God loves, man kills

[Oracle]

Oracle was off to the side, taking some shelter under an overhang from the walkway above. She was proud of her teammates, and of The Six too. They stood united around the nimrod, adding attack upon attack, hoping to wear it down. But they were being toyed with. The nimrod had something in store for each of them.

She cried out to Mina as the nimrod seemed to almost detonate parts of its body sending pieces of metal flying out at those nearest to it. But she couldn’t even move closer before she was enveloped by tiny robot “bugs”. She swatted at them but in seconds they had cleaned her out of all tech.

Steel suddenly stumbled backwards, and as he turned she gasped. Parts of his body were smoking and he was being BURNED by some sort of acid. Oracle had never felt so helpless. No tech to help her, not even to call for help! Steel fell at her feet. She looked around her furiously, trying to come up with anything that could save him, every split second feeling like ages.

“Alycia! Hit Steel with one of your lightning arrows! Vaporize the acid!”

Oracle picked up a piece of rubble from one of the pews and aimed at the sprinkler head on the stone ceiling above them. It began to spray water, drenching her but washing Steel’s wounds. He was still badly burned, but hopefully it would stop the burn enough that he could get to medical assistance in time.

She didn’t know what more to do. She looked down sadly into his face. It had been HER that had brought him here, to this impossible fight. How could she have been so careless?

 

[Silver Swan]

[ Silver Swan was almost transfixed when the Nimrod came online. Her own tragic experience with the Master Mold had become a primal, permanent part of her psyche and to hear the Nimrod's voice now, it did something to her]

Nimrod....MASTER MOLD!?

[ Even as Firebird called out to her and others began to attack it, Sharon remained in a hovering position, holding back. It wasn't until She saw others getting struck down by the Nimrod and hearing Cass]

... This is all because of me!

No....

[Prophet dealt with Sarah Smythe and held Sister Mary in his vengeful grasp until he too was attacked. They were all being hit HARD. Silver Swan stared at Mary Justice. She wore a nun's habit. She'd been the leader of all this]

She orchestrated all of this....she was the one who survived MY assault on this cathedral.

[Not only was this the place where Haleigh and Zach were to be married, it was the place where Sharon and Robert were married, it was also the place where they christened their son, Kyle. But then, this became the place where the Silver Swan was let loose on the world, and her first act was to KILL nearly all the staff, including the priest! She was insane, she was driven by things that were not of her choosing or control, but those deaths WERE on her hands!]

She could have just COME AFTER ME! I would RATHER HER HAVE COME AFTER ME then ALL these victims....those children!


[ Sharon puts her armored hands to her head, shaking her head as she shuts her eyes tightly. Zach, Nicolas and Oracle could see a BUILD UP happening.]


I can't....I can't change what's happened, but I can STOP THIS!

I CAN....and I WILL!

[ She looks at the Nimrod as it shoots and blasts at everyone]


[ Launching herself forward, she FLIES at high speeds toward the Nimrod and SLAMS into it forcing it BACK a few steps. Had it been anything or anyone else, they would've been through the BACK WALL after this, but the nimrod was merely pushed back a few steps]


ARRGGHHH!!!


[ Silver Swan BREAKS the current of the repulsor blasts from its hands her own armored hands, as well as the current coming from his chest]

[ Silver Swan is well nigh invulnerable and as she takes an IMPOSSIBLE amount of the blasts, blocking them with her own body and armour, she engages in a struggle for dominance over the sentinel, trying to BREAK it's arms off it's body]


I ....WILL... NOT...BE....BEATEN!

[ and under most circumstances, she WOULDNT be!]

DANGER! THIS UNIT FACING HOSTILE ENTITY. MUTATE, SILVER SWAN! SILVER SWAN IS SUBJECTING THIS FORM'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY TO SEVERE STRESS LEVELS. ANALYZING....

CALCULATING....UPPER LIMIT OF SILVER SWAN'S STRENGTH QUOTIENT IS 1.5 TONS PER POUND. COMPENSATING!

[THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS, AS NIMROD BREAKS Silver Swan's hold and then....SNAPS ONE OF HER ADAMANTIUM COVERED ARMS]

[The SOUND...and SIGHT of this is SICKENING.]

[ The SHOCK AND THE PAIN, however, causes Silver Swan to UNLEASH HER SONIC SCREAM at nearly FULL POWER at the Nimrod. until he grabs her by the throat and is about to SNAP her neck!]

 

[Steel]

As he punched, suddenly a young man was beside him, digging his axe into the nimrod. He definitely approved.

“Well done, lad – don’t let up.”

The young man then pulled him away from the nimrod’s body as it was encircled with a whip that looked like it was electrified or something. He nodded to the young man.

“Cheers, mate.”

But before he could continue his attack, they discovered that the nimrod had basically been playing them. Before he could dive out of the way, the nimrod had sprayed him with some sort of chemical that was burning and eating at his metal skin. He could see the smoke, smell his body burning.

He spun around to take cover, too late, and stumbled off the raised platform, falling. He saw Oracle’s face in front of him, and his eyes locked onto her’s for a moment before he collapsed on the floor.

Then suddenly his body was in AGONY even worse than before, as he was jolted by some sort of blast. He cried out in pain before passing out.

He awoke to cool water washing over him, and Oracle looking down with a concerned face. He looked up at her, trying to get up, and failing.

“Got to…get back in the fight.”

 

[Ruby]

St. Patrick’s Cathedral – Sanctuary

:: Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the robot beginning to…spin off into a new dimension? No, wait. It was just exploding…and sending scary parts their way! ::

“Alycia! Cam!”

:: She took a leap and landed on top of both Cameron and Alycia, tackling them to the ground in an effort to keep them safe. ::

“The robot…it’s exploding!”

:: She could see the shrapnel tear a HUGE hole in the wall behind them. She got off of them and crawled on all fours. ::

“Well, THAT’S done.”

:: Cass turned to head back into battle when all of a sudden…she couldn’t. ::

CAMERON!!

