Do I look like I care? - Continue

Seclusion soon stepped through to the otherside and pulled the other two with her, "That thing will shut soon best to be on either one side or the other, it's the same place really" she said softly and looked to the orb infront of her that chilled her to the bone. She mvoed ehr wings around her as if to try and muster up some warmth looking to it breifly before turning back to the other two "What shall we do, I fear there is more than just us and the guardian of the orb here, jsut doesn't feel right" she said her words almsot silencing at the end and the chills were not helping, the wailing guard as well just screaming angrily at them as it curled aroudn the orb like a cobra.

The marilith was angry with the new comers, just when he found out the way to reach the orb, just when it was in her grasp other arrived, and one of them was an angle which meant that only one of them will get out of there alive, usually. The marilith could make an exception though, just this time, if she could get out of there with the orb. She coiled her body around the shrine and took hold of her six swords, she wasn't at a disadvantage - three opponents versus her six blades should be manageable.

[Hope that's OK?]

The presence imposed itself on Methos from the moment it was in his vicinity - a deamon. It took some time till Methos could put his finger on what else he sensednad couldn't quite make it till Seclusion said it, it was another presence yet he ignored it, giving the demon the higher priority as a potential danger. The angel did find it odd that a marilith made her way to this place but everything was out of order, he just had to deal with it. He gripped his sword bringing the blade infront of him but letting the tip rest on the floor, it didn't look like the marilith cared about them more than she cared about the orb so she won't attack immidiately, still, he ought to be prepared "Seclusion, do we get that orb or get ourselves out of here? If the portal is closing we don't have much time." Methos didn't dare to take his eyes off the six handed fiend, angels and demons were mortal enemies, and here no sort of truce resided. He'll turn around only to find two or more blades in his back.
Taar was getting to it, the meaning of war and being haunted was getting to the Nexus and she was now trying to pick out anything she could about the terrain and her surrounding not so she could find something of interest but to know her situation in case she'll need to take action. She ignored the marilith knowing that the deamon will get proper attention when the time comes but till then she was more interested in the place the events got her into.

[ I just noticed the forum doesn't highlight words with hyperlinks, the first 'marilith' got a link to an image, that's by WotC if I'm right ]

Seclusion watched the creature wokring out what it was within one glance, the marilith curled around the orb it's ahnds reaching to grab it while she just watched, something seemed very off. Turning her gaze when methos spoke she was about to pick her answer before th portal shut off behind them "How irritating, it shut off, guessing we need to get that orb then" she said to him. Her gaze turned once mroe, swiftly towards the guardian, the marilith ahd already sliced it down like a knife through butter.
"Seems we might be infor a fight if weeven dare to move, that orb... we cna sue it to break the walls of this dimension or we can stay here and rot, pick one... Methos, Taar?" she said to them soon holding Deadly in her grasp and hissing back at the marilith who seemed to have taken an instant dislike to her.

When Seclusion first spoke Methos raised his sword, the blade instantly catching on holly fire yet he didn't start teh assault. He waited one more moment, letting the marilith know he was giving her a chance to escape instead of fight them. The marilith cursed them and cursed the portal, her snake body was surrounding the orb but she'll discover that protecting her new possession won't be easy. By the time Seclusion held her scythe Methos was charging, his strike was parried a thrust came in with the parry, lower, aimed at his gut but Methos used the hilt to avert the tip. Surprisingly fast the marilith lashed at hit with her tail, right under the thrust, it was impossible to defend and the already accelerating tail with half the mariliths' body, the half that wasn't holding swords sent the angle to the ground. Methos got up, the air knocked out of him and it was a moment till he could continue, he didn't expect the marilith to abandon her post so quickly. He started charging again but when he was half way toward the deamon she disappeared, leaving him charging at the air. He understood her new location by the sound of metal clashing against metal and turned around to see her behind Seclusion and at that moment he also got a glimps of Taar, humming in her high pitched, aquatic voice and drawing magical symbols in the air. With no time to wonder what the nexus had in mind he jumped into the air to fly the short distance between him and Seclusion.

