Raid: King Ness

First topic message reminder :

The 2017 Raid Begins

If your Raid character has a green check mark in their submission post, you are welcome to join the fight against King Ness, the Raid boss for 2017!!  Please read the following introduction below and then post this scene, but re-written from your character's point of view with details that involve your character's specific world.  

Registration for the Raid:
https://www.gatewaytoroleplay.com/t1674-gateway-raid-one#112861

Thank you for participating!

Raid:

{Attn: Delilah, Open}
“Are you angry at me?” Maresca asks.  She shakes her head in disbelief.  Yes she may have hardened a bit, but she was not uncaring.  She goes up to Delilah.  “I saw the same being you did, and honestly no she did not look real.  There is no way a person with those injuries should be alive, much less capable of speaking.  I am not sure how it is on your world, but on mine demons resort to messing with your mind.  If the being in the cage had been real; if the injuries had been curable, yes I would have helped.  As powerful as I am I cannot reconstruct spines that are no there…”

She pauses for a moment and takes a deep breath before continuing.  “I would not put it past King Ness to do something like this.  To put these illusions in front of us, in hopes of breaking us.  You saw how Claire reacted.  If you are so gung ho, then go open your door.  Just remember what is there may not be real, just as that caged being was not real.”

She walks away from Delilah and stands in front of her door and stares at it.  Does she have to courage to open it?  Does she really want to see what nightmare appears behind it?  At least she didn’t go first.  If it had anyone she knew in a cage like that, she would have reacted similar to Claire.

Claire looked around the room with red eyes. She had been crying from the ungodly room she had just seen. And her poor friend...her master...Ilyana. she was broken and should have been dead according to everyone. Claire would not think of it that way.

She looks around the room at the others. "Why don't you open your doors at the same time? There's no telling what we will find behind them. It could be something good like Catherine's door or another door like mine but we have to know and find out." Claire said as she rubbed her eyes.

Catherine eyed the open door to her room as she composed herself. She heard Delilah and Maresca going at it behind her. And so the team conflict ensues! She thought confidently to herself. Delilah's patience must be at it's limit at this point. Catherine made a note to herself to be very far away when her patience breaks. Catherine turned her head to see the state of the two other women. Unsurprisingly, they were turned away from each other. My, my, my. I wonder where we'll go from here. 2 of our members hate each other and the third is an emotional wreck.

Catherine let Tae and Delilah walk into her room before her; let them get a lay of the land while things were still settling. Catherine stepped in after them, taking a seat on one of the operation beds with legs crossed. "Welcome to my lair. Be it real or not, it's the cleanest room I've seen in a long time." She reached out to grab a pair of surgical forceps, threading her delicate fingers through the holes.

Delilah had taken Tae's lead; he was right- she knew it even before he told her.

Catherine was not worth it. Whether she liked it or not their best chance of saving their worlds was to work as a group- and Catherine's world did not deserve to be damned because of he callousness. She made a note to not trust the groups well being to her as easily as she formerly would have. Medical professional or not.

She was trying to calm herself down, observing the strange, strange room as Maresca spoke to her. Her grip tightened briefly on her staff, knuckles white for the most fleeting of moments.

No, no Delilah. Remember. Not worth it. Not worth it. She did not even turn to face the woman as she addressed her, if she did- if she became any less fixated on these pristine tools- she would say or do something both she and Maresca would deeply regret.

Was she supposed to respond? Did she want her to respond? She doubted Maresca wanted to hear any of the things flushing through Delilah's brain at the moment.

"Maresca," Delilah started calmly. It was her 'officer voice', or, as Pierce was want to call it, her 'serious voice'. It was unlike her- a badge she put on. Cold and metallic to Delilah's usual warm and earthy. "I seldom get 'angry'. It takes a lot to get me 'angry'. So am I angry? No, I am, however, losing patience at your lack of compassion, and your inane comments that seek to accomplish nothing outside of divert attention away from the matter at hand rather than bothering to help. Yes. Know this, if I was angry at you, there would be no room to doubt." Her voice held no edge, it was calm- unnervingly calm, perhaps. Delilah's eyes traced the room as she spoke- as though her soul had temporarily left her body to take a breather.

"I understand the trauma in your world might have caused a rocky start, however, it is not an excuse to pull a weapon on a man and lack the compassion or reasoning to consider that perhaps the things in this dungeon lie beyond our realm of understanding- and Ilyana might very well be real."

Delilah looked up at the chandelier. It was so...peculiar. The lighting looked almost unreal- like a dream. A very sterile dream. She took a few steps just looking up, observing the ceiling, attempting to be careful to not bump into anything.

She pulled herself from her trance, blinking a couple times, pulling her gaze back downwards to look where she was going.

To see a floating suit of blue, glowing armor inches from her face.

For the briefest of shocked moments leading up to Delilah registering what was truly in front of her she felt...cold. Odd, a strange, icy aura lapped at her face as her widened eyes took a moment to fully accept the phenomena before her. It wasn't attacking- that was good, right?

The cold did not last- as the being, whatever it was, soon and quickly flashed red. The cold replaced by heat, the calming blue replaced by an aggressive red.

"Tell Catherine to leave." That voice. It didn't sound normal. It didn't sound right.

What could one call the noise Delilah made? A yell? A scream? No matter what you dubbed it, in the eerie silence of the room. The yelp of surprise that broke free of her lips as she jerked backwards from the head of the specter echoed throughout the chamber.

Catherine played with the forceps, noting their excellent grip and smooth function. As Delilah looked up to the eerie chandelier, Catherine looked up also. Yep, still there. She wondered why such a calm scene would have spooky purple lighting up above. It was almost as weird as the dreams she had before everyone started dying. When Catherine looked down, she saw someone she hadn't seen for months. Eyes wide open, she had to catch herself in her surprise to come back to her senses.

Before Catherine could remember the familiar figure's name, the ghostly apparition took on a red hue, something Catherine had never seen before. It then requested that Catherine leave. For the sake of the group, Catherine shoved herself off the bed and backstepped out of the room, yet only as far as walking through the entrance door. "Uhh, don't know why he wants me to leave, but hey I'm out here at least."

{Attn: Open, who aren't in Catherine's room}
Maresca is amazed at Delilah’s response to her, but shakes it off.  The others are going into Catherine’s room.  It is a good time for her to check out hers in relative peace.  She opens her door and gasps.  It wasn’t because of the sight rather the odor that hits her first.  It was one of spilt blood and death.  The visual was not better.  There were poles sticking up from the ground.  Impaled on them were countless Tiamants.  She stays in the doorway too afraid to go further.

Water fills her eyes as she recognizes both Asher and Karyne.  Who would do this to them?  Sure Asher was a bit harsh at times, but he was nice.  And Karyne, poor sweet Karyne, how could anyone…  Her eyes drift down and there are both humans and infamia littered the ground all dead as well.  She can see the other holy weapons on the ground too. Mysondight, Gleivnir, Armandel, Liskanen, Ifaniel, the only one missing was her Rusya.  Maresca fights the urge to rush in and cradle Dania in her arms.  This is not real is it?  It can’t be…if it is, there is no reason for her to continue fighting.  No this is not real.  She closes the door, not all the way, but to block the other from seeing it.  She wipes her eyes and backs away.  The whole time not saying a word.

Claire was still out in the big room where they had first entered. Catherine was returning from her room, her face almost pale. "What is wrong Catherine? You look like something just happened in your room?" She asked.

She was looking around the room and saw that Maresca's room was slightly open. She wondered if she had opened it. "Maresca, did you open your door just now? What is in there?" She asked.

Zeddicus makes a sound close to a scoff as Catherine leaves.  The color shifted from red into blue as it backs away from Delilah, "I am sorry for......scaring you, old woman.  I was...angry."

Delilah briefly clutches her chest as her heart beats out rapid triplets against her ribs. She exhales slightly, staring at the glowing figure in wide eyed wonder. "I..." She starts, clearing her throat, and straightening herself. "It's...alright. I know the feeling." She'd just told Maresca that these rooms weren't illusions..but this ghost...it was...something. She offered her hand out. "Delilah." She offered her name quickly, putting a smile back on her face, her hand still fluttering slightly from the unwelcome 'surprise'.

Zeddicus held out his hand, carefully gloved and cold, "Zeddicus, or Zedd.  A pleasure...Delilah.   You're in poor company.  You should......get rid of her before she gets you and your friends killed.....Please forgive my rude words, but...I do so out of the safety for your allies."

Tae crosses his arms, glaring at the thing, "We'll make our own assessments, thanks.  What the hell are you, Zedd?  Just a ghost?"

Zedd says with fear in his voice, "I am a spirit bound to my.....very last suit of armor that keeps me here.  After this suit fades...I'll be lost forever.  I'll return to how I once was."

Whatever it was, was...if not friendly, at least not presently hostile. It didn't like the one called Catherine, to be sure. He thought for a moment. "Two questions, if I may," he began. "Firstly, what is your animosity toward the one called Catherine? Second, do you seek to return to how you were?" He frowned, he hated being hasty. "I guess three questions, then. What were you once?"

Catherine's eye twitched with accute disdain toward the hunk of armor. "Oy! Who d'ya think you're talking about!? I've saved more lives than I've taken for god knows how long! If you weren't so close to Ryushi I'd come over there and flatten you!" Catherine's free hand curled into a fist, while her other clutched her book like a weapon primed to fire.

Delilah gave a slight wince at the shock of crushing the man(?), Zedd's icy hand. She shook it, nonetheless. He seemed nice, albeit rather grim.

'It seems I really am in a comic book, now.' She listened to Zedd and Ragnarok speak, to Tae's disdain.

"Likewise, Zedd." What an odd name. She held her hand up as a signal for the woman to be silent. "Catherine, let us hear the man out before we start making hollow and unneccessary threats." She waited for the ghost to answer Ragnarok's question.

"I am a dead man--I cannot return to the void.  I cannot reincarnate.  I am a lost soul amongst the living," Zeddicus says sadly, "This armor was gifted to me by a dear friend--it is my fourth spare set.  Without the armour, I will go into madness and become a poltergeist.  I will forget who I am."

"Who gave you the armor, then? I don't remember you wearing that particular set before the guild separated. How do I know you're not some 'illusion' that we've been hearing of?"

He sighed inwardly. More sorcery. He was beginning to wonder if he'd be any use on this journey. "That is unfortunate," he said. "Forgive my hastiness earlier, as it seems I didn't introduce myself. I am Ragnarok. What about your grievances with her...?"

Zeddicus laughs, his tone hollow, angry, bitter.  He looked first to Catherine and said, "You do not speak.  Don't you dare speak to me."

