The Wastelands

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

Coober Pedy - Three months after Calamity

"Are you willing to come under the terms of the accord?"

Steven Lao, or Covenant, as he decided to call himself, sat across the circular table, hands folded on its surface. Facing him was Sandstorm, a wind-specialist weather Epic that had been roughing up the outlying settlements of Coober Pedy. Hardhat stood near by, monitoring the various weapons systems of his own design that lined the room. All of them were trained on Sandstorm.

Sandstorm scowled. "What do you think you're trying to accomplish? There is no law now, the world's in shambles! There's nothing you can do to stop it." He spat. Covenant frowned. Taking a handkerchief, he wiped the spittle off the table. Sandstorm continued, "If you think that you can rope me or any other Epic in his right mind into this crazy pact, you're dead wrong."

Covenant regarded him stoically. Sandstorm sneered back. Finally, Covenant sighed and turned to face the wall.

"Unfortunately Sandstorm, the law will not go away if you ignore it. It is very real, and exists here in Coober Pedy. Your neglect will not make it any less potent." Covenant spun around to stare Sandstorm in the eyes. "Rather, it will make it all the more potent. You are guilty of trespass, assault, breaking and entering, verbal harassment, littering (on multiple occasions), property damage, leaving the scene of a crime in all of these accounts, use of Epic powers without official consent, and evading the police. Do not think that you will be let off with a mere warning." Covenant leaned closer to Sandstorm's face, with the intensity of a mountain. "You are held at the sword of justice, Sandstorm. And you are looking at its wielder."

Sandstorm gulped. Covenant backed away.

"Fortunately for you, none of those are capital offenses. However, the frequency of your violations does not warrant any mercy. I'd much prefer that you work with us, but justice must be fulfilled. Perhaps your mood will change after you've seen prison. I sentence you to twelve years of prison under constant surveillance, generously punctuated with community service. My judgement stands indefinitely until further notice. Hardhat, please escort the prisoner to his cell," Covenant said.

With a nod, Hardhat produced a set of thick manacles which he set around Sandstorm's wrists. He then placed a band around his neck and led Sandstorm out of the room. Covenant remained motionless until the sound of their footsteps had disappeared down the hall. With a sigh, he sank into his chair. He ran his fingers through his hair and gazed at the ceiling. There was just so much to do and seemingly not enough hours in the day. His resources were stretched to the limit trying to break down crime, and it didn't seem to be getting any better. Even worse (or at times it seemed), flocks of refugees appeared every week, dragged on rumors of a promised city of order. The poor folks hailed from across Australia, and beyond. It was exhausting accommodating them all, but with the extra help, the tunnel system had seen great progress. It was just too much for one man to bear.

There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Covenant called. It opened, and Stellar walked in. An energy Epic, Covenant had set her to work on developing a sustainable power source for the new city underground. If his plan worked, and he hoped it would, then Coober Pedy would be an oasis of peace in a desert of chaos. If only he could keep it together...

"Sir, I just came to inform you that the project has been going along swell. I take it that you're unoccupied at the moment?" She asked from the doorway. Covenant nodded and gestured to one of the seats at the table. Stellar sat.

"So sir, I found some engineers among the refugees and put them into my team. They're really brilliant; so far we have a system to capture and store energy and use it as electricity. Don't ask me how it works, I have no clue. Um sir, I was wondering, did you intend for me to be the power source?" Stellar looked very concerned. Covenant tilted his head and glanced at the ceiling.

"Yes, that was my intention... is there a problem?"

"Oh, um, no... not really... It's just that for a second I felt used, exploited, et cetera. But I guess that's alright. I guess. How would you handle the power rage?" Stellar asked.

Covenant spread his hands. "Simply keep yourself within the confined space of the energy collector, or whatever contraption your engineers have cooked up, and make sure workers are a safe distance away from you. Hopefully we won't need you to constantly be generating energy, so the effects will be minimized." Stellar nodded, understanding. She stood and headed towards the door. She paused and turned back.

"Oh, one more thing, sir. There's an Epic waiting for you outside."

Covenant gaped. "WHAT?! I- I mean how did I not detect him? How--"

"It's a she, sir. She hasn't broken any laws, and didn't trespass because she claims to be a refugee so we treated her as such," Stellar explained. Covenant ran his fingers through his hair, shaking his head. Stellar left the room, but peeked her head back in.

"Her name is Diva, by the way."

[Majestic]

Brisbane - Day 8

 

Mother Nature was a very satisfied Epic.

Shortly after her claim to the throne, she had issued out a call that any Epics with a powerset relating to Earth's natural disasters would be welcome on her Table of Evil Nature (TEN), to serve under her. Wild success was, obviously, imminent, and Nature could not have been happier.

The first Epic to arrive called himself Twister. He could alter air currents and create swirling vortexes (tornadoes) on ground, in fire, on sea, and even under the sea. In addition, Twister could control these as he pleased, which made him a very valuable asset. He was a young lad, with black hair and an eager face.

After that had been the Slide Twins - Avalanche and Landslide, who could disrupt snow mounds and conjure up boulders, respectively. Neither were as powerful as Twister, but still they seemed rather useful, so Nature allowed them on the TEN. Avalanche was a middle-age woman with completely white hair, and white everything to match. Landslide preferred a more laid-back approach, with jeans and a superhero t-shirt. His muddy hair was slicked back, and he held himself quite arrogantly.

That was it for the day, but all-in-all, Mother Nature was pleased with the advancement.

A short, balding man rushed into the room. "Mother," he huffed, "there have been reports of an Epic in Coober Pedy. His name is Sandstorm. Supposedly he can control the weather and, maybe, sand along with it. Civilians say he was a kind of outlaw there, but we're not sure. Apparently, he is a rather strong Epic." The man finished with a small smile, and accepted the generous offer of a chair to rest on.

"Very good, Nightwatch," she replied, "you will be rewarded for your finds."

The balding man, Nightwatch, smiled again.

"Well," Nature continued, turning to Phase, who was standing silently in the corner as her bodyguard, "do you reckon we should try to help him escape? He could end up very useful."

"My opinion? I'm not sure. While he may be powerful, do we really want to risk the small number we have trying to bail him out?"

Nature thought for half a second, weighing up the odds. "Hmm, fine. Not yet. We'll wait a week or two, improve our numbers and army, and then we'll see. As for you," she pointed at Nightwatch, "your every need shall be taken care of. Just ask the guards." Nightwatch thanked her and left the room. Even now, Mother Nature looked out the window and noticed a water Epic displaying her power as she floated to the newly reformed Mother HQ.

 

Mother Nature was a very satisfied Epic.

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

Haven/Coober Pedy - Day 8

The sky lamps in the plazas had dimmed hours ago, simulating night. Covenant walked to a lift and punched a code into the key panel. Slowly, the platform sank down. He leaned against the wall as the lift descended, the low whirring of the motor filling the small compartment. At last, there was a quiet ding, and the doors opened. Covenant stepped out.

This was the Basement, the lowest level of Haven. Secretly lying beneath the city, it was the heart of the Council's operations. A secondary conference room was located down here in the case of an emergency, along with the massive farms that fed the city, courtesy of Greenhouse. The tunnels connected with the water table here too, so pumps and pipes were scattered about to control the water systems. Most importantly to Covenant, the Lawkeeper barracks and prison was located here. That was where he was headed.

He strode down the hallway, starkly lit by a line of lights in the ceiling. Occasionally, signs directed where facilities were located, but they were infrequent. Anyone that came down here knew exactly where they were going. Covenant took a left at a crossroads and continued down the corridor.

Eventually he reached a door, made of thick steel. He pressed his hand onto the pad beside it, and with a whoosh, the door slid open. Air rushed out of the opened space. Covenant strode through and the door closed behind him. The prison had three levels, five aisles to a level, and twenty cells on either side of each aisle. Most of the prisoners were from the first year of Haven, when everyone was still transitioning to a peaceful society. Two Lawkeepers patrolled each level, but there hadn't been a breakout in over a year. The consequences of that quickly extinguished any thoughts of escape. The Lawkeeper, in his proud blue armor suit, saluted as Covenant passed by. He nodded. He strolled down the aisle, glancing at the cells. He remembered them all, each crime, each criminal. Diva sometimes mentioned that she thought it was sad that the prisoners had to spend their days in paradise in chains. Covenant supposed it was unfortunate, but justice cannot be avoided. Besides, most of the prisoners on this level were due to be released in a year or two. Their crimes weren't as severe as others, but they had caused discontent in the city. A few of the cells were vacant; they had been released a few days before. Covenant had seen them wander off into Haven, the halo of freedom glowing on their faces.

