KnightDisciple

Gabriel took a step forward, almost reaching to support his friend and "adopted sister". Concern was evident on his face when she exposed her rash. His countenance settled into grim determination, and he put himself at the head of the group. In a moment's time, his spear was in hand, and a bit more concentration had it shining as bright as day for a good distance around the weapon, even as he stepped into the gloom of the bunker. "I'll take the lead. This way we won't trip while we walk. I'll keep my ears open for trouble, too." When everyone seemed ready to move on, including Fleur, he started moving further downward and inward, taking his time to make sure the path was safe for crossing.

"Yeah, Trevor and Nick have been big helps. I've had to dip into some funds my parents set up for me, but they know what it's for, so they don't' mind too much. If there's one lesson I learned from Young Freedom, it's to try and always be prepared. Glad to hear classes went well this year." Corbin just assumed Trevor basically aced everything; it seemed a safe stance to take. "I'm starting up at Freedom City University's History program in the fall. I've managed to test out of a couple of the basic electives, so it'll be a light semester. More time for hero work and all that." He walked and talked, taking a moment to discretely point out few rooms on their way to the dining area. "So, Erin, I've heard you got a job working for a dynamite new technology company. How's work going there?"

Gabriel had been flying alongside the rock platform, enjoying a chance to stretch his metaphorical legs a bit. He'd stayed sharp for signs of trouble along the way, but so far it had been quiet. Eerily so, in fact; he missed the more comfortable quiet of the monastery, where other humans lived and worked and slept, if nothing else. When Scraps and the Captain pointed out the target location, he strained a bit to look. "Hm. Well, if nothing else, if there's some stubborn rubble or doors in the way, I can soften them up so you two can move what's left out of the way. That way at least one of us can keep an eye open and hand free while the others are occupied." It was clear Gabriel's intent was to go for maximum caution, perhaps even paranoia. The fact that they were dealing with walking bio-weapons capable of killing everything on the planet just meant such measures were likely warranted.

Midnight's words seemed to rattle the man, though his body language tried to compensate. When the young vigilante disappeared in the middle of the day, the orange-wreathed villain cast his gaze about wildly for a few moments, until Nick began to speak. Then he was all snarls and posturing again. "I've fought that ring to a standstill when it was on the hand of a warrior equal to myself. On the hand of a mewling child-" And then the blue flame struck against him, and he cried out wordlessly, gripping his head as he staggered in mid-air. Cobalt Templar seized the moment and conjured up his own bolt of blue flame, sending it from a pointed index finger. "This "mewling child" has stared straight into the face of nightmares; you're just a color-blind chump with a ring he doesn't deserve." The blot struck true, but the man seemed unaffected; the orange shell around his person seemed to eat Corbin's attack, glowing more brightly for just a moment.

Will Save: 14. He's Staggered and Dazed! Initiative Roster: 1.)Midnight (23): Unhurt, 4 HP 2.)Nick Cimitiere (14): 2 Bruise, 4 HP 3.)Orange Ring Bearer (11): Staggered and Dazed, 0 HP 4.)Cobalt Templar (9): 1 Bruise, 4 HP So it goes to Cobalt Templar. I think he'll opt for Blasting as well. Ranged Attack: 30 hits. DC 27 Toughness. 28 just barely makes it. Back to Midnight (once my IC is up).

I'm fine with a cut.

Just as quickly as the spear had left his hand, it was in hand again. Gabriel decided to simply rest it on his shoulder as he stared at the person who appeared to be Shadian Steelgrave. Suddenly he was left wondering if they'd struck too soon... "Please explain the matter of perspective, Mr. Steelgrave. We would so like to understand exactly what's going on. We're a bit on edge after fighting a couple dozen Omegadrones, you see." His words were structured politely, but something in his voice gave the idea he was barely managing any civility at all. He'd heard of Steelgrave, of what he was responsible for. Gabriel was only human, and so for him there were times it was almost impossible not to hate a person, no matter how much he knew hate was a weapon of the Enemy. "We're all intelligent adults here, after all. I'm sure we'll understand whats going on once you enlighten us."

