Re: The Return of a Talon: Rise Of Halo (closed)

by **Andrew** October 14th 2020, 2:56 am

"SEAN" Andrew almost screamed as he turned his head at his best friend.

The hero tossed a bolt of fire above his head as a floating hand was coming down upon it.

"Ok listen man. We are out numbered. Drastically. We don't know who or what he has here. We don't even have a plan. You and I BOTH know I love kicking some arrogant ass as a team but we need to think this one through. He's sucking us in."

The Deity laughed and clapped.
"IS THAT RESTRAINT FROM ANDREW! WELL I WILL BE DAMMED!"

Andrew gritted his teeth and created two swords of ice.
"Enough!"

"We clearly aren't joining you. There's nothing you can take away or threaten me with anymore to do what you want so really your leverage is as stable as a dinning table with 1 leg. WE have what you NEED. YOU are not an interest to either of us."

Deity held his hands to his face like a kid about to reveal a secret.
"What if we were already surrounding The Archon and their offspring?"

Andrew quickly turned his head.
"Sean I can have us teleported there right now. I'm letting you make the call it's your family he's threatening. Though, I can't be sure it's not empty."

Andrew let the ice disappear and elbowed the closest guard in the teeth knocking him out without turning his head.

"Well gentleman?" the villain cackled.

by **Arcana** October 28th 2020, 8:51 pm

Well he thought he was doing good. Get the god to accept his challenge and portal out before they could do anything that would stop him. Work from there. Zell was pretty good with the whole defeating god things; he was basically a god right? Not like he gave great detail about what being Archon was, though then again that was the kind of person he was. Keeping some secrets close to the chest, just enough to leave him wondering what was on his mind.

Things did become far more high stakes when things changed to this god threatening his family. The kind of anger that lead to him making stupid choices. ”You’re threatening my family now. You really are stupid,” His teeth ground hard together, eyes taking on a cold and hard silver glow, more like ice or steel.

It was hard controlling his emotions. After all of the threats to his family, some jackass thought they could stroll in and threaten those he cared about. ”Can you? If you don’t I’m going to attack and I don’t give a damn what happens,” He seethed through his teeth. Spiraling shapes of silver formed across the skin of his neck, curling onto his cheeks and reaching a few centimeters below his eyes.

He ducked back from what looked to be a weapon strike, sliding into a fist in the man’s stomach. Mana flooded through him to the point where he could feel the overflow beginning, ready to fight if he needed to.

by **Andrew** November 22nd 2020, 4:08 am

"Dammit we are playing right into his hand Sean!"

Andrew thought as more guards began forming around him.
Andrew punched a hole through the armor and stomach of the man in front of him. Noticing a goo like substance instead of blood.

His hypothesis was correct. This army was being created like test tube subjects on the spot. Andrew watched his good friend bury his fist into Deity's guy while the God grinned.

"Well now. That's not very kind."
The man began to disappear into a flock of crows before reforming and multiplying all over the room.

"You have no idea what you're up against!" their opponent cackled akin to a Hyena.

The room started to catch fire and sparks started flaring up.
Andrew ran and carefully tackled Sean, putting his hand under Sean's head to soften the fall.

Quickly pressing his tag he yelled "T001 T002 teleport to Sean Collin's home" Before waving his arms in a circle and creating an circle ice confinement protecting them from the exploding room.

Before the big boom the two were out.
The guards slammed their swords on the ice, it wouldn't break.
Deity smashed his foot through it like paper.
"Well played. If I know Andrew he's going to be assembling an army of his own. He was wise to get the magician out of here before I could his blood. His training with Vexus did him well to know what magic blood and this room can create. None the matter."

He snapped his fingers and all his guards and clones vanished.
"Eagle Eye go to the home of Sean Collin. I'll send you the coordinates. Take a few soldiers with you. Light the place up. Ruffle Sean's feathers. We want him angry."

As the two appeared at the LA home Andrew had one hand coat in fire the other ice.
"Everything seem ok to you?"

by **Arcana** November 24th 2020, 2:08 am

Sean never got used to the feeling of teleportation. That sensation which came with everything around him rapidly changing, one surrounding traded out for another. Luckily breathing techniques were able to keep his stomach from doing the equivalent of twelve somersaults, instead breathing deeply and taking in what was around him. Well, they were in what could be construed as a living room and without the taste one would expect from someone with Zell’s deep pockets. Aside from the comically large television Sean had talked him into, because they might as well have something nice right?

