Furrae Chronicles: Webs of Destiny (IC) [M] {2}

[Stygian]

.

[Aisha deCabre]

The darkness had dissipated quickly...yet still there was enough time for her to just give the beast a good taste of her blade...or so it was thought.  She hadn't time to swing however...she saw the flaming claws coming towards her, without the speed to dodge them.

"AH!" she roared as the ram's attack struck, dropping the sword in surprise as she flew back to the floor.  She turned to land on her good side, the other side sporting burning gashes across her flank through a ripped shirt.  She held back the temptation to hold the wound and instead lay there for a moment, letting the searing pain pass quickly.  In her mind, she was cursing herself violently.  Fool, you can't HIT the bastard!  Why can't you hit...!

Then she opened an eye to hear the demon's familiar voice actually give out a cry of pain.  Aisha looked past to see that Gareeku had finally been wrenched from his grasp, lying further away on the floor.  She had a grin of relief on her face as she reached for her sword and used it as a crutch to get back on her feet.  The pain of the wound had left her, though it would leave a nasty scar to fix.  Knew that he had a bit of fight left in him, she thought with pride, watching the others as they took up various positions to combat the winded demon.

It was then however that the doors flew open and the windows shattered, admitting a host of guards and assassins.  Looking at the way they started to surround the group, and hearing the demon's order, Aisha's eyes widened, more than surprised at the number.

Dammit...

Her feet bounding off the floor with the speed of a well-coiled spring, Aisha dodged the melee of weapons that had come for her and slashed at whatever guard she could find whom she caught in weakness, and was in her way, never pausing for a breath nor stopping to think as blades and other weapons shaved inches from her skin.  Her own sword was an axe cleaving through trees of flesh...yet she wasn't worried so much for defending herself as defending anyone who couldn't fight, and at the moment that was still the wounded Gareeku.  She risked attempt after attempt at her life to just simply reach the wolf.

The panther made sure to stay away from any of the assassins at least...from looking at them an individual may have had as much skill as herself, more so perhaps, of stealthy attacks.  Just in case, she grabbed her boomerang and let loose the sawblade in the air to do its job...whether it hit anything or not, she just wanted to get through...

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel wasted no time when the jewel slid to her feet. Actually the guards were more motivating than restraining since magic was her best defense and offense. One quick scoop and the suppressor was in her hand, and while the hand appeared to be that of a normal feline it had dragon claws and bones and muscles. There was a sound between a crack and a pop as claws dug in and the gem shattered into a handful of shards, a hint of dust with a magical sparkle lingering in the air as Mel dropped the fragments. At the same moment ice erupted upwards, coating the ceiling and the assassins trying to cling to it.

[Gareeku]

Hearing the shattering sound, the demon knew what it was.
"The jewel has been destroyed. Shit..." the demon quietly cursed to himself as his guards and assassins advanced. The restrictions on people's magic was no longer in place thanks to the destruction of the jewel.

On the ceilings and walls, the assassin could immediately feel the surfaces getting colder very quickly, and so instantly dropped to the floor, though some were not so lucky and so were trapped there. As soon as they had dropped to the floors, the assassins advanced with the others. The guards then broke out into a run as they charged the group, closely followed by the assassins.

[James StarRunner]

Thunderous booms shook the earth as James tossed a generous handful of acorn grenades in the core of the assassins and guards, blanketing the area in hell fire.

Even as far as he was from the explosions, James still felt the heat rush past his face. Again, James' gaze returned to the demon. Such great a threat should not be left alone. James pulled out another acorn and threw it at the ground in front of him, disappearing in a haze of thick green smoke.

The last image the demon saw of James before he disappeared, was a sinister looking smile. When the smoke lifted, James was gone.

[Gabi]

Gabi felt powerless under the anti-magic field. It was the best she could doto defend herself with her fighting knife and her body as her only weapons, wishing she could suddenly acquire better fighting skills. While she focused on staying clear of any attacks coming her way, it was hard to tell what else was going on, other than the shouting, the lightning and the ever-increasing smell of blood.

