Heroes: The Road of Good Intentions

[Hotfoot]

Hotfoot looked around the hallway, feeling a chill run up his spine at the artwork decorating the place. He watched the rest of the team looking around, running around, trying to figure out which way was up. He looked around waiting for any locals to come running.

He was about to follow Blackheart and Gravitas when Argent stopped them. He did what he could to pay attention to the slowed down words, but the visual cues were enough. He looked at the desk, feeling trepidation about going up to it. After all, it wasn't his, and there was an initial reaction in his mind that he shouldn't go rummaging around in other people's desks. On the other hand, he was here to destroy a bunch of demons and some sort of portal to hell, a little theft wouldn't be much in the grand scheme of things. He checked the desk over to make sure there wasn't anything obviously wrong with it, guns ready to shoot him or needles ready to stab him or anything like that. Then he tamped down his sheath and started to test the drawers and the top of the desk to see what was inside.

[Marcao]

His head turned as he allowed his senses to take in what his new surroundings offered him. The tall and ornately carved pillars that stretched around them noted and appreciated in a very detached manner. He had come here to do grim work, but that did not mean that he had lost all appreciation for aesthetics. It did not take him long to realize what the scenes that were depicted in the murals about them where. Of course, why should he be surprised at all? It almost made sense to him. He took a step and then another although he touched nothing. He could have hovered, but somehow doing so would only seem awkward compared to Gravitas. He would conserve his energy for other matters; his reserves of strength were finite.

His eyes lingered on the table for a moment before sliding to the scene behind it. The image flickered into existence and it took only a moment for him to realize that it was not an immediate threat. It delivered its speech before going silent and he smiled thinly. Blackheart spoke before he could but he said exactly what he was thinking. The exchange between Gravitas and Blackheart made sense to him. He had not been raised in an overly religious house hold but even now he was having some difficulty acknowledging that they could very well be fighting the fallen angels of myth.

Argent made her comment about body heat and he glanced in her direction. It was certainly a possibility, his eyes lingered on her only a moment longer before Blackheart and Gravitas began to make their way further down the hallway. He hesitated before he began to follow them. He had taken no more than half a dozen steps when Argent called out. He stopped immediately and looked over his shoulder before making his way back towards her. He said nothing at first, his eyes focusing on the bas-relief she found so particularly interesting at the moment.

When Argent’s attention turned towards the desk his own attention followed. Hotfoot was there before he could even begin to consider crossing the distance and at that point it would have been only rude to blink next to the super. Besides, with his talents he would only get in Hotfoot’s way. He was quite aware of the passage of time. He did not allow himself to consider what was occurring deeper in the compound. Yes, their presence was known but it would have been compromised sooner or later. It changed nothing. With stealth no longer being feasible, they would have to be more careful as they moved onwards.

He watched Team Mirage as it operated. In heart and mind he felt as if he was one of them, but he had never been in an honest to god mission with them. For the time being, he wanted to be as unobtrusive as possible.

[B4UTRUST]

With Mirage team persisting in exploring the area the hologram came to life once more. The European man faced them as he spoke:
"We would like to assure you that as soon as our business is resumed, announcements will be made in all fahsionable government publications, when our clients will once again be able to select from all that is best in contemporary demonic posession, bio-genetical engineering and mass-scale cloneing." The menace in the voice took on a sharper edge. "Meanwhile, we thank our clinents for their kind interest and would ask them to leave. Now."

[LadyTevar]

Argent's silver eyes turned towards the hologram, and had to wonder about the timing. "More than body heat's activating it," she said absently. "Whatever's running it knows we've found the way in and is not happy. Hotfoot, get this door open... it may be just a simple push button...."

"... he can't hear me going that fast, can he." Her head turned towards Blackheart. "We forgot to get a comm-unit for him."

[SirNitram]

"I can crush that thing's workings, if it'd reassure folks." Gravitas commented. "Of course, that brings up the chance it'd persist, which would not reassure."

[Charon]

Legacies looked at the recording, his lower jaw dropping almost a foot as a slavering tongue came out. Lightly, silver tendrils probed the hologram, seeing if there would be any reaction.

[Hotfoot]

The trigger was easy enough to find, and after quickly making sure that nothing was overly wrong with it, he flipped the switch. He jumped back and away from the desk, still not feeling overly confident about this place. He looked back at Argent and shrugged, waiting for whatever was supposed to happen.

