Enter the Dark Hunter

Somewhere in Elisha's mind


Elisha floats in utter blackness devoid of any sensation at all. He tries but finds himself unable to move. Walking in out of the darkness a young boy stands before him . Elisha tries to say something but nothing comes out. The Boy steps closer and looks Elisha eye to eye. Well , we never expected this to happen did we? Elisha is about to try to say something again but the boy hold s up his hand. No need in any of that your vocal cords are so bruised right now I don’t think you will be able to ever talk again. You know this is a fine predicament you have gotten us into. Elisha just stares at the boy with a questioning look on his face . What, you don’t know who I am well I has been a few years . Really Elisha you have made a mess of things , well it’s not like you don’t always make a mess of things . Hell your marriage is just one example . Elisha furrows his eyebrows . Aw let me guess you don’t want to talk about this, well too bad . The boy smiles cruelly , too busy trying to save the world and you let you wife’s eye wonder she found her a lover didn’t she a rich one that gave her all the things you couldn’t. Elisha’s eye’s grew more hateful . Aw is’m getting mad, well you know what your temper get’s you? Elisha hears the voice of a man screaming . Hmmmm maybe showing you is better then telling you . Elisha sees himself standing behind a man kneeling on the floor his service weapon pointed at the back of his head . He sees himself squeeze the trigger blowing the guy’s head off and blood splatter over his uniform and face. Elisha closes his eyes ,tears roll down his cheeks. Well well , looks like someone doesn’t like what he is seeing awwwwwww poor baby . The boy smiles wickedly . You can argue that the man you executed was a child molester and killer but why not let the courts take care of him , who are you to judge anyone ?

The Fight...


It had been fifteen minutes since this fight started but to Angel, it felt more like hours. Things were not going well! The harder she fought and hit, the less damage she seemed to be doing. Mostly, it was simply keeping him off balance, giving him very little opportunity to react or respond but she knew that wouldn't last very long. She was wounded, bleeding and bruised, something she has experienced in the past but not at this level. Despite her condition, she had to fight on, had to hold out till help arrived, had to continue to protect the civilians which Crucifix would occasionally try to harm, simply because he could.

She wondered where help was, wondered why those upon the Ranch had not responded yet. Emergency vehicles were now on scene which meant the media was either here or soon would be. Angel had tried initiating contact with Oda via the telepathic link she has with everyone upon the Ranch but received nothing. This and the lack of their presence causes a small shadow of concern to creep within her, nestling within the back of her mind, causing a heartbeat of distraction.

Crucifix's dark energy blast slams into Angel's quickly erected force field, enveloping it then shattering it, the remaining force of the blast more than enough to knock the wind from Angel, to send her flying backwards. She lands nearly one hundred feet away, hitting and bouncing off the ground like a rag doll. He presses his attack, vanishing, reappearing in a puff of purplish/black smoke, applying a vicious kick to Angel's mid section, launching her through the air again. This time, he appears before she hits the ground, quickly grabbing her by the legs, using her momentum to swing her up over his head, savagely slamming her into the ground. An evil smile crosses his face upon hearing a loud exhalation of breath blast from her upon impact, deriving a sense of pleasure at seeing the pain within Angel's eyes.

He quickly scans his surrounding finding two random targets of the still scattering civilians and fires off two dark bolts of energy. Both targets hit the ground, their deaths echoed in their terrified screams, falling silent mere seconds after the attack. He looks down at the still gasping Angel, his cruelty, his hatred of her and those he killed plainly written on his face.

"Why?" Angel gasps, struggling to move. She could not believe what he had done. Could not believe his wanton act of murder or the depths of his cruelty or why he hated and despised her so much.

"Because I can, Star Child! Its as simple as that!" he says with arrogant disdain. "I was here for another reason but your arrival offered me something oh so much better. Your mother is uninvolved, cares little for what happens to you, your friends or this pathetic world. You are the only one who protects the Celestial Star Sanctuary, Angel Star and your days are numbered."

"What did we ever do to you," she cries out. "We don't even know who you are. You just show up out of nowhere to attack some poor man, to rattle his faith. Then you attack me, then innocent civilians. For what purpose?" she adds with a glare mixed of anger and confusion.

His response is spiteful and malevolent as he steps forward roughly planting a foot upon her arm just above the elbow. He grabs her other arm by the wrist and the elbow and in an act of savage, brutal cruelty, he savagely twists her arm. Angel screams loudly in shock and pain, a cold, malicious look of satisfaction appearing on his face at hearing her shoulder snap, her cries of pain. He releases her, the arm falling limply beside Angel, enjoying hearing her cry out in pain again.

Angel looks up through tear filled eyes into his. Her shoulder throbs, searing bolts of pain fire through her mind but what she sees in his eyes makes the pain seem suddenly less important. Death! She knows that she cannot die unless its her time but if he was telling the truth and he was a god, he could easily end her life. For the first time in her life, Angel knew fear! Not the kind one feels for being caught cheating on a test but the kind that bites deeply into your heart, numbs one deeply to the soul, leading one to realize the inevitability of one's situation. He was going to kill her and this thought numbed her to the very core of her being but she didn't know why.

Sometimes, a bad guy doesn't need a reason why, they just do!

