3658/Zodiac Rising: Collecting the Crown (1 of 3)

Zodiac Rising: Collecting the Crown (1 of 3)
Date of Scene:	02 October 2020
Location:	Metropolitan Museum of Art
Synopsis:	When the corrupted Avatars of the Zodiac attack the New York Met
Cast of Characters:	Amanda Sefton, Michael Hannigan, Elektra Natchios, Kurt Wagner, Malcolm Merlyn, Stephen Strange
Tinyplot:	Zodiac Rising

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Amanda Sefton has posed:
It's late at night. The wee hours. Most of the traffic in the area has died down, leaving the stately Museum almost entirely deserted aside from a few night watchmen. A ripple in reality warps the fabric of space time on the front steps of the old building. It shivers through the night air and tugs at the senses for several blocks around -- especially those of a mystical nature.

As the ripple stablizes, a glowing, dark violet and green portal opens in the air. A slender figure steps out, leading three others. This is Aquarius, the Captivating Cup Bearer. He is tall, with aquiline features and a long bladed staff in his hands. His clothing is ancient in style, well-suited to the Greek Exhibit hidden within the marble walls. As he steps away from the portal, he raises his hands and chants. From out of the earth, six tall, bulky creatures emerge, looking for all the world like extras from a Lord of the Rings battle scene... on the side of the orcs. Two of them approach the museum doors and smash them wide open.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Overall it's been a rather pleasant day. Nothing remotely exhausting either physically or emotionally. Got to stop by and check on someone he was concerned about. The other person he's concerned about sees to be having good days right now so. All in all. A good day! Mike's got energy to spare and now that night is here, that's a great time to be practicing his

A purplish black raven's sudden appearance outside the museum from nothing is obscured as he barrel rolls, spins and corkscrews in the dark, night sky. What an amazing time it is! WHEE! Yes, this is serious practice indeed.

As the phantasm gets ready to pop into another dream, the bird's plans are altered as something draws his attention. Mike hits the air brakes. Seemingly standing still in the night sky like a cartoon character with no perception of gravity. Now, what in Tolkieny blazes are those?! And what are they doing he- The smashed door answers that question. Right. Bad stuff. Okay.

Curious, the corvid's path alters, flying towards the roof of the mansion.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The call to again don the ring and use it's powers was irresistible and so Capricorn once again came to life.. It follows Aquarius out of that gate, the head that of a black goat with the hind end of a goat, the rest of her slim and clad in dark metal, layers of it protecting her. About her shoulders is a metal staff that she carries in a rather relaxed manner, head turning here and there to sniff at the air.

Are there familiar memories of this place deep down on the one being controlled by the Avatar? But it speaks not of it, instead bellowing. "LET US BE QUICK. THE MASTER AWAITS."

As the doors get smashed there is a swift gesture from Capricorn's hand, the metal on the door handles twisting and bending and fly towards her, forming deadly blades about the creature.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
One of the figures stepping out of that crackling green and violet portal is the dark figure of Leo. His features might stand out even more then the Cup Bearer -- if only because he, perhaps unsurpisingly, sports the head of a lion. He is large and hulking, walking upright with a humanoid form, but covered in a fine, dark fur. Even his mane is black as night, though shot through with brilliant yellow highlights. But it would be a fine thing to find any shade of yellow as bright or intense as this in nature. Energy practically crackles around the beast and his lip curls, revealing one fearsome fang as he glances around the steps almost contempuously.

A pulse of energy seems to ripple through the great line and while he does not point the spear he carries in any particular direction that fur seems to stand on end, making him appear even larger then he is for a moment. Suddenly the nearby lights brighten, a hum growing in intensity, an almost imperceptable high pitched squeal sounding before those nearby light bulbs burst in a shower of sparks, plunging the steps of the museum into darkness. "Yes, let this be done," he hisses lowly, though the rumbling growl in those words suggests a barely contained roar waiting to be unleashed.

Malcolm Merlyn has posed:
    One of the three figures to emerge from the portal is a rather tall and certainly menacing appearing individual For...if the red eyes, glowing in the darkness, doesn't inspire fear, perhaps the large set of antlers upon his head, sharp as swords and stained red. Blood perhaps? Or maybe the face that the lower half is that of a stag. Or perhaps the large black bow in his hand. For it is Sagittarius, The Masterful Archer that stands...though twisted into a dark, demonic form.

