Dark Dimension: Going Home

[xp_topaz]

Going home is never easy.



"What the fuck."

Topaz probably should have mustered up something a bit more... something. Shocked, surprised, scared, anything. But she was exhausted, the portal home was right there, and standing between them and it was dozens of shapeless, shadowy blobs.

So what the fuck was probably the best she was going to do.

Any thought of reserving what she had for power went out the window in favor of brute force. Topaz gathered crackling golden energy in her hand, blasting it at the closest huddle of figures. She felt grimly satisfied as she watched them explode.

A blast of dark-edged blue lightning followed, pushing back another pair of what Dormmamu had called their "Mindless Ones" and Amanda appeared at Topaz' side. "Easy on the juice," she cautioned her former student. "Unless you want to recharge with one of us, you're going to need to conserve your energy." The older witch looked exhausted, and what was worse black threads were slowly covering the white of her eyes, signalling that the dark energies of the place were starting to take their toll. "I have more than enough for the brute stuff."

"What, you don't want to spend a few hours numb again?" Topaz asked, trying to keep the bite of sarcasm out of her voice. She could tell Amanda was pushing her own limits, and banter could easily turn into telling each other to fuck off. Besides, Amanda wasn't wrong. She was already grasping at straws for her own energy, and the only drainable people nearby were allies who needed their wits about them.

Although... what were these things, anyways? Sure, they were called "Mindless Ones" but they had to have something going on up in their heads. Hell, even Slendermen gave off some kind of emotions - very basic, bottom of the barrel emotion, but it was something. Maybe these things did as well. It was worth a shot.

Topaz backed off a bit, tucking herself neatly behind Amanda. She had no intentions of hiding for long, but she needed a moment to focus and find these things in the throng of heightened emotions. Anger, determination, annoyance, disgust-

Fear.

That wasn't a familiar emotional signature. And it didn't fit in with the people fighting around her. Terror, fear, sadness, get away, run away, it's coming, IT'S COMING, RUN RUN RUN-

Darkness descended. Topaz snapped back into her head, eyes wide as she jerked around to look at the closest Mindless One. That hadn't been bottom of the barrel emotions.

That had been human.

Amanda felt Topaz' sudden jerk and glanced over her shoulder. "What is it? You hit?"

Topaz didn't answer. Her eyes were fixed on the closest shadow, expression completely blank. No no no no stop run no she didn't need to run, she was fine, she was fine, Amanda was talking, she needed to move get out get out GET OUT!

Amanda cursed under her breath, firing more lightning bolts at the advancing drones. She couldn't take the time to check Topaz for injuries, not without losing access to the portal and all of them being trapped there. "TOPAZ! Snap out of it!" she called desperately, resisting the urge to encase them both in a shielding spell, which would leave things undefended. One of the creatures swung a huge hand at her, and she took the blow on her right shoulder, which instantly went numb and flared with pain at the same time. She dropped to her knees, still blasting away with her other hand, although it was clear she was running out of power.

A wave of crackling energy swept through, taking out everything within five feet of the witches. "This is what happens," Wong said, almost boredly, as he stepped through the portal with a young woman on his heels, "when amateurs try to be heroes."

"This is what happens when we are late," Morgan replied with a roll of her eyes. She took in the two women in front of her, then pricked a finger and flicked a few drops of blood in front of them to raise a faintly red barrier. "Although the amateur tag may not be remiss... this time. Please keep behind the barrier."

​Amanda growled under her breath, but held her peace. This was too important for personal insults. "We have people coming right behind us," she told them, wincing and grabbing her shoulder as she rose to her feet again. She turned to Topaz. "You all right? You spaced out on me."

The arrival of unfamiliar emotions and unfamiliar magic had shaken Topaz out of whatever spiral she had fallen down. She shook her head a couple of times, biting down a groan at the headache that burst to life in her head. She brought one hand up, digging the heel of her palm into her eye and taking a few deep breaths. "Yeah," she gritted out. Fuck. Everything was still echoing in her head. She didn't like it. "Yeah, I'm fine." She lifted her head to look at Amanda. "Are you? And who the hell are they?"

