An Afternoon With the Dead

[FrancisCross]

Francis sat exhausted on the small island far into the ends of Independence Port. The sun was hidden behind a grey wall of mist and fog that only added to her darkening mood. She looked down at the tatters of her school jacket and could see that she would be, yet again, going to Sister Moltar to explain why she needed a new one. This time, however, she didn't think Moltar would listen....

Lusca, the great octopus, had been spotted smashing small ships out in the harbor and this time Francis was close enough to take on the monster. Others from the bay area rallied around as the creature moaned and bit through the hull of an oil tanker. The fight felt like it lasted for hours as the group of them continued to hammer at the monster only to have it strike back all the harder, sending several of them sprawling at once. She had lost count of the number of times she had found herself face first in 20 feet of water only to be drug out again by the helpful hand of a nearby member of the local Defender Coalition. She had been coughing out water for several minutes when she saw something she couldn't believe.

The rest of the group battling Lusca wasn't worried for her, their fallen companion, as it would seem that someone had taken her place! There it was, the St. Joe's skirt, the neatly fastened jacket....only the skin was white and pale, almost trasluscent; the hair was shock white and the eyes and finger nails were blackened and sunken.

Her breath caught in her throat.....it was.....it was....my gods and all that is holy and unholy...it was LYCIA!!!

There she was, a shade, a specter floating above the monster as it offered up its last death rattle before sinking beneath the waves. Francis sat silent and still, her eyes unmoving from the vision before her, unsure if she was seeing ghosts again.

Lycia turned and smiled as she waved....a whisper of a voice said..."Jeremy says Hi"...and the the form faded away...

That was when Francis knew that all the gods and goddesses of Paragon, both good and evil....hated her.

[detective]

((DUN DUN DUN))

[detective]

((come to think of it...when i went to go help you with the Rikti for a fue seconds i could have sworn i saw.....Nahhhh it couldnt be))

[Stasis Kiss]

((DUN DUN DUN))

QFT!!!