Back to the Present [AoO]

[Veiled Malice]

Ren got the distinct feeling that Foreshadow knew more than he was prepared to let on, which at the moment, was nothing at all. From what the man hadn't said, however, he could draw a few possibilities. First, hesitation meant that something bad might have happened to his dimensional duplicate. Judging from the world around them, that was the most likely scenario. Beyond that, he didn't care to speculate.

He made a mental note to smack Rant upside the head for that "you all look alike" crack, though.

The sudden motion from Foreshadow made Ren go for whatever shadow he could get to and check his internal radar. Hopefully, even if his eyes couldn't see whatever was coming (if anything was) before it got there.

[Heritage]

At Foreshadow's signal, Grim stops dead in her tracks and disappears, all her senses on full alert.

[Jack of Tales]

A young woman in her mid-teens flies slowly towards Icarus. Her hair has been pulled back into a bun to stay out of her face which is completely covered by a black and gray mask. She has on a black leather top with red strips and a pair of pants with matching colors of one red leg and one black leg. A swarm of shadowy tendrils spirals around her arms, writhing like living snakes. Although her mouth is covered, you can see the sadistic glare in her eye.

"You there, It's time to have some fun."

With those words a pair of black beasts appear flanking her. Below the waist their essence spirals off into nothing while they vaguely resemble something humanoid. Multiple small, claw-like arms sprout from their hunched backs and long tendrils of shadow trail from their heads like strange dreadlocks.

"I don't think we've met, but that doesn't matter. You won't be conscious enough to remember in a few moments anyway."

[Heridfel]

Icarus pauses as the woman floats up to him. Her words are strange, but he can understand them as though she were speaking in Greek. He doesn't react quickly to them, trying to puzzle out what she's doing. The two shades following her and the threat in her final words lead him to try to assume a defensive stance in mid-air.

"Who are you?" he asks, and to his surprise, he speaks in the same language that she used.

[Jack of Tales]

The woman smiles beneath the mask, her eyes glinting with pure hatred, although perhaps even she doesn't know why. "Me? You have no need for a name for it will be wiped from your lips as soon as you think it."

She lets out a cackle and the world descends into darkness. The black field obstructs all normal vision and allows her shadow pets to take care of this threat to Omega's dominance. Without a sound they swiftly swam through the air to flank Icarus within the blackness of Kiera's mutant power. Each of the shadowy beasts strikes out with black talons of onyx to scrape at their foe.

[Heridfel]

The world goes black for Icarus, and his throat catches. When it's so utterly dark, there's no way to tell how close things are. Even though he knows he's in the air, it feels like the Labyrinth's walls are closing in on him. The two attacks from the shadow creatures are almost welcome, as they give him something else to focus on.

He opens his eyes wider to try to see something, and suddenly, the darkness disappears. Icarus can see the two shadows clearly, as well as the woman who is clearly their mistress. Emboldened by this fortuitous turn of events, Icarus tries to punch at one of the shadows. Unfortunately for him, the shadows are only solid when they wish to be. His hand passes through it to no effect.

[Jack of Tales]

Icarus's reaction brings a painfully loud laugh from the woman. The two shadows attacking him move again, slowly rotating around him and attempt to rend his flesh again. Now he is faced with one in front of him and one behind.

Their mistress floats where she is, seated upon a writhing pile of black limbs. It appears as if she is content to let the shadows do her work for her. However, once Icarus's vision is blocked ever so slightly by her pet she clicks her fingers and motions toward him. A spiraling discus of dull gray appears from one of the shadows chests and hurtles at Icarus. Along its edge run razor sharp spikes rotating quickly around its perimeter.

[Heridfel]

The shadows scratch at Icarus, and the woman's shadowy orb hits him directly in the chest. It takes a second for him to realize that he is still uninjured by the shadow creatures' attacks.

"Let's see if you're solid!" he shouts in ancient Greek. He draws his arm back to punch, but before he can fly over to her, a bolt of gray energy shoots out of his hand. The blast goes wide, but she can feel the power in it as it sizzles by her.

[Jack of Tales]

The girl hisses at him and flies down a few feet, as if moving will throw his aim off again. "Stop fooling around! Kill him!" She yells at the shadows, angry with their inability to harm their foe.

She angrily throws her hands out and a stream of shadow tentacles fly forward attempting to enwrap Icarus. Unfortunately, they fail but continue to writhe around him. The shadows reach forward, attempting but to touch the target of their mistress's irritation. One manages to catch hold of his arm and he can feel its cold, icy fingers. The other's attempt flies wide and it floats to his left.

