12300/Resonants: Sneaking Svartalfheim

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Resonants: Sneaking Svartalfheim
Date of Scene: 19 August 2022
Location: Svartalfheim
Synopsis: Svartalfheim artifact is retrieved. And probably a war between Asgard/Midgard and the Dark Elves Maaaay have been started.
Cast of Characters: Sif, Jimmy Hudson, Lara Croft, Tabitha Smith, Caitlin Fairchild, Betsy Braddock, Jessica Drew
Tinyplot: Resonants


Sif has posed:
"Long before the birth of light there was darkness, and from that darkness came the Dark Elves." - Odin

The small gathering of invaders to this land were gathered behind some rocks on a hillside. There were many such outcroppings to choose from as Svartalfheim had proven to be a rather inhospitable place. In truth, the world was quite varied in geography but this particular area, where their target was believed to be, was all sharp black rocks and hard angles. The obsidian stone was dark and reflective. The benefit is that the group arrived at dusk and the sun had thankfully set while they monitored the outpost nearby to determine their path of entry. Though even when the sun had been in the sky, it had seemed darker. Shadowed and unwelcoming. A feeling of oppression hanging in the air.

The listening post was designed as one of several along the perimeter of a larger fort, which was far enough away to not be within sight. Yet, these outposts were minor fortresses in their own right. They were designed with an outer stone wall and ramparts across the top to allow for guards to walk. Two assigned to each wall and always in motion, keeping a wary eye on the outside for any sign of trouble. At each corner, there was a rounded 'tower' design, about a story taller with stairs leading up and down to either rampart nearby. These were not towers with rooms but instead flat with a single cauldron in black sitting in the center. There was something about those cauldrons, a feeling of evil that seemed to pulse from them when one was nearby. They were set up almost like fire towers used to warn others but something far darker was at work in this place.

There was a double gate allowing for entry, a portcullis behind that gate which could be dropped. The gate was manned by no less than four guards on the exterior. More could be seen moving around inside the courtyard. Inside the walls, there were several buildings. Most were outbuildings, smaller, serving a variety of purposes. There was one main building and that one had more guards positioned outside it. It likely housed the armory, barracks, Warriors' Hall, and the commander's quarters.

That commander was their quarry. A grizzled elf with a long, gloried history in the wars of their people. A zealot, far beyond the already fanatical level of superiority held by Dark Elves in general. While most elves had their armor with specific helmets, T'zaranath had a modified Asgardian helmet. One that had been seized from an Asgardian hero, Frode the Brave. Frode had served directly under Bor in the wars and was well respected. During the first war on Midgard, he had fallen to T'zaranath and his helmet had been claimed by the Dark Elf as his own. It was an item that held great importance to both realms, and had a strong resonance to Midgard. T'zaranath had modified it over there years, giving it more Elvish embellishments, both visually and otherwise.

As the group watched, they would see the Commander walk through the courtyard, barking some orders to the gathered soldiers, then disappearing out of the main line-of-sight. Additionally, about a mile in the distance, from their perches they could see a small train of wagons being driven toward the gates.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    The Bifrost takes a toll.
    As the mutant known as James Hudson took cover behind one of the stones he could still see after-images of brilliant colors just at the corners of his eyes despite it having been a good bit of time since they had arrived via the powerful magical gateway. A glance was given to what he could see of the strongpoint from this angle, just a bit of the wall and part of the inner area. Shaking his head he frowned and on the telecomm his thoughts echoed to the others.

<< Wagon train could serve as distraction if we want ta come in from the other side. >>

    Yet there were better military minds on this job than his so he settled in and observed as his black combat suit helped hide him somewhat against the outcropping. Not quite what he usually wore, his uniform was a thing that resembled SHIELD combat gear with the harness and pockets on the kevlar and weave armor. The gloves were new for him, covering wrapped hands to prevent the blood from his claws trailing behind him. And a mask completed him, almost like a balaclava though with goggles. Because eye protection is important.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara is back in the clothing that she started this trip in. Long pocketed pants, a black sport shirt and half gloves. She has a beanie cap on her head holding most of her hair down inside it, though some of the brown strands peak out from beneath its edges framing her face and gently wiggling in the wind. On her backpack, Lara has the rest of her gear, a quiver of arrows, and a bow from Alfheim. In her hands, she holds a pair of binoculars that she's peering through, small enough that they can be easily concealed, the archaeologist is spying on their targets from afar, taking in the details of the place.

She lowers the binocs and wipes at the side of her face with the back of her half gloved hand. "Heavily guarded..." She quietly says with a sigh following her words as she looks toward some of the others with her.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
When you hear word of stealth mission, asgard, dark elves and all that. Of course Tabitha is going to tag along with Jimmy and everyone else as they start from Earth slash Midgard and then to the realm of Svartlheim.

Bifrost transport was a new one. She's been teleported, BAMFs, Stepping Disks, Zeta Tubed. All kinds, to other planets, other planes of existance. Tartarus can give Limbo a run for it's money. But this one's new.

Being a totally legit full fledged X-Man, sometimes part timer for X-Force and so a hero herself. tabby workcs her own unifrm. Mostly black with padding at her back shoulders, chest and arms. Normnally she'd go for a solid yellow there but for now an outline of yellow and red piping around the rims of her full body uniform is the main colors. her boots a dull dark red. Oval rimmed glasses with a yellow tint on her nose. And that thick mane of blonde up in a pony tail. A red leathher jacket with many poickets of useful items over the top and containing thiefy tools, first aid, snacks, and maybe booze and water if she remembers which flask. <<So you wanna rush and scoop him up to remove him? Yeet his butt and it might get people extra ansty there and not go collect him. More difficulty for us.>> she ponders over the shared comminuications.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin's standing way in the back and slightly to one side. She can hear everyone just fine, and it gives her a clear line of sight to the road leading to the castle and fortifications. Her light Amazon skirmishing armor has been reinforced with borrowed Asgardian armor, including a heavier helmet and extra plating for her arms and shoulders.

She makes a few small adjustments to her giant compound bow, oils a spot, and tests it again. "I don't know about those walls," Caitlin admits. Her vision is pretty exceptional as well, even without binos. "They look like they're a couple meters thick. If they're reinforced magically it could take me quite a while to punch through them."

She sucks the inside of her cheek, thinking. "All right, we don't have time for a siege to starve them out. They'll see us coming on a direct approach. Our only options are finding some secret back door, or an airborne drop. I don't know how high I'd have to approach from to avoid their sentries, though. They've got pretty good vision right?"