:: She turned her head only to find Cameron giving her a stern look. ::

Cameron: “No CJ. We aren’t going after THAT…”

:: He points to Nimrod. ::

Cameron: “We’re going after THEM.”

:: He pointed to both Sarah Smythe and Mary Justice. Cass was released from his hold and WATCHED as he brutally assaulted Sarah and then killed her in the most gruesome way! He then turned his attention to MARY JUSTICE. ::

Cameron: “Any last words of fanatical wisdom, Sister?”

:: Cass took a step forward. She had plan in mind for Mary. This woman tortured both her and Cameron. She took them both from their FAMILY. ::

“Wait…”

:: She walked over to Cameron and held out her hand. ::

“This woman…does not deserve to live. And yet…death is too good for HER. She hurt us BOTH. Let’s see if we can COMBINE our psionic powers for MAXIMUM damage.”

:: She sent a thought call to Cameron. ::

Team Cameruby!!

:: She turned her head when she heard a loud rumbling sound coming from Nimrod's direction. Then it created a SHITSTORM for the ages as Cass watched in horror! ::

“Our people!”

:: Without a second thought, Cass ran at top speed and VAULTED over some pews in an effort to get to BLAZE, who was falling through the air! Blaze saved HER, and it was time to return the favour. She barely made it before Blaze hit the ground…but Cass managed to catch her in her arms. She looked around wildly. So far, the robot didn’t seem to be aware of HER which was a GOOD thing for Cass! She spotted VIVI and made sure to haul biscuits to Vivi’s side WITHOUT speaking since it seemed to not notice RECALL as well. ::

*whispers*: “Vivi!! We need to come up with a plan!”

:: She gently set Blaze down and helped Vivi to sit on Blaze’s other side as well. She spoke in a fast whisper. ::

“Our FAMILY…they are in trouble! I don’t think anybody noticed US as of yet, so maybe we can work that in our favour..."

:: She cast a quick, panicked glance in Nimrod's direction. ::

"Somehow..."

:: She looked Vivi full in the face. Cass was thisclose to freaking out. She was running on fumes and that was slowly coming to an end. Her voice broke. ::

"But, for now, we have to get Blaze, as well as ourselves, to safety."

 

[Rampage]

They were seeming to make headway, but this seemed TOO EASY. And it was.

The damned thing hit them all at once with countermeasures, blasting Nicolas back in a shockwave as it sprayed Steel with acid. He met the suffering man's gaze for a split second and, eyes aglow, psionically boosted Steel to help him compensate and hopefully recover quickly. But what happened next was FAR worse.

[ Silver Swan BREAKS the current of the repulsor blasts from its hands her own armored hands, as well as the current coming from his chest]

[ Silver Swan is well nigh invulnerable and as she takes an IMPOSSIBLE amount of the blasts, blocking them with her own body and armour, she engages in a struggle for dominance over the sentinel, trying to BREAK it's arms off it's body]


I ....WILL... NOT...BE....BEATEN!
[ and under most circumstances, she WOULDNT be!]


[THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS, AS NIMROD BREAKS Silver Swan's hold and then....SNAPS ONE OF HER ADAMANTIUM COVERED ARMS]

[The SOUND...and SIGHT of this is SICKENING.]

[ The SHOCK AND THE PAIN, however, causes Silver Swan to UNLEASH HER SONIC SCREAM at nearly FULL POWER at the Nimrod. until he grabs her by the throat and is about to SNAP her neck!]

NO!

Nicolas was immediately out of the shockwave and at Sharon's side. He grabs the choking hand of the Nimrod by the wrist with both hands and braces his feet at the robot's side and with a roar, pushes with all of his might.

STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF RIGHT EXTREMITY...FAILURE IMMINENT...

SHRIP!!

Nicolas succeeds in tearing OFF the arm of the Nimrod, causing the hand to release as he pushes Sharon away and crosses his arms in front of him just in time for the Nimrod to blast him full force with its chest repulsor up....

...through the ceiling...

...through a tower...

...and into the night sky, his burning form glowing as he ascends. The Sentinel grabs his arm and begins to work to reattach it. Nicolas has managed to give them a VERY short reprieve. But at what cost?

 

[Artemis]

:: The sounds of chaos and danger were all around her but at LEAST they had finally gotten Ruby and Prophet back! Black Widow tasked her with keeping them safe, which was easier said than done since BOTH Ruby and Prophet were determined to enter the battle as they began to revive after Black Widow removed the power suppression collars.::

:: Ruby was doing WAY too much, trying to get back into the EYE of the storm, and Charope felt like she might have to subdue her-if only to protect her from herself, but then the amazon was forced to dive out of the way as Nimrod sent the force of not on her's but also Persephone's lightning attacks BACK to them. Hitting the floor and rolling into a crouched position::


:: Everything was happening so fast! There was no time to really process much more than what was coming right at her. Nimrod was pressing them ALL from a stationary position!::

::The sentinel was cutting down members of BOTH teams and Alycia quickly looked to the back of the sanctuary where Richard, Rose & Ana-Leigh had arrived, thankfully Rose was sheilding them but as Nimrod seemed to adapt to each attack and power it faced, how long before it found a way to breach Rose's shields?::


::When Sarah Smythe was killed, Nimrod went into overdrive and its attacks were relentless! Upon hearing it declare that the mutant threat was so great this warranted its upgrade into a MASTER MOLD, Alycia swallowed hard. She'd faced a master mold in New York city BEFORE.::


:: some of the others in this battle zone may have HEARD of a master mold, but they hadn't seen it, they didnt know the TERROR of being towered over by it and watching it nearly destroy EVERYTHING...all in the name of "protecting humans from mutants!?"::


:: Her own anxiety and emotions were swelling up when the concussor wave BLEW Rampage and Valkyrie away, Firebird was shot down and STEEL was hit by a spray of some corrosive substance that was causing him AGONY. He staggered to Oracle and fell before her.::

No tech to help her, not even to call for help! Steel fell at her feet. She looked around her furiously, trying to come up with anything that could save him, every split second feeling like ages.
“Alycia! Hit Steel with one of your lightning arrows! Vaporize the acid!”

