Action, Adventure, Excitement, Part 4 Chapter 66 Date: Thu, 17 Sep 1998 20:37:54 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 20:14:21 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005890 >On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 08:00:42 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005880 > >>On Wed, 16 Sep 1998 22:32:24 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005876 >> Z'On'Dar ponders this as the Final Battle (tm) begins. "As others >>have pointed out, there will be struggle. There simply will not be >>the extended difficulties involved in death or crippling injury. >>Nevertheless, your point has some merit. How odd. Perhaps the >>enchantments are still having some small effect on me." > >Legion speaks gently, having been careful to keep out of the >fighting. "You act as though physical injury is the greater evil... >Mental anguish can surely be far worse. I am sure you yourself have >suffered in the past." Z'On'Dar shrugs mentally (the physical reaction equating it is undetectable to most of the combatants) as it reaches its control panel. "But such things can be overcome." >Legion watches the shadow carefully as she continue, "You will create >even more extended injuries... injuries of the soul that may last >forever. You say you will evolve everyone to their maximum physical >potential... but not everyone has the same potential. More tellingly, >not everyone will have the same amount of control over their new >abilities." Z'On'Dar ponders this at it begins the warm-up sequence for the 'control' universe. "Hm." It places the full activation countdown on hold as it extends its simulations to include the new parameters Legion has brought up. "Though the physical 'potential' will become irrelevant, your point on control is well-made. I must clearly model the situation further..." >Legion gestures at Z'On'Dar's allies. "Look at them. Ponder their >natures. Would most of them do this, if not for the chance to gain at >the cost of others? Why are they so eager to keep us from talking?" The Crawler decides that the above is a good idea, and targets Legion. (OOC: Presumably, someone stops it from unweaving Legion's existence.) > >> Z'On'Dar continues walking forward, but most of the CAoL senses >>several of his thought-tracks stop cold. *Hmm. A VERY valid point. I >>will have to run several simulations while the control universe is >>'targeted.' Some sort of explanation, at least, will have to be >>coded into the effect. But to do this to some and not others would >>be worse than pointless.* >> Z'On'Dar seems to have been genuinely 'shaken' by having this >>pointed out to him; his previously iron resolve to continue at all >>costs has weakened. > >Legion says softly, "There will be two new classes of entities... >those who can control their powers, and those who cannot. Those who >cannot will become the playthings of those who can. A possible >eternal damnation if methods can be found to keep them from gaining >that knowledge and control. Look at those around you. What category >do you think they plan on being in? And what do you think they plan >on doing to those in the second?" > >Legion's voice and actions towards the shadow are reasoned, calm... >even compassionate. She waits for the mental comments from the rest >of the CAoL. (OOC: "KA-ching!" -Dennis Miller) Z'On'Dar stops, both physically and mentally, as the ramifications of what Legion has said. Every one of its thought tracks grinds to a halt. "Great Maker." It begins adding simulation models at a vast rate of speed, its talons becoming a shadowy blur on the control screen. "Z'On'Dar?" Morden asks evenly. "The test must be carried out-the target universe is mentally ready for Ascension, blocked only by an avatar of the so-called 'Adversary.' But unless I can devise a way to counter the difficulty that 'Legion' has mentioned, the reconfiguration cannot take place." *UNACCEPTABLE,* The Crawler intones, and the local multiverse shakes in its wrath. "Agreed," Mournblade adds, Lara just evading his grasp. "Oh, calm _down,_ you two," Takhisis adds with a chuckle. "We're still coming out of this ahead. Keep a lid on the would-be heroes." She looks up and smiles a satisfied smile. *Oh, Dhyrclhanc...* =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 04:06:24 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Rev. part II: As Battle Begins On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 23:41:12 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005891 > On Wed, 16 Sep 1998 22:32:24 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005876 > >>On Wed, 16 Sep 1998 21:15:48 EDT >>Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005875 >> >> "While I applaud your motives, I must tell you your methods are >> foolish, and are doomed to failure," Aurora answers. "The Starspawn >> have had the knowledge to be able to do what you are trying for >> much of our history, but we have not done it yet. Why you ask? >> Cerberus has not done it because he wishes to rule the Macro Cosmic >> All, and this action would create too many rivals. Hydra has not >> done it because he has seen the effects gaining that much power can >> have on a spirit not yet ready for it. I have not done it for the >> same reason, but also because I know that death is not closure. >> Rather it is a door opening for the spirit to enter another room, >> to become stronger and learn more, to gain in spirit, what you >> would give their bodies. > > "But much is lost in the spirit's travel, not to mention that > such migration is hardly universal," Z'On'Dar replies. NEMO sends: *One of the reasons advanced races/being explore the past and the multiverse is to enable them to 'record' beings _before_ they are lost so that they can be merged into the 'whole' later.* >> A spirit that is not ready to gain that much physical power will, >> within a few million years, seek ways to end its own existence. I >> have seen this happen to countless beings transformed, with their >> permission, into Starspawn. But you will have taken that door away >> from them. To do this without even asking the ones you would >> affect, is evil. To ask without explaining the consequences would >> be negligent. To do it against the victims will would be an >> atrocity of the highest order. You would condemn the Macro Cosmic >> All to a living hell if you do this." > > Z'On'Dar continues walking forward, but most of the CAoL senses > several of his thought-tracks stop cold. *Hmm. A VERY valid point. I > will have to run several simulations while the control universe is > 'targeted.' Some sort of explanation, at least, will have to be > coded into the effect. But to do this to some and not others would > be worse than pointless.* > Z'On'Dar seems to have been genuinely 'shaken' by having this > pointed out to him; his previously iron resolve to continue at all > costs has weakened. NEMO sends: *And since in the fullness of time _any_ species can become advanced, and species not yet existing can arise and then evolve to the ultimate, how are you selecting species. How are you going to exaplain to a virus that in several billion years it's descendants will have formed a gestalt mind using other creatures as hosts? How will you deal with the life forms that will arise from inanimate matter on planets not yet formed? How can you inform such of _anything_?* *And until you've 'evolved' species, they aren't _capable_ of _truly_ understanding what you wish to do to them. How do you explain sight to a species without eyes?* =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 04:06:31 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 23:55:43 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005892 > On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 00:25:53 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005877 > >>On Wed, 16 Sep 1998 00:03:37 PST >>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005867 >> >>Nemo will deflect attempts to "gang up" on CAoL members and anyone >>else on "our side". Ge'll use the minimum force required, but in >>cases where there are many attacks, that could require enough force >>to "severely inconvenience" the baddies. (Can you say "sideswiped by >>a planet"? :-) > > A black dragon flies forward-and stops as it runs smack into (I > presume) a forcefield. (Acid doesn't work too well on energy. Grin.) > Darkseid looks at this calmly. "Desaad." > An emaciated-looking man in brown robes looks up from the > machines that Driss' bombs _didn't_ affect. "Yes, great Darkseid?" > "Inconvenience them," Darkseid intones. > Desaad cackles, and small drones begin to hunt down CAoL members. > And stop suddenly. (Why is up to Nemo. ) Nemo smiles sadly as the drones suddenly disappear and reapper "surrounding" him. He shakes his head. "Desaad. You feed off the pain of others. Very well. Here, you may feed off *my* pain." Desaad is suddenly "linked" to all the pain and sorrow of untold Nemos. The physical pain of injuries unimaginable, felt even as it heals instanly, or heals more slowly, if it is important to the mission to appear to be human for the nonce. The emotional pain of watching the same mistakes made endlessly across the universes, and the pain of having to destroy some so that more will be saved. All this and more pours into Desaad until even *he* pleads for it to end. And it ends in that instant. But Desaad is going to be useless for a *long* time. Nemo gazes in pity upon Desaad's prone form. An especially slow learner among the immortals decides to try his sword against the "distracted" Nemo. Without turning his head, Nemo's arm flashes out and the immortal stares at his sword blade which is trapped between the first two fingers on Nemo's hand. Nemo turns to face him and wags the first finger of his other hand at the immortal (a sort of tsk, tsk motion). Then his hand flashes forward and his finger tip "taps" the immortal's head just hard enough to render him unconcious. Nemo flattens the blade between his hans and quickly *folkds* the resulting metal sheet into a origami lotus blossom, which he place upon the unconcious immortal. >>If Darkseid starts throwing around the Omega Effect again, Nemo will >>take him on. > > Well, Darkseid gets distracted quickly (why I'll explain later) > but the Crawler (I'm NOT going to make people keep using that > godawful name) is about to do something exponentially worse...an > anti-reality effect meant to 'unweave' CAoLers on the surface. Nemo will distract him by "removing" his ride. A beam of uttermost *black* flows from Nemo to impact the Neutron star. Which vanishes on contact (negative energy vs positive matter = *nothing*). > Shard shrugs. "Oh, come _on._ You don't think I would've done > anything _permanent_ to him? Even if I'd nailed him a little too > hard-and Harmon's always been good at staying in one piece-he'd've > come back after Z'On'Dar does the Cosmic Reboot." > > "'After'?" Morgan blurts incredulously. "In the middle o' somethin' > like this," she nods her head to encompass the Tower and all the > battles and parleys going on around it, "Even something 'temporary' > could make all the difference." It's hard to tell whether she wants > to laugh at the ridiculousness of Shard's comment, or lay into him > again in fury. > > Shard motions to the developing battle with his short blade. "You > notice how we're being left alone? Same thing would've happened with > the boy scout 'n me. The boss is going to make things _better,_ > Soli-Morgan! Monsters like my 'father' won't be able to do any more > harm. How does that make _me_ the bad guy?" Nemo interrupts this tete-a-tete, "Your pardon, Morgan." "Shard, You have something of mine, and I need it back." And Nemo is suddenly standing next to Shard his hand upon Shard's shoulder. And he draws back all the power Shard got from him. He won't knock out Shard, though he isn't averse to letting Shard feel a little shaky when he's done. And if he "happens" across any leaking thoughts or the like that will tell him more about Shard's link to the Tower, he *will* use the knowledge. He just won't go rummaging for it deliberately. He releases Shard an jumps back out of range, then bows to Shard and Morgan before moving to face the Crawler once more. "Again, my apollogies for the interruption." =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 05:10:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 07:59:41 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005893 >On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 20:14:21 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005890 > >>On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 08:00:42 -0400 >>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005880 >> >>Legion speaks gently, having been careful to keep out of the >>fighting. "You act as though physical injury is the greater evil... >>Mental anguish can surely be far worse. I am sure you yourself have >>suffered in the past." > > Z'On'Dar shrugs mentally (the physical reaction equating it is >undetectable to most of the combatants) as it reaches its control >panel. "But such things can be overcome." Legion says softly, "Can be... but not always are." >>Legion watches the shadow carefully as she continue, "You will >>create even more extended injuries... injuries of the soul that may >>last forever. You say you will evolve everyone to their maximum >>physical potential... but not everyone has the same potential. More >>tellingly, not everyone will have the same amount of control over >>their new abilities." > > Z'On'Dar ponders this at it begins the warm-up sequence for the >'control' universe. "Hm." It places the full activation countdown on >hold as it extends its simulations to include the new parameters >Legion has brought up. "Though the physical 'potential' will become >irrelevant, your point on control is well-made. I must clearly model >the situation further..." Legion steps closer, watching polietely but curiously, seeming unbothered by the proximity to this creature. >>Legion gestures at Z'On'Dar's allies. "Look at them. Ponder their >>natures. Would most of them do this, if not for the chance to gain >>at the cost of others? Why are they so eager to keep us from >>talking?" > > The Crawler decides that the above is a good idea, and targets >Legion. (OOC: Presumably, someone stops it from unweaving Legion's >existence.) Legion frowns as she feels the first tuggings at the reality-strings of her being. She/They grab ahold of the reality-thread of herselves and a small bit of surrounding reality, and firmly tells it to 'stay'. She looks then in the Crawler's direction with a frown. She's not sure what's out there, except its making her ill and tried to do... something to her. She's not sure exactlty what she did, except stop it... Nemo, however, is working on distracting it, and what she's doing here is more important. >>Legion says softly, "There will be two new classes of entities... >>those who can control their powers, and those who cannot. Those who >>cannot will become the playthings of those who can. A possible >>eternal damnation if methods can be found to keep them from gaining >>that knowledge and control. Look at those around you. What category >>do you think they plan on being in? And what do you think they plan >>on doing to those in the second?" >> >>Legion's voice and actions towards the shadow are reasoned, calm... >>even compassionate. She waits for the mental comments from the rest >>of the CAoL. > > (OOC: "KA-ching!" -Dennis Miller) [OOC: Almost forgot. If no one returns her lens to her...] Legion's thoughts do a quick flicker across/sifting through reality... and her lens reappears on her wrist. [OOC: Either way, given or found] Legion's voice(s) echo along the CAoL link, /Greetings all... we're back. Have you been following this?/ > "Z'On'Dar?" Morden asks evenly. > "The test must be carried out-the target universe is mentally >ready for Ascension, blocked only by an avatar of the so-called >'Adversary.' But unless I can devise a way to counter the difficulty >that 'Legion' has mentioned, the reconfiguration cannot take place." > *UNACCEPTABLE,* The Crawler intones, and the local multiverse >shakes in its wrath. > "Agreed," Mournblade adds, Lara just evading his grasp. > "Oh, calm _down,_ you two," Takhisis adds with a chuckle. "We're >still coming out of this ahead. Keep a lid on the would-be heroes." >She looks up and smiles a satisfied smile. *Oh, Dhyrclhanc...* Legion says, "Your... allies don't sound convinced. What you are saying sounds acceptable to me at first glance... Would you mind if I observed further?" ---------------------------------------------------------------------- "I know, I know. It's a Russian thing. When we're about to do something stupid, we like to catalog the full extent of our stupidity for future reference." --Ivanova in Bablyon 5:'A Voice in the Wilderness, Part II', =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 13:38:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE: Rebirth On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 16:06:15 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005894 9809.18 As both Phoenixi (Sil and the shard of the Phoenix Force that was posessing him), and James have reappeared outside of his mind _and_ body , Dhyrclhanc decides that NOW would be a good time to re-enter the fray. *\"I cannot control this Flesh and Blood that is wrapped around my bones. It moves beneath me like a river into the Great Unknown. I stepped onto the moving stairs before I could tie my shoes. Pried a harp from the fingers of a Renagade who Lived and Died the Blues."\* The Dark Lhanc form, which has since remained motionless above the Babylon 5 station is suddenly spiderwebbed with cracks that glow with a golden and green light. *\"And his promise made was never clear. It just carved itself in me. All I saw was frost inside my hand on the night he said to me,"/* The spiderwebbed form begins to shatter and crumble along the cracks, as if it were fine china. The golden and green glow can be seen as coming from inside the body. *\"I have spent too long in the Belly of the Beast and now I shall be Free!"/* The Dark Lhanc form now explodes in a sphere of the same golden green light. *\"Someday, we will live like horses. Free Reign from your old Iron Fences. There's more that one way to regain your senses. Break out of the stalls and we will live like horses!"\* From out of the disentegrating rubble of the amalgam is the quickly expanding and familiar form of Dhyrclhanc the Sentinel-Lensdragon. Do I know how to write entrances? Or what? =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 14:13:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 16:54:12 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005895 As Dhyrclhanc enters the atmosphere of Epsilon 3, he draws Redemption from it's sheath on his back with both of his hands as he unfurls his wings and swoops down towards the surface. The green and golden glows from his First-Ring and Eye of Amagado, respectivly, begin tuning down. "Kai!" Meinwhile, Morgan is watching over the seemingly unconsious form of Shard, who was overwhelmed by Nemo's repossesion of his Quinessence(sp?)/Quickening/Lifeforce. She suddenly hears the high-pitched doppler whine of an object falling from on high. ^/Watch out, 'sis! Incoming!/^ The full weight of Dhyrlhanc's 31 foot long form drives Redemption's length halfway into the ground, _through_ Shard's mercurial body. Like some huge, metalic red, orange and dark yellow scaled falcon, the Lensdragon hops from the hilt of the Rune-nanomagitech blade onto the ground. "There, I pegged him." he winks at the Bene Geserit Druid, as he removes the sword from the psudeo-Carnage's body, leaving a long thin javelin-like rod still pinning the sword-wraith to the ground. "That should keep him from bothering you, for a little while at least, sis." Dhyrclhanc spreads his wings out again and hurls himself into the air towards the Shadow's Tower. > "Oh, calm _down,_ you two," Takhisis adds with a chuckle. "We're > still coming out of this ahead. Keep a lid on the would-be heroes." > She looks up and smiles a satisfied smile. *Oh, Dhyrclhanc...* Landing several yards away from the Tower, several feweryards in front of Takhisis, Dhyrclhanc sheathes his blade and says, "And what are you doing here, Oh Queen of Darkness? Or more importantly, what do you want?" =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 15:28:40 -0700 (PDT) Subject: OOC Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 14:35:53 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005896 >On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 16:54:12 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005895 > >Meinwhile, Morgan is watching over the seemingly unconsious form of >Shard, who was overwhelmed by Nemo's repossesion of his >Quinessence(sp?)/Quickening/Lifeforce. She suddenly hears the >high-pitched doppler whine of an object falling from on high. Um, Martin, Shard _wasn't_ out. Nemo said, >On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 23:55:43 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005892 > >And Nemo is suddenly standing next to Shard his hand upon Shard's >shoulder. And he draws back all the power Shard got from him. He >won't knock out Shard, though he isn't averse to letting Shard feel a ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ >little shaky when he's done. And if he "happens" across any leaking >thoughts or the like that will tell him more about Shard's link to >the Tower, he *will* use the knowledge. He just won't go rummaging >for it deliberately. > fighting, but that not only wouldn't be fair, but Morgan wonder > *never* forgive me> So, how much of that attack do you want to re-write? And you ought to know by now not to get in your sis's way when she's enjoying a duel ;-). Her _last_ really good one ended prematurely when the Stardragon took out that Drow in Dibis. =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 17:06:13 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 18:29:26 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005897 This was not turning out to be Michael Seven's best day for clever thinking. /Oh sh-/ was his last thought before his mind left the Lens Link. As the grey material continued to spread across his body, Mike started feeling less and less of his body. The energy field generated by the grey biological agent Jha'Dur hit him with was doing it's job rapidly and well. Too well. Apparently, his new heritage was going to conflict with his old one. As a being composed of a sort of mental energy, there was a LOT of Mike that was under voluntary control. And while he didn't have to have the flesh that Jha'Dur's virus attacked with its bioenergy, it still managed to interfere with -his- bioenergy. As he became completely covered with the grey substance, it began to harden. Soon, even if he was able to move, he couldn't, as the charcoal material crystallized, encasing him in a diamond-like substance. He realised he couldn't breathe, normally not a problem, but he couldn't control his respiratory bypass, nor do the stunts he did in space. ['So this is it,' said Arthur Dent, 'I'm going to die.' Ah well, it's been a good life. At least I am not sharing this telepathicly with anyone, I don't want that. I'm sorry, FlaUUUUUUUUUURGHHHHHHHH!?!?!] Mike felt like he was on fire, burning from the inside out. He had no idea what was happening, it felt familiar, like when he shapeshifted, but different, somehow. Like all his molecules were crossing their respective vapor points at once, as if he were boiling away. A brilliant light filled his eyes and he passed out. The grey crystal material was meanwhile thickening around Mike as something fought it off. As the grey humanoid form expanded and became less distinct under the clothing Mike had worn, seams split, and finally the grey bioengineered weapon Jha'Dur designed resembled nothing so much as a phone booth-sized carcophagus of smokey quartz. Finally, whatever biological battle had been waged between Michael Seven and Jha'Dur's bioenergy virus was over and all was quiet. Someone goes over to investigate... ...and as the curious individual looks over the 'coffin', a fist punchs through the diamond-hard substance, connecting with a rather surprised jaw and taking the head off. The hole is quickly widened as the grey stuff, now burnt out, shatters... ...and Molly climbs out? No, wait a minute, the hair is thicker and more wavey and hangs down almost to the waist. The eyes are brown and blue, not green and blue. And the face is... aw hell. /I hate regeneration./ Michael sends, brushing hair away from her face and adjusting the identical set of clothes she had recreated while still 'under glass'. Almost missed is the additional sideband comment, /At least this time I can change back, once I get the time to sit down and do the DNA rearranging. Oh well, I wasn't doing anything for the next month anyway./ =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:39:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 01:05:44 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005898 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005890 > The Crawler decides that the above is a good idea, and targets > Legion. (OOC: Presumably, someone stops it from unweaving Legion's > existence.) Sensing the spacial and temporal vibrations that accompany the Crawler's acts, Aurora intones three (unpronouncable) words. With the last word her "horn" glows briefly. An instant later, Crawler's forces impact Legion. There is a short fireworks display. Crawler is amazed that: A) there was a fireworks display, B) Legion is still there, unharmed. ^Legion, Crawler was about to attack you. I invoked the power of The Stardragon. For a short while you will be immune to Crawler's attacks. Please continue to use that time as wisely as you have been.