[IC] Royal Rumble!

[Crowvette]

Andras

'Hah. There he goes, throwing cars around again. Classic.' Andras watched Galbrek fling the car at Vernon with glazed eyes. She had wanted to leave, but a few things apparently halted that plan.

Andras blinked. Galbrek had lost eye contact with her to face Vernon. "Wait..." Her mind felt much more clear. The sound of Mother Ascot complaining helped return Andras to the real world.

'That's right! He hasn't even thrown that many cars around!' Andras huffed indignantly. Taking a deep breath, her thoughts returned to her. 'Okay, wait. I've never even seen this guy before today. This must have been what he was trying to do earlier-'

She heard Vernon speaking behind her. "This way dear. I'm afraid it's one step forward, two steps back today." Before she could turn, a hand covered her eyes.

Andras considered struggling out of it, but she knew that there was a chance that Vernon already didn't like her. She didn't want to give him an excuse to further dislike her. Hopefully she was just being paranoid, and Gilgamesha wasn't right when she said that Vernon might consider her a threat to his relationship.

Andras didn't want to dwell on that. 'I am not a homewrecker! I wish Mother Ascot just kept that thought to herself, now I can't stop thinking it... I can't just ask this crazy boy if he thinks I'm gonna steal his boyfriend!'

After a little bit of walking with Vernon, she finally heard William's voice. "You're forgiven. Make it up in bed when we both have the time."

Andras turned away, taken by surprise by that comment, and blushing. 'What is this boy saying?! Don't imagine it! Andras, don't imagine it don't imagine it don't-' She shook her head, hoping to blur the flash of bare skin that her mind conjured up. She covered her face with her hands, her cheeks burning.

[Dezuel]

Galbrek

The car had been flung towards Vernon, but he had managed to dodge out of the way. The half-demon himself grit his teeth together and was ready to attack Vernon against when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Who dared to lay a hand on his noble body. He spun around and shot out his wires towards what came towards him, a gauntlet belonging to the woman he had earlier called an old crone. It was she, the one who owned the car he had flung at Vernon. She also was angry.

Galbrek's wires had tried to stop her punch but she was too powerful, they only managed to slow the punch and impact down abit. The punch connected and caused Galbrek to stumble backwards, a bruise of his cheek and a small trail of blood from his mouth, he coughed and spit out a tooth. The rage boiling over in him, but he knew now that he had to retreat. "You bitch! You'll pay for this!"

The young half-demon raised his right hand and pointed his fingers fast at the woman, aiming the wires towards her eyes with the intention to inflict injury to her vision. Galbrek did not care would he make her blind, she was getting in his way. People who got in his way were worth nothing to him, he had to get out of there now however. The battle could not be won, but he would win the war. Of that he had no doubt.

Using his left hand almost at the same time he had used his right to attack the woman, he had shot wires up towards a nearby building. Pulling himself up towards the rooftop. He was making a run for it after giving his enemies a hateful glare.

I'm going to make all those bastards pay! No one messes with Lord Galbrek and gets away with it! Everything they have, everything they own, everyone they know... will belong to me.

Meanwhile Celine sat in the car with Celestine.

She narrowed her eyes slightly and spoke in a serious tone of voice. "If your creator. Your god is a cruel master. Would you do his bidding or face his wrath, knowing you have not enough power to stop him from turning you into junk?" Celine gave Celestine a questioning look, but with the same serious and no-nonsense look on her face.

At hideout Charlie.

Adam walked into the building after having carefully looked at his surroundings, he set his Eyes on the decoration which depicted his master. "Master Galbrek..." Adam stopped and looked at a large portrait of his master.

"The girl Andras. Her existance is leading you into harms way. If this keeps up I will have to disobey your command. I'll kill her with my own hands." Adam tightened his hands into fists Before turning around to walk further into the building where he met up with Darla.

"Darla? What happened to you? At this rate..." Adam began to speak out to the smaller sized doll sitting in front of a unlit fireplace.

"Adam! You are safe! Thank goodness! I-I..." She averted her eyes from Adam and looked down to the stump which was all that remained of her arm. "I.. am okay. Bertrand... he.. he... is gone." Darla said and tried to wipe her face with the arm which was now missing and instead lifted her remaining one to do it instead. "W-what should w-we do now? I am scared. I don't wanna die!" Darla raised out her hand towards Adam who in turn began to look away from Darla.

"Don't pity yourself, Darla. Don't dwell on Bertrand. He fell trying to fullfill master Galbrek's dream. Compared to our master's vision and dream, your selfish desires mean nothing at all. You even failed in capturing the girl. You failed Lord Galbrek!" Adam spoke in a very loud and serious manner, as a father would reprimand a child. Darla had begun to weep at this and held her remaining hand in front of her eyes.

"If you cannot play the role you were made for, why should you still be here, Darla?" Adam said in a cold tone.

"I...I just want to live! I want to be human... I-I want to go to school, eat lunch and all t-those other things! M-master Galbrek said he would-" Darla stuttered as she tried to provide a reply to the much taller doll.

"Master Galbrek have no use for a self-serving piece of junk. I will never fail my lord like you others have. I am certain our master in his grace will forgive you Darla. Forgive you for failing him when he needed you."

[AtomicNut]

Celestine Lightbringer

@Dezuel

Celestine didn't show signs of ever stopping or pondering, as he drove the car with expertise despite the lack of a windshield. His hands were stiff on the steering wheel and he was not even giving a glimpse to the doll that was riding beside him. "I'd rather kill myself if I had to spend all my time around that individual. But I suppose you've never known any better, have you." He began to speak. "Still if I were you, what I would do... would be to wait for the perfect chance to strike back, no matter how slim and minuscule the possibility. And curse my own existence and the gods while doing so." The Fallen One rambled on.

"I bet he never informed the position he is truly in, did he?" He sighed at long last. "No, that was much to ask. He is part of a team, but he isn't the lead of the team by any means. Even if he himself thinks he is." He elaborated, as he descended his speed to a more gently ride. "He tried to drag my friend into his ploy, I was dragged in to preserve his useful assets as well."

He drove away, and stopped in a certain side street, confident he had put enough distance between him and his would be pursuers. His battered frame shifted, and leaned into the doll, staring deeply into her eyes, as he came to a distance most would find uncomfortable. He took his own mask off, revealing the face underneath, and the effeminate yet beautiful features. "Your eyes betray you. Those eyes who curse at your own existence and your own fate. Yet you trudge on, loyal and stalwart. Such dedication needs to be rewarded, and not put at the whims of a maniac that thinks that knowing a little demonic magic makes him a God. If I had such a servant by my side, things could've gone different."

