Humanity's Apotheosis

[The first Galactic Republic]

In a small house in a Kansas field a young woman sits in a wheelchair. As the wind outside calmly blows across the golden fields, the house lightly creaking, the woman eyes a chess set. She picks up pieces, studies them, and places them back on the chessboard.

Across from her are five men, all unnerving in their own unique way. A warrior armed to the teeth, a man of science, a gangster out of time, the hopes of a nation-state, and a tortured soul born from the stars. They all look to the chessboard and to the woman.

She looks out the window. The tranquility of the wind belies what will result from this meeting. How many people will be affected by it."The story has begun."

---

OOC: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=384569

[The first Galactic Republic]

Reserved.

[The first Galactic Republic]

Reserved.

[Alinora]

Daniel J. Maxson
Chicago, Illinois
United States of America

---

"... a New Orleans bank was robbed of nearly five million dollars last night when an unknown assailant broke into the vault, though keeping up with the recent trend, the door remained closed the entire time. This has become one of many banks that have been robbed in a similar fashion over the past year, and in response the FBI has announced that it will be taking over the investigation of this string of robberies. Richard Dunmar, who was announced to head the investigation, said that there are 'superhuman powers' at play, and cautions that these crimes may be of mutant doing."

"Baby girl, what are you watching?" Daniel appeared in the main landing of his high-end apartment in Downtown Chicago to see his daughter watching the news, and upon asking the question, he Jumped to behind the couch - behind where she was sitting and watched with her. "...mutant-related crime has risen by nearly 200% since last year, and authorities say it is poised to only continue unless the situation is contained." Daniel leaned over and kissed his daughter, Constance, on the head. "Why don't you turn off the TV, honey." he said.

"But I wanna learn more about the bad man" she responded, which he had to admit, hurt. Though, he bit his tongue and backed away, walking the short distance into the kitchen area and opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water. He twisted off the cap and took a gulp, then set it down on the counter and rested his weight. He was tired. In the past 24 hours, he went skiing on the slopes of Mount Everest, surfing off the shores of Hawaii, robbed a German bank, stole the Soviet Premier's lucky hat, went skydiving without a parachute, had lunch on the pyramids of Giza, and beat up a drunk guy in a Canadian bar. Seems like a lot, but for Daniel, it was just another day. He rubbed his tired eyes with his palms, then looked across the room to his daughter who was still watching the TV. He called out to her as he walked to the front door of the apartment.

"Constance, honey, Dad's gonna head out to the store and pick up dinner, alright? I'll be back in ten minutes." With much trouble, he rotated the door handle and opened it up, then closed it behind him. Then he Jumped. Suddenly, he was standing in the atrium of a bunker that he called "Sanctum". Tucked away 350 feet beneath rural Pennsylvania, the bunker once belonged to a wealthy businessman and friend of Daniel who upon his death in 1967, revealed it's location to him. Daniel filled the staircase leading down to the bunker and completely sealed the entrance, making it only accessible by teleportation, making it the perfect place to retreat to in times of emergency and store all of his... personal belongings - especially his money. The bunker was small, but it served it's purpose well enough, and Daniel grew on the place. The bunker was decorated with all sorts of trinkets and valuables, from a collection of ancient Greek and Roman coins, to priceless artwork, to something as simple as a 18th Century inkwell. It was likely one of the most expensive bunkers in the world, if Daniel was to be honest. Daniel made a left from the main area and passed his bed, where there was a desk with a computer, a dresser, and a nightstand. He then entered the Armory and Storage section of Sanctum, and passed by countless lockers and shelves filled with all sorts of weapons and munitions from assault rifles to muskets. Not like he needed them, but they were fun to look at. He passed by the Armory area and entered a section of the bunker filled with shelves and cubbies that was quite literally overflowing with cash. Currencies from all different nations, bars of gold, and everything in between. He grunted as he grabbed around $100 in Japanese Yen, then Jumped again.

Now walking down the sidewalk in the bustling Canadian city of Toronto, Daniel looked across the street to a building with the sign "Toronto National Bank" on the front. He took a seat on a bench and crossed his legs, then folded his hands. Wearing a grey suit, he wouldn't look suspicious at all for this city. Through the glass windows, he noticed two armed guards, but not much else in the way of security. Not like he'd have to deal with any of these guards, of course, but it was always good to know. After a few minutes of sitting, he stood up and crossed the street, then entered the bank and walked up to the teller. With a kind smile and a genuine tone, he asked a simple question. "Could I please use your bathroom?" The woman smiled and pointed to a hallway to the right.

"Down the hallway on your right, sir."

"Thank you, beautiful." he said, winking, then walking down towards the hallway. Though, he turned his head to the right and looked into the staff area - getting a clear look straight into the open bank vault. He continued into the bathroom, closed the door behind him, then Jumped. He was now walking through the Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, Japan. It was early morning here, but late enough so that many of the vendors were still at their stands. Daniel approached one of the stands, to a man he knew well: Sumiko. "Sumiko, my friend, how are you?" Daniel said with a smile.

"Very good, Mr. Daniel, and how are you?" he responded.

"Oh I'm quite alright pal, I'm quite alright." Daniel looked over the fish that were still on the stand, and pointed to a salmon. "I'll take that one, right there." Sumiko nodded, grabbing the fish and proceeding to wrap it for him. After a few moments, he brought the fish back and handed it to Daniel. "And what'll that cost me?" Daniel ask.

