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Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

For those not in the discord, today starts the 2 week counter again. If you do not post in the next 2 weeks, you will be removed from the roster

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

IN

BALLROOM BLITZ

---

The Chitauri warship glided silently through the void of space towards Despero's flagship, of that Thor was certain. His brother had told him that's exactly where he was being taken. The voyage would almost certainly end in his death. That much wasn't fate, but it felt like it was the most logical endpoint whether Despero would give Thor a chance in combat or not. One does not invite their mortal enemy into their home without confidence. Thor had often upended such confidence, but now he was not sure.

This felt like the end.

He could have probably fought his way to escape. The Chitauri were dangerous, but they were not his match, even at their numbers. Still, he did not want to take the chance. He wanted to look the being that had killed his people in the eyes before one of them died. Either Thor's failures would be complete, or he would somehow pull off his vengeance. Either way, he would live or die on his feet.

His alien captors said little to one another, not that he could understand them if they did. Being a hivemind probably came in quite handy in captive situations. They couldn't give any intel out by accident, though he's not sure what he'd do with it if he got it. The Guardians were long gone. If Loki was to be believed, and that at the moment was hard to conceive, they had been allowed to escape. He tried to pawn that off as a kindness he was doing for Thor. The God of Thunder feared that they had been blown to space after taking off from the Dwarf planet.

"I am sorry, my friends," he said shaking his head, hoping that wherever they were they could hear him.

---

"What!?" Rocket yelled, turning his head back and forth from Quill to Hawk with an exaggerated, shocked look on his face. He turned to Groot, his mouth hanging open. "Do you believe these guys?"

Groot looked down at his feet and shuffled them together a little before looking back up at Rocket, "I am Groot."

"What do you mean you agree!" Rocket was dismayed. "Ugh. You've been spending too much time with these lunatics."

The small mammal plopped back down into his chair and folded his arms over his chest in protest. Quill knew he was going to be the hardest one to convince of his plan, but Star-Lord was still surprised when Hawk agreed almost immediately. Not that he was disappointed, of course. She really had begun to show her true colors, and for that he was thankful.

"Come on, Rocket," the Thanagarian protested. "You know he'd do the same for you."

"Yea, because blondy is an idiot," Rocket rolled his eyes. "We were allowed to go. We had our bounties wiped clean. We got a fresh start, and I for one would really like to take it and live a little longer."

"Please, dude," Quill shot back. "You're a raccoon. How long can you live? Like 10 years?"

"I keep tellin' ya I have no freakin' idea what a raccoon is!"

"We're going back," Hawk was adamant.

"We. Will. Die," Rocket responded emphasizing every word. "They've got the numbers. We don't stand a chance. We'll go back and get shredded by a Chitauri war fleet. You know that, right?"

"I have a plan for that," Quill assured him.

"And what about just finding the guy?" Rocket was unmoved.

"Weeeeell," Quill had an impish glint in his eye. "Let's just say I planted a tracker on Thor a while ago."

"In case he ran after you changed your mind to not turn him in for the bounty?" Hawk crossed her arm and looked at Peter.

"What!? No! No!" he shook his head profusely.

Everyone else in the ship looked at him unconvinced.

"Okay fine, yes," he rolled his eyes. "But look, we can use that. Come on. They're never gonna see us coming. We're going to have the element of surprise man. Let's do something here. I know, deep down you've enjoyed the last few weeks of doing good and traveling with us. So let's go save our friend and keep doing it."

Rocket grumbled and looked at the ceiling of the ship.

"Pluuus," Hawk added in, "you'll get to shoot a lot of Chitauri."

Rocket's eyes snapped to her, "Okay, you got me. I'm in."

---

Thor had to admit he was in awe of Despero's flagship as the ship he was in approached. It was like an obsidian splinter shoved into the void of space. Black, violent shards shot off the main spear head. They looked as if they could fire off at any moment and infect a planet with its evil. Around the flagship were two Chitauri capital ships and a few squadrons of fighters. He truly had a formidable force, and if Thor was unable to stop Despero here the alien could roll over the galaxy if he so chose.

They docked and Thor was shoved from behind by his Chitauri captors and he stumbled off the ship into the hangar. As he was walking down the corridors of the ship, he was amazed to see the Chitauri and the Brood cohabitating these spaces as if it was as nature had intended. As he passed them, they looked at him, as if they all hated him as much as their master.

Before long, he found himself in a large atrium. Above him a hologram of the universe flowed, and in the center of the room, on a large, black throne, sat a striking, hulking, red alien. His skin shined like fire in the dark ship. He was shirtless, and his muscles tightened when he laid eyes, all three of them, on Thor. He smiled, revealing sharp teeth, and the frill on the top of his head seemed to stand at attention, ready for the kill.

"Well, well," his voice was deep and doubled, as if it echoed through Thor's head. Telepathy, he figured. Made sense as to how he took over two hive mind races to do his bidding, "the God of Thunder finally graces me with his presence. How long have I waited for this moment. For years I prayed, and prayed, and prayed when the dragons hunted and devoured my people and my family. I watched as the beasts snapped my son in half when he stepped out for food he was desperate for. It was in that moment that I knew the elders were wrong. You were not the great hero of legend. You had happened upon our planet in search of glory. Once you had gotten that, you forgot about us, didn't you?"

