Very Nice story.
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http://www.openoffice.org
Free 
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Seconded. Overall superior to MS Office too.
"If I didn't enjoy the ludicrous mayhem of an 8-person pick-up team and my eventual glorious triumph over seemingly impossible odds bereft of lucid and competant comrades, I would have left this game a long time ago. " - mean_liar
((Ta da! Thanks for the writing program. I will use it. But for this story I think I will stick to the method I am using now. Kind of proud of the fact that I am just making it all at once and then giving it too you. It is fun this way too.))
XVI. The Truth Gets Out There
Lord Mordachai was a gracious host to the Ring of Resistance. They were provided with living quarters and all the necessary facilities and supplies while they waited for the scholars to decipher the incantations. Although they were assured that no vampires would try to feed on them there were occasional hungry stares from some of the more shifty ones.
The underground cave turned out to be an extremely complex lair, complete with private rooms, hospitals, plumbing, and libraries.
In one library was Helen. The vampires had aquired some rather interesting books of science after the war, probably from the old Crey facilities that were spared from the Council's wrath, and even a few Council projects. Some of it she already knew but read anyways to keep her wits sharp. Some of it was rather disturbing, based on torturous studies of subjects.
She was progressing along quite well by herself in the library, only a candle to keep her company when she heard the subtle noise of someone approaching slowly.
She looked down the dark passageway lined with books new and old.
"Hello?" She asked the darkness, only to be answered by her own echo.
She immediately regretted saying "Hello" as all it accomplished was make her presence being known all the more concrete. A slight wind blew against her with a chill and slowly snuffed her companion out.
"Damn candle, where are my matches?" She whispered.
After finding them she struck the match, causing a momentary spark. In the flash of light she saw the face of a vampire directly in front of her before the darkness enveloped her again.
She screamed and fumbled with the match as the vampire spoke.
"I have not fed for almost a year. Mordachai can only keep the sheep safe for so long."
Helen was panicing, trying to get the match to light as she heard scrambling feet as the vampire positioned himself for attack. The match finally caught and she lit the candle. Again the vampire was in front of her, but this time he had a look of surprise on his face, looking up past her. A fist came from behind her and the vampire was sent back to the floor. She turned around to find Michael. He stared at the vampire with fury in his eyes.
"Stay away from my family. Touch anyone of us and I will kill you." He said
The vampire started to get up but was halted by the sword of another running through him.
"Nothing more than a parasite." Another man said with disguist.
"Who are you?" Michael said, eyeing the man suspicously.
"BloodFang. One of the vampires. You would be wise to take more caution. Not all of us are here for the greater good unfortunately. I was assigned to make sure you all stay safe. Are you two going to be alright to get back to your friends while I tell Lord Mordachai who has been dispatched of?"
They both nodded and BloodFang left. Michael walked his mother back to the area where the Ring's rooms were. A few of them were milling about talking to each other. Michael noticed Blood Wolffe facing their direction as he went into a more private room.
"Mom, are you ok from here? I would like to talk to Blood Wolffe."
"I will be fine, you go ahead." She said.
Michael slowly entered the room halfway until he was waved in. Michael came in and shut the door behind him. Helen normally would not eavesdrop but she didnt trust anyone Captain Neem didnt trust. Let alone someone who had such a bad history with Neem.
Michael made some awkward conversation for an icebreaker, "Whats that from?" He said pointing at the bite mark scars around Blood Wolffe's cheeks, then realized Blood couldnt see where he was pointing, "On your cheeks?"
He snickered at Michael, "Birthmark. Is that what you came to see me about?"
Michael hesitated again, "Something has been eating at me since I met you. I know you cant give me that gaze, but if you could see into somebody's character like that you must be able to somewhat sense it, right?"
Blood Wolffe gave him a confused expression, "You dont need me to tell you what kind of person you are. Why does it matter so much to you?"
Michael hesitated, "I... I have somewhat of a past that I am not proud of."
