[Private Channel - Dawn Baptists]

[Participants]

Administrator: Seraph

Moderator: Sage, Gul

Members: Firebrand, Problem, Uprise, Victor, Forest Master, Alexander Shen, Leona Ahn, Damien Fayer, Althea Shen, Vernon Hugo

Throughout the First Week of the Ordo Disaster

[Vernon Hugo]: yknow the others have a name for us

[Vernon Hugo]: and by ‘others’ i mean the army and the slayers

[Vernon Hugo]: kinda catchy

[Victor]: i wonder who came up with it

[Victor]: it sorta just popped out of nowhere

[Vernon Hugo]: made it easier to give our little group a name other than

[Vernon Hugo]: idk what was it?

[Victor]: systemic something

[Vernon Hugo]: yeah that, dawn baptists is catchier

[Vernon Hugo]: kinda wish it wasn’t born out of bad circumstances tho

[Victor]: yeah, def

[Victor]: at least we’ll definitely be in the history books. everyones’s gonna know my name

[Alexander Shen]: Even in a disaster you’re still thinking about yourself

[Victor]: shut the hell up and just fight me

[Alexander Shen]: Nah

[Forest Master]: I am not particularly fond of the name myself.

[Vernon Hugo]: why’s that

[Forest Master]: It feels offensive somewhat, referencing the friends we have lost.

[Forest Master]: Though I believe it was intended to be some sort of honor.

[Victor]: can’t get more honored than having a name given to us

[Vernon Hugo]: i definitely feel honored

[Vernon Hugo]: even when i’m an e-rank people are naturally wary of me

[Vernon Hugo]: i think this is it

[Vernon Hugo]: i’ve peaked

[Althea Shen]: you can only go down from here

[Alexander Shen]: I’ve seen it happen

[Vernon Hugo]: can you two not

[Forest Master]: I have to ask. Why are you and Althea involving yourself still?

[Forest Master]: Primordial Zero is a safe place for you.

[Vernon Hugo]: same reason as you

[Althea Shen]: yeah like hell i’m gonna hide there

[Althea Shen]: i’m no coward

[Vernon Hugo]: plus mom and dad will *definitely* kill me while the comets *might*

[Forest Master]: To think you both are so young...

[Uprise]: you’re 1 chunhua

[Forest Master]: 21

[Uprise]: yeah thats what i said

[Vernon Hugo]: and i’m 18

[Althea Shen]: turning 18 on tuesday

[Victor]: ordo’s fate lies in the hands of two 18yros

[Alexander Shen]: We’re fucked

[Vernon Hugo]: hey i watch anime

[Vernon Hugo]: if i learned anything from that, teenagers can literally kill god

[Uprise]: hell yeah

[Althea Shen]: we’re pretty awesome

[Althea Shen]: i’m the incarnation of an ancient goddess

[Sage]: that's not fun

[Forest Master]: Please do not encourage this behavior.

[Uprise]: we are godkillers and gods ourselves

[Uprise]: i am amaterasu

[Victor]: and i’m paul bunyan

[Damien Fayer]: I’m beginning to be concerned about this set-up

[Gul]: Don’t be such a downer, Damien

[Seraph]: I understand your concerns.

[Damien Fayer]: Surely we can’t be that desperate, right?

[Uprise]: we are

[Althea Shen]: we are

[Sage]: we are

[Vernon Hugo]: we are

[Victor]: yeah

[Forest Master]: Why are you all so in sync…?

[Seraph]: Unfortunately, we are. And among other factors. You were the best fit for the situation at hand.

[Damien Fayer]: I’m honored

[Damien Fayer]: I'll try not to lose another arm

[Alexander Shen]: Don’t do anything you regret. Not even Kaiya’s fully healed

[Uprise]: hey my head still hurts but i know what my name is

[Uprise]: you should be more worried about your team

[Leona Ahn]: I’m perfectly fine, thank you for your concern

[Vernon Hugo]: and i’m not paralyzed!

[Althea Shen]: i'm still me

[Damien Fayer]: And I’m disabled!

[Forest Master]: Oh dear, what did I agree to?