As she lay there in pain and shock, she barely notes a staff appearing, in a flash, within Crucifix's hand. She barely notes the mild look of surprise on his face or the fact that he looks back in Marcus Ghent's direction, walking ten or so feet away from her.

The rules of the game have just changed!

With the final blow to his evil other, Marcus Ghent feels a sense of accomplishment, a sense of understanding he had not known before. In his mind, he somehow better understood who he was.

"This is only the beginning, Marcus," speaks a soft voice. The shape made of the dust and dirt of Marcus's mind, comes into view. "But you must hurry, Marcus! You must return to the realm of consciousness. There, Angel Star needs your help. There you will find your weapon. Take it! Use it and in you, will the legacy of the Dark Hunters continue!"

The figure begins to swirl and fade from his mind, the light of waking begins to light the way from his mind, but before it vanishes, before it all fades away, Marcus hears the strange beings voice once more.

"your faith is your strength, Marcus Ghent. It is the power which beats strongly within your soul but where your faith is focused is not where it should be. We will talk in the days to come but be prepared for the truth which you will learn is not the truth you have been taught," she explains. "Hurry!" the voice adds as it finally fades away.

As Marcus feels himself returning to the land of consciousness, his mind is suddenly stricken with a dark, foreboding vision. In that vision, he sees Angel Star and what appears to be a farm or a ranch. Everything is ablaze, he can hear the terrified screams of horses coming from the burning barn, he can see bodies scattered about the ground, dead or dying. He recognizes them all, members of the Ranch, meta beings all of them and yet, here, they lay, defeated.

Angel turns to him, her eyes are dark, her demeanor one of vile aggression, he can almost feel the chaotic hatred emanating from her. Her smile twists into a wicked grin as she turns to see Marcus standing there.

"Time to die, Marcus," she chuckles softly. She launches herself at him, energy building about her hands, her final words echoing within his mind as he snaps back to the present.

"And to think, I am simply the one who is clearing the path for her."

((Marcus, of course, will find himself at the edge of a crater and just a foot or so away to his one side, he sees the glowing orb. It will suddenly change into a gun that looks something similar to a .44 Desert Eagle but it will be jet black which the light glints off of in an unearthly manner. The plated handle is of a blood red color and upon the weapon, etched in silver are odd looking symbols. As Marcus looks upon it, some words appear one after the other, blazing brightly for a moment before fading into the next; Courage, Honor, Wisdom, Faith. Marcus will feel an odd sensation, an inkling of a thought that he has been chosen for something.))

******************************************

As Elisha floats about in the darkness of his mind, his own consciousness, in the guise of a boy criticizing him, mocking him and challenging him, he suddenly feels a sense of tranquil calm overcome him. He feels as though someone has taken him into their arms, holding him, comforting him against the pain of his guilt.

"Be at peace, Elisha," a gentle voice says, "and he will answer for what he has done," the voice adds in admonishment to the the boy, "but in a manner which will heal both his heart and soul."

Upon those words, Elisha continues to feel the comforting sensation. A voice, beautiful and melodious begins to sing within his mind ((https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQfuT4MpzgU&feature=related)) filling his soul with images of people, animals living in harmony, a home, family, a place where all are welcomed, a place where love and hope abound, bringing comfort to him.

((listening to this, Elisha will have no doubt that he will live and that things are about to change for him.))

Nahima quickly finds a place to land, not far from the burning wreckage. As the anti grav vehicle touches down, Nahima looks to both Anji and Ambrose.

"Anji? You need to go lend Angel a hand while Ambrose and I do what we can to help those wounded and to get the remaining civilians out of here," she says earnestly.

The Osprey lands with a gentle bump, Nahima popping her door open as she flicks a button, opening a channel to the Ranch, muttering in wonder why they had not responded.

Somewhere else


Elisha listens to the song and feels the peace and calm wash over him. Feeling a little stronger Elisha looks the boy in the eyes and tells him in a gravely voice. I have no regrets over the things I have done that man was a serial rapist and a child killer .My wife leaving me I guess we weren’t right for each other anyway. Elisha just smiles at the kid. The boy looks on with utter contempt. Fine then boy looks beyond Elisha and into the darkness he’s all yours to deal with. With that the boy turns and walks into the darkness.

Back in reality

Elisha opens one swollen eye and coughs up blood .Sitting in a pool of his own blood Elisha looks down at his battered and broken body . Blood slowly seeps out of the hundreds of cuts and lacerations all over his body . Elisha feeling at peace with his life and the decisions he has made , accepts his fate to die ……..

Ambrose Carrington looked out of the ospreys window at the carnage and destruction he could see before him, his attention however drifted over he could see a second plume of dark smoke somewhere nearby which he presumed to be from a vehicle of some sort but then his focus drifted over to where he could see Angel Star “Angel Star I presume is the best you have”.

Ambrose as he flicked his eyes over to the man in white, could immediately tell that the man was powerful and whoever he was, he meant trouble.

“Miss Anji have to say of all things, I am frankly not squeamish, after all as a physician .it wouldn’t do for one to be squeamish”.

A few moments later he then feels the Osprey gently touch the ground, it is then that he says “The emergency services of Reflex City I presume would be making their way here to the highway, it looks like they will not be here in too long a time”.

“Might I suggest, I go and investigate the plume of smoke that is over there”? He says pointing to the black smoke weather downed Vitol is.