"Twenty-five" Sumiko responded. Daniel handed him the entire hundred Yen and smiled.

"Have a good night, Sumiko." He proceeded to walk away from the stand, and Jumped once again. Though this time, he was outside of his apartment. He opened the door and walked in to see Constance sitting at the counter, drawling. "Back, Constance" he said to her while he put the salmon in the fridge.

"That was fast" she responded.

"Yeah, well" Daniel said, leaning against the counter and looking at her drawling. "What are you drawling?"

"Us." she answered, keeping her focus on the paper.

"Well who's that woman there" he asked, pointing to the drawling of a girl. Constance looked up at her dad as if he was stupid.

"Mommy, duh"

Daniel's heart sank, and he pushed himself off of the counter. Constance's mom, Millie, died of heroin overdose a little over two years ago, and he's tried so hard to push it aside and move on, but it gets hard when his daughter doesn't let a day go by without remembering. Of course, she's a little girl and that's her mom, but it's still a tough pill to swallow even know, since Daniel can't help but blame himself. He walked around the counter and gave his daughter and kiss on the forehead, then began walking down the stairs to his bedroom. He needed a nap.

[G-Tech Corporation]

Darkest Transylvania, Romany

The Castle Von Drakul was a very nice place, if you were an art historian, or perhaps a lover of classical Baroque-Gothic architecture. In the long shadowed corridors and immensely high ceilings one could easily let their senses run away with fantasies of old, of whispered tales of the night and romantic novels from the era of the penny-dreadful. Though house Von Drak had nothing but a pleasant reputation on the world stage, and the surrounding hamlets were positively bucolic, those wild imaginations were not entirely incorrect. High above the entrance courtyard, near the apex of one of the tallest towers, Winthrop-Who-Walks was dining with his host, the Lady Synthia. It had been a supper arranged at the man out of time's request, to speak again to the woman who he had known long centuries ago.

An eyebrow quirked over a deep emerald eye bordering on crimson as Winthrop seated himself and took in the figure of the Countess. Seating himself, the dapper gentleman schooled his expression, allowing the mirth to fade from his face even as he took up polished silver utensils for the meal to come.

"Synthia, I do declare. You don't look a day over twenty five. Here I am, grown old and wise, and your beauty remains as enchanting as ever."

Pointed teeth betrayed a tiny smile at the far end of the elegant obsidian dining table.

"And you remain a shameless flatterer, Lord Eddleton. When were you last in Sylvania? Was it as long ago as the War of the Commonwealth?"

With a hand brought to his chin in theatrical thought, the madcap man considered the question.

"Not quite so long, if memory serves, lady. I met with your brother in these same halls after the Archduke's assassination, though you were in America at the time. Drumming up support for the Central Powers in the halls of Philadelphia, I recall."

The Scion swirled the scarlet liquor in his glass for a time, before sipping politely at the thin mixture, kept body temperature and freshly poured to stop it coagulating. His hostess was thinking on the past, as the Drakuls were prone to do. Winthrop lived more in future than the hands behind the strings of Europe, but their affection was not to be spurned over mere differences of philosophy.

Eventually Synthia sighed, and her deep black and red eyes roved down the table to her guest anew, weighing him.

"Those were better times. You've been busy since then. Since I presume you've come to me to ask a favor, name it." She smiled, this time predatorially at the chiseled man in his silken cravat. "I prefer to deal with business promptly, so then you can focus on pleasure and regale me with some tales of your sojourn."

The gentleman idly twirled the silver knife between thumb and forefinger as he considered her words, responding in measured tone. The Countess was not one to ask much of, but his resources were much depleted. His dreams of the currents had been more vivid and disturbed of late. The Pattern wove as the pattern willed, but what it wove out he knew but little of.

"I need your iron mine in the Erzibirge. I don't know what is coming, but I'll have to be ready. We all will."

Skepticism filled the ladies eyes, making them glint in the pale wychlight of the dining chamber. But it softened almost immediately. Those who knew the Walker knew he was not given to flights of fancy.

"I'll have Nikolai draw up the documents."

[The first Galactic Republic]

It's a hot summers day and three kids are sitting on a front porch, beads of sweat running down their faces. Suddenly a fourth kid runs up.

"I'm scared everyone!"

"What's wrong Billy?"

"Something horrible is happening!"

The other three children rose to their feet. "What is it! Communists!"

"Supervillains!"

"Lead based paint!"

"No worse! There's no good soda to drink!"

Out of nowhere the kids hear a rough gravelly voice. "I think I can help with that!"

Suddenly a man materializes in front of the children. He wears a chrome skin suit with blue padding, which extended to cover his entire head in reflective chrome material.

"Have a Fruit Passion. It'll quench that thirst."

Red cans materialized in the hands of the children and they all took a drink. "Wow this is amazing!"

"I'm glad you have a passion... for fruit passion! Fruit passion contains a whole serving of fruit in every can, and our factories no longer used lead based paint."

"Thanks Mister!" All the children shouted.

"Call me Wet Passion, the Fruit Passion themed superhero." Wet Passion turned to look straight ahead. "Fruit Passion! The soda superheroes drink! A product of the Pepsi company."

"CUT!"

The look of amazement immediately faded from the children's faces as they all got up. One of the children tossed away the can and walked away. "Hey can I get a smoothie over here!"

"Ooh they have smoothies!"

"For me." The child turned and left.

