I finally am getting around to posting the second Khaliana story.
[ QUOTE ]
This wont happen again! If that one spell had worked the way it should have, fumed the evil Mistress, she would have been mine! I will not rest until I have found
Khaliana!
It had been three years since Aeraneia had seen her sister Khaliana. Those years had been hard for Aeraneia and her mother Aiera. Because of Khalianas disappearance, Aeraneia and Aiera had to do Khalianas work in addition to their own. The two women were doing work meant for three, yet were barely getting enough food to feed the two of them. However, they did not complain. They knew that the price of that would be a slow, painful death for the two slaves.
One day, the Mistress again came to the familys quarters. The last time she had done that was the day Khaliana was taken to a secret room the day that Khaliana had disappeared. This time she wanted Aeraneia. The Mistress took Aeraneia to the same room that Khaliana had last been seen in, and started the same casting that had last been performed on Khaliana. Aeraneia knew this not by sight, as the room was in complete darkness and she was without a source of light, but by hearing the first few words. After that, all her senses were overwhelmed by pain. Aeraneia was still conscious, but all she could feel was pain. Then, suddenly, it was gone. Just as Khalianas had been, Aeraneias torso and arms were bound with chains. She could still move her arms normally, but she did not at the time. The next chains to go on went around Aeraneias waist and held the magical lock that gave her a source of light.
Finally, the Mistress spoke. Aeraneia, you are the second person who has received the powers of the void. The first was your sister Khaliana. The magical chains that were to bind her to my will were faulty, and she escaped through this portal, the Mistress said as she pointed to a swirling vortex near the wall. You will not fail me. You will go through the portal, find your sister, and bring her back here.
Meanwhile, in Paragon City, Khaliana was patrolling the northwestern section of the Hollows with her partner Simon. Though most of what used to be known as Eastgate was rubble, the area that the two were patrolling was still standing. Khaliana and Simon had been tasked by Lieutenant David Wincott of the Paragon Police Department to keep organized crime down, specifically by taking down members of the gang known as the Outcasts. Suddenly, the two heard a voice on the police radio.
There is a portal opening in Atlas Plaza! We need every hero in Atlas Park at the Plaza at once! If any Rikti come out, contain them!
Rikti? In Atlas Plaza? The aliens wouldnt dare attack a target where there are so many heroes! Simon exclaimed.
No, I dont think its a Rikti invasion. Atlas Plaza is the endpoint of the portal that I entered this world from! answered Khaliana.
But youre a heroine! Certainly someone coming through there would be-
-after me! Khaliana cut her partner off. She knew that it would be more likely than not that the Mistress was sending someone after her. Khaliana then spoke into the transmitter unit of the police radio. This is the Dark Heroine, responding to the portal incident. Whats the status?
Aeraneia landed in the Plaza. She saw a large group of costumed heroes under the giant statue of Atlas. Showing a picture of Khaliana, she asked one of them where she could find her sister.
Oh, the Dark Heroine? Shes on patrol in the Hollows. I would stay away from that place if I were you. I know how you feel about losing your sister and all, but the crooks there are bad news! If you insist on going there, though, just take the gate in the east wall.
Aeraneia thanked the hero, and walked towards the wall dividing Atlas Park and the Hollows. Finding the gate, Aeraneia showed the police guarding the gate Khalianas picture, explaining that she was looking for a long-lost sister. The police assumed that she had lost her family either in the war or during the Hollowing, where several bombs had turned Eastgate into the Hollows, and let her through the gate.
Khaliana and Simon had just finished their patrol and were starting to head back to the relative safety of Atlas park when they heard footsteps. Khaliana spun around to find her sister looking her in the face.
Aeraneia! You escaped too? asked Khaliana.
You know her? inquired Simon.
Yes, Khaliana and I are sisters. But that doesnt matter now. All that matters is that Khali here is needed back at home, said Aeraneia.
