Ineffable

H'taed arm suddenly came out of the portal again. a mud bomb landed on the mound of earth holding Aoleleb in place.

A group of brutes also came up to the mound and started to smash it with thier fists and energy blasts. A few natterlings flew in Aoleleb's face and scratched and kicked. A giant Bull Natterling even landed on his shoulders and started to beat him over the head with its crystal claws.

All the while, the portal didn't seem to be stabalizing. The interuption in its cycling process had apparently permanently destabalized it. If anything, it only seemed to get worse.

H'taed gasped in surprise as he flew into the portal.

There was a large rumbling.

Several dozen electrical beams shot out from the portal. All of them wrapped around Aoleleb's limbs and body, completely holding him. Worse still, the unstable energies of the portal swirled down the beams, reinforcing them and making them stronger.

H'taed's head emerged from the portal. It was smoking, and rapidly disintergrating.

"I'm NOT going out alone!" He growled.

The beams shortened, dragging Aoleleb towards the portal. It only kept going from bad to worse, as unstable arcs of energy from the portal reached out and wrapped themselves around Aoleleb along with the electric beams. One of these wrapped around the device in Aoleleb's hand and ripped it away like a rag doll. The device fell to the floor before Nether Mistress.

Before his head sunk back into the portal, H'taed shouted...

"LANARUU! KILL THE HEROINE!"

Lanaruu descended from the top of the room at frightening speed, and all the Rularuu charged towards Nether Mistress.

OOC

And yea...stealing the device when you don't even know where H'taed is hiding it...But I'll let it go, he's had it for a tad too long anyway.

OOC

Back. Sorry bout dat...here goes.

BIC

H'taed was watching more carefully then Nether and Aoleleb thought. He watched as he turned Nether invisible, and flung the three rocks through the air at him.

"She'll probably try to attack me if I dodge or destroy those rocks. But what if I do niether?" He thought.

The first rock came near.

H'taed bounded into the air and landed on top of it. He then leapt from that one to the next, and from that one to the last one. He was now almost directly below Aoleleb. He lept straight up into the air, and shot a beam of energy at Aoleleb's legs. The beam wrapped around Aoleleb's legs, and support H'taed in the air.

He began to climb up his improvised rope. At the same time, he conjured a little mud bomb in his hand.

He looked forward to using it.

H'taed stopped and glared at Aoleleb. Then the hurricane started. H'taed simply yawned as the wind shot past him faster then a tornado, but leaving him not a hair out of place.

"I'm sorry Mr. Blowhard, but I think someone needs to learn thier periodic table. Electricity ALWAYS SEEKS THE GROUND. As of such, I can become literally cemented to the ground when I need to be. You just made a very. Big. Mistake."

H'taed snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, Aoleleb foudn the three voltaic sentinels buzzing around him.

"Enjoy the pleasures of my fuzzy friends."

The voltaic sentinels converged on him, activating thier melee ranged effects. If Aoleleb didn't react quickly, he would soon be drained of his endurance, and be little more then a wheezing husk.

*Clap. Clap. Clap. Clap.*

Bravo. Good work.

Good structuring, you know how to write. It would have been interesting to know how he got the sword and the training neccessary to become a stalker, but this is excelent stuff you have. Good job.

H'taed was suddenly very surprized to find himself completely held by a huge mound of earth.

However, he had run into situations like this before. He conjured a mud bomb in both his immobilized hands, and they exploded. H'taed being an living avartar of lightning, took no damage from the blast. The stone prison he had been encased in shattered into millions of pieces, which disintergrated.

Lord H'taed thought Nether was somehow responsible for that little trick, and became even more enranged. He continued to assault her, only his blows were over twice as fast and powerful now.

The voltaics sentinels were only a few feet from Nether now. In a few seconds they would be in melee range, and if Nether didn't act quickly, she would be quickly drained then utterly destroyed under H'taed's siege.

And it flat out tells you most if not all of Ghost Widow's history and how she become "Ghost Widow."

It doesn't tell us if she was married or if she had cildren, but as she was a Night Widow in Arachnos, both of those possibilities seem VERY unlikely. The story arc even says quite plainly that Wretch and GW used to be in love before Wretch became...well...Wretch, and before GW died. So unless GW was cheating on her husband...Yea.

So this idea is good, but unfortunatly it has already been done. You can still do it, of course, just be aware that most of this is already filled in.

OOC

Well they arn't going away anytime soon. However H'taed has ordered them to remain perfectly still and inert as long as nobody makes an attempt to leave the dueling ring they form...So TECHNICALLY it MIGHT POSSIBLY, CONCIVABLY, SOMEWHAT POSSIBLE to walk right past them and start fighting without any fear of attack.

Of course, you would need to worry about H'taed's invisible electric landmines, and possibly the voltaic sentinels, but currently they are focused entirely on Nether.

