Absence of Innocence, Pt 2

[ShadowedRaven]

Raven exited the Arena quickly, noting the pendant around her neck was pulsing more rapidly with each passing moment. Moving through the streets with haste, she quickly made for the portal and onto the Isle. Waiting for her was her unlikely ally, who by all appearances, was very nervous.

He turned to her as she appeared. "The time is now, lady Raven. If we do not stop the master, the whole of the realm will tremble under his power. Have you made your decision?"

Raven looked around for Vince, and sighed deeply when she could not see him. Taking a note from her pocket, she left it near the rings for him to find, and turned back to her ally. "This must end. Let's go." With that, she followed the dark man through the portal.

.................................

Vince was almost to the portal in his search for Raven when he noted the flare of its activation. Moving swiftly, he snatched up the note and flipped it open, reading as fast as he could."Vince, the time has come. Do not worry, I will be ok, Raven." He darted through the portal and followed behind the pair at a discrete distance.

Raven and the dark one, not knowing of being followed, moved to the warehouse district and into an empty building. Noting the various magical impliments, Raven asked, "Why are we here?"

The dark man replied, "First, we have that slight problem of your powers to overcome. This will not take long, I promise." He indicated for her to step into the circle inscribed onto the floor.

Watching from an upper window, Vince thought this would be a good opportunity to call in the cavalry. Unfortunately, he didn't quite know of any cavalry to call. He thought of his possible allies, and how available they would be on such short notice, and eventually came up with only one possibility.

'Better not tell him he wasn't my first choice,' Vince thought.

Looking down to the ritual below him, he called out softly,and a penguin appeared, giving it quick, but detailed instructions the little thing nodded in agreement, then darted off into the night. All Vince could do now was wait.

[Vinny]

Vince had been busy working on his other plans, trying to make sure that they were possible when he happened to spot Raven going by. Normally, he would have dropped everything, but his plans were at a delicate stage and he had to wrap them up first.

Once they were taken care of, he made haste to try to catch up with her, but just missed them as they stepped through the portal. He caught sight of a note lying there and picked it up, his eyes quickly glancing over it. He frowned in disdain. "Yeah, like you'll be all right. And I might be Overlord someday." He jumped through the portal, prepared to encounter just about anyting on the other side.

He spotted them the moment he jumped through, and dove off to the side to keep his presence there a secret as long as possible. He had decided against using his magics for as long as possible, prefering to rely on natural stealth.

He tailed them for a short ways until they entered a building. Looking around, he saw no other means of entry except for a few small windows up above. The building's walls were chipped and pocketed enough so that he could get a few good grips, but was forced to levitate up a short ways until he finally reached the window and the ledge. If anyone bothered to look up here, he'd be spotted easily, but he calmed himself with the knowledge that no one looks up anyways.

As an afterthought, he figured it would be a good idea to get some help. His mind ran with several possibilities, but decided against them all. They'd been having enough problems lately and he didn't want them burdened even more. Then he finally thought of someone who'd be crazy enough to help him. "I hope he's not carrying a grudge against me for that beating I gave him." He was about to whistle for Guido, but remembered that he was off doing that other errand. He sighed, hating to have to do this, but with Guido off and the penguins fired, he didn't have a choice. He whipped up some of the stray masonry and created a little penguin golem, hoping nobody saw him. He them told it the message and tossed him through a fresh portal and told him to self destruct in five seconds after the message was delivered.

[PslyderFTA]

Psly brushed off the clay bits, looking a little nonplussed at the smoking spot on his floor. It wasn't every day little penguin statues walked up to you, asked for you to go to this place at that time loaded for bear, and then blew up at you. Literally. With a sigh, Psly moved to the door to his weapons rack and began looking over the contents.

"Dart pistol. . .nah."

"Nines. . .nah"

"Fourteens. . .nah"

"Rifle? Nah."

"Explosive. . .heh. . .hehe. . .nah"

"Guess Ah'll jus' travel light this time. . ."

Light consisting of swords, knives, and, in a bit of irony, a quiver and bow. A big bow.

He hated stereotypes. . .

"A'ight then. . .off down tha rabbit hole Ah go. . ."