She heard something break and immediately felt a tingling sensation. She had the feeling it had to be something important, but what could she do? She then realized the temperature had decreased a little bit. She risked a brief glance around and saw that the nearest wall was coated in ice. That could only mean one thing: magic was back.

Gabi took the chance and cast a stunning spell, firing it as quickly as possible at the nearest guard. She used the opening to make a run in the direction where the smell of blood was the strongest, basic reasoning telling her that if she couldn't be of much use as a fighter she could at least help by healing those who could. But she was forced to stop by a rising cloud of green smoke.

Unable to see or smell her destination for the time being, she took a defensive stance and waited for the smoke to fade away, preparing a new stunning spell in case another guard came towards her. Of course it could be something far more dangerous, in which case the spell wouldn't be able to stop it, but it was the best defense she had right then. She was surprised when the smoke cleared away and she found nothing ahead.

"Oh, well," she thought. "Sometimes you're just lucky. I'll figure out what that was once the commotion is over, if we make it out of here in one piece."

She went back to running, releasing the spell at the first guard she encountered, but then it became evident that things would go uphill from there. She could now pick up Gareeku's smell clearly; it was his blood she had been following. And somewhere between him and Gabi was Aisha. But also between them were plenty more guards and assasins than Gabi could handle on her own. She had no choice but to ask for help.

"Aisha!," she called out.

[Aisha deCabre]

As the guards charged the group from every side, Aisha's concentration was focused completely on just getting through them.  They were a wall of armed and armored flesh, dead already to her eyes if they were in the service of a demon.  Blood dripped from her sword, and thanks to magic skills in the room returning, the properties in her light-powered boomerang could more easily be controlled...a quick flick of her wrist and it was already swerving through the air against any assassins that were left above as the room plummeted in temperature.

Finally she reached where Gareeku lay, determined to hold her ground there.  As the number of the enemy started to fall, and the demon kept preoccupied, the only thing that flowed through her mind was just focus and concentration.  Defend.  Kill.  Defend...!

"Aisha!"

Hearing a familiar voice call her name, the panthress paused to see Gabi running towards them, with a host of guards hoping to hound her path.  Aisha jumped up and swung her sword across a line of them, hoping to open the way for the vixen.  "Glad you're alright, amiga," she managed to say in a heavily winded voice, coming out as something of a growl, while trying to parry and fend the attacks.

[Tapewolf]

As his powers returned, Jakob darted back from the wall where the lightning had flung him to where Gareeku lay prone.  A strange light had crept into his eyes and his expression hardened.
"I believe that all life is sacred," he said, "but it doesn't mean I can't hurt you."
Adopting the stance his instructors had taught him in SAIA, he stood guard over Gareeku, casting fireballs at the assassin throng.

[Stygian]

All these bloody people were just in the way, as far as the bat was concerned. Looking up from the crouching position he had come down to from his strikes, his eyes fixed at the demon. That was his target, and nothing else for the moment, no matter what that squirrel thought he could do.
   Spinning to the side, the bat snatched up his gun and emptied the cylinder, wasting no time in slipping in already prepared cartridges into the weapon and then bringing both his irons up to bear, firing fast and hard in the demon's general direction. Still, with guns like his, that was not very fast. Just powerful. He had to get a pair of better guns, he thought, even as he began advancing on the ram.
   A parry against a guard's blade turned into a sweeping kick and then a handflip, before he fired off a shot through the eye of an unfortunate who happened to just be there. Next, a fool who thought that he could get the drop on the bat from behind found himself flying with a broken sternum from a kick. The bat kept his oppenents at a manageable distance, not too far but not too close, striking rapidly and almost dancing as he advanced upon the demon, his eyes not averting from the ram for more than a second or two, as they slowly started turning a gleaming black.
   Then, in a fluid movement, he spun his right revolver into its holster, and then gripped an attacking guard, throwing him into the bunch before their master. A step and then a leap, and he flew through the air, the claws of his right hand blackening and extending as he brought it back for a strike, aiming for the demon's throat.

