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Barracus' change had been swift, a very different feeling for the Lich as he was in his desicated form with minimal effort. He felt different now, he felt more powerful, he felt a strength seeping into his bones and a vigor he hadn't felt in centuries. He moved quickly with the others as Dark was pushing the ash away with the blasts of wind, fireballs being hurled as well to shatter skeletons. While, it seemed an effective effort without a second thought, but the blasts seem to only scatter the lost ones and the dust continued to creep forward with all the effort expended to keep it at bay. The dust on their clothes and skin was feeling heavier by the second, with each attempt to swipe it away it clung with an unimaginable amount of strength. Barracus had tried to shake it off himself, only to find it still hanging tight before his mind had a thought and called forth his power. His power seemed amplified, a sneaking suspicion that the arm he had collected was providing the extra support, even though it had not done so before. For now, he wasn't going to question it as he peeled the fine layer of vampire dust from his body and sent it whirling back into the tunnels. Gripping his staff firmly in his hand he started to fall to the rear of the pack, Dark hurling more fire and wind down the tunnels at their pursuers.   "Nos postulo ut tentaret novam daemon." (We need to try a new approach daemon) Dark looked over his shoulder briefly before lobbing another ball of fire down the tunnel.   "If you have any suggestions Lich then I am all ears, but this seems to be working well enough." The Lich cracked a small smirk, his skin wrinkling and cracking from the effort.   "Bonum, tu me intellegant." (Good, you understand me.) Barracus looked down the tunnel as they made another turn, the dust suddenly roaring forward as the assault stopped long enough to push forward, shapes pulling themselves back into form upon the temporary reprieve from the hail of fire and storm of wind.   "Permitte mihi daemon, habeo ideam velim implorare." (Allow me daemon, I have an idea I wish to implore.) Dark stepped aside with fire waiting to lash out, though Barracus was sure it wasn't going to be necessary any longer. Holding out his staff, the black stone atop the staff pointed down the tunnel and he summoned the power with a sudden flood of energy as he let it flow free. The dust suddenly halted in its tracks, thought it did not recede away from them it remained stationary as long as he focused on it, the smirk cracked on his face once more as they all kept moving, Barracus walking backwards as he followed them, the dust following still but at a greater distance now. He could hear someone voice from the head of the party.   "Well that's a nice trick, wish you had done it earlier."   "Hoc enim non conceditur."   "what did he say? Can anyone understand him when he gets like this?"   "He said don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Dark piped up then, extinguishing the fire in his hand as they kept moving. Barracus keeping the barrier up as the dust tried to claw at the invisible wall, the skeletal remains forming once more but not daring to draw any closer. One, however, allowed it's inner animal to take hold and lunge at the barrier, passing through it but instantly charring into a solid mass before completely dissolving into nothing. None tried after that, the trip suddenly seeming like it was going to be a smooth venture from this point forward as Barracus held fast.   "Velocius movere oportet, quamdiu poteris nescio talem formam."   "What did he say now?" This time, he identified the voice as Akieen herself.   "He says we should move our asses." The group began to move faster, another turn here and another turn there, Barracus following as quickly as he could while holding the undead back. It all seemed to be going well until he felt the surge begin to fade within, the barrier still held strong but it began to grow smaller and the lost clan took advantage of it. A few more launching themselves into the invisible bubble and evaporating like the ones before, but it was getting more difficult to maintain the power now. Barracus was growing concerned as this shouldn't be happening, only a few things could interferer with his power and the realization of what it could be made his withered lips pulling back in a snarl.   "Satus currit, impedimentum deficiente!" (Start running, the barrier is failing!) Barracus turned then and started to run, the barrier following him but he could feel it was starting to collapse around him and the party.   "I don't need a translation to know what he's doing, everybody move!" Akieen was in the lead as Barracus hung in the back, Mikhail and Baldr we're near the originator, Kayin was with the weredragon and Dark held the rear with him. The barrier finally failed as the power waned within, he knew he had enough for direct attacks as he whirled around for just a moment to launch a blast of sickly green darkness at the lost coven. The unfortunate creature let out a shrill screech before evaporating like the others. The light soon appeared, the way out of the damned underground as they all put their effort into running to the outside. As they broke into the fresh air, they all felt a sense of relief, the dust on their bodies floating away without a problem now as the creatures remained within the tunnels. It was a small victory, but one they needed none the less, Barracus was the only one to not let himself relax in the slightest. The sanctuary wasn't far now, but his mind was on more then just the safety of the angel haven, Allister was sure glad to be out of the dampness and near the sanctuary. They all continued forward, Barracus' eyes shifting around as he quested with his power to try and find him, the one he knew was around and had finally found him. His questing was answered as he was picked up and thrown through the air, the open area they had come too had given him ample room to fly and land in a heap. Charles appeared instantly, manifesting from nothingness as he stood near his master with the horsewhip in hand, the others turning to see where it had come from. He tried his best to rise but felt weakness spreading now, his plan having worked too well and he looked to the party and uttered the only word he knew he could speak plainly to them.   "Death!" The others were readying themselves as they let their powers come free, the were creatures changing form and the energy was flowing freely. The combination of positive and negative energy form them all was enough to help Barracus recover, and just in time to feel his trophy start to twitch and move within the bag he carried. He gripped his staff in his hand tightly as he saw Charles react, the whip was raised and lashed out instantly snagging something as Charles pulled hard on it. Whatever it was, showed greater strength and yanked Charles off his feet, Barracus watched with indifferent eyes as the 2nd appeared and tore his undead minion in half with little effort. His eyes only looking down to the stump on the 2nd's arm before coming back up and looking into the single orange eye of the 2nd.   "You have returned at last, I was wondering how long it would take you to find me." The 2nd had no expression on his face, but his eye showed his hatred for him and the want of his arm back. Barracus held up the arm in his bag, shaking in a taunting matter.   "This is what you desire, but you will not be needing it after today 2nd." A snot came from the other Lich.   "You shall be the one to die today 4th, we will make sure of it." Barracus felt it then, the second presence of another he hadn't expected to see quite yet. Another desicated form appeared, his left eye a solid blue and his right a solid green, Barracus squeezed his staff tighter.   "3rd, I see you cowered out and called in help. Afraid I am going to destroy you like last time since your vampire isn't around?"   "Hardly Barracus, both of us wish you dead, and Rasputin has made it possible. Your companions will be of no help to you, they will be busy with other matters."   "It is of no consequence, I will defeat you both today. You simply saved me the trouble of finding both of you, I hope Rasputin welcomes your ashes!" Barracus struck then, launching a bolt black lightning tinted with the necrotic green. The 3rd stepped in the way, reaching out with a lengthy arm and creating a shield with a purple hue that the bolt crashed into and pushed the 3rd back. Barracus moving with the opportunity, the inky blackness obscuring their view long enough for him to launch another blast. The effort failed as the 2nd shielded them form it this time, Barracus trying is best to launch out more but found his tactic was in vein as they blocked and batted away his assaults. With their combined power, one shielded from the blast and another started to launch their own attacks, Barracus had to move and throw up his staff to break the attack. He couldn't get his bolt out anymore as all his energy was going into defense and evasion, Charles would be of no use as he would simply be destroyed once more. Barracus felt his options running low, but he wasn't going to die today if he had any say in the matter. His chances improved quickly a she suddenly saw a blast of pure lighting arch at the pair, the power was deflected but it changed their attention as Barracus saw the half-demon free of whatever had tried to trap them. However, he was the only one he saw was free a the time, and though he hadn't asked for the help he wasn't going to complain about it as he sent out his own bolt of black lightning.   "I will take both of your power today! Your lives are mine!" The effort was even now, the shielding and attack tactic was proving to leave them at a stalemate as Barracus provided the shielding and alternating attack while Kayin assaulted with full force. Barracus growled as he held the shield, feeling them pound down on them before suddenly the fire stopped. Both were ready to lob their attack when they saw both Lichs form a channeled beam and Barracus held up both hands to create a greater area of shielding. The beam smashed into him and pushed him back as Kayin stayed within the shielding, but the 4th could feel his strength waning as the concentrated effort form them both was breaking down his wall. He grunted as the staff in his left hand gave extra support, but it was draining quickly and time was running out.   "Lich! I can't see them to fire back, we need a new plan!" Kayin roared over the sound of black energy smashing into the barrier and Barracus had only one idea as he dropped his hands, the barrier vanishing as he swiped one hand toward Kayin creating the same barrier to push the half demon away as he moved himself out of the path of the beam just fast enough to dodge it. He charged then, the staff held out as he raced forward, his corpse form moving with all the speed and grace of a living being and found a target as they both pulled away from the beam. Barracus' staff collided with the 3rd square in the chest, the black stone piercing into the broken flesh and jamming itself into his chest cavity.   "You're mine." The power surged through the staff, a wail erupting from the lips of the 3rd as the black energy poured into his body and filled him entirely. The power that laid in his chest resisted and fought, but failed as it was consumed by the blackness, Barracus felt the change in power as his eyes changed color then, one solid blue the other solid brown as he took his new position in the ranks. The body of the 3rd was ripped apart as the blackness pushed its way out of every orifice and ripped the skin and bones apart until all the remained was a black mass that dissolved away. Barracus turned to attack the 2nd, only to be met with a wave of black wave that smashed directly into the face of Barracus and tore away some of his head before sending him tumbling several feet away and laying on the ground. He struggled but th new power raged in his body and he needed to time for it to adjust, he was too weak to fight back now as he climbed to his knees and couldn't go any further. His eyes saw only the feet before him as he tried to reconstitute the shambles of his head, finding the process sluggish and almost painful.   "You were never going to defeat me 4th, I will have my rightful place as the 1st." Barracus waited for the end to come, looking up to make sure that his killer could see the defiance in his left over eye and the rebuilding head as Barracus gritted his teeth at him. The hand rose, and the he could feel the power grow as it was about to be unleashed when another body crashed into the 2nd, sending the two toppling in a close quarters fight claws and teeth ravaging and tearing at the body as the 2nd fought back. The fight ended with the 2nd flat on his back in pieces, and the solid form of Mikhail standing over him with his shoulders lifting up and down. His skin was torn and blood running fresh down his back and arms, Barracus rose and hobbled over to the 2nd laying on the ground and a wicked grin on his face as he stood over the broken Lich.   "In the end, I will always win and I will be the 1st." Barracus was about to plune his staff into the broken body when he felt a clawed hand grasp his staff, his eyes looking to the werewolf holding him back.   "We should question him, he has spoke to Rasputin." Barracus looked hard at the creature before him, his only desire was to spear the corpse below him and take his place but things seemed to have grown more, complicated.   "I had one task for you Mikhail, you have done well, but it seems you are no longer willing." The wolfs eyes grow wide as his muzzle pulled back.   "You speak English now? About damn-" The attack was sudden, the power brutal as the power struck from right under his chin. The black stone of the staff pressed into the lower jaw and sent the necrotic power upwards, eating away at the steel like skin with his new power and then blasting into his brain. The energy bouncing around and eating everything as it dissolved within his skull, the werewolf crashing to the ground in a heap as the eyes stared empty into the world. Barracus turned to the 2nd then, fire burning in his eyes and he slammed the staff into the 2nd, the same process happening as Barracus took his power as well. Feeling the power burn brighter and flowing freely in his veins, the 2nd's body dissolving like the last before Barracus' eyes went to the now human form laying on the ground. His body restored, he held up the staff and summoned the black energy to carry the large man and turned to walk away to find the group and tell them of their companions demise by the hands of the 2nd.