He withdrew to his own seat. "Alas, I cannot give you human flesh, like some others could've boasted. But I can make you human in the most fundamental sense." He paused. "I will give you choices." He added as he began to scribble something in a slip of paper, handing it to Celine.

"One of my numbers, for you and you only." He added. "If you ever feel like your master is about to snuff out your life, and you want to cry vengeance and swift justice... you will do well in phoning that number." He finished, as he grasped his mask once more, and in a mighty blow, sent it flying across the street, hitting a crow in mid-air.

"The hammer will fall, and his life will be snuff out very much like yours." He finished as he started the car once more, driving towards where they had left Vittorio last. So much for salvaging your assets, M. I hope Clara has a good set of tea and pastries, I am going to demand a tea party after all what is said and done.

[Letter Bee]

Gilgamesha Ascot (NPC)

Gilgamesha Ascot grabbed the strings out of the air before they can reach her eyes, then launched her counterattack at Galbrek: The Ekindu chain. What binds those with Godly blood can bind those with Demonic heritage as well... were the woman's thoughts as several lengths of chain sped towards Galbrek and the building he was trying to zoom to, in order to drag him back so she can put an end to the threat he represented once and for all. And no, she didn't want to kill him, not unless he gave her no other choice. That kid is clearly a threat to my family, though. And I am not forgiving of those who threaten my family.

@Crowvette@KillamriX88@Bartimaeus@Dezuel@AtomicNut

Alexander Ascot

"You always know the right thing to say," was Alexander Ascot's reply to Michael as they finally neared the park...only to find the road blocked by the ruins of his mother's car. His eyes widening in shock, the young man looked to his left to see said mother sending chains after a shadowy figure that fit the profile of one 'Galbrek Ravenovich', before he said, "I am not going to gift her another car for her birthday; I have a new adoptive daugther to deal with in the following days, after all."

A reference to the other Christine, Christine Baumann. As Alexander lowered the window, he would shout at his outraged Mother: "Don't make a scene, damnit! That'll make us unable to press charges for his' destroying your car!"

@RoflsMazoy@Scarifar@Gentlemanvaultboy

[Hammerman]

Christine Abigail

---

"Ah, thank you!" Christine said to Thobias as he dropped the unconscious Kath in front of her. She immediately crouched down (exposing her panties in the process) and began shaking her body in an attempt to wake her up. In the meantime, Bak was firing off her guns to the ceiling above her in an attempt to make said holes in their plan. Christine wasn't bothered at all by the loud noise she was making and how the ceilings were falling down to the ground right on Bak. She was already used to her rough way of fighting after all.

In the end however, Kath was not waking up. But at least Christine now knew she was just fine and was merely knocked out.

"Coming!" she said to Rurik after he waved at her, standing up and half-running to his position. "So we're going to go up from here, huh?" she said as she looked up at the hole Bak had made.

@KillamriX88@6slyboy6

[KillamriX88]

Wolfram & Vera & Vernon 2.0

@Letter Bee @Crowvette @AtomicNut @Bartimaeus

---

Wolf was calmer now, and so Masami's presence didn't put him on edge like it had before. Besides, apparently she knew William.

"Wolf. Likewise." He didn't have the strength to say much more. He was about to take her hand before she got distracted. In that instant, Vera reached out to pull Wolf to his feet herself. Well, she made a show of grabbing his arm, but she wasn't in much better condition and so Wolf still had to do most of the work.

When Masami would look back at them, she'd see Vera giving her a nasty look for daring to try and touch Wolf in front of her...

"Hm, so even at a time like this your mind can go there," Vernon chuckled and rolled his eyes at William's comment. He gave Andras a gentle push so that she could rejoin the group. It seemed the fighting was finally all over. From a silly little scuffle with Wolf to an all out battle against Galbrek's dolls and some masked weirdo. "Don't us men already have a bad enough reputation as perverts, dear William?"

He supposed they had won?

"Cool, great, go bang it out then. We're leaving," Vera grumbled as she and Wolf joined them, once more clutching at her aching head.

"Just going to run away? You were so brave a minute ago." Vernon smirked, though winced slightly at the memory of her kneeing him between the legs. Girl didn't hold back.

"Screw you. This job isn't worth it!" Vera snarled. "We just got here and already all hell has broken loose, and there's no way we can trust you! You attacked us twice!"

"Well maybe if you would just apologi-" Vernon cut himself off at a sinister glare from Wolf. OK, so maybe that joke had run its course. "Fine then, go tell King you're giving up and see if he can send us someone more helpful."

"Why yo-" Vera stopped as Wolf put a hand on her shoulder.

"We'll stay." He sighed.

"Excuse me?" Vera grit her teeth. Was he going against her? "You wanna say that again? I don't think I heard you right!"

"I said we'll stay," he repeated.

Vera's hand shot out suddenly, gripping his face like a claw, forcing him to look at her.

"Idiot! Whose side are you on!? You want to help that idiot and his fucking backstabbing boy toy?"

Vernon rolled his eyes, "I take offense to that. Clearly William is my toy-"

"SHUT UP!" Vera snapped and turned her attention back to Wolf.

Wolf pulled her hand away, even as it caused her nails to scratch his cheeks, "The Vigilantes. You might be right. William's plan might be a huge mistake. Vernon might not be trustworthy. But if Andras is going to be involved with this, then I'm not walking away." He turned to William. "I'm sorry, but if we do stay to help, it's for Andras's sake, not yours. If she at any point backs out, so will we."

"Uuuuuugh..." Vera groaned and smacked his hand away from hers. "I am surrounded by idiots. All you men are idiots." She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. As much as it burned her up inside, he wasn't wrong. These fools would get that girl killed if they didn't help.

They already almost had.

Regardless, she was mad at Wolf for putting her in this situation, and so stomped away from him. She made her way over to Alex. Andras. Whatever the hell her name was.

"Well, lady demon," she spoke somewhat mockingly and heavily threw an arm over her shoulders. "I guess we'll be getting to know each other real well, hm? Who knows, maybe we'll even end up as besties." The wry smirk that spread across her face told that she didn't believe a word she'd just said. However, Andras would notice something. The way Vera sort of leaned into her, it was impossible not to notice how badly she was starting to shake. Between nearly dying, getting thrown clear by Wolf, and getting blasted in the head by Vernon, she wasn't in the best of ways. The wound on her forehead was still seeping blood, blood that had long since been smeared across her face and soaked into her shirt, dying nearly half of it red.

