Fall of the House of Anhelo

[Nicholi]

Nicholi And Argis breach the manor gates at last. The two rush in to find Nicholi's home seemingly unharmed. Upon closer inspection, it can be noticed that the great room fell prey to some form of attack. Nicholi follows the trail of ruin to entrance to the training room. Thanatos and Kain stand fighting a group of MASS.

'Where are Syrant and Whitakker?"

Thanatos points in the direction of the training room.

"Help Thanatos and Kain, Argis. I'll go for Syrant and Whitakker."

Argis nods and begins to aid his companions. Nicholi withdraws his gun and aims it at the closed door of the training room. It begins to flash in its usual white light and shakes in a violent motion. The bullet is released, blowing the door of its hinges. Nicholi finds Whitakker lying on the floor, apparently knocked out, and Syrant combating a mysterious figure.

"Syrant can hold his own. I best help Whitakker before he's engulfed by MASS."

Nicholi races over to his fallen comrade, striking down a few enemies the while. Upon reaching him, Nicholi finds that he is regaining consciousness.

"It's best you don't linger here."

Nicholi helps Whitakker to is feet and the two turn their attention to a small squadron of MASS surrounding them.

"I assume that you are able to fight again? If so then let us waste no time."

The two ready themselves for combat and await the oncoming attack.

[Argis]

Argis watches Kain appear from no where and kill a group of men Argis then reaches for his tonto and hear a cracks the bone pops back in. Argis screams and moves his arm “it doesn’t hurt anymore that mean Argis then grabs his katana instead and fingers 3 shurrikens finds all of his targets and throws the shurikens. Then he jumps up in the air and hit the roof with his feet leaving muddy foot prints on the ceiling. Argis slams in to the crowd of mass and kill two of then Argis grabs the nearest man and uses him as a shield as group have their guns drawn, and pointed at Argis the man shakes as the bullets hit him again and again and only few hit Argis. He falls back and jumps up in the air again doing a cork screw spin and landing behind a man and stab the katnana upwards paralyzing the man then piercing his heart, he whisper to the man “this is for Mina” and cut fully threw the man a blood splatter the katana, Argis, and the crowd. Argis pulls out his sheath and slam a man on the top of the head an the man goes down to have a katana catches him under the chin and not stopping the man coughs up a blackish-red blood. Argis spins cracking another skull when a gun fires twice one hits Argis in the back a cling is heard then the bullet hits in the same place Argis falls hold a bottle on his Armour (If the mass win they will loot and the bottle will blow if it is yanked) the mass go back towards Kain.

[Whitakker]

*Whitakker rises slowly to his feet, aided by Nicholi, and throws off his coat, as it will no longer provide effective protection. He then draws both of his sawblades and activates them, but does not release them immediately. He speaks to Nicholi:*

"Any swordplay on my behalf is out of the question, but I can manage with my ranged attacks.*gives a quick look at his sawblades*There is something I have been wanting to try with these things."

*The squadron of five Mass form a semicircle around them, armed to the teeth with melee and ranged weapons. Whitakker activates a feature on his sawblades, and sends them flying with uncanny precision and speed in a crisscross formation. The blades hit the targets on the ends of the semicircle in the neck and lungs, effectively cancelling them from existence. Then the blades arc up into the air, and head back toward the enemies, as if it had a will of it's own. As the blades fast approached two other Mass, they made an attempt to dodge them. But it wasn't enough. They would've barely escaped, if it hadn't been for the fact that the sawblades had extended in midflight. So instead, the blades cought the two men in their jugular, spraying blood into the air. Whitakker pressed a small button on his belt, and his blades returned to him like deadly boomerangs. That left one more Mass left from the group. She was wielding a shotgun, which she promptly leveled at Whitakker. Whitakker rolled under the gun as it was fired, and upper-cutted her in the chin. She hit the floor, and Whitakker silenced her with one shot from his PPK in the chest.*

"Anyone else?", Whitakker asks Nicholi...

