The Glitch IV - Inversion (Ch. 1)

[Shark Bait]

Ted was getting tired but adrenalin was kicking in, he pulled Rory to her feet before letting go of her hand he quickly began ripping off the errors jumping up and down like a mad man. He and Justin had basically done the same thing last summer dealing with land leeches in the Amazon while on a bio expedition. “Keep movingâ€

[Rukia]

"Hey... follow your advice!: Rory said, going back and grabbing Teds arm. "The fuckers like multiply, just stay with Thog and Leah.. there's less up there" She slid her had to his wrist and caught up to Leah. They were getting close to the stairs and the castle was still quaking. "Can somone tell me what that is?"

[LadyTevar]

"Hey... follow your advice!: Rory said, going back and grabbing Teds arm. "The fuckers like multiply, just stay with Thog and Leah.. there's less up there" She slid her had to his wrist and caught up to Leah. They were getting close to the stairs and the castle was still quaking. "Can somone tell me what that is?"

"Our Rescue... I hope," Leah replied, bashing another error that was trying to grab the goblin woman. ... still don't know her name, dammit ... "We gotta get down to the ground, out of the tower. Maybe... maybe our spells will come back after we're out of the tower..." Leah hoped she was right. It would really suck if the whole damn castle blocked powers. If only they had their weapons!

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Judging from what he said, and I only heard the word magneto, and the sounds we now here, it is the demigod the master of magnetism come to our rescue" Justin said as he swung his makeshift club into the face of one of the biterrors, and kicked one off his shin.

[Dark Silver]

As the group made thier way down the staircase, Thog using the wooden plank as a battering ram, brushing aside Errors, and even impaling one Dewmthrowa, the unexpected occured.

Not having a protected rear, left the group open. From behind, the staircase darkened, till it it was no longer visible, a wall of utter darkness, with small red eyes appearing, first one, then multitudes.

The wave of Errors rushed down towards the group, ready to crush them and sweep them away, until they broke apart.

A human size opening appeared in the wall of Null, and the Dark Warrior strode forth, massive broadsword held easily in one hand, a axe like weapon in the other. He strode through the portal, which closed behind him, looking down upon the humans who dared to escape.

He raised his sword and axe, in killing strike, then disappeared in a swirl of darkness.

He reappeared a second later, perched on the end of Thog's battering ram. The two weapons sliced down, easily cut through the wood, and he lept off of it as the wooden plank fell off, now no longer than a inch from Thog's hand.

The Rogue and the Sorcerer behind him, along with the remaining Dewmthrowas, seemed to smirk, the look of triumph was apparent in thier way of standing. The Dark Warrior had stopped them, there would be no escape.

The Warrior spun suddenly, sword and axe flashing. The Dewmthrowas stood there, a gurgling sound emminating from the bone carapice which covered their heads, then fell to the ground, their bodies sliced apart.

------- ------ ------- -------

Vash, Auron and Magneto had made thier way through the courtyard, Vash's gun, Auron's sword, and Magneto's own powers making short work of the various Null.

Suddenly, the courtyard was silent, no more Null showed to challenge them.

The far wall exploded outward suddenly, sending dust to cover the entire courtyard. Highpitched laughter and growls resounded from the darkness, as the new foe made thier appearence.

In the dust, they strode forth, thier bodies black and gleeming, massive staff weapons held at the ready. Nullcron Warriors, the Wraiths appeared to either side, flanking the ground, and the high pitched chittering laughter sounded again, as the Flayed Ones appeared on the walls above them.

They were surronded.

------ ------ ------ ------- ------

The Rogue and Sorcerer were taken aback by the sudden attack, the betrayl. Darek took that moment to rush in on the Dark Sorcerer, and remove the head from Thalian's neck, the orc's head bouncing off the ground, finally fully visible in the light.

Darek rushed in to attack Sedin, but the Rogue was ready, swords brought up, to block the first to blows, and return them. The two fought at a inhuman pace, the sounds of impacting steel and hits upon armor filled the staircase. But slowly, Darek was pushing the Rogue back.

When it looked as if Darek had the upper hand, he slipped. Going down on his backside, his sword skittered down the hall, near Thog's feet. Sedin smirked down at his former comrade, and his hated enemy, and prepared to strike the killing blow..

When Darek shoved the axe into the Dark Rogue's gut. Blood flowed, a black ichor, over the axe and Darek's gauntleted hands, as he watched the light slowly slip from Sedin's eyes, the sabers clatter to the stone stairs, an the rogue simple disintigrated in a cloud of black particles.

