Log:Bad Dreams

2020/08/19 	 Ellbeth Zephyr Nohrbor Victory Natasha Lennox Artemis Mercury Yamin 1

This luxurious penthouse suite of the five star hotel Praxis is rather crowded. First by several police. Secondly by EMTs. Lastly, by by no means least, a half dozen comatose individuals slumped in chairs and couches. There are drinks and snacks beside the unmoving figures. Sandwiches with curled slices of bread suggestive of some time having passed since the snacks were provided.

A call goes out for any available heroes to assist. Please come to the Penthouse suite of the Praxis hotel.

Angela Hope has just finished a photo shoot when she hears the radio call. She quickly becomes Zephyr and flies to the top of the Praxis, landing on the balcony.

Artemis got the notice while nearby at Omega Guard's base. She steps out onto the terrace and takes off, flying to the Praxis Hotel after a few false starts in direction.

One of the uniformed police officers nods to Zephyr, and points over where the officer in charge is conversing with an EMT and Ellbeth Wyrd.

Victory was off-duty from Starguard for the day, but when he gets the call, he dons his new uniform and heads up to the penthouse in question. The old-fashioned way: The elevator.

Natasha hears the call at Lucky Finds, and promptly flies out in the direction of the hotel, to be a hero!

Never being too far from his Bloodbound Sister- at least not when the fates have their way, Nohrbor Nanuran Surryx takes wing and follows his Sister in secret, wondering what she's up to.

Over a few minutes heroes arrive, answering the call for assistance.

When they arrive at the penthouse they find a luxuriously appointed suite of rooms. Seated in chairs and counches of the main room of the suite are a half dozen comatose people. These people are well cressed.

Mercury's arrival is not long after Victory's, though instead of the elevator, she flows up the side of the tower by way of adhering to it and moving very quickly and makes use of the same access point as Artemis.

The senior police official in charge looks toward the heroes. "It's in your hands now, Doctor. I hope you know what you're doing." he says to Ellbeth.

Natasha naturally flies straight to the penthouse suite, since that was what was specified. And knocks on the window.

Artemis arrives at the penthouse by landing on the balcony and knocking on the window. One of these must be the right one!

Ellbeth mutters, "So do I. So do I." Then nods and waves to all the assembled heroes. "Thank you for answering the call. This is a unprecedented situation as far as I am aware. This person," She points to a middled aged man, Chinese judging by dress and facial features, "is Chang Lee. One of the world's foremost psionic therapists."

Yamin is perhaps one of the last to respond and reach the destination. Part is due to her lack of flight, vehicle, or metahuman velocity. The other may be due to her taking the stairs. In case of fire, perhaps?

Natasha sniffs at Chang Lee.

Nohrbor waits for Artemis to enter and a few more to be certain before he too follows through the balcony doorway, which may be strange since he looks like a European vagrant.

Artemis's knocking is almost too hard for the glass due to her excitement. Almost. She then realizes the door is unlocked and steps in, just behind Wade.

Victory nods as he listens. He turns his attention to Dr. Lee. He notices Artemis come in behind him, and he smiles, mouthing the words, "Hey there."

Zephyr steps over the the Officer in Charge. "What happened here?"

Ellbeth continues, "The others in here are friends of his. Chang Lee has created a shared illusion, a dream world that they are all sharing. I've never seen anything so detailed or robust. Every effort to separate these people or break them free of the illusionary world so far has resulted in physical trauma that could lead to death."

Zephyr says, "So you want us to...go in after them?"

Artemis smiles at Victory, though tilts her head, troubled that he only mouths the words. Has some vile sorcerer stolen his voice!? Artemis may be about to ask, but she recalls one of Wade's teachings and keeps her suspicions to herself this time. She finally smiles, nods to him, then looks to Ellbeth.

Mercury flows in as a mass of fluid metal, forming a mostly humanoid shape. She is quiet, both in arrival and in not speaking yet.

Natasha goes over and sniffs at one of the unconscious people.

The Stranger looks at Chang Lee and then at the scene around them as Ellbeth explains what is happening.

He is uncharacteristically quiet, but intrigued by the prospect of danger being presented. He fights the urge to summon his Soulspear and proclaim his intentions to save these mortals minds, bodies & spirits!