[Thanatos]

Throughout his run with Syrant and Kain, Thanatos utilized to the letter the speed and agility that made the Mark series so very much extraordinary. Running down gloomy passage after passage, he practiced a scheme of baiting, slowly but surely luring the majority of the Mass-possessed deeper into the Manor's massive catacombs. With Syrant's breaking away, Thanatos only increased the frenzy of the pace, drawing away the Mass-possessed still further. As Argis and Kain moved to fight a sizable detatchment of the enemy, it was clear that obliteration of the remainder fell squarely upon Thanatos' shoulders...

Still moving at a lightning pace along the downward-sloping passage, Thanatos casts yet another Aegisite-honed dagger over his shoulder, extrapowered sensors catching the halting and subsequent falling of one body, as well as the quiet hissing sound that signals successful contact between Mass and Aegisite. The impression of trigger striking starter is detected, several miliseconds before the roaring noise of discharged gun begins to occur.

Calculating location of sound waves coupled with the increasing speed of pursuers places estimated bullet trajectory avoidable by a movement of two centimeters to the left.

And so another projectile is dodged as Thanatos deftly alters his course, feet momentarily leaving the ground as he swings to the left, seeing very clearly the silver that flashes narrowly by his head.

Dagger supply dwindling, previous calculation was inaccurate by two milimeters. Opponent is beginning to counter.

Still flying forward while suspended mid-jump, Thanatos percieves a definite increase of wetness on the ground ahead of him...tiny traces of pure Mass lying amongst stagnant water.

Opponent has undoubtedly prepared an ambush--full Mass knowledge of the arena's layout is almost entirely assured. Yet this ambush may prove to be favorable...

Thanatos' feet once more touch the ground, much larger clumps of Mass becoming apparent, evidently having been waiting for the fleeing target to catapult straight into them. Yet even as he is sliding to a stop, Thanatos is following a course that will take him straight into the Mass. With his right hand he begins to wrap his fingers around a small black sphere, in the process of withdrawing it. By this time he had taken the luxury of glancing behind him, seeing the thirteen Mass-possessed that have followed him this great distance, all armed with some sort of firearm.

Undeterred, Thanatos allows the seconds to tick by, the Mass ahead of him looming larger and larger. The Mass-possessed behind him begin to halt, all raising their respective weaponry in an attempt to finish him with one fell volly. Yet even as the volly is booming from thirteen muzzles, even as metallic death is hurling towards him in thirteen different chambers, Thanatos is sliding into the black liquid-like formation that is pure Mass, dropping minute metallic sphere in the process.


5

Instantly his various physical senses are assualted with disconcerting sensations, almost completely overwhelmed by the nature of the substance that surrounds him. Light is completely blocked, sense of touch completely nulled. What sound that reaches him is distorted beyond recognition.

4

Signals scream as the Mass searches frantically for even the tiniest pore that it might use to reach the brain, the physical pressure overpowering.

3

Yet even as his human emotions are all but flooded with registrations of fear and hopelessness, Thanatos' primarily mechanical mind is logically keeping him firmly in check.

2

The Mass phenomenon is able to function individually on the moleculear level, as well as work together to create gargantuan entities. The largest sighted Mass formation in databanks measured at maximum shift 1.2 kilometers across. It clearly shows hive-mind principles, and its only method of offense involves the complete domination and control of any living thing, upon which it retains all memories and knowledge of the host, although it substantially increases the host's physical potential. Estimated requirement for complete domination is ten grams of Mass, although permanent psychological damage has been incurred with as little as five-hundred milligrams. Only destroyed with proper usage of the Aegisite phenomenon, and very quickly ceases the momentum of any weaponry utilized against substantial amounts of the substance. No knowledge of Mass' interior has previously ever been recorded, according to databanks.

1

Master Nicholi will be thrilled.

Detonation.