Darek rose, picking up the two weapons Sedin had dropped in his death, handed both to Thog, and picked up his own sword. "Everyone ok? You people can't wait for shit..let's go, we don't have time to bullshit."

And with that, he was moving down the stairs again.

[Charon]

Matthew stood staring in complete confusion for a few moments before Yuffie's tugging brought him back to keep from tripping down the stairs. He didn't trust it entirely, but frankly he wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Matthew was still weaponless as he and Yuffie bounded down the stairs, taking up the rear-guard, constantly watching behind them for trouble.

[SirNitram]

Thog took the two sabers, testing them. Small weapons, and two. He hadn't practiced with two weapons in a while. But he could do it. The half-giant grinned manically. "Darek! Knew you was not badguy. Thog ready smash way out! Just lead way!"

[LadyTevar]

"Darek........." Leah breathed, having no time to call out to him as he first sliced Thog's battering want to bits, then turned on the other two Dark Riders. She watched the fight between Rogue and Warrior wide-eyed and worried, unaware of how she was clutching the goblin woman's hand tightly throughout. When Darek slipped, a wordless cry of fear for him escaped her, and she nearly crushed the goblin woman's hand. When he rose victorious, Leah was smiling so brightly it could have lit the entire tower.

Darek rose, picking up the two weapons Sedin had dropped in his death, handed both to Thog, and picked up his own sword. "Everyone ok? You people can't wait for shit..let's go, we don't have time to bullshit."

And with that, Leah dropped the goblin woman's sore hand and rushed forward, running to catch up with him. "Darek!"

[Comrade Tortoise]

"Ah fuck" justin said. he would have to actually apologize to people now, and he bound after them

[frigidmagi]

In the dust, they strode forth, thier bodies black and gleeming, massive staff weapons held at the ready. Nullcron Warriors, the Wraiths appeared to either side, flanking the ground, and the high pitched chittering laughter sounded again, as the Flayed Ones appeared on the walls above them.

They were surronded.

Magneto chuckled, he had thought he would be bored. The metal in the courtyard exploded outward, metal bands from the gates and doors wrapped around the Wraiths and flew upwards and onwards, hurling them out of the Castle and into the mountains at blinding speed, even from miles away you could hear the impact. Chains twirled around the arms of the Necron Warriors and began to spin them around like alien toys, slamming them into each other repeatly at high speed. Shields flew up to crumble around the heads of flayed ones, crushing them like tin cans. They were dragged along the walls at high speed, grinding away against stone of the standing walls.

Magneto chose a single Necron Warrior wrapped in the chains of the main gate and dragged him across the courtyard to his feet. The warrior was hung upside down and made to sway gently back and forth. Magneto looked at him calmly as he bonced the warriors between the ground and the walls like oversized basketballs.

"Where are the captives?" Magneto asked as if asking for directions to a bookstore as he tightened the chains, slowly.

[Charon]

As the group hit a pocket of thick resistance that Darek was killing his way through the group slowed down some. Matthew and Yuffie had stopped looking behind their backs, having seen nothing following them now. Matthew turned and looked at Yuffie, slipping a hand around her waist Matthew hugged her.

"Thank you, for being there for me when I needed it most. It means a lot to me. And once we're out of here, maybe we can do some nice things right? See that Cybus you were talking about, I always wanted to take a ride on the highwind. I know some beautiful places around here, great beaches, forests."

Yuffie blushed deeply as she returned the hug, leaning up and kissing him briefly. "It's a promise." Yuffie slipped out of Matthew's arms and continued pulling him as the group started moving again. "Who knows, maybe you'll get to meet my father some day."

Matthew's eyes went wide and he sputtered for a moment as he was pulled, Yuffie laughing at his bewilderment as they followed the others. The peels of happiness and laughter echoing down the dark and evil halls.

[LadyTevar]

Leah was nearly running, trying to catch up to Darek, who seemed hell-bent on carving a safe passage for them out of the shells of the BitErrors and Dewmthrowas who were trying to stop their escape.

She finally managed to reach his side as he was forced to stop and remove his axe from a WaHammer's skull. "Darek, wait..." she said, reaching to touch his arm.

He turned to look at her with a smile, one that made her knees go weak because it *was* Darek... not the Dark Rider, but Darek as he'd been before. "It's not much further, beautiful... we have to keep moving, tho, or they'll surround us."

