AAAAAAGH THIS LOOKS AMAZING
MORTY LOOKS SO COOL AND MYSTERIOUS
And Ango is just going to kill someone. XD
This is a great cover, thanks so much for hosting today!

I'M RADIANT BY THE WAY
I FORGOT I WAS STILL ON THIS ACCOUNT

AKDJNABSNWN HI XD
AAAAAAA THANK YOU
AND YOU'RE WELCOME
Maybe she is >:3333

Nice cover! But who's that behind Ango?

It's Emilia! I haven't drawn her before (I really should lmao) so I kinda guessed that yous might not know who it is XD

Also thank you! :D

So, we're gonna do some more evil Dark Brink stuff today? XD

YES!

Dark's gonna spook up on Sargon, but if you want to do a thing with him and Grimm (since I somewhat remember he was making a fuss about something XD) then that's fine ;w;

Dark Brink can come first if you like, Grimm isn't so important and he was just salty about not getting to talk about how bad Sargon's army is. XD

Can we start?

Do you want to start, King? Since as you're hosting and I think I wrote the last bit for Ana and Morty.

And I want to know what Keenan will do about the crazy conjurer.

Aaaa sure bare with me a bit XD

@Radiant
"He stays with me!"
Forrest growls as Morty pushes him into the doorway of the cell, turninf back and glaring up at them.
"No. He doesn't belong to you anymore."
The top-hatted man says plainly, pushing him further in before closing the door on the young necromancer.
"Well, they're all out of the way now. Be mindful, he'll be causing a bit of a ruckus."
He says to the guard with a slight grin.
"Now, onto the matter at hand...What're we going to do with him? I suppose you don't have many other necromancers who'd enjoy a new pet, eh?"

(King)

'Ana waved to the guard, smiled, then started leading them back up to Sargon's quarters. 'Well, I wouldn't mind,' she said mischievously. 'He's a lovely little creature, don't you think? But I might ask around. There could be somebody else in the army I can give him to... or sell him to. Either way, he's not staying here unless he has an owner.'

@Draco/Aggron
Toby's jaw closes on thin air, leading him to look about in confusion, then trot over to Ango's side, whining softly. She manages a smile, though seems to be trembling a little.
"I'm fine, Tobes. Don't worry about me."

"Pfft, a secret weapon? Even if you use it, you've got no chance."
Electricity sparks dangerously in his fur as he grins, preparing to charge at the conjurer.
"And besides...you've opened yourself up."
He lunges at them, the electricity arching towards the conjurer and her two familiars.

@Aggron
//I will seek council with him. I trust that his meeting from before has been disbanded, so that your news may travel quick.//
The dark spirit dips his head to the Illusionist, grin curling.
//Adieu.//
His form fades into mist, dissipating quickly.

heII o

hell o

hell ooooo

(Oh, Keenan. Bad move. XD)

{The conjurer grins at Kennan’s lunge. Snapping both her fingers, she cries out in command.} “Go, fluffy doggie!” {From nothing, comes a massive 50 foot crocodilian, directly in front of Keenan. Opening its gaping maw, the massive reptile snaps up Keenan, biting down with bone crushing force and without give, due to the electricity. }

(Exactly how does a 50 foot crocodile fit inside a narrow corridor in a building?)

{The group acknowledges Armin’s advice, walking right past the wolves like they owned the place, showing no nervousness or weakness.}

( @Radiant I forgot to mention that half of it is going out the window. :/ Also, I wouldn’t expect it to have much mobility. )

The werewolves glanced up as the group walked by, but didn't do anything other than shoot hostile looks at them. Once everyone had passed, they returned to their drinking and conversation.

//The path is clear now,// Armin reported. //You should be able to get to Dianne without a problem.//

i really don't remember where i got to

(Draco - uhhm
you could do tochi
but i'm not sure if I replied with sheldon
i'll go check)

(Here's T and S's last things)

"Should be packing clothes, socks, plenty of books..." Tochi listed. "Ah, do I still have-" she dove into her pocket. "Oh yes, it's still there."

'Hmm?' said Sheldon curiously, glancing away from the mirror and towards Tochi. 'Have what?' //I wonder what I should pack,// he mused. //I don't have anything, but maybe there's some things around here that I could take...//

{The rest of the way was rather uneventful. Arriving at Dianne’s door Jerry knocks, and is met with a male voice.}
???: “Who is it?!”
Jerry: “Dianne sent for me.”
Different???: “Let him in.”
The door opens and the group is led into a room full of armed draugrs. Sitting behind the counter is a vampire draugr. }
“Glad you could make it, detective.”

As they enter the building, Armin suddenly comes swooping down from the sky and lands behind them, shifting back into his normal human form as he does so. Dianne already knew him and there wouldn't be any of Sargon's troops here. 'Hello,' he said brightly. 'I'm back.'

@Draco/Aggron
His eyes widen as he realises his mistake, letting out a bloodcurdling yell as the crocodilian clamps down on him trying to writhe out of it's grasp before realising that it would just cause him more pain.
Ango and Toby move away as it appears in the room, staring at it in terrified awe. Thinking quickly, Ango realises that the conjurer was more interested in the lion shifter than the rest of them, so with her good hand she grabs a large piece of glass from the broken window and rushes towards her, stabbing the conjurer in the back with a merciless yell.

(Told you she might kill someone XD)

"It's a charm thing my old friend Barry got me," she told him. "It's quite pretty..."

She pulled the object out. It was a seashell attatched to a bracelet.

"I'd wear it, but now I'm worried about breaking it in a fight or something."

