#Objective moving toward the exit. Puma?#
#In position.#
#Cheetah, Tiger?#
#In position. Targets 2, 3 in sight.#
#In position. Targets 4, 5, 6 in sight.#
#Mama Cat?#
#Birds deployed, area clear, all targets in sight. Objective locked.#
#Tabby?#
#Null astral activity. Ward still up.#
#Lynx?#
#System's ready for a nice long nap.#
#And the objective's phone?#
#It's all mine. You want to make a call?#
#Concentrate, damn it. Mama?#
#He's coming out the back as usual. On the first floor… ground floor… he's ours.#

Miguel Itzcoatl lit a cigarette as he left the building, letting the cool evening air wash over him. The deep purple of the sky in front of him faded to a light blue behind; the gravel beneath his feet crunched as he made his way to the pavement of the parking lot. The car beeped its familiar greeting at his approach, swinging the driver's-side door open; he slid in and turned the key in the ignition.
Puma clapped his hand over the man's mouth and quickly slid the monofilament-edged knife through his throat. Outside, the night sky roared with the sound of Mama Cat's birds filling the air with lead.
Motecuma leaned against the security door, breathing heavily. The camera on the hall outside showed the door freshly painted with Sanchez' blood, but gave no sign of the grinning psychopath who had risen out of nowhere with a sword in his hand. A god-damned sword! Looking around the room, his gaze fell on the phone.
Phone.
He ran over, lifting it off of the receiver and dialing the High Threat Emergency Response number. He waited breathlessly while it rang. Rang? The number was supposed to connect immediately! Someone picked up, and he nearly collapsed from relief.
"Hello, command? There's an emergency. We're under attack, we've suffered losses. I think they're after Itzcoatl, he just left the building."
"Oh yes, we were. Don't worry, he's quite dead."
Motecuma froze. One by one the monitors in front of him went blank, then sprang to life displaying the feed of the room he was standing in. He stared in horror as the sentry gun behind him deployed.

#Status.#
#Target 2 down.#
#Targets 5 and 6 down#
#Target 3 is in four pieces. Is that down? Oh wait, it might be five…#
#Targets 1, 4, 8 down. 7 is tagged, he'll be mine in under a minute.#
#Astral is clean.#
#Objective is down. I'm on my way out with the body and the objective vehicle.#
#Good. Let's get out of here before corpsec shows.#

"—Should've seen the look on his face."
"Bet it wasn't as good as the one on his partner's. Wildcat looked like she was ready to pop when I told her about your stunt, though."
"Bitch needs to take that stick out of her ass."
Cheetah laughed. Tiger snorted. "Try sayin' that to her face. She'll rip your head off."
"I'd like to see—"
"And eat it for breakfast. I might anyway."
Lynx whirled around, visibly shaken. "Oh, hey there, we were just—"
"If you ever pull a stunt like that again, I will personally send your spinal column first-class mail to Juan Atzcapotzalco. Do you understand me?"
"Listen, the run went off perfectly—"
"Because they had a fucking idiot design the emergency phone. If that phone had been direct we'd've been facing fucking Aguilars."
"I wouldn't have done it if it was! I'm not stupid!"
"And I'm not going to be the one to take the fall when you get it wrong. Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Cheetah, come with me. You too, Lynx; maybe being at the meet in person will remind you what it's like to have your neck out in the air."
Wildcat's glare cut short any thought of protest. He followed, resigned.
Tiger sighed and leaned back in his chair. He looked over at Tabby. "Hey, you awake over there?"
She looked up, startled. "What? Oh, yes. I'm sorry, I guess I'm just preoccupied. I can't wait until we can get out of here…"
"I know what you mean. Aztlan isn't my idea of where to spend time, especially in summertime. You hear what they do to SINless prisoners?" Her expression told him that yes, she had. "Anyway, we'll be out of here soon. We've got one more thing to do, then we'll be rolling in money and on our way out of here."
"I guess so. You know that rebellion down in the Yucatan? I was thinking of helping them out before, but now… now I don't think I could spend any more time here, not even for that. This entire land is rotting, poisoned. I haven't felt clean since we got here."
"That's just the sweat, babe. Grab a drink, kick back, and remember: it'll all be over before you know it."

