Fernandes

Such valor. How extraordinarilly... insane. Mu'Rahu did, fo course., lament the loss of a fighting companion, but ehr talents as a healer were suspect at best, and the alien in front of her was still threatening (to say nothing of that fact, that it was only one of many reinforcements deployed across the city). She would heal the man after-wards, if all went well. if not, well... ultiamtly, he was expendible. She looked about. The man, Carlos, was already preparing additional vollies for their mutual foe, but his efforts seemed to have had little effect, and she was uncertain how much more effective her magics would be.

"Any brillaint ideas, hero?"

Mu'Rahu, for her part, was making headway. The large beast, pre-occupied with Coldfire, and others, ahd yet to even try to reach, her, and her attacks were beginning to telll. She could almost sense it's vitality waning inch by inch.

But then, coldifre was knocked halkway across tehb attle-fiedl by a ray of energy. The soruce was not heard to detect. The blue alien creature had apaparently decided to take a hand. Which ment she and her allies could not afford to take their times with it's burly protectors. Gritting her teath, she decided tot ake decisive action. Casting one of her favorite, and msot effective spells seh watched as the thing's physical and metaphysical energyw as drained away into the Aether. It was harldy enough to cripple an enemy so formidable at full strength, of course, but it's exertion combined wiht her barrage of attacks had weakened it consdierably.

Her Oponent eemed disicinlined to be so easilly defeated, however. Free from melee opoinents it did the last thing she would ever have expected, and rose inot the air, level with her. Caught by surprise, she was completly unable to dodge as it wrapped a hand around her slender middle and began to squeeze. The strength of tis' limbs would have killed a normal human. With her mystic protections, she still couldn't hold out forever. Thinking quickly, she blurted out another spell (shrieked it really, as teh thing's attack began to draw real pain. Designed to drain the energy of countless attackers, it was discharged, thanks to their relative positions, entirely into this one creatures hand. The resulting effect was crippling. The thing relaeased it's grip to collapse, presumably unconscious to teh ground.

Smirking to herself, Mu'Rahu drew back for the killing blow. "well, that takes care-"

She cut off as she collapsed, suddenly, to teh ground, held physiclaly and otherwise by a scinatalint blue field of enery, to beho a sneering blue-skinned alein floating above her, safe in it's coccoon. She had just enough time to register how dangerous that buildup of energy in front fo seemed before it roared, blindinglyu, towards her...

Mu'Rahu arrives at the glwoing pod only moments behind the others, cutting a (short-lived) path through the intervening alienswith her deadly aura and electrical bolts. She turns to Becky next o her and nods in the direction fo the samll floating alien: what about that thing? Can your mental powers reach it?"

Even as she asks, arcs of lighting streak out to encircle and bind one of teh small alien's gargantuan guardians. Unfortunatly, the thing merely persists as if unencombered by teh tremendous bonds of energy werapped around it. "Inconveniant." Consignign herself to do things the hard way, she floats up, above the thing's each arms, and unleashes one destructive spell after another in a barrage of crimson energy. Unable to resist the urge to say somethign pointless and melodramatic (must be a supervillain genetic trait), she looks down at the behemoths, and comments, "The hard way it is then, mongrel. Come and face the blood of Mu in battle! You shall not find me wanting!"

The mystic raised an eyebrow at this revelation, but nodded. "Very well." Mu'Rahu glanced in the direction of the nearest alien creature, and suddenly, glowing shackles made of scintilating electrical energy apeared to bind it. She waited fora moment as teh creature struggled with it's confinements futily, before focusing her energies to drag it bodilly to lie at the feet of teh group. "Probe that one while we deal with the rest. We may not be able to hodl tehm back indefinatly, however."

So-saying, the mystic rose into the air, and, as she concentrated, a pulsating globe of light electrical energy formed above her head, even as the air around her started to glow with lightning discharges. She had jsut not enough time to prepare her defences before the next wave of Aliens reached their position. That, and a curious thought, "Say... whatever happened to the masterminds?" After that, she was far too busy to consider much at all.

Mu'Rahu looked thoughtful. With a sweeping look she took in the newcomers, "Greetings. None of us know their precise nature but they seem extra-terrestrial in origin. It is my belief that we must learn more if we are to defeat them. I had propsed we capture one, but an interrogation might take more time then we have to spare." She smiled rughfully, "By chance, do any of you happen to know a good psychic?"

