Twisting_Nether

((Wow, someone that knows their stuff, I'm impressed))

It wasn't until H'taed started talking that Nether took notice of Aoleleb. She winced as the 3 Sentinals converged on him. In a burst of electricity they disapated and he was just fine. Taking three giant boulders from the floor, he chucked them at H'taed.

Nether followed behind the boulders, taking the same path as before, knowing the mine had gone off already. If she could get there right after the boulders, either they'd hit H'taed and do her job, or if he dodged them, he'd be preoccupied enough that she could get the jump on him.

((Jeebus, I just got off work >_&lt)

Nether, who was taking blow after blow, knew she couldn't hold out much longer. For the most part, she could dodge the blows, but each one that touched her, blocked or not, was slowly draining her energy. When H'taed was suddenly encased in solid rock, she knew this was the chance. Getting ready to go on the offensive again, the rock exploded. Before she knew what had happened, H'taed was on her again, doubling his efforts. The few shots she was able to make back at him did nothing more than make him come on with even more fury.

Suddenly the air around her started moving incredibly fast. It wasn't bad to begin with, but it was picking up speed. Is this another of his tricks or something else, she thought, trying to look around while maintaining her defense.

Right as the wind hit top speed, H'taed connected. Hit square in the chest, Nether could feel a rib or two break as she was knocked back towards the ring again. She landed in a pile, concealed by shadows. When they cleard she looked like her self again ((prior to Soul Drain)).

Knowing this might be her only chance, she summoned a ring of shadows similar to before, but this one had a hint of green hidden in it. This one was followed by another, but this time with a hint of blue. The few Rularuu that were caught in both were enough. Nether could feel the ribs fuse back together, though they'd be sore for a while, and she felt energized once more. The Rularuu on the other hand, didn't look so good

"Hopefully I won't have to do that again."

Being too preoccupied with H'taed and keeping herself alive, she never noticed Aoleleb.

((Saving Dark Regeneration and Dark Consumption till needed FTW))

((Probably a good call, because I'm very tired and have work in the morning, and it's going to take a bit of thinking to get through this one ))

And right throught the smoke she came, eyes blazing with fury. Also with a grin on her face, she came foward, fist leading straight for the dents in H'taed's armour.

--

How could this have happened you wonder. Didn't she just get blown to tiny electrically charged bits you say. It turns out, Nether has a better eye than most give her credit for. Assuming he had some purpose to his running around he did earlier, apart from the Sentinals, Nether had concentrated her energy protection below her. She had seen H'taed do enough different things with those energy bombs of his to be caught offguard again.

((I had 2 plans on how this would've gone. If a bomb had gone off next to her, she would've been thrown in the opposite direction. She had her protection below her, not around her. But, if she had stepped directly on one, like she did, it would be ineffective.))

((/wrists You're making this quite difficult, but very enjoyable. My creative gears haven't worked this hard in a long while, although they're still a bit rusty.))

When H'taed had started moving, Nether stopped. She had seen Sentinals before, and knew she had to keep her distance. In the back of her mind was a thought as to why he had moved so much for so little work. She had to move fast thought, as she could only maintain her heightened staight for so long, and it increased neither her defense nor her ablility to take more damage than normal.

She wasn't too worried about the Sentinals, as her murky shroud of darkness protected her from most everything but the worst of energy attacks. Trying to formulate some sort of plan, she finally landed on one, but it would have to wait till the portal was fully stabilized. It was currently the size of a salad plate.

Finding an open route to H'taed that wasn't near any of the Sentinals, Nether took it. Getting in a few punches before she had to move again was the first part of her plan. Holding out as long as possible was the another. Seeing the dents left in his armour from her very first barrage, she aimed for them again, hoping to break through.

((I shouldn't have said anything about the land mines, i had a great idea to throw a natterling at you after the first one went off, but all is for naught as they are controlable by yourself.))

((Does "anything that ventures in this field" include yourself? Or are your eletrical signatures close enough for it to not recognize you as a seperate entity?))

Intending to knock H'taed back, when he spun around with the punch, and lauched his own counter attack, she was slightly suprised. Keeping her wits about her, she started to do a backflip away from his punch, but the electricity with it connected. Flying backwards toward the Rularuu, she skidded to a halt about two feet from them.

