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Illyana isn't entirely sure that Xavier would be okay with her bonfire in the back yard, but really, she's long found that it's easier to ask forgiveness than permission. When you ask for permission, people can say 'no', and then if you go ahead and do what you want anyway, you're the jerk. If you do what you want, and then apologize if somebody gets mad, you just didn't know any better. So much easier to say you're sorry and sound like you mean it than to get away with something when you've already been refused.
'White Magik' — the Illyana who never got stuck in Limbo long term — is on hand. She is as sweet and innocent as her twin is snarky and mischievous. And so she doesn't realize that there's any chance Xavier would have refused the bonfire. She simply sits on the bench near the barrel where Illyana's splashing lighter fuel on heaps of sticks. She's humming to herself quietly: 'Ne slishnii v sadu, dazhe sharokhi…' but aimlessly. Her voice, it might be noted, is far better than Illyana's; Illyana frequently states that she can't carry a tune in a bucket. Just another way the pair are different.
So it's a party — friends of the Illyanas have been invited to hang out in the cold weather, gathered around the flaming barrel. Just a bunch of old classmates and the like hanging out, enjoying the outdoors before they find themselves confined to the mansion for the winter, unless they feel likd donning parkas, hats and gloves.
Bobby would be approaching the yanas, enjoying the cool breeze that now arrives….ironically, he prefers the winter as to the summer. Regardless, after dealing with some minor things with his company and securing a new trade agreement between his company and a much smaller ones he's trying to absorb, Good ole 'berto needs time to rest his brain…thus does he end up realizing that he's happy to be able to attend these things.
He wears a jean jacket with a brown beanie to keep his messy hair in check, a dark blue T-shirt, black jeans, and tenneshoes. and when he sees the Yana's, he offers a little wave "Heya!"
Doug has brought a thermos of hot chocolate and a few cups — he shares it around, and then rubs his hands together, where he's sitting, before he holds his up to his lips. He looks up at White Magik and smiles, brightly. "Hi. I'm sorry we haven't gotten to talk yet — I've been working a lot. I'm Doug — it's nice to meet you. I hope you've been settling in well?"
The air is brisk. Some might say 'refreshing', but those would be crazy people who live in the mountains. Oh, look, Danielle's arriving. That's her, on the large white stallion. Descending from the air on large white wings. As hooves touch back to solid ground again, those wings tuck smoothly back and the horse slows to a comfortable canter before stopping a few dozen yards away from the gathering. And the barrel o' fire.
Danielle flips the hood of her light coat back as she slides off her mount's back, giving him a fond slap on the neck. Brightwind whickers, then turns to meander off to investigate some of the tastier looking parts of the garden. As for Dani, she tromps the rest of the way towards the others, raising a gloved hand in greeting. "Heya."
At the moment, Lock is in manmode, and doesn't look too very odd and is not drawing a whole lot of attention to himself. He wanders in after Doug, and… has a pack of batteries with him. He looks to be a tall, dark skined bald guy of indeterminate ethnicity. After Doug introduces himself to Illyana, he bobs his head with some eagerness, and adds with a grin, "Greetings! Self …" Pause, "…I am designated Warlock." He's trying ever so hard 'blend in mode', but he's not very good at it yet.
Julie is hanging out by the fire, for the moment, warming her hands and arranging something to keep a pot of coffee warm.
"Da, Douglas, Warlock," the 'Yana in a white sweater and woolen skirt says, smiling at the blond man. "I know. I am not from this timeline, but I know you." She's younger than her greyish counterpart by a few years — a result of growing up here on Earth, rather than in Limbo. She pats the bench beside her, inviting them to join her. Something it's unlikely that the Illyana they know would ever do explicitly.
"Hey, 'Berto," said this-world Illyana calls back to her Brazilian once classmate. "Dani! Good to see you guys!" She pauses a moment to snatch a cup of cocoa from Doug, takes a sip, then tops it off from a bottle she's got by the barrel — bright green, though that's hard to tell by the light of the fire. She offers it to her double, who looks aghast, sipping her own cocoa straight, so Illyana offers the bottle to Doug in turn. Creme de Menthe.