***

[Alexander Shen]: Hey, simple question

[Alexander Shen]: What the fuck is this

[Alexander Shen]: [Imbedded Image]

The image was taken in a decrepit basement. The subject was a pale biological blob with boils, presumably filled with some foul fluid. It stretched across the barren concrete floor, thickly, like oil. The mass was concentrated on the back left corner, piled high, and the rest had slopped down like a tormented avalanche.

[Firebrand]: what the fuck

[Sage]: give sage a few moments

[Alexander Shen]: I’ll give you a minute before I’m buying a bomb

[Firebrand]: did ya try pokin it with a stick?

[Alexander Shen]: You're asking me if I irritated some random alien biomass with a stick

[Firebrand]: yeah

[Alexander Shen]: I threw a rock at it

[Firebrand]: what happened?

[Alexander Shen]: It thanked me for the meal and I assimilated with it

[Alexander Shen]: I’m a symbiote now

[Firebrand]: really?

[Firebrand]: thats fucking cool

[Alexander Shen]: No it fucking ate the rock and started oozing white stuff

[Problem]: You aroused it

[Alexander Shen]: Shut up

[Problem]: Into activity

[Problem]: What did you think I said?

[Firebrand]: alex dude dont do it

[Firebrand]: you got leo

[Alexander Shen]: Goddamnit, Problem

[Problem]: Yes yes, it’s not the first time someone has said that

[Problem]: Regardless while I am a ritualist, I can identify the correct course of action

[Alexander Shen]: Throw it at me

[Problem]: Burn it

[Alexander Shen]: Yeah i buying a firebomb right now

[Alexander Shen]: I wish damien was here so I could push him in

[Damien Fayer]: Leaving the team was the best thing to ever happen to me

[Alexander Shen]: Lucky you

[Problem]: It’ll be an intriguing experiment

[Problem]: Not to mention good entertainment

[Sage]: no pushing your friends we barely have enough as it stands

[Sage]: anyway sage figured out what the heck that thing is

[Sage]: it’s food

[Alexander Shen]: I am not eating that

[Sage]: no, sage looked into the global guards multiversal bestiary

[Sage]: that white blob was made by a special kind of arachnid

[Sage]: what you see is a mixture of its webs and what *used* to be in them

[Sage]: whatcha think?

A minute passed with no response.

[Sage]: you dead snowglobe?

[Leona Ahn]: So that’s why I saw fire and Alex running away. He was shouting something fierce about spiders

[Firebrand]: smh i wouldve tried a piece

[Firebrand]: cowards

[Problem]: A gentle reminder that this is the same man who killed Tewfik

[Sage]: sage is reminded of that everyday

[Sage]: seriously aiden doesn’t let her forget it

[Firebrand]: i said id get revenge and i got it

[Firebrand]: fuck tewfik

***

[Uprise]: finally we can get a break

[Uprise]: i had to throw a whole car into carnivorous plants and victor blew it up

[Uprise]: not fun, my head hurts

[Leona Ahn]: You know, I’ve always been interested in the ESP system

[Leona Ahn]: It seems pretty powerful

[Uprise]: mhm but also costly, like above conjuration, that’s how costly it is

[Uprise]: since yknow it’s all brainpower

[Leona Ahn]: What ESP skills do you have right now?

[Uprise]: like, regular telekinesis and the great psionic aura, you remember that right?

[Leona Ahn]: Of course

[Uprise]: yeah i’s difficult to control and manipulate but super useful if i, y’know, am actually good at my job

[Leona Ahn]: Don’t say that. How did you end up with a positive condition like that anyhow? Were you born into a family of espers?

[Uprise]: nah, a housewife and a business exec

[Uprise]: i’m just naturally gifted

[Leona Ahn]: No doubt about that

[Uprise]: not as gifted as other espers

[Uprise]: sometimes i catch myself looking at hunter’s profile

[Uprise]: lucky bastard, he practically has the entire arsenal of psionics

[Leona Ahn]: I mean he *did* undergo a second emergence

[Leona Ahn]: It’s understandable that he’s the strongest psychic in the world

[Uprise]: he's lucky that his emergence wasn't problematic

[Uprise]: is it too much to say that i hate him?

[Leona Ahn]: Is it because you’re Japanese?