He uses his mental prowess to see beyond- though he definitely needs more practice.

Ellbeth nods to Zephyr, "Yes. They are in a illusionary reality where all their dreams and desires, conscious and unconscious, are being fulfilled. Dr Morrison, an expert of this type of psychotic fantasy fulfillment suggests the best, possibly only, way to break them out is to turn their dream world into a nightmare."

Artemis plants her hands on her hips. "How might we achieve this? Is there transport into the Dreaming so that we may shock them free?"

Victory frowns at that. "I feel like this should require a specialist. Like...mentalists, right?"

Natasha opens her mouth and angles her head for grinning effect. The idea is to make mischief? She can do that!

"Perhaps we are being too hasty?" NNS asks, considering things as Eleutherios himself might. "What if they do not wish to leave their Eden?"

"Not wanting to leave is the trouble, I would imagine," Mercury muses aloud.

Zephyr says, "Then they starve and die."

Ellbeth nods to Artemis, "Yes. I can widen the dream state so you may enter it. But I have to warn you. Danger in the dream world can cause real consequences, and your dream personaes may not match your real world ones."

"I am ready," Artemis says without thinking. She steps forward. "I will be one of the volunteers to free the mortals from their gilded psychic cage."

Natasha makes an image of cherubim with a flaming sword. Seems she actually knows a bit of the Bible. :)

The EMT answers NNS. "If they do not leave this.. this whatever it is... they will die. Their bodies, well, it's worse than a coma. Even their autonomous functions are starting to fail."

Zephyr says, "I must prove myself to my forebear, if I am to truly become Zephyr. I will go."

"I will also take part." NNS says cooly.

Natasha goes up to Ellbeth and makes a sort of salute, reporting for duty.

Victory nods. "Well, sounds like there's no time to get the necessary specialists. So...I guess we should do this. Is there anything special we need to do, Dr. Wyrd?"

Ellbeth smiles, "I expected no less from the heroes of Colonial Bay. I suggest finding a spare chair and sitting, or laying on the floor. Otherwise just be willing to join the dream world."

Natasha curls up comfortably on the floor, her tail wrapping past her head and almost to her hind feet again.

Artemis takes a knee, adjusting her sword, then lays down on her back on the floor with her hair and cape splayed a bit beneath her. She's ready to go without question.

Zephyr picks a chare, and as she sits her wings just...vanish.

Victory takes a seat in a chair, making sure he's situated so he won't topple when he falls asleep.

Mercury forms a slightly basined surface to act as a placeholder, for herself, and occupies it.

Ellbeth does her stuff, and the real world fades around you. You seem to be in an empty space, a featureless plain that extends as far as can be seen in all directions except one. That one direction leading to a glowing portal.

Zephyr's wings are back, just as though they were never gone, and she is off toward the portal with a single flap.

Artemis adjusts to the new plain quickly and starts walking towards the portal with purpose.

Victory thumbs toward the portal, "I'm...guessing that's the way back? So do we lead people here? I got the impression we needed to turn this into a nightmare. That seems like it might be difficult."

Mercury offers, "If it were not difficult, the call would be made for passersby rather than the heroically inclined."

NNS finds a comfortable position in a crosslegged fashion. He slowly starts breathing and closes his eyes- looking like an experienced meditator.

He calms himself and prepares to awaken in the other world.

Artemis rubs her chin at Victory's point, slowing at the thought. She looks at those gathered. "Aye, t'would be more a fantasy than a nightmare, yes? They may never flee and wake."

Zephyr says, "This doesn't look like anyone's fantasy. I think our destination is through there." She indicates the portal.

Artemis chuckles heartily. "I was referring to us, not our surroundings."

Victory nods to Zephyr, "That's possible too."

Close to the portal, Zephyr, there are glimpses through it. Fantasy cities. Gladiatorial battles in arenas, giant monsters in woods and grassy plains, the smell of spices.

Natasha spreads her wings and flies toward the portal!

"With simple costuming, that can change," Mercury suggests to Artemis. "But I am unsure of what to predict. This will be an experience like few others."

Zephyr stops near the portal to wait for the others. "Definitely through here," she calls back.

