IC - Shadow's Dawn: Diving into the past Options

[Seth]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 - Basement - Aztec Pyramid]

Master Sergeant Huicton is makes good his escape. "Phew that was close he thinks". It's a tough life being a scout, but the good Master Sergeant hadn't expected anything to go wrong when he went to the storeroom to collect a pad of paper. Suddenly there had been the sounds of bangs and crashes, the doorway crashed open, and General Quarter's had sounded.

Given that the good Sergeant was actually exactly where he would like to be: watching the enemy up close and in a place with plenty of hiding placing, he stayed put, and start reporting on their position to the Major.

The God's only know how they spotted him a few seconds before the assault. Probably some sort of divinatory magic's. Then had come the hideous blast's of magic. Still at least he had been able to get out of line of sight of that huge spirit. Mind you that were-bear was tough too. Tough but slow, and the Master Sergeant had managed to dodge both his blows before escaping into the pyramid to report to his Master. All I have to do now is deal with this pesky spirit!

[Seth]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 - Second floor - Aztec Pyramid]
[Background: Aztech 4]

Camaxtli Cenyaotl also known as Spirit bane, was humming a happy tune. He was wearing the traditional robes of Xipe Topec: layered human skin, with dangling hands and feet from his belt that had been made into powerful magical fetishes. Unlike most priest's Spirit Bane's items had been made by the God himself, he was truely blessed. There were invaders in the temple, but they were part of the Master's plan. Only a spirit could try and interfere with his task, and Spirit Bane was well named

The two guards behind him held an old soul. Lean'drea the bard, constrained by a yoke of restraint. The yoke was large and made of wood, but magically potent. Anyone held by the Yoke could only obey. The Master had taught Spirit Bane how to eat souls and draw their power into himself. Lean'drea would be the most powerful soul he had ever consumed, and with it Spirit Bane would acquire immortality. It was a good day to be alive.

One more task for the Master and immortality beck...

Spirit Bane's happy musing was broken by two simultaneous unpleasant events. Firstly the arrival of four Nissan Hoverdrones which starting shooting at his guards, and secondly the appearance of a huge Blood spirit. A spirit that Spirit Bane had met before.

"Sanguine where is your master?"

"You cannot stop me now...the blood is mine....mine...Die!" Sanguine was not in the mood for talking. Spirit Bane sighed, and looked at Sanguine in the special way his master had taught him. Sanguine screamed as his form was ripped into shreds. His form began to disrupt, but there was no escape to the metaplanes, and Spirit Banes reached out with his mind sucking Sanguine into one of the mummified hands. "Lunch" he thought.

[Seth]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 - Second floor - Aztec Pyramid]
[Background: Aztech 4]

Lean'drea is shocked awake. The previous week had been spent in a doze, carrying this accursed Yoke around. The Aztech's had not been kind to such a beautiful Elf, but Lean'drea had lived though worse. The Yoke was falling away from her, slowly. A carefully aimed bullet had shot the clasp off.

Around Lean'drea was a scene of battle: the clamshell armoured guards appeared mostly immune to the Taser's off the four Nissan Hoverdrones that were attacking. In front of Lean'drea was a human who was wearing a deeply disturbing and magically powerful outfit.

[Seth]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 -Storeroom - Aztec Pyramid]
[Background: Aztech 0]

Major Nopaltzin snarled. Being knocked onto his backside was not a common experience for him. His fire control systems had already began to track that pesky elf, although they were a little shaken under the sonic barrage. Damage control systems within his body were already beginning to repair and contain the damage, and while his biomonitor was indicating amber, it had a long way to go before reaching dangerous levels.

The Astral from that was casting magic's at him could wait. Crosshairs converged on the elf, his tacnet fed advisory data: ammunition, radar, sonar, multiple images from the dragonflys, head cameras from his rapidly diminishing troops. All of them helped him focus his rage on that elf.

The minigun was already spinning and firing, carving into the concrete above. The Major walked the line of fire towards the elf.

[Seth]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 -Matrix - Aztec Pyramid]

Jonathan considers the tactical situation. The Major knocked over, and heavily engaged in physical combat. Now if ever was the time to attack. Triggering the virus that would destroy the tacnet, he checks himself in the mirror. Bright red suit, smart tie, gold cufflinks, the hair do perfect. Time to go engage the Major.