"Battered, but I'll be fine," Amanda grated through clenched teeth. Mostly from pain, but partly from the 'amateur' tag. "These are the Ancient One's people. Finally off their arses."

Another wave of Mindless Ones came rolling in, and Wong swept them away with a wave of his hand and a crackle of energy. "Perhaps," he called to Morgan, "it's time to open a path for our intrepid 'heroes' so they can go home and stay out of the way."

​"As you demand," Morgan called over her shoulder as she moved a few steps back from the most recent wave of Mindless Ones. A shallow cut had her dripping blood in a circle, and a few words had a portal sprung up. "The portal express for out of their depth magic users has arrived. Please keep hands and heads inside the portal at all times.

Topaz glared at her, then looked back at Amanda. "They're a couple of tossers, aren't they." It was an observation more than a question. "I'm not leaving." Not until everyone else was safe. And she wasn't about to do anything they told her to do.

"Right here with you." Amanda sucked in a breath and with it, more power from the destroyed city, Blue-tinged sparks crackled from her fists. "We'll see our people safe first, if you don't mind," she added to Wong and Morgan, her sarcasm scathing. "Not that I don't trust you, but I really don't trust you."

"Suit yourself," Wong said in a disinterested tone before turning his attention back to the Mindless Ones. "Don't expect us to save you again, though."





"Ah, the portal!" Megan cried in dismay as they were set upon again by the Mindless Ones. They were almost there! Hey eyes were wild, her flying posture slightly hunched. She was pushing herself to the max, but her Souldagger came easily.

"Aww crap, not these things again." Miles didn't even think about it as he stepped forward in front of Marie-Ange and Megan to stand between them and the Mindless Ones. He swayed on his feet, his exhaustion starting to show, between the physical exertion and the non-stop shrieking of his spider-sense. "Where do they all even come from?"

"Factories." Marie-Ange muttered. She fumbled a bit with the cards in her hand, and clumsily popped a pair of swords out of one. "Pretend they are yeast beasts, it makes it easier to slice through them."

Miles made a face. "Yeast beasts? Eww, that sounds even worse." Green lightning surged through his hands as he charged a venom blast. A few well-placed blasts and they could make it out quickly. Assuming he could manage to discharge even one without passing out. "On three. Uno, dos . . ."

"Tres," a sonorous voice suddenly called out, heralding the appearance of a bolt of lemon-colored light that cut through the air toward the Mindless Ones. Daniel Drumm's eyes had acquired a kind of radiance — not a literal one, of course, but there was a marked shift from the droll detachment his expression usually conveyed. The air almost hummed around him, overflowing with energy beyond that which could be seen in the glow coming out of the end of his staff.

He looked to Marie-Ange as he rummaged through a pocket in his robe for a talisman. "You'll need this for your weapons," he said rather matter-of-factly, with a kind of imperiousness he'd managed to hide quite well. He pulled a brooch out and muttered a few words quietly, and the swords she was holding seemed to shimmer ever so briefly.

"That should not even work." Marie-Ange muttered. She was going to -make- Amanda learn how to do that, whatever Daniel Drumm had done, the swords felt lighter, she felt if not stronger, at least less like dropping them on her feet. "What is this costing you, and how long can you do it?" She asked, voice clearer than before.

"Is that what you want to focus on right now? My abilities?" Drumm didn't bother looking at Marie-Ange; his eyes were focused on the Mindless Ones. "I can't help but think are more important issues at hand." He shot another bolt of light out of his staff. "Like making sure your charges don't die."

Megan focused on the Mindless Ones, bright spots of afterimage dancing in the wake of the lightning bolts released by the magician. Whatever his talisman did, it was working. The Souldagger flared brightly, the air around her crackled with energy, her hair floated up behind her. The yeast beasts couldn't touch her. The point of an alternate dimension was clearly to create a personal playground. This was exhilarating!

