Sinegard Academy for the Wayward

[milkmaiden38]

Angela

“Teagen Nightwind is correct” Angela agreed as she came out of the kitchen carrying weapons. “About 25 zombies and almost twice as many skeletons and there’s a giant zombie as well.” She told everyone as she tossed Angus and Gem their swords and guns. She had her sniper rifle, and this time, her grenade launcher as well!

“Anyone, want to do the “legolas and gimli” body count thing?” Angela asked

“No” Angus growled as pulled out his great sword “You have a grenade launcher!”

“Let’s go” Gem said trying to get Angus and Angela to focus on protecting the house.

“Teagen, you can cover air attacks. We’ll take out the zombie and skeletons. I suggest one of us on each corner of the house” Angus suggested

“Warn us about any leakers” Gem asked Teagen.

As the Minotaur went out into the dark night, he could already see the approaching horde.

He BELLOWED his challenge to them, which surprisingly stopped horde for moment

“Was that necessary?” Gem asked, her ears ringing from Angus challenging yell.

“It’s what minotaurs do” Angus replied

One of the skeleton’s head shattered. Angela’s sniper rifle was responsible.

“That’s One” she said. The shot triggered the horde to attack. They screamed in response and descended upon the house. These were fast moving zombie and skeletons.

Another went down.

“That’s two” Angela called out, but she laid her gun down, as the horde was getting too close.

Angus just stood his ground, waiting for the horde. Then they were upon him. The Minotaur’s great sword was swinging back and forth in a powerful rhythm the first few zombies which approach him were chewed up and spit back in small pieces!! There were more screams and a bigger number of them attacked Angus; again, the same results … cleaved zombie parts sprayed all over the yard. Angus was an anchor and he did not move!

Gem was using her M4 shotgun, which took down two skeletons before she added her flaming bolt magic to the defense of the house. She was almost over run, but an arrow from above the house, killed the skeleton. The shotgun blasts lit up that side of the house, and filled the air with smoke. When she was out of ammo, she pulled out her singing blade. The blade worked well on the zombies, but the skeletons were a problem. She was just barely holding back the attackers. Someone needed to help her and quickly.

Meanwhile, Angela did not use her grenade launcher, instead she switched to her long daggers. She moved so fast; it was hard to see what she was doing. She’s thrust a dagger into the head of a zombie, and then moved to next one. As the first zombie fell to its knees and stopped moving.

There were innards, skulls, arms and even one legs around her. She fought differently than Angus, but she was no less effective, even against the skeletons.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Teagan
Flying above Teagen harrassed the enemy with Sniper shot. A careful use of True Strike with several of his special tipped arrows blew chunks from the Half-Giant Zombie. One to the head and one taking out a knee slowed it by half speed.

When he spotted the head spiked Box Wielding individual with it's rather gruesome allies he used a Cantrip to tell the leader of the defenders. He assumed it was the big breasted ground walker with the heavy boom stick.

"Six Elite's. Magic. 300 Meter's North by North East." As it was he'd barely seen them as the residence was between the elite's and the rest of the group.

Landing on the roof he let loose with an arrow, taking a zombie's head off before it could take out the ?half-human? Half Cow? Ground walkers were strange.

 

[Wayne_Wilder82]

The fresh candy paint gleamed off the hood as the first 10 seconds of Van Halen’s “Running With the Devil” pulsed through Van’s van’s sound system. He put his foot to the floor and the engine came to life, the headlights looking like the eyes of some great hungry beast. He mowed over several skeletons which shattered and virtually returned to dust upon impact apart from one half torso which got stuck to the front bumper and stayed a while as an unwilling hood ornament. He squelched through about a half dozen zombies as well, fishtailing the rear of the vehicle , temporarily blending them into the Metal Mural painted on the side. Eventually the glass began to smudge and break in places and visibility became nearly impossible. He did a donut or two in the professors flower garden in order to clear him a few moments space.

As he stepped out of the drivers seat, music still blaring, he plugged in his guitar amp and climbed to the top of the van. Even louder he played along to the tune. A large part of the hoarde turned their attention away from the house. “That’s right meat sticks…come to daddy!” The guitar was supposed to have been his final project for this term’s bard college finals…but…fuck it…. This was waaaay more fun. He removed the strap and replaced it with a bandolier which clicked into place beneath the pick guard…Van played again but this time a hail of bullets sliced into the hoarde which were now encircling him. A deluge of brain matter and gore fell mutilated as the maniacal visage of Vans devilish face grinned with each muzzle flash. He laughed out loud as he knew each one that he was able to take down, was one less that made it to the house…to his friends…to Ravyn.

