Through The Fire And Flames

Jericho Thoughts:
8-28-21
 
I’m right pissed off. But I’ll try to get my thoughts down on the page, I guess I’ll start at the beginning.
 
Days ago a home had gone up in flames. Nothing out of the ordinary there. In the next day or two, another had gone up literally while we were investigating the first one. We got pulled away so we couldn’t do more at the second home, even though we had a trail that we had lost.
 
The next day there was a fire at Oasis WHILE WE WERE THERE fat lotta’ good that did. Awfully pissed we decided it ended tonight. Based on a glimpse and a whisper from Leilani we got the tip to look across for the culprit. But we only got a glimpse of them as they walked off towards downtown. But that didn’t matter, we were gonna find them, and end them.
 
Cut to the battle wagon heading to our HQ with a rite getting carved on the way. We finished it up there and the hunt was on. On our way to Oasis to see if we can pick up the trail, we noticed an odor in the air, which we followed to the location of a third home that was on fire. There was no way to get in but the rest of them stayed and tried anyway. Turns out they saw something on the mortal side which I found out later led us to believe that whatever this thing was… It could jump back and forth.
 
Back at the reflection of Oasis I started asking around and looking around but I only got a faint heading which I started following. By then the pack caught up and we got a more solid trail as a group. The hunt was on again.
 
We followed the path to… The second house that was on fire? Yeah, the second house which seemed to have spawned a Locus. ARE THE ONLY LOCUS IN THIS DAMN CITY FULL OF DEATH AND DESTRUCTION?! Sorry about that.. Well the scent ended there so it must have jumped over and we weren't too far off of that third house where they last saw the creature so we started making our way over that way.
 
We didn’t even make it there before getting a call from Leilani saying that our own damn HQ was currently on fire. After some deliberation, we decided to follow the trail instead of going to the HQ, mostly because we didn’t know when all of these events were happening. Well, following the scent from the 3rd house ended up leading us to the HQ anyway. And lucky for us, this thing liked to admire their work for a bit. Cause we caught a glimpse of them rounding the corner and we gave chase. The final sprint.
 
We caught up quickly and I wasn’t overstating the thing comment earlier. This creature was out of this world. A serpent like face, glowing embers for eyes and a fire deep within it’s body that seemed to run through it like veins of flame. But thats not all, this sly and lythe creature had a deep throated chuckle that was really the icing on this shitty cake.
 
We fought.
 
Some fought harder than others. And it was a good thing we staggered that way (as you will learn later). The creature emanate fire and brimstone. Anyone near enough to touch it was scorched with flame. Rufus went into warform first, which allowed his wounds to close and burns to soothe. Barnaby and Vlad got a couple of licks in, but didn’t take it down before the creature bolted with preternatural speed. I was the first on it’s heels. Through the fire and flames I charged. I had a feeling where it was going.
 
I jumped through the locus to get out of the oven that was our facility. Beyond that veil was a different story. I was face to face with this thing and The One Who Burns. Who I had a feeling was behind this whole mess.
 
It was my turn. I shifted to the God killing form and went to work, knowing that my pack would be right by my side. Shockingly even to myself, I actually made some contact (I know right?). Not long after Rufus came through, and Barnaby, and Vlad. And the rest is history. We took that monstrosity down and drained dry. It was never going to cause us problems again. Not directly… For that Locus near the house might be a problem, it’s The One Who Burns might still have a resonance that we can’t quite shake.
 
With that done and every spirit within a good few blocks properly terrified of what they just felt or witnessed I turned my attention to where Zippo and Duraflame used to live. But they weren’t there.
 
There were only some other lesser fire spirits there and they were tight lipped. Even pouncing on them and threatening their “lives” didn’t change their mind… Well killing them wouldn’t be worth it. Nothing to gain. Only lose. Lose myself.