It Begins and Ends With A Breath [Invite]

[Kyrie Blaze]

So everyone else was safe? That was good--but Levi's tone definitely held its own 'but', so she flicked her gaze towards him, lifting her head and turning it so she could frown softly. Her lips parted as though she would speak, but no sound was emitted as her hearing caught the knock. Had Levi been so focused on his task he hadn't sensed someone nearby, coming to knock on the door.

Her lips shut once again, gaze straying towards the way they had entered.

She was wary, given the circumstances. And weary from her previous ordeal...but she stood, pushing herself to her feet with her back against the wall. She didn't ask if he was expecting anyone. Perhaps he was...perhaps he wasn't.

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi could hear the knock through the floor and he knew who it was. One of the Qis he had been tracking had actually come up to his front door and knocked. Levi knew what this could mean if it was anything like Kyrie's encounter. He looked at her sadly for a moment before gathering his resolve and leaning over, kissing her on the cheek with a smile.

"You never know....."

He stood up and began walking towards the stairs. Levi would have felt all sorts of emotions about what he had just done if he had not steeled himself for what was coming. He slowly walked down stairs and walked across the stage, his eyes glued to the front door. He glanced at his cello as he walked off stage, into the aisle leading top the door, as he hoped he would get to play it again. His hand clutched the door knob and opened it, his steel eyes staring at the one at the door as a stoic look washed over his face.

"Can I help you?"

[David B.]

The man standing at the door removed the smoke from his mouth, glasses glinting a little as he smirked to Levi. He stood at about six foot, and had a thin frame. He spoke calmly.

"Levi Kayamei, my name is Todd Capper. I'm here to kill you, and would like your cooperation."

Behind Todd, another man appeared out of thin air, holding a knife to an immobilized Kiyrs throat. She could feel and see, but movement was very painful. The guy was shirtless, a tat on his left peck, white hair short and cropped to the skull. He was the one with the terribly strong power emanating from him. Todd took another drift of his smoke before letting out a breath and speaking to the other man who held Kiyr.

"I have his abilities acquired. We can start anytime."

The white haired man gestured.

"You heard him, turbo. Step outside or I slit the girls throat."

[Kyrie Blaze]

With the dim haze of sadness in Levi's eyes, Kyrie knew. What surprised her, however, was the gentle brush of his lips upon her cheek. When she froze, mentally, her body reacted, at first tilting her head and almost leaning into him and she reached out, grasping his wrist, quickly. Her eyes searched and burned for a moment. Faith in his abilities, though her expression told him to be cautious all the same.

She couldn't leave, unfortunately. She would just be in the way, for one. A liability though that would never, ever stop her from fighting back until she couldn't anymore. But with David still passed out, she couldn't turn away. So she showed Levi the confidence she hand in his abilities. Her fingers brushed against the inside of his wrist before she let him go, though she didn't want to.

But as a Warrior, she could do no less.

Her gaze flicked from the partially open door to where David was, to the entrance they came through.

Levi's footsteps retreated.

And then a moment later, a man stood where there had been nothing but empty space. She reached by throwing herself back, reaching for the nearest shadow--only to collide with his chest. A sudden agony shrieked through her body. Every nerve ending cried out and she gasped a shriek. The pain intensified, doubling, tripling, escalating further as she tried to escape. But she didn't black out--something prevented her from fading to black. Her breath came out in a gurgle as a muscled arm banded around her shoulders and a knife was pressed against her throat. She could tell he was much stronger than either her or Levi in a sort of awareness with the agony of being skinned alive. But it was worse. There was the sensation of shards of glass ripping into her flesh - or that was how she could have described it had she been able to speak - and salt being ground in. And all of it without actually laying her body open.

In the next moment, they were outside, and she was staring right at Levi. Even hanging in his grasp hurt. She stared, unable to do much else. Every time she moved on her own accord or by the male that held her, her entire body lit up with torturous pain.

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi's brow furrowed as he saw the girl he had just kissed at the mercy of the white haired man. Cowards......I'll kill you I swear.... His core shook, but he fought to maintain his composure and, for the moment, was not visibly shaken as he stepped outside, walking past the two men, "Like I would have said no anyways."

