Squatting in the deep shadow of the air conditioning unit, Etherburn sighed ever so softly. She pushed her blast googles up over her forehead to keep the stray locks of her bright auburn hair out of her face. Annoyance made her grind her teeth.
The plans were simple. Stake out the warehouse. Do recon on the Council inside. Sneak in and take out the peons. Innterogate the Archon on what the Center is doing. Report to base.
Obviously no one expected heroes. How could they not? 'Heroes' and 'Villians' alike are a plague upon this city. They're everywhere...like cockroachs.
Etherburn sat silent, shrouded in darkness as she listened to the events below. Her hyper-acute hearing could be a blessing in the field.
She should have, stress the should have, flown down and helped the Spiders. She was being temporarily 'employed' by Arachnos. Not that she had a choice in the matter. Enslavement would be a more acutrate term.
As she listened to the mammoth, armored man engage in the deadly blade dance, Etherburn thought about the events that brought her here.
She never asked to be kidnapped with her kindergarten class. She never wanted to be taken to a different dimenson through the portals. She had no choice. Being told for twelve years that your friends and yourself were being trained for a special meta-human task force that could save the world, how could you argue? Who wouldn't want to save the world?
How could they know that they were puppets, pawns to someone Etherburn had heard mentioned once, the Countess?
Her classmates and herself were rasied, trained, and fought together for years. They had watched some of their classmates perish, unable to survive the experiments and tests. The scientists wanted the best. Only the fastest, strongest, meanest, baddest survived. They began at a class of twenty five year olds and ended with only seven eighteen year olds.
She shivered as she recalled several missions into the wilderness of their world, hunting down and terminating the 'Ferals' that escaped or were released purposely for in-field tests. These 'Ferals' were failed experiments. They were once her friends but they didn't take to the genetic experimentations done to improve them. They were the ones who were too animalistic and no longer posessed human sensebility. Her task force had hunted down and destroyed beings who once six years ago sat next to her in class at the Compound.
Etherburn watched silently, body still as the man calling himself a Templar leapt gracefully onto a rooftop and meet the man calling himself Bladewolf. She listened disinterested as the two men did their heroic banter and plan an attack on the Council's hideout.
Maybe I should let them just clear it out for me. But if they arrest the Archon, I won't get to talk to him. Hhhmmm... Etherburn pondered quietly.
She could return to whatever loser Spider leader she was assigned to and give a false report. She tried and got nothing from the Archon. Heroes came in and she left the Archon to him. She had no alligance to Archnos. She could care less about this whole hero verses villian thing. She just wanted to find her friends, her team, and just...be. She hadn't quite planned the rest out. Finding the rest of her team proved very difficult.
She watched and then listened as Bladewolf and Templar headed into the building.
If circumstances had been different, Etherburn could be currently employed by the Council.
The heroes came one day to her world. They had recieved some report about a military training base through the portals. They raided her home. How were they suppose to know that these heroes were actually a rescue from the corrupt experiment they had been forced into? The heroes attacked their base and her team fought back. They were just defending their home. After a greuling battle and a few casualities...mostly on their side, her team was subdued and arrested. Without any questions, her team was tranqed, labeled villians, and split up to different incarceration sites. Etherburn landed in the Zig.
An explosion made her muscles jump at the sudden noise and made her ears ring. She gritted her teeth, waiting for the pain to subside.
It almost reminded her of the explosion at the Zig. Barely two days after she was brought to this world, her real home world, an attack took place on the Zig. A Spider broke into her special holding cell and set her free. He rushed her to an extraction point and away she went. Villian and escaped convict. It was a strange recruitment tactic.
Etherburn slide further back into her shadowed hiding place as a medic came to help the fledgling hero Bladewolf who took the brunt of the grenades. She smirked slightly.
Arachnos promised to help her find her teammates in return for services rendered, also in payment for her extraction. It's been fairly expensive, but she has no other choice. Who else will help her?
Which leaves her here, slinking around a warehouse, watching bumbling heroes botch her mission, getting a cramp in her calf from squating in the shadows. She heaves a deep sigh.