Suddenly the pressure on Thanatos' senses is noticably eased, his mind gradually receiving more and more perceptions of the physical world as fragments of seconds slowly pass by. There is one tiny sensation of an alien feeling, a rogue thought, penetrating his brain--but this is all but forgotten in the sudden explosion of sensory images as he finds himself in after being once more fully immersed in the physical world.

Thanatos stands serenely in a sea of sizzling black, overcoat settling about him even as the isolated tunnel is bathed in a radiance of glimmering silver light. The worn walls immediately surrounding him are coated with a thin layer of Aegisite, the ground ridden with specks of smooth Aegisite interrupted by much larger sections of dull grey stone. Blue flames dance along much of visible corridor, and it is painfully clear from the twisted bags of flesh littering the battlescape that the opposition was completely annhilliated.

The assassin watches with detatched interest as a foot-long section of writhing, bubbling Mass just finishes its death throes. It is not long before the silvery light begins to fade, the former Mass quickly hardening and becoming more of the boring grey stone that dots the area. Thanatos turns as the Mass' death is complete; it is quite clear that nothing could have survived the explosion of the Aegisite-strengthened sphere.

Striding slowly back through the catacombs in the direction of his battling comrades, Thanatos' expression is one of complete neutrality, even as tiny edges of doubt and unsuredness plague his otherwise precise thoughts. In one who has never hesitated, never faltered in his path, this is very strange indeed.

For as Thanatos had used the Mass as a shield, plunged into it in the hopes of escaping the inevitable blast that wracked the hallway, a single word had imprinted itself within his mind, a single invading idea. This idea was not one of aggression, not one of maliciousness. Instead, it was but the following:

"Help me."

[Syrant]

Syrant begins to drift back between realty and dream. Syrant's wound is turning out to be worst than what he though. Syrant's head falls forward. Everything went silent.

When Syrant lifted his head he saw his villiage and his home. He smiled as he saw his sister running around with all his old friends. Then his mother walked out of the house and turned and looked at Syrant as if he were there and smiled.

Suddenly everything began to grow darker. In a flash everything was on fire. Houses were burnt into ashes in seconds. Syrant then looked in horror as he watched the one thing he tried to forget. A dark figure grabbed his mother and shot her in the heart. She fell to the ground.

Syrant body shook with anger and sorrow. Then Syrant looked up to see the shadow that he had been chasing for years, his father. Syrant only had one though in his mind.

"My father is dead. I will never call that Mass possessed piece of trash father again."

[Thanatos]

Thanatos makes his way slowly back through the catacombs that had served as the battleground for the conflict that had resolved itself so abruptly. His comrades will surely be concluding their own battles--Thanatos no longer has doubt of their extraordinary prowess.


The Mass are a threat to the very life of this plane of existence. If resistance is completed anhilliated, a new form of sentience will surely evolve, and humanity, that in which whose image I have been created, will vanish. No longer will the illogical nature of human beings rear its ugly head, no longer will these human creatures make themselves suffer unnecessarily.

Perhaps the goals of the Mass were not so different from Thanatos' own veiled wishes.

...and no longer will their life, their vitality, their creativity, grace my perceptions.

Thus Thanatos would indeed fight to perserve mankind, the species he found most amazing and unique in all the world. And the species with which he shared a deep bond of comradery.

Yet the underlying thought that escaped from the chaotic processes of the Mass was one of purity and simplicity, asking nothing more than to be helped. It would not work logically as a means of deception, and yet even from an emotional standpoint, it still seems entirely uncharacteristic of the heartless and 'mindless' life form. All evidence might suggest one improbable conclusion...but...

...that cannot be.

His turbulent analyzing is interrupted as he spots the corpse of a Mass-possessed on the inclined floor ahead of him, a gore-splattered dagger stuck deep in the dead man's throat. Not breaking his stride, Thanatos reaches down and pulls the blade from the severed jugular, the human debris that had covered the weapon slowly draining off, leaving the Aegisite completely unstained. The only trace that might suggest that combat has recently taken place is the section of the tightly-packed Aegisite that is missing, evidently having burned up with its Mass target.