Of course, if it's an X-people party, things have to go wrong, right? It's a rule. So really, nobody should be surprised when a husky voice from the shadows says, "How utterly -cute.-" The figure can't really be seen back there — she's dressed in black, and while some might be able to make out a pale face, that's about all that can be ascertained with normal vision until she comes closer.
Roberto would smile to the Yana he knows, then looks to her clone apparently…still having trouble wrapping his mind around that it seems. Regardless! He walks up to their Yana and gives her a side little hug. "Good to see you too Yana. I take it this is who you were talking about?" he looks to White Magik, humming a bit then, then he sees Douglas
"Yo doug. Who ya got with ya?" he asks curiously, not having met Warlock yet.
"Oh this is… uh." Doug says, "Warlock." His grin is slow, and it creeps across his face. "He's a space alien. No kidding. Did I not tell you about the space alien I met in Europe? Must've slipped my mind… now I'm wondering what the me you knew was like, Illyana." He clasps hands with Warlock before he graciously accepts a dollop of minty liqueur into his cup and sips it, before he raises his eyebrows, and then says, "Ah… huh. …Hello?"
Danielle saunters up a bit, finding a comfortable spot near-but-not-too-near the fire to warm herself a bit. She tugs her gloves off, and stuffs them into the back pocket of her jeans, and gives the Other Yana a long, thoughtful look. "Appreciate the invite," she replies with a half-grin towards This Yana, before getting even more distracted by this.. Warlock.. person? "Hunh.. I.." Whatever she might ask is interrupted by the interrupting voice, and without even really knowing that she's doing it, she sidles smoothly around to position herself a bit more between the newcomer and the others. "Care to step into the light where we can see you? Halloween's over, remember?"
Warlock blinks slowly at Illyana, "You are from a different temporal continuum? It is possible to change temporal axis? The science of the Technarchy does not include this possibility!" he seems quite interested in this new facet of reality to be explored. He grins at Doug, "Self-friend Doug taught self to speak english, after he learned Technarch." He nods to Roberto, "Greetings! SElf-friend speaks the truth. I am a space alien. I am not a Mexican alien." He blinks over towards the direction of the new voice, "Inquisitive. Greetings?"
Julie peeks up from where she is by the fire, the unfamiliar voice drawing her attention, a little, and gives a little wave to new arrivals. Looks back kind of curiously.
Both Illyanas' heads snap toward the voice in the darkness. It's not quite either of their voices. There's barely a trace of Russian accent to it, almost completely American. But they know it all the same. "Ah, dyer'mo," the native Illyana mutters under her breath. White Magik lightly kicks her in the shin in rebuke, but stares into the dark at the unresolved figure.
"I suppose I could manage that," the husky female voice replies. A light flashes in front of her, giving an impression of black hair and pale skin for a moment as the woman lights a cigarette. The match is tossed into the blazing barrel, and then she steps forward.
And certainly the Illyanas aren't surprised. Maybe some of the others are, but with a White Magik around, wasn't it just a matter of time? The woman is dressed in black leather and denim — motorcycle jacket and boots, jeans that still blend into the darkness even though her face is visible. Her hair is straight as an arrow, her bangs hanging low on her forehead, dyed as black as her clothing.
Somewhere nearby a radio turns on. Frank Sinatra singing 'That Old Black Magic'. Is it coincidence, or did one of the three witches on hand do it? The world may never know.
"You know she doesn't belong here," the new Illyana says, her eyes fixed on Grey-Yana as her chin flicks toward White. "Give her to me. I'll go. And leave you and your friends in peace."
Kitty finds a comfortable spot to settle. It's nice to see familiar faces again. She's not sure if the seeing double on some is a pleasant diversion or something to be very worried about just yet. So far she will go with pleasant.
Roberto would turn his head to the strange voice in the darkness, moving more towards the fire. and him being one of the more combat-prevalent members of this particular gathering, he moves in a way that puts some of the others behind him…minus the magic-ey Yanas. He takes a deep breath. "Right….and who are you supposed to be?" He asks curiously.
