Summary:A disturbance in the force, a portal on a Pier and an appearance of a Dark Lord. It's a normal Sunday morning, right? Log Info:Storyteller: None |
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The forces that affect all things mystical and magical have been unsettled for days now. Those who watch the news and social media might have written it off as all the weird and wacky happenings.
Those who can talk to spirits might well be waiting for the other shoe to drop. For others, mystical devices have been activating and pointing everyone to here, at this time. Pier 57 Hudson River Park.
Well, Pier 57, the street and the park near there.
On the street end of the Pier a portal is yawning, not bright and shiny but cold and dark. Currently it's about five feet tall and three feet wide and growing bigger. To the left is a woman with long hair in multiple braids, her face a mess of tattooes.
By her side are two others. One wielding what looks like a metal quarter staff, the other seems almost normal in comparison - or would do, except for the six feet tall, mishapen, three toed, three fingered creatures spilling of the portal.
These creatures have domed heads and singular red eye. Whatever they are, they aren't nice.
Distortions in magic fields irritate Fjorskar, much like the smell of human intrusion in the wilderness. They put her on edge and make her irritable, inevitably driving her out of the subterranean tunnels of Monster Metropolis to seek them out.
She finds herself at the pier once again, where the best erupted from the water and the one who drinks too much has a den. And now, this. She keeps to the shadows, trying to get as close as she can without detection.
Adam follows Fjorskar in. He often follows her when she's like this, so he can fight by her side, or mitigate the damage she does, or both. He's surprisingly undetectable for an enormous and famous monster, in his total-coverage grey wool cloak. They come across the portal and its…guardians? creators? and the golems spilling out of it. This looks bad.
Illyana Rasputina was meeting up with Kitty at a cafe not too far away when the distortions in the magic field got her attention. Deciding that a) this was something that needed looking into and b) was likely to be more interesting than hearing about the make-up/out session with HER BROTHER, Illyana teleported the pair of them over to the area.
The blonde and her old roomie show up on the roof of one of the buildings over looking the street. Illyana has one foot on the parapet wall's coping, folding her arms over her knee. "Well. This looks bad." She observes, tone casual even as she's taking in the players and layout of the situation.
Noh-Varr doesn't know anything about magic nor does he talk to spirits. Nor has he been hanging out with anyone who does. He does though like to drink and have a good time so he's at a nearby bar when he hears a scream from an innocent bystander who finds hulking, misshapen, cyclopean brutes rather threatening. Downing the last of his beer, he heads outside then flies the couple of blocks to the pier, leaving a trail of glowing sparkles behind him. He lands about on the pier about twenty feet from the portal. It's not a superhero landing but a light, graceful touchdown. "Dark portal to some hellish world. Check. Alien monsters coming out of it. Check. Unfriendly looking people seemingly responsible? Check. Good thing I was nearby. You can surrender now." he calls.
Constantine has spent more of his bloody time around the waterfront. Why do these things happen during hangover hour? John can't begin to explain it. Still, between the inter-dimensional squid and missing magi? The Saint of LAst Resorts has been keeping a bitter vigil. Long, scarred fingers ash the cigarette he pulls from his lips. He looks to those he recognizes and points, end of the cigarette glowing orange out there, "I'm going on the record to remind this isn't my fault."
Christopher Powell had been out in the park not far from the pier when things suddenly got very, very strange. And so it's the Darkhawk that circles overhead, getting an overview of the portal and those things pouring out of it, and which way they seem to be going as the others gather around him.
Kitty Pryde is sitting in the cafe, having gotten her favorite sandwich. It's the spicy chipotle mayo that makes it, the other fixings could be just about anything. She's just opened her mouth to take her first bite when Illyana gets that alarmed look, and the familiar sight of a teleportal disc begins to open around them. "Argh, no, not-" Kitty gets out before cafe and sandwich are both gone.
Kitty lets out a forlorn sigh at the loss of the sandwich, but then gets serious as she knows something must be afoot. Kitty looks about at their surroundings, whilst Illyana magics Kitty up her costume. Kitty adjusts her mask and moves over to join Illyana then at the roof's edge. "Not friends of yours then?" Kitty confirms to the blond sorceress. She adjusts her gloves on her hands and says, "I'll follow your lead."
