Loa Blood

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith

"Yes and no...and I don't want to talk about it right now. And don't put any hair stuff on your hair, I'm going to do it. And put on the clothes I laid out for you."

She grins when she says the last, thinking of the pleather pants, white wifebeater, and black fishnet top on Price's nicely althletic form.

 

[SwampThing]

Price emerges from the steaming bathroom dressed in Faith's selections, his muscular black body showing though the mesh. His hair is rumpled and still wet, and he looks several years younger.

"You have got to be kidding me. Well, at least I won't look like a Narc. I think this look would be much better on you, though. I can't wait to see what you're wearing!"

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith

Faith laughs and snaps the bracers on his wrists and threads the matching studded belt through the loops of his pants.

"Actually, I'll be wearing pretty much the same thing." She says, smileing. "Please tell me we aren't taking the cop car though. I'd rather go in a cab or take a bus."

She rubs some gleaming gel between her hands that at the moment doesn't look like much but under the lighting effects at the concert will appear to change colors irredestently.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

Mary sprinkles in some topics to get Amy and Kell talking about "The Good Old Days", trying to see if she knew Amy as well. But from what she catches Amy was after she'd left, somewhere during high school....and it's obvious some sparks are still there, but as awkwardly as they acting, either of them were brave enough to ask the other out.

"Hey, Kell....weren't you going to call your boss?" Mary asks, washing down some of his bacon with her OJ.

"Oh yeah! Excuse me." She waits until he's skulked his way to the pay phones before leaning over to Amy. "You know, he and and I aren't...." She wiggled her eyebrows.

 

[Morgoth]

The Crusher, the warped, twisted monster formerly known as Dan Michaels, floated onto the coast gracefully. He settled onto the ground, walking into Bay City, making sure he was unseen and unheard. He walked along the streets, gazing up at the buildings, as if trying to remember them from a past life. As he approached some building, recognition dawned on him. A pub. That's what this place was called. A place to get rumors. To learn more. He would need to learn more if he was going to find it. Find what? He still didn't know. He's been searching for a long time and he still didn't know. The simple fact that he didn't sent white-hot rage through every fiber of his being, and lashing out, he sent a car flying straight into a shop's window. Regaining at least a measure of control, he proceeded into the pub. As he sat down, he began to probe the others' minds. He found one likely person, a teenage girl, and began to wander through the winding corridors of her mind. Then he stumbled upon it. A concert. And tonight. What better timing could there be? But timing for what? He would need to figure it out soon. He stood up and left, ignoring the protesting waitress who had just come to get his order. Once more, his wandering resumed as he began probing minds, looking for another. He saw one. He approached, following the 20-something man down the street. As The Crusher came close, he threw his hand out, wrapping out around the man's mouth and dragging him into an alley. As the man struggled desperately, the Crusher simply snapped his neck. He lifted the man's face up to his, sniffing at it in confusion as he felt power trickle into him. He dropped the corpse, feeling the power leave him. Once again, confusion infused him, and he cocked his head in wonderment. Then, using his matter agitation, he incinerated the body and left the alley. Comprehension still eluded him, but he was nearing his first goal. He could feel it.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell

I almost forgot.

Putting in some coins, he picked up the phone, pulled out the card with Thorne's number on it, and dialed.

"Hello, Mr. Thorne? It's Kell Claudas. I was in the hospital. Making myself useful at the Church fire, you see. I managed to grab an old couple, so I think I've paid my karmic due for the week. My healing powers seem to be coming along nicely, at least, but I get tired when I overextend myself. My burns are all gone, though."

"Is there anything you, you know, want me to do?"

<<--->>

Amy

Amy blushed furiously.

"It's... not like that. Really. I know it might seem that way, but it's not... it's just, well... Kell is important to me, and he comes to me for guidance sometimes. We're very good friends, but -- I guess you could say I love him like a younger brother, almost. Even though he's only a few months younger than me." She smiled slightly, though she was still obviously embarassed. "So I was worried about him."

"I don't know if he understands, though... I think he does, but... it's just strange, that's all. I've never had, well, a boyfriend, so... I don't really know what he's thinking."

