[center][i]"An unliving, undying, unstoppable monster, that's how you start getting sacrifices in your name."[/i] -Unknown "[i]Blessed be the sacred fires, blessed be the chaos, blessed be the source, blessed be the one who dwells within.[/i]" -Unknown "[i]And they passed through the smoke and flames and unto him.[/i]" -Unknown [hider=Open Me][img]http://i362.photobucket.com/albums/oo63/NMShape/coollogo_com-3163854_zpsaa80ab45.png[/img][/hider][/center] Lost Haven, a great city, a city that had withstood invasion from the forces of a place you could call Hell, a city that had witnessed the arrival of Mercy who shaped reality with a whim, a city that had been wracked by strife and discord as various criminal families and organizations battled for control of the streets, and a city that now stood faced with meta-human terrorists possessed of a mad plan to turn everyone into meta-humans, was about to be reminded once again of a particular presence. The people had been hopeful that the Iron Knight and Archangel together had defeated the monster in the dark, that perhaps the nightmare of Nightmare had been ended once and for all, they had been hopeful enough to buy that the prison van torn to shreds a few days later, with body horror art left behind was just the work of a run of the mill meta human criminal, and life had gone on. But where the people mostly hoped that things were getting better, they were about to be sorely disappointed... The LHU stadium was packed full of people, cheering fans, coverage personnel, and the players themselves, all having a grand time. Sure it was only a college football game, but to the people involved it was the big thing. Paul Wiems lived for this. He was in his element in the announcers box. Here the only thing people needed to know about him was that he had a great voice, no one needed to know how large he was, how awkward he was when actually having to deal with people face to face. And it gave him the best seats in the house, truly a winning deal. It was nearly time for him to make the announcements regarding half time entertainment and he was mentally reviewing what he was to say when he became aware of a presence in the box behind him. He began to turn only to stop as something hard and metal settled against the back of his neck and a distorted voice sounding as if it was coming through faint speakers sounded softly. "You will read the statement about to be put in front of you. You will read it flawlessly. If you do, you will live. If you do not then you die. Follow any additional instructions." The odd voice cut off then, and that strange pressure on the back of his neck moved. It wasn't a gun like he had thought at first, no this was something different, something with legs. It skittered around to his front revealing itself to his eyes for a moment as it deposited several sheets of paper on the table before him. It was some sort of metallic spider thing that had what looked to be some sort of cannon apparatus growing out of its front end, the end that it was keeping pointed at him. He didn't really know what to do in the situation but like many with a gun pointed at them Paul was quick to at least attempt to follow the instructions. He picked up the sheets of paper and switched the microphone back on. Then he began to read... "We interrupt this game to bring you an urgent public service announcement. There has been a Nightmare siting." The words gained the attention of pretty much everybody in the stadium within seconds as play came to a halt down below and a stunned silence took the place of the earlier clamor. "He is ..." there was a long almost suspenseful pause "here." Perhaps the voice broke slightly, but it was largely drowned out as the silence gave way to panicked yelling. And of course the darkness came. Part of the crowd vanished in seconds as the darkness seemed to manifest from nothing and there were screams of pain and agony from those caught up inside of it. In the jam packed stadium seats there was little room to maneuver and the first panicked stampede of people did not get very far before the other shoe dropped. A torrent of white fire, fire that burned far brighter and hotter than any fire should have rushed out in a stream, a stream that covered all of the exits and burned along the top of the stadium, forming a ring of balefire, almost like a cage. The first wave of people who tried to dash through the flames vanished instantly, utterly eradicated by the supernatural fire, and there was no second. The darkness that blanketed a portion of the lower rows close to the field moved swiftly, the amorphous cloud descending to the field, leaving behind what had to be over 50 corpses in the seats within the