Ariana tossed and turned. She sat up so fast she got dizzy and fell out of her bed. With the lightest of a thump she was sprawled out on her floor. A half second later a series of small white wards flared. Instantly the gravity in the room quadrupled. The only spot left unaffected was where Ms. King laid gripping her head. Justin tore into the room. The same white ward seemed almost tattooed to his face. Looking around he quickly realized their was no enemy. With a silent word the ward vanished from his face and the rest of the room deactivated. "Ms. King... Ms. King who is it? WHAT is it?"
"My braces Justin, get my braces...." Ariana rolled on her back. The pendant at her neck rising and falling at the same quick succession of breaths.
"Miss it wasn't but fifteen minutes ago you scryed and it was inconclusive."
"My braces Justin, unless you want her here without them."
Justin opened a large walk in closet. He withdrew a series of joint braces, first knees, than elbows, wrists, ankles, spine, and finally neck. Each was crafted of the purest silver. Each etched with a long series of runes. The braces had to weigh the same amount as the girl herself. Gently carrying them over to Ariana he tried one last desperate plea. "Can't we wait to see who wins it? What if we alert ... them? What if we both go and you only use the rune magic?" Ariana shook her head no and reached weakly for the first brace. Knowing she would not be deterred Justin undressed the heiress. As Ariana spoke a strange language the runes on the braces glowed a faint white. Gingerly Justin undid the clasps and locked them into place around Ariana. The smell of burnt flesh, one Justin knew he would never get used to, greeted his nose as he locked each one. Ariana would not yell out, but she would stop breathing for a second as each brace bore into her.

When it was done Ariana stood. It looked like an exoskeleton geiger would have designed. Ariana tested the rune magics. Her movements quick, precise, STRONG. This gear had allowed Ariana to combat the dark arts. Something she would never be able to do without it. This suit in her teenage years had won her the maiden.

"It's time Justin. Bring it."

Justin being a gravity mage had its advantages. He wished this wasn't one. A rune activated over his left eye. As if being dragged by an invisible person a coffin shaped box entered the room. The front of the coffin had a womans face etched into it. The expression that of pure agony. Once the coffin was standing in the center of the room Ariana walked up to it and placed a loving hand on the etching. "Hello my beautiful." Pulling the front of the coffin open a char black skeleton hung suspended by magic. Instead of a skull a helmet with the same agonized face. It was a black metal forged for this purpose only. Ariana turned and faced Justin. She smiled weakly at him, her eyes rimmed with tears from what she had just gone through. She stepped backwards into the coffin pulling the lid shut. Justin could swear he saw the skeleton move to embrace her each time this happened.

After what to Justin seemed like an eternity of Ariana screaming from inside the coffin....Again something Justin would never get used to.... it was silent.

The coffin door opened. Ariana stepped out. Anywhere the silver braces were not a black metal now resided. Her arms now looked like they belonged to a giant mech. Ariana flexed her hands, the fingers each tipped with scythe like blades. Her legs had monster like feet. Ariana flexed her 'toes' they carved the marble floor like butter.

The worst part was the mask thought Justin. The face no longer a woman in agony, it was serene, calm, at peace. Justin knew it was because all the pain was being transferred to Ariana herself. The maiden was exacting its cost. "I'm going Justin. I can't waste Silver standing here." Ariana turned. The white runes shining bright. "Accelerate" One rune on her spine flared and began to glow black. "Miss, already?" "Yes Justin, I must make it in time."

Ariana was out the window and across the court before Justin could even think of a reply. She wasn't as fast as a speeders, but she was far more mobile. Justin watched as she hurdled traffic, bouncing from one object to another. She was headed straight for the orbs location. The Maiden was on the move.

Sin looked at Contessa then back at the juggler. He would have the orb and was willing to do what he needed to get it.

