Ginger Blaze leapt high up on the metal fire escape, trying hard not to rattle the old metal railings too loudly. She was five floors up, and had a good view around the corner of the old red brick apartment building. Down the alley between the building she was on, and another just like it, a deep crevice in the ground began and grew off into the distance. The fire escape she was on creaked under her slight weight, and dust fell from around huge bolts that held it to the crumbling building.
Further in the distance, Ginger could see where the ground had turned, and twisted. The upheaval that had created the Faults in the ground had torn this section of Paragon City to pieces. Huge chunks of earth sat at odd angles, tipping everything on them over. Many of the taller buildings simply could not stand up to the initial, horrific disturbances and had collapsed in on themselves. Most that had survived the initial quaking still could not hold up to the odd leverage caused by a tall and top heavy structure leaning at severe angles, and thus they snapped like twigs, their upper parts raining debris into the Faults or onto the streets below.
Rescue parties had moved in and tried to save as many of the citizens as they could, many of Paragon Citys Heroes had joined in the relief efforts. Unlike most areas of the city, however, no attempt would be made to revitalize the area now called Faultline. The damage was simply too severe. There was no known way to right the Earth itself after it had been fractured to this extent.
It hadnt taken long for the gangs that were moving on Paragon city to take up residence in Faultline. The Clockwork Kings minions had proliferated in the area, having found huge, unclaimed and unprotected metal sources in the debris from buildings, the twisted relics that had once been automobiles. The Circle of Thorns had found lines of dark power that ran through the Faults, and those areas they claimed as their own.
It was the Circle that Ginger Blaze had been sent to seek out. Kidnapped victims would be brought into Faultline through underground passages, their blood and souls used to summon Spectral warriors for the Circles dark plots. From her perch on the fire escape Ginger could see into the fault, without, she hoped, giving away herself and her teammates. A hundred yards into the fault was a known line of dark power, plotted and recorded by the Magi. Along this unseen line a cloud boiled out of the Fault, boiling with a sickening green glow. Even from her distance, Ginger could feel the pulsing energies being released, but worse, she could hear the screams of a woman rolling out in the cloud. The Circle of Thorn mystics surrounded their ethereal fire, chanting and channeling energy into the inferno. The woman hung suspended in the air, writhing in apparent agony.
Ginger leapt back to the ground, landing amongst the other junior members of the Onami Strike Force. Khazm moved next to her. The Scrapper was slight for the job he did, lean an muscular in his dark costume, his face hidden by a shroud. Behind him was Kwang Ghe, a scientifically engineered Martial Artist with jet black skin and glowing blue eyes. Stars were emblazoned upon his shoulders. A slight woman called Remedy Hart, and Empathic healer with psionic abilities completed the team.
There are eight of them, Ginger told the team.
They are fairly far into the ritual, came Remedys voice in her teammates heads. She rarely spoke aloud, but telepathically she could be heard nearly across Paragon City when she wanted to be. I am not sure we can save this woman.
We must try, Kwang Ghe said. Khazm nodded in agreement.
Ginger and Remedy both agreed as well.
Moving to the lip of the Fault, the heroes gathered. Fifty yards ahead of them the green fire burned, pulsing, sending out shockwaves of dark energy. Khazm could feel the power being used, it tapped into the dark nether where he drew his own strength. Above the fire the woman spun slowly, two Soul Mages working to wrest her soul from her flesh, a Death Mage presiding over them, ready to channel the souls energy when released. Nine Thorn Wielders formed the rest of the dark ceremony in a circle around the fire. Some knelt and bowed, adding their own strength to the ritual, others stood, arms waving slowly back and forth over their heads, in time with the pulsating energy.
Kwang Ghe flexed, the rest of his group able to see him about to burst forward at Superspeed. As his body exploded forward in a blur too fast to see, Khazm leapt hard and landed behind one of the Soul Mages, blasting him forward with a full body attack. Kwang Ghe didnt even slow down before he hit the other Soul Mage, launching a flying kick at Superspeed, the Mage went flying backwards, slamming into the side of the Fault, and dropping over the edge, deeper into the chasm.