Thor knew he couldn't lie to the villain, "Aye. You speak true. And I would not beg your pardon, as I would not deserve it. But in your quest for vengeance you have become a monster yourself. And for that I must kill you."

"Monster, Thunderer?" Despero laughed heartily. "No. I have become a god. I found a way into Odin's treasure room. I bathed in Asgard's eternal flame and it gave me powers you couldn't even believe. And after I was done I threw Sutur's skull into it and destroyed the great realm of Asgard. Then I found the Chitauri and the Brood, creatures almost exterminated by your kind. Together we've been brought oursleves back from the brink, and now we are the powers in the universe. Soon enough, everyone will see that."

"No," Thor shook his head as the Chitauri let him free and handed him Jarnbjorn. If nothing else, Despero was telling the truth when he said this would be a fight. "Soon enough, you will be dead. And my people will be avenged."

Despero smiled and stood, flicking the cape he wore off his shoulders, "Then come, Asgardian. Let us finish this."

With a great battle yell, Thor took off towards the would-be tyrant. The God of Thunder stared into those yellow eyes which stood like a statue, ready for Thor to reach them.

But he never did. Half way, Thor was struck across the face by a metallic haymaker. The Asgardian was flung across the room, but managed to land on his feet, albeit with a little wobble. When he regained his sight, he saw that the Destroyer was bearing down on him. Of course. The weapon that Despero had been after.

The giant, metal, living armor swung at Thor again, who managed to roll out of the way and bury Jarnbjorn into its shoulder. The blade passed through the interlocked shards of metal, which reformed as it passed by. The blow did nothing but leave Thor open for a viscous backhand. He rolled across the ground, losing his ax in the process. When he came to a stop, the Destroyer placed the hell of its boot on his throat as he reached for the ax just out of his reach.

"Powered by Chitauri and Brood essence at the moment," Despero sounded almost disappointed he had the Asgardian prince on the ropes. "But soon it will be powered by the essence of Thor Odinson. And then I will be unstoppable."

Suddenly the ship rocked violently, sending the Destroyer off balance enough for Thor to roll out form under it.

"What is the meaning of this!?" Despero raged as the hologram of the galaxy distorted into a resemblance of Peter Quiil.

"This is the Guardians of the freakin' Galaxy, a-hole!" Quill yelled in triumph. "Get ready for an old fashioned ass whoopin'!"

---

Across the galaxy, where Thor's hammer Mjolnir once stood, there was now nothing but bare rock.

The Absolute Comics Universe Wants You!

The Absolute Comics Universe is under siege, and only you can save it! We are a game in its second season, and looking for some new dedicated players to supplement a dedicated poster base. The world focuses on a comic book world where Marvel, DC, and some select independent characters inhabit the same world. We currently have openings for a *ton* of big heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, most of the Justice League, among others. Ever have a story you wanted to tell about comic book characters? Think you can do better than the books or movies? Come prove it in ABSOLUTE COMICS!

SEASON ONE RECAP:
March 2019 - August 2019

In a world that has never had Superman, WONDER WOMAN was the first superhero to go public. Appearing during the First World War, Wonder Woman was later joined by the likes of CAPTAIN AMERICA and CAPTAIN MARVEL who fought alongside her during the Second World War. Despite this alliance, the age of heroes did not come from this time. Though the three heroes would go on to inspire the creation of a 'Justice Society,' all would just as suddenly fade from both the public's eye and its memory. Still, the idea persisted, and some would again follow the example set by those who came before them. Throughout the seventies and eighties, rumours flourished of a 'BATMAN' terrorizing Gotham's underworld. While in the decade that followed, message boards across the early internet were set aflame with fear. Fear caused by the metahuman scare that rapidly spread across North America and then the world. Children of the 'Atom,' the general populace feared these so-called 'freaks,' these 'mutants.' In some ways, they were right to.

The most powerful of them were Gods Among Men. At the height of this scare, a young man by the name of Charles Xavier decided to combat ignorance and dedicated his life to the study metahumans and their meta-gene. While across the country, a man with the ability to wield lightning protected the streets of Dakota until his disappearance in the 2000s.

In the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States, Wonder Woman came out of retirement. Returning when America needed her the most, Wonder Woman went on to become a global figure. She dedicated her time to lending aid to those in need, all while the United Nations kept a close eye on her activity. While the general populace admired the heroine, the government feared what she could accomplish if she ever chose to side against them.

Wonder Woman was soon followed by others like her. It was a slow-burning fuse, but it would quickly lead to an inferno. In the late 2000s, an alien pod was sighted over the skies of Delaware. This was the harbinger, the herald of an era to come.

An era of hope.

It began with the first sightings of the woman the media would go on to dub SUPERGIRL. A young hero who unlike Wonder Woman, was not associated with war. Rumours of the Batman resurfaced in Gotham while New York was plagued by menace dubbed SPIDER-MAN.

In fact, New York quickly became a breeding ground for these so-called 'superheroes.' Xavier's team of X-MEN soon descended upon the city to clear the good name of metahumans everywhere, while another group of TITANS banded together, united by common goals and needs. Hell's Kitchen is under the protection of a man without fear known only as the DAREDEVIL. Down on Bleecker Street, under the tutelage of the Sorcerer Supreme, the young MAGIK protects that which lies behind the mystic veil.