"Up yours too ya bloody piker." Wet Passion muttered. He walked over to the director, his chrome suit obnoxiously reflecting the studio's lighting. "I'm going to have to call it a day for... reasons. Business reasons. Superhero business... reasons."

"How many times do I have to tell you Morehead. We don't care what you do in your off time. Just keep the suit clean. Don't know why you insist on taking it home with you, but it's a bitch to get cleaned."

"I wish I could tell you sir. I really do. But the first tool of a warrior of Justice, is anonymity. My actions must be kept a secret for your sake."

"I definitely didn't ask you what you were doing Morehead. I definitely didn't ask you."

"Sorry to cut this short but Justice calls." Wet Passion held his head high as he left the studio, the director rubbing his nose in mild annoyance.

Wet Passion walked outside to a woman standing in front of a small car. She was of average height, a few wrinkles on an otherwise unremarkable face. Sheryll Hall was a very unimposing person when not wearing the red and white.

"Finished with your day job Jane? Get the information?"

"I take my job very seriously." Jane Morehead's voice was even rougher when he spoke normally. "I ensure that the future of this country gets the required servings of fruit each day. Fruit is a pillar of the human body, and the human body is a pillar... of Justice."

"Oh my god just get in the car."

Jane got in the passenger seat.

"I didn't find any kind of connection between the warehouse raids. It was completely random. There was no connection between the warehouses."

"So we have nothing to go off of."

"That's very not true. The randomness is itself a pattern. The warehouses have nothing in common with each other. It's completely random and without purpose. There's no logical reason behind it, except that someone's trying to trick us. Throw us off."

"So...?"

"So we know they're trying to confuse us."

"No you arrived to that conclusion based on nothing but your own ridiculous line of thinking."

"Whether you see things my way or not, I have a lead. We need to get there and interrogate him."

"We're supposed to head back to headquarters."

"This is important. I have a lead and it's all we have."

"This better be worth it." Sheryll said as she drove out of the parking lot.

The car eventually pulled up to the sidewalk of a suburban neighborhood. A nice place. The kind of neighborhood you'd move to to get away from the kind of man Jane Morehead was. "Thanks for the ride, I can take it from here."

"I'm not coming with you?"

"I work better on my own." he said as he exited the car.

"Wait... you just used me to get a ride! You know no one else would treat a founding member of the Banner Men this way!"

"See you back at headquarters Hall."

Sheryll drove off. "Soda pushing bumfuck." she muttered under her breath.

"The wonder of the north has done her part, it's time for me to do mine."

Wet Passion looked around. Things were fairly quite except for... yes exactly as he expected. Two hoodlums up to no good. They were wearing matching outfits. Likely part of a gang.

The two miscreants didn't notice the carbonated sentinel of Justice until he was already on top of them. Too late for them to make a run for it.

"You two. What are you doing here."

The two hoodlums looked up to the man who towered over them, his chrome suit brightly reflecting the sunlight.

"Ummm mommy told me not to talk to strangers."

"Don't make me ask a second time punk. What are you doing here."

"We're umm selling cookies. Umm do umm... do you want to buy some?"

"Cookies huh? A likely story!" Wet Passion grabbed a box and shook it violently. "What's in here! Drugs! Explosives! Communist propaganda!"

"Stop! No were selling those mister!"

Cookies did in fact fall out of the boxes. "You don't fool me. Gangbangers like you don't belong in this neighborhood. Now tell me!" He grabbed another box of cookies and smashed it. "Who are you working for! What are you doing here!"

"Stop mister nooooo. Stop! We're trying to get a bicycle and we need to sell thoooose!"

"Then start talking."

"We ummm we're Girl Scouts. We answered your other question."

Wet Passion paused for a second. "I guess you did, but that was just a warm up. Now you're going to tell me where I can find the following address. Where is 1815 Columbus Avenue?"

"What... where?"

"TELL ME!"

Wet Passion took another box of cookies. "Stop mister! I don't know what that is I swear!"

"SWEAR TO ME!"

"Wait come on! I think, I think I heard mommy say it was over there once." The Girl Scout pointed down the street.

Wet Passion put the box down. "Good choice scum. It seems you're clean now, but I'm watching you. There's nothing you can say that I won't hear! There's nothing you can do that I won't see! I'm everywhere. Girl Scouts? More like the last remnants of the Confederate branch of the Freemasons! I'm on to you."

"... I know! You're the soda man!"

"Huh?"

"Yeah you're the fruit passion guy! Passion Man! Wait no ummm Wet Passion!"

"Mommy says I can't have Fruit Passion because it makes it hard for me to go to bed."

Wet Passion paused for a second. "Umm well yes that is, that is me. Umm yeah. Anyways I'M WATCHING YOU!"

He backed away staring at the two Girl Scouts until he reached the street corner, where he power walked away.

[Mewsland]

Somewhere in Olympic National Park, Washington
Evening, April 28, 1970

Ka smiled, walking through the woods of the national park with two leather bags filled with fruits and vegetables, and a few newspapers Gibson had left for her. She also carried a few packets of vegetable seeds in her waist pouch, ready to start her own garden for the new season. The fallen giant cedar she walked toward served as perfect cover, as she carefully pushed some of the roots (on primitive wooden hinges) open to reveal a hole in the trunk, which she set her bags inside before crawling into and closing it up. She carefully crawled through the trunk, then started climbing down, her two bags in one hand, into a dark underground space.

