Log:An Unfortunate Killing

Death Comes, Scene 1 2017/10/24 Chen Copycat Griffin Pendragon 1

Sometimes Colonial Bay can seem quiet, which is not surprising given the amount of meta's that have taken up the 'Cape' in the city. Sometimes it can feel like there's always something, to much going on, for any one group to handle. Then there are the whispers, the chats on certain sites that tell of possible events, things that could be crackpot or just outright crazy. Sometimes those things have a way of actually leading to /something/ but not always what they seem.

There's been whispers and rumors that a group was forming, some sort of cultists, worshippers of some crackpot 'god', or otherwise the usual loonies. Rumors that they'd been setting up shop in Colonial Bay which seems silly given how many Capes would respond to a call about anything, or even just investigate an off rumor and do something about it. So far it had all been just talk though until today. Those who pay attention to the police bands will have heard multiple incidences of missing persons being reported. Given the laws of missing persons there's not a lot the police can do until a set amount of time has passed but it's an unusual amount even for a city this sized.

The reports don't all come in at the same time, but within the same timeframe of a few hours. The only thing that seems to link the missing individuals is that they are all children under the age of 16, but none younger than 12 so for now the cops are treating it as runaways.

Chen hears about the missing kids from distressed talk on the streets of Chinatown Market. Asking around she finds out which child is missing and where they were last seen. And that is her starting point as she puts nose to the grindstone, and the earth, and attempts to track the child by scent.

Okay, so hoofbeats in Colonial Bay aren't any weirder.. weirder? Would you say weirder or more weird? Well, either way, it's not the strangest sound or thing that's happened in Colonial Bay. Snowmane is a ginormous horse though. He stands twenty one hands tall. Now, it should be noted that the height of seven feet ... at the shoulder, for a horse, is pretty ludicrous. But Pendragon sits atop the saddle like some child's toy attached to a full sized beast. But her and Snowmane move like they are one being. They -really- do mesh well oddly enough. So the horse rounds a corner and the canter slows to a walk and then to a stop as Pendragon reaches down and pats the neck of her horse. "Okay. Let's try here." she says to Snow as she traverses her gaze about this part of town.

Copycat is sitting having lunch with Griffin in the Artist District, at a little Belgian sausage and beer place. She's dressed in plain clothes, with a scarf, a black jacket, gray t-shirt, jeans, and knee-high boots. She even has some thing black leather gloves that she's wearing. Indoors? For lunch? She has to be careful about skin contact, after all, and the Fall weather makes it easier to bundle up. The one thing that sticks out about her besides that is her light pink hair.

"...and based on all those rumors, maybe it's King Cobra, do you think? He definitely fits the profile, and his followers are cultist-like," she mentions to Griffin.

Chen has the easiest time of it, at least at first, the scent she's tracking is mixed with the other scents of the city but primarily it is mixed with what was probably either the group who took the girl in question, or her friends. The oddest thing about it is that there are scents that aren't normally caught in this day and age: Primarily that of burnt Sage and of all things Elderwood. The scents lead to a vehicle that then leaves Chinatown, heading north and west. It's not hard to track the scents as apparently they kept the windows down so maybe the girl wasn't abducted at all, still, judging by the worry of the parents this is definitely not a usual thing for the thirteen year old girl to do.

Pendragon on her ginormous horse doesn't really have all that much success, there's a lot of people in the city and people are transitory. The locations of the missing children aren't crime scenes, there's no cops, and apparently there was no disturbance at all that would generate any clues. For all intents and purposes the evidence points to the missing children to have left of their own accord. Then she catches it, a trace of magic in a window at one of the missing kids place. A dreamcatcher hangs in the window, looking to be handmade, and there is trace of enchantment on it, real magic. If it weren't hanging in the window she would have missed it. Is it related? Hard to tell.

Meanwhile for the moment Copycat and Griffin discuss the missing children, and who it might be linked to.

Pendragon has seen something similar in the past, or through one of her past lives, Arthur is annoying in that way. Still it is not precisely identical to what she's recalled before, it's never been used with a Dreamcatcher but the enchantment she sees on it is one that actually alters a persons dreams. It's not overly powerful, so would take time to really have a large effect.

Sweeping her eyes over the area, Pendragon starts easing the reins to the left to peel off and ride away when she does a doubletake. She pauses and narrows her eyes for a moment, "Hold up a sec Snow." she says as she lifts her left leg up and over the horse's neck and slides down the right flank to land on her feet. Her cape comes down after her, billowing and settling about her calves. She walks towards the window and leans closer to study the dreamcatcher, leaving Snowmane to watch her back. That is a task he does willingly. Damned horse is smarter than some humans. Either way, she reaches a hand for her chin and glances back to Snowmane as if he could respond as she says, "Ever seen anything like this before?" She pauses and adds, "I have.. but not -exactly- like this. Weird. Wonder how long this has been here." That said, she turns and walks towards the front door of the house to knock.

Goldie isn't quite convinced the missing girl hasn't gone on her own accord but the car pickup worries her. She needs help with this. And she only has one number in her phone book. Reverting for the moment to Chen she extracts her PDA from it's safe location. Don't ask where. The answer might be disturbing. She scrolls down to the G's. Freeman Griffin. And hits the dial icon.