He felt the ground rumble as what remained of the half Giant-Zombie lumbered towards him. Someone had gotten off some pretty good shots on him already. He looked rough… and pissed off. About that time Van heard the clicking that let him know he was out of ammo for the guitar. The half giant grabbed the van and with a loud groan, shook Van from the roof and lifted it cleanly from the ground. Van crawled back a bit at the sight as this behemoth raised his precious ride high above his head like some 1980’s boombox. Van could feel the hoarde closing in on him from all around, and the shadow of the half giant loomed even closer…Van looked into the creatures one good eye, the other still dangling by the socket… “Ah Cher..you don’t have to “Say Anything”…… laughing at his own terrible Pun…Van held up his hand and flipped open a remote primer. He squeezed the trigger as a high pitch whine emitted from the back of the van. Then ….there was nothing.

The others watched with ringing ears as a huge explosion and fireball engulfed the half-giant and those of the hoarde that had been lured by Van. A small crater filled with fire and bone and twisted metal… but no flesh…no movement…. no Van

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

M'Kael
Stepping out the door way M'Kael sli the helm into place. He'd already shoved the rings on his fingers just in case they did anything useful.

The sword sang through the air as he waded into the hordes of undead. It wasn't actually singing singing, but the way it sliced through the air was music to his ears.

When Van ripped through the Horde, he missed M'Kael by a few feet, ripping the flower garden into a mud trail that would piss of Martha Stewert.

It also separated M'Kael from the rest of the group. Forced to retreat away from the half giant and the Van he kept removing heads, and arms with a rather clean efficiency. The Blade had to be magical, it wasn't get stuck in a skull, shoulder, or rib cage.

And something big hit the ground behind him. Turning quickly, he expected a second half-giant. But not the Dark shadow that loomed over him.

"Oh, shit." He gasped looking up at the Big Black Monstrosity. A Black Dragon? What the fuck? When it opened it's jaws and lunged towards him he realized two things at the same time. It wasn't exhaling, and it was made of shadow.

Oh, number three, that fucker was big enough to eat him in one hit. Oh... this was bad. He could feel the piss warming his leg as the Dragon Fear Aura swept over and filled him.

The jaws closed over him, and the beast launched into the air, with unnatural grace it rolled over and flew back the way it had come.

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem and Angela

Gem Devonshire knew she was going to die. They were just too many skeletons. She had fought well. She had given it her best. But it was just not enough. She felt bad, not for herself, or her family, but for Ravyn. Ravyn would be caught completely by surprise when the skeletons killed her.

As the two skeletons overpowered her, she could hear the divine music of heavens. It kind of sounded like Van Halen’s “Running With the Devil”. “What?” she thought that makes no sense at all? Then the skeletons stopped attacking her and stumbled off towards the music.

Then she realized what had happened. “Van, just saved my life” she said to herself.

In a flash, Angela was next to her.

“My advice don’t tell Van he saved your life. That little devil might want something in return” Angela counseled. “Now we have a bigger problem… Nail-head is back!”

“FUCK” Gem swore.

“Let’s go” Angela said, as she ran toward Nail-head’s location.

“What is the plan?” Gem asked running as fast as she could to keep up.

“We talk to him… like civilized people… then we kill him!” Angela said with a smile. Handing Gem a grenade

They arrived next to Angus. Who was between Nail-head and 6 other creatures and the professor’s house.

“The house is warded. You can’t get in” Angus explained.

“Let’s talk, maybe we can come to an agreement?” Angela suggested, as she arrived not even out of breath. “What is it that you are after?” She asked.

“Besides… Your little box is broken” She added waving her hand, and cube in nail-head’s hands shifted and changed. “I would not use it until my little shadow friends are removed from inside the cube.”

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

The Engineer
"We are sent, we are paid. We fulfill the duty we are tasked with." He said, the spikes in his skin moving as he spoke. The weren't just decoration, they were physical items that hd been driven into his face and skull, the agony must have been intense. As he spoke and moved his glossy black leather robes and body armor glistened in the fading light and the fire from Van's Van exploding. His clothing, as well as the clothing of his companions all shimmered, glistening like it was... wet.

"Bring us the girl, and we will leave." he intoned. His voice was deep and exotic enough to be romantically seductive. It would be so easy to just hand her over, after all she was a self-centered bitch that didn't care about anyone or anything. She thought she was too good to hang out with anyone in the group. She was a snobby rich bitch is what she was! Just hand the little fucking bitch over and they'd be left alone.

"With her, we withdraw from this place and interfere with you no more. We only want her."