:: Ruby was already seeing to Firebird, so Alycia stood up and ran over toward them, using her Amazonian speed and reflexes to NARROWLY avoid repulsor blasts that were swinging across the sanctuary. A few steps away from Oracle and Steel, she manifests her Silver Bow::

Watch yourself, Oracle!


:: With no time to waste, Charope aims and fires one bolt of divine lightning at Steel's chest. The bolt strikes the center of Steel's chest and FLARES OUT brilliantly, causing Steel's chest and arms to GLOW for a moment as the acid is vaporized::

Oracle picked up a piece of rubble from one of the pews and aimed at the sprinkler head on the stone ceiling above them. It began to spray water, drenching her but washing Steel’s wounds. He was still badly burned, but hopefully it would stop the burn enough that he could get to medical assistance in time. She didn’t know what more to do. She looked down sadly into his face. It had been HER that had brought him here, to this impossible fight. How could she have been so careless?

:: Alycia stood by Oracle, looking at Steel. Of them all, he'd been one of the most calm, simply committed to bringing a hammer down on the Purifiers! It PAINED her to see him like this and to see Zizi looking so crestfallen::


It's not your fault...


:: She said quietly::


This was all set in motion by the Purifiers. It's the Nimrod. It's not going to stop until it kills us ALL unless WE kill IT first. I've SEEN...SURVIVED a master mold before...


:: Silver Swan was in the air above, showing signs of increasing agitation as she expressed utter dismay at how Mary Justice, the apparent sole survivor of her original massacre here, had done ALL OF THIS, instead of simply coming after HER!::


:: Seconds later, Silver Swan charges for the Nimrod and makes a MAGNIFICENT effort against it, She DISRUPTING the repulsor currents with her own body, relying on her raw physical power and invulnerability, and for a moment, it looked like she might succeed in pushing back it's arms and BREAKING THEM off it's body!::


:: But any hope for Silver Swan pulling off such a feat was crushed...SNAPPED::

DANGER! THIS UNIT FACING HOSTILE ENTITY. MUTATE, SILVER SWAN! SILVER SWAN IS SUBJECTING THIS FORM'S STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY TO SEVERE STRESS LEVELS. ANALYZING....

CALCULATING....UPPER LIMIT OF SILVER SWAN'S STRENGTH QUOTIENT IS 1.5 TONS PER POUND. COMPENSATING!

[THE IMPOSSIBLE HAPPENS, AS NIMROD BREAKS Silver Swan's hold and then....SNAPS ONE OF HER ADAMANTIUM COVERED ARMS]

[The SOUND...and SIGHT of this is SICKENING.]

[ The SHOCK AND THE PAIN, however, causes Silver Swan to UNLEASH HER SONIC SCREAM at nearly FULL POWER at the Nimrod. until he grabs her by the throat and is about to SNAP her neck!]

SHARON!


NO!

NO!!!

::Alycia rushes forward, Nicolas is already there, he manages to succeed in what Silver Swan started, TEARING OFF one of it's arms and as he PRIED it's choking hand OFF of Sharon, he PUSHES HER AWAY sending her falling RIGHT into Alycia::


UGH!!!

:: Alycia BARELY has time to adjust as the mutate falls onto her and they BOTH crash to the ground and Alycia hits her head! She's stunned, Still, Alycia suffers no broken bones, although she is WINDED and COUGHING, GASPING for air as she watches Rampage get BLASTED into the air, through the ceiling and OUT of the cathedral::


Ohhh....

Nicolas....

[Sharon cries out with such PAIN]


Sharon!! :: coughing a bit more:: Come...on....we have to move! We have to...

:: Alycia struggles to get up, now on her knees, cradles her injured friend AND just like that, Alycia was now in much the same position as Oracle was with Steel. An injured friend, and precious little she could do. Even with her amazonian strength, which would allow her to break apart substances such as concrete or even steel with her bare hands, she could NOT even attempt to set Sharon's arm, which was covered in the adamantium armor and she knew her friend was not accustomed to this kind of PAIN anymore. it shouldnt have happened to HER but with Nimrod, HURTING AND KILLING Mutants and metas was an..."ART FORM" to it::

The Sentinel grabs his arm and begins to work to reattach it. Nicolas has managed to give them a VERY short reprieve. But at what cost?

Nimrod: WARNING! THIS UNIT HAS SUSTAINED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. INITIATING REPAIR SEQUENCE!

:: The sentinel was IN TACT and resumed its course of action, now looming over Alycia and Sharon. It was a scene these two had faced before::

::FLASH!::

<< Several years ago. NYC. The night Sharon won re-election to her senate seat>>

:: Sharon clumsily manages to get the back door OPEN!...she struggles...carefull not to snag Alycia on any of the jagged pieces of metal ....::

I'm sorry Alycia...im not strong enough to carry you...


:: Sharon struggles as she drags Alycia away from the vehicle....as far as she can..which is a near by light post. it is very dark and there's the smell of fire and smoke in the air. a nearby fire hydrant has ruptured and water is gushing everywhere::


wha..whats HAPPENED...

:: she turns and sees a battered MORGAN laying on top of the front part of the Limo...which is completely crushed!! she's trapped in some kind of metal coil!! though sharon is shaken up and slightly injured...without fear she rushes back to the limo::

::Alycia begans to awaken::

Alycia: ...uggnnnnnnn...what hit us...where are......oh no... ::she sits up..but she cant stand just yet. still too weak and dizzy. she weakly calls out to Sharon::

Alycia: Sharon....no! come back...wait for The Six to come help us.....its ....too..dangerous....

:: she falls back into unconsciousness::
------------

Sharon reaches Morgan...