    There is no response from the archer, even as the other two speak. Instead, he just turns his head, pointing his massive bow towards the door. A clear indication to move onward. The overzealousness of the summoned minions might have elicited some thoughts, but they remain unspoken as the centaur moves forward, his hunter's senses awake and alert.

Stephen Strange has posed:
    There at the door though a whole new ripple appears in space-time before the doors standing between the newly summoned and revealed forms at the museum. Stepping out casually from the hole is a man with grey temples and jet black hair everywhere else and his blue tunic untucked over a pair of slacks. The hems are rolled up to under his knees and there appears to be some salt and sand stuck to his feet and knees.

    The man looks up at the middle figure, assuming they're the 'leader' and booms with his naturally powerful voice, "Excuse me, this realm is under my protection, I'm going to have to ask you to lay down your arms and armor and return to whence ye came."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Aquarius follows his minions as they tear through the (to them) flimsy glass, leading the way into the building even without the urging of the others. Within, a couple of watchmen with flashlights come to see what's happening, even as Strange's portal ripples in the gap. The orc-like creatures leap towards them. They draw their guns and fire... but the creatures are no easily deterred by bullets.

This does not bode well for the watchmen.

In her room in an apartment on the Upper West Side, Amanda Sefton pauses in her pre-bed rituals. The tugging sense of wrongness in her city attracts her mystical attention. Her eyes narrow. She knows that signature. It's the same as what was at the Starling City mansion of Henley Crowne, where a giant snake ripped through a portal and tried to swallow her whole.

"Scheisse."

Shehe closes her eyes. Moments pass and she pushes out her awareness into the night. The disturbance wasn't so far away. Not so far at all. Central Park. The Museum.

Her blue eyes open. She utters a soft spell and her yoga pants and loose tee give way to the rune-warded leathers that serve as far greater protection in a magical fight. She opens a portal, and steps through onto the broad stone pedestrian walkway beside the taxi stand in front of the museum. She gazes up the steps to the ruined doors and the figures moving into the building.

Yeah. That's what she was afraid of.

But Strange's portal catches her eye, as does the impossibly hovering bird. "Thank the gods..." she breathes. Alone, she's toast. But with the Sorcerer Supreme and Ravenboy for backup (or maybe she and Ravenboy are backing up Strange...)? There's hope.

Aquarius turns toward Strange as he addresses them. "Get what we came for," he tells his companions. "I will deal with him." The dark wizard raises his bladed staff and recalls four of his minions to himself. They fly together, his magic swirling around them, until they have transformed into a much greater form of multiple arms and heads that reach toward the barefooted sorcerer.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The raven divebombs the roof, eyes closing at the last second allowing for the bird to pass through. A glimpse of the inside of the building through the skylights serving as the best indicator of when he can look again. The room he ends up, typically would be brightly lit with the skylights around but the barest of lighting casts an ominous shadow over the garden of Grecian statues. Ok. He's inside. And judging from what he saw outside, probably greatly outnumbered so probably the best thing to do i-

The raven's head tilts towards the general direction of the main door as a voice booms out a warning to those gathered outside. Along with the villainous Scooby Doo declaration to split up. Shit. The raven's form elongates becoming human-esque before fading from view. For now, time to figure out what they're after.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The emerging portal brings the immediate attention of Capricorn, those dead eyes turning to watch Strange first, nostrils flaring as it huffs out in annoyance at this interference.. One hoof taps the ground, aggressively, perhaps ready to charge in, blades starting to swirl about it's form.

"BIG MISTAKE." It warns the sorcerer, a glance out to spot Amanda. "THERE IS ANOTHER."

Not that it will stay and wait. Teamwork? Not a thing for them apparently, and Aquarius did say for them to split up.. And then it starts running, reaaaaal fast, blades spinning towards the poor guards to perhaps provide a distraction so it can prowl the museum in peace..

It now gets close to disappearing from sight, nearing a bend on a corridor.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Again that great lion's lip curls, fangs bared as he hefts that great copper spear in his hands and brings it crashing down against the shield he clutches in his other limb, a great clash, an improvised battle cry and reverberates in the main lobby of the museum. Clearly Leo does not much care for the idea of passing on battle -- any battle -- even that of the Sorcerer Supreme. THhse golden eyes glare, bright orbs in the darkness that he has wrought around him. For a moment it appears like he fully intends to ignore Aquarius' orders, those muscles tensing as if about to pounce.

