I awaken in a cold sweat, suffering from a nightmare that haunts me. The nightmare has come to me every night since my escape from the Ritiki and I can't remember the last time I have had a full nights rest. Realizing that I probably wont get very much sleep this night, I make my way to the bathroom and splash some cold water on my face, noticing a half empty bottle of whisky on the table. Grabbing it, I empty the last of the amber liquid in just a few gulps.
Standing half naked on my balcony, staring out over city I ponder these last few months.
Why am I plagued by this nightmare? What does it mean?
With a howl of frustration I hurl the empty bottle out over city.
The nightmare is always the same, I am leading a group of Ritiki through the streets, putting some unknown city to the torch and slaughtering everything we come across. We eventually come to a house that I find vaguely familiar. Not knowing why this house would seem so familiar, I quickly dismiss the feeling with a shake of my head. We enter the house and kill every living thing inside. As I make my way back outside a notice a picture on the wall. The picture was of the family we just murdered and I was standing with them.
Did I murder my own family? Is it a nightmare or a repressed memory? What have I done when I was under the control of Ritiki?
I have so many questions and no answers. That is why I have come to Paragon City, to find some answers and maybe atone for the sins I might have committed.
I have only been in Paragon City for about a month and already I have made a name for myself. For once my cell is quite tonight. I look upon my small collection of trophies I have gathered in my otherwise empty apartment. They might seem like junk to someone else but to me they remind me of the good I have accomplished. These simple trophies give me the strength to face the demons from my past.
Next to my collection of trophies is a reminder of all the friends I lost during the battle against our Ritiki captors. A collection of burnt and melted dog tags. Being the sole survivor of the battle, I collected what dog tags I could find of the fallen. I still feel the guilt of being the only one who survived after the reactor blow. Their sacrifice will not be forgotten, and these little scraps of metal remind me how important my friends are to me now.
Feeling exhausted, but unable to sleep I start to get dressed.
Maybe a few hours patrolling the streets might clear my mind.
I find myself staring for a very longtime at an emblem on my jacket, a star, which belongs to a group of heroes know as the Millennium Paladins. It was little over a week ago that I was asked to join their ranks by their leader Servant 12. I had the pleasure of fighting with him on a number of occasions. He was so impressed with my fighting abilities and character that he offered me permanent place on one of the most elite super groups in Paragon. Even though he knows little of my past, he had the faith to trust his life and that of his team to me a number of times. All I can do is return his faith, with the belief that I will one day find my answers and some peace.
I just finish stripping on my helmet when the cell starts ringing.
They always have to wait until I get my helmet onÂ…
The Paladins need me...
Some kind of trouble in Boomtown...
I am on my way
