Domestic Disturbance

[Seer]

The Hellions - Domestic Disturbance

<< Hours Earlier >>

<< The Dungeon - Hellfire Estate >>

<< FLASH! >>

One might wonder why I don't just attempt to kill EVERYBODY in here and purge our existence in fire? I've often wondered the same thing myself, but unfortunately...at the end of the day, for people like us...depraved as we may be, there are BIGGER enemies around us. The human population of this world has told us time and TIME again that it does not want us. They would sooner have us in concentration camps, with collars on our necks and tattoos on our arms. The work this club has done to prevent things like THAT is what keeps me going...for everything HORRIBLE thing it's put me through, it has protected the majority of us on a global scale. I came here to assess the courts, to see what they were made of, and it's been an eye opening experience. As far as you think you've come, there is so much more road to travel....You've been through a gauntlet yourself today, Bretta. You've been tested..you've felt my blade dig into your stomach, and you're still alive...but how would you fare if left to your own devices? If our White Princess was not here to run the show...I think it's time to find out, don't you?"

:: Within her hands, Maxine began to lower the chains as Juliette began to move slowly downwards towards the ground. Her face met Juliette's, but she still made sure not to meet the woman's gaze. It was showtime. Maxine tucked some of the beautiful vampire's hair behind her ears. Her lips touched the vampire's ear as she whispered something into her ear that was undiscernable to Bretta, though she would be able to see the look of surprise on Juliette's face as Maxine's left hand began to buzz and hum as an outline of bright red energy began to form around her hand. ::

Maxine: [in Juliette's ear] "Your destiny lies not just as The New White Queen, Juliette. You have been chosen by Lord Ravena himself...I need you to forgive what I am about to do with you, but do not worry...you will not meet your end here..."

<< FLASH! >>

"How will you be after you watch me kill Juliette, Bretta? Will you use this experience to rise to the top? Or will you crumble. Will you try to save her, or will you recognize that the wheels are already turning and that a revolution has begun, and attempting to save HER life might end BOTH of yours in the process and leave your other allies in the lurch?"

:: Maxine pressed her hand once again on Juliette's chest as she had done before as the smell of burning and decaying flesh began to fill the air. Bretta struggled against her chains and realized that they were loose, barely attached to the wall. If she exerted herself enough, if she moved quickly enough she might be able to free herself. She pressed her hand deeper into Juliette's chest as she watched The White Princess give into the pain and CRY out as it began to dissolve through her tissue and into the nerve endings in her chest, headed straight for her heart. Juliette's eyes widened as they began to roll back in her head. She began SHAKING with wild abandon as her central nervous system began to be burned through completely, dissolving against Maxine's power. ::

"Easy girl...let it happen...fighting will only make it worse..."

:: Maxine had made sure that Bretta would be put into the situation to escape, exactly as planned. Faulty chains were an amateur move and Maxine was no amateur, normally not only would her chains be MYSTIC but made of adamantium. For this purpose, she needed to push Bretta to the limit but allow her to escape, so that she could return to tending to Juliette's body. ::

:: Though the attack on Juliette looked brutal, Maxine was working incredibly carefully, making sure that each nerve ending she reached was specific, just as Lord Ravena had shown her. She needed to convince Bretta that Juliette had died in front of her and she needed to capacitate Juliette in such a way that she wouldn't fight back too hard to stop it. A true professional, Maxine had done everything perfectly. Juliette writhed in such pain that it almost caused Maxine to become aroused and once her body appeared lifeless, The Black Knight prepared for Bretta's attack and subsequent escape. ::

"Bretta!"

Archer cast his hands out as a bright FLASH could be seen before the ENTIRE ROOM began to freeze with incredible speed and ferocity, coating the room in bright white crystals of frost as it danced along the walls, freezing everything as it went...including Maxine. His control over his power allowed him to spare Bretta from the blast, but left Maxine frozen though not completely turned to ice. He ran towards the Red Princess as his eyes immediately went to the dead body of Juliette De La Creaux. His eyes widened with horror at the state of her body.

"She...she's DEAD.....FUCK!"

He had no time to think of that as PULLED Bretta with all of his might out from underneath The Black Knight, taking a moment to look at her. Although she appeared frozen it was as if her eyes were alive and WILD as ever. She almost appeared as if she were staring BACK at him...waiting to break free from the freeze and kill him where he stood. His mind went to killing Maxine...shattering her where she stood and ending her reign of terror...but he did not. She was a member of The Black Court and she had been Evelyn's closest and most cherished confidant. Archer may have been a LOT of things, but he WAS a loyal man. He knew that whatever Maxine was DOING was for the benefit of Evelyn and The Black Court itself. Plus, he also wasn't sure that that bitch wouldn't just regenerate and come back to kill him.

"Bretta...."

Looking down, he saw Bretta slumped over. She wasn't unconscious but she WAS incredibly weak and disoriented. She must have put up a good fight. He scooped The Red Princess up in his arms as he began to head quickly out of the room, before looking back at Juliette's mangled body.

"As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be: world without end...Amen.."

He nodded his head in silent prayer as he ran, not knowing when or if Maxine would break free. Daniel had given him directions to the portal which would take them to New Anatolia, but part of him did not want to go..because he would have to be the one to deliver the news that the woman who had brought them all together, had gotten them excited for a revolution...had been murdered by The Black Knight.

"God help us all...."

:: As soon as Archer left the dungeon, Maxine immediately broke through the freeze blast and shook her body with fervor attempting to warm herself up. A smile curled up in her lips. ::

"Ahh who knew that the orphan was such a religious man?"

[surveying Juliette's body]

"Well...at least he's help out in the preservation department..."

:: The Black Knight unchained The White Princess and slung her over her shoulder as she made her way out of the dungeon and into the catacomb like halls of the lower levels. ::

"Come mon amourex, we still have much work to do together...I've got to get you prepared for Lord Ravena..."

<< FLASH! >>

<< The Hellfire Estate - Evelyn Pierce's Chambers >>

<< Juliette De La Creaux can be seen laying across the luxurious Eastern King Size bed of The Late White Queen's chambers. She has been cleaned, her hair brushed, her outfit changed to a flowing silken white robe, a stark contrast to the black and ominous sheets that surround her. It is clear that her wounds have begun to heal on their own and by this time are nearly gone, indicating that Juliette is in fact NOT DEAD. >>

<< In the distance, Maxine Dupont can be seen, still bathed in blood from murdering The Supreme Council as she fluts about the room, lighting candles and eyeing every last detail of what she has been tasked to do. She stands over the bed as Juliette SLOWLY begins to stir to consciousness, though she is incredibly sedated and unable to move or barely think. Her eyes catch glimpses of the bloodstained Black Knight before her, looking VERY different than she had several hours ago. >>

<< The Black Knight's voice fills the space around Juliette. >>

Maxine: "Bonjour, créature de la nuit. s'il vous plaît, ne bougez pas tant. Bientôt, vous aurez la force que vous jamais cru possible."

<< Maxine moves closer to Juliette, before sitting next to her on the bed and leaning over her. >>

Maxine: "J'espère que cela ne aigre pas les choses entre us..I avait un travail à faire et je l'ai fait.

<< Leaning down, Maxine presses her red lips against the vampire's cheek and gives her a kiss before rising from the bed and making her way to the door. >>

Maxine: "Now...it is time to see just how brave these defectors you have raised are...See you soon, Juliette...."

<< FLASH! >>

Present Time - New Anatolia

<< With Juliette's fate unknown to the others and Lord Ravena off on his own personal mission, the motley crew of anarchists were left in the capable but unpredictable hands of Maxine Dupont as she was the first to arrive in the armory, waiting for the smart ones to join her, choose their weapons and prepare to FIGHT for their lives against the remaining members of The Inner Circle. >>

<< As troops gathered in New Anatolia, Rebecca Everhart would return to The Hellfire Estate with one Jessica Marcus AKA VIPER, the perennial daughter of MysTech, well at least a very realistic and lifelike CLONE of VIPER, who had been destroyed by The SIX on Sheena Island quite some time ago. This new weapon had been given to Rebecca by a mysterious "Woman In Shadow" who would later be seen giving the Nimrod to Sister Mary Justice, a foe the Six would soon come to know INTIMATELY. Who this woman was and WHY she would give The Red Queen such a powerful tool against such unknown "heroes" was unknown, but one thing was CLEAR...everybody who was against Rebecca would be HARD PRESSED to survive a fight against Jessica...even Maxine would be left weak and malleable for attack. >>

<< While Rebecca began to set up her plan, Liam began to make his way to The Hellfire Estate as well with a clear vendetta...destroy The Black Knight and Archer Fairchild for their crimes against The White Court. Would The Black Court remain as strong as it had so far, or would Liam get the revenge he so desperately wanted. >>

<< Finally, as The Courts prepared for battle, what of Lord Ravena...it was clear that Maxine had preserved Juliette De La Creaux for a specific purpose, but what exactly WAS that purpose? As Juliette lay in wait, barely conscious and reactive, soon Lord Ravena would appear before her and reveal his inention. >>

<< So much had built up to this moment and with tensions this high and battlewounds this deep, it was gauranteed to be a HARD night to survive...for EVERYONE. >>

<< As the battle lines get drawn into the sand and the knives begin to be sharpened...who will survive the night and ascend to grateness and who will end up as a casualty of war? We will just have to watch! >>

 

[Lord Ravena]

New Anatolia - Lord Ravena's suite

His steps echoed down the hall as the Lord of the Castle, of the country itself, made his way to his bedroom. As he entered, he looked upon the sight in the middle of his bed.

