Scene #4212: Pain and Healing Pt. 2

Owner	Pose
Dr. Vahzilok	It would be a truly amazingly stupid bunch of villains who can not learn at ALL from their mistakes. The issue is that they're learning in the exact wrong way, by seeking out new methods of countering heroic activity instead of changing their ways. One such method is to research their opposition. As a result, Toph Beifong and Dorian Pavus, along with other Elites who have been in the Multiversal news, have plans being made against them. In this case, by the wannabe-demonists, the Hellions. They've been tracked to a warehouse where they are presently planning something dastardly. Someone should really put a stop to that. The location is in Atlas Park, and starting from the door being guarded, it's clear there's been some changes made. Because usually they don't even have guards posted at the doors.
Toph Beifong	For the most part Toph isn't too concerned about the safety of her multiversal family, but still... it's better to be safe than sorry about this whole deal. And it seemed the person who read the letter to her at the time is interested in clearing up this mess as well. So it's up to Mister Fabulous and Little Miss Dirt stain to join forces against the Hellions again, it seems! With the new information it wasn't too hard for them to find their way to Atlas Park, and with Toph's seismic sense, she's able to notice that approaching the warehouse directly might not be the best idea. So as she and Dorian walk down the path, she raises a hand to gesture for him to stop. "They have guards," she alerts him, her eyes slightly narrowed. "It would be bad if they got a warning and the opportunity to run away..." Perhaps it would be prudent to approach it from the back and make their way in. Or maybe they should immobilise the guards. Maybe Dorian has some magic tricks up his sleeve? If not, she might be able to do something with her bending too.
Dorian Pavus	Unfortunately (though for whom it's more unfortunate is unclear) that is exactly the lesson Dorian expected this lot to learn from all this-- 'let's be proactive against the heroes' rather than 'get your act together'. Predictable? Yes. Disappointing? Very much so. Expected? Of course. But, oh well. If they need another lesson in the school of hard knocks, Dorian's prepared to put on a teacher's cap and get to work! He is not, however, stupid enough to do this himself. He has come here with Toph Beifong to break up this little demonic kaffeeklatsch. Bad for people's health, really. He's in his usual, the leather armor and white cloak, serpent-headed staff in hand. He trusts Toph's perceptive abilities beyond his own, and so when she gestures for him to stop walking, he does. Guards? That's not good. "Hm." He pauses. "This will depend on how we want to do this," he says quietly. "Do we run in and turn the place into a firefight so we can capture every single one of them? Or do we focus on the leaders? Since there's only the two of us, I recommend the latter approach. Cutting the head off the serpent, so to speak."
Toph Beifong	The two options that Dorian presents are easy to choose between, and Toph finds herself nodding in agreement. "Catching everyone of them is unrealistic, especially if they are many. I can't tell just how many of them are inside, there might be several floors to the warehouse..." Toph admits with a slight frown. "So what kinda magic you got that could be useful? Any restraining magic or something?" Who knows what kinda weird magic all the people in the multiverse have? For now Toph kicks the ground though and opens up a hole. "It might be simpler if we avoid the guards and just head directly inside for now. They are unlikely to be important either way.
Dorian Pavus	Dorian nods to Toph's words of how unrealistic catching them all would be. "Just the Lightning Cage," Dorian replies, to the question of what sort of restraing magic he has. "I'm afraid I'm more the man you call when you want something destroyed." And then he mutters under his breath, "I really should look into some of this off-world magic, purely for this sort of situation..." He pauses as Toph opens a hole in the ground, and nods to her words. "That would hopefully keep things to a maneagable level," he agrees, and makes to follow her when she goes into the hole in the ground. "We'll need to make sure whoever's in charge doesn't call the whole building full of guards down on us when we get to him, though." Not taking out the small fries has its disadvantages. But he's not exactly the best man for the job when it comes to stealth runs!
Toph Beifong	"If it makes you feel better I feel better breaking stuff too most of the time!" Toph smirks with impish glee, jumping first into the tunnel she's begun bending. "You focus on using your lightning cage on who might be the boss or something, okay? And I'll use my bending! Either way you should keep your eyes up, and I'll focus on the dunderheads on the ground, got it?" Isn't it typical of the teenager to boss the adult around? Then again, Toph is exceptionally bossy. At least he won't have to suffer down in the dark if he doesn't want to produce some magic to light the way. The tunnel that Toph bends underground leading up to a corner of the warehouse is luckily smooth and easy to move in, even if it's dark. And the earthbender keeps quiet, all while she works on bending their way onwards, all while she does her best to get a good 'look' at what awaits them inside the warehouse on the ground level, and if there's any metal inside the warehouse that she can also see people through...