He took the stairs down. He skipped the second floor, there was not much to see there. Most of the were revolutionaries and rebels, terrorists from the first year. Any others on that level were either murderers or had accumulated several serious crimes. They wouldn't be seeing much of the world for many years yet. The scene changed as he descended to the third level. He passed a layer of lead set into the stone beside him. It covered the entire prison, and the walls too. The walls were plated with metal. When Covenant reached the bottom of the stairs, two Lawkeepers stood in front of the blast door. Covenant pressed his hand to the pad on the wall and punched the several digit access code. The light above the door flashed green, and the Lawkeepers saluted him, stepping aside. With a whoosh, the blast door opened.

This was the Epic level. There were forty cells on this level, each heavily armored and under constant surveillance. No Lawkeepers patrolled past the blast door, but mounted guns moved through the aisles on tracks in the ceiling. A little treat of Hardhat's. Any false move, attempted escape, and the guns would open fire. No High Epics were kept here, so death was a certainty. Covenant strode down the narrow space that ran between the cells. Meter-thick walls separated him from each prisoner, and a reinforced window about the size of a piece of paper allowed him view. He recited their names in his head as he passed.

Cartwheel: extraordinary gymnastic abilities. Relatively weak Epic. Detained for murder by strangling, trespass, and use of Epic powers without official consent.

Whetstone: Can give anything a sharp edge. Definitely more dangerous than Cartwheel. Detained for mass murder, trespass, evading the police, breaking and entering, grand theft auto, and use of Epic powers without official consent.

Teapot: Can make a "perfect" cup of tea, can shoot boiling water from hands. Weak except for water. Detained for aggravated assault, evading the police, and use of Epic powers without official consent.

Amperos: Electricity manipulation. Quite powerful. Detained for terroristic acts, murder by electrocution, evading the police, trespass, and use of Epic powers without official consent.

...

Covenant stopped by every cell. Usually, the Epic gave him a disdainful look before turning away. Other times, the look was pleading. Covenant ignored it all. He assigned them all to community service according to their abilities. They do fine work. Covenant came to the final cell, the first Epic to refuse the pact.

Sandstorm.

Covenant gazed through the small window at the cell. Bare floor, cot in the corner, self-cleaning toilet in the other. That was an ingenious invention of Hardhat's. Sandstorm sat on his cot, twirling his fingers. Covenant knew he was trying to make a breeze. He also knew he was failing. The band on his head restricted his powers. Even if he did manage to do anything, it would be extremely weak. It would also be illegal. Sandstorm scowled and dropped his hands, frustrated at another failure. He turned to see Covenant at the window and sneered. Covenant shook his head. He activated the speaker in the cell through his earpiece.

"Still resilient, I see," Covenant's voice came through the speaker. Sandstorm folded his arms.

"Only way I'll keep my head in this place. How's your crazy plan coming along?" His voice was picked up by the mics hidden in the cell.

"Swimmingly. It is a shame you refused to join us."

"And lose my freedom? Pah!"

"You don't look very free to me."

"... but I'm still my own man. All the others in your plan are just slaves."

"No, they are free within the law. I assure you, I did not strip away their choice."

"Lies! Ugh... doesn't it seem we have this conversation every time?"

"Sure does. I'd think that'd change if you agreed to the pact--"

"Which you know I won't."

"It was worth a try. Goodbye Sandstorm. Think it over."

Covenant shut off the speaker and walked away. Sandstorm was too stubborn, but that will change with time. He still has nine years left to think it over. Covenant punched in the access code, pressed his hand, and the door opened. He turned to the Lawkeepers as the door shut. "Don't forget to change the code. Good work," he said, and climbed the stairs.

[Majestic]

Sydney - 2 weeks after Calamity

 

Screams.

Pain.

Screams.

Pain.

 

Liz Banner attempted to muffle the noises of death itself as she huddled in the corner of her room. Tears escaped her eyes and her whole body wouldn't stop trembling. Why did she think her family was safe? Why would she think anybody was safe? This Sparking country was never since, not since Sparking Calamity appeared. Sparking Sparkity SPARKS!

She let out another roar of agony, as memories entered her mind unbidden.

That unnamed Epic waltzing into her town. He didn't seem to want to cause trouble. Then he proceeded to murder innocent civilians, people she had known for a little over 15 years. Her dad had ushered the family into the house : Liz, her mum, her two brothers.

Her family. Dead.

Liz knew she wanted revenge, but how could a little child harm a High Epic?

5 minutes passed, 10 minutes, 20, 2 hours went by and still Liz sobbed, body heaving with loss. Why her? Why her family? Why that time? WHY?!

The china collection smashed as she chucked it against the wall. No parents. No family. No friends. She would die if she stayed like this. But, for once, Liz Tanner did not care.

I can help you.

Liz jumped with shock at the unexpected voice. "Who's there?" she asked, worry mixed in to her speech. Her hand located a small box she kept her treasures in, prepared.

But she couldn't see.

Her eyes were clearly open, but... there was only blackness. Infinite blackness...

And in the centre of that blackness was a too familiar shape. Red. A red circle against a canvas of black.

Calamity.

She didn't realise Calamity could speak. Could it? Perhaps her mind was deceiving her.

But the figure was unmistakeable. Even as her mind whirred, she felt invited. Invited to what?

Power. Unimaginable power. Liz could see it. Power. Glory. Restoration. Justice. Her mental hand reached out to grab it...

Corpses.

Liz recoiled in disgust, but it was too late. A bright flash, and she was back in her drab room, sitting in the corner. Only this time, she could feel a well of power inside of her. She reached into that well.

Without thinking, she outstretched her palms to grab a few plants, the only hint of life in the bedroom. Her fingers moved of her own accord, and a short while later, she had fashioned a curious little object that looked similar to a sword. Liz span it around and accidentally cut a tiny ball in half.

What the Sparks...

Headed downstairs, she nabbed a few more plant-based ornaments. By the time she was out the door, her armoury also included a shotgun. A shotgun purely made from sunflowers. And, interestingly, it seemed to fire seed pellets.

Let's see what else I can do.

Without thinking, she turned herself into a rose.

Wait, what? she thought, before returning back. Did I literally just do that? She tried again, successfully, but noting that focusing hard enough enabled her to see her own fingers. Huh, only an illusion.

Why she also wanted to behead some people, she had no idea.

A rampage was soon under way, and Liz discovered she had healing abilities and could summon plants at will. Not control them, but it was still enough. With unmatched glee, she bounded away, adopting the moniker Mother Nature, and levelled some towns on her way to find her family's murderer.

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

Singapore - Day of Calamity

KABOOMSHHHSHHHCRRASH!

The office building across the street collapsed in one terrific cloud of dust, the rumble like a million drums in a thunderstorm. Steven Lao stared breathless from the window of his small office, eyes wide in terror. A crimson blur sped past the window, and Steven ducked. There was a flash of green outside, followed by a loud explosion. The street was a mess of smashed cars and rubble. Frantic civilians fled for cover. Some were trapped under slabs of concrete or inside cars. It was a scene of absolute destruction.

Steven's office was too far up for him to hear the screams, which was good. He didn't want to. He backed away from the window and grabbed his mug of coffee. His hands were shaking so much he spilled it all down his shirt. Oblivious to that, he set the mug aside and fumbled with the door handle, then stumbled into the hallway. This had to be a dream, a very bad dream. He was just an accountant with a tidy office job. He paid the bills, followed the rules, was friends with his boss, Mr. Xao. It just couldn't be happening, couldn't be...

RUMMBBLEE.... crrrcCRAAASSHH!!!

Steven leaped to the side just in time, snapping into focus. The upper floor caved in, sending down a shower of dust and concrete. There were screams upstairs, the IT department. Steven gazed up into the hole in the ceiling. The dust settled. Then someone was flung across the gap and disappeared from view on the other side. Steven gave a silent gasp. He pressed himself up against the wall, glanced around, and pulled the decorative plant in front of him. Heavy footsteps sounded up above, shaking loose dust from the ceiling. They got closer, louder, until a massive figure appeared at the edge of the hole. Twice the size of a normal man with hulking arms and a beefy torso, the being scanned the wreckage. Steven stood completely still, too scared to even think. The thing smiled gruesomely and chuckled, a terrible rumbling sound. Bloodlust glinted in its eyes. Then it smashed through the wall, sending a shower of dust and disappeared from sight. Steven waited, lungs yearning for air he wouldn't dare breathe. Seconds passed, and he sighed in relief. He glanced down the hall; he had to get out of here.

