Sash was still gibbering her explanation to Gause as the old sheep dog lay her semi conscious sibling on the medibay examination terminal. Not a frantic gibbering mind you, more of a worry-full rush of confusion.

- And he fell right through my arms. It was like he was shadow melding, She continued But in broad daylight!? Not even Mum could do that!

The sheepdog hmmed lowly to himself as he set up a hypodermic, There are a lot of things Niki doesnt understand about that art, lass. Right now Im more worried about treating the symptoms. What ever he did its put his hart in a dangerous arrhythmia and if we dont bring it back into line he could go into cardiac arrest.

The Doc pushed the Hypo against the boys neck, the shrill tizz of pressure indicating being the last thing Rayne heard before he slipped back under the blankets of unconsciousness.

'let me die. just let me die'

--

The birds saw them coming. They fled.

Fleeing Citizens felt them run by. They hid.

Retreating military personnel herd their approach They perished.

From the boarders of the city news flooded into the military command by confusing radio messages.

Reports of shadows suddenly thickening.

Intelligence of personnel being dragged into the darkness by unseen attackers.

News chronicling the fate of anyone who got caught in their wake, be they military or bystander.

Frightened corporals made their last hysterical transmitions, their voices dogged by the screams of their men and the sound of flesh being shredded away from bone.

"They're Comeing out! Oh gods thei-"
"-Dog like entities,"
"@#%$ oh @#%$!"
"WE NEED BACK-"

Across the city, the howl went up once again. The shrouds cast by buildings seemed to expand and congeal in accordance with the unearthly sound, defying the mother star still gazing down upon them from the heavens.

And so darkness thicker then any starless night descended like a mantle of cold foreboding of what horrors approached.

The rabbit stood firm, the most serious expression he'd had in over 250 years was firmly sealed on his features. He looked up, watching the ship back away from the now besieged city.

The rabbit paused and took in his surroundings, the burned structure housing the largest collection of beings along with Keedis was only meters away. The building with Tobias, Henry and a few others was not far. He hadn't been able to discern any other exact positions.

He seemed to be deliberating something. Standing out in the open in front of the now dilapidated structure the medic had drug the younger members into. It wouldn't be hard for one of them to spot him, in fact, he was counting on it.

Claw faced his back towards Rico. Claw faced one way, Rico faced the other, swords twitching, anxious for a fight.

They got one.

In the stewing darkness Claw could see the outline of a dozen shapes dashing past the alleyway.

The bladed terror shifted his stance, scuffing the ground ever so slightly.

One of the entities stopped, turning its head to gaze down the pair, darkness pouring from its empty glowing eye sockets like clouds of smoke. Now he could see it clearly. Large, haunched and bestial the creature seemed to be covered in dark fur that shimmered with a glow of black-light that also cascaded from its open maw.

A boiling chill had taken hold in the air. Both combatants could see their breath curling away in front of them, yet they were sweating as though within a sauna.

The shadows grew thicker, the blacklight from the creature grew stronger with every frenzied step it took towards them.

Then with an unearthly snarl it charged.
--

The warehouse where Toby and his cohorts were hidden echoed with hollow pad fall as the wave of creatures passed overhead.

There was a loud crash from one corner as a flawed window pain in the ceiling gave way.

Something scrabbled to regain its purchase on the floor.

--

Behind the Medic's group there was also the sound of braking glass, dark shapes oozing through the broken fraimes and door ways deap in the bowls of the shop.

In a moment Niki had her weapon trained on them, her right arm remaining steady dispite the obvious waight of the over sized pistol. The gun resemebled something of a sawn-off rifle rather then a side arm, but she held it with one hand.

"Out, to the streets, NOW!"

A grin spread over Claw's own bestial visage. The darkness pouring from this creature sent surges of adrenaline through his veins. He could feel his own feral instincts rising from the buried depths of his psyche. But this time he didn't fight the killer instinct he had been imbued with, he would pay dearly if he thought he could hold back this time.

Claw extended his blade and charged the dark beast.

"Heads up, Underwood," roared Claw, Rico could hear the combat high laced in Claw's words.

Ryn turned around as soon as she heard the glass shatter. In one quick motion, she withdrew two knives she had hidden in small sheaths on the criss-crossing belts around her waist.

"Sis," Kenneth whined as he retreated behind her.

All eyes were locked on the form of the unnatural form of some sort of creature as it took shape.

Ryn muttered a curse under her breath as the memory came back to her; she'd seen this... thing before... she just didn't remember where...

*CRASH*

Another window shattered as more pitch black darkness oozed its way inside.

"@#%$..."

The memory came back to her; she'd seen these things before somewhere... she just couldn't remember exactly where...

OOC: I babysat all weekend, exhausted. I'll post tomorrow.

EDIT: OOC: House may be falling through due to something on the inspection. Give me awhile to get things back in order, carry on of you wish as it's still going to be awhile before I can do much with the plot.

OOC: Still moving in here, but will have time to post tommorow too, I want to resolve claws action and chuck a little more action your way

Henry let out a string of words that should have shattered a face as childlike as his and jumped as the roof gave way. Then took a few breaths and tried to stand, despite the rabbit's efforts, but failed. He cursed again and strained to look around him, "Damn, I think something got hit or I lost too much blood. I... I can't... Dammit!" The frustration was almost visible it was so intense. But through the anger there was a sniff, a sniff that is usually only present when a person is near tears.

