El Guapo Grande couldn't believe the utter PANDAEMONIUM present in this building! Since the little fellas were scurrying all over the place, the best option would be to eliminate the places they could scurry around in!
With that thought it mind, El Guapo Grande began charging at support beams for the building.
Xander was indeed right behind him. The Dark Nova touched down on the floor of the MAGI office and coalesced back into the young hero, who was breathing rather heavily at the moment.
For a moment he wondered if he was supposed to tell anyone other than Shadowstar what he had seen.
I've taken the liberty of informing the others, Stelleshand related, You have been granted permission to seek outside assistance, the entity told the boy. Stelleshand didn't want to worry the boy with the details it had learned. Besides, he would find out soon enough.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Holy hell, you have got to be kidding," Jon gasped as El Guapo Grande started smashing support columns. The seasoned Detective backpedaled to the entrance, unloading his shotgun in the direction of the Hellions.
An bad day. Many have joined me on this side.
The voice echoed in Azuria's room as the translucent form of After-Image manifasted. Once a young woman on the cusp of adulthood, she might have been pretty before being strangled to death and thrown into the Independence Port bay. Now her shredded clothes, pale grey-blue skin, tatterd hair and the brusing around her neck marked her as a ghost. Hovering peaceibly off the ground, After-Image turned the black pits of her eyes to Nena, Pariku and Ryuji.
You seek aid in ending of violence?
--------
Istaid of announcing her presence to the Freakshow and thier, apparent, ally. Svetlana Valyov, registerd under the name Rad Spike mearly sent an electron haze into the group followed by waves of harsh radiation into the Noise Tank and those around him that would weaken and slow them.
"Am always knowink that capitalism root of problem. For the collektive." She calmly stated. The armor bound Russian scientist, her black and red life-supporting armor gleaming as it held her in the air, said little more as her radiation scored lungs labored behind her rebreather.
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
"Hmph, ghosts...there's always ghosts...what's your story dead girl?" Ryuji huffed.
After-Image looked at Ryuji before shrugging.
Is not important. I am bound by violence and driven to end what I can. I do not know how long I have existed like this. Or how long I shall stay so.
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
"I guess we have something in common. Though I'm sure I've been around longer than you, given your clothes," Ryuji added.
"REGGIE!" Nena squealed, trotting over to Reginald with a bright smile. "How are you? How's Ruthie? Whatcha doing?"
Pariku, on the other hand, was analyzing the list. "Hrm....Quite a number of thefts, madame Azuria. If you will allow us, we can -"
He sighed, at the sight of Nena not paying attention, but lifted his head at the sight of Reginald. "Ah, Reginald. Good to see you."
The next moment, though, he was staring at Xander...
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
((...and the screen took on a boarder of flowers and light colored background at the two, man and boy connected on an intimate level...
Sorry. Couldn't resist. 
))
Pinnacle
Heroes
When in danger, or in doubt; Run in circles, scream and shout.
((Pariku: "D: That was uncalled for!" *harrumph harrumph*
Nena: "=D I think he likes you!"
Pariku: "<_< Nena. You're. Not. Helping."))
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Hmmm. We are well enough, but. . . we do not really bring pleasant news," Reginald said.
"Something serious has just occurred in Oranbega. To be honest. . . I do not really understand its significance. But. . . as best I can tell. . . someone has infiltrated the Circle of Thorns. Why. . . I really cannot say."
"Insane," she thought to herself, scampering off the rafter as it shook hard from the impacts of the oddly-dressed doorbasher charging into the beams supporting them. "Looks like it's time to get out of here before the roof comes down" And what is that cop doing following him?
Tulmut at the back door, a banging crash as... something... rammed a hole through the metal. A Damned launching fire at whatever it was, looking very worried. And someone else.
Raggedly dressed, not a Hellion. New player in the game? She watched from the shadows between two crates as the figure headed up the stairs running.
Searching...there. Pulling the shadows around her again, she stepped into them and appeared again in the dark recess to the left of the rooftop door, watching the raggedly dressed figure now heading up the stair toward her. Who, or what, is this?
The Countess drew power from the darkness and prepared to unleash it, her eyes darkening to jet black. "Nothing to fear from the darkness, little Erzsébet," she murmured quietly, "Unless you seek to escape from it."
"Oh, well, that's a shame...Oranbega's a HOLY HELL UNDEAD!" Nena suddenly screamed, whipping her sword off her back as it blazed. Her left hand glowed as she began to chant a prayer, the holy symbol on the chestplate of her armor beginning to pulse.
"Nena!" Pariku suddenly yelled, running to her and smacking the back of her head. "No turning allies!"
"But undead!" she whimpered, her ears laying back against her hair in a pout.
"DOWN. STAY." he snapped. Shaking his head, he turned his attention to Reginald, Xander, Ryuji, and After-Image.
"We do seek to end this violence. And it seems Madam Azuria has a list of tasks for us." Pariku said, lifting the list of stolen magical goods.
"Are any of them swords?" Nena asked miserably.
"Not the ones we're going after." Pariku answered, eyeing her warningly.
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Hmm," Reginald said, not remotely surprised by Nena's outburst. "So, MAGI is already busy. . . If anyone needs assistance, I would be happy to help."
After all, this had to be what the Oracle had brought him to Oranbega for. This was clearly his destiny.
The Hellions at the back door were thrown from semi-ordered counterattack into utter chaos as the door turned into a giant midieval flail torn loose.
What few remained shot, punched, and tired their meager fire magic, but it wasn't likely to do much.
However, that no longer mattered to the ragged figure as it reached the door to the roof. They had served their purpose, and 'Pariah' still had quite a bit of help to call on. A gang of hellions wouldn't be missed. They didn't know anything about the larger plan, but it was probably better to have them out of the way anyhow.