(I knew it. XD)

@Radiant
"Well, either way, you can have custody of him, whether you decide it's permanent or temporary."
Mortikai decides, shrugging slightly.
"But I believe that I'm done here. If Sargon has nothing left for me, then I shall take my leave. I have...something to attend to."

(Draco)

'...Barry?' Sheldon was so surprised that he actually wasn't stuttering for once. 'That guy? I thought you hadn't talked to him for... years.' He eyed the seashell bracelet, not sure what he was feeling. Then he realised he felt jealous - HE wanted to be the one who gave Tochi pretty gifts.

(I'm going to assume that Sheld has heard of Barry in this universe, but only in passing.)

@Radiant
//Count Sargon.//
Dark Brink says as he appears near the vampire, head dipping respectfully.
//I believe I have gained the location of your little food store saboteur. Don't worry, it will cost you nothing. It was simply intel from one of my own. I'm sure that you'd like to know exactly who.//
His grin curls inwards a little.

(King)

Ana started to nod, hesitated a moment, then shrugged. 'You can go,' she replied. 'I don't think it matters... the Count can just bring you back if he ever wants you.' Grinning, she gave a tip of her hat and strode away, grabbing Diras by one of his horns to pull him along as she did so.

(King)

Sargon looked up as Brink appeared. If he was surprised by the spirit's sudden arrival, he didn't show it. 'Indeed? Then tell me who it is, and where I can find them. Also, I need to discuss the extra powers you promised my assistant and I in return for finding your traitors.'

@Radiant
Tipping his own hat back, Mortikai walks in the opposite direction and towards the nearest set of stairs, heading for the exit. He knew exactly what he was heading for, and that was answers. From the faint pull in his stomach, he knew Dark Brink was preoccupied elsewhere, so he had to go straight to the source - that woman he met in the hospital. There was something newly unsettling about his lost memories, especially since he had never met those he had spent time with in his lost years. But the way she had looked at him, and the the child who had stuck so close by...there was no way. He refused to believe anything his mind assumed until he got the evidence. And so, as he frees himself from the tower and walks out into the night, he sets towards the direction he had sent them in - the town gates.

@Radiant
//A sorceress of dark magic and necromancy, and an ancient one at that. My sources tell me that she's a irate shopkeeper, though I'm personally unsure whether or not that insight was down to their...history.//
He paces around slightly as he speaks.
//Sound like someone you know?//

"We've written to eachother a few times," she replied, examining the bracelet. "We send eachother presents."

(i actually have no idea if anyone attacked jed or thorn
uh
what they doing-)

{Closing the door, the draugrs surround the group in a non threatening manner.}
Jerry: “Who are you? Where’s Dianne?”
???: “I’m Magnus. Dianne’s second in command. As you might know, she had a bit of a rough night last night, so she’s been sleeping it off all day. I’ll have her alerted to your arrival.” {With a wave of his hand, a different draugr climbs the stairs to alert its master. }

(King)

Sargon stared out of one of the great arched windows, clearly thinking. 'I have met her,' he said slowly, 'if, of course, we are talking about the same person. Can you be certain that she's the one behind this? We had an agreement to leave each other alone. She knows she can't stand against my army.'

{The conjurer was laughing maniacally when Ango stabbed her from behind. Gasping and falling still, the familiars dissipated and the conjurer uttered her last words.} “Bested by a brat and her mutts. How embarrassing.” {The conjurer falls dead.}

(Draco - dog squad was fighting soneone in the orphanage corridor but i sorta lost track of them
Thorn/Jed are OK i think, they just didnt do anything for the whole fight)

(Draco)

'Oh,' said Sheldon. 'Oh.' He stared at the bracelet without saying anything for a while, then cleared his throat. 'Are we going to go and pack, then?'

//Why am I so annoyed?// he thought. //He's just her friend. They can send each other presents if they like.// But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't get rid of those stinging feelings of resentment. Tochi didn't give HIM presents all the time.

(Aggron)

Armin stood in the corner while all this was going on, watching the draugrs and humming quietly to himself. He didn't seem worried.

{After a minute, Dianne appears from the stairwell, looking tired and dressed in a robe.}
Dianne: “Took you long enough.”
Jerry: “Um, thank you Jerry, for coming on such short notice? Anyway, I, brought some friends.”
Dianne: “I can see that. Let’s get down to business. Despite not lasting long, my draugrs managed to catch a glimpse of the assailant. The culprit moved incredibly fast and was wearing a black cloak of some kind and a blue suit with thin gold stripes. He was nearly impossible to see in the dark and cut through swords and armor without much effort.”
Jerry:” Right to it, huh? That is an odd description. Could be one of Sargon’s. Did they leave anything behind?”
Dianne: “We managed to find a bit of his cloak, torn off by

“...a passing blade.” {Taking the sample from Dianne, Jerry and his family inspect it.}
Eliza: “Hey, isn’t this...!”
Old Man Garvey: “ShadowSkin.”
Jerry: “Hmm.”
{Taking a moment to deliberate, Jerry hands back the sample.}
Jerry: “Well, I think I know who did this, but I need to make sure.”

(Aggron)

'I've never heard of this guy,' said Armin dismissively. 'He's not in Sargon's army. I'd know about him if he were. What's ShadowSkin, anyway?'

Eliza: “It’s the skin of a rare giant bat. The stuff blends in impossibly well with the dark.”
Dianne: “Who’s responsible for this?”
Jerry: “I’m not a hundred percent sure yet, but I’ve got an idea.”
Dianne: “Then go. Find the curse. Bring it back.”

"Oh yes, let's go." Tochi nodded and slipped the bracelet back into her pocket. She entered the room they'd stayed in and went around gathering bits and pieces.

i lost track of time aaaa)

(Aggron)

'That's interesting. I've never heard of any giant bats,' said Armin thoughtfully. 'I guess this means that if we ever confront this person, we'd be better off doing in daylight. Where we'll be able to see him.'

