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"Feeling it yet, Lizzy?" a voice chuckled behind her. Leon leaned casually against the wall, as unmoving as a fixture. "Feeling that slight worry that, hey, the world is starting to not give a damn? That, actually, your just a vulnerable as any idiot mortal?"|
Originally Posted by Liz Bathory
Elizabeth was struck by horror of her captives dissappearing like that... again she made a mental note that once more the castle's security was not enough. Then her attention went to the wounded traitor. She struck her claws to his chest with full force then pulled back holding his heart in her hand. "Idi0t!", she said... making a quick check around.
She saw her servant of darkness being followed by Shannon who had some bruises but had a beaming smile... "Shannon is oke Miss Elizabeth..." The man she once knew as Project Leech was lying motionless on the floor... his blood spreading out in a big pool. Elizabeth didn't even looked twice at him. "Shannon, the prisoners escaped... find all who are still loyal and make sure they are allright!" She stepped a bit aside so she wouldn't stand in the blood. "I will seal off all exits right now!" Outside the army of zombies started to change tactics from offensive to defensive... Blocking all entrances... Inside Elizabeth walked to her Sanctum Sanctorum. She opened a grimoire and stroke a ebony crystal orb. An ancient incantation further the orb began emitting the same energy that only recently created the black viewscreen in front of the castel. But this time it went to all exits... all entrances... all windows... filling up every crack... The effect was slow and tedious... and very visible... But when it would be finished the whole mansion would be like a ebon vault. Magically sealed. |
The grin vanished and for the first time Leon looked deadly serious, the smile lines moving aside to give a sense of the age behind the thirty-something appearance. Not as ancient as Lucard, maybe, but still something who had taken lifes fuller measure.
"Don't ever believe you are more powerful than others," he said quietly, eyes glowing. "Assume that, and you will fall. The same as every other idiot; human, vampire or otherwise; who has assumed that in the past. In the end, the world is concerned more with Balance than anything else. Egypt, Greece, Rome; the ancient histories teach it pretty plainly. There will always be a balance. And vampires are no exception."
The seriousness vanished as he stood up with a grin, lighting a cigarette calmly.
"Now, I get the feeling I've outstayed my not-so-very-welcome. Toodle pip," he smirked, flicking ash on the floor before air sliced and he was gone.
He reappeared outside the building above ground, with a somewhat sickly crunch just as Bathory's shield finished enclosing the place. He hit the road and rolled a little awkwardly, looking down.
"Ahh...@rse," he mused, teleporting a second time.
This time he rematerialsed on a building a few streets away, propping himself up against the edge of a duct and watching as his right leg slowly grew back from a perfectly severed stump. Suddenly he began to laugh.
"Well...that little excursion nearly cost me an arm and a leg..."
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Originally Posted by Zwillinger
GG, I would tell you that "I am killing you with my mind", but I couldn't find an emoticon to properly express my sentiment.
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Originally Posted by Captain_Photon
NOTE: The Incarnate System is basically farming for IOs on a larger scale, and with more obtrusive lore.
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Bozeman grunted once. Pious definatly was a strange one. Even when told the only reason he didn't attak was because it was pointless (and unprofitable), he sill found time to thank Bozeman.
He was about to press the emergency release, when Suraya screamed, and the hold was filled with spectral soldiers. Releasing his mace from it's holding compartment, he managed two swipes at the attacking spectres, cleaving through one before another connected with him. The impact knocked Bozeman back, and the emergency release switch was triggered.
It took him a couple of seconds to figure out exactly what had just happened. One moment he was swinging at an immeterial, but dangerous enemy, and the next he was watching from the outside as the flier streaked off, an open hatch in it's side already starting to close
"Crud"
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"Blade...? Is that you?", she spoke softly...
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Originally Posted by Blade Racer
Silvas took off his helmet and gripped Suraya's arms tight, holding her still. His eyes glowed golden and Blade's voice spoke from Silvas's lips. "Calm down Hun, its alright, its us, friends, your safe Suraya, she cant hurt you now".
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- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
From Silvas's body, Blade spoke to Suraya. "Its me hun, i'll be with you shortly dont worry. Your safe now, Pious is with you, and the others. Trust me" He smiled through Silvas' face at Suraya
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Not far behind the flier, Blade's corrander suit, with his unconcious body inside it, had tracked the Nighthunters amulets to this flier. As the suit began to draw level the emergency escape hatch opened and an Arachnos agent fell out. Following Protocol, the suit dove and caught the agent by his leg, carrying him easily back up to the closed hatch which the suit began to bang on.
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Back inside, Blade said "Its me Pious, open up".
Suraya laid back against silvas, a small tear rolling over her cheek... still shivering. The Phantom army started to destroy the craft!
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
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"Rachel open the hatch and let Blade in, I think he's caught Bozeman" Pious called out, fighting off the phantom army with his own phantom army. Even with due respect to Suraya's skills, Pious was confident in the superiority of his illusionary powers. He pushed on to disperse Suraya's accidentally conjured spectrals, the integrity of their escape vehicle was at hand.
