Moth Cathedral

Ray who was already in mid air from his jump had a hard time coming to a stop as flames erupted from the ground, and it did give him that slight 'Uh-oh' as he realised that this could get to be rather taxing. He was in luck however that he didn't get burned to a crisp as the hounds left the flames and went after the Centurion.

Clumpsily he dove right down in the middle of them, emerging nearly instantly with a war like bellow as he proceeded to flail at everything in his vicinity with his big arms, a savage green tint shining through his mask.

As the Air bourne Dragon had swallowed Pious, Shadow hesistated. His tactical mind told him to let the Dragon destroy Pious, as this would weaken his foe and let the weakling finally be put to rest.But where was the fun in killing an opponent like Pious in such a way. It would put a hamper on his games in this world if he let the old man die here, like this. So many undefeatables in this world, and now an incorruptible? Shadow would not yeuld his prey to another now.

He put to rest his spear and called forth his full rage. Flying with all speed at the back of the Dragon, Shadow grabed whold of one of it's wings and pulled, hard. Using all his strength, the man of black and red with the burning aura of pure evil, began ripping the wing from the Dragon's back.

It was then that Shadow realised his mistake. A single itch had formed at the back of his mind but his anger had caused him to ignore it. Now he was vulnerable, and what was worse, He was upon him. A second spear, comprised of Black and Gold, struck Shadow from the Dragon.

"You will not harm that beast any more!" Came the cry of the Blade Racer.

When she realised that the big explosion had subsided, Patsy rolled to assess the damage, only to be greeted by fire-drooling hounds and a defeated smirk from the caster.

"Uuuuuuh-huh." Patsy responded. "Not much of an end there, Captain Japanimation. More like one of them cliffhangers at the end of Star Trek or summat. Where they flash up 'To be continued', ya knaa?"

It was then that she launched herself onto her feet again and charged in once more, making a grab for a lone one's jaw as she advanced like a raging bull.

The swordsman who had leapt into the air and brought his weapons down upon an unsuspecting hell hound found himself successfully piercing through it's skull, shutting down what little brain functions the mad dog had left. As the fray was joined by the clumsy savage man, his flailing arms clobbered to death three of the giant hounds as they leapt towards him, their lifeless bodies sprawling across the church grounds. The white-aired brawler who charged in after a mouthful of funny criticism, displayed great strength as the muscled dog fell limp to her jaw-breaking grasp, even knocking over the remaining five dogs in her bull-rush attack. Enraged, the mindless hounds charged in once again, bone-crunching teeth flashing dangerously, flesh-slashing claws outstretched, ready for the kill.

Up in the skies, the injured dragon struggled to stay airborne. It shrieked endlessly in agony of the pain coming from it's torn wing, causing the second dragon below to even look up in what would appear to be concern for it's helpless kin. As the two flying figures faced off, the dragon seemed to fall, but slowly and gracefully, as though something or someone was guiding it's descent. Furthermore, a person with good hearing, should they focus, might even hear the sounds of Latin words being chanted, somewhere inside the bowels of the falling dragon. "Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas, omnis incursio infernalis adversarii... In the name of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, I exorcise you..." Or perhaps more startling was the great black smoke that billowed from the dragon's left ear as a result, slithering away as though it were some dark and demonic living soul.

At the cemetery, the soldiers repositioned their weapons and trained it on the freezing dragon. They took aim and opened fire, sinking ammunition deep into the defenceless beast, grounded and trapped in that cone of icy, snowy winds. From the distance came the whirring sirens of emergency vehicles. An ambulance emerged from the dense fogs, followed by fire-fighters and a SWAT police van, all lead by two familiar police cars.

"There they are" said one of the cops, stepping out of his vehicle and taking cover behind his side doors. "See? I told you I weren't crazy! Dragons and demons! Came outta nowhere and took Eddie's head clear off his shoulders! Captain better have them SWAT deal with this, 'cos Lord knows I ain't paid enough to get eaten by no God-damned Godzilla! Whatchya say Jim?" Just then, as though on cue, the frozen dragon began to topple. All twenty-feet of it, now bullet-ridden and bleeding profusely. With an all-mighty crash it slammed into the ground. The soldiers had done their job, but something inside them just didn't feel right.

As the fire dragon fell, Sarkh rose, plodding forward across the wet grounds of the cemetery. Walking on all fours, his pace was sedate, yet sternly purposeful at the same time. He still didn't know the significance of every piece on this board, and he wasn't one to act rashly. However, there was one force here he was fairly sure the removal of which would speed things up a little. And if not?

Well, he'd always enjoyed zapping demons.

Thus as a fine layer of mist began to roll off his sapphire scales and spread over the ground about him, the storm clouds above spoke once more. The lightning storm had been given the go to assault the hellhounds - and it did so with immediate and ongoing enjoyment...

