The Millennium Paladin Chronicles

Kid has heart Lord. He definitely has heart.

Mykal looked at Sam, a soft smile growing on his face.

"Gives a whole new perspective on family feud, doesn't it?"

Sam chuckled and winced.

Mykal's eyes wandered around the room. Being at Chiron, or any hospital for that matter, agitated him. Sickness and injury only reminded him of sin...which reminded him of his own heart.

He knew the truth which many people ignored or fooled themselves into believing what they wanted to believe about themselves. On a daily basis he fought evil men, women, and beings. But that term to describe them, evil, was really a misnomer. Mankind was evil, his heart prone to sin. Everyone, every man, woman, child....everyone was sinful and their hearts deceitful. It included him.

He never forgot that because when fighting the darkness that loomed throughout Paragon City in it's myriad forms, he knew he was fighting a reflection of what he could become because of the heart that was in him. A human one.

"There but for the grace of God..." he said softly under his breath to himself.

"What?" said Sam.

Mykal turned his attention back to Sam.

"We need to see about getting you out of here...now."

Mykal was startled to see tears in his fellow paladin's eyes.
"I... I can't go... Its my sister... I could never fight her."
Whomever brought his sister back didn't just break his body... they broke his spirit... thought Mykal, "I understand how you feel, but you cannot just hide here in this hospital. We've got plenty of leads... in fact I'm not sure if it is your actual sister."
A statement he only half believed. It would not have been the first time Mykal had heard of a resurection but he could see hope in Sam's eyes and he couldn't rule anything out so early... especially if it were to cause Sam so much more pain. The only problem was her supernatural strength and speed...
"So," Sam said, "where do we start?"
"Well the contact of yours... is a good spot and I'll have people researching your symbol. Don't worry Sam we'll figure it out."

It was a warm spring morning the day Kegan arrived in Paragon. The city was filled with sights and sounds she had never experienced before. The journey here had been a long and hard. Kegan had left New Folkvang over a month ago, traveling to Helsinki were she boarded a freighter set for Paragon. Kegan had run away from home, she knew her mother would be worried but she had no other choice. Ever since her sister had been kidnapped 2 years ago she had waited. No one had been able to find Izzy and Kegan was tired of waiting. She was confident she could find her. Being twins they shared a bond most people would never be able to understand. It was this bond that pulled her to paragon.

Kegan looks out over the plaza from her perch atop the Atlas globe. The setting of the sun marks the end of her first day in Paragon. It had been a long day. She had finally meet with Azure after hours of waiting and more paperwork then she had ever done in her life. It was stupid of her to think she could just walk in and see Azura, this was the big city she was in now. That meant lots of red tape and procedures to be followed. First she had to be registered as a Hero. This meant Physical and Psychological test to see if you could take on the job. Next you had to obtain a License and Security Level, more test and paperwork. Her whole day had been consumed by these tasks. By the time see final got in to see Azura she was exhausted. Kegan explained the situation with Izzy and why she had come to Paragon. Azura was able to confirm that her sister had been in the city but that was all the information she had for her. Kegan left the meeting feeling as if all hope was lost. What if Izzy was no longer in the city? Had she wasted an entire day filling out paperwork when she could have been tracking her sister?

Crash shattered glass collided with the floor. A shadow eclipsed the room and the dead sister stepped through the window.
"Hey little bro."
In a flash she overturned Sam's bed and pinned him to the wall. "Nothing personal, the next dimension just sucks." With an erie laugh she proceded in crushing Sam's trachea.

Today had not gone well for Kegan. She thought back on the days events as she gazed out the window of her hospital room. She spent a lot of time at the hospital it seemed. Fighting crime and searching for her sister. She was working her self to the point of exhaustion. Azura had called to see how she was dong.

“I think we need to have a talk, you have been in the hospital three times this week. I know you want to find your sister but you seem to be going about it the wrong way. Kegan, when you get out I would like for you to come to my office.”

Azura was right, she was not getting any closer to finding her sister. One of these days she was going to get her self into trouble, and no one would be there to rescue her. She needed help; this was too big of a task for one person alone.

After leaving the hospital Kegan headed over to Atlas Park to meet with Azura. She was still a little sore from her last run-in with the Circle of Thorns. But as she sat in the lobby waiting to meet with her friend she felt relived. She hadn’t wanted to admit to her self that she needed help. But now that she was here she was glad to be getting some advice.

“Kegan, Azura will see you now.” A pleasant voice called over the load speaker.

