Topic: The Market Stronghold

Charles Blackstone

Date: 2017-02-14 23:24 EST
((OOC Info:

Part of the Cleanse SL http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewtopic.php"t=31903 Response to: http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewtopic.php"t=31939 Connected to: http://rdi.dragonsmark.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=31945

Feel free to post!))

Sitting behind his desk, it was already a long day for him. Having intercepted traffic from a few sources as well as GAiA traffic about the possibility of an attack coming on a much larger scale had him on edge. The entire day, from their base in the Northern most mountains of Rhy'din, what few unassigned assets he had were on standby to be scrambled into the city if needed. He hoped it would never come to this. From CCTV, UAV, and recon sources in the city, the chaos, mass hysteria, and carnage that was being brought out across the city were the last straw.

"There are not enough safe havens, people aren't getting out.." His mouth was dry as he strummed the wooden surface of the desk and then nodded some to himself. "Prepare the emergency override signal, hijack everything you can get your hands on. Go!" this was ordered to a Red and White wearing orderly, who bolted out of the room. Not long after the base erupted with the sound of air raid sirens blaring. The sound outside of ships entering from low-orbit, screeching into the atmosphere. Assault ships, their escorts, dropships. He didn't have enough to take the city, but he wasn't going to leave them out to dry."

"Sir, the men are ready." the orderly came back in.

Charles nodded. Even this far North he felt some of the effects. He would rise, adjust his gear and grab his rifle on the way out. Jumping into the next dropship, the entire air convoy would lift off and book it for the city, specifically the center of the market. Time to fight and take it back...

Charles Blackstone

Date: 2017-02-16 03:58 EST
(( This is the logs, adapted from live play. thanks to all of those that showed up. Sorry this was late!))

Even the spell affected their ships. Instead of a few minutes from launch, it easily took them 20 minutes. Going at the speed of traditional rotary aircraft, it at least gave him the chance to brief in flight. "Alright, listen up. I want support units on standby distances, don't get shot down, do not engage unless told to." He yelled over his comms "This is a civilian area, let's limit collateral damage. Dropship 1 is dropping full load of troops on the ground. Fight for a perimeter, Second and third circle and land when safe, and take in any people that responded. Have triage ready to go, this will be bloody. Do not shoot at anyone unarmed. I repeat, do not kill anyone unarmed." He say the Red light go on. 1 minute out. "If they have a gun, a sword, or magic or anything else that looks like a weapon. Then you shoot to kill. Not giving them chances. They attacked innocent people, they do not deserve the chance to do more harm." The green light came on and the bottom of the ship opened up wide, dangling by their harnesses all 20 men in the smaller carrier were then suddenly released. a short free fall, they all smacked into the ground and went weapons up, searching for nearby contacts. And, in fact, it wasn't long before that contact came. A single moment and suddenly fire poured in from all sides. Seems his transmission got through to more than just the victims. "Open fire" The sudden appearance of futuristic ships, armed to the teeth, and the eruption of gunfire, explosions, and the occasional strafing run, all under the drone of the atmospheric engines holdings the ships airborne, began to draw attention towards the market for those attackers that were previously assigned to anything.

Some of those shooting at Charles and his group were in for a rude surprise. One proceeded by ground shaking footsteps as Andu approaches the Marketplace from the south. Since crossing the bridge he wears an aura of silvery light clearly exposing him to all. ::

Danny was in the thick of it all at the moment. Trying to move through the fires and chaos of the night's violence with his friend at his side...How such insanity and hate could spread so quickly was beyond him. He saw a fae cowering as a burly man walked toward her with a machete ominously. "Go on. Flit away. What's the matter" Can't fly anymore?" He said in a mocking tone. That weapon turned upward in his hand, ready to strike. The first slam caught him by the wrist, sending The weapon spiralling away. The next caught him square in the chest and put him through a window. Danny stepped forward holding Sari's hand, making sure the man was down. He looked to the child. "There's a safe zone a little ways back. Go! Find cover somewhere!" A bit of blood was dried on Daphne's arm from where she tore out her IV, but it seemed to have stopped. She might, might have stolen someone's crutch from the hospital. ...and by 'might' she totally did. She held onto it with both arms, working herself down the street, sticking close to the walls of the shops rather than staying totally out in the open. Limping ahead, the dreaded girl didn't stop for a second. Her glasses were crooked on her face, but thankfully one of her friends had brought them to her room. The night was too cold to be wearing nothing but a hospital gown, and damn it if she didn't look completely insane as if she'd wandered from a mental institution rather than an actual hospital. Her head was foggy with adrenaline, as she looked around every which way. She couldn't remember where Tessa lived all of a sudden.

The second droning ship came down, a few people hiding out in the thick of it were pulled inside by medics, wearing white uniforms. The bird lifted off, its heavy autocannons firing constantly towards the incoming tracers at the center. A strafing aircraft buzzed right over Andus head, its rapid-firing cannon ripping through a charging group of attackers, their bodies becoming more like mist then actual corpses. "Let's go!!" Charles wasn't far from the front, rifle up to block an incoming blade and kick the man square in the chest before driving the butt of his rifle down into the skull "Spread out! shut off the access roads and start escorting civilians in, they are sitting ducks out in the open!!" His voice was barely audible of the intensity of the attack. Next to him a red eye'd core took a fatal shot to the chest and dropped, Charles turned and charged the man, ripping the man's rifle from his hand as he fired and breaking it over his head. He turned towards the rumbling to the south, rifle up, but seeing the bright gow from andu, he would nod, although who knows if anyone caught that. The final ship dropped. Engineers, dressed in red and white with yellow arm markers, carrying sandbags and other entrenching equipment as well as support weapons "Get those on the main roads, create avenues so people can use the alleys for cover!" ::Andu is dressed mildly. Scale armour covering him neck to toe. He carries no visible weapons. But when any of thugs that get close enough to him find themselves learning to fly, at least until they slam into others of their group at 80 miles an hour.:

Suddenly the place was alive with combat of a different nature. Charles' troops were fighting hardcore. Danny did what he could to keep himself and Sari out of harm's way. They busied themselves with trying to get non-humans out of the area and moving toward somewhere safe. "Jesus, Danny, there's so many of them..." Sari said. He simply nodded, keeping in front of her. There were screams everywhere, blood in the air. Fires raging. This was war. Danny had been on the periphery of it back in his early reporting days. This was different. This was heat of it. Some of the stragglers were rushing toward them, the journalist's eyes going wide. "Sari...we better fall back!"

The archmage wandered, aimless save for the unknown resonance setting his very bones on edge. It seemed to be assaulting his senses in waves from all around the city. He tried his best to avoid the groups that seemed to be hunting. Fortunately, save for his somewhat questionable attire, he looked very much human. Until he wandered, that is, into the marketplace which at this point appeared to become quite close to a war zone. His head rang, and for a moment it appeared everything existed in duplicate, until they merged back into one image. He opened himself to arcane power, inviting it to surge through him - and whatever effect was causing his resonance made him want to empty his stomach.

The pair of them ran, but they were gaining ground. Out of nowhere, the depowered Telepath was tackled from the side, ripped from danny's grasp. He was spun around and quickly tried to telekinetically throw the man from her when he, himself was grabbed and wrestled to the ground. He struggled against his attackers, shouting "Race Traitor" in his face and raining down blows and kicks to him. He covered himself as best he could before finally pulling in, concentrating hard. The power grew,charged, despite the attackers hitting him, until finally, there was a big "THWOOM" and they were thrown from him in all directions.