And the roof shook, termbling precariously as 'Paria' kicked in the loocked door with a lot more strength than his tall and lanky appearance would suggest.
Yes, it was time to get out of here...
---------------------
The Hellions were now in utter retreat - or to say it better, they were running scared, trying to get out any way they could, be it doors, windows, or the garbage cute...
---------------------
"Urgh!" was R0CK-0N's comment as the painpie struck him in the side, but the NoiseTank held his ground, going at the Wielder with his swiper arm as the other Swiper and Smasher Freaks closed in.
'Pariah', however, was deep inside the store, collecting all the tech he could.
Things were almost ready...
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Xander, nervous and uncomfortable as it was, shrank away from Pariku's gaze. The boy shifted from foot to foot.
"Uhm... I think the Circle of Thorns thing... uhm... I think they got beat at their own game. I've seen them do this con where they basically steal the soul of someone they're promising power to. But this guy turned the tables on them... Took the power and then killed Baron Zoria....
"But not just killed him, this guy... and he was dressed all in tattered robes and he was tall... well, this guy used one of those cursed soul-sucking thorn blade thingies..."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jon shook his head, there was no way he was gong to make a collar in this chaos. Not unless a task force just so happened to be assembling outside at this exact moment.
"Where's that backup," he barked over the radio, dropping the shotgun and drawing two 9mm's.
Ryuji grinned, "You honestly believe Baron Zoria would really be killed by the very same technique he's been using for centuries? He may be out of commission, but I assure you we haven't heard the last of him. But that robed figure you mentioned worries me."
Meanwhile, the Glorious El Guapo Grande managed to smash two more pillars. The building wouldn't hold out much longer and was already beginning to pitch.
"I... I don't know," Xander confessed in response to Ryuji, "I mean, there was just... just something different, you know? And, well, he did seem pretty suprised."
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Dammit, you idiot," MacMaetor shouted at Guapo as he began to collapse the hideout. the building gave a groan, and Jon gave up the fight, not wanting to be anywhere near the building when it came down.
He sprinted out of the building, yelling at his young partner to get the car ready to get the heck outta there.
"You'd be surprised too if someone jammed a knife into you," Ryuji said wryly.
To test his theory, Ryuji created a menacing looking ice spike and held it in a stabbing motion at Xander, then dissipated it.
"See?"
((Will continue with building collapse soon as I find out what's happening on the roof. 
))
[ QUOTE ]
"I... I don't know," Xander confessed in response to Ryuji, "I mean, there was just... just something different, you know? And, well, he did seem pretty suprised."
[/ QUOTE ]
"That I was." Zoria's dark and hertless voice suddenly came form the door as the Archmage walked into the MAGI office as if he'd done it every day.
He was strangely transparent, an none of the wards protecting the place had gone off, which was deeply troubling, and caused Azuria to request backup. She'd always had a few of the Lecgacy Chain on call, and it wouldn't take them long to get here.
"Calm yourselves." Zoria attempted to say normally, but it came out as more if hiss, "I do not seek quarrel this day..."
"If I had Force powers, vacuum or not my cape/clothes/hair would always be blowing in the Dramatic Wind." - Tenzhi
Characters
Zoria soon found himself faced with a glowing holy blade, words written in dark script curving around it in a decorative spiral as the paladin regarded him with green, critical eyes.
"Explain yourself." Nena said simply.
Pariku's hands had ignited, but he held ready, observing the magus critically behind his spectacles. "Indeed. Your appearance here provokes questions that require immediate answers."
Japancakes.
Art - Theme 005 - Seeking Solace
"Hey?! What the freakin heck, man," Xander dove to the side to avoid the knife, much to his own embarassment.
The boy tried valiently to salvage some shred of dignity as he picked himself up off the floor, dusting off his chest.
"Dude, you're such a dick," he glared in Ryuji's direction. "And you're missing the point. It's one thing to suprise a person on the street, but completely another to suprise someone...err.. something... uh... whatever, well it's different to suprise... Well, him," he jerked a thumb at the image of Baron Zoria.
He stared coldly at Ryuji.
"D'uh," he added as an afterthought.
"But you weren't expecting me to draw a weapon on you, were you?" Ryuji said, "It's the same principle."
When Zoria entered the room...
"When I'm right, I'm right," Ryuji turned to face Zoria.
"You being right doesn't prove anything, or help anyone," Xander said irritably, "And it doesn't make you any less a dick."
The Trolls smashed into a collapsing building.
"GAH!" One exclaimed, and they quickly dropped their homemade bomb and high-tailed it around and to the front, where they instantly saw the PPD.
"GAH!!" Another yelled, and the Trolls all dove into a dumpster, looking out nervously.
The bomb blew in the back door, weakening the building further.
((Trolls in a dumpster...AHH HERO! ...AHHH AOE!!))
((Statesman: Hi, I'm Statesman. I'm here to tell you about the evils of "Dumpster Diving...."))
"YOU CANNOT DEFEAT THE PAINPIPE WITH MERE SOUND!" Wielder shouted over the noise as slowing waves of cold started emanating from his body. "FOR SOUND IS A TOOL OF GOOD AND AS SUCH CANNOT BE UTILIZED PROPERLY BY THE FORCES OF EVIL!"
Lunging forward despite the air resistance from the sound wave and the crackling bolts of electricity dancing around on his armor, Wielder brought the Painpipe around for a smash at the Noise Tank's side.
Statesman said let there be heroes, and there were heroes.
Lord Recluse said let there be villains, and there were villains.
NCsoft said let there be nothing, and there was nothing.