Even Boston has recently had a hero to call its own, as the odd flying craft belonging to the BLUE BEETLE has been spotted numerous times over its streets. The city of Dakota is now home to both STATIC and VIXEN. Central City has adopted a hero known only as the FLASH while a new GREEN ARROW has appeared to rescue Star City.

Appearing in the swamps of Florida, the Sky God, BAAL found himself in a world not his own and lacking the majority of his power. To the south, Jump City is under the protection of a group of displaced aliens known collectively as the LEGION while out in the coldness of space, a human and god have united to create the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

Apart, each of these heroes has fought against vicious foes, some more powerful than even they themselves are. But together, they united to stop a threat meant to frame metahumans as terrorists. Led by the mysterious STRYFE, the 'Metahuman Supremacy Front' unleashed a horde of nanoscopic drones which upon embedded in a victim, drove the host into a frenzy. Based on a mysteriously reversed engineered technology from Stagg Enterprises, the drones were made to mimic a metahuman attack. Fortunately for all involved, the timely intervention of the heroes saved the day.

Come join us!

The Absolute Comics Universe Wants You!

The Absolute Comics Universe is under siege, and only you can save it! We are a game in its second season, and looking for some new dedicated players to supplement a dedicated poster base. The world focuses on a comic book world where Marvel, DC, and some select independent characters inhabit the same world. We currently have openings for a *ton* of big heroes like Captain America, Iron Man, most of the Justice League, among others. Ever have a story you wanted to tell about comic book characters? Think you can do better than the books or movies? Come prove it in ABSOLUTE COMICS!

SEASON ONE RECAP:
March 2019 - August 2019

In a world that has never had Superman, WONDER WOMAN was the first superhero to go public. Appearing during the First World War, Wonder Woman was later joined by the likes of CAPTAIN AMERICA and CAPTAIN MARVEL who fought alongside her during the Second World War. Despite this alliance, the age of heroes did not come from this time. Though the three heroes would go on to inspire the creation of a 'Justice Society,' all would just as suddenly fade from both the public's eye and its memory. Still, the idea persisted, and some would again follow the example set by those who came before them. Throughout the seventies and eighties, rumours flourished of a 'BATMAN' terrorizing Gotham's underworld. While in the decade that followed, message boards across the early internet were set aflame with fear. Fear caused by the metahuman scare that rapidly spread across North America and then the world. Children of the 'Atom,' the general populace feared these so-called 'freaks,' these 'mutants.' In some ways, they were right to.

The most powerful of them were Gods Among Men. At the height of this scare, a young man by the name of Charles Xavier decided to combat ignorance and dedicated his life to the study metahumans and their meta-gene. While across the country, a man with the ability to wield lightning protected the streets of Dakota until his disappearance in the 2000s.

In the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States, Wonder Woman came out of retirement. Returning when America needed her the most, Wonder Woman went on to become a global figure. She dedicated her time to lending aid to those in need, all while the United Nations kept a close eye on her activity. While the general populace admired the heroine, the government feared what she could accomplish if she ever chose to side against them.

Wonder Woman was soon followed by others like her. It was a slow-burning fuse, but it would quickly lead to an inferno. In the late 2000s, an alien pod was sighted over the skies of Delaware. This was the harbinger, the herald of an era to come.

An era of hope.

It began with the first sightings of the woman the media would go on to dub SUPERGIRL. A young hero who unlike Wonder Woman, was not associated with war. Rumours of the Batman resurfaced in Gotham while New York was plagued by menace dubbed SPIDER-MAN.

In fact, New York quickly became a breeding ground for these so-called 'superheroes.' Xavier's team of X-MEN soon descended upon the city to clear the good name of metahumans everywhere, while another group of TITANS banded together, united by common goals and needs. Hell's Kitchen is under the protection of a man without fear known only as the DAREDEVIL. Down on Bleecker Street, under the tutelage of the Sorcerer Supreme, the young MAGIK protects that which lies behind the mystic veil.

Even Boston has recently had a hero to call its own, as the odd flying craft belonging to the BLUE BEETLE has been spotted numerous times over its streets. The city of Dakota is now home to both STATIC and VIXEN. Central City has adopted a hero known only as the FLASH while a new GREEN ARROW has appeared to rescue Star City.

Appearing in the swamps of Florida, the Sky God, BAAL found himself in a world not his own and lacking the majority of his power. To the south, Jump City is under the protection of a group of displaced aliens known collectively as the LEGION while out in the coldness of space, a human and god have united to create the GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY.

Apart, each of these heroes has fought against vicious foes, some more powerful than even they themselves are. But together, they united to stop a threat meant to frame metahumans as terrorists. Led by the mysterious STRYFE, the 'Metahuman Supremacy Front' unleashed a horde of nanoscopic drones which upon embedded in a victim, drove the host into a frenzy. Based on a mysteriously reversed engineered technology from Stagg Enterprises, the drones were made to mimic a metahuman attack. Fortunately for all involved, the timely intervention of the heroes saved the day.

Come join us!

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Just want to do a quick roll call. Mostly because I forget who's dropped out and who's still around now that I'm defacto GM with Hound. (Also if you dropped out, please come back!)