[Heridfel]

The darkness and the super-naturally chilling touch of the shadows remind Icarus of something, and he shudders as he flashes back. He wasn't bound by anything, but he still couldn't move. Time seemed to have stopped, and he couldn't feel anything but cold. The space in front of him was black, but things moved inside of it.

He starts to fly back down towards the earth, then quickly swoops up, coming at the flying girl from below.

"They won't kill me. You won't kill me," he says. He punches at her, but can't land the blow. He couldn't have died. He's still here. Still alive.

[Avalon]

A large being appears around the corner, his massive frame towering over all of the onlookers. He wears what appears to be a massive polar bear as a cap and cloak. His massive olive-green green arms terminate in large metal gauntlets that seem to resemble the claws of a large cat such as a lion or tiger. Every inch of his skin is covered in intricate and ornate tatoos and scars.

All in all, the image he seems to give off is that of a wild hunter and merciless killer.

As you all finish sizing him up, he appears to catch a whiff of something and begins to sniff the air. Pretty soon a smile spreads across his lips giving him the appearance of a wolf that has cornered his next meal.

He let's out a bellow to the skies. "Drones, to my location! I have located some of the rebels and a familiar scent is with them." In moments, several armored figures wielding grisly-looking pikes land behind him. "Good..."

He then turns to their approximate location and shouts again. "Show yourself Rant! Or do I have to flush you out like a rat!?!"

[Jack of Tales]

Realizing that her tactics aren't working all that well, the woman calls the shadows to her to attempt something new. The twin creatures move forward and begin to dart in and out of combat with Icarus. None of them lands a strike, but rather they seem to be providing distraction.

At the same time, the leather clad girl's arms begin to grow shady and black. From her elbows down appear arms that are as identical to the claws of her shadows. Already in melee range, she attempts to slash at Icarus's face. She lets out a hiss of irritation as he moves and dodges the attack. Her hand clenches and the claws collapse back to whatever shadowy dimension they had come from.

[Heridfel]

Rant's entire body tenses, and Nanowire and Grimalkin can both see him going through the fight-or-flight reflex. He bares his teeth. "Bloodseeker..." he growls. "Bloodseeker!" He prepares to fight.

If there were any chance of surprising the newcomer, it's certainly lost now. Foreshadow looks over to Grimalkin and Nanowire. "He's a dangerous foe; be wary." He seemed to have anticipated Rant's reaction - no surprise, considering what he is and what he can do. He's more ready for the fight than Rant is.

[Veiled Malice]

Ren pulled himself up along the wall he stood next to, trying to get an angle on the person who now threatened them. From Rant's outburst, Ren reasoned the person was named Bloodseeker, and with that kind of moniker, it seemed negotiation would be right out.

In his current form, Ren wouldn't be much use to anyone but as a melee weapon, so he began looking about for something he could absorb.

[Heridfel]

Icarus smiles. At least he isn't the only one who is frustrated. He reaches out, grabbing a hold of the girl. He doesn't want to hold onto her for very long - there's no telling what she can do if she touches him. Instead, he tries to throw her down toward the ground.

[Avalon]

Rant's entire body tenses, and Nanowire and Grimalkin can both see him going through the fight-or-flight reflex. He bares his teeth. "Bloodseeker..." he growls. "Bloodseeker!" He prepares to fight.

If there were any chance of surprising the newcomer, it's certainly lost now. Foreshadow looks over to Grimalkin and Nanowire. "He's a dangerous foe; be wary." He seemed to have anticipated Rant's reaction - no surprise, considering what he is and what he can do. He's more ready for the fight than Rant is.

Hearing his foe responding to his challenge, Stygwyr addresses him in a mocking and patronizing tone that sends a chill through their spines.

"Ah. There you are youngling. You were always the tempermental one of your brood. Not like your sister. But she's not here anymore, is she? The others can tell that there seems to be more to what he said.

"Capture the oracle and lay waste to the other. The youngling is mine."

With a speed surprising for his size, the Bloodseeker closes in on Rant and swings a massive clawed gauntlet at him.

At the same time, three of the drones advance towards Foresight while the remaining two (one of which is larger than the rest and with a black suit of armor) take aim with their pikes at Nanowire and fire.

[Heritage]

Foreshadow looks over to Grimalkin and Nanowire. "He's a dangerous foe; be wary."

Grim does not have to be told twice; this thing could probably swallow her whole in one gulp, and based on his actions, he seems to have acute senses much like her own, a natural predator who lives for the hunt.

"Capture the oracle and lay waste to the other. The youngling is mine."

This gives the young heroine pause; she is currently practically invisible, but Bloodseeker made no mention of her. Did he not pick up on her scent, or is he just too busy to pay her mind right now? And there was clearly a history between the Beast and Rant, something involving his sister which can't have ended well for her.