"We are less likely to die if I know when your batteries will run out." Marie-Ange shot over her shoulder as she stabbed through the side of one of the Mindless Ones. "Youngest through the glowing hole in the air first. Anyone not buying me wine is going home before I do." She shoved another Mindless One away with a stomp to it's midsection. "Go before we are overrun."

Miles was 1000% done with this whole damn dimension that chivalry vanished and he gladly acquiesced to Marie-Ange's order. Besides, the new guy with the magic looked like he was more than capable of handling this without him. So, after sparing a final glance over his shoulder, he dashed for the portal and leaped through.

"I'm staying," Megan said to Marie-Ange as Miles disappeared into the portal. "Go. I can handle this."

"Are you kidding?" Marie-Ange started to say, before she caught a quick nod from Pixie, and then the echo of whatever telepathic broadcast Jean had sent. "If I do not see the rest of you home shortly I am going to start calling calvary. Please tell Amanda. I will call Tante if I must." She would call every person she knew could spare even the smallest hint of magical power if she had to.

She shook her head once. "Make sure they come home, Daniel Drumm." There was no or else, she'd already promised to call in reinforcements - and then Marie-Ange backed through the portal, tossing the now magically solid and glowing swords to Daniel as she did. She could always make more if she had to.





"You again?" Jean said, narrowing her eyes as she stared down the hoard of Mindless Ones that swarmed around them on their way toward the portal. Clenching her fists for a moment, she drew a breath before glancing back toward Jubilee and Stephen.

"Stay safe," she said, then launched into fray. Wrapping a telekinetic bubble around herself, she used it to plow into the Mindless Ones, then expanded it outward, flattening the ones in the bubble's wake into the walls and ceiling.

"Like, your definition of 'safe' totally needs some work."

Jubilee formed arcs of plasma around her before wading in after the doctor.

Stephen sighed, clapping his hands together and pulling them apart, tendrils of energy playing between his hands, the lighting dancing between his fingers as he threw his hands out at a nearby clump of enemies, the ball of magic exploding outwards with a loud bang leaving the mindless ones a ground of steaming wrecks. "Out of our way!"

Jean was not expecting Stephen's show of power being so loud in a small space, so the explosion left her ears ringing.

"Some warning next time, please," Jean said gently, though she found herself yelling a bit more than she realized. The temporary cacophony left her open to another wave of Mindless Ones, who rushed forward, slamming her into a wall.

Jean grimaced, and quickly yanked them backwards with another psi blast, looking for something nice and heavy to bash them with.

Jubilee was used to loud noises given her own powers, but the sudden bang had sent her jumping for a safe place. Something that was unfortunately lacking in this area.

She quickly ducked out of the way of the grasping hands of one Mindless one and sent a burst of fireworks into the eyes of another.

"Just how many of these guys are there?"

Stephen bobbed his head in apology, turning his attention to the wave of mindless ones assaulting the others, his hands tracing a shape in the air as fireball after fireball flew away from the teen. Yet, this wasn't the overwhelming show of magical strength he'd shown when they first arrived, the pace of the shots slowed, each knocking down their target as the teenager's chest rose and fell, exhaustion written all over his face.

A yellow wave of magical energy spread out around them, not harming them, but pushing back the Mindless Ones several yards away. Kaecilius stepped up beside them and looked at them, "The way back to the portal to our dimension is safe. Head there." His eyes lingered briefly on the boy before turning towards the Mindless Ones that were finally getting up. "Quickly." He clapped his hands together before pulling them apart, the yellow glow of magical energy started to form between them before unleashing it once more at the next wave of Mindless Ones, which sent them back again. "Dormammu will keep sending them."

Jean's attention snapped toward the new figure that emerged from a new portal. It almost seemed too good to be true.

"Who are you?" she demanded. For all they knew, he could be a trick by Dormammu.