@webboysurf, @stein, @roman, @Hillan, @Natty, @The Bork Lazer, @Moskau Spieluhr, @Inkarnate, @IceHeart, @Nightrunner, @Blue Demon, @Mao Mao, @Simple Unicycle, @Techne

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

IN

SPACE ODDITY

---

Thor took Star-Lord aside before the groups split apart. He had to admit he had come to look at the mortal, as frivolous as he often was, as a true friend. The God of Thunder could scarce remember if he had ever looked at a mortal in the same light. He had considered them brave warriors, useful tools, willing lovers, and strong workers in the past, sure. But never had he considered one a true friend until he met this odd human in the middle of a chaotic galaxy. That Quill continually rose to the occasion helped. But there was something else. He saw the propensity for greatness in this mortal, and the others he had gathered to Thor's cause.

"This is a trap," he confirmed to the human. He had no idea what that trap would end up being, but he was fairly certain it was the case. It was too easy to find this place. Too easy to go to the dwarves. "But I think more meant for me. Whoever has led us here is taunting me with my failures. They will try and kill you, for sure. But they are focused on me. Keep your wits about you, Peter Quill. Do nothing that will endanger you or the Hawk. If we do that, we can all come out of this alive."

"Awwwww," he smiled sarcastically, "you're worried about me. How cute."

"I am not in a gaming mood, Quiil," he shook his head. "We're in the lion's mouth now."

"Well, let's not get bit then," he nodded.

Thor patted him on the shoulder and moved to the hallway he had taken for himself. Rocket and Groot were going to head down the left hallway, Quill and Hawk the right, and he was tasked with the center. He looked over his ragtag team, hoping to all the cosmos that he hadn't led them to their death. He had already upturned them enough. Ending them would be his final failure. He would be laughed out of Valhalla, if he was even allowed in that hallowed hall in the first place.

"Keep your heads," he nodded to them. "We do that, we'll get out of here alive."

Rocket looked around at the others, "Wow, that's it? I mean, I know you're not the smartest guy in the room, but that was kinda crap, dude."

"I am Groot."

"I am not pumped up either, pal."

"He's right," Hawk rolled her eyes. "Stay smart. Stay alive. We used to say it all the time in the Thanagarian army. It's all you need to know. Now let's go. We have a job to do."

---

Thor had been walking for what felt like an eternity. His steps echoed off the bare stone walls of the Great Forge, but at least he found no dead of the Dwarven folk in this one. This was merely empty. At least before, his footfalls had been joined by the other Guardians. Now he was wholly by himself.

As you should be.

The voice filtered through his head, and he shook it out quickly. It was unlike him to be that fatalist. The only time he thought like that were the moments after he found himself on the rock floating out in space unable to lift his hammer. But since then he's had at least a little bit of hope. That hadn't changed by coming here. So where was that kind of thought coming from?

After what felt like another hour of walking, Thor found himself in the heart of the Great Forge. He had been here before, long ago with his father. On that day, the fires in the pits around him were raging like the fields of Musphelheim when Surtur had his blood up. But now the fires were a mere smolder with no one to tend to them. The bellows were still, and while there should be the sound of metal tempering metal, there was now silence. Thor's heart was heavy at the knowledge that the universe would never again know the beauty of the Dwarves' work.

All because of the monster Thor and his compatriots were hunting.

Footsteps from behind the great anvil in front of him brought his guard up. Jarnbjorn was in his hand in a flash, and he readied himself for whatever would come.

What did, surprised him. Confidently, almost mockingly, the girl they had saved on the last planet strolled out with a smile. Her void-black hair stood out against the gleaming white stone of the forge. Her green skin and even more strikingly green eyes burst with color in the monochromatic space. She was like a living exclamation point on a sentence Thor did not understand. She tilted her head at the God of Thunder and studied him curiously, before letting out a mischievous giggle.

"How did you get off the ship? How did you get past us?" Thor demanded and explanation. The pommel of Jarnbjorn strained against his tightened grip.

"Oh dear he still hasn't figured it out," the girl said the first words Thor had heard her speak. The words sounded like they had come from a little girl's mouth, and yet there was a strange, deep stab behind them. "You are such a sanctimonious oaf, you know that? I can't believe you fall for this every time."

With those words the glamour fell from Thor's eyes and the girl in front of him began to melt away. Her form stretched and grew until it was almost as tall as him. Her hair stayed the long, coal black it had been, but her skin turned as pale as fresh snow. The eyes, though...the eyes did not change. They were the same, piercing, mocking green. When the transformation was done, Loki, the brother of Thor stood and bowed to the God of Thunder.

Thor stood dumbfounded, "You...you survived."

"Of course I survived!" he laughed. "Honestly brother, you always underestimate me."

"And you're working with the being that killed our friends!? Our family!?" Thor raged. Loki had always been a trickster, that much was certain. But to participate in the genocide of his own people and family was beyond anything he had ever considered possible from his brother.

"No...well yes," the God of Mischief shrugged. "I did not help him perform Ragnarok. But he found me after I survived. Said he would kill me if I didn't help take care of you. And well, I couldn't pass up being a thorn in your side yet again. You should be thanking me. I did manage to ferry some of the Dwarves off this rock before he wiped the rest out."

"Who is he?" Thor seethed.

