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Post by Doctor Fate on Feb 26, 2012 18:40:59 GMT -8
Magic: It's a mystery to some, a source of awe and wonder to others. For myself, it's a means to an end, that end being a balance between order and chaos. Some days, the pendulum swings towards order, and some days it makes my life difficult by swinging the other way.
I would put today in the difficult column.
I have NO idea where I am, or how I got here, but I think I should take this experience as an abject lesson on why it is NOT smart to try and grab hold of an evil speedster without anchoring oneself down first.
It all happened so quickly, even when you consider who it was I was dealing with.
One minute, I was standing over the mystically bound body of the evil speedster, Rival, trying to get him to spill the beans about what he knew of the theft of the Orb of Nabu and the Helm of Nabu.
The next minute, after learning from Alan and Jay that he had also played a part in the theft of Alan's power ring, I found myself trying to recapture Rival, after he mysteriously escaped my mystic chains, only to find myself dragged like an errant dog-walker behind him to.... WHERE, exactly?
This place (if one can even CALL it a place) is full of light and sound and confusion. I've been trying to get my bearings since I arrived here, trying to make sense of what happened, but so far, there are only TWO things I can nail down as concrete facts: 1) Whatever unknown power Rival used to bring us here, he will never use again. Seeing his empty husk of a shell dissolve into the ether was all the proof I needed of that; and 2) I will need HELP to get back.
First, though, I need to figure out where "here" is, exactly.
It's not as easy as it sounds. There are no landmarks I recognize... or to be more precise, there's no "land" at all... I'm surrounded by bright light and a dense, colorful fog, on ALL sides -- left, right, up AND down. I'm not entirely sure what it is I'm standing on, but there IS something there.... I just can't tell where it starts and ends. If I were really curious, I suppose I could take a few steps, and risk falling off "the edge of the world" into the unknown, but that seems an unsafe idea, until I have a better idea where I am.
I'll have to discern where I am without moving from this spot. I tried the same strategy to get my bearings when I first moved into the Tower (and that place is REALLY confusing to people who don't LIVE there, let me tell you), so it should help me here.
If it wasn't for the fact that Inza's not here, and this place seems to be making me weaker by the moment, I'd consider building a second Tower here, but for now, I'll have to take solace that the relative calm of this place has given me the perfect opportunity to finally focus my thoughts on meditation and finding my center. I will then be able to use the amulet properly.
As I close my eyes and concentrate, the Amulet of Anubis helps me focus on my surroundings, such as they are. While I cannot SEE anything, I can definitely FEEL something.... familiar ... I can almost feel something like an... after-image.... the likes of which are usually left behind by.....
JAY...
That's it! It's like Jay's been here and left a.... piece ... of himself here, when he passed through.
I seem to recall Jay telling me once about an event that occurred not long after he began his career as The Flash.
He was running at top speed, trying to outrun an errant lightning bolt before it could hit an electrician on the top of a telephone pole. Just as he reached that innocent soul, Jay's body began to glow, and he felt as though he were being... RIPPED... out of our very universe. The only thing that kept him from disappearing altogether was his desire to stay with his beloved Joan, in OUR dimension.
To this day, lightning storms bring a chill to his bones, a stark reminder of his nearly ETERNAL visit to what he and his fellow speedsters have come to call "The Speed Force."
Okay, now I know WHERE I am, but I'll still need help getting back home.
My mystic energies don't seem compatible with this place, and I'm getting progressively weaker by the minute... or the hour... or by the second. The passage of time is hard to measure, in this dimension.
How do I get back, though? I can't expect Jay to come here and get me... We may BOTH end up stranded here. When he escaped it before, Jay was considerably younger, and even then it wasn't easy for him.
No, I'll need the aid of somebody who is not only younger, but who has escaped here, preferably more than ONCE!
Wait... I think I know who can help me. Jay knows him, too, so he can brief him properly on what happened... But HOW do I contact him?
My powers are limited here, and growing weaker by the moment, but I think I can still affect things THERE. I just need to find the RIGHT thing to manipulate to get their attention....
Hmmm.... I think I have an idea.
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Post by The Flash on Feb 27, 2012 0:26:10 GMT -8
Unseasonably warm air with the chill of a sudden hail storm raining down in the heart of Keystone, and ONLY in that specified area, would seem like an oddity to most.
To me and a few other seasoned citizens?
Not so much.
Especially when you can clearly see a green figure floating from above conducting lightning like a Tesla Coil.
Meet Mark Mardon. Otherwise known as The Weather Wizard.
Apparently I rained on his parade by trying to stop him stealing some kind of... circuit board from one of the machines. And now he's raining golf sized hail balls all over my existence. Awesome how things turn out!
"--I TOLD you I *NEED* this, Flash! Don't you ever listen to reason!?" Mardon called to me from the skies above, his eyes glowing with rage.
"MY reasoning is that you took a very important piece of lab equipmen--"
"He's SICK. And you're making it worse!!" he growled.
All I knew is that if Mardon's rage increased-- WHICH it was-- the surrounding buildings around end up collapsing due to the extreme winds he was pulling in.
I had to be careful or else--
"CALM down, Mardon!" I called to him, jetting across the street, picking up a spare trash can lid and using it as an umbrella. It's crude, but it's serving it's purpose. "Just-- can we PLEASE just talk about this?"
He was doing so well too. No real recent activity to get him stirred up. In fact, a lot of my rogues have been a lot calmer these days.
I had to be careful or else--
Too late.
A series set of three cyclones started to manifest right in the middle of Keystone City Square. The extreme winds are peeling the shingles off of the nearby business, windows shattering as flying shrapnel are wizzing dangerously around.
This. Is Bad. This needs to stop. And NOW. Time to bring Mardon back down to earth.
Leaving an ionized trail behind me, I take off. My boots blazing with pure energy.
I can hear the crackle. That free-flowing force running through me. Everything that powers me. The Speed Force is on my side.
