15 Minute Writing Challenge (Just Write)

Changeling looked sideways to Raven and said, "Pretty-Spooky, what did you just say?"

"I said that Travis Morgan should look to Earth. Specifically, where the Gordanians first attacked. Bring it up on that monitor there," she said, pointing to a wall near the throne.

The Warlord looked at her for a moment, then punched some of the keys on the arm of his throne. The display came to life, quickly zooming from the outer edge of the solar system to Earth, zeroing in on Manhattan. There standing on the top of a skyscraper, was someone that made all of the other Titans gasp.

"Who's that?" asked Warlord.

"TRIGON!" shouted Kid Flash. "Raven! Tell me you didn't..."

"I had no choice, Wallace. We have defeated Trigon before. Warworld seemed the bigger threat."

"If we're the bigger threat," said Warlord, "then why should I worry about that guy?"

"Do you see the machinery he is standing next to?" asked Raven. "It's a canon. When Trigon focuses his gaze through it, it is capable of destroying entire planets. Even yours."

Morgan considered for only a moment. "Done. We're leaving. It will take time for us to shift our course."

"A wise choice," answered Raven. "I commend you," she added as she walked up to the throne, sticking out her hand. The Warlord reached out to shake her hand, and once they had touched, Raven's soul self enveloped them both and swept across the room towards the team. "Titans, we must return to Earth immediately." Before anyone could object, they were within the ebon folds of her soul self, and then they were gone. Then the throne room of Okaara was filled only with silence.

Back in Manhattan, the Titans and the Warlord reappeared. As Raven's soul self drew back into her body, they heard, "Greetings, daughter."

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

(cbishop here, posting more 15-minute segments:)

As they looked at the gigantic form before them, Robin shouted, "Trigon! Titans toge..."

"Hold, Richard," Raven said gently.

Robin looked at Raven in shock. "Hold?"

"Yes," she answered. "Trigon is an ally in this fight."

"Yes," added Trigon, "and there is a price for this alliance, daughter."

"Yes, of course," she said, pulling back her hood.

Wonder Girl shouted, "Raven, no! You can't return with him! It will destroy you!"

"She does not have to return with me," corrected Trigon, "because I am staying here."

"Say what?" Cyborg said in disbelief.

"Calm yourself, Victor," Raven said reassuringly. "Trigon is not staying here."

"You dare?" he said angrily, his top pair of eyes beginning to smolder. "You would dishonor our agreement? You promised me Earth, daughter!"

"You WHAT?!" screamed the group in unison.

Raven ignored them, but addressed Trigon, "I did not promise you Earth, Trigon."

Eyes still smoldering, Trigon merely growled in his anger. It echoed across the city like demonic thunder. It would haunt people's nightmares for weeks.

"I promised you a planet. That one," she said, pointing towards Warworld.

"That 'planet' is not even alive, daughter. Why would I want it?" he asked.

"It has four times the inhabitants of this world," answered Raven, "it's mobile, and it feeds on planets. You can conquer entire systems with it."

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

"X'hal! Raven, you can't!" shouted Starfire.

"Koriand'r, I must," Raven said simply.

Trigon growled again as he looked at his daughter. Then he looked to the sky as he pondered Warworld. After several tense moments, he looked back to Raven, his eyes stopped smoldering, and he said, "We are in agreement, daughter. I will take Okaara."

"No!" shouted Warlord, and he surged forth with the Titans behind him. But Trigon swept his hand backwards, and they were thrown away from him violently by some invisible force.

"My daughter and I have an agreement," said Trigon, as he strode towards the edge of the roof. Stepping off, he started walking across the sky, but stopped to look back at Raven. "But you are a fool, daughter. Iwill rule Okaara's subjects as I did my own, and I will use Warworld to conquer. However, I am not one to be trifled with. I came here expecting to have Earth, and I shall have it. So this system is the first one I will conquer!" He then turned away and continued walking, bursting into demonic laughter that shattered windows for blocks. He tossed his head backwards as he laughed, and then he simply winked out of the sky, and was gone.

"Wonder Girl!" commanded Robin.

In answer, Wonder Girl threw her golden lasso around Raven. "Raven! The lasso will help you break Trigon's hold! Please! Tell us what you were thinking! Tell us why you'd doom Earth!"

Raven bowed her head, and answered, "Trigon has no hold on me, Donna Troy. In truth, Earth was already doomed. I chose the lesser of two evils to save Earth. Trigon had a way to stop a planet, so I made my deal."

"But now the only person who could operate that canon is gone!" shouted Robin. "And he's going to bring Warworld to Earth, Raven! Your plan failed!"

"No," answered Raven as a red cloud signalled her teleportation from the Wonder Girl's lasso, leaving it to fall limply to the ground. Reappearing behind the canon, Raven looked up to reveal her skin was now red, and she had four yellow eyes. The Titans looked on in horror as she grew to Trigon proportions, and answered, "Trigon is not the only one who can operate the canon."

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

Starfire instinctively grabbed Wonder Girl's hand. "Great X'hal," she murmured, "I never thought I'd see another living goddess."

Wonder Girl squeezed Starfire's hand supportively before pulling it away. "The Amazons know their gods well. And when need be, we've challenged them. Raven is no different."

"Raven! NO!" shouted Cyborg.

"I must, Victor," she said as she adjusted the cannon. "This will save Earth and destroy the threat of Trigon the Terrible. It is the best way."

Wonder Girl and Starfire flew towards Raven and circled her in their flight. "No!" shouted Wonder Girl. "You'll destroy yourself in the process, Raven!"

"I was raised for this, Donna. I have been prepared to sacrifice myself in defense against Trigon for all of my life. The time has come," she said calmly.

"Raven! You have been holding this in for so long! You may not be able to come back from this," warned Starfire.

"I have resigned myself to that possibility, Princess," she said simply.

"Yeah? Maybe you have, but we ain't ready to give you up just yet, witch!" shouted Cyborg. "Starfire! On three, blast that cannon!"

"No," Raven said simply, as her top set of eyes started to glow. Her soul self swept out and found each Titan, whether flying or standing, and teleported them to the street, among terrified onlookers.

Robin responded immediately, "Kid Flash! Get up th-" but it was too late.

Kid Flash was already halfway up the building when the beam from the cannon lanced outwards into space. He skidded to a halt once he was on the roof, and just like his teammates on the ground, his gaze followed the ray of the cannon blast. It flew straight, crossing the billions of miles effortlessly. When the ray hit Warworld, the resulting explosion seemed to be as bright as the sun. When the light faded approximately a minute later, the skies looked normal.

Okaara was gone.

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

"X'HAL! NO!" shouted Starfire, hovering above the street. "Okaara! It's gone!"

"All those people," Changeling said in quiet horror. "Raven just... killed them."

Without looking away from the sky, the Warlord replied, "No, she didn't."

"Yo, helmet-head, are you in shock?" asked Cyborg. "Your ride just went boom. No planet, no people."

Travis Morgan turned to face the Titans. "The people were already dead," he said somberly.

The Titans were taken aback. Robin spoke first. "How?"

"When Brainiac attacked, and discovered he couldn't take over Warworld's machinery himself, he started jumping from person to person, implanting them with his control circuitry, and spreading out to find the right people who knew how to work the planet's machinery." He looked at the ground as he recalled the events. "As you well know," he said to Starfire, "I am not the only Warlord on Okaara. Strategy developed quickly: defend the key centers... kill anyone with Brainiac circuitry on their heads."

"Strategy!" shouted Starfire, her hands simmering with building starbolts. "You call the wholesale slaughter of innocents 'strategy?'"