"King Cobra? Man, I hope not. But we'd be remiss if we didn't at least make sure." The SuperSoldier says, knowing that his handwarmer has a personal stake in things if its King Cobra. He also knows this is a problem that requires facing it head-on, especially in Katrina Prince's case. "I really hope its not that fool." He adds before lifting a stein of beer ot his lips. With his energetic metabolism, alcohol doesn't have quite the punch it used to- but it still tastes good, so Griffin drinks on as he ponders the problem presented.

Griffin Freeman isn't exactly what you'd call streetlevel- not by any stretch of the imagination, but he has a woman who keeps her ear to the ground so he doesn't have to.

As he puts his stein down he receives a message from a teammate of his, that woman who keeps her ear to the ground for Zero Division.

Griffin frowns as he reads the message. "King Idiot have a thing for kids?" He asks Katrina as he shows her the bessage on his CommBracer.

Griffin Freeman's CommBracer chimes with an rarely heard ringtone. He answers it, brignign his finger to his earpeice. "Go for Griffin." He says.

Copycat wrinkles her nose at the thought. "God, no. I mean, I hope not. That's the only thing that could possibly make him even worse," she says in a worried, disgusted tone. "Er, why do you ask? If you think he's behind the Nostromo kidnapping case, it doesn't seem like his style."

Chen speaks quickly, "Griffin, this is Chen. Shapeshifter from Chinatown. I'm on the track of a girl who's gone missing from Chinatown. She's Ling Chung, age 13. I'm concerned because young Chinese girls don't usually leave Chinatown, and this one was picked up by a car. I'm not plugged into the hero network. Could you ask around and see if something is going on, please?"

As Pendragon dismounts from the superhorse and starts for the door to knock on it there is movement from the first floor window as someone or something shifts the curtains. At the knock though the door opens a little bit and a small child, perhaps seven to eight years old opens the door, he's young, ginger, freckles all over the place, and will definitely need braces if his mouth doesn't grow to accomodate those buck teeth one day. He is all agog at Pendragon, wide mouthed, and wide eyed, "That is a really big horse!" He says in hushed but excited tones. Then he suddenly goes glassy eyed and slack jawed, and out of his mouth emits a magical whisper, like it was a message just stored in his lungs and waiting for the proper recipient. The voice is vaguely female, but it's hard to really say, ancient sounding and old, cracked:

"If you want to save the children, bring yourself to the land where war took so many souls tonight at midnight."

Then the boy is looking at Pendragon like nothing happened, "Do you have to get superbig apples for him? Her? It?"

Griffin nods in agreement to Kat before responding to Chen. "Chen, hey! IS there something wrong, you sound- oh." He says aloud while raising his eyebrows urgently at his girlfriend. "You've got one too? I have a contact who put me on to a 'set' of missing teens." He covers the mouthpeice with his hand considerately as he whispers to Copycat, "We should get the check..."

"Chen- can you send me your location? I can be there in no time if you're in town." He says to bring resources together.

Goldie nods, not that Griffin can see it. "Yes. Sending GPS data now. I'm tracking the girl. The car had at least one window down so there's a faint scent trail. If they close the window, well I might be able to track the car but I doubt it. Waiting for you." she says, and sends GPS data.

Kat's eyes widen slightly and she nods immediately at Griffin's whisper. She gets up and tracks down their waiter, paying him cash while thanking him for being so quick about it for a hero emergency. They've got to be used to it in a town like this. She returns to the table after only a brief time away.

Griffin is syncing his PDA's GPS to Chen's when Copycat returns to the table. "Alright- ready?" He asks Kat before wrapping his arm around her waist. Then the two vanish- as Griffin runs out of the beer garden at barely subsonic speeds.

Its just a few moments before the pair come to an immediate stop next to Chen. "Hope you weren't waiting too long." He says to Chen as he relinquishes his gentle grip on Copycat. He turns and smirks at her in a affectionate way, but they're on duty now. Niceities come after lives are saved.

Chen backs up a couple of steps when she sees Copycat. "Hi, Griffin, Copycat. Not long. You said there were other missing kids?" she asks. There's no change in her expression or voice but, just for a moment, her fingernails become tiger like claws.

Smiling warmly, Pendragon nods to the child, "Yes. Snowmane is his name. Would you like to..." And then the whisper comes from the mouth. She closes her eyes a moment and the thought goes through her head,  She waits for the message to fade away and then reaches into a pouch at her waist, "Yes. Would you like to give him an apple?" she asks as she draws one from the pouch and takes the time to lead the child out to Snowmane.

Kat's hair flies in her face from the sudden stop, all windswept and wild. She didn't even have a chance to tie her hair back into a ponytail. She steps down carefully as he sets her down, a little dazed and dizzy from the supersede arrival. "Hi," she greets while a little shaken. Sweeping her hair back and out of her face, she nods. "Griffin got an alert that there were more kids missing. We just found out when you called. Her eyes flit nervously to Chen's claws, then back up again. "Any other clues about the missing kids?"

Chen shakes her head. "I didn't know there were others. I'm not even sure Ling hasn't run off on her own. But it would be totally out of character, and if there are other missing kids that makes it rather less likely don't you think? I'm open to ideas but what I have right now is a scent trail I can follow. Weird. I can smell burnt sage and Elderwood. Not what I'd expect to find in Chinatown."