Illyana isn't wrong, it does look bad. Those creatures are spilling through the opening like nothing else and their spilling down the street and into the park. The park and the street where people are. Normal people, going about their Sunday business.
For those with the senses, that portal pings at them. It's cold and it's dark. For some, it's almost like home. *Almost* though the flavour is slightly different.
"Hold the street." The woman with the braids commands the creatures, who seem inclined to obey her. They spread out down the street, knocking people left and right. It's the panic they cause that's more the problem at the moment.
There's a cry of an eagle just above Darkhawk. A glowing eagle that drops from the sky in dive, attacking the man as he circles. "We have guests…" the plainest of the three by the portal comments.
"So we do…" the one with the quarterstaff, twirls his weapon and advances on Noh-Varr. "It is none of your business. Be gone."
Adam and Fjorskar, Kitty and Illyana, for the moment, remain unseen. How long that is, remains to be seen.
Fjorskar flattens her ears at John in an unvoiced, 'sure it's not'. She keeps her eyes on the one casting the portal. "We must close the rift," she snarls to Adam, target clearly chosen, and begins to stalk towards the woman with the braids, attempting to get in as close as she can.
"Go. I'll hold the…" Adam's not sure what to call the lumpen creatures. "The golems," he finishes. Ugh. Sensitive topic.
He launches into motion sudden as a trebuchet releasing. Racing to the creatures, he goes in fist-first, aiming to just shatter the head of the one that looks the meanest. He's politely announcing his intentions: he is here to ruin their day.
Darkhawk spins in the air as the golden glowing eagle comes out of the sky at him, and turns to face it talon-a-talon. His movement in the air is acrobatic and quick, spinning to avoid the dive and coming right back at the bird, intent on grappling it mid-air.
Illyana Rasputina worries her lower lip a bit as she watches people start to show up that are presumably also looking to oppose the sudden invasion. "The portal needs closed, to stop the flood, but I'm not gonna be able to get close to it until we thin the herd a bit." The blonde looks over to Kitty. "Can you work on taking down the folks calling the shots? If you can clear me a space I can try to deal with it. Looks like you've already got a distraction." She notes of Noh-Varr. "I'll probably have the easiest time containing the minions. They look like magical constructs." Which means they should be vulnerable to her Soulstaff.
Another stepping disk moves Illyana and Kitty down to the street level, the Soulstaff in the blonde's hand. She starts to spin it like a quarterstaff, striking out at the nearest creature and then slamming the base of her staff down into the ground, causing magical glyphs to crawl outwards from it. And then Illyana is teleporting away to attack another group, leaving Kitty alone.
Constantine eyes up the room; Illyana, right. People who know her. Check. Adam and the Bird: Mental note, makes prime time detective comedy reference later. Good, let's live that long to do so. The note on the rift, though? "Agreed. For now, let's focus on keeping the things away from the people or somehow we'll get sued for collateral damages, yeah?" Hand fishes out his lighter with his eye on the rift, but also the people. The sleeves get shoved up as he looks for a way around the bloody conflict and heads over.
There's a brief flash of light from inside the sleeves of Noh-Varr's jacket and where before he was wearing civvies, he's now wearing his green and white, Kree uniform. Not that they're likely to recognize it. "You're not from space are you? Technically, my jurisdiction is space but I figure portals disgorging non-Terran creatures counts. Also, wrong. This planet is under my protection." His battle gauntlet flows downward into his hand, taking the shape of a long sword. "All right, let's play."
Kitty's mask settled in place, making her Shadowcat now, she looks down at the danger while listening to Illyana. "Alright, will go after them," Shadowcat agrees as Magik moves her down to the street.
As one of the demonic figures tries to run past her at a civilian, Shadowcat grabs hold of it to sink them both into the ground. Though the demon will only sink in to its waist before being let go return to a tangible state. Shadowcat disappears underground fully and begins running through the concrete, out of sight as she heads forward. Gauging the distance as she travels towards to the trio near the portal to get herself into position for a later ambush.