Meanwhile, Wolf wasn't doing much better. He had been thrown too, but only because the car had actually hit him. With his armor gone and the adrenaline fading, it was impossible to ignore how messed up he and Vera were.

He patted himself down, but his phone was missing. Then he remembered Vera had never given it back.

"Vera, you still have my phone?" he asked.

"Yes. And you still have no friend requests. On anything," Vera rolled her eyes and tossed it to him.

"That's not..." Wolf shook his head and just ignored her comment. He went through his contacts, which didn't take long. He barely had ten. There was one in particular he could really use right now as the throbbing in his ribs only got worse. He was also pretty sure it was getting harder and harder to breathe.

Whether she answered or he got voicemail, Wolf spoke, "Hey... Meredith. Um, hope you weren't sleeping." Andras would have been able to practically feel Vera's animosity the second Wolf spoke that name. "I could... use your help. I think I'm bleeding internally. I'm probably not dying, but... can you come to the park?"

[Scarifar]

Michael Angie

@RoflsMazoy@Letter Bee@Gentlemanvaultboy@Crowvette@KillamriX88@Bartimaeus@Dezuel@AtomicNut

Michael got out of the car as soon as it stopped, readying his brush for the expected conflict. The wrecked car was more than enough evidence that something chaotic was going on, and the scene that followed was not any better. He tried to determine the correct course of action, but that was proving difficult given how little information he had on the scene right now. Alexander was presumably calling out to the woman directing the chains, which meant that Michael should be supporting her. The one the woman was facing was running away. Michael recognized him as a St. Lucifer student, but nothing else really struck him at the moment. Michael recognized William among the rest of the group present, but not everyone else was as memorable.

In short, there was nothing for Michael to do at the moment. Right now, he would simply keep his eyes open and wait for a chance to respond to something.

[6slyboy6]

@KillamriX88@Hammerman@Gentlemanvaultboy

---

Thobias watched in ave as Bak began shooting straight upwards, tearing the building apart. He had some issues with the philosophy of bringing several floors down on oneselves head, but he wagered that Bak would be fine. She's one of the few people who he wasn't afraid for. Speaking of the other one, she was being nurtured by her sister. Thought he turned to check on Kath, his gaze lingered a little longer than intended, his eyes lost in Christine's pants.

He took a deep breath and excercised self control by turning away as if nothing happened. Christine has to stop doing that unless she wants Rurik to fight every man who dares peek at her pants.

The sound of machine guns stopped, and the fine dust began to disperse from the air, revaling Bak who was covered waist height in rubble. Thobias smiled and shooked his head and walked up to the girl. "Come here girl, let me help you." He grabbed Bak's arms and then used his warp ability to get her out of the rubble some feet away. The pile of debree now collapsed into itself, making a sharp noise.

"Damn, you're one fullmetal bitch." He held up his palm in a defensive manner. "In a good way, I mean." Thobias sighed and he turned to Rurik.

"Elevator huh? That the best you can come up with?" He was about to think up a perfect comeback when a loud, painful sigh grabbed his attention. Kath was waking up.

---

The last thing Kath remembered was the cold rush of water sapping away her strength. Under the pressure her senses came back, but they were just as quickly taken away by an all encasing darkness that seemed to take over her body. Then it was just silence in the palce of rushing water. Kath found herself waking up inside a large dark room that seemed to go on forever. She looked around, traning her eyes aginst the grey horizon. Where am I? She tried to speak but her voice never left her lips and instead resonated from all around. Huh, weird

Kath stood up and turned around trying to find something. It seemed an almost futile task at first, but she noticed a faint light in the distance. Without better ideas she began walking towards it. Her body felt heavy, her steps slow as if someone was dragging her, but she pushed on.

As she approached the light it began to shine up with a luminsecent glow, and pictures of past events popped up in front of Kath. Her childhood in the mansion and the lone time she and her sister spent together. The fancy dinners they attended with Christine where they would have to dress up and look all cute to entertain their parent's guests. Her and Thboias when they were younger, playing games together and eating ice cream. She shook her head, clearing her head of bitter memories. The first day of high school. She remembered how scared she was to go to school for the first time, as they were taught at home until then. Her first boxing tournament that ended in her geting absolutely trashed, but she kept standing up. Charlotte. That memory was painful enough to make Kath stop for a second. But she pushed on past and the image of the girl faded into nothing. Then it was the images of her other friends in school, the other Laurels kids. They were important to her even if she always acted brash. Then she heard her sister calling for her, and images of her flooded her mind. But it was different this time, almost as if she was nearby. Kath looked around, searching for her sister. Christine? Christine, where are you?

She stumbled and fell on her kness, looking around but she couldn't hear her sister anymore. Tears began rolling down her cheek, and she felt like she could no longer fight back. It felt like her body was heavier and heavier, her mind getting foggier with every moment. She remembred her furious rampages when she lost her mind, and echoes filled her head. Monster they said, A demon some others called out. Rage filled her heart as the memories flooded her, and it was getting harder and harder to concentrate. Her tears blurred her vision, and she just wanted to lie down and cry.

But then, the glowing light began to approach her, growing more and more luminescent by the moment. Kath shielded her eyes from the bright light, but it was warm instead of painful. She looked back up, and saw a woman covered in flames float a feet above the ground in front of her. She noticed some uncanny familiarity traits between her and the woman, but she didn't know here. Who are you? The woman kneeled down in front of her, holding Kath's face between her hands. Her touch felt warm despite it being seemingly ablaze, and Kath felt newfound warmth course through her body. Teras began roling down her cheek as she enjoyed the warm embrace and the woman spoke up with a soft voice. "Don't cry my child. Your path is of pain, but I gave you fortitude." Kath looked up at the woman, and saw her smiling. The woman's name eluded her, but she felt so oddly familiar. "Now gather your strength and rise!"

Everything disappeared, and Kath slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a new, but familair place. She sat up, her head aching and swirling around. "Ugh, where am I?"

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

Bak Tsarevna

Bak beamed with pride as Rurik scaled the small hill that had formed around her. Rising her arms in the air, she let out a sharp laugh. "I feel as though I could tear apart entire building myself!" Getting to cut loose like that and really do some property damage had given her the adrenaline high it always did. She loved watching things shatter, break, and fall to piece under the relentless assault of the horrible chicken legged witch Bak Tsarevna and even just seeing the aftermath never failed to give her a sense of awe at what she could do.