The boy is more than happy to feed the huge horse, but if Snowmane were a normal horse the boy would have likely lost some fingers until shown how to hold the apple for a horse to eat. He's clearly never delt with a horse face to face before. There's no more strange messages coming from the boy and eventually he has to be shown back inside, or else he'd just take up all of Pendragons time with his chatter and excitement for the horse and for Pendragon herself. It's not often children get to come face to face with an obviously not normal individual after all. Then for Pendragon, all that's left is to decide if she's going to go to the battlefield she's chosen and when.

Meanwhile, as Chen grows claws due to the idea of children being kidnapped and touching base with Griffin there is some information that can be shared there:

There are exactly thirteen missing children between the ages of 12 and 16, all were reported missing within the space of three hours. The children are from all over the city, multiple districts, but none of them were actively kidnapped or at least, not in a manner in which would raise suspicions. The children are all exceptionally bright, curious, and not trouble makers. Innocents. Other than their age grouping and the time they were reported missing though, there appears to be no other connection at least from the data that is available to the police.

Griffin nods to Chen, used to people having defensive reactions when he arrives so quickly. "No- this doesn't seem like a coinidence at all, Chen. This is something else- I'd bet a year's charge on it." Charge? Not being reliant on food or sleep will make your references weird.

"I'm glad you called, the more eyes on this the better- there are 13 kids missing in total from what I've heard from my contact." Griffin explains, bringing Chen up to date with everything his streetlevel associate could bring him.

"Smart kids don't usually run off like this- not ones that aren't troubled." He adds, very certain of this fact.

"You still got our trail?" He asks Chen, eager to get back on to tracking their missing Ling and the others. "I can help us close the gap made by us regrouping."

Trying to brighten the child's day has helped Pendragon think through things. She really does enjoy kids. So does Snowmane, who was gentle and patient with the young kid. But when the boy is sent home, Pendragon says, "Okay. Let's do some scouting." as she climbs up into the saddle and steers Snow in the direction of the local battlefield. "Hrm. We should reach out and see about maybe finding some backup." she states as she guides Snowmane to walk along the streets, using the motion and the slow progress to think things through. She's not exactly a HERONet subscriber. But she knows a few people. Ghostfist and company. Either way, she is angling to reach the battlefield far earlier than the designated time of midnight.

Chen nods to Griffin and Copycat. Then she morphs, changing back into one of her favorite forms, Goldie the golden retriever. Nose to the ground she sniffs, and heads off at a lope on the scent trail.

Copycat can't run as fast as a golden retriever, but she doesn't have to with Griffin as her personal transport assistant. The dynamic duo give chase while Chen is on the trail!

Griffin's senses aren't as acute as Chen's but his rapid visiual information acquisiton and wildling tracking skills ought to lend a hand. Griffin keeps his eyes and senses open to any and everyhing as they follow.

As the various individuals make their way through the city, one by knowing where to go having been 'invited' and the others tracking via Chen's wondrous shapeshifted nose, things are no doubt ramping up elsewhere. The trail that Chen follows leads through the city, the child's scent is lost but the scent of Sage and Elderwood burning is still trackable, little bits of the stuff being deposited here and there like bread crumbs for Chen to follow. One might think it's a wild goose chase, at least until as time wears on the trail leads out of the most populated portions of the city and to the White Marsh Battlefield. Even moving slower due to trying to get what information she can happenstance brings all four of the heroes to the outskirts of the White Marsh Battlefield at about the same time.

Nothing visibly is out of the ordinary though, no children in a group, nothing nefarious going on, except that there is a mist out in the center of the field, where the fighting was thickest back in the day, where more men died than at other parts of the historical landmark. The mist is low to the ground, and though the weather doesn't really give much cause for it people have seen much odder things in Colonial Bay.

To Pendragon though, as she approaches the battlefield proper she can see the 'glow' of some sort of magical dome out in the middle of the field, whatever it is, it's invisible to normal senses but it could be some sort of magical illusion hiding what is within the area.

Chen slows as she sniffs. Then twists like a dog emerging from a pool. "Baa... Baa..." she says to her companions. "I think we're following a train deliberately left. Lambs to the slaughter maybe?"

Slowing to a stop near the battlefield, Pendragon studies the lay of the land up ahead. "Of course it's a trap." she says to Snowmane who bobs his head in agreement. "But... it's not like I have a choice. You stay here unless you hear me call, okay? I might need you to come help carry kids out."

The horse hesitates, but then chuffs out a snort and another bob of his head.

Pendragon reaches a hand up to pat Snowmane's flank. "See you soon old friend." she states before she turns and marches towards the dome, sword scabbarded on her hip, and shield worn on her left arm. Mists huh. She is well aware of what mist can conceal.

Chen does the full shimmy again, "Well, maybe they'll find us more tigers than lambs." she says, then spots... "Hey, over there," she points like a gundog, "isn't that Snowmane and Pendragon?"

"You think they took the kids knowing heroes would follow?" Kat asks. She's since zipped up her leather jacket to keep warm, and double wrapped her scarf so it comes up to her chin.

Kat takes a moment to look around. "Kind of open for an ambush, though," she murmurs, eyes drifting to the mist eventually. "That's spoopy," she miss-says the word on purpose. She gets distracted by Chen's pointing. "Oh wow, a horse? That's really awesome," she murmurs in awe.

Chen brooches a subject she's been avoiding up to now. "Copycat, I've been careful to stay out of contact with you. I remember what happened the previous time. But I hear you have more control now. What to 'borrow' some of my traits? Like toughness?"

