TDDUP: Chapter 8: I'm Calling Mom!

Jonathan's bones clicked and rattled as he put his agility to the ultimate test, his assailants were not letting up, and he had barely been able to land one solid strike. Drawing in light energy from the area, he bent it into the shape of several daggers and hurled them straight at a vampire who was launching daggers of his own. The photosensitive being screeched as his flesh was seared by the blazing light, Jonathan rebounded off a gravestone and delivered a solid kick to his face. The vampire fell with a sickening crunch and didn't move...

Meanwhile, Dark was trying to deal with a duo of blade wielding poltergeists, while being able to see them despite their invisibility was a nice advantage, it did nothing to slow their attacks.

His worries were temporary, as a blue tendril lashed out of nowhere, snatching one of the blades, and pulling it from it's owner. Jonathan laughed as he began hacking at ghouls who had come to the call of their leader, the leather-clad being hadn't actually attacked, but Jonathan saw a telltale orange swirl upon his hand, branding him as a joker.
“They keep coming!” Dark hissed, dodging yet another blade strike, and incinerating two ghouls with an explosion of shadow flames.
Jonathan tossed he blade to Dark and used his Soul Robber to slam ghouls into one another, “Help should be on the way...” he hoped.

Sharon sat enjoying the company of her old friends, a visitor, much less an actual social event was something she had not encountered since long before the birth of her sons. Thorn looked at her and said something, but due to the music she didn't notice it.
“Come again my friend?” she smiled,
“Your necklace...” he said, “it's emitting the oddest aura”

Sharon looked down just in time to witness her choker begin to glow violently with crimson light. All lights and music in the Hideout immediately ceased. From the torrent of red energy burst a thin spectral form, which sprinted onto the dance floor, knocking all the confused party-goers aside. The spectre took the loose image of a young man, the image of Jonathan Halliwell, which raised it's hand and screamed a single word as it's form distorted and exploded into oblivion “GRAVEYARD”

Harlequin arrived next to the shocked matriarch, “What was that?” he asked her,

“A cry for help” Sharon stammered, standing immediately she took her husband by the hand, “We've got to get to the graveyard, immediately”
Thorn stood and began addressing his clan “My brothers and sisters, our allies are in danger, we must aid them at all costs!”
Shade looked about, “Where is brother Dark?”
“He ducked out about an hour ago, after that Halliwell boy” another Joker called back,
The Joker elders looked surprised, “then the stakes have risen, we shan't waste another moment!”

Jonathan threw up a barrier and watched as more attacks rebounded off of it, Dark was behind him flinging more attacks in an attempt to keep their attackers at bay.
“How long will that last?” Dark wondered,
“It's a powerful Halliwell family defensive charm” he replied, “Sadly utilizing it without a focusing source, like a wand, tends to weaken it's longevity greatly.”
“How greatly?” Dark asked,
“Well, considering how much of a beating it's taking, and how much energy I’ve already expended, I'd say it will last til about”
The barrier broke, throwing the two backwards and into a gravestone,
“Then” Jonathan coughed.  

A larger, more focused barrier erupted in front of them, this one didn't show any sign of wearing.
“Did you do that?” Dark asked,
“No, did you?” Jonathan wondered,

“Sorry boys, that one was on me” a familiar voice called, Sharon Halliwell stood triumphantly behind them, her wand raised and still trailing energy from the barrier spell she had cast. Behind her stood the assembled forces of the Joker clan, and the Halliwell's allies, Shadow had quickly summoned Ranga and company to their aide as she couldn't fight. At the sight of the amassed forces Jonathan and Dark both broke out into a grin.
Sharon tossed something to Jonathan who swiftly caught it and returned to his human form, his grin widened as he recognized the familiar feel of his wand in his hand. “You left it in the library... again” his mother admonished.

The Joker assailant landed in front of the barrier, “Lady Halliwell I presume” he mockingly bowed, “what a pleasure to meet you at last” Sharon responded by firing a curse between his feet, forcing him to stagger back.

Thorn stared at the Joker, his colorless eyes seemed to burn right into his soul, to him he being was a blazing crimson beacon of hatred. “Be careful my friend, this one is not a brother of mine... there is great darkness in his heart”

“Oh good” Sharon smirked, “I always love a challenge”