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EARTHREALM MORTAL KOMBAT FAN FICTION
Origins
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Chapter 1:
Seven Dragon Balls and One Pair of Jinn's
(by Noah Wahn, added on May 24, 2004)
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"Before we begin again, I would like to express my thanks to Earthrealm and it's creators. I owe all of you my very best storytelling, without this oppertunity to write freely I would surely have gone mad."
The world had moved on since the fall of Paradise and the mightiest entities from every realm had been laid to rest within the castle walls with the exception of four.
The four of a kind were two from within and the two that could not gain access before the fall of our heroes. Gladiator proved to be an equal to Superman in every way at least compared to the Superman of old but not quite the man of steel of Paradise.
Our God of War had been slightly altered, he was everything we all knew but was also possessed and a killer. The new disposition put Gladiator in a check mate and even the imperial guards mightiest needed aid.
Rogue, Gambit and Angel simply weren't enough when you consider that Darkseid, Thanos and Apocalypse were still alive and slaughtering alongside the chairman. The Hulk proved helpful but it was WonderMan of the Avengers that assured victory to the over powered heroes. SuperMan had never fought such a quartet and in the end the Angel was spared along with one other. Two made it out and two remained on the outside looking on in terror at the carnage. Now we follow the rebuilding of the Earthrealm and watch as all that was lost rise once more through the power of Origins.
Throughout creation many things have come to be known and feared. Lucifer is the king of all that is evil by scripture and ancient text made available to us by way of the Bible. The castle put forth on Earthrealm was just a fraction of the power weilded in Hell by Lucifer and the fallen angels. It remains even now as the four of a kind quest for the Dragon Balls and the one wish granted by the three dragons combined. The dragonball Z super saiyan race have just completed another Tenkaichi Budoukai world tournament and have now returned to find Earthrealm in ruins at the hands of Lucifer, who they cannot defeat.
The knowledge of the seven orbs are all that they can offer to our four survivors.
Now we have a small union formed, a search party if you will, not only on a quest for the ancient dragons of power but for any other signs of life throughout a ravaged Earthrealm. The fact that the super saiyans were not a part of the castle tournament gives them all hope that others also were not within ear's reach of death's call.
Unknown to our wasteland hopeful's is the new threat that has been cast within their paths, the Djinni. Far from new, this ancient race was created before man himself and now serve as the hand of Lucifer sent to see our survivors driven to madness. The sea is where our travelers will begin their quest and already they have discovered a ship that appears to be abandoned at the foot of the waters edge. From the looks of the wrecked vessel, it was clear that the ship had seen some harsh weather to say the least. As they approached the ladder leading to the deck, voices could be heard from below the ship. Cautiously Vegeta and Goku step foward and knock on the cabin door. The doors fly open and an irritated Bluto comes out shocked at the group he sees before him.
BLUTO:
"Who are you and what do ya's want?"
Goku:
"We are saiyans and our friends here need some help and transportation."
BLUTO:
"Well as ya's can see, the ship ain't exactly operational right now. Maybe ya's can try back later or hey! how bouts' a hand in place for a ride, whadda' ya's say?"
GOKU:
"Sounds like a fair exchange to us, we'll do it."
The ship is repaired in no time and our friends have used their time to get to know the ships crew and it's captain.
ANGEL:
"Popeye, you have traveled just about everywhere. Is their any place you and the crew haven't been?"
POPEYE:
"Well we wus' on our ways' to this castle of ruins' place down the way theres' buts' Bluto and mes' decided to drink with the crew and the next tings' we knows' wes' all too drunk to steers' the ship. "Laughs"
So heres' wheres' we crashed and beens' ever since. Wheres' it that yous' need to be going anyways'?"
ANGEL:
"We're looking for others like yourselves who might have been fortunate enough to have missed the carnage back at the castle."
POPEYE:
"Yous' aint gotta' worry bout' finding life, wes' got lotsa' friends all overs' the Earthrealm. The swamps of the Shire and the city of Monopoly are boomin' with action."
JUGGERNAUT:
"Take us to these places, perhaps the key to getting our friends back from Hell is within those city walls."
BLUTO:
"HEY! I feels' for yas' mates' but nobody barks orders at the captain, not even the likes' of giants understand? We aints' never beens' to Hell and we aints' going there neither, the Shire has plenty of them spirits' and all that but wes' go for the grub and funs' at Monopoly."
ANGEL:
"Our saiyan friends are flying out to meet the wish granting dragons just as soon as we get moving out to sea, so we would apprieciate it if you could get us as far as the Shire. While the saiyans wish our realm back to before the castle, we will try and locate any who may have knowledge of Hell and its many layers."
BLUTO:
"We'll take yas' but remember wes' warned yas' of the dangers' found within, if it weres' up to us wes' tell yas' to forget your foolish quest and jus' waits' for yas' friends to return from there when."
JUGGERNAUT:
"Fair enough but we have to try anyway."
And so the journey begins with the harsh seas and tempermental weather conditions.
The saiyans move fast towards the corners of the Earthrealm in search of the dragons.
Angel, Juggernaut, Terry Bogard and Samurai Jack retreat to the beds below deck as Popeye, Bluto and the rest of the crew get the rebuilt ship headed out to Sea.
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Chapter 2:
In Sight Out Of Mind
(by Noah Wahn, added on May 25, 2004)
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Many days had passed since our Ark had set sail and our weary travelers found an abundance of life within the deep blue seas.
Popeye had explained to them how he had been given the gigantic vessel from prince Namor and the one known as Aquaman. It had belonged to a prophet and once it had served the purpose of saving a pair of each species of life from the end of the world of that when, the ship itself was sunken to the ocean floor. After being shipwrecked and stranded on a deserted island, Popeye and his crew met with the two heirs and after drinking much ale were granted the ancient Ark. To the sea royals the vessel was more of a relic than a prize, so giving it to the drunken sailor and his mates meant little to them. The odd thing about the ships presence within Atlantis was that no harm had ever come to it's people nor had any wars been lost since its arrival thousands of years earlier. Once it was removed however, by the unknowing royals, the underwater kingdom had seemed to be erased from memory. Namor the Sub-Mariner and Aquaman were both left wandering the seas for decades after. Their families and friends along with their beloved aquadic paradise was lost forever.
SAMURAI JACK:
"That is quite a tale captain, have those two warriors been seen or heard from since?"
POPEYE:
"Sures' they have, both frequent Monopoly."
SAMURAI JACK:
"This land you refer to, how is it not destroyed along with the rest of the Earthrealm?"
POPEYE:
"Welp' not everyones' fell for the hype of such a place as Paradise City. Lots of'em just assumes' it was just one more Monopoly City. Toon Town merged with the Shire backs' whens' toons were on top of the world. Uncle Penny Banks came knockins' and toons answered the doors'. Everyone from Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny to the Hobbits' themselves decided to comes' together for peace. Penny Banks had the dough and alot of the toons had the land, the rest is history."
TERRY BOGARD:
"This is like a bad trip down the rabbit hole man. Monopoly is a board game and Toon Town is a movie set, how could it really exist?"
BLUTO:
"You kiddin' me kid?, Have yes' taken a look at yerselfs' lately?, Yous' are toons may boy!!"
TERRY BOGARD:
"Anime, thank you. Not exactly the same as you old timers and thats not what I meant. How can a board game have become the center of the Earthrealm? and How come no one else seems to notice but me?"
SAMURAI JACK:
"I do not know of this game but I do know alot about time travel. The worlds I have been to are all but a memory to me now but they were all real enough when I was thrown upon them. Alot has disappeared since I followed AKU here to this realm, at first I thought it was my when in time but then I realized my era has long since passed. Me and this ship are extinct here and now I wonder how much more is extinct as well."
JUGGERNAUT:
"It makes sense. If the Earthrealm is being overtaken by Hell itself, then all of us are as good as on the verge of extinction. If all of this is also true or even close, our Saiyans are on a mission to nowhere and those dragons they speak of are no more."
TERRY BOGARD:
"To bad they don't know it."
Our saiyans were already beginning to realize their mistake but it had been to little to late. The wish granting dragon of power known as Shenron had just finished weaving a tale that Goku did not believe.
The rest of his saiyan brothers were excepting of the great beasts explainations of why their universe was no more and why only he had suvived the fierce attack of the deadly Djinn race. Wish granting dragons vs wish twisting tormentors, Shenron went on to explain. In the end Porunga and the Blackstar dragon along with the other DBZ/GT family were slain. Good news he had said was that the Djinn were also no more and now was their time to each be granted a wish a piece before his death.
Goku had tried to snap the others out of the lies trance but they were fueled by anger and thoughts of despair. Even his first son refuses to hear his fathers plea.
Each cast their wish and each was laid to waste as Goku watched in terror, he finally fled after Gohan was destroyed. Wise was he who did not stay, the Jinn revealed himself to each of the wish casters as they screamed. Goku had seen enough but tried hard to focus his mind away and flee while he still could. With tears in his eyes, the last of the saiyan race was headed back to the Ark of Noah in a ball of flames.
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Chapter 3:
Mystery Road
(by Noah Wahn, added on June 22, 2004)
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With Goku safely returned to the Ark of Noah and the fate of the crew headed for the security of the Shire Swamps, our weary travelers prepare themselves for their journey into mystery. The ark is docked along the shorelands of Point Pleasant and the crew finally makes their way out of the vessel for a stretch and look around the first land they have seen in some time.
JUGGERNAUT: "It would seem as though the creatures of this land want back onto Noah's ship people."
GOKU: "Popeye why are they all headed this way ? And if I'm not mistaken, they seem to be communicating with each other !
POPEYE: "Relax the animals are from the animal farm experiment, they were the first creatures to have mastered our language since Noah himself walked the earth. They are the rulers of this port and we have to give them something in the way of a trade to pass through to the forked roadway leading to the swampland's."
ANGEL: "What do you mean in the way of a trade cap. ?"
POPEYE: "Bluto you ready to do as I asked earlier ?"
BLUTO: "I captain, Mr. Bogard could you give me and the crew a hand with securing the anchor ?"
TERRY BOGARD: "Sure thing, I'm not exactly sure as to what I can do but I'd love to help out."
The crew follows Bluto's lead and Terry Bogard is led away to the tail end of the ark. Popeye opens a fresh can of spinach and get's himself pumped up for the fight to come. When the captain approaches Mr. Bogard aboard the ship, the animals of the Point Plaesant Portland surround the rest of the guests from the Seaside adventure.
POPEYE: "You have the oppertunity to reveal yourself to the others or be fed to my friends down below. You have caused them to block our path with your deceit sorcerer and until you reveal yourself as you really appear, we will consider you lunch.
TERRY BOGARD AKA SHANG TSUNG: "Remarkable, how is it that these beasts could possibly detect my presence ? Is this land really that magical or are you smarter than I've given you credit for ?"
POPEYE: "A bit of both you could say, I've had long journey's with the like's of Sherlock Holmes and Alan Quartermain of the League of Extrodinary Gentlemen. You fool no one except those who see only with their eyes, now decide what your going to do and quickly."
SHANG TSUNG: "Either way I know my time will be brief if I'm exposed to the others so what other choices are you offering me sailor ?"
POPEYE: "No deals, the animals of Noah will not let you pass and your powers are limited within the land of the Elves. Queen Arwen rules the Shire along with her husband King Aragorn and if it had been them and the rest of the Roundtable Fellowship, you would already be dead."
SHANG TSUNG: "The events of Paradise were not my doing, I was summoned to the Earthrealm and given a chance to live. My escape wasn't easy from that castle and if I had not hidden within the remains of Mr. Bogard, I would surely have died along with the rest of them."
POPEYE: "You deceived Andy Bogard, killing him in the process of what he believed to be saving his brother Terry and now you claim that everyone else is dead, yet the Angel survived as well as yourself."
SHANG TSUNG: "Looks as though I'm not the only deceiver among you and your crew and here's another piece of advice for you captain, the saiyan is not what you believe him to be either. Perhaps I'm not the only presence here that has caused a disturbance throughout the port. I have shared all that I know, do to me what you will but I'm happy to have not found death within that place of horror."
If Popeye murders the Angel and the saiyan along with what they perceive as Terry Bogard, he knows he will be destroyed by the ones known as Jack and his friend Juggernaut. He is sure that those two are as they appear because the creatures of the port are not responding to them as food.
