This Event was originally written off-site. Enjoy the record of events for posterity!

Chapter 1: The Assault Begins

The Elder Supreme was old fashioned; when he called upon members of the Cult to join together for the great unfolding of the glory age of Mystics, he wanted all Mystics in New York to heed his call. He was disappointed when half of those granted powers by the Cult could not commit to their cause. What they had to do was violent, but it was for the good of all. The rest would see that eventually.

It was unfortunate that the Sixth had disappeared; even the Second, The Lady in Red, could not sense her presence in the mortal realm. Of course, it was always difficult to discern when that woman was speaking in truths, half-truths, or total lies. She was not present for the day’s assault, but that was for the best.

The Fourth and Fifth were ready. The Blessed, Agatha, was not a woman who took to the frontlines, but she had the most loyal followers of the Cult’s paths. She had succeeded in turning the religious zeal of some into Mystics with a “heaven-sent mission;” preposterous to him, but useful for morale.

The Cataclysm… well, he would be on the frontlines. Anyone who called themselves an acolyte of Constantinos deserved a mental-health check-up. Regardless, that elemental mass-murderer was raring to go, to the point where he had to be reminded not to just destroy large swaths of the Mansion grounds before they located the Gateway.

Their troops waited anxiously in rows, preparing potion vials and drawing glyphs. Some drew their own blood, which would be more concerning if not for the popularity of blood magic within the cult. They waited, glad there would be no marching.

Their path to the Mansion would be more direct; The Third, The Beckoner, had already prepared a large spell circle surrounding their upstate camp. He was dragging a staff to make one final smaller circle around the Supremes, whose power would be drawn from for such a massive spell. The Beckoner was always quiet, hiding behind a metal mask that covered most of his face, glowing with green lights. It was a bit high tech for the Elder’s taste, but the man was powerful. The blackened and scaled corruption of his clawed hands were a testament to his commitment.

The Elder turned to the crowds and with a subtle hand sign quieted the crowd, temporarily disabling their vocal cords. “I am not a man for grand speeches; I am a man of purpose. Mutants have been in the path of Mystic evolution for centuries. I do not know the kind of resistance we may face at their place of power, but we shall not be kept from the power that is ours by right. And so…”

The marks etched in the ground radiated a brilliant green as energy coursed through the camp. In an emerald flash, the camp was empty.

Rebecca felt her heart pounding harder than she could remember prior to any mission in her X-Career. Without knowing what was to come next, she was stuck doing whatever might count as support.

With the help of some very friendly Mystics from a local strip club(?) she was setting up a Protection Charm on the Mansion itself. It would not make the building invulnerable, but with any luck, it may be more resilient and minimize the chance of the whole Mansion caving in.

With the help of Sveta, Madison was happy to coordinate her friends to help protect the X-Men's mansion. She had nothing against the X-Men, and if other Mystics were going to give her a bad name, she was all about proving them wrong.

The girl's from the club bought cloaks, both for the cold, and to present a united front in the face of a big, united cult. Madison wore an emerald green cloak with her hood pulled up to keep the wind from blowing her hair into her face. This was a serious moment, which even meant comfortable, practical shoes.

Knowing the goal was to protect the Mansion and the area surrounding it, Madison prepared a deck she was sure would help with defending territory. It came down to luck, but that was always the way with card games; she had to just rely on fate and her deck-building abilities.

All hands on deck meant all hands; even trainee X-Men who didn't have real hands. Praxi was sliding around the grounds, delivering things like communicators and stun grenades thanks to her unique carrying capacity.

(All wrapped in sandwich baggies to prevent any errant residue, of course.)

She was getting better at keeping her density under control, so with any luck, she was hoping to trap anyone who got too close—but mostly, she was just hoping not to get blown up or turned into a statue or something weird.

Snow started falling around the mansion, it was cold. Flecks of white littered the campus courtyard. It was the calm before the storm. Sam stood atop the mansion channeling more cold into the air around them. This place was a fortress. One that had been attacked numerous times. It was something that they had prepared for time and time again. Now though it wasn’t practice. It was a very real threat. So much so that they had to prepare. Call in friends, allies and powerful acquaintances.

The grounds would become a battlefield, while the halls of the mansion would become chaotic. Which was why he loved the idea of placing frozen sheets of ice everywhere as a reflective surface for Mirror to travel through. Piles of snow gathered forming ammo for Sam to call upon when they attacked. He was quite, he was waiting. No doubt Mai or Carrick or anyone else would notify him if there was a breach anywhere.

Hercules stood sentinel by the front doors glowing green as a warning. This was a place to be protected. William was enrolled here now and he was also in the medical wing with the mansion healer. On standby, the boy shouldn’t of been there but the god didn’t have the heart to deny the boy the revenge he was so obsessed with. They killed his father and hospitalized his mother. He was also apt at healing now. Not to mention his hellhound would be there to protect the others who weren’t on the front lines.

Snow obscured green before melting away on the god’s bare chest. He was battle ready, his club hummed under his hands itching for battle. It was sad, that so many would be willing to attack a school for children. Mortals. For everything good about them, it could be argued that there was just as much wrong.

”I thank you in allowing me to join this fight. I thank you in allowing William to attend here. As I draw breath no harm shall befall this school.” Roared the god to any who would listen.

Another attack on the Mansion. Why did insane bigots always go for the school? Mirror hated everything about this. Especially now, when she had to send her own daughters with Mrs. Taylor-Cervantes to be protected at Haven, along with all the other children and staff too young, or too vulnerable to fight off the Mystic attack. Once they were in safety, it was time to prepare for a siege.