The Death Mage reacted first to Khazm, channeling the pulsing energy around him at the hero, knocking him off his feet. The Soul Mage staggered away from the hero, and recovered enough to raise his wand and blast the hero with a beam of sickeningly green energy.
The energy enveloped Khazm, piercing him. Agony burst through his body, his eyes rolled back in his head, his back arched in pain. Remedy Hart suddenly was behind him, her presence soothing, her voice filling his head with quiet calm. A healing aura, the green of fresh leaves spread from her over Khazm. His muscles relaxed, the pain eased, his mind cleared just as the majority of the Thorn Wielders rushed him and the two women.
A Thorn Wielder grabbed Kwang Ghe from behind, raising the Thorn shaped blade that gave the villains their name over his head to strike at the hero. Kwang Ghes left foot slammed a side kick into the exposed ribs of the Wielder, sending him flying over the edge of the chasm behind the first Soul Mage. Another Wielder was right on the heels of the first, rushing the hero. Kwang Ghe spun and kicked the minion in the head, and immediately followed with a right foot roundhouse kick to the body that lifted the Wielder up and dropped him unconscious to the ground.
Ginger Blaze, a fire controller whos strength and control over the element grew daily, clapped her hands loudly, and explosion of tiny embers and ash surrounding the Thorn Wielders, blinding and choking them, allowing the heroes to defeat them one at a time. Remedy was using her psionics to distract the magicians with a mental scream that filled their heads. Several were fighting against the choking ash, others held their hands to their ears shaking their heads back and forth trying to silence the blinding mental noise. Khazm moved amongst the trapped Circle minions, rendering those that had not already dropped from the other attacks quickly and efficiently.
Youre too late! The Death Mage screamed over the noise of the raging fire. He laughed loudly as he raised his hands and the fire enveloped the woman. Her screams went from high pitched to hideous instantly, then shifted to a soul-chilling ghastly howl. Her skin seemed to dry up and shrivel, collapsing in on itself. As her body collapsed, it suddenly exploded in a rain of ashes, blowing the fire away with an almost cataclysmic burst of energy.
Where the ceremony had taken place now hovered a horror that chilled Kwang Ghe to the bone. His heat sensitive eyes could detect a void around the ghoul, as though it were sapping the very air of life itself. It was humanoid from mid-torso up, below that was simply a cloud of dark, vaporous energy. Huge skeletal wings flapped on its back, red fire burning in its black eye sockets.
The Demon swatted Kwang Ghe backwards like a fly. Landing amongst the broken earth near his companions, he rolled to his feet. He was about to rush the Demon when Remedys voice exploded in his head.
Wait!
Around him lay the unconscious forms of the Circle minions.
We must work together, Remedy said. Again the healing aura spread around her, pushing away the battle fatigue and pain from the heroes. Ginger folded the other heroes in bubbles of protective energy, warding away some of the attacks that would come their way.
Khazm nodded and said quietly, Ready.
Kwang Ghe nodded in agreement. Ready.
Ready, came the reply of the two women simultaneously.
The heroes fell upon the two Circle Bosses with fury.
Concentrating first on the apparition that had recently been a captured woman, they lashed out with combined attacks. Dark energy hammered the Spectral villian, while Kwang Ghe kept the Death Mage at bay. The battle was furious, and seemed to drag on and on. Khazm poured dark attacks over the Demon, draining more and more of its energy, but the Demons hands lashed out repeatedly, slashing the heroes and knocking them back. Ginger tried to hold the Demon in a Ring of Fire, but the apparition slapped away the flames as though they werent even there. Remedy concentrated her own energies on fending off the wounds inflicted by the Demon, allowing the others to keep in the fight. The Demons attacks were vicious, but Khazm could deal out as well as take the damage. Weakened visibly, the Demon became more and more translucent, finally fleeing, shifting out of phase to protect itself.
Kwang Ghe and the Death Mage were locked in a pitched fight. The scrappers hands and feet lashed out with lightning speed, punishing the Mage. Dark blasts from the Mages wand ripped and clawed at Kwang Ghe, chilling him, slowing him down. Khazm leapt to his side and together they finally overwhelmed the powerful Circle Magician.