Her hands still placed tightly in her lap, she tilted her head away slightly and smiled.

"What do you think of him, though? Not that I want to gossip... I'm just... curious."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

"Walked into that one, didn't you Mary-me-girl" came a old woman's brouge, with a chuckle behind it.

Mary shook her head for a moment, wishing the fragments of memory that seemed to have been plaugeing her lately would lay down like good ghosts.

"Think of him?" She sat and blinked a few moments. "He's..... cute? And.....confused? And....it's gonna take time for all these feelings he's having to settle down."

She smiled weakly.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Amy

Amy blinked and opened her mouth to ask if Mary was alright as the girl seemed to phase out, but then shut it tightly as Mary spoke.

"C-Cute? Oh... well... sure, I suppose..." She smiled softly. "But... it's going to take a while for things to be alright for him, yes. He never had a stable home, you know, and now he has no home at all, really... I mean, he can stay with either of us, but... nothing permanent. Nothing to rely upon." She shook her head slowly. "I can be here for him, but... it's hard for me to understand how he feels. I know maybe a little, but... not to the extreme that he faces."

She bowed her head slightly, taking a neat cut out of her toast and chewing elegantly before looking back up at Mary.

"Thanks for being Kell's friend, Mary. And... really!" She shook her head rapidly. "It's not like that between me and him!" She took a drink of her water and smiled. "I don't know what I'd do with myself if he ever actually felt that way."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

Mary threw her head back and laughed.

"That is so funny! I'm sorry, I don't mean funny in a bad way!" She covered Amy's hand with hers. "Funny in a ........" she tried to think of a good way to put it. "Funny in you usually only get one shot in life, don't blow it way. If you like him, let him get through this bad patch and then let him know. Coz he's just like you, he wouldn't know what to do with himself either. I can tell."

"Shhh, now, here he comes. And where's our waitress? I'm ready for dessert."

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

This Anit Summer Camp

By Faith Honai, Freelance writer

Outside the tent flap door the ocean waves lap the beach. Children run and laugh an play while adults watch over them. Sadly, it is not a vaction resort but the new home of several thousand Dracon Island surviors; many of whom are physcailly altered by their brush with the Coda Corporation's Loa Blood spill. Coda and GAIA have attempted to locate houseing and jobs for these new residents of Bay City, but it is a slow task and many of them will never be placed. Families are still being re-united and bodies are still being identfied. Some of them are so horriably altered that even DNA testing cannot reveal who they once were.

"The worst thing is I know I can never go home." Says Alfren Benntont. "I had a business, a bank account, a nice home. Now I have a tent and no prospects. Benntont, a baker, how has four feet instead of two hands and two feet.

"I'm very grateful for the citizens of Argo to find a place for us, but I'd like to access my bank accounts or have my insurance claim paid. But the insurance company said that the accident falls under and "act of God" clause." He continued.

Children, both gifted and not, attend open air schools. "Attendence isn't mandatory." Selna Vess said. "It would be impossiable to enforce. Where are you going to look for one kid? But I do the best I can, on my own time." Vess has a full time teaching job in King's Grove but paid her own travel exspenses to come and teach the children over the summer and lives in a tent in the camp. "Coda said that they would hire teachers by the fall, but I haven't seen any adverts as yet."

Some of the refugees are bitter. Not only towards Coda and GAIA, but towards their own government. "You don't see any nobles down here, do you." Spat one refugee who wanted to remain nameless. "They don't come down and roll up their sleeves in the soup kitchen. Or any of the bearucrats either. And you can bet they access to money. They all had accounts in out of state banks, but most of us have our money in our State banks, and those records are back on that gods cursed island."

Investgation is on-going to the cause of the accident and wild theories fly about the camp. However the main consences is:

GAIA was neglient in allowing enough Loa Blood to be stored in one location at one time that a mishap would/could effect an entire population the size of Dracon Island .

Coda was neglient in its containment policies.

The Dracon Island government itself is not doing enough to help it's own people in exile.