Home? asked Khaliana, stunned. You dont mean
Yes. That one word coming out of Aeraneias mouth confirmed Khalianas worst fears. Aeraneia had been sent to bring her back to the Mistress and slavery.
I will not go back! NEVER!!! exclaimed Khaliana, upon which Aeraneia punched her sister in the chest. The unmistakable energy of the void assaulted Khalianas senses as she doubled over in pain. Meanwhile, Simon tried to mentally stun Aeraneia, but his powers were not working on her.
This is Siimon! My patrol is under attack by a super-powered villain! Request backup! he shouted into his radio. Aeraneia turned on him then, attacking him with the same ferocity that she had punched her sister. Khaliana, however, had recovered from the punch and had her own radio in her hand.
This is the Dark Heroine. Siimon is down! Request the use of Police Drones! Police Drones were some of the PPDs best tools. These drones were able to teleport a villain directly to a maximum-security prison cell. After a short hesitation, she added, The villain has the exact same powers I do. Fight her like you would fight me if I went bad!
Khaliana and Aeraneia traded punches. Blow for blow, each was able to match the other. Neither sister seemed to be tiring, nor was either backing down. Simon was still out cold on the floor when the two heard the sound of police sirens. Aeraneia didnt know what the sirens meant and kept on fighting, while Khaliana tried to hold off her sister until backup could arrive.
Finally, a police car drove through the gate, and a policeman got out and opened the trunk. Out flew a shiny new Police Drone. Lieutenant Wincott yelled to Khaliana, Keep the villain busy while the Drone does its work!
The two sisters fought on. Aeraneia was so focused on Khaliana that she did not notice the Police Drone in back of her. Khaliana saw the Drone, but kept on fighting as if she hadnt seen it. Then, suddenly, Aeraneia disappeared.
Lieutenant Wincott asked, Dark Heroine, are you all right? She had been totally wrapped up in the fight, and hadnt noticed until now that Simon was missing. Dont worry. Siimon is at the hospital. He will be fine. As for your sister, she is in the Zig. Ziggursky Penitentiary was where villains went when they got caught.
In her prison cell, Aeraneia could not do much. But she knew that when she got out, she would find her sister and take her back to the Mistress. One day she would find
Khaliana.
[/ QUOTE ]
I originally wrote this fan fiction story for the Fanzine. However, it did not get published, so I'm posting it here. The story is about the origin of my Scrapper hero, the Dark Heroine.
Anyway, here it is.
[ QUOTE ]
In one of the deeper caves in a dimension of caverns, a baby girl was born. The only light in the cave was the magical light source around the mothers waist. This girl, born in the dark of the cave, was named
Khaliana.
Khalianas mother, Aiera, worked all day and most of the night, every day. Aieras mother had done the same up until the moment she died, as had her mother in turn. However, the family had no money. Aiera could put food on the table the Mistresss table. Aiera did not have a table of her own, nor did she have anything else. For Aiera had been born a slave, forced to work for her Mistress from the day she could walk until the day would come that Aiera would die. Khaliana, too, was a slave, and she, too, would work for the Mistress for most of her life.
Aiera could not see in the darkness of her cavern home. Such was the reason that there was a magical lock chained around her waist. As long as Aiera was pleasing the Mistress, the lock would shine just enough light for Aiera to see. Were she to displease the Mistress, the light would go off, and Aiera would be left in darkness. Khaliana, too, would one day wear a lock around her waist, controlling her vision at the whim of the Mistress. The Mistress did not wear a light source; she did not need one, as her eyes could see heat patterns as well as light. But for Aiera and baby Khaliana, darkness was a fact of life.
When Khaliana was one year old, Aiera had another child. This baby, also a girl, was named Aeraneia. Khaliana and Aeraneia could not grow up together, for as soon as Khaliana could walk, one of the magical locks was chained around her waist, and her work in service to the Mistress began. Aeraneia was also fitted with one as soon as she could walk, but the two sisters were together only infrequently, as their tasks often sent them to opposite ends of the cavern home of the Mistress.