@Draco/Aggron(?)
Trembling, Ango steps back from the body, not really sure if what was happening was real anymore. She puts a hand over her mouth to stop herself from sobbing out loud.
Keenan falls to the floor with a groan, bruised, broken and bleeding. He could feel multiple broken bones and the very life force drain from him with his blood. With a raspy breath, he calls out in despiration.
"My Lord Dark Brink! Hear my call! I have been a loyal servant, and I beg you for forgiveness in my last moments for not surviving to serve you further! My life is yours to do as you please, and I give you my eternal servitude in death!"

@Radiant
//My source has, so far, been very reliable. For a powerful being such as her, controlling many pests to destroy resources would not be hard. And besides, any great power can be bargained with. Perhaps an outside source has--//
The dark spirit cuts himself off, standing to attention and expression turning blank.
//I'm terribly sorry. I must attend something. I will return with haste to discuss this further.//
Dark Brink suddenly disappears into mist, leaving the vampire alone.

um now I don't know what to do with jed because he just sat there and did nothing for the WhOle fite

(Draco)

Sheldon went after her, hands in his pockets, trying to shake off his strange bad mood. He looked around the room. 'I don't really have anything to pack,' he said. 'But as long as we have food for the trip... I guess that's all that matters.'

(King)

Sargon opened his mouth to respond, but Brink had already vanished. Slightly frustrated, but willing to wait until the spirit returned, he sent a telepathic message out to Lord Grimm instead, asking the dragonshifter to come up to his room to talk.

(Jed could um
stand there and make concerned noises
or something of the like)

(No he tried his best
And he fought the wolf
confort the gril)

"We should be all fine with food," said Tochi, taking a suitcase and neatly putting some socks in it.

(Draco)

Sheldon made a noise of agreement. At that point, he realised that he couldn't really do anything to help, and there was really no point in standing here watching Tochi pack. 'Uhm, does this house have a bathroom with a shower? I may as well get out of your hair for a bit.'

(I just confused 'shower' with 'however' and accidentally wrote 'showever')

Thorn ran over to Keenan. "Keenan, dude, are you okay?" she asked, a little concerned. "That didn't look good."

Jed scampered around and sniffed everyone, making little noises.

I SHOULD READ THE COMMENTS BEFORE REPLYING

OH MY GOD DISMISS EVERYTHING I JUST SAID

ahem

Thorn dashed over to Keenan. "HeII no, Kee! What are you talking about? You can't die yet!"

Jed slowly padded over to Ango and nuzzled her gently. He whined quietly.

(Ded)

(Not anymore)

(And shush it's okie Draco)

(Hey everyone, I think I'm gonna go for now. I'll check back in the morning. X) )

Not dead yet.

(Yet? That sounds ominous.)

( ; ) Bye, @Radiant!)
{Clapping sarcastically, the Inspector walks into the rec room, flanked by two dragon shifters.}
"My, my. I am impressed. A mere child and her dog managed to kill one of my best conjurers. However, there is no bloodshed without recompense. Prepare yourselves. Vengeance comes."

@Draco
She looks down, glad to see a caring face. Toby trots over and joins them. Managing a tiny smile, she gently rubs their heads, though one at a time due to her injured arm.
"Thank you."
She whispers, not daring to say anything louder.

"I'm-I'm bleeding, multiple broken bones, an injury like this you can't just-"
He coughs dryly.
"-just recover from. My Lord will save me if he wishes it so."
//And that I may.//
The spectral feline appears, stood balancing on the top of a knocked over table. Keenan tries to bow his head, but the pain is too much.
//My, my, Fulmine. You've put your powers to good work, I see. Fulfilling your role as protector that was laid out to you by my right hand, fighting until you no longer can nearly twice, and yes, you have served me well...Very well then. The injuries you have gained that would put you at risk of dying will cease to bring you pain, but those that do not will stay. Rise, my child, and continue your duty.//
As he speaks, his form becomes a cloud of dark mist, enveloping the lion shifter and healing all but his sprained wrist, the injury to his shoulder, and the fracturing of his tail, along with minor scrapes. After the deed had been done, Dark Brink forms back into a cat, looking between Ango and Emilia with curiosity. Emilia stares back with faint recognition, which only causes his grin to twist tighter.
//You'd better keep an eye on your daughter, Felin. There's no telling what my blood will do next.//
With a slight laugh, he disappears.
Keenan shifts back into his human form, hoisting himself onto his feet with a little difficulty.
"Thank you, my Lord."
He murmurs, hand over his heart where his mark laid on his skin.

(Woag I got wordy there)

(TFW LATE COMMENTS DAMMIT XD)

(Also night Rad! :D
I'm gonna linger a bit more cus I have a billion and one things to reply to akdjbandnnd---)

@King I'mma assume the Inspector walks in after your comment.

@Draco/Aggron
"Hell no!"
Keenan growls moving to stand in front of the group.
"I've almost died twice in 48 hours, and I sure as hell ain't letting it happen a third time!"
Behind his back, he motions towards the broken window, signalling that the rest of the group could run while he fought them off.
Ango takes her mum's hand, standing close to her, Jed and Toby, glancing at the window briefly.

@Radiant
//Count. I have returned. My sincerest apologies, I had to attend to the needs of one of my...best children. But I am back now.//
Dark Brink once again appears to Sargon, head dipped respectfully.

(All)

Before the Inspector could reply, there was a massive crash from the next room, accompanied by a cawing laugh. Crowley had just come back, and by the sound of it, he was ready for a good fight.

