The Remedy - The Cure for the Common Hero Chapter 3

At the moment, the other two team members were in little position to be doling out spells to the trapped. As Junk continued to assault the hulking undead as they came through the small entry, Scimitar had concentrated his efforts on the two shamans. A few shots went to the wayside, leaving burnt circles in the brick and mortar of the dilapidated buildings. One finally managed to bring the first shaman down, freeing Pong and allowing him to stumble back. From above, a burst of azure rained down upon the group as Junk sent the second shaman to the ground. With both of the leaders down and tagged with security transport discs, the Heroes could focus their attention on the seemingly endless queue of undead that staggered into the passageway. The wall of earth crumbled to the ground, allowing Sang to cast Unyielding once again. Mace in hand, he kept nearly half of the incoming Chambers occupied while Junk picked off a few that didn't seem too interested by the tanker in their midst. Just ahead of the main group, the flash of a katana gave testament to Pong's work as another Chamber fell to the group with an earth-shaking thud.

And another thud. And another. Scim glanced around, the Healing Aura cast again for good measure to keep both the tanker and scrapper hale and whole. An odd glow from just beyond the alley accompanied what now sounded like heavy footsteps. "Hey, Pong. You might want to-"

"Back up!" The blaster's voice called from above them. "Pull back into the alley!" Junk could now see the telltale aura that accompanied the Totems and counted three of them trying to squeeze past the last few undead that had gathered around Pong. The scrapper backpedaled, followed by the tanker who sent one last Chamber sprawling on the pavement.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Scim deadpanned. Not rested enough to cast a recovery aura, he frowned at the other three. "We could make a run for the door."

Pong frowned. "And have them waiting out here when we have to leave? I don't like that idea."

"Well, do you have a better one?"

"How about a Nova?" Junk offered.

Scim shook his head. "And leave you here all dazed and confused? Not when we've got three Totems to worry about." The towering beasts drew closer, knocking the remaining Chambers out of the way. Each step shook the ground, prompting the group to draw back against the dumpster. "Sang, you want that Clear Mind now?"

The tanker nodded silently, pausing as the aura about him pulsed twice before subsiding. He could keep two occupied, provided that the rest of the group could bring the remaining Totem down quickly. With a terse nod, he rushed ahead, drawing the attention of the pair as the third advanced on Ponghwang.

Rapid-fire Energy Bursts coupled with deft swordplay began to wear the single Totem down, as Scim cast aura after aura of Healing into the fray. On the other side of the alley, the tanker was all but hidden from view by the two massive masked figures. The glow about Sang flickered briefly, proof that his endurance was being taxed each second that he kept the pair's attention. As the Healer watched, the glow dimmed to nothing, leaving Sang to endure the wrath of both Totems without any sort of protection.

A streak of white shot out from somewhere above the alley, encasing one of the Totems in a chunk of ice. The tanker glanced up, his usually stoic expression now showing a wide grin. "Didn't want to miss out on the fun, Professor?"

The slightly older hero answered with a smirk and tossed a small blue packet at his teammate. "Now, how can I keep calling myself the leader if I don't actually show up to save you at the right moment?" Clad in a smart grey suit and tie, Professor H2O gave a quick wave to a clearly relieved Scimitar. "Miss me?"

"You're late, old man," came the reply, coupled with a laugh. "Go on, make yourself useful." Scim caught another proffered packet, the increase in endurance welcome. "This is just the beginning of the night."

The Professor nodded as he caught the second Totem in a frosty half-prison. With renewed energy, Sang swung at the imprisoned beast, hoping to weaken it before the spell wore off. A torrent of frigid water and ice accompanied each blow, the dual assault keeping the beast from moving any closer. Across the alley, a final burst of blue energy send the first Totem crashing to the ground as Pong leapt back to avoid being pinned. Junk turned his attacks to the third creature, keeping it at bay as the ice melted about its feet. With little need to rest, the scrapper rushed ahead, blade digging behind the plates that served as shielding for the Totem. The creature roared in protest and swung a heavy claw outwards, knocking Pong back several feet. Turning, it charged the remaining group, hardly dissuaded by the repeated volleys from above.

With the first Totem nearly down, the Professor turned his attentions to the remaining creature. An icy blast caught it several feet away, leaving it vulnerable to Junk's assault. Pong dusted himself off, laughing despite his injuries. "Guess he wants a piece of the 'wang," he quipped, running back to join the group. The katana drove deep behind the Totem's plating again, the roar in the alley deafening. Finally, the first Totem fell, allowing the group to make short work of the remaining beast. With a dual volley from above, it crumpled to the pavement, scarred and covered in ice as it slowly sank beneath the ground.

Scim glanced at the few Chambers at the mouth of the alley, frowning. One had fallen to the ground in an apparent stupor, while two had commenced fighting with a third that seemed incapable of doing more than standing still and muttering incoherently. Looking up, he caught sight of a familiar figure sitting on the corner of the building, hands extended out in apparent control of the situation. "Hey, Sang?"

"Yeah?"

"Your girlfriend's here."

This CoH fanfic was written by V. Likenesses and attitudes of all characters are property of their respective owners.