Apprentice 2.8

January 19th, 2011. Brockton Bay.

It was an early Wednesday morning, and Faultline and her crew were just overseeing the last of their late night appointment members leave. The fighting between Merchants and Empire capes had hit a point where the Empire no longer had the time to leave everything to Othala. Faultline had been contacted, and though the Empire tried to arrange a hefty discount for the services of a Medic the most Faultline had agreed upon was a set payment per member of the gang healed at a pre-set time.

Which had meant that Medic had been working on healing people from 1 a.m. till 6.30 a.m. with only roughly 1 or 2 minute breaks every now and then. It took very little time to heal most people, especially once he had gained access to second and third level spells alike. The tougher wounds could be taken care of with a slightly more powerful healing spell, smaller ones fixed with one or two low level spells.

He had managed to gain access to the 4th level spells over the past week, but that had still taken some effort, and he had ran into a surprise as well. Fourth level spells, unlike first through third, were more taxing to cast, and took a full 10 minute rest to recover the charges he had for them. Then again, he could understand higher level spells taking longer to return, but that would mean the highest level spells might be a more rare resources for him to use. He still had no idea if the increase would continue per spell level or if fifth and so on would take a 10 minute period as well, seeing as the first 3 spell levels had taken merely a minute, and cantrips and orisons, or 0 level spells, basic tricks, were more or less instantly ready to be used again.

When the final customer left, joined by Victor and Othala who had been brought in as well to oversee and confirm that the healing was complete, Medic finally settled down in a chair to rest back and let out a loud sigh.

"I could have done without those blatant recruitment attempts by Victor there." He grumbled slightly, taking off one glove and rubbing his wrist. Apparently the Empire was convinced he was Caucasian and possibly Aryan, and seemed interested in getting him to join their ranks rather than working as a mercenary, and had not been shy about pointing out he should help them against the Merchant scum.

He had struck a few smaller businesses for Merchants and Empire over the past week to build up enough experience to get his hands on those fourth level spells, but nothing as massive as the trouble over at the laboratories. Speaking of that, he had been amused watching the fallout of that particular episode later on PHO.

Apparently, they had not wanted to hold a proper press conference but had issued a statement of the capture of two Empire capes thanks to one of their wards and a heroically inclined vigilante, who had 'unfortunately not been identified as a hero' on the scene but captured and subdued on the spot given the signs of battle all around.

The fact the PRT was actually going as far as to admit a mistake, even if it was painted in best possible light, was enough for him to tell they really did not want Blackjack to switch over to the criminal side. He had not answered anything in turn, but had continued to act against the capes, and thanks to Faultline's help, had acquired a new burner phone for his 'Blackjack' identity as well.

"They've been taking some damage, and it doesn't help that Lung has began eyeing both Empire and Merchants greedily after both of them have exhausted resources fighting one another. The fact that Merchants gained a new cape, 'Trainwreck', has only made things more volatile." Faultline's point was delivered at a perfectly level tone as she passed him a note indicating how much was added to his account.

Healing a total of 58 gangbangers, of whom 44 were injured in relatively light to moderate level, and 14 more in a heavy manner, he had received a sum of $40,000. The Empire had been reluctant to pay as much, but they had needed their men on the street. Given that many of them would not have been ready to fight again today if left to just Othala, who had also appeared dead tired, it was reasonably certain that Kaiser had only accepted the deal after a long arm wrestling about the price with Faultline.

"Not to even mention Firestarter." Medic said with a grimace. Faultline nodded grimly.

Firestarter's earlier attacks around Boston area had been bad enough, but what he had done to Brockton Bay so far had been a nightmare. Not quite the same level as what Bakuda could pull off, but bad enough that if the man didn't already have a kill-order on him, he would now.

Earlier, January 14th, 2011. Brockton Bay.

"Burn! Burn you unsufferable bastards! The Burning Legion is coming, and your lives are forfeit!"

Fire raged across the up-class neighborhood, with several people little more than burnt out skeletons on the ground, struck by rays of fire launched from the fingers of the floating figure, who had occasionally gathered flames in his hands to conjure fiery shurikens he threw around, blasting cars apart or striking windows to kill people taking shelter in their homes and making the mistake of peeking out.

The shimmering shield around Legion, who these peasants were calling 'Firestarter', was blocking gunshots, a three-layered protection of mage armor, shield and bullet shield laid. This protection was laid out so that there was not a single gunman in Brockton Bay who would have a chance to take him down with anything short of a massive stroke of luck with a sniper rifle at a right angle not covered by the shield spell, leaving only two layers in between the gunfire and him.

He had blasted apart a car on the front yard of the Barnes family house when his head was jerked back with the sudden appearance of a blast bolt skewering his head, causing him to drop and vanish as soon as the police tried to rush to grab his body. Shadow Stalker appeared out of a shade, already reloading and cursing before reporting in.

"Armsmaster, I just shot down Firestarter with a phased bolt, but he vanished as he has done before, I'll remain in this area in case he comes back for revenge."

