Ok first off, if you can get through this you deserve a medal. I appreciate my poor grammer and punctuation and even inadequate description and continuity but I enjoyed writing this and even reading the words I've written was fun for me. I hope maybe it's the same for you. This is a expansion of my in game bio and how I feel he got to meet his hero friends who happen to have become my real life ones too. I would probably have kept it to myself but thought it would be good for my confidence, and although it has always been a dream to write, I know I don't have good enough skill but I feel I have a great imagination.
Death Kiss - A Beginning from an End
I awoke from my nightmare, one of thousands I have had, and yet can I call it a nightmare if it is always the same and a memory of what happened those fifteen years ago. I remember the deep wound in my chest, my hands cupping over the crimson flow, the smell of iron, the stickiness of my blood already beginning to congeal and the gagging it brought to my throat. I remember the twin wound at my back and the feeling of the warm blood trickling down it ,a tickling sensation which seemed a weird companion for the immense pain that it shared. I remember the weakness causing my thoughts to wander and glance at the photograph of Laura on my desk, beautiful and happy and lost from me forever. Never would I see her black hair that shone blue when touched by the sun, and the almost sapphire blue eyes that complemented it.
The warrior slasher I had disturbed from his act of crime had driven his sword in deep and I recall him having to kick my impaled body away from the sword blade so it was free, and with it he had fled, taking away my life as well as any chance for me to know the reason for his doing so. I knew my death was near. I moved slightly, causing a grimace to my face and my lab coat to shift, bringing a jingling sound from the objects left in my pocket. I reached for the contents to perhaps get my hands on something I could use to stop the pain, and take me from this earth and to a peaceful end. I could feel the normal contents of pen, lab keys and some coins for parking and a glass tube. I retrieved it.
My breathing was slowing and the blood pumping from my chest was doing likewise, it would be soon. I felt the phial in my hand, not the cyanide I was hoping for.It would be suicide I know, some people believe suicide would mean endlessness in hell, but anything would be better than this. The contents of the glass tube contained my life's work, possibly a cure for aging but as yet untested, it was all I had. I recall some of it's contents would be toxic so, with my remaining strength, I bit down on the glass phial and let the contents run down my throat, my mouth shredded from the crushed glass, but I no longer cared.
What time had passed I never really knew, wet earth on my face brought me awake from my unconscious state.Had I somehow survived? The question was soon answered. I glanced around and realised that this wasn't the earth I came from. I saw no lush green grass, or trees, not a single building in sight even. I heard the rushing of water and glanced at it's source, a river of red.I headed toward it, there wasn't much else I could do and I had always been curious of new things which is what drew me to science. As my senses became clearer I began to notice the things that would become the source of my future nightmares. Human wailing's of pain and suffering coming from all around me but I couldn't locate where the sounds were coming from. I saw creatures that I had never seen or would have ever wanted to. Demon like and rejected by the animal world. Amongst these freaks of nature I saw mutilated body parts that appeared human, I shuddered at the thought and realized a possible cause to the screams I was hearing as well as realizing what was now on my body and face from lying on the ground, I touched my cheek and felt stickiness which made me shake from revulsion.Some creatures were chewing and consuming limbs and organs, a sight to make the most hardened man puke. If I weren't dead then I would not have been able to stop the bile rising in my throat, but all feeling was gone and in a weird way I was grateful for that.
I saw in the distance a black cloaked figure standing by the river next to a ferryboat.The hood of the cloak obscured it's face and it was probably a good thing that it did. As soon as I saw the figure, a skeletal hand raised and a bony finger beckoned me. Was this a part of a myth ... the ferryman? I had read once in a book of Greek mythology about the ferryman who waits to take the dead across the river to Hades. It was referred to as the Charon. No it couldn't be, it had to be a case of fantasy. This was beyond my imagination to create though. It was too real to be anything else but the truth. I couldn't move, fear had overwhelmed me, but even if I could move I would not have gone to that boat. Suddenly, with my resistance to move I felt something tug at my arms, I looked down and saw several dark black shadowy masses around them. As big as a beach ball and looking closely I could make out two red bead like eyes shining out from the masses of black cloud like essence. They had strength that I didn't posses or any man I knew, I could not resist. I would be going to the torture of the Underworld and those human screams would be mine.I had never committed a crime so what could I have done to deserve this ? My last act of escaping the agony of death must have been classed as suicide even though I was dying anyway. It seemed there was no fairness in death and no way to plead my case.
