TheSoviet

The Magus stood atop the tank, covering the Assault Bot with potions of acid and fire.

Before the gunners could do anthing, the Mage had poured and entire potion down the exhaust vents. As one crewman looked on with a strange expression, the mage turned the viewport to show them the small demons screeching wildly and having their skin fused to themselves wherever two limbs touched.

"Jathros Nothros K'DAH!" Was heard roared to Reishi's left right before a beam of darkness shot at her, courtesy of a Circle of Thorns Mage.

That is, until the Gardvord charging her fell down for a drop-kick.

The Magus wordlessly entered the hatch, mist rising from the contact of his body with anything as always.

He turned to the one in black armor, and raised his hand, showing his palm. The palm was a swirling mass of mists, and could not be seen, but clear as day, in a deep, twisting black, was the symbol of a Magus of the Circle of Thorns.

Coldfire seemed to be in the clear for now...

The Engineer's helm crackled and sonic waves creased over the sides of his head. By no means did this make the pain of the blasts stop - It just kept his head from exploding for now.

And he was moving pretty fast for a guy with two full-penetration stab wounds.

Marcus snarled, half in pain, half in anger.

And then his eyes glassed over.

"Ya gave me too long, singin' freaks!" He rumbled, flipping up his legs and delivering a kick to one of the Wailer's behinds, sending it flipping off of him. The other found a fist sending it away with a powerful hit -- Marcus' combat drugs had kicked in.

Though his right arm remained limp, he came in swinging with the left, biting and tearing all he could.

The Magus first heard the tank while he was strangling a Flapper alive. As the last squeak cracked from its throat, he dropped it, making sure to step on it as he moved away.

The contact from his foot dissolved its flesh like tissue in acid rain...

Slowly drinking a potion of teleport, he appears on the roof above the massive vehicle.

"Hmh. Looks like Crey is...Wait. That's no Crey ship..."

One of the tank crew hears a clanging on the hatch.

"Ah, [censored]." He muttered, rolling out from under.

Only problem was, his cursing habit made him not roll far enough. This was held apparant when he felt the arm of one of the Wailers stab through his and into the floor. He jolted in pain and reached for another flashbang...

A Trollkin slammer fast approaching thought it was close enough.

"No ya don't!" Marcus jeered, his reflexes sending him forward and around to blast them with the shotgun.

In the melee, a TacOps was killed...

The Magus snarled. He was ancient and proud - Not stupid. It looked like he'd be fighting with potions alone for now...

At least he had a few...interesting concoctions for the demons to experience.

The Magus saw the demon dogs coming through the eyes of the Skeletal mage standing right behind him. In the blink of an eye, one had slammed into the skeleton and the robed Thornsman had smashed a potion into its face, flooring it and rising it again mindlessly.

"If I cannot use souls, then I will only have more free essences to work with later..." He mused as he cut the life force from his zombie army, leaving them as shambling automatons with only one thought -

Kill.

A Caliban shot out from amongst the trees, intent on stopping Coldfire...Cold.

Craig dropped a single grenade and jumped away...

Craig looked up.

"Highway to hell." He uttered before loosing a shotgun blast into the Queen.

The Engineer cursed several more times before shooting a grappling hook past the wailers to the other side of the room to recouperate.

"DAMMIT!" The Engineer cursed as blood followed the Wailer's slash. The Engineer drops another flashbang and readies for a rifle butt. His helm will protect him from the effects - But can the wailer take another one so close?

"OH SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" Screamed Marcus, letting the curse rattle on with the bullets now pouring from his gun. The OpOfficer lowered his newfound chaingun and let the rounds fly, the other Maltans following suite.

"Wait."

"Wailers?!"

Thinking quickly, Marcus flung a flashbang at the group before diving behind a box to recalibrate his helm to block the aural assault.

The Magus only smiled, reassembling the bones of the imp to dance a strange dance around the group.

The skeletal construct chanted:

"No Death No Fear No Death No Fear No Death No Fear..." Before falling into dust. When the group turned back, the mage was gone, blue mist rising from the place he had stood for an extended time.

---

He was now on top of a building, letting some Spectral Daemons he had conjured hold off the imps that were harrassing him for now. He surveyed the landscape, seeing corpses litter it and demons patrol it.

"Fallen." He uttered in a deep voice.

"Rise....."

Craig nodded grimly, but had more bad news to relate -

"More contacts. Coming in...Looks like the stairs. Christ, strong psychic readings."

Marcus nodded to the Rikti. "Psykers can counter you guys, I think...Hell, I dunno, but we need to say we whacked some Bandits so we'll look good at HQ. We got this."

The force set up in a defensive cluster around the stairway door. Whatever came through there was as good as deep-fried...

The Magus blinked.

"Yes." He lied.

"Now go away. As you fools would know, Circle magi are far more powerful than pitiful...demons." He smiled wryly, though none could see through the shadow of the skull, "We have our ways to stay safe anywhere."

((Nah, I'm about to have my own.))

"I am here to control the demonic threat, as all of you." He snarled, pushing the magnum aside. "And yes, I detect holy energies in the bullets. I am not a demon, fool mortal - Don't be stupid."

He paused momentarily to turn and spit acid onto a flying Imp, sending it screaming to the ground.

"Let me be. I am here on official business. The Archmagi will not like an interruption."

The situation turned faces quickly.
-
With a comical THUMP! On impact to the shield the shadow turned into the robed figure, who was now sprawled all over the ground.

"Damn it all!" He cursed, rising slowly. "These demons learn new tricks every day if you don't keep your thumb on--"

"Erh.."

He silenced.