"I really had hoped it wouldn't come to this, but you forced my hand. This was meant to be a cash and grab for me Get the cash keep the orb. not that I need the cash

Sin had closed his eyes a the mask disappeared from his face as he gave Isis the order through their telepathic link as his girlfriend appeared wielding two psychic blades along with Raiden who wielded a katana with lightning surrounding the blade Ricochet then appeared wielding dual pistols with runes similar to Sin but with fire and lightning swirling around his arms. Baston had showed up soon after with his fists pulsing with energy. Then the final 2 members appeared. Ghost wearing powered armor that wa adorned with runes and Stitch, hands glowing ready to heal who ever got injured in his crew. Sin turned to Stitch.

"Stitch, be ready to heal any mortal civilians that get caught in the crossfire.

Stitch noded. Sin wasn't all bad. He cared for the mortals much like Shepherd did. He had just grown up in a different environment.

The Witch sneered at Sin's summons, and would smile as the first wave of hellhounds quite literally tear into the crowd, screams ringing out as sections of the pier run with blood. The unoccupied hounds would rush towards Sin and his allies, followed by men hidden in cloaks of shadow, running forward with their scythes swinging wildly, not caring who got caught in their wake.

The Contessa herself would exude balls of black fire from her palms, volleys of mystical landmines headed for both the Juggler, and Sin and his companions, their purpose clear as one consumes a fleeing civilian, screaming in agony as his body is left a charred and rotten husk.

The duchess of darkness would then offer a sly grin towards the carnage of her spells, as she turns to her enemies and offers two, chilling words...

"Oops......Butterfingers!"

"What proof, what proof.. what proof, indeed~. For all you know, I'm led by greed. I assure you, though, you should not fear. I have no use for this orb right here."

He watches the Contessa appear and gives a smirk behind the mask.

"And now the Witch of Old has come... and the players are assembling. Where is your Lord, M'lady? Does he not desire this ancient bling?"

The second weapons were drawn and shots fire, he turns the chainsaws all into replicas of the Orb (Save for the actual orb which just got turned back into it's true form). Eight were slung into the crowd, the mage running once his deed was done.

The Contessa would let out a dark, chilling chuckle, creating a portal of shadow before herself, consuming the volley of bullets sent towards her from Nightstrike, before allowing the said portal upon Sin's team and straggling civilians, the bullets redirected towards them, mowing down the latter mercilessly. Smiling at Sin's claim of taking her on, she would calmly running a civilian through with a spear of shadow, she would turn and shout to the Reaper, her voice now an inhuman and bone-chilling echo...

"Think you can best the duchess of darkness, hundreds have tried, all have fallen...you think you with your pathetic allies will be able to accomplish that?!"

With that, she would begin to launch numerous volleys of serrating crescents of darkness towards her foes, laughing as she does so, screams heard among the sounds of combat, a chorus of death around them...

Sin laid there disoriented as everything began to move in slow motion. He began to reminisce as a flashback played Before him stood an angelic made of light..

"My child, why have you strayed from the path?"

Sin looked at the being.

"No one has ever done anything for me. I've had to do everything on my own. This is the life I was dealt. That of a gangster. I don't deserve the power you have given me.

The being looked at him and smiled.

"The prodigal son always returns from whence he came.

Soon another flashback played. One with his twin brother Shepherd after they discovered each other's existance.

"Money isn't everything. What matters in this life is the lives you touched, the legacy you leave. What Legacy do you choose to leave?"

