Random Warehouse Complex Outside of Dallas
Several fluorescent lights, mostly broken, are held suspended from a high ceiling. They give little illumination to this dank, musty warehouse, leaving many portions hidden in shadow. The floor is covered in warped wooden planks, dark areas showing through where the primarily rotted wood has given way and fallen to the basement below.
A few large windows, placed high on the walls, have been boarded up, allowing no light to pass. A set of iron stairs at the far end of the warehouse lead up to a rickety looking catwalk which composes the second floor. Three doors are visible on this level. Also at the far east corner of the room is a ladder leading down to the basement.
The warehouse looks as though it has been abandoned for decades, dust littering the floor almost undisturbed, as though no one has even breathed inside this room for ages. However, there is something uneasy about this place, as if something horrifying had gone before.
The night is dark, eerily so. The row of warehouses are dimly lit and difficult to see. Most of the doors hang open, nearly off their hinges. To add to the over all eeriness of the area, fog hovers just a little above the ground.
Time has passed since the vampire contingent arrived; Mary in through the door with one of the King's human flunkies, Hiro slipping in through a window that was left unboarded. Michael, of course, is already inside, having planted himself firmly within the group over the last several days.
Inside the warehouse is filled with noise and chaos at the moment. An incendiary device has just gone off, leaving several vampires, werewolves, and humans injured within the middle of the group. Those along the walls have rushed in to joy the fray, trying to determine exactly what has happened.
A lone bat hangs upside down from the catwalk, keeping an eye upon things.
-
When acting on the behalf of the King and his men, what is one to do in the middle of sudden explosions and chaos? She acts like the person that she always does, and she pretends to cower away. The human she's brought in is lost in the crowd. Not that Mary is showing fear, but her actions are hurried as she looks this way and that, hopefully in the guise of trying to find the exit. Yet the growing number of everyone is actually causing her to lose direction, leaving her right in the middle of the fray. So far she is unharmed and making no attempts to engage anyone in immediate battle. So far.
-
Michael offers a measured flash of surprise is offered at the explosion, it's gone within a second and Michael for his part turns to look at the other vampires. "Send a team to see what's happened." He glances at the bat, just in case it should wish something else, but other than that he makes no move to go himself, regardless of loyalties he'd let the cannon fodder go where there could be unnecessary violence.
-
A ghost is moving through the upper walkways of the warehouse. Hiro slipped in through an unboarded window, on a tip from Michael — now he's flickering along in the wake of the other conspirators who are rushing to their comrades' aid. Dressed in tones of black and dull gray, Hiro smiles under his mask, a gloved hand smoothly drawing a silenced pistol, the other hand holding a knife with the silvered blade blackened with soot. And for no apparent reason, that blasted 'boom de yada' song keeps playing in his head.
-
The explosion sounds, and Isobel and her 'team' move in, with Dietrich hopefully picking up the rear. With her are a group of at least fifteen loyal supporters of the Dallas Sheriff. With great speed, the come in through the doors to get the party started. Amid the chaos, no one will mind a few bodies. Though she is keeping her eyes peeled for the Sheriff or the King. One to save, the other to attempt to kill which will surely lead to her own death. An order is barked for those she brings in with her, and they start to block off the exits and doors to prevent anyone from slipping out.
-
The explosion and with it Isobel's entry, brings with it Dietrich. The man is holding a silver-steel cutlass in one hand, a relic of his past, but still good for asskicking. And in the other hand, a old revolver which still looks to be in good condition. The vampire eyes the crowd, looking to pick out threats first from amongst the crowd, but he doesn't shoot or start killing people yet. The bat gets a once-over and is paid no true attention by Dietrich as he focuses on the far exit of the warehouse, waving a hand to set it afire from where he's standing. No one's getting out that way unless they're a vampire and they don't care about getting singed.
-
There is a particularly burly vampire among the ranks of those who were within the warehouse. The very moment the explosion occurred, The Man With The Scar had jumped into action. Among all the chaos and confusion, he struggles, barking out his orders for control and calm. Not that he achieves it, just yet. Eventually he decides that if anything is to happen, he will have to do it himself. This is the reasoning behind grabbing a handful of explosives and hiding it on his person, as he swoops down to Ground Zero in order to inspect the residue of the blast.