NNS catches glimpses of the world beyond- doubletaking at the sight of an arena in the distance.

He too is drawn towards the portal.

Artemis smiles at the sight of great beasts to battle, drawn again to the portal. She comments to Mercury, "Yes, perhaps items in black?" She doesn't even stop and looks like she'll walk right through the portal. "Come, Brother!" she calls to Nohrbor. "Let us try not to be distracted with the glorious battles this realm tempts!" she grins.

Stepping through the portal, you enter a fantasy world. You stand on the summit of a great mountain on the edge of the world. On one side there's... nothing. No ground, no sky. Just a void. On the other side you look down on fertile plains, rivers, forests, and far away a walled city on a hill. Although the city appears to be tens of miles away the banner flying from the tallest tower of the central castle is seen clearly. The banner shows a tiger in the act of leaping.

Artemis steps through the portal, her clothes, cape, and armor disappearing for the most part. This is a hooman fantasy realm, and that involves hooman fantasy armor, which tends to be impractical for the Amazonian warrior. Artemis is left in a dragonscale bikini top and loin cloth, with a metal bracer on her left arm, and leather knee high dark brown boots. She looks akin to Red Sonja. Her sword is now strapped to her back.

NNS is drawn through the portal, rapt and drawn away by memories of cycles past.

He doesn't even notice he's transformed into a lithe and powerful Valrosi Tyrant (sneaky spellsword) of much acclaim after breaking the bonds of a swath of villages caught up in slaver's raids all along the coast. Rumor is he's come here seeking some mystical light.

His Soulspear burns into existence in his hand as he looks ahead boldly.

An ebon-skinned man sits on a rock a little way down the hillside. Armor lays strewn about him, as if taken off and tossed aside; the only thing still in his possession is a sword in its sheath. He wears the light padding that would be found beneath, but is barefoot -- and has a disgusted expression on his face.

Natasha looks pretty much the same. Except that she's *substantially* larger, and presumably older. The perceptive might note that her feet are no longer well designed for grasping and climbing, but rather the her halluces are hardered into a sort of hoof for more support on the ground. In colour, she's the same as she ever was, but she reflects the light still more gloriously in the more complex shape of her scales and crest.

Mercury's form adapts, and from it springs a suit of impossibly form-fitting armour both sleek and stylized, shining platinum and iron intermixed to mix aesthetics with imperviousness. In one hand, a shield bearing the Forgelord's great hammer. In the other, the Forgelord's great hammer, in which a clear bauble rests in the head filled with liquid that is probably metal.

Victory appears as a knight, perhaps a Paladin, based on the symbology on his platemail and shield: A sun and and eagle. He has the shield slung over his shoulder, and he has a long sword in a scabbard. His tabard is red and blue...with the same heraldry from the shield sewn into the fabric.

Natasha looks at herself, grins, lets out a great cry and takes to the air, causing great gusts of wind as her wings flap.

Those of a godly nature cannot fail to notice a dark and foreboding aura hanging over the distant city.

Artemis looks down at herself. "What is the point of this armor? It protects nothing vital," she opines and plants her hands on her hips. The red head turns to look at Victory, and beams a smile at him. "You look about true for your heart, Friend Victory," she chuckles. She looks to the others. "Hmm, mayhaps you all do." She turns her attention then to the foreboding aura of the city. "Strange. I think our mere presence has begun the nightmare!"

Zephyr is taller and and more slender than before, with a narrower, more pointed face. And pointed ears. Her red hair now falls in a curly mass down to her waist and is held back from her face by a silver fillet. Her wings are much as before, but with plumage of reddish brown and white. She wears a sky-blue tunic with flared full-lenght sleevs and silver trim over fawn-colored breeches and boot.

Victory looks at his armor. "Man...why'd I end up in the armor that's hard to move in?" He tests the range of movement, "Well, maybe it's not so bad." He looks over to Artemis and stops. And stares for a moment. "Um...yeah, I suspect that doesn't...protect much."

Natasha flies up and up and up, to see more of this world.

From a height Natasha can see the city is the center of this world. Literally. The world is roughly circular, about 50 miles in diameter with the city in the center. Around the dream world is void.

