Latet anguis in herba (IC)

[Aoiroo]

""

Pointing at the paper she walked out of the store and onto the sidewalk. Nothing on the map was labelled but there were squares all through it that represented buildings and also a black dot directly in the middle with an arrow pointing to the left of it. As she turned the arrow and map followed so that the arrow was directly ahead of the black dot.

""

Moving with the maps direction they walked across streets and down sidewalks until they found themselves in an older graveyard as the map started to lead them to a crypt. Etain wasn't terribly fond of the place because of the residual magic of previous unstability between the worlds as well as the several necromancers who might of previously visited the place looking for 'materials'. She tried to move more quickly as they were there and avoided mostly touching anything and everything other then the ground in front of her.

[Supercape]

Quentin quite liked graveyards. They were quiet, for starters. The architecture was often reasonably pleasing. As long as they weren't any goth kids hanging around, he usually found them rather pleasant.

After his experience with alien magic on an alien world earlier today, this was not a usual time. He quickened his pace, and kept all his senses alert.

"" he commented. Stupid comment. Talking for the sake of hearing a human voice he realised.

"

[Aoiroo]

She was a bit surprised to hear him talk, her focus was more on the map and she almost had forgotten he was there. Turning her head she gave him a light smile despite herself being a little less then comfortable here,

""

And most practioners found it unwised. Etain was sort of glad Quentin could not see what she was seeing. The whole area manifested deep shades of regret as well as other unpleasant feelings still lingering with the dead. The moselem they went to however didn't seem to manifest either, no what it had was worse. She nearly cringed at seeing it, the aura deeply foreboding and simply asking for people to stay away. But she didn't stop walking towards it, because it was nessicary and because that was where the map was pointing.

[Supercape]

Quentin followed Etain into the Crypt, which was dusty, cool, and definitely more eerie than the graveyard. He coughed gently and shuddered.

"Spooky" he commented. There was no Latin equivalent to the word.

The architecture appeared somewhat macabre, with grotesque gargoyles and arches that could only be half seen in the shadows.

"

[Aoiroo]

Stepped into the cool dusty place and wished it was darker. She adverted her eyes only pausing with a sigh on the gargoyles. It is not commonly known but they are made as guardians against evil and harmful spirits, at least the ones that do no spout water. Given a totem of Una could of easily passed undetected while it was inactive. She walked over to it's side and looked at the gargoyle for a little while before looking down at the paper,

""

[Supercape]

Quentin stopped a moment and shut his eyes. He didn't really need to, but it helped a little bit when he was concentrating on the bounce of energies around the vicinity.

After a while, he felt the hollow space just below them, a little to one side.

""

[Aoiroo]

Turning from the gargoyle she glanced at Quinten for a second,

""

Taking a few steps she turned for a second at the gargoyles and gave a light bow,

"Gratias ad vestrum servitium hoc tumulo."

Before moving quickly to Quinten's side. It did not take but a thought before they were concealed,

""

[Supercape]

Once again, Quentin put his hand on Etain's shoulder.

"" he explained with a smile, and a shrug.

The world once again collapsed as two points in the multiverse becmae entangled and the two heroes slipped through the wormhole between them. The effect was instant, but as usual, it was proceeded by the wobbling and distortion around them for several seconds before the transfer.

The crypt they were in was dank, gloomy, and dusty. Two men in hooded robes, carrying electric lamps, were studying an ancient text and the last totem, a horrible winged gargoyle figure carved in stone. They appeared to be in the middle of an incantation.

""

Quentin gave an almighty cough from the dust and looked at Etain in a panic "oh dear, did they hear that?"

[Aoiroo]

""

She looked straight through the darkness at the magic that fumed and the ceremony taking place and it had to be stopped indefinitely. She ran forward and her magic followed until she was just close enough and the entire area was filled with a flash and a deafening explosion. There was no effect to her as she moved closer to try and snatch the totem from it's resting place.

[Supercape]

Once again, Quentin was caught somewhat on the hop, as the explosion of light and noise filled the room.

He couldn't hear, he couldn't see. Everything was white light.

It was a good thing that he could still sense the entire layout of the room, the mass and molecules of everything in it.

"Goodness me!" he exclaimed to nobody in particular, not hearing a word of what he was saying.

[Supercape]

GM

The book holding mystic spun around, facing Etain. He had been holding the book close to his eyes, and managed to shield himself from the explosion of light and sound.

"Too late! foolish woman! your kind is at an end! we have summoned the punisher from below to rid the world of your witchcraft muahahaha!"

"" he cried, and with his crazed fanatical laugh, a blazing, blue, fiery sword formed in his hand.

"

[Aoiroo]

Her primary attention was on the first person who spoke. Quinten seemed to be moving quite strangely,

She took a second and willed away the effects on him just in time to turn and meet face with the completion of the spell. The person in front of her seemed quite fanatical, the sword itself was quite a terrifying sight, the person plus the sword not so much. It was like watching someone try to swat a bee, random and completely ineffectual and with her own cutlass forming in her right she used her left to grab wrist mid arch and then stabbed him into the stomach.