Gabriel 1 John 4:1: 1 IC Post Street Sharks: 3 IC Posts Sanctuary: Panacea: 7 IC Posts The Devil Shovels Coal: 8 IC Posts Total IC Posts: 19 (20 with GM post) July 2012 Viginette: The Crucible. GM Posts Vault Construction 101: 1 GM Post (Count toward Gabriel) Cobalt Templar Gathering Like Clouds: 5 IC Posts In Another Life: 6 IC Posts Vault Construction 101: 2 IC Posts A Briefing With Friends: 2 IC Posts Mile in My Shoes: 3 IC Posts Total IC Posts: 18 IC Posts July 2012 Viginette: The Crucible

Gabriel Crucible July 2012 Gabriel awoke with a start, struggling for a few moments to figure out why he was sitting on a hard chair in a dark, drafty cave. He blinked and shook his head. 'Oh, right, was fighting a little pack of Fae who were slinking around the Waterfront. It's getting annoying to deal with them. Especially the weaker ones who like to slip away into a crowd. Always makes me nervous...' He'd heard rumors of odd assaults going on at various seemingly random locations in the city. He'd gone to most of them and talked to people, who had distressingly little information. For lack of a better idea, he'd mapped out the various locations on a cheap city map he'd purchased. After the first few were down, he noticed they seemed to be an odd design. When he'd marked all of them, he was sure it was something, but he didn't really recognize it. But it pointed toward a warehouse in the Waterfront. He'd thought it a bit cliché... When the Fae ambushed and surrounded him, sticking to quick harrying attacks, he'd decided it was a cliché ambush scenario, but at least they were inventive in their tactics. He didn't have time to call for help because he had to be on guard. Then, he'd started slowing down; it took a few moments, but he realized he'd been poisoned, or possibly enchanted. Before he could try to fly off, his limbs stopped responding, and he slipped to sleep soon after. 'So, drugged by Fae and captured. Great.' He struggled against his bonds, but they were tight, and he felt chain mixed in with the rope. Likely bronze or some other non-iron metal, but more than strong enough to hold him. What was more distressing was the lack of his powers. He felt that lack keenly, just like he felt his bare wrist and finger that indicated his armor and weapon had also been taken from him. Of course, that's when the voice spoke up from the shadows. “Pitiful man. So confident in your own strength, borrowed strength. You kept opposing plans of those who were infinitely your better. How long did you think it would be before they would unite against an ever-growing threat?†The being that stepped into the meager light shining down onto Gabriel looked like a man in a well-made suit, sporting a fashionable goatee and slicked-back hair. The smile on his face was anything but happy or kind; it promised terrible things in the future. Gabriel couldn't help but snort in wry amusement. “Hope you didn't use up all your cliché budget in one go, buddy. Let me guess, you're about to offer me a chance to escape and gain even more power, at the measly cost of my soul?†“No. We know you wouldn't accept that offer. No, mostly we wish to make you suffer, with a side note of denying our Greatest Enemy a loyal agent in the world. We will make you come to regret your choices. Perhaps then, and only then, will you be allowed the luxury of begging us for forgiveness.†The man leaned in closer, a sneer on his face. “Not that we deal in that currency in this place.†In a burst of brimstone-scented smoke, he was gone, and some outside force made Gabriel plummet to unconsciousness again. He lost whatever sense of time he'd gained for those few precious minutes... He awoke again tied to a stone pillar on a frozen mountaintop, stripped to the waist. He saw several Winter Fae standing guard, with a pair of beautiful women considering him. Instantly he was on alert, and once more shifting subtly against his bonds. Something about the woman on the left made him think she wasn't Fae, but instead something else that was entirely dangerous. The women didn't approach or take any action, but the one on the right spoke. “When the evening comes, we will light a fire for you, servant of the White Christ. And we will be waiting to give you whatever small mercies you might request.†Gabriel glared in silence for a few moments, before he closed his eyes and retreated into silent prayer. The still-silent woman recoiled just a bit. “We should distract him. Stop him before he calls in...help.†“Even if they wanted to help, we've made sure it's no easy task. We just need to wait. He will come around.†The day passed, the cold constantly biting at the edges of Carson's awareness. He was tired, sore, and powerless; he chose to endure, and to pray. He studiously ignored the “escape option†presented to him. He knew that if he started accepting small things, he would quickly find himself having slid all too far. So he kept his mind on his faith, on his charge to protect the innocent (be it in Freedom City, on Earth, or even on Sanctuary), and, in the moments when the temptresses seemed to be paying extra attention, he thought of the woman who his heart belonged to. Evening came, and the cold deepened. A fire was built, but it was too far away; Carson felt none of the heat. He didn't speak up, simply continuing what he'd been doing. By now he was reciting Scripture to himself, going through the rosary, basically anything to keep his mind focused. Especially because he'd worked one hand slightly loose. At least, it was loose until the Fae woman stepped over and froze that entire arm to the pillar he was chained to, with nary a blink. The other woman spoke up, a smirk on her face. “Naughty boy, Gabriel. Can't have you getting loose.†“I answer not to you, Fallen One. Now be silent, I'm speaking with One whose opinion I actually care about.†The dark-haired woman actually hissed for a moment before turning away from him. The Fae woman shrugged and returned to the fire. Carson sighed and closed his eyes once again. It was fifteen minutes before a thought struck him. 'I'm not showing signs of frostbite, and I don't feel damp at all, despite having snow and ice all over, some of which should have melted before re-freezing. What's going on here?' He collected his will and focused, trying to see if he could cast off what he suddenly suspected was going on. The two women turned as one to face him, alarm written on their features. They stood, and started to move toward them. But just at that moment, Carson lifted his head to Heaven and cried out. “Lord, send me help, and give me the strength to break this sorcery!†And with that, the snowy landscape shattered like glass and fell away. He blinked his eyes, and suddenly Gabriel was back in the...warehouse. It was a warehouse that had been altered by the Fae, and one where he was still in a circle that he saw clearly now; a circle binding his powers. A circle he saw in the light shining off the seven angels arrayed around him in a defensive formation, just outside the circle. Angels that appeared to be led by his benefactor from years ago, Gavriel himself. The Archangel looked behind himself for a moment, glancing down at the circle around Gabriel, then gave the mortal man a smile and a wink. Right before his armored foot scuffed up the circle. His powers came back in a rush, and suddenly the chains and ropes holding Gabriel became like dust and fell to the ground. He stood, glancing around for where his armor and spear might be. He saw the ring on a necklace worn by the Fae woman, and the watch in the hands of the Fallen One disguised as a human woman. He narrowed his eyes and raised his hands; both “women†froze in place, and he rushed through the air over to them. Of course, by now the angels and Archangel were locked in combat with an assortment of terrible foes, ones hailing from both the realm of the Fae, and more terrible places still. Gabriel wasted no time in retriving his stolen tools, his armor and spear soon shining in the ever-growing light of the battle. He looked at the two frozen opponents for a long moment, before simply blasting them with sound hard enough to instantly knock them out. “Always had trouble hitting a lady if she wasn't trying to kill me.†He turned and joined the battle, quickly getting to work herding and harassing the enemy force that had several times the numbers his allies did. Still, quality had a quantity all its own, and they were holding fast before the sound-slinging hero joined the fray. Soon, all opponents seemed to be down. Until slow clapping was heard. It was the suited “man†from earlier, surveying the scene. “Commendable, mortal. For a lapdog of the Enemy, you're remarkably quick-witted; the last time someone figured that out, it took them a whole week. You accomplished it in a day. I suppose it shows me what a “perfect†plan really means these days. Still, don't feel too confident. Your allies have outstayed their welcome, despite your desperate call to them. Which means we're all alone.†Even as he spoke, the guise of a human fell away to reveal a being with skin like bronze and eyes like burning copper, with flame for hair and an obsidian sword. Its armor looked like the bone of a fell beast given shape, and the cape was a foul leather. When it spoke with no mouth, the sound was like razors playing a violin of suffering. “Now you shall simply die. You forced my-urk!†“Sorry, were you not done? I'm a bit tired and bored, so I think we'll finish here.†Gabriel had moved faster than the Fallen One expected, and had struck him a blow to the midsection. Molten iron ran out, but seemed to flow around the shining spear; clearly, opposite force were at work. Gabriel gave the creature before him his most serious look of reproach. “Now, you and yours must BEGONE! In the name of the LORD, BEGONE!†He emphasized his point by slamming the creature with a wave of sonic energy that sent it flying across the warehouse's length, slamming into the far wall. It crumpled to the ground, and the whole structure seemed to waver, and begin to fade. Gabriel simply turned and walked out, leaning heavily on his spear. He squinted against the rising sun. “I think I'll call in sick today.†With that, he rushed off into the distance, a small thundercrack heralding his departure. The bronze thing spoke as it faded. “This is not the end, mortal. Not at all...â€

