"I received this from the Master of the Temple of Harmonious Balance this morning. It was apparently sent by this Adrian Eldritch to the master requesting that I meet with him."
Eoten casts his gaze downward toward Gracie with a peg toothed smile;
As Hypnotist bids the Formorians leave, the lumbering giant places a huge foot on one of the downed brutes;
His eyes glitter from the heavy brow, and his smile shifts to something more predatory...
Gracie blinked, taking everything in. Adrian Eldrich was famous, but her grasp of him were as stories, not unlike the myths she enjoyed reading--but then, looking at the others gathered, obviously there were truths to those as well. He was real, of course he was, of course he had been on the news and everything... and now he was dead. She wasn't going to argue with the young woman, nor anyone who floated around with glowy eyes who called themselves the Master Mage of Earth. She figured that was not a claim anyone made lightly.
"This isn't public knowledge yet... and you said the Freedom League was away, right? That's why you magicked us all here. And obviously whatever's started, ain't over." She set her jaw. "So what can we do to help?"
"Could Eldritch somehow have known what was coming, bringing a warrior from Shamba-la here to Freedom City just as he disappears. It can't be a coincidence. And the rest of you, some of you have been here for while, but most have moved here in the last few years or even months, or, unless I miss my guess, weeks..." she says as she takes in Gracie.
"Grace, I apologize. All of this is so new to you. Thank you for your willingness to aid me. Bres could not have come here on his own. We should figure out who aided him and deal with that threat."
"Burdens carried alone are like a pushing a large stone through deep water; burdens shared are not burdens at all."
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
With discussion turning to affairs more inter-dimystical, and hearing no objections Eoten reaches down and grabs one of the downed Formorians.
Boat-like foot still planted to the creature's chest, he methodically rips free one of the felled brutes arms in a sickening crunch and wet tearing.
The ancient giant chuckles as he sizes up the lump of flesh...
... then bites deep into the Formorian limb.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
"But when I do it, it's a 'horrifying sin against nature'?" Gylfir mumbles.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Grace nods at Seven, relaxing a little at her calming words, and then also at Silver Tiger's poetic observation. "It is hard, and more than weird, but I knew things were going to get like th--"
Then Eoten announces and starts eating a giant. "What the &@#*!!!!!"
And then,
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Silver Tiger tries to look away, but somehow just the sounds were worse than both the sight and sound.
Even with the yellow energy that flows from Seven's eyes, you can see her surprise and horror at Eoten's cannibalism. "Dr. please control your alter ego. EOTEN, WE DO NOT CONSUME THE FLESH OF FOES IN THIS HALL!"
Max's emotions were grossly dissatisfied with Serena's terse answers providing very little information about Uncle Adrian. Either she does not know or has not processed what has happened. After two attempts at questions, Max finally realized that he was not going to get any further information from Serena here and now.
So, the logical side of Max's mind finally escapes from the proverbial trunk and changes places with the emotional joy-rider. His breathing becomes deeper and more even, as he surveys the scene and digests the recent information: Seven thinks that, 'Bres should not have been able to come to Earth. He was trapped beyond Avalon by Elven magic.' So, he wonders who are the usual suspects who could have helped Bres.
He cocks his head when the friendly giant starts eating a Formorian, like he is watching a horror movie: revulsion, and he cannot believe it's real. Then, Seven reacts forcefully.
"Seven, where does the Freedom League or the Master Mage incarcerate their defeated opponents? It may take some time to develop a ritual to return them to their home dimension." Sinclair asks Seven.
At Seven's command, the brute snarls and whirls to face her.
From his heavy brow Eoten's beady eyes focus hatefully upon the slight mage, then meets her glowing glare.. and drops the bitten limb.
Cowed, he stiffly moves to one knee;
The giant wipes his broad maw of ichor, then looks to the rest of you;
gese = of course
ides = woman (noble or magical), a queen
mín = my
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
... then bites deep into the Formorian limb.
"Ah geez! Eoty, baby, are you really dat 'ungry? Look, but the kebob down, I know this nice all-you-can-eat chinese place down by Washington an' Washington. Best bougasta you ever tasted. And, ah, less mess to clean up amirite?"
That important invitation done with, he turns for the first time address their hostess directly. "Ay, missy Seven, Hecatoncheires, nice t' meet ya.