Levi walked half a block, assuming they would follow, he wanted to keep them away from the sleeping David for now, but he would certainly notice a conflict if he awoke while they were fighting. Levi was surprised at how composed he was, but maybe it was because shit was really on the line this time, it wasn't a casual fight and it wasn't a simple raid on Dragon territory; These men were after their lives and had the object of his affections in their clutches, he would make sure they failed. He stared at Todd, his eyes angry and deadly, piercing his soul. "Well....I'm outside, let's go....." Levi stood ready in the street, feet shoulder width apart and arms at his sides, his Qi resting at the moment and mind racing to figure out how to deal with Mason and at the same time.

[David B.]

Todd followed calmly, hands in pockets. The white haired man teleported along every few feet, keeping his eyes on Levi calmly. As Levi stopped, Todd flicked his smoke off to the side.

"I...don't quite think you understand. You will go to your knees, and I will put a knife through your left eye socket. If you refuse, This girl will get Masons knife through her left eye socket. The choice is yours, kid."

Todd drew out a twelve inch knife and waited.

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi's brow furrowed further as he complied, dropping to his knees and his mind struggling to remain calm so that he could his next move. He would only get one shot at a rescue, and success relied on the element of surprise to catch the big guy off guard. He stared up at Todd, his gaze intense as his heart beat faster. He would not surrender! He only hoped he could catch them off guard.

come on fucker.....give it your best shot!!!

[Kyrie Blaze]

Her world was pain.

Even her softly gasped breaths elevated it. A blink and her entire being screamed. But worse were the words. With a cold sweat upon her brow, her eyes flicked to Levi. Her refusal to him was clear. He could not bow to them. Kyrie knew she would not be spared; not if they were smart. They wouldn't leave a loose end to gain power and come after them for justice. If Levi perished, she would probably then be used against David, at the very least. Suspended in agony before they would give her to death.

Or worse.

Against her legs, the shadows of her qi swirled, extending downwards in hopes of connecting to the white-haired man's. The blonde didn't know if she could manage it because of the pain, but she would try.

If she was able to, she would attempt to pull and keep herself within the shadow. Given she didn't know how well she could manage even if she did, she was hoping the pain would recede quickly enough that she wouldn't be ejected immediately after by it.

[David B.]

Kiyr would find trying to even touch her Qi escalated the pain to a whole new level. Her body would seem to be ripping at the seams.

Her attempt would be unsuccessful.

Todd twirled his blade in his hand, holding it over his shoulder as though to throw. He closed one eye, taking aim, then paused.

"You really gonna sit there and die? For her? Are you really that weak?"

He would wait, then shrug.

He took aim again, standing for several seconds in an aiming position. Mason cocked an eyebrow, waiting. Todd would slowly lower his arm and growl, looking off at the building to his right for several seconds before letting out a shout of frustration, throwing the knife at the wall so it imbedded there. Then he turned, and grabbed a trash can, hurling it off into the distance.

"AW FUCK IT ALL! JUST STAND THE FUCK UP!"

Todd rolled up his sleeves and would walk forward, hands up in a loose boxing stance. He obviously had problems with Masons plan, and intended to give Levi a shot at living.

OOC:

Todds stats:

Strength: 74
Dexterity: 62
Constitution: 52
Intelligence: 45
Wisdom: 51
Charisma: 55

Masons stats:

Strength: 105
Dexterity: 105
Constitution: 115
Intelligence: 105
Wisdom: 105
Charisma: 115

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi shook his head, as he stood up with a smirk on his face, more false bravado to hide the effort it took to not shake with adrenaline and fear, "Good to know you have a little honor, though that knife would have never touched me anyways." Levi's arms remained at his sides, "I hate to waste a good plan though...." As he spoke, Levi's body suddenly glowed intensely as a rapid series of bright flashes flew from his body, turning him into a strobe light for all to see for miles. He knew Todd and Mason would adapt quickly so as he unleashed his power he made a grab for Kyrie with a large hand made of light as his knee flew straight for Todd's ribs. He hoped the strobing effect would make it difficult for them to deal with at least the rescue attempt with so many things happening at once.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Her qi rippled at the beginning, and from the sudden increased pitch of agony, her body spasmed and she lost focus of everything. Once again she hung, limp, eyes glazed and unfocused, though the pain did relatively amazing work at bringing her back to the clouded clarity she existed in.

