[4th July 2010]
[Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Washington DC]
"Your Royal Highness" I greeted with a polite bow. To my side I could see the ever grumpy form of my 'mentor' mutter something similar after a few moments of being glared at by various people, myself included, about doing so. Though I must admit we had gotten him to the stage that he looked mostly respectable in a suit rather than the hangover suffering smoker in a trenchcoat look that he normally adopted. Which was a conscious decision on his part in retrospect - he was as good or better at illusions and mind magic than I was, and I was in full combat gear beneath my own illusions!
Compared to how he'd looked at our first introduction, and in the aftermath at the military hospital, he looked much, much, better than the sunken eyed and batter man who appeared more a recovering junkie than a member of the Royal Family. Shorn of his makeup and such he still didn't give that appearance of royalty with that haunted looked in his eyes; still he could pull off the public appearances so there was that I suppose. Ah the British and their stiff upper lip, pretend they pain away and have some tea.
But, well, considering the chaos that erupted over there thanks his 'minor' demon possession as they'd put it I'd dread to imagine how bad it could have gotten if the actual story had gotten to public ears. That fun fact was also why I got to be a room being watched by probably important and suspicious people from the Brits intelligence services, along with some of my superiors, as minders. One of which was a mage of some sort even dressed in that flashy, flouncy, white dress she wore. Heh, she was a White Mage evidently.
Truth be told I wouldn't let the likes of us near their VIP's either without watching like a hawk so I really couldn't complain on the matter. So it was; be polite, ignore the formal awkwardness, follow procedure and hope that magic/medical/whatever this counted as went without problem. They had their own expert on site in the shape of this Georgiana Snow mage in her white dress. Good News; she seemed competent and not overly hostile. Bad News; she knew well enough of the walking disaster beside me and was really bloody wary of both of us. I couldn't really blame her.
"Ah, welcome, thank you for your accepting our invitation and seeing to our medical needs..." was the line that came back before everyone was waved to take their seats around a rather fancily arranged table in this fancily decorated room. Something that would be followed probably by a fancy meal that wouldn't actually fill the stomach after it I'd eaten it. Still it kept everything nice and polite and organised as we all sat down and began to discuss the particulars of what exactly we were going to be doing in the next hour or so while the Prince largely stayed quiet beyond a few questions on certain aspects of the rituals.
Of course this part was something I rather happy to go through with even with Captain Whiny-disaster-zone seeming bored as we pulled out the typed up documentation and laid it out on the table for discussion. Typed up with ye olde typewriters rather than computers, blood warded, and then stored in one of my magical containers, so that none of the worlds wonder hackers and alien-xeno-techers could get access to it. Nine Hells both of our delegations had scry proofed the meeting room just to be on the safe side. Only two records of these events occurring in the embassy were leaving this room after all, one for each government and neither in a format easily transmittable. I blinked in the middle of an query in regards the Prince's recover and glanced up, as did my so-called teacher and the flouncy mcwhite-mage.
"Someone just attempted to break through our wards from the feel of it...yes?" I asked glancing at said individuals as a round of frowns greeted my sudden change in tone and statement. John nodded, and looked far too happy at that revelation for my liking, while our British opposite leaned in and whispered something to the grey haired man in the dark suit that led him to signal at one of his security guards. Ms. Snow turned back to us as Captain McKenna and Minister O'Mahan glanced at each other with concern. The Prince of Wales, thankfully, merely looked concerned but said nothing and let his officials, or white clad mage this time, take the lead.
"Yes, but they were unable to actually break through them, nor could I myself feel anything demonic in the ether from it"
"Doesn't mean it weren't there love..." John muttered back as the table became quite as a very obvious security alert went out "...that lot can be tricky little buggers ya know? Matters what we're gonna do now right?...we gonna stop or keep going?"
The grey haired man who was very obviously a spook held up a hand and glanced at Minister O'Mahon "Security have been alerted and we will enter lockdown for the time being, and once we confirm there are no dangers present, nor no further attempts to piece these...wards...of yours, then we shall proceed with our planned session despite the delay. If this is agreeable to your delegation?"
"Of course Sir Peter, an unfortunate occurrence but as both our respective experts in these matters are in agreement I think its best we wait till we are sure this is not the prelude to more serious attempts to breech security"
"Thank you Minister, perhaps it is best for..." I tuned out the rest as it mostly revolved around bringing out our appetisers with fancy names early than planned while we sat out the lockdown. Of course I was mentally going through the list of things to do in the event that it wasn't a one off event, and where the exists from this room were relative to the two security guards present as the meal was brought in by two rather dandily dressed serving staff. And truth be told...the food was lovely once I managed to adjust my armoured mask so I could eat the blasted little puffy pastry vol-ue-vents things...
...I groaned just as I'd managed to pop the second one into my mouth as the discuss restarted after a few minutes on the procedure and information exchange. I hated coming to America, really truly, hated coming to this superpower infested crapsachrine death world where it seemed bad things were just waiting to happen to me in particular. Of course that's why I didn't want John here either of course as it was like throwing a magnet into a box of iron filings for whatever Gods damned reason, but would anyone listen to me?
Noooooooo...that'd be too bloody sensible. Whitey McWhite-Mage across from me hissed, pushing herself upwards, just as myself and said walking disaster magnet expressed our own interest in the attempt to break through the anti-scrying wards. And feel of power off in the distance than likely had attempted to do so; no long range attempt this was "You both feel that?"