Morphing into the Major's node: the middle of the tacnet, he looks appreciatively at the tiny almost transparent imps that were jumping onto the back of each of the troopers. The major was a different matter

<<You. Traitor. I will kill you. I will kill your wife. I will kill your children. I will serve their hearts to my Master>> The Major was not happy to see him. Clearly he had seen the imps, and worked out who was responsible

Jonathan lifted up his right hand and snapped his fingers. Nothing happened. The Major's Icon smiled <<I am prepared for your treachery Jonathan, you cannot hurt me>>

<<It's better to die, than to serve you and your master. And speaking of dying Major...lets start with you>>

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 - Second floor - Aztec Pyramid]
[Background: Aztech 4]
Lean'drea
Lean'drea blinks several times and gives her head a small shake. As she feels it clearing, the sound of the combat around her suddenly fills her ears. Not the clanging of swords, but the bursts of gunfire. That's right, it wasn't the time of blades any more, it had long since passed, just like each age.... Lean'drea gives herself another shake of her head and focuses on the situation.

She ducks slightly to try and make herself less of a target for flying bullets, and reaches to her head to nimbly remove the gag from her mouth. She can feel her magic being drained away by this place, but her voice is her most potent weapon anyways, especially as she realizes she isn't wearing her own armor or clothing. Another moment to assess the threats around her... two guards and some... person clothed in human skin, her captor. She decides quickly on her course of action calling over the din of gunfire to the two guards next to her "Kill the man behind you!", making sure to use the Aztech's language for the best chance of being understood, and ducking down to a crouch so as not to get caught in their fire or be targeted by mistake.

She felt her voice crack, she hadn't been allowed to speak in ages, and the magic had drained away some portion of her usual vocal prowess, but still, she doubts it has affected her enough for those guards to ignore her order, but too many more orders might get difficult quickly.

[Big Fella]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 - Basement Storeroom][/b]
background count:0

Bjeorn takes a look at the situation. The Major is pointing his death ray at toward's his friend Fearghas. Bjeorn charges into the middle of the troops, and smashes into the Major. The red haze of battle settles upon him. Here is a foe worthy of Bjeorn's respect.

Bjeorn focus's his magic into his hands and strikes hard. The good old one two. To Bjeorn's surprise the first blow had almost no effect. Its a long time since thats happen thought through his berserk fury, but it only made him madder. Focusing harder, he pounds and his left hook has a much better effect, and hears something break inside the armour.

[Aria]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Above the storeroom - Aztec Pyramid]
background count: Aztech 4 (?), reduced powers: Drake powers, attribute boost, photgraphic memory, enhanced perception

Ryl briefly amazed that Bjeorn ignored the fleeing scout and lept back down into the fray below...ah well, let's hope that we can deal with him later...

...pushing these distractions from her mind she flew through the degrading tacnet and with consumate skill, although a lack of subtlety, began to peel away the layers of code around the Major...hopefully she would be in before he killed her friends.

As she stepped into his node she whispered to Garyn and the agent, in the form of her lover of old, stepped forward between her and the looming IC

Hopefully with Spike's aid they would be able to defeat them and step beyond to the control node that she could see ahead, the beating heart of this cybered abomination...

[Edana]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Room 12 - Aztec Pyramid]
[Resonance Well 2]

Her mind set on the task at hand, despite her trepidation at facing the Major, Angel sets out for his link. It is a well-fortified bastion, but this is her domain, and the energy of the place urges her on. The adrenaline now running through her body mitigates the strain as she draws in the Resonance to bolster her tools far beyond their original capacity, and begins dismantling the external defenses wholesale, completely unconcerned with being noticed.

A suitable hole is soon created, and Angel's icon forces its way through, quickly followed by her erstwhile protector. A quick look around draws in the basic layout, and the presence of the guards, as well as an odd dracoform icon she's never seen before.

That's no one I've seen before. One of the people here to help? Or maybe the Major upgraded? I hope it's a helper.

Instincitvely raising her defenses, Angel watches how the others react to her arrival.

[Seth]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Matrix - Aztec Pyramid]

Major Nopaltzin hatred has increased. Betrayed by his own security staff, attacked by worthless Mages, punched by some half human bear thing, and his bio monitor is beginning to move towards red. Its time to teach these hackers how to fight. Madly and furiously he activates his mostly deadly program, chortling to himself as his virtual self moves to attack Jonathan.

<<You'll need to be better than that Major>>The blast of unpleasant energies from the Major wash around the red suited icon. Jonathan adjusts his tie, buffs his nails then <<Behind you Major>> two small imps appear and begin to take huge chunks out of the Major's icon which begins to spark.

