Do I look like I care? - Continue

Baal looked to the angel and Taar, particularly Taar and soon enough he noticed Deadly’s positions within their rank of ability paired with Seclusion. He grumbled and she stepped forward “How about you speak a little more clearly, Baal” she smirked waiting still for his answer to their request on fixing the orb of destruction. Hesitant the demon realised he would barely be able to keep up if all three of them attacked him, or he dared to start a fight for they were all of races that would help each other and greatly covered each other’s weaknesses. That is what he saw. “I said I’ll fix it but at a price”
Frowning she looked to the demon before her “How about this, you get to keep your life and soul intact in return you’ll fix this orb” she said bluntly to the demon and he gulped when he heard that serious tone of hers. She wasn’t messing around. She held out the broken pieces of orb with the destructive power soaking into the glass. “Now then I suggest you fix it here in front of all of us just so we know you aren’t trying to eat the power” she grinned and he sighed taking it from her icy hands, they made even demons shiver.
After a short while it was fixed, with a few odd smudges on the glass when extra fixing was needed and he handed it back with a heavy sigh “there, it’s done now leave before I send the hellhounds after you” he snarled and Seclusion smirked “Ok then, now let’s get going my friends” she said leading the way. “What now, shall we return it to where it belong or keep it locked up in the old utopian catacombs where it’ll unlikely be disturbed?”

Methos wrinkled his nose "I don't think it'll lie in rest in your city, Utopia had enough visitors lately and it's probably monitored or checked in some way, and I'm not so sure it'll do the energy source there a good service, it'll probably corrupt it. I also don't know how it's possible to place it back where it was, crossing the Nether again is one thing but the portal crashed after we got out, unless you can tear it open from the thin air I don't know how it's possible. Maybe we should come up with another idea."
He couldn't think of an appropriate place for something like that so he didn't continue. As they got closer to the realm of the humans and away from fiery prying eyes he asked "Seclusion, why did you want the Destruction Orb to begin with?"
This question nagged at him for some time and now that their business with the artifact seems to be ending he felt he could let it out.

"Well then where shall we lay it to rest as for why I wanted it, it was merely to confirm my own power" she said to him and nodded. "Well then Taar you have any ideas of where we should lay such a thing to rest?” She asked and waited for them both to answer her with some ideas. She was thinking herself “Actually how about my mentor’s house, no one goes near Death’s house” she chuckled and smiled to herself as she thought about it.
“Not even the most powerful creatures on earth go near his place unless you’re me since I am his student so I can get away with a lot of stuff when it comes to me” she smirked and rustled her hair and wings thinking. “Well what do you say?”

(Gah sorry fail)

Methos smiled in the light of the playful cunning of Seclusions' idea.
"Don't you think he'll notice having the Orb of Destruction in his home? How can you hide it from him?"
But he liked the idea, not because no one would indeed be brave enough to approach Deaths' residence or the challenge of hiding an item that had the aura of a nuclear fission in a close quarters area but because Death himself might actually not care about it when he finds out.
Even if Death will mind the orb, he could take care of it better than they could, and Death proved to be responsible over the years, so as long as they accomplish it, it'll probably be their best choice.
The angle was the first to start walking, leading his friends in a slow pace toward the place where the harvester of souls finished his journeys.

[ I don't know if its short but it feels short, so sorry for the short-ish-ness ]

"No he won't notice, he never does and een so he wouldn't care" she chuckled and soon found the path to Death's old home and looked back at him" Well shall we get going" She followed as Methos lead the way, it felt like the end of such a long journey over the years that had passed. "It feels like the end huh?" she chuckled and looked to Methos before wrapping up the orb in a cloth and walked in quite casually and searched, finding the place shehad stayed in his house and hid it in a chest under the floor boards using her anceint language to seal it with the lock she had created years back. "That should keep it sealed and safe" she stretched out her wings. "Now then time we get some rest for the new day, let's head back to the ruins" she sighed and looked to the darkned sky before leading the way back. However,once they were oursite the house she stopped and looked to her old tutor wrapped in his dark cloak."What a pleasent suprise Seclusion, Deadly and... let's see Taar and... Methos" he gae a boney grin and looked to Mthos in particulair.

