The Vanguard! Issue #4 - Knifes Edge...

DavidMcMahon wrote:Putty
running out the door right now.
Why not have the inner demon take over Putty and show Putty what he is capable of? After all, Putty has only "had" his original superpowers for 2-3 days and can't really think of much more than stretch and smash or maybe stretch and claws.

OOC Ah. Right, that changes things... Immensely. The 'tiger is out of the cage' shall we say...

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

Frostbite levelled an arm, blasted the Shadow Duke! Once more the creature tumbled back, the sheer power smashing wave after wave of diamond hard ice at his foe!

<<Alert! Using the repertoire of your heightened senses, I detect a being of magnitude beyond any you have encountered! WARNING!!!>>

Frostbite turned, looking at the hole in the floor where the dust rose from. "Putty...?" he murmured.

The Shadow Duke snarled, bearing its teeth. These foes were not worthy of his might! He would... Suddenly the Duke turned, and looked at the hole. In a voice unlike that he'd spoken in earlier, he muttered "Oh no..."

Suddenly the floor exploded outwards and upwards, stone cascading in every direction, dust and rubble flying through the air! The castle shook, and huge cracks appeared in the ancient walls, the ceilings shuddering and coming down in sections.

Then a creature emerged from the hole... and kept growing...



This part of the Castle exploded outwards and upwards as the being grew... and grew... dwarfing the Shadow Duke and the Castle itself, standing several times higher than the place. The creature crashed through several floors below the throne room, the place unable to take the weight, and stone tumbled from on high as it shook itself.

OOC Putty is like...uh... Putty in my hands now, i.e. NPC...

When the wreckage started to settle, some of it shifted. Frostbite thrust a hand out, shifting a fifty ton pile of rock on top of him as if it were paper. (OOC he's in the 100 ton range, and a dash of Larger will see him into the 1000...) With dust and rubble cascading off him, he stood, looking about. A large mound of rubble moved, a groan coming from underneath.

The Castle was in ruins.



Everywhere, walls teetered on the edge of falling, and clouds of dust billowed outwards. Across this world mystics and seers looked up in alarm as they headed for shelter in the deepest caves to escape Mordreds' wrath. What they sensed though, was something far, far more powerful, enough to make Mordred and his legions seem inconsequential! Making the sign of the protective horn, they hurried the people on around them, though in truth knew that whatever this creature was, nothing could hide from its power!

The Duke groaned again and looked up, suddenly showing a look of terror on its face! Gone was the scary booming voice, though it was loud by human standards...

"My Lord!" he cried "I... the others... the council... it was by their will you were usurped! I opposed it from the start! You were ever my ...URK!"

The thing that had been Putty chuckled. "Ah... Duke. You self serving snivelling worm! You dare... DARE to attack me, lay a hand on my host form? Did you think this would end differently for you? In triumph? Feel the power I possess..." said 'Putty' as it grabbed the Duke up in a hand, squeezing... hard. "You have displeased me, as all the brethren have. Know my time is short until such time as I feel the host has gained the power and fortitude to give me a permanent host form, then will all the Shadows know my wrath! THEN will they feel the crushing power in my, and my brothers hands!"

'Putty' turned to Frostbite, a dot to his near enough mile high form. "Brother!" he called down. "I see you! You are hiding behind the wall of your mortal form, but know this! The time comes when our mortal forms can sustain our power better! THEN we shall rule... over all! There will be no more strife, fear, terror, death... only our magnanimous rule for all to bask in! Such glories will be ours! And revenge, on those who exiled us!"

The thing that had been Putty considered for a moment... "I have a plan! You could enhance this mortal form I wear with the Dark Power, and I yours, and we can cast off our mortal lives, stride across the dimensions as the true cosmic powers we are!" His mad gleam shone in the red eyes, and Frostbite shivered. The Dark Powers within would help them fight the Shadow Demons - but it was clear they had their own agenda!

"My brother speaks the truth, Joseph Rigdon. Acting in partnership, there may be a way to enhance each others mortal forms to the point where we can become our true selves, and save the universe from the Shadow Demons! Your sacrifice shall be the greatest mankind has ever known! And I can raise you from the dead to become my herald, send you out into the cosmos to do my will! Think of the glory!" said the inner voice.

Putty turned to the Duke. "Skulk back to the shadow world Duke. Tell them the High Princes will return, and annihilate them all for their impudence!" With that he simply squeezed, and black ichor spurted between his vast fingers, the pulped mashed and destroyed form of the Duke crashing to the floor moments later, destroyed and discarded!

Frostbite stepped aside from the falling form, and looked upon it. Moments before, it had been the most powerful opponent the Vanguard had ever faced. Now it was destroyed. Such power! All he had to do was embrace it! remake the world in his image! Start with this one, then the next! All who opposed him would be cleansed in purifying fire, piled high into mountains of sinners and torched! He clenched a fist at the thought of it, the screams that would ring out, deafening, and the power it would give him!

Then Joe remembered who and what he was...

He looked up, and at the massive form of the Shadow High Prince that had been Putty.

He had the biggest problem anyone had ever known...

OOC Putty in NPC mode. Needless to say, frames and initiative won't be much of an issue here. Think... Daredevil fighting Galactus for comparison.

Frostbite

OOC:

IC: Frostbite gulped, "What have you done?"

"My brother speaks the truth, Joseph Rigdon. Acting in partnership, there may be a way to enhance each others mortal forms to the point where we can become our true selves, and save the universe from the Shadow Demons! Your sacrifice shall be the greatest mankind has ever known! And I can raise you from the dead to become my herald, send you out into the cosmos to do my will! Think of the glory!" said the inner voice.

