Natty

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

With this post done, I'll be spending this next week getting my assignment done. Hopefully, I can finish it by Friday so I'll have next weekend to continue on here. Magik is about to make the MLF her bitch.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Soaring through the streets of Star City, Magik wished she’d been visiting this city under better circumstances. Normally it was beautiful compared to places like Gotham, with lush greenery and scenic architecture. Now it was a hellscape. She watched as the people on the ground below her tore each other apart. The sight only made her more determined. She had to stop this. She had to help.

Illyana’s goal was clear. Find somewhere safe and perform the protective incantation that Strange had taught her. It seemed simple enough at first glance, but when the city was a warzone, it understandably became a lot harder than it had been when she’d been practicing the spell all those weeks ago tucked away in the Sanctum Sanctorum. Strange had made the task look so easy back in New York. The work of a true Sorcerer Supreme. Sure, she was a capable sorceress herself, but she was nothing compared to him. For incantations like this, she needed spell components. A supply of raw magical energy. And if Illyana was correct, there was only one place in this city where she could find such power.

The Grell Museum sat in the heart of the city, having been constructed when the city was first formed. It was said to house a number of magical relics from throughout the ages: Old tapestries describing ancient wars, and artifacts from supposed sorcerers of old. The general public refused to believe the legitimacy of these items, but Strange knew them all to be true. He had even promised to take Illyana there at one point. Illyana had been looking forward to that day. Now it seemed she’d be going alone.

It didn’t take long for her to near the Grell Museum plaza, however, the constant battle against the city’s inhabitants drained her throughout her journey. There were just so many of them, their numbers seeming to almost mirror the metallic looking swarms that had caused this mess in the first place.

She could barely concentrate as she flew into the plaza, which proved to be a grave mistake as the raging sound of gunfire pierced the air around her. Her arm erupted into pain as if a fire had just entered her body. Falling to the ground and skidding painfully across the concrete of the pavement, she barely had enough time to throw her hands above her head and throw a shield around herself before a further round of gunfire rained down upon her. The bullets ricocheted against the sapphire dome that materialized around her, each impact echoing the sound of breaking glass.

Her breathing heavied as she struggled to maintain her focus on the shield, the pain of the gunshot wound in her right should screaming into her mind, attempting to pull her away. Gritting her teeth, she took in the gunmen before her, her vision slightly hazing.

There were about seven of them, all clad in black militaristic uniforms. They stood in a line like a firing squad, their weapons continuously pelting her shield with bullets. The sight shocked her at first, with her believing them to simply be another group amongst the rampaging citizens, however, she quickly realized what was happening as she took in what was behind them.

The obsidian tower the soldiers were protecting looked just like the one from the hijacked broadcast; tall and imposing, the black phallic hunk of metal towered over the group. It cut triumphantly out of the ground at the foot of the museum’s front steps, contrasting greatly against the pale stone.

She cursed under her breath. She should’ve checked the locations of the towers beforehand. There just had to be one where she was heading. Now she would have to get her hands dirty.

Moving one hand down from the underside of the shield, she brought it to her face. Breathing out deeply, a thick black smog emerged from her mouth, forming a smokey sphere in the palm of her hand. It sat there whirling around for several seconds before Illyana tossed it forwards. It didn’t come close to hitting the guards, landing a mere few metres in front of her, however as soon as it hit the ground, the smoke surged forward. The Mists of Munnopor slithered across the ground towards the soldiers who reared back in confusion as the ghostly serpent encapsulated them, forming a thick cloud of black sickly smoke around them. They shouted in confusion, aiming their weapons around them in fear.

None of them noticed the disappearance of the small dome they had just been firing at, nor the brief flash of yellow that followed it.

They readied themselves, circling together.

And then the smoke cleared, and Magik stood in the centre of them.

“Boo”. She uttered with a smile.

Gunfire rang out as she darted forwards, her staff sweeping out the feet of one of the men. Moving her body down, she brought her staff back around, slamming it upwards into a second, sending both him and his weapon flying. Still, she continued. One moment she was at the firing end of one of the men’s rifles, the next her staff was at his neck. Sure there were many of them, but she was nimble. Quick. Strange may have taught her her magics, but Limbo has taught her to survive.