But then again he was always protective of his friends…especially since this chick kinda popped out of knowhere….always a bad sign when that happens right?
"Uh-huh." Doug says. "Well, this is something I didn't really expect to ever see. But. Uh." He stands up. "Da. Hi. Doug Ramsey, dunno if we've met, but I'm guessing probably, and I bet it didn't end well?" He holds up his hands, and says, "Listen. Why don't you have a cup of hot chocolate with us and we'll talk this out like we're rational adults and not at all like people who're going to start throwing fireballs— I mean, not that you WOULD… I…" He rubs hte back of his neck. "You know what I mean, right?"
Ah, diplomacy. Hey, crazier things have happened. Danielle shoots Roberto a quiet glance, nodding slightly at his positioning and all. She sidles a bit more, trying to stay within yanking reach of Doug, just in case. "I believe we have yet another Illyana. A few more and they'll have to visit Ed Sullivan, sing some tunes…" Sure, she sounds amused, but her eyes are steady on this newest 'Yana.
Warlock looks between Illyana and… other Illyana's, and he furrows his brow. "Is Illyana a multiform?" he inquires of Doug, voice dropping into a whisper, before he slips his hands into his pockets. "Self can take this form too if it is fashionable? Self is not entirely clear on fashion at present." He pauses to consider a moment, "Or, is this an Illyana from yet _another_ temporal continuity?"
Julie smirks to Doug, also moving a bit more toward the others, perhaps protectively, generally, or just keeping a clear line of sight, then eyeing the newcomer. The attire doesn't speak necessarily of 'bad guy' to Diz, but perhaps the vague threat does. Points to Doug's idea approvingly. "Yeah, how's about we have a nice little talk so's we can see how your story adds up. " She rather likes the cheerier Illy, really, and isn't in a particular hurry to see her go, especially not to the wrong place. And adds to Warlock, "Ah, probably the last one, by the sound of it."
The woman in black turns her blue eyes first on Roberto, then Doug. "I'm Illyana Rasputin," she tells the former. "Though I'm sure -she-…" This time her chin jerks toward the native Illyana. "… would call me 'Black Magik', or something just as stupid. And Doug, Douglas, Dougie my Darling, we have -always- gotten along -quite- well." She grins. "From my point of view, at any rate."
"You don't belong here any more than she does," hisses Illyana — the native one, herefore referred to simply as Yana. "Less. She is a good person. She means no harm to anybody. You have no soul — I can feel it as acutely as I can feel the two fifths of my own that remain. Get away, suka, or it will not go well for you." White Magik seems to shrink behind her, wary, scared — but most sane people would be afraid of Black Magik.
"Sister," says Black Magik mildly. "I am not about to disagree with you. I don't belong here. But I -am- here. And unlike here, I'm not going to go down without a fight. Besides, I may have no soul, but I have something you don't. Something that will allow me to run rampant over you and your little class reunion."
Illyana raises one fine blonde eyebrow. "And what's that?" she says with possibly more bravado than she feels.
Around the yard flames flicker into life. In the firelight shadows can be seen moving about, growing closer to the mutants by the bonfire. When they grow close enough, the shadows resolve into ranks upon ranks of demons.
"An army," says Black Magik, an evil smile curling her lips.
Roberto just rubs his temple, looking at the native Yana to this world. "By the almighty Yana HOW MANY OF YOU ARE THERE." he says almost comedically, before he notices the shadows moving about, turning immediately, his arms instantly ignite in flame as a result of his mutant powers.
"Okay lady, you picked a bad day to pick a fight." he snarls.
Kitty turns in the direction of the new voice and watches in fascination as anther Illyana appears. This is seeming like a less pleasant surprise. And she has a sinking suspicion that the night is about to get a lot less pleasant. She moves to try and position herself near the Illyana-in-white, if things really were about to go south she wasn't sure how the seemingly sweet girl woud handle it. As it appears the negotions have failed, she reaches for the Illyana-in-whites hand. "Just stay close to me and I won't let them touch you."
