Captive hearts

[Artemis]

Arklay forest

:: the journey through this part of the forest prooved to be much easier, no doubt in large part to the frost that Persephone brought. Alycia took this opportunity to neutralize any infected plants or animals that they came across with her ultra violet ray. her insulated body contouring outfit protected her from the cold but she could still FEEL the coolness....it must have been EXTREME. ::

:: Alison confirmed Sharon's where abouts.::

We have to hurry and reach her, before Kyle does. As strong as she is physically...he's STRONGER...and if he doesnt have ability to recognize her as his mother...he could hurt her or kill her!

:: She was also secretly afraid he'd make another try for HER again. the last time they encountered him, he was INTENT on posessing her...but WHY? was it due to pheromones like Nicolas said? she remembered the fear she felt as he dragged her through the mansion with his hand over her whole head. she didnt want to go through THAT again. but she had no powers...and she doubted if any of her weapons could hurt him. If he was able to withstand Harbinger's attemp to subject him to temporal stasis, what ELSE was he capable of?::

There's so much GROUND to cover in the mansion. can we possibly get it under control, find sharon and defend against Kyle all at once?? and if CONNOR is coming too, we're going to have to worry about HIM trying to pick us off. I imagine he'll use the cover of darkness and chaos to try to strike without being seen. that is how he hid from Haleigh and I the last time when we were all in the mansion at the same time and we didnt know it was actually HIM.

:: as they moved on, they could hear in the distance...::

the water fall!!

we're getting CLOSE!

:: there's a mist in the air , generated from the water fall and the flowing water fall below, they had to walk carefully, as the path curved up around the mountain and if they went too far to the right, they would FALL over and far down to the jagged rocks and water below.::

 

[Spellbinder]

clash

<< Morgan stood poised with her arms folded as she glared at Delilah.>>

On the CONTRARY. Humans like HIM are very MUCH a threat. What do you think would happen if ALYCIA suddenly decided to "switch sides" ...do you have any idea what kind of DAMAGE she could do? But we TRUST her, we LOVE her as one of our own just as she loves US because she's been a real friend and she's risked her LIFE for us more than once on ALL fronts.

HE is out to destroy us. The fact the HE knows Sharon and Silver Swan are one in the same...doesnt that surprise you? No one else in the "general populace" knows this...Alycia has made SURE of that and yet HE attacked HER in the safe house that Nicolas gave her. That means he's been STALKING US Delilah and he's probably using USE to get NEXT to us. The fact that I'm standing here NOW...risking my own "outing" as a WITCH courtesy of him...trying to reach out to YOU should tell you who your REAL friends are.

<< she shook her head in disagreement with Delilah's suggestion that they were all suffering from some kind of god/goddess complex.>>

You're acting like WE are the modern day incarnations of the gods and goddesses on Mt. olympus. NO ONE has suggested "we'd be better off without them' WE'RE HUMAN TOO Delilah, we're just DIFFERENT in one small genetic twist. Its really that simple but people like HIM make an issue of it. THEY draw the lines in the sand and FORCE US to ACT....if WE dont protect ourselves than WHO WILL? the government? if it wasnt for Alycia, they'd probably be sending SENTINELS after us NOW! All WE want to do is what we we've BEEN TRYING TO DO since before the Six came together...LIVE OUR LIVES just like EVERYONE ELSE. but WE have the power to protect ourselves and the WORLD from people who are BEYOND law enforcement's ability to deal with. Do you reallythink YOU and the NYPD could have arrested MALICE, Helena, CIRCE? THEY would have laid waste to DOZENS , HUNDREDS if they wanted/had to and thought NOTHING of it.

Just like Haleigh and Ava told you EARLIER...those WE have killed...it was because we HAD to.. it was either US or THEM and you USED to know that. NOW you're acting like we're supposed to be PASSIVE when the eve of our own destruction looms? if the JEWS had super powers when the nazis came...how DIFFERENT do you think history would be TODAY?

<< Delilah brings up the issue of Sharon and Connor.>>

It was his own fault. HE would have killed HER if she hadnt defended herself at the brownstone. He DETONATED A BOMB, Delilah...innocents couldve been killed by THAT. he harmed innocent animals and a woman who has been through HELL and back. What if it had been ME or someone ELSE that he had tried to kill, what then? YOU couldnt even capture him when you had the chance and OBVIOUSLY he's beyond the range of a normal human when it comes to what he does so you tell me what we shouldve done? slapped him on the wrist and told him "dont do it again?" PLEASE. He's got an AGENDA, Delilah and you're being DUPED by him.

he got what he deserved...a lesson in humility and a reminder that not everyone is as easy to KILL so while you're trying to shine the light of righteousness on ME you better damn well do the same thing to LOVER BOY over there.