Artemis flashes a smile to Victory. "In the Dreaming, your armor should not restrict you, I would think. And so I imagine I would not even need these flimsy stripes of metal for battle," she comments, looking down at her bikini and picking at one of the top straps before releasing it so it can snap back into place. She looks over and notices the ebon-skinned man. "Be that one of the Dreamers?"

Natasha flies toward the city! That is presumably where the people are. Also the treasure. She has this notion that maybe taking everyone's treasure would be a good way to ruin their dream. Possibly with raining fire down on them at the same time, which might be pretty.

"Are we here then to find the dreamer?" High Priestess Mercury wonders aloud, concentrating on Ellbeth-as-Forgelord for insight, praying, in a way.

Yamin did not bear armor or weapons before, though her attire does alter significantly as she passes through the portal. All lightens further: in dye, material, and quantity. Boots become simple sandals; BDU pants become loose- and slit-legged pantaloons; tank and overshirt become a top of limited coverage made only slightly less immodest by the arm and hand-wrappings that accompany it.

"Interesting..." is her only comment as she notes the changes.

Victory shakes his head, tearing his gaze away from Artemis. "Um...yeah, that might be one of the dreamers. I'm not sure." He goes to get a better look, seeing if the man looks similar to one of the people from the room they left.

Although the city is still ten or more miles away, Natasha, you can see into a marketplace. There's crowds, many stalls selling wares, and an animal trainer making animals do tricks for the crowd's entertainment. His animals are in woeful condition. starved, whipped, and confined in cages too small for them. The trainer's current 'performing' animal is a very young dragon. It's refusing to do tricks and the trainer is whipping it fiercely,

Natasha delights in the sheer power of the strength of her wings with each flap - till she spots in the imprisoned animals, and the dragon. She sets her jaw, adopts and even more streamlined posture and charges toward the city, sparks already flying from her nostrils.

"If we are to find a single dreamer in this realm, then we need find only the ruler, or the noteworthy adventurer," Mercury reasons. "And then... well, I believe presenting a dragon to thwart will draw them out quickly enough."

There are shouts of warning from the city wall guards as Natasha swoops over the wall diving down toward the marketplace and animal sadist.

Natasha is not so silly as to assume herself invulnerable - she doesn't know the rules of this world - though the feeling of power makes her less cautious than usual. She passes over the city quickly, exhaling a long trail of fire across the marketplace to the animal sadist and the dragon's cage, knowing a dragon can survive the heat.

Artemis looks to where Natasha swooping. "It seems the Wyrmling has started to terrorize the city already. We should make haste!" she says as she starts to take steps forward and tries to fly towards the city, not even thinking if she -can- fly in this realm.

Zephyr spreads her wings and takes to the air, heading toward the central city.

Mercury summons a vast chariot and a great metallic steed set to pull it, inviting the dream warriors to board it. She does.

Victory shakes his head, "No...we need to talk to this guy before we run off. I can catch up if need be." He heads down the hill toward the ebon-skinned man who is seated on the rock, to try to get some answers.

As Natasha crosses the marketplace she observes the crowds seem very slightly ill defined. The animal trainer not so much. The trail of flame sears down, catching a few of the slower moving people in the market, melting the dragon's cage, and enveloping the sadist. He screams, burning without being consumed, until he *pop* out of existence. Back in the penthouse one of the comatose dreamers wakes screaming.

Natasha loops back to check on the small dragon (and look for treasure in the city).

Artemis leaps high in the air, but doesn't stay aloft long. She can leap a large distance, but not truly fly. She lands several meters away in a three point stance, kicking up a bit of dust from her unexpected landing. "Hmmm. It seems that whatever I have been changed to means...I am not truly Ashildr in this plane." What else could that mean for her? She follows Victory's wise advice and accompanies him to the ebon-skinned man.

As Natasha swoops back she see two figures appear in the marketplace. Translucent so clearly projections. One is the Emperor, in fine robes with dragons printed on the robes. The other is a tall dark skinned man wearing plain black robes with a tiger motif cowl. The second projection is radiating magic.

Lennox has already stood and is approaching the heroes. Overhearing some of their conversation, he laughs. "I never considered putting the entire lot to the sword," he says. Nodding to those coming to meet him, he states, "Lennox. Hardigan. I get sucked into these now and then, if I'm close enough."

