Who You Gonna Call? [IC]

[Dr Archeville]

"I am called Chevalier," the synthesized voice replied, "French for 'Knight'. A name given to me by odzers, I would add, due to my constant battles against culteests and ze forces of darkness. I suppose it fits, so I do not object. And, oui, it was pursuit of culteests dzat lead me here to Freedom City."

You are an idiotic abomination. Your body looks like it is part cuttlefish, you stink of rotted seafood, yet you cannot survive underwater! I could drown you -- and I should!

"You have tangled with dzem, too, oui? Dzat is... dzat is how you came to be as you are now? Cursed with an inhuman form by evil culteests, using your new abilities to strike out at zhose who would do dze same to odzers?"

But that alone is not enough, oh, no. Your very existence is an abomination, a melding of human and things from a universe where their laws of physics are different from ours. You break down this reality merely by standing in one place for too long! For the good of reality itself, you must be destroyed!

[Lone Star]

"Mmmmmmm, not exactly. But I do fight against them." He wasn't about to spill his secret origin to someone he just met, even despite how incredibly stylin' he was. "They do like me, though. So what makes you want to fight against the Yellow Sign guys? Just got it out for them?" He thought of the Necronomicon, and remembered it was safe in his own private pocket dimension, which no one but him could access. The cultists were always trying to get ahold of it. "There are a number of other mystics in Freedom, I'm sure they know a little bit more about cults than I do, though."

[Dr Archeville]

Chevalier's head cocked to one side, "Dzey... like you?," the synthesized voice questioned. "Ah, but of course; dzey weesh to use you, non?"

They'll get theirs, too. Foolish whelps, meddling in things too advanced for their puny minds! So obsessed with the superstitions and old ways of the past they channel forces from non-Euclidean spaces that warps the very laws of nature! If they had their way, we'd still be in mud huts, or caves!

"As for dze culteests, I do not believe I have fought any of dzees 'Yellow Sign' cult, dzough I cannot say for sure. I do not leemeet myself to an one cult, dzough," he said with a shrug. "An eveel cult is an eveel cult, non? Les Avocats du Diable, dze Seex-Feengerd Hand, La Confrérie du Mauvais Loup, dze Circle of dze Scarlet Moon, dze Final Church... all dzose and more weesh harm upon us, so we must fight dzem unteel our last, non?"

Why has no one fought you? Are the city's so-called heroes and protectors blind?

[Lone Star]

"Very true, Chevalier. It's part of our duty. Since you asked why they "like" me, it's because obviously my origins aren't exactly good magic. I use my powers for good, though, of course. Although I wasn't exactly looked at as a hero at first, I've grown to fit into Freedom City. In my own odd way." KC smiled at the man in shining armor. He seemed like a wholesome enough fellow, although why he target cultists was another question he'd have to ask later.

[Dr Archeville]

Chevalier's nodded, "I dzeenk you and I are not so different. Dzees suit ees... ah, une moment."

That's it, keep him distracted...

The armored hero scanned the area, and pointed to a building with a wide, clear roof. "Would you mind if we landed dzere a moment? I find eet deefeecult to talk and fly at dze same time."

He awaited Kid Cthulhu's answer before banking towards the rooftop.

[Lone Star]

"Sounds good! I could use a little rest myself." KC flapped his wings, and started to bank towards the rooftop like some hellish vulture. "It took me a while to get used to these wings. Now it's as easy as walking, practically." He landed on the roof, and retracted his wings back into his back. He stretched, cracking his spine lightly. He sighed in relief- it was getting very cold out. Chevalier seemed like a nice enough fellow, even despite his being French.

[Dr Archeville]

Exxxcellent... quick scan to see if anyone is around...

Chevalier's landed, the boosters at his back flaring open to aid in cooling. "Encounters weedz culteests is why I am in dzees suit... and why eet ees less a suit and more a second skeen."

Now for a bit of traumatic background...