[Uprise]: thanks for reminding me, i’m supposed to hate you

[Leona Ahn]: Haha, I actually met Hunter once when I lived in Seoul with my auntie

[Leona Ahn]: It was an interesting experience

[Uprise]: how did it go?

[Leona Ahn]: He was incredibly stoic. He didn’t show much emotion at all

[Leona Ahn]: He said “Good to meet you.” in the most unemotive tone you could imagine

[Leona Ahn]: Compare that to Cheonma, he’d say, “Ohoho? I’ll be sure to make this memorable for you!”

[Uprise]: you met cheonma too? the current one?

[Leona Ahn]: Who else? My parents were acquaintances with the previous Cheonma actually

[Leona Ahn]: It’s also why I have the current Cheonma’s personal number. It’s been collecting dust in my contact lists

[Uprise]: wow look at you

[Leona Ahn]: Just the merit of being my parents’ daughter

[Leona Ahn]: I have to say, both Hunter and Cheonma *are* easy on the eyes

[Alexander Shen]: READ

[Uprise]: they’re pretty handsome yeah

[Uprise]: you have an obvious preference

[Leona Ahn]: I do, and he’s glaring at me right now

[Leona Ahn]: And he just called me a dork and walked away

[Uprise]: haha

[Forest Master]: How heartwarming.

[Uprise]: can you call me a dork and walk away, chunhua?

[Forest Master]: I will call you ‘exhausted’ and tell you to rest.

[Uprise]: deal

[Forest Master]: Goodness…

[Leona Ahn]: Mhm…

[Forest Master]: What are you trying to say, Leona?

[Victor]: you guys are dorks, i’m leaving the team

[Uprise]: thanks vic

[Victor]: yea

[Victor]: man tho, deon would yell at you and be tilted about it for the rest of the day

[Forest Master]: He had always been a harsh man. He wielded a good heart, yet did not know the proper grip.

[Gul]: Out of all of the B-Ranks, Deon had a lot of promise and determination. Ichiken spoke fondly of him despite his shortcomings

[Gul]: It’s a shame that life doesn’t work out the way you want

[Victor]: yeah

[Uprise]: i miss him

[Forest Master]: I do as well.

[Gul]: We have so many people to grieve when we’re done

[Victor]: yeah

[Leona Ahn]: We’re not alone in this grief though, please remind yourself of that

[Victor]: thanks

[Forest Master]: Are you alright, Victor?

[Victor]: i am

[Uprise]: you’d better be or else i’m finding you

[Victor]: haha it’s a bet

[Forest Master]: I can accompany you as well if need be.

[Uprise]: you’re sweet chunhua

[Gul]: I’m glad to see you all in high spirits at least

[Gul]: What Leona said is true. We experienced devastation like no other. But we survived together, and we can continue to fight, together. Anytime when you feel it’s too much, please tell me and we’ll have a discussion. Do you understand?

[Uprise]: yes ma’am

[Victor]: i do

[Forest Master]: Yes.

[Gul]: Good.

***

[Damien Fayer]: Recently, I picked up a [Conjure - Frost] manual

[Damien Fayer]: I might be able to reach an incomplete

[Althea Shen]: fun

[Damien Fayer]: Still training, aren’t you?

[Althea Shen]: shut up i’m not the son of a master conjurer

[Firebrand]: yknow damien me and your dad gotta fight at some point

[Firebrand]: flameking vs the rising sun, who would win?

[Damien Fayer]: He has decades of experience

[Firebrand]: and i am a badass

[Althea Shen]: yeah i’m putting my money on papa fayer

[Seraph]: Duskfire is one of the strongest Otherguards we have. And he is also a demon. I'm sad to say but Aiden doesn’t stand a chance against him.

[Firebrand]: oi

[Seraph]: Regardless, Duskfire’s aiding Kosmos in subjugating the Cosmic Beasts. Including Dawnfire. Several high-ranking Otherguards are fighting as well, like Gadabout and Elysian Fourteen.

[Damien Fayer]: My father has always been a warrior despite his current conflicts with the Global Guards. His pride never lets him sit down and rest. The same applies to Latham

[Althea Shen]: yknow damien, you don’t talk about your dad all that much

[Althea Shen]: or latham, but i mean it kinda makes sense now

[Damien Fayer]: It's hard to start that conversation. What do I say? "Hello, I'm literally Satan."