Dorian Pavus	"Sounds like a good plan," Dorian agrees. Bossy, maybe, but if he can't think of anything better, he's willing to listen. Besides, she's been doing this heroing thing for a while too. No reason not to listen. Also she's the one making their path in! Producing light to see by isn't hard; with just a bit of concentration, a small ball of flame appears between the three serpent heads on his staff. A flame that he snuffs quickly once he sees light from the other side of the tunnel. He doesn't want to give their position away until it's time to strike.
Dr. Vahzilok	There's plenty of metal. Cargo containers, support structures, etc. The floor is mostly concrete, as is the surrounding area, but that poses no problem for an Earthbender. There are maybe a dozen people in the entire building, scattered around in small groups. Like the guards at the door, the Hellions probably aren't much of a threat either individually or in splinter groups, at least compared to Elites. A-holes in bandanas with knives and sledgehammers. The ones that are really dangerous are the ones who have actually communed enough with demons to be capable of wielding hellfire. And those are their leadership. So whenever the two heroes make their appearance, there's going to be very little to stop them with such a clever ambush as they are enacting. Probably.
Toph Beifong	Just to be safe Toph doesn't open up the tunnel into the warehouse until they are there, and she makes sure to open it up behind cover. No sense in being reckless in all of this, after all! Toph leads the way, and she makes sure that Dorian gets something to step on to get out of the tunnel as well. "If there's anybody not on the ground, deal with them," Toph whispers to Dorian before she takes a deep breath... and then steps forward, raising her arms in front of her before she concentrates on the earth below them all. Or rather, the concrete. The Hellions might get a slight warning as the floor cracks and makes a creaking sound, and then it's alive, shooting up and intending to knock several of them out! There are no lethal strikes however, and Toph works quickly as she quickly throws her forward in attack after attack! Though for now she keeps it simple, just in case any of them manages to avoid being knocked out and goes after her.
Dorian Pavus	Dorian nods to Toph's instruction, not wanting to speak up and blow their cover. He's got kind of a loud voice, you see. However, as Toph steps forward, the first group of Hellions he sets his eyes on is going to get lightning caged. He aims a palm up over the group, an orb appears in the air over them.B And just for a moment, Dorian's hand appears connected to the orb with a 'rope' of lightning. He seems to 'pull' the rope down, quickly, and then a blue circle appears on the floor, marking out an area with jumping electricity. It won't hurt them, it's just a containment measure. Now... crossing that border? That'll get a shock.
Dr. Vahzilok	The ambush seems to work well, tossing enemies into the air as the ground heaves upwards beneath them, and then those who are not taken out quickly by the thrashing of the floor get electrocuted by the lightning cage! And, just like that, it seems they're out of the fight! There's some in other areas of the warehouse that are coming to investigate, but the majority are down! ...There's only one who seems to be relatively unscathed. A man standing at the center of the open warehouse, in a fancy red jacket with a huge ceramic skull on one shoulder, a black undershirt with yellow glyphs and markings, skeletal gauntlets, a skull buckle on his belt, and black slacks with red occult writings scrawled on it. Also a really-stupid looking helmet and ugly golden boots. However, he also seems to be just confidently standing there with mystical flames crackling around his head. He's not dressed in a normal manner for one of the Hellions. But he also seems to be a bit stronger, as he appears to think he can take on two Elites at once. "Fools! So you've come, just as expected! Did you think there would just be a letter with that detailed information on it floating around for no reason? I knew that some so-called hero would come to investigate eventually..." He gestures dramatically as he speaks. "And now, here you are, standing before the great Duke Mordrogar! Your destruction shall be only the first step in the annihilation of the old order, as I usher in a new age of darkness and flame!" Then he raises his hands, flames erupting from his flesh, and his nasty face is replaced with a mask of bone-turned charcoal and coursing fires as his magic glows from within his own head. Unlike the other Hellions whose magic has specifically stunk of demons, this man's magic seems to be legitimate sorcery. He's someone who actually has power of his own without needing to make an unfavorable contract with hell creatures. He points his hands and launches a barrage of fire bullets at the heroes, while they've had time to mop up his cohorts while he was monologuing.
