Warp/Rue - Trinity

Gathering / Conference

With a similar goal in mind, Rue Harlin and Frank DeTroy make their way into the quaint little village of Sigarda for their meeting with The Trinity.

It's the morning of the 26th and Charcoal is lazily snoozing on what has become his favourite arm chair. The early morning sunlight is filtering through a gap in the curtains, perfectly shining onto the seat for Charcoal to enjoy.   His ears twitch, and one eye opens, then the other, before he stretches and hops down to greet Frank. Charcoal slowly saunters towards him, rubbing against his leg with a purr. Ears twitching once more, Charcoal’s head turns towards the door, a little “hmm?” coming out before he happily walks towards the door and sniffing it. He paws at the edge of the door, letting out a meow and looking back at Frank expectantly.   Having just finished his caramel latte whilst throwing on his jacket, Frank bends down to gently scratch Charcoal’s ears before ushering him away from the door, not wanting to risk him getting out or worse, hit by the door. The cat lets out a disgruntled “meow”, sitting down a few steps away from the door and seemingly determined to stay there. Right at that moment, there’s a soft knock coming from the other side.   Having heard the movement going on indoors, Rue decides to make their arrival known. They stifle a yawn as they wait, the dark circles prominent beneath their eyes.   Opening the door, Frank smiles before taking in Rue’s tired appearance, his eyes widening slightly, eyebrows shooting up at the sight, “Have you slept Rue? Because you look terrible, come in and I’ll make you something”   “Good morning to you too," Rue follows Frank inside, smiling when Charcoal seems pleased to have them both there as he quickly meows at them for attention. Rue crouches down to give the cat a little chin scratch, “If you’re making coffee, do you have any sugar to go with it?”   Smiling at the pair, Frank steps behind his marble kitchen island and begins rummaging, “I always keep some sugar on hand, honey too for those that prefer. What can I tempt you with? Latte, cappuccino, americano, espresso?” Respective bags of coffee landing on the island counter as he speaks.   “Uhhh… which of those will keep me awake?” They ask, a little distracted as Charcoal starts to playfully paw at one of the strings from their hoodie, “I don’t really drink coffee all that much, the bitterness can be a bit overwhelming.”   “Espresso it is” A large bag of sugar landing next to the espresso as the other coffees are returned to the cupboard. A while later, a hot cup of heavily sugared espresso is handed to Rue, “If the caffeine doesn’t perk you up, I’m sure the sugar rush will” he says with an amused smile, "But, on a more serious note, what has lead to this?”   “Thanks,” Accepting the proffered cup, Rue wraps their hands around it, leaning against the marble island as they take a sip. It’s not exactly their favourite drink, but the warmth that comes with the caffeine is welcomed, “It’s nothing,” They shrug, avoiding Frank’s gaze. “I’ve just not slept that much…”   “Uh huh” Not convinced for a moment. “If you say so. Just don’t push yourself too hard, and remember the rest of us are here to help if you’ll let us," Laying a gentle hand on their shoulder, whilst trying to keep the concern off his face, if they weren’t ready to share their struggles right now, he wouldn’t push.   “Don’t touch me!” Within an instant of Frank placing a hand on them, Rue bats it away harshly, the cup clattering from their grip as they flinch backwards. Charcoal scatters to hide underneath the arm chair at the sound, his tail bushy and his ears flat against his head. Rue, for their part, looks much the same, their eyes wide and frantic. Their whole body tense with anxiety, Rue takes a shaky breath in an attempt to regain some control.   Stunned Frank says nothing, pulling his hand away while taking a step back before finding his voice again, “Ok, ok. I’m sorry for overstepping,” his tone calm and neutral.   Looking between Frank, the fallen cup, and the startled cat under the chair, Rue slowly sinks down to the ground, sitting with their legs crossed and letting out another shaky breath, “S-sorry, just…” They stammer, wrapping their arms around their trembling frame, “Sorry…”   Frank kneels down, looking to make sure Charcoal is ok before turning back to the still trembling Rue, “It’s alright, I shouldn’t have been so presumptuous," He switches from kneeling to sitting, he thinks for a moment before continuing, “We all have things we struggle with, and we each cope with those struggles differently, and sometimes we don’t cope all that well… believe me, I know. I also know that trying to cope alone can lead to greater harm than healing. So if you’re willing to talk, I am happy to listen, and I won’t judge”   “This isn’t…” Rue tries again, their breath hitching in their throat. For the next few minutes, they focus just on their breathing, the tension gradually fading from their shoulders as they calm down. Charcoal seems to sense the change, and so he hesitantly reappears, tiptoeing towards Rue and sitting down near them.   “I don’t like it when people touch me unexpectedly…” They finally say, their fingers still trembling slightly as they extend their hand for Charcoal to sniff. The cat nuzzles against it and they slowly start to pet him, “It’s nothing new, and I’m mostly fine if it’s someone I trust and I know it’s about to happen, but anything unexpected… it triggers something.”   “I see, then I will bear that in mind in future” Frank begins to reach for the fallen cup, or what’s left of it, having shattered upon impacted with the hard stone floor. Instead of picking up the pieces by hand, he pauses then decides to test something, reaching out slightly.   Rue watches as the cup shards begin to quiver, then seemingly melt before flowing towards Frank’s now lowered hand and reforming into a far cruder version of its original shape. Frank looks at it for a moment before sighing “Still can’t quite manage the shaping part yet”.   “Call it art and slap a hefty price tag on it?” Rue shrugs, giving Charcoal one final chin scratch before they get up from the floor, “I’m sorry again for… well, freaking out on you like that.”   Frank smiles for a moment at the thought of his ugly cup becoming a modern art piece before shrugging, “It’s fine, stop apologising for something you can’t control," He then stands as well, watching as his Roomba begins cleaning the spilled coffee, then chuckles as Charcoal homes in and starts stalking it, “Come on, I’ll buy you a Starbucks on the way, assuming the shot of adrenaline just now hasn’t done the trick”   “Less adrenaline and more caffeine, sounds like a plan," They say goodbye to Charcoal, who doesn’t seem to notice them leaving, too preoccupied with his hunting of the little cleaning robot.   “So how much do you know about the Trinity?” They ask on the way. “You said you found them in the Century database?”   "Well the one thing I can say for certain is they know their stuff when it comes to the supernatural" He says as he pulls into the Starbucks drive thru, "They're made up of three team members, Julia Thompson, Father Gabriel Torres, and Margaret Braddock. Julia is their leader and tactician, Father Gabriel their spiritual advisor and Margaret provides both magical and tech support. I also learned that the Thompson line has a long and bloody history with vampires, especially the last Dracula, which is why I wanted Mercy to sit this one out for now"   “Yeah, bringing Mercy would’ve been… messy.” Rue says, pulling a face. They take a moment to place their order for a triple espresso with 6 pumps of caramel syrup.   Pulling a notebook out from their pocket, Rue starts flicking through the pages, scribbling something down and chewing on the back of the pen, “Do you know anything about what they’re doing in Sigarda?”   Frank shakes his head whilst putting in an order for an earl grey "Fraid not, only a date and location"   “Hmm, same here…” They reply with a frown, “I don’t know much about them, to be honest, but Ghost said they’d be able to help, so I guess it’s worth a shot.”   "I suppose it wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility that they could be here because of Zaebos' little stunt at the prison"   “I suppose not…” Rue agrees, leaning their head against the window. They take the obscenely strong and sweet coffee once they get to the next window, swirling the remainder round distractedly after taking a large gulp of the concoction. They stare out at the scenery, momentarily lost in thought as they anticipate their meeting with the Trinity.   