World War II - The Vanguard Issue #9 In Englands Green Imperilled Land...

Bulletman considered his options... then didn't have to anymore! The Ani-Men instantly reverted to human form, crying out and clawing at their throats! A heartbeat later shots rang out to finish them off!

The Peeler looked down the corridor, seeing Bulletman stood there. "I don't how you did that sir, but you saved my life and the lives of these children!"

Bulletman narrowed his eyes. That hadn't been him, he was sure of it!

Lionheart successfully leapt out of the way of the blast, then looked up at the great beast! It cried out, clawing at its throat, then rasped "Damn you, usurped! Yet again you thwart the plans of your people, you deny their rightful place in the order of life! There shall be a reckoning! There will be... REVENGE!"

Then the Hyena beast exploded!

Lionheart turned away as fragments flew past him! His superhuman senses heard similar cries throughout the building and he knew that, somehow, the Ani-Men, whether empowered by the Dark power or not, were dying throughout the building and across the country!

He moved to General Wynns side, the old man being barely conscious...

"It's... over?" he croaked.

"We'll get you some help General" said Slobotham, moving to his friends side.

Wynn looked at Lionheart "The Dark Power... it's gone! It's all up to you now, Lionheart..." he said, sighing and laying back.

Forbes checked on his friend and turned to Lionheart. "The old buzzard will be alright if we can get him to a Doctor, sharpish. But what did he mean, the Dark Power is gone? And what of the creatures attacking Bletchley?"

Some of the soldiers nearby straightened up, smiling "It's alright sir. Everything is going to be alright. I can feel it."

"So can I!"

"As can I! Yes, there's nothing to worry about!"

Lionheart stood, straightening. Something had happened that had changed things. He wasn't sure just yet whether it would be for the good, or not...

Bulletman felt the weight of the equipment he wore, and in that moment he realised something - he was powerless! His powers had gone!

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Gravity Girl groaned with pain! She knew something had changed about her, that somehow, she'd lost her superhuman powers!

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Nowhere Boy looked about at the steaming wreckage of the Robo Carrier... Right there, at that moment, he felt the Dark Power leave him! It was as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and for the first time in a dozen - or more - lifetimes, he knew peace as the constant shouting, warring, bickering inside his head went silent! He was just an ordinary boy! Peeling off his mask and gloves, he pulled the cloak back and tossed it into the fire... With tears misting his eyes, he looked upon the flames before turning away and heading back to the city of Manchester, distant.

Then he paused... BOOM, BOOM, BOOM went the sound in his head...

"Is there no peace for me?" he muttered.

'JAMES CALDWELL, THE LAND CALLS YOU, LORE KNIGHT!' said an ancient voice inside his head... and Nowhere Boy disappeared!

OOC there will be more fallout from this tomorrow, where all issues will be wrapped and new ones started. A new dawn has broken for the Vanguard, but its not the one I expected. I always said that the story would be driven by your actions, and that I would never try to railroad you, well we're at that point, the great unknown! I think James T Kirk called it 'The Undiscovered Country'... the Future...Death? Or Life...? That is yet to be seen...If anyone wants to know the details (OOC, your characters won't know until they speak to Frostbite, somehow) of how, why this happened, its in Dark Power... gone?

Bulletman felt the weight of the equipment he wore, and in that moment he realised something - he was powerless! His powers had gone!

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"Are the kids alright? What are they doing here," Bulletman asked, not bothering to explain he didn't do it. "Are you alright?"

actions: Make sure that they are fine and then head in deeper to find the commanders and get orders.

ooc: I'm all for letting Britain keep Germany as a new territory. Millions had to have died there, first with Berlin blowing up and then these attacks by the robots. [Just finished watching Genesis of the Daleks - first time I've seen it - and this is a bit creepy for me. Neat creepy]. So it is under populated. Giving away bits of Germany with some kind of homestead act like we did to develop America to the servicemen seems a good way to bring about a 'more permanent peace' with Germany eventually becoming a part of the UK like Wales and Scotland are.

Admin wrote:LionheartLionheart stood, straightening. Something had happened that had changed things. He wasn't sure just yet whether it would be for the good, or not...

