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Message: <blockquote data-quote="TheDayKnight" data-source="post: 1130329" data-attributes="member: 127">The Unbelievable Oddsquad #2: The Kali ShowdownHis name (if he ever had one) is lost to the tides of time. Those that know him have called him The Guardian. But for the last several aeons he has had nothing left to guard. When the universe was created, so to was the Forever Gate. It was the focal point for the influx of time from the fourth dimension. The Forever Gate, sentient in only a way that the Nexus could comprehend, gave birth to its champion. Clothed in Cosmic Fires and the Energies of Time, The Guardian stood ready and vigilant.He was a being of immense might. He was fed directly the powers of the cosmos. He could control time itself with but a mere thought. He alone held off the attacks of Terminus during the Omni War. The Guardian loved his mother with an undying fierceness. The Guardian would perish before he would let harm befall The Forever Gate.A billion years passed and still he fought. His warrior reflexes had been honed by the endless conflicts of The Omni War. But still he was caught unawares. A group of celestial beings saw his mother as an imperfection in the universe, a scar on its infinite beauty. They wished to cure this rip in space-time. The Guardian battled the celestials even as they pleaded with him. The Terminus struck as The Guardian’s full attention was focused on the celestials. Omega, Avatar of Terminus struck. The Guardian’s ability to sense time-shifts, his ability to detect danger, his Forever Senses were all focused on the celestials. And in the end, The Forever Gate was neither protected nor guarded. In the end, The Guardian’s mother was destroyed.With the Forever Gate gone, so to were The Guardian’s most potent powers. He lay helpless and utterly alone in the empty voids of space. No one is sure of the amount of time that passed. It could have been weeks or aeons. But The Guardian eventually shook off his despair and delirium nearly twenty years ago. In his mind, he felt the gentle touch of Nexus, the sentient white hole. He felt the call of Nexus, who spawned all of reality. There were still things in the universe that needed protection. The Cosmic Power ignited in The Guardian at his command, nothing like it had once been, but still Cosmic Power none-the-less. His destiny drew him to Earth, the center of Nexus. Once again, he had purpose. Something new to defend.He stands in a room with Adam Odd, Caretaker of Nexus. The Guardian’s skin is burnished gold. His hair and eyes are dark as the furthest depths of space. He wears a suit and cape of black, that very rarely a glimpse of stars, nebula, or galaxies could be seen. “I thank you for your offer to defend the Nexus,” intones Adam Odd, “I ask you to join my team of troubleshooters. They are known as The Oddsquad. They are my first line of defense against those that wish to bring harm to Earth.”“My mother is dead. I have spent time beyond counting in despair. I wish now to have a new purpose. I will join The Oddsquad.”Adam Odd holds The Guardian’s gaze, “The Forever Gate may not be entirely dead. Work with my team and I will do all in my power to restore your mother.”The Guardian is speechless. The fact that his mother may not be dead is nearly too much for him to bear. “Follow me, Guardian. I will introduce you to your teammates.”*Nebu Nezzer, The First Man’s butler, leads the Oddsquad to a room within the extra-dimensional space of the mansion. The meeting room is furnished with a large table, a chair for each hero, a monitor-computer, and a fully stocked bar. Mr. Molasses reaches across the room, grabs the remote control and turns the monitor on to his favorite TV show. The screen blares the theme song to the newest rage in reality TV, The Nuclear Family. Five people changed by radiation accidents are living together under a single roof.Adam Odd and The Guardian enter the room and with a nod from the First Man the monitor falls silent. He listens patiently as the Odd Squad recall their battle with the Children of Kali. He takes special interest in the words of The Black Earth Mother.“So that is her intent. The Earth is to be given as a gift to Omega.” Adam Odd peers at the warriors over steepled fingers.The Guardian flinches at the mention of Omega’s name.“Not good, eh boss.” Smiles Molasses.Humor is a quality that Adam Odd seems to posses little of, “No, not good at all. In fact, it is imperative that you locate Kali. You must make sure that she does not summon the Avatar of Terminus.”Fractal asks, “How are we supposed to find her? She could be anywhere!”“She will stay within Freedom City,” The First Man replies. “The boundaries between the dimensions are thin here. It will be easier for Omega to cross. Plus this was once the home of Omega’s hated enemy, Centurion.”The members of the Oddsquad fall silently in respectful memory of the greatest super-hero. Centurion had perished at Omega’s hands during his last invasion of Freedom City. But during the battle Centurion had destroyed Omega’s containment armor and banished him back to the Terminus. To this day, Omega still bears a burning hatred of even the memories of Centurion.“What about the demons that fled into the city?” asks The Colloidion.“They are being taken care of. Foreshadow, The Atom Family, and The Zeroes of Undercity are dealing with The Laughing Demons.” Explains Adam Odd. “I suggest you visit Eldritch as to the whereabouts of Kali. She is a goddess, a creature of mystical might. As the Master Arcane, Eldritch may know better than I, the location of Kali. His mansion is located at 127 Confluence Street in Riverside.”