Gathering enough inertia I find myself whipping around the manifested twisters, counter balancing their wind speeds and creating a seclusion zone of my own.
It's only moments before each twister disappears and I'm once again left with the rain.
And Mardon?
He's gone from my sights.
And--
"Uuffmph--!"
I stop dead in my tracks dropping to my knees.
My hands are shaking. And the red gloved hand I'm staring at is... fluxing. Fluxing back and forth between the the scarlet and the tanned peach coloring of my skin.
"Wuh--what--?"
It feels as if I had just ran.... to the edge of the universe and back non-stop for eons.
I felt WINDED.
I never feel winded--!
And then just as suddenly as it came on it vanished. Leaving me with a pounding headache.
I slowly came to my knees, my fingers rubbing my temples.
Now, what was all of that about? Did Mardon do that?
Talk about a strange sensation.
Shaking my head clear I scan the area, trying to figure out the way that Weather Wizard might have taken off to. My bets is somewhere familiar. Somewhere safe to him.
I have an idea.
As I move to propel myself forward, I inhale the positively charged air that the speed force encases me in. Only to have to stop to cough.
Oh. And you know that scene in the movie where it focuses on the main character's eye and pulls back really far because they just realized something devastating?
Okay.
Queue that scene.
Yeah.
I know.
"Am I.. catching.. a COLD...?"
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Post by Doctor Fate on Feb 27, 2012 10:55:49 GMT -8
Okay, I think that'll do it. At least, I HOPE my magicks were able to bridge the gap from here to there...
This is one of those rare occasions where my experiences only have a limited value when it comes to guiding my actions.
If I were wearing the true Helm of Nabu, instead of this half-helmet I constructed early in my career, I'd probably have a better sense of how effective my actions have been (and that's not an easy thing to admit, believe me), but sometimes you just have to take a leap of faith and pray that things work out for the best.
I know, it's hard to reconcile the idea that someone with as much power as I usually have would NEED to ask for help from a higher power. Nabu probably laughs every time I end up doing that. I doubt even he could argue with the results, though (not that he wouldn't TRY, of course -- his EGO won't let him do otherwise), as it always fills me with a sense of renewed confidence.
Sometimes that's all you need to accomplish miracles.
I'm a strong spokesman for believing in yourself.
That being said, even I had to admit to a smidgen of doubt when it came to contacting the Flash in such an unorthodox manner.
I knew that if I tried to just manipulate inanimate objects or the elements themselves in Keystone, Flash may just dismiss it as a freak scientific mishap, or worse, an attack by one of his rogues gallery of villains. I had to do something that would affect him personally, while hopefully not endangering his life.
That was the gamble I had to take, or remain trapped here forever.
Hopefully, I haven't caused him too much discomfort. As it is, I'm already concerned that my actions have changed the nature of the Speed Force dimension, and subsequently put those who have a connection to it in jeopardy.
I'll just have to wait and see.
On the bright side, using some of my energies seems to have had a therapeutic effect on me. I'm no longer feeling as weak as I did when I first arrived here and, another plus, I'm no longer worried about falling into the unknown. The Amulet of Anubis has given me a better sense of the nature of this place, and I now know that no matter where I go, I'll be standing on solid "ground." That's a load off my mind, since my ability to fly seems to be "on the fritz."
I'm still trapped here, but at least I can stretch my legs and do a little bit of "sight-seeing." The latter idea may seem a ridiculous notion to anybody who has ever been here, as there are no real "sights" to see , but you'd be surprised what you can find when you can really focus on your surroundings.
For example, the Amulet of Anubis has allowed me to get a better sense of just how many sentient beings have accessed the unique energies this dimension seems to have a boundless supply of. There are a lot more than you would expect.
Anybody who has ever accessed the Speed Force seems to have left a piece of themselves here, even if they just brushed the outskirts of it briefly. I can sense thousands of individual mental imprints here.
Some are friends, such as Johnny Quick, Max Mercury, Jay, Barry Allen, Wally West, Jesse Quick, and yes, even Superman.
Unfortunately, for every bright and shining soul I can sense here, there seems to be an equal number of dark, lost souls who have accessed the Speed Force for their own selfish purposes. A few of them appear to have sacrificed their own humanity to maintain a connection to it, and that both saddens and worries me.
Some of them have become so enraptured by the power, they have found themselves trapped here. There's an almost palpable feeling of envy here, aimed at anybody who accesses the power, living or dead.
I'm starting to get a bit worried that some of the more.... animated ... residents are growing more and more resentful of my very presence here. I can only imagine this is just a taste of the treatment Rival received while trapped here, since his access was artificially induced. No wonder he hated Jay so much, for seemingly "jailing" him here.
Whoa... I just felt an incredibly strong presence, looking in MY direction... and it's not happy...
No, it's not happy at all.
As I look around, ever vigilant of any threats to my person, I can't help but cling to a sliver of hope that I'll see Inza soon.
Hopefully, Fate will be kind.
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Post by The Flash on Mar 1, 2012 0:05:40 GMT -8
The Flash had made his way to the bridge that connected Central City with Keystone. He was on a mission. He really needed to find Mardon considering his wannabe 'fainting spell' basically caused the master of the weather to get away.
If he hadn't had collapsed, he probably wouldn't have been in the situation that he was in now.
Unfortunately, given his current situation? He would have to let Mardon skip out... for the time being at least.
Mardon really hadn't been much of a threat until his recent little outburst earlier.
What WAS up with that anyway?
He attempted to remember what happened during that whole series of events.
Who was Mardon talking about?
Someone who seemed to be worth it to him, at least.
He was going to have to do some snooping to get to the bottom of things.
Zooming through the streets of Keystone, Flash found himself standing on the street just outside of Jay and Joan Gerrick's home.