Fjorskars approach does not go unnoticed, the woman with the braids turning towards to her. "This city …" she murmurs to her companions. "I must hold this portal for our Lord. Deal with them…"
The normal looking man rolls his sleeves up and touches one of the creatures that are inked on his skin. "Come forth and fight …" he intones. Within seconds, Fjoskar and Adam are faced with an enormous glowing Hippogriff. Not straight out of Harry Potter, mind. Out of mythology, the thing would be nearly as big as the building they are near. It roars and leaps towards the demonness, cruel claws striking out at her throat.
"Play?" the quarter staff wielder closes on Noh-Varr, bringing the weapon around, first at his feet to sweep them away. Should the attack connect, Noh-Varr soon learns that the metal isn't normal, it's so much more solid than it seems.
As the glyphys flow out from Illyana's staff, the creatures that it surrounds are trapped. Kitty is doing an admirable job of phasing these things into the ground.
The 'herd', as Illyana put it, is starting to thin.
Constantine won't have to wonder for long what to do. The woman with the braids cries out - in a language he and Illyana, at the very least, might recognise. Send your faithful your blessings, Lord Plokta. Ohhhh, that's a name that should be familiar to a few.
It seems the prayer is answered as a figure emerges from the portal beside her. Tall, gaunt, wearing a red cape and oozing dark energy. His eyes fix on Illyana and that staff. "You need to stop that, Queen of Limbo." She can feel the waves of magic directed at her. Constantine can too. They need to stop him - he is powerful.
Darkhawk dodges the eagle, rending it with his talons and causing dark ichor to flow. This isn't your usual eagle. Not only is it much larger, that's not blood.
A green haze rolls from the portal, upward, over Chris. And his mind starts to cloud, assaulted by memories he simply doesn't have. His father the superhero he thought he was, not the crooked cop he truly was.
Fjorskar snarls, darting clear of the swipe from the hippogriff and charging at the man with the tattooes in a burst of spirit-born speed, horns forward and coming at him full force. Theoretically he can't hold his spirit-creature so well if his bones are broken.
Adam would much rather fight a magical monster than these poor mindless things, truth be told. Crushing them is a little too much like destroying his own HYDRA-created clones. He flings the one he's holding at the hippogryph—it goes sailing in a graceful parabola, thick arms and legs flailing. "Come!" he roars at the hippogryph, opening his long, long arms as if to embrace it like a brother. "Test your mettle against the Monster!" He springs for it, teeth bared with a certain delight.
Christopher Powell drives the eagle downward, trying to bright it to the ground, undaunted by the black ichor that oozes from its body. The rush of the fight, careening through the air and grappling with the bird is something his dad would have been proud of. Like father, like son, fighting crime, keeping New York safe. Wait, what? He shakes his head a little, confused by the sudden onslaught of good memories of his father. It's distracting enough that he loses grip on the bird and has to break free and regroup, trying to fly free of that weird green haze.
Hard to sweep someone's feet out from under him when he doesn't actually need to stay on the ground. Noh-Varr flies up enough to avoid the staff and brings his sword down toward the staff wielder's head. But the attack with the sword is just a distraction, easily blocked or swept aside; the real attack is from the Nega-Band on his left wrist, blasting energy at the man at point blank range.
Illyana Rasputina flashes in and out in a radius around the portal, pausing only only enough to disrupt the minions with her staff or drive them back as she drives down her staff and continues building the magical containment circle. She moves in a counter-clockwise direction, putting it together piece by piece.
The blonde sorceress is nearly finished when the red caped being exits the portal, calling her out. Her eyes narrow, flaring white at the magical energies directed her way and then she slams down her staff again, completing the circle. The circle and glyphs flare, burning with eldritch fire and power that runs 'round and 'round the intricate circle and trapping the magical creatures inside. "You need to learn I don't take orders well."
Constantine catches the words Lord Plotka and it just causes his eyes to roll skyward as the demon be-cursed sorcerer sighs. "Christ on a- Great." The zippo pops and the flame jumps from it to his hand, and after he pockets the zippo, back to the first in a arc of orange light. The dry wit coming back to him as he falls into familiar form: Screwed and on the short end of resources. "Sorry, mate. Fraid you need a permit to park a portal here." He ignores the shadow men marching and starts to configure his hands into familiar patters working on making this advent memorable for the visitors for all the wrong reasons. The tattoos on his arms brighten in an orange-yellow glow. Hands flare and hurl a blast of hellflame comes hurling at the Lord Plotka one-two as he tries to get his attention so that Illyana can work on the containment with, hopefully, less interference.