Kegan got up and walked into Azura’s office. “I see you are doing better today” Azura noted as Kegan entered the office.

“Yes, I’m still a little sore, but I am feeling much better.” Kegan took a set opposite Azura. “I’m glad you called.”

“Well something had to be done. You can’t keep working until you pass out and then sleep for 12 hours only to get up and do it all again. Do you even have an apartment?” Kegan shook her head. “Just as I thought, I took the liberty of setting you up in a nice loft overlooking Gemini park. I also got you an Interview at the Paragon Times. They have an opening for a freelance Photo Journalist. It pays well and should work nicely with your currant occupation. Since I’m sure you see a lot of interesting “things” in you travels.”

Kegan stared at Azura in amazement. “I really don’t know what to say, Thank You”

“Well we can’t have you living at the hospital now can we?”

“No, and beside the food is terrible” Kegan replied as she crinkled her nose in disgust.

Azura laughed “Yes it is pretty bad” Azura pulled a small black device out of her draw and handed it to Kegan. “I also had this made up for you by a friend of mine. It’s a Pocket PC with a few modification made to it. He has added a cell phone, GPS, and wireless modem. So you will always be able to keep track of where you are and where you have been. Then if you get into trouble you can call for help. He also added a 12 Mega Pixel camera that you can use for your new job at the paper.”

“But I don’t have the job yet” Kegan broke in.

“Don’t worry about that I have a strong feeling you will get the job.” Azura smiled, “It has all the latest software so you can type up your story on the device and load it onto you computer when you get home.”

“But I don’t have a computer.” Kegan broke in again.

“Well you do now” Azura laughed “I made sure your apartment was stocked with everything you might need to find you sister Izzy. Now back to your new Toy. The most important upgrade to you device is that little red button in the corner. Go ahead give it a push.”

Kegan punched the button and small radar popped up on the screen. “Searching … Searching … Subject Not Located” would you like to try again?

“Hit no” Azura instructed. “We used your DNA to program the device to search for Izzy. It has a five mile radius. You can either do a manual search or set it to automatically do a search ever half hour.”

“Wow, this is great. I really don’t know how to thank you” Kegan replied.

“Don’t worry about it, just go home and get some sleep. You have an interview tomorrow and I don’t want you to be late.”

“Thanks, I will do that” Kegan replied as she got up to leave then stopped “I really do appreciate all the help you have given me.”

“I just want you to be safe Kegan; can you do that for me?” Kegan nodded and Azure continued “Good, you have helped me a lot here this last month and it would be a shame to loss a hero like you.” Azura commented as she went back to work “Good Luck and be safe”.

It had been a good meeting Kegan thought as she stood in her apartment latter. She had gotten a fresh start in Paragon, a chance to do things right. It was time to come up with a plan. She looked at the device and pushed the red button. “Searching … Searching … Subject Not Located” she sighed and replaced the device in the pocket on the side of her boot. Oh well tomorrow was a new day.

Izzy slowly opened her eyes and looked around. It was dark and damp and she had no idea where she was. To top it off her head was killing her. She closed her eyes and tried to reach out to Kegan. Nothing, this was not good. The last thing she remembered was running through the woods behind her sister. She had felt a sharp pain … then darkness. Well she was awake now and from the feel of it she was in a cave. The ground bellow her was hard and damp. She slowly crawled to the bars of her cage and peered out. Across from her she could just make out the shape of a large black cat. She tried to focus; it appeared to be a Jaguar.

“Your correct” a voice spoke inside her head. “My name is Jade, and you are?”

“Isabeau, but my friends call me Izzy” she had never talked to such a large animal like this before.

“Ah so now we are friends” Jade chuckled as she flipped her tail “Fair enough the enemy of my enemy is my friend”

“Yes” Izzy stammered “Do you know where we are?”

“No child I do not”

“Izzy, wake up” a voice sounded inside her head.

“Do you have to shout, my head is killing me” Izzy whimpered as she held her hands over her ears.

“Something is happening” Jade noted “They are removing people and animals in groups. “ But none of them are coming back.

Izzy sat up straighter “What’s going on?”

“I’m not sure” Jade replied as she peered down the tunnel. “They are coming for us now”

“What … How do you know we are next ... there could be more …”

“No” Jade cut in “We are the only ones left is this cave” Jade turned to Izzy and looked her straight in the eyes. “Do you trust me?” Izzy Nodded “Know this child I will never leave you, I will get us out of here! You just have to trust me”

The mage stepped in front of Izzy’s cage. “It’s her, she is different from the others. I can tell she's the one we need, the rest we just practice.” Izzy slowly felt the world slip away, as she passed into darkness she heard again “I will get us out of here, trust me.”