Still smiling, she calmly grabbed a lever in the dark space and pushed it forward, illuminating the large earthen bunker, another gift Gibson had left for her after she came to him while on the run in 1960. The work on her large bunker had been done in secret, and when it was finally finished in 1961, she felt she had a home to herself. It helped that the entire area was declared off-limits to travelers that same year ("unstable ground", they said).

As it was, the 252-year-old Healer of the Shadows, finally starting to show some grey streaks in her otherwise pitch-black hair, sat tiredly on a large collection of pillows ("extra fuzzy" at her request). She pulled the newspapers she had been given out of the bag, and started to read. As always, Peninsula Daily was the most relevant, out of the not-too-distant town of Port Angeles. She giggled happily at the comics - riffling right past the superhero ones - before setting it aside to start reading the others, which Gibson had sent her for a very different reason. One had the headline "Break-In of Mercy?", another "What is 'Ka'?", still others had various letters to the editor or classified ads about her. One even featured an image of her monogram.

With each one, the Hating Man always had something to say. Elijah Cross. Ka's expression always turned colder, almost pained, at the sight of him denouncing her as a "common criminal" who "cares not about the suffering inflicted". She would never forget the eleven months she suffered at the hands of him and his lackeys.

Even if Cross was at death's door, she would never dream of saving his life, for it was worthless.

She reviewed a few notes Gibson had left her as well - people who had been injured at the hands of those with far less innocent motives. She paused on the short article cut out from the Toronto papers, on a man beaten up the previous night in a bar. She chuckled, shaking her head. "It seems things are afoot again. I will have to pay this man a visit."

---

Bridgepoint Hospital, Toronto, Canada
Near Midnight, April 28, 1970

The hospitals in North America knew Ka. They didn't dare to say anything, because of how many patients she saved, and how much the United States government would seek to eliminate her from the equation.

Therefore, when a woman in very different attire from what would be considered 'fashionable' arrived, the nurse at the front desk simply nodded. "Where are you going today?" she calmly and quietly asked.

"The man in this article?" the healer quickly inquired.

"Room 428. He's in stable condition, but in a lot of pain."

"Visitors?"

"They've gone home."

Ka calmly nodded, walking off. A mere five minutes later, Ka would walk out of the hospital, giving a gentle nod to the nurse as she left. She walked to the top of the parking garage before disappearing into flight...

---

Somewhere in Olympic National Park, Washington
Sunrise, April 29, 1970

Ka collapsed onto her collection of pillows, grabbing an apple from her bags and eating it ravenously. Seventeen healings that night had left her exhausted, but gratified, knowing that seventeen innocents were freed from their physical ills given to them by others. She smiled at what the next day would bring...

[Argentumurbem]

Boston, Massachusetts

The woman struggled to match the pace of her assailant, heels cast to the gutter and hat sailing on the winds as she rounded street corner and lunged past shadowy alleyways. Try as she might her legs just would not propel her far enough, fast enough. Slowly, painfully, the robber put more and more distance between the two of them. Eventually she cried out, begging for help even as her mugger made his escape. "Please," she rasped. "Stop, him."

"Out of my way!" barked a man, some sort of bag in hand.

"Make me," Jonathan snarled in response. Why should I move? He no was not some dog beaten as a pup. No, he -

The man collided in to him, handbag and knife scattering across the pavement. The two men erupted in to swearing, Jonathan eventually taking a hold and launching his assailant off on to the road. Fortunately for the idiot, unfortunately for Jonathan, the man was not immediately struck by a vehicle.

"I could have died!" the man cried out, lunging back on to the pavement.

Mores the pity. Jonathan barred his way, hands curling up in to sharp fists. For a second it looked like he was about to get in to a street brawl like the uncouth teenagers. However, the approaching calls of a woman ended that. Shouting in alarm, the man threw himself on to the road, racing towards the opposite alleyway. Behind, he left a handbag that did not go with his outfit, and a knife more suited to cleaning nails than splitting flesh.

"Thank you," the woman repeated, over and over again as she fell to her knees before her belongings. "Thank you thank you." She reached out for a photo. Jonathan tried to glance at it, seeing only blobs of colour which could have been anyone or anything.

As two older men made the effort to assist the woman, Jonathan picked up his umbrella again and continued on towards the library. As he walked away from the scene, he smiled in triumph.

[The Grene Knyght]

Somewhere on the Canadian border

---

The lynch mob had formed sometime earlier that day, and had chased the boy into the pine forest. He zipped ahead of them, appearing in one place, then the next, but some inherent property of his powers was slowing him down. Every time he reappeared, he bore fresh wounds - bleeding ears and cracked bones. He eventually collapsed, and the mob was upon him, kicking him, yelling anti-superhero remarks. In some places, hate never dies.
"You will cease, mortals." came a voice - several, in fact, all at once, as if vying for control of a single body - "No more harm shall befall him"
The taiga shifted strange, and a figure emerged. Dressed in startling blue and green, the woman had her red hair braided at a length passing her waist. But her most remarkable feature was her eyes, which seemed to glow with energy.
"How dare you harm one of the fair folk. You mortals, who are not fit to touch us. You shall bitterly pay for your actions. With blood, you shall pay."
The crowd stood, speechless, as the woman stretched out a hand. Blue energy seemed to coalesce from her pointed finger, multiple tendrils winding around each other and forming a glistening blue, transparent stag, which charged into their ranks. They began to flee as the stag reformed into three small wildcats, which viciously hamstrung the fleeing humans. Some escaped, but most did not. Fury broke through the woman's expression, briefly, before it returned to an intense and somewhat more terrifying indifferent serenity. Lightning blue tendrils emerged in a double row of ten running down her spine, as the wildcats dissolved. Each tendril snaked its way to a human target, picking them up and smashing them into the ground, stabbing them, or otherwise tormenting them.
"Please... Enough..." The boy had regained his consciousness. The onslaught continued for a few moments longer , before halting with uncanny immediacy. The woman strode over to help him, leaving the humans to flee or wallow as they wished.
"These mortals must be punished for their transgressions", she said, not unsympathetically, although she made no move to resume the assault, What is your name?
"David... Dave Grady. But I go by Boost." He rolled over to reveal his black outfit, emblazoned with two white lightning bolts.
"Boost, you are youngling among the fairfolk, and have much to learn. I am Queen Titania, ruler of the Unseelie court. Come, allow me to take you to a fae healer, that your wounds may be tended to."
A stag appeared, composed again of transparent, lightning blue energy, its antlers pointing south. Titania climbed on top and held out a hand to the boy.

