[b][i]GM Post[/i][/b]

For Hibiscus, Ascot, and Serenity, all will be well, at least, once Hibiscus explained the bad news to the young woman. Of course, knowing how anti-social the young woman was, she might not want to respond to Hibiscus' (or Leslie's) attempts at forging a friendship. But, apparently, that worry was wrong, at least for now, because Serenity's mind was focused on the present 'business'. 

Anyway, if Serenity asked further questions, Ascot would be glad to answer them; elaborating more on Hibiscus' (very good) explanation, saying that the enemy were powerful, experienced terrorists, and that they had tried to frame a nearby Yakuza base for the kidnapping, signifying that they must have some smarts. Also, that Jonathan, one of the other teachers, was going to the Capital, Manila, to retrieve the missing students...

[b][i]Unknown Compound[/i][/b]

"Thanks, guys," spoke Nao to the talking animals while Alexandria looked at the fox with a longing gleam in her eye - she wanted to hug it. Myriad, meanwhile, sighed at the thought of not being able to escape yet, but, at the same time, had...faith(?) that Ascot and Jonathan would rescue them soon. So, for now, while he waited, he would relax; there were things he needed to think about, after all.

The shade who had strangled him to unconciousness, the shade that was eerily similar to him in facial features...was that someone related to him, perhaps even his father - his birth father? If so, perhaps there was a connection to his lost memories; lost memories that he can bring back using the Mind School! But, should he? It was hinted that those memories were painful, very much so...

Suddenly, the two heard footsteps heading towards them; could it be rescue, or their captors checking up on them? Thinking quickly, Myriad cast an illusion hiding the familiars, as well as showing them as cuffed. But, thankfully, when the door opened, it would be Jonathan; the man would back to his original form, Myriad too would dispel the illusion, and he, Nao, and Alexandria would hug their mentor.

Anyway, to continue: The group would then try and move from the room they were in, only to realize that the corridors seemed to have changed and shifted halfway; the Building's Spirit seemed to be on the side of the would-be captors, it seemed. Not merely that, but every so often, a shot would ring out, either from the ground below or the ceiling above, or from the corners.

This technique was called phasing; a less powerful, less practical version of Myriad's intangibility. Basically, the idea was that one uses Timespace to 'swim' inside a surface of a structure, then emerge for short gasps in order to conduct potshots at people, or, better yet, hide inside the ground and then rise up, surprising the enemy. Again, this technique was [i]less powerful or practical than Myriad's technique[/i], so it didn't compare.

Alexandria reached for her bow, but found that the enemy had relieved her of her weapon...which was the same time that the house itself decided to intervene on behalf of the enemy, creating one giant [i]maw[/i], filled with razor-sharp teeth, to swallow the group whole...or at least capture them again. At the same time, Perry Goldsmith, the one who had been doing the potshots, now emerged out to the open...

...Tossing a net of pure Orichalcum at Jonathan, while at the same time, Li Chang, the small-n necromancer, unleashed a swarm of ghosts at Myriad and Co, as well as the Familiars. The place where this skirmish occured in was an abandoned office on the upper levels, close to Jonathan's landing spot. In this abandoned office, several of the chairs, tables, and even computers were...

...Transformed into crude barricades and emplacements for more terroristic 'mooks', who now shot a volley of Microwave Beams that would break any energy shield, as well as 
pulses of sound that would disrupt one's concentration, preventing them from casting spells. Grenades containing foam that suppressed Timespace and Energy Magics were also tossed; it was clear that the enemy wanted the group captured alive.

Both Perry and Li were clad in black, form-fitting Special Forces gear with ominous black masks, hiding their descriptions except, of course, for their builds, which were muscular.