“Also if I am to lend aid to people, some kind of medical equipment would be helpful, as I don’t think I’m going to be able to lend a force of arms to the situation shall we say”.
Ambrose waiting for Nahima or Anji to move to let him out of the antigravity car, takes the time to remove his morning coat as well as place his top hat and cane to one side onto and against the back seat.

*************************


Reverend Marcus Ghent listens to the strange voice within his mind, he wonders whose it is and where it is coming from and remarks to himself about the femininity of the voice.

It was then his eyes gently flickered open and consciousness began to refill his mind and body as things began to take shape in his vision.

He then focuses on the words that are emanating through his mind; on what they could mean as well as the purpose in which they were spoken to him.

He then begins to see strange things at the forefront of his mind as a vision pulses through it.

He sees Angel star, the vision of an angel who he saw earlier hovering above a burning Ranch or farm, he can smell the burning acrid smoke and feel the heat of the flames, as he listens to the screams of horses.

Scattered all over the ground he sees bodies of people either lifeless or life ebbing away from them, he sees that they are a mix of what could be of various meta-beings.

He then sees Angel star turn round to address him and speak telling him that it was his time to die, it was then that he thought to himself that this being was perhaps or even had become some kind of a fallen angel, a star that has fallen from heaven to earth, to be corrupted by evil.

He then catches last sentence of Angel star before he fully awakes, breath rising in his chest as he gently and slowly sets himself up, noting that he no longer held Crucifixes staff.

Looking around he saw that he was very close to the edge of a large crater, from how it looked it seemed to him that it was some kind of impact crater.

Suddenly it is then at the corner of this vision he catches sight of the strange glowing orb which changes before him to reveal a gun.

Beginnings self up Marcus then stands picking up his own discarded revolver nearby and placing it in its shoulder holster, then moving slowly at first on his own two feet he strolls over carefully to where the gun is lying on the ground.

Looking down at the gun he pauses for a moment, as he recognises it is some kinds of high calibre pistol possibly some kind of desert eagle he thinks.

He bends down and picks up the gun by the blood red plated pistol grip, holding it he then examines the gun and notes its black jade colour and the way the light glinted off the metal seemingly no unearthly manner, which was something quite otherworldly to Marcus.

It was then on the sides of the gun barrel he saw etched in silver on the left the words Courage and Honour, and then on the right side of the barrel he saw inscribed the words Wisdom and Faith.

Marcus then felt coursing through his body a feeling of purpose, and something that was divine in nature.

He then remarked to himself out loud “To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity”, as he looked down at the gun in his hands, leading the viewing begun was giving him washed through him as he remembered the strange words that ran through his mind.

Looking around and scanning the area he saw that both Angel star and crucifix were about 200 yards away from him, so tucking the gun in his belt, in the back waistband of his trousers he then set off in that direction.

As he moved off he came across an overturned pickup truck of a sort which lay on its side, its antigravity activators extinguished.

He could see from the way it had impacted the ground and the state it was in, that he presumed it had been catapulted here as the result of the explosion.

Peering in through the window and see that that its single occupant was quite clearly dead, however he then saw attached to the back wall hanging loosely was a sworn off pump action shotgun .

“Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord thy God which He hath given thee”.

Picking up a piece of discarded debris he smashed in the shattered windscreen of the pickup, and then using that agreed to clear away the glass he then reached inside to retrieve the shot gun as well as raid on the glove box where he found some ammunition.

Pausing for a moment he then said over the dead occupant of the pickup truck “Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart”.

After pocketing the box of shotgun shells he tucked away the shot gun inside his trenchcoat and then began once more to make his way towards where Angels Star and Crucifix were fighting, as he did so he could quite clearly see that Angel star was coming off a lot worse as crucifix was quite clearly wearing her down.

“When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you”.

"It is time to dispense divine retribution and justice on the wicked".

Anji ‘s eyes widen when Nahima mentions going and helping Angel, she saw what the man had done to Angel, if he’s that powerful, ‘what could I even hope to do?’ she thought to herself. Still she was given a task and a mission, all doubt was pushed to the back of her processors. After all, if worse came to worse, she could always get a repair if necessary. New parts were plenty at The Ranch. And Wacko would relish the thought to work on her. Still, what she was asked to do was dangerous and frightened her greatly.


Anji slipped out of the car, then she turns back to Ambrose. “You will make your way down there with Nahima, trying to run would be very bad and quite detrimental to your current situation. Do what you can with what you have, you are a physician after all, you can improvise.” Anji then turns to Nahima.


Anji pushes a button behind her ear which causes what looks like a Micro SD card to pop out of the ear itself. She walks all the way over to Nahima and hands the chip to her. “This is just in case I get really messed up in this, I want you to make sure Wacko gets this, “It’s my memory back up, everything up until five seconds ago. Take and part of my body that is left, that should be enough to stop a rebuild, I just may need a memory boost.” Anji turns towards the fight Angel is in, hesitates mere seconds, long enough for Nahima to recognize a slight bit of fear. Gaining her resolve back again Anji says “Remember what I said Ambrose, stick with Nahima.” And with that she’s off to the fight Angel is currently loosing, knowing that she would never be the same, but at least Angel would be safer. Along the way she notices a man grabbing a shotgun out of the back of a pickup truck, about three hundred feet to her left, and she sees a portal opening another twenty feet beyond him. She hoped that these were helpers and not hinderers. As she arrived at the fight, the first thing Anji thinks of doing it throwing out a taunt, hoping some of the attention is taken from Angel faster. “Hey white boy! Why not grind your heels on something a little tougher than flesh and bone?” With that said she whips her arm out almost to quickly and sends one of her grenades flying through the air.