Listening to the two man plan their entrance point, she stands and steps towards the ledge of her buliding. The moonlight barely illuminates the small, golden accents of her black Justice styled uniform. She places her matching boot against the ledge preparing to fly to the next rooftop and engage the heroes.
Two extra sets of hands can't hurt. At least I won't burn myself out so fast then., she reassures herself.
They can't tell what I am just by looking at me. It's not like I have Villian tattooed across my forehead, besides I never asked to be labeled that. They decided it for me.
Gilda flinched a little when a muffled rumble came from a nearby building. PJ looked up at the sound, but didn't seem too worried about it.
"You're always hearing gunfire and explosions around here," the homeless girl shrugged. "The rebuilt area's pretty safe, but beyond that's still kinda a warzone."
The two returned to their meal for awhile, until another sound interrupted them. This time it was a car. Now even Gilda knew that a car amidst the cracked and buckled streets of Faultline was something very odd.
PJ had already rushed over to the window, Gilda soon joining her to look down at the black vehicle that was currently pulling up to the front of the building. The car was new and expensive looking, definitly not the type you'd see in the bad part of Faultline. And what was even more disconcerting was that the headlights weren't on.
Gilda began to feel a little uneasy, but PJ's reaction was much more animated. Cursing frantically she ran back inside, grabbing her bag and stuffing some things inside. Gilda followed her, utterly confused until PJ turned and grabbed her by the shoulders.
"Here, sit down," she said hurriedly, pushing the soldier onto the floor and throwing one of the blankets at her. "Wrap that around you and keep it over your head. D*** it, your hair's too clean," she mumbled. Looking around she suddenly picked up a handful of ashes and dumped them on the other woman's head.
"Hey, what's the idea," Gilda coughed, batting at PJ's hands in protest as the bald girl roughly rubbed the stuff into her scalp, causing her hair to clump and frizz. PJ just ignored her question, sitting down on her haunches in front of Gilda.
"Listen, some guys in suits are gonna come in here. They'll ask you questions about me. Just say you met me here last night while you were looking for a place to sleep, but I left earlier today. Try not to seem too coherent. They won't press you if they think yer a little mental."
"Yes, but what..."
"Please," PJ pleaded, grabbing her by the shoulders again. "I can't explain it right now. It would be really bad if they caught me, so please..."
She trailed off, looking desperatly at Gilda until the Arachnos soldier nodded. Giving a quick "thanks", PJ dashed through one of the doorways just as the sound of footsteps on the stairs reached her.
Effortlessly, Etherburn pushed off of the roof's edge and put her trust in her ability to fly. When she first learned that she could defy the restrainants of gravity, she and the scientists at the Compound questioned how she could fly, but no one could explain it. She can just fly. It's in her genes.
Silently and swiftly, Etherburn coasts to the other rooftop. Hovering near the edge, She clears her throat softly to get the men's attention and to announce her pressence. The layers of her vibrantly red auburn hair floated around her as she hovered. Her unique sea-green eyes stare cautiously at the two men.
" Never ask a warrior to remove his armor with an ensuing battle on the horizen. The time it would take to re-equip him could be costly. Besides, ventilation shafts are so cliche'," she replies landing lightly on the ledge of the rooftop, keeping distance between herself and the heroes.
" The skylights would be your best bet. There's always catwalks that can be reached," she smiles slyly, crossing her arms defensively over her chest.
" If you've seen one warehouse, you've seen a million. The designs are no different," she shrugs non-chaluantly.
She stares at Bladewolf, a corner of her lips tilting upwards slightly.
" The Council's far too stupid to put alarms on the skylights. No body ever bothers put alarms up there. People seem to forget that heroes can fly, jump, climb, and what not."
She steps gracefully off the ledge and moves a little closer to the men.
"The name's Etherburn and I think you boys need my helpin' hands. I can get you in through the skylight without much trouble," she glances wickedly at Templar as she raises a hand," objects and men alike melt at my tender caress."
She smiles wickedly as her hand bursts into flame, blazing white-hot in the center.
As the woman landed on the roof next to them, Bladewolf turned toward her. He smiled amiably towards her, "Hi, I'm Bladewolf. This is Templar. I'd offer to shake your hand, but..." Bladewolf nodded towards her flaming hand.