Morgan looked at her with what seemed to be empty eyes. "I never said it was great strategy. It was fear too. How do you fight an enemy that can be anywhere? Anyone? That could jump into you next? Desperation set in quickly, and 'try to kill the current victims before more are taken over' became the idea. As Brainiac could control multiple minds at once, the fighting spread planetwide, and after a week, I was the only one left, and I had no defense against Brainiac. He supplanted my mind like blowing out a candle. And then we headed here."

"I have heard enough," seethed Wonder Girl.

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

@cbishop: Hey Bishop I was thinking of writing a story similar to this. Only mine would be set in the Marvel Universe and it would involve Surtur and Loki.

The idea was that Loki and Surtur would somehow seal off Asgard from our realm so that Odin and his armies could not interfere. The heroes of Earth would then have to combine powers to battle the villains. With Loki's reasoning being that if he can't have Midgard as his own, then he'd just tear it all down.

Guess I'll scrap that now. Lol

@guardiandevil83: Sounds like a totally different story from what I'm writing. Mine is a few 15-minute installments away from being finished, I think. Just a fan-fic idea I've had floating around in the back of my mind for awhile. :)

@cbishop: It's great so far

@guardiandevil83: Thanks. :) (I'll get back to it soon...I hope)

My Nine Realms

In the lost realm of life and death my father traveled and found my mother.

She was sitting on the shores of Mid-guard or as they would call it Earth.

She wore a cloak of mist her features enticed him they pulled him from the void they called to him.

Partake of my essence embrace my features surrender yourself to the moment and let flow the nectar that will make mountains shake the very foundations of the heavens themselves.

I come back those shores my home in the far off place of Asgard. I am a product of my father all Father as people call him and my mother. The spirit of life and the realm of earth.

I look into the waters as a child and I get lost in her eyes as she looks up at me.

I see in her the passions of a people yet to come.

I understand what few will ever even contemplate.

Life death and a million other sides to the universe.

I stand up and turn around she is behind me.

“I am proud of you my son”

She says the words to me she embraces me and then she is gone.

I step back to the realm eternal and look back for moment at the world behind me.

Forward in time.

I have no idea how long me and the heroes three have been fighting.

The never ending tide of demons the world over ran by the hoards the anger wells up in me and I cry out to the heavens.

Mjolnir to me I scream I am lost in the berserk-er wave to me I cry out she rallies to my call impacts my hand lightning dances around my frame.

Amora pulls down her cloak her long blond hair embraces her form the blue of her eyes make the light seem dark the energy in her hands shouts to be used.

Sif my other lover my soul my friend. Long red hair, flaming sword shield held high eyes of green likes to do battle loves to feel the energy.

In my life I seek the fury road the rage the page turning live longer battle cry that springs from the heart of a great warrior. Come test my mettle they cry out.

This was the younger days of the world.

This was in our prime.

Today we sit and drink ale we look at each other and we say.

I wish to feel alive again.

I trace the morning light chase the warmth feel the body long to understand it all and in one lasting moment see.

A struggle eternal a lasting kiss with the chaos that is.

They sigh climb from my bed they walk onto the balcony and they look over creation and they call me and we get lost in the morning.

Lost in moments that take your breath away.

Peace cannot last it is not the way of chaos to let it be so.

I look at the world and the world looks back.

Then the dragon opens its mouth and swallows the Earth and it is swept away and gone.

I am reminded that nothing last forever.

Nothing

Last

Forever.

I hear my father say....

Go do us proud bring back the world.

Bring back the hope.

5AM. Everyone in Famille is asleep,except for one. He walk aimlessly through the night, looking for something that was there. Every step he take hurt him. He see Danilo and Liz flirting with eachother while cooking breakfast, leftover from yesterday vietnamese style dinner like always, Mark would often be here getting his share first then off for work before everyone else. He open his mouth and try to call out their name. But there was only silent. The kitchen empty, no sign of anyone. He pause for a moment, look around the place then continue his walk. The hall way that he always thought as small now feel so huge. There was no more prototype machine lying everywhere, no more dirty clothes before the room waiting to Jon to wash them. He keep walking. The garage is fill with bikes and cars but the mechanic that always adding a new function or two without asking anyone isn't there tinkering with stuff. He start talking as if somebody was there: "Fifty people used call this place home. Mechanic. Doctor. Teacher. Pianist. All kind of people, everyone with a different personality, a different view of the world, a different purpose in life. Still there was one thing that connect everyone. We all know we are a bunch of misfit. We treat each other like the family we never have. Here, we feel like we were alive and living as a human, not a ghost or a puppet. Everyday was a dream come true. All dream come to an end but this just turn into a nightmare." He start to cry. For the souls that is gone. The souls that is still there. And for the souls that he about to end.

@wildvine: I love it, they do stuff like this at NaNoWriMo, when they are writing that is.

@blueecho:

That may have been my inspiration. I don't really remember.

They say death comes for us all, but not me. I remain. At the end of all I stand, away from all that I have loved as it falls to dust. I see heroes and villains, men and women, full of pride and vigor, and in an instant it is gone. The vision I have witnessed these past decades is illusion. My goals are fruitless, as are theirs. Look at the world around you. Tell me, will it last? Will it survive?

Do you really believe that you can save it it? That it can save itself? Look at what has happened in the Middle East, look at what has happened in Europe, Africa, the Americas. Fear touches us all, reaches into our lives and takes hold, its grip relentless. Blood is spilt in every land, in every corner of the world. Insanity grips these people, and like children, we choose to ignore the world around us, too absorbed in playing the games placed before us. We pay no heed to the warnings of those that came before, no attention to those that warn us now.

Do you believe the deranged will remain powerless forever? Do you believe the Earth some endlessly regenerating clump of mass, for your your use, your benefit only? Is that what you see it as? Do you believe, truly, that should the need arise your neighbor will not gut you should he need to, should he need anything from you that you can not or will not give?

It is folly. All of it. Gods have descended to join your ranks and even they have fallen from their lofty heights of divinity, fallen to the endless avarice, the insanity that seems to plague mankind. Yet you carry on. You see no warnings, no flashing lights, no sign that anything is out of place. You seem to believe the world will carry on forever, simply because you will it to.

It will not. I have seen the future. Seen your future. You die alone, forgotten by all of time. All of humanity is. Even the crumbling ruins gave way to time, nothing more than dust blowing through the endless desert. The world you knew is gone, now it is only me. Me and the sands. And why? Why did it end this way? Was I not strong enough? Did you, perhaps, will it? Is this the end you wished for? Did you want the world to end with you? Was it company you sought? Or the knowledge that once you had lived, nothing worthwhile would ever come again?

I do not know. I cannot know. I am not you. If I were I would not see the endless wastes before me, would not be wasting my final few precious moments here. I would be gone, like all the rest. Like you.

And you, you would be there with me, wherever you are. I pray only that I can join you. But that's impossible, isn't it? The soulless do not rise, the good do not meet the same ends as the wicked. Something like that. It's been ages, eons since I heard the words of God, spoken third hand through a man reading a book. I wanted to believe, all this time, that there was something more. Something greater than this world.

I now know there is not. There cannot be. What kind of man, woman, creature or king would send me to wander the wastes, alone for all this time? Who would revel in such suffering? Who would give me an endless life, only for it to end in a pile of waste, devoid of companionship, alone and in pain? Who would let me, a creature as close to eternal as possible, live an endless life, and still experience this fear? This dread? Why do I fear death, when I am so tired of life and all its endless miseries?