He walked into the rec room, eyeing the blood scattered around and the ragtag group of survivors with surprised delight. Then his gaze fell on Keenan, and his mouth split open in a nasty grin. 'I remember you,' he said. 'From the hospital. I wanted to kill you, but maybe later.' Then he turned to yell at the Inspector. 'Hey, weirdo! Are you gonna keep your word and fight me like a man, or are you gonna run away with your skinny little tail between your legs?!'

(King)

Sargon looked up just as Lord Grimm walked into the room. He hesitated, glancing between the two of them, trying to decide who was more important. Then he said, 'My apologies, Grimm, but could you wait outside just a moment?'

'Oh, for the love of ****,' Grimm exclaimed, before turning around and striding out the door.

Sargon looked at Brink. 'So I see. Now, what do we need to discuss?'

{The Inspector looks to Crowley annoyed.} "I'm a bit busy at the moment! Can't this wait a few minutes? After I deal with these people, I promise to give you my full attention."

(All)

'Aw, no way,' said Crowley, slinking closer to Keenan while carefully keeping a bit of distance between him and the lion shifter. 'Maybe I'll just help these idiots kill you... and then I can kill THEM!'

{Jerry's group is about to leave when the vampire draugr speaks up again.}
Magnus:"Oh, by the way, Dianne, I took the liberty of doing some reconnaissance, and Sargon just got a hefty shipment of reinforcements."
Dianne:"What?"
Magnus:"Yeah, they brought supplies with them too, so what you did last night was basically undone."
Dianne: "God-da.mmit."
Jerry:"Wait, reinforcements? How many?"
Magnus:"A couple hundred, mostly consisting of dragons and sorcerers. They were led by this ugly, old dragon shifter with missing teeth and some weirdo in a white suit."

{Face palming, the Inspector speaks to Crowley.}"Fine! Let's go outside so I can properly kill you without damaging the building."

@All
Keenan stands his ground, hands balling into fists.
"Yeah, you lot go and have your little pow-wow, and we'll stay riiiiight here, okay?"

Ango slowly edges towards the window, pretending to be going for her fallen mask, which she had dropped there earlier when the conjurer had broken in. With the window not being very high up, she wanted to try to knock out the last bits of glass around the bottom edge so no one would be injured further while trying to get out, hoping that she'd be able to do so secretively.

@Radiant
//Well, you have your culprit, and if you wish to enact revenge, I'm sure that whatever gifts you and your right hand wish to recive will aid you there.//
Sitting down on the desk he had appeared on, Dark Brink curls his tail neatly around his paws.

(Aggron)

Crowley grinned. 'You'd better be ready, old man,' he taunted, even though he had no idea how old the inspector really was. He went out of the front door and started walking to the front of the building. 'I'm gonna tear you into little bloody pieces!' he yelled back.

(Crowley being too stupid to realise he's inadvertently helping the dog squad escape. XD)

(King - I need advice. XD
What kinds of powers would Dark Brink be able to give to them? I'm not sure what to have Sargon ask him for. I remember you mentioning that Brink can enhance the powers people already have (like Keenan's night vision) so would they just get a powered-up version of something they can already do?)

( @Rad
Yeah! If you can't think of an extra power, then upgrade an already existing one. For example, Ana could have stronger magic while Sargon could have a much larger telepathic range. But, if they wanted a new power, such as another form to shift into or a type of magic, then that's doable too, it'll just be in a slightly weaker form than it would usually be if they already have a certain amount of power already' such as Keenan's night vision since he already has magic and can shift. It's just whatever's possible, available, and useful!)

(King - Alrighty! Thanks for the info! Now I just gotta write something, hold on.)

(King)

The room was quiet for several minutes while Sargon thought. Then, just when it seemed he might never respond at all, he spoke up. 'My assistant Ana and I are both hoping to gain new power from this. Exactly what, though, I'm not sure.' Another moment passed, and then he said:

'For Ana, I would like her dragon form - her true form - to be made larger and more powerful, to better aid her in defending the city from our enemies. There are many dragonshifters larger than her, and it would cause a problem if she ever needed to fight one of them. For myself, I think I would like an entirely new ability.'

But he didn't say what he wanted, just stared out the window and continued to ponder.

@All
Scooping up her mask and dusting it off, Ango replaces it over her face and begins to gently tap out the glass, keeping her hoodie sleeve held over her good arm and continuous glancing at Crowley and the Inspector.
Toby almost walks up with Ango, then notices the glass all over the floor, whining softly. He then turns and nudges Jed, motioning to the glass on the floor meaning that they couldn't pass due to it being able to easily get stuck in their paws and would have to find another way out, unless someone carried them over it.

@Radiant
Brink stays silent as the Count thinks, the only noise being him scratching at his ear then shaking out his head a little, as is the usual behavior of a cat. His ears perk up slightly as Sargon begins to talk.
//That is certainly doable, and a smart choice.//

(I can just imagine Ana's response being "he wants me to protect him!!!! :D" lmao--)

(King - ACCURATE)

(King)

Sargon nodded. 'Then please do that. If possible, I would like to think a while on what reward I want before I ask you. You may return to me later.'

@Radiant
//Of course. When you are ready, call for me and I shall return.//
Standing, Dark Brink bows, then disappears off to find Ana and deliver her gift.

{The Inspector turns to his cohorts.} "Deal with le humans, scatter le non." {Walking to meet with Crowley, the inspector leaves. His cohorts, however, close in on the dogo squad.}
Goon one:"Ok, pals. Sargon wants all remaining humans brought to him. So, you gonna come quietly? Or are we gonna have to thrash ya?"