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Magical rainbow bridge? Not the first time the psi-ninja known as Psylocke has travelled by magical means.. She is a child of Otherworld, after all, and even wore the mantle of Captain Britain oh so briefly in the past. She is in a stealth suite, leotard of black over a bodysuit of dark grey, with scarves wrapped around her to hold gear. Her expression is utterly calm and cool as she checks the gear she prepared for the mission, but that might also be her training. Each throwing knife and shuriken is carefully examined, checked to make sure no metal is showing and there's no rattling. Up comes the old fashioned balaclava, hiding her distinctive purple hair.

<< Psi-Link established >> She projects, holding one hand to her forehead as each of the adventurers sees a flicker of purple-pink energy like the wings of a butterfly. << Ms. Fairchild, I can feel the anxiety. If it gets to be too much, I'll have Boom-Boom relay to you verbally. I'm going to project a stealth field over us, but don't depend on it. I'll have to drop it if I encounter resistance. >>

She checks the slide of her katana, before flashing a wink at Lara. << Mmm. No different than sneaking into the Queen's country estate, innit though? >> She tells her fellow aristocrat. << I'd take dark elves over Good Queen Bess with a loaded shotgun any day of the week. >>

The Psi-Ninja considers options, and at Caitlin's comment, she nods slowly, << We could split. Distract them enough to thin the guards and those of us with stealth/assassination training strike? >> To Sif: << Taking him out could give morale to the Asgardians, but it could backfire and turn the cold war hot again. >>

Jessica Drew has posed:
Whether they were going in by the front or back door, it would not be a lark. Jessica studies the fortress through her HUD, her back against a cold obsidian stone, looking for a non-existent weakness. The cold seeps through the back of the black-insulated SHIELD issue tac suit and helmet. She pushes the goggles and HUD back on on top of the helmet and readjusts the fit of the special gloves modified for her spinnerets.

<Diversion could work. Keep them busy in the front while we come in from behind, up over the top.>

Sif has posed:
As they watched, Sif took in the suggestions and comments of each while eyeing the fortress warily. Before they had begun this outing, everyone had been briefed about the Dark Elves. Not lovely tricksters that some of them had met in Alfheim. The Dark Elves were fanatics. They didn't like other species, seeing all as beneath them as the Dark Elves had been first to exist. At least, in their history and it was true they were very long-lived. Like the Asgardians, it was believed they were immortal due to how long they could live. Though they could be killed, even if one didn't take off their head.

She wore her a version of her usual Asgardian armor, though this one had no silver or white accents. Just the deep red with a matching cloak.

At the thought from Betsy, Sif glanced over to the crew and gave a nod. <We could but if it was known that it was Asgard who did so, it would potentially start new skirmishes. Our goal today is the helmet. If he dies in gaining our prize, so be it.> She wasn't going to weep over one who had killed so many Asgardians falling but she also wanted to be sure they focused on the mission. <So we seem to have several options. The coming wagons to attempt infiltration, see if we can go over the wall using either Elizabeth's telepathy and Caitlin's flight, or some form of distraction to draw attention to allow us to enter in a more stealth like manner. Thoughts?> The irony of that final question was not lost on her since they were all essentially thinking at each other.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
<< If we go snatch and grab, then yeah. Caitlin takes an angle, rest of us go around the other side while the caravan comes in, try to hit at the same time. >>

    Jimmy then turns to look at each of them in turn, gaze flitting from each as he considers. Then he gives a nod toward Sif. He clears his throat, one of the first actual sounds heard from him for a bit before he adds on the comm...

<< Mebbe you handle evac, Sif. And if we get in over our head be the relief force. Since rest of us aren't known Asgard people. But you kinda are... >>

    That said he gives a nod then slips around the side of the boulder as he starts to move to get into position, starting to head toward that far side of the fort opposite the caravan, though sticking to cover and taking his time to do it.

Lara Croft has posed:
Back at her full height now, Lara is hooking the binocs behind her back to her belt wrapped about her waist. She casts a smile toward Betsy. "You're a brave one, indeed." She playfully fires back to the other Brit, before her eyes go forward toward the fortress they're targetting. "I'm confident I can scale those stones. But I'm not confident I won't be seen before I can reach the top, not without some measure of ... a distraction, or at least a considerable amount of luck. I've been lucky before though." She states with a smirk before she sees Jimmy heading off.

"Right. Good luck, everyone." And with that said, Croft is off after the man in black with the nice eye protection. She too is keeping low and moving from cover point to cover point.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
The idea that making sure it's not Asgard behind this gets a grin and a smirk <<So okay. Midgard as patsies? Or yeah I don't see Thor being subtle and needing outside contractors.>> she points out and shrugs her shoulder.

<<If we pull this off I might swipe the most expensive looking thing I can. There's your distraction.>> benefits of shared mindlinks bounced between two telepaths with varying levels of psi-stealth bordering from kinda new to damn well invisible. No need to vocally chat.

She does at least keep her head down and is amazingly capable of being a sneaky little thing. This would probably be an amazing thing if the folks at home could see her.

Inside her jacket a couple knife holsters are worn. They said cold iron is a thing. But Tabby despite being squishy by otherworldly standards can hit pretty damn hard if need be.

The trick, is to have it and not need it.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin picks up her heavy battle-maul and hangs it from the hook built into the back of her armor for that purpose. Her heavy camping pack is left with the rest of the gear, covered by a blanket and with some leaves kicked over it. She looks up, squinting at the sky and gauging travel times. She nods agreement with Betsy's suggestion; always better to hit them in several places and take the most possible advantage of the surprise.

"Well when you see me land, that'll be the dinner bell. I'm gonna go up to about three thousand feet," she says. "I'll fly out to the hills back there, we'll do an ascent in the shadow of the mountains so we're not against the moon, and then I'll jump out when we overfly. It'll be about ... twenty minutes," she guesses. "Once I hit the ground I'm gonna go right for the gate controls and wreck them. I can hold the drawbridge until you get there," she promises Sif.

"I mean, I'm pretty sure."

Caitlin exchanges hugs and wrist-grips with those inclined and breaks off into a jog, heading back to where the horses and pegasi had been left in a copse unlikely to be discovered by the enemy.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Moving with the absent grace of the wild thing, and not even bending a blade of grass, Psylocke moves to join the crew dedicated to stealth. When Lara mentions needing luck, the other Brit can feel the wildcat grin from the model. << You have better than luck, darling. You have me. The Hand trained me for this very thing before I went rogue on them, the cheeky blighters. >>

And she projects an image: Lara, Jimmy, Jessica and herself floating casually up the walls without a sound or any tracks to follow. In a bit of whimsy, the Jimmy character starts to fall before he's caught in a cartoonish hand and lifted by the scruff of his neck to be deposited on the opposite side. << Small enough group I can hide us from all but the best. Which should be distracted by the lovely Fairchild. >>

Jessica Drew has posed:
It wouldn't be Jess's first party with deadly fanatics. Fanaticism has been a theme in the agent's life from an early age. However, she prefers going up against it than being in its ranks.