Then he turns to Rangoroke, "Well met, Ragnorok.  OR not so well met.  Whichever.  I am sorry, but your dear friend, Catherine, left me--left us.  Left her entire Guild that she swore an oath to protect.  To fight with!  To live with!  She swore and now--"

This time, Zeddicus turns to Catherine, turning red, his voice sounding as though he could cry, "You look like you did the day you left, all those centuries ago.  Not a moment aged, as though the Visitor didin't even touch you.  But you had to go, didn't you?  You always craved action more than you did healing--Gods forbid you miss out on all of the action!!  Well, now you're back and I'm all that's left.  Deal with it and live your life elsewhere.  There's nothing left here for you."

Delilah watched as the ghost spat his words of anger at Catherine. Had she been cold, callous? Of course, of course she had. But this..anger...bitterness...went a call beyond. The hollow words, not of this world, yet not quite of elsewhere, sank into her brain. Centuries? Had they been gone for centuries? Had their loved ones withered and died in their decaying worlds thinking their loved ones had abandoned them? A hollow pitt stuck fast into Delilah's chest and she grasped her staff with two, barely still hands, knuckles white yet again.

"Zedd, Catherine, as with all of us, took an invitation from the Visitor, she wanted to save her world. She, none of us could have known how long would have passed between our departure and our return. If her world was anything like mine, I doubt the destruction gave us any other promising choices." Her voice was soft, comforting, sympathetic, she knew how he must have felt, abandoned, alone. She wanted to believe Maresca, now- she wanted to believe Catherine would have something to come back to.

His eyes widened at the revelation of the passage of time. Was it the same in his world. Was he centuries removed from his time? This struck him. Jack was gone, as was little Sheila. There might be one or two of his rookery kin left -- Gargoyles lived for a long time, after all. He steeled himself. This was the fate of a warrior, after all. There were risks, and he had stepped up to take them, no matter the cost. At the least, he knew that at least the world he'd left was still surviving.

"It is as Delilah says," he explained. "For you, centuries have passed, but for us, mere moments. I am deeply sorry for your loss.

Catherine's face hardened with a burning fury even she rarely experienced. Her finger raised, she pointed at Zedd as if she were rebuking a demon. Calling her an abandoner? When she had a chance to undo all the torment that plagued her world? That took Chiron away from her? Catherine would hear no more of this ghosts unfounded claims.

Delilah, however, interjected to lower the tension. After Ragnorok spoke, everything made sense. She lowered her hand, thinking about how much time has passed. So there's nothing left? No one? It's really been centuries? She wanted to ask that aloud but her pride kept her mouth shut.

Taeyrn stays a ways off, his arms crossed.  He looks depressed, deep in thought.  His eyes went from the ghost to Catherine, wondering if this was true.  Is this how it is going to be?  The Visitor never clarified how long it would take--he never guaranteed a return.  He never guaranteed anything.  Was he stupid to go?  Did he make a mistake?

Zeddicus gestures, pointing to the flickering, magical runes upon his armor, "Well, color me...sympathetic....what an ordeal, these 'mere moments' must have been for you.  If I had been given a choice, I'd have left my armor to go mad!  To forget!  But Ryushi made me.....he made me promise....he was so sure you'd come back, if not in his timeline....soon.   He wanted you to have something...familiar to return to.   Well, now you have and I've done....my duty......and I don't have any reason to stay here in this.....torment......with these memories....anymore."

With that, the armor begins to crack along the edges, forming dark ridges into the metal as the glowing, blue runes begin to flicker more rapidly, threatening to go out.

Delilah gives a slight gasp, reaching her hand out. "No- Zedd, please! You don't- Don't, just-" She scrambled to find anything she could use to talk him down. "Don't you enjoy being yourself, remembering your friends, your companions? Are you content to die in bitterness? You could help us- help us defeat King Ness, you could make your guildmates proud, so they didn't die for nothing, for him to continue destroying worlds. You could help us, please!" Her voice pleaded with him, horrified.

"Wait!" Ragnarok entreated. "Is this to be your final piece? To end it on such a note of bitterness? I do not make light of your plight, but if she is your rookery sister, shouldn't you place more faith? Do not do this!"

Catherine watched the armor degrade, keeping her lips sealed. She had no problem letting the poor fool remove himself from his armor. The bastard held out longer than Catherine ever would've expected. If Zedd were compelled enough to help, he probably would have. "Sorry" Catherine mouthed behind Delilah and Ragnorok's frantic pleas.

The ghost ignored the pleas as the armor began to degrade, dust piling into the floor below the levitating apparition of blue light, the runes slowly darkening into nothingness.  When the exclaims of protests were done, all Zedd finally said to Catherine was, "Take comfort in that they all died with hope and love for you in their hearts.  Each of their final words to me were to say hello."

With that, the light disappeared and just a whisper remained with the group inside of the empty, pristine room, "Hello from White Cross, Catherine.  We've missed you."

"No, no, no!" Delilah moved for Zedd, her fingers gripping at the air as he disintigrated into nothingness. She didn't dare look back at Catherine, she doubted she had the stomach to do so. She could hardly imagine what Zedd had gone through, the centuries alone in a rotting world. She felt a lump in her throat, thinking of if, in her world, her loved ones had suffered the same fate as the White Cross. Waiting, and waiting for her to return, only to rot into ash. She looked down, solumnely, sadly.

He had waited, he had watched, he had promised and done everything he could to fulfill it; and now, there was nothing left of him.

"Be at peace, Zedd. Your wait is over."  Delilah muttered, inaudible to all but the pile of nothing before her.

Ragnarok stared in horror, then a snarl rose in his throat and his wings unfurled, his eyes glowing like twin suns as he rounded on Catherine. "Why didn't you try to stop him?!" he roared throwing his arm backward in the direction of her fallen friend. "He was your friend! Your kin! Did you not feel anything for him?!"

A tense stiffness formed in Catherine's throat as the armor disintigrated into scrap. She never felt so tense in her life. Her eyes remained fixed on where Zedd was before he turned to dust. Even after the last remainder of light fainted, her eyes never budged. It was as if her whole body had become paralyzed. Her eyes felt damp. Tears? When was the last time she cried? She couldn't remember. Waves of unexplainable emotions crashed over her relentlessly.

That damn ghost. Really knows how to pull your heart strings. Catherine took a deep, wavering breath. That's right, she still had to breathe. But every breath brought her closer to an explosion of tears. Hold it in, hold it in. She was on the edge of the tallest emotional cliff she'd ever face, and she wanted nothing more than to let herself fall. And then Ragnorok turned to lecture her. The monster. The son of a bitch.

A switched flipped in Catherine's mind. She marched up to the beast's face, eyes redened with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her body moved on its own, but Catherine wouldn't bother stopping it. She was prepared for anything that happened next, be it for her benefit or demise. She glared beams at the gargoyle's eyes, her breath unsteady and hands shaking. She had to say something.

"I want you...and Delilah...to get out of this room...Right now. Or so help me god....I will fucking kill you-I swear to god I will. Or I will die trying."

Taeyrn doesn't know what to say.  He just doesn't know what to say.  He didn't even know these people or that damned ghost, but his heart hurt.  His face is stoic, though.  If there's anything that Tae has gotten good at in his shitty life, it's hiding the times that hurt and ache.  He's had so much in his life, but...this was still intense.  It really kind of got to him.

Part of him wanted to try to ease the situation, but...he's not good at that shit, really.  He's no leader, he's not a diplomat.  He's just a guy.  He can't understand how Catherine must feel.  However, he doesn't think Rangorok does, either.  So he decides to focus on that, gesturing for the two to leave as they were instructed to do by the hurting woman.

"Ragnorok, is it?  Man, you don't know how she feels and frankly, it's none of your business why she didn't say anything.  It's her friend, like you said.  So shut the hell up and get out of her room."

He moves around them both cautiously to make his own exit of the clean place, in case it's just about to get ugly and messy in there.  He really wouldn't like to see them hurt each other, but the winged creature was way out of line...and was probably going to fuck her up over a misunderstanding.   Good idea, Visitor.  Shove us all together without proper introductions or anything....just make it so we can speak the same language, somehow, and then leave us to our own devices.  That'll get the worlds saved.

She hears yelling behind her, snapping out of her sorrowful trance to see Ragnarok and Catherine in each others faces. Great. Delilah swoops in as she hears Tae speak, positioning herself between them, putting a calming hand on the shoulder of Ragnarok.

"Please, please, fighting will get us nowhere. Ragnarok, everyone deals with grief differently. None of us can know how Catherine feels," 'If she feels anything at all..'"And I doubt she could have stopped him, I doubt any of us could have. I mourn his death, as do we all, I'm sure- but getting angry, getting in each others faces for what we did or didn't do just subjects us to infighting, if we're to save our worlds, we need to realize we're all we have. Calm yourself, please." Her gaze shifted to Catherine, who looked suitably furious. "And Catherine, I am truly sorry for your loss, and cannot fathom what you must be going through- But do not threaten Ragnarok, and do not threaten me. Ragnarok's words were unneccessary, yes, but I didn't speak a word to you. If you need a moment in peace to mourn, we will give it to you gladly, but as I said before, we are currently all we have; especially if what Zedd told us is true. Fighting gets us nowhere." She looked between the two of them, hoping her words were able to defuse them, and that she wasn't about to get into the middle of a fistfight with a gargoyle.

"You dare?!" he thundered at her threat, his hands spreading out in anticipation of combat.

He snarled ferociously at Taeyrn's words, his wrath focusing in his direction till he felt little Delilah's hand reaching up on his shoulder. He looked down at her, not hearing her words, but hearing the tone. He shook himself and his eyes stopped glowing, then he caped his wings.

This was what being hasty got you and he hated himself for it. He began heading for the door, stopping at it. He chose his words carefully. "I...will not apologize for what I said. I heard your laughter in that room of horrors, Catherine and find your behavior deeply troubling. I will work with you, but I do not trust you." That said, he removed himself from the situation.

"If you find that troubling, you don't know the half of it." Her breathing reached a more even rate. Her expression softened, but she didn't seem ready to let things go. Turning to Delilah, she could only look at her with an uneasy gaze. The brief interjection gave her a chance to cool down. It was enough for her to know she couldn't say anything that wouldn't get herself in more hot water, so she walked around Delilah and stood where Zedd had previously disintegrated. She collapsed to her knees and stared at the pile of grains that remained of the ghost's armor.

Delilah could understand where Ragnarok was coming from, even though his actions were out of line- especially towards someone who just witnessed a comrade curse them and die before her very eyes, no matter how cold that person was. Catherine remained utterly...unpleasant, but still, Delilah felt for her, watching her fal to her knees before Zedd's ashes.

This entire situation...this group...how could they hope to save their worlds if they couldn't even work together? More importantly, was there anything left worth saving? Was her world just as Zedd spoke of? Had centuries passed? Were Ellie and Sophie and Cynric all ashes? Was Braedon-

No. No she couldn't think about that. Braedon was alive, he was alive and she needed to save her world, save him.