Juliette De La Creaux.

She was alive, but weak, nearly killed by the convincing strike from Maxine. But Maxine was an apt pupil, and she executed her end of the bargain FLAWLESSLY. Ravena caressed Juliette's face as she weakly turned to him.

Child. I have watched your growth in the Hellfire Club and ADMIRED your tenacity. Evelyn and I believed you were most at risk due to your obvious threat to the current White Queen. We were mistaken, as our foes struck at the heart of change, taking Evelyn instead. Evelyn sent forces to watch over YOU even as her own death was being planned.

Lord Ravena hesitated for a moment. Evelyn, out of everyone he had known in centuries, had inspired the closest thing to love. His anger and hint of sorrow were still evident. He continued.

I spoke earlier of a gift for you, and this one is rare indeed. Juliette De La Creaux, you WERE a vampire, mighty in your powers, but limited by your lineage. That limit will be removed tonight.

Taking off his shirt, Lord Ravena slices open his wrist and the blood SLOWLY begins to flow. Laying his hand over the nosferata's mouth, Ravena caresses her hair as she begins to feed.

Juliette, I am not simply a vampire. I am the very first vampire that has ever existed.

He chuckled as Juliette chocked, her eyes wide as his words and the changes in her body began to take shape.

Yes, child. You are the first I have made in CENTURIES. You are no longer simply a vampyr...you are a Vampire GODDESS. Fear the sun NO LONGER! Silver is a novelty!! Your childish glow and golden eyes will shine FOREVER!

He pulled his arm away as Juliette began to scream...then laugh. Her body was stronger, faster, better than it had ever been! Laughing with her, Ravena spoke once more before becoming serious once again.

There is only one price for this power. Your body, your BLOOD will call...ache for me. You are my creation and I am your Lord. And while I am a benevolent king, I am a KING nonetheless. Rule well AND independent of me White Queen, but never forget to attend me in those rare times when I might call.

Lord Ravena had remade the French vampire into so much more. He looked upon her, awaiting her response as she began to assimilate her newfound power.

 

[Silver]

New Anatolia

"How can I be sure that you or the dark faerie won't attempt to gut ME in my sleep? You don't, but you also don't have many options now...do you? It's like Hemingway said...the best way to figure out if you can trust somebody...is to trust them. I could have killed Bretta...[smiling to herself] several times now actually if I wanted to...but I saw something in her...I saw potential, and after I took her to my chambers and pushed her to her limit...I think she started to see it within her as well. Everything I've done...I've done for a reason...You may not like my reasons, but then again...I've given you the opportunity to leave..."

:: Bretta rolled her eyes. ::

Please…like I would intentionally go near YOU.

:: Still, she couldn’t exactly deny what Maxine had said. It WAS pretty thrilling going head to head with the psycho, if a little terrifying as well. She thought back to when she killed her father. What she said to Maxine was the truth: she had WANTED to take his life. There was a deep darkness inside of her that she had never known before, and it had shown itself when she murdered her own father. THAT was why she was so upset when she escaped to her flat afterwards. It made her afraid of what she could do, so she buried it deep inside of herself. Daniel leaned towards her then and told her that of course they could talk but he thought that they wouldn’t have time. Bretta nodded at him. ::

He’ll help me figure this out.

:: Bretta had complete faith in Daniel. Though she still was reluctant to believe that Rebecca wished her harm, Bretta knew that if Daniel had abandoned Rebecca, there must be a good reason for it. She could’ve asked ALEC but his opinions didn’t mean a thing to her. :haha: He was always running his mouth off and she usually ignored what he was saying. But she trusted Daniel’s opinions. Maxine took her leave and Daniel soon followed. ::

"You want to talk to me, you follow me down to her.."

:: Bretta nodded and looked to Alec to see what he would do. ::

*questioningly*: “Alec?”

:: Archer soon followed after Daniel. ::

"This is the only shot we've got. I'm not going down without a fight...and if I do die...at least I'll have died for a reason...God knows I've seen and committed enough senseless murder for one lifetime..."

:: Bretta nodded at Archer as he left before looking back at Alec. He finally looked her in the eyes and squeezed her hand before wrapping his arm around her and kissed her on the temple. ::

“We have no choice, Brett. There is NOTHING we can do now. We are in this thing way too deep to go back now.”

:: Bretta sighed softly before following after Alec. She didn’t know what the best choice was for HER. She didn’t trust herself. She rushed past Alec and then rushed past Archer in her haste to get to Daniel. She called to the dark-haired man up ahead. ::

“DANIEL! Daniel!!”

:: She slowed down as she caught up with him. ::

“What’s going on? Why did you abandon Rebecca?”

:: She stopped them both and looked at The Red Bishop, complete trust in her eyes. She didn’t know what was going on and NOBODY seemed to want to tell her the truth. Obviously Alec knew what was happening but he was reluctant to tell HER the plan. Tears gathered in her eyes as she talked with Daniel. ::

“Max-Maxine said that Rebecca wanted me dead…and I didn’t do anything! I did everything that she wanted me to do. Why does she want me dead?”

:: Bretta did not understand why the one person she absolutely trusted wanted her dead. Rebecca was, in all respects, her surrogate mother and she LOVED the woman. ::

“Please. Tell me what’s going on. Everybody’s protecting me from something and I want to know what.”

:: Bretta wasn’t stupid. She could tell that something was amiss, and she could also tell that Alec was protecting her from it. But if Rebecca wanted her dead, Bretta had a right to know why. She had a right to know exactly what was happening so she could protect HERSELF. Soft tears began to fall down her cheeks. ::

*sobbing*: “I-I don’t trust myself to go back to the Estate, Daniel. I trust YOU. I have to know the truth.”

No matter how much it hurts.

 

[Duke]

New Anatolia

"So many questions! Tell me Alec...how much did you trust the Queen of whom you've served for how many years now is it?"

Alec glared at The Black Knight. This had nothing to do with Rebecca. Until recently, Rebecca hadn’t threatened his life or any of his friends’ lives. He came and went as he pleased and while he had a mistrust of The Red Queen she didn’t give him a reason to fear for his life in the past.

Bitch.

He kept quiet as she talked and talked and talked. He DID want change but he wasn’t sure what to make of Maxine.

I suppose it’s better to be on the same side as her as opposed to being on the other side….

He vaguely heard Bretta talking to Reed and though he couldn’t really discern what was said, he knew that she wanted to know what was going on. He felt bad about everything that had happened. He let Bretta down, he let REBECCA down, but most of all, he let himself down. He supposed it all had something to do with his biological parents. His father apparently died in a car accident while on his way to his family and his bio-mom had rejected him INSTANTLY. He let her down the minute he was born. He sighed and stared at the floor. He heard Maxine take her leave, and then Daniel. He could feel Bretta’s gaze on him.

Bretta: *questioningly*: “Alec?”

Archer than took his leave, but not before advising them both that this was their one and only shot to make change at the Club. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, he looked up from the floor into Bretta’s beautiful green eyes.

“We have no choice, Brett. There is NOTHING we can do now. We are in this thing way too deep to go back now.”

He felt bad about what he said but it was the truth. There was NO going back. Because of his actions, he unintentionally placed a target on Bretta. If Bretta were to face Rebecca, he had no doubts that the Queen Bitch would KILL the dark faerie. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close before planting a kiss on her temple. He let her go and followed after his comrades. He heard Bretta behind him and than glanced at her as she rushed past him in her haste to get to Daniel. He sighed softly and loped slowly behind everyone. Ravena had spoken the truth. He DID act rashly and so he was left with his thoughts and feelings on what had transpired. He wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

 

[Juliette De Lacroix]

Cold. She felt cold. Right down to her very soul, she felt frozen. She opened her eyes, expecting it to be as dark as it was frigid. She also expected to be on the dirty stone floor of the dungeon, but she wasn't. She was laying on the long dead compost of a forest floor. Wet, dead leaves, moldy Spanish moss, damp earth. She slowly got to her feet in the predawn mist. There were dead, bare trees as far as she could see. The barren forest stretched out for miles in every direction.

Your destiny lies not just as The New White Queen, Juliette.

Maxine's voice was disembodied and distant, somewhere behind her. In front of her, Juliette could see through the tree trunks the dawn was coming through the fog. This forest with no leaves would offer her no shade, no protection from the coming sunlight. She had to move, had to outrun the sun.

You have been chosen by Lord Ravena himself...

She felt heavy, weighed down. Every movement took every bit of her strength. She looked down, horrified to find she was wrapped in silver chains. She slogged through the forest, advancing through sheer willpower, dragging many meters of silver chain through the detritus. The dead leaves and damp soil stuck to her sandals, slick and slippery. The sun crested over the horizon behind her. Shafts of sunlight shot through the trees, slicing the fog, searing her skin. She slipped and crashed to the dirt with none of her usual grace. She didn't have the strength to get back up. It was all she could do to roll over onto her back and face the sky.