After that Flashback Sin began to snap out of it. He began to think about what Shepherd would do and it came to him. The one ability both he and his brother shared. The Redeemer's touch. He saw Contessa was busy with Night and he had to act now. The ability was always used as a last resort and this seemed like one of those situations If he could successfuly get it on her she would see her victims turn into her greatest fears and inflict damage on her. The Shadow Assassin teleported behind her and applied the touch. At that moment some of his soldiers began to arrive with his first stealth drone created by Ghost, based on what he learned from Mr Night's drone. The drone looked like a more streamlined version adorned with runes

Absorbing the throwing knives with a smaller portal, the Contessa would let out a growl as her left hamstring is sliced, before it is covered in excess shadow, the wound sealing a quickly as it is dealt. Crying out in anger as she is struck by Nightstrike's augmented bullets, courtesy of Maiden, she would erect a barrier of black flame, realizing her mistake as she is struck with tremors of intense mental pain, she would begin to roll and evade, the chaos of the combat raging around her serving as an effective cloak, for the moment.

Nightstrike dropped her rifle to her chest and and jumped off the roof, running to the downed civilians. As she approached, she heard sirens blaring, coming quickly to the scene of carnage and horror. She came to a halt, dropping into a skid next to the first person she saw. It was a young woman, maybe 21. Three of Nightstrike's bullets had ripped open her abdomen. She moaned quietly, so deep into shock that she barely even felt the wounds.

Internally, Nightstrike fought a battle with herself. She could save this girl, but it would mean cursing her with the same existence Nightstrike lived. Walking the planet as an immortal, seeing her loved ones die while she remained young. She looked up and saw one of Sin's troops kneeling over another person, his hands glowing with green energy. But there were several others that were severely injured between him and the girl. She'd be gone before then.

Nightstrike made up her mind. Taking a syringe from her back pocket, she uncapped it and stabbed the woman in the heart with it, flooding her body with adrenaline. The woman's eyes snapped open and she screamed once, flailing at her abdomen before Nightstrike stopped her. The adrenaline would give the woman a few moments of lucidity, which she needed to make a decision like this.

"Stop, stop! Listen, I can heal you. But you'll be altered. You will be immortal. Your loved ones will age and die but you'll remain forever the same. Can you live that cursed life?"

The woman stared at Nightstrike, but her eyes were slightly unfocused and the mercenary could tell she was thinking hard. After a few breaths, the woman's gaze sharpened and she locked eyes with Nightstrike.

"Yes, I can live with that. Please help me."

Nightstrike nodded and pulled one of her throwing knives. She stabbed it into her cephalic vein and slit the vessel open, turning the knife sideways to stop the flesh from closing on it's own.

"You must drink." she said, placing her wrist to the woman's lips. The woman raised her head and sealed her mouth over the flow, drinking deeply for several seconds until Nightstrike pulled her arm away and removed the knife, letting the flesh seal up. As Nightstrike watched, the bullet wounds began to heal at a vastly accelerated rate, even faster than her own normal healing factor. She remembered going through the same experience when she'd first gained her healing factor.

After a minute, the young woman sat up, her stomach completely healed. She began feeling her legs, raising them up and down joyously. It was at that moment that Nightstrike registered the wheelchair on its side next to the woman. The woman hugged her ferociously, crying and laughing and screaming for joy, all at once. After the woman had calmed down a bit and released Nightstrike, they both stood.

"Please, what's your name? Your real name." the young woman asked earnestly.

Nightstrike looked at her. "My name's Roxanne. What's yours?"

Ariana looked at the dead man. Her extremely altered physical state meant no one would ever recognize her unless they saw her cast the layered spell that caused her current appearance. She did however recognize the undead man. He had seemed pleasant enough, but not exactly a rocket scientist. He was also an associate of Mr. Night, at least loosely... and that man had a small aura of repressed ability. It was not a pleasant aura. 'I wasn't fast enough, I should have triple accelerated.' Ariana thought to herself. Cursing her restraint on using the Maiden she decided to approach the undead man..... until she saw the bots with the runes.

Those were not sanctioned magics. (Ariana was aware of the hypocrisy) "COMPLETE ASSAULT" Five runes went from silver to black. Ariana groaned as her massive arms shimmered and changed shape. From elbow to tip (roughly a few inches past her knees) each arm was a massive blade. A set of wings that looked more like tech rockets than anything had sprouted from her back. The face of her mask had gone from serene to a that of happiness. A happy Maiden meant Ariana would be in incredible pain. "ERASE" Two runes went dark. Every rune on her spine was now black (11). Her joints still pulsed silver, she had time.

