An Attack on the Node

This is the thread for a long and drawn out Matrix Combat between Eleanor, Father, and a team of Matrix Specialists attacking her Node.

- @Phantom: You may control Eleanor for the duration of this combat. When you post her actions, include a line denoting her die rolls, and I will roll them myself.
As a note: "Sureal" is a Technomancer NPC on the Team. Eleanor would know this, and may call in her services to assist in combat. You will have to work with me to determine when Eleanor has decided that Sureal's assistance is needed.

The earth quaked, the sand in the beach shifted as the sky changed colors, colors that were not found in nature, this was a full on attack by a hacker into the home node, his new home. Eleanor's defenses held for a time, he could see the now blue Sun shine off of the sweat of her brow, her face could have been forged from plastisteel for all the emotion it showed, but Father new differently. More so then Father showing up out of nowhere, who ever this hacker was had a swinging set big enough to attack Eleanor on her home turf, she would not allow this slight. Her hands were blazing with fire, from brilliant white to the hearty warm orange, her fingers danced over windows that she moved and danced among as if she were a little girl in a field of wild flowers on a sunny day, however there was no fun to be had for her. Father watched her dance, watched her whole body phase in and out of sight as she tired, her ability to stay in the node visually was growing taxing on her. "Fear not, not be afraid, Dear Eleanor, This is my home now, and our enemy stands far off in times of trouble, he shall tremble at our might, for this world, our world, is sacred."

--
compiling sprite (Paladin Sprite rating 4)
Resonance 5 + compiling (crack sprite) 4 (+2) + edge 4 (1 point remaining after roll) = 15 = 5 hits
rule of 6 = 1 = 0
Sprites opposed roll = 4 = 2 hits
Fade = 2x hits on opposed test = 4s
Fade resistance = 5 logic + 5 resonance = 10 = 4 hits

Paladin Sprite (R = rating)
Paladin sprites are protectors, adept in soaking Matrix damage and protecting the technomancer from hostile agents, personas, or AI.
Pilot R (4)
Response R + 2 (4 + 2 = 6)
Firewall R + 2 (4 + 2 = 6)
Matrix INIT R x1 (4)
IP 3
EDGE R (4)
RES R (4)

Skills: Computer, Cybercombat, Hacking
Complex Forms: Armor, Disarm, Medic, Shield
Powers: Castling, Hardening
Optional CFs: Analyze, Attack, Blackout, Expert Defense (Rating ÷ 2, max. 3) (choosing Blackout)

Results: Paladin sprite compiled, 3 tasks owed, fade fully resisted. Check this out.
--

Father walked out to the Sea, his feet never seeming to touch the sand or the water, he simply moved as if he were willed to do so, the surface of the water flattened and settled beneath his feat, as if all around him, all was calm, as if he were the sole singular source of serenity. An aura appeared around father, it started as a spark of static across his fingers, and feet. It grew and grew, into full force cracks of lightning that bolted out in all directions. Father lowered his arms, his hands tightening into fists so hard that boney knuckles shone white through his pale skin. His book floating still in front of him, Held aloft by his force of will alone ,his eyes glued to its pages. "Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of evil. Rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host, by the Divine Power of God, cast into oblivion those who roam throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls." His voice normally calm and light, was deeply harsh, angered and held a fury that was only magnifying the chaotic holy storm that surrounded him, The entire node seemed to darken around him, the sunlight dimmed, and it seemed all force within the node flowed to Father, even going so far as to draw Eleanor's attention from protecting her home. "Amen."

A final word from Father was all it took, instantly the storm around him burst in a column of light, flash boiling the water beneath him, and punching a hole through the circling storm of clouds above. From the deepest ocean canyon, to the highest of exalted heavens, His words flowed and walked through every soul and mind within reaching distance of the node, and certainly through the attacker of his home. Unfortunately for the would be combatant, the prayer was answered. "I hear thee, Dear child, fear not, nor be afraid, for i will lead you through the valley and shadow of death, we shall fear no evil, for I shall lead thee, I shall serve thee, and I shall defend thee."

