It was about 2am when it started. Experiment 666 aka Jynxs stepped onto the infinity express as it departed from the Airport stop. The high pitched squeek of the brakes confirmed it was time for him to get on. Nobody was on that night, so Jynxs sat alone at the very back of the train. As always, a thick fog began to roll in, surrounding and eventually filling the train, bringing with it the stench of mold, and a 40 degree farenheit chill.

Jynxs watched through the frozen windows, with his glowing purple occuli, as the train passed enviornment after enviornment, until the windows frosted over and that was no longer an option. He soon found himself staring at reflections of reflections. The polished chrome finishes on the train, reflected the images that were reflected off the windows. Jynxs gave a sigh of boredom, and his breath fogged on the chilly air. He was about to get up and leave when a "ding" sounded off. This meant that another passenger was about to arive.

Jynxs ultimately decided to be patient. If he was lucky, the passenger would be a pretty young woman, whom he coul torture for hours on the train without being noticed. After all, he did have a record for those sorts of things. On the other hand, his luck could be greater, and the train could stop to pick up somebody worth his time as a challenger! Jynxs grinned his sick grin, showing his barbed yellow teeth, as he stroked his stomache and hissed in parceltounge. "Come nyagna, put on your makeup, and get ready for some tasty company."

Deep in the whorls of time and space, upon the onyx throne of the Nexus sat a brooding form. Streaming, violet energies roiled around the eye sockets and slowly drifted away as the figure shifted ever so slightly, his attention upon a sleek, tubular form racing along a cushion of electromagnetic energy. A slender, skeletal finger traced the route of the mag-lev train, a voice carried from the depths of the gloom surrounding the throne.

“What shall you do Dreamer?”

“I will do what I must. An entity exists that is unique in the eternal dreaming. Before us is a being that is sentient and yet without the physical components to possess even a rudimentary intelligence.”

Silence lingered in the dark, after aeons of contemplation the Dreamer stood, satisfied that this being, this creature warranted a closer examination. Drawing forth the dark of the galdhr, a whispered utterance lost to eternity and a gentle caress of a rather plain amulet around his neck completed the action. Deep in the shifting chaotic dream stuff of galdhr and seidhr a form takes shape, moving with deliberate steps towards the one who summoned it. From the eternal gloom, a skeletal horse clopped forward, amethyst flames wreathing the hooves, as a violet glow emanated from the hollow eye sockets.

Mounting the great charger, the Dreamer pulled his hooded cloak closer to his form, and then with a gentle nudge the horse stepped towards a mass of dark foamy energy. Skallagrim the Dreamer, Cughtagh of the Dreaming Queen and protector of the Nexus of Worlds stepped onto a twisting path of nightmares and dreams.

Through births and deaths of stars, passing along the entirety of a planets life forms, a moment in time, glimpsed and gone as dust in the winds. The Dreamer continued to ride, through space, through time along foamy darkness that gave rise to horrific entities of nightmares, birthed in the fevered sleep of the Eternal Dreamers.

Horse and rider felt the coalescing reality of the entity, felt the firmness of the world that the being roamed in. Primitiveness, anarchy of thoughts and dreams gripped the world. The very taste of the dreams and hopes of the population filled the Dreamer with a longing, a desire for a time less violent. But it was a fleeing emotion, for he was Skallagrim, the Cughtagh the Walker between Worlds and he had found a new experience that he would savor and then record and share with those who slumbered.

Nanoseconds ticked by until the hooves of the great charger merged with the reality of the train known as the Infinity Express. The sudden roar of the train as it sluiced through the cold air and dense fog that swarmed the long, cylindrical form. The dark foam of the galdhr erupted with a loud explosive pop then they appeared just above the train and to the left the great charger ran along the swirling darkness as the rider savored the moments of air rushing along his form. The dark cape billowed under the whipping winds, the rider hunched forward urging the great charger to even greater speeds, racing alongside of the train until it reached the bullet-formed nose.

The grinning deaths head, spirals of amethyst energy raced behind it as the horse galloped with such force that it caused the very air to be torn asunder and the resultant thunderclaps echoed for long minutes causing those who heard it to shudder and pray to what gods they believed in for protection.

As the great horse moved along the bullet nose, the figure pulled the horse closer to the metal skin of the train. Where a gloved hand reached out and for the briefest of time touched the metal before the hand passed through and into the driver’s cabin. The man stared with abject horror as the skeletal being stepped through the wall of the train and into his cockpit.