"Is that it?" Blood replied. "Listen, I can tell that you have your priorities right, for the most part. Whatever happened in the past is just that. You can let that define you or you can learn from it and become a stronger person. I know you care for your pack, er, family. Thats what is important, thats what lasts forever... Most of the time." He paused for a moment, "So to answer your question, you are a good person."
From her listening post outside, Helen kept thinking of how the history of Captain Neem and his once-friend had ended so badly as she watched him from the opposite end of the cave talking to Lord Raymond and Tigonus. Captain Neem had mentioned briefly once that he was betrayed by him and that made her not trust Blood Wolffe. Then when he threatened Michael in the arena she immediately had contempt for him. As threatening her son in front of her should.
Michael saw a similiar trait in him though. They were the only ones who werent all buddy-buddy with Neem. Michael saw a possible ally, but wanted to know why. He would greedily soak in any Neem-bashing. A result of Neem pushing him unnecessarily as he saw it.
"What happened between you and Captain Neem?" Michael asked suddenly.
"You catch on quick. Lets just say, we are both guilty. Apparently he isnt ready to admit that, so thats all I will say for now... But you might find out more if you looked into the W.R.A.P. program that Crey tried, if you can find anything on it."
Michael was somewhat dissappointed in his response, but would unlikely get anything else out of him, so he said his goodnight and exited. An clandestine program by a Corporation that didnt exist anymore was not a promising lead. Helen managed to hide before he exited to keep him from knowing she was spying. She felt guilty for doing it, but at the same time it was a necessary evil. She would not let Blood Wolffe do the same thing to Michael he did to Neem. She would have to find out what happened between those two, she thought as she silently stealthed away from the room Blood Wolffe was in.
"Hear anything interesting Steele?" He muttered to himself.
----
The Center looked up at the massive machine that was already more than half finished from a steel grate walkway. Requiem stood next to him with his hands behind his back, at ease.
The machine was awe-inspiring. Even Requiem was taken aback. Any skyscraper would be hard pressed to challenge its height.
"We are ahead of schedule Sir. At this rate we should be done in a year or so. I understand it is important, but why move so many troops to defend this base sir? Isnt it a bit risky weakening our other positions so much?"
The Center didnt move, just continued staring up at the massive goliath of a thing, several glints of welders busy at work all over it.
"Because when this is completed I will not need an army."
----
Hours of searching through the library (this time with Tigonus and Tabby Cat) yielded nothing on WRAP to Helen. It was time to go to Captain Neem. If anyone could get it out of him it was her.
As she approached Neem she took a deep breath for courage. She thought about how to approach it for a moment before settling on diving head first. She never was one for beating around the bush.
"Captain Neem, I have to know. What happened between you and Blood Wolffe?"
"Helen, please. I do not want to talk about this." Captain Neem said back.
"Why not Neem? You dont want them to know I'm not the badguy you make me out to be?"
Helen and Neem turned to find Blood Wolffe leaning against a wall with his arms crossed.
"First off, you are worse than I made you out to be. What makes you think they would take your side anyways?"
"Lets find out Neem. You start, or I will. Im tired of this."
Captain Neem glared at him and gave a sigh, "Okay, you wanna play hardball, you got it." By now most of the Ring was there. Not much to do in a cave.
"A long time ago, I met Blood Wolffe in King's Row. He was nothing more than an animal on a rampage. I was going to arrest him, but I saw potential. I taught him how to be civil. We got close, like family. Then one day he finds out that my Uncle worked for Crey and he killed him. You knew he was my family. I practically begged you not to do it but you attacked me then murdered him." Captain Neem said angrily.
The Ring turned to Blood Wolffe with judgemental stares.
"He was the one. He tortured me for twenty years in a lab with his experiments to turn me into a weapon. When I failed the WRAP program he shot me and dumped my body in the woods to rot. You expected me to let that go? Besides... You got me back. Real good too. Why dont you tell them how you did that."