[Tell me if that's Okay]

Seclusion watched the movements before she charaged, having two blades realy helped her when it came to blocking, bones in her wings could be used for that as well, hollow, light but very strong. She kept blocking staying there as long as she could and taking a few hits but had to back off not able to take on the six blades herself which made her frown "Deadly, have I dulled again"
"Hmm maybe that refresher course would be an idea" she glared adn Seclusion shook her head "You ahve to be kidding anyway we need to get out of here first, there is a certain someone I do not wish to meet under these circumstances." She went back in hearing Taar speaking in spells and kept the creature occupied atleast so it wouldn't start to attack Taar.

(orry brain fart, it was a good reply though but I'm busy busy like you were apart from not as much)

This was pointless, not onlt the Marilith held the stronger defense and offence at the same time, Methos's teleport didn't work, not from the day he came to Earth all these years ago and made outcast while the snake-feind also held the battlefield controll with her ability to instantly appear anywhere she chose. Methos jump while getting up and thrusted with his wings; he'll use what adantage he could muster over the Marilith at such a fight and hope for the best. His sword clang against the Mariliths' three but she wasn't ready for the coming assault as the angel got into the fight at the moment Seclusion got out, coming so close as to just nearly bashing into her but the timing was crucial. Methos's momentum carried him and the three blocking blades onward, his onward, and the Marilith barely got away, the maneuver leaving her a vicious cut just above her heart, it wasn't deep enough though, and it left her screaming a high pitched deamon sound of pain, and still fighting. A fly-by attack, using his full momentum and the end of his twi handed sword, speed, power and range were his advantages and using all of them again will require a golden opportunity from now on - the fighter deamon will remember that move. Methos stood his ground near Secluion deciding that at this point when they are about to re-engage it'll be better to share all those swords with one another. He looked at her eyes to see where she was planning to teleport and easily figured it would be somewhere behind him. When the deamon froze for the time that was a blink of an eye - the inward casting of a spell, he began to turn as the sudden realization struck him - behind, well out of his reach, Taar was still chanting quietly. He could only watch as the Marilith appeard behind her, hands crossed ready to make a salad out of the Nexus, but the Marilith stopped, froze and gapped as they all did while Taar turned slowly wearing the most smug smile a fox could wear, the kind of smile that someone wore when his bit too serious yet very successful prank was just discovered , the destruction orb floating a few inches above her open palm, her wicked expression daring the Marilith to flinch.

[I've got so far and not sure where to take it, besides, my characters wouldn't know how to use it]

Seclusion watched the orb carefully, knowing full well it was dangerous which was why, when it was in Taar's hands she quickly got it from her and spoke "Don't eb so reckless, for one it's racked the power is leaking out and it's dangerous" she said sternly holding it in her grin feeling it trying to over whelm her own destructive heart and shook her head to fight it back. She noticed the mithril turning her attention to her. It's eyes grewwide and a smirk grew everyone coudl feel the tension between teh pair of destructive powers fighting each other for control, that was what this orb did, luckily, she had a power or rather the heart did that could equal it simply because they seemed matched in age.

She held Deadly in one hand adn the orb in the other baring ehr teeth to dare the mithrill to try and soon enough she jumped back and blocked an attack with her scythe struggling a little with only one hand.

The moment Seclusion snatched the orb from Taars' hand her eyes grew large and her ears dropped in misery and disbelief, at that moment Seclusion took her bargaining card from the threatening Marilith and the nexus had to hold her guard up, bringing up an invisible shield that successfully blocked 6 attacks that turned to Seclusion right afterword, their force making her glide back most of the distance in the small perimeter while Methos passed by lunging forward and knocking the last sword that lashed at Seclusion downwards. He then followed with a rising uppercut that was close to hitting it's target but he quickly withdrew, before a flurry of attacks could get him and just as he did so a burst fro energy sent from Taar sent the Marilith flying and to the ground, the attack struck home - it surprised the Marilith who may have six hands but only two eyes that could focus on one thing and now she fighting to get up. "Got any plans?" Methos asked Seclusion without taking his eyes off the fiend.