Why would any being, good or evil, wish such upon me? Am I to be tormented by these questions until m

(15 minutes of rambling, no editing, and no planning. Feels nice to cut loose, actually.)

Koriand'r turned and said, "Wonder Girl?"

Donna said nothing as she leapt into the sky, heading for the top of the building. "RAVEN!" she shouted as she landed on the edge of the roof.

Raven simply responded, "Wallace."

Kid Flash stiffened, his eyes glowing red. Immediately he bolted across the roof and punched Donna. She reeled backwards off the roof, but managed to stay airborne. Kid Flash was doing a superspeed lap of the roof, coming back around, but Donna caught him in her lasso, immobilizing him. She wrapped him up quickly, and left him bound and laying off to one side. With a welt on her cheek from Kid Flash's punch, she landed on the roof again, glaring at Raven.

Raven's eyes smoldered as she said, "You cannot stop me, Donna."

Donna stepped forward as she said, "I can try."

BOOM!

Donna stopped as the spatial rift opened behind Raven, a bright light blinding her. As she raised a hand to shield her eyes, a deep voice resounded, "No, you can't."

The light subsided with the voice, and Donna took down her hand. She seethed, "Darkseid."

Raven turned on Darkseid, her top set of eyes glowing brighter than before, preparing to fire. Darkseid turned his head towards her, and casually backhanded her without speaking. Raven's huge form dropped on the roof.

"Raven!" Wonder Girl shouted. She started forward, but Darkseid turned towards her and fired his omega beams. Donna barely got her arms up in time to block the attack with her Amazonian bracelets. Still, she was driven backwards by the force of the blast, and the strain of holding off the beams made her pass out at the edge of the roof, and she fell over the edge.

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

On the ground, the Titans moved as one when the boom tube opened. Starfire carried Robin in her arms as she flew to the top of the building. Changeling turned into a green King Kong, and climbed the side. Cyborg took the height of the building in two leaps, bounding off of Gar's giant knee for the second jump.

As they were reaching the roof, Donna passed out and fell from the roof's edge. Gar caught her in his giant ape paw, and laughed, "I always said Wonder Girl would fall for me someday!"

All came to a halt as they spotted Darkseid, who was examining Trigon's planet cannon. "Hm. I could find this... useful," he mused.

"Yeah? Well how do you find this?" shouted Cyborg, firing his sonic cannon. Starfire followed it up with a sustained starbolt barrage.

Darkseid merely winced at the sonics, then fired his omega beams against Starfire's blasts. The omega beams overwhelmed the starbolts, and she was thrown backwards, landing on her back. "Ineffective," was his only reply to Victor.

"We can't let you take that cannon, Darkseid!" warned Robin.

"Nor can you stop me, child," said Darkseid matter-of-factly. Glancing at the cannon, he fired his omega beams once again, and the cannon simply disappeared. "It is done," he said, and he turned to go.

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

(cbishop here, continuing...)

BOOM!

As he started toward the open boom tube, a slender golden strand grabbed his wrist. "Who dares?" he asked, looking at his wrist. He wound his hand around the rope, and jerked it forward, pulling a very surprised Donna Troy with it.

"Wonder Girl!" shouted Starfire, but Robin put a hand on her shoulder to stop her from going forward.

Catching her by the throat with his free hand, Darkseid growled low as he looked her over. Glancing at the lasso around his wrist, he smiled only briefly. "There is old magic in this, girl. Magic I recognize, but have not had the pleasure of encountering for ages." Setting her down, he folded his free hand behind his back, and held the bound wrist towards her. "Ask your questions," he said simply.

Wonder Girl could not hide her shock. Behind her, neither could the Titans. Still, she recovered enough to ask, "Why are you here?"

"I have many avatars in many dimensions," answered Darkseid, "and I am aware of them at all times. When one shows up in my domain, I wish to know why. So I came for that answer."

"'Avatar,'" Robin quoted from across the roof. "You mean..."

"...Trigon?" Donna finished.

Darkseid looked at the girl and merely smiled.

"All this time," muttered Wally, "We've been fighting another version of Darkseid?"

Gar shrugged. "Who'da thunk it?"

"Trigon is gone," said Donna. "So why show up now?"

"Gone?" Darkseid laughed. "Because this girl blew up a world? Trigon is a god. In his dimension, I am Trigon. You could no more destroy my avatar than you could destroy me."

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

As if on cue, Trigon materialized behind Donna, and grabbing her by the back of the neck, picked her up off the ground again.

"X'hal!" screamed Starfire, but Robin continued to hold her back.

"Robbie," whispered Cyborg, "There's no way we're gonna beat both of them."

Looking at the two gods holding court with one of his dearest friends, Robin said very tensely, "I know."

The demonic lord growled more menacingly than Darkseid had, but looked Donna over in the same manner. Pinching the end of her rope between two of his massive fingers he slid it through her hand far enough to see it. Squinting at it momentarily, he looked up at Darkseid and smiled. "Familiar," he said to his avatar. Darkseid remained unmoved. Setting her down again, Trigon smiled as if amused and said, "Continue."

Donna lowered her head, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and whispered, "Hera give me strength. Athena give me wisdom." Steeling herself, she looked up at the two gods and asked, "Can Raven be saved?"

Trigon chuckled with no humor as he rolled the end of the rope between his fingers. "Easily," he said. Waving his hand, Raven turned back to her normal human form, but was still unconscious. "She betrayed m--"

"She tricked you," Donna cut in.

"She betrayed me!" snapped Trigon. "I am not sure I want my daughter at my side any longer," he said, looking at his fallen daughter.

Darkseid reached for the loop around his wrist, saying, "Enough of this game."

"Darkseid, one more question?" asked Wonder Girl.

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

Darkseid paused, but took off the lasso. He looked at Trigon, who walked into the boom tube. "Tread carefully, girl."

"You said you came looking for your avatar," said Wonder Girl. "But Trigon wasn't here when you showed up."

"I do not hear a question," warned Darkseid.

"You said you sense your avatars at all times," she continued. "You knew that Trigon had gone to Warworld. So why did you come here?"

For a few seconds, Darkseid said nothing. Then he looked at Raven, and turned towards the boom tube. Looking over his shoulder, he said, "All parents intervene when their children make mistakes. Not even the gods escape this truth." Walking into the boom tube, he added, "Trigon may have abandoned his ambitions for our daughter, but I have my own plans."

"Your pl--"

BOOM!

The gods were gone, and only the Titans remained. Donna surprised herself with a sigh of relief. Coiling her rope as she turned back to her friends, she found them staring at her. "What?"

"'What?'" laughed Gar. "She has the nerve to ask 'what!' Really?" He slapped his forehead with the heel of his hand.

"Chick stares down two gods, and acts like it's nuthin'. Man." Victor shakes his head. "Wonder Girl, you are sumpthin' else!"

"So, wait a minute," said Wally. "Did I hear that right? Raven is--"

"--Darkseid's daughter?" finished Starfire.

"And he has 'plans' for her," added Robin.

"So whatta we do about that, shortpants?" asked Victor.

Robin didn't answer immediately. He turned and looked out over the city. "For now, nothing. There are people down there that need our help."

"Perhaps I can be of some assistance with that?" came a voice from behind them.

The Titans turned to see Raven getting up to a standing position. She looked at them from beneath her hood and waited.

"You took a helluva chance, witch," said Cyborg.

"I did," she said.

They were quiet for another few moments, until Robin finally said, "Let's go."

Raven's soul self reached out, enveloping them all, there was a bamf of brimstone and smoke, and the Titans were gone.

