Blizz

Inferno - STRIKE THE MATCH! - Concluded

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Jack Hawthorne

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Location: The Sanctum Sanctorum
Skills: Magic Expertise, Magic Combat
Spells: Shadow Arm
Outfit

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Jack listened closely to the story that Runa told. She had seen much destruction in her life, and more death than a person should have experienced. The tale of Ragnarok, the Twilight of the Gods, was a grim and inescapable one. Anyone would yearn for a way to break the cycle of existence, to transcend the limitations of the mortal form, and render suffering nonexistent when they were pushed far enough. Jack would have been lying to himself if he said he wasn't sympathetic to Runa's plight.

He himself understood that nothing in the bounds of creation would last forever. Everything came and went, and it all laid the ground that the next moment would tread upon. Life was fleeting, but to cut it shorter saved no one. How many would die before the world was saved? What death toll outweighed eternal salvation? Life was temporary, and to some it was never long enough, but that very reason gave it meaning.

Humanity didn't deserve to pay the price for her idea.

"If you refuse to see reason..."

His left hand, a construct of darkness, stretched out across the room like the arm of a kraken as he gripped her by the neck. His grip was strong as steel, and for a moment he wished she weren't blind, so he could give her the kindness of looking her in the eyes as he did this.

"Dominions. The very thing Witchfire works toward right now, and you expect us to accept this? Our world is in danger, and you want us to let humanity die on the pyre for your scheme. I hope that you can find peace in the next life, Runa. You deserve it more than most..."

SNAP.

Her neck was snapped, and her body fell limp. His arm reeled back, but Jack did not feel the power of the Sorcerer Supreme flow from her to him.

He watched her body fume and writhe on the ground as it refused to die. Her corpse stood up, and she laughed at Jack. As if the implication that she could be killed by him was a comical one. Jack was surprised, but he wasn't caught off guard. Magic was a window into countless possibilities, the least of which was an unkillable witch.

"...You," His eyes narrowed at her, "Are full of surprises, aren't you? An unkillable Asgardian, who survived Ragnarok. They called you Gullveig in another time, didn't they?" He asked, amused in a grim way.

"Fine, then we shall do this the hard way."

Held Roll

Jack would like to roll a check to recall if there is a way to prevent someone like Runa from rising again. To make her stay dead. Supernatural lore plz

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

Leah Jordan

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Location: The Dance > ???
Gear: A bloodstained dress and a sword
Skills: The insurmountable will to not lose her cool under any circumstances
Oh god oh fuck

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Really? That was her response? Handing her a fancy sword and telling her to do it herself? And what the fuck did she mean by "Face one's shadow?" Leah didn't have a damn clue, but she was still angry, and someone was probably trapped in there. So quickly thinking about it, she reached down and realigned a few of the broken bones in her hand with a disgusting CRUNCH. Leah didn't even fucking flinch as she did this, and while it didn't unbreak her hand, at least it wouldn't agitate her as much. If it hurt, it wasn't obvious to the others. Having done that, she took the sword and rested it against her shoulder.

"We damn sure would've liked to not be heroes tonight, but that's apparently too much to ask for. So go ahead, block people off, but we're going to fix this little fuck-up. 'Bine. House. Let's go." With that, Leah turned around and marched back into the damn infernal nonsense that Nimue had put up.

When they walked in, Leah couldn't help but start bitching, even as they moved further and further away from the land of reality and the mundane. "Fucking incompetent watery little bitch. WhAt Is MoRe TeRrIfYiNg ThAn To FaCe OnE's ShAdOw? The fuck does that even fucking mean?! I didn't face a shadow, I saw a person in here who beat the damn shit out of me. They're probably still in here so be careful- Their hair works like mine for some fucking reason." Leah was being a real dumbass right now by still not connecting the dots.

"She's lucky I didn't take this sword and stick her against the nearest wall. People are getting fucking traumatized."

The more they walked, the more it just seemed like they were going nowhere. Were they walking to where Leah found herself before?

"COME THE HELL OUT ALREADY, ASSHOLE! IT'S TIME FOR ROUND TWO!"

Parahumans: Earth Drega

Bridgewater Bank

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Ten minutes later, the Wards were deployed to the downtown area of Birdgewater to deal with the mercenary group known as Blackburn. They were known for being ruthless in their operations, and for disappearing as soon as they're finished. Blackburn's numbers are relatively small, but each member was capable of taking down an entire PRT squad individually. The PRT briefed them on the group's powers, and then piled them into the back of an armored vehicle with half a dozen senior officers. More were on the way, but first contact came down to the Wards themselves. Each member was given specific advice on how to approach this by the officers they road with. This began with a simple warning to proceed with caution, as Blackburn was seen using firearms as they attacked, and to always assume that the mercenaries wanted to kill them.

Decree, Munnin and Keystone were advised to take a backseat and play a supportive role. That meant sneaking in and "convincing" the hostages to follow Decree out, flying over the roof to monitor stragglers and the upper windows, and pointing out strategies and the inherent flaws in their approach. Keystone's power gave him a combative edge, so he would have the easiest time against Champion. While Ethos' power didn't do much in a direct confrontation, the PRT recommended that if she did decide to directly engage Blackburn, she should avoid Ironsides and focus on the other three. Ironsides' power could potentially negate hers, where the others did not have any abilities that physically altered them. She was given the approval to use her powers "as she deemed necessary."

Hornet, Shattercrash and Richter were advised to be the strike team. Using their mobility, Hornet and Shattercrash could get around Champion and Sundown's explosions the easiest, and Richter only had to touch Kintsugi's minions to take them out. Their powers were the most offensive, so they were tasked with taking the heavy hitters out. This left Tandem, who was strongly advised to spread her clones out between all three subgroups, so no one is left fighting one-on-one while she stole their weapons into her pocket dimension.

Of course, the team was more than welcome to handle this however they wished, if they didn't like the advice. So long as they did not outright kill anyone or injure the hostages, they should have no trouble explaining their approach to the Protectorate after the robbery is done. The PRT's officers would be on standby to avoid a crossfire, rather than rush in to help these mostly untrained children against the brutal villains. They were on their own, and would only be assisted once they incapacitated someone. Would they be able to bring down some of the most dangerous capes in the entire state, all alone?

The bank itself was big. Twenty-five stories of floor to ceiling windows and a brutalist exterior of concrete and metal jutted out from the surroundings and offered very little vantage points to scale the building from. Bridgewater Bank was built to last, during the reconstruction period after Confessor, and its architecture showed that off, with thick concrete crenelations lining the faces of the building that offered shock absorption in the case of natural disasters. Overall, it looked uninviting, as any heartless corporate building was, but at least it would take a lot to knock it down.