"One, you two don't touch it, the orb is leaking power, mine simply because of age can match it at least" she said to him "which is why I took it away from Taar, it was infecting the soul" she frowned at them and soon enough a black liquid leaked from the strange orb. She ruffled her hair a little and looked to it. She watched the black liquid drip onto the ground and the Mithril eyed her giving a hiss of annoyance as it went for Taar. "Deadly" she said the wolf jumping out, giving a nasty growl towards their enemy Seclusion whispered "Run, both of you just run" she said, Deadly hearding the two of them and getting them to run away while Seclusion tried to distract the Mithril who was clearly angry.

The Mithril headed in to attack the six swords she weilded aiming for Seclusion, She bit her lip and ducked a few however it resulted in one of her wings being torn. Sighing she ripped hte wing out "Shesh, how annoyed" she said a new one soon taking it's place "Now then, while I seal this energy up, I'm hungry and you look tasty" she grinned baring her razor sharp teeth.

Methos and Taar were hurried away by Deadly, but Methos moved only why the wolf made him. He skipped and stopped, then ran a few steps back toward Seclusion shouting "Seclusion! The portal is closed, we're trapped her, there's nowhere to go!" Taar didn't doubt Deadly leading them away or stopped moving when she pushed her but she turned her face back to stop and think about what Methos was saying, her lower body still toward the direction that Deadly tried to show them. Besides Methos though The Marilith will probably rip her apart, and even if she did won the destruction of this plane will either affect the whole plane or create an open door right where the orb is. I'm not going to loose my chances for this one. so he simply held his ground, not moving any further away and ready to help Seclusion if need be.

[Weeiii ok so that's not so good]

"Thsi orb can open a portal problem is, I'm not sure on the co-ordinates" she said to him bluntly. Deadly kept them at bay worried by Seclusion's reaction towards the two collideing destructive powers. "The powers will eat each other at this rate, or rather one of them will eat the other and enter the host body" she said to them explaining to them both a little. "Anyway, Methos Taar try to hold off the Marlith, don't listen to Seclusion" she grinned adn headed for the monster attacking it in her wold form giving a feirce growl.

The Marlith attack Deadly cncentrating on thw white demon wolf giving Taar and Methos a chance to attack.

"The co-ordinates won't matter, we'll manage. Just think about the best place we could be right now." Methos said as he took flight so he could dodge the Marilith's charge, he landed some distance away, the deamon looking at him with a questioning eyes that were mixed with hatred, like she was saying 'I do hate you, but if you want I can kill you later'. Now it was his turn to charge though. He ran for two steps and thrust with his wings, covering the rest of the distance with low, quick flight. His sword slashing horizontally the blade seemed to go through the Marilith as she teleported with perfect timing just out of range, her smirk telling him he didn't have all the cards. Just then Taar dropped an icicle on the Marilith's tail, it exploded to million of tiny pieces of ice, filling the air with glittering shards but the core held and pinned the writhing and screaming fiend to the floor and Methos came back in with heavy downward stikes, hoping to use the creatures' vulnerability to hit her but the Marilith defended herself, with two hands or just one when she couldn't bear the pain of her lower torso, Methos striking ferociously in hope to perhaps sunder one of her swords but she kept her defence and her swords held, even if only for a while and her inhuman strength helped her, too. "Come on!" Methos shouted, partly with impatience toward the fight and partly to Seclusion to come and help him finish the deamon.

She looked to him when he said hurry up and smirked settling on Deadly and let her play ehr music, it reached into the soul of the creature attacking that through the lullaby it played, specifcally tuned to every race's weakness. She thought of somewhere... her home in those ruins in their now locked up world. The trigger had been activated now, no one quite knew why but it had been triggered which made it very safe at the moment.
She tried to transport them there,however, it wasn't ehr natural power so she asked for Taar to help her knowing better than to mess with such confusing abilties. As for if it worked that depended a little more on Taar whiel Seclusion weilded the power with her own destructive anceint powers fighting it still.

