We pulled up to the club around eight and got out of the limo we’d rented. The joint just oozed money, from the golden etchings of sea life on every window to the red carpet flanked by bouncers in tuxedoes.

“I hate undercover," Ron said. "At least my car and its trunk full of goodies are ready nearby.”

“It’s not so bad,” Loni said, taking out a small bottle from her purse and tapping the nozzle. A fine mist fell on her neck. She kinda smelled like pizza.

When we reached the front door, they sized us up with a glance before focusing on Ron. "Good evening, Mr. Caliburn. I trust you and your guests will enjoy your visit to the Mermaid's Arms." The other one opened the door and waved us through.

Within, the decor was even more opulent, thick plush carpeting flanked by dark, oak-paneled walls, everything lit by crystal chandeliers. I couldn't believe it. "These monsters be livin' large, jack." Something else was bothering me. "They knew you by sight, dawg."

“Yeah, that’s troubling, but they don’t know who you two are.”

One of the topless waitresses approached, a redhead dressed in a snug shimmering skirt that reached her ankles and a necklace of small seashells. "Good evening, I'm Ariel."

"Of course you are," I said, glancing over Loni's head at Ron. There were a number of expressions fighting across his face.

"Is there anything I can get you gentlemen?"

“Ah yes, I believe I’m expected: Ron Caliburn.”

"That name sounds familiar. I think Arista mentioned you. Let me go find her and check."

“I didn’t realize it was quite so cold in here, did you Willie?”

“Naw man, in fact it’s getting hot in here.”

Eilonwy’s face looked puzzled. “Do I want to know what you’re talking about?”

"No," we said in harmony.

Ariel came bouncing back with a brunette in the same uniform. Loni's nails dug into my arm. Ron's too, from his expression. "Mr. Caliburn, I'm Arista; Mr.Montague will be so thrilled. His suite is upstairs. Come this way." Eyes flashing wickedly, Arista turned and swished up the hall. She led us to suite 1408 and entered without knocking.

DAAMN! This wasn't no suite, it was an apartment! To the right was four cats playin' X-Box on a TV bigger than Malachi's ego, to the left was two couples making out on a bloody sofa, and through the doorway I could see another guy with a bottle of vodka passed out on the kitchenette table. The X-Boxers were yelling at each other in a foreign language. "Rocksaurs, newb poned!" "Elowel!" "Be Are Be!"

I took another look at the couples. They had penknives and were .. nicking each other, then lapping up the blood. Vampire fetish. They called them "blood dolls" on the street.

"Mr. Montague, your guests have arrived."

A foreign voice called out, "Magnifique! Show them into the boudoir." The suite was as richly decorated as everything else. As we entered the vast bedroom, I saw an older man wearing white robes sitting on the four-post bed, scratching a kitten behind the ears. "Good evening, gentlemen, I am Michel Montague. It's wonderful to finally meet you. Have a seat, sil vous plait." He waved toward a heavy chest at the foot of the king-size bed.

I looked at Ron and shrugged. Loni tipped her head to the right, her nose pointed directly at the kitten. She stumbled and dropped her silver bracelet. It broke, but Ron helped her find the pieces. Guiding Loni to a chair, we sat down.

Montague rose with his mackerel kitten and walked over to Arista. "Tonight is a very special night;" he said, "Brother Windner is completing a grand ritual to bring Hell to Earth."

"I'm so happy for him. Where do you fit in?"

"We were classmates at the Black School..."

"Detroit High?"

"Non. We studied gramerie..."

"Yeah I can tell you been hooked on phonics, dawg."

"Witch magic, you American oaf! Are you from that asylum, too?" Overheated like a PlayStation. Sucka shoulda stayed in France.

"Naw, I went to St. Patrick's, in Chicago." I offered him a grin a mile wide.

“About that asylum," Ron said, "How did you know that?”

Regaining his composure, Montague turned to Ron and smiled. “Brother Winder was quite compelled by your description of the place, decided to move in. But surely you should have known that, Winder speaks of you often, told me you were coming tonight. You were to be my guests until he completes the ritual.”