It all comes down to his next move, if they are not permitted to pass through this port all will be lost. He calls for a meeting with the Dove in search of counsel, in the meantime Shang Tsung has bought himself some time if not for long. |
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Chapter 4:
No Escape
(by Noah Wahn, added on June 26, 2004)
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| Deep within the port a meeting of Elves, Animals and Men was nearly finished. The outcome would decide the fate of the motley crue that Popeye the sailor and the Ark of Noah had brought from the ruins of Paradise all the way to the first of the Shire port lands. The presence of evil was no help and it was those few that would soon face the wrath of the animals appetite. Arwen had come personally to escort Popeye and his true two refugees, along with his crew, through the port area and safely across the river styx. Shang Tsung's voyage ended here in the land of the Shire grassland's and as for the Angel, his fate was decided in the castle. The body of the Angel had been taken over by Solomon Grundy, who was one of the possessed keepers of the castle looking for escape from the eternity of solitude and servitude. His fate would be far worse, Grundy was to be delivered back to the castle and resume his duty as groundskeeper. The animals would see this task accomplished and in turn would re-inherit the ancient ship of Noah. As for the stranded former crew members, they would be granted access through the swamplands and across the river of death until reaching the shores of Monopoly. The last of the illusive former crew, Goku, would be taken to Mount Doom and thrown into the heart of the lava pit. The Wishmaster had sent this lower order Jinn to follow the crew's path and keep a mystical link to his master by using the Saiyans external skin as a bodysuit, much the way Shang Tsung had done when attempting to fool Andy Bogard back inside the castle. The sorcerer however had the power of illusion, the lesser Jinn used the entire hollowed innerd's of the Saiyans body. The Elves and their Animal Farm guardians weren't fooled or impressed and for the trechory attempted, handed down these sentences of disposal. The time had come for the meeting's end and all order of Arwen's instruction was followed out without hesitation by those of her fellowship. The true forms of the traitors were revealed to those in the dark before the sentencing had commenced, shock was short lived and replaced quickly with anger. Juggernaut and Jack started towards their lodge after the woodland trial, each contemplating the works that they had done previously throughout their lives on each plane of existence and what now layed ahead for them in this Earthrealm of new and old combined. Deep within their mind's they both understood that they would see that castle again and the question they each went to sleep with was just how many more lives would be taken next time around, they included their own as well in the equation. The people of the Shire's many landscape's were also becoming aware of the threat following their new guests but they also knew the Nothing would come for them regardless. The Nothing was what they had come to refer the doom as, long ago it had been written that the Nothing had nearly wiped out all plains of existence and that only a few remained in it's wake to repopulate the world's. Literature was rich in the Shirelands thank's to the wizard Gandalf and his superior Merlin, they served as protectors to the Hobbit's and the Holy Grail which was the source of the Shire's mysticism. If the Wishmaster was an agent of the Nothing and the Nothing was the eye of Lucifer himself, what chance did a pair of wizards, even as powerful as these, have against the coming death ? Arwen knew this night meant the beginning of the eclipse, she and her fellowship gathered alongside Aragorn and began to plan a course of action. It seemed so long ago since the threat of Sauron, even longer since that dreaded journey into Isengard once Saruman went insane. Peace had been restored under her husband's kingship for centuries and now with the arrival of the Ark, chaos was unleashed once more. This time however there was no escaping nor protecting their kingdom from the Nothing and it's horde of the Black 13. Time once more ran short as the world again began to move foward, leaving nothing alive from beneath it's impression upon the land's. |
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Chapter 5:
History Repeats Itself
(by Noah Wahn, added on June 27, 2004)
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| A small band of creatures, animals, men and wizard were called forth early the next morning to form the second fellowship. It was not of the ring this time but of the roundtable. Merlyn's Camelot was long ago destroyed but not entirely, the treasure of the Holy Grail had preserved Arthur and Lancelot. It was thought that only Perceval could accomplish the task of aquiring the spiritual relic, others had written the quest for Sir Galahad but in the end it was the two knights bound by conflict who held responsibility over the object responsible for the near perfect Shire. The sacrifice for having been granted the grail was their common mistress Lady Guinevere, who was killed by her own hand over the battle that raged between her two loves. The line of Arthur the Eld was still alive and well alongside the precious grail of Christ. Now Arwen and king Aragorn were attempting to reach the far off king of Camelot in the hopes of reviving the roundtable knights of legend. Twelve animals, seven men, two wizards and unlimited creatures of the Shire would now stand between the Nothing and the Army of Black 13 while seeking out the fallen court of Arthur deep within the shire lands where Camelot once stood. The king of Earthrealm and his fellowship looked to their backs and said their goodbye's to their land, they knew that as soon as they began riding East that the Shire would begin to vanish from the pages of history. No resident would be spared by the Wishmaster nor his army of 13, cannibals and demons awaited the hobbit folk and all the creatures and animals left behind. There were to many to take along with them and sacrifices had to be made in order for the fellowship to gain any ground before the beasts should catch up to them. The army of darkness would come first and many would be killed valiantly in battle but by the time the nothing would arrive all would be consumed. Unlike Sauron, there was no true way to kill emptiness personified. Everything fed the Nothing and the nothing in return fed back on everything. Our fellowship was now off to the east and as they rode, tears of sorrow ran down their faces. Rohan, Gondor, Isengard, the Misty Mountains and Mordor itself would fall within a few days, the only hope our fellowship had was to stay upon the East Road heading towards the River Anduin until reaching Lothlorien and finally Camelot. It aligned with the path of the beam and the beam would take those who found it to the city of Monopoly, there the fellowship would have to scale the Arkham Asylum to see just how far the nothing had spread at that point. It was a longer and more impossible journey than the quest of the ring ever was, the death toll would reach 100% and even if they were to achieve that much, the nothing would still be coming for them faster than ever before. Back at the port, the Ark had set sail by way of the Red Sea path in place of the storm infested Seven Sea's course chosen by Popeye and his crew. It would take them away from the course of the nothing and assure their arrival back at the Castle of Ruin. The rest of the landscape was growing darker and armies of Elves, Dwarves, Ents, Orks, Hobbit's, Fairies, Wizard's and Animal's joined the combined forces of mankind. They all came together for the last battle of the shire region's against the Black 13's Army of Darkness. Foe stood with friend, man with beast and mystic's with staff's in hand, this was it, the death of the Shire and all it's neighboring land's. The screams of their former friends and loved ones could be herd throughout the Wilderland's, all the way to the beam itself. All had gone the way of Elrond's prediction, all life throughout the land's ceased except for those among the fellowship and Arkham Asylum appeared before their eyes. |
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Chapter 6:
Black 13 - The Army of Darkness
(by Noah Wahn, added on June 28, 2004)
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| The inhabitants of the shire were slain fairly easily by the dark army of 13. Despite a small band of Highlander's and Sindarin Elf's, all was lost within a few hours of war. The men were being used by the vampyre's as a rich food source, while the animals of the land were being stewed and impaled upon large stakes sticking upward from the blackened earth. The elves and orc's were gutted and stripped of their flesh before thrown into the fire's of Mount Doom. Dwarves were decapitated and fed to Fenrir as Loki's other child Jormangund is released once more into the Sea. Within a week or less, the creatures of the Seas, Oceans and great lakes will all be food for the enormous beast and his fellow monsters. These were just a few members of the sacred army of the dark, throughout history there have been many creatures of lore born from the minds of men and now they were all being unleashed the way the heroes of the last two thousand years have been. The way Superman was born from the pages of a pulp 30's comic and with a gust of dark air and the praise and worship of millions, nearly destroyed the whole universe while using the very Earthrealm that birthed him as a starting point. That wave of this world was nearly history, the threat of the Black Army 13 is the hear and now and as for the future, well that's the Beginning set for another time all together. In order for the Beginning we must first come to an end, this is the last volume in the trilogy that is everything's end and this is the threat spawned from Hell itself, along with the Nothing, that is being written as we follow our fellowship on their quest to try and stop it from devouring the Earthrealm. The army itself is unstoppable as is it's master but where there is a fellowship built upon faith, hope will be found. The promise of the end of the world has been the burden of all living thing's since Paradise Lost. When Adam and his wife ate from the fruit of the tree of knowledge, they cast all life and creation into the shadows of doubt and the burden of Sin. Now the sins of mankind have finally allowed the arrival of Ragnarok for the God's they have made. Paradise City had claimed the lives of millions, destroyed most of the universe's in the wake of it's creation and ushered in the Castle of Ruin which still stands after the great war. The former ways of the world we were all familiar with has deteriorated, the many inventions and man made saviors have failed God's most precious creation. I suppose it was to old fashioned for the newer generations of people to stay consistent and remember Thy Lord in their daily lives, all you need to do is look to our history. The wars, the plagues, the despair, the technology and birth of science in place of faith and the word. Even after Christ came to cleanse us and show us the way, we have all remained unchanged for the most part. In the end their just wasn't enough of the good and obedient, so the Nothing was born to eat away everything that has been created by us. The 13 is allowed to murder all that comforted man's mind against discipline and righteousness using his own literature against him. Our monsters have been given life to destroy our world, our fears have come to undo our heroes of myth and lore. Worst of all our oldest enemy, Lucifer has been given his domain over the Earthrealm and is free to exploit all of our weakness against us. Alot of unreal events are taking place under the leadership of the realest evil in creation, the people who have not already been killed are surely beginning to go insane. Even our chosen fellowship has begun to realize the hopelessness that awaits them in Monopoly and in their own existence. Mankind is to blame for it's own act's and no one can save us from judgement night nor from the army of darkness that has already had it's share of our blood upon the former land's of the Shire. All we can do at this moment is watch the massacre of all we have made from the top of Arkham Asylum. |
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Chapter 7:
The Dark Tower
(by Noah Wahn, added on June 29, 2004)
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Camelot stood upon a steep hill. The land itself is covered by a warm, light fog that somehow feels very wrong. The members of our fellowship have fallen short since the journey to this ancient land. Some have committed suicide after losing their way in the fog, others fell victim to the numerous traps hidden within the ground's. Camelot certainly wasn't the kinder gentler land of hope they had needed so desperately. That time was long gone and now the humbled fellowship began to realize, it was just one more proving ground along the path of the beam leading to Monopoly and the Arkham Asylum Tower. The dark tower as it has been referred to throughout this modern era. From the hillside's peak you can glimpse fairly clearly at it's enormity. From that same distance our fellowship can also sense that all to clear feeling of dejavu. It looked alot like another gift from Lucifer but this newer version of terror was alot worse than the castle and within no time at all our fellowship would be beating their heads against it's outer walls. So huge was the Arkham Tower, that it completely cast Monopoly within it's very dark shadow. From Camelot's highest point, Monopoly was totally invisible to the onlooker's of the fellowship and even more disturbing was the music that could be heard coming from Arkham's direction.
JUGGERNAUT: "This is it, the place we can not escape from and will not live through. We were created from imagination, only to be butchered for it all these years later. This was not our fight nor our Sin. We will all pay the price alongside our creators, mankind is doomed but at least some may live to repopulate the heaven's and the earth. We have been sentenced to death in reality with no possibility of ever seeing re-creation again."
JACK: "My large friend, we have served a noble cause for these folk. We have served the imagination and risen to the challenge's that human being's could not. We gave hope and that is why we were called upon once more by the people who loved us most. In our case, we were never worshiped knowingly or intentionally. Superman and the majority that found death within the castle were much more Godlike in their mind's. You are called the Juggernaut, said to be unstoppable but you were alway's stopped eventually. When was Thor, Hulk, Wolverine, Superman, Wonder Woman or any of those A-list names ever denied victory ? Not very often I can assure you of that. We have made it and they have not, now we have to get the rest of this fellowship as we have been dubbed to Monopoly and then to the Tower of Blood. When we've accomplished that, then we may be honored to die."
PUNISHER: "Well said samurai."
JUGGERNAUT: "How is it possible ? Frank Castle in Camelot !!"
PUNISHER: "Not to come off brutal or anything but who would have thought the Juggernaut would have made it this far on such a small amount of brain power. Oh that's right, it was Jack here who got you this far. How foolish of me to have given you as much credit as I absent mindedly just did."
JUGGERNAUT: "Even at a time like this you have joke's eh ? However did a tiny, petty, weak human being make it as far as you have again ? Suprised to see me here, that's a huge laugh coming from a washed up psycho path that hang's his pathetic life on his gun's."
PUNISHER: "It's good to see you old friend."
JUGGERNAUT: "You too kid, now tell me how did you make it out of our when in time to avoid becoming erased from the pages of history ?"
PUNISHER: "Later, right now we have to get away from this place fast. We are running out of time and there are a few more suprises I have for you and your friend's. Let's get going before our luck runs out, what I will say about your question is this for now, I didn't make it out alone.
JUGGERNAUT: "Why should we believe you? For that matter, how do we even know you really exist anymore at all? You appear out of nowhere and then try and usher us back out onto the endless East Road, something ain't right here."
PUNISHER: "Look behind you genious, you'll see the reason why I wanted to get going. Since you insisted on wasting so much time in doubt, we will have to fight in order to see the East Road again. Maybe God will favor us against them."
No more than a hundered feet from them was the Army of Darkness, the tower's army and wherever they were, the Nothing was sure to follow. It was too late to respond to his old Marvel familiar, they all had just enough time to prepare for the first wave of the Dark Tower Knight's. If by chance any of them should live through this battle, we will see them next at the CrossRoads of the Beam.
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Chapter 8:
The Doors
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 7, 2004)
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Twelve animal's had begun the journey to Camelot en route to the Arkham Tower. A moment's hesitation on the part of Cain Marko has reduced that number to five. The fellowship's resident wizard's are also no longer with us. Sacrifice's had been made in order for Frank Castle to have saved any of the fellowship. At first glance they were all staring down certain death until Gandalf and Merlyn had placed themselve's between the Tower Knight's and the rest of their fellowship. The seven beast's also divided into teams and with the shielding provided by the wizard's lashed out with effective attack's of rage. None of the knight's made it past the nine but in return, none of the nine made it out alive. The Punisher had led the rest away toward's another unusual patch of weather until they found themselve's beyond sight. The crossroad's now stared them in the face and at the center were four different direction's that they could choose from. Each direction serving as a doorway to entirely altered version's of their where's and when's. Each choice would have it's individual consequence's as well, for all of them had their own version's of the Castle of Ruin. Before a decision can be allowed to be made, Castle will attempt to explain what each direction represent's. For he has traveled them all and has come back armed with knowledge and holding the key to destroying the dreaded castle's.
Punisher aka Frank Castle : "Ok, the first obstacle is out of the way. We've made it to the fork's in the center of the Crossroads at the end of the East Road Pathway. Now we must decide which direction to take next and what await's us behind our choice. There is no room for error from this point on, every wrong decision kills us all. I will now explain all that I have learned about the Doors and where they lead too. Please hold all question's until I'm through and would one of you be so kind as to open that door off to the left. My friend has been waiting behind there for sometime now awaiting release, it's like I was saying back at Camelot. I wasn't alone.
The king of the former Shire lands decided to brave the task but not even Aragorn was prepared for what happened next. The moment after the doorway was opened a rip appeared at the bottom of the doorway and continued upward until it reached the cloud's in the overhead sky. One it was satisfied in length, it began to tear open in width and then at last an enormous arm made it's way through. Within moment's a towering figure stood before Aragorn and called for the Punisher to give him the direction's to the Nothing. It was the planet devourer Galactus and he was hungry. Once the monstrous figure collected what information he needed, he simply looked toward's the Punisher and nodded in appreciation and said : "I will see you in the next world shortly."
Aragorn : "Castle, what was that behemoth? And how is it that we are not dead?"
Punisher : "Probably the most capable ally we have against a series of world's gone mad. Keep in mind however, we will be put in his path at the end of this journey and it is crucial that we prevail. Now if I may continue..."
Aragorn : "Wait!! We have to fight this entity that is as huge as the Nothing itself?"
Punisher : "That is correct king, now if I may continue. Perhaps you will find comfort along with the other's as I shed some light sort of speak on what's happening and how we are going to stop it. First thing's first, the Nothing has more than likely been devoured by now along with the Dark Army 13. So now that thing's are so far going according to that part of the plan, we may continue on in some type of peace for awhile. The Doors themselves are rift's in the atmosphere that allow us to be in one area of that particular castle and then get through to the other areas and the other castles hidden throughout the other realm's. Our world's were destroyed in that last version of Earthrealm, I think it was referred to as the God of War Era but before even that version there was the Universal Title version that had destroyed the Mortal Kombat or Midway world's and the Capcom or Street Fighter world's. Warrior's from each of the previously destroyed universe's found these doorway's and escaped when they could to other where's in time, this time and these we must travel to by way of the Crossroads. Galactus was only one figure from the past that I found while traveling through the Doors. In the previous version he had been killed and used to create that Casle of Ruin but in this one and in the next, he is serving the purpose of eating the Nothing and aiding us in destroying the castle's that still remain. I know it's complex but it makes sense if you think of just how many world's man has created over the years since The Creation aka Genesis. There is live action myth and lore such as where you belong and originate from Aragorn and there is Anime version's of reality such as the one Terry Bogard and the Fist of the North Star's Ken come from. Next there is our Marvel Universe that is practically identical to the DC Universe but the two are seperate world's in their own right. This is why they each represent a different doorway. No two world's share the same space, even in the rare cases of a cross-over. Our mission is to infultrate all of them, find whomever still exist's in each and then destroy the Dark Tower's or Castle's of Ruin's standing within each. Even in the quote "Real World" of man, there was a Dark Tower ultimately created to keep all the alternate world's of the Beam alive and kicking but the beam's in that world are crumbling fast. Only two remain and we cannot help the Gunslinger or his Ka-Tet save their world or world's of the Beam's. This is our task and for each of the alternate's their are assigned protectors, we cannot aid anyone else as far as I know and they cannot aid us either. I was suprised that Aragorn and his fellowship of Tolkien were able to have followed us this far but I realized that before they were turned into live action, they were first animated. Roland of Gilead has the same assignment as I do now with all of you, he is the last of the Gunslinger's and his Ka-Tet are alot less in number than our's, so if they have made it as far as they have, I have hope that we can also prevail. Unfortunatley he nor his Gunslinger's can aid us because they are given life through ink and we are animated. Like I said before I've no way of knowing for sure but I have a good idea that the two cannot interfere with the other's task's at hand. A choice stands before each of us now, which direction to go from here. The Doors work like this, when you see an unordinary lapse in weather condition such as the fog at Camelot, it is the entrance toward's the doorway itself. That is why it was so dangerous to pass through it and why it cost your fellowship some live's. No passageway is without casulties, in fact I expect and you all should too from now on to lose at least one member for each doorway. That being a very conservetive estimate by the way, in reality it will probably be everyone of us next time! Let's take count of our resources now and of each other before we move on. Stay together no matter what because the last of what I have to tell you all is the most shocking. If any of you should die from now on it's final until the Beginning. I know, What's the Beginning? It is the time when we will all meet again, the place where we are human and very mortal from the time we arrive until our death's same as any other human being. Before you see the light too the Second Coming aka Our Beginning, you must die!!"