A streak of silver and black descended into the rank of stealth bots. Every strike slicing and destroying. Those who had exceptional perception would notice that each strike hit a rune on the bot, with each rune hit any similar rune on any bot nearby would erase from the surface. The Maiden was eliminating the dangerous magic. Depending on exactly what the runes were meant to do (their application) the robots she didn't full out destroy may or may not function. White flared out of the wings launching The Maiden onto the face of the next bot. Her hands piercing through its neck decapitating it. 'Destroy these first, deal with the orb next'. Ariana twisted her neck around looking for the next bot to pounce on.

Talon would then appear from stealth, the area behind her strewn with the corpses of a dozen cloaked men, her grisly handiwork no doubt, grins plastered on their faces, even in death, as they wheeze their final breaths. Stopping before a dying elderly man, she would take off her eyeline mask, allowing the him to gaze upon her face, a bloodstained hand stroking her cheek, rasping in a pained, yet calm whisper...

"So....beautiful....what's your...name?"

She would whisper back in a grief-stricken yet comforting tone...

"Katrina...."

He would nod, smiling despite his injuries...

"Katrina...such a pretty name...before I go....promise me something sweetheart?"

She would hold back tears, but nods...

"My name's Leonard...Leonard Boraine...my wife's name is Lydia...we live in Whitehold Apartments, #347....I went out to get her some flowers...Marigolds, her favorite...guess I won't be delivering them....please get her some, it's our anniversary..."

He would smile at the woman before her, before finally rasping...

"Let her down easy...and promise me something...don't cry over me"

With that, he would pass, Talon kissing his forehead gently as she closes his open eyes....simply shaking her head as she began to silently sobbed....

She has already broken her promise...

Ian:
"Well damn, outta juice." Ian ki struck some woman in the abdomen, diverting the flow of blood in her body around the gut shot wound. With the second, and last sputtering strike the hole very slowly started to seal. Iam looked up. Dazed and confused was now talking to a less confused version of himself, they were busy making zombies or something... very unnatural. Hot mercenary lady 1 was making out with some cop, hot mercenary lady 2 was going all last rites on the other side of the combat zone. Undead Luckster and angel of death were finishing off the last few robots that were doing a rather poor job of defending themselves from the two freaks of nature.

Ian had patched up all but a few. "Hey Lucks, when you are done there you wanna fill me in on all this ...wha?"

Ariana:
'Well thats fortunate.' Ariana thought to herself. The undead was near her. Ariana pierced through the core of the robot Rotten was engaged with. "You have a choice, undead. Travel with me willingly and I will make sure that orb is secured in you permanently... or you can try to escape and I will take it from you."
Ariana withdrew her arm from the robot as her assault spell wore out. She groaned as her arms shifted back into actual hand shapes.

Nightstrike spoke with the woman she had helped for a few more minutes, then handed her something and sent her on her way. The woman took a long look at the wheelchair beside her, then turned and walked away, never looking back.

Nightstrike joined the group, casting a wary eye at both The Maiden and Shepherd.

"Job's done, then? The orb is back in the proper hands?"

Ariana:
"If it helps any my magic is far more subtle... Most the ones here rely on power, I rely on precision. Make your choice dead man. That orb will be locked away one way or the other."
A rune on Arianas leg went black. Time ticking away was wearing at the rune wards protecting her from The Maidens influence. Ariana was not lying to the undead man.. her magic was not powerful, if she had to fight all these supers AND forcibly take the orb she very well might be making the final sacrifice to seal only a moderately dangerous magic away. "We haven't all day."

"Before you begin..."

Nightstrike extracted a folded slip of paper from one of her pockets and handed it to Rotten.