"There are all sorts of entertainments available for our guests," Arista said as she swayed toward us. Another woman started toward Loni, but froze in her tracks, suddenly covering her nose as she fled the room. Arista ran her cold, dead hands across Ron's cheek and my shaved head. Our furious glares set her back on her heels, as she realized her mistake.

Meanwhile, Loni fiddled with her broken bracelet. "What time is the ritual, Mr. Montague?"

"Why, midnight, mademoiselle. But of course."

Leaning on the bedpost after Arista retreated, I looked to Ron, "That all we needed?"

“Yeah . . . we need to get to the asylum.”

I pointed at Montague as Ron drew his blade. "We about to revoke your green card, jack."

Montague let his cat drop to the floor. “You are not friends of Windner?!" He shouted, "Mes amie, aidez moi!”

Three X-Boxers dashed in at his call, crying out, "Leat Zerglingz ownzor tay Newbz!" in their foreign tongue. I flung the bed at them while they were coming through the doorway, and they went down in a heap of broken furniture. "How do you say, 'The big scary black man whupped my ass' in your crazy jive talk?"

Weakly, one said, "Zo, My God..."

"Yeah, yeah, 'why hast thou forsaken me,' I got it." I made a mental note to ask KT about the Zo cult.

As I dealt with the X-Boxers, Ron sprang to his feet, blade in hand, heading for Montague. Arista moved in at unnatural speed to intercept Ron and received a backhanded cut across the chest for her troubles. Smoke rising from the cut, she reeled towards Loni, who quickly fetched her tiny spray bottle: Caliburn's Eau De Garlique. She tapped the nozzle twice and then aimed it forward, spraying the vampire. It howled and clapped a hand to its face. It retreated in blind pain as Loni gripped her sundered bracelet in her other hand, the jagged edges rising out between her fingers, and gave it three good jabs in rapid succession. I met the stumbling vampire with a right backhand that spun it into the floor as Arista fell apart into ash and fragments of bone.

I heard a frightened "Meow". The sweet little mackerel had climbed up the dresser and was cowering up there. I reached up to comfort the poor thing, but Loni grabbed my hand and yanked it back, hopping up to catch the kitten with a roundhouse kick that sent it thudding into the wall. "That's not a cat!"

The freaky kitty recovered immediately, turning to leap at my eyes, claws bared and eyes red.

You can never trust a cat.

I jerked my head back as it soared by, only clipping my ear. Another paw brushed the prayer on my collar, and it yowled like it burned. It hit the ground, pivoted, and lunged at Ron, who had cornered ol' Montague. The kitten's claws slid right off Ron's strange armor, but it gave Montague the chance to slip out the door.

As Loni began stomping on the kitten, I dashed after the druid. I hopped over the broken furniture, grabbed the top of the doorjamb and sailed on through. The last X-Boxer had arrived, explaining, "Had to save the game, boss, whatcha--OOF!" before I ran into her feet first. Figures. I take out the only one that's bilingual.

I rolled to my feet and made it to the door of the suite before Montague.

He backed off, the couples on the sofa looked up in surprise, the guy in the kitchen was still passed out, and the X-Boxer flipped to her feet and charged. She sent a flurry of blows at me. I blocked most of them, but a few slipped through. One of the guys joined her immediately, and the others started getting up. Looked like it was gonna be one of those nights.

I drove my palm past the X-Boxer's guard; she gasped as I struck her chest. I half-turned to block the dude's strike and I dropped her with a sweeping kick so I could give him some TLC. I heard her whimper when she landed -- it sounded like she'd had enough. I glanced over to the X-Boxer I'd taken down. She was curled up in a ball, clutching her chest and sobbing, but I had no time to help her now.

I brought both hands down on the dude's shoulders, breaking them and sending him to his knees. I gave him a face lift with a knee to the chin and he fell backwards, out like a light.

Then his girlfriend hit me with a TV from across the room.

Ouch.

I heard a scream. I wiped the blood out of my eyes, and saw that Ron had driven his blade hilt deep between her ribs. The other couple stepped apart to flank him, but Loni stopped that nonsense with snaping kicks to the guy's knee and face.