Tobias stood up and studied the creature, "You can't fight because of me, so it's my turn." He adjusted his glasses and pulled has weapons out. A pistol and a knife, rather crude weapons but it seemed to be all he had. The rabbit popped his neck and spoke, directing his voice toward Craig, "If you're going to run, you better do it now, Bayfield. I realize the trouble my family has caused you, regardless of whether it was intentional or not, I'll buy you time to get away. Do one thing for me though, this kid has suffered the same fate as you, take him with you."

Henry suddenly clamed up, there was not refusal, no catty remark, he looked... his age. Scared, confused, the innocence that had been missing from a boy like him was suddenly there.

"Don't worry Bayfield, he's not one of us. This is Henry Vand. Rico was protecting him from his father before he had his own son. I took over the task. But being half Underwood my life seems to be no different than his."

The creature steadied itself, the rabbit prepared himself.

"I've caused him to much trouble. He's suffered a lot of mental trauma thanks to me. Save him. I may not be your concern, but I know you won't leave a little kid in this mess, not with one of us."

With that said the rabbit walked into the open where the creature could see him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The human boy suddenly stood upright and announced, "Hey! Helps here!" Then ran to the exit, what he seemed to forgot about was the creature blocking the way. In fact, he didn't seem to care he was running right at it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hetoxamelan*" Rico said lowly watching the creature charge. The fox shifted to one side and spun around, intent on slicing the creature in half.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* Hetoxamelan - Taken from the Kydane words Melan meaning fire and the word Hetoxa meaning to die.

Maybe it was because he badly hurt his head earlier, but he couldn't keep up with events. He just stood staring at Toby as he told him to get going with Henry. As he turned to walk out to fight, Craig felt now was the time to say something... anything.

"Don't die, 'k? May have b'in trouble, maight not 'a been, but fact is you guys are the only dang family I know. I ain't letting you disaper 'til I get to find out wot the 'ell's been goin' on all this time"

He now looked to Henry and added "I'll get 'im outta 'ere"

and with that he took his hand and made quick his escape. Even though all these years have gone by, the squirrel was as agile and flexible as he ever was and getting away, even with a passenger was not too much trouble at all.

The rabbit waited to make sure they were gone before facing the enemy. Then removed his glasses and put them in his pocket, for a moment he studied the blobs of colors that made up his surroundings, his eyes had become even worse over time, not like it mattered though. He had only one choice when it came to fighting this kind of enemy. But he had to try to make amends for earlier, he wasn't overly concerned with Bayfield but he'd hurt one of the only people that would stand by him. He closed his eyes forcing the blackness in his mind away to find that one part of him that he held locked away.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

The halfbreed struggled weakly, his injuries should have had him in a large amount of pain but the only thing he seemed to feel was the lack of blood. That in itself was a good thing as he seemed fairly strong for a kid, but in his condition he was too weak to put up much of a struggle. "Please... stop." He muttered lowly from the Evolian's should finally giving up his meek flailing attempts. "We can't let him, he'll... go away again."

The beast leapt with a primordial rage that was swiftly cut short by the edge of Claws katana. With a long stroke and quick flick of his wrist the Blaided Terror cut smartly through the creatures flank, lifting it into the air and into the path of Ricos death sweep.

There was a hollow thud as the creatures cadaver hit the ground and flopped to a halt, bright purple light spewing forth from the gashes in its flank. With a hiss of almost acidic quality the shadowy creature melted into its surroundings and dispersed.

For a brief second, Claw lowered his sword, glairing at the spot where the primordial beast had once been. But his senses were drawn not a moment later to the entrance to the ally from which they had just came. There, blocking their receding path was another beast, but this one was different. It was for starters much larger, and lacked the primeval qualities of its siblings. But most importantly it stood proudly on both hind legs.

With a growl of his own, Claw once again raised his sword, but found confution in the fact that the beast did not advance. In fact it stood where it was, wearing a look of intoxicating malice as it pointed upward.

Both combatants glanced upward simultaneously, straighten into the eyes of the steadily advancing hoard of creatures that were gradually making their way down the walls. But now with their targets alerted, they rawer with displeasure and released their brick footholds to descend upon the duo like a rain of blackest night.

--

Alone now with his pray the black apparition surveyed the rabbit that stood before him, blue wisps of ethereal smoke tailing off from its cuts and gashes caused by the fall through the roof. With considerable effort it pushed itself onto its hind legs and, with an almost insatiable look of bloodthirst, tossed its head back to unleash anther terrible howl.

From the floor around it the shadows started to congeal. Darkness, you see, is never truly the absence of light, it is merely the absence of enough light. True darkness however is barker and more foreboding then anything one would see in the natural world, the absence of even a photon of light as the black horizon expands. There are only three places in the univerce that true darkness can be seen. At the edge of the univerce. In the hart of a black hole. And in the room where Tobias Underwood beheld the emergence of the Wraiths abhorred brooded.

Eight in total rose like wax moulds from the vat of candles that would be fit for death himself, the fires of purple light bursting from within them as their master breathed life into his puppets.

A brief pause as bones were righted and bearings were met.

And then they charged.

--

Niki let off several well placed shots into the darkness.

Yelps of pain followed each one, but the fog of darkness before them still seemed to advance unstoppably.

Now out into the street she glanced at the Rabbit that had appeared from no where and then back to the gathered number that were mimicking her motions away from the black fog.

Unless anyone has got any better ideas. She muttered Retreat might be out best option.

Secretly, in the back of her mind she re-enacted a long forgotten monologue that had until now remained a buried, pain full memory. Now it seemed far more relevant then ever. She had plotted the fogs course.
It seemed to be focused upon her.