"One thing first..." she said, leaning in to kiss him deeply. He slipped one arm around her, pulling her closer ... but all too soon to her mind he broke the kiss. "Not yet, minx. First, I get you safely out of here ... Like I promised." He released her and strode onwards, calling for Thog to stop being a slowpoke, or he'd steal all his kills again.

[SirNitram]

Thog strode down the stairs, trying to keep up with Darek as he carved through enemies as fast as he could. He was releived to have the warrior with him again; he had heard people say he was bad, he had planned to do something terrible to Le-dra.. But everything was going well. They were winning!

Still, as Thog shredded another Error, he couldn't help but notice part of his brain was outraged when Le-dra and Darek kissed.

[Agent Fisher]

Jack was near the rear of the pack, a pain in his side, probably from a broken rib. An error came at him and he rammed the pointed end of the wood into its face. The Error dropped and Jack kept moving.

[Rukia]

For a moment looking around Rory thought that they were done for. Then Derek came through the darkness like some dark savior. He lopped off the orks head then went for the sorceror. He then made his way down the stairs cutting a path for them. Leah nipped at his heals they got out of sight for a moment as Rory still pulled Ted along. Then she heard something completely out of place in this senerio.

"Laughing? Do I really hear laughter?" Rory slowed a bit turning around to look. She blinked once then twice. "That's not what I expected. But its cute."

[Shark Bait]

Ted was breathing heavily as Rory pulled him along when they slowed he looked where she was and was mildly supprised at the sight of Leah kissing the dark rider who had saved them. "I thought that kind of thing only happend in the movies" he gasped as he leaned on the piece of iron for a second before hefting it up again to swat away an error that flung itself at them.

[Rukia]

"You're looking the wrong way..." She took Ted's head and turned it to look at Yuffie and Matt. But got a good look at Leah and Derek. -God I hope that it's not a trick.-

Ted swung and deflected a biterror that had charged at the stationary couple.
"Nice shot. I think we need to keep moving though... they're leaving us." She was still holding his hand as she started moving again. "You're right about the movie thing."

[Shark Bait]

Ted smiled as he was being dragged along still panting for breath "Thanks," he said breathing heavily now draging the iron bar refusing to drop it. "If we get out of this I'm *gasp* recomending all of them for therapy."

[Comrade Tortoise]

Justin appeared beside his friend

"Here, I can use that bar a little better than you can... and it looks like you can barely lift it" he said, offering Ted his makeshift club in trade. it was a bit lighter.

[Shark Bait]

Ted grunted and hefted the bar onto his shoulder standing up straighter and continuing to run, he still could not feel the flow of magic through him and he didn't trust wooden weapons. In the real world he had been in tollerable physical condition but more importantly he was stubborn as hell. "Our freshman bio students could take these folks" he said forcing a grin, "I'll be just fine thanks."

[Rukia]

"Aww you don't have to be macho for me." Rory quipped nudging Ted gently with her elbow. "Are you sure you're ok? We can stop for a second..." She looked at Ted, trying to guage if he was really ok.

[Dark Silver]

The evacuation of the little group was going well, almost to well. Darek and Thog were making easy work of most of the Null, and the few Errors which sprung up behind them, were easily dispatched.

Darek had played nonchalant with Leah and the others, but his eyes were always scanning ahead, for what he knew was coming.

They finally reached a landing which opened to a hallway which lead to the only exit, the Parapit. The hall was empty, devoid of Null, of any signs of movement.

"Quickly, this way!" he shouted, moving ahead, though motioning for Thog and company to stay back.

He had gotten halfway down the hall when the figure appeared at the doorway on the farside. Dressed in black, the hood concealing his face, through the swords he wore telling exactly who the person was.

Darek held his sword and axe in a ready position, but by that time, the man had closed the distance, and punched Darek in the chest, the armor crumpling slightly, and he flew back into Thog.

Yuffie rushed to the fore, her eyes going wide for a moment, as she looked upon the man, saw the weapons, and tell-tale glowing on the right arm...

Her voice was soft, seemed to contains a trace of hope, and apprehension at the same time.

"Cloud?"

------ ------ ------ -------

"Where are the captives?" Magneto asked again, the chains tightening. Vash and Auron had already run off into the fortress while Magneto toyed with the Nullcron.

