The Phantom's next diabolical scheme involves the assassination of an important figure. Only your timely interference (and a well placed attack) can thwart his plan!
I find myself inside of a book storage depot. as i look around the many shelves filled old textbooks from the 60's, i notice something peculiar. this books, while being written in 1961, look brand new, not even two years old. as i look out a window i realize from the garb, and the plethora of ten gallon hats, i am in Texas in the 1960's. Not stopping to figure out how i got back in time, i notice the a crowd is gathering for a parade. i walk out into the crowd and notice a paper, it is Nov. 22, 1963. Realizing the importance of today, i spot something peculiar on a hill, a shadowy figure. i also know see that the parade is getting real close. with seconds to spare, i sprint up the grassy hill under some foliage to prevent line of sight. As i see the shooter hiding in some bushes, i see that his target is not JFK, but his wife, and i realize he went back to this time to kill off the entire family. As i get close i realize the dire situation and let go of my defenses to make sure that this connects and pull a right jab onto the shooter in the grassy knoll.
you will not make this day any worse than it already has to be, she will live to remember her husband.
DC24 toughness save.
My punch connects with the goon square in the jaw and knocks him out. as i turn around i see the president being shot, as history dictates it must be, but at least he was survived by someone who loved him.
Timeline ports to where the phantom has sent him on another cat and mouse game. He arrives at the the the presidential inauguration where the newest president is to be swore in a miss Rachel Gordon the first lady president timeline sees the phantom with a high tech sniper rifle he goes to take the shot.Timeline only has one chance so he takes this chance using his Blink range attack to try to make him disappear.
Timeline teleports phantom away to the nearest S.H.R.U. vehicle in the locked back of the vehicle his look of surprise is enough for timeline to smirk and then salute the madam president and then port off.
Wild Fire finds herself in a cramped basement hallway. It looks like its supposed to be the underbelly of a large building. Pipelines run all along the walls and ceiling. Guess I'm not flying anywhere anytime soon. She wrinkles her nose at the musty smell of the basement.
The Phantom stands at the end of the hallway, laughing maniacally. He steps away as another man steps into view. He's lithe, but strong and carrying a sword. He steps quickly down the hallway towards Wild Fire and lifts his sword. She summons hers right before he goes in for the attack.
Swords clash. The fight continue for a while with Wild Fire and the henchman moving around each other quickly with neither landing a blow. Wild Fire then sees her opening, parrying his sword away and out of his hands, and quickly jamming the pommel of her sword at the henchman's nose.
The henchman drops with a heavy thud; his nose is obviously broken and the man very much knocked out.
The bridge flickers. Baker blinks and opens his eyes, and ears... to a concert. The smell is the first thing to hit; at least one hundred thousand people crammed into a large open field with the stench of sweat, alcohol, narcotic smoke, vomit and a myriad of other smells all coalescing together into an organic soup of stench. It is overpowering.
The next thing to hit is the noise. Baker is surprised by just how much noise this many people make, even without music.
Thinking of which, shouldn't there be music?
Baker looks up, past the throngs of people towards the stage. Yes, those are massive speakers, and yes that does look like people running around setting up.
Which concert is this? Baker wonders,
And what am I doing here?
Baker pushes his way towards the stage, but without much luck; the people are too crammed together; too many bodies moving in too many directions attempting to do too many things all at once.
I'm getting nowhere! Baker yells at no one in particular.
Dude, I know, right?
Baker looks over at the barely clothed...man? sitting on the ground. The guy takes a long draw on a cigarette before offering it to Baker.
Dude, Hendrix will sound so much better playing the SSB if you take a hit on this. You've got to try it...
Ah! Baker realizes, This is woodstock! Man so much went wrong there how--- His thoughts are drowned out as the guitarist on stage keys up the Star Spangled Banner.
Baker is just getting into the rhythm of this soulful rendition when he catches sight of a familiar costume. The bass player for the next band to play is dressed in scarlet with a bare chest and a cloak that could drown the night.
It clicks.
The Phantom!
Baker tries again to shove past and through the throng, but to no avail.
I've got to get up there!
Frantically, Baker looks around, considering his options; the song nearing its end.
Baker looks to the stage and sees The Phantom is opening his guitar case, pulling out a sub machine gun. As The Phantom drops the case, Baker realizes his only course of action and lets loose a strand of unluck at the stage!
And in a dazzling array that would make a band of the modern era jealous, the speakers explode in a shower of electrical mayhem, striking out in arcs across the stage as Mr. Hendrix hits his final cord. One of the bolts catches The Phantom square in the chest and sends him flying backward, smoking.
The crowd cheers at the wonderful turn of events, these were way better effects than they had hoped for! Baker jumps up to see what is happening on stage, and sees that The Phantom wasn't a man, but rather a Phantom-bot the whole time...