Instead the lion-headed man lets loose with a roar that would do any of his namesake's proud, the sound reverberating particularly effectively in the cavernous lobby. But when he takes a step forward it is no longer with the intent to attack. Instead his body begins to bend, to pitch too far forward as if he is going to fall. Hands strike the ground, but he still moves forward, moving more like an animal on all fours. Which is appropriate, because he somehow starts to swell, to grow even more and in mere seconds it is no longer a humanoid lion standing there, but a car-sized cat with huge fangs. It simply gallops towards the nearest corridor, moving with that cat-like grace despite his size as it threatens to disappear deeper into the museum, presumably towards whatever it is that has brought them here this night.

Malcolm Merlyn has posed:
    The answer for Strange's polite request to leave? A black arrow, pulled from the quiver upon the centaur's back, is quickly nocked and fired towards the Sorcerer Supreme, without even a second glance. And, just as quickly as the arrow is fired, the large form of the archer just...disappears into a shadow.

    But, not just disappear...but rather, shadow-stepped into the museum. The darkness is Sagittarius's friend, allowing him to cover ground faster than one would expect. If the object of their desire is here, then it will only be a matter of time before it is retrieved. Let the water boy handle the wizards....there is a job that needs to be done.

Stephen Strange has posed:
    Strange looks left and looks right as the foes run past and the wizard has to roll his eyes as he looks up to Aquarius and then takes a single step towards the 'leader'. Stephen lifts a hand as the arrow is nocked and released at him and is summarily removed from existence without much of a thought from the Sorcerer Supreme.

    "You and your 'horde' have been ordered to back down, now you will comply, or suffer the consequences of the Sorcerer Supreme." Strange says as his hands unfurl and he slowly lifts up into the air, to be a bit above Aquarius. "What say ye?"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The object the Avatars seek is a twisted, semi-circular piece of gold that looks like an undulating snake. It sits amidst a collection of similar trinkets, all dated back to the mid 5th century BCE and suggested to have religious significance. (Which, of course, is curator-speak for, 'we don't really know what this is'.)

The guards, charged by orcish minions on one side and whirling blades on the other, are effectively caught in a meatgrinder. Their screams are terrible as they rip the night. And what's left will doubtlessly be enough to give the forensics guys nightmares later. They have friends in the building, however. At least one of whom sees the carnage. "Omigod..." She fumbles with her radio. "Unit 1 this is Unit 8. Units 4 and 6 are down. Call the cops. Call the Avengers. Call *someone*! Oh. Oh no. Omigod!" The two orcish minions round on her next. She breaks and runs back down the hall from whence she came.

The multifaceted creature Aquarius has summoned crashes toward the Sorcerer Supreme, growing as it goes. The endarkened mage conjures a great torrent of air that spins around Strange like a tornado, seeking to throw him off balance. Certainly, he has power. His creations, unlike Saggittarius' arrow, are not so easily dispelled.

Meanwhile, outside, Amanda starts running. She conjures a portal ahead of her and passes through it, popping into a corridor in the museum on the far side of Strange's fight. A flash of magenta light streaks out of one palm, a bolt of edridch energy aimed for the nearest of the three that retreat further into darkness... Perhaps the hind end of a big black lion.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Despite the commotion going on around Strange and apparently Amanda, the unseen phantasm hangs back from the entrance. He's trying to figure out what it is they're looking for. The problem is that he's not entirely sure what. Curious, he silently moves over, peeking down the corridor to see that trying to suss out what it is they're looking for. And what to his wandering eyes should appear? Why a shadowy centaur with a bow. HORSEY!

Sort of.

With an unnatural quiet, the phantasm starts to follow.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Capricorn is bounding fast towards that corridor but then ..., it pauses. A look askance towards the fleeing cop and the two orcs after her.. The path is then diverted and Capricorn just gains a running start and jumps towards them.. Is it bloodlust? The need to kill...? Is it going to stab her right out..? Instead that staff shifts and bends and she tosses it through the air, it spinning and cutting through the two orcs in pursuit.

Heroic Capricorn?!

Not really... When Capricorn reaches the woman he picks her up effortlessly from the neck. "YOU WILL SERVE." and then it's off again, running through the place carrying the hostage, looking for that elusive piece. There are memories of this place, it knows where it needs to go.. And without any hero in pursuit it's getting closer and closer to the objective..

