Solar Sentinel

[Thunder King]

I am not alone.

I'm writing this down, because if I don't I might forget it. So here goes;

Last night, I had a dream that four colored fires were hurling towards the Earth at me. It was like watching multicolored falling stars. Green, Red, Yellow, Purple. Fire like mine, like my power.

In my dream I watched as four beings made of fire rushed through the atmosphere at me. I watched as they attacked me and each other. We battled through the city, but I didn't understand why. As one of them struck the other dead, I saw a fire floating in mid-air, like a little ball of stationary fire. Then, the victor grabbed the flame with his or her bare hand and claimed their power. I then understood; they were fighting over the fires. You can have more than one.

I know now, that I am not alone. I know that the power I have is far greater than I imagined it to be, and that it isn't unique. I know that there are five of them. I know that the last fire has been taken by someone, somewhere. If I know they exist, then they must know that I exist.

I know now, that they are coming for me. I know that at least one of them wants to kill the rest and steal their power. They're going to fight a war, and Earth is their intended battlefield. I will be ready.

Edited June 17, 2013 by Thunder King

[Thunder King]

Interview/20 Questions;

 

After helping rescue a couple of people who had gotten into a car accident, Solar Sentinel had been pulled aside by a young reporter with a notepad and a recording device. He agreed to give the interview, which he was told would end up on a 'blog' which once he asked, was apparently an article on the internet.  He really didn't mind the interview. Once he gave out his heroic ID and all that, the interview process began;

1. Okay, Solar Sentinel, where are you from?

"I was originally born in Kentucky many years ago."

2. Any way you'd give us a clue as to what you look like under that mask?

"Well, I'm taller than average. I have brown hair, brown eyes, short hair. I try to keep myself pretty average looking."

3. That's an odd accent, may I ask where it came from?

"Space. Well, space and Kentucky. I was born on Earth, got kidnapped by aliens. So when I learned their language, I ended up with an alien/southern accent. I disguise it out of costume though."

4. What is your hero's motivation?

"I fought in the Great War, though I suppose it's now called World War One. I then fought in a war in space. Nowadays I do what I do because it helps people, and I've fought so long I wouldn't know what to do if I didn't."

5. What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?

"My stubbornness is both, really. I push and push and push until I succeed. Sometimes I don't give up on something until it hurts me not to."

6. What do you love? What do you hate?

"I love coming home every day and feeling like I did something. I hate it when something is just out of reach. That I can almost do it, but can't quite."

7. How would you describe your mental and emotional state?

"I've spent the past year turning human again. I was a soldier for so long that I thought of things in combat terms. I'd go to a restaurant and look at it from a tactical perspective. Where are the exits, how strong is that countertop. It's paid off sometimes, but I do wish I could turn it off. I'm better than I was, but not where I want to be."

8. What do you fear the most?

"That the soldier will just take everything else over. That I'll get to a point where I can't relax, where it's marching and drilling and fighting, with no room for me. I could have stayed in space and help clean up after the war, but frankly, that would have finished burning me out."

9. What is your greatest ambition?

"To get to a point where I've saved more lives than I ever took. I don't suppose I'll ever lose that guilty feeling, but if I balance my, what is that word 'karma', I think I can live with that. You never get rid of it, but you can learn to live with it, you know?"

10. How do you hero about the state of the world and your place in it?

"You know what? The world is a lot more complex than it used to be. Technology is so far ahead of where it was when I left that it wears me down sometimes. But then I see that people are trying to shut out hate and bigotry. I mean, when I left, I had these prejudices. These parts of me that said 'that's not right, that doesn't work', but then I found out that the universe is just so much bigger than a small minded man, and I couldn't dislike a man because his skin was a different color when there are people who aren't human, but still people. So when I see that we're striving to make a world where people are people no matter what color they are or who they love? I like that, I want to be part of that."

11. Do you have any prejudices? How do you get along with others?

"I try not to, really. When I was in the Great War, it was easy to hate the Germans. They were the enemy, and when it's you and some other guy, each one trying to kill the other. You try not to think about their friends and family. Who might miss them. Now, now I make myself think about that stuff, so I remember why I'm fighting now. As far getting along, I feel like an alien on my own world. I don't know any technology or celebrities or anything. So I just sort of keep to myself. It can get lonely.

12. Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?

"To life, to my homeworld, to my country. I love what this country tries to stand for, but the world is a lot bigger than that."

13. Do you have a lover or partner? How do they feel about you now?

"I'm kind of dating this one lady, but other than that, no, not really."

