[16th January 2011]
[Estate of Rosacarnis, Lands of Nergal, Hell]
Paula Nguyen found life had taken some very strange turns since getting out of prison, and now was stranger than most even if she'd always feared she and her family might end up here someday. Of course while going to Hell was a concern in her darkest moments, life choices having consequences, she had never expected to literally walk there...nor be fighting Satan's minions in tandem with Jade. Or that Satan's minions in this particular part of the fight consisted of a very angry naked 'woman' with superpowers, a teenage boy who'd tried to mind control her, a girl in the stupidest looking dress she'd ever seen, and a child with murderous eyes and fireball throwing powers...
...along with super-strenght and speed for his size as he dipped under her sword strike, then as she jumped backwards as he roared at her and lashed out with flames. But she'd fought metas before, and her young master had given her and her daughter their own enhanced abilities between armour, weapons, and magic, and the demon brat took three small explosive balls to his face even as she dodged the flame attack. One hand on the ground, then flip back up to her feet, 'magic' sword swinging in a protective arc before her just in case; tracking the monsters through eye slits in the 'high tech' animal mask she'd been provided.
It was a bit odd as always to feel that presence at the back of her mind, guiding her and Jade's movements; aware of each other perfectly, and almost extensions of the will of the three of them collectively. Or perhaps more honestly of the young master as Jade followed up Paula's strike with a kick to the little bastard's face, hurling him backwards into the blazing wall beyond as Paula sent fly a dagger at the older boy. Easily dodged, but it forced him to fall back, even as the sky above them erupted in a multicolour rainbow explosion once again thanks to missiles and Doctor Fate hitting the Head Demon.
The blonde girl demon popped up, throwing fire at them, before dashing from cover to cover as a sniper, Deadshot most likely judging from the senses of the young master, smashed an anti-tank rifle shot into the face of the nudist demon bitch who was apparently the three murder-children's mother. Exploding her head like a ripe pumpkin and sending her body reeling backwards...only for to stagger backwards, feet moving, as the flesh seemed to reform...
...before being hurled backwards into a wall with a sickening crunch as the that great bearded oak who was supposedly a God landed from a jump before the supposedly dead body and gave it thunderously loud punch to the chest. Paula took that as her chance, pulling the gun out of the 'pocket of holding' with her free hand, and using the sword holding hand to brace against a broken wall while she jumped it. Aim, slightly unthinking and guided, was instant, the finger clicking down on the trigger to cause a stream of 'freeze ray' to fly forth and strike the 'healing' demon. Pinning her to the wall, frozen mid...horror movie head half formed as Paula shifted target to a burly 'monster knight' charging towards the near glowing young master's back.
Jade whirled through the air, almost bouncing off the young master to gain momentum as her blade slashed into the now frozen statue and shattered it into a thousand pieces. It seemed mercy for enemies was in short supply today, something that Paula very happily agreed with after these nightmares made flesh had nearly killed her Artemis and friends by ambush. Or perhaps that was her employer's and Jade's feelings boosting here own rage and anger as she fought to keep away the terrifying fact they'd just charged into the depths of Hell to start fighting actual demons...
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[16th January 2011]
[MOD Command Centre, Copehill Down, Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland]
General Sam Lane near expected to find in such as position as this; being one of the staff officers for a quasi-black ops operation whose purpose was invading Hell. Because Hell was much physically really it seemed, and capable of being invaded and bombed too...after they'd help launch multiple attacks to compromise his nation's new anti-supernatural defence plans along with those of their British and Irish allies. Oh, and of course he was watching Angels fighting Demons on the monitors displaying 'drone feed' from a dozen tiny little 'drones' flying around Hell.
The worst part was he was he was making several mental notes to get a model of these 'drones' for the US Army ASAP rather than on the more theological problems his Pastor was likely going to have with all of this...or buy him a beer mood dependent. Little flying gizmos were surprisingly useful, and cheap too it seemed compared to the Special Weapons Projects that promised so much and delivered so little he'd found from experience. Right now he had a great black, white, and grey he was seeing a bird's eye view of what appeared to be demon army forming up.
'Or target as we'd call it' as orders flowed out around him, Waller was in charge of his contingent in truth, with the British in charge overall considering it was their military training yard they were using for this sudden spot of madness. Time clicked by as he watched the small horde on one screen, and the mass of small battles on other screens around the 'raiding zone' as the missile launch counted down to zero...and then one of the two nuclear missiles took flight. Surging through the great glowing 'Gate' out in the middle of this fake village, past the small army assembled around it on the Earthly side, and the over the heads of the small force holding and fighting on the area on the other side.
"Approaching T plus twenty eight..." one of the local officers announced as the missile 'tracked' but distance and only the vaguest idea of the local terrain. Instead the 'drone' was the guide, the 'small' tactical nuclear weapon rapidly closing the distance, plowing through the miles before that particular screen stopped showing any image after the briefest of flashes, and then a screen of hissing black-grey-white static "...Recall Issue in two..."
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[16th January 2011]
[Estate of Rosacarnis, Lands of Nergal, Hell]
...we had them running, defeated, as in the distance we saw the mushroom cloud indicate the destruction of more enemies in the distance. Still we had not captured Rosacarnis, or Nergal, though that was not unexpected; nor had we slain either of them, as my foe continually fell back before us and in the air above Nabu fought-negotiated with the Demon Lord himself. Despite that this could be considered a success as we held our ground now having reached the Demon's Treasury within the burning mansion/estate and not risking exposing ourselves outside the small area of Order and Hallowed Ground we'd established.