<< on to the subect of Alison's vision, which Delilah attempted to suggest was THEIR OWN FAULT.>>

If YOU had been listening, Alison indicated that it was OUTSIDE FORCES directly stemming from the antimutant sentiment that is GROWING. We have managed to survive one disaster after the next for over a YEAR while doing are BEST to keep innocent casualties to a minimum and in some cases..REVERSE the damage [ Ororo's intervention after the inferno or malice caper, for example]. We abide by the laws just like everyone else...remember the incident with Stavros and Alycia? it was YOU who made SURE we did things the RIGHT way instead of the way I suggested, which was born out of my panic. We helped Alycia in her attempts to legally put VICTOR KLIEN away and he tried to ASSASSINATE HER in the COURTHOUSE! he was another human who would not be stopped by "normal means" and to protect Alycia and OTHERS both human and mutant...ALISON stopped him..PERMANENTLY. you want to talk about who has destroyed innocent lives? look over there at HIM. what makes HIM killing people any more nobel than Alison or Alycia, who AGAIN is ALSO just as "human" as he is? what MYSTECH which was staffed and RAN in many areas by HUMANS without powers? how innocent are THEY?

"MISTAKES"...we make those EVERYDAY...it's called BEING HUMAN. No one is perfect, not even a PRECOG....and we ALL take a risk just be LIVING as who we ARE Delilah. Now, after YEARS of knowing this, you want to second guess everything that we stand for? why we do what we do? we dont act out of selfish motivation...if we DID then things WOULD be alot different all across the board! we live in this world and we live WITHIN the laws of man because we ARE HUMAN TOO and we have the RIGHT to defend ourselves just as everyone ELSE does...but WE have the ADDED RESPONSIBILITY of protecting those who CAN'T protect themselves and we've done that TIME AND AGAIN at risk to ourselves, our families AND our secret. Protecting THEM INCLUDES US becase WE ARE THEM. How can you FORGET THAT NOW at a time like THIS?

<< Morgan spoke strongly as she continued to look at Delilah.>>

you have your head in the sand and your being FOOLISH to think that Connor has all the answers OR that he will have the power to protect you from what is coming. What you're doing is not only SELFISH but STUPID and you're endangering yourself and US. Alison didnt tell us which ones of us would be killed but HALF THE TEAM is going to die outright Delilah...HALF! are you going to try to HIDE like a COWARD while you have a crisis of beliefs brought on by one night of passion with this idiot or are you going to REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE?

 

[Seer]

<< and so, Morgan and Delilah had it out. Morgan hammered at Delilah's recent change of heart and refused to give Connor ANY respect. As far as she was concerned, he was the weakest link and needed to be told "GOODBYE". >>

<< the two blondes spoke their minds and at least ONE of them spoke from the heart. the other one sounded more like a naive follower of some demented preacher....and Connor stood there, looking smug as if there was some pleasure to be derived from this.>>

<< would Delilah REALLY see beyond this or was she captive of her own emotions and heart?>>

and several states away, in Arklay forest:

<< as the group moved on, encountering little trouble along the way, they soon heard the sound of the water fall, a major indicator that they were nearly there....but it was not to come without some resistance.>>

<< more giant wasps, apparently IMMUNE to the temperature extremes, flew into view. these were not virus carriers but instead mutated experiments gone awry and having escaped from the labs at the mansion. they were not alone either, as they were now greeted by Kimodo Dragons whose scales looked ARMOURED in appearence. they were larger than even the largest naturally occurring species on the planet and they climbed with their massive claws up over the side from where the mist from the flowing water was. they immediately locked onto the scent of everyone present and began to charge... it was clear they would not be easily dispatched and they began to shoot ACID FLAME blasts at Persephone, Black Widow, Rampage while the wasps began to close in Alycia and Harbinger. One of the dragons slammed into Persephone with its massive tail, striking her with the force of a high speed car intending to knock her over the side of the mountain and fall to her death, while the other two advanced on Black Widow and Rampage with savage instinct.>>

<< they were ALMOST there...but almost doesnt count.>>

 

[Black Widow]

They were on the move, and pretty much steamrolled the competition.... but they DID get hung up dealing with a particularly prickly bunch of scorpions.... Haleigh dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding a stinger. They were fast.... but Haleigh was more than capable of keeping up with them. She was ready for the next strike, and she stepped on the 'face' of the scorpion, CAUGHT the stinger in hand, pulled it clean off, and then grabbed it by the remainder of the tail and slung it away from her casually. The rest of her group was also making short work of the pests, and as Haleigh turned back around to face them, she caught sight of Alison vomiting like it was going out of style. Her companions were busy seeing to it that she was alright, but Haleigh knew it'd take more than nausea to keep Harbinger down. She gave Alison a slightly forceful pat on the back as Persephone brought in the freeze.

"Uh-oh, was that extra cucumber slice at dinner too much for you? You really ought to watch your overeating, honey. Excessive vomiting is harmful to tooth enamel. On the other hand, if you're going to traipse about barfing like a thing possessed, maybe it'll work in our favor.... I don't think the zombies would come within a hundred feet of us with you projectile puking everywhere. So.... keep up the good work, yeah?"