Well at least I stopped that mess from happening...wonder if i'll get to enjoy the rest of the show?
It finally appears the Phantom has slipped up! He leaves a trail to his lair. Unfortunately for you, it lead you right into an ambush! You find yourself squaring off against a long time rival...and they know all your moves. Now, your only way out is to attempt a risky maneuver utilizing one of your powers to counter the rival's ability.
For Baker, who is taking the "physically gifted but non-powered" test, this is actually a trip, grab, or escape combat maneuver check instead. Assume the attack roll is a success but you must succeed on the "opposed" check to beat this.
as your last scene was you fighting a rival, you have already succeeded! I would like you to write this challenge as you stopping an assasination with a counter check instead.
Timeline finds himself at phantoms lair but phantom is not who meets him there, instead its non other than his right hand man Bomb Shell. Now Bombshell had the unique ability to uses nuclear energy to blast at his opponents also he could explode himself like a nuke in a large radius destroying all around him. Who knew the phantom would have his lair at the local scrapyard on the outskirts of the rural area of the city in genius really who would look for garbage in garbage.
so we meet again Bomb Shell how would you like another beat down.
Bombshell- Its you who will be beat down if you can survive my wrath
Bombshell's eyes glow green with radiation and then his skin as well. Timeline knows he cant escape the blast in in one port. He looks to his right and notices something that could shield him from the blast points his finger and ports it around him.
He ports an old refrigerator around him and shuts the door riding out the blast.
After the blast Timeline kicks open the door and sees Bombshell was hunched over drained and venerable Timeline takes him in with ease.
As i find myself in a sewer system, i see that i am surrounded by henchmen, and across the crossroads in the sewers, i see a man made from metal.
as we start to tussle, it quickly becomes appear ant that our powers are very similar, our blows just bounce off of each other.
as we start to feel the strain of battle, i realize that this will get no where.
I prepare a final attack
Wild Fire find herself standing outside of a crowd. Everyone is screaming with cheer and paper confetti is falling from the air. Behind her, the mayor is coming to the podium on stage to give a speech for the city's anniversary. His voice comes loud and clear over the loud speakers as Wild Fire is momentarily deafened.
She looks around at the swarming mass of people and back at the stage where so many dignitaries are gathered on the bleachers behind the stage. Out of the corner of her eye, she thinks she sees someone run back stage. Wild Fire walks back there and sees the Phantom standing that the base of stage with a remote in hand.
He presses a button on the remote and vanishes into thin air. Wild Fire rushes forward from where he was standing and realizes that there is an almost imperceptible beeping coming from under the stage. With her heart pounding in her ears, she runs under the bleachers and rips off the decorative curtain hiding the stage supports.
As soon as that happens, there is a very loud release of pressure and a gas starts pouring out from underneath the stage. Wild Fire gets out of the way and runs for the side of the stage where a lot of the gas is pouring out from beneath the stage and into the crowd and the bleachers.
EVERYONE GET DOWN!
Wild Fire takes a deep breath and dragon fires the gas coming from the stage. With a great boom and a cloud of fire, any traces of the gas is eliminated.
Baker blinks again, and finds himself sitting in the passenger seat of some vehicle with the door open and the driver yelling at him.
You've got one shot! We can't get a bead on him, he's got some sort of disruption shield around him that won't let us shoot him so it's up to you! Take him down, Fate!
Baker quickly takes stock of his situation.
Passenger door open or removed, traveling at...
He glances at the speedometer,
...180 miles per hour. High speed chase pursuing a figure on a jet bike wearing black and scarlet that seems to be fading in and out of reality.
Gotta be The Phantom. No weapons and no way to reach him other than physical contact and a whole lotta luck? This is gonna hurt...
His driver looks over again.
I'm gonna punch it, you ready for this? You've only got one shot.
Baker nods.
Do it.
The car shoots forward as the driver presses a button on the wheel. The G-forces of the sudden change pressing Baker into his seat.
I so hope I can't really get hurt in these simulations...
Time seems to slow as the car nears, and then pulls parallel to the bike. Baker waits until The Phantom has phased back into reality again before leaping from the open door.
Baker collides with The Phantom just as the looks over and registers that something is happening. His momentum sends both of them tumbling through traffic as Baker desperately tries to maintain a hold.
=> 10 + 8 = 18
=> 18 + 8 = 26
And it certainly is a struggle.
for the final strike, i put all of my power into my punch and meet his attack head on. Our fists collide and we struggle to force the other back.
you will not win, i have the experience, and even metal will crumble back to earth.
Concluding your conflict with your rival and nemisis, you follow the trail of the Phantom back to his lair. Once inside, you avoid many of the hazards he has prepared only to be ensnared by a trap that exploits one of your weaknesses!
