Austin TX: An Awakened Perspective session 9

My first game session back after an extended downtime. It was a little rough getting back into it at first but soon found my stride, just in time.


Calin pushed open the door to the cemetery house, everything looked exactly the same as when he had left. That gave him some measure of relief that nothing serious had happened during his absence. Heading upstairs to his room the chill of the place got to him. He never had gotten used to living with ghosts, but they generally left him alone, so he left them alone. He finished unpacking and got ready to go to the Hedgerow. He looked in the mirror as he passed the bathroom and winced. The scar now gracing his face was trying to heal, but was still very noticeable. He had already made his mind up that no one here was to know what happened and that he would just explain it away or change the subject. Besides a good scar could increase the mystery around a person and he intended to use the last thing his friend gave him to any advantage.

He had told no one about his return. He had no need to. He knew where everyone would be. It was like they had been stuck in time and he was the one who had moved forward. Stepping into the Hedgerow he caught up on all the news from Reece, Waco and Terrance. All was quiet on all fronts. The powerful Death mage hadn't been heard from since his departure nor had Michael shown his face. This was both good and bad news. Good in the fact that nothing major had happened, bad in the way that it could just mean either one was planning something bigger and they were also preparing. After finishing his drink and the news with the guys he received a phone call from Mary Ann asking for help. It seems they were going to try and rid the Hedgerow of the ghosts in the attic room and thought he might be able to assist. He explained that ghosts weren't really his area of expertise, but since Memento was still gone he would help however he could. She instructed Calin to meet at the home of the new Guardians pack as that would be the staging area.

In the meantime, he decided to look around for Giovanni. His situation was most dire and Calin was determined to get him through his initiation at any cost. But, after several angry voice mails and some looking around Calin was unable to locate him and he couldn't help but wonder if maybe he was already gone. Seeing there was nothing else that could be done at this time he set off for the Guardians' house. The army that had been gathered there was vast. Every person Calin knew to be a supernatural (and one he knew that was not) was there save but a few. He didn't know what was up there but if it was going to take this many people it was going to be tough. It was going to be tough anyway having to work with Ed after him ratting Calin out to Michael and possibly putting his life in danger.

The Hedgerow was closed early and the group entered through the back door. Quickly reaching out Terrance sensed that the greatest source of wrath was coming from the main room and not the upstairs room like we had thought. Ed proceeded in followed by Ginger. That's when things went to Hell in a handbasket. Calin, Bruce, Keva, Victor and Maryann all proceeded to the left, while Terrance, Reece, T.K. and Waco went right while Dan set up a sniper position outside. Sounds of combat rang out from the main room. Instantly we all knew Ed's temper had taken over and he had started the fight without us. As we reached the door though the truth of it all was laid out before us. Michael. On Ed's forehead was the branding of his kin. A mark that most of the group knew. A mark of death. Without hesitation Reece let fly an arrow that glanced off the pommel of the sword Michael was holding, as the arrow struck the branding appeared on Reece's head too. We had to do something and fast. Shots rang out from outside. Dan had reached his position and was beginning to wound the Angel. Reece, undeterred, kept firing arrow after arrow went right through Michael, a couple exited with blood on them. Another shot, and Michael's head snapped backward with the impact. Seeing his moment Calin called forth the power of the Aether and tried to remove the sword from Michael's hands. He held on to the telekinetic force as a massive counter spell struck and in that moment Calin knew Michael wasn't able to counter him outright, but that Calin was just not strong enough to pull the sword free. Sensing the end Ed's full form went into death rage, something Calin had only seen once before. It took a handful of Mages to stop it. One was not enough for him to worry too much. Just as he had that thought, Keva, who had been standing right next to him, began to change. Bones popping and reforming, muscles knitting themselves in new locations. Then she howled. Calin knew the signs. Two wolves in this form was too much to handle. They were mindless brutes and even though they had a target in mind when they first changed, that all went out of the window now and friend or foe were not safe. Realizing the fight was lost Calin retreated. He ran past Bruce, who was unable to move at all. His human mind unable to process what he was seeing. As he was leaving he heard more shots, and a thunder louder than anything he had heard before, it even shattered all the windows in the place. Taking one last look back the only thing he was able to see was Reece starting to flee as well and Waco sitting on a stool drinking a bottle of wine talking to someone on the phone. Calin realized he'd been in Austin a little to long when that last didn't even register as a little weird.

Leaving the Hedgerow behind him, Calin made his way back to the cemetery house. It wasn't till later that he found out what the fight had cost. Reece had called and told him that Ed had been killed. Terrance and Ginger were wounded. The good news was that Michael had defeated. One other piece of good news, for Calin at least, was that the arrows Reece had fired had blood on them. "Now I have him" Calin thought. "If he has blood, then he is not one of Them and this just got a lot more interesting."