Kurt Wagner has posed:
There is no doubt that Leo is intimidating enough in that pre-historic cat form, those fangs jutting from it's mouth larger then a man's arm. And even if that maw or those huge paws don't get you, it looks like it could pretty much just lay down atop you. It's the size of a small freaking car. And while amazingly quick, it might not be the most practical form to be running around inside a building, as spacious as the Met might be. Agility only does so much when there is limited room to manuever. Still, with the Sorcerer Supreme otherwise occupied and the night watchmen not exactly a daunting threat, Leo is not exactly concerned, his attention on reaching the antiquities exhibit before his peers, those competitive tensancies shining through. Which is why he never sees the eldritch energy that sweeps his legs out from under him.

His back legs simply collapse beneath him and Leo begins to skid uncontrollably down the hall, those front paws clawing at tile underfoot, leaving great scratches on the ground. That's gonna be a lot of work to buff out. Still, he is a cat, no matter how larger and he quickly regains his balance. Again that fur bristles angrily as he whirls, facing the lobby once more. His tail flicks back and forth like any annoyed cat's might. But the sudden barrage of lightning blasts that fire back down the hall in Amanda's direction is not exactly typical of your average cat. Nor is the fact that high pitched hum starts up again. The emergency lights in the hall suddenly spray out sparks and even they fail a moment later. But the hall doesn't plunge into darkness, not this time. Instead crackling bolts of electricity burst through the wall, forming a sort of energy web that arcs and sputters, filling the corridor between Leo and lobby, black scorching seeming to map out all the electrical wiring running through the walls of the hallway.

With another angry hiss for the sorceress, the great big smilodon whirls again and starts racing towards his goal.

Malcolm Merlyn has posed:
    The hunter is being hunted? There is a pause as the massive set of antlers turn to the side, the head they are perched upon tilted as if sensing...something. Then, with a quick turn, the bow is already up, another arrow, dark and deadly, finding the string quickly. The arm draws the bow back, as the arrowhead points directly towards what seems to be dead air....

    ....but in reality is an invisible assailant. A voice, deep and foreboding, rumbles forth from the centaur, as those red eyes narrow, focusing upon the phastasm that was behind him.

    "I....see....you...."

    The arrow is released, whistling towards seemingly nothingness. At almost the same time, the demonic creature of Greek myth steps into a shadow....and reappears in another, this time behind and to the left of the same area of apparent nothingness that he shot at once before. Arrow already nocked, Sagittarius takes aim once more. If, for some reason, his first arrow were to miss, he will take care to not repeat, even as the arrowhead on the bow begins to glow a white light...

Stephen Strange has posed:
    Stephen squints his eyes fiercely as he stands before his foe, Aquarius, the being seeking to fight the greatest mage, the protector of this dimension. Summoning beings to itself Strange lifts an eyebrow and little more even as he floats in the air when something pulls at Stephen's heart.

    "No."
    "NO!"

    Stephen shouts, a rage filling him as he is rushed by the augmented Aquarius, Stephen then points his hands forwards, and an enormous 8 foot mandala spins out from his hands, unfolding and growing more and more complex by the instant as Stephen summons a shield to embrace the attacks by the enhanced being. The beach bum sorcerer calling on pure magic to not only block the attack, but to draw it in, he's going to wrap the mandala from the point of impact around Aquarius in an attempt to mystically bind the combatant in order to seek out the rest and save these guards.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The woman Capricorn grabs lets out a shriek, her gun -- which had been pulled to aim at the orcs now cut in twain -- clatters noisily to the floor. That she is not dead is both a relief and a terror for her, given she's now being lugged around by a huge, goat-headed, armoured warrior with bloodlust in its eyes. "Let me go!" She struggles valiantly... but maybe not effectively.

Aquarius stands well back of the creature he has sent towards the Sorcerer Supreme. Even as the great mandala enwraps its demonic form, the mage slips like water from out of its grasp, summoning another creature that wraps snakelike around his torso and gives him wings on his back and chitinous armour over his chest and shoulders. He has realized Strange's attachment to the humans and now flies out to seek the rest of the guards that must inevitably be coming, to use as human shields and distractions. Keep the Great Defender out of the fight and one of his companions may yet bring glory to their master. And perhaps he will have the glory of defeating the Sorcerer Supreme.