[Mel Dragonkitty]

When the angel set off the bombs Mel rapidly cast an icy mist in her immediate area. Fires were instantly extinguished in her corner of the room. Setting the room ablaze really wasn't the most effective idea when the wolf would need to be dragged out. Then she just stood and waited for attackers to come to her.

[Gareeku]

As the group battled, the sounds of pain could be heard from the guards' throats as they were taken out one by one. The assassins, however, was far more skillful, weaving in and out of the various attacks with precise fluidity. Two assassins in particular were making their towards the form of Gareeku on the floor, their magic reserves building within them as they approached the downed wolf and the ones who were standing over him.

As the smoke bombs detonated, the demon saw the look on James' face; the sinister smile on the squirrel's facial features clearly visible to the demon before the warrior disappeared. Narrowing his eyes before turning away, the demon then saw the approaching form of the bat as his clawed reached for the demon's throat. The demon barely had enough time to react, barely stopping the bat's attack by quickly reaching up and grabbing his arm. The demon could feel the warmth of the trickling blood on his neck; his blood. It seemd that "Ignatz" had managed to puncture the skin on the demon's throat, though the full extent of the attack had not been reached thanks to the demon's reaction. As soon as the demon had grabbed the bat's arm, he quickly charged his hand with lightning magic; small bolts of electricity crackling around the demon's clawed hand before roaring out as he threw that bat away into the nearby wall.

[Aisha deCabre]

Don't they know the meaning of "give up"?  Aisha thought to herself as she wheeled around to slice another guard in the throat.  Enough blood now coated her blade to make its natural color appear crimson, were it not for the fact that it dripped to the floor...and still they kept coming, no heed paid to their fellow dead.  With the magic-proof sword she efficiently blocked any magic thrown towards her, or her comrades...or Gareeku.

While the panthress fought, she pondered...the attackers were relentless, and the wolf would have to be moved as soon as possible for the best chance to be healed.  A glimpse was cast in the direction of the ram demon, who was locked in combat with "Ignatz".  His back was once more turned, and she gripped the hilt tightly in frustration.  If I could just drive this thing into his spine...

The assassins came with little warning, as was their training...but it proved quite hard to sneak up on this particular group.  She could feel them begin a magic assault, and without hesitance, the panther dove to the wolf's defense and swung her blade to catch one of them.

"We need to move him!" she growled to the others.  As long as the demon was distracted, the situation needed to be taken advantage of somehow...

[Tapewolf]

"I'll do it," said Jakob, his voice filled with determination.  It seemed clear to him that the only way to move the wolf without killing him was going to be through teleportation.  But where could he take him?  He had no idea where they were.  Concentrating on the location they were in, he made a mental note of it, and then tried to recall the cell which Gareeku had been left in when he had tried to move him before.  Not the safest place, but certainly safer.

Trying desperately to ignore the blood and the death that was all around, Jakob knelt by the fallen wolf and clutched him by the wrist as before.  The pulse was weak, and he swallowed.  Gritting his teeth, he started to make the magical pass again.

[Sunblink]

Blood. Yelling. Fighting. Wings. Angel. Demon. Things moved far too fast for Keaton's comfort. One moment the ram Demon they were searching for had Gareeku dangling limply from his sinewy grasp, the next moment he was stabbing him, sending Aisha into a furious rage, then everyone was assaulting him with everything they had... leaving Keaton to stare numbly as she struggled to balance herself again and orientate her mind. No matter what they did, it seemed as though the Demon was invulnerable to their combined assault, shrugging off their attacks and further infuriating the group.