In the midst of doing so, his head shoots upwards. Nostrils flared, he looks around as though expecting to see demons around. "Lock all doors! Let no vampire escape! If its a fight they want, it's a fight they'll get!"
-
With a quiet rush of air, a black shadow flings into the warehouse and up the wall; a dark red rush of movement that carries with it the stench of fresh but drying blood, a veritable symphony of temptation for all but the most fastidious of vampires. The shadow flings itself from the wall; firing across the main area of the warehouse to land, two-footed, on the rickety catwalk that forms the second floor of the mighty space.
Now standing there, a vision of a bloody-handed god of war awaits. Wearing nothing but a pair of black shorts, and coated in a thick layer of drying blood and gore, some of it his own, Sir Valentinus des Barres - better known to those here as Will Grant - stands. A four-foot long greatsword is held negligently in one hand, borne as easily as though it were made of silk. The silver edge gleams dully in the fitful light of the warehouse. When his voice comes, it is a veritable roar, fuelled by a darkness not usually seen in the Sheriff of Dallas. "Kegan Kinnel!" he challenges, voice booming out across the warehouse, "come to me and die, you wretched coward. What do you think gives you the right to end us all?"
-
The humans amid the group, many of whom are bleeding in their injuries, are set upon by several nearby vampires. Their lives, their existence ended just like those of the vampires the Voluntary Vampire Extinction Movement was purporting.
When the Sheriff rushes in, the bat overhead disappears entirely. A fog filling the room briefly before coalescing on the opposite side of the warehouse from Will. His laugh rings out loud and clear. "Ah, Mr. Grant. I see that you have managed to remove yourself from the silver coils that were your prison. Tell me, how did you manage that?"
-
The sudden appearance of a small troop causes her to panic, by all appearances. This is not what a barkeep would sign up for, after all. It does alert Mary where the exit is, however, so she takes every step possible to make a run for her life. It is not her plan to flee, so much, as to at least make that general appearance. Yet the exit is then blocked by sudden fire, something that makes her reel back. It is genuine shock that she finds herself in as she doesn't remember fire being mentioned. Still more chaos, the arrival of a Sheriff and the revealing proper of the King just send things spinning. Soon Mary finds herself being rushed so what does she do? She fights. She brawls. It's something that most would not expect from her so she has that as an advantage. Sadly for her, she may just be the only one who has not brought any real weapon to this ordeal.
-
Kegan revealed doesn't do much to concern Michael, instead his attention turns to the others, much like his many of his associates Michael's brought a weapon or two, in his case a revlover complete with sivler bullets, and a wooden stake are drawn, he glances around as though trying to spot other intruders as Will is being dealt with, in truth he prepares himself, keeping his eyes on the only other vampire present near his own age, who isn't a crazy king.
-
Hiro makes a point to detour around Will for the moment — no point in being spitted on that giant meatcleaver, especially by someone he's trying to rescue. Instead, he coolly takes aim down into the throng, his pistol bucking as he fires single shots, silver munitions aimed at the rogue vampires — aiming for backs, legs, places where the silver can fester. The burly vampire that Michael eyes gets a pair of silver donations as well, on the assumption that a 'take-charge' type is dangerous regardless of age. Coughing pops are all the noise his pistol makes.
-
"Valentine," she whispers happily. Well so much for saving him, it looks like he's here to join the battle!
Unlike the others, Isobel does not brandish a sword, or a gun. She has quite another weapon though, just as useful. While she was never much of a fighter, some skill has been picked up over the years. She reaches back, pulling an arrow out of a quiver, knocks it in the bow she sweeps off her back and fires it at a stray vampire that is creeping up onto the catwalk. A nod is given to Mary, then she's taking off to stalk more prey. Quietly trying to make her way through the ruckus to ensure the Sheriff remains safe.