Natasha grins and swoops down to grab the highly magic cowl. Which probably means grabbing the dream-man too, given her size.

All that happens is Natasha passes through the translucent projection of the man.

Victory tilts his head and looks at Lennox, "Umm...so, I'm guessing you're not one of the people we're trying to free from this shared dream?"

Natasha grumbles and rumbles. What sort of stupid dream world is this where she can't grab the treasure? But clearly if it's imaginary people, there's no reason she can't see if she can set fire to the whole city! She climbs, again, to reach a good height for city-razing.

NNS laughs as the others explore their new forms. He concentrates and does much the same though there seems no immediate outward change in him.

"Oh- very interesting." The Stranger says with a smile.

He goes to follow Artemis & Victory quietly observing, waiting for his moment to reveal himself to the others.

He gives Lennox a nod, quirking a brow when he reveals himself to be among their number and not one of the trapped dreamers. He idly wonders how long the Mortals can persist after their autonomic functions fail them. Luckily he took the Harbinger's Refuge before entering this strange place.

He turns to watch Natasha frolicking and almost takes wing himself to join her in raining down chaos.

"Perhaps we should have this conversation en route- to the city beyond." He says in a deep and rumbling voice before pointing toward the city.

While Natasha climbs to gain height a great magical barrier of blood red hue forms a dome covering the city.

Victory nods to Nohrbor, "Why is she attacking the city? I can barely see what's going on."

Lennox gestures for the others to enter the awaiting chariot. "No," he sighs, "not exactly."

Artemis extends her arms as she looks to Victory and Lennox. "Need ye a faster way to the city? I might be able to bear you aloft, or leap at least, it seems, since our faster companions have departed." She looks to the city. "Has her mind been changed by this realm as well?" she asks as the marketplace burns.

Natasha frowns, as she turns to belch fire. Magical dome, hm? She'll see about that. She swoops down to the dome to start eating through the magic that makes it!

Victory nods. "Or we can use the chariot that was made earlier."

When Natasha starts to 'eat' the magic of the barrier she finds it tastes unbelievably foul. Rotting flesh and swamp sludge.

"I believe the world's rules are written by the dreamers..." The Stranger says as he gets upon the chariot. He attempts to will a half dozen more horses for the chariot into existence.

Natasha vomits out the magic! Yuck! And goes to find some water to drink to get the taste from her mouth.

Artemis smiles at Mercury's chariot as it is supplied with horses. "A grand idea!"

Victory walks back to the chariot and gets into it.

Norhbor's will is a mighty thing- but here it is truly made manifest.

A half dozen dratzi steeds are formed from his memory, large powerful creatures made to cross great distances in incredible time.

Artemis will recognize them from their time in the arena.

As the advancing heroes near the city, the gates open and an army issues forth to contest their passage. Calvary, infantry, wizards and dark priests, a host of undead skeletons and zombies. Leading the army is a giant of a warrior in blood red plate armor and wielding a saw-toothed bladed greatsword. Painted on the chestplate of his armor is a white bone skull.

Artemis leaps onto the back of the chariot eagerly.

Ooh, a parade! From above, Zephyr calls down a spring rain upon it.

Natasha lies crocodile-like mostly below the water of the river, considering the city with narrow eyes.

Natasha crawls down the river. She may be large now. but dragons can squeeze themselves through surprising small holes. And this river of navigable depth, hopefully, will give her enough room to sneak into the city underneath the magic barrier!

NNS smiles as the steeds yank them directly into the midst of battle.

"HAH! Truly- this is Paradise!" He exclaims before leaping off the chariot and into the throng of battle.

His spear solidifies and he brings it to bear against the undead horde snapping brittle bone, denting aged armor and rending right through many of his enemies.

He works his way dodging and dipping around his enemies with great skill- inhuman skill, until he catches sight of the giant warrior in the magnificent armor. He stops dead in his tracks.

He lifts spear over the heads of the charging mass and calls out to their leader. "HEAR ME GIANT! I SHALL BE THE ONE TO FELL YOU! KNOW MY NAME AND KNOW FEAR!!!!"