Assassins and guards swarmed the adventurers. It was only then that Keaton felt her mind break free from the daze it had confounded itself into and her survival instincts kick in. Immediately leaping up as several guards rushed her way, Keaton dashed in the direction of her mace, which had rolled off to the side upon their abrupt teleportation into this chamber. Feet a lurid blur beneath her, Keaton moved like liquid mercury past the skirmishing warriors, darting around people and flying weaponry with ears flattened and eyes locked onto the club lying on the ground.

Finally she scooped it off of the floor, throwing it into her grip, and whirled around on the nearest guard, swinging Catastrophe right into his face. His head was gone. The body was left to collapse. Task completed, Keaton turned to the next group, stepping over the decapitated guard's body like it were just a menial obstacle. At some point, as the fight rolled on, Keaton heard explosions go off somewhere in the corner of the room. Noxious green smoke wafted toward Keaton's nostrils from the immense plume billowing near the demon, who engaged in combat with Ignatz, but she quickly forgot it after she obliterated another guard.

Losing herself in the carnage.

~Keaton the Black Jackal

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel heard Aisha's call for help. The wolf didn't need to go elsewhere, he needed to be healed. With an ice-dagger spell to remove the one assassin between her and them Mel slid herself into the midst of the group defending their downed leader. She addressed the vixen who was already working on the damage. "I have healing skills, would you like some help?"  By way of demonstration she healed a small gash on one cheek. Then she waited to be accepted or rebuffed.

[Stygian]

The bat's breath left him as he was promptly knocked into a wall, and more of that stinging sensation of electricity coursed through his body. But he had come close to hurting the demon nonetheless; he had seen it, and felt it. Now he knew. However powerful he was, he still had the edge over the bastard in terms of speed. Now only to let loose...
   His train of thought was interrupted as Mel moved over to the wolf, and let up her offense against their assailants. With a curse, he spun out his guns again and began firing off the last of his bullets, quickly loping over and kicking a guard in the face, landing behind her back. Once he was out of ammunition, he slipped his guns back, and took up his regular Fānziquán stance, extending his claws and preparing to rip any additional assailants asunder. Turning his head slightly, he gave Mel a scowl over his shoulder.
   "Are we going for this or what?!" he snarled. There was no question of leaving; that demon had to die. But stopping right in the middle instead of moving into a better position...
   His eyes shot back to the demon, and he recalled the mental image of his claws glancing the ram's throat. Slowly, his eyes darkened over, and slivers of snaking blackness began drawing up from around his feet and hands, flowing around him.
   "If you're going to do anything, do it fast!"

[Tapewolf]

Jakob looked up, pausing in mid-incantation to stare at Mel.  He was pretty sure that she was one of the ones who had got Gareeku into this mess in the first place, and allowing her the intimacy that surgery would require meant that there was no chance of protecting his leader if this was actually a ruse to slay him.

"He has internal injuries!" he pointed out above the clamour of battle.  "If you think you can heal those in the middle of a battlefield with assassins closing in on every side, then by all means go ahead.  But I think it would be wiser to teleport him somewhere less deadly.  I can return to bring the healers to him afterwards."

[Aisha deCabre]

With another swift slash, an assassin had joined their comrades laying on the floor all around them in death.  The panther hissed as she made the blow however, feeling as they managed to cut her up pretty well up close...one in fact her where the demon scratched her skin...only briefly reopening the scars and further staining the fabric with her own blood.

She held her side and backed away briefly, hearing as Jakob volunteered to take Gareeku...but just then, Aisha out of the corner of her eye saw Mel approach the group.  She held just as many reserves of caution, for the dragon indeed had been one of those that led the wolf into this trouble...but she froze in thought at hearing her claim of healing, and her troubled gaze passed from her to Gabi and back, and finally fell upon Jakob, hearing his statement of argument.  There was only a moment of doubt...just a moment, then a quick and perhaps hasty decision was made.

"I don't think we even have time to challenge trust," Aisha started.  "Gareeku is fast dying and needs it immediately.  Anything that comes after us, we can surely handle.  We've done so thus far."