#Guys! Pack the fuck up and get out of the safehouse! The meet was a setup!#
#What? What happened? Where's Wildcat?#
#She's dead! They got Cheetah, too! It happened so fast…#
#Hey there, children. Sorry to break up playtime, but you need to get your asses out of there and into my van, 'cause we've got incoming.#
#What is it?#
#Big and none of your concern. Just get the hell out of there and let me worry about it.#
#Our wards are still good here…#
#And your walls aren't going to be much longer. Do I have to tell you aga—ah, good, someone listens to me. Puma, you there?#
#I'm here. Come down the road, I'll tell you when to stop.#
#Not good enough, honey. Tell me where to get you now or I leave you behind.#
#Half a mile down by the Stuffer Shack.#
#Be there in a jiff.#
#Hey, what about me?#
#We'll give you a shout when we've got Puma. Get as far away from the meet as you can and make sure you aren't being followed.#

"You sold us out! You fucking sold us out!"
"What the fuck are you on? They tagged me in the shoulder, god damn it, and they killed the client! They killed the fucking client! We're not getting paid for this shit now!"
"You went into that meet with a fifteen-year veteran, one of the best in the biz, and with the most wired person I've met apart from Mama Cat in eight years in the Shadows. You expect me to believe that you're the one who walks away?"
#Settle down, children, or I'm going to paint the van red with both of you.#
"Look, Puma, Lynx is all right. He wouldn't sell us out."
"Do you know that? Have you worked with him before?"
"No, but—"
"But shit! You don't know a thing about him! He could be god-damned Juan Atzcapotzalco for all you know!"
#Do I have to tell you again?#
The machine gun on one of Mama's birds rotated slightly. Puma sat back heavily, eyeing it. Tabby appeared to be trying to melt into the corner of the van.
#That's better. Now, they've got helos sweeping the area North, so we're going due South.#
"What?"
#You heard me. I've got contacts with the rebels, so if we can get there we just might get ourselves a big bird and get out of there.#
"Isn't there… another way?"
Puma blinked, the presence of a fourth person in the back of the van half-startling him.
#'Fraid not, hon. You gonna be ok?#
Tabby swallowed hard. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll be ok."
#So now, if two you don't make me kill you both, we can start working on getting out of here. Sound good to everyone?#

More! You can't just end it there!

Of course I can't. I can, however, sleep now and then

~J

Sleep is highly over-rated!

yeah what happens next!!!!!!!

I love it, excellent writing!!

sleep is for the weak!! i demand more! must know what happend to them

"So what's up with the bigwigs?"
"Didn't you hear? They killed Security Officer Itzcoatl in the middle of one of the most secure non-compound facilities in the country! Stole his car, too, and Tonacecuhtli knows how much sensitive data. This is the big time, kid."
"Who is it, the rebels?"
"Too fast and professional. Rebels never would've tagged Itzcoatl. Maybe it was another company—Ares, maybe—or maybe it was those damn Keebs."
"Hey!"
"Look, my sister's an elf too, but those pansies in Tir Tairngire? They're Keebs, no doubt about it."
#Bunker has assault cannon and machine gun mounted, sounds like two guards inside. Remotely-triggered mines in the path.#
#I'll have the door open shortly.
Puma grimaced and switched over to a private channel. #How do you trust him?#
#Same way I trust the rest of you kids. I keep big guns pointed at you.#
#Great.#
#Just relax. If he tries anything he'll be in pieces before you can say "Johnny jump-up". In the meantime, try not to give him reasons to defect if he hasn't already.#
#Fine.#
He dialed back over to the main channel as the door slid open.
"You think we're gonna see action?"
"Hell no, they're headed for the border if they know what's good for them."
"Hey, relief's earl—"
Puma's knife lodged itself in his skull. The other man dove for a weapon but was stopped by a swift kick to the stomach. Two more blows dropped him to his knees, and a third snapped his neck with a wet crunch.
#They're down.#
#Lynx, can you blow those mines?#
#Negative.#
#Puma, look for the trigger. If you can't find anything, just stand back and I'll shoot them. Grab any ammo you can find, and that assault cannon. Oh, and check for hazmat suits and supplies.#
#Hazmat suits?#
#Haven't been following the Yucatan coverage, have you? That place is a mess.#
#Watcher squad incoming on search pattern!#
#Hurry!#
Puma strapped what gear he could to himself, slug the box of cannon rounds over his shoulder, then hefted the assault cannon. #Can't find the trigger.#
#Stand back.#
The gunfire lasted slightly more than ten seconds, interspersed with explosions from the road outside. The van drove up to the bunker.
#Check the path.#
#It's clear.#
#Get in.#

so is there going to be more?