Sari still struggled to evade her attacker trying desperately to crawl away as he grabbed at her. ::Andu would nod to Charles and content himself with finding those non-combatants caught in the scuffle. One group of thugs is caught ripping apart a booth to get at the family of gnomes inside. Those aren't treated as gently, Hammer blows better suited to a cold forging plant come down on their heads. Each of the dropping in quick succession with shattered skulls and vertically compressed vertebra. The Gnomes are sent on their way in silent and harmless explosions of silvery firefly sparkles. It was close to a warzone, as temple attackers from across the city that were pre-occupied seemed drawn to the fight like moths to the flame. Charles caught a glimpse or two of people that he might recognize. He would move quickly towards the man that seemed to keep getting dazed. He would move close and grab the man and start to pull him towards the makeshift shelters being quickly constructed. "Sir!" This was towards Atticus "Sir can you hear me!" His purple eyes Focused on the man in front of him as there was a sudden THWOOM that he didn't order. "Sir if you can fight there are weapons, if not another ship is coming soon and your name is on it." There was a pat on his shoulder. A volley of Fireballs went up into the sky and rained down towards the Western entrance, just as troops started to advance. They dodged but two were burning alive in the flames.

This was beyond the help of a peaceful protest, and in all honesty, it broke the hippy's heart. The sound of explosions and chaos radiated in her eardrums and she squeezed her eyes shut as she stopped to lean and rest against a building. She hadn't expected this, she probably should have. She leaned against the building and caught her breath. Why' She couldn't help the tears that rolled down her cheeks as she hugged the crutch close to her body. Swallowing hard, she trembled lightly and pushed herself back into a standing position. That same determined look rested upon her fragile features as she started moving again.

Danny plowed into him from the side, the two men rolling, struggling, fighting for dominance. Finally, Danny climbed atop his friend's attacker, pinning him down before raining devastating punches to his face. He hit and hit and hit until the fight was utterly gone from his target. Wearily, he got to his feet, panting. Tonight had turned into a complete nightmare. He wasn't a proponent of violence. He knew when it was necessary, but he still hated it. He reached a bloodied hand to his friend and helped her to her feet. The former telepath scraped and bruised, but thankfully otherwise unharmed. He took in the carnage all around them, swallowing hard. He turned his head slightly as he noted a figure limping along the periphery of the fray...a redheaded woman in a hospital gown...with dreadlocks.

::Spotting the fireballs, Andu snaps a hand to a pouch and lob two grenades with godly accuracy and speed. When they hit and "explode", it is to spray a fire suppressant foam on all within a 20 foot radius of each impact point.::

Charles quivered in and out of focus, and what seemed to be a sudden explosion seemed to bring everything back into view. He shook of his daze and gazed around in near horror which quickly turned to cold anger. "I do not require a weapon," he spat, fists thrust down to his sides now encompassed in silver-blue spheres of crackling energy. His eyes lost their color and became metallic orbs as the energy gathered within him - before he was seized by another wave of nausea, and the energy was flung down into the ground, racing towards those humans whose bodies were broken beyond repair, crippled, and dying....and surged into them with unintentionally animating force.

A dark-clad figure appeared near the edge of the Marketplace, illuminated by flames from what remained of the nearby merchant booths, Someone ran past, heedless as they tried to escape the maniacs intent on chasing them down like dogs on a fox. Without a word, the man in black lashed out with his fighting staff, catching one of the Temple goons in mid-step and sending him flying into a signpost. The other Templer turned to face this new threat with a snarl, only to find himself choking on his fury as an unseen force gripped him around the chest. And squeezed. Tonight, the Black Knight was taking no prisoners. The pink eyed soldiers caught in the flames were very happy to feel a rush of something causing the fires to go away. Their skin, mostly gone, revealed a metallic underbody, as well as armored parts around vital 'organs' Charles would turn as he sees a man go flying into a signpost behind him. Whoever did that just earned some massive respect from him. The medical ship came flying in, Its doors swinging open and medics rushing out to grab more people. Charles turned then to also see a Dreadhead limping around ,as well as, at least as he could make out, a Danny. he would rush that way, barking orders along the way as Engineers go heavy weapons emplaced amongst the sandbag emplacements at the center. Their heavy rounds began filling the air with heavier gunshots, almost non-stop released into the assaulters. When one flank gave way, another pushed in, lines did not exist as the combat became visceral. Hand to hand, weapons, magic, all at point blank range.

Daphne's hand came up to her face, adjusting the glasses in time to see a man running toward her. She recognized him as one of the protest nay-sayers. Standing on the sidelines each day looking on with disgust. It wasn't hard to recognize that look in his eye as he moved right for her. She limped backwards toward the side of the building, her back was pressed against it and she looked helpless for all of five seconds before she swung her crutch as hard as she could. Knocking the man in the jaw,she watched him stumble backwards as she caught the wall with her hand. A little groan of pain escaped her before she settled herself back onto the crutch and waited to see if he'd approach again.

"Go, there!" He directed the young man—or possibly a woman, the thugs' prey was of elfin nature and they could be androgynous at times—to where soldiers were protecting their comrades as they strove to erect barricades, giving the innocents a path to escape. "They'll get you to safety!" Glancing around, he spied someone swinging a crutch with gusto, and grinned despite the seriousness of the moment. Then he moved on, marshalling anyone who could fight to follow him towards the central square. That seemed to be the staging ground for the defense of the Marketplace, so that was the place to be.



Danny pushed through the crowds, fists and newfound telekinetic abilities going to work. He was slammed into a wall from the side by one of the temple goons, the broadside of a spent rifle pressed against his throat. Danny pushed back, struggling against the man as Sari picked up a lead pipe. With a solid THWACK, she knocked the man unconscious. Danny lashed out with one hand and sent the man's limp body into a crowd of Temple goons like a bowling ball. Sari may not have been able to use her powers, but damned if she was helpless.

"Thank you..."Danny panted before coming back to the moment. Daphne was still on her own, disabled...and in no shape for a fight. Grabbing Sari's hand he shoved his way forward.

Where the Temple soldiers were being reanimated by his deflected energies, they arose as arcane empowered zombies of a sort, some foul byproduct of whatever the Archmage had been readying crossing with whatever enervating effect they seemed to be imbued with. Seeing some sort of organization being rallied in the square, he headed in that direction, only to find his path blocked by a seeming madwoman with a crutch. She looked human. But what did that mean, in this engagement' He moved once more toward the square, unaware of the remnants of his triggered spell that had also found a home in the escaped patient. He scowled at the being being raised again as he stumbled forward.

It was not arcane, but it certainly wasn't normal. Near the carousel, ...everything came to a halt. Time ceased its flow in a area encompassing a fair one hundred feet circle. Bullets stopped cold. People stopped short. The very air shimmered and halted. In the midst, a figure appeared, sheened in a thin goop, and so very out of place. Slinky red satin barely contained the curves of the Timelord, floss white hair in voluptuous curls down her back. Thus, she appeared to a stunned looking old woman holding a card in her hands. A human woman, a few kids that could have been elf or fae, a handful of refugees trying to take refuge around the merry go round. It had once been warded against evil and damage, after all. Salvation arrived frustrated. And her terrible war cry sounded. "Spirits Above, I am trying to get laid! What the hell is going on"!"

Charles was somewhere between cover and out in the open. There was a lot going on, he couldn't pick anyone out except perhaps Andu, who was glowing. Two fast moving transports came in, instead of troops, two men in Medium sized mechs were dropped, shaking the very cobblestones of the Market for a moment. before going in past to try and push back the assault. While he first Mech starting to break through, the second was nearly instantly vaporized By a spell from one of the entrance roads where there was still trickling reinforcements for the Templers. while the amount coming in was less, the fight was still happening. and casualties were piling up. — An engineer was caught in the timelords freezing, right as a bullet was in front of him, floating in mid air it seemed. — The endless cycle of engineers bringing in more supplies, and medics coming in taking people out when the RTS system wasn't Able to continue, as the fighting became less of a gunfight, and more of surviving in hand to hand, only the stray shots were heard, or a sweeping barrage when the enemy began to pile up too close.