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Originally Posted by Blade Racer
Back inside, Blade said "Its me Pious, open up".
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Rachel recovered from Suraya's collision and was relieved to see Silvas attending to her. She did as her husband asked and rushed over to the emergency button, pressing it with all her weight. "I'm all for family reunions but erm, we really should prepare to leave" she warned, watching Blade's alien suit pull the Bane Spider back into the flier. "I see a couple of problems with Arachnos flying over the states, never mind overshooting Steel Canyon but Longbow blowing us up into bit and pieces of flesh and metal is really not how I wanna go."
The golden glow faded from Silvas's eyes and he let go of Suraya, letting Blade take hold of his wife and pull her out of the flier, drawing her spectrals with her. Blade and Suraya dropped away from the flier and Blade unlocked his helmet, letting it close into his suit so he could kiss his wife, their decent slowing until they came to a complete stop in midair, Blade holding his wife close to him.
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Back up in the flier Silvas called out "right everyone who cant fly grab someone who can, get ready to jump out when Pious gives the signal. I must return to the Ilses to make sure things are cleared up, Thank you for your help, i really do appreciate it, I will see you soon". And with that Silvas jumped from the flier and began heading in the direction of the Isles.
Suraya looked at Blade and suddenly came to her senses... "Allah be merciful! What have I done!" She instantly removed the army hoping the damage was not too great.
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
Bozeman grumbled as he pulled himself back to his feet. Why did everyone have to be so heroic all the time? One thing he knew for sure whas thet, if the roles have been reversed, he'd have let the guy in the suit fall.
His HUD flashed up as he did a survey of his suit's systems. Stealth was fried, and he'd dropped his mace, but armour integraty was good, ghostslayer gear stil attached, and at least an hour's worth of fuel in his backpack. Something told him that he would need every once before the day was out just to get back to his barracks
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Pious gave the signal and with practised perfection, the Nighthunters dove from the Arachnos craft. A revitalised Misty Hunter made good use of her angel wings, holding her one-armed and unconscious Elven boyfriend Morilanthi close to her bosom as she shot earthwards. The inquisition into his berserker rage would have to come at a later time. Morrighan Spireside held the technopath Altair Stevens close to her and eased the wind into a controlled descent. Alena Corvas helped carry down Sabrina's body and Zaisha lifted the boy David. Damsel flew with Laya, keeping a close eye on her daughter Hazel who was surprisingly confident, flying earthward with her new friend Mary. Like six rockets plummeting to earth, the twelve of them shot through the late afternoon skies; quickly catching up to Blade Balfear and his new wife who were sharing a classically heroic end-scene kiss mid-air.|
Originally Posted by Blade Racer
...everyone who cant fly grab someone who can, get ready to jump out when Pious gives the signal.
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"Sorry about any damage to your carrier Agent Bozeman" said Pious, standing on the edge of the exit hatch. "But before we part ways I must know this; something doesn't add up with that extracting teleport. I'm pretty certain Castle Bathory had dampening defences in place so an exit like that would've required a close-proximity connection, a physical presence. Not to mention the teleport itself was distinctively magical in nature, though so far, I haven't been able to trace the energy source. Let’s be honest... you are helping us cross the ocean... but loyal or rogue, it wasn't Arachnos who saved us today, was it?"
Bozeman stood by the access hatch next to Pious, watching all the others evacuate the Arachnos flyer. Although it was annoying to admit, the preist had a good point. "Standard patrol craft don't have access to such pinpoint transport devices, no. Maybe personal carriers, but not this. And, if such tech had been rolled out organisation-wide, I woulda heard about it. One thing I can say for sure, is that very few groups I've worked with in the past could get their hands on this stuff"
Taking a step back, he pulled out a submachine gun from a concieled armour compartment. He would probably be needing it before he reached the Isles again. "But make no mistake here, pal. I ain't rescuin' you. Just got pulled up 'cos of bad timing, is all. An' I don't intend to stick arnound an' find out who'se really behind alla this!" He barged past Pious and dived out of the hatch, his packpack opening into a jetpack. "Ain't no cash in it fer me!"
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Pious looked even more confused as the man he thought was his rescuer suddenly forsaked him. If there was anything he actually hated, it was being in a situation he couldn't calculate. "What in the Heavens is going on here?" he asked himself, free-falling out of the hatch just seconds before it locked. Bent on finding some answers, Pious fights the strength of the wind and propels himself forwards, aiming to even up with the flier and glimpse at the pilot's identity.
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Originally Posted by Gorbaz
...make no mistake here, pal. I ain't rescuin' you. Just got pulled up 'cos of bad timing, is all. An' I don't intend to stick arnound an' find out who'se really behind alla this!" He barged past Pious and dived out of the hatch, his packpack opening into a jetpack. "Ain't no cash in it fer me!"
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"Er... guys?" Rachel reported over the amulet. She'd been the first to break through the wall of clouds. "I'm not seeing Steel Canyon here... just plenty of ocean and a lone cargo freighter." The mother of one sighed heavily. Just when she thought the nightmare was finally over, turns out they weren't yet out of the skies.