[pbangarth]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Research level, Room 12 - Aztec Pyramid]
background count: Golden Beauty 4, Force: 6

Mandala considers his situation.

The spirit killer is just outside the door. The girl named "Angel" is awake but doing something he can't figure out. She is in a containment unit which is powered down at the moment. Can she even get out if she wants to? It has a one-way viewing port, so if he goes inside, he can't see out. If he leaves, and the spirit killer comes in, he can just plug the unit back in or open it and do something nasty. If Mandala were to open it, where could he take her, as she cannot dematerialize? Sometimes it's hard to think in terms of the limitations of metahumans.

While considering options, Mandala piles more furniture and equipment in front of the door.

[Alyena]

[00:01:15 Jun 2070 - Above Basement Storeroom]
background count:0

Alyena finishes cleansing the area as her spirit fails to possess the master sergeant.

"Continue to attack" she urges her ally as she turns her attention to the basement storeroom once more. Behind her a stunball rips into the foe.
In a blur of smoke and light her astral form flashes down and takes in the scene below. She winces slightly at the sight of the spirits that face her companions. To her experienced eye the two largest radiate an aura of pure Evil. The smaller spirits that surround them, though unpleasant, are as nothing in comparison.
Gathering her power, a ball of smoke and lightning spins from Alyena's astral form and expands to claw at the spirits before her. As she suspected the lesser spirits vanish almost at once, the larger two however turn towards her, light still raking their evil forms. They rush to claw at her, as her bright light dances within the smokey armour, a disc of smoke becomes a shield to parry the attack. Alyena's light briefly fades as some of the attack gets through. It flares back to full strength as a second ball of lightning hits the evil, one of the spirits fails. The other attacks again and is parried a second time, this time she takes no damage and prepares to attack again!

[Sephiroth]

[00:01:16 Jun 2070 - Basement Storeroom]

Major Nopaltzin snarled. Being knocked onto his backside was not a common experience for him. His fire control systems had already began to track that pesky elf, although they were a little shaken under the sonic barrage. Damage control systems within his body were already beginning to repair and contain the damage, and while his biomonitor was indicating amber, it had a long way to go before reaching dangerous levels.

The Astral from that was casting magic's at him could wait. Crosshairs converged on the elf, his tacnet fed advisory data: ammunition, radar, sonar, multiple images from the dragonflys, head cameras from his rapidly diminishing troops. All of them helped him focus his rage on that elf.

The minigun was already spinning and firing, carving into the concrete above. The Major walked the line of fire towards the elf.

The moment the minigun barrel started spinning again, Fearghas dashed to the left in a roll, moving into cover behind the storeroom shelves and summoning a spirit from the netherworlds at the same time. Hide me, now! he thought to the spirit. He lifted himself off the ground and towards the ceiling, reciting his chant once again and still moving left. As soon as his head was clear of the top shelf, he rotated his body around and let loose another spell at the furious Major. Unfortunately, the Major had let loose another barrage of machine gun fire, much more erratic and widespread this time, and he felt one, then two, then three bullets hit him in the shoulder and chest.

He thought for a brief second where there might be better cover nearby to shield himself from the rest of this death barrage - for a brief second. Then the back of his head slammed into the storage shelf behind him, and everything went dark as he plummeted 5 meters to the floor below.

[Seth]

[00:01:19 Jun 2070 - Basement storeroom - Aztec Pyramid]

Major Nopaltzin snarls. Sitting on his ass, trapped within the minigun harness was not his idea of a good time. Killing this were-bear is front of him was. At the least the horribly dangerous Sound Bombing elf, one Fearghas by name if his records were correct was down. Hopefully not dead. The Major's master needed the invaders captured not killed. Activating the quick release button he shakes the harness off. As he stands up, his shoulder launcher lobs a grenade accurately at GREMLIN's last doberman in the storeroom.

"Bjeorn I presume. Well that master has a message for you. 'Prepare to meet your Maker'". His vibro-cyber spurs emerge from his arms, as the major prepares to skewer Bjeorn.

The stunned, dazed and knocked down troops that were with him, were taking withering fire from the Doberman's, but their armor was holding. Their training is obviously very good, or perhaps they just haven't realized how outclassed they are. From their prone positions, they swivel their assault rifles toward's Bjeorn and each fire 2 short controlled bursts.