He waves aside the horde with his mighty telekinetic ability. They fall before him like dominoes.

Unfortunately all that focus shifts his attention just enough and he loses track of a building wall of enemies behind him and he is soon overrun.

He roars and attempts to fight them off- telekinetic armor forming over him as he does.

He doesn't quite get his footing though and fights unflinchingly from the bottom of an ever growing dogpile.

Artemis draws her sword as the chariot charges into battle and smiles eagerly. "To battle, my friends! Watch thy backs! For Glory and Freedom!" She plants a foot on on the side of the chariot and leaps out and into where the fray is thickest. Instead, she must use her bracers to deflect the worst of the blows. True to her nature, she grants mercy to those who surrender or flee, and puts to the sword the skeletons and zombies. Occasionally in the battle while surrounding, a zombie body or a skeleton skull goes flying like a home run from the battle maiden. Her shield doesn't manifest like normal. Artemis may be multiclassed as Barbarian, because the hits she takes only fuel her battlelust. By the time she meets up with the others and the end of the battle, she is covered with shallow cuts and claw marks, red blood with a golden metallic sheen in the light running own from some of them. None of the wounds are mortal.

Victory draws his sword and shield and dismounts from the chariot as the enemies sally forth from the gates. Both weapons literally glow bright white as he wades into the oncoming army with his comrades. He keeps to using the sword on the undead creatures, but his skill with the blade in this world is as good as any. It is like an extension of his own arm. He works on making his way toward the obvious leader...since if that warrior falls, the fight may very well end quicker.

Being stealthy is harder at this size, but Natasha is cunning! She squeezes herself under the dome of foul magic, then remains in the river as she sniffs out its source. Maybe she can can catch the sorcerer by surprise!

As she sneaks downstream, Matasha comes up against a barrier of rusted tron set in the river, clearly to deter exactly what she is trying.

Natasha cuts her way through the barrier with claws sharper and stronger than any razor.

Red mist seems to rise from NNS' dogpile and rise above the pile of zombies & undead creatures that had claimed the Doj'on Bloodlit.

The mist reforms and reveals NNS- resplendent and glowing with supernatural power. He laughs boldly before dropping into the pile- summoning spear to skewer a number of them.

"Be humbled Foul Creations!" He shouts as the fires of his soulspear begin to consume those he's struck until he is surrounded by a ring of ashes. He dusts himself off and returns to making his way toward the giant leader.

The battle is raging at its fiercest when Victory carves a path through to the giant warrior. The great blade in the giant's hand smites Victory's shield with such force Victory is initially driven to his knees. But such a mighty weapon has its drawbacks. It'a slow to recover, giving Victory time to regain his footing.

Being stealthy is harder at this size, but Natasha is cunning! She squeezes herself under the dome of foul magic, then remains in the river as she sniffs out its source. Maybe she can can catch the sorcerer by surprise!

Victory already has several wounds from wading through the fight to get to the leader. Thankfully the shield holds up, taking the brunt of the giant weapon's attack, and he gets back to his feet. He finds himself hesitating to use his blade against the warrior, though. Is this one of the dreamers? Would killing him here return him to the real world? Instead, he holds up his blade upright, showing the flat to his enemy, and the blade starts to glow brightly. "We cast you out! Begone!"

Zephyr realizes that raining on the giant's parade isn't doing much good, so she flies down closer to him, summoning a fog bank that covers the upper third of the giant's body, including his head.

The giant warrior starts to laugh. Then ceases as he begins to crumble (Thanos Was Here!) away to dust. He screams. Then *pop* out of existence. While elsewhere a second dreamer wakes screaming.

The remainder of the mighty army also crumble to dust.

Victory blinks as what he intended...actually works. He looks around at what the result is, and looks toward his companions, "Are all of the dreamers here as...evil people?"

Natasha grins to herself (and gets a mouthful of river water) as she catches the scent of her prey. She swallows, raises her head from the river, takes a DEEP breath, and shoots a burst of white-hot, stone-melting fire at the highest tower of the castle.

Artemis strides up behind Victory, a broad smile on her face as she reaches to pat his shoulder. "Well struck, my friend! I knew not you possessed such magic. As always, you live up to your chosen name!" she extolls. She tilts her head in thought. "Hmmm. They said this was therapy, was it not? Perhaps they came and sought to excise their inner demons here."