Now she was too close for them to fire safety. Instead, they attempted to strike her with their guns like makeshift clubs. When their strikes neared she arched her back as far as it could bend, dodging. She was still arching back when the next one came to attack, slamming their weapon down with such force. She threw herself to the side, rolling out of the group. They turned on her as she struggled to find her footing, however before they could gun her down, her eyes came alive in magic.

Rolling to her feet, she thrust her hands forward, bolts of energy rupturing out of them. They screamed in pain as the spell hit them, their armour seeming to melt, with blisters forming rapidly on the patches of skin that was visible under their now seared balaclavas. They huddled together, clutching their faces in some ill-fitted attempt to stop the burning.

Pushing off from her front leg, she leaped forward into the air, swinging her arms for momentum. Soaring over the ground, she once again found herself in the middle of them. However, before they could react, she slammed the butt of her Soul Staff into the ground, uttering the words of old in an icy tone.

“Ikthalon”

Frost rippled across the ground from where she’d struck it, growing exponentially. Ice burst from the ground around her, rapidly creeping up the legs of the soldiers. The ice entombed their bodies, bar their heads, trapping them like statues in various poses of incredible pain and disbelief.

She smirked. It was child's play.

She turned her back on the men and took a step towards her new target. Now up close, Illyana could take in the full view of the tower. She had to admit it was impressive. Yet even that would fall underneath her might.

Her hand moved forwards in front of her. With a simple wave, a stepping disc materialized before her, jutting through the middle of the toward, severing it in two. Sparks flew immediately, as the structure seemed to crumble slightly at where it had been severed. Then just as quickly as it had appeared, the yellow of the disc disappeared. And with it, went the upper half of the tower.

The guard’s gasps at the disappearance were immediately turned into cries of horror as the upper portion appeared once more, this time around ten feet lower. Shards of metal erupted everywhere as the tower sections appeared within one another, combusting outwards. A surge of electrical energy pulsed through the skyline above the plaza, showering the area in a rainbow of colours. The destruction was almost beautiful.

Illyana simply watched. However, after a few seconds, the silence was broken.

“What in God’s name are you?” One of the soldiers cried out from where he stood frozen behind her.

Turning towards him, Illyana saw the fear in his eyes. The sight bemused her. He had the right to be scared. He shifted uncomfortably as Illyana marched towards him, gulping once she stopped right in front of his frozen figure. With one quick jab from the hilt of the staff, the ice entrapping him crumbled, releasing the man back into her fury. He fell to the ground, his breathing growing rapid.

“I’m vone of the mutants whose rights you claim to fight for.” Magik declared, pulling the man to his feet by the scruff of his armour’s neck. “And you’re going to help me end this, vonce and for all.”

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Uttering a single word, Magik drifted upwards into the sky. Her blonde hair blew gracefully behind her as her Soul Staff moved her forwards. The higher she got, the more she could make out the surrounding area and see what was happening. The mystical dome encapsulating them was actually a lot smaller than it had first appeared glance, with the shining blue energy spanning just a few blocks. Its circumference seemed to tear through Washington Square Park like a jagged scar, turning Garibaldi Plaza into a rubbled mess.

That wasn’t the most interesting thing about the remains of the park, however. Just within the dome sat the remains of one of the obsidian coloured obilists that had started this whole ordeal. It jutted crazily out of the ground, a mess of warped colours and jagged edges as if the dimensions around it had been turned inside out. That was certainly one way to deal with them.

Strange smiled at the look on her face as she approached where he sat floating above the streets.

“I see you’re a fan of my handiwork.” He jested, motioning for her to sit opposite him.

She scoffed mockingly.

“Vit’s no Naum Gabo but you have potential.”

He merely chuckled in response. Joking was easy with Strange. It helped. Especially with everything that had happened today.

Moving in front of him, Illyana sad down into the air, crossing her legs in front of her. She took a breath as she did so, as was the norm, however things just felt different. It was too hard to clear her mind. There was too much noise. The sound of S’ym blade. The thud of the Canterbury’s Cricket’s corpse hitting the table. S’yms words. And now the sounds of the innocent tearing themselves apart. She had no clue how Strange was staying so calm right now. She glanced up at him, and watched as he surveyed the city outside of the dome.