I need you to forgive what I am about to do with you......

The sun shined over her, uninhibited by the soggy skeletal husks that passed for trees in this haunting graveyard of a forest. It was so bright, so powerful that it melted the silver chains right off her body. Her skin tingled, the prickly sensation like it was numb from poor blood circulation. Her chest burned, right in the center, where Maxine had left her mark. It burned so intensely that she thought she might spontaneously burst into flames.

but do not worry...you will not meet your end here...

She shut her eyes, blinded by the sun, paralyzed by the pain in her chest. Her body ached, but nothing was as bad as the thirst.She felt like she'd swallowed sand.

She could smell blood..... close! She opened her eyes again. She was in a candle lit bedroom.

Maxine, looking drastically different in a beautiful but blood stained gown, bestowed some consolation and a kiss before leaving her. Juliette tried to speak, tried to stall her, tried to ask for blood..... but she could only manage a ragged sigh.

It felt like a hundred years before she heard anything but the burning of candles. There were footsteps, and then the appearance of Lord Ravena. He spoke about Evelyn, and his own admiration of Juliette, before reminding her of the gift he'd promised. He opened his wrist and finally gave her the one thing that could bring her back from the precipice of death. It was the best gift she'd received in over two hundred years. She drank desperately.

Lord Ravena: There is only one price for this power. Your body, your BLOOD will call...ache for me. You are my creation and I am your Lord. And while I am a benevolent king, I am a KING nonetheless. Rule well AND independent of me White Queen, but never forget to attend me in those rare times when I might call.

Juliette licked her lips and sat up. She felt stronger than she ever had, and smiled.

"It 'as been over two 'undred years since I vas turned.... but I can still recall dze bond I 'ad vit my first sire..... I should never 'ave vanquished 'im...... but as a newborn vamp..... I vas not vell adjusted. You needn't vorry dzough..... Vatever you need of me, you shall 'ave. I vill be eternally grateful for dzis..... 'revamping', as it vere."

 

[Lord Ravena]

Juliette licked her lips and sat up. She felt stronger than she ever had, and smiled.

"It 'as been over two 'undred years since I vas turned.... but I can still recall dze bond I 'ad vit my first sire..... I should never 'ave vanquished 'im...... but as a newborn vamp..... I vas not vell adjusted. You needn't vorry dzough..... Vatever you need of me, you shall 'ave. I vill be eternally grateful for dzis..... 'revamping', as it vere."

Lord Ravena took the young vampire's hand and kissed it.

And I will show you that you have power that you could not have IMAGINED even last night. But that will not be necessary for what it to be done now. My attendants-

- a group of attendants had begun to silently (too silently?) enter with clothing and towels and, after a glance from the Lord, lifted Juliette effortlessly and gracefully by the arms, disrobing her as they placed her in a marble inlaid tub across the expanse of the room. The water was scalding hot, but it felt just right to her as her body continued to adjust. The attendants began to clean her, thoroughly but chastely, as Lord Ravena stood by the side of the tub. He knelt and continued.

My attendants will cleanse you and offer you additional sustenance and a change of clothes worthy of a queen, of course in white. You will also receive any weapons you might desire. Gird yourself, for tonight you will use your power to show the world that the current White Queen is unworthy. You will take her life and her place, and you will quell the fury in the heart of the White King and bring peace and unity to the Hellfire Club.

Leaning in, Lord Ravena lightly kissed Juliette on this lips, his hand lifting her face to do so. He looked deeply into her eyes as he pulled away. There was still that smile.

Prepare well my white Princess. You have a coronation to attend.

Standing, Ravena turned and walked out of the room. He was headed to the armory...

 

[Discord]

New Anatolia - To The Armory

Bretta: "DANIEL! Daniel!!"

The lilted voice of the dark faerie could be heard booming behind him as he slowed his pace, allowing her to catch up. With baited breath she spoke.

Bretta: "What's goin on? Why did you abandon Rebecca?"

"I abandoned Rebe--"

The empath tried to speak his truth, but a frantic Bretta interjected once more.

Bretta: "Max-Maxine said that Rebecca wanted me dead...and I didn't do anything! I did everything that she wanted me to do. Why does she want me dead? Please. Tell me what's going on. Everybody's protecting me from something and I want to know what! I-I don't trust myself to go back to the estate, Daniel. I trust YOU. I have to know the truth."

Daniel watched Bretta curiously. She was very hurt by this news of Rebecca, but Daniel wasn't surprised as to why. She was a trustworthy and loyal person. Amongst all of the hard edged bitches on wheels that ran around The Hellfire Club, Bretta was soft by nature. She didn't win her influence by cutting people's heads off, she won them over by charming the pants off of them, by using her natural influence as a dark faerie to get what she wanted...and she usually DID get what she wanted..so to hear that somebody might possibly or already HAD betrayed her...especially with what she went through with her father...it was understandable to see in her in her current state. Still, now was not the time to fall apart.

"I need you to calm down, Bretta...and breathe...big deep breaths.."

He motioned for her to follow him as they continued to head towards the armory behind Archer and Maxine who had already dissappeared from sight.

"Let's address the first part of this shall we? Rebecca is coming undone...and the cards are more than stacked against her...and once it's been revealed what she has actually been up to over the last ten or so years...there is no way that Maxine or Lord Ravena will let her walk out of that estate alive. I will leave those secrets for her to reveal...though I may have defected, I have more at stake than the wrath of The Red Queen should things fall apart completely...."

Daniel was speaking about his father, Dr. Reed...one of Rebecca's right hand men at Merdian Industries. He had been sniped by Rebecca and Jean Luc Dupont years ago when The Black King had begun his own research into the T Virus and it's effects on humans. Killing Rebecca was one thing...but destroying his family was not something that he wanted to entertain. Even if Ravena or Maxine took over operations, he was hoping he would have some cards to play in order to save the life of his father. It was a large reason as to why he decided to shift sides.

"When it comes to Maxine's words to you earlier...she is only partially correct. I've been at the other side of Rebecca Everhart for a long time, just as you have been. I will say this...I do think Rebecca cares about you...as much as it is possible for her to do so...but the one thing that Rebecca cares about MORE than YOU...or ME...is POWER. She will do anything to keep the power that she has and get the power, she doesn't. She volunteered your life to Alec because she knew that he feels deeply for you. You were his incentive to prove his loyalty. All Alec had to do was kill Archer Fairchild and you would have been safe..."

[looking away for a moment]

"I know it must be hard to hear...that a woman you look up to like a mother would easily sign your death warrant, but such is life, Bretta. Especially in the world we live in...one only needs to look to the past forty eight hours to see how easily people can betray...KILL one another for something they believe in. No matter how much you may love Rebecca, or how much she may care about you...she will NEVER care about you more than herself...and HAD you stepped out of line in the last few years, she WOULD have cast you out. She kept you close because she knew how well liked you were and she knew that if OTHERS got to you, they would show you how strong you could be...WITHOUT her....."

The two continued to walk down the winding halls, following Archer's lead as they went.

"So I guess the TRUTH!? The truth is that you have another person in your life that betrayed you to save their own...and that sucks, but you now have the opportunity...to not stand behind somebody..to take your OWN reign and to prove to yourself that you don't need... "people" to protect you...that you can do it on your own. I mean...you've survived two altercations with Maxine...that's not something many people live to say...and you're here...."

He stopped as he grabbed her hand and gave her an intense look.

"It's time to do something, Bretta...but nobody else can tell you what you need to do but YOU. I think you should walk into that armory, grab the biggest axe you can find and serve up some SWEET ASS revenge upon the woman who betrayed you...and when she's dead, you should take that crown and place it right on top of your sweet little head and tell everybody else to fuck off...."

[laughing]

"But that's me. Do what's best for you---Oh look [pointing forward] We're here..."

The Black Knight's voice could be heard filling the air.

"Well, well WELL! It seems the Superfriends have pulled their heads out of their asses and decided to fight the GOOD fight! Excellent!"

Daniel smiled for a moment as he soon made his pace quicker, allowing him to be several steps ahead of Bretta as they walked.

"Now grab whatever makes your loins ache and prepare to leave in FIVE minutes! And enough with the Dawson's Creek like antics, we're mutants for chrissake, not TWEENS!"

With one last look to Bretta he made his way into the large doors of the armory.

[looking back]

"You Coming?!"