"Do you remember a few centuries ago? When you felled that great space dragon that was harassing that backwater world? You became their hero. Their great god," Loki strolled around the forge, fiddling with tools as he went. "But then you forgot about them, as all of us forgot about the mortals. The dragons returned after centuries and laid waste waste to the world. I believe you saw their handy work when you first attempted to retrieve Jarnbjorn. You ignored their prayers, and the locals were slaughtered. Well, all but one."

"Impossible," Thor shook his head. "That world was primitive. How could one of its inhabitants bring down Asgard?"

"Ah, and there was another of our faults," Loki wagged his finger at his brother. "We underestimate the mortals. You did until very recently. Too late of course, but I am proud of you brother. But a mortal with vengeance and rage in their hearts is just as powerful as any god. And Despero proved that."

"Despero," Thor growled. "Where can I find this villain so that I may relieve him of his head."

"Oh, you'll see him in good time," Loki smirked broadly. "Now that you've been separated from your little friends, it won't be long at all."

Thor realized that Loki was not here to fight. He was not here to kill Thor or incapacitate him. His brother was merely here to break up the Guardians from one another. Thor spun to go back and find his friends, but found that great stone doors had closed the way.

"Ah, ah, ah, brother," Loki chuckled. "Don't worry. They'll be fine. And you wanted to go to Despero, did you not? Wait around and you'll be taken right to him."

---

He is leading you to your death.

The voice echoed through Hawk's mind at the exact moment that the wall beside them exploded and a cadre of Chitauri warriors burst through it. Her and Quill turned to run, firing the entire way. She saw his element guns take out quite a few of the drone soldiers, but they kept coming. She really hated how much whoever they were up against had numbers against them. She hated being outnumbered, and deep down wished she had a Thanagarian battalion to call in.

Instead she had to run with her new ally. If they made it out of this one, maybe it would be time to call him a friend. But that was very much in doubt at the moment.

When the two of them once again reached the atrium they had started in, they almost collided with Rocket and Groot.

"You guys got an army's worth of purple alien guys chasing you?" Rocket deadpanned.

"Yup," was Quill's only response.

"Good, at least Groot and I got to share the wealth."

"I am Groot."

"Come on, we need to get out of here," Hawk motioned backed towards the ship.

"Not without Thor," Star-Lord protested.

"Now ain't the time for feelings, Quill," Rocket started to run towards the exit. "We got more company?"

Peter turned and felt his face fall at what he saw coming down the hallway Thor had gone through. Another teeming horde of Chitauri was charging towards them, firing their weapons. The two groups from their hallways weren't far behind. Quill's heart fell, and he knew that escape was the only means of survival.

"Sorry, Thor," he said quietly as he turned and ran.

---

"Your friends have been allowed to escape," Loki smiled. "Their bounties will be cleared, and Despero has promised to leave them alone. As for you, you will face him in combat. He has granted you that chance."

"Battle against the Destroyer, no doubt," Thor spat as his brother's feet as the Chitauri began to bind the God of Thunder.

"Yes, I am disappointed he got the weapon, but he is resourceful," Loki shrugged.

"And what will he do when I am gone? One does not merely use the Destroyer to kill one God."

"Maybe he will do what I plan on," Loki sat in front of his brother cross legged. "I long to try on a crown. Heavens know Odin was never going to allow me one. Maybe Despero will do the same."

"Or maybe he's played you and he'll exterminate you and all the other gods," Thor suggested. "Who's to stand against him?"

"Possibly," Loki nodded. "But he's given me his word that once you're captured I'm free to go. So go I shall."

With that, Loki dematerialized in front of Thor's eyes, with that smug smile disappearing last.

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Houston had become a disaster zone in the hour since Booster had arrived in the city. Explosions had ripped through the downtown business district as rush hour began, and she saw that some of the city's extensive highway system had collapsed. Cars and people were strewn about along the ground, some under mounds of rubble that other people were trying to dig them out of.

She cursed herself as she looked over the scene. If she hadn't hesitated maybe she'd have been here to save people. Maybe if she hadn't considered following the rules Agger had given, she may have gotten here in time.

Those thoughts were nothing but distractions though. She got here almost as soon as she had heard about the explosions. Blaming herself for something these monstrous act was nothing more than self pity and doubt from her current situation. Booster couldn't allow her doubts about what Roxxon was doing to stop her from doing her job correctly.

And her job was to save people.

Swooping down towards the nearest pile of rubble, Booster moved between the citizens standing and gawking at the destruction and towards the ones doing their best to dig out their fellow commuters.

"How many are underneath!?" she asked, coming up alongside them.

A man beside her hurled a small boulder of conrecte down the hill. It clunked against the rest of the rubble before coming to a stop next to a crushed car. He shook his head, "At least three cars. Dunno how many people. But we don't need your help, supe. It's because of your kind this happened in the first place."

Booster recoiled as if she had been slapped by the man's words. She knew that the public sentiment towards the superpowered was turning ill ever since the incidents in New York and Star City, but she had never experienced anything like this. Usually she just got a dirty look or two. This was full on hostility.

"Wh-what do you mean?" she managed to get out. It was all she could say through the daze of surprise.

"I saw her," the venom in the man's voice was palpable. "Blond woman on a pink motorcycle. She touched the supports with her hand. They started to glow. She took off on the bike, and once she was clear the whole damn thing went up. Came crashing down. Because of you people."