Just in time for her eyes to be seared with bright flashes of light. She clenched them shut, body tensing and suddenly relaxing as the pain swamped her and drowned out all function except thought and sound. The blonde was immobile. Even if she wanted to reach out, there was no way she could.

[David B.]

Todd brought up a Barrier of light in front of Mason, Levis hand smashing against it and shattering both. The knee would come up and hit his stomach, driving the wind from him as the flashes ruined his sight for a moment. He would grip the knee as it connected, however, hooking his arm under the leg while using his other hand to palm Levis chest and push in an attempt to put Levi on his back with Todd on top of him.

Mason, meanwhile, would lean in and whisper in Kiyrs ear.

"C'mon, girly, don't try and pass out on me now. We have a fuuun night ahead of us- if Todd doesn't kill your boy, I will. Then Im gonna make you my little fuck toy."

He would run his free arm over her stomach, moving left to her backside, gripping it as he pressed his knife into her neck a little harder, breathing a groan into her ear in promise.

[Levi Kayamei]

Levi's eyebrow raised as the shield of light guarded his attack. So he is my copy.....well then.... As Todd's palm came in Levi threw his body backwards, planting his hands on the ground as his leg closed on Todd's arm. Levi then threw his hips up and forward, letting go as he threw his copy upwards. This was likely the last moment he would have an advantage from his trick so he planned to make the most of it. If his maneuver was successful, Levi would flip onto his feet and raise a hand, gathering the plentiful light around him into a concentrated ball of energy.

Levi stared up at Todd with a furrowed brow and bared teeth, "Let's see what you can do with my powers!"

He quickly shattered the ball into a myriad of luminescent spheres that screamed upwards, seeking their target and detonating on impact.

[Kyrie Blaze]

And this? This was worse.

A shudder of revulsion that elicited a gasp of pain would be felt from the blonde's much smaller frame. Of course, it caused the pain to crescendo. She felt the distinctive, painful trail as his hand crossed over her stomach. Her stomach rolled. His hand grabbed. Her breath rushed out. Even the fire of her blush hurt. She stared at Levi, trying to focus on him and not the knife that caused spears of anguish. Not the promising groan against her ear.

'DO NOT WANT. DO NOT LIKE. NE ME TOUCHEZ PAS--' The violent string of French curses that followed echoed in her mind. She drew in a shuddered breath.

Instinctively, she wanted to call for David. The air, however, was choked back in her throat. She couldn't. He hadn't had enough time to recover and if he came...and despite the pain and the need to stay alive, the fierce urge to protect was stronger. If he had a little more time.

If she could endure the shame and all the violent panic, fear, loathing, desolation, shame--if she could endure drowning in that for a little while longer. If Levi could push through more. David wasn't the only one that needed protection, though their group was sorely tried.

She couldn't help her reaction to Mason's ministrations. There was no way she could suppress it. She'd been used, before, but this would be rape. She couldn't cry out for Levi, either; one moment of distraction could end his life. So she stared and swallowed, holding her tongue. But she shivered, still, a trembling that would not cease until her pain threshold could no longer tolerate it and her body slackened again. Even tears were pain, she found out, with a couple streaming down her cheeks.

[David B.]

David slept soundly, unaware of what was going on, his ability technique having dulled his ability to hear.

Todd grinned in the air, having been successfully thrown off Levi. The light beams came at him, but Todd threw up a spinning circle of light, throwing it outward around him, the balls exploding on impact. He would launch himself downward off a platform of light, toward Levi with a laugh. He would attempt a downward strike for Levi's face.

Mason would kiss and nibble on Kiyrs ear as he waited, still fondling her backside.