The agent side glances at the others, wondering how much of her thoughts 'leak' through the psy-link, and blocks that consideration out. One hand drops to her belt to trace the handle of the iron knife gifted to her for the mission.

<"Webs. If you can climb, I can put up webs for you. Non-slip. And, the more mayhem, the merrier. Dinner bell, indeed.> She quirks a smile at the thought and follows Lara with the lightness of a spider.

Sif has posed:
<If all goes well, they will not know you are Midgardians either. After all, their experiences with that world involved the need for Asgard to protect you. That is no longer the case.> Sif relays in response to Tabitha. But she gives a nod, then feels a bit silly for doing so as the various people move off and can't actually see that motion. <I will deal with the final escape, using teleportation instead of the Bifrost. For now, I will hold myself in reserve.> As they each started forth for their mission, Sif moved to another spot in the boulders but remained apart for now.

Those moving with Jimmy to the side of the fortress would find that there was one smaller door that had two guards at the back of the fort. The sides had no form of egress or entry. Those sides were simply blank stone walls, with many nooks and crannies for one who might choose to climb. Though with the talents of Jessica on their side, they would have built in climbing ropes in the form of webs.

Atop that wall were the two guards but they were more focused on the surroundings than looking straight down. Though silence would be necessary to not draw their attention.

There were calls from the front gates as the wagons arrived. Drawing some of the guards out to check the people arriving, the contents of the wagons. They were checking under every tarp and looking in each barrel so it was good the infiltrators had not chosen that path for their entrance.

Betsy would find the minds of the elves above to be difficult to manipulate. Perhaps it was the magic, perhaps it was the helmets and facemasks they wore, making them all look very much the same person. It was like trying to sludge through a swamp. Perhaps closing the distance to them might make that less difficult or perhaps their magic was too strong. Time would tell.

As for time, the clock was ticking and soon Caitlin would arrive to draw the eyes of the various guards.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    With the psi-shield provided by Psylocke and Tabitha, as well as perhaps a smidge by the training he put himself through, Jimmy's able to negotiate the distance across that blasted land and from cover to cover. The new gift of night might be an aid, yet the landscape plays to the dark and the shadows, and against creatures such as the Svartalfar and the strengths they've forged over the years.
    Yet he is mindful not to give a clean line of sight from the fort to his path, taking cover as best he can and observing the patrol patterns when he must make a cross against some small patch of open ground. It's a steady progress, and perhaps even slow at times as the stealth team start to move together.
    Until, hopefully, they reach near that wall without being marked, noticed... or setting off an alarm. Silent or otherwise.

<< Webs, or telekinesis. Looks scalable. >>

    A glance is given across the distance as if he could somehow see Caitlin in her flight, though she is long from view. He shakes his head and then settles close to the wall, back to it but his attention on the rampart for now.

<< Need to get the two sentries down, then hit the wall when Caitlin drops in, I'm thinking. >>

    That said he adjusts the grip of the gloves on his hands, then there's a slow whisper of steel sliding between the knuckles of those gauntlets, slicing holes in them for the claws to extend, then whispering back slooowly into their housing.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara had of course wished Caitlin luck, and given her a soft embrace before the flyer had taken to the skies too! After that, she was just moving with the others from cover to cover, dipping low beneath foliage, or sneaking across anything that might come within their path. She keeps her senses peeled, her eyes darting to that wagon caravan to watch it get closer while she could still see it at all. It was Betsy's telepathy that did have Lara showing the woman nearby a light smile, when she had a moment to do so. She's not used to mental connections like this, but she is a fast learner. <"Where have you all been my whole life. I could use such abilities, it might save me time in the med labs..."> She notes over the connection before she sees Jimmy moving again, and she darts after him once more, her half gloved hands sliding across some of the cold rocky cover as she goes, her boots lightly touching off the grass, as Lara looks back to make sure Jessica, and Tabitha are making the trek safely too.

Tabitha Smith has posed:
When Caitlin grabs that massive weapon Tabby just sighs and tries not to drool any more than she might already have. She's been on her best behavior too. She'd totally accept a hug even though the blonde barely knows the big Ginger. <<What, last time I hung out with someone that built I came home soaking in daddy issues, all th beatings said daddy could give even though it wasn't him, and shame. I want a win dammit!>> she adds with a shrug to the stealth portion of the group.

Sneaking along with everyone else. Tabby stays down low and shuffled quickly skidding to a stop when they reach the next hurdle. <<Worst thing is I don't know if I could boom them quietly. I can muffle noise but even a suppressed firearm is far from quiet. It just doesn't carry. I can if you want me to. Can get them both when Big Red gets to Hammer time. Lara gets a grin and a wink. <<Noooo it does not keep you out of hospitals as much as you'd think.>> she states on the trip. She's not slow and years of all that X-Man training in addition to being a thief that was never arested for being a thief pays off. Plus when one of your idols is on the field with you, you don't want to disappoint a Psylocke!

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin gets pretty high up, flying slow and carefully atop her mount. Thank god the Asgardian flying horses were accustomed to riders built on Caitlin's scale. She's gotten quite competent at wrangling the steed and up they go in majestic circles until Caitlin's altimeter estimates they're at a safe height. She takes a few moments to do some trigonometry in her head, then leans forward and pats the horses' neck. "Go back to the other horses and wait for me there," she tells the animal. "And I promise you will get a bunch of apples when we get home."

Caitlin carefully balances on the pegasus' back in a low crouch, watching, waiting...

And then she just jumps into the night. No parachute, no arrest mechanism. Just a freefaller's form as she plummets to the ground.

There's the landing point. She grins despite herself, making a few final adjustments as she zeroes in. Once she's sure her course is correct, Caitlin tucks her arms and legs in, somersaults once, and arrows towards the ground with her legs stuck out to absorb the impact.

The massive rock troll the elves are using as a gate guard is bored and angry and bored. There's no one to eat or fight and it's at the time of night where he'd prefer to be out hunting. The troll eyes his club, then starts licking some ancient blood splatter off of it.

Caitlin's feet connect with the force of a kinetic missle and she hits him so hard his brutish neck *snaps* before he is cratered into the ground.

