Strikeforce: Morituri Part One "the Mortals" Is Completed

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 091
“The War of the Multi-verse: Jarella’s Strike”

Suddenly Jarella’s body is no longer lightning damaged and she leaps into the shadows surprising Jean.

“How?!?” She says then decides to try something new. She calls up the power of Thunder, a storm’s powerful voice and yells into the dark shadows.

The sonic attack of her Great Shout blasts into the stone structure. Jean can not hear the effectiveness of the blast but her eyes can see her stagger with her hands to her ears. The doppelganger is shouting and screaming in pain.

Jean, once a caring person, now sees the power and strength of her might and strikes at the defenseless assassin. Jean rips the very cold substance from the higher atmosphere and drags it into the very area Jarella is. Everything freezes solid within the space as the temperatures drop instantly to –50 degrees. Jarella can not even scream.

Unknown to Jean however, the assassin is prepared for her. She wears two rings. Each gives her the ability to better survive climate or weather changes of cold and electricity. (resist 30). She play-acts the pain and waits for Jean to fly lower into range.

What Jarella doesn’t see is the undead eyes of Jean are using detection spells and notes the truth of the situation. Once more, Jean changes from her normal tactics.

“You handle electricity well. You have seen me use this spell often. You handle cold well. This you saw in “The World Below”. But have you seen this?”

Jean calls onto the sun’s energy and focuses and refocuses the sun’s energy. A green but bright bead of energy forms in her palm and she releases it into the frozen chamber.

“She wouldn’t……the bitarrrrgh!!!!!”

Jean has just fired in a lightning bolt changed into pure fire and maximized it.

Jarella is thrown out of the chamber as the magical fires of the sun explode within the frozen tomb. She was not prepared for this but still escapes the worst of it.

Jarella lands by a stone ruin. She pats out the fire that remains on her arm and legs. “Your undead nature is giving you strength to do something you were loath to do before. You are prepared to kill now. Good.”

“Have at thee shapechanger…..” Jean’s undead eyes flare in pure energy as she once more powers up a fire-related spell and maximizes it. A blast of purest fire erupts instantly between herself and Jarella and strikes at the ruins.

A rechanneled Cone of Cold strikes her in full. Equipment bursts into flames and potions explode. Screaming in pain and rage, Jarella drops and rolls. She pulls out a glass orb and looks at it quickly. She imagines a safehouse she has with healing potions and then slams the glass on the stone pieces around her. It shatters and she disappears as if she was never there.

“Damn you to hell changeling. Damn you to hell.”

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 092
“The War of the Multi-verse: Vandel Boc’s Strike”

“****ing Bitch and her ****ing pups!” screams Megamania as he tumbles and rolls out of the way of a volley of many throwing stars. Fourteen black and crimson robed warriors (ninjas) attack him. Seven throw stars while the other seven move in for direct melee. The female commander watches on.

Megamania has only faced this kind of force twice in his prior life. Once when with a team of Pathfinders when they were trying to “shut down” the ninja training facility. The last time was on the day he died while trying to get at Vandel Boc to kill him. They were lead then by a large fighter with some ninja skills named Pittfyre. He defeated them by dropping an entire building onto them with well-placed mines. He is fresh out of mines today.

There is a difference this time however. Now he understands his “gift”. He has the power of Spellfire. He can store and use magical energies. He uses them to destroy, heal or in this case- fly.

“Going somewhere lover?” asks the female master.

A ninja pulls out a chain and throws it at him. It entangles his legs costing him the ability to better steer while in the air. Undaunted, Megamania goes into his zone. It is a time where a fighter works without thought. It has saved him many times. He lets lose with his energy pistol. Two ninjas are struck. Red bloody mist bursts into the air but they do not go down. His third shot narrowly misses a third ninja (nat 1 dang it!)

He skillfully swerves in and out of a hail of throwing stars as he works free of the chain. Glowing magic dust falls from his energy trail giving an eerie glow to the combat during the night. Three more shots are fired off stopping three more ninja whom shake off the pain and stand back up to attack. A single throwing star strikes and sticks to his leg. He is quick to remove it in fear of the poison they often use. He throws back at them but at no successful result.