As he drives, Frank smiles to himself, “You know… you never did tell me why you were so angry after the prison break, angry enough to try and break my jaw” rubbing said jaw for emphasis “Good punch by the way”   ''I'm pretty sure my knuckles hurt more than your jaw afterwards... Punching a guy with a helmet was not my brightest moment.'' Rue huffs, taking another swig from their coffee. For a moment, it looks like Rue isn't going to answer Frank's question, their gaze distant as the silence carries on between them, ''I initially thought I was pissed because you seemed perfectly content throwing your life away,'' They start quietly, their shoulders slumping a little. ''And I was, but that wasn't all of it... I was angry because I couldn't do anything. I couldn't take the deal myself, but I couldn't stop any of you from taking it either. I was pissed at my own shortcomings and I took it out on you since you were still there. Sorry.''   Frank thinks for a moment, then finds a quiet spot to pull over. He doesn’t say anything at first, even in answer to Rue’s questioning look at the stop, before speaking slowly, “I wish I could say you were wrong, Rue. That I wasn’t just content to give up and throw away my life, but the truth is… I did. I don’t know what you’ve read in my files but do you know what I see and hear, every time I close my eyes at night?”   ''I'm guessing you're about to tell me...'' They say softly, a knot forming in their stomach as they try to recollect what they'd read in Warp's file.   Frank’s eyes gaze off into the distance as he loses himself to memory. “I see a small girl, no older than 12 years old, her face and eyes filled with fear, screaming for her mother. A mother who will never help her, because I killed her  only moments before” the steering wheel begins to groan in protest as Frank’s hands tighten unconsciously “I hear Mina’s voice then, telling me to kill the girl too and even though I blacked out the first time, it doesn’t stop me seeing it as my hands wrap around her throat and squeeze. I try to stop, I beg for it to stop but I can’t stop, I keep squeezing” the wheel begins to crack as it plays stand in for the scene playing out in Frank’s head. “I hear her neck snap and only then does it end, I finally wake up, but I can still feel it, her neck breaking in my hands” he leans back in the driver seat, hands releasing the tortured steering wheel and looks up, tears spilling down his face. “That’s why, I was so willing to give it all up that day, I wasn’t thinking about anything else other than finally being free whilst also having last moments do some good”   Rue listens to Frank's heartbreaking confession without making a sound. They look at the hero sympathetically, holding out one of the napkins that came with the coffee, ''I'm really sorry you went through that,'' They say sincerely, looking a little hesitant. ''I won't pretend to know what that must be like, and I understand why you'd be willing to give it all up... But couldn't you also hold on because of it?'' Seeing Frank's somewhat confused expression, Rue decides to open up a little. ''I'm not sure if you read my file, but over twenty people got killed for the experiments done to me. Dr Quade would harvest their organs and their blood so he could try to give me more powers...''   They look down at the coffee cup, running their thumb over the logo, ''The ghosts that appeared during the fight with Zaebos - well, they're attached to me somehow. It's why I couldn't take the deal myself, cause I would've been condemning their souls as well, not just my own.''   Smiling sadly, Rue turns back to Frank, ''I know it's easier to think that dying for a good cause would make everything right, but wouldn't you be making it up to them more if you keep fighting and doing good?''   Frank takes the proffered napkin and passes it over his face before regaining his composure with a visible effort, and he nods as Rue finishes speaking, “I realised that not long after, and seeing Sliver, reminded me that Charcoal needs me now as well,” He chuckles mirthlessly “I also came dangerously close to being pulled from the field and by extension the team by Lithium, as she, like you, was more than a little vexed after she found out about what happened and what most of us had tried to do”   Smiling at the notion of Charcoal, Rue seems a little bit more relaxed, ''I'm pretty sure Rach would've reacted the same way if I'd tried it.'' They say with a shudder. ''For what it's worth, though, I'm glad Lithium didn't pull you off the team. Trying to bring back one team mate is quite enough.''   “Yes, one wayward teammate is quite enough” a sheepish look passes over Frank as he starts the car again “Sorry for unloading on you like that. You don’t need my burdens atop your own”   ''No, it's fine,'' They reassure quickly, ''Thank you for trusting me...''   Frank smiles “Always,” He pulls the car back onto the road and focuses on getting to Sigarda before Trinity leaves for business unknown.   Taking the final sip from their drink, Rue returns to staring out the window at the passing scenery until they make it to The Oakview Inn in Sigarda. Getting out of the car, Rue stretches their limbs above their head, ''Room 22, right?''   The Oakview Inn is a surprisingly quaint little bed-and-breakfast in the picturesque village of Sigarda, the air is crisp and there's little of the hustle and bustle of Bathala City to distract from it. The building seems like an old Tudor estate that's been converted, featuring the original black beams of the construction, interposed against the stark white walls of the house.   The car park is a simple gravel drive featuring very few vehicles, though one appears to be a very well-kitted four-by-four with camping supplies and all manner of armaments and gizmos that make it look very at home next to the Warpmobile. The entrance to the building is a simple door nearby with a small bell overhead to announce guests.   "Yeah, 22, hopefully they're still there" Frank transfers his Century ID to his pocket ready for use if needs be, and enters the building.   The overhead bell dings as the two make their way into the delightfully old-fashioned building, featuring a seemingly-disused grand fireplace, several pieces of antique-looking woodwork, a beautiful tapestry rug on the floor and more exposed beams, lending an air of authenticity to the place. Opposite the pair as they walk in is a reception desk beside a door into a stone-floored dining area.   Moments after they arrive, they are joined by a lady who, while clearly in her late sixties at the earliest, walked with the confidence and sure-footedness of a person who won't stop until they drop, "Good Morning, and welcome to the Oakview Inn. My name is Janet, and-" she pauses as she regards the two, leaning in to speak conspiratorially to Frank, "You know, Sir. There are plenty of perfectly pleasant single ladies about your age too."   Frank’s eyebrows shoot up, an amused but good-natured smile curling his lips. “We’re here to meet someone but I’ll certainly bear that in mind” he says “Is a Miss Julia Thompson still here perchance?”   "Oh right," she says, taking a seat behind the desk and opening a large leather-bound guest register, "Let me see here..." she turns to the most recent filled page and spots the name, "It would appear so. Just let me call up to the room and make sure they're expecting you."   She stands and takes the receiver from an old-fashioned wall-mounted telephone that wouldn't look out of place in the eighties, keying in a few digits, before holding the handset to her ear, "Yes, hello Miss Thompson. I have someone at the desk here to see you. A Mister and Miss...?" she trails off, looking over at Frank for more information.   “Rue,” They say quickly and a little exasperated. “Dr. Black should have informed Miss Thompson of my arrival,” As they wait for Janet to relay the information, Rue starts to look around the reception area, the old decor somehow a little familiar, though they cannot place why. Leaning against the desk, Rue stifles another yawn.   "Okay then, that's fine," she says as she puts down the phone, "She's waiting for you," she points down the adjoining hallway to their left and the carpeted staircase therein, "Second floor, first door on your right. Room 22."   “Thank you,” They say with a small smile that slowly morphs into a smirk as they look over to Frank, “Come on, dear, don’t want to keep them waiting.”   Frank smirks in amusement, “Of course not, darling,” following closely behind, also taking an occasional glance at the decor.   