Juggernaut : "Wow! I'm in for the duration Castle, just lead the way. You said something abaout knowing where the Doors lead to. Are we to know now or after we choose?"
Punisher : "Either or, the choice is alway's your own big man. If you all want the answers ahead of time and I have them on me, you got'em."
Samurai Jack : "Perhaps West, we have been on the East Road for so long now and it has taken us this far. Maybe it's Beam has collapsed already."
Punisher : "No my friend, the East goes long into the night. It lead's to Transylvania and the Van Helsing territory."
Aragorn and Arwen : "What about North then? Maybe North would be a stronger choice, Transylvania doesn't sound all that reassuring to us."
Punisher : "I assure you none of the roads outta here lead anywhere good. Your instinct is strong though, that territory is infested with Werewolves, Live Undead and Vampire's mostly but Van Helsing is a beast killer of extrodinary talent's."
Legolas : "So what of the North then?"
Punisher : "The North road leads to Auschiwitz II, it is a monstrous version of the Nazi Death Camps of WWII. Captain America's skull is impaled upon the altered Third Reich's flagpole in that when. Mutant's are experimented on much in the same fashion as the Jew's were only because of their known super-human abilities, their torture is much more prolonged. The Nazi's themselve's are nearly as powerful as their prisoner's, which means Aragorn and I are no match for them hand to hand. Just to give you some idea that is of just how brutal they are now as opposed to then."
Samurai Jack : "And again I ask of the West then?"
Punisher : "Ok Jack my man, the West road lead's to a melting pot of the world's. Much like the Western state of California in 2004, it has a wide variety of our people from all of our when's but they are altered. Mixed together if you will, I think the term is Hybrid. It is similar to the Mutant X II program that was being introduced in Paradise City before it fell. I think it is the worst to bare witness too out of them all to be honest with you. That will be a war and then some when we arrive there, I don't recommend it for starters though."
Juggernaut : "South, why haven't you mentioned the South yet?"
Punisher : "You didn't ask! The South is back to the Ocean or the Sea's if you prefer. Highlander's reside over the strips of Moore's land getting to it though. They are immortal and nasty but can be killed by way of decapitation. I don't know if they are older than Vampire's or just as old as them but they are very hard to defeat as Aragorn here well know's. As we speak there are some who remain along with some Elve's back where the Shire once stood. South is the best idea but it's like traveling backward's in term's of direction. We have to decide soon though our time to palavar as Roland would say is nearly over. Think about it, try and absorb it all and then we will be on our way."
Next Up : The Choice.......
Thank you Stephen King, you are a true source of inspiration.
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Chapter 9:
Twilight Zone Of History
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 10, 2004)
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The North and the East passageways were ravaged by a common threat, "The Sixth Reich." Nazi's of extreme power had once more taken hold of Europe's richest landscape's, only this time around three individual countries had formed in the East to resist the hostile takeover. Germany in the sixth dimension was established in the icy North but had learned of the doorway to the Eastern region's of Romania, Paris, London and Egypt. In our world none of these countries were anywhere that near the other but in this twilight world of war, the Nothern doorway dominated the Eastern frontierland's. If our fellowship under the leadership of the Punisher was to choose the East, they would no doubt be introduced to the neighboring North and vice versa. If they were to choose the Western Path, it would lead them into the South eventually. This is the way Janus, "Goddess of Gates and Doors" had delivered the routes to Hecate, "Goddess of the Crossroads." The two have battled over the rift for centuries with neither goddess gaining anything in the way of victory over the other. The Twilight Zone of the Sixth Dimension was born and this is how it shall remain until the fall of the altered states. Now I do believe I owe you all a direction so without further ado, I give you "Punishment Forevermore."
Juggernaut : "It's done Frank, the decision has been made and the gang here is wanting East. Maybe I should refer to it as the North-Eastern doorway instead, what do you say?"
Punisher : "I say let's do it. You were all forewarned about the danger's that await us but then again, I had told you all that no road chosen was going to be cake. Did you get the count like I had asked?"
Bluto : "Yea, there's only five animal's and nine of us. We lost the wizard's and seven animal's back at Camelot but picked up Arthur and Lancelot here to increase our number to nine now. The rest of our fellowship or whatever fell prey to the Fog."
Punisher : "Alright, the number's are in and we are ready to move. East-North it is and don't worry about our numbers to much friend's, we will be finding a few more hitchhicker's along the path I'm sure."
Hecate is the first goddess addressed. The direction is given and then it's onward to Janus. Once the destination is approved, the group disappears into the "Rising Egypt" found deep in the heart of the East.
Before their eyes they can see what appears to be a dry, long, hot stretch of desert. At the center of the desert they can also see a nile of waterfalls and it is then that their guide once more remind's them to be aware. After all this is no longer their dimension nor are thing's here as safe as they can sometime's appear. The hike across the burning landscape seems to take day's, when finally they cannot take another step the water's edge appears before their tired feet.
Popeye : "I don't trust it. Anything that follow's our thought's is not to be trusted. Wes' was all thinking about what we had seen in the center of thes' desert and then it just arrives, like from right out of our thoughts'. Nope sumptin's fishy here and I don't trust it a bits'.
Bluto : "The captains right, we been on alot of travels together and never seen nuttin' like it before. Yous' do whatever yous' wants ta' but me and Popeye'll go round'."
Aragorn : "We must stay together. It was the first thing we were told to do no matter what, so a decision needs to be made by all not just two. I lost Gimli to the Fog back at Camelot because of his thick nature, I will not repeat my mistake again."
Legolas : "Aragorn and I have also traveled great distances together Bluto and we would not see either one killed this day. I too believe the waterfall to be of mystical origin but my eyes see nothing in the way of danger aside from the Croc's hidden just below the surface. If we are careful, we can make it past them cautiously but as far as another route I see none. Another gift from Janus I'd imagine and we have little in the way of options."
Arwen : "Perhaps our elven eyes decieve as well Legolas, I see different danger's awaiting us by the waterside. Anaconda's for one thing and a storm coming in fast high into the skies for another. I believe it to have a presence attached to the body of sand."
Punisher : "Imhotep. We must move fast, into the water everyone now! If you run into a threat, kill it at will! Now run!"
Next : Mummy Alive
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Chapter 10:
The Gorgons of Hamanaptra
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 13, 2004)
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The storm raged forth and indeed it was Ramses the Damned enveloped within. The long dead daywalker was in fact in retreat of the approaching fall of darkness not in persuit of our fellowship. A long standing war of two worlds collided had been raging on for thousands of years now and the climax was near. All powerful and unstoppable is he who can control the desert, the water and the dead but he known as Imhotep is not the only unholy authority within this realm. For another dark figure of power with shapeshifting capabilities lurks within the night and also seeks out the rulership of Europe here in twilight. The two are undead kings at war and no human being can withstand the wrath of such power once it is unleashed. Our fellowship has found themselves in the eye of a tremendous hailstorm, while submerged deep within the falls. It is both blinding and drowning all at once for them, the ultimate nightmare come to life. No sooner had they thrown themselves into the falls, than they were hoisted high above the earth and cast into the gaping mouth of the Mummy himself.
The night came upon the land shortly there after and now they awake in an unknown palace far from the entry way door they had used to get into the East. The palace itself was pitch black with the exception of a few distant torches at the point of entry and it's inhabitants were about to make their presence felt very soon. This was the lair of the Mummy, deep within the underground heart of Hamanaptra and he did not live here alone. Guardians if you will watched over this first floor of his ruined temple, they are better known as the Gorgons. Euryale, Sthenno and Medusa are the guardians of this underworld monument and they are also cursed. Hair of serpents,
unpenetrable scales for skin, hands of solid brass and sharp serpentine fangs are the outward conditions cast upon these once beautiful sisters but inward they crave flesh and are insane from all the centuries of darkness. Their glowing gaze alone can turn anything to solid stone, even vampires.
The Gorgons are the best kept secret weapon of the Mummy in his war with the nightstalking undead, especially Dracula himself. Here is where our fellowship finds themselves trapped at this moment, to bad they have no way of knowing it.
Cain Marko : "Castle!, Where are we!? and What just happened to us!?"
Frank Castle : "Well, I really don't know because were in the dark but I do think you should speak alot softer until we figure it out. As far as what just happened, I think we've been unconscious for a long time and the last thing I can remember is Imhotep heading our way and lifting us off the ground. Maybe this is his place but if it is, I don't understand why we are still alive."
Popeye : "You hears' something? Sounds a bits' like hissing and dragging along the floor. Maybes' I hit my head to hard on the ways' back down but I'm positives' I hears' it in the distance."
Aragorn : "Legolas, can you see through the darkness?"
Legolas : "No but my ears are sharp and I hear the strange noise getting closer."
Frank Castle : "Is everyone alright? Did everyone make it?"
Arthur : "I am here. Lancelot, are you near?"
Lancelot : "Yes, I am here as well but I feel something on my legs."
Bluto : "I feels' it too. Something sharp and hard but fairly small crawling up my knees."
Frank Castle : "Swat them off quickly. Do it now!"
The sensation of creeping insects was overwhelming, if they had waited a moment later, their skin would have been pierced by the scarabs. Thousands of them in the dark began to come foward, time was short but generous. They had made their way to the torches and began climbing a few of the ancient pillars all the way to the top. Their scent was hidden now well enough from the scarabs but they were far from safe. Another sound could be heard approaching, this one far heavier and accompanied by deep, heavy breathes. Cackles in the darkness rose up until the bodies bellowing them began to take shape upon the ancient walls. They looked to be about ten feet high against the glow of the torch light. The cackles grew as they got closer and the shadows on the walls also rose to horrifing heights. When the scarabs realized what approached, the smart ones fleed the area and the slower ones unfortunate enough to get caught in the gaze of the Gorgons, were turned to stone. Our fellowship began to realize what this place might be and who their hosts most definitley were.
Sthenno : "Come out my frightened guests and introduce yourselves properly to us. We can smell you and soon we will catch a peak of your person. If you approach us in a respectful manner, we might just grant you safe passage but continue to play hide and seek with us and you will be devoured slowly."
Madusa : "You will heed my sisters warning won't you young warriors? We have followed your progress and know of your quest for the Transylvania Tower. Perhaps we will assist your cause, after all much worse things lurk in these dark parts than us. You will never make it out of here without our help and even if some of you did, they would not get past our master below. Come foward and give yourselves up to the Gorgons
while we offer you the oppertunity, otherwise stay where you are and become one with the surrounding's."
"Mad cackling and howling."
Euryale : "You have heard our bargain, now what say you and your fellowship?"
Punisher : "I think not mother, we are not of this when but we were not born last night. As for the rest of you, I advise using the torches and staying well out of sight. If they are who they claim to be, one look and your hard as stone."
Euryale : "Unfortunate counsel for you and your's then, if stubborn and ungrateful is how you wish to die, then we will be happy to fufill such a request. Spread out, cover all the exits and let none of them out alive!"
Madusa : "You are no one to order, I am the rightful heir to rulership of the Gorgons!!
You will follow my commands at all times and if you do not like the order of things between us, then you will join them in death!"
Punisher : "Now! Run, stay low and head for the torches! Time to burn these whores of horror once and for all!"
It was an easy order to give but when the moment arrived, Lancelot found himself in the hands of Sthenno. He was knocked unconscious and held prisoner by her side. She tormented Arthur to come for him but the King did no such foolishness. The Bear and the Ape tried to lash out at the Gorgon sisters and found themselves standing forever as stone replicas. Five animals made it through the East doorway and two were lost here, in a place most unfit for death. The distraction proved valiant however, the Wolf and the Leopard had made it outside to freedom. Their brethren did not die in vain after all it would seem. Popeye reached the torch at the entrance way and threw it into Euryale's eyes, it gave Frank Castle and Cain Marko the chance to run for the door as well. Arthur drew his sword alongside Aragorn, hidden behind the Bear the two Kings waited patiently until Sthenno was no more than a few feet past their direction. They each thrust their swords into the gorgons body but as the blood flowed from her, so did the scorpions and ants. She screamed and fell limp but she was not dead and they had to move quickly away before she could turn to see her assailants. Aragorn reached for Arwen and fled through the doorway to freedom but Arthur and Lancelot would make two prisoners now caught in her iron grip.
Legalos reached behind him and found his sack of Elven arrows, these mystic weapons had the ability to kill even an immortal creation's form. The body would be forever limp until the victim was beheaded another words. He noticed Bluto about to be grabbed and chose the moment right before he was to fire away. With true aim, he sprayed the arrows one after the other into Euryale. The gorgon spit forth blood that came out in blasts of acid, it burnt Bluto as it landed upon his flesh. Euryale reached foward for Bluto's body and held onto him tightly as each of the remaining shots pierced her head and neck. Bluto would never make it out of this place and as Popeye looked on in terror, Legolas grabbed for him and ran for the exit way freeing them both. Lancelot had come to by now and quietly reached for his sword which was still on his hip. He motioned to Arthur and the two of them rose up and thrust their swords deep into the neck of Sthenno. Four times had she been impaled this day and now her head hung as limp as could be. Perhaps in time the gorgon would recover but for now she was out of the hunt.
The two warriors swords were melted within her blood and from behind them came forth Medusa. The gorgon leader looked upon Lancelot's face as he turned in her direction, when he was still as stone, Medusa punched his head right off his shoulders with her brass fists. Arthur to was helpless without Excalibur but he knew that Aragorn would take great care of his mighty sword. The one he had used to slay Sthenno alongside Lancelot was Aragorns own legendary weapon used so long ago against the dark knight Sauron. Excalibur was now the last kings to weild and weild it Arthur knew he would indeed be able to. Medusa looked toward her fallen sisters, then closed her eyes and spoke to Arthur, King.
Medusa : "Arthur Eld, you die here in the arms of Medusa, ruler of the Gorgons. Two legends of myth now face to face in embrace.