^ She sends to Legion. =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:06:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: Elementals and The Demon Follies On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:26:47 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005899 >On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 17:34:20 -0700 (PDT) >Fuzzy Said As CAoL Message # 00005887 > >As hostilities spread, > The Demons who had been eyeing the Elemental notice that the >Elemantals are returning to their formation, and decide that it is >time ofr some fun... > >But this situation is not what the Demons had expected, > on at least 3 counts >1) The Elementals are ready for them. >2) This is not just some Elementals, > This is the War Host of The Elements >3) Most of the Elementals are busy doing something else, > Otherwise the Demons would have been destroyed as they attacked. Dara's demonic forces (which are not 'forces of corruption' demons, but rather entities of dark chaos) decide, with their employer's change of heart and a large contingent of mystic forces arrayed against them, that discretion is the better part of valor. The _para_demons, OTOH, charge in, heedless of their own (soon to be expended) lives. >The Majority of the Elementals Seem to be doing something between a >Group Dance and Close Order Drills... > >It begins raining all over the Battle field, > Demons, > Flash Fried Demon Parts, > Demon Paste, > And Water which will pool to any height, > Where a Demon is standing, > When A Demon is Covered The Water Frezes... The parademons have a hard time of it. Darkseid's Elite, however, are doing rather well. Steppenwolf, Darkseid's greatest general, quickly whips the parademons into order, then wades in, his Electro-Axe slicing through Elementals-and actually _hurting_ them. The ones that go down don't get up again. Kalibak-a giant of a man the size of Darkseid himself, and almost as strong (though not nearly as intelligent)-charges in, roaring with nihilistic joy, as his bizarre mace blows apart his opponents, firing both physical and mental force bolts of impressive power. A thin, lithe man who could apparently give the best sword-wielders of the CAoL a hard time flashes through their ranks, tipping his Renaissance cap to his victims as he passes. Then four women warriors appear in a sound like the crack of Doom itself, and prove that the female is the deadlier of the species... Desaad adds his own unique techical expertise to the mix, until Nemo leaves him a whimpering wreck. And several synthetic humanoids spread through the ranks of the Elementals and the Hellhounds, leaving behind a gas that produces paranoia, fear, and hatred... =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:06:39 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:41:21 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005900 >On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 23:55:43 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005892 > >> On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 00:25:53 >> Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005877 > > > >Nemo smiles sadly as the drones suddenly disappear and reapper >"surrounding" him. He shakes his head. > >"Desaad. You feed off the pain of others. Very well. Here, you may > feed off *my* pain." > >Desaad is suddenly "linked" to all the pain and sorrow of untold >Nemos. The physical pain of injuries unimaginable, felt even as it >heals instanly, or heals more slowly, if it is important to the >mission to appear to be human for the nonce. The emotional pain of >watching the same mistakes made endlessly across the universes, and >the pain of having to destroy some so that more will be saved. All >this and more pours into Desaad until even *he* pleads for it to end. "EEYah-*" Desaad tries to scream, but in moments the sadist-who is himself incapable of withstanding pain-collapses into a small, neurotic heap. >> Well, Darkseid gets distracted quickly (why I'll explain later) >> but the Crawler (I'm NOT going to make people keep using that >> godawful name) is about to do something exponentially worse...an >> anti-reality effect meant to 'unweave' CAoLers on the surface. > >Nemo will distract him by "removing" his ride. A beam of uttermost >*black* flows from Nemo to impact the Neutron star. Which vanishes on >contact (negative energy vs positive matter = *nothing*). The Crawler seems to be ambivalent about this; on the one tentacle, that was its 'ride,' but OTOT, its purpose is destruction. It decides that Nemo has the right idea and attempts the same against each of Nemo's splits. >> Shard motions to the developing battle with his short blade. >> "You notice how we're being left alone? Same thing would've >> happened with the boy scout 'n me. The boss is going to make >> things _better,_ Soli-Morgan! Monsters like my 'father' won't be >> able to do any more harm. How does that make _me_ the bad guy?" > >Nemo interrupts this tete-a-tete, > >"Your pardon, Morgan." > >"Shard, You have something of mine, and I need it back." "Actually, I-" >And Nemo is suddenly standing next to Shard his hand upon Shard's >shoulder. And he draws back all the power Shard got from him. He >won't knock out Shard, though he isn't averse to letting Shard feel a >little shaky when he's done. And if he "happens" across any leaking >thoughts or the like that will tell him more about Shard's link to >the Tower, he *will* use the knowledge. He just won't go rummaging >for it deliberately. Well, Nemo doesn't get his power back. It's not _in_ Shard any more. It's in the Tower. Which is why Shard recovered so quickly; he's apparently _connected_ to the Tower on a primal level, secured to be resistant to detection. But not impossible to detect. Without that connection, Shard would have _stayed_ down for quite a while. Problem is, that Tower is a match for NEMO... Nemo/NEMO learns something from that brief instant of connection to the Tower proper. All the 'villains' fighting for Z'On'Dar are linked to the Tower in a way similar to those in the spheres- which is also similar to Nemo's connection to NEMO. If the spheres go, Z'On'Dar can still work its plan, though the fewer connected allies he has, the longer it will take-and he can only use one 'amalgam,' the spheres or the villains. Then the link snaps. And Shard learned something too... Shard creates a second 'face' to snarl at Nemo. "That...HURT." And a Shard apparently made of light (actually pure Quickening) dives at Nemo, the Tower 'modeling' his personality. A third Shard appears next to Driscoll. "You lot, take a hike. Go bug Blaze or something. I need to have a talk with the court jester here." The other immies take one look at Shard and boogie. Shard levels a brightly glowing blade at Driss, his off-hand holding a shorter sword in a defensive position. "Now let's see who's a one-legged three year old in a swordfight..." > fighting, but that not only wouldn't be fair, but Morgan wonder > *never* forgive me> (OOC: You're quite right, but as ever, it's not that simple...) =========================== Date: Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:06:46 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:50:52 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005901 >On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 07:59:41 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005893 > >>On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 20:14:21 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005890 >> "The test must be carried out-the target universe is mentally >>ready for Ascension, blocked only by an avatar of the so-called >>'Adversary.' But unless I can devise a way to counter the difficulty >>that 'Legion' has mentioned, the reconfiguration cannot take place." >> *UNACCEPTABLE,* The Crawler intones, and the local multiverse >>shakes in its wrath. >> "Agreed," Mournblade adds, Lara just evading his grasp. >> "Oh, calm _down,_ you two," Takhisis adds with a chuckle. "We're >>still coming out of this ahead. Keep a lid on the would-be heroes." >>She looks up and smiles a satisfied smile. *Oh, Dhyrclhanc...* > >Legion says, "Your... allies don't sound convinced. What you are >saying sounds acceptable to me at first glance... Would you mind if I >observed further?" "Not at all," Z'On'Dar replies conversationally, trying to reprogram the multiversal system, prepare the control universe test, and run hundreds of model-multiverse simulations all at once. "I suspect that the Pit Crawler, Mournblade and Jha'Dur will turn against me, while Shard and Takhisis will aid us. Dara will serve herself. Darkseid and Bester...I am uncertain. The test is almost ready. Here is the simulation-model, if you desire." Set up for a normal-senses sim and a quantum model, it shows how the device will transform the target universe, and how its inhabitants have become ready for the procedure. A techno-mystical setting, they have over millenia nearly perfected both science and philosophy, but the last gasp of evil was a great summoning, turning the cult's leader into an avatar of the 'Adversary.' Her/its presence, with her remaining followers, has successfully prevented their ascension through a number of means. The Tower will easily circumbent those means. =========================== Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 00:07:51 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:15:48 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005902 >On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 18:29:26 -0500 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005897 >The grey crystal material was meanwhile thickening around Mike as >something fought it off. As the grey humanoid form expanded and >became less distinct under the clothing Mike had worn, seams split, >and finally the grey bioengineered weapon Jha'Dur designed resembled >nothing so much as a phone booth-sized carcophagus of smokey quartz. >Finally, whatever biological battle had been waged between Michael >Seven and Jha'Dur's bioenergy virus was over and all was quiet. > >Someone goes over to investigate... /"MIKE!!!"/ Roland cries, and Bester learns that a wounded animal is always the most dangerous, as his less-limited-than-usual power, augmented by several Quickenings (as he absorbs some leaked by Mike's kills), shatters the outer layer of Bester's psionic construct, and savages the inner one as well. He teleports to the sarcophagus. "Jha'Dur," Roland snarls, scanning desperately, "if he's dead I swear by Phoenix and Light I'll-" >...and as the curious individual looks over the 'coffin', a fist >punchs through the diamond-hard substance, connecting with a rather >surprised jaw and taking the head off. The hole is quickly widened as >the grey stuff, now burnt out, shatters... Roland rubs the forcefield protected jaw. /Wha'dI_do?_/ >...and Molly climbs out? No, wait a minute, the hair is thicker and >more wavey and hangs down almost to the waist. The eyes are brown and >blue, not green and blue. And the face is... aw hell. Roland tries desperately to conceal his grin, but his mental exhaustion wins out. Jha'Dur is pushed back slightly by a pulse that should have thrown her well outside the atmospheric dome. >/I hate regeneration./ Michael sends, brushing hair away from her >face and adjusting the identical set of clothes she had recreated >while still 'under glass'. Almost missed is the additional sideband >comment, /At least this time I can change back, once I get the time >to sit down and do the DNA rearranging. Oh well, I wasn't doing >anything for the next month anyway./ /Hm. Maybe femininity suits you, Mike,/ Roland replies, then frowns as Jha'Dur, who has analyzed Mike's transformation, fires an _energy_ beam intended to have the same effect as the grey projectile. Roland deflects it...barely...only to be hit by a flying 'fist' shot by Al-slaught. He is knocked back several feet, nearly into the battle Julian and Alysande and... ...Crawler-things? /Nass! Where's Mournblade?