[Nexus]:Louv're Tower

[BladeofObliviom]

[Elevator 13]

Cyrus shrugs, and claps a few times.

"Ooh, good show there. A for effort. You've risen to roughly the level of 'toad' or 'newt' in my eyes, which is still more than you were before. I'll admit that I didn't see this particular event coming. It was a good plan on your part, and I'm actually not entirely disappointed in you for once. It's a little sad that you assumed I didn't have contingencies of my own in place, though.

Thanks for telling me the obvious weak point in your impenetrable shield too, dumbass."


[Elsewhere]

While it might have seemed as if the Sorcerer were acting as a force of pure destruction in the areas he passed by, this was not strictly true. While he did summon unspeakable amounts of energy to blow things up, he did so by tearing a countless number of rifts to a countless number of pocket dimensions. Now, at his command, countless things are starting to come through...

...And they are not happy.

Unspeakably horrifying demons, undead, elementals of earth, stone, and steel, golems, and any number of other abominations against all that is good and holy are dragging themselves inside the tower en masse. Yes, a multidimensional barrier should have prevented anything from teleporting in, but it can't stop things that are already inside, in one dimension or another.

The security should start running if it knows what's good for it. Cyrus has built up a whole lot of allies and servants, both willing and unwilling, over the course of his long life, just for moments like this.

Meanwhile, outside the tower and the plane entirely, within the Blind Eternities that sit between the countless multiverses, a small missile, no larger than a single needle, crashes into the side of the now-significantly-weakened shield, emitting a short-range pulse of sheer magical flux.

In truth, Cyrus created this missile decades ago, and hid it in the eternities near Ravnica in case he ever needed to wipe an entire plane from existence. Here, though, all it does is scrubs one point in reality free of all within it for an instant. An instant is all that Cyrus' Elite Minions need to get in, though.

Spoiler

Show

Just to clarify what's going on:

While rampaging through the tower, he intentionally weakened the fabric of the planes enough for a whole crapload of monsters from other planes to jump inside the tower. They are limited in number, because that shield functions pandimensionally and only things that were already stuck inside it can come through. Still though, they should cause quite a bit of damage.

Still, they're only a distraction, because he also called in an airstrike from the empty void between dimensions using a planebuster against a targetted point on the shield. It might well be enough energy to shatter the shield entirely in its weakened state, but all he really needs is a hole in it for a few short instants.

Assuming that actually happens as planned and the shield isn't utterly unbreakable even when limited to 30% of its basic strength, a strike team of twelve Thraxian Soldiers teleport in. They weren't mentioned this post because I haven't confirmed that there's an entry point yet.

[The Alexandrian]

[Bunkers? - Guilty Until Proven Friendly]

Those poor deprived soldiers! Having to be fed via injections all the time would be horrible!

So did Clarissa land in a soldier barracks or a bunker? I've never heard of a tower-bunker ever before! It doesn't much matter this post, though, as Kid!Clarissa will spend her time units lying on the floor and calming herself down. She went ballistic on everything and is now suffering a short cooldown period. Her tentacles are, on the other hand, still active, and they may cause trouble for Cyrus's monsters if the spawn of evil warp in as Clarissa will operate under the assumption that they were summoned in by desert cultists and try to wallop them with her tendrils and ensnare them with dozens of tongues and nom them with the gaping maws lining her tendrils unless the servants of Cyrus make it obvious that they aren't batting for Marciano's cultists' team seconds after they teleport in. She isn't aware of Cyrus's presence in the tower yet and she knows for a fact that Day is no conjurer, so these transdimensional invaders must be on Marcy's payroll unless proven otherwise!

Fortunately, there are only six of these tendrils besieging the tower and their target priority dictates that they attack Marcy's soldiers first, if at all possible.

As I just now remembered, Cyrus has exclusively attacked on floors above floor sixty (?), so, while it isn't impossible that his task forces will run into any tentacles, it is highly improbable unless the layout of the enivronment changes radically.

[Hattish Thing]

Arcane Thread

Oh. Big frikkin' golem and a magical dude too. And here Day was, hoping to finish off this looting spree without any more interruptions.

Snagging the edge of a bookshelf to improvise a brake, Day brings his hovering ride to a halt just inside the room, Markus joining him a second later at the edge of the crawling sand. "So, uh.. Do we really gotta do this?" An eyebrow is quirked.

"cause this place's goin' down an that's not gonna be healthy for anyone. Marcy's dead an his engine's gonna go up in smoke any minute now with th' rest of this tower an I'm not too clear on why ya crazy cultist types are even following him? Really, what'cha got t' gain here by fightin' me? An let's not forget my bro here." Day gives his big brother a pat on the shoulder, as if the eight foot murderlizard needed any more attention drawn his way.

"C'mon, just cut an run already."

The Grandfather frowns. He begins to speak slowly to Day. Oh? You are so certain Louv're Tower will fall? I am as well. Following Marciano was a mistake on my part, we should have just stolen the plans and killed him off. We're not following him! WE merely want The Spirit Engine. This 'machine', is powerful. It can open holes in time and space, freely. It can open dimensions, open portals, create black holes.....even pierce the realm of God's. Our God, Pulveris, is trapped in a desert prison plane. It is our goal to free him. We need The Spirit Engine. Make me, and my cult, a better offer. Marciano's trying to weaponize the thing, A version called Devil's Weapon. But, I don't want that. Get me the Engine, and I'll help you. I can drop the shields, for one.

[Elevator 13]

Cyrus shrugs, and claps a few times.

"Ooh, good show there. A for effort. You've risen to roughly the level of 'toad' or 'newt' in my eyes, which is still more than you were before. I'll admit that I didn't see this particular event coming. It was a good plan on your part, and I'm actually not entirely disappointed in you for once. It's a little sad that you assumed I didn't have contingencies of my own in place, though.

Thanks for telling me the obvious weak point in your impenetrable shield too, dumbass."


[Elsewhere]

While it might have seemed as if the Sorcerer were acting as a force of pure destruction in the areas he passed by, this was not strictly true. While he did summon unspeakable amounts of energy to blow things up, he did so by tearing a countless number of rifts to a countless number of pocket dimensions. Now, at his command, countless things are starting to come through...

...And they are not happy.

Unspeakably horrifying demons, undead, elementals of earth, stone, and steel, golems, and any number of other abominations against all that is good and holy are dragging themselves inside the tower en masse. Yes, a multidimensional barrier should have prevented anything from teleporting in, but it can't stop things that are already inside, in one dimension or another.