OOC

After this post, I suggest we pause our fight to let the others catch up a bit...

BIC

H'taed winced as the blows hit his armor. The tribal runes flared as the dents were struck again and again. They started to sputtered and flickered over time as the hits started to wear away the energies protecting H'taed.

H'taed suddenly raised his arms above him, and summoned a tiny sphere of electricity in his hands.

Nether felt the endurance being drained out of her.

The Rularuu behind H'taed looked tired, and weary, as if they had just finished a very long fatigueing fight.

All the drained energies from those around him swirled in a blue storm around H'taed. Then they gathered and converged in the little ball H'taed had summoned. It then sank into his armored hand.

The runes started to glow normally again, and the dents in his armor started to flatten and smooth.

Surprisingly enough, instead of conjuring electrical blades, H'taed started to pound Nether with his own punches. Only these were charged with electricity. Each time a punch landed, it would drain a little energy out of Nether and transfer it to H'taed.

And all the while his fury built. Soon he would enter a blood thirsty frenzy, and his attacks would become more accurate and powerful the longer the fight went on.

Behind Nether, the Voltaic Sentinels were blapping away with shocks of electricity, and they were slowly making thier way towards her.

-----

The portal was still growing. It was now the size of a cabinet. In a few more minutes it would be open, and in a half hour, it would be fully stabalized.

*INFO: Energy Sink: PBAoE attack, drain end from all enemies around you to restore your own end for each enemy affected.

OOC

Heh. Unfortunatly, its the difficulty I create that makes others utterly despise me. Check out the Final Fight Thread. I feel as if I'm personally responsible for wrecking it.

All I'm trying to do is have fun. I'm not in this to win, just to give people a good show. Sadly this plan doesn't always work.

BIC

If Nether could have seen H'taed's face under his hood, it would have been nearly split open with a wide, evil grin. In his head, as Nether got closer, there was a little diddy going through his head.

'Old Mcdonald had a farm...Eeeyi Eeeyi-Oh...'

Nether was halfway to him now.

'And on his farm he had a BOMB, bada-bing, bada-bang, bada-BOOM!'

-----

As Nether rushed towards H'taed, she stepped on one of the electrical mines.

It exploded in a blinding flash of light. H'taed squinted to see through the smoke. Had Nether survived? Had she sensed the danger and pulled a miracle out of the bag?

On the third day of christmas, the gaming gods gave to me:
three Nerva Spectral Daemon Lords, Two Air Thorn Casters, and a Sapper in a Devouring Earth Tree!

OOC

H'taed controls them by remote using his manipulation over electricity...So you could walk over them right now and they wouldn't blow if H'taed didn't activate them. H'taed's sentinels are pretty much imune to them. However, assume that anything that H'taed percieves to be hostile will trigger them.

I'll edit that last descrip...

H'taed laughed as Nether charged him. Her transformation did not appear to have phased him.

He pulled back both his arms, then brought them together. A huge flash of light completely blinded Nether for a moment. When the flash cleared, H'taed was gone.

Then, suddenly, there was a blur.

H'taed was rushing all around the ring, blazing from one point to another at lightning speed. He stopped three times in his huge rush. At each stop, he would weave a symbol in the air, and a Voltaic Sentinel would appear. He finally rushed back to his original position.

"Come and get me hero. If you dare."

The voltaic sentinels started to fire bolts at Nether, while slowly moving towards her.

Unseen to everybody but H'taed, there were very slight fields of static at certain points all over the ring. He had used the summoning of the sentinels and the rushing around in a blur as a distraction. In reality, he had been thrusting his hand into the ground while running, and had been planting mud bombs in the floor. Only now they were land mines.

*INFO: Voltaic Sentinels are static pets of sorts. They lack actual physical structure so they can't be hurt. (as in they can't be targetted are attacked.) Voltaic Sentinels minor bolts of static at people. These bolts are not particuarly damaging, but they are annoying. The real danger is when you get too close to them. Then they sap your endurance and constantly electrocute you as long as you remain in melee range of them This is an actual power in-game.

Mud Bomb Land Mines! These are exactly the same as H'taed's signature mud bombs, only these are spread over the ground as an invisible static field. Anything that ventures into this field polarizes it, causing it to explode in a burst of violent energy. H'taed controls them through remote using his manipulation of electricity. So an ally can pass over these unharmed.

OOC

Yes, but it is still fairly small...about the size of an Eight Ball. >.> You could use it if you were small enough but until it is fully grown, it is unstable and will most likely rip you apart if you try to use it. I'ts currently behind the wall of Rularuu behind H'taed.

BIC

Nether's shadow charged fist hit H'taed on the shoulder directly. Unfortunatly, it spun H'taed around, bringing one of his blades forward in a frighteningly fast thrust. While he spun, H'taed also despelled the blade in his free hand, and shot a splash zap out from it.