Claw roared, the burst of feral sound was pure blood lust, fermented in the battlefields, extracted by the sound of gunfire, and brewed with the hilt of a sword.

"I haven't seen a good fight like this in ages," snarled Claw as he leaped skyward to meet the descending enemies.

"We don't have a choice. This area is no place to kids," Ryn's voice spoke from behind Niki.

She cut down another creature that got too close to the terrified Kenneth. When noticing the human heading for another creature, she almost panicked.

"Don't go off on your own!" she called out. "Get back here before you get yourself killed!"

Tobias suddenly shot forward, begining an almost graceful dance to deal death to his attackers. The rabbit's clunky run and gun street fighting street seemed to have vanished, in it's place a elegant blur of attacks with martial merit. Has his knife and fist impacted his attackers, it almost looked like he was smiling.

Rico didn't seem as eager to fight, he stayed behind with his sword ready. His ear flicked about erratically, as if he was still looking for something.

"You." The grey furred aging rabbit stated. Niki turned to see a weapon leveled at her.

There was no time to ask questions, he fired, the weapon making a high pitched squeal as she felt intense heat rush her head.

The creature flanking them seized up as the energy blast hit it, the small statured Sparky emerged, scrambling around the beast as a rat would escaping a sinking vessel.

he volatile blood of these evil creatures erupted from expertly placed cuts made by Claw's lethal katana. Using psionic power to enhance and his strength and agility, Claw would stab one enemy then leap off the falling body and into the next one; using his momentum the "climb" he waterfall of darkness. Claw catapulted in high above the masses flying from the rooftops. Observing, although briefly, the chaos below from his temporarily gravity deficient vantage point.

The heated lunacy boiled through the Psionics veins like steam rushing through turbines of a power plant, stoked by his charcoal hart that felt alive for the first time in centuries.
One after another the creatures burst against his katana, spewing forth torrents of vivid violet feathers that spiralled majestically downward in his deadly wake.

But now something felt wrong. He was out of control, heading straight into the wall of the ally. But how? His technique was infallible, his anger unstoppable?
Tumbling uncontrolled through the air, his hyper reactions had just enough time to work out what had gone astray. His weight was facing in the wrong direction.

In an amazing feat of absentmindedness, the laws of physics appeared to have been caught with its pants down and gravity had momentarily forgotten which way it was supposed to be flowing.

Claw crashed head long into the wall, rolled once and landed cleanly on his feat, skidding to an overpowered halt on the mortar stone. He looked up and- for a split second -experienced blind panic; the sight of Rico looking up at him from a floor that was now at a ninety degree angle from his own solid footing being more then enough to off nerve even the hardiest of heroes.
This miner inconvenience however was quickly forgotten as the daemon remembered his place in the world, owing in no small part the hoard of black dogs that were now surrounding him on All sides, including the other wall of the ally, on which they seemed to stand without paying any heed to the fact that from claws point of view, they were walking on the ceiling.

Then he noticed the smell of blood.

Something was tricking down his shoulder.

Something that ran from three long white hot gashes in his flesh.

--

One after another they submitted to his dance, their flames of life bursting forth as each blow was placed immaculately into vital parts of their anatomy. There was a lot of them, to say that might even be an understatement. Several times he even thought one might brake through and pose a real challenge. But then he would just change his footing and the creatures swipe would fall short.

Energetic it was. A challenge it was not.

Then came the flash. A bright searing light that stung his eyes even through his closed eyelids, followed by a wave of heat that singed his fur and withered any material that came close enough. Startled, Toby changed his stance again, opening his eyes and watching through the turmoil of his dance as one of the shapes arched slightly and let forth another fantastic flash.
This time he dodged it rather then chancing that the flames might miss a second time. The ferocious patterns of orange and yellow racing inches from his nose.

He lept away from yet another burst, now spotting the first creatures unmistakable hue in the background, hanging apparently upside down from a beam and watching the fight.

This one was different. He could feel something. A primitive emotion that seemed t ooze from the creatures aura, a disturbing kind of amusement.
It wanted to watch the rabbit struggle, wanted to see it ripped to shreds by his brood.
But first and foremost. It wanted a good show.

--

Nikis fractious expression changed little as the plasma round swept past her ear and tethered hair, though her left eye twitched repeatedly. The woman turned back to the billowing cloud of black fog, still letting off shots at unseen targets and scoring hits that seemed to reverberate with bright violet light a split second later. It had not escaped the rabbits notice that she had still been firing even when her eyes were on him.

Now that the fog was billowing into the street in earnest it was clear that the creatures werent emerging from their smoke screen at all. Rather that as each one broke through the protective line the fog congealed around them and solidified. They Were the fog.

Fall back along the side allies behind us! She yelled We head for the warehouse district near by, its our only hope of out running them!

--

The group ran for their lives, Niki leading the way into the dence wearhouse district, the thick mist snapping at their heals.

Everyone kept pace untill their path was sudenly blocked by a wall of fire. The creatures Toby had been fighting had become over zellous and several of the grate buildings were now ablaze, the fire spreading rapidly through their dry timbrs and flamable contence.

Niki paused momentearly before turning on a new couse and heading through the open door double doors that lead onto a workshop floor.
"This way!" She yelled, looking back menterrally to see the fog rolling around the bend they had ran past only a moment before.

To late did she realise her mistake, the exit to the wearhouse curved back toward the city, and was already blocked by the swirlling mists.

Suddenly a section of the cloud surged forward through their only way out, one thick strand leaping from the collective and barrelling into the militarized-waitress. Nikis eyes went wide as the insubstantial apparition charged at her, the neon-blue light from its eyes and gaping maw visible even through its thick vale.