Replacing the dagger in its proper place, Thanatos rounds the corner to find even more signs of bloody battle, as well as one of the side entrances to the training room.

[Whitakker]

*Two more groups of the Mass-possessed approach Nicholi and Whitakker. Whitakker turns to Nicholi*

"How's about this: I take one group, you take the other, deal?"

*Not waiting for Nicholi's reply, Whitakker activates his sawblades once again, but does not throw them. He rushes at his targets, two wielding firearms, the other two using simple short swords. One of the men with the blades slashed at him, but Whitakker deftly siderolled it and struck the man in the lung and chest with his blades, the effect being something of getting punched with blades that moved. Whitakker then tried to slide-trip one of the men with a simple pistol, but the man jumped over him. Whitakker's feet hit the wall, and he pushed off of the wall into a backflip, landing behind the man, and promptly dispatched him with a strike to the neck. The other man with a firearm began strafing Whitakker. Whitakker aerialed(a cartwheel with no hands), closed in on the man, who was, fortunately for Whitakker, had run out of ammo, and was reloading. Whitakker slashed open a section of the man's stomach, spilling blood and organs. But the Mass would not relinquish control so easily. He wasn't dead yet. Whitakker then did a frontflip, striking the man with his foot on the way down. The man dropped like a sack of flour, his neck snapping upon hitting the floor. Whitakker put up his sawblades, and took out his PPKs, loaded with the last of his aegisite bullets. He heard footsteps coming from the hallway outside the door. He leveled his guns, anticipating another wave of attackers...*

[Nicholi]

Nicholi looks on as Whitakker confronts a small group of MASS. Syrant still lays semi-conscious in the corner. Nicholi begins to examine the situation. By this point there would be almost no place at which the manor had not been overrun. It is also safe to assume the surrounding village would be in a similar condition. Final assessment; destroy all the enemy units and find shelter in the sanctum. As Nicholi finishes is pondering, a barrage of daggers flies in his direction. Having no time to react, he is nailed to a wall. A group of MASS steadily approaches.

"This was inevitable. I suppose I deserve this after diverting my attention away from the battle."

Nicholi looks at Whitakker and sees that he is still fighting off a group of MASS and Syrant is still unconscious.

"This is quite a predicament. Oh well, I best rectify my current situation before aiding my comrades."

Nicholi pulls his right arm of the wall and reaches for his scythe. He grabs the weapon and cuts himself free, destroying most of his coat as well. He proceeds to chare the group, targeting his previous assailant first. Nicholi takes on of the daggers, still hanging on his left shoulder, and throws it in the general direction of the enemies head. The enemy deflects the dagger with little effort but is then Decapitated by Nicholi's scythe. Members of the remaining group ready themselves to attack. Two of them draw guns and prepare to fire. Nicholi hooks the corpse of his previous enemy and lifts it up in front of him to block the oncoming bullets. He slings the body into the group and begins his assault once more. The aroma of blood fills the air as severed limbs fly into the air. The body count is seven. Nicholi has suffered considerable wounds. He is bleeding around his wounded shoulder, and his leg is in considerable pain. In a few moments the small group has been finished off. Severed body limbs lay on the ground and Nicholi is surrounded by a small sea of blood. He turns his attention back to his comrades. Whitakker has finished his fight and suffered some damage. Syrant still remains unconscious. Nicholi notices a MASS consumed aiming a gun at Syrant.

"There's no time to kill the MASS consumed. By the time I reach it The bullet will have reached Syrant."

Nicholi rushes towards Syrant's body and is hit by several oncoming bullets. Before he falls to the ground, Nicholi throws his scythe and the MASS consumed. It becomes a whirling dervish and slices the target through the waist.

"Well, I've done my job."

Nicholi slumps over and falls on the ground, joining Syrant in unconsciousness.