/ Roland wonders, then has no time to think as Bester fires a psionic bolt. Roland tries to 'dodge,' but the psicop has the overwhelming advantage on the mental battlefield. Roland makes a sound between a snarl and a scream and staggers back. "You really should have surrendered when you had the chance," Bester sighs. "I really don't want to have to-" Bester stops, shrinking back, as the raw, animalistic side of Blaze stares back at him. "SHUT...UP." A HUGE bolt of energy, as large as the Al-slaught armor itself, and composed of kinetic, psychic, and Chi power, knocks Bester well out of the battle zone. Roland falls on his rear, his forcefield protecting him from grunt forces. "Whoa. Gotta stop doing that..." =========================== Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 00:08:02 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 02:18:07 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005903 >On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:50:52 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005901 > >>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 07:59:41 -0400 >>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005893 >> >>>On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 20:14:21 >>>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005890 >>Legion says, "Your... allies don't sound convinced. What you are >>saying sounds acceptable to me at first glance... Would you mind if >>I observed further?" > > "Not at all," Z'On'Dar replies conversationally, trying to >reprogram the multiversal system, prepare the control universe test, >and run hundreds of model-multiverse simulations all at once. "I >suspect that the Pit Crawler, Mournblade and Jha'Dur will turn >against me, while Shard and Takhisis will aid us. Dara will serve >herself. Darkseid and Bester...I am uncertain. The test is almost >ready. Here is the simulation-model, if you desire." Set up for a >normal-senses sim and a quantum model, it shows how the device will >transform the target universe, and how its inhabitants have become >ready for the procedure. A techno-mystical setting, they have over >millenia nearly perfected both science and philosophy, but the last >gasp of evil was a great summoning, turning the cult's leader into an >avatar of the 'Adversary.' Her/its presence, with her remaining >followers, has successfully prevented their ascension through a >number of means. > The Tower will easily circumbent those means. Legion nods, following easier than most, but still wishing she had the knowledge and experience of, oh, NEMO. "What of the Cult members? Will they be ascended too? And what fallout to other races?" She nods thoughtfully to the answer. "Wouldn't it be easier to just remove the cult and it's leaders? The race should then be able to ascend on their own." =========================== Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 00:08:08 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll (Dhyrchlanc's re-entry, take II)(Long) On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 02:49:12 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005904 > On Fri, 18 Sep '98 Morgan and/or Roland Said > >>Dhyrclhanc Said >> >>Meinwhile, Morgan is watching over the seemingly unconsious >>form of Shard, who was overwhelmed by Nemo's repossesion >>of his Quinessence(sp?)/Quickening/Lifeforce. She suddenly >>hears the high-pitched doppler whine of an object falling from >>on high. > > Um, Martin, Shard _wasn't_ out. Nemo said, > So, how much of that attack do you want to re-write? And you ought > to know by now not to get in your sis's way when she's enjoying a > duel ;-). Her _last_ really good one ended prematurely when the > Stardragon took out that Drow in Dibis. Oops! Sorry about that, Morg. One re-write coming up. Consider this to take place after Nemo tried to reclaim his "Quinessence(sp?)/Quickening/Lifeforce" but before all the duplicate Shards start popping up all over the place. }:=8) The remaining fragments of Dhyrclhanc's possesed form disentigrate and Dhyrclhanc's true self, garbed in the familiar Rangers' Longcoat and green and black waistcote, expands out to his normal 21' tall, 63' wingspaned, size. The First-Ring and Eye of Amagatto, seemingly responsible for his freedom from the mental prision that the Phoenix had trapped him in, began to lose their green and golden glows, respectivly, and each began calming down. Drawing "Redemption" from it's sheath on his back, the Lensdragon dives into the atmosphere of Epsilon 3. Her duel with the sword-wraith momentarily halted by the energy display between Shard and Nemo, Morgan hears the tell-tale highpitched Doppler whine of a quickly falling object. ^/Watch it 'sis. Incoming!/^ "KIAYAH!" Screams the draconic Lensman as his Rune-nanomagitech sword impales the psudeo-Carnage, straight through where his breastbone would be if Shard were more solid than he is. "Hello, you bargan basement spider-symbiote, 'Mind if I drop in?" says Dhyrclhanc as he sits atop the sword's hilt in the exact manner the Warner Brother's cartoon Vultures seem to ba able to perch on a tree. "Or," he continues, turning around and winking at the Bene Geserit Druid, "Am I cutting in here?" =========================== Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 00:36:35 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Revelations & Epiphanies (A little after the fact) On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 03:07:39 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005905 > On Mon, 14 Sep '98 Zia Said > >:> "Come, m'dear." He breathes softly, "It'll be fun to get some >:> variety in your life." >: >: Grabbing onto James' offered additional Amberite energies he >: prepares to make yet another one of his, seemingly trademarked, >: displays of cosmic level metaphysical power but then his eyes >: almost pop out of their sockets when he sees what James is doing. >: >: *^James, old sock, what in the various names of the Fates and >: the Furies are you doing old man?! Or are those tales I've heard >: about you true and you realy do enjoy flirting with >: Disaster?^* > > James' eyes flash at the Lensdragon, *^Indeed. I'm Fate and she is > Fury. As for flirting with any beautiful woman, or other entity, > you, I would ... and do ... truly enjoy it. As I'm not dead yet, I > should live while I live.^* > >: The Dark Phoenix, meinwhile seems tempted at James' offer but >: still appears to be hesitant making the decision to leave this >: place. The red portions of her costume shifting between red and >: green, but spending more time being red. >: >: "Your offer tempts me strangly, stranger. What do I gain if I >: accept your offer?" > > James chuckles, and smiles from his place almost within her arms. > "You get to have a delightful time with me. You look like you might > enjoy that. A change of pace perhaps? I can say that I've yet to > leave any lady disappointed that she spent some time with me, > whatever our mutual pursuits may have been. Besides..." He reaches > slowly up and touches her cheek, "It is almost painful to watch one > so beautiful rage when I would rather see a lady happy." > > "It is, " he sighs, "a quirk of my character, I suppose. I'm not > deceiving you; perhaps you can even tell. I'm not sure of your > ability to detect the truth as I speak. I just have a certain ... > weakness for beautiful women in distress. I always get this > obsession with making them laugh and be happy again." He smiles > slightly and shrugs, "And as your reluctant cheval currently points > out, I have a fascination with walking the dangerous edge. You being > both my complusions wrapped up in one, dear lady; I am hard put to > resist your appeal." > > "I do hope you'll say yes. Selfish of me, but I'd rather make you > happy than opposing you. I don't like fighting women. Or even cosmic > entities that look like women. I know it's strange of me, but there > it is. It's like smashing a stained glass window in a church. A > waste in more ways than one. And I'd like to settle this between us > to attend to the master villain of the plot; that seems a lot more > satisfying than tormenting something as lovely as you are." > > James waits patiently, his Ordered power still bolstered by Sil's to > work Dhyrclanc free, but still not working to hurt this strangely > beautifl if deadly force of nature directly. He knows he is probably > too close if she decides to haul off and clock him one, but he > decided that if he was asking her to trust him, he should trust her > first. > > "Shall we dance _together_, lady?" When the psychic civil servant stops talking, the image makesone, seemingly final, transformation. The olive skin tone is gone; replaced by a more human hue, instead of cosmic flame, the eyes have become a bewitching and sparkling jade green, and the costume has become a bright green with a inverted black triangular field surrounding the golden bird on the woman's chest. Most surprisingly of all, a small giggle escapes thtough her lips and she smiles. "You do remind me of two others who I knew in what seem to me like another lifetime. You have neither Scott's face nor Logan's hair but your manner is still like them. Indeed Mr. Bond, you are a gentleman I wouldn't spending an evening with, especialy if it were spent tripping the light fantastic. Just figured I ought to stick my $.02 in }:=8) =========================== Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 05:06:03 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 06:17:53 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005906 >On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:15:48 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005902 > >>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 18:29:26 -0500 >>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005897 >> >>...and as the curious individual looks over the 'coffin', a fist >>punchs through the diamond-hard substance, connecting with a rather >>surprised jaw and taking the head off. The hole is quickly widened >>as the grey stuff, now burnt out, shatters... > > Roland rubs the forcefield protected jaw. /Wha'dI_do?_/ Shoulda known.> "Sorry, didn't see you." Mike replies, 'his' voice having gone up a few octaves, now somewhere in the low feminine tones. >>/I hate regeneration./ Michael sends, brushing hair away from her >>face and adjusting the identical set of clothes she had recreated >>while still 'under glass'. Almost missed is the additional sideband >>comment, /At least this time I can change back, once I get the time >>to sit down and do the DNA rearranging. Oh well, I wasn't doing >>anything for the next month anyway./ > > /Hm. Maybe femininity suits you, Mike,/ Roland /Yeah, great, I'm over 300 years old and suddenly I find out I'm re-enacting Virginia Woolf's Orlando. (Probably all the Doctor's fault. Travels around with all those young earth girls and nothing happens. Well, so he says, there will be that one time with his Eighth incarnation and Bernice Summerfield.[1]) The Universe does keep doing this to me. May be worth finding out why./ >replies, then frowns as Jha'Dur, who has analyzed Mike's >transformation, fires an _energy_ beam intended to have the same >effect as the grey projectile. > Roland deflects it...barely... /Thanks for the save./ Mike replies then continues, /BTW, I have Deathwalker. Concentrate on-/ >only to be hit by a flying 'fist' shot by Al-slaught. He is knocked >back several feet, nearly into the battle Julian and Alysande and... /-Bester./ As a second blast from Jha'Dur heads for Mike, it bends in front of the Time Lady, heading back for Jha'Dur. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me." Mike replied, landing a Kryptonian-level punch on Jha'Dur's nose. "What is it with you, anyway?" Mike asks, ducking a punch and having one of her own blocked. "Were you litterbox trained too early?" She blocks a fist and replies with an uppercut. "Never got the saucer of 32% cream?" She takes a punch in the jaw and has a knee to the stomach blocked. "The Toms always prefered the Persians in high school?" Finally, the pair disengage and circle each other. "Smoked too much catnip in college?" [1] This happens in the final Doctor Who: The New Adventures novel, just before they drop the Doctor from the series and change the title to NA where the main character is Professor Bernice Summerfield, companian to the Seventh Doctor in the novels and now striking out on her own in the universe after a brief meeting with the Eighth Doctor. =========================== Date: Sat, 19 Sep 1998 07:38:14 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 10:33:37 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005907 >On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:41:21 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005900 > > A third Shard appears next to Driscoll. > "You lot, take a hike. Go bug Blaze or something. I need to have a >talk with the court jester here." The other immies take one look at >Shard and boogie. > Shard levels a brightly glowing blade at Driss, his off-hand >holding a shorter sword in a defensive position. "Now let's see who's >a one-legged three year old in a swordfight..." Driss looks down at Shard, (Unless Shard actually appeared standing on the side of Galactus's leg whihc could make thing interesting. heheheh) then braces himself and leaps out doing multiple flips in midair and a twist. He drops down behind Shard in a combat stance and flips him a quick sword salute adn then a two fingered salute. Driss begins to circle Shard parrying his blows and testing his reflexes and skill. Shard wasn't kidding about being skilled, but being masterfully skilled and naturally adept where two different things. Driss had been beating his fencing master at age 8 and had been perfecting his skill ever since. Still, this was going to be a tough fight. Driss's left hand snaked into his cloak and came out with a pouch. Flinging the pouch, what at first glance appears to be black marbles come flying out, but as they land on the ground, 10 inch diameter holes appear all over the ground. "Thought we might as well make the terain a little more interesting to fight on," remarked Driss adn he launched a combination attack for Shard's head, wrist and inner thigh. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 06:05:59 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 21:04:11 PST Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005908 > On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:41:21 > Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005900 > >>On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 23:55:43 PST >>Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005892 >> >>> On Thu, 17 Sep 1998 00:25:53 >>> Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005877 >>> >>> Well, Darkseid gets distracted quickly (why I'll explain later) >>> but the Crawler (I'm NOT going to make people keep using that >>> godawful name) is about to do something exponentially worse...an >>> anti-reality effect meant to 'unweave' CAoLers on the surface. >> >>Nemo will distract him by "removing" his ride. A beam of uttermost >>*black* flows from Nemo to impact the Neutron star. Which vanishes >>on contact (negative energy vs positive matter = *nothing*). > > The Crawler seems to be ambivalent about this; on the one > tentacle, that was its 'ride,' but OTOT, its purpose is destruction. > It decides that Nemo has the right idea and attempts the same > against each of Nemo's splits. Who promptly "absorb" the beams with no apparent ill-effects (actually, they just redirected them into the "pool" of negative energy they keep on hand for various purposes. The Velvet Glove will create a spherical shell of negative energy surrounding the Crawler. It should take it a while to figure out how to penetrate the shell with *any* effect without seriously damaging itself. >>And Nemo is suddenly standing next to Shard his hand upon Shard's >>shoulder. And he draws back all the power Shard got from him. He >>won't knock out Shard, though he isn't averse to letting Shard feel >>a little shaky when he's done. And if he "happens" across any >>leaking thoughts or the like that will tell him more about Shard's >>link to the Tower, he *will* use the knowledge. He just won't go >>rummaging for it deliberately. > > Well, Nemo doesn't get his power back. It's not _in_ Shard any > more. > It's in the Tower. So Nemo/NEMO will have to get it back from the Tower. > Which is why Shard recovered so quickly; he's apparently > _connected_ to the Tower on a primal level, secured to be resistant > to detection. But not impossible to detect. Without that connection, > Shard would have _stayed_ down for quite a while. > Problem is, that Tower is a match for NEMO... In power, ok. But I think NEMO is far sneakier... :-) > Nemo/NEMO learns something from that brief instant of connection > to the Tower proper. All the 'villains' fighting for Z'On'Dar are > linked to the Tower in a way similar to those in the spheres-which > is also similar to Nemo's connection to NEMO. If the spheres go, > Z'On'Dar can still work its plan, though the fewer connected allies > he has, the longer it will take-and he can only use one 'amalgam,' > the spheres or the villains. As soon as is practical, he'll relay the info to the CAoL. > Then the link snaps. > And Shard learned something too... > Shard creates a second 'face' to snarl at Nemo. "That...HURT." > And a Shard apparently made of light (actually pure Quickening) > dives at Nemo, the Tower 'modeling' his personality. And learns that pure "energy" is a *bad* choice for attacking an energy manipulator. Nemo reaches out and the "light Shard" is sucked into Nemo's hand. And *this* time, Nemo *will* sift thru all the memories available. And he'll grab onto the link to the Towre, and reach out thru it, doing his best to *keep* it from being broken. >>> fighting, but that not only wouldn't be fair, but Morgan wonder >> *never* forgive me> > > (OOC: You're quite right, but as ever, it's not that > simple...) Nothing is *ever* "simple". Nemo knows that better than most. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 07:05:38 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 06:43:27 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005909 >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 01:05:44 EDT >Dane Said As CAoL Message # 00005898 > >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005890 >> The Crawler decides that the above is a good idea, and targets >> Legion. (OOC: Presumably, someone stops it from unweaving Legion's >> existence.) > >Sensing the spacial and temporal vibrations that accompany the >Crawler's acts, Aurora intones three (unpronouncable) words. With the >last word her "horn" glows briefly. An instant later, Crawler's >forces impact Legion. There is a short fireworks display. Crawler is >amazed that: A) there was a fireworks display, B) Legion is still >there, unharmed. ^Legion, Crawler was about to attack you. I invoked >the power of The Stardragon. For a short while you will be immune to >Crawler's attacks. Please continue to use that time as wisely as you >have been.^ She sends to Legion. There is what seems like a long moment while the Crawler 'looks' at Aurora. Then a shaft of emptiness lances down at her, attempting to Undo her. *"STARSPAWN! PURE ONE! MAKER! DIE!"* is all even the other cosmic entities understand of its brief rant before it turns its attention to actually _examining_ Aurora...and probably stops, unless such an attack really _is_ effective on Aurora. (At which point Galactus steps in.) Any cosmic doing the same (examining the Crawler) note that it is impossible by the rules of any sane reality. There's a quote from X-Men/Alpha Flight that applies in some ways: "If the gods could be said to have gods themselves..." For Eldritch Horrors, _that_ is what this Crawler is-not a progenitor, perhaps, but a far more basic-and powerful-version of such entities. It must have taken a number of _pantheons_ or Primal entities to bottle it up the first time... I'm assuming that the non-cosmics have the good sense to be grateful that their minds are still intact and don't try examining it deeply. >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 02:18:07 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005903 > >Legion nods, following easier than most, but still wishing she had >the knowledge and experience of, oh, NEMO. "What of the Cult members? >Will they be ascended too? And what fallout to other races?" "They will be shunted to a nearby dimension that has agreed to incarcerate them for their crimes and attempt rehabilitation. If successful, the spirit-force of the Endbringer should be ejected from the leader." Its eyes dim, and it expands the model somewhat. "All the reality's races are ready for this development-they have united." (OOC: In case it's not clear-I'm kind of logy from waking up at 6 AM on a Sunday-Spidey's calling the Great Adversary 'the Endbringer' up there.) >She nods thoughtfully to the answer. "Wouldn't it be easier to just >remove the cult and it's leaders? The race should then be able to >ascend on their own." "Perhaps," Z'On'Dar admits, "but this is meant in part to test the device, and the thought-unit that leads their people has agreed to this method. This cult might also have used its methods to attempt to block the Great Work...though you have caused me to have doubts of its validity. "It should only be a few moments now..." (OOC: As soon as I find my brain...) =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 09:06:15 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 11:03:30 -0500 Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005910 : On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 06:17:53 -0500 : Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005906 :>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:15:48 :>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005902 :>>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 18:29:26 -0500 :>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005897 :>>...and Molly climbs out? No, wait a minute, the hair is thicker :>>and more wavey and hangs down almost to the waist. The eyes are :>>brown and blue, not green and blue. And the face is... aw hell. :> :> Roland tries desperately to conceal his grin, but his mental :>exhaustion wins out. Jha'Dur is pushed back slightly by a pulse that :>should have thrown her well outside the atmospheric dome. Zia, sparing a split-second from her consideration of Dara's comment on how this will get worse, gives Mike II, the new version, a grin. :>>/I hate regeneration./ Michael sends, brushing hair away from her :>>face and adjusting the identical set of clothes she had recreated :>>while still 'under glass'. Almost missed is the additional sideband :>>comment, /At least this time I can change back, once I get the time :>>to sit down and do the DNA rearranging. Oh well, I wasn't doing :>>anything for the next month anyway./ /I'm sure you'll get things back to normal, Mike./ The petite Amberite says with an odd note of assurance. Zia is much stronger on the emotions than even when she was upset before. She turns to examine Mandor's spell ball from Dara a second, then looks back up at James involved in combat with Bester. /I don't think it's serving any purpose to combat them directly, anyway, James./ She comments as Sil and James give ground rapidly against Bester's attacks. She absently sends James a spell to erect a line of sight blocking wall and give himself some relief from Bester's attacks. :> /Hm. Maybe femininity suits you, Mike,/ Roland : : /Yeah, great, I'm over 300 years old and suddenly I find out I'm : re-enacting Virginia Woolf's Orlando. (Probably all the Doctor's : fault. Travels around with all those young earth girls and nothing : happens. Well, so he says, there will be that one time with his : Eighth incarnation and Bernice Summerfield.[1]) The : Universe does keep doing this to me. May be worth finding out why./ /Somebody better warn the Timelords they're REALLY in for it./ :>replies, then frowns as Jha'Dur, who has analyzed Mike's :>transformation, fires an _energy_ beam intended to have the same :>effect as the grey projectile. :> Roland deflects it...barely... : : /Thanks for the save./ Mike replies then continues, /BTW, I have : Deathwalker. Concentrate on-/ : :>only to be hit by a flying 'fist' shot by Al-slaught. He is knocked :>back several feet, nearly into the battle Julian and Alysande and... : : /-Bester./ James hooks Roland's jacker with a blue and silver flame-decorated arm, and yanks them out of line of sight. /Don't believe we need line of sight, and last I heard of these fictions, they did. Which of them is the best prospect for making mad enough to chase us long enough to loose connect to the Tower? Zia has Dara at least possibly reconsidering. Bester is too calculating. Who else could I try?/ He asks in the brief respite before the magically created wall gets destroyed by the opposition forces. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 11:06:32 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 12:01:08 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005911 >On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 11:03:30 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005910 >: On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 06:17:53 -0500 >: Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005906 >:>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 23:15:48 >:>Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005902 >:>>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 18:29:26 -0500 >:>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005897 >:>> >:>>/I hate regeneration./ Michael sends, brushing hair away from her >:>>face and adjusting the identical set of clothes she had recreated >:>>while still 'under glass'. Almost missed is the additional >:>>sideband comment, /At least this time I can change back, once I >:>>get the time to sit down and do the DNA rearranging. Oh well, I >:>>wasn't doing anything for the next month anyway./ > >/I'm sure you'll get things back to normal, Mike./ The petite >Amberite says with an odd note of assurance. Zia is much stronger on >the emotions than even when she was upset before. She turns to >examine Mandor's spell ball from Dara a second, then looks back up at >James involved in combat with Bester. /I don't think it's serving any >purpose to combat them directly, anyway, James./ She comments as Sil >and James give ground rapidly against Bester's attacks. She absently >sends James a spell to erect a line of sight blocking wall and give >himself some relief from Bester's attacks. /Been noticing that, too, eh?/ >: /Yeah, great, I'm over 300 years old and suddenly I find out I'm >: re-enacting Virginia Woolf's Orlando. (Probably all the Doctor's >: fault. Travels around with all those young earth girls and nothing >: happens. Well, so he says, there will be that one time with his >: Eighth incarnation and Bernice Summerfield.[1]) The >: Universe does keep doing this to me. May be worth finding out why./ > >/Somebody better warn the Timelords they're REALLY in for it./ / Well, actually, Time Lords can't have children./ >James hooks Roland's jacker with a blue and silver flame-decorated >arm, and yanks them out of line of sight. /Don't believe we need line >of sight, and last I heard of these fictions, they did. Which of them >is the best prospect for making mad enough to chase us long enough to >loose connect to the Tower? Zia has Dara at least possibly >reconsidering. Bester is too calculating. Who else could I try?/ He >asks in the brief respite before the magically created wall gets >destroyed by the opposition forces. /I'd still watch out for Bester. Telepathy doesn't require line of sight. Telekinesis, perhaps, but until now, only Jason Ironheart has been capable of throwing around the kind of power Bester has. At least I don't -think- Lyta could do it. She's a fine telekinetic, but I don't think she can match Roland or our current Bester's level./ =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 11:06:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 12:01:15 -0500 Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005912 >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 21:04:11 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005908 > >> On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:41:21 >> Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005900 >> >> Nemo/NEMO learns something from that brief instant of connection >> to the Tower proper. All the 'villains' fighting for Z'On'Dar are >> linked to the Tower in a way similar to those in the spheres-which >> is also similar to Nemo's connection to NEMO. If the spheres go, >> Z'On'Dar can still work its plan, though the fewer connected allies >> he has, the longer it will take-and he can only use one 'amalgam,' >> the spheres or the villains. > >As soon as is practical, he'll relay the info to the CAoL. /Anyone else wondering how that backup amalgam is going to work? With just villians that is? Unless they've had a change of heart, there is no balance./ Mike stops circling and blinks. Jha'Dur uses the opportunity to get a solid kick in the stomach. Mike stumbles back as Deathwalker's shoulder spines lance out at her. With a backflip, Mike avoids them and constructs a forcefield with teleportation block around herself and a separate one around Jha'Dur. /Unless, we're the balance./ =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 19:07:16 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 21:42:27 EDT Dane0R0A Said As CAoL Message # 00005913 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005909 > There is what seems like a long moment while the Crawler 'looks' > at Aurora. Then a shaft of emptiness lances down at her, attempting > to Undo her. > *"STARSPAWN! PURE ONE! MAKER! DIE!"* is all even the other cosmic > entities understand of its brief rant before it turns its attention > to actually _examining_ Aurora...and probably stops, unless such > an attack really _is_ effective on Aurora. (At which point Galactus > steps in.) (OOC: it would be, if not for two things, 1) she included herself when she invoked The Stardragon, 2) such acts are like tossing a pebble into a cosmic pool, causing a ripple to expand outward in all directions (both N-Space and time) which she can both sense, and interpret.) Just before the shaft of void is about to hit her, Aurora shifts slightly to the side. A single flap of her wings, and she positions herself between the tower and the Crawler. Her laughter then rings out like the tinkling of bells and is heard both telepathically and physically throughout the star system (even in the vacumn of space). Those hearing it (and who seek the best outcome for all) are heartened and lifted up in spirit. Those who knowingly seek to do evil, are struck with fear, as though they could sense their deaths (OOC: yes even Takishis and Darkseid) were at hand. *Come Crawler, can you do no better than that? Strike harder silly fool! The weakest, youngest, and most clumsy of Starspawn could have avoided that. Take good aim this time. Maybe you'll hit me this time.* Aurora broadbands to the whole star system. Then her laughter rings out again renewing the previous affect, and intensifying it. =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 19:36:35 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Enlightening Shadows On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 22:29:17 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005914 >On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 06:43:27 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005909 > >>On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 02:18:07 -0400 >>Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005903 >> >>She nods thoughtfully to the answer. "Wouldn't it be easier to just >>remove the cult and it's leaders? The race should then be able to >>ascend on their own." > > "Perhaps," Z'On'Dar admits, "but this is meant in part to test the >device, and the thought-unit that leads their people has agreed to >this method. This cult might also have used its methods to attempt to >block the Great Work...though you have caused me to have doubts of >its validity. > "It should only be a few moments now..." Legion nods, "If they have afraid to use this method... then we do not have the right to object further... Though we would like to observe." Legion hesitates, then asks, "We trust you have taken steps to ensure that your... allies do not sabotogue your work." =========================== Date: Sun, 20 Sep 1998 23:06:49 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE: Ragnarok and Roll On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 01:55:17 -0400 Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005916 Within the blink of an eye, Dhyrclhanc leaps off the pommel of Redemption and cartwheels several feet away. Straightening up, he holds out his hand and exoteleports the Greatest Rune-nanomagitech sword to his grasp. Freeing Shard in the process. Swinging the cutlass constructed by both Technology and Magick into a more defencive postion above his head, the Lensdragon manifests his mindsword. Switching the grip of the latter blade so that its in more of an offensive position in front of him, Dhyrclhanc sends, ^/Morgan, you need help with this Stormbringer-wanna-be or would you rather deal with him by yourself?/^ =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 06:34:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: The Dangers of Reentry On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 23:25:09 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005917 >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 02:49:12 -0400 >Dhyrclhanc Said As CAoL Message # 00005904 > > Oops! Sorry about that, Morg. One re-write coming up. Consider >this to take place after Nemo tried to reclaim his >"Quinessence(sp?)/Quickening/Lifeforce" but before all the duplicate >Shards start popping up all over the place. }:=8) > >The remaining fragments of Dhyrclhanc's possesed form disentigrate >and Dhyrclhanc's true self, garbed in the familiar Rangers' Longcoat >and green and black waistcote, expands out to his normal 21' tall, >63' wingspaned, size. The First-Ring and Eye of Amagatto, ^^^^^^^^ (OOC: This has been driving me crazy for days, sib-not that this bunch is big on spelling, but it's the Eye of Agamotto. Spell-checked against both MSH RPGs.) >Drawing "Redemption" from it's sheath on his back, the Lensdragon >dives into the atmosphere of Epsilon 3. > >Her duel with the sword-wraith momentarily halted by the energy >display between Shard and Nemo, Morgan hears the tell-tale >highpitched Doppler whine of a quickly falling object. As does Shard. "Oh, hell-not him!" >^/Watch it 'sis. Incoming!/^ > >"KIAYAH!" Screams the draconic Lensman as his Rune-nanomagitech sword >impales the psudeo-Carnage, straight through where his breastbone >would be if Shard were more solid than he is. Shard turns into a small puddle from the impact. >"Hello, you bargan basement spider-symbiote, 'Mind if I drop in?" >says Dhyrclhanc as he sits atop the sword's hilt in the exact manner >the Warner Brother's cartoon Vultures seem to ba able to perch on a > tree. > >"Or," he continues, turning around and winking at the Bene Geserit >Druid, "Am I cutting in here?" "THAT YOU ARE," The rapidly growing puddle snarls, a Quintessence-sword the size of Redemption itself slamming back up at the Lensdragon, "YOU ACCURSED INTERFERING EGO-ON-WINGS!" Shard grows to ten times his previous size, rivalling Dhyrclhanc himself. "I _never_ liked you, Nyxator-Harmon was fun to play with, Solitare was a joy even to watch, and Seeker-hell, even _I_ learned from Seeker-but YOU!" Shard isn't fighting for fun, this time, or to distract, but rather trying to take Dhyrclhanc's hide off! "I didn't get the chance to kill you last time...but hey, it's the End of Creation, and it looks like it's payback time all around!" If Dhyrclhanc is giving him a hard time in the swordfight, or the moment the Lensdragon uses any attack besides Redemption, Shard creates five tiny Chi-construct Shards on top of him, trying to tear him apart. *"SHARD! DHYRCLHANC! That's ENOUGH!