The ninja master squats down in a springing attack position and watches. She has not seen Jim Addards since she was 17 years old. She and he gave each other to each other as virgins. Neither can say this anymore. When her possessed mind and body escaped the power of her father, Jim and his high school friends had already escaped. But Jim’s powers had been awakened without killing him. He had become more dangerous than ever. She has become dangerous herself. She trained as a thief then as a warrior. Then she gave herself to the evil. The very evil that will destroy Jim …or possess him. Perhaps he can be turned still. Her eyes burn with new passion.

Jim continues to keep his distance and attacks from the air. The ninjas, if struck, step back to recuperate and allow fresh and uninjured killers to attack. Jim is having a hard time of this. Another star hits him and again he quickly removes it. This one he merely throws over his shoulder. “Where is everyone?” he thinks.

Jim has gotten sloppy and misses his location. He has drifted close to a tall dead tree. He doesn’t see the three ninja hiding within the tree using their Ki power of invisibility. They leap out with their katanas raised. They become visible in mid-air. He boosts his speed causing one ninja to fall to the ground. He easily tucks his sword and tumbles to a stop then with only a blur of motion turns and charges back into the melee. The other two strike. Twin lines of red appear on his back as the blades cut into his kevlar vest and jacket. They fall to the ground and bound to a point to see what damage they have done.

“Okay- you want to play rough …” He stops to attack but remains too close to the tree. A steel mesh net is thrown over him. Four cords hang from the corners that four ninja leap to and grasp. Their added weight begins to drag him down. The katanas are drawn and they form a circle. Jim Addards floats to the center of this mess. “Oh no you don’t! I got a kid to raise- this isn’t going to happen!”

He stares at the master and mouths the words- “I defy you.” Then rolls into a ball and drops.

Sensing a trap, The ninja master turns her eyes and leaps back.

Silent screams from the ninjas rise as Megamania suddenly glows. Their weapons melt when they hit him. Light leaks from his eyes and a scary smile crosses his face. “Sasha- good call girl.”

He stands upright slow and dramatically. The net melts off of his body. The glow strengthens on his body and begins to pulse. Uncertain of what to do, the ninja hesitate. It will be their last mistake. A blast of pure magical energy erupts from his body and strikes the weakened ninjas. 8 of the 14 ninja condense into green mist that is then blown away from the pulse.

“I DEFY YOU ALL!!!!!” Yells Megamania as he charges into the surviving with his ionic charged clubs now drawn.

He strikes one ninja along the knees; even as it buckles he follows through and strikes its head into the stone ground. He whirls around and catches another ninja and crushes its throat. Green mist erupts as Jim’s glow begins to fade.

One ninja tries to grab him but misses. His ribs are first shattered then his backbone. Another ninja is struck into the chest stunning it. Megamania’s leg is kicked out from under him as a ninja sweeps him. Another ninja strikes his wrist making him drop his weapon.

Not at the least concerned, Jim rolls and kicks him back. “You got the moves but I got the game!” yells Megamania as he recalls his hand to hand combat training.

The three surviving ninja surround him and attack. One makes a powerful punch that numbs his arm. Still undaunted, Jim merely shakes it and as the next ninja swings, he catches the warriors wrist. He savagely bends then twists it causing a loud snap to be heard. Not letting go he uses his other free hand to punch him in the head and drive him into the ground.

The two free ninja try to kick and punch at him but either they miss or their attacks are absorbed by his shock resistant armor. Jim snaps the neck of his held captive using his foot. Using this same motion he kicks back into a spinning flip and collides into a surprised warrior. This warrior rolls free from him while the last ninja withdraws a dagger.

“Cheater Cheater how I miss the Theatre” and he launches himself into the dagger wielding ninja. He does a double punch to the warrior’s face. Not very graceful or pretty but the shattered nose and eye socket reduces the ninja into green mist.

The last ninja tries to grapple him instead of striking him. He easily slips out of it and grabs his arm. He wraps his legs around the stretched out arm forcing the ninja down. The ninja tries to kick free. Before he can Jim drops the sneakered heel of his foot onto his face two times. The ninja yet lives by a gargle escapes from his crushed mouth. He tries to pull free again. Megamania kicks him again. Stunned, Jim places his toes along the jaw and kicks out with his other foot. The neck, jaw and skull all separate and green mist pours out.

“Haw….haw….hee….wacky ninjas….haw……” Jim is more panting than laughing. He stops and freezes as he hears clapping behind him. Theta!

“Well done hero. Well done. You have come a long way. Now … now you get to face a master.