And after all, Mel and Ignatz had been fighting against the demon...enemies of enemies.  She nodded to her.  "You've my trust to heal him."  And by gods let it be quick... the panthress added silently as her wound healed and she turned her blood-tinged gaze to another would-be dead attacker...

[Mel Dragonkitty]

Mel looked over her shoulder at Ignatz, "I want that demon to die knowing his last act was a failure because he had the bad sense to double-cross us." Ignoring the incubus Mel set to work with the power of an angry adult dragon at her disposal. Her hands glowed with cold blue-white light as she set them on the wolf, combining her efforts with that of the vixen. First priority was the damaged internal organs, then they would move on to the broken bones.

[Tapewolf]

Jakob reluctantly aborted the transfer and allowed Mel to heal Gareeku in-place.  He assumed a defensive posture again, and now he had three targets to protect, for if Mel or Gabi were hit or even interfered with during the operation it could quite likely kill their charge outright.

He gave a sidelong glance at Aisha.  I hope you know what you've asked for.

Turning his attention to the now, he cast some Stun spells at the assassins who were creeping ever close to the prone wolf.
Some distance behind him, Keaton stood amongst some foes she'd beheaded.  It was a good job that Jakob couldn't see that, for it would have done him a power of no good.

[James StarRunner]

Still concealed, James crept closer to his target. Using the fight between the bat and the demon to his advantage, James waited for the perfect time to strike.

Ignatz served his purpose well. When the ram unleashed his lightning on the bat, the demon's guard was down. The opening couldn't have been more perfect. With speed that only an angel could muster, James attacked. Leaping out of the shadows, James appeared with broadsword in both hands. The sword was a blur at most when James swung, threatening to cleave the demon in two.

[Gabi]

<late>Gabi thanked Aisha for the save before approaching Gareeku.</late>

She was surprised to hear Mel's offer while she was working on healing him, and to see her demonstration before she had a chance to react. She wished she had time to think things better, but now Gareeku was badly wounded and he'd need all the help he could get. "I'll notice if she does anything to hurt him," she thought, and nodded quietly, not taking her eyes off the job.

She heard the battle raging around her, but she couldn't allow herself any distractions, and hoped with all her strength that her friends were able to repel the attackers, or at least keep them at bay until she could join them.

[Gareeku]

As the demon threw Ignatz at the wall, he suddenly sensed a presence behind him; a hostile presence. Whirling round, the demon saw James advancing speedily, swinging his sword in for an attack. Reacting as quickly as he could, the demon brought his hand up in an instinctual attempt at stopping the sword. This would prove to be a costly mistake.

A pain-filled scream echoed out through the room a split second after a *thunk* sound was heard. Standing there was the demon, clutching the stump where his right hand used to be. Blood was gushing out of the wound and creating a crimson puddle on the floor as the demon stared at where his hand used to be. A couple of feet away was the hand itself, bloodied and lifeless.

Looking up, the demon saw the manic smile on the squirrel's face as he stood there, his blade now stained red with the demon's blood. That fucking angel...he would pay!!
"YOU!!" the demon roared, his face twisted into rage and loathing for the squirrel standing in front of him. Before James knew what was happening, the demon reached out and grabbed his head with his clawed hand, the claws punturing the skin as the demon squeezed. Lifting the angel up, the demon roared out as he slammed the warrior into the ground.
"I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!" the demon screamed, slashing at the squirrel on the floor with his claws, the claws themselves enveloping in dark magic as he did so. Before long, James was covered in cuts and gashes, including a wound on his shoulder where the demon's clawed hand had gone right through and out the other side.

Leaving the squirrel laid out on the floor, the demon stood back up. Taking a few deep breaths, the demon then turned to face the others, who were staning over the fallen Gareeku while fending off the guards and assassins. The smile that was normally on the demon's face had vanished, replaced by a stern look or seriousness. They had taken his hand. Now he would make certain that he would take their lives.

