[COLOR=GRAY][CENTER][i][color=#ffffff]Every story has a beginning.[/color][/i] [i][color=#ffffff]Ours begins in stillness and silence.[COLOR=2E2C2C]_______________________________[/COLOR][/color][/i] [i][color=#ffffff][COLOR=2E2C2C]_______________________________[/COLOR]Unknowable stillness and silence.[/color][/i][/CENTER] [INDENT][INDENT][i]The human mind can not comprehend the absence in which the world began. An endless dark sky above bottomless waters—the great Void, completely devoid of light or life. But from beyond this Void, [b][color=#ffffff]Ōmeteōtl[/color][/b], the Two-God, looked down from their lofty perch in Omeyocan and gave birth to four sons. [/i] [i]A father filled with pride, the Lord of Duality looked upon his offspring and named them, [b][color=#ffffff]East[/color][/b], [b][color=#ffffff]North[/color][/b], [b][color=#ffffff]South[/color][/b] and [b][color=#ffffff]West[/color][/b]. Each was given dominion and power to shape the Void and give it life. [/i] [i]The eldest, East, also known as [b][color=#ffffff]Xipe Totec[/color][/b], bore the title of Flayed Lord. Xipe Totec would grow to govern the fields, signalling new beginnings within the void. Ordained in glistening jewelry, Xipe Totec would become the Red god of agriculture, rebirth and goldsmiths.[/i] [i]The next born, North, took the name [b][color=#ffffff]Tezcatlipoca[/color][/b], the Smoking Mirror, the Black god of the night sky, knower of all thoughts, the ever-present jaguar god and the mighty omnipotent hunter. It was Tezcatlipoca whose name would live on and govern over his brothers, uniting them as the Four Tezcatlipoca. [/i] [i]For himself, South, the second youngest, chose the name [b][color=#ffffff]Quetzalcoatl[/color][/b], the Feathered Serpent and the White god of the Winds. Quetzalcoatl harnessed the flow of time and knowledge, bringing about books and calendars. When the time came, Quetzalcoatl brought maize to man and filled their bellies. [/i] [i]The youngest of the Four Tezcatlipoca was West, the god of warfare and the fearsome [b][color=#ffffff]Huītzilōpōchtli[/color][/b]. The stinging hummingbird of the left, Huītzilōpōchtli, was Ōmeteōtl’s greatest protector and the sole defender against the Infinite Night, a terrible fate to be yet wrought by the bat god, Camazotz. [/i] [i]When the sons of Ōmeteōtl reached maturity at six hundred years of age, they brought forth the first sun, signalling what would be the beginning of the first cycle. Life was breathed into the void, but life required sacrifice. And so, Tezcatlipoca sacrificed himself to the fires of the sun, and the first cycle of man officially began. [/i] [i]But this cycle was doomed to fail. Though the world was thriving, Quetzalcoatl’s own heirs began to meddle, and Tepeu and Kukulkan, along with Huracán, created animals. They were created first but could only squawk, howl, or roar, failing to speak or worship the gods. In frustration, the animals began to rebel, and eventually, jaguars, with their powerful jaws, consumed the whole world and all upon it. [/i] [i]After meddling with the First Cycle, Quetzcoatl, the third-born, was sacrificed to the fire to begin the Second Cycle. This time, the Earth was populated by a people made of wood. These people walked to every end of the Earth and multiplied, but they were heartless, soulless, and emotionless, lacking memory of their creators. They gave no reverence or respect to the gods. Despite another failure, Tezcatlipoca grew jealous of Quetzcoatl’s world and wanted to be the reigning Sun. In his fit of envy, Tezcatlipoca turned himself into a Tiger and threw Quetzcoatl from his throne. In response, the winds brought forth terrible storms and the world was engulfed by hurricanes and floods.