”Well, there’s no blood and no general destruction so that’s a start?” Well, that was his first glance but he did feel something. The sensation of eyes watching him, looking around until he saw the vague shadow standing within the hallway. Disapproving arms crossed over their chest, and faintly glowing eyes within the darkness followed by the click of a lightbulb.

”Blood and general destruction is yet to be seen. Pretty sure our wards normally keep the teleporting out but here you are dad, breaking the magical rules,” As soon as the male voice spoke, he was aware of who it was and was far less worried they were being watched by an enemy. ”so who’s he? Someone dad knows about?” Male was wearing a dark colored bomber jacket, black hair cut in a show fashion and face peppered with facial hair. Well, he wasn’t dressed in the usual bright clothing and that was interesting.

”He knows of him yeah. Mike, Patriot. Patriot this is Mike…long story,”

”Yeah, I’m sensing a long story from both of you. Well, the rest aren’t here. Had something important to do or maybe they sensed this shitshow incoming.” The younger yet taller than Sean male seemed to move from his spot within the shadows, eyeing the tallest in the room and smirked. ”so Patriot, what brings the two of you here and no somewhere else? I’m…curious,” The closer one got to Michael, the more they could realize he too had silver eyes though speckled with a neon green like fell stars.

”Looks like we’re in the crosshairs of another pissed off god but I can’t tell you much more than that,”

”Black Beast?”

”No, calls himself Deity.”

”Little on the nose isn’t it?”

”Probably but still just as dangerous,” He added, walking the span of the living room and muttering something to himself. Multicolored sparks issuing from Sean’s hands and dancing across the room as his mana interacted with the wards themselves. They would either keep someone out or let them know when someone came.

”So this one of those pressing issues or something I can worry about later? Jordan and I had a thing we were going to do,”

”Probably not the best time to be around here but…well I suppose at least it’s not Silus,” he didn’t like the idea of that son getting hurt. At least Mike knew how to fight. With the wards tinkered with he turned to Andrew and shrugged. ”all I can do right now. I’ll see if I can call Zell and get whatever help he can give,” He pulled his phone out, dialing a few numbers before pressing it to his head.

by **Andrew** December 4th 2020, 4:40 pm

"Hi Michael. Yes your dad is quite aware of me, Im a long time friend of this dad. Used to be The Phoenix. We can casually get to know each other later and I'll compliment your jacket then, 'cuz we got a problem and I hope Zell is a quick talker cuz there's a small platoon forming outside the home."

"DID YOU THINK YOU COULD ESCAPE US?"

Eagle eye arrived with about 25 of the large slime beasts in armor from before.
This time he pulled his helmet off revealing his face. It was one of their longtime friend Seraph. "Sean!" Andrew pointed out the window grabbing his mouth.

"If Zell ain't here now it's us three. Your son clearly isn't a pansy so Michael grab your favorite weapon and let's end this clown. The men in armor are nothing but false humans, so if you any apprehension about killing a person throw that to the wind. The asshole with a bow is alive though. As far as we know he can make clones of himself within his own line of sight. Each carrying exactly what he has on him."

Andrew opened the front door and stared into the face a past friend.

"You aren't Hartley. Tell me you aren't Hartley!"

Eagle Eye chortled before looking and narrowing his eyes.
"I am sorry to disappoint ya boyscout, but I'm not your old pal. Boss man made me in his image to mess with you. Can you hurt someone that's wearing the face of your one time brother?"

He cackled some more before the guards started approaching. Not waiting for his back up he gritted his teeth and snapped a finger. One of the guards completely liquified in an instant.

Next he let the ice in his other hand completely cover his arm, looking almost like battle armor. A bow grew out of the frozen arm. Andrew pulled the string back and an arrow about 4 feet long and a foot wide rocketed out. It went straight through the skulls of four more guards and they fell to their knees.
Eagle eye had multiplied himself about 30 times while Patriot had fallen busy. Raining incendiary arrows upon the house.

"Sean, Mike!" the hero screamed out. Thankfully seeing they weren't inside.
It appeared this Michael kid was pretty tough. He couldn't quite make out what his power was but he seemed to be not dying which was more than most could and have have said about the sacred seven ranks.

Andrew turned his attention back to the armored tanks that were closing in on him now. "Dammit I let my attention slip."