[Stygian]

It was with a mixed feeling of insult and pleasure that the bat saw James attack the demon. Cheap shots aside, they still had to get the bastard down. However, that feeling immediately turned purely to amusement, as the ram's hand came off. And being mostly untroubled by the attackers, his scowl slowly cracked into a grin as he watched the squirrel receive as well as he had given. He felt a warm sensation rushing through him, his nostrils flaring and his breath deepening as red spattered over the floor. Unconsciously, he arced his neck, and slipped his stance into something more upright, more offensive.
   "Much better..." he muttered under his breath, and faced the demon's stare from up under his furrowed brow, fangs parting slightly. He clenched his fists once, twice, before extending his fingers and balancing out his stance. Around his feet, those shadows were snaking a bit thicker now. And his black eyes had begun to glow in an odd manner. If the ram pulled off another lightning bolt, he was not intending to stop again.
   "Get him ready to move," 'Ignatz' said, and started walking toward the demon. His movements differed to just moments ago. They were smooth and controlled, but he was just waiting to go off, like a bullet in the chamber. And his tone...
   "Nice," he said, still grinning as he advanced on the ram, nodding toward the bleeding stump where his hand had been. "Must be bad for the carpets with all this blood, but I don't think you're going to have to worry about dry-cleaning. Why don't you get on that desk over there and we can play doctor? I'll promise not to take pictures when I give you a vasectomy. Of course, I'll make sure to do it through yer trap, seeing as how that needs to be sealed up too...!" He chuckled, and flexed his claws.

[Gareeku]

Staring at the group with the unchanging expression of calm seriousness on his face, the demon did not seem to notice the fact that blood was still dripping from the stump where his arm used to be, creating a small puddle of the crimson liquid on the floor below. His breathing was slow and deep, and his red eyes seemed to glow slightly, evidence that the mana within him was flowing. In actual fact, he was using the flow of the mana to provide energy to the damaged body tissue at the end of his wounded arm. In doing so, the flow of energy was in fact providing strength to the damaged body tissue, enabling it to heal itself as the cells in his blood were able to seal the wounds, and thereby cutting off the blood flow that normally would have gone to his hand, had it still been there.

It was then, however, that the demon heard a voice. Looking at one member of the group in particular, he found it to be the bat, who was now advancing towards him. Listening to Ignatz's words, the demon scoffed, a small smirk slowly creeping across his facial features as he eyes remained locked on the approaching bat in front of him. At the same time, however, he was also keeping a proverbial eye on the squirrel now behind him. He had let his guard down before, and as a result that mistake that cost him his hand. He would not be making that mistake again.

"Thank you kindly for the offer." the demon replied with a chuckle of his own, his voice back to it's normal smooth and calm manner. "But I am afraid I will have to decline."
Flexing his hand slowly as the bat approached, the blood-covered claws glistened slightly as the flow of mana within the demon surged through his arm and hand, ready to react.

[Paladin Sheppard]

After dropping her third target from the mass, and giving herself some breathing room Ephrael suddnly saw her next chance at the demon.

Tanking steady aim she fired, the arrow flashing past James' right atm by milimeters.

[James StarRunner]

James' wing gave a twitch. He tasted his own blood in his mouth and spit it out. The vest now torn open, he could see the mithral shirt that had been hidden within. The gashes and cuts to his torso may have been much worse if it wasn't for that clever investment. As much as the armor protected him though, James wasn't invulnerable (the hole in his shoulder proved that). He was glad though that the demon only had one hand to claw with. Trying to get back to his feet again, he found himself unable to move his left arm. Blood from his shoulder started to soak his clothes. Spots of his hair were also dyed blood red. James cursed himself for not knowing any healing spells. Adrenaline kept James moving for now. He made a quick promise to himself that he would finally learn some magic after this was over... if he survived.