Keystone's power would notice a substantial flaw in the plan of the buildings; While it was very sturdy, it had no external methods of escaping from the higher floors. The elevator system operated on an independent circuit, meaning it could operate in the event of a blackout, but getting to them wouldn't always be easy. Especially when Sundown had already destroyed them, according to a few text messages from inside the building.

Police cars and riot barricades littered the front of the bank, with cops and special forces ready to open fire on anyone who looked like a villain. Numerous broken shapes made of twisted metal, asphalt and concrete littered the ground, vaguely formed into animals. These were the work of Kintsugi, a construct master who made minions from the environment.

The Wards were dropped off on the opposite end of the street, while the van swerved off into another direction. The officers simply said "good luck," and left them to it.

"Don't know about you guys, but I'm going in through the front. Munnin, just fly up and use the earpieces to tell us what you use. Don't get punched. I fought Champion once, and she'd snap your neck with a broken wrist if you looked at her funny," Shattercrash said, as she stepped out and immediately offered some of her personal insight.

Having said that, her hands and feet began to crackle with a neon pink glow, and she stormed across the street to the front door. Glowing footprints slowly faded away behind her as she pulled from her internal well, stepping across the barriers and hopping through a broken window, disappearing behind fake potted plants and chairs.

And then...

BANG!

Barely a few seconds after she was out of sight, a loud and sharp blast rang out from inside. Then another, and another. The cops outside tensed up, not able to see what was happening clearly.

X-Men: GenetiX

There wasn’t much left to say about the outside world. Ryder had everything she needed through her powers, and Xavier’s tour was just an excuse to stretch her legs. With a perpetual chip on her shoulder, she went back inside later that day, and Xavier found her an unused room to sleep in. Ryder wasn’t in a position to pick and choose what she was given- or rather, she didn’t perceive it as such- and so she accepted it. Night after night went by, and she adamantly refused to be subjected to any further medical attention. No bandage changes, no check-ups. Even when Ryder seemed to be doing fine externally, her mind did not wind down on the inside.

Her mind did not have a concept of being wound down, or being calm. Calm to her was a pattern of navigating through violence and coming out in a collected manner. It was the eye of a storm, surrounded by wrath and fury and removed from it, yet never breaking pace or faltering.

That was peace to Ryder, and for that reason, she didn’t sleep.

Days went by all the same for anyone else, as if Ryder were just a ghost who came and went. And like a ghost, she stalked the school in the dead of night. Every time the sun went down and everyone went indoors, Ryder’s body refused to let her fall asleep. She always stayed awake for days, even weeks at a time, since Umbra regularly dragged her away from her cage at random intervals. It was well past 12am tonight, and Ryder stood on the path in front of the main doors that led out into who-knows-where.

Her eyes felt heavier than usual. Being shot and wounded gravely had taken a toll on her pattern of keeping on guard, leaving her wearier. Ordinarily, she could stay up for a few more days at minimum. She didn’t want to fall asleep here. She had to avoid that eventuality in the same way a predator had to constantly watch a rival; Not doing so went against everything they knew, and would only get them killed.

So when she heard footsteps coming up behind her, Ryder did as a predator would do. She turned around, and locked eyes with them.

”What?” She wasn’t in a social mood right now. So the first reaction to being approached was… Unamused, to put it lightly.

Inferno - STRIKE THE MATCH! - Concluded

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Jack Hawthorne

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Location: The Sanctum Sanctorum
Skills: Magic Expertise
Spells: Renewal
Outfit

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It was working. There was no clear way to know for sure, no feeling in his bones that told Jack that the Veil was regenerating. But he had a feeling their efforts were making some semblance of progress. Any progress put them further away from certain doom. The glitter staining his clothes was getting everything by now. It would take weeks To get rid of it all, but the thought. That faded as Jack felt his kind melding together again with Max’s. Their thoughts and the power each of them held turned outwards upon itself. Like a geometric shape unfolding into infinity, the wells connected and formed the ocean.

He wasn’t particularly surprised that Klara seemed to fumble the chant. She was a child, and he knew how to remedy that. But as they recited the Renewal spell, he noticed Madalyne spitting fire like a dragon. It looked like the spell was actively harming her- literally burning her alive just saying the words- and he felt distressed at the sight of her pain. Why didn’t he think of this sooner? In Limbo, he noticed she seemed to exhibit some demonic capabilities, but avoided commenting on it because he didn’t want to be rude. But now, her hybrid origin was working against her.

And worst of all, Runa flat out refused to take part in it.

What had she done to herself? She seemed different now. Jack turned and shot her an exasperated look, ”Have you lost your mind?! This is what we need to stop the invasion! Why would you come this far with us, only to-“ He cut himself off, quickly reminding himself that they had to see this through. Squabbling wasn’t going to help them, it would only slow them down. Prudence didn’t want to do this either, but at least she was seeing it through. Jack kept silent for a moment as he thought about what to do.

One refused, another could get herself killed. But he had his book…

”Fine. Refuse, and leave it to us. But if we need your power, and the fragment of Strange's soul you were given, I will take them by force if I must. We did not come this far to fail." Ever determined to see this through, Jack released his hands from Max’s, and reached into his coat. He was going to get glitter in the pages… Oh well. It was for a good cause.

"Madalyne, save your strength for a moment. We may be able to do this without you. The chance is small, but it's better than killing you to do this."

Thanks to the melding of their minds, Max and anyone else participating would know exactly what the was getting at before he did it. He hoped it didn't come to fighting one another, but would they succeed otherwise?

He pulled the small book from his pocket and instantly began flying through pages. He had it with him when he was first dragged into Limbo, and it could not have been more useful than right now. ”That will leave six of us. It’s a universal truth that magic works best in threes. Mathematically speaking, two sets of three will make the spell flow more intuitively, like a river without rocks in its path. It may be slower, but slow and steady is superior to fast and loose. Where is it- Where is- Here!”

He found the page he was looking for. It was the Renewal chant written down, word-for-word, as a passage in a section of the book about the Veil. ”Klara, if you can’t memorize the spell, use this. I wrote it down years ago, and it is exactly the same. Read it from the page, it’ll be easier for you.” He handed the book to her, trusting her with it even after the glitter had stuck to the pages.

”The spell requires the soul of a Sorcerer Supreme to cast, but we're working with a broken version. But more we cast the spell, the more we repair the Veil. Again!” he rejoined hands with Max and began to recite the chant.