After sending another magical blast towards the real enemies Kaecilius turned towards the red head, "My name is Kaecilius. I am sure your friends, who stole the book on how to travel to other worlds, have filled you in on the Ancient One. When we detected another portal opening, we came to ensure that Dormammu does not enter our world. Instead of sealing you all in here, we came for you."

Normally Jean wouldn't read someone's mind without permission. A mind was sacred. But they were in a serious situation and she could see no other way out. So she took a chance and carefully reached out her mind. She found his mostly unguarded. After a moment, she finally nodded.

"Well, we appreciate the help. We were trying to rescue some of our own and seem to have gotten in a bit over our heads," she said. She turned to Jubilee and Stephen.

~He seems to be okay. I checked him out mentally.~

"Let's head out. It's getting a little too crowded in here."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Jubilee replied, heading straight for the portal. She knew when she was in over her head. "Come on. Last one through is a rotten egg."

Stephen took a moment to look back, his eyes retracing the landscape they'd traversed. For a moment the teenager imagined he could almost see the demon who'd started all this staring back at him before he turned away. A sense of foreboding coming over him, "We're not done with him yet," he muttered quietly to himself as he followed the others towards the portal.

"Wait. Strange, is it? You will be needed." Kaecilius said to the boy, "You have magic, we will need that fire power for the final blow. The other two can make their way to the portal."

Jean hesitated a moment, staring at the young man with a faint frown. She didn't know him very well, but knew he was one of the students. It seemed like a foolish idea, but he had been there all this time before, and had made it this far. And as much as she hated to admit it, the only thing that could probably stop what Dormmamu was up to was magic, that ever perplexing thing.

She let out a breath. "Be careful," she said, meeting Stephen's gaze as she turned to head toward the portal. As she slipped through with Jubilee, she said a quiet prayer in her head for those left behind to come back safely.





Artie groaned softly, rolling his shoulders to try to ease the muscle tension and summon some last bit of energy as they attacked the Mindless Ones from behind.

He grappled with his, trying to bring his knife around to slit its throat.

"Let it be known that, unf," a nearby blonde figure managed to quip between a backflip into a sidesweep, "That the number of nameless minions here makes me feel like we're in a Netflix comic adaptation." Arthur rolled, huffing again, maneuvering to best help the retreating party.

"Noted," Julian spat back- growing tired from the seemingly endless assault of these...mindless creatures. Three of them converged at once, certain proof that this was not a television universe, where they all would have attacked one at a time. Julian's hands launched out, taking two of them in the 'eye' while he sent a blast of telekinetic energy at the one in the center. Even as they dripped away into shadow, more of the creatures seemed to rise from the aether to take their place. It was a never-ending host, "Damnit, what the heck does it take to stop these things?!"

Artie managed to drop his opponent. His second knocked him flying and he leaned into the fall, rolling as he landed and coming back up onto his feet slowly. Every muscle in his body ached. He moved forward again and didn't bother to answer Julian.

Arthur could never resist banter, however. "That's the thing about endless hordes. They're, well, endless. Does anyone see a spire or tower with a giant star on it? Maybe this place follows video game mechanics."

How he managed to deliver this earnestly in the middle of some impressively choreographed feats of self defense was a mystery, but Arthur's skin was glistening with sweat, and he wasn't moving as quickly as he had been five or ten minutes ago.

It was no good- they were going to be overrun, and soon- Julian floated up in the air trying to catch his breath, but faltered. Falling to the ground he found himself surrounded, with grasping hands reaching out to tear him apart or worse. There wasn't much left in him, but he'd be damned if he wouldn't go out fighting. With a raspy battle-cry, he sent a wave outward, sending the creatures immediately around him scattering like bowling pins. Panting, sweating, spent, Julian knelt and watched Artie and Arthur hold their ground as the creatures rose up once more to close in on him. Trying to push them back, he found the well dry, and shut his eyes, thinking of Tandy.

