by Atnaia » Sat Oct 22, 2016 6:04 am
by Taziristan » Sun Oct 23, 2016 7:01 pm
by Agadar » Mon Oct 24, 2016 7:37 pm
by Atnaia » Wed Oct 26, 2016 3:11 am
by Agadar » Fri Oct 28, 2016 12:05 pm
Atnaia wrote:The press sat shoulder to shoulder. Lisa Lowe twisted to avoid the press of her partner's body next to her. He was a big man, built like a brick house, and had a tendency to take up twice as much space as the next biggest person in the room. In the steel folding chairs, he seemed to swell towards her. She liked the guy, but could never be comfortable sitting next to him.
It had been a long time since the International Freedom Association had called a press conference outside the Hall of Freedom. Lisa was more used to being called up to the Lighthouse for one-on-one interviews with whatever hero was flavour of the week: Chainmail, Warqueen, Guardsman, Mighty Man, the Watcher...Yellowsash. She frowned. For a moment, she had forgotten why the press conference was being called. Thinking of Yellowsash made it all come surging back. She bit her lip. Years ago, in a different time altogether, a seemingly different age, she and Yellowsash had been more than casual acquaintances. They still grabbed dinner once or twice a year, or had. She could still see him, slouching, dressed in a plaid button-up shirt and glasses, somehow hiding the fact that he was the world's strongest man with an affected stutter and deliberate clumsiness. Better times, she thought.
A stage had been erected in the park outside the old Association headquarters, and it was suddenly lit by yellow energy as four human-sized suns glowed for a moment above it. There was a rush of wind, and the shapes coalesced into four figures: Warqueen, resplendent in her battle-armour and sword, standing a head taller than any of the men she shared the stage with; the Watcher, his purple cloak hiding a long-limbed robotic body; Guardsman, his muscles straining against his red uniform and his silver helmet glowing with some internal energy, and, foremost among them, Chainmail, the technological wonder of his knightly armour shining in the low sun. Their faces were serious, at least the faces they could see, and the applause that met them was restrained. Chainmail stepped up to the podium and held up a hand. The applause petered out and, somewhere behind his faceplate he cleared his throat. His voice was strong and deep, but filtered through his mechanical armour and the mic on the podium it sounded distorted and strange.
"Good evening," he said. "I am certain I have no need to explain why the IFA has called you all here today. I know you are all very confused. I know there is a lot of fear and paranoia going around following this mornings...event."
He struggled for a moment. Lisa wondered if there was a teleprompter behind the visor of his helmet. He began speaking again. "Firstly, and I understand as press this will disappoint you, but we will not be answering any questions today. We ask that you forward any requests for interviews through normal channels. As you might expect, the coming days will be a busy time for us."
There was some murmuring in the crowd. Chainmail pushed through. "This morning, we witnessed the unprecedented happen. Yellowsash fell from the sky. We have called this conference to confirm what many have suspected...Yellowsash is dead."
Even through the mechanical distortion, Lisa could hear Chainmail's voice crack at the last words. The crowd began to clamour with questions. Chainmail held up his hand again and slowly the ruckus died down. "At this time, we are unaware of what managed to shoot him from the sky. We don't know who or what did it. What we do know is that he wasn't alone."
A small blue light glowed on the side of his helmet and suddenly, standing next to Chainmail was the holographic image of Yellowsash, heroic and proud. Moments later it flickered to a different image, of a man in orange and black striped tights. Then a woman dressed like a purple cat. A girl in a red hood. In total, twelve images were projected before the loop started over. Chainmail began speaking. "Twelve individuals have been confirmed dead by a similar source to the one that killed Yellowsash. Heroes and villains alike. Whatever committed this attack did not discrimiante...it simply chose powerful individuals and snuffed them from existence. We ask..."
Suddenly, Chainmail stopped. He gripped the edges of the podium. He shook once. Then, he reached up and did something unprecedented. He removed his helmet. The crowd fell into stunned silence as Chainmail lifted the helm from his head and set it on the podium, revealing a tired, middle-aged face with a trim beard and short, salt-and-pepper hair. His eyes looked red and wet. He took a moment to run a hand through his messy hair and sighed.
"I can't do this," he said, his voice no longer distorted. "Not to you, and not to me. It isn't fair. Today, we saw one of our greatest fall, and others may follow. We cannot be sure that this attack wasn't the first of many, and I am supposed to stand here and read a script we prepared while we were all mourning. No. I can't do that."