Do you have any clues about who helped tall, red, and obnoxious get loose here?
If not, do yous mind if I take a look around? Maybe one of his mooks, the, uh, un-eaten ones, have a clue or a calling card on them we can use to backtrack how he got outa jail free.
Try not t' call in the cleaning crew for a few, a'ight?"
His first step is to take out his phone. He knows a few people who might know a few people.
After a few rings he gets an answer.
"Ay! 'Ow you doin'? The old man up from his nap? Ay, tell him I got a case of some crimson pretty-boy got out-a his cage and came knocking on the Big Door. I gotta know if anyone had the key to his candy store."
That done, Briareus bends to and starts searching the bodies for some sign of the path they took for how they got from where they were
Seven turns to Cynthia, the synthetic receptionist, "Cynthia, please contact AEGIS and tell them that we need a recovery team."
Turning back to you, she says, "AEGIS will take care of the giants. But if this is the tip of an extradimensional invasion, who is holding the spear..."
Discordant notes echo throughout the Hall and the air seems to ripple and squirm before the image of a face—a stern woman with black hair and immaculate makeup—appears, ten times larger than life. She speaks, and you hear the voice reverberating in your skull.
“It seems my vanguard were not the peerless soldiers they claimed to be. It is little matter. Bres was a coward, and his Fomorians were little more than a bee to prick at your ears and warn of my approach. We have not been formally introduced. I am Una, Dark Queen of the Netherworld, Empress of nine-hundred ninety-nine worlds! Adrian Eldritch may have temporarily barred my ownership of your paltry realm through his ‘wizard’s duel’ and cowardly tricks, but he is dead. And even now, here in my Netherworld—so far beyond your childish grasp—my armies prepare to march across your world.
“Only a Master Mage could hope to stop me, and Adrian so palely filled that role. And you, oh swaddled infant, are no Adrian.”
|
|
Mouth still agape and head spinning at the sudden turn of events, his lowest-right arm picks up his phone and hits -redial-.
"Ay, so, the dark sorceress from the Netherworlds that helped Bres escape Annwn, his dimensional prison, and told him to attack the 'palace' of the Freedom League because it was mostly undefended...she wouldn't happen to be named Una, Dark Queen of the Netherworld would she? Uh-hu, uh-hu, ya, I'm jus' askin' because I'm looking at her right now and she says she's gonna kick my aise.
So if yous knew anything good about her, now would be a good time."
The Hypnotist pays Eoten no mind, as the giant's actions pale in comparison to the horror's he's seen in the Dreamtime. As Una's facade appears, Mac let's his beer gut droop as he places one hand on his hip and scratches his head with the other. Unsure of if Una's image can actively see and hear him, the Doctor speaks brazenly.
That sheila sure sounds a bit heated. 'M glad she did most the detective work for us, that Una. 'Specially with that timing, ay? Seven, you were just askin, and 'er comes her big ol noggin.
"I always thought the stories of villains contacting the heroes to gloat about their master plan were silly and written by children. It is odd to now see it done by someone claiming to be an adult."
When Una manfests Eoten rises to his feet, clapping his meaty hands o'er his ears as he bellows in defiance;
Looking up at the titanic image of the Dark Queen, the brute bears his bloody teeth at her;
oþscéotan = witch sorceress
curs = curse
oferfeohtan = subject, conquer
fretan = devour
heorte = heart
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Gracie swallows in fear as the enormous head appears, but, grasping onto youthful bravado, then nods toward Silver Tiger. "Well, if one children's story is right, magic bullies who communicate through giant floaty heads are cowards and charlatans hiding behind a curtain somewhere."
She lifts her chin toward Una. "An' it don't matter if your realm is out of our reach. If you're sendin' em to us then you're tellin' us there's a way back, too. So we'll figure out how to hop on that bus and then tear your curtain down."
The appearance of Una, a powerful evil sorceress of legend, who rules a mystical dimension called the Netherworld, concluded his wondering about who helped Bres. As a Dark Lord, Una is an evil Master Mage whose wicked heart has corrupted her entire dimension. She has conquered hundreds of worlds to add to her empire. Adrian Eldritch fought Una decades ago and tricked her into never returning to Earth. Una was forbidden from re-entering the Earth realm due to a deal Eldritch tricked her into, and has sworn to conquer the Earth ever since to punish her enemy for this snub. Without Eldritch present, Una is no longer barred from Earth.