Over, and over, and over again.

However, in the back of his mind, some small part of him was dreading this. Something was telling him that this workaround wasn't going to pay off, but they had to try first. They lost a piece of the soul in Limbo, and now one of them simply wouldn't take part. The Veil was certainly regenerating thanks to the effort. but could the mend it faster than it was breaking? Or were they simply breaking even against the endless tide by working with fractions of power?

If they couldn't use clever tactics to win, would they have to kill Runa?

Would they even be capable of killing someone like her?

Held roll

Jack does not wish to kill Runa. He desperately wants the best possible ending for as many people as possible. And to that end, he's rolling to wrack every last scrap of knowledge in his brain for something, anything to make this work without their full power. Skills: Magic expertise and supernatural lore. And a prayer.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Interactions: The Calamitous Congregation of Cohorts

The burning church

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Those guns did not elicit the response that the PRA might have expected. Jack stood still as a statue, knowing damn well (and egotistically) that the shadows at their feet were all he needed to get them off their power trip, and make them resort to magic or grenades. When the one who Jack assumed was in charge spoke to him, he kept his eyes on as many places as possible. He saw Tayla come out of the bushes, and she was powerless without her Lux. If these vermin started shooting again, she was who he'd try to shield first, long enough for her to escape. Liao seemed to know Auri, and by extension the rest of them by name.

"She was injured, but she's alive. Head trauma." That was all he'd explain to anyone at the moment. The PRA did not need to know how or why this happened to Auri, but simply explaining the nature of her injury was enough to address the fact that she needed medical attention. Jack didn't actually know the extent of what Furio did to her, but he certainly wasn't about to get into details with the feds. They didn't need to know that he could take people to places beyond Shimmer whenever he wanted.

At least her subordinates seemed to have more professionalism than her, as they all started talking her down after they attacked the church and seemingly set it on fire. Jack could've strangled them all right then and there for endangering lives, but he was busy keeping Auri's unconscious body safe... Why were they arresting Everleigh? She was the problematic one in this group of problems, was she the reason for all this? He kept quiet until Cindy walked over to him, offering a lukewarm apology and one of their other agents to heal them. Either these people considered themselves to be in control right now (they were, but Jack was being Jack about it) and just wanted to sleep at night, or one of them actually had basic common sense and regretted how this went down. To Jack, it seemed like a genuine apology, so maybe he was being irrational about her intentions.

"You already know about Father Wolf, from what the others have said. You can imagine that I'm less than thrilled to see that you've attacked my friends," he responded, wearily. Looking up at the burning church, he took a second to reflect on the day so far. Everything was a disaster. He thought that sealing the Void Heart would be a step in the right direction, maybe Auri would look somewhat more dependable, and the coven might've used it as a morale boost.

One step forward, another step back.

"But if you're offering, I won't refuse. She needs it more than me... Thank you." He wasn't about to turn down healing at someone else's expense. "We-" He was interrupted when Linqian and Evelynn started bitching. Jack's whole head snapped to their direction as they started yelling at each other. Lynn had tears on her face. Disappointment crept up on his. Of course they were going to be angry about whatever the hell happened while he was gone. Of course, but they didn't have to fight over- What were they fighting over? Accepting help from the PRA?

And Jack might've let them scream it out, until he heard something from Evelynn that would have made him join the shouting were it not for the fact that he was carrying Auri.

“I am glad Father Wolf took Jinhai from you, you deserve as much.”

His blood ran cold at the idea that Lynn would dare fall so low. And the yellow-hot slap that Linqian delivered

"Excuse me," he said to Cindy, not hiding the contempt in his voice as he stomped over. They argued, and argued, and argue on. For once, he was the angry one now, and he hated that he was angry at these two. Jack didn't want to be.

"What did you expect to happen, saying something so heartless?" He asked Evelynn, trying to sound calm and mostly succeeding. "Do you remember how we all felt, watching one another fall in battle as children, Evelynn? We all hated ourselves for not being the ones who died in someone else' place, told ourselves that we might have been able to change the outcome if we were there. You lost more than most of us. Did you forget? that the rest of us cared for Jinhai as well?"

Jinhai and Jack were close. They were good friends who plotted strategies to fight back against the Stygian Snake together. They knew how to hit apparitions where it hurt, and they bonded over their abilities. "We all want the same things. Vengeance, survival, answers; Opening each others' wounds will only put all of us in a shallow grave sooner, rather than later." He really, really wanted to believe that Lynn simply wasn't thinking straight, because that was way out of line.

They were done, so Jack got off their asses about it, taking in a deep breath after chewing Lynn out.

"Which one of you is the healer?" He asked the agents.

X-Men: GenetiX

Ryder didn't miss the fact that Cyclops was giving her a look, and shot it back just for the sake of it.

Looking back at Jean, in visible disbelief. "I don't care. I know damn well you don't have to run DNA tests to verify if someone's allergic to certain medicines. You just run a blood type test," She was bickering at Jean as if she were the adult, and Jean was the child. "It just so happens that I got subjected to a lot of those back at Umbra, so I know you're bullshitting me when I see it."

"Something you're gonna need to get used to is that I wasn't born yesterday. I know better than to just take all of you dumb fucks are your word. You might have someone else fooled by telling them you're just doing innocent little things here and there but that doesn't get past me." In Ryder's mind, all they had done up to this point was one shifty thing after another. They hadn't earn a single ounce of trust, and were only digging themselves deeper with no clear way to get on her good side...

...If she had one.

"You think you're clever, acting like you're just here to help people and protect them, but you turn around and pull shit like that. Next time it happens, I'll just crack someone open and strangle whoever tries to stop me with what comes out." a disturbing threat, but not an unrealistic or even far-fetched one coming from Ryder. She really did not appreciate being poked at.

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

@Punished GN

Here have an NPC. I have like zero plans for them but I wrote them for funsies and you can do whatever with them. Maybe they'll show up and have a beer with Meifeng or smth. Literally just a free NPC for our overlord lmfao

Tailwind

Tailwind.

??? | "Tailwind" | They/Them...? [hr//]"Stay wild, stay free."