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 093
“The War of the Multi-verse: THE LEGION OF DOOM”

Chrystrall sat on his planar throne contemplating the events of the past two weeks. The mind flayer was contacted by a human from a back woods world called earth. He seemed prepared for anything and brought along a doppelganger for protection. It was this person that he knew. The human’s money and gems were good but it was the doppelganger that closed the deal.

Chrystrall could have simply erased the human’s mind and memory but the assassin was known as Jarella. She was a well-known planar killer and to be working with him suggested bigger powers. The scarred human was merely a puppet. That was fine, in the end, we all dance on strings muses the mind flayer. The secret of life was to pull more strings than to be pulled by others. With the artifacts and gems given to him, he could more readily do this now. Vandal Boc was going to have the Legion of Doom to add to his pathetic shadow warriors.

The choice of battle location was curious to him. At the Ruins of Snake Tongue within the Chaos Plane of Acheron. Snake tongue was a grand twin fortification built over a maze of deadly traps and captured creatures. The creators build it too well. They were placed under siege and it took 15 years, but eventually their stored foods and supplies ran out. That was thousands of years ago. Many armies have claimed control over the ruins. No one controls these ruins. They are alive and will look out for itself.

To make it more of a challenge, there were two armies massing to try to control the forts. The Legion was to ignore these two armies and hunt a third force. A small team of highly skilled and armed warriors of Epic power. Chrystrall couldn’t resist any further.

He has sent out several teams of his warriors and it is just a matter of time before the humans are killed.


Speaking of which ……

“Sounds like the battle has either ended or moved on.”

“Okay then how do we get out?”

“Join my hands and let us leave.” Says Christina.

The cleric takes the hands of Vander and The Captain and says the last words of her spell. She asks them to close their eyes and she then does. She visualizes the grounds above and lets out her breath slowly. “You can open your eyes now.”

It is still dark. There are signs of ice, lightning and fire damage everywhere. Pieces of a glass orb lay on the ground before a stone monolith. Vander looks at the pieces. “Someone teleported out using Planar psionics Captain.”

“Jarella. Then it is official- they know we are here.” States the Captain. “Best be on alert.”

The Captain looks at Christina. “I’m sorry Christina. I suspect she has gotten to Jim and then tried for Jean. However, we have our mission and don’t forget what lies at stake.”

“Could it be your lives?” comes a hoarse but female voice. A large figure steps out from the dark shadows. She wears no clothes but carries a large spiked chain. She appears to be an ogre or ½ ogre. She smiles at the Captain.

“Captain- narghhhhh!” snarls Vander as waves of energy seem to appear out of no where aimed directly on him. The Captain and Christina avoid the worst of it. Something moves rapidly within the shadows laughing a tiny high-pitched laugh.

Even as Christina rises to her feet she feels waves of infernal energy wash over her. She feels herself weaken but then wills it off. Out of the shadows steps a ratman dressed in tattered strips of cloth. It carries before it an unholy symbol. “Your will …it is strong.” Christina looks at the creature and remembers Jean’s description of the creature that altered her into an undead creature. “oh-no.”

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 094
“The War of the Multi-verse: Ti-Lenna vs The Captain”

“I know nothing about you and wish no conflict with you. We merely are looking for our friends.”

“So am I …after I kill you little man.” Says the ½ Ogre.

Seeing no room for talk or other diplomatic means to end this conflict quickly the Captain begins by throwing his shield in full frontal attack. The shield whirls out and stops her in mid stride. It rebounds and goes to strike her again but is blocked by her whirling chain. However, the strike against the chain is enough to knock it out of rotation while the magic of the shield allows it to strike two more times. She snarls in pain with blood being spat out through her nose and mouth. She spins her chain and lets it whirl at him. He blocks the first two strikes but then the chain snaps over the top edge and strikes the Captain on the head and shoulder drawing blood through his chain armor.

The Captain attacks again with his shield. She has closed in the space keeping him from effectively using it as a thrown weapon. This bothers him little as he begins to bash her massive frame with the shield. She spits blood into his eyes then seems to melt into a blob …a green blob. ARRRRRGGHHHH!!!!!!!!!!! Screams the Captain as the Green Slime burns into his armor and skin.

From out of the darkness streaks a small grayish-brown creature. Vander can barely keep track of it moves so quickly. At the last moment it swerves away from him and speeds up a stone next to him and drops onto his back attacking. Vander feels the blade slip between his armor plates piercing his shoulder. “You and I are the same. But you are slow. You have might but I have speed.” It squeaks. Vander swings at the creature. It is caught off guard that Vander would sacrifice himself to strike at it. He strikes the creature with his Falchion using it as a club. The small Dromite is knocked free but leaves a bloody trail ..Vander’s blood.