“Please…please don’t hurt me.”

“I have no wish to harm you human, I am here to experience something else, something far beyond your conceptions and imaginings.”

Looking down at the driver’s hand as it hovered near the braking throttle, “You will not need that.” Then with a wave the driver was gone, back in his bed, tossing and turn so violently that it caused his wife to fear for him.

Tapping the amulet once again the skeletal being whispered, “I do not require you my friend…slumber well.” Outside the great horse snorted, and then slowly faded into nothingness.

Turning towards the door Skallagrim paused as his hand reached for the latch; there was another stirring of the fabric of reality, another entity was coming. Focusing his energies, he sought out the traces of power to find and classify it.

Every job starts the same.

A manilla envelope delivered in the mail.

A train ride to a city just south of Boston.

Waiting in a toll booth for a half hour.

Recieving a call from a 'mysterious' benefactor.

And then a desk in a dimly lit room, a small light dangling just above the table. Barely illuminating the features of the man sitting across from Shin.

Every time he thought he was outside of Shin's line of sight, every time he wasn't. Mysterious benefactors were always the same. Acting as though they're unique and gritty bastards with enough pull to hold themselves at higher rank than others.

They didn't deserve the power they have, but they pay well.

At the order of this particular mysterious benefactor, a bounty had been put on the head of a so called 'mudman wizard.' Yeah, if you've heard of anything sillier than a mudman wizard, I'd probably pay to hear it. This Mudman was some kind of scientific experiment, and a chunk of his flesh. . . Chunk of his mud might be useful for medical purposes. As Shin read over that last sentence he smiled beneath his mask, a soft crunching noise came from his face as the scabby growth scraped against the inside of his mask. "I mean. Yeah, a living thing of mud. That's gotta be like, that uh. That theraputic mud, except better. So good that it rejuvinates itself, or something. Right?"

The man across the table just nodded, forgetting for a moment that he was supposed to be hidden from view. With an embarassed cough he realized what he had done and quickly tried to cover his tracks. "Yes. Something along the lines of that. The company I work for will pay top dollar for a sample of that mud, and if it's successful you'll get a second payment."

"Second?" You could almost hear the sound of his eyebrows being raised.

The businessman nearly jumped, he had misspoken in the most dangerous way. "I meant third. Yes, third payment. The initial, the delivery payment, and possibly the successful business payment."

Shin layed the packet on the desk between them, pushing himself up from his seat. "I expect my payments in my apartment, not outside of it. Not on the doorstep. I want it inside, behind my bed. I'll bring you that mud, so I expect you to keep your end of the deal." He grabbed his vest and pulled it from the back of the chair, pulling it over his shoulders and buttoning it up the middle. "Try any funny business and I come after you next, mister C-E-O." The letters escaped his mouth with a toxic tone. If words could kill, he would have already been dead. Sweat beaded on the head of the businessman, he didn't question it. He didn't need to question it. Shin was known for his incredible skill and connections, it was to be expected that he would be able to see him for who he is.

"I'll be going now. Make sure it gets there on time."

Fast forward a few days, and you have Shin sitting on the seat of a city bus. Reading a magazine about how to groom your birds without making them hate you. Shin likes birds, they live long lives if you take care of them.

The bus rode along its route, stopping dozens of times before Shin got off at the last stop. An unmarked stop, it lead into a small alleyway where he and two other men got off. The other men went off into different directions, unaware of the final stop's true purpose.

The assassin marched down the alleyway, placed his hand on the end of the wall. "I need a bit of transport. I'm on another hunt." A dim blue light enveloped him, and his body was raised a few inches off the ground. There he levitated for a few scarce moments before vanishing into thin air.

Shin's mode of transport was a simple low energy portal, allowing him to travel along the laylines of the earth and even sling off to other planets if need be. He bought it off some weirdo 'wizard' who had no other method of paying him for the job.

The flash ended, and Shin was now standing on the platform of a train. The sign said: "Infinity Express."

I mean, it actually said it. Speaking electronic signs always fuck Shin up, when you read something and another voice says it out loud.

With his magazine still in hand, Shin sat down on a nearby bench. Waiting for the rattle of the train to hit him. When the ground starts shaking, the fun will begin.

A few moments after conversing with Nyagna, the train began lurching to a slow stop. "60 seconds until the doors open" Jynxs stated to himself, knowing full well that trains took way too long to stop. He covered one side of his face ad began a charge in his eyes.