Copycat blushes at Chen's comments. She definitely had some embarrassing incidents before she got special training with Griffin. "Yeah, I've gotten better. Just so long as I avoid direct skin contact. That's what really makes my powers go haywire," she offers an embarrassed laugh, softly quiet as she tries to be stealthy.

"But if we're going against something that's luring kids away, being tough sounds like a good idea right about now." Kat knows Griffin would appreciate knowing she's tough as Chen if things turn into a fight. "So long as you don't mind? I'll try not to focus on your memories if I can help it," she adds as she taps her temple with a gloved hand.

Chen smiles, "I'm an open book. Probably the only thing I'd be shy about is how bad a crush I had on Bard when I was young. So go ahead, and if you accidently peek don't worry about it." she tells Cat.

Snowmane stands tall and proud on the edge of the field. His head turns and dark eyes follow approaching beings. It's hard to mistake him for any other horse if you've met him before. Sure, he's a horse and can't speak. But he can watch and respond inaudibly.

Pendragon for her part, crouches to inspect the ground before approaching the mists. When she stands up, she's come to a decision. She will be here. She will meet whomever it is on the field of battle. But she turns to return to Snowmane and to share a meal with her friend so that she can go into battle well fed.

Sensing Snowmane's attention elsewhere, Pendragon lifts a brow. She looks towards Chen and company. She lifts a hand and calls out, "I'm guessing you are here for the missing children too?" she asks as she turns and approaches them. Her eyes flickering to Cat and Griffin and then back to Chen.

Copycat nods and smiles. "That's a relief if that's all there is. Okay, thanks," she says in appreciation. She just focuses on Chen for a moment. To Griffin's energy senses, he can see a shift inside of Kat before the change happens on the outside. Copycat's body alters and changes, her hair darkening as she begins to look like Chen does when she's not shapeshifted. She gives a test roll of her shoulder, which rolls way beyond a normal range, almost seeming rubbery before snapping back in place. "Weird...I think I got the hang of it, though."

Chen morphs again, changing into the form of a full grown sabre-tooth tiger.

Sabre sets her internal mode to brick as a default until she knows what if anything the heroes are facing. And advances with the group.

Turning to approach, Pendragon pauses as she sees the Sabre-tooth tiger appear. "That must be Chen." she states as even Snowmane stamps the ground a bit uncomfortably. Horses and big cats have never really been the best of friends in the past. Either way, Pendragon backs to Snowmane's side and pats his flank, "It's okay Snow. That's Chen. Not a predator." she says before merely standing there and waiting for the others to approach.

Copycat's muscles begin to swell and her skin harden as she thinks about being extra tough and strong. She flexes her bigger hands. "That's more like it." She stomps after the real Chen while looking like Chen rather than some hybrid creature, sniffing about as she gets used to the new senses and inhumanly sharp hearing.

Copycat/CopyChen looks over to Griffin and sniffs at the air in his direction, and flashes him a mischievous grin. She holds out a great big first. "Pound it," she teases as they prepare to check things out.

The SuperSoldier nods to Pendragon as she nears. "Yep- Thirteen missing teens as I hear it." He says cordially. He offers her his hand. "Griffin, Griffin Freeman." He adds as he keeps his eyes on the strange mist in the center.

He looks back at Chen as she shifts, grateful she arrived because now he can worry about Copycat's safety less and the kids more. She's right, he does appreciate that. He daps his ladyfriend eagerly. "Let's make it happen."

The mist is only about ankle high at first, but as they move closer to the center of the battlefield it increases to knee high still with no general source of where it might be coming from. The mist is thick enough to stop sight of the ground though, making footing somewhat treacherous in that the battleground isn't exactly perfectly flat, and those gophers... gophers will be the downfall of all capes without flying, surely. Still nothing happens, the sun has set, night is coming what stars able to show through the glare of the city lights beginning to peek out in the sky. Most everyone else has gone home for the night, what tourists there were having departed for their meals or the like.

Aproaching the 'dome' that Pendragon can see, it blocks her vision and appears to be a scintillating field of magic hiding whatever is on the inside of it. The others who can't 'see' magic though, don't see anything at all beyond the battlefield at night and the knee high mist. The dome itself probably covers a 100 meter radius and reaches that high into the sky as well in true spherical fashion but doesn't seem to react to the presence of anyone approaching at all.

Which is either good, or bad, depending on your point of view. Either way unless Pendragon stops them, Chen and the others will be trying to cross through it within a couple minutes.

"We are being obfuscated." says Pendragon as she turns and starts walking towards the dome. "Not sure if any of you can percieve the power, but there is illusionary magic blocking us from seeing anything beyond a certain point. It is most certainly a trap. Whomever it is behind this spoke to me, inviting me here."

As she walks and speaks, Pendragon draws her sword from its scabbard, the blade even in the shrouded night gleaming like the sun at high noon were shining down upon the luminescent meteoric steel. She is perfectly happy to take point, leaving Snowmane back at a distance for things like.. evac.

"THis mist is weird..." Griffin mutters as he crouches a bit and then pushes off the ground, sending the mist swirling about him as he raises a few inches off the ground. He could traverse the ground and certainly the gophers with his energy sense but tactically nothing being hampered at all is the best bet- at least until they know what they are delaing with.

HE turns towards Pendragon, "OBfusicated? By what?" He asks, totally clueless about the dome surrounding them

Sabre growls, "I have a simple policy for traps. That policy is better me than anyone else." With that said Chen/Sabre springs forward. She cant's see any 'dome' but if it's a trap she'll probably know that when she springs it.