[00:01:19 Jun 2070 - Outside Angel's room - Aztec Pyramid]
Spirit Bane consider's his options. The prisoner is free. Still she doesn't look very dangerous, and if the best she can do is... His rumminations are ruined as charging around the corner from downstairs comes a fleeing spirit. "More Food. The Master is good" he thinks then his momentary happiness turns to distress as following the spirit come 6 Cadarvermen. Spirit Bane knows just how dangerous they are, and is in no mood to face them. Before Spirit Bane can react, before the guards even knew they were there, the Cadarvermen strike. A frenzied flurry of blows, limbs flying through the air, entrails exploding. The scene is like that of a horror movie when a red splash hits the wall.

Spirit Bane mutters a spell "Master save me!" and turns and flees to Angel's room. He turns the door knob and pushes.

[00:01:19 Jun 2070 - Matrix - Aztec Pyramid]

A swarm of troops, clearly low ranking agents, appear around Jonathan and SPIKE with a Master Sergeant leading them. Dressed in combat fatigues, the agents move to attack. The Major's icon shimmers as the Master Sergeant applies a trauma patch to the Bleeding Blade icon. Jonathan, reaches inside his coat and extracts a grenade, which he drops at his feat, then summons a magical shield around himself and SPIKE. SPIKE redoubles his attacks on the Major's icon, which starts to show more sparks.

[00:01:19 Jun 2070 - Major Nopaltzin's commlink - Aztec Pyramid]

Angel finishes her flurry of blows, driving the human guard icons backwards. The two dogs are not quite fast enough, one is severely damaged, while the other takes a nasty cut to the shoulder. The dogs pause, sniff, then one leaps upon angel, the other onto Ryl. They vanish just before they arrive.

[sabs]

[00:01:19 Jun 2070 - Inside Angel's room - Aztec Pyramid]

Marduk tunes his perception to the TacNet again and queries it for an update. Gathering the info from it, Marduk shifts his perception to Angel's room where Mandala is guarding. "Mandala, My friend. Spirit Bane is just outside, beset by 6 Cadavermen. Unfortunately there is another with him that we would like to rescue." He looks about, "I will do what I can about Spirit Bane."

Dematerializing again, Marduk flits to stand next to Lean'drea. He seems about to say something, but insteads watches and listens.

[pbangarth]

[00:01:21 Jun 2070 - Inside Room 12, Angel's room - Aztec Pyramid]
Background: Golden Beauty 4; Force: 6 -- dropped Psychokinesis, Accident and Movement powers

The fray outside heightens as new combatants arrive, and efforts to enter this room begin. The blockage at the door will only hold so long. Mandala considers opening the machine that encases Angel, but his electronics knowledge does not extend to understanding much about interfaces with metahuman physiology. He could harm her if he tries.

Ambrose could unhook her no problem. Hmm. Alright. Enough with playing their game. Time to bring the play into my court.

~~ I'm still with Angel, but you won't see me now. Need someone with biotech skills to remove her from the machine that encases her. ~~

Mandala dematerializes, and reforms on a table by the wall as a handheld multimeter. He bends his aura to match the dark, lifeless astral presence of the other machines around him.

Let them come. While they puzzle out who blocked the door, they will waste more time. And the right opportunity may present itself.

[Seth]

[unknown time - inside a dream]

Fearghas wakes from the blackness. The last he remembered was dodging the main blast of that horrible gun.

He is sitting at a metal table in his finest ceremonial armour. Sitting opposite him is hooded man, the face of the man is hidden in shadows. The mans hands are visible, peeking out of the deep sleeves, and have a slight scalyness about them: perhaps a severe case of psoriasis. The fingernails look...odd...blackened and thicker than normal. Held by the hands is a wooden box, engraved with snakes. The box draws your attention: you have seen it before, and you have a strong urge to open the box. There is a faint smell of antiseptic, which fails to mask the musky odour of the man in front of him.

Looking around Fearghas sees a cell in the corner with Aren curled up in his bed. Asleep? or ...

"Well Fearghas its a long time since I've had the pleasure of your company" says the suprisingly well modulated voice of the man. "I'd like to thank you for coming to attend my little party. I do so like willing participants. Its so appropriate that you and friends should pay a visit now, as in a very real sense I have you to thank for making all of this possible. In a sense I am in your debt."

"The man holds the box, and inspects it. "So many thousand of years this has been feeding me, keeping me alive during the dark times. Without I would have been banished like my brethren. And there is still some power left. The Therans really knew how to enchant things! So when I open the box in just a few minutes, the power of the ritual combined with the destruction of the Theran engine held within it will be enough to allow my brothers to return. And I will have made it all possible for them! My power will grow beyond all imagining!"

