Enarr

DC Universe: Age of Heroes (Dead)

Finally concluded my opening arc! Think that may well be the longest post I've ever written.

Now I just have to get in on some sweet, sweet Justice League action.

@BlackSam3091

Honestly, it's one of the best pieces of Batman fiction that I've ever read, especially on a forum. The only person I've known who can really compete with that regularly, as Bats himself, is Master Bruce, a writer from the Superherohype RPG subforum, he played on the Oldguild. Though, his posts were longer, yet further between.

DC Universe: Age of Heroes (Dead)

Salutes and Seizure Part II

Atlantis
Four Months Prior

Blasting down the aisles of the marketplace like mice through a maze, a trio of aquatic urchins fumbled their way through the path of highest visibility, with castle guards on their tail, only getting closer with every forced breath. The sudden gasps from merchants huffing as their stands are knocked over could empty a diver's oxygen tanks in a tenth of a second, if these were normal humans that is. The disgruntled Atlantean people in Poseidonis began to fight back, hurling garbage at the youths like confetti.

"Stupid, street rat!"

The leading runner crumpled when his skull was punched by a flying piece of shelled fruit. So the runner-ups grabbed their friend and drug him through the water, holding each hand, kicking up a cloud of mud as they struggled to gain traction. With the guards about to close the distance, the pressure was on. So the oldest of the three let go of their friend and instead turned around, waving his companions off and buying them time.

"You better run boys!"

Decked out in gold and silver with overlapping scales, a pair of guards stopped to inspect the gamin. A tan cloak wrapped around his shoulders hid his face well, and its length made him look much taller than he truly was. With a knife the guard with higher seniority reduced the cloth to ribbons.

"Hope they kill you, kid!" a merchant barked, overly worked up about his stand.

"By the authority invested in me by King Orm and Queen Mera, you are under arrest." That said, he strong-armed the youth before cooperatively dragging him off to the city's jail, a subterranean level of the castle.

*******

The waves of the ocean's floor were as mighty, if not stronger than those above them. Escorted by an unnamed soldier, loyal to the core, Vulko floated beneath the crossing of countless schools of fish. Finally, they found their destination, a volcanic vent. With lava flowing and light leaking upward out of it, it seemed like a pit of everlasting destruction, a well of doom even.

"Take us down," Vulko ordered the nameless soldier at his command. Having orchestrated a distraction with the assistance of a few youths, they went unspotted.

Without taking another step, the soldier raised his forearms, covered in golden shackles, toward the surface before bashing them together. The chains that hung on the shackles shook madly before a current of light swam back and forth between them, climaxing in a golden flash, a burst that surrounded both the soldier and Vulko with a golden bubble. The pair descended, hopping downward and standing directly in front of it.

"Excellent."

At that, they both hopped directly into the vent. Suicide under most circumstances, but a key to survival under present ones. Vulko flinched every time they got any deeper. The golden bubble would hum as molten rock hissed against its surface, all while the shackles kept growing brighter as more power was drawn from them. Finally, the light began to die down. Rubbing his eyes, Vulko found that they had gone past any traces of the inferno they'd just ventured through. They'd slipped through a crevice in the vent's sides. Despite a minimal amount of magma sneaking in, the walls of the room were cooled by some sort of algae that thrived in such conditions.

Without a word, but giving a bow, the soldier released his shield and left Vulko behind before reactivating them and seeing his way to the exit.

*******

"Just when you believe that it can't get any darker.. nevermind, it's actually better now," Garth began to snicker as he and Arthur made their way through the maintenance tunnels that cross one another beneath the castle.

Lighting had been sporadic and scattered with little brightness. The corpses of various glowing fish filled jars, used as torches. They were one of the rare things that Atlanteans had acknowledged as useful, having originated in the surface world. But, because of his experiences away from the waves, he had a biased inclination towards both societies.

As the light gently got brighter, they heard a din of stomping feet and the clashing of spatulas against bowls. Cooking, amongst the most dangerous tasks an Atlantean can perform, given the fact that the water must be boiled rather than having the option to roast anything over an open flame. The chamber that Garth and Arthur stood in was beneath the wooden floorboards of the kitchen. As well built and sturdy as it was, light still escaped through the smallest of spaces between the slats.

