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Blake pulled back the beer that he had offered to Alpha, popping off the top and guzzling it down himself. He looked on vacantly as Alpha spoke. [color=CC5500]"You worked with my [i]dad?[/i] That's weird. He's, like, old and lame,"[/color] Blake said, holding the bottle loosely in his hand. It was clear that Blake was only picking up bits and pieces of what Alpha was saying. As he finished, Blake nodded about 10 times. [color=CC5500]"Riiight, yeah, well, cool, nice to meet you, Alpaca...ANGIE!”[/color] Blake smiled drunkenly as she approached, tugging her arm and pulling her into a hug against his chest. [color=CC5500]”I haven’t seen you all night, muffin! You look…”[/color] He squinted at her, recognizing that she looked a bit more disheveled than usual but not calling it out. [color=CC5500]”...really stunning,”[/color] he ended up saying, his lopsided smile showing that his mind was definitely addled by the alcohol. [color=CC5500]”You liking the party? Oooh, you know what we need, fireworks!"[/color] Blake called out spontaneously as he released her from his tight hug, making his way outdoors, his hand still wrapped firmly around hers as he guided her outside. The sky was now dark, a dark canvas adrift in the air, and Blake had now removed the fireworks. After waving them around, pointing them dangerously at a few people, he eventually managed to set them off (superpowers help), the rockets soaring into the night sky. A shower of multicolored lights danced through the sky as the neighbors and basically everybody on the block continued to launch the fireworks in celebration of the holidays. 

Blake grinned as the light show sparkled midair. [color=CC5500]”Woooo! America! Liberty! Freedom! Bald eagles! Mount Rushmore! Red, white, and blue! Patriotism! Democracy! Rednecks! Giant robots! Donuts! Obesity!”[/color] Blake continued to rant for a solid few minutes, rattling off every word that he could possibly associate with America. Grace stood by, watching Blake with an amused expression on her face. She occasionally glanced over to Tom guiltily, but she seemed to be trying very hard to ignore him and continue focusing on the drunken antics of Blake. Blake laughed loudly as he held a beer in one hand, putting an arm around a nearby hero’s shoulders. [color=CC5500]”Yeahhhh! Fourth of July partyyyyy!”[/color] he shouted, tilting his head back and hooting.

The party went on into the night, with the booming music and drunken shenanigans moving onto just before midnight. It was around then that the fireworks began to slowly die off (though a few would sparkle in the night sky every so often), and the party-goers began to leave. Ubers began to pull up at the front of the house. Some of the party guests drove themselves home as well, something Blake would have definitely objected to if he was in a more reasonable state of mind. Grace was currently out back, staring into the treeline vacantly as the party continued on. Soon the masses had mostly trickled out, to the point where it was mostly just the group of friends and a few other stragglers remaining. It was just in time, as well, as it quite spontaneously began to rain heavily, droplets of water fluttering down from the sky that fireworks had just recently illuminated. 

[color=CC5500]”Everybody inside,”[/color] Blake said, one arm around Angie’s waist and the other around a bottleneck, as he staggered indoors. Grace sighed, still remaining outdoors in the rain. The water soaking her clothes, she watched as everybody else migrated inside. She stood to walk over and join them when she noticed something. The entire house had quickly been filled with some type of orange gas, the air inside the building having turned a delicate shade of scarlet. She saw Blake passed out against a counter, Brie and William tangled on top of each other...this was bad. Very bad. Somebody wanted them dead. Cursing loudly in Korean, she began to run over towards the building. Her mind began to quickly formulate a strategy. Use her portals, suck out the gas, and then call for an ambulance or something. Easy. But before she could make her way over fully, she heard the sound of metal slicing and wheeled around.

Standing there in the rain was a man in a full set of Roman armor. He stood at about 6 or so feet tall, tall but not overwhelmingly so, his entire body covered in the steel armor that was currently being soaked in rain. In his hand, he held a gladius that was currently being pointed directly at Grace. [color=YellowGreen]”Die,”[/color] he hissed, and the blade quickly shot towards Grace, lengthening as the tip speared towards her chest. Grace reacted just in time, a portal swirling in front of her torso and catching the sword. A moment later, the blade shot out the reverse way, lancing into the man’s armored chest with a loud [i]clang.[/i] Violet energy swirled in her hands as Grace blasted him directly in the helmet, causing him to fall to the ground and into another hastily-opened portal. Grace then blasted him out towards the poolside, where he rolled to the ground. Grace strutted over confidently, violent energy swirling at her fingertips. [color=DarkOrchid]”Who the hell do you work for and what do you want from me?”[/color] She glanced over guiltily at the house again, quietly opening a portal in there to suck the gas out. They were already out cold, it seemed, but they weren’t dead- Grace had definitely seen one of their arms twitch a few times and one of them roll over. This was some type of set-up, one that Grace had managed to avoid just barely. Who knew how much moping outdoors would help?