A small figure sits cross legged in the center of a cell. The cave around her is dark and damp. The only movement is the occasional flip of her tail. It has been over a year since she was taken from her home. Her memories are a jumble of confusing images she can’t quite put together. She has changed, that she is sure of. But how is another question. She has superior reflexes, a heightened sense of smell and increased vision. But there is something else that has changed; somehow she is different, she just can’t put her finger on it. Flicking her tail, she turns her head at the sound of the men talking down the hall. They are going out tonight, she smiles, and only leaving behind four men to guard her. “Ah … this is going to be easy!” They have grown over confident in their control over her. For months she has been trained by them to fight. Pitting her against all manner of monsters, some more then twice her size. Now they think four men can contain her. No matter they will soon learn the error of their ways.

“Soon child we shall strike” a voice sound inside her head. It seems somehow different … closer. “Yes” Izzy responds and closes her eyes “Soon”.

A short while latter a young mage approaches. With shaking hands he opens the door and steps into her cell, setting her dinner on the table he turns to leave. Before he takes two steps towards the door he is knocked-out cold. Standing over him Izzy stretches her neck and looks down at the young mage. “At least he was smart enough to be afraid” she flips her tail “One down … three to go.” Stepping out the door she heads down the tunnel to the next room.

“Careful child this will be your only chance. They won’t make this mistake again.”

Slowly she approaches the door. Standing in the shadows she watches the three remaining men, waiting for the right time to strike.

“Now”

Izzy responds to the command, leaping into action she takes out the two closet men in a single move, and lands next to them without making a sound. “Three down … one to go.”

“So I was right about you” The remaining mage says not even bothering to face her he continues to write at his desk. “You have been playing with us. Do you really think I was fooled, that I would let a prize like you go?” Suddenly he turns and shots her with a dart.

“Fool” Izzy growls as she yanks the dart out of her leg “You will pay for that” Before he can stand she is upon him. Pinning him to the desk she shots “Who am I and what have you done to me?” The mage only grins at her. “Tell me or I will kill you” she hisses.

“You don’t have it in you little one.” All these months and you haven’t killed a single being. Even now as you make your escape you don’t have the heart to kill the men who tortured you”

“Your right, I am not a monster” knocking him out Izzy heads for the door, to freedom. In her heart she knows it is foolish to leave the man alive. But she is not ready to kill. Bursting out into the light she runs through the forest. Leaping over fallen trees and dodging branches she makes her way to a clearing. Stopping to catch her breath she looks down at her leg. It is now covered in blood and in pain. “I’m not feeling so well” Izzy braces her self against a lamp post. “Hold on child I’m getting some help” Before she can answer Izzy collapses on the ground.

“Subject located standby for transportation in … 3…2 … 1... Transporting to Atlas Hospital
now …”

Azura picks up the phone “We got her, do you want me to call Kegan?”

Mykal threw himself to the ground and rolled towards the far side of the room away from the showering glass. He was used to being in the middle of danger so his reactions were being ruled more and more by instinct.

Crouching on the ground, he quickly surveyed the room. A dark figure was holding Sam in the air by the throat as he flailed about gasping, pinned against the wall, his feet kicking wildly. He didn't know who or what it was exactly but he had heard them call Sam 'bro', so he was confident this was the sister spoken of moments earlier. Things were looking grim rather quickly and he knew it would be mere moments before Sam was dead.

Reaching at his waist, he tapped a button on his tech belt which was was followed by the rapid succession of his fingers moving over the keys on his left UGD-1. His goggles became dim. Numbers flashed in front of his eyes a quarter of a second. Milliseconds after, his suit AI made an announcement.

"Bio-scan complete. Targeting initiated."

In an instant, everything was a soft white in front of him, her image the only dark one. A red holographic reticle appeared floating around her body. The reticle's appearance startled her slightly and she shot it a sidewards glance which bought Mykal precious time.

"Target locked."

The reticle now blinked in an area that looked to be around her neck. Punching in another sequence of numbers, he pointed his left arm in her direction. The small screen display showed a slope increase of electrical energy. His left arm began shaking and he had to use his right arm to steady it, grabbing himself around the wrist. Sam was beatiing at her arms to get her loosen her grip but it wasn't doing any good.