"We'll give you some time alone." She spoke softly. 'Alone' was a slight lie. She was moving to the doorway, not wanting to leave Catherine alone in a room so...sterile, for fear of what might happen to her. She rested her shoulder on the doorway and looked out at the rest of the group.

"Who's next?" She spoke softly, grimly.

Tae speaks with alarm, "There's a new door out here...."

He doesn't say it, but he points, looking directly at their new traveling companion, the gargoyle.  If there's a new door, it must be for him.  The rest had already identified their own door.  How had the door gotten there?  No one had seen it just...appear.  Then again, they were all incredibly distracted.  Still, that was creepy--doors appearing, timelines being all mixed up....this is some shit.

Ragnarok perked up at Taeyrn's sudden alarm. He saw where Taeyrn was pointing and saw the door. How quaint. Doors in his world don't have knobs, anymore. As for Taeyrn's alarm, considering the luck they seemed to be having with these doors, he could understand the trepidation. His eyes widen with shock as he notices a symbol on the doorknob. "That's...the symbol for the cafeteria..." he said, suddenly cautious.

He cautiously walked to the door, as if expecting Folk to jump out of it. He stood staring at it for a moment. What horror would lie beyond. What glimpse into his world's portents...?

He shook himself. Dithering about it would get him nowhere. He grabbed the handle -- a gesture foreign to him -- twisted, then threw open the door, leaping back a few steps in anticipation.

Once she was sure evryone was out of the room, Catherine huddled around the dust before. Unimaginable guilt washed over her from head to toe. Bursting into tears, she grasped the pile, feeling individual particles slip through her fingers. "I'm so sorry." She muttered through the sobbing. The tightness in her throat turned into a pain that made it even more difficult to speak than before.

I never should have gone. I'm such a fuck up. Where were you, Chiron? Why couldn't you be there? You were the only one that didn't hate me. I couldn't save anyone like you wanted. I couldn't do anything. I failed you. I failed everyone. Where were you? You should be here instead of me.
You shouldn't be here. You should have stayed where you belong. Look at what you've done. You must attone.

Echoes of that whisper rang in Catherine's mind. The guilt drove her into a panic, sending her into a mental storm of confusion. Her crying turned to laughing, but she wasn't sure why. It just felt right to laugh. Maybe she was in such a pitiful state that it was somehow humorous. Yet no matter how much she laughed, the guilt and regret never left.

I never should have fucking left, but what does it matter now? Everyone's dead and I can't get back. What am I supposed to do?

Catherine rolled on the floor, groaning as if she were in immense pain. She clawed at her face, trying to think of how to get rid of the guilt. She looked at her book of drawings. She flipped through each page, looking for some kind of sign or message. But nothing helped. Then suicide crossed her mind. She had all the tools she needed, she knew exactly where to puncture herself to ensure a quick death. Catherine fingered through the book until she came upon a drawing of a dagger, meant for self defense. She summoned the blade to her hand, felt the weight of the simulated steel. One deep cut across the throat would be enough. Or a puncture of the heart. All it took was commitment. Just commit. Catherine held the blade over her lap, fighting to find the resolve to do it, or to not do it.

Delilah looked towards the new door at Tae's behest. This place was getting stranger by the minute. Bad strange.

She heard a noise, crying, laughing? She looked behind her, seeing Catherine, rolling on the floor, clawing at herself. She had to do something. The woman had been callous, but she was still human, a person who needed love, compassion, a shoulder to cry on. She saw the glint of something in her hand as she turned to walk over to her, kneeling beside the woman; her sad, prone form.

"Catherine," Her voice was soft, gentle, motherly, as was her touch as she gently laid her hand on Catherine's shoulder. "It is...not alright. But maybe...Maresca was right, this is something placed here to mess with our heads, scare us. I'm here for you, if you need anything. You aren't alone."

Catherine's name broke her out of her trance. She looked behind her to see Delilah with a hand on her shoulder. She suddenly felt like she was completely naked, caught with a blade at her lap. "If this was meant to mess with us, then it damn sure did its job. But how could it know where to hit us hardest like this? How do we know anything will change?"

{Attn: Open}

Maresca hears Claire’s voice.  She shakes her head.  “It was nothing to concern yourself with.  All I know we need to beat this King Ness.”  She walks away to wait for the others.

"We should investigate each room thoroughly. That includes your room, Maresca. Besides you didn't even shut the door all the way. Come, show me what was in your room. We can face it together." Claire said as she looked up to Maresca.

Maresca gasps when Claire suggests they investigate all rooms, including hers.  She squeezes her eyes shut and shakes her head to and fro vehemently.  “You can look if you want, but please don’t expect me to.”  She takes a deep breath.  “I know it is not real, but looking at it…smelling it…makes me second guess myself.  It that is the result of me coming here?  Or is that a picture of what is to come?  By coming here am I helping them or harming them?”  She opens her eyes and looks at Claire.  “I should have told them, or maybe brought them with me.  They are the real warriors, I am just a descendant of one.”

Claire takes Maresca's hand. "Then you have already looked into the room. What did you see? Was it just as bad as my room?" she asked. "I know it can be horrible but you should go in there. I will go with you. I don't know who you are talking about but you must have seen someone in there."

The voices continue to plague Maresca’s head.  Voices she has heard her whole life.  “It wasn’t just someone.  And honestly it is worse than your room.  If you really have to look go ahead, but I don’t need to see it again.”

To be continued…

Claire looked at Maresca before looking back at her door. “Fine. I will go into your room without you. You do know that you will have to face it however.” She said as she walked over to the door. She opened the door and looked inside. There were several people and what looked like gargoyle's stuck on rods. She shuttered as she stood inside. “Did you know these people?”

Maresca stands outside the door refusing to look in. “Only two of the Tiamants on the stakes. There were two of the Infamia and two Humans on the ground that were in group as well. I should be there too, I should have convinced them to come with me…but I didn’t and now they are dead. It is my fault.”

“But it isn't your fault. They were fighting to save their home and you came here to save your home as well. How is that your fault?” Claire asked.

“Lot of good it did. Look at them, they all died while I am here. I can only hope my intuition is right and this is not reality. It just looks so real, too real. I cannot look at it, it only reminds me of my failures.” Maresca sighs. “I am not strong enough, not even on my world. Humans are supposed to have two magics. I only have one. I tire quicker in battle, but I am more agile than most.”

“That doesn't make you a failure. It only makes you special. You are able to fine tune your magic I would think. I am stepping into your room. Why don't you come with me. Your comrades would have wanted to see you in their last moments.” Claire said.

Maresca shakes her head. “They are already gone, I checked. I just have to keep going on and beat King Ness and somehow hope there is a home to go back too. We should go back to the others and help them with their doors.” She does not blame Claire for not understanding. She does not live on her world and does not understand her races.

Claire walks into the room and closes her eyes. This room was horrible and much worse then hers but she would walk into it. She goes up to one of the bodies and sees the eyes open. “I am sorry you died this way. Please forgive Maresca as she doesn't come in to see you.” She said as she used her fingers to close the eyes on the body.

Maresca watches Claire from the doorway. Tears streak her face as she sees Claire close Leroy’s eyes. “He was the nicest member of the group.” She looks down at his body. “We need to move on. This cannot be true right? I mean if this really happened why should I continue on? If this really happened, that means I have nothing to go back to. We have to get stronger and fight King Ness. Will you help me?”

Claire turns to face Maresca. “Of course I will help you. These people need to know that they can lay in peace and not be tormented.” She said. She shuttered as she looked at the stakes. It was so cruel and horrible to see what was on it. Like some nightmare that would never end. “I will help you to fight to save your world just like I fight to save my own world.”

“Thank you Claire. One more thing, don’t tell the others about my door. I don’t want them to feel sorry for me or anything. Let them think I am uncaring. It is easier that way.” She backs up so Claire can leave the room. “Now I really have something to fight for. To stop this from being a reality.”

“I won't, but you will have to tell them you already looked into the room or something to keep them from looking in.” Claire said.

Maresca waits until Claire leaves the room before closing the door, not all the way, but enough to know it was opened. "Thank you Claire, shall we check on the others?"

Claire bowed her head at Maresca. "You are welcome. Come, let's check on the others. I'm not sure what they are doing." She said as they walked towards the others.

The door opened to reveal a scene out of a nightmare. It was the cafeteria as he remembered it, but with key differences. The tables were overturned, for one, but that was a drop in the data compared to the blood splattering the walls, dismembered limbs, and torn bodies strewn about. "What madness is this...?!" he thundered.

In the center of the room, two heads suddenly bobbed up. Glowing eyes looked in his direction. Gargoyle dogs...? "No...! Abominations...!" As one, they sprang for him like a blaster shot, leaping for him through the door -- and immediately hit a wall of energy that knocked them back.

Ragnarok's eyes glowed with wrath, his body trembling with anger, but pulled himself back. He'd been being hasty since he'd gotten here. That would serve no purpose. The Folk abominations tried for the door again, once more being rejected from exiting by that strange field. He should start there. He pulled out his tech band and immediately began running scans on the field.

Catherine wiped off the last few tears from her cheaks before pulling herself to her feet. The knife she summoned wouldn't disappear for another 8 minutes or so, leading Catherine to simply hold at her side. She continued to sniffle as she walked out the door. No point in trying to hide the fact she'd been bawling for a while. It seemed Claire and Maresca had returned from one their rooms while the gargoyle entered his. It was pure chaos from Catherine's perspective, and when two beasts plowed into an energy field, Catherine tightly held onto her weapon.

Taeryn's eyes widen with surprise as he watches the gargoyles charge into the door, unable to exit the room and enter theirs. He had jumped, his hand moving to his blade, as well, but when their attack fails, a realization occured that brought a smile to his face.

He laughs, "Ha! The things in the room can't leave! They can't leave from there like we can."

Then, he frowns as his head faces towards the winged angel in the cave once, more. He adds, "Shit."

He is going to say more when he notices a light appear up above him. He glances up, surprised more to see falling lights--slowly falling as a feather would. When they got closer to his height, he realized that they are little, tiny jack-o-lanterns. There are purple and orange ones and from them, sounds emanate. That's what the ambient sounds were coming from, Tae thinikis to himself, Fantastic. Now we know.

When the first tiny jack-o-lantern lands upon his out stretched hand, it bounces off with a giggle before finding the ground. Of course, it had been stupid to stick out his hand to touch one, but he was curious....his eyes darted back to the dogs and then back to the jack-o-lanterns again. Were either a threat to them?

And what were the dogs? Are they just monsters? They look similar to their Gargoyle friend, but at the same time, more...twisted. And black. It's almost like a demonic hybrid of some sort. Is that a new species of Ragnorok's world?

Delilah ventures to give Catherine one last comforting squeeze before being distracted by the commotion from the main champer. She uses her staff to help raise herself up from the ground, briskly returning to the main room where the group was. She hears Tae's observation as she exits, catching him looking back towards Ilyana's room.