"We apreciate the offer of assistance. I am afraid I don't know too much about the Council. No alarms on the skylights? yeah, you'd think they would have what with the number of heroes that can fly and what not. " Bladewolf turned back towards the building.
"Seems we have our team. What say we show these Council what it means to take on the heroe's of Paragon city, hmm?." He grinned impulsively and with a strong leap, soared towards the offending building.
Halfway to his destination, a voice sounded inside his head, "Seems you have found powerfull allies young wolf. That is fortunate, mabye they can help curb your brash nature."
Bladewolf grinned a little ruefully, "ahh sensei, you worry too much." The voice sounds again only in his head, "Do I young wolf? Tell me, did you check to see if the roof was still unoccupied?" Bladewolf's smile slipped a little as he landed, quickly scanning the roof.
What ever anyone's opinion of the Council was, they were at least smart enough to place a guard on the roof. A Council soldier wearing the outfit of a Penumbra soldier and carrying an SMG was rushing towards him from across the way. Sighing in frustration, Bladewolf lept towards the man. He knew he had to defeat him quickly, before he sounded an alarm and brought the whole of the building ontop of them.
The soldier, suprised that the intruder would leap towards him, stopped and slowly brought up his weapon. That moments hesitation allowed Bladewolf to get in close. His mystical blade appearing in his hands as he landed, Bladewolf went into a spinning crouch and bringing the blade straight up, caught the soldier just under his right rib cage, slicing through to the left shoulder and lifting the man up off the ground. Quickly following the initial attack, Bladewolf brought his sword across in two quick slashes, hitting the Penumbra agent twice before he hit the ground. Using the flat of the blade, he then struck the soldier across the head, taking him out of the fight.
Bladewolf sighed again as the familiar voice sounded inside his head, "Remember young wolf...", "I know, I know, " Bladewolf interupted, "less brash, more caution. I will remember sensei." The voice chuckled softly then went quiet.
(Heads up, I'll be doing a Dark Mastermind named Mortanis)
Mortanis sighed as the news played some clip of some hero slicing through an Arachnos squad like a scissor through tissue paper. He switched of the television and started to pace around the room, wondering what he should do, his slim, lithe, 5'10 body gracefully avoiding the clutter that resided on the floor. Ever since Haliphar was caught by Longbow, I can't get the funds I need to continue with the process he thought. How ironic. Mortanis made up his mind to find his brute partner, no matter what. He's all I have left ...
Mortanis moved to the mirror in his room at the Blakmoore. His yellow and black outfit, cape and all, was in pristine condition. His bright yellow cat-eyes shown out through the dim light. "I'm gonna need to find something to hide these" he whispered to himself, sliding his hands down the horns that came out of his forehead and resembled those of water buffalo. A sudden rush flowed through his body, expanding and contracting. He fell and seized, his body convulsing terribly. A side effect from the experimant caused by an overexposure to the Nethe... were his last thoughts before darkness overtook him.
He woke a few hours later, brushed the dirt off himself, and promptly left the safehouse on the mission to get over to Paragon. As he was leaving, he noticed a small poster advertising a time and place for single people that were "unwanted for their gifts" to meet. Even we need some company once in a while he thought. Ever since his delving into time and space, and the eventual experiments with the effects of the Netherworld, he gained his distinct appearance that made attempts with women almost futile, his ability to channel a small amount of negative energy, and an aura that attracted followers. Those heroes on the news might lead me to what I need to stop these irritating side effects, and then rescue Haliphar. The one was named Templar. He waited down by the docks at Sharkhead Isle until the sky grew dark with twilight. After some persuasion, a homeless man handed over his coat and trousers to Mortanis. He smiled as he flew quietly to the back of the ferry, slumped down in a corner, and pretended to sleep with a newspaper covering his face and horns. And thus it begins...