"Uhh-- aaah--choo!" At that same moment, the ion laced energy that encased Flash's body suddenly vanished. The iconic scarlet and gold uniform sparked in a final wheeze before disappearing completely.
Confused, Wally's green eyes looked over his articles of clothing: a pair of blue jeans and black shirt clad with a yellow bat-symbol on it.
YES. A Batman shirt. Who didn't have one?
But WHY was he seeing himself back in his civilian clothes? He didn't will the energy away.
He... just...
Sneezed.
Flash sniffled, rubbing his cheeks.
He could feel the heat radiating from his skin.
Cripes.
This was getting serious. And he was starting feeling like he had just gotten trampled by an elephant.
Wally somehow managed to find his way to the door and pathetically knocked at the door. He needed someone to talk to.... and.. maybe some of Joan's chicken soup...
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Post by Doctor Fate on Mar 1, 2012 19:27:20 GMT -8
I MAY have over-stepped my bounds.
When I decided to contact Wally West, the Flash, in a way that would GUARANTEE he would seek me out here in the Speed Force dimension, I crossed my fingers that I wouldn't be doing more harm than good.
Maybe I should have crossed MORE than just my fingers.
Not only am I getting the sense (through the Amulet of Anubis) that Wally West may indeed have been incapacitated by what my magicks have wrought on the physical plane, but it would appear that my actions have attracted the ...er... WRONG... kind of attention from those speedsters who, for one reason or another, have made their home here.
I can feel them all looking at me now, and the few that aren't plotting my demise are mainly refraining out of fear of what more damage I could do to their fragile grip on reality here.
To be sure, there are others here who have taken my presence and actions here in stride, but those are the ones who fought on the side of angels before coming here. They view this place as a sort of "retirement home for speedsters."
But, as it's fairly obvious now, these few aren't the problem.
The more aggressive elements here are marshaling their strength, forming an army of sorts.
I'm not worried about the foot-soldiers. They don't have the physical power to do me any real harm, even as weak as I currently am.
The Alpha-Dog Leaders of this motley crew are another story, entirely, though. Even though there are only two or three I really recognize, that makes them no less dangerous.
As I see a streak of yellow (with red trim) cut through the riff-raff like a knife through butter, it confirms my suspicions that Reverse-Flash, or Professor Zoom as he prefers to be called, is one of the leaders of this ragtag army.
I'm a little more familiar with the second one I see, even if it is a little bit of a surprise to see Rival again. The last time I saw him, his body (a husk, really) had disintegrated into the fog that seems to be filling this place. It would seem I was partially wrong about what actually happened to him.
I say partially, because even though he seems alive, he is far less.... substantial ... He seems more like a vengeful spirit, a shade of his former self. That makes him no less of a threat, though.
He seems to be flitting around like a pixie or a fairy (insert obligatory emasculating joke here, please), riling the lesser speedsters into a near feeding frenzy of rage and hatred.
The most dangerous one (as far as I can tell, anyway) is one who seems patient and willing to wait in the rear, directing actions like a true general.
What he may lack in comparison to Zoom when it comes to raw power, he seems to make up for in charisma.
He seems to almost have a cult following among the lesser speedsters. In fact, a lot of them seem to be wearing insignia suggesting that he is, indeed, their leader.
I wish I could learn more about him, this speed-cultist who goes by the name ... Savitar.... but I doubt he'll give me the chance...
Still, this army of miscreants isn't what's troubling me the most.
It's the nagging feeling that I'm forgetting something... or someone....
The last time I saw them, Jay and Alan seemed to be okay. As far as I know, none of my other friends and colleagues in the Justice Society are in any kind of danger, either.
I'M the only of us in any kind of trouble, and even though I'm not exactly at my best, I think I can handle this situation with a minimum of fuss until the Flash can get me out of here.
What am I MISSING?
Oh, well. I'm sure if it's anything of importance, it'll come to me eventually.
I've got to focus my attention on the danger this army represents to me.
At times like this, though, I'm kind of glad there's nobody waiting for me to come home, like a wife or family.
I hope the day isn't too far away, though, when I'll find the time and opportunity to nurture a loving relationship with woman, and start down the road to raising a family.
FATE will definitely be smiling on me, that day.
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Post by The Flash on Mar 4, 2012 0:29:24 GMT -8
The slow pounding of the steel door echoed throughout the Gerrick home. Joan, with a dish towel in hand, poked her head out from the kitchen. "Was that the door?" she asked the sitting form in the living room.
Jay's was already making his way to the source of the knocking. "Yep." he said with a smile as he opened the door, only to almost have Wally West collapse into his arms from the sudden opening of the door. "Wally--?!"
"....Hi.... Jay..." he greeted, his emerald eyes trying their hardest to smile back to him despite the fact that he felt like crap.
Wally's weight was heavy on Jay, but once he shifted his weight, he was better able to support the man. "Come on-- lets get you to lay down."
"Who is it?" Joan asked, once again popping her head out to investigate the voices. ".....Wally??!" Her eyes went wide as she completely abandoned her task in the kitchen to help Jay get Wally to the couch. "Oh my Stars! What happened?"
Wally managed to plop himself down and was quickly ushered down by the weight of gravity. "I.... I think I'm... sick." he really didn't know how to explain it. He was trying to put on a strong front, despite the fact that he was honestly worried. The last time he could even remember being sick with anything slightly similar was... before he accumulated his speed.
Normally, when ever a normal person ended up getting sick, the virus.. or WHATEVER it was ended up staying in their system for a while. But because of Wally's high metabolism, it usually ran it's course and never slowed him down. This.... just wasn't the case.
Joan ended up disappearing and returning with a cool cloth to place over Wally's forehead as he continued to lay on the couch. "I think you are too, sweetie." Internally, she knew something was VERY wrong with this picture.
"Just before I came to the door..." Wally started, trying to feed jay as much information as he could. "...I sneezed. But.. I was in my Flash suit. And.. it disappeared."