Nero, who was currently on the ground near the pool edge, laughed confidently. [color=YellowGreen]”My name is Nero...and attacking me was the worst mistake you could’ve made,”[/color] he said forebodingly, his eyes staring directly at her through the slit of his helmet. 

[color=DarkOrchid]”What do you mean? Who do you work for?”[/color] Grace commanded, the light at her fingertips glowing brighter, but her thoughts, along with her line of questioning, were quickly interrupted by a sudden movement in the pool. The pool water had begun to move, all of it, creeping out like it was alive and moving towards Grace. Grace quickly moved to portal away but was too late as the water, like some sort of beast, dove at her and wrapped around her body, forming a bubble that lifted her into the air. Grace’s shrill screaming was muffled from inside the giant bubble as a figure of a small woman began to approach. She was standing just under a foot shorter than Nero with smooth fair skin, dark hair, and a raincoat wrapped around her petite figure. Her hand was currently held out, like she was holding an orchestra at a particularly long fermata, before she eventually waved her hand, the water that held Grace splashing away and depositing the very much soaked young hero on the ground. Grace heaved a few times, gasping for air. The woman, of course the legendary Sea Serpent of the Wings of Law, reached down, grabbing Grace by her soaked hair and yanking her back. [color=0047AB]”You should know I hate hair dye. So cheap,”[/color] she muttered in displeasure, ignorant to Grace’s plight, as she continued to roughly tug on her hair. After a particularly loud scream, she snapped her fingers and sent some chlorinated poolwater rushing into Grace’s mouth, her yelps cut out prematurely as she was very quickly choked out. Yama eventually released her, throwing her roughly down to the ground. Grace was heaving, certainly in no condition to fight back anymore.

[color=0047AB]”Make sure you get rid of her,”[/color] Sea Serpent said, looking down at the barely-conscious Korean. [color=0047AB]”Can’t have her spoiling the fun. Stupid ICOSA agent...probably some sort of sleeper or something. Lucky we got rid of her,”[/color] Yama noted, looking down at her nails. Nero, who had gotten to his feet, nodded and slung Grace over his armored shoulder. [color=YellowGreen]”Can do. I already have a plan for her, incidentally. Oh, this is going to be so perfect! I have all the gears set in motion...”[/color]

[color=0047AB]”Yeah, yeah, whatever, just make sure nobody leaves alive or anything. Oh! And make sure that when they die, it’s entertaining,”[/color] the Wing of Law added with particular glee. [color=0047AB]”Especially that D-tier trash. What was her name? Angelina?,”[/color]

[color=YellowGreen]”Ah, you mean Wish.”[/color]

[color=0047AB]”More like [i]Bitch.[/i] Stupid dumb broad...”[/color] Yama muttered condescendingly. [color=0047AB]”Well, whatever you’re planning...make it good.”[/color]

Sea Serpent couldn’t possibly see, but underneath his helmet, Nero was smiling wildly. [color=YellowGreen]”Oh, you had better believe it’s gonna be good.”[/color]

[hr][hr][sub]July 5th, 2033[/sub]
[sub]Location Undetermined[/sub]

[color=CC5500]”Holy fuck, my head…”[/color]

Those were the first words that Blake von Brandt uttered the next day as he awoke on a...stone floor?

Blake was currently having a pounding headache, and he very slowly and extremely confusedly registered his surroundings. He had expected to wake up, probably alone, in a bed in his parents’ house, with a killer hangover. Where he was, instead, was what appeared to be some sort of ancient temple. They were lying in the center of a marble (not stone) floor inside a beautiful interior of a building, with beautiful artwork decorating the walls and a golden chandelier hanging from the ceiling. A pleasant aroma of roses wafted through the air. The only thing that betrayed the Roman look was a large TV screen, currently off, that was hanging from the ceiling. Also, instead of waking up alone, he was surrounded by his friends. Angie was only a stone’s throw away from him, Tom was sprawled across the room, Brie and William were sitting elsewhere, everybody else all positioned haphazardly across the floor, except for Patricia, who was propped alone against the wall. The only thing that matched Blake’s expectations, really, was the pounding headache that was currently rattling on the interior of his skull. The strangeness of the situation, however, was able to rope him into some semblance of attention as he looked around at his awakening friends. [color=CC5500]”The fuck is this? What the hell? Where are we?”[/color] he asked out loud, and he was answered by a clicking sound on the TV.