The dust cloud swirls everywhere, drawing everyone's attention-- and then the redhead charges out from the concealment, bellowing a deafening battle-cry and taking out three dark elves with one sweep of that terrible two-handed maul of hers.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
<< Essex, darling. >> Betsy purrs to Lara when she asks where she's been all her life. And then a wicked laugh echoes after, before she grimaces, adding, << I shan't be able to hide everyone. Their minds are too.. out of phase... for mass manipulation. And I think I hear our distraction, ladies, Wishbone. >> That last with a grin to Jimmy before she abruptly reaches over to motion everyone quiet. << Ah, bugger. Two at the gate, and two on the wall. I'll fling Boom-Boom and the ever-brilliant Lady Croft up with me to the wall. Miss Drew, you get the spare reprobate. Try not to let other people break Lady Sif's toy. >>

The advantage of telepathic strategizing? It doesn't take long at all for Betsy to shift thoughts and impressions, getting consent before finalizing and allowing other people to give their feedback. Fast as thought! Betsy reaches over and lightly touches Tabitha and Lara on the shoulder, lifting her chin to Jessica and Jimmy in silent farewell before she grimaces, the feel of her mind slacking somewhat as she refocuses for a rather precise bit of telekinesis. And then her, Lara and Tabitha silently are encased in a telekinetic bubble and flung at the wall.

Out comes her sword as she lets go of the women as they hit the target, the gesture as smooth as water and the blade's edge glittering pinkly as she attempts to neatly decapitate one of the guards while the other two ladies take the second.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Novices to telepathy and with no prior training like herself need the support of psi-shields. Otherwise, she'd be a bright light during a blackout.

Jess flits from one stone outcropping to the next, light-footed as a spider walking on a rival's web. She skitters into the relative protection of the wall towering above them and flattens herself to it, testing its cold stone for how well it will grip.

<I'd never dream of letting her Wishbone get pulled apart."> She points at Braddock when she lifts her chin, < Get 'em Betsy!>

Coordinating her movements with Wishbone, she picks up a rock and throws it to the right of the guards. Jess steps out of cover and plasters her hand over the face of the one nearest her to give him a point-blank dose of bio-electricity. There is a brief flare of neon green in the dark, and he crumples to the ground, brain-dead.

<Web up, Wishbone?"> She doesn't wait for his answer and throws a filament of silver up the wall, strong enough to support three men of his size. The second is for her. She ascends the wall on silent hands and feet at a fast crawl.

Sif has posed:
Caitlin's arrival and the death of the troll in such an immediate and violent fashion did what it was meant to. Every soldier turned in the direction of the commotion. The wagons that are still at the outside of the gate are abandoned. The soldiers who were on those rush toward the interior through the double gates to help add to the guards rushing out of various buildings. As she swings with that maul, she will find these are highly skilled fighters. Nimble and quick on their feet but with power as well. Perhaps a dozen of them. But of particular concern may be the few that hang back at a distance but begin to chant while moving their hands in arcane patterns.

As the trio of women reach the top of the wall, they have a couple of seconds as the first guard is distracted taking aim at Caitlin in the courtyard. It leaves him as easy pickings. The blade from Betsy cuts cleanly through the neck of the first guard before he is even aware they are not alone.

The second guard had a different task. As he turned to run for one of the towers as he drew his sword, he finds himself looking directly at Lara and Tabitha.

On each other three walls are two sentries. One of each take aim with crossbows at the disturbance below them. The tall redhead makes for a fine target. But the second on each of the walls makes a break for the three corners. For those cauldrons. Even as they are running, they have drawn blades and sliced open one of their hands, causing blood to drip in a trail behind them as they approach those dark containers.

The two on the exterior of the smaller doorway look back in concern but hold their positions. No abandoning their posts to run and investigate. After all, it could be a ploy. Then there is the sound of something to the side. Both draw weapons, turning heads that direction. One moves to investigate. Leaving the other easy prey for the spider coming down from her web, figuratively speaking. He falls in a heap onto the ground, leaving the other for Jimmy to deal with before he can be helped with his ascent by Jessica.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    At the kabooooom Jimmy finally lifts his voice, "That's our cue." Which has him turning and breaking cover as he gives Psylocke the high sign, a slight flash of his mind offering two simple words to those near him.

<< Good hunting. >>

    Then he's crossing the distance at a low run, hands slashing out to the sides suddenly as the silvery blades slide from their housings and /schnackt/ into place. It's two strides... three strides as he closes the distance, before the Svartalfar perhaps notice that something is up beyond the explosion of the comet that fell from the heavens into their fort.
    The Dark Elf turns, dead face of its helmet flashing as red eyelets flicker. Its comrade turning as well only for the second guard to be drawn into Spider-Woman's clutches where it's scorched with the blast of venom energy. The remaining one suddenly brings its weapon up as the mutant /leaps/.
    There's the /SHRAK!/ of claws slicing through mystical ceramic armor, a flash of energy blasting forth and toward the sky as the blades find their home. Three quick stabs, leaving horrible wounds upon the fallen sentry even as James /spins/ to face the other guard...
    Whom Jess has handled. He gives a nod to her. agreeing to follow her up as he presses his back to the wall. "With you." Though then on the telecomm his 'voice' is heard.

<< We're gonna have a lil talk about this here Wishbone thing. >>

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara gave just a grin to the other women, and a glance toward Jimmy. She nodded once toward him. "Be careful." She says in her British toned voice. Then, the action was on, and the casting of them up toward the wall was underway. An unusual experience, but what hwasn't been classified as such since this trip started? When she lands, is when she settles back in to something a little more familiar. Crouched, Lara brandieshes two items. In her left hand she has a silver shining knife that she quietly slipped from a sheath, while in her right she has the crimson, black,a nd silver, climbing axe that she'd used to save her own neck many a time.

With a conscious effort to stay low, Lara works her way around behind the guard lining up his shot toward the form of Caitlin down below.

Lara slips out of a shadow, her knife going forward to be silently slipped in between part of the man's leg armor, causing him to suddenly shriek, and lean back, where Lara is right there, appearing behind his shoulders, and raising her right arm up, only to strike it back down, the pointed spike tip of her 'Rebel Ace' ice axe going straight in to his right eye-hole!

Squish!

Lara contorts her face with a gritted expression as she muscles the weapon, and tool, in to the skull of the guard, before his body falls back on to the stone at her feet.

wasting no time, Lara just uses her ice axe now to start to drag the man's body back where she'd first landed, out of the way, and to cover so she can assess her next move....

Her axe, and knife are both pulled back up out of the man's body, blood, dripping from their tips...

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Being telekinetically lifted is not something new to Tabitha. So when she is lited to the wall to sneak up on her designated target she actually relaxes and then only shifts and wiggles when her boots are back on solid ground.