Kwang Ghe bent down, breathing hard, resting his hands on his thighs. Khazm could be heard breathing as heavily under the shroud that covered his face. Just as the heroes began to relax, Remedy was swatted forward, landing face first on the broken earth of the Fault.
The Demon had returned.
The Heroes once again fell upon the Spectral Apparition. Kwang Ghes hands and feet seemed to pass through the vaporous body, but the effect they had was obvious. Ginger, in a huge feat of skill and luck, managed to trap the Boss inside her Ring of Fire. Remedy had regained her feet and helped to distract the thing with mental attacks filled with anger.
Unable to flee this time, the Demon eventually succumbed to the attacks of the heroes, vanishing into thin air, dissipating into nothingness.
Was it her? Ginger asked.
No, came Remedys answer in her head. Evangelica is far too powerful a member of the Magi to be turned so easily.
Then we must move on, Kwang Ghe said. She cannot be far ahead.
The group continued down the Fault, following the unseen line of power that had been mapped out for them by the Magi. Deeper into the crevice the moonlight was blocked by more and more earth. The heroes moved slowly, careful not to let their presence known to anyone who might be watching ahead. Khazm, who was leading the way, held up his hand to stop the group.
I feel something, he said in a whisper.
Me, too, Ginger said. Theyre pulling a lot of power up ahead if we can feel it this far back, and its not a warm or fuzzy feeling either.
It is her, Remedy said. Or one such as her. I can feel a very strong mind ahead, female, fighting against something.
They moved up the chasm, reaching a ledge that dropped off twenty feet. Below were more Circle mages, and two Spectral warriors, smaller versions of the demon they had just faced. An Agony Mage oversaw this ritual, with three Soul Mages and two Thorn Wielders bringing the enemies to eight. They surrounded a woman laying on the ground, a gag in her mouth, hands tied behind her back. Even from the height above, the heroes could see the anger burning in her eyes.
Try to get them away from her, and I will free her, Remedy told the group.
Kwang Ghe and Khazm agreed. Ginger again protected the others with force bubbles. Remedy closed her eyes in concentration, and spread her arms low. A blue aura surrounded her, and the group felt the rush of energy, as though their stamina would last forever.
Kwang Ghe and Khazm leapt first, followed by Remedy and Ginger. They fell on the three mages leading the ritual, pushing them back with hard attacks. Remedy quickly freed the woman from her bonds, her healing aura spreading over the woman.
Evangelica stood and thanked Remedy. She stood just under five feet tall, with flame red hair similar to Ginger Blazes, and piercing, angry green eyes. She raised her hands over her head and a rain of fire began to fall on the Circle of Thorn.
Kwang Ghe and Khazm punished the villains with attacks as they tried to flee the burning rain. The Thorn Wielders were quickly subdued, the Spectral warriors fled screaming into the night, leaving only the three Lieutenants and the Boss to deal with. Working together, the quickly finished off one of the Soul Mages, then the next. The Agony Mage blasted them with energy, pain flaring throw the heroes bodies, but Remedys healing aura was there to help dissipate the attacks that slipped past Gingers defensive bubbles.
The fight was over much more quickly than the last, the powerful Blaster they had freed unleashing fiery attacks combined with the two scrappers overwhelmed even the Agony Mage with ease.
When it was done, Evangelica thanked them, and asked who they were.
We are part of the Onami Strike Force, Kwang Ghe said. He introduced himself and the others.
How did you know to look for me? Evangelica asked?
We have a friend who is a member of the Magi. She got word that you had been kidnapped. Heroes are searching several areas where the Circle are known to be. We were assigned Faultline.
Well, I appreciate you coming along. What security level are you?
Twenty-two, Kwang Ghe said, being the highest of his party. Why, what is happening?
Its probably above your skills right now, Evangelica said. They were talking about something involving the Warriors, and a super-Demon called the Envoy of Shadow being summoned to negotiate for a Prince of Darkness. Cadao Kestrel is an authority on the Circle, he will know more. Id better go talk to him. Thank you again.
Evangelica leapt to the sky, flying off quickly to the south, heading for the gate out of Faultline.
I believe PhoenixHawk knows Cadao Kestrel, Kwang Ghe said. We had better inform him.