Skulking along behind them and to the side, moving for optimal tactical advantage was another entity. Hidden in the shadows by its mimetic carapace it blended with the shadows and its surrounding better than even M'Kael.

Lifting its weapon, it took aim at one of its primary targets. The Arrow impacted the scope, shattering it as it drove deep into the constructs ocular interface. The finger mechanism engaged and fired. Ut the weapon had been shifted by .002 degree's, sending the blessed holy round through the target's hair instead of her forehead.

Adjusting the construct reoriented and fired. From the sky was a scream, and Teagen slammed into the ground, he'd been shot through Metacarpus of the left wing, meaning he could flap it to stay airborne, or to even stretch it and glide.

Grunting as he climbed to his feet, the wing dragged on the ground, he couldn't even fold it back to protect it as his Hawk Familiar attacked the enemy sniper. Aiming into the darkness he used his connection to the familiar to send crippling arrows into the sniper.

As all this was going on the Engineer was playing with his cube, using it to attack the shadows within. Oh, they'd leave or be trapped within for eternity to dance at his whim.

His Allies played with their own specialties of course. A whip, razor disks, a thin wire that would burn through even a demon's neck.

"You could join us, after we have the girl, and this bounty is complete." He said looking at Angela, "We'd show you the delights of pain, and the pleasure that hurts until you beg us to continue."

Kneeling the one known as Teeth, or Chatterer, grabbed a zombie skull the eyes still moving as it looked for something to eat. Biting into the skull he ingested its brain, savoring the pain and suffering it had endured in life, and afterlife. His tongue flickered out to lathe at it's own face, enjoying the tangy brains and ichor for a moment. It chittered for a second, its teeth smashing together.

"Your numbers a dwindling," The Engineered commented with a smile. "You're down to three. When we kill your bodies, I'll make sure to find your souls in Hell and bargain for them. I'll make your torment exquisitely delightful. Your screams will be music for the Dark gods."

 

[milkmaiden38]

Angela

“I’m a bit disappointed.” Angela sighed “as the villain in this tale, can’t you at lease gloat about the evil plan your master has for Ravyn? Come now, you owe us that before you kill us” Angela pointed out.

She waved her hand. “My shadow friends are no longer in your cube. It is now perfectly fine to operate” Angela said with a very evil grin on her face.

“And two more things… Can we match or beat the price you were paid?” Angela asked.

Then Angela grabbed Gem “And… how about I give you Gem instead of Ravyn? She is also a self-centered, rich, bitch that is too good to hang out with anyone. She is a snobby too”

“WHAT?” Gem and Angus both yelled.

Angela put her strong hand over Gem’s mouth.

Angus was about to protest more, when Angela turned on him “SHUT UP ANGUS, or I’ll break Gem’s neck” she said, followed by a wink in her eye furthest from Pin-Head

The minotaur stood still, but his huge great sword was ready to kill Angela.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

The Engineer
"We are not contracted for her. Our target is specific. Although if you give her, body and soul, we will provide you with a short reprieve of hostilities to collect our intended target."

"R'v'n Nyght Sh'd is attempting to breach a contract, that is not allowed. We will have her." The Engineer replied.

Rolling the cube in his hands it shifted, become a diamond for a moment before it became a ball and then reformed into a cube, though it had far more than six sides this time.

And then it opened and a Huge creature that looked like a mutant offspring of a snapping turtle and an armadillo slammed into the ground. Covered head to toe in armor. Around the head and rear, this armor was a blue-brown color, while in-between the hue might range from gray-blue to blue-green. Areas around the eyes were slightly darkened, with the eyes themselves being a yellow color with blue-green pupils.

The Engineer spoke a command in Dark-speech, easy enough to understand as "Fetch" he smiled rather creepily as the monstrosity burrowed into the ground and made its way under the surface towards the house.

"So, tell me, how many lives is this mortal female worth to you?" The Engineer asked.

"Enough," Teagen said as he stood, an arrow was already notched and aimed as he moved for a better shot. He detested walking, the way the ground felt between his toes was disgusting. Nothing like the breeze through his feathers. "Stand down and walk away, The girl stays here. No one else dies today."

A hawk screamed in the darkness and Teagen looked ill, the color draining from him.

"Wrong," The Engineer commented. "Break the female's neck, allow me to collect her soul and I'll pay you 2 Oboli. Give me her and her lover's soul, and I'll give you 5. Give me R'v'n and I'll pay you 50."

The cube kept changing shape and form in his hands sometimes a cube, a ball, a triangle, a Diamond. A treasure chest. Behind him came the slithering clink of chains. "I applaud whomsoever lowered the wards on the school, it's made it so much easier to summon allies."