While a psionic like the Lady Braddock, Tabby however is not a general telekinetic. But she does have some tricks she normally does not like doing. One of these is using the conductivity of her bioelectricity to direct the creation of her plasma.

Into a target's lungs.

One of the guards by the cauldron she pads low and fast. Tabby has to work quick. The average dark elf is faster and stronger than she is but she doesn't have to swing a punch. Just pinch their ears. The electricity flows from mutant to elk and the sentry soon feels them organs burn and then pop inside theirt.

Smoke wafting out of that helmet as the sound of muffled booms ahe heard inside and then the guard is down. Smoking like the inverse of microwaving a burrito. Crispy inside, soft outside.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
The stealth team is dismantling the elves highly efficiently. It helps to keep the archers off of Caitlin; the few that aren't killed immediately start firing down at her, heedless of the concerns of hitting their comrades. Two *thunk* into Caitlin's heavier plates, but a third finds its way to the thinner letter and digs a few inches into the back of her ribs.

"OW!" she bellows, and turns her stumble into a rugby-worthy recovery of a piece of rubble. She turns without missing a beat and fastballs it at one of the elven arches, hitting him in the head with a two-pound brick going a little over sixty KPH.

She turns back without any loss of momentum, charging across the yard towards the gatehouse. Inside elves can be seen frantically trying to close the gates and drop the portcullis. One of them slams and locks the door in Caitlin's face.

She grabs the maul haft in both hands and with an explosive grunt of effort, hurls it at the door. It smashes the entrance apart and Caitlin ploughs into the gatehouse.

A moment later there is the sound of wrenching metal. The portcullis falls a few inches, then stops-- and a beat later, the drawbridge chains *snap* and it comes clattering down, too.

Caitlin steps out of the smoke and debris with a few fresh cuts on her bare arms and legs, likely from Elven swords, and holding her warbow in her hand. She nocks an arrow, draws, and launches a perfectly aimed shot from across the courtyard to take out the last elf running for those cauldrons.

Then she gets to real work with the bow.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
<< Turrah, pets! >> Betsy sends the cheerful thought out to the various murdering companions, as she choses her next target. The cauldrons look taken care of. The archers, maybe? Her lilac eyes settle on the chanters.

Delicious.

And so the psi-link weakens again as Betsy refocuses into telekinetics, enhancing her strength and speed while reinforcing her sword as she does a flying leap towards the nearest chanting elf to slice his head off before throwing herself at the next closest to attempt to break his neck with her telekinetically strengthened thighs.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jess pops over the battlement and twips a web to the nearest wall and jumps. She arcs into the air and breaks her landing soundlessly against the cold stone with both hands and feet. Ignoring the Elf aiming down into the melee below, she runs after the Elf dripping blood on his mission to use the Cauldron.

A silver thread flickers in the ambient light, it wraps the Elf's legs together from the knees down. In a flash, another wraps his arms to his sides. A third hits the back of his helmeted head. A sharp jerk backward ends his forward momentum. Iron knife in hand, Jess is on him, levering his head back to expose his throat and slash upward.

She rises from the bloody work to turn toward the archer.

Sif has posed:
In truth, it is working thus far. The distraction of Caitlin in the courtyard, where she embattled by the Dark Elves, has kept most of them from realizing she is not alone. The few that had noticed are dispatched quickly by the skilled combatants, some in far more gruesome ways than others. But either way, dead is dead. The body count is swiftly rising and there is no one aware of the infiltrators to combat them at this point. The guards on the ground are far too busy with their situation to notice a few missing guards on the walls. Though there is one less guard on a wall as his head explodes into a fine red mist despite the helmet he'd been wearing. They could only protect so much after all. Sixty KPH rocks were beyond the scope of their protection.

Between the gathering, they had eliminated all the runners thus the cauldrons were never touched. Never activated. A big win for the gathered team as that would've called in reinforcements from each of the other outposts as well as the main fort far in the distance. Though that danger is not fully eliminated as now the three guards who remain alive on the walls have a new task. To get to those cauldrons! The good news, it has them no longer firing at Caitlin down below. They do not try to intercept the attackers. In fact, they take paths that will take them the /opposite/ direction from them. Distance weapons or something else will be needed to stop them.

Caitlin manages to eliminate the working gate. Now it is stuck open, the mechanism that would allow it to close utterly destroyed. As she begins to use that bow, elves are forced to seek cover. A few more are eliminated. But she will find that they are /fast/. Some literally are just stepping out of the way of the arrows being fired to close, drawing their swords to engage the amazonian redhead!

Two spell casters are still on the ground. They complete their spell and put their hands together. There is a sudden burst of white light which washes over the area, expanding out from them in a circle. It doesn't hurt anyone as it passes over them but then it forms a dome around the fortress. Those who have entered are now trapped inside by the mystic shield!

And that is when the tall figure of the commander appears. He towers over the other elves, barrel chested and stronger than the usual build of his kind. T'zaranath is wearing the helmet they are there to take. If Betsy were to try to use her telepathy at all, she would find it completely blocked. Not even that sludge feeling of thought she could get from the other Dark Elves. He eyed the courtyard then looked to the walls, to spot those who were attacking. He looked to one of the two spellcasters. "Reinforcements. Now." Then he drew his double edged, two-handed axe and prepared to join the battle. Only for the other spellcaster to rush to his side. "I have foreseen. You are their target. Fall back." That got a frown but the commander gave a nod. Thinking his people would have this rabble under control in moments, he turned to enter the main building once more. But now they might be able to track him.

The seer took up a position guarding the door, fingers glowing as he painted more symbols in the air. Prepared to defend. The second spell caster suddenly was just?gone! He teleported away to go get reinforcements.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    Once Jimmy ascends to that wall and Jess takes off to work the work of mayhem, the X-man crouches on the edge of the rampart and takes a moment to take in the situation. Behind the mask his brow furrows as his gaze sweeps left and right, noting the situation and seeing how well his comrades are doing. It's... impressive to be fair. Then on the telecomm his voice comes across...

<< I don't have eyes on the target. >>

    He leaps over the side of the rampart and drops down, one claw extending to /scraaaaape/ along the wall and slow his descent until he hits the ground and then breaks into a run. But that is when the warlord makes his appearance and there's no missing him at all.

<< Check that, he's heading into the interior building. This one's casting some kind of spell! >>

    It's another rush of motion, the X-Man charging across the distance, trying to close with that spell-caster that had advised their target to withdraw. Perhaps hoping for a repeat of his last attack he /leaps/ at the last moment and tries to slam hard into the side of the Dark Elf Mage, trying to silence his spell as quickly as possible.

