[center][h3]Brewing Storm[/h3]
[@krayzikk][@sho minazuki][@herecomesthesnow][@kaithas][@plank Sinatra][@suku][@narayank][/center]

The heroic efforts of Benjamin saved him from an early death and even scored a few hits against the manticore before Goodwitch's spell made an impact.  For the moment, the monstrous creature hesitated, its attention torn between the vulnerable target before it and the potentially dangerous one above.  A peppering of lightning blasts from the hunter-in-training successfully prevented it from recuperating its focus.  Finally, the creature made up its mind and pounced onto the building, ready to eviscerate the vulnerable human with terrifying claws.

At that moment a pillar of purple light crashed down into its back, like an wrathful beacon from heaven.  The accompanying sound, which would be oddly sonorous were it not painfully loud, resounded throughout the whole complex.  Awash in pain, the supposedly intelligent beast bellowed and changed targets, now fixed on annihilating whatever hurt it so badly.  Despite the magnitude of Goodwitch's smite, however, the monster's motor functions did not seem conveniently impaired.  Weirdly like a housecat begging for food, the gargantuan creature reared up onto its hind legs to try and swat the airship from the sky.  Fortunately, the professor had not been so careless as to have her vehicle hover in clawing range, even if she expected her adversary to retreat.  Its unexpected blind aggression, completely at odds with the bestial cunning shown earlier, elicited from Goodwitch an unappreciative frown.  “Well, this makes it easy.”  After a few words to the pilot in a raised tone, the airship  began to move.  It floated away from the distillery and over the marsh, discharging a hail of magic arrows every few seconds, and the Manticore ran after it.  “We've got its attention.  There's a chance of it jumping for us but as long as we keep moving it can't get a bead on us.  Get everyone out of the building and into the distillery's courtyard, pronto!”

On the first floor, Ivor stood grimly, his former wry smile replaced by businesslike calm.  One of his colleagues had revived, though still in an unpleasant condition, and between them they held the third man on their shoulders.  They awaited the signal from Sangue, which she in turn would be receiving from Benjamin following his reception of Goodwitch's command.  Down a short hall lay the open door to the distillery courtyard, the afternoon light a vision of hope but also one of peril as long as the manticore lurked nearby.

[center][i]-meanwhile-[/i][/center]

The survivors hung back, collectively quiet, during the dialogue between Lucas and Lauren.  Knowing how far their lives lay on the line, they trusted their rescuers to do the right thing, and to tell them what to do quickly and succinctly when it was time to move.  More than one of them worried that the stunt that Lauren planned would incapacitate if not kill Lucas, though.  Soon enough, the preparations were complete -even if sending an ultra-casual video via phone seemed a little frivolous- and then the happening that could only be described as an experiment of fortitude began.

Electricity surged through Lucas, a ceaseless stream of pain that tore away his control over his body and then tried to tear away his mind.  Without the regeneration of his semblance and the protection afforded by his aura, this act would have been suicidal self-sacrifice beyond the shadow of a doubt.  Were they around, the survivors would be truly worried that he would not pull through.  Yet the young hunter did not die, and the agonizing power flowing through him served its purpose.

Obligingly the dumbwaiter began to move.  At first only creaks and groans heralded its migration, which were scarcely audible over Lucas' cries, but before long the device appeared from the chute.  Inside lay a power cell, ripe for the taking.  With it close at hand, the generator and then the lift would shortly follow—but at this instant, the hunter team needed to undo their setup and save Lucas before the current overwhelmed him.  At the same time, the survivors had vanished up the vehicle bay lift, and would soon be on the surface.