*INFO: A splash Zap is a mini-wave of electrical force that spreads out in front of the user in a cone. Kinda like a shotgun blast. Treat this like a one-handed Jacobs Ladder attack.*

OOC

The reason I saw through the cloak is because Lanaruu has increased perp and grants all near him increased perp...He is an AV.

BIC

Suddenly, Nether heard laughter.

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

H'taed faded into view. Lanaruu floated behind him.

Of course, they were hardly the most noticable people in the room. Along the columns, a ring of Rularuu had gathered, forming a ringed wall of them.

H'taed had organized a dueling ring of sorts.

"Lanaruu. Back away. Leave this to me." H'taed said. Lanaruu drifted towards the ceiling.

"Now then hero. I congradulate you on avoiding my little trap. As a prize, you now get the privilage of DYING in front of all these Rularuu. I will be your executioner. They will not interfere, as long as you make no attempt to leave this little ring of mine."

H'taed conjured two blades made of electrical energy.

"Now. Let us fight."

H'taed charged forward, swinging his blades in a complicated pattern.

Technically Heroes "arrest" them...

By setting them on fire, draining thier souls, electrocuting them, irradating them, stabbing them with sharp ice, cutting them with sharp objects, crushing them with gravity, driving them mad with illusions, shooting them with 100% lethal weaponry, exploding, imploding, and a combination of those two, and of course, shoving them off cliffs and buildings. All to "arrest" them in a non-lethal fassion.

I used to have the exact same problem. I used to try to use heroes, I had an Angel themed character. Two days later he was a "fallen" angel.

My solution was to simply stick with what I do best. Evil theme and villains. If you find that you have lots of creativity and skill when RPing the bad guy, then by all freaking means, RP the bad guy.

OOC

Is it really Storm Palace? I could have sworn it was the Cathedral of Storms...Or am I thinking of Pain?

Silly me. I AM. It is the Storm Palace.

BIC

As Nether entered the Storm Palace...

There was nothing there. Lanaruu was definatly not floating in the center, Wisps and Observers were NOT floating about him, and H'taed was nowhere to be seen. The entire place seemed deserted.

Then something caught Nether's eye.

The device was laying on the floor right in the center.

-----

The hidden wisp turned and asked H'taed...

"Are you sure that bait will work? And what exactly is it anyway? What is a 'mud bomb?'"

H'taed continued to stare at Nether from his hiding spot.

"That bait is anything any hero would want. Its mysterious and shiny. Just tell Lanaruu to keep projecting the Illusion. The second she picks it up, she will regret it. Prepare to attack on my command."

OOC

I know you have Obsidian Shield up, but technically Lanaruu was casting the Illusion before you turned it on...So it should still work. Of course, I could be wrong...

OOC

Posting here again to make sure everyone will know what to expect...

BIC

H'taed stood before Lanaruu the mad, int the center of the Cathedral of Storms.

"Lord H'taed. His mind is too instable to allow you to communicate with him. Just speak to me, and I will relay it to him." Said a wisp.

H'taed nodded, and said...

"By the authority of Lord Diov, I order you to open a gateway to....."

He went on for a while.

Amazingly, after he had finished, Lanaruu nodded slightly. He turned, and floated over to the far side of the chamber. He raised his hands...

A small orb of light appeared. It grew slowly.

"The gateway should be open a fully stablized in a few hours." Said the wisp.

H'taed nodded.

"Another thing. We should be expecting guests. Soon. Many of them have means of inspontanius transportation. So erect an anti-teleportation field around the cathedral. And post a few extra gaurds along the ring leading into this chamber. That won't stop any of them, but it will slow them down. In addition...I suggest we set up a little welcome mat for them..."

-----

The cathedral was abuzz in activity. Observers and Wisps swarmed about the ring shaped equater leading into the cathedral. A slight pulsing field of purple energy could be seen materializing around the cathedral.

-----

Back inside, the wisp turned from ordering the others around, and asked H'taed a question.

"Why exactly are the chasing you anyway...?"

H'taed thought quickly. If they knew the real reason, they would turn on him in an instant to claim the device for themselves.

"Oh you know. I made a very big boom in a very public place."

Which ironically, was actually true. H'taed wondered if Alex and Garret had survived that blast.

H'taed seemed calm as the tentacles immobilized him.

"You're quite right. I have no new tricks that I care to reveal at this time. However, I do have an OLD trick."

A red lightning bolt shot down from the sky and whisked him away from the rift in the nether. He reappeared about 20 yds away.

"You're probably wondering how I managed to conjure a lightning bolt in the Shadow Shard. The answer is over there."

H'taed pointed.

The Cathedral of Storms floated in the distance. A permanent storm surrounded it, created by the Psychic instability of Lanaruu the Mad.