James had staggered back onto his feet. He had shown the demon that they weren't anyone to be taken lightly. The fight should be much easier now that the demon only had a single hand to work with. James had to work fast though before he lost too much blood.

James moved back into the fight, flanking the creature. James gave a slight nod to the bat, signaling a willingness to cooperate. There was no way a one handed demon would stop the both of them.

Thwip!

James flinched as Eph's arrow breezed past him, flying toward the demon. Dang that was close! I don't want to go down by friendly fire!

[Mel Dragonkitty]

It wasn't the neatest or most thorough healing Mel had ever performed, and it wasn't the most gentle, but it was the quickest. She just pushed healing energy into the wolf as fast as she could, making his body race to keep up. It wouldn't be a pleasant healing had but at least Gareeku would live to be able to compare it. She spared a glance at Gabi. The fox had to notice that she was using more power than a being could muster.

[Gareeku]

Keeping his eyes locked onto the bat in front of him, the ram had an ear swivelled to face behind him, hearing the squirrel stagger back onto his feet.
"You should learn when to give up. I dare say the amount of blood coming out of your shoulder isn't doing you any good" the ram commented with a snicker to the angel warrior, though he did not turn his head to face him. It was then, however, that a *thunk* sound could be heard. Looking down, the demon saw, with somewhat widened eyes, that an arrow had lodged itself in his shoulder. Grunting in pain, the demon decided not to remove it, however; he knew that if he did then he would lose more blood that way.
"Nice shooting girl..." the demon sneered, before suddenly turning around and firing off a powerful bolt of dark magic. "But not good enough!!"

As the others stood guard around Gabi, Mel and Gareeku, they could see the moving form of Blaze, immersed in the heat of battle as a group of guards had surrounded him, and were doing there best in trying to bring him down. This would prove futile, however, as the squirrel incubus' skillful use of his natural cubi abilities and fire magic tore his enemies apart. It had appeared that, as the numbers of guards had been heavily reduced thanks to their enemies, the guards had decided to let the assassins take on the group who had stood guard over the fallen wolf.

As Mel and Gabi summoned their healing abilities to help Gareeku, the wolf could feel himself drifting in and out of consciousness. The way that Gabi and Mel were pouring their healing magic into him created an unpleasant sensation as his body struggled to keep up with the healing energy. Soft grunts of discomfort could be heard from the wolf as he gritted his teeth slightly, though his eyes remained shut. It was quickly becoming apparent, however, that the combined healing abilities of Mel and Gabi were bringing the wolf back to normal health, even from the horrific injuries that he had suffered. It wouldn't be long now.

As this was going on, however, the assassins were continuing their assault on Aisha and Jakob. However, it was apparent that they were far from invincible, as the corpses of some of the assassins proved.

[Stygian]

That's when Ignatz leapt. And from beneath him and within his coat, a torrent of dark mass, formed to tentacles, claws and fangs ripped up, scarring the floor and shredding its way across it. A giant head, like a wolf's but different, made of darkness and with fiercely glowing eyes, snapped its jaws around the dark blast mid-air and swallowed it as if it had never been there.
   "Eyes forward, shitface!" the bat roared, his foot sweeping around in a wide arc, level with the demon's head as it was stretched straight out. Following it was a barbed tear of shadow that would have torn his face asunder, had he not dodged under it, and already struck out against the bat with his intact hand. The man proved too quick though, as he had already gotten his footing back, and when the demon's claws struck, charged with dark magic still, the bat's own were there to counter them. Red sparks flew once, twice. Then, a rush of darkness came sweeping up, around and together with the bat's next strike, a straight blow that would have torn open a wall.
   "Guess that head is only good to keep them horns on, ain't it?!" the bat roared, his coat flowing and looking more and more like a pair of wings behind him as it seemed to blur into the darkness. "It could have made a nice wall hanging if it weren't for the fucking ugly mug under them. So I guess I'll just skin it and make a basketball of you instead!" Another blast, the air ripping and rushing around it.