Coda's response to inquiry is a press release dated eariler in the year which outlines their recovery program for the remaining Loa Blood, GAIA's plan of investgation and their joint efforts to protect Loa shipments (Which were woefully insufficent in this years eariler Killer Bee hijacking of a shipment, foiled, as it were not by Coda or GAIA agents but by passersby.)

Draconian goverment officals were too busy handling the current influx of questions dealing with their Prince's rescue effort of the recent Church of the Wheel fire for comment on this issue.

See SideBar:

What you can do to help.

 

[SwampThing]

Coda

"Kell! We were begining to wonder." Thorne quickly tells Kell about the Ninja assassinations. "Monolith is at the High Admiral's now. I'm sending you in as his back-up, in case anything happens. Where are you, I'll send the chopper to pick you up."

After taking Kell's location, Thorne hangs up.
______________________

The helicopter pilot gives Kell a radio headset to co-ordinatte with Monolith, and lands just outside the naval base's radar. "The big guy is out in those hills somewhere, kid, go find him. And good luck!"

 

[SwampThing]

Twelve

By nightfall, the line-up stretches around the concert hall to the high-walled construction site behind it. The streets are lined with cars for blocks all around. Newsvans are parked outside, close to the band's long silver trailer. A helicopter circles overhead, catching pictures of the crowd outside.

While the opening band, Fridna Blossom, is still playing, a small fight breaks out at the bar. Some Univerversity students were making fun of a Gifted, a guy with a long, sad face and toasters for hands, who was just trying to get a straw for his drink. Faith recognizes Edward, and his drunken buddy, Jack, from the refugee camp.

The slits in Edward's two toasters glow red, and he starts lashing out at the group of rowdy students with the hot metal blocks. Jack shudders, his skin bubbling, and transforms into a spiky, green, humanoid cactus. He strikes at the students, quickly dropping a few, who clutcth at their needled faces in pain.

John Price, decked out like a biker, tries to move through the crowd to reach the fight. But the concert security are there first, with their tasers. Edward and Jack can dish it out, but they can't really take it, and the security guards drag them outside without any further hassle.

When Twelve comes on stage, everyone forgets all about the incident.

The backdrop on the stage is a satelite photo of the 12 Loa bodies. Only two of them have been dug out for mining, the others are just dark shapes beneath the ice.

The band is a motley group of Locrians, Native Phrygians, and Svetlanders. The charismatic lead singer, Anathur Opal, has veins of Aralian silver through his Weaver-red dreadlocks.

They launch ito a few of the songs that made them famous. Thrashing, tearing, tonal explorations of wonder and fear. The music strikes the crowd like a wave of the terrible realization that nothing matters beacuse anything is possible.

The crowd, mostly young Argons, seethes like a sea, dancers tossed like spray by the force of the music.

Then out of nowhere comes something new, a ballad of the Drowned Woman of Phrygian legend.
________________________

I don't need your love to redeem me
I'll redeem myself
I don't need your hope to guide me
I've already chosen my path

Don't look at me
With those River Eyes
Wells of Sorrow
Cut me down to size
Don't look at me
With those River Eyes
Endlessly flowing

I don't want you to follow me
I'm not going anywhere I'd want you to be
I don't want you to wait for me
I've never been anywhere twice

Don't look at me
With those River Eyes
Wells of Sorrow
Cut me down to size
Don't look at me
With those River Eyes
Endlessly flowing

There's nothing in me that would be good for you
And there isn't enough good in you to fill me up
Don't tempt me with your loving cup
All I'll do is vomit it back up

Don't look at me
With those River Eyes
Wells of Sorrow
Cut me down to size
Don't look at me
With those River Eyes
Endlessly flowing
________________

Hearing this, Mary remembers . . .

Flying over snow-covered mountains. She's looking out the window of a small plane, but she's remembering other frozen mountains, long before. She's flying with the fledgling band across the Tai Pal mountains to their first show in Reva. Anathur calls her his muse, but lately, she has been traveling with them more out of a sense of obligation than anything else. Anathur is dying of cancer, and this concert, the band's first big break, may be their last show.