ZZZTKKK!

A jagged, shock white lance of lightning formed and connected with her neck. Instantly, she dropped Sam, her body convulsing radically in place. Sam laid on the ground and began hacking profusely, holding his neck, small drops of saliva dripping from his mouth.

"You do NOT have the luxury of choking right now....MOVE!"

"You brought your UGD-1s to the hospital?" coughed Sam. He rolled back and grabbed a chair and ripped two of the metal legs off - his symbol gave him strength greater than any normal human. He stood and shoved the sharp pain all over away and consentrated on the fight.

Katie shook off the man's lightning bolt, that had taken her by surprise, but she was ready. If he wanted to get in her way then he would have to die as well. But she consentrated on getting Sam out of the fight and out the window. She saw him grab some chair legs and quickly grabbed the overturned bed and threw it at his legs he wouldn't be a challenge with the injuries he had gotten in their last fight. He rolled but not in time and and his right shoulder to his right ankle was caught by the bed and slammed into the wall. The crack of bones and accompaning cry satisfied Katie. She looked over just in time to see the man grab at his arm again and she ducked - but she didn't see the chair leg that connected with her head.

Sam had been caught half way through the roll and upside down when the bed hit him. He would be out of the streets for a long time he was sure over 60% of his bones were broken but he healed fast. He looked over and saw Mykal aim again and followed the lightning bolt. He noticed his Katie begin to duck and threw his chair leg as a last ditch attempt to end the fight.

A long way away a man clouded by the shadows in his dimly lit room chuckled at the way things had turned out. "Yeah Servant 12 a real family feud."

Mykal saw Lion roll out of the way which he was thankful for. It left him with more freedom to deal with the threat.

He glanced quickly at his UGD-1. The former bio-scan had been analyzed thoroughly.

"Now let's just end the party."

Raising his gauntlet in the same fashion as before, her saw he duck as Lion threw a chair leg at her which hit her squarely in the forehead. She thought another lightning bolt was coming which is what Mykal wanted her to think.

A green almost flourescent aura suddenly appeared around Lion's sister. The chair leg had distracted her long enough that she was unaware of the sheath around her. Moving towards Lion, she attempted to kick him but Lion easily avoided her. The gamma radiation aura was taking effect, making her lethargic, her second attack was more wild and wide than the first.

Mykal knew the signs. Tapping buttons on his belt, he leapt five feet upwards towards her, both arms raised high above his head. Her eyes responded instantly but her reflexes were severely hindered from the radiation. She tried to put her arms up but it didn't help. Mykal swung his arms downward, the force knocking her backwards through the same window she entered through. It was mere seconds before she fell the three stories and hit the ground hard, losing consciousness.

Mykal stood and went to the edge of the window, the broken glass crunching under his boots. Lion's sister was lying face down, unmoving. He began tapping keys on his right UGD-1.

"This is Servant 12 at the Chiron Medical Hospital. Security clearance number five, zero, dash, five, zero, a, h. I need instant transport of a felon to the Paragon Penitentiary. Unidentified female. Currently unconscious. GPS coordinates are uploaded."

Almost instantly, Lion's sister's body disappeared from the hospital grounds.

Mykal turned and walked over to Lion.

"The rest of your family this amicable?"

He smiled but saw that Lion was in pain.

"Hold that pose."

Walking out into the hallway, he looked for a doctor or nurse. Rushing towards him were security guards from the right, obviously alarmed by the ruckus. Looked like someone beat him to the punch.

"We need to move this guy to another room. Stat."

The guards stopped in their tracks, hands on their guns. Mykal sighed.

"Let's not make a stupid mistake. Get a doctor. We've got a situation here. If I wanted to hurt you you'd be face down by now."

They paused, still reticent.

"Move!!!"

Both guards rushed away at his exclamatory request. Mykal turned to go back into the room when he saw Kegan, one of the newest and impressive recruits of the Millennium Paladins, coming towards him from the elevators. She had a frantic expression.

"Kegan? What are you doing here? What's wrong?"

Kegan looked up to see Mykal standing in front of her. She looked past him into the hospital room; Sam was on the floor surrounded by broken furniture and glass. A nurse was rushing down the hall toward them.

“I could ask you the same thing Sir” Kegan responded to Mykal. Pausing she looked at Sam, the nurse was helping him off the floor and into a wheel chair. Something was wrong with the kid she just wasn’t sure what. She had gotten a funny feeling while talking to him earlier that day. She had wanted to talk to Mykal, but the day had been so busy. Turning back to Mykal she looked at him, could she trust him … this was too much for her to deal with alone. Maybe this was the answer to her prayers she just had to ask for help.