The guards made some grumbling noises before lifting their axes to swing.
Andrew dove and spun while in the air blasting fire at the ground to spin himself a little more, avoiding the strikes. The man may be bulletproof and made of steel but he wasn't magic proof and didn't want to risk having an arm lopped off. Those take time to heal.

Rolling out of his dive he spun and buried his foot in the chest of the closest guard planting one arm firmly in the ground he lifted the guard up over his head and slammed their skull behind him. As the goo smashed Andrew quickly placed his hands on the ground created spikes of ice to slow their approach.

"I gotta finish these clowns off and go help Sean and Michael..." Andrew took a deep breath before turning the ground beneath the remaining guards to a frozen square. He flipped the ice up sending the remaining 18 or so into the sky. "Been a while since I pulled out this move." While they launched into the LA air Patriot dashed and leaped using a platform of ice to assist with his jump height. He was now above them, both hands in almost a praying position. Elena taught him this maneuver.

He let out a mighty roar pushing out his hands and released a beautiful blaze of gold and white fire. The fire roared much like he did as it all but atomized the rest of the guards.

All but one who was waiting for the hero to drop and swung a club as hard as he could and the momentum sent the hero skidding.

"Crap, missed one."
He said as the stood up and dusted himself off. "Nice hit. I guess I gotta give you one of mine." The guard spoke one sentence. "YOU. FAILED. HER."

"Your boss sent you with that one to try and get me to lose my wits?
Take a look around meathead. Your squad is slime. I assume my best friend is over there kicking your dog handler's ass. How could I possibly let you under my skin?"

The big body began to glow and it's eyes a bright orange through it's metallic helmet. "I don't know where you've gotten this laid back attitude. It's disappointing. The Mighty Phoenix used to be SO easy to get riled up."
It was Deity's voice. "I've had some practice on self control."
"Is that so? How do you know on the other side of that home your buddy and his son aren't worms meat."
"Because you sent a pack mule that can grow more of himself to take on Sean feakin' Collin and I believe in his ability to go toe to toe with the toughest. We've stopped threats like you before."

"Ah. To the contrary you have NO idea who, what, or how I really am. Just look at Eagle Eye's face. You almost slipped when you saw it! Oh it was almost worth a picture. I'm hundreds of miles away and I still control the chess board."

"WHY? This isn't a game. Why are you toying with me and people I know?"
"Oh there will be more. You saved this planet before as your friend said? I want to see how deep you can dig only to fail again like when Alba got you."

Andrew had enough he clenched his fist and ice surrounded the soldier. Slowly he walked up to him. "If you think I'm going to play your game, stupid thought for a god."
"Dearest Andrew. Not only are you already playing. You are on the losing side of a war."

The hero put his finger to his lips, as if to quiet the chat.
As quickly as he raised his hand he punched through the head of the goo soldier. "Finally he shut up."

He dashed over to the army of clones and arrows raining down on his brother and Michael. Hopefully Michael was ok. Andrew was all but positive Sean was just fine.

by **Arcana** December 4th 2020, 8:36 pm

” Apprehension huh? Well, I don’t have anything like that,” Was all Mike said in response to what the men were, nothing more than artificial humans as Patriot had called them. ”not exactly known for playing nice either,” This was followed by the audible sound of knuckles cracking, Mike seeming far more pleased with the concept of a fight than anything else. Sean knew exactly what his son was talking about, though he didn’t know if his friend would be quite too pleased with what the former abyssal prince was talking about. Certain habits from when he was young very much were still alive, the kind of things that heroic individuals might see as more villainous than anything else.

”Besides I’m pretty sure we’ll do fine on our own. Don’t think any of us are pushovers,” Sean looked from the hero to his son, watching the former leave the room into the large yard where they already were dealing with someone making themselves at home by invading their property.

”Perish the thought. I’d have to put whoever thought that into the ground,” Mike scoffed, seemingly producing no weapons as of yet, though Sean didn’t expect him to need one. Well not yet. He was working with someone he knew nothing about, beyond possible mortality.

”I’ll be sure to tell that to Eagle Eye or whatever his name is,”

”Wonder what that means he can do. This’ll be fun,” Sarcasm perhaps or was he being serious. Sean at times had a hard time reading what his son was intending, though his expression was clear enough. He saw it when they stood on opposite sides of the field and when Ouroboros wore the face of someone once sympathetic. He was itching for a slaughter.

That was when the flaming arrows all thunked into their large home. Already Mike seemed lost within his own head, looking around with a mildly amused smirk. ”Arson huh? Well I’ll give you points for a classic. Dad you got this,” Without thinking his arm reached out and caught what looked to be an arrow an inch from sinking into Sean’s arm, letting the projectile drop to the ground.