 

[Seer]

Taking up arms and returning...to CHAOS

<< Everything moves with rhythms in time and most moves are not random. This one is no different even as the Hellfire club (both branches) finds itself in the midst of shifts and changes...the over all echoes of a shadow, long dispersed by the Six, that once gripped the world, are ALSO moving...toward one another!>>

<< In this world where echos and shadows of a great and terrible power that gripped it are starting to move with urgency closer and closer, ALOT can happen in just a few hours, even a few minutes.>>

<< From across the three courts in the London branch, Domino, Silver, Discord, Avalanche and Duke prepare themselves for the sweeping "revolution" that is about to change the London branch of the Hellfire Club for ever, moving it closer to the orbit of the original, main branch in New York. Along the way, Lord Ravena and a recently revived, RE-"VAMPED" Duchess, would join them on their inevitable march to the Hellfire Estate.>>

<< Armed as they were, both with their individual powers, along with weaponry and a willingness to wade into violent battle, there were no guarantees that ANY of them would succeed or even SURVIVE. Domino may have been riding the crest of a wave of massive change she helped facilitate, but she would soon find out what it felt like to be KNOCKED FLAT by a massive wave herself.>>

<< From the Armory , through a fixed portal in New Anatolia, to the Hellfire Estate.>>

-------------------------------------------------

<< Everyone arrives at the Hellfire Mansion at roughly the same time and notices that it seems rather dark, with few lights.>>

<< The weather outside has become chilly, storm clouds billowing and thundering overhead and an errie faint mist hanging around the grounds of the mansion.>>

<< Curiously, there were few cars in the circular drive and no one was in attendance at the double doors.>>


<< They were here now, as they had been many times before. But THIS TIME, the Hellfire Mansion would be the stuff of NIGHTMARES for them all.>>

<< As they enter, they find no one is about in the halls. No music playing on the sound system, few lights. What was going on? Even during periods of low activity, the mansion looked...FELT more ALIVE than this!>>

<< Suddenly, a MANIACAL LAUGH of a WOMAN none of them had heard before echoed all through the dark mansion. She LAUGHS but then suddenly SNAPS into a serious, homicidal mode.>>

VIPER: NO ONE TAKES WHAT IS MINE! NONE OF YOU WILL SURVIVE THIS NIGHT UNLESS YOU BRING ME THE FALSE ONE! THE LEFTOVER BITCH NAMED DOMINO!

<< Suddenly, as thunder rumbles outside and lightning flashes. Shifts in the shadows on the walls, and the sound of groaning and gurgling causes more than one in the group to turn their heads and look around/behind them.>>

VIPER: GIVE HER TO ME NOW! OR YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!

<< from the narrow hallways, they find ZOMBIES!From the various outfits they were wearing, it was clear that some of these creatures had once (RECENTLY) been Hellfire mansion attendance and even MEMBERS! As the zombies lumber forward like a slow moving crowd of DEATH, they begin to quicken their pace, stretching out their arms and showing AGGRESSION as they close in. >>


<<FLASH!>>

<<JUST a little while earlier in the Hellfire Mansion.>>

Rebecca: They are not worthy, Jessica. They have been sloppy, DERELICT in my absence and thus, have insulted YOU. They have prooven themselves lazy and not worthy to inherit the world which you have made for them. They should be cut down and used as you see fit!

<< The Red Queen hands Jessica a list of staff and low level/peripheral members.>>

Rebecca: What better way to show the FALSE ONE (Domino) the error of her ways than by turning her would-be desciples against her!?

<< As Viper reads through the list...her eyes do not spot any names she would recognize....names associated with THE SIX. WHERE WERE THEY!? Rebecca said they were DEAD...but how? Viper had no memory of it being by HER hand. Indeed, her memories were of her OWN painful, fiery DEFEAT....DEATH...and yet, here she was now, perfectly restored! Rebecca seemed evasive about her questions regarding THE SIX but she was ADAMANT that DOMINO was a direct threat to Viper's legacy, her RULE. THAT Viper would not tolerate!>>

<< Viper's apple green eyes narrow with concentration as she begins locking on to the bio signatures of the unsuspecting members present in the hellfire mansion.>>

Rebecca: OH and there is one more thing...a man named LIAM FORBES. HE may try to stand in your way. Perhaps you'd better cut HIM down as well before he makes a pest of himself...

<< Rebecca takes a moment, looking a way and smirking as her own eyes glow and sparkle with the crimson red energy signature of the power she channels. She quickly regains her composure as Viper bellows loudly...>>

Viper: I'LL DESTROY ANYONE WHO GETS IN MY WAY!

<< And with that, she storms out of Rebecca's chambers and begins to stalk the halls of the mansion, "prepping" it in as only SHE can, all the while, looking for this LIAM FORBES so she can deal with HIM personally.>>

<< Rebecca realizes that Viper herself is not aware that she is actually a [well copied] CLONE of the original but she operates with care as she continues her manipulation of Viper. Her painted scenario, if blown, would lead to DEADLY consequences.>>

<< That was THEN...THIS IS NOW and the members of the various courts are now just starting to see the result of her "perperations" thus far.>>



<< Viper's voice continues to ring out in the air around the members of the various courts as they are now trapped within the mansion.>>



VIPER: THIS IS A ONE WAY TRIP FOR YOU, DOMINO! NO ONE INTERFERES IN THE WORLD THAT *I* HAVE CREATED! NO ONE!

<< Windows on either side of Domino SHATTER as DEVIL DOGS crash in from either side. these WERE dobermans that were used as guard dogs to patrol the mansion grounds. Now they were were terrifying creatures mutated by the T VIRUS, possessing savage, vicious strength and speed. They attack Domino with more ferocity than most naturally existing creatures have, growling, snapping, biting and clawing at her with ferocity.>>


<< From Lord Ravena's view, There was something SERIOUSLY wrong in the Hellfire Mansion. A VIRUS was sweeping like a plague and infecting many inhabitants causing them to die agonizing deaths and then REANIMATE moments later as flesh eating zombies. One bite, one SCRATCH from these creatures and a person's fate was sealed. But was it the T VIRUS? And if so, how was it now HERE in such a concentrated area? There was more to what was going on than could be immediately seen and in order for them to find out what, they'd have to get in deeper, assuming they could SURVIVE long enough.>>

 

[Lord Ravena]

The Hellfire Estate

The stench of death was thick in the air as they all appeared. But it was not natural...something was amiss.

Pull in. Something here is not as it should be.

The group tightened, their training not lost on them as they turned to find...

<< Suddenly, a MANIACAL LAUGH of a WOMAN none of them had heard before echoed all through the dark mansion. She LAUGHS but then suddenly SNAPS into a serious, homicidal mode.>>

VIPER: NO ONE TAKES WHAT IS MINE! NONE OF YOU WILL SURVIVE THIS NIGHT UNLESS YOU BRING ME THE FALSE ONE! THE LEFTOVER BITCH NAMED DOMINO!

<< Suddenly, as thunder rumbles outside and lightning flashes. Shifts in the shadows on the walls, and the sound of groaning and gurgling causes more than one in the group to turn their heads and look around/behind them.>>

VIPER: GIVE HER TO ME NOW! OR YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!

<< from the narrow hallways, they find ZOMBIES!From the various outfits they were wearing, it was clear that some of these creatures had once (RECENTLY) been Hellfire mansion attendance and even MEMBERS! As the zombies lumber forward like a slow moving crowd of DEATH, they begin to quicken their pace, stretching out their arms and showing AGGRESSION as they close in. >>

He 'felt' these undead as he could feel any others. But something was amiss. This was not a solanum event but a man-made one. This woman...she seemed familiar...and these people...could it be?!

Let none of these beasts touch you. A scratch or bite is certain death. Time to even the odds.

Holding his hands up, a circle of magical force pushes the beasts away from the assembled group. The residual force of that pulse slows them as they try to recover.

Earthen sinew and muscle bend,
Stone sentries to my side attend!

Roars are heard outside and in seconds, the four STONE GARGOYLES that sit at the corners of the building burst through the doors, cutting down zombies and pulling the Devil Dogs away from Domino. They will likely not defeat them all, but they DO manage to buy the team some time to regroup.

 

[Juliette De Lacroix]

Meanwhile, in New Anatolia

The Lord kissed her hand, and assured her he would be there to mentor her in her new abilities, should she require his guidance. He also summoned attendants for her, a service she was neither unfamiliar nor uncomfortable with. As a noble in her youth, she had become well accustomed to the company of handmaidens. She had even retained a few of them for a time after the demise of her family, but as a newborn vampire, she had little control of her urges and eventually the arrangement had not turned out so well for the handmaidens.

She had noticed she'd already been cleaned and redressed once, presumably by Maxine after having been removed from the dungeon, but now that her wounds were fully healed, it was necessary to wash off the dried blood once more and most soothing to her newly regenerated skin to sink into the pool of steaming bathwater. It was intensely hot, but nothing compared to her recent experience at the hands of the Black Knight. She still felt a phantom burn where her heart used to beat, a sensation she couldn't shake, despite knowing it must be merely the memory of the pain, since she was fully healed and unmarked. Her fingers grazed the spot absent-mindedly, as Ravena knelt beside her and spoke.

Ravena: Gird yourself, for tonight you will use your power to show the world that the current White Queen is unworthy. You will take her life and her place, and you will quell the fury in the heart of the White King and bring peace and unity to the Hellfire Club.

She placed her hand gently in his, making eye contact. The sincerity in her voice was unmistakable.

"I lament dzat I cannot bring Evelyn back, but I vill rejoice in exacting vengeance upon dze conspirators of 'er demise. Every last one of dzem vill bleed and die for dzeir part in 'er murder. And as 'er killer begs for mercy, I vill deny it, and advise dzat she appeals to Evelyn directly in dze afterlife. Evelyn vill be dzeir last dzought before deat'...... dzis is 'ow I shall 'onor 'er memory."

Ravena: Prepare well my white Princess. You have a coronation to attend.