Maya had Sam create ice mirrors around the Mansion - both for easy movement, and because she knew from the fight against Aoife that not all mystic powers extended to the mirrorworld. She'd take any advantage she could get. She was armed and ready, and so were the other X-men and teachers. Becca among them, ready to fight magic with magic.

"One inter-dimensional portal in New York was bad enough. We're not letting another one happen." Maya stated with a frown.

The worst possible thing about participating in a pitched battle: sensible shoes.
Serena most decidedly, absolutely did not want to be here at all. But Hercules had made it clear that he was intent on protecting the damn mutant school no matter the cost, and that meant Serena had a choice between fainting in the middle of a budget meeting, or showing up to do her part. So she did show up. Wearing a simple yet expensive black outfit, and boots with three inch heels.

Second worst possible thing about participating in a pitched battle: turns out, the other other master of Hercules was... a stripper.
Serena held back, glancing over warily at the girl named Madison.
"Stay six feet away at all times, bubble butt. If I get any glitter on this outfit, I'm switching to the dark side."

Carrick flew overhead of the mansion higher than the snow reached which was nice, he didn’t want to be bundled up. Not that he was going to willingly fight just that when he shifted he didn't’ want to have to replace all the clothing. They were going to attack the one place the shifter called home. It was where he grew up, where he met the princess and where he hid his treasures.

A small, flawed diamond sat in his pocket, one he fumbled with regularly as he kept eyes on the grounds. “Nah, nothing yet love. Still don’t know why we’re all here. Can always rebuild ya know? Hold on, frosty is chirping in me other ear.”

A trail of slime stood out as he spotted his friend moving along the grounds. The glowing green was the next thing he noticed. “All clear up here frosty, tell big green ta dim the lights.” before talking into his other call, “Just glad yer not here. Hopefully it won’t be as bad as they say it will be.” the shifter said ignoring the voice in the back of his mind that screamed for a fight. “Cut the snacks zeeky, yer getting too heavy.”

Aura looked at the mansion recalling when she had attacked the mansion with the order over some shiny doors. Her eyes had opened a bit from those bigoted days though she still disliked a humans touch it was no longer reflex to remove their hand.

Aura leaned back against a tree in the yard as she waited for the attack to come taking deep breaths to keep herself. If the Mystics hurt the children in all this, their would be nowhere for them to run. She Trusted the Null however and had made sure Alex would be with her.

Mai Had climbed to the top of the Mansion, having found a perch she knew was stable and gave her a good near 360 degree veiw of the mansion grounds and past. You could never have to many eyes on look out.

Two of her wrist Tendrils scanned the perimeter with their soft blue pupils. She could detect the Msytics auras once they were close enough. While those two were no better then her normal eyes range wise her silver iris tentacles blinked at their eagle like viosio reached out much further then her ever could.

Luna had actually been on time for once, the thought of defending the mansion like the X men would be was exciting and if she did good it might help her out later and the chaos obe shot of her tale had caused in the danger room she was confident she could be useful to the defense.

Melissa was no fighter but she had arranged for pallet of Stardust wolf Ale to be deliverd with a ote that said "For when you win:

Zek dumped the remnants of a cheese cracker on Carrie in protest. "I don't know why I even bother using this airline," he said as his ride carried him through the sky. There was always so much turbulence. Then again, Zek did have an amazing view of all the grounds from this way up. He was primed to witness all the action, chaos, and drama that Casper had promised him was going to happen today.

The cold wasn't a problem either. He was in his Long John Shivers outfit, consisting on red and white-striped long underwear underneath his customary black trenchcoat, combat boats, and fingerless gloves. And he had his murderbucket helmet on. "Oh by the way, Sammy-poo," Zek said through the X-Man communicator that Captain Chillout had once given him after a very special time together, "You're out of crackers. And steak."

There was a sudden sharp pain on the back of his neck and he reflexively slapped at it, but the clever wasp nimbly dodged away.

"Please keep these lines clear for official and emergency communication only," Elizabeth said through her own communicator, which she'd been given for the defense. "This is your only warning, Zek. Do not test us."

Liz sat in the foyer of the mansion, only a dozen or so paces behind Hercules, but on the inside. Her chair was beside the intercom on the wall and she was leaning back against the wall, her eyes shut. Like, Mae, she believed in getting eyes on the situation.

The sky over the mansion was dotted with dozens and dozens of ravens, crows, and similar birds of a feather. Many were beyond Elizabeth's touch, but they were social creatures and clever birds - they knew when a battle was encroaching. Her avian lieutenants, Huninn and Muninn, circled the mansion at lower heights, allowing her to continuously scan the perimeter.

She was in tune with every mansion pet and animal, except for the ones taken with the students when they'd fled and the pets of owners who had not provided their consent. In addition, she had spent the morning wandering the countryside and woods around the estate, gathering allies of the many-legged, winged, scaled, and furred kinds. Some wandered the estates outside, the more unruly ones Liz kept close to her, even inside the mansion. Nico, her parrot, and Zorro, her dog, settled by her and she continued to watch and wait.

And finally, Rex took up his battle stance. When Sam had called him to ask his help that morning, Rex had already been on his way, his feet leading him to where he was needed the most. There was fear and trepidation, but Rex pushed those things to the side, even as he called a burning bush of pure, solid fire into being only about twenty or so feet from Hercules. There was no need for fear. Not today, of all days.

Rex nodded solemnly to Hercules and then knelt in the heat and glow of the bush. He closed his eyes and clasped his hands together in prayer. "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil..."