The Mighty Templar bowed deeply in respect to Etherburn. "You seem quite capable and it would be good to have you along; we know not what we might face but it is better to strike with a closed fist, therefore, let us face these enemies in a most united fashion." The Templar's voice was deep, steady and seemingly unmoved by the beauty and power that Etherburn displayed.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement, he spun to his left in time to see Bladewolf carve up the Penumbra guard with deadly efficiency. "He has great skill," Templar thought, "though he needs discipline and maturity, there is no doubting his power..." Templar walked over to the body and checked out everything about it. He said quietly, "Nothing on him. No keys, no identity cards, nothing. Perhaps it would be better to get into this building through that old air conditioning unit over there..." The Templar pointed to an huge unit in very bad shape on the south roof. "We must think in creative ways to take any advantage we have to enter here, after all, if this one was here at the door then we can assume there would be more down that hall or room the door leads too. What do you two feel about this?"
As the ship arrived in port, Mortanis quietly shuffled to the back until he was out of sight and lept from the ship, gliding a few feet above the waves. On the shore he tore the clothes off, the stench being unbearable. In the moonlight he walked on the sand. enjoying for a brief moment the tranquility of night. Movement on his right caused Mortanis to spin around, his fists glowing dark with negative energy. A small child stared back at him with his hand on a half eaten apple lying on the sand. Mortanis calmed himself and, trying to coax the boy, pulled out a few bills.
"Do you know were I can find a hero called Templar?"
"Why?" he asked, his voice full of fear.
"I want to thank him for stopping those bad Arachnos guys from doing bad things. He was on the news recently."
"Oh, he was over a place called Faultline."
"And where is that?" Mortanis spoke while he got closer and went on his knee to look the boy in the eyes.
"Ummm, I dun know. I should go home."
"Thank you child" Mortanis handed some more bills to the boy. "Now, don't tell anyone that you saw me. I am an undercover hero like Templar, and if someone found out, more bad guys would come. This is our little secret."
"k, bye!" The boy started running towards the city.
What are you doing, you fool? He could ruin your chance to save Haliphar!
"He is no of threat."
Just like Charles?
Mortanis cringed at his name. The task at hand was to find out where Faultline was, not to find that miserable rat and make him pay for what he did.
Why do you continue on with your miserable existance?
"Halpihar is all I have of my old life. I need him."
Mortanis decided a good flight would clear his mind, so he promptly took off on the sand. He soared above the silent houses in Kings Row. He stopped to the sound of a fight below and to his left.
Maybe one of them knows where Faultline is.
It turned out to be a Skull and a Hellion, with both rolling on the ground in a succession trips, punches, and kicks. Mortanis grabbed the Skull by the sides of his face and twisted sharply. A crack, and the man slumped to the ground. The Hellion tried to run, but a quickly thrown trash can resolved that issue. The Hellion tripped and landed with a thud on his front. Mortanis walked over to the young man. He pulled out a knife and stabbed Mortanis in his abdomen. Mortanis hissed, pulled out the knife and absorbed enough life force from the Hellion to seal the wound. The man gasped for air as he felt the warmth from his body disappeared. Motanis lifted him by the collar and shoved him against the side of a nearby building.
"Answer me truthfully, or you'll end up like your friend over there" Mortanis snarled.
The Hellion simply gurgled and nodded.
"How do I get to Faultline?" Mortanis let the hellion down, but with his right arm in a steel grip.
After a few coughs the Hellion replied "First stop on the green line."
Mortanis started to leave, then turned and spoke in a voice cold as ice. "Tell anyone I was here, and you will wish you ended up like him" He motioned to the dead Skull.
"What are you?"
"I am not to be crossed." Mortanis flew until he spotted a condemned building, landed, and slunk inside for some rest.
(I'm a new RP-er so forgive me if I'm 
.... Well lets see, oh an my guy will be an 8 foot tall Dark Defender: Dark lizard (or his real name "Shiva"))
A howl fills the night sky, and the beat of wings can be heard by the many citizens of fault-line.
Shiva the Archmage, in his natural form of a giant winged lizard, prowls the night sky.
He smells the blood of the unjust, and comes to investigate.
he sees a man fully dressed in black, shaking, and running for his life. Lizard blends into the darkness and flies to meet the man.
After watching him jump and spin on his heel, he grabs him with one of his claws and turns the man to face himself.
"What is it that you fear?" Shiva says as drool drips from his jaws..