I grabbed at the blackness at my arms, scratching at them in the hopes of removing them from their purchase. My hands passed through them, a futile effort, I could not prevent them from taking me wherever they wanted me. My fate would have been sealed, if not for the sudden change in my body. The serum I had consumed seemed to be having an effect. My previously still heart thumped once ... then again ... then again.The beats getting stronger and quicker until they were continuous and regular as they had used to be. I breathed in deeply for the first time since being on this plane of existence. The air tasted rancid with sulphur, brimstone, blood and human waste. My stomach was long empty so nothing was left to bring up but acid and with it a burning to my throat and an uncomfortable soreness.I spat on the ground wishing for a drink of water but the river of crimson was not water. I was now close to see and smell the contents of the river, more blood.I wondered if it was ever possible to be that much blood in Paragon or even the world itself for that matter. The black shadows were still trying to pull at me but now it was futile for them. Somehow they started to become absorbed into my body, they now belonged to me.
I started to become transparent and begin to fade away from this horrific existence, the shadows were completely locked within my body now. My life had returned and with it my invitation to that hell revoked ...well at least for now. My lab experiment had somehow worked, maybe not what was intended for it, but I would not complain. I found that I had changed to something beyond humanity. I had a link to the Underworld, partly from the essence within my body, combined with the serum I had swallowed. Strength, speed, shields and abilities to drain enemies and increase my powers tenfold. Many more powers had become mine some were yet to be discovered.I had reappeared where my life had ended, my lab, and it wasn't how I had left it. Dust and cobwebs were everywhere. Time had passed quickly between the two planes of existence what had been minutes there, were years here. I rushed outside,having to break through the boarded up doors to the laboratory, which fell away like paper from my new strength.I checked for the nearest newspaper dispenser. It was 27th May 2006. I looked at my watch, the date said 13/09/91.Nearly fifteen years had passed.....
In the time from my return, to this moment, I have had to become a different person. I keep to myself more and am more lonely than anyone can say. I do not go near my old neighbourhood these days and I favour my cloak of darkness in case I am recognised. Science has no reason for me anymore, I sit and write my journal of my daily events. My job is twofold, one of revenge and the other to aid the people, but I do not call myself a hero.I do not think of myself as one even if the people I have saved think of me and reward me as such. I remember trying to find Laura to see what had become of her life. I wish I hadn't because what I discovered made my life sadder than it should be. I tracked her to Atlas Park where she was walking with a man I did not recognise. By the way his arm was wrapped around her, I new it was not just a platonic friendship and her hand grasping that of a girl of maybe eight who favoured both of their appearance, made me realise that love was not the only thing they shared. Further investigation made it clear that she had married over nine years ago. Who he was I had no interest to know. She had waited a long while before laying me to rest. I had no doubt she loved me and maybe if she knew I was still alive she would return. I think it is too late though and I am just kidding myself. I would never think to ruin what she had now anyway, I just have to pull myself together and move on. I think I need to be part of something but what is there for someone as different and changed as me ?
I hear a scream from the alley outside my window, drawing me back to reality and my lonely apartment. I glance out my window and see a woman being dragged by maybe a dozen warriors, maybe this is going to be a good day. I leap through the window drawing my powers from the place where only the dead go. My body is engulfed in blackness and I can not be seen. I land in silence from a drop of thirty metres, to anyone else I am not there - unseen, unheard and unfelt. I head to the alleyway, some of them are taping her mouth and binding her up, others are rifling through her bag and others are standing laughing. I run to the centre of the group and call on my powers. I drain them of strength, which increases mine, I punch so rapid my fists are invisible to them and even to me, blackness emanating around my body, and then I shroud them in death and fear. They fall , they are leaves in the wind to me.I hear shouts of anger behind me, and see maybe thirty warriors screaming for revenge, where they come from I have no time to speculate but that number is high even for me. more screams and more warriors from the front and both sides from adjacent alleys appear, maybe twenty or thirty more from each of these directions, over a hundred maybe total. Bastards can't fight alone. I grin, though nobody can see it, they will be following the rest. I drop my cloak of darkness, as my endurance will be needed for other, better things, and there is no threat of immobilization from these scum. Plus I want them to look into my eyes and see my hatred, see that I am someone who has nothing left to fear.