She followed his gaze, catching sight of a flick of blue, rocketing through the sky into Central Park like a speeding bullet. The supers were coming.

“As wild as it seems, I feel I have things covered here for the most part.” Strange explained calmly, turning back towards Illyana.

She raised an eyebrow in confusion. That was certainly not how it seemed right now.

Ignoring the inquisitive look on her face, he continued.

“I need you over in Star City. The magical defenses there are... Lacking. And the last I'd heard their Emerald Archer had vacated the city. They don’t have the kind of force that New York has.”

She simply nodded in silence, as if in another one of his lessons.

“Find somewhere safe and prepare the incantations we went over last week. Remember your pronunciations. We don't want another repeat of the island.”

The words cut against. Another hit of guilt from their “field trip”. He’d taken her to a remote island in the Bahamas a few months ago in an attempt to help stimulate her magical abilities. He thought a change of scenery from the Sanctum would help calm her. It didn’t. It had simply resulted in nearly half of the Island’s wildlife being burnt away. Another day of damnation for Illyana. Another one of many.

She continued her silence as she floated back to her feet.

“I’ve got it.” Her words were almost a whisper as she drifted away. Her hands trembled around the hilt of her staff as she raised tried to focus herself.

Before she could summon a stepping disc, however, she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She shook at the touch in confusion, before turning back towards her teacher. He stood in the air before her, a concerned look on his face. Gone was the power and fury of the Sorcerer Supreme. Now there was only Stephen Strange; her friend.

“Ilyana. What’s wrong?” His voice was kind. Comforting. Regardless, Illyana shied away from the question.

“I’m fine.”

Lie.

He smirked slightly.

“I mean, your mascara is literally running across your entire face right now. You're definitely not fine.”

Panicking, her hand went to her face, where she rubbed profusely. Confirming Strange’s statement, her hand returned stained with a mixture of black and blue makeup. Her breathing increased slightly, as she attempted to wipe it away after wetting her hand. How stupid must she look right now? How weak?

“If you're not up for this, you can say no. I won't hold this against you Illyana.” He continued, trying to be nice. But Illyana could hear the pity in his voice.

He thought her weak. At the thought, she seized up slightly for a second.

No. This wasn’t going to happen. She wasn’t going to just sit back anymore while other people suffered. She was going to do something. She was going to fight back. She wasn’t a monster.

With one last wipe of her eyes, she tried to stand tall. She wasn’t weak. She was going to do this.

“I’m fine.” She confirmed. This time she meant it. Her voice no longer held the pain it had moments ago. Now it held strength. Now it held determination.

Stephen nodded, somewhat understandable. Squeezing her shoulder to comfort her once more, he drifted backward, before glancing back over to the outside of the protective bubble, where another group of infected could be seen charging in their direction. Facing Illyana one last time, he gave her one last smile.

“Once this is all over, let's have a chat, ok?”

She managed a smile herself, giving Strange a short wave as his crimson cloak whisked him down towards the action.

She could do this. She was not a monster.

She took a deep breath, before summoning a stepping disc beneath her feet.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

I'd personally go with #2 as well, due to the reasons listed above. Either way, like Hound said, I'll be updating my sheet with details on season 1, as well as an updated supporting cast.

Natty's place for storing character sheets because that seems like a good idea

Shadowpact

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

“Holy…”

It was Rory that broke the silence first. The unlikely duo had been amongst the wreckage of the English pub for some time now. Long enough for Illyana’s tears to come to an end and for her to rise.

She had been tending to the body of the Canterbury Cricket, doing her best to avoid the gruesome mess where he’d been split down the middle. She had located a tablecloth from behind what little remained of the bar and had placed it over him ceremoniously. She hadn’t known the creature for long at all, yet he had wanted to help her. A decision that cost him his life. S’ym would pay for what he had done. But now was a time for mourning.

Rory had been watching in silence, both out of respect for the fallen, and out of pain. He’d offered to help at first, but Illyana had simply told him that she had to do this alone. As such he simply kept where he was slumped up against a wall. Until now anyway.