"A vile sorcerer stole my seester, and left me for dead, but I pursued heem. Eet took me years to fin heem, but while I hunted I encountered many odzer supernatural foes, and fought dzem all. I saved some lives, put out a few fires... but one time, I was overwhelmed, and came close to dyeeng again. But I deed not let dzat stop me! Non!" He struck a heroic pose, "I had my life support machines converted into dzees suit, and had rockets and armor and weapons added so I could better fight dze forces of eveel! But... " The synthetic voice sighed, "I can never remove dzees suit, I am confined to eet forever... so even eef I find my seester, I weell not be able to touch her..."

Now to see if he buys it...

[Lone Star]

Needless to say, KC believed him. "Oh my god." KC said, his eyes full of concern. "I'm so sorry, I mean. I didn't know. I had no idea. That must be horrible for you. Well, if it helps you any, I will give you a hand anytime you need it." He never was the perceptive type. One of KC's flaws, unfortunately, is that he saw the good in everyone. He looked into the man's eyes and saw a soul trapped in a suit of armor.

[Dr Archeville]

Looks like the holographic disguise at the eyeslits is functioning as expected!

"Much appreciated, monsieur," Chevalier said with a slight bow. "And eef you are ever een need of help against dze Yellow Sign culteests, please, do not heseetate to call!"

Not that you will have to worry about them for much longer. But I need to be cautious, as I still am unsure what all he can do. Ah, I have it. I should be able to move my hand just enough to activate my sensor's self-diagnostic, and I can play off the beeps it makes as-

Chevalier's left forearm began beeping, and blinking lights seeped out of a few of the panels. He flipped the open and studied the readouts. "Speak of le Diable! I have dzees tied into certain police scanners, with some programs for feeltering out events of eenterest. And according to dzees, dzere have just been two break-eens, one at dze Never-Ending Story in Reeverside, and one at dze Super Museum in Midtown; in both cases figures in dark robes were seen. I believe I can fly faster dzan you," his synthesized voice shouted over his thrusters, "so let me go to dze fardzer place -- dze book store -- while yo go to dze Museum; hopefully I can join you dzere later!"

Yeesss... this will work quite well... I'll double back, alter the color of the suit to something more ominous, and then... Science shall triumph!

[Lone Star]

KC gasped in surprise. "Alright, sounds good Chevalier. I will meet you there." KC flew to the museum as fast as his wings would take him, flapping them in the night air. He looked back at the golden knight, and redoubled his efforts. He hoped it wasn't the Collector again.

A short while later, KC landed at the front of the Freedom City Museum. "Hello?" The alarm was already sounding. He flew to the top of the roof to find it had been broken into, but there were no cultists to be seen. They must already be inside. He leapt inside the museum, extending his wings to break his fall. He stood up, and looked around. Where on earth were they?

[Dr Archeville]

Foolish abomination! Good thing for me your flight speed is as slow as your wits.

"Chevalier" had already doubled back, and had actually reached the Super-Museum before Kid Cthulhu. He had smashed through a roof window, and an alarm was sounding; police would be there within approximately four minutes. Surely he would know to bypass that, though, would he not? Ah, but all quasi-genocidal megalomaniacs needs an audience, to make sure their deeds are known... but perhaps there was something more. Could it be the part of Doktor Archeville, the hero, was still inside, struggling to act, to stop his Other Side, and had let the alarm go off to insure that police and paramedics would get there in time to better save Kid Cthulhu's life?

Whatever the reasons, "Chevalier" waited, in the Hall of Mysteries, the section of the Supers Museum dedicated to the mystical and supernatural heroes, like Eldrich, Horus the Avenger, and the second Siren.

Now, to draw him in. But I will need to lift my armor's faceplate to do so; the speech synthesizer is too distinctive for him to not realize it's me.

The faceplate lifted up; moonlight glinted off black scales. "Ssssss...."

[Lone Star]

KC walked the museum, lighting his way with a glow of mystic fire. He took a moment to look at the paintings and statues, and would have taken much more time if he had any. As he crossed into the mystic section, he senses a disturbance in The Force. KC ducked behind a wall, hoping whatever was in there didn't see him. After a minute, he peeked around the corner. He shined his mystic fire in the room, searching. His light hit something. A gigantic figure was standing, almost waiting. "Hey! Get out here!" KC's voice wavered slightly. "You're under arrest for breaking and entering! Now get out here!"