Joe, deep within the being that had some measure of control over his body felt dazed and confused. He realised that these beings, were in league with them, but such power - could such creatures truly understand the needs of his people. Might they be as capricious as the old gods of the Greeks and Romans, changeable and unpredictable. What kind of world would he be inflicting, in place of that which they were trying to fight.

But at the same time what could he offer these creatures? Without their help all would be doomed, yet ultimately to cooperate might be to inflict, sooner or later, one tyranny for another.

Flying upward, he came into the eye line of Putty. "Putty...I know you are in there. Resist this incursion, for we both know that we have given ourselves as hosts, but we will do this in cooperation not coercion. Its our way or no way. Your size has achieved much more than we could have hoped, but you are in danger of harming our friends and the grail. We have a mission to undertake and we will undertake it, as planned. Regain your senses, for our duty calls."

Frostbite knew he was playing a dangerous game, but in truth even now he could see how the sheer power of this creature made it indifferent to the reasons they'd come and the people they'd come with. Such a being couldn't be considered intentionally callous, just indifferent to the smallness of mankind and yet it was that smallness that mattered. For in the nitty gritty of everyday life, countless things changed and it was as men, that Frostbite was convinced, his team were going to win this or die trying.

Sj

The Vanguard - Frostbite and Putty

A backhand from the Giant.

Frostbite didn't even see it coming.

BANG!

The world spun, and the next thing he knew, he crashed into the ground, stone spiderwebbing with cracks all about, a small crater where he'd impacted, and rocks still flying up... up...

<<Alert... Zkrrrrhgjhgjhg... vital signs... jhgjhtfail... skrrzzzz krrrrssshhhhh grnnnn Warning!!!>>

His vision was a mess of flashing lights, warnings, flickering displays and fluctuating readings. With a cry he realised both legs were broken, and not just in one place. Pulling himself up with one good arm, the other dislocated and hanging loose, he winced in pain as he felt ribs floating about underneath the skin. Blood oozed on his rapidly thawing skin, dripping to his chest and costume. The plate in his chest spattered with the red liquid. The world reeled. Concussion claws at Frostbites' consciousness, and he turned, head down, retching dry. Taking in vast gulps of air, he felt his body reknitting itself, bones and flesh reforming slowly under the skin. He could survive this. He could live, He just needed...

A vast dark shadow fell across him.

"You dare to defy me? ME? I am your brethren! You should embrace your natural form! Cast off your mortal shell! It is weakness, and vulnerability, and uselessness combined!" bellowed the giant. The ground shook, trees crunching a mile away with every step, and buildings crumbling. Above the vast form black clouds gathered and swirled, boiling with a power and fury even Stormwarden as his majestic best couldn't match!! Red lightning flashed across the sky, matching the colour of Puttys eyes. A flex of the fists, head tilted towards the heavens and an awful, echoing laugh that made the world shudder. Every being, tiny or titanic, knew a god walked amongst them.

And the God was angry.

"You should listen to my brother mortal. You are broken, bleeding, but my power will fix you. Then you can use our power on him, and his on us, and restore my power so that your world shall know peace! Mankinds free will shall ever be the problem, and so it must be quashed. No murder, no strife, no suffering." there was a pause, then the voice continued. "Until you submit to the inevitable, you should consider my words... as a mortal."

Suddenly, agonisingly, Joseph Rigdon sagged, his powers having left him completely!

OOC Joe has no superhuman powers of any kind right now, and he's in massive, massive trouble. His body is dying, collapsed, broken and bleeding in so many places a life support team would have given up on him.

As breath by agonising breath rattled from his collapsed lungs, and the world started to dim, Joe Rigdon looked up. The giant that had been his friend, Putty, now a High Prince of Shadow Demons, shrunk to man size and strolled over, even as the dying man sagged back, staring at the powerful maelstrom overhead. Thunder cracked and rumbled, and red lightning speared the sky, destroying anything it touched down on!

Crouching, the Shadow Prince looked down. "Take my hand and be restored, mortal. Then by your own free will accept your sacrifice and save your world!" it rasped. Blood flowed in Joes eyes, and he coughed more up, his breath rattling in his throat.

"NO!" screeched a female voice. Joe glanced over, all his supreme will and effort going into staying conscious, and therefore alive! Elesieth, blood pouring from her head, dragging a leg behind her, an arm severed at the elbow and her other hanging useless, cried out with agony with every step. She muttered a spell, and crashed the floor before trying to struggle up. "Don't give in Frostbite! Never give in!" she screamed. Her spell went off, a magic glowing arrow that struck the Shadow Prince in the side. He didn't even blink.

He stood, and waved. Elesieth ceased to exist as her atoms were scattered with a thought, and Joe tried to cry out, but his throat barely worked. The Shadow Prince looked down. "Death? Or life, your universe, and all others, saved?" it asked.

Behind where Elesieth had been, half buried under rubble, Archon had seen and heard some of what had gone on. He cried out, and his spirit, his soul self, left his shattered body, soaring up like a torch against the blackness of the sky. "You shall die, demon!" he bellowed, and sped towards the Shadow Prince. The Shadow Prince didn't even acknowledge him.

Archon simply winked out of existence.

"Your answer?" rasped the Shadow Prince.

The Vanguard - Lionheart and Stormwarden

Lionheart ground the lunarium X of an arrowhead into fine shards, and from there, into dust. He'd found basic tools in the barn, and Stormwarden watched the Nazis with a stern eye, all the while looking out into the fog knowing more Nazis would be coming, but not knowing if they could find him.