... (waves his hand and a shadowed, unidentifiable figure appears to his right)
Stares into the terrified mans eyes, waiting for a response...
"If you do not yet, i suggest you learn to fear my and answer my question!"
"He...a... A huge ma-man in-in-incapacitated my men..."
The man points vaguely in the direction of the man.
A huge explosion sounds and "Shiva's" shadowed partner leaps to protect him. He tosses aside the man and slowly continues in that direction...
After a short time, he finds himself at a warehouse where a small boy and a fairly tall man are speaking.
He watches as the boy suddenly whips out his sword an attacks an approaching foe.
"Their souls do not smell of the unjust..." Lizard mumbles to himself.
He slowly walks out from behind the box he had been hiding behind, just feet from the women he hadn't noticed before. He smells a darkened soul and growls at her, staring at these people he announces himself.
"I am Dark lizard, Mage of the dimension of Ivore"
He casts a dark healing spell on the injured boy
"What are your purposes, and do you two need any assistance in the Downfall of those morally unjust?" purposefully ignoring the women
His dark partner appears and captures a nearby hiding foe in Heck-ish tentacles
After resting, Mortanis found his way to the monorail and followed it as the Hellion said. He now found himself in Faultline.
Now to find those imbeciles who waste their gifts.
Mortanis was quite anxious to track down these heros. More news clips revealed that Templar had gained some comrades by the names of Bladewolf and Etherburn. The first priority should be finding any remnants of the squad, and interrogating them.
The ground was still stained with blood, the bodies having been removed. Mortanis was still unimpressed by the work done by the two heros. A squad a Wolf Spiders is nothing. He studied the traces of the battle, and remembering the news reel, he noticed that several squad members had not been killed. One seemed to have fallen, gotten up and run from the scene, and another pulled away by the shadows. Interesting. Money talked, and some more bums pointed him towards a building where it was apparent a guttersnipe lived, but one that could fix up a place to be livable. Now Mortanis, let's not try to hurt anyone if you don't have to. He knocked loudly on the front door and asked if anyone was home. He waited for a response.
PJ had been absolutely right. No sooner had she disappeared into the confines of the building than six men came walking calmly into the room. They were dressed in impeccable black suits with sunglasses obscuring their eyes. Gilda had the uneasy felling that they all looked the same, but maybe it was just the identical clothing.
"Excuse me," one of them said after studying her for a moment. "We're looking for someone. Female, about 5'6", no hair. We'd appreciate any information you can give us." The man flashed an official looking ID.
"Um... yeah," Gilda answered slowly, taking PJ's instructions to heart. "She WAS here. Met 'er last night when I was lookin' for someplace to sleep. She took off this afternoon though. Said she had someplace to be."
The six men seemed to consider this for a minute or two, some silent communication passing between them as they glanced at each other. The one who'd spoken before seemed about to ask another question, but was suddenly interrupted.
[ QUOTE ]
He knocked loudly on the front door and asked if anyone was home. He waited for a response.
[/ QUOTE ]
Again, the six men glanced at each other.
"Go see who it is," the leader said calmly. Two of the group left for the door. "Stay here and do not move." He instructed Gilda before turning his back on her. "Search the building."
The remaining four men set off into the rest of the building in search of PJ. Gilda stayed where she was, hoping that her new friend had found somewhere good to hide.
=========================================
The door opened to Mortanis, revealing two men in black suits with perfect, slicked back hair. They regarded him calmly with no threat in their expression, though their eyes remained hidden behind their sunglasses.
"I'm sorry sir," one said. "We're with the government. I'm afraid we're conducting a search at the moment."
"Can we help you with something?" the other added. Their voices remained unthreatening, though they WERE standing directly in the doorway.
Mortanis was surprised to see the other men standing in his way. "Yes you can. I am looking for someone, and they seemed to have stopped here. I am a liaison for a private firm that is interested in this subject, and I am authorized to do what is necessary in order to find them. So, if you don't mind, let me through." His voice was calm and powerful, and the last part was said with a slightly menacing tone. While talking, he spied inside the building another man with the same outfit talking to a young woman.
This is going to be interesting. If need be, I'm sure you can incapacitate three.