[Kazarogkai]

Jack Slowcake/Janus
Stats: F1 S1 E1 R4 I3 P8
Los Angeles, California

The Library

For many days and nights I had journeyed to this place of secrets and shadow whose inhabitants only speak in quiet murmurs and whose guardian be an ancient giantess with 4 eyes that were as green as emeralds. In the back while meandering around I found a black book whose contents where a rather strange sight. The language was one which I didn't understand but at the same time did and whose pages where as thin and fragile as tissue. Upon opening this tome and perusing it's contents I found myself almost incapable of taking my eyes away from what I saw. I read and I read and I could not stop and only when the guardian, one named Miss fore, forced me to leave for the night did I finally put it down.

On my way back to what was referred to as my "home" dark thoughts penetrated my mind and I could hear the book whispering, begging me to return. I couldn't think but what I had seen for the rest of the day and when I finally laid my head to sleep these thoughts only followed me there penetrated my dreams and making me see things that I could never truly describe to any other.

From that day onward I became enraptured upon that book with my days revolving around either reading it or obsessing about it when not. In my dreams I journeyed to things untold and saw sights unseen and heard sounds unhearable. With this black tome I became obsessed who contained within it things which could never be unlearned and who made it feel as if my eyes were bleeding and my hair was scorched but despite all this I continued to read for I couldn't not do so. In this epic odyssey I went from the peaks of my knowledge to the pits of my fears, through time and space and light and shadow and everything in between this, there, and that. In the few lucid moments that I remember from that point in my life I remember thinking about whether I was going crazy and knew full well that mental ability was being tested, where other men would have dove right into insanity I danced around it.

When the end was finally reached of those 12 chapters of 12 sections of 12 pages of 12 paragraphs eachI felt and knew that I had passed the test and was deemed worthy of a reward of some sort. But before that could occur like so many before I had to journey to a land not known to me whose location I had only seen in a dream. If I wished to collect I had to put some effort into it. In the middle of the night when all others were sound asleep my eyes remained open and seeing that it was time I collected my personal effects, including the black book, and made my way out of my window to the streets before me onto the beginning of an expedition whose length I could only guess at and whose path lay fraught with dangers foretold. Though I bore worry within my heart I knew that this was my destiny.

The Desert

Into this territory of heat and sand where the sun lay high into the sky watching down upon like the eye of an angry god I crossed making my way through on what I knew was my destiny. Though the Journey was harsh and the hazards were great I continued on determined as ever. I might as well have honestly for I had gone so far, so far that I couldn't turn back. So I marched on into the endless sand storms and the poisonous animals which made me yelp in fright I journey until eventually while the sun was beginning to rise I found what I was looking for.

A shabby house if you could call it that stood before me, a relic from another time and place long past it's prime. Though in better days I imagine it would have been a rather charming abode that was no more. The windows were broken, the wood creaked, and the roof tiles were cracked. I made my way in making sure to keep my eyes open to anything that may be and opened the door. The floor was dirt and the little things chimney had long collapsed creating a hole on the side. In the center stood a table and a chair, and on the far left of me was a dusty old hammock. I picked up an old rusty shovel leaning on the side of the door and walked my way over to a corner and began to dig. I hit a hard spot eventually and with my hands pulled it out and before me laid an old black box.

I sat myself down at creaky old chair at the table in the center and opened it up, a rather simple task, and found a rather unexpected object. A key it was a simple old skeleton key of sorts whose function I honestly could not figure out. I knew that a key was made to open something but what perplexed me truly was what this one was meant to open. Thankfully enough a feeling of sorts, a precognition if you will, fell upon me commanding upon me to "open" the front door. So picked myself up and strode over to the door the house and placed the key unto the center where a keyhole made of light suddenly appeared. I moved it around and I could hear a click like something was unlocked. I opened the door and what did I find? A room made of white. A rather strange sight might I say. I went in without much need for though on the matter and walked in looking around. I went to the center and there I placed the black book which had over this time given and taken so much for me. In an instant It went in black flames who emitted no heat and left not trace, it had found one worthy of it and now it was time for it to rest and wait until it was needed once more. I looked on in awe and when it was over made my way over to the door which was now closed and placed the key once more into it unlocking a lock of light. When I opened it I found it opened to my room from my closet door...