Her voice came out in clouds of steam but she was oblivious to the chill. Nicolas and Alycia made sure the virus was eradicated in the immediate area. The ice took care of most of the rest. Haleigh sniped stragglers here and there as they made their way quickly to the Mansion. This was the easy part, and Haleigh and Alycia both knew that all too well. Once they were inside the mansion... all hell would truly break loose.

They were coming up on the misleadingly serene waterfall....

"Alright people.... here we go. We've all been to hell and back so there's really little advice to give right now.... however... I think we should stick as close together as possible. Don't go gallavanting off [looking at Nicolas], no matter WHAT happens or what you THINK you hear. There's plenty of things going on in that house that can play tricks on all of us... I think we should all pick a 'buddy' of sorts to keep to no matter WHAT. This way if separation should occur... you won't be totally alone... your partner will be there and I can't tell you HOW valuable that is. The chance of survival for a single person in a combat situation is less than 9%. Any that's fighting regular ole humans with regular ole guns.... so no Die Hard shit, alright?"

Haleigh stopped speaking.... there was movement on the side of the cliff, about fifty yards down.... something else was rising out of the depths. Haleigh searched quickly, her night vision allowing her to see the oversized lizards coming this way.

"Looks like some kind of gecko on steroids. [pausing to actually identify the beasts] chemically altered Kimodo Dragons. 30 yards and closing. They're poisonous and aggressive in the wild.... and these particular specimens are DEFINITELY not happy. [firing off a few suppressive rounds] 20 yards and closing. They're well protected, bullets are bouncing off of them like rubber balls.... 10 yards-- shit, they are FAST!"

One whacks Persephone right off her feet, and Haleigh DIVES to grab her as she slide off the edge of the cliff. She catches her sister by the COLLAR of her suit and breathes a sigh of relief. The Kimodo that attacked makes an attempt to bite but Haleigh tosses a vicious glare back at it and it finds a small BOMB in its mouth, which explodes instantly, spraying them with charred lizard bits. Haleigh hoists Ava back up onto the cliff.

"You always DID like to play too close to the edge."

 

[Persephone]

:: Trying so very hard not to smile at Haleigh's comments to Alison, Ava nudged her sister roughly as she passed, giving her 'the look'. Oh, Haleigh was familiar with Ava's infamous 'what are you doing' looks. But this one was more comedic than anything else. ::

"It's alright Alison, Haleigh's never thrown up in her life....it always seems to just flood out the OTHER END."

:: Smirking, the group finally came to a large waterfall. Looking over the edge to the nearly hundred foot drop, she listened to Haleigh 'rally the troops' and suggest a buddy system. Walking away from the edge, she nodded to Haleigh agreeing. ::

"You [haleigh], Nicolas and Alycia should pair up. [looking to Alycia] If you somehow come in contact with the virus, Nicolas is best suited to treat you. Plus, the both of you [Haleigh and Alycia] already know a bit of the Arklay layout from your previous visit here, so you can guide Nicolas. [gesturing to Alison] Alison and I can team up. We both studied your footage of Arklay for a couple hours at Illustra, we're pretty well versed on the layout and what to expect. And with Alison's precog abil--"

:: Stopping, a loud BUZZING sound caught Ava's attention. Looking behind Alycia, large wasps came flying out from behind a tree, and straight for the group. ::

"Alycia, watch out!"

:: Gesturing behind Alyica, Ava staggered back as a blast of acid flames came between herself and Haleigh. Taken by surprise, the Kimono Dragon slammed it's tail straight into Ava's side, sending her flying over Haleigh's head and away from the team. Hitting the rocky ground hard, the wind was knocked out of her as her limp body continued to slide RIGHt over the edge of the cliff. ::

:: Looking down at the drop as she dangled in the air, Ava looked up, seeing her sister holding onto her. With one lift, Haleigh managed to pull Ava over the cliffs edge, onto the dirt covered ground. Coughing out, Ava's ribs were pretty badly broken by the speed, force, and impact of the Kimono Dragon's tail. As Haleigh quipped about playing close to the edge, Ava looked up at her with watery eyes [from coughing so roughly]. ::

"Oh shut up."

:: Giving her a weak smile, Ava coughed and winced. ::

"Thanks Hales.."

 

[Artemis]

Arklay forest

:: Haleigh was speaking on the best way to handle the journey inside of Arklay and Persephone made a good suggestion of pairing....but...::

but what about Morgan? She could be arriving at anytime and how will she know where to find any of us?

:: at that moment, Haleigh identified the approaching giant kimodo dragons...Alycia gasped with dismay at the sight of the angry creatures and then, MORE giant wasps! Persephone shouted for Alycia to watch out and pointed, Alycia turned behind her, and gulped as the giant insects were coming for her. everything happened so FAST as a tail seemed to come out of NO where and slam into Perspehone, just BARELY missing Alycia but still causing her to fall to the ground...::

UGH!!

:: after a few seconds of shock, Alycia shook her head ...::

THE WASPS!