Shadow Vulture stepped up to Stormwarden. "I'm useless without my powers, but I know enough to say that they will be coming. She..." he pointed to Mistress Might "Is a squad leader. She'll be tracked thanks to a device inserted under her skin. They'll come for her once they realise she's not dead, but the range of the things means the Nazis will have to sweep the skies within a mile or two to get a fix. We need to get moving."

Lionheart squinted, concentrating. Finely, he waved Stormwarden over and nodded. Grabbing an old discarded cup, coffee stained and cobwebbed, the Vanguardian cleaned it out in a water trough in the yard. No one had come out of the farmhouse, and this early in the morning, they'd be more likely to be working their fields, though with the torrential storms of the past couple of days, that would be a thankless task!

Moments later, Lionheart slips the finely powdered Lunarium X into the cup and bids the Nazis drink. Naturally, Mistress Might protests, but Shadow Vulture is only too happy to help restrain her, and Vine seems relieved when she realises what the drink might mean. After both have drunk, they stand back, a grimace on their face. "What have you done?" cried Mistress Might. "Traitor!" she cries, and rushes at Shadow Vulture.

With Stormwarden across the barn, Shadow Vulture moves a few more metres to the side and regains his powers. It's a simple matter to backhand the oncoming Nazi then follow up with a punch that puts her out. Vine, with tears in her eyes, nods, and says "Make it quick." as a tear rolls down her face. Shadow Vulture wipes it away with a gloved finger, then nods, speaking gently. "Little one. Of all of us, yours is the saddest story. I hope you find peace. Go, don't tell them where we are heading." Her eyes brighten, and she turns, only for Shadow Vulture to strike her across the back of the head, then catch and lower her down. "If she is caught later they will torture her. This way, she will name me only as the traitor I hope, and perhaps they will let her live." He strokes hair from her face and turns to the Vanguardians. "I can fly under my own power. London is less than an hour away. So long as you keep that hammer away from me I won't have my powers nulled."

=========

London stands stark and grey against the brightening skies. In the lull of Stormwardens weather agitation, the place seems cleaner, quieter, more ... normal. When the small group, Stormwarden carrying Lionheart, gets nearer, they see Nazi flyers, the small flying single man ships they'd spotted when they first came to this realm, and decided to head lower, to stick to the cover of the myriad concrete canyons that formed the city.

Shadow Vulture turns to Lionheart as they gently land in an alleyway. "The White Hart Lane prison is the biggest, and is where this White Warlock will be held. I am sure of it."



Dressed in dark grey/black the former Nazi cut a sinister figure in the darkness. "My powers are to do with getting into places, and striking silently from the air.I am faster, stronger, more agile than a normal human. You say you wish to free this White Warlock? I did hear mention of such a man. He is... was... considered a threat, but now? He is broken, an empty shell. Years of torture and not being allowed to die will do that." Suddenly he paused, and looked across at Stormwarden. "Is something wrong?" he asked.

Stormwarden knew something was wrong, somewhere, but didn't know what, or how. Something to do with his friends? Probably. He hoped they'd be alright.

Shadow Vulture glanced at Lionheart "To get into that place, you will need focus, guile and courage. Distractions will get us all killed!" he hissed. "And I for one do not intend to die until I have freed the prisoners and made sure that place will never be used by the Nazis again!" he hissed. Lionheart knew the man boiled over with anger without having to use his powers, but would he keep a cool head when the pressure built up?

He looked at Stormwarden. He too, seemed agitated. Something, somewhere else, was happening.

=========

Elsewhere, miles away, in Wales...

Adjutant called out. His voice echoed around the caverns under the old castle. He addressed the man in black with formality,but had the strangest feeling, like he'd had with Stormwarden, that they'd met before. Nowhere Man looked up. He was digging away at encrusted rock with a pick and shovel, mask stripped off, covered in dirt. He'd been slogging away for hours. The sum total of his findings, a stone, with long faded etchings saying "Whomsoever finds..." in an old tongue. His powers were still diminished, but that was always the way with a resurrection. And how many times had it been? And now this. He didn't need it.

He stood, mopping his brow, whilst putting the pick down. Adjutant, unsullied, the paragon of virtue in white, hovered at the other end of the cavern. Nazi. James Caldwell ground the word between his teeth. "What do you want? I'm busy."

Adjutant hovered closer. "You took some finding, but no one can hide from me. You are a terrorist, wanted by the state and am here to take you in."

Nowhere Man leaned back against the rock. These caverns had long been caved in, centuries ago. He'd found them by scouring old dusty texts in a library, in the sections marked "For burning" but long since forgotten and boarded up. Walls were no barrier to the man from Nowhere.

"This isn't supposed to be. This time. You. You're a better man." said Caldwell, then he narrowed his eyes. "But you know that don't you? My friend Stormwarden. You've spoken to him? He is very persuasive, and to the point. He won't mince his words. You know he told you the truth. I think..."

Nowhere Mans' voice trailed off. "I... Frostbite? Putty?"

Even Adjutant was alarmed to see the look on the 'sinister terrorists' face! As a resistance leader he'd been high on the wanted list, but always evaded justice. Adjutant had been surprised to find he was a metahuman, but there was no denying it. And, like Stormwarden, he knew there was far far more than met the eye. Like an Iceberg. Another one. Another god that walked amongst men. How many more?

Nowhere Man looked up at Adjutant "I hope you still know how to pray, Nazi..." he muttered.

Frostbite

"Your answer?" rasped the Shadow Prince.