Jynxs was sitting in the last of the 6 cars that made up the train, so the new passenger could get on from one side, and Jynxs might even have the pleasure of chasing them down. Nyagna was anxious to be summoned and squirmed about Jynxs' stomache.

"Patience Darling." Jynxs said, as he leaned forward in his seat. The frozen red leather beneath him gave a crunchy squeek. "Only 30 more seconds." Already thoughts of how to prepare his dinner swirled about his sick mind. "What if its a woman? One who is well informed in the art of selfdefence. Oh how I love it when they squirm, and resist, before they realize its pointless."

He of coarse was talking to himself about forcibly taking a woman. He could have sex anyways though. The mud that composed his flesh just didnt have the necissary parts. However he was wanted for the crime in several countries none the less.

"10 seconds" he hissed, still covering his right eye.
"9"
"8"
"7"
....

A sudden, dramatic and yet smooth slowing as the mag-lev train slowed automatically for the next stop. Skallagrim peered through the frost-encrusted windows, a soft hiss escaped as he felt the energies of someone waiting on the platform. Allowing his aesr to fluctuate a moment the heat he generated defrosted the windows in the drivers cockpit in short order.

As the last vestiges of ice slid from the windows, the grinning skull of Skallagrim came into view, as streamers of amethyst energies swirled around his head. Only one person was on the platform, a seated individual with an odd helmet or mask. As the train came into the station, slowing Skallagrim reached out with his energies, a wispy trail of violet light that illuminated the platform, then he stopped as the train skittered by the seated figure.

It was the assassin; Skallagrim had come across him before, a man with a unique talent for the combative arts, a man skilled in multiple ways of dealing death and all of them painful. The very presence of this man was of utmost importance to the Dreamer who walks, for it meant that someone else had found the traits of the man aboard more than a passing fancy.

As the cockpit element of the lead car passed, the skeletal figure raised a gloved hand in a gesture of acknowledgement. Then he was passed the seated figure as the lead car reached the end of the platform, while lights on the dash lit up, Skallagrim heard the soft hissing as doors opened.

In one swift move, the Dreamer pulled open the door and stepped into the harsh lights of the passenger cabin. The lush leather seats and detailing of mahogany spoke of opulence, yet a layer of frost covered them. With quick, sure strides the skeletal being crossed the cabin and stood before the connecting door. It was also frosted with ice. Allowing his aesr to flow freely he created a warming zone that filled the first cabin, defrosting the windows and causing the fog to condense and drip as a fine mist everywhere.

The presence of fog and ice seemed out of place, perhaps it was some part of the man on the train. It seemed counter intuitive since mud would freeze under such cold, and yet it was here. Perhaps the being was not wholly mud, or perhaps he was. Either way, the fog and chill were recorded and would be filed away with the rest of this experience for the Dreamers who slumbered.

As soon as the frost melted from the window and door that separated cars, Skallagrim opened it deftly and then opened the door to the next cabin. As he did so, the seidhr generated warmth interacted with the chilling fog, diffusing it.

Casting a quick glance out the windows as they cleared, he attempted to locate the masked man he had seen seated on the bench. It seems they were here for the same thing, and yet there was no animosity betwixt them, Skallagrim would allow the man to have the mud-creature if he wished. All the Dreamer wanted to was to frame and record the creature so that the eternal sleepers could study him, experience and understand him and his place in the omniverse.

error

Jynxs felt something was off. "Its getting warmer dear..." He hissed to his stomache. By now, his eyes were holding the maximum charge, and he was growing bored of waiting, but the warmth certainly caught his interest. Slowly, he slunked off his seat, and landed on 3's, using his hand that wasnt covering his face to mantain his balance. He began to crawl acorss the cabin in this awkward stance, that didnnot exactly apear possible. (Bridge stance)

At the end of the car/ cabin, he planted his feet and whipped his upper body around so that he could peer through the window on the door, after only breifly brushing off the frost that covered it. There was nothing there, so Jynxs opened this first set of doors quietly, and walked across to the next doors. He repeated the action, again dissapointed to find nobody in the 4th cart either. Jynxs gave a dissapointed sigh, thinking about how dissapointing this hunt was becoming.

He didnt even check the window as he reached for the handle to the 3rd cart and flung it open with a loud bang.