”Thirty arrows. That means either one of you are real or this person sent thirty goons to shoot us up,” Energy coursed through his body, adjusting itself to orient his ethereal physiology accordingly. Faster, that was something that he could make use of in this moment. Test what their enemy was capable of and then adapt to be able to take them down before anyone else came home and was put in potential danger. He always had a hard time remembering if Jordan were arrow-proof.

More arrows followed, owing to the many clones thought they all came slower then they were before. It was a wonder if his dad would be able to avoid them all, though he was more focused on dealing with the current issue. Ducking and weaving through the hail of arrows, making use of a few acrobatic moves from past experience to avoid being run through.

Wonder who he thinks he’s dealing with, Already picking out the first target, he broke past the sound barrier and beyond many times over. Ethereal energy and the radiant nether of the area propelling him beyond his normal limits.

Aside from the occasional nicks and scratches, he dashed through the arrows diverted to him as a blade of glowing grey energy formed within his hand and slashed through one of the clones. Cleanly bisecting them and putting them one short in the hail of arrows. Ducking low and spinning, bringing the blade to a flourish as it managed to swat away a few of the arrows with a stunning display.

His eyes darted back and forth, picking out where the others were from what he could guess from the trajectory of the arrows. Taking in a breath, and quickening his healing process. Any injuries he did have rapidly closing, releasing what he could only assume was some manner of poison. Well, this guy had some tricks didn’t he?

”Let’s see if you like it,” Ducking out of the way of the many arrows coming his way, stopping on a dime and spinning he produced a vast amount of arrows formed from the same energy as the constructed sword. The only difference being the undulating black energy formed around the tip of them, necrotic poison that when exposed to living flesh that would cause heavy damage if nothing else. Well, if the guy could dodge a death blow, his dad would be able to use that positive energy to heal them up.

Like that that omni-directional buckshot of ethereal arrows shot out. Likely to misplace most of them, though hitting a few of the clones through the legs, arms and even the chest. They were fake afterall so they wouldn’t be killed perse and no one would have a reason to complain to him about the waste of life or whatever. The more he expended nether the more plant and small animal life began dying around him, drawing in black mist towards himself and forming spiraling neon purple markings that rose from the back of his neck and across his face.

A good portion of the arrows however were likely blocked by arrows shot by the clones, and the rest diverted from hitting his father by said father. Most of the fire trying to blaze out in their home was forced down, leaving massive holes and char marks on the exterior of the home. ”Dammit, you ruined our living room. I watch tv there,” Sean spat, unleashing streams of brilliant cobalt blue flames at where the arrows were coming from, feeling likely more physical strain from his own movements than his son.

Still he had drawn in some mana from the soul stream to replace any lost so he was able to keep up enough. Already a few earthen barrows chocked full of arrows were cropping up across the yard and breaking into a garden that Mike promised to keep up for Fera.

Already he could tell Mike was enjoying the fight more than he was, flourishing now too ultima weapons and bashing away the arrows from hitting him as well as hunting down the clones that he didn’t kill. It had been a while since he last saw Mike fight, though he remembered how much a monster his son could be. With no Silus or disappointed looks from Zell to hold him back. Though Sean never thought of Zell as the kind of person to be disappointed in their son, though what did he know about that.

He turned his attention to Patriot who had managed to dash their way likely after finishing off the army brought with Eagle Eye. Slamming the heel of his foot into the ground, he raised a large section of earth and sent it flying with a kick. Smashing through the trunk of a large tree and causing the archer perched within it to fall onto the grey blade perched to dissipate it.

Following that he propelled himself with a small current of wind beside his friends’ side. Landing and brushing himself off. ”See, he’s no pushover,” He chuckled, looking to the hero to see if he had anything to say about dealing with this archer. Though his son seemed to be doing an unexpectedly good job.

by **Andrew** December 11th 2020, 8:13 pm

Andrew was correct in his suspicions. Sean and Michael were faring just fine. However it seemed like each one the kid cut down another was showing up.
The kid was almost having too much fun, as if killing was something that came natural to him. The way he sliced and danced with the weapons. Michael was clearly no novice in the art of war. These were the strikes calculated, perfectly timed, surgical.

Sean had made his way over to an approaching Patriot.
"No pushover? This kid is a machine Sean. How long has his blood lust existed?" he asked cocking an eyebrow. The look was not one of judgement but one of genuine curiosity.