* Morgan shouts, in the tone used by Gaelic women for millenia, that makes everyone who hears it take notice, and the victims usually freeze and cringe. Shard takes a step back, turning his blade into a spinning shield and dispersing his constructs. "He started it," the giant immortal mutters, pointing a foot-long thumb at Dhyrclhanc, oddly chagrined despite his obvious advantage. [Boys.] A grin escapes the Highlander's control. "The way you and I were fighting was one thing. That was more of an honor duel than to-the-death, and you know it," she says as she notices Shard about to object. "But that was attacking family in ernest, and I canna let you do that. Even if it _was_ rather rude of him to interrupt us." Her gaze turns on her sib, the reprimand mild but unmistakable. "And would you two please come down here where I can talk to you." Shard takes a step toward Morgan, shrinking as he goes until he's at her side-and size-once more. "Hmmph. Lousy stinkin' reptile. So what do we _do_ about it? I'd rather pull out my own heart than _really_ hurt you, Soli, but with lizard-lips here-" Shard points again at Dhyrclhanc "-I don't see any way around it." "You _could_ just stop fighting us." Morgan's tone looses some of it's edge. "Why _are_ you fighting us, anyway? By your own admission you don't want to hurt Roland. Permanently, anyway. Or me. Even the Spider's not _fighting_ us. What's in it for you?" "That 'Spider' is the closest thing to a father I've ever had, and as for what I want...YOU try being an inanimate object for ten thousand years!" Shard barks. "Z'On'Dar says we'll be able to sense anything-and I want to feel EVERYTHING. Besides, with the power everyone will have, no one will ever suffer my fate again," he adds, his voice softening. Morgan ponders this for a moment. Anyone paying attention will sense a brief telepathic conversation between the Freelance Immortals, Roland scowling as he continues his battle with Bester. Then Morgan says Shard, in a voice not meant to carry beyond him, "I know something Z'On'Dar can't offer you." Shard blinks, and there is a brief telepathic conversation, heavily shielded, then another. "Deal?" "Deal," Morgan replies. Shard's constructs stop fighting the CAoL and dissipate. *"Okay, you mooks, go home! We've got enough dead Scions on our hands, and I don't know how many more'll fit in the Tower's buffer, so git and _stay_ git! You'll all get your 'pay' when everything shakes down,"* he says to his allied immortals, and they vanish in staggered groups, though it takes mere moments for them to all vanish. Shard looks (up if necessary) at Dhyrclhanc. "So what are _you_ looking at, scale-tail? Get your act in gear before-" "Before _what,_ turncoat?" Takhisis says in a surprisingly even tone. "Before his goddess shows him the error of his-and, it seems, your-ways?" Her eyes glow with divine power, and her voice is like the call of sky to a dragon's wings. "He is your enemy, o brightest of my children," she says, her beautiful human form becoming that of a multicolored, shimmering dragon-though this one with but a single head-and of incredible, sublime beauty by draconic standards. Even most of the other beings are strangely drawn by her form. "It is our way. Destroy him, please." =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 06:34:26 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 23:39:10 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005918 >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 06:17:53 -0500 >Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005906 > >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005902 >> >>>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 18:29:26 -0500 >>>Mike Knight Said As CAoL Message # 00005897 >>replies, then frowns as Jha'Dur, who has analyzed Mike's >>transformation, fires an _energy_ beam intended to have the same >>effect as the grey projectile. >> Roland deflects it...barely... > >/Thanks for the save./ Mike replies then continues, /BTW, I have >Deathwalker. Concentrate on-/ > >>only to be hit by a flying 'fist' shot by Al-slaught. He is knocked >>back several feet, nearly into the battle Julian and Alysande and... > >/-Bester./ > >As a second blast from Jha'Dur heads for Mike, it bends in front of >the Time Lady, heading back for Jha'Dur. "Fool me once, shame on you. >Fool me twice, shame on me." Mike replied, landing a Kryptonian-level >punch on Jha'Dur's nose. His fist crashes through Jha'Dur's faceplate, as well as her face. But even as he pulls the fist back, both she and her armor are regenerating, and by the time he can see around his fist to her head, it has healed back almost completely, and the armor has begun adapting. The blast does nothing at all to her or the armor, as it reabsorbs the energy. >"What is it with you, anyway?" Mike asks, ducking a punch and having >one of her own blocked. "Were you litterbox trained too early?" She >blocks a fist and replies with an uppercut. "Never got the saucer of >32% cream?" She takes a punch in the jaw and has a knee to the >stomach blocked. "The Toms always prefered the Persians in high >school?" Finally, the pair disengage and circle each other. "Smoked >too much catnip in college?" "Your references to a feline species on Earth are useless on me, though I understand them," Jha'Dur replies. "Your present form, however, would seem to indicate that they are more appropriate to yourself. Though I must avoid allowing the fact that your ancestors were dirty craven scavengers to cause me to underestimate you," she adds evenly. >/Anyone else wondering how that backup amalgam is going to work? With >just villians that is? Unless they've had a change of heart, there is >no balance./ > >Mike stops circling and blinks. Jha'Dur uses the opportunity to get a >solid kick in the stomach. Mike stumbles back as Deathwalker's >shoulder spines lance out at her. With a backflip, Mike avoids them >and constructs a forcefield with teleportation block around herself >and a separate one around Jha'Dur. Deathwalker looks at the forcefield for a long moment, apparently unmoving. >/Unless, we're the balance./ /Grife. THAT must be why he wanted us here- whether we joined or fought, we'd serve its sprocking purpos-MIKE!/ Roland cries. Deathwalker fires a burst of energy in all directions meant to cause the forcefield to feedback directly into Mike, with a nasty energy-spike virus thrown in for good measure. If the forcefield is still standing for even a fraction of a second after that, quantum-field covered spikes fly out and tear through the one containing her. Then she flies out and presses a section on her right arm. A...THING...that looks like the bastard child of a rancor and a tarrasque charges at Mike. =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 06:34:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 23:51:48 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005919 >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 10:33:37 EDT >Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005907 > >>On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:41:21 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005900 >> >> A third Shard appears next to Driscoll. >> "You lot, take a hike. Go bug Blaze or something. I need to have >>a talk with the court jester here." The other immies take one look >>at Shard and boogie. >> Shard levels a brightly glowing blade at Driss, his off-hand >>holding a shorter sword in a defensive position. "Now let's see >>who's a one-legged three year old in a swordfight..." > > Driss looks down at Shard, (Unless Shard actually appeared standing >on the side of Galactus's leg whihc could make thing interesting. >heheheh) Actually, yep-there he is, right on the leg. >then braces himself and leaps out doing multiple flips in midair and >a twist. He drops down behind Shard in a combat stance and flips him >a quick sword salute adn then a two fingered salute. Shard frowns. "oh, so _that's_ how it is, is it?" he mutters as he advances. > Driss begins to circle Shard parrying his blows and testing his >reflexes and skill. Shard wasn't kidding about being skilled, but >being masterfully skilled and naturally adept where two different >things. Driss had been beating his fencing master at age 8 and had >been perfecting his skill ever since. Still, this was going to be a >tough fight. Shard watches with grudging but growing respect. [This guy would've done all right even in my age,] he thinks, examining his style. (OOC: Correct this if it's wrong, Driss) But from all indications, the Harlequin didn't _have_ one. He had real skill, but relied on his gift and what seemed like the ability to shift technique on a second-by-second basis. Shard, however, had fought just about every kind of swordfighter there had ever been. > Driss's left hand snaked into his cloak and came out with a pouch. >Flinging the pouch, what at first glance appears to be black marbles >come flying out, but as they land on the ground, 10 inch diameter >holes appear all over the ground. > > "Thought we might as well make the terain a little more interesting >to fight on," remarked Driss adn he launched a combination attack for >Shard's head, wrist and inner thigh. "What, fighting on the leg of a god isn't interesting enough for ya?" Shard asks, walking over the holes as if they weren't there. He parried all three attacks with relative ease, but wasn't able to find an opening in return. Then they have greater problems, as the holes apparently prove to be an annoyance to Galactus. Both Driss and Shard being beneath him, so to speak, he just gives his leg a bit of a shake, and both warriors go flying. The holes simply vanish. "YOW! Now I know how a flea feels!" Shard yelps, landing on his feet, barely, a few inches off the ground. He looks down sheepishly and touches down. (OOC: I'm assuming that Driss also lands on his feet) Shard, noting his opponent's grace, salutes with a smile. "Shall we continue?" (OOC: The rest of the fight is your call, Driss-this changes slightly if there's a winner) After a few minutes, Shard looks up and away, fighting defensively for a moment. Then he stops, takes a step back, and bows. "Looks like we'll have to finish this another time," Shard says, fading out quickly. =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 06:34:41 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 00:00:14 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005920 >On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 21:04:11 PST >Nemo Said As CAoL Message # 00005908 > >> On Fri, 18 Sep 1998 22:41:21 >> Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005900 >> >> The Crawler seems to be ambivalent about this; on the one >> tentacle, that was its 'ride,' but OTOT, its purpose is >> destruction. It decides that Nemo has the right idea and attempts >> the same against each of Nemo's splits. > >Who promptly "absorb" the beams with no apparent ill-effects >(actually, they just redirected them into the "pool" of negative >energy they keep on hand for various purposes. > >The Velvet Glove will create a spherical shell of negative energy >surrounding the Crawler. It should take it a while to figure out how >to penetrate the shell with *any* effect without seriously damaging >itself. Not really. The Crawler is made of...well, it's not really made of ANYTHING, it's sort of a thing of not-there-ness with some primal reality giving it sentience of a sort. Tentacles slam into the sphere and shatter it, 'taking' the pieces and thrusting them toward Epsilon Three, the tentacles extending as they fly out. >> Well, Nemo doesn't get his power back. It's not _in_ Shard any >> more. >> It's in the Tower. > >So Nemo/NEMO will have to get it back from the Tower. MUCH easier said than done. >> Which is why Shard recovered so quickly; he's apparently >> _connected_ to the Tower on a primal level, secured to be resistant >> to detection. But not impossible to detect. Without that >> connection, Shard would have _stayed_ down for quite a while. >> Problem is, that Tower is a match for NEMO... > >In power, ok. But I think NEMO is far sneakier... :-) Oh, yeah. The Tower is just a device. Z'On'Dar, however, is a FAR different story. >> If the spheres go, Z'On'Dar can still work its plan, though the >> fewer connected allies he has, the longer it will take-and he can >> only use one 'amalgam,' the spheres or the villains. > >As soon as is practical, he'll relay the info to the CAoL. /Oh, grife.../ is all Roland can say. >> Then the link snaps. >> And Shard learned something too... >> Shard creates a second 'face' to snarl at Nemo. "That...HURT." >> And a Shard apparently made of light (actually pure Quickening) >> dives at Nemo, the Tower 'modeling' his personality. > >And learns that pure "energy" is a *bad* choice for attacking an >energy manipulator. Nemo reaches out and the "light Shard" is sucked >into Nemo's hand. Um, no. Shard is ALSO an energy manipulator, backed up by all the Tower's processing power. It's like trying to eat a raw porcupine. Then the porcupine, realizing that it's having an effect, tries to shove itself down your throat... >And *this* time, Nemo *will* sift thru all the memories available. >And he'll grab onto the link to the Towre, and reach out thru it, >doing his best to *keep* it from being broken. THAT part isn't a problem, at least, though Nemo can't yet interfere with its operation-and probably doesn't want to, as he/it realizes that there's a 98.793% chance that Z'On'Dar will be convinced by the test (which WILL be beneficial to the universe in question) to give up its mad scheme. Then the attack stops as Shard stops fighting. *Eh-sorry about that, big guy. No hard feelings, I hope,* Shard sends. =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 06:58:58 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE4: An ending and a beginning... On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 00:12:29 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005921 >On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 11:03:30 -0500 >Zia Said As CAoL Message # 00005910 > >/I'm sure you'll get things back to normal, Mike./ The petite >Amberite says with an odd note of assurance. Zia is much stronger on >the emotions than even when she was upset before. She turns to >examine Mandor's spell ball from Dara a second, then looks back up at >James involved in combat with Bester. /I don't think it's serving any >purpose to combat them directly, anyway, James./ She comments as Sil >and James give ground rapidly against Bester's attacks. She absently >sends James a spell to erect a line of sight blocking wall and give >himself some relief from Bester's attacks. Bester scowls. *Well. That's not working.