A moment lost in the eternal dream, Skallagrim stood, hand hovering above the handle to the third car, the steam rising from the dissipating fog as the soft patter of water hitting the metal of the train. Something, some presence was coming. Allowing aesr to radiate, washing through the cars and out onto the platform as a rushing wave of energy. Barely perceptible, surely to go unnoticed save for those who have crossed paths of the Dreamers before.

A sound, a hollow stamp of metal and plastic on metal and plastic, accompanied by a soft hiss of the pneumatic systems protesting the abuse it was suffering. It would have to be the mud creature; it had stirred, had moved forward from where it had coiled itself on the train.

Outside the Assassin remained, but for how long? That was the question, and the follow up question was simply, would he be willing to allow the Dreamer to record this creature before he completed his mission?

Returning from the slumber, Skallagrim clasp the handle and slide the door open, stepping through into the third car. The frost and heat collided, creating a cloud of steam that drizzled a rain soaking the seats and carpet of the car.

Slipping through the opening and standing in the doorway, the Dreamer allowed his aesr to flood the car, pinging and recording everything within and focusing on the open door opposite him. A surge of aesr swelled around the skeletal being, streaming amethyst energies issued from the eye sockets, swirling away in the weather front created by the clashing temperatures.

The ground rumbled beneath his seat, forcing small debris on the ground to jostle about. The train was arriving shortly, and already Shin was excited for this new task ahead of him. Assassination is not an easy job you see, for some people they require coping mechanisms to deal with their dirty task. Shin's just so happens to be childish giddiness, or perhaps the giddiness he feels is due to him being sick in the head. Nobody can say for certain. As the train roared and spouted smoke, grinding to a halt on the tracks Shin spotted a small number of cars trailing behind the engine. "So little room, what a drag. I'll probably have to ruin at least two of the cars. A cramped place really doesn't suit me at all."

It slowed itself to a halt, screeching out its unholy horn. Signaling its arrival to all around it. There were few other patrons, an elderly couple and an incredibly tall skeletal figure. 'That's not suspicious at all.' Shin thought to himself with an incredibly sarcastic tone. Oh, and he glows, is he after the same thing I am? That's not a bad thing, no not at all. It makes my job so much easier. I just need a sample, as long as this guy doesn't want his whole corpse he's fine.

He boarded the train, and Shin watched him glance in his direction. Those sockets without eyes pierced right into him, their haunting glow made him shiver for a moment. Otherworldly beings are always a bit disconcerting, Shin is never quite certain how close to the rank of god they are. If they're too close, they might just toss his dominant master a few words of ill intent. And that would be game over for him. If they were too far, then they're still more powerful than he is, but they're cocky too.

'How dreary of a situation this is, I just hope he's on my side.' Shin had forgotten for a moment that he had to get up to actually board the train, the Cughtagh had already boarded and was on his way to the back of the train. "Right then." He closed his magazine and slid it into the pocket of his vest, withdrawing his staff from the same pocket at the same time.

The assassin rose to his feet, patting his pocket with his free hand to make sure he didn't drop his magazine. With little delay he drove onwards and into the train, the doors closing behind him as the conductor gave the last call. The train would start moving soon.

Shin clenched his hand around the small tube, it shook like a liquid for a moment and then grew to just over his height. Tapping the floor as it reached its proper length. 'I wonder if this will be fun or ugly.'

The skeletal figure that steppe into the next cart certainly exceeded Jynxs' expectations, and Jynxs was about to talk to the person about the mist, and cool temperatures, when he saw someone aproach the train through the window. One couldnt see too much accept for a mask of sorts, and some arm movement about the torso area, but Jynxs was certain, somebody was boarding the train. There were still many question left unanswered, but they didnt much seem to matter right now.

Jynxs looked into the glowing purple eye sockets of the skeletal figure before him, with his own glowing purple occuli, and a spark of hatred ignited within him. It wassimply their eyes, that made Jynxs suddenly hate them. They reminded Jynxs of himself, of his past, and ergo his "father." So, he stood in the doorway, with one hand still covering half his face, and the other hand hanging limp. The hand over his face began clawing into his skin, as if he were trying to pull off some mask, in a failed attempt to cope with his sudden burst of hatred. Small streams of his dark colored mud blood began dripping around his fingers, to the floor.

Jynxs didnt really have blood, only Mud. His mud "Blood" was just the Mud which was yet to be oxidized, and had a more fluidic feel to it because of such. This quality was only ever helpfull for intimidation purposes, which rarely worked.