Description:

In the late 90s, an unpredictable storm hit the Midwestern United States. The storm raged on for 4 days across half of the Midwest, destroyed 17, and reached wind speeds of over 300 miles per hour. The clouds that gathered around the supercell tornado were so heavy and dense that most people had no way of telling when it was daytime. Buildings, trees, and everything in between were swept up in the disaster. Rain fell in such a heavy torrent that the people in the affected area struggled to breathe, as the storm threatened to drown them in the open air. It felt as if the world was falling apart, and the thunderclaps were the last herald of the end of days. On the fifth day, the Rocky Mountains buckled under the weight of the storm, but it eventually relented and faded into nothing. There has never been a weather phenomenon of this scale to date, and there likely never will be. Damages totaled to roughly $14.3 billion, and many, many people lost their homes forever. Disaster relief and emergency response data from the historic disaster claim a death toll of roughly 2,000, and 18,000 injuries.

This, however, is a lie.

There was not a single casualty during the incident. Absolutely no one was killed by the storm, and the PRA hid this truth from the world. The reason for this, is because they were present during the storm's rampage. The PRA's top personnel suspected supernatural activity was at play, as the weather should not have been able to get this bad. It was a scientific anomaly, so they looked to answers outside of science. Many PRA agents disguised themselves as emergency workers to investigate after the worst was over. Some survivors reported seeing an individual dressed like a biker, with a thick, tinted helmet on their head. Agents had been lost during the storm, and confirmed seeing this entity in person when they would have otherwise perished. A common link between all stories was that they saved lives, and the PRA concluded that the unknown being was responsible for the lack of casualties.

Once the incident was behind everyone, the PRA compiled all their evidence. Using a combination of certain Apparitions, white Lux, and surveillance revealed a person who matched the physical description, soaring through clouds like a superhero. The monolithic tornado lost large swaths of its shape as the entity went straight through it, as if they were fighting the storm. Debris such as cars or chunks of ruined houses that would have killed people in the area were conveniently blown away from would-be victims, who were fortunate enough to run away unscathed. People who were hiding in areas of low elevations would notice the wind conveniently dying down enough for them to move to somewhere safer, just in time for it to pick back up once they were in the clear. Anyone who was asked to describe this entity could barely recall anything more than the appearance.

One PRA agent who was rescued by the paranormal entity attempted to communicate with them during the disaster. Apparently the entity called itself "Tailwind," and simply told the agent, "I'm not like most people." Tailwind has occasionally been sighted in other places across the United States, with no clear pattern of movement. One day, they are in California. Two days later, they're spotted in Rhode Island. Strangely, every time Tailwind is sighted, the weather was always very cloudy and windy, as if a storm was about to break out. Sometimes, the weather does take a turn for the worst, often resulting in heavy rain and a few lightning strikes. But thankfully, they never turn into an emergency.

It is unclear what type of paranormal entity Tailwind is, but the PRA suspects they are an Adept. Tailwind currently has primary threat rating of 0-1, and a secondary rating of U and X. Little is known about them, but they have demonstrated benevolent intentions in the past. Agents are advised to approach with caution, and question them directly if possible.

Abstraction: Perfect Storm

Tailwind's Abstraction seems to be the personification of the wind, tornadoes, and all other things associated with the weather. Everywhere they go, their arrival is always heralded by gloomy weather; Cumulonimbus clouds roll through on a day expected to be bright and sunny, the wind picks up speed, and thunder gets louder. This has the concerning side effect of making preexisting weather conditions worse. Tailwind has been observed directly controlling the wind in a way that is strikingly similar to red Lux, and propelling themselves at alarmingly high speeds by twisting columns of air around them. It is currently believed by the PRA's intelligence department that Tailwind could create entire tornadoes if they wanted. Their Abstraction demonstrates very little capability for stealth, due to its macro-scale nature.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

Leah Jordan

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Location: The Dance
Gear: A hot ass dress, now smeared with blood
Skills: The insurmountable will to not lose her cool under any circumstances
Oh god oh fuck

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Diana's younger brother, the little Murdertwink™️ that Dorian had started dating a while ago, came over and teleported April away. Did April want to go? Honestly, Leah was glad she wasn't present anymore after this whole thing happened. She didn't think about it yet, but Leah may have made it worse by shaking the whole damn building just by asking a question... She'd have to apologize for that, probably. But right now, she was pissed that Nimue had left this thing in here. So when the fucking watery tart made her way over to them, followed by Nemo and some purple-haired guy, she locked eyes with her and started bitching like crazy.

"Why the hell would you stick something like this in here? We all showed up to this dance to have just one normal day without training like hell. Walking into a magic... Whatever that was, full of strangers trying to attack us without warning is the complete opposite of that!" She glared at Nimue like she was about to deck the aquatic bint right where she stood.

All things considered, Leah sounded surprisingly in control as she vented out her fury on Nimue. She definitely sounded pissed, but not to an irrational point. "Everyone's been walking out of there crying and scared to death, and I just thought there was something really convincing in there. Look at me-" She lifted her bloodied, flayed, broken hand and absolutely refused to acknowledge the pain that shot up her arm. "I got tossed around like a sack of flour, and beaten into the damn ground. What if someone walks in there and they get hurt worse!? And before any of you give me the superhero-in-training speech, you do NOT leave magic death traps just laying around to attack people! I saw Victoria's sister walk in there way before I did, and I'm pretty sure she hasn't come out yet."

"What are you going to do when someone gets killed in there?!"

Recollections: Under The Sycamore Tree Part. 1

Britney craned her head at the two newcomers, her jaw agape. She turned her head towards Auri, then back to the strangers. She asked a question,

”... Who the hell are you two?” Britney eyed the gun like the deadly serious instrument it was.

Void recognized them instantly. But how? How did the Temple know? He was this close to biting the bullet and spending an eternity in darkness. But now?

Now, maybe he had a chance.

Void twisted in Jack's grasp, hissing as he pushed against the debilitating chains Stormy had placed on him. This was so much more different than when Alizée had been chained down. Much more severe.

He sweated, drawing up on his reserves, before a single phantom hand clutched onto Jack's grip. Slowly, with gritted effort, he tried to pry one digit off. Then another. Hallucinations circled at the edges of his vision. He was pushing himself too much.

This wouldn't work. He was already so weak.

With a snarl, Void reached out with his hands, and began to launch everything within reach. Ornaments, furniture - he launched them at Jack. At the same time, he twisted in Jack's grasp, trying to shake him off. He just needed Jack to flinch for a second.

Layla froze as she saw the mirrors and newcomers, immediately disoriented. Immediately panicking. All she could focus on was the gun.

“They're… Temple!” Void wheezed in her mind. [/color]

Layla sucked in a breath. The Temple? She didn't know much about them, but if they were here, that was good news, right?

The vines were constricting her entirely. It would take too long to pry them off, especially when time was of the essence.

Her eyes were fixated on Jack, Void in his grasp. The man she had only respected in these years. Now, he wanted to take away her only companion. The entity that promised she'd see her family again!