((OOC: With no reason or understanding as to why, both Darrion and Marcus will feel that the weapons they each carry are somehow connected.))

Darrion exit’s the portal into what could only be called a war zone. Darrion couldn’t tell weather it was the heat from the sun of the magical fire that was burning everywhere. Quietly he activates his ,ring of battle that all war mages of the council wear. But his was special his was for a techno mage. “strenuus anulum”, The nanites in the ring quickly course through Darrion’s veins causing him to become more durable , and more agile . After feeling the properties of the ring take effect. . Darrion feels the spear become warmer and the runes on the blade glow slightly . Seeing the man in front of him gathering shotgun shell , for some reason just knew that he is an ally. Darrion starts toward the man and sees the one the earth mother was calling a god turn and look in their direction. Darrion readies his self.

Reverend Marcus Ghent as he walked along cast his gaze to his right where he suddenly caught a glimpse of something; which he thought was a person zipping past on his right to engage crucifix, however moments before this person engaged Crucifix, he could have sworn Crucifixes gaze was upon him.

Marcus Ghent then suddenly became aware of the care swelling behind him, as he looked back and saw that off to his left was a portal of some kind from which a man was emerging.

It was odd shortly after he had gazed upon the man he felt a familiarity and comradeship with him, Marcus then went to grab the black desert eagle from the back of his belt, and as he did so he caught sight of the Spear the newly arrived man was carrying.

There was something about the weapons and his own newly acquired gun, which seemed to be either very familiar or symbiotic almost in origin.

Marcus then waited and matched pace with the newcomer and said out loud “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me”.
"Fight the good fight of the faith”.

Darrion reaches out and touches the Reverend's shoulder ," hold on a second ,scutum alterius". Like a silk scarf sliding over your body, Darrion's spell activates protecting you from harm . "Name's Darrion Ok let's go".

Marcus at first is a little confused to begin with, as he feels Darrion touching and listens to what he says but he soon realises what it is Darrion is doing for him.

Feeling the magic wash over him like a silk curtain he says “I am Reverand Marcus Ghent”.

“Thank you for your assistance, the Lord truly does work in mysterious ways, providing each of us with our own uniqueness, strengths and abilities”.

(read The Ranch, "So it Begins; The Rise of Darkness," before reading this.))


The other end of the portal has opened up a short distance behind Anji's position just in time to see the explosion of a grenade, which for a moment, has obliterated any possible means of seeing who it was aimed at, for the moment, due to the sudden eruption of dirt and grass.

Katya steps through the portal taking a moment to quickly gain her bearings. As she looks about, her eyes fall upon the the destruction and devastation back down the highway, catching her heart within her throat. She gapes in shock and surprise at what she sees and for the moment, thoughts of Angel, why she was there and what her purpose were abandon her as she stares in dismay and horror. She is oblivious to the two men now approaching the position of Crucifix and Angel

*********************************************

Nahima had watched Anji move off to aid Angel, saw, moments later, an explosion. Ambrose's request for medical equipment leaked through her thoughts and along with the sirens and activity of on sight emergency crews, it snapped her back. She quickly reaches back into the car, pressing a button on the side of the dasy, the front hood popping open in response. She moves to the front of the car where she reaches in pulling out two large, briefcase like first aid kits.

"This is all we have but its more than the average person carries in their trunk," she explains, turning to face Ambrose. She had also heard his other request which now caused a struggle within her mind. She had read what Ambrose had been charged with, heinous acts against humanity such as grave digging, experimenting upon bodies for self betterment, but he was a doctor, after all and according to his records, a good one.

Nahima looked about, saw all the bodies scattered about, some dead, some dying, some injured and she knew things would be quicker if she let Ambrose help and just as she was about to make her decision, she remembers the words told to her by Oda before she left the Ranch for the prison earlier this morning, "Under no circumstances are you to let him from your sight, period. You keep him under observation at all times," Oda stressed"

She looks at Ambrose the looks out towards the small plume of dark smoke rising from the damaged Osprey aircraft, the back to Ambrose. Her eyes become hard, her voice firm as she speaks, "No! You will remain at my side at all times, Ambrose. Period! Now let's go!" She nods her head towards the accident scene and the first body which was about fifty feet away. Even here, over a hundred yards away, the heat from the unnatural fire which burned over two multi-car pile ups, could be felt. She starts moving forward, her eyes set firmly on her destination and Ambrose.

****************************************************

Angel lay there, quiet, unmoving, staring blankly into the sky above. She didn't see Crucifix looking off in another direction, didn't see who he was now looking at. She didn't see Anji's arrival nor did she hear her taunting words to Crucifix or the grenade she threw in challenge. She didn't see how close the grenade had landed, didn't move or try to protect herself as it went off and though she was flat on her back, one shoulder completely mangled because of Crucifix, her body was still shredded by shrapnel.