Toph Beifong	Man, these guys are total pushovers! With their combined efforts it seems like she and Dorian have managed to knock out the whole Hellion group! Though Toph looks slightly confused when one of the men are still standing, and it doesn't seem like he's worried either... The moment he speaks however, Toph blinks and her expression turns deadpan. Monologuing, how great. Overall it doesn't look like the blind girl is impressed where she stands, listening to the hotheaded villain reveal that this was all his supposedly great plan or something... Yet her eyes widen when the flames erupt from his body. Sure, she can't see it, but the increased heat isn't something that she misses even if the grotesque sight escapes her. Immediately she's moving, kicking into the ground as she erects a pillar form the concrete in front of her. It might buy her a few seconds, seconds she uses to throw her arms up, reaching up the metal in the beams above as she seeks to tear them down and towards Mordrogar.
Dorian Pavus	Dorian is not unaware of the beginning of a boss fight. He definitely knows what's going on here. "Actually I expected this was a trap," Dorian replies, to the red-clad man's mention of the letter. Despite his flippant tone, he's aware he's dealing with an actual mage, much like himself. Particularly when fire bullets start coming at them. What of them don't get caught by Toph's earth wall might just get caught in a Wall of Fire! Dorian sweeps his free hand out, and then raises both into the air, and in response, fire seems to spring from the floor. It's at this point Dorian takes a moment to speak. Well, to snark. "Lovely, another monologuing moron," he says, about the same time Toph pulls that completely deadpan face. It's not that he's unimpressed. That this fellow has his own magic is worthy of respect. But he can't show that. Also when he hears the beams start to go above, he decides to try for the distraction tactic, to give Toph enough time. "You know, Mordrogar, the cackling villainous cliché tends to make you too much of a target," he offers. "Take it from someone who's been cast as exactly that more times than he can count. Besides, if you cackle too much, you'll make yourself ill."
Dr. Vahzilok	As the flares erupt from Mordrogar's hands, getting absorbed partially by earthen barriers and partially by fire shields, he winds up being forced to go on the evasive as metal beams come crashing down on him. Unfortunately, he's not very... Dodgy. And soon lots and lots of steel falls on him and he doesn't really have the means to respond. He tries to melt his way out of the girders and bars but it... Just... Doesn't really work out. The molten metal then starts dripping on him and soon enough he's in even more trouble than he was before. That was somewhat anticlimactic, but... He brought it on himself. M-mission complete? However, after looking around it seems like maybe Mordrogar wasn't the mastermind after all. Because there's correspondence found in the area that indicates he was working with others. The ones who are providing magic artifacts to the Hellions. And if that's the case... Maybe this isn't as wrapped up as it seems to be right now.
Toph Beifong	Well, that... was easier said than done? Toph arches an eyebrow when Mordrogar tries using fire against the metal, only to realise that metal melts. "What a dunderhead," Toph mutters to herself, then uses her bending to bend some restraints for the guy so they can turn him in to the proper authorities. "Seems we got another one of them caught, Lover boy!" she asides to Dorian with a grin. Why yes, she's not going to give up that nickname for him, he's stuck with it. Toph herself isn't about to look around for paperwork, it's hardly something she's concerned with nor has the foresight to actively search for. Then again Dorian is the bookworm of the two without doubt. Toph however does show off her vocabulary. "Seriously, you never start monologuing, ember brains," she chides Mordrogar, not caring if he's conscious or not for the lecture. "I think there was a list or something about what evil guys do wrong, and monologuing is part of that. Not to mention it makes you sound so cruddin' clichee too."
Dorian Pavus	"It seems so," Dorian agrees to the words of having caught another. By now he's used to the nickname, so he doesn't chide her for it. And he's aware she's blind, so giving her 'the look' probably wouldn't do it. Then again, Toph's lack of sight isn't the only reason she'd ignore it! But yes. He is going to look around for papers, now that Toph has the criminal detained. Though not before noting to her words of 'things evil guys shouldn't do', "There's a reason they call it the 'idiot ball'." Smirk. Though his findings will definitely be shared with her. "Ah-ha. And so the plot thickens," he notes. "It looks like our friend the ''Maleficar'' wasn't as close to the top as we thought..."
Toph Beifong	"What?" Toph blinks as she hears Dorian fiddle with papers, arching an eyebrow. "Are all of these guys pen pals or something?" Do they have to follow yet another letter to somewhere else? Though she sighs. "Just read it out loud, and I'll give the details in my report to the Union in case it needs to be known," she sighs. Hopefully they can solve this mess soon.