((There seemt o be no shrotage of villains, and that's only counting the ones I cna be compeltly sure of (myself and the two obvious masterminds). The problem is that there'll all here, since the story started here, and not in the ROgue Isles.))

The look on Mu'Rahu's face at that was trully priceless. IN her carrear, she had been called many, many things, only a few of them complimentary, but "babe". That was new. Shurgging her shoulders, she took to the air after him.

"Greetings Carlos. I am called Rahu. Who is this other we are going to find, and how will she aid us?"

As she flaoted, she clothed her eyes in concentratio, and felt herself linked to the adept monitering her.

*You have seen?*

*Yes Mistress*

*our mutual masters?*

*Are occupied, mistress. The creatures attack here to. No aid will be coming. Lord Recluse has ordered all our soldiers recalled.*

*Unwise. The creatures landed here. They must e defeated here.*

The Adepts's voice became nervous. He ahd been her servant for some time, but he was disobaying orders. It was not unexpected. *Many of the other guardians agree, mistress. Scirocco believes that we have lost contact with you. But there is no aid to be sent.*

Well. There it is. As the vigilantees would say: time to be heroic.

The floating made a dash for the war-wall along with her new-found companions. As she did, she had just enough time to reflect upon the irony of the situation. She was a loyal Arachnos Mystic - had been so since adolesance. And here she was fleeing to safety behind the(both metaphorical, and, amazingly, literal) gates of Paragon City. Fate has an odd sense of humor.

The situation was trully astounding on the other side. Any worries she mgiht ahve had that her origins would be recognised were swept away as it became immediatly apparent that everyone, from Paragon's famous heroes, to it's assorted super-powered gangs (some of whom were not unfamiliar to her), to, every United States military asset within a hundred miles had far more important things to do. Thank heavens for small miracles. It was also becoming increasingly apparent that their efforts, while noble, were a stop-gap measure at best.

"These defences are apathetic. Uncoordinated. They will fall." Even she was surprised to ehar the worry in her voice. This was Paragon. By all rights she should dance for joy. But the ferocity of these things, and the power of them, scared her. They must not be allowed to develop a foothold anywhere, not even here in paragon. She only hoped her superiors agread with her (her fellow mystics would be monitering mystically, if proceadure was followed).

"We must learn more of these creatures if we are do defeat them. Would you assist me in capturing one?"

((I think Coldfire and I cross-posted))

Rahu was jsut turning around to assist Coldfire, when he weas sent crashing apst her, and into the newly arrived necromancer.

She ruthlessly supressed the urge to shake her head, she looked down at them both. Instead, she spoke, in a flat tone, "I am Rahu. I am pleased to meet you both. I knwo not the origins of these beings, but I know that we cannot remain here indefinatly lest we be buried under them."

"My apologies, warrior", Mu'Rahu comments, as she sees her former oponent drag itself it it's feet, and re-form it's armour.

Mu'Rahu's spellcasting was a curious thing. Rather then wild gestures and shouted incantations of most sorcerrs, she held her limbs rididly to her side - even more so as her concentration was increasingly taxed.The sorceress closed her eyes in concentration and unleashed a torent of seemingly electrical red bolts in the direction of her oponent. She cursed as it's shields disspiated much of teh energy, but with each strike, she could see it weakening. Sooner or later it's shields would fail as her attacks disspated the energy which maintained them or simplyinflict enough punishment to batter then down. Unforutnatly, "sooner or later" looked as if it mgiht come too late, as the creature closed on her with ever increasing speed.

There! Just as it reached striking range, it's defenses began to waver. But it was too late - the thing was already in close. Mu'Rahu gritted her teath against the anticipated pain.

The thing swung... but never conencted. At the last possible instant, an energy bubl interposed itself betwean her forehead, and it's mighty swing. Mu'Rahu issued a grateful nod in the direction of the helpful scientist and his roobtic minions without even slowing down her mystic assault. Had the thing had a face, it would most likely have worn a bemused expression, as bolt after bolt of crimson lighting rent into it.

The thing was still a resiliant oponent - and it was still swinging at her wildly. For now it's blows were bounding off she force ubbbles or dissipating theri force (although not exactly painlessly) against her own shields, but sooner or later, it was bound to strike her down.