Captain Neem remained silent.
"Fine. I will." Blood Wolffe said to the audience, "A few years after the Cleansing he found me bleeding from a bullet to the temple and barely alive. He took me to the Gone City and gave me to the arena." Blood Wolffe turned back to Neem, "I dont think you wanted me dead either. Just to be a caged animal. You knew I have the spirit of a wolf, you knew it would kill me from the inside out. I may have deserved what I got but the price I paid was worth it."
Captain Neem was furious now.
"Thats what I cant stand about you Blood. You always oversimplify it. It wasnt just that it was my family. You were my friend, my brother. I put so much into getting you to see that you didnt have to kill. You didnt have to be an animal. You used me to keep the heat off you while you hunted your prey. Thats all you do, is hunt your prey and kill it, then move on to the next one. That is not a pack member. That is a back-stabbing *******."
"Well you certainly proved the better man Neem!" Blood Wolffe said sarcastically.
No one had noticed the scholar vampire come in. Not until he hesitantly interrupted.
"E-Excuse me?" The elderly vampire said.
"What!?" Neem and Blood both yelled at the same time.
"The incantations have been completely translated. Lord Mordachai requests your presence and then you will have to leave to catch your window for safe passage across the wasteland."
((Glad to finally get all that is between Blood Wolffe and Captain Neem out there. Up to you who is more right or wrong. Personally I feel they were both just as guilty. Also had to speed up the Machine's progress. Can you say "Cop out"? The Rind doesnt really need any more delays.))
Wow! great story i completely forgot about this and i just started reading it. Its fantastic
hey, you said you wanted pictures so..i think this one would be apropriate
Baltimore or Bust
Hmm, that conversation ended badly. That is an issue that will be sure to be revisited. Anger that deep doesn't put up and shut up when its been aired so recently.
Good to see some more fleshing out ;-)
Good picture Xyfen. I like it.
Unfortunately it may be a few days extra till the next chapter. My dog just died back home, which may not seem like a big deal to some but she was family to me, and at work things are just ridiculously overwhelming right now with a semi annual inspection at half the man power we should have. I feel the story has suffered from it. Things are going to get better soon and the next one should be up within a week though. I will still be playing the game and on the forums, not as much, if you are on Freedom look up Blood Wolffe(36), Virtue- Paul Barer(17), or Protector- Atheum(15). They are all willing to team and just looking for a good time.
Apologies,
Blood Wolffe
*tear*
I am suffering from withdrawl again...and the poor little topic was drifting off into the abyss until I pulled it out just now with this post.
OOC: I'm really sorry to hear that, Wolffe. I hope things improve for you. Puppies are family. 
We'll be here when you're ready, and try to hold on until then.
Together we entered a city of strangers, we made it a city of friends, and we leave it a City of Heroes. - Sweet_Sarah
BOYCOTT NCSoft (on Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517513781597443/
Governments have fallen to the power of social media. Gaming companies can too.
Ya man, that sucks. Dogs are family, no matter what people say
Hey everybody,
Well I was over everything a few days ago, but couldnt post because of the long board downtime. I will post the chapter tomorrow after wrapping it up. In the mean time check out Blood Wolffe by Celtic Bolt. I was very pleased with the results.
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Hey everybody,
Well I was over everything a few days ago, but couldnt post because of the long board downtime. I will post the chapter tomorrow after wrapping it up. In the mean time check out Blood Wolffe by Celtic Bolt. I was very pleased with the results.
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Sveeet.. /e thumbsup
"If I didn't enjoy the ludicrous mayhem of an 8-person pick-up team and my eventual glorious triumph over seemingly impossible odds bereft of lucid and competant comrades, I would have left this game a long time ago. " - mean_liar
*Does a triple backflip*
Yatta! Shameless bump!
If you don't get another chapter up I'll commit Seppeku! 