Tales of the Onami:
Search for Evangelica
D. Heikes
Ginger Blaze leapt high up on the metal fire escape, trying hard not to rattle the old metal railings too loudly. She was five floors up, and had a good view around the corner of the old red brick apartment building. Down the alley between the building she was on, and another just like it, a deep crevice in the ground began and grew off into the distance. The fire escape she was on creaked under her slight weight, and dust fell from around huge bolts that held it to the crumbling building.
Further in the distance, Ginger could see where the ground had turned, and twisted. The upheaval that had created the Faults in the ground had torn this section of Paragon City to pieces. Huge chunks of earth sat at odd angles, tipping everything on them over. Many of the taller buildings simply could not stand up to the initial, horrific disturbances and had collapsed in on themselves. Most that had survived the initial quaking still could not hold up to the odd leverage caused by a tall and top heavy structure leaning at severe angles, and thus they snapped like twigs, their upper parts raining debris into the Faults or onto the streets below.
Rescue parties had moved in and tried to save as many of the citizens as they could, many of Paragon Citys Heroes had joined in the relief efforts. Unlike most areas of the city, however, no attempt would be made to revitalize the area now called Faultline. The damage was simply too severe. There was no known way to right the Earth itself after it had been fractured to this extent.
It hadnt taken long for the gangs that were moving on Paragon city to take up residence in Faultline. The Clockwork Kings minions had proliferated in the area, having found huge, unclaimed and unprotected metal sources in the debris from buildings, the twisted relics that had once been automobiles. The Circle of Thorns had found lines of dark power that ran through the Faults, and those areas they claimed as their own.
It was the Circle that Ginger Blaze had been sent to seek out. Kidnapped victims would be brought into Faultline through underground passages, their blood and souls used to summon Spectral warriors for the Circles dark plots. From her perch on the fire escape Ginger could see into the fault, without, she hoped, giving away herself and her teammates. A hundred yards into the fault was a known line of dark power, plotted and recorded by the Magi. Along this unseen line a cloud boiled out of the Fault, boiling with a sickening green glow. Even from her distance, Ginger could feel the pulsing energies being released, but worse, she could hear the screams of a woman rolling out in the cloud. The Circle of Thorn mystics surrounded their ethereal fire, chanting and channeling energy into the inferno. The woman hung suspended in the air, writhing in apparent agony.
Ginger leapt back to the ground, landing amongst the other junior members of the Onami Strike Force. Khazm moved next to her. The Scrapper was slight for the job he did, lean an muscular in his dark costume, his face hidden by a shroud. Behind him was Kwang Ghe, a scientifically engineered Martial Artist with jet black skin and glowing blue eyes. Stars were emblazoned upon his shoulders. A slight woman called Remedy Hart, and Empathic healer with psionic abilities completed the team.
There are eight of them, Ginger told the team.
They are fairly far into the ritual, came Remedys voice in her teammates heads. She rarely spoke aloud, but telepathically she could be heard nearly across Paragon City when she wanted to be. I am not sure we can save this woman.
We must try, Kwang Ghe said. Khazm nodded in agreement.
Ginger and Remedy both agreed as well.
Moving to the lip of the Fault, the heroes gathered. Fifty yards ahead of them the green fire burned, pulsing, sending out shockwaves of dark energy. Khazm could feel the power being used, it tapped into the dark nether where he drew his own strength. Above the fire the woman spun slowly, two Soul Mages working to wrest her soul from her flesh, a Death Mage presiding over them, ready to channel the souls energy when released. Nine Thorn Wielders formed the rest of the dark ceremony in a circle around the fire. Some knelt and bowed, adding their own strength to the ritual, others stood, arms waving slowly back and forth over their heads, in time with the pulsating energy.
Kwang Ghe flexed, the rest of his group able to see him about to burst forward at Superspeed. As his body exploded forward in a blur too fast to see, Khazm leapt hard and landed behind one of the Soul Mages, blasting him forward with a full body attack. Kwang Ghe didnt even slow down before he hit the other Soul Mage, launching a flying kick at Superspeed, the Mage went flying backwards, slamming into the side of the Fault, and dropping over the edge, deeper into the chasm.