The vodka guy lurched up from his chair at Montague's command and shuffled towards me, so I drew my Glock, flipped the selector switch from "easy listening" to "rock'n'roll".

Ron shot the vampire trapped on his blade, Loni punched out the last blood doll and flipped her to the ground, and I gunned down the vodka zombie.

Montague looked around in shock. His suite was in ruins, his allies defeated or destoyed, and he found Ron's piece pressed against his chest.

"What are we gonna do with him, yo? I doubt they charge people with 'Consorting with ye powers of darknesse', especially in D.C."

Ron's answer was the flash and pop of his piece, followed by Montague's corpse crumpling to the floor. Ron looked up at us and calmly holstered his weapon. "Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live."

Ron stepped around the spreading red pool. "I think it's time to go stop the end of the world."

Heyo, Mitch here!

Hey Willie that wasn't a foreign language! Gotta get with the times man! LOLOLOLzorz! ZOMG RTFM N00B!zorz (jk btw!) (zorz)

Wow.

It sounds like you had your hands full too.

Ron, if you want I can give you directions and a parts list for manufacturing more of those ASP pistols like the one I keep hidden on me. Its old tech but I haven't found anything better as far as concealed firearms go. I'm sure we could find a way to improve upon the design too.

Hi Gang

The kids had stopped comin' long afore Pa and the others came back. Heck, most of 'em had already came and gone afore Pa and the others even left me alone here ta hand out tha candy.

"Nice costume, what are ya supposed ta be, Amish?" I'd heard that a few times from tha kids . . . I don't know why they thought I was wearin' a costume.

Mr. Fluffers was curled up on my lap when I heard the secret knock. Ya can always trust a cat ta make ya feel special when you feel like you're not wanted.

I got up, grabbed the shotgun and checked tha peep-hole, Pa, Eilonwy and Willie. "Whiskey!" I shouted through the door.

"Lima!" Pa and Eilonwy replied automatically.

Willie just shook his head. "You can't even let your own daughter let you into your own house without a password."

I worked the inside locks while Pa opened the locks on his side. "How did it go? Everyone alright?"

"Yeah, the blood is all theirs." Pa handed me his coat. "We're going to that Asylum to put an end to Windner, you and Eilonwy will stay here to let everyone else know if we don't come back."

I wasn't gonna let Wie even have the chance ta interject. I stepped on her toe just as she was opening her mouth. "I ain't stayin' here waitin' ta find out if my Pa is dead. I'm gonna go with y'all."

"No, you're not going. This is going to be dangerous. Willie and I have to be fully loaded and ready to move quickly. If I'm busy worrying about you or Eilonwy, I can't focus on doing what I need to do."

Willie stepped in, too. "Your father's right that you aren't ready for these fights yet. They're bad and messy and you know how crazy your father would get if you got hurt. Besides, it's very important that the Society knows what's going on. We need you to stay here and make sure they do.

"However, I think he's wrong about Loni." He turned to Pa. "She ain't an operator like us, jack, but she can get places and do things. She protected both of us from the witch's demon and split a vampire with us, after all. Lord knows what kind of freaky crap Windner has waiting for us. I'd rather not go in blind."

I didn't pay no attention ta them arguin' about Wie. Willie and Wie leaned on Pa ta allow her, finally he agreed and I got told ta stay at home and be ready ta tell the world that Pa was dead . . . like I wouldn't have other things on my mind at the time.

I helped them get ready fer their little outin'. I fetched stuff from the armory, passin' 'em stun grenades and clips and body armour and the other stuff they asked fer. I downloaded the latest Google earth satellite photo of the site so they could see what the place looked like (our printer can do raised printing, so Eilonwy can feel the pictures). I made 'em a lunch ta pack along with them on their trip.

Finally, when they were almost ready, I told them that I was tired and was gonna go ta bed. I wished them luck and headed upstairs ta my room.

Hannah

PS: I hated lyin' like that, but I had ta take care of business before they left.

Hannah!?! What did you do?

I did my best ta help 'em all out.