 

[milkmaiden38]

Angela

“How did I know you were going to be a dick about this?” Angela asked sarcastically. “Fine, I withdraw Gem from the trade negotiations.” The vampire pushed Angela towards Angus, but not before she "mage handed" the grenade from the busty mage.

“You, two, go over to our winged friend and make sure no arrows are launched before negotiations are complete.” Angela said to both Angus and Gem. They both headed over to the their winged helper. Then she turned back to Pin-Head.

“How about I offer myself… instead of Ravyn?” Angela said as she walked toward the engineer. Covertly, she also pulled the pin on the grenade, allowing the 10 sec detonation timer to start. “You see, I’m dead already so you can’t kill me and I have no soul. So you can’t torture me in hell!” Angela pointed out. Then she did three things all at once. She dropped the grenade, slapped to cube from pinhead’s hands, and turn in to cloud of mist. The grenade exploded also immediately. Angela was unharmed by the explosion, as only magical attacks did damage to her in mist form.

After the explosion, she reformed with the grenade launcher in hand and fire grenades at any monster still alive after the explosion.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

The Grenade went off inches from the box as both hit the ground, The Engineer's eyebrow lifted in surprise. The white blast flexed outwards in microseconds, a fifteen-meter radius indentation was left in the ground, but The Engineer and his minions were gone, so was the bx, but at least they were gone.

From the tree line chains snapped and writhed like tentacles as the roar of a bear came from the same location, perhaps Crystalthorn was dealing with it?

A few zombies and skeletons were still wandering around, trying to get into the house, or flailing in the flower garden mud and dirt.

Only a few minutes had lapsed but it looked like the fight had taken hours. And it had definitely took toll on the Professor's yard and garden.

 

[Wayne_Wilder82]

As Van slowly awakened he winced as he tried to sit up. His head ached and as he tried to open them he found his vision masked and he felt his eyelashes pushing against gauze. The pain in his abdomen was almost too much to take. He lay back again to collect his breath.

Comfortable feather bedding, …. Could he be back in the professors place? He called out “Ravyn? …Angela? …hello? Anyone?” but there was no answer. He lay there trying to place his surroundings.

An old grandfather clock ticked slowly and distantly across bare open space… a large house …. The contradicting smell of mothballs and clean linens … an open window near by…. Cicadas and tree frogs…. A breeze blows cooling the sweat from his chest and face,…. But the air is not cool…. It is hot …. Hot as the hells themselves….worse than that… this was Louisiana …. He put his feet on the wooden floor, and removed the bandages from his eyes. Still blurry but he could at least see the floor in front of him…. He slowly followed a long hallway to a wrought iron veranda, he could make out a figure rocking in a chair. Pipe tobacco and a thick sulphur match tickled his senses. Ice cubes clinked in a crystal highball glass.

“I say….Back so soon boy? I thought we had an agreement, an understanding son?”

“Yes father I know but there was this half-giant you see… and a guy with this box that he turned and shadows… and…and….”

Van’s body went weak as his fathers hand raised. He felt as if he might be sick.

“And who are these others you were calling out for? Are they going to be a problem for you following through with our little …deal?”

“Nnnn…no daddy. They’s just my friends and the one girl Ravyn she needed help because of …”

The hand stopped him again. “No matter…. go on back now… they’s work to be done…. And the sooner you’re finished there… the sooner we can get down to business…and boy….”

“Yessir?” He asked sheepishly.

“I expect the next time you come home again it will be the last ….you hear?

Before Van could say anything else he heard the snap of his fathers fingers…. And once again he was thrust into darkness…

 

[milkmaiden38]

Angela

“I’ll go after the mutant snapping turtle/armadillo thing” Angela decided. She changed into her bat form and flew into the hole in the ground made by the monster. But the hole did not go far, as the monster continue to push dirt into the tunnel behind it. Filling the tunnel back up.

Angela switch to her mist form and could make it through the loose dirt to reach the creature.

It was completely covered in armor. Even her grenades would not stop this thing! But she had to try something.

She became Angela again as dirt was being kicked into her face. She was able to squeeze the trigger on her grenade launcher, and turn to mist again as the explosion blew dirt high into the air. She reformed in time to see the back end of the creature, unharmed.

“That didn’t work!” She grumbled. She cast her blight spell at it. A wave of Necromantic energy washes over a creature. Everything in the ground, the worms, bugs, plant roots, etc, all die as the wave of life killing energy hit the creature. Angela could not tell if it was hurt by the spell. But the monster turned around, so it could eat Angela!

Meanwhile

Gem, Angus and Teagen were far enough from the first explosion that they were only push back from the shock wave. None of them lost their footing.