Would you say this method worthy of your death, Arthur Eld?"
Arthur : "I am old woman, my death occurred long before this day. I have slain dragons,
beasts of all walks of life, protected the castle of Camelot and formed the Rountable of Knights. I have lived way beyond my years as an ordinary man and have been blessed for sure. Do as you will lady Medusa, for I am awaiting the promised Beginning."
Medusa : "So be it Lord Arthur, you are granted death by my hands on this day forevermore."
Medusa's eyes opened wide and her glowing gaze found Arthur Well. It was the end of an era and somewhere off in the horizon of NYC, Roland Deschain just got knocked down.
The others were already on their way towards
White Chapel, London.
Next : "Date with the Ripper" |
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Chapter 11:
Enter the East End
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 16, 2004)
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"The Ripper's latest victim, Dr. Jekyll was attempting to save a young woman from the London terror, only to be slain for his efforts. Jekyll was pronounced dead at 2am yesterday evening and the mysterious Jack the Ripper has once again left local authorities with no clues. Rumors have once again named Sherlock Holmes as the man on the case but Holmes has yet to address the matter with the press."
Far from Egypt's city of the dead lies a far darker corner of London known to the locals as White Chapel. This fog covered graveyard of a district is home to two brutal night stalking madmen. Last night was their first encounter but when Dr. Jekyll's other half awakens, Jack the Ripper will have the pleasure of Mr. Hyde.
All of this unknown to our fellowship of course who have just wandered briefly through Hamanaptra and now into the fog of White Chapel's murder district. Prostitutes litter the dank cobblestone corners looking battered and torn from many nights of this torment fit for none. Each of them aware of the Ripper's presence as they set out to make their coin the hard way. Most of them that are not slain by Jack will have the pleasure of being raped and tortured by their clients of the night.
If it seemed as though that weren't enough for them to have to bare, along comes the Vampire's every so often as well. Certainly
a visit from the Mummy or his Gorgons would seem a most kind demise for these lamb of London.
Aragorn : "This land is disturbing. How can they continue to be out here among so much brutality? Arwen, I think for your own safety you should cover yourself while we trek through this land. I don't like the looks of this land nor its reports of murderous acts. Legolas, stand aware at all times. Even in the light of day be on your highest guard."
Juggernaut : "After what we just went through back in Hamanaptra, I'd say our odd's have gotten alot better here. At least our adversary this time appears to be human. His name is Jack the Ripper and if he should come into our path or that of your ladies, Aragorn, I'll be sure and kill'em dead for ya'. Frank, what else can you tell us about this where and when?"
Punisher : "It's 1800's London I think combined with Paris around the time of the Hunchback. Not all of our problems here will be human I can assure you, Werewolves run rampant through the wilderness and Vampire's are alway's near in the night. We have to locate a Sherlock Holmes, he recently arrived from Scotland according to yesterday's paper. It's been a long journey and we've all been unable to get any rest or food for some time, let's go in there and eat and have some drinks and figure out what to do next."
Samurai Jack : "What happened at the lair of the Gorgons was tragic but I have a feeling that kind of loss is going to become more frequent. You told us when we started out on our journey that the Beginning would see us all together again but we would have to die first. Everything would have to die first, so then why should we fear what lies ahead? It is only part of the great Beginning is it not?"
Popeye : "We gots' ta' accomplish thes' mission befores' wes' all die. This Ripper fellow has ta' be stopped befores' he kills us alongs' wit' thes' other horrors'. And dont bes' forgettin' what the Gorgon Medusa say'd, their are worse terrors heres' in London than her and that Imnotep fella'r."
Legolas : "We should be getting off the street now, our clothes arent exactly suited for this where and when. Lets finish this conversation in there."
He point's to a sign that reads, "The Slaughtered Lamb Pub", They take notice to the lightning storm beginning to pick up force down the way and decide to get inside despite the sign's eerie implication. It is here that they will sit, talk, eat and take shelter for the night and do it all under the watchful eye of London's most savage killers. The pub is owned by werewolves, frequented by vampires and home of both the Ripper and his nemesis Mr. Hyde.
The East End's adopted son's will battle it out for supremecy very soon but that will have to wait until our new guests are properly murdered. Once supper is finished and our fellowship has retired for the night, a meeting takes place and their fate is sealed. The rooms in which they have been rented at the Slaughtered Lamb are former insane asylum chambers re-decorated on the exterior to give a warm appearance to the naked eye. Beneath the cloth however, lies a demented assortment of devices designed to keep the criminally insane from ever seeing the light of day. Our tired group fails to spot the tell tale signs of something amiss as they are divided and locked away snug within each room of horror. Their guide of the quarters, Igor is playing up the part of a helpless gimp while all the while doing his masters bidding. It was foretold of their coming here to White Chapel, their every move since appearing on the streets of the Red District, where watched and measured and now they are finally caught like a fly to a spider's web. Even the day old newspaper in the trash was planted especially for them, Sherlock Holmes was indeed in town and ironically in one of these very rooms that they were now locked into themselves. The asylum is full tonight and while our unbeknowest fellowship believes themselves in good hands asleep, murders begin to overrun the streets of the East End. The cobblestone streets are becoming darker by the minute as the night breed of London's underbelly feed relentlessly upon its inhabitants. Screams cry out from every direction throught the fog and gas lamp light streets.
The Ripper and friends are hard at work making London bleed for the duration of the night. Even the forces of darkness war with each other, the Gargoyle's ferociously ambushing the feeding Vampire's below. Drunken Cyclop's towering over the Highlander's, waiting to take their heads and feed on their flesh or perhaps track Werewolves and devour them throughout the dark night. Hyde is very fortunate to be one of the guests of the Slaughtered Lamb tonight, locked away safely and out of harms way at least for the time being. His wounds from the last encounter with Quaimodo are still healing and the Rippers attempt on his life had only irritated them along further. Soon he would awaken as all of London knew and as all of White Chapel hoped, he would hunt Jack the Ripper to death.
Next : Methods of Death - "Chronicles of Insanity"
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Chapter 12:
Enter Sandman - Wake Up Dead
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 26, 2004)
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Chronicles of Insanity I - Torture
The scent of enhanced linen was strong in Aragorn's nose. Another odor could also be detected, one a bit more familiar. Then the screams from down the corridor began and Aragorn awoke in total darkness. Two small air holes were all that allowed Aragorn to continue breathing. The rest of the old metallic case was sealed shut all around him air tight. The screams echoed loudly within the device and they were very familiar indeed. A hot wind shot in through the nostril's opening and once more that familiar odor followed by endless cries. Arwen, the voice belonged to Aragorn's wife Arwen. Of that much he could now be sure but what was happening to her and by whom he did not know. The darkness makes invisible the true torment of his prison chamber. The feeling of razor sharp teeth or needles is his reward for attempted movement, each one sliding deeper into his flesh with every try. Try he must though, for Arwen is in pain and in his heart he knows that she cannot bare much more. Aragorn tries to figure out just what this contraption is and how to loosen it's unmerciful grip but it's far to complex and he has now run out of time. The screams have ended and been replaced now by mad laughter so loud it is deafening. The happy voice must be within the same room as him because he can smell the fresh linen scent again clearly and it over powers the putrid odor of the blood he had identified just moments earlier.
Dr. Octavius : "My dear King, it would seem as though your lovely wife has finally succumbed to seizure. Worry not Aragorn, the staff and I will see to it that she survives the lusts of the Wolves and comes to for another spell of lovely singing to keep you company. Please allow me to introduce you to your new mistress, the Iron Maiden. Over a thousand holes now cover your body and soon I will begin transferring the Bane Experiment super drugs into your tight airways just to ensure that you do not expire as well. You are a strong study of pain my dear Aragorn, I have had you locked within the maiden far longer than any other man and yet you seem to have an un-exhaustable tolerance to it's murderous touch. Very pleasing of a specimen indeed but everything comes to an end eventually and you are no exception to the rule of death. Now if you don't mind, I must see to the other patients and monitor their progress as well."
It is the last voice Aragorn will hear for what will seem like an eternity. The maiden's embrace is all consuming and she is a jealous keeper of her host's. The others are no better off by any means, kept just down the corridor, they are all being exposed to the wickedest forms of cruelty imaginable. If Aragorn could see them now, he might even feel better about his own circumstance. Arwen has been chained, hooded and raped mercilessly by the Wolves of the Slaughtered Lamb Inn. The very same Inn that had welcomed them all to slumber upon their mysterious arrival to White Chapel, London. She has been clawed about the flesh and bloodied something hydious while recieving the ritual lust making's of the huge beasts. Her body hangs limply from the heavy steel chains attached to the vault ceiling's above. Chamber Maids come in after each session to wash away the blood upon the floor and her person. Pools of elven/human DNA are soaked into rags and dipped into fresh water buckets as she hangs helplessly unable to see even the dimmest ray of light. The doc has made sure to inject her with high volumes of sedatives in betwwen each bout of violence and animal lust. He does not know of her ability to cast spells nor of her elven heritage. If he had, perhaps her lips would have already been sewn shut. Little difference it makes now at this time anyways, she has been far to tortured till this point to speak anything but a scream. Yes, if her husband could see his beloved now he would have to think of his being placed within the maiden an act of kindness.
The others still beyond the corridor, continue to suffer much worse than they combined. The Doc enters the room wide eyed and drooling about the lips, for he is familiar with this next patient and has waited so long to have him in his care. The room is very large all around, painted a snow-blind white that corrupts the patients vision in much the same manner and in the center of the blinding room an enormous, angry Juggernaut awaits his next series of treatments. While the giant X-Man's attention seems fixed upon the Doc, a long, thick needle pierces his spine and before he can whip around and rip it out, he's heavily drugged.
Doc Ock : "Well if it isn't my dear old friend Cain Marko. Why I cannot even count the days since last we were kicking the heads in of your X-Men. Always too good for us Sinister Six boys and look at you now. Good thing I don't hold grudges or else you would have been dissected by now old pal! Well let's not get hung up on the re-introduction's, instead I will now tell you what it is I have prescribed for you while you enjoy your everlasting stay here with the staff and myself. Lets start with an eye opener, this process will stretch your eyelids wide enough for me to extract you eyeballs with ease but before I remove them and blind you permenantly, I will have you watch a monitor endlessly of your friends being tortured to death! You will be linked to the same network as the waiting room patients and I just know your going to enjoy the shows. 24 Hrs. of non-stop entertainment especially for you Juggernaut old pal and it's free of charge!
Once your hooked up to the eye opener, you will not be able to stop watching the monitor or close your eyes until they are removed, which I do not deem wise. Next we will work over your structure, you are far to large for your own good Mr. Marko and I think shortening your anatomy by half would be alot more fair to your fellow man. I know, you don't have to thank me Cain, just stay alive while my staff cuts through your body and blinds you and we'll call it a day!
I must be off now but before I go, I will also recommend a spacer bit be placed within your mouth in order to stretch your lips beyond capacity. A smile is such an important asset in today's London society. You'll be a smash with the White Chapel locals for sure old boy!! Just having some fun Cain but now I must go and check on our sailor man."
The Doc steps back out into the hallway, keys jingling at his side and laughing insanely to the next room. This time the method is already in motion and the Doc needs only say when in order to stop the near dead Popeye from flat-lining. The machine is one used for calming the criminally insane by way of motion picture.
The patient is put inside a sealed container that is filled with water, the only direction with any light at all is upward against the closed doors. When the patients attention is fixxed upon what is percieved as the ceiling, he is exposed to strobe lights which after a while appears to be a motion picture reel in motion. After hours of this the patient begins to see a movie of whatever is at the forefront of his mind until he gets to the parts of the brain rarely used at all and then the real horror show begins. Popeye has been exposed to the "show" for days now and is already mindless but it's his body giving out that concerns the Doc right now.
Doctor Octavius : "Ahh, it would appear that my dear old sailor man's mind has been scooped out of his skull. Heart rate seems to be troubled as well, perhaps its time for us to begin preparing him for tonight's Slaughtered Lamb "Shepard's Pie" special. Keep him inside for a few more hrs. just to make sure he's really mush and then use the "pendulum" to slice him very thin! What a great shift this is turning out to be tonight, before I crucify and dissect Mr. Castle in the next room, I think I'll check on our dear friend Hyde and make sure Jekyll is staying dead.
To Be Continued......Chronicles II |
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Chapter 13:
Chronicle's II - Insanity
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 28, 2004)
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The good doctor is having a great night within his theatre of pain known as the Slaughtered Lamb but while his attentions are now directed towards Mr. Hyde, Arwen is opening her mouth for one last time moments before her lobotomy takes place. The results would re-open all the doorways, allowing the remaining drifters and dead to come to White Chapel for the sole purpose of tearing it apart. Time however works slightly different behind each doorway and having them all awake at exactly the same instant will have devestating effects on it's keepers and castles. Direction for instance will be forever banished, which may lead to the ruin of any hopes of getting everyone pushed through back home to their where's and when's. Then again thing's being what they are here in London, that may be a blessing for the damned. Arwen's body has been severely altered by the abuse, torture and preperations bestowed upon her by the schizophrenic doc and his possessed staff. She knows that this will be the last time she will ever speak clearly or live happily again and so this last spell must even the killing field for them all. Within moments it is done and now the doctors aid's have come to administer the "ice-pick" procedure of brutality. We now return to the corridor as Doc Ock looks in on the heir to London, Mr. Hyde who will rise this night and begin his quest for the butcher of White Chapel's Red Light district, Jack the Ripper. The door opens stiffly and the doc turns the record player at the far end of the room off. Music for the savage beast has done nothing to calm him and now that he is awake, healed and hungry for blood, the doc lights the candles and begins speaking to the lunatic that once was brilliant.
Doc Ock : "Hyde my dear man, tonight you shall be set free upon White Chapel and allowed whatever bidding's be done that your strange mind commands. We here have healed your wounds by introducing enormous amounts of your own serum to your brain and spinal column. It was an overdose for Mr. Jekyll I'm afraid but you my friend will not be dying anytime soon. I see you are ready for release and looking stronger than ever, am I mistaken sir?"
Mr. Hyde : "Not at all dearest doctor, I am starving though. Would you come a little closer, so I can see you more clearly?"
Doc Ock : "Very good attempt Hyde old man but I am after all wise to your cannabilistic tendencies. I do applaud your attemps at brilliance however but I will not ablige your request. There is a woman hanging from my ceiling just outside however that may love the effections you are capable of showing, why don't you go introduce yourself?"
Mr. Hyde : "Love to, just outside these doors you say? Anything else I should expect on my way out dearest doctor?"
Doc Ock : "Actually when your done with the lobotomized woman, perhap's you can join me at dinner down stairs. We are serving a lovely shepard's pie ala sailor tonight, what say you Hyde?"
Mr. Hyde : "Love to but I'll be eating on the run, for tonight is the long overdue death ride for a certain Ripper of these parts. If he hadn't have had such a variety of sharpened objects our encounter would have been alot briefer. Luck for the infamous shadow killer of my London has expired and tonight I will feast on his parts in place of his victim's."