*The Oddsquad follow the floating candles into the forbidding study of Eldritch’s mansion. The walls hold pictures of former Master Arcanes. Their images seem to glare at the heroes. The head of the psychotic Manticore is mounted above the fireplace. A fire that slowly changes from green to blue throws off sickly shadows into the study.“Welcome, Oddsquad. The First Man informed me of your impending arrival. Let’s cut straight to the heart of the matter. This situation is dire. If Kali brings the Avatar of Terminus across the dimensional gulf, then Earth is doomed. You must find The Black Earth Mother!” Eldritch is dressed in a loose fitting shirt of blue. His gray pants are tucked into black boots. A large blue cloak hangs from his shoulders. He appears to be in his middle 30s, but off course looks can be deceiving.“Wine?” he asks. A floating bottle tips itself and fills the glass he holds. The Oddsquad shake their heads.The Colloidion asks, “Where is she? Kali disappeared almost immediately after breaking the GodsPact.”Eldritch strokes his chin, “Hmmm. To summon Omega, Kali will need two things. Firstly, she will need a place of power. She must perform the summoning in an area of great spiritual power, being a mystic creature herself. There are three likely locations in Freedom City. The first is Saint Katherine’s, the oldest church in the city. It is located Downtown.”Molasses nods, “I know where it is.”“The second location could be The Temple in Lincoln. The Temple was built to provide a harmonious place of worship for three major religions: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. The power of peace at The Temple creates enormous amounts of spiritual energy.”“How does that work?” Fractal says in disbelief, “How do they all get along with strife in the Middle East?”A small grin touches Eldritch’s face, “Strange things can happen at the center of the universe. The third place is a ruined church in Lantern Hill. It is called Saint George’s. The church and its cemetery were built on top of an Indian burial ground. The fusion has created a lot of negative energy.“The goddess will need an item of physical power. Something the Omega left here or has special significance to the Avatar. Something that ties Omega to Earth.”Molasses speaks up; “There are shards of his armor at the Super! Museum. During Omega’s last invasion, he and Centurion clashed. At the end of the fight Centurion lay dead and Omega was banished, his armor rent asunder.”“Is there anything else that could summon Omega here?” The Guardian asks, “I have the ability to see the past and future of items.”Eldritch shrugs, “I do not know.”“Then I shall go to the pieces of armor. They will tell me if they are to be used in the summoning.”“Both Saint Katherine’s and the Super! Museum are downtown. Let’s start there,” says The Colloidion.*The Super! Museum is a large modern building. Pictures of various heroes and villains decorate the walls. A bronze statue known as “Atlas Triumphant” holds the world overhead. As The Oddsquad arrive, visitors turn and begin to whisper.A young boy points at the heroes and yells, “There’s no pictures of them in the museum. They must be villains!”Fractal cracks his best Hollywood smile, “We’re new in town, kiddo! Keep your eyes on us. We are called The Oddsquad and villains should beware!”After a quick autographing session, Fractal follows the rest of the Oddsquad to the display holding two shards of Omega’s armor. It is warded with bars of deadly laser light and coruscating electricity. Several cameras follow the path of the heroes. Promptly, the museum’s curator arrives.“Sir, we are The Oddsquad,” The Guardian begins, “We have reason to believe that the goddess Kali wishes to summon Omega, the Living Terminus to Earth. To do so, she needs an item of that would help bring the tyrant here. We believe that these pieces of Omega’s armor are such items. What I ask is to hold the shard briefly. I have the ability to see the future and I will be able to know if these are to be used in such a ritual.”The curator looks doubtful, “How am I to know if you are villains or heroes?”Fractal mutters under his breath, “If we were villains old man, we would have take the shard already.”Molasses speaks, “Professor, did you see the battle on Wading Way earlier today? Against the demons? That was us.”The curator still looks unconvinced.The Guardian turns his unearthly gaze upon the man, “I give you my word, human. I swear upon the memory of the Forever Gate and on Nexus itself. Those artifacts will not leave this museum. As the Defender of Time itself, I swear to you, no harm will befall the shards whilst in my care!”The Professor nods finally and presses a button on a remote. The display’s defenses deactivate. With reverence the Super! Museum’s curator transfers a finger-sized shard of armor into the hands of The Guardian. The Cosmic Hero’s eyes shut as he opens up his seventh sense. His connection with Time reaches into the artifacts and a future vision fills his mind.A man flies through the sky. Deadly blasts of energy rain down upon Freedom City from his eyes. The man turns and looks directly at The Guardian. “I see you spirit of the past. Nothing you can do will change this.” His hand gestures at the destruction below him. Then the Guardian notices the armor shard imbedded in the man’s forehead.The Guardian’s eyes snap open. He gasps, “I did not see Kali or Omega.”“Obviously you saw something though,” replies The Collodion.“This shard will cause much grief. It gives someone Power Cosmic. It…” The Guardian stops. “I will tell you more later.”Molasses thanks the curator and the Oddsquad leaves the Super! Museum for Saint Katherine’s nearby. The Catholic Church is large. A pair of steeples pierce the sky. Stained-glass windows cast rainbow shadows within. Soft prayers waft heavenward from the mouths of the worshipers. All seems peaceful.