Not scared at the least, the creature strikes again. This time it speeds along and attacks low. It stabs a leg at the knee joint then spins around and groin hits him then stabs at his lower back. Vander grows frustrated, as he can not track the vile creature. “Stand Still!” He shouts. He swings wildly and misses all but once. The trick of the hit was he swung at one location and while drawing the blade to a new position caught the creature as it spun behind him.

The creature pinches one nostril closed and lougges him with a psionic Ectoplasm. Vander becomes entrapped in the stretchy strong goo. Not missing a step, he now reaches into his mind to attack. He tries to grease his armor to squeeze free but can not.

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 095
“The War of the Multi-verse: Treegara vs. Christina”

Christina gives the rat creature a cold stare. “If you are the one that has cursed my friend you can not die with any mercy.”

“Big words from a cleric. Such a pretty one also. I see why the boy has taken to you.”

The creature moves forward suddenly. An aura of pain and disease spreads out even as it attacks her by firing a bow at her rapidly. The first arrow hits her but the second one launches high. However, it is the creatures plague ability that sickens her. The horrid Wilting strikes her as she rapidly sweats and pales. She drops to a knee and begins to wretch uncontrollably. This causes more fluid to leave her body.

“Vile …creat…ture….” She gasps. She closes her eyes and concentrates (nat 20 yeah!) and calls down a column of fire on the filthy creature. The fire burns the creature and the disease it spread. The creature rolls like a skilled ranger and pats out the flames as it stops. “Nicely done. Two birds …heh …with one stone.”

The rat creature leaps at her in a mad run and attempts to smite her with his unholy touch. He misses but fears little, as she is barely alive. One should never under estimate an intelligent weapon. Especially when it is a mother of the wielder. It screams into Christina’s mind and she raises the mace into the ratman’s lunge. The contact with the creature allows her to release her energies of electricity, flame and cold all at once.

“Narrrragh! The weapon has intelligence!”

The Captain screams as he feels his skin melt away from him. The Green Slime withdraws from him leaving him badly burned and lacking key muscle groups. It bubbles into shape of the ½ Ogre again holding her chain. She uncorks a potion and drinks it. The deep purple bruises on her yellow pale skin heals up. The Captain tries to get to his feet. One arm barely holds on. Fortunately for him, when Ti-Leena reformed she took all of the slime with her or it would have killed him outright.

She pulls out one more potion. “ I have heard many things about you. The power of the shield seems true. I have not even tarnished it. But you …you are weaker than your legend suggests. I will wield your shield with a vengeance. I will give it the glory it deserves.”

“The hell you will monster.” With one arm flapping loose at his side the Captain attacks. It is a simple charge into her. It knocks her back and she loses her second healing potion. She swings the spiked chain around his body and catches the other end. The spikes draw blood but she doesn’t mind. She holds him against her body and begins to saw at his back with the chain.

“ARRRGH!” and the armor begins to tear and blood seeps through the torn free rings of his armor. He struggles to become free which only allows the chain to dig in deeper. She smiles and snorts as she continues to work the spikes back and forth across his back. Again he struggles but can not free himself. Again she saws at his back and begins to pull the chain tighter at the same time.

“Without your shield, you can not even hurt me. You are weak.”

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 096
“The War of the Multi-verse: Squint vs Vander”


Vander pulls in his inner strength and builds it into raw strength. He climbs to a knee and then stretches the goo until it snaps. The speeding Dromite continues to charge into him. The first strike hits but from there Vander is in constant back peddling. “Enough!”

The Dromite moves under him and Vander merely closes his legs. He receives a power headbutt to the groin by the Dromite is caste onto the ground. He sits with his massive weight and the weight of the armor onto the Dromite. It’s large eyes nearly pop out. “Squeak!”

Vander then begins to pummel the Dromite with his mailed gloves even as tears run down his face from the burning sensation in his groin.

Christina, still barely conscience, calls onto a new spell. (nat 19! Rolling well today). The Heal spell removes the disease effects and damage she has taken thus far. Treegara once more returns to using the bow. It licks each arrowhead leaving thick goo on each. Both shots go wild as a string snaps. It curses and knows this battle will have to continue another day. However, before the ratman can run, Christina calls on her spell of Divine Wraith. Pure divine energy leaks out of a swirling gate near it. It screams and burns as the light shines onto it. It runs into the darkness with the lingering smell of rooted burnt flesh.