Sinclair feels no fear from the floating image having experienced far scarier events for so long, he has become numb. But fear is (the mindkiller and) the natural emotion of self-preservation, and the lack of it will probably kill him one day. Besides, Uncle Adrian has already demonstrated that she can be tricked and thwarted.
"Thank you Una for your appearance today. We know all about you. You've answered our questions of who helped Bres breach the dimensional barrier to Earth. And more importantly, where is Adrian Eldritch. Assuming you speak the truth."
"Prepare yourself. Earth has its Master Mage. And she will defeat you again." This young mage speaks with the confidence far beyond his years.
to Dunwich: "Una is clever. She is the Master Mage of 999 dimensions. Whatever she is up to, it will be layers upon layers of plans and back up plans. She has been barred from Earth for decades with nothing to do but plot the end of Eldritch and what comes next."
Una: "You will find, heroes, that I am no empty threat. You think that you are clever for defeating Bres? Bres is a fool. Nothing you can hope to accomplish can prevent me from sweeping aside the armies of Earth and claiming it as my own. Enjoy your final days..."
At that, the projection wavers and disappears.
Seven turns from the space that Una so recently inhabited. "It seems that we now know who our foe is. With the Freedom League gone, I'm afraid I must beg your continued assistance. We will have to prepare for some sort of invasion from Una's Netherworld."
"Very well. What should our next move be?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Is there to be glorious battle? Perhaps we may fight on the front lines of such a conflict." By the slight change in his tone, Gylfir's eyes would be metaphorically lighting up were they not already literally doing so.
After Una's image flickers away, Sinclair adds to Seven's description, "Yes, we know some about Una: she is a powerful evil sorceress of legend, who rules a mystical dimension called the Netherworld. As a Dark Lord, Una is an evil Master Mage herself whose wicked heart has corrupted her entire dimension. She has conquered hundreds of worlds to add to her empire. Adrian Eldritch fought Una decades ago and tricked her into never returning to Earth. So, Una has sworn to conquer the Earth ever since to punish her enemy for this snub. Without Eldritch present, Una is no longer barred from Earth."
He turns to everyone else, "as to next steps, we have the trail of bread crumbs or Formorians to follow that Una left for us. We can interrogate the... uh... uneaten Formorians for what they remember about getting here. We need to close the portal that Bres used before he uses it again, or worse... others start using it. More importantly, we need the magical community to know that they have someone to call for help, now that Eldritch cannot answer."
"Eventually, we need to invade the Netherworld to investigate if Eldritch is there and rescue him. Even if he cannot return to Earth, he should not spend an eternity with Una."
Turning toward Seven, "What do you plan to do? Is there anyone besides yourself who could share the resources of the Freedom League, besides yourself? We might need to incarcerate others."
Eoten balefully stares at where Una once stood, then slowly pays heed to the discussion taking place below him.
He nods toward the Formorians;
When various strategems are mooted, the ancient giant shrugs nochelantly;
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Grace raises her hand meekly. "Two things: first, where is the Freedom League again? I mean, this doesn't mean we shouldn't help, but they're not being here is slightly worrying."
She ticks off a finger. "Second, look, Vivian entrusted me with the Sword because a 'darkness was coming.' Which, I reckon, this is it, isn't it? And so I know I've got to help. And yet, there are some annoying mundanities I need to attend to, like my friend who's probably mad with worry wondering where the hell I am and the fact I'm here on a 30 day tourist visa. I'm figuring if I'm signing up to prevent an army of darkness from the Netherworld from invading the whole world, I might need more than a month. Be right embarrassing to be in the middle of saving the world only to have ICE show up to deport me."
Grace also looks around the room. "Also, while I've got your attention, look you," her gaze falls on Sinclair, "I know you're eager to brag about your wizard relatives, Draco, but don't assume 'we' know what's going on here. Not all of of us have taken Defense Against the Dark Arts. What you know is welcome but try not to be such a prat about it, eh?"
She looks up at Eoten. "Finally, not that you ain't welcome big guy, but the lady here mentioned your counterpart that was here before you showed up was a professor. You think he might come back to help with the planning?"