The elevator was out of order, so Steven took the stairs. Down and down the steps spiraled. Occasionally, sections of the wall were missing, chunks of it scattered on the steps. Steven carefully walked around them. He sped down the flights of stairs, all the way to the parking garage in the basement. The garage was dark, the electricity shorted out. Steven fumbled in his pocket for his keys, then pressed a button. Far across the darkness, his car's lights blinked. He dashed for the car. As he ran, explosions sounded on the surface. The ground shook. Now and again, he would blink the car lights to check where he was. Finally, he reached his vehicle and jumped inside. He turned the ignition and backed out, carefully navigating out of the parking garage. A tunnel led to the street on the other side of the building, he just hoped it was clear. Sunlight poured into the tunnel up ahead. It took his eyes a second to adjust, and then he gasped. A chunk of stone was blocking half of the exit. There was a possibility that he could get through, but it wasn't likely. Another explosion rumbled overhead.

Steven made up his mind. He slammed down on the accelerator and charged the gap and the light. The stone approached, faster and faster. Steven braced for impact.

With a screech of metal, the side mirror was ripped off. Steven expected the side of the car was trashed as well. But he was out! Quickly, he scanned the road. Most of the lanes were blocked by rubble or totaled cars, but there! Third lane on the left was clear. He swerved for it. The road was blocked up ahead, so he turned into a side alley. A chain link fence blocked the way, but he just charged through it. The alley ended up ahead, and he turned right. Several cars were piled up in front of him, but there was a concrete median. He pulled onto it and maneuvered around the crash. People ran past on the sidewalk, some of them surprised to see a bright yellow Prius zooming down the street.

Steven looked up ahead. He had to get to the expressway. There was an access ramp up ahead on the right, hopefully it was clear. He rounded the corner and yes, the ramp was clear. He pressed on the gas--

KABOOM

The road beside him exploded, rocking the car. He swerved to avoid it, but crashed into a parked car on the side of the street. It smashed the other side of his vehicle, but it could still drive. Steven checked the rear-view mirror. An angry, red-suited figure floated behind him above the street. A violent red orb began to form in his hands. The figure prepared to throw, and Steven gunned the accelerator. Behind him, the parked car exploded in a plume of flame. The figure swooped towards him, and Steven swerved onto the access ramp. The figure flew past, faked-out by the abrupt turn. Steven grinned triumphantly, but the red figure was still in pursuit.

The expressway was a mess. Abandoned cars were everywhere, and gaping holes pocked the road. Steven weaved around some cars and onto the median, which was thankfully clear. A car to the right exploded. Steven glanced out the window to see the red figure preparing another orb. There was a clear section up ahead, and he swerved towards it. The orb left a smoking crater on the median where he would have gone. Steven glanced up ahead. The expressway entered a bridge across the river. In the distance, plumes of smoke drifted into the sky. He had to lose the red freak somehow...

A large chunk out of the railing was blasted off beside him. Steven pulled the car back onto the median, just in time to avoid a large pileup of cars. He glanced in the mirror. The red figure was still following him. The bridge was up ahead. Steven pushed the car harder. The speedometer needle wobbled into the red zone. He glanced back. The red figure was preparing another orb. Steven checked the road... just in time to swerve into the lane as the median abruptly ended where the bridge started. He dodged a smashed car and glanced back at the red figure. Why hadn't he thrown the orb yet?

Steven gasped. The orb was enormous, cackling above the figure's head. With a tremendous heave, he threw the orb. Steven swerved, but it flew past the car.

Right into the bridge in front of him.

KABOOOOSH!

In a bright crimson flash, the section of bridge crumbled, temporarily blinding Steven. He slammed on the brakes, but he was going too fast. The car careened over the edge and plummeted towards the river. Steven closed his eyes.

So this is how it all ends...

...

A bright red sphere, suspended in a sea of black.

Look into the sphere.

And it spoke to him.

Humans... foolish, disrespectful, disobedient. Vermin.

Justice yearns for its price.

Destroy them.

Steven's eyes shot open. It was blinding, everything! He could see, sense... he knew where they were. What they had done. Murder, murder, murder, destruction, murder...

It gave him strength. 

In a second, everything happened. He smashed out of the car, tearing it apart like tissue. He was still falling, so he leaped. A great arc, powered by his legs, through the air. Criminals everywhere, he could spot them.

The red figure was near, murderer. He would feel justice.

Steven charged towards him, becoming a blur. The red figure didn't see it coming. Steven deliver a crushing punch to his back, sending the broken corpse sailing across the skyline. So many crimes pounded at his head. 800 meters. 1000 meters. Kill Kill KILL.

He ran towards them, the cowering criminals staring up at him as he vaporized them with beams from his hands. They were all guilty, all guilty. He punished them all. He sensed his office building. 1500 meters. Mass murderer. The hulking figure that wreck the IT department was going to pay for its crimes. Steven sped towards the building, jumping through the window and through a couple walls. It couldn't hurt him, nothing could stop justice. Steven smashed through the wall, the beefy monster turning to face him. It smiled.

"A challenger for Benchpress? I will crush you like a bug."

Steven frowned. "You will pay for your crimes," he said. He raised his hands and shot blinding white light at Benchpress. It screamed, and the smell of seared flesh. Steven growled, and the beams of death intensified, melting through muscle like it didn't exist. Soon Benchpress was a pile of ash on the floor.

Steven focused. The city was crawling with criminals. They all had to pay. He jumped up, smashing through the building, and began to prey on the guilty.

...

Hours later, Steven regained consciousness. Or maybe he had been conscious the whole time. He didn't like to think about it. He sat near the pier, watching the waves. It was night. He needed to get away, away from here, away from what he had done. How?

He glanced down the waterline. There was a boat docked nearby. Excellent. He walked towards it. As he walked down the dock to the boat, a man scrambled out and pointed a gun at him.

"Don't come any closer! I'll shoot!" The man shouted. Steven held his hands in the air. Owning a firearm was illegal, but Steven tried to ignore the nagging in his mind.

"I just want to escape. I won't harm you. I noticed you had a boat. Could we use it to get away?" Steven asked. The man lowered the gun, but didn't put it away. 

"It's not my boat, I was just hiding out in it. I don't know how to drive, err, sail it anyways. Tough luck," the man said. Steven stepped closer. The man's grip tightened on the gun.

"Maybe I can take a look. If we can get out of here, all the better. May I come aboard?" Steven suggested. The man narrowed his eyes, but relented. Steven walked down to the cabin and considered the controls. The man came over and pointed.

"The thing is, I don't have the keys to this thing. So we can't start it. If you can come up with a genius way to get it going, then say goodbye to Singapore. Tell me if you come up with anything," he said, and walked out. Steven looked over the controls again, then searched through the compartments. There was a screwdriver in one, so he removed the panel under the dashboard. Theoretically, if he did this...

After a few attempts, the engine sputtered to life. The man rushed back in.

"You did it?! Amazing! Well then, you take the controls, you certainly know what you're doing." He looked back at the city. "Goodbye, Singapore!" he called. Steven smiled. It was time to get away.

Edited August 3, 2017 by Hemalurgic_Headshot

[Majestic]

Corfe - 3 weeks after Calamity

 

Ding.

Aeroplane. Boarding for Australia. Anthony Hill felt lucky there was an Epic willing to soar them through the skies to the huge, populous country. The small fee was doable, and the deal felt great. Why was he leaving? Well, quite simply, Anthony was sick of England. Too many dominating Epics and city-destroying fights between the insensitive Slontzes. Rumours were passed that Oz welcomed anybody, and from the looks of it, Anthony was prepared to believe that. So many sights!

Ding.

This is your Captain, Metalbird, speaking. If you've ever been on a plane before you know the drill. For those who don't, you have a lifejacket underneath your seat and an oxygen mask above you. These are just a few safety features aboard my lovely flight. Sit back and enjoy, ladies and gentlemen, and I'll see you all in Australia.

Ding.

Anthony did just so. Relaxing into the luxurious, leather seat helped him to blissfully release. The tall fellow next to him was already snoring. Poor guy. Probably spent countless nights working to support his family. If he had a family, that was. Anthony's lived somewhere in the US. They still managed to chat, which was nice, and it reassured Anthony immensely.

After lift-off, the ride was barely eventful. The most that happened was a portion of turbulence in the first 30 minutes, which the Captain assured was only the wind.

Anthony caught the eye of his neighbour, who was awake and alert now. Anthony made the first move to break the ice. "Hi," he began, "I'm Anthony. And you are?"

"Bill," the man replied, "Bill Faren. I'm a journalist. My travel to Australia is strictly formal." But Anthony caught the quick wink and the gleam in the man's eye.

Wow. Those were extremely blue eyes. How had he not noticed that before?

"That's cool, Bill. I don't exactly have a single job. I mostly do odd work for the Corfe community, here and there."

"Awesome. I love the UK. Do you--"

Ding, Bill was promptly cut off.

This is Metalbird speaking. If you look out of your windows you might see Australia. Repeat, we have entered Australia.

A general cheer erupted from the passengers, and Anthony joined in, feeding upon the beaming faces. Not literally. Mentally.