Sharon: HOW did she get here...who DID this to her!? it must be MysTech.....they're going to try to destroy me on the night of the election...and Morgan came to help us!

:: she climbs up and begins to try to pry the metal coil loose...::
ARGHH!

Sharon: MORGAN PLEASE WAKE UP!!!...I"M NOT STRONG ENOUGH!!

:: a large looming shadow begans to cast over them both::

::FLASH!::

Morgan: Sharon...get the hell out of here.....do you hear me?? I'll draw his fire... RUN FOR IT!!

<< Master Mold had locked on to both targets>>

Master Mold: >>Target, Kelly, Sharon is attempting to escape...Target, Spellbinder is holding position. use of lethal force is authorized...activating repulsor blast

Sharon: Morgan.....I....

<< a look of extreme fear comes over sharon as Morgan screams at her to RUN FOR HER LIFE. she heeds Morgan's command and attempts to flee. Master mold unleashes two MASSIVE BROAD BEAMED BLASTS from his eyes..the beams expand as the crash down and OBLITERATE the limo and the GROUND beneath it...the expanding shockwave from the blast as well as the blast radius field SLAMS into Sharon and she SCREAMS as she is blown forward and slammed down by blast....most of her clothing is burned off.>>

<< the limo is now a pile of melted slag inside a HUGE crater.....MORGAN is laying at the edge of the crater. her pentagram of protection having saved her....AGAIN...but now..she had NO strength. she couldnt get up...couldnt walk...and was trembling...barely conscious.>>


<< sharon was only steps from Alycia Barnett laying face down...blood from her mouth and nose...not moving...a car alarm was going off near by as small fires raged all around them.>>

::At this moment, BLACK WIDOW sees the Nimrod closing in on Silver Swan and Charope. SHE was there that night too! She REMEMBERS as well::


::FLASH!::

<< Moments later, that same night. Alycia, Sharon and Morgan have been placed on a nearby bus for safety while the Six battle the master mold. Alycia craddles her fallen friend in her arms while Morgan lays unconscious>>

:: a few feet away, all was quiet on the bus...the dim lighting flickered as Alycia held Sharon in her arms and gently stroked some of her blonde hair away from her face. Sharon's breathing was soft...and faint and she looked to be in a very bad way.::

Alycia: :: speaking softly as she tries to fight back her tears:: Sharon, you hang on...you hear me? You'll be okay....the others are here...and they'll destroy that robot..and as soon as Morgan wakes up...she can heal you.......

::Sharon's eyes flutter..and open slilghtly...she tries to speak...::

Alycia: Shhhhhh!!! don't try to talk honey.....save your strength. Oh Morgan...PLEASE wake up!!

:: she looks over to a badly shaken Morgan who is slipping in and out of consciousness...although she's unaware of the gravity of the situation around her.::

::Alycia continues to craddle Sharon ...as she looks down upon her battered friend as Sharon insists on trying to speak.... she coughs up a little and Alycia holds her head up a little to make sure she can breathe::

:: Sharon looks up at Alycia...and manages a weak smile..knowing that her trusted friend is by her side at this darkest hour....she seems oddly at peace::

Sharon: A...lycia... ::cough:: thank...you..for everything.....

Alycia: Sharon.....please....

Sharon: thank you..all.....I love you.

::a tear falls from Sharon's eye as she closes them one last time. her head falls back into Alycia's arms...she exhales one last time.....and passes away.::

:: Alycia's eyes widen with fear as she looks down...she begins to shake her head.....::
Alycia: No..no no no.....SHARON dont you do this..dont you give up....PLEASE STAY WITH ME!!

:: she clutches her close....::

:: its too late. Sharon passes away....that last quiet exhale is heard::

Alycia: Oh GOD!!! NO!!! NO!!!


:: Alycia brings Sharon's torso up and embraces her tightly as she slowly rocks.....she looks up and cries out with anguish....sobbing with pain. Senator Sharon Kelly is dead. simultaneously...news reports come in across the country of her VICTORY...she won the election and would once again have represented the state of New York.::


::Alycia holds her friend in a tight embrace....crying and choking with grief...tears stream down her face. what was meant to be a night of celebration was now a night of loss and pain.::

:: Alycia is still not able to move, more than likely she's suffered a concussion. Nimrod now holds its hand out, palm facing them::

Nimrod: IDENTIFIED: BARNETT, ALYCIA, METAHUMAN; SILVER SWAN, MUTATE. BOTH TARGETS HOSTILE. THREAT LEVEL SEVERE. PROCEED WITH TERMINATION


:: It powers up for a blast::

 

[Persephone]

Ava's grip tightened around her whip, feeling the strain of the weapon as she continued to attack Nimrod. But he was countering every single attack! Ava saw the feedback Nimrod unleashed on both her and Alycia and narrowly managed to release her transfiguring whip and dive out of the way before it exploded in her face. If that whip not been created and enchanted by Hecate, it would have been completely destroyed.

On the ground, Ava lifted her head just in time to see Sharon attack Nimrod. It was incredible to see the durability she had...the STRENGTH. She had pushed the Nimrod back a few feet, and was managing to overload it's system. But then it happened. The Nimrod grabbed Sharon's arm and SNAPPED it in half. Gasping, Ava scrambled to her feet.

"SHARON!"

Nicolas and Alycia were there within moments, but not before Nimrod blasted Sharon INTO Alycia and sent them both toppling to the ground. Nicolas attack, ripping off the Nimrod's arm....but he too was attacked and was literally sent rocketing through the cathedral ceiling and into the night's sky.

Nimrod was activating again....Nicolas was gone...Sharon was down for the count...and Alycia looked hurt as well. Everything seemed to slow down in the cathedral as Ava watched Nimrod power up and take aim at both Alycia and Sharon. It was then, she heard a familiar voice in her head...the voice of Harbinger.

Ava! We have little time and we must use this reprieve that Rampage has given us! Use your elemental powers! Strike Nimrod down!