"Go on, we'll reconvene in the royal chambers."

"Yes, my lord," Garth said, before scurrying off to a railed staircase on the side of the passage. A moment later he waited at the top, cracking a door open to peek into the kitchen, and waited for an isolated chef to approach the vicinity of the maintenance entrance. Meanwhile, Arthur had ventured on.

*******

Mera, technically a princess, was the full equal to King Orm. Sitting alone in her chambers, she had been mulling over recent news of an invasion plot. Such rumors were plentiful, and her confidence in such an operation's success was beneath minimal. To her, a full scale invasion was simply preposterous.

"Princess Mera," a tired servant burst into the room, "the Prince of Mu has arrived!"

"For what reason," Mera asked, offset by the news.

"He did not say. He only requested your audience."

"So be it, arrange for him to be escorted to my chambers at once," she ordered imperatively. While it would be unusual for a princess to welcome a man into her chambers, Mera had no fears of violation. If anyone's freedoms or rights would be at risk, it soul indubitably be her guest. "And arrange for a meal to be served to him."

Moments later the servant returned, accompanied by their guest and a group of guards.

"Your highness, I present to you the Prince of Mu, clothed in glory and bathed with excellence."

Mera looked upon him, admiring his grooming. Black hair with enough waves to throw a hurricane out of the water was met by pristine scale coverings, she imagined them as having been carved from volcanic rock. And the gold decorating him was the highest quality she'd ever seen.

"Hello Lady Mera," he kneeled, "I'm afraid I come bearing bad news." Rising off of his feet, he rose his arms, smacking his forearms together. Through his sleeves, a golden light radiated like a miniature sun, burning the fabrics off of his arms before a giant shining burst surrounded him.

At once, Mera lurched out of her throne before flipping behind it. From the tips of her fingers, bubbles formed, pockets of air the size of pinpoints gathering. Reaching around the chair, she flicked her wrist and they all who out. The barrage of rapid-fire bullets streamed out and shattered against the intruder's shield. Recoiling, the assailant rolled to the side, hidden behind a statue of the princess herself, not willing to risk penetration.

Then the door crept open, a chef with a bruised eye slipping in, holding a large saucer in hand.

"Get the guards, servant!"

"Afraid I cannot, m'lady!" At once, Garth destroyed his guise as a chef and tossed aside his dish's lid. Immediately, the young soldier formed a tentacle out of super-condensed pseudo-solid water. It reached out and grabbed Princess Mera, slipping around her wrist, slithering around the air and extending in every direction, wrapping her like a mummy, with an aquatic appendage squeezing her core and stiffening every limb, restricting every muscle he could.

The princess fired a secondary barrage directly at Garth's throat, but the soldier with the shackles interceded, shielding him before he completed wrapping her. When her will to resist died out, Garth raised her and drug her toward them.

"Mission complete."

*******

Atlantis
The Present

Sitting on the throne, reigning King Arthur of Atlantis had been slowly hammering his fingertips against the seat of his throne, deep in thought about the possible whereabouts of the previous ruler, Orm. It had been a difficult few months, building unity within his nation. As a show of good intent, he'd even agreed to wed the former Princess Mera. Though some of his subjects weren't so inclined, Garth for example.

"My lord, we are under attack!" that very subject burst into the room.

"What! From who?" immediately the Monarch sat up, clenching his armrest.

"An unknown army from beyond the surface."

Arthur stood up, trident in hand, yet he knew not of what course of action to take. So he took a moment and mulled it over.

"Ready the army!"

The Road To Indigo (Pokemon RP: Chapter 1: Intros and Out We Goes!) (Open for Applications!)

@NeoAC@WriterRavenAh, I see. I'd confused Indigo with Turquoise. http://forums.superherohype.com/showthread.php?t=333578

DC Universe: Age of Heroes (Dead)

I'm working on a post. I'll do my entire Reclaiming Atlantis arc and then do a time-skip all in one post. For the sake of not having too much going on though, I'll see what everyone else does first before I really respond to Brainiac.