XVII. Old Friends
The Vampires had said their words and touched on each hero's forehead of the Ring with their sacred oils. The ones who believed or got their powers from magic sat quietly and humbly received the gift from the vampires. The ones who did not believe in it remained respectfully silent, after all, it
couldnt hurt.
Although Lord Mordachai moved slowly and every move made his rusted armor moan in protest he moved gracefully, standing up from his throne. He looked very young, but only on the surface. His face was pained with thousands of
years of experience, he had watched empires rise and fall. Tyrants come and go. But this new empire and tyrant concerned him. He could always rest assured that the previous ones would fall before stepping outside their
boundaries. But this one was... different. Their leaders attitude was less ambition and more "business as usual" in his demeanor. Maybe he was getting old.
"The ritual is finished." Lord Mordachai said, "You should leave soon, you dont have much time before the path becomes too unstable."
"Thank you Lord Mordachai." Captain Neem said, "We could use your skills in battle if you would like to join us."
"I am sorry. We may be helping you to correct an imbalance, but that is all the concern we will give to the troubles of mortals. You are on your own from here on." He said flatly.
Before long they were walking across the wasteland in the direction the
Vampires had said to go. The occasianal geyser of radioactive mist would
burst a few hundred yards away, but close enough to be unsettling.
Steele Magnolia, Captain Neem, and Lord Raymond led the group with Rose Cross and The Core Being close behind. Xyfen, Michael, and Tabby Cat walked close together. As did Eternal Twilight, Hippie Mage, Mister H, Tigonus, Pandora and Etherburn. They had become good friends since they met on their
way to Baltimore. Although Eternal Twilight never stopped being amazed at how Hippie Mage could unwittingly push his buttons.
Blood Wolffe hung out in the back, not because he felt left out, but that he had too since he would wander off the path they gave them to follow with no eyes to watch where he was going. It also gave him a good opportunity to feel out everybody else. Occasionally someone would go back and talk to him for a little while too.
Tigonus, seeing a fellow animal spirit was probably the most willing to hang back and talk to the new one. Even if he didnt look that much like a wolf.
"How are you doing back here?" Tigonus said. The terrain was rough and hard to navigate as it was.
"I manage..." Blood Wolffe replied, "So whats your story?"
"Me? Im not from around here, thats for sure." He said with a smile.
"From another world. Had to leave home and this was such a nice place before everything happened, that I couldnt leave it. I decided this is my home, this is where my family is and now that I am strong enough I will protect it. I wont let what happened to my last home happen to this one." Tigonus said with a quiet, yet fierce determination.
Tigonus looked out over the vast desert spitting its green gases occassionally. A little more than the last time he looked.
I just want a safe home.
He thought as he fought away a tear.
It had been a long time since any of them had been home and they all thought of it at some point. Lord Raymond had been away from his family for the longest. Since he had been banished from England by his own family he hadnt seen them. He still loved them and wondered where they were now. Hopefully they were alive.
----
Helsinger and Tick-Tok sat in the Captain's ship, which was closing in on their last known location.
Tick-Tok would be a great weapon against them. Helsinger had personally made sure that he would be recognizable yet horrific. He told the scientists to make him look like a monster. The metal parts, punching gruesomely into his flesh and scarred his body. The only thing that remained relatively untouched was his face, it had thick scars on it from the insertion of the jadenium plating. The flesh around the metal parts and plating had swollen, making it look like the metal was constantly pushing in. He had several tubes that went into his throat to maximize his oxygen intake, making his breathing sound labored and wet.
Tick-Tok stared out the window the whole time. It peaked Helsinger's curiousity.
"What are you thinking about Tick-Tok?"
He continued to stare out the window as he answered with an almost gargling voice, "Council... Family... Are you... faithful?" He droned.
He had not been the same since The Center had personally talked to him. It made even Helsinger shudder to think of what he had done to him.
"Yes I am Tick-Tok. Dont question me again. We are almost there." He said, extending his tiny spikes from his fist, a new toy from R&D.
----
"Only about another six miles." Captain Neem said.