The security should start running if it knows what's good for it. Cyrus has built up a whole lot of allies and servants, both willing and unwilling, over the course of his long life, just for moments like this.

Meanwhile, outside the tower and the plane entirely, within the Blind Eternities that sit between the countless multiverses, a small missile, no larger than a single needle, crashes into the side of the now-significantly-weakened shield, emitting a short-range pulse of sheer magical flux.

In truth, Cyrus created this missile decades ago, and hid it in the eternities near Ravnica in case he ever needed to wipe an entire plane from existence. Here, though, all it does is scrubs one point in reality free of all within it for an instant. An instant is all that Cyrus' Elite Minions need to get in, though.

Spoiler

Show

Just to clarify what's going on:

While rampaging through the tower, he intentionally weakened the fabric of the planes enough for a whole crapload of monsters from other planes to jump inside the tower. They are limited in number, because that shield functions pandimensionally and only things that were already stuck inside it can come through. Still though, they should cause quite a bit of damage.

Still, they're only a distraction, because he also called in an airstrike from the empty void between dimensions using a planebuster against a targetted point on the shield. It might well be enough energy to shatter the shield entirely in its weakened state, but all he really needs is a hole in it for a few short instants.

Assuming that actually happens as planned and the shield isn't utterly unbreakable even when limited to 30% of its basic strength, a strike team of twelve Thraxian Soldiers teleport in. They weren't mentioned this post because I haven't confirmed that there's an entry point yet.

Oh boy, yeah, shields are completely down outside the tower, the only shields left are in the elevator, and those are strong. Monsters can eeeeasily teleport into the tower now, the group of Hellish creature's loose in the tower. The soldier's left scramble, and are now just running around in a frenzy, ZETA having abandoned it's hold on them. Marciano speaks through the intercom. ....Good job, that I wasn't expecting. You've broken down the tower's shields, great job. You'll cut through my troops like grass. But, guess what? The Spirit Engine is breaking...Half of this tower is going to be sucked into a different plane.

[Bunkers? - Guilty Until Proven Friendly]

Those poor deprived soldiers! Having to be fed via injections all the time would be horrible!

So did Clarissa land in a soldier barracks or a bunker? I've never heard of a tower-bunker ever before! It doesn't much matter this post, though, as Kid!Clarissa will spend her time units lying on the floor and calming herself down. She went ballistic on everything and is now suffering a short cooldown period. Her tentacles are, on the other hand, still active, and they may cause trouble for Cyrus's monsters if the spawn of evil warp in as Clarissa will operate under the assumption that they were summoned in by desert cultists and try to wallop them with her tendrils and ensnare them with dozens of tongues and nom them with the gaping maws lining her tendrils unless the servants of Cyrus make it obvious that they aren't batting for Marciano's cultists' team seconds after they teleport in. She isn't aware of Cyrus's presence in the tower yet and she knows for a fact that Day is no conjurer, so these transdimensional invaders must be on Marcy's payroll unless proven otherwise!

Fortunately, there are only six of these tendrils besieging the tower and their target priority dictates that they attack Marcy's soldiers first, if at all possible.

As I just now remembered, Cyrus has exclusively attacked on floors above floor sixty (?), so, while it isn't impossible that his task forces will run into any tentacles, it is highly improbable unless the layout of the enivronment changes radically.

Nope, Cyru's force would appear right with Clarissa and the panicking Louv're soldiers.

The Laboratory

Meanwhile, The Spirit Engine cracks and sputters, filling the room with smoke. There's an explosion, followed by three more. The room goes black. a strange black dot appears in the room, very slowly getting larger, and larger. The Spirit Engine lies in pieces underneath the dot, but it's as if the dot is magnetic, the Spirit Engine wreckage floats and is pulled towards the dot, the pieces vanishing at contact, and the dot getting bigger...

[ThirdEmperor]

Arcane Library

"Mebbe. Maaaaybe. I can get'cha the spirit engine easy but what's in it for me? 'cause I don't even know why I'd want th' shields gone for all I know they're th' only things holdin' this place up!" Who cares if this place's about to go up in smoke; Day's gonna sit here and negotiate until he gets a darn good deal.

[BladeofObliviom]

[All over the Place]

It should be noted that the various nameless and not-even-really-described summoned monsters are making extreme efforts to exterminate anything wearing a Louv're logo, but they offer no real resistance to being eaten beyond simple attempts to get free that probably don't go anywhere.

Still, they're just a distraction.


Arcane Library

Just far back enough to not quite intrude on the conversation, twelve flashes of light occur simultaneously as a platoon of Thraxian Elites teleport in. Since I haven't used Thraxians onscreen in some time, I might as well describe them.

Thraxians are an unusual species, originally custom-made for Cyrus by Karyana's blood magic, and later modified somewhat by the Sorcerer himself through highly unethical magical experimentation. They appear somewhat similar to half-dragons, though they have a very serpentine face rather than a humanoid one, and have a large pair of flight-capable insect wings upon their backs. They are armored in banded plates, resembling the lorica segmentata used by the Roman Legions, and equipped with a variety of enchanted goods offering a degree of protection against most types of attack.

Like the Dragons they were partially created from, each Thraxian is a sorcerer to some degree, though most prefer to focus on their combat skill over their magic.

In any case, they aren't saying anything quite yet, and are patiently waiting in the background.


[Elevator]

"Indeed. I find that it's so wonderful to have loyal servants. It's so nice to be able to trust your allies with things like your main shields. Of course, one Grandfather-character seemed awfully interested in the Spirit Engine, and little else, when I last spoke to him.

I wonder how he'd react to learning that you do not, in fact, have a Spirit Engine anymore...and I do?"

[The Alexandrian]

[All Over Marcy's Hizzouse]

In that case, Clarissa's tendrils will amicably leave the assorted friendly monsters to their work that they might embark on a happy, destructive rampage/campaign against Marcy's security forces together!

Whee! Roar! Death! Fun!

[Bunkers! -Or- Bunks!]

>.<

Right!

Well, Clarissa continues to rest here and stuff. It isn't the most comfortable of places in which to rest, but she makes do.

[Hattish Thing]

Arcane Library

"Mebbe. Maaaaybe. I can get'cha the spirit engine easy but what's in it for me? 'cause I don't even know why I'd want th' shields gone for all I know they're th' only things holdin' this place up!" Who cares if this place's about to go up in smoke; Day's gonna sit here and negotiate until he gets a darn good deal.