Mortanis folded his hands behind his back, his fists starting to glow black...
[ QUOTE ]
"Yes you can. I am looking for someone, and they seemed to have stopped here. I am a liaison for a private firm that is interested in this subject, and I am authorized to do what is necessary in order to find them. So, if you don't mind, let me through."
[/ QUOTE ]
"I think we've got a problem," one of the men said, though it was obvious he wasn't talking to Mortanis. He tilted his head as though listening for something, but the only sound that came was sudden muffled shouting. Somewhere in the building crashes and bangs started to sound.
Gilda looked toward the noises, afraid that the four men had found PJ. The two men at the door looked at each other and then back to Mortanis.
"We don't have time for this sir," they said, their voices a little harder now. "We are government officials going about our business. Now please leave." One of them stepped forward, reaching out and arm to push Mortanis away from the door.
"We don't have time for this sir," they said, their voices a little harder now. "We are government officials going about our business. Now please leave." One of them stepped forward, reaching out and arm to push Mortanis away from the door.
[/ QUOTE ]
Mortanis grabbed his arm, the negative energy from his hands flowing into the body of the man, draining his life force. The strength flowed into him, and as his power grew, he smiled and said "That was very unwise. Now, I am giving you a choice. Leave while my patience is still tested and you will live. If you don't, and still stand in my way, you will die. I am not to be trifled with."
"Hostile encountered," the remaining agent stated business-like, drawing a weapon from his jacket. The thing was silver in color, a bit larger than a handgun, and crackled with energy when the man activated it.
At the same time, the drained agent spasmed shortly. His limp hand suddenly came back to life, latching onto Mortanis' arm with a grip of iron. His glasses had fallen off during his fall, and as he raised his head the villain could see that where the man's eyes should have been, there were just two empty holes. metal circuitry ran around the inside, making them look like two large wire jacks.
The agent at the door lifted the weapon, pointing it toward Mortanis. As the second agent began reaching into his jacket for his own weapon, the first one's fired. Deadly blue energy lanced out toward the mastermind.
Mortanis was hit square in the chest, causing him to fly backwards into some garbage in front of the building. The blue energy hurt. Alot. Mortanis flew a few yards away and called up his servants from the Netherworld to help rid himself of these pests. A total of seven creatures began to phaze into the material realm. Three were lowly little things, used mainly to swarm opponents and act as a barrier between Mortanis and whoever he was fighting. Two were more powerful, carrying swords of Dark Steel and limited ranged capabilities. One was a spirit, translucent with bright red eyes, and the last creature was large, and covered in black robes. "What is your bidding, Master?" said shrouded figure.
"Kill these beings Svagthose, but please, quietly this time. Screams will only attract unwanted attention."
"By your command" replied Svagthose.
Now these are my kind of odds. What perplexed Mortanis is how these... how they managed to track down the Arachnos soldier before him, and their desire to find him. Mortanis began to level the field of battle by channeling negative energy into the ground itself to weaken his foes and strengthen his minions. When I find their leader, I'll rip out whatever powers these beings myself.
The two agents' expressions never changed, even as the undead minions came at them. The weaker ones weren't too dangerous, and the two men tore into them with their crackling weapons and punches too powerful to be altogether human.
And had it been just those first three creatures, the agents would have made short work of them. But these minions were more for shields, cannon fodder, distractions. And they performed their task well. As one agent batted aside one of the decayed servants that was clawing at his arm, one of the large swords severed his arm cleanly at the shoulder.
The man didn't seem too upset by this, however. He simply reached down to his fallen arm, which was leaking a luminescent blue liquid on the ground, picked up the gun from it's limp fingers, and resumed firing.
But resilient as the two agents were, the odds were just too stacked against them. Blue energy flashed and crackled, tearing apart undead flesh, dry as papyrus. But it was only a delay. One solid push from Mortanis' stronger minions and the two men would be overwhelmed.
((Okay Tart. Go to town on 'em. Once they lose enough bits, they'll go down for good. 