I am surrounded, and I drain them of strength and endurance which increases mine tenfold, they are damaging me slowly but surely, so I sap their health to transfer it to my body, but it is not enough, maybe I took on too much, my ego getting in the way of rational thought. Suddenly a dark blast hits one of the nearest warriors and sends him flying backward and causing a handful to be scattered on the ground. It didn't come from me but the power is so familiar. Next a larger than life form rushes past me, 'Need some help dude ?' , is all I hear before a massive axe swipes horizontally across the air and takes four warriors down sending them flying backwards and knocking more of them down in the process. The warriors surround him and reign blows down but nothing seems to phase him. My healing power has not recharged but I am suddenly back to full health and endurance. I glance across to my right and a petite girl is standing there arms motioning in the air, the source of the earlier dark blast. A veil covers her mouth, but the eyes are sparkling and are the most beautiful sight I have seen in a long time. I see the compassion, along with a trace of concern like any healer, but also deep within the glance I can see she is someone never to trifle with. Lastly I see a figure moving to my left, faster than my eye can blink. A sabre like sword comes in to action, a fluid motion of withdrawing from the sheath and slicing across a warriors belly then the sword is somehow rotated in the scrappers wrist and it cuts downward across the neck of a hewer, spraying blood onto the pavement,his fate is sealed.This is a warrior of a different kind and the skill is awesome. That action must have been done in a heartbeat and is followed with a heartfelt cry 'Die you evil warrior bastards !' . I cannot stop the smile crossing my lips from his enthusiasm. Several warriors are now immobilized within tentacles, another thing familiar to my powers but yet again issued from the girl, damage being delivered from them and eventually the warriors drop.For them the fight is over. Axe blows, sword strikes and dark powers rain down for several minutes, so much to take in, but I am in awe at the powers that have joined mine.
The fight is over quick. I do not recall what I had done after these strange new arrivals had turned up, but the bodies at my feet drained of life were proof that I had been involved somewhere in the time of battle.The bodies disappear, teleported to wherever Paragon takes them. I can only hope it's to a place worse than where I have been. If I had my way they would have left this world, but justice must be followed, even though I might not like it. The tank, as I believe he would be classed as in these times, approaches me, he lifts the axe above and over his right shoulder, somehow strapping it across his back. The axe is an incredible weapon and how he lifts it with one arm is a testament to the strength of the man. The girl, or as I can now see young woman, stands close on his left side, and I realise that they are more than just heroic friends, they strangely compliment each other and I have a feeling that they share a closeness that I once had with Laura. Finally the swordsman stands to the left of the woman, tall with golden hair and a smile across his mouth, the rest of his face hidden behind the expensive looking sunglasses.
'Hey dude, great bit of fighting there, I'm Tech Tower.' .Such an appropriate name for the giant that stands in front of me. A winged helmet adorns his head, the face is handsome and one that puts me immediately at ease.
I grasp his outstretched hand and mine is buried in his bear like hand and I shake it in response.
'These are two of my friends and fellow protectors Puma and Dutch Barbarian.We are leaders of the Ascended a group with the purpose of defending this city from wrong.'
I in turn grasp the hand of Puma, which is tiny compared to Tech Towers.I realise she is a defender, powers to protect those she wishes to share them with. She has long dark hair and from what I can see of it, an incredibly beautiful face.Finally the hand of the Dutch Barbarian, a scrapper like myself, is presented. It is calloused and worn and in turn the opposite to the gentleness of Puma's. Both of them nod with an unexpected respect, but say nothing.
I stop myself before I tell them my true name Jon Kissen, he is no more, he will not be returning.
'I'm Death Kiss, thanks for the help'
'Think nothing of it dude, we were passing anyway, on the way to a mission. Want to tag along?'
An invitation out of the blue and I am taken aback. My mind suddenly thinks that this could be what I need in my life. A group of people to work with and help where I can.There isn't much hesitation before I reply.
'Sure, I'd like that .......'
'Ok then follow us, we'll fill you in on the details along the way, and your company is much appreciated by the way.'
I see the approval from all of them, of which I am glad.I think I needed approval from all of them to know that it was a genuine invite.
I shall end my narrative here. The rest of my story is yet to be written. I feel this may be the start of a new life, possibly one with a purpose and direction which I am desperate for. Perhaps even with this group of unusual people. I could be part of something important and perhaps I will have the will to go on and perhaps find love to fill that gap that is part of my very being. I shall not be holding my breath though, plus the air here is much sweeter than some of the places I have been. One in particular ...
The End (or Beginning
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