The Grandfather adjusts his dark red and sandy brown robes. The books flying around him open and one flies in front of his face. He reads aloud. And so, Pulveris was banished from the realms of the gods, trapped to eternally rot in a demiplane of unspeakable horror, a never-ending sea of sand, and at the center the banished god made his home, a massive palace of gold and glass, flying atop a massive maelstrom of sand.

He has sat, waiting for his followers to one day free him, so he may be freed, and his power allowed to surge! So that Pulveris may take his revenge upon the men and gods that trapped him! It is OUR DUTY, our holy sanctum.

Myself-Ten thousand years ago.

He looks at Daedalus now, and he might notice that The Grandfather's eyes seem to be made of glass, with sandy pupils. You are all lowly sinners in his eyes, but we, The Serpentine Acolyte, are his chosen ones. The reweaving must not be forestalled and further! Any who obstruct the opening and release of Pulveris will be an enemy of mine. I require the Spirit Engine.

You want the shields down because I've been around the world for thousands of years and have gathered every secret of Black Magic imaginable. Because my power rivals none anyone has seen yet. I am Pulveris' human avatar. Human no more of course...I am more god than man now. I bring the shields down, teleportation becomes available, defenses go down, and Marciano is left with nothing but his last lines of defense. Then I can bring down this tower if you like.

Who is anyone to call me insane simply because they're kind holds the majority? You have sinned as well, to contribute to this world's corrupt, impure state! Our order are the only people who understand the one solution, freeing Pulveris and beginning the reweaving! We are the only true sane people in a mad, evil world.

You may say I have no right to go against other God's work. No right? In this horrible world, rights are taken by the powerful, not given to the weak! Magtok, Tobias...even you. Powerful men, only because you take from others. Even I am guilty...The very fact that I am here, able to free Pulveris soon and begin the reweaving of this world, justifies it!

Now - I am charged with opening the portal to Pulveris' prison and releasing him into this world. Marciano was our Holy Catalyst, our ticket to Pulveris. Only because of The Spirit Engine. If you attack me, or betray me...for a brief time the history of this world will remember the pair of opportunistic sinners who did not yield, and were hence slain most brutally.

Help me, I help you. He grins once more, stroking his blonde-grey goatee. He notices the creatures in the shadows, but does nothing, apparently confident in his abilities. All around the tower, cultists begin teleporting into The Sanctum, so soon there's about ten more, and then ten more...and soon ten more. About thirty have survived. Then he raises his hands in the air and claps them together, and at the sound the Main Shields disappear, so Cyrus is freed and shields are down.

[All over the Place]

It should be noted that the various nameless and not-even-really-described summoned monsters are making extreme efforts to exterminate anything wearing a Louv're logo, but they offer no real resistance to being eaten beyond simple attempts to get free that probably don't go anywhere.

Still, they're just a distraction.


Arcane Library

Just far back enough to not quite intrude on the conversation, twelve flashes of light occur simultaneously as a platoon of Thraxian Elites teleport in. Since I haven't used Thraxians onscreen in some time, I might as well describe them.

Thraxians are an unusual species, originally custom-made for Cyrus by Karyana's blood magic, and later modified somewhat by the Sorcerer himself through highly unethical magical experimentation. They appear somewhat similar to half-dragons, though they have a very serpentine face rather than a humanoid one, and have a large pair of flight-capable insect wings upon their backs. They are armored in banded plates, resembling the lorica segmentata used by the Roman Legions, and equipped with a variety of enchanted goods offering a degree of protection against most types of attack.

Like the Dragons they were partially created from, each Thraxian is a sorcerer to some degree, though most prefer to focus on their combat skill over their magic.

In any case, they aren't saying anything quite yet, and are patiently waiting in the background.


[Elevator]

"Indeed. I find that it's so wonderful to have loyal servants. It's so nice to be able to trust your allies with things like your main shields. Of course, one Grandfather-character seemed awfully interested in the Spirit Engine, and little else, when I last spoke to him.

I wonder how he'd react to learning that you do not, in fact, have a Spirit Engine anymore...and I do?"

The men are tearing through Louv're Industries, destroying any men and women wearing the orange and grey Louv're logo. Nearly every single soldier from floors 60-below are dead, and the rest of the soldiers are not willing to fight it seems.

Marciano speaks. ...When did you speak to him?! You...what have you done, no! Next the shields evaporate, and Cyrus is free. He might also notice a whooshing noise, like the sound an aircraft would make. Sure enough, the last gunship has floated down in front of the elevator. The thing is huge, equipped with about six missiles, two machine gun turrets, and one massive gun like a tank, all built into a large helicopter. Before Cyrus can react, it fires everything it's got. Six powerful missiles, two barrages of bullets, and one massive shell are blown his way extremely fast. Even if they miss, they'll take out the elevator. But Cyrus may be able to dodge, so far he's been a badass.

[All Over Marcy's Hizzouse]

In that case, Clarissa's tendrils will amicably leave the assorted friendly monsters to their work that they might embark on a happy, destructive rampage/campaign against Marcy's security forces together!

Whee! Roar! Death! Fun!

[Bunkers! -Or- Bunks!]

>.<

Right!

Well, Clarissa continues to rest here and stuff. It isn't the most comfortable of places in which to rest, but she makes do.

Well, there are beds and nice things. She might hear a loud clap as shields fall.

[ThirdEmperor]

Arcane Library

"Oh fiiiiiiiiiiiine." Day rolls the word out like, well, a reluctant child, slipping off his hovering vehicle to stroll right up to the Grandfather. "I'll be ya new Holy Catalyst an you can serve me. But I'm warning ya now that it's gonna cost an arm anna leg." And just like that, he sticks his hand out. "Now we shake an you stick to it if you wanna stay immortal."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Arcane Library]

With the shields down, the mission parameters have changed, and so the Thraxians withdraw with another teleportation spell, attempting to leap to the upper floors.


Elevator 13

He sort of has, hasn't he?

The sorcerer snaps his fingers, fading from view just as the missiles hit. There's a moment of silence; nobody could survive something like that, right?

Of course he did. The man winks back into existence with the smell of brimstone several meters above the cockpit, landing upon it and driving a flaming, magically enhanced fist through the glass and around the pilot's throat. Assuming success, he tears the pilot from the cockpit and thrusts his knee into the pilot's spine, before tossing him aside and taking his place at the controls of the Missilecopter, laughing maniacally.