You endangered yourself and endangered us all by your stunt little missy. What happened is the exact reason why I don't let you come out with me.

PS: I think I am grounded until Christmas . . . 2017

If you're good.

PPS: Pa will explain why.

Yes I will but first I need to have another talk with my daughter about not posting about our personal lives onlline.

Willie and I argued a fair bit about Eilonwy. We were going into a combat heavy situation and while I was impressed by what she had been able to do at the nightclub, things were probably going to be a lot hairier when we got to where Windner was holed up.

Willie is every bit as stubborn as me, one of the best and worst parts about working with him. He held his ground on this until it was getting almost too late to hit the road to the Asylum.

“Fine, she can come, but you’re the one who’s responsible if anything happens to her.”

“Yo, that’s fine with me.”

With Hannah’s help we were able to get ready in time. As we piled into the car I told Mr. Fluffers to stay behind and watch Hannah for me. He gave his affirmative meow and puffed up a bit, proud of himself.

I really think that cat knows more than most people.

We set out on the long drive out to the Asylum. I called my contact in highway patrol to give me a heads up on where and when I’d have to obey the limits and put the hammer down.

...

We’d been on the road about 30 minutes or so when Willie flipped on the radio and began fiddling with the dial. “Surely you got some good stuff in range here . . . ahh, now that’s what I’m talkin’ ‘bout.”

After about two minutes of listening to a four-part harmony about what they were going to do to their girl friend tonight I reached over and turned off the radio. “What’s tha matter Ron, y’ain’t gots no appreciation for great R&B?”

“Let’s just say I’m not in the mood.”

Eilonwy piped up from the back seat “Ron isn’t much into music Sifu; I’ve lived with him about four months now and never heard him turn on the radio.”

Willie looked over at me. “After we’re done this, I’m gonna get you a sound system and some real music and teach you how to get your groove on.”

I let him go on about what he thought were the greatest acts of all time, I hadn’t heard of any of them, but he wasn’t in the mood to stop.

….

“Hello Mr. Fluffers, when did you stow away?”

I almost slammed on the breaks when Eilonwy said that.

In all the years I worked with him, I never knew him to not stay with someone he’d been told to take care of. But a meow from the back seat told me he’d done just that.

“I guess you really can’t trust a cat to do as he’s told.”

He hissed back at me.

“Now don’t you be getting offended at me, I’m the one who told you to stay home and take care of Hannah.”

I was aware that Willie was staring at me . . . Eilonwy was used to the back and forths Mr. Fluffers and I have, but Willie . . . I decided to drop it. “Willie, next to your seat is the harness Mr. Fluffers wears in the car; can you pass it back to Eilonwy so she can buckle him in?”

Willie gave his head a little shake and began to fish beside is seat for the harness. I could tell he was wondering if I’d been let out of the asylum little too early.

Sometimes I think I was.

…

The smell of the fire was still heavy in the air when we pulled up next to the ruined structure.

As I popped the trunk for Willie to get our gear, I thought about all the emotions that had run through me the night I snuck back in here . . . they weren’t there now. Apparently burning this place down had removed its hold on me.

“Yo Ron” Willie’s voice snapped me back to the present. “We got a Plan B, don’t we?”

I got out of the car and went around back to grab my gear. “Whatcha talking ‘bout Willie?”

Hannah gave me a sheepish grin from the trunk. “Hi Pa. . . nice night for a ride, isn’t it?”

. . .

I ain’t particularly proud of the next few minutes . . . in my defense, I try so hard to keep her safe and protected. The thought of her going into a place where a mad necromancer is plotting the end of the world sends icy tendrils creeping up my spine.

Lately she’s been difficult, and I know that there will be times like that, but she’s never directly defied me before.

But this was too far, way too far.

I lost my temper.

I hauled her out of the trunk and stood her up in front of me. I started telling her how idiotic, dangerous and disrespectful she had been. Soon I picked up steam and was letting her have it drill sergeant style.

“Ron.” Eilonwy gently tried to interrupt, but I ignored her and moved on to the next page of the Riot Act.