14. Do you have a family? What is the relationship there like?

"I have no living relatives that I know of. None of the ones I do have would know me anyway. In fact, I've never really had a family, not really."

15. How would the people closest to you describe you?

"Stiff, boring, maybe. Nice, but boring."

16. Are you a role model?

"I don't think so, but I'd be okay with it if some kids decided to emulate me. I'm trying to be a better person and to help people. I don't think there's anything wrong with trying to be like that."

17. How spiritual are you? Do you follow a religious tradition?

"I don't feel comfortable answering that question. I just want to say that yes, I have faith, but I would rather keep things private on that."

18. Are you part of a team, or would you like to be? Why?

"I'd like to be part of a team. I know my strengths and weaknesses, and I think I could do well in a group."

19. How do you feel about the place of metahumans and aliens on Earth?

"If you've got something different about you, something that gives you an edge, you should use that for everyone's benefit. Help people. If you think you have a right to use that gift to hurt others, or to benefit yourself in spite of the harm it does to others, watch out. We will come for you."

20. If you could give one piece of advice to your hero, what would it be?

Peace will come, Henry, and you won't have to fight forever.

 

After the young lady got up with her recorder and notebook, Solar Sentinel went on his way.

[Thunder King]

Introduction

Who are you? Sum yourself up in one sentence.
I am Henry Mason, veteran of ninety years of war and superhero.

Do you have any nicknames, street names, titles, or nom de plume?

Other than my superhero name, no


[b]What is your full birth name?[/b]
Henry William Mason

[b]Where do you live?[/b]
In a humble apartment in Freedom City

[b]How old are you? What year were you born (if applicable)? [/b]
I am 117 years old, and I was born in 1896

[b][u]Physical Traits[/u][/b]

[b]What is your gender? If not applicable, please explain.[/b]
Male

[b]How would you describe your heritage?[/b]
Caucasian, I'm fairly sure my ancestors came to Kentucky in the mid 1700s

[b]How tall are you?[/b]
6'3"

[b]What is your body type?[/b]
Muscular

[b]Do you have any particular weaknesses, such as allergies or physical disabilities?[/b]
No, I'm as healthy as I've been for eighty years

[b]How do you carry yourself? Are you graceful, or heavy on your feet? Can you be stealthy, do you walk with confidence? [/b]
I was drilled by the US Army to march, and to walk with my head held high. I've never gotten out of that practice

[b]Describe your skin, eye, and hair color. [/b]
White, brown and brown

[b]How do you wear your hair, if applicable? Do you have facial hair?[/b]
I keep my hair short, and I don't let my facial hair grow.

[b]Do you consider yourself attractive? Do others?[/b]
I think I'm slightly above average, and I've never struggled to meet women by my looks alone.

[b]Do you have any scars, tattoos, piercings, or birthmarks?[/b]
I have a few old scars from when I was a youngster, no tattoos, piercings or birthmarks though.

[b]Do you resemble anyone famous?[/b]
No, not really.

[b]Do you have a dominant hand?[/b]
I am right handed

[b]What kind of clothing do you wear?[/b]
I prefer button up shirts and slacks, I wear a suit from time to time and I always wear a hat when I go out.

[b]Do you wear makeup?[/b]
No

[b]What is your vocal range? Is your voice distinctive in some way?[/b]
My voice is deeper than most

[b]Do you have any distinctive habits, nervous tics, or mannerisms? Where did they come from, and what causes them? Do other people notice and remark on these habits? Do they annoy you or other people? [/b]

I speak slower than most people in Freedom City do, it's just the way things were done when I was young. Some people have picked up on it, and I've never met anyone who was especially annoyed by it.


[b][u]History[/u][/b]

[b]Where do you come from?[/b]
Kentucky, then Freedom City, then space

[b]Have you made any major moves, or do you live in your hometown?[/b]
I moved from Adolphus Kentucky to Freedom City, then got myself taken into space by aliens.

[b]Do you feel loyal to your country of citizenship? Do you consider yourself patriotic? How do you feel about the government of your country?[/b]
I've been gone so long,  I don't even recognize the country I was born in. I'm loyal though.