Maybe coming to Jay and Joan's place was just what he needed. he was starting to feel his head clear, despite it feeling like it was extremely weighted and filled with water. At least... he was able to think clearly. "And I didn't WILL it away. It just... disappeared."
After hearing himself speak aloud, Wally was starting to realize things.
For as fast as his brain was to process things, he sure was coming up slow on this one.
Jay rubbed his chin in thought. "Were you hit by any... anti-particle ray?" He knew from first-hand experience how much those rays would de-stablize the molecules within his body. And he knew that if it would cause him problems, that it would most likely cause Wally problems.
"No. I haven't... come in contact with anything of the sort, but my body feels... different." Wally continued to explain. "Like... my... life force is being drained."
Life force.
Maybe THAT was it!
It almost seemed to click instantaneously within Wally and Jay.
"Do.. you think it's possible that there's a possibility that the speed force is... fluxing?" Wally asked, curiously. Even though he was pretty much the resident expert on the subject of the speed force, he still had his few mis-thoughts from time to time.
"You would know better than me, kid." Jay said, leaning forward. "The speed force is a very tricky place. But--"
It was almost like Wally knew exactly what Jay was thinking. "The speed force never fluxes."
And that, was the truth. It was almost an entity in its own self. It WAS pure energy, after all. A boundless, edgeless plane of existence filled with the light of a zeptillion high mass solar storms, and then some.
Jay leaned back, looking back to the worse-for-wear redhead crashed on his couch. He had a feeling that Wally's mind was processing along the same lines as his. "Could mean something's wrong from within the speed force itself..."
Wally groaned as he rolled over onto his side, his stomach churning. "Nuuugh-- I... i think imma be sick all over your--"
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Post by Alan Scott gl on Mar 6, 2012 13:51:45 GMT -8
"FAAAATE!"
Don't you hate it when you wake up from a nightmare, and you're reaching for something/someone that isn't really there?
Me too.
It's bad enough that after a little less than a week of searching for Fate and Rival, Jay and I had turned up not ONE single lead as to their whereabouts. I didn't need my subconscious torturing me.
Adding insult to injury, my still waking mind decided to yank my chain by making me see things that couldn't possibly be happening. For the briefest of moments, I thought I saw a green, glowing aura around my hands.
Without my ring, such a thing was impossible, and deep down, I knew it.
It disappeared as I blinked my eyes a couple of times, but the damage had been done. In less time than it takes to stretch and yawn, I went from feeling totally empowered to feeling totally powerless.
I can't really blame my unconscious mind for punishing me like that, I guess. I feel more than a little responsible for what happened to Fate. Had I not distracted he and Jay, in my misguided attempt to throttle Rival, Rival probably wouldn't have escaped, dragging Fate behind him, only to disappear into thin air. My guilty conscience simply must have decided that I didn't deserve to sleep soundly, so it gave me a nightmare.
Don't get me wrong, this dream didn't have the same effect on me that the other "dream" did. Sure, it was upsetting, seeing Fate surrounded by unfamiliar enemies, all of whom seemed to be moving as fast as Jay, but at least he seemed to be holding his own against them.
At least, he was until that masked guy in the back got up from his throne/command post and snapped his fingers. With that simple gesture, the previously undisciplined fighters, who had been attacking Fate with an almost SPECTACULAR disregard for strategy, did a complete 180.
They started attacking smarter, rather than harder. In less time than it takes to blink, the tide of battle turned BADLY against Fate. A small team of super-speed "ninjas" managed to bring Fate down to his knees, with a surprising lack of effort on their part.
It was just as their masked leader was closing in on Fate, his clenched fist vibrating menacingly, that I tried to warn Fate. You can imagine my surprise, when I suddenly found myself reaching out to the center of my quiet living room, a green glow emanating from my hands.
When I eventually got over the initial shock that comes with waking from a disturbing dream, I remembered that Jay had brought me home, to get some much needed shut-eye. After nearly a week of fruitlessly searching for Fate, without a moment's rest, I wasn't really in a position to argue with him.
I only wish I'd profited more from my little "cat-nap." The dream rattled me quite a bit, and I didn't even get the insight most people get from dreams like that... or did I? I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to that dream than even I suspected.
In an attempt to shake more of the cobwebs from my mind, I turned on the television. After about a week of moving across the country at the speed of sound, with no real chance to check current events, I needed to see what had been going on since I tripped "through the looking glass."
The local news was on, but it was the weather report, and I knew that would just put me back to sleep.
Before I could change the station, though, a special report broke in on the broadcast. It seemed that in the Midwest, Keystone City was more than a little "under the weather."
At least, PART of it was... and by part, I mean a single city block.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that Keystone was under attack by a certain weather-themed villain.
I smiled, and wondered how long it would take for Jay to clean up that mess. When I saw a familiar streak of red and yellow move past the camera on-scene, though, I almost kicked myself for not remembering that Jay wasn't the only Flash in town.
Sometimes, I wonder if Barry Allen, the second Flash, is smiling down from Heaven, as his nephew Wally West carries on his legacy in the crimson and gold uniform of the Flash, Generation III.
I suspect he is.
The kid is good. What's more, he knows it, but doesn't let it go to his head. There must be something in the water in Keystone City. They take pride in what they do, but never more than they really deserve. It's no surprise that Jay likes it there. Living there must keep him humble.
Humility is important, in our line of work. It keeps us from ever thinking that we're better than the people we protect.
We're NOT.
We have faults, just like anybody else. We're not invincible.
That's a fact that became painfully obvious as I watched Wally take on the self-styled "Weather Wizard." On the surface, it looked like Wally was MORE than a match for this megalomaniac, but to a seasoned vet like myself, something seemed.... off ... somehow.
At one point, it almost seemed as if he was ... winded?
There was clearly something wrong. The next thing I knew, Weather Wizard had disappeared, along with his freaky weather, and Flash seemed really disoriented, like he almost didn't know what to do next.