:: they were closing in, their buzzing was unsettling as were their giant forms. ::

too many to pick off with the guns....not enough time to get away...

:: she readed into her low slung utility belt and brought forth a CLUSTER BOMB::

watch out everyone!

:: she HURLS the cluster bomb straight at the charging swarm of giant wasps. in this instance, their SIZE made them a prime target for this and the cluster bomb detonates in 3...2. 1......::

:: the blast is strictly in the air, white hot flames and consussive power enough to smash through the side of a mountain....the wasps are ANNIHILATED and bits of their bodies , along with their....insides come falling to the ground. Alycia saved herself and didnt leave anything for Alison to do against them but the aftermath was a bit messy. meanwhile, Haleigh saves Perspehone from flying over the edge....after being smacked by the dragon.::

:: Harbinger offers Alycia a helping hand.::

We have to help them against those giant lizards before they burn us...or EAT us..

:: catching a full view of the creatures, she lookd rather dismayed.::

is there ANYTHING that they didnt experiment on in this forest? whoever heard of giant kimodo dragons in a mountain forest in CONNETICUTT??

 

[Harbinger]

Arklay forest- waterfall

:: Alison GLARES at Haleigh as the woman firmly pats her on the back and ribs her so. KNOWING that the others want to laugh. after a few moments though, Alison has to work to hide her own slight smirk. speaking with lofty lilt in her voice::

Oh hush up, robo chick.

:: if ANYONE would be irreverant, it would be Haleigh. but Ava did Alison a favor and gave Haleigh a good, playfull chiding. on they went, With Alison feeling much better and having refreshed herself with a healing potion that also gave her a refreshed APPEARENCE as well. she brought several other potions for the others if they needed them. everyone worked together, handling their tasks quickly and carefully. despite the stumbling blocks along the way...they were doing very well.::

:: as they reached the winding path that went upward and the waterfall, it was clear from Alycia that they were getting close. Haleigh gave them instructions on how to proceed and Alison concurred, nodding her head. she further agreed with Ava's suggestion of the pairing. as Alycia asked about Morgan, Alison spoke.::

She's confronting Delilah and Connor now, i see the conversation coming to an end very soon and she will teleport directly here. Connor and Delilah will be along as well but we'll already be inside by the time they get here. We'll need to wait out in the courtyard by the fountain to give Morgan time to rendezvous with us in what will be one of the few safe spots of the grounds of the mansion.......i see her arriving....

:: she didnt get to finish as Haleigh alerted them to the giant kimodo dragons and Persephone pointed out the giant wasps coming for Harbinger and Alycia. Persephone was bowled over like a pin, Alycia fell down and the dragons charged the scene, firing with rage and agression upon Black Widow and Rampage.::

:: She prepared to attack the wasps to save Alycia but Alycia beat her to the punch, destroying the entire swarm with a CLUSTER BOMB as she hurled it from where she fell.::

Nicely done, Alycia.

:: she says as she runs to help her up. Black Widow saves Persephone from falling to her death and pulls her back on solid ground. one dragon was destroyed...its head having been blown up by a bomb from Haleigh::

:: Persephone was suffering form cracked ribs.::

Morgan and I channel magick in different ways...aside from my precognition and power over time, i specialize in destruction and offense/defense but as sorceress surpreme, she has a wider range. somethings that she could do with a simple spell, I use a potion for.

:: just like she helped Nicolas recover from a potentionally fatal strike from Circe back at Barbara Minerva's mansion, she gives Persephone a small bottled potion filled with a sparkling blue liquid.::

drink that, it will heal you and restor your vigor.

We have to help them against those giant lizards before they burn us...or EAT us..

:: catching a full view of the creatures, she lookd rather dismayed.::

is there ANYTHING that they didnt experiment on in this forest? whoever heard of giant kimodo dragons in a mountain forest in CONNETICUTT??

:: stepping forward and lifting her hands, it was clear Harbinger was about to do something::

They were captured from their own natural habitat long ago, along with other creatures including sharks, snakes, bears and more....and they were subjected to genetic experimentation just SHORT of exposure to the G virus. one of many projects involving biological weaponry...

:: one of the kimodo dragons FIRES upon Alison. She responds by gesturing al'a Prue Halliwell, a rushing chiming sound is heard as she TURNS the torrent of acid flame blast BACK at the creature...it roars with SHOCK and PAIN b ut does not fall..instead it continues its advance while on FIRE...roaring loudly.::

BEGONE!

:: thrusting her hands forward with gusto ala' Piper Halliwell...she BLOWS the creature up but its clear that it took some EFFORT and concentration. they are made of sterner stuff, these dragons...and as this one blows up with a howling squeal...its two companions are none too pleased and begin to advance QUICKLY.::

:: again deflects two blasts of acid flame, but one of th e dragons surprises them all as it leaps into the AIR avoiding the returned blast and comes crashing down on Harbinger.::

NO!!