He smiled, kissed her, and left. An attendant massaged shampoo into her hair, rinsed it clean, then applied conditioner, and rinsed again. She sat still all the while, fantasizing about spilling the blood of her enemies, daydreaming about seeing the Black Knight in action. Would she still be covered in blood, or had that been a hallucination? Juliette had been too weak to know with certainty. The memory seemed positively pornographic to her now, almost too good to be true.

They dried her off and helped her get dressed. She donned a lace corset and a white tulle mini skirt. It was beautiful, and evocative of her past as a ballerina, and though it appeared to be the opposite of battle-appropriate, it concealed a lightweight titanium alloy bodice. She pulled white thigh high stockings over custom molded titanium shin greaves, and slipped into white leather ballet shoes that would allow silent movement. She added white elbow length gloves and ornately designed black titanium bracers. An attendant covered her bare shoulders, using a white silken cape with a black underside that draped to knee length, attaching it to a black choker. Another affixed a tiara on her brow. Her long brown tresses were braided back, and she was finally ready to arm herself.

Her personal weapons had been brought here for her. Maxine must have gone to her personal quarters to retrieve the weapons she had not already confiscated when she captured Juliette.

Juliette strapped her dagger to her left thigh, then slung an arrow sheath across her torso. She had an attendant clip her short sword to the rim of the arrow sheath, so she could draw it just as easily as an arrow over her shoulder when the need arose.

Her bow in her right hand, she inspected her reflection in a floor length mirror. She would be the last sight of many foes tonight, and wanted to be sure she looked ethereal. Confident she had succeeded, she turned towards the portal that would take her back to Hellfire.

She arrived on the other side in Evelyn's private chambers. Amused at the realization that Lord Rav's bedroom was linked directly to Evelyn's, she continued through the dark like a spectre. She was isolated from her comrades, and had a long way to go to join them, but she was in her element now, a silent assassin in the night. The lights were out in this part of the mansion, the Black Queen's hall, and Juliette glided gracefully through the shadows, as yet unaware that the rest of the mansion was under assault.

 

[Liam Forbes]

Dungeons and Dead men

Liam rolled his sleeves carelessly as they progressed through the chilly, humid halls of the lowest level in the dungeons. Ben walked beside him with a fireball in his palm, lighting their way but bathing them both in a stuffy, uncomfortable heat. They checked each room they discovered, finding torture racks, chains and skeletal remains, but all of it was old, untouched for years.

With every passing moment he felt more and more despondent. This was a place where people were tormented until their bodies broke and their energy returned to the universe, no longer distilled into the singular form of a human soul. The thought of Juliette being brought here..... He could hardly fathom it.

The White Court without her would be dismal, hardly worth rebuilding. If she had been lost, as Evelyn had, he had no desire to remain with the Hellfire Club. Evelyn's murder had been a heavy blow to the future potential of Hellfire. The Black Court was well staffed, though. Evelyn had seen to that. Without her, they could still be quite effective. Liam had lost a friend and ally, but the Black Court, while stunned, still had structure. The potential loss of the White Princess, however, would effectively render the White Court obsolete. With Heidi and Damien dead, and Camille clearly stepped in mental instability, the White Court was a skeleton crew with just Liam, Ben, and Juliette..... but the three of them could quickly recruit the right support members. Without Juliette, however, Liam was a prime target for a hostile takeover, and he knew without a doubt that Rebecca would be ALL over it. She already obviously had Camille on a string.

Ben: In here, Liam.

He snapped out of his thoughts and stepped into the room that had just been opened. This one showed signs of recent activity. There were sorted knives and torture tools scattered all over the room, as if thrown. A table was overturned and cracked in half. Blood dripped from a hook in the ceiling, and that was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Blood was absolutely everywhere. Drops, splatters and pools of it on the stone floor, spray patterns and mist on the walls.....

"No one could survive this MUCH blood loss....."

He growled, kneeling to pick up the silver chains discarded beneath the bloody hook.

Ben: Let's hope at least half of it belongs to the Black Knight, then. Juliette wouldn't go down without waging a war first. Neither of them are HERE...... which begs the question of where they ARE..... if one of them killed the other, why not just leave the body down here to rot?

A man from a different team limped into the room, looking over his shoulder and panting heavily. Liam leapt to his feet to help support the man, sending one of his own team members to guard the door.

Man: My King, my King!

"What happened, did you find her?!"

Man: NO, no......... it's something......else...... we were ambushed by...... the.... the dead! The dead have risen!

Ben (deadpan): REALLY.

 

[Domino]

Into Battle....

:: Maxine was pleased that the others had come to their senses as one by one they made their way to the armory of New Anatolia. She did her best to debrief them and help them choose their weapons accordingly, making sure to remind them that although their weapons might give them a deadly edge in battle, at the end of the day their own mind's and their ability to think quick on their feet and be proactive in the face of incredible onslaught would be the deciding factor on whether or not they lived or died. ::

:: Heading down to the end of the armory, into an almost locker room like area where the knights of New Anatolia dressed and prepared for any battles that might come their way. As she walked down the hall, passing various pieces of armor and weapons, her haunting ice blue eyes stopped with intrigue as she found what she was looking for. ::

"Lord Ravena made good on his promise. Tonight a NEW Knight shall ride into the walls of Hellfire!"

:: Before her was a set of deep midnight black armor that had been crafted for her by Ravena himself, with a composite of metals ranging from titanium, and a small amount of Uru, a metal ore unique to the Asgard dimension. Uru had the incredibly ability to absorb and store most energies but had a particular affinity for magick. Although Maxine herself was an incredibly invulnerable person, she was also a woman of ceremony, and to ride into battle as a truly literal representation of The Black Knight was something of importance and this would give her a much needed advantage against the likes of The Red Queen. Next to the armor was her incredibly large battle axe/scythe, a gift given to her by Evelyn Pierce many years ago. Though this weapon had no magical or mystical properties it was beautiful to look at and it's sheer size made it almost impossible for many to even wield. Taking a deep breath, Maxine began to get into her garbs of war. ::

:: When she had finished getting dressed, an even MORE intimidating Maxine Dupont appeared back in the main room of the armory, as she checked in with the others to see if they were ready to head back to The Hellfire Estate. ::

"It is time. Remember, however CAPABLE you may believe yourself to be in battle...I am the one in CHARGE. Listen to me and you might walk out with your life. Choose to ignore my command, and I will make sure to step upon your skull as I charge forward. Let's GO!"

:: Stopping for a moment. ::

"And good LUCK..."

:: The crackling of energy surrounded them as the group was teleported back to The Hellfire Estate, a decidedly different version of the place that many of them had called home at one time or another. Maxine led the charge as they made their way to the large castle like double doors that was the main entrance of the estate. With swift movement, Maxine lifted her scythe into the air as she barreled it into the doors, smashing them to pieces as bits of jagged wood flew everywhere. She had assumed the onslaught would begin from the moment she opened the door, but even she was shocked to find...nothing. There was no movement. The entire estate seemed lifeless. Even in it's lowest vacancies, the walls themselves seemed to be full of an energy, and tonight...there was nothing. ::

"Well, damn..nobody around? And after I gave THEM such an entrance a few days ago? I feel robbed..."

:: Suddenly a voice filled the area, sending chills up and down Maxine's spine. Instinctively, she tried to mentally lock into the security systems, a side effect of the Techno Organic Virus, however she realized that WHOEVER'S laughter was echoing through the estate, was in FAR greater control than Maxine was capable of overriding, which perplexed and intrigued the Black Knight all at once. ::

<< Suddenly, a MANIACAL LAUGH of a WOMAN none of them had heard before echoed all through the dark mansion. She LAUGHS but then suddenly SNAPS into a serious, homicidal mode.>>

VIPER: NO ONE TAKES WHAT IS MINE! NONE OF YOU WILL SURVIVE THIS NIGHT UNLESS YOU BRING ME THE FALSE ONE! THE LEFTOVER BITCH NAMED DOMINO!

<< Suddenly, as thunder rumbles outside and lightning flashes. Shifts in the shadows on the walls, and the sound of groaning and gurgling causes more than one in the group to turn their heads and look around/behind them.>>

VIPER: GIVE HER TO ME NOW! OR YOU'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!

<< from the narrow hallways, they find ZOMBIES!From the various outfits they were wearing, it was clear that some of these creatures had once (RECENTLY) been Hellfire mansion attendance and even MEMBERS! As the zombies lumber forward like a slow moving crowd of DEATH, they begin to quicken their pace, stretching out their arms and showing AGGRESSION as they close in. >>

:: Maxine's eyes widen as ZOMBIES begin to fill the area at an alarming rate. ::

[yelling] "I don't know who the hell you are, but i'm right here! And in terms of what belongs to WHO, remember one thing...this PLACE? It BELONGS TO ME!"

<< Viper's voice continues to ring out in the air around the members of the various courts as they are now trapped within the mansion.>>



VIPER: THIS IS A ONE WAY TRIP FOR YOU, DOMINO! NO ONE INTERFERES IN THE WORLD THAT *I* HAVE CREATED! NO ONE!