(All attempted, of course.)

[The Alexandrian]

[Bunkers]

Oooo look, beds! Clarissa crawls up onto one of them where she will rest until something disturbs her rest that she can kill or destroy. Until then, relaxation time! Not nappy time, though. She doesn't control this tower yet!

((Feel free to skip her until something happens in the general area of the Bunkers!))

[Hattish Thing]

Arcane Library

The old man strokes his Arabian-Style beard before moving over to Day and shaking his hand. The Grandfather's skin feels gritty and dry, as if there was no water in his entire body. Next he looks to his thirty surviving cultists. Ye of the Faith! My blessed children, a new page in history has been turned...Marciano has failed us, but fear not! We have a new Catalyst, who will lead us besides me to the reweaving of fate...Avenge the loss of our brothers and sisters this day, destroy Marciano's hirelings, and salvage what you can. I want every suit of armor teleported in here, every weapon as well.

He moves and turns to Day again as Cultists slowly evaporate and reform elsewhere in the tower. Now, I will accompany you.

Around: Oh boy, which floors do the demons teleport to? Floors 80-83 are cut off by a large elementium door, suitably locked.

Elevator 13

Oh, ****. Well, Cyrus succeeds. He now has full control of a missilecopter.

[ThirdEmperor]

Arcane Library

Ick. Day pulls away a little too quickly to be polite, wiping his hand on his coat. "Then you can 'port me on over t' where the treasure's at. 'Cause that's where I'm goin'. 'Cause I ain't stickin' around. This whole place's comin' down. Plenty'a other people t' deal with Marcy."

[BladeofObliviom]

[Missilecopter Mayhem!]

Bwahahaha!

Now...

...how is he supposed to fly this thing?

I mean, yeah, there are probably some buttons and levers to make it easy. But Cyrus, for all his raw magical strength, has no idea how to drive a gunship! Or even a normal helicopter! Hells, he's still trying to figure out a normal automobile!

Shrugging and ceasing his maniacal cackling, he tries to direct the 'copter toward the top of the elevator shaft, just using magic to shove it in that direction if he can't figure out the controls.

And then he attempts to crash the Missilecopter, high explosive ordinance and all, directly into the one entryway to the upper floors, bailing out at the last second to avoid what will no doubt be an entertaining fireworks display.


[Elsewhere]

The squad of Thraxians (who are not Demons, it should be noted) are trying to teleport to the highest floor, but the planar sealing shunts them down to floor 79 instead.

Grumbling, the group just starts heading in the direction of Elevator 13...

...only to find it destroyed. Good thing they have wings, right?

[Hattish Thing]

Arcane Library

Ick. Day pulls away a little too quickly to be polite, wiping his hand on his coat. "Then you can 'port me on over t' where the treasure's at. 'Cause that's where I'm goin'. 'Cause I ain't stickin' around. This whole place's comin' down. Plenty'a other people t' deal with Marcy."

The Grandfather nods. Good choice. The treasury is up ahead, floor 79. After that are Marciano's hidden floors. I can teleport you into there now as well, seeing as now shields are down. he claps his hands once more and he reappears in a large room. It's full of treasures, in four vaults are about twelve billion gold pieces, all of Marciano's fortune. There are five famous portraits, probably worth ten-thousand each to a collector. There are five vaults of elementium bars. (The last, there is no elementium left in the Nexus now.) There's a crate of blueprints, only kept in physical form due to their secret nature. It appears someone was in here, because that crate has been busted open, and several blueprints are missing, as well as two vaults of currency. There is about five million gold pieces in fine jewelry scattered about in boxes as well. And, that's all that's stored in the treasury. In the weapons vault across the room, there are about a hundred E14's, and sixty Heavyarms. Once more, about ten of each are missing. Five suits of white Frontier armor hang on the walls as well. We hit the jackpot didn't we, Day?

[Missilecopter Mayhem!]

Bwahahaha!

Now...

...how is he supposed to fly this thing?

I mean, yeah, there are probably some buttons and levers to make it easy. But Cyrus, for all his raw magical strength, has no idea how to drive a gunship! Or even a normal helicopter! Hells, he's still trying to figure out a normal automobile!

Shrugging and ceasing his maniacal cackling, he tries to direct the 'copter toward the top of the elevator shaft, just using magic to shove it in that direction if he can't figure out the controls.

And then he attempts to crash the Missilecopter, high explosive ordinance and all, directly into the one entryway to the upper floors, bailing out at the last second to avoid what will no doubt be an entertaining fireworks display.


[Elsewhere]

The squad of Thraxians (who are not Demons, it should be noted) are trying to teleport to the highest floor, but the planar sealing shunts them down to floor 79 instead.

Grumbling, the group just starts heading in the direction of Elevator 13...

...only to find it destroyed. Good thing they have wings, right?

Ermahgurd, erxplosions! Okay, well...flying the thing is very difficult, but his magic easily forces it up and into the side of the skyscraper. The way into the upper floors is destroyed, a massive gaping hole is opened, and pieces of door and missilecopter explode into the air, flaming shrapnel falling down to the ground. The lower floors begin to burn, the fires Clarissa started have spread, and now the first ten floors are baking, the metal starting to melt...the tower starting to fall apart from the base and the top. The black hole is getting bigger, now sucking in the entire Spirit Engine laboratory. Marciano stares dumbfounded at his camera screens as his laboratories suddenly disappear, and his tower begins to wobble. You win. Well, bye folks. He attempts to teleport, only to find that it's not working. Why? Because The Grandfather made sure Marcy doesn't escape. So all over the intercom Marciano can be heard cursing loudly.

[ThirdEmperor]

Vaults

Money, blueprints, gems, some metal stuff that's prob'ly worth a mint all on it's own if it's locked up with the rest. This'd be the perfect jackpot.

Except someone's been here already.

"Guh-reat. Now he's gonna be back. He's gonna pop right back up an I'm gonna have'ta kill him all over again." Day whines, looking up at the ceiling as the sound of tearing metal echoes down from way above. "Can ya teleport all this stuff outta here?"

Already, Markus is working on getting things loaded, grabbing a crate under each arm. Just in case it comes down to how much they can carry.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Upper Floors]

Cyrus lands in the opened hole in the top floors, admiring the blazing wreckage of Marciano's home.