Again the Captain struggles to become free but can not. Again his back is torn and ripped as Ti-lenna saw at him. The Captain tries a new tactic… “Over here Jean. I need your power!” he shouts. The ½ Ogre stops and turns. The Captain head butts the beast. Not fazed, she returns the favor. Each now have gashes. He on his forehead and her on her chin.

“You do not have the heart to cheat like that human. I have seen it in your actions.”

He tries to pull free but instead is cut again.

He can see the others are in combat and can not help him. He must do this himself. The Captain reaches up tries to grab the fingers to wench and break. Instead he finds her massive ring. Suspecting this is her power to polymorph he tries something. Still touching the ring he calls on it. A battle of wills to control the ring begins.

(both roll an 18) Each stare into the other’s eyes. The battle now becoming one of will and stubbornness. The Captain thinks himself to be winning when suddenly she changes form into a Rust Monster. His armor melts away from him as her tail sweeps over him.

The tactic worked after a fashion. The Captain is free to use his arm and the shield again. He takes full advantage of it. The shield, still on his arm slices through the tail then a claw then the middle as he cracks open the thick ferrous armor. Once open, it is an easy target to strike at the soft interior. Ti-Leena’s form returns as she dies. The Captain falls to the ground next to her. The pain of the lost arm too much for him.

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 097
“The War of the Multi-verse: Jean vs The Furnace Golem”

Jean hesitates, there is a large glowing armored giant walking her way. As she moves, it seems to move with her. Either he has seen her and wishes to contact her or was seeking her before. In this world, it would not be good to be targeted.

Jean steers her winds to carry her away where to follow her, the giant will come across the human army. Maybe this way she can learn more about the creature’s motives. And she does. As it walks into the scouts, it blasts flame into them. Survivors are trampled or struck down by its burning mace.

No longer believing it may be a good giant, she prepares a few spells for the creature.

Stormwielder charges up the air above the huge armored giant and castes it onto him. The electrical bolts ride and crackle over its body. Nothing. “Does everything we face have powerful resistance to magic?”

The Huge Furnace Golem turns and leans back to see what attacked it. Jean Flies over it and feels the heat rising off of the construct. She wonders briefly if it is a Fire Giant within the armor until it releases a blast of heat and cinders into the forest and the army hiding there.

Once more she attempts to get around the creature’s magic resistance but this time creates acid rain from the very clouds that had lightning before. She can hear the men below screaming as the acid washes off of the golem and onto them. She cares little. They should have known better she decides.

She decides to try the trick she used against the last powerful golem she faced of huge size. She creates a blizzard to blast at it. She hopes it will seize up and destroy the magical flame that powers it while collecting ice and weight to slow it down. Instead- thick pea-soup fog occurs and nothing can be heard over the hiss of hot, cold and acid. More screams from below.

Her yellow eyes barely can make out the shapes of the fleeing army. Unaware of it, a cruel smile develops on her face. Her undead nature continues to corrupt her.

As a precaution, she weaves one more spell to herself before attacking the golem head on. During this time the golem has begun to step up a slight hill rise allowing it to come into reach of the sorceresse. Even as she completes her spell it reaches up and slaps her from the sky like an annoying fly she is to it. She crashes to the ground and comes rolling to a stop against a fallen burnt tree.

She looks up in time to see the golem reach down and grasp her. The metal is so super heated that her hair rises and flows from the hot air surrounding it. The golem reaches to its side and easily holds her and flicks a switch to its stomach. A burning burst of air escapes as it positions her.

“Noooooo!” then her voice is overthrown by the rush of the superheated air. She is thrown into the magical super nova that powers the Furnace Golem and it closes the hatch. It spots a few fleeing humans and gives pursuit- with new fuel for its consumption.

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 098
“Recover and Respond”

Christina calls on her powerful healing powers to save the Captain’s life. Vander stands over her watching anything and everything. The Captain has nearly lost his entire none shield holding arm, he has deep cuts in his back and remaining arm. His armor has been nearly destroyed by the touch of the rust monster’s powers to degrade armor and metal in general.