"Yana, you realize that if I get killed tonight, /you/ get to explain to Amanda," Dani muses over her shoulder, then unzips her light coat and shrugs it off. Her sleeveless top is not exactly right for the brisk air, but it's a lot easier to move in, and a lot easier to replace than that nice coat. She lifts her chin and lets out a sharp whistle into the night. "You'll excuse me if I skip the usual bravado and banter, I hope. It's just been such a long time since he's been able to cut loose."
The 'he' she refers to is that very large winged stallion she rode in on. Warsteed of the Valkyrior. He's the big white blur charging like a bulldozer through the shadowy demons, cutting his own path to his mistress' side.
"Uh-huh. Okay…" Doug says. He espies the demons, and then he looks up at Warlock, and says, "This is really just like the old days, honest." Then he pauses, and reaches out to step forward, and he says, "Okay, so you brought an army of demons. Listen. We get it. You're terrifying…" He approaches, with his hands up, "But this doesn't have to WARLOCK FLY HER TO THE HOUSE AND WARN THE OTHERS, DO IT NOW—"
Demons? Warlock is a little confused by this strange category of life, but then he hears Douglas, and immediately he's transforming. Its something of a blur, as he folds in on himself and bends and twists into what looks vaguely like an Iron Man suit. Not quite: black and chrome and brass, and it has dreadlock tendrils from its head, but still. Ironlock moves for White Magic, "Greetings White Illyana, self will provide safe transportation now!" It opens up and kind of…bends its structure around her, though it doesn't cover her head, "Do not fear! Self will not allow harm to come to you!" But there's rockets in his feet, so he blasts off towards the mansion once he has her secure.
Julie hrms, then, glancing at the demons and the shadows, reaching into a pocket for something, …a coil of cable that proves to be a set of bolas, capped by some sorts of old engine bushings. She quips, "Guess we shoulda brought more hot cocoa," and starts slowly spinning the things, in almost a leisurely fashion, watching for any sudden moves.
"'Sister'," Illyana spits, "are you a total idiot?" A glance at her better third, a moment of eye contact, the slightest nod from White Magik. "I have an army of my own, and you know it. And what's more, I can send yours off to fight them as easily as I could bring my own here." She casts a hand outward, and a huge portal engulfs a dozen or more of the demons vanish into it.
Brightwind's charge across the field knocks demons out of the way, sending them toppling to his left and right, crushing them under his hooves. They'll recover. They're demons. It takes a lot to kill them. But it will be at least a few minutes before all of them are ready to fight again, and by that time still more of them will have vanished into portal after portal.
White Magik nods to Warlock - she's seen him use this method of rescue on Doug more than once. She doesn't speak to him, though — she's chanting quietly as he carts her away, and as she does, curling lines of white trace themselves over her skin, protective wards.
Illyana grins as White Magik is carted away. "Not to mention the fact that she's perfectly capable of protecting herself. Zayebis, 'sister'." Her soulsword appears in her hand, and she swings it toward Black Magik.
It's stopped by an axe. A battleaxe with a head at least three feet wide. And where Illyana's sword is a brilliant white, the color of the part of her soul that was pure when it was taken, Black Magik's is so dark that it seems to draw in the light around it, so black that the eyes want to slide past it, lest it drag the mind into Lovecraftian insanity. "What a mouth on you. You kiss your brother with that mouth?" She grins, eyes glittering in the firelight with a hint of madness. "I killed him, you know."
And while the Magiks clash, the demons that have not been banished back to Limbo close in on the others. They are more hesitant now than perhaps they were at first — Brightwind's charge and Illyana's portals have reduced their numbers — but they are not scared of most of the people here. They will fight. They will kill if they can.
Sunspot would look to the Demons, going full Sunspot and throws a straight cone of flames at the demons, attempting to burn some of them to a complete crisp, though he keeps an eye on Black Magic, he has a feeling that he definately probably doesnt stand a chance…against real magic, thus does he focus on the demons, leaving the more mystically inclined to deal with her.