Jay needed to know what was going on, so I started to dial...
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Post by Doctor Fate on Mar 9, 2012 20:26:18 GMT -8
There have been times, in my life, when I have found myself wondering whether or not I could have avoided taking a certain path, or has my life always been determined by FATE.
The life of a servant of order, such as myself, doesn't offer many opportunities to wonder "what may have been." Usually, I find myself automatically assuming that whatever twists and turns my life-path has taken, the outcome was inevitable.
Sometimes, I have personally benefited from the actions I've taken. Those benefits have, in the past, taken forms such as a resounding victory over a hated enemy, or the warm feeling that comes with saving an innocent from a dire threat, or just the heartwarming camaraderie that comes when I've saved the world (or a small part of it, at least) alongside my greatest friends and allies in the Justice Society of America.
Other times, though, my actions have lead to misfortune.
Thankfully, most of these have been losses that only affected myself, such as finding myself at the mercy of a foe who knows NO mercy. Were it not for my will and quick-thinking, and occasionally the aid of the Justice Society, I would not be here to tell the tale.
Unfortunately, there have been times my actions have lead to tragedy. I'm speaking of those times when my actions (or lack thereof) have lead to the death of someone else.
Here's hoping that this isn't one of those times.
When I first decided to contact Wally West by manipulating the Speed Force energy that serves to empower him (and other speedsters), I assumed I would be causing him limited difficulties. I also assumed that, with a few exceptions, Wally would be the only one affected by my magicks.
The army of speedsters (lead by two heartless killers) that currently has me at their mercy would seem to suggest otherwise.
I wish I could tell you exactly how things have become so... grim...
Unfortunately, the nature of the battle I've been fighting today hasn't given me the opportunity to observe EVERYTHING as clearly as I'd like.
When the first wave of enemy combatants began their charge on my position, I found myself immediately surrounded. It was all I could do to cast a spell of protection, which manifested itself as a magical wall of great height. At first, it merely served as a blockade, impeding the progress of my attackers, but I soon put it to use offensively, as it extended outward in all directions, battering my assailants into unconsciousness as they ran headlong into it.
The same strategy seemed to work with each successive wave of foot soldiers. Any that had the skill to get over the wall before it could batter their bodies into submission were quick to learn just how bad their misfortune was, as a super strong uppercut came up to greet them when they came down.
On and on, the battle continued, with neither side getting any apparent advantage. Though they could do me no great harm, I also had no opportunity to end the battle decisively.
I thought that, at the very least, I'd be able to hold out against this ragtag army of wayward speedsters until Wally West could come and help me out of this mess, but it suddenly dawned on me: What if my actions before actually HURT Wally, preventing him from making it here at ALL, much less in the "nick-of-time?"
What if, just by continuing to use my powers, even in my own defense, I was making things WORSE? After all, I had no way of knowing exactly what effect my powers had on speedsters in the real world, no matter how much information I was supplied by the Amulet of Anubis.
The more I thought about it, the more my resolve weakened. It didn't really matter, in the long run, though.
I wasn't aware of it, because I scarcely had a chance to analyze their attacks, but there was a method to their madness. With each wave of attackers, my defenses were being systematically tested for weaknesses, and any weak points were being exploited by heavier attack waves.
You see, the problem with erecting a defensive wall around yourself is that you can't see when the enemy is changing their tactics. Add to that the fact that magic defenses cannot be maintained indefinitely, and it's only a matter of time before you're vulnerable to attack.
Savitar's "speed ninjas" had found and exploited my weakest defensive point MASTERFULLY, and they did so just when my resolve (and my POWER) was at its weakest.
So, when the small tactical team broke through my defenses and brought me to my knees with very little effort, I was as weak as the proverbial kitten, and I wasn't the least bit surprised when they took me prisoner.
I was surprised, though, when I thought I heard a familiar voice, calling out in anguish to me, and I was even MORE surprised when I saw Savitar's hand coming towards my temple, before I lost consciousness.
So there you have it. These are the totally unintended results of my actions tonight: I am kneeling at the feet of a triumphant enemy, and my one hope for rescue may already be dead, if not grievously injured.
I can almost hear Nabu laughing at his wayward student....
ALMOST.
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Post by The Flash on Mar 20, 2012 21:25:58 GMT -8
Jay Gerrick paced in his living room as he watched Wally toss and turn as he attempted to sleep. Seeing Wally in such a state was almost frightening for the fact that he never seen him sick like this before. Never so much as a sneeze--
Okay, well, that was a lie. A sneeze every once in a while, but blowing his lunch fueled by cold sweats and a blistering fever was something that just wasn't normal.
Jay inadvertently placed a hand to his own head, starting to question his well being. He wasn't warm. And he wasn't showing signs like Wally, but he WAS feeling weak.
Maybe it was just out of the sheer thought and the exhaustion of it all. Knowing that there was something out there that could render Wally into such a state... maybe even him if it came down to it.
After all, he had been known to tap into the Force on occasion.
Jay sighed and plopped himself down into his arm chair, his mind attempting to make heads and tails of the situation. If the Speed Force were fluxing... how could they possibly figure out what it was and just exactly how to fix it?
Jay suddenly felt weaker thinking about it.
Jumping at the sound of the phone, he shook his head clear and picked up up. "Hello.." he breathed tirelessly into the phone.
On the couch, Wally's forehead was beaded with sweat. Fever ravished dreams seemed to be filling his head.
He grunted, curling himself into a ball on the couch. His dream sense flickering in and out between what seemed like black nothingness to a desert wasteland.
Wally was dressed in his normal clothes this time as he pressed on with the treacherous sun blazing overhead. The intense UV rays seeming to burn against his exposed flesh.
Water. So... thirsty...
Dropping to his knees, Wally's fingers end up clenching the sand as he tries to push himself forward. If he stay there.... surely he felt like he was going to die.