Following Janet’s instructions up the steps (they are decidedly not out of breath once they reach the top), Rue reaches a door with the number “22” beautifully carved into the wood, embellished with little leaves and flowers around it. Not wasting any time, they knock on the door, taking a step back as they wait for someone to answer.   After a few moments, the latch on the inside of the door unlocks and the door opens, revealing the decidedly unimpressed face of Julia Thompson within, clad in an oversized t-shirt and shorts, her short red hair falling lazily in all directions in a way that reminds Rue of TrollRach, "Yeah?"   “Uhh, hi,” Rue starts, a little taken aback by the woman’s appearance. “My name is Rue, I believe Dr Black told you we were coming to meet with you?”   “We were informed you’re experts on the occult and supernatural,” Frank puts in “We were hopeful you could help us kill a demon, after driving it out of our friend that is.”   "Well then, I guess you'd better come in," she says, allowing the door to swing open and ushering the pair inside. The room is fairly cozy, with a king-sized bed, a sofa complete with folded blankets and pillows, a desk and antique-looking armoire.   On the couch beside his bedding sits a man in his full Catholic priest vestments, holding a rosary to his lips as he mutters a quiet prayer. With his eyes closed, he seems not to notice their new guests. Opposite him, reclined on the bed, in what looks to be a set of mauve silken pyjamas, is a petite, dark-haired woman, her head torso surrounded by a number of screens that float around her, seemingly of their own accord. She smiles to the pair as they walk in, saying a quiet "Hi," and giving them a small wave.   The Huntress sits at the desk and begins cleaning a long-barelled shotgun sat thereupon, "Welcome to our temporary little sanctuary," she says, chuckling to herself, "I'm Julia Thompson, but many just call me the Huntress, the lazy one on the bed is Maggie Braddock, AKA the Cyberwitch, and the priest is Father Garbriel Torrez. He'll likely still be a little while. So, why don't you tell us about this demon of yours?"   “Archdemon, actually.” Rue corrects, remembering their conversation with Ghost, “I’m sure you’re aware of the blackout that happened in Bathala last week. The Archdemon Zaebos was being held at Century Group HQ’s prison and managed to use the power outage to corrupt both agents and other inmates. We went there to stop it, but Zaebos ended up possessing one of our teammates and breaking out instead.” They recount the events with a level of detachment, though their eyes offer a glimpse to the turmoil within as they almost seem to darken with rage, “We need to know how to exorcise Zaebos from her and permanently get rid of the Archdemon.”   Frank nods in affirmation “As much as is possible where an archdemon is concerned. We’d come to understand you helped with containing it in the first place.”   "Yeah, we did," Julia says, suddenly very pensive in her demeanor, sharing a look between her companions as they decide their next words carefully, "I knew we should've just sent her back."   "Exorcising an Archdemon isn't so simple, Rue," comes the voice of Father Torres, having finally looked up from his prayers and taken an interest in the conversation, "I'm sure you've noticed that when Zaebos possesses a victim, she takes on traits of her host. That's because she's not simply controlling their corporeal form, she's actually fusing herself with their soul. It doesn't take long for the two to be irreconcilably bound together, and within a few months the Demon will have completely subsumed the mortal soul."   "Harsh as it sounds," Julia continues, "I recommended to kill the girl with the demon inside. It wouldn't kill Zaebos, but she'd have to spend a few years piecing herself back together in Hell."   "It's not that we don't want to help you two," Maggie pipes up from her position, now sat cross-legged on the bed, "We wouldn't be meeting with you if we didn't. We just want you to understand how difficult this will be."   “They haven’t been joined that long, there’s still a chance to save her, so how do we?” Frank says, trying to keep the anger out of his voice.   “What if we have someone who can locally reverse time?” Rue adds. Despite their efforts to remain calm, the temperature in the room seems to rise just a little, their leg bouncing with nervous energy.   "What do you mean?" Maggie asks, raising a brow, "How locally? And how much time?"   “In theory, she can rewind a person indefinitely, though the calculations apparently get more complicated the further she has to rewind time,” Rue explains, “it also increases the risk of inaccuracies, so I guess it’s something we’d have to do sooner rather than later.”   A look is shared among the members of the Trinity as they each clearly understand the gravitas of what they've just been told.   "What we were going to say," Father Torres continues, "Is that the exorcism of an Archdemon is not something we have records for, and we'd probably need to create something brand new, but..." He's quickly interrupted as the previously quiet voice of the Cyberwitch becomes animated.   "If you can reverse time to a point before the possession actually took place, we may not need to perform an exorcism at all," she seems excited, "We may be able to simply banish Zaebos, back to her Hellscape."   “What would banishing it require?”   "It's not terribly complicated," Maggie continues, "With a few spellcasters available we should be able to set up a ritual circle, and it's just a matter of getting her to it and completing a ritual. It might still be tough, but-"   "No way." The Huntress interrupts, placing her weapon back down on the desk with a thud, "I thought you said you wanted to kill this thing? We tried the half-measures approach before at the prison and look what happened."   “I agree. We do want to kill Zaebos,” Rue says gravely, looking directly at the Huntress. “but not at the cost of our teammate. If we could separate them, would that weaken Zaebos at all? Give us a chance to kill it?”   The Huntress sits forward in her chair and looks into Rue's eyes. There's a moment between them where they can almost see the cogs turning in the seasoned slayer's mind and, once the moment's passed, she speaks once again, "Archdemons cannot be killed on the material plane. They're at their most powerful on their home turf, but also their most vulnerable," she sighs as she prepares to explain further, "The way I see it, you have two choices. The easy way, where you find her, knock her down, and your friend reverses the possession long enough for us to banish her. You'd get your friend back, and the Archdemon will be forced back to her Hellscape, but she'll be at full strength there, and it's only a matter of time before she finds a new willing vessel to corrupt. Or..."   "Julia, you can't seriously mean what I think you do," Torres interrupts, his expression tense, "It's suicide."   “Or what?” Rue urges, their patience wearing thin.   "A full scale assault on Zaebos's Hellscape," Maggie responds, glancing over at the Huntress, "That's what you mean, right?"   "You're goddamn right, it is," she says, her face twisted into an unnerving grin filled with a little more bloodlust than the heroes are used to, "You find her, beat her, and we banish them both. Then, while she and the host are weakened, we break into the Hellscape, use your friend's little reversal thing to separate the two, and fight her in her true form. Beat her, and we may just be able to take her down for good."   "It'll be difficult," Maggie adds.   "It'll be impossible!" Continues the Father, "You're talking about breaking into Hell and murdering its Ruler! This isn't some pissant demon we're talking about! Remember what happened last time she showed up? It took dozens of crusaders to just banish her!"   "I know it did, Gabriel," the Huntress responds, trying to keep a level tone as she talks down her companion, "But we have an opportunity here unlike anyone has ever had, and I don't know when or even if it will happen again. Besides, it looks like your partner is up for it."   With that, attention is drawn to the space behind and overhead of the priest, where the translucent spectre of a creature can be seen. Kaleidoscopic in appearance, with a central eye surrounded by a circle of wings, it glows with a beautiful golden light as it watches him. He turns to see it, looking into the bulbous eye, and deflates, "I just don't want us to get anyone killed."   “In terms of breaking into the Hellscape, I was already planning on doing that before Zaebos possessed our friend,” Rue says pensively, their gaze lingering on the spectre for a moment longer before drawing their attention back towards The Huntress. “I’m working on a way to open up a portal. What else would we need to beat her? I’m guessing it won’t be our run of the mill fight…”   “Hell be damned, I say we do it. Not just to get Harmony back, I want to wipe that smug look off the demon’s face permanently” Frank adds.   "Looks like you've been outvoted, Padre," Julia says, gently pushing him back onto the couch.   "Seems like it," he says, shooting a pleading look at the Cyberwitch, who just shrugs at him.   "Well, I can help with the portal," she says, "But we'll need a few things. A ritual circle inside an unholy site, some easy reagents I can get ahold of, a full-length mirror, blood bearing Zaebos' corruption... and the Book of Damned Souls."   "Ah, shit." Julia mutters, resting her head in her hands, "That's deep within The Tomb of the Old Thompsons..."   “Feck sake sounds like we’re in some sort of RPG,” Frank says with an amused smirk “How deep we talking here?”   "It's not really a tomb in the traditional sense," she says, looking up at him, "More of a magical bunker designed to keep the worst of the worst evil artifacts at bay. It makes use of pretty much every trick and trap of the old hunters with the explicit intent to never let those secrets out. They did a lot of good work in those days... It's probably why there's no records of anyone opening any portals to Hell since then."   Frank nods his head appreciatively, “And now we need to descend into this death trap to collect a book that generations of professional monster hunters spent a great deal of time and effort keeping locked away?”   "Yes," she says, grinning at the prospect, "But you've got something the old hunters never planned for."   Frank quirks an eyebrow, “And that would be?”   "Us!" she says, laughing as she looks at her compatriots, the Cyberwitch rolling her eyes in her direction.   "I see" Frank says smiling, "On the subject of monsters, I'm given to understand you have a bit of a history with vampires"   "Vampires?" She says, raising a brow, "I haven't been on an honest-to-god vampire hunt since I was still in training bras, but it's a bit of a family tradition. Why? You got a vampire problem too?"   "No, we have one on the team, will that be any kind of problem?"   "You've got am actual vampire on your team?" She says, sitting back in her seat, "So that's a no on telling the family. Is he well-behaved?"   "He hasn't eaten any innocents, can't honestly say he hasn't killed anyone but none of them were innocent," Frank shrugs, "He is vouched for by Brainiac herself and I have stood shoulder to shoulder with him for some time now and trust him well enough... he's also closely monitored by just about everyone and he knows it"   "Hmm..." she rubs her chin, looking meaningfully into Warp's eyes, "You realise that if the family find out I'm working alongside a vampire and it turns out badly, I'll be disowned, right? Are you absolutely certain of this man?"   "Certain enough," Frank holds the Huntress' gaze levelly, "I will stake my own life on his trustworthiness."   "Very well," she says, "I'll take your word for it. Just don't let me regret it."   As Warp converses with The Huntress, Rue takes a moment to jot down the list of items needed for the portal in their notes.   “So it sounds like the Book of Damned Souls will likely be the hardest item on the list,” They summarise with a frown, “The full length mirror shouldn’t be a problem, and I’ve already got the blood bearing Zaebos’ corruption. Setting up the circle inside an unholy site doesn’t sound like it’d be an issue, but getting Zaebos there… that’s another matter we’ll have to figure out.”   "Actually, it may not be as hard as you think," Julia continues, "Are you aware of Zaebos'... for lack of a better term, nickname? Her Hellish title, shall we say?"   “I’ve got several nicknames in mind for her…” Rue mutters under their breath, arching a brow at Julia expectantly.   "Yes, I'm sure you do," she chuckles, "The Unerring Corruption. It's not just for show either. Surely you've noticed how wherever she goes ends up looking like Hell come to earth after a while?"   “Now that you mention it, yeah.” Rue says, “Are you saying any ground near Zaebos is unholy, so we just have to draw the circle when we’re near?”   "Just anywhere she's been recently," she says, "Once we've done the banishment, wherever it takes place will likely also be the best place to open the portal."   “Makes sense…” Rue nods in understanding, “And the banishment? What exactly would that entail?”   "Well, it'll have to be a group effort. Zaebos is no pushover," the Cyberwitch continues, "But between our team and yours, I don't think we'll have too much trouble. You'll have to weaken her, and then we can recite the incantation in turn, bolstered by the Holy power of the Choir. It should get the job done."   “Just how ‘weakened’ are we talking about?” Rue asks, visibly uncomfortable, “Don’t get me wrong, Harmony is due for an ass whooping, but I want to understand to what extent we’d be hurting her in this process…”   "Far less than if this fails and her soul is subsumed by that creature," Father Torres finally speaks up again, his shaky voice denoting the gravity of the situation, "Nothing is worth that."   “Yeah, of course…” Rue says, wearily pinching the bridge of their nose.   "Look, Rue," the Huntress says, standing up and positioning herself before them, close enough to be imposing, but not necessarily threatening, "If we're going to go head-to-head with an Archdemon, I need to know that you're willing to do whatever it takes to get your friend back. If that includes a few bruises and even some broken bones, then that's just part of it. Are you prepared to do that?"   "We'll do what we have to, if she complains later we can always tell her it's her own fault for talking the damn deal in the first place," Frank intejects.   “Yeah, fuck it,” Rue says reluctantly, “Her mum will probably kick our asses in return, but it’s worth it if it means getting her back.”   "That's the spirit," Maggie says, flashing a grin at the heroes, "Now, we've got the portal, the ritual, you may wanna call in whatever favours you're owed on this one, because it's a doozy. Meanwhile, we'll sort out a rendezvous at the Tomb, and..."   "Figure out some way to actually kill an Archdemon." Julia finishes her sentence for her, sitting back in her chair with a big grin on her face, "Now," she says, standing up and nodding to her companion sat on the bed. With a flick of the wrist and a flash of light, the two women are stood in their full array of combat gear, "If you have any more questions, it looks like you'll be joining us in today's hunt."   Rue mumbles something about Mercy likely wanting to learn how to get dressed like that as they close their notebook and slip it into their pocket, “And what exactly are you hunting today?”   "The people of this lovely town have managed to get themselves an old-fashioned hag," the Huntress says, attaching the shotgun to her back and checking her other weaponry, "She's been snatching up kids from the local school, which should be starting classes right about now, meaning if she's grabbed any on their way in, she'll have them right now and we have a window where she's distracted with which to strike."   “You’re using the kids as a distraction?” Rue asks.   "She's a hag. They like to toy with their victims, talk to them, scare them a little while they get the cauldron bubbling. Those kids are in no real danger for at least an hour or two," the Huntress continues. Rue notices the other two looking away uncomfortably and it becomes clear to her which member makes the plans in this group.   Frank watches the interaction and notes it but doesn’t comment, instead turning to the matter of the hag. “You’re assuming the hag is a typical specimen, there are exceptions to every rule. Does it have any means of detecting threats? If it’s old enough then surely it’ll be aware that it’s actions will draw attention and make plans accordingly.”   "Well, that's where our buddy Maggie comes along." she says handing over to her companion.   The Cyberwitch, now sat on the edge of the bed with her floating screens surrounding her, expands one screen where a sequence of symbols repeats over and over, "I've set up a magical subroutine that's keeping us shrouded from her. We should be fine."   "And, we've fought a few of these before," the Huntress continues, "She's definitely made plans accordingly. That's why we're going to be extra careful as we make our way into her lair."   “And you know where her lair is?” Rue asks, deciding not to challenge their way of working further. “Otherwise I could help with tracking her down, as long as we can get her scent, that is…”   “And what can we expect once inside? Does she keep any followers or familiars?”   "That's why we're here," Torres says, finally looking up from his penitence, "The lair is downstairs."   "She's set herself up nicely," Julia continues, "Got the owners under some sort of enchantment and has been wandering around the hotel, making it her own personal castle. Calls herself Janet."   “Then the children she’s snatched are in this building?” Frank asks.   "Probably in the wine cellar attached to the restaurant," Julia replies, "Wouldn't want to risk the regular guests seeing them."   “So what’s the plan?” Rue asks, “How can we help?”   “We could get the children out while you distract the hag for a start, then round back once they’re safe to reinforce you,” Frank offers.   The three members of the Trinity look at each other and nod approvingly, and the two heroes suddenly feel they may in fact be getting tested, "Not a bad plan," says the Huntress, "We're hoping she's planning some kind of ritual, so the thirteen kids currently missing should be around. Rue, do you think your nose can pick out thirteen unwashed children?"   “Thirteen kids? Yeah, that shouldn’t be an issue.” Rue nods in confirmation. “Is there somewhere safe nearby where we could take them?”   "Bring them to us," Father Torres speaks up, "The Choir and I will stay here and keep them safe."   “Alright, will do.” Rue turns to Warp, looking more alert than they were all morning. “Shall we?”   Frank smiles grimly, “Lead on.”   With another glance at the Trinity, Rue exits the room, keeping their senses sharp as they descend the stairs in search for the children. Frank following closely behind.   "Right then," says the Huntress, quickly moving down alongside Rue as they hit the downstairs foyer, "Why don't you two go take a seat in the dining room? We'll get her attention and lead her away while you go rescue the kids."   "Sounds like a plan," comments Frank.   “Works for me.” Rue says, moving towards the dining room as instructed. Their skin is buzzing as they keep their senses alert, their ears picking up the smallest noise, their eyes scanning their surroundings for the faintest movement. As they breathe in slowly through their nose, they start to filter through the scents - pushing past the Huntress’ smell of gunpowder and herbs, the distinct smell of new electronics from the Cyberwitch, and the hint of Charcoal mixed in with the sweeter scent of Frank’s fruity shower gel.   It's not easy to sift through the various odours, some decidedly more overpowering than others, but eventually they're able to pick out a smell of, for lack of a better word, human misery. Too subtle for any regular person, but to Rue, the faint smell of sweat, fear and human waste reminded them of a prison. It took all they had not to rush down into the cellar where the smell was emanating from immediately, but they knew that they needed to wait for the Huntress and Cyberwitch's signal. Wait. Did they even tell the two of them what the signal was?   "HEY! YOU RAGGEDY-ASS OLD BITCH! EAT SHIT!" came the not-so-subtle cries of the Huntress from the kitchen, accompanied by the sound of a shotgun blast and an inhuman roar. The two heroes glance in each other's directions as they wonder what kind of professional monster hunter they've found themselves partnered with, before seeing her red-and-black form race past the door to the dining area and towards the events hall, muttering "Oh shit," on repeat and followed swiftly by the Cyberwitch and a beastly mass that rushed after them with unnatural haste.   “This way.” Rue says urgently, pulling themself out of the shock of seeing the Huntress’ less than subtle tactics. They lead Warp down towards the cellar, the scent growing stronger with every step. It’s a repulsive smell, bile rising in their throat as they continue to breathe it in. They pause at the door, looking through the wall for any possible traps before they proceed.   Beyond the threshold of the large wooden door into the cellar, Rue can see that the wooden frames that hold the vintage bottles have been raided, with empty bottles strewn across the floor. The cellar is dark, and Rue struggles at first to see much farther in, like the whole place is shrouded in a haze, but deep within they're fairly sure they can see some barred cages.   Describing what they can see inside, Rue nods at Warp to go ahead, “Be careful.” They say quietly, still feeling like something is off.   Frank nods in response before reaching his hand out to test if the door is locked. The door opens with a loud creaking and the pair step out into what, to them, appears to be a pleasant forest glade, complete with babbling brook and a pleasant breeze. The pair look at each other momentarily and realise that the door has seemingly vanished behind them.   “Shite, either this is an illusion, or that hag is pretty powerful,” Frank says, kneeling down to feel if the ground is truly grass and soil.   ''This is... Trippy," Closing their eyes, Rue slowly breathes in the air, searching for the smells that they detected earlier and listening out for anything out of the ordinary. Without the obvious distraction of the scenery, Rue finds themselves able to sense past the sound of the brook and the smell of grass, finding that same prison smell as before, and another smell. Human, and approaching quickly from their right hand side. Without enough time to determine if the human approaching is friendly or not (though their gut telling them it's likely the latter), Rue pushes Frank out of the way before shaping a wall of fire between themself and the other person, ''Definitely an illusion!'' They say, trying to keep their senses focused on their potential opponent, ''Kids are up ahead!''   The whole glade seems to flicker as the human behind the flames is rebuffed, a loud scream being heard from beyond the wall, and Warp starts to notice the world beyond the illusion. His eyes scan around, not quite able to make out the children, but he does see a second humanoid form bearing down on him at speed, brandishing some sort of club.   Rolling with the push, Frank drags a club of his own from the floor and raises it in a guard position, ready to block or parry. As he blocks the blow, his assailant's weapon shatters, dousing him in a torrent of expensive wine and shards of broken bottle. Flinching his head away to protect his eyes, Frank lashes out with a blind swing to push back his attacker while trying to regain his footing.   The attack lands against his opponent's shoulder, with his enhanced strength sending them back. The illusion flickers again before fading out entirely, leaving the pair stood in the dimly lit cellar opposite a middle aged couple; a man with some fairly nasty burns, and a woman with what looks to be a broken arm. Both seem glassy-eyed and crazed as they stand up ready to continue their assault.   ''Something tells me they might be the owners Julia mentioned...'' Rue says, clicking their tongue in annoyance as they scan their surroundings for something to use to stop the pair without further injuring them.   Reaching out a hand Frank draws a pair of thick tendril like appendages to slither out of the walls either side of the door they entered through to wrap around the couple and bind them together from shoulders to calves before dropping his hand, sweat pouring from his forehead and exhaustion momentarily washing over him from the effort.   The two patrons of the B&B cry out as they're tightly bound in the concrete tendrils, their minds clearly lost to the machinations of the dastardly Janet. The two heroes take a breath and survey the wine cellar. The dank atmosphere is punctuated by light whimpering and the smell of human refuse and old wine that was starting to make even Frank uncomfortable.   Looking further into the gloom though, they do notice a set of barred cages, and inside thirteen sets of bleary and tear-soaked eyes staring back at them. Ragged and in clear need of some human comfort, the children didn't make a sound, not sure yet whether they're to be freed or subjected to yet worse torment.   Frank looks across the various cages in horror, disbelief and anger returning strength to his previously weary limbs. Striding to the first of the cages, he takes hold of the bars, “Keep back, I’m gonna get you out” then tears the front of the cage away before dropping it to the floor “Rue, can you check them over while I get them all free?”   “Yeah, of course,” Crouching down by the now open first cage, Rue peers in at the frightened child cowering against the bars at the back, “Hey, it’s okay,” They start soothingly, their gaze soft as they slowly offer the child a hand to take. “I’m Rue, my friend and I are here to help you back home. What’s your name?”   "It's N-" the little girl inside, maybe six or seven, stutters, her eyes filled with fear, "Nora, and that," she points to a slightly younger boy sat nearby, "That's my little brother, Chris."   “Hi Nora, Chris,” Rue smiles warmly, not moving any closer so as to not startle the siblings. “We’re going to get you out of here, okay? Are either of you hurt?”   "I don't think so," little Nora says, looking to her fellow kids before pointing over to one young boy still laying on his side, "But I think Harry hurt his ankle."   “Okay, thank you, Nora.” Rue turns their head to look at the young boy in question. “Hey bud, think you could show me where it hurts?”   "H-here," the little boy, possibly about four years old with dried tears marring his face, says, pointing to a horribly swollen ankle. Rue's no stranger to injury, and to them it looks like it's broken and has not been treated in several days.   ''Alright bud, we're going to keep your weight off that for now and will get it treated as soon as possible.'' They continue to speak calmly and with a level of confidence to ease the children's nerves. ''Nora, will you and Chris be okay to walk with us? We're going to take you upstairs to one of our friends, he'll look after you until we can get you back home. I'll carry Harry since his ankle hurts.''   "Yuhuh," Nora mutters, getting to her feet and pulling little Chris along with her as they make their way into the cellar, avoiding the wine and broken glass as best they can. As Rue tends to the children already free, Frank walks from cage to cage, waving the children within back, trying to reassure them with soothing words as he removes the bars. After a bit more coaxing, Rue lifts Harry out of the cage, supporting him on their hip as they move on to the next cage. With their free hand, they continue to help the kids out, encouraging them with gentle words and checking them for any more injuries.   With every bump and jostle, Rue's passenger winces, the tears starting to fall once again as his wounded ankle dangles precariously down Rue's leg. Before long, Rue has collected a veritable gaggle of children ranging from the ages of four to ten and each showing various stages of fear and malnourishment, and they all look up at the two heroes for guidance.   “Sorry bud,” Rue says apologetically when Harry whimpers at the movement. “You’re doing really well, we’ll get you some treatment soon, okay?” With one child in their arms and a few small hands clinging onto their jeans and hoodie, Rue turns to Frank, “Let’s get them upstairs and see if Julia and Maggie need backup.”   "Uhuh," Harry says, wiping away the tears, "And pancakes... with honey."   ''Fellow pancake fan, huh?'' Rue chuckles, ''I'm sure we can get you some.''   The young boy nods, nuzzling into Rue's shoulder as he sniffles, his voice going quiet as he says "Yeah."   Frank surveys the room after opening all the cages, “Is that everyone?”   Counting the children around them, Rue gives an affirmative nod, “There’s thirteen, that should be everyone.”   “Great, then let’s get everyone to safety,” he nods towards Harry, “Should I take him? Might be a softer journey on his foot”   “Who would you prefer to carry you, bud?” Rue asks the little boy in their arms. “He is right, he might be able to hold you still a little better so your ankle won’t hurt as much.”   The little boy curls inwards, wrapping his arms around Rue's neck.   Frank chuckles, "Answers that question, come on then, lets move," he then takes point in case any more unwelcome surprises come by.   With Harry on their hip and Nora holding their other hand, Rue follows Frank past the restrained owners and up the stairs, the large group of children slowing them down as they cling to their clothes and each other. Keeping their senses sharp, Rue stays as close to their teammate as their new entourage allows them, maintaining a calm expression as they scan for any possible threats.   Once out in the hallway, Frank looks about to check for any activity before turning to Rue, "Can you hear or see anything that might tell us where Julia and the Hag are? Or anyone else for that matter?" Rue pauses for a moment, looking through the walls and listening out for the sounds of ongoing combat.   Sounds nothing, the moment Rue looks through the walls, they see the sheer pandemonium that's erupted in the events hall. The pair of supernatural experts are engaging what can only be described as a monster. Seven foot tall and enormous, nothing like the lady they'd seen less than an hour before, the creature has vicious claws and a face that barely resembles anything human. She bears down on the Huntress like a rabid beast despite the dark blood oozing from the wounds on her legs, while the Cyberwitch is otherwise occupied with the soft furnishings brought to life and attempting to rend her head from her shoulders.   “Found them,” They say, nodding in the direction of the events hall. Clenching their jaw, Rue glances down at the frightened little faces around them, “I can take them to Father Torres, go back them up.”   Frank nods, splitting off towards the event hall.   ''Alright, let's keep going kids.'' Rue urges them on with a smile, taking a quick count to make sure no one has wondered off somehow. Slowly, they start making their way up the stairs again, some of the smaller children struggling a little and occasionally tripping up. It warms Rue's chest to see the few older kids helping them back up though, the group working together as they gradually make it to the second floor, where Rue awkwardly uses their foot to 'knock' on the door to number 22.   After a few seconds, the door opens and the smiling face of Gabriel Torres can be seen emerging from behind, "Nice job saving the children," he says, ushering the collection into the slightly-too-small confines of the room, "We can keep them safe in here."   ''Thanks,'' Rue says, a little relieved to make it to the room. ''We've got a little one here who's hurt his ankle, I don't suppose you have a first aid kit in here?''   "Better," he says, looking over at the injured boy, placing one hand on his shoulder and smiling down to him, "It's okay, I won't hurt you."   For as reluctant as little Harry had been to interact with Frank, he seems calmed by the Priest's words, watching calmly as the man's hand passed over his ankle. Rue watches as Torres' eyes glow that same golden colour, getting increasingly bright until they're forced to avert their gaze. By the time they open their eyes again, they see that Harry's ankle has been completely healed, as if nothing were ever wrong with it.   ''Huh.'' Rue gawks at the healed ankle, placing the little boy on the ground. ''How's that? Better?''   "Yeah!" The little boy says, flexing the ankle and treading down on it, "Thanks, Mister!" He says to Torres before going to rejoin the other kids, much to their delight. It seems Harry truly was the most popular, intelligent and handsome of the lot of them.   Torres clears his throat, smiling down at the boy and saying a quick "You're welcome," before turning back to Rue, "Are you going back downstairs? I think they may need some assistance."   ''Yeah, I will.'' They say, their smile fading as they meet Torres' gaze. ''Keep them safe, will you?''   "Of course, Rue," he says, looking back at them, "The Choir and I would sooner burn this place to ashes than see these children harmed."   ''Slight overkill, but thanks,'' Rue huffs wearily, giving a quick wave to the children and promising to be back soon before they head back out the door. Taking a deep breath, they rush back down the stairs and towards the events hall.   As Rue and Torres tend to the children, Frank jogs through the building towards the slowly building sound of battle, eerie snarling sounds and breaking furniture becoming clearer with every step forward. As he jogs, he clutches his club tightly, trying to calm his racing mind, uncertain of what he was supposed to do, subdue… or kill. The latter was giving him far greater pause. The last time he’d taken a life, his own had come crashing to ruin. He hadn’t let it show earlier, but seeing the young boy, Harry, flinch away from him like that had brought back his nightmare, if only briefly, and he wasn’t sure he could do what needed to be done if his suspicions were correct about the Trinity’s ultimate solution for the hag.   