Doug steps back again. He's in the middle of a fight. His backup just got put on Save the Princess patrol. By him. .oO(I'm an idiot.) "Crap. Crap crap" He looks around, and then he peels off his sweatshirt, before he wraps it around a log of firewoodand then sticks the end of the firewood in the burn barrel, igniting his shirt. "Crap!"
A Demon charges Doug, and he brains it between the eyes with the burning log, before he steps backward and falls over a stump onto his butt, kicking upward at another. "Crap! HELP!" Our hero, ladies and gentlemen.
Kitty steps away as the techno-alien engulfs white magic to spirit her away. She turns her attention instead to the horde or demons still surrounding them all. She shifts herself to a less tangible state. She lunges toward Doug as he topples back over the log. Passing through anything in her way. "I've got you!" She calls, solidifing enough to reach out to grab him. Hoping she can render them both intagible in the midst of the chaos.
Julie is pulling another set of bolas from the other pocket even as she whirls the others with a sudden 'VRRR' of almost-sound, the second one flying not far behind the first, both increasing in speed and rotation, unnaturally, concentrating on the masses of the nearest flank. She isn't gentle, so they might just start cutting through demonic ranks. "Shoulda brought the one for dinosaurs, but who does that?!"
As soon as Brightwind reaches Danielle, she grabs a long, slender bundle from the saddle. Unwrapping the poles takes just a few seconds, but while she assembles her favorite Asgardian spear (the one with the complicated tips), her horse pivots and charges into the nearest mass of demons again. With the spear solidly built again, and with only a quick glance to be sure Doug isn't already demon-chow, she lets out a war-whoop and sprints after Brightwind. Her spear is used mostly to whap demons out of her way, rather than impale, because she doesn't want to get slowed down.
When she reaches her horse, he pauses, she doesn't. With a smooth leap, Dani vaults up onto the stallion's back, quickly finding her saddle and adjusting her grip on the spear. "Go!" While the demons around the pair are reeling, Brightwind vaults into the air, climbing high before swooping down like a gigantic equine raptor. /Now/ Dani starts with the stabbings.
Setting White Magik down, Warlock unfolds from around her to his more usual look: the sort of robot man with hair-tendrils that are sticking out at every direction right now, since his alarm is up. "Excuse self, must intervene and stop conflict!" With that, he turns and … gets big. Three times larger then he was, with rockets out of his back to blast off and speed the way towards the demons, "Attention! Polite request: Cease hostilities immediately!" He settles near to Doug, staring down at the demons, but he doesn't seem inclined to _do_ anything. Not yet. "Self comes in peace! Self will ask you to return to where you are supposed to be, as self is certain it is not here. You!" He points at the demon Doug brained, "Suggestion: Do not fight! Instead, have snack of not-people!" Snack being a tiny battery held out between his fingers. Point! Point! The problem with having a super-powered space alien who is a pacifist? He's not really that good in a fight, at least not yet. "Self will not allow anyone to be harmed!"
Kitty manages to phase Doug, but the demon who was coming after him was slowing anyway. It's only when Kitty grabs him away that the creature commits to its attack — swinging for her, and looking quite annoyed that its claws pass through and leave her unscathed. The demons flamed by Sunspot burn. Those buzz-sawed by Dizzy are chopped. Those whapped by Dani are… well, whapped.
The one to which Warlock offers a battery is more confused than anything. It takes the battery and pops it into its mouth, chews a couple of times, spits it out with a look of disgust. It utters a roar and launches itself at Warlock — though it suspects he won't be very tasty.
Meanwhile, Illyana and Black Magik are hacking at each other with some skill, sword and axe clashing and clanging, and the noise is bringing faces to the windows of the mansion to watch the fight. In the mansion White Magik has thoroughly warded herself, and is starting to cast wards on the yard, and to send other demons away. One by one the creatures start to vanish.
"She's a distraction, you know," Black Magik tells Illyana.