Looking down at her PDA she watched the blinking red light.

“Subject Located”

Taking a deep breath she handing the device to him. “I need help its Izzy she’s here … in Atlas.” The entire day came rushing back in a flood of memories. In that moment it was more then she could take between worrying about Sam and searching for Izzy.

Izzy opened her eyes slowly, the room was completely white, a shocking contrast to the caves. Blinking her eyes she looked around, there was a woman at the foot of her bed watching her.

“So your awake” Azura remarked “What do you remember?” Izzy continued to stare at her. “Your name is Isabeau, or as your sister calls you Izzy” moving around the side of the bed she looked down at the young girl and asked “Do you remember Kegan? She has been looking for you.”

Izzy looked up at the woman and was about to answer when she heard a load crash in the room above her, followed by breaking glass. A Man’s muffled voice was heard shouting. “Maybe we should go help” Izzy commented and glanced at the door.

“No” Azura responded “Mykal is up there I know he can handle the problem.” Just then a woman’s body fell past her window. Azura picked up the phone “Security get up to the third floor NOW!”

PREVIOUSLY:

With the Upper Room now having a remodeled control room, the Millennium Paladins put it to work immediately. Using it's capability of satellite uplinking and Internet 2 connection, Servant 12 and Kuragari Umbra began to search for any news on the Reuter's and Associated Press wires. They soon came across a small article detailing an earthquake that had been registered in the High Park area of Kings Row.

Going on a hunch, Aegirian Templar agreed to go the area and investigate while while Servant 12 called a friend, Sheila Francis, at the local United States Geological Center.

It soon became apparent that something was going on after a second phone call shortly following the first. Going to investigate personally, Servant 12 went to Talos Island to Ms. Francis' apartment where he discovered her missing along with her laptop and desktop hard drive. Suddenly, he was attacked by two men later identified as Crey agents.

Meanwhile, Aegirian Templar discovered a low level pusle emanating in the High Park area that was increasing at an alarming rate. Taking several readings, he calculated that the pulse would continue to increase to 100% and be a geological disater for Paragon City.

That's when the zombies attacked.


EXCERPT:

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: Man, this place is a mess.

Two men in black suits and glasses lay on the living room floor.

[u]Servant-12[u]: Friends look familiar?

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: Kind of...where did those two come from?

[u]Servant-12[u]: I'm thinking that closet over there.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: Might wanna check and see if Sheila is in there.

[u]Servant-12[u]: Highly doubt that. But...

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: You never know what could be hiding. Look at the Upper Room for example.

Servant-12 kneels down and grabs the wallet from inside on of their inside jacket pocket.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: Who are they? Crey?

[u]Servant-12[u]: Bingo.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: That would be why they look familiar.

[u]Servant-12[u]: Which means calling the police is a waste of time. She'd have them out in half an hour.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: More than likely these guys are just muscle.

[u]Servant-12[u]: Simon...tell me you have something.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: Hm.

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: The pulses seem to be coming from beneath a twelve-story brownstone.

[u]Servant-12[u]: What?

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: Right on the edge of High Park.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: It's a good thing it's Crey. I've already got back-door access to all of their files. I have a tendency to keep tabs on them.

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: We all know that Crey can hide secret labs anywhere in the city.

[u]Servant-12[u]: I don't know...does this seem a little out of their comfort zone? Their normal modus operandi.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: A little.

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: I didn't know that Crey had a comfort zone.

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]Good point. When I worked for them I was trying to work on getting wounded men back in action as quick as possible....oh crap!

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: What is it, Kuragari?

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: I may have an explanation for the zombies... I told them it wouldn't work. See what happened was me and my team were working on getting people back in action ASAP. We had a promising test batch, until it reached about 16 hours after the drug was administered. We didn't notice anything on the mice, but we saw what happened when it was used on human beings. We got the soldiers back in action, but they started to become almost... lifeless. They were essentially just empty containers.

The deafening sound of tearing cement and crumbling rock is suddenly heard through the commlink.

[u]Servant-12[u]: Simon?

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: Temp? That did not sound good.

[u]Servant-12[u]: Simon...you there?

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: Zombies!

[u]Kuragari Umbra[u]: We're on our way!

Servant 12 activates the Ouroboros Portal. Incoherent shouts and steel slicing flesh and bone.