She quickly reddened and directed her gaze straight downward as Christine also climbed the hill. One of these days she really had to work up the nerve to inform Christine that their school did, in fact, have a dress code. She was thankful when Thobias gave her a way out, and as she took his hand she felt he word pull away before snapping back like rubber. It was weird, it was always weird and made her stomach do somersaults and messed with her equilibrium, and it was lucky for Thobias that she she was naturally steady when both her legs were on the ground otherwise she might have stumbled forward and fallen on him. As it stood all she could do was shake her head to try and make the word stop spinning. She barley even heard his...compliment? He insisted it was. Whatever. She felt too good right now to take it badly.

"And you," she relied, "are very useful to have around. On the days you decide to turn up."

Any followup to that was interrupted by Katherine stirring on the floor. Since Bak was close anyway she leaned down over the waking girl. "Good morning Christine's sister! You are on third floor! And I think you are prisoner?" she said happily, then pointed her artillery cannons at Katherine's prone form and looked over to Christine. "She is prisoner? I do not wish to fight your family if I do not have too." It was clear from Bak's deference that she considered Christine to have final say in matters of family.

@KillamriX88@Hammerman@6slyboy6

[Bartimaeus]

Masami's warm smile was interrupted as Vera "pulled" Wolf's arm away from her helping hand, afterwards giving her a mean look. The fox girl curled her hand away a little cautiously, turning her attention towards the rest of the group as they began to congregate in the clearing. Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed! she giggled to herself.

It had seemed as if all the fighting was done, for now. And no one looked...well...dead. Wolf and Vera looked pretty beat up, however. But her attention was on Andras.

"Andras!" she shouted as the other girl joined the group alongside Vernon. She ran to the "demon lady", throwing her arms around her as she got close. "I'm so glad you're okay!" she said, even as she held her at arm's length, looking over her for any glaring wounds. "What was all this about, anyways?? I'm afraid I couldn't help much...I didn't know who was friend or foe.." she admitted as she looked down at her feet, her arms moving back to her sides.

She looked up, remembering that Andras had been escorted back. She turned to Vernon. "You!" she yelled once again, even though they were only several feet apart. "You kept my new friend safe, didn't you?! Thank you so much!", the fox girl squealed as she opened her arms and stepped towards him for a brief hug.

Wait... The memory of Vernon pinning William to the ground popped into her head as she saw the latter standing off to the side, and she recoiled her open arms. "You're...not a bad guy?" she looked confusedly at Vernon.

[Letter Bee]

William Ascot

William looked at Vernon, then the others, then Masami, before saying: "I don't suppose apologies will work; it seems. Even so, I have to apologize; I feel bad about letting all hell break loose." He turned to Wolf, "Wolf, it's all right that you're doing this for Andras alone; she's made enemies today, enemies that would probably get a sense of what I - or we - can do. It's all right. Note though that if we're going to see Meredith, we'll have to leave my Mother behind; she and Meredith's own Mom...don't get along."

Understatement of the day. Nevertheless, Ascot turned towards Andras and said, "So, I suppose I should give you a chance to leave as your life is now in danger. Are you going to take it? I really hope you won't, but again, you should have that chance."

Turning back to Masami, the boy would say, "Well, it's complicated. Vernon - my boyfriend - was with me, then he fought with Wolf - the armored guy - when Wolf's girlfriend insulted my plan. Then Vernon got blackmailed - Or at least, I presume it's blackmail - into attacking me by a mysterious person who was allied with an enemy. Said enemy is the half-demon whose sapient puppet minions attacked Andras, trying to kidnap her for his own ends."

A pause. "Yeah...it is complicated. And now it turns out that Wolf and Vera, his girlfriend, who were hired by my older brother to protect me and Andras - at least I presume it's my older brother - have decided to stay in the job only because Andras is presumably still in it. So yeah."

@RoflsMazoy@Dezuel@Bartimaeus@Crowvette@KillamriX88@AtomicNut@Gentlemanvaultboy

[Hammerman]

Christine Abigail

---

Midway as Christine climbed the hill Bak had made (shamelessly showing her bottom to Bak and anyone else who happened to look up towards her direction), Katherine woke up. Bak called over to her, asking on what they should do to her sister.

"Oh, Kat, you're awake!"

Christine's eyes widened with joy as she turned around, leaped down the hill and stood over the sitting Katherine. She crouched down once more, putting her hands on her sister's shoulders as she asked, "Are you alright?". It was clear from her expression that she was relieved for her.

She then looked to the side towards Bak and said, "I suppose she is a prisoner now. Hey, Kat, you're not going to try and fight all of us, are you?" she asked back at her sister.

In the meantime, just like before, her panties were showing as she was crouching with one leg raised, sitting on the heel of the other. At least that meant she shared Kat's own state of dressing as some of her uniform had burned off from her display from before, exposing a little of her undergarments as well.

@Gentlemanvaultboy@6slyboy6

[KillamriX88]

_____________________________________________________________

---

. . . A Short While Ago. . .

Cassius frowned. He wasn't sure he liked this side of Katherine he was seeing. It wasn't the first time, but it seemed more... extreme. She seemed so determined to beat this random guy up. He supposed she was upset her sister was dating a Mephisto's student, so maybe her malicious intent was justified?

Maybe that wasn't his problem at all. Maybe he was just still a little miffed that Kath had taken her frustration out on him.

He was broken out of his musings by a rattling noise behind him. He turned around and saw it seemed to be coming from a broom closet. A Mephisto's ambush perhaps? More monsters? He had to investigate! He couldn't let them be taken from behind!

He walked over, whipped the door open, and-

CLANK! A bucket dropped over his head, followed by something wrapping around his neck and dragging him into the closet, the door slamming shut behind him. He clawed at the bucket, but it didn't seem to want to come free. He had to use one hand to keep himself from being strangled. Finally he got the bucket free, and saw that he was in a fairly spacious maintenance closet with an imp and a ghost. The imp had been using it's psychic powers to pull the bucket down over him and shut the door, but it was too weak to stop Cassius from fighting free.

The ghost, however, was wrapping some sort of rope or cord around his neck and trying to choke the life out of him!

The bucket gone, the imp leapt at him, aiming to stab him with a rusty... butter knife? Butter-focused or not, it was still a knife. Cassius grabbed the imps arm, wincing as it dug it's claws into his chest, clinging to him as it tried to drive the knife into his heart.

He had no choice. He pulled his hand from the rope and grabbed the imp, his hand igniting and then blasting the imp into the wall, leaving it quite dead. And of course, he heard lots of banging and crashing coming from Kath's fight at that very moment. No one would notice the commotion in the closet over that.

His vision began to fade as the rope tightened around his neck unhindered...

. . . Present. . .

