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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:45:19 GMT -5
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:48:33 GMT -5
DC2 Challenge
Week 5: “Tears Don’t Fall in the Heart of Darkness”
Written by John Elbe
Cover by Craig Cermak
Edited by David Charlton |
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:48:59 GMT -5
First came a blinding light followed by an explosion. A wall of nuclear energy seemed to explode inside every cell in his body. Terror set in as skin and fleshed peeled away revealing only his bones. His bones then turned to dust as he began to fade away. Then just as suddenly as it began, his cells began to mix and rearrange around him. He screamed as unbearable pain washed over him. Then the pain was replaced as every molecule of his being was racked by wave after wave of incredible power…
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:50:09 GMT -5
Ronald Raymond was suddenly jerked awake. He looked around and saw several classmates giggling at him. Others just rolled their eyes and looked away.
“Mr. Raymond. You are aware that this isn’t High School and whether you choose to participate in class is entirely up to you.” The professor walked over and stood in front of his desk, “But I am most certain that others--- and most likely their parents--- pay good money for what goes on here at this university. Money that is wasted when you interrupt my lecture with your constant dozing off.”
Ronnie, unable to look at the man scolding him, muttered an apology. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I sometimes have to work evenings and I….”
“Likewise no one pays good money to hear you fumble through an apology laced with lame excuses. You are excused here today.” The college professor said raising his arm and pointing toward the door, “Come back when you are able to play grown up for at least a fifty minute lecture!”
Ronald kept his head down as he gathered his things and exited the classroom. A few minutes later he found himself walking across campus unsure what to do next. It wasn’t entirely his fault that he wasn’t getting enough sleep at night. His activities as Firestorm couldn’t very well be scheduled around his studies or bedtime.
He argued that very point with Professor Stein on more then one occasion. But Stein insisted that he continue with his college studies first and his activities as Firestorm should remain second. Always the voice of reason, Stein convinced Raymond to stay in school and pursue an education. But how could an education help him advance in life when he already possessed such incredible power as Firestorm. And almost as if on cue he recalled another of Stein’s famous pearls of wisdom:
“The powers of the mind far exceed the powers of the body.”
Ronnie had been certain that the Professor would be whistling a different tune if it had been he that had control over Firestorm instead of Ronnie. He wondered if a certain amount of jealousy existed with Stein only being an observer inside Ronnie’s mind when he was Firestorm. He would have to ask Stein sometime how much power envy held in his life?
He contemplated calling up the power of Firestorm right then and flying off to see if he could find something to do. Instead he looked over at the Physics book in his hand and contemplated heading over to the library to study up a bit before his next class. Or maybe he would find a quiet place to sleep first. Either way, he needed to head back inside soon, as thunder was rumbling across the sky. He looked up to see a large gathering of clouds overhead. A storm was rolling in rather quickly it seemed.
But before he could make a decision on what to do next, one was made for him. His body began to burn from the inside out. He tried to fight it but it was almost as if he was being forced to change into Firestorm. He tried to yell stop --- but in the next instant, he was gone!
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:52:20 GMT -5
“That was disgusting!” Catwoman growled under her breath minutes after crawling back up the chimney. She held the statuette named The Child of Bast firmly in one hand as she brushed soot off of herself with the other. She stopped when she saw a red, white, and blue clad hero float down and land a few feet away on the rooftop.
She looked over at Power Girl and forced a smile, as the rain continued to pour all around them. “I don’t want to have to fight with you.” She growled.
“Trust me. I know you don’t.” Power Girl said, smiling back and pounding her fist into her palm several times before she continued. “Hand over the kitty statue now!”
“You’re going to have to catch me first!” Catwoman said and took a few steps backward before jumping off of the roof. She turned her body, anticipating the landing, but felt her body jerk to a sudden stop. She found herself lifted mid-somersault until she hung suspended in the air by her tail.
“Okay. Now what?” Power Girl grinned.
“You really don’t know anything about cats now do you?” Selina said as she twisted and turned in the air slipping out of Power Girl’s grasp.