"That seems best, Doctor. Thank you for your assistance and insight." Gabriel was slightly alarmed by the sudden display of anger from Kirkstrom, mainly due to his condition. Still, he couldn't fault him for being upset with what Cannonade had done. He turned to Jameson, giving him a friendly smile. "Mr. Jameson, do you think you could escort LaVigne to the appropriate location? I'm not sure what your protocol for this situation is, but I'm sure there are proper steps involved." He turned to the other heroes present. "So. Sounds like we're going to the docks again. Tempest Freight. Hm. Any of you ever run across the place? It's not ringing a bell for me."

Gabriel sighed in both sadness and relief as the last Omegadrone fell. 'I am sorry we could not save any of you. Please forgive us...' He then turned his attention to the ship suspended in the vines. He turned to the others for a moment. "Let me see if I can talk to them. They should be able to hear me, and I them." He floated a little closer, moving in front of the main view port (if it had one) of the vessel, and willed his spear to be a ring once more. Then he held out his hands in a gesture of peace and openness; when he spoke, all living beings in the clearing, inside and outside the ship, would hear him. "Travelers. The Omegadrones are defeated and no longer a threat. We mean you no harm; your vessel was lifted out of battle, nothing more. Please let us speak with you; we mean you no harm. We would instead extend the hand of friendship to you. If you need time, speak, and I should be able to hear your reply."