""

[Supercape]

GM

Etain's Cutlass clearly demonstrated what swordsmanship should be, and struck true. The robed figure stared at the protruding weapon, before his nervous system reminded him that it was time to shut down for a while. He promptly keeled over, flat on his back, with a resounding thud.

The second hooded figure clumsily dropped the totem, as he staggered around blindly his arm in front of his eyes.

"Curses, curses!" he roared, before dropping into an incantation which seemed to be a fusion of Latin, Greek, and Italian.

"" he screamed at the end, and opened his eyes, glaring at Etain. He raised a crooked finger at her, adding "

[Supercape]

Supercape shook his head, the ringing in his ears and light in his eyes had evaporated in an instant. He presumed that whatever Etain had done, she realised that he had got the blunt end of it too, and undone her work.

Of course, he hardly needed eyes to see.

A quick snap of his fingers (for effect) and the totem-holded robed figure was bathed in a purple green light that pulsed around his body, heating the air and giving of a notable smell of ozone. The man collapsed in a heap in front of him.

Quentin walked over to the two collapsed figures, the glow around them fading slowly. He knelt down to pick up the book the first figure had been reading from. It was leathery, old, and unmarked. He passed it to Etain.

"Make anything of it?"

[Aoiroo]

She need only scan the area to know what had happened. Grabbing the book she started to skim, flipping through quickly and taking in as much details as possible.

""

Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the scry paper only to find that it was completely blank,

""

Tossing the paper away she went back to the book as she looked at the two as she started to walk out of the crypt,

""

[Supercape]

"" Muttered Quentin. He bent down, placing a hand on each unconscious mystic, before teleporting them out of the crypt.

In a few moments, he folded himself back into the crypt, by Etains side.

"

The air seemed hot, and cold at the same time, and stuffy too. A nasty oppressive temperature was rising that could hardly be defined. The hairs on his neck stood on end.

And from nowhere, and everywhere, came an evil whispering voice.

""

[Aoiroo]

She didn't turn to meet the voice, her heart nearly stopped at it, but it was pointless he wasn't there, yet. Her fingers twitched as the handle of a pole arm formed down to it's bladed edge. Lifting her head she took in a breath,

""

Climbing up she pushed up the trap door that brought them back to the middle of the crypt. She climbed out and walked over to the gargoyles,

""

There was silence, but then there was a faint glowing from the gargoyles and between them a foggy window opened up showing the form of the demon in an underground chamber searching for prey.

[Supercape]

"Goodness me!" exclaimed Quentin, at the sight of the monstrosity. It was... hard.. to look at directly. It seemed human, but something about it just seemed wrong. Like it had too many dimensions, or too few. Like you couldn't look at it quite directly without your mind demanding an explanation.

"Ummm" he murmured "

[Aoiroo]

""

Lifting up her polearm she pointed it at him,

""

[Supercape]

"" Replied Quentin.

"", and placing his hand on Etain, the two heroes again leapt through the entangles points in space time to the stairs that lead down from the Church to the Crypt.

Pausing, he held out his hand. There was a slight blurring just above his palm. He looked up at Etain, speaking in English, for there was no Latin translation "Molecular mines. Anything goes past here now, EMP burst, should blind the creature. If we need to run for it, we run. Just here, move to your left, by the wall. It won't set the mine off. "

[Aoiroo]

"Yes, I understand."

Moving to the left she started down the steps with her poll arm in hand she walked into the crypt. She only caught a glimpse of the demon as she got closer. But she saw his trail. Getting to the bottom she saw all of him facing away from him, and she nearly wanted to vomit. He was stained, down to the bone. This wasn't his first time doing such a thing, there was death, and there was torture, with no linger of regret. A beast let loose by fools, and he sniffed around like a dog looking for a snack. Her voice was a bit hesitant, but still she spoke.

""

[Supercape]

GM

"" smiled the beast.

He was hard to look at with normal eyes, although for Etain he shone like a star, illuminating infernal magic. A hunter, a beast, a killer, but not without nuance. Fierce intelligence and horrible power. A demon of high rank.

He stood six feet tall, dressed in the robes of the mystics they had dispatched earlier. He was shaven headed, with bronze green eyes that oozed charm and threat at the same time. He moved slowly but with grace.

"

He fixed his eyes at Etain once more. ""

[Supercape]

Quentin didn't really understand what he was facing, or who. But he didn't like the man. Although he oozed charm, it must be conceded. There was something attractive about him. After all, he was being reasonable and polite, offering Etain a painless death...

He shook his head. What was he thinking? The silver tounged snake!

"" he muttered to Etain "

[Aoiroo]

Her eyes narrowed at the demon,

""

Stepping forward, she got into a fighting stance with the polearm held in both hands,

""

She let out a breath and let herself feel the presense of the rooms as well as the demon before her,

"En garde."

[Supercape]

GM

"" smiled the bronzed, bald man, barely showing his teeth between his thin lips.

"

The fiery spear swam towards Etain, and would have clearly hit her, if she had not dodged the infernal blast. As it was, it crashed into the wall behind her, sending crawling streams of hellfire across the wall. Shadows danced across the crypt as the pyrotechnics faded. Dust fell from the ceilings and the support beams creaked.