At Thaumaturge's outburst, S.A.N.E. pulled out a tazer and shocked him into unconciousness. When he realized everyone was still staring, he shrugged and pointed to Thaumaturge. "Dennis sinned," was all that he said. He then used some smelling salts to wake Thaumaturge back up.

Thaumaturge came to with a start, then glared at S.A.N.E. He drew from the soul crystal in his hand, and casted a bolt of force that sent S.A.N.E. skidding across the rooftop.

"I have had ENOUGH of you! This time I will destroy you, and slowly torture your soul over centuries!"

He paused. Everyone was looking at him.

"Er... buddy?"

"The Spam Map! No! That Was My Favourite Map!!!"

"Get to my office and alert all other minions! We must plan...Er...a brilliant (and evil) plan. Now let's get planning! We must have that map back..."

Jackal, responding immediately to Thaumaturge's order, brought his blade swiftly down. The katana sliced through the ground as if it was rice paper, and he immediately held Sarah in an iron-gripped headlock.

Thaumaturge bellowed.
The ninja's arm grabbed her around the neck.
Sarah's hand darted for her pocket.
She grabbed the soul crystal.
And then it got weird.
Upon Sarah's attempt to harness power, a telepathic roar of "DENIED!" was heard pretty much throughout the fortress.
Sarah recoiled as if slapped by one of the recently-departed cod. Astrabelle had...
Traitor!
There was no way to win. She slumped to the ground in surrender, and looked up at the one she had sworn to kill.
"Why?"

OOC: I may not be able to get on for the next couple of days. I'll try to post, but if I can't, she can be unconscious for a while.

"Jackal! Don't kill her!" Azeran said. "Considering what just happened, maybe we should detain her and ask her about what just happened and what she had to do with it. Violence isn't always the answer, remember that." Azeran looked over at Thaumaturge. "Both of you, ok?"

Not responding to Azeran, Jackal sheathed his katana and a knife slipped into his hand. He pressed the knife to Sarah's neck. "This knife is coated in an overdose of sodium penathol, an overdose strong enough to kill ten people. Just one prick, and she's gone. Thaumaturge insisted on it."

"Stop that!" Courtney shouted in dismay. "Don't hurt her! She might be mad at me, but she's still my friend, and I can't let you do that. Azeran's right-now is not the time for violence. Let's stop this silly fighting, and go save those poor trapped souls!"

Jackal's head jerked. "My helmet.....It's controlling my mind. Programming." He released his grip on Sarah and shrunk back, melding into the shadows and disappearing.

Thaumaturge grimaced and forced himself to supress his magic. "Very well, we will do this your way." He turned to the newcomer. "But remember, you are living on borrowed time, at Courtney's behest." He stepped closer to the newcomer, looking directly into her eyes. "If I had my way, you would be dead already."