“It’s too quiet for my liking.” Murmurs Fractal.A priest approaches the superheroes. “Can I help you, my sons?”The Man of Tar answers, “Thank you, Father. We search for the goddess Kali. We have reason to believe that she seeks the holiest places of Freedom City. May we search Saint Katherine’s?”“No demon will find refuge in the house of the Lord, son. But search as you will.”Neither The Black Earth Mother nor her Thuggee followers are to be found in the church. They decide next to visit the ruins of Saint George’s in Lantern Hill.*The boarded-up windows speak volumes of the condition of Saint George’s. The building is near collapse. The Guardian flies to the cemetery behind the church, but he sees nothing out of the ordinary. Saint George’s was built long ago, unknowingly on top of an Indian burial site. Many cursed the church’s ill luck and eventually it was abandoned. Still today, kids dare each other to spend a night in its haunted interior. But is it now occupied by a real demon, the goddess Kali?The Colloidion throws open the doors of Saint George’s. Seated in lotus position, levitating above the decrepit altar is the four-armed menace of Kali, Goddess of Destruction. A malevolent light shines down from the high ceiling of the church. In a voice like serrated knives, she chants in an unknown tongue. Before her is a statue of Centurion, Omega’s greatest foe. A squadron of Thuggee worshippers watches in rapture.“…and with this idol of your hated enemy, I shall bring you across the abyss between dimensions, my husband-to-be.” Kali finishes in English.“Not this day!” yells The Guardian as he flies across the length of Saint George’s.The Guardian let loose a cosmic bolt a rickety balcony, which holds several Thuggee zealots. It crashes to the floor, scattering the men like dolls. Fractal turns to the faded murals painted on the walls. They depict Saint George fighting a fearsome dragon. With Fractal’s gesture, the knight steps from the picture holding high his flaming sword. Molasses and The Colloidion focus their attention on the machine-gun wielding Thuggee.The Guardian now turns his attention to the goddess, but she shrugs off his seething cosmic blasts. The Thuggee warriors open fire on The Oddsquad. Only The Guardian is wounded in the blast, but his control of time allows the cosmic hero to heal at a much faster rate than a mere man. Kali teleports from the altar, appearing next to The Guardian. “You flea! You mortal!” she spits her hatred. “You dare interrupt me.”“I have faced far worse menaces than you, Kali.” The Guardian replies. “I do dare.”Kali strikes with fury and hatred. Her taloned hands rend The Guardian with inhuman strength. Saint George flails wildly about with his fiery sword. Fractal summons four dragons from the wall into the fray. Molasses attacks Kali with a anvil-sized fist. The archeologist curses his lack of martial skills. The Colloidion creates an airless bubble of goop around the head of the goddess, but Kali tears through the attack as if it were tissue paper.The Guardian again attacks The Black Earth Mother and, as before, she laughs off his assault. Kali teleports behind the Man of Tar, striking him with her deadly nails. Fractal’s dragons belch forth fire, burning the remaining Thuggee and destroying themselves in the process.“You have a knack for creating suicide attackers,” Molasses mutters of Fractal. The image-animator flashes a mischievous grin.But, not surprisingly, the old church also bursts into flames from the dragons’ breath. Molasses batters at Kali with over-sized hands, but the warrior-born goddess evades the punches. The Colloidion attempts a different tactic. He covers the floor of the burning church with slippery gel. Kali falls to the ground. Her burning rage matches the fires consuming Saint George’s.The Guardian calls upon the very limits of his power to try and hurt the goddess of destruction. But his cosmic energy goes wild, blasting the front doors apart. Kali brings her anger to bear on The Colloidion. Her claws tear a deadly slash on the hero. But strangely, no blood flows from the mortal wound. Purple goop instantly begins to heal into the cut.Fractal frantically summons another Saint George from the last remaining picture. The other murals are burning with bright abandon. Molasses and the Colloidion surround the goddess, but she fends off their double-teaming.Burning timbers falls from the ceiling of the ruined church. The Guardian frowns in concentration as he again channels all of his effort into a blazing cosmic blast. Kali reels at his attack. With a scream of loathing, Kali’s four arms strike out with the grace of a dancer. In a whirlwind of claws and fists she manages to strike all whom surround her. Saint George disappears in vortex of rainbow dust. Molasses grunts at the pain of the attack. The Colloidion doubles over. With no more pictures to pull allies into the melee, Fractal rushes into the inferno and grabs the gun of a fallen Thuggee. Molasses manages to pound the goddess with a well-aimed uppercut. The Colloidion sends several spiked balls of steel-hard goop hurling towards his target.And then he notices the statue of Centurion next to the blazing altar, “The statue! Guardian blast the statue!”The Defender of Time shatters the likeness of Centurion with a flick of his cosmic energies; “The Earth shall never be Omega’s gift, Kali!”“NO!” she screams, sounding like a hurricane. “The summoning is destroyed!”Her glare notes each member of The Oddsquad. She whispers with deadly venom, “You have marked yourself for death. I shall remember each of you. One day I will feast on your living hearts.”The goddess then teleports away.</blockquote>

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