Shadow was sent flying by the force of Blade's attack. He quickly recovered, but looking around saw that he was quickly becoming out numbered, and in odds he did not favour at this point. Without another word, Shadow took his leave and fly with all haste back to the Rogue Isles. He had seen what he needed in any case.

Blade let Shadow flee the scene. There were more pressing matters at hand. Blade surveyed the scene below. The falling dragon with black smoke coming from one ear, Blade could clearly see the demon and with a single burst of dark energy and muttered chantings, audible to anyone with good hearing, of "Maker, send this parasite back to the depths from which it has been summoned".

With this, Blade turned his attention to the men below. With in seconds he landed infront of the frozen dragon, his yellow and black demonic suit transformed into his shining white silvatian armour. The effect looked similar to an angellic warrior. "Everyone is to stand down, the situation is being controlled officers and it would be best if you left it to us to handle. What ever reason you have for being here, say it and trust we will deal with it as it should be dealt with."

"Alas, poor Yorick!" Patsy declared as she stood on the spot, following a lengthy skid to halt her charge, and held the hound unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of her grip by its jaw, staring it in the face. "I knew him, Horatio."

Turning her attention from the down-and-out captive hellspawn in her hand to the remainder currently baying for her blood, she then tossed the monster up into the air gently (relatively speaking, given her strength), just high enough for her to grab its tail with both hands.

"He was a right prat and all!" she finished, hauling the beast around her in a single 360-degree pirouette of blunt force, in the hopes of knocking a few of the oncoming beasts across the face, before bringing the hound back over her head and crashing down onto whatever was left.

Captain Harlem, ex-member of the New Heroes Union; Commander, ex-member of the military hero group R.A.P.I.E.R.; Sentinel associate member of the Foundry, Captain, Crusader and Dante, all members of the Priest Corps stood together, proud of their good work, yet ashamed of what it had cost. They surveyed the scale of the devastation -- fire everywhere, being tackled by the firemen, craters and tunnels in the earth. They were just wondering how long it'd take mother nature to recover when suddenly, the last dragon swooped by, sixty-feet long, much larger than it's sibling and clearly injured from it's struggles. It delivered from it's mouth, onto the rain-soaked mud, a semi-conscious Priest who was still housed in his now burnt and broken Crusader armour.

"Fly gracious" the Priest muttered, watching the great dragon disappear over the Cathedral. "Fly and be free of your demon masters, once and for all." He looked around him and noted the paramedics rushing to his aid. The police were there too, talking to the Blade Racer, who he guessed had taken care of the now missing Shadow and the demon he'd exorcised. "Blade" he called out, as he was lifted into the ambulance. "The police are here for Ray Hammerfall, he's violated proper immigration laws, not to mention whatever records of previous crimes they may have on him. I'm guessing the SWAT team came to help out with the demons. Tell them they're a little late. I'm going to leave with the medics now, see you at tonight's Nighthunter's meeting alright?" he whispered, looking around at the battle scene. "And er, we'll do well to keep quiet about what's happened here, at least until we know more on who's after me this time."

Just then, the storm took another turn for the worst, firing down strong bolts of lightening upon the remaining hell hounds in the church yard. Together with Centurion's bladed strikes, Ray's foot stomps and the super-strong whirling and slamming attacks of the white-haired brawler who Priest now recognised to be the one and only Patsy Crusher (killer of Tomb, the murderous little girl who tried to kill all vampires), the five giant hounds stood no chance. They were fried and crushed by lightening, slammed and smashed by blunt force, stomped on by giant feet and stabbed through and through by skilled hands. Finally, the fight was over and the air fell silent. Priest looked on from his stretcher, hoping to catch the eyes of the mismatched heroes who'd basically just saved his life, with the exception of Patsy Crusher. He would just pretend she wasn't there. "Thank you guys" he sighed, "I would not have survived this attack without your help."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that just yet were I you." Sarkh remarked with a sinisterly patient tone and exactly the same sort of grin, regarding the Priest slantways as he walked past almost leisurely, gradually stretching his great wings into the horizontal, "If I think about it hard enough, my reason for being here is to kill you. You seem to have a marvelous penchant for making the most sordid of messes."

Oddly enough, his motions spoke entirely to the contrary, for the storm subsided, and the sapphire-scaled dragon himself did little more than take flight, rising vertically into the air bit by bit, a little further with each downward thrust of his huge wings. True, the winds generated were quite forceful, but not much stronger than the downwash of a heavy LAV.

Without another word, he set course skyward over the Cathedral. If nothing interfered, he would disappear in the same manner as the fire dragon. If something did, though...well, he wasn't in any hurry...

Blade nodded at Pious' words and turned to the Officers. "Well if thats all Officers then please stand down. This is a Cathedral and Ray seems to have sought out sanctuary. As such he is in our custody until he can be returned to the Isles. Im sure you have other more pressing buisness to look to than a battle already finished. Should he cause more trouble I assure you he will be delivered to you. Thank you for your assistance and for taking the trouble of coming here to help us."