-
Oh my how the tables have turned… and twice it would seem as Michael and Hiro seem to have their hands full with the big guy, that leaves Dietrich and how many pissed off and just-fed vampires? Well while they're down, Dietrich will happily take the advantage of driving his cutlass through their bodies. He doesn't strike any purposely fatal blows, but any vampire having a cutlass driven through their chest of silver will definately be taking a few days off. A few rounds fired here and there from his revolver finds himself putting it away and having only his cutlass at hand as he comes near Michael. He waits to see who moves next, although the King's appearance has Dietrich grimacing. "Wish I'd saved a round for that asshole."
-
Once the initial surprise and shock wears out, the vampires rally themselves. Non-believers. Outsiders to the cause - they must be dealt with, and they must be dealt with swiftly.
Mary will suddenly find a hand grasping at her leg, jerking off of the floor, as one of the vampires who had been feeding on the humans reaches for her with a hiss. Fevered, animalistic, it looks as though it's going to sink it's razor sharp teeth into her ankle to subdue her.
The vampire Michael and Hiro has their sights on, the eldest one with the scar is quick to jump up and into action. With his bare hands, he literally stabs his entire fist through the stomach of one of the allied vampires with inhuman, invampire strength. As Hiro's bullets fell a couple of the Scarred man's companions, he is perceptive enough to notice Hiro's attempt on his life and deftly jumps out of his way, letting out a roar as he pulls a knife out of his vest and throws it with expert precision to where the assassin is firing his bullets.
Meanwhile, there is a surge of activity. Dietrich is met with a human carrying a very unorthadox weapon - a flamethrower. He fires ahead, full blast, trying to sweep Dietrich and the archer Isobel in his line of, literally, fire.
-
"By virtue of that which a foul monster like you shall never understand," Will replies to the King, dark and dangerous amusement scoring through his look. "By loyalty and friendship." He takes the moment to look out over the melee, attempting to gauge who is fighting who and for what purposes; in fact, who is on who's side?
A hand wafts, indicating everyone below. "Look at what you have caused." Slowly, his head shakes, before he fires forwards and across the room again. Will is fast, faster than even a vampire of his age has any right to be, and he's seriously pumped on fresh blood. Unfortunately his foe is not far off twice his age, and they both know it. The righteous rage that carries Will across the warehouse towards Kegan does so faster than any human eye could dream of following. The sword taken in a two-handed grip now, held above his head in the old Vom Tag; high and proud and prepared to sweep at lightning speed towards his foe.
-
"Ah, Will. Do take a look around yourself and tell me again that I do not command loyalty the likes of which you will never see." Kegan allows a brief glance toward the chaos, and grins quite evilly. Though the King just stands there waiting ever so patiently for Will to make his move. When he does, the body dissolves into fog, only to form behind the Sheriff. In a comical move, the King reaches out to tap Will on the shoulder, and as soon as Will turns to face him his hand will be going for Will's throat.
From the recesses of the warehouse comes a feral growl. An unorthodox pack of werewolves and shifters converge on the mess in the center of the building, striking vampire and human alike, regardless of what side they are on. Trying to bring down as many as they possibly can.
-
The one good thing about the presence of the VVEM is that they are actually equipped for battle. So, once a few of them are on their backs, Mary now finds herself armed with duel daggers. This evens the playing field, even if only marginally. Out of the corner of her eye she notices Isobel and those about her. Allowing the temporary Whip to continue with her ranged fighting, Mary approaches to take on those who were around her. This only lasts for a moment as two things then happen. First she finds a stray bullet striking her in the shoulder. It is literally all the 'young' vampire can do to hold on to her weapons. In just that short period of time, someone reaches out for her leg and is easily able to fall her. Once her back slams into the ground, she kicks with a heeled shoe, intending to cause as much damage as possible. The barkeep may be down but she's not out, not just yet. Yet being the word of the day, considering the most recent strike.
-
Michael seems slightly agitated for a moment, he makes his way through the fight with all the speed his vampiric unlife will allow, working his way closer to the larger vampire, only when he's close does he actually make his attack, the blade of his knife thrusting for the other ancient vampire, in a slashing motion intended to gut him, again with all the speed and strength his fourteen hundred years of unlife will allow.