~Fin~

I gave this final part an extra two or three minutes. I already knew what I was going to say, and decided it wasn't worth starting another entry for what amounted to the last six lines.

***

Story, original characters and content are owned by Chris Bishop. Copyright Chris Bishop 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.

This sounds fun. Might do this tonight when I get home

Prelude to the Amazons #1 (of 7)

The pale skinned woman dressed in a snake skin crop top and skirt edged with adder teeth sat down on the ground, her blonde hair gleaming under the moonlight, as did the sword she held point down in her right hand. With a snarl something large and predatory ran at her, claws outstretched ready to rip her throat out, its intended victim raising her head, bright yellow eyes gleaming in the darkness meeting the predator’s amber orbs. Coming to a stop just before reaching the woman, the predator let out a ground shaking roar, before fading into fog. Getting to her feet, the woman closed her eyes again, her body exploding in a shower of gleaming light.

“Dr Cartwright, your hypothesis is correct.” The woman told the tanned woman dressed in jeans and a t-shirt emblazoned with the words ‘Project Onca’ over her expansive breasts. “The Jaguar spirit that inhabits your body is indeed sensing something coming.” She added, as she helped Cartwright up off the field surrounding the rustic Tuscan cottage overlooking the yellow fields of sunflowers running down the hill to the road. “I sense that Onca will have some great part to play in either this world’s salvation or destruction.”

“Destruction, I may have become a Mayan Demi-goddess and a bit of hedonist but I don’t believe I’d ever be the cause of the world’s destruction Lady Menrva.” Cartwright gasped as he body shifted, her eyes going from hazel to gleaming amber, as her ears elongated and a rosette pattern formed across her skin. “Is it known what this threat is?”

“No, only that should the Sixth Great Extinction occur, this world will never recover.” Menrva replied as she and Cartwright headed towards the cottage. “Over the last four years I have had many visitors, many who were worried about the future. And over the years each has passed under the seal of Hippolyta hung over my door.” She continued, before gesturing to a crest featuring a pair of adders wrapped around a shield, their heads kissing at the top of the ward, carved into the stone of her cottage.

“I don’t understand?” Cartwright purred, as the stone heads of the adders turned to face the pair of deities before they dropped to the floor, their rocky bodies forming into cream scales as they slithered up Menrva’s leg up to her shoulders, their forked tongues licking her eyes.

“The seal has recorded those who would be best suited to save this world of men, just as Hippolyta designed it to.” Menrva stated, her own forked tongue flicking out and planting a delicate kiss on Cartwright’s forehead. “As goddess of the mind I was the logical choice to pass on the names of the worthy. Time is short as you already know, find Hippolyta’s chosen ‘Amazons’ and stand against the Sixth Extinction, the fate of the world is now yours Dr Cartwright, may your path be blessed indeed.” She added, as she bowed her head, her body turning to stone until only a badly weathered statue remained where she had once stood.

“Sure no pressure.” Cartwright sighed as she headed towards the road at the bottom of the hill. “Not like it’s the end of the world.”

@impurestcheese: Nice start. :)

P.S. About time the Amazons showed up. :D

@cbishop: Thanks, it'll all be put together when completed I hope

@impurestcheese: I have no doubts. :)

@cbishop: Neither do I since part 2 is here

Prelude to the Amazons #2 (of 7)

"Sir drop the fuel hose and put your hands in the air!" A commanding voice ordered from the perimeter of parked Landrovers marked with the letters 'EISSR' on their flanks. The figure dressed in military fatigues standing in the petrol station casually removed the hose from his mouth and held his hands out, a high energy laser lancing out and burning the armour plating off the vehicles.

"Sir what do we do?" One of the agents cowering behind the command Landrover asked, just as a red streak soared over the vehicle and landed between the vehicles and the petrol station.

"We back her up!" His commanding officer ordered, as a woman clad in red biological armour, complete with a helmet with insect eye lenses sprinted into the petrol station, just as plasma cannons jutted out of her targets shoulders. Clashing, the figure in red slammed the gunmen into a fuel tank before being kicked across the forecourt into an abandoned car.

"It's definitely a Model 72 Recon Droid." The figure in red announced as she peeled herself off the car, only for the droid to rip one of the fuel tanks out of the concrete and fling it at her. "I'll keep it busy while you ready the EM-Field Captain."

"Received Five Star, it shouldn't take more than ninety seconds." A voice replied, as the Recon Droid's hand elongated to form a long scythe blade as it advanced on Five Star.

"Your termination is scheduled for the next five seconds." The Recon Droid buzzed, only for Five Star's hands to glow with an eerie silver light, her punch melting the synthetic flesh off the droid to reveal the now exposed ceramic endo-skeleton. Getting to her feet Five Star ripped the scythe blade off the droid's hand and slammed it into the thoratic cavity. Buzzing in anger, the Recon Droid threw its own punch, tiny studs rising out the metal of the remaining hand, the blow cracking Five Star's helmet.

"EM field firing!" The commander behind the Landrover confirmed. Seconds later the Recon Droid convulsed, before thick blue smoke started to rise from the robot's chassis.

"It's using the fuel it siphoned off to keep running!" Five Star yelled, as she pushed the droid back, claw like blades sprouting on the feet minimising the distance it travelled. "Stay back, it smells like it's running on 'Blue Diesel'." She added, as a thick chocking fog spread across the forecourt.

"Primary Objective failed!" The Droid crackled as it disengaged its talons, just as Five Star darted forward and slammed into the scythe, the velocity and impact slicing the robot in two. "Engaging second..."

"Director we have confirmation that the target is down!" The captain announced, as agents rushed to secure the droid's remains. "We have a problem however, it was running on illegal fuel. Yes Sir, I'll tell her."

"What are orders Captain Bishop?" Five Star asked. "What do we do about the presence of Blue Diesel in the pumps?"

"Nothing," Bishop sighed, "the European Interstellar Strategic Scientific Research Initiative doesn't have immediately investigate this, fortunately we know someone who does..."

@impurestcheese: Ha! Captain Bishop. ;)

@cbishop: Blame a random name generator, it gave me Beckett and Bishop. Since Beckett was used in Penance, I had to go for Bishop

@impurestcheese: It's becoming a popular name on TV in the last few years. Most currently prominent is probably the Bishop on NCIS. :)

@cbishop: Yeah I have a bit of a crush on Elle from NCIS. But onto more Amazons...

Prelude to the Amazons #3 (of 7)

The Jeep Cherokee stopped in the tunnel carved from salt, with a woman dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt over her cotton trousers and blouse, slipping out of the passenger seat.

"I won't be long Francesco." She told the miner who had driven her into the tunnel, before slipping into the side chamber, religious icons carved from the salt, as were the chains binding the figure in blue and silver robes standing in the centre of the room.

"So you come again Maya Grady, Patron Saint of Criminals." The figure hissed, as he looked up, voids of darkness shining through the eye holes of his masked face. "What fresh injustice have you come to exact on me?"

"You deserve everything you get Wishing Demon." Maya replied as she removed three wafer thin pages crisscrossed with Chinese characters, from her hoody pocket. "We transcribed three more references to you in the Celestial Record," She added, as she removed a lighter from her pocket and flicked the flint, sparks engulfing the pages with a puff of silver smoke. "That's three less references to you, and I'm not going to rest until all trace of you is burnt from reality. It's not like I don't have the time."