There was no point in arguing with the man. He had made up his mind about her, and she couldn't blame him after what he had seen here and all the propaganda that the government was putting out. But he had given her enough information to start tracking the subject. She motioned for him to move, and he did reluctantly. Using her force field emitters, she scooped a large amount of the rubble off the top of the pile, and moved it to a safe location. Underneath, she saw the people in the cars were alive, but injured. First responders rushed by her and down to help them. With a nod to the man, she took off once again.

"Skeets," she asked her AI companion, "can you track the woman that guy was talking about? I figure it's the only way we're gonna stop whatever's going on here."

"Affirmative, ma'am," the robot said with a chipper demeanor. "Showing up on your heads-up display now."

Instantly, a line running away from the disaster site appeared on her visor, "Skeets, what would I do without you?"

"Probably very little, ma'am."

She took off towards the culprit, hoping she could stop them before anything else went wrong.

---

The door to John Henry Irons's lab slid open with a barely-audible whoosh, and a guard stepped in through it, before locking it behind him. The engineer peered up from his work thanks to the odd occurrence. Never before could he remember being locked into his own lab.

"Something wrong?" he asked, almost bored with the entire situation. He didn't think there was any reason for him to be moved here in the first place. Surely if he was going to be defended, it was better to do so away from a population center. Here in Houston there were far too many variables. As a scientist, that was disconcerting. But the people who signed his checks felt better with him being here, so here he was. He wasn't about to upset the cart and lose his funding.

"Wrong? No, Doctor Irons," the guard shook his head but continued to move around the room. "We just want someone in here with you until we have the all clear. With the superhero gone and all, we don't want to risk someone getting in under our noses."

"Mhm," the engineer's eyes narrowed at him. "Shouldn't you be standing by the door then? Just in case."

"No I think I'd rather be-"

Irons flipped one of the sonic gauntlets he had been designing for the suit around and shot it towards the guard. Unfortunately the impostor was ready for the move and rolled out of the way of the blast, which shattered part of the gleaming white wall behind them. The guard raised a gun and fired on the doctor, striking him in the neck with a tranquilizer dart. The guard smiled maliciously as Irons fell to his knees.

"Sorry about that, Doc," the guard grinned hungrily. As he did his face began to contort and change. It lost color, quickly become a pale, chalky white. The skin started to hang loosely on his face, almost as if it wasn't attached to the bone at all. Scars ran through it, and John Henry Irons was disappointed he hadn't added to them. "Name's Chiller. I've been paid a lot of money to bring you and your toys in. No hard feelings, okay?"

As Irons began to slip into a medically induced sleep, he heard the Chiller say into his comms device, "Package is secure. Waiting for extraction."

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

IN

SPACE ODDITY

---

The Halls of Niðavellir were dead. That much was certain as the group reached the atrium of the Great Dwarven Forge after a short entry hallway. The tall columns of glittering stone were adorned with carvings of the great Dwarven Lords and great victories of the past. They began to swirl when they got to the top, culminating in a swirling dome representing the sun of their world. It was incredible and a testament to their skill.

The beautiful, gleaming stone that had once echoed with the sounds of smithing hammers and the roar of the fires were now cold and silent, save for the sounds of the Guardians' footfalls. This was one of the most beautiful places in all the Nine Realms to Thor. He had always been fascinated by the creation of weapons, almost as much as he enjoyed wielding them. And the work the Dwarves did was unparalleled in the universe. That was something that he was always fond of.

Thor was taken aback at the amount of bodies that were strewn about the beautifully carved stone walkways of the Dwarves. These had been his friends and comrades in years past. Next to them laid Chitauri warriors, the drone army sent by their enemy to slaughter mindlessly.

Thor spat, and the liquid mad a strong slap on the stone floor. He couldn't help it. There was no honor in this battle. Their enemy had sent another army of mindless, killing machines to do their dirty work instead of doing it on their own. There was no honor in this slaughter.

He had seen many of these dwarves in the halls of Odin’s very castle. Some of them had carved the Throne of the Allfather themselves. To see them meet such an ignoble end was disheartening to say the least. That they were cut down for The Destroyer was made even worse. A weapon they never wanted to create had been their downfall.

Still, Thor could scarcely believe the amount of dead that were here. While the dwarven people were known more as smiths than warriors, they still could hold their own in most fights. For the Chitauri to have overwhelmed them, it meant their numbers were staggering. The Chitauri force must have numbered in the thousands. That was another sobering thought.

There were far too many set against them at this point, and more seemed to be piled on every minute.

“You know, for dwarves they’re pretty big,” Rocket murmured, trying to break the tomb-like silence.

“Dude, definitely not the time,” Quill hushed him.

“Dwarves being short was a tale they themselves spread,” Thor explained to the group, ignoring the raccoon’s discretion. “They believed it would lead anyone who wanted to invade their lands to underestimate them.”

In fact, the Dwarves were nearly seven feet y’all. Not as big as the giants, but large and very strong in their own right. But while they could hold their own and were dangerous in numbers, they had no natural affinity towards battle.

“They were slaughtered,” Hawk was equally disgusted. “There was no honor in this. Merely an extermination. Such an end was not fitting for the legendary smiths.”