He divulges his diabolical plan in a traditional villainous monologue before attending to his evil schemes elsewhere. Now is your chance! The only way out is to risk your very life escaping the deathtrap! Make a Saving Throw check. The trap effect is considered Penetrating forcing Impervious heroes to roll the save as if they did not have the Impervious modifier.
I find myself into a large semicircular room with glass walls. as i look outside the glass it looks pitch black, but as i continue to stare at the inky blackness i realize that it shifts and moves and it dons on me, that the dome is surrounded with crude oil. as i look at the supports and see the sandstone facades, i am reminded of my current homeland in southwestern Asia.
i then notice the metal bars holding me in place on a metal table. as i wonder how i got here a voice speaks up from beyond my peripheral vision. As the voice continues it moves closer and closer to my field of vision revealing the Phantom, and i realize that i have been captures.
As i look at Phantom, with his ever-changing physique, shifting in and out of tangibility, he goes on and on about how he thwarted the best that the Israeli's could send. He mocks that now with my destruction Israel will be open to attacks from its neighbors, Syria and Lebanon, even those who have had peace will try to attack again, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, perhaps he can even convince Jordan to rise up and restore Palestine, and from that phantom will rise to become the new Sultan of the re-woken Ottoman Empire. He will unite the area of South western Asia into a powerhouse that will threaten the American and Chinese Superpower.
As he goes on the floor beneath the table i am strapped to opens revealing a large vat of yellow liquid. As the acrid fumes reach my nose i realize it is a strong acid, mad from sulfuric, nitric and hydroiodic Acids. as the table leans forward i see my death in front of me, and i don't know if even the relic inside me can survive that chemical bath. i quickly flex my arms and legs using all of my strength to burst from the restraints.
As i look down into the pit i quickly use my military training to use my arm as a pivot to swing on top of the falling table.
i easily maneuver on top of the table and jump out over the pit, just grabbing onto the ledge. i pull myself up and run across the room. using my multi-attack and power attacking fists i successful shatter the glass keeping the oil out of the base, as the oil floods in i successfully hold onto the frames of the glass dome and once the oil stops flowing as strong i swim out into the oil pool and following the building i eventually find the shaft up and i use it to get to the surface, breaking into the tunnel when i reach the rock ceiling and climb my way to freedom.
Timeline finds a secret entrance into the lair under the trash heap of a scrapyard blown open by the blast Bombshell had released. He ports through the traps with ease until one was left he teleported to the other side of the pit of spikes and appears on the opposite side. Timelines face grows concerned as he realizes he just landed on a preasure plate the trap goes off. Arrows fly from the wall, Timeline trys to dodge but is caught of gaurd.
Timeline makes it through unscathed as he sees the Phantom at the end of the hall in a roof that opens up from the hall. There are giant pylons with lightning flowing through it,large computer monitors and large consoles fill the center of the room this is where he pulls off and plans all his crimes.The phantom turns Timeline readies himself for the final battle.
Wild Fire wakes up to find that her feet and hands are bound and that she's laying on her back. She suddenly remembers walking through Phantom's lair and being ambushed by his cronies. Blood is caked on her face from the stray punch that knocked her out. Wild Fire tests her binds as she sneers from the iron taste in her mouth. Fire starts flying everywhere and Wild Fire turns her armor on. Unfortunately, the binds still hold. Looking up, she sees a pendulum with a blade on the end.
You've got to be kidding me. How much Poe does this guy read at night?! I doubt the armor will help against that, but lets keep it on just in case...
The Phantom walks in with his signature laugh and starts monologuing.
I hope you know how cliche you're being!
The Phantom finally strides forward in all his delusions of grandeur and presses a button. ...and now you will die!
With a hefty click, the pendulum releases and starts plummeting down.
Wild Fire pulls on the binds just right and uses the right amount of fire to propel herself off the table and land out of the way of the pendulum.
Baker blinks. He was holding the phantom, just barely, against the rough pavement as cars streak by. Now he's running, chasing a retreating figure that keeps melting into the shadows of some abandoned warehouses.
Wait, when did I get here? Baker tries remembering, but can only seem to recall that he is chasing The Phantom who has, once again, narrowly escaped.
PHANTOM! Baker bellows at the retreating figure.
You know there is nowhere to run, you're running out of warehouse!
Baker rounds a set of stacked crates and sees The Phantom doubled over down a hallway.
Heh, looks like he's out of breath, now's my chance! I can jump him!
Baker sprints down the hallway, ready to spring on The Phantom and end it for sure this time
You're minAAAAAAAAUGH!!!
Baker crumples to his knees as a particle field materializes around him.
The Phantom stands up straight and grins.
I was hoping you would try and come for me, and now I have a question for you, Mr. Fate. Who is hiding in your head?
The Phantom walks over and lazily passes his hand through the streams of particles. Baker tries to reach for him, but every millimeter he moves sends shooting pain through his body.