Ava had purposely been avoiding using her elemental powers after what had happened to Sharon during the bus accident. She knew that Zach was helping her even out her turmoil, but she didn't want to take that chance here--especially with Cameron and Cass' lives on the line. But with Nimrod preparing to obliterate every non-human in sight...she couldn't NOT use them.

Winds began to pick up within the vast cathedral and the temperature immediately began to drop. Persephone's arms were extended out by her sides as the wind's intensity picked up--flakes of frost and snow could be seen within the wind now, showing that it was blowing in a circular fashion. Moving her extended arms forward, as Ava pointed her hands at Nimrod, the wind tunnel tightened around him creating an F-5 tornado of winds exceeding 300 MPH. The temperature within the tornado was easily 50 below freezing; creating a FROST CYCLONE that began to freeze Nimrod's mechanical body into place. The frost cyclone extended all the way up and OUT of the hole in the cathedral ceiling that was created by Rampage's body.

Lifting her hand up toward the hole in the ceiling while keeping her other pointed at Nimrod, part of the cyclone encased Nicolas's falling body. But this time, Ava REVERSED the wind's trajectory around Nicolas' body creating a reverse wind tunnel. Using the 300 MPH speeds of the wind, Nicolas literally came barreling back into the cathedral, SLAMMING into Nimrod like a WRECKING BALL.

 

[Black Widow]

Haleigh looked MUCH worse for wear. The top of her suit was basically an open vest. Her arms were covered in cuts that had sort of dried to a congealed substance that looked liked blood, but was so dark it was close to black. Her neck and upper chest looked equally damaged, but she seemed oblivious to it all.

Haleigh's irises had gone to a permanent RED. She had a lock on the psychotic Sister Mary's location, and she was stepping on bodies to get there. She was going to make that woman pay for what she'd done, and it wouldn't be as merciful as a quick but gruesome death. She knew from 'future' experience that she could use the TO virus as a weapon. She could inflict extreme pain, even death. She could probably even reanimate the body and control it. But she had never tried.

Without fully understanding how, Haleigh's hands began to glow white hot, like metal pulled from a fire. Her veins and arteries could be seen, as black as ink within the glow. She stalked towards her prey with a scowl, ignoring everything else..... until Sharon's sonic scream snapped her out of her murderous trance. Her gaze shifted to the source of the sound, and she saw Nicolas jump in the fight, and Sharon got blasted away into Alycia. Haleigh's hands started to 'cool' back to a normal color, as she bolted towards Sharon and Alycia at the foot of Nimrod.

The sight was chilling. Alycia cradled Sharon, just like that night so long ago when Sharon and Morgan had both been killed. Haleigh remembered that night all too well. She couldn't watch it happen again. Nimrod initiated reapirs and then raised its hands to blast Alycia and Sharon again. Haleigh reaches the pair will little time to spare. She turns her back on the Nimrod, crouching in front of the two women and wrapping her arms around them. The repulsor blast hits her square in the back, and she winces. The blast incinerated a hole 12 inches in diameter through her jacket, and her skin underneath that. Her musculature is exposed, but it didn't look quite natural. It looked like carbon fiber. Dark red steam rose off her wound, as blood oozed to the surface with a metallic shimmer.

There was a blizzard hitting her open wound, it felt like. She pulled the two women out of the middle of a veritable snowstorm as soon as she could think through the pain. They reappeared near Oracle and the injured Steel. She coaxed Alycia into relaxing her grip on Sharon. Haleigh was the only one strong enough to reset Sharon's arm. She peeled the adamantium armor away as if it were aluminum. Then she pushed Sharon's bones back beneath the surface of her skin.

"I need something to wrap this with--"

She said, and somebody handed her fabric that would suffice. She wrapped Sharon's arm, then encased it in a titanium cast. There was nothing she could do for the pain, though. She only knew how to CAUSE pain.

 

[Artemis]

Head...still ringinging...feel so disoriented! Can't get up! Can't move Sharon!


:: Alycia looks up at the Nimrod now towering over them. It was going to fire upon them BOTH. If she were at full strength, she could try BLOCKING the blast with her bracelets, but she wouldn't let go of Sharon,
who was in great pain. ::


:: Just when it all seemed lost, Black Widow suddenly ran between them and the Nimrod, bending down and wrapping her arms around both of them, SHEILDING THEM with her own BODY from the blast!::


HALEIGH!


:: It was a SHOCKING thing to see and even as the hybrid protected them, they were all ROCKED by the force of the blast::

The repulsor blast hits her square in the back, and she winces. The blast incinerated a hole 12 inches in diameter through her jacket, and her skin underneath that. Her musculature is exposed, but it didn't look quite natural. It looked like carbon fiber. Dark red steam rose off her wound, as blood oozed to the surface with a metallic shimmer.
There was a blizzard hitting her open wound, it felt like. She pulled the two women out of the middle of a veritable snowstorm as soon as she could think through the pain. They reappeared near Oracle and the injured Steel. She coaxed Alycia into relaxing her grip on Sharon. Haleigh was the only one strong enough to reset Sharon's arm. She peeled the adamantium armor away as if it were aluminum. Then she pushed Sharon's bones back beneath the surface of her skin.
"I need something to wrap this with--"
She said, and somebody handed her fabric that would suffice. She wrapped Sharon's arm, then encased it in a titanium cast. There was nothing she could do for the pain, though. She only knew how to CAUSE pain.

:: Sharon was in great pain, but she was at least stabilized thanks to Haleigh's actions, but Haleigh HERSELF was in bad shape. Alycia's eyes fluttered a few times as she teetered on the edge of unconsciousness herself. Getting SLAMMED into by Silver Swan and then hitting the ground, hitting her HEAD, might have been more damaging than she realized::



:: For a BRIEF MOMENT the ROAR and the fallout from the BONE CHILLING cold generated by Persephone's frost tornado JARRED Alycia awake. Alycia could see Haleigh's wound, and the ubelievable color/effect her blood had. She wasn't sure if she was hallucinating or not.