"Jesus." {Jerry says quietly.} "Fighting that's going to suck."
Old Man Garvey:"Doesn't matter. We've got enough rounds for all of them."
{Before Jerry could respond, he turns to see Dianne going into her basement.}
Jerry: "Where are you going?
Dianne: "Where do you think? This time, I'll make sure that there won't even be a stockroom left for Sargon to refill! Now get out there and get the curse before everyone and everything dies!"

@Draco/Aggron
"Sorry /pal/, but they ain't going anywhere with you lot."
Keenan grins, despite the fact that this was the third fight he was getting into and his energy was running low, but he didn't let it show at all.

(King)

Ana was wandering around a few streets away from Atlas Tower, having no tasks to do at that time. She was bored. She was usually bored whenever Sargon didn't need her for anything.

(Aggron)

Crowley laughed evilly when he saw the inspector following him. He went to a large space at the front of the orphanage, then settled down to wait. Still in his dragon form, his talons and bared teeth gleamed with saliva in the moonlight. 'So, you're a dragon too?' he asked. 'You look like you'd be a pretty weak one.'

(Aggron)

'Well, she doesn't sound annoyed in the slightest,' Armin commented. He glanced at Jerry and the others. 'So, are we going to go hunt this guy down now?'

(I'm planning for Anastasia to be sent after Dianne once she gets her power-ups, so be prepared for that. XD)

( @Radiant Absolutely. XD All I ask is that you give Jerry and company a moment to leave before you send her over. )

(I was planning to do that. We don't need everyone getting caught up in this. XD)

(Good. XD)
{Nodding to Armin, Jerry ushers everyone outside.}
Jerry:"Ok, Armin, we're headed to mansion town (The super rich district, wherever that might be in Shacklestone XD). We'll need you in the air again, calling out patterns and strays."

(Aggron - Hmm, maybe we could think up a name for that district.)

'Alright,' said Armin mildly. 'Oh, and I forgot to tell you earlier, but there's some kind of disturbance going on over at the abandoned orphanage not far from here. I'd be careful if you head that way.' Before anyone could respond, he transformed back into his hawk form and took off.

{Outside, the Inspector stands opposite to Crowley. The rest of his goons make a circle around the pair.}
Inspector: "Alright, you little punk. You think I'm weak? Let me show you what you're up against." {With a flash of light, the inspector shifts to his dragon form, a stunning frost dragon, considerably larger than Crowley.} "C'mon!" {He taunts.} "Shift from your rat form to a dragon!"

@Radiant
Dark Brink appears in his spectral form, swimming through the air before coming into Ana's vision.
//Greetings Anastasia. The Count has given me an idea for the gift you shall recieve from me. He wishes for your true form to become larger and more powerful, so you will be able to defend the city more easily if larger dragonshifters came to do harm. Unless you have any objections, this shall be your gift.//

(Aggron)

Crowley didn't look impressed by the frost dragon's size. 'Ooh, fancy. What're you gonna do, weirdo? Snowball me to death?' With a cackling laugh, he leapt forwards with incredible speed, aiming to slash the other dragon's throat with his front claws.

(King)

Ana yelped and stumbled backwards as Brink suddenly materialised in front of her, but regained her composure almost immediately. After a moment, she smiled.

'The Count wants me to have this power?' she said. 'In that case, there's no reason to question it! If the Count thinks this is a good idea, then it must be! Give it to me, and I'll be able to protect him and the city even better than I do now!'

( @Radiant- Hmm, the name Shacklestone itself sounds a bit like a dungeon, so maybe the rich district could have a feudal related name? Monarchy District, or something related to castles? What do you think?)
Jerry:"Better avoid that part of town. I'm willing to bet that's where Sargon's reinforcements got off to."
{Following Armin's guidance, the group sets off.}

{The goons close in on doggo squad. One speaks up in a very dull sounding voice.} "Ha ha. This'll be fun!"

{The Inspector took the blow, which glanced off his thick, icy scales, leaving minimal damage. Rearing up on his hind legs momentarily, he snatches Crowley with his forearms and slams him down.} "Snowball you to death? Not a bad idea."
{The Inspector chuckles as frost begins to crawl over Crowley.}

@Draco/Aggron
"Yeah, for me."
Keenan grins, swinging for the nearest goon with electricity crackling around his fist, clocking them in the jaw.
"Run for it!"
He commands the rest of them, glancing back at them for a moment.

Startled slightly, Ango picks up Toby with a bit of difficulty and carries him over the glass, allowing him to get through the window. Once on the ground outside, he paces around, yipping quietly in anticipation.

(Aggron - I just had an idea, that maybe there are different districts called Gold, Silver and Bronze, depending how rich they are? Gold District would be the most expensive place to live. And maybe there's also a Stone District, which comes after Bronze and is especially run-down.)

(Aggron)

Crowley took a deep breath and blasted out a small jet of flame, melting the ice on him and splashing against the frost dragon's scales. As soon as the fire stopped coming, he twisted his neck around at an impossible angle and sank his teeth into the frost dragon's arm. 'Your snowball powers suck,' he said with his jaws full.

(To the Gold district! :D )

(Yay!)

@Radiant
The dark spirit's grin curls slightly.
//Good. Now, the matter of your mark...I believe you have shown your...affinity for...wanting to please and protect the Count and his assets, and that to me shows that your heart is very into your work. Therefore, that is where your mark shall lie, unless you have any objections and wish to place it elsewhere.//

(King)

Anastasia took a moment to consider, then nodded with a flicker of a grin. 'That sounds fine to me.' Inwardly, she was bubbling with excitement at the thought of being more powerful and better able to protect the Count. Never would he need anyone else to guard him, never would he call upon lesser minions to fulfil his goals!