Gem placed her hand on Teagen and cast her heal spell. Repairing the wing damage. Angela declared her plan to go after the snapping turtle thing.

“Ok… We have the chain thing” Angus yelled back to Angela as he started running at the noise. Gem and Teagen following.

“I was about to kill that vampire” Angus grumbled as he headed for the tree line.

“She was hoping I could get close enough to use the grenade she gave me.” Gem explained to Angus.

As they entered the trees, Angus and Gem could now see the monster.

“HOLY SHIT” Angus gasped as the monster came into view.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

The Kyton walked towards the group, for all the world it looked like a female humanoid teen, with its skin peeled from its body, revealing bloody muscle and sinew. Hooked and barbed chins slithered across its skin, like living armor, while the creature looked upon them with an absurdly horrifying blend of pain and pity. And such a beautiful creature she was as well, so beautiful a succubae would be jealous.

Soon the heroes would feel it's caress and lose their minds in the pleasure pain it would bless them with. And if they 'died' during the event they had the blissful chance of rising again as a new Kyton. In the process of rebirth, the faces of the return melted away and merged with other victims to be worn as a cloak of status by its parent Kyton, a cloak that continually screamed in pleasure/pain. A torture victim caught in the throes of orgasmic release. The more faces on your cloak the more status you had.

The chains began to twitch and writhe with excitement as it drew closer, but they didn't stretch to their full length, so they never showed just how far they truly could reach.

Crystalthorn was lying in a bloody and shredded meat pile, she might survive, but not unless she got a lot more than a simple healing spell. She needed powerful magic. Or surgery.

She'd been unfortunate to be upwind of the Kyton as she'd circled around Pin Head and his cronies hoping to come at them from behind. But that put Crystalthorn between pinhead and the Kyton. Attacked from behind The Kyton had screamed, more inches from her face. Deafened and shocked by the attack she'd been defenseless as the Kyton went to work.

With his wing healed Teagen was still reeling from the death of his familiar. The bond had made them closer than friends, more intimately aware of each other than lovers. Now half of what he was lay dead in a pile of shredded feathers.

Rage fueled him as he launched a fury of arrows at the Kyton. As his arrows were snapped from the air by the Kyton's chains, he made himself calm down. Kneeling in the dirt he touched a tree as his lips moved. Reaching into a pouch he brought out a small mirror and shattered it on a rock.

Several things happened simultaneously. His skin shimmered with a subdued ghost image. A second image of himself appeared few feet away, and the Teagen next to the tree vanished.

The new image of Teagen rose from its kneeling position and advanced, moving off to the right with its bow held at the quick and ready as it circled the Kyton for an opening.

(He's cast Mage Armour, Mirror Image, and Invisibility.)

 

[milkmaiden38]

Angus and Gem

Angus was pissed when he saw Crystalthorn lying bloody and shredded on the forest floor. He wanted to rush in and kill the chain devil. But he was also a smart fighter and knew he needed to keep his emotions in check.

He approached the devil directly.

“There is no honor in attack someone from behind” He called out to the visitor from hell

The devil laughed as it brought it magical chain around to attack Angus. It also turned on its fear spell.

“Runaway… little cow” it said to Angus

Angus did not run and shook off the fear spell.

“Tricks and dishonor… you are hardly worth my time!” Angus snorted back at the devil. The ominous fiend gave Angus a fearsome gaze and its chains sprouted hooks, blades, and spikes. With a nasty laugh from the devil, the chains attacked Angus.

The Bull was ready, his great sword swinging with great strength. The mighty blow cut one set of chains in half. The devil scream in frustration. Angus ducked and spun away from the second set of attacking chains.

It was at this moment Gem cast her spell. She had snuck around to the devil’s back and cast her cloud of daggers spell. Suddenly the devil was being chopped, stabbed, and slashed by hundreds of daggers.

“I can fight dirty too!” Gem said as she reached down and touched Crystalthorn. She cast a healing spell. She knew it was not enough to heal her, but she wanted to help stabilize Crystalthorn as best she could.

Angela

“Here goes nothing” Angela said and was again a cloud of mist. In her long life of over 400 years, she had never done what she was about to do.

The monster bit down on the mist and swallowed it. Angela reformed inside the monster’s throat. Plugging up its air way as well as its passageway to its stomach. The monster tried to swallow her, but she dug in and stayed put.

Angela did not need to breathe, so she could stay lodged in the monster’s throat indefinitely. Which is what she did. The monster rolled around and smash its throat against the ground. Angela was getting beat up, but she hung on. She did that until the creature was dead.

She turned back into mist and reformed outside the dead creature.