[color=YellowGreen]”Allow me to answer that question, Firebird.”[/color]

Onscreen, in some sort of elaborate bedroom bunker, was a man adorned in full Roman armor, staring directly at the screen. [color=YellowGreen]”My name is Nero, the greatest Emperor of Rome, and you’ve been cordially invited to my Roman experience.”[/color] He chuckled. [color=YellowGreen]”I’ve always been fascinated with ancient Rome and the glory of the Roman Republic. So, when I found an abandoned movie set for a Marcus Aurelius biopic, well, I knew this was my perfect hideout. Gorgeous set design, a large elaborate space, and of course, high walls to keep out prying eyes and keep in my new citizens.”[/color]

Blake’s eyes focused away from the screen out the entrance to see a beautiful Roman forum right outside this temple. Nero was certainly not wrong- incredible set design by the movie producers. His eyes flicked back to the screen as Nero spoke once again. [color=YellowGreen]”Now, I’m sure you’re wondering…’Nero, surely we can just escape, fly out of your little mini-Rome!’”[/color] He spoke this latter part in a mocking tone, before laughing. [color=YellowGreen]”Well, first off, I did install a few turrets to help keep my good citizens inside. But, of course, I’m sure some very brave, very strong heroes like yourselves could possibly escape. Which is why...”[/color] The camera panned over a few yards. [color=YellowGreen]”I made sure to collect some insurance.”[/color]

Tied to the wall was the very unfortunate sight of Grace and Eliza, both still unconscious, and both restrained against a large metal rack located in Nero’s bunker. Grace looked worse off out of the two of them, a few bloody scrapes on her face and a couple rips in her clothes, compared to Eliza who was, for the most part, mostly unhurt, outside of a couple minor cuts that looked to be accidental. Looking down at their sickened smiles, Nero laughed. [color=YellowGreen]”You can try to leave, of course, but if you do, I’ll have to pull a Julius Caesar on them.”[/color] Nero chuckled as his hand waved very near his sword hilt.

Blake blinked confusedly. [color=CC5500]”What happened to Julius Caesar again?”[/color] 

Nero glowered.  [color=YellowGreen]”Don’t they make you read the play in school?”[/color]

[color=CC5500]”Dude, I looked that shit up on SparkNotes. It was boring, and super weird.”[/color] 

[color=YellowGreen]”It is not boring! It is a masterpiece! And he gets stabbed to death in it, you uncultured simpleton!”[/color]

[color=CC5500]”Oh,”[/color] Blake said, before the seriousness of the situation dawned on him. [color=CC5500]”OH. OH, FUCK.”[/color] 

[color=YellowGreen]”Of course, not all hope is lost. If you can find and defeat me, your friends will be saved. You will fail in your attempt, obviously, but no harm in giving you a sporting chance. I’m somewhere out in this splendid city of wonders! Best of luck. Oh, and I forgot to mention! Watch out for the ogres!”[/color] Nero called out, before giving an elaborate bow. [color=YellowGreen]”Good luck. I’ll be watching, so when you do die, make sure it’s entertaining.”[/color] He laughed again before the video ended, the TV screen turning back to black. 

Blake sat there, pondering for a few moments, lost in thought. This was bad. Really bad. He looked down at his hands, a flicker of fire running across them. At the very least, they had their powers. They would be helpful. [color=CC5500]”I’m not sure what he’s going on about. The odor of this place is pretty nice,”[/color] Blake noted grumpily, standing and walking towards the exit of the temple. Outside was a beautiful, massive replica of ancient Rome, sprawling out across a large display of impressive arches and beautiful buildings. At the edge of the large replica of the city were a set of tall stone walls that were manned occasionally with automated turrets. Blake had no doubt that they could probably get out without too much difficulty, but of course, there were other pressing concerns at hand.

As Blake made his way out, he noticed a small cardboard package at the steps of the temple. He reached down, scooping it up and burning the exteriors to ashes. Inside was a laminated map of the city, with Nero’s signature and the words “Vivamus, Moriendum Est” inscribed on the bottom. Much to Blake’s chagrin, the map did not locate Nero, and even much more to his chagrin, it was all in Latin. He groaned as he read it. 

[color=CC5500]”Alright, guys, I’m sure we can get them back. Easy,”[/color] Blake muttered, looking down at the map curiously. [color=CC5500]”There’s a few locations on here that are jotted down in a big font...the ‘balineum,’ the ‘basilica,’ the ‘coliseum,’ and the ‘forum.’ Any ideas?”[/color] he asked, waving the map out in front of the bedraggled crew. [color=CC5500]”Hey, this fucking sucks, but at least there’s only one of him and all of us,”[/color] he said optimistically, ignoring the fact that there were multiple skeletons laying out in the streets of the Rome replica. [color=CC5500]”We’ll get Grace and Eliza back before that Nero motherfucker can quote one more dumb play. We’ve gotten out of worse before! This’ll be a walk in the park.”[/color]

In all fairness to the young fire hero, his malapropism was not far enough. In the distance, there was a foul odor of sweat and rotten eggs. Out a way’s away was a large gathering of massive, fleshy beasts, dripping with blood as they feasted upon what was once an influential businessman and what was now a half-eaten carcass. The massive group of ogres turned towards the general direction of Blake, before beginning to slowly but surely lumber in their direction.

It was time for a feast.

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