Willie put his mammoth hand on my shoulder and spun me around to face him. “CHILL” He locked eyes with me for a while. “She’s here now and we have a job to do, so let’s keep her with us and get things done. You can lock her in her room for life later.”

“Bring her with? You seriously expect me to take my 14 year old daughter down there?”

Willie ran his hand across his face. "Look, whoever Windner has got down there with him probably won't use guns. Between the three of us we should be able to keep them off her."

“Three, oh no, Hannah is going to stay here in the car with Eilonwy, that way you and I can do the job we set out to do without being slowed up any.”

“We already agreed on this, Loni’s coming with us man.”

“That was before Hannah invited herself along.”

“Well let’s ask her what she thinks, Loni?”

Silence.

“Eilonwy?” Willie and I looked around for a few moments.

“Now that’s just great. You see what happens when people who don’t belong on these sorts of operations tag along?” Willie just gave a defeated sigh.

“Well young lady, you get to go with us.” Hannah beamed a huge smile. “Your going to carry the medical kit Eilonwy was going to carry for us, and when we get down there, you are going to find the first good hiding place and stay put until we say otherwise. Do you understand me?”

“Yes sir.” She was still smiling. She wanted to be a part of this too much. I’d seen people who were eager like that before.

They usually ended up dead.

(This...is probably the most appropriate place to finish my story... If you don't know why I'm posting in this thread...then before reading my post...check out this thread...)

I realized as I watched where Gabe was taking us...that my energy was being slowly drained away... I...didn't know if Gabe was doing that intentionally...or if that was an unhappy side effect of my mode of transportation...

I was aware at one point...as we flew rather rapidly over the ground...of a fight taking place... It...it looked like the Legacy folks...fighting against Malakai and...and Windner's animated corpse... The corpse...still had the hole through the neck that I gave him last year... The Legacy girls...weren't doing too well... Gabe...as he flew past...hit Malakai with...with something, I couldn't see what... We were moving too fast...and the battle wasn't our destination...though it was close.

There was some kind of crystal set to draw energy... A copper wire ran from that crystal...through some kind of portal...no bigger than a fist. Gabe squeezed through it... Apparently, Malakai and Windner were guarding this... When I asked Gabe what was going on...he told me I didn't want to know...

We were still on Earth, on the other side...just...somewhere else. The copper wire ran from the crystal on the Chicagoland side of the portal to...to a second crystal, on this side. There were five stone pillars, with arcane symbols carved into them...but this wasn't our destination, either...

We flew over the ground some more... Gabe...used some kind of energy to fuel some kinds of abilities... I couldn't tell...what, exactly they were, at first...but as we neared our destination, I figured them out... They rendered us completely undetectable by any senses...except for those he wanted to detect us...

We came up to the wreckage of a building... There were some people standing around outside... As we came closer, I recognized Ron, Willie, Hannah, and Eilonwy... Of course, none of them could see us as we came right up to their little group... Ron was...Ron was really upset, something about Hannah...

Gabe...Gabe opened up just a bit, to Eilonwy... He let her know he was there...and said that if she still trusted him, to step away from the others... She...she responded by doing that... She silently stepped back... Gabe flowed over her, and drew her down into his own subconscious mind...where we could no longer tell what she was doing...

Then...Gabe entered the burnt-out husk of that building, and went down an incredibly long flight of stairs...

This...has taken a while to type out... I'll...I'll post some more later today...

Ron was still pissed when we lost sight of them... I was aware that the staircase was at least 7 or 8 stories long, but Gabe just rode the darkness down...and we were at the bottom in no time...

There was a man there...amidst the rather complicated-looking pieces of a rather big ritual...

"I've done as you asked, Master Windner..."

"The French idiot failed us..."

"I figured as much. We have guests."

"I am aware... We don't have much time. Give him to me..."

It was then that I experienced something rather akin to being spat out... I landed on the ground, looking up at Windner-who-wasn't-Windner... I tried to get up, but found myself too weak... Too much of my energy had been drained on the trip... I tried to grab any of my magical tools...but found they were gone. Windner watched me, not amused, not gloating, just waiting...