Methos was pounding on the Mariliths' defenses, his sword going down in a circular motion, clanging against hers and repeating when he heard the song emitted by Deadly and found his opportunity at the Mariliths' disorientation, he slashed downwards, pressing the blades in a momentary struggle of strength and then changes his angle so the blades slid, averting the path of the Mariliths' blade while thrusting his into her back and through her heart, the huge snake body stopped fighting and rested on the ground.
~~Meanwhile~~
Taar heard Seclusion call. She gathered some energy and sent it to sense Seclusions' magic, this was very much like a mental healing process the Nexus used in their home - they tugged into another's magic and treated him on a spiritual level. The energy that was Seclusion was chaotic and Taar had to force herself in, and once she was she took as much control of the energy as she could, supporting Seclusion by calming the storming cascade of power and channeling the energy to the purpose Seclusion set in her mind in a way that only showed it the way without Taar needing to know the exact purpose.
The magic swirled, then set into a cause sprang with enough power to be nearly physical, making everything seem heavier as the air filled with energy that forced itself on matter and claimed its' part in existence. The magi burst and tore at reality, making a gap in dimensions, one that they could pass through. Methos tried to see through it but the vision was too blurred "Is that it?" he shouted, even though he didn't has to, it felt like sound wouldn't get too far through the density of magic.

Seclusion felt Taar forcing herself into her magic and it made her snarl as a reaction, the storm of magic raged within her still it was calmed by Taar and once the dimensions began to appear Seclusion focused her mind on somewhere in the world they all knew. The ruins of her city was a nothing but a blurred vision through one of the portals. She raised ehr aching arm and pointed towards it screaming for them to go while she kept the creature off as well as they now vanished guard that had been guarding the orb which she had now shattered into a thousand tiny peiceson the ground. The air reaked of choas and Seclusion thrived in such an enviroment now.

She raised Deadly's blade to the creature when she went after Methos and Taar "Your fight is with me" she snarled but also smirked she wanted Taar and Methos to get out of there as soon as possible, not wanting either of them to get hurt The peices of the ball crashed on the ground "Methos pick them up adn take them with you"

The angel didn't like the idea. Taking the shattered pieces of the Destruction orb and leaving her alone in a collapsing part of this strange plane seemed all bad enough, but for some reason she seemed in control. He did as she bid, holding the little crystals that together formed the orb in one hand and grabbed Taar with the other he hurled both of them through the portal, the now drained shatters not affecting the portal. The moment they passed Taar turned to the portal and waved her hands at it, channeling as much energy as she could to help Seclusion but that seemed to disrupt the portal so instead she concentrated on maintaining the portal and sent only subtle energy through the link she kept with everyone on the group. Methos looked around him, they were in Utopia and everything but the buzzing energy of the portal was quiet, no angels or demon were in sight and he hoped none of them were keeping watch on the site, a portal between planes will be noticed by anyone who tried to track magic in the area. All he had left to do was to wait for Seclusion to pass through the portal.

[Sorry it's so short, or... It just feels short.]

Seclusion battled with the Mathril attacking the vital points she knew of with theese creatures hissing when she was caught by the sword on ehr cheek and they circled each other as though in a dance of the dead, her wings relaxed this was the world she felt most comfortable in, a world of destruction and the fight for survival was involved.
Whens eh could she backed up and ran through the portal at the last mintue with Deadly into Utopia and almost into poor Methos adn Taar as well. She looked behind ehr as the portal shattered into peices of glass and pated looking up to them "You two ok, also we need to peice together that orb" she said clearly out of breath. "ANyone knwo how to peice it together though?"

