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Having come up with a way the isolate the two armies on Earth, the group must now figure out
how to deal with the leaders from both sides to prevent the destruction of the planet. Firstly, Dana retrieves
the cursed Blood Drinker knife from its secure hiding spot, then the group splits up to summon as many
allies as they can. Dana heads out to try and contact the faerie Wyl, who had helped her before. Lauren uses
her powers to locate Oz (he is studying at Harvard now) and Ethan is able to send him an email. Patrick uses
his detective skills to track down the occultist Bethany St. James. As the others spread out to contact those
they have found, Ethan continues to search for allies through the Internet.
Things come together quickly, as Oz agrees to help and the group gets him a ticket on the next
plane to Los Angeles. Patrick locates the hotel in Brazil where Bethany is hiding (protected from magical
attempts to find her but forgetting about more normal approaches). Patrick phones her at the hotel and
convinces her to come to Los Angeles. Elsewhere, Dana is able to find her way to the other-dimensional realm
of the Fae and again encounters Wyl, who agrees to help but only to provide information. Ethan, meanwhile,
has located a coven of witches that operate on the Internet and know how to use computer networks to create
magic circles and other constructs.
After Dana returns with Wyl, Ethan informs the group that the coven he found agrees it would be
possible to form a protection circle around the whole Earth using satellites. The group at first aren't sure how
they will get the satellites they need until Lauren reminds everyone that Jalen's brother's company has several
government and telecommunications contracts. Jalen calls his brother and asks him to come to Los Angeles, then
announces that he is heading out. Realizing they still need some muscle, Ethan tries to locate a covert
government vampire-hunting squad the group had encountered previously but unfortunately discovers (thanks to
Lauren's powers) that they are out of communication on a mission in Siberia.
By the next day Oz, Bethany, and Jalen's brother Ben have arrived in Los Angeles and joined the
group at the house. Thanks to Caiel they have a good idea on the strength and size of the army the Powers That Be
have assembled, but the group is lacking in information on what the demonic forces are up to. Patrick decides to
try and find them for a little recon, and he is joined by Dana once Wyl points out she is still the head
tracker of the Wild Hunt and should have no trouble tracking the demons down. Using their respective supernatural
senses the pair are able to locate the base of the demon army, the old haunted ruins of the abandoned Maylum Asylum
just outside of Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Jalen has reached his destination - the temple of the Shadow Walker clan in
the jungles of Cambodia.
At the asylum, Dana and Patrick sneak in hoping to get a view of the demonic army. All the while
Patrick is fighting against the compulsion to attack. The pair are able to determine that there are several types
of demon footsoldiers, but that the elite soldiers in the army of evil seem to be humans. This seems to indicate
that, like the Powers, the forces of evil are using their human champions (past and present) as troops. This
becomes more likely when the pair spy the leader of the human troops - the Count! He must have either survived
the destruction of the Wolfram & Hart building or been resurrected by his masters. Just then the human soldiers
turn toward the pair, moving in complete unison. Obviously, like Patrick can sense the presence of the demonic power
these champions of evil can sense the power in him. Further adding to the shock, Patrick and Dana realize that among
the evil champions is Andrew Cross, likely recruited by the demons similarly to how Patrick was recruited by the Powers.
The only oddity is the fact that Cross does not seem to recognize Patrick, though he is looking right at his former
partner. Dana and Patrick do not stay long, though, as the Count orders his troops to go after them only to be
countermanded by something more powerful that seems to want to take the pair itself. Dana and Patrick only get
a brief glimpse of a gigantic winged demonic figure before they flee.
In the Shadow Temple, Jalen breezes past the gate guards and heads to the central chamber. There he
sees that the Shadow Master had indeed survived the destruction of the Circle of the Black Thorn. The Master seems
amused by Jalen's presence, until Jalen declares his intent to challenge for leadership of the clan. Knowing he
cannot refuse the challenge in front of the other Shadow Walkers, the Master accepts and the battle begins.
Jalen soon realizes he is still no match for the Master's experience in swordplay and is gravely injured. Becoming
desperate, Jalen takes the battle to the Shadow Realms. The Shadow Master is still the more skilled, but Jalen
discovers that while in the Shadows he heals much faster. Recovering from his injuries more quickly than the
Shadow Master anticipated, Jalen is able to go on a brief offensive. The effort is enough and, with the element of
surprise, Jalen is able to decapitate the Shadow Master with a single keen stroke.
Back at the house, the group discusses what they have learned. When Dana and Patrick mention that
Cross did not seem to recognize Patrick, the group wonders why. Lorne mentions that the last time a rogue Power
tried to act on Earth, a big factor was the loss of free will on the part of her servants. Caiel agrees, indicating
that none of the Powers' champions that are in the army are acting of their own free will. It would make sense that
the same is true for the human soldiers in the demonic army as well. Caiel also points out that even he was not
able to free Patrick, it was only with Lauren's help that Patrick reconnected with his humanity and regained his
free will once Caiel took him from the army. Discussions then turn to whether or not the group could do the same
for the other soldiers. Caiel believes it might be possible for the other champions in the Powers' army, but he does
not know if it will work for the demonic champions.
Jalen returns from Cambodia, bringing word that he now controls the Shadow Walker clan and has
summoned several of the elite ninjas to Los Angeles to help against the two armies. The group decides to test if it
is possible to return the free will of one of the demonic champions and send Jalen to kidnap Andrew Cross from
the asylum. Jalen is able to sneak into the area through the Shadow Realms and grabs Cross before any of the
demons can react. He returns Cross to the house and before the evil champion can try and attack, Lauren (using
Patrick's personal memories and connection to Cross) is able to restore his free will. Now that they know it
works, the group must convince their old enemy to help them battle against his masters.
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