He got what he was waiting for.

My energy left me, and I passed out without a fight...

...

I jerked awake not too terribly long after that... Despite the darkness of the room, I could see clearly... I tried to move my arms, but found that I had none... I tried to sit up, and found I had no body to sit up with... For a moment, I panicked, fearing I had died... Certainly, there was my body lying motionless on a table, bound down to it, and there was Windner in the middle of the rite's trappings...

I realized I was seeing out of a large glass jar, with runes etched on it... Windner-who-wasn't-Windner smirked, standing up and moving towards my body, a knife in hand...

That was when Ron and Willie came down the stairs... I tried to shout, to warn them, but I had no lungs, no vocal cords... It was...infuriating and terrifying at the same time... I was left to watch helplessly from my jar as the next events unfolded...

We picked our way through the rubble carefully enough. Hannah, as eager as she was, remembered her drills from back in the compound. She stayed low and out of sight, moved only when we signaled it was clear and then moved as swift and silently as she could.

There were a few points when the rubble threatened to shift or give way under us, but we managed to find the top of the stone stair case without incident.

It had been cleared. Someone definitely was using this place.

With the same care we worked our way downwards, the goggles I’d brought for Willie and myself allowing us to see the steps. Hannah, who wasn’t expected on this trip, had to feel her way along silently in the dark. A flashlight would have given away our approach.

We finally reached the landing and I guided Hannah to a concealed position in the alcove. I put my lips against her ear. “If things go wrong, get up those stairs as fast as you can.”

Nod.

I pointed at Mr. Fluffers then pointed at Hannah, he seemed to understand too.

I moved back up to where Willie was crouched by the cavern entrance. There was some flickering light coming from the cavern, so we deactivated the goggles and readied our weapons.

Willie, being the faster and quieter of the two of us dashed across to the opposite side of the cavern opening while I peered around the corner for cover.

A circle of lit candles filled the cavern with dancing shadows. It looks like the altar had been put back into use again. A man in robes was murmuring over a number of implements and a jar filled with a writhing inky blackness at one end of the altar. At the other end, a body lay, barely moving.

It was Josh.

I signaled Willie’s attention and mouthed and signaled to him. “1 Tango. Josh is on the altar, go in 3.”

He gave me a thumbs up.

1 . . .

I eased the safety off on my shotgun.

2 . . .

Shifted my weight to be ready to go.

3 . . .

Willie and I rose and swung around the corner – weapons high.

The taclight on Willie’s UMP light up the man in the robes – the knife in his hand glinting malevolently. His other hand, raised to block the harsh light in his eyes hid his face from us. Strange tattoos covered his skin.

“Drop that knife Mutha!” Willie bellowed at the startled cultist.

The dark druid took a step towards Josh’s body on the altar. “You can’t stop this.”

“We will shoot you, don’t be stupid.” I hate holding a gun on a human.

The robed figure took another step.

“DROP IT NOW!” Willie roared.

He didn’t get halfway through his next step before a volley of buckshot staggered him and a burst of submachine-gun fire dropped him.

“Reload.” Willie said in his best Uwe Boll and swapped out the empty 30 round magazine.

“You like to be sure.” I slid a spare cartridge into the magazine.

“It gets me home come morning.”

Willie and I moved into the cavern cautiously, clinging to the nearly omnipresent shadows until we were sure we were alone with Josh.

“Little anti-climactic.”

“I’ll take ‘em easy when I can get ‘em . . . cover.” I moved over to the corpse lying next to the altar . . . the knife was still gripped tightly in its hands. I shone my taclight down at the tattooed face.

Close but no cigar. “Not Windner.”

“Damn . . . well let’s get Josh outta here. What do you suppose is in the Jar?”

“Probably something we shouldn’t mess with, once Josh is conscious, we’ll ask him.”

I looked around again, to be sure. Nothing but the sound of my hard breathing.

But I wasn’t breathing hard.

I don’t know if I saw the movement before or after I ducked, but a long clawed arm emerged from the shadows and swung through were my head had been just moments before.

I spun my weapon around towards the source of the movement, my taclight momentarily shining on a shape within the shadows.