[u]Aegirian Templar[u]: BACK! GET OFF ME!
____________________________________________

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Servant 12 walked slowly through the halls of the Upper Room, the rubber soles of his boots faintly echoing off the steel alloy walls. So much had changed. New allies. A remodeled base. New teammates. Or more aptly, new family.

Through all of that one thing hadn't changed.

The Millennium Paladins were still here.

Years ago when he was called to look for The Twelve, he had no idea what his journey would entail. What roads he would travel. How God would shape his character through them all. It had been an adventure.

He stepped into his favorite room in the base. The workshop. He was in his element here. Free, and in a sense, king.

The Lord had not gifted him with great powers emanating from his body in some fashion. He had gifted him with a mind able to understand things far beyond many people. To create wonderful things like his Creator coupled with the skill, prowess, and discipline to use them. People called him a superhero because of it. He didn't looked at it that way. He was just blessed.

Stopping in front of one of the worktables, he glanced around, taking it all in as if it was his first time. Some many ideas he had that he wanted to try.Not enough time.

However, he had some time now.

Firing up the worktable, he made his rounds, turning on the linear accelerator, diagnostic computers, and a whole bank of other equipment.

He clicked on the the small earpiece to activate his commlink.

"Servant 12 here. Anyone out there on this channel?"

Kuragari Umbra walked out of the Paladin's storage room, having just put away some supplies from one of his many experiments.

Hearing Servant 12's voice, Kuragari walked into the workshop, and responded, "Hello Mykal."

Mykal glanced over to his right. Kuragari Umbra, a young, extremely loyal member of the Paladins who had a knack for the technological as himself. He had a feeling that he just may be one of the Twelve but he wasn't sure yet. The sign hadn't been revealed. Yet....he just had a feeling.

"Kura. Good to see you? How's everything?"

"Good, very good. It seems like there's been less and less raids upon the city."

Kuragari Umbra walked over to the group's supercomputer, while still talking to Servant.

"How's everything been with you? Good, I hope."

Kura started to bring up employee histories and business reports from his own personal files.

Servant 12 looked intently at the computer screen in front of him.

"Good. Just about to input that information we came across in Croatoa on the Fir Bolgs and Tuatha de Denann,"

Analyzing the graphs and data that had popped up, he went into the control room. It was arrayed with a bank of computer screens and monitors alive with data flashing across them. Huge mainframe servers lined the back walls, blue lights announcing they were in operation.

"I'm curious as to what exactly happened on the trip from Ireland to turn them into the...beings they are. I'm guessing it was some kind of witchcraft but who did it is the mystery."

His left hand reached over to a touch sensitive screen, fingertips touching it lightly registering new information.

"Really has me....curious."

"Aye," replied Kuragari, "me too. The fact that there is something out there that can turn people into what the Fir Bolgs have become is.. unsettling, to say the least. I wonder if their intense hatred for the Red Caps has anything to do with their transformation."

The monitor in front of him blinked, a photo of a Fir Bolg battling a Tuatha de Denann in the foggy woods of Croatoa. To many they were simply magical creatures but he knew better. Magic was a nice way of saying witchcraft. He never fell for it even with all the extraordinary people and beings in Paragon City. Evil was still evil and Croatoa was full of it. It was the kind of evil many flippantly dismissed.

Just like the Circle of Thorns. They dealt with the same occultic practices which were the highest forms of evil. Satanic, demonic forces. Dark. Unregenerate. Unredeemable.

He never would get used it.

The Fir Bolg's with their jack-o-lantern heads and thin, tree -like bodies he found more disturbing than the Tuatha de Dennan. It was that grin carved into their face. That stupid, sinister grin.

A tall, armored figure strode into the room then. Totally encased in gleaming blue metal, the helmeted and visored man moved with the practiced ease of a medieval knight; yet despite the mass of metal he carried, there was little sound to be heard as his boots landed on the steel floor of the workshop.

The Aegirian Templar came to a stop at the foot of the monitoring platform and crossed his arms as he gazed up at Twelve. "Are you obsessing over the evils of magic again?"

He paused and cocked his head. "You know, you really shouldn't stare into that screen so intently that close. You'll have alot more trouble going over those quarterly expense reports if you mess up your eyes."

Kuragari turned as Aegirian walked into the room and said, "Hey Temp."

Hearing Aegirian's remark, Kuragari simply responded by chuckling and asking, "Been busy Temp?"