The Road To Indigo (Pokemon RP: Chapter 1: Intros and Out We Goes!) (Open for Applications!)

Name: Katherine "Kat" Isabelle McKenzie Age: 17 Gender: Female Hometown: Pallet Town Appearance: An orange bob decorates her head, standing like a fireball over her shoulders, an image further detailed by red highlights of various lengths, so oily and shiny that they seem to drip color. Her skin is fair, but accented by a pseudo-beige farmers tan, marking areas covered by bracelets, tall socks, and sometimes high-waters. She has a boxy sort of face with a smoothed nose, and a field of fiery freckles that burst over the bridge of her nose, extending to the extremities of with cheek. She has a slender physique, not outstandingly shapely, but fully developed. Typically she wears the colors orange, red, yellow, or white. A tide-dye shirt isn't an unheard of, but she typically will wear a unicolor T-shirt with a grey hooded jacket on top of it. On her lower half, she will likely wear a pair of loose-fitting cargo pants with a tone matching a Reese's cup wrapper. Her socks are the sort that purposefully do not match, and she wears sneakers, white with orange stripes. Personality: She is vivacious and outspoken, seemingly unflappable and genuinely brave. She enjoys a challenge, yet feels irritated towards any successful competitors. While deep down she does care about other people, she has grown accustomed to looking out for number one. She is the type to steal from the rich, and maybe consider giving to the poor when she's had her fun. Ambitious, headstrong, and uncontrollable, she lacks discipline and a common respect for her elders. She is volatile and unstable, with anger that bubbles up like a volcano on a regular basis. Having been rejected so many times, she feels like a lost soul. Truly though, she just wants to be loved. Profession: Trainer (Surprise, Right?) Talents: Pickpocketing, Agility, Physical Conditioning, and General Resourcefulness. Inventory: $1,300 Cash, 1 Backpack, 1 Can of Air Freshener, 1 Lighter, 2 Multitools (the second is a backup), 1 Notepad (gridded), 5 Pens, 3 Pokeballs, 5 Potions, 1 Sleeping Bag, 4 Diamond Rings, and a variety of ill-gotten goods at any time. Starter Pokemon: Female Vulpix Lv. 5, named Reyna. Biography: Her father had initially been a wealthy investor, descended from a long line of businessmen, but poor decision making and a high stress life-style led him down a course of misery. Ivan Ruiz ended up impregnating a party-animal and nine months later, Katherine McKenzie was born. Her mother and father had disputes over who would have custody so much that the young child had mental breakdowns early on. Despite all the fighting over who'd take care of her, her needs were never met and she developed a very unstable personality. When Kat was eight, her mother gave up on her completely and ran away, never to be heard from again. But her body was found, ripped apart, autopsy revealed that her undoing had been the handiwork of a Ninetails. Her case was hardly investigated, and justice had never been found. In the full custody of her father, she imagined that her mother had been killed by criminals, and quickly developed a conspiracy theory linking together the government, legendary Pokemon, local crime, and a few ancient civilizations. The years blew by and hours of therapy provided by an increasingly reclusive father whittled away at her psychosis, leaving her significantly healthier from a mental aspect, but with countless surface level scars. Her father slipped into alcoholism, severe to the point he sent her to live with his mother, her wealthier grandmother. Despite having been surrounded by money growing up, luxuries had never been extended to her before. Contrarily, her grandmother provided Kat's every request, almost spoiling her. Much more attentive than either parent had been, her grandmother cemented a place for herself in Kat's heart. Then she died. Before leaving her deceased grandmother's home though, she raided the jewelry box, emptying it into her own bag before she went away. Kat went berserk, as a ward of the state she was shipped from orphanage to orphanage, fluttering between foster homes before finding freedom. Mr and Mrs. Alto, a young couple, gave her both attention and freedom. After it was requested, she was allowed to go on a trip to find herself, protected by Pokemon. As a sort of psychological quirk, she decided that her first Pokemon would belong to the same species as the one that killed her mother. So she purchased a baby Vulpix before finding her way to Pallet Town.