(Or, maybe, he'll end up as demonic puddle. Could go either way.)

A shield springs up in front of Amanda, formed of the same crackling eldridtch energy she flung at the cat moments before. She crouches, straining as if holding back a heavy door threatening to fling inward at her. Except, of course, that 'door' is actually a cascade of electrical energy that's trying to fry her. "Sonuva..."

That cat gives a whole new meaning to the words 'electric personality'.

As Leo bounds away, the corridor lights up with energy where its electricity lingers in the walls and fixtures. Amanda pulls the shield in around her, its energy settling over her like a shell. Guessing the cat's direction from her own intimate knowledge of the museum -- she's spent too long hunting magical relics not to be familiar with the place -- not to mention the fact everything else she's found so far has had some connection to Greece, Thrace, and Egypt, she conjures another portal and steps through again. This time, she comes out closer to the Greek Exhibit, where it meets the Egyptian Exhibit. This means she's close to where Capricorn is headed, though she's still in one of the corridors beyond it. And her attention is not on the goat. It is on that giant cat, who is also racing this way.

Concealed in shadows, she weaves another spell. Her voice drifts out on mystical energies as she does, reaching out to both Strange and Phantasm by magically warping airflow and accoustics. "These are Avatars of the Zodiac," she tells them. "They aren't natural. They have tokens that give them their powers." She's been researching since her visit to Egypt. "That may be the key to stopping them."

She's not sure about that, mind. It's just a hunch, based on what she's read.

Message sent, she shifts her attention and begins weaving a net of eldritch energy to drop on Leo when it crosses the threshhold. Like Strange, she seeks to delay and disable... but her goal is to get close enough to strip the beast of its token -- whatever that may be.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Sneak. Sneak. Sneak. SNEAK. SNeeeeeeeak.- Sneaksneaksneaksneak. Ok. Let's be honest. Being invisible is kind of a nice trick to have. It helped great at the jewelry heist. No muss, no fuss. Get in, get out. No problem. But, there are also perks to the-

The spoken words of the hunter shocks Phantasm out of the musings of the merits of being invisible as for today, It. Has. NOT. Helped. At. All.

What Saggitarius sees is a mirrored Rockstar staring back in surprise before he starts running upon the word 'see'. The sound of footsteps typically associated with running? It is severely lacking as who has the time to create that sound effect when someone's shooting freaking arrows at you?

As for the startled but bitten back, "AAa-" As the tip grazes his arm the first time? Well, that was surprise. He shouldn't be able to feel anything. Fudging hell!

Not really wanting to find out how quickly the guy can get off a second shot, Phantasm starts running. Not in a straight path, but more of a panicked chaotic run up the wall to the roof. Like other forms of magic. Dreams rarely make sense.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The flickering lights throughout the museum gives Capricorn quite the eery aspect.. On one hand holding a bloodied staff, on the other carrying the cop, those eyes bright with her bloodthirst as she step by step gets closer to that objective of fetching the snake-like artifact..

She kicks the door down that leads to the greek exhibit, an howl of triumph heard throughout the museum. Yes, she is close now. In fact it's visible right ahead on the other end of the large room.

"BEHAVE AND PERHAPS YOU WILL LIVE THROUGH THIS." The creature bellows to the poor cop being carried. Hey, they may be Avatars but it doesn't mean they just maim and destroy.

"SERPENS WILL BE PLEASED WITH ME." And it then begins moving closer, eyes turning about the exhibit and bringing the old greek blades there to 'life', again creating a 'shield' of blades about her. She is taking no chances.

Kurt Wagner has posed:
Ever confident -- he is the King of Beasts afterall -- Leo begins to race towards the exhibit once more, confident that the electrical web he has left in his wake will be more than enough to discourage any sort of pursuit.. And if not? Well, he doesn't necessarily object to his meals being extra crispy. It can see it's goal up ahead, the archway labelled and clearly visible to those glowing golden eyes despite the darkness he has plunged so much of the museum into thanks to the abuse he has subjected the electrical systems too. A few more seconds and the prize will be his to present to their lord and master. More evidence that he is the greatest of their master's servants!

The strides of the monstrous primordial cat are more like leaps, each step propeling the great cat another half-dozen of feet. It never breaks stride as it all but bounds through the open archway... and straight into that eldritch net that has been weaved there. The car-sized cat is brought to an abrupt and undeniable halt as waves of energy race through it and the roar that sounds from the great beast practically makes the room shake.