We should arrive at our destination in a quarter of an hour or so. Refreshments will be available shortly. If you would like...

The Captain trailed off mid-sentence. Anthony frowned. Why did he stop? What was happening? Bill looked a bit nervous now too. What had caused Metalbird to halt the short speech?

His queries were answered as a trail of maroon blazed across the window. Another frown. What was that? Was that an Epic? Wonder soon turned to worry as the implications of that question became apparent. If that's an Epic we're probably going to die...

Utter, and complete, silence. The peace before the storm.

That was when the screaming began.

Anthony removed his seatbelt and slid towards the cockpit. Slid because the plane was visibly nose dipping. Sweaty palms opened the door, and when Anthony peered inside, he was greeted with nothing.

Nothing, of course, except the ground below, which was edging closer and closer.

"Everybody!" he screamed once back in the body of the plane, "This plane is going to crash! Brace for impact! Do anything you can to--"

The left side of the vehicle ripped away, a bunch of terrified passengers including Bill along with it. A huge roar sounded. The unattached wing sliced through the air, smashing into trees and bushes. Chaos ensued. Anthony knew this was the end.

The tail vanished, taking the back part of the aeroplane with it. Soon after the right area was gone too. Only Anthony and a few lucky people were still alive.

Not for long...

As fate zoomed ever closer, all Anthony could hope for was leaping from the plane last second. It would probably explode, anyway, incinerating him.

A mental countdown started.

10...

"Be prepared to jump, guys!"

9...

The doubtful group just stared at him like he was crazy. They were most certainly correct.

8...

"Sparks, just do it!"

7...

Nothing. Blatant lack of survival instincts.

6...

"Fine, I'll save myself."

5...

Air rushing by as Anthony prepared his run-up.

4...

I love you, Mum and Dad...

3...

Eyes open. Breaths steady.

2...

Ready, ready...

1...

NOW!

He sprinted the short distance and leaped.

It wasn't enough. Anthony was propelled forwards by the blast, clothes melting thanks to the heat. When in contact with the ground he slid a short way and finally came to rest near a shrubbery.

Anthony groaned as he rolled over to check for wounds. Yep, there were plenty. Huge gash on his right leg. On his arm he could glimpse bone. Severe burns covered his body. Sparks, he couldn't see out of one eye.

So this was it. After everything, he was still going to die.

The minutes rolled on slowly and painfully. Anthony didn't know when he would die. Eventually, unconsciousness beckoned him, and he gratefully accepted the offer.

"Sparks!" a woman yelled in his ear, noting the wreckage of the plane. "Are you okay? Don't move! Sparks, man!"

Anthony could only croak, "No survivors," before the darkness consumed him.

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

Haven/Coober Pedy - Day 8-9

Why don't you come stay at my place? Diva asked. She had such a charming smile. He smiled too. Sure. Let me make one stop first. She rolled her eyes. Oh well, as long as you aren't back too late.

Back too late.

Back too late.

Back too

Late

...

Covenant jolted awake. The room was dark, and he could hear Diva's soft breathing beside him. And also a beeping. He glanced around with groggy eyes. The earpiece!

He fumbled for his earpiece. Where was it?! There, on the nightstand, vibrating wildly. He hastily put it on.

"Sir, sir, this is Optic team. Surveillance has disruptions at Locus 2-9478. We contacted Hardhat, and he confirms something's amiss. We suspect it's an Epic." Covenant's eyes widened, sleep forgotten. But it hadn't hurt anyone?

"Thank you. I will deploy Lawkeepers immediately. Good work." Covenant quickly switched channels. Epics acting out of line?

"All Lawkeepers! All Lawkeepers! New Epic! Report to..." Covenant paused, concentrating. "Locus 2-9478! I repeat, new Epic, all Lawkeepers report to Locus 2-9478! Be prepared for anything. Target is stationary, prevent civilian access to red zone! Move out!" He quickly switched channels.

"Hardhat! Hardhat! Please, please, please have your earpiece on..." Sometimes he forgot to have it with him.

"Aye, boss. Hear you loud and clear."

"Hardhat, we have an Epic situation. We need the Bands. Do you have any?"

"I know, was just there with the Eye Boys. Err... let me check. Been a while since any Epics shown up. Sent out the Lawkeepers?"

"Already on the go. They'll be there when you arrive. Help them out, will you?"

Beside him, Diva shifted. Covenant tensed.

"What, you won't be there on the scene? I mean, it's an Epic and all..."

Covenant glanced at Diva's sleeping body. "I'm a little busy at the moment. I'll keep watch on the situation. If it gets hairy, I'll intervene. The Lawkeepers are trained well, I think they can handle it."

"Alright. Over and out, boss." The connection closed. Covenant sighed, and sank back into bed. He stared at the ceiling. 

---

Raymond charged off the Lawkeeper rail with the rest of his squad outside Locus 2-9478. He set his heavy rife to tranquilizer mode, in unison with his fellow Lawkeepers. They all knew the drill. Get in, neutralize the target, lock him, or her, up. Be precise, be efficient, be effective. More Lawkeepers would be arriving momentarily, but they had arrived first. The situation was a new Epic, according to the Supreme Protector. Abilities were unknown, identity was unknown. They were in this with just their instincts and training. Raymond grinned. It was just the way he liked it.

Locus 2-9478 was a residential structure, cut directly into the stone except for a small exterior porch-like area. No other entrances except for the main front one, which they were currently surrounding. The Lawkeepers moved in sync, sneaking silently across the ground mid-crouch. Raymond trained his ears on the house. No noise. Odd, he thought. If there was an Epic, surely there was to be some sort of commotion. He glanced at his squadmates and approached the door. With a solid kick, he knocked it down with a thud. The rest filed in, filling the small front room with their thick armor.

Raymond whispered, "They must all be sleeping." Gomez nodded. "Yeah, no wonder. Get ready," he said. They raised their rifles and dispersed, checking rooms. A kitchen, dining room, a bedroom with sleeping inhabitant. Soon all of the rooms on the main level had been searched. They met back in the main room, just as another squad arrived. 

"Where's the Epic?" The foremost Lawkeepers, Williams, it sounded like, whispered. 

"There's an upper level. Must be up there," Raymond replied. "I'll go first. Follow close." He walked over to the stairs and looked up. There was a door at the top. He glanced down at the Lawkeepers assembled in the front room, and ascended.

Readying his rifle, he slammed into the door, knocking it down. And stopped. The room was almost entirely engulfed inside a large field, marked by a slight pinkness to everything within. It looked as if a tornado had swept through the room, knocking everything around. Yet everything within the field was suspended in the air, as if caught in a single moment. Raymond looked closely at everything in the room. He groaned as it dawned on him. This was a child's room. He hated when this happened. Child Epics. He sighed. He had a job to do.

He fired several shots into the room. Immediately after they entered the field, they froze, caught mid-flight. Raymond frowned.

Then something in the field moved.

It rushed forward, snatched the tranquilizer darts out of the air, and leaped towards him, as fast as one could blink. As it came towards him, the field moved as well. Raymond turned to run, but the field caught him. In the space of a second before he lost consciousness, he felt his helmet be ripped off his head and his neck stabbed by every tranquilizer dart. Then blackness closed in.

---

Covenant slid out of bed. The Epic had attacked someone, now two someones... he switched on the earpiece channel.

"Any Lawkeepers at Locus 2-9478, please report. One at a time, please."

"Lawkeeper Upton, sir. The Epic caught Lawkeepers Raymond, Ramaro, and Stuart in a bottleneck. We can't get in to evac them."

Covenant tapped his chin. "What are the Epic's abilities?"

"It's hard to tell for sure, but there is definitely some sort of field around it that is preventing us from making a proper attack, that and the stairs."

"Is there any way to lure it out into the open?"

"Perhaps sir, but I'm not sure it will be successful. I haven't yet seen the Epic, it's still upstairs."

"Has Hardhat arrived yet?"

"No, not yet sir. Perhaps you should come to assist..."

"Can you not handle the situation yourselves? If you can get the Epic out into the open, try to find a way to stop it. Box it in. Once Hardhat gets there, he's sure to have something at his disposal to further the situation."

"Alright sir. Lawkeeper... Wait, fi--.................................."

Covenant waited. He focused. The Epic had increased its victim count. It must have attacked Upton, and... it was now mobile. Several more attacks... Covenant shut his eyes. It seemed he would have to intervene. Thankfully, no casualties. Let's hope it doesn't get a weapon. Those Lawkeepers are hard to replace.

He moved for the door when he heard rustling behind him.

"Cuvvie? Going somewhere?" Diva whispered? Covenant sighed.