Daphne was a bit cornered in the sense that she couldn't run away. The man caught her crutch on the next swing and ripped it away, throwing it on the ground. He pushed forward and Daphne found herself grunting as her back hit the side of the building. "Ngh, back off!" she screamed out, still struggling with him. His hand found her throat, and her own hand moved to try and push his face back. ....then he kind of just...burst into flames. He began running around, crying out and Daphne looked on with both shock, and horror on her face. Her hands came up, body teetering on that good leg. "Oh my god I am SO sorry!" That was...not supposed to happen. She looked around frantically for something to put him out with, but found nothing.

::Wrapped in his glowing silver aura, Andu blinks, and waves to Pharlen. But she's too far away to talk to, so instead he looks for places to "help out" closer. Spotting another on fire, he tosses another grenade that explodes and sprays the fire suppressant foam in another 20 foot radius. Then he grins, and moves to assist the loan remaining mech.::

Danny's eyes went wide as he saw her crutch ripped away, and then when he grabbed her throat, that was it. "DAPHNE!" He cried out, arm going reaching back calling forth a great deal of energy. With a vicious thrust forward the path to the girl was cleared as Temple thugs were ripped aside from their fights and sent through the air. He wasn't fully in control of his powers, but he WAS figuring out the basics it seemed.

Sari stared up at him, concerned. Part of her wondered just how long this sudden swapping of power from the magical to the non-magical would last...and what affect it would have on the individual in the end" Danny moved to Daphne, making sure there wasn't anyone else coming for her before turning to the girl, breathless. "Daph!" he cried out to her. "are you alright?" ::The RTS trains don't risk trying to enter the chaos and tight quarters of the marketplace itself. Contenting themselves with removing those willing to depart the environs for some place safe.::

"Oh goody. This is what I wanted," she noted flatly. Andu, she could see. He was shiny. Were those zombies" Wasn't that special. Hand over her face, she turned to the freeze frame of people hiding around the carousel. She stepped back and gestured to the area of time null. Bullets fell to the ground. A spinning portal opened. Then, with the rush of air restoring itself, the time field collapsed. She gestured to the refugees. "Through the portal. Move. Move. It will take you to safety." Meaning, the evacuation center furthest from the action. Meantime, she dropped her tapestry bag beside her and leaned over — oh what a view people running towards her had — and withdrew her favorite party favor, a Tommy gun. Her gaze lifted to track Ebon. "I just did all this in the second World War. I'm more of a lover than a fighter, where are the wounded?"

"Blame the fanatics, Pharlen," replied Ebon as he rose into the air to get a bird's eye view of the Marketplace battle. "They're probably just jealous that we are so much prettier than they are." From below, a Temple contingent raised their weapons and unleashed a hail of bullets that stopped in mid-air about a foot away from him. Glancing down, Ebon smirked as his black eyes flashed, and then the lead rain shot back at his attackers, tearing their skulls apart before they could even blink.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked. "Please stop that! Please stop being on fire!" she begged, nearly falling over and catching herself on the wall. Andu put out the flamer and she sighed a breath of relief that only lasted a second. "Did I...?" she looked at her hand and frowned deeply. Then Danny came up to her, and she looked at him with a strange expression. She wanted to hug him, but didn't...because she wasn't sure if he'd catch on fire. "Danny....what....why is all of this happening?" she asked. She moved along, gripping the wall as she did so as she went for her crutch.

The engineer visibly let out a sigh. Unlike most in the unit fighting, he was human, or sprite in the Empire. He would salute towards Pharlen in thanks before pulling that hammer back and opening up again. Thanks could be given at a later time, now as the time to get a foothold. The next ship that came in was the first to carry out wounded soldiers from the first drop. four dead, two Critical and one not so critical. Charles would yell towards Pharlen "The sandbags!" He would jump over the cover he was using and leap into the air, planting both feet into a templer and slamming that rifle butt into his skull. It was at this point he realized that being exposed wasn't a good thing. Another volley of fireballs came raining down, right at him. He would kneel down "Come on. For once please do what I tell you? Just as the fireballs exploded the area around him erupted into a small purple shield. "Finally" He would stand up and fire a shot towards a caster that ducked into cover to north. The south was secured, as was the old temple avenue, most of the east was under control, as sandbags were being placed to create a sort of defense with enough room to get injured through and allow hunting parties out. The north and west however were extremely hostile still, with those that got away injured or not regrouping and mass counter attacking. In the center was a larger complex of small sandbag bunkers as well as room for the drop ships to land in sequence.



While some humans who'd been alive to assume the energy he'd lost found themselves augmented, it was the reanimated corpses that he focused on. His eyes once again became orbs of liquid chrome, and his head jerked at somewhat of an awkward angle as he opened himself again to power, this time ready for whatever had been attempting to pull it away from him. Black-red tears began to leak from the corners of his eyes as he held the energy in check, kept it from being stolen until he could direct it at what he'd accidentally reanimated. "Stop!" The command was simple, but spoken with force. The animated stopped moving, and blue fire flared from their joints as the animating force sought to flee, and Atticus sought to reclaim the energy. "Not sure, I just got here a short while ago....I've been fighting my way through the city all evening, up from Old Temple." Then he heard Charles yell out, and directed Pharlen's attention towards the sandbags. "He says go that way!"

He crouched beside her, halting her. "Wait! Stay there I'll get it." He called out to her.

The brunette woman at his side glanced down to the dreadhead and offered a little smile before taking a cursory glance over the madness. Something about the way she carried herself gave the impression that she was more than she appeared.

Danny returned with that crutch.

From his vantage point, Ebon spotted the fireball volley and, more importantly, its source. "Sir!" he called down to Charles, who seemed to be in charge of the defending soldiers. "Do you mind if I borrow that?" Using his staff, he indicated one of the damaged mechs, too broke to function but still relatively intact. "I'm coming, darling," she replied to Charles, nodding to Ebon easily. Once the carousel was cleared, she collapsed the portal. Though a striking target, she wasn't a fool. Slipped outside of time, little could affect her as she walked towards the sandbags. Kneeling, she focussed first on the critical. Her left palm lifted, hazed in light. For the discerning, it was as if a silver dragon decided to fly in and lend its healing. Quick, efficient, and warm to the body. "From what I've gathered..."Danny said. "It's a **** storm. Balance of magical power shifted. They lost it...." He nodded to his friend. "...we gained it."

"Don't call me sir!" He yelled out. Was that Ebon, probably was, couldn't tell, regardless he would nod "use what you need!" Then look to see Pharlen moved towards the Sandbag complex he nodded

::Andu stops moving for a few moments, trying to get a read on the chaos going on. Muttering to himself.:: I wonder if it's time to stop being nice yet.

Daphne stopped when Danny told her to, wincing painfully. She looked at Sari and offered a weak smile, and when Danny returned the crutch, she took it and worked herself into a stand. "I'm Daphne," offering out a pale, skinny hand. Then her eyes turned to her friend when he spoke. "...Ngh..." adjusting herself on that crutch. "...but most of the humans want the..." Her face fell grave. She looked onto him with a broken expression. "We have to do someth—ngh.."

"I forgot, you work for a living!" Reaching out with his mind, the psion grabbed hold of the damaged mech, hoisting it into the air and steadily, swiftly disassembling it along the way. Then he turned in mid-air, looking to the west where a knot of Temple mages were preparing another round of fireballs. A slow grin of satisfaction spread across his face as he spied one of them glancing up, eyes widening"...as the mech's remains, now reduced to a hail of twisted, jagged metal, hurtled down upon them. No more volleys from that would-be coven. Sari helped steady the girl, wrapping a comforting arm around her. Danny placed his hands on her shoulders, looking her in the eye, offering a comforting smile. "But you are in a terrible danger here...you need to go find a safe place to lay low until this clears. These bastards are everywhere."