Stalking the halls of the upper floors, and searching for gross little fellow, he calls out:

"Come, little halfling! Your Angels of Death await...

...All of them!"

Meanwhile, a few floors down, the squad of Thraxians just flies away off into the horizon with as much Louv're Tech as they can carry, what with all of the Missilecopter Fleet destroyed and all other air defenses of Louv're Tower in shambles.

[Hattish Thing]

Louv're Tower: Lower floors
Well. This is...Bad. The buildup of explosive fumes and gunpowder stored in the lower floors are now exposed to the fires that have erupted below due to Clarissa setting fire to a large room. Now, the fire has spread. The fires reach a few dead soldiers, and the huge amounts of special gunpowder on them cause them to instantly explode, so several rooms are covered in gore now as well. The fires multiplied, and now the first five floors are on fire, and burning. Luckily, the tower was built well, so it's not melting much yet. However, the metal base of the tower and the bottom floors are melting slowly. That's bad. In fact, the whole tower is shaking and rumbling, metal cracking. Rick Brutal just makes it out of the tower as the big glass doors are blocked by flaming pieces of metal. He also pick-pocketed a few soldiers and escaped with their high-tech guns, E13's. He looks up as the missilecopter smashes into the wall way up there. He then gasps as massive pieces of missilecopter rain from the sky.
A large missilecopter blade embeds itself deep into the ground, half of it smashed into the earth. More shrapnel, some flaming, fall down to the ground. He moves away, not wanting to get in the way of the raining bits and pieces. He does look at the higer floors from an odd angle. The....Well a room seems to be shrinking. Yes, something is sucking in the higher floors. Well, that freaks poor Rick out. He didn't like this kind of stuff, he didn't understand it. Rick Brutal is off, and now he's off the Louv're Tower land. In fact, he heads off to the nearest bar. He's escaped with some good technology he could sell. Now, glass panes begin to fall off the tower, the whole thing shaking a little. Shrapnel and pieces of the high-tech tower rain down. This is...Bad. The fires are growing larger, now many more erupt throughout the tower.

Louv're Tower: Middle Floors

Soldier's are panicking. The tower was going down and exploding all around them. They watched in horror as their friends, their comrades die in fires or explosions, or slaughtered by enemies. Some are impaled by bits of shrapnel and falling ceiling. ZETA isn't controlling them anymore, it needed it's power for what was to come. Some of the soldiers are in tears,watching good friends killed in horrible ways. The elevators aren't functioning. Then, the lights all flicker before turning off, plunging the middle and lower floors into deep darkness. Marciano had cut off all power in the floors from middle down as well, to save power. Nothing but the glow of the fire and the flashlights built into their helmets guide them through the deteriorating corridors. They curse the days they decided to work for Frontier Industries. This was not at all what they were expecting. They are killed off in numbers from explosions, and shrapnel, or falling down elevator chutes. There's almost none left, and the ones that still survive, have given up. They just sit there, and wait for death to take them. Remembering their loved ones they'll never see again...
Louv're Tower: Barracks

Clarrisa's sleeping, yes? Well... She might start feeling the temperature's rise all around her. Then, the lights go out. Next, she'll be able to feel massive vibrations all around her from explosions. Five screaming soldiers come running into the dark room. They quickly close the thick iron door behind them, and lock it. "Oh, gods no. Erm, alright. The barracks are thick, we might be able to hold out in here, and wait for the night. God... I'm hungry. I haven't had real food in ages...It's dark in here. I can't see a thing. My flashlights dead. You guys still have one?" The one that spoke was apparently the leader. He sits on the bed adjacent to Clarissa, and takes off his helmet. A flashlight is turned on, from one of the other men. Only problem is, it shines right at Clarissa's face. He gasps and shrieks ad falls over. "There's someone else in here!! ****!" Next,there's the sound of weapons being readied. The leader speaks again. "Gah! We mean no harm, please! I jus- He appears to have fallen off the bed.


Louv're Tower: Higher Floors-The Spirit Engine Laboratory


Even worse things are happening up here. Inside the laboratory, the black dot has now grown to fill the room and now starts to suck in the rest of the laboratories around it. Anyone watching might see a large black orb, growing bigger and bigger, sucking everything around it inside it's depths. Several scientists stare dumbfounded as millions of dollars of equpment are sucked inside. The remaining team of ten scientists and four doctors are screaming, dropping anything they have and running to exit the labs. Unfortunately, the doors are shut and locked. No one is escaping. They beat against the doors as the black orb grows larger and larger, feeding on electrical energy, and the matter absorbed. There are two massive stores, filters that control all of ZETA's massive amounts of electrical energy. If the orb grows a bit more, it would suck those in. Then it would grow to incredible lengths.

Louv're Tower: Treasury


The Grandfather feels the ground vibrating, and looks around. Immediately his eyes grow wide. "Oh....We must leave. This tower is about to be absorbed into a spectral realm....a prison realm where teleportation does not function, where you are trapped eternally. Nor can you die of natural cause there. A realm for gods and elder creatures. Not mortals. Anyone trapped inside will never die of old age. Immortality, but forever trapped. We must escape, I will teleport everything in this room. Name an area. NOW! He looks around and begins slowly chanting. As soon as Day speaks, they're gone.
(Certain things are missing, a bunch of plans and such. In reality, Enshadu had broken in before he scampered and stolen a few things. Quite a few safes, and some physical plans. But you knew that already.)

Louv're Tower: Higher Floors-Cyrus and Marciano

Cyrus will be able to easily walk past the abandoned rooms, pools, bars...all rooms of pleasure. Marciano lived a disgustingly pleasurable life. As Cyrus looks around, he'll see on every single televison screen, there is a snotty, arrogant looking face of Marciano Louv're. They're all muted, but it's a pre-recording. Maybe he liked to get up in the mornings and listen to himself talk? Sounds like Marciano. Soon, Cyrus will find stairs that lead up to another hall. This hall opens up to large clear doors which open into Marciano Louv're's office. The doors are open, and Marciano glares coldly at Cyrus should he appear. He immediately beings speaking. "So...This is our end? Eh? Hello Cyrus. I figured you'd be taller....and a little bit classier dressed. I overestimate your professionalism. Kay, I understand....you're here to kill me. Blah, blah, blah. You're probably wondering why there isn't some kind of big last defense mechanism, or battle, or guardian. There's not. There's no point. I'm going to die. So are you. You pushed my hand. Now, Cyrus...Don't kill me just yet. You'd get lonely."
Next...at that second, the black portal to the space between spaces, where no one can escape....sucks inside the power stored inside about fifty canisters in the laboratory. The energy was supplied to ZETA, and the entire tower. There was enough electricity stored to keep Louv're Tower and ZETA running for a month. That's quite a lot. Seeing as it feeds on electricity AND matter, the combination enlarges it by a massive amount. In fact, it enlarges, in a milisecond, to suck in all of the higher floors, and the middle floors. The Barrack where Clarissa is sleeping, and The Treasury Room are barely spared. However, Cyrus and Marciano, along with anyone else up in the higher floors would be sucked into the prison realm.