She couldn't bear it, fresh tears pricking her eyes. Agony, heartbreak and anger bubbled up from her chest, and in a heart-wrenching scream, she lashed out at Jack with a massive phantom hand. Whether he moved or not, the impact would be enough to shatter and destroy the floor and a bit of the wall behind him.

Furio flicked the fingers of his gun hand across the room, the thumb held down causing a continuous stream of darkness to rip across Britney’s vines. Like hot butter, they cleared away foliage section by section as Clarissa advanced toward a different portal and slipped in. It only took another instant for Furio to cram together a wall of dark black coal; carbon in its solid form, and it pushed itself forward across the room.

Hitting four different portals, it split across the room and began to play pinball as they scattered further and further. Both of the assailants had managed to slip across the mirrors in the chaos: Clarissa came back through one of the standing portals and let a shot loose at Jack wholesale. The bullet whizzed by with all the noise and air of a freight train, a basic telekinetic spell boosting its speed and power to leave a dinner plate sized hole in one of the walls.

Furio’s path was a bit more dramatic, the speed of his Magnatomic spell splitting the air literally as it unzipped the atoms across its pathway. He was aiming for the intimidating beefcake, eyes full of rage as he thought about the envy he felt toward Leon.

Every six foot plus giant on the planet, all of them so full of it.

He had come through one of the window portals sideways, high off the floor and diving downward through toward one of the standing portals. He took four shots of his spell across the room at Stormy, none of them connecting, before he slipped through another portal and wound up hitting the floor back out on the porch.

Furio laughed maniacally, finally pushing back up on his hands with a deep breath. On the other side, Clarissa kept them talking.

“Ding ding! The Temple of the Esteemed, of Charming and Graceful Individuals, at your service my friends!”

Britney’s mouth went agape. “... Leon,” She mused to herself as she reached inside the closet while everyone was distracted. She sighed as she pulled out the Noble Vow. She experienced a brief recollection as she did a brief flourish with the sword.

Bullets flew past Stormy. Yet somehow none of them hit, who the hell could possibly get in here with them? These were the cultists that Leon lived with, weren’t they? He had been hidden around the corner when Layla and the Heart were brought in, but he stepped out at the worst time. So the first thing he did was hurl a shield at the man charging towards him, only for Furio to just vanish.

Jack didn’t have time to say, “how did you follow us here?” due to the fact that furniture, bullets, and phantom hands all decided they took offense to his presence. A chair made a solid impact with Jack’s ribs, flinging him against a wall as he got slapped silly by the hands. Wait… Where did those bullets go?

The Void Heart was certainly free after ruining Jack’s living room. But like a dog on a leash, Jack ended up yanking him backwards as he was thrown into the wall, as he himself was set loose.

”I remember you,” He hissed as he felt blood seep into his clothes. ”Furio, Clarissa. Of course, they sent you to track me.”

”Layla- These people, they don’t care about you. That predator tormented Alizee, turned her into his plaything-” Jack hauled himself to his feet and swung an arm in the direction of Clarissa. The shadows cast on the walls by the green glow on the floor reached out to grab and restrain her, in the form of arms from numerous angles.

[color=6644ff]”He just wants to use you, like he used her! I won’t let that happen to anyone else!”[/i][/color]

Layla desperately broke free as vines were cut away, gaining freedom of her limbs. She looked out across the chaos unfolding, and saw Void had once more been taken captive.

It made her want to scream.

Her eyes leveled at Jack, body trembling as she took a step towards him. “It's not true! Let him go!”

Both her phantom hands were raised, and she slung a flurry of open-palmed attacks at him, the impact cracking the already splintered floor. She'd beat him into submission if she had to.

“Let him GO!”

From the corner of her eye, she saw attacks sling from one end to the other. People she had once counted as friends... Now were in an all out war to take away something precious from her.

She hated it.

She saw Jack's attack on the woman from the Temple - Clarissa - and a panicked whimper escaped her throat. She switched her swinging attack to a full-on choke, trying to get ahold of Jack's torso to shake him, maim him, choke him until his shadow arms disappeared and he freed Void.

“Stop now or I swear-”

Instinctively, her hand drew to the knife in her jacket's pocket. It would only take two seconds to cross the floor and end Jack.

Layla's maddened eyes tightened. She'd do what she'd have to.

As the phantom hands tried to choke out Jack, she approached, hand gripped tightly on the knife in her pocket.

Anything to make him stop.

Furio waited a few seconds, catching his breath before taking a long and purposeful stride back through the portal. He was never sure where he was going to end up, but banked on a standing portal; a gamble that he sometimes lost, like now where he came wholesale sideways in mid air through the portal, his orientation all sorts of fucked. The stride hit open air, and he was shunted forward and down onto the floor with a huff of air that left him vulnerable for a moment.

Clarissa, the only person who directly knew the current orientation of everything, backed off into the section next to her and came out by Furio’s side. She saw Britney pulling for the sword and rattled off a couple of shots into the dresser to keep her pinned there while Furio pushed up off the floor and into another portal.

“Jack, this is awful what you’re doing to poor Alizee’s memory! That girl worked with Void Heart until the day she died; is that not beautiful love to you?”

Britney gritted her teeth as she was forced to remain behind cover. ”That wasn’t LOVE! That was manipulation and brainwashing!” Britney shouted back at her, hoping that Layla was going to hear and it’ll finally get through to her. ”Like Sloane said at the meeting! It hasn’t been a day, and he went to the next puppet! Doesn’t that set off any alarms to you, Layla!?”

“Shut up. Just SHUT UP!” Layla screamed, not taking her eyes off Jack. Britney couldn't be right.

As Furio pushed up, he unleashed another material spell, this time with a pure liquid nitrogen spray that filled the area outside the portal with thick smokey mist and obscured him as he exited. He was headed right for Auri, fist up as metal expanded across its surface for a haymaker swing.

“False Prophet, failure of the Sycamore!” he shouted as the fist closed in for the Sycamore Leader’s head. There was no telling how hard it would hit, but judging by the momentum alone, it wouldn’t feel good getting slammed with an iron cast. Knocking Auri out, she dropped the Butterfly Staff on the ground, and Britney sighed as they were now up to three fighters.

Against four people that’d gladly kill them.

Void's eyes looked on in grim satisfaction as he wheezed, struggling. That bitch deserved a good clock in the face.

That was, at least, until he noticed Britney flourish, something he expected never to see again. The sword.

He sweated. “Attack Britney, not Jack!”