“I’m not doing that ever again” she said to herself.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

The Shadow dragon landed on the parapat it' maw opening to deposit it's dripping cargo onto the floor. A squad of Shades moved forwards and grabbed him hauling M'Kael down the stairs and into the castle.

Several minutes later they held him in place, forcing him to his knees before the Queen of Shadows, her Illithid advisor moving gracefully across the floor to gaze into his eyes.

"Find out how he remembered this place and got here. Don't eat the brain, it's attached to other things I plan on using later. A lot."

The Illithid made a noise that sounded a someone slurping up wet spaghetti in the noisiest fashion possible, it's tentacles slithering across M'Kael's face and skull before they slid into his ears and up his nose.

Black ooze filled and then seeped from his eyes, then he began to scream.

Not just screams of broken bones or burned skin. The screams of the damned as his soul was peeled open under the Mind Flayers skillful psychic blade.

 

[milkmaiden38]

Angus

Desperation: a state of despair, typically a result of rash or extreme behavior

A minute later that was how Angus felt… desperate! The devil had turned to attack Gem. He could not allow that, so he rushed forward and slammed his sword into the back of the chain devil. It damaged the devil, but the remaining chain had caught Angus! His rash behavior to attack, had placed him in a state of desperation.

Angus was trying to parry attacks from the devil, while trying to unwrap the chain around his leg. To his credit, he had parried most of the attacks. But he had made no progress unwrapping the chain. He knew it was now just a matter of time, as the chain torn into his leg. Gem rushed over to help him, to draw the attention of the devil, but the fiend was having none of that.

That was when a series of arrows plunged into the devil. Angus watched as one, two, three arrows sank into the devil’s head. There was a surprised look on its face as it felt to the ground and stopped moving.

Angus unwrapped the chain and looked over to see Teagen wave.

“Thanks” Angus grunted. His leg was in bad shape. Gem came over and cast a healing spell on it. he got back on his hooves. He tested the leg and could put weight on it. But he walked with a limp.

 

[Wayne_Wilder82]

When Van opened his eyes he was already dressed. He looked around quizzically, trying to place where he was. He was standing in the parking lot of a chain motel as if he had just checked out. He was wearing a sleek black suit. Black gator boots and belt with gold buckles. His horns had changed again… smaller… studs above the brow. His hair was still long but it was slicked back and tied neatly in a short ponytail. He still had his silver skull rings, but also a new gold pinky ring, bearing the all too familiar symbol of his fathers house. He looked around knowing he was being watched. “Ha..ha…very funny dad. This isn’t what we talked about…it’s not time yet!” His voice echoed in the mostly empty lot. A small lady moved from room to room with her housekeeping cart…wondering who this man was and what drugs he must be on.

In his hand was a key fob. Defeatedly he sighed and pushed the unlock button. “Chook Chook” He watched as the headlight covers sleepily opened on a 65 Cadillac Coupe. The drivers door popped and swung open. He slid across the cool pristine leather. He put the key into the ignition and started the engine. The low rumble settled into the soundscape as Van reached over and opened the glove box. A silver 45 with a dark rosewood grip tumbled to the floorboard. Van recovered it quickly looking around the lot. He tucked it under the seat, and checked his breast pocket. A fresh pack of “luckys”… he opened with his teeth and checked his right pants pocket… already knowing his lighter would be there. He hit the automatic driver side window, lit the end of the cig as it gave off a sulphuric note mixed with gasoline, tobacco, and a hint of his fathers cologne.

A mixed tape sat loosely in the head unit. He put the huge car into drive and let it ease towards the main road, checking for traffic left and right. He pushed the tape and watched as it was consumed by the deck, and listened as Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads Blues” sang out from the rear dash. He pulled slowly out of the lot, gaining speed. The motel attendant watched through the blinds as he read the license plate. “TRU$TM3”… disappeared into the distance.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Rising from th ground the Kyton's injuries were gone, it's chains whipping with fury. Two of them speared towards Angus as another snapped towards Teagen. With a hard scream of force the chain exploded, each link a projectile.

His wings shredded by what was effectively a shotgun blast of mythic metal, Teagen vanished, his mirror image spell destroyed by the attack. From above an arrow spiked downwards shimmering as magic coursed along it. Spiking the Kyton in the skull it sank deep.

"Magic weapons!" He yelled as he dipped to the side avoiding another chain attack.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

M'Kael Wolvenbane
Time transpired differently in the Dark Realm of shadows. After all a shadow did not perceive time. It just was. So what was mere moments in the Material realm could very easily be days, weeks, hours, months, years, or even centuries in the dark Realm of Night and shadow.

How long had he been here he often wondered.