He had flown up to get a bird's eye view, and could see where the wasteland ended and the wilderness began. They would be able to skirt around most of that though, fortunately.
Captain Neem flew down to once again join the rest of the group.
"How are they doing Steele?"
"They are uncomfortable. The tension between you and Blood Wolffe is not good for the team. You two have some issues you need to work out."
Lord Raymond chimed in, "She is correct. For the safety of the group you must resolve your issues. Even if you have to admit you are wrong, whether it is true or not."
Captain Neem looked at the ground. He was genuinely angry at them for bringing it up, but they had a point.
"Was I wrong to do what I did?" Captain Neem asked.
"Yes, but we understand why you did it. He was wrong, but we understand why he did it. Which is what you have to do for each other and the team." Lord Raymond said.
Captain Neem put it off as long as he could, and would never consider what they suggested if he didnt need to but it had to be done. They couldnt run away from each other forever so he slowed his pace to let the rest of the group pass him by.
"That reminds me." Steele said. "Michael, come here." She called.
Michael trotted up to her and walked by her side.
He looks so much like David.
She thought.
"Yes mom?"
"I am not really comfortable with you being around Blood Wolffe. Why do you do it anyways?"
"I heard he could see what kind of person you are. I just wanted to know if I was a good person."
Helen was troubled by her son's inner demons. The fact that he was keeping them to himself made her worry. It was unhealthy.
"I can tell you that you are a good person Michael. Whatever happened in the past is in the past. If you live there you will never be stronger than who you were." She said.
"Thank you Mom." Michael said as he continued walking on silently.
Captain Neem had slowed and Blood Wolffe and Tigonus were approaching. As he came near Tigonus made an excuse to leave the two alone and quickened his pace.
Blood Wolffe's expression changed from light hearted to more serious as he caught Captain Neem's scent.
Captain Neem started.
"Before you say anything, I am here not to apologize, but to get to where we understand each other. Can we do that?"
"Yes. I am willing." Blood Wolffe said.
Hard part was over. Now for the hardest part.
"When you killed my Uncle, I was angry that you killed my family member, but that wasnt it. It was a large part of it but that wasnt it. He was distant and I knew he wasnt a good person. The worst part was that I had worked with you to be a better person, to fit in more with society as best we can. You found out he was my Uncle and used me to get to him. I put so much faith into you and... it hurt when you did that."
Blood Wolffe looked remorseful for what he did for the first time. He didnt want to hurt him. That wasnt something a pack member did to another. But there was still what Neem did to him.
"I... understand why you did it." Blood Wolffe said, "You know what he did to me though.... Still." Blood Wolffe surrendered his words.
"When you put me in the arena, in the cage, I think you did it because it was the closest thing to being back in that facility as you could get me. Or was it so you could forget about me?"
Pangs of guilt ran through Captain Neem now. He didnt know how rough it was going to be for him.
"It made it easier to... not think about you. I didnt think it was going to be as bad as it was. I get why you feel the way you do. I am sorry about your eyes."
There was a long awkward silence between them. But no apologies.
"Okay, so a truce?" Captain Neem asked.
"Yes."
"Shake my hand then, partner." Captain Neem said awkwardly holding out his hand.
Blood Wolffe started to reach for his hand but suddenly froze. Captain Neem looked down at the stopped hand then to Blood Wolffe's face to see he was growling and facing the sky. He turned around and saw that Tigonus was bristled up and looking up in the same direction. They could sense the quick approach of something not friendly.
Captain Neem alerted everyone and they got into tactical positions, ready for whatever was coming.
The noise was quiet at first, getting progressively louder until it was obvious what it was. As the Hover Jet decloaked and landed they could here Steele Magnolia chamber a round. The ramp from the bottom of the ship lowered slowly with a smiling Captain Helsinger standing on it. When it stopped he spoke.
"Greetings Ring of Resistence. It looks like you have one new member and are short one old."