In the meanwhile Legion was reforming at an alley further off, while the original smirked in a car holding up a detonator in his hand. Squeezing it down, he smirked as the explosions began. A charm person, alter self, and a bit of slaughter had got his hands on military hardware from a national guard depot. A couple of talented cultists to rig things together, and with a push of a button he sent several buildings around Brockton Bay to hell.

Incendiary and heavy explosive bombs tore through old worn down structures, collapsing several abandoned structures, some of them on top of squatters who were not even aware of the fact they had made the worst possible choice in seeking shelter in those buildings.

Not all those bombs were as innocent though. He laughed cruelly as Brockton Central Hospital's basement exploded causing the building to creak and almost collapse on itself, but unfortunately holding on. It did send a panicked rush of evacuation in motion at least, and the incendiary bombs there did cause some additional fun with smoke and flames rising high.

Laughing out loud, he started the car and grinned. All he needed for the would-be hero to show up and he would get his chance to test out their mettle. If they were worth fighting, they could-

Whatever else he had been planning to say or think was interrupted by a sudden sensation of a bullet traveling through the back of their skull causing them to slump down on the wheel inside the car still packed with even more 'party favors' to light the city up in flames. The woman in a suit and wearing a fedora fired two more shots in the back of the man's head, pulling off his gloves and planting the man's hands on the wheel, right before the man fell apart into ashes vanishing.

"Door me."

January 19th, 2011. Brockton Bay.

The realization that Firestarter had brought in enough firepower to set the city in flames had infuriated a lot of people, and the attack on the rich in particular had caused a lot of powerful people to rush to support motions for tighter grasp on crime, and to urge the kill-order to be carried out as quickly as possible.

The PRT and BBPD had lifted fingerprints off of the wheel of the car that had the explosives on it, and tested the blood they had found on the scene, but there was no match from fingerprints or DNA. The individual they were looking for not was in either database, and as far as they were concerned, they might just be looking for a henchman that Firestarter had disposed of, but it was the first time they'd had any physical evidence from what might be the Firestarter himself. They had got their hands on some blood samples before, but usually only after they had deteriorated into useless state, something the man's remains seemed to be quite capable of pulling off, and something that had at least credence to the idea they had the fingerprints and blood from the actual Firestarter.

However, PRT was currently undergoing serious talks and the PHO was live about what had been found at several sights of the bombings. Slogans painted in blood, hellish insignias, and the name Legion were most boldly displayed ones, despite attempts to keep some of the more graphic material out of the news or the net, but the cat was already out of the bag.

Not that Legion was particularly concerned. He had failed to draw out Blackjack just yet, but he had been observing the local gangs for a moment after his earlier attack, seeing how the city was already having its own gang war going on, keeping eyes open for his prey. Not much luck, so far.

His copies at Boston area had moved further off to carry on their rampage separately, following the schedule. Attack point A on day 1, attack point B on day 3, attack point C on day 4, carried out by clone 1, then 2, then 1 again, followed by 2, making the Protectorate cuss and scratch their head trying to figure out a pattern and how to fit the attack on Brockton Bay onto it as well.

They might have Thinkers on their employ but unless they figured out he had multiple bodies at his disposal and could act separately with perfect ease they'd be chasing after the latest strike even as the previous site might still have the particular clone standing nearby and ready.

January 20th, 2011. Brockton Bay.

Staring at the television screen and grimacing, Thomas Wolf shook his head aggravated at what he was seeing. The fight between Empire and Merchants had got bad enough that a few firefights had been actually recorded and broadcast for the audience, not in their entirety but giving a view of the city as a battleground, with assault weaponry pulled out in the open and showing just how bad things were.

He had been reluctant to heal the Empire members, but he was pretty sure that without his help several of the Empire's veterans would not have been out there fighting. Stormtiger and Krieg had been leading the fight, and reportedly had broken Skidmark's jaw attacking together, before Trainwreck, Mush and Squealer driving her tank-truck had shown up and blown right through the Empire forces reversing the situation.

The end result had seen PRT descending on the fight with canisters full of containment foam exploding all over, a rather dramatic move on their part. Unfortunately, it had also escalated as several gang members had opened fire on PRT troopers with automatic weaponry.

There would be more than a few funerals ahead, for both sides. PRT had not been holding back nor were the Protectorate heroes joining the attack. Assault and Battery had taken down Krieg while Alabaster and Rune had shown up to cover Stormtiger's retreat, while Squealer's tank-truck had been rigged to blow causing a massive power shortage across most of the area.

It had apparently contained a one-shot EMP device knocking down most tech, including even breaking down Armsmaster's suit, despite all the shielding, given the proximity.

Then again it had also electrocuted everyone within the 'minimum safety distance' and put Brockton Bay's already strained hospitals to an even busier, sad state.

He sighed wearily while considering his options, he wondered if his interference had escalated the conflict between the two parties so massively, or if there were other reasons he was unaware of behind the fact that things had got this bad. The canon storyline might only start in April, but he thought that something on the level of gangwar that was going on now would have been at least noted in the backstory.