Angel had never been "man handled" by anyone as Crucifix had done to her. She had thrown pretty much the best she had at him and he had shrug most of it off as though she were nothing but a mere fly, a nuisance. She had never known real fear until now, had never felt it as deeply ingrained within her as she did now. She had looked into his eyes and knew she was about to die, his sudden distraction the only thing that saved her. She had not been able to stop his random slayings of nearby civilians, had not been able to stop him period and up until now, she has never known how it felt to feel utterly useless. Her best had just not been good enough.

Her emotions began to get the better of her, tears welling up within her eyes as these new, negative emotions begin to fill her heart. At this moment, all she wanted, all she desired was the comfort of her mother but this only enhanced her growing feeling of failure. Her mother didn't care, hadn't cared for millions of years, abandoning the Celestial Star Sanctuary, leaving only the younger gods to watch over it. Angel still, to this day, could not understand why her mother had become active enough to create her and then turn her back on things again. What she wanted most, Angel could not have and at this moment, it hurt, adding to an already fast growing feeling of failure and uselessness.

Angel had never been prideful, she had never been arrogant, always putting other people first, always doing her best to do what was right. She heeded the words of others, listened to those who were experienced, knowledgeable, heeding their words of wisdom. She didn't hate, she couldn't hate, it wasn't within her nature because it was in her nature to protect all of life. She had always fought for what was right, always tried her best to aid, defend and offer her help wherever it was needed. She never crowed about her victories, never flaunted them with others and in many cases, she had spent time talking to those villains and masterminds which had been defeated in the past. But right now, she could not understand, she could not comprehend why she had failed, why she felt so useless. Maybe she had failed somewhere in the past, maybe she had done some wrong or done someone wrong and never corrected it. As she began to search back through her memories, Angel simply broke down and wept. She had never experienced anything like this since coming into creation nearly five years ago.

Crucifix was a little miffed as to why his staff returned to him. Was curious as to why Marcus was up and moving towards him. Adding to this little curiosity, another man has appeared from a portal and joined the good Reverend. Crucifix felt that something was off with those whole thing, could sense it, almost feel that something was not right; Marcus should at least be coursing with dark evil, seeking council with his new master and if that had not been the case, Marcus should have been dead. Something was definitely not right.

To add to the situation, some pesky android had showed up, arriving with the vehicle that had landed moments ago, taunted him and then tossed a grenade at him, something which he simply ignored. Anji was no more a threat to him now, than the Angel, who now laid upon the ground, her emotions tearing her apart.

"Hit a Star Child in the right place and they'll snap as easy as Balsa wood," he chuckles to himself.

He takes a few more steps away from Angel, she being of little concern to him now, looking to focus his attention upon the good Reverend and his new companion, watching the man touch Marcus, energy glittering about the Reverend in response. Crucifix's attention is suddenly torn from then as another portal opens up not far behind Anji, four other people stepping through.

"Well, it appears help has arrived," he mutters to himself, "now let's see just how much fun this can be."

He holds his staff high, arms outstretched, dark energy beginning to swirl and twist about him. "EGO dico super vox of Atrum Ones!" his voice booms.

These are words which have not been uttered for seventy six years. Dark, powerful words which had left Kansas and Nebraska rift with super tornadoes, making both states uninhabitable but words only one, in attendance, understands.


((JUust fyi, everyone hears him...hehe))

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is2AlA-WPFw&feature=related

Anji’s android mind was racing over many things. For starters she was incredibly upset over the facts that she grabbed the wrong kind of grenade, and that this being didn’t even bat an eye at what she’d done. She was also kicking herself for even thinking she could have an impact on him in anyway. Part of her even felt a little insulted. But at this moment, more than anything, she felt sickened by the fact that she added to Angels injuries. She grits her teeth then shakes her head. She flies over to Angel and gently picks her up as gently as possible and quickly flies her over to where all the other injured people are. Looking over to Ambrose and Nahima., she yells “Guys she’s incredibly injured, help her asap. Me and the rest of the ummm, new guys are gonna take care of the dude I can’t do anything to.” She chuckles nervously then makes her away back to where she was.

She finally notices the other portal that opened up not too far from where she originally was. She also realizes Katya has stepped through and quickens her pace. She realizes she created an incredibly inconvenient cloud of dirt and ground debris, ‘how could I have been so foolish?’ she thinks to herself. But she shakes her head, there was more to be done here, self doubt would be her undoing. Right now Katya’s safety was at an utmost importantly high level. Anji swoops in next to Katya, going past Darrion and Marcus to get Katya out of the way. “Angels back there sweetheart, go to her.” No sooner does she say that when she hears the words the man in white speaks and gets a feeling that something extremely bad is going to happen.

***********************************************************************************

Jacob and Darkken watch as Katya steps through the portal in to the war zone. “Katya, wait, it could be bad. Remember, this is something that is badly hurting Angel, and many, many more!” Jacob says worrie dly. “No shit Jake, it’s a warzone. And of course help has arrived, it’s how we do.” Darkken says as he takes off through the portal, flying at his top speed. “Time to be my eyes again Darkken, what do you see?” Jacob asks as he himself starts walking through the portal.