'Shit' was right. She felt her stomach drop- was there no saving the woman? Maybe these were prison cells, maybe they could unlock them, maybe-

She felt a light 'boop' atop her head and heard an odd little giggle. She quickly looked up to see a floating...jack-o-lantern? King Ness enjoyed carving pumpkins? She rubbed the top of her head curiously as it floated off, temporarily mesmerized as it bounced about. She felt a smile almost trace her face. Oh, she loved Halloween-

Her gaze abrubtly shifted back to Ragnarok.

But, her festive fixations could wait. She quickly game to the mans side, craning her neck out to observe the...dogs? Were those dogs? From his world, at least? Her gaze ventured back into the room- God it was as bad as the last, Delilah's hand moved to her mouth again. At least there was no bleeding woman but god, those poor people. Blood, blood and bodies and torn limbs were everywhere- it was if they'd been left to these frothing hounds.

Ragnarok seemed angry, albeit not thrown into action. He hammered away at his strange device as Delilah forced herself to scan the room for any additional clues as to what had happened in there, occasionally startled by the dogs.

"The field is emmitting tachyons," he said in a low voice, thinking out loud. "That gives credence to moments in time..." He ran more tests, but they were inconclusive. His eyes glowed as he looked back in. "But how could this...massacre...have occurred...?"

His tech band suddenly started coming alive with alerts. "What the...?" Of course. He'd been out of range all this time. His tech-band would be getting all the messages and information he'd normally have...

Two names stuck out. Sheila Ra'ul and Jack Saghett. He shouldn't look. This was the future. This had to be...

"But what if it isn't...?" he said aloud. He clicked the first message.

The image of Sheila popped up. A vid-message, then. That...seemed very like her. Her familiar visage came up from the shoulders. Her dark hair, gray eyes, the splash of freckles across her nose, her light caramel skin. She seemed older than when he'd last seen her. Not by much, but there were sublte differences. Her hair being longer was one.

"Rag! Hi!" she said with the usual cheerfulness he'd come to expect from her, waving fervently. "I hope you don't mind, I got your personal mail from Jack -- we'll just...leave out what he asked for in return. 'Can't say bots are better at cleaning the cafeteria than humans. I can't believe he's real...'" The last part was grumbled under her breath. He grinned. She underestimated gargoyle hearing. Again, very like her. "A-anyway! Hi! How are you? H-hope you're well...and stuff. It's been six months since that weird guy came and spirited you away. Cafeteria isn't the same. Or the Gardens. I miss our little talks.
"Which brings me to why I'm writing -- er...recording. I just...miss having you to talk to. So, if you don't mind...I'd just like to talk. You don't have to listen -- you can just stop here and delete it. Just...let me be a little selfish? Please?" That face looked so pleading he'd have been hard put to deny it anything, especially a voice to talk to. Everyone needed to feel like they're not screaming into the void.

He shook himself. He could listen to them, hopefully, later. Right now...he needed to know what happened. "Lucille," he said, calling his tech-band's attention. "Go through and transcript her vid-mails, search for talk regarding Folk and gargoyle hybrids."

Lucille gave a slight beep of acknowledgement and immediately began fulfilling his request.

The whole group reconvened in the center room, most of them perplexed by Ragnarok's room. The beasts had no way of getting out, but why would anyone risk going in? Catherine figured Ragnarok had a better idea of what may be inside, but she didn't feel she could bring herself to ask. Amidst the calm in the rotunda, small objects float downward. Another one of the King's tricks she thought. Upon closer inspection, she saw the objects were tiny pumpkins with faces carved into them. Baffled, Catherine picked up one of the pumpkins and gently squeezed it in her fingers. The little thing was kinda cute, despite its mysterious appearance. Catherine sat down to sketch it while things were quiet.

Maresca’s head snaps when she hears the commotion. It appears one of the others opened their rooms. She approaches cautiously. Then something odd happens in the room. Little orange and purple shapes drift down like the snow in the mountains. She does not trust anything in this realm, not even something that may appear to be harmless. She focuses her attention on them briefly. They appear to be orange and purple miniature pumpkins. For some reason they odd black shapes that could be construed as faces. Why would anyone want to deface a pumpkin like that? It is not the only odd thing about them. As much as she tried to avoid them a couple landed on her. When they did she heard giggling. “Now he is mocking us?” She wonders out loud.

She turns her attention back to the not demon’s room. She heard him call them abominations and they cannot leave the room. It is like an invisible barrier. Odd, she wonders if that works on objects as well. Then again she would not want to bring the Veralidaine weapons out for the others to use. What surprises her the most is that he is standing outside of the room calmly looking at some strange bracelet. All she can do is shake her head as he talks to himself and the bracelet. She stands at the ready in case the creatures inside do break through.

Claire had turned her attention to everyone else. They had come from Catherine's room and were now fixated on the gargoyle's door. She had seen the beasts run at the door and she grabbed for her sword as she went to protect herself. They never made it through the door however but seemed to hit some sort of barrier instead. She laughed as they fell back.

“They are dangerous beasts, no doubt, but they are unable to make it to this area. Maybe we are not to walk into Ragnarok's door but to stay on the back side here instead.” Claire said.

It was then that she felt something land on her head. For a moment she was surprised and she let one fall into her hand. It was a purple jack o lantern that was falling like snow. It giggled at her and she tossed it where it gently fell to the ground. “The more I'm here the more I don't like this place. I am still concerned about Illyana and everything here is just gruesome.” She said as she looked around.

"Request complete," answered Lucille. "Parts meeting your criteria have been listed."

He looked to see there were only a couple. He quickly read the transcription and his heart fell into his stomach. No. This was a distraction. This was a distraction meant to put him off of his... "Lucille...play videos of selected parts."

Sheila showed up as a holo-image again. She looked ragged, her uniform worn. There were cuts on her face and a long gash down one of her arms. She looked terrified, sad.

"Rag," she said in a weary, cracking voice. "I don't know if you're alive or dead, or if you're even getting these, but...I wish you were here. "Those...things...are running rampant. So many are dead. I don't even know...if any of us..." There was a loud noise not too far off. "These...Folk abominations...I'm so scared and--"

She cut off as the booming got louder. "I gotta go. Please come back."

The holo-vid suddenly cut off. Ragnarok's hands were trembling. "Playing final holo-vid," Lucille informed him.

Sheila was in obvious critical condition. She was leaning against a wall. Several gashes were rent along her midsection. He could see the coating of nanites trying to mend the wounds. They were moving too slowly. Folk wounds.

"Rag..." she choked out. Her voice was so quiet. "I'm...not...gonna make it. I wanted...I wanted to be here to greet you when you came back. But...I know that's not happening, now..."

She looked directly at him, her eyes meeting his. "I..." she chuckled bitterly, looking to the floor. "Even...even now. So hard. Wanted to tell you. Never could. Never..." She was trying to steel herself.

"Stop it, you fool..." Ragnarok pleaded, his eyes filling with tears. "Save your strength. Save..."

Sheila seemed to find her steel, for she looked back at him again. "I...I'll never...never know, now, if, if it could've been something more, but...but, I..." She exhaled. "I love you. Before you ever gave me the heimleich. I...you probably...think it a silly...a silly crush...I'm sorry." Tears flowed from her cheeks. "I don't mean to lay...don't mean...to lay this..." She slumped against that wall, all steel out of her. "Don't...forget me...please...?" Her body fell lifeless and she stared at nothing, never to see again.

A deathly quiet seemed to fill the air. The tears flowed freely from Ragnarok's eyes as his fists clenched and unclenched. The sound was broken by the snarling abominations as they hit against the field holding them back again. And again.

A great roar left Ragnarok's lips as he unfurled his wings, his eyes glowing like twin suns, all the hurt and rage he now felt being converted into raw sound. With a wordless snarl, he leapt forward, barreling through the door and into the abominations.

Delilah was silent, for the most part; this was not her tragedy. This story was not hers. Still, her curiosity compelled her to observe the strange device her new friend was talking to. Yes, her world had 'Siri's' and 'Cortana's' but for the most part they only caused frustration. Was this like a secretary? No. No it was a device. Was it like a supercomputer? She assumed those only existed in science fiction.
Then again, she was currently standing directly next to a giant winged gargoyle so she supposed she needed to accept that science fiction was closer to science reality at this point.

Despite her silence, her heart went out for the poor man. In Claire and Catherine's rooms, the damage had been done. Closed. Over. Here Ragnarok was- reliving it, witnessing it first hand. It felt wrong, to watch someone else's worst nightmare unfold- like she was a peeping Tom to someone's agony. But wouldn't it have been more disrespectful to look away?

Her hand was on her mouth, now not because the stench of blood and death, but because of the emotion- the sorrow, the sadness. She did not know the person speaking, she barely knew any of the people standing next to her- but that didn't matter. This woman had died, was dying, a death she wouldn't wish upon anyone.

She was so stuck into her sadness that the sudden jolt- the raw anger born of sorrow and heartbreak, caught her off guard. The tears in her eyes clouded her vision yes, but a massive being hurtling himself headlong into a room of screaming beasts was hard to miss, ignore or passively react to.

"Hold-" She blurted out half a statement as she sprinted in after him, blue waves cracking through her gaze and the tips of her fingers. She couldn't criticize his actions- and she wouldn't tell him to stop.

Delilah knew well enough she'd do the same. But these things weren't killing anyone else.

Taeyrn was confused by the tech band. Looking at it, he wondered, marveled at the magic--magic he hadn't seen before. This was new, this was....huge. The video was heartbreaking, but he didn't understand it, at first. It was....past tense? Present? What magic sent messages in such a way that it could be viewed? It was...strange. However, the message itself did not take long to distract him from the mystery of it. It was...so heart-wrenching and Tae did not envy this winged creature. Not a single bit. This was just another of many reasons why he never got attached.
(cont)
When the creature raced in, Taeyrn was tempted to follow--but he didn't. He couldn't. The beasts in there were about to tear them apart and Tae wasn't entirely sure that his blade could do anything to them. His magic would be useless...still, he could try to slash a beast or two? Would it work? These things were black and twisted--were they magically protected? Time would tell as he hesitantly convinced himself to follow suit.

Maresca watches the gargoyle’s reactions. She does not know what he is seeing, but by his expression it was not good. She starts to approach him before she can get to him, he roars loudly and runs in. Delilah follows him eagerly and Taeryn reluctantly. She walks up to the barrier. The creatures are dark. Dark and light are magical opposites, at least on her world. Is it the same here? If so she can cause damage to them, but they can to her as well. Her hand touches the barrier. Well if she wants to prove herself there is no time like the present. She takes a deep breath and walks in.