Cassius's eyes blinked open. His neck was killing him, but he was... alive? Yes? Yes, he was. The ghost still held the rope around his neck, but it seemed... dormant? Maybe without the imp to guide it, it had forgotten what it was doing. Regardless, he didn't care to ponder the intricacies of ghost behavior.

He lit up.

KA-BOOM! He unleashed fire from his entire body, tearing the rope, the ghost, and the closet apart. The door flew to cinders and splinters and he tumbled back into the hall.

He coughed and hacked, clutching his throat and sucking in air.

"Guys?" he called out weakly, stumbling to his feet. Why was the hallway so... steamy? "Kath!?" he managed to call out a little louder. He heard a horrifying noise and saw something big and glowy coming down the hallway toward him. Nope, he'd be having none of that. He needed a way out.

Right! The last he'd seen of Andreim, he'd been making a hole in the ceiling! He should have been right under it, though it was hard to say exactly where it was with all the steam. Lighting up his feet, he leapt.

CRASH! He'd... almost had it. He'd hit the edge of the hole, smacked his head, but still... he'd made it. Ow.

"Gah... son of a..." he hissed, clutching his head. "Bad day... bad day..." he whispered to himself. He once more climbed to his feet and heard quite the commotion down the hall. He supposed he should check that out.

". . . prisoner. . . Kath. . . of us. . .?"

As he drew close, he heard snippets of a conversation. One he didn't like the sound of. His hands ignited and he ran over to a hole that had been put through a wall. Indeed, he saw Katherine surrounded by people, a few of which he recognized as enemies.

"Kath! Hey, back off or els-"

BLAM!

And suddenly he was thrown back out of sight.

Rurik Alexeev

@Hammerman @6slyboy6 @Gentlemanvaultboy

---

It couldn't have been done by anyone other than Rurik, and indeed his hand was raised and aimed at the hole where Cassius had been standing.

"What? He was gonna attack us," Rurik shrugged.

"H-hang on... Kath... I got you!" Cassius could be heard from out in the hallway. He rushed back into view only to once more be sent flying by another blast.

"Persistent..." Rurik mused. "I can do this all day!" he called out.

"S-so can I!" Cassius replied as he once more hauled himself to his feet.

At that moment, the glow of fire reached the room they were in... but it seemed to come from the wrong direction.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Rurik shouted, bringing things to a screeching halt. "If you two fire idiots are here, who's lighting the roof on fire?" From his position still atop the pile of rubble, he had a good view of the orange glow that was coming down the hole Bak had made, easily visible against the dark night sky.

"Huh?" Cassius once more made to enter the room, much more calmly this time, ignoring the group as he walked over to look at what Rurik was seeing, "Excuse me," he even said politely as he moved past Bak. "Oh yeah... it is kinda on fire."

Rurik glanced down at him and frowned, "Did I say you could come in?"

"You didn't say I couldn't." Cassius frowned back. The tension was beginning to grow again.

"Are you still gonna try to fight us?" Rurik raised an eyebrow.

"I dunno, are you still gonna take Kath prisoner?" Cassius challenged, clenching his fists, ready to go.

Rurik just leaned to the side to look past him, not looking all that concerned, "Hey Kath, are you gonna try to fight us? 'Cause I'm willing to call a truce if you don't." Kath was a big enough pain in the ass on her own... and now there were two of them. He really didn't want to deal with that kind of nonsense.

[AtomicNut]

Meredith

@Ebil Bunny

Meredith shuffled in her sleep as she leant against the wall of her room. Eventually, she had ceded the bed to her guest, despite the awkwardness of the situation, so Cyan was probably snug amidst the frilly bed covers, pillows and occasional plush toy (that she had never gotten rid of). The room was fairly typical, despite how atypical Meredith was sometimes. She even had a locked pink diary. With an actual demonic circle rune, curiously enough.

How long had been the last time she had slept without a bed? It brough her memories, of how simple and animalistic her early life had been. And how her mother had been quite different. She still remembered a little trick, which she executed once she began to remove her clothes, much to Cyan's fluster and awkwardness. She lifted the back of her cat pyjamas, and allowed her demonic wings to spread over, wrapping around her reclining form much like a dark coat. Wings were of course, a way to keep herself warm and cozy without blankets, after all. Still, despite the precarious situation she was having a rather happy sleep, mumbling and salivating.

"I'm gonna hunt you, mr Hamsalot...heheheh"

And then, out of nowhere she was pulled back into reality, a rather peculiar ringtone coming from her cellphone. Groaning, she stretched her wings, causing a couple of posters of children cartoon's movies to fall off rather abruptly, as she operated the device, half asleep.

"Mmyes, Wolfie. Yeah, huhhu, Internal bleeding. Okay bye." She added, still stunned by the sudden awakening. It took her a good ten seconds for her mind to click and rise in an explosion of urgency and panic. "INTERNAL BLEEDING?! Oh Satan take me...!" She said in a comically high pitched voiced as she started to rampage through her room, chucking her pyjamas and forgetting that Cyan even existed. She began to yank things out of the wardrobe, searching for the one thing that could possibly help.

An enchanted demonic cloth. Well, her mother claimed that it enhanced demonic power... as well as being quite stylish. Well, if by stylish she meant several strings and the barest pieces of cloth holding something that was considered the gaudy cross of a bikini and a miniskirt, complete with being black and made of leather. Meredith gulped. Public decency be damned, Wolf needed her help!

It was then when things could not get worse, as the room was suddenly illuminated by someone who turned the switch on. Meredith shot an alarmed glare at the demonic figure by the door. She actually had to lower her gaze to actually stare at the demonic being's face. Or actually half-demon. Anna. Her own 10-year old sister. And on her shadow, another like her, but male. Zack.

"WILL YOU PIPE DOWN, MAMMOTH? We were trying to...oh I see, you're trying to have a proper meal like mother. Well too bad, you should share with your siblings! Imma tell mom!" She said in a voice that was impossibly arrogant for someone who had not even hit puberty.

"I don't care! Wolf is hurt.!" She said, as she slid into the impossibly revealing, but still fitting clothes. They well, were a bit riding up her backside, though.

"Wolf is...what?"The younger sibling added. "You dumbo, you should've told me. I haven't stolen him from you or that mortal wench yet! This would ruin my plans!" She pouted. "But fine! I will go with you! Zack, you keep order here!" She added as she began to flap her wings energetically. Meredith looked at her younger sister for a moment, before deciding that any help was welcome. She then opened her window, and both siblings flew away really fast.

Leaving the youngest of the demon brood literally looking at Cyan, with surprised eyes. "Hi, my name is Zack. Do you like swords?" He said, before comically tilting to one side. "Fluffy bed." He muttered, before falling asleep once more.

