[center][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/627389932335529985/643301013327183901/image0.jpg?width=375&height=375[/img][/center] [hr] [h3][color=red]September 9th 20XX[/color][/h3] [hr] [color=gray][i]this is only the beginning are you ready?[/i][/color] [hr] Marcus turned the corner to see Strand- [color=crimson][i]Scott[/i][/color]- engaging with... something. Huge, green, scaly skin, and glowing red eyes, seething with malice. Waves of heat rippled off of the thing's shoulders, and its claws glowed like coals. Another figure hunkered down in the smoke, too indistinct to see. Scott launched a net of webbing at the green one, but it was less than effective. With a cry of anger, the waves of heat thickened into flames, burning and melting the web away, ignoring the scalds and burns it acquired as the fibers melted into his skin. Nevertheless, it was free, and turned its attention to Scott. A spike of worry- half Strand-sense, half friendly concern- shot through Marcus as the green one roared and charged like a rage-powered freight train. [color=crimson][i]Get out of there![/i][/color] He needn't have worried- Scott's senses must have been sharper than Marcus' own, as he flipped off the car with almost contemptuous ease as the creature battered the car Scott had just perched on away, the wreck sailing through the air like a cheap model. Good news, Scott was out of harm's way for now. Bad news? Now a flaming pile of metal was screaming toward [i]Marcus.[/i] Marcus dug his heels in, trying to change direction as his own Strand-sense shouted in his head. [color=crimson][i]FUCK--[/i][/color] ...And suddenly, the car passed him by on either side, suddenly split into two halves, leaving him completely unharmed. Marcus blinked in shock. [color=crimson][i]What the...?[/i][/color] Then he saw it. His shadow warped, stretched, lifted off of the ground, shaped into a razor-sharp blade. Which explained the bifurcated car. Marcus let out a shaky breath. [color=crimson][i]...I guess that's a new power of mine. Glad I figured that out now--[/i][/color] [color=red][h2]D A N G E R M O V E[/h2][/color] Without thinking, Marcus leapt backward with all his strength, just as the street where he'd just been standing seemed to [i]explode.[/i] He landed with a lot more grace than he normally would have- though, "normal" was a relative term- and looked to see what had caused the explosion. It seemed that the other figure had tried to pounce on him, for some reason. He watched as the figure rose up... His throat tightened with fear. This one was even worse than the green one. For one, he was huge. Goliath huge. [i]Andre-the-Giant[/i] huge. He'd dressed in baggy clothes (where did he find clothes that fit), slightly tattered from the fight that had just been going on, but even if they hadn't been, they would do nothing to conceal... it. Black, oily, tar-like skin. Wide-open, insectoid eyes. And the [i]mouth.[/i] Bear traps were more inviting than that razor-sharp maw! And even worse... it seemed to be grinning. A mirthless smile, like a shark's. [b]Hungry.[/b] [color=black][b]"Another freak..."[/b][/color] Was that its voice?? It sounded like two people snarling at once- a mix between a grizzly bear that had somehow learned to speak and [i]Satan.[/i] The thing took a step toward Marcus, and he braced himself for a fight... Another explosion roared up, and both of them turned to see the green one crush another car into burning, melted scrap, roaring its rage to Strand, to the horrified onlookers, to... everything. There was a pause. And the monster turned back toward Marcus. [color=black][b]"...Stay out of our way. Or don't. We don't care."[/b][/color] And with a roar, it turned back toward the green monster, seemingly eager to get back into the fight. Marcus stood there, shocked, before another spike of Strand-sense shook him back into consciousness. There was still danger here. And as much as he'd like to cut and run, he couldn't just leave this to proceed unchecked. The light dimmed around him, as though responding to his resolve. [color=crimson][i]Into the fire... ...Just as soon as I figure out how to control this darkness thing.[/i][/color] Baby steps...