Aliquam: Academy of the Arts: Northern Sector: Theatre HallWith the Masked Phantom’s entrance, it felt as if all time within the Theatre Hall slowed to a crawl. The Pride looked amongst themselves with uneasy trepidation, and down to the man at the far end of the room, hovering in the air above the stage with Angel slumped over his shoulder, all at a complete and utter loss to know what to do. Despite his confinement, Jay relaxed with a smile inside his cage, confident that he and his allies had already secured their victory, with Francesca waiting in one of the balconies overlooking the rest of the hall, biding her time.
The Pride were left at a hopeless disadvantage considering everything the thieves had managed to set out and accomplish – holding and threatening a hostage, along with the threat of activating the charges they had already placed around the Academy, and endangering not only the Pride but all of the faculty staff both conscious and unconscious upon the school grounds. The only option they were given was to accept the Masked Phantom’s demands… release Jay back into their custody, and agree to retreat, taking with them the rest of the Academy’s staff, so that the thieves could accomplish their goal of somehow stealing the Academy building itself.
There was no option.
Was there…?
All eyes turned to Dylan and Tobias. Just seconds ago they had been arguing on what to do, with Tobias demanding they press the advantage of threatening to fatally hurt Jay unless the thieves surrendered, whilst Dylan was willing to relinquish the Academy if but to prevent anybody from being hurt. Neither felt like favourable options to the rest of them. The thought of giving in to the Masked Phantom and his allies… and just allowing them all to get away free, destroying and stealing the Academy with them… it was wrong and incomprehensible. They couldn’t do that, could they? But what other options did they have?
Dylan starred at the Masked Phantom, his fists clenched by his side. The more the man spoke, and grinned in that arrogant manner, the more the Matter Artist grew angry. They had them beat, but there was no need to rub it in their faces. He was already doing enough – hurting his friends and holding them hostage. Threatening to destroy the school that was his home, and crushing the dreams and memories of all of his friends who came to live and study here. Granted, not all of the memories Dylan had of his time here were pleasant. Some, thanks to Tobias, were ones he’d rather forget. But that wasn’t up to the Masked Phantom to decide, or anyone. Nobody had the right to do this to another person. Not to him, not to Dalia, to Angel, Rose, Simon, Keeva, or even Tobias himself.
Nobody had that right. And not to look so damn arrogant and smug at the same time.
“I hope you've all come to a favourable decision?”Then
his words flashed inside his mind.
“DYLAN!! You’re no longer Little Bro! From now on… now on you’re the Big Bro! And that means you have to look after Big Sis, and our other sises, and all of our other little bros!”In the time that he had left Aliquam, he had grown up. He had become a Guilder, and most importantly, become a member of the Pride. In that short space of time he had seen and done many different things, and grown stronger from that. And on top of that… perhaps a little bit more crazy too. What Dylan did next wasn’t rational, but when was anything the Pride ever did?
Throw reason and sanity to the walls! This goddamn rotten stinking coward smelly buttbreath scumbag threatened his home, his family, his friends! And no way would Dylan let him!!
His hands gripped and snatched his slate from his belt, pulling it up in front of him as he scratched his chalk on top. His eyes, closed and fixed in complete concentration, began to work his magical efforts into imbuing his next construct. The Masked Phantom had made an enemy of the wrong people!!
The crude sketch was drawn in seconds. Dylan’s eyes snapped open, staring and willing for it to materialise where he stared. Just behind the Masked Phantom, it formed:-
A giant wooden log attached to the ceiling with rope. As soon as it was willed into existence, it swung on its pendulum. The blonde thief turned in abject surprise at the sudden creation, but was powerless to stop himself from being hit. A hastily thrown buffer of wind absorbed most of the impact, but he was still thrown off of his platform of wind, to land roughly onto the wooden stage beneath. Angel was launched from his arms, but safely caught in another vortex of wind, this one much friendlier. With Herculean effort and control, Marcus concentrated on bringing Angel closer to the Pride – and Aria and Xandra rushed out to meet him, helping catch the bound student.
Tobias watched with wide eyes and whistled. He cocked one eyebrow to Dylan.
“What was it you said just a second ago?”
“I changed my mind,” Dylan replied, facing the thief staggering back to his feet. “Threatening my home, my friends and family… no. He’s pissing me off, and the Pride don’t give in to anyone.”
Tobias laughed and grinned, cracking his knuckles.
“I like it.”“Any objections?” Dylan asked to the rest of his friends. They all shook their heads unanimously.
“None.” Marcus smiled. A bright green glow left his staff and wafted through each and every one of his allies, buffering and improving their agility. The Pride certainly would not give in.
The Masked Phantom rose to his feet, and turned his head to glare at them, narrowing his eyes. “Francesca. Jay. Miffy. Fabian. Take them all out.” As a counterpart to Marcus’ own magics, a bright green glow encircled and enveloped the thief’s own body.
Meanwhile, directly outside the doors to the Theatre Hall…
Two particular thiefs had made a spritely dash from the South-Western sector of the Academy where they had once been fighting Lute, Trixie and Rose, to flee upon Amy, Moira and Syed’s arrival and traverse all the way to the Theatre Hall with the hope of supporting their allies. Miffy said little, as Fabian did most of the talking for them, amidst his cussing atop Miffy’s shoulder. He was still angry that the pint sized brat had stolen his equipment, but he’d make it up to his idol, no matter what. By springing in alongside Miffy to help the rest of his team and take these cussing Guilders out for good!
At least… that was the plan.
A sharp and powerful blow slammed into Miffy’s face with a crack, sending the towering giant stumbling back. The attack hurt less then it was surprising, but it was another to topple his balance and make him fall over, with Fabian stumbling down to the ground and to the side, ironic payback for what he had done to Rose, Lute and Trixie when they were riding Sebastian.
The boy began to cuss loudly, and Miffy opened his eyes to blink in-between the eyeholes of his bunny mask in wonder at who his attacker was.
Fiery determined eyes stared back at him, a young woman’s face lit up by the flickering embers of her enflamed sword.
“I TOLD YOU GODDAMN COWARDS I WAS GONNA BEAT THE SNOT OUT OF YOU!” Estelle said angrily, shifting to a ready fighting stance that could turn into either a powerful offence, or steady defence – the door to the Theatre Hall directly behind her.
"NO MORE RUNNING!"And in the distance, the footsteps of her companions from the South-West were quickly approaching.
BOSS BATTLE:
Storytime
