Into The Lion's Den

[ringmasterrob]

*The strange marching line consisting of the terrified and increasingly insulted Marcus, the rather sarcastic Ringmaster aiming Marcus' own gun at him and the duo of Midnight and Mog, finally are outside Fear's throne room*

"Very good Ma, you actually have the ability to remember something, amazing what an idiot can do with the right motivation isn't it?

*To Mog & Midnight* Well ladies, we must tread very carefully in here, but being a prisoner of Fear then i'm sure you'll know of his lack of scruples well enough, just stand behind me and you'll be fine. This is the lion's den so to speak and I think we need to prove that this particular lion's bark heavily outweighs his bite."

*Rob signals Marcus to open the doors and enter the throne room, Rob walks in next with the duo keeping behind him. Fear is, as usual, sitting in his throne room attempting to look high and mighty. Before anyone else can speak Rob pipes up*

"Good evening Fearlord, just wondered if you'd be interested in purchasing some competant henchmen? As yours appear to be lacking in the required brains to even subdue prisoners and avoid shaking like a rattle in the face of an enemy."

*With this Marcus, inspired by being in the presence of his boss speaks.*

[Count Marcus Brinkatore]

"Sorry Your Lordship This wanner be mage got lucky."

"But I can assure you hes more mouth then action."

*Quickly before rob can react steps away from the Ringmaster allowing Fear a clear shot with a fireball should he so choose. Marcus walks briscaly out of fireing range of the Pistol.*

"Out of the frying pan into the fire, I think is the expresion. So much for this resscu attempt. I guess age dosne't improve peole Aye Ringmaster. Your still the idiot that Edward Deal discribed."

[ringmasterrob]

*Rob smirks even more at Marcus' sudden confidence*

"If I'm all mouth, Ma, then why on earth were you shaking like a leaf to the extent you dropped your only weapon, just because you saw my face? Then again if Edward Deal described me as an idiot, that man is a great authority on idiocy as I well know from many occasions of outwitting him.

Then again into the fire is entirely correct, as I expect the fearlord will be more than happy to swat me with one of his almighty fireballs, such a shame it has to end like this"

*As he says this last part he puts on a mock tragic voice*

[Lord Fear]

[ModNote: Lord Fear was last seen in New Employment.]

"Brinkatore, you are dismised, hurry up unless you want a Fireball in you face." said Lord Fear raising from his throne.

"Please, call me Lord Fear, Ringmaster."

[ringmasterrob]

"Well, seeing as you asked so nicely Fearlord then the answer's undoubtedly yes. So Lord of Fear, all I want from you is this, a man was murdered today named Charles Redmun, they've been shouting about it in the streets. I happen to know you had Leytan the mercenary kill a man named Tyler, did you have him or anyone else kill Charles Redmun or if not do you know who did, for being the supposed opposition it's your business to know these things. I must say I like what you've done with this place, letting prisoners run free, hiring minions less skilled than the previous ones, something I did not think possible."

[Lord Fear]

"Indeed I sent Leytan on a little erand, that was to kill Tyler, the mortal conned me into buying broken Goblin Horns" said Lord Fear with a hint of anger in his voice.

"But I did not send any of my minions to murder Mr Redmun, I wanted to meet the man a have a drink, I'm also wondering of the murderer myself"

*Lord Fear secretly moved one of his hands behind his back to summon a fireball*

[ringmasterrob]

*Rob sense truth in what Fear says, the bit about Leytan matches what he's heard and it wouldn't have been in Fear's best interests to have killed Redmun, plus if Fear knew who DID do it he wouldn't cover up for anyone else another trail had led to a dead end.*

"Well Fear, there's a first time for everything but you've actually been very helpful, I have all the information I need here and I will be quite happy to leave this place now. However the two ladies and their gentlemen friend are now in my custody and will be following my out, if you have any objections please contact me via a written complaint and I will ignore your request withing 2-3 working days."