"Yes, I imagine that you'd like to see me wither away, but I also image that you wish to live a real life rather than the half-life of a soul forced into a corpse by that filthy Ukrainian." The Demon hissed seductively. "It wouldn't take much, only a few lines written in silver ink on the pages of an old book."

"Danika freed me from eternal damnation when she altered the record." Maya replied as she removed her hood to reveal pale skin marred by a thick purple bruise to the left side of her face. "But you know that, you were there at my rebirth trying to claim the record but we stopped you, never to be free again."

"I wouldn’t bet on that." The Wishing Demon purred, as he shifted slightly, the chains of salt rattling slightly. "Death comes from the stars and in the moment salvation and damnation of this world balances on a knife edge, I'll be freed."

"And should that happen Danika and I will stop you and drag you right back here." Maya answered as she turned to leave the cathedral. "No one is coming for you. This place will be your cage as every connection you have to this world is severed and then...well this place becomes your tomb."

Stepping into the main tunnel terrible laughter rolled through the mine before a whispering voice sounder, the words causing Maya to involuntary shudder in fear. "No Maya Grady, it will be yours and the rest of your Amazons. Time is not your ally, it's your greatest enemy."

Staring out of the attic window, the dark skinned woman dressed in a scarlet leather bustier and black trousers watched the paramedics load the old man into the ambulance before closing the doors and driving towards the hospital. Stepping away from the window the woman turned as an older blonde haired woman poked her head through the loft hatch.

"Father's on his way to hospital, I'm going to follow them, make sure he's treated well. I know he'd appreciate it if you came to see him Drakaina." The woman in the hatch stated, tears rolling down her face.

"I cannot Hilda, not while those responsible for his attack remain free." Drakaina replied as she turned back to the window. "I am the guardian of this home, and those that desecrate it forfeit their liberty. Go attend to Karl, as soon as I track down the man who tried to rob us I will join you." She added, a look of pain spread across her features.

Wordlessly Hilda retreated down the ladder, as Drakaina ran her hands along the scared skin on her arms, the blemishes spreading across her body, followed by the transformation of her mammalian features into harsher more reptilian counterparts. Finally long bat like wings spread from her arms completing the transformation from woman to wyvern. Opening the window, the newly transformed dragon took to the air, her unblinking eyes scanning the forest path below her for the fleeing thief. As she suspected, he hadn't got far.

Swooping down she blocked his path, the thief reacting with fear as he drew a pistol from his holster, despite the shaking of his hands. Unusually he was dressed in what seemed like military fatigues dyed matte black, and while his nerves screamed amateur, his gear said something else entirely.

"Why?" Drakaina hissed, as plumes of dark smoke rose from the sides of her reptilian snout. "You're not a mere robber are you?"

"It wasn't personal it was just a job, I was paid a lot to kill Professor Karl Elise." The thief yammered, as he covertly looked up and down the dragon-lady, his eyes searching for a weak spot.

"Then who hired you?" Drakaina asked, her ire rising with equal speed to the smoke leaking from her mouth.

"Didn't get a name, just an alias, you let me go and I'll give it to you!" He yelled as he lined up his shot. "Do we have a deal?"

"If you give me a name of merit."

"Okay his guys called him Boc..." As he spoke he fired, his bullets engulfed by a jet of foul smelling smoke, the brass and lead melting followed by the handgun and his hand leaving only a charred stump again. Walking over to him Drakaina pushed him to the floor before transforming into her human form, her small foot pinning him down.

"So what was that name again?" Drakaina asked, a hint of reptilian cruelty spread across her face. "And while you're at it, tell me where I can find them!"

bump

@batkevin74: Thanks for the Bump

Prelude to the Amazons #5 (of 7)

Danika Sedova reclined on the swivel chair before stretching her arms out, seemingly oblivious to the raised voices yelling in Flemish from the other side of the barricaded door. Looking out across the open caste mind she took in the burning mining camp, the armed guards running down the catwalks towards her and the burnt out husks of the AA vehicles that had been guarding the pit.

"Sorry about the wait Danika." Her partner's voice stated over the radio head set. "I've just visited our 'friend' in Sicily, you know how bad reception is down there."

"How'd he take it Maya?" Danika asked, as the file transfer link opened up on the computers around her.

"It was different this time, he seemed certain that his liberation was at hand." Maya answered, just as the door to the observation tower thudded as something heavy was slammed into it. "It made me shudder and I'm technically dead, it took a lot to beat him last time, more than we could probably muster."

"One thing at a time Maya. Right now I'm trying to keep from being murdered by the Congolese Army. By the way their acting you'd think they resent me starting a slave uprising, hijacking several pieces of hardware not to mention stealing their plans for a chemical weapon being developed here." Danika replied, a sarcastic tone to her voice as she spun round and fired three shots at the reinforced door, the 'clunk' of the armoured slugs joined by the sound of screaming bodies.

"I can't imagine why the loss of approximately eight million euros worth of equipment would bother them." Maya replied as the computers chimed to indicate that the contents of their collective hard-drives had been transferred elsewhere. "And you're good for exfil assuming you don't get shot on the way down." She added, as Danika got off the chair and threw it through the observation platforms window.

"I have a way out." Danika purred before picking up a modified RPG, the warhead replace with a magnetic tipped harpoon connected to a reel of cable, off the floor. Aiming for one of the AA trucks she fired, the projectile stabbing into the vehicle as Danika removed the end of the reel and tied it to the door before clipping on and zip lining to the edge of the mine. The few soldiers who spotted her escape were too stunned with surprise to fire more than a few wild shots, none coming close to hitting her.

"I'm out and I have the incendiary bombs synched ready for thermite detonation." Danika announced as she thumbed a palm sized detonator, sparks arching off the catwalks as the thermite ate through the metal super structure sending many of the guards plummeting to their doom.

"Danni we have another job and another problem, I'm picking up a rocket launch ten miles away." Maya stated as a projectile rose from behind the treeline before heading south towards the Congo River, the trajectory fast and low as it vanished from Danika's Line of Sight. "Huh it seems to be malfunctioning, altitude and range suggest termination somewhere in the Congo Delta away from populated areas."

"Keep an eye on it even if it was a misfire." Danika ordered, as she walked away from the mine, just as the observation tower shuddered and fell on its side. "Now what can you tell me about our new clients?"

@impurestcheese: Just read the last three installments, Imp'. Nice to see the return of Drakaina, PSOC, the Wishing Demon, and... is Hilda from Valhalla Can Wait?

@cbishop: Well considering this is Hilda's first appearance I hope not LOL. And yes it's been nice revisiting some of the characters as well as figuring out what they are doing four years later.

Prelude to the Amazons #6 (of 7)

"You want me to be honest Vic," The bespectacled hipster dressed in a striped shirt, chinos and a neck scarf snorted, "the artwork is fantastic but the story is...well it's not very original is it."

"But I created all the characters and plot lines myself." The dark skinned slightly overweight young woman gulped. "How is it unoriginal?"

"This issue features Southern Cross fight Doctor Thermidor in Circular Quay, but that same fight occurred two weeks ago in real life." The Hipster sneered. "Why would anyone pay four dollars for something they can see on the news? Up to now I've let it slide but now with the store finally getting off the ground, I can't have it associated with lazy writing."

"You're saying you won't stock my work?" The woman gulped, as she dropped the stack of Southern Cross comics on the floor.

"Unless you find something original to write about then yes. This..." He said, pointing to the image of the dark skinned heroine dressed in a leotard decorated with the Southern Cross constellation, as she was frozen into an ice block by a humanoid lobster, "is pathetic fan worship at best, and plagiarism at worst."