You know, these quantum flux particles are normally harmless, normal people...He glances at Baker. ...aren't affected by them. You see, unlike you we live in just one universe; this one. He waves his hand around the room.
Now the difference between you and a normal person... he steps forward to look Baker in the eye. Baker barely maintains eye contact with the darkened sockets that writhe and twist in upon themselves. ...is that you somehow live between this universe and another. You have no powers, you are not special, you mean nothing in the grand scheme of the cosmos except that you are a lucky accident. A mistake. YOU SHOULD NOT EXIST!
The Phantom's eyes flare with black fire. For a moment he seems lost in his rage, but it quickly subsides.
But alas, what is, is what is. He paces for a moment, apparently lost in thought.
Mr. Fate I think I am becoming sympathetic to your plight. I am sorry to have become angry with you, it was not your choice to be what you are and so I think I shall offer you a chance; a chance to live the life you were robbed of. A normal life. Yes, that's it, and then I see no reason why you shouldn't thank me for rescuing you from this cruelest of fate. Ah HA! See? I'm even making light of it! That settles it. Let us save you, Mr. Fate!
With a spring in his step, The Phantom strolls over to a control panel mounted to the wall.
Allow me to explain what will happen here. I will increase the strength of my quantum flux generator. I'm certain that with enough power we can separate the many you's that seemed to be all tied together and connected at the focal point to a set multiverse all your own. Now, this is an assumption, Mr. Fate, as I have not had enough time to study you or who all is residing inside you, but as a man of science I must press on to attempt to cure you in the name of humanity!
With that, The Phantom cranks up the power dial on the machine to its maximum potential. Baker is wracked with pain as the two entities inside him begin to be ripped from one another. Baker tries desperately to hold onto consciousness as his soul is seemingly ripped from him.
The machine sparks and crackles ferociously. A shadowy figure materializes out of Baker and dwarfs the vassal, the man and the machine. With a reality bending crack the figure tears the panels from the walls and sunders the power cables. Baker catches sight of the Phantom swirling into darkness as the world collapses around him.
An unknown time later, Baker wakes up in the wreckage of the hallway. He is unscathed and in one piece, though the memory of a pounding headache troubles him.
[b]God, this simulation sucks. This is way harder than I expected it to be. And what the heck was all that that just happened?![b] He shouts at no one in particular.
And for the dramatic conclusion of your Guardians of Earth exam...
...you fight Teletubbies!
No, wait...that was Plan D.
*shuffles some notes around*
Ah yes, GoE Exam Plan A! The Phantom has already set his machinations in motion to wreak havoc across the globe and is thwarted only by your sudden appearance! He has however one final Ace up his sleeve...he has the one person you care the most about stuck inside a deathtrap!
There isn't time to save both! You must choose. Save hundreds of thousands of innocents or save the one you love/like/don't hate as much as everyone else.
For those of you that are not sure who this loved one may be, the simulator does read your mind and will pluck the appropriate image from your subconscious.
I find myself inside of a flying fortress. As i look around i see the control panels and the phantom working on them frantically aiming the stolen dirty nuclear weapons at my original home of Madrid. as i look at the other screens i see Maximum City, London, New Amsterdam- wait it is now New York, and Israel, along with many other cities that i can't see.
As i head out of the elevator, I look at the phantom and he turn around to meet me. Nixon really, don't you have some babies to taunt, oh wait it is you my form changing friend, what ran out of holiday characters that once really existed.
Well i wanted to do either saint peter or saint valentine, but no one really knows what the first looked like and there were three saint valentines so i couldn't choose which.
well, Mr. President, i have a surprise for you, while you were saving JFK's wife, i went back quite a few centuries and found someone quite important, i believe you will recognize him.
Phantom pushes a button and a blast door is opened. In side strapped by his arms is Rabbi Judah Bezalel. As i watch my creator hanging there, the floor opens up beneath him revealing a thousand foot drop.
As i look around i see that the phantom has recovered a different ancient artifact, an old spear.
As i look at it, i realize i need to process the teachings of King David and his son wise king Solomon.
I run over to the Spear realizing it is the Spear of Longinus, the holy weapon that pierced the Rabbi Jesus in his Crucifixion. i make a run and punch through the protective casing and quickly grab the holy blade.
what to you mean to do with that relic, legend says it makes the wielder immortal, but what will immortality do to save those cities or your creator.
I move myself with the spear to some panels watching Phantom as i do.
I am sorry father, while i would save you if i could, the lives of these millions of people come first, a soldier must do what is good for all of his people, I am sorry, Father.
Looking at the containment area for Rabbi Bezalel, i see that it is heavily reinforced, shielded, and gyro-metrically stabilized, clearly built to withstand my attacks, but this also means it should survive what comes next.