The source of so much interest appeared in the far doorway, a small framed individual, scarcely larger than an 8 or 9 year old child. An odd personage to say the least, as the aesr washed over him returning the information about the basic height and weight of the being, it also told the Dreamer that the being was acting in a manner not consistent with a normal human.

It pawed at its face, pulling? No it was tearing away flesh in a peculiar manner, similar to humans who chose to self-mutilate for attention. Often dysfunctional children with psychological problems, was that was happening here? Perhaps this mud being was a child, this act was simply its coping mechanism.

A motion drew the Dreamers attention followed by a snap, barely audible but very distinct came from the Assassin who slipped aboard the train.

“I only have come to observe it.” Skallagrim said as he stepped further into the train car, his radiating heat meeting the chilling fog continuing to create a raging storm front in miniature a scant few feet from the Assassin.

“You may have it when I am done recording its existence for the Dreamers.” He said as he indicated the creature, “I believe it is a child or perhaps a teen for its species. Notice the self-mutilation it is committing. Perhaps it is a cry for attention. If your employer has given you leeway, may you spare its life, allowing it mental help and a stable environment to grow in?”

The staff was clearly visible in the hands of the assassin, and it was clear that he was hesitant at the moment to use it. However he was still human, as much as his stature may grant him greater than human capabilities, he was all too human.

With a thought the aesr flared around the body of the Dreamer, a wavering, pale amethyst light dancing on his armored form.

“We need not resort to violence Assassin. I have no ill will towards you.” The Dreamer said as he shifted his hand slightly, the right hand coming to rest on the pommel of his sword, a natural and easy movement that would result in a resting of the hands. However to a skilled warrior it was a necessary move to ensure a fast draw of the sword if needed.

Even as his static filled voice carried in the car, barely audible, Skallagrim slid his feet apart slightly, with the right leading the left, as he rose slightly on his toes, while the knees bent. He waited now, on both the response from the Assassin and to see if the mud being was sentient, if it were able to understand what was being said. It would be shame if it were nothing more than a creature driven by base emotions and scant intellect

Behind the mask, Shin's eyes narrowed in suspicion. Far too much wind was moving around inside the cabins of this train, supernatural abilities were to be expected but he was dealing with a mudman here. Air based abilities? Or temperature. This kind of science wasn't his thing, that was left to other people with bigger senses of self imporatance than him.

Now the skeleton was talking about how it might be a child, and how harm shouldn't come to it. How he had no ill will, so on and so forth. You know, the usual deal with people who don't really want to fight. Shin, however, was having none of it. "Okay, so, I'm here to either kill it or dismember it. If you think that you can help me do that without winding up in my way, that's peachy keen. We'll be just fine working like that. However, I'm not quite certain you understand how much destruction is about to happen. Because you're implying that anyone but myself will wind up out of this situation unscathed."

Shin stepped through the doorway, getting a good look at the little psychopath. Bleeding out already, probably something to do with self defense. Not a good natural defense, most predators track their pray by wounding them and smelling the blood. So that's no good for escaping. Maybe intimidation?

Animals might be dissuaded by it, but humans wouldn't. Let's go with that one. "Hey, you should stop hurting yourself. I'm about to hurt you plenty, understand? I'm going to take a piece of you away, and never return it. How do you feel about that? If you're fine with that, I won't have to even kill you, I'll just take a chunk of you and go."

The assassin turned towards Skallagrim, tilting his head upwards to look him in the eye sockets. "And what about you? You remind me a lot of my previous marks." Shin paused, cracking an inhuman smile behind his mask. "Because you're a skeleton. Get it? Because corpses decompose?"

The assassin was a bit upset by one thing, and just one thing. How did he know that I'm an assassin? I mean, the mask makes me suspicious, but other than that there's no give. Can he read minds?

The assassin spoke rapidly, with a degrading manner to the mud-child-thing. He was abundantly clear about his intentions, he wanted a piece, nothing more nothing less, and if the mud-boy resisted he would kill him. Well that would be fine as long, better in fact, it would allow the Dreamer to observe the mud being's fighting abilities, catalogue his powers, record them and share them with the Eternal Dreamers.

The assassin turned towards Skallagrim, tilting his head upwards to look him in the eye sockets. "And what about you? You remind me a lot of my previous marks." Shin paused, cracking an inhuman smile behind his mask. "Because you're a skeleton. Get it? Because corpses decompose?"