The last major fiction he wrote had breaks in it...so put it on your watch list and let the man write!

I can't wait, myself...this is gonna be fun.

still got the links to the old ones to help me pas the time waiting?

A Wee Bit O' the Fiction by Kagetenshi and Rather a Lot O' the Fiction by various.

"I've got one!"
#Good. What can you get on it?#
"Not much, mostly food. Hazmat suits, though. Even a few air tanks. What do you want this stuff for, anyway?"
#Read the news coming out of the Yucatan?#
"Yeah, but…"
#Let's just say they understate how messed up the place is. When can you have the shipment pass by us?#
"It's set to dispatch in two hours, arrive in six."
#Not good enough.#
"If I stamp it urgent, it comes with guards. Not to mention what happens if someone starts asking why this shipment is so urgent…"
#How long?#
"It'd dispatch in half an hour tops, arrive in three."
#Do it.#

"Three nines."
"Bullshit."
"Take 'em."
"Ah man… four tens."
"Pair of jacks."
"One Queen."
"Bullshit."
"Aw, man… you've got 'em all, don't you. Just my luck."
"So have they nailed those fugitives yet?"
"Nah, but they won't get away. Word is they're headed due South."
"What? What the hell they thinking? Didn't the killing happen within three hundred miles of the border?"
"It's what kept them alive. They've been watchin' the roads with fuckin' assault helos. Top brass wants them dead and good."
"It's been three days and they're nowhere to be found. Maybe they'll actually get away."
"Not a chance. Soon as they get down where the real fighting is, they're dead."
"Speaking of which, these supplies are supposed to be for the troops. Where the hell we going?"
"Don't ask me. Maybe the company's training another squad of Jaguars or something."
"Ah well. Better here than into that toxic mess of a warzone. You gonna play or what?"
"Three Kings."
"That was a good movie. Don't make 'em like that anymore."
"Shut up. Three aces."
"Bullshit."
"Take 'em."
"Pair of twos."
"One three."
"Three fours."
"Bullshit."
"What was that?"
"Bullshit, I said."
"No, not that. Sounded like we hit something. Hey Juan, you ok up there? Juan?"
#Driver down. Multiple signatures inside. Damn, girl, that truck moves like molasses.#
#Thanks. Five targets, no mages, one a physical adept. Watch out.#
#Got it under control. Ready when you are.#
#Just don't damage the merchandise.#
Tabby reached inside the lock with her magic, feeling it twist and distort as she poured energy into it. It snapped, and the door swung open. A knife left Puma's hand as Tiger skewered one of the guards on his sword, pushing him back and forcing another guard to the floor. He cocked his fist; the blade snicked into place out of his forearm, and he brought it down. He turned to face the third and caught a short stick to the face. The other man moved fast, as fast as Tiger himself, and with much greater viciousness. The short, quick blows came fast, too fast to defend against.
Puma slid up behind and sank his blade into the back of the man's skull.
#Thanks.#
#Be more careful next time. He had you.#
#Hush, children, and get those crates over here. They're going to be checking in on this shipment any minute.#

"Why can't we ever be on the run for something we didn't do?"
#I guess we're just too good at our jobs. Hey Tabby, how're you feeling?#
"I guess I'm ok. After a while all of the death just blurs and fades into the background. How much further did you say it was?"
#A few more hours, then we break through their lines. After that, another hour should— fuck.#
"What's up?"
#Incoming. Three helos, two Aguilars and one I don't recognize. Get out of the van.#
The van swerved off the road, coming to rest in a patch of trees. The rear doors swung open.
"But—"
#Out. Now. I'll try to meet back up with you. You've got a waypoint in your nav gear. Head for it.#
Tiger slung the assault cannon over his shoulder, slipped some rounds into his pack, grabbed his sword and rifle and ran into the trees, followed by the others.
#There's an APC five kilometers north. Looks like Jaguars. Be careful.#
The doors swung closed. The van jerked back onto the road; a pair of hatches on the roof opened and from them poured six drones, sun glinting on rotor and machine gun barrel.
#What the fuck was that?#
#Fuck, I can't hear a thing. Mama Cat! Where are you?#
Another deafening crack filled the skies as the second ferrous slug tossed the shell of the van into the air. A third slug wedged the van against a tree; the fourth reduced it to so much scrap metal.
Lynx gasped for air, his legs straining madly to keep sight of Puma. Tiger half-led, half-carried Tabby, weaving through the brush.
They ran.