The mech operator, in middle of reloading the heavy auto-cannon, would chuckle a bit "With all do respect. I think nice was gone a long while ago"

"Who is fueling this and can we cut them off at the cojones?" Pharlen called, standing up and tossing back her hair. She left life behind her. A handful of confused soldiers, healed and raised alike. She wasn't explaining her methods at the moment. But she was what she was.

Eri had been out and about and gotten caught up in the chaos around the market on her way home, and found herself unable to negotiate the roads leading back to the West End. So here she was, cruising among the battle on a riding lawn mower she'd commandeered god knew where and for what reason. The hand not driving was loosely holding her transparent plastic umbrella resting on her shoulder, and the sukajan with the Kabuki Street shrimp symbol seemed to make any would be attackers hesitate to give her any hassle. That and the fact that she was on a lawn tractor...defense in the confusion aspect. "I'm not leaving....I can't just go hide while these maniacs..." Danny was right, and she knew he was, but there was a stubborn fire in that girl. If there wasn't, she wouldn't have prematurely left the hospital. She stared up at him, and bit her lip hard. "I....I at least have to make sure..." grunting lightly, she turned her head and brushed her cheek against his hand. Unable to hug him out of both balance, and fear of hurting him.

::Andu blinks at the mech, and the operator would be treated to a grin that has, by itself, sent veteran units running in fear.....with dirty underpants. Then Andu turns his attention on the Temple thugs. His aura seems to shift. From a neutral silver to the crackling silver of lightning. Soon he is covered in a St.Elmo's fire that lights up the area for hundreds of feet. Carrying with its light a blessing that could those of "Good Will" would find invigorating and a wellspring of energy to draw on.::

He found himself moving towards the human girl with the crutch. Waves of empathy seemed to radiate from her, and to him it appeared she wore the pain of the engagement on her - for some reason familiar - face. Oh, yes....-that- girl. The animated ones began to shamble forward as he stopped concentrating on them, and as he was about to close with Daphne, he turned back on them with a snarl, "No power but mine!" The energy seemed to roil inside their bodies before escaping as blue fire from their mouths, leaving the corpses to fall again to the ground. He couldn't help but duck as the disassembling pieces of mech began to float about.

Eri had a battle lawn mower. Pharlen was enchanted. Coo. She wanted one. No. She's one of the sane ones. Yes. Sane in the midst of crazy. She was in a booth, hidden from all the ones that wanted to do harm.

Shouting around "Seems whatever fights were going on either ended in failure or they got tired. Seems most of their forces came together once they heard the broadcast, figured they would get one victory!" This towards Pharlen as he glanced towards the sound of a...lawn mower...no matter. Two fingers shot towards Eri "How is Kabuki!?" He wanted to know if he needed to send aid that way. — The mech parts were easily more destructive than fireballs, and the group of would be mages found themselves torn to shreds from the mangled pieces of metal. A few medics would assists Pharlen in healing and getting people onto ships. One attack ship rolled into vector and a laser like weapon shot, hitting into its right wing, sending the thing into an unstable spin off towards the glenn. The mech pilot looked towards the now crackling Minotaur next to him and nodded "This should be good"

"Then, help the wounded get to safe-" He began until Sari called out to him. His head whipped to one side and lashed out, lifting the man off the ground by the neck with his telekinetics. He looked for the nearest fight and spiked him down into it like a volleyball. He turned around. "Just be careful!" He called to Daphne.

Sari helped brace the dreadhead, glancing over to her. "He's right. We can do more good in helping the wounded. Let me help you." Sari was terrified, but the woman remained resolute. So, she couldn't use her telepathic gifts...she could still make a difference.

Something flickered in Ebon's awareness, something behind him, and he barely dodged in time to avoid a slashing claw, and spun around to see....well, he didn't have words to describe it in detail, but he knew what it was. A demon of some variety. "Oh, you have got to be %$^*ing kidding me!" The creature was winged, and swung around as it flew past to come in for another attack. "Aren't you supposed to be guarding your masters?"

::Andu slowly stalks forward into the lines of the Temple thugs. Ignoring the bullets and other missiles that don't even bounce off him, they just fall to the ground once they hit. But when a Temple thug comes to hand....The thug would be grabbed, and ripped apart like a paper doll, the pieces thrown back at his compatriots hard enough to break bones.::

Eri shut off the mower and dismounted once she heard Charles. Cupping hands over her mouth she yelled over. "It's quiet there say the girls who are at home. I can't get through however! I still got my healing! Anybody need any?" Some of the temple crowd heard the exchange and one fired a spell at the delinquent, who took three big hops out of the way before the energy hit where she had been standing. The empath swallowed hard, and nodded to Danny. "You, too," she called back. Watching him go, she held her crutch tightly against her chest. Fingers squeezed pathetically into the metal as she chewed on her lip. Unaware of Atticus' approach, she turned her eyes to Sari. "Thanks," she hissed painfully and smiled. "How long has this...been going on?"

Absently, she fired off the Tommy gun while once more, and waved to Eri. "Over here, darling. I'll put up a shield. Andu, Ebon, if you can seal the building where they're coming out, you can turn the damn thing into a pressure cooker!" she yelled before turning and attending to her work: calling forth a time bubble. Light green eyes filled with worry turned to her. "I woke up this morning...no telekinetics, no telepathy...Nothing Then later, Danny comes bangin' on my door and he can block an explosion with his mind and humans are going Goddamn insane!" She said. "I swear, the sun set and everything went to hell..." Sari clung to her lead pipe, white-knuckled, waiting for ANYONE to come for them.

Psion and demon engaged in an aerial battle, with Ebon forced into evasion tactics far more than he was comfortable with. The fiend was impervious to direct telepathic or telekinetic attacks, so he was forced to resort to throwing things at it between dodges, which proved marginally more effective. Frowning, he heard Pharlen and then spied the glow that was Andu, and an idea came to him. "Andu!" He turned and flew in a beeline towards the demigod minotaur. "I'm handing this one off to you!" "You take care of him, I'll seal the Templers in."

"We've got to do something," she whispered. "We have to, or the humans are going to tear the non humans apart..." A deep breath was taken in and she couldn't help the tears that came down her face. "We shouldn't stay in one place," her weak voice cracked lightly. "Come on..." Holding tightly to that crutch, she offered a weak smile to Sari. "I want to say everything is going to be okay, but....I don't....I don't know..." ::Andu turns at the call from Ebon, and grins that "Maddened god of war" grin. Reaching up to provide goal posts for Ebon to lead the poor deamon through.::

"I may be un-powered, but I've got your back, Red." Sari smirked, hoisting up her pipe, ready to follow.

The last few of the Templers that were the brave vanguard were fighting in retreat, trying to get out of the way of practically the massive force of still powerful beings that managed to take a foothold in the city and defend it. The rest were trying to scatter, heading to the districts that were still in conflict, West end, Elfhame and other districts. There were still those with rifles and spells sending the stray attack or shot towards the building defenses on the main roads, getting the full attention of those manning the defenses. From the alleys, booth, everywhere, injured victims seemed to pour out, as well as those running from the carnage. While the main attack was gone, the fighting was still close that it could be heard, and if someone was astute, the were regrouping ,wanting to make one last push to try and break the hold. Charles finally got up slowly from his cover, he had a few bullet holes, but he didn't seem to worried seeing the demon, he entrusted andu with killing the thing as he would glance around. He was covered in blood as he would suck in a deep breath and glance around for a moment, seeing the skirmishes still happening "I don't know where they came from, they struck all over the city. Most watch posts were attacked at the same time." This as to those who listened.

He came soon among the only apparent non-combatants in the fray, at least as much as one could be called that in this fracas. He didn't dare unleash any energy lest it be consumed by whatever force the Templers were using. He only heard Daphne's last words as she rounded almost into him, "This will not be ok," he glanced around at the chaos, "Until someone ends it." As he'd neared her, his ambient power arched away from him - and due to the Temple affect, not harmlessly, but -empowering-, into Daphne. About the size of a two story building, the sphere set over the Sandbag area where she had been sent. "Andu, kill the damn thing!" she yelled. It was a formidable barrier against evil, not as specific or powerful as one she had time to craft, but certainly able to hold back anything left on the field. It, meaning the shield.