:: she BLINKS out of the way of being crushed for certain....BLINKING back in behind the creature which is now near Rampage and intending to snap his leg off with a powerfull bite from its large jaws.::

Persephone...call up a torrent of water from the river below......bring it up but dont send it , I'll use it in a SPELL.

 

[MorningStar]

HE is out to destroy us.

[ Delilah broke in with exasperation. ]

"HE saved my life!"

...those WE have killed...it was because we HAD to.. it was either US or THEM and you USED to know that.

"Oh we didn't HAVE to kill Viktor Klein. Or Stavros Cassadine. Or send the real Ava off packing to another dimension. It was just EASIER than playing by the rules."

[ Delilah crossed her arms and shook her head as Morgan continued. ]

if the JEWS had super powers when the nazis came...how DIFFERENT do you think history would be TODAY?

[ God, was she really using THAT as an analogy? Seriously? ]

"Well if the Jews decided to kill all Germans with their new powers, I think the rest of the world would have come together to EXTERMINATE them. The same way they will with us if they see us taking justice into our own hands. They won't see us as HELPING - they'll see us as a threat. And all we need to do is give our detractors one thing to point at and say, 'See, we were right about them.' We need to be more careful."

"MISTAKES"...we make those EVERYDAY...it's called BEING HUMAN.

"The difference is - when WE make mistakes PEOPLE DIE. Maybe keeping collateral damage to a minimum isn't good enough. This isn't about Connor. This is about doing what is right. And before you start to tell me that he's killed people in the name of justice too...that's exactly the point. It's NOT right when he does it and it's NOT right when we do it either. You can't say 'Connor's wrong and should die but Oh we're so special that it's okay for us.' You can't have it both ways."

[ Morgan wasn't listening. She was bent on making this about Connor and not about what was really at issue. ]

"Sharon cannot go around killing people. We're not talking about Malice here. We're talking about people that can be brought to justice. Sharon is UNSTABLE and she needs help. I don't care what those people she's gone after did - she can't just be the judge, jury and executioner for them. You're worried about EXPOSURE? Look to her, cause she's the biggest threat of that we've got. 'Mutant Vigilante' as a newspaper headline is going to get the witch hunt started quicker than anything else."

[ Delilah took a deep breath, speaking now with nostalgia for the way it used to be, for what they had lost. ]

"I used to think that we killed because we had to. When there was no other way and only in self-defense. But we are cavalier with our powers now, and someone is going to get hurt. Someone who didn't ask to be part of the battle. Our powers have gotten the best of us all, with disasterous consequences, and if you aren't able to admit that we need to change how we do things, then I think this conversation is over."

 

[Persephone]

:: Persephone was having trouble breathing from the impact of the blow to her chest. She watched as the others fought off the wasps and slowly pushed herself from the ground, staggering a bit while holding her side. Alycia did a great job destorying the wasps, but the Kimono Dragons seemed to be a little bit tougher to get rid of. Alison managed to dodge her way through the chaos to give Persephone a potion. Opening the bottle, she quickly downed it; her throat tingling as the liquid went down. Instantly, her body felt cold as the potion began to take effect. Her broken ribs healed and the bruises [that couldn't be seen because of her outfit, but still very much there] disappeared instantly. ::

:: Quickly acting on Alison's orders, Persephone moved to the edge of the cliff, looking down at the rushing water below. Holding her hand out over the edge, her palm faced the sky as the ground began to rubble. It sounded like a freight train was about to crash through the woods. Within seconds, the entire river came rushing upwards, creating a large wall of water. Bits of the river wall began to rain down amoung the six, like an isolated rainstorm. Looking to Alison, pierces of Ava's wet hair stuck to her face. ::

"GO!"

:: Screaming over the chaos, Ava gave the go ahead for Alison to say her spell. ::

 

[Rampage]

To Arklay we go...

Nicolas smirked but said nothing as the others gave Alison HELL. He would speak with her later about it. They made much headway, with him and Haleigh capturing many indigenous species and placing them in similar boxes to the one Ava'a serpent friend rsted inside. He also altered the boxes to account for the impending Artic frost.

As they moved forward, he could sense Alycia's fear of being taken by Kyle and he was about to "speak" with her when they were again attacked, this time by Komodo Dragons with augmented features and more wasps. Alycia dispatched the winged foes but the lizards were making headway, except for the one Haleigh detonated after it hit Ava. Another attacked Harbinger but she blinked away as it came for Nicolas. He teleported and reappeared atop the creature like a black Crocodiole Hunter. Reaching down, he took advantage of the fact that most of its muscles close the mouth, holding the beast's mouth shut as he bound it with metal taken from the ground itself. He flipped it on its back to make it docile, then turned to face the other beasts...

 

[Harbinger]

in the forest

:: Persephone pulled up nearly ALL of the water from the river flowing down below....Harbinger keeps it flowing up with a small boost form her own TK as she begins to "beckon" it from Persephone's "Grasp" on cue."

invited by a new era, I harbinger, the keeper of time, summon the power, the PRESSURE of the raging waters of the seas.