Startled, the raccoons arm snapped around to face the oncoming daemon. Her aim was true, but the round passed right through and recherchd off the concrete.

"DAMN!"

She felt the creature hit her full in the chest. The world momenteraly went black as the woman hurtaled through the air.

Their was the distinct sound of wood and masonary giving way as their guide was flung into the resesses of an office that lay off to one side of the paint spattered work area. A milisecond later it was followed by a deap groan as makshift roof sagged and fell in, leaving no trace of the office that had once stood.

The bank of fog seemed to whirl around as the creature within righted itself and turned to its next victim, Ryn.

It pounced, reaching back with its right claws ready for the death swipe upon the young woman. The two that had been surrounding it congealed on either side and joined the frenzy. From the darkness the creatures burst, leaping frantically at the small near defenceless group as the thrill of hunt took a hold in earnest.

--OOC-- Edited to Match Evalks last post. Group now moved to wearhouses just next to the one in which Toby is duke'in it out.

btw:

Claw glanced at his torn up shoulder and then at the blood trickling down on to his hand. With bestial fervor he licked the red substance from his furry hand and gripped his katana firmly. With gravity having taken a vacation, Claw would have to be more aware of his equilibrium this time around.

One of the daemons charged at him, Claw quickly sheathed his katana and grasped the upper and lower jaws with his hands. With an angry roar of his own Claw forced the jaws open wider until he heard that tell-tale crack of snapping bone. He then tossed the daemon aside like a used toy and drew his blade once again, striking another clean through the neck.

Too damn many, even for you, old fool cursed Claw to himself silently.

Claw expertly wrapped his cape up under his armpit and around his injured shoulder and tied it with a hasty knot. It would slow the bleeding for a little while at least.

Claw grasped his katana in one hand and held out his other hand to the side.

"Come get some," growled Claw.

Five long claws, nearly three feet long each, extended from his fingertips.

"Come find out why they called me the 'Bladed Terror',"

OOC: Sorry for not posting. Net's messed up at home, but I should have something to post by next week, hopefully.

Edit IC:

She saw them coming for her. Her brother was first priority, though; she had to get him out of harm's way.

Without a moment of hesitation, Ryn pushed the frightened kitten away from her just as the claws slashed her already hurt shoulder and knocked her to the ground. The knife flew from her hands and stuck in the ground a few feet away.

"Eyankal!" Kenneth's yelp echoed from some unknown distance.

The young woman managed to at least sit up; pain stabbed her shoulder like a knife, and somehow her entire arm felt... paralyzed?!

Hearing a noise that sounded like a snarl, her gaze was once again fixated upon the foggy creatures. They seemed as though they were toying with her, their prey, before the really go in for the kill...

"Eyankal!"

The cry seemed to penetrate the low snarling sounds of the unholy beasts surrounding Claw. He looked around, in the chaos he had lost track of Rico.

No matter, he knew the Warden could handle himself. Claw suddenly burst into a full run, slashing wildly with his own set of claws at any of the evil creatures daring enough to get too close.

Claw saw a warehouse where a large number of those... "things" had gathered and were swarming over like a hive of bees. With a burst of psinoic strength Claw catapulted himself into the air and dug his claws through a few of the beasts and then into the hard metal siding of the building and began a quick bloody climb to the top.

The daemons snapped their voracious jaws at Claw as he dashed towards a large skylight. Smokey black fog swirled around his feet as Claw suddenly leaped though the skylight, creating a dramatic cascade of glass to come crashing down on a section of the shadow dwelling creatures surrounding Ryn.

The daemons retreated a short distance as the glass showered over them, screeching and yelping.

Ryn quickly righted herself to her feet with the help of her right arm, shutting her eyes to protect them from tiny shards. Her left arm remained limp, though that didn't stop the painful throbbing from the bloody wound on the shoulder.

Damn it...

Her ears twitched slightly at the sound of footsteps on broken glass. Looking up, she spotted the psionic almost right in front of her, and, further ahead, Kenneth stood very still, his green and blue eyes shifting from her to the intimidating figure in front of him and back.

"This place is a death trap, we need to evacuate. How many wounded are there?" growled Claw.

"Just me," the feline answered back shakily. "There were two others, one a raccoon, but one of these things flung her out of here, I think. The other was a human kid, he managed to get away."

She readied her knife in her right hand, staring down the dark fog. "I just wanna get my kid brother outta here while I can still move."

"Fair enough, grab the kid and follow my lead. I can't do this for long," growled Claw.

"Do what?" asked the feline.

Ryn could actually see ambient energy clustering around Claw, being drawn in like a vacuum. Suddenly Claw sent a red blast of psionic energy in front of him, carving a tunnel into the black fog.

"Move!" howled Claw, obviously under a ton of strain, his body was instantly coated in a layer of sweat.

"Ken!"

The boy looked to see his sister motioning to him. When she started to run, he followed suit, trying not to look down at the swirling darkness licking at his feet.

Ryn seemed to slow down a bit although she was ahead. The kitten grew worried; what if something really bad happened to her when he saw the creature slash her shoulder?

When he caught up with his sister towards the end of the tunnel, she grabbed his hand and pushed him forward. He found himself out in the middle of the street of the wrecked town, stumbling forward a bit before regaining his balance. He saw Ryn emerge soon after, stopping after a few steps and sinking to her knees.

She seemed pale and short of breath; it didn't take long for Ken to notice the trail of blood stains on the ground.

"I'll be fine," he heard her say weakly. "Don't worry about me. I'm pretty sure... that guy is, too."

