Template:Featured Articles/44-2017

Moment of Awesome - Arthur Centino/Longshot : Battling the mindless minions of Dormammu, Arthur maintains his cheery facade, even in the face of surprise rescue. "Let it be known that, unf," a nearby blonde figure managed to quip between a backflip into a sidesweep, "That the number of nameless minions here makes me feel like we're in a Netflix comic adaptation." Arthur rolled, huffing again, maneuvering to best help the retreating party. "Noted," Julian spat back- growing tired from the seemingly endless assault of these...mindless creatures. Three of them converged at once, certain proof that this was not a television universe, where they all would have attacked one at a time. Julian's hands launched out, taking two of them in the 'eye' while he sent a blast of telekinetic energy at the one in the center. Even as they dripped away into shadow, more of the creatures seemed to rise from the aether to take their place. It was a never-ending host, "Damnit, what the heck does it take to stop these things?!" Artie managed to drop his opponent. His second knocked him flying and he leaned into the fall, rolling as he landed and coming back up onto his feet slowly. Every muscle in his body ached. He moved forward again and didn't bother to answer Julian. Arthur could never resist banter, however. "That's the thing about endless hordes. They're, well, endless. Does anyone see a spire or tower with a giant star on it? Maybe this place follows video game mechanics." How he managed to deliver this earnestly in the middle of some impressively choreographed feats of self defense was a mystery, but Arthur's skin was glistening with sweat, and he wasn't moving as quickly as he had been five or ten minutes ago. It was no good- they were going to be overrun, and soon- Julian floated up in the air trying to catch his breath, but faltered. Falling to the ground he found himself surrounded, with grasping hands reaching out to tear him apart or worse. There wasn't much left in him, but he'd be damned if he wouldn't go out fighting. With a raspy battle-cry, he sent a wave outward, sending the creatures immediately around him scattering like bowling pins. Panting, sweating, spent, Julian knelt and watched Artie and Arthur hold their ground as the creatures rose up once more to close in on him. Trying to push them back, he found the well dry, and shut his eyes, thinking of Tandy. Bursting out of a glowing portal, Lucian pulled his arm back, forming a javelin of pure energy which he then hurled at a line of Mindless Ones. The spear of light pierced through each in turn, rendering them into a smouldering pile of ashes. He spun around long enough to grin and nod at the besieged mutants. "Salutations," he said, then turned his mind back to the task at hand. Lucian summoned a coil of energy into his hand, spinning it overhead several times before lashing out and striking several more of the oncoming Mindless Ones, obliterating them in the process. A glimmer of purple light opened into a purple where Kate stepped through then surveyed the scene. There were Mindless Ones everywhere along with an exhausted looking group of people, mutants if she wasn't mistaken. "Lucian, it looks like we've arrived just in time. Let's get down to business, shall we?" She raised her hands and performed an intricate set of moves that sent out a pulsing wave of purple energy that flattened the Mindless Ones in its path. Artie and the others stopped and stared. What. The. Hell. He didn't put his knife away but he did move his hand around to the small of his back, where the .45 he'd carried this whole time was still holstered. He raised an eyebrow and made 'go on' motion with his knife hand because, yes, what. the hell. but also, currently not being attacked. This was a little more polite than what Arthur, of all people, was thinking. This would never translate, however, as Arthur Centino was the emotional equivalent of a golden retriever. All that registered across his features was a slow blink, followed by the lightest sigh. "Oh hey!" His voice was perhaps a little too cheery, "The calvary!"