[Firebrand]: maybe i should figure out how to become a fire demon...

[Seraph]: Please don't.

[Althea Shen]: this makes me think about a lot of things

[Althea Shen]: like me and alex were always surrounded by people related to famous slayers

[Althea Shen]: actually it’s *really* weird, our team is made up of them: damien, vernon, leo, yeah

[Althea Shen]: and when i think about high home…

[Damien Fayer]: I don’t think our Alexander was popular in High Home

[Althea Shen]: he had a *few* friends

[Firebrand]: oh wait shit speaking about high home were you two there when oasisgate happened? crazy shit

[Althea Shen]: yeah, pretty crazy shit

[Firebrand]: prominence is in town too, he got stuck here

[Seraph]: He’s currently operating in Flares. Despite his controversy, he’s listening to my orders. Though I can’t say I’m the most pleased working with him.

[Alexander Shen]: Let’s never work with him

[Althea Shen]: yeah

[Firebrand]: yeah he can go to hell

[Firebrand]: not that much worse than the monsters we fight

[Alexander Shen]: You have no idea

[Firebrand]: damn the rumors were that bad?

[Alexander Shen]: Something like that, yeah. Prominence may not be a criminal but he’s a snake

[Firebrand]: huh

[Damien Fayer]: Oddly detailed

[Alexander Shen]: Whatever

[Alexander Shen]: I prefer fighting a comet than meeting him

***

[Problem]: I have performed a mana detection ritual and came back with the results! You'd want to hear this

[Sage]: gimme the good news

[Problem]: I found literally nothing!

[Sage]: sage will kick you

[Problem]: I don’t want a child kicking me

[Sage]: you are literally a child, problem child

[Problem]: Twenty-five mentally

[Sage]: sage is one hundred years old mentally

[Sage]: she is just trapped in a small body

[Problem]: And trapped in your own workshop.

[Problem]: You are what they call a “hikikomori” aren’t you?

[Problem]: It’s a Japanese term

[Sage]: look at sage’s name

[Sage]: shirabe chie, here's the kanji: 調智恵

[Problem]: So?

[Sage]: sage is literally japanese you egghead! more than you! your given name is morgan!

[Problem]: Hoshino. Morgan Hoshino. Both of my parents were Japanese, I was just born here

[Problem]: Ahn and Firebrand are the same way

[Problem]: Us Ordoians have a western name and a name in our given nationality. Mine for example is Toshi. I suppose the Shens count but they’re Chinese-American, not Ordoian

[Leona Ahn]: Mhm, my Korean name is Gyeong-hui

[Alexander Shen]: We got Chinese names, we're Asian too

[Alexander Shen]: Jianyu for me, Jingyi for the other one

[Sage]: aiden is minghao but regardless! sage is more japanese than you

[Sage]: if she didn’t know any better she’d think you’re a chuuni

[Problem]: Projection, projection…

[Sage]: wait happened to your parents?

[Problem]: They passed when I was young. I was raised by my grandmother. Why?

[Sage]: how many orphans are in this chat?

[Leona Ahn]: Oh.

[Problem]: …That is a depressing realization

[Problem]: How was your childhood?

[Sage]: average

[Problem]: I can’t imagine the wise and intelligent Sage having an “average” childhood

[Sage]: believe it problem child

[Sage]: even if it wasn’t sage wouldn’t tell you

[Problem]: Stop talking as if you’re superior, I am literally older than you

[Sage]: sage has a higher position than you

[Sage]: please refer to sage as senpai from now on, hoshino-kouhai

[Problem]: No.

[Sage]: sage can kick you out of this chat

[Problem]: Please do, this chat is a mistake from the very beginning

[Sage has kicked Problem from the Private Channel]

[Seraph]: Sage.

[Sage]: sorry

[Problem has joined the Private Channel]

[Problem]: Hell was quite nice. You ought to visit.

[Sage]: you’re just as annoying as aiden

***

[Victor]: hey alba, you ready to finally meet up after all this time?