"I'm sorry, love, but there's a situation I have to attend to," he explained. "Just go back to sleep." Diva looked at him, then sank back into the pillows. Covenant snuck out of the room and quietly shut the door. He took a deep breath, then channeled the justice that willed to be satisfied. He sped down the corridor with super-powered legs. The Epic was moving towards the Tube Rail. Covenant tapped the earpiece.

"Hardhat! Redirect Tube Rail! Now!"

"Wha--" Covenant shut him off. He sped to the Lawkeeper rail, but didn't wait for a car to arrive. He ran down the tunnel. He was nearing the Epic now...

He exited the tunnel and spun around. Just down the corridor was the Epic, surrounded by a pink field. Covenant charged it--

and slowed when he hit the field. He didn't stop; he was moving much to fast for that, but it was like trying to run through molasses. Realization hit him. It was a time field. That's why everything slowed, and understandably why the Lawkeepers were having such difficulty. They must have been using tranquilizer, which the Epic then turned on them. The Epic sped at him, much faster than him inside the time field. From the corner of his eye, he noticed the field boundaries shift. The Epic was the center of the field, which made getting it out of it difficult. Suddenly, the Epic was on his face, smacking and pounding him as hard as it could.

Slowly, he lifted his arms, the blows to his head coming incessantly. The palms of his hands began to glow. No, don't roast it! Just enough to lose its focus and shut down the field... It was hard to keep his eyes open as the attacks showered down. The little thing wouldn't let go! Finally, he gripped the Epic's back and pressed his palms in. The Epic's shirt began to sizzle, and it cried out, causing the field to flicker and fade. Able to move freely, Covenant tackled the Epic to the ground and finally got a good look at it.

It was a little boy, eight, he seemed, but Covenant had always been bad at judging age. The boy glared at him, and the time field flared up again. The boy Epic struggled, but couldn't break free from Covenant's grip. Covenant looked up to see Hardhat and a squad of Lawkeepers run up. He pressed his glowing palms into the boy's back again, causing the field to flicker down. Quickly, Hardhat fit the Bands onto the boy before he could set up his time field again. The boy struggled as two Lawkeepers took him away. Hardhat shook his head sadly.

"It's always a shame to see the little ones like that. Cruel world," Hardhat murmured. Covenant nodded, but not about the child. Cruel world indeed. His parents would have to be taken care of, and the child will have to be educated in the rules pertaining to Epics. With time, he could work to assist Haven, under Covenant's direction. Covenant would pardon the child's several attacks as under mental impairment, so no further charges would be pressed. He yawned. How much sleep had he gotten? Three hours? He checked his watch.

"Well, good night Hardhat. I'm off to bed again. Good work there," Covenant said. Hardhat smiled and tipped his signature hardhat. "You too, S.P," he replied.

 

Edited August 3, 2017 by Hemalurgic_Headshot

[Majestic]

Bisbane - Day 9

 

Mother Nature was up early to discuss plans with her Table of Evil Nature regarding the recent spot by Nightwatch.

The female she'd spotted yesterday turned out to be a pretty powerful water manipulator who could create freak waves up to 40 meters. Unsurprisingly, she insisted the others call her Tsunami. As well as that, she could control the wave (the smaller the better) and, to top it off, had enhanced vision.

In addition, during the meeting, a dark skinned lad had strolled in, proclaiming, "I am Magma! Add me to your team!" A little practice had revealed he was able to summon miniature volcanoes from the earth. Oh, and he shot lava from his hands. He was insistent upon the usefulness of that particular power.

That was basically it, so far.

Coming to the close of the talk, Nature had reiterated the dangers of attempting a stunt like this. The rest of the table, except for Twister, seemed pretty nervous but still wanted to give it a go. That seemed like a good sign, in the very least.

Now Nature was patrolling through her kingdom, with the aide of a speed Epic, to catch up on how everything was going.

First was the foodstuffs, overlooked by a scruffy man who went by the nickname of The Tiller. Apparently, he could plant food seeds with the touch of a hand, but clearly there was a catch as he still required workers to assist. Perhaps his power had a cooldown? Whatever it was, the work was going good, so Nature had nothing to say.

After she travelled to her army. The progression seemed slow, but the General of the army, a Gifter called Frontline, assured her there was nothing to worry about. Nature decided to have a more in-depth roam at a later date.

Finally, the power and water plant. These were controlled by some simple civilians with expected expertise, and unfortunately not an Epic. Oh well. It was better than nothing, she supposed. At least the majority of the area was working. Still amazed at how quickly her rule had been established and the fact that she even had food, drink and electricity, Nature simply let it all take place.

Her laws were simple: Don't kill, use Epic power without being checked first, and steal, and you could live a happy life. Break any of them and you'd be sentenced to some years in her detention facility on the borders of Brisbane. Nature had also decided that her subjects would also be rewarded every Sunday, where her TEN would battle in a designated spot in the middle of town. Nature didn't need Epics to influence the people. No, they were simple - work and contribute, and you'd not get into any trouble.

The society was generally positive. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

Haven/Coober Pedy - Day 9

The Council was assembled. Nine key Epics that ran Haven: Diva, Hardhat, Greenhouse, Stellar, Seismometer, Mirror, Webmother, Euphoria, and himself. They stood around a large steel table in the Council Room, which was built above Justice Plaza, a large cavern filled with plants and fountains, and a statue of Covenant in the center. The floor of the Council Room was reinforced glass nearly a meter thick, so they could observe the Plaza below. Covenant placed his hands on the table.

"I have called this meeting to discuss the new Epic in the city. I apprehended him last night and is currently in a holding facility. The Epic has time manipulation powers, specifically the ability to make time fields around himself."

Euphoria raised her hand. "How much of a threat is this new Epic? Would it be better to just lock him up?"

Covenant shook his head. "None of his abilities are directly lethal. And no, I will not lock him up. He hasn't broken any laws yet, and I'd prefer a just process."

Euphoria rolled her eyes. "Fine, you and your laws. How can we use his abilities?" She glanced around at everyone else.

"Covenant, you said you fought with him. What are the effects of the time field?" Greenhouse asked.

"Everything within the field moves extremely slowly. It is not a complete freezing of time, but very close to it. The Epic himself is immune to the effects, or can compress the time it takes for him to do things, essentially giving him superspeed when viewed from the outside," Covenant replied.

"Could he remove the effects of the field on other people?" Seismometer asked. 

"I would suppose so. We have not further tested his abilities," Covenant said. The members of the Council glanced at each other. 

"Well then, looks like we'll just need to test them out! Let's do it now," Hardhat said. Seismometer and Euphoria nodded. Stellar shrugged.

"Fine then," Covenant said. "The meeting will reconvene at the Training Grounds in the Basement in ten minutes. Dismissed." The Council dispersed and filed out the exits.

---

Two Lawkeepers escorted the Epic to the center of the Training Grounds. All of the barricades and targets had been removed, leaving just a flat area. The Council stood in the control room overlooking the grounds. Covenant stood on the field facing the Epic.

Mirror gasped. "Look, he's just a child!"

"Oh," Euphoria breathed. Seismometer stared out the window.

Covenant called out to him. "Hello, boy."

"Hello!" The boy shouted back. Diva giggled. "Oh, he's so cute!"

Covenant shouted again. "What's your name?"

"Timmy!"

Covenant considered this. "Well, you can chose a proper name later. We are going to do some tests, Timmy. Some parameters first. Do not try to escape or harm any of us. We will be forced to retaliate. Do you understand?"

Timmy glanced at the two Lawkeepers standing beside him. He nodded. Covenant smiled.

"Good! Lawkeepers, you may remove his--"

"What if I don't want to use my powers?" Timmy's voice interrupted. Covenant blinked. "They're scary," Timmy continued. Diva swooned. Stellar joined in. "He's so adorable!" They chorused.

"Timmy, please work with us. You're going to have to use your powers, and that's an order. Lawkeepers, remove his Bands," Covenant commanded. The Lawkeepers proceeded to do so. After removing the manacles and headband, they backed away to the perimeter of the Training Grounds. Timmy stayed in the center, glancing around. Covenant stepped back towards the control room. He shouted to Timmy.

"I would like you to make a time field! One of those pink bubbles! Do you understand?"

Timmy nodded, and large, slightly pink sphere formed around him. Covenant tapped his earpiece. "Hardhat, take measurements."

"On it."

Covenant cupped his hands and yelled. "Can you make it any larger?"

The small figure in the center of the field tilted his head. Hardhat buzzed in the earpiece. "It's the field. Sound can barely penetrate the field because of how slow the air particles are vibrating. He might not be able to understand you."

Covenant tapped his chin. He tried to motion the field getting larger with his hands. Timmy remained motionless. Covenant frowned, and pushed his hands in, miming the field getting smaller. After a second, Timmy nodded, and the field began to shrink. Covenant clapped his hands.

"Did you record that?" Covenant said into the earpiece.

