[Freezair]

Tobias held up his paw. "If we can send word back as scouts, I can probably help. You know what they say about smoke and fire. And if I can get people thinkin' there's a fire, well--maybe that'll help." Tobias twitched his nose."At the very least, I can conceal us, and I can conjure up an illusion or two. I ain't got nothin' on ol' Double V here--don't even know what you can do,"he said, pointing the not-so-business-end of his wand at Valor. "But maybe I can be of some assistance."

"Do send word back," Nara said nervously.

Fitz's needles shuddered. "I'm with the sound of her voice. Seems a bit sketchy. But if you folks can find a way to get word back, then I'll put my faith in you. We ready otherwise?"

"Ready as I'll ever be," Adam sighed.

"Ready."

"Ready."

[endermage]

"Let's go Tobias," said Valor, as they moved towards the compound, "I need you to conceal us for as long as possible and then we can blow some stuff up. Let's move out!"

DV looked frustrated and ready to let out some steam.

Karin, Photion, and Maxwell sat patiently for everyone starts to move out.

[173],[173],[90]

[Freezair]

"Here goes nothing," Tobias said. He waved his wand over the three of them. Then, thinking it might be smart, he cast the same spell over the others as well. A strange, silvery sort of spell-net fell over them. They didn't go invisible--not quite. Instead, they blended into the background in a camoflague fashion.

"We probably shouldn't slink around in the open," he said. "But we should be safe if we stick to the shadows. Now, c'mon. We got distractin' to do."

The illusory Nara agreed. "Indeed. Fitz, Karin--let's go." She lead them around the side. Fitz got behind her carefully, while Adam trailed them. He held his head up high, and his nose twitched. He was in one of those rare moods where he actually looked smart and with it.

"Tell us where to go, if you please, Karin," Fitz asked. His twiddly hands whirred up the spell circles he'd been sent to work with while they moved.

[205, 175, 155, 10]

[endermage]

Karin's eyes glowed as she accessed the hijacked blue prints. "For the spell circles to have full effect, one needs to be placed on each of the cardinal points in the laboratory. The first one can be placed down the next corridor, and then taking the third door on the right. "

Maxwell and Photion kept a lookout for guards, although it would be unlikely that they would be spotted in the camouflage.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Valor and D. V. easily moved through the underbrush on the south side of the lab. When they arrived at a place that looked right, D. V. was the one who started. A giant green vine smashed through the south wall, working it's way into the building.


[174],[174],[91]

[Freezair]

"Easy as pumpkin pie," Fitz responded. Nara and Adam moved in closer to him as they took down the hallway. As Karin commanded, he took out the circle and stuck in the correct place. With Karin nearby, he got the sense he could "feel" the correct place. He knew when he was standing in the right area. Carefully, he applied the circle to the ground, checking the runes carefully.

"Hurry," Nara hushed. "I think I hear footsteps! They could be far, but I don't want to check!"

"I think I hear 'em too," Adam corroborated. "Mush!"

"Done!" Fitz said. "We don't have to go that way next, do we, Karin? We might have to deal with trouble..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tobias looked up at the vine dryly. "You know, we're already destroying the building from the inside..."

[endermage]

"So." said DV, coldly,"What does it matter if I smash it up then?"

"Ummm... Our friends are still inside. Stop. Now. Anyway, here comes a small army to kill us." said Valor, smiling a bit.

"You ready for some fun Tobias?" said Valor.

At least 25 armed guards, most with heavy armor, appeared out of the south exit.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Karin's eyes glowed again,"We just need to head down the next hallway, turn right and then head as far south as possible."
Photion and Maxwell took the end of the line, preparing for an attack from behind.


[175],[175],[92]

[Freezair]

"Oh, fun," Tobias sighed. He pulled his wand. It felt lighter and more alive than usual. The tip quivered in anticipation. He sniffed, and the spell mingled evergreen and smoke. The smoke was not surprising. The evergreen told him enough.

"Fitz, you old Tali, you..."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nara moved closer to the ground, slinking along. Suddenly, she felt a twinge in her temple. "What the...?" Dread filled her.

"I think Tobias is sendin' us a message," Fitz said. "Guards. And a lot of 'em. Your call, folks. Stay here, or forge on?"

Adam's ears swivled. "I hear people coming. Definitely. We should hide--fighting's not in our best interest right now."

[207, 177, 157, 12]

[endermage]

Photion looked at Maxwell,"You gonna do something?" he said coldly.

"Yes, yes. Of course." said Maxwell. He placed his hand on the wall and the metal distorted and closed the path they had come from. A new wall was separating them from the oncoming guards. "That should buy us a little time.

----------------------------------------------

DV raised his arms and vines grappled with two of the attacking guards pinning them to the ground. The smoke was thick, but he could use his other senses to locate and pin those enemies.

A small light shined in the smoke,"Crystal Weapon - Odin Configuration. 40% Initiate!" Valor cried and the force of his summoning pushed away some of the smoke around him. Several guards approached him only to get a lance upside the head.

[176],[176],[93]

[Freezair]

"Hiya! Forst Burst! Uh, I mean Force Burst!" A wave of pressurized air trumpeted out of Tobias' want, howling gloomily. It drilled into the guards. Several were knocked down, ready for one of the others to strike them. One, who stood in the center, got hit with a blast so strong that it dented his armor. He lay knocked-out on the ground.

"DV! Wrap him up!" Tobias said.  