Zephyr lands beside him in time to hear his question. "What's that line about absolute power?"

NNS is appalled when the army shows him he's not the only one who can evaporate. "NO! CURSE YOU DEMON!" He bellows, angry until Victory speaks. He gives the man an unhelpful shrug before nodding at Artemis' guess. "Seems a good wager." He adds.

Victory sheathes his sword, and the drops to one knee to say a quiet prayer to himself before he stands back up again. "So...look for the people being as evil as possible?"

Stone melts and runs like water as the tower is engulfed in the flame. The emperor, who was with the black mage, wakes screaming elsewhere. The black mage floats down enclosed in the same kind of blood red barrier as that over the city. "My world is the Tiger. Dragons have no place here." He waves a hand, and the entire city sans castle morphs into a huge tiger as large as Natasha.

"Is actually pretty neat," quips Lennox, who had stayed out of the battle, content to merely watch, black eyes looking for ... something.

And then the city changes before him, and Lennox grunts at the revelation of the 'black mage'. "Ah. That looks like it might be our eater."

Natasha regards the tiger. "I have respect for cats: they carry themselves with a proper pride. But I am a dragon, and you are but a cat. This world must end, as must all dreams. End it, or I will."

"What is it that the Mighty Victory pray for in a world forged by our own wills?" NNS inquires of the man when he stands.

Victory draws his weapon again as the tiger appears. He says as an aside to Nohrbor, "Guidance."

The giant tiger leaps at Natasha, claws and teeth ripping at hard dragon scales.

Zephyr grins and points toward the tiger, "That way."

Natasha writhes aside from the tiger's claws and teeth then counterstrikes, trying t bite at the tiger's throat!

The tiger attempts to evade with cat like reflexes and mostly does although not without Natasha ending up with a mouth full of fur to spit out. That was close. Very close.

NNS nods. "A wise wish indeed." He says with a smile, clapping the man on the shoulder cheerfully. "Let us wake more of these dreamers then and see if your guidance finds us along the way."

Victory chuckles at Zephyr's comment. "Guidance about more than merely direction. But I got that particular clue."

Zephyr says, "I'm not a full goddess yet, so I can't do much with prayers, ok?"

Natasha lunges at the tiger with a snap of her jaws again, but it's a feint, drawing attention away from her attempt to snare the tiger in the coils of her serpentine tail.

"Find the rest of the dreamers," says Lennox in his deep voice, "and remove them from the dream. Once you do that, he becomes vulnerable, and this can be ended. How many were there in total?"

Artemis laughs. "I can always accept prayers, if that's the case. I know not what pantheon you are from, but I hope we be not rivals, for Battle and Honor is my domain! Now, let us fight the great striped beast and assist our friend!"

Zephyr says, "The beast isn't real. Our foe is the man."

Victory nods, "So, let's get to the mage or whoever that caused that to come to life."

Zephyr walks over the the tiger-cowled man. "Nice trick," she says, nodding toward the transformed tiger, "But it won't keep you from dying. In fact, you're dying right now."

The tiger is caught by Natasha's tail. But is quickly squirming out of the grasp and will be free soon.

Natasha attempts, in a not uncatlike way, to rake the tiger with all her claws and bite into the tiger's neck before it can wriggle free!

Unable to free itself in time the tiger is bitten on its neck. The watching black mage gasps and claps a hand to his neck as a trickle of blood comes from a wound appearing there.

Lennox stalks forward towards the mage, looking about as he does, seeking other individuals -- ones that seem ... /real/, like the giant and the black-robed wizard.

Victory works on making his way toward the mage, though he's having to avoid the battle between Natasha and the huge tiger, which complicates matters.

Artemis spies the mage reacting to the tiger's wounds. "Hmm, perhaps by helping Natasha, we can defeat mage and beast at the same time!" Sword still in hand, she leaps towards the giant tiger to do whatever damage she can.

Sinking teeth and claws in, Natasha cements her hold on the tiger and waits for it to stop thrashing.