"Can manipulate the size of the field," Hardhat said.

Covenant walked closer to the field. Timmy watched him. Covenant stepped right up to the exterior of the field and pointed to himself. He then made some fast movements, then pointed to the inside of the field. Would Timmy understand?

Timmy stared at him for a moment, then nodded. The field swelled, engulfing Covenant. He froze. Then, everything sped up again. He could move freely inside the field! He gave Timmy a thumbs-up, and Timmy smiled. It was a hard expression, as if he was battling the anger inside. Covenant nodded. Tough kid. Covenant mimed the field again then made a burst with his hands, signifying the field breaking. He repeated the gesture, and Timmy nodded. In a second, the field disappeared.

"Impressive," Covenant said. Timmy grinned. Covenant glanced around the Training Grounds, then turned to Timmy.

"We're going to set up some obstacles and targets around the Training Grounds in a moment. I want you to make your field as large as possible and try to destroy all of the targets as quickly as you can. They will be scattered around. Do you understand?" Covenant asked.

Timmy looked around. "I guess," he said. Covenant smiled. "Great. Wait a moment." He walked up to the control room. Hardhat nodded to him when he entered.

"I made notes of everything. It's all right here, S.P," he said, handing Covenant a notepad.

"Well done. Could you put in some obstacles and scatter some targets around? We're going to track his speed and see if he can distort time to move faster. Got it?" Covenant asked. Hardhat nodded.

Stellar and Diva walked over. "Oh, he's just adorable! I want to keep him," Stellar gushed. "No, I want to keep him! Right, Covenant?" Diva protested. Covenant shook his head.

"He has parents. You will not be kidnapping the boy. Please stay professional during Council meetings," Covenant said. Euphoria shrugged.

"Oh, we are always professional," she said sarcastically. Covenant glared at her.

Hardhat broke the conversation. "Ground adjustments are complete. All ready, just give the signal," he said. Covenant shouted into the Training Grounds.

"The timer starts in three, two, one, GO!" Immediately, Timmy's field went up and he began to dash around. Within the pink sphere, his figure was a blur. He leaped over obstacles with ease.

"One target down," Hardhat reported. Timmy continued to race around the Training Grounds. "Two targets," Hardhat said. "Three targets. Four targets. And... five targets! That's all of them." He glanced at the timer. "Twenty point two five seconds! Quite fast for the little guy," Hardhat noted. Covenant tapped his chin. Diva and Stellar, Timmy's obvious fans, applauded. Euphoria joined in, Covenant suspected just to annoy him. Covenant went out to talk to Timmy.

"Twenty point two five seconds, Timmy. That was quite fast," Covenant told him. Timmy shrugged.

"I could have done it faster if I had something to hit them with. It was hard to break them," he said. Covenant examined him.

"Do you think you could do it faster if you had a weapon?" Covenant asked. Timmy gazed up at him, his eyes a little too eager. Covenant ignored it. He went over to the weapons rack hidden in the wall and retrieved a metal rod, which he handed to Timmy.

"We'll set up the grounds again, and this time use this. Okay?" Covenant asked. Timmy nodded, still staring at the rod. Covenant walked back to the control room, and Hardhat reset the Training Grounds. Covenant leaned out the door.

"Ready, three, two, one, GO!" He shouted. Timmy's field sprang up, and he raced around once more.

"One, two, three targets, oh, now four, and... five! Twelve point oh one seconds! Wow!" Hardhat exclaimed. Covenant nodded, clearly impressed.

"I would consider this a success, then," he said. Hardhat nodded, along with Stellar and Diva. Seismometer continued to stare at Timmy through the window. Greenhouse was quiet, and Webmother seemed to be in a trance. Covenant raised an eyebrow.

"Seismo, is there something on you mind?" Covenant asked.

He jerked, startled, causing the ground the rumble. Then he glanced around and nodded. "Yeah. That's a child out there. The powers make monsters out of people, Covenant. It's something I've been thinking about lately, that we're monsters... not good for the mind, is it?" Seismometer sighed. "Timmy's going to be a monster too. He didn't ask for it, but that's what life's dealt him." He stared Covenant straight in the eyes. "We are going to help this boy out. Make him a good person." The control room was silent, all eyes on Seismometer or Covenant. Covenant thought back to how Timmy stared at the metal rod. He pushed the thought away.

"We are doing that, Seismo. But we are not monsters. We saved this city. It is a place of peace and order." Specifically order. "Don't get philosophical on me now, Seismo. Anyways, I declare this meeting a success. Dismissed," Covenant said. One by one, the Council filed out of the control room. Seismometer made an effort not to make eye contact. Covenant tapped his earpiece.

"Refit the Bands on Timmy. He still has some training to do before we set him free."

The Lawkeepers stepped towards Timmy. He shifted. Covenant raised a hand to stop the Lawkeepers and jogged over to the boy.

"Hand me the rod," he said. Timmy glanced down at it, his hand shaking. Finally, he dropped the rod. Covenant retrieved it.

"Timmy, I'm going to put these cuffs on you again. Please do not resist," Covenant said. Timmy glanced at the Lawkeepers, and Covenant saw a flash of desperation in his eyes, watched him tense.

"Timmy," he cautioned. The boy glanced at him, breathed, and relaxed. The Lawkeepers clamped on the Bands and led Timmy away. Covenant called out to him.

"I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" They disappeared into a corridor, leaving Covenant alone in the Training Ground.

[the winter system]

Darwin, Day Eight

The Branches

 

Birdrider shot down from the sky towards the lights of Darwin up ahead. The city had limited electricity thanks to Starshatter's efforts. The richest and most powerful things lived closest to the tree. If one was on Ivystorm's side, it was safer there.

 

Of course, intrigue had been spreading lately. Birdrider transformed into a more innocuous looking bird and soared through the leaves. The room Ivystorm had dug out for Starshatter was pretty high up. The view was gorgeous. 

 

The shimmer of stained glass caught Birdrider's attention, and she flapped her way towards it. Starshatter may or may not have robbed somewhere with a lot of beautiful artwork in order to spice up their room, Birdrider wasn't sure. It sure did make the place look nice, though. 

 

Birdrider shifted back to human as she landed on their branch. Her Epic wasn't there, unfortunately. Instead, it was Unknown. The Epic Crystalvision would kill to get rid of if he wasn't so useful to the city. More accurately, the Epic Crystalvision would just flat out kill if he wasn't so useful. He wore a necklace with a question mark on it. The melodrama with his friends lately has been getting out of control.

 

"Hey," she said, cautiously. 

 

"Hello." Birdrider stepped to move past him, but he blocked her stride. 

 

"You realize blocking my path is literally pointless, right? I can fly away." Birdrider wasn't much for games and Unknown was obviously playing one. "I'm a sleep deprived, starving--" 

 

"Boats." 

 

"What," Birdrider said, staring at the steely eyed Epic in front of her. She crossed her arms.

 

"They're Crystalvision's weakness. I don't care about you four and your petty feud, but things are coming to this tree." Unknown's words took a second to sink in. Boats? That was so ridiculously simple, but even Birdrider's weakness was simple. Birdrider wasn't sure exactly what part of Rex was her weakness, but she knew someone like him could hurt her.

 

"For the record, I don't care about your little party. You and your besties can play whatever you're playing, but I happen to like Darwin--"

 

"Have it your way," Unknown said, interrupting her train of thought. It left Birdrider more than a little bit flustered as he just walked away. The stairways were more than a little bit pedestrian to an Epic like Birdrider, but they served for a dramatic interest. Birdrider let out a deep breath of exasperation and opened the door to Starshatter's house.

 

-

Darwin

The Banquet Hall

 

Pain left her dungeons on very rare occasions. This happened to be one of them, apparently. Espresso shivered as the psychopath waited in front of the Darwin Tree's main entrance. She could've asked Chatter, the freak who hung out with her, to send a report, but no, she had to go in person.

 

Espresso was looking out the window of the banquet hall, also known as the lunch room. The more powerful Epics tended to call it grander things. If Espresso was in charge of the city, she'd just label things what they were. A plaything would be a human, a huge bloody tree would be a huge bloody tree, and Pain would be a psychopath. 

 

She picked a strawberry off of the windowsill. The combination of vines and bushes throughout the entire wall was pretty and edible. Espresso did have to note that the fruit made for Epics had a notable quality of being ridiculously good. The playthings usually settled for subpar, normal food. The city was mostly vegan too, unless you were rich enough to import meat from animal farms in other cities. 

 

Espresso watched the creepy preteen be escorted by two nervous knights. They were both terrified of the pale and vampiric looking girl they were 'guarding.' A platform of wood grew up beneath her, bringing her closer into the tree. Pain was holding something big in her arms. Espresso squinted as she grew closer. Was that a... head? Espresso winced at the goriness. She also was pretty sure something had taken a few bites out of it. 