Steele Magnolia squeezed the trigger, but not before Lord Raymond put his behind the trigger, so it couldnt be depressed all the way to fire yet. They had to do this in an organized effort. Personal vendettas divided them.
Helsinger looked directly at her and Michael, "Hello you two." He smiled, "Everyone, meet the new, and improved Tick-Tok."
From the back of the ramp the could here metal clank against metal slowly coming towards them, revealing a mutilated young man with robotic arms and legs covered in sharp edges with metal plates over various other parts of him, the flesh swollen and scarred around the green metal Helen had developed so long ago.
"Larry?" Lord Raymond said with shock on his face.
Tick-Tok answered by slowly scanning the group, motors whirring as he did and the slow, gargling, labored breath that came from the rebreather tubes protruding from his neck.
"Destroy them Tick-Tok."
With labor he gurgled out "Yessss.... Massster."
The scene with Helsinger and Larry makes me shudder.
Wolffe's and Neem's resolution was very poignant, and Helen's words to Michael were very true, insightful, and something she's struggled with as well in the Whitmoore. How do you do that?!?! I spend paragraphs trying to get there and you wrap it up in one sentence. (Can I steal that quote?)
Together we entered a city of strangers, we made it a city of friends, and we leave it a City of Heroes. - Sweet_Sarah
BOYCOTT NCSoft (on Facebook)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517513781597443/
Governments have fallen to the power of social media. Gaming companies can too.
Can you steal that quote? Of course! I would consider it a great compliment. Besides, Steele said it.
Finally getting back on the horse well enough to start following this thread again
Not wanting to sound like a really great big nag, but what happened to poor Joe?
TechDefender Rad/Ele Defender
D'20 Gladiator DM/SR Scrapper
Cyclonite Cat Fire/Fire Blaster
[url="http://www.dutchfurs.com/~taross/w/screenshots/Ferretgal/Ferretgal.jpg"]Ferretgal Claw/Inv Scrapper[/url](Virtue)
@Cyclonite Cat
(Names changed at GM 'request')
Ahh more of the good stuff.
As always waiting for more. ;-)
You are a phenomenal writer and can always depict a scene beautifully with appropriate use of dialogue or summary as the mood and situation demands. Thats something I always have a hard time with.
Keep it up.
Really good Blood Wolffe, no negative posts yet. Just dont get bigheaded or anything. That would suck.
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Really good Blood Wolffe, no negative posts yet. Just dont get bigheaded or anything. That would suck.
[/ QUOTE ]
I guess I will cancel the statue request. Just got some rendering toys for my comp, maybe I will be able to do something with that... who knows.
just read all of it (took a few days with my schedule)
WOW
this is an excellent read, a powerful story, and compelling to the community connected to it. I dread trying to read the entirety of whittmore to understand some of the subtleties, but I actually enjoy not knowing how the characters are originally portrayed. Your writing knows no boundary, and the skill of penmanship (that still apply?) is masterwork. you have a new follower, Blood_Wolffe. You have truly impressed me with this.
Summer Heat
Amazing as usual. If you write them we will come.
((Thanks SuperDragon! Well, I figured with a cliff hanger like the last chapter I better get on the next one quick. I like this one.))
XVIII. The Last Gift
The heroes stood in a defensive formation. No one was sure of what to do. Larry was with Helsinger, he looked over them with no emotion or recognition, just a blank stare like looking into the eyes of a dead body. The few who knew Larry longest were reminded of when he was much younger, when the clockwork had taken him. Larry did not deserve this.
Tick-Tok moved towards them and Lord Raymond stepped in front to get his attention. Tick-Tok's pace and walk were different. Where he used to have a more leisurely, almost care-free stride was replaced with a vicious looking, yet autonomous pace.
"Larry, its me, Lord Raymond. You remember me. You remember us, we are your friends."
Tick-Tok stopped and stared at Lord Raymond, then raised his hand and sent a powerful electrical charge that knocked Lord Raymond to his back and caused him to convulse violently. Etherburn and Rose Cross quickly washed him with a comforting wave of energy.