"Now I must be off, or I'll miss the pickup. However...I like playing games..."

The portal leading to Grandville vanished behind Nether.

"You have a limited amount of time to get to the Cathedral of Storms. My master has a contract with Lanaruu the Mad. Once I get there, he will start to conjure a gateway to safety for me. If you can't get there by the time I'm through that gateway, you will be stuck here in the Shadow Shard for eternity. Cheers."

Another lightning bolt flashed down and whisked H'taed away.

-----

At the Cathedral of Storms, a lightning bolt lanced down and H'taed appeared. He was quickly surrounded by wisps and observers. Then they recognized him and relaxed. One of the wisps approached.

"Lord H'taed. It is a distict pleasure to welcome you to the Cathedral of Storms. What do you need?" It thought towards him.

"I need to talk to Lanaruu the Mad." H'taed said.

The wisp nodded.

"Follow me."

OOC

The Rularuu in the Shadow Shard are again, NPCs who can be controled by just about anyone.

H'taed was almost entirely in the Shadow Shard when he felt something grip onto his foot from the other side of the portal.

"What the..?"

He sent a static shock down his leg, hoping to zap whatever was clinging to him.

Now Nether was a scrapper, and she was strong, no doubt about it. However, H'taed was a brute, and when provoked, they were physically stronger than scrappers. H'taed was stressed and very irratated after all the fighting over the box, being crushed by invisible pyschic forces multiple times, mauled by negative energy, smashed into the ground, and he has arachnoid blood all over his armor. And now something was tugging on his freaking foot.

He was pissed. Not enough to send him into a blood-thirsty fury, but enough to increase his strength sufficently. He tugged his foot with the force of a bulldozer.

H'taed raised an eyebrow as the Arachnoids charged.

"I think not."

He rapidly conjured and threw 5 electrical mud bombs, each of which hit an arachnoid dead on.

Three seconds later, the entire area was covered it blood, guts, and arachnoid limbs.

"Seeing as I already have what I came for...I have no need to stay here. However, I'm going to leave you a little parting gift."

He weaved a pattern in the air. A mud bomb appeared.

He weaved the pattern in the air again. Another one appeared.

He repeated this process again and again.

All the electrical mud bombs fused together to form a big bomb of badass boom. In three seconds it would explode and blow most of this section of Grandville away.

"BOMB VOYAGE!" H'taed yelled. A lightning bolt tore down from the heavens and whisked him away along with the device.

-----

The bolt struck down outside the Grandville tower.

"Well then. I'd better get moving. Noitpeced, where is the meeting point?" He asked.

"Go through the Recluse's Victory portal. I have hacked into the Arachnos system and temporarily redirected it to shunt you into the Shadow Shard. You'll receive more instructions once you get there. Remember, what's in that box is worth more than your life. Do NOT lose it."

Said a voice in his ear.

"Right then..."

H'taed quickly navigated through the hallways of the Arachnos tower, and stepped through the Recluse's Victory portal.....

H'taed paused, the device in his hand. He looked around and saw...

"YOU AGAIN? I do NOT have time for this foolishness. However..."

H'taed chuckled.

"I'm sure THEY do."

Behind Garret, the was another pit, leading down into another nest of arachnoids. Several of them had heard the crash and had climbed out.

"Meat. Kill. Eat." One of them said.

"Food." Said another.

The ten or so arachnoids advanced on Garret...

"Now as for dropping this useless baggage, I guess I can do that."

H'taed let go of Alex's throat. She was still above the arachnoid nest pit.

OOC

The arachnoids are NPCs who are independant of any of us, so anyone can control them really.

H'taed's eyes flash.

"Why am I even asking for it...? Your obviously in no condition to fight...I've been draining your endurance ever since we got here. I'll just TAKE what I need."

He did a quick thourough search of her with his free hand. It finally closed around the device.

"And here we are..."

He started to yank on the device.

H'taed CAUGHT Nether's fist in his free hand.

"Why THANK YOU. I was begining to feel a bit tired..."

He slowly began to drain the endurance out of Nether.

Then the invisible force hit him and he was thrown like a rag doll into a nearby building.

Unfortunatly, he landed right beside Alx. He looked up, saw her not 3 inches away from himself.

".....Idiots.....Knocking me right into my goal....."

A lightning bolt struck H'taed and Alex, both dematerialized into it.

-----

In the Rogue Islands, Grandville, the lightning bolt struck the ground again. H'taed and Alex appeared.

They were standing in a wrecked part of the city. H'taed was clutching Alex by the throat, suspending her over a pit which dropped into a nest of Arachnoids.

"Ok. Now that we are alone. GIVE. ME. THE DEVICE."

OOC

You said we could be anywhere we wanted in the world...Hope this doesn't go against the grain. :P