While Aiera, Khaliana, and Aeraneia worked, the Mistress plotted. Her greatest desire was to conquer not only her own dimension, but others as well. However, to do that, she would need an army of powerful fighters loyal only to her. The Mistress could not hire mercenaries, for in her mind, they would double-cross her. No, she would need to create her own army. As the Mistress plotted, she researched into the powers of the void, and realized what she would have to do to conquer other worlds.
By the time Khaliana reached age twelve, the Mistress had decided what to do. She personally went to the room where Khaliana was meticulously polishing the stone floor. Ordering Khaliana to follow her, the Mistress swept out of the room.
The Mistress led Khaliana deeper than the frightened girl had ever gone. Finally they reached a room that, by all appearances, had never been used. The only things in the room were a small stone step on the floor, and a strange hoop near the far wall. Following the Mistresss orders, Khaliana stood on the step.
Suddenly, the light from Khalianas lock went out. She stood, unable to see, on the step, as the chains holding the lock on were removed. Khaliana heard the Mistress talking to a man that she had never heard before, as her chains dropped to the floor. Finally, there was light in the room. Coming through the door were none other than Aiera and Aeraneia. Aiera was holding a load of heavy chains, and Aeraneia was carrying a book and a drawstring bag. The Mistress took the items, and Aiera and Aeraneia left. Once again the room was completely dark.
The Mistress started to chant. Khaliana knew that that meant a spell was being cast. However, she did not know who the spell was aimed at. The Mistress treated men of her own race almost as badly as she treated humans like Khaliana. The girl was terrified, but she stayed put. The Mistress had told her to stay on the step, and Khaliana knew the price of disobeying.
Suddenly, Khaliana felt something. It was not the cold of the stone beneath her feet. It was pain. All she felt was pain and it kept getting stronger! Minutes later, the pain stopped as suddenly as it had started. At the same time, the Mistress stopped chanting. Khaliana felt chains being applied to her, and she hoped that the lock that enabled her to see would be reattached. However, the chains were over her neck, arms, and chest, not around her waist. Finally the familiar waist chain was reapplied, and the lock put back on.
The lock started giving its light again, and Khaliana saw what had happened. Under the chains and the lock, which were red instead of the usual silver, she saw that parts of her young body had been covered, but with what, she did not know. The strange hoop was now a portal. The Mistress told Khaliana to return to her quarters. However, from overhearing the Mistresss earlier conversation with the man, she knew that the Mistress had imbued her with the power of the void, and intended to use her as a weapon. She got off the step and started to run not towards the door, but towards the portal. To Khaliana, the chances for her in an unknown world were better than her fate as a slave-soldier. Khaliana jumped headfirst through the portal, hoping that the inhabitants of the other side would not treat her as a slave. It was a slim hope, as all the humans Khaliana had ever seen were slaves, but it was hope. Hope sustained the young woman as she tumbled through dimensional interspace.
Finally, she reached the other side. Khaliana saw a sight she had never seen. She saw humans going about their business like free people, not slaves. And the sky bathed the area in light! In front of her was a statue of a human holding up a large round ball. A woman walked out of a building, and Khaliana immediately asked where she was. The woman introduced herself as Azuria, and told Khaliana that she was in Atlas Park, in Paragon City. Azuria had sensed dimensional activity in the Atlas Plaza, and, going to investigate, she saw a young woman who she knew was the dimensional traveler. This young woman, according to her divinations, would grow up to be a legendary heroine, but only with training.
Azuria taught Khaliana many things in the next three years. Khaliana became a strong woman, able to do great damage with her void-powered punches, and also very wise, knowing that she should use the void for good, not evil. Yet she retained her height from the day of the spell. She became known as the Dark Heroine, but the people who knew her best called her by her given name
Khaliana.
[/ QUOTE ]
I wrote a sequel to this fanfic, but that will be another post for another time.