She stood up, doing that motion most tv/movie fighters do when they stand up after flying back about 30 feet. ((Closed fist, rub the nose with the thumb, like you're wiping away something. You know what I'm talking about ))

"Pretty good. It looks like we've both got some tricks."

With that she was obscured by shadows. A dark ring encompassing herself and about 6 of the Rularuu began to form. Moving inward, each Rularuu the ring touched became obscured by shadows themselves. As they cleared, each Rularuu became withered, dry husks. When the ring came to Nether, her own shadows flared then disapated.

When it was fully cleared, Nether's appearance had drastically changed ((see attached images)). Eyes blazing red, she charged in once again, ready to pummel the very essence from H'taed.

OOC

[u]Nether before Soul Drain[u]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/Kedeawyth/9.jpg
[u]Nether after Soul Drain[u]
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v727/Kedeawyth/8.jpg

Basically the Soul Drain brought out even more of Loc'ataro's essence than she usually uses to enhance her own magics. And sorry if I'm too descriptive. I have a tendency to do that so those reading can really picture this happen, because I know I can.

((Fair enough on the CoD/Perp))

Being on opposite sides of the room, which was exceptionally large, she had enough time to crack her knuckles and let out a witty remark.

"This is more like it, no more running. I'll take pleasure in watching you cower and beg for mercy."

She charged in, surrounded in shadows, eyes glowing a pale blue. Starting on the defensive, using condensed shadow energy as a shield, she blocked most all of the swings. A few got through but were nothing more than small scratches. Seeing a opening, she took it, throwing a strong left hook towards H'taed's shoulder.

((Can the portal that Lanaruu is summoning be seen currently?))

((It protects from psionic, stun, hold, disorient, fear and the like, but an illusion is something that is outside of her sensory perseption aka it actually looks like there's nothing but the device, it's not being projected into her mind. At least that's how I think of illusions. And apparently her Cloak of Darkness didn't work XD))

She entered the Palace without a sound, and continued down the corridor to the central Room. Expecting to possibly catch H'taed unawares, she was suprised to find the room empty. The only thing in the room was the device, hovering about waist height. Staying alert for any signs of an ambush, Nether slowly approached the device.

Nether, circled it a number of times, looking for any signs of a trap.

"This is too simple, there's no way this isn't a trap, unless that brute is as stupid as he is strong."

Seeing no abnormalities, she started to reach for the device. As she is about to touch it an intense thought rippled through her conciousness.

DON'T!

She froze. Obviously something was amiss for Loc'ataro to put forth such a strong warning. She backed away slightly, and finally notices something; the device was shinier than it should be. The image infront of her of the device was worn looking, like it had seen countless uses. The problem was, it was shiny like it should be brand new.

"Ah... now what?"

She backed up about 20 feet from the device. Picking up a small piece of what looks like rock, she threw it at the device. Strangely enough she hit it, and it stuck.

"Uh oh..."

She shielded her face and dove backwards, just in time as the device detonates in a shower of red lightning and sparks.

((Nether Mistress has an extremely strong willpower. When she first was starting to learn how to control the energies of the Netherrealm she was possessed by a shadow demon of the plane, Loc'ataro. Under sheer strength of will she has kept him locked away in her mind, using his strength to boost her own. He may despise it, but he has to help her, because if she dies, he ceases to exist.

And Thunderbug never actually described the device or the package, so I'm taking creative liberties on this one.))

Watching from a vantage point a couple islands away from the Palace, Nether watched as the whole structure was encompassed by a strange purple aura.

"That's strange, it's usually just surrounded by the psychic storm. This must be that brute's doing. And it seems he warned them about company."

Having formulated a simple enough plan, get all of the soldiers to one side of the Palace then summon a shadow gate to the entrance, she decided to get moving. Not knowing how much time she had was eating at her nerves, but she quickly silenced them.

I have to stay focused, any mistakes and I could be stuck here

Once again cloaked, she manages to make her way to the outter platform of the Palace. Knowing her timing had to be perfect, and maintaining a constant link to the Netherrealm, she drops her cloak and begins running as fast as she can away from the Palace doors. Getting the soldiers to follow her away from the doors and keep moving was only half the plan and it was working quite well. Finding a small cubby on the other side, she begins openning a shadow door to the doors... but nothing happens.

"What the..?!? This can't be happening, not now."