A crash. The plane is buried in the snow of the remote mountain peak. Pilot and guitarist dead, the others have gone to search for help, while she stays with Anathur at the plane. She knows a lot about how to survive in the cold wastes, but Anathur will die in days without access to his medicine.

Tubes running into her arms. Still no rescue, and she's jury-rigged a transfusion, her own blood to Anathur. She knows this will save him, but doesn't know why. Delirious from cold and loss of blood, Mary sees the plane fill with water and flowers.

The Drowned Woman floats into the water filled room, as beautiful as in the countless Locrian paintings of her. "Have a care, old friend. Your life is to precious to be wasted. In this, I know whereof I speak. Know this: If you die, my grief will know no bounds, and my tears will drown worlds beyond number."

When they were rescued from the mountain, Anathur's cancer was cured, and Mary never travelled with Twelve again.

And beside her, Amy remembers . . .

She's filling in on a night shift at the hospital. It's time for her break, and she goes to meet her friend Hotaru for a coffee. Hotaru is a Gifted healer, and has been assigned to the terminal care ward, where she has saved the lives of several people the doctors had declared beyond hope.

Amy hears a shriek and a struggle from the break room. It sounds like Hotaru. She peers quietly around the corner, seeing a figure in a long coat, head covered by bandages, and two others in ornate body armour. One's helmet looks like a dog's head, the other like a bird's. The two armoured figures move towards her, but the one with the bandaged head stops them with a wave of his hand. His other hand stretches out from his sleeve, snaking around the corner to grab Amy by the face. As she screams, she hears the man hiss "Sleep. And forget."

 

[SwampThing]

More Twelve

As the lyrics of "River Eyes" end and the music climbs into feverish nightmare tones, Amy and Mary snap out of their reveries. All around the concert hall, people stop dancing, and fall silent, staring at the stage.

An impossible wall of water flows slowly out from the backdrop with the 12 Loa bodies. The band stops playing, leaving a deafening vaccum of noise, and back away to the corners of the stage. The drum kit floats within the watery wall. This is not part of the show.

She appears just as in countless Locrian paintings, wreathed in flowers, her dark hair floating out behind her like a halo of ink. But those paintings were looking down into the water, and the concert crowd sees her floating standing just beyond the surface of the wall of water. She is the legendary Drowned Woman, her perfect beaty at once utterly wasted, and preserved forever. When they hear her speak, the words are not in their ringing ears, but in their minds.

"People of Argo. Run for your lives. The first of the great beasts has escaped his island prison. It has begun."

When she disappears, the screaming starts.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

Kell stuck them with the check in his rush, but Mary covered it easily and then grinned at Amy.

"Well, there goes our man of action! We were actually thinking of going to the Twelve concert tonight." Mary shruged.

"Really, where would you get tickets?" Amy seemed surprized that any would be left over a this late date.

"I dunno, probably a scalper or something. They usually hang out in front of the concert hall."

"I'd really like to go." Amy looked a little wistful. And her clothes weren't exactly fashion news. A bit threadbare around the edges, and painfully clean and well kept. Mary had the feeling she didn't treat herself to things often.

"Well then, why don't we?" Mary suggested brightly. "I don't have anything to wear to a rock concert, let's go thrift store shopping as well and pick out something outragous."

With a lot of coaxing Amy agreed. After a gleeful afternoon of outragous outfits Mary ended up with a purple cap into which she stuffed all her hair and matching suspenders over a white tube top and purple mini-skirt.

******************Later*****************

Mary felt a shiver when the opening cords of "River Woman" began. And another memory bloomed in her mind. She knew she shouldn't have come. When the song releases her she's already in a panic and pushing Amy towards an exit, only glanceing over her shoulder when the crowd stills as the spector delivers it's warning.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Faith

Faith dressed in, surprize, mostly black. Black fishnet body suit over purple bra and barely there pleather shorts matching the knee high swashbuckler boots into which she tucked the neccesaries: Note book, pen, recorder, cam, knife and wallet.

"How do I look?" She asked, twriling around, the purple glints she'd added to her hair gleaming. She shrugged into a short leather jacket and Price thought that all she needed was one of those caps to look like a biker chick from a 60's movie.

