[center] [h3]A Storm Brews [/h3]
A colab between [@Old Amsterdam] and [@Flamelord]
All active posters are affected. [/Center]
[hr]
Rend materialized almost instantly, holding out a hand for Finch.

"There's trouble. Get your mask on and suit up. We're all heading out," he said in a tense voice, looking a little worse for wear himself.

An eyebrow rose as Rend appeared with trouble on his lips. Never a dull moment it seemed, if they had somehow managed to get in a major conflict in the short time that he had been off to get his stuff. He wasn't sure what they were doing that they needed his help for, but if they were calling he couldn't exactly refuse. 

"Alright." He stepped back before ducking out of sight so he could change and get his mask on. That would only take a minute or two and soon afterwards he returned to stand in front of Rend. It was one of the suits he was used to wearing, and he had his new mask on as well. 

He then nodded to Rend with a casual grip on his stuff. "I'm ready. Let's get going." 

A  flash, and they disappeared, reappearing in Finch's new quarters. "Drop the stuff, and get to the main hall. Chrysopoeic is waiting, and he's angry. I've got to pick up a few more," Rend said with a tense smile, disappearing again.
[hr]

In the main hall was Chrysopoeic standing in the very center with his back to Finch. Null was looking at Finch with a spark of anger in her eyes, visible beneath the blank mask.

If he had needed directions back down here, she had given them without any small talk.

It appeared everyone, but Chrysopoeic, was on edge.

"Got it," Finch confirmed as Rend issued new instructions before vanishing. He had to be a busy guy even on good days so Finch did not hold the brevity against him. There was certainly more utility in his power than others. 

Placing his stuff up against his bed, Finch wasted no time in making his way over to the main hall. He was still getting used to this place but he hadn't gotten too lost, and Null had helped when he needed it. Arriving h found that there was a tense atmosphere in the air, mostly courtesy of Null to be honest. Even he couldn't help but get a bit more serious with how everyone else seemed to be.

He stepped into the hall before coming to a stop some distance from his new boss. "What's going on?" They were going to have to do something he supposed, and he was ready for whatever happened. 

"We have vermin to exterminate," Chrysopoeic said in his thunderous voice, still reverberating through the room even with him speaking softly. "Our precious young one has been preyed upon by a fool."

At that moment, Rend appeared with Scatterer. "Smog was injured. She'll need Dian to fix her so she's not out of control anymore. I got her in the safe room."

"That is a shame. But come, let's show this City the erroneous beliefs their so called heroes maintain."

Finch nodded as Chrysopoeic explained in general terms what he planned to do. Making a demonstration? He was okay with that even if it was likely to include things similar to what he had done for him before. It was to be expected that they would do something like this eventually. 

"Sounds good to me," he agreed with a nod. He didn't know what they were going to do but they would probably find out soon enough. Until then Finch would just wait and see what happened.

Rend created several copies, quickly teleporting everyone at once onto the scene in question. Dian was on the ground, her leg a mangled mess, and chaos ensured all too close from Mimic's magical copies and the combat involved.

Arrival on the scene heralded bedlam and chaos, with one ally on the ground and the other a multitude of copies that were basically attacking everyone else already there. There were quite a few Epics as well, which probably explained what his employer had meant by the delusions of heroes. 

Well, Finch was the villain. In that case he might as well play the part. "You weren't kidding," he noted to his companions as he drew out a cylinder from his belt. Flicking it open revealed his trademark glass, and the contact of his powers reshaped it into several small discs with sharp edges. Ranged fighting with his powers wasn't usually his style but he didn't exactly have an assault rifle on him right now so it would have to do.

He took a moment to line it up before he sent the discs twirling through the air, aimed at one of the opponents who had been fighting at what was previously a distance from Dian. Time to make an entrance.

As the bullet entered Scatterer's field of influence, he redirected it from Dian's body.

"Null, stop the one who attacked our precious young one. Rend, go retrieve him for me," Chrysopoeic commanded.

A moment later, Emblem found himself unable to move anymore as his brain was assaulted with how worst nightmares brought to life, his body already unable to move by itself. Rend materialized above him, a simple touch to him as they began to fall, and they appeared in front of the group.

"You have much to pay for, you insolent rat," Chrysopoeic growled, walking forward. "I have passed judgement upon you, and you are guilty. Your sentence is death."

Metal pooled from his arms, quickly encasing the faux-hero and growing into a foot deep mass. With a single clenching of his fist, Chrysopoeic condensed the ball around Emblem into one barely five inches in diameter. 

Dian looked up to see the rest standing over her. As much as she wanted to be grown up, the tears she had held back burst forth. "Daddy!" She sobbed, holding out her arms to be picked up.

Having launched his initial volley, Finch was prepared to do so again almost immediately after. But he found his attention dragged away by his employer in action, an opportunity he could not pass up to watch. If this man was as dangerous as he appeared then Finch needed to know more about him, especially if their relationship should end badly some day. 

What he saw was, well, Chrysopoeic definitely confirmed what he had suspected. Very quickly the flying Epic was brought down by the members of the Alkahest working in concert, as he had figured would be the case. From all he had observed of them thus far, and what he had been told, these guys weren't here because they could be pushed around easily.

Yet what Chrysopoeic did made even him wince, and he averted his gaze a bit. That was...brutal. He couldn't say whether the Epic deserved that, but it definitely served to highlight his position all the more. He was going to have to tread carefully from now on.

Chrysopoeic raised his hands, bringing the small sphere into the air, flicking it in the direction of the heroes with a whoosh. Null walked forward and picked up Dian, nodding at her injured leg. Dian muttered darkly as she stuffed her hands in her leg and started moving the pieces around, reconnecting pieces slowly. "Big Sis! Mimic was super stupid!" She pouted as she glanced up at Null.

"Hear me, so called heroes!" He called out, his voice booming through the area. "You have been blinded by the lies and tricks of your false gods. You have fought valiantly to defend those which should have been destroyed, grown like cattle before the slaughter! Your failings in this are of no fault of yourselves, but of those who claim to guide you and protect you."
"But have you been protected? No, you have not! Your city has been a playground for the twisted beasts of the dark, of the murderers. You attack children because of these liars! You sit when you should act! I, Chrysopoeic, have come to rid this corruption from this City and take my rightful place on the Throne, my Alkahest at my side. Lay down your powers against us, and rise beside of us into glory and greatness, bringing the flood of change that are coming."