space where it had seemingly formed. And from within the darkness came the sound of laughter, that terrible inhuman sound that had echoed from television sets across the city as the killing spree escalated. "Tonight Nightmare is joined by Soulfire," As the announcement continued a portion of the swirling white flames flared up and a gout of flame shot into the air, solidifying into the shape of the masked woman who had been seen at several of Nightmare's more recent appearances. Her black and gold streamers fluttered in the air, taking on that illusion of wings as she drifted to the ground on the field beside the dark cloud. A hand swept out in a wave that would have seemed jaunty, had it not shot a burst of white fire into the stands, obliterating more of the trapped people in a heartbeat. "the Architect," that name was unfamiliar, not that the terrified people really had the awareness to recognize it. And as that name was spoken another woman appeared, riding atop what seemed to be a giant metal golem, who simply wore concealing dark clothing. The golem casually strode through the crowd, squishing some people underfoot as it and it's rider made their was down to the field. "and a special welcome to this evening's special guest. The Cannibal King!" This time the entrance was more dramatic. In the middle of the field a spire ruptured the earth and stretched upwards. It was a cold white, the color of freshly polished bones and as it emerged it began to change, forming into a shape that the stuff of nightmares. A figure, twice the size of a normal man, seemingly clad in a suit of plate armor made from bones stood there. From his helm rose two great horns, curving upwards in a wicked fashion. The man pointed to one of the clusters of players who had formerly been the gods upon the field and made a gesture. The players exploded, their bones ripping free from their flesh and then reassembling themselves into crude skeletal figures. These skeletal creations then began to move into the crowd, grabbing people and dragging them down onto the field. A new sound came next, perhaps the one most expected. The terrible booming voice of Nightmare himself sounded from within the dark cloud. [u][b]"PEOPLE OF LOST HAVEN. AS YOU DIE TONIGHT ASK YOURSELVES. WHERE WERE YOUR PROTECTORS? WHERE WERE YOUR HEROES?"[/b][/u] And then the darkness swarmed forward, back into the stands and the screams of pain joined those of terror. There was no escape, no where to run, no where to hide, and there was no help coming. Some even despaired, not moving as the darkness came for them and Nightmare's laughter echoed loudly amidst the screams and sounds of tearing flesh. But it was not only Nightmare for the Cannibal King's skeletons were not idle, dragging struggling people down into the field where something equally gruesome was taking place. More of Soulfire's white flames had carved out a pit and then she filled it with regular fire. While the Cannibal King stretched forth a hand and grew a narrow shaft of bone that he stretched across the pit like a bridge, a bridge that the people were made to walk across. Many fell into the flames to die screaming, but many also came to the giant armored figure on the other end. The giant figure whose helm was no open, and who tore open the throats of all who came to him, having their blood pour out onto the white bones of his armor and the skeletal face that lay beneath. The Architect was the only one who seemed less involved, her golem stomping on a few people who came to close but otherwise simply seemed to be observing. It would have seemed to take hours, but in truth the butchering of well over a thousand people took place in less than 30 minutes, and as the dead replaced the living the killers gathered the bodies in the field, those that had pieces left to gather. And when the last had died and all were gathered the darkness of Nightmare exploded outwards, blanketing nearly the entire stadium before fading away and leaving no trace of the four killers. Well, aside from their calling cards. A gruesome construct dominated the center of the field, a tree of bones, shaped from the dead in vast numbers, and upon the trees branches were the mangled and mutilated remnants of other victims, arms and legs impaled upon spike-like protrusions, heads mounted on others, and other things better left unmentioned. Surrounding the great tree of corpses was the newest message, much larger than usual and stretching across most of the field in a manner that said it was meant to be seen from above. [b]HELLO LOST HAVEN 7 OF 20 WHERE ARE YOUR HEROES? WHERE ARE YOUR GUARDIANS? WHERE ARE YOUR METAL MEN? WE CHALLENGE THEM. RECRUITING NIGHTMARE SOULFIRE CANNIBAL KING ARCHITECT[/b]