Selina fell to the wet ground with a thud. She looked up and saw Power Girl standing above her, still sporting a ridiculous grin. It was starting to piss Selina off!
“Like I said, you don’t want to fight me.” Power Girl said as she pressed her boot down, pinning Catwoman's arm to the ground. She reached down and pulled the statue out of Selina’s hand with ease. “This is going right back where it belongs, and then I’m dropping you off at the nearest animal shelter.”
Power Girl had been too busy boasting to realize that the black diamond from the cat’s eye had fallen to the ground in front of them. Selina used her free hand to reach over and grab the dark jewel. Anger set in. This power-drenched bimbo was about to pay for flaunting her powers and parading around in that ridiculous costume. Girl like dressed like that is only after one thing!
Power Girl reached down to pull Catwoman off of the ground.
“That was a mistake.” Catwoman proclaimed, the black jewel tightly clutched in one hand, her other one raised, claws out. She struck Power Girl, sending her flying into the air before crashing into a brick wall behind her.
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:54:32 GMT -5
“Beware the Shadowstorm…!” Ronnie Raymond heard an all too familiar voice shout from inside his mind.
“Professor Stein?” Firestorm inquired.
“Ronald! Why now? Why did you bring us here! They must be warned! He has to be stopped! He….” Stein suddenly went silent.
“I didn’t do this! I have no idea what…” Ronnie stopped himself as he began to look around him. “Where on earth are we?”
“We aren’t on Earth, Ronald.” Stein voiced echoed in his head. “We are on the far side of the moon.”
“The moon?” Firestorm shot up into the thin air in a panicked state. “What would bring us here?”
“I am afraid I know the answer to that. It was the reason I was pulled away before I could warn them. We must go back immediately.” Stein ordered.
“Wait? What’s that?” Ronnie asked as he glanced off into the distance. He turned and flew closer to a large crater on the moon’s surface. As he got closer he saw something nearly hidden behind an infinite shadow. “It looks like a building!”
“Don’t go closer. We must leave now!”
“Almost like a castle. No way I’m leaving the freakin’ moon without checking this out first.” Firestorm said, intrigued, as he flew toward the enormous structure. “It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Everything looks so dark. So cold…”
“Ronald…” Stein began.
“SHUT UP STEIN! For once just shut the hell up!” Firestorm yelled out as he landed in the courtyard right outside the vast amethyst palace.
Inside a harrowing laughter echoed through the halls.
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 17:55:59 GMT -5
Jefferson Pierce watched as Black Condor circled the sky above them.
“We need to make a decision here soon, boss man.” The green haired woman spoke while shielding her eyes, sand swirling all around them, “There’s a storm coming. A big one. I can feel it.”
“I know, Bea. Just give Condor a few more minutes. We are not leaving here until I am damn sure that the compound is empty.”
A minute later Black Condor lowered his wings and landed in front of them. “It doesn’t appear that there’s been any traffic in or out of this compound over the last several days. But as the wind continues to pick up, it’s hard to tell.”
“Damn it!” Black Lightning yelled out “Tala, anything?”
“I am not picking up any soul signatures outside of our own here.” The purple clad sorceress spoke, expanding her arms out toward the structure less then thirty yards in front of them. “We are alone here. Of this I am certain”
Black Lightning turned abruptly and walked away from the others. Fire followed after him. “You had to expect this, Jefferson. This is the third compound in as many weeks they we intended to raid. The Carnelian Order must be getting wise after two of their bases were hit already.”
“We are not getting our intel fast enough, that’s all. We nee to move quicker next time.”
Noticing that he was visibly upset, Bea gentle placed her hand on his shoulder, “We will find Anissa, Jeff. I promise you.”
He wanted to believe her but it had become increasingly hard to have faith anymore. But he refused to believe that his daughter would take part in a terrorist organization like the Carnelian Order, unless it was against her will. He would cling to that hope for as long as it took to find her and shut down every last hole those rats were hiding in.