Midway through Catherine's sketch, she heard another voice, one she hadn't heard before. She looked up to find the newcomer, but she only saw a faint light in front of the gargoyle. Whatever was making the light, she could only imagine was one of his fancy gadgets. Catherine returned to her sketch, but as the voice continued, she couldn't help but think of what happened in her own room, and her drawing hand slowed down to a crawl. Eventually it fell still, holding the pencil's point on an unfinished line. Her entire body froze as buried emotions were drudged from deep within. She thought she was past crying, and yet tears welled up in her eyes.

She could have only conceived what the gargoyle was experiencing, until she heard a booming roar resonate throughout the room. Yep, he's mad. Catherine watched him barrel through the doorway in a fury, followed by other members of the group. She could relate to the beast's anger. Vengeance is a primal emotion shared by all sentient creatures. Catherine closed the book and tucked her pumpkin friend in her shirt. She followed the group once more, considering what creatures to summon.

Claire listened to the voice of the other gargoyal. She could only assume that's where the voice was coming from since she was farther back from the video and couldn't really see from behind Ragnarok. She thought it was some sort of device that they didn't have where she was from. It was different then where she was from. She watches as he get's angry. "Don't...." her words fall short however. She sighs as she watches as everyone goes into the room. She stands there alone for a moment as she looks at the beings. Would she be able to hurt them with her sword? Probably not. Her bear form would probably be the better form. She roars and begins to run. As she goes through the door, she changes form and roars like a bear in her pleated armor.

Claire listened to the voice of the other gargoyal. She could only assume that's where the voice was coming from since she was farther back from the video and couldn't really see from behind Ragnarok. She thought it was some sort of device that they didn't have where she was from. It was different then where she was from. She watches as he get's angry. "Don't...." her words fall short however. She sighs as she watches as everyone goes into the room. She stands there alone for a moment as she looks at the beings. Would she be able to hurt them with her sword? Probably not. Her bear form would probably be the better form. She roars and begins to run. As she goes through the door, she changes form and roars like a bear in her pleated armor.

His talons found their throats as he passed through the barrier with ease. They hadn't been expecting the charge and had been unable to react, having been in mid-air when Ragnarok had charged. He slammed the two abominations into the wall, their necks smashing underneath the force of his powerful hands, crushing their throats. They writhed and thrashed uselessly as their now useless throat could no longer supply them with air.

His breathing was short and shallow, the rapid breathing of anger. His ears perked at the sound of talon hitting metal -- his only warning. He turned to see a flash and spun, using his tail to deliver a powerful blow that sent the creature slamming into a nearby wall, putting a large dent in it.

The abomination shook itself and immediately lunged for Ragnarok, who quickly sidestepped and slammed his fists down on the creature. It let out a yelp and Ragnarok lifted his foot and brought it down on the thing's head, crushing its skull. He heard the growls of more as glowing red eyes pierced the darkness. His eyes lit pure white in response and he let out a similar growl in return.

It seems that in one moment, there is a rush, and then suddenly violence. Before her, Ragnarok, a man she had formerly only known to be soft spoken, intelligent- had suddenly turned into a being of bloodlust. She saw claws, blood, fangs and tails- a smattering of broken bone, and crushed throats- violence reserved for horror flicks, and nightmares she had grown accustomed to in the aftermath of her worlds horror.

One more thing she noticed, after her initial shock- was how big these beings were. Big, and horrible, and terrible. Ragnarok seemed to have it under control- for the moment. She opened her mouth to try to reason with him- nothing good would come of this, his friends, his fallen loved ones- he would gain nothing by fighting these monstrosities in their name.

But she heard a snarl in the darkness, dangerously close. Her head whipped around, the blue crackling encompassing her limbs as she saw one of those mammoth beats- stricken with nasty, black wrongness lunging through the darkness.

Lunging for Tae.

It's fangs and teeth and claws extended, huge, and razor sharp, glinting against the shine of her ether. Ready, and most likely fully able, to eviscerate the boy.

"No." Her voice hissed, not in frantic mania, not in pleading. But a statement. A low command. Before the thing could reach the boy, a warbling blue crack charged against it, into its chest- the blue residue cracking into it and remaining as it blasted it back with enough force to shatter through its chest, its ribs, it indented into its chest and flung it back into one of the beasts snarling at Ragnarok, with enough force to rival that of a car- a force which Delilah was very familiar with.

As the limp beast whipped through the air as a blue, electric blur, Delilah took the oppertunity to yank the boy towards her; smoothly pulling him with a telekinetic ebb to her side.

"Everyone, stay back!" She stood at the ready, blue glowing from her fingertips, ready to form a barrier, the moment she had a second to relax.

Taeyrn had entered the room with all due haste, ready to defend himself as he prepared to rush to Ragnorok's aid. However, the snarl and the leap of the shadow above his head proved not only to intimidate him unexpectedly, but also to strike fear into his heart as he paled with his sword held to strike at his attacker.

The beast that leaped for him had the eyes of pure evil, of pure darkness, but thankfully, he had little time to consider what kind of evil lurked within such a being. Although his katana was ready to wield, this thing towered over him within minutes and as the strange feeling of static electricity enveloped him, it felt familiar and yet strange all at the same time. It felt...similar to Mori's magic, but not quite the same as he was tugged away from the monster's grasp.

The older woman, Delilah, has saved him and all he can do is let out air of relief, of happiness to be alive and not mauled by a giant, massive creature of death and evisceration. That thing would have sure over ran his blade, overturned his strength behind it, and bitten his entire head and other limbs off. There is absolutely no way that he could do anything aginst these creatures, for sure, now that he sees what they can do, what they are capable of.

Unforunately, his magic will not help him in this room, either. What can he do? He can do nothing. He can do nothing to help any of them and now, he is only alive because of the kindness of an old woman that took the effort and magic to physically protect him with her strange, electric magic. He looks to her, listening to her exclamation of telling everyone else to stay back before he says, "Th-thank you. Thank you, Delilah."

Maresca comes in the middle of the battle and is frightened. She sees Delilah help out Taeryn. He seems a little shook up still. She knows this is not her battle per se. However she does not know the rules against losing any team mates. She goes over to him. “Are you alright?” She asks him. “I wonder if my magic will help at all. It is good against darkness.” She puts up a few light arrows as protection.

Catherine steped into the room peering deep into the darkness, however she couldn't see anything beyond the light that poured in through the doorway. Falling in closer to her companions, she saw the gargoyle dove headfirst into the group of demons just head. With a primal fury unseen, Ragnarok grappled the monsters as if they were paperweights. Catherine had a hard time choosing what she could possibly summon to fend off the darkness. She opened her book and flipped through the pages, during which she heard a snarl followed by a sharp crack.

When Catherine looked up, she saw a monster flying away from Taeyrn and a blue energy sparking from its chest. That's when she knew she'd need something with a little more oomf. She flipped the pages to a sketch of a warrior clad in armor and wielding a tower shield and sword. Catherine concentrated, summoning the warrior in front of her. She commanded the figure to stay by Catherine's side, ready to shield anyone nearby.

Claire came running through as one of the enemies came up behind her group of friends. She jumps and attacks, sending her and the beast sliding on the floor away from the group.

Claire savagely bites down on the scums neck and begins to shake her head savagely. Blood spouts from it's jugular killing it. She roars as she let's it go. She trots over to her friends and looks around. It is crazy in this room. Is Ragnarok just looking for vengeance? Only his inner demons knew the answer to that.

His rational mind warred with the rage he felt. His eyes stopped glowing long enough to spare the others a glance. "You should go," he told them in a growl. "This place isn't for the living. Not anymore..."


The beasts snarled and he forgot all about the others as they charged him in a large group. His eyes glowed brightly again as he snarled in reply and grabbed a nearby cafeteria table, hefting it like it was so much paper. Swinging it like a giant club, he swatted all five of the monstrosities -- three flew back through the opening while two hit the wall. He was on them faster than an eyeblink, crushing one's skull with his foot while catching the other that was lunging at him by the throat. There was a spurt of blood as his razor sharp talons cut into its throat, shredding it and he slung it uselessly to the side and shot out the door.

Roars of fury emerged from the hallway as he wrestled with two and threw the third off of his back. Sharp shadows of light playing across the wall as broken circuits flickered.

Everything is happening so fast, too fast. She sees Claire and Ragnarok, images of brutality, savagery, rending flesh from bone with roars that rattled against her chest. Her eyes are keen, still, scanning the room; another lunges for Maresca as she calmly, too calmly comes for Taeyrn. The static energy from Delilah's fingertips cracks once more and sends it hurtling back, a gaping, plasma hole in its chest as it goes shrieking back into the dark. She knew Tae had addressed her, her brain filing a response into a slot of lesser importance. After a moment of keen attentiveness, searching for more danger, jarred by the shift in tone, she looks down at the boy, now at her feet. After a moment of looking at him with owl eyed non registration she smiles, a sweet, motherly smile.

"Of course," As if there was an option that wasn't saving him. It had never occurred to her. But now that the immediate threat was gone, she was now focused on getting the others out of the room. Her gaze flickered up, and then back down to day, briefly resting on Maresca. She raised her hands, her staff, blue energy expanding from her hands in the blink of an eye as her gaze turned blue. Her, Tae, Maresca, and those in the surrounding area were enveloped in a translucent, blue barrier. "Stay here." Her words cracked as her gaze shifted to the forum of Ragnarok, he was going to get himself killed. She launched herself out of the barrier as soon as it formed.

"Ragnarok!" Her voice boomed through the room, trying to call him back."Come back, you'll get yourself killed!"

Maresca sees Delilah put up some sort of barrier. She sighs and dissipates her arrows. “I guess I won’t be needing those. Who knows if my magic even works the same here?” She keeps Ryusa ready. “I only hope they can beat those things.”

Claire heard Ragnarok but took no heed from him. She chased after him to help him. Ragnarok had thrown one of the beasts across the room and she took the chance to pounce on it and begin to savagely fight with it. She knocked it back as it tried to stand up and bit into it's chest. She ripped at it's chest with her claws and fangs, fresh blood bathing Clair's face.

She ripped the things beating heart out and spit it on the floor. She roared looking as she turned to look at Delilah as she heard her call out to Ragnarok. Her eyes were red, filled with blood that had come from the enemies she had killed. She looked a gruesome site covered in blood while standing on her hind legs.

Catherine merely watched the carnage ensue before her as she stood firmly near the group. No way in hell would she try fighting spawns from hell several heads taller than her just for the sake of vengeance. She hoped Delilah's barrier would keep them all safe until Claire and Ragnarok killed everything in the room. Watching the two maul blackened demonic flesh gave Catherine pause. How coincidental that one of them was a beast that acted like a human, and the other was a human that can turn into a beast. There was some kind of poetry in that, but Catherine didn't think much of it. It wasn't really the best time to ponder artful literature.