[Alexander Shen]: It'll be a nice change of pace

[Alexander Shen]: It was exhausting introducing myself to a dozen different people everyday

[Gul]: You need to make a good impression considering your commanding officer

[Gul]: If you make a mistake, Seraph's reputation will be forever ruined

[Alexander Shen]: Believe me, I'm trying to not burn any bridges

[Victor]: anyway tho, is damien around?

[Damien Fayer]: I'm not here

[Victor]: hey dude, will blackviper kill us?

[Damien Fayer]: Why are you asking me?

[Gul]: READ

[Alexander Shen]: READ

[Damien Fayer]: I hope not, I like to think I made a good impression on her and Master Jin Junjie

[Victor]: you literally crashed their meeting

[Damien Fayer]: Speaking of crashing, my transport to my operation is driving off a cliff and is plummeting to a speedy and explosive death

[Damien Fayer]: Ttyl

[Victor]: dammit damien

[Alexander Shen]: Welcome to my world

[Gul]: Don't worry, I'll make sure Blackviper or Jin Tiehan won't kill any of you

[Gul]: I do hope Problem can put a tight leash on Damien though...

[Alexander Shen]: Damien knows what he's doing. He's probably one of the smartest guys in this chat

[Victor]: not to be racist or anything but he's a demon

[Alexander Shen]: He knows that more than anyone

[Alexander Shen]: Besides, he perpetually has a BO lurking above his head like Damocles

[Victor]: whats damocles

[Alexander Shen]: Jesus christ

[Victor]: not that guy

[Gul]: Let's change the conversation

[Gul]: I expect everyone to be on their best behavior when meeting the Martials

[Forest Master]: Yes ma'am.

[Alexander Shen]: Are you anxious Chunhua?

[Forest Master]: A little bit, yes. After all, we will be meeting the Perfected Cultivator, the Righteous Jin Tiehan.

[Forest Master]: They say he is a monster.

[Alexander Shen]: With a GP of SSS and everything

[Forest Master]: Yes. Once his father retires and Jin Tiehan takes the Cultivator Chair, I do believe there will be no one who can defeat him.

[Forest Master]: There is a comment I heard often: 'The mind of the Righteous has already reached the heavens. His body simply needs to catch up.'

[Alexander Shen]: Thanks for making me more nervous

[Forest Master]: I apologize. Although he is our ally, I would recommend caution nonetheless.

~~~

[Private Message - Damien Fayer & Seraph]

[Seraph]: Damien.

[Damien Fayer]: I wondered when you would reach out to me

[Seraph]: I'm checking up on you personally. I wanted to hear from you, not Problem.

[Damien Fayer]: I’m honored

[Seraph]: Have you arrived at the Kabuki-Ordo Theatre?

[Damien Fayer]: And beginning the preparations to raid Darkrealm’s Hold, yes

[Damien Fayer]: I’ve met Monarch already, Mark too

[Seraph]: Has High Dominion arrived?

[Damien Fayer]: Within the hour. It’ll be…unpleasant meeting them

[Seraph]: I’ve told White Herald about you in advance. High Dominion won't be a nuisance

[Damien Fayer]: But they will. I’ve hears their newest recruit, Votary, is quite perplexing

[Seraph]: Please don’t joke about this. You're in an unique situation, one that will only get complicated once the GG begins their investigations

[Damien Fayer]: I know

[Seraph]: It also didn’t help that you disturbed every GM and put them on edge

[Seraph]: They are fully aware of your condition

[Damien Fayer]: I said ‘condition’ as a joke, Seraph, no need to tiptoe around me. I know what I’m doing; I’ve intellectualized basic human compassion and whatnot

[Seraph]: Can you at least conduct yourself properly?

[Damien Fayer]: Of course I can, but sometimes the world can be dull and depressing so I need that little jolt of excitement

[Seraph]: Damien.

[Damien Fayer]: I can handle myself in a conversation. The high-rankers will be wary of me regardless of what I say

[Damien Fayer]: It doesn’t matter that I’m human. There is a reason why demons are feared, and rightfully so.

[Seraph]: You aren't a bad man.

[Damien Fayer]: I try not to be. The consequences would be too much

[Seraph]: Whatever you say, I pray for your safety.

[Damien Fayer]: And I’ll wish for yours and my old team’s

[Damien Fayer]: I’d subjugate a demon over speaking with Jin Tiehan