---

@Letter Bee @Crowvette @Scarifar @KillamriX88 @Bartimaeus
@Gentlemanvaultboy

The two demonic figures powered throught the nightime sky, one more portly and on the lead, the other more nimble and content with following the first one's trail. They could feel it. He was near. The descent was quick and equally swift, the large demonic being landing in front of Wolf, in the kind of clothing only a denizen of hell could have worn. By her side, a much smaller demonic figure, her haughty gazy scanning the panorama. An ominous scene, until the larger of the two figures spoke.

"Wolfie!" Meredith cried, as she began her preparations in haste, by manipulating a bloody cut in her hand and creating a healing rune in mid-air, demonic energies crackling as her spell took form in a rush. Meanwhile, the younger demon set her sights onto Vera Goh and some other guy. Wait. No a girl. Confusing.

"Ohohoho, Vera Goh, you are most haggard tonight!" Anna laughed in a barely credible faked laughter, as she hovered around the couple like a fly goes for the rotten fruit. "But fear not, I can give what you most desire. For a sacrifice." The cheeky half-demon added. "Sacrifices of cookies and candy preferred. Parfaits and male studs are acceptable aswell." She grinned as she began to circle an imaginary rune with her finger.

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

The Midnight Tournament, Penultimate Round

It wasn't long, without the heat of battle clouding their senses, that the group felt eyes on them. Lots of eyes. A half circle of faces watched from what they felt was a safe distance. No one was watching the matches anymore. The match that was happening right now was completely ignored in favor of the spectacle that had been laid out before them. There were a few cheers, some boos, but most of all a whispered muttering among them about what exactly had gone on. They'd cottoned to the fact that this was more serious than some unscheduled match, even if some of them were collecting on some hastily made bets. Rumors swirled. A bet gone bad? A fight over a girl? That supposed demon lady from before, maybe? And someone had died, hadn't they? That's what a few of them had claimed as they'd tried to make a causal exit, this not being the sort of fun they'd singed on for tonight, but the majority simply looked on with interest wondering if violence was about to erupt again.

@AtomicNut@Letter Bee@Bartimaeus@KillamriX88@Crowvette@Scarifar

[Crowvette]

Andras

Andras's eye sparkled as Wolf asserted his position. Even Vera was talking about becoming besties! 'These two are good through and through!' Andras might have teared up again if she wasn't careful.

Even Masami was worried about her! Andras was overjoyed to see that she was fine... And didn't think any less of Andras for klutzing out previously, it seemed.

Andras cooly turned to Ascot. "Of course I won't run. The Demon Lady of Despair will not be deterred from anything, even if the fires of the Abyss threaten to lick at her flesh."

'Nailed it.' Andras thought to herself.

"But I won't be alone either... Man, you're all the best!" Andras cried after thinking more about her new friends and their offer of help. She tightly hugged the nearest thing to her (which happened to be Vera) and enjoyed the moment of camaraderie that they had all shared. After a moment, though, she looked up once again mid-hug and asked, "Wait... Is that Meredith?" She regarded the new arrival.

[Dezuel]

Galbrek

"You insolent old wench!" He watched as the woman had sent some chains going after him. I am the damn puppeteer running this show, don't take me lightly you damn spectator!

He flung himself up on the roof and then shot strings to grab unto the incoming chains that were aimed at him, using his strings he would twist and bend them to cause the chains to miss him. Instead causing them to crash into the building itself. Galbrek then ran across the roof and shoot his strings to another roof and kept running, throwing glances over his shoulder to make sure none was following him.

Someone is going to die for this.

In the car with the crossdresser...

Celine sat in silence as she listened to Celestine. This person surely talks alot, more than anyone she had ever met. An ally to -him-. While he doesn't seem to be fond of my creator, he does seem full of himself. Then the person had removed the mask, the face was not horrid nor was it decorated with the same smirk as her creator.

This guy wants me to switch sides to join him, but he is surely about as bad as lord Galbrek. The same arrogance. The same kind of words as far as she could tell. Right now however, it came at a good opportunity. She could play on both sides and whomever come out the winner in the end she could join.

Then the thought came to her. What if there was no winner? "If" is good. Just as she had begun to ponder on that the person told her to take a particular note which he handed over. A number for a phone. With it she could call for reinforcements?

It was a useful weapon to have. Would things go either way. Would her master try dispose of her she could call him for aid, and in the same sense she could use this knowledge and note as proof to her master would that choice seem a better one.

Celine looked to Celestine. "I will keep that in mind." She said in a reserved and somewhat prideful manner. She felt like she had to do her best to display strength, despite knowing fully well her powers had left her and she now only had one arm left to fight with. Then came the memory of Bertrand during their earliest days, when they had sparred and tested fighting each other.

"You only need legs and good boots to kick ass!" Was what he had said. Celine had a slight upturn form at the corner of her mouth. "Thank you."

Outside the hideout Charlie

"Tch... fucking mental bitch. Now I have to go get some dental treatment..." Galbrek grabbed and felt his cheek and poked the hole in the back of his mouth where one of his teeth had been before. He had lost one of his chewing type of teeth. The half-demon had kept running and moving from roof to roof, to try loose any potential pursuers. But now he had arrived to the hideout, he threw some narrowed eyed glances around before approaching the old wooden door and opening it with a key he carried in his pocket.

He slipped inside and looked around at the first room which was more like a cover for what was deeper into the building. He marsched into the room where two of his remaining dolls were waiting. Adam and Darla.

"Master Galbrek! What has happ-" Adam was the first to speak up while both he and Darla turned to look at their master, bruised and having a trail of blood along the corner of his mouth.

"What does it fucking look like?!" Galbrek raised his hand and backhanded Adam across the face, causing the tall doll to stumble back and against a wall. He didn't retaliate but he was surprised and knew that this was a good time to shut up.

Galbrek breathed heavily and then reached for an unopened wine bottle on the table. He didn't care about the legal drinking limit, he was a demon. They were chaotic in nature, ofcourse he would break laws where it suited him. He took a swig from the bottle and then spit the contents into an mug. He wanted to wash away the taste of blood in his mouth, it was something new to him. Something he didn't want to ever feel again. It was so humiliating.

To think a bunch of half-witted mortals wounded me like this. He tightened his hand into a fist and set his narrowed eyes on Darla.

"Darla!" Galbrek yelled out and stepped closer to the shorter doll who flinched and widened her eyes in shock and fear.

"Y-yes! Master Ga-" Darla was interupted before she could speak her full sentence, her master was impatient and angry. The half-demon took a few deep breaths and tried to collect himself. "Darla." He said sternly before continuing, now starting to speak very calmly but still with obvious anger in his voice.