Lennox, on the other hand, ignores the battle. He gets squished flat when the two gigantic monsters lash and roll about across him ... but then he gets back up again, looking ... well, a little irritated, but not otherwise the worse for wear. Something catches his attention, then, and he turns away from the mage, letting the others deal with him, to enter the seraglio of the Emperor. Those who look towards him will see him finally draw the sword from its scabbard as he does.

Zephyr says, "See what I mean?" She steps away from the mage and towards the combat, a spear of swirling air forming in her hand. When she sees a good opening, she hurls the spear at the tiger.

The tiger has a truly unnatural resilience. But with Natasha, Artemis, and Zephyr cooperating the outcome is a foredone conclusion. Eventually the tiger draws its final breath, and the world vanishes. All wake, with sore spots but no actual wounds, back in the penthouse, along with the remainings dreamers.

Victory blinks as he wakes up and he looks around slowly. He then stretches his neck. "Did we manage it?"

Artemis almost doesn't want to leave the Dreaming or the battle against the great beasts. But then the world vanishes, and there's nothing left to battle. Her eyes blink open slowly as she rouses.

Natasha wakes and looks about, stretching her neck. The world is seeming a lot bigger again.

The police officer in charge is asking his superiors via police radio, "So can we charge these with anything?"

Some distance away, sitting up in his bed, Lennox groans, and presses a palm against the side of his face. "Goddamn faeries," he mutters, and climbs out of bed to go take a shower.

The Stranger flies alongside the others as the Mage is engaged. He quirks a brow at the blood sprouting from the would-be emperor. "It seems the Dream has you in its grip. I believe you should wake before you hit the ground... though you may not have much time." He says ominously, shifting his form into a large wraith/grim reaper looking entity.

The EMTs are checking the woken ex-dreamers.

NNS wakes up in surprise. "NO! That was..." He says before looking about, realizing the world is already lost.

Natasha sniffs suspiciously at the ex-dreamers. Who, after all, seemed rather hostile in the dream.

Artemis sits up slowly and begins to climb to her feet. "That was refreshing," she smiles. "How fair the mortal dreamers?"

Zephyr stands up, her wings sprouting again from her back as she does, and approaches Ellbeth. "Did you see what happened...in there?"

Natasha tries to guess which of the dreamers it was she faced.

Ellbeth shakes her head. "No. I was careful not to, for fear of becoming entrapped myself and thus unable to pull you out should your efforts not succeed."

NNS reveals his true form and floats, still cross-legged, to Artemis' side. "Indeed it was. Perhaps these humans have found a therapy worth persuing." He says with a cheerful laugh before turning his attention to the Mortal Dreamers they were sent to save.

Chang Lee pushes an EMT away and sits up. He looks at his friends. "I think our experiment resulted in quite unexpected revelations. I thought I was a good person. I fear I may have been mistaken."

Zephyr says, "Which one were you?"

One of the EMTs tells Artemis, "They'll be fine with some food and drink. You pulled then out of whatever that was before they suffered any permanent damage.

Artemis smiles to her Bloodbound and claps him on the back. She looks to Chang Lee as he makes his self assessment. "Hmm. You may yet still be a good man if you choose the righteous and honorable path."

Chang Lee answers, "A mage in black."

Zephyr says, "I tried to warn you in there. About what was happening out here."

Natasha looks inquiringly at the next dreamer.

One of the wakened dreamers is flinching each time he catches sight of Natasha.

Victory nods slowly, "So there was no outside influence that kept you all there?"

Chang Lee says, "I can speak for all. We didn't know there was anywhere except there. That was our world and we had no recall of any of this." He waves his hands to indicate the penthouse and real world.

Natasha goes to the flinching dreamer. "Were you the one who tortured the dragon?"

The person confronted ny Natasha cringes back in his chair as he nods nervously, "uh.. yes.."

"We each choose to be good or bad in each and every moment, Mortal. There is still time for you to choose well." NNS says to Chang Lee. "A Saint may fall from Glory as surely as some foul soul might ascend into Glory through deed and change of heart. This is the Path we all walk- Godflora and Mortal alike."

Victory gets to his feet, and then stretches again. "That...was definitely an interesting case."

Artemis smiles to Victory. "It brings to mind the adventure in the Mu ship, does it not?"