The Captain’s arm begins by glowing. The damage and lost portions of bone reform and nit first. The sweat and pressure is clear on her face. She suffers even as the Captain does. Once the skeletal framework is returned, she imagines and grows the nervous system followed by the meat of the arm. Suddenly the Captain snorts as if he was holding his breath for too long. The strain is taxing on him. The flesh grows and strengthens. Then fibrous tubes that fill with blood wrap them. As it reaches the fingers, new tubes fill with blood as it returns to the chest for more nutrients. During this, his back is slowly closing up also.

Several humans wearing armor with drawn swords enter the area. They stop and stare at what they see. A powerful healer. They could use that for their own army. A powerful warrior. Another plus. And the other warrior looks strong but is without a weapon. Maybe that is why he lies on the ground nearly dead.
“You are not with the goblinoids or the orcs. Who are you?” Asks the apparent leader. His short sword glows lightly in the dim light.

Vander stares at the man. He is trying to place him. “Fal …Fal …. Fallard? Commander Fallard?”

The man stops with renewed suspicion. “Who would know of my name yet I know thee not?”

Vander will not answer. He is well known and wishes not to be considered an enemy here. “I am Dregoth.” He says remembering the legendary giant slayer from his home world. “We seek nothing that involves your war with Ten Bites.”

“Ten Bites?” Says the man with confusion. “We fight the goblins known as the Black Fester. Lord Mixan help us if Ten Bites is involved.”

Vander says nothing. After all, in THIS alternate universe perhaps she is not here. Even better, he hopes she is dead. Maybe there can be justice somewhere.

“You have be moving on gentlemen…” speaks weakly Christina.

“Lady of Healing- are you well?” asks the leader. Her face is wrinkled and lose-skinned. The spell still hurt her though it did not kill her as planned.

“I …I will be alright. The Captain needed me first.” She then lets out her breath and focuses on herself. The skin tightens and softens then regains its prior color of youthful health.

The sounds of a man running can be heard nearby. Everyone turns to look and a messenger with acid burns runs up. “An attack sir! The entire Falcon’s reach division was decimated by a fire driven golem and a lich that threw lightning and ice.”

Vander’s sharp eyes spear into the man. “Where?”

“Above ground and to the east. I believe it is a construct.”

“Uhhhh, then we need to go…” says the Captain in a great deal of pain.

“You need rest.” Says Christina looking weak herself.

“The mission is what is important and we NEED Jean to complete the mission.”

“How do we respond” asks the psychic warrior.

“Direct.”

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 099
“Take Down the Golem”

“Furnace Golem. Very Dangerous Captain.”

“Not as dangerous as we are. I don’t like the fact we don’t see Jean anywhere. If she engaged this monster she would not back down from it. Especially with it attacking the people below.”

“I hate to remind you sir, but Jean …Jean is not her usual self these days.”

“Believe me- I know.”

“No Captain. Christina means her mind. She is not as well in the mind. The disease that makes her look as she does also taints her soul.”

“Either way soldier- that monster needs to come down.” Says the Captain staring at it. He doesn’t see many weaknesses in the design. The last Golem they faced was this big and nearly indestructible. He hopes this creature has some weak points.

“You recognized the design Vander. What can you tell me?”

“The Black Fester Goblins use these to spread terror and break up formations of advancing armies. Warped elemental forces run them. They can emit streams of fire that consume everything. It has been to known to eat victims when low on energy. It is nearly immune to all magics.”

“Wonderful. Enough with the strengths. Any weaknesses?”

“Beat it. Beat it hard.”

“Direct as I first suggested. Hit and run tactics. It goes down here and now.”

The burning metal creates a few shrub fires as it advances from the forest into the plains looking for the human encampment. As it clears the trees it is struck by a speeding disk. The disk hits and spins to hit it again. Glowing cracks form where the shield cracks open the thick hot metal chassis of the golem. Sparks float out and die as it shambles onward. Then from below, Vander strikes now powered up by Christina’s divine powers. He strikes and drives his psionic weapon deeply into the joint of the ankle ( 4 crits!).

The golem suddenly finds itself with no foot and teeters then stumbles on its shin. Christina enchants her weapon and strikes the ground nearby. Earth and loose debris leap into the air as a tremor rips through the ground and strikes the golem. It topples and shatters as it strikes the ground. Red-hot coals spill out mixed with lava like substance. The remains of magical armor (destroyed by with form) spills with it. A body also washes out and stops only when caught onto a stone.