Lara Croft has posed:
The chaos level was seemingly growing more wild by the moment. With her head down, Lara continues to run across the top of the wall now, her hands pulling out her bow, and slipping an arrow in to place on it's illustrious golden string.

When Croft comes up over the edge of the wall, she's now firing off a arrow toward one of the remaining archers across the way. She's listening to the voices of those speaking on their mind-link, her eyes raising up to look at the magical dome that falls around the fortress. This garners a frown from Lara, as she looks across the way again, seeing the Commander with that prize adorning his head.

Another arrow is notched, and this time, Lara fires it off, with a rope connected to its end. The arrow is meant to stick right in to the edge of the wall that the Commander is retreating toward. She jams the other end of the rope in to a wooden beam beside her on the wall, and with her axe in hand, Lara dives for the rope, intending to slide down the rope by her climbing axe handle, right toward the big Commander, and his shiney helmet...

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby had tinted lenses mostly because they were prescription and when you light bombs that might have a brighter flash. It can eventually make you need a stronger prescription. She'll probably need hearing aided by the time she's thirty too.

Through that mind link the blonde has to share her thoughts to the team. <<So we chase after Elfernaut? Ot this plan is all for naught?>> she asks and tries to figure out which way to run.

She does at least try to delay an escape inisde by throwing a flashbang bomb, psionically directing it right into that helmet coverred face. <<Eyes and ears!>> she warnns before counting down <<Tick... Tick... Tick>>.

BOOM!

Though by the time it goes off the target is already inside. But there is someones a plenty outside and maybe more coming. Who might not enjoy the sudden onset of Tinitis.

<<If you can't open the door, lemme know and I can blow the damn thing off it's hinges!>> she offers as she spoils for a much louder fight.

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
The first dark elf rushes Caitlin, clearly falling back to a mentality that an archer is an easy kill in close range. Fast as he is, his swing is interrpted by a hand intercepting his wrist. Caitlin's not just strong, she's *fast*, too. A squeeze of her fingers breaks his wrist in several places, and he drops the blade. He screams in agony and Caitlin hits him in the chest with a front kick that knocks him across the courtyard.

Two more elves descend, swords flashing. Her golden bracers flash sparks as she deflects blow after blow. One of them staggers and loses his balance; she steps sideways and hammers one to the ground with two overhead hammerblows, then uses the dead elf to bludgeon his friend to the same condition.

Caitlin staggers and cries out in pain when a third elf jams his spear into her lower back, just above her left hipbone. He howls with bloodlust at the successful strike.

His jubilation falls short when Caitlin turns on him with a positively murderous fury in her green eyes, and he tries to drop the spear and walk away.

Two seconds later, Caitlin releases his ankles in an improvised hammer throw and flings him across the length of the courtyard. He *splats* messily against the stonework.

She grimaces and pulls the spear out of her back and tosses it on the ground, then reaches behind her for her heavy maul.

"WHO ELSE WANTS SOME?!" she bellows, and slams her foot into the ground hard enough to make the earth tremble.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Light washes over Jess, solo on the wall, blinding her for an instant. Until she pulls down the HUD, after images make it difficult to see the bow-wielding Elf steps away from the Cauldron.

In a last-ditch effort to stop him, she shoots a filament at his head to rope him like a calf and jerks it with both hands like a cowgirl.

<Yahooo,> can be heard over the psychic link as the English spider becomes a Texan roper.

With a leap, Jess is on him. The sharp-edged iron of the bloodied knife sinks into his neck.

Finally, she can focus on the chaos below, catching Lara's leap downward and Hudson moving through the fray. She braces for Tabitha's boom, slaps a thread to the wall, and belays down into the melee as Caitlin bellows her challenge.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
At the appearance and then the withdraw of the target, Betsy lets a mental snarl before making a running leap at him. She fails, of course, but manages to get there in time to take a swing at the second gate-guardian. << Fancy meeting you here, Wishbone. >> Betsy tuts at the reunion, and glances over at the melee as Caitlin bellows.

Sif has posed:
The commander made it back inside, the door closed behind him. Just as the infiltrators had spotted their prey and made their moves.

Jimmy comes flying in, the mage sees him. And immediately releases that spell he had prepared and waiting for just such a moment. The colors that had been dancing around his fingers like sparks suddenly condensed into a single point about the size of a baseball. It is released in Jimmy's direction, but the mutant is already airborne, his momentum carrying him forward even as the wizard casts Magic Missile <tm>. But despite this strike and the injury it may cause, Jimmy is on target and manages to stab the spellcaster, adding him to the count of bodies they've already accumulated.

Tabitha's flashbang is on point. Unfortunately, it is just after the commander got into the door and closed it behind him. But that still allows for the flashbang to go off around the guards who are starting to spill into the area from other buildings. One moment they are charging, the next there is a lot of screaming as Dark Elves slam hands over their ears, ears that are already more sensitive to sound than a human.

Jessica quickly deals with the last guard on the walls and that leaves only the courtyard below. She joins the party just in time, joining the others gathered and preparing for entry into that main building.

Lara's line will give her a straight shot for the wall of the building, next to the door the commander disappeared through. It was so close to when the door had closed. The flashbang going off in that instant. But then Lara would slide down the line, using the handle of her axe to keep her hands safe as she slid the distance down from the wall. But as she might have dropped to the ground by the wall, she instead changed her trajectory. Letting go with the axe and flying boots first for that door.

CRASH!

The door is slammed open, exposing the Warrior's Hall. Filled with rows of tables and benches, an upraised dais at the far end with a throne like seat there. But more importantly, there were a dozen other elves inside, awaiting their entry. They had created a line of defense. The commander was behind them, face hidden behind the stylized mask they all wore.

In the courtyard, the Elves are starting to back up a bit. Before they were supremely confident. But now they are starting to rethink their life choices as she takes the weapon strikes and just gets madder. Bodies are flying, some exploding on impacts. It is carnage. But let it never be said they are cowards as they begin to try attacking in a more coordinated fashion. Which is when there is another flash of light. And suddenly there is the spellcaster who went for reinforcements. Along with Two Cave Trolls who immediately move to attack Caitlin!

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    There's a surge of blood darkening that kevlar suit as the blast burst through the material, sizzling the tissue beneath. The spell-caster was felled, but Jimmy hits the ground on one knee beside the fallen Dark Elf corpse. He winces, grabbing one arm around the wound as he pushes himself to the side and out of the way of the door to clear the path.