))
Bladewolf shrugged, "Skylight, vent shaft, either way is fine with me." He walked over to the shaft and looked at cover. It was a grate that was welded onto the outside of the shaft, but the shaft itself was made to be removed, probably to allow someone to fix or repair the air conditioning unit. A large fan was just above the opening of the shaft, which looked like it would be moved with the shaft itself. A large opening just beneath the fan led into a vent though from here Bladewolf could not see the end of the passageway.
He then walked over to the nearest skylight. Carefully peering over the edge, he saw a group of three council soldiers walking along a catwalk. They seemed to be patrolling and shortly walked out of the young warrior's line of sight. The skylight itself was made to open and the "door" seemed to be large enough to accomadate all of them. There was a simple padlock on the latch.
Returning to the others, Bladewolf informed them of his findings. "I can see the advantages of either route really," he said, "though I myself am partial to the skylight. In all fairness though, I have been accused of being brash and reckless, so what would you two like to do?"
(Thanks! 
)
Mortanis tended to his chest wound as his minions overwhelmed the two synthetics. The blue energy blasted through his chest plate and burned his dark grey skin underneath. I'm going to need to get Facemaker to fix this back at Cap. Although his opponents could withstand injuries that would have killed a normal many times over, the persistence, numbers, and ferocity that came with the Netherworldly creatures proved too much. As they were hacked to bits, they did manage to take down his lesser creatures. No matter, I can always summon more. As Mortanis kneeled on the ground, the Necromantic energy flowed back into his body, rejuvenating his system and healing his burn.
"Master, what is your will?" replied Svagthose when the synthetic humans were completely destroyed.
"You may return, but stay alert. I may need you again soon" replied Mortanis.
"As you command" were the only words that escaped from the glimmering air, and then Mortanis was alone.
Mortanis walked over the bodies, then turned and picked up the head of the one who shot him. This may be useful later. He walked into the building to where he saw the woman, his right hand in a shimmering cloud of black, deep purples, and blues. His left hand carried the head, which still leaked the blue fluid.
Etherburn silently followed the young hero and the armored mammoth. She stepped gracefully over the fallen Council solider, ignoring him. She stood staring at Bladewolf as he examines the air conditioning unit. She tilts her head to one side as she listens to the racket beneath their feet.
She hears the perfectly trained march of three men walking the steel catwalk. Each step rings in her ears. She moves to the skylight and crouches next to the lock. She flips her long hair over one shoulder before placing an ear against the glass. She closes her eyes in concentration as a world of sound forms in her mind.
Etherburn could never figure out why she was given hyper-acute hearing but chalked it up to her mutated genes.
She could hear every breath, every heartbeat. Each tiny sound formed a symphony in her mind. She slides a gloved hand down the glass to the padlock. She traces her fingers along the edge of the window casement to the corner, eyes still closed as she focuses on the electrical hum of the security wires.
" Not as stupid as I thought. Someone down there is fairly intelligent," she barely whispers.
She focuses on the alarm wires, laying a single finger along the window seam. Etherburn relinquishes herself to her powers. A chill runs up and down her spine, making her shiver ever so slightly as her pores opened up and released the 'wind' from within. A warmth crawled up from the center of her body, burning it's way to her finger. With barely a thought, her fire seeps out, white-hot, into a paper-thin lance. Etherburn listens carefully as she directs the fire mentally through the seal and fuses the wires together. She releases an relaxing breath, eyes opening with a smile as she disables the alarm.
Etherburn sits back on her heels, grasping the padlock with one hand. She smiles smugly up at Bladewolf as the lock melts instantanously in her hand, drops of molten lead hissing against the concrete roof. She stands gracefully, stepping away from the skylight, rolling the molten metal between her hands, heat vapors wavering in the air around her hands.
Cutting off her powers, she opens her hands to show a glowing lead sphere, perfectly formed.
" Alarm's cleared. Time to go to work, boys. Those soilders should be back through in ten minutes at most. We need to move fast on the catwalk. The walks usually lead to an office, so we can start there and work our way down. The Templar should go first since he's heavily armored. He'll also provide cover for the rest of us. Bladewolf you can go second. I think you being stuck between two more experienced...warriors might prove benefical for everybody," she smiles easily," Which leaves me last. Since I'm a ranged fighter, this will stop me from hampering you two and from making myself a bigger target."