Right, so with Fleur having gone and combat being done, Gabe's gonna move closer to the ship and turn on his Comm array. He'll talk to the people inside, and with his powers if they use speech at all he'll be understood. EDIT: Oh, right. Skill Mastery for auto-30 on Diplomacy.

Gabriel smiled just a bit as he nodded at the Captain. Gabriel then shifted the "target" of his speech to Gaian Knight and Fleur de Joie. He briefly explained what the Captain had passed on to him, though he left out most of the melodrama and threats. He then paused a moment, before speaking normally (and thus actually moving his lips). "Right then. Are there any last-minute preparations we need to make?"

Gabriel's eyes widened at the sight of the ship...before narrowing at the sight of Omegadrones. His face went expressionless, and when he spoke it was terse, clipped tones. "Yes. Let's deliver some mercy to the suffering." With that, he sped off through the air, trying not to outpace the others too much. He arrived at the crash site, quickly judging the number and position of the force of Omegadrones. He raised his spear toward the collection of entropic cyborgs and gave a warning to the others. "I'm going to try and disorient them, perhaps deafen them. Let's see if that helps our efforts." 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. May their souls find rest as we free them from their bodily prisons.'

Gabriel's going to set off his Area Dazzle smack dab in the middle of the Omegadrones; it's Selective, so it will only affect the Drones (in case anyone inside the ship could get hit by it, they won't!). That's a DC 22 Reflex then Fort save.

Gabe goes on a 21.

In the time between Bowman looking toward Gaian Knight for just a moment, and his gaze returning to Gabriel, the latter was already clad in his silver and white "work clothes", his shining spear held firmly in his right hand. A humorless smile graced his lips. "Like Gaian Knight said, it would be terribly rude of me if I didn't lend my talents to this endeavor. Besides, it sounds like someone's come to visit Earth Prime. We should go welcome them warmly, don't you think? Once we're there, I can do some quick aerial reconnaissance, so we know what we're up against before we face it directly."

"In our line of work, quiet and boring is good. I get enough excitement corralling college students for a theater class. And yeah, there's a lot to see. I'll have to go back and look at the memorial hall again sometime, on my own, so I don't hold up the group or anything. I guess that's one plus, eh?" He lapsed into thoughtful silence for a moment, before continuing. "Do you have any examples of art or anything? Probably a silly question, but hey, just curious. Beyond that, I think I might like to see the library again for just a couple minutes. Though power generators sound like they'll look cool even if I don't have a clue how they work."

"Penny, perhaps it would be best if you and Scraps go play in another room for a few minutes. I promise we won't be long, okay?" It was worded like a suggestion, but something in his tone made it seem it was all but a demand. He turned his attention squarely to the Captain. "I do not appreciate you threatening my friends. At all. Especially when we've told you exactly what we want, nay, need to know." He closes his eyes and takes a calming breath. When they open again, his expression shifts to sympathy. "Look, I get this is a rough deal. You care about Penny, don't want her hurt. That's admirable. But bluntly speaking, this isn't solely an issue of trust. We need to know what she has to do to stop this, because that's going to decide how we operate. I'm not sure how else to say that. You don't need to tell her every grisly detail of everything. But if you refuse to tell her no matter what, then you tell me. She'll know eventually anyways when we get her to the point of neutralizing them. Young ears aren't present, cant' hear. So talk to older ears, and give us the information we need. Please. We want to help all three of you, but we have to know how we're going to be helping you." He stopped again, considering his wording for a moment. "Captain...The way you're so reluctant to talk about even the most basic of details around Penny. Is she going to be hurt by what happens? Please tell me we're not going to have to sacrifice Penny just to stop these things. Please tell me she'll just be able to neutralize their abilities and save the planet, and not end up hurt or...something." "Something"'s meaning was pretty obvious, but it was clearly difficult for Gabriel to actually say the word. His heartstrings had been tugged by the "adorable children" routine, and he wasn't really eager to have his worst fears confirmed, as much as he needed to know that.

Second verse, same as the first!