Frostbite gulped, he couldn't believe the range of power he faced and yet as the demon prince had said, free will was their problem. He had been right, their rule would reduce humankind to mere slaves.

"Tell me this oh great prince. How is it for all your power you and your brethren were banished? No, for despite all your power yet you have been previously bested. You and I walk a similar path. We wish to see the end of your brothers, imposing their will on mankind. But I will not fight one tyranny, only to see it replaced by another. Know this, I will deprive your brother of this body, for despite your great power within our world I suspect you cannot work alone, you need our form to work through. So here is your choice, work with us or you will forever remain banished and alone?"

Frostbite tired, beaten and yet defiant looked the Prince in the eye and held his gaze as he waited in trepidation.

Sj

Steeple_jackuk wrote:Frostbite

"Your answer?" rasped the Shadow Prince.

Frostbite gulped, he couldn't believe the range of power he faced and yet as the demon prince had said, free will was their problem. He had been right, their rule would reduce humankind to mere slaves.

"Tell me this oh great prince. How is it for all your power you and your brethren were banished? No, for despite all your power yet you have been previously bested. You and I walk a similar path. We wish to see the end of your brothers, imposing their will on mankind. But I will not fight one tyranny, only to see it replaced by another. Know this, I will deprive your brother of this body, for despite your great power within our world I suspect you cannot work alone, you need our form to work through. So here is your choice, work with us or you will forever remain banished and alone?"

Frostbite tired, beaten and yet defiant looked the Prince in the eye and held his gaze as he waited in trepidation.

Sj

OOC ... is the right answer. Well done

The Vanguard - Frostbite and Putty

There was a terrible silence for what seemed like minutes. Rage was written across the Shadow Princes' face. He clenched fists, leaned back, and bellowed to the skies! Red lightning lanced down, and where it struck a living being, it would jump to another nearby, and carry for hundreds of yards annihilating every plant, every insect, anything left of Mordreds' forces! Trees imploded, woodland animals were incinerated. The shadow elves, minions of Mordred, cried out as lightning flashed through their forms, reducing them to dust! In the forest, the last of the brotherhood, and those of Mordreds' forces they battle, died. A moment later, there was no life for miles around, and the place was blackened, desolate, a wasteland. Smoking and charred, it presented a vision of what the Shadow Demons' world was, and what they threatened to do to Earth, and every other planet in the cosmos!

The Shadow Prince sneered, sucking up a great breath through his nose and snarling at his fallen comrade. "Your lack of foresight shall prove mankinds' undoing!" he bellowed. Then he looked at his hand, and held it up. It seemed to be cracking like an eggshell, and light streaming through the cracks. "These flimsy bodies were not made for our power. Not yet. But when the time comes, we shall claim our rightful place as rulers of reality! And you, mortal, you I shall resurrect, to turn into a slave!"

And with that, the Shadow Prince collapsed into a puddle of gray ooze, splattering like water across the shattered rock. It slowly began to reform, as Putty reasserted a hold on his body.

"You have defied my brother Joseph Rigdon. Despite my anger, you have pleased me. You, and your friends, are the only ones suited to play host to our power. Sooner or later you must succumb to the inevitable, but it will be at a time when things are so dark, so lost, and hopeless, that you will beg me to come forth and set things right. What will my answer be? We shall see... mortal. Rise." said the voice within.

<<...Rebooting. Online. Scanning bodily functions...>> said the computer.

Joe groaned, but could feel that not only had he regained his powers, but his shattered, dying body had been restored. His skin iced over again, and he groaned as twisted legs were straightened, but no longer broken in several places. Rising slowly to his feet, he saw Putty recovering, becoming more like the P'utinarian he was, an alien unversed in the power he wielded. A tear rolled down Frostbites cold cheek as he looked around.

Now he knew how the Japanese must have felt when the bombs dropped in World War II...

For miles around, the land lay barren, blasted, blackened.

Dead.

Frostbite

OOC: Phew, glad I got to put that together in a way that made sense.

For miles around, the land lay barren, blasted, blackened.
Dead.

As he got to his feet, still unsteady, Frostbite couldn't look at Putty instead he started to search. Digging among the ruins, Frostbite looked for Archon, Elesieth, was their any trace left of their friends? What about the grail and Morganna, had it all been for nothing?

He looked around, the black and the dead a haunting reminder of the terrible power and the terrify responsibility they all carried. They were time bombs walking a knife's edge, but to surrender the power was to capitulate to the Shadows. A deep a powerful resolve ran through Frostbite at that moment. It wasn't hard to feel emotional standing with the ruins of so much that had been alive. If it was within his power, he would give his all to save mankind. This was his role, his occupation, his purpose and he would rather die that fail. But looking about he felt powerless still. There was still so much to do. "Putty, look for the grail and Morganna's tomb." He said this as much to give them focus, as to take his mind of the blackened wilderness that he felt stood as a silent witness to the terrible fate that they stood against, but also stood with as well.

Sj

Lionheart

Lionheart didn't need his powers to see something troubled the Master of storms, "You alright, big guy?" He asked unsure of what to do.

They still had so much to do, but he was grateful for an ally in Shadow Vulture.

Sj

PUTTY

ooc: HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

Remind me to never, EVER, submit to the dark side ever again!!!!!!!!!!!

DavidMcMahon wrote:PUTTY

ooc: HOLY CRAP!!!!!!

Remind me to never, EVER, submit to the dark side ever again!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually this is one of the reasons I've roll played being very reluctant to let this happen, although I've been curious to see what would happen, (curiosity officially sated I might add ;-) But I knew that when Paul started talking about assigning a number as to how high one wanted to go and the cautious undertone to his replies as well as the way he RP'd the dark powers - that they clearly had another agenda. Oh well once devoured bitten twice shy ;-).