Hey Kage, this one your diary from the trip to Aztlan when you was writing the other one?

No comment

~J

please write more...we have all been waiting on edge for the next post

#Puma, you there?#
#Affirmative. Lynx is with me.#
#I've got Tabby. We're safer split up right now; I've added a waypoint about sixty kilometers South. Meet there no later than ten days from now.#
#Ten days to go sixty kilometers? Are you nuts?#
#Better guess high than low. Radio silence 'till then.#
#Last one there's a rotten egg.#

"Anything?"
"They're gone, sir. We intercepted a transmission, but fast cryptanalysis failed and our request for more processing power was denied. Estimated cracking time is about two weeks."
"Not worth it. What about personnel and equipment?"
"The Jaguars are still assigned to us, as are four Aguilars. The Mixcoatl was transferred South. Your request for an Ometecuhtl unit was denied, as was your request for Tlaloc units."
"Damn pencil-pushers. This would cost less if they'd just give us what we need up front. Where are the targets?"
"We don't know. The vegetation's too thick to effectively pursue, and there are too many signatures for the sensors."
"Well, they'll turn up. Or die in there, if we're lucky; that's inside a contaminated zone. Set a patrol around the area due South and get pictures to the local law enforcement."
"Yes, sir."

"You've come a long way, little cat."
"Hello, Fox."
"The Fox takes care of her kin, little cat."
"This place is wrong. Evil."
"Yes, it is. You're in danger, little cat. Not your life, your soul. Listen to me. Do not wait for your companions. Don't go to the meeting point."
"But—"
"No buts, little cat. Have I turned you wrong before? The Fox takes care of her kin, little cat, but you are passing beyond my care."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean are you awake? You ok? You've been staring at that tree for the last ten minutes!"
"Oh… sorry, I was just thinking about something."
They walked in silence for several minutes.
"You know…"
"Yeah?"
"Maybe we shouldn't go to the waypoint."
"What? You lost your god-damn mind?"
"It might not be safe."
"Listen, girl, I like you and all, but those are our comrades we're waiting for. And even if they weren't, four guns are better than two. No way, the only way we're getting out of here is together."

I just want to apologize for the delay and note that I am continuing this (I've been writing the next installment for about a week now, but I can't get it to sound right). The stress surrounding SR4 and some other things in my personal life have been draining my creativity, but I'm hoping to pick up and keep on trucking soon. Thanks for your patience.

~J

No problem. I, for one, am willing to wait.

Ditto here - I've got this topic on my watch list so I don't miss a post. So take your time, get it just the way you want it and we'll sit back and watch the glory unfold!

ditto, great stuff Kagetenshi, reading more and more fiction really helps me cement the setting in my mind, thanks a lot, and this is really good stuff.

amadeus

Lynx gasped for breath, heart pounding in time with his feet as he strained to keep up with Puma. His jacket caught on a tree and ripped, partly exposing the armoring underneath. His body ached for water, but he didn't dare pause; he was near to losing sight of the other man as it was.
"Stop!"
Puma halted, but did not turn around. Lynx staggered the the dozen or so meters between them and collapsed against a tree.
"Could you… please, for the… love of God… slow down!"
"You see those dead trees?"
Lynx looked up. Now that he mentioned it, there were a great deal of dead trees around. "What about them?"
"This whole place is poisoned. Probably radioactive too. The longer we spend here, the less it'll matter if we get out."
"Well fuck, if you're going to leave me behi—" He fell backwards as Puma jumped on top of him, clapping a hand over his mouth and forcing him to the ground. He started to struggle, but a quick shake of the head stilled him. Puma cocked his head, listening.
"Stay down. We've got company."
With barely a sound, Puma slipped into the vegetation.

"I found something!"
"What?"
"Bloodstains. We must have wounded one of them."
"Any tracks?"
"A few. The ground here is no good."
"Right. Fan out, I'll report back."

....

Do you have writers block, or do you just like to keep us in suspense?

Mostly mild writer's block combined with end-of-the-semester blues (where by "blues" I mean "lack of time"). It's coming, though!