While the rest of the group either waited on the repairs or helped with them, the two Hughes men were over to one side talking softly. Well, mostly just staring at each other with occasional glances to the workbench, but occasionally speaking. The shorter Corbin seemed constantly offended somehow. Finally, his larger double spoke up. "What's got your boxers in a twist?" "You and your self-righteous attitude. You know nothing about me except my appearance and the ring I wield. You think I chose this ring? Did you pick yours?" "Well, no, I found it-" "What age?" "I was sixteen and-" "I wasn't even ten years old when mine flew onto my hand and scared the daylights out of my parents. So while it runs on fear, it's what I've got you thick-headed half-giant." "Look just chill out, okay? I'm not going to throttle you. I'll give you your space, Inquisitor Hughes." Said Inquisitor just watched in sullen silence as Cobalt Templar found another part of the abandoned room to give him space from everyone else, where he could try to ignore his double's glares. Try to ignore the way he'd talked about how young he'd been when the ring found him; the bitterness that oozed from his words. There was more to his story, but the Inquisitor wasn't talking.

Corbin chose not to tell Quo-Dis that she was a touch over-dressed; she'd settled on the dress, it looked fine, and his friends were here. Also, his brain was busy fully rebooting after her question. He blinked, then gave her a 120-watt smile. "Darlin', I would say you look magnificently gorgeous, but that's an everyday thing for you. So we'll go with "stupendously beautiful"." His mind was open, and no lie was detected. He leaned down a bit to give her a quick peck on the cheek. He straightened up just before Trevor and Erin reached the door. A moment later they knocked, and he pulled the door open wide (deftly maneuvering so that Quo-Dis ended up on his right side) with a grin and a flourish. "Trevor! Erin! Glad you could make it, it's great to see you guys. Come in, come in!" He waved them inside and closed the door, turning back to his guests. He nodded to Quo-Dis as he stepped to her side again. "Quo-Dis and I are so happy you could come. Big parties can be fun, but after the 4th we're ready for something a bit more informal. So how have you two been? I haven't seen you since Eve's party. Feels like this time of year is a bit crazy and it's hard to catch up with anyone. Blake's been busy with school and his plans, so I've basically just kept busy spending time with this lovely lady and fighting crime. Oh, and working on that little side project Trevor lent me a hand on a while back."

He cannot beat that Startle, as even a Natural 20 with his Intimidate of 15 isn't high enough. Likewise, he can't beat that Stealth. So, Master Plan +2 bonus in effect, he's Startled for Midnight, and he can't see him. Nick's up next.