Sj

Stormwarden

Lionheart didn't need his powers to see something troubled the Master of storms, "You alright, big guy?" He asked unsure of what to do.

They still had so much to do, but he was grateful for an ally in Shadow Vulture.

Sj

" am...not..sure." was the only response Stormy could make. "Something else is happening." He straightened up. "Has happened?" He shook his head. "I don't know. I can't make it out. But another factor has come into play."

He concentrated and focused on what they were doing. He was wondering, trying to make out just what he HAD felt. Well, it would come in time. He had to rely on Frostbite and Putty to do their jobs, whilst he did his. They must right the time line.

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

OOC quite a bit of autopilot for this post - you've done the hard work, been through the fire, and hopefully will come out... well, alive, if not stronger And learnt a valuable lesson about the nature of power. It often has a price, and absolute power corrupts... well, absolutely. Onwards...

Putty looked about. The place was... blackened, torched, dead. It looked like a rain of fire had come down on the place, or some enormous bomb had gone off, or... or a god had gone mad, and taken it out on its surroundings.

Frostbite moved over to where Elesieth had been. There was a dark smudge where her belongings hadn't torched as much as her body, but the Elf girl was gone. He knelt, running a hand softly over the black ash that covered the ground where she'd died. All about, the same black ash. one instant, the land had been vibrant, alive, beautiful. In the blink of an eye it had been rendered lifeless. Black volcanic ash covering everything in sight for miles, trees were charred twigs jutting from the floor, the water in the nearby streams steamed and bubbled, too hot to go near, never mind drink from. Frostbite dusted his hands, standing, and set his mind to the task. Always the task. Never time to grieve, or feel, or rejoice, in whatever few triumphs he felt their group had achieved. The world, the universe, needed saving. Right now it felt like it needed saving from himself and his friends.

=========

Sifting through the rubble and fallen stone, it had taken some time to find the room they'd been battling in. Charred and melted armour marked the spot where Mordred and his knights had been utterly destroyed. The sword, Excalibur, supposedly, was a charred lump of molten metal. So much for that. Puttys terrific strength and amazing oozing body was invaluable as the pair searched the torched ruins. A gentle ash snow began to fall, grey against the blackened building and torched floor. Silence reigned.

=========

After an hour or two, Putty finally came across something. With all his strength, he dragged the crystal coffin of Morgana from the rubble. There wasn't a mark on it, despite it being under tons of stone.



Next to her, the plain gold goblet the Vanguardians had come for.

Over the next quarter of an hour, the Vanguardians tried all methods, from subtle to savage, to make a mark on the coffin. There was nothing they could do, it seemed! For all their vaunted power, the crystal coffin defied all efforts to mark or even dent it. It seemed their quest had been hopeless, to get so far and yet fail.

Frostbite sagged opposite Putty. The pair had hardly spoken a word to each other over the last few hours. Though both healed in body, the scars of the mind ran deep, and would long cause suffering into sleepless nights and beyond.

Frostbite sighed, about to say something, when he saw behind Putty, a bone sticking out from the rubble. Hadn't all the knights been torched?

<<The remains appear to have been there for some time, easily decades, perhaps even centuries, given the strange nature of this place.>> confirmed the computer in Frostbites' head. Digging out the remains with Puttys strength, Frostbites intangible form providing directions, the pair dragged out the armour clad bones of a long dead warrior. He appeared to have died from numerous wounds judging by the holes punched in the armour and the dark brown stains that would once have been red. His scabbard was empty, though by his side was a small sheath holding a dagger. Everything was coated with dust and debris, but despite this, both Vanguardians knew this man had been mighty in life. Putty pulled the dagger from the sheath as Frostbite lay the body down gently, and was astonished to see the knife blade glinted, shining and polished like a mirror, despite it's handle and sheath being rusted!

Looking at each other, the pair moved over to the coffin. With trembling hands Putty pressed the blade onto the crystal coffin... and into it, like jelly! Despite the knifes' appearance, its edge could only be described as magical, and lethal, with the way it cut through the impervious coffin! in moments the coffin had been cut away, turning liquid and like slush as each section was put aside.

And Morgana breathed, a long, gasping sigh of air! Her hands opened, the grail rolling clear to clang on the floor, and she opened her eyes at the sound, gaping at the strange sight of the Vanguardians looking back at her! The astonishment continued as she looked about at the ruined castle, the falling ash. When she rose, rather than seeing walls, she saw open countryside, all of it, as far as the eye could see, blackened and volcanic, a scene from a nightmare! Tears misted her eyes, and she turned to the Vanguard "Tell me... have I woken in hell?" she asked...

PUTTY

And Morgana breathed, a long, gasping sigh of air! Her hands opened, the grail rolling clear to clang on the floor, and she opened her eyes at the sound, gaping at the strange sight of the Vanguardians looking back at her! The astonishment continued as she looked about at the ruined castle, the falling ash. When she rose, rather than seeing walls, she saw open countryside, all of it, as far as the eye could see, blackened and volcanic, a scene from a nightmare! Tears misted her eyes, and she turned to the Vanguard "Tell me... have I woken in hell?" she asked...

Putty shuddered in grief and shame and sank into the ground, letting Frostbite talk with the woman instead. He hid and listened.

Frostbite

OOC: Thought your last post was very apt and well executed.

...she turned to the Vanguard "Tell me... have I woken in hell?" she asked...