This man really likes his monologue Fearghas thinks

"As I do so dislike being in debt, I think its only fair that I pay you back for placing the engine in the box. I even have found a reincarnation of the White Rose who made it possible for you to steal the engine from the Therans, although she is still very young, so I can pay my debt to her too. It is too late for you to stop the ritual. Only my death can stop the appocalypse, and you do not know my truename. You don't even have the box, which might make it possible for you to learn it, so I you might as well accept your fate. The wards in place around this place are strong enough that I will have finished the ritual before they are broken."

"Alachia has planned well, but left it too late. She has not broken her pledge to me, and her timing was supperb. "Until the ritual is performed" was the wording, and the ritual is indeed being performed. I see from your expression that she has not told you what is happening which would also break her pledge. I have enjoyed her suffering over the last 10,000 years, perhaps her failure here will freshen her up, and provide new enjoyment."

"My brothers are returning, and hell will be unleashed upon Earth. I can let you survive it. I helped you the last time, at the bequest of another, I can help you this time. If you join me, I will offer the route of blood and pain. So I my debt will be repaid by giving you a chance for life. I have a choice for you. The choice is simple: I need some sacrifices and sacrificers. Which would you rather be?"

[Aria]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Above the storeroom - Aztec Pyramid]
background count: 0

Ryl paused for a nanosecond as she considered spoofing the trace, but then the enemy knew they were here and there was little they could gain from the exact knowledge of her whereabouts.

<<Angel? We have little time...they are coming for you and we need to shut down the Major so that my friends can defeat him in the flesh...we must reach his command and control node...>>

She turned her attention to the offensive IC and her ‘link did its thing to interpret her mental commands...a coruscating stream of white fire erupts from her icon’s mouth and engulfs the IC as she roars her defiance

[Edana]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Room 12 - Aztec Pyramid]
[Resonance Well 2]

Seeing the defending IC attack the other icon, Angel considers her options.

Well, I guess they're probably a friend? Why else would the Major's watchdogs attack them? I should help them, then maybe we'll be able to chat. I wonder what they're like... No, can't waste time. I need to get to the Major to stop this.

Raising her arms to the digital sky, she summons forth a storm, raining down a series of lightning strikes all around the guards and their dogs. The first strikes go wide and she scowls, redoubling her efforts. The second set is a bit more effective, coming close enough to scorch the watchdogs, but still missing the more dangerous guards. Finally, her repeated blows catch one of the guards off balance, completely obliterating his icon in a shower of sparks and electrical arcs that further wound the nearby dogs.

<The one and only! I'm glad you're ok. MR. CHIPS told me you needed help with the Major. He's mean. I won't let him hurt people any more. Your friend is cute. We should go. Only one bad guy left here now.>

[Ghost_in_the_Sys...]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070]
background count: Aztech 4, reduced magic: 2 mage, 2 adept

Everything seems to be happening so quickly. With the haze of the mind control still on her, and no magic to speed her reactions Lean'drea can barely keep up with what is going on. Before she even notices they are near, those... things had killed the two guards she'd hoped to use as protection. Lean'drea nearly wretches at the sudden explosion of gore right next to her, but manages to hold her stomach and keep her mind focused. She backs away slowly, thinking for a moment to try and command them, then remembering that they're very unlikely to be controlled by her voice. Her next thought is to order Spirit Bane in between herself and them, but he takes off and begins making plenty of noise to draw their attention, which seems like just as good of a distraction. Without having performed her centering ritual in weeks, her powers are severely weakened and without any gear her options are similarly limited.

With such overwhelming odds and no good idea of who is friend or foe, Lean'drea decides that retreat is her best option. A silent retreat, which means no centering herself properly. Without a sound she casts as strong a spell of invisibility as she can manage in this cursed aspect, making sure to mask it and her own aura so as to be as difficult to see on the astral, remembering that creatures of this sort were generally dual natured. Trusting that it will keep her hidden she runs with as little noise as she can, following Spirit Bane but looking for a different door to duck into, checking them lightly and quickly as she passes, but failing that heading for the stairs.

[Big Fella]

[00:01:20 Jun 2070 - Basement Storeroom][/b]
background count:0

The few remaining guard's point their little guns at the hulking Bjeorn, and pull the triggers. He sidesteps, he ducks, he weaves. Many of the bullets shoot at where he was and not where he is. A few bullets catch him anyway, but most of those bounce off his huge body.

