I can feel the madness slowly creeping in...

[cityship]

It is that time again, meatship.

Once again, the King of Nightmares has deigned to spread his touch to all of your dreams.

This time, however, he has decided to give them a much more personal touch, sending his very own children to visit each and every one of you, slowly sowing the seeds of madness within all of you.

Such a kind and loving king he is, isn't he?

[ooc: Alright folks, Nightmare King is ramping things up a bit. These nightmares are a good bit more dangerous now, and he's sending in his minions to make things a little more real. The nightmares will be of a much more serious nature this time, designed to start driving the crew slowly insane. Characters are more likely to run into nightmare minions in the guise of someone or something that will tug at the edges of their sanity. Also, this time, the characters can have joint dreams, as these nightmares are of a more mystical nature this time. Once again, tagging in isn't mandatory, but if you want to, go crazy (literally)!]

[Additional Note: Any injuries won't be carrying over to real life at this point in the plot but don't worry, we'll get there eventually!]

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[shroudedintent]

The Sangheili gave a short nod in return, giving a light snort as she otherwise ignored him. Focusing more on the task at hand as the Spartan got to her feet. The talk of the Nightmare king drifted to the front of his mind, was the current situation a product of it? No matter, there were more important tasks at hand.

Blades snapping back to life as he sprinted on after the Spartan, he would aid her, whether she accepted it or not. Looking past her he saw that red grinning eye, the seeming source of the artificial voice. A construct of some kind, no doubt with sinister intent.

Even as that wall sprang up 'Vadum turned and skidded to a halt beside the Spartan, growling as he tested his sword against the barrier, proving as impenetrable to it as the Spartan's fist. At that moment though, the faintest hint of a new smell met his nose, sniffing the air even as the Spartan spoke. "That stench..it cannot be.." the Sangheili growled lowly as he turned.

"You will...be with us" The twisted words an echoed whisper, those words sending a chill up the Sangheili's spine, he remembered those words clearly. Standing not fifty meters away another stood, the infected Sangheili's black combat harness still readily seen, energy blades in both hands as it stood there. 'Vadum knew that form too well and who it had once been.

Even as it had spoken, bulbous infection forms slithered and moved over the fallen bodies behind the second barrier, their infections quickly taking hold over their crewmate's broken bodies. Each slowly rising to join many others.

"Spartan, ready yourself, the Flood is upon us,"

[unsc-rabbit.livejournal.com]

She hadn't face the Flood before. But John had. And she'd seen his video logs. She knew they were difficult to knock back, let alone kill. And she knew just how dangerous they were. Fighting them with combat knives didn't seem like a good idea, at least, not with her armor damaged like it was. It may have been a nightmare, but she was still a soldier, she needed her equipment.

Ignoring the Sangheili's order, she scanned the floor, looking over the broken pieces of her armor. Catching sight of length of thigh armor, she sprinted over grabbed it, and pulled her sidearm from it, along with its extra magazines. It wasn't the most ideal weapon, but it would have to do. At least, until she could get hands on one of those energy swords or something.

Moving back, next to Rtas, she cocked her pistol and took aim. One shot and an infection form popped. "You take that infected Elite. He's one of yours, you deal with him. I'll keep them off your back. Move." She turned back, and the gun kicked in her hand again as more of the infection forms popped. But now the crew members were rising and she focused her fire on them, lashing out to kick away the infection forms that got too close to her, moving out of their lines of sight when they jumped for her.

Her gun barked, mowing down people she'd met on the ship. Samus, Danny, Katara, Booth...Sokka. Her finger paused on the trigger when she saw him, deformed and limping toward her, groaning. She'd said she would help him, train him, protect him. How had she failed. Gritting her teeth, she lifted the gun again, click. Empty.

"I need cover over here!"

[shroudedintent]

'Vadum new all too well the abilities and danger the flood before them presented. The Sangheili gripped his blades all the tighter as he store across the room at that familiar dreaded form, the one that had once been his second in command, Sub-commander Kusovai. It was the creature across the room that was responsible for left mandibles.

The Sangheili nodded at the Spartan's words, he had been one of his own in more than just species and he would be the one to give him rest once more. Kusovai had been their best swordsman and the infection had that knowledge and skill now. It had nearly killed him the last he encountered it, during his recovery and afterward he had pushed himself to become better.

With a battle cry 'Vadum charged toward the other, slashing both blades to one side. The blow countered by the infected sub-commander, the infection's retaliatory blow caught on Rtas's point defense gauntlet as it sprang to life.

Ducking low the Elite swept his foot out knocking the abomination onto its back before rolling to his feet, slashing down even as it rolled aside from his blow, scoring twin marks in the floor. Gauntlet brought up once more to deflect the heavy blow his opponent swung, the force of the blow staggering him back briefly.

He knew he could not let the fight drag, on he had to end it, for both the Spartan's sake and his own. Even as the beast leapt forward to strike once more, 'Vadum leapt in against it, twisting as best he could to avoid the strike even as he drove blade into the beasts chest, ignoring the pain that lanced through his side as he hissed, "Die with honor," Wrenching the blade up and out, splitting the beast in half as he had before.

He stood there but a moment, before the Spartan's call for help reached his ears. Not stopping to check his wound 'Vadum span and sprinted back toward the Spartan, ignoring the pain as he imposed himself between the Spartan and the infected crewmate. Ending the threat it posed with a swift swipe of one of his blades.

Though he may be doing his best to ignore it, the other might notice the cracked and damaged armor around what seemed to be a deep gash to his side.

[unsc-rabbit.livejournal.com]

Kelly hadn't had time to watch him fight. From the sudden silence behind her, she guessed the fight was over, and she took a quick look over her shoulder to make sure the Elite hadn't fallen and left her back uncovered. He hadn't. Good. Maybe he was good for something after all. He looked hurt. But this was just a dream, wasn't it? He'd be fine. Unless he was terrible at taking pain.

When he moved to cover her, she dove behind him, swiftly reloading her gun and whirling around him to resume firing. The problem was, the fight wasn't only on one front. All around them the Flood closed in, ringing them inside and ever contracting circles of infected crew members. Faces she'd passed in the halls, faces she'd sat down to eat with, all now distorted in agony as the infection forms inside their bodies dictated their motions.

She kept firing until her gun clicked empty again, before ejecting the magazine. One of the combat forms swung a tentacle at her and she dodged, kicking it away as she pushed the new clip home and chambered a round.

Turning to shout over her shoulder, she didn't let up on firing. "We need to find a way to wake up."

[shroudedintent]

'Vadum fought on with a vengeance, twisting and slashing at each combat and infection form as they came despite his injury. He would not let a simple injury slow him down against such a dangerous foe, even if the environment that surrounded them may have been in their dreams.

Deflecting a blow with a gauntlet before he would cut yet another combat form in two, recognizing the faces of some that had been infected, he shook his head grimly and used that knowledge to fuel his will to fight, the parasite would pay.

At that Spartan's shout he gave a quick nod, a quick scan of the situation and he knew that the Spartan was right, there was no visible end to the wave of combat and infection forms. After a second he realized that there was a gap in the lines to one side, a doorway and a darkened passage beyond, a passage that almost tempted them to enter it. To another side of the room another door could be seen, substantially better lit, the problem being the horde of flood standing between them and it.

"Two doors, perhaps one of them may aid us," He called over his shoulder, pointing them both out.