“I hope Assassin you are more competent as a merchant of death than a comedian.” Skallagrim hissed as he motioned to the mud being clawing at his face, “I care not what you do with the child, I require data and if I obtain it while you kill it, then so be it.”

Turning towards the mud-thing he spoke swiftly, “Child, if you wish to live whatever life you have been cursed to, give this man what he desires. Your life, forfeit would resolve nothing; your fate is twisted and confused. Perhaps seek out another way of life besides the path of violence you walk.”

As he did so, a swirling amethyst light spun around the room as the Dreamer shifted his feet, so that he was clear from obstructions, then with a casual wave of his hand the trained lurched forward, then slowly slid up and along its magnetic tracks building speed as it went.

“It is best we avoid the eyes of the passengers waiting for a train. I bid you gather your pound of mud, if he allows you. If he does resist, it will be interesting to see how his mud-based body reacts to your or even my attacks.” Brilliant streams of energy drifted from his eye sockets, “Mud-child, it would be in your best interest to not resist, it will not take long I presume.”

Though his disdain at Shin's joke was quite apparent, the skeletal figure deemed it reasonable enough for him to complete his job without a hitch. The mud child hadn't said much, but one could not expect something with no real trachea or mouth to really speak much. Would you? "Great, then we're in agreement. I kill the kid, because he's over there harming himself. You get your information, I get paid. And then we all go home, lay a woman or man of your preference, and nobody but the mud baby gets hurt. That sounds like a full day's schedule to me. I intend to be back home before breakfast tomorrow."

Shin tilted his head towards the mudman, raising his left hand upwards. Aiming the but of the staff directly at the center of his head. "Now, about you. Normally I'd say 'You have one last chance before I attack!' However, you're probably not the reasonable sort. So I'll let my weapon do the talking for me."

Without the slightest movement, or rather, without any movement on Shin's part. The staff began to grow, extending forward so quick that normal men would be run down before they could even react. The staff grew towards Jynx's head with cruel intent, Shin wanted to end this as quickly and quietly as possible. Honestly, he's trying to take it's head off in one strike. That doesn't mean that he won't resort to incredible violence, it's just preferred that it end quickly.

Michael was barely paying attention to his surroundings seeing as he was walking and drinking an energy drink at the same time. Gripping the handle of a door and flinging it open he was just in time to see a masked man shoot a pole at a creature mutilating itself. On top of that there was a skeleton standing like it was normal to be there. Dropping his energy drink Michael simply stared at the three. Taking in his surroundings he realized that the creature at the end of the hall was mutilating itself and was apparently the bad guy in the situation.

"Sweet!" Michael exclaimed fireballs appearing in either hand "You guys want some help? Its been forever since I got to kill something I didn't understand" Michael said gesturing towards the mudman.

Jynxs eyes widened in excitement, and immediately adrenaline tushed through his body. This was simply at the gesture of a weapon raising. "YES NYAGNA A FIGHT!" He hissed in parceltounge. Anybody who didnt understand parceltounge would simply here a series of hisses. By the time the man in the mask had finished th statement, Jynxs was more than happy and ready for violence. He immediately pivoted to the side so that the pole would pass him up, and continue to extend towards Micheal, who had shown up shortly after, just behind him, at the cart entrance.

Defence being said and done, Jynxs released the energy he had been charging since he felt the train slowing, in the form of 3 clones, with still enough charged energy to have one cast a signature terror gaze forwards towards Shin, and the skeletal figure. OH AND WHAT LUCK! They were completely surrounded by chrome! The chrome reflected the gaze all about the car in several directions at various angles. Anybody seeing the direct gaze, or its reflection would feel the energy begin to set upon them, and if they did not revert their attention, they would soon find themselves paralyzed completely!

The clone that cast the terror gaze began to die immediately, and would likely detonate when the gaze was over. This was made evident by the blood gushing down their face, around their fingers which spread wide enough for the glare to be effective, and the blood curtling chuckle that escaped their slightly parted jaws.

That still leaves the other two clones and the original jynxs though, of whom, if one did not follow closely with their eyes are indistinguishable! All were hissing hysterically. The mudchild had revealed himself to be not only and adept lunatic, but completely without any real sence of self.

The assassin had struck at the same moment another human had come upon them, however the reaction was not what Skallagrim had expected. Indeed it was the opposite and he seemed eager to engage the mud child in combat as well. It was abundantly clear that the Dreamers would have to spend time in slumber to examine and understand them.