Haleigh ....you're hurt....

::Alycia could barely focus. She wanted to say more, but she could barely keep her eyes open as tried to steady herself::

I'm sorry...

 

[Rampage]

BURNING...burning....burning.

Nicolas's roar of pain mixed with anger rang into the night sky as he was blasted upward at such a speed that the wind resistance ALONE set his clothes and skin on fire, causing him to glow. He was regenerating, but it was a losing battle with the amount of burn and he was actually looking forward to the cold of space when he noticed.........


...he was slowing down, and FAST. And the fire was out, and the tattered rags he had left, such as they were, also went out. But then it was cold. Even to him, and that said a lot as he began to fall. Faster and faster he fell, his mind dizzy with wonder at what could have happened and then, it hit him.

Ava...you clever girl.

That was Nicolas' last conscious thought as he re-ignited due to speed and tucked into a ball just in time to SMASH into the Sentinel, shattering its abdomen and legs into the ground as he barreled into him, creating a shockwave that finished off any remaining windows and powdered the granite floor of the sanctuary in the blast radius. Nicolas lay at the edge of the crater on his back, very very still.

 

[Persephone]

Ava saw Nicolas' body slam into Nimrod like a comet hurling into soft soil. The Nimrod's mechanical body couldn't handle the impact and she watched as parts of it's chest and legs came flying off as the shockwave from the hit exploded outwards. The moment Nimrod was down, Ava lowered her hands and collapsed to her knees--the frost cyclone completely dissipating and the temperature in the cathedral returning to normal.

The room began to go black as Ava shut her eyes, feeling her head spinning at what felt like the speed of the tornado she had just created. The amount of power she just used was something she hadn't tapped into in nearly a year, BEFORE everything that had happened to her...and it completely drained her. Slumping to her side, Ava blacked out completely, laying as motionless as Nicolas was.

 

[Isis]

:: Upon their entry into the cathedral, Isis had reformed into her human form and cast a cloaking spell over herself and MorningStar, giving them time to assess the situation and see where they could best help::
:: But even as the immediate threat of the Purifiers had been addressed, the NIMROD began to cut down members from BOTH teams.::
:: The battle was getting more deadly and dire and more wounded were piling up.::

::Isis couldn't HELP but FLINCH at the sound of Silver Swan's ARM being BROKEN(!?) by the Nimrod but as it nearly KILLED her, RAMPAGE intervened and was soon sent blasting up through the ceiling into the SKY outside!::


NICOLAS!

::Isis called out to him via their familial bond::

DO NOT DESPAIR! STAY TOGETHER....I WILL....

:: But before the sorceress could act, PERSEPHONE was attacking the Nimrod with an awe inspiring display of her elemental power. Dominique's hair began to whip and blow in the winds of the tornado and the sorceress pulls her cape around herself as the cold LASHES OUT::


:: She could sense that Nicolas was in the funnel and she continued to "talk" to him, GUIDE him with her voice in his head. She knew he knew what to do and few others would be able to survive it, but HE would::


:: She quietly ushered Delilah away from where they were to provide them with additional cover from the impending IMPACT. which BLOWS OUT the glass above them, Isis shields them from the falling debris even as they feel they are in the midst of an earthquake.::


SPLENDID, Nicolas!

::But that masterful move had taken its toll on Nicolas, AND Ava. They were left vulnerable! Isis QUICKLY gestures toward each of them, a column of golden light beams down over both of them and teleports them to the relatively "safe" area that Oracle and the others are in now::

There are MANY wounded and the Nimrod will undoubtedly repair itself before long, and not stop until he has killed us all! I'm going to help the injured.

My cloaking spell will keep you hidden from sight, both physical AND mechanical...UNTIL you take action.

:: Delilah nodded with understanding as Isis quickly moved away and made her way toward Oracle and the group of those wounded, some from the Six, some she didn't immediately recognize but ONE among those she DID recognize was...::

DETECTIVE STEEL!?

:: She looked at Oracle, then Haleigh, Alycia and Sharon. ::

::She looked at Oracle::

I don't know who you are, but I am Isis. I can help you, all those who are wounded and injured, I can help.

:: She said as she brought forth her sceptre and began to gesture, weaving a pattern of power. The sceptre glowed and soon, a golden globe formed OVER Steele, it sparkled and emmitted orbs that swirld around his body as golden mist showered him, much like what happened with Ana-Leigh at the Parthenon.::


:: His wounds began to HEAL, damaged reversed and soon, he was restored whole. She moved on to Haleigh, holding the crown of her scepter as well as one of her hands over Haleigh's back, gesturing over it. A golden field of light flowed over Haleigh's back and began to move around her torso, each place that it covered began to heal and she was restored to vitality.::

:: Isis moved on to Sharon, who's injury would take the least time to heal. For HER, the PAIN of the muscle spasms was what needed to be addressed FIRST and with her magick, she immediately washes away the seemingly NEVER ENDING wave of pain that was causing Silver Swan such agony::


Don't worry, Silver Swan.

:: Isis restores her broken arm completely::

Are there any OTHERS who need healing? Bring them to this area, so that we hopefully do not attract the Nimrod's attention!

:: Isis had come to do BATTLE, but now she found herself providing HEALING and protection. Once again, living up to the true mantle of her goddess, but still being no less a fearsome woman on the battle field::


:: she lifts her hands up and the globe that had hovered over Steel now hovers above them all and as it sparkles and spins, a golden mist showers down on all those who are suffering from exhaustion or disorientation, it begins to restore their sense of self and renew their vitality.::

:: She kneels down, gently holding Nicolas' head, not realizing that she was being rather MATERNAL toward him in FRONT of others::


Everyone here, breathe easy, you are restored by my magicks, but allow your minds to catch up with your bodies before you attempt to do anything...

 

[Rampage]

:: She kneels down, gently holding Nicolas' head, not realizing that she was being rather MATERNAL toward him in FRONT of others::


Everyone here, breathe easy, you are restored by my magicks, but allow your minds to catch up with your bodies before you attempt to do anything...