Lionheart could feel the extraordinary change, but again had little time to wonder about its cause and effect.
My powers are not affected, so I will take Wynn to the nearest hospital, I can get him there faster than they can get to us and perhaps even help them. Check on the others and have Beth meet me there when she has got a good dose of the suns rays and feels up to it.

With that, Lionheart gently took Wynn from the table, wrapped like a child in the blankets that surrounded him to keep his temperature from dropping, and shot off.

OOC:
Ok lets get him to a place where his weakened body might yet pull through this.

Sj

The Agent acknowledged Bulletman then turned to the kids. "General Wynn had a ... strange feeling... about them. Ordinary children, for the most part, but he said he thought these kids were somehow able to act as host forms for Shadow Demons, whatever that means. Bear in mind I heard this third hand, and I don't know what it means. He thought it best to find any children like this and bring them in for protection, but we didn't do so well on that front. How bad is it? "

The kids seemed remarkably calm, albeit shaken. One stepped up "Are you a superhero, sir, like what was mentioned in the Daily Mirror?"

Bulletman had never felt less super than he did right now! His superhuman strength had made the items he wore seem weightless! Now they felt like scrap metal dragging about on him! What did this mean - was his career as a superhero over as quickly as it had begun...?

He was troubled as he led the group through the halls, looking for other survivors who came out of hiding to join them...

OOC That'll be the last post for Bulletman in this issue. Look for a new issue later on today!

Sunburst woke when the clouds broke.

She felt a sense of calm and well being come over her, and was puzzled but considered the sensation and filed it away. Beth looked about, then saw a cloud of dust speed away from the mansion. Major Steed - Gravity Girl - came over and helped her to her feet. In a few moments, she started to glow again, and resumed her brightly glowing form. "I've lost my powers." said Emma "But strangely enough, I don't mind! Actually, I feel pretty good! It's like... it's like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders!"

Beth looked about. Everywhere the survivors, smeared with blood, wounded and in some cases, near to death, had a relaxed, cheerful attitude about them. All worked quickly and efficiently, ignoring the gravity of the situation which had left so many dead and the DICE base of operations in ruins!

Sunburst frowned, then shrugged. As a cybernetic being she understood emotions, but only as memories from the cloned mind of her donor. "You need medical attention Major. I'll help. In fact... there are so many here who are wounded that it might be advisable to set up some kind of field hospital. Please wait... accessing database..."

She turned, then constructed a gurney, walls about the gurney, corridors around the rooms and a roof over the top, all created from a solid light that shone too bright to look at! She adjusted the glow, made it opaque, then explained "I will treat you, and everyone else."

The human mind inside the creature known as Sunburst was worried at her non human reaction to the situation, but carried on treating Major Steed and every other wounded soldier who came towards the glowing building on the lawns of Bletchley Park Manor.

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Lionheart entered the hospital carrying General Wynn in his arms.

Everyone, patients, staff, everybody near or around the place, looked relaxed and happy! Pain seemed dulled, staff worked more efficiently and everyone greeted one another warmly. General Wynn woke, his face grey, and looked about. "Set me down, son. I can walk, though I'd appreciate a stick."

Lionheart supplied that, then looked about, as Wynn did. "One of our chaps did this. The land is happy, the people in it content. I don't need special powers to see that, and it's a good job - I don't have any! There is... there is someone else in here with me though. The man from the future, Stormwarden. He's still here. I don't know what will happen to him."

He looked about. The sun was bright and beaming down. The grass smelt fresh cut, laugher tinkled across the grounds of the Hospital as people cheerily went on their way.

"I don't what will happen to any of us..." he added. A doctor came up and Wynn told him the extent of his injuries. Immediately a team sprang into action and he was whisked off. "Get back to the Manor! Find out what happened to the others! Take charge if you have to, but Frostbite and Anyman, if they still have their powers and memories, are top of the command tree when they get back!" he hollered.

Lionheart looked about.

The land was content, happy, full of hope.

What need then had it of heroes?

END OF ISSUE #9