With a final burst of effort, Mu'Rahu launched a final, powerful explosion of electrical energy into her foe's chest. Sucess! The thing exploded in a burst of light that was almost blinding! The Mystic took only a moment to exult in her victory, however - more foes were on their way, drawn by the battle, and defeating only one of them had been a taxing enough affair.

"I believe you're right, warrior: this _is_ going to be fun."

The spell of invisibility should have cloaked Mu'Rahu from anything but the most powerful detective abilities. Since the creature was chargin at her, she had to assume she had been right: these things were a threat.

Of course, Now was not the time for such reflection. Focussing her will, Rahu, unleashed a blast of power... to dperessingly little effect. She saw the being recoil in pain - she could hurt them at least, but it kept coming towrds her unabataed - croushed, in fact, and prepared to leap. It's strange armour had protected it from the brunt of her assault. In seconds it would bleap. It could almost certianly reach her, and its blade could almsot certainly kill her if it connected. But it's armour was made of energy. And energy was something she knew very well. She almost smirked as teh thing launched itself into the air towards her. Just as wit was about to jump, her spell struck the thign in teh chest, draining it's power into the aether. Even as it sailed through the air, it's shielding, and it's strange weaponry began to flicker. It's mighty thrust, clearly emant to drive the blade of force through her heart, accomplished nothin - the blade was already as insubstantial as empty air. As the strange white-masked creatre fell back to earth, Rahu focused again, and a blast of energy tore it's weakened armour, and itself, to peices.

The mystic wsa just svoring her vicotry, however, when she realied something. the attack had nullified her invisibility. The others could see her. And looking up, she realised that more then a few of themw ere beggining to look in ehr direction. She was far too visibile. But the only place to go was... towards the hero!

Well, isn't this special. Mu'Rahu had doffed teh usual unform of a msytic, of course (in fact, it was rathr disconcering - she couldn't remembe the last time she had been without the ritual bindings used by all Mu Mystics from the time of their induction), but she was still a strikign sight.. Standing not much over 5 feet tall, she was as slender as she was diminuiative, but her body was lent apparent volume by the flowing scarlet robe which covered her from head to toe, flaring at the wrists and hem, and left loose bout the waste. Fine features, and dark skinnned (Indian, or middle-eastern perhaps?), and with lng dark hair, she was actually fairly pretty if only she had known it. At the very least she made a rather striking sight as she hovered down out of the sky to float jsut shy of the ground, next to Coldfire as he faced down the energy being.

"It seems that you are in need of aid... err... hero."

Mu'Rahu was still watching it all through the scrying pool. My, my. It seems the mainlanders have a bit of a situation on their hands. Rahu was captivated by teh destruction. and worried. The speed with which these things... whatever these things were... were tearing through the local monstrosities was alarming. If they leveld Paragon city (and maybe some other choice targets up and down the east coast), well, that would be just dandy. There was such a thing as too much fo a good thing though. these creatures might well prove harder to conquer, in teh long run, then even paragon City's seemingly endless supply of costumed heroes. Or they might just do what the voice seemed to think they could do and conquer the world, and that would be inconveniant. No, this situation ahd to be monitered closely. More closely, perhaps, then coudl be done from a distance.

As if on cue, she was interrupted by the sound of aproaching foot-steps and the door opening. She was fully prepared tor oudn on whomever had done it with fury to make a stone blanch, but stopped short. There were nto many people in the Rogue Isles, Mu'Rahu wouldn't dare to cross. This woman ws one of them. Ice Mistral stood in the doorway.

"Guardian Mu'Rahu, they tell me you've got something to report."

"My lady, somethign is happening in paragon. A... new arrival. I would hypohtesise extra-terrestrial in origin. It is... powerful. With yor permission, I wish to investigate. More closely."

"Your superiors agree, Guardian. This development could prove interesting. You will go to Paragon."

"I will assemble a team at once."

Ice Mistral's smile was positivly, well... chilling. "You misunderstand: you will go _alone_ to paragon City. Such a mission is far too risky to jeaperdise too many assets. When you have learned more, you may return."