By the time I pulled the trigger it was gone.

“What the hell Ron?” Willie was on alert, weapon ready.

“Something in the shadows.” I panned my shotgun and the taclight back and forth.

“Where?” Willie started scanning too.

I saw something dash through one of the small slivers of feeble light the candles were shedding.

“There!” I swiveled my gun and let loose another buckshot – hitting only rock.

There was a crash and Willie grunted, his submachine-gun skittering across the floor to my feet – a claw mark across the barrel and the taclight.

“Where is it?”

“I don’t know, just came outta nowhere!”

I pulled down my goggles and flipped them on. They flared for a moment because of the light of my taclight, but soon settled in . . . everything in the room was crystal clear . . .

Still no sign of our attacker.

“Ron! Behind you!”

Ron Caliburn wrote:“Damn . . . well let’s get Josh outta here. What do you suppose is in the Jar?”

“Probably something we shouldn’t mess with, once Josh is conscious, we’ll ask him.”

When I heard you guys say that...I couldn't even think straight... I had no heart, and I still felt it fall through the floor...

It wasn't easy watching you guys fight, and not being able to do anything about it...

I'm still kinda surprised I figured out how to make sound when I did...

This...this is still all very hard to intentionally recall... It's...it's like intentionally recalling your worst nightmare...the one where you lose everything you've ever cared about...

Even before Willie shouted out his warning, my body began to stir from where it was tied down... My eyes opened, and looked around, confused at first... My mouth opened to speak...and that was when Windner-Who-Wasn't-Windner sprang into action, from where he lay dead on the floor...

It was strange...watching Windner, inside that corpse...raise that knife, seeming to move impossibly fast... I saw "my" eyes flash red for a moment... I heard Gabriel shout from my lips as I watched, detached, in the third person, the knife plunged into "my" chest... I was in shock. I barely realized at the time that Willie's warning almost drowned out Gabriel's cries... I saw Ron unload a bunch of shotgun shells into Windner... It looked like it was having an effect right then...

Then chaos erupted... I watched helplessly from inside the jar as Khavik and Ei appeared...

I also watched Windner slip, unnoticed, away from the fray, preparing some kind of spell, and watching for his opportunity...

I also noticed when my body twitched, and the chains binding it to the table seemed to slither away from it... I saw my "corpse", knife still in its chest, slip off the table, and crawl to me...

"Stay calm, Josh... I'll have everything under control in a minute... I just need to retrieve what's mine."

It was...bizarre, hearing Gabe's voice coming from my lips, let alone seeing my body from the outside...

He reached inside the jar, and stuck his hands into the blackness that was me... I...I could feel his hands, feeling around inside the amorphous blob of energy that I had become...but...at the same time, I didn't. I couldn't feel anything at all.

...In...in retrospect, I remember...something I didn't think of much at the time... He flinched when Khavik called Ei "Ron's woman"... His eyes twitched when Khavik talked about taking their children... At the time...I had thought those to be reactions from the pain from the knife in his chest... Maybe they were; we can't ask him, now... It was obvious to me he was in pain, but fighting his damnedest to ignore it...

Finally, he withdrew a pair of handguns, intricate runes carved down the barrels, and several clips for each... As he slipped a clip into each, he growled, his face--MY face--contorted in pain and rage. "First the cockfucking bloodsucker, then--"

“Hannah, get the fuck out of here, NOW!”

Gabe spun, and immediately cried out in pain, grabbing at the knife in his chest... It was bleeding a little harder now. Some distance away, I saw Windner holding Hannah, grinning sadistically. "Don't worry, Caliburn, I don't intend to hurt her... Just take her to a mutual friend."

I don't know who lost it first... Both Ron and Gabe were shouting, and I couldn't make out what either were saying, but I could tell that Gabe was being incredibly obscene... He stepped forward, between me and Windner...

I...I saw shadows flowing around him... I didn't immediately realize what they were, or what they were doing... I didn't realize that at that point, he was already too weak from blood loss to hold himself up, let alone aim or shoot a gun...