This was the first thing he could hear again as he felt himself rocked and held by a soft pair of hands. Finally inhaling sharply as he began to quickly recover, he embraced back whoever was holding him as he opened his eyes.

Aunt D? How is...I need to get up. It cannot be over yet.

Nicolas brought in more clothing to take the place of what he had lost, and he sat up, still embracing Isis. He looked at her.

I heard you Aunt D...thank you. Now I need to be ready, because it is not over yet.

And Nicolas was correct, as in the middle of the crater a sound could be heard...

DAMAGE LEVEL CRITICAL. ASSESSING- BRZT!- REBOOT RE----ZZARK!!--RERERERERERERERERREREEEEEEEEEEEEEE-----BOOTING IN PROGRESS. REPAIR SYSTEMS COMING ONLINE.

Nicolas stood quickly, pulling Isis behind him as he prepared to re-enter the fray...

 

[Oracle]

Oracle slipped out of her chair and onto the floor next to Steel. She gently took his hand, the one that wasn’t burned as badly as the other. He was in an out of consciousness. His pulse was thready – they needed to get him to a hospital but HOW could they? With the nimrod active they couldn’t just waltz out.

A new arrival, bathed in gold, towered above her. She looked up in surprise.

DETECTIVE STEEL!? I don't know who you are, but I am Isis. I can help you, all those who are wounded and injured, I can help.

“Oh, Ms.-Isis. Thank you. Please help him. Whatever you can do. Please.”

None of those present would have ever seen Oracle this vulnerable, despite her chair. She prided herself on staying upbeat and doing for herself, but now… A tear slid down Oracle’s cheek. Of course she knew who Isis was, but she decided it was best to keep that fact to herself. Isis waved her scepter and a golden mist showered Steel’s form, healing him. His eyes blinked open.

“Thank you…”

Oracle wiped her eyes on the back on her hand, and tried to smile. She sniffed, composing herself.

“We’ve got to destroy this thing. No matter what it takes.”

 

[Steel]

He woke thinking he was back at his niece’s My Little Pony birthday party, because there was gold glitter all around him. He moved his head, gingerly, to try and see what was going on. He knew he was on the ground, and he saw that Oracle was there next to him. She looked like she’d been crying.

He sat up a little, and could see

“Dominique Devereaux?”

He turned his head to Oracle.

“I guess you were right about her.”

He tried to laugh but it came out raspy, like his voice. He checked out his body – he seemed to be healed, but he moved slowly just in case. Standing, he bent and slipped his arms under Oracle, putting her back into her chair.

He then turned to Isis, the proverbial hat in his hand.

“Thank you. I was wrong about you, and I’m sorry.”

Are there any OTHERS who need healing? Bring them to this area, so that we hopefully do not attract the Nimrod's attention!

He looked around.

“Oi – where’s that little guy? The stupid one?”

Someone pointed out where he lay. The nimrod’s eye beams had followed Andrew with blast after blast, until they had hit the ground where he stood and he had fallen, unconscious. Steel quickly located him and pulled him from the hole, bringing him to Isis to be healed.

“We need a plan if we’re going to do anything against that thing – going it alone clearly didn’t work.”

 

[Harbinger]

:: Harbinger had been LOST in the fury of the battle. It was a cold thing to do, but letting everyone who could/wanted to take a whack at it allowed her to "look out" across the time threads of the Nimrod.::

:: TWICE NOW it had defied her perception. With TECHNOLOGY, there was always a possibility, but it was always REMOTE. TWICE in less than 24 hours should have been IMPOSSIBLE::


:: But one thing was certain, it was on the verge of UPGRADE to a MASTER MOLD and once that happened? All hope for controlling this situation and avoiding casualties to either team would be LOST. She, along with Black Widow, MorningStar and Charope knew that all too well. ::


::She HAD to trust that Cass and Cameron would be protected by the others, and why shouldnt she? They wanted the same thing she did, to see them both rescued and ALIVE.::


:: Her first action was to compell Persephone to use her elemental powers and to put the consequence of Rampage's valiant rescue of Silver Swan to TACTICAL USE!::


:: Black Widow saves Charope and Silver Swan from Nimrod's attack. ANOTHER moment where as much as Harbinger wanted to be directly involved, she HAD to trust her team to handle it so that she could stay the course.Isis filled in the gap for HEALING, and now while the Nimrod was in the process of REPAIRING itself after surviving the massive impact by Persephone and Rampage's attacks...::


::A pair of floating colbalt blue eyes shimmers into view in front of Valkyrie. The woman would "HEAR" Harbinger's voice both in her head::

VALKYRIE! I need your help in order to stop this Nimrod!

In order for my plan to work, you must use your power on the center of it's chest, and create an energy field that will disrupt solid matter and cause its molecules to come apart and melt or dissolve. You must continue until you reach it's core processor and temporal unit!

I must tell you, the possiblity of you sustaining permanent or fatal injuries is more than 80% but I will use my own movement power to help you ESCAPE it's attempt at retlation. No matter what you see or experience, you MUST NOT FLEE!

Will you do this?


:: Having surveyed Valkyrie's timethreads, the precog was assured that while the woman might be incredibly abrasive, in her era of origin, she understood the need for action and doing what was necessary. She also could see there was nothing Valkyrie wouldn't do to preserve the life of HER teammates. So THAT is where she approached her from.::

 

[MorningStar]

MorningStar and Isis came out of the passageway, exiting to the left of the altar. Delilah GASPED.

No!

How could it be here?! In this time and space? They had escaped from it in the alternate timeline…

But it was for real – NIMROD was here in St. Patrick’s Cathedral! She couldn’t straight on attack it – the others were trying and it was having little effect. She needed to bide her time, as painful as that was to do, until the moment was right. Isis had cloaked them, which gave them an advantage that they could not squander.

But when the nimrod spoke next, Delilah FROZE.