The Death Mage reacted first to Khazm, channeling the pulsing energy around him at the hero, knocking him off his feet. The Soul Mage staggered away from the hero, and recovered enough to raise his wand and blast the hero with a beam of sickeningly green energy.
The energy enveloped Khazm, piercing him. Agony burst through his body, his eyes rolled back in his head, his back arched in pain. Remedy Hart suddenly was behind him, her presence soothing, her voice filling his head with quiet calm. A healing aura, the green of fresh leaves spread from her over Khazm. His muscles relaxed, the pain eased, his mind cleared just as the majority of the Thorn Wielders rushed him and the two women.
A Thorn Wielder grabbed Kwang Ghe from behind, raising the Thorn shaped blade that gave the villains their name over his head to strike at the hero. Kwang Ghes left foot slammed a side kick into the exposed ribs of the Wielder, sending him flying over the edge of the chasm behind the first Soul Mage. Another Wielder was right on the heels of the first, rushing the hero. Kwang Ghe spun and kicked the minion in the head, and immediately followed with a right foot roundhouse kick to the body that lifted the Wielder up and dropped him unconscious to the ground.
Ginger Blaze, a fire controller whos strength and control over the element grew daily, clapped her hands loudly, and explosion of tiny embers and ash surrounding the Thorn Wielders, blinding and choking them, allowing the heroes to defeat them one at a time. Remedy was using her psionics to distract the magicians with a mental scream that filled their heads. Several were fighting against the choking ash, others held their hands to their ears shaking their heads back and forth trying to silence the blinding mental noise. Khazm moved amongst the trapped Circle minions, rendering those that had not already dropped from the other attacks quickly and efficiently.
Youre too late! The Death Mage screamed over the noise of the raging fire. He laughed loudly as he raised his hands and the fire enveloped the woman. Her screams went from high pitched to hideous instantly, then shifted to a soul-chilling ghastly howl. Her skin seemed to dry up and shrivel, collapsing in on itself. As her body collapsed, it suddenly exploded in a rain of ashes, blowing the fire away with an almost cataclysmic burst of energy.
Where the ceremony had taken place now hovered a horror that chilled Kwang Ghe to the bone. His heat sensitive eyes could detect a void around the ghoul, as though it were sapping the very air of life itself. It was humanoid from mid-torso up, below that was simply a cloud of dark, vaporous energy. Huge skeletal wings flapped on its back, red fire burning in its black eye sockets.
The Demon swatted Kwang Ghe backwards like a fly. Landing amongst the broken earth near his companions, he rolled to his feet. He was about to rush the Demon when Remedys voice exploded in his head.
Wait!
Around him lay the unconscious forms of the Circle minions.
We must work together, Remedy said. Again the healing aura spread around her, pushing away the battle fatigue and pain from the heroes. Ginger folded the other heroes in bubbles of protective energy, warding away some of the attacks that would come their way.
Khazm nodded and said quietly, Ready.
Kwang Ghe nodded in agreement. Ready.
Ready, came the reply of the two women simultaneously.
The heroes fell upon the two Circle Bosses with fury.
Concentrating first on the apparition that had recently been a captured woman, they lashed out with combined attacks. Dark energy hammered the Spectral villian, while Kwang Ghe kept the Death Mage at bay. The battle was furious, and seemed to drag on and on. Khazm poured dark attacks over the Demon, draining more and more of its energy, but the Demons hands lashed out repeatedly, slashing the heroes and knocking them back. Ginger tried to hold the Demon in a Ring of Fire, but the apparition slapped away the flames as though they werent even there. Remedy concentrated her own energies on fending off the wounds inflicted by the Demon, allowing the others to keep in the fight. The Demons attacks were vicious, but Khazm could deal out as well as take the damage. Weakened visibly, the Demon became more and more translucent, finally fleeing, shifting out of phase to protect itself.
Kwang Ghe and the Death Mage were locked in a pitched fight. The scrappers hands and feet lashed out with lightning speed, punishing the Mage. Dark blasts from the Mages wand ripped and clawed at Kwang Ghe, chilling him, slowing him down. Khazm leapt to his side and together they finally overwhelmed the powerful Circle Magician.