[/i] [i]The Third Cycle was not wrought by one of the four sons, but by the ruling deities of rain and storm, [b][color=#ffffff]Tlaloc[/color][/b] and [b][color=#ffffff]Chaac[/color][/b]. From the waters rose people made of mud, but these were soft, limp, and could not think or speak, so they too were destroyed. But this world too came to an end when Quetzcoatl rained fire and ash upon Tlaloc’s creation. [/i] [i]At the end of the fourth sun, the gods gathered at Teotihuacan to decide who had to sacrifice themselves for the new cycle to begin. While the gods deliberated the next cycle, [b][color=#ffffff]Huehuetéotl[/color][/b], the elderly fire god, started an immensely large, sacrificial bonfire. Its flames reached the heavens as the gods continued to deliberate and debate amongst themselves, but none of the most important gods wanted to jump into the flames. [/i] [i]Suddenly, one stepped forward. The rich and proud god [b][color=#ffffff]Tecuciztecatl[/color][/b], the Lord of the Snails, moved towards the fire, but not before he suddenly hesitated, and during that hesitation, the hero twins, [b][color=#ffffff]Hunahpu[/color][/b] and [b][color=#ffffff]Xbalanque[/color][/b], linked hands and together leaped into the roaring flames. [/i] [i]Tecuciztecatl moved to stop the twins, realizing all too late that two suns would overwhelm the world, so they threw a rabbit at Xbalanque, and he became the moon. The two celestial bodies were set in motion by Ehecatl, the god of the wind, who fiercely and violently blew the sun into motion.[/i] [i]The Fifth Sun continues to this very day and is ruled by [b][color=#ffffff]Tonatiuh[/color][/b], the sun god. This fifth sun is characterized by the day sign Ollin, which means movement. The death of this cycle is heavily guarded by Huītzilōpōchtli, who defends the world from the [b][color=#ffffff]Eternal Night[/color][/b]. It is said that this world will come to an end through earthquakes, darkness and all the people will be eaten by sky monsters. [/i] [i]Those who worship Tontiuh are considered to be the People of the Sun, and therefore, their sacred duty is to nourish the Sun god through blood offerings and sacrifices. Failure to do this would cause the end of their world and the disappearance of the sun from the sky.[/i] [i]Were Huītzilōpōchtli ever slain, it would leave the world vulnerable to the Endless Night. His end would herald the way forward for[COLOR=BLACK][b] Camazotz[/b][/COLOR] as the world is plunged into darkness. [/i] [CENTER][COLOR=BLACK][b]"Yako ajaw Camazotz!" [/b] [b] [/b] [b]"Yako ajaw Camazotz!"[/b] [b] [/b] [b] "Yako ajaw Camazotz!"[/b][/COLOR][/CENTER][/INDENT][/INDENT][CENTER][IMG]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019cbf1f-713a-70ea-b1e0-54691a4be2bc.webp[/IMG][/CENTER] [INDENT][color=#d9a420][b]|| Present - St. Roch, Louisiana [/b][/COLOR] [INDENT]The busy diner was bustling with conversation as people came and went about their morning. The welcoming aroma of coffee was laden with the sizzling smells of frying bacon, sausages, eggs and pancakes. Outside, the small diner’s patio lay the rest of the St. Roch Food Hall, the center of the St. Roch market. The market was a sprawling collection of vendors, ranging from a farmer’s market to numerous food and beverage establishments to artisanal goods and services. It was an essential visit for anyone making their first trip to St. Roch. At least, that’s what Pratt had been told. Smiling to himself, he sipped on his coffee before looking down at his watch. Tapping the antique face, he watched the second hand continue to tick by while admiring the empty booth in front of him. The din of constant conversations was enough to keep Pratt out of his own head, but they didn’t distract from the droning television in the corner. [i][color=#ffffff]Tensions continue to escalate in the Middle East as Kahndaq and Bialya approach the final stages of negotiations to unite their nations. The union between the sovereign Kahndaq ruler and the Queen of Bialya has left leaders of the neighbouring countries, Qurac and Umec, on edge, with both nations ramping up military preparations amid fears of hostilities from Kahndaq’s ongoing expansion.[/color][/i] [i][color=#ffffff]In local news, crime in St. Roch is at an all-time low, thanks to the efforts of the admittedly controversial Hawkman. A local ‘powered individual,’ Hawkman has sparked significant debate, with some calling for his arrest and others praising him as a hero or guardian angel. Known for his use of extreme force and antiquated weaponry, many residents of St. Roch wonder why this vigilante has yet to be detained.