Layla spared a glance for a brief moment. “But Jack is the problem.”

“They're all the problem!”

Layla still had her eyes trained on Jack. “I'm busy.”

“I swear, girl. Defy me and we will die.”

Void gritted his jagged teeth, and pushed hard against the magic on him with all his might. His red-rimmed eyes glared at Britney, memorizing her position. He knew what would happen next.

With a blood-curdling scream, he visibly fought against Stormy’s magic. Steadily, horrors overtook his vision. Steadily, he could feel the chains. Steadily, he could feel where he needed to push to break them. Britney darted her head towards Void Heart.

“AAARGH!”

And like a thousand glasses shattering, Void broke the magical hold. He made short work of Jack’s hold, near tearing apart Jack’s shadowy hand with his own. And, though blind, he set on his next task: Destroy Britney.

Like needles cutting through the wind, his phantom hands shot forward towards Britney, fisted and aiming to pulverize her from the left and right. The impact would leave craters in the wood and stone. He had to act fast. Even though he was now blind, he couldn't, under any circumstance, allow her to use that sword.

Britney’s face remained stony as she saw the hands fly towards her… and she didn’t so much as move. The Noble Vow was in one hand, and with some grace, Britney spun around like a ballerina and created a barrier of thick wood around herself that would block herself and Auri from further attack and sight. She made it thick enough to block any bullets (or she hoped) as Britney heard the hands collide against the barriers and come to a stop. She stumbled momentarily as the sudden plant growth clawed at her health, but Britney used the doorframe to brace herself and stop herself from falling over. She gritted her teeth and panted as she looked down the hall at Auri and Furio, took a few steps out of the cover, and ensured she was seen.

”Get away from my friend,” Britney narrowed her eyes as she spun the Noble Vow in her hands clockwise until it was aimed downwards. ”And maybe I won’t drop your head on the Temple’s doorstep.”

---

---

Hider

---

---

“No- wait!”

The metallic voice hung in the air. Void couldn't see, but he could hear the swish of steel. He could almost feel Furio's turning gaze. The impending doom that the Noble Vow represented. Britney’s looming shadow.

Void's hands hovered in the air before falling limp at his sides, disappearing. The horrors in his eyes only intensified at the idea of the Temple's morgue having one more body.

He couldn't do that. He was selfish. Hell, scared, even, at the prospect of being locked away. But he couldn't do that. Not in the memory of Alizée.

He was blind. Surrounded. And the ones who had put their faith in him these many, many years, would he really pay it back by asking them to sacrifice their lives just for a chance at freedom?

Void stared at the source of Britney's voice. “Wait…”

A breath.

“Just seal me.”

There was a sharp intake of breath behind him. “No!”

“Layla?” His voice raised a bit, in demand of being listened to. “Don't throw your future away. Not for this.”

Of course he knew about the knife.

“But… But we're talking about your life!”

“Just listen to me, okay?”

Void stayed firmly planted where he hovered, making no moves as his unfocused eyes stared over Britney. There was an air of surrender about him. Clear, pure, and dignified.

“I only have a small request to ask.”

He shifted slightly, blurred eyes gesturing in the direction of Layla.

“Keep me close to Layla, and don't abandon her… Layla’s locket will do the job.”

(I will format my shit when I get out of bed- Atom)
Furio and Clarissa both came to a screeching halt as the entity they came to rescue called out for clemency. For a moment's rest. Furio was utterly disgusted by the prospect, and he took a step off of Auri. He turned his back, slow footsteps taking him down the hall.

“What the fuck, Void?”

Clarissa's voice warbled slightly as she expressed her own displeasure.

“Fine, fine! You wanna die, Mr. Hunger? Mr. Can't Help Himself?”

Clarissa coughed to clear her throat, but Furio spoke through gritted teeth before his wife could continue.

“Your life is not yours to decide what to do with, Void! You made a promise to the Temple and I'll see you held to it!”

”Don't you see I'm trying to make it so no one else has to die?” Void hissed in a low voice, feeling backed into a corner.

Clarissa took the opportunity to reposition closer to Jack than Britney, backstepping into a mirror and coming out on the other side of the room.

“If the Entity's Will is broken, the Temple of Charming and Graceful individuals demands the recognition of claim. Allow us the opportunity to separate him from the Host and seal him: Send as many representatives to Alizeé's funeral as you like, but he deserves to see her buried before his own fate.”

The demand was long winded, punctuated by Furio.

“Weak, pathetic mass of Ink… We dirty our boots to traverse your mire and you leave us knee deep!?”

“I never asked you to come here to die!” Void growled.

”Be grateful that you haven’t been cut to pieces for attacking us,” Jack wheezed out, in the grasp of Layla’s phantom hands. His shadow hand had been mangled, but it would regrow in time.

”If you seal him yourself, you’ll just free him the moment you’re out of sight, and we did not stage this for it to be meaningless.” His eyes were locked on Furio like he was trying to set the man on fire with his mind. There was blood dripping from the floor, from his gunshot wounds. ”We aren’t foolish enough to believe that vermin won’t take advantage of her again!”

”If you’re serious about this, put away your weapons, leave, and let us seal him!” Britney demanded as she kept her eyes on Furio, keeping the Noble Vow tight in her grip.

”You people don’t seem to understand. That fucking ghost is OURS. You want the girl? You can have her back after we’ve flayed him and-”

Void seemed to visibly flinch.

Clarissa’s mouth gaped open. Shit, he’s not supposed to be going off like this…
“What he means, Kids, is that we’re all in alignment here! If we’re going to drop our pretenses, let’s lay it out! He broke his promise and his contract, and he’s indebted to us! The only way we can make this right is by sealing him ourselves.”

”And why should we trust a word that comes out of your mouths!?” Britney asked, aimed the Noble Vow at them, and continued, ”You attacked us, tried to kill us, all for some floating testicle with a face!”

”The Sycamore Tree Coven renounced its status the moment it disbanded! Simply put, you’re outside of your depth, affecting things that you have no business affecting! Alizee, and by extension Void Heart, are our responsibilities!”

”And you’re acting like the Old Coven was an actual institution!” Britney replied.

Furio looked beyond frustrated, face beet red and veiny from the strain of casting consistent high level material spells. Clarissa was far more calm, and as she spoke she snapped at him.
“Furio, enough! Logic! We’re simply not trying to kill you… You’d already be dead if we were. We just want what's ours, and if you need to be reminded of reason, we’re here to remind you.”

Staring at Jack, Furio spoke again.
“You’ve not been told yet, since nobody can find you normally, Asshole… But you’re expected at Alizee’s funeral! Pallbearer! I wouldn’t kill someone who has such an honor!”