“no……” whispers the Captain

“She was …being cremated….” Says Vander.

“Dead. Poor lass.” Says Fallard.

“No- look- she moves!” says Christina. She runs over to help her teammate but stops short. The heat from the plasma is super hot and repels her at the distance of ten feet.

“I … I wasn’t sure if I got the fire …immunity spell off …in time.” Says Jean as she pushes up out of the lava like substance. Much of her clothes have burned off and most of her equipment is missing. The yellow eyes now flare bright red in undead anger.

“Someone will die for this.” She says as she stands up and is forced to see what her once beautiful body has become.

Vander dismisses her tone of voice and obvious anger as he searches for Jim’s remains within the elemental ooze. None is found but this doesn’t mean he wasn’t already burned up to no remains.

 

[megamania]

STRIKEFORCE: MORITURI
SEGMENT 100
“That Was Then … This Is Now ”

“Well done hero. Well done. You have come a long way. Now … now you get to face a master.”

“How… but….WTF?!?!?” Stammers a confused and completely caught unaware Jim Addards. Before him stands a woman in her early thirties. She is dressed in black satin and leather. Pouches are visible to the trained eye where weapons and other small items can be well hidden. The black face scarf has been removed and waves in the gentle breeze within one hand. The other hand rests on a curved hip, perhaps fingering a weapon. Her black long wavy hair also lifts and falls in the wind. Her dark eyes almost seduce Jim. Just as they did when he was 18 years old still in high school in southern Vermont.

He heard that she had survived that night of terror and awakening and went into becoming a master thief whom specialized in smuggling weapons and exotic materials. Here she stands, now and forever, taunting him. His first love and up until the past few months, he thought his only possible love.

Jennifer was her name in high school. Her professional name was Theta.

“Your vocabulary has grown. So much for your innocence.” She says, as she remains completely motionless.

Drained of arcane energy and tired, Jim drops to his knees. “I… I thought you… I thought….” He is unable to complete the sentence. His mental state was always of questionable stability but with the confession of his love for Christina and now becoming a father… it has reached critical mass. Now Theta has arrived back into his life. Why now?

“Can’t say it?”

“Why … why did you never …” tears well in his eyes and he trembles.

“Never contact you? Do you really think you were that good? That important to me? To my life?” She sneers.

Quietly he whispers…”yes” He looks down to the ground. “yes I did …once.”

“Stuff happens.”

“Why are you here?” Jim perks up. He has a reason for being. A second chance. A second chance to save everything important to him and a second chance at love. He doesn’t plan on ruining it. Again.

“To kill you of course.”

“You lie.”

“You are to die today. You and your friends.” She pulls her arms out from her body. The face mask flies away in the rising wind. Something glitters in her other hand.

“Do you know what you fight for? Who you fight for?” Jim reaches to his side hoping to find the gun he dropped. He hopes there are still charges within it.


“Enlighten me.”

“Worse than Satan.”

“Worse?”

“This one destroys entire universes.”

“He will restore balance and order. Do you remember Star wars? Darth Vader created balance in the end. He did good.”

“This is no Freakin’ movie. This is real R – E- A – L. Real. “

“Ever the romantic. Enough stalling. Shall we dance?”

Jim rolls back and springs onto his feet. He has not found his dropped weapon but grabs a sword instead. And smiles.
She throws two metal spikes. Each strike Jim in the thigh. The pain is great. One leg goes knumb. Poison.

“not f****** fair….” And he collapses onto his back.

“The poison on the spikes works quick and I have things to do and clerics to kill. Within five minutes you will die. “

“**** you.” Jim says trying to smile.

“You already did a**hole. Or have you forgotten so soon?”

“be…see…ing you….la …ter.” And his seem to focus on nothing.”

“You ARE an idiot. You killed yourself…” Theta is surprised and unsure if it was by accident or intention. She never thought of him as a suicidal person like this. She turns and walks away in disgust.

Behind, a sword tip glistens with blood. It sticks up to the stars above. Jim, stumbling backwards and weakened, has impaled himself onto a sword held by a downed ninja. His face is trapped in a pained smile of madness.

Mere seconds after she has silently left, a carrion bird arrives. It looks at the bodies. It senses the tainted flesh of the ninjas and ignores these bodies. It looks at Jim’s eyes. The wide open staring eyes. The glowing eyes.

“mayyy ……kik…..” and drool escapes his quivering lips as he succumbs to the enchanted blade’s might.