In truth we were surprised the demon had not retreated, nor his kin, but it seemed Nergal would not relent despite his clear defeat as we hurled our own magic at his flying form above to aid Nabu. It was surprising, but perhaps understandable as it would show weakness...and even weakened as they were the Demon Lord was powerfully dangerous along with his daughter and grandchildren holding outside our range. They feared us, and the God of the Land; a curios alliance we were, a Lord of Order, an avatar of the War aspect, and the deity of merriment, drinking, and fun. Still we had punished the wrong-doers, caused the destruction to their ranks, and crippled them should they strike at us and ours again.
Still they tried, driven forward as if by invisible whips, the now more demonic form of the demoness and Constantine's supposed offspring. Three Cambions, a curious exchange for what the Demon Lord had expended to 'gain' a day of Constantine's life, and capturing one would be a preferred outcome. And, yet again, they were driven back with less of their servants than when they started as the Comet Tanks spoke, and Water cannons hissed, alongside the beat of Archon's wings. Still we they evaded capture, even the one on the form of the child as I let loose a blast of a fireball infused with Holy energies; they were powerful spell-casters, but young and untrained...
Something clicked in our heads, and we glanced up. Nabu and the Demon Nergal disengaging and a call to ceasefire coming over the comms as we, and the other two summoners Nabu and Lord of the Dance, recalled the Archons to a defensive formation. Best to let the more visible, and powerful, Lord of Order serve as our front man; we had already exposed, and expended, far too much power in recent days when a powerbase was to be established yet. But we could not tolerate such threats, for demons to infiltrate our new organisation and edifice and risk not knowing to what extent, and action had had to be taken to rectify this.
Now, our two masked guardians flanking us on either side, we strode forward to join with Nabu and the Old God as we faced the descending form of Nergal as the guns fell silent and Archons watched Demon in equally hateful silence. Defensive spells were strengthened as we took the right side of Nabu, the Old God the left, as over the comms mild confusion reigned that this outcome had occurred. Unsurprising we knew, but the Demon must salvage something from this, and we could not be moved now by force of arms; its armies wrecked and us visibly looting its treasures now was the logical time to parley. To seek to lessen the damage before its rivals realised its weakness. Hate rolled off it, as did it from its lesser kin, but it reined it in and communed, discussed, terms with our Leader as we strengthened the wills and minds of our two servants from the Demon Lord's presence.
Agreement that would be binding, that no weapon would turned against us or ours; nor actions, direct or indirect, intentional or subtle, be taken against us and our agents. No knowledge to be spread of us to others, and we would not destroy further; such as the other small host of creatures coming from far to the south, or the 'soul farm' there. Atomic weapons blessed with conceptual focus to work well in these twisted lands were an ideal threat for that, one it accepted, foreseeing the need for such things when its enemies struck at it. Demand for the Cambions, all three unacceptable of course, rejected unsurprisingly, but one offered; fear, confusion on faces, but needs must to know what we need. Good did not mean Nice, nor Order mean Kind, and demands were firm and terms harsh; lessons must be learned here. The blonde girl was shoved forward, torn, tattered, and dirtied dress causing stumble and fall to hands and knees.
"This one, she is worthless, torture her all you require and begone from my Father's lands" hissed the now damaged, and more demonically formed, demoness called Rosacarnis. Demonic loyalty at work here we noted, one could often count upon them to turn upon each other despite blood relation; the two male Cambions sneering, eyes ambitious that a rival had fallen despite other more human emotions lurking there a moment, as they watched the hatred, then terror on their sister's face.
"NO! MOTHER, You...youyou...CAN'T! WE'RE FAMILY! I..." the female mouthed, a foolish move attempting to appeal to a true blooded demon so in terms of love, compassion, or familial attachment outside of pride. Of course with our demand for such there was little option on their part, and the mouthing was quickly silenced as golden chains engulfed her. Then the magic of the Pact between US and The House of Nergal as her allegiance was forceful shifted and her body convulsed in pain even as we began to withdraw and we shouldered the bound and weeping female over our shoulder. Time trickled by slowly...
Power howled on the winds of Hell
...we glanced up, distant, as the great power howled towards us. The First of the Fallen or one of the others of its leadership; no matter, the Pact was agreed, a Deal made, and defences of Order and Light hummed and sheltered as mortals moved through to the Material Plane and Archons waited in formation still. Too late to stop our retreat as the power buffeted our barriers and hallowed ground...confusion, anger, from the Fallen on as it closed and demanded answers. Threats, but we would be gone now; too late. That and too attack would show weakness with a DEAL made...Rage showed...
...turned upon ones it could blame, a show of strength even as Archons left and Gate's closed. Wailing from our new bound demonic servant as power manifested, and we watched through the dying Gate as the Demon Lord, Demoness, Cambion, and surviving servants were destroyed. We frowned as the power began to wane inside us, the magic and Divine power retreating, there would be no Blood War as hoped with this move even if the First would not strike against us. Not yet...still...
I shook my head, sighing as I plonked the captive unto the ground and ignored the cheers surrounding me for a few tired moments as I caught my breath. Damn but this been a long day...
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