"How come you three failed to do what I asked? How could it happen? What were the names of those involved? Answer me this..." He set his demonic eyes on the short doll who was trembling and her lips shaking, trying to speak back.

"T-th- there were others! They s-saw us!" Darla answered in a panicked way, fidgeting with her remaining hand at her shirt.

"Who saw you? Answer me!" Galbrek yelled out and took a step closer to eye her down.

"Some girl... that boy William... uhm.. the boy who protect him and Wolf. His name was Wolf! T-that's what s-she s-s-s-said..." Darla looked to Adam for a moment and then back to her creator.

Galbrek stepped back and adjusted his posture, placing one of his hands at his waist and the other under his chin. "Wolf? I will find out just who that is and make sure he will never meddle in my affairs ever again." The half-demon spoke out loud, both of his dolls following his movements within the room.

"M-master.. I..I tried to do it. We really tried to... you have to believe me. P-please forgive us master Galbrek!" Darla said in a loud but now confident tone. Galbrek raised an eyebrow in reply and walked up to Darla, lifting one hand under her chin to look into her eyes. "Yes... I believe you, Darla."

Darla's face began to lighten up. "Oh.. master.. I..." She began to think heavily on her next words, but her master continued to talk which snapped her out of it.

"You wanted to be set free didn't you? And with that arm you really are of no use to me anymore. So I am just going to go ahead and grant you your wish. I am a merciful god after all. Be sure to thank William and his friends for this gift."
The half-demon raised his both hands and then shot out ten strings which wrapped their way around Darla's body, pressing her up towards the ceiling but not quite touching it.

The short doll squeaked and tried to resist the strings which carried her up into the air. "M-master- why?! I-I don't want to die! P-please- I-" Her voice was cut off as the strings began to restrict around her, pressing her body tighter and tighter. Some crackling sounds could be heard coming from her as she tried to wriggle free.

"You failed me Darla. I also have no use for a broken toy. But you are not even a toy... you are trash. So I am going free you from your miserable existance right now."

"Noooo! Stop! H-help! Help me... Bertrand! Adam! Cel-" Darla's torso and waist began to give in to the strings which pressed forcefully against her, loud crackling noises could be heard and then her legs and arms shattered. Followed by her waist and chest. The strings which held her up fell down to the floor along the claylike rubble which was once her body, her clothes all dusty and torn amidst it.

Her head landed just before the pile, cracked and with an expression of sadness on it. Her mouth opened to say something very low. "M-my.. dream..." Before her voice was fully silenced, as her master's boot came crashing down on her head, smashing it into pieces. Galbrek began to move over to a mat near the fireplace where he began to wipe his boots from the claylike dust which had attached to it. "Oh pity. These pair of boots are ruined after tonight's event." He gave a disapproving look to them and then to Adam.

Adam had remained silent by the wall, something about seeing Darla ending up the way she did didn't sit right with him. Despite his harsh words to Darla. But she had failed their master, it was an expected punishment. One that he would do all in his power to avoid. He straightened his back. He could have tried to save her, but it would not have worked. His loyalty was to his master, no matter how much Darla may have cried for his help. No matter how much anyone would have cried. His allegiance was set in stone.

"Master Galbrek, what is your command?" Adam said after watching Galbrek for a moment, the latter then began to step up really close to him.

"Oh Adam... the others have failed me. But you are the only one who have not disappointed me. That's why I am going to give you more power, and two new allies. Stay here for now." Galbrek pressed his hand against Adam's chest and began to pour more dark energy into him, giving him 50% energy. Half the power output of a student of St.Lucifer's or St.Laurels. While a leap away from being devastating, his power output had now doubled.

"Master? I will not disappoint you." He replied to his master who at this point had begun to hug him and press his head against his chest. "I will make some new toys and tomorrow we shall try again. Tell me, do I still look as beautiful as I did last morning?" Galbrek let go and moved abit away from Adam, spinning on his boots in a dancing whirl to display his now dusty, and bloodied coat alongside his bruises.

"You haven't changed abit. Lord Galbrek. None among the gods have a grace comparable to yours." Adam replied, his expression was serious and firm. Not that Adam had ever seen any gods for that matter.

"I will rip them all to pieces... every last one of those who interfere with my plans for that girl. St.Lucifer's or St.Laurel's. It doesn't matter at all about any of those. If I can awaken some ancient evils there will be a new world order where I shall sit on the top of the food chain..."

Galbrek began to laugh uncontrollably spreading his arms wide as he looked up at a large painting depicting Rhea. His doll stood silent in the background, pondering just what he would have to walk through to serve his master.

[Gentlemanvaultboy]

Bak Tsarevna

Bak couldn't help but giggle every time Rurick sent the foolish St. Laural's flying out of sight, at least until Rurik brought another issue to their attention that even the newcomer seemed interested in.

"You can not just have prisoner, that is not how prisoner works." Bak said indignantly even as she stepped back to let Cassius through. "If you are wanting to free prisoner you must give us something in return." She stepped forward after his, getting a good look up through the hole. The wicked orange glow that shown down from the roof brought up awful memories from her childhood, of pain and youthful stupidity and an unbearable heat covering her body that would never end. She found herself gripping her arms lightly without even really meaning too, caressing the mangled flesh kept whole surly only by a microscopic latticework of steel that had slithered through it in the aftermath like new growth after a bushfire.

There was another important fact though. As far as she knew there was only one person who had for sure gone above. Only one that could be on top of the building right now. That made her swallow her apprehension.

"Fire idiots!" She said, uncrossing her arms are she tried to settle her nerves and failed. "You would both be able to fight fire with fire. Help us defeat whatever that is," she pointed to the orange glow, "and prisoner is free to go. This is acceptable, yes? It is, yes?" She said, turning to Christine and pleading with her eyes that, yes, this was indeed acceptable. "Thobias! That is Tovarish fighting up there, I am sure! You must carry us up there, we must support her. It is the only way we will be able to get there quickly enough."

@KillamriX88@Hammerman@6slyboy6

[6slyboy6]

@KillamriX88@Hammerman@Gentlemanvaultboy

---

Kath hugged Christine when she approached her. Yes, she really needed that. Sometimes even the thoughest girls and boys need some soft touches. Then she looked around and noticed the rest of people around her. She pat her sister on the back and then leaned away. This is my happy place It really wasn't, but rehearsing that sentence in her mind helped. She was just about to confront Bak and Rurik when Cassius made his...grand entrance?