<< I'm good, git that sucker. >>

    Even as he presses against the wall and staunches the bleeding with one hand while another reaches into his belt for a trauma patch. He'll heal it right as rain most likely, but that'll take time. And if he wants to keep fighting he needs that blood to stay in his body.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara smashes through those doors, opening them back up before they can be sealed off. She lands in a crouching roll, that ends with her pushing herself back up to her feet. She looks at her new surroundings, a grand hall, filled with Dark Elves. They're all staring at her, ready to attack. Lara's eyes sweep over them, then drop to her sides in a flash!

When her hands bounce back up, Lara is wielding two twin handguns. She aims them apart, using her ambidextrous skillset she just gives all the Dark Elves a sweet, loving, smile before she just... opens fire.

The sound of gunshots, echoing off the walls, bounce right out of the grand hall toward everyone still outside!

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Tabby gets a grin on her features as she watches elves clutch her ears and maybe totally is ecstatic that that trick finally worked. Plus with a door opening Tabby has more targets and options.

Enough so that the urge to boom also starts to give her the urge to dance. Sure it looks like a spell casting ritual to the elves but The turning and pivoting and much swaying of hips and rolling of shoulders has the mostly black, almost catsuited blonde stirring up more plasma.

She's enjoying herself and much guilt free carnage. It'd be a red flah back home probably. But for now she just starts swishing hands and bombs and streams of concentrated plasma just direct themselves in basksteball sized orbs and gouts of glowing flames.

BOOM!

The blonde starts cackling and going wide eyed as she psionically directs her powers to any and all that stanhd in the teams way. Some can handle the blast, a lot don't. The heat and light and noise like music. <<I think going extra planar is really starting to agree with me! Next time I bring my pointy hat!>>

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin is a lot of things. She's a physical powerhouse; a well-established champion for the Titans, Amazons and Asgard; a hero in her own right with years of service under her belt; and a formidably skilled hand-to-hand fighter.

She is also very smart. Which is one of those things that goes unappreciated until two Cave Trolls lumber at her at once. She reaches back to her belt and pulls out two pill-shaped objects. She fastballs them both at the trolls, and the canisters explode with an aggressive chemical irritant.

It doesn't bother Caitlin. She's immune.

The redhead grabs her maul and rushes forward to enter combat with a roar. Her hammer swings at ankles and knees, going for joints and limbs. She's nimble and fast-footed, dodging through the swing of heavy clubs and raking claws.

One troll she sweeps off its feet with a mighty blow and smashes her hammer into its lower spine. It screams and thrashes, paralyzed by the blow. It leaves her open to counterattack and the second troll backhands her a dozen yards away. Superstrength is no proof against physics as his sheer mass lifts her feet off the ground.

Caitlin struggles to one knee just in time for the troll to lumber over, roar, and swing that half-ton club directly down at her.

There's a huge impact and a swirl of dust-- and then the club starts pushing backwards, and Caitlin bares her teeth at the troll, standing up from where she caught that huge impact and stopped it by main force alone.

Jessica Drew has posed:
Late for the party but bearing gifts, Jess pulls out a much used but beloved Magnum Research BFR 45/70 Government to fire rapidly into the Elves waiting to greet them. Between her and Lara, the fusillade numbs the ears.

The agent adds to the fireworks. Firing one-handed, she lifts her other in greeting, releasing a stream of bio-electricity at the nearest elf who charges, sword raised above his head.

Betsy's ceiling charge distracts her for a precious instant as an elf bears down on her.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Ally-oop! After a brief pause to check on Jimmy, she gives him a quick nod and runs at the door, sheathing her katana as she does so and pulling out a pair of gloves with spikes on that she slips on with quick, practiced motions. Last minute, she grabs the frame and launches herself up onto the ceiling where she begins to scale her way across the ceiling while Lara and Tabitha distract from her.

Halfway over the crowd, she abruptly dives off the ceiling and straight towards the commander with her legs poised to wrap around his neck crotch-first to muffle any noises as she summons forth the sum totality of her psychic might into a rope to wrap around the helm and fling it back towards the others.

Sif has posed:
The elves have faced a wide range of foes. Though these humanoids of unknown origin seem to fight with abilities and weapons they are not familiar with. Certainly they have ranged weapons but the echoing blasts of Lara's weapons fill the hall with noise as the rounds pierce elf after elf, sending them falling to the floor.

To add insult to injury is the fire. Plasma and heat all around, scorching armor and burning the people within. Elves scatter, trying to find a way through to the attackers without being turned into bbq, but not as tasty.

Jessica adds to the bullets flying through the room. More elves are hitting the floor. Though they are starting to close toward the three at the doorway.

Jimmy should manage to get his wound to stop bleeding with the hastily applied tourniquet. Allowing him to retreat or return to the fight, though he will be at lowered capacity due to his injuries.

Outside, Caitlin is making short work of the first troll but the second is providing a little bit of challenge at least. Though honestly, the beast is outmatched. But it does allow for elves to approach, preparing to take advantage of her precarious position.

Betsy's attack works perfectly! She manages to get onto the commander's shoulders, grabbing that helmet and flinging it off toward the rest of the group. As the helmet is removed, it causes the facemask to fall. This reveals T'zaranath for the first time. To say he is beautiful is an understatement. There is something radiant about him, the lines of his face perfection. But the eyes are black as pitch and cold. No emotion except hatred revealed there. He reaches up a hand to try and grasp her leg, since she put herself oh-so-close, in order to try to crush it with his strength. If he manages to, he will crush through her thigh like it was nothing.

On the roadway outside, the reinforcements are coming from many directions as the outposts have all be notified that there was an invasion at the fortress. An entire army had attacked, or so the spell caster had told them.

Seeing them approaching, Sif curses roundly and a moment later, she is in the roadway. Standing there awaiting them, a shadow in the darkness. And as they slow upon seeing her, she pushes off the cloak to face them, letting herself be seen. "Return from whence you came. Or face the Goddess of Death." Of course they don't listen. Until the first four are laying on the ground at her feet, seemingly as though it was a simple thing. The others begin to fall back a bit, considering their point of attack. Then she spins her blade in the air, rending time and space itself. A moment later, she steps through it into the courtyard, teleporting herself to the others. <We must go. Now. Reinforcements will be here in three minutes. I await you in the courtyard.> Where she stepped in to help Caitlin with those Dark Elves.

Jimmy Hudson has posed:
    There's that burning sensation as Jimmy coughs up a glob of blood and spits it clear, but then he can feel the skin starting to fuse and reconnect which offers a bit of pain in an entirely new flavor. He shakes his head, twisting it to the side causing a sharp cartilaginous crackle as he pushes himself to his feet.