Kwang Ghe bent down, breathing hard, resting his hands on his thighs. Khazm could be heard breathing as heavily under the shroud that covered his face. Just as the heroes began to relax, Remedy was swatted forward, landing face first on the broken earth of the Fault.
The Demon had returned.
The Heroes once again fell upon the Spectral Apparition. Kwang Ghes hands and feet seemed to pass through the vaporous body, but the effect they had was obvious. Ginger, in a huge feat of skill and luck, managed to trap the Boss inside her Ring of Fire. Remedy had regained her feet and helped to distract the thing with mental attacks filled with anger.
Unable to flee this time, the Demon eventually succumbed to the attacks of the heroes, vanishing into thin air, dissipating into nothingness.
Was it her? Ginger asked.
No, came Remedys answer in her head. Evangelica is far too powerful a member of the Magi to be turned so easily.
Then we must move on, Kwang Ghe said. She cannot be far ahead.
The group continued down the Fault, following the unseen line of power that had been mapped out for them by the Magi. Deeper into the crevice the moonlight was blocked by more and more earth. The heroes moved slowly, careful not to let their presence known to anyone who might be watching ahead. Khazm, who was leading the way, held up his hand to stop the group.
I feel something, he said in a whisper.
Me, too, Ginger said. Theyre pulling a lot of power up ahead if we can feel it this far back, and its not a warm or fuzzy feeling either.
It is her, Remedy said. Or one such as her. I can feel a very strong mind ahead, female, fighting against something.
They moved up the chasm, reaching a ledge that dropped off twenty feet. Below were more Circle mages, and two Spectral warriors, smaller versions of the demon they had just faced. An Agony Mage oversaw this ritual, with three Soul Mages and two Thorn Wielders bringing the enemies to eight. They surrounded a woman laying on the ground, a gag in her mouth, hands tied behind her back. Even from the height above, the heroes could see the anger burning in her eyes.
Try to get them away from her, and I will free her, Remedy told the group.
Kwang Ghe and Khazm agreed. Ginger again protected the others with force bubbles. Remedy closed her eyes in concentration, and spread her arms low. A blue aura surrounded her, and the group felt the rush of energy, as though their stamina would last forever.
Kwang Ghe and Khazm leapt first, followed by Remedy and Ginger. They fell on the three mages leading the ritual, pushing them back with hard attacks. Remedy quickly freed the woman from her bonds, her healing aura spreading over the woman.
Evangelica stood and thanked Remedy. She stood just under five feet tall, with flame red hair similar to Ginger Blazes, and piercing, angry green eyes. She raised her hands over her head and a rain of fire began to fall on the Circle of Thorn.
Kwang Ghe and Khazm punished the villains with attacks as they tried to flee the burning rain. The Thorn Wielders were quickly subdued, the Spectral warriors fled screaming into the night, leaving only the three Lieutenants and the Boss to deal with. Working together, the quickly finished off one of the Soul Mages, then the next. The Agony Mage blasted them with energy, pain flaring throw the heroes bodies, but Remedys healing aura was there to help dissipate the attacks that slipped past Gingers defensive bubbles.
The fight was over much more quickly than the last, the powerful Blaster they had freed unleashing fiery attacks combined with the two scrappers overwhelmed even the Agony Mage with ease.
When it was done, Evangelica thanked them, and asked who they were.
We are part of the Onami Strike Force, Kwang Ghe said. He introduced himself and the others.
How did you know to look for me? Evangelica asked?
We have a friend who is a member of the Magi. She got word that you had been kidnapped. Heroes are searching several areas where the Circle are known to be. We were assigned Faultline.
Well, I appreciate you coming along. What security level are you?
Twenty-two, Kwang Ghe said, being the highest of his party. Why, what is happening?
Its probably above your skills right now, Evangelica said. They were talking about something involving the Warriors, and a super-Demon called the Envoy of Shadow being summoned to negotiate for a Prince of Darkness. Cadao Kestrel is an authority on the Circle, he will know more. Id better go talk to him. Thank you again.
Evangelica leapt to the sky, flying off quickly to the south, heading for the gate out of Faultline.
I believe PhoenixHawk knows Cadao Kestrel, Kwang Ghe said. We had better inform him.