"Do you see any energy in there?" Copycat asks in Chen's normal voice as she draws in closer to the mist. She stares in surprise as Chen just jumps in. With the news from Pendragon that this is a trap, she raises her fists and listens carefully as she starts to follow Chen in.

"I don't sense anything..." Griffin replies in a whisper as he continues forward, though he speeds up to take a position on Chen's flank.

When the sabretooth tigerchen leaps forwards towards the center of the battlefield she just... disappears. At least those on the outside of the magical dome (that Pendragon alone can see) watch her just vanish into nothingness like she never existed. The mist swirls where she leapt from though, so clearly she had displaced some on her leap even if there is no sign of her displacing any mist to indicate a landing anywhere. Apparently, they are being obfuscated by /that/. Whatever that is.

On the other side of the dome however, it's like reality has done an about face to an extent. The battlefield has been transformed into a massive magical ritual. What kind, who knows, but it seems to be rather large. There are three children standing on the ground at the points of a large triangle marked into the ground, and at the 'eye' of the triangle is a circle. Within the circle is a five pointed star, with a child placed at each point, and at each intersection forming a pentagon in the middle.

As if that weren't enough weirdness the children are apparently held in place by the hands and arms of the dead. Skeletal arms have broken through the ground and are clutching at their legs, the bones old and white, no meat on them, no stench of decay, just old old death. There is a single cloaked figure standing in the very center of the circle, it's gender is indeterminate, it's hunched over with a small altar made out of bones lashed together with some sort of hide or sinew. The bones look to have at one time been femurs and there is a bowl on the altar that was once, some unfortunate individuals skullcap.

There is no chanting, no sounds at all, but the air is /cold/. Very cold. Which explains the mist at least.

While upright, the children seem to be in a fugue state and not responsive to anything going on around them.

As Chen vanishes, Pendragon gestures. "As I said. Illusion." and then she marches forward. "Be aware, if this enemy is capable of this level of illusion, anything else we say could also be illusion." That said, she starts trudging towards the pentagram.

The SuperSoldier falls into old habit, becoming silent and dropping to the ground. He makes a series of hand motions indicating that he's going to go around the circle to the left- then they can try to pin the figure int he middle between them. He of course knows nothing of magic- so this may not be the best idea.

Sabre bulks up even more and just charges straight for the makeshift bone alter.

Copycat steps in through the mist, waving a hand about to clear the air. Her eyes widen at the sight before her. She's not used to seeing rituals or magic, and especially not children being used in them.

As Chen goes for the alter, Copycat runs for the nearest child to free them from those skeletal clutches.

"I would not be so hasty if I were you."

The voice is old, ancient, vaguely female, no cackle but there is a raspy quality to it. Like words forced out of lungs that don't want to work, through cracked lips that hold no life. It also comes from the cloaked figure in the middle of the circle.

As SabreChen leaps across the boundary of the circle, skeletal hands erupt from the ground and grasp hold of all four of her legs and a strange feeling for her overcomes her, the feeling of her own mortality, a permanent mortality, inescapable death, that nothing lasts forever. Eventually the whole of this universe will die, ending, and be nothing but a dimensional corpse, and she is but a spec in it.

Other hands erupt from the ground to grab hold of CopyChen when she gets to the child she had sought to free and the effect is much the same, mounting terror, the inescapable fear of death overwhelming the senses and mind.

Griffin is not affected, since he is circling around the circle so far, but he definitely sees what happens to SabreChen and CopyChen!

The figure in the middle shifts, the hood raising and it turns to fixate on Pendragon, "The ritual is nearly complete. Their souls will summon forth my Lord... but it is wasteful. One soul will do if it is of sufficent power. Like yours, King of Kings."

"Don't cross the..." begins Pendragon as Chen and Copy charge. She sighs and shakes her head as she holds the sword out, tip pointed at the villain of the piece. "Then release the young ones and take me. If you are able." she challenges as she walks towards the edge of the pentagram and circle. She eyes the circle and ponders whether she can -reach- it without having something similar attack her mind and soul.

Straifing around the circle, Griffin nods as he sees Chen adn CopyChen jump into action. He can always depend on others to act quickly when children are invovled- and while he felt the same urge he has trained himself not to act without having a strategy first.

With Chen on the mysterious figure at the center of the ritual and Kat going after the kids, Griffin is about to decide to act when Kat and Chen are stopped cold by the chilled, unfeeling hands of the dead. His eyes narrow.

The first thing you learn as a special forces operative is that plans go out the window the moment you're boots down. Today is clearly no different.

His eyes brighten as he summons forth a mass of energy- his target? The ritual-maker at the center of the circle. His hope is that this will end the ritual- but he wouldn't know a proper ritual from a coffee commercial.

Griffin pools the energy in reserve into a single blast he hopes will disrupt thing- but pooling all that energy takes a moment. He tries to maintain any cover or surprise he might muster while everyone is distracted.

Sabre roars with elemental fury and rage, the intense emotions almost sweeping out the unnatural fear that clamped down on her.

Copycat freezes the instant the hands grab hold of her, and she feels an intangible cold chill in her heart. That feel of inescapable danger and death. It's even worse than the first time she died. She tries to will herself to move, because if she stays still, she's most certain dead. But she can't get herself to move as she quakes with fear, her face drawn pale.