[b]How do you feel about the place you come from? [/b]
I've never had anything but pride for being a small town boy

[b]Where is your home town? What was/is it like?[/b]
Adolphus Kentucky, a tiny town in the middle of nowhere. No idea what it's like now

[b]Growing up, were most of the people you knew similar to you, or were you somehow a minority? How did that affect you? [/b]
I was pretty typical, though I had no family to speak of for most of my life

[b]Is there something you've always been really good at or really bad at? How has that affected your life?
I've always been good at fighting. From fistfights as a kid to fights in bars as an adult, to two different wars. I'm a natural at it, I guess. Sometimes I wish I had a different talent.

Were there any traumatic experiences in your early years (death of a family member, abandonment, orphaned at an early age)?
I lost both parents by the time I was twelve years old

Briefly describe a defining moment in your childhood and how it influenced your life.
My momma got sick and died when I was twelve. I'll never forget how it felt to feel completely alone. Suppose I'm protecting the little people out there.

What stupid things did you do when you were younger?
I was a little bit of a hellion. Picking fights and winning 'em. Never a bully though, always the one fightin' the bullies

Where did you go to school? How much school did you have, and did you enjoy it?
Sunday school was about all I ever got. I learned my numbers and sums as a youth and learned to read in the army

Do you have any mementos of your childhood? What are they, and why did you keep them? If you have none, why not?
Nothing remains of my childhood. I got shifted around so much by the time I joined the army, there wasn't anything left

When did you decide to become a hero? Why? Did anyone influence you one way or another in the decision?
I have blood on my hands.  You can argue how innocent that blood is, but if getting this old has taught me anything, is that blood is blood. I want to do some good, fight the good fight, help people for a change

Is the reason you give people for becoming a hero different than your real reason? If so, why?
I don't mince words. See, when people ask, I tell them. I'm an old soldier just tryin' to make things straight.

Do you have any deep, dark secrets in the past that may come back to haunt you?
I've killed a lot of people in my day. Humans, aliens, by the hundreds.

Do you represent yourself as being different from who you really are? Why?

I can't, it ain't in my nature to turn myself from one thing to another. Just ain't.

If you do have these secrets, what do you fear would happen if the truth became known? How far would you go to protect those secrets?
I'm too old to be afraid of people finding things out about me. Only thing I like to keep secret is my identity.

Do you have any sort of criminal record? If so, is it public knowledge?

No, but I probably should. Nowadays I'd have assaults and stuff on my record


Family


What are your biological parents' names? [/b]
I...I don't remember. They've been dead for over a hundred years

[b]Were you raised by them? If not, please explain and describe who raised you.[/b]
I got passed around from relative to relative. Nobody wanted me, nobody knew what to do with me. I was an angry, violent, disrespectful, fearless kid. I took beatings and just laughed. What could they do?

[b]What was their standing in the community? What did/do they do for a living?[/b]
Momma was a housewife, no idea what dad did

[b]Where are your parents now?[/b]
Dead and buried

[b]Did your family stay in one area or move around a lot?[/b]
I did, certainly. First my grandfather, then my aunt and uncle, then the army.

[b]How did you get along with their parents? How do you get along with them now (if applicable).[/b]
I was a good youngster until they died

[b]How do your parents view you now, or how would they? [/b]
I honestly don't know. My parents have nothing to do with the man I am today. I hope they'd be proud of me

[b]Do you have any siblings? If so how many and what are their names? Describe your relationship with them.[/b]
I was an only child

[b]What was your birth order in the family?[/b]
Only one

[b]Where are your siblings now (if applicable)? Do they have families of their own? What do they do?[/b]
Only child

[b]Do you stay in touch with them or have you become estranged?[/b]
Only child

[b]Do you love or hate one member of the family in particular?[/b]
I have no family. What little I did died a long time ago

[b]Is any member of the family special to you in any way (perhaps, as a confidant, mentor, or arch-rival)?[/b]
I got nothing more to say about family

[b]Are there any black (or white) sheep in the family (including you)? If so, please explain.[/b]
See above

[b]Do you have a notorious or celebrated ancestor? If so, please explain, including how it has affected your life.[/b]
I have no idea, the only thing I have left of my ancestry is my last name, and even that I have no idea about.

[b]Do you have a partner and children currently? If so, please describe them.[/b]
I am single

[b]If you do not have a partner or children, do you want them someday? How firm are you in your opinion on this, and what might change your mind?[/b]
I have no idea if I want them. I don't know if I'll ever age again, I wouldn't want to outlive a potential lover by a hundred years

[b]What type of person would be your ideal mate?[/b]
Someone smart, fun, and sassy.