The Road To Indigo (Pokemon RP: Chapter 1: Intros and Out We Goes!) (Open for Applications!)

I can't be sure, but I am wondering if this is a continuation of a game held on the SuperHeroHype RPG subforum. Is it?

The Road To Indigo (Pokemon RP with Tweaks)

Color me interested

DC Universe: Age of Heroes (Dead)

On a completely unrelated note, does anyone else not get reminded of a mouse or weasel when they see that picture of Green Arrow? His facial hair and expression just combine to make him look like a rodent in my opinion.

@BlackSam3091

Now that you mention it, yes. It's short, yet wiry and sharply extended. Will post soon, just working out details.

DC Universe: Age of Heroes (Dead)

Posted, try not to be underwhelmed, it's more of a prologue than an entry.

DC Universe: Age of Heroes (Dead)

Salutes and Seizure Part I

A sharp chill washed over Arthur Curry's skin, despite being in moving, even rushing water, he felt his muscles freeze. Even with vision adapted to the deep, he could hardly see a thing through the black waters he flowed through. His body violently opposed him as he lurched forward, pressing off of one stone slab, and deftly landing on another, skipping through a tunnel of shadow. But, looking forward, he saw a speck of light shining towards him and those begin him.

"The Black Waters of the aqueduct may be our only entrance," Vulko advised the troops. "The rebel sect has secured our city and separated us loyal to Atlantis for years, even the first was far too long. The city's walls are unscalable, guarded by seabeasts. Dragging an army would be suicide for thousands, but this would only risk a few. In the hundreds of years since the city first sank, the Black Waters have never been explored fully. But we are going to cross them."

When the journey began, there had been fifty men, accompanying the king and general, but at this phase, only three remain. A mysterious illness sapped the warmth of the army's brightest young men, and food shortage stacked upon a brief battle with a horde of eels left almost no survivors while Vulko and Arthur, who were guaranteed the first pick at any supplies. Arthur took the soldiers into consideration, even relinquishing his share when possible, but Vulko had not, and it nearly cost them their entire troop. "Lord Orin, the end is in view! We've finally made it!" Arthur gasped, covering his mouth and resisting the impulse to silence his follower. Before a blink of the eyes could pass, a black blur darted from behind, passing through the troop like a bullet through a pillow, brushing a red mist through the air as it disappeared back into the dark. His stomach churned as he suppressed the urge to scream for his soldier.

"While you are in the Black Waters, if you so much as mutter a curse, the waters themselves will impale you. Silent, dark, and mysterious. Any lights will also trigger an aquatic execution. If you fail, there is nothing to be done for you." Taken aback, Arthur dropped his face into his palm. "Is there any alternative, preferably less volatile?" "Not to win tho war."

The remaining four Atlanteans surged out of the darkness, Vulko trailed behind, pivoting with every step and swinging his corpulent figure like an axe. "We've made it. We're a couple dozen men short but we've made it. Garth, how's your shoulder holding up?"

"It's not that I think you're incompetent, just a bit young, Garth. Just a bit inexperienced for a mission like this. I'm sure you have a bright future, and I appreciate your support, but I can't take you along." "With all due respect, my lord,I feel it would be foolish not to take me along. Surely, General Vulko would ease any concerns you may foster. What I lack in experience, I overcompensate for in skill. "That's it though, I don't want you overcompensating or trying to prove yourself. You're young, it would be tragic if something were to happen and you'd gotten hurt." "Would it not be even worse were I to sit idly while Atlantis soul be brought to nothing? I'd give my life for my people, and I'd give my soul for you, my king. Regardless of this, I will die one day, but please let my death be meaningful." "Very well, then. I'll speak with Vulko.."

"Much improved from earlier," Garth answered, referring to an incident in which the waters had pierced his shoulder to silence the soldier in front of him, "and nothing short of functional." "Given these circumstances, it I impossible to return to the base, and unthinkable to surrender ourselves. So I have decided that we are forced to stealthily overtake the as planned, just us four."