He flew between Andu's upraised arms and the demon, intent on its prey, didn't notice the "goal posts" until it was too late.

Eri cheerfully made a bound over toward Pharlen's location. One thug loomed up to try to seize her, but the cheap 100y shop umbrella in the yanki's hand changed into its real form, a three foot kanabo with iron hobnails driven in the forward end of it. She swung the thing one handed as if it was no more than a tennis racket, though it must have weighed at least 12 pounds, and the assailant went tumbling into the fountain with the lower half of his face having shifted several inches to the left from her right handed swing. The others in her path moved out of the way quickly, wanting no part of that action, and then the delinquent was joining Pharlen. Her healing was turned on and untampered, anybody around here would be catching a dose as it radiated in all directions. She even left invisible but palpable healing energy footprints where she walked.

she puts her hands over her ears, and closed her eyes. As the two women made their way through battling throng, Sari cracked anyone who tried to attack them across the face with her make-shift weapon. She, like Danny, wasn't killing them...but they'd be eating through a straw for while, dammit!

There was a smile, on her face, genuine if not troubled. "I got yours, too....Black?" she squinted. "Sorry....My glasses are dirty..." she grunted as she limped forwards. Then a grunt left her as Atticus' power flowed through her, a deep breath was taken as she squeezed her eyes shut. When they resurfaced, the irises were an orangey-yellow, flickering like flames. "What the hell is...happening to me?" she felt like she was on fire—and yet there was no pain.

::Far, far too late. Those Massive arms snap closed about the deamon, and rip him from the air to slam him into the ground like a football player spiking the ball after a touchdown. But Much, much harder. Hard enough to create a crater. And then Andu starts punching. And everyone near gets to learn what it would be like if the Hulk was a Karate master. THUMP. THUMP. THUMP. Even the deamon's physical body finds itself unable to deal with the punishment dealt it.::

"Eri, you are magnificent," she beamed, leaning to give the girl a quick hug and kiss to her brow. She looked through the ruckus, hiking up her skirt somewhat as she strode cleanly into the mess. She was visible, she was not visible, she streamed away as if the wind blew away her seeming. Gone" She hadn't said her farewells, and she was a polite creature of the night.

Just before Daphne was hit with the power burst, Sari caught an attacker's blade with the middle of her pipe. A quick slam to his nose and a reversal into his face, and he was down. The tall brunette glanced over her shoulder at the girl, those green eyes widening as she saw the orange glow. "What. in the...."

Dropping from the sky, he settled near to Charles. "All over, but not everywhere....they've been focusing on the more 'mixed' neighborhoods, but there are some that are getting a wider berth." He managed a chuckle. "I know the area around the Shanachie's been trouble-free this evening."

"I guess everyone likes the arts" he would adjust himself some as he nodded towards Ebon "Still yet though, we seemed to stir the hornet's nest, I just hope people got the message and can get here. The birds are taking the people the the RTS main hub which is highly defended, this is the center point ,easy point to reach" he glanced around. He also saw daphne suddenly jolting to life it looked like

This was either the work of whatever was going on, or a serious hot flash. She gripped the crutch harder and trembled lightly with power that she was still holding back. She didn't want to set anyone on fire....This was not the right power for her, she was a pacifist! "Come on....We can't stand around..." she just happened to turn and see someone coming at Sari. Swinging her crutch, she managed to knock him back, but hit the ground in the process. Her hand caught the concrete, and she groaned softly. The metal of the crutch was red with heat, and the concrete seemed to scorch beneath her hand.

Other sections have been cleared as well." The voice came up from behind Ebon as the shadows bled from the armored figure. Four, three, two, one. Atticus had a companion. Shimmering and trailing ectoplasm, a mild smile upon her face, she flanked the male in blooming colors of red and white. Her heels ticked upon the ground. "Hello, darling. You are quite brave. I appreciate that. Here. You need a party favor." Her grin was just this side of gorgeously insane, eyes of cracked pink morganite bright — great spirits, she wasn't wearing her glasses! She handed Atticus her lovely Tommy gun. ::Soon those thumps change to the sound of ripping flesh. This is one "target" Andu intends to make a message of. A cosmic food processor might have done less damage by the time Andu is done.:: Hearing that voice, the Black Knight turned and smiled. "Excellent. Good to see you up and about, Shadow."

Eri grinned and gave Pharlen a squeeze before the timelord bolted off into the fracas. And there the yanki would remain, a kind of stationary and passive medical station. For those able to be affected by her peculiar healing energy at least. That energy was getting strong enough to actually smell in the air by now. Kind of a green and spring-time like odor, but the radius of influence seemed to be confined to an area about six feet in any direction of Eri. There was silence as the armored figure seemed to be watching Andu make pulp out of his prey but eventually attention turned on Ebon and Charles it seemed. "I am glad things were handled here but could someone please stop Andu before he makes that thing into some type of perfume he can't remove?"

Shock and confusion filter across his features at a rate that would give even a Timelord pause, as she appeared and he was suddenly accepting a gun. He glanced at it, and cast his mage-sight into it to understand it's workings - an automatic response to being handed technology of any level. In doing so, more power bled towards Daphne, infusing her, shoring up her mortal body; the enchantments of the Temple guiding the energy to better aid her ....capacity.

Sari whipped around, taking the stumbling man out with one swift crack of her weapon. She turned and readied to help the redhead up when she was pounced on from behind. Two goons brought her down right beside Daphne. She threw elbows and kicked, fighting them as best she could as they grabbed and pulled and scratched at her in a mad, violent scrabbled.

"Then let's hope this wasn't for nothing" He nodded as medics were moving out through the field, starting to move dead bodies to see if there were any living from the fighting, the wounded were taken care of and restrained for questioning, if they would live they would pay. Victims were starting to come in, limping, injured, sometimes a rogue agent got through and two or three cores would leave down on him t subdue the person Charles would glance around ,seeing someone get pounced on he would move quickly, sprinting towards Sari, grabbin one midway with his forearm and slamming the man hard into the ground, creating a sort of crater with the energy, pushing the man's body into it for a moment before backing away.

"Thank....you?" He was trying to commit everything and everyone to memory - usually not a difficult task, but seeing double of everything tonight because of the spell resonance would likely hinder that process rather than make it easier. "More foolish than brave, I fear." His free hand rose to his temple, he felt power leaching away... "Point and click, darling. Point and click. Make sure you don't shoot through them into your friends." she advised. The Tommy gun did hold a sort of enchantment: the clip was always loaded. "I am Pharlen. Good night, everyone, I will return." "I think he's just enjoying an opportunity to let himself go against an unambiguous 'bad guy'....and I can't say I blame him. With all of the emotional discord and unrest that's been building up in this city, it's almost nice to have a concrete foe to pummel. Well, gratifying, at least."

She peeks her head out, looking around. "Don't touch me," she said with a shake of her head. It wasn't out of any mean spirit, but out of worry that she might hurt her new friend. Then suddenly Sari was grounded next to her, and damn it if Daphne wasn't still holding back. "Get off of her!" she screamed out, throwing a foot to the head of one of the attackers. In doing so, she heard an audible snap of her wounded pelvis. ...Or maybe she should heal Daphne before she left. Three time Mom Pharlen winced at that snap.