It struggle, claws, teeth snapping at the air as if to chew through a tangible net. And when that fails it shifts once more, abruptly shrinking back in on itself, once more becoming that lion-headed warrior with copper spear and shield and torc around it's neck. Black fur stands on end and it yowls like an angry house cat -- except loud enough to make the glass of the surrounding exhibits rattle disconcertingly. Then it levels it's spear and begins to lash out indiscriminately with more lightning bursts, the dark room lit up like brightest day as those bolts slam into the floor, the walls, as they shatter priceless exhibits without care, a number of small fires beginning to burn as the mighty Leo flies into an absolute rage, still trapped in a web of arrogance as much as magic.

Stephen Strange has posed:
    "I. Told. You. No." Stephen says as the demon is smothered in the mandala, and bliped either out of existence or to a whole different plane of reality. He turns to watch Aquarius fly past and yet, Stephen is never helpless, he turns, and leans forward at the waist, hands gripping reality itself as he reaches back and then rips it all forward, a spell snapping out like a whip from his first hand, to try and wrap around the tail of the snake addition to his foe.

    Then beyond Aquarius, in the direciton the foe was fleeing in, Stephen summons a miniscule ripple, a pocket dimension, often refered to as the mirror dimension, in a gambit to trick the flying foe into escaping into somewhere it would have no control within and be perfectly safe for later investigation. Should the plot succeed.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Saggitarius pulls back his great bow, his hunter's instincts alive and sharp. The arrow he looses, it's tip glowing with bright light flashes through the air, straight up. It explodes, creating a brilliant flash of blinding light that engulfs the Exhibit and outlines the dreamwalker's fleeing form for all to see. Unhindered by this, he draws another arrow swiftly and, seeing Phantasm running across walls and ceiling, he needs less than a blink to aim and loose that arrow towards him. He will pin that dreamwalker down, if he can.

The security guard in Capricorn's arms doesn't actually get paid enough for this supernatural crap. And, if she survives this, she may just look for a safer line of work. Like bomb disposal specialist or something. To say she falls still in Capricorn's arms might be overstating it. But she certainly becomes less like struggling prey and more like deadweight. If she plays dead, will that keep her from actually being dead?

Aquarius is caught up in Strange's spell. He twists out of the snake's grasp. As the snake is thrown into the mirror dimension, a secondary portal opens beneath Aquarius, allowing him to fall through. It winks out. The mage is gone.

And Serpens will probably not be very happy with him for that.

But now, Strange is free to see to the humans and the other heroes.

Amanda holds her magic firmly about the thrashing cat. As it shrinks, she weaves it tighter still, taking shelter behind a tall pillar when the lightning starts flashing and fires start igniting. A litany of German and Romani imprecations flood her mind as she strains.

Her eyes narrow. What was that she was saying about a token? It's either the thing's spear or his torc. And the torc is the thing with the lion motif. A slender tendril of magic curls up from behind and snakes trough the copper wires until it can yank it away from the muscular, furry neck.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
A sudden jab of the foreign sensation of pain disrupts the forward momentum of the Phantasm. Mouth opening, he lets out a strained urk of pain, head tilting to see the shaft of the arrow embedded in.

He plummets, the force of the floor smacking the arrow even deeper as he lands. Grimacing, he rolls over, giving the visible effect of an arrow standing on the tiniest edge of it's back. balanced perfectly to form a 50 degree angle with the floor.

The arrow shifts a bit more.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
Capricorn finally reaches what she was looking for, the serpent-shaped piece. The goat's expression turns exquisite, clearly pleased that it was the one to please the master. Yes, clearly there isn't much love lost between the various Avatars.

She tosses the cop she is carrying casually to the ground, fully losing interest in the woman and picks up the artifact.. Another bellow of triumph erupts through the museum. "I HAVE THE PIECE, MASTER." she utters to the air, lifting it up above her head and turning. The silver ring around her finger seems to turn brighter, the runes there glowing. Clearly Capricorn is pleased..

And now all that is needed is the escape portal. Hopefully Serpens won't fail her.

And apparently the cop might just have their wish.. Bomb squad here they go!