*~*~*~*~*~*

They ducked down the extra corridor, hiding behind Maxwell's new wall. The space was tight, and smelled a bit too strongly of over-exherted Lucain and pine-scented air freshener.

"You might wanna plug your ears, everyone," Fitz hissed. "I planted 'em a little present out there, and if it hurts your ears, I'm sorry!"

Nara and Adam immediately ducked. They put their paws soundly against their heads. Outside, the shockwave of a small, concussive blast radiated. They heard voices yelping. It was a bit like a firecracker--the intent wasn't to damage, but to daze and knock out.

"I always come prepared!" Fitz whispered.

[208, 178, 158, 13]

[endermage]

DV did as commanded, the guards would awake hours later still wrapped in ivy dressings. "There are a lot of guards for a laboratory..." he said as he pinned an additional two guards.

"It's not just any laboratory," said Valor,"It's a weapons testing facility. And...unfortunately I think we are gonna be target practice."

A group of men were gathered at the south door, operating a giant mechanical cannon of some kind.

"Don't let them get that thing ready to fire!" said Valor, extending the spear to take out another guard.

------------------------------------------------------
"Shall we go." said Maxwell,"Karin, lead the way."

"This way," she gestured with one of her claws,"We need to get out of here soon."

[177],[177],[94]

[Freezair]

"Oh geez! Oh geez oh geez oh geez!" Tobias waved his wand in a state of mild panic. Twisting force bursts spun around and away from it. He was trying to disable the cannon's mechanisms by twisting or undoing the wires and mechanical bits. If there was physical ammo inside, he hoped he could damage either it or its sabot enough to make it fly improperly. Whether or not he hit, however, seemed to be up to fate.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The pathway the others went down did not seem as crowded. But in that separated side bit, they heard klaxons start to blare. An alarm resonated deep in the cement and support bars.

"Rats," Fitz said. "I was hoping we could avoid all this. Everyone knows something's here now." Fitz held up the next spell circle. "Please lead the way, Miss Karin. How close we edgin'?"

"Close, I hope," Nara said.

"A-ha!" Adam leapt. "Look! Over there!" He pointed with his paw to a line of crates stacked against the ceiling. There was a small space between them and the wall that, while small, was still wide enough for Karin to move. If somewhat crampedly.

"Good eye," Nara said. She ducked behind them too. \

[209, 179, 159, 14]

[endermage]

The cannon began to glow, it wasn't using physical ammo but was some kind of laser cannon. The damage that the Megi had done and disrupted the cannon's ability to regulate energy and the cannon exploded sending a shockwave that went for almost 100 yards.

Valor tried to pick himself up off the ground only to slip and fall, the cannon wave had done considerable damage to him for some odd reason.

DV had switched back to Weber. He wasn't looking so hot either.  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Place the marker!" said Karin urgently,"This is taking too long, Valor is powerful, but there are a lot of variables we couldn't account for....and I have a bad feeling."

[178],[178],[95]

[Freezair]

The blast knocked Tobias to his feet. He knew what backfire looked like, but he hadn't expected anything so sharp! His ears rang (quite a serious affliction when they're bigger than the head they're attached to) and his jjoints felt like jelly. "Sweet Pixi Stix, that was awful!"He staggered to his feet, already feeling the bruises all over his back. "Can the rest of you guys still stand? I think there's still some coming!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"I trust your bad feelings," Fitz replied. He placed the spell circle and carefully adjusted it. Both Nara and Adam stood guard, ears and tails twitching.

"I don't hear anything yet," Adam said.

Nara broke off to look ahead. Nothing yet. But Karin was right--something did seem wrong.

"Done," Fitz whispered.

"Good," Nara said. "Let's move on. Something is very wrong here..."

[endermage]

Valor was no longer wielding one of his crystal powers, it must have been dismantled  in the explosion, and things were looking grim indeed. His clothes were shambles, Weber was unconscious on the ground, and there were more agents leaking out of the building like angry white blood cells.

"Well, I hope they are close to done...cause this is bad." said Valor, "My body is still shaking. I'm way out of practice. Tobias....I need you to give me cover long enough to summon another crystal weapon."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karin looked at the blueprints once more, "Only one location left. But as a warning, I can't sense Valor's full energy anymore....it's dropped to very low levels. We need to get this one done as quickly as possible. Down two hall ways, left turn."

"I feel...." said Photion with a snarly tone, "We were completely unprepared for this...."

"Later...we will discuss that later. Survive now. Finish mission now. Complain later." said Maxwell shaking his head.



[179],[179],[96]

[Freezair]

Tobias looked at Valor with a frown. "That. That... lighter-empty sound. Is that a good sound?" He didn't wait for a reply before bending over Weber. "Ohhh crap. This isn't looking good. I hope the others finish up soon."Tobias poked at one of Weber's paws, wondering if he would reply. He held out his wand too, with a trembling paw. If he went down, it would be fighting.

*~*~*~*~*~*

Nara dashed down the hall with her nails clacking on the tile. Adam followed with a heaving chest. Fitz trailed after them, with every step sounding like a woodblock.

"There's the spot," he said, pointing ahead. "No one's around."

"No," Nara agreed. "This feels too easy."

"Take too easy if you can get it!" Adam pleaded. Fitz knelt very quickly, and set up the spell circle with a series of quick hand strokes.

Nara looked up and down the deserted hall. "...I think they're watching us now," she posited. "I think they want to know what we're going to do next..."

[211, 181, 161, 16]