I look at Phantom and shake my head, you shouldn't have tried to harm so many others, your fate is settled. i will bring you into the next world where you will be judged by Yahweh, with his wisdom easily surpassing that of Solomon's.
I take the Spear of Longinus and point its end at Phantom while saying this. once done, i turn the head towards me and thrust the spear head into my body. the holy blood of God mixes with the stone memory of Yahweh's wrath and reacts viciously creating a massive explosion of holy, divine fire engulfing the entire room. Phantom, whether solid or not, could not avoid the holy aura and was consumed. the blast destroyed the targeting mechanisms for the ship as well as the stabilizer controls. the ship begins to fall.
I look at the spear half inserted into me and look up at my father. as i look over my shoulder, i see a panel un-destroyed by the explosion coming from my chest, it reads release escape panel J, and i realize that the chamber protecting my father from me, is a modified escape pod. I press the button to release the pod and say a final few words to he who granted me life.
Father, or anyone else, please recover the stone and place it in a lake bed, i will be rejoined with you soon.
As the escape pod plummets down to earth from the ship, i finish inserting the spear into my self, piercing all the way through my clay body, exposing everything to the backlash of divine furry the pours through my quickly being destroyed body.
goodbye for now, i wonder what my new form will be like, and how soon i will be allowed to walk this grand Creation again.
The simulation ends, total check for this scene: 33+10=43, a rousing success.
Timeline Walks through the tunnel and sees the Phantom on the far end in the opening of the room.
Ive got you now Phantom you have nowhere to run now!!
The Pahntom turns laughing maniacally.
Phantom- Muwahahaha I think Not My old rival Why dont you have a look up.
Timeline looks up in horror to find that the tunnel wasnt a tunnel at all but a large structure that of a giant lazer or deathray of somsort,and strung up above it hung a woman over the machines open power source that was swirling hot energy that could incinerate the young woman let alone if channeled through this machine destroy the city. But who was this woman timeline glanced a little closer.
Nooo!!! you monster Not Cleo, Im coming my love!
As Timeline goes to move hes interupted.
Phantom-Now Now TL i dont think we want that going off now do we?Now Someone is going to die today and you get to pick from two options..oh how fun this is. Now option one you Save the city and you sweet Cleo dies a horrible death. Or option Two you save the girl and the city burns. Now you have the count to three to decide...One...oh hell Three.
Timeline thinks fast in his Three seconds I cant let her go again, but I cant let the city be destroyed what do i doo...
A spark of hope hits Timelines eye
I chose to save both, Sorry my love
Phantom that wansta choice He hits the button on the lazer control as the lazer fire up a loud energy like whine filled the room.
Timeline looks up and summons a tank around Cleo
which will protect her from what comes next. The tank falls from the force of gravity down into the power source it explodes as the tank is sent hurtling down through the supports and gets shoved asside out of the wrekage of the giant machine that falls down upon Timelines head who had no time to move he tries but is crushed under the pile saving Cleo and the city in lou of his own life. Cleo runs from the tank safley over to Timeline who was half sticking out from the pile and hlods Timeline who is clinging to the last breathe he has to make sure he saved her She kisses him and they say there final i love yous as the light fades from timelines eyes.
The simulator jolts Timeline at the highest setting as the simulation doesn't know how to register what happend His eyes open as he gasps for air It felt so real and The pain is unimaginable what happened.
I completely agree. This simulation does, as you so eloquently put it "suck."
Baker turns around in surprise; he must have blinked and not realized it because his surroundings had changed. Sure he was still in the same spot, but it was later in the day and the sun had visibly started to set.
You! Baker glares at The Phantom, finally getting a chance to see him up close and in person.
He cast an imposing figure, pressed and creased black pants; spotless. Long-sleeved, pressed dress shirt; tightly buttoned and fashioned with silver buttons hinting at starlight in the void. A black vest hiding a silver chain that probably supported a pocket watch in the pocket. A cloak, darker than the void and visibly warping the air around it, causing the air to seethe with shadow and almost radiate malice. And a face, lost in shadow except for the hint of a smirk and glowing red eyes.
The Phantom adjusts his tie minutely with hands wreathed in the same shadow as his face.
Before you do anything rash, I should like to tell you a short tale. I completely understand if you do not wish me to finish; you fiddly types are all so quick to jump head-first into things you simply do not understand. You most of all, Mr. Fate. I offered you the chance at normalcy, and you scoffed at that. I offered you an escape from the burden of carrying on a double life, or should I say carrying on two lives? Hmmm? You seem to not understand that I have simply done all that I have to create that which was best for this city, this world even! And yet you seek to oppose me at every turn!
He pauses to regard Baker.