Helsinger laughed as everyone looked in shock.
"Larry is gone forever. He is ours now. He is mine." Helsinger said as several small spikes protruded out of his fists.
They were green. Jadenium spikes, and thin enough to break off in someone if enough force was applied. Another hideous design of Helsinger's
Steele Magnolia fired several rounds into Helsinger's chest as Techsupport's hand connected to him by a thick arc of electricity. The loud boom was followed by Helsinge standing there shaking, unable to move. Blood Wolffe leapt behind Helsinger and bit into the cheek under his eye. His jaw stopped going in suddenly with a loud clank. Blood Wolffe then peeled off the fleshy material revealing the Jadenium robot underneath. For the first time Helen saw that Helsinger was made of her metal and her mind started racing.
He is a walking toxic weapon to the Invulnerable class heroes! Michael!
As Blood Wolffe spit out the flesh Helsinger knocked him several feet away and turned back to Helen, "I cant thank you enough Doctor Markov. I have become more powerful than I have ever been because of you."
Tick-Tok and Helsinger advanced forward.
Lord Raymond faced Tick-Tok along with Tigonus, Michael, Acier, Xyfen, Tabby Cat, and Etherburn. The rest went after Helsinger.
Pandora and Techsupport used their radioactive powers to slow down Helsinger, but it seemed like it had no effect at all. Captain Neem and Blood Wolffe blasted him with energy, knocking more flesh off or burning it, but the metal underneath barely dented. Helsinger charged forward and pushed Captain Neem hard enough to send him into a group of other heroes.
"How do you beat this Steele!?" He said wincing as he got up.
She hesitated for a moment, "Just give it everything you got!" Her voice was tinged with desperation.
In all reality they could beat on him all day and not do anything. Captain Neem picked up on the way she spoke. He started looking for escape routes, but there were none.
A few feet away, Tick-Tok sent every hero that confronted him flying back to land painfully on the ground.
"Come Larry, fight me." Lord Raymond said.
They charged each other until the last second. The earth beneath them rumbled and a crack formed in the ground between them, spitting up the toxic steam. They both reeled back, inches away from falling into black nothingness. Tick-Tok jumped through the steam high in the air as a giant piece of earth fell into a black pit from Tick-Tok's side. Lord Raymond took the opportunity to swing his heavy axe at Tick-Tok's chest. It sunk in slightly until a green spark spit out.
"Im sorry Larry."
Tick-Tok didnt answer, but responded by striking his palm against Lord Raymond's chest. Tabby Cat unleashed a furious blur of clawed swipes against Tick-Tok's chest. A shower of green sparks was interrupted as Tick-Tok grabbed her, lifted her up and slammed her to the ground with earth shattering force.
"Are you beginning to see the power of the Council?" Helsinger yelled over the newly forming steam vents, "Are you beginning to see mine!?"
Punching into the ground with both fists, Helsinger pulled a chunk out of the ground.
Blood Wolffe pointed his arm at him. It was shaking with energy now. Just before he released it the earth collapsed beneath him, causing him to miss.
Captain Neem saw him dissappear as steam shot up and more earth dissappeared into the depths below. He raced over to where he was to find Blood Wolffe hanging onto a shaky ledge.
"Grab my hand!" He yelled.
Blood Wolffe did, but suddenly yanked on Neem's arm to pull him over the edge. Neem looked up in surprise as the boulder Helsinger was holding bounced off the edge and tumbled into the darkness. Exactly where he was just a moment ago.
"I thought you..."
Blood Wolffe sneered, "If I was trying to do that I wouldnt throw you off a cliff. Now fly us out of here."
All around them the earth was crumbling away, giant vents of steam shot violently into the sky, and Helsinger along with Tick-Tok were overwhelming in strength.