~J

there is much rejoicing

"Incoming. Get down."
Tabby slid into the hole under some of the thicker vegetation Tiger had dug, willing herself smaller. Tiger lay sprawled under a similar concealment in a different part of the clearing. They waited.
"—Team Three says they found something. Maybe we can get out of here soon."
"Maybe. Keep your eyes peeled all the same. Even if Three bags them, no sense in getting eaten by some damn beast. I hear all the toxins have turned the surviving animals really mean."
"That's just what they tell the mooks to keep desertion down."
"I'm not saying it's true and I'm not saying it isn't, but—"
"Look ou—"
Tiger's burst caught him full in the face, dropping him to the ground. The others swung their weapons around as Tiger lined up the reticle in his vision with each in turn. Four more pulls of the trigger and Tiger rose to his feet.
"The others heard that. Let's get out of here."
He pulled Tabby to her feet, dragging her behind him through the trees. Behind, one of the shapes on the ground stirred.
The bullet brought Tabby sharply to her knees, head swimming as she brought her pistol around to fire wildly back. The second shot whistled past her ear; Tiger's assault rifle chattered briefly and then was silent. She slid forward onto the ground.

<Snip>

Much appreciated.

~J

PM sent.

"Over here!"
"What the hell is that?"
"Shit… if that's our targets… what the fuck happened to them?"
"God damn… something smeared them across that tree. Something big."
"See any pieces big enough to get an ID off?"
"Aw fuck, is that a skull? Looks fresh, too…"
"That thing's been picked totally clean. Take a look at it." He picked up the skull, turning it in his hands. Javier started.
"Hey boss, you sure you want to get close to that tree? That thing feels… wrong."
"Don't be silly, this is just the Sangre del Drago. I've never heard of one this far North, though—it's very good for the health, especially on wounds and for digestion." He plunged his hand into a crack in the tree, and it emerged covered in a deep, thick red sap. He held it up, catching the light filtering through the trees.
Javier watched the drops slowly coalesce, glistening in the sun before finally, slowly, dropping down to the ground below. Something seemed strange about it all, but he felt suddenly tired… perhaps he should—
"Boss! Your hand!"
the man screamed, the flesh on his hand all but gone, the beginnings of white bone showing at the tips of his fingers. From behind him came another scream; Hector had somehow managed to get himself wedged entirely into one of the vast cracks in the tree. Javier turned to run.
STOP
He froze in terror, legs refusing to operate. He fell to the ground, looking back wild with terror to see the tree slowly drawing closer.

Puma watched the man crawl backwards, slowly and screaming all the way, towards the tree. The two remaining Aztechnology soldiers were walking very slowly towards the tree, frantically spraying bullets into the trunk.
Lynx looked up as he came back into view. "What happened?"
"You don't want to know.

Pain.
Wha– what is this? Where—
"Hello, little cat."
"Fox? Where are you?"
"I'm right here, little cat. Your eyes are still closed"
Tabby blinked, then looked down. She gasped; on the ground at her feet lay the nearly-lifeless body of a fox, covered in oozing sores. The end of its tail lay in a puddle of something that hissed and smoked; she quickly moved it clear.
"What happened to you? I don't know if I can help—"
"No. Listen to me, little cat. Do not worry about me, it is you who are in danger."
"What—"
Pain. A gunshot from behind. Moist dirt in her mouth, and the subtle taste of chemicals soaked into the ground over long years.
"I was shot."
Silence.
"How bad is it?"
"Bad. Very bad. If you aren't careful it will take you." The fox twitched on the ground, gasping a weak attempt at a cough.
"What can I do?"
"Leave. Leave now and don't look back. Go away from it all, go North. Get out of the woods, they're not clean."
"But the others—"
The fox began to shake violently, bloody froth dropping from its muzzle. It thrashed twice and was still.

Tiger tore another strip off of his shirt, binding it in place as best he could. He'd washed the worst of the debris out of the wound and done a half-decent job of disinfecting—it had taken most of the hydrogen peroxide he had on hand, and he cursed himself for not having taken the opportunity to get more the previous week. It's not worth it, it's almost over, they'd be out of Aztlan in ten days anyway so what's the point in paying the extra… they always sound like good reasons at the time.

He put the thought that it might not make a difference out of his head and turned to stand guard.

Swimming. Haze of… something. Something? Feels like…

She dragged her eyes open slowly, looking down to see the ground rushing past, a pair of legs rapidly pumping into and out of view. Her stomach heaved, then emptied itself of what little remained inside; the legs, perhaps forwarned by her sudden movement, nimbly avoided the stream without breaking stride. She reached for the calming presence of Fox, for the healing magic she barely remembered she knew, but the threads refused to weave. She reached again and again, but each time they slipped from her fingers, unravelled beneath nerveless hands.