The Hypnotist steps carefully over the knocked out bodies of giants and stops at a snoring Fomorian. He sets one hand out over the giant’s head, as dreams begin to extract from out of the sleeping Fomorian. With the other hand, he sifts through the dreams as though he were flipping pages of a book, brushing past the dreams and into the thoughts that form the dreams.
”Now, let’s see what this oaf has been up to.”
Images of Freedom Hall as viewed from the outside appear in The Hypnotists projection, with our sleeping friend throwing cars toward the building. Moving backwards through his mind, there is an impression of being smothered before appearing in a different realm.
No sun hangs above you; instead the entire sky churns with a dull fire of orange and purple. Ashen grey plants sprout from the rocky ground. You are in a town that straddles a river. The buildings look like something out of Renaissance England with stone lower floors and wood uppers. The people in the street look human, though pale, thin, and weary. The factory is more modern but only just, sitting darkly on the riverside like something from Dickens' nightmares. A series of low hills off to your right, and to the left in the distance, impossibly tall and slender mountains stretch up disturbingly high.
You see all of your Fomorian allies, as well as Bres. Bres is talking to the woman you now know as Una. She says, "The youngling will never know what hit her. Her allies are away, Eldritch is gone. If you defeat her, you could be Earth's Master Mage. I would like to have an ally ruling over Earth. Think of it, the two of us side by side..."
Further back, you are in a different place, this one darker, a cave. Bres is sulking on a throne again. He has been like this for weeks since he failed to conquer Earth and had his pretty rock stolen by those bright colored small ones. Space shimmers and a pretty small one appears. She reminds you of the Morgan Lady, who fought with your people so long ago. She says that she can get you out of here, not through the bright place, Avalon you think they call it, but into her own realm and from there to Earth. Bres can get his pretty rock back, the Eye of Balor, he calls it. That will make Bres happy, and when he is happy, he is less likely to hurt you.
Seven: "The rest of the Freedom League is in space fighting Collapsar.* As for what we do next, it seems clear that Una sent Bres here as a test of my abilities. I see no reason to wait for her to invade Earth. I will take the battle to her, who will come with me?"
*See Freedom League #631
Eoten looks down toward Gracie as she addresses him, then frowns with a snort;
The brute smiles, menacingly, his peg teeth still reddened with Formorian blood;
lama = weak, crippled
hæftan = to bind, fettered
warenian = ware, take heed
friódóm = freedom
The giant then kneels, muttering a phrase quiet and quick;
"FUM-FOE-FYE-FEE!
BACK TO AVALON’S GAOL WITH THEE!
FUM-FOE-FYE-FEE!
MORTAL ÆTHELWEARD RETURN TO BE!"
Slowly the spectral cage shimmers into existence around Eoten, increasing in golden brightness until...
... kneeling before you in the brute's stead is the lanky scholar Æthelweard.
He blinks, as if disorientated for a few moments, then leaning against his cane, he painfully rises to his feet;
"That basterd lummox always leaves me having to painfully rise up. He knows my bones are bent..."
Taking in the vista of devastation, and the numerous Formorian bodies piled around, the academic pales a little;
"Oh my... Please tell me this was not all him?"
As he catches Seven's call to arms, Professor Æthelweard shakes his head politely with a wistful smile;
"Come with you? To where exactly? Young lady I have just taken on a lucrative position at the Hunter’s Museum of Natural History. I rely on this to... assist with settling some family affairs... financial affairs you understand?... One could not simply leave that responsibility on a whim. No matter what the oaf promised you."
Max's eyebrows shoot up and then narrow on the armored girl. All facial expressions and reactions remain hidden behind his black mask.
What a selfish b!tch, she is! He reacts loudly in his mind to the British girl's words. Salt on the fresh wound of news of the death of his role model and hero. First, she brags about being given a Sword (maybe The Sword) by Vivian (presumably the Lady of the Lake). There are not that many Vivians who are custodians of magical swords. Then, she whines about being missed by a friend and her immigration status. Me. Me. Me.
Then, she has the audacity to accuse him of bragging about knowing the Master Mage, while he expressed canyon deep shock and grief upon learning of the death of someone so close that he calls him uncle. Unbelievable. Her Draco insult falls away as something petty and commonplace that he had heard too many times before. So insulted by her behavior that his personal grief is less important than her immigration status. He has met bullies like her in the past and does not give her the satisfaction of his reaction.