<< Windows on either side of Domino SHATTER as DEVIL DOGS crash in from either side. these WERE dobermans that were used as guard dogs to patrol the mansion grounds. Now they were were terrifying creatures mutated by the T VIRUS, possessing savage, vicious strength and speed. They attack Domino with more ferocity than most naturally existing creatures have, growling, snapping, biting and clawing at her with ferocity.>>


<< From Lord Ravena's view, There was something SERIOUSLY wrong in the Hellfire Mansion. A VIRUS was sweeping like a plague and infecting many inhabitants causing them to die agonizing deaths and then REANIMATE moments later as flesh eating zombies. One bite, one SCRATCH from these creatures and a person's fate was sealed. But was it the T VIRUS? And if so, how was it now HERE in such a concentrated area? There was more to what was going on than could be immediately seen and in order for them to find out what, they'd have to get in deeper, assuming they could SURVIVE long enough.>>

:: The dogs bombarded her immediately as she tore into them with her axe, it's maneuverability allowing her take out SEVERAL at a time with swift and fluid movement. She yelled to the group once she picked up that these dogs had in them the same virus that coursed through Maxine's own veins. ::

"Let NOTHING scratch you! They're infected! One scratch [ducking a devil dog] One bite [tearing into another with her scythe] And you're DEAD! You hear me!?"

:: Lord Ravena confirmed her words as he ignited a spell into the air. ::

Holding his hands up, a circle of magical force pushes the beasts away from the assembled group. The residual force of that pulse slows them as they try to recover.

Earthen sinew and muscle bend,
Stone sentries to my side attend!

Roars are heard outside and in seconds, the four STONE GARGOYLES that sit at the corners of the building burst through the doors, cutting down zombies and pulling the Devil Dogs away from Domino. They will likely not defeat them all, but they DO manage to buy the team some time to regroup.

:: Maxine nodded ::

"NICE Assist, Ravena! Daniel Reed! Use your EMPATHY to bolster us. We're going to need to run on a HELL of a lot of adrenaline!"

:: She watched as Daniel stepped back from the fray, thanks to Ravena's spell and began to channel a red energy from his hands. ::

Daniel: "I'm on it!"

[ducking]

"Archer, you need to run defense for Daniel! Keep him protected at all times!"

Archer: "Roger That! Time to freeze these bastards OUT!"

:: With a swift and furious movement, Archer threw his hands out and ignited a rather powerful ICE BLAST that froze the zombies and devil dogs in their tracks. At that moment, Maxine began to feel the effects of Daniel's empathic abilities as would the rest of the group. Soon, they would feel STRONG, COURAGEOUS and BOLD, thanks to him. Maxine began to tear into the frozen devil dogs as she eyed Bretta and Alec. ::

"That means you two are FLANKING me! One on either side...and bring your A game! We can't afford mistakes!"

:: With furious movement and flashes of black, Maxine worked through the frozen Devil Dogs, slicing them in half as she went. She knew that Archer's freeze wouldn't last forever and that these creatures were basically dead. But they had the situation contained for now. They simply needed to get to the source, and now after she had been called out personally, Maxine was MORE than ready to face the ominous voice that had called for her head. She called out into the air. ::

"That's the best you GOT baby doll?"

 

[Seer]

The house of the dead

<< The majority of the Hellions were confronted with an unexpected development as the maniacal voice of the mysterious woman rang out through the halls of the mansion. There was no sign of her anywhere and no one knew who she was, although Lord Ravena had a strong suspicion he somehow recognized her!? >>


<< It was clear that she had seized control of the mansion in a terrifying way, as now, most of its occcupants who had the misfortune of being present when she and Rebecca arrived were now BIO HAZARDS and under her complete control!>>

<< Juliette was woefully unaware of this as she made her way through another section of the mansion and Zodiac, in the catacombs below, was only just now hearing a terrified relay that "THE DEAD WALK" through the mansion.>>

<< Seeing was believing, but that may well be the last thing HE or ANY of them sees.>>

<< on the main floor of the mansion in the halls, the Hellions, members of the various courts now gathered together in an "Unlikely Alliance" and [reluctantly] lead by Domino, are confronted by zombies and devil dogs. The close quarters hem them in, and their enemies are terrifying to behold but with an empathic boost from Daniel, and Maxine marshalling their forces, they manage to defend themselves. Lord Ravena provides a magickal assist, with a power signature that seems curiously FAMILIAR, and helps ensure that they survive this assault.>>

:: With furious movement and flashes of black, Maxine worked through the frozen Devil Dogs, slicing them in half as she went. She knew that Archer's freeze wouldn't last forever and that these creatures were basically dead. But they had the situation contained for now. They simply needed to get to the source, and now after she had been called out personally, Maxine was MORE than ready to face the ominous voice that had called for her head. She called out into the air. ::

"That's the best you GOT baby doll?"

<< the mutant boldly taunts her unseen assailant and in that brief respite they now have to gather their senses, they hear no immediate answer. Still the mansion remains dark, and the fog from the outside is now creeping in from the blown out windows.>>

<< Soon, pieces of glass could be heard crunching and moving and an odd, unappealing slithering sound grew more audible.>>

::GASP!:: LOOK!

<< From outside, large, gelatinous, bioluminescent LEECHES began slithering in! on the underbelly of these creatures were mouths that dripped a highly corrosive substance that could burn/melt through glass, various metals and other objects and also TEETH allowing them to satisfy their appetite for HUMAN FLESH.>>

<< THEY TOO were carriers of a virus, but NOT the T Virus, it's predecessor, the PROGENITOR virus, which made them large and quite aggressive.>>

<< They began to close in on the group of hellions lead by Domino, while coming up the hall TOWARD Domino were several zombies!? ...no...CRIMSON HEADS!>>

<< The Crimson Heads were an EVOLVED form of the zombie! They were larger, with stronger physical builds, enlarged hands with claws and enlraged feet. Their skin was blood red and their mouths dripped blood as they roared with aggression and surveyed their prey with their undead, glowing eyes. And they MOVED with TERRIFYING speed and skill, able to leap vast distances and crash through walls even. Unlike theire zombie "cousins" they were much more fluent and coordinated in their moves and actually HUNTED their targets.>>

<< Again, these creatures were clothing or uniforms that indicated they WERE once members of the Hellfire Club or employees. WHO had done this? Suddenly this place was a house of horror crawling with creatures mother nature NEVER intended.>>

<< Two Crimson Heads leap up and bear down on Domino like high speed BOULDERS crashing down, attacking her with blood thirsty, cannabilistic LUST.>>

<< The other two charge for a visibly stunned Bretta and Alec while the leeches began to move as "one" raising up in the form of a gelatinous WAVE to come CRASHING DOWN on Ravena and Archer.>>


----------------------------------------

<< Elsewhere in the mansion, in the Black Queen's wing>>

<< Juliette may be somewhat removed from where most of the bio terror fueled chaos is focused at the moment, but the mansion itself is not safe.>>

<< As she moves about, presumably sight unseen, growling and hissing can be heard in the shadows around her and soon, impossibly large SPIDERS make themselves known. One on the ground approaching her and one coming across on the ceiling of the room she is in. The one from the ceiling stops and then FIRES upon Juliette with its NEURO WEB. If the web traps her, it will painfully paralyze her. The spider on the floor begins to move toward her in a tight pattern, unrelenting in its approaching, surely ready to devour her once the web above ensnares her.>>



----------------------------------

<< Hidden within the Mansion's restricted, secure (for the moment) area>>


<< Safely insulated in the War Room, Rebecca watches with unabashed astonishment as Viper has single handedly turned the Hellfire Mansion into a house of the dead and has COMPLETE CONTROL over these creature she has brought into being. It did her wicked heart merry to see Viper target Domino directly, calling her out. This is what she needed, a way to completely turn this whole campaign of Domino's on its HEAD and at this rate DOMINO'S HEAD might end up on a pike on the front lawn. HOWEVER, Rebecca could not afford to sit here and treat this as it were the ultimate horror movie. Nor could she be foolish enough to think she was permanently safe where she was, for Domino, and possibly Ravena, not to mention Zodiac were ALL quite familiar with the structure and lay out of the mansion and while they might be all facing obstacles now, sooner or later they'd get to her and she'd need to be READY to draw a line of her own and if she wasn't careful with Viper, if she said the wrong thing or let the TRUTH about Viper's own being slip out? She could lose EVERYTHING she was banking on, including her life.>>

--------------------------------

 

[Viper]

On the move

[Despite her wild, mercurial demeanor, Viper was a woman possessed of an incredible intellect. That is how she was able to wage deadly psychological warfare on the Six and push the world to the brink of a 3rd world war the LAST time. ]

[ Domino was tough, just like Black Widow or Silver Swan. She didnt run form danger, she ran TO it and it was clear to see the woman was USED to being the danger HERSELF. But not THIS time. THIS time, she would go from being the predator to being the PREY, JUST LIKE "AUNTIE DIANA!"]

That's the BEST you got, Babydoll?

[Viper slid forward in her seat. She HAD been siting beside Rebecca, watching their quarry and telepathically commanding the creatures she had created by direct release of various strains of the T Virus and its variants into live human/animal tissue throughout the mansion.]

[ As Domino taunted her, Viper sneered and then smirked, speaking back to Domino and her voice, with its haunting resonance, is being heard throughout the mansion]

You silly, FOOLISH little girl! You do NOT bait the lioness in her den, NOR do you tempt the spider in the center of her web!

