[@floodtalon][@Sho Minazuki]

It was unfortunate that Mary's attention had been called elsewhere for this mission. Akoni had somewhat liked her. His new associate? Not so much. More power than sense, and in the grand scheme of things it wasn't that much power either. He wouldn't have been surprised if the half-demon kid got himself killed by mouthing off to the wrong people in the very near future. If he didn't know his own temper, he wouldn't be surprised if [i]he[/i] were the wrong person the kid mouth off too. Such an anger management problem, such a mouth, it was surprising that this half-breed was actually as young as he was. Or maybe that was the perfect evidence to showcase the kid's youth. That rash inexperience. Regardless, Akoni refrained from gate walking the cricket into the sky, or introducing him to horrors unknowable. As little as the old mage cared for this companion, an ally was an ally in these dark times. Akoni wouldn't shed any tears if Henry died, but the cryokinetic teenager could at least be useful until then.

That was another thing that bugged Akoni, Henry's age. Clearly the Charred Council held no reservations about recruiting children, that much was made clear when Midori had joined him back in the Ancient Library, but her fate was uncertain and now here was this new kid to take her place. Midori was overcome with the naivety that came with her age, while Henry exhibited the brash side of that equation. Were the Charred Council really recruiting worthwhile agents if they had to resort to these individuals? Or were they simply throwing any bodies they could find at the problem without regard to life and hoping that something stuck? The first possibility was indicative of incompetence, which Akoni had already written off in his discussion with Fenn. The second implied desperation, which was more believable given the circumstances, but there was still something else. Something hiding in the shadows, behind the veil of it all. 

The elderly man's attention had been wrested back to the present when addressed by a few angels from the Army of Light. Ah, these were potential allies. Unlike the Laguna, they could be reasoned with. Distrustful to be sure, but given the circumstances they had every right to be. With the right words, Akoni knew that they could be a boon in this ques-[Color=paleturquoise]"How about you mind your fucking business assholes!"[/color]

...

[color=dodgerblue]"If you do not die here, the universe is truly an unfair and imbalanced place,"[/color] Akoni mumbled beneath his own breath. He mentally and physically prepared himself for an assault thanks to the incredibly tactful and charismatic Henry, only to find an entirely different assault on his hands. While Henry barked out orders he had no right to, the older man was already jumping into action. With a snap of his fingers, [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBpu3Fhvkdc]music[/url] materialized from nowhere and Akoni was already defended as four gates materialized around him in his Tortoise Shell technique. An assault had already launched itself toward him, either blind to the purpose of the gates or incapable of stopping its own momentum, but caught up in the attack regardless. 

A suitable defense now in place, Akoni got to work manipulating the battlefield for their own advantage. He called upon the magics of his new book, the Dunwich Diary, his eyes glowing a murky blue, emanating small wisps of shadow. Around the clearing, just on the outside of his gates and around the enemies grew the Stygian Eyes, ready to burst into caustic acid once any living thing got too close.