In a few quick, strong flaps of his wings Darkken is high in the air. He surveys they area quickly, taking in all the carnage and chaos. He also spots the man in white, and sees all of the people circling him, including Anji, Darrion and Marcus. He sees everything. He knows that this is big and very dangerous and can only think of one thing to do.

As Jacob takes a few steps away from the portal he gets a quick glimpse of the area and is appalled by what he can see so far. He’s even more surprised that his council didn’t mention anything that was happening already. After mere seconds of dwelling on everything in the area Darkken slams in to him, filling Jacob with his own magical and spiritual essences. The only time they ever did anything like this was in incredibly dire circumstances.

Going to work immediately, Jacob puts a wind gusst to clear the air and give everyone a better view. He begins to say a prayer to ask wind to help put out the fires when the words the man in white speaks interrupt him. He doesn’t entirely understand what they mean, but they frighten him greatly, as if they give darkness it’s self personification.

Darrion hears the spell being cast , he himself has never heard it before but his master has. A myriad of emotions cross Darrion’s face. Fear ,astonishment and many others but it ends with anger. Darrion reaches into his bag and pulls out his hand in it are a number of what look like beetles about the size of dimes . He stops walking and closes his eyes and concentrates. The word “Strenuus”, slides out of his lips , the beetles in his hand start to stir , “Quaerere” suddenly the beetles all take flight and seek out each member of the Ranch and the Reverend .When they find one ,they land and as if by magic they can hear the other members. This is Darrion some of you have met me some have not, we must stop him from casting that spell at all costs. If you want to survive this day and not have the whole of Reflex City and the Ranch destroyed. WE MUST STOP THAT SPELL! After finishing his speech Darrion starts moving again ,thinking to himself this had better work or Reflex City will end up like the mid west .

Ambrose Carrington listens to Nahima, and notes the particular way she is glaring at him; “very well Lady Nahima, if that is your wish I shall abide”.

Stepping lightly forward he then bends down to pick up both medical briefcases in each hand and begins to move forward to walk alongside Nahima.

As he does so he notices a small beetle scuttle across the concrete towards him, it is then that he looks around to see where it could not possibly come from and as he does so he thinks he can spot groups of newly arrived individuals some of whom he surmised may have come from a ranch, others he was not so sure about.

He however managed to catch a glimpse of Anji carrying what he thought was limp figure of Angel Star, it was then that he thought it was her things were going rather bad indeed, it was then he heard crucifix beginning to utter strange words.

It was no sooner that he had heard these words, which he thought things were going to get infinitely worse and the sense to run became his first instinct.

***************************
Reverend Marcus Ghent casts his gaze downwards briefly for a moment to ground; catching sight of one of the beetles moving towards him, released by Darrion.

Marcus Ghent has similar thoughts to that of Marcus Ghent “Crucifixes blasphemous speech must be stopped, before he can utter another syllable”.

Marcus speaks loudly saying “We are the servants of God, and the messengers of his justice, we are the instruments of his divine rath on earth”.
“We are called upon to cleanse his kingdom, bringing ash from the flesh of thine enemies”.
“Praise to our Lord”
“Amen”

He then begins to spring forward reaching for the unearthly black desert eagle as he does so; he extends his arm on the run pointing the gun in the direction of Crucifix, his finger tightening around the trigger.

Cryptic Knight hears the the worried voice asking to help Angel out! and that shes in need of some assistance bud looks at Oda and Cherish with some concern and worrie still. Then he hears part of someone one saying" we will take care of them you guys go help Angel Go GO"
thats when Cryptic get the erg to enter the portal which appears by him. As Cryptic enters the portal he resites his spell "I am a Knight of Justice, I pledge Fairness to all, to Protect the Weak and Vanquish all Evil" which then the rest of his Armor appears

As Cryptic enters the portal and exicts the other side he sees the chaos and carnage which lies infront and all around the war zone. he looks upon the man in white and every one circleing him which he indicates that hes the one which caused all this damage and needs to be stop. as that all happen he heared the parts of the man in white spell filled Cryptic with fear and anger. as the fear and anger enter Cryptic he put his sword in his sleeve and pulls his axe out,raises his shield and lowers his helm. Cryptic sees the beetle aproach him and tells him not to let the man continue the spell with that Cryptic leaps in the air in the direction of the man in white and throws his axe at him with full force.
"thou shall not finish"
+8 axe
+6 strength
+5 acrobatics
+1 for style doing it heroicly

Crucifix could see and hear everything going on around him, the arrival of more metas, the removal of Angel Star, which caused him to chuckle, and the attack moves being committed to by Cryptic Knight and the good Reverend. He saw the look of concern generated upon Darrion's face and with a grin, he knew the man understood the seriousness of the situation.

Dark ribbons of magic wiggle, squirm and wave away from him, striking into the ground, targeting fleeing civilians. Grass withered, bushes and flowers shriveled, trees buckled, warped and died with sudden age. The civilians fared no better as each one touched by the twisted, warped ribbons of darkness, fell to the ground, dead, their bodies mere husks of what was once, vibrant life but unlike them, what was taken was given to him, the dark energy swirling about him gaining in power and strength. He looked Darrion's way, smiling because he knew the mage thought he was casting a spell and knew that Darrion and the others would not be prepared for what was about to happen.