The cold that had filled the cars seemingly came from the mud child and it was being countered by the heat emanated by the Dreamer. The effects self-evident in the car as a continuing tumultuous weather pattern roiled and whipped around the car. Rain fell in areas, gusts of wind blew intermittently around the car ruffling the curtains and blowing pages of the newspapers left behind by previous passengers.

The sudden appearance of three simulacrum of the mud child gave the Dreamer pause as he tried to piece together how it had happened. There had been a discharge of energy then they had appeared. This would require the Dreamer pay closer attention as the mud child as was more than he appeared. He was indeed more than a simple golem; this child had some small scale of power.

The three simulacrums seemingly stood stationary where they were summoned although one appeared to stare at the Dreamer who adjusted his energies and met the creatures gaze, studying the energy that issued from it. The Dreamer made a mental note that the original mud child had not moved from his position, other than turn aside from the incredibly fast staff that the assassin wielded with deadly skill. Skallagrim processed and recorded the energy filling the room. It appeared the simulacrum was attempting some sort of manipulation through optical senses to affect a cerebral cortex. Interesting, the mud child had some sort of power to affect a biological mind.

All the while the Dreamer studied the situation a subtle thrum of aesr energies continued to flow from the skeletal entity. Adjusting his hand so that it gripped the hilt of his sword, Skallagrim allowed his forefinger to tap the guard in a rhythmic manner. His left hand grasping the dagger, slowly pulling it forth, however with the storm pattern and the seat he stood behind it would be a move that would be virtually impossible to detect.

“It seems that we have another combatant. Feel free to engage the mud child if you wish.” After a brief pause, he continued, “I think that this may be more difficult that you surmise Assassin, your breakfast may be delayed.”

Clones? Self duplication is an interesting ability, but nothing new. Shin twisted his wrist, swinging the staff towards the far right. His actions are maintained at a consistent low-energy usage with the greatest possible output. This simple strike would strike one of the clones in the side of its head, likely cleaving its head off. If it missed, it would smash through the window on the right.

As Shin enacted his strike he heard a voice, it was Skallagrim. Another voice. Some newcomer. As the mudman cast his terror magic, Shin turned his head towards the Skeleton and Pyro, raising his eyebrow a bit. "Another person, really? Sure, have a ball. But try not to get hit, and try not to get in my way." Fortunately, the newcomer had inadvertently defended Shin from taking the mystic assault.

"ALLRIGHT THEN! lets get it on!" Michael exclaimed as he ran forward. He cocked his right arm back and launched his first fireball at the one in the middle. Then immediately followed through with another throw at the target on the left. Releasing the fireball in his left hand he let his arm follow through. At their current temperatures these fireballs could melt through the steel of the train as if it were hardly there.

The original mud child, and his two clones slunk to the floor in a manner that would not be possible for anybody with any kind of skeletal system. And with an equally awkward movement pivoted around the path of the fireballs. (You did not mention witch part of us you were aiming for and the timing, so im assuming you aimed to hit us after our dodge since it is the most realistic and practicall attack. Rather than simply aiming where we were.) this short show of agility would either boast this child's squirmy side, or show his lack of trust in his own defences. Then again, who would possibly want to get cleaved headlong by a weapon they had never seen.

The clone that had cast the terror gaze began to aparently melt, and dove forward before exploding. The explosion wasnt violent, but it deffinately carried some force and heat. The remnants of mud were washed aside by the rain, and out through the holes in the train created by the incredible freballs launched earlier. The clones seemingly did not last long.

Still, Jynxs and 2 clones still existed. All 3 individuals suddenly grew in mass, by seemingly double! Clearly some law of physics had just been broken, for the young men before you 3 clearly created the mass that they grew by. One clone raced forward on all fours, and as it neared the micheal, its arms began to grow. It was using the modified terror claw. Dark twisted Psi radiated off their arms in etheral fashion. It swung towards Micheals upper thigh, and continued to race upon all 4's to the assassin, where it swung the other glowing terror claw towards his abdomen. In its final moments, the clone got as close to the assassin (or micheal if interupted early.) and detonated as the first had. Once more the remains were washed away by the small scale storm.

The original Jynxs and his remaining clone remained where they were after the dodge, and began concentrating more energy into their eyes. The original Jynxs became easy to distinguish by a cloud of psi that began swirling about his left shoulder. The psi was so dense it glowed and was visible to the nake untrained eye.