WHATEVER you thought you WERE, that is irrelevant. You will be NOTHING MORE than a bio hazard who obeys MY every command before this night is over and if you TRY to resist? I'll CRUSH YOU with my BARE HANDS!

[Jessica balls her gloved hand into a fist, as green energy crackles around it, forming a halo of power. She closes the communication channel and turns to Rebecca.]

She's EVERY bit as arrogant as you said, Crimson. How DARE she challenge ME in position as the DOMINANT FEMALE! I WANT HER HEART...I WANT HER HEAD!

[ At that moment, at HER command, the LEECHES and CRIMSON HEADS attack the group]

Rebecca: "Two other interlopers are moving through the mansion, Jessica."

[The red queen points at monitors showing Juliette and Liam in their locations]

Rebecca: "They are in on this too! They have brought SHAME and DISCORD to your legacy! They will try to help Domino take what you achieved away from you! DON'T LET THEM GET AWAY WITH IT, JESSICA!"

[Rebecca speaks with urgency. She seems genuinely concerned. Jessica, due to her current state [actually being a nearly perfectly copied CLONE of her original self], is not aware that REBECCA is manipulating her to her own end. But on a surface level, ANY excuse to engage in VIOLENCE and BRUTALITY is a JOY to Jessica. It was that way when she was a CHILD and it was that way when she clashed with the Six! ]

OH don't worry! [ smiling widely as her green eyes GLOW] I WONT!

[ T Virus mutated spiders stalk and attack Juliette, while Jessica stands up..]

I'M going to deal with Zodiac myself, and THEN I'll crack EVERY vertebrae in Domino's SPINE!

[ Jessica departs from the War Room and moves with blurring speeds through the mansion, making her way down to the catacombs below. No creature loose in the mansion now would DARE attack her, for SHE created it. She was it's mistress and as far as SHE knew, the whole WORLD was now her's to make in HER image.]


-----------------------------

[ a short while later]

<< The catacombs below ground>>

Man: My King, my King!

Zodiac: "What happened, did you find her?!"

Man: NO, no......... it's something......else...... we were ambushed by...... the.... the dead! The dead have risen!

Ben (deadpan): REALLY.

You needn't worry about Domino OR the dead walking the halls of this mansion.

[ the woman's voice rings out, with its haunting resonance, from the shadows in the dark dungeons.]

ANYONE who attempts to interfere with my plans has only ONE desination.

[ The man is VIOLENTLY dispatched by a powerful green hued VENOM BLAST. Viper herself DROPS DOWN from the dark ceiling below and again with blurring super human speed, SLAPS Ben aside[using her super strength], sending him flying INTO the wall, leaving HIM knocked out and Zodiac unguarded]

OBLIVION!

[ Viper surveys Zodiac for a moment, tilting her head a bit smiling with an almost PERVERSE glint in her apple green eyes. HE has a chance to behold the mysterious woman who has turned the mansion upside down! She is wearing a costume that flatters her perfect feminine form.]

Ohhh what a FINE physical specimen YOU are! I would have SUCH FUN taking you apart...in fact...I think that's what I'll DO NOW!

[ Viper takes aim with BOTH hands outstretched and FIRES UPON Zodiac with a massive venom blast!]

 

[Domino]

The Hellfire Estate

:: Domino stood in a battle pose as the group was able to dispatch the rest of the devil dogs and various zombies that had greeted them at the door. To others who were not versed in the ways of combat, this first burst could have proved DEADLY. She could see the signs of wear and tear on their faces, but if they were to survive this ordeal, they were simply going to have to suck it up and press forward. Maxine on the other hand, THRIVED in this type of setting. It was where she felt most comfortable, the most free...where her creativity and her depravity were SHOWCASED. This was her stage...but there was something about the haunting voice filling the area that made even Maxine Dupont nervous. ::

Viper: "You silly, FOOLISH little girl! You do NOT bait the lioness in her den, NOR do you tempt the spider in the center of her web! WHATEVER you thought you WERE, that is irrelevant. You will be NOTHING MORE than a bio hazard who obeys MY every command before this night is over and if you TRY to resist? I'll CRUSH YOU with my BARE HANDS!"

:: Maxine gripped her free hand into a mighty fist as she gritted her teeth with disgust. ::

"HER den? her WEB!?!"

:: She screamed out into the air, her voice seemingly unmuffled by the face piece she was wearing. ::

"I don't know who you are...BITCH..but when I find you..I'm going to wipe the FLOOR with your entitled, spoiled and OBVIOUSLY American ASS! Don't try and HOP the POND if you don't know how to SWIM!"

:: Fog began to fill the floor of the mansion casting an even more gothic and mysterious scheme. That's when she heard the slither, the sliming creep of the LEECHES who began their ascent upon the group. All of these creatures they were facing were eerily similar and Maxine was slowly trying to put the pieces of this haunting puzzle together. She called the others to ACTION. ::

"Alright! FALL into FORMA--"

:: Before she could speak another word, a bone chilling rush of fear ran up and down her spine as the hairs stood up on the back of her neck as she was barrelled to the ground by the Crimson Heads. ::

"UGH!"

:: Maxine had been caught off guard...something that just simply...DIDN'T happen to her. She had left herself vulnerable to attack because she had the neccessary task of getting these misfits in order and fit for battle. She had made Daniel bolster there emotions and "buff" them, not realizing that in order for Maxine to run as effective as she normally was, she needed all of her senses, all of her emotions as they normally were. Maxine was like a microchip, but even a grain of sand could compromise the entire system. ::

:: She looked over at the group as leeches began their deadly attacks. Lord Ravena would protect them the best he could, or he wouldn't...depending on who he viewed as necessary for them to complete their ultimate goal. For now, she had OTHER things to focus on...The Crimson Heads and the impending death of a woman she hadn't seen...but already hated. ::

:: The Crimson Heads clawed furiously at her body, and although she moved incredibly fast...fast enough to dodge a bullet at point blank range, they were much faster than her typical assailant. While on her back she lifted her legs in the air, bending them back before delivering a HELL of a blow to one with her left foot as it was tossed several yards in front of her. With one out of the way she could clearly get a look at exactly what she was fighting as her eyes widened with horror. ::

"CRIMSON HEADS?!! How!?!"

:: In her adolescence years spent at the medical facility that would end up being Meridian Industries, Maxine had endured an extensive and painful amount of experimentation...but she had also SEEN things equally as horrifying. The Crimson Heads were showcased by The American Doctors as a success of the precursor to the T Virus. She had seen their snarling mouths and blood red skin, and she spent many nights, locked in nightmares thanks to heavy sedation. She dreamt she would become one of these creatures, that she would lose her humanity altogether and be nothing more than an abomination...a CREATURE. The sight of TWO of these beasts after such a long time, gave her great pause...but it was something she couldn't think about..not NOW...however, she was perversely grateful that at the very least...her father had turned her into what she WAS instead of something like THEM. ::

<< BAM! >>[/b

:: She slammed the head of her axe onto the Crimson Head...a blow that normally would have caused a person's HEAD to cave in, but these creatures were far more durable than your normal zombie counterpart. The Crimson Head SCREAMED and hissed as it collapsed to the ground, attempting to get up almost instantly. But before she could deal with the one in front of her...she heard the incredibly fast footsteps of the Crimson Head she had blasted back earlier. Domino tried to think quickly as she threw off the iron wraught gloves she had been wearing to expose her bare hands...a risky move considering all the infected around her, but she figured if she WERE to become a gelatinous blob of the machinations of bored rich men, she would do so with one HELL of a fight! ::

"Come to Mother!"

:: She gripped her axe tightly as both of her hands became surrounded by a crackling red halo. Maxine had the ability to channel an incredible amount of heat energy through her hands and now she did so, through her axe. Heat coursed through the axe, being a perfect conductor as it too began to become enveloped in a bright red hue. She CHARGED the second Crimson Head, dropping her axe into one hand and swinging it down and behind her. With her free hand she managed to grab the beast by the neck and throw him up in the air like a rag doll as she began her back swing with the axe. ::

<< WOOSH! >>

:: The axe made a vibrating harmonious sound as it swirled through the air, flying UP as it SLICED through the Crimson Head, starting at it's genitals, the blade of the axe moving through it's body like a butter knife preparing for TOAST. It's body split in half as it fell into a heap on the ground. DEAD. ::

:: Maxine looked at it's body, trying her hardest to turn her attention back to the impending attack of the second Crimson Head, but her eyes were glued to the mangled corpse of the one in front of her. A swell of emotion welled up inside her. ::

"This was a human...a person. They had a life..they had DREAMS..."

:: Maxine was the culmination of her father's work. She was strong, she was fast and she was deadly. Everything she was capable of now, had been because of him. She had been tortured, experimented on and BRUTALIZED...but here she stood. The virus coursing through her veins had made her stronger...and things like CRIMSON HEADS had paved the way for her to live the life that she did. Without these horrible abominations, Maxine might have ended up much like them. She hated her father, but his vision had been strong...what he was capable of had been incredible...but there HAD to be a better way...than THIS. ::

:: She stood almost transfixed at the corpse of the Crimson Head, not paying attention to what was about to happen to her. ::

 

[Juliette De Lacroix]

She was not alone in the hall. The moonlight pouring in through windows illuminated the path well enough for most humans. Juliette could see every nook and cranny. For her, it was as if there was no roof, and she stood beneath a bright starry sky and a large full moon. She could easily see the spiders in great detail. Her silken cape slid silently back out of the way as she drew an arrow and let it fly, but she frowned when she saw it glancing harmlessly off the spider's armored back.