[b][u]Relationships[/u][/b]

[b]Do you have any close friends? If so, please describe them, and how you came to be close to them.[/b]
The men and women I serve with in the fire department are the closest to friends I have

[b]Do you have a best friend? If so, how did they become your best friend? How close are you to your best friend?[/b]
Can't say I do

[b]If you were to go missing, who would worry about you?[/b]
Fire department people, Lucy, other heroes that would notice I wasn't coming around

[b]Have you lost any loves? If so, how did it happen, and what did you do?[/b]
I've really never been in love

[b]Do you have any bitter enemies? If so, please describe them and their history with you.[/b]
I've outlived every enemy I ever had

[b]If you have enemies, how do you think they might attempt to work against you in the future?[/b]
They'd have to be alive again first

[b]What is the worst thing someone has done to you?[/b]
Died on me

[b]Where do your loyalties lie? In what order?[/b]
Life, humanity, the USA

[b]Who or what do you trust the most? Why?[/b]
I don't have anyone close enough to me to trust that much

[b]Who or what do you despise? Why?[/b]
Bullies and anyone who preys on the weak

[b]What qualities do you admire most in other people? Are these qualities you possess?[/b]
Bravery, smarts and determination. I think I have the first and last, but I'll admit I'm not the smartest man.

[b]What qualities do you hate most in other people? Do you have any of those qualities?[/b]
Cowardice and arrogance. I haven't been afraid of anything longer than most people have been alive.

[b]Do you have a secret identity? If so, who knows it? Do you hide it from people who are close to you? Why? [/b]
Yes, most people don't know I'm a hero. I have no one close to me, so I hide it

[b]Do you work well on teams and in groups? Are you a leader or a follower?[/b]
I always have worked well with others. I can follow if I have to, but when fights start up I usually take up that mantle.

[b]Are you on a super team? If so, how do you get along with your comrades? Do you trust them, or do you have secrets from them?[/b]
No team

[b]Are you a member of any church, fraternal organization, club, committee, political party, or other group? How much time do you spend on that?[/b]
I'm a member of the Fire Department, and I get a little involved in that.


[b][u]Personality & Beliefs[/u][/b]

[b]Who are your heroes?[/b]
No

[b]Did you ever become disillusioned with former heroes or idols? If so, why and what were the circumstances?[/b]
Commanding officer in the Zarnashi military wanted to keep fighting and was willing to hurt his own people to do it.

[b]Do you like being a hero? If so, what is the most rewarding part? If not, what makes you keep doing it?[/b]
I do it because it helps me sleep at night. It helps alleviate the guilt I've been living with for years

[b]Is there anything that would make you give up hero work, or even switch sides?[/b]
One day, I'll feel like I don't have to fight anymore. I would rather die than hurt the innocent.

[b]What are your short term goals (what would you like to be doing within a year)?[/b]
I'd like to meet more heroes and get involved in the community more.

[b]What are your long term goals (what would you like to be doing twenty years from now)?[/b]
I have no idea. I live one day at a time.

[b]What is your greatest fear? Why? What do you do when something triggers this fear?[/b]
I fear nothing. I've outlived all of my fears

[b]Is there anything you would give you life for? [/b]
To save people, if I had to. I've lived long enough.

[b]How do you feel about money and material wealth? Do you desire it or disdain it? Are you miserly with what you have, or do you like to share? Is it a mark of success, or a means to an end?[/b]
Money is a tool, and like every tool, it needs to be used responsibly.

[b]How do you generally treat others?[/b]
With respect and politeness.

[b]Are you a trusting person? Has your trust ever been abused?[/b]
I don't have any trust issues, but I'm not a trusting person by nature.


[b]Are you introverted (shy and withdrawn) or extroverted (outgoing)? Do you have a lot of self-confidence?[/b]

Solitude suits me, I think that's what introverted means. I have confidence in some places, not others. On the battlefield I have absolute confidence, social situations I just fall back onto the things I was trained to do.

[b]How do you act around attractive, available members of your preferred sex? [/b]
Badly. I have no idea how to court a woman nowadays.

[b]What are your most annoying habits?[/b]
I never do anything quickly if I can do it well

[b]Do you feel contempt for any general category of people? Who are they, and why?[/b]
Bullies, the arrogant, anyone who thinks it's acceptable to hurt others


[b]What is your favorite food? Do you prefer any particular type of food? Do you take the time to enjoy your food, or do you eat as fast as you can?[/b]
The military made me eat quickly, both of them. I try to savor food. As for favorites, I like fried chicken, it's one of the few things I can get almost the same way I got it when I was young.