"That's the least of our issues. That god possessed one of the soldiers I took out. Recognize that face? That's Seraph's face. How long 'till one of his soldiers has the face of someone closer than a short time teammate? What if it's Zell? What if it's Elena? Angie? Ty-" More arrows were flying in their direction.

Andrew put one open hand over the other and let out a blast of ice freezing like a half shell around them.
"We need to clear his line of site. I'm sorry about your house... but the only way to keep him in is for me to move at full speed and create a dome around us, fighting clones in my way. Buy me a few seconds maybe 10 at most. I know you can. Meet me in your living room once I set the trap."

Andrew was gone as quickly as he finished his sentence.
The first clone that got in his way he just kept dashing and quite literally ran right through. He was running in a straight line leaving a trail of ice underneath each foot step while diverting by creating a trail of fire inside the line.
Another clone fired and arrow into The Patriots face while it exploded, he didn't get thrown off course, in fact it only made him run faster, created a throwing axe in each hand of frosted justice.

The two clones were trying to fire as fast as possible it seemed the wall of fire he was setting as a diversion, the were closing in. Andrew tossed the axes into the head of each, watching them vanish. Two more axes formed.

The trap was now set, time to execute. He had just lapped around to where his first started and past Sean and Michael.
Dashing inside he was tripped up by a wire unexpectedly. Slamming the Axes into ground and flipping himself forward with the momentum before planting his feet on the wall and and performing a dismount not unlike a gymnast. When he tuned he threw a streak of fire at the archer sitting on the coach sipping tea.

This made him roll back over the furniture for cover.
Now or never.

Andrew Let out a booming roar once more. The fire walls around the home were gone and quickly a dome flashed around them. frozen solid. He made sure to cover all of the property. All the way into the house the floor even an ice rink.

"Eagle Eye. Sit. Let's Talk. Sean should be cleaning your clones up now with Michael. From what I gathered. You'd much rather deal with me than Michael."

"He gives that..
"I'll eat your ear off your head if you don't talk"
..type of vibe"

by **Arcana** December 12th 2020, 9:03 pm

”Long as I can remember,” Sean responded, thinking back to when he raised Mike in the ethereal palace and all the combat training he got from those around him. Learning a deep disdain for humans and all those connected with them. Something about thinking back on that was now enough to make him feel sorry and something else for his son. Still, knowing he was capable made him feel comfortable within this moment, watching him fight the man that was trying to set their home on fire. Why did people want to destroy their house? What did they have against allowing this family to just live in peace? It enflamed his anger to the point that he wanted to act upon it.

Still, he wasn’t sure that Mike’s bloodlust was nothing though it could be looked into later. When they weren’t dealing with someone trying to turn them into pincushions. This deity guy sure knew how to mess with him didn’t he? What was he hoping to get out of this? ”He’ll regret doing something like that,” Was all Sean said, his tone deadly serious and sharp like a knife. His eyes followed the swift motions of Mike as best he could, though he was far too fast for any human or even some superhuman eyes to follow. What kind of power was he working with now?

”Silus can fix the house up,” Was all he said as he waved to let Andrew do whatever it was he was hoping to do now, not even letting conscious thought come into play as he defended against a few arrows. Pillars of earth rose to meet them, catching them as he slammed knuckles into them and sent shards of earth back at the clone that tried to do him in. Sean didn’t check to see if it hit anything, through the trees around the perimeter was mowed down with each strike. Him and mike were both dealing with what they could until he gestured for his son to follow him into the home, though most of the floors were now frozen over.

Still, Mike was mopping up the clones at a speed he was sure was faster than the man could eventually create them and he unleashed swaths of cobalt flames that consumed many that attempted to attack him. Wind, flames and earth all coming together to take down the threat until he felt like they slowed down. Dropping into a crouch as he took a breath, raising a dome to protect himself.

by **Andrew** December 14th 2020, 8:48 pm

The archer's time was up. He fired a few arrows at the hero that burnt apart and melted with a stare.
"Dammit. I used up too much energy and god magic making all those clones that psychopathy went through!"

Andrew froze the man's knees to the floor, chains of ice wrapping around his legs. While taking note of the god magic comment.

"You should count yourself lucky that the kid isn't the one talking to you right now or you might not have a tongue."
The Patriot spoke, pacing.