Cobalt Templar Crucible July 4, 2012 It had all started so nicely for Corbin. His mother had been invited to a charity party due to her place in the Rhodes Foundation. His father, being fairly notable in his own company, was also invited. They were present to drum up support for the evening's cause: high-quality, sustainable housing development intended for low-income portions of the city. It was a long-term vision, but one that took support at every step of the process. Corbin himself had no plans for the evening, despite the holiday; he was still in a sort of post-graduation limbo, and while he and Quo-Dis had originally planned on just watching a movie and flying somewhere to watch a fireworks show, a party seemed more interesting. So they'd dressed up in formal wear and gone to the party, being held in one of the fancy high-rise buildings in downtown Freedom City, not far from the Pyramid Plaza. Corbin actually didn't mind wearing a tuxedo, not with Quo-Dis by his side in her stunning dress. They'd done a fair bit of people-watching during the evening, interspersed with chatting with business friends of his parents (networking, as they called it). The meal had been excellent, though it did feel a touch odd considering most every 4th before this had just been burgers and chips, and now he was having much more “refined†fare. There had been some music, and a dance floor opened up. Corbin and his lovely lady friend took advantage, and lost themselves in the motions and notes. Then, out of nowhere, his right hand felt like it was on fire. He hissed, stopped dancing, and cradled it in front of him. At that moment, he saw the sparks start to spit from the center of the ring, and it began to heat up painfully. He barely avoided any blisters as he slipped it off and it clattered to the ground. He glanced around, trying to see what may have caused the incident, and to see if anyone really noticed; meanwhile, Quo-Dis calmly reached down and retrieved it, tucking it away in her handbag (where it seemed to stop sparking and settle on being “too warm to handle comfortablyâ€). A few moments later, she grimaced, as if suddenly feeling ill. “My powers, they feel...muffled,†she whispered to Corbin as he helped her over to a nearby chair. “As if someone threw a wet blanket on them, and is further disrupting my connection to the vril.†Before Corbin could answer, there was the sound of shaped explosives going off, several rounds being fired at the ceiling, and a bellow that all but shook the room. “Everybody shut up and sit down!†The man yelling it was huge, easily towering over the twenty-something well-equipped soldiers in unmarked uniforms, as well as the gray-clad shield-bearing man in front of everyone. They marched into the room, securing the doors behind them. The man with the shield spoke next. “If I could have everyone's attention? Thank you. Now, normally this is where we'd lecture all of you here on the decadence and horrific inbreeding this party represents, and what it means for the downfall of this nation. But tonight we're on a schedule, so I'm just going to tell you how it will go, instead. We're going to take all of you upstairs in groups and place you in smaller rooms. If you cooperate, we won't shoot you. Don't try to talk to us, don't make trouble, just sit tight and be good sheep. The sheepdogs have business to attend to tonight.†With that, the soldiers started separating off parts of the crowd, though the rest were left to mingle around a bit under the watchful eye of the rest of the armed men. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes had cautiously worked their way over to Corbin and Quo-Dis in the meantime, and while Sarah sat with the dazed Quo-Dis, Albert spoke to his son in low tones. “Can't you do something?†“Cell phone's jammed, or I'd have texted something out. Bet they've got a jammer somewhere. My ring's non-responsive, and Quo-Dis said something's messing up her powers. The two yahoos in charge over there seem fine, so I'd wager they've got something on them that makes them immune. Not that I can just yank it off them right now. Right now, sit tight. There's too many of them. Maybe when they put us in a room and there's only one or two to guard us...†Corbin's eyes still worked fine, and he'd spotted the leader of the group walking toward them. Or, from the way he was looking at the young blond in the chair behind the Hughes men, he was walking toward Quo-Dis. He stopped a couple of feet away, clearly unafraid of the young man who had 2 inches and 40 pounds on him. “Gentlemen, my name is Johnny Reb. I have no immediate quarrel with you, but that young lady will need to come with me. My friend Captain Hammer here insists.†The huge man gave a smile that promised hard times if Reb's request wasn't honored. Still Corbin's fists clenched and his teeth grit, and he was about to say something. But then Quo-Dis put a hand on his shoulder and shook her head, and his shoulders sagged as the woman he loved was led away by two powerful, dangerous Neo-Nazi psychos. He listlessly followed along when the group of people he was with was herded up three flights of stairs to a large conference room. From the snippets over the radio that he caught, there were three other such rooms that had the rest of the party-goers and staff that were present in the building that evening. Meanwhile, apparently the “boss†was on the top floor, and other members of the group were spread out over several floors. Ten minutes of sitting on the floor of the conference room passed before Corbin's eyes opened, and the iron willpower that directed his ring's abilities every second of the day snapped into place. He might be missing most of his flashy abilities that gave him his hero name, but even without them he was a hero. He was a member of Young Freedom. He had faced down the Knight of Entropy and struck blows against Omega himself. A few wannabe Nazis with submachine guns were a cakewalk for a man who had sparred with Wander and the new Midnight. They'd never know what hit them. The first guard was taken down after Corbin politely asked to use the restroom. With 3 guards posted on the room, one was tasked with this exact duty, and followed the young man to the bathroom. Corbin stepped into a stall for a moment, wanting a bit of privacy from the man who had followed him into the room. When he emerged, he calmly washed his hands, dried them...and suddenly turned around, clapping one hand over the soldier's mouth and the other over the wrist holding his gun. He squeezed both, keeping the guard from calling for help, and almost immediately numbing his hand enough to make