Bursting out of a glowing portal, Lucian pulled his arm back, forming a javelin of pure energy which he then hurled at a line of Mindless Ones. The spear of light pierced through each in turn, rendering them into a smouldering pile of ashes. He spun around long enough to grin and nod at the besieged mutants.

"Salutations," he said, then turned his mind back to the task at hand. Lucian summoned a coil of energy into his hand, spinning it overhead several times before lashing out and striking several more of the oncoming Mindless Ones, obliterating them in the process.

A glimmer of purple light opened into a purple where Kate stepped through then surveyed the scene. There were Mindless Ones everywhere along with an exhausted looking group of people, mutants if she wasn't mistaken. "Lucian, it looks like we've arrived just in time. Let's get down to business, shall we?" She raised her hands and performed an intricate set of moves that sent out a pulsing wave of purple energy that flattened the Mindless Ones in its path.

Artie and the others stopped and stared. What. The. Hell. He didn't put his knife away but he did move his hand around to the small of his back, where the .45 he'd carried this whole time was still holstered. He raised an eyebrow and made 'go on' motion with his knife hand because, yes, what. the hell. but also, currently not being attacked.

This was a little more polite than what Arthur, of all people, was thinking. This would never translate, however, as Arthur Centino was the emotional equivalent of a golden retriever. All that registered across his features was a slow blink, followed by the lightest sigh.

"Oh hey!" His voice was perhaps a little too cheery, "The calvary!"

The arrival of the strangers was enough of an edge to give Julian a moment to rally. Taking a breath, he noticed Artie's hand on the small of his back. Smart. Digging deep he pushed himself off the ground and used what was left to pick up the fight once more...oddly, the creatures seemed more interested in these new allies than them, but only just. Things were still looking bleak and, to Julian, there was only one option, Julian started to fight his way toward the strangers, hoping the others would do the same.

Lucian waded further into the fray, having forgone his lasso construct in favour of a more medieval sword and shield combo. He hacked and slashed at the surge of Mindless Ones, yelling with each successful slash of his glowing sword and brutal bash with his shining shield. His attacks were drawing them away from his mutant comrades, though Lucian turned and started to move back, realizing his bloodlust was bringing him too far away from the others. …

"We're holding them off for now, but I think we need to get moving!" he yelled above the din.

"I agree!" Kate yelled back as she slowly moved forward. Her hands were a constant blur of movement as she cast spell after spell to keep the small circle of area surrounding them clear of Mindless Ones. It wasn't the most elegant of attacks but the sheer number of opponents made anything but efficiency a death wish. "The portal should still be open behind us. Everyone! Get yourselves through it!"

Julian didn't need to be told twice that it was time to go. He brought his hands back to him, bringing one of them through one of the creature's (for lack of a better term) eye. Without looking back, he jumped forward into the spinning vortex and left the hellscape behind.

The others weren't far behind. With a brief pause to ensure that Artie was also safely through, Arthur tumbled his way into the magical gateway and out of this ridiculous dimension and its bad, bad luck.





Doug was pretty sure he'd read something like this in a D&D campaign - people with crazy runes obscuring their entire faces, mindless hordes swarming after Our Intrepid Heroes and using whatever strange powers they'd been given. As a result, he felt no compunctions about inflicting grievous bodily harm and/or death on them. At least, standing shoulder to shoulder with Logan, he rather doubted there would be any awkward ethical discussions about going full 'murder hobo'. He held a dagger low in front of him, his tactical baton out and cocked back over his head. He hamstrung one of the monsters as it came in arm's reach, then cracked his baton across the back of its neck.

Logan had no compunctions about putting the full force of his adamantium behind ever swipe and swing he was taking right now. Exposing the kids to this kind of shit wasn't his favorite thing to do but there was no getting around it. He grunted as he took a hurled block of stone to the stomach. He roared and charged into the nearest group of runefaced idiots. The kids were going to face this one way or the other. At least if they had some of the Mansion adults with them, they'd end a little less worse for wear. "Startin' to get real sick of this dimension!"