There was also the fact that the ABB had been making preparations of their own, and with the way things were going it was unlikely they would hold back for long. Empire's captive members would be transported out of the city sometime soon, and when they tried the Empire's forces would be all over them to rescue their team mates. The previous two captives on top of losing Krieg would be too embarrassing for Empire after all.

The fact Skidmark's jaw had been broken amused him somewhat, but also made him shiver at the thought of Skidmark looking for Faultline's healing service. He really didn't want to be in the presence of that particular man if he could avoid it.

Closing down the television screen and heading over to his desk, he settled down onto his chair and picked up a fountain pen before grimacing at what lay ahead.

He let out a breath while holding a scroll before him, and then continued to draw the required markings upon its surface, all the while infusing a bit of power into it. It was one of the higher tier powers at his disposal, and one that Faultline had requested after he had given a short description of a few options available to him. She knew he had not told her everything, but had been satisfied with what he had told her, for now. Besides, he might well need some allies later on as well, and truthfully the Case-53s in her crew were rather amusing, and better at some of the games than he'd expected.

'Dimension Door' was a short-range teleportation power, a handy little escape trick for her to have at hand. At his current power it would only take her and 2 others she was touching, but it was better than nothing. It was also a test to see if she and the others could utilize higher level spell scrolls.

Besides, it was a spell he would be using in the future too. Even if its range was limited, it was quite useful as it stood. It did have the danger of harming its users when the spot they tried to arrive in was blocked, but the damage was minimal anyhow, especially if people were in a situation where the scroll was actually necessary for a quick evacuation.

As soon as he was done, he felt the charge deplete from his power, and a sense of temporary loss. The charge would not return until tomorrow and would require for him to rest a proper amount of time, but the scroll was prepared and ready for use. Grasping it tightly he smirked slightly. If it worked, then Faultline and her crew might be able to pull off some particularly impressive strikes later on, using things like this scroll to slip free from the grasp of anyone who might try and capture them.

He had put an effort into writing the scroll so that its use was simple enough with clearly noted command words, but so that if it fell into wrong hands they would not be able to truly decipher it, not without learning a whole new language and then trying to sort through the whole mess of arcane scriptures on top of that.

Draconic was the language of choice for spellcasters, and something he was grateful to possess. He could pick his own activation words when setting his spells, but they did require mental focus, and more often than not that vocal component, even if a whisper only, and the gestures as well. It was a power with lot of utility and variety, but weak spots that could be attacked by someone who figured things out.

Scrolls would help bypass some of those troubles, condensed down to an activation word or two, but took time to prepare.

Tattletale was sitting in the lair and planning. She had been going through the recent material carefully ever since Firestarter had made an appearance in Brockton Bay. The man in question was confusing, but also enlightening. Her powers had been providing answers that made her seriously concerned about what lay ahead.

'Former human. Powers received through deal, not trauma. Powers variable, still growing, getting stronger through conflict. Driven to conflict, seeking it, believes themselves to be human but driven to act like they are not. Unaware they are losing what humanity remains while further enhancing themselves. Mind splintered, not broken, but multi-tasked while still maintaining control through central node. Several bodies one mind? No, several bodies, several minds, linked minds, a hive-mind organism? No, pseudo-hive-mind, more collective intellect with designated director. Which is also evolving.'

The little bits of information she had managed to acquire were painting a rather alarming picture and she was close to hyperventilating about some of the other pieces of information that seemed more confusing and at some levels far more troubling.

'Believes this reality is false. A playground they can freely ravage. Believes themselves to have proof. Has had proof, but cannot call upon the proof here. This is a world of mere imagination to them, the people just pawns in a game, nothing really matters but victory, and they are perfectly willing to- to nuke the entire city if that is what it takes?'

She had to begin making some backup plans for possibly doing a runner, but in the meanwhile, she probably ought to call Coil and report what she had found about this particular arrival.

Author's Note: The contents of this chapter are only a short time skip ahead from the previous chapter, rather than the extent I intended to jump, but I felt it would be best to pay some attention to the events in question. Will move a touch further along in the next chapter.

Additional note on Legion (called Firestarter by the PRT still despite his public declaration of being Legion, though PHO is starting to adopt his name as he has proclaimed it so), he is improving through the fights he has gone through, getting tougher to kill and smarter, but playing up the role to spread fear and drawing interest and attention. They're methods may seem mad to the public but they are running several ideas in parallel and most of it is working rather well to them.

Even if Cauldron and other Thinkers can see them, they cannot root out every last bit of information about them on the spot. They are learning and coming up with ideas of what might work, experimenting and trying to find a way to put him down or contain him, but it is a process that takes time from them and runs a very real risk of him growing stronger than they can even hope to handle. Hopefully I have been able to convey that feeling well enough.

As for Miracle and Steven? Their parts will be expanded upon further soon enough, at the time Miracle and most of the other Wards are having a bit of hard time getting out, while Shadow Stalker has been acting rather independently to the annoyance of several higher levels but given she's also brought in results? She's been getting away with it.[/hr][/hr][/hr][/hr][/hr]