:: she holds her hands up over her head, the water begins to glow , surrounded by sparkling shards of dark magick as it begins to look more and more like raging ocean water, flowing up and over Harbinger and coalescing into a glowing ball of aqua energy.::

Charged by Poseidon's wrath and propelled by Thetis' scorn...waters of the skies, waters of the oceans....Deep....SUMBERGE!!

:: an odd chiming sound is heard as the din of rushing waves fills the air and Harbinger extends her hands forward and the ball of glowing aqua energy surges forward, leaving a trail of water behind it. the sphere grows into it slams into the two remaining kimodo dragons, surrounding them in a violent, churning sphere of raging ocean water and subjecting them to the pressure of a 1000 fathoms and MORE. the creatures are DROWNED their internal workings CRUSHED from the pressure as the sphere of water explodes and water spills out everywhere. Alison's spell charged the stream of water with the power and force of the deep raging ocean....::


:: the kimodo dragons are left , laying lifeless with their tongues hanging out of their mouths and looks of surprise frozen on their faces.::

there....that takes care of THEM.

:: she turns to the others.::

I dont think there will be much more. we'd better get moving. Morgan will be returning soon...without Delilah.

:: an indication that their conversation would not turn out well.::

we'll wait in the courtyard...near the fountain...we still have time..and so does Sharon....

:: looking away for a moment::

but the outcome...so far....remains the same.

 

[Spellbinder]

arriving in Arklay forest

<< Morgan narrowed her eyes as a chime sounded off in the air. not a good sign. Delilah was out of touch now in ways that Morgan couldnt have guessed before, but it was obvious that she picked the WRONG TIME to have a crisis of belief>>

Yes....this conversation IS over because WE are not the ones who need to change. YOU'VE already changed...and at the worst time. Give me a call when you decide to come down off "the cross" , Delilah....but you better hope you dont get nailed there PERMANENTLY by the same "people" you want to protect, people like HIM who won't think TWICE about killing YOU because of who you ARE He's USING YOU Delilah, you used to be smart...too smart for this...now, i dont know.

Give me a call when you get OVER your messiah complex....if you're still ALIVE when this is all said and done.

<< she turns her back on Delilah and faces Connor..her face now totally enshrouded in shadow as she steps forward.>>

and YOU...

<< thunder rumbles in the air.>>

YOU may have HER fooled, but WE see right through you, you bigoted piece of TRASH. YOU STAY AWAY from my friends...from sharon...from ME....or by the soul of hecate..I'll KILL YOU in ways that are BEYOND all known philosophies and NO ONE will be able to stop ME!

<< a crash of thunder and flash of lightning heralds the opening of a stepping disc as Morgan teleports away, leaving the sound of lingering eldritch chimes in the air where she once stood.>>

<<she arrives in arklay forest, in her latest costume, given her by HEcate....her hair blowing in the wind and she is clearly distressed, having left her dear friend for what may be the last time.>>

<< she is so distraught, that she misses her target arrival appoint and arrives deeper in the forest.>>

DAMN HER!! I just want to reach through a disc...take her and SHAKE HER!

<< she rubbed her face as she attempted to reign in her own anger and agitation before looking around.>>

the forest. where am i in it!?

<< she looks around ...nothing but darkness all around.>>

<< she walks forward a bit. she'd be stupid to yell out in a place like this...a dark forest filled with danger...and even for a super powered sorceress who ruled a dimension of hell, this place was creepy. she couldnt see too far in front her as her eyes began to adjust and she tripped, falling down to the ground.>>

DAMMIT!

<< a super model falling was bad enough, but falling in a forest where creatures and virus lurked was even worse....and as she looked down her side....she saw something slithering in the distance....more than one thing...>>

what is...

<< they were the zombie leeches...the large, glowing FLESH eating leaches that Connor barely escaped just a day ago...and they were coming for Morgan from the ground, down from the trees around her...EVERYWHERE.>>

LEECHES!?

<< she scrambled to her feet...as they were closing in on her reaching the ground where her high heeled boots stood.>>

GET AWAY!

<< she began to blast at them with her eldrtich bolts...but for every few dozen she hit, MORE came.....and they begin to fall from the trees, hitting her hair, her costume! if they touched her her bare skin, she could be infected the virus...or they could begin to try to EAT HER.>>

<< she swatted them away from her as they fell, her hands encased in halos of dark magick.>>

there's TOO MANY!!

<< a chime and rushing wind indicates Morgan lifting off the ground and taking to the air and flying AWAY from that area in a rush.>>

where are the others??

<< she exlaimed as she felt a sense of relief getting out of that exceptionally dark area of the forest. there was so much ground, and it was covered in thick, luch flora and foliage. she didnt have Delilah's perfect vision, or Haleigh's "night vision" or Alison's precognition...just regular vision and at a time like this, flying through the air would keep her safe from dangers on the ground until the large trees forced her to fly either higher or lower. She had to find the others before something ELSE found HER.>>

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas watched as Alison did a real number on the Dragons. He regretted that he could not have kept them somehow, but they were an overly-mutated invasive species for any habitat. It was too dangerous.