Jack’s expression twisted in a mixture of unresolved grief, and bitter contempt. Her funeral. Of course, they were possessive of their “people,” but they were ceremonious at heart.

”I will be present for it. And once she is laid to rest, you will stay as far away from me and those I care for as humanly possible, or you will join her in death.” It was, ultimately, an irrational threat. Jack had been putting on a brave face since the morning after her death, but now that anger was turned on a man who wasn’t responsible for it.

”Then let us handle it! And give this spirit the dignity it deserves for fuck’s sake!”
Clarissa let the weapon she was holding drop to her side, palming the pistol with a long and slender finger still slipped into the trigger guard. Furio, however, was not so easily moved to peace. He didn’t drop his hand, nor the thick layer of metal that had molded over his chest like a protective plate.

”I don’t remember asking, I think I remember making demands. Give Layla and Void Heart up for now, so professionals can assist in her transition. Void Heart, my friend… You see the damn trouble you cause everyone!?”

Void fell silent, teeth gritted. There was pain in his face.

”Then let us come and oversee ever-” Britney tried to say before she was interrupted.

“What about me?!” Came a shout from across the room.

Layla stood there frozen, torn between pulling out her knife and giving Jack the final goodnight, or stopping the insane words coming out of these people's mouths. Everyone - Void, the Temple, Britney - was just… okay with this. With Void going away forever.

Going away…

Forever.

She visibly stiffened, tormented emotions breaking across her face.

“Twelve years. Twelve! Years! I've been alone. Doing… unspeaking things to ‘appease’.”

The phantom hands trembled as they tightened around Jack, visibly shaking with anger.

“And now, finally. Finally I don't have to be afraid. Someone to watch over me, and keep the monsters away. And you…”

A sharp inhale. A rustle. A shining gleam as a switchblade was pulled out of Layla's pocket, flicked open and tip balanced downward on her open jugular.

“You think you can take that away from me?!”

She pressed the knife a bit closer, feeling the sharpness dig through a layer of skin.

“Just try, just fucking try it, and watch what happens!”

”Put the knife down, Layla. Is this what you want?” Stormy kept his aura across the floor, since the Void Heart could’ve done anything if he was free from it.

Void didn't move, stunned as he was, staring solely at Layla.

The Noble Vow dropped to the ground, and Britney gently approached Layla, taking very slow steps. She maintained eye contact.

”Look, Layla,” Britney said, ”We can fix this. We can help you. I know things seem bad - and I don’t know all the details - but there’s no need to do anything we can’t come back from! We can help you! That’s what Sycamore is for! To help each other!”

Britney stopped her approach as she continued with, ”We didn’t do this to hurt you, we did this because we love and care about you. And we don’t want to lose you… I know you said you’ve been doing… things for twelve years, but in the bigger book that is your life, you can come back from it. We all can.”

She paused as tears started running down her eyes.

”Just put down the knife! I don’t care what I have to do, but I would give anything - ANYTHING - for you to see another beautiful day!”

Layla blinked back tears of her own. “No, no, no! You're going to take away the one good thing that's happened to me!”

Jack felt ice cold, under the layers of his clothes. Partially due to the bleeding, and partially due to the hands tightening around him. It was almost suffocating. ”Alizee was my friend. We saved all of Shimmer alongside the rest of the coven,” he said, weakly. ”The Void Heart twisted her mind, drove her to hunt down innocent people every night. For years. We were only children, and yet he made her do unspeakable things.”

He could feel the knife digging into his skin, despite how cold he felt. Shadows writhed hidden from sight, daring the knife to draw blood further.

”I tried to help her, I tried so much, and I failed her. I was not there when she was murdered. My friend has not been laid to rest, and he has already moved on to you, Layla. Is this what you want? To be his disposable plaything? You are one of us. You were, and are Sycamore. You will not be alone, in his absence.”

Layla shivered at his words, fresh tears pouring from her eyes. “Being a plaything is better than what I was before! And you'll send me back to that hell?! You try to help me, but you don't…”

A breath. A heart-wrenching cry. “You don't understand!”

“Of course they don't understand! Now stop this, sweetheart!”

Void was staring over Layla across the floor, eyes unfocused. He could feel the effects of Stormy's magic snaking into his inky depths once more, like a specialist's numbing blanket before an operation. He wouldn't be able to fight it again, not now.

Instead, he focused entirely on Layla, on what he could guess she was trying to do.

“You're right, okay, sweetie?” He dropped his tone, trying to hush her. “You're completely right. But right now you need to be brave. This isn't gonna go away by hurting yourself or anyone else.”

With their minds linked, Void silently sent Layla a picture in her mind. ‘2321 Ash Ave’ was painted on a black sign. A looming alleyway, and a hidden door.

“You won't be alone,” He said, a smirk cracking his face.

“Now… let these people do what they're going to do. I've lived long enough. A thousand years of sleep doesn't scare me.”

A pause.

“Alright, sweetheart?”

Layla stared, transfixed on Void, before her bottom lip trembled, and a whimpering groan escaped her lips. The breaking point. The release of grief for what was to come.

The knife was dropped, Layla’s phantom hands disappeared, dropping Jack, and she fell to her knees, weeping openly.

Void listened for a moment, eyes tight. In his calmness, parts of his vision had returned, so he could directly look at Furio as he addressed the man.

“Sir, just let them do what they're going to do. If you're going to punish me, punish me here and now.”

His eyes glanced towards Britney. “I'd… like to see Alizée, one last time.”

”You don’t deserve it… but whatever it takes to end this.” Britney said as she put a hand on her hip.

His chin set. “If you're going to do this, get it over with. I only have so much courage left in front of my charge.”

Layla cried out, weeping more loudly. “No…”

There was silence from the two Temple members as they stared into the face of another sad situation. They both, without consulting one another, immediately considered their own teenage daughter Ivetta.

The poor thing. Clarissa connected every bit of sorrow she'd ever felt, and remembered back to her own Kindling.

She had almost been Abjured, but the spirit had taken pity on her. Showed her the way. A mentor when she needed it most, and a parental figure she never had.
It was hard for a young woman to give up her ghost when it made her feel powerful.

Furio only grew more impatient, the thought of his daughter crossing his mind. They were only making this worse for the poor girl, and it was incredibly clear to him that the Temple was the only place with resources qualified to help this girl heal from this experience.