Walking out of the comic book store Victoria Queen turned off the main street into an alleyway, before removing a gleaming silver necklace from the bag slung across her back. Placing it round her neck her body glimmered with star light as Victoria's body slimmed down. Next her clothes melted away, only leaving a leotard that was almost identical to the one worn by the heroine on the comic book cover, as beaten up trainers turned into delicate pointe shoes.

"If this is to be the last issue I write, I'd better make it a good one." The transformed Victoria mused to herself as she took to the air, a gleaming contrail of light following in her wake. "Maybe I should fight someone big like Land Shark or the City Slicker. Or possibly work on that Super Villain team-up I'd been hinting at ever since the Robber Baron made his last appearance. Or..." She smiled as a gleaming spark flew off and embedded into the pavement.

For a few seconds nothing happened, and then suddenly the spark exploded outwards as a man dressed in military fatigues appeared, his skin covered with thick red burns running across his body. Blinking twice, he looked down before switching the safety off of the chain gun he was holding, the normal members of the public finally seeing the man and, quite rapidly, retreated from where he stood.

"Run cowards, I the Soldier Beetle will punish you for turning your backs to those who fought and died for you!" The newly formed villain boomed, as he spun up his chain gun and blasted a nearby abandoned car. "War has come to the homeland, and all will be punished!"

"Not today Soldier!" Victoria yelled as she swooped down on the villain, a hail of bullets bouncing off her skin. "It's time to give peace a chance." She added, as one of the nearby billboards rippled and for a split second the face of the Wishing Demon appeared, just as Southern Cross ripped the Chain Gun away from the Soldier Beetle.

"Not long now hero, soon you'll turn to me and free me from my shackles." The Demon hissed, "Only then will you have your Final Issue." It added, as his face vanished, replaced by that of the cartoon stingray advertising insurance that had been there before her transformation.

Space

His eyes slowly opened, the world before him ruddy. The first thing he became aware of was the taste: iron, dirt and the faintest hint of salt. Next came the pain. The burning that ran through his body as the muscles in his body pulsed, overused and weary. Lifting his head, his dim green eyes took in the world before him, or, what was left of it. The world of the dead was before him, a leg, or what was left of it, within reach of him. He tried to raise his arm to brush the matted hair from his face, but he couldn't. Muzzily, he turned his head to stair down at the defiant arm. The chainmail that once glimmered and gleaned with a shine that made his sergeant proud was torn asunder, his forearm barely held together by a thin strap of flesh. Bile rose in his throat at the sight of the jagged bone thrust out of it, jaggedly cut by a rusted blade. At least the shield was still attached, as poor as it had proved to be.

Testing his right arm, he almost fell back to the dark abyss of sleep once more, this time, with relief, as it responded to him, albeit, sluggishly. The pain that shot up his arm and to his shoulder was welcome, proof that he was alive... for the time being. Moving his hand before him, like a man searching a dark room for the light, he pressed against the ground and tried to force his body to obey only to come crashing back down, betrayed by his exhausted limb. If he weren't so tired, the fall would have brought a scream from his limb as his defiled arm was dragged through the blood-soaked dirt, but instead, all it brought was a small gasp from his cracked lips.

In the distance, he heard a horn call. Echoing throughout the field of the dead, his eyes sought the source and fell upon banners, black arrows across a white surface that hung limp from the pole lacking the wind to support it. Dread filled what room was left in his heart, they had lost. Self-pity and sorrow overwhelming him, he laid his head against the ground as a single tear slipped down his face once more filling his mouth with the faint taste of salt. He would have gladly weeped more but his body didn't have enough strength to spar more tears. Bitterly, he tried to rise once more, his struggling arm holding, from stubbornness, if nothing else. Coming to his knees, he scanned the ground near by and took up his fallen weapon. The sword given to him by his father when the army had set out... a lifetime ago. His eyes trailed up the filthy blade.... well, what was left of it. It had snapped and the wrapping around the hilt had long come undone, nothing more then tendrils of leather hanging off, no more of use then his own shield arm.

Placing the broken tip on the ground, he used the leverage to rise to his legs. He couldn't feel them any longer, they were numb, he felt nothing from the waist down save for cold and a slight tingle. Glancing down to ensure they were still there, he.... times up. (Annoying alarm. Was almost done.)

@impurestcheese: Nice. :)

Okay, now that wildvine has shown me what those post links are for, each story post in this thread is archived under each individual author's name in the FOP. Every story thread is archived on the Groups page. :)

The furious phantom flew along the fluorine highways in his Ford Aerostar, shining black in the darkness granted by twin suns. He'd come to regret his job as courier, especially in the night heat. Each drop of sweat that coalesced onto his flesh scalded him before evaporating away, and that was with air conditioning on.

With Rush's YYZ blaring in the background, and no vehicles ahead on the motorway, he was able to especially feel each and every drop come into existence, then evaporate, only for another to take its place. His rotting throat parched, his eyes bloodshot, and his veins filled with sand, he needed water, and he needed it quick. Without water, his long-dead brain would be unable to continue imagining, and without imagining, the whole dream would come to an end. He couldn't let that happen.

YYZ gave way to The Lineman, and with the horns blaring, he found himself attempting to tap to the rhythm. He failed, mostly because his left hand had been coated with concrete and then fastened to his seat belt, but that was no matter. His pinky finger was free, and that was all he needed.

Far ahead, on the road, a hitchhiker could be seen. Even from this distance, it was obvious that he was grizzled, deranged, and worst of all, unclean. Beyond him could be seen two kangaroos, hopping along.The phantom lowered his arm in between the seats to fetch his shotgun; he new what had to be done. As he approached, he leaned out of the driver's side window, aiming the shotgun carefully.

The hitchhiker saw what was coming and accepted his fate. He turned around with arms spread-eagled, completely willing for what God intended. The Kangaroos reached into their pouches, and poured the gasoline they found within upon the hitchhiker.

As the hitchhiker screamed, the Phantom pulled the Ford Aerostar to the side of the road and parked it. He listened to the Hitchhiker screams for some time, but not enough time, before pulling the trigger on the shotgun and blowing the man's lower intestines apart. He continued screaming briefly, and then died.

"You have done your duty," the Kangaroos said.

"Thanks to you, mother," the Phantom said.

He returned to the Ford Aerostar, and got back on the open road.

Now the phantom knew where to go. He'd forgotten when his sister died. But now, now he knew.

He was a courier, therefore he had to deliver a package. But what was the package? He did not know, and neither did the dead woman in the back seat.

He continued to drive for several minutes, before considering checking to see if the gasoline was a proper substitute for water. He knew it wasn't of course, it tasted too much like the regret that stems from having seduced one's own grandmother, but he was thirsty, and decided to give it a shot.

Pulling the Ford Aerostar over to the side of the road once more, he got out, walked to the around the van, and stuck his tongue down the exhaust pipe. Of course, he could not reach the gasoline through the exhaust pipe, and he realized the reason for this - he did not have a tongue, only a hamster skeleton. He spat it out, feeling rather dejected about what could've been his one chance to combat dehydration for the next four millennia, and got back into the driver's seat. After fastening his seat belt, he checked his rearview mirror, and noticed the dead woman in the back seat.

"Peut etre elle save ou je peu trouve l'eau," he thought to himself in Chinese.

He clambered into the backseat to the backseat, and asked her if she knew where they were. As she was dead, she did not respond. After waiting for her answer politely, he asked her again. As she was still dead, she still did not respond. Slightly impatient, he asked her where the nearest Nestle bottling plant was. As she was dead, she told him it was across state lines.