 

The very rarely existing survivors of Pain's little dungeon usually came out extremely traumatized and sick. Espresso felt nauseated at the horrific sight. The strawberry she was sucking on bled out beneath her bite. Seeing the red from the strawberry on her hand and the blood on Pain's fingers made her throw the rest of the fruit out the window. Jeez. 

 

"Yo, 'Spresso," said Starshatter. Espresso jumped as the Epic walked up behind her. 

 

"Haven't seen you much," she replied, nervous. Birdrider's girlfriend and also Espresso's very much ex-girlfriend seemed too relaxed. Pain passed the window where Espresso had been looking out. The creep was smiling when her hands were covered in blood. Espresso may have killed a few things every now and then, but jeez was Pain taking things too far.  

 

"Been busy."

 

"Dating Birdrider."

 

"Like I said. Busy." Her tone was even. Espresso picked a grape from the tapestry of automatically growing fruits and vegetables. She tossed it at Starshatter, who caught it. Enhanced coordination. That had to come in handy during make out sessions with her new girlfriend. "I know you're sorry about how it ended with us, but, well, you know how it is." 

 

"You're too powerful, I get it." Espresso leaned against the gap in the window. 

 

"That's not it and you know it," Starshatter bit into the grape and chewed for a moment, then swallowed. "You're the one who made such a big deal of it, y'know?" 

 

"I heard BR's back. She'll be looking for you," Espresso replied. Starshatter sighed. "I'd hate to get between soulmates. When's the wedding?" 

 

"I don't believe in soulmates." Espresso didn't reply and Starshatter turned away. The remains of Pain's growth upwards turned into a rain of fresh produce as Ivystorm took it away. Plenty of things ran around, collecting the fallen vegetables. 

 

"Are you three every gonna stop being such overly dramatic dorks?" Stormchaser asked, poking her head into the room. The twenty seven year old was four years older than Starshatter and six years older than Espresso, but she still acted like she knew everything. In the suspiciously chaotic politics of the Tree, Stormchaser was devoutly loyal to Ivystorm. She was more powerful than Espresso, but worked closely with Starshatter. 

 

Starshatter mumbled some sort of excuse that Espresso couldn't hear and left, pulling Stormchaser along with her. That left Espresso alone, contemplating the city. It was just her again and she was fine with that.

 

-

Darwin

The Heart Room

 

Ivystorm was growing impatient. Erin was growing nervous. The two were connected, in that any human around Ivystorm would be nervous. The Epic had the tendency to brutally murder anyone who looked at her funny. Or, if she was feeling particularly cruel, handing them over to her pet sociopathic eleven year old. 

 

Think of the devil, Erin thought to herself as the wall opened and a blood soaked Pain stepped in. She would've laughed at the comparison of Pain to the devil, because Pain was probably the closest thing to a devil Erin had even seen, but she didn't want to be given to said devil as a pet. Apparently on the girl's eleventh birthday, she was given her cousin that Crystalvision had hunted down. After driving the cousin insane for a month, Pain had supposedly kept him as a pet with a collar and four legs. 

 

"It's the immortal," Pain hissed. 

 

Erin missed what she was referring to for a moment, until she noticed the head Pain was holding. She tried really hard not to let the surprise show, but she moved just by a millimeter and let a tiny sound escape her mouth. Sweat rolled down her face and a tear dripped out. 

 

Pain laughed at the crowd of Ivystorm's servants and their reactions. Erin clenched her fists. Her best friend was killed by Pain. Erin found his corpse and his entire family's corpses in a heap of bodies. They were labeled as Pain's. In a morbid moment, Erin wondered what they did with them once the Epics were done. Was there a cave filled with hundreds of thousands of dead people? Or did they just burn the bodies?

 

"I can tell. I thought I told you to see what happened when you separated it from its parts, not what happened when you made a public spectacle," said Ivystorm. 

 

"Screaming, mostly." Ivystorm rolled her eyes at Pain's response. 

 

"From the immortal, or from the public?" The banter, although amusing, was highly terrifying. 

 

"You were watching when you decapitated it. It's dead, just like a dead deady dead head is. Such a shame you wouldn't let me play with it a little bit." Her voice turned playful at the last bit, and Erin forced herself not to look away. She'd die. 

 

"I just needed to check," Ivystorm told Pain, "whether it was dead or not." A twig stretched up from the ground, grabbing the head. In a moment, a series of branches violently ripped the skin off of the skull, tearing into it. Erin tried not to vomit and closed her eyes, but the image of flesh being torn off of bones stayed with her. "Thanks, Pain. For the demonstration and the head. Could you bring me the rest of it?"

 

Brains spilled on the ground. "And, hey, you," Ivystorm said, pointing. Erin opened one eye and saw she was pointing at her. She trembled involuntarily, even though she knew Ivystorm enjoyed the fear. "Tell Crystalvision I want to know if we've got any artists that work with bone." 

 

The skull clattered to the ground. The flesh and brain were being funneled away into the wood by a tunnel of moving greenery. 

 

Erin stumbled towards the door, her mind flashing with panic and Ivystorm's words repeating. A tree branch grew down as pushed her on her way, and Erin jumped forward at the touch. The giggles of the two crazy Epics, one thirty and one eleven but both bonkers followed Erin down the hallway. 

 

Crystalvision's room wasn't too far away. Just a little bit up a stairway. Erin took a breath outside of the door, holding her hands tight by her sides. She was attempting not to hyperventilate, but that was difficult. The last girl that came from a chore was brutally murdered. Erin's heart pounded and she reached for the door knob.

 

"In response to Ivystorm's question, tell her to look on Wood and Bennett," said Crystalvision, her voice cutting through the thin dopr. Erin jumped. "Don't bother coming in, I can see you." Erin turned to head back towards the heart room, relieved that she hadn't had to go into the room.

-

Darwin

Worldbringer's Tower

 

"Okay," Kierra said, speaking to her troops. Using some old microphone technology that Starshatter had powered personally Kierra was able to address the entire army at once. "According to the reports by Ivystorm and thanks to Kestrel's incredible luck, we've discovered a weakness in Adelaide's immortals." The crowd immediately freaked out at that announcement. Kestrel, the only survivor of the immortal's massacre, stood behind Kierra. She was crossing her arms and trying to look casual, but it was obvious she was afraid. Only personal intervention from Ivystorm had allowed them to discover the flaw in their design.

 

"'Necropathy's weakness?" One voice made it above the others. 

 

"Unfortunately, probably not. It's more of a design flaw than anything else. As most of you have seen, our benevolent Epic master Pain," Kierra said with a hidden note of sarcasm beneath her words, "have demonstrated that they cannot regenerate from decapitation. So from now on, we will immediately start practicing decapitation drills and figuring out ways to ideally combat immortals besides begging our Epic overlady for help. Kestrel, if you would explain how your fight with it went?" 

 

Kestrel stepped up to the microphone. "I wouldn't call that a fight, ma'am. We were like children. I only survived long enough for Ivystorm to use her abilities to slice off its head easily." Her face was dark, and Kierra was willing to bet the massacre had given her PTSD its very own PTSD. Kierra wasn't a stranger to post traumatic stress disorder, except she hadn't gotten to the post trauma yet. 

 

"It was quick, strong, and healed quickly. Ropes were effective in slowing it down, but not for long. No evidence of decreased intelligence, but as far as I could tell, it wasn't any sort of genius either. It shrugged off gun shots and didn't seem to show any sort of mercy to civilians it accidentally ran into. After being captured for good by Ivystorm, it refused to talk even when Pain arrived." 

 

"Thank you, Kestrel," Kierra said and Kestrel backed up. "So, any thoughts or suggestions on ways to combat these murder machines? Please raise your hand," Kierra had to say to keep the room from exploding. 

Edited August 3, 2017 by winter devotion

[Hemalurgic Headshot]

Haven/Coober Pedy - Day 9

Seismometer lay face up in his room, back pressed against the stone floor. The ceiling was fashioned after old caves, stalactites hanging everywhere. A pipe leaked water through the roof, which dripped from the stone in the corner.

Drip, drip, drip

He closed his eyes and felt the earth. Faint vibrations, steps on stone... a heavy grinding. Hardhat must be drilling a new tunnel somewhere. Seismometer extended his mind, deeper into the crust. There it was, the colossal shift of the earth, of such magnitude to overwhelm the mind and senses. He lay there, just comprehending a slight portion of the gargantuan movement. He focused in the opposite direction, sifting towards the surface. The ground was silent there, but he strained. Only then could he sense the scratching of the animals in their burrows. There were no steps, no large thing that lurked in the sun, no human being that roamed the twice-cursed sands above. Seismometer breathed, a slow deliberate motion that sucked him from the lull of the earth.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

The vibration raced through the stone, much clearer than sound. Seismometer's eyes snapped open.