Ahh. Of course. You're not a real Arachnos operative until yoru superiors have tried to remove get yuo kiled at least once or twice./ Mu'Rahu did not express this traitorous thought out-loud, of course. Instead, she nodded her assent.

"Of course mistress."

---

Several minutes, and a translocational ritual later (after checking to certain her wards of invisibility were firmly in place, of course), Mu'Rahu apeared... directly in the path of an on onrushing energy creature. I must remember to kill Adept Sallis for selecting these coordinates. Fortunatly, the invisibility held. the thing passed right by her. And it was moving with a purpose. Like severla of it's; fellows, it seemed headed towards an meta-human of some kind (one of Paragon's inreped heroes no doubt). Mu'rahu, levitating oabove the earth, was quite content to watch. From this hero she could easilly learn about the abilities of these things without having to endanger herself. Cannon fodder, even unwitting cannon-fodder, was a marvelous thing to have.

She was just settling in to watch the intrped heroes demise from some 20 feet above, when one of the creatures swarming over the rocks near-by paused, looked directly at her, screached, and charged.

"Well, curses!"

((Ooo, this seems like fun! And the great thing aobut forum-only RPs is that they tend to fit my hectic schedule. Since none of my current mains are really of the necesary caliber to contend with big freaky cosmic threats, I will run with a a character that has been a concept of mine for months, but does not actually exist on account of there are no ranged electrical sets for villains. The powers she displays in this RP will be extrapolated from the abilities found in teh eelctric blast, electric manipulation, and mu masteyr sets, and the abilities dispalayed by the actual Mu Guardian mob type in perticular.))


The woman known as Mu'Rahu was not easilly surprised. She certainly had not expected to be today. Like dozens of other Mu Guardians, she was scrying on various activities on teh mainland. Her spying was at the behest of her superiors fo course: she herself privtly thought such endeavors to be a waste of time. Crucial areas were warded, and nothing ever turned up in the non-crucial parts of Paragon city that was remotly interesting.

Not until now. Passing her second sight over Astoria, she had been fully prepared to see nothing but the ussual emptiness and undead, and to move on to more populated areas. Instead, she had cought a glimpse (just a glimpse), of... something. She did not know what, for the simple reason that even teh tail end of it had beeen so brillaint it would surely have struck her blind to have been there in the flesh.

Indeed, teh force of it had severed the connection, and several of the apprentices assigne dto aid her in her scrying were now whimpering in pain from the experiance. She made a mental note to punish them for their lack of fortitude. ONe of them (she did not know, or care to know his name) even had the audacity to speak to her.

"Mistress... what was that."

"Do not concern yourself with that", she replied, "it is none of your affair. But since you are so eager to help, go and find the Ice Mistral, or whichever of her alckie is overseeing the divinations this day, and tell her that her master may be in luck: these divinations of ours may have yielded something interesting after-all. And on the way back, retrieve the stone of Lisharac from my personal chambers. the wards will allow you to pass."

The young acolyte looked puzzled, "But... mistress... the Stone is a focu for translocational rituals. Surely you cannot mean to... it is forbidden save on explicit orders."

For the first time, Rahu cast her gaze up from the scrying pool and her reticent aid. The acolyte was young, probably not yet 18, and obviously nervous, as well he might be. he was like msot acolytes, she suposed: conscripted when their bloodlines became known,a nd now trying to make the best of what they considered a bad situation. Keep your head down and don't get kiled was the order of the day. Pitiful. Even more so that this was what the blood of Mu had come to. But no matter.

Her gaze ahrdened, and although Mu'Rahu did not raise her voice (she never did), somthing in it was unmistakably dangerous. "are you questioning my instructions, apprentice?"

He swallowed, "Umm, no mistress, it is only that, not even Guardians such as yourself are permitted to travel to the mainland without permission. Umm, I mean..."

He trailed off under her level gaze. "You are correct, Apprentice, but that too is no concern of yours. NO do as I have bid you, or I shall be forced to reprimand you for your excessive curiosity."

The man nearly ran from the room (an apprentice only, he had not yet learned the trick of levitation that was required of fullly initiated mystics as a matter of discpline). Before he had even vaniheed around the next corner, Mu'Rahu had already turned her attention back to the scrying pool, summonign to mind teh image of Dark Astoria. Whatever this thing was, it had the potential to be valuable. She had to know more. And soon, she would.