Kurt Wagner has posed:
No matter how he flails, no matter how much lightning he pumps out through the end of that copper spear, the magical bindings seem unrelenting. More animal then thinking man in this instance, Leo just continues to writhe, blasting the exhibit apart with those electrical discharges, completely oblivious -- or maybe just indifferent -- to whether he inconveniences or harms his allies as well. No one cages the King of Beasts!

Even if he was in the right state of mind to be aware of just where Amanda was, or what she might be trying to do it is entirely possible he couldn't stop it. As it is, Leo hardly notices as the clasp on that copper torc encircling his neck comes lose As it is suddenly yanked away, beyond the weavings of that eldritch net he only notices because the power flooding through that spear abruptly ceases, the light show put to an end and the exhibit only lit up with the crackling fires left in its wake. Both spear and shield fall from suddenly numb hands, clattering to the ground before abruptly beginning to simply melt away, dissolving into an acrid black smoke as the magic that brought them into being dissipates. Leo is definitely disarmed.

And as for Leo himself? Those struggles, the frantic flailing ceases as the great lion-headed man begins to shrink, almost doubling over on himself, clutching as his body as the magic that has possessed him is ripped awayHe shrinks, becoming slimmer, more athletic. THe dark fur lightens, just a little -- from a midnight black to a deep indigo and his features -- while still not quite human at least lose that leonid caste and become a little more demonic. A strangled, pained cry slips from his throat, "Gott hilf mir!" before the relief of unconsciousness seems to wash over him all at once.

And the unmoving form of Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler of the X-Men is left laying in an unmoving heap in the arched entrance to the Antiquities section of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Stephen Strange has posed:
    Strange breathes out a breath of relief as the creature is trapped within the mirror dimension to be dealt with later. Stephen's hands scream with pain as he lifts his wrist to wipe at his drenched brow, and he starts to jog, still barefoot towards the museum where shouts come from.

    "Oh no."

    Stephen picks up the pace and runs, wishing he'd have stopped at the Sanctum to gather his usual accoutrements, but alas, he's here as just himself and his brains and skills.

    A hand snaps out, and a pair of thick glowing orange ribbons snap out from his cuffs and are sent to wrap around Capricorn's hands and wrists, "The crimson bands of Cyttorak, metal turned to ribbon and nigh unbreakable." Stephen gloats fiercely as he pulls hard should they bind to drag the being off balance towards him.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
As Capricorn grabs the piece of the crown, a crackling portal of violet and green magic errupts in the shadows behind the exhibit, inviting her. Aware of the portal's arrival, Saggitarius reluctantly gives up his prey for dead and shadowslips across the intervening distance to appear beside his goatheaded teammate. As Strange's bands wrap around the goat's wrists, he reaches out to seize the piece of the crown from between her curled fingers. He then steps back, a smile triumph on his cervine lips. The Hunter, the victor, as he should be. He turns, rears on his hind legs and galops through the portal. It lingers only moments, growing smaller as it does, its master waiting to see how badly Capricorn will fail... or not.

Heedless of that drama, Amanda's heart siezes in her chest when Leo loses his fight. "Mein gott, no. Kurt!" Her magic dissipates in a flash. She darts forward, catching him up and cradling him. "Kurt, oh gods, no. Kurt..." Her eyes close. Hands glow faintly with a golden light. After a moment, that faint magic fades. A tear of relief slips down her cheek as she realizes that, though he is unconscious, he is unharmed. She will not need to heal him, today. But, she will need to take him... well, if not home, at least somewhere safe.

Her eyes open and she looks around. It's only then that the flickering fires that are slowly eating away at the exhibit and the building that houses them, are highlighting another figure collapsed on the floor, arrow protruding from him. "Phantasm?"

She looks between Phantasm's wounded form and Kurt in her lap, torn. Ultimately, however, she lays a gentle kiss on Kurt's indigo forehead and rises. Closing her eyes, she summons up another portal and the magic to lift his prone form. The magic gently bears him through the portal, where he is laid atop her bed in the apartment some blocks away. Only when he is safe does she let the portal go and turns back to cross to where Phantasm lays. "Bloody hell... This is going to hurt."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As the situation progresses, pain still present, the unseen form eventually does become seen. Phantasm rolls to his stomach, getting as much off the arrow as possible. Seeing the centaur no longer trying to kill him, there's a slight shudder of exhausted relief. Eyes closing before he hears someone calling what he is.

Eyes open, turning to see the magic user from the mansion "...Amanda?"