The tremendous amount of energy that slashes across the air and blasts into the hooded figure is enough to pick it up off the ground and send it flying where it hits... nothing. It slams into the interior 'line' of the pentagram surrounding her altar like an invisible wall with bone snapping force. There is a laugh, not a scream, but the laugh is high pitched and filled with pain even still, "Fool! My life will do just as well!" The feeble voice manages to shout and laugh further before it becomes a gurgle as it slumps to the ground sprawling. Blood soaks the battlefield once more and the arm of the robe reaches for the altar, an old decrepit hand reaches out, bones compound fracturing through the paper thin and age spotted skin and a single drop lands in the bowl.

The skeletal hands don't disappear even as the robed figure slumps to cradle the altar, no more sounds coming from it but the thick lines of magic on the ground glow visible to all as they shift from white, to red, to black. Power flares and the chill grows more intense. The children are still trapped in their fugue state. The black energy whooshes towards the center and covers the altar entirely before a much, much, taller and bigger black robed figure appears, as if made from the shadow itself. In it's right hand is a huge scythe made of bone and silvery metal, behind the hood is an eyeless and fleshless skull. The voice isn't human, it's more felt than heard as it announces.

<< Death summons Death. >>

Seeing out of the corner of her eye that Griffin is doing exactly the wrong thing, Pendragon sighs inwardly. "NO! She calls out as she surges forward. Her crown flares a bit, gold highlights gleaming as it empowers her mind. In fact, it is debatable whether or not she even knew she had been restrained. Fear of death is something that doesn't have much effect on the -dead- after all.

As she steps over the circle, she sweeps her blade down and cuts a deep furrow in the dirt, breaking the circle of power aven as she lets out a shrill whistle. She's calling for Snowmane to charge in. After all, she needs someone to get the kids out of here. "Damnit! She even -said- that death would trigger the magic! So your solution was to shoot her?!"

Griffin clenches his fists as the worst happens due to his own short-sighted response to Kat's danger. But, considering how both she and Chen were stopped dead in their tracks, he assumed their host would put up a bit more of a fight than that. Then again, there's no telling if the ritual would have bene completed without him so he shakes his head.

He shrugs, "Like i know what I'm doing- I was protecting our unit and these kids." He grits his teeth, trying to figure out hwere he needs to be to stop Death's approach.

As the power of the circle is broke before it can fully stabilize, the skeletal arms holding SabreChen, CopyChen, and the children disappear utterly, strings have been cut, kids hit the ground and Death staggers at the loss of power but... death remains. The skeletal gaze swivels towards Pendragon.

<< Ah. I have tasted you before. Many times. I shall have you again. >>

The words reverb through people's consciousness more than their ears but then death simply... melts into shadows. Shadows coalesce out of nowhere behind Pendragon, that scythe swinging in a silvery arc right towards the back of her neck, intending to take her head, and the crown, and Arthur's soul once more!

With the scythe coming in, Pendragon lifts her shield with the sword held behind it. The impact is jarring, and her feet dig into the dirt about a quarter inch from the force of the blow. But when the attack finishes, she is still there, and she peers over the 'Shield of Camelot', the Pendragon sigil not even marred by that strike, "You will have to do better than that. Mordred, a pathetic usurper wannabe did better." And her voice is a bit deeper than normal. A bit rougher. The old man is speaking through her.

Sabre connects but her claws, blunt from being shaped to claw at earth, no little more than ruffle Death's robes.

Emerging from behind her one shield wall, Pendragon strides forward even as the thundering of hooves can be heard. Snowmane is coming as he was called. "Snow! Get the children out! Someone please help load them on his back!" she yells as she lifts her blade and swipes -near- the spectre... the gleaming of the blade flaring as she does. "You and I have business to settle phantom." her deep voice bellows.

Soldiers face Death in battlefields all over the Earth throughout time immemorial so it isn't fear Griffin feels when setting his glowing eyes upon the grim visage of Death that he called to this world. Its a cold, unflinching need to make things right, no matter the cost- no matter the effort. He digs down deep and finds that little part of him that made him a hero and solider long before any 'super' was ever applied to his phsyiology.

"Alright... let's ring the bell then." He says in a murmur, just before Pendragon sets her place on the field- target of Death itself, and clear battlefield commander.

Griffin is only too happy to fall into line and follow orders- especially when they are 'save the kids'.

The sound of thunder erupts as Griffin vanishes, appearing next to the nearest kid, and then the one after that and then 2 more. He carries them gingerly, 2 held in his left arm, one over his shoulder in a fireman's carry and then another in his 'free arm. They weigh near nothing to the SuperSoldier. He's swift, but moves at subsonic speeds to the Great Warhorse with his precious cargo.

He pushes down the odd feeling 'ignoring' death gives him- afterall, he's spent his life mindful of the danger, but now if he focuss on that these kids may not make it to dawn. //Full Move to shuffle as many kids to the warhorse as you deem appropos with his superspeed and or leaping. I' not sure how far the kids are from the horse so which ever. leaping is 57m, super speed is substanitally less. 30m teleportation.

Copycat is startled by Griffin's sudden and violet salvo as it kills the old ritual master. She struggles to will herself into acting instead of being frozen in fear. The kids need her. The others need her. She's supposed to be a hero, after all!