He swings the staff about him with purpose and reason, the energy about him swirling about him like a tornado. With shouted words not heard for million's of years, he swings his staff backwards, snapping his arms wide open, the dark energy about him launches outwards from him like a massive tidal wave. Cryptic's thrown axe is knocked aside with ease, bouncing off the wave like a rubber ball, while Marcus Ghent's finger never finishes its task as he and the others are knocked back by the phenomenal power of Crucifix's attack. Like dark ripples in a pond, the attack blasts everything within it's path; backed up vehicles along the highway are sent flying like cards, metas are knocked flying hundreds of feet while all none metas die as the wave of darkness siphons the very life from them and the earth. The multi-car pile up is shattered as the whole accident scene erupts like an explosion, launching torn, bent and destroyed vehicles into the air and recently arrived emergency units now become simple victims like everyone else.

Crucifix looks about him in satisfaction, the area of destruction circling out for nearly half a mile. "Let's see how they handle that," he silently muses as he looks about at his handy work. This little visit is going much better than I thought it would."

The now, unsettling silence fills with the sound of his booming laughter.


(OOC: hang tight folks, will finish up with the rest in a bit..))

Angel wept despite being moved by Anji to a safer locale. She felt the injuries, knew the exploding grenade had further damaged her, but she didn't care. Neither did she care when Anji set her down, yelling to let Nahima and Ambrose know of Angel's condition. She barely moved when Nahima looked her over, assessing Angel's need, only glancing back once to make sure that Ambrose was doing his job assisting the others.

She gently looked Angel over, noting the cuts and bruises, the broken arm and the lacerations scattered across the women's chest from what looked like the result of a frag grenade. But when she looked upon Angel's face, Nahima knew that the woman was suffering from wounds far deeper than her physical ones and though Angel could not know, Nahima sympathized with her. Nahima knew that Angel was the best damned Meta the Ranch had to offer, heck! Angel was the best and most powerful meta on the planet but here she was, in a physical condition Nahima had never ever seen before. This shook her to the very core, seeing Angel crushed like this.

Whether out of instinct, or by sheer chance, Nahima glances out towards Crucifix. She has only enough time to use her strength to grip the pavement and shout a warning to Ambrose.

"AMBROSE! TAKE COVER," Nahima yells then uses her body to cover and protect Angel.

The dark wave hits! She feels like death is clawing at her, trying to take her life as the darkness passes over her.

****************************************************************

Katya acknowledges Anji as a distant voice within her mind, too focused was she on the destruction about her. Her eyes eventually fall upon Crucifix, mesmerized by the energy building up around him, the man swinging his staff round and round. It doesn't register within her mind the damage and death caused by the dark ribbons of energy flying, fliting and moving about, nor does she realize that it was returning energy, far more powerful, back to him.

She has known fear before this, has known anxiety and trepidation as a super powered hero but for the first time in her life, as she looks upon the white robed, white haired individual wielding an ugly looking black staff, she knew what terror felt like. There was just something about that man, something mean and evil, something which demanded her terror and fear, which now squeezed her heart tight, made it hard to breath, a feeling of weakness entered her, making it almost impossible to stand. But as she stands there like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming vehicle, she hears the strange, shouted words coming from Crucifix's mouth, her eyes widening as the wave of darkness races at her. She has no time to do anything, no time to react, not even her symbiotic suit can respond in time. Only a small cry of surprise escapes her lips as she is picked up and launched by the dark wave of energy.

Like Nahima, she feels as though death is trying to rip her very life from within, the sensation adding another layer to the terror already gripping her heart.


((OOC: The wave is of great power and magnitude as you've already surmised. So unless you have a way to keep from getting knocked back a great distance, you will be affected. As for an action, well, just be realistic about it, okies. As for Darrion and Marcus, their respective weapons will protect them with a force field but will still be knocked back quite a distance. A force field does not prevent the action of force.

Cryptic Knight? Unless your weapon has someway of returning, it will go spiraling off in another direction...lol))


Note: All of you will feel what Nahima and Katya felt as the wave passes by..Oh and when the smoke, so to speak, clears, the only survivors will be you folks.

As the wave of dark energy expands, Darrion’s mind races to find a spell that will protect himself. As if reading his thoughts a large bubble forms at the tip of his spear and encapsulates Darrion as the wave hits. The bubble shield shines brightly as the wave hits; the sheer intensity of the wave sends Darrion flying. Having been hit by energy waves before while sparing with his teachers knows to tuck and roll. When he hits the ground Darrion comes up into a crouching stance. A dark feeling washes over his body, shaking it off, Darrion plants his spear he stands slowly feeling as if he had been hit by a truck. Seeing that most of his comrades have been knocked over or are tending to the wounded, Darrion tries to catch the man in white’s attention to give them time. Well, well seems like someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning, Darrion says while brushing himself off. Using his connection to the beetles Darrion sends a message to the others “I will try to keep his focus on me for a few seconds, whatever you’re going to do please hurry.” Darrion starts moving to the right away from where the good reverend landed. So did you gradually become an asshole or where you born this way?

Reverend Marcus Ghent’s finger tightens on the trigger of his gun as he is just about to squeeze of a shard includes fixes direction, when suddenly the uttering ministrations cessed.

It was then that the dark wave of energy expanded from crucifix and his staff emanating outwards with terrifying force.
The shock wave hit Marcus Ghent just as he pulled the trigger, his shot going wide.