He clears the gall from his throat and simply says, "I will join you, Seven."
Seven: "The rest of the Freedom League is in space fighting Collapsar.* As for what we do next, it seems clear that Una sent Bres here as a test of my abilities. I see no reason to wait for her to invade Earth. I will take the battle to her, who will come with me?"[/ooc]
*See Freedom League #631
"Yes. We will stop the evil sorceress from conquering Earth. Unless she is too strong, in which case we will all likely perish. Or, the rest of you will. I'll probably be fine." he sighs wistfully at the last.
Grace offers the professor a hand up but does not insist if he doesn't take it, and quickly tries to catch him up to speed. "End of the world is happening, apparently. Someone named Una, Queen of the Netherworld, want to invade Earth with an army from another dimension, and she says Eldrich is gone. Or dead. I mean, is that even possible?" She shakes her head. "I can hardly follow what's happening if I'm honest. I asked the big guy to bring you back since they were talking about plans, and Miss Seven here said you were a professor, maybe you could help us come up with some ideas on what to do."
She looks around at the others. "I mean, maybe I'm wrong, and I'm the only one without a clue here, but the more ideas the better either way. Maybe the giant with all the hands has got something once he's off the phone. Or the Aussie once he's done... what he's doing."
She winces when Deadman suggests they all will perish. "Thanks. Now I feel better."
"I'm glad. I have heard it said over the years to 'live every day as if it is your last'. This is easier when you know the end is coming. It must be comforting."
Grace starts, then stops again, starts... then the second half of what Deadman says sinks in. "You... you really are dead?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Grace starts, then stops again, starts... then the second half of what Deadman says sinks in. "You... you really are dead?"
Gylfir sighs.
"I wish it were so. I am cursed to unlife, an endless walk upon this Earth, ever denied the glory of Valhalla or any other afterlife. No sensation, little emotion. All passion for life gone."
"It is not a fate I would wish upon my worst foe. The witch who cursed me unfortunately did not share such compassion."
Seven smiles at the professor as she says, "I'm not sure Una the Unrelenting will honor such agreements when she conquers our dimension, Professor Langfellow. It might be in your best interest to prevent her success."
Turning to Max, "Thank you, I hope that our combined mystic knowledge will be enough. Like she said, I'm no Adrian Eldritch, and neither are you, but maybe together we can at least avoid embarrassing the old man."
"Good Knight, if you wish, I can return you to wherever you came from, or I can reach out and find your friend with some assistance from you."
"Why, Seven, I'd be glad to help but.." He looks over at the other heroes, giving his hand a bit of a nervous shake. "...This is just not quite.... something that I, uh, excel at." The timidity in his tone is evident. "What I mean is... I'm.. perhaps"
He thinks back on his younger years. He teamed up with just about anyone who'd have him. But... after what happened to Vesperina. He shakes the gruesome images out of his head. What if it happens again? The Good Knight, or the young Mage. I can't let it happen again. I must do better.
"'m sorry, Seven. I have my reservations, but I cannot let m' self-doubt take ahold of me. I will help, to the best of my abilities. It's what Eldritch would've done for me."
The Hypnotist places a calm hand on the hecatoncheires. He leans in close, with a deep seriousness in his nervous eyes. "No matter what, Briareus, I need you to promise me. Not again. Not. Again. I... I have a hard time living with what I've done. You know it haunts me. But if I am to do this, I need you to promise me, you won't let me make that same mistake. Not again. Please?
Æthelweard tips to nod to Gracie with a weak smile;
"Thank you my dear. Nefarious events afoot indeed..! Plans... Yes plans are required. Much better at the theoretical than the practical application myself... Leave the latter to the acorn brained oaf. His forte, when he's not trying to consume something... or someone..."
When Seven presents an apocalyptical scenario the lanky professor pales;
"Oh. I see. Quite the limiter of professional and financial aspiration eh? I am therefore resigned to join the fight. Consider myself and the oaf part of this merry band."
He eyes the others, taking in the disparate countenances, but noting in many links to the myths and legends he holds dear;
So many questions. So much opportunity to research and mine these individuals. My next paper beckons! Beat that Chadley you cad!*
"So what do we know of our foe? Her modus operandi as it were? Does this Queen of The Netherworld have any fallibles or weaknesses we can exploit?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"The learned one speaks truth. What of she who would oppose us?"