But as the hold on her releases, she finds her foot able to step forward. Finally! She eyes Death nervously, wondering if it knows her. It most certainly most know Rick for all the times he's died. She's still hesistant for a moment before she steps in to try and help Pendragon. Griffin's much faster than her at the moment, anyway, and he's better equipped to help with the kids.

It's hard to tell if Chen's roar has any real effect on the emotionless visage of the grim reaper, a skull is always grinning after all and it is jostled a bit, first by claws ripping into it's robes a bit, and then by the phantom slash of Excalibur's magical essence that slices a line through the robes but doesn't reveal anything but darkness underneath even as it takes a step back from the 'impact' of that near divine energy. As Griffon goes to rush around grabbing kids, Snowmane comes charging forwards at the King's command to help Griffon with the taking of kids away from the battlefield, literally now, not just an old metaphorical one.

The damage to Death's robes fades though, the robes mending, leaving no trace of any damage at all that it might have taken from the combined assault of SabreChen and Pendragon. The bone handled silver scythe is drawn back and away while a skeletal hand comes out of the left sleeve of the robe and then darkness falls.

It's beyond night. It is the absent of light. The whole area around Death has become something akin to a sensory deprivation tank. SabreChen, CopyChen, and Pendragon can still feel the ground beneath their feet and paws. They can feel the air on their skin and/or fur, but there is no sound. There is no sight. Even those senses that can pick up radio waves still as if an EMP has been dropped. Nothing coming in. Nothing going out.

With Death comes blackest night.

Griffon can see the sphere of darkness that surrounds the melee, but he can't see what's going on within it. Can't hear what's going on within it. It's as if he's been cut off from the battle. Worse, there are still 3 kids on the ground in the darkness as well, that were in the very center of the summoning circle.

In space nobody can hear you scream. Or hear Sabre's enraged roar. A roar that changes nature and the being making it changes shape. If Chen could be seen she's be confused for a squid or octopus. Six tentaclar boneless limbs that reach out for and grab at Death

Unable to see, unable to hear. Well this is disconcerting.  she thinks to Arthur.

<> comes the reply. Yes, planning xp spends for the future. Not helpful here and now though.

 Bethany thinks back with a sardonic sound to her mental tone. She hopes that death will still focus on her. But she has no way of knowing. So.. she'll wait, because lashing out may harm someone else.. or hit a kid.

Right up by Death, CopyChen sniffs about. Old musty robes. And the real Chen, very near by. It's like they're on top of each other. But she can smell where Chen isn't, and pulls back her muscular arm before throwing a jab at Death's grinning face.

The darkness fades as suddenly as it arrived, maybe it was a choice due to there being OctoTigerChen all wrapped around it and restricting it's movements. It tilts it's hooded head to the side and asks OctoTigerChen:

<< You seek to Grapple with Death? Foolish. >>

Even though it was hit and pretty hard by CopyChen, there is a sudden aura of soul sapping cold that fills the area. It's worse than soul sapping, it's strength sapping, it's exhausting, it creates chills that cause the teeth to chatter and muscles to clench against it. Fortunately, most of the kids are out of the range of it, but Chen, Pendragon, and Copy are definitely within it's range. A chill of frost killing the grass in the area and coating the fallen children as the cold leeches life out of everything nearby.

Sabre calls out, "New plan. I'm not sure we can defeat this thing. Pendragon, your sword seemed to have an effect. And I wonder how Griffin's blast would do. I'll hold it as long as I can. Cat, use my stretching and extra limbs to get the kids clear before it breaks free. That's my suggestion anyway."

Soon as she can see, Pendragon feels the chill of death sapping at her. The sword in her hand flares as it fights the power. Even so, a small weakness is felt. But the warrior reflex kicks in and even as her power is being sapped away, Pendragon is moving forward. "By all that is holy, you will fall demon!" comes the King's voice from her far more feminine mouth. As she moves forward, the sword goes back and she winds up with her sword... the weapon glowing all the brighter for the power it is channeling now.....

"N-no go, Chen," Copycat's teeth chatter as her body loses cohesion for a moment. Griffin can see her energy signature get disrupted and dim as her form loses mass to revert to normal. It dwindles until her energy signature almost winks out. Copycat stumbles and doubles over to try and keep warm as all her strength and powers leave her.

Sabre shifts muscle bulk, compensating for the weakness she's feeling. Holding on she tries to wrap another pair of tentacles around death and squeeze.

Griffin Freeman doesn't balk or studder- he finishes all he can as the creeping cold rolls over his allies and the last of the children. His eyes glow brightly as his own analysis of the problem falls in line with Chen's. "Roger that!" He shouts- not even bothering to close the gap. He powers up another blast, this one just like the first one he used that started all of this.

We'll find out today how Death feels about concetrated cosmic energy.

Griffin lets his blast loose with no thought of his target other than driving this facet of it from this plane of existence once more. When he senses Kat's energy levels fall he fights the urge to roar and then swoop in to save her immediately.

He'll be doing that though. Any moment ... after he tries to blow Death's bony noggin off his bony shoulders.

Death looks unconcerned by the squeezing from the OctoSabreChen, the robes are like pure entropy, force just melts off them, eaten by the ultimate force of decay and there is very little pressure that gets through them. Death doesn't look happy either. Well, other than an emotionless grinning skull always looks with that grin. Especially as CopyCat crumples to the ground under the leeching effect of death itself. The sword though, as it finally comes in one can watch Death's eyeless skull track the motions of the blade. They can watch it track the blade is it passes right through the robes, slices through several ribs, narrowly misses the spine, and then passes out the other side.