As Warp turns the corner into the greathall, he sees a scene of utter chaos. The Cyberwitch has seemingly managed to overcome the menace of the chairs and tables, but been subsequently knocked aside by the hag, flying past Frank as he enters the room and landing awkwardly in the corridor.   The Huntress quickly finds herself wrestling for control of her own weapon, the hag taking hold of the barrel and flinging the much smaller woman around, though Julia seems to be putting up a good fight to hold on, her own clothes and face seemingly having taken a beating during the fight. Inevitably, the hag manages to wrench free the shotgun and break it over her knee.   "That was my favourite gun, you hemorrhoid straight from Satan's asshole!" Julia retorts, lending further credence to the theory that the display earlier wasn't just a once off. Not so easily deterred though, she reels back, pulling out her sidearm and some sort of jagged combat knife before dropping into a crouched stance, "Alright, bitch. You wanna dance? Let's dance."   Taking in the scene of pandemonium, Frank looks from the fallen witch to the struggling Huntress and, reasoning he can’t help Maggie whether she’s hurt or not, he chooses to stride into the hall. Reaching out again, the floor beneath the hag seems to almost liquify, allowing the hag to sink up to her haunches before hardening once more.   As the flooring resolidifies around the hag, she looks around to see the source of the disruption, her gnarled and hideous face turning to look Warp in the eye, a cold shiver working down his spine as it feels like she's peering into his very soul, "Why stop there, dearie?" she says as her hands wave over the floor below them, magically turning the whole area into a marshy swamp that both Frank and the Huntress find themselves sinking waist-deep into as the hag herself dives beneath the murk and out of sight.   Wading forward a few steps trying to get a bead on any ripples indicating her direction of movement , Frank can’t help but chortle to himself, “Turn it around on me eh? Clever girl.”   Warp and the Huntress quickly survey the sudden swampland surrounding them, looking out for the slightest sign of movement beneath the murk. Every stray bubble becomes a suspect as they close ranks and ready their weapons. A moment later, the mud and slime explodes upwards and a monstrous fish breaches the surface, its gaping jaws opening wide and threatening to swallow Warp whole.   Diving to the side while pushing Julia clear, the vast piscine beast slides past but its teeth cut open Frank’s thigh as it does so. Frank rises from the muck a heartbeat later, hand reforming his club into a spear and raising it into a throw ready position, waiting for the fish or the hag, Frank uncertain if they were one and the same, to resurface.   With fresh blood dripping into the stagnant water, the gigantic fish surfaces again, transforming back into the hag as Julia is thrown back, grabbing at Warp's shoulders with her enormous claws and opening her own sickening mouth wide enough to bite down on his whole head.   Frank quickly thrusts his short spear vertically into the gaping maw shouting “No love bites on the first date!”   The spear pierces the back of the hag's throat and Warp feels the telltale give of flesh being penetrated. The tip erupts from the back of Janet's neck but seems to do little more than enrage her as she bears her whole weight over Warp. Her claws dig into his shoulders and drag him into the murk, her right hand moving over his face to keep him submerged despite his incredible strength.   Reaching the events hall, Rue checks up on the unconscious form of the Cyberwitch. Satisfied that she’s just been knocked out, they turn their head just in time to see the spear piercing through the back of the hag’s neck. Their blood runs cold as the monster retaliates and Warp goes under in the murky swamp water. Eyes darkening with a rabid fury, Rue doesn’t hesitate to rocket launch themself forward, narrowly avoiding the spear sticking out as they land on her back, their hands snaking around her face before releasing a fire blast directly into her eyes.   The hag screeches in agony as Rue's flame melts away much of her face. Even the Huntress winces as she watches the attack take place. Janet stands upright, releasing Warp as she clutches tenderly at her ruined face. A moment later, she clutches at her back and manages to throw Rue off of her, clawing at the air around her for some sort of sign or signal of where to attack next.   Landing roughly in the bog, Rue is thankful to find their footing quick enough to resurface with a gasp. They frantically look around to where Frank went under, telekinetically reaching out to pull him back up.   Frantically trying to rise with the weight of the hag gone, Frank realises with quickly rising panic that the mud beneath him is holding him fast, only with the sudden force of unseen hands does he free himself, exploding above the waterline with a splutter, spitting and vomiting up swamp juice.   Finally able to join in with the attack, the Huntress makes her way behind the hag, wading as quietly as she can behind the lumbering monstrosity before slashing with her knife at the backs of her knees. The creature howls once again and, wounded, falls to her knees, her hand descending into the murk to steady herself.   The Huntress rounds the creature with malice in her eyes, kicking her into the muck as she tries to hobble away. Nearby, the Cyberwitch seems to have woken up and, propping herself up against the doorframe, casts a quick incantation towards the greathall. Within a moment, the muck and slime of the bog is gone, including that which covered everyone inside, and the three heroes found themselves with the creature laying prone.   It goes unnoticed at first, the Huntress seemingly taken by the thrill of the hunt, and Warp still gagging on water that isn't there, but Rue manages to hear the faint muttering of the hag in some ancient tongue, and is sure she's about to cast another spell, ''Oh no, you don't.'' Their voice laced with venom, Rue rapidly closes the gap between them and the hag, yanking her head back by her hair and placing a hand over her mouth, ''Try casting your spells with fried vocal chords!'' They growl viciously, releasing another fire blast from the palm of their hand before letting go.   The hag can't even scream as she buckles over, blood and viscera spewing from her mouth as she croaks indecipherably at the gathered heroes. The Huntress for her part, chuckles as she watches the display, "You've got some serious guts, Rue," she says, making her way to their defeated enemy's side and kicking her onto her back before looking up at her colleague, "Mags. Gimme old faithful."   Julia holds her hand out to one side, digits open, as the Cyberwitch mutters a quick incantation and a green wireframe model like that of a computer rendering software begins to materialise in her hand, quickly forming into a completely tangible and filled in battle-axe. The Huntress takes up the weapon in both hands and, before anyone has the chance to object, brings the blade down on the creature's neck, rending head from shoulders in a spray of blood.   The two heroes can see a wide grin spread over the Huntress' face as she watches the disembodied head of the hag roll onto its side, soon fading as the bleeding comes to a halt and she returns to her previous self, discarding the axe, which quickly returns to the cyberspace from whence it came, and looking over the battle-weary group, "Good hunt, everyone."   With the threat neutralised, Rue takes a deep breath, their shoulders slumping a little as they wipe off some of the blood spray that got on their face. They turn to look at Frank, who is still bleeding from his shoulder and thigh, “Can Father Torres heal him?” They ask, a strange, slightly shaky tone to their voice.   "The Choir has certainly healed worse," Maggie says, approaching the group as a knowing look passes between her and the Huntress, "But in the meantime, here." As she speaks, another wireframe model begins to materialise, turning into a set of snug bandages covering Warp's various injuries.   Having finally settled his strained lungs, Frank looks over the makeshift bandage before shrugging, "It'll do for now." He looks to Maggie, "Thank you."   “There are two, uhm… two others, who will need treatment…” Rue says, briefly pointing in the direction of the cellar. “The owners? I think?” They look down at their blood streaked hand, a faint tremor visible to anyone who pays close enough attention, “I’d better clean up, don’t want to scare those kids any more than they already are.”   "We'll take care of everything, Rue," Julia says, looking over at her old companion, "Maggie's pretty good at clean-up duty." She grins again, but a serious look from the Cyberwitch gives her pause as she glances back in Rue's direction, "You okay, Kid? I know that was pretty rough, but you've definitely saved a few people here."   “Hm? Yeah, I’m fine…” Rue mutters unconvincingly, swaying ever so slightly on their feet as the adrenaline starts to fade. “Just tired, that’s all.”   "Want me to clean you up too?" Maggie says as the corpse on the floor and blood splatter quickly find themselves magically converted into computer code and summarily deleted.   “Clean me- uh… sure?” They answer, not quite sure what exactly they’ve just agreed to.   Within a moment, the blood splatter and grime from the cellar have been completely wiped from Rue's skin and clothes, leaving them feeling oddly sterile.   Frank waits for the conversation to lull before asking “So now she’s dealt with, when do we get this book of yours?”   "I need to meet up with the family and discuss our little mission," Julia says, folding her arms as she thinks, "They'll probably want to convene a moot to decide if our need is worthy, and then we'll be given the location of the tomb. Unfortunately, we're probably talking about a couple of weeks, minimum. The Thompsons aren't as quick to action as they used to be."   “We may not have weeks, as has been mentioned the longer we wait the harder it’ll be to reverse time on Harmony, surely some expediency can be managed?”   "I'm afraid it's not your friend that will be convincing to them," she says with a light grimace, "It'll be killing the archdemon. And even then, they'll have to weigh it up against the risk that the book falls into the demon's hands. It's going to be a tough sell, even without trying to hurry them along."   A sudden surge of anger floods him, the effort of restraining it visible as Frank walks away, reminding himself that lashing out won’t help as he tries to regain a measure of calm. As he starts to walk away, Rue takes a step to follow him, the corners of their vision growing dark as their legs give out. Sensing the sudden motion behind him, Frank turns to see with shock Rue collapsing to the ground. His anger overwhelmed with concern as he rushes to them, just barely able to catch them before they can fall completely, “Rue, What’s wrong?”   Though a distant part of their brain registers someone’s arms steadying them, Rue can’t quite process it, their mind otherwise occupied with the dark spots that continue to swim around in their vision. Their limbs feel heavier than they can handle, a thick fog rapidly clouding their thoughts. They’re fairly sure someone asked them a question - what was it again? Oh. Right. The arms holding them up sounded worried. They’re pretty sure they don’t want the arms to be worried.   It takes a colossal effort to keep their eyes open, the dark spots growing rapidly in their vision. Their tongue feels awkward in their mouth, but they urge it to move, to reassure the arms, “..’m f’ne…”   “Like hell you are” Frank says before lifting them up fully in a bridal carry. Fully aware Rue won’t like it but also aware that they’re in no real state to move under their own power, “Do what you have to Huntress, just get us that book. We’ll have to leave the children to you as I need to get Rue home, they’ve pushed themself way too far these last few days.”   There’s a sudden movement that makes Rue’s head spin, a weak groan escaping their lips the only objection to it. They still catch snippets of what the arms are saying, but it feels distant, like they’re underwater. Are they? Wasn’t there a swamp? “P’ncakes…” They utter out as they hear something about ‘the children’. “H’rry wants p’ncakes…”   Frank looks to Rue with ever deepening concern but he does smile ruefully, “And make sure to take the kids out for pancakes, whatever they want, I’ll foot the bill,” before turning to leave for the Warpmobile and then on to Rachel’s.   "I mean, that may seem a little odd," the Huntress says, having quickly recovered from the shock of seeing Rue collapse and turned back to her companion, "These kids are still technically missing..."   "Oh, I'm sure I have a breakfast subroutine in here somewhere," Maggie says, opening up her screens and searching the various magical programs, "And if not, there is a kitchen. We can get them something while we wait for the police."   "Alright," Julia nods, "Thanks for your help, you two. I'll make this my top priority now. We'll be in touch."   Frank nods his thanks and continues to the car.   As the arms continue to carry them, Rue’s eyes flutter shut, the dark spots having drawn them in. Their head lolls against Frank’s chest, a faint frown creasing their brows as they feebly mumble “H’rm…”.   "It's ok, we're going to get you home" Frank eases them into the passenger seat and straps them in before getting in himself and setting off towards Rachel's, punching her address into his Nav system. Throughout the drive back to Bathala, Rue remains unconscious, though their slumber doesn’t appear to be a peaceful one. There seems to be a perpetual frown on their face, the occasional whimper escaping from their lips. Eyes flitting worriedly to Rue every so often, Frank pushes his car as much as he dare without brazenly breaking road traffic laws, coming to the front of Rachel's apartment. Quickly getting out and then gently removing the still fitful Rue, Frank strides up to the door and gives a few short, sharp kicks, hands currently full and with as much force as he can without damaging it.   "Alright, alright!" Came the familiar voice of Rachel from the other side of the threshold as she begins to unlock it, "What did the door ever do to you, eh?"   Upon opening the door, Rachel's eyes widen and she quickly steps aside, ushering Warp in and directing him towards the couch as she asks, "What the fuck happened?"   "Long story," Frank says, making for the nearest sofa. "We were going to meet a team of monster hunters to find a way to help Harmony and then got roped into taking down a hag to save some kids it'd snatched, and it must have pushed Rue too far. They clearly weren't doing too great when they came to meet me this morning, the hag hunt was the final straw," He sets them down gently as he relays their tale of the day's events.   Rachel gently adjusts Rue's head on the sofa in an attempt to make them more comfortable, and places an oddly familiar beaver to their chest, "They've really been pushing themselves these past few days," she says looking down at the unconscious hero with worry plainly evident on her face, "I doubt they've slept more than a few hours. I'll get Transonic to have a look at them, thanks for bringing them back here."   Rue shifts a little on the sofa, mumbling something incoherently.   "Not a problem, just do what you can for them" Frank looking on, worry etched across his own face, "Just let me know if I can help in any way"   "Of course, Frank," she says, smiling warmly to the other hero, "I've got your number if so. You should go get some rest yourself. You look like you've gotten a little beaten up," she says, motioning to the bandages, "I can take care of Rue. Trust me, this isn't the first time they've wound up unconscious on my couch following a fight."   Frank chuckles at that, "Alright, Thanks Rachel, I'll let myself out." Frank heads back to his car, head a churling mess of thoughts, worry for Rue, worry for Harmony and frustration at the ridiculous callousness of the Thompsons. Concerned with killing the demon and not saving a human life?! And then there was the sheer unrestrained bloodlust of the Huntress herself, if he didn't feel it were necessary, Frank would be tempted to tell the lot of them to get knotted.   As Frank turns the corner to park his car, something seems to move around near the passenger seat. It turns out to be the notebook that Rue had been writing in, the car’s movement having left it open on a random page. Even without intending to, Frank can read the first line on the page:   ‘’Dear Allyson,   So Mercy wants me to kill him.’’   Frank almost crashes the car as he reads the first few lines, quickly pulling up. He wars with himself for a moment, knowing those words aren't meant for his eyes but, unable to leave it be, he gingerly takes the book and begins to read on.