He went over and helped Alycia to her feet, speaking to her softly and looking into her eyes as he did so. as he did so.

I want you to know that as we move forward in this mansion, stick close by me. I WILL NOT LET ANYTHING HAPPEN TO YOU. I promise. If anything scratches or cuts you, I must investigate IMMEDIATELY. You are not to engage Kyle for ANY reason whatsoever. I am not trying to be overbearing...I just want you to be safe. Eh?!

Nicolas got a sense and knew immediately who it was. MORGAN!! For a TK who knew EVERY inch of his subject, Morgan shone to him like a beacon in his mind's eye. But her flying was meandering; without purpose. She must be lost. He needed to allow her to see him, but this fog was not helping. What to do?

What to do? HMNN. Fog is a colloidal suspension, like a gaseous soup. Here goes an idea.

Nicolas reached out both his hands and concentrated. Suddenly he slammed his hands together, the wind pushing the fog away in a straight path that he augmented by forcing a wall of force in an outward cone behind the wind.

Morgan would hear a booming sound that MIGHT be familiar, followed by a directional parting in the fog that should help visibility in one VERY helpful direction...

 

[MorningStar]

[ Delilah turned her back as Morgan refused to listen once again. She didn't want to watch her friend be so blind, so seduced by her own powers. And a horrifying thought suddenly occurred to her: Morgan had mellowed. All those years ago she had been much more heartless, bloodthirsty even. Why had it taken Delilah so long to see the harm their actions caused? ]

 

[Bishop]

YOU may have HER fooled, but WE see right through you, you bigoted piece of TRASH. YOU STAY AWAY from my friends...from sharon...from ME....or by the soul of hecate..I'll KILL YOU in ways that are BEYOND all known philosophies and NO ONE will be able to stop ME!

Connor grinned broadly.

"Looking forward to it, sweetheart."

He pushed away from the wall and took a few steps towards Delilah.

"She's a real piece of work, that one."

Delilah rested her chin into her crossed arms.

Delilah: "She didn't hear a word I said."

Connor came up behind her and put his hands on her arms.

"You heard her - she's only worried about being exposed. She only cares about herself, and what SHE wants. She doesn't care who she hurts in the process. Least of all, you."

He turned her around to face him.

"If she really was your friend, she would have listened to what you had to say, would have made an effort to address your concerns. Not just brushed you aside and called you a coward."

He lifted her chin upwards with a finger so she had to look at him.

"You aren't a coward, Delilah."

Delilah put her arms around his waist and laid her head against his chest. She closed her eyes and sighed.

Delilah: "I just wish this was over."

He smiled as he stared out at something unseen.

"It will be soon, I promise."

He leaned back and looked down at her, wiping tears from her face.

"You should try and get some sleep - it's been a long day."

 

[Black Widow]

Haleigh COULD always be counted upon for satirical commentary.... and as the team found time for playful banter, it helped to relax them in the face of such a daunting and dangerous mission.... it took the edge off, so to speak. Ava took a shot at Haleigh and the hybrid smirked back at her sister.

"Oh, you're so funny, you greenhouse groupie. I'd laugh.... but I find myself wondering WHY you might be so interested in talking about my bowel movements."

She quipped, as a chaotic confrontation broke out around them. Alycia took care of the wasps.... and as Haleigh pulled her sister to solid ground, she saw the unmistakable look of extreme pain. Alison was quick with a remedy, and Haleigh stayed by Ava's side, ready to fend off advancing creatures.... but soon Alison took care of the kimodos and once more they were standing in the silence of the forest... though now they were ALL gloriously wet. Haleigh tosses her wet hair back from her face.

"Well this is great. NOW we can show up looking like the 'Sexy Superhero' spread for the Sports Illustrated calender."

Alison looked ahead.... and suggested they wait in the courtyard. Haleigh encased one of the Kimodo Dragon corpses in a large metallic biohazard chest with filled with ice for further research, secretly happy that it was already dead. A necropsy would be a lot faster to produce answers than keeping the thing alive and cared for while trying to run non-invasive tests on it. She looked up as Alison said that Morgan would be returning soon... after an unsuccessful venture.

"Then I gather she still couldn't get Morningstar to see that the end justifies the means?"

A blunt remark, clearly reflecting that Haleigh was squarely on the OPPOSITE end of the spectrum as far as Delilah's preaching went. Perhaps it was an insensitive take... but she DID believe that some sacrifices had to be made... and she accepted that some lives would be lost in the interest of the greater good. Some of those lost lives would be within their circle... some of those lost lives would be innocents.... but that was a price they couldn't avoid paying.

 

[Harbinger]

Arklay forest...the mansion

:: Harbinger realized the Neptune spell did leave a very WET effect...and some of their outfits exacerbated the situation....thankfully the color and material of HER own blue corsett prevented the "wet tee shirt" effect and with Nicolas present and his raging hormones always in motion, they didnt need to provide him with endless titilation. ::

I think Ava can help us to dry off quickly.

