2015.10.27 - Demons and Warlocks and Bears, Oh My!

*Alexander and Thaddeus are enjoying the view, but Eros warns of impending danger.*

Tuesday, October 27, 2015, Dusk

Marina & Waterfront, San Francisco

The sun has just winked out on the horizon and the few people that have gathered to watch the sun set on the water are starting to wander away. At the base of Coit tower there is a brief flash of light. The color of the light is white tinged with a bit of pink. It was only a blink of the eye. A tall muscle bound man in leather steps away from the tower. He's wearing a pair of leather pants that are laced up the sides. They are snug, to say the least. He has on a sleeveless hoodie that shows off those muscular arms. The hood is pulled up over his head and he kind of sticks to the shadows. He is avoiding most of the lights. His gaze lingers on a couple who are holding hands and leaning against the railing. The hooded man stares for a long moment and shakes his head. The couple starts to leave as well and the hooded man leans against the railing and looks out to the water, alone.

Eyesight, only average. Sense of smell? Leaning against the railing is a large, dark-skinned man with red hair. His size and coloring have attracted some attention, but when that flash of light happens, he glances around - even though he can't possibly have actually seen it. The werebear's eyes narrow a little, his gaze sweeping the area, searching for what caused that little blip on his radar.

Early evening, just after sunset, finds Alexander taking a stroll through San Francisco by the water. His cane in his right hand, he rests on it every so often. Looking out at the horizon he sighs, quietly mulling something over in his head. He certainly doesn't see the faint flash of light, so focused is he on his own thoughts. However, he pauses a few yards away from another man who is leaning against the railing. There was something distinctly... curious about that man. With a subtle thought, the persistent magic wrapped around him lights up any auras nearby - including that man's. A supernatural, here? He was running into an awful lot of them lately. And so he pauses and waits, because where there's a supernatural there may be an artifact.

The hooded man grabs onto the railing and he flexes his arms. His green gaze shifts around for the moment and he scowls. He looks like he is waiting for someone. He pushes back the hood and shows off his shaved head. He crosses his arms over his chest and he looks bothered. He steps away from the railing and he checks out the few other people gathered. He does however have a very magical artifact upon his hand and there is another one stashed nearby. The Cupid checks out Thaddeus first and then Alexander. He shakes his head and scowls again.

Thaddeus Bailey sniffs the air a little. Perhaps catching the salt. His gaze falls first on the hooded man with the odd dress...please, could he be any MORE obvious...and then on the rather more discreet fae. Well, well. What an interesting coincidental meeting. His gaze flicks back to Eros. Now, that's not an aura he's sensed much of.
Alexander, through his focus on Thaddeus, finally notices Eros. Blinking several times, he narrows his eyes and focuses on the aura. Foreign, a different feeling to the others he had seen before. But the supernatural being's aura was secondary. There was another, fainter, aura present on that man. Could it be an artifact? "Only one way to be sure," he mutters to himself. Taking up his cane he begins to stroll leisurely somewhat in the direction Eros is currently headed. Perhaps they will cross paths, perhaps not, but Alexander definitely wants a closer look at that second aura.

Eros stops as Alexander makes his way towards him with his cane and leisurely stroll. The cupid's green gaze shifts to look him over. The aura of power is radiating from the very impressive ring upon his hand. He stops and scans the pier area. It isn't Thaddeus and it isn't Alexander. He pauses. There is another flash of power in the shadows. There is a good scent of rotting egg, sulphur. A curse under his breath from Eros and he turns towards Alexander. His voice is sensual, slightly gruff, His tone low enough that Alexander and only those with supernatural hearing can hear him. "You've got company. Act natural. Someone has come for you. They will not attack with witnesses." He looks around... only Thaddeus and Alexander around here. That's few enough witnesses.

"Demon," Thaddeus pronounces in very quiet tones. Given how well he can sense them, he's got no illusions about his own nature being hidden from the others. But that smell is quite, quite distinctive. And very strong...he sneezes a little. "If they try something..." A smile comes across his face. A confident one. He can handle demons.

Alexander blinks as Eros addresses him. Without missing a beat, he strikes up a conversation with the stranger in a low voice. "Company, really? Are you certain, because I don't recall sending out any invitations." He rolls his shoulders back in a small stretch, resting both his hands on his cane in front of him. "I'm hardly helpless," he says with a bit of a huff. "But that doesn't explain how you know something is amiss or what that something might be." He raises an eyebrow at Eros and tilts his head. "As the famous quote goes, are you a good witch or a bad witch?"

Eros looks at Alexander. "I doubt that they care." He flicks a glance towards Thaddeus. "One of them is a demon. Other is a warlock. I think he wants your power. Or your toys. Or both." He glances over towards a spot off by the tower. "I'm going to walk away from you now. If you have something to defend yourself. Now would be the time to do it. They'll go after you, as soon as I am out of the area." He winks at Alexander. "Don't worry, I won't let them kill you." Eros puts his hoodie back over his head and he heads back towards the tower.