The one on the ceiling spit something at her, the one on the floor charged. Juliette dashed forward, straight for the spider in front of her, then dropped to the floor sideways, sliding feet first on her right side. She drew her dagger, sheathed it in the monster's mouth, and laid flat to finish sliding out from under it.

She did a pirouette to face the other spider, who was dropping down from the ceiling on a silken string. She deftly severed the strand with an arrow, causing it to drop haphazardly onto the dead body of its partner while she drew her sword and smoothly slid the bow over her shoulder. The spider negotiated the obstacle quickly, but Juliette was ready. She lunged and jabbed, putting out its eyes one by one, leaping and spinning all the while to avoid the venom it spit at her. Once it was fully blinded, it reared back, attempting to strike at her with its front legs wildly, exposing a soft under belly.

She wasn't one to hack and slash. Her blade work consisted mostly of jabs and parries. She could parry the attempts that got close, and when it wildly missed the mark, drive the sword into the spider to the hilt. Withdraw, repeat. It didn't take long to defeat.

She collected the two arrows she spent, and smoothed her hair. She shrugged her cape back into place, straightened her skirt, then scowled.

Ugh! Merde alors, I've put a hole in my stockings. Now they'll surely run. What was the name of that witch seamstress in the Red Court? Amy? Or Ashley? I wonder if she could enchant a pair that wouldn't get dirty or damaged.

 

[Liam Forbes]

Down in the Dungeon

Viper: You needn't worry about Domino OR the dead walking the halls of this mansion.

Her voice sounded off, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. They all looked around. Ben raised his hand over his head to give them more light, but they saw nothing. They all looking for someone on the floor.

Viper: ANYONE who attempts to interfere with my plans has only ONE desination.

"YOUR plans? And just who do you think YOU ARE, lass?"

But the woman didn't answer, just blasted the man next to Liam, killing him instantly, before landing next to Ben and literally slapping him unconscious. The light he was providing goes out abruptly, the flame snuffed out as Ben's body fell against the wall. The veins in Liam' s forearm and hand glowed electric in the inky darkness, and then an ice blue orb appeared in his hand, casting a bright white light. It looked like he held a tiny star in the palm of his hand.

Viper: OBLIVION!

"Oblivion, eh? Well that's unique. Listen, Oblivion--"

Viper: Ohhh what a FINE physical specimen YOU are! I would have SUCH FUN taking you apart...in fact...I think that's what I'll DO NOW!

"Take me apart?!"

She took aim, and he wasted no time. He still had the silver chains in his other hand, and he whipped them towards her wrists, wrapping them tightly on knocking her aim sideways.

"Others have tried and failed. I'll give you three options, with various consequences. You can surrender, and I'll let you live, for now. You can turn over the Black Knight, and I'll even reward you. Or you can continue this ill-advised assault, and I'll send your soul back to the stars, and leave your body to decay in this dungeon."

He readied his throwing arm. He could toss the orb at the speed of light, and was looking for the slightest provocation. He didn't know who she was, or who sent her, but if she stood in his way, she was doomed to die. Friend or foe, it made no difference to him. She'd attacked first, and he would defend himself without mercy.

 

[Viper]

Hellfire Mansion- catacombs

[The silver chains wrapped around Viper’s wrists and Zodiac forcibly altered her aim as he furiously pulled them, declaring that plenty of others had tried to take him apart, but failed.]

I am BEYOND anyone else you've ever dealt with, foolish man!

[ Viper didn’t attempt to resist, though she could have easily gained leverage with her super strength. Instead, she eyed her opponent in a weird way, smiling a bit as he laid out her supposed options. Curiously, he offered her the option of “surrending” the black knight to him. As if SHE were IN LEAGUE with that arrogant upstart!?]

[ He was brave, confident even. She could tell he was no accustomed to being challenged, especially by a woman. ]

[ She threw her head back and LAUGHED at his “conditions”, her laughter, in spite of the current situation, may have given him pause, but he was woefully unaware of just WHO he was dealing with]


[ She suddenly snapped out of her laughter and fixed her now GLOWING apple green eyes upon him in a predatory stare.]


I don't work with common rabble [Domino].

And There will be no surrender.

[There was some growling and hissing that could be heard in the background, echoing throughout the catacombs]

I RULE HERE and YOU will be the one to FALL!

[ Zodiac is immediately attacked from behind by a HUNTER, a savage, mutated lizard creature that was stalking the halls of the catacombs. This creature is another bio hazard, resulting from a member of the hellfire club with latent mutant genetic potential being exposed to a mutagenic virus released by Viper. the creatue JUMPS on to Liam's back, beating and clawing at him ferociously. If it bites down on Liam's neck, it could very well take his head off. The creature possesses incredible strength and agility as well as fearsome claws and fangs. ]

[Viper YANKS away from the chains, now that Liam as suitably distracted, using her strength to make him lose his balance]


Don't damage him too badly, my pet.

[Viper casually calls to the creature.]

I want him in tact so that I can study...and DISSECT him.

[ She knows Zodiac will waste no time in defending and freeing himself from this creature's clawed grip. She's COUNTING on that. She has something in store for him :fdevil: ]

 

[Lord Ravena]

Lord Ravena was still thinking of WHO this person was, making sure he had who exactly it had to be correct. It seemed impossible, because that person was dead, but he was living proof that death was often only the beginning.

<< From outside, large, gelatinous, bioluminescent LEECHES began slithering in! on the underbelly of these creatures were mouths that dripped a highly corrosive substance that could burn/melt through glass, various metals and other objects and also TEETH allowing them to satisfy their appetite for HUMAN FLESH.>>

<< THEY TOO were carriers of a virus, but NOT the T Virus, it's predecessor, the PROGENITOR virus, which made them large and quite aggressive.>>

<< The leeches began to move as "one" raising up in the form of a gelatinous WAVE to come CRASHING DOWN on Ravena and Archer.>>

Ravena noticed them as they formed their wave and smiled.

Vampiric Annelids?! Seriously? Come meet your King!

Placing his hands together, a ball of pitch black magical energy manifests, flying towards the mountain of leeches. Ravena turns his back to them now as he starts to weave a scrying spell to locate the new interloper. With a wave of his hand he produces a ball of pure smooth black crystal.

But for anyone watching the ball as it gets close to the leeches, it ARCS pitch black lightning to them, burning and shocking them. Their screeches fill the room as they are stopped in their tracks and progressively reduced to a pile of smoldering ash.

 

[Discord]

Hellfire Estate

:: Daniel Reed watched with curious intrigue as the next wave of attacks bombarded the group. He was relieved that Maxine had realized that Daniel's place in the group was not one of physicality, but more defensive. While he could handle himself in combat, his abilities were best suited to bolster the group when necessary. ::

:: As The Crimson Heads attacked Alec, Bretta and Maxine, Discord was almost ready to spring into action. That is...until. ::

<< From outside, large, gelatinous, bioluminescent LEECHES began slithering in! on the underbelly of these creatures were mouths that dripped a highly corrosive substance that could burn/melt through glass, various metals and other objects and also TEETH allowing them to satisfy their appetite for HUMAN FLESH.>>

<< THEY TOO were carriers of a virus, but NOT the T Virus, it's predecessor, the PROGENITOR virus, which made them large and quite aggressive.>>

"Good frickin' LORD!? What the hell are those?"

:: Daniel was about to ignite some kind of defense attack when Lord Ravena stepped in, turning the leeches into nothing but ash. His omega status ability as an empath alerted him IMMEDIATELY to Maxine's emotions, realizing that she had left herself unguarded. As he turned on his feet, he watched the surviving Crimson Head barrel towards her, while she stood JOLTED and almost LOST in thought over the other's body. ::

"MAXINE!? Pull it TOGETHER!!"

:: Daniel's eyes began to glow a glimmering red as a striking noise could be heard in the distance, as a red flash barreled through the area. He was igniting the true emotion of FEAR into the creatures around him. Though they may not have possessed much in the way of mental capacities, like a human...every creature in them possessed a flight or fight response and because of the finesse of Daniel's ability he was able to channel this very primal and paralyzing fear into the people around him. It was his only option. His illusory powers were strong, but he had to have some kind of understanding of their brain to make that work, and he wouldn't be able to figure that out in the time he had before him. ::

"Come on, Maxine..."

:: He hoped his move would buy her as well as Alec and Bretta some precious time to recover and ATTACK back. ::

:: Daniel turned to Archer. ::

"Come on you DOLT! Help them out!"

"I'm going, I'm going!"

:: Daniel watched as Archer cast out his left, sending a sub zero blast STRAIGHT at the Crimson Heads that were attacking Bretta and Alec, while using his other hand to crystalize the floor in a straight pattern right in front of him until it reached the Crimson Head that was going for Maxine. The floor beneath The Crimson Head would become INCREDIBLY cold and slippery, and because of the general physical makeup of the beast, should it hit a floor that cold, pieces were SURE to get stuck altogether to the ice. ::

:: Right now, they waited. Hoping their moves were enough. ::