She starts to absently toss the ball between her hands. She really missed her team. They were so well trained that they never needed to plan. They could go in and know who was doing what and going where. It was wonderful.
Etherburn glanced between the two men, a corner of her mouth frowning slightly. She hoped they would listen to her. She was use to being the leader. Her tactics and assualt manuevers always provided sucessfully. She hoped they could aid this group.
" Don't worry about me keeping up, but don't leave my sights or I can't heal you," she replies, looking pointedly at Bladewolf.
" Ok. You guys ready to ruin the Center's night?" she smiles playfully.
Distracted by the fight at the door, Gilda hadn't noticed the blanket fall away as she stood up. Her Arachnos uniform wasn't exactly welcome in Paragon, especially by most super-powered citizens.
As Mortanis entered, she pulled out her sidearm and leveled it at his head. She was well aware that it was a fruitless gesture. The man could probably kill her before she even pulled the trigger. Still, to her credit, she kept her hands from shaking.
"What do you want?" she said as dangerously as she could. He didn't exactly LOOK like a Hero, but you could never tell now-a-days.
Mortanis held up his hands, dropped the head, and the cloud surrounding his right hand up to his wrist fizzled into nothing. I wasn't expecting a woman to be the sole survivor.
"All I want is to talk. I won't hurt you unless you do something drastic, like your friends at the door."
Mortanis knew that if worst came to worst, he could remove her, but the thought irritated him. It's been so long since... He shook his head. No, these thoughts are not right for this time or place.
"My name was Jonas Reaga, but now people call me Mortanis."
"Talk? About what," she asked skeptically, though her shoulders relaxed slightly. The fact that he wasn't immediately trying to arrest or kill her made the situation much more hopeful. Not a Hero or a madman. Things were looking up.
[ QUOTE ]
" Don't worry about me keeping up, but don't leave my sights or I can't heal you," she replies, looking pointedly at Bladewolf.
" Ok. You guys ready to ruin the Center's night?" she smiles playfully.
[/ QUOTE ]
Templar nodded in approval to Etherburn and said in low voice, "Nice work young maiden. Now listen close. I'll drop down first, Bladewolf, you cover my left shoulder flank, Etherburn, if you can hover, then do so just above us and cover us. I am a Templar, and I can eliminate my enemies as sure as any Saracen, Samurai or Paladin, but I do have my weaknesses. I am not what heroes call a "Tanker" I believe is the term but I can wield my blade as surely and deadly as the greatest knights whose spirits dwell in me. Therefore we must work as unit and know when we have to retreat if necessary." The Mighty Templar looked at each of his companions and for a moment a glow in the helmet where his eyes would have been could be seen. Perhaps this encounter with the Council would be the start up he would need on his journey to find himself.
The Mighty Templar then drew his beautiful, yet deadly hand and half Templar sword and jumped down into the vacant area below...
Grinning with youthfull exuberance, Bladewolf followed his friend into the hole. Landing softly on the catwalk, he quickly scanned the surrounding area. The walkway continued off in two directions, the area behind them went for about twenty feet before making a ninty degree turn to the right. The area in front of them continued for 40 feet before reaching a raised plateform and ending with with numerous computer consols and display screens. An ominous orange glow seemed to radiate from the screens but no more so than the large screen in the center. This screen showed a map of the entire region, in excating detail with some sections of the reconstruction area marked with small red and white x's.
Bladewolf started to head for the computers when a voice sounded inside his head, "Brash young wolf" Stopping, Bladewolf continued his scan, this time looking for soliers or other people he may have missed on his quick scan.
Bladewolf smiled up at Amberk, "no, I think that about covers it. No more charging through doors. Thank you again for your help."
With a final wave, Amberk silently flew off. Bladewolf turned back to the diagram drawn of the building. "Hmm, do you think you could fit into one of those ventilation shafts? Otherwise we'll have to go into a skylight, and those usually lead into rooms full of people. Well, at least they do in the movies. Plus, it's more likely to be alarmed than the vent shaft is. I've had enough of the alarms for today." Bladewolf grinned.
"Yes, if we can fit your armor through a vent shaft mabye we can take at least he top floor by suprise. What do you think?"