There were several faces she wasn't familiar with but that didn't stop her from taking notes and having faces tagged by D.I.A.N.A for later. Spotting laggers ready to pounce in the shadows nearby she had no issue in raising a cannon and firing off a few shots of taser darts. There may of been some satisfaction in hearing them squeal and spaz to the ground uncontrollably. The visor rose up and the panels of the helmet folded back from her face and shoulder , presenting one Katt Batten from the metallic shell. "Yeah but pretty sure he doesn't want to wear that home." ::Andu slow to a stop, and then slowly stands and looks around as if searching for new targets.:

The attacker's head snapped in the other direction as he yelped in pain, his attention then on Daphne. The thug lunged toward her, intent on going for her. not noticing his friend was down. Sari threw a hard knee right in the mommy-daddy button and grabbed him by the shirt as he groaned.The telepath rolled him onto his back, grabbed him by the hair, and slammed his head against the pavement with a resounding CRACK! Sari panted, pushing her now-wild brown hair out of her face. She turned a thankful gaze to Charles, nodding to him before turning to Daphne again. "You alright, Red?" She asked her.

By now Eri had managed to get the word circulating that healing was available around her, and was surrounded by a crowd of wounded. Experimentally she extended her arms out at her sides and found that she could increase the area zone a bit in that way. It didn't take any individual long in standing near the oni-ling before they could move on under their own power all fixed up and potentially fountain-of-youth'ed inadvertently in the bargain. Danny was keeping busy. Every now and again you would see someone go flying, thrown by an invisible force or a wounded combatant levitated up to a safer level outside of the battle.

"We need to get people to the shelters and -" oh **** Was that Pharlen. She couldn't get that helmet back up fast enough.

Was her body smoking a little bit' It sure as hell seemed like it. Daphne's body was feeding on Atticus' powers like he was a damned juice box. She trembled with power, as she reached for her crutch and against all odds, worked herself back onto her feet. "I'm good....I got this..." she muttered, stubborn as a mule. "You?" "I can heal her if she wishes, yes yes," she noted, tilting her head, watching Sari and Daphne's pitched battle in what could only be matronly approval. Yes. The timelord herself. In a shimmering red satin dress and smashing high heels. He would get up a bit and turn, looking towards Daphne, Danny and Sari "Yall alright" The only thing recognizable now are those purple eyes, the rest of him was blood covered or riddled with damage.

A small grin crossed her lips. "Well, aside from looking like I had a hot date with a flight stairs, I'm dandy." she said to both Charlie and Daphne.

Danny was in the heat of the moment a little ways away, fighting his own vicious fights. Two Temple thugs were lifted off the ground and slammed into each other like children's toys before being tossed aside. ::Seeing things calmed down, Andu nods, and glances down at the pureed deamon. And shrugs as his aura calms once more to a simple silver aura. A snap of his fingers, and several very small silent and harmless explosions of silvery firefly sparkles show the removal of some of the mess.:: "Are you folks alright?" This was towards the group afar though she made no strains to move just yet. "Ms. Pharlen please see to those you can aid." She disliked talking through the filter but lord knows how Pharlen would react if she knew. Daphne seemed to gain attention for along while out of the lot. Shadow was in luck. Pharlen was not wearing her glasses. She was looking from from Sari to Daphne, and now Charles, her head tilted as she waited an answer.

The ships were still working on getting people out. Dozens at a time. The ship that had went down earlier was recovered, the pilot stepping off and dropping in to be healed by medic. Engineers set up the checkpoints while the remaining troops manned and defended the outskirts of the sandbag fortress that had been made. MG nests, multiple shooting positions, as well as fallback lines and even a mortar that currently was illuminating the sky with Green Flares The Templers At Least for now were driven back, and the Market would be declared safe for those who wish to see aid, defense, or anything that would help them. Charles looked towards Pharlen and nodded some "Thanks for the help." this was then said loud enough for them all "This city, it perseveres because of the actions of a lot of big damn heroes tonight." He nodded some more and glanced towards Daphne, she didn't' notice him, and that was fine, he didn't want to be seen this way. Despite the situation, she couldn't help but crack a smile at Sari's words. She was already attached to the girl, and....Well, Daphne saw the good in everything. Out of this, she got a new friend. She'd like it to all be over, but she was thankful that she met Sari. "You look beautiful...after this is over, we'll..." she grunted painfully and gripped that crutch. "We'll do girl things, just...don't try to brush my hair..." A weak little grin on her face. Too late to put masks back on now, trying to find the source of his powers enervation had his eyes roving the crowd - including the Governess suited for battle. Though it wasn't the first suit of that nature he'd seen, it was the first he'd been witness to in the Nexus - besides those he'd crafted. His eyes narrowed in study. He had yet to detect the resonance of his own energy flooding into Daphne, too preoccupied with every other wrong feeling thing going on.

"I must ask, creature of the night and all." she flicked that coyote crazy grin to Shadow. She can bring the universe to a halt, but she can't so much as heal a scratch without asking first. Sari glanced around a moment and ripped a sash off one of the Templars, wrapping it around that lead pipe. "Deal." she grinned. "Can you stand?" She asked her

The soldiers and engineers seemed to have any fighting under control, so Ebon began to focus on helping clear wreckage and search for wounded....and the dead.

It wasn't that she didn't see Charles, it was that she was having a lot of trouble seeing anything through those splattered, dirty glasses. It would only be worse if she took them off. "Ngh," a painful little grunt as she worked herself the rest of the way up. "I didn't leave the hospital so I could lay in the street," she muttered softly. "I'm good," she said softly. "We should keep...keep moving..."

Pharlen would of had trouble seeing past the armor as would Atticus. At best they would of seen whipping energy like shadows writhing. When Ebon moved she turned her attention on him. There was no attempt to stop him. "Please ask all you can then. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated." To Pharlen. Breaking from her spot finally she began to make her move to the small group though Charles' words gave her pause. Charles got a grim nod in return, as he focused on lifting a collapsed booth that had trapped a merchant and his family. "We need a medic over here!"

::Seeing others going into clean up and regroup mode, Andu glances once more down at the deamon, and then turns his back on it to lumber toward Pharlen and the others. Silvery firefly sparkles swarming out of nowhere to grab minute particles of deamon from both him and everywhere a transport them "away".:: Sari nodded. "Agreed. Let's get out of this street and see if we can't get some of these people to safe-" Sari jerked forward like she'd been punched in the back. A burst of arterial red mist coming out her sternum. Those green eyes stared forth in a mixture of pain and confusion.She slowly turned to look at Daphne. "Red?" The strings were cut.

"...Are you sure you don't wish to be healed?" Pharlen asked Sari and Daphne once more, brows lifting. Because blood spraying, that's not good. A gesturing hand was made to some medics and muscle when she heard Ebon. With them in tow she moved off to go assist him rather than ponder too much on what gave her pause. Unfortunately thanks to the filter the sigh she gave was amplified as she started pulling up rubble.

Charles Blackstone: Two medics would rush over towards the collapsed booth, kneeling down and looking over to family there. They were quick to recover and pull the family out and hurry them towards the bird that was already incoming. "We might not be able to end this, but, for all those who want. This outpost will be available as a launch pad for all the that want to go and hunt the remaining attackers." He spun around as, out of the corner of his eye, he spied Sari's body jerking like....well, like someone who just got punched hard, or shot. she would come out, brushing back her blond hair. her blue eyes glanced around.

He'd still be greatly interested in the armor, due to proclivity towards magi-tech, it being more of the latter, he'd realize. And if he knew her better, he'd recognize the Gov. by the sheer amount of sass - but he's woefully ignorant in that vein as well. Pharl's just staring at this point. Great Spirits!

Daphne's face got caught by the splatter, and she froze for a moment. What in the world just happened.." She pulled off her glasses, her breath caught in her lungs. "Sa..." no words on her lips as she reached out, but couldn't catch her fallen friend. "Wh..." Her heart panged in her chest as her body continued to store up that power gifted by Atticus, until it completely overflowed within her. Flames erupted over her flesh as she turned toward the attacker. Her glasses fell to the ground as she stepped on them, limping her way toward the shooter. The scream that left her was comparable to a banshee. ::Andu winces at the spurting blood.::

"F***" Charles knew that impact, that fall. He stood there blank. He was angry."Someone find that piece of filth..." This order was barked as Soldiers started towards the likely spoke of the shot.