-
Meanwhile, Hiro is moving like he's being repeatedly stop-cut and pasted into reality, flickering in short controlled movements. His gun clicks empty as Scarface goes for a knife, and he opts to use the empty pistol to parry the thrown dagger away, shaking his head. Holstering the pistol, he glances at Will locked in battle with Kegan, before vaulting over the rail to drop /behind/ the pack of werewolves and shifters. Smoothly, he draws a curve of moonlight from his back — an ancient Japanese short sword, or wakizashi — and lays into the attacking beastmen from behind, stabbing, slashing, and kicking as savagely as he can.
-
Note to self: If she ever finds herself in this situation again, it would be most prudent to wear something non-flammable. Isobel's leg catches fire, but she does not allow the flames to deter her just yet. She spins, shooting off a succession of two arrows at the man with the flamethrower, attempting to down him before he kills the whole lot of them. Then she dives toward the floor, rolling to put the flames out before they incinerate her entire body.
-
Well shit. It's one thing when he's throwing fire about, he's got the magic, the control over it… but this fool is just spraying shit all over the place and after fending it off for a moment to stop himself from getting burned, Dietrich brings his magic into evidence once more, sucking all the fire being put out by the flamethrower into a ball of fire in his empty hand. And as things are going to hell around him he quickly moves in to decapitate the human holding the flamethrower and then uses the gathered fire to spray the wolves and shifters that have joined the fray, protecting Isobel, Michael, and Mary from getting attacked whilst burning everyone and everything else in his path. That might also include flammable materials, but hey he's not trying to save the building now is he?
-
There is a cacophony of howls from the animals as they begin being attacked from all sides, and fire rains upon them. The fire isn't exclusive to the baddies, however. It's spreading, catching like wild as the warehouse begins to be engulfed in flames and heat. The smell of burnt fur is everywhere - and it's a smell Hiro ought to get used to. Because there, leaping onto his back, is a particularly large wolf with teeth bared and fire lit on his fur.
Isobel's arrows fly true, and it is a pair of the pointed objects that embed themselves into the human's chest, producing a well of fresh blood that spews from his body as he falls, face-first, to the ground. The stench is near overwhelming, near irresistible among the heightened emotions of battle. Indeed, a few of the weaker willed vampires on both sides pause fighting to go and drink from the young well of life.
Mary's heels strike true and hard, breaking bones, and the vampire lessons its grip on her just in time for the Scarred man to barrel by her He is in the middle of crushing the skull of one of his adversaries when Michael's blow strikes true. The General looks down to his wound, already gushing with vampiric goo, before letting out something that sounds suspiciously like a gurgle. "You think…this is over?" He intones, slow, dangerous. "It's not over until I SAY it is!" And with that, he rips the clothe off of his chest, producing pounds of explosives that he had strapped onto his form, as well as a detonator in hand. The message is clear - he intends to destroy everyone within the burning warehouse now.
-
"You command only the loyalty of sin," Will returns, as his head snaps around; the speed of Kegan's change is new to him. The hand reaching for his throat is allowed; Will doesn't even bother trying to dodge. Instead, he whispers as it comes, "You know I can hear what you plan." Then his finger flicks a disguised button on the greatsword, and the hidden trick goes off. A short, sharp blast of silvery shards fire out towards Kegan's face from the hilt - a savage mockery of the explosion that almost took the Sheriff's life. Still, he's ready to make a sweeping blow. No quarter or retreat to be had from this vampire. Largely, his focus is such that the rest of the activity in the warehouse is beyond him.
-
The onslaught of animals is stopped by the ball of fire, the stench of singed fur wafting up through the warehouse, accompanied by horrific animal whimpers and cries. Several of the larger were-creatures burst through the flame, trying to take down Dietrich and get to the door.