Doc Ock : "One last thing Mr. Hyde, remember who kept you in care and health while you were helpless. The staff and I..."
Mr. Hyde : "Are nothing to me! You are a sadist, same as the Ripper! Same as I but there is only room for one madman in these parts and he is I. You will release me doctor or else the Ripper will have his way at you eventually, same as all the others here in the district. I am the only one who has come close enough to assail him in over a hundred years, by now his collection of victim's much be enormous and he's shown no sign's of mercy by way of retirement! The formula he stole from Van Helsing has kept him strong and possibly immortal. Do not forget that dearest doctor of death and do not attempt to tame what you'll never understand. Now kindly remove these chains before I snap them and your neck."
Doc Ock : "Have you forgotten about my arms?
Do you suppose enough strength to rip those from my spine as well Mr. Hyde? I think not! After all it's been attempted by the Gargoyles, Vampires and Werewolves and look who is still here, I am! Once you leave this establishment, do not come seeking refuge here again!"
Mr. Hyde : "The next time we meet doctor, you will be dead."
The adamantium arms extend from the doctor's sides and unlock the chains that have bound a lunatic beast. If he were sane still, Doctor Octavius would realize what a mistake he has just committed but his time of being a sane, caring scientist has long since died. What remains beneath the fresh linen drenched in red, is a sadistic experimental butcher that feeds off of screams and schizophrenia. Now Frank Castle will learn punishment beyond his wildest imagination first hand from the doctor of death. |
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Chapter 14:
London Bridge Is Falling Down
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 29, 2004)
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Further into the mouth of madness we travel,
revealing the beast within us all. The doctor of White Chapel is in and his patients are about to get out. Arwen has opened the doors and her silent screams have been heard by the wanderers of times past. The brutal killers of lore have awakened, the monsters of legend are walking through and the rest of what remains
have already made their presence known. What follows will repopulate the new world, alter the present one and ensure that the Memory Remains of the old. Nothing short of explosive will the 3rd chronicles be and now without further introduction, I give you
Chronicles III - Death.
Doc Ock : "Frank, Frank, wake up now Frank.
It's all better now Frank, your nightmare has ended and you may wake up dead. Come now Mr. Castle, let's not keep your family waiting. They've traveled so far to see you again, the least you could do is greet them properly!"
The Punisher awakes slowly, feeling the effects of the sedatives wearing off but there is pain. Yes, plenty of pain shooting
throughout his body in every direction. He sees two small children sitting next to a woman but cannot make out their faces due to the low lighting in the room. Four arms made of what appears to be steel, caress their bodies. Gently at first but then harder they press into the flesh of the family until they are practically crushed as in four individual vices. Frank Castle tries to move but realizes he cannot. Hooks
grab a firmer hold of his back and legs and now he knows he is hanging by them. He grinds his teeth enough for the doc to notice but the doc only laughs hysterically
as he finishes the family off before his eyes. This is only the beginning of what will be the longest night of Frank Castle's life.
Doc Ock : "Looks as though your too late again Frank. Your family had to die all over again because you were to busy hanging out, poor children and your wife, did you hear those screams Frank? All your fault Punisher old boy, so selfish were you all these years but what about them Frank? Did you ever stop to think of those who waited for you to come home every night? Who begged you to quit so long before they had to die? No, you were to hell bent on trying to bring justice to those you deemed worthy right Frank? Well their pain is over but yours will last a very long time indeed."
As the doc finishes his little taunt, the Punisher's exposed flesh is covered in alcohol. Treatment has begun again and now the doc's arms swing the hanging man violently from side to side. The hooks dig deeper and now he screams loud enough to pierce the maiden's two breathing holes a few doors down. Aragorn recognize's the voice as a male one and knows at least for now, that Arwen is either already dead or not the one crying out. He to has gone insane from the isolation of the Iron Maiden
torture chamber and now stands only by the needle points embedded into his flesh. Death would be a welcome friend for all of them but more so for the two men conscious.
Arwen has been visited by Hyde and unfortunately for her, she survived yet another encounter of brutality. Her arms and legs are broken, hanging dead from the chains. Her body looks akwardly broken, perhaps her back to has been crushed under the affection of Mr. Hyde and blood pours from through her mask in mad rushes. She cannot scream, the voice is gone forever now thanks to the prescribed treatment of the pick. Nearest to death itself she sways
in agony and Aragorn knows in his heart that
his wife is alive only by way of spirit now.
He screams but no one hears his echoed battle cry but then again maybe someone has because entering the Slaughtered Lamb at that same moment is a group of drifters with oddly large guitar cases head for the bar. A large 18 wheeler comes screeching down the courtyard just outside. It's logo reads "The Porkchop Express" and it's passengers are feeling like they just got thrown into the Twilight Zone. Not more than a few hrs. earlier, Jack Burton and Wang Chi were headed to the church for Wang's wedding but now they are visitors somewhere that is nowhere near there. They look at the sign that reads Slaughtered Lamb Pub and then decide to head on inside. One more man appears through the fog of White Chapel, dressed in a black leather suit and wearing an antique looking silver badge. His name is Max and in some parts of the old world, he was known as the Road Warrior or Captain Walker. Now he to has arrived here and even though he's unsure of it all at the moment, one thing is clear through the fog. The pub's sign glowing brightly just up ahead. This is the first wave of help for the patients but for the rest of the town, it's time for a fall.
Jack Burton : "Hey, excuse me man, your not going to believe this but...."
Bartender Pedro : "You want a drink? The rest is your problem."
Wang Chi : "Yeah, we'll have two beers and a little information, unless of course you don't like cash."
Bartender Pedro : "Why didn't you just say so holmes? Here's your beers and that'll be $200 bucks man. Of course, if you had a few key's or Lb.'s I would be willing to trade for that to man."
Jack Burton : "You mean your a drug addict on top of the fact that your in the middle of nowhere? I mean now we've seen it all Wang!"
Wang Chi : "We don't have any drugs but we do have cash, now can you help us figure out where we are and how to get out of here or not?"
Bartender Man : "Hey man, like your in White Chapel. We got here just a few days ago from Holland and got these job's running this place. We were on tour and originally answering an ad for the house band position but when we got here, the position was already filled. Besides man, we didn't even realize anything was different around here until we needed to score. People from our time are constantly coming by man and we never thought anything of it man but now were not so sure about this place man."
Bartender Pedro : "Yeah, like we hear strange shit coming from upstairs all night and sometimes during the day man. Doesn't sound good either and then there's the weirdo's that come in and down from up there man and their like freaky looking man.
They eat plates of bloodied tar tar or something and always have spots of blood on their clothes man. When we asked about it, the owners said it was the Doc's staff and to leave it alone or be fired so hey we don't ask no more man."
Wang Chi : "Have anymore of us come into town recently besides the guys who walked in before us?"
Bartender Man : "Yeah, that guy over there just came in right after and a bunch of people came in a week or so ago looking for rooms but we never seen them again man. Must still be upatairs or snuck away when we were off duty man."
Jack Burton : "Here's the cash, thanks again fella's and by the way, you guys look familiar man. I can't place it but I know I've seen you two somewhere."
Bartender Pedro : "See man I told you advertising would pay off. Hey thanks alot man and don't hesitate to ask for anything man while your here."
Jack Burton : "Something's really wrong here Wang and I think the key is upstairs. We should also be real careful while in this joint man, I got a bad feeling about this trip."
Wang Chi ; "I know what you mean Jack, it's like Little China again all over again. Wish Egg was here, he'd know what to do better than us right now Jack."
Jack Burton : "Yeah but he's still on vacation from the Little China thing and besides he taught us pretty good Wang, we should be fine as long as we stay together.
I'll tell you something else Wang, I almost wouldn't mind those storms showing up around here man. Did you catch those freaks outside? I wouldn't even know how to fight something like that."
Wang Chi : "Let's try and talk to some of the other's Jack......"
Wang Chi never got to finish his sentence because the doors opened up and in walked the Camp Crystal Lake mass murderer, Jason Voorhees. The place is silenced as the door on the opposite side also opens a few moments later and in also walks Elm Street's crazed lunatic, Freddy Krueger. Two titans of terror and one explosive pub filled to capacity, an upstairs sanitarium occupied by a demented doctor and his crazed staff. The doors shut loudly behind the last two guests and the bolts snap into place, bad has arrived and it's here to stay.
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Chapter 15:
The Band In Black - End Of Chronicles
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 29, 2004)
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The stage within the center of the pub comes alive with bright lights, shining silver instruments and four men in black in position and ready to play. The over crowded pub is filled with hate now and wrath is about to run wild for those who have found Janus and her last doorways. This is it and the band begins with a proper
song of war fit for the occasion called....
"One." It's all out chaos and the battle shakes the foundation of the pub's core, the music is so loud you almost cannot hear the screams and howls. Instead it looks more like a black and white silent film as the strobe lights break the avtion into pieces of excessive murder. Some escape to the top floor seeking refuge while others become what they were all along, beasts. Men changing painfully into Wolves of the night, large and infested with killing tendencies. Veteran killers begin their lives work anew, hacking into the beasts and passerby's directly in their sites. Purest death born here under a metal ear and watchful eye as the band speeds through an agressive version of "Whiplash." The violence is in tune with every selection of the men in black and each new song sprung forth brings a renewed gust of brutality with it. Max reloads his shot gun almost as quickly as the band plays another choice and with exact precision blasts a hole through Jason's chest while he moves in closer still. Jack and Wang head upward to the ward and hope to find a way out through the roof. No sooner do they get to the top floor exactly in sync with the bands next number aptly titled "Disposable Heroes." Now it's Freddy's turn to use those talons to slice through some Wolf guts, his rival has been swarmed by the conjoined gunfire of
Max and the Desperado's. The cases fire heavy machine gun rounds into the crowd and punishing blasts into Voorhees. The band plays on, getting louder with each new song and now they do their ultimate version of "The Shortest Straw" as two of the Desperado's are ripped to pieces. It's Max's turn to rapid fire his way towards the upper level as the last Desperado covers him from below. It works and as soon as Max reaches the desired floor he returns the favor and knock's back a group of Wolves moments before they can kill his new found brother in blood. Before the two men head further into the long corridor just beyond the double doors, they pause to see another man struggling to get past the Elm Street murderer. The desperado snaps his case back and opens the front pocket to unload a small missile into Freddy's torso. The rocket explodes on impact bringing the child killer's parts exploding through the one bolted door he came in from. Seth Gecko
makes sure to give his thanks and appreciation by moving his ass quickly up and away from the scene to join them. No stranger to the Vampire and undead slaying scene is Gecko nor to murder in general. Through the now blown open door comes the Sandman almost as if the band had ESP, they break into a vicious version of their infamous "Enter Sandman" just then. No one doubts the bands involvement in the gore-fest, in fact now they all know they feed it. "Die, Die My Darling" now blasts through the streets as Gargoyles and Vampires now enter the frey, Twisting and turning with blinding speeds through the wrecked pub. It is now perfect destruction come to form and every creature except two are here tonight pouring their guts out all over the place for violence sake. The band stands unmoved in the midst of it all, not even slightly put off by the amount of blood
spraying everywhere. The songs keep playing long into the night as eventually everything around them continues to die at their feet. A subliminal version of "Of Wolf And Man" seems to bring in more Werewolves than before from every corner of White Chapel's streets. The tides turn over to them as their opus seems to give them incredible stamina and reinvented strength. Freddy and Jason momentarily stand together to witness the Cenobites approaching the pub's main drag, it would seem as though they both recognize and understand team work will be required for either of them to remain free of hell's prison. Instinctively they stand together and await their chance to head into total unholy warfare in the middle of the roads of London. Wolves get sliced apart in the Cenobites wake as they get closer to the two escapee's standing in wait. Inside the band feels the approaching demons and rips into "Blackened" as they await the special torment for their fans by the Cenobites of Hell. A shadow looms very largely over the pub from the opposite direction, it grows against the pub's walls in light of the gas lamps and seems to be stalking everything in its path. The Cyclops' have come hungry and feeding on each person they pass on their way to the action. You can hear body parts falling against the pavement and see their enormous 20 foot frames rising nearer.
The band plays on and the increase in volume
remains complemented by bodies which have now begun to pile up all over the pub while the others get lost within the corridor in search of survivors. The doc has fleed down the back ladder along with some of his staff but other staff members and patients have been left for sacrifice. Now that the doors have been broken and are no more, the doc will head for the Arkham Asylum which is now closer than ever. The trail he leaves will be followed by those who dare but before they can get that far, they must overcome one hell of a night. The castles are broken except for the first made, Janus is dead thanks to Hecate's jealousy combined with Arwens last spell. It is time for some to stand tall and others to fall dead along with old Europe. The band plays one for the Gargoyle / Vampire conflict entitled "Seek and Destroy" and follows it up with another personal conflict classic "The Four Horsemen" which makes the fight more gruesome than ever. The force behind each blow is sickening, the claw marks alone could kill two human beings in one swipe and the teeth pertrude until they find the flesh they were made to tear apart. The dead fighting immortals, cyclops' picking wolves and cenobites up off the ground in a feeding frenzy, the few and the proud human beings firing at will and trying to remain alive. All this while the band plays on and on, louder and meaner than the last song. The bar tenders escaped through a manhole placed underneath a large mat on the floor behind the bar before the shit broke out but not before the band took its place upon the house stage. The band is the Castle of Ruins' own
and it will always be so long as it stands and the song of the house is "Aint My Bitch"
at the moment of deafening impact. The structure explodes all around, what is not taken down by rocket fire and Gatlin gun bursts is forced down by the hands of the Cyclops' as the razor sharp chains of the cenobites strip their flesh clean. It is nastier than before and will get much worse given a few more hours that remain until night gives way to day and all that is hunting goes back to slumber. The top floor is now atop of hundreds of bodies that will stay buried usunder forevermore.