Rularuu soldiers were closing in fast. She tried a second time. Nothing. Forcing as much willpower she could into the spell, she managed to open a gate about the size of a sewer pipe. Jumping through, she closed the gate behind her, just in time to see a Brute reach through for her, and have his arm removed.

She quickly summoned a shadow cloak as well as a small field of shadow crystals to shield her thoughts from Lanaruu's psychic reverberations. Knowing the commotion might have come to the attention of either Lanaruu or H'taed, she slipped inside the Palace. Hopefully unnoticed.

((A: I just noticed Diov said the Cathedral of Storms. My brain automatically thought Storm Palace, so that's what I've been going off of, considering that's where Lanaruu is in game; B: Yes, Nether is still after the package and its contents, but her fight with H'taed has become rather personal after two near death experiences with his red glowing presents.))

"Well... that definitely didn't work out like I had planned it. Live and learn I guess."

Having worked with the Paragon Military in the Shadow Shards before, and even having defeated Ruladak the Strong, Nether knew her way around the Shards fairly well. Getting to the Storm Palace wasn't the hard part; getting there through hordes of Rularuu, and possibly having to get through both H'taed and Lanaruu, were.

Using minimal defense, and maintaining a cloak of shadows only she heads towards the Palace, steering clear of Rularuu soldiers. I wonder what happened to those two back in Grandville she thought, but didn't have enough time to think much more than that. An Overseer decided to look her way, and with their enhanced vision, saw right through her shadow cloak. Calling three Brutes, they were on her in an instant.

Having taken it slow for a bit, she had regained enough energy to fight, and calling forth dark energies, drained a bit of each of the Brutes' souls, exponentially adding to her own strength. A few well placed punches later, you had a faceless Brute, one with a gapping hole in its chest, and another the looked like it had died of absolute terror. The Overseer was no where to be found.

"God, I hope it didn't go to worn them..." she says as she puts her shadow cloak back up and continues towards the Storm Palace.

In the distance a slow chant of "Rularuu, Rularuu" can be heard.

((The nice thing about Cloak of Darkness is that there are only 2 mobs that can see through it, Rikti Drones for one, and unfortunately since we're in the Shards, Overseers are the other ))

((Ugh work from 7am-5pm tomorrow, aka Saturday, so yeah, BUT if my plan works, then after immobilizing H'taed, Nether will retrieve the package and portal to somewhere safe where she can try and get into the package and regain her endurance. I honestly don't care if I get the package or not now, I'll have plenty of time later... mwahaahhahahahahhaha))

Maybe this was a bad idea was the first thought that went through Nether's head when she felt the electricity run down H'taed's leg and through her body, but not one to be pushed off that easily, she held on. And apparently, he was a lot stronger than he looked, because even with her strength, he still pulled both of them through.

Nether is strong, and she can go for while without stopping, but two electric explosions, getting drained, fighting, and all the while maintaining her body as a link to the Netherrealm, took it's toll. Hoping to finish this, with the last of her energy, she summoned a rift below H'taed, allowing seething ((I love that word)) dark tentacles to come forth.

"If we're both lucky, you won't have anymore tricks up your sleeves. I'll get what I want, and you can live for another day."

Nether, who's portal had deposited on a cliff near the arachnoid pit, got there just in time to see H'taed dissapear in a red lightning bolt, Alex be dropped and caught, and Garret begin fighting a group of Arachnoids. She had a feeling she knew where H'taed was going or he wouldn't have come to Grandville. Then she noticed the giant red electro bomb...

"Good thing I wasn't faster."

Quickly summoning another shadow door she stepped through to the Grandville tower and headed inside to where she thought he was going. As she saw H'taed head into the RV portal, she dove to catch him. Only able to get a hold of his heavily armoured boot, she begins to pull, hoping to get him out of the portal.

Nether felt like she'd just ran a 50 mile marathon. She looked around for the brute and the pink haired girl, neither could be seen.

"Damn, now I have to follow them."

Cloaking herself in nether shadows, she headed for the rooftops. There, with a wide angle view of the city, she did a small ritual to scry the location of the package. After sever minutes of searching...

"Grandville!?! Why there? I hate spiders."

With that, she summoned a shadow gate, and stepped through to the Rogue Isles. Closing the gate she heads towards where she had scried the package at.