Two large dents rent the walls as Ragnarok threw two of the abominations into the walls with monster force, then reached over and grabbed the one that was on his back off and slammed it on the ground before him. A few stomps later and it moved no more. He looked to where the other two were slowly regaining their feet. This was pointless.

He immediately reached for his left hip and pulled out his blaster, blasting them in the face with rapid succession. Their heads exploded in a shower of gore and their bodies fell lifeless to the ground. He listened. It was quiet, aside from the sound of frayed circuitry spitting sparks. It was over. For now.

He needed to move. He needed answers. He needed vengeance. "How could this have happened...?" he growled in sorrow.

Ragnarok was obviously not listening to her. Typical. Someone gets their feelings shattered and gets sent into a howling rampage she could....relate. Somewhat. She heard a snarl to her side as Ragnarok was making short work of those on his end; stepping back inside her barrier just in time for one of those creatures to ram its head directly onto her barrier trying to get to her. Two more fell upon the blue bubble, three of these behemoths clawing at its surface, she felt the scratches on her mind. She looked up, those on Rag's end would be 'over' shortly- and she wasn't letting him get away to get himself killed. The biotic feedback the barrier made as the things clawed at it was overwhelmed with something...different as Delilah's fingertips flashed blue.

As quickly as she crushed her hand into a biotic fist the barrier blasted outwards, hurtling the creatures back at lethal speeds. These things were not people, they had no hearts, no souls, even if they did- their crimes were too great for her to forgive, their shattered bodies meant...something, almost nothing to her. They were the gravestones of her newfound friends sadness, and that was all. She looked back at Tae, Maresca and Catherine, as the former sat wide eyed on the ground, her gaze fixated on him with a smile.

"I got that from my nephew." Her gaze crawled back to Ragnarok. That...that...reckless fool. She outstretched her hand, now aware that the room was silent, nigh empty, thanks to her, Rag and Claire. The large, large man was suddenly overwrought a blue warbling effect, and pulled smoothly, quickly back towards them, landing softly and abrubtly at Delilah's feet. She stared at him with what Braedon might call a 'mom look', one hand on her staff, another on her hip.

"Now it might be different where you are from, my friend." Her voice was strong, but kind; she knew how much he must be suffering. "But where I'm from, we don't go running off without our team."

He felt something pull him and the next thing he knew, he was flying through the air. "What in blazes?!?"

He abruptly landed in front of Delilah and she was staring him down like his old drill sergeant. If he wasn't already angry, he might have found it intimidating. He found his feet and an growl rose up in his throat, but it died. She wasn't the enemy. Hasty anger served nothing.

He took in the "team" at a glance. He tried to keep the heat from his voice and thought, trying to choose his words carefully. "There is a reason I told you all to head back through that door," he said calmly. "Aside from you, Claire, and the one called Maresca, you're not equipped to handle the Folk. My people have been infected by them." He couldn't keep his rage and disgust at that out of his voice. "And so many are dead, now. I don't know if there are any survivors, I don't know how many are roaming these halls. I cannot protect you.

"Go back through the portal where it's safe, there is no shame in it," he continued, waving in Taeyrn's direction. "He's as still as a hatching in a killzone." His ears perked. Something was out there. He'd been sure before. His eyes glowed as he listened, going silent.

Delilah allowed him to go on his little...tangent. She'd heard it all before. Sometimes from herself, sometimes from Braedon, sometimes from CETE rookies who were in love with the projection of being a valiant solo 'badass', as Brae would put it. The valiant hero spiel. It came naturally to people like them. But it wasn't going to cut it for her thus time.

"Ragnarok," She started, her voice kind, soft, but firm. A mother talking to a child who had had their first heartbreak. "If we are supposed to take down this 'King Ness' together, then we must work as a team. A team. A team does not consist of one person running off on their own to potentially get themselves killed, or get their teammates killed. Tae came in here to help you, and if I hadn't been there, he would have gotten hurt." 'Or died.' Delilah thought grimly to herself. "It is not a matter of protecting us, it is a matter of letting us help you. Of not leaving us in the dust to rush after you to try to save you and-" She held up her finger to cut him off. "Before you say 'I don't need saving'-" She mimicked his voice, had it not been for the situation, it would have been hilarious. "Maybe you didn't know- but if five- ten of those things fell on you, if there was something here unlike anything you had ever seen, and you were on your own? You would be kiled, or maimed. And have no more chance of saving your world. Of saving people who can still be saved. Of getting revenge for your fallen friends." She held her arms out, gesturing to the bodies around her with her blue light. "These things didn't destroy your world, King Ness did. Rushing off to kill them and getting yourself killed- it, it's probably what he wants."

He listened to her with half a mind. There was something! "Please be quiet!" he suddenly growled. He listened harder, trying to pinpoint.

Delilah stares at him flatly, her nose crinkling in irritation. If he hadn't just experienced a unspeakable loss- she'd accuse him of being ten feet up his own ass and float him. She was still tempted, as he HAD ignored her trying to note the risk her teammates life was under. She shifted her weight to one foot and looked at him, expecting a very good reason for him telling her to be quiet.

He turned sharply with a snarl as something large and powerful slammed into him like a Dragon. He hit the wall hard and before he could react, his ankle was seized and he was slammed bodily to the floor, then to the wall, then thrown like a pulse blast into several of the tables, being rendered senseless.

Maresca listens to Ragnarok and Delilah’s conversation. It seems her magic could have helped here. She will have to ask him how later. She rolls her eyes at Delilah trying to control him. Even she heard is warning and armed some of her light arrows. Soon enough a large object appeared and slammed Ragnarok around. She closes her eyes. ‘This is crazy…’ she mutters to herself before releasing her arrows at the object and running toward Ragnarok.

Delilah watched as Ragnarok was slammed into a wall, jolting backwards. Whatever it was, it was infinitely bigger than the other beasts they'd been fighting. Well, this was going from bad to worse. She whipped her head back to look at Tae, still prone on the ground.

"Sorry-" She said abruptly as her biotic blue enveloped the boy and smoothly ushered him out the door and into the main antechamber. Away from this new, larger threat. Her gaze darted back to Ragnarok, feeling the strain on her mind as she reached out to him, yanking him towards her; trying desperately to get him away from whatever it was. The blue biotic glow that enveloped him briefly shining a light on the creature. Her gaze furrowed- it looked...familiar, close to-

She was hit with the muffled force of the infinitely larger man slamming into her arms as she stopped him from getting rammed into anything else...by her. She teetered back, raising a hand to start to form a glowing, blue barrier- aware that if whatever it was broke it, they'd be, as Braedon called it, up shits creek.

The situation turned from a comedy in a matter of seconds. Ragnarok and Delilah were just bickering with their egos stacked against each other, and now both were taken by surprise by an unseen force that lived in the shadows. Everything happened so fast, Catherine didn't even know what to do with her summoned warrior. Her eyes jumped back and forth between Ragnarok and Delilah, two of the best fighters on the team. What was she to do? Catherine caught herself before the panic set in. Hesitation leads to death-a lesson she learned as a practicing surgeon. Catherine set her sights on Ragnarok, commanding the warrior to stand by the gargoyle's side. The armored figure hustled to Ragnarok's position, poised to intercept any incoming attacks. The least it could do is act as a meat shield for Ragnarok.

Claire watched as some sort of thing ran into Ragnarok. She ran over and stood between Ragnarok and the huge beingIt was bigger then she was, but that wouldn't stop her from trying to take it down, though she knew that Ragnarok would want his revenge.,She stood on her hind legs to be taller so she could stare it down, but the look it gave her would have made a warrior turn tale and run. She shivered slightly but she didn't back down from her position. She needed to give Ragnarok time to regain his senses.. they were a team and she would stay with him.

So much happened he had barely any time to process it. One minute, whatever had assailed him had flung him and in the next instant he'd been yanked like a toy doll by Delilah. He shook himself, rising to his feet, surveying the situation before him.

Menacing eyes glowed variegated colors in the darkness of the room, but his eyes could see well in the darkness. "No..." he breathed.

It was a gargoyle, kin, but...twisted. The glowing eyes had been the first giveaway, but...

Rage flared up in him as a snarl rose in his throat. This affront wouldn't stand! The same infection that had taken gargate beasts had taken the very gargoyles, as well.

Its body was larger and his skin was faded into the liquid smoke look of the Folk. Its hair had become like the tendrils of a Folk moving like some liquid tentacle, and Folk flesh bubbled and roiled in his wounds and the holes in his wings. It had once been a male gargoyle, but that...thing didn't deserve a pronoun.

It growled in a hideous manner that crossed between a gargoyle and the hideous thousand ethereal screams of a Folk. It suddenly bellowed--and Ragnarok pulled his blaster from his hip and blasted the thing in the throat several times. The creature staggered back in a choked gurgle. Ragnarok's eyes widened. That many blasts would've put a large hole even in a gargoyle!

"It's no longer a gargoyle," he informed the others, "but some Folk hybrid. Its strength and speed is above normal. I'd recommend you staying back and sticking to ranged attacks. Folk injuries are slow to heal and terribly painful..."

Delilah's barrier burst up after Ragnarok fired off his...gun? Ray gun? The glowing blasts only gave a brief flicker of what the thing was. The blue glow of her barrier illuminated the room as Ragnarok spoke to reveal-

That was a gargoyle as well? That was supposed to be what Ragnarok was? Folk? She'd heard him talk about it- as well as that poor woman from earlier referencing them.

"Claire, you should stay behind us; Ragnarok, Maresca and I can handle this." She looked between Maresca and Ragnarok. "Rag, you're the only person who has any experience fighting these- I was planning on letting him attack my barrier, shattering it outward to fling him back, and let you and Maresca could take advantage of his prone position. If you two get in over your heads I could pull you back, out of the room, assuming it's like the hounds and couldn't follow us into the antechamber."

'With Tae.' Now she was especially glad to have flung him out when she did....but she'd still have to apologize for it later.

Maresca can barely believe what Delilah said. She want her to help with the battle. She quickly nods her head. “I will do my best, just tell me what will be the most useful for you.” She is a little scared, but she can do this.

Claire nodded her head. She lowered herself down to her four paws and walked behind them, none to happily. She would rather be fighting it, but she knew that it would take them working together to do it. Besides, she probably looked a bloody mess. It was almost embarrassing. She made a noise to let them know she was behind them and ready if needed.

Catherine's summon wouldn't stand a chance against the monstrosity that attacked Ragnarok. She could only sit behind the others and watch the duel unfold. She was ready to patch any wounds, but could she do anything about wounds from that creature? She didn't even know what it was made of. Slow healing injuries are usually very serious-hemorraging likely to kill the victim if not organ failure. Perhaps it's made of acid? Maybe some kind of poison. The same poison that killed so many in my world. Agh, I shoulda brought some pipettes!