Illyana turned towards him and saw that his gaze was no longer on her, but directed towards one of the dusty old television screens that hung near the bar. She was a little taken aback that it had survived the carnage that had taken place here, however what surprised her more was what it was showing. A news broadcast from America showcasing a man in a metal mask;

Her blood boiled as she listened to the man's speech. She never felt such shame about being a metahuman. About being a mutant. It was a side to her that she didn’t really think about much, given what had happened to her. However, as she looked on at the silver madman on the television, she just wished she’d done more. That’s what she wanted to do now.

But a thought held her back.

Belasco has a new pet to play with.

S’ym’s words filled her mind and they made her sick. Her mind began to race through all the possibilities. Who they were. Where he’d taken them from. How were they? That had to be her priority. This mutant terrorist couldn’t be her concern. Besides, the world had other heroes. Wonder Woman. The Spider guy. Hell, even Batman was supposedly back. They could surely be enough to handle whatever was happening/.

Then the metallic swarm began to fill the screen as an image of Central Park appeared before them. Her heart sank further. All those innocent lives. She watched in terror as a young girl ran in fear from her mother, who chased her like a ravenous tiger. No. There was no point in rescuing this child in Limbo if there wasn’t a world worth bringing them back to. The words that Rory said next was the confirmation that she needed.

“We have to do something.” He wheezed with determination as he struggled to find his feet. His movements were rigid as he moved, with him stumbling slightly from the pain of his arm. She frowned at the sight, taking a second to glance back towards the body of the Cricket. Rory couldn’t help her. She wasn’t losing anyone else today.

“No, I have to do something.” She stated boldly. “You’re not going anyvhere with vhat arm.”

Rory gawked at her in confusion, before gesturing to his arm, which he attempted to move.

“C’mon, I’m fine. We have to— ackk.” He let out a cry of pain, as he crumbled downwards. His spare arm went to support himself. Despite how he tried to recover and keep a straight face through the pain, Illyana knew that he was done today.

“I’m sorry. I’m sending you home.”

She couldn’t even face him as she pointed her arm towards him, summoning a stepping disc. As much as the words stung, she ignored his cries. The room grew silent as he disappeared; the body of the Cricket vanishing with him.

Taking one last look towards the unconscious body of Rath, who was still buried underneath the wreckage of the bar, Illyana Rasputina summoned a stepping disc once more, whisking herself away.

☠

As she appeared in the streets of Manhattan, Illyana found herself in what could only be described as a warzone. Screams and shouts echoed around her, as Magik navigation through a sea of burnt out cars and bodies. People charged frantically around her; some scared for their lives, while others with a lust for blood, clearly infected by the swarm.

Magik reacted swiftly as one such infected made its way towards her. Her Soul Staff appeared within her hand as she swung low, taking the individual out by its legs. As they catapulted to the floor, she jabbed downwards with the butt of the staff for continuing onwards. The next few infected men and women that came towards her fell to the ground in similar ways, however as more and more kept coming it was clear to Illyana that she wasn’t even making a dent.

She moved backward, sending out a cone of frost from her hands to slow down the approaching horde, an icy incantation escaping her lips.

There were too many. She needed help. She needed to get back to the Sanctum.

A stepping disc appeared beneath her feet to teleport herself away, however, once she had arrived, Illyana found herself emerging into a much different New York than she had been in before. Around her were the all-so-familiar streets of Greenwich Village, however, the brownstones were now flooded with a tinge of blue. The sky around her seemed to follow suit, and as she stared, Illyana seemed to spot its source; a dark blue bubble seemed to encapsulate the surrounding area, spreading its magical light down onto the streets below.

Illyana’s eyes stared around her, shocked at the sight of refugees from the rest of the city resting against the stationary New York taxis, tending to their wounds and just being thankful for being alive. A smile spread across Illyana’s face as she realized what was happening. It was a safe zone; free from the terror of the battles currently being faced out in the rest of Manhattan.

“Ah Illyana, I was wondering where you’d gotten to.” A calm voice called out from above.

She knew exactly who was the cause of this even before she laid eyes on the billowing cloak of scarlet that floated above them miraculously.

Doctor Stephen Strange was an imposing presence in the New York skyline. He sat in the air, his legs crossed in front of him, reminding Magik of their frequent lessons in meditation. Despite the wrinkles that were beginning to coat his face and the flakes of grey littered throughout his hair, he radiated power, with mystical energy flowing around his body. With each breath the bubble above seemed to grow slightly brighter in colour, growing closer to the shade of the deep blue robes Strange wore.