Shadowcat continues forward through the concrete, a good judge of distance from years of experience moving through the ground like this. She peeks up once she estimates she's well behind the trio, in time to hear the braided woman summoning something that seems quite big and bad. Shadowcat focuses on the braided woman as the X-man rises up out of the ground silent as a ghost and darts forward a few steps for added momentum. Shadowcat intends to slam her hands together on both sides of the neck of the braided woman in a ninjutsu strike, hoping to stun her before Shadowcat is noticed.
Come Darkhawk, join me… a voice whispers in Christopers mind. All your heart desires can be yours. Ally with me … It beckons and cajoles, tempting the youth to enter the portal. It's so very, very tempting.
A breeze blows dispersing the mist just as Darkhawks wings beat down. In time to hear the eagle shriek again and dive at him. The bird is wounded - it shouldn't take too much more.
The tattooed mans eyes widen as the demonness launches herself at him. He tries to dodge but he's not as agile as the staff wielder and is knocked flying. CRUNCH that sounds like ribs. Strangely, the construct doesn't falter. The tattoo wielder though, drags himself towards the portal, trying to reach it before his number is up.
Well, it doesn't it falter until Adam gives it a big friendly hug. It bites down, hard on Adams shoulder as it tail flails, trying knock to Fjorskar over. They need to contain this thing.
Stangely, the glowing Hippogriff feels very familiar to the demonness. She's seen something like this recently.
"Queen of Limbo, you will bow to my Lord Plokta. You all will." The redcaped figure laughs at Illyana's words. His pale eyes fixing on Constatine. This isn't Plokta but he's powerful and his power is all dark. The gout of hellflame takes the caped figure in the chest, knocking back a step or two. "Puny mortal. Feel the power of Darque!" and directs an attack at the two mages - it tugs at their very lifeforce, trying to drain them.
Noh-varrs attack knocks the staff wielder back but he tumbles and rises to his feet. With lightning quick reflexes, two throwing stars are tossed in his direction before the tattooed man tumbles again. Back towards the portal.
The containment circle works. Several of the one-eyed creatures are trapped. They shuffle around, looking confused before the braided woman directs to 'get back'. She's stunned by Shadowcats attack and staggers, trying to throw herself to that portal. She's looking to make an exit as well.
Fjorskar skids to a halt and growls, leaves the tattooed man to his escape. The hipogriff is the new problem. She wheels around to join Adam, darting clear of the tail and launching at one of its legs, biting and tearing at it.
Adam grunts, struggling against the magical creature. The enormous beak shears into the meat of his shoulder, cutting deep. His left arm loses its strength as the muscle and tendon are shredded. Adam wrenches the thing's beak out of his shoulder with one hand clamped to the back of its skull—then smashes it head-first into a wall of the alley. Then he does that a few more times.
The thing about being of two minds, however, is that Razor has no interest in that portal, and he's as much a part of Chris' mind right now as Chris is. Which is probably a good thing, and convenient when that breeze blows the green haze away from him, unclouding his mind. Just in time, too, because that eagle is coming to bear again and the two tangle in a spiral of wings and talons, and black ichor, until they finally come crashing to the ground, the eagle no longer moving, and Darkhawk peeling himself upright, only to survey the battlefield and take stock of what targets remain.
——
Really? Thrown projectiles? Noh-Varr just slips to the side even as they leave the man's fingers. Letting him run toward the portal, the Kree sends a steady barrage of energy blasts at the others who are near it and not expecting to be attacked by him.
"Yeah, I don't think so." Illyana replies to Darque, turning towards him and slowly walking forward. Her steps stagger as the pale-eyed figure's power rolls out. Her lips pull back, bearing her teeth as she feels her life force being drawn upon.