Methos listed his brow and tilted his head, looking at Death awkwardly "What is it collector? It's not my time yet." That was said with certainty, Methos didn't know if Death make exceptions for when he collected souls by shortening the time on his own initiative, but Methos knew it wasn't his time, not just yet.
Then Death did something Methos never thought he'll do. He didn't know if Death was capable of that, but he figured that either way Death will never do such a thing. Methos saw it a thousand times over, from playful cubs to commanding generals, and he recognized it a fracture of a second after Death began. It was outrageous and enraging, the only Methos knew will never change, but it did - Death took a side.
He raised his bony chin and gave a big, obvious nod toward the group, his head ending up slightly higher than it was before, watching them with his cold glare.
"It's an ambush."
The angle said in a loud and clear voice the same time as, by Deaths' sign, deamons and angels appeared rushing toward them, the traditional swords and claws drawn and pointing.
Methos got to the middle of his group of friends, his wings helping him to cover the distance in a single jump. He squatted and with a powerful thrust from his wing hurled himself to the air, knocking back and slashing the first deamon to get to them and surveyed the situation in the few seconds his free flight allowed him.
Angels were coming from the sky and demons from all sides, they were completely surrounded and there was nowhere to run even this early in the battle.
He returned to his friends and looked at them before turning around to protect them from the closing dome of enemies.

[Hope that's Okay?]

Seclusion turned her back with them all facing out. Holding Deadly in her grip as she fought off demons that kept coming at her "Taar, can you keep attacks from above off us so Methos doesn't have to worry so much?" she asked "Don't worry I'll cover you" she said and lunged at one of them pinning them down and ripping their throat out before she turned her attention to others snarling she shouted to the others "Methos get Taar with you and keep her close, also get a bit of distance as well, I'm going to cause chaos" she smirked and retreated back to the centre of the enemies and calmed herself before the ground began to tear it's self apart and screams were soon audible as the air stirred up and cut down a lot of the angels. However, it didn't get rid of them all and it didn't last long, but still a lot were injured at least. Panting afterwards the ground closed it's self and sweating from the amount of energy used she gasped before picking Deadly up and heading to where Death was and threatened him "Let's get this over with, Methos, Taar" she shouted "I'm going to teach my tutor a lesson so cover me please" she shouted.

Seclusion and Death were soon engaged in battle both were on equal footing now as they fought fiercely meanwhile demons and angels that remained attacked both Methos and Taar at full force.

Methos was overwhelmed by the firces of light and darkness. They were everywhere, the angles were pouring from the sky and demons climbing out of hellpits. The angle knew he had to find a way out, but he also wanted to know what made this happen.
Methos occasionally looked to the sky, looking for a sign that will tell him he found what he was looking for but he had plenty to keep him busy on ground level, from kicking a fiery beast back to its' hole to cutting an approaching angle's wing. After a while he was recieving more than glancing blows and Taar had to channel a force shield to keep their enemies at bey, which made the lower mark on her back glow but just then a flash from the sky cough his eye. He didn't need to check, this was what he was loiking for.
He whirled, avoiding an aerial attack instead of repeling it, squatted while spreading his wings upwards and shot into the air, the dozens of hostile angles too surprised to react to the move. It got him straight to the flash an Methos swung his sword at his tutor.
Swords met as the angle and arcangle drifted up into the sky, still driven from methos's ascend.
He looked into Tyraels eyes and found them as he remembered them and he knew his teacher didn't take a real part in this.
"Why?"
Methos asked behind gritted teeth as he pressed his blade onward, taking them higher into the sky.
"You disturb their plans, they want th Utopians not to be a factor in the worldly balance, it threatens them, and both sides are blinded with fear. You're doing good work at keeping the balance. I wish I could help you, Methos, but I have to keep an eye on the heavens so I could act at the right moment, like you, and change what I can. If only you were an arcangle..."
Methos tried to push further but his momentum expired and as the arcangle was done saing what he so eagerly waited to say he had to keep to his post and a representitive of the heavens. He whirled and blew Methos back to the earth with a powerful strike, a move saved for his arcangle title that could drive demons back to hell straight from the heavens.
Methos had just enough time to slow and balance himself before reaching the ground as he landed and rolled, giong back into fighting as if he never stopped the flow of his blade. He averted a trike from an angle and slashed a demon in half as he moved near Taar, making sure to cover her back again. Things didn't look bright, there were so many of everyone he actually hit an angle as he fell, but one thing he did know - he must make sure Seclusion gets out of there alive.
He didn't have to look at her, at the edge of his sight curved blades were dancing around the two combatants. He could barely make progress toward the two through the hordse they were facing, and he still didn't know how he could get her out of there, but as he fought he started edging to the place where tow of the now greatest forces in the universe fought.