Claw hurled himself through the clear tunnel and crumpled to the ground near Ryn. Every muscle in his body ached from the expenditure of will power over the energy around him.

The warehouse groaned under the weight of the immense evil that enveloped it.

You can't protect anyone crawling on the ground like that, get up! cursed Claw at himself, searching for strength his body simply couldn't muster at the moment.

"You need help?"

Claw's eyes looked up to see Kenneth standing above him, hand outstretched. His innocent, scared expression was a far cry from the bratty behavior from before.

Rico had vanished, there didn't seem to be any trace of the man. Looking around the human child they'd mentioned seemed to be missing as well.

"Well, you seem to be getting rather soft. I thought people like you had longer lifespans than us."

The voice was plain and free of any discernible accent. It almost sounded familiar, though it's original wasn't anyone he could recall. Of course a plain gray furred Kydane Lapoid wasn't anything memorable.

"These kids yours? I didn't think you seemed like a family man, Claw." The rabbit stated rather satirically. The area he'd come from outside the building was littered with the bodies of the demons, but the rabbit looked unscathed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Let go. I said I would help, there no point in this. The thoughts came from a rather blurry scene, one playing out in Tobias's mind. From a human looking creature, one being strangled by two yellow furred hands.

Insurance, try to pull anything and I'll kill you right here. The second thought came from the small yellow rabbit, the spitting image of Toby in his youth.

You can no longer survive without me, sweetie. Killing me would kill you. The human smiled even through his constricted airway.

Better we both die than I let you get your filthy hands on then you damn fu... human. Tobias stammered the last of the thought, giving his hostage more mental ammo.

What? No 'Furless Monkey' comment? Why is that? Because you're related to one of our kind now you're losing the Underwood bigotry? Or maybe it's because you and Koibito are having a lover's quarrel.

The rabbit's teeth gritted visible in the blurry confines of his mind. His hand glamping down harder. Is everything like that with you? Everyone does everything because of sex? ... Yes, of course it is. It's how your pathetic mind sees everything. His grip loosened back to it's original grip.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The demonic animals seemed confused for a moment. The creature they'd begun attacking now seemed completely different. It's aura didn't seem normal now, not like any of the creatures they'd come across.

The rabbit stood smirking, having easily dodged their attacks. "Is that all you have? I came all this way to play fetch with Blackie and the Gimpy Voidhounds? Bring your master, maybe he might pose a threat."

The fires had caught another warehouse out of view and the distinct smell of burning paint joined the misappropriation of ethers that choked the air.

No one had really considered why the hoard of daemons had not taken to the chase.
Now that the group settled outside some glanced back to see the scene they had just escaped through. The clouds of darkness still hung, yet they had not moved from their encirclement, the gaping hole in the impenetrable fog remaining somewhat unchanged. In fact, now that they looked upon it with less of a frantic scramble the vivid red energy seeping down the tunnels walls was all too apparent.

A low mournful groan began to build in the shadows as bestial shapes rose and fell with the convexing currents that boiled over its surface. For a moment it seemed as though some were trying to escape, struggling to regain a corporeal form while being dragged down by the dead part of the collective whole.

With a roar of pain and a rush of hot air, the cloud suddenly expanded in a flash of blinding light and in a blink the fog evaporated to leave nothing but a solitary, rather annoyed looking beast stood in the middle of the now deserted work floor.

The Blue beast swaggered slightly on its hind legs, observing the wisps of smoke that had once been its brood.

<KavetoS>
It muttered furiously in a voice that sounded as though it had been scorched with acid. Mumbling several other profanities of an anchent and dark nature, the large creature dropped to its forepaws and turned its attention to the scattered group.

<Ira gets to kill Imdur , Envy gets the Fulcrum and what do I get? A bunch of FezbtoA. Bloody mongrels.

<Do not grumble so Brother Avarice> Came a strong almost noble voice from behind the grey rabbit. Several spun around to see another other beast approaching. This one was different in its patterning and seemed to strut slightly as it approached, walking solely on its hind legs as though more then a mere beast. <It hardly suits you. Besides, at least you get more pray, if less sport. Oh. But I see you have found my wayward quarry. Delightful to have a challenge after all these centauries->

There was a stark whip of air as the beast called Avarice vanished from his prowling position on the other side of the group, only to reappear next to the second spectre intime to interrupt its sentence.

<-YOUR QUARRY?!> it screeched, vivid purple flecks of spittle spraying from its mouth <I found them! ME! Theyre All MINE!>

The shot that rang out silenced the collective, leaving only the echo and the distant crackling of burning timbers to fill the void.

Both creatures turned towards the source, Avarice growling lowly as ripples edged around his face where the bullet had passed harmlessly through, brilliant blue eyes settling on the figure of Niki stood defiantly in the doorway to the warehouse. Her form was slightly limp and both her face and chest were covered in blood. Yet her gun arm remained firm and true to its aim.

Envy snarled uncharacteristically, lips curling back to show a full range of vicious pointed fangs < You didnt kill her?!? >

< I did! >

< You worthless BanSutIP, you get the easiest job of the lot and you FAIL! >

Envy roared at the whelping Avarice, the brother returning it with a swipe of his claws before vanishing once again in a rising puff of smoke. A split second later he reappeared back on the other side of the group, facing the woman on all fours and growling menacingly.
< Ill get her this time. Kill the others for me. >

Niki swayed slightly on the spot as the creature stalked towards her. For a moment she looked at her gun, considering its apparant ineffect against such a beast. Then she holstered it, drew a long breath and took a defencive stance, blood soaked gun arm outstreached ready to retaliate.