Having dismissed the police, Blade turned and walked over to Ray and Patsy, his shape changing back to his more human image robed in the classic Nighthunters armour. "now then, just what on earth are you two doing here? and the truth please, im not really in the mood for lies today."

Ray dumped down on his behind, his arms slumped down over his knees. He took a few deep breath as the tint disappeared and he took off the mask, he looked pretty beat up. Despite that, some of the marks he appeared to have sustained during the battle already seemed gone. Now, his body also shrunk down to its normal size, he dusted off the remains of the torn tank top, leaving him topless.

"Look" he said between a few heavy breaths "I'm just 'ere t' see someone, 'kay? I ain't done squat, an' I sure dunno what these friggin'... vampires wanted 'was just tryin' not t' get my **** kicked."

He lifted himself up and gave off a quick heavy breath, insinuating that he was back in the game.

"But pretty good work, was fun. Pound it!" he said as he stuck his fist out to the other two

Overly condescending as the hero had seemed, the police Captain on site took heed of his words and moved over to converse with the Priest. A short while later, he approached the illegal and criminal entrant Ray Hammerfall and laid into him. "On behalf of the Talos Island police force and the people of Paragon City, I thank you for your heroic work here today. But, you're still under arrest. I've made arrangements with our mutual friend Reverend Hunter who will take charge of the case. You will have to stay with him, our friend Blade Racer here or any other Nighthunter for the next few days until your court date. I figure they'll give you community service instead of prison time, make you save the city again like you did today. You'd be subject to home detention and electronic monitoring, but the good news is, while Talos Island and it's heroes all have their eyes on you, you'll be allowed to see your sister. See you in court, big guy."

As the captain walked off, one of the officers walked by and served Ray with some paperwork, reading out his Miranda rights in the process. "Ray Hammerfall, you're under house arrest for illegal entrant, assault on a public servant, damage to public property, disturbance of the peace and suspicion of involvement in the abduction and attempted murder of a public servant. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say or do while in hero or police custody can and will be held against you in the court of law. You have the right to speak to an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. Understood?"

The Centurion watched the scene unfold around him, these were simple details, it wasn't his place to alter these things, his job was to look at a much bigger picture.
He placed his sai's back in his belt, walking towards his swords he opened a small bracelet on his wrist, pressing a few buttons before closing it again.

Picking up the swords he swirled them around once, sliding them back into their sheaths.
Turning towards the group once again he made to speak before thinking better of it, rubbing the crack in his visor, he smiled slightly one last time before a portal through time burst open where he stood.
He pushed his cloak out of the way before stepping through, the portal closing up behind him as if he was never there...except for the very large scorch mark on the floor atop the magical symbol he used.

"Man, I save yer ***** an' ya still throw me in the slammer. Cheers" Ray replied, clear irony in his voice.

"Look, can someone get me a shirt or somethin'? This place is chillin' my friggin' bones"

The Sentinel took the policeman's paperwork and nodded to his fellows in the Priest Corps to go ahead without him. He took his flack jacket off and kindly offered it to Ray, throwing it around the man's huge shoulders. "They said you're not going to the slammer, pal, Priest has made sure of that" he explained, leading the man out of the damp weather, towards the Cathedral doors. "Instead, you'll be staying with the Reverend or the Nighthunters while they keep an eye on you, but you'll be allowed to see the person you came to see. It's not so bad, really, is it? I mean, you have caused a whole lot of trouble here in the past."

Ray gave off a faint "Huh" as they came closer to the cathedral. His head was swayed all way backwards as he looked at the huge building.

"So, whaddya gonna 'ave me doin' then? Confess my sins? Make me hand out flyers on the nearby street corner eh?"

Patsy simply watched on as Ray was dragged off in the direction of the cathedral, bearing a somewhat surprised look on her face ((See final panel (clicky))) after what had just taken place before she had even had chance to refuse the man's fist-bump.

"Ooo-kay," the immortal quietly commented before she turned to face Blade again and let out a mock sigh. "So, we've established he's a right pillock, then. Any more daft questions, elflord, or can I just bugger off and get on with more important matters?"

Blade looked at Patsy for a few more minutes, but having not been present at Tomb's murder, he had never seen her before. Still he wondered as to just who she was.

"I'd still like to know your name Miss, and a way to contact you incase your needed again. We need all the help we can get these days after all and you seem able to take care of yourself." Blade asked politely, hoping the woman would be truthful.

Blade took the card and nodded at Patsy.

"Thank you, im sure this will come in useful sooner rather than later. But i can see im keeping you from your work so I will thank you once more for your help here and let you be on your way." Blade looked over the card a few times and waited for Patsy to leave.

Patsy simply smiled before, scorched hoodie in hand, she super-leaped backwards, away from the scene, with little else more to say as she disappeared into the thick fog other than:

"Toodles!"

((Over the holidays I will be revitalising this RP project, among others.))

Original post: http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showt...61#post4324361