Though the column of light now cleared, the attacker still barreled through Eleanor's righteous defenses one by one, this still didn't draw her eyes from the sight that was in front of her. In front of Father, stood a man. He was tall, long hair that seemed to flow in white curtains, his armor was the highest polished metals that looked indestructible, covering his chest, legs and arms, leaving his head open. His brilliant eyes were endless, fathomless like Fathers, as if he were the holder of an endless wisdom and his face showed a courage that would never yield in battle, and at his waist was a sword that reflected that emotion, Eleanor could not identify it's origin, it seemed to exist as all bladed weapons created by man all at the same time, and even then, it was still so much more. What surprised her most, was the sheer lack of any type of wings or any other usual identifiers of mythology's idea of angels. Father seemed to rest easy by this sight, as if it were no more challenging then unwrapping a present at Christmas. "Defend us from this attacker, St. Michael, prince of heaven. It is good to see you again old friend." "It has been too long Father, once again i shall do as you ask." Father and the Angel moved towards the end of the boating dock, the main entrance to the node, and where the defenses were thinnest. Father Stoically stood against a whip of wind that attempted to brush them aside, neither man moved at the attack, and neither would. " Then after all I sense the end is starting. These lunatics deny the truth. I know I will not fail. There’ll be War, it’s now or never, We shall stand together, One by one, This world is sacred." "I’m coming home."

--
Matrix combat Init.
Father = 11 = 6 hits + 11 = 17
St. Michael = 10 = 4 hits + 10 = 14

Use complex form (edit) on his own icon
Computer 3 + Edit 5 = 8 = 2 hits
Results: check it out.
--

Father calmly withdrew his book, and read from it a brief passage. "Though i am beset on all sides by tyranny of evil men..." From behind Father, turned another man, identical to father in every possible way, except to those eyes of Eleanor's, she knew him so very well, she could see very subtle differences, so subtle she should have missed it if she wasn't glued to the scene in front of her. "We shall surround him, with our god given might...." Another one walked out from Fathers image, still nearly as identical as the last, still holding the same book. "And by the shadows in these eyes of ours, eyes of darkness, we shall extinguish them with the light from our fists." Eleanor had heard of this technique of Fathers, he had made full fledged visual and audio copies of his icon's files, they were free to act as he normally would, aside from the fact anything else they did was an illusion. It was a strange sight, but the men were indeed prepared for battle. As one, every sentient thought was filled with one phrase, one solid fact that in the boldest most solid of evil filled every person, AI, and Sprite within the node with the courage and knowledge that they would not, nor could not, fail in this task set before them. "This world, our home, is sacred, Amen." Amen." Amen."

Ok, this one took a while to come up with... Sorry for the delay.
"Fear?" Eleanor's voice, and face, showed similar signs of confusion. On careful study, there could be just the slightest hint that she suspected a joke, but mostly she was confused. She watched Father's form walk out onto the sea surrounding her Island.
"What would I fear?" She asked, turning her head to continue facing Father as he walked away from her. Confusion didn't sit right with her features. They were wrong, somehow, and didn't belong there.

Somewhere else in the node
A figure walks forward, his feet bare in the brief spread of sand on the rocky shore. Standing there, having dissipated his shoes to better interact with the "natural" node, the figure feels the sand beneath his feet. Feels the water lapping at his ankles. Feels the strange "coldness" that is transmitted by the coded temperature of the water. And stares out across the "sea" toward the island, not much more than a darkening on the horizon. The figure turns, noting other humanoid figures standing together.
"This will not be simple, nor easy." The figure says, addressing the others.
"Go now." The figure says again, pointing across the water toward the darkened spot on the horizon. The darkening indicating another land mass, just barely visible above the shimmering line of the sea.
The three companions of the first figure set out across the sea, walking on the top of the water as though there were solid ground beneath them. Though their strides seemed, to the untrained eye, to be of normal length, each of their steps carried them 3, or perhaps 4 strides of distance in this world.
"One final note: Your presence here is known." The figure stated. The voice was not loud, nor booming, though it was heard easily and clearly by those three previous companions.
The figure that had sent them did not wait for their response, fading, slowly.

Order:
Matrix combat Init.
Father (0/3) = 17
St. Michael = 14 (Acting on Father's pass)
1st Companion = 16
2nd Companion = 14
3rd Companion = 11

Combat has not started yet, though it may at any point. Continue to post in "preparation".