Seclusion and Death were catching each other all the time at a disadvantage due to her power she relied a little on Deadly to cover that and snarled fiercely but something strange was about to happen and Death was pinned to the ground with Deadly's blade in it's 'Heart'. Death laughed madly and looked to her "I knew it, of course you'd kill me my student" he laughed "the person who would take over my throne of death" he laughed until his last breath and then they all stopped for a moment looking to the now dead Death and Seclusion pulling her scythe out of him. "Now then, who's next" she screamed out her eyes burning with both rage and tears, she was ticked off more than normal and went back to helping Taar when she got in trouble.

Her attention turned picking up what Methos was thinking "You are an idiot save your self first" she snarled at him a little. receiving a rather bad blow in the back she winced and turned decapitating the demon that had gotten her "Ouch, that his a nerve, Taar can you cover me while i stitch up a little?" she asked her.

Methos was entangled in a tight fight with a deamon, claws thick like a rock and sharp like metal pressed the full weight of the hellspawn onto the angel's broad blade. He used it to take a moment to breath and shout back a reply "You know why they want you, and that's why I can't let that happen. You're the important one here, not me!"
With that he spun, taking the deamon off-balance only for it to plant into the angel that crept from behind while slashing at them both as they stumbled to the ground and out of his reach. Methos picked a mass of building energy and dashed in low flight to be close to his friends as Taar generated another force field, a dome shaped this one, that kept everything at bey from swords to magic.

A moment later he sensed something he knew and his warrior senses told him that his long time opponenet, his arcangel mentor was there. With a blast of crackling enery Tyrael's sword pierced the shield, making a hole with such force that the magical influence swayed Taar, and he stepped in followed by his celestial companions.
The barrier dissipated, there was no point in maintaining it any longer. There was enough time for Methos to check if Taar was alright before confronting his brethren, planning to attract enough attention for his friends to get away.

They stood for a moment to look at eachother, Tyrael confirming his student's intentions, and the swordplay began.

Meanwhile Death and Seclusion had started up again with their fight, she'd repaired herself and both were struggling to land a hit on the other now. "That seal is breaking Seclusion, stop you're madness" he said and she smirked "It's you that brought on this madness" she said the cracks were getting larger and it was soon just enough for her to unleash some of it's power Taar, Methos grab onto something and don't let go ok and Taar put up another field to protect both you and him" she shouted. The ground began to tear it's self apart causing spikes and lava to erupt from the earth catching many of the angels and the demons lighting flashed in the sky. Deadly turned into her wolf form and snarled a little catching Seclusion afterwards.

Their numbers had been greatly damaged but that left Seclusion unconscious for a while, "Taar Methos we need to fall back" shouted Deadly her prescience in this giant wolf form made even Death not dare go near her. Waiting for a reply she wanted to get all of them out of here knowing Methos would try to distract them and end up not escaping himself. She knew the reason all to well t for she was an old and wise wolf, older than many knew.

"Taar, get them out of here, hurry!"
Methos didn't intend to let the higher and lower forces have it their way, not this time, not when he knew he's right. Heaven was his guide, and now that guide strode the wrong path... The genocide of the Utopians won't be forgiven, not as long as he had anything to say about it.
Taar didn't like it one bit. They talked about this before, Methos suspected it'll come to this, all those years on earth opened his eyes, he said. She objected, ofcourse - he was one of her only friends, but he insisted and told her he'll stay behind if it meant Seclusion could be free, and that went her way, too. She understood and respected her friend's path though she promised herself she won't leave him behind, that or she'll save him, or at the very least join him while trying but as time passed she came to understand the importance of Seclusion, and agreed to help.
Tyrael found Methos and they were crossing blades yet again while Taar created another bubble-like force shield around them. She began chanting, her words like a mermaid's song heard underwater and a circle of runes appeared inside the shield. The magic's intensity grew and the those inside the teleportation circle could see pictures of vast desert and a ruined temple far away.
Methos had to check on his friends. He struck Tyrael rapidly, the arcangel defending from every blow but Methos was able to drive him back and with one powerful attack created a gap between them, and a pause in the battle. He used his chance to glance back, knowing his mentor won't kill him when he's defenseless. He saw Taar completing her magic and was relieved to know that all of them will get out of there safely. That was just when Tyrael grabbed his collar and part threw part carried him toward the shield wall, thrusting his magic-charge sword to break it, the same way he did to get inside before. Taar shrieked and the barrier crushed under the magical pressure of the arcangel's sword, and Methos and Tyrael were thrown out of the shielded zone and Taar's magical circle.
The magic was complete though and the spell worked without further assistant. Methos got up and looked to his mentor
"They want you." Said Tyrael.
"So, I'm that much of a threat to the new world order they want to create." Replied Methos, with no hint of amusement in his voice. Tyrael had no words for that, he did his duty, one that required him to betray his pupil.
Methos lunged backward and used his wings for extra thrust but it was too late - He saw Taar reaching for him, Deadly carrying Seclusion, and a flash of light as they disappeared and the teleportation circle with them. More angels and arcangels appeared around them. Methos sheathed his sword, there was no point in fighting alone, not when he knew his friends were safe, dying now will be for nothing. The deamons retreated back to their realm and Methos was reluctant to go with the angels to heaven, where his judgement awaited. He had no choice now though, and he went quietly, grim and sober.