[/color][/i] [i][color=#ffffff]We now go live to an interview with Commissioner George Emmett—[/color][/i] [color=#ffd966]“Heh,”[/COLOR] Pratt stifled a small chuckle, smiling behind his mug as he took another sip of the bitter, hot liquid. Hawkman was not a name that Pratt had heard in what felt like a lifetime. Before Palmer, Pratt had been the first Atom, serving alongside Hawkman in the Justice Society. Back in a day and age when people were a lot less cynical about men and women running around in colourful capes and tights. Carter Hall, or Katar, had been a hell of a warrior. But for every bit the warrior Carter had been, Shiera was that and a looker. Pratt gave his head a shake, suddenly realizing he had been holding his breath, still remembering the first moment he saw Shiera remove her helmet. The red hair that spilled down over her angelic shoulders was more than just a taste of her beauty and enough to set fire to the hearts of men everywhere. It made sense why Carter always fought for her. The ding of the door’s bell caught the elderly man’s attention, raising his aging eyes as Pratt looked towards a younger, dark-haired man. [color=#ffd966]“Ah, Raymond!”[/color] Pratt called, motioning towards the man at the door. [color=#ffd966]“‘Bout time you learned to read a watch.”[/color] [color=#6d9eeb]“Apologies, apologies,”[/color] Ray replied,[color=#6d9eeb] “Ryan and I are scrambling to get the ‘Atom Project’ off the ground, but now we have Pym’s legal team coming after us.”[/color] He paused, letting out a sigh, [color=#6d9eeb]“Thanks for meeting me, I know Carter’s been–” [/color] The ding of the bell suddenly echoed through the diner, cutting off Ray mid-sentence as the door was forcibly kicked open. Standing in the doorway was a man robed in a black jumpsuit, a crown-like emblem upon his chest, while either hand gripped a gun connected to hoses that ran to a container of sorts attached to his back. [color=#ffffff]“I heard you folks wanted to [i]spice[/i] up your life. Well, here I am.”[/color] The man cackled, [color=#ffffff]“Your favourite flavourful foe, the Condiment King!”[/color] [color=#ffd966]“This is what passes as a villain for you kids?”[/color] Pratt asked as Ray shook his head with a smile. [color=#6d9eeb]“Poor sucker doesn’t realize this ain’t Gotham.”[/color] Ray chuckled. [color=#ffffff]“You boys havin’ a giggle, are you? I hope you [i]relish[/i] the moment you made the Condiment King bring out the hot sauce.”[/color] [color=#ffd966]“Is he serious?” [/color]Pratt asked Ray, [color=#ffd966]“Are you serious?”[/color] Pratt stood up, addressing the Condiment King, [color=#ffd966]“You haven’t even made a demand? Do you want my wallet? I feel like I should buy you a real gun.”[/color] [color=#ffffff]“I uh-”[/color] The Condiment King stuttered, [color=#ffffff]“I-, I demand you sit down and uh, no wait, I [i]mustard [/i]insist.”[/color] [color=#ffd966]“Oh, for Pete’s sake.”[/color] Pratt began rolling up his sleeve, [color=#ffd966]“I’ll put his lights out myself.”[/color] [color=#6d9eeb]“C’mon, Al, just wait a minute-”[/color] [color=#ffffff]“Yeah, listen to your friend, old man. I’d hate to put you in a pickle!”[/color] [color=#ffd966]“A pickle isn’t a condiment, it’s a damn garnish.”[/color] [color=#6d9eeb]“No,”[/color] Palmer interjected, [color=#6d9eeb]“I actually think I’m with Sir Sauce on this one.”[/color] [color=#ffffff]“It’s the Condiment King!”[/color] The costumed man roared, [color=#ffffff]“That’s it, I’d had enough—”[/color] He was cut off midsentence as a rope dart smashed through the glass door, wrapping around his throat before the Condiment King was dragged through the broken glass. Stifled screams of agony erupted from his mouth amidst the clatter of his weapons hitting the ground. Clawing at the weapon around his neck, the Condiment King tried to free himself before suddenly his feet left the ground, and he found himself staring directly into the silhouette of a winged man. [color=#d9a420]“Aren’t you a [i]stain[/i] on society?”[/color] Growled the bare-chested warrior as he held the Condiment King aloft. [color=#ffd966]“Did he just?”[/color] Pratt asked as Palmer was equally dumbfounded. [color=#6d9eeb]“Yup,”[/color] Ray nodded, [right][color=#6d9eeb]“Hawkman cracked a joke."[/color][/right][/INDENT][/INDENT][/COLOR]