"Your to late...mutant..." the Nullcron Warrior's voice was raspy, in it's own saccato way. It's glowing green eyes focused on the Lord of Magnetism's face.

The Nullcron didn't scream in pain, even as the chains cut into what should have been a living metal body, but was instead a hardened version of voidstuff.

The chains began to loosen suddenly, as what passed for a mouth of the Nullcron, formed a wicked grin, it's body starting to slip from the chains.

Behind Magneto, the spanse of emptiness was present, like a whole in the world. Even Magneto's power could feel it, then the sudden sapping of his power as the Pariah stepped closer, and the edge of the nullzone touched the Mutant Lord.

"We shall feast upon your flesh.....hated enemy..." the Pariah spat, the growl low.


------ ------ ------ ------ ------

"Cloud?"

Yuffie stepped forward, past Thog and the others, and towards the man.

"Is that you, Cloud? It's me, Yuffie? I'm so glad your here!"

The young ninja ran to the man, throwing her arms around him in a embrace. After a few moments, she slipped from him, looking up into the cowl.

Slowly, Cloud pushed back the hood, revealing his face, the blonde hair now turned white, mostly limp, though still spiked at the bangs.

Yuffie beamed happily at her friend, "We didn't know where you were. You just up and disappeared you big idiot! You have no idea how worried Tifa is for you!"

It took a few moments for Yuffie to realieze, what by now, was a forgone conclusion for all the others. Something was wrong with Cloud, the way he acted, the look of disgust on his face.

She took a step back, suddenly aware of how unarmed she was, even as the materia glow on Cloud's right arm became apparent.

"Cloud....what...what are you...no, I refuse to beleive it! You didn't join them! Your not apart of the Council! Cloud please come back, We miss you, Tifa's so worried abo..."

Yuffie's plea was cut off, as Cloud began his attack. If Darek moved faster than the others could beleive, Cloud was even faster. Three hits, is all it took, Yuffie's face was swollen and bruised, her nose broken and gushing blood, then she was in the air.

Almost instantly, Cloud had drawn all of the swords, and combined them into a semblence of the Buster Sword, gleaming in the darkness. He spun the weapon around, then leapt up after Yuffie, the roof shattering suddenly as rocks rained down, the stone unable to take the impact.

Yuffie was like a ragdoll in the air, her body limp in pain and disbeleive, as Cloud brought his sword back, then forward, the blade clicking six times, and all the component blades flew upwards. They circled Yuffie, then stood in midair, as if in wait.

The first swordstrike was devestating, the sound of flesh ripping apart. The sound was repeated six more times, each time Yuffie screamed in anguish and pain, as her body was devestated.

Finally, she fell, back through the hole in the stone roof, the blades falling in a circle around her, thier points in the ground. Cloud floated down, slowly, a single deamonic wing sprouted from his right shoulder, his greenish-blue mako eyes sparking.

Auron and Vash, on the far end of the hall, arrived just intime to see the young ninja girl fall.

Vash's face was contorted in pain, hurt...anger...his eyes begining to glow yellow as he saw his enemy. Auron was staggered, he had never seen the young girl so injured...

He prayed she was dead.

Cloud, stood on the edge of the hole, looking down from the roof, a look of disdain on his face, as if challenging someone to come after him next.

---------------------------------
GM Note: NO ONE attack's cloud, I'm pausing here for reactions from the group, period.

[Shark Bait]

Ted took a deep breath, he could keep going "I'm fine" he said keeping pace with the group he just refused to be any more defenseless than he all ready was without his spells. just as he said this the cloud launched his attack ted just stood there stunned yeah maybe this was the wrong way to go...

[frigidmagi]

"We shall feast upon your flesh.....hated enemy..." the Pariah spat, the growl low.

Magneto turned his head slightly. They would show up now of all times. He snarled, it didn't matter. He was Magneto, he could be harmed even kill, but he could not be conqeared.

"If you desire my flesh...." Magneto said, hurling the warrior at the Pariah while he still could, diving towards a pile of rubble. He began to throw every ounce of metal he could manage at his enemy, he would fall in battle or not at all!

"COME AND CLAIM IT, IF YOU CAN MONSTER!" Magneto bellowed in challenge to the abominations.

[Rukia]

He hadn't had a chance to finish before A figure appeared. It all happened so fast but seemed to go in slow motion. She stood in shock, a hand on her chest. She couldn't catch her breath.


"Oh. My. God." She breathed. Tears filled her eyes and she all but collasped into Ted.