The Punisher is un-hooked by Seth Gecko and Max while The Juggernaut gets rescued moments before the remaining staff members could remove his eyes or chop his body in half. Jack and Wang take on the task of freeing Samurai Jack while the Desperado searches the rest of the chambers. Aragorn is unlocked from the maiden and falls limply
into the Juggernauts hands. He looks up to his giant friend and asks for him to bring Excalibur into the room. Once he has the sword before him, he asks about the condition of everyone else but at first the Juggernaut cannot find the words to explain what has happened to his wife or Popeye nor did he know how to tell Aragorn that Legolas was missing on top of it all. It would have to wait until they got out of the pub in one piece and then maybe it would come to him..... |
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Chapter 16:
White Zombie Torpedo
(by Noah Wahn, added on July 29, 2004)
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The aftermath.....Not pretty at all. Explainations had to wait the last time we checked in but when the time came to lay it on him, the Juggernaut explained what he knew and then the place stood still for Aragorn King. Excalibur put any members of the staff to death by way of decapitation and then the time arose for Arwens goodbye to Aragorn forever. As heart wrenching as it was, Aragorn ended his lovers pain by the mercy of the steel. Tears ran hot down his face as he screamed for revenge afterwards, the hunter was back in full Ranger form and all traces of his exhaultion to King status was shedded for good. A new self emerged from another place within him and Aragorn was now ready for maximum killing to be committed. Samurai Jack was trying to regain control of his functions and with a little help from his new friends Jack Burton and Wang Chi he succeeded at last. The Juggernaut healed quickest and began the task of gathering as many staff corpses as he could find to place atop the already rotting ones beneath his feet. A bon fire was initiated and within moments the Slaughtered Lamb was burning out of control, much to the delight of them all. Even a few Gargoyles who had returned to their day state of stone fell from the pubs rooftoop and was beginning to catch ablaze. The putrid smell of burning flesh was sickening and heavy in the air all around White Chapel this morning and although the streets looked empty enough, the survivors new that spectators were keeping an eye out from inside their dwellings. The smoke rose finally high enough to be spotted now by Arkham's many inhabitants as well, the doctor watched on and hoped the flames represented the deaths of all who remained behind. The group got their minds somewhat together as best they could given the night's entertainment and then began to head for the dark, black asylum. Maybe by nightfall they would reach it unless something else should come calling for blood by the side of the road. A last glance at the effects of the chronicle periods were enough for any ordinary men to become sick and weak to their stomach's but not this group, not anymore. Cenobite chains hung from the necks, backs, faces and heads of their victims. Werewolves' impressions could be seen through the skulls of their targets, heads were ripped off and biten through all over the burning grounds. The Gargoyle / Vampire conflict and additions left Cyclops' in large sections right up to their very position from which they were examining the aftermath now dubbed "The White Zombie Torpedo." It was a proper title by the looks of it now in the morning light combined with the way it all happened so fast and violently last night. A grusome hang-over indeed my friends for us all who were there, the dead and dying. White Chapel was a graveyard stop along the way to where they were all destined to die and none of them had any doubts that dying is what they would do when their time was up. Legolas' head was never recovered, one more gift for the tormented group presented by the doctor of death. Instead pieces of his face were found near a cyclops' mouth along with strands of his golden hair within the giants fist. Yes they had fed on him good as the Wolves enjoyed Popey of the Seven Seas by their side within the pub last night before hell literally broke loose. Their pets from back at the Shire's port were also eaten in cannabilistic fashion. Leopard skins could be seen imbedded underneath the finger nails of torn apart Gargoyles along with their wolf's head impaled upon the charred sign post of the now ashy black building. So much loss on their way and to know that more was on it's way shortly with the sleepy suns retirement played sharp games with each of their minds. Even the new arrivals who had respectively been through their own worlds of terror disliked the odds set against them all now. When all thoughts had finally begun turning angry again inside their minds, a figure walking slowly through the raging inferno appeared and his name is....Van Helsing.
Jack Burton : "Hey you guys see that shit? What the hell is this guy a mirage or something? Wang!....."
Van Helsing : "I can hear you just fine Mr. Burton and I assure you I'm very much alive. The fire doesnt effect my suit which resists heat alot worse than this campfire, so I am able to walk through it as if I were a bucket of iced water."
Aragorn : "Where have you been? We came here in search of you and a guy named Holmes. We were...."
Van Helsing : "I know all about it and about all of you thanks to Mr. Holmes, you see he's the one who figured out what was happening and where. He also agreed to step within this place as my eyes until I could arrive but he was slain by Mr. Hyde shortly there after. It was accidental on Hyde's part, he was grabbing for Jack the Ripper but the Ripper placed Holmes in a shielding position at the last second. Strange thing is I could have sworn I killed Mr. Hyde back in Paris and as for the Ripper, he should be dead about now."
Juggernaut : "Hey, we don't care about Hyde or this dump or anything else right now except for getting their, to that enormous black tower. Are ya' gonna help out or what?"
Van Helsing : "The Arkham Tower holds alot more creatures than this place ever could. I will fight by your side, help you get in and hopefully be able to guide you all back out. What you faced last night was but a morcel of what awaits you there. Ancient battles have been fought in and around that asylum for centuries, the Mummy Imnotep has already reached its grounds as have the eldest of the Vampyre race Dracula. They hate one another and will fight the final battle there, at which time they will both be destroyed. Day walker vs night stalker has been written about throughout the ages and that is the final resting spot for them both but it is guarded and infested with guests of the bout to come. The cenobites of last night were mere novices sent by Pinhead to torture and kill as many as they could before they were destroyed. The ones with power are residing within those black walls and if we reach past that point then you'd have the pleasure of meeting Pinhead himself. The two monsters who were here last night know all about him and what he can do, even to two such as they. No doubt they will return to the Asylum of Arkham regardless, it is their purpose to murder and that sect is largely populated by the remaining Celts and Highlanders of the Scotland and Ireland regions long since destroyed. The Cyclops' to will feed their but they will feast upon their bones and bodies, nothing goes to waste with them around."
Punisher : "And what of the wolves of London once London burns down? For that matter Hyde as well as the Ripper, they are London's same as the Highlanders are Ireland and Scotlands. The way Imnotep is Hamanaptra's and Egypt's, right Van Helsing?"
Van Helsing : "That is correct and I think they have all gone towards the asylum now. Even the peace-keeping bell toller Quasimodo of Paris has followed his fellow beasts to that hunting ground. All have exited London by now and so shall we before the sunset if we want to live through this coming night. We will talk more along the road but we must head out now."
And with that Juggernaut, Punisher, Van Helsing, Max, Seth Gecko, the Mariachi, Jack and Wang and Samurai Jack head to the road as London falls to the fire. |
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Chapter 17:
Sherlock's Diary I - Ready To Die
(by Noah Wahn, added on August 9, 2004)
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Along the road they found a preserved copy of Sherlock Holmes' diary that he had written while being held at the Slaughtered Lamb. Inside it contains the only home made map to the Arkham Asylum along with everything that occupies the darkness surrounding it. They will have to travel through the Boroughs of New York in order to get into the Old West Cemetery. There they will be given the task of reviving the dead gunslingers of the world and finding weapons capable of slaying the asylums resident killers. Along the way they will also have to make peace with two mass death legends who they will need in order to succeed in destroying the asylum. Tall order for those who have been through so much already but they were all warned to abandon this quest and start a little village far from it all. They just happened to be Heroes and Legends and those reps dont run so now here they come ready and willing to die for each other and the mission impossible.
Staten Island
Aragorn : "Here we go, this is the first borough according to the map and it looks like its seperated from the others. We'll have to get through and find the port and ship that takes us to the main island. Dont sleep, keep your eyes fixed sharply about your person and the persons all about you. Remember the East End and lets not have mercy this time."
In his head Aragorn is accompanied by his friends fallen past and present. The wise wizard Gandalf serves as his voice of reason as he travels throughout this land of madness, Legolas is his steady hand and peeked senses and Arwen is his heart that travels with him always. Courage alone could not see him and his companions through this wonderland of five magics but possessed of all who have traveled with him before he can guide them along the path of life throughout the valleys of death.
Juggernaut : "There by the dead trees is the entrance to the waterway. If this map is wise, thats the way to the port where the ship of Staten Isles awaits. We have fresh greens to trek through, some of the biggest trees I've ever seen are just ahead but there is something wrong about the dead trees bordering the living ones. The contrast of black on green is odd to say the least and the smell coming from the forest is making my stomach ache with hunger."
Yes fresh food cooking is a treasure for sure but who's cooking it? While they begin their approach to danger, the smell gets stronger and their hunger comes forth more violently than before. A hooded figure stands over an overflowing kettle boiling something they all want to eat suddenly without question. The figures back is to them but can sense their presence and cries out a howl that no doubt will serve as an alert to more of who knows what. Before they can react, they are surrounded by hooded figures who's faces they cannot see and are forced into a tight circle with their weapons exposed and ready to blast. One steps foward and removes his hood, the shock on their faces is apparent as their minds are once again fucked.
Professor X : "So nice to see you all again. I thought you'd all have died by now and joined "us" but I guess you've gotten by the rest back in the East End. Rest assured, you shall not pass through Staten Island. Cain my dear brother, you look lost so let me let you and your friends here in on the game now. I was bitten by Demitri Maximov back in the castle along with the rest of the old crew. Let me order them to reveal themselves again to you now and then you can say hi personally to your fallen family. Go ahead Gambit, Angel, Wolverine, Rogue say hello to our missing and beloved Juggernaut."
Van Helsing : "Blast'em! Kill every last one and quickly!"
Juggernaut : "No!!!"
Professor X : "Good man Cain, stand directly in front of us long enough for Magneto to arrive. Your invulnerable to their weapons anyway and as a reward for your human shielding, I will not allow Onslaught to kill you. You can be our chosen herald once we slay the resistance that has brain washed you."
His great size shields his un-dead brethren as the sky starts to darken as if by an eclipse of magnetism. Magneto, lord of Staten Island has come and his intentions are cruel and mad. Juggernaut looks up high into the air as the master of magnetism begins his weightless dance back to the ground. The rest of the East End survivors look on ready to fire but not through their big friend. The voices in Aragorns head will not allow him to order nor follow any orders to put holes through the giant in order to get to the others within his embrace. He is sure the Juggernaut is up to something good for them and not for the professor or his undead X-team.
Magneto : "Stand aside Cain, you have done enough to ensure the union of your step-brother Charles and I. With this being said I will now secure your companions weapons and keep them enclosed within a magnetic dome until this buisness of transformation is completed. Thank you for your assistance and you will be granted that position of Juggernaut herald to Onslaught lord of the Realm of Ruins."
Cain Marko joins his fellow travelers within the protective dome while Charles Xavier and Eric Lehnsherr once more become the ultimate everything slayer supreme, Onslaught. Last time Onslaught was created by accident, destroying everything within his universe. Now he stands born anew with the sole purpose of ruling over everything this darker world of ruin has to offer up. Demitri Maximov sensed deceit on the part of Superman back at the castle so he ensured that his most capable enemies would do this very thing once he was no more. Superman had the oppertunity to rule it all and it lead to him becoming the God that Failed. Onslaught will, thanks to Demitris' darker knowledge, succeed where the former failed. Standing in awe, our weary survivors look like ants compared to their new master. Onslaught looks downward into their direction and gives the command for them to bow down or die here and now.
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Chapter 18:
Below Zero
(by Noah Wahn, added on August 9, 2004)
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You know I packed for Heaven but Ill probably only get to Hell. The moment money means nothing, loved ones are behind you scattered about the road, everything youd ever hoped for seems forgotten and the memory no longer can be reached your about to die. So now they have seen it all and here up above them is their last vision of life before it comes crashing down upon their heads. Without regret or appeal, our friends have come to this point of Origins end. Take one last look at what will never be again and then close your eyes in peace before your faces are erased in a moments act of violence, for its the last time you will. Staten Island is your tomb and Onslaught is the deliverer of your deaths.
Onslaught : "Kneel or be slain, I will not repeat my command again. You are but my puppets now and as good little puppets you will serve he who pulls your strings. Look to the X-team directly in front of you and watch what the puppet master can do."
It would have been kinder for them to have died nobely within the horrific castle but because of Demitri Maximov the living dead team of former heroes is crushed under the weight of Onslaughts hammer. No more shall they arise, no more shall they suffer a cannibalistic fate sealed with a never ending quest for blood. By brutality of one such as Onslaught instead they are reduced to pulp which severes their being and rests underneath his mighty hand.
Onslaught : "It is done just as I wanted. They are nothing to me and now they may rest in death because I wished it so. Now it is time for my Origin puppets to bow and serve or die this instant."
The island quakes and gale winds blow in suddenly to reveal a creature even larger than Onslaught himself. The planet devourer is late but in this instant right on time for his daily meal. He stands across from the monstrous Onslaught and looks into his eyes with a wide grin.
Galactus : "So you have returned once more Onslaught and seem to be keeping my friends there against their will. Im ravaged from all this travel, so lets get them towards the pier and on their way towards the 4th Borough before we finish this."
Onslaught : "My arent you prideful Galactus. You have this battle already won I see and demands on top of that eh? Well prepare to be destroyed along with your weak little puppets."
The second fist of rage swoops downward but before it reaches the group Galactus has taken hold of it within his own enormous palm. No light can penetrate the locked limbs of these two titans and darkness casts its murky shadow world over Aragorn and his companions. It is a site they know will never be witnessed again and begin to run towards the pier.
Onslaught : "You will die here devourer for your betrayal to me. If you will not release me then perhaps youd like to join with us. Thats it Galactus hold tighter while we melt into you and become even stronger."
Galactus : "You will not win Onslaught, your time is at hand and I am your master. Blending within me is to blend into the very castle itself since my body is part of its structure. You have succeeded in becoming attached to that which you sought to rule without the possibility of escape for a 3rd time. So do allow me to devour you for the sake of my castles hunger, which has increased my own appetite for destruction."
From the ship of Staten Isles, they watch as Onslaught tries to free himself of Galactus' grip. They witness the clash of two titans and wonder if either will survive the encounter. The ship pulls them further along towards the 4th Borough and their view gets dimmer with each passing wave. Spared are they from the first Borough of Staten Island but now they must make it through the 4th and throughout the rest of the city streets. If Onslaught was waiting for them back there, what lies further ahead must be unbelievable.
Brooklyn
The 4th borough is littered with painted walls made of stone in homage to Brooklyns elders. The streets are cracked blacktop, battered parks with bent basketball hoops and swarming with bodies in every direction. The music is loud again but this time it doesnt sound familiar at all, in fact its as mysterious to them as they are to this land. The source seems to be coming from a boardwalk not far from where they came in. A sign straight ahead reads "Coney Island" and that smell of fresh food is upon them again but this time they can read where its coming from and identify what it is.
Punisher : "Nathans World Famous Hot Dogs."
Aragorn : "What is a hot dog?"
Juggernaut : "Meat either on a stick or inside a bun of bread."
Samurai Jack : "Why do they call it dog?"
Jack Burton : "Let me answer this one. Its really just because no one ever knew what type of meat it was but it tastes so good that someone said hot diggitty dog and the name was shortened to hot dog and stuck. Anyone else hungry? C'mon Jack, forget the meaning of it all and try a dozen or so."
Wang Chi : "Jack, something feels very wrong about this. Remember Uncle's shop in Chinatown? Well we traded with NYC and this version of the boroughs is altered."
Jack Burton : "Wang its only Nathans man relax would ya'. Wait a minute, wheres the sign and where'd everyone disappear too?"
Punisher : "Still think its just a Nathans Burton?"
Mad Max : "Sign reads "Monopoly" now and look its all changing from the ocean to where Nathans was."
Seth Gecko : "This is some strange shit and Ive been through strange shit before but this tops even the two Gods or whatever the hell they were back in Staten Island. We are trapped within a Monopoly Board which has come to life all around us and at this point I need alot of drinks."
Punisher : "Well according to Sherlocks' map the next diary should be inside Park Place. Lets go get it and get out of here."
Aragorn : "Wasnt this supposed to be the place we needed to get to in order to end this quest? The Shire was supposed to end and then this place but why arent we happy to be here?"
El Miriachi : "Because something aint right about it, almost as if it were planted here on purpose and not because we reached it on our own at all. I say we split up and walk straight across the board on each side and shoot anything that gets between us and the Park Place diary."