A stepping disk appears at her feet, whisking her away. Making her safe from Darque's power and leaving poor Constantine as its only target. At least for a moment. Another disk flares open behind the portal and Illyana spins her staff before driving the open-bladed top into the portal to try to disrupt it.
Constantine grits his teeth as the Darque reaches out to try to latch onto the demon-blooded wizard and the Queen of Limbo. This is either going to go splendidly poor or fantastically well. Right then, keep his attention, Johnny. We done this before. His teeth ground down and his hands work his will starting a counter spell. The glyphs down his arm react to the Darque trying to pull his essence from him making the runes flare purple and back to orange as the battle of wills takes place. Sweat breaking out on his brow, and skin looking a bit raw, he puts another shield out that will last only long enough to buy him a moment, but start working on something, he hopes, will counter the channeling of this. "Sorry, mate, I try not to feel anyone's Darque on the first date. Not at least… without… buying me a pint first."
The good thing about the magical containment circle? It keeps the minions from the civilians. The bad thing about it? Those stuck inside look for someone else to fight.
As Shadowcat moves to go after the braided woman and stop the escape, a minion lashes out at her. Shadowcat ducks the blow and kicks the creature in what would be the stomach for a normal person, hoping to wind it.
The X-man immediately turns back towards the braided woman, diving to try to catch her quarry before the magic-wielder can get to the portal. If Shadowcat gets a hold on the woman, both end up phased. Hard to move forward when the person controlling her tangibility doesn't leave any points on the braided woman's body capable of touching solid matter. Though the downside to the situation if Shadowcat succeeds? While the braided woman can't touch anything else, she /could/ touch Shadowcat.
Adam and Fjorskar are engaged in a battle. The spirit hippogriff is enraged and far stronger than any creature should be. It bites and scratches, it's tail whipping around as the three fight. It's not getting off easy though, there are wounds opening everywhere - dark ichor leaking to the ground as they do.
Chris manages to get the better of the eagle, the thing dissipates to blue 'smoke' as it hits the ground. The smoke wends its way over the ground, to the tattoo wielder. Some have seen something like this before. There's still the faintest of whispers in the youths mind - how he can have the life he always dreamt off. His father a hero. Them fighting side by side. Whatever he wants, he can have. Just join Lord Plokta. Step through the portal …
Noh-Varr might be right. The staff wielder uses the barrage to fall back, throwing himself through the portal. At the same time a small group of creatures try to rush the Kree, he can see beams of energy aimed at him.
Constantine is indeed left as the sole recipient of Darques power. His shield goes up and Darque laughs evilly (hey, he's a villain!) "Join me, Johnny Boy. Lord Plokta will give you, your hearts desire. How many pints do you really want?" He's strong and the shield won't last for long.
Well, it shouldn't except Illyana's soul staff pierces the Portal, just as Shadowcat tries to stop the braided woman escaping. Shadowcat doesn't, but she can feel the dark of the portal beckon - it's so very, very tempting to just step through.
"Time to go …" Darque laughs again, falling back himself, levitating the staff wielder and tattoed man with him. The three disappear through, leaving our heroes with those creatures, who seem bent on self destruction as they throw themselves at the combatants.
Oh, yes. The hippogriff? It dissipates to blue smoke that trails its way through the portal as well.
As the hipogriff's rage increases, so does Fjorskar's. She's no stranger to fighting a spirit or construct under the control of a human's will. ~Be free, brother,~ she growls, clawing her way to its throat for a bite at its neck.
Christopher Powell flips the fleeing tattoo weilder and the others the double-bird as they depart, and then turns to launch into the air once more, making a sweep of the park to make sure that there aren't any stray critters that got loose around the area before spiraling his way back once more, aiding in the cleanup if there is anything left to aid with.
Noh-Varr spits out a curse in Kree as the portal closes, taking all the interesting enemies with it. Turning his attention on the creatures firing on him, he just waits, crossing his wrists in front of him and absorbing the energy being fired at him. And then… he directs it all back at them, his own energy blasts supercharged by the power of his enemies'.
As the portal breaks apart and closes, Illyana wraps her hands around the shaft of her staff and leans a shoulder into it, the glowing white of her eyes dying. Her shoulders are slumped a bit with the traces of exhaustion from the power channeled. She looks over to the others around her as the minions jump for them and gestures with a finger at the ground. "You all can deal with these, right?"