[b]What is your favorite drink (alcoholic or otherwise)?[/b]
Beer. I can't drink this modern stuff though. I think someone changed the formulas. So I have to go with smaller businesses.


[b]What is your favorite treat (dessert)?[/b]
Chocolate bars. I don't have a sweet tooth most of the time, but chocolate was a rare food when i was young.

[b]Are there any specific foodstuffs that you find disgusting or refuse to eat?[/b]
I know it sounds ignorant, but most foreign food. I don't see how people can eat Japanese or Indian or Chinese food. I understand they eat it, and why, but old habits die hard.

[b]What is your favorite color? Are there any colors you dislike?[/b]
I've always been fond of blue, like the sky. I don't like wearing yellow or red.

[b]What sort of music do you like? Is there any that you hate?[/b]
Heh, well, I like ragtime, bluegrass, I dislike most modern music. Just don't see the appeal.

[b]If you have a favorite scent, what is it?[/b]
Fresh cut grass

[b]Do you have a favorite animal?[/b]
Dogs

[b]What is your most treasured possession? Why?[/b]
I don't have one

[b]Do you enjoy "roughing it", or do you prefer your creature comforts?[/b]
I do enjoy the comforts of civilization, but if you told me I had to live in a tent, I could do it in a minute.

[b]Is there a job or a task you would absolutely refuse to do?[/b]
Not if it didn't involve hurting or killing. I've done dirty jobs before.

[b]Do you consider yourself a spiritual person? If so, how do your beliefs affect your life?How important is it to you?[/b]
I don't like to talk about my faith, sorry

[b]Was your faith influenced or molded by anyone special?[/b]
Everyone went to church when I was a kid

[b]If you belong to a religious organization, how often do you attend? Do you have a specific place of worship, or friends within the organization? How much do you agree with the beliefs of your organization? [/b]
I sometimes go to a local church. Go sit in the back and listen to the sermon.

[b]Could you kill? Have you killed?[/b]
I don't want to, but I could. I have, that's all I'm going to say.

[b] What circumstances led to you forming that conviction, or taking that action?[/b]
War

[b]Are there circumstances under which you believe it is permissible to kill? What are they?
War, most of the time

[b]How would you react to watching someone kill another person? Would your reaction be different if the killer was a friend or an enemy of yours? [/b]
I've seen it before, and I probably would react differently

[b]How would you react if something important was stolen from you?[/b]
Unless it was irreplaceable, I probably wouldn't much care

[b]How would you react to public humiliation?[/b]
Just put my hat on, and walk away

[b]How would you react if a good friend or relative were purposely or accidentally killed? Has it happened to you?[/b]
Help bring those responsible to justice. Yes, yes it has

[b]What do you consider to be the worst crime someone could commit and why?[/b]
Murder. Life has potential until it ends.

[b]If your life were to end in 24 hours, what five things would you do in those remaining hours?[/b]
I'd pray, then just sit and watch the world go by. I wouldn't be sad, I'd just let it go.


[b][u]Career & Training[/u][/b]


[b]Do you have any special training in your hero skills? If so, where and how did you get it?[/b]
Nearly a century of combat experience

[b]Who taught you the most about your heroing abilities? What was your relationship with that person?[/b]
Nobody taught me anything

[b]Do you have any particularly unusual skills? How did you acquire them?[/b]
Not really, no

[b]Do you do something besides hero work for a living? Have you ever done anything else, or do you plan to?[/b]
I'm a firefighter. I help rescue people

[b]What is your preferred combat style?[/b]
Punching

[b]Have you ever received any awards or honours?[/b]
I was promoted in both armies, and discharged with honors.

[b]What skill areas would you like most to improve in? Is there anything you can't do that you wish desperately you could?
I'd really just like to get better at the heroing business. I'd like to make more friends, but it's not easy.

How do you act around people who are more skilled than you in areas you'd like to improve? Are you jealous, or do you try and learn?[/b]
I keep my mouth closed and my eyes open. I watch and learn


[b][u]Lifestyle & Hobbies[/u][/b]

[b]What is a normal day for you? How do you feel when something interrupts this routine?[/b]
I have no normal days. I get up, grab coffee, eat breakfast, then everything changes

[b]Do you have any hobbies, or interests outside hero work? What are they, and where did you pick them up?[/b]
I've been picking up, what are they called, mp3s, from days gone by. I like to watch old movies.