"What?"
"I'd have taken her… but she's not the one he wants."
Sunspot would be about ready to roast another demon, he looks to Warlock as he makes his demands, even Sunsot is a little confused "right….doug told me about hat…" he mumbles underh is breath, before looking to the Yanas "You all good?" he grins faintly, before attempting to burn the demon that lunges itself at Warlock "Demons arn't friendly!"
Doug looks up at Kitty, and he grins at her. "You always had my back." He pushes himself to his feet, and then says, "Wait, if she's not the one the Wicked Witch of the West here's after, then who—"
Kitty smiles "Of course". Then she looks between Doug and Warlock, "Is he allways this weird?" she asks. She isn't really waiting for a response. She is turning her attention back to the surrounding horde. She narrows her eyes and fights down the butterflies that are running rampant in her stomach. She's not so worried for herself, she knows as long as she is phased not much is going to touch her. "Stay with me." She say to Doug before reaching her free hand to the nearest demon. She latches on to the nearest appendage, sinking all three of them into the ground before letting the demon go and rising herself and Doug out of the dirt. She is already moving to the next demon when the impact of Dougs question hits her. She turns to look at the two witches locked in battle, a frown growing on her face. "That's a really good question."
Julie reaches behind her back for another set of bolas, this one somewhat smaller, and the creamsicle-orange wrench she always carries in a back pocket. She lashes out with the former in a sort of clearing gesture, clocking an attacker with the wrench, "Now feel the bonk of mighty Knuclkebangr, or however they say that…" When that vanishes, she ohs, "Err, on planet Asgard." She shrugs and swings and spins the bolas vigorously, "That's right, turkeys, you're messing around with the wrong freakin picnic!" It seems she's decided to hold them at bay while they keep disappearing, then she looks toward Doug with a note of alarm. "Oh, nuts." She cocks back that wrench in hand, and *flings* it at Black Magik, with a VRR of whirling spin-stabilization. Then, she's knocked down by one of the demons that decided to rush her.
Again and again, Brightwind and Danielle rise and swoop, rise and swoop. With every swoop, the combination of flashing hooves and vicious spear wreak messy, messy havoc upon the army of demons. They might be hard to kill, but the intimidating swarm seems to be thinning out more and more… To the point where Dani braces herself for one more swoop… and just as her horse tramples through, she leaps off and tumbles into a crouch-landing. She rises and twirls her spear back into a fighting stance, silently challenging hesitating demons to try their luck. Brightwind returns to the earth, gleefully tramping and kicking through the creatures. Dani stays focused on dancing through her own opponents, gradually working her way back towards her friends.
"Self does not want to hurt you!" exclaims Warlock, as the demon leaps for him— only for Sunspot to save the day? Only, Warlock looks aghast at that outcome, "Cease hostilities!" he looks to Sunspot this time, reaching out with one of his huge hands to try to grab ahold of the poor demon and hold it secure, but safe. "Technarchs are not friendly, either!" he explains, "But *self* IS friendly! Everyone stop aggression!" He reaches for his other hand out— and it stretches as he reaches— to try to grab/restrain a second demon. "Self needs more hands." he notices, and so, another slides out from his armpit. His plan: get enough arms to restrain all the demons until they can be deposited in a wildlife sanctuary, there to leave out their days in peace.
"Have you ever heard of a spell-checker?" Black Magik asks.
"A what?" says Illyana, confused, parrying a blow from the axe and attempting to swing her own sword into her twin's leg.
"It's a gadget that checks spelling," explains Black Magik. "From the future. Guess you wouldn't know about it, being scared of getting lost in time."
"Get to the point, suka."
Black Magik clucks her tongue a few times. "The point," she says, "is that somebody who can speak any language can probably spell anything, too, couldn't he?"
What color there is in Illyana's pale face washes out. "No," she breathes, her sword falling from her hand and vanishing.
"Yes," says Black Magik, her grin darker, more evil than ever. "You pathetic idiot." Her axe swings as Illyana turns toward Doug and Kitty. And strikes, cleaving through Illyana's soul armor as if it were nothing, and into her side. The damage is horrible — but it only affects part of her.