Frostbite gave he a long steady but weary look. "We..." He began to say, not sure really where to start. "Your land needs you Morganna. And I know that the Grail needs to be recharged, so that its power might bring healing to many and that is where we come in."

Beginning at from the time when they the time line was overhauled, he brought her up to date with the pertinent details including how they got into her realm and how even here the shadows were darkening.

When he finished he flashed a quick knowing look Putty's way, he'd left out a great deal including how the castle and countryside about, had been laid waste. Instead he simply implied it was as a consequence of Mordred's dealings with the shadows, which hadn't been entirely wrong.

He then waited to hear what Morganna would say.

Sj

The Vanguard - Stormwarden and Lionheart

Stormwarden knew something momentous had happened, but couldn't nail down what it was. Here, in this timeline, his 'inner voice' was silenced, the power within holding off the effects of the time stream whilst the rest of reality went on about its new course. He hoped the others were still alive, but if not it fell to him to restore life as they knew it. It was a heavy weight for even his shoulders to carry...

Sticking to the shadows of buildings, the trio travelled across London. The rain was light now, and blue sky started peeking through the clouds. Stormwarden was bone weary, and could barely summon the strength to fly. Lionheart too, was feeling the strain. His costume dirty and tattered around the edges, their toil at the site of Stonehenge had been back breaking, but they knew they were racing against the clock.



Finally the buildings started to thin. Progress had been painfully slow, taking horus in order to avoid detection. The city was buzzing with police and armed force activity, and occasionally meta humans would fly, swing, leap, run or drive by, watching the populace for signs of insurrection. Shadow Vulture came back to the group clad in a trenchcoat he'd 'borrowed' from a tramp, in return for every last deutschmark he had. Lionheart had vouched for the man having given him a quick scan, and he returned with a grim look on his face, moving to the shadows to pull his mask on and ditch the coat. He held up a newspaper. Though the Vanguardians couldn't read German too well, the headlines were clear - Martial Law had been declared, and war against the resistance had seen their numbers crushed, their light extinguished by the mighty 3rd Reich!

Shadow Vulture scrunched the paper up and tossed it down in disgust. "The prison will be on full alert. This is the quietest part of the fence that I was able to see. Every gated area is crawling with armed guards, mechs, and metahumans. Every gun turret is manned, and rocket launchers stand ready in the grounds. Something is going on. Something big. Massive even. To get in there, we'll need a miracle."

Suddenly Shadow Vulture looked about. "Do you hear that?"

Lionheart and Stormwarden, neither blessed with superhuman senses, glanced around. They stood in an alley between two large buildings across the street from the grass area surrounding the vast White Hart Lane prison complex. Aside from the odd occasional distant siren, and even more distant gunfire as the authorities pacified unfortunates too slow to obey their orders, there was nothing...

"Something... up!" said Shadow Vulture, moving to the side!

BANGGGG!!!!!!



From a crater in the floor where Shadow Vulture had stood only seconds before, a 9' tall glowing green skinned giant rose. With a pig like face, and skin that resembled a cracked eggshell. With a deep voice that sounded like stone on stone, the newcomer stood, and spoke, to no one in particular (OOC translated from German) "This is the Devastator. The Witches were right. I have found them!"

Immediately, Shadow Vulture held his hands up and looked to the Vanguardians. "I have no idea how they found us! I swear! I don't know who... or what this is either!"

The glow coming off the ... thing ... was brighter as it snarled, bunching fists and enormous muscles up into bulging balls of knotted iron like hardness. It laughed, and said in crude English "You were not worth tracking, traitor! But our witches and PSI operatives can spot one of these two shining like a beacon! How do you like my body? A new serum, and I am one of the first honoured enough to get it! And I get to test my power on you!"

OOC Feel free to post dialogue, but combat will take place in the next issue, no.5, coming up tomorrow. Hopefully (he says) all these loose threads can be pulled together and the Vanguard fighting as one again, including the new arrival

Lionheart

Lionheart looked at Muller, he believe the man, but worst still he didn't like the idea that the creature before him had gotten its power by means of something new, did this mean the Lunarium would be useless. Only one way to find out. Lionheart speed forward, taking the Lunarium powder he rushed up to the creature, took a flying leap and blew it into his face. "Hey ugly, with a face like that this little beauty powder won't make much of a difference, but hey can you blame me for trying. Call me a good Samaritan - but I just hate to see you suffer any longer the burden of bearing such an ugly mug!"

Though no one could see him, his bravado covered Lionheart's weariness and despair.

Sj

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

Morgana listened, proving to be other than what the Vanguardians might expect given her legend and the evil she had done. She really had changed, and she gathered the cup up, cradling it in her hands. "The magic is gone from this land, or will be soon. I see around the life has gone too..." she looked at Frostbite, who turned away, and Putty, with his head in his hands, grief stricken. "I see... much. But I haven't lived to be centuries old and not be able to see beyond what my eyes behold. I sense great power about you, and great tragedy too. I think.. .I think your intentions were good, noble. You came to help. What happened was ... unforeseen? Nonetheless, you have woken me, and without magic, I will wither and die. So! Where to get the magic? The gates have been closed, including the great stone ring on the hills several miles distant."

She looked at the dagger cast aside on the floor. "My brothers' blade."

She waved a hand.

"Excalibur."



She looked across, at the bones and wispy hair on the skeleton clad in armour. "Arthur was a brute. He forced himself... no." she looked at Frostbite, before saying "I will not sully his memory. He is dead. In his way, he saved Britain of old, but the stories told of him in ages since know nothing of the shadows darkening his heart. No warrior is ever truly good. In order to slaughter their foes, they must call upon the baser instincts, and use them, or perish themselves by the blade." She looked about. "Mordred deserved his fate but... I'm not sure the price was worth paying."