Thor nodded to her with appreciation. She had begun to open up to them, and he was happy to see it. When they had first met he had thought she had no honor. It had been the only explanation for a Thanagarian warrior to be exiled. But instead he had found that it was the exact opposite. She was more honorable than any warrior he had ever seen before. She had sacrificed her people's goals for the good of the universe. It was astounding.

Still, the eyes that met his weren't completely trusting. She didn't trust him. She had always seemed to know more about him than the others did. That was enough for Thor to understand her distrust. The gods, not just the Asgardians, had disappointed and deserted the galaxy for ages. He saw that now. They had shirked their responsibilities and the mortals were suffering for it. He could feel it in his blood. It had been reawakening in him as he traveled with these weird, lost creatures he was beginning to think of as friends.

Now he needed to slay his enemy so he could get around doing something about that.

"So what is this Destroyer?" Rocket asked. "Could it say...blow up a moon? I've always wanted to blow up a moon."

Thor chuckled despite the ridiculous question, "It could, depending on the soul, or souls, that inhabit it."

"I am Groot?"

"Yes, the weapon is powered by souls," Thor allowed his embarrassment to tinge his voice. "As I told you, the weapon was designed to fight the dark elves. The war against them had ravaged the realms. Odin, my father, was both enraged and vengeful when he ordered the Dwarves to create the Destroyer. He used the souls of every elf he killed on the field of battle to power the weapon. He saw it both as a path to victory and punishment at the same time. A, what would you call it Quill, double whammy?"

"Yea that's a doozy, to be honest," Quill patted him on the arm.

"My father should have destroyed it, not hid it," the Thunderer shook his head. "Failing to do so was always going to be a problem."

"Weapons like that never stay buried forever," Hawk agreed.

"So it *can* blow up a moon," Rocket stroked his chin.

Suddenly, Quill put his arm up, "I got life signs. One down each of the hallways."

"Oh of course," Rocket put his face in his palm. "Because that doesn't scream trap or anything."

"I am Groot."

"Yes I am being sarcastic," Rocket sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if there's anything but bark inside your head."

"Trap or not, someone here may be alive and have answers for us. We need to find them," Hawk shrugged.

"Gang, let's split up and look for clues!" Quill exclaimed excitedly. Everyone else looked at him out of the sides of their eyes. "Sorry, I've always wanted to say that."

Titans: A DC Comics Roleplay

Kaldur'ahm stood on the roof of a building and overlooked the scene that was unfolding in New York City. It seemed to be some sort of alien invasion. How they had gotten to the planet, he did not know. There were no signs of spacecraft landings or any hovering in the skies above. Boom tubes were a possibility, but they did not resemble any of Apokalips's soldiers that he was familiar with. But it was no matter, in all reality. They had invaded Earth, which meant they needed to be dealt with.

Surveying the damage done so far, he found where the epicenter was, and made his way that way. He cursed having to traverse the land. Things were so much easier in the water. He truly did not understand how the surface dwellers dealt with this day in and day out. The fact that they could not go any direction they chose must have been maddening.

As he ran across the city streets, it was clear how much damage the interlopers had done to the streets of New York. Pavement was obliterated, automobiles were crushed like soda cans, and the windows at street level looked as if they had been hit with a concussive blast. Whoever these invaders were, they had no qualms about putting innocent people in danger.

One such person called to Kaldur from inside their flipped car. He could see the fear in their eyes, and could smell the gas leaking from the car. But a large column of concrete that once helped hold up the elevated highway had pinned them inside. He wasn't going to be able to get the person out with that there.

Beside the car, a fire hydrant had busted open and was spilling its contents into the street. Kaldur focused on the water, using the teachings Queen Mera had bestowed upon him in Atlantis. He felt the water call back, and he began shaping it around him. It swirled by him before diving underneath the massive concrete cylinder. With a flick of his wrist, the column was lifted into the air, freeing the person from the car. Once they were clear, he allowed the water to let the column back down to the ground with a thud. But he kept the precious liquid close to him. He was going to need it.

"Thanks, Aqualad!" the thankful civilain waved at him. "Those lizard things went that way! Chasing some pink girl!"

"Hm," he muttered to himself. So these creatures were not merely on Earth to cause destruction. They were hunting someone. That made things slightly more interesting, at the very least. Not only could he repel some invaders, but he could also save someone who needed it. He had to admit he liked the sound of that.

As he continued to follow the trail of the destruction, Kaldur began to hear the explosions from the ongoing battle. As they grew louder, he pushed his way through the escaping throngs of people to finally find his targets. The large, grotesque creatures were covered in green scales. Their squat, ugly heads with greedy, yellow eyes searched for their prey, whom Kaldur could barely make out. The glowing pink for looked like she was doing her best to keep the aliens' attention away from the fleeing bystanders, and for that Aqualad was thankful. It was clear she was losing steam, however. She wouldn't last much longer.

He charged, turning the water from the fire hydrant into two solid battle hammers in each hand. He managed to come up on one of the alien's blind side and smashed both against the side of its head. The creature tumbled backwards as Kaldur cried, "For Atlantis!"

Another turned on him, and while he managed to get a solid strike in on its shoulder, it backhanded him. The blow sent the Atlantean flying, and he smashed into a parked car. The offending alien then lept off the sidewalk, looking to pound Kaldur into the pavement. Instead, the Aqualad used the water to snag it in mid air, and toss it back at the group of aliens that had turned to face him. The creatue slammed into its comrades, knocking a few over.