The /light/ of /that/ sword when it slashes past the robes flares brilliantly, illuminating Death's skeletal form even through the robes and it's like Death is being electrocuted. It's body spasms, bones shaking, and then it slumps bonelessly in OctoSabreChen's grip, unable to escape what is coming...

Following up in what can -only- be a well rehearsed move, Pendragon spins, using the shield to disguise her movement as her armored skirts swirl about her. The shield flashes past Death.. the Pendragon sigil shown in almost slow motion as the sword comes in low, with a rising strike. This time, it's that blade sweeping upwards towards the torso and jaw of her target while she has the advantage.

Sabre just holds on. And squeezes if she can. But her job right now is hold Death away from hurting others until they can either deal with it or get the kids to safety.

As the energy from Griffin blasts into Death it rocks and would have probably been knocked around if not for OctoSabreChen's death grip on Death. Bone chips fragment and fly off the visible skull and there is a feeling of building menace. Death is /angry/. When Chen squeezes though there is a grating sound from within the robe and if a skull could grimace, it would in this case.

<< You have only delayed the inevitable. I will be coming. >>

Death's voice reverberates through everyone's skull and then the being, Death, or the avatar of it, whatever it is that the old sorceress death called into being disperses into shadow and vanishes. Gone.

For now.

Following through on the upward swing, Pendragon spins once more if only to slow down the steel weapon without having her wrist strained. Then she eyes the field... and she goes to one knee, sets down the shield beside her and grips her sword in both hands by the blade... the grip upwards. A silent few words are spoken in prayer for profaning this place of rest. This place where so many died in battle. But when she finishes a few seconds later, she sheathes her sword and picks up her shield. "The spectre was not banished. It knew it could not win here and now, so it transported itself away. Somewhere." she states, "But for now, let us tend to the children."

Sabre ends up like a tangled ball of cord when Death vanishes and her constricting tentacles collapse in on herself. "Hey, any of those kids a boy scout or girl guide. I may need some help untangling myself." she says, although there's laughter in her voice. And a slight false note if anyone is listening closely.

Copycat feels the chill leave her, mostly, and starts to straighten up, rubbing her arms to warm herself as she looks around for the kids. "Are the children alright?"

Griffin Freeman fights the urge to race immediately to Copycat's side while the others pray and untangle. But he knows the kids still need help and his paramedic training could be of use to the others.

He anishes, reappearing next ot the children who were left behind int he circle- cut off from rescue by Death itself. He begins triaging each of them so he can tell who's in the worst shape.

"I'm not sure Kat... but we'll know soon." Griffin says to Kat as she straightens up.

The kids recover slowly, but they do recover. Faster than CopyCat does, and after about 6 seconds they start to wake up, at least the ones who were chilled by Death. The other 10 are already waking up and recovering from the fear of death that was placed upon them by the now deceased sorceress. Her body lays on her altar in the middle of the battlefield, her blood turning white bone red.

Sheathing her sword, Pendragon drapes the shield over her back and helps with the kids. She glances over at the deceased sorceress and mutters, "Be nice if we had someone to question about where they found the ritual, where they have their supplies.. that sort of thing. Speaking of which... anyone here see a spellbook or whatnot?"

Chen goes over to the alter, and then returns to where Griffin is. "It was a nice shot, Griffin. Next time, maybe shoot the alter to stop the ritual?" She turns to Pendragon, "Would that have worked?"

"In fact... all he would have had to do was blast the ground where the circle was to disrupt he gathered power before it could be put to use. That would have dispersed it naturally." admits Pendragon.

Chen shrugs and offers Griffin her hand, "Still, when 13 kids' lives are on the line you do what you think best. Glad you were here."

"Oh..." Griffin says to Chen and Pendragon, embarassment clear on his face. "Well- live and learn." He says. It passes. "For what it's worth, I thought whoever coudl stop 2 Chens so easily would be ... a bit tougher. I gauged accordingly." He shrugs. "Nevertheless- I'm sorry for any inconvienence it caused and will do whatever necessary to make this right."

Copycat smiles softly and proudly as she watches Griffin take care of the kids. But she also remembers how far he went by accident. She looks towards the body of the ritual master and shivers once. She thinks of Pendragon's question. "I don't think I'm brave enough to try and copy someone who's dead. Even if it might give me access to their memories." She's never tried before. Never even conceived of trying.

It doesn't take terribly long for emergency services to arrive, paramedics for the kids, cops to get statements, and of course they want to know who killed the old lady...

Griffin cops to .. .well to the cops immediately.

"It wasn't her.. it was her magic." says Pendragon. Then she inclines her head, "I think you could have caved in a tank with your blasts Griffin. Sometimes... finding a bigger hammer is -not- thet answer."

That said, she just heads over to Copycat and blinks, "I wasn't even suggesting.. I didn't know you -could- do such things. Perhaps we should identify her and follow up in a more mundane and restrained manner, after we insure these children get to their homes." and indeed. Snowmane is standing protectivenly near some of the kids.

"You're right, Ma'am." Grififn says to Pendragon. "Like I said, all I can do is use a little more restraint next time." He says, but he knows that he clearly has a problem. He is incredibly cautious all the time- except for when Copycat is in the picture. He of course can't put his finger on this issue. Too close to the problem as it were- not that he'd change that if he had the understanding of his own self to make that realization.