She was right, it'd be stupid to dress like this and take the cop car so he lead her to the garage.

"Sweet!" she smiled in admiration as he removed the dust cover from his Ickles classic chrome 750 motorcycle. "You know, I've been thinking that I might get a bike rather than a car, for scooting around in."

She ran her hand lovingly over the handbars and seat.

"I don't see why not, the winters are mild here so I don't think you'd catch too much bad weather. " He grinned with the pride of ownership. "I rebuilt her myself."

"So, let's go eat. I'm starved!"

They ate at a local place just a few blocks from the concert hall and the place was packed with concert goers as outragously dressed as them.

Faith told him of her family, her siblings who were, in order: Hope, Faith, Chairty, Chance, and Patience.

"Chance is the only boy, and he was very ill when he was a baby with spotted fever and lost his hearing. So we know USL* in our family." Faith pulled out a older picture of her family. "My father is Evard Honai, the composer? And my mother was a dancer until she desided to retire and marry him."

She told him about growing up in Locrir; the festivals that seem to happen weekly just so people could get together and eat large amounts of food and dance.

"Music and dance is in the soul and blood of the Locrir people. You can't scrub a pot there without finding a rythem and haveing someone start singing."

She spoke bitterly about being unable to return. "My father is a national treasure and internationally tops in his feild...so they can't touch him without a lot of people knowing. But they've tried to force me back there, and they've taken my sister Hope and placed her in one of their research camps."

"What's that?" Asked Price.

"They've taken the sciencests and reasearchers and put them in 'secure locations for their own protection.' But they aren't allowed to leave, and familiy isn't allowed to visit." She sighed heavily. "Change of subject. Is it almost time to go?"

When they reach the parking lot throngs of people are there and Faith is very unhappy to see some of the people she met at the refugee camp being hassled. Price pushes his way forward and she follows him, but it's over and done with before they get within shouting distance.

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

The night air helped clear my head a little, but what Faith had said was still running through my head.
Hope was in a camp...Hope was in a camp...Hope was in a goddess-forsaken camp!!!!!!!
With a crash I landed next to a rock formation, and lashed out with my fist, shattering the boulder with a sound like a cannon round had gone off. Ahead of me I noticed the fence surrounding the base, and on the slope above it was the High Admiral's house. Two leaps later and I landed in front of the checkpoint leading to the house itself. The squad of soldiers jumped, but the Seargent stopped them before they started shooting.
"Hold your fire!!!! He's on our side!"
" I'm here, what do you need me to do?"

 

[Lady_Siren]

Nikki frowned at Marks question "No I don't have anyone.." she trailed off Damien's face floating into her minds eyes. Angrily she shoved him away and smiled charmingly at Mark. It was time she forgot about Damien "Yet" she added flirting lightly with him. "Come on lets get into place." They both hurried to the roof and took positions. At that moment the song the band had been singing ended. Then something strange happened, An impossible wall of water flows slowly out from the backdrop with the 12 Loa bodies. The band stops playing, leaving a deafening vaccum of noise, and back away to the corners of the stage. The drum kit floats within the watery wall. This is not part of the show.

She appears just as in countless Locrian paintings, wreathed in flowers, her dark hair floating out behind her like a halo of ink. But those paintings were looking down into the water, and the concert crowd sees her floating standing just beyond the surface of the wall of water. She is the legendary Drowned Woman, her perfect beaty at once utterly wasted, and preserved forever. When they hear her speak, the words are not in their ringing ears, but in their minds.

"People of Argo. Run for your lives. The first of the great beasts has escaped his island prison. It has begun."

When she disappears, the screaming starts. Nikki looked at Mark "Lets continue as planned. I can't take another day of hiding!" WIth that said Nikki's death scene began.

 

[Jacobo_Curious]

Kell

Oh, man. I didn't even get to say goodbye...

...I can't believe they sent a damn helicopter.

The helicopter landed a safe distance away, signalling their arrival to avoid fire, and only moments later Kell was quietly rushing up towards the checkpoint, his dark clothes helping to keep him camoflouged.