*With this he signals the ladies to walk ahead, and then he himself heads to leave.*

[Lord Fear]

*Lord Fear raises his hand behind his head and then throws it forward throwing a 6 Megawatt Fireball at the leaving visitors*

[ringmasterrob]

*The fireball is possibly the best Fear has thrown for a long time, impacting directly between the Ringmasters back and neck, surely a fatal roasting. However something rather unexpected happens, the fireball hits but does not have the impact of hurling the ringmaster at all, instead it is absorbed into him. Absorbed isn't quite the correct word, but that's the best anyone present can think of to describe it. Rob turns instantly, an angered look on his face*

"Oh dear, Fearlord. You couldn't leave it could you, had to go for the cowardly sneak attack, if you had no other faults this would be enough to earn you this. Time to chill out."

*Before Fear can react the Ringmaster sends a sheets of water that wraps around Fear and his throne and freezes both solid, they will remain that way for a few hours.*

"Quickly ladies lets hurry, no he's not dead he'll be fine, more's the pity."

*Outside they see Brinkatore, who appears to have been listening at the door, his face falls as Rob points a familiar weapon at his chest.*

"Well well Ma, you could've gotten away then, had to have a nose in other people's business. You're just as bad as the Fearlord, well actually your worse, you can't fire fireballs then again i'm sure you can act just as smug. Now ladies, we have a tigerman to find do we not. One moment please

*RMR closes his eyes, keeping the gun pointed at Marcus ready to fire, after a few seconds he speaks again*

"He's not far, down this corridor, take a right and then a second right. Lets march Ma."

[Lord Fear]

*Lord Fear moves his eyes left and right to see the visitors leave*

'I'll make them all pay for this, when I'm out of this giant freezer' thought Lord Fear rolling his eyes to the back of his head.

[Sylvester Hands]

* Because of their diversion to meet Fear, Rob and the ex-prisoners did not reach the dungeons before Hands and Quill. The latter, having assembled Grippa, Rhark, Tiny, two mire-men, two skeletrons and a mire-trog, wait in Coriolis's cell, whither their foes cannot but be bound (which Coriolis, in rather a different sense of the word, still is). *

Can't 'ave 'im shoutin' to 'em that we're waitin', can we?

* Hands tears another strip from his rags and gags the chained shape-shifter. *

You know what'll 'appen if you change, don't you?

* The assembled Opposition beings await their prey. *

[ModNote: Continued, for Hands, in Ominous report to Lord Fear - after the events of the current thread.]

[ringmasterrob]

*RMR is leading the group down the corridor, with one more corridor to go down before the one where the 'tigerman' is imprisoned.*

"Just take a left here Ma, that's right no sudden mo..."

*There is a flicker of the light going out slightly, then the light returns casting their shadows again, there is a metallic clatter and a gasp by Mog & Midnight as the Ringmaster is no longer present and correct. Seizing the initiative, Marcus grabs his pistol once more.

However for the small army Sly Hands has amassed in such a short time there is a bigger threat, something other than the Ringmaster has found its way into Marblehead and had awoken trapped within the place, desperate to leave and ready to slaughter anything in its way. [ModNote: Last seen in The Big Day.]

The figure has a 'pocket watch' indicating a large amount of creatures ahead. A shadow sweeps past Grippa, Rhark, Tiny, two mire-men, two skeletrons and a mire-trog. Appearing behind them as a tall figure, covered entirely in black cloth. It draws out a weapon.*

"Time to play"

*There is the sound of bones being cleaved, goblin blood is spilled, a mireman is cut in two and the huge miretrog is felled. Hands & Quill are gobsmacked by the devasting efficency with which this one man army cleaves apart the amassed minions. They retreat into the cell with Tiny, Grippa, Rhark and the remaining mireman, firmly bolting the cell door.

Taking heart that this little army will stand in its way no more the figure is gone, and a shadow glides effortlessly along the walls, out into the sunlight outside the dungeons. It is heading back towards Wolfenden in the early morning.*

"That was quite... ...entertaining"

[Count Marcus Brinkatore]

*Marcus reacts quickly and garbs the gun of the floor.*

"Now then back were we strated, aye Midnight."

"Ok you and your Little Fluff Ball there put your hands up."

[Midnight]

*Midnight slowly puts up her hands..she has no choice yet again.*

It seems that way Marcus but at least this time I will remain decently dressed thanks to RMR's cloth.

[Count Marcus Brinkatore]

*Sneers at Midnight.*

"Whats Wrong Midnight?"

"Getting CATTY are we?"

*Laughs at his joke*