(Although, I think the Count might still ignore Ana's affection, despite this power boost. XD)

{Wincing at the fire a bit, the Inspector becomes enraged. Lifting one of his hands while keeping Crowley pinned with the other, he bites into Crowley's side, crushing bones and tearing flesh from this smaller dragon.}
(The inspector's thinking this will finish Crowley, but given the fact that Crowley's tanked having a hole punched in his chest before, I think he'll be fine with this. XD)

{After a little while, Jerry's group arrives safely at the Gold District. Surprisingly, there was little resistance due to Sargon's decree that patrols were to not stray far at night.}
Jerry :"Huh, no one out tonight. You'd think this place'd be crawling with baddies."
Eliza:"Maybe they're scared of the dark?"
Old Man Garvey: "Stay alert. You never know when that might change."
Jerry: "Anyway, we're here." {Jerry stops in front of an enormous mansion with golden gates and the initials O.M. on the gate.}
Jerry: "The mansion of magic, Oliver Morrow's mansion."
Eliza: "WHAT? Why are we here?"

{The goon Keenan punched stumbles backward, but his friend was quick to retaliate. This dragon shifter appears to be some sort of martial artist, assaulting Keenan with a fast and powerful flurry of punches and kicks, targeted at his face and knees.}

(Aggron - Most likely he will ignore her. XD)

Crowley yelped, though didn't seem as concerned by the injury as other people would be. Before the inspector could cause any more damage, he teleported, reappearing on top of the frost dragon's head and sinking his claws into the back of his skull. He spread out his wings to maintain balance and started tearing and clawing at the frost dragon's scales.

(Aggron)

'Oliver Morrow? I've never heard of him.' Armin glanced at the mansion, then at Eliza. 'From the look on everyone's faces, I'm guessing there's something special about him.'

{Eliza looked at Armin with disbelief.} "Are you serious? Have you been living under a rock? Oliver Morrow is like, //the// biggest name in stage magic in the world! The dude's richer than Richie Rich!" {Eliza takes a moment to think.} "But, Jerry, why are we here?"
Jerry: "Well, he's our first suspect."
Eliza: "You're kidding. Him?"
Jerry: "Think about it. We found a scrap of Shadowskin at the scene of the crime, which is a material most commonly employed by stage magicians for its unique property-"
Eliza: "Yeah, and it's often used by master criminals to sneak around and steal stuff, a lot like what //actually// happened to Dianne!"
Jerry: "Please let me finish. Dianne said the culprit appeared to be wearing a blue suit with gold stripes. Doesn't that sound-"
Eliza: "Yeah, but..."
Jerry: "On top of that, Dianne said they were able to cut through swords and armor without much resistance. Now, that sounds a lot like one of those enchanted blades magicians use to me. Given the evidence, I speculate one of two things has happened: A, Oliver Morrow has gone mad and stole that curse to either end Sargon or everyone and everything, or B, someone broke into his house after the attack and is using his stuff to commit crimes."
{Eliza just looks down with a sad expression on her face. She was clearly a fan and doesn't like the thought of her idol being dead or having gone mad.}
Jerry: "Well, no use in wasting time."
{Jerry goes to open the gate, which he finds to be unlocked.}

{Snarling, more annoyed than in pain, the Inspector swings his tail up and over himself, aiming to smack Crowley off.}

(Aggron)

'Armin shrugged. 'I don't live under a rock. I MIGHT have heard his name before, now that you mention it. But I don't keep up with magicians.' He listened in silence to Jerry's explanation, then, after a small concerned glance at Eliza, followed him through the gate.

'Is it a good idea to just walk into his house?' Armin asked. 'I mean, if this guy HAS gone insane, he might try to kill us or something.'

(Aggron)

Crowley allowed the tail smack to land, cracking his ribs and a few small wing bones, but didn't let go. He'd sunk his hooked talons deep into the frost dragon's scales, using them like grappling-hooks to stay secure. 'Being smaller is an advantage!' he yelled tauntingly, blasting a weak jet of fire over the dragon's head.

{Jerry squints at the house.} "We'll just have to be careful. Stopping that curse is the only thing that matters." {Walking up to the front door, Jerry tries it. Seeing that it's locked, Jerry doesn't hesitate to kick it in.} "There we go. Oh....This can't be good..." {The room had its windows blacked out, but there was the distinct scent of blood. Turning on a flashlight, Jerry shines it around to find a massive circle of runes carved into the floor; a circle of runes with Dark Brink's symbol in the center, drawn in blood.} "Definitely not good..."

{Roaring now, the Inspector slams his head, and Crowley with it, into the nearest wall, trying to crush him with it.}

@Draco/Aggron
Keenan almost curls himself inwards, one arm guarding his face while the other goes across his stomach, one knee rising up to do the same. It's obvious that he's never come across a martial artist before, let alone fought one, but that doesn't stop him from protecting himself. One punch catches him in his injured shoulder as he moves his head away from it, letting out a low hiss of pain. The lion shifter waits for an opening then goes for an underhand punch to the goon's gut, hoping to take them out momentarily.

With Toby safely out, Ango then grabs Jed and carries him out too, ushering Thorn to get out afterwards, keeping a careful eye on the goons.

@Radiant
//Good. Then if you are ready...//
His form swirls into a black, dense mist, curling and searching with wispy tendrils.
//Then we shall begin.//
The tendrils reach out for her, slowly approaching as Dark Brink chants it's song of old.
//You have asked and you shall recieve. You have followed correctly and done my deed. With their deaths to be so swift and your soul already so dark, you are worthy enough to bare my mark.//
And with that, the tendrils strike, piercing her being but doing no harm, an uncomfortable feeling sure to rise.