Elektra Natchios has posed:
The good thing about Capricorn's powers is that they need no motions to be used. When the bands wrap about her form and keep her secure in place there is only the twist of a smile surging up on that goat head, she letting the piece be taken away by Sagittarius and a brief glance at the portal. It was closing.

And apparently the poor cop will have to delay that appointment to the bomb squad. At least until her wounds heal... One of the swirling blades around Capricorn flies down to one of the woman's hands, slicing through it and keeping her pinned to the ground, a scream erupting from the hostage.

"THE NEXT BLADE WILL CHOP HER HEAD OFF." There is no hesitation on those words, no humanity. This is someone ready to kill if need be. "LET ME GO." she says, "LIFE FOR LIFE." the blade swirl ever closer around the woman in a maelstrom of motion.

And the creature then takes a step back, fully expecting to be released. They had a portal to take.

Stephen Strange has posed:
    Stephen pauses a moment, there's always a way.
    Always a way.
    Always.

    Strange only needs one hand to keep the bands active, and one hand to reach into the memories of his past, the pages of a book unread, the words of a scribe unnamed. The blackest of blacks. The magic meant to take a soul for gain, and for the ability to harness life itself.

    There is one soul Stephen would dare ever touch. There is a great wailing as rips away a piece of himself and uses it as a catalyst, a piece of property, forfiet for the priece of the spell.

    An darkly powered, eldrich blast is cast at the speed of thought to not protect the guard, or parry the blade, no Strange surrenders part of his own being to undo and remove the blade from the very annals of time.

    It never was, never is, never will be.

    Strange yanks will all his rage and pain and might on the bands around Capricorn's wrist, keeping the creature here lest it pull back and pull him through with her.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda gives Phantasm a wan smile. "Hey, ravenboy," she says, apology in her eye but warmth in her tone. She wraps her hand around the shaft of the arrow. "On three, alright?" Then, still smiling at him, she says, "Three!" and yanks the damn thing out before he has a chance to tense.

She tosses the black shaft aside, even as Phantasm reacts to what must be excrutiating pain. Then, although her magical energy is nearly spent, she puts her hands over the wound. They glow with bright golden light and, for just a moment, she's glad Kurt is safe in the apartment. Her healing energies will draw life from wherever they can find it. Which means often means borrowing a little soul energy from people. And, more deeply, from herself. But she will not let the young man die.

Meanwhile, behind Capricorn, that portal grows ever smaller, the eye of a great serpent peering distantly through it like a shadow of the Great Eye of Sauron. When it blinks, the portal will be gone. Time is quickly running out.

Elektra Natchios has posed:
One blade is certainly down.. But there is still Capricorn's staff, and so many other objects. "YOUR CHOICE. REMEMBER THIS." the staff flies and shapes into a spear, impaling the guard woman through the chest. No getting out of that one most likely..

And as she does that so does she /pulls/ towards the portal with all her might. Time to go for a trip. She jumps into it, the portal ever so smaller until she, the bands and Strange are pulled in, leaving behind the dying woman..

Choice and consequence.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"GAH MOTH-" The phantasm bites back the rest of the obscenitie as the arrow is removed quicker than expected. So much pain for when he was pha-

Form shifting as he drops his ability, the gaping hole where the arrow was removed closes. But the pain intensifies. His hand clenches at the burning feeling in his back. Eyes widening as he sees the guard getting speared. "NO-"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
The portal snaps shut behind Strange and the Avatars with a wink of that giant eye. Wherever they are... it is nowhere near the dying woman.

Amanda feels the damage to Phantasm's body lessen as it transform to human flesh and blood. Her power flares, taking away the rest of the hurt faster than she had otherwise expected.

Thus, glowing white, her eyes snap open at Phantasm's holler. She sees the impaled woman. Her nostrils flare and, lifting her hands from Mike, she reaches out with power that senses the woman's passing. She is too far away. There is nothing she can do at this distance. Not to stop the portal, not to stop the woman's death.

Fires flare still around them. She rises to her feet and reaches skyward with her hands. Eldritch power swirls. Magical rain is unleashed in a torrent that, while it will damage artifacts, it will stop the burning. She sinks to her knees and looks at Mike, glow fading from her eyes. "Call Pepper Potts," she tells him. "Tell her... where... I am."

And, with that, she pitches forward, unconscious, power spent to the last.