Pierce looked Beatrice in the eye. She had such exquisite green eyes, the type you could get lost in and never find your way back again. He wanted to reach out to her, but instead choose to pull away and reach for his communicator.
“It looks like we came up empty here, Harry. There’s a storm coming, so we will camp here for the night and move out in the morning. Do you copy?”
“Negative, Pierce.” A voice crackled through his earpiece, “Pull up and get back stateside, ASAP.”
“Why? Is it the Order?” Black Lightning quickly asked.
“It seems that there is something bigger going on right now, and we may need your help.” Harry Stein said.
“Damn it Harry! I already told you I didn’t sign up to play super hero! I agreed to shut down the Order and get my daughter back. Call in the damn Justice League if you think it’s so important!”
“This may be bigger than the Justice League, Jeff. I have a woman here with me named Mona Bennett, who says her boyfriend went missing just before all the strange weather began. I need you to find him because it appears that he may to know the real reason behind the storms and it ain’t Mother Nature. I wouldn’t call you off it wasn’t serious, you know that.”
“So why this guy? What makes him so important?” Jefferson asked, holding the communicator tightly against his ear
“It appears he’s some big time scientist. Name's Bruce Gordon...”
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 18:00:43 GMT -5
“Ronald! I implore you to stop” The voice of Martin Stein rattled in his mind. “You must stop and consider what you are doing. You are confused.”
Ronald continued to walk down the long, amethyst colored walkway. “Why am I confused professor? Because a simple college student that struggles to maintain a two-point grade average couldn’t possibly be smart enough to comprehend the situation?”
“This anger. It isn’t you. It’s him.”
“Damn right I’m angry! Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I want to risk my life all the time while you sit back and judge me constantly?” Firestorm began to quicken his pace as he approached the colossal door in front of him.
“Please Ronald. I’m not judging you, but you can’t go through that door. He’s powerless if you resist him. It’s the inherent evil within humankind that fuels his power. Our rage makes him stronger. Our hatred makes him unstoppable. If you you allow your dark side to control you, he will---”
“Stop it old man! Just stop it!” Ronnie yelled, closing his eyes tight and pounding his fist into his forehead. “You’re the one trying to confuse me here!”
“No Ronald. I speak only the truth.” Stein said as Ronald reached out and slowly pulled the giant door open.
“The truth? And just how would you know the truth?”
“Because he is inside my head just as I am inside yours.” Stein’s voice echoed as Firestorm looked through the open doorway and peered across another long room before him. At the end of the room was a black throne. And upon the throne sat pure evil.
[shadow=blue,right,900]"He’s right you know. You should have stopped when you had the chance."[/shadow] The dark figure spoke, rising from the throne and walking towards Firestorm.
As the figure drew closer Ronnie saw his face as he walked out of the shadows. It was as pale as the moon itselff, and just as cold and dark.
“Stay where you are, or I'll kill you.” Firestorm shouted as he quickly raised his fists.
[shadow=blue,left,900]"Kill? Yes. But not today, and certainly not me."[/shadow] He said, moving closer to Firestorm. [shadow=blue,left,900]"It is unfortunate, the circumstances that brought us to this. I would much rather have turned you, but I feel that you would only come back to haunt me later. Martian Stein knew this. That is why I brought you here now, before things could manifest out of my control."[/shadow]
Firestorm was unable to react as he saw the dark figure’s shadow grow around him and move across the throne room floor. The shadow began to rise up and take form. Its arm began to wrap around Firestorm’s body. Ronald sudenly felt cold.
“Ronald. I’m sorry.” Stein said as his voice began to fade.
“So am I, professor. So am I...” Firestorm said, struggling to move. His strength left him and his legs buckled. He fell to the ground as the shadow creature slowly consumed him. Ronnie looked up and saw the pale face of his killer laughing at him just before everything went black.
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Post by David on Mar 28, 2007 18:11:10 GMT -5
To Be Continued!
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Post by mockingbird on Jul 28, 2011 13:03:31 GMT -5
To let us know what you think of this issue, please visit the letters page here!
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