He arrived only to find Monolith already there. Kell had, of course, heard the golem-like man before he had arrived.

"Monolith!" hissed the young man, approaching. "It's me, Kell! What are our orders?"

 

[Democable]

Damien stood in the desert watching the moon rise, so where out there was Nikki, most likely pisted at her for leaving, but that was the past now. something new was appon him, a new era. one that would shape the future. he walked back to the tent that Merrick had set up for him, he crawled inside and started to drif off to sleep when he heard a voice like no other, he listens to the whole song play out in his head. then he begins getting visions, visions of the past, pesent and future.

Damien saw her face, a face to die for. the face of the Drowned Woman of Phrygian. he awakens in a cold sweat.....

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Monolith

"I was told to come out here and keep a eye on things, so my guess is keep the High Admiral alive is our mission."

 

[amon_darknight]

Ghost

He rested on the floor of the manager’s office and his thoughts were of nothing but Aya, he could not stop thinking about her, than the voices started. It told him things such as she was never coming back cause Ghost was to weak and ugly, that she left him cause he could not satisfy her, she left cause he was not good enough to be with her. Ghost suddenly awoke and gasped as he looked around and he than picked up Henry’s cell phone and looked at the time, he than noticed the paper that he had and saw that the concert had started already.

Ghost: “Shit! I got to get there.”

Ghost stood up and felt 100 percent better and he opened the door and saw Henry sleeping as well. Ghost shook his head and he patted Henry on the leg.

Ghost: “Hey, wake up dude, wake up Henry.”

Henry stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes to see Ghost and he looked at him with slight fear in his eyes.

Henry: “What do you need sir, I hope you didn’t change your mind about killing me.”
Ghost: “No, I didn’t change my mind, I told you I never intended on killing you, I only meant to scare you, now I need you to take me here, and get me there in a hurry. After that you are free to go.”

Henry took the paper from Ghost and looked at it and he smiled.

Henry: “I have two tickets to this and I was going, so there will be no need to shoot your way in, I had no idea you were into this kind of music, well I never thought about it, but I love that type of music, I will be glad to take you there. After today, I realized that my life is to short and I don’t hate you for anything you did to me, I mean you didn’t hurt me or anything, the robbers that hit me up before broke my legs, but you didn’t do anything but point a gun at me and yell, I thank you for that.”
Ghost: “I am sorry that happened, no one deserves that, well since you are going to take me there, lets get going, I need to find someone there, I don’t mean to rush you or anything, but I am on a mission.”
Henry: “No problem lets go. You have my keys so if you want to drive. That is cool.”

Ghost tossed him the keys and walked to the door with the bag and his sword, and he followed Henry to his car and soon they were off to the concert, Ghost stayed quiet for the ride, the voices again played in his mind, but thoughts of Aya drove them away, that was all he was thinking about and he was determined to find her. They arrived at the concert to find people running out of the place in panic and Ghost got out immediately as Henry pulled over, than Ghost looked to Henry and he smiled.

Ghost: “Get out of here, here is your wallet, it was nice meeting you and don’t worry about anything I said that was mean, I didn’t mean it. Take care of yourself.”

Ghost didn’t give him a chance to respond, he walked off into the concert area and saw what was happening, a woman that was floating in the air in water, Ghost was in awe as he saw this, and didn’t know what to make of this, he just watched and thought about Aya being hurt or somewhere in harm, but whenever he looked to this woman, he didn’t know if she was here to hurt or what, he couldn’t tell, but he would find out soon.

 

[SwampThing]

Admiral's Mansion

"Why are you here, Monolith?" the Sergent at the gate asks as Kell runs up. The soldiers have stopped pointing their guns at the giant, not that they would do a lot of good, but they still look uneasy.

"I was told to come out here and keep a eye on things, so my guess is keep the High Admiral alive is our mission."

The Sergent frowned. "I heard you were working for Coda. What do they care what happens to the Admiral?"

Behind him, shooting breaks out. It's coming from beyond the fence on the far side of the mansion. Then the shooting stops.