him drop the firearm. The thug tried to strike at Corbin, but he was substantially shorter and his blows struck nothing but muscle. It didn't take long before the racist mercenary was unconscious; Corbin quickly hauld him to the farthest stall, used handcuffts to secure him to the toilet, and made sure to take all his weapons. The gun was unloaded, then snapped over Corbin's knee. The vest was discarded as far too small. The radio, however, was secured to the ring-slinger's head; all the better to know what the enemy was doing for as long as possible. The next hour was spent with the Neo-Nazi soldiers slowly panicking more and more as Johnny Reb screamed over the radio to try and keep them on-task. Corbin was ambushing or surprising the men one by one, knocking them out, securing them, and destroying their weapons. He'd freed all the hostages and made sure they got to safety, and was now working on the dozen or so men left wandering the building. He knew that one of them was due down this very hallway any minute. Which was why Corbin had managed to wedge himself along the ceiling of the hallway, just past the corner. His arms and legs were holding him up, and while he wasn't about to drop, he knew this wouldn't last forever. Thankfully, he heard footsteps moving rapidly down the hall. He slowed his breathing down as much as possible, waiting for the man to round the corner. The soldier never looked up, his attention too fixed on the rest of the hall, and even the floor, perhaps looking for tracks or some such. Corbin didn't really care. As soon as the merc had steppe far enough, and was just past Corbin's position, the fullback-sized young man propelled himself from his perch directly into the back of the mercenary. The man cried out in pain, and before Corbin could wrest the gun away, his finger tightened and several bursts of bullets ricocheted around the hallway. Then Corbin struck home with a punch to the side of the man's neck, and he dropped unconscious. Corbin winced as he stood, rolling one shoulder...and feeling blood when he touched it after a spike of pain. He discarded his now-ruined jacket and sighed in relief when he saw he'd been grazed, and wouldn't have to dig out the bullet. He sighed and ripped the sleeve, which let him quickly fashion a makeshift bandage. From the reports on the radio, he'd need to move fast. Others had heard the gunshots and were moving in. He grabbed the merc's gun and ammo and took off down the hall, quickly ducking into an office. He rested there in the dark for a moment. 'What am I doing? There's still 11 guys with guns, plus the two heavy hitters upstairs! Before I had the element of surprise and stealth. But now they're on to me. How am I ever going to get Quo-Dis free and get my ring back? Heck, I need to get rid of this blasted jamming; I'm not sure I can take both those psychos on by myself even with my own powers.' He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. Suddenly, something struck him. 'I don't need to beat them all right now. The hostages are out. I just need to turn off the power jammers and get my ring back. But where would the jammer be? Ground level wouldn't work; cops or heroes could get to it too easily. Same with another building. But if the two heavy hitters are sticking around up top, which does have a helipad, I bet that's where the gear is, or at least where it is now.' With a nod to himself, Corbin started to stand. He stopped as he considered the weapon in his hands. Part of him though he should just destroy it; another part considered how he might use it against, if not the mercs, at least the jammer machine several stories up. He wasn't super-strong. He spent almost a minute arguing back and forth inside his mind, before settling for keeping it for now, but not using it against anyone. A few minutes and a lot of ducking around corners later, Corbin was in the stairwell leading to the roof. He carefully made his way up to the door leading outside, and eased it open just a crack. There was one guard present, but he was on the far side of the roof, apparently keeping an eye on the people below. Corbin eased the door open and closed and crept across the roof; with the fireworks shows going off across the city and the wind, his footsteps were as silent as Trevor managed on a daily basis. Once he was close enough, he put the henchman in a sleeper hold and squeezed, quickly pushing him into dreamland. He was dragged over next to the staircase and hog-tied with a combination of zip-ties and the remains of Corbin's jacket. “Been a few years since Boy Scouts, but it should do. Hope it doesn't cramp too much, scumbag.†He took that man's submachine gun in his let hand, keeping his already-purloined gun in his right, and walked over to the large, very obvious machine to one side of the helipad. It was bigger than Corbin, but didn't seem to be made to stand up to extreme force; likely it was meant to be guarded rather than just withstand all attacks. Corbin sized it up for a few moments, then suddenly slammed one of his dress-shoe-clad feet right into the side of the contraption. The metal groaned and dented inward, one edge coming away from its seal. Securing the straps around his shoulders, Corbin reached up to take hold of the panel and hissed when it bit into his palm. He let go, frowning at the blood on his hands; at least the cuts weren't too deep. Yet. He wrapped the last scraps of his jacket around his hands, gripped the panel once more, and pulled. For a few seconds, it only made noise as the young hero's muscles warred against the metal. A few sharp pulls later, and the panel suddenly flew free, one corner giving a shallow cut across Corbin's chest before he flipped the panel over his head. It came to rest just this side of the roof's edge. More importantly, the inner machinery of the thing was exposed to Corbin. “Always wanted to try this. Chuck Norris, eat your heart out.†And with that, he braced to two firearms against this shoulders and pulled the triggers; between his mass advantage, prepared stance, and the comparatively low recoil of the guns, he kept them on-target. Which meant that fully 60 bullets tore into the delicate machinery inside, sending sparks, smokes, and debris spurting out the side. When the guns ran empty, Corbin loaded each with one more clip, ran them dry again, and then ejected the second set of empty clips. Each gun was then snapped over his knee, the pieces thrown to either side. “Now for the main event.