Danny's head whipped in their direction as the gunshot hit his friend...he watched her jerk forward and then collapse to the ground. Sari face-planted on the pavement, her body limp. An empty vessel.This wasn't supposed to happen. This wasn't how this was supposed to end. They were going to help people, get them out and tell stories about tonight for the rest of their lives. People were going to get bored as hell with it...This was NOT how the story was supposed to end. But there she was.

Black wings slice through the sky, weaving with a carelessly delighted abandon through the sheen of flares and the clutter of mechanical objects that should never have been allowed in the air. Tonight, a city smoulders - and can a Ciar Aed be blamed, if he plays in the smoke? Fires make for beautiful sunrises. It's a burst of flame below that wheels the sidhe back, body arched in a taut curve, to stoop lower over the familiar - and unfamiliar mangled - terrain of the marketplace. He let others deal with the shooter. Ebon focused his mind on the body lying there....working to hold the wounds closed, to keep the girl's blood in place. Hoping to keep her alive, if he could.

"If her soul escapes, Ebon, it is only an empty shell." She reminded the man quietly.

::Andu Freezes, staring at the fallen girl, the senses granted him upon his ascention to godhood reaching out to search amongst the spiritual clutter of the night.::

"If it is wished, I'll place her in stasis." she added a moment later. That would give them all the time in the world. The enraged expression he turned to Pharlen faded almost instantly as the truth of her words reached him. "....damn it all...." The girl was a stranger to him, but he mourned for her nonetheless.

Charles Blackstone

Date: 2017-02-16 03:59 EST
With little regard for anyone's safety, the once-peaceful hippy limped down the road toward where the shot had come from. The flames on her body were white, licking up at the air as she moved forward. Her hands trembled and dropped the crutch, she looked like a zombie dragging her body along as the crutch hit the ground and stilled, still red from the heat. A white hot flame shot from her body, still screaming out. It crashed into a building and exploded. In that moment, she was no longer the sweet girl that had paraded the streets in protest. In that moment she wanted blood. Whether it was the power consuming her, or the taste for revenge was yet to be determined. Danny's hands shook, the rage building in him before he lashed out. Sari was gone. At the end of the night, that would still be the reality. Now, she was just a shell. An empty vessel. Danny shouted in anger, throwing the nearest Templar into the side of a building so hard wood splintered

"I can have my students here by dawn to ressurect and heal," she assured the man, setting a gentle hand to his shoulder. "...Spirits alive, the little one has spunk." she watched Daphne with a touch of a proud smile. Go baby go. Her head tilted up and over, listening. She was more concerned with Dah and Daphne doing something reckless. It wasn't that she wasn't concerned about the fallen but — well yes. There was a flying body. Without a word she pushed from her place to go do a little hunting of her own.

::Andu sighs, and seems to sink a little bit into himself. A glance to Pharlen and Ebon is accompanied by a slight shake of his head.::

Charles called his men off, letting Daphne hunt. She needed to. That was her battle to fight. Charles would shrug off his rifle, his gear and lean against one of those many sandbag fortifications. Rifle was tossed aside as he leaned, running his hands through his hair before slumping down. His own punch sending a sandbag whizzing off into the night, very long gone and out of mind.

Some thing were unending, it seems, and this engagement was one. After it was over, people still died, powers still flared....and in that moment, a moment too late, he recognized the power that coursed through her. He jerked himself from the role of observer, and easily equalled the distance of the hobbled girl. "Stop." He moved to stand before her, but his command held none of the power he'd issued towards the animated bodies. "Please. You will be consumed." The corners of his mouth twitched. He knew Danny and Daphne's pain and rage all too well.

"It is always up to the soul, Andu. You know this. Celebrate what was." she reminded him easily.

A wheeling spiral frames a burning structure in the span of Ciar's flight, but he doesn't linger longer than the celebration of the flame itself. High and higher on the thermal the heat is lifting, to drop and stoop off across the city, toward the next curiosity, the next chance to play. ::Andu nods to Pharlen.:: Doesn't make it easier to know a good one has flown. ::Sighs.:: And before it was known in life. It was a voice that no longer seemed to be her own, "I don't care!" a growling hiss when Atticus blocked her path. Her jaw clenched, barely visible through the flames that surrounded her body. "Move..." dark as ever. She wanted to find the shooter, and set him on fire. She really didn't care about anyone who got in the way at the moment. She limped forwards, and if he didn't move, there'd be an explosion of flame right at his feet. Danny moved through crowd as any enemies near him fled. His brow furrowed as he approaced her ruined form. He was no stranger to death, he'd seen the aftermath of wars, spent time in military and civilian hospitals. It was quite a different thing when it was a friend. He looked around at what remained of everything. Burned out buildings, bodies, friend and foe littering the area. Thoughts harkening back to the protests for Humility First...what they'd tried to accomplish.If this wasn't failure...it sure as hell felt like it. "I will have my students here by dawn. Do me the favor of making sure that there are vouchers for shelter, clothing, and rebuilding ready for the surviving," she wasn't cold, she wasn't unfeeling, she just knew the rules. If she was truly evil, she would decide to go visit Katt. But. She had a little time to manipulate for her own selfish ends because she still had a Valentine's day to consummate.

Seasoned or not in the experiences of combat, in the loss of life, he had been there when a planet was wiped. But still, this hit home. "Not a damned thing I could do" His voice muttered shakily for a moment before he would slowly force himself to stand and glance around. "Im footing the bill for damages done and rebuilding efforts in this area" This was towards Pharlen. ::Andu nods to Pharlen.:: I'll have Gaia create a booth with a portal to the vaults holding my care packages That will supply at least clothing, and an opportunity for those wanting to leave the city for a time.

He maintained his stance, barring her path. He took a deep breath, and hoped his armor would be up to the task of absorbing whatever she had somehow siphoned from him already. It would be a feedback loop of....painful proportions. "I realize," he nodded quickly, throwing a hand up as if to slow her progress further. "But please. Resolve yourself to quit this path," his normally inflectionless voice was suddenly sad as he remembered that viral video. "This is not you.I do not know you, but I recognize enough." He recognized things in her that were a broad range of traits that his students had reawakened him to. "Don't make this, your hatred....her memory."

Danny knelt over his friend a shakey hand placed at her head. He was only vaguely aware that Daphne had gone full human torch over there.

"Make up vouches, yes yes. Many people lost everything." she replied easily to Charles and Andu alike. "And provide transportation to the seaside towns that are less killy rioty." A snag of a grin. "We cannot forget that the people of this town have been treated like gun fodder. If we can't stop it, we can at least make sure there are safe places to go, yes." Ebon turned his eyes towards Andu and Pharlen. "Most of the city's orphanages and shelters were already evacuated to some of the towns north of here....Gaia can transport anyone who wishes there, I'll get you the locations."

::Andu nods to Ebon as well.::

Danny's gaze shifted in the flaming dreadhead's direction. Watching the others try and talk her down.

Once jade eyes were now white, and staring him down. Her body trembled wildly as flames lapped the air around her. His words didn't go over her head, she recognized them. She knew what he was getting at, but why.." Why should she go back to being the peaceful loving empath that she once was. All it did was get people killed. Got Danny beaten up. Got her blown up....Now this. It accomplished nothing. "It is now..." Daphne hissed, shambling off to the side. Her hip was broken, and it was probably just the grace of his power that kept her standing at this point. "...Peace accomplishes nothing..." she muttered, her face was twisted in rage, her body on fire. She was broken.

"Daphne." His voice came from behind her. Small. Pained. Hoarse.

"Have them here, this is where I will send my students." she smiled with a bow. "You will know them. They will be under the guardianship of a very large silver dragon." Angels, unicorns, snawfus, leprechauns, the usual suspects.

