guy. He crawls in and grabs the bear, almost taking it for himself, but after a moment he moves towards the boy and hands it to him. ...Are you ok?
[3:39:57 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He opens his eyes weakly and looks up at him. Just as he's about to sit up he immediately winces in pain and stays laying down.
[3:41:11 AM] Omniance: Odie: What's wrong? He puts the teddy bear next to the boy and then looks around the tent, seeing through the holes in the tent to the outside. Are you hurt?
[3:42:05 AM | Edited 3:43:25 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He slowly moves his hand from his leg, there's a bitemark on it. He keeps his eyes closed tightly and nods weakly.
[3:45:01 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks around for the small medic kit he has in his pack, but sees that there's nothing else in the tent. After a moment he closes his eyes, the grimness of the situation wearing him down. I'm sorry... I couldn't hide you. We can't hide from the monster... He puts his hand to his face. It gets us every time.
[3:47:46 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He stays quiet for a moment before he starts to cry.
[3:49:30 AM] Omniance: Odie: He pats the boy's head solemnly as he thinks of what to do. The hopelessness and fear of his surroundings begins to eat away at him, and his eyes start to water. ...I'm sorry.
[3:51:40 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He sniffs and holds Winkers close to calm down. After a moment he looks up at him. ...How... how did you know Winker's name?
[3:52:36 AM] Omniance: Odie: I've had him since I was a little boy... Like you... He looks down. He always kept me safe... From everything.
[3:56:12 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He looks up at Odie and the resemblance starts to come together to him. ...Are... are you me?
[3:57:13 AM] Omniance: Odie: I don't know... He closes his eyes. Maybe this is a test... I'm supposed to learn how to protect myself... His eyes start to water again. But I don't know how.
[3:58:57 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He watches him for a moment before looking down at Winkers, putting him up to his ear. Winkers says he doesn't recognize you.
[3:59:40 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks over at the boy, and then the bear. ...What else does he say?
[4:01:20 AM] Arbi: Little boy: He looks down at him. He says you aren't the same anymore, he can see it in your eyes. He says you can protect us... if... if you really want to.
[4:07:19 AM] Omniance: Odie: I want to... It's just... Not that simple. He looks down. I saw myself do terrible things. I became a terrible thing. I still see it whenever I close my eyes. He wipes his face with his sleeve. I look in the mirror and the eyes looking back aren't mine... And I... I'm just... Afraid of things. He realizes what he's saying doesn't really make much sense. I'm trying to get better. Do what the doctors say. It just doesn't work. I want to fight but I don't know if I can. I don't have power like my friends do, and I might be too scared to use it even if I did have it...
[4:16:16 AM] Arbi: Little boy: You have her eyes... He looks up at one of the big holes in the tent at the night sky, full of beautiful stars. They've never looked so clear to Odie. The cities and town have always polluted them but tonight they're as bright as ever. And under the stars, her children are closer to her than ever before. He stands up. You can fight, Odie. I know you can... Stop fighting her and face your true enemy.
[4:19:39 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks at the little boy strangely and then shakes his head. I don't want to be that thing- A image of him crushing Yuri's head between his hands flashes through his mind for a split-second. It's the opposite of what happened, but somehow it's pieced together inside his head of one of the possibilities of the things he could do. She's still in here and I can't be her anymore. He looks down. I'm scared of her... I can't help it...
[4:28:27 AM] Arbi: The familiar footsteps of the monster can be heard in the distance. Through one of the tears in the tent they see it walking towards them, it seems to be taking its time as it knows there's nowhere they can run or hide. It looks like Rodin's undead form except it's almost all black with glowing red eyes.
Little boy: He backs away from the front of the tent and sits back down with Winkers infront of him.
[4:31:13 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks at the little boy, and then back to the monster. After a moment he takes a deep breath, still trembling. You're not Rodin! He's surprised that he's even able to speak. So whatever the hell you are stop pretending you're something you're not! He stands up, balling his hands into fists tightly. And you're not getting the little boy! You'll have to... He bites the inside of his lip. YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH ME FIRST!
[4:37:27 AM] Arbi: Brendan: He whispers as quietly as he can. It is only when are all great things are nothing that she is everything. From the night sky she falls with starry eyes. Her maw a black chasm, her touch a glacier, her claws as silver, her eyes of poison. She who has fallen will be she who will rise. Astreiya, the grey queen who seeks to once again rule the sky. He opens his eyes and looks up at the starry sky, his eyes are green and the little boy is gone. Odie finishes speaking the final part. I call upon the power of the Grey Queen. Grant me your strength. Grant me your power.
[4:41:43 AM] Omniance: Odie: His jaw starts trembling, like he's cold. Scared of what's happening.
[4:42:30 AM] Arbi: The monster stops walking towards him, cautious of what he senses. He growls and backs away, seeing ice forming in Odie's hand.
[4:59:34 AM | Edited 5:00:52 AM] Omniance: Odie: He looks down to his hand and the cold shard of ice forming in it, his eyes start watering. An image flashes into his head from months ago.