"Course we bloody do George love, fuckin' surprised the rest of them haven't even without the magic..." Constantine grunted back pinching at the bridge of his nose "...because this ain't some nosy busybody snoppin' in on us. Ah reckon this is someone tryin' fer something bigger than that, and not sumin' we're gonna like, so as one expert to another I recommends we alls gets ready for whoevers desperate to join our little party here"
"Agreed" - "Agreed" – echoed out from the various senior diplomats and the two security heads of both our delegations as suddenly the whole table were in motion. Demonic interference after all had been considered by ourselves as a possible outcome of having such a meeting; either for revenge with all parties conveniently together, or to seek out the Prince away from the boundaries of the United Kingdom where the Satanic Agenda...had suffered somewhat of a major setback of late.
"If it is acceptable, we shall evacuate to the Embassy's secure bunker, it has been rated to be able to survive even high level meta-human attacks sufficiently for armed forces or the Justice League to arrive" the grey-haired spook in a suits announced to the agreement of my own superiors as everyone began to calmly...well more nervously organised-ly...began to make our way in that direction with us, the respective security wizards, at the rear.
Sadly from the feel of it I doubted I'd get to enjoy the benefits of that nice in-theory secure facility as I felt my magical spidey-senses of sorts tingling. Something Ms. Snow seemingly felt as well, or more clearly, as she stated as such to her own superiors before I could voice my concern. I closed my eyes in frustration as more confirmation arrived over the Brits security channels...and then reopened them after taking a deep breath. This wasn't going to be fun, but it was better than the other options and I bloody well knew it "Then we need to stay up here and hold off the attacker while the delegations evacuate to the bunker beneath. Correct, Sir?"
McKenna nodded, glancing at the Minister and then his British opposites "If there are no objections?"
There were none as he looked to the Minister and got a nod "Agents, combat restrictions are lifted" he turned to the British security "Please send word not to attack our agents, he will now dispel his personal illusion so I request all not to be startled into rash action"
Hmph. What a way to put it as I dropped my personal illusion and got the usual rounds of gasps and upset faces from a few present who'd never seen my combat gear before. Surprisingly few this time actual as the grey haired man merely nodded and glanced at Ms. Snow seemed to silently agree with whatever was meant as we broke away from them and were guided towards the roof by a security guard armed with an Uzi or something similar. The building shook just as we were nearing the top and I stumbled against the wall before catching myself with a grunt. Well problem confirmed it seemed.
'Greater Invisibility' I ground out after signalling to John what I planned as we emerged out into the bright summer's sky shining down upon the American's National Holiday. Oh and the rumble of destruction and gunfire as something/someone in the sky above that I couldn't see rained destruction down upon us as I watched a blast of eldritch energy fly downwards in my field of vision. Okay then...distraction time!
I slammed my palm down into the ground and pouring out the energy to form the summoning circle just in front of me; appearing in a crackle of wispy energy as I chanted softly and called from beyond the veils of the physical world. A humming, crackling, ball of light arrived before my masked eyes with that feeling of rightness and order of its existence as the worlds tumbled from my mouth "I thank thee for coming to my aid, and I require thee to seek out our foe and to distract them from their attacks upon us. But first I would disguise thee in my form if that is acceptable to thine-self noble creature?"
Beings of Light and Order were always best greeted politely I found even as I heard the hissing intake of breath of the British mage and the feel of John ready his own magic as well.
I ignored them as the voice, the angelic, childish, harsh and carefree tone hummed to my hears "Acceptable my Summoner"
"I thank thee noble creature" I replied before immediately flowing into the required spell as the building shook again and a loud angry voice above and on the other side of the roof shouted our loud threatening somethings along with demands for blood. Well at least it was the 'royal blood' he wanted...sound like drunk Scandinavian argle-bargle whatever...so it probably wasn't our fault this time! And other me now even looked like me!
Well except for the glow, I didn't emit a faint glow from my form...but good enough I figured as 'I' flew up into the air for a better look, while actual me started up the roof at a sprint with the other two towards our waiting enemy...
...who was evidently a blue skinned bearded man hovering in the sky...well descending...dressed in rather gaudy looking robes that just screamed retard-evil-sorcerer even without sending off a bolt of power towards the parking lot below. 'I' rose up into the sky to challenge him, with a bolt of 'light' flying from 'my' hands to slam into some sort of force-field with a flash. Joined moments later by John launching a fireball at the flying blue sorcerer dude as flying man turned to fire back at 'me' with an expression of annoyance on his face. Wisely I stayed quiet and a distance away from said fireball throwing wizard and Ms.White Mage as I plotted my next move against our foe...
Force-field projection. Flight obviously as he dodged blows from Constantine on the room and 'me' as 'I' dodged his...Energy bolts of negative magic. And...
'Oh shit!' I brought my hand up and unleashed the minor spell of invulnerability stored in the ring upon myself as the bolt of energy lashed out towards my actual position. Not exactly where I was standing, but close enough that the magical bolt of power 'splashed' off the right side of my sphere. And make that some of sort of magical detection...
Staff out of magic-murder bag and point as I move...let's try magic missile first, then lightning bolt, and see if that shield is per hit or power levels hmmm?
Gods above I hated coming to this bloody country. It was just out to get me even when I was technically in the Brits territory!
--