Many Months Later The Blank Room, The Present Day

It had been a while since my discovery of this strange place and my retrieval of this strange key in my possession. All this time I had been running experiments and testing the properties of this twin pair of gifts and had learned greatly. The Blank Room itself seemed to be in a dimension on it's own where time itself had no sway. Otherwise there was nothing particularly all that remarkable about it. Over time I had set about making it into a study of sorts or maybe home away from home if you will with a nice desk with many papers and pencils, a small comfy bed, and books. So many books all placed into a stack which exceeded me in height as of now. On rather strange thing about this room that I sorta alluded to already is the fact that time doesn't really work here. Whatever I place in here seems to be preserved in whatever state I placed it in whether it be a hot piping meal or well some dusty old books. Something else that comes along with that as a consequence is that clocks do not appear to work in here either which is rather strange.

The other gift which I had also received was the key, which hung around my neck from a chain, who had a rather peculiar use associated with doors. Despite all my testing I still believed that I still had much to learn about the thing but the information alluded and me and I needed to continue to learn in order to find it. Never the less what I had learned was that the key allowed me access to whatever doors that I knew of allowing me to teleport if you will from one to another. So long as I knew where said door led and had actually used it I could access it with my keys allowing me to go from point A to B with the simple action of using my key in it's center. Another interesting thing that I found about the key was that no matter how much I tried, and trust me I gave it my best, I could never lose the thing. It seemed to be connected to me somehow and always finds it's way back to me.

Making use of my second gift I made my way over to my first gifts single doorway and used the key upon it. When I opened the door my high school classroom stood before and I walked in quickly closing the door so that no one would notice. To my seat, which stood near the door, I placed myself down and looking at the clock I was just in time with only 5 minutes left before class started. The mundane thing known as HS was to begin and sadly as a member of this society I had to deal with it. To my day I went but all I could think about were dark thoughts...

[Mewsland]

Somewhere in Olympic National Park, Washington
Midday, April 29, 1970

Ka awoke from her sleep with a hiss. She could hear someone roaming around above her earthen home. Why had she not been told, if one of Gibson's men were coming? Ka angrily tossed aside pillows that she had nestled in. Grabbing a crossbow, she looked up the tunnel to the trunk before starting to climb up, scrambling back down to turn off the power in her house.

Climbing into the fallen trunk, she pointed her crossbow at the opening...

[The first Galactic Republic]

Wet Passion arrived at 1815 Columbus Avenue. He studied the large house he found there closely. "This wood is most likely prop wood. I'll bet my next paycheck this isn't a real house." He looked at the door closely. A spiderweb was visible in the corner. "Too convenient." He plucked the spider from its web. He studied it closely. "I don't believe this is a real spider." He sniffed it, even lifted up his mask and licked it. He continued sniffing it as the door opened.

"Can I help you?"

Wet Passion quickly tossed the spider away. "Yes are you the proprietor of this house?"

"Yes?"

"A likely story. I'm going to need to ask you a few questions sir."

"What kind of questions?"

"Sir I'm going to need you to cooperate. Do you or do you not own a warehouse by the docks!"

"A what-"

"Don't lie to me! A warehouse by the docks! Broken into two weeks ago! Do you own this warehouse!"

"I don't own a ware-"

"Someone here does!"

"It is him! It's the soda man!"

A kid came running up behind the man at the door. "It really is you! Wet Passion! The fruit passion superhero! Wow can you sign this for me!"

The kid reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen and an empty soda can.

"You carry around an empty soda can? Yeah sure fine I'll sign it."

Wet Passion took the pen. "Umm, to my loyal customer. Keep getting your daily serving of fruit."

"Wow I'm never drinking from this can again!"

"You're not supposed to refill those-never mind. Who else lives here!"

"What?"

"Someone here owns a warehouse! By the docks!"

"Oh that's me."

"What? How can you own a warehouse?"

The kid shrugged. "My dad took me to city hall once. There was a police auction. They were selling this big warehouse. No one wanted it. I put a dollar. I didn't know it was actually mine I never visited it."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever- you know what that's not the weirdest thing to happen in this world. So that warehouse is yours?"

"Yep."

"You don't know it was broken into two weeks ago?"

"I've never even been there."

"Thanks for the help kid. Thanks for the help."

Wet Passion turned to leave the house. "I'll have you know I just called the police."

"No need to thank me citizen. Just doing my duty."

Wet Passion walked out the door. "Hmm. The plot thins."

In the distance he could hear the faint sound of sirens. "Hmm better makes this a run and think."

[Argentumurbem]

Boston, Massachusetts

Colonel Greenfield, young for the rank he held, had been the closest thing to a friend Jonathan made while working to "improve the human condition". Hugh was an admirer of the arts, or so he claimed, spitting out the names of obscure musical pieces whenever the conversation grew stale. Jonathan knew that it had just been an attempt to level the field between the two. What else would it have been for? Even so, the former researcher kept ties. Or Hugh kept tabs.

"Apparently it caused some fuss."

"Fuss?" Jonathan felt his muscles tug his lips in to a smile.

"Yeah. Corporal Toombs is now reassigned to some Alaskan radar station." There was a moment of quiet as the two men remembered the older times. "You seen the news about the latest crime wave your way?"

The man thought about it for a moment. He did not know of any crime wave. "Has it increased?"

"We believe that the shooter has abilities."

Jonathan lifted an arm in recognition. He did know about this recent criminal mastermind. Small time, drove around in stolen milk vans robbing houses. Always left his calling card, which was no card: a bullet hole straight through the victim's door's peek hole.

"Are you coming to take a look?"