How very brash of you, Mr. Fate. Who are you to say which of us knows best for the world? You think with all your flashy stunts and brazen antics that you are making the best choices?! Have you even considered that maybe I am simply taking the direct approach to that which everyone tries to attain so clandestinely?!
The Phantom flares, his shadowy silhouette writhing in anger.
You do not realize the sacrifices others make in the pursuit of bettering this world! With great power comes great sacrifice, and I have paid that price! Oh, I have paid it one thousand fold! Ten thousand fold! I, a former slave to entropy, payed it daily but no longer! I have sacrificed all to overcome the shackles of disorder! Those cruel hands of fate dragging the universe ever closer to darkness, and now I am eternal! But oh have I paid the price.
The Phantom calms and regains his composure. His flaring shadow quiets and retreats back to its shifting form. Reaching out, The Phantom straightens his cuffs, adjusts his tie, and continues.
I have made one final choice. I have given my essence to the world so that everyone will no longer be constrained by this mortal coil. Humanity will live on into ages uncounted, and all due to my death. For you see, I have created a device that will cause entropy to cease. Just as I accidentally did many ages ago with my own form. Alas, the device will not work on its own but requires a two-fold power source.
The Phantom pulls an ornate orb from his pocket. It is barely the size of a softball. As Baker watches, looking for a moment to strike, the surface of the orb dances with pale red lightning, seeming to etch out words, ideas, thoughts, memories and feelings onto the shifting surface before being replaced by some new and even more intricate symbols.
This device is my greatest and final creation; I call it the Fina Temporum, the End of Time. With this, I will be the beginning of the end and the end of the beginning.
He smiles at Baker and snaps his fingers. The shadows on the coalesce underfoot and rise from the ground forming a shadowy figure that slowly takes form. It's a girl, bound hand and foot in inky darkness, lying on the ground. As the shadows depart Baker realizes who it is. It's Marissa! Unconscious at his feet Baker drops to his knees to make sure she is alright.
So help me, I will end you if you have so much as harmed---
The Phantom cuts him off,
Spare me the rabble. She has been unharmed and is simply a pawn in my great plan. I invite you to check her pulse, search her for injury; you will find she is quite unharmed except to be unconscious. However, this brings up your choice, Mr. Fate.
The Phantom allows the orb to dance across his hands, he appears to be a practiced juggler and showman. Snatching the orb from its mesmerizing pattern, The Phantom continues;
As I told you, my great plan is not without sacrifice. In order to save humanity from the fate the universe has in store requires great energy; the energy of the void and the energy of creation. I have found that both must work together in unison to allow for the greatest magics to take place. I am quite unmistakably a being of void; the shadow is my likeness. I do require a being of creation, however, and that is where your pretty friend comes in. To allow humanity to be a part of this great future, she must be sacrificed to the machinations of my device.
The Phantom twists the two halves and the images flare to vibrant life before starting to wink out.
I assure it is completely harmless. All that will happen is---
Baker cuts The Phantom off and springs into a tackle.
I've heard enough, Phantom! I don't believe any of this craziness and I won't have you hurting Marissa or destroying the world like a madman!
As Baker whirls on the Phantom, his foot catches on Marissa and he sprawls out flat, anti-luck rippling out of him towards the shadow-clad individual.
The Phantom laughs.
What a fool you are, you can't even attempt to stop me properly! You--- The Phantom is cut off as a large chunk of space rock plummets out of the sky and strikes the phantom square in the face, smashing him backwards and skidding him along the pavement. The orb flies out of his hands and Baker just manages to catch it as it sails earthward. Looking up, Baker remembers that something similar happened the last time he took the test; just as he was about to confront The Phantom, a very similar looking piece of space rock crashed in and knocked The Phantom out cold.
I can't believe my luck! Baker laughs out loud. This'll be the second time I---[/b] Baker stops as his attention is drawn to the sphere where the glyphs are beginning to wink out more quickly. He looks over at Marissa and realizes that as each glyph burns out on the orb, it is written on her; arms, legs, face, hands. Marissa is slowly being overwritten by an unknown script. He realizes that The Phantom too is becoming overtaken by this unknown script.
That cannot be good... Baker tries feverishly to stop the device, twisting it, rotating it, tracing patterns on the surface; but to no avail. As the red star points wink out one after another Baker realizes there is only one solution. Destroy it.
Baker takes one last look at his unconscious friend.
Marissa, I hope this works... for your sake.
Baker palms the orb and grips it baseball style.
It's a good thing I always had a good throwing arm.
With a running start, Baker launches himself at the nearest concrete wall. At the last instant he pitches the orb at the surface no more than five feet in front of him. As the orb hits it lets off a sound as though a bell were struck. The cord holds in the air for what seems like an eternity. Time slows to a crawl, and then stops. Baker frozen mid-throw, Marissa caught at the instant she takes a breath, The Phantom pausing just as he begins to open his eyes. The world is at a standstill.