At Silver Tiger's words Æthelweard's normal bowed posture straightens slightly with a modicum of pride;
"Learned One. Like that. Perhaps that could be my nom du guerre or whatever you super-people call it?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Too many syllables, no kick," The Dunwich Horror says at Langfellow as he pockets his phone.
"So dis broad, Una, she's a planner, righ'? She's gonna have wheels within wheels and all that.
So, when we go in her front door, we gotta be prepared for ambush, and try to set one up ourselves.
My guess? She's gonna try to hold something over us. Some kind of 'join me or I shoot this dog' kind of thing.
For my 2 denarii, we do this, we gotta go all-freekin'-in. We can't leave loose ends that she can use as leverage, 'cause if we do, she's gonna cram that leverage right up our aise.
As far as weaknesses...were it me, if we had the power of the 'verse, I'd travel to one of the 999 dimensions she's 'Master' of and go cause trouble there. Maybe she don't want to lose what she got while she tries to get more, right? At least then we'd fight her somewhere other than Earth, so it won't cause no damage if we gotta get messy.
Just sayin'."
He lets himself be dragged over as the Hypnotise seems to have something to say.
He listens intently.
Then sighs.
"Ay, buddy, ya gotta stop beating yourself up about this. So you did something, and not everybody got to go home. What do you wan' from me? T' say that nobody ain't never gonna die ever again? Well that ain't gonna happen.
Look, t' make an omlet, ya gotta break a few eggs. Those in the past," he waves an arm behind him, "they was all big girls and boys, and they knew the deal. Ya rolls yer dice and ya takes yer chances, and we all knew what they was getting in to.
Ay, ya think -I- wanna live forever? I mean, I have, and I just may, but that don't mean that if I screw up and take the dirt nap that Imma have any regrets.
Look at this way--everybody dies. Don't nobody get out alive. Well, 'cept maybe that guy," he motions at Deadman, "and you know what?
HE DON'T WANT IT.
So, ya, do I got yer back? Yeppers. But can I say that you do this and ain't nobody gonna get hurt? I ain't Zeus, and even if I was, I couldn't promise that.
I'll do what I can.
That good enough?"
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"I understood very little of what you just said. Are you not fluent in English?"
"Too many syllables, no kick," The Dunwich Horror says at Langfellow as he pockets his phone.
Gylfir nods his head and looks over at Langfellow.
"Try Shaggy Britches. It's a classic."
"Una's greatest weakness is most likely her ego. She thinks that she is more clever and more powerful than us, so she won't expect us to take her on directly. If she is expecting us to play defense, that is why I say take on the offensive. As for actual weaknesses, she may not have a thorough understanding of the technology available on Earth, being a very old sorceress from a magic rich realm. But technology is not exactly the strength of our group."
"A strength of hers may be that she has possession of Adrian Eldritch, if she told the truth. However, he must be dead to Earth if the Mantle of the Master Mage has passed to Seven. So, we must be cautious how Una may use him against us."
"Potentially, your 'shoot the dog' scenario." Sinclair advises actively looking at the many handed giant, instead of the Selfish Knight Gracie. Mostly, he verbalizes what would be an extremely difficult for him if a choice like that arrives.
"I know of technology. Brother Wo taught a class on it at the monastery."
"Potentially, your 'shoot the dog' scenario."[/b] Sinclair advises actively looking at the many handed giant, instead of the Selfish Knight Gracie. Mostly, he verbalizes what would be an extremely difficult for him if a choice like that arrives.
Gylfir cocks his head.
"If he is already dead, she should not be able to do that. Even if she raises him in a horrific mockery of life, such as myself, there should be no trouble in striking him back down. It's not as though we'll really be hurting him."
"With respect, Sir," Sinclair replies to Deadman. "I suspect that there may be many other possibilities along the spectrum between life and death than we may be yet aware."
"Please call me Sinclair. I've responded to a few threats here in Freedom City over the past few years as part of the local team, Next-Gen. As you may have surmised, I am an initiate in the mystic arts." Sinclair nods to Deadman in polite respect.
"For those joining Seven in the invasion of the Netherworld, perhaps we should get acquainted before we depart and depend on one another for survival." Sinclair suggests.