[b]What do you do for fun?[/b]
listen to music and watch old music

[b]Do you have a costume? What does it look like?[/b]
It's blue and yellow, and looks sleek

[b]How do you normally dress when not in costume?[/b]
Button up shirts, slacks. Sometimes a suit

[b]What do you wear to bed most nights?[/b]
This is an odd questionnaire

[b]Do you wear any special jewelry? What is it, and what does it look like?[/b]
I wear a watch, it's old fashioned, but I'm an old fashioned man


[b]Do you have a special place where you keep your valuables?[/b]
No

[b]What's your preferred means of local travel? How about long distance?
I fly everywhere I can get away with it. When that isn't possible, I take the bus.


Miscellaneous

Have you ever made a will, or tried to make arrangements for your death? What provisions did you make?
I have no provisions to make

If your features were to be destroyed beyond recognition, is there any other way of identifying your body?
Not really, though I suppose my dental records are on file with the Freedom League

What would you like to be remembered for after your death?
As a hero

Do you believe you pose a threat to the public? Why or why not?
I could, if I decided I wanted to start killing people. I'm fast, I'm tough. But I never would.

What do you perceive as your greatest strength?
My courage

What do you perceive as your greatest weakness?
I'm out of touch

As a player, if you could, what advice would you give your character? Speak as if he/she were sitting right here in front of you. Use proper tone so they might heed your advice...

Henry, you can't live if you can't learn to let go. You killed people in war, it was kill or be killed. Now you can try to move on.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Thunder King

[Thunder King]

It was the last day of the war. The Makh'rell high command were held up in a bunker on their home world, confident that their walls would keep even the blue scourge away. They threw an entire legion of troops at the enemy in suicide runs, hoping for a last ditch survival act.

 

He came upon them like a war god. When he found out where they were, he requested as many troops as the Zarnashi forces could spare for one last attack. Wearing jump packs and wielding pulse rifles, they punctured the last of the Makh'rell line in a single blow. With that many foes before them, theMakh'rell simply broke. They knew the greatest enemy they had was upon them, and threw down their weapons. Henry was sick of fighting, and sick of war. The more troops surrendered, the less blood there would be.

 

The walls held for a few minutes, which was impressive because of the thousands of pulse rifles and plasma batteries that were slamming into it. When Henry applied his own power to it, it still withheld for a while. Then a orbital pulse cannon slammed into the roof of the bunker, and Henry descended into the command chamber, escorting the Zarnashi high commander in to arrange terms of surrender. A battle that took millions of lives, and the last battle had no casualties on either side.

 

Initially, they asked him to stay to help facilitate peace. He was loved by the Zarnashi and had a healthy respect from the Makh'rell. No prisoner was ever treated cruelly by anyone in his command. But when he told them that he was weary of war, they understood, and dropped him off.

 

The Freedom League asked a lot of questions, and he found himself re-educated on what it meant to be human. The world he left was so different than the world he arrived on, he felt like an alien.

After a few months, he felt confident in his ability to rejoin humanity, as bewildering as the world was to him. He was a solitary man, and when it came time to find a job, he decided to become a firefighter. It was a rewarding career, and with his abilities, he was a natural at it. It alleviated some of the guilt he had for taking as many lives as he had. While he could never totally wash his hands, he felt that to embrace true justice, he must face a penance. That penance was to spend the rest of his years helping people until he had saved at least as many lives as he had ever taken.

 

But, old habits died hard. He found himself restless, itching for a fight. He'd been a fighter his entire life. From childhood as a hell-raiser, to the US army, then space. To not be able to get into the thick of battle felt unnatural to him.

 

It was a chance moment, seeing one of Freedom City's heroes on patrol. Seeing them fight, seeing them make a difference. He had powers, he could still fight. He would not kill, this was not a war like those wars were. This was a war against an honest, true evil. Whether that evil had a face, like the Crime League, or was the vague evils of humanity, like drugs, it didn't matter. Evil could be fought, he could fight still, but on his own terms, and for his own purpose. He could still save lives, and he could still fight.

 

He knew that he would be unlikely to retire until he either started aging, or died fighting. That was fine with him. He'd lived fighting, he'd die fighting. But if he was going to die fighting, he'd do it to protect and help people. When he put the gold and blue costume on, he felt like he had a purpose for the first time in his life, that what he did had real meaning beyond the scope of a single battle. It was more than killing the enemy and protecting his own troops. Henry had found a new war, but it was one of his choosing.

Edited December 24, 2013 by Thunder King