Burning_Brawler_NA

Void Brawler walked into the room. "I guess that's it then, we go to sleep, and tomorrow we start the robbery. See you guys in the morning."

He headed up to his room for another mostly sleepless night.

Brawler nodded his thanks to scout. "I'll be fine in a minute, I just need to catch my breath."

Burning Brawler shut his eyes, and when he opened them, was invisible once more.

He used this moment to recast his spell, forming a triangle with his palms once more.

He saw Hal, and knew he had to take advantage of the situation.

He quickly and silently flew, building up his strength and focusing as he came near.

He stopped next to Hal and exploded in a massive, fiery inferno that caused even those in the top seats to feel a rise in temperature.

To those watching the screen, there was nothing, then a sudden red and orange blaze filled their view.

When the flames faded, Burning was kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily, part of the floor melted away. He looked around to see if Hal was still there...

"The only witnesses that will remember the incident will be us. Now if you will excuse me, I have personal preperations to make. Rest tonight. We begin in the morning."

He opened a window, and leapt out.

As he fell, he used poles and ledges to flip off of to slow and ease his descent until he touched down on the ground, and faded from sight.

"No, do you not listen, boy?" said Ruby Blade, his frustration with these inexperienced assassins becoming obvious. "We are going to incapacitate her, and steal the gem around her neck, then I shall administer the potion my ally has concocted to erase her's and her friends memory of the incident."

He was considering finding other pawns for this task, but no, he was too close now...

Burning could tell Shinae was about to fall. He knew about the temperature limiters, and though whatever he did would be less painful for her than whatever a Rikti would do.

He reached out and encased her in a thin layer of ice, then blew a wide arc of fire. The sudden hot/cold should be enough to put her in the infirmary with as little pain as possible.

"I have heard rumors, but not much more. I prefer an item needed for an important task to pass through as few hands as possible, however."

He left the room, and moved to prepare.

"Eighth god," Ruby corrected, tossing the vial back to Asuka. "And I have an aquaintance aiding us already."

The Ruby Blade nodded hung up the phone. Blightlord would supply a poison, but in request he wanted something from the MAGI vault. No matter. These simpletons could easily be fooled into obtaining another item for him.

Burning saw Shinae run right past him, and worked hard not to chuckle.

When the blast of Rikti energy rushed past him, he thought he was being betrayed, until he saw it was reaching for the girl. He fought back the urge to help her, reminding himself she had just tried to break his arm, and turned back to Hal. Where had he gone...

Burning rolled and gasped as the blade cut his arm. It wasn't deep, thanks to the fiery shield around him, but it still stung. He hoped the blade wasn't poisoned as he let loose another flurry of blasts at the oncoming Phantasm.

"I thought you had her!" he shouted at the Rikti, before muttering a quick spell and fading into invisibility.

Pstorm walked out of her room in the 'Kicker Kids base. Stevie Power was walking past and mentioned, "Mail came in. You got a letter."

"Thanks," said Pstorm, as she headed down to the entrance.

She opened the mail slot and sifted through the piles of magazines and comics until she found a letter with her name on it.

She smiled, opening it, and pulled out the invitation.

"Essex's birthday?" She smiled and looked it over. "It says no gifts but..."

She hurried out of the base.

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Burning Brawler yawned as he slid his hood over his head and headed down to the mystic teleporters in the base to make sure everything was working.

Johnny Velocity sped by, then skidded to stop before zipping back to Burning.

"Mail's in," he said, handing him a letter.

"Thanks, JV," he said, opening it as the other hero sped towards the kitchen.

He read the invitation over, and looked at the back.

He tried to remember what he had going on that day, but all he could think of was just more inspections and raiding some Circle of Thorns base.

He pocketed the invitation and headed out.

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A dark figure walked across the cold stone floor.

Sweeping back his tattered cape, Blightlord sat in his large chair, facing the scrying mirror, its large ornate carvings gleaming in the darkness.

The Lich, Grime, rose from a pool of shadows on the floor.

"It seems the android is having a party," he said, as an image of Essex shimmered onto the glass.

"You do not wish to attend, my lord?" asked the Lich, surprise clear on his face.

"Of course not. But I believe I know who does."

Burning Brawler and his family came into view on the screen.

"Excellent, my lord."

((Obviously, I'm just putting him there if he'd ever be useful, and just because Blight's nosey like that. ))

When you can't tell which one to hit, hit 'em all. Burning raised his hands to the sky, and hundreds of small fireballs began raining down on top of Hallucinogen and his decoys.

Brawler ran at them, throwing explosive fireballs every few steps, and breathing a large flame as he got close.

Burning gasped in pain as the first blast hit him.

When the second came at him, he quickly rolled to the side, and let loose another flurry of fire.

"Oh no you don't," said Burning.

He held out both hands and made a triangle with his palms. He muttered an incantation, and soon the world became more clear.

He faintly saw Hal, and quickly let loose a flurry of fiery blasts.

"The amount of work it would take to tire Ms. Liberty and keep her from returning home would be substantial. And what has you convinced the other members of the Vindicators or even the Phalanx will not aid her? I believe the kidnapping to be the most effective and sure way. However, drugging her has possibilities to give Void Brawler and FireSpark more time. I shall go make a phone call."

He left the room, not listening to any further comments.

"I'm listening," said Blade.

Burning was knocked back, but hovered an inch off the ground.

He could now see Hal coming, and wasted no time stealing the heat from his path, making it a slippery ice.

He followed up by forming a wall of flames in front of him, for the other hero to crash through.

"Fool... You do not believe that the home of one of this city's most beloved heroes would not be extremely guarded? Not just by Longbow, I assure you. Devices, traps, mystical wards, perhaps even a few of the 'police drones.' I have studied her home, and I can assure you, it is too likely to fail for me to risk. I-"

He stopped himself. Something had almost slipped...

"I would like nothing more, than to see this mission's success."

"What? Oh come on!"

Burning wasn't ready to fight heroes. He wouldn't mind fighting a Rikti but...

He shook his head sadly as his hands lit. He took careful aim at the Phantasm and let a beam of fire loose.

I've got another one for you.

A Hellion Blood Brother walks down the street, kicking aside the trash as he went.

He sees a villain easily take down the RIP guard that he had run from earlier, and feels a sense of intense envy.

He noticed a shimmering object on the ground, and bends down to pick it up.

When he does, he is painfully transformed into his current state, the demon sensing his envy and using it to form a pact.

The demon is free to roam the world, sharing the Blood Brothers body, and the Hellion gets the powers he so desired.

"Well the point was to entertain these people," he said.

Burning looked around. "Seems like all the thugs are down. See you later."

He began to head back to the room.

"Cast out from the World of Warcraft-"

Sorry, every time I see that ear type, I think of those stupid Night Elves.

Perhaps he's a demon that was summoned by an inexperienced sorceror. He killed the sorceror and went to the Rogue Isles to wreak havoc on the world.

Burning ran up to the last thug, and grabbed him by the jacket.

He zipped up as high as the arena would allow and hovered there.

He let the thug go.

He screamed as he fell, certain he was going to die.

But Burning swooped in and grabbed him at the last second.

When the hero set him on the ground, the thug fainted.

Burning watched the Rikti cautiously as he leaned back and aimed his arm at a fleeing thug.

A beam of fire shot out and downed the running thug.

He turned to the group and tossed a few more fireballs.