--Urgent message ~~ Finish this, Father. My team has need of you.~~ Urgent message--

"So this is who he sends at us dear brothers, demons..." The Fathers three had all stood together, each an unwavering point along an unlined trinity. "Demons, you think this is those foul unclean things we see..." Each priest garbed in robes of blackest night, only broken in their collars a shock of brightest light. "If this be all that he sends us, Then... dear brothers, Let us welcome them to our paradise, a paradise lost."

Each priests book floated in front of him as he raised his arms to the next man, joining him in prayer, a cry to the heavens above, so they could end this assault on this home he would build and would love. "And shepherds we shall be, for Thee, my Lord, for Thee. Power hath descended forth from Thy hand.
That our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command. So we shall flow a river forth to Thee, and teeming with souls shall it ever be."

Eleanor had halted her counter assault on the home nodes firewall, the screen a locked flash of blue and red as it floated above her on the sand, Michael resting a hand on her shoulder as they both looked onward towards Father as he attempted to finish his ceremony.

--
analyze, exploit, and black hammer the incoming enemies signal

Analyz...

~~ Error Encountered Error Encountered~~
Edge point burnt (4->3)
~~ Error Encountered Error Encountered ~~

Check this out.
--

"So demons shall we be, for thee, my Lord, for thee. Thy power hath descended forth from thy hand, and so shall it be used upon the evil that taints this land. Let this unworthy, unwavering servant cleanse our home, and allow us to eliminate this foul being who's commands he hath crossed, allow us to clean our paradise, our paradise lost. En nomine patris, Et fili, Et spiritu Sancti, amen."

Miles away, in front of the small charging band attempting to vanquish the heroes, a single point of white light stopped the curious programs in there tracks, it mesmerized them, capturing there attention from the orders to attack.

Their masters icon that had been fading struck by a brilliant lightning as if it's signal was being held hostage by a hand that slapped him back into this reality, "What is this... What is happening to me..?"

The white point hand wavered side to side, slowly growing in size before suddenly exploding to several feet in diameter, engulfing the little imps before they could run from the attack. The sphere expanding once again and flattening out as it lowered to the edge of the water, The trio of priests rising from it. The proverbial monster from the mist, each priest took hold of their book and read from it while addressing the fallen man still hovering above the waters edge. "Light is the only thing that can extinguish darkness..." The priests backed away from the flattened disk of white light as it spun upward, showing it's circular broadside and shifting from a brilliant white to the deepest black. A blackness that no amount of light could escape, it was truly the absence of not only color, but life, love, and all that was pure. "But we have no intention of killing you..." The confused hacker looked onto the the fathers from fallen knees, each attempt to rise met only bv electric shock that was sent through the trix and into the programmers body, not enough to kill, but enough to encourage him to learn... quickly. The original Father walked forth from the trinity, leading the hole in the world with him. "Oh no, dear child. You try to introduce darkness into my home, let us show you what darkness truly is." His lyrically calm voice chilling to a sub-zero hiss as the trio of imps reappeared from the disk, multiplying by the hundreds as they surrounded and enveloped the offender, screams of horror, pain, anguish, and fear arouse from the cacophony of mayhem before the holy man, a wooden construct rising from the middle, a symbol familiar to many around the world as the cross that had saved them from sin, now used for its original intended purpose, a purpose that would be held from the sight of those on this node as the growing army had carried the screaming man through the portal in the deepest darkest parts of the Resonance Realms. Where time had no meaning, where his soul would endure millennium of inventive torment in mere moments of realities time.

The portal closed in on itself each bit of data father had slung together had followed them, including Father himself, the final bit depositng his icon next to St. Michael and Eleanor as they looked on in awe, the home node returning to its peaceful serenity of the tropic island it represented "And so it is done my friends, thank you for your help, and to you St. Michael, thank you as well." Each bit of created data shimmered as they all bowed and decompiled gracefully leaving Eleanor to look into Fathers black eyes, searching them for the soul she had come to know. She rose up on a dainty toe and kissed him on the cheek, "A little too artistic for my taste, but effective never the less." She looked past his shocked face, a look and feeling he was very unaccustomed to. "Now go, our team needs your skills. I'll be here and waiting for you."