With a sigh, she held out a hand, and Frostbite watched, then started forward, offering her his so the Queen could step down from the rubble. "I suggest we head to the stone circle. From what you speak of, the gate to your land may have been reopened by your friends. One can but hope. If that is the case, the magic will flow between the gates and replenish me. I will heal the land, and you may take the cup."

She glanced at the sword. "No weapon may pass between the gates however. I can... " she smiled. "Let's see if the gate is open first shall we?" The Queen looked to Putty, and knelt by his side. The pliable man shrank away from her gentle touch. "Hush." she whispered, and raised his oozing chin with a finger. Tears misted the Vanguardians eyes with grief, and Morgana looked deep into them. "Hush. I see you. You. Behind this flesh, your soul is good. Carry with you what you have done. Never forget, and it will make you a far better person. A far better hero. We fall so that we learn to pick ourselves up."

"I should know."

She gently leaned in and kissed Putty on the mouth, a gentle, tender gesture that shamed and cheered Putty in equal measure, then she helped him stand. Turning to Frostbite, she said "Let's get to the gate before I'm too old to walk..."

Her beauty was ageing before the pairs eyes! Liver spots marked her hands, and her hair was already laced with grey!

Using the last of her magic, the Queen waved her hands, chanting... and the trio floated, lighter than air! Hand in hand they flew from the ruins of the Castle, the Queen getting older with every moment as she held on to the Vanguardians on either side of her...

=========

Minutes later, the trio flew over the blackened landscape, finally seeing trees and grass, life, in the distance. Beyond that, forested hills, and on one of those, a ring of standing stones that looked like Stonehenge.

And around it, gathered in their hundreds, a mob, venting their rage and fury to the heavens!

As the trio flew closer, they saw the aged queen, now resembling a woman in her eighties, carried by Putty.

"The demons!" cried one man, a seer. His eyes had been blasted out as he looked upon the scene of the battle from afar, and the lightning had burnt his sight from him! "Kill them! Slay them!" said others.

The mood began to boil, and the Vanguardians looked at each other. Would they have to fight again? Frostbite feared Putty was in no fit shape for a battle right now...

"Silence!" croaked the old woman, held up by Puttys helpful arm. Instantly, those nearest the trio hushed, recognising the Queen, albeit one aged by decades since they'd seen her last! The murmur spread through the crowd, and the Queen, with Putty aiding, hobbled through the parting people who bowed at her passing, whilst shooting evil glances at the outlanders.

"These men... these gods, among men, have freed me, and the land, from a great evil. It has not been without cost, and one that these two shall evermore carry. But I say to you this! They have given me the means to restore this land! To restore peace, to quash evil, to restore justice, and the means to call each creature, high or low born, brother and sister! From the ashes of tragedy shall our land rise! Behold!"

Stood in the stone circle with the Vanguardians beside her, Morgana raised the grail high. It shone like the sun, drawing gasps from the crowd, and sparkled with energy as glowing light poured from above into the cup, sploshing over the edges and onto the ground. Where the energy landed, flowers sprouted instantly! The Queen raised the cup and drank, sighing as her body removed the years, once more becoming youthful and beautiful! The gasps grew anew, and thousands of people gathered on the hill bowed knelt as one! Somewhere, heavenly music seemed to play, and the sun shone down on the scene. Whether blinded by Morganas' beauty or the energy in the circle, it was hard to say, but Putty and Frostbite felt a weight lifted from them when the Queen smiled. She touched each Vanguardian lightly on the cheek, and looked at the cup. "Heal your world." she said simply "As I will heal mine."

"Anáil nathrach, ortha bhas betha, do cheol déanta"

The Queen chanted the charm of making, and the stones glowed bright, like silver! She paced to the edge of the stones and looked back at the pair, as her people stood, lit by the glow of the now silver stones. "I shall send you... to ..." she smiled. "Honour a debt first. The sword..." she glanced at Excalibur by her feet on the grass. "The sword I shall take to a pool of still water." she said, smiling. "Fare thee well, warriors of the shadow. I, and the land, thank you."

There was a blinding flash of light!

And then everything went dark for the Vanguardians...

=========

Earth. London. A cave under the ruins of Buckingham palace, and a mans fading hope...

James Peterson was tired beyond knowing. He looked up. The air was still, silent, as it had been for days. Hope had faded. The Queen had said the Nazis were building to some big event, and the resistance had finally been crushed. It was the end. Soon they would come. He would force his aged body to fight, and he would die. His Queen? She might be kept as a momento, a curiosity, or thawed out and killed. He dreaded to think what else the Nazis might do, and a tear misted his eye.

Just then, a flaring light appeared in the chamber, and he shielded his eyes, fumbling for his gun! Blinking,he looked into the darkness, and his eyes adjusted!

"We're back" said Frostbite, simply.

In his hands he held a glowing cup.

The holy grail.

=========

Nowhere Man looked at the rock. Adjutant had burned away the encrusted muck around it, and he'd hoped to see a stone set in the stone. There was a hole where the sword might have been, but nothing else.

"You may as well take me in. Or kill me." said Nowhere Man. "My powers haven't returned fully yet. You have me. I'm done running." behind him, Adjutant pondered. The pair stood on the edge of an underground lake. It's inky black waters glittered near the shore thanks to Adjutant willing a light effect to form around him. With a sigh, he knew he would have to do his duty.