It's incredibly powerful technology, meant to keep the most powerful of wizards, even gods locked up. Most likely, Cyrus is going nowhere. He'll first feel cold. As if all the warmth inside the tower was taken away. Next he'll begin to feel very nauseated, and exhausted at once. He'll feel no pain. He'll probably pass out for a few seconds, and if he doesn't his vision might black out at least. When he wakes up....Or opens his eyes again... He'll see that it appears nothing has changed. However, the windows in Marciano's office show a dark sky, with stars floating around. When before it was daylight. He'll be sucked into the space between spaces. He'll notice Marciano in front of him, looking woozy.


(If, somehow, Cyrus is not effected... He'll probably realize that half the tower disappears. All actions attempted, of course.)

[ThirdEmperor]

Vault

"Hamlet. An make sure ya take everything."

[The Alexandrian]

[Louv're Tower - Barracks]

Naptime. So peaceful. So tranquil. So nice. First the temperature rises. Mmmm! Warmth! Then the light abandons the air. Mmmm! Dark!

And then vibrations and a beam of bright light! Augh! Hiss!

Wait... These guys can talk? Then that means...

Oh shoot. They weren't mindless soldiers were they? Whoops!

Oh gods. The tentacles that were laying siege to the exterior of the facility are immediately ripped off of whatever insanity-inducing monster they were attached and probably sucked up into Marciano's other plane of existence. OUCH! Clarissa grits her teeth through the unbearable, mind-shattering pain! She can't breathe! She can't think! She can't move! And when the pain has passed, there's a whimpering child lying on the bunk.

But there's no time to lick her wounds! Kid!Clarissa must act!

"We-we've got t-to get out of here!"

Clarissa cries, shutting down the pain sensors in her monster to prevent the intense agony of lost limbs from immobilizing or otherwise incapacitating her as the monster too beats a hasty retreat. With a pulse of magical energy, a portal leading to a cozy apartment in Inside might open.

Kid!Clarissa stands unsteadily and stumbles through the escape portal as fast as she possibly can, shamelessly turning tail and running away from the most nonlethal yet destructive weapon she has ever encountered.

She shall not forget this day, the day she was bested by Marciano Louv're.

[BladeofObliviom]

[The Blind Eternities]

The sorcerer flashes a rictus grin before all goes black. For Marciano, anyway. The problem with trying to disorient a planeswalker by shifting between realities is that it's a little bit like trying to burn a Fire Elemental to death. Also, those safeguards against cold and such are still in place, so most of those secondary effects do...

...basically nothing! However, the effect's base purpose, at least, seems to work.


When he eventually comes to, Marciano will likely see Cyrus merely lounging in midair, in roughly the same point that he was in before. Presumably the rest of the enveloped section of the tower was taken here too, so he's just sort of looking around.

"Well, I've really done it now, haven't I? At least you've got a nice place here. I must thank you, by the way. It's fairly rare that I get to experience something entirely new, even in the Nexus. It should be fun to abandon you in this hellhole once I build a reversed Spirit Engine from the blueprint I've memorized and use it to create a temporary, one-man escape hole.

Of course, you're trying to trap me in the void between planes, which is the closest thing I have to a real home these days. So, frankly, the only reason I'm still here is that I haven't planeswalked away. It's really easy for those with the gift, you know."

The man calmly picks up a pool cue.

"In the meantime, care for a game?"

...Alright, now he's just being mocking.

[Hattish Thing]

[The Blind Eternities]

The sorcerer flashes a rictus grin before all goes black. For Marciano, anyway. The problem with trying to disorient a planeswalker by shifting between realities is that it's a little bit like trying to burn a Fire Elemental to death. Also, those safeguards against cold and such are still in place, so most of those secondary effects do...

...basically nothing! However, the effect's base purpose, at least, seems to work.


When he eventually comes to, Marciano will likely see Cyrus merely lounging in midair, in roughly the same point that he was in before. Presumably the rest of the enveloped section of the tower was taken here too, so he's just sort of looking around.

"Well, I've really done it now, haven't I? At least you've got a nice place here. I must thank you, by the way. It's fairly rare that I get to experience something entirely new, even in the Nexus. It should be fun to abandon you in this hellhole once I build a reversed Spirit Engine from the blueprint I've memorized and use it to create a temporary, one-man escape hole.

Of course, you're trying to trap me in the void between planes, which is the closest thing I have to a real home these days. So, frankly, the only reason I'm still here is that I haven't planeswalked away. It's really easy for those with the gift, you know."

The man calmly picks up a pool cue.

"In the meantime, care for a game?"

...Alright, now he's just being mocking.

Marciano gets up out of his chair and moves to the pool game, stretching and rubbing his eyes out as he walks. He reaches under the table and pulls out a white pool cue with an "M" tip. He's grinning as well. Little did Cyrus know exactly how strong this was. Sure, why not? Now... Cyrus, I don't think you understand the position that you're in. Kay? This weapon is the greatest thing Frontier Industries ever made. Meant to enslave gods, even entire planes of existence. We're not in merely the space between spaces Cyrus. There IS NO way out. A reverse Spirit Engine? How the hell did you get one of my plans? Oh wait... You were on the research team. I don't think it can be reversed. This machine is Frontier Industries greatest invention, and took me a very long time to create. You did this yourself, Cyrus. I was going to go quietly. You had to break the damn thing. We're in the space between matter. We can't escape. This prison plane was meant to house gods forever. He begins arranging the balls.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Prison Plane or Something]

Cyrus only chuckles in response to Marcy's doomsaying.

"You're relying on the assumption that Louv're Industries was special and top-of-the-line. Suggesting that I can't do it because it was hard for you is a little bit like saying that the Gorilla cannot lift the tiny stone because the Mouse found it a challenge.