A crack appears.
The cord changes and becomes dissonant.
The red glyphs written on Marissa and The Phantom disappear.
The crack glows a molten, angry red, as it seems the intense fury of the very universe shines forth from the split.
Time starts again, and the orb explodes. Rune-lined shrapnel showers Baker and imbeds itself into him in a thousand tiny points of light. The pieces burning into him and reacting to his connection with fate. A swirling eddy of probability forms around Baker, tearing the shadow from The Phantom, ripping the dark binds from Marissa, scouring the world of the vestiges of chaos. Risen Fate is consumed, and the world spins on.
The world goes black.
Wild Fire finds herself on what appears to be a space ship. She walks on to a bridge and finds the phantom working on a diabolical looking control panel. Out of the window looks to be a cannon connected to the front of the station and it's pointed straight at Earth.
I wondered when you'd get here. The Phantom purred sickeningly.
Off to the side, she notices a body laying on a table...it looks familiar. Long dark brown hair of a young woman falls off the table, but the face is turned away. Wild Fire steps forward and notices that the hair and now the recognizable face is none other than her little sister Nora.
You fiend! What have you done to her! Wild Fire starts running forward and aims to throw a fire ball at him in anger.
I wouldn't do that if I were you. Wouldn't want to ruin the station that is the only thing keeping your sister safe from the void of space. He steps back a bit and looks her with dead eyes. Just let me hit the reset button on this God Forsaken world. Those humans have raped it of its resources long enough, made war long enough, and fouled the universe long enough with their hate.
He turns back to the control panel and starts prepping the cannon to fire. Wild Fire runs forward just as he finishes with a Too late. The cannon starts to power up and a count down starts for 2 minutes. Thinking fast, Wild Fire pulls out her sword and runs the phantom through as he runs past for the only escape pod.
Don't ever touch my family again. She says with feral sneer. Wild Fire lets him fall off her sword to the floor. She walks away from the smell of burning flesh to the table Nora is on. She immediately pulls Nora into the escape pod, closes it, and launches her back the Earth.
Hearing the count down get it 30 seconds, Wild Fire runs back to the main room and starts throwing as much fire to every control panel she can.
The fire starts eating away and getting into everything. Eventually Wild Fire hears cracks and realizes the fire finally got to the vital parts of the station.
In the final seconds of the count down, the station breaks apart in a silent and dark explosion, the fire gone for good.
_____
Elli wakes up from the simulation with the feeling of metal in every bit of her body and still feeling like she's in a million pieces. Tears are in her eyes and she's hyperventilating from the pain.
Each of you is in a world of pain.
Timeline is buried under several hundred tons of rubble, Cleopatra crying over his still form.
Joe hears the desperate cries of Rabbi Bezalel as his immortal wound weeps muddy earth.
Risen Fate drifts in a world of no sound and no light, seperated from the comforting fabrics of space and time. Your last glimpse of Marissa burned into your memory as the last image you will ever see.
Wild Fire's lungs burn for air and her blood begins to boil as she is exposed to the emptiness of the vacuum of space.
Somewhere in the back of your semi-conscious minds you hear warning klaxons sound. Seconds stretch into eternities until finally...the pain ceases. Each of you wakes to several technicians carrying you through the hangar filled with simulators into a comfortable side room with no windows. Joe recovers almost instantly aware that he has in fact suffered no wound or injury of any kind. The rest of you recover more slowly (not being immune to fortitude effects) but within a couple minutes are feeling like your old selves again.
The head technician, a balding man in sepctacles and a lab coat that says [CARL] shouts at all of you. What the hell were you thinking! Don't you know the safeties are set to minimum beyond level 9?! never in my life have I seen such reckless behavi-
Sir, the results you asked for? Another technician hands Carl a clipboard. He checks the sheet rapidly...then does so again...and a third time much slower. These scores...I've never seen any this high before...
Carl looks up, Don't any of you four move a muscle. The boss is going to want to talk to you. As he walks out of the door a piece of paper falls off his clipboard. The summarized results are listed in the margins. Each of you scored in the top 1% of test subjects that have taken the level 10 exam.
Exam results:
Joe: 170%
Risen Fate: 150%
Timeline: 150%
Wild Fire: 120%
Well I think we just blew their minds team, Good work everyone this just proves were meant to be heroes.
Timeline looks over the scores.
Well look at this we did superb im sure they are pleased.
Well im sure they will want us to join, but I just hope I can convince them to stick with the team.
Hmm, the general should be impressed. maybe i shouldn't have overdone it at the end, i didn't need to further impale myself with the Holy Lance, i could have just taken it out and jumped out of the whole left by the escape pod, we weren't high enough for me to feel that fall. oh well. I bested the team in this test.