He thanked her and returned to the driver's seat. He turned up the air conditioning to twelve, before deciding that was too cold and turning it down to thirteen. Staring out at the open road, he floored the gas and drove off for the Nestle bottling plant.

3000 years later, the phantom of man had found not one single source of water, only rivers of bile and excrement. The seas had moved to greener pastures, and while some lakes had stayed behind without evaporating, they were notorious for guarding their borders against those who could victimize them.

Thus the phantom had driven for the past 3000 years, with little hope of escaping the desert. The twin suns would forever hang over him, and the day would never come.

At least, that was what he thought. He knew that one day, someone, somehow, would give birth to his departed grandfather's ex-boyfriend's cousin's daughter. And the phantom would be there, to point out that her shoes were tiny, tiny even for something as small as a hippo.

The phantom pulled over to the side of the road to collect his thoughts. Looking in the rear-view mirror, he saw the pile of dust where the woman's corpse had been, and he missed her. At this point he decided to exit the vehicle, to check and see if she was hiding under the vehicle.

Despite the phantom taking several days to search every crack and corner of the Ford Aerostar, he found neither hide nor hair of the dead woman. He made sure to pour the dust on the side of the road; he wanted it to be nice and clean for her return.

Three years pass, and, after passing by a drainage ditch, the phantom remembered that he was a courier. He still had no idea what he was supposed to the deliver, though. The phantom quickly realized that he'd been distracted for too long, and decided to rectify this mistake by concentrating hard on the concept of concepts. After conceiving of undead star child beauty pageant winner, Mae Maddelly, the phantom grew disgusted and stopped dreaming of her. The phantom decided to focus on the road from here on out.

It was then that the Ford Aerostar ran out of gas. With no life left to live, the phantom made sure to put it out of its misery before departing with the shotgun.

It was then that a pug robbed the phantom of everything he owned, including the phantom's immortal soul. The phantom didn't care much, only asking that, once the pug was done with it, that it would be returned to Jeffrey Tambor. Not that Jeffrey Tambor wanted it, of course, but the phantom knew that the pug'd be able to make loads of money.

The phantom was thus surprised when the pug began devouring the soul. It was quite painful at first, but it quickly became quite soothing, like a Himalayan tea being poured into your gullet. The phantom and the pug exchanged pleasantries, and the phantom returned to the Ford Aerostar, which had managed to replenish its fuel through the magic of photosynthesis.

Ripping the seat belt out of the wall, he used it to tie his foot to the brake petal. He floored it, as the phantom knew he had to go nowhere and he had to get there fast. About seven days of not moving, the phantom had reached nowhere, and got out of the Aerostar to admire the vast swaths of nothingness that surrounded him. Nothing was here, nothing. Not even the darkness of the twin suns had followed him. He was at peace.

With no light, no dark, no up, no down, and no cellphone reception, the phantom knew it was only a matter of time before nothing happened. And nothing did. The phantom remained in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to do, and at no time did it ever come to an end.

Meanwhile, the pug had successfully traded the soul for a watermelon at a fluorine tavern, and was taking time to admire it in all its glory. Purple scaled flesh, with black feathers sprouting from its four hind legs and black crosses painted over its cold lifeless eyes, the watermelon was truly a sight to behold.

The pug mounted the watermelon, and put it into reverse, flying down the motorways, with the hope of reaching Turkey. Instead, he reached Moscow, where the watermelon died of exhaustion. The pug descended from his mount, took one last mournful look, and tore the flesh asunder from the head of the watermelon, cracking the skull and scooping out the thermometer. Mercury sold for quite a hefty price in Moscow. The watermelon had not died in vain.

Thus, the pug began the long journey to the K-Mart, four feet across the road. Those four feet were wracked with jagged mountains and treacherous canyons and ravines, with mudslides regularly raining down from above, but the pug soldiered on, knowing that the reward for the mercury would be worth it.

After the seventeenth mountain, the pug began to grow tired. After the sixteenth, the pug became yet more weary. However, it was the nine hundred and seventy-seventh canyon that caused him to question what had begun to seem like a futile quest.

He began to speak to himself aloud, in a voice not unsimilar to that of a super-massive black hole choking on a leg of mutton. "The mercury... must go on..."

And so, the pug sallied forth, despite knowing that, if he did not escape the the treacherous Four Feet soon, he would most surely die.

He managed to make it for another negative five mountains in the span of about thirty seconds, but despite being so near to the edge, the pug knew that he could not go on any further. He would die here, on the final mountain he had to cross before making it to the edge, the sixth mountain away from Moscow.

He dug a hole in the mud, preparing to lay down and die, when a loud, thunderous whirring noise came down from above. Heavy thumps slapped the air in such a way that made it whisper passive aggressively to the milk clouds. The pug looked up, and saw the outstretched hand of the phantom.

The phantom pulled him into the helicopter, where the pug thanked him graciously for having rescued him from the treacherous mountains. At this point, the pug realized something was wrong. The phantom shouldn't be here, it was not yet time, nothing and never had not yet come to pass.

The pug asked the phantom about this, who responded with a shrug, and said something about blaming it on the seventh descendant of Jeffrey Tambor, and the invasion of Deimos by Einseth the Destroyer.

Now, the phantom steered the helicopter in the direction of the K-Mart, landing in front of it, and allowing the pug to ask to barter the mercury in exchange for some food and water. When the K-Mart refused, the phantom fired its shotgun directly through the K-Mart's windows, blowing apart its intestines. The K-Mart dead, the phantom and the pug settled down to dine on its flesh. It was a good day to be a Republican.

An earthbound battle from Jeff's perspective:

The four chosen children approached the mountainside slowly. It had been days since they had any rest. Jeff stopped only after the other three children did. They nodded to each other, Poo grabbed him and pulled him behind a rock.

'Starmen,' Ness mouthed to him, from behind another rock, where he had hid with Paula, who was currently eyes closed and concentrating.

"Have they seen us?" he whispered to Poo, only to be answered by Ness and Paula jumping away just fast enough to avoid a beam that instantly incinerated their once cover.

"Be a little louder why don't you?" The prince growled, only to vault over the cover and disappear.

Paula and Ness, still in sight, were immediately assaulted by a barrage of lasers. Ness whipped out his baseball bat began glowing as he weaved through them with unnatural grace, using his bat to redirect the lasers he couldn't dodge. Paula was much more confrontational, merely throwing her hands outwards and countering the lasers with lightning bolts of equal size.

Panicked, jeff whipped out his bag, pulling out his gun. Looking over his cover, he began taking aim. Poo had reached the four star-men, and became a crimson flurry as he launched himself at one of them, using PK fire to both shroud himself and enhance his attacks. Ness had reached another, who threw up a shield just in time to be launched away faster than he could see by Ness' swing.

Damn it, he was aiming for that one too.

Carefully, he began recalibrating his aim to another target, who began rushing the stationary Paula.

'I can hit this one!' he thought to himself, as the starman reached melee range. It released a devastating straight, but the girl jumped to the side, leaving the now cratered ground to absorb the impact.

'Now!' He thought, pulling the trigger. He heard a slight dink as the starman's head bobbed slightly, and turned towards him.

He could barely register fear as Gygas' agent began charging a laser, but Paula leapt forwards, psionic aura so powerful he could viscerally feel it from where he was.

"PK FIRE!" She screamed, launching a concentrated stream of fire that enveloped the upper half of the starman, and angled into the earth.

"Pay attention!" He yelled Poo yell, and he instinctively jumped, but his leg was still caught by the laser. And just like that he was an amputee.