He'd changed from being her tortured guest to a plaything. Eventually he was her respected, though guarded lover. He still had the ring on, she refused to take it off him, and it was better than having a hundred guards on him. Eventually he was allowed to reclaim his stolen Arms and Armor.

Reports of a new road/path/trail came to the ears of the Shadow Queen. Scouts couldn't get through the mist between realms, so it was there, but something was preventing access. Sentries were placed with orders to report any changes.

Other reports came of the Inquisition looking for something, or someone, but the reports were vague and guarded. Anyone that did know anything wasn't talking. They'd been hoping M'Kael would know something, but the Mind Flayer had found nothing. Though the fucking squid head had taken his time searching.

He fought, a lot, against incursions into her territory. Like the Drow people – armies – came to try and steal her treasures. And he was one of those selected to defend her pretty baubles. When he wasn't defending her baubles, he was allowed to wander, the ring ever present on his hand. It wasn't all bad though, he'd learned a few things during his wanders.

He couldn't shadow travel out for one. Around yes, but not out of the Realm, she'd taken that from him. But apparently, he'd come here by accident once before, she'd been his first fuck, and had found him to be amusing. She'd told him about it one night after he'd fucked her, and she'd clawed his back during the passion so bad he looked – and felt – like a murder of Crows had attacked him.

She'd told him other things as well, even revealing to him some other abilities he'd never known about. Or dreamed of.

Not that it would do any good. He was her prisoner and plaything until she wanted to let him go. And he had nothing to offer in exchange for his freedom.

Not that freedom meant much. He’d heard through the rumor mill he was the only survivor of that night. Gem, Angela, Angus, Van, even his sister were all dead. The assault had burned the house to the ground killing everyone not already dead.

 

[Wayne_Wilder82]

Van wasn’t even sure how much time had passed since the explosion with the half giant. Minutes…hours… days? All he knew is that he had to get back to his friends…and to check on Ravyn. Had she made it? Did it work? Was she free?

He pulled slowly up to the house in the caddy. The outside looked as though there had been a war. The ground stained with blood and gore. Scorch marks lined the ground and some areas still smouldered with magic energy.

He grabbed the 45 from under the seat and headed inside calling for… well anyone. Angela? Gem? Angus?….Ravyn?Mkael? Professor? Is anyone here? He asked into the darkness of the house.

He flicked on the tactical light underneath the trigger guard. Room to room he searched the house. Until he came to the basement door. Still closed. Apprehensively he reached slowly for the door handle….

 

[milkmaiden38]

Angela

Angela was about to looking for Gem and Angus, when she heard someone inside the professor’s house. She entered through the back door and walked right past the stairway leading to the basement. She did not realize that was where Van had gone. Instead, she headed upstairs, searching for whoever was in the house.

Gem

“I’M USING MAGIC” she screamed at Teagen frustrated that the chain devil was still alive and on this plane. Devils don’t actually die when killed on the material plane. They reform in hell and can return to get revenge. She cast her firebolt spell and watched as it just bounced off the creature.

“Immunity to fire spells!” Angus reminder her.

“FUCK” she screamed as she dodged away from a chain attack.

Angus took the opportunity to do another sweep sword blow against the extended chain. Breaking the chain with his sword.

“That worked?” Gem said in anger

“Magic sword” Angus pointed out in an all-knowing kind of way.

“ARGGGG” Gem screamed as loud as she could. She was pissed off. Angus knew he needed to do something to calm her down or she was going to do something stupid.

“NOW is the perfect time for a poem!” Angus said loud enough for the devil and Teagen to hear.

“WHAT?” Gem asked as Angus’ statement did not register. When it did register, she shouted “NO”

Angus smiled. He was as stubborn as a bull. He had decided to start singing a poem and that was what he was going to do. He simple ignored Gem request. He began the poem to the horror of all those that could hear it, in his loud deep voice.

“My body is ferocious,

My sword is fine

My poem is atrocious,

I'll just cut your spine.”

He rushed at the devil with a limping run. He smashed the chain attack away and got close enough to slash at the devil. He cut deeply into one of the creature’s legs. The demon smashed him back with his fist.

He ran back in and dodged and ducked away from the chain. His sword now finding its marks as black blood sprayed from the demon.

“My heart is pounding and pumping

My sword is stabbing and slashing,

I am rounding and I am jumping

I am jabbing and I am smashing”

On smashing, he used his free hand to punch the demon in one of its bulbous eyes. Rocking its head back.

“My head held high,

My sword held low,

I refuse to die,

as I deliver my blows”

On blow Angus thought he ended the devil’s existence in this plane … stabbing it right through the heart. His victory was short lived as the devil manage to twist away so the blow did not kill it.