Kegan's hand continues to crush Will's throat in a display of power. Pushing forward to slam him against the rail of the catwalk. But that whisper, ah, that whisper, actually shocks and confuses the centuries old vampire. "There is no way that is possible," he hisses at the young Sheriff. Alas, it worked as enough of a distraction for him to eat a face full of silver shards, each one searing his flesh and dropping through the holes in the catwalk or lodging into his face, making him look almost robotic. With silver imbed in his body, he's unable to make the full shift using his abilities. Instead he draws out one of the silver shards, and brandishes it as a weapon against the Sheriff of Area 9.
-
Isobel's thoughts are actually mirrored: flammable clothing is not a good idea. Yet, had she shown up dressed for the occasion proper it might have set off alarms. As it is, Mary is just thankful that she was able to get as far as she has without being instantly cut down. With the release of her leg she rolls; intent on slitting the throat of the one who felled her. As the hulking vampire passes her, she lunges out with her two weapons, trying to slice the tendons in his legs. Top cap: She's been clawed, shot, tossed to the ground and caught on fire. The appearance of the explosives is just adding to it all. In one last ditch effort to prove her loyalty one and for all, slowly the barkeep stands and attempts to used her blades as scissors to decapitate the man with the 'plan'.
-
Michael notes the explosives, but only while his hand's moving in a quick blur continuing to cut up the vampire, he's already on his way to an exit when the detonator's revealed, his attention is first on making sure he can get out, and of course the powermonger in him considers simply leaving, and letting the majority of the cities players go up in smoke, but that would make enemies of any survivors, and offer no friends, so he sets off the alarm. "Bomb, time to go!"
-
Hiro is grabbed, but doesn't go down… hissing as the werewolf's claws dig into his flesh. "I hate hitchhikers," he snarls under his breath, dropping both blades as he reaches back to grab a good fistful of fur and flesh. It's like having a fishhook imbedded in your flesh pulled free, as he brutally tears the werewolf off, flinging it into the air in a high parabolic arc as he hears Michael's call of alarm. Oozing painfully, he snatches up his shortsword before sprinting for the exit… only slowing to hack down one last rogue vampire who gets in his way.
-
Explosives. A quiet, Scottish curse drifts out from Isobel's lips, and despite the pain of an entirely burnt leg she races up the catwalk to keep an eye on Will's back. Through the special bond he has over her, due to their shared blood, she relays, « There is a man down below with explosives. Finish your fight with the King and get yourself to safety. » While she does care primarily for her own safety in this particular situation, she is not about to sacrifice the man they all came to save. « I will watch your back until you are out of here, Valentine, though I cannot speak for everyone else. » From her new vantage point, she knocks another couple of arrows, firing down into the fray, trying to keep anyone else from climbing up onto the catwalk.
-
Dietrich blinks as the werecreatures come running for him. "Dammit!" He flings himself out of harm's way. They want out, they can get out. And when Michael's cry of bomb is heard, the vampire promptly finds the nearest exit and sprints for it. Apparently magic is no defence against explosives and boy does he know it. However, though, he agrees with Isobel's decision to defend the Sheriff and thus a glance over his shoulder and a gesture and Kegan will find himself the newest target of Dietrich's last pyrotechnics tonight. "Get the hell out, Grant! He can wait!" He will likely meet up with Michael outside or anyone else that gets out.
-
The throat of the Sheriff is crushed thoroughly, though nary a wince is drawn forth from the pain. Instead, Valentinus takes the opportunity to begin a series of swordstrokes, trying to push the King backwards, trying to wrongfoot him enough to make the killing strike. « Yes, » is his only response to Isobel, concentrating too hard as he is already. When his voice comes, it is a broken whisper. "I can, and I will, and in my eyes shall you see your fate." Those eyes, blue and clear within the terrible red mask that is his face. Suddenly, Will drives his own head forwards in a vicious butt, uncaring of the silver he is bound to drive into his own face. Eyes closed now, he forces his body to further speed, spinning into a brutal sweep.
Thus comes the trick; Will releases the blade from his grip even as it starts to move, and completely opening himself up to the inevitable counter, drives his entire body forwards with all his force; a clawed, open hand thrusting towards Kegan's chest in a last-ditch hope of seriously injuring his foe.