The Abomination roared with fury, part gargoyle, all Folk ethereal screech, unfurling its wings and spreading out its arms. In answer, more howls came, some far off, some not so much.


"Lucille," Ragnarok called to his techband. "Interface with the mainframe using my security clearance. Check for life signs and see if you can create a Folk detection subroutine." He needed to know what he was dealing with. "Claire! With me! We pin it and let the others skewer it! A pincer maneuver!" Putting action to words he charged it, eyes glowing and a howl escaping his lips.

Taeyrn feels Delilah's touch on hish shoulder and it knocks him out of his mindframe, ever briefly. He looks up at her as he pulls himself up from his knees, forcing himself to move against his inner wishes. Part of him knows that when this battle begins, it will not end until of them is dead. Delilah says something, but he's not fully hearing it. He can't think. His mind is fuzzy, his wrath rising within his throat.

"He killed her," Taeyrn says finally, speaking the obvious. It is all that he can say.

"Well," His father says with a sound of satisfaction, "If I had known that this is all it took to break you, I'd have killed her long ago. All of that fighting, all of that testing...what a waste when the answer was here this entire time."

Anger flashes before Delilah's eyes. "You," Her voice is stony, hard, as her hand still rests on Tae's shoulder, a thumb running itself along his shirt, even as he stands, she moves herself closer to the man by a step, as if to act as a bastien between him and Tae. "You do not speak. You do not have a right to speak. Not to him; barely even to me."

Her eyes cast down at the burnt body at Tae's feet, and then back to the man, righteous fury gleaming in her eyes. Blue, biotic energy seeps to her fingers, dancing down her arms. Very little is stopping her from launching the nearest sharp object she can find into the mans chest. Very, precious little.

"Why. Answer quickly. Why did you do this and it best be a very good answer for I am not a patient woman." Her knuckles are white, her fingers glow blue, and this man was about to be black and brown and red all over.

"Let me introduce myself, lady," He says with a grin, "I am Forden Stennoth, the King of this entire city. I own everything you see here and then some. And if you walk upon my lands, I own you. You picked a hell of a time to come back, kid. I mean, gone all these years and you only show back up when your ol' man owns the place? Fitting."

Tae charges at him, then, screaming with a guttural disgust that could not possibly be overwritten by any other emotion, the fire coming from his father's hand once more. Just as it bursts into Taeyrn's body, it abruptly vanished--he was clearly prepared for his son's charge, but Tae knew that he would be. His own magical symbol had activated, swirling before his chest and then vanishing as surely as the burst of flames has.

This time, Taeyrn speaks with a false confidence, "You own nothing. You are nothing, you piece of shit."

Delilah was going to flatten this guy. Not just flatten, she was going to send him up to meet his god- allow the two to have a lovely conversation- and drag him back down so she could beat him again. She opened her mouth just as Tae charged- again, screaming. She sees the fire in the mans hand, panic in her eyes as she shouts Taeyrn's name again, before she even acknowledged that Tae wasn't hurt- that Tae was fine and not a smoldering pile like everyone else here- she sent a crackling blastic of telekinetic energy straight for the mans chest.

It rams into him with the force of a speeding truck; enough to send anyone flying- as it hits him, she rushes to meet Tae, keeping pace with his charge. She wasn't about to let him face this despot alone. The blue biotic effect warbles across her body, and she looks to the boy.

"We need a plan." A plan that isn't charging headlong into a man that just pitched all these people on fire.

Taeyrn watches as his father is knocked backwards through the room and into the back wall and relief and gratefulness wells into him, as well as fear for her life. He stops running, pulling at her with him as he says quickly, "I've never beaten him. I can't do this!"

Delilah does not resist as Taeyrn pulls on her in a panic. She lifts her hands, putting them both comfortingly on his shoulders.

"Taeyrn, look at me." Her voice is soft, motherly, her eyes occasionally flickering to the direction the man had been flung. "I believe in you. I never managed to climb a tree before, until I did. I never managed to control my ability before, until I did. Never only remains never for so long Tae." Her staff rests idle against her collar. "And besides that Tae, you're not fighting him alone. I'm here. We can do this. He will not hurt you, he will not lay a finger on you ever again- nor will he harm anyone else." Her eyes stray once more to the direction before returning to him and giving him a comforting smile, wrought with compassion and kindness.

Despite her calm, she is till at the ready, any noise from the mans end keen to set her off to pop up a barrier as quickly as she could. She knew she was right about one thing- this man would never harm Tae again.

The monster's harrowing scream sent shivers up Catherine's spine. Then came the resounding howls from the darkness around them. Catherine began to wonder if she was safe at all behind Maresca and Delilah. It seemed every time Ragnarok attacked the monster, it only grew angrier and more lethal. She felt compelled to find another summon, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the threat before her, and the claustrophobic darkness that enveloped the room. And right on queue, a scream bearing resemblance to Tae's voice rang from the doorway, and Delilah bolted out of the room. Catherine froze as she watched the woman run past her. Her expression gradually shifted from chin-dropped shock to teeth-grinding rage.

"You BITCH! Whatever happened to working as a team, huh!? Oh, don't worry, our corpses will wait for you to come back!"

Catherine had to take a breath after her outburst. While catching her breath, she looked back to Ragnarok, the beast, and Claire. At that point, their chances of killing the thing dropped significantly, at least in Catherine's mind. Maresca could also fight, but could she take on that monstrosity? And still live? "Shit, I'm a doctor, not a miracle worker." Catherine dove into her sketchbook. She looked for something that could improve her chance of living. With the three remaining members preoccupied, Catherine will have to fend for herself. "Remember what they taught you, Catherine. Remember your footwork, keep your head down and arms close. Balance. Parry, then thrust. How do you parry a fist?"

Claire turned to face Delilah as she began to say her name. It was then that they heard Tae's voice screaming like a mad man from the back room. She heard the being growl again and she turned to face it as Delilah turned and fled to help Tae. She could only pray that she got there in time to help him. They could keep this one at bay until she returned or even hopefully defeat it.

She roared as she heard Ragnarok telling her to help him in a pincer movement. She nodded her head and then ran at the being. She tore at it with her claws and fangs, holding it back with Ragnarok so the others could attack.

He heard Tae's scream, but tuned it out. Turning his back on an enemy like this would be the height of foolishness. Delilah, however, was in a safer position and he heard her skip out of the room to help Taeyrn.

He moved with Claire as Maresca's light arrows tore into the creature, staggering it backward. Together, they slammed it down and Ragnarok took advantage of the moment to rip through it's neck with his talons. A few quick swipes was all that were needed to sever its head. There was no blood, only Folk ichor. It explained the enhanced strength.

He turned to the others. "Make your choice, quickly," he told them. "There will be more on their way, soon. You can remain here--or go to help Taeyrn and Delilah." He knew what choice he hoped they'd make.

Maresca knows that Delilah will be able to protect Tae. “Ragnarok, maybe we should leave, together. You are not helping anyone here, and only getting yourself killed. You cannot save your world if you are dead.” She tells him. “I do not believe that this is your world. Just like Claire’s room was not her true world. Stop wasting you time and resources on something that is not real.”

Claire roared as the stench of the being's death stench in her nostrils. She changes from her bear form back into her human form. The smell was still horrible, but not as bad as when she was in her bear form. She still had blood all over her face and armor.

She looked between Ragnarok and Maresca and shook her head. “That's where I'm not so sure what to believe. Is the place behind the door's real in what we saw or not? I couldn't help Ilyana and for that I feel ashamed. But I do agree with you Maresca about one thing. Ragnarok, you can't save your home without help. You can't do it alone. You are asking for death, just like all your other friends and family if you die. I want to help Tae, but I know he is safe with Delilah. You on the other hand, I'm not so sure.”

Catherine watched the trio take down the hulking monstrosity with unexpected ease. "Huh. That went faster than I thought." She muttered under her breath. These guys must be quite strong, or maybe that black thing was just really weak. Either way... Catherine looked back to the open door Delilah ran too. She knew the woman was strong, but whatever thing made the boy scream may also prove trouble for Delilah. And it wasn't like Catherine was proving useful in the hellhole she was currently in.

"I don't know what you're gonna find in here, but from the looks of it, you look like you can handle yourself. Kill as many creepy hellspawns as you want. Kill 'em all and their grandmas. Maybe that'll soften your boner for violence. I'll just pose a liability. So, I'll see if Delilah needs help. Who knows what horror of horrors she's facing."

She announced to the gargoyle group with her acrid, playfull sarcasm. The warrior she summoned eventually faded into smoke as she turned and walked hastily to the door. In the main room, she noticed a new door was open, and no Tae to be found. So it was the boy who made that scream. She thought as she marched to Tae's room and stepped inside.

Only one of them went the direction he had hoped, and he watched Catherine exit. He exhaled sharply through his nostrils, processing how he was going to respond to the others. As he opened his mouth to speak, Lucille suddenly chimed on, presenting several schematics and diagrams that encircled him. One of them brought him to his knees.

"General Ragnarok," Lucille addressed him. "You are officially field promoted as the only remaining soldier capable of holding rank. All rights, privileges, and security clearances have been passed to you. Congratulations." The last part had a hint of sadness in it.

The diagrams shown all of the levels of the current building and the others. There were no life signs. None. He snarled, trembling with inconsolable rage, tears streaming from brightly glowing eyes. "Nobody...nobody left..." he said in a voice etched in sorrow.

Taeyrn wipes his hands on his pants. His father hasn't moved. "You won't be able to use your magic on him directly--but you can throw shit at him and throw balls of energy at him. I can only hold five of his attacks at one time."

So floating him was out of the question then. "Hold? You can absorb his magic?" She assumed his magic operated similarly to her ether ability. "And I assume this means he is 'immune' in some way?" Luckily for Delilah, hitting people with heavy objects was her specialty. She looks cautiously back in the direction of Tae's so called 'father'. For his sake, he better have a very thick head.

"UH, not quite," Tae says sheepishly as his father regains consciousness, "It's like I...store attacks away that I can launch later."

Delilah's eyes brighten. "Ah- so it is using your opponents own magic against them? Very good. And if anyone needs a taste of his own medicine it's this-" Delilah gestures to Tae's now conscious father. "Thing." Her eye scan the room, finding a very promising looking table. Solid wood from the looks of it. Heavy.

Perfect.

Tae's father stands up, slowly, nonchalantly. He makes no move to attack, shows no hostile actions or expressions. Instead, he laughs a little, nodding his head as if to express some sort of pride. "Kid, I'll give it to you. You're stronger than the last time you came around. Haven't aged a day in all that time since you left on your little quest from the Visitor. So it doesn't even seem like you've had that much time to become stronger in the first place. Amazing, really."

"Shut up." Tae says.

"You've even picked strong friends," He continues, nodding at Delilah, "But do you really think that you can take me? You know what I can do."