“So hit me with your worst,

I'm not the least afraid,

For my poems are cursed,

So here, eat my blade…”

Before Angus could deliver his blade, Gem lost it. With a mighty scream, which drowned out any more of the awful poem, she cast cloud of daggers on the devil. Her aim was pure as the devil was chopped to bits.

“RECOVER FROM THAT!” She yelled.

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Kyton
As the Kyton fell to the shredding of Gem's mythical spell daggers it began to shake, its chains writhing and snapping like an octopus having a seizure. And then it exploded, a horrific stench filing the air as chains, and parts of chains became shrapnel coated in the vile ichor that had been the Chain Devil.

The grass began to smoke where the ichor landed, a tree nearby smoking and melting as the toxic goo began to rot the living tree. Within minutes the tree was well and truly dead, creaking as its heavy mass bore down on the rotted base. Crashing to the ground the tree reverberated off the wards of the house, rolling and finally coming to rest on the ground beside the house.

****
Ravyn
Laying on the ground, individual piles of ashe denoting the locations of the various ingredients used in the ritual surrounding her Ravyn was motionless as her skin and body flexed and flowed like molten mud. Patches of charred flesh gave way to flawless virgin skin as that changed to a liquid fire. She was still caught in battle, the spell/ritual still in process. But at least her contingency spells hadn't engaged.

So apparently, she hadn't lost. Yet.

 

[Wayne_Wilder82]

Van, not wanting to risk interrupting the final stages of Ravens ritual, blinked himself back to the top of the stairs, leaving the door closed behind him as it had been. He watched out the window in time to see the tree decay and fall across the yard. He could make out the shape of a couple of humanoids, and Angus’s familiar hulking frame. He smiled as he hit the number 4 on his phone, listening to the speed dial run through its melody…” Hey… it’s me… yeah I’m gonna need a cleaner out to my location. Oh yeah, send em all.” A short time later, a series of vans and trucks pulled up with local contractors logos painted on the side. He watched as men suited similar to him only with black eyes and darker pupils hurriedly and efficiently, began to work in the yard and make repairs to the outside of the house. “It’s alright they’re with me” he called out to Angus and Gem. Just them he heard footsteps above him upstairs. Unsure who might still be in the house he drew his pistol again and headed upstairs slowly and carefully. “Angela? MKael? That you?”

 

[milkmaiden38]

Gem and Angus

“Did you like my poem-song?” Angus asked as he and Gem walked back to the house

“No” Gem quickly replied with anger “You almost killed ME with that atrocious song”

Angus was silent for a few moments. He realized he might have pissed off Gem “Sorry” he said

“Sorry won’t cut it.” Gem said coldly.

“If I knew you’d be this pissed, I would not have done it” Angus added

“YOU DON’T THINK” Gem yelled “THAT IS THE PROBLEM”

Angus stopped talking. Something had gotten Gem pretty mad. He didn’t think it was the silly song. But whatever it was, he needed to stay quiet until he figured it out

Angela

Angela heard Van’s voice as he talked to someone on the phone. She headed back to the stairway.

"Its Angela" She said answering his question.

“Hey Van, what happened to you?” Angela asked as she came down the stairs. She had not kept track of where he was during the battle.

Gem and Angus walked into the house at that moment.

“Crystalthorn was attacked by a chain devil. I stabilized her, but she needs some serious healing” Gem told Angela and Van.

“What happened to the chain devil?” Angela asked

“Gem killed it” Angus said bragging on Gem.

"Damn!" Angela said impressed

“I need to take a short nap” Gem grumbled.

“Van, Angus, and I can stand watch while you are resting” Angela suggested.

There was a suspicious look on Gem’s face as her eyes looked between Van, Angus and Angela.

“Don’t worry… there will be no hanky-panky” Angela stated with confidence.

Gem mumbled something and went into one of the spare bedrooms.

“What happened to you, Van?” Angela asked her first question again

 

[The_Weeping_Angel]

Teagen and Crystalthorn
Aided by Van's 'Cleaning Crew', Teagen and Crystalthorn were taken to a discreate hospital, and while sedated the Cleaners checked with Van to make sure they were supposed to survive their injuries or whether they should die from them.

Crystalthorn was seriously injured and between surgery and spells it got expensive, fast. Teagen was still in shock over the loss ofhis Familiar, it would take him a while, and a lot of therapy to get over the loss.

These two, although helpful as much as they could, and obviously willing, were under prepared for the battles, and the level of the individuals that were harassing the group.

Bounty Hunter Devil's? Zombie Hordes? Undead Half-Giants?