”You small minded children… You see now? How your actions affect those around you? This girl… She doesn't care how dangerous the spirit is, only that it gives her power! The chance to stand taller than she has!” Furio asserted through gritted teeth.
”And our people tried their best! But Void Heart won't tell you about the long process and many hardships we faced trying to help Alizée! How devastated we are that she's gone… Now you all want to try and do something about it? All of a sudden, once it's affected you, you feel the need to lash out!? Fuck y-”

Clarissa stepped through a portal and settled next to her husband, letting the entire house of mirrors fade away. Her touch brought him to a halt like a stone golem, and she took her turn.
”Britney, love… You can observe our methods all you want. Lets just set things right here: We all return to the Temple, Void Heart can see Alizée one last time, and we can begin the process of helping poor dear Layla! Together! And if we're all so concerned about the process, have Jack stick around! Redeem himself for a decade of being a real shitty absentee friend!?” Clarissa stared at him with a snarky smirk forming across her face.

”This is the last time we're offering.” Furio made sure to punctuate his wife's fluffy speech with actual reality.

Britney was silent for a moment, as she stared at the portal and the two goons that just tried to murder them. ”I’ll go, just to make sure Layla is okay,” She let her words hang in the air.

Layla sniffed, rubbing her wet eyes. “I'd be fine…” Defeated bitterness in her tone.

Britney walked over, and grabbed the Noble Vow, and looked over her shoulder at Jack. ”I’m… sorry for touching Reza’s sword, but I am going to hold onto it for a little bit longer if you don’t mind.” She awkwardly chuckled. ”Take Auri back to Shimmer - but before you go, don’t tell ANYBODY what happened here.”

Britney looked between Jack and Stormy for confirmation.

”You want to hide the fact that we were attacked? We can’t be keeping secrets from the others, right now. We’re all struggling to trust each other.”

“Trust. That’s the crux of it all, isn’t it?” Britney answered, “There is no way we can explain this without them thinking it’s bullshit.”

”Then what are we supposed to tell them? That we’ve just been in the back of the church this entire time? Doesn’t time work differently here? A day might’ve passed already.”

”That isn’t quite how it works.”

“Heh, knowing them, they might believe it,” Britney scoffed.

”Secrets are all part and parcel. The cost of business… I'm sorry, but our organization has put too many resources into this for us to back down. It simply can't happen.”

Clarissa turned her body, lifting her pistol and firing a round into nowhere. One of Jack's many left behind portals ripped itself open like a cloth barrier. It swirled with purple energy.

”Layla, Void Heart… Come. Now.” Furio outstretched a hand, motioning for the poor girl to follow.

Layla shivered, feeling eyes on her as she picked herself up off the floor. She pocketed the knife, wiped her eyes dry, and crossed the floor without as much as a whimper. Void was at her side, eyes glancing between Stormy and Furio.

“Let's get this over with.”

”Whatever you intend to do over there on the temple’s territory, I am not letting you do it alone,” Stormy answered. ”I don’t fully trust this organization to not have other motives. And I’m sure they can understand looking out for one’s own people.”

“Then, join me,” Britney gestured for Stormy to come along. She looked over her shoulder at Jack, “You can take it from here?”

Jack’s eyes flicked down to the Noble Vow, a sword he never imagined seeing in the hands of anyone else. For a moment, he felt relieved in some weird way, that he had more than one friend who could wield it. Wherever Britney went, Jack knew she’d be safe.

”Go. Keep that sword close to you, and please be careful. If I don’t hear from you soon, I’ll pay the Temple a visit.”

Britney nodded, smiling as she looked back at Jack. ”I’ll be okay, trust me, I’m probably the most dangerous person in here!”

Layla stood at the threshold of the portal, grimacing at the Noble Vow. Her eyes glanced from Britney up to Void.

“Is… is everything gonna be okay?”

There was a pause, before Void smirked. “I won't feel pain, if that's what you mean. Go on, sweetheart. I'm right behind you.”

Layla's bottom lip trembled ever so slightly, unsure if Void was lying or not, before she slowly stepped into the portal. Void sighed, giving Furio a pained look, before slipping into the portal as well.

Furio followed behind the girl and her phantom, keen on ensuring there was no more funny business on behalf of any guilty parties. Andrade was waiting, and the meal had to be prepared for the girl to eat. If the Sycamores were so keen on seeing the deed, maybe they too would stay for dinner. It’d be a pain, but not unexpected of Lynette’s eccentricities.

Clarissa held her portal open, eyeing the Coven members for a moment.

“C’mon, you two. You better take a look at that Auri girl, Jackie. Furio really nailed her, it seemed like.”

She waved her hands toward them all, ushering those who chose to come along into the portal through. One final deep breath.
“And, Jack… Alizee’s service. We expect you early, two days from now. Before seven in the morning. There’ll be coffee.”

She blew him a kiss. It wasn’t some kind of flirty thing; rather a recognized habitual gesture. Something she always did and had always done, the countless times he’d seen her in his old visits to the Temple. A request, a wink and a kiss. A sly smile as if the recipient is the only other person in her world at that moment who can do what she’s asked…

And then she was gone. They all crossed the barrier, leaving Jack and Auri behind to deal with their wounds.

Once they left, Jack looked around at his ruined house, disappointed. He stepped over to Auri’s unconscious body and pressed his fingers to her pulse to check that she was still alive.

He felt the tiniest bit lightheaded, thanks to the bullets in his side. Jack lifted her up off the floor. There was absolutely no conceivable way they could explain this in a different way. Void picked up a gun and shot Jack. Void punched Auri’s lights out. No, he didn’t just drain the life out of them. And even if they could, then what? Would it just be some secret the Temple agreed to keep as well?

They could blackmail the Sycamore that way. No, Jack had a better idea: If Britney and Auri wouldn’t come clean about this disaster, he would.

With their unconscious leader in his arms, Jack reached forward and pulled open a void rift.

---

He stepped back into Shimmer, outside the church, and directly into the sight of their new lair burning to the ground. Everyone was on the ground, handcuffed at the feet of PRA agents. There was no other explanation for this. One of them had a compound bow, why else would they if they were ordinary law enforcement? And Bianca was there. With them?

Fear gripped him. Not because federal agents had caught wind of them. He considered the PRA to be beneath most people. No, he was afraid that more of them had just been killed in a fire. Quickly looking over the group, they were all accounted for. [i]Good.[i]

”What is the meaning of this!?” He demanded, glaring daggers at the agents. It was midday, so he couldn’t teleport faster than they could raise their guns, but that wasn’t a problem right now.

He wasn't the most menacing sight to behold, holding an injured woman while blood dripped onto the grass.