"Get more men back there!" The Sergent barks, "Alert the base, we've got intruders! You . . ." He looks to Monolith, but the big man is already gone.
__________________

The soldiers on the far side of the mansion are dead, arrows in their throats. The Ninja hiding in the darkened hills drop their bows and swarm the fence. 10 of them guard each corner of the rear fence, ambushing the soldiers when they come running. The guns blare, the Ninja sword flash, and bodies fall on both sides.

The main Ninja force climbs over the fence like a swarm of spiders. They spread through the yard, moving evasively to avoid the floodlights and machine-gun fire. A few of the rooftop gunners fall, shuriken in their necks, as the Ninja surround the house and begin moving in.

 

[Morgoth]

"NO!" roared the Crusher as the people began to run. "You will not get away! I will kill you all and burn this city about your unhearing ears! DIE!" he roared, matter agitation lashing out and incinerating dozens at a time. A fallen man next to him shrieked, drawing his attention. His shriek brought the Crusher's full attention, so he turned to the man, stopping the flames and ripping the man's arm off, amplifying the mad screams by a hundred times. He leapt into the air, landing before one of the exits. He walked forward, hands lashing out in a flurry of blood and flesh. Behind him, they fell. Then, without warning, the Crusher collapsed, screaming and clutching his sides as a pain ripped him open. Blood poured from his eyes as tears. Large spikes tore his back, growing out from there. Scales rippled into existence on his hands and two massive wings emerged from his sides. He screamed, tearing at his flesh, madness and pain overtaking him. "Must... must... get away. No... must... kill all", he groaned, rising as people ran all around him. With a final, tortured scream, he threw his new wings out, crushing people to the walls, where they slowly slid to the ground, bloody lumps. Then, he lifted into the air. He landed in a middle-class neighborhood. Walking down the street, he looked all about him at the houses. Then, he saw one that captivated him. he moved to the door, knocking. A middle-aged man answered it. "I need your dwelling", growled the blood-drenched crusher. The man stared in wonder, which quickly turned to shock as the Crusher's fist went through him. "Do you live alone?" asked the Crusher. "Ugh... Ye... Ugh... Yo-" the man's response was cut short as the Crusher snapped his neck.

 

[SwampThing]

Twelve

The concert crowd was panicking before. When the Crusher begins spewing fire and lashing out with his fists and wings, they go mad. Many are rushing for the doors. Others just stand, still staring at the stage, where the apparition had issued her vague prophesy of doom.

Price grabs hold of Faith's hand tightly. "Don't let go!" He yells. "We can't go out the front, we'll get trampled." He pushes their way towards the stage, and the open door the band left through.

The concert hall is wracked by an explosion on the roof. People scream again, and small debris rains down on the crowd.
______________________

The circling news helicopter catches the first explosion on the roof. A man in a black uniform and mask, with the ceremonial dagger of an Aralian bounty hunter, yells in an amplified voice. "Nikki Hall! You must pay for your crimes against Aralia! It ends here, tonight!"

On the other end of the rooftop stands a statuesque woman, long mane of silver hair flowing around her in the wind. A small storm of debris, burning chunks of the rooftop, circle her in the air. At a gesture from her, the pieces of debris fly through the air at the bounty hunter, none of them striking. She is obviously Nikki Hall, the infamous telekinetic.

As the press force their way out of the concert hall, and train their cameras on the rooftop, Nikki and the bounty hunter chase each other in a battle of mounting ferocity. His grenades fill the sky with noise and flame, and her power tears great chunks from the building to hurl at him. The crowd surging out of the concert hall scatters to avoid the falling shrapnel.

The black-scaled man-monster flies through a hole in the roof, tearing of through the night sky.

 

[PoliteSuccubus]

Mary

Fear. Panic. Pain.

It washed over the crowd like ripples in a pond.

Shock. Disbielf. Horror.

Mary tried to keep Amy in front of her, they were only a few feet from the exit, when the creature crashed into the concert hall. It lashed out with its voice, hands, and some type of....power.

Amy was pulled away from her by the surge of people rushing for the door...but the tide suddenly changed as the monster turned to head off the fleeing concert goers. Loseing sight of the girl Mary found herself trapped in the crush of bodies.