"You are there for a reason Jonathan. Investigate. Maybe you'll even be able to make the guy put on a mask."

With that, their catch up ended.

[Aidannadia]

The noonday sun shone brightly the green campus grounds in front of a colonial era college that stood the test of time. Shaun Williams University emitted an aura of prestige and mystique simultaneously, and as such attracted only the most peculiar of students to this hidden gem of northern New York state.

Most classes were at this time in a short recess for the professors to take lunch, though some found themselves diligently working with the pangs of hunger that to many were alien to the pampered lifestyles to which they found themselves accustomed. Professor Oscarlis Pembroke Baum was not one to miss lunch, and so she clicked her heels authoritatively towards his favored bench and removed the packed lunch from her bag; it was a chicken curry that she had prepared for herself the night before.

As she began to pick apart her meal, a call on a near mystic level attracted her attention, and she was once plagued by the guilt she felt for taking the item from that cave in Pakistan. She had betrayed her oath as an archaeologist, and for that she felt shame beating down on her back with the entire power of the sun, but she did not dare to give it up. She couldn't even bear the thought of parting with it at this point. No, this was her curse to bear.

Oscarlis bent over towards her bag and felt the book that securely lay in hiding on her person. Over the last few weeks, she attempted to find its origin, but of all the texts and of all the papers on the ancient world, not one accounted for the suspicious churnings she felt in her brain.

She opened the book's emerald bindings, and written upon that first page was a short message.

Code: Select all

Hello. I am Thoth. This is an intermediary between myself and this world. By activating it, you have begun a connection of the soul with this item. The connection will grow stronger with time and as the connection between the intermediary and yourself grows stronger, you will gain power. For now, I will leave the fate of your bond with the tablet to powers out of my influence, and we will see if you are worthy to wield it.

The book then closed, and before Oscarlis could understand what was happening, a glowing vision of a large bird with a beak like a scytheblade appeared and disappeared as soon as it had come, with no explanation at all.

---

Oscarlis ignored the crowd of students that had barricaded her door with questions about their most recent essay that was as cryptic as her own message, silently urging them to move from her way as she returned to her office.

There was a mention of tablets hidden beneath beneath the sphinx, but this didn't account for the fact that the tablet was found in Pakistan just a few weeks ago....

"I suppose tomb raiders may have moved the tablets, scattering them around the globe throughout time. Perhaps they even may have influenced history, which may explain some of the more far fetched stories in mythos across the world." Oscarlis went quiet for a moment. This find could influence the world of archaeology for years to come, especially if it could be connected to the prevalence of other... phenomena that happen today. It may even be able to be connected to the banner men. She bit her lip with frustration, put her short hair back behind her ear once more and stood up, passing the mob of students that were now realizing that she was once again leaving for an indeterminate amount of time, probably until the end of the semester. There was a symphony of grumbles and sighs that echoed throughout the halls as Professor Baum exited the building.

[The Grene Knyght]

Somewhere on the Canadian border

---

The lynch mob had formed sometime earlier that day, and had chased the boy into the pine forest. He zipped ahead of them, appearing in one place, then the next, but some inherent property of his powers was slowing him down. Every time he reappeared, he bore fresh wounds - bleeding ears and cracked bones. He eventually collapsed, and the mob was upon him, kicking him, yelling anti-superhero remarks. In some places, hate never dies.
"You will cease, mortals." came a voice - several, in fact, all at once, as if vying for control of a single body - "No more harm shall befall him"
The taiga shifted strange, and a figure emerged. Dressed in startling blue and green, the woman had her red hair braided at a length passing her waist. But her most remarkable feature was her eyes, which seemed to glow with energy.
"How dare you harm one of the fair folk. You mortals, who are not fit to touch us. You shall bitterly pay for your actions. With blood, you shall pay."
The crowd stood, speechless, as the woman stretched out a hand. Blue energy seemed to coalesce from her pointed finger, multiple tendrils winding around each other and forming a glistening blue, transparent stag, which charged into their ranks. They began to flee as the stag reformed into three small wildcats, which viciously hamstrung the fleeing humans. Some escaped, but most did not. Fury broke through the woman's expression, briefly, before it returned to an intense and somewhat more terrifying indifferent serenity. Lightning blue tendrils emerged in a double row of ten running down her spine, as the wildcats dissolved. Each tendril snaked its way to a human target, picking them up and smashing them into the ground, stabbing them, or otherwise tormenting them.
"Please... Enough..." The boy had regained his consciousness. The onslaught continued for a few moments longer , before halting with uncanny immediacy. The woman strode over to help him, leaving the humans to flee or wallow as they wished.
"These mortals must be punished for their transgressions", she said, not unsympathetically, although she made no move to resume the assault, What is your name?
"David... Dave Grady. But I go by Boost." He rolled over to reveal his black outfit, emblazoned with two white lightning bolts.
"Boost, you are youngling among the fairfolk, and have much to learn. I am Queen Titania, ruler of the Unseelie court. Come, allow me to take you to a fae healer, that your wounds may be tended to."
A stag appeared, composed again of transparent, lightning blue energy, its antlers pointing south. Titania climbed on top and held out a hand to the boy.

Somewhere in Olympic National Park, Washington
Midday, April 29, 1970

Ka awoke from her sleep with a hiss. She could hear someone roaming around above her earthen home. Why had she not been told, if one of Gibson's men were coming? Ka angrily tossed aside pillows that she had nestled in. Grabbing a crossbow, she looked up the tunnel to the trunk before starting to climb up, scrambling back down to turn off the power in her house.