[Seth]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 -Outside Angel's Room- Aztec Pyramid]
[Background: Aztech 4]

Lean'drea went invisible just as the machine gun nest at the end of the corridor opened fire. It sprayed the area with bullets, obviously hoping to severely damage the unarmored Cadarvermen. The results were not what they hoped for.

As one the Cadarvermen spun, faced the gunners and charged. Their undead resiliance was enough to turn the bullets into mere annoyances. It was also enough to increase their fury, fuelling their combat prowess. Moving with insane speed, the Cadarvermen were hit by one more set of ineffective bullets before smashing into the nest. It was short. It was brutal. It was bloody. The screams were loud, and the shredding unpleasant. The bullets stop firing.

As the screams begin, Spirit Bane moves across the corridor. His futile banging on Angel's door was not working, so he moves across to the door of the blood pump room. As he does so....

[00:01:19 Jun 2070 -Outside Angel's Room- Aztec Pyramid]
[Background: Tainted 6]

"Why have you disturbed me at this delicate time. I have given you a simple job, and I see you have failed me". The spirit of a man in a hooded robe materialises just behind Spirit bane. The spirit radiates a cold terror, chilling Lean'drea and sucking away her magical powers.

"I need two sacrifices. Bring them, or you will be one of them".

The spirit points a scabby hand at Angel's door and a bolt of magic hits it, destroying it.

"You may use these tools to help you".

With a wave, the spirit calms the Cadarvermen who begin to shamble back toward's Spirit Bane.

"Do not fail me again".

With this the Spirit vanishes

[Aria]

[00:01:18 Jun 2070 - Above the storeroom - Aztec Pyramid]
background count: 0

Ryl winced as the IC first evaded her strike and then seemed to absorb Garyn’s efforts into its code...damn thing didn’t even let the cascade take place, it just soaked up the enforced coding errors into its structure - she wouldn’t have been surprised if it had stood back and laughed at her efforts. Bloody cyber zombie was a much greater challenge than she had anticipated and it really didn’t help that they hadn’t had sufficient time to probe their target before being thrust into this situation...damn Alachia and her machinations.

Ryl couldn’t deny that this was important, Angel’s presence proved that, but given the timescales that she usually worked in this seemed like unseemly haste...surely these events could have been foreseen and dealt with before this critical time?

Of course the Enemy are tricky, perhaps they really had been able to conceal themselves this time...

Thankfully Angel’s lightening strikes finally overwhelmed the IC and left the path open to them

<<We must strike that C&C node now! I will scan it for traps but we may have to risk going in blind...even at matrix speeds we are running out of time...>>

[pbangarth]

[00:01:21 Jun 2070 - Inside Room 12, Angel's room - Aztec Pyramid]
Background: Golden Beauty 4; Force: 6 -- dropped Psychokinesis, Accident and Movement powers

No sooner does Mandala take the form of an instrument, that the door to the corridor disintegrates into flying fragments hurtling throughout the room. they bounce off the containment cage and Mandala with equal lack of effect, but the piled machinery at the door parts like so much dandelion fluff in the wind. The way in is completely open. Through the dust, Mandala can see Spirit Bane, his aura clear and easy to recognize. So is his emotional state, which radiates like a beacon.

Wow. I hope that ...something ... that appeared outside just before the blast is really gone as the spell suggests. I have enough trouble on the way as it is. But wait. Spirit Bane is afraid! Ehhhhhxcellent.

[Sephiroth]

[unknown time - inside a dream]

Oh, dear.

Fearghas sat in his chair quietly while the hooded figure spoke. When the figure has said his peace, Fearghas raises his gauntlet-covered hands and claps them with deliberate slowness and awkwardness. "Well said, Ysrthgrathe, well said indeed. Couldn't have said it better myself, and thank you so very much for kindly inviting us into your humble grave for this get-together of yours. I must confess, I was rather hoping - a small hope, really - that I would not have the misfortune of meeting you here today. I do lead a busy life, you understand. But ah well, Fate has an interesting sense of humor sometimes, so nothing to be done about it, I suppose. I would have thought that seven thousand years would have done a bit more to change your sense of fashion, though. Those robes went out of style centuries ago. Tsk tsk." He shakes his head in a disappointed sort of way.

"As far as what you're trying to accomplish, well, it's an interesting idea, to be sure. A bit amusing, actually, since I'm not quite sure you've thought this all the way through. I'm afraid you're going to have to refresh my memory regarding this debt of yours, though. That was so very long ago, you know, and one can only remember so much over the course of several thousand years. I'm sure you understand. And while you're at it," he gestures a thumb toward the corner of the room where Aren lies, "what's he doing here?"