Because ultimately, Mr. Louv're, when you've stripped away all of the undeserved and ill-gotten gains that you've managed to pick up in the form of this corporation, you're nothing more than a common rogue with delusions of grandeur. Even the fact that you referred to the Spirit Engine Schematic as 'yours' despite the undeniable fact that you personally had likely nothing to do with its development suggests a degree of narcissism. Perhaps you are fortunate, to have made it as far as you have, but in the end you're still utterly pathetic."

He lines up a shot, opening the game and somehow managing to land the seven-ball in one of the corner pockets.

"Ah, solids for me then. Excellent. Oh drat."

The last bit is said after he slightly bungles his follow-up, merely knocking the balls around rather than actually scoring.

[Hattish Thing]

[Prison Plane or Something]

Cyrus only chuckles in response to Marcy's doomsaying.

"You're relying on the assumption that Louv're Industries was special and top-of-the-line. Suggesting that I can't do it because it was hard for you is a little bit like saying that the Gorilla cannot lift the tiny stone because the Mouse found it a challenge.

Because ultimately, Mr. Louv're, when you've stripped away all of the undeserved and ill-gotten gains that you've managed to pick up in the form of this corporation, you're nothing more than a common rogue with delusions of grandeur. Even the fact that you referred to the Spirit Engine Schematic as 'yours' despite the undeniable fact that you personally had likely nothing to do with its development suggests a degree of narcissism. Perhaps you are fortunate, to have made it as far as you have, but in the end you're still utterly pathetic."

He lines up a shot, opening the game and somehow managing to land the seven-ball in one of the corner pockets.

"Ah, solids for me then. Excellent. Oh drat."

The last bit is said after he slightly bungles his follow-up, merely knocking the balls around rather than actually scoring.

Marciano Louv're takes out one of his large cigars. He holds his pool cue at his side, before breathing in heavily. He speaks. Frontier Industries, is top of the line. They're the best of the best in space weaponry. Weapons manufacturing, bioweaponry, even creating life from nothing. Might be common here, but elsewhere... They're the best of the best. Even to Nexus standards the corporation is powerful. They removed me a week ago. But they haven't dealt with me, they figured you'd do it... even though it would waste good money and technology... It would be a bigger waste in coming in force to here.

I didn't create it, hah! Executive Charlotte Pay did that for me. She tried to warn your cities council about me, and they didn't listen. Now this might swallow all of The Nexus. Fine with me. A rogue? A thief... Yes. I'll probably never be anything more despite all this. But... What I've created... Will exist. I will change this world, though indirectly. Kay?

He then knocks a ball, and the magentized table that allows Marciano to win every time due to magnets in his balls (Hurr durr), takes effect. Perfect score. Marcy grins.

[BladeofObliviom]

[Prison Plane]

Cyrus watches as the halfling racks up a perfect game, thoroughly unimpressed with the blatant cheating.

"This is exactly what I was just talking about. What healthy ego feels the need to cheat in a meaningless game of Billiards with a total stranger and nothing on the line but pride? You're not fooling anyone with a basic knowledge of trigonometry and physics; all of those shots were at least four or five degrees off of where they should have been, so all of those balls were curving artificially. How many games have you cheated in for no reason, that you actually had a table built for that express purpose?

You're not even a self-respecting thief, Mr. Louv're. You're a wretch and a wastrel, a creature with such lack of purpose that even the lowest diseased fools of the Red Zone laugh and frolic with the knowledge that, as unfortunate as they are, at least they aren't you.

You're like an orphan who reaches for attention in desperate need of some kind of social interaction, hard to watch without retching in disgust. And whether or not your company is effective is immaterial to this discussion. What I'm saying is that I'll escape this place fairly easily while you'll be stuck here for eternity unless I use you to power the device. Which I'm actually rather tempted to do because you're not useful for much else.

Your actions will change nothing, and I'll destroy this plane from the inside out."

Ouch, Cyrus. Now you're just being mean for no reason.

[Hattish Thing]

[Prison Plane]

Cyrus watches as the halfling racks up a perfect game, thoroughly unimpressed with the blatant cheating.

"This is exactly what I was just talking about. What healthy ego feels the need to cheat in a meaningless game of Billiards with a total stranger and nothing on the line but pride? You're not fooling anyone with a basic knowledge of trigonometry and physics; all of those shots were at least four or five degrees off of where they should have been, so all of those balls were curving artificially. How many games have you cheated in for no reason, that you actually had a table built for that express purpose?

You're not even a self-respecting thief, Mr. Louv're. You're a wretch and a wastrel, a creature with such lack of purpose that even the lowest diseased fools of the Red Zone laugh and frolic with the knowledge that, as unfortunate as they are, at least they aren't you.

You're like an orphan who reaches for attention in desperate need of some kind of social interaction, hard to watch without retching in disgust. And whether or not your company is effective is immaterial to this discussion. What I'm saying is that I'll escape this place fairly easily while you'll be stuck here for eternity unless I use you to power the device. Which I'm actually rather tempted to do because you're not useful for much else.

Your actions will change nothing, and I'll destroy this plane from the inside out."

Ouch, Cyrus. Now you're just being mean for no reason.

Marciano grins before moving to the bar across the room, he'll mix himself some kind of purple-pink liquid. He also offers a glass to Cyrus. Here ya go. Might as well be a good host in our last time together. Drink. It takes the taste of any alcoholic beverage ya like, kay? He downs it all, and goes back for a second, apparently content to be absolutely hammered in his last moments.

He comes back from the second trip with two more tall glasses, both for himself. Care fer some more? We've got a bunch. I could live 'ere fer years... Kay? Next, he unshelves a record player and puts on a record of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata. He begins to softly guzzle more drinks, and looks out the window at space around him.

Self-respecting? Bah. I don't need to be. I was a cruel, selfish man. And it got me in high places for a while, even with this end... I wouldn't change nothing, kay? Heh... You ain't understand Cy. I WILL CHANGE THE ****ING WORLD! Hehehe... I'll never be truly dead...

[BladeofObliviom]

[Prison Plane]

The Sorcerer grasps the glass, which proceeds to... ...disappear. Weird.

"Like I've said, delusions of grandeur. You'll die and be forgotten eventually, just like everyone else. Except me, of course. I've caused enough chaos and toppled enough social orders to last a long, long time, and it doesn't look like I'm going to die anytime soon either.