"NO! WHO DARE DISTURB ME! WHO? SHOW YOURSELF!" He bellowed. The door creaked hesitantly open, and a servant, perhaps a cleaning maid? peeked in the room. Seismometer glared at her and began to rise to his feet. The maid whimpered and slipped away from the door.

"Don't you dare move, woman," he growled. A shockwave erupted from his feet, and the maid tumbled to the ground. She cried out, and Seismometer raised a fist.

Suddenly, Covenant was there, gripping Seismometer's arm. They locked eyes, and in the space of a second, a silent battle was waged. Covenant won. Seismometer dejectedly backed into his room. Covenant offered a hand to the maid, who with wide eyes thanked Covenant and rushed away. Covenant watched her go, stone-faced, then walked into Seismometer's quarters.

"Guess you were right about monsters," Covenant said. "Particularly yourself." Seismometer stared at him.

"You're not innocent either, Covenant. Don't try to be so high and mighty to us. You're an Epic, you know what that means, what that entails," Seismometer said, hard and flat as slate. Covenant eyed him, a muscle twitching on his face.

"That maid is lucky I was nearby. As a member of the Council, you know better than to attack a civilian! I don't want to hear excuses from you," Covenant stated.

"For all her good luck, she happened to come at a very unfortunate moment. I was meditating." Covenant knew what that meant. He glanced to the side.

"Seismo, don't out step your bounds. Good day to you," Covenant said, and exited. Seismometer stared at the closed door long after he left.

 

As he walked down the corridor, Covenant tapped his earpiece. "Webmother."

"... *crackle* Yes, Covenant." Her voice was deep and smooth, as one would imagine the night sounding.

"I'd like you to keep eight eyes on Seismometer. Sixteen would be even better. Do you understand?"

".............. Yes, Covenant. I'm sure I can devote a few of my children to your task.

"Cuvvie..."

The channel cut, leaving Covenant silent in the corridor. He shook his head and briskly walked away.

[the winter system]

Darwin, Australlia

Two Years, Three Months, and Fifteen Days Ago

 

Fear.

 

It’s the only thing that drives her.

Vines shoot up from her feet and burns heal as she stumbles out of the building. Red light blinds her, but she can see through its glare. Joy’s figure is slumped on the ground and she is shaking. Is it with anger, fear, or sorrow? Madison doesn’t care.

She was afraid of what just happened.

 

That sensation was wrong. She didn’t want to feel that way again. So she grew the gympie gympie tree every step she left-- some part of her knew they were venomous. The girl Madison once called her friend whispered something to herself. She leaned over Joy with a twisted grin concealing the terror inside.

 

“...going to kill him,” Joy muttered.

 

"Good plan. I think I might too. Unfortunately, I can't have you knowing who I am," Madison told her friend. Joy turned around, her eyes widening at Madison’s new look. The Epic Madison.

“You? You’re… alive?” The unasked question in her words-- and an Epic?-- only widened the grin Madison displayed. Her fingers trembled but barely visibly. She was

 

"I think I see it now. Yes. I will." In order to stop feeling this strange fear, she had to kill everyone who knew who she was. She’d have to become someone else. Someone nobody would ever risk harming because she would retaliate with tenfold strength. "Joy, if it counts for anything, I'm sorry I have to do this."

Then she laughed and the laugh was so powerful it made Madison double over. She took a packet of seeds out of her pocket. She didn’t need them, but it looked cool. She bit it open and tossed them to the ground.  

 

“Madison, what are you doing?” Joy asked. Her voice was trembling and it was clear she was terrified. That makes two of us.

 

"Don't call me that. From now on, my name is Ivystorm. And nobody can have heard you. You see, I have to kill everyone here now. They've heard that name, Joy. Thank you." Ivystorm. It was a good name for her. The crowd of strangers who were gathered around the path of fire only now seemed to notice the two.

 

Growth shot towards Joy, knocking her all the way to the ground and entangling her. Spikes rose out of the vines, piercing her skin, causing drops of blood to spill onto the ground. She screamed and tears sprung from her eyes. Joy kicked and tried to escape.

 

"Flamebringer can't know I was burned. You see, I don't have scars. I can heal now. I'm immortal, Joy. Joy. I want to hear you beg. Or you're going to be thrown out-" Ivystorm flicked her hand and a planted tree rose up to a higher height. "Like a piece of trash." The tree immediately wilted.  

 

"Madison, please..." Joy whimpered, her voice so weak from smoke inhalation. .

"On your knees.” She yanked the vines upwards and then knocked Joy’s face against the ground, causing one of her teeth to break off. Joy screamed in pain. "Bark like a dog."

 

She did. It was hilarious.

 

"Cute. Like your little brother. Wait- he's dead, isn't he?" Ivystorm wasn’t sure, but then she saw Joy’s face and the anger that surged.  Ivystorm slammed her against the ground again, leaning in closer. Their faces were so close. Joy was hyperventilating. “Hm, you’re allergic to roses, aren’t you?”

 

"No... you wouldn't... Madison, it's me. I'm your friend." Ivystorm used the vine to adjust Joy’s head. She rested her fingers on Joy’s chin. Joy tried to look away, but she was stuck in her position.

 

“You always liked Madeline more, didn’t you?”

 

“That’s… that has nothing… to do with this!” Joy screamed. The vines tightened around Joy’s neck and a flower bloomed right around her neck. She coughed as hives burst all over her body. Another rose began to grow. All different colors. Blood splurted out of her mouth as she begged, “Please,” again and again.

“This is getting pathetic. I have work to do.”

Ivystorm stepped over Joy’s body towards the fleeing crowd. Walls of growth shot up, tripping fleeing strangers. Plants pulled them towards her. Some she dangled by a foot, while others she choked with a noose of toxic buttercups.

She haphazardly tossed quite a few into the sky.

Blood dripped onto her green plants. The people who looked to be about her size, she left alive for the moment. She did, after all, need a new wardrobe.

Fear.

It motivated her. 

[Majestic]

Brisbane - Day 9

 

SonicAssassin, formerly known as Jake Storine to everyone who was now dead, gazed at his able recruits with pride.

His unmatched band of looters adopted the name of the Brisbane Bandits, firstly because it sounded way cooler than most thought it did, and secondly because they were very good at their job. Brisbane Barbarians? No no no. They were much more professional than that. Brisbane Banterers? Sonic had publicly beheaded the careless mortal who suggested that particularly foolish idea.

Now the team was only filled with skilled experts, mostly humans, but with a few Epics here and there. The group's loss rate was so little, some had sworn allegiance without being required to. Raise-worthy, that.

"Now you may wonder why I've gathered you all here today," Sonic classically began, "and that is because we will pull off the greatest feat ever accomplished. We will overthrow Mother Nature and the TEN, and take control of Brisbane."

Plenty of hushed voices came into the fore, but Sonic silenced them with a simple glare.

"Now, I know what you're thinking. This will be dangerous. It will be tough. Some may not make it out alive. But don't worry, we--"

"Storms right it'll be dangerous," somebody interrupted, "Sparks, it's total suicide. Those slontzes may be tyrants, but that doesn't stop them from being downright murderous. Don't you see? They'll vaporise us all with a flick of their wrists!"

Sonic allowed his eyes to take their time as they swivelled to the offender, John Tyler. Mind whirring, he decided the best course of action was to make a show of what happened if you loudly disagreed. John realised his mistake, and began backing away, white-faced, but it was oh too late.

"You dare defy me, your leader? I've saved your worthless life on a number of occasions! I've worked for you, killed for you, and this is how you repay me? I AM YOUR GOD!" Sonic roared, and allowed himself to float into the intense rhythm of rock and roll. Next to nowhere, a boulder appeared above John. "I saved you, and therefore your pitiful existence is mine to take. Say goodbye, you worthless Slontze." The huge rock dropped down, crushing John, and proceeded to travel down a sloping hill, John's remains splattered across it. Most retched at the sight, but the sophisticated of his team remained staring at the head of the Brisbane Bandits.

"He was never a good shot anyway," Sonic reminded himself, before beaming at his loyal subjects. "Let this be a lesson to you all. Put undying faith in me, and you will walk away with the spoils. Fail that, and, well... John is a good example for that. Any questions?"

Nobody moved a muscle, so Sonic concluded. "Great. Well, our invasion begins in a week or so. Get back to work, then!"

The long line generally dissipated, and Sonic appeared in his study to plan a number of tactics for his attack.

Soon, the TEN will tremble beneath my feet, and I will show them no mercy. Oh, how the city itself will quake before my rule. Brisbane will soon be ours, and soon, all of the Wastelands shall follow... 

Edited August 31, 2017 by Majestic