He sighed. "My name is Dr. Artemis Fincher, and I am Chainmail. I have known Yellowsash for twenty years. We fought alongside each other. We stood shoulder to shoulder on more occasions than I can remember. Yellowsash was my best friend, and the best man I have ever known, and today he died, alongside eleven other people, and we don't know how or why.
"There is going to be a few people who see this as an opportunity. An opportunity to do...horrible things. To abuse a power vacuum. To those people, I implore you...think first. Please. Please. It wasn't just heroes who died today...Cheshire Cat, Bloody Mary, Half-Man...they all fell today too. Whatever did this isn't looking to help you, and for my money, I do not think it is done with us yet. This was a warning strike. If you attack now, if you create chaos in the wake of tragedy, you aren't attacking us. You aren't helping yourselves. You are only helping whatever attacked us. Now is not the time for division and war, it is the time for unity and cooperation. We have had our differences before, we have fought and spilled blood. But something is coming...I think you can all feel that too. And if we are going to beat it...we need to work together. Please."
Chainmail picked up his helmet and placed it back on his head. A barely audible hiss was picked up by the mic as the helmet lock sealed. Chainmail's voice came back, distorted again. "I revealed my identity today as a sign of that cooperation. Please understand that I know peace will not be an easy thing, but it is a necessary thing. Let's honour Yellowsash, at least for now, by seeking a solution...or, at least, by taking a moment of silence."
by Atnaia » Sat Oct 29, 2016 4:09 am
by Agadar » Sat Oct 29, 2016 11:04 am
"Hello, Mr. Fey-Knight," Catherine spoke cheerily. "I am Catherine. Master Chainmail is waiting for you."
She held out a palm, there was a glow, and a square, holographic interface appeared above her hand, a handprint reflected in strange magnification above it. "Could you please place your hand on here for security verification, please and thank you?"
by The Grand Force » Sat Oct 29, 2016 7:19 pm
by Athara Magarat » Sun Oct 30, 2016 1:43 am
by Atnaia » Sun Oct 30, 2016 8:53 am
Agadar wrote:"I will do no such thing," he replied. "I see no need to compromise my identity in such manner."
by Agadar » Mon Oct 31, 2016 11:17 am
by Atnaia » Wed Nov 02, 2016 3:57 am
by Athara Magarat » Thu Nov 03, 2016 8:12 am
by Agadar » Sat Nov 05, 2016 10:11 am
by Atnaia » Sun Nov 06, 2016 1:31 pm
by Agadar » Mon Nov 07, 2016 10:05 am
by Athara Magarat » Tue Nov 08, 2016 6:34 am
by Atnaia » Wed Nov 09, 2016 4:08 am
Agadar wrote:"Call off your dog, Chainmail," Fey-Knight said. "I came seeking conversation, not conflict."
Athara Magarat wrote:Sirens began to wail at the distance. The police, huh. Prabin wondered if they. as in the IFA, woud arrive at the scene as well. After all, people had been already filming the event with their smartphones or taking pictures.
by Agadar » Sat Nov 12, 2016 2:37 pm
by Atnaia » Fri Nov 18, 2016 4:29 am
Athara Magarat wrote:Sirens began to wail at the distance. The police, huh. Prabin wondered if they. as in the IFA, woud arrive at the scene as well. After all, people had been already filming the event with their smartphones or taking pictures.
by Atnaia » Fri Nov 18, 2016 4:37 am
Agadar wrote:"Your speech was... impressive," he added. "It is why I'm here."
by Agadar » Sat Nov 19, 2016 1:18 pm
by Athara Magarat » Sun Nov 20, 2016 7:11 am
Atnaia wrote:Hermes blurred to a stop and the world suddenly caught up to his perception with a snap. "Yo, kiddo," Hermes called. "Miiiiight want to tone it down with the compensation displays before you hurt somebody..."
by Atnaia » Sun Nov 20, 2016 10:04 am
Agadar wrote:"I presume you're working on gathering people that can help discover what is going on. I want in on that. My expertise in the field of magic trumps that of any sorcerers aligned with your Freedom Association. If this mysterious power is rooted in magic, then you will have need of me."
by Atnaia » Sun Nov 20, 2016 10:15 am
Athara Magarat wrote:Prabin began speaking in a much softer tone. "My friend Batraz Dzhioyev, the Number 1 from Athara Magarat, is among those who met the same fate as Yellowsash. But believe me, this is not some mad hunting for revenge. I am Buddhist and all I care is about finding the culprits. And I am not alone in this matter. Lots of students from the DGA want to join the fight as well."
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