“So much for stealth.” The Clockwork Man muttered angrily, as trap doors opened on either side of what had at first appeared to be an empty corridor. With barely a moment to spare he dipped one hand carefully into his satchel and launched one of his plasma grenades past two of the metallic figures which emerged, weapons at the ready. The grenade exploded behind them, sending burning plasma down the narrow confines of the corridor and simply melting through a good number of the guards, leaving messy molten metal remains.

However, that still left the two most immediate threats, and possibly three more of the figures further down the corridor, unscathed. The Clockwork Man was forced to think very quickly as they spent no time at all closing the distance on the lithe Automaton, driving him to somewhat hasty action. Their weapons were powerful, though he knew that Elmorium could sustain a hit from them after a cursory magical analysis of their qualities. What was important was to keep them from driving into him and giving him no time to retaliate, so, he took the fight to them.

Bounding forward, he used the side of the corridor as a spring board and delivered a ruthless round-house kick to the first of the guard’s metal heads, avoiding the blade by a minute distance even as the guard collapsed sideways and the Clockwork Man dropped behind him. Realising that a choke wasn’t going to work on such an opponent, even as the guard regained his balance and attempted to turn while his fellow was already all the way around but some distance in front, the Clockwork Man instead decided to use their weapons against them. He drove his weight forwards, slamming the metal man down the corridor and driving him into the guard, who swung his weapon without mercy towards the Clockwork Man’s impromptu hostage. The blade sheared through its head, but not before its own blade was thrust through its lower body and dragged all the way up to its neck, melting through them as if they were paper. Both blades flickered out as they were dropped by their users, who simultaneously collapsed into each other. 

Having barely a moment to recover before the remaining three guards reached him, the Clockwork Man looked up and hoped to see his ally join the fray. Should he remain atop the rooftop, presumably paralysed with indecision or fear, he would reluctantly draw his pistol and continue the fight for his life.