Kath was kind of furious that Cassius made a fool of himself, but he appreciated her firebuddy's efforts to free her. Not like it meant a lot. It was the proposal of the Mephisto students that would "free" her. Not like that mean a lot either. "Yeah, no, fuck you Rurik. Whether you call truce or not doesn't change the fact that I'll try to beat your ass up." She let a long sigh out and looked at Christine. "Buuut, I'm willing to momentarily cease hostile actions." She turned back to Rurik and pointed straight at him. "But only until we get out of here, then I'll put the crosshair back on your head." With that she stood up and dusted off her clothing. Well, the resemblance of her outfit at least, as there were many small holes in her attire caused by her uncontrollable fire. Great, just what I needed. But I guess I'll have to endure for now.

She examined Bak, covered in dust, and wondered what event could lead to someone becoming such an... abomination? Not like Kath didn't like the girl, aside from pointing guns at her, Bak seemed to be pretty well mannered compared to some other Mephisto students in the room. Still, one can only wonder...

Then there was Thobias. God, she couldn't stand being with that jerk, not since they - No, that's a story for another time. Kath took a depp breath and nod towards the boy, quelling the memories that were surfacing. She already had enough of them in whatever wonderlands she was in her dream. She'll just have to endure the boy's presence without flipping out, or worse.

She waved for Cassius to closer and she faced the boy with a faint blush. Her voice was quieter when she spoke, not wanting the others to hear about her freak out. Just in case they didn't already know. "I'm sorry about earlier Cassius, I don't know what happened. I lost control of myself, couldn't maintain my temper. Firebuddies?" She raised her hand between teh two of them for a brofist.

---

As impressive as it was that Kath woke up, it would just further complicate the matters. She liked Kath and everything, but her temper was something he couldn't handle. Honestly, he didn't beleive anyone could. "Yeah, go team 'Mutual Grievances'!" He cleared his throat and adressed the other Mephisto students. "Now that everyone is happy, we should REALLY go up there. Of course, let me stress what a stupid idea this is, but everyone here seems to want to face danger head on, so I might as well join the bandwagon. Wohoo." Thobias did an unenthusiastic jazz hands to give some depth to his expression. "I'm sure Clara is doing fine by herself, with all that vodoo stuff she has in that book." He shook his head and covered his face with his palm. When he took them away a second later his coolness returned. "Okay, I'm ready, let's do this." Thobias hastly removed his shirt, revealing a grey tank top under it. You gotta give credits to that shirt, it hid well Thobias's muscly body. "Everyone grab onto me. My portal is all outta juice for now, so we need to do this the old fashioned way."

[KillamriX88]

_____________________________________________________________

---

Rurik Alexeev

@Hammerman @6slyboy6 @Gentlemanvaultboy @RoflsMazoy

---

Rurik rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Hate you too, Katherine," he grumbled at her usual, hyper-aggressive response.

A few seconds later, when she addressed Cassius, the boy just smiled, "Of course!" He bumped his fist to hers. "You're a bit hotheaded," literally, at that, [color=slategray]"but if anyone can take the heat it's me, right?" His smile then split into a full grin once Thobias finished his spiel. "Now, how about we go up there and show them what a real fire looks like?!"

"Touching..." Rurik mumbled, tight-lipped at the prospect of joining the fray up top. Speaking of touching, soon enough everyone was touching Thobias. It made sense that he'd stripped down a bit. He'd needed to make room for everyone to manage skin-to-skin contact for the jump. Don't throw up... don't throw up... Rurik mouthed to himself repeatedly before the world folded in on itself.

When the world put itself back together, they were on the rooftop before quite the chaotic scene.

All three school leaders were present and there seemed to be quite a few demons flapping about. Strangely identical demons. As far as the layout went, there was a rectangular structure on the rear of the rooftop, where both stairwells inevitably let out. Closer to the middle was a smaller, box-shaped structure, likely the top of the elevator shaft where the mechanism sat.

"Why did I get out of bed this morning?" Rurik groaned, clutching his stomach.

"Hey! Alto is here!" Cassius perked up at the sight of his school's number one student. Apparently he'd weathered the jump just fine.

The demons definitely outnumbered the leaders, and furthermore, could Clara really be trusted? "Let's go back him up! Hey, we're here too!" Cassius charged forth.

Unfortunately, the demons seemed to spot him first. One of them changed direction, its hand glowing. Cassius skidded to a stop and took aim, and with a snap of his fingers let out a burst of flames that shot up to engulf the demoness. The demoness fell from the sky trailing smoke from her wings, but landed on her feet. It seemed it would take a bit more than that to really burn a fire-flinging demon. That was when he noticed a glow beneath his feet. He looked down and saw a runic circle burning itself into the ground.

"Oh-" And just like that, the world's least fire retardant fire-user was engulfed in a pillar of flames.

The fire receded, and Cassius was still standing, but he was covered in soot and his clothing was singed all to hell. He also seemed a tad unsteady on his feet, hunched over and arms hanging limp. The first demoness strutted toward him, more runes burning into the air around her hands. Then, a second flew over, and with a wave of their hands, a wall of flames sprouted up, cutting the rest of the group off from Cassius.

The first demoness then reared a clawed hand back, aimed for Cassius's heart.

Click-Click Suddenly, Cassius sprang to life. He rammed both his fists into the demon, one into her stomach, the other her chest. BOOM!

He might not have been immune to fire, but he could take it better than most.

The explosion flung the demon back like a cannon-ball, careening into the second, sending both crashing to the ground. The fire-wall dropped as quickly as it had sprung up, revealing Cassius's handiwork to the rest of them. Cassius was still on the move, however. He rocketed forward, the demons barely having hit the ground. If throwing explosions from a distance didn't work, he'd close the gap.

He screeched to a halt barely more than five feet from then and snapped both fingers as his arms lit up. SNAP! Two series of burning explosions arced out and converged on the demonic dogpile he'd created, creating a massive fireball. When it cleared, all that was left was a scorch mark on the hotel roof.

He stood there panting before he took a deep breath and looked over his shoulder, "Sorry, I wasn't feeling so good earlier, but I think I'm all right now!"

Meanwhile, Rurik's jaw just dropped. He had to assume the only reason Cassius had let himself be tossed around by him was because Katherine had been in the firing line and he'd been holding back. The defeat of the first two demons had caught the attention of another which suddenly split into two -- but something told Rurik that Cassius would be fine.

"Well... he seems to have this all under control. I'm just gonna... go over there..." Rurik stepped aside and slunk off. He made his way to the roof's edge and-

BLORF! So, yeah, he'd lost that battle in the end...