[center][color=SteelBlue][h2]James Varrock[/h2]
Level: 1
Day/Time: Day One; Evening
Location: Erion-Abandoned Castle
Interacting: Samus Aran[@Lmpkio], Luigi[@Bright_Ops], Edward Buck[@Aether Spawn], Shadow Knight Oswald[@Holy Soldier]
Mention: Amaterasu[@Gentlemanvaultboy], Hapu[@ToadRopes]
Seeds Planted:1
Word Count:1,046[/color][/center]

As the bullet grew closer to it's mark, James couldn't help but pop a grin behind his helmet. This was his territory, putting down targets who were moving to try and, typically, outflank or maneuver the Guardian. Admittedly, shooting at something not actively trying to kill him was odd, but all the same he had a job to do. Killing the Pooka wasn't his favorite idea, but if they were going succeed here then it had to be stopped. Of course, right before impact, a red blade from no where erupted and deflected the bullet, which had the Nightstalker diving for cover.The explosion from his bullet hitting Samus' missile rocked the castle and some debris showered James. [color=SteelBlue][i]"I thought Team One had the Shadow Knight distracted!"[/i][/color] Meanwhile, Charger was already deployed and trying to get a decent scan on both the General and the Shadow Knight for a better understanding.

[color=LightCoral][i]"He must have received some kind of warning from that bunny creature. Or maybe there was some kind of magic alarm we triggered that Brigan didn't know about. Oh, and then there's the fact that the Shadow Knight said Brigan had plans to kill us once we had the ring. Survey says..."[/i][/color] James finished the sentence for him, popping out and listening for orders at the same time.

[color=SteelBlue][i]"That he's likely telling the truth and that Brigan wants him dead for that reason so that we can't confirm one way or the other. Of course, none of us really trusted that giant ass hole to begin with, so..."[/i][/color] The thought went unfinished as Luigi called out for himself, James and Buck to attack. For a moment he wondered what Samus, Amaterasu and Hapu were supposed to do before it clicked. [color=SteelBlue][i]He's splitting us up. The three of us have some decent firepower between us, plus Luigi probably knows how to fight in a melee best if he's got that hammer. So then I'll do what I do best.[/i][/color]

Holstering his Imago Loop, he reaches over his shoulder and draws the Stillpiercer and dashes for a higher position so he could better pick out Oswald in the mess that was the melee. As he moved, he had Charger open a comms channel to Samus, sliding behind a pillar and appraising it at the same time. [color=SteelBlue]{Best of luck, Samus. We'll let you know if Oswald or Brigan head your way.}[/color] Placing the rifle on his back once more, James turned and jumped, barely managing to catch an edge that would allow him to climb up higher and not for the first time he cursed not having his double jump. As he climbed up, he turned his attention back to Charger. [color=SteelBlue][i]"So, what's the verdict on that drink of Brigan's? Because I don't remember the giant spewing fire at random while we talked before."[/i][/color]

The Ghost appeared in his usual white, Ghost shaped form in the upper right corner of James' HUD before speaking. [color=LightCoral][i]"I can't say for sure, but it would seem the drink grants the General additional powers when he drinks it, but how many is impossible to determine without more data. There's also something odd about those four metal plates that adorn his chest, but I'm not sure what because I keep getting some kind of interference from him."[/i][/color] James didn't voice it, but he made the educated guess that the general had some kind of magic armor in place of real armor, which was likely what those four plates were. As the Guardian opened his mouth to ask for more on Oswald, Charger cut him off. [color=LightCoral][i]"And before you ask, it would seem that Oswald is called Shadow Knight because of, as we saw, his ability to manipulate shadows and even become them. Simply put, both will be difficult fights, but Brigan can't become intangible, making him the easier of the two."[/i][/color]

James let out a groan as he eventually managed to scramble up into the rafters and drew his sniper again before having Charger relay the information to Edward with a suggestion to pass it to Luigi as well. Finding a position with a decent line of sight on Oswald from his position and scoped up. [color=SteelBlue][i]"I want you to start setting way points on positions for follow up shots, Charger. I can figure out pathing as we go."[/i][/color] There's no response from the Ghost, but a way point pops up to the Guardian's right side a second later, a white diamond flashing periodically with the number of meters from it displayed above it. After confirming it in his peripherals, James lined up a shot on Oswald's head and squeezed the trigger, the void light infused round sailing towards it's target. However, the Nightstalker didn't wait to see if his shot connected and was already moving, leaping across the rafters before coming to a stop around 20 meters from where he'd fired the first shot. Scoping up again, he fires a second shot at Oswald's chest before backtracking to the right, moving back the original 20 meters and then an additional 30 before firing a third shot at the Shadow Knight's chest again.

[color=SteelBlue][i]One shot left in the magazine. And I only have 10 spare. Time for the Imago Loop.[/i][/color] Putting the sniper rifle back on his back without reloading and drawing his hand cannon. Jumping down from the rafters and landing in a roll, he came up and took aim down the weapon's sights, squeezing off three shots that managed to deftly avoid hitting the Team, and Squad, Leader before he found cover behind another pillar, slipping the cylinder open and reloading in a single swift motion before he flicked the cylinder closed again. Taking a moment, he focuses and tries desperately to summon a void wall grenade to help contain the Shadow Knight, but all he got was a flash of purple energy before it vanished and the Guardian sighed in defeat. He was going to have to earn it again, and hopefully he was close.

Popping out from behind his cover again, he fired four more shots at the Shadow Knight, hoping that between Brigan, Luigi, Edward and himself the Shadow Knight would be far too busy defending and countering to notice, let alone chase down, Samus, Hapu, and Amaterasu.