-
Pyrotechnics are merely laughed at, as only those in the know would be aware that the King is quite a powerful witch in his own right, and the magic effects him not at all. However, there is no time for him to retaliate, as he suddenly finds himself being pushed along the catwalk.
The speed of the bodies forces both the King and the Sheriff through the wall, falling several stories until they reach the ground. With the clawed hand striking his chest, the King simply laughs. Kegan's laugh continues to ring through the parts of the warehouse closest to the drop. As Will's hand pushes into his chest cavity, he mutters a series of four words in a forgotten language. The words are repeated over and over again, so that upon landing, though the Sheriff manages to extract a dead heart, the King's body simply dissipates into a lingering fog before dispersing on the wind.
-
What a sudden turn of events. Through all of this, one person has made a point to not be linked to anything. One person has placed her own establishment over the lives and unlives of all of those around her. Now, when a bomb emerges, she's the last one to actually run from it. Perhaps it is her young age, but Mary is not afraid to give her life. They've already come so far. Yet she glances around to see what is happening and notices that everything and everyone is tending to make way towards the outside. Regardless of what happens with the ogre of a vampire before her, she takes her injured self and runs as quickly as she can towards the exit, leaving her weapons behind. The damage she's suffered is beginning to take a toll on the bar owner. This obviously is not her strong point.
-
Hiro slams through the door, knocking it off its hinges as he crashes out of the warehouse. Cursing and coughing briefly, as he keeps moving in the general direction of away. No point in coming this far only to get hit by the blast radius.
-
Watching her Maker and the King fly through the wall, Isobel is not too long behind them. She fires off a few more arrows, before diving out the hole that they've created. To crash to the crowd in a wash of fog. « The bomb, Valentine. Away from the building. » The warning only coming because she herself is injured, and she's not going to be able to carry him away from the building before it goes kerblooey. She manages to drag herself toward another warehouse, hoping that the Sheriff is in his right mind enough to get away from the potential explosion.
-
Dietrich runs outta the place and manages to see where Kegan and Will fall and so he runs towards the location just to see Kegan fade away. "Son of a bitch! The fucking King had powers too? And people wait till the last fucking second to tell me?" He however still keeps moving to get the heck away from the place as he thinks Hiro and Isobel have the correct idea.
-
The Sheriff hits the ground with a sickening thud, the cracking of bone evident. He stirs quickly, moving at incredible speed away from the warehouse, and drawing forth the silver shard that once was held by Kegan and is now jammed between his ribs.
-
Silence. From the outside, the atmosphere is much different then how it was in the middle of the pray. There are no cries, save for the distant howling of still-burning animals. For a few, tenuous moments of peace, the warehouse is almost poetic, the flames engulfing the left side of the building illuminating the night around them, framed by the darkness of the sky. For a good while, nothing else happens. For a good while, it looks as though Michael's cry was a false alarm.
But then, the earth begins to shake around them, and a positively deafening ring cuts through the air like a knife, followed by a ripple in the air as the shockwave reaches out into the night, preceding the blinding blast of Hot, White, Light that erupts. Debris is shot in every direction, devastation in its wake. And those souls who remained too close to the warehouse, or still trapped inside of it? Those poor, poor souls?
May they rest…in pieces.
-
Unflinching against the roar of an explosion behind him, and heedless of the hissing burn against his skin, Will stabs the shard in his hand into the heart clutched in the other as he runs, turning to slam it down on a jagged piece of wood for good measure. Then he grinds it viciously under his heel. "Begone, demon," he snarls.
Once that is done, the Sheriff of Area Nine turns to face the warehouse once more, his face suddenly impassive. With his throat healing, his speech comes more easily, his tone level as he stares out across the burning vista, trusting to others' supernatural senses to pick up his comments. "Take the culprits you may find into custody; no more death. I thank the loyal ones amongst you for your belief in what is the true path, and the understanding of the horrors of what our erstwhile monarch was planning to do. I must speak with the other Sheriffs of Texas, and the Magister. Isobel will act in my stead until I return as King, or dead." Then he is once more a dark shadow, streaming across the night sky of Dallas. « Look after my city, Isobel. See if you can find that sword of mine. »