Clea jumped back as one of the creatures made a grab for her. Falling over a rock and winced a bit, she was dressed for sleep not battle. Making the hand gestures quickly and Clea was able to put a forcefield between her and them using her magic. "Why are there so many?

"Don't ask me!" Sharon had thought about leaving the stick she had been using as staff behind several time, but now she was glad as she quickly parried two punches and beat a third one senseless with the firm knock against the head. "How many of these damned things are in front of us anyway? I can't see!"

"It's like nobody here has seen Resident Evil, I swear to god." There were days that Doug was pretty sure he was the only Genre Savvy in the entire mansion. You could generally measure Doug's level of frustration with events by how sarcastic his jokes were. So far this situation was a solid 3 or 4, but things were edging upward.

Her forcefield began to break under the pressure of one of the Mindless Ones. Her shield shattered on the fifth hit, "Fuck." As the Mindless One instead of attacking her, made a grab. Another one was moving to flank her. "Guys!" She quickly cast a blast spell to not be circled.

Sharon jumped forward and went in low, sending the creature flanking her to the ground before using the advantage of being low to come up and whack one of the others under the chin, sending it to the ground as well.

The air around them crackled with magical energy as it passed by them and hit directly into each of the Mindless Ones that were closing in on them. The Mindless Ones stopped before falling over to the ground. "It appears his army grows ever larger." The Ancient One appeared behind the group. His attention turned towards the castle were large storm clouds grew, "He is coming."

Mordo stepped into place behind the Ancient One, looking around the space. He was still less than impressed with the set up. Before he could speak, he was interrupted though. This did not make him like that Amanda woman any more.

"Seriously? 'He is coming'? Are you capable of anything besides cryptic pronouncements?" Doug had had it up to approximately there with this Ancient One guy. "Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the assist, but you probably could have forestalled a lot of this by being less enigmatic." Spotting a pair of Mindless Ones trying to circle behind and get the drop on Logan, he darted in, opening a long gash from one hip to the opposite shoulder with his dagger, and then using the bent leg of the collapsing monster as a launching pad, throwing himself at the second one, bearing it to the ground with his knees on either side of its neck and crushing the butt of his baton into its face several times until it went limp.

"Would you rather I point?" Ancient One asked and turned towards the small group. The others were scattered and took note. "Head towards the portal opening. It is the only chance for survival at this point."

"More talking later. Time to move." Sharon whacked two of the creatures soundly on the head, sending them to the ground. "Doug, Clea, come on! You too, Logan!"

Clea was ready to run but the Ancient One stopped her. "Before you leave, I have one request of you." Was what he said, she nodded and saw nearby other magical people were being asked to stay.

"Oh hell no." At this point, Doug didn't trust the Ancient One to go to the bathroom without some kind of ulterior motive. He could see a pattern, and it led to either some kind of sacrificial play or something similar. And like hell was he letting Clea get used up in this old man's chess game. Amanda would go ballistic. "What's the idea, Assfaced One?"

Mordo whipped his head in Doug's direction, eyes flashing with anger. "You will NOT speak to the Ancient One with such disrespect! You cannot even BEGIN to comprehend the knowledge and wisdom that he has." A light started to build in his palms as Mordo began to gain power. "Your insolence has been noted and will be remembered!"

"I need more magical energy in order to slow him down, maybe even delay him for along time. Do not worry, Doug. Amanda and the others will be asked to stay - just for an extra minute or two. No one will be left behind, not this time." He kept his cool as he was no strangers trying to insult him.

Doug made his way with Sharon and Logan, but he kept a close watch on the scene behind him.

The Portal laid before them as Clea lifted her hand to Doug before turning towards the Ancient One. She was ready to bolt herself but if this was to stop in any way, Clea would stay - for a moment. She looked over her shoulder one last time before they disappeared into the portal.