((w00t got out of work early and Diov hasn't posted yet, anyway, disregard my last OOC post))

((Seems everyone's clocked out for the night. I work 8am-2pm tomorrow, so hopefully I'll still be alive when I get home. Maybe you could knock Nether unconcious or something Diov, make things easier ))

I'm really starting to dislike this, she thought. Feeling heat on her chest, she looks down to see another red glowing ball. "Not again," she growls. Knowing she couldn't take another explosion like that last one, she reversed the nether energy already flowing through her, concentrating it on the bomb.

Able to cover it complete this time, when it went off, she was knocked backwards with little damage, and was able to land after a semi-graceful backflip.

"I've gotta watch out for those things, any more and I'll end up like paste on the sidewalk." She charged back in, this time using the nether energy to protect her against energy.

She didn't know whether her Cloak of Fear had any effect on the rest of the group, either way it didn't matter know. She had to maintain focus on the brute and an eye on the rest, and she couldn't focus on all that and maintain concentration to fear all of them at once.

Hoping another shot would actually break through his amour, shadows seething from her fist, she went for an underhanded slam towards his gut. ((think the Smite animation))

((i noticed that, it took me a while to write this XD))

Nether looked across the street to see a scene of total chaos. Hmm.. this must be it, she thought to herself. One of her more seedy contacts had told her a package of great importance was in a warehouse in the area. Luckily there were only two around, unfortunately she picked the wrong one to start out with. "One of them must have it," she muttered to herself.

As she started towards the group she began conjuring...

The pink haired girl!

Nether stopped, apparently shadow demon locked away in her mind knew something she didn't.

The pink haired girl was quickly ducking down an ally, apparently hoping to not be seen amongst the chaos, until she ran into a fire wielding woman. From the look of her outfit, "Hmm, seems Maindrain is after this thing too."

"I'd hate to have to fight another hero, but I can let someone else have all the fun." Quickly summoning dark shadows to cloak herself, Nether silently ran towards the group intent on following the girl.

But it seems the brutish fellow had gotten to her first. Hoping to slow the group enough to get the package from the girl, Nether conjures an aura of despair. Intent on stunning them with their own dark fears, she starts in with a flurry of darkness encased punches at the brute lassoing the girl.

((Despite being a top class fighter, Nether Mistress tends for the silent kill, get in get out and no one's the wiser. But if seen, she fights with the ferocity of 1000 water-logged cats. And she's a magic DM/DA so you know where her powers are from.))

it requires the 18 month Veteran Reward

((the left one i believe))

((I PM'd you Thunderbug so hopefully you won't feel too much hate towards me ))

Unfortunately for H'taed, his aim when stumbling isn't quite as good as it is when he's focused. His bomb flew wide of his target, landing on the shoulder of a nearby person coming from a building across the street. This wasn't any "person," it happened to be a hero by the name Nether Mistress.

Looking at the glowing ball on her shoulder she mutters, "This could hurt," and quicking starts muttering a spell. As quickly as she was able to contain the bomb in solid Nether energies, it wasn't enough.

The bomb exploded with enough force to drop a building. Fortunately, the force was padded by Nether Mistess' ((from now on Nether for short)) spell and only threw her back about 20yrds and not disintegrating her instantly. Standing up and bleeding from about a dozen minor wounds, she looks around calmly, "So who should I so graciously send a return present to?"

((FWI, she's short, only about 4'11". Gives her a bit of an edge in fights))

[u]Calling All Heroes[u]

No this isn't another post for you to come up with fan fiction. I am currently in the process of converting the storyarc souvenirs (both CoH & CoV) into short stories and I need your help! I know my poor brain could come up with a bunch of cool and unique heroes to star in the stories, but where's the fun in that? So if you're interested in having your own hero star, post a reply with you hero's name, archetype, powersets, and a short description (background, personality, etc..) and I'll use the best ones. Screenshots are highly encouraged, but will not affect your chances; although detail and originality of your description will.
If you wish to star in a specific storyarc, then also give me the specific name it, but the final decisions as to who's in which arc comes down to me.

When I'm done I'll post a new topic linking all the stories so you can read them. And as usually credit will be given as credit is due.

On top of everything, the best overall that I use wins a free month of CoH/CoV on me (if your hero really blows my mind you might get more)! That's right, after I finish writing and the stories are posted I will PM the winner.
If you have any questions, fee free to email me at kedeawyth@gmail.com.

[Heroes portraying or blatant rip offs of copyrighted heroes will be ignored]