Climbing into the fallen trunk, she pointed her crossbow at the opening...

Somewhere in Olympic National Park, Washington
Midday, April 29, 1970

"Good Lady Ka, it is I," came Titania's unmistakable, multifaceted voice, "I have a favour to ask of you."
Titania's eyes didn't even flicker to the crossbow as she dissolved the stag she rode from beneath her. Wreaths of energy gently laid her wounded companion, the young superhero Boost, beside her. Titania new well that the fair folk were independent, and rarely responded well to orders, even from their queen. After all, much unlike the barbaric humans, a queen's first duty was to protect her people, not to dictate them.
"Ka, if you would do me the honour of lending me your magic, this young one of the fair folk is in dire need of aid"
The boy had slipped back into unconsciousness, but the wounds of his recent beating, and those caused by the overuse of his superpowers, were apparent. Trails of dry blood crept from his ears and one of his nostrils, while in a number of places, his suit had been torn, revealing deep scratches beneath. Titania took great care to lay him down comfortably, but even then the unnatural bend of his broken arm could be seen.

[Ironsbad]

Dan's place,
Miami, Florida

The sun was coming up across the horizon and Dan was sitting on the porch of his house, drinking as the dawn approach and the city was becoming a busy city. Miami was something he never seen in his life or even wanted to go, but after losing over 15 years of his life and his only friend being a local crime lord, he had no where to go. He usually does this after he started to get his mental powers. Rather they are magical or not, he didn't care but the voices from the cosmic horror kept him from ever having a good night's rest for years so now he does this. The best thing about it though is that he had a large selection of alcohol to drink while the sun comes up, today was whisky.

The sounds of footsteps started to make his way and he gave a big groan as the door opened. A woman of fair skin came down, she had long, blonde hair that came down past her shoulders and half of her back. She had emerald eyes that looked calm but can turn violent if agitated. She wore a blouse and a flowing yellow skirt that cover her thighs while she wore no shoes. She walked with a somewhat graceful movement as she sat down near him, laying her head on Dan's shoulder before she spoke," Master, you know that you can get a good night's rest in your bed."

Dan moves his shoulder away from her head and taking a drink, his eyes directed ever still towards the rising sun,"I told you Ruth, don't ever call me master. I hate it and its degrading to you. Or at least what you once were." She starts to get sad but Dan doesn't care," I'm sorry Dan, but you are the Beacon for the Da..." He cuts her off," I don't give a damn, have some respect for me and yourself. Don't call me master." She gave a nod," alright Dan, but still, you should at least sleep in a bed instead of the couch all the time."

The Beacon finally turned his head to her," and have you near me in the same bed? The couch suits me just fine." She starts to get closer only for her master to mover backwards." You know I will do nothing to harm you." Dan slams the glass of whisky down and have some splash over his hand," you already have hurt me! To know that you turned me into some beacon for some cosmic alien Lovecraft thing! Who the hell calls that love? I know for one that I rather kill myself if you or the damn voice in my head keep stopping me from doing it or even thinking it."

Ruth finally turn angry as her eyes glow with a eldritch fire," you don't know what love is! I could've asked for anyone to be the Beacon, but I saw you there in bed 15 years ago. I saw you in pain and a future that was going to be a bad one. I gave you new meaning in your life, new power. You know that I still love you, your the one who can't accept your new role in the Dark One's great plan." The man turned equally angry as he stood up,"get out of my sight! Now!" He tried to send the voices at her but he knew it wouldn't do any good. She is his source of power and he knew that he can never truly kill her himself, especially with his power.

She nothing as she walked to the door and turned her head trying to calm down," I will have breakfast done in a little bit. Also, Donald called, says that he has a job for you, a "super job" as he put it." She says with some disgust in her voice as she awaited for her master's answer. He started to pick up the glass of whisky and drank it down as he starts to walk to the door," go get me a tissue to wipe the whisky off of me and I'll see what he wants."

[Mewsland]

Somewhere in Olympic National Park, Washington
Midday, April 29, 1970

Ka slowly set aside her crossbow. "It is Lady Titania. You know, you're late for tea, by a year or so?" Slowly clambering out of her tree trunk, she stretched. "I've been waiting for you since 1790... no... that's not it... what is year last?"

Kneeling down beside the fallen one of the Fair Folk, Ka carefully looked over his injuries. "The damage to this boy's form is extensive. What you ask me to heal is not healed easily, but I will do what I can for the boy, and then we will take him in to rest." Gently putting a hand to the boy's chest, Ka began to whisper in a language lost to time... before both of them became enveloped in a bright turquoise glow. As Ka murmured, the blood staining his clothes and on his skin began to disappear, as did the scratches and cuts across his body. Beneath the surface, cracked bones and deep bruises alike mended with extraordinary rapidity.

After a minute, or perhaps two, Ka released her hand from the boy's chest as the glow around them disappeared. "The most dangerous of his injuries have been healed, as have most of the minor. I am still worn from the healings of the night since past, so this is what I have the energy to give him." Unsteadily getting to her feet, Ka sighed. "Do you wish to bring him in to rest, or do you have another location you can go to?"

[The Grene Knyght]

"Ka, you have my most sincere thanks," Titania smiled, "If you would, please allow the young one some rest in your dwelling for a spell. I find myself in you debt. Please, Ka, if there is anything you might have me do for you, do not hesitate to ask."