†He closed his eyes and concentrated. After a moment, he felt his connection with Quo-Dis strengthen. She was still somewhat disoriented, and apparently had had some sort of power reducer applied, but her mental communication was up at least. --Hang on, darlin'. I'm just a floor or two above you. I'm going to try and sneak in there and get my ring. Hold tight; I think we both need to be in fighting trim to take these Nazi varmits down.-- With that he dashed back down the stairs, listening still to the enemy's radio. It sounded like all but 1 of the remaining guards were still searching for him about midway down the tower; his ruination of the jammer hadn't been discerned yet. Still, 1 armed man and 2 supers was no laughing matter. He continued to listen, even as Quo-Dis tried to give him a sense of where they were. Finally, he had a good idea of where to go; now he just needed to get in and get armed before being noticed. Bad enough they apparently knew his girlfriend was a superhero; confirming his identity would be nothing but trouble for everyone. So he moved carefully through the hall, checking his back often in case they were purposefully lying over the radio. Finally, he was only two rooms over from where Quo-Dis, Johnny Reb, and Captain Hammer were located. The lone mercenary was patrolling the hall further down, unaware of the chaos that was about to ensue. Corbin had been debating how best to go about things when Quo-Dis spoke up. --I will get the ring to you, Corbin Hughes. Be patient, as while I have recovered my wits, my power is still muted, and I do not wish to alert our captors.-- Suddenly, for a brief moment, Corbin saw the room she was in; he saw where she was, saw where the two super-villains were, and saw his ring moving slowly along the lower edge of the floor. The two villains were speaking with each other, Reb occasionally giving orders into his radio. It was clear Johnny Reb was agitated, and Captain Hammer was restless. The scene faded, but he could still tell how far the progress of his ring was. It took approximately 5 minutes, but finally the ring had slid carefully into his hiding place. A small sigh escaped his lips; while he hadn't actually won the fight, Corbin felt things were better in hand now than before. He donned the ring, smiling as it didn't burn him, and closed his eyes. Cobalt Templar opened his eyes, and stood up, his cape flapping in an invisible breeze. He strode confidantly into the hall, just as the lone soldier turned the corner. Before the man could yell a warning, Templar was just in front of him, delivering a punch that sent him straight to Dreamland. Before the unconscious body had fully struck the floor, the blue-clad hero burst through the curtained glass wall behind Quo-Dis, reaching over and crushing the arm-band that was keeping much of her power at bay. Yellow vril energy flared around her body, and in a flash she was standing there as Ultiteen. Meanwhile, Cobalt Templar's body was wreathed in blue flame, giving him an eerie look as he slowly and deliberately pointed a finger at Johnny Reb. “You're going down, you sorry excuse for a Southerner. I'm gonna make you regret coming here tonight.†Before the man could respond, Templar gave a yell and was already in his face, punching toward him. The wannabe-Confederate super-soldier barely got his shield up in time, and even that defense wasn't perfect; his arms shook from absorbing the impact, even as the glass behind him cracked slightly as he was propelled against the windows. Cobalt Templar stalked forward, catching a desperate strike from Reb's shield in one hand. “You guys made a mistake showing yourselves in this city. You're not welcome here, or anywhere civilized.†He stopped and turned to look back at the other battle raging, his hand casually holding the shield in place. Ultiteen was trading blows with Captain Hammer, and it was already obvious she was winning. The electricity crackling around the brute's namesake weapon simply skittered off her vril-protected body, and the blows themselves didn't seem to affect her much at all. But Hammer was already dazed from a couple of punches to the head. As Templar and Reb watched, a blast of bright energy drove Captain Hammer back a couple of feet, before a two-handed strike from Ultiteen sent him crashing through the floor, where she followed up with a flying knee to his stomach and two blurred punches to his head. She cast aside his hammer and looked back at Templar. Her voice rang in his mind, betraying her amusement. --I thought you said this would be harder, Corbin. I was only getting warmed up for a good fight.-- --I overestimated him. Give me a minute to take care of this punk, then we'll go slip back to my parents and head home. I'm tired and sore.-- He turned back to Johnny Reb and smiled. The Neo-Nazi paled a bit. “This is gonna hurt you a lot, and me not at all, you piece of Nazi trash.†With that, Corbin shoved both of them through the window, casually tossing the shield back into the room before they began their descent. Johnny Reb started falling a bit ahead of Corbin...until suddenly a blue aura wrapped around them both. The ring-slinger gave a wordless cry as he pulled back his right hand, and then punched forward directly into Johnny Reb's solar plexus. All the breath was driven from the gray-clad man's body, and it was only the “cushioning†of the blue aura around them both that kept him from being harmed more than he was when they struck the ground. As it was, his enhanced physiology kept him from getting anything besides several fractured ribs as Corbin drove him three feet deep into the concrete. It took a week for him to regain consciousness in the hospital. Templar gave a brief statement to the police, taking credit for isolating the guards and freeing the hostages, mentioning only that he'd gone “low key†to avoid immediately creating an alarm in the building as he worked to take down the criminals. As soon as possible, he slipped away to join his parents at their car, willing himself back to his ruined tux before walking around a corner and getting in. His mother almost fainted a the sight of his blood-stained shirt, but Corbin just smiled. “Ring fixed the worst of it, mom. Besides, I got to totally play ninja! I'll have to tell my friends about this one! And maybe start taking some more training sessions with them, in case this happens again...Plus, I totally got to climb up an elevator cable!â€

All of us get a Hero Point for this dude being sneaky-sneaky and going unnoticed until he speechified! I'm keeping our initiative from last time. Bad Guy: 11. Initiative Roster: 1.)Midnight (23): Unhurt, 4 HP 2.)Nick Cimitiere (14): 2 Bruise, 4 HP 3.)Orange Ring Bearer (11): Unhurt, 0 HP 4.)Cobalt Templar (9): 1 Bruise, 4 HP Midnight is up!