Delilah's face flattens into a hard glare. "And somehow we still do not care." She looks to her companion. "Do not listen to him. He brays like an ass." Her eyes flicker a telekinetic blue as her energy wraps around the table behind him. "So...shall we, Tae?" She was sure beating on his father might be cathartic for him.

Tae was about to say something, to speak further....but the sudden darkening of the room spoke volumes as the man's eyes widened while he gazed upon his father. The man's frame grew, becoming larger and larger, still, until his height was so great that he broke through the glass ceiling of the long hallway of the academy entry way. The man's size was near colossal and this was not something that his father could do before he went to take on King Ness.

"I am Unity." Taeyrn's father said as his voice grew, "I am all that has become powerful within this world. The Kaprelians failed to conquer me. The Amdens--the entire faculties of each academy and more all failed to conquer me. I took them all on and I destroyed them all. All that remains are the weak and if they cannot survive, if they cannot follow me as they should, then they must die."

Taeyrn began to shake as his father's form massively expanded, unable to understand, to fully comprehend what is going on. The lights within the sky are darkened as his father's shadow now towers over them both and fear wells up within his stomach as he deeply regrets ever opening this damn door. He should never have come here. He will die here and he's going to take Delilah with him.

Delilah regretted many things in that moment. She regretted not telling her father and Braedon she loved them enough, she regretted not spending more time with her friends; with Astria, with Cynric and Kyo, with Kris and Reid. She regretted not letting the people in her life know she appreciated them. She regretted not taking more classes, seeing more things- experiencing more of the world. She regretted the fact that she never was able to say goodbye to her nephew- she regretted that now he was going to have to see her disappear without so much as a goodbye.

She regretted all these things, because in that moment, she knew she was going to die.

"Well, shit." She said lightly, gazing up at the absolutely massive figure of Taeyrn's father; her eyes wide as saucers, a sinking sense of horror seeping into her gaze. Tae. Tae couldn't even handle the beasts in Ragnarok's room. How on earth was he meant to fight this? Delilah had made her resolve. She knew what she had to do- if anyone was dying here, it would be her. Not Tae, not anyone else. Tae had had his entire life...tainted by this mans influence. His life had just begun; hers, hers had run its course. The horror fell from her face. She straightened, shoulders set, hand on her staff, staring defiantly up at this beast.

"I am Delilah Deveraux; and I do not care who you are, what you are- I care not how big you are. For your crimes against your son, and against these people I-" The formality, resilience in her voce crumbled to rage. "I am going to beat you until candy comes out." Her eyes shifted to Tae; placing her hand gently on his shoulder once more. "I apologize for this. Again."

And just as she had her grip on him the last time- she swiftly, carefully pulled him from the room. Only this time- there was an obstruction. Tae had been sent crashing directly into Catherine, who had, until now, gone unnoticed.

"Catherine!?" Delilah's exclamation of surprise almost distracted her from the towering figure at hand, but before she lost sight of what she was fighting, she quickly turned back.

Catherine got a glimpse of the towering hulk that appeared to grow out of nowhere. She was absolutely stunned stiff, with her mouth slightly agape. "This keeps getting better and better." She loosely mouthed as her eyes followed the man's head up to the ceiling. When his head crashed through the glass, Catherine shook her head with disbelief. "What in the fuck..." But her thought was interrupted by a young boy hurled at her like a projectile. She flew back, sliding for a few inches when she landed.

"Catherine!?" Delilah's voice made told Catherine everything she needed to know. Although Tae's body was a surprise. "I can understand if you're mad, but using Tae as a weapon is downright sick." Catherine hoped Delilah caught on with her sarcasm, but she was too exhausted to highlight the sarcasm in her voice. Her quip was more of a groan than anything.

Tae doesn't have time for his magic to defend himself against Delilah's attack--his own fault for not having any seals prepped.  He sighs, dragging himself up to his feet once more, now unhappy to be thrown by Delilah.  As if you would solve anyone's problems by dying alone down here.  He brushes his annoyance aside, apologizing to Catherine with a quick "sorry" before moving towards the other side of the room once more.

This time, his eyes glow a brilliant blue as his pats himself on his chest, outer forearms, back,  and on his left palm.  His sword still sheathed, he knew that this would not help him in the battle to come.  His pace increases into a jog as he prepares to launch an attack at his father, regardless of his size.  He's afraid--very afraid, but he can't risk either of the women dying because of his door.

"Catherine, get close to Delilah, please!"  Tae shouts as his run shifts into a sprint.

A brief moment of horror overwhelms Delilah as she stares slackjawed at Catherine and Tae. "No, I didn't-!" She tries to argue the womans words before realizing now was not the time. Besides; she was probably like her nephew, or Cynric- just messing with her. But now was not the time for impish fun at all.

She hears Tae's words, watching as he rushes towards her.

"No, stay back- I've got this!" She most certainly did not have this. But she had a better chance of having it than either of them. Which sounded terribly conceited- but Tae's power was absorbing magic apparently, and Catherine could bring drawings to life- so unless Catherine could draw fourty-seven dragons very quickly, she couldn't possibly take this mammoth down. She doubted even she could. Her hands outstretch- forming a blue, glowing barrier, smaller this time- condensed. She was hoping against all hope this thing would swing at her- let her knock it back and stagger it so she could get a hit in.

Catherine turned over to push herself up onto her knees. She finally knew what it felt like to get trampled by the goats she'd see around farms. She acknowledged Tae's apology without a word. The boy was just being polite after getting launched by his partner. As Catherine gained her footing, she checked her supplies weren't damaged. Everything seemed okay. During her inventory check, she heard a command coming from Tae. Catherine took a quick peek at her book before jogging over to Delilah.

"I swear, I've done this once before." Responding to Tae. Under the barrier, Catherien got a true appreciation for just how gigantic the old man was. Had she tried looking any higher, she'd overextend her neck.

"Okay, if you've got this, how do you plan on fighting what may as well be an ancient deity?" Under Catherine's remark, she hoped Delilah had something with which to take down the giant. She'd begun thinking dragging the gargoyle with her would've been a better idea.

The giant man paid no attention to Delilah or the girl that had joined her within the bubble-like barrier that surrounded them.  Rather, his gaze remained on his son, due to the intent in the boy's eyes.  He was very obviously going to attack and he simply stood there, waiting, prepared to defend himself from whatever Taeyrn decided to send his way.

Taeyrn ran through Delilah's barrier, his left palm stopping and somehow touching the barrier without going through it before he crouches lower at his run, his left hand now near his feet as he interrupts his run with a jump--a glowing blue symbol appears in Tae's palm--his symbol.  His unique mark that King Ness had somehow known, stripping it from his very mind:



That violation angers him as the burst of fire previously absorbed from his father bursts below, pushing him upwards into the air at a higher velocity.  The katana is drawn and Taeyrn screams, the blade coming down towards his father's chest.  As he is prepared to strike,  his father's arms bend forward, each hand on either side of his small body as funnels of fire shoot forward, moving to meet with his core--except that the fire vanishes as it reaches him and his father grins.

Taeyrn knows what he's doing.  He's going to use up all of his marks--or at least, he's going to try.  However, no amount of fire is going to stop this blade from piercing his chest, and although the size will minimize the damage, bleeding is bleeding in his eyes and that's something that he can work toward.  His blade is almost home, as his upwards burst begins its decent after he has reached his maximum height from the dispersed fire blast.

Delilah can't help it. She yells; shouts-

"[b]NO![/i]" She hopes, begs the universe to let Tae know what he was doing. If she had to witness him die firsthand; she wasn't sure how she'd cope- he was a child. So, painfully young to be risking his life. Her 'No' sounds off again as the fire reaches him. Why, why didn't she pull him inside her barrier? STUPID Delilah. Stupid, stupid Delilah!

She reaches out, hurtling the desk she saw earlier upwards- feeling the sharp pain of agony on the surface of her mind, pulled in to places at once. Maybe if things go south- it could catch him, float him down. She keeps it steady as it follows him up, clinging onto her staff so she doesn't go to her knees.

Catherine was caught unaware by Tae's sudden outburst. She was so surprised, she didn't even know how to react. Delilah had already sent up a table to catch the boy in his descent, but the boy was surrounded by fire and a towering human with very lange hands to swat with. She wanted to find something in her book to summon, but she also couldn't stop watching Tae as he briefly hovered in the air.

Tae's katana digs deep into his father's chest as the fire disperses and the man simply pulls at Taeyrn's body, separating him from his sword's handle and tossing him back from him with a grunt of pain.  The flight sends butterflies into his stomach, but a table quickly catches him from the throw and Taeyrn is grateful.  Unfortunately, now he's far away from his father once more.  So much running and he's already near out of breath.

By the time Tae has gotten back up from the collapsed table that Delilah had obviously used to assist him in the air, tendrils of fire were swooping all around his father's body, moving unpredictably about and sometimes whacking at Delilah's barrier from various sides with great heat.  However, the fire is still red, not blue--so it isn't as hot as can be.  That's' good.

His father raises up his left arm, his fingers stretched out above the two women as his fingers circle and his wrist twists--fire rains down upon them, but it doesn't land as Tae's magical symbol activates and absorbs the magic as the ones on his forearms had.  "That's three full, one charging, and one empty."  Dissatisfied with the lack of damage to Delilah's barrier, he moves to punch it.

Delilah relaxes slightly as she sees Tae land relatively safely on the desk she had used. She felt...fire, fire and burning on the surface of her brain as the tendrils lash against her barrier. She lets out a noise of pain through gritted teeth; but she holds firm. She can't let any of this through to Catherine- as long as she's taking the fire from Tae, keeping Catherine safe- she must keep it up.

Her eyes raise from their squint of pain as she watches Taeyrn's fathers fist descend upon her barrier. This was it- this was her chance. As his fist makes contact- as she feels the enourmous pressure on her brain she pulls her hands apart, her eyes flashing blue as the barrier explodes outwards. Fragments of biotic blue energy explode like shrapnel as the fist is blasted back with almost siesmic force. She knew nothing less would move it. She feels the energy rip at her brain- her head throbbing the moment the energy his released. She hopes this gives one of them an opening- one of them a chance to do something because for the moment- she could push them out- but she herself was prone.

The table was masterfully hoisted to break Tae's fall. But the feeling of relief was broken as soon as it arrived. Whips of flame lashed at Delilah's barrier, driving Catherine closer to Delilah. She could see the mental stress Delilah was experiencing. She'd need a diversion to recoup her strength, but a giant fist came from the sky, hammering the barrier. Catherine was surprised the barrier held. Catherine flipped through her book for something to distract the giant. She came across a couple pages with around a few dozen birds.

"Never tried more than a few, but fuck it. Catherine summed all the birds from the pages and commanded them to fly towards the towering man's face and attack his eyes. Catherine had no idea if any of them would make it past the flames, but hopefully they would distract him long enough to find safety.

(To Be Continued)