Juggernaut : "Good idea but it aint done growing yet for one thing and for another, its becoming less of a board and more of the entire 4th Borough of Brooklyn. Looks like were gonna have to play our way through to the next borough, like it or not."
Punisher : "Yeah and hope it stops growing when we get there. Lets move out."
As the games get ready to begin, the music starts up again and once again they find themselves center stage. Fireworks explode from the corners of the monstrous steel structure and taking the stage is the NOTORIOUS B.I.G along with some friends from the boroughs. |
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Chapter 19:
Welcome To Death Row
(by Noah Wahn, added on August 11, 2004)
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5 Boroughs border the West Coast and in the way is a game of death in the final stages of play. New Yorks finest take the stage to the Eastside while the opposing stage to the Westside houses the greatest rivals from the land of sunshine and the chronic. Front and center are our ravaged warriors trying to get past the gangs and gangsters now scattered throughout the playing field of Monopoly. The streets have become infested with danger, the crowds have come together to form the biggest lynch mob ever seen and the targets have been placed upon the backs of the warriors of origin. Now the rules have been laid down by the mean streets and the warriors have to fight their way past the 5 Boroughs until they reach Los Angeles and the graveyard entrance to the Arkham Asylum. Lets roll while the battle begins up on the stages between to legendary crews. Gunfire starts off the rap wars and the red flow can be seen almost instantly, its just the first wave of violence our warriors will have to live through in order to get to Park Place.
Punisher : "This is it, the music is different from before but the message is still in blood and clear. We must stick close together and kill anything or anyone that gets within a few feet of us and that first rairoad. If you get seperated from the rest, make it to the next rairoad and take it to the next platform. Stay clear of free parking and the concert site if at all possible and if you come across anymore outsiders grab them and tell'em where to go. Everyone ready?"
Juggernaut : "Im ready man, this is for all the marbles and since none of us have any left at this point, we should make it through this just fine. Blood dont even phase me at this point so lets paint ourselves red with it already and by the way if we should die here in Monopoly, its been real."
Samurai Jack : "Let'em come now, I got my sword ready for alot of killing and its just begging me to lose my remorse. No matter what comes, just look to either side and Ill have slain it before it touches any of you. Juggernaut remember what I told you back at the Shire campsite, it was all worth it brother."
Wang / Jack : "We're ready to, its been a long ride so what the hell is a few more miles? Even though we didnt get the pleasure of knowing you all personally in this life, we look foward to seeing you all again in the Beginning. Lets do this shit."
Max / Seth & Mariachi : "We've each been exposed to different threats to the world we come from even though our whens were altered. Brothers have been lost, lovers sacrificed and apocalypse's survived. Each of us have also been hunted by the laws we now protect but in an act of redemption we stand before you deputized and ready to fight till our deaths for each of you and this cause. Were ready."
Van Helsing : "Weapons check, lock and load people. Ammo is unlimited and thats all we've got going for us at this point so let's get to Park Place and burn it to the ground. Food and weapons are mapped out according to Sherlock's 1st diary, stay close to the railroads until Boardwalk and Park Place. Little surprises have been planted for us throughout the stations and we'll find what we need at the mouth of Park Place. Dont stop moving for anything and remember to keep your eyes open and your mouths shut."
Aragorn : "Move out."
1st Step - GO
5 blocks to the Reading Railroad but the Mediter-Ranean and Baltic Avenues are filled with poverty stricken homeless thugs ready to kill for a single buck. Right now the warriors are finding that out, the hard way.
Medi-Baltic Thug : "You got buisness here cause passing through cost money man."
Aragorn : "Keep moving right past this man."
Medi-Baltic Thug : "Not a wise move my friend, now your all gonna pay with blood."
The man on the corner runs into an abandoned looking building and as the warriors start past the buildings entrance out comes a much healthier group of bigger bums from the avenue armed with clubs, bats and blades. Over their backs, the warriors glance once over and keep going not even considering the group worthy of battle. From the building across Community Chest St. another group stand in front of them now. The Baltic Avenue thugs are greater in number this time and the Mediter-Ranean ones start coming up from the back. Trapped from back and front with both groups coming into them fast and rough.
Punisher : "They have mediocre weapons, take them out hand to hand. From the looks of them, their conditioning looks poor so we should be able to take'em out fast."
Punisher : "Me and Jack got this, you all keep moving foward. We dont need full strength for this sorry bunch of bums..."
Aragorn : "What about them big guy?"
Juggernaut turns to see another set of bangers coming up fast from the far corner of the block, past the Reading and just before the Jailhouse. Oriental, Vermont & Connecticut bums have joined in with the poorer Medi-Baltic crews. Now its all out chaos headed straight for the warriors.
Juggernaut : "Well, I say we can take'em anyways. Lets do this people."
Max : "You guys see who decided to show up finally? Across the street, one in the hockey mask and the other with the talon hands from the Slaughtered Lamb."
Van Helsing : "For us or against us is the real question we dont have the time to ask. If they try anything kill'em dead as these bum fucks, now lets get to the hurting."
The thud was sickening as hundreds of bodies fell into each other the way two football lines block at the hut from the quarterback. In the center stood the warriors now locked up in the heat of battle from every direction, from the side Freddy & Jason come in breaking backs and slashing the neighborhood bums to pieces. Baseball bats crack over skulls, Jason walks over the fallen heads of the Connecticut & Vermont bums as he absorbs the blows to his head, face and body. Stabbed, flogged and clubbed and he still keeps coming straight through their members two at a time while his partner from hell slices and rips through the Oriental bums. The warriors snap bats from the Medi-Baltic members hands and smash their heads in, members carrying busted bottle tops and blades get blasted before they even swing. Finally all is still as the last of the combined sections are disassembled and our warriors move on into the Reading Railroad station.
2nd Step - St. Charles Place
No problem making the first train ride through the rest of Brooklyn. 2nd Borough down and now they travel the rails to the 3rd Borough known as Queens. St. Charles Place is the drop spot for the warriors and their new found members Jason Voorhees & Freddy Krueger. Two mass murderers fresh outta hell, escaped is more like it. When the doors were forever opened by Arwen, these two notorious bad-asses jumped the gate from hell to here and escaped Cenobite custody. Now they to have been deputized by the warriors of origin to fight their way through and possibly see the Beginning.
Van Helsing : "Here we are people, St. Charles Place. We have to travel through here and across the Electric Company which powers everything up for the whole city. Cross States & Virginia and head right into the Pennsylvania Railroad station. Lets look alive and try not to underestimate anymore gangs of New York."
Jack Burton : "Hey dont any of you hear that? I cant tell where its coming from but it sounds like Truck & Motorcycle engines revving up. I'd recognize it anywhere, sounds just like my truck!"
Punisher : "Wait! Burton! Shit, catch up to him and the rest of you..."
Before the Punisher could finish his sentence the station was swarming with hell cops. Sent straight from below, these demonic officers of Hell have come from the Jailhouse to capture the marked warriors. The team is split up and running crazy throughout the St. Charles platform trying to find a back doorway leading outside. Jack found his revving engines alonside some of the others who caught up to him but they suddenly wish they hadnt. An enormous 18 wheeler is glowing right outside, its logo reads "Happy Toyz" and underneath that its slogan continues with "Hear comes another load of joy." Next to it is an enormous cement truck and right in back of them are lines of headlights starting to flash and engines roaring. The Happy Toyz truck's face lights up a glowing green and its smile seems to say "Your all Dead." The trucks start moving towards the half a group and they just barely clear the station before its demolished by the crazed trucks. From the backs of the trucks come choppers ready to run our warriors down. Its gonna be a long trip to the Electric Company for both teams, if they can even make it past this Maximum Overdrive.
Wang : "You've really done it this time Jack. Fighting monsters and men wasnt bad enough but now you have us running from vehicles with minds of their own! We need to get to the Electric Company and blow it up, its our only chance."
Max : "I see it straight ahead but we cant move until the road is cleared. Watch your step when getting back towards the street, those things arent here to give a running chance. We have the Mariachi and his case which should be plenty of explosives to blow the whole thing to hell and put everything in the dark, including those machines."
Mariachi : "Jus' one question guys, when the lights go out how do we know that the trains will keep running?"
Samurai Jack : "Perhaps there are seperate lines running through the city. Emergency lighting and power can be spared so long as the rest can be knocked out entirely."
Mariachi : "Ill buy that, lets get going."
Jack Burton : "Where are Freddy and Jason? Last time I seen them they were trailing right behind me."
Mariachi : "Probably doing their best to stay quiet and make it to the same place as us, they may be unstoppable killers but their not stupid."
On the other side of St. Charles Place, the rest of the warriors find another route that takes them past the Electric Company and right into the heart of States Avenue. They are un-aware of the crazed machines and seem to have lost the Hell Cops for the moment but Queens has no shortage of dangerous avenues and streets. States & Virgina are all that stand between this half group and Penn. station but thats alot of ground to cover at only half strength.
Juggernaut : "Where are they? Should have made it to the back doorway and here by now. If those freaky looking cops got'em Ill tear that Jail down and kill'em all!"
Seth Gecko : "I have a feeling they found another way out but if their not with us by now then something is wrong. Maybe they went for the Electric Company, they might be still thinking of blowing it instead of just heading for the station house."
Van Helsing : "Well then we have to decide to either go backwards and try and find'em or keep moving and catch the Pennsylvania Railroad train outta Queens and the 3rd Borough. Ideas anyone or is it gonna be a vote?"
Aragorn : "We move ahead, to risky to go back and we have a ways to travel before we even get to the next station. If they blow it then we're in the dark anyway, so it makes more sense to catch the train while its running. Agreed?"
Juggernaut : "I aint leaving Samurai Jack out there, I promised to protect you all better since that damn pub back in White Chapel and I aint leavin' him nor any of'em out there to die. We came together into the 3rd Borough and I say we leave together on that train!"
Seth Gecko : "Juggernaut dont be foolish man, if we stay out here on the streets we'll all be killed. We can wait for them at the station house alright?"
Juggernaut : "Hey if it hadnt been for Max & Mariachi chances are you wouldnt even be here, maybe you dont honor the ones who saved your life but I've made it all this way because of Samurai Jack more than any of the others and I aint leaving without him."
Aragorn : "We cannot fight you Juggernaut but if this is your decision and not ours then we will see you at the station house."
Juggernaut : "Fine with me pal, see you all at Penn. Station."
Punisher : "Im staying here to, cant leave him behind all by himself it isnt right. Go on ahead of us and we'll meet up with you at Pennsylvania Rairoad. If by some chance we dont make it or miss the train then use the map to get to B&O Railroad. Good luck guys and if I dont see yous' again, Ill meet up with yas' at the Beginning."
Two teams become three and the night seems to go on for so long. Hell Cops, Lunatic Trucks & Choppers and a Borough filled with danger. Just another day in the life of the Warriors.
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Chapter 20:
Night Moves - Qeens to The Bronx
(by Noah Wahn, added on August 19, 2004)
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Tical
Electric Company
Freddy : "Now get in there and grab that set of wires leading to the main cable. Should blow the lights out on the city and leave'em in the dark until Penn. Station. Ill have the power to carry your remains at least that far until you replenish again, now do it!"
Jason sighs and heads into the "Warning / Danger" area of the Electric Company. He will not live through this volume of electrocution but if we all had a buck for every time he's been killed, we'd all be richer people. Freddy's power is depleting somewhat since this is the city that never sleeps but their are enough sleeping victims throughout Queens tonight for him to take this chance of sacrificing his partner in Hell. Within moments the lights blow out and now the 3rd Borough is covered by a blanket of black lined with emergency power only. Another few seconds and now even the reserved supply of electric is cut off from source, Jason falls to the ground and Freddy comes in behind him to hoist the big man up and away they go.
Pennsylvania Railroad
Max : "Well we know what those two have been up to and now It looks like all those vehicles have died for the time being, we should probably head in."
Jack / Wang : "Right behind you."
Mariachi : "You see what I see? Lets help'em out and fast."
Samurai Jack : "Nice job on the Electric Company demolition guys. The engines have ceased ever since and now all we have to do is get past Virginia Avenue."
Freddy : "Great but you have noticed I have a 300lb mass murderer on my back at the moment, so lets get'em off me and have each of us grab a limb."
Max : "Looks like we're headed in the wrong direction boys. Virginia Ave is torched, its either another route or straight through the blaze."
Mariachi : "I dont think their about to let us choose, time for some action."
The Mariachi's case falls open at his side and out comes the shotgun. Hell Cops in search of the now infamous Warriors and the two escaped lunatics, Freddy & Jason. The call has been placed to the Cenobites and it wont be long now before these streets get flooded with blood. The Mariachi looks to his other side and sees a most welcome pair of bodies headed towards the group. The Hell Cops fall dead before their feet as the Juggernaut crushes them one at a time. The Punisher sends a pair of grenades into their cars and the radio communication is no more.
Punisher : "Nice to see you guys are still alive and kicking. Ready to get to the others at the station?"
Group : "Hell Yeah!"
Juggernaut : "Lets do it."
At the border of Virginia Ave and Penn Railroad the rest of the gang meets a steel barricade blocking their path into the station. The St. James Place boys have concluded a painful game of the box and now the Cenobites stand front and center waiting to take them all back to Hell.
Aragorn : "Good news is the rest of us are almost here but the bad news is we have to get past them in order to catch our train."
Seth Gecko : "Well I guess it couldnt really have been any other way, now could it? One more round and its 2nd Borough for us, so lets get this over with shall we?."
Van Helsing : "Not so sure its gonna be that easy this time. Back in White Chapel we had a war going on and alot of distraction, this time its just us and them."
Samurai Jack : "Well then lets introduce ourselves, what say ye warriors?"
Warriors : "Aye."
As they walk around the steel structure, known here in Queens as the "The Elimination Chamber", the warriors of Origin meet the Cenobites head on. Chains with razor tips snap foward and make an X shape between their master Pinhead and the rest of the group.
Pinhead : "Maybe you'll consider offering up those two outcasts and then maybe we'll go easy on you back in hell. Freddy, Jason it was a mistake to escape your final resting area to begin with but throwing humans at us as appetizers is insulting. Come peacefully and you two will be allowed to continue your petty war below, give us trouble and you'll surely wish you hadn't. The time for talk is through, when these chains next come forth, its your flesh and their limbs they're going to be embedded within."
Freddy : "Fuck You!"
Jason comes to and stands besides his fellow companions, Juggernaut puts his helmet on and snaps it into place. Ready are they for this war or are they? Before their dialated eyes, the Cenobites bring forth each fallen warrior from the castle and the previous boroughs of New York. The numbers are now ten to one and the power of hell is theirs to command. Dumb founded and shocked the warriors of origin look on as former enemies, friends, family members and creatures of White Chapel take their places on the front lines before them. Distorted, deformed versions of their former selves come back to see to it that they do not reach Park Place. It all comes down to this and this point of no return for our beaten and torn heroes. The music comes alive surrounding them from every direction, its the prelude to another round of war for them but this time its a war they cannot win. Even if they somehow made it past and jumped the train to the Bronx, they know the Cenobites unholy army would be their to greet them when they got off the train. The scene looked hopeless but then the explosion and while the army was distracted and beginning to fall under the blasts of heavy artillery, the warriors decided to run for it past Community Chest, through Tennessee Avenue and finally stopping short on the corner of New York Avenue. The sign reads "Free Parking Church" and its their only chance to lose the Cenobites temporarily. Standing in front of the Church of Free Parking is none other than Snake Plisken, the outlaw who's escaped both the West and East wastelands.