--

In the burning warehouse the hounds bore their teeth to the altered rabbit that stood before them. Then from the distance across the boundaries of flame came a mocking laughter. The wolfs bowed the heads and parted, opening a path to the figure walking through the fire towards their circle. The figure was clapping as it approached.

< Heh Hee-ahahah haaa. Bravo, Wonderful performance. Encore. Encore. >

The beast stepped through the flames, its voice was elegant, but held an unmisable hint of psychosis, mirroring that which may be found in the criminally insane. It seemed to shake off the last few chuckles before speaking again.

< Well Imdur, I dare say the powers that be were not under exaggerating when they told me about your prowess. And may I say youve taken a fine specimen as your host, He will be most pleased. >

"So they are sentient, well that complicates things. Where are they from?" The grey rabbit said lowly, more to himself than anyone in particular.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Toby looked interested, he thought before speaking for a moment, twisting one ear over and over on instinct. After a minute he looked up again, renewed smirk washing over his features. "Imdul. Interesting. What do you know about me?"

Ryn looked up as the much larger beasts now entered the area, but it was all she could do. She felt drained and lightheaded; she'd lost too much blood.

Kenneth stayed close by; the sudden appearance of these ghastly beings caught him by surprise.

Damn it, what's going on now?

Claw shot an annoyed glance over at Toby before turning back to Kenneth.

"Don't worry about it, kid. I've been in worse scrapes than this," growled Claw as he dismissed Kenneth's helping hand.

Claw jammed the tip of his katana into the ground and used it as a prop to pull himself off the ground.

"Since when did you turn smartass-badass," growled Claw as he carefully took a position next to Toby.

He watched Toby out of the corner of his eye, he was a totally different person than the timid, innocent kid he ran into on Mobius. All that raw untapped power the kid had... did he master it? Or did all the phenomenal power simply wither away along with Toby's innocence and ignorant bliss.

The Underwood's, what a duo. Although it seemed now there were more Underwood's running around.

"What a cursed name..." mumbled Claw, more to himself than anyone else.

OOC: Ick we got a location foul-up here. I guess thats the price I pay for having two rabbits. The rabbit with the main group is John Kinnear, he didn't play any major part that i remember in the original. Toby is across the way in some warehouse. Rico and Sparky have vanished. I'm not sure were Christer or Craig are.

I think I can fix this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The rabbit raised an eyebrow, "I look that much like him? I guess the bloodline does cross somewhere. John Kinnear, at one time I would introduce myself as part House Murray. Course the war convienently removed most of us."

Claw scratched his head, he was getting old.

"How do you know who I am?" growled Claw, silently kicking himself for not having paid better attention.

"Cuz I have the same affliction you do." He smirked out tapping a few settings on a rather high tech looking firearm. "I can't seem to stop attracting Underwoods."

"Ironic, a psionic helping the Underwood family. Hell must be frozen solid by now," sneered Claw, realizing the absurdity of his actions.

But there were to many questions to just ignore everything.

< I do hate to brake up this touching moment- > Envy razed his clasped hands in front of his wolfen features < -But havent you forgotten something? >
Once again gravity seemed to forget itself as the beast opened its paws in a wide sweeping motion, but this time the force driving the change was far more violent and determined.
The group seemed to split down the middle, claw and John were flung (or rather began to fall) in opposing directions as though each had been on the end of opposing bungee cords. Likewise others close by followed suit. Moments later they thudded into the warehouse walls, pined by a force many times more powerful then any found on an inhabitable world.

There was a yelp from the overly confident Avarice as he sailed back out into the middle of the yard, propelled by Nikis strong arm. Growling angrily he charged once more, this time ducking the counter and barrelling into the raccoon, both of them disappearing in a sprawling melee of flailing limbs and teeth.

Envy rolled his eyes and released his grip on the broken party, stalking towards the dazed Kenneth who was laying in a heap a few paces from the rapidly recovering grey rabbit, razing one caged paw and allowing a charge of energy to build within its clawed recesses.

< I doubt you will want to suffer the horrors of this massacre, youngling. So I shall make yours first and swift. >

He drew back his arm and poised the fingers to end Kenneths life with naught but a swift click.
< Let it be known that I am not without mercy. >

--

The apparition sniggered as if delusional with anticipation, striding in until it towered over the rabbit. Then it knelt down until its eyes were level with Tobys, their noses almost touching.

< Only what hes going to do to you once he gets back. >

Chuckling to itself the creature danced away a few paces, its brood slinking back into the fire and vanishing from sight as it began to circle.

< He hasnt forgotten your betrayal, Imdul, Ohhh no no no. Youre first against the wall upon his return, and trust me when I say; hes had a long time to plan exact how hes going to kill you. A long, long time. >

Having walked the full way around the trapped rabbit, the creature finally stopped, stretching its back and standing to its full height.

< Naturally of course Im not aloud to kill you. But he said nothing of your vessel. >

It began turn around, moving its head and arms as though measuring a workspace.

< Im thinking something a little more Art Nuevo. Yes, YES I can see it now! The Everlasting Escape. Oh, it will be beautiful. Yes. I have decided. >The apparition turned around again, razing its arms outwards as it to embellish the announcement of something wonderful < I shall paint these four walls with your blood and hang your body from a waterfall of chains. >

With a flick of its out stretched wrists the fire seemed to leap into the beasts hands, coiling around the arms like two grate snakes and stretching outward ridged form two grate blades of purest white hot flame.

< You will become my next, Grate, MASTERPIECE! >

"Wait!"