That was a tricky one, who could build an orb of destruction?
Methos didn't have the answer so after they settled down in Seclusions' old home he went to explore the city, starting with the places he knew and wandering into other parts, some closed quesrted of the city, that were no longer unaccessible by walls and gates, only ramnents of those were left, some parts seemed to be open grounds, maybe they were fields or large public gardens but all that was left was open dry ground. He stopped in the middle of such open area when a thought crossed him mind, it was a very small thought, like seeing a leaf carried by the wind from afar but he got back to it and turned it in his mind - Seclusion was a resurrected being, it doesn't mean she was undead. All this time he thought of her as undead, who was more than any other undead he ever saw, but the knowledge was always there, in a small but well lit spot of his mind. He gave it a secound though, not all resurrected creatures were undead, even if *most* of them were. Sentient being could bring someone back to life, and he had his complete self, the heard and soul, everything, and so did Seclusion, and it made sense, too. Even though her heart was replaced she could feel well enough, and she definitely was alive. This new thought made it easier for him, he was glad that even if it took him that long to figure out he eventually got it, he felt light hearted, releived, that he wasn't sharing his goals with one of the wreched undead. When he got back he had an answer, one that they won't like, as usual "I think I know who can mend that thig, and you know him too. If you want it working again we have to go back to Hell and meet with Bale."

[Haha, you make me go old school, am I glad or am I glad I played that game! http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/31/Diablo_II_-_Lord_of_Destruction_Coverart.png
Edit - This is both worse and longer than I expected ]

She looked to him as she heard those words a frown forming on her face "Fine then" she answered not sound particualry happy about having to go back down to hell "Not my favourite option however." she sighed and ruffled her hair and wings "Let's get going, but how to get there" she said taking the peices of the orb and putting them in a drawstring bag. Lookingto Taar "What about Taar though, will she be ok down there?" concen lacing her voice as she spoke. Deadly looked to Seclusion "I'm sure she'll be fine Seclusion" she smiled and looekd to her "nothing to worry about, right Taar?" she asked her for an answer and also the creatures opinion.

"There are enough ways to enter Hell, and I know one that'll get us close enough to Bale so we won't have to fight our way through, not most of the way atleast." Methos answered looking to her frowing face and thinking 'what a mess, she's right.'
Taar thought for a moment and looked at the horizon, the purple shades of the evening-turning-night reflecting on her fur that moment ago fitted the burning colors of the sky but now the red and yellow stood out, she stood out in the dark. The moment passed and she returned her thoughts and eyes to her friends "I'll be fine, I have all my strength back now." She was afraid of the fire and the doom, she longed to deep and wide oceans but now she had friends and she'll be okay. "What do you need to orb for, anyways?" asked Methos, he was wondering about that for a while, Seclusion already held enough power to do anything she wanted, why was the extra gain so important? "Come on lets get going, it's not too far" He'd rather talk on the way there, sometimes it helped organizing his thoughts and he knew he'll need that, they were getting into more trouble than they should, again.




[OOOOOOO sorry for taking so long, I lack well, all sort of stuff lately and it's hard for me to focus on writing]

Seclusion looked to Taar as if trying to detemin whethershe was lying or not but instead only found fear "Taar, don't worry even I fear those flames, plus your with me and methos so nothing can go wrong" she said to her to try and calm ehr a little and then stood up before sighing "well Methos lead the way to this entrance, i don't want ot bedown their long and niether does Taar by the looks of it" she pointed out. SHe ahd her reasons for repairing the orb, for one she had absorbed some of the power and had to return it before she was broken, her other reason... well that is a mystery that only she would ever know for the momment at least. She waited in silence watching him and waiting for him to lead the way swiftly, wanting to ge this over and done with.

(Sorry my muse is dead, bad week)