Tigonus attacked Tick-Tok with a furious roar, his powerful energy strikes knocking his head side to side with each blow. When he paused for a moment Tick-Tok realigned his head then blasted Tigonus with a powerful burst of energy, hitting him with enough force to fling him to the ground. Xyfen took the opportunity to run up to him with electrically charged fists and slam him with his fist. Electricity arced in all directions but Tick-Tok just knocked him away with a sweeping motion with the back of his forearm.
"This is impossible!" Mister H said after his sword merely bounced off of Tick-Tok.
Steele Magnolia looked around. Her metal was going to be the death of everyone here. More importantly their mission would fail, and what then? Thoughts of The Center ruling the world with an iron fist creeped into her mind.
"Focus your attacks! Dont charge them by yourself!" She yelled as she pelted Helsinger with a hail of bullets.
"You are mine!" Helsinger said through his teeth to Steele.
"No. You are mine." 2020 Vision said.
"Very well." Helsinger replied smiling and extending his small fist spikes a little further. They looked like hundreds of needles.
"No Michael do-" Steele was interrupted by Tick-Tok who punched her in the stomach. If it werent for her Jadenium armor he would have punched right through her. Eternal Twilight ran up and gave a leaping kick to Tick-Tok's head. It had little effect and Tick-Tok struck him back, sending him flying into a large rock. Hippie Mage immediately ran up to him.
"You okay man?"
"Im okay, thanks bud."
"I have waited years to kill you Helsinger." Michael said, steam shooting up behind him.
"I will enjoy this." Helsinger growled.
Steele Magnolia yelled, "Run Michael!"
She was on her back and Tick-Tok stood over her now. He reached down and grabbed her by her sides and started squeezing like a hydraulic press. She screamed as her armor slowly started to push in on her.
As Tick-Tok pressed in on her, Helsinger had Michael on his back and was slowly pushing his fists toward Michaels chest. Holding him back by the wrists Michael struggled to keep him back but was losing the battle. The burnt, mangled flesh hanging off of Helsinger made him look like a monster. Michael looked at his arms to see tracks of light green spider-web down his arms. He started feeling weaker.
Acier leapt on Tick-Tok and was trying to pry him away but could do nothing.
"Larry. Its me, Helen! I know somewhere, you are in there. Remember Larry. You are a son to me."
Tick-Tok stopped suddenly. Out of the pack on her back, he saw the corner of a flag sticking out. He let go of Helen and reached for the flag. He held it in his hands. The only sound he made was the heavy breathing from his respirators.
He gently handed her back the flag.
"...I... Remember." Larry said.
"Now you die!" Helsinger said as he pushed one fist into Michael's chest. He twisted it, breaking off hundreds of tiny needles into his flesh. Michael howled in pain and couldnt hold Helsinger's other hand anymore. Just as Helsinger was about to stab him again Michael felt a sudden relief. He looked up to see Larry dragging Helsinger.
"What are you doing!? Let me go!" Helsinger yelled.
Larry kept dragging him back, closer to a slowly collapsing piece of earth. Helsinger threw his fists back into Larry's face, mishaping the metal parts with his force, but Larry would not stop for anything. When Larry was on the trembling earth he stopped, and even though he only whispered it, even though the steam roared all around them, Helen heard it.
"I love you mom. You were all always family."
Then the land collapsed, and the earth below them, Larry, and Helsinger dissappeared into the black abyss below.
Helen sat frozen, watching the empty space where Larry had just been. As the earth rumbled and began to collapse around her Captain Neem picked her up and carried her to safety.
Blood Wolffe and Lord Raymond grabbed Michael, "We have to go! NOW RUN!" They yelled as the last of the earth began to fall away. They ran, jumped, teleported, and flew to safety just as the last of their path fell away into nothing.
They had crossed the wasteland.
Wow!
Gave me a little shiver there, well done.
"Shut up Mr. Burton, you are not brought upon this world to get it!" - Lo Pan
@MadGremlin
Wow. Great story thru and thru! Keep it up!