"What do I even do with this guy? I want to break his neck for attacking my brother's family. That's not how we operate...he absolutely has vital information. Can't exactly torture the guy, does that make us any better? Gah!"

His thought racing the hero covered the villain's face with ice wrapped around his eyes. Just as Sean and his son walked in.

"You sure I am the real one?"
Andrew punched him in the mouth and Eagle Eye spit out a tooth and some blood.
"Pretty damn sure."

"Sean, what do you want to do? You got one of your mom's spells up your sleeve? Somethin' like... pulling out memories from the last couple days. Extractin' what we can before more of army shows up?"

Andrew looked around the room and frowned at the mess.
"Man this sucks, always some evil bastard ruining where Sean Watches TV."
Andrew half smiled after joking inward.

"Michael you're clearly tough as nails. Think you could guard the entrance while your old man and I work on getting this guy to spill his gu-...tell us what he knows?"

It was clear to Andrew that Michael might actually spill this mans guts on the floor, and while something so visceral might be warranted, he was trying to both keep this kid in a more lawful area without being demanding.

The patriot looked back down. creating more chains around the man of ice, he was probably getting pretty cold by now.
"I'll give you a blanket if you talk. I think you're feeling chatty."

He cracked his neck and awaited what Sean and his kin decided.

by **Arcana** December 16th 2020, 11:44 pm

Soon enough Mike slowed down from what looked to be his combat mode, stepping down from the ruins of a capsized tree and letting the ethereal blades dissipate. ”Well, that was a pretty good warm up,” he noted with a smirk now noticeably less psychotic than it might have looked before. Well, he wouldn’t have called it that but he wasn’t working with the normal human perceptions. Perhaps living with Zell for as long as he had changed how he viewed things compared to before. Marriage right?

”Looked like it. Can’t say I was worried, you’re pretty good at the whole fighting thing. Always been if I can recall right.” His mind went back to watching Mike train with other ethereal children, always seemingly better than anyone who went up against him. Even among his siblings he was talented, Silus aside of course but that came with his early life lacking of power. Things had changed so much since then that it felt like a new lifetime entirely.

With the combat done and no more arrows coming from any direction Sean took it in mind to find out what Patriot was doing. What they returned to was the hero slugging the bound archer in the mouth, sight of blood and what he assumed was a tooth greeting them. ”didn’t know we were going with this kind of interrogation,”

”Me neither. Might have a spell that could help with this situation,”

”Well that’s my afternoon ruined. Have fun with your Frozen themed BDSM,” Mike huffed with a shrug, seemingly walking off to do what Patriot had asked him to. Digging through his mental collection of spells would have taken a little time, though he quickly moved to that.

The knowledge took the form of a mental library within his mind and he browsed, drifting through it until he found the occlumentic magics they were looking for. Bringing the spell to the forefront of his mind and his eyes opening after a span of maybe a minute to everyone else. He wasn’t in too much of a hurry was he? Cyan sparks issued from his fingertips as he spoke words in a language not spoken in this reality for millennia, echoing out through the strands of magic around them. ”I don’t know what protections this Deity might have on your mind but luckily I have a spell that doesn’t care much for divinity and what it might shield. Forewarning, it hurts a little so not sorry. ” With that tendrils of mana reached out from his fingertips to latch into the mans skull and siphon away memories within it.

by **Andrew** January 7th 2021, 6:50 pm

"Sean I don't know what you'll find but whatever it is let's hope it gives us some more insight." The hero worried his friend may find things in this archer's head that could be quite on the unpleasant side. Sean was no stranger to ugly. He could handle whatever was in that noggin. Andrew just didn't want anymore ugly for his brother.

"You idiots think it's that easy?" the archer grinned.
The tendrils of magic wrapped around his skull. Eagle Eye still cackling.
He showed a capsule slip between his lips before sucking it back in.

"Sean stop! He's got something in his mouth we ain't gunna like."
The villain bit down on it. His face beginning the show black and red veins. Working their way down his body. His eyes now almost glowing.

"You two clowns and your kid are going to die! I have become a human bomb now, and run as you wish your only hope now is to watch it all explode with me!"

A voice boomed through the house. It was the Deity letting out an I told you so.
"Ya, get bent buddy." Andrew yelled at the sky.

"Sean we need to combine our power and create one hell of a barrier. Your house is about to go belly up, but me you and Michael can survive this. The blast is designed for small range. I know those pills. Let's just say my training brought me across them."