Snake : "Gentlemen, its time to go inside and get through the underground tunnels that double back to Penn Station. I'll be assisting you from here on in and by the way your all welcome for the Guerilla attack back their that saved your asses. Should take'em awhile before they chew through my old buddies. Lets get going."
The train platform was empty at the back entrance and with their newest guide, they caught the train headed out to the 2nd borough of the Bronx. From the windows they could see as the Cenobites slaughtered their sacrificial saviors. Mercilessly tearing them to pieces along with the rest of the Queens neighborhood and its inhabitants. Pinhead looks up with blood dripping from his mouth and meets their glance with a smile that says, "See you in the Bronx my Warriors."
Izm
2nd Borough - The Bronx
The train rolled on through the night and when it finally touched down onto the Kentucky Avenue platform the mood was suprisingly mellow on the streets. Wake and bake was all over the Bronx residents aura, something big was awaiting them here but no one was out to get the infamous Warriors this morning. Flyers all over displayed a message in red from Pinhead and his crew of Cenobites. "Warriors come out and play tonight, Water Works / Bronx Park." None of them even thought twice about taking the invitation seriously until they found out that the B&O was replaced with a Mono named Blaine. Sherlock's Diaries had warned them of this beast, it rides only upon recieving the blood of Pinhead personally. Here they were beating their heads upon the wall of the Arkham Tower aka The Black Fortress.
Snake : "Alright heres the plan people, we head to the park after dark, kill'em all and take their leaders head right from his shoulders. Without it the train wont move for us and its a long walk from here to the edge of Manhattan."
Punisher : "So we should just go ask Pinhead for his head on a platter for the mad mono Blaine? Because you know that first idea of just storming in and taking it is just as nuts. We walk in to that park tonight and we aint coming out ever again."
Freddy : "Yes we are, me and Jason will keep him occupied while you and the rest take the head and get to Park Place."
Aragorn : "No, you wont make it out, either of you nor any of us!"
Juggernaut : "Were coming back out, I guarantee it. If I have to hoist the park up onto my back and slam it back to the ground I will to ensure our safe passage."
Samurai Jack : "All the re-assurance I require. We've made it this far and if this is where some of us have to die then lets do what we must so the end can find the Black Fortress well."
Van Helsing : "Are we forgetting that it vanishes with every sunrise? The only entry pertaining to it at all within Sherlock's Diary is the last two pages and it only gives us Park Place before it ends."
Snake : "It'll be there when we get there but for now we have to fight this demon or whatever he is and get on that train! Time works different here and we're almost out of it right now, lets head out to the park!"
Warriors : "Aye."
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Chapter 21:
Spades
(by Noah Wahn, added on September 15, 2004)
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Bronx Park : Water Works, Dusk
Sunrise was passing quicker than before and the team seemed as ready as they possibly could be given the circumstances and the events over the past few Borough's.
The stoned raiders of the Bronx were all headed for the hills surrounding the old Water Works site which now serves as the largest concrete playground of the 2nd borough.
Thick cement walls wrap around an enormous piece of land that bares the scars of all the foot traffic that has passed through this urban jungle land time and time again.
Last call for the dead and dying as each resident climbs over fences and posts leading up to the Cypress Hill's awaiting their baptism in blood.
The Cenobites have arrived through the glowing portals of Hell and the last to step onto the field is their master, Pinhead.
Pinhead : "Children of the Bronx, I bring you gifts from below that will tear your soul's apart but also re-create you within my image. Take the box in front of you and play the game until your new selves are rid of all your old skin. Embrace the torture and stand at my left hand throughout this judgement night."
The boxes unleash a world of dark hurt upon the followers of Pinhead but their are some in attendance tonight who do not intend to bow to the underworld master. Instead these well masked wish granter's choose to blend in and get close to Hell's conquerer in order to destroy him and the chosen team which have been tracking him and will come to kill him. Nothing can be overlooked and assumption is a game that the Jinn do not play especially when the stakes are so high and they are so close now. A step behind since they lost their planted Goku back at the Shire, a step to slow in preventing the Nothing from being engulfed and two steps ahead throughout the borough's themselves thus far. They are the last of what remains and their mission is to see to it that the team does not reach Blain nor Manhattan. The Cenobite's are mass producing but they have no faith in Pinhead or his game to put an end to their conquest's once and for all. All around them they watch on in enjoyment as the people of New York's 2nd Borough scream in a symphony of pain. Pinhead spots the small band and now their smiles are fast fading.
Pinhead : "WishMaster's among us, your disguise's have served you well but I do not tolerate unwelcome guest's to my party. What is your buisness here Jinn's?"
Djinn : We have come to make sure that the chosen one's do not leave this borough nor that they do not take your head my lord. We mean no harm and our presence should be seen as an insurance of our mutual enemies death's."
Pinhead : "You lie! And badly I may add at that! Do you take me for one that does not know your intent or true purpose towards me and my children? Dark you might all be but the same kin as my children of Hell you are not! Older than nearly all creation and more cunning than all your intended prey except for me! Your all exactly what I've been looking for and now that you are uncovered to me and mine, I invite you to sacrifice yourselves to me! What say you WishMaster's?"
Djinn : "We say you are in no position to attempt dominance not even with so many new friends about your person. We can slay everything you have just created within a fraction of the time it took to make them all and in the end your head will rest within our ravaged stomach's along with those foolish few who have made it thus far!"
Pinhead : "Then let the game of Spades begin!"
The environment becomes altered at once and where the army of the Cenobite's stood just a second ago, there is now nothing but darkness. The fight has been taken to Hell's never ending maze where Pinhead has dominance over nearly everything except for the Djinn who now chase their victim's relentlessly throughout. When finally they do clash, the battle will surely annihilate all of them. Spades has begun and only the Ace of Spades can allow access back to the Bronx! |
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Chapter 22:
Devil May Cry
(by Noah Wahn, added on September 15, 2004)
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Road To Dante : The Hunter
Hell is vast and all is lost within the dark. There are few who frequent this plain of Un-God willingly and even fewer who realize just how permenant their stay here will be. Chambers lead to Labrynths which in turn lead to castles and then to the masters chamber while all the while enwrapped within a maze of dark circles.
Within those circles are twists and turns which lead to more circles until you are lost within lost and hopelessly abandoned.
Cries cannot be heard here nor can light be allowed from above, the sun above the earth is blackened when night falls but here in Hell it remains that way forever. This is the setting for the highest stakes between two evils so eld that to them this place is Heaven. In the midst of the game, is a hybrid of demon and man bounty hunter named Dante who was last seen by the side of Superman back at the Paradise City compound but what no one knew then was that Dante was the planted assassin in charge of exorcising the possessed chairman's demons.
When the castle's warriors fell, Dante simply returned to The Devil May Cry office back down here to report the bad news to his partner, Ash. Having been on his own mission back in Raccoon City, Ash had his own version of bad news as well and now here they are back at the office and out of work as of late. The agency is located deep within the heart of the Black Hole of Hell's Seventh Demension and buisness as they say is about to pick up once again!
Bronx Park, Above Ground - Earth
Punisher : "Alright I don't understand it but I'm gonna guess that Pinhead got scared and decided not to fight after all."
Juggernaut : "He's got jokes again, good to see you in a better mood Frank but something tells me we didn't get off that easy and even if you were right, Blaine ain't gonna move without that Cenobite blood."
Snake Plisken : "Got to be another mode of transportation, that train can't be the only way into Manhattan. As far as the Cenobite's and the challenge, we should assume devine intervention and get moving before our luck runs out."
Freddy & Jason : "Something isn't right, the Lord don't owe us two anything and our supernatural senses are telling a very different tale of intervention. It's the Djinn's who changed the course of the fight for the Cenobite's not God and if I were a betting demon I'd say they were in Hell right about now. There must be a portal somewhere around the center of the parks steepest point and all the open boxes and ripped flesh tells us that Pinhead has quite an army waiting for us and them. This time were going into Hell itself to fight and Juggernaut isn't going to be able to lift anything up and slam it back down in case we get into trouble down there."
Aragorn : "Excellent, now we have to not only execute our enemies but do it on their own property. Before we venture downward I think we should all check out that building over there, the one that reads Chance."
Van Helsing : "At least one of us has been reading the diaries along the way, we should find plenty of supplies and maps within the Chance Halls and if this thing is right, a woman named Alice."
Jack Burton & Wang Chi : "Alright, lets do it before their game is over and ours begins."
Chance Building, Border of Indiana Avenue
Back tracking is never recommended when faced with such tasks in bulk but for them there is no other way. The diaries have detailed the journey thus far throughout the fallen boroughs and it will be all but useless in guiding them throughout Hell without the Chance maps and the woman Alice.
Ventnor to Atlantic over the tracks of the sleeping Blaine mono and into Illinois until the border of Indiana once again.
At the border the Chance Building stands tall and bright, it was the teams landmark upon arrival back at Kentucky Avenue Station earlier this morning. Time once more speeds up and as they enter the building of Chance, another alternate version of the Bronx awakens to greet them inside.
Voodoo Lounge, Chance Hall
Seth Gecko : "A club very near and dear to my heart folks! Welcome to the Titty Twister!, Please take every precaution not to be killed dead while we look for the girl and her book of mazes."
Samurai Jack : "You've seen this place before, perhaps in a vision along the way."
Seth Gecko : "I wish it would have been a dream but I was really here and everyone of my associates were slain by blood sucking vampires. Never thought I'd see it again mainly because it was back in Mexico and how it suddenly got here beats me."
Alice : "I think I can help you figure that out Mr. Gecko."
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Chapter 23:
Hotel California
(by Noah Wahn, added on October 29, 2004)
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Last time we looked through their eyes, they were watching the doors close behind themselves upon entering the inner chamber of the Tiity Twister. A short walk past the Voodoo Lounge and a little further than the main Chance Hall entrance they await Alice's attempt at reason while keeping their eyes peeled about the room which has literally changed before those very same eyes. One thing which has become perfectly clear to them without her having to say it is that they are in fact in Hell already and probably have been this entire time or at the very least since leaving a charred version of London. The people who walk around here are already damned and never leaving but how many of them know it is a question only their host can now answer along with a slew of others. Let's sit in on this palavar, pop off the top's of a few icy beverages and proceed to dwelve deeper than before into the depths of a nightmare.
-Noah
-Alice "Welcome to the show that never ends and to the underground that never sleeps. I'm Alice and like you I have made it this far into Hell itself. Before we begin I want to tell all of you up front that I don't have a clue as to who will make it out of here and onto Blaine's platform but I do know that only Divine Intervention can decide each of our fate's from here on in."
-Aragorn "The train is real and our only hope then to escape this after realm? Why has everything else been a lie to our eyes then? And where are we exactly if not upon the Monopoly Board?"
-Alice "Well you don't waste anytime do ya?!
Blaine exists here but its no escape vehicle, its the path train of the underworld is all and it only goes deeper into the pits. Dante and Ashs' shop is a ways down from here according to my maps and only Ashs' Necronomicon can open a doorway for us at this point in which we can use to escape. They are well equipped weapon and resource wise but stuck same as us until we get there."
-Juggernaut "Stuck? What do you mean lady?
If they got that book then why not just open the portal now and get out?"
-Van Helsing "For starters the war between the Cenobites and the Djinn would be released along with them and that would mean this nightmare would never end. So long as were in Hell and they are to then we have a chance to finish off all the bad guys at once and then return to our imperfect but familiar Black Label Society."
-Alice "Correct Van Helsing and in order to finish this fight we must use Blaine, the Necronomicon and all of our resources combined. Now as far as where we are exactly, I'd have to go with lost. Until we figure this map out we will remain here but the one thing I forgot to mention besides that other one thing about divine intervention is that this place is getting fuller with unfriendly familiars every hour and that means before any of you ask that we can expect another close quarters Slaughtered Lamb type experience very soon."
-Seth Gecko "You wouldnt happen to have any good news would you Alice? I mean talk about making a guy sorry for his momentary confusion but really if there is any good news or even positive reinforcement now'd be that time to spread the good word around the group you know!"
-Alice "Well there are plenty of weapons here that didnt exist back in White Chapel or Hamanaptra. Also stocked bar all around us which could come in handy seeing how its flammable and fire is our friend in here against more than half our enemies. Other than that Im fresh out and we are in case you forgot in Hell after all, so try and keep in mind that good news doesn't deliver G.O.D or UPS down here ok?."
-Mariachi "I like her! Hey Alice if we somehow do make it out do you think we could maybe get a refreshing meal/honeymoon together suger buns?!"
-Alice "A blind Mariachi flirting with me in the depths of Hell itself! Baby you got yourself a date if we make it out that is."
The mood seems oddly light for a most infinitely sad place such as this but then again our heroes and their friends have been through so much to get this far that I dont think even the news of what lies ahead here in Hell for them could make them say Uncle but then again the Head Bangers Ball hasnt started yet so we shall see how they die with smiles on their faces and if those who may survive this laugh last and loudest yet.
-Noah |
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Chapter 24:
Park Place - Entrance of the Dark Castle
(by Noah Wahn, added on January 11, 2005)
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The Cenobites and Pinhead were soundly defeated and as usual the cost was high. By the time our ravaged team reached Park Place, only 4 of them were left standing in stable condition. Ash had used the book of the dead aka "Necronomicon Ex Mortis" while Freddy and Jason held back the last of Pinheads reserves. In the end, they were nearly all slain at the foot of the door to Park Place and the 4 who've made it this far probably wish they had been lucky enough to have joined their former roadmate's. The doors opened easily enough but what they found just inside was more than any of them had the strength left to resist and this is what Hyde had counted on so heavily.
HYDE : "Welcome my friends, welcome to your last supper! I believe you know the doctor and some of our other guests certainly seem to remember some of you! Please feel free to sit and rest, replenish yourselves and catch your breath for in just a short while we will begin hunting you throughout the grounds!"
(Laughter)
Medusa : "I asked some of you back in my chambers not to run but you just had to push your luck. Now how does it feel to have made it so far, come so close and then fail?
Would've been better to have served us when you had the chance but now no offer will be supplied in place of your death's."
(Mad Laughter)
Doc Ock : "Welcome back and for those of you who are new to my methods of health, welcome!
We have plenty of activities planned for each of you and for those few who are not able to run, we will take pleasure in hearing you scream first as we dine upon your flesh while you watch! Sorry to hear about your demon companions, I guess they cannot save you now and since Juggernaut's mighty strength is depleted your all in for a real horror show!"
(Screaming-Laughter)
Nothing short of horrific was the look going round the faces of the surviving 4 and the crippled few but it was as fate would have it on the way to Boardwalk aka Death. |
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