I know all about being selfish and cruel, Mr. Louv're. The difference between us is actually fairly minor; my IQ is about thrice yours. It's that simple, really. I've worked for everything I have, while you had it handed to you on a silver platter. Mine LASTS, while yours went away just as quickly as it came.

I almost pity you. Goodbye, Mr. Louv're. You might hear the people sing, but you'll never be the Master of the House."

And then Cyrus turned his back upon the pitiful halfling, and left in the direction of the downstairs. His direction is simple: He's going back to the research labs.

[Hattish Thing]

[Prison Plane]

The Sorcerer grasps the glass, which proceeds to... ...disappear. Weird.

"Like I've said, delusions of grandeur. You'll die and be forgotten eventually, just like everyone else. Except me, of course. I've caused enough chaos and toppled enough social orders to last a long, long time, and it doesn't look like I'm going to die anytime soon either.

I know all about being selfish and cruel, Mr. Louv're. The difference between us is actually fairly minor; my IQ is about thrice yours. It's that simple, really. I've worked for everything I have, while you had it handed to you on a silver platter. Mine LASTS, while yours went away just as quickly as it came.

I almost pity you. Goodbye, Mr. Louv're. You might hear the people sing, but you'll never be the Master of the House."

And then Cyrus turned his back upon the pitiful halfling, and left in the direction of the downstairs. His direction is simple: He's going back to the research labs.

Marciano is silent during and after Cyrus' speech. Afterwards, he takes a massive puff out of his cigar before guzzling his drinks down. He groans and thumps his chest. Maybe a heart attack or something will kill me first... Might hurt less. As soon as Cyrus leaves, Marciano jumps out of his chair and takes a syringe out of his pocket. He then extracts a fair amount of blood. He had thought this all out.

He then rushes to the computer in the office leading out of this room. He walks in and closes the tab he had on some rather... Scandalous sites. He then dumps a few drops onto a petri dish. This room was originally supposed to be a room for his head scientist, Brant. But Brant preferred to live in the labs. The computer successfully records Marciano's chemical and genetic make up. He then stores the blood in a vial, which he hides inside the computer by unscrewing it and screwing it back on. He reuses the syringe on himself.

Next, he rushes into kitchen area, and empties a bottle of wine. Next, he draws more and more blood.... He fills it halfway. He's feeling very woozy and weak. He corks the wine and stuffs it in the refrigerator.

He then limps to the office again, and pulls out a box of medical supplies. He had injured his leg jumping into the indoor pool a while ago, and had left this here in case. The pool was in the next room. He bandages the wound and stops the bleeding. He then grabs a pistol in a box in the room. A special pistol. He moves to the Pool table and loads a single multi-coloured bullet. He'd get only one shot. But if he hit, the bullet would target Cyrus' teleportation powers and attempt to destroy the magic.

He then grabs an entire triple chocolate cake and a tall glass of nutrient-rich artificial water from the fridge, walking over AGAIN. He then moves to the pool table and finally sits down. He begins eating and loads his gun.

Research Labs

It's quiet. A few scientists lie dead on the ground, smashed by barrels of toxic goop that had rolled over. A good section of the hall leading to the big door to the labs has been melted through, and a man lies on the ground, in a puddle of black ick, his lower body a skeleton in the puddle, upper body dead but fleshy. Cyrus would have to fly or something.

[BladeofObliviom]

Research Labs

Obviously Cyrus can't react to the stuff in the top part of that, but wow. Isn't Marcy a halfling? Wouldn't that be most of the blood in his body? That cake and alcohol might well be the only thing keeping him conscious. On a side note, this plan of his doesn't seem especially workable. For starters, it's been established that the only connection between the top floors and the rest of the tower is Elevator 13, which was destroyed. Now, there are two holes in the wall at each end of the elevator's travel, but as far as I know, Marcy can't fly. Maybe he can rappel, but it wouldn't be especially smart to do so while semiconscious and missing a lot of blood.

At any rate, the sorcerer sees the highly acidic chemical, and... ...calmly jumps over it, in a flight-assisted manner. Well, that wasn't especially hard. Cyrus continues heading toward the site of the Spirit Engine's construction. The center of this is the best place to start, after all, and anything he can salvage while working on the blueprint should be valuable.

[Hattish Thing]

Research Labs

Obviously Cyrus can't react to the stuff in the top part of that, but wow. Isn't Marcy a halfling? Wouldn't that be most of the blood in his body? That cake and alcohol might well be the only thing keeping him conscious. On a side note, this plan of his doesn't seem especially workable. For starters, it's been established that the only connection between the top floors and the rest of the tower is Elevator 13, which was destroyed. Now, there are two holes in the wall at each end of the elevator's travel, but as far as I know, Marcy can't fly. Maybe he can rappel, but it wouldn't be especially smart to do so while semiconscious and missing a lot of blood.

At any rate, the sorcerer sees the highly acidic chemical, and... ...calmly jumps over it, in a flight-assisted manner. Well, that wasn't especially hard. Cyrus continues heading toward the site of the Spirit Engine's construction. The center of this is the best place to start, after all, and anything he can salvage while working on the blueprint should be valuable.

Yup, it is most of his blood, and at the moment the cake and water are indeed the only things keeping him up. There is no way down to the lower tower, the upper tower is in a completely different plane. Marciano is thinking if Cyrus reverses the effects of the Spirit Engine, it would plunge the entire tower half back to the material plane. He could be wrong. He sits at the pool table and guzzles down food as fast as possible, trying to stay awake and conscious.

Research Labs


It's very very quiet here. No sounds. The lights flicker on and off a bit, and the tower is running low on power. Those two guards Cyrus killed are still dead on the ground in here, but now they're bodies are full of shrapnel bits. The Spirit Engine lies in pieces, some parts completely turned to dust from pressure. About 75% of The Spirit Engine is in pieces, the 25% is completely irreparable.

[BladeofObliviom]

Research Labs

He's frankly surprised that the lights are still working at all, really. Now, of course, he'd expected the Spirit Engine to be mostly destroyed by now. No, his goals here are... ...different. He does leave behind a small magical trap at the entrance to the labs though, just in case his paranoia proves true.

He heads toward ZETA's room, which if I recall correctly, was right next to the Research Labs. With power barely functioning and most unprotected materials destroyed, he expects that it won't be especially difficult to get in about now.