<< How we lookin', Drew? Braddock? >>

    A quick aside given into the telecomm though he hears the huge morass of chaos and violence coming from inside. A grunt comes from him as he pushes away from the wall and then breaks into a loping run as he slams open one of the doors that had been starting to drift closed again.
    And suddenly there's that tableau of madness before him. His eyes widen behind the /very/ important eye protection then he murmurs, "Right then."
    Before he waits for one of the dark elves to rush past intent on his target and instantly sidechecks him from the side. Thank you, Hockey lessons. Yet when Sif appears and announces on the comms he nods to himself. Then he shouts, "MARINES WE ARE LEAVING!"
    As he starts to move back keeping the door clear as he can so the team have a good path for evac.

Lara Croft has posed:
One of Lara's handguns is fully spent. She tucks it back in to the holster on her left thigh, before she sees Betsy's attack cause the Commander's helmet to become dislodged where it falls to the hall's floor... Lara moves to action, rushing between the madness, and ducking to slide across the floor, until she gobbles the helmet up in her arms!

<"I've got it. I'm going for the door!"> Lara says in to the linked mind connection.

Externally though, the Briton is just breathing heavily as she rolls back up to her feet, ducking beneath a heavy swinging arm, as she rushes toward the exit, jumping up on to a table to slide across it Dukes-of-Hazard-style, as another Dark Elf Warrior goes crushing down on the space she'd just vacated.

Jessica is rushed past, and Lara motions for her to follow, while Jimmy opening up the way to the door is taken advantage of, and soon, Lara is bursting back out of the hall toward the courtyard, with the helmet in her arms, one gun still coming up to take another shot at a Elf on the wall!

Tabitha Smith has posed:
Every now and again Tabby mimics the gun wielding ladies. Finger BOOMs firing and streaking towards heads with smile on her face a song in the young woman's heart.

Bodies are blasted with much force, bits are sometimes not attached. There's a smell of whatever elf smells like cooking. Though Tabby is not without some restraint. Some folks gotta be non combative or just straight up fleeing.

"Sorry dudes, you guys are are like just way to harsh for all these realms!" she says aloud before the fight in the compound dwindles and Tabby looks for too things.

The first is something that looks like it could be more important than a helmet. Swiper gotta swipe, screw Dora!

Second. A nice spot to lay a bigger bomb. Not super massive but as big as a beachball. Just enough that she can leave a decent timer set to sizzle away.

That's when she finally makes a dash for Sif when the call to bail and Tabby's turning up making a 'Whoop whoop whoop sound' like a fleeing Curly Zoidberg.

And home she's bound. "They might not wanna poke the glowy ball!"

She could destroy buildings with that. "Tick... Tick... Tick..."

Caitlin Fairchild has posed:
Caitlin shoves the troll back violently with her grip on the club. How the human-sized woman can push a beast that big around is a little mind-numbing, but back it goes. She vaults to the side with a huge leap, grabbing her bow and an arrow from her quiver. Even as the troll bears down on her she turns, face composed, and draws down on it to the full extension of the compound warbow as the troll lifts the club overhead for a two-handed smash that might even test Caitlin's redoubtable bones.

The arrow flies and hits it right under the nose, angling upwards.

The troll stumbles, falls on its face, and skids to a stop less than a yard from Caitlins toes.

Sif's arrival is met with relief, the brawny redhead clearly flagging a bit. The wounds she's been delt spilled their tithe of blood, even if no grave injury was sustained.

"Hey I'm ready to get the horses and go home," she tells Sif. Some instinct twinges Caitlin to look back as an array of arrows rains down on them.

"Get down!" she yells, and grabs her friend across the shoulders. Caitlin puts her body between Sif and the oncoming arrowstorm. More of them bounce off her armor but some of the lethal arrowheads bury themselves in her obdurate flesh.

The first salvo ends and Caitlin turns around, still trying to protect Sif, and starts rapid-firing from her hip with her bow, not bothering to go to the limits the weapon can achieve.

It'd be overkill.

More arrows rain down and Caitlin weathers them all, crying out in pain only when they find her flesh. At least a dozen of them have found blood; Caitlin swings her bow in an arc and smashes the hafts apart so she can maneuver still.

"Sif, I don't know if I can hold this spot forever!" she confesses weakly.

Betsy Braddock has posed:
Across the psi-link, every single one of them can feel the rising bloodlust in the oh so proper Lady Elizabeth Braddock as the part of her that was forever altered by the hand surges forward. "No touching without a kiss first, Handsome." The coiled rope from where she'd dehelmed him becomes a blade like a punch-dagger that she jams straight into his bare head hard enough to crack her knuckles in a flash of purple-pink energy sparks as it hits his magical protections. .

The bloodlust reaches a fever pitch as she does so, and ebbs as she manages to knock T'zaranth out for a few moments. As he begins to fall to his knees, she launches herself off him and back to the ceiling to ricochet herself onto a safe landing where she can join the retreat. << Lets get home, poppets. >> And over the link her mind begins to calm down, that darkness inside her momentarily sated by the defeat of the dark elf champion. << I need a bath.. I do believe the great and powerful T'zaranth drooled on my... ah... thigh. >>

Jessica Drew has posed:
Jess is quite simply impressed with Betsy's crawling abilities and cast iron thighs. She ducks a sword that swoops close enough to cut a lock of hair off her head and shoots the Elf in the neck. So much for SHIELD's stun them first policy.

Helmets bounce! Who knew?

Pivoting, she runs after Lara, indiscriminately blasting bio-electricity at anyone coming close to her.

<Hudson. We've got the gold. Everything is fiiine. You?"

Sif has posed:
In the courtyard, Sif has joined Caitlin in her fight. Elves are falling to the side as Caitlin focuses on the Troll. Then she is tackled as Caitlin tries to protect her. Earning a bit of a curse from the Asgardian woman. She puts her arm around Caitlin to offer support.

The group is able to make it out the door without incident. They watch each other's backs and cover if someone is attacked. But in the end, the worst injuries were suffered by Jimmy with Caitlin a far away second. The others seem to have made it out unscathed. They reach the courtyard where Sif awaits.

As she helps support Caitlin, if the redheads wants or needs that help, Sif uses her blade to cut through reality itself. It opens what looks like a tear in the air, giving glimpses of the world beyond. Those in the know would recognize it as the courtyard at the Asgardian embassy in New York City. The Dark Elves? It's just some random place that they cannot tell what realm. Though Sif is a known quantity, having fought the dark elves in the past and being there to help defeat them. Thus, they may presume it was Asgard after all. Though the others do not look to be in Asgardian clothing so perhaps not.

And with that, the heroes are able to return to the world from which they came. Prize in hand thanks to Lara remembering to pick it up.

The next step of their mission has been completed. Though there are more realms to go, some far more dangerous than Svartalfheim.