John's voice barked out as the creature reared back to attack. "Are you INSANE? Killing a child? Here?" The rabbit's mind raced, this wasn't going well, these things weren't from 'there' or they'd know how the others would react.

He shot a glance at Claw, Rico had to have been with him but he was gone now. So was Keedis. Everything seemed to a grim cresendo of events he hadn't anticipated. Even if he could destroy this thing there were undoubtedly others. Even with his abilities they would undoubtedly swarm him as the largest threat and kill him. But if he let the boy die all the Warden creatures would emerge and things would become uncontrollable. A war of things from that space.

He was panting through gritted teeth, a desperate face, one that had never crossed the rabbit's face... ever. "You can't, you don't realize the repercussions of it. Aren't from the Art? Don't you know what They will do?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You don't realize the power I have in here. Unfortunately little Toby possesses unfathomable discipline." He smirked, "You'd be doing me a favor, one I won't return. I look forward to that body. I'm sure your abilities will be far more... fun."

He sneered and popped his knuckles, "Unfortunately, this brat can recall me at anytime and I fight with his hands around my neck. So don't expect an easy victory... then again, even your victory will be your defeat."

The dark aura the creature emitted enclosed around the rabbit, his tan fur darkening further, as if absorbing the energy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What are you doing here? We had an agreement." The question was more a command, Rico's command. They were outside the city, on a hill overlooking the escaping citizens. The mangy floppy eared canine from before, facing Richard and Keedis, both father and son dressed identically in maroon coat and black undergarments.

"One you've broken when you allowed that... rodent, to influence my son." The dog sneered folding his arms.

"He's no longer yours. We had an agreement."

"The agreement is void. Leave."

Rico sneered.

"Leave, fox. You have your son, you have no need of mine."

The fox narrowed his eyes, "What will you do?"

The canine smirked, "You really still care? Considering you left him back there die? Whatever, don't worry, nothing your conscience would guilt you for."

Rico closed his eyes and nodded, "See that it doesn't. Keedis, lets go." The fox strode past the dog proudly, turning his back on the man without fear. His son followed, sullen and silent.

Ryn didn't even know what hit her.

Whatever happened in that split second when the beast swung, all she knew was that she didn't see Kenneth anywhere.

She tried to sit up, but was only greeted by pain. Damn it, I can't move...

---

"Ow..." The boy felt just a little disoriented when he sat up, shaking his head as his eyesight began to focus.

As he looked around, he spotted the large creature had its claws raised, poised to attack...

***
OOC: Have to finish later on, it's late now.

Envy paused momentarily, fingers still poised to release their deadly payload with but a single click. A dark foreboding chuckle rose from the creatures chest.

< Oh on the contrary, dear warden, I know exactly what will happen. >

Its black features turned slightly until it could see the rabbit through the crook of one eye.

< Do you know how many were torn asunder on our journey here? Hundreds, many of them mere children caught in our wake as we passed through a camp just on the boundaries of the city. Mothers with their babe in arms were shredded by our advance, and did your gods lift so much as a finger to prevent it? No. They remain silent. Because unlike you, welp, They Remember. >

The creature chuckled again, turning his head and free hand to the sky.

< They Remember what happened the list time they rose their hands in defiance! THEY Remember the war that saw their armies wiped from existence like excrement from a boot. They remember their enslaved brothers, chained to my masters legion and forced to raise sword against their own kin. And they most assuredly remember the wrath of the seven, our claws tearing through their celestial forms and tossing their essence back to the pit. >

Hyped up on his long berating of the cowardly gods, Envy took his sight of the child and began shouting at the world around him.

< HEAR ME, OLD GODS. I AM ENVY! Lord of the wraiths and Lieutenant to the grate Nur. Those who would appose my actions, speak now! Strike me down, I will not defend myself, but know of the repercussions. >

Silence descended upon the caught yard, not a soul stirred as the beasts call went unanswered.

Envy chuckled and turned swiftly back to the cowering child before him, rasing his fingers once more to blink Kenneth out of existence.

< Your call goes unheeded Warden. For they remember. >

--

No one seemed to have noticed why claw had not struck out at the beast. Despite no longer being held the warrior was sat in a peaceful daze, katana laying a few feet away next to the semi conscious Ryn. In fact, the area around Ryn seemed quiet, filled with an aura of harmony. The girl felt light within herself, her wounds didnt harass her body and her mind felt calm. She opened her eyes to see the creature with its back to her, arm raised outward towards her brother. All in the world seemed have slowed, all that existed was right infront of her. The hilt of the katana lay only a few inches from her face, she felt the need for its grip. Then, a whisper ran past her ear, nearly without substance or owner and yet for a moment, she felt she knew whome it belonged too.

Your wounds are healed. Pick up the blade, Ryn. While his back is too you.

He tensed, eyes shut. As if something wanted to come out but couldn't.

Then...

"We haven't struck because we don't want to commit genocide on a weaker species! What reason could you have to DO this? This isn't our realm or yours, we have no right to interfere with it's natural development! If you want a war with us then fight us in our space!" The rabbit yelped out as if in the throws of a full blown panic attack.

We? Our?

Kinnear felt his heart slip, he'd just undone millenia of careful word play and neutrality.

She didn't care to question wherever the voice had come from; this was probably no time to, anyway. The feline's right hand simply grasped the hilt of the blade as she rose from the heaps of debris that was once the warehouse wall.

She'd never really liked handling swords much, but this one was quite different. It was much lighter, easier to handle...

Perfect. That overgrown bastard is going to die.