Taar appeared in the middle of a desert. This was a strange choice for an aquatic creature to make, but this was also the only safe place she could think of - She teleported them to the borderland of the Nether, that neutral zone where no force of this world could claim power and control, not even Death. They could run if they wanted to, but there was no need because they were far from any enemy force, they could rest and travel to wherever they wanted, atleast for a while. Her mind was already working it's way back to her friend.
'They'll take him to heaven... Will they take his angelhood? Will they condemn him to death?'
The thoughts were swirling in her mind for a while, till Seclusion came to, and she told Seclusion of what happened at the short time she lost her consciousness. She didn't want to risk Seclusion again, Seclusion was indeed too important, but she had to find a way to get back to Methos.

Waking up in the middle of nowhere Seclusion held her head, but it didn't take long for her to figure out that Methos wasn't there, she then figured out what he'd done "That stupid angel" she said before listening to Taar and making her mind up quickly that they were going to bring him back from heaven regardless of what the other angels tried "Right then Taar, we're going up there and dragging him back down" she said bluntly before she looked to Deadly "what is it?"
"I think they're going to take away his angel hood, I could tell by their anger and to most angels that can be worse than death." said the hell wolf.

Seclusion looked up to find the way to heaven before looking to Taar "where are we?" she questioned her and frowned at the fact there was not a path from where they were "Right, time to make a path there" she smirked, that smirk appearing on her lips once more.

"I've warned you once."

"Damn with all of them."

The archangel casually opened his mouth to retort but his prisoner cut him short "Don't you give me this answer!" He said angrily, his eyes burning with anger. He knew that answer came naturally to Tyrael but with everything that was going on he expected better from his teacher. 'We cannot be damned' was a normal phrase, except they both knew it was a lie now - the angels shook hands with the deamons, they were crossing already, and not far at all from being damned. It was only misfortune the master had to fight his student and so he was the one who had to take his wrath. At this point, Tyrael was the only one whom Methos could show his wrath to, the only one who he could trust that was available to him.
Methos wasn't shackled nor was he behind bars. His sword was with him and so was his gear. There were simply too many of his kin around to escape, and above them all, closer from them all stood Tyrael, who was bound to keep Methos in Heaven and take him to his trial. They did just that, walking through the celestial kingdom toward a great alter visible from many locations in the realm, where Methos's trial will take place. They didn't take their time, the judgement should be passed soon, and there was no consolation to Methos. They kept walking and talking, filling eachother with the events of the last era, each o them having his side of the story and both realizing how bad things have truly become. With Heaven and Hell working with, if not for one another it was hard to tell the difference.
"So, they have kept me blind from whatever they could, too."
Said the archangel, though it was much harder keeping information and events from one of his status it seemed that the others were aware, in some level, that Tyrael looked to solve the problem the way Methos did and were trying to keep him out. Tyrael used his title to be involved in as many occasions as he could, unknowingly stopping them from executing certain plan, in some cases.
Tyrael narrowed his eyes as he thought and Methos sideglanced at him. Methos was partly afraid from that look - these narrowed eyes meant that Tyrael was thinking, and while he didn't think like that all that much the archangel was one of the most insightful being Methos ever knew. Whatever Tyrael came up with next, there would be no escape.
They kept their course and soon came to the alter, placed high above the court, so the judge's words could be heard all across the clouds.

Seclusion stretched open her wings, she focused her energy and her wings changed to their silver, blood stained form and soon enough she picked up Deadly as a scythe and made her way towards where she knew Methos would be taken. She was far from stupid, she knew how their minds worked. She struggled to get there but reached the highest point, however, she was too late the court was beginning.

The booming voices could be heard and she searched through them for Methos before she also got caught and frowned. "Let me go" she growled at them.