Closing his eyes, he took a breath.
Dying in a desert wasn't exactly the way he wanted to go. Especially not after how his Uncle Barry died... He couldn't go out like that. He had to make Barry proud.
His life. THEIR legacy.
Lifting his head slowly, he felt a sudden bolt of energy rush through him.
Something-- someone... calling to him from the distance.
"I know you have it in you.." the voice was familiar, but caught in an echo.
Wally pushed himself to stand, his hand covering his forehead to block out the glare of the vigorous sun. Just up ahead, he could see a small point. A crackling, churning singularity.
Is that where the voice is coming from?
"Who are you--!?" he called out, walking toward the point.
This... was one weird dream, that's for sure.
"Fate.... needs... you..."
Wally wasn't one to play interpreter, but he was SURE he knew that voice. "Uncle... Barry...?"
By this time Wally had reached the singularity, his fingers touching the opening point.
A sudden flash of light seemed to engulf his hand. Pure energy molding to his skin. The crackling of the warmed lightning, surrounding his body encasing him in an egg of pure energy.
Energy that seemed entirely too familiar. It seemed to almost... heal him for the time being.
He was no longer stricken with body aches, the fever seemed to have broken... everything seemed right and normal within the world.
"You need to act fast.... before you secombe again..." Barry's voice was a lot clearer now. Less garbled. "We can only do so much--"
The voice as well as the energy egg that had encased him started flickering. The sheer energy running through him as a constant source was now flickering as bad as stormy television newscast.
"You control-- Fate--!"
And just as quickly as the singularity appeared, everything was gone.
Wally dropped to his knees, his eyes scanning the horizon looking for any trace of the energy singularity that had encased him. For any point where a glimpse of his beloved Uncle Barry just so happened to be.
But.. there was nothing.
Nothing but the bleak desert wasteland staring back at him.
[TBC: Alan, Fate]
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Post by Alan Scott gl on Mar 21, 2012 12:56:06 GMT -8
Well, THAT was a little awkward.
You'd think, with all of my experience running a broadcast company, I'd have some knowledge of what taped footage looks like.
Live and learn.
Even though the station broke into the normal broadcast with the footage of Flash facing Weather Wizard, that footage had been edited, so people could keep pace with the action as it unfolded. Apparently, it took them HOURS after the incident to edit and subsequently air the footage. It was just wild LUCK that it happened to air during the weather report.
So, when I called to alert Jay about how lost and delirious Wally looked on television, it was old news to him. It would seem Wally "limped" his way to Jay and Joan's place, only to collapse at their doorstep.
When I got there (in my car -- being carried by Jay all over the country took its toll on my ego), I was alarmed to find that not only was Wally in a feverish state, barely able to move, but Jay was starting to show the same symptoms, although at a slower rate.
It was very disheartening to watch those two acting like pale shadows of themselves, but at the same time, it was a little uplifting.
Let me explain. For a long time, I'd been a little envious of Jay and Wally. I envied them their vitality and their ability to think so fast on their feet, when it was needed most.
At my age, the value of a little more energy to accomplish daily tasks isn't exactly an unheard-of commodity. But in our "line of work", particularly in my case, fast thinking isn't just an asset.
It's a downright NECESSITY.
Many times, I've wished I had Jay's ability to adapt quickly in any situation, since adaptability is such a BIG part of what is needed to form helpful constructs with my ring.
Don't get me wrong, the ring is a very powerful and necessary tool in the fight against evil. Without a creative will backing it up, though, it's little more than a shiny, glowing bauble.
That's partly why I'm so worried about the whereabouts of my ring, since what my enemies lack in compassion, they seem to make up for in the area of creative cruelty. I don't like to think of what Rival and his ilk will do, with it in their possession.
Where was I, now? Oh, yeah, I was explaining why the normally alarming sight of two sluggish speedsters made me feel a little better about MY problems.
In addition to what I've already said, seeing these two vulnerable puts to rest a fear of mine I've had about the question of their humanity. As a normal human, being around people who routinely break the sound barrier without any special equipment is more than a little off-putting, and that's even when I'm flying alongside them, propelled by my magic ring.
Just imagine how much more daunting an experience it is when one DOESN'T have a power ring, and I think you'll understand why I feel a little bit better about my predicament, when I see these two laid out by what appears to be "the common cold."
Just the same, though, I had to hold back a grin of satisfaction when, after hearing Wally sneeze, I couldn't help but say "GOD BLESS YOU."
I'm guessing the irony wasn't lost on Wally or Jay, as they looked at me and grinned slowly. After a couple of seconds, all four of us (including Joan) were having a hearty laugh.
That moment of levity was broken only by the sound of a seemingly endless coughing bout by Wally. The moment was gone, faster than an all-you-can-eat buffet in front of Wally, after a marathon around the world.
In an effort to take their minds off their situation, I decided to tell them about the crazy dream I woke up to (not bothering to include the details about the green glow around my hands as I woke up), expecting it to either distract them, or at the very least, to get a laugh out of them.
I knew something was wrong instantly, to my credit. Instead of laughter and smiles, my story brought out a concerned look from Jay, and a downright SCARED look from Wally.
As they exchanged glances of mutual concern, I got a little nervous.
"What? It was just a DREAM. .... Right?"
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Post by Doctor Fate on Mar 21, 2012 13:33:38 GMT -8
"Who ARE you? One of the FLASH's do-gooder friends, sent to destroy us?"
It's NEVER a good sign when one looks around, and finds himself a prisoner of a seemingly hostile force with nothing but HATE in their eyes.
It only gets worse when you find yourself the target of a spirited interrogation, ESPECIALLY if you have NO idea how to answer their questions.
I'm in trouble. I get it. I just don't know WHY. What's more alarming, though, is not knowing WHO I AM.
Clearly, I'm a prisoner of some kind. As mean as my captors look, I must be one of the good guys. At least, I HOPE I am.