Odie: I'm going to kill you so you can't kill anyone else! He thrusts the blade of ice at Lucas, who barely steps out of the path. Odie's head hurts, suddenly all he can see are flashes of carnage. Black things moving at the edge of his vision. As it clears he sees Lucas and Yuri running away out of the school parking lot, an overpowering will to destroy them for what happened to him that night overcomes him and he sprints after them, pushing his legs beyond their weak limits.
Odie: They must be stopped, they must be punished for what happened. As he begins to catch them he slows, stumbling lightly and murmuring to himself. But they're my best friends.
He's instantly consumed by the urge for retribution again, and charges after them with renewed purpose by some dark will that's pouring into his mind. He breaths in deeply, feeling his lungs expand inside of his body and they begin to sting like he's breathing in sharp slivers of wood. "They will pay for what they did." He thinkgs as he breaths out a black cloud of demonic locust that swarm towards Yuri and his brother just as they turn the corner around the front office.
Odie immediately bends over and coughs afterwards, clutching his stomach. His lungs burn, his hand is numb from the cold of the shard of ice he's holding. The powers he's using seem to be tearing him apart from the inside, both physically and spiritually, but he can't stop them it's like they have a mind of their own pushing him to take action he doesn't want to. Just as his mind begins to clear it's quickly shrouded again by hatred. The twins will pay for their crime, and he will make sure they pay in blood. He looks back up at the corner, and despite being exhausted, runs after them his knees burn and ache with over exertion. But as he turns the corner and watches the cloud of locusts evaporate, the twins are gone. He lets out a sigh of relief before vowing another internal desire to see them crushed between his fingers.
Odie: The memory fades and his green eyes dart to look at the creature. He's still trembling, but more from adrenaline than pure fear. I'm not going to let you control me like she did. He raises the shard.
[5:03:19 AM] Arbi: The monster growls deeply and stops backing away, his eyes glowing red in the darkness as he stares Odie down. He barks loudly and starts his charge at him before leaping up to bite the arm holding the shard.
[5:06:08 AM] Omniance: Odie: As the creature leaps up at him a memory flash through his mind of the frigid weapon. He turns his body on pure reflex to pull his arm out of the path of the dog, and he thrusts his left arm up into its stomach as another shard of ice appears in it and slams deeply, gutting the creature as it leaps passed him.
[5:08:06 AM | Edited 5:09:09 AM] Arbi: The monster hits the ground, crying in pain as the dark matter covering the dog melts away around him on the dirt. The dark mass continues to cry as it crawls away behind the RV. Rodin is on the ground where he was but too injured to continue he's unsummoned.
[5:11:36 AM] Omniance: Odie: He watches the dark mass move towards the RV. Sorry Rodin. He hesitantly looks to the tent and then carefully walks to the other side of the RV.
[5:17:02 AM] Arbi: As Odie makes his way around the RV he still has enough time to see the dark matter crawl underneath the large vehicle to hide from him.
[5:20:07 AM] Omniance: Odie: He gulps. So now you're running and hiding from me huh?! It doesn't sound very tough, as his voice is still trembling slightly. The large shard of ice seems to refine into something like a sword, and the smaller one refines into a short knife as his resolve strengthens a bit and he absent mindedly remembers how to use the power from when he did before. He takes a few steps back from the edge and bend down, looking under the RV for the creature, still afraid of it, but not so much that he's going to panic or run away anymore.
[5:22:07 AM] Arbi: Underneath the RV he sees a black creature that looks like it has skin made of tar. It's breathing heavily, like how a smoker would sound, and he's bleeding out onto the dirt around him. It doesn't seem to notice Odie as it looks around to check where he is.
[5:27:00 AM] Omniance: Odie: He gulps quietly, the creature's appearance causing him to tremble. Despite this he tightens his grip around his sword and the end of it turns into a hook. He bites his lower lip again and then thrusts it under the RV, sinking the hook into the creature's black flesh and pulling with all his strength to drag the creature out from under the RV.
[5:31:37 AM] Arbi: The monster screeches and goes limp, Odie drags the creature out and sees what it really is. It can be described as a short, tar covered, man with multiple arms coming out from his sides and back. Some of which have been run over by the RV and useless to use. The creatures lets out a heavy sigh as its red eyes stop glowing, becoming dark and lifeless.
[5:33:17 AM] Arbi: Out of the corner of Odie's eye he sees the sun rising in the distance. The gloomy apocalyptic world around him gone now.
[5:42:13 AM] Omniance: Odie: He takes a deep breath, tears forming in his eyes as he sees the rising sun. They're tears of relief and happiness that run down his face. He screams out loudly into the quiet desert morning. YES! The dagger in his hand flashes with a blue-white glint of power and extends into a short-sword, he drags the monster over by the camp fire and slams the sword into it, impaling it to the ground. He breaths heavily, breathing in the morning air and feeling better about everything. He looks down at the creature. Fuck you! He stomps on it, then quickly realizes that was a bad idea, as his sock is caked in tar, blood, and mud. ...Damn it... He shivers, grossed out suddenly.
Lucas: His muffled voice comes from in the RV. Is there going to be a single time on this road trip that you don't wake me up?!
Odie: His eyes dart to the RV, and he smirks as he leans on the sword impaling the creature into the ground.