Fox… where are you…

Sun…

She opened her eyes slowly, squinting in the brightness. She was in a field, the light of a Summer afternoon streaming down on her, the tall grass around her swaying in a gentle breeze. Around her, insects droned lazily. She stood unsteadily, feeling smooth skin where the bullet had pierced her. Nearby, a stream flowed into a copse of trees, green and vibrant and alive.

She lay back down, spreading her arms and closing her eyes. The light soaked her skin, soaked deep into her tired bones, shone to the depths of her mind and soul. She lay at peace. It was then that she first heard the voice.

To say that the voice had no source would be false; no form, perhaps, is closer the truth. She heard it in the wind, in the buzzing of the bees, in the rustling of the grass; she smelled it in the air, felt it in the sun on her skin.

My child, lay away your pain. Here, you are safe.

Safe… her side ached as she struggled to remember, but it abated as she gave up; she sank back into the sunlight, basking in the peace she had never known.

My child, I am in need. Will you aid me?

Yes, yes, oh god yes, let me stay here…

You cannot stay. Even now this place is vanishing. But you can save it.

How?

Search your heart. The answer is there. Aid me, and you will return here. Aid me, and you will find the peace you long for.

She swallowed. But…

You know what you must do. Search your heart, you know this to be the only way.

I…

The answer is within you. Seek for it.

The sun began to slip away; at first she thought it was clouds, but then she realized that the very earth and sky were falling away into the distance, the hum of insects growing fainter by the second. She reached out for it, clawing for purchase on something, anything, and then blackness embraced her.

This is why my players leave immediately after hearing Aztlan, or Aztechnology.

"English?"
Tiger dropped to the ground, depositing Tabby as gently as he could and rolling backwards past her.
"A simple yes or no will suffice." The man stepped out from behind a tree. He was lean and dark, and stood almost half a foot shorter than Tiger.
"Yes."
"Ah, good. You are the one they call Tiger?"
"That's right, and I've got enough Jaguar blood on my claws for one day."
"Jaguar blood? Strange, I don't remember…" he paused, pensive, and then a smile of realization crossed his lips. He struggled to contain his amusement.
By the time Tiger brought his rifle to bear, the other man had vanished behind a tree. The sound of his laughter carried clearly through the forest. "My friend, you wound me. Those vermin, Jaguars? Our little brothers the Leopards would die of shame to count them among their ranks." Tiger's grenade left his hand, and a blur of motion sped through the trees, almost too fast to track. "No, my friend, I think the Tiger will not dine on the Jaguar tonight."
The other man moved again; Tiger sent burst after burst after him, bullets slamming into earth and tree as the Jaguar dashed and rolled from tree to tree with a grace and speed Tiger had never seen.
Tiger was lining up a last burst when he saw the shotgun that had appeared in the Jaguar's hands. It blasted its report three times in quick succession; Tiger felt the rounds land, felt his armor give way as consciousness slipped from him.

Where…

Tabby winced, the throbbing in her side worsening with each breath. She forced open an eye, her vision swimming, to see a man standing over Tiger's slumped form. The man pointed a shotgun at the body at his feet. She half-shouted, half-gurgled a cry of anger, flailing to reach the power the poisoned land blocked from her. The man glanced over, surprised at the movement; he turned to walk over to her. Tabby saw his finger tighten on the trigger. She screamed in anger and frustration.

The Jaguar blinked as his hand disappeared, even his metal nerves too slow to pass on the pain. He looked up, understanding in his eyes, and then his face disappeared. Tabby screamed still, her aura glowing almost too bright to look at, the wound in her side knitting itself under the flow; piece after piece of the Jaguar vanished, reduced to so many free-floating molecules.

(Damn! What kind of spell is THAT?)

She becomes Dark Phoenix!

The avenger shaman.

Whoa...I always envisioned that as something else. Neat effect though.

And here I was expecting something exotic....

The power manifests differently for different people, the effect is the same though.

Tiger woke to a slightly tingly, pleasantly cool numbness in his body. A pure white light filtered through his closed eyelids. He tried moving an arm, unconcerned by his body's lack of response. The light faded gradually, and he opened his eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
He mumbled something, even he wasn't sure what. "Just rest for right now. You took a bad one back there. I patched you up and did something extra for the pain. If you take it easy, you'll be right as rain in no time."
"Jaguar… where…"
"Hush. He's gone, don't worry about him."
"Always travel in groups… five…"
"Five, you say? Then there are two still out there. Don't you worry about them, Tabby will take care of it. Just rest for now, and I'll be back soon."