“Be a darling and come give me a hand.” He smiled boldly before waving for Magik to join him.

Natty's place for storing character sheets because that seems like a good idea

Red Robin

Notes:
Ulysses Hadrian Armstrong (TH3_G3N3R4L)

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Just want to update y'all since I've been a bit quiet recently; mental health has been a bit of a bitch this week, not helped by the recent weather here in the UK which has made sitting down to writing increasingly difficult. Regardless, I have half a post written and I'm going to try and finish today/tomorrow!

Natty's place for storing character sheets because that seems like a good idea

Character Name

Cassie Sandsmark
Wonder Girl

Age

16

Attributes & Abilities

Empowered by the Greek god of war Ares, Cassie finds herself with immense strength and durability; the true limits of which she has yet to discover. The same can be said for her speed and reflexes which have been increased beyond..

Character Synopsis

Daughter of the Archaeologist Dr Helena Sandsmark, Cassandra's earliest memories were of exploring the world with her mother. Her job meant that they lived their lives on the road, travelling from one archaeological dig site to the next. Cassie never knew her father, however, with both her mother and the fellow archaeologists that travelled with them, she never felt the need for one. Her childhood gave her the opportunity to learn a variety of skills, from archaeology to learning a variety of foreign languages, but this came at the cost of her never attending formal education, and thus never mixing with children her own age.

It was around Cassie's 15th birthday that they travelled to a site in Greece, where Cassie was introduced to her mother's benefactor; Wonder Woman. She quickly befriended the Amazonian Princess, idolising her. Diana spent every night during the expedition telling Cassie tales of the Olympian Pantheon and her previous adventures, the young girl hanging at her every word.

Things took a turn during the expedition however when Dr Sandsmark excavated an ancient stone statue, created using the very clay that was told to have crafted Wonder Woman herself. Coming to life, the statue, now calling itself Decay, viciously attacked the group, targetting Wonder Woman. The creature was close to killing Diana before Cassie got involved and used a series of magical artefacts they'd dug up to push the creature back. Thanks to the assistance, Wonder Woman was able to defeat the creature for good, however, despite things turning out okay, Cassie's mother was horrified. It was this event that caused her to tell Cassie who her father was.

Discovering that her father was actually the Olympian God Zeus, Cassie begged him for a boon and a chance to have real powers so that she could help people just like Wonder Woman. Zeus said no.

In an attempt to help Cassie to move past everything that had happened and begin to live more of a normal life, Cassie's mother took a job as a curator of the Nation History Museum in New York City. But being in a city like New York only made Cassie want to help people more. That was when she found herself encountering none other than Ares, the Greek god of war and frequent enemy of Wonder Woman. Warning her of "the coming war", he told her he had heard her request to Zeus, and disapproved of the result. Dubbing her his champion, he gifted her with the strength and power of the Gods, along with the Lasso of Lightning and the Bracelets of Submission.

And so she began to use her new gifts for good, all the while fearing that she'd made a terrible mistake in trusting the God of War.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Made a start on some compendium entries. Will finish the rest once i get a chance!

Compendium

New York City

LOCATIONS:

The Sanctum Santorum - Belongs to [Natty/Magik/Free To Use]

IMPORTANT PERSONS:

Doctor Stephen Strange, The Sorcerer Supreme - Belongs to [Natty/Magik/Free To Use]

Wong - Belongs to [Natty/Magik]

Gotham

LOCATIONS:

Rags 'n Tatters: Pawnshop / Part-time Yunkyard owned by Rory Regan - Belongs to [Natty/Magik]

Outside Time and Space

LOCATIONS:

The Oblivion Bar: A safe haven for magical individuals, the Oblivion Bar is located within its own pocket dimension. The establishment has many entrance portals scattered across the globe that are only visible to those skilled at magic. - Belongs to [Nobody/Free To Use]

IMPORTANT PERSONS:

Jim Rook, Nightmaster: Bartender and owner of The Oblivion Bar. - Belongs to [Nobody/Free To Use]

Limbo