She manages to scream. "DOUG!"
But even as the words leave her mouth, a portal is opening under the demon that was swinging at Doug and Kitty. And under Doug. It's not coming from Black Magik. She's too busy gloating.
It's coming from White Magik.
"He created me," Black Magik tells Illyana as the blonde collapses to the ground. "And he created her. She is just as sweet as you think… but she was programmed for this. She couldn't help herself."
Doug and the demon fall through the brilliant white portal. Into Limbo.
"Don't be too mad at her, sister. She'll do that for you." And then Black Magik screams, "Retreeeeeat!!!" Demons start running away — those who are capable — and into portals that are opening left, right, and center. "Ta ta, dear," whispers Black Magik, leaning in to kiss Illyana on the temple and leaving a smear of black lipstick. And then she straightens, waving to the other mutants at hand, and dives into yet another stepping disk.
Gone.
Bobby looks to Yana as she calls out for Doug "DOUG!" he shouts, attempting to save him only to be too late, though he does throw a fireball at Black Magik before she vanishes, only for her to bow out too soon. "That daughter of a bastard!" he shouts, depowering to reveal his normal human self. He looks around like he doesnt know what to do because his best pal just got sucked into another dimension. jolly good.
Doug starts to say something, as he sinks into the stepping-disk. "Son of a bi—" And then he's gone, in a snap and a flash of light.
Kitty stares at her now empty hand. "Doug?" she asks very quietly. She looks around at the rest of the group before her gaze lands on Yana. "What the hell just happened?"
Both horse and rider look startled when the lawn is suddenly devoid of demonic foes to smash and bash and stab and skewer. Dani twists around, suspicious of a trick or a trap or something… then becomes aware of the slightly panicky hubbub back near the others. "Brightwind, walk it off, buddy," she suggests quietly. Her stallion tosses his head and gallops away into the darkness to burn off some excess horsie-drenaline. Dani, on the other hand, keeps a tight grip on her not-so-shiny spear as she returns to the others, eyes narrowed. She scans the immediate area, does some quick head-counting, and comes up with a sum she's not particularly keen on. "… she took Doug."
Warlock's mouth hangs open in shock and he lets go of the demons, lets them flee, and he shrinks down to more human size, "WHAT HAPPENED TO SELF-FRIEND DOUG." He was nearby, so there's no need to rush closer, but he tries to dive into the spot where Doug just impossibliy fell through. Its anyone's guess if he's more enraged or terrified, or if its all mixed in together. He becomes something hard to describe, ever changing, his body morphing into various types of weaponry and systems before morphing immediately again. But none of the shapes have the ability to get Doug back so he keeps shifting. Its the Technarch equivelent of panic and indecision.
Julie struggles, throwing knees and elbows at empty air a moment as the demon that had knocked her down disappears, struggling to her feet, venting some choice words in Italian, as she does so. "…my good coat, too," it ends, as she shifts back into English. She's bleeding from the scalp, herself, but her eyes dart toward where Doug disappeared, then, runs over toward Illy. "Medic!" She may not understand just what that axe does, really. But she's expecting bleeding. She stoops.
There is no blood flowing from Illyana, for all that her armor is rent, and the woman herself is lying on her side, gasping for breath. "Not medic…" she gasps. "Mystic. Get me a… healer…" Her eyes flicker around, left and right, trying to answer questions, mouthing words without sound until her eyes roll back and her body goes limp, head collapsing to the ground.
Up in the Mansion, White Magik is gaping in horror at what's suddenly happened outside. And then she goes to her knees, sobbing, and starts to pray. How will anybody ever forgive her?
Julie shrugs off her somewhat-shredded wool coat to cover Illy for now, eyes a bit wide at all the others. Cause, warmer could be better. She looks over to the confused Technarch. "Hey, hey, Warlock-friend. We're gonna get him back!" She mumbles a bit, "Soon as we figure out what just happened."