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  <id>urn:lj:scribbld.com:atom1:this_fire_burns</id>
  <title>Matt Walker</title>
  <subtitle>Matt Walker</subtitle>
  <author>
    <email>discord28@gmail.com</email>
    <name>Matt Walker</name>
  </author>
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  <updated>2011-09-11T04:56:56Z</updated>
  <lj:journal username="this_fire_burns" type="personal"/>
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  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:scribbld.com:atom1:this_fire_burns:1004</id>
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    <title>You did WHAT?!</title>
    <published>2011-09-11T04:56:56Z</published>
    <updated>2011-09-11T04:56:56Z</updated>
    <content type="html">&lt;p&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;a name="cutid1"&gt;&lt;/a&gt;&lt;p&gt;Matt finished his phone call with Ian and was no closer to figuring out what had changed in the last 24 hours that he'd missed. The details were still sketchy, but the mystical world was abuzz with the news:&amp;#160;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dracula, Lord of the Undead, had been destroyed. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Matt still couldn't believe it. There was a small part of him that was miffed that he didn't get to do the deed himself, being Dracula's son, but a much larger part of him wanted shake that person's hand for what they'd done.&amp;#160;He decided not to think too much about how this made him feel and instead chose to surprise his girlfriend with lunch at the office. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;Only, once he gets to hospital, he learns that she didn't come in today. He looks down at Whisper, who just looks at him. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&amp;quot;You're some help.&amp;quot;&amp;#160;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;br /&gt;The pair then turns up on Shelly's doorstep, cheeseburgers in hand. Matt knocks and waits for her to answer. &lt;br /&gt;&amp;nbsp;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:scribbld.com:atom1:this_fire_burns:737</id>
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    <title>Between Lions and Men (Test Scene)</title>
    <published>2010-04-10T23:00:28Z</published>
    <updated>2010-04-11T00:55:55Z</updated>
    <content type="html">  &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Lynch really wanted to put on the boots for this one, too. She&amp;#8217;s going to be pissed. &lt;br /&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;br /&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;The long walk up the hill allows him enough time to gather his thoughts, and get his breathing under control before he walks into the Lion's Den, as it were. He wishes he could say he was going to an underground fight club where the people have a higher pain tolerance than braincell count, but from what he&amp;#8217;s read, this is actually the home an honest-to-badness creature called Todd the Lion, one of the heavy hitters out of the Summer Court of the Fae.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Matt has no idea why Laea, his honest-to-badness Faerie Godmother, wants him to deal with this guy, but it runs a parallel purpose with his most recent case, so this needs to be done.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;He pulls the black duster jacket a little tighter around him, then pulls his black hat down over his head then raps on the door with his oak staff to the tune of &amp;#8216;Shave and a haircut&amp;#8217;. The response comes as he shakes out the silver bracelet adorned with medieval shields on his left wrist. He shifts just a bit to make sure he can feel the familiar weight of his blasting rod against the left side of his rib cage. Between the staff and the rod, he&amp;#8217;s carrying the mystical equivalent of a desert eagle and a machine gun on him, without taking into a count the Dirty Harry Magnum in the holster under his right arm. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;He came prepared to negotiate but he&amp;#8217;s not above destroying these guys if he has to.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;The peephole in the door opens, and Matt has to to look down a bit to see it, not because of his considerable height, but because it was built for a creature far smaller than a human. A small pair of beady yellow eyes fixes upon him and stares. There's silence, except for a couple of porcine snorts, before he speaks.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Wizard.&amp;quot; the wheezy voice says.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Yep. Tell Todd I'm here to see him about the pixie and the wizard. I'm not seeking a fight. We can talk this out.&amp;quot; Matt offers.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Yet you come armed for battle. There are no pacts between lions and &lt;i style=""&gt;men&lt;/i&gt;.&amp;#8221; the little creature says, glaring. &amp;#8220;You...are the one called Walker, are you not?&amp;quot; he asks.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Yeah, I am. Who wants to know?&amp;quot; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Concerns you, that does not. But the Lion has waited to meet one such as you. He has killed seven of your number before tonight, wizards all, and it will be eight before the night is through! You would do well to forget your people and return to your home, Wizard. Prepare, before he comes for you!&amp;quot; the creature snorts. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Matt realizes that the little bastard is trying to goad him into losing his temper. He doesn&amp;#8217;t want this to be a fight and he doesn&amp;#8217;t need more trouble from the Sidhe, much less one of the Summer Queen&amp;#8217;s servants. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;But he's got Ian and Moira, and damn me, I can't walk away. Not now.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;        &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Let me tell you what. You open the door for me, and I don't huff, puff and blow your house down. Now be a good little pig&amp;#8212;&amp;#8220; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Wizard, you know not who you deal with! I am the Doorkeeper to Todd the Lion, Great Hunter of the Summer Plains and new lord of the demense of Cicero! My power is great, and so too, should be your fear of me. Run now, Wizard, and I will not tell my master of your coming!&amp;quot; the little creature yells. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;He cut me off.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Matt&amp;#8217;s head rocked back as if he&amp;#8217;d been slapped.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;The bastard actually cut me off mid-retort. I remember a time when the bad guys would at least let me finish my witty line before they threatened me.&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;He takes a deep breath, and considers his next words &lt;i style=""&gt;//very//&lt;/i&gt; carefully, then made his choice. After all, he came here to try the diplomatic approach to things first. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;Well, in that case...I have two words for you....&amp;quot; &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;quot;And what be those words, Wizard?&amp;quot; the creature asks, almost too gleefully. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;The small creature behind the door was probably expecting &amp;#8216;I surender&amp;#8217; or some such, but Matt thinks upon two icons who would kill to have the special effects budget that would go into this next spell. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;b style=""&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&amp;#8220;VENTAS SERVITAS!&amp;#8221; &lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/b&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;he roars, pointing his staff at the door. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;      &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;A near-tornado like wind smashes into the reinforced door, pulverizing it into matchsticks. He can hear the creature's angry squeal as he's knocked farther back into the Den, and has to stifle a chuckle as he realizes that he was, in fact, speaking to a pig. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;span style=""&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/span&gt;I guess we both know what that makes me.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Matt Walker can hear a roar of challenge and the voices of a young woman and older man screaming his name from down the darkened tunnel. He steps through door and over the pig raising his shield bracelet and staff. He knows this is a trap, and that he shouldn&amp;#8217;t be here, but he can't remember that last time that's ever stopped him from doing what he knows is right. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Now leaving &amp;quot;Diplomacy Drive&amp;quot;, next stop &amp;quot;Aggressive Negotiations Ave&amp;quot;.&lt;span style=""&gt;&amp;#160; &lt;/span&gt;Lynch is going to be pissed when she hears I didn't call her for this. Oh, well. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;" class="MsoNormal"&gt;&lt;i style=""&gt;&lt;span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &amp;quot;Tahoma&amp;quot;,&amp;quot;sans-serif&amp;quot;;"&gt;Time to put on the boots.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/span&gt;&lt;/i&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</content>
  </entry>
  <entry>
    <id>urn:lj:scribbld.com:atom1:this_fire_burns:506</id>
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    <title>Matthew's Abilities</title>
    <published>2010-04-10T22:06:11Z</published>
    <updated>2010-04-10T22:34:43Z</updated>
    <content type="html">  &lt;p&gt;Matt is a wizard of great capability and vast potential, capable of reaching Ian McNee (decades) or even Doctor Strange level in time (centuries). He is capable of using magic to control the fundamental forces of nature. He has great facility with battle magic, which aids him in his role as a hunter and destroyer of rogue supernatural beings, though he is versed in the use of subtler spells for observation, tracking, and stealth. He also has a few extra abilities related to his heritage that aid in his job.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;o:p&gt;&amp;#160;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Detective Skills&lt;/strong&gt;- Matt apprenticed under Mike Agnes of Night&amp;#8217;s Eye Investigations for four years, and has gone into business himself.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mystic Sight&lt;/strong&gt;: Matt is able to open what many call &amp;#8220;the third eye&amp;#8221; and see the world as it truly is, without the veil that keeps humanity from collective insanity. While it does reveal to him clues that he might otherwise miss, Matt can&lt;i style=""&gt; never&lt;/i&gt; forget the things he sees while using the sight. The sight can pierce most illusions, through which Matt will see the creature beneath with the image it projects super-imposed atop it.&lt;/p&gt;  &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;&lt;br /&gt; Extended Life&lt;/strong&gt; Span/Slowed Aging/Healing: If he is not killed by mundane means (bullets, bludgeoning, etc.), Matt can functionally live to be four centuries old at the longest. He also will age one year for every ten after thirty until he dies or reaches four centuries. Except for the most traumatic injuries (broken back, amputation of a limb), Matt will eventually recuperate from any would he has suffered. It would still be done on the timeframe of a human, but a third degree burn, for example, will eventually get better. &lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Supernatural Contacts&lt;/strong&gt;: Matt has allies among various supernatural factions who are willing to give him information from time to time, some out of respect, others out of fear. This works in a quid-pro-quo relationship, and many of them will not risk their necks for him, considering who he is. He does have the favor of a Faerie Godmother, Laea, who will watch out for him from time to time. He owes her two favors, which serve as plot devices, and should be an inconvenience to him, but not serve to try to kill him outright. He may refuse any favor that would compromise his beliefs or moral code.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Mental Resistance&lt;/strong&gt;: While he is not immune, it is difficult to get into Matt&amp;#8217;s head due to his connection to his magic. Elder beings can do it, and powerful telepaths can give him trouble, but he also has surprises for such people.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Death Curse&lt;/strong&gt;: A wizard&amp;#8217;s most potent ability, this curse is laid down during death, making it a one-use weapon, but it can possibly warp one beings or an area&amp;#8217;s reality with dire consequences. Example: Matt is mortally wounded and knows he is about to die fighting Dracula. Before dying, Matt prepares himself and utters levels his death curse: &amp;#8220;Starve.&amp;#8221; Dracula finds later that he cannot gain sustenance from blood of any kind, for as long as he exists, with all the consequences thereof. Matt must be able to speak to level the Death Curse on his opponent or a place.&lt;o:p&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;/o:p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;    &lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Animal Companion (Whisper)&lt;/strong&gt; - Whisper is a half-Pitbull/half-Hellhound hybrid that Matt rescued as a puppy. Whisper exhibits uncanny understanding and above-average (possibly even human) intelligence. He is also HIGHLY resilient to damage. Whisper is able to sense the presence of supernatural beings, and most run-of-the-mill supernatural beings that see him know immediately that Whisper is NOT just a dog, though they do not know what he is. Some of the elder vampires, and demons, however, understand exactly what Whisper is, and know that his guardianship of Matthew means that Matthew is special indeed.&lt;/p&gt;</content>
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