:: she winked at Ava as they made their way to the court yard slowly. Haleigh took the kimodo's bodies into custody for later research. it WOULD be interesting to see the changes in their bodies courtesy of mystech's experiments. but now was not the time for that.::

:: as Haleigh responded to Alison's alert of Morgan's arrival and that it would be without Delilah, Alison studied her own waving reflection in the fountain of the large circular courtyard. the black clouds in the sky swirled and billowed and soft thunder rolls could be heard...::

a storm is coming....

:: she said in an almost distracted tone...not merely a weather storm...but the future...the more she looked ahead, the worse it seemed to get.::

Delilah is being foolish...and Morgan has left her. she had no choice. But so far...nothing we have done has changed the outcome....

:: the look on her face said it all as she turned back to the fountain. Nicolas "spotted" Morgan. his affection for her made his powers focus in on her.and as he attempted to give her a sign, Alison continued to look away. her own heart brimming with CONTEMPT FOR DELILAH at this point. She would MURDER Connor HERSELF if it meant protecting the six and averting this disaster...that was looming and whether or not Delilah saw the need or justification WOULDNT MATTER.::

 

[Persephone]

:: Shrugging her shoulder up playfully, Ava smirked. ::

"I've always wanted to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated."

:: Well not really, but it was a light hearted joke on the goddesses part. As the group continued toward the courtyard, the air around them [and only them] went up in temperature to nearly 90 degrees, evaporating most of the water that covered their bodies. After about 15 minutes, Ava cooled the air to a comfortable setting. ::

"I don't understand how Delilah can go from being the level headed superhero who wants to save the world, to supporting St. James and believing we're all the monsters. It's a complete 180 in less than a week."

:: Sighing out, Ava stepped over some fallen trees, continuing forward with the group. ::

 

[Spellbinder]

through the forest to the mansion

<< flying over head in the night sky, Morgan could feel the atmosphere around here, it SMELLED like rain was coming...as the clouds seem to swell and churn. the night air was a bit weary of the manipulation visited upon it by Persephone.>>

<< Morgan flew through the air, and for a moment, it was nice to soar through the sky, she realized though against the backdrop of the large moon that hung low and the black clouds flowing that she, a WITCH, flying through the air was almost personifying a halloween cliche! on halloween, the six were stalking the halls of what some might call a "haunted mansion"...could it get any more trite? >>

<< still no sign of the others...it was hard to see far below...but there were indications of zombies in other areas of the forest further away. the six had taken the most direct path north toward the mansion but the forest stretched for miles in the east/west direction. was she even going the right way!?>>

<< soon though, she heard the echo of a boom...it wasnt a naturally occurring explosion, nor did it sound like Harbinger's molecular accleration attack...and with that boom, came a wave of pressure that pushed the fog away, making it part slightly. she swooped down lower..and saw evidence of battle and struggle...body parts of animals and zombies as well as irradiation.>>

that must be where they've been!!

<< the fog was now dispersed enough for her to follow the path from above...and soon she adjusted her direction to accomdate the rise slope..>>

there they are!!

<< she said aloud as she now could be seen in the air by them...flying against the backdrop of the moon, but of COURSE it wouldnt be this easy...for as she was approaching , the moon directly behind her, one of the clouds seemed to be curling in an odd way...moving too fluently to just be a cloud.>>

<< and it wasnt. it was a swarm of large, zombiefied BATS that were now closing in on Spellbinder like the charging crest of a wave.>>

BATS!?

<< the sound of their wings and squeeking and their glowing red eyes could be seen from down at ground level.>>

<< Morgan sped up but the bats were keeping right up with her, and soon they began to encompass her. she screams as the six loses sight of her being surrounded by the swarm of bats that are now forming a tight, column shape around where Morgan was last seen. these bats were relentless in pursuing their foes, their sonar was PERFECT and their teeth were strong enough to bite through glass, wood and even stone...the bats were also larger than normal and FLESH eaters.>>

Oracle<< the din of the bats could be heard in the air as thunder rumbled in the sky and after a few terrifying moments...a chime sounds off as Spellbinder frees herself and a violet hued ballistic blast of dark magick BLOWS the bats away in every direction many are killled, some simply stunned and fall away and others retreat, seeing the six below and begin to attack THEM. >>

 

[Persephone]

:: Hearing a woman's scream, Persephone turned and looked in the air, seeing monsterous bats in a frenzy. Catching a glimpse of blonde, her eyes widdened. ::

"It's Morgan!"

:: A ballistic blast came from the center of the bat pack, killing few, but stunning most. The surviving bats started for the six now, screetching loudly as they flew through the air in impressive speeds. Holding her hand out, a stream of heat [mirroring that of lava], hit the majority of the bats, literally boiling them in mid air. The chard and bloodied bats fell from the sky and landed a few feet away from the six, dead. ::