Post by Frederic Bourgault-Christie on Dec 6, 2005 15:53:08 GMT -5
Now that the Stormguard have been freed, they tell their tale as the Stormfront forms, with a desperation as palpable and real as if an assassin's blade were inches from their throat. The story that is pieced together goes somewhat like this:
The woman in the center is in fact the United Earth Government President, Martival Hender. A year ago, she decided that the most profound thing she could do would be to eliminate finally all barriers to freedom. But to do that she would have to tear down the universe, particularly fate. The only being that had ever challenged fate itself and had the capacity to win was the All-Monster. So she began to affiliate herself with dark magic, organized crime, and whatever she needed to establish her power. She performed ritual after ritual to channel the creature, commune with it, awake it, and prepare and store the power she would need. But still the Golden Knight's seal was too strong. She sought allies among the executive, corporate, military, criminal and power elites, and used every device she could procure designed by the Old Guard, and still she could not summon the creature.
A few months ago, she managed to take control of a small section of the Stormguard and train them to battle Crashing Heavens. For she had discovered the final ingredient: A victory in the Dark Tournament. The power of the wishes would finish opening the portal... but only partially. By then, she no longer cared that she would be splitting another being's very soul, very essence, very existence in twain, keeping both halves alive in infinite writhing pain. No, so far had she fallen for her quest that she considered this to be an advantage, for the mindless hate that would be unleashed would tear existence a new one.
Her allies of power and prestige demanded benefits. They had funded, laundered and sacrificed enough. And so on she prepared a great meeting at Philadelphia to celebrate freedom. Those who attended and completed the ceremony would be transformed as the gods, awash with the power of the All-Consuming Beasts, becoming Its new Avatars!
But still it was not enough. No, not even the Stormguard could survive a foray through the Dark Tournament. And she could procure no more troops; in any event, even the most elite of the troops she might summon would be as peons with rakes in a war of tanks and bombs. So she plumbed the universe, dimension and galaxy and time and plane, for the greatest mercenaries, arms-for-hire and disenfranchised warriors that could be found for love or money. She even hired a team, Epitaph, to protect her interests.
And so the plan was launched. Through Naferi's elite demon guard; through Epitaph's devastation of Hanzanken; through the 51st's humiliation at the hands of Excellia, K'rtak, and Dr. Blammo; through Enryoukai's slaughter (warranted as it may have been); through the final defeat of Epitaph by Crashing Heavens; through Temple's violation; and through the final battle against Crashing Heavens, her teams advanced her plans almost without fail. Every round, she advanced a new team, for her previous ones had been sacrificed, as a spiritual stopgap for the All-Monster. And every round, the energy unleashed by the battles (including Crashing Heavens' careless use of power) went into her hands.
For, you see, there is an equivalency to the universe. For every person thrown into the pit of the All-Monster's prison, the All-Monster gets a small foothold in the real world.
According to the Stormguard, Martival is no longer even human. Once a beautiful woman with hair of gray, she is now a youth with the soul of a crone. Her soul is still there, but buried under every part of herself she bartered and mongered for her ends.
And what will happen when the All-Monster is summoned despite its fervent objections? No one is quite certain. Fate will be ripped asunder. All possibilities will not only be equally likely, but merge into one. The fabric of the universe will change qualitatively.
Yet questions remain to be answered. Will there be repercussions? Is this state of affairs even possible?
And, most importantly: Will Crashing Heavens decide to stop it?
The woman in the center is in fact the United Earth Government President, Martival Hender. A year ago, she decided that the most profound thing she could do would be to eliminate finally all barriers to freedom. But to do that she would have to tear down the universe, particularly fate. The only being that had ever challenged fate itself and had the capacity to win was the All-Monster. So she began to affiliate herself with dark magic, organized crime, and whatever she needed to establish her power. She performed ritual after ritual to channel the creature, commune with it, awake it, and prepare and store the power she would need. But still the Golden Knight's seal was too strong. She sought allies among the executive, corporate, military, criminal and power elites, and used every device she could procure designed by the Old Guard, and still she could not summon the creature.
A few months ago, she managed to take control of a small section of the Stormguard and train them to battle Crashing Heavens. For she had discovered the final ingredient: A victory in the Dark Tournament. The power of the wishes would finish opening the portal... but only partially. By then, she no longer cared that she would be splitting another being's very soul, very essence, very existence in twain, keeping both halves alive in infinite writhing pain. No, so far had she fallen for her quest that she considered this to be an advantage, for the mindless hate that would be unleashed would tear existence a new one.
Her allies of power and prestige demanded benefits. They had funded, laundered and sacrificed enough. And so on she prepared a great meeting at Philadelphia to celebrate freedom. Those who attended and completed the ceremony would be transformed as the gods, awash with the power of the All-Consuming Beasts, becoming Its new Avatars!
But still it was not enough. No, not even the Stormguard could survive a foray through the Dark Tournament. And she could procure no more troops; in any event, even the most elite of the troops she might summon would be as peons with rakes in a war of tanks and bombs. So she plumbed the universe, dimension and galaxy and time and plane, for the greatest mercenaries, arms-for-hire and disenfranchised warriors that could be found for love or money. She even hired a team, Epitaph, to protect her interests.
And so the plan was launched. Through Naferi's elite demon guard; through Epitaph's devastation of Hanzanken; through the 51st's humiliation at the hands of Excellia, K'rtak, and Dr. Blammo; through Enryoukai's slaughter (warranted as it may have been); through the final defeat of Epitaph by Crashing Heavens; through Temple's violation; and through the final battle against Crashing Heavens, her teams advanced her plans almost without fail. Every round, she advanced a new team, for her previous ones had been sacrificed, as a spiritual stopgap for the All-Monster. And every round, the energy unleashed by the battles (including Crashing Heavens' careless use of power) went into her hands.
For, you see, there is an equivalency to the universe. For every person thrown into the pit of the All-Monster's prison, the All-Monster gets a small foothold in the real world.
According to the Stormguard, Martival is no longer even human. Once a beautiful woman with hair of gray, she is now a youth with the soul of a crone. Her soul is still there, but buried under every part of herself she bartered and mongered for her ends.
And what will happen when the All-Monster is summoned despite its fervent objections? No one is quite certain. Fate will be ripped asunder. All possibilities will not only be equally likely, but merge into one. The fabric of the universe will change qualitatively.
Yet questions remain to be answered. Will there be repercussions? Is this state of affairs even possible?
And, most importantly: Will Crashing Heavens decide to stop it?