He...he planted himself between me and Windner... I saw...I saw Windner holding up Hannah, using her as a shield... There was no way either he or Ron could get off a clear shot...

I saw Willie drop the Shadow Beast...

I saw Windner backing towards the stairs... You couldn't even tell Ron had shot the shit out of him already...

...I'm sorry. Ron, I still don't blame you for what happened next... Any of us would've done the same thing... It's...it's still hard to think about, though...

Gabriel raised the guns, his arms supported by the shadows... "STOOOOOOOOOOOO--" His scream was cut off as he started firing...

Ron saw this... He saw his daughter in the path of the bullets...

Gods... The bullets... They burned with the light of the sun... Gabe...Gabe used his body and the shadows around him to shield me from the light as much as he could...and gods...it still HURT...

Ron threw himself in the path of the bullets, screaming for Gabe to stop, in a near-blind panic... He didn't... I...I couldn't see very well what was happening... I could see that with each shot, the shadows holding Gabe upright were slowly fading out...

Ron opened fire then, on Gabe... His blood--MY blood--spattered the jar I was in, obscuring my vision even further... I heard both of them empty their clips, squeezing their triggers until only clicks and darkness filled the air...

The shadows holding Gabe up gave out, and he toppled back against my jar... "I'm...sorry..." were his last words, to me or anyone else...

I couldn't see anything... I had just watched two people I cared about kill each other... Unhindered by a throat that could go raw...or lungs that could run out of breath...I screamed.

I...I don't even know when I stopped screaming...

Ron, if you shot up Gabe in Josh's body.... is Josh dead?

Yes...and no... I'm...I'm still in Gabe's..."body"...which means I have to avoid light... I'm still getting used to things like this... I...I don't know how Gabe did it.

But...this story still isn't finished, and I get the feeling there was more that...that we still haven't all figured out, yet...

I still have that miracle pendant from when we saved the world. I think we could use it to get things straightened out in one shot.

GhostSpider wrote:Damn, compared to you guys, me and Michael had nothing more than a walk in the park. Course, all we had to face were just a horde of ghouls, some vampires and Windner. Not to mention the surprise edge the mask gave me, and the fact Michael is a tough SOB.

KT, you're welcome to my library. Maybe it contains something that can help you. Anyway, I need someone to look after it, as I'm going on a little trip soon.

Wait, you fought Windner? Windner was at our location. I shoved my fucking sword through the hole in his damn neck. I watched his head melt as I placed a incendiary grenade in his damn mouth.

Gee, Windner got further soul-editing techniques from one of us, and is already known as being an accomplished necromancer and evil mage. Any chance he got a couple of powerfull cultists to take his place, altering their aura and appearance to look like him?

... Guys, honestly, am I the only one who knew that I couldn't realy be fighting Windner? He wouldn't have let himself be caught that easily by me...

AdamaGeist wrote:Gee, Windner got further soul-editing techniques from one of us, and is already known as being an accomplished necromancer and evil mage. Any chance he got a couple of powerfull cultists to take his place, altering their aura and appearance to look like him?

... Guys, honestly, am I the only one who knew that I couldn't realy be fighting Windner? He wouldn't have let himself be caught that easily by me...

Do you always act like an egotistical ass-clown?

Most importantly, WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE GONNA DO ABOUT KT!? We need to get him back into his own body, assuming it still exists, and take steps so that he won't die immediately upon re-entry.

We need to get him back into his own body, assuming it still exists, and take steps so that he won't die immediately upon re-entry.

Well, if someone can find the body, and somehow reverse the damage it sustained I might be able to put his soul back. Its very dangerous though, and I really would prefer if another way could be found.

Gee, Windner got further soul-editing techniques from one of us,

Sorry.

Wait, you fought Windner? Windner was at our location. I shoved my fucking sword through the hole in his damn neck. I watched his head melt as I placed a incendiary grenade in his damn mouth.

And I tore his soul to shreds. Who says either one of us actually killed him?

Ok, where did the battle take place exactly?
Who took KT's body after it was over? Willie? Eilonwy? Caliburn? If you say "No One" I'm kicking your asses.