* He trails the effect...but can't find its source, and makes the logical (if incorrect) assumption. >:>only to be hit by a flying 'fist' shot by Al-slaught. He is knocked >:>back several feet, nearly into the battle Julian and Alysande >:>and... >: >: /-Bester./ /Ouch./ >James hooks Roland's jacker with a blue and silver flame-decorated >arm, and yanks them out of line of sight. /Don't believe we need line >of sight, and last I heard of these fictions, they did. Which of them >is the best prospect for making mad enough to chase us long enough to >loose connect to the Tower? Zia has Dara at least possibly >reconsidering. Bester is too calculating. Who else could I try?/ He >asks in the brief respite before the magically created wall gets >destroyed by the opposition forces. /Hm. Bester seems to be slowly going power-mad, but not fast _enough._ C'mon, think, Roland, think.../ James can tell that Roland's cognition is still being affected by his mental injuries. /Hmm. Most of these types are too calm. Shard might, but Morgan's handled him. Takhisis, maybe...Hey, maybe that Mournblade-thing'd go for the taunt bit! He sure sounds like he's got revenge on the brain. I doubt Darkseid will fall for that, th-hey, where'd ol' granite-jaw go any-oh, NO!/ BOOOOOM "Dara of Chaos, you are a worthy ally of Darkseid, but Suli is MINE. You will not interfere," the Demon Avenger intones. "Oh, so?" Dara raises an eyebrow. "I think you're reaching abover yourself, shadow-creature." Darkseid's eyes burn with the Omega Effect, but he ignores Dara's comment for the moment. "Suli. You did not answer me before. Why do you flee Darkseid?" =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 06:59:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 00:56:51 Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005922 >On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 22:29:17 -0400 >Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005914 > >>On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 06:43:27 >>Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005909 >> >>in part to test the device, and the thought-unit that leads their >>people has agreed to this method. This cult might also have used its >>methods to attempt to block the Great Work...though you have caused >>me to have doubts of its validity. >> "It should only be a few moments now..." > >Legion nods, "If they have afraid to use this method... then we do >not have the right to object further... Though we would like to >observe." "By all means," Z'On'Dar replies. >Legion hesitates, then asks, "We trust you have taken steps to ensure >that your... allies do not sabotogue your work." Z'On'Dar makes a sound that _might_ be a laugh. Or perhaps simply an acknowledgement. "Several. But in this instance, I only need take one. Galactus." Galactus takes two steps toward the Tower, and touches its staff to the base. Z'On'Dar begins to tap away on the controls, its fingers a blur as the combined tech/psi/magick interface links with the Shadow. The Tower glows with an eerie multicolored light. A shaft of power flashes through the vane atop the Tower's gate, and the six globes light up, illuminating the entities within. Billy Batson glows with a fantastic, beautiful light, his eyes wide with stunned glory, tears trickling down his cheeks. "beautiful...so beautiful..." The Gaunt Man, by comparison, screams for the first time in eons. Kosh is covered in crystal patterns of pure geometric perfection, while Fatale is inundated by swirls of everything imaginable. Neither seems to be in any particular pain, they just seem- overwhelmed. Ariel is suddenly suspended in her bubble by a thousand tiny strands, all glowing with a different color, resonating a different note and power. She can't move so much as an eyelash, but she looks like she's trying. Phoenix doesn't do anything but glow; she looks at the other five in confusion. The Gate opens. There is a feeling of...completeness...as an entire reality begins to fill with energy. Something FOUL resists, but it's a mosquito fighting a hurricane. Slowly, the universe and its inhabitants are filled with the essence and perception of reality. It takes minutes, perhaps, not long, but a definite period of time passes. The foulness is gone, somewhere, and the newly ascended reality looks back through the Gate. *"Our thanks, {full ten thousand letter name of Z'On'Dar}. But those who resist you are correct. You must end this."* The Gate closes. Z'On'Dar stares at the results of its scan, defeated. "You are right. These beings possess the wisdom to be what I sought to create-but most would fall victim to their own limitations, prey for those with stronger wills and darker hunger and perception." It taps a single spot on the control screen, and the sphere around Billy becomes a platform. Another sphere locks around the Gaunt Man, and the new sphere floats to the ground some distance away. "An act of...goodwill," it says, irony filling its voice. "The others are necessary to reprogram the Tower." "SHAZAM!" A moment later, Captain Marvel stands where Billy Batson was. "Go," it says gruffly. "Hold the more defiant of my allies while I deactivate the Tower so that it does not fall into-" "Into WHAT, Spider?" Roland's voice roars in a sadistic tone even the Reverse-Blaze never used, as a massive teleportation disrupts the dome of air in the battleground. But the voice does not come from Roland. A mockery of a man, looking like a burn victim escaped from Hell, wearing dark gray armor with only the occasional skull-symbol for accent, and spikes of deepest black on each joint, is the source of the voice. He holds a spear that glows with power obvious even to an ordinary sentient; to the CAoL, its deadly radiance is obvious. Behind him is an army. Of Nephandi. "Into the 'wrong hands?' God only know what it could do if the forces of darkness were to gain control of it? Fatale's magick has affected you more deeply than you admit if you spout cliches so easily," Malice laughs. He points the spear at the Gaunt Man's prison, and the sphere explodes. The embodiment of horror brushes himself off. It raises a staff with what looks like the head of a pterodactyl atop it-and a bridge made of screaming souls crashes down next to him. "I owe you nothing, Destroyer," the Gaunt Man intones. "The Maelstrom Bridge can use your soul as easily as a stormer's." "Heh. The forces of Light will consider you the greater threat. Do as you will, 'Torg.' The Tower is MINE!" And the Nephandi burst forth with a howl torn from the Abyss itself... Roland, Morgan, Byron, and Shard (and our sib, if he wants to remember Atlantis-9) all say, at the same time, in the same tone: "oh bloody hell..." =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 08:37:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Ragnarok and Roll On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 11:12:16 EDT Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005923 >On Sun, 20 Sep 1998 23:51:48 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005919 > >>On Sat, 19 Sep 1998 10:33:37 EDT >>Driscoll Said As CAoL Message # 00005907 >> >> Driss begins to circle Shard parrying his blows and testing his >> reflexes and skill. Shard wasn't kidding about being skilled, but >> being masterfully skilled and naturally adept where two different >> things. Driss had been beating his fencing master at age 8 and had >> been perfecting his skill ever since. Still, this was going to be a >> tough fight. > > Shard watches with grudging but growing respect. [This guy >would've done all right even in my age,] he thinks, examining his >style. > (OOC: Correct this if it's wrong, Driss) But from all indications, >the Harlequin didn't _have_ one. He had real skill, but relied on his >gift and what seemed like the ability to shift technique on a >second-by-second basis. (OOC: Well, Driss was formally schooled as a fencer in Quaren, but in the couple centuries he's been running around in other dimentions, he's noticed new tricks and discoverd some other things thatworked that he liked. So Shard might notice an underlying style but I dunno if he'd recognise it in particular and Driss has a tendency to deviate from it at random then go back.) > Then they have greater problems, as the holes apparently prove to >be an annoyance to Galactus. Both Driss and Shard being beneath him, >so to speak, he just gives his leg a bit of a shake, and both >warriors go flying. The holes simply vanish. > "YOW! Now I know how a flea feels!" Shard yelps, landing on his >feet, barely, a few inches off the ground. He looks down sheepishly >and touches down. (OOC: I'm assuming that Driss also lands on his >feet) Shard, noting his opponent's grace, salutes with a smile. >"Shall we continue?" "But of course!" remarks Driss launching a quick strike at Shard's toes. Shard Advances of Driss launching some attacks of his own that Driss parries and Driss keeps giving up ground, right up Galactus's other leg. Shard gives him a questioning look, then follows him up. They face off on the kneecap for a short while, but neither seems to be making any headway. "OK, Shard I have to give you credit. You fight as well as a two legged three year old." Ducking under an attempt at his head, Driss lashes out for Shard's knees. Shard leaps over it easily but it gives Driss a chance to flip backwards further up the leg. Driss broke into song as they fought up the leg. "It's the end of the world, as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. It's the end of the world as we know it. And I feel fine!" Just then Shard notices an opening and sends a vicous slice at Driss's face. Unable to get his sword in possition to parry, Driss does the only other thing he can and brings up his left hand to parry. Shard's sword smashes through the hand, leaving it hanging by a small flap of skin. "OK, I guess I _don't_ feel fine now!" "Ha! I drew first blood!" gloats Shard. "Oh yeah?" Driss snaps, lauching an attack at Shard's side while he's distracted inflicting a long cut. "there ya go, first blood part two." Shard doesn't verbally respond, but launches a new all out attack as both combatant's wounds heal themselves up. The battle gets fierce and furious as they back across Galactus's groin area. Shard goes for an overhead chop at Driss, who backsteps from it, then parries the blade a few inches from the ground. "I _REALLY_ wouldn't hit the ground right here if I were either of us. And I am." The fight continues back down the first leg again with neither combattant seeing any end in sight when... > After a few minutes, Shard looks up and away, fighting defensively >for a moment. Then he stops, takes a step back, and bows. > "Looks like we'll have to finish this another time," Shard says, >fading out quickly. Driss plops down on Galactus's kneecap. Looking way up at him he qwips, "I just need a quick breather then I'll be off." Then Driss gets up, sheathes his sword and puts on a bright yellow glove. Going to their original fighting ground, Driss began pikcing the holes off Galactus's leg and putting them back in their pouch when they turn back into marbles. =========================== Date: Mon, 21 Sep 1998 11:36:42 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Re: AAE IV: Day of the Destroyer On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 14:17:16 -0400 Caprice Said As CAoL Message # 00005924 >On Mon, 21 Sep 1998 00:56:51 >Morgan and/or Roland Said As CAoL Message # 00005922 > > The Gate opens. > There is a feeling of...completeness...as an entire reality begins >to fill with energy. Something FOUL resists, but it's a mosquito >fighting a hurricane. Slowly, the universe and its inhabitants are >filled with the essence and perception of reality. It takes minutes, >perhaps, not long, but a definite period of time passes. Legion just... sighs, watching wistfully. > "I owe you nothing, Destroyer," the Gaunt Man intones. "The >Maelstrom Bridge can use your soul as easily as a stormer's." > "Heh. The forces of Light will consider you the greater threat. Do >as you will, 'Torg.' The Tower is MINE!" And the Nephandi burst forth >with a howl torn from the Abyss itself... > Roland, Morgan, Byron, and Shard (and our sib, if he wants to >remember Atlantis-9) all say, at the same time, in the same tone: > "oh bloody hell..." Legion reaches out a hand and a fighting staff appears in it. "Z'On'Dar, I trust you will not object to my helping you in this fight?" Legion begins weaving her defensive spells about the tower even as she grabs ahold of local reality and anchors herself tightly. ===========================