Eri had finished healing up the line that formed of people in pain, and now wandered back out to join Andu, Pharlen and Ebon, remembering to mentally put up the barrier that 'turned off' the energy before getting on the move again. She also thought to change her weapon back into it's umbrella form so to not appear threatening.

Danny stood there, battered, scraped, and bruised. He didn't know what to say, to be honest. He just watched her, feeling that awful mixture of numbness and lost inside. "Please." he pleaded simply, his tone enough to show he didn't want to lose HER as well.

::Andu snaps his fingers, and disappears in a silent and harmless explosion of silvery firefly sparkles, only to reappear a few yards in front of Daphne.:: Daphne. Do not follow this path. Those of us who have chosen it, have chosen it so those with your heart don't need to. Do not lessen what we, your friend, and others here tonight have done by abandoning the heart that drew us all to your own march.

"Des and Jackie will want to help," she added with a twitch. Interestingly, she seemed fine with Daphne going off. One have to learn, and sometimes, this was the way. "I've got to get home. Eri, you were awesome." The delinquent got another press of kiss to the cheek and hug before the timelord flickered away, fading out of sight. People near her might have gotten slimed. This is why she uses stable doorways through reality. Ectoplasm.

And secretly, he could not completely disagree with her - else he would have at least tried to reclaim his power from her. He looked to her companion, to both of them, the one who was grieving, and the one laying, cooling, being grieved. He glanced to Andu, with a look silently thanking him for his assistance in intervening. "Violence does....beget violence." His voice was dull, especially with her back to him. "I am almost certain you have said just that, and now..." The innocent suffer for it. "Good night Pharlen" Eri wished, cheerfully giving a hug and squinting one eye as she got kissed on her cheek.

Charles would hold his rifle and check his men. Even some of the Stalwart of his squad seemed, shaken, they hadn't seen this down by humans, this hatred, the sort of pure anger. He would reassure them before moving off to find a place to stand near Ebon and Andu, if there was such a place.

Looking to Daphne and Danny, Ebon sighed wearily. "Damn." Then a distant explosion reached his ears, and he saw a flickering light towards the river. "Powers Above and Below....it's going to be a long night." He turned and headed in that direction. A few of the less-shaken troops moved to join him, and he looked to Charles as if for permission.

Charles nodded towards the group that formed up "Go and get it done. I'll be here when you return"

The empath shook almost violently with Danny, Atticus, and now Andu working against her. She wouldn't lie and say it didn't fuel the anger. Her heart throbbed in her chest, as the flames spurred up only to die down some. "I..." she hadn't words for what she felt in that moment. It was a mixture of things, but one thing was certain. Every emotion was hers....There was a cuff on her ankle at the moment, gifted to her by Mason, that had stopped the flow of emotions from others. She froze in place, without a clue as to what to do.

Danny stepped around in front of her, looking the girl in the eye. "Let it go. Please." ::Andu would very carefully take a seat in Daphne's path. Holding his arms out gently as if offering a hug, his aura shifting to that of a kindly Uncle multiplied by orders of magnitude by his newish divine nature as a demi-god of Orphans and Outcasts.:: Charles looked around some and would find a post to man for the night to defend the post where there were lacking in troops. He was around, and so were his troops, but his interactions were going to be limited. He needed to blow some heads up at a distance.

"Don't become...this." He gestured to her flaming state. "Just let it go..."He whispered to her.

Nodding to Charles, Ebon resumed his riverbound stride, motioning for the soldiers to form up on him as he lead them back into the slowly-dying fray.

Now Eri would head off toward the river, seeking to find a clear way to get back to her home.

She didn't need her empathic abilities to recognize the pain he was going though. They'd taken his friend, and he was still here...begging her not to take vengeance. He reached out slowly, trying to convince her to extinguish herself. Daphne took a shambling step backwards when Danny reached out. "Danny...don't..." she whispered. The flames died down still as those now yellow eyes darted between the three of them. "You first." He said simply.

He swayed on his feet, and the world split again, doubling in his vision. He assumed, rightly or wrongly, that the error lay in his physical body. Likewise his inability to coerce her to peace again. "Forgive me," he muttered, and to his sight, his energy was still surging within her, and her the only, closest target for what was to come perhaps, "I am....expended." He collapsed to his knees, robe folding in on him, his life energy converting to....something else, and siphoning into Daphne, who -temporarily- would become the vessel for all his energy; the Temple spell skewing his magics enough to prevent reincorporation as he'd usually achieve. Perhaps his objectivity, latent in the energy that -was- him, would aid her in dealing with her imminent grief. Perhaps her unapologetic humanity influencing that energy before he could manifest again, would aid him.

The anonymous Templar who'd shot Sari was long gone by now. Now it was just a matter of getting the girl to calm. Daphne looked pathetically at Danny, "I'm trying.." she hissed a whisper, pained as she tried to will the flames to go away. She stumbled backwards, wavering in her steps when Atticus essentially poured himself into her. The flames licked and flared up all over again before dying down. Beneath, her body was unharmed. The...hospital gown, however, had long since burnt away, leaving....Well...Sorry, Danny, Andu....She didn't even try to cover herself as she went crashing toward the ground. Danny immediately lurched forth, catching her before she could hit the ground. At least he could do this right...at least he could help her. The medics thankfully had arrived on the scene...they would surely take care of Sari. Sari...Danny would have to mourn her on his own later...right now, he had a friend to take care of who was still alive. ::With Danny right there to catch her, Andu snaps his fingers, and a softly furred blanket appears beside them. More than large enough for Danny to fold her in completely if he wishes.:: Danny let out a relieved breath and did his best to protect the girl's...privacy when andu...magic'd the blanket beside them. He nodded to the minotaur. "Thank you."

::nods back to Danny.:: There will be a booth. Packages with full outfits will be available there. Do you need a ride somewhere"

Daphne's eyes had restored themselves back to green, but when they rolled open to look at him there was something in them. Something left to her by Atticus. "I'm sorry..." she whispered weakly. "I....lost myself..." Her head tucked against his chest and she willed those eyes to roll closed. Carefully, he wrapped her up, and hefted the girl into his arms."You found your way back, kid." He whispered to her, a sad little smile on his face. "I'm gonna get you back to the hospital, okay?" Danny looked Andu and shook his head. "We'll grab an ambulance, but thanks." He looked around at the aftermath of the battle. This once beautiful place reduced to flaming rubble. "Thank you for being here." ::Andu nods, and shrugs.:: This is my home. I will always be here. It is an honor to help.

With that, he carried her off to the ambulance. As he climbed inside, he watched them lay a sheet over Sari's body. This was the cost of revolution. Of war. And, frankly...it was too ****ing high.

::Andu would stand, and lumber to the central pile of sandbags, looking for a good place to establish his booth.::

"Hospital..." she parroted back at him in a soft, weak mumble. "...good.." Apparently the dizzy girl was a caveman at this point. Her eyes rolled around in her head. She mumbled a soft, "Thank voo," to Andu before letting herself slip away from reality. She was really in no condition to face it at the moment. it was my Honor, Daphne. You need anything. Just say my name thrice. ::Andu takes a moment to kneel and place a disk on the ground in his chosen spot. Then without even standing, he would disappear in a silent and harmless explosion of silvery firefly sparkles. :: ————————————————————————— ——————————————

((Next morning - 2/15 - 0800 Hours))

By now the market was bustling. The check-in board was placed so all could put out whatever they could to find their loved ones, as well as signal to all that they were alive. Andu's Stand that he placed came though in the morning. A portal that led to a vault filled with care packages and supplies to all those in need. The sandbags were still manned by the same soldiers from the night before, all of whom worked together with medics and some aid workers to hand out supplies, help the wounded, re-unite families, and clean up. Rebuilding efforts began in the morning. The plan was to be out of the Market, leaving everything back to its ways, by the afternoon.