Meanwhile in Kings Row Hospital.
"I cant belive he survived lying beneath all that debris." One nurse said to the other nurses.
"The doctor said it was because of that strange armor he was wearing, it kept him alive. But his arms and his left eye were badly injured."
Next to the nurses, on a hospitalbed, laid unconsciously what seemed to be a cathumanoid. His arms and the left side of his face covered with bandages.
The nurses kept whispering quietly to eachother.
"When they found him, his arms seemed to be covered with burnt fur and his hands were covered with blood, as if he had tried to first blast his way out and then dig himself out."
"Have the police found the ones who blew up the apartment?" One of the nurses asked carefully.
The other nurses just shook their heads.
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The freighter was their only choice of suitable landing so with Morrighan Spireside influencing the winds in their favour, the Nighthunters descended gently onto the ship. The blue-skinned night elf approached the crew members diplomatically, "Afternoon" she greeted. "Excuse the peculiar arrival if you can. My friends and I are heading stateside. Please tell me you're going that way. We could really use some good news today."
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Originally Posted by Damsel_EU
"I'm not seeing Steel Canyon here... just plenty of ocean and a lone cargo freighter."
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One of the crew members gave a casual nod as he observed the ragtag bunch of heroes and their relatives.
"Yeh'd be those Night'unters then. Follow me, we've got ya a spot where yeh can rest. We'll be in Independence Port before yeh know it"
An underground bunker beneath Talos Island
Micheal awoke with a start. His muscled screqamed at him as he got up but ignored the pain and walked to a nearby computer console, dragging the bedsheet he was wrapped in so as to keep himself decent should anyone find him. The console showed the Cap Au Diable news crew outside Castle Bathory. The screen was fixed so that it was looking at the sky just beyond the reporter's head. Showing almost out of sight was a small ball with what looked like a T eched into its under side. "good morning Micheal, its been a while" said a voice from the speekers on the computer "admiring your friends handy work i see".
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Nighthunter's Journey Home|
Originally Posted by Bunny
"Yeh'd be those Night'unters then. Follow me, we've got ya a spot where yeh can rest. We'll be in Independence Port before yeh know it"
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A few of the hunters exchanged telling looks, immediately catching on to the suspicious behaviour of the crew. Rachel tried to remain optimistic, hoping the man was a friendly. A non-bounty hunter simply attuned to the activities of America's superheroes or more specifically, the Nighthunters. She disengaged from Laya and guided her daughter Hazel safely along to follow the ship's crew to this 'rest' spot. "Thanks" she said, making conversation. "I'll make a few calls on my cell and let our friends know we'll be porting into Independence. They'll get a car ready to take us home. I'm Rachel, what's your name?"
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The slightly dishevelled man in his mid-thirties gave a nod as he heard the woman's name. Straightening his plaid shirt as he made his way slowly and carefully forwards to avoid any stumbling from the people behind him, most didn't look like they had sealegs. "'m Freddie, Freddie Henderson" He introduced himself before glancing down at Hazel amd smiling "Cute kid" He remarked in an offhand tone as he led the group past crates marked to destinations throughout Paragon City "Although I bet she's a handful, I know mine were at that age"
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Originally Posted by Damsel_EU
"Thanks" she said, making conversation. "I'll make a few calls on my cell and let our friends know we'll be porting into Independence. They'll get a car ready to take us home. I'm Rachel, what's your name?"
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Rachel felt a little easier. Now that conversation had been established, the man didn't seem so threatening. "A handful? Believe me; this one is worse than a handful. She can be a real headache, I tell ya" she replied, with perhaps more annoyance at the kid than necessary.
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"You don't seem the least bit shocked to see us mister" the little girl cut in. "You wouldn't happen to have been expecting us would you?"
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Originally Posted by Bunny
"Yeh'd be those Night'unters then. Follow me, we've got ya a spot where yeh can rest...
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Freddie gave a grin at the question.
"Yeh've a sharp mind" He told the girl with a nod. "Yeh are on our list'f 'cargo' fer this trip. Were expectin' a less grand entrance but the important thing's that yeh are safe now"
Moving around a particularily large crate addressed to The Foundry's base in Talos he lead the group to a makeshift but comfortable and secure area of the ship. The area was decorated with a ragtag assortment of bolted down surfaces to make sturdy seating and a few beds. A few of the surfaces were covered with blankets and a scattering of cushions.
"It's not the Ritz but should serve yeh for the rest'f the trip"
"I'll set up a nice little illusion for a more pleasant trip home" said Zaisha, settling into the makeshift stay area. "Hate feeling like a smuggling immigrant."
"This crate is addressed to the Foundry?" asked Altair, having come to. "Could it be that they had this whole rescue set up to rescue the rescue team?"
Silvas took off his helmet and gripped Suraya's arms tight, holding her still. His eyes glowed golden and Blade's voice spoke from Silvas's lips. "Calm down Hun, its alright, its us, friends, your safe Suraya, she cant hurt you now".
Laya watched and hugged her daughter tight, shielding her from harm as the spectral entities began attacking.