=========

In the land of Myth the Queen waved away all questions, striding down a hillside towards a lake, sword in hand. Her puzzled subjects followed, murmuring and wondering what the Queen would do next. She had spoken again, saying that she would raise an army of the light to destroy the forces of darkness, Mordreds' forces still presenting a threat to the realm, even without their leader. Despite the battles to come, the people knew their Queen would prevail. Their love would empower her, and hers in return would bring peace to the land at last.

Reaching the edge of the water, the Queen knelt. She thrust the sword, along with her arm, dress and all, deep into the calm clear water and smiled, looking down.

=========

An underground cavern in Wales...

Adjutant looked up. "What the...?" Nowhere Man turned, saw Adjutants gaze, and looked out across the water. A short distance out, a glowing figure lay under the water, and a sword was thrust from its robed hand!

"Don't just stand there!" muttered Adjutant. "Go!"

Nowhere Man strode out into the lake, and reached for the sword. He glanced at the woman. She was beautiful, but there was sadness touching her face. As Nowhere Man closed his hand around the hilt her hand released from the blade, and the resurrected hero raised the shining blade aloft! The glowing woman faded from view...

He strode from the lake, looking at the sword, then up at Adjutant. "I need to get to London in a hurry." he said.

There was silence as the enemies stared at each other, then Adjutant smiled "Why not? It wouldn't be the strangest thing I've done or seen this day."

=========

The Enchanted land...

The Queen strode back to the ruins of her castle. She frowned, and knelt. The ash covered landscape was broken, by a single tiny green bud, which, before the Queens eyes, struggled to break through the ash layer. With a whispered spell, she watched as the bud sprouted, becoming green and vibrant. The ground rumbled and she stepped back as a tree burst from the ground, growing all the while. It rose up, up... and white blossoms coated the branches.

Walking slowly around it in wonder, the Queen paused. From the trunk, a wooden hand emerged, then an arm, and a torso. Finally, a figure dropped to the floor, naked and with every passing heartbeat lightening in colour, the wood becoming like flesh. It was a young maiden, Elvish.

Elesieth looked up into the eyes of her Queen, and tears rolled down her face with joy. "We did it!" she cried!

OOC Frostbite and Putty can post again in here, any dialogue as required, and we'll be moving to issue #5 tomorrow night...

Frostbite

OOC: Not to sound like a complete suck up, but when I played other PBEM, its good to know that narratively its time to move on and set the scene. I think this post and several before hand have done that. What often makes PBEM tedious is that it takes so long to feel like you're getting anyway, the change of pace where you'e written out what you've put here really offsets that and besides which I loved the connections, Nowhere Man getting the sword and Elesieth coming back. FB certainly has a soft spot for her and I think her for him.

I'm going to take things up from reappearing in the Queen's chamber with Peterson etc.



IC:
Frostbite looked about, somehow she'd done it. Did that mean the stones were functioning properly? The grail had been replenished. Hopefully it wouldn't be beyond them that they might yet be able to get the grail back to aid Morganna's forces of light.

Seeing Peterson, weary but still vigilant, Frostbite strode forward. Weary not of body but of the burden that they'd had thrust upon them. "Peterson, you look tired." Frostbite knew he wasn't one to talk, but still held up the cup for Peterson to see.

Then after satisfying his curiosity, Frostbite lead the way to the Queen, first bowing before her majesty before again holding up the Grail. "Mam, thanks to your help we were successful. Behold the lost Grail, recovered one last time at mankind's darkening hour."

Sj

PUTTY


Putty follows behind, his shoulders more bent than usual with a deeply lined face that makes him somehow look decades older than the young man he once was.

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

Petersen stared at the cup, then glanced at the queen, frozen in ice. "Ma'am..." he said, turning back to stare at the cup.

"You have exceeded our wildest hopes. You have the gratitude of a nation imperilled, one conquered, but not defeated. Never cowed whilst men and women like you and your friends are there to shine a light against the darkness. Now... Now we can rest. Finally."

The voice was heard in the head of those gathered, and Peterson nodded. "Ma'am, surely you wish to wait, to see this through? To see the land freed, to..."

"We were custodian of the Chalice, and saw it stolen whilst it was our responsibility. In lieu of surviving royal heirs, these two and their companions will be the custodians of the Grail. Godspeed, gentlemen. Peterson, more than any other, you have been a dear and loyal servant to the crown. You are now freed from all obligations. Seek the life we took from you. None has earnt a rest more than thee."

And that was it. The machines monitoring the Queens' life signs suddenly winked off. Peterson ran over to the machines, frantically trying to turn them back on.

To no avail.

The light shining down on the former Queen of England blinked off, and only the blue chestplate of Frostbite illuminated the room. Sir James Peterson sighed, then turned to the pair of you. "Gentlemen." he said, trying to maintain his composure. "A nation implores you to set events right. We will not meet in this life again, but I trust you will seek me out in the next. Ever will you have a friend in me, and the crown."

He stood to attention, hand placed over heart. "Remember these words... nos es eternus miles militis of regnum... If you should need access to the Knights of the Crown say those words. They translate, roughly, as 'We are Eternal Knights of the Realm'. Guard the words with your life, gentlemen, for they unlock doors no key ever could."

He turned, heaving a backpack to his shoulder. With a grin, the years fell away from the man. "I never doubted you'd succeed, and neither did she. Though at one point... " he grinned again. "Fare thee well brothers." and with a pat on each of your shoulders, the man walked from the room he'd lived most of his adult life in. He paused, several steps out and looked over his shoulder.

"Turn the lights off and lock up on your way out..."

OOC END OF ISSUE #4

Frostbite

OOC: Very apt and poignant end to issue 4.

Sj