[Whitakker]

*Seeing the beginnings of Thanatos' overcoat appear in the doorframe, Whitakker turns his attention to a few pure Mass formations that have materialized from the corpses of the dead. Noting the sudden fall of Nicholi as a priority that must be seen to poste haste, Whitakker trains his guns away from the door, knowing that Thanatos will arrive shortly, and aims them at the Mass.*

"I hereby send you into the abyss. Go to h***."

*And with that said, he begins strafing the Mass, aiming at their heads(if you could call it that), trying to stay out of their reach. Whitakker incapacitates the Mass to the point of them being a minimal threat. Emptying the final rounds of aegisite bullets into the Mass, he puts his guns up, and redraws his sawblades. He senses Thanatos' entrance into the room.*

"Glad you could make it to the party, Thanatos. How's the rest of the manor?*turns his head towards Nicholi and Syrant, still on the floor*We should tend to them."

*Whitakker hurries over to Nicholi and Syrant. Syrant shows some response to his arrival, but Nicholi remains still. It did not look good for him...*

[Thanatos]

Thanatos makes his way almost nonchalantly through the assorted gore and debris the covers the training room floor, a slight wrinkle of the nose evident as the manner in which the Mass-possessed were exhumed becomes more apparent.

Completely lacking in both finnesse and subtlety...

Following Whitakker at the same leisurely pace as before, Thanatos takes time to properly formulate his response to the man's inquiry.

"For the moment the enemy has been suitably taken care of. Naturally another attack will come," he jestures haphazardly towards the various bits of pure Mass that are beginning to slink through narrowing openings and tiny holes, all heading in the same generation direction, "but suitable hosts have been expended in the immediate area. We will find the village empty. Based on Master Nicholi's compilation of theses on Mass activities, this was but a test of system defense. The primary attack will come much later, be focused primarily on possession of targets."

Quickly analyzing the conditions of both Syrant and Nicholi, Thanatos speaks again, his eerily calm and quiet tone somehow carrying over the whole expanse of the bloodied chamber.

"Both individuals will need immediate medical care and attention, although Syrant is evidently the one more harder-hit. Based on the knowledge of personal constitution coupled with the velocity and location of wounds, it is estimated that survival is almost entirely likely, a suitable recovery possible in only the passage of a few days."

Thanatos reaches down, two black-gloved hands lifting Syrant almost effortlessly from the ground as the android begins to steadily make his way to the area in which increasingly rare medical supplies have been hoarded in case of just such an emergency.

Very much sorrow is experienced for the pain of these two comrades...

[Argis]

Kian walks back towards the corner as the mass form a tight semi-circle forcing Kian in to a hole. The lights flick and go out the mass look trough the their enhanced thermal and night vision eyes seeing a figure standing up. Argis throws the bottle if front of the as fire a bits of aluminum foil some of the mass panics and charge blind. Argis move a inch and lob two heads in to the crowd the back down from Kian and went for Argis they still blind for the burn paper and aluminum foil still flouting. Argis jumps in the crowd they aim and fire shooting ten of their comrades the rest move forward trough the fire wall their sensor come on one by one. To find Argis standing there hands open his sword was sheathed Argis flicks his wrist a ten shurrikens land in ten mass heads. They all fall one jumps at me while another charges Argis grabs his graphing hook and throw it up and slam them together yanks them towards him both were pierced with a katana. They fall black goo and blood hit the wall the black goo die Argis stand in a room of death the door burst open with Thanatos stands there as blood runs out in to the hallway. Argis grabs one of the mass missing arms and legs and screams, “Where Mina you Ba%^&rds.” “You mean 9087 hahahah *coughs blood* You never find her ha.” Argis throws him against the wall and drops a bottle and walks away then turns around burn in h*ll.” As the man is erase from existence leaving a hole in the wall.

(ooc: sorry for being so cheap I bugged Kain for two weeks to post so I had to I am sorry. ....happy)