< ..humph. Cowards. >

Everyone looked away as several teeth aching sounds resonated around the courtyard. It was difficult to tell which came first. The snap of the beasts fingers or the glinch of metal passing swiftly through flesh. One thing the all knew for sure was they both prelude to the sound of mortar being crushed under tremendous pressure.

Kenneth fell forwards in terrified relief he wasnt dead. Cautiously he opened one eye just a fraction to see the apparition still stood in front of him, arm razed still held in its death strike. But it was wobbling, a look of intense surprise etched into its beastial features. The boy glanced upwards, following the waterfall of dust to the perfectly spherical hole just up and to the right of where his head had been a split second ago. He looked back to the beast, blind panic riveting him to the spot in morbid anticipation of the creatures next move.

And then he saw it.

Envy saw it too it was kind of difficult to miss a foot long blade sticking out of ones own chest. Confused, the Breather reached down with its still outstretched paw to feel at the katanas edge, as if just making sure he wasnt going insane.

The edges of his existence began to glow brighter as the fires within battled to hold his frail corporeal form, but their strugeling was in vain. With one hand clasped lightly around the silvery knife, Envy looked upward and reached out in an almost overly dramatic pose.

< Is this.. a dagger.. I see before me? >

Claw shook off the daze and a surge of panic seized him as he watched Ryn pick up his katana.

That cursed blade.

The blade had never been the same ever since it had slain Lord Evalc.

That blade was designed to kill so-called gods. But when he pierced Evalc with it so long ago, the last foot of the blade was scoured black.

However, watching that ancient sword impale this arrogant beast seemed to, if only momentarily, satiate the katana's strange yearnings.

Ryn was suddenly filled with a strange and wonderful sensation. A low yet oddly soothing whisper of power momentarily coursed through Ryn's body as she felt the blade slide easily into her enemy's back.

Claw jumped to his feet and extended all ten of his 3 foot claws from his hands.

"I don't know what all your esoteric babble means but here's my reply," growled Claw as he leaped into the air and swiped at Envy's outstretched arm, hoping to sever it completely.

Envy heard a soft chuckle from behind.

"You really think I'm gonna let you kill my brother, you @#%$?"

In one swift motion, the blade cut through one side of the beast. In Kenneth's eyes, it seemed to falter slightly to one side, but still stood.

The child didn't dare move, though he thought he instantly recognized who it was that had spoken.

It... it's Ryn... but, when she'd get Kosa's* sword?

*Kenny's nickname for Claw at the moment.

Claw's organic blades dug into Envy's flesh but did not managed to sever the arm. This thing was more sturdy than he looked.

As the katana tore through Envy, Ryn and the katana seemed to shimmer with satisfaction.

OOC: Hope you dont mind about the Katana thing Evalc. My thought was to arm everyone so that they could join in the melee.
IC:

The Roar of agony from the crippled beast shook the walls of the surrounding warehouses. Grate cascading arcs of light began to burst forth from the gaping wounds in his shoulder and flank. As the kanata ripped through his flesh, Envy screamed and swiped out at the still airborne Claw. But the warrior was not going to be taken off guard again and, with a swift twist, brought his bony claws around and cut clean through most of the creatures left hand.

In desperation and pure fury, Envy reached upward with his remaining semi-inoperative arm and brought it down in a quick movement. A shockwave seemed to emanate from around his feat that buffeted both Ryn and Claw, pushing them backwards and giving the creature room to move. The wounds in envys chest and arms began to seal as darkness seeped back into the gaping holes, a thin tract of dark blue light remaining in testament to the damage. It was clear it would take far more to bring him down then any living creature, though the wounds were still weighing heavily on his actions.

Reasserting his stance on firm ground, Envy turned in fury to the first target he saw, John. With a loud curse in a language few could understand, the beast scraped at the ground with its claws, pulling up the concreate and compacting it with gravitational inertia. A twist of the wrist and the ball of crushed matter shot out its hand and flew straight at the rabbit.

--

Somewhere above the raging battle came the sounds of braking mortar and body fall. The fight was not going so well for someone.

Kenneth watched as both Claw and Ryn landed on the ground behind the beast, then glanced back at the beast. Even though he was focused on someone else now, he was still very much in danger... He had to get away.

But there was nowhere to run. Bodies of demons lay everywhere, and in the event that the rabbit was eliminated, he would be next.

Trapped like a rat. That's what he was. A lone child in a battlefield who probably wasn't going to survive long unless he were able to pull off something unexpected, but nothing like that was going to happen anyway. At least, that's what he thought...

---

Ryn skidded backwards on the dirt as she landed, finally stopping a couple of yards away.

"Not enough." Her eyes locked onto Envy once more. "It's not enough to kill him."

Weak point... somewhere, he's got to have a weak point. It's the only way.

It comes to this. Well, the decision was made long ago. Whatever happens, farewell old friend. The rabbit resigned himself as a voice inside his head attempted to reason with him to do something other than what it knew he was planning.

It's funny, you used to lecture me on the dangers of this and yet in the end you're the one that wants to break your own laws. Looks like we've influenced you more than you know, Tan'Maslak. His mind secure the rabbit did his best to defend himself, at the same time using one hand to fire wildly at the oncoming beast. To little avail, the rabbit was hit straight on, he could feel the almost warming sensation of the creatures tearing into him.

OOC: Not at all, Astral. Its given me a few ideas for future plot goodies 😉

IC:

Claw dugs his claws into the pavement, bringing himself to a sudden stop. He tried to propel himself back at Envy as the dark demon lunged at John.

But it was too late.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion as Claw watched Envy plow through the rabbit.