[B4UTRUST]

The hologram shimmered and faded as Legacies probed it, but it otherwise gave no reaction.

The gates behind the bas relief of Lucifer swung inward on unseen hinges, silent given the amount of stone moving. The angel slowly slid downwards into an unseen slot.

The hologram spoke once more as the gates open.
"It is most gratifying that your enthusiasm for our facility continues unabated. As a token of our appreciation, we hope you will enjoy the squadron of security personel we've just sent to converge on your position. To ensure ongoing quality of service, your death may be monitored for training purposes. Thank you."

When Michael came into view the hologram seemed to momentarily solidify, becoming more solid, more real.
"I see Mother has become worried about what I'm doing. So she sends you, dear brother..."

[SirNitram]

"See, now you're just gonna give the Christians a complex." Gravitas noted distastefully towards the hologram, glancing at the new arrival. "Friend or foe, and please make the declaration quick. I will be burdened with a surplus of foes soon."

[Agent Fisher]

Michael smiled sadly. "Yes, she is worried. I wish you would just leave things as they are, brother. You and I both know that you already have a good grasp on this world. Why do you feel the need to send your minions here?" He asked the hologram.

Turning towards Gravitas, Michael scoffed. "Ah, the Nova. The man with the ego to call himself a 'god.' I am a friend."

[SirNitram]

Gravitas bowed to Michael in the overly-formal manner any extremely powerful individual uses when addressing another extremely powerful individual. "I am he." No real reaction is given to the scoffing. "I am acknowledged as a minor deity in several universes, but I know my place here, a guest, nothing more. I am glad to have you with us."

[Agent Fisher]

Michael smiled, stepping forward and offering his hand. "I'm glad that you understand your place. Most with power do not. I'm glad to be here as well." He said, his eyes shifting over the team. They lingered on Blackheart and then Argent. Returning his eyes to Gravitas. "Are you going to introduce me to the rest of your compatriots?"

[SirNitram]

"Mirage Team." Gravitas said. A gesture was made. "This is Blackheart. Our leader and with an excellent dedication to the cause of stopping those who must be stopped. I would appreciate it if you could put in good words for him when you are done down here. He is a selfless individual defying a fate worse than death to try and do good beforehand." It was, well, not what one expected from Gravitas. "The young lady is Argent. Half-shadowfiend, I understand it. Asian fiend, obviously, I don't believe Western ones can reproduce.. Atoning for her crimes in her own ways. I am afraid I must pause the introductions, we will have company soon."

[Cynical Cat]

This guy rubbed Blackheart the wrong way, which may have just been his general irritation with pompous claims of divinity. Gravitas was handling it, and handling it well, which was good enough for the moment. He had enough faith in Gravitas that whatever kind of pretentious extra-dimensional carpet bagger this guy appeared to be, that if Gravitas thought he would throw down on their side instead of the enemy's, that would suffice.

Another intelligence looked out from the same pair of eyes. Its appraisal was considerably more contemptuous, but it urged no course of action. Slender black tendrils attached themselves to new areas of its host's brain.

[LadyTevar]

Blackheart's contempt didn't have to slide down the link for Argent to feel it. The weighing glance that was turned upon her by the 'brother' was enough to have the silvery spines along the ebony dragon's back rising upwards. Just as she could feel a demon, she could feel this man was Divine ... Holy.

The shadow dragon's entire length shuddered and she edged not-so-subtly closer to Blackheart. Better the devil you know, like, and sleep with.

[Charon]

Legacies had sprouted tendrils and spikes at the appearance of the man, despite the aura of holy feeling which flowed from him. When he declared himself friend, the others said nothing, though he noticed Argent and Blackheart didn't like him. That was enough confirmation.

"We are Legacies, and you had best be one of those militant angels that are supposed to exist, or we shall be forced to use you as bait."

Legacies then seemed to lose focus on the group as tendrils spun outwards towards the walls and ceiling. The symbiote listened carefully for where his enemy would come from.

[Agent Fisher]

Michael pointed back at the relief of the War. "You see the one clashing swords with other Angel, right in the middle? That's me and my big brother. I'm the one on the left." He said. "So, yes, I'm one of those 'militant angels'." With that, Michael turned and drew his sword. "Oh and I brought some help. He got dropped off in another part of this facility, not to far from here, so please, don't kill him on sight."