This is not the sort of fight I can win if I throw myself into the thick of it, I would be almost instantly killed. This is a time to be sneaky and fight dirty, the things I do best, but what's my angle here?

[Heridfel]

Poltergeist gets thrown down toward the ground. The only thing that saves her from a mighty collision is the distance that Icarus throws her. She has time to react, slowing her fall so that when she hits, it's only as hard as if she fell a couple of feet. It's still unpleasant, but not deadly.

Icarus plants his feet in the air, the wings on his suit flapping slowly as he hovers. "Shades, begone! Follow your mistress in shame," he says.

[Veiled Malice]

Ren was unprepared for the blast that smashed into his chest, nearly sending him head over heels from it's power. He realized he couldn't be of any use here, not without his powers, so he made for the nearest burned-out hulk to absorb it.

Almost slipping on the water puddle present in the alleyway, Ren hurled himself at the beat up Chevy, which might have been a nice vehicle at some point. Silvery lines of nanomachines quickly began breaking it down for use, but he prioritized his immediate needs and armored himself before anything else.

[Heridfel]

Rant barely dodges Bloodseeker's opening attack, but dodge it he does. He steps to the side quickly, gathering power in his hands.

"You'll pay for what you did!" he shouts, unleashing a sonic blast at the villain. Despite the close range, he can't bring his power to bear in time, and he's able to evade Rant's attack.

Foreshadow looks calmly at the three Omegadrones surrounding him. He speaks to Bloodseeker, though he doesn't take his eye off the drones.

"You and I both know that this isn't enough to stop me. It's time to release these husks from their torment," he says. With practiced care, he draws a dagger from his side. The runes swirl around his head again, and he abruptly changes his direction of attack. Despite this, it's still not enough, and the drone manages to evade him.

[Avalon]

Rant barely dodges Bloodseeker's opening attack, but dodge it he does. He steps to the side quickly, gathering power in his hands.

"You'll pay for what you did!" he shouts, unleashing a sonic blast at the villain. Despite the close range, he can't bring his power to bear in time, and he's able to evade Rant's attack.

Smiling as he sees his opponent giving in to anger, Stygwyr closes in once again with his claw aimed at Rant's gut. "Yes. Give in to the anger. It will cause you to err and it will season you blood for when I shall drink it."

Foreshadow looks calmly at the three Omegadrones surrounding him. He speaks to Bloodseeker, though he doesn't take his eye off the drones.

"You and I both know that this isn't enough to stop me. It's time to release these husks from their torment," he says. With practiced care, he draws a dagger from his side. The runes swirl around his head again, and he abruptly changes his direction of attack. Despite this, it's still not enough, and the drone manages to evade him.

"We shall see about that. As soon as I'm finished with this one here, you are my next target."

As Stygwyr says this, the three 'drones fighting Foreshadow swing their weapons at him.

The two 'drones who are after Nanowire, on the other hand, take aim at him once more but in the confusion of the battle none of their shot find their mark.

[Heridfel]

Rant doesn't need Stygwyr's advice to give into his anger; he's already gone far beyond that. However, the Bloodseeker has underestimated the young resistance fighter's mettle. Even though his attack hit Rant straight in his chest, Rant doesn't even slow down.

At the same time, Foreshadow manages to regain some of his aplomb. Though each of the Omegadrones try to grab at him, none of them lay so much as a finger on him. He seems to weave in between them, pushing them into one another and throwing them off balance.

[Heritage]

The sight of Ren being hit is painful, and though she is still very frightened, Grim finally manages to rouse herself to action; she sprints to the nearest drone and attempts to bury her claws in it's side while remaining concealed, hoping to God that Ren's okay.

[Veiled Malice]

Finally having absorbed everything he needed from the vehicle, Ren let what little was left drop to the ground. Now fully seven feet tall and fairly bursting with power, Nanowire oriented himself towards the two drones that had followed him partly down the alleyway. Seems on his armor popped open, revealing row after row of razor sharp needles, all pointing at the incoming drones.

Let’s hope these actually work this time, Nanowire thought, then noticed a blur on his radar where there should have been nothing. Someone was sneaking up on the drones. Someone invisible. He didn't know who it was, but since it seemed to be rearing back to hit them, it couldn't be bad.

In lieu of simply turning everything in the area into frappe, then, Nanowire instead moved to close with the drones. He unfortunately couldn't do so before they'd have another chance to shoot at him.

[Heridfel]

Foreshadow strikes out again at the Omegadrones that surround him. This time, he's more successful and lands a blow on one of them. It crumples to the ground, and just as quickly, Foreshadow punches out at another drone. This one manages to evade his attack, but it looks like the tide might be turning.

He shouts out to Rant, "Don't listen to him! Focus yourself, or you'll just miss him again!"