Something must have happened to me before I was captured. I think I recall something I once heard (from WHERE, I have NO idea) about traumatic amnesia. That's when something SO terrible happens to an individual, their conscious mind keeps them from remembering it.
The really troubling thing is, I think what few cases have been documented don't exactly have a lot of happy endings. Some people get their memories back after seeing familiar faces and places, over time. Others, however, don't get their memories back, EVER.
Here's hoping I'm in the first group.
Nothing here looks even remotely familiar, nor do any of my captors. At least, when I can focus on any of them, they don't look familiar. I think I must have some kind of head injury, since everybody here is kind of ..... blurry.
Oddly enough, despite the fact that I'm a prisoner with no memories of my past before this point, suffering from probable brain damage due to a blow to the head, I'm calmer than I think I should be. It's almost as if I have an inner sense, telling me that everything will be alright.
In essence, I have this overwhelming sense that FATE is on my side.
It's weird, but the more I focus on remembering just who I am and how I came to be here, the calmer I feel. If I didn't know better, I'd say I can almost hear a voice, reassuring me.
In fact, if I focus really closely, I can almost make out the voice saying, "Remember who you are.... Don't lose Hope... Help is on the way..."
It could just be the head trauma, "talking" to me, but under the circumstances, I'm hardly in a position to do anything but what the voice suggests. I think I'll feign unconsciousness, and try to remember something... anything....
As I close my eyes and let my shoulders slump, giving the impression that I'm out cold, I fight the urge to tense up as I hear my captors raging at my lack of "co-operation."
I try to focus on the reassuring voice, only to hear a troubling sound... the sound of dark, evil laughter... the kind of laughter you usually hear from a villain in a really scary movie.
It nearly shakes my resolve, but then I hear it: A kind voice, not like the one that reassured me before... It's faint, but I think I can make out one word that keeps repeating...
"Kent...." --Is that MY name? [TBC: Flash]
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Post by The Flash on Mar 25, 2012 3:11:22 GMT -8
Wally had found himself in a better state after he awoke from his dream. He had to admit, that after everything, he was feeling a bit stronger and he was entirely sure that it was because of that dream that he was feeling as he was.
He was still sniffling, but at least he could stand on his own. Not to mention the fleeting energy that seemed to race through his veins was back to it's regular pace.
The Speed Force always did work in mysterious ways. And he had a feeling that this 'mysterious way' was probably going to give him the lift that he needed to beat this thing.
Jay, on the other hand, didn't seem to be doing too well. If anything, he appeared to be a bit sluggish. Nothing where he had been hours earlier, but Jay seemed to be getting there.
He turned back to Alan with question etched onto his face. Did he just... mention something about a DREAM?
He knew he had to have heard him right. "I doubt it was just a dream, Alan." Wally said quickly. "I.... just had one myself. A weird one."
Jay motioned to Wally. "You should have seen him just hours before. He was a mess..." he leaned back into his recliner. "And now... he's doing better than me."
Raising an eyebrow, Jay turned back to Wally. "You.... had a dream?"
He ran his hand through his sweat soaked red hair. "I basically found myself in a desert completely drained. So thirsty... just... no hope at all for anything, really. And then there was this... point in the distance. A point of light.
"Something real familiar about it, so crawled to it. And... heard Uncle Barry's voice.
"I'm... pretty sure it was the speed force manifested itself in my subconscious. How... else would I heard Uncle Barry's voice so clearly?" His emerald eyes darted to Jay for any type of answer.
Jay could only watch him, really unsure of what to even speak note of.
"Barry's voice..." Wally continued slowly. "Kept saying that I needed to act quickly. Like.... he was warning me. Trying to guide me. And said something about controlling fate... And how fate needed me... And that was when the singularity that I KNOW had to have been the speed force enveloped me and... now suddenly I have my strength back again."
Jay arched an eyebrow. He had to ponder about that one. "From what you're telling me... and by judging by your physical state that it HAS to the Speed Force. You were pretty well wiped out there."
Wally turned back to Alan with a sudden thought, recalling the dream he just told him. "Do.. you think that maybe Barry was talking about FATE Fate? As in Dr. Fate? Not as in 'The fate of the world likes in your hands' or something like that?"
Ah. Dream deciphering.
Things were going to get interesting. And he knew that this was just the start.
"Where IS Doc Fate anyway?" he asked curiously. "I haven't talked to him in a while.." Wally turned to Jay questionably. "Have you talked to him?"
[TBC: Alan]
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Post by Alan Scott gl on May 10, 2012 15:23:26 GMT -8
Say what you will about Wally West, but he IS really fast on the uptake.
He deduced the connection between Doctor Fate and his ... condition... long before I, or even JAY, could. I'm just ashamed I didn't find the answer sooner. Oh well, age catches up with everybody, eventually.
While Jay brings Wally "up to speed" (pun intended) about the last time we saw Fate, and the possible connection to the Speed Force, I can't help but wonder if there's any other connections we've missed.
Here's what we know:
FACT: Rival played a part in the theft of my Ring. We have no idea WHAT part he played, but he was definitely there when it was taken.
FACT: Fate found and subdued Rival before Jay and I even made it to the scene, in Keystone, only to have him escape from his bonds and drag Fate GOD knows where.
Since Fate's disappearance weeks ago, Jay and I have been searching across the country for any trace of evidence that would help us find our friend, with seemingly nothing to show for it but our own fatigue.
Now that I've had a chance to think about it, though, there are some other things about this situation that don't make sense to me.
When it comes to turning evil on its ear, there aren't many who do the job better than Doctor Fate, so on the surface, finding a hogtied Rival at his feet wasn't really that much of a surprise.
When Jay and I arrived at Keystone, though, there wasn't much evidence of a fight. Sure, there was property damage, but nowhere NEAR the amount that one usually finds after a fight with a speedster. It was almost as if Fate had stopped Rival before he had a chance to really cut loose.