[B4UTRUST]

The hologram remained silent to Michael's question. Instead it began to flicker a few times and then disappeared.

A rumbling sound was heard behind the darkness that encompassed the area behind the stone gates. Like something was rising, rapidly, to the level.

When the lift reached the top there was no discernable movement from within the opening. And then the wind began to blow. It started off as a slight breeze then quickly grew to storm levels and kept getting stronger.

Around the room the stone began to melt and slide upwards over the walls, solidfying, seemingly, to protect the delicate carvings.

[SirNitram]

"Childish bravado." Gravitas commented dryly to the sudden storm. A hand was lifted, and the winds parted around the group as space reshaped itself. "I have no doubt our host will continue such pointless parlor-tricks, be he demonic or little more than a peasant sorcerer. But the gauntlet is thrown. Let us do this."

[LadyTevar]

"Elemental manipulation ... going to be an interesting fight," Argent said, the draconic body vanishing into Blackheart's shadow until only the silvery eyes showed. Once she'd protected herself, Argent's will touched the shadows inside the lift.

The shadows within shot upwards into thin and deadly spikes, yet Argent expected only to chase any opponents out into the open.

[B4UTRUST]

The wind stopped as suddenly as it had started, then began to reverse its movement. The oxygen level in the room dropped rapidly as a vacuum sucked it further into the compound. Then the hiss of escaping air was silenced, the hallway becoming deathly still as it became sealed off in some manner from other areas.

From within the darkened alcove the shadowspikes shot out from all directions. The body inside was pierced in multiple places at once as the shadowspikes moved the figure into the light. A young caucasian darkhaired male was cast out. The male seemed to fade slightly and shift himself off of the spikes. He became solid again, whole.

Behind the group the rock shifted again, flowing like liquid. The liquid spurted upwards and took a distinctly female form. Beneath the group the rock moved like water, slowly lapping up their legs and hardening. More of the liquid earth began to drip steadily down from above.

Hidden electrical panels in parts of the ceiling began to spark as the stone slid away, letting heavy pieces of equipment fall and hang, snapping wires and cables that brushed against ungrounded metal. Those sparks quickened rapidly in pace until a large one struck the chair behind the desk, igniting the fabric. From that first quick flame erupted a sexlesss figure of fire. In its escape from the cloth, the being caused the desk to likewise become immolated.

[Agent Fisher]

Michael looked at the figures. He raised his sword, a frown on his face. "You know me. I extend Mother's offer to return home, all will be forgiven." He said. "Please, she misses all of you." Michael said, not expecting them to return to Mother, but the offer had to be made. He waited for Mirage team to make the first moves.

[SirNitram]

"I can maintain this life support field." Gravitas stated simply. "But it really would use too much power this early on to handle the elementals. Blast, do you think you can absorb fire itself?" He challenged the young hero, his own shaped space trying to defend their feet from living earth.

[Haizu]

(Sorry about that backtrakking, I haven't been able to post in a while) After gearing up, Tholos stepped through the portal, a feeling of foreboding creeping over him. Stepping through, the first thing he noticed was the artwork all over the walls. "Beautiful." Tholos whispered to himself. Although startled at first by the sudden appearance of what the team members called a "hologram", he quickly ignored it and went back to admiring the artwork.

(Jumping ahead a little bit)

As soon as the mist appeared, Tholos knew that it was time to prepare for battle. Unslinging his spear and shield, Tholos slipped into a sort of half trance, preparing himself mentally and physically for battle.

[Charon]

Legacies held oxygen within his own suit, enough for several minutes of hard fighting. The hardening rock was easily smashed by the symbiote, who took care to keep the others free as well, one less thing for Gravitas to do.

Permission to exterminate with extreme prejudice had already been given. So Legacies decided to do just that. "I'll keep them busy, you figure out how to beat them." The silver figure muttered before beginning to move.

Tendrils lashed out at speeds that only Hotfoot could really see anymore. Slashing and smashing the Earthen figure to rubble, even as it began to grow back. Legacies did not pause for a moment, spotting and utterly destroying any section where the ground began to form and move, though the symbiote did take care to keep the pieces small so they would not crush any of his allies, and he also took care not to break any supports.

Meanwhile Legacies also took out the dagger that leant him such a great speed, among other things. A quick twist and spin of the dagger, then the symbiote yelled out "Fire!". Three green arrows rocketed out and honed in on the caucasian male, aiming to strike him dead before the fight even began.