{The goon grabs Keenan by his striking arm and throws him into the wall. At this point, the other goon Keenan punched starts to get up again.} "Hey! Tha hooman's gettin away!" {The goon that was down starts aggressively approaching Ango.}

(Aggron)

Armin hesitated at the scent of blood, then walked over and examined the circle on the floor. 'Hey... that's Dark Brink's circle. Like what you drew when you summoned him that time, except I don't think this one's drawn in crayon.' He glanced around the rest of the house. //What's that guy been up to that he needs Brink for?//

(Aggron)

Crowley swore loudly just before he got crushed into the wall. A moment later, he teleported away again, this time landing on the sidewalk about twenty feet away. He was bleeding in multiple places and had several broken bones, but still mustered a nasty grin. 'So, what're you gonna do, big guy?' he taunted. 'You can't kill me. Not with my awesome powers.'

(King)

She flinched when the dark tendrils struck, but stayed standing where she was and waited for Brink to be done. Mostly though, she was too caught up in thoughts of Sargon to notice anything else. //Wait till he sees what I'm capable of now!//

(Sorry to interupt, you can delete this after you read but re: Hm very interesting idea! I think I could use that -w-)

{Licking Crowley's blood off his muzzle, the Inspector approaches Crowley aggressively.} "Oh really? Let's not forget, this is a duel to the death. Only one of us leaves alive." {Snarling, the Inspector lunges at Crowley, claws outstretched.}

Old Man Garvey:"You did wha-?
Jerry: "//Light// Brink, I summoned Light Brink, Armin! Their symbols are drastically different!"
{Amidst the conversation, Eliza inspects the mark.}
Eliza: "This is bad. Dark Brink feeds off of negative emotions and misery, and that's all that curse is composed of. If that curse is released and is allowed to spread, his power might grow to an unsafely high amount.
Jerry: "Makes sense why he'd want it, but how would he have known where it was?"

(Aggron)

Crowley jumped sideways, using his greater speed to dodge the lunge. Then, as the frost dragon passed him, he whipped around and struck out with his front claws, managing to score a row of thin wounds on the side of his neck. 'If anyone dies here, it's gonna be you!' he snarled.

(Aggron)

'Well, you can't expect me to remember everything,' said Armin, shrugging nonchalantly. Then he paused to think over what Jerry had said. 'Maybe someone else knew Dianne had it, and they told this magician guy. Or maybe he had spies searching for it.'

{Not answering Crowley, the Inspector followed up his failed lunge by swinging his massive tail to hit Crowley.}

{Jerry takes moment to think.} "I think the only way to find out is to ask Brink himself." {As he was talking, Old Man Jerry took a look into the next few rooms.}
Old Man Garvey: "Jerry! You might want to see this."
{Running into the next room, Jerry is met with a strange sight. There were obvious signs of a struggle, with large bloodstains on the floor, and the corpses of two nonhumans. One was a vampire who was impaled through the heart by a broken off wooden chair leg and a wolf shifter in wolf form with its head nearly severed. The axe responsible for its haphazard execution was lying nearby. Furthermore, there was a trail of blood leading from that room to the backyard.}
Jerry: "Oh my God. What happened here?"

(Aggron)

Crowley was too busy attacking to notice the tail coming towards him. It hit him in the side, sending him flying backwards. With an unpleasant noise, he smacked into the wall of the orphanage and slid down to the ground.

'Urrrgh...' he grumbled, climbing to his feet and swaying. He'd fractured more of his wing bones and probably had a concussion. He tilted his head and squinted, trying to focus on his opponent.

(Aggron)

Armin nudged the dead werewolf with his boot, his expression unreadable. 'That's what I was thinking.' Without another word, he followed the trail of blood through to the backyard to see where it ended.

(*dark brink emerging from the shadows* heard someone was talking sTUFF ABOUT ME >:((((((
And ah yes you only summoned light brink jerry ah yes totally)

@Radiant
A prickling, burning feeling would soon become apparent as the tendrils writhe gently, along with a feeling of growing power. The mist seems to almost pulsate as Dark Brink continues his rhyming chant.
//With my mark forever on your skin, your greater powers shall awaken from deep within. Your heart shall never be too tender or mild, for you are now Dark Brink's child.//
After this, the tendrils slowly pull away and the mist forms back into it's familiar feline form, grin twisting gruesomely.
//When you go back to the Tower, choose two of those traitors and kill them, in any way you please.//
With that leaving message, he departs, swirling himself into nothingness.

(King)

Ana frowned a little, not too pleased by the idea of Dark Brink forever owning her in some small way, but she said nothing. As she gazed at the spot where Brink had disappeared, she felt a familiar evil smile creeping up her face.

//I know EXACTLY how I'm going to kill those people...//

She made her way back to the tower and hurried into the room where the four traitors were being kept. She pointed a finger first at Ryker the werewolf, and then at Forrest the necromancer. 'You two. Outside. Now. Follow me,' she said shortly, then turned to walk out.

{The Inspector grinned at Crowley's poor state.}"I have you now!" {The Inspector lunges at Crowley once again, with the intention of ripping him asunder.}

{The trail of blood led out the back door about 30 feet. At the end of it were two fresh earthen graves, each marked by a granite boulder. Carved into the boulders were the names Mary and Madeline Morrow, along with their birthdates followed by the date of the attack. Eliza covers her mouth and looks as if she might start crying}
Eliza: "Oh no..."
Jerry: "'Here lie Mary and Madeline Morrow. Beloved wife and daughter.' Son of a-" {Jerry takes off his hat and rubs his face.}
Jerry: "That bastard couldn't even be bothered to spare the women and children."
Old Man Garvey: "They will know peace, son. This crime will not go unpunished."
{On Mary's mound, glinting slightly, was a ring, left as a sort of offering to her.}

(Aggron)

Crowley continued swaying unsteadily until the Inspector was almost on top of him. Then, at the last possible moment, he threw himself on top of the frost dragon's head and slashed one of his eyes with his claws. Then he fell to the ground, so dazed that he forgot to teleport. 'Woooah. Everything's mooooving.'