"I got him!" he heard someone yell in the distance, but everything was strangely bright, and everything sounded like it was covered in cotton. Someone was standing over him, but lines didn't quite make sense.

Everything rushed back into him though, and his senses were back to normal in time to see Ness hover his hand over his now stub of a leg, and grow new tendons and muscles around a newly sprouted bone, the last part being the skin covering it as if nothing had happened.

"Be more careful!" He said with a goofy grin, only to get the wind knocked out of him as a laser hit him in the back. He turned, furious.

"I was talking!" He growled, and the three remaining starman, one beaten to a pulp by Poo, one crippled by a variety of paula's Psi powers, and one just getting back from being launched by Ness, froze in what could only be called fear. Ness's aura began expanding, and he floated up, sparks coming off him.

"PK ROCKING!" He roared, his aura jumping out, enveloping the starmen. They let out a horrible screeching noise, and they were simply... gone.

"Should have saved your energy," Poo grumbled.

"I lost my temper a little," He said with a shrug.

Poo looked straight at Jeff. "I wasn't talking about the attack." Paula sent a small bolt of lightning that hit him in the side of the head, causing him to grumble and rub where he was shocked.

Ness walked forward, looking at the giant steel door in the side of the mountain, and the keypad next to it.

"Hey, Jeff, can you help us out some here? You are the only one who can work this thing."

He grinned and nodded. He walked over to the keypad. He chuckled at the simplicity of the alien tech, and cracked it instantly.

Ness gave him his signature head nod, and entered. Paula thanked him for helping against the starman, and went in. Finally Poo walked by, and begrudgingly gave him a nod of approval.

Jeff stuck out his tongue and followed him in.

Accidenty went over the time, but whatever ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Super

Man

if I said one thing to the world and thought to myself...

Wow it heard me. That one thing would make it step back and rethink great passages and the words that make them what they are.

Stories that do what they were titled as. Superman/Wonder Women is one such story. Two heroes share a life time and challenge the world to keep up. The much loved concept of many people.

Words that are easy to write and a vibrant world that comes to life with each touch of the pencil each stroke of color each thought of what makes something so unique so grand so true to character?

I ask you to ponder the theme of tomorrow today the idea of could be as you drink your coffee and eat your bacon and eggs and hash browns.

No place like any other world this world has Krypto a female shape changer whom comes to be known as Sara but most important this world has people with back bone and spirit and guts.

Superman/Wonder Women lead the charge to better the people they stand tall and look to the stars. From them back to them, to explore the great unknown.

So when war threatens the people stand with the heroes , when hells fire burns brighter , the heroes bend to knee and pray with the people and when writers says I cannot find the spirit of a couple.

I take a knee and say why because surely your not trying.

When your actors are characters in stories , when your world is inked on a page and when your color is what every you can imagine.

Then I know that somebody stopped trying and when that took place a book that is supposed to make you see possible and became one way. No longer has the reader in mind but a dollar bill.

Comics are about heroes and how they inspire people.

Not pc but you and me and the walk through a world making impossible possible.

I was gone but I came back.

I was away.

But today I am here.

Remember.

Me.

?

Cheesy

I went to the store today for food.

The women said to me.

Wasup

Dude.

I thought impure thoughts and climbed up on my chair and screamed.

It pleases me to say that in my fellowship on the comic vine boards and the silence of the thought spread out with word after word after word.

They looked at me they started to dance , I screamed listen the growled a deep unsettling growl.

I jumped behind the counter and did find cheese of the most impurest kind.

I did lay it out before the troubled evil vile minds and they stopped and sniffed and screamed Divine on the vine of mine and thine.

I took my chance and ran for life and limb and pimp dads all the world over did rejoice.

Living to enjoy another day a day with vampires and wolves of the changing kind.

A day with Impurestcheese and others whom write whom create whom never stop and hesitate because what is the fun in that?

Give me a moment and expand the world with but a few pushes of the keyboard.

Can you , should you but we say I did , I will , and if I have time I will do so again.

Have a day....

Have many...

Be alive while you can....

Eat cheese...

That is all.

The ring is a cacophany of cheers and exhultation. The two fighters circle each other, probing with low kicks and jabs, both women of similar height and weight. One is a swarthy skinned dame with red hair, her upright posture and mid guard suggestive of a blend of tae kwon do kickboxing and conventional boxing whereas the other is a dark skinned woman with black hair and square features with a shoulder width stance and higher guard classic of muay thai.

The darker skinned woman probes with a pair of jabs that the other parries casually. She answers with a straight leg kick from the hip that winds up caught, her adversary steps forward, raining punches at the face and general head of the redhead while backing her into a corner. The crowd goes wild as the redhead busts her hindquarters collapsing against the corner where the referee steps in to break it up so she can clamber back to her feet with a cut cheek and brow.

The two head back to their respective corners. While there, the lighter skinned fighter is cleaned up. Her brow and cheek are already swelling so her team does a quick job at stimying this while the darker has the sweat cleaned from her face and is given a squirt of water. Though her style and appearance are Thai, her ringside is mostly Native American. After several moments, the bell rings for them to begin once more.

The two advance to the center of the ring where they greet each other with a trading of punches. The redhead is the superior boxer, but the other is the more balanced fighter and she mixes it up with a kick to the side of her lead knee. They trade like this twice more, the darker girl dancing out of reach after tagging her leg each time. After a third go, the redhead tries to charge with a superman punch to keep her from getting out of reach but the kickboxer skips out of the way and tags her in her exposed abdomen with a straight leg kick from the hip.

Her redheaded adversary seems hurt by the cleanly landed blow to her midriff, so the darkhaired kickboxer moves in for the kill with another kick to her side that she just barely checks, then follows through with a spinning kick that brings her heel across the side of her head and brings the fight to a dramatic close.

The referee steps over to her, first checking on her adversary. An emergency medical team carries her out when she's determined to be nonresponsive but alive and its at that point that the referee lifts the darkhaired fighter's gloved fist in the air to declare,"And the winner by knock out,'Tara Blackwolf Chietsonkrit!'"

Tara is a five foot seven half Cherokee half Thai kick boxer. Her father is a Thai immigrant chiefly responsible for her enthusiasm about the martial arts, and her mother is a medicine woman in the Tennessee reservation. Her family all live on the reservation as quasi celebrities.

Natasha Romanoff nestled into the sniper rifle and calibrated the sight. Way off in the distance, but brought close due to the wonders of technology, was Wilson Fisk. The fat bald criminal hid in plain sight.

"Are you sure about this Tony?" She asked into her earpiece. "Because if you're not, now is the time to call it off."

"Having second thoughts Widow?"

"No, he's human garbage. I will think no more of pulling the trigger than I would when I flush the toilet. This is your call. You, Anthony Edward Stark, as head of SHIELD are ordering the termination of another human being."

It went quiet on the comms as Natasha aimed above the mans head, taking into account wind, trajectory and distance. If she aimed for his forehead in the crosshairs the bullet would dip and hit him in the chest or stomach, and a man of his girth could possibly survive that.

"You have a green light," Tony replied. "Take the shot."

"Dasvidanya, Kingpin." Natasha squeezed the trigger three times sending the deadly volley to the unsuspecting target. Three...two...one. Wilson's left eye exploded as the first bullet hit home. The second bullet slammed through his mouth completing the excavation of the fat man's skull as the third ripped through his throat and severed the spinal cord. The Kingpin of crime was nothing more than a slumped mass against the cushioned booth.

"Whose next?" Natasha asked as she stood up and dismantled the gun.