True to his word, when Eros walks away from Alexander. The two dark figures move out of the shadows. A big man, who is obviously the demon with that face. Growls as soon as Eros is far away that he probably wouldn't hear it. The warlock, a young man with a nasty scar upon his face pulls out a blade that is generally used to steal powers from someone. "Leave no witnesses." The demon flexes and he starts to move towards Alexander first.

And...the large black man turns into a large bearlike monster. Not instantly, but it's a pretty quick transformation. "I hate demons," the werebear snarls, stepping forward to try and get between the demon and the rather more fragile looking fae. Give the guy a chance to prepare something he might have while the were takes the hits. It's what he does.

Alexander just stares blankly at Eros. "Well, you seem quite well informed for a stranger." Narrowing his eyes at the descriptions of the two potential threats, he shrugs. "I suppose I should not be too surprised that someone has gotten wind of my collection given the circles I travel in. Bound to happen sooner or later." As Eros begins to walk away, he says softly "I don't intend to let them kill me, either."

As soon as the demon begins approaching, Alexander stands to his full height. He's not the most physically imposing person by any means, but the determination on his face is indicative of the fact that he is not one to be pushed around. Raising his left hand, he chants a short invocation and gestures, stretching the walls of the ever-present barrier tightly knit around him. As the barrier thickens into a more protective shield, he notices someone coming towards him. Or rather something. A bear? Is that a bear coming towards him? "Bloody Hell, another one," he mutters. But then the bear is intervening, placing itself between the attackers and him. "Well. That was unexpected," he says crisply. He looks around for something to use to his advantage while the bear takes attention off of him.

Eros continues in a steady paced walk and he is by the tower. He bends down and picks something up. There is a flash of gold, out of nowhere an arrow zips through the air and it strikes the scar faced man in the hand holding the athame. The blade clings to the floor and the Warlock screams. The arrow is stuck inside of the hand and blood is falling to the ground. The expression on Eros' face has not changed, almost stone cold. There is only a moment before the next arrow is flying through the air and it strikes the big demon in the shoulder.

The Warlock screams more as his hand is bleeding. "My powers! What did you do to my powers?" The demon is most likely feeling the same affects as he snarls at the bear man. He doesn't stop though. He charges towards Thaddeus despite the onset of weakness from the arrow.
Of course he does. Snarling, Tad twists slightly to the side and slashes towards the demon's chest with one huge paw. Any witnesses there might be have hopefully already fled, to check what they were drinking later. He's big...but so's the demon. If it wasn't for Eros' magic draining arrows, it would be a MUCH tougher contest.

Alexander is caught off guard by the arrows. But, he knows how to take advantage of an opening in an enemy's offensive. Lifting his right hand, he points at the warlock and begins an incantation, his left hand gesturing wildly. A sudden wave of force erupts from his finger, widening as it moves forward to catch the warlock with full force, repelling him. "That dagger does not come anywhere near me, sir."

Eros fires another set of arrows into the demon. In case Tad needed any extra help vanquishing that bastard. Eros heads right towards the Warlock that Alexander sends flying with a wave of force. He starts to pummel the Warlock. "Where is he?" He punches harder and harder. The man is a blur of fists and fury as he punches the sides of the depowered warlock. "Darvox. Where is he?" He keeps the cold look on his face and his green eyes are almost on fire. "Where is Darvox?" The warlock, is not cooperating. 'Like I would tell you.' The warlock coughs up blood and has a blood filled grin. "Wrong answer." Eros pulls the arrow out of the man's hand. He is holding it up to the Warlocks throat and that's when the Warlock blinks out of existence. The demon however, isn't so lucky. He is extremely weakened by the arrows and then he is being mauled by a bear. One vital slash and the demon's heart is severed from his body. The demon explodes in a fit of smoke and sulphur. Eros has blood on his face and he wipes it off on his arm. "Doubt he'll be after you again. And for the record. I let him go on purpose." And with a bright white and pink light the mysterious man beams out of the area. Leaving Thaddeus and Alexander without another word.
Thaddeus Bailey snarls as the demon explodes, then stands there for a moment. No enemies. Breathe. No enemies. NO going berserk, even if his nose is still full of brimstone stench. After a moment, slowly, Tad returns to human form. "Wonder what \*that\* was all about."

The sudden disappearance of the warlock and destruction of the demon leaves Alexander a bit dazed. "What the Hell? Of all the... this bears some looking into," he says with a grim expression. As he walks past Thaddeus, he says "Thank you for lending your assistance. Apologies for not introducing myself, but I'm sure you'll understand if I'm not of mind to be social." He doesn't know the man/bear/whatever, and he doesn't care to right now. He'd had enough trouble for one night. This was certainly an interesting turn of events. His contacts in the network would have some answering to do. And with that he raises his hand, makes a gesture along with another short chant, and opens a blue portal which he immediately steps through. It immediately seals behind him.