"I was not contacted by Ratz. I heard about this op through the grapevine. That has the account number for my payment and a means of contacting me in the future. Good luck in the future, all of you."

With that, she turned and walked into the night.

Shepherd grabbed on to Rotten and teleported out of there along with him. They appeared in an abandoned chrurch.

"This is my own private base that I been working on since I got here."

He pressed a button behind the alter as a secret passage way opened revealing an underground bunker.

"This bunker connects to a series of underground tunnels beneath the city You can use them to go where ever you need.?

**When the two finally make it to the warehouse**

A decently built man dressed in a white tux would be standing outside the door. A full faced but blank mask also the same stark white over his face. While leaning on a white cane he would nod at the undead man and then peer at interloper (shepherd).
The man would speak, his voice warped by the gravity fields around him distorting the octaves both higher and lower at the same time. "You were told to come alone deadman. You may enter, but your friend will have to wait out here with me. This is non negotiable."

The man would withdraw a thin sword from the cane and weave it in the air. The rune The Maiden had placed into Rotten would float outside his chest and glow faintly... it was his key past the gravity fields. The man bowed politely swinging the door of the warehouse open.

Shepherd looked at the ma quizzically.

"So what is this place? there seems to be a very strong concentraton of energy as if it were sacred ground. It's amazing"

Shepherd noticed The man's reaction upon mentioning the reading of auras.

"It's ok I can also read auras and locate people by their spiritual signatures."

Shepherd smiled at the man to let him know it was ok..

Ariana pondered for a moment. "Sealing the orb to you has the greatest possibility to be used for good. Destroying it would negate any further affects on our world. An interesting choice. I believe two of the three fore-bearers would choose to seal it to you. Clearly I am bad at making the choice to destroy a dark magic that has the possibility of being used for great deeds..... We shall see what my original instinct leads us. We will seal it inside your bones. Please remove your shirt and lay face down on the table."

"As would I Mr. Deadman, as would I. LOCK." The straps wrapped around Rottens limbs, they were simple leather, Rotten could break them under effort, they both knew it. "They are to keep any trembles from disrupting the casting. This is to protect my identity. VEIL." The veil in front of the girl wrapped itself around rottens face. It was a breathable fabric, but it obscured the vision.

Rotten would feel two very delicate hands trace his bone structure. The girl muttering to herself. "Each rune will hurt, even you the undead. This will burn what the spiritual call 'the soul'." Ariana would begin whispering an unintelligible language. Rotten would feel the orb inside him heat and crack. "Light of the living, father of secrets, mother of knowledge, bearer of the past, foreteller of the future." With the first crack in the orb Arianas finger would sink into Rottens flesh. When the finger touched bone Rotten would feel the first jolt of pain. The rune being engraved to bone, absorbing the magic released from the first crack in the orb."

This process would be repeated 165 more times over the next three hours..................

Ariana had just finished the 65th rune. She wiped her forehead. She was a little over half way done. The orb inside the undead man would be half gone. the chips sealed within the runes on his ribs. Ariana looked up. Angry to be interrupted and scared since Justins wards ...should have.. sent this person far away. Teleporting into the building should have been impossible. "GRAVITYBLADE" She hoped Justin and the other man outside were not dead, that would be the only explination she knew of to how to enter the building.

"I am setting the Jewel, as any good Jeweler would." Arianas comment held barbs despite how weakly she spoke. "Sorry deadman" Ariana sunk all ten fingers in. Each finger touching bone at the same time carving a rune. Ariana fell to a knee from the power consumption as the door burst open.

Justin saw Ariana on a knee, an unknown hag in a throne of bone and Rotten tied down still smoking from 10 runes being applied at once. "SINGULARITY! A rune tattoo surfaced through the mask Justin wore. A massive singularity setting itself as a buffer between the interloper and his master. "retreat now witch... before I activate every gravitational rune I set in this building."