Andrew elbowed the archer in the head, rendering him out cold. At least now the poor idiot wouldn't feel himself explode into nothingness.

Andrew blasted a wave of fire at the door directing his best friend and Michael out.

"Alright Michael get behind us you bad ass, and if we make it through this I owe you a drink."

Andrew made a dome of ice around them. Followed by a dome of ice around the house. He dropped to one knee expelling that much power so quick.
The domes got thicker and thicker. The rest was up to Sean. Andrew prayed this worked.

The voice boomed again "You don't think I have another Sacred 7 Waiting in the wings? Eagle Eye was the prototype. The runt. I handpicked his replacement! If you live... Well let's see if you get that far!"

by **Arcana** January 7th 2021, 8:12 pm

”I swear you zealous types are always the same. All cackles and you have no ideas about my true plans,” Sean muttered, wondering when it would get through to this guys head. Well, he also didn’t expect the ole cyanide bomb trick. Wait, that wasn’t a thing.

”Oh, he’s about to kill himself. As gutless as I expected from a weak human running to a god for power,” Mike was always there, not really thinking they needed him to look out for anyone. Sean had to wonder where those defenses Zell stated were, usually they would have been on someone like this by now. ”wonder what dad will think about this. Well, other dad anyway,”

”Mike?” The young ethereal was sitting on what remained of his couch, one leg crossed over the other with a smirk.

”Don’t worry, just had to put a few things into place. Couldn’t let the dragons hoard melt to slag now could I?” It was almost as if he were expecting something to go wrong but what was he talking about? ”not too worried about something like this hurting me. You two should get out of here if you don’t want to die,” That didn’t stop him from frowning when the male blew a hole in their house with fire, eyes sharpening before just shrugging it off.

Well they had to leave the house now didn’t they? He didn’t even see Mike get up, let alone leave through the entrance that Patriot had made. Instead just instantly standing outside, arms crossed over his chest and waiting for them as if they were too slow. Patriot created the large domes of ice, which made sense why he wasn’t called Phoenix anymore. Phoenix’s didn’t have anything to do with ice right? Not in the stores of knowledge he had within his mind.

”This god sure likes to hear himself talk. Here I thought The Dark Traveler was bad,” he sighed, tapping into his own power and for a moment letting the seal fall away. The instant increase of mana was palpable, but he couldn’t let it last for too long. Not if he wanted to be able to use his body for any further fights. The golden symbols lit up on his right arm, singing even his flesh as he channeled the raw aether energy. Funneling it through the ice created by Patriot and feeling it becoming stronger. Embodying divine light and energy itself, leaking in and through the ice itself. Well, he had the feeling the magic resonant objects within their home would survive.

Anything else Silus could fix.

His body screamed from the strain of mana he was held back from channeling but all he did was bite his lower lip. Then the explosion happened.

by **Andrew** January 9th 2021, 3:10 pm

This Deity bastard had been in Andrew's life for all of 4 hours, and already he had caused more grief than Vexus did in a year. At least she taught him a thing or two. Then the bang happened. That was nor ordinary explosion. It was an Ex-Spark. A endgame pill designed to wipe out you and everything around you in the event you got captured. Vexus said it had a property similar to techno-matter of sorts. Eating away like piranhas to their prey.

Andrew looked back and noticed Sean's symbols accompanied by his teeth burying into his own lip. The ground shook beneath them. A thunderous roar. Then everything went quiet. Patriot let the dome around them down. A hole in the dome the house.

"Well it looks like he really went all out trying to kill us. Mike, I owe you that drink. Also, here."

Andrew reached into a pocket of his belt.

"Take these, we have a pretty rad training facility if you ever want to cut loose like that, I'd love to see what you can do. Those Dog Tags will teleport you to Talons Tower above New York. You're welcome any time."

Patriot turned to Sean and sighed. "Not bad for a first day. Let's go grab some grub. Plus we have to address the public on this."

- A few hours pass it's now dark out. Andrew and Sean are sitting in a burger joint downtown LA.-

"Yes Anna I'm fine. I promise when I get back to New York I'll stop by and give you the scoop. Oh.. you don't want a story? Well yea hanging out sounds like a good time, I could use some wine with someone who isn't Sean." He looked up from his cell phone sticking his tongue out at his brother.
"Anyways I'll catch you later and watch the News tonight."

Andrew put his phone into his pocket, a leather jacket and a black v neck accompanied by jeans and a pair of black and white vans sneakers. Sean was nice enough to help his friend get a couple outfits that were "in style" since he only had his costume. A beat up hoodie, and boots.