(we did say we ought to end this, and frankly, I had something like that in mind all along... Not that I had any idea how I'll get to it, up till now)



Methos stood before the alter, the master of the archangels looking down on him. His mentor departed to join the high archangels standing behind their representitive and Methos knew that if there was something Tyrael could do he already done it. Methos answered for his name and status as he saw his friends arrive - Seclusion and Deadly, fighting and growling while Taar simply stayed there and watch without any sign of resistance.

Methos answered for his so called crimes, not before hurling every one of them back to the archangel who judged him, accusations the judge decided to ignore, lifting his node and lowering his gaze arrogantly, as if Methos's words weren't worth listening to. Proudly, as a crazed victor of a long duel, the archangel decrlared the punishment - Methos will loose his wings, his angelhood, and will be cast down back to the earth as a human. Methos hated the thought, he wanted his power so he could make a difference - he spent a long time with the humans, and knew their limitations very well. At this moment he knew that the archangel could smite him from the heavens, because even if he still had his wings and power Methos stopped being an angel long ago. He chose a different path, and the high archangel will take what didn't suite Methos's nature anymore, he'll take what powers Methos have that belong to the side of the divine.

The archangel picked a scepter from stand and aimed it at Methos.
"You are a shame to our order. I will confiscate your divine power myself and deliver your punishment."

With a singe motion the archangel lifted his scepter-holding hand, and the white, glimmering aura that surrounded Methos lifted with it, disappearing into thin air.

Methos's shoulders and wings slumped and he looked down to the clouds below, his sadness reaching his face and disturbing the usually determind expression. He looked up to the archangel, to confirm that his powers are indeed gone. By the time the scepter wasn't in the archangel's hand anymore. He was looking down under his nose at Methos, grinning greedily, his stare judging Methos as a puny being.

This time teh archangel drew his sword and lifted it above his head. The sword lit with the holy fire all the angel's swords possessed. "And now Methos - Your punishment! You are no longer an angel, and do not deserve the wings you have." The archangel grin widened "You don't deserve to walk among the clouds, too."

He brough his sword down, the flame shooting itself at Methos. He looked up, at Seclusion this time, and mouthed 'I'm sorry' but he didn't have time left, and all Methos managed to do was to cross his arms infront of his face, preventing the flame from touching the exposed skin and sensitive organs, but the rest of his body took the blow full.
The fire burned him, not being able to eat at the cloths that were made from a material harnessed in the heavens it ate at the only limbs Methos had exposed - his wings. He shouted, but the roaring of the fire was louder than him as it threw him away from the heavens and toward earth, a mortal banned from the heavens.

Taar shrieked with her high pitched voice, releasing a blast of energy and diving after Methos, following the comet that was the purging fire of a twisted archangel. The stripes on her back began to glow as she heard a shuot from above and turning her head she saw a fleet of angels and archangels dive after her, weapons and spells at the ready. She hasted her flight and got to Methos, who by then was unconscious. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes for a moment of quiet in her protective force field, still being pushed toward the earth by the cleansing fire and then she opened them, the marks on her coat flashed with power and she took one of her hands away from Methos to tear at the air, her magic reaping a gap in reality and they dived in, appearing in the space of a different kingdom. The gap closed, leaving most of the fire behind as they flew toward a green, blue, white and yellow planet, and crashed into a new kingdom.

After escaping from the angels, sneakily of course Seclusion flew over the hearing and snarled at the angel just after he was thrown "So love doesn't exist in this place huh? she said and dived down after Methos folding her wings right in and grabbed hold of him around the same time as Taar. "Deadly get to the ground ahead of me" she said "Methos, Taar trust me on this" she said, her wings changing once more silver, blood stains coating them almost red as she stretched out her powerful yet small wings to try. and slow them down. Deadly got to earth ahead of them and Seclusion angeles their descent with her signs as best as she could. "Taar can you help to slow us down a bit?" she asked her desperately. Her silver wings seemed to fight off the flames of the divine fire to an extent but were slowly being singed, she soon  saw the glmmer of her scythe and flipped them all pushing off at an angle, with Taar's help of course and they all landed in a nearby hot spring. "agh, good to be back here" she said and looked to Methos "You are too reckless, you'll never be able to go back there , you stupid angel!" she yelled at him angrily. Deadly trotted over and looked to them all soaked and Methos looking quite sorry for himself. Noticing the bone still in his back Seclusion made him turn around "We can't leave them in your back I'm afraid, but you never know, they might grow back one day, it's in your DNA anyway" she said to him, not sure really how Angel's wings worked. her won would grow back she knew that much.