[Dr Archeville]

Kid Cthulhu did see a large figure, though one might wonder why he saw it, since the armor did include a cloaking feature. Was this more of Evil!Archeville's hubris, or of Good!Archeville trying to warn the pseudonatural superhero who walked into certain doom?

Now it begins.

Th figure stepped forward, revealing itself to be a large dark gray metallic figure with red light seeping out at the seams. A golem? A robot? A cultist in a suit of armor? Blake Salazar would ponder these questions later, but for now, he was more concerned with the jets of intense red flame shooting out of the figures palms, engulfing not just him but half the Hall of Mysteries!

Burn the impure, and all these idols!

[Lone Star]

KC looked on in horror as the figure revealed itself. There was not a moment more to contemplate it as the flames reached him! He flew back, his skin set afire. He flew into the hallway in front of the exhibit, thrashing as he tried to get the fire off of his skin. He screamed as his flesh was being roasted. "What the hell are you?" he screamed out as he tried to right himself. The burns on his skin sent lances of white-hot pain right up his spine, and he lay on the ground, unable to act.

[Dr Archeville]

The Hall of Mysteries burned all about Kid Cthulhu! A mannequin of Eldrich was wreathed in flame, and picture frames all along the walls cracked from the heat. The sprinkler overhead burst to life, but they seemed to do little to the intense blaze.

Still up? Good... I wouldn't want this to be over too soon.

The figure continued its grim silence, though the soft whirring sounds coming from it indicated some form of mechanism. KC thought he saw some of the red lights on it shift around, but he was not certain. It arched its fingers slightly, getting the talons at the end into attack position, then dashed with incredible speed towards the prone Kid, leaping up slightly to deliver a devastating blow!

Die! Die! DIE FOR SCIENCE!

[Lone Star]

KC howled in agony as he was lifted from the ground. The claws were in his stomach, and he grabbed onto the hand to keep from having his torso gutted like a fish. Every moment he continued to live was horrible, hellish agony. He growled at the monster, and his mouth foamed. "KILL ME! IF YOU'VE GOT THE BALLS TO DO IT! JUST GET IT OVER WITH!" he screamed at the top of his lungs, every bit of his dignity shredded in the monstorous pain he felt.

[Dr Archeville]

Why won't you die?!

The red lights in the figures helmet flared, and KC felt another piledriver punch land, this time square in his solar plexus (or whatever cthulhoid equivalent he had). He flew back, through burning display cases, walls, and the large glass doors, stopping in a crumpled heap at the foot of the 20-foot bronze sculpture "Atlas Triumphant" which stood outside the Supers Museum.

Yes!

Moments later, the figure strode forward out of the Museum, and surveyed its handiwork. It surveyed the scene, those few bystanders out attracted to the sounds of battle. It pointed one taloned finger at the crumpled hero, and a screeching, rage-filled voice screamed out, "such is the fate of all supernaturals!"

Police siren filled the air, and fire truck klaxons soon followed, but the figure was gone before authorities arrived.

Kid Cthulhu awoke in a featureless void.

[Lone Star]

As was previously stated, KC woke up in a featureless void. He looked around for a moment, and then began to think. Holy crap! That hurt like hell! Am I dead? Where's the big guy? Why do I not hurt anymore? He looked around and saw nothing. Is this heaven? Hell? Probably purgatory. Yeah, that makes sense. I've done some good and bad. Or, well. I did good with the bad. Maybe God's trying to figure out what the hell to do with me. He floated in what seemed to be the air. Or maybe I'm just in a coma. Forever lost in this world without features, until they finally decide to pull the plug. That's real friggin' optimistic. I mean...I don't think I deserve this." He crossed his arms. I wish I had like...a Scrabble board. This sucks.

[Dr Archeville]

When Blake looked down at himself, he saw he was still in his Cthulhu form, and had all the injuries he'd sustained. He could see and smell his charred flesh, the large hole the unknown assailant had punched into him, pones jutting out at unhealthy angles. And yet, he felt no pain.

He also felt no sense of up or down, or heat or cold. Just numbness.

But the numbness left and pain flooded in as tentacles -- so long he could not see where they originates from! -- sprang at him and lashed around his ankles, wrists, and neck!

Meat-Thing. Blake did not hear the words so much as the memory of having heard them slid into his mind. Attend.