So Risen, did you do as well as your last time attempting the test? we all seemed to do well. Oh right, its me i point at the communicator in my ear. had to save the world by stealing candy from some babies, and President Nixon just seemed like the best choice to ruin their days in
Timeline, you did just as well as Risen, good job.
Wildfire, i don't think we've been introduced, i don't really have a super hero name that i go by here in the states, but you can call me Mr. President, and remember I am not a crook aroooooooo
Interesting, I thought my previous score of 120 was a fluke of the system... apparently not.
Baker sits back, musing to himself.
...wonder what that means...
Thanks I tried to do as good as possible but im sure they didn't expect us to do that good oh well maybe they should of made their "game" a little tougher. You did well also Mr.President, are you sleepy after all that. Did anyone else find that last one a bit real though it was erie?Or was it just me?
Now that you mention it, i am a bit tired. where is Agnew, i need my Presidential Pajamas and nightly tonic of Orphan tears. And why yes, that final simulation was very real, but we all seemed to do well in it judging from our scores.
Looks like you might need a shiny new robot body after that last go of it if you ask me.But yes we did do quite well but it felt like i really died for a moment there.
A new body you say, yes with that i could run for re-election. Now i just need to get the people to vote for me, maybe if the robot body is big and powerful.
Will you sneak into peoples houses and wreck up the place?Will you sell our children's organs to zoos for meat?
It's time for Dicky to get tricky. And what else can feed those helpless zoo animals? the homeless, do you know how many parasites are in them.
So my friend you must watch the critically acclaimed hit of the century Futurama. Its my favorite Aroooouu and you can bite my shiny metal ass.
I'll have to check it out, it must be good to watch for old Dicky
Well look at us. Breaking the system haha. How awesome.
No I guess we haven't met, nice to meet you.
Risen, I didn't realize this was your second attempt at the exam.
Yea, I took it a while ago on a whim and managed to break the system or something of the sort. Got through the end without any trouble at all and got myself a shiny 120 for it. They called it a fluke though; wonder what that says about our current scores...
Baker grins,
Guess we'll just have to find out! And nice work to you Mr. President, 170 is very high indeed!
The first thing you can do is explain who are you?
A lean, imposing man steps into the room dressed in skin tight blue and white military style uniform. A pair of straight swords hang from his back.
I mean you're good but are you good good?
Before you can reply, the man is now behind Joe holding a camera in front of them while leaning over his shoulder. Say cheeeeeese!
*SNAP*
Ha! and Big Blue didn't believe me when I said Nixon was taking our test today.
He leans waaaaaayyy into Joe's personal space before whispering, You are Nixon right? His hand seems to be posied to pull out one of his blades.
Listen Guy we want to talk to someone a little more how do I put this composed. Not Silvers personal delivery boy.
Well we beat your test, didn't we?
I make a face at him grabbing for his blades.
You know you're carrying those wrong. Drawing swords from your back is inefficient and you could hurt yourself.
His powers are something of a mystery outside the higher echelons of the GoE but he is known for rather incredible speed, agility, and the ability to AWESOME!!!!
Hey what's with the spoilers! And who's Baker?! Tempest begins to look around the room trying to determine who this mysterious "Baker" is.
He then begins doodling in the air with a blue sharpie marker.
He catches Wild Fire before she can touch his weapons.
HEY! Hands off my katanas. They are made of piranhas. He makes small bitey mouths out of his hands. Rawr! Chomp! Chomp!
**Delete administrator access for user: KATANAS_N_PIRANHAS**
That is the last time you are to interfere with my spoilers, understand?
And they are NOT katanas, nor are they made of piranhas. They are your straight-edged Vorpal swords remember?
Tempest is now dressed with a brown parcel service uniform on over his uniform.
Package delivery for you!! He hands Timeline a small gift-wrapped package that seems to be ticking.
What the crap is going on...?!
I wasn't going to touch them!
Timeline teleports this ticking package inside tempests room in the spire.
Well I re-gifted that package for you its in your room.
This guy is ridiculous why couldn't they send John Johnson.It would be nice to meet another great mind.
Why don't you get a more intelligent member of the Guardians please?
You were too going to touch...oh never mine that was the blooper reel.
He stares into the far corner of the room and looks the DM directly in the eye. But katanas are cooooool. Please let me have them please oh please? It's only a teensy weensy increase to the critical threat range! And I built my character around a critical strike build.
Glancing back at Timeline's teleportation, Hey I am suuuper-intelligent. And that's ok i switched rooms with Big Blue about 2 seconds ago.
A muffled explosion can be heard further up the Spire.
Was not! ...Who are you talking to?
Well If this is all the great GoE has to offer i think ill take my leave im not going to listen to this intelligent draining conversation any longer this is exactly what I thought one could expect from the great Guardians, What a joke no wonder we beat the pants of your test.