Okay, for you Storm fanatics…this has NOTHING to do with Storm. This is about Josh Mardon, the time-displaced, space-displaced, son of Weather Wizard. This takes place shortly after the Future Apocalypse RPG, when Josh has mysteriously found himself back in the present time...
Josh Mardon. The prodigal son, long lost to his father, his world. It would not be long now before this second world was torn away from him, by war, and plague, and eventually, by death's cold embrace. Even now he lived on borrowed time. He didn't remember how...or why, but he was back in his past. The world seemed so pristine, unravaged by Final Arrow and his minions. Here things grew. Here children laughed and played. Each hero thought they would be the one to save the world, each villain thought they would be the one to conquer it.
What was more disturbing was seeing the dead, going about their daily tasks. Faces which Josh had seen in terrible rictus-grins, flesh peeling from their bones. Some, seeing Josh watching them, tried to engage him in conversation. Josh would stammer something incoherent, and flee. Their rotten skulls filled his mind...
Maybe if Josh knew how he had ended up back in this idyllic past his mind would have been more at rest. But only the Fates know all, and they keep their secrets safe…
Josh had been in the catacombs beneath the city, the long disused sewers and subway system. He tried to avoid these regions when given a chance, but he was being pursued, and had little choice. Josh leaped into a manhole, drawing the cover down just as the fiends following him rounded a corner. All was silence in the underground, only punctuated by the occasional drip-drip of water. Few came down here. It was the domain of the Exanimare, the nightmarish group consisting of Voidheart and his lackeys, the three Weird Brothers. Stories the like of which had formerly only been told in fairy tales formed around these mysterious figures. Josh knew they existed. He had run into them one night, but they took little interest in him…merely sent him off with a warning.
Josh's footsteps sounded uncannily loud in the still air. He lit his way with a spark of electricity, resting on his forefinger. The fizzling light made the shadows dance, and set Josh on edge. He did not realize where on that subterranean map he was until it was too late… "Josh Mardon" Josh's heart quickened. He spun around, but there was only darkness. "We told you to run." The voices that had haunted Josh's nightmares. "But did you listen, Josh Mardon?" The voices were growing closer. Josh's hands lit up with a blaze of electricity. Lightning crackled around his eyes. "You must face the consequences now Josh…" This time, the voice was right next to Josh's ear. He spun, slamming his fist into the stone wall where moments before a figure had been standing. "Do not fight it Josh. It is much too late…" A sickly-sweet mist began to fill the cavern. Josh saw the grenade it was emanating from too late. His eyes grew heavy, and he slumped to the ground.The last thing he saw was three figures slowly approaching him...
Josh awoke to find himself in a glass tube. It was about seven feet tall, five wide. On the other side of the glass was Walter Palindrome, the Weird Brother sometimes known as See No Evil. Josh's eyes once more flickered with electricity. He was not going to be held prisoner like this. He blasted the glass with thousands of volts, but nothing happened. Josh then began to stir up the air inside the tube. It began to whip quickly, forming a small tornado…still, the glass held firm. Josh placed his hands against it, and chilled it to hundreds of degrees below zero…but the glass did not so much as crack. This tube was obviously built to last. Josh leaned against it, despairing. Wilbur Palindrome, also known as Hear No Evil joined his brother. William Palindrome, Speak No Evil, was adjusting some dials on the other side of the spacious room.
From what Josh could see, it appeared to be a fairly standard laboratory…whitewashed walls, tiled floor. There were some control panels at various places, but that was all. William Palindrome flipped a switch, then joined his brothers. Josh's chamber had begun to spark…not electricity, for Josh could control that. This was somthing…other. Tachyons. The Weird Brothers were bombarding him with tachyons…"Goodbye Josh. Enjoy your trip" Walter said, and then everything vanished in a flash of light.
Though Josh naturally did not know it, the Weird Brothers did have an agenda…they had been tasked by Voidheart to prevent the war. Voidheart had constructed a time machine, and they were fine-tuning it. Josh just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. The Weird Brothers used him as their guinea pig, and sent him back through time.
Josh ended up in a parallel universe, identical to his own except that the war would never take place. But all Josh knew was that he had been sent back for a reason, and he HAD to prevent the war from ever happening. But no one would listen…they cast him out, called him crazy. Josh didn't know what to do. He stood leaning against a tree in the rain. He was used to the rain...
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