Suddenly he noticed that his plan beginning to need some kind of force field that was yellow and white in colour and you, to him he thought there was something almost godlike and ethereal about it; however he could think of no more as a force field the brunt of the deathly shock wave that hit him.

The shock wave of dark energy threatens to rip through him inside and out but he gritted his teeth and saw it through, as he was catapulted and lifted into the air by the force of the oncoming shockwave.

As Mark has found himself flying through the air he managed to capture all of a lamp post that flew past him but was just about within reach; with one hand he kept a tight hold of his gun whilst with the other a grasp a nearby lamppost.
However the force from the energy emitted by the shock wave, was so great that he soon lost his grip and felt himself flying through the air and once more.

As he once more continued to fly through the air he suddenly felt his motion come to a sudden halt when he crashed into an electronic billboard, which he then just managed to grasp a hold of and arrest his momentum.

***********************
Ambrose Carrington had just finished completely cleaning out one of the medical briefcase which he had used up seeing to the various wounds and injuries of the civilian casualties on the highway.

This certainly was held and augmented by the civilian emergency services that had just arrived on scene.

It was then that Ambrose stood picking up the other medical briefcase in his left hand and began to walk hurriedly in the direction of Anji and Angel Star, with the intention of seeing to Angels star’s wounds.

Ambrose however had only gotten a couple of steps away from Nahima, when he suddenly heard her shout out her a warning, it was then as he turned around to see what she was shouting about the immediately saw the onrushing wave of darkness and destruction picking up and shredding apart people as it carried off vehicles in its wake straight towards him.

“By Jupiter” yelled Ambrose as he turned to run; hurriedly looking for some kind of cover to hide behind as well as grab onto.

It was however too little too late as a car smashed sideways into the tarmac, bouncing once flipping into the air, as it flew onwards on its own ungainly path, but as it did so the car hit and clipped Ambrose’s right shoulder and arm as he ran.

Ambrose then felt his right arm break at the elbow at which point he immediately let out a scream of pain.

The momentum of the car hitting him also caused him to lose his balance spinning him round sideways almost knocking him to the ground.

However he managed to steady himself a little with the medical briefcase she held in his left hand which he put onto the ground to steady himself.

Ambrose was then about to move off and start running again however when a van spiralled through the air, it thudded into the ground the crunch of metal and was then picked up again by the shock wave.

It unfortunately headed straight for Ambrose just as he was about to move off and the van shifted so that it reamed downwards towards him the rear doors of the van open.

The van descended on Ambrose catching him unawares and with a yelp and a muffled scream, he was caught up by the van and its momentum which catching him inside it.

The van in the wake of the shock wave was then picked up again with Ambrose this time inside it screaming and cursing as he was hurtled around inside the van.

On its way through the air the van crashed down once more, glancing the side of a truck, denting their rear doors severely trapping Ambrose inside.

The van however soon came to a stop as the shock wave began to dissipate, the van crashing from first into the ground close to the wrecked Vtol which contained Elisha Glass.

It is believed that moat all native tribes are connected to the earth and all the spirits therein, at this moment Jacob realizes just how true that really is. Jacob could feel not only the plants and the people dying, he could feel the life being drainedfrom this very area.

'A guy with this kind of power shows up and the spirit council didn't warn me?' Jacob thinks silently to himself. It was as thought the result of the mans spoken words gave his question the answer he needed. If his ability to commit wholesale death and destruction was any indication it was all he needed. The Spirit Council was scared to it's core of this man.

Jacobs thoughts and feelings are interrupted as the blast wave hits him. He's hit so forcefully that he's launched further than anticipated. Sky and earth blurred together as he flips through the air. Stopped only once everything went dark. Thye last thing Jacob feels is cold and empty death or at least something akin to it.

*******************************************************************************

Anji's eyes widen even further at the destruction this man is caustiong. She was never more in doubt of her abilities as she is now. Looking at all this man was causiong floored Anji mentally. 'Ar least I did my job and got Angel to some semblance of safety.' Sht thought as she witnessed the man bat away Cryptics axe like it was nothing.

Angi swiftly ducks an oncomming ribbon then shudders in horror as a scream causes her to realize her mistake. A feeling of absolute death washes over her as the ribon flies back to it's source. For a brief second all is calm then the wave starts speeding towards her, her first thought then is 'Oh Shit' then it goes to Angel and the rest of the Metas on the ranch. Most of them were present. If Angel had no chance against him, what hope did anyone else have, again more doubt.

Anji, doing the only thing she could think of at the moment she takes to the air to try and outrun the wave. She witnesses what happens to Ambrose and Cringes. She pours on even more speed rocketing to where Angel and Nahima were.

On her way she notices a chunk of earth launched towards them. Tilting herself, she redirects her trajectory to intercepot it.

She activates forecefield just befire she hits the rock, crushing it between her and the wave, causing it tot crumple to dust.

The drawback to her action was she found herself being flung further and faster than expected as well. She watches as her distance counter reaches over a mile and continues rising.

She hits the ground and continues to slide fir a few feet. She tries to use her momentum to flip herself back up on to her feet facing the direction she came from but the pain is too much and too sudden once it registers and she falls to the ground overcome with a frightening and cold feeling. For the first time she felt pain and death and emptiness.