Constantine keeps yes on the man with the considerable power from the Darque. It's from that obstinant depth of his will, and a misspent youth that works on keeping him together. The runes blister and the the next shield comes up with the banter continuing. Strained he quips back, "Oh, I dunno. Make me a good offer. You'll have to buy out my other contract though. I'm willing… ttake offers. Have your secretery contact my people."
Shadowcat lets out a grunt of frustration as her diving, outstretched hand whiffs on air as she tries to catch the braided woman's body. She lands on the ground, frozen for a moment as she hears whispers in her head. Softly spoken Japanese. <Immortality… it can still be yours. All you need to do is accept me. Never dying. Never fading…>
Shadowcat shakes her head and growls as the portal closes and the voice fades out, immediately rolling over and then kicking with her legs to leap back to her feet, just as a minion gets to her.
The red, cycloptic eye blinks in astonishment as he rushes right through her body. Only to have Shadowcat leap on him from behind, grabbing him by the shoulders and dropping to the ground to slam the creature face-first into the concrete.
Shadowcat rolls to the side, leg-sweeping another minion and then delivering a strike to its head to knock it out as it falls down. Back on her feet, she blocks one hand that reaches for her, and phases her body to evade a second's claws. The latter minion gets a kick while the former has its wrist twisted to force it down to the ground where Shadowcat knees it in the head to knock it out.
Adam is far stronger than any natural creature, too. He's a decent match. When the hippogryff dissipates, he staggers suddenly free of its weight. He growls, a low awful sound. Then he wades into the mindless lumpy things, determined to destroy them before they can hurt the exhausted magic users. A lot of crunching noises happen under his fists.
There's so very little of the one-eyed ones after Noh-Varr directs his energy beam at them. Some of the creatures made the portal before it closed. The rest … there's pieces that can be collected and examined.
There are sounds from inside the warehouse just down the Pier. Some might have seen the heroes that headed in there. In the background, NYPD sirens sound. All present can be sure the authorities will be here soon - SHIELD will probably take control of the scene.
That might leave them wondering though, what the hell is going on here?
As the Power Ranger putties are cleaned up, Illyana straightens, dusting herself off a bit as she peers down towards the Warehouse where things seem to be clearing up as well. Then she looks over to Shadowcat. "Soooo… Sorry about your sandwich." A smirk is given to Kitty that says Illyana's totally not sorry.
Fjorskar moves clear of the dissipating spirit, spitting out the ichor and shaking herself out. She sniffs at Adam. "We must fix you," she informs him, on the off chance that wasn't clear to him.
Noh-Varr flies down to where the portal was to take a look and see if anything was left behind. That done, he glances over toward the warehouse but stays where he is. Time to be an official SHIELD presence till the official SHIELD presence arrives: the ones who have a chance of figuring out what the hell is going on here.
Adam's left arm is hanging loose, half severed. Not much blood, really. "Ahh, so we do," he says in a resigned tone. "Let's be gone before the mortal enforcers come. John, are you with us?" He calls to the gutter mage.
When it's clear that there is nothing left to fight, Darkhawk makes a slow circle around the area, and then he once more takes off among the buildings, not particularly wanting to hang around to see who shows up now that the area is clear.
Shadowcat checks around her, seeing all the minions close by are finally down. She makes her way back over to the side of her long-time friend. A mournful sigh is given over the loss of the sandwich. "It had /extra/ chipotle mayo on it," she tells Illyana. "I flirted with the guy making it to just slather it in the stuff. Now I'm going to have like, flash skin at him to get another one," she says with another sigh. Shadowcat's eyes go to where the portal was. "That was… it was creepy. Voices in my head. Old voices," she says, shaking her head. "Come on, let's get something to eat."
Constantine holds his shilds in place until theve's gone. His arms hang to his side, standing, ink in his flesh steaming a bit. Illyana gets a nod, tired as he is, "Brilliantly done." His attention swings back to Adam- nope, look up up up. There. "Well seeing as how that man dodged out of here without seeing to a gentleman's agreement… Pint's on you mate. Let's get clear."