The void before him folded in on itself, separating into ground and sky, though all still the same indistinct gray. Rain fell on the ground, and out of the mud slithered blind worms. The tentacles moved Blake so the ran fell on him, and as it dripped off him and to the ground, one of the worms changed, growing and turning a sickly green. It turned its blind, tri-jawed head to the sky, and roared. It thrashed about, crushing other worms under its mighty coils, making blasphemous patterns in the mud as it danced about... until another worm stood up to it. As it charged forward, it took on the same sickly green coloration, while the worm-beat sat, staring. Rather than grow to gigantic size, the charging worm's head morphed and tapered into a metallic needle, which it rammed into the giant worm-beast! The beast fell, dead.

Blake felt a tingle in his hands, the same he felt when he prepared his eldritch fire. He felt the green flame be pulled out into his palm, then the tentacle binding that wrist pulled, flicking his wrist and sending the green flame down, incinerating the worm-beast.

[Lone Star]

KC saw his magic fire burn the worm beast, and he struggled against the tentacles binding him. "Aggh, why are you showing me this? What are you? Take me back to Earth, you monster!" He grunted and struggled more, but to no avail. Kid Cthulhu was trapped in what he believed to be the beast that had been inside of him for a few years now. The Unspeakable One. He didn't think he'd escape this dimension with his life, much less his sanity.

[Dr Archeville]

Reflection slid into Blake's mind. Failure.

A light caught Blake's eye. At first, he thought it was a green star, twinkling in the gray sky, but it kept growing, bigger and bigger. A bolt of eldrich flame so huge it could wipe out a city, and it was headed straight for him. The tentacles released and withdrew, pulling back to wherever it was beyond his field of vision they originated from.

Comprehension dawned. The forbidden texts he'd read indicated that the Nameless Ones do not speak as such, but communicate by telepathically projecting images directly into other minds; he was only able to get some words due to his unique link to them. The worms he'd seen were the mass of humanity, and the one he had dripped on was him, empowered by preternatural energy. A similarly enhanced worm killed it, and then he was made to incinerate the worm-beasts remains...

... just as Blake himself has been empowered by preternatural energy, killed (apparently by another preternaturally-enhanced human)... and now a bolt of eldrich flame was coming for him!

The eldrich star-bolt slammed into him, replacing his cold numbness with searing pain! He felt his wings burn off, his facial tentacles wither away, his rubbery flesh boiling off. Now the preternatural part of him was gone, leaving Blake Salazar... and he began to burn, too.

[Avenger Assembled]

Blake fell, and seemed to fall forever, as the flames of eldritch energy burned across and through his body. Then, suddenly, as if from nowhere and everywhere, he heard a blast of celestial trumpets and felt a strong, powerful hand grab his. "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? AND NOT ONE OF THEM FALLS TO THE GROUND APART FROM THE CREATOR'S WILL!" Heyzel of Heaven, the angel of Freedom, swooped down from the clouds above to catch Blake by the hand, pulling the pure human soul so discarded by the Adversary from the pit of destruction. "Live free, Blake Salazar!"

[Lone Star]

Blake's mouth dropped. "Thanks!" was the only word he could spit out. He had been saved from an unspeakable force of evil by Heyzel, the Freedom Angel. As he regained rational thought, Blake looked at the powerful figure holding him. "Umm...no more Necronomicon. Bad books are bad." He was still recovering from his mind-shattering experience. "Also, I owe you some serious Starbucks."

[Dr Archeville]

Blake's senses shifted.

"Doctor!," he heard over a weak, faint beep. "His pulse!"

"What? That's not... right, this kid may yet pull through! Keep at it, people!"

Though one bleary eye -- the other was too swollen to open -- Blake found himself in a trauma center, being cared for by half a dozen medical staff. A sharp awareness of immense pain flooded into him, but he realized it was the pain of his badly battered -- but still alive -- human body.

Blake would spend weeks in the hospital recovering, but he knew the most damaging, infectious, corrupt part, the pseudonatural taint of the Nameless Ones, was gone from him. When he was strong enough to try, he found he could no longer shift into his Kid Cthulhu form. He'd been given the rarest of things: a second chance.

~fin~