Methos glanced at the Utopian, it seemed he'll be dancing to someone elses' notes again but he won't bring that into words, won't make that an argument now that he decided he likes her. Instead he turned and walked away leading a path through the city's' haunted streets and into the forest, walking quietly and determinedly "Not far." he said, they'll be there soon enough. After a few minutes they got to a great chasm, a river could be heard streaming far below. He took a step off the cliff and floated down the same direction as the rushing water of the river. In the middle of the opposing cliff, halfway down Methos found a cave, he entered it. It was a long tunnel with no branching tunnels or shafts and as they wandered inside a red glow was slowly getting more and more intense. The tunnel ended in a fire wreaking portal "That's the entrance." the angel said but signaled them to way. Once the portal stopped spitting flames he quickly stepped in "Come on, stick with me!" The reason for his hurry was the huge flaming, endless pit of hellfire that was just beyond a narrow footpath Methos now stood on. He peaked down, the fires seemed to be far below but he knew they could come up at huge speed, spreading wings was a deathwish. He clung to the cliff and placed his feet as far away from the long fall as he could "Don't fly, the fire here is erratic." It took about an hour till they got off the path and to a plateau "Now you know why this path is unguarded." he said, sighing deeply "Now we can get our business going."

(finally got a reply up, sorry if it's no good)

She walked through behind him looking around the huanted streets and dark alleyways,picking her own route of escapes for if the worst came to the worst. She looked to the entrance adn stepped forward shuffling her wings nervously when she saw the fire but still looked back "Come on then, we might as well hurry this up" She followed closley behind making sure to pull Taar through with them. She followed hsi actions although being told not to do somethign instantly made ehr want to try and fly between all the flames but still she followed carefully clinging to the cliff as much as possible until they were at where they need to be looking to ehr red hands and sighed. "Right then, let's move now, I hate it down here" she said ruffling ehr wings.

( Now it's my turn to apologize for not putting in a reply for quite some time, sorry! )

Methos nodded to a path straying away with a twisty pattern "Alright, let's go." he said and began walking, generally deeper into hell. The usual sounds for this part of the universe displayed lively, with lava streaming somewhere beneath their feet, steams rising and sometimes a distant cry of a tormented soul managed to pierce through the winds and fires and reach them. Those particular ones always made him shudder and a part of his conscious rebelled, insisting that there's something wrong with emitting that sort of pain out of a soul. But, this was Hell. The slopes ended with a large straight run and a high hill, a flame adoring the top. "The flame is Bals' throne." Methos said, still wondering how Seclusion will make him do her bidding but deciding that if they're already there they'd better go no matter what.



( Mm, I'm running out of ideas )

(Same here really, maybe it's been dragging on for too long and we need a new start?)

"Hmm, how interesting" she said "Well then shall webe going" she spoke with a sudden interest in her voice as though she were forming a plan of sorts. When they did reach the throne she gave a respectful bow beforeshe stood up and looked before her to the creature in it's throne "Bal, I have a job for you"She said in a voice that made it seem not even he would refuse. But alas of course he would for this was not their first encounter. She had fought many times with him and just like her master she could not quite win against him. However, unlike both she ahd other ways of making people do her bidding, every assassin did.

Looking to the demon she waited for his response knowing his refusal instantly"Now, Now be a nice demon won't you?" she whined a little and walked straight up to the throne, think of it this way I'll owe you a favor in return. Or I can consider me not killing you, your reward"
"You can't kill me Seclusion, not me or your master" he laughed and she smiled "Oh but I can at this point if I chose for your guard is down and your weak spot it right in my range" she smirked. He loked stunned and then became very quiet looking to Methos wondering what such a creature was doing down here.

Methos walked behind Seclusion while making sure his wings are at the same position as hers, he didn't want Baal to see him, not yet. He'll reveal himself when he'll think it would have the best effect. He also made sure Taar was behind him and she co-operated willingly, feeling more comfortable to move about when her friends protected her path.
The angel revealed himself just as Seclusion finished her line "No games this time Lord of Destruction. You won't be able to walk out of this one."
Methos didn't get the chance to fight deamon and Baals' caliber alone but got close to it when he was still in Heavens' service. He was stronger now, and wondered if he could match him now. Either way he looked at it Baal stood no chance now, Seclusion had her complete heart and he could still feel its beating when he focused on his inner sense and Taar was probably as strong as the deamon now that her power was fully replenished, if not stronger.
Taar moved slightly, allowing the deamon to see her between her friends but not looking directly at him, as though simply letting him know of her presence without really noticing it herself.

[ Let finish this before anything, we'll have enough time to think ]