With Rival's speed, the only way that Fate could have gotten the drop on him early in the battle was if he had gotten there BEFORE Rival had even STARTED his little tantrum.
The question is, WHY was he there at all? Was it because of some premonition his magic gave him? Did he know that Rival was going to be there, or was his timing just so PERFECT that he happened to be there mere MOMENTS before Rival got there?
That doesn't sound like the Fate I know. Fate leaves nothing to chance..... but Kent does. Kent is human, like the rest of us. We just keep forgetting, because when he wears the Helmet,....
WAIT A MINUTE!
He WASN'T wearing the helmet! At least, not the one he usually wears nowadays. He was wearing that half-helmet that he used to wear during the war.... but WHY?
I mean, I know why he used to wear that thing, instead of the Helm of Nabu, but I thought he'd found a way to live with the dark side of wearing it. He told me recently that, since wearing the Helm of Nabu gives him the power to deal pretty effectively with enemies of mankind, he'd decided that the benefits of using it far outweighed the costs. There's no reason for him to avoid using it.... unless he no longer HAS it.
Now that I think about it, Fate wasn't the only one with missing headgear.
Jay wasn't wearing his Mercury-inspired helmet, either.
My Ring was taken; Jay and Fate's respective helmets were apparently BOTH taken. I don't believe in coincidences like that.
We need more information before we can act, though. Clearly, Fate has some information that we will need, to figure out what's going on, but we'll have to rescue him first.... or will we?
Even if Jay and Wally can make it to where Fate is being held and rescue him, there's no guarantee he'll be in any condition to help us afterward.
What's more, I doubt I'll be of any use to them there, since I don't have magical senses (like Fate) or super speed (like Jay and Wally). My presence there would do more harm than good, and besides, there's another angle on this mystery that needs to be investigated.
It won't be easy, but we really can't afford to leave any stone unturned; not with the stakes involved.
I take a deep breath and clear my throat, to get Jay and Wally's attention, though I suspect they've long since finished their debriefing and have been politely waiting for me to speak up.
Ah, the joys of being able to speak faster than a hummingbird's wings can flap. I'll have to ask Jay, someday, how his super fast mind puts up with waiting for the rest of us to catch up.
I smile in appreciation of their patience, and look to Jay, his brow curved upward in obvious curiosity.
"Before you guys go rescue Fate, could you drop me off in Salem? There's something I need to check."[TBC -Flash]
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Post by The Flash on Apr 15, 2020 20:41:16 GMT -8
Wally stood before Jay, his mind still racing at the speed of light in regards to the growing matters before him. The entire combination of events had snowballed into this chaotic wind that was finally starting to unravel. "So... he's trying to contact us." he started, to Jay, who was now back on his feet.
Jay was trying to brush off the fact that the fatigue was coursing through him. He could feel it-- which was saying a lot. This really wasn't something that affected speedsters. He patted his forehead and shook his head to himself. So THIS was what Wally was feeling. A brief thought came through on if his condition was going to get any worse, before it got any better. Maybe he had really didn't have the need to worry. After all, Wally had woken up a while ago and mentioned that the Speed Force seemed to have lended him a hand in the matter. And with the way Wally was standing, it definitely appeared as if his strength had returned.
Flukes DID occur from time to time. And yes, it WAS true: The Speed Force DID happen to have it's ways about it.
As Jay turned to Wally, he nodded slowly. "It seems to appear to be so." When it came to the Speed Force, there was one thing that Jay learned to do: Trust. He rubbed his chin, still perplexed about the situation. "We've got to break in." he said, with enough boom in his voice that he hoped he broke Alan's silence.
Wally nodded, moments after Jay's words had slipped from his mouth. "I mean... if Uncle Barry came to me and... I'm feeling like THIS??" With his own Will, he allowed his right hand to whip within the velocity of the Speed Force, his pink and peachy palm soon turned crimson. He smirked, giving Jay and Alan a slight wave as another wave of energy splashed over him, lightning bolts enveloping his forearm. The slight crackle of electricity licked the air and breathed the rest of his scarlet and gold suit to form over his body. Another wave to Aunt Joann who was leaning against archway of the door-frame and then grinned, yet again.
It felt GOOD not to be a pile of waste. He definitely knew one thing though...Colds sucked.
Wally continued, "...then we should really get to moving and figure this all out. If Doctor Fate's in trouble, then.... this is BIG. His fate's usually better written-- Howdidhegetcaughtupin--" Wally stopped himself, realizing that his speed-speach was starting to come though again. He blinked, and zipped himself into the kitchen and grabbed the bowl of fruit that was sitting on the kitchen table and then made his way back to the living room-- the crackle of lightning behind him. He smiled sheepishly as he finished the entire bunch of bananas that was sitting ontop.
This behavior wasn't even odd to Jay or Joan. Wally caught a glance from Alan. He blinked and looked down at the bowl, trying to figure out what was wrong. He arched an eyebrow and found a VERY appealing orange and handed out to Alan. Charm flashed through his smile. "Want one?? They're GOOD! They're from the tree out back!"
Jay watched the exchange and could only smile as a result. He turned back his attention to Alan. "I have a question." His breathing was starting to quicken a bit as a small serge of energy seemed to hit his body. The twinge of lightning coursing through him were ringing bells all over. "Where were you all when you and Fate had your last exchange." Blinking, his attention turned back to Wally, now clad in uniform. "You're making me feel underdressed." He commented, before disappearing into the far room, returning moments later as the crackle of lightning flushed around his cheeks. He was sporting his old blue jeans and a top with a yellow lightning bolt streaked across the chest. "Traveling clothes." He nodded in explanation. "Salem...?" He questioned. "What's in Salem?"
The Flash turned to Alan after a moment. "Did you wanna ride with yours truley, ooor the Mollasses Lightning over here??" He smirked, thumbing to Jay in jest.
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