It felt nice. Sure people were staring at them, but out of costume it felt more human and less meta.

Looking up after biting a fry Sean seemed to have a look on his, one only a best friend could read.

"Oh stop it. Anna is just a friend and incase you forget the last relationship ended in my death, insane heartbreak, the girl forgetting she ever had feelings for me, and no I'm not over it... Well not like that. Not enough to let that wall down."
Sean still giving him a look, ready to drop a snarky remark about how she fancied him likely. They were just friends. Right?

Looking at the TV in the diner they sat in, enjoying a meal, news sure traveled quickly about 'The Talons reuniting.'
He wondered where the hell they even got that from.

The TV switched to a Girl Alive add. "Last I checked she was in Chicago, before you give me the stink eye I'm pretending to not notice we gotta go get her, we might not be The Talons anymore but this threat could use her."

The hero paid for their dinner and off they went. Andrew and Sean were bombarded with cameras and microphones. Asking about todays events. The future. Never a dull moment.

"People, people. The Talons are not reforming." Some frowns began to show on the reporters.

"However that's because the two of us are going to be forming a new group. New approach. Halo." Using the name to almost to spite Deity. He knew that prick was somewhere watching.

"No further questions, we have business to attend to so if you don't mind please clear a path."
The duo walked through the crowd and ended up halfway down the street before they were seeing that exact interview on TVs.

"That's gotta be a record. Anyways, Chicago. I can't go get her alone. I...I'll probably crumble brother. She'll be more excited to see you anyways. Remember I'm just a hero that was a leader of a group to her. Lucius made that clear. I need you there as Co-Leader of Halo. Sorry for just kinda dropping that one by the way. You ready to hit the Windy City?"

Half of what Patriot said was basically thinking out loud, he knew Sean would get it. If he knew his best friend though, Anna would be brought up again.

Andrew put an arm on Sean and waited for his answer.
"Press the dog tag and we'll be off."

by **Arcana** January 9th 2021, 11:38 pm

”So much for his all,” Mike shrugged, seemingly unimpressed with what they had gone through. Sean didn’t know what was going through his sons head, though he didn’t look as annoyed as he would have expected. As for him, well his house just got a major redecorating which meant he had more reason to fuck this Deity person up. He accepted the item without really reacting to it, instead slipping it into his jacket pocket. ”I’ll keep that in mind. Just hope you’re ready to see me go all out,” A small smirk formed on his lips, silently challenging the hero.

Ignoring any real responses and seemed to be making his way out. ”Where you goin?”

”I’ve got a backup apartment until I fix this mess. Feel free to stay there if you want to,” Like that he was gone, not even a blur but then again he didn’t expect his son to stay around when he likely had more important things to do. With his son gone, he was left alone with the wreckage and Patriot.

”Not bad I guess. Been a while since I dealt with someone trying to suicide bomb me. Some food sounds good I guess,” Honestly the mana usage left him pretty hungry.

--

Later they were eating at a burger joint. It was one Sean tended to eat at when his family felt like burgers. He shoveled a handful of fries into his mouth, chewing them as Andrew talked on his phone with that reporter lady. Arcing a brow when he mentioned drinking wine with someone that wasn’t him. ”with someone who’s not Sean? Pretty sure in normal people speak that’s called a date,” He laughed, washing the taste of fries down with a bit of drink.

”Puh-lease, friends don’t just have wine with each other. Take it from me. I know how romantic interest works, ” He was relentless in his teasing, though he didn’t push the issue beyond just ribbing the hero.

He turned towards a tv which was running a story about Girl Alive. A little convenient when he thought about it, but then again this world was filled with a great many conveniences. ”I’m not making any eyes. Just probably not a good idea to go chasing heartache but I’m not your dad,” Sean shrugged, not the type to tell people what to do.

He was about to offer to pay but was beaten to the punch when he did so. Well, that was fine. With that done the two left the restaurant, to be mobbed by a bunch of press types. He furrowed his brows, hearing the many questions and letting the big guy do most of the answering. There were benefits to having this kind of person around. Mostly because he tended to take all the attention.

”You’ve got a habit of dropping things, doesn’t bother me I guess. Guess I need to talk with Tyuki anyway to let her know we have a god trying to destroy our world, right? Here’s hoping your new girlfriend doesn’t get jealous,” He smirked, holding up the dog tag and pressing the button with his thumb.

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