Nimrod: This unit determines that this timeline is filled with too many hostile mutants, a clear danger to human life. This unit MUST evolve to master mold form to begin generation of nimrods!

Master Mold!

<< Flash! >>

[ Delilah moved to Sharon's now lifeless body and looked back and forth from her to Alycia to Alison. ]

"I can save her."

[ She began giving Sharon CPR. ]

"I know what to do. I can save her. She's not dead."

[ Delilah was frantically pushing on Sharon's chest, becoming increasingly irrational, her eyes so filled with tears that she couldn't see. ]

"Come on Sharon! Wake up! I can save you. BREATHE Sharon! Come on goddamnit! "

[ Delilah shook her head violently as Haleigh pulled her back, but she didn't resist. Her eyes darted around the bus, furtively looking for something, anything... ]

"Alexis! She can send an electric shock through Sharon's body...restart her heart! She can-"

[ Delilah broke down then, falling to her knees and sobbing into her hands. ]



Silver Swan was attacking the nimrod. Didn’t she know she needed most of all to stay away?

Sharon, no!

Memories from that day, the day Sharon Kelly had died. The first to die on her watch.

Not again. She couldn’t do this again…

 

[Valkyrie]

Valkyrie was hit by SOMETHING from the nimrod, she wasn’t sure what but it sent her flying and deposited her in a heap to the side of the cathedral. She was now lying face down on the cold stone floor. She opened her eyes and as she started to pick her head up a pair of floating colbalt blue eyes were staring back at her!

“Holy Fcuk!”

Then she heard Harbinger’s voice in her head. What the fuck was WITH these chicks from the Six?! She was sure Alycia had put Alison up to SCARING her to death until she realized what the voice was actually saying.

VALKYRIE! I need your help in order to stop this Nimrod!

In order for my plan to work, you must use your power on the center of its chest, and create an energy field that will disrupt solid matter and cause its molecules to come apart and melt or dissolve. You must continue until you reach its core processor and temporal unit!

I must tell you, the possibility of you sustaining permanent or fatal injuries is more than 80% but I will use my own movement power to help you ESCAPE its attempt at retaliation. No matter what you see or experience, you MUST NOT FLEE!

Will you do this?

[to Alison via her thoughts]

If this is my day to die, let it be in battle. I’ve waited for my place in Valhalla long enough.

She pushed herself up onto her knees, and then stood.

In twelve hundred years I’ve never run from a battle – I’m not about to start now. I give you my word, I won’t stop until you make me. Let's do this.”

 

[Harbinger]

:: The floating colbalt blue eyes continue to look into Valkyrie's eyes::

Excellent! Now we must move quickly. Persephone and Rampage have crippled the Nimrod, but it is already repairing itself!

DAMAGE LEVEL CRITICAL. ASSESSING- BRZT!- REBOOT RE----ZZARK!!--RERERERERERERERERREREEEEEEEEEEEEEE-----BOOTING IN PROGRESS. REPAIR SYSTEMS COMING ONLINE.

:: She communicates with Tachyon in the same manner that she does Valkyrie::

Tachyon, now that you are fully active and vital get ready to move on my mark. Valkyrie has agreed to help us, and her added assistance all but ensures our success!


:: The Nimrod was already back online. It's upper body was reformed, and it's legs were coming together::


Valkyrie!


:: In a swirl of glowing blue/black orbs , Valkyrie is TELEBLINKED right in front of the Nimrod::


It's CHEST, Valkyrie!


:: Knowing that the woman will not be fearful or run is what Alison was counting on, since she CAN'T help her with this part. If she tries to warp the temporal field around Nimrod to slow IT'S moves against them, that will slow VALKYRIE'S attack as well.::


Tachyon, BE READY....On my mark....


:: Harbinger is now BACK in view, standing just a few paces behind Valkyrie, and now holding her time staff.::

:: Even though it was back on line and a great portion of it had reformed from Rampage's attack, The Nimrod is STILL not at full operating levels, the extreme cold of Persephone's attack took a greater toll on it than it anticipated, giving Valkyrie even MORE opportunity to attack it before it can adapt::

 

[Valkyrie]

Ready to face whatever would come, blue/black orbs swirled around Valkyrie and suddenly she was standing right in front of the nimrod.

It's CHEST, Valkyrie!

She placed both hands, fingers together, in the center of the nimrod’s chest. Annoyed, she yelled to Harbinger.

“For fuck’s sake – do you want me to do this or do you want to yap at me?!”

I HEARD you the first time! I’m not in kindergarten!

She never use her power at full strength. She never needed to, and she frankly didn’t know what it would do to her if she did. A little intimidation here, a sneaky heart attack there… But this time she put EVERYTHING into her hands, pushing it out into the nimrod. She could see that her touch was breaking down the molecules in the thing’s chest. But she needed more, this was too slow. She grunted and pushed harder, and the energy field grew.

“Tell me handsome, is this the way to your heart?”

She was sweating. Cuts in her scalp and forehead were bleeding again, blood came from her nose.

I. Will. Not. Let. Go.

Sheer force of will sustained her – this was a mental game between her and the nimrod. And she would not be the first one to flinch. She was feeling so drained that she wasn’t sure if she could find the strength to move from her current position if she had wanted to.

Her lungs were taking in short, difficult breaths now. And she knew she was coming to the End.

Memories of her life…her real life…came to her. Things she hadn’t thought about in centuries.

“As a girl I stood upon the sea cliffs and watched storms sweep in with the waves.”

The blood was flowing stronger now, her own body breaking down.

“The elders warned me that I would be swept down into the rocks below. But I did not listen.”

She laughed.

“The storm and the rain and the rocks were just part of the natural order of things…natural and easy to ignore.”

She closed her eyes and licked blood from her lips.

“And so I keep my eyes shut and tell myself that I taste rain…only the rain.”

She pushed harder against the nimrod, one last drive against the menace that would destroy the world, and at last the inner machinery of the nimrod could be seen.