(Aggron)

Armin was staring down at the two graves, his face still unreadable. //I almost feel sorry for him now, if Sargon really did kill his family,// he thought. Unbidden, a memory of his own long-dead family rose into his mind. //Janet, Fred, Juliet... I promise I'll destroy that bastard and avenge you. It might not bring you back, but it'll lay you to rest.// He gently touched one of the gravestones and then turned away.

'What now?' he asked.

{Roaring in pain, the Inspector clutches his damaged eye.} "Augh! You bast.ard!" {Taking advantage of Crowley's misstep, he bites him and picks him up in his mouth, crushing Crowley between two powerful, jagged jaws.}

(Aggron)

Crowley yelped more in surprise than pain. A second later, he teleported out from between the frost dragon's jaws, reappearing on top of the orphanage roof. He was out of breath and badly injured. Even though he was reckless, a part of him knew he wouldn't survive if he kept fighting. So, taking comfort from the knowledge that he'd possibly damaged his opponent's eye beyond repair, he spread his wings and flew away without a word.

"Now, we have to find Oliver. If he has the curse, We need to get it from him. Problem is, he could be anywhere." {Jerry said while putting his hat back on. Eliza was too upset by everything going on to say anything}
Old Man Garvey: "How do you propose we go about doing that?"
Jerry: "Oliver is a millionaire. He owns properties across Shacklestone. I say we go to city hall's property records and find out exactly what he owns. Odds are he might be hiding in one of those. In my opinion, it's better if we confront him instead of Dark Brink himself, as we're not equipped to deal with spirits and the like. Oh, and above all else, do //not// tell Dianne that Dark Brink was involved until after we retrieve it. If she starts fighting with him, there might not be much of a city left after they're finished."

(Aggron)

Armin, rather like Eliza, was staying silent, though in his case it was because he was too preoccupied with thoughts of the past. He wandered back into Oliver's house to the room with the dead vampire and werewolf, barely listening to what Jerry was talking about.

{The Inspector's jaws snap shut without Crowley between them. Turning to see Crowley flying away, he shouts, enraged at Crowley's lack of honor.} "Coward! This duel isn't over yet!" {He made to pursue him, but his men stopped him.}
"Inspector! That's enough, you've won! Do not waste any more energy on that honorless degenerate. We will finish him off." {Breathing heavily from agitation, the Inspector turns back to human form and leaves to get his eye attended to. A group of dragonshifters, however, depart to pursue Crowley.}

"Armin!" {Jerry calls out.} "Did you hear? We're moving out."
{Noticing Armin's distant look, he gives a concerned look.}
"Hey. You ok?"

(Aggron)

Crowley glanced over his shoulder, swearing loudly when he saw the other dragons giving chase. 'Wow, that moron is really willing to waste his soldiers on one guy?' He thought about doubling back to fight them, but decided he didn't want to spend any more energy on them. 'They can fly 'till they're exhausted for all I care,' he said with a grin, and increased his speed, flapping over the city like a crow.

(Aggron)

Looking surprised, Armin came back to reality. 'Oh, nothing. I was just remembering that this guy isn't the only one who's lost his whole family because of Sargon.' He gave a bitter chuckle and gestured back towards the graves. 'He didn't actually kill MY family, but he threatened to. He said that if I didn't work for him, he'd wipe them all out. And I couldn't see them again - it would've put them at risk. They all died of old age long ago, and I wasn't there.'

(No one will know the laugh of genuine glee and slight satan-ness I had at reading Jerry telling the others to not tell Dianne about Dark Brink and initiating a fight with him)
(Also I'm holding on the doggo squad so Draco has a chance to join in ;w;)

@Radiant
As soon as she enters the room, all four of them look up at her. Slowly, Ryker raises from his laid position on the couch, gently patting Forrest on the shoulder to get him up stand up quickly too. The young lads quickly follow after, terrified into silence, though they didn't show it. Ryker wondered if they were lucky, being the first ones to die or not. Forrest wonders if he could try to make a run for it, find Diras and get the h.ell out of dodge.

{The shifters pursuing Crowley speed up as well, but only a handful of them can keep up with his speed.}

{Jerry nods in understanding.} "This is why we need to stop him. As long as he lives, the innocent suffer, and are bent to his will through despicable means. The sooner we can stop that curse, the sooner we can get back to killing Sargon. We'll leave whenever you're ready."

(Also psst hey Aggron I put a question up in the chatroom about planning future things if you'd want to take a look ;w;)

(King)

'Hurry up!' Ana ordered them, leading the two youths towards the front door of the building. 'And if you try to escape, well... you won't succeed. Come on, we're going to Merchant's Square. You know, that big town square a couple of streets from here?'

Clearly excited, she pushed open the front door and led them outside.

(Aggron)

Crowley grinned when he noticed that most of the shifters had fallen back slightly, unable to keep up with him. 'Suckers!' he yelled into the cold air. 'You should get more exercise and quit eating McDonald's every day!' He flew on, continuing to taunt the other dragons with various creative insults.

(Aggron)

Armin threw a final glance over his shoulder at the graves and the trail of gore that led to them. '...Alright, let's go,' he said after a while. 'There's no point in standing around when we have things to do.'

//If we ever manage to stake that monster... what will I do then? I don't have anything to do with my life besides avenge them.//