"Who ever you are," he called out to them, "you are not welcome here! Surrender, or face the wrath of the Aqualad!"

Absolute Comics - Season Two: The Monster Within

Guardians of the Galaxy

IN

SPACE ODYSSEY

---

The Hasselhoff travelled through hyperspace towards Niðavellir, the land of the Dwarves. It was a location known to very few in the Nine Realms. The Asgardians and the Dwarves had come to an agreement long, long ago to keep it that way. The Dwarves would make the Asgardians weapons while the Gods would keep the Dwarves hidden from others that would seek to use their skills for ill.

It had been a successful partnership for eons, until the Dark Elves had found their way there and forced the Dwarves to make them weapons to overthrow the Asgardians. The resulting conflict had nearly destroyed the Realms, and had pushed the Asgardians to the brink of destruction. The Dark Elf leader, a rogue named Malekith, was cunning and powerful, and with the Dwarves weapons backing him he was nearly unstoppable.

In order to turn the tide, Odin and the Dwarves forged a suit of armor made from the same metal that made up the great hammer Mjolnir. The amor, controlled by putting one's very sould into it, was so powerful that it ripped through the Dark Elf Army as if it were made from paper. Malekith was forced to surrender to the Asgardians and Odin, and the armor, dubbed The Destroyer, was hidden where no one could find it besides Asgard and the Dwarves, in case it was ever needed again.

"The Destroyer," Quill mulled over the name of the weapon as the Guardians sat around the ship's communal table. "That does not sound like something we should let fall into the hands of someone who wants to kill us."

Rocket stood up on the table, "It does, however, sound like something that should fall into my hands. I would like that very much, please."

The group had been sharing drinks and stories after their narrow escape from the Brood, as they had dubbd the insect-like creatures. It was the first time they had really sat down and talked as friends since they had become travelling partners. Thor wasn't sure if the five of them truly trusted each other yet, but this was a start. If they could break bread as friends, they could certainly learn to be true brothers in arms.

"Sounds like some good old fashioned karma that it might be used against you, too," Hawk added in with a wink. She had seemed to lighten up since she had rescued them from the depths of the previous planet, but there was still something holding her back from truly opening up to them. Thor thought it was the fact that she didn't trust him. She clearly knew more about what he was than the others. Since that was the case, he could barely blame her for not trusting him.

"Well, you gotta figure whoever this guy is, he's not going to stop with Thor," Quill added in. "With a weapon like that he could probably take over the galaxy. That's the last thing any of us need."

"Especially when he wants to kill us too," Rocket agreed.

"I am Groot."

From the bunk area, they could hear the girl stirring. She still hadn't spoken since they rescued her from the planet. Hawk theorized that she was traumatized past the ability of speech. It was possible. What had happened to the other settlers of the mining colony was horrific. Her parents were more than likely part of the slaughter that helped birth the massive Brood population of the planet. And all of that was done so the Brood's masters could find a weapon. That was enough to send anyone into a permanent state of silence.

The five Guardians had taken turns sitting with her and attempting to get her to open up. They had all failed, but Thor felt like the exercise had been good for the lot of them.

"So, Hawk," Quill looked over at her while he opened another bottle of ale, "why did you decide to come and help us down there? You could have easily left us to be eaten."

She looked over her glass at him, "I told you, I feel the urge to make mistakes sometimes. Plus, if you had gotten killed, I probably wouldn't have been able to claim the bounties on you all. That would have been a terrible, terrible waste."

Quill's eyes narrowed, obviously not believing her excuse, "Nah, I think there's something more than that. You're a good person."

"No, I'm definitely not," she shook her head, but a laugh managed to escape her lips.

"Haha!" Rocket pointed and laughed. "You totally are a good person. How embarrassing."

"I am Groot."

"No way am I one too!" Rocket protested. "How dare you even insinuate something of the sort."

Hawk chuckled before letting out a sigh. She looked around the room, meeting the rest of their eyes. She had never told anyone why she had left the Thanagarian Empire. Why she was made to do so. But if she went through life hiding from everyone, she wasn't so sure that would be much of a life at all.

"Fine," she shook her head. "I was exiled from Thanagar. Made to leave me home and the only life I ever thought I would know."

Thor had figured as much when they had met. No soldier of Thanagar leaves voluntarily. They were raised to believe that the Empire was the one true power in the universe. They were almost fanatical in their obedience and belief. For one to be exiled, though, meant they had betrayed their people completely.

"It was during the war with Rann," she continued explaining. "Such a small planet. Even at the beginning I didn't understand why we were going after such a minuscule prize. At least until I infiltrated the planet with my black ops team. Then I found it. The Zeta Beam Transport device. Capable of sending whole armies over the entire reach of space in moments."

"Very similar to the Bifrost," Thor mused to himself. He would have to remember that.

"The Empire wanted it," Hawk looked down. "With it they could conquer the universe. Or, as I found out, exterminate anyone that gave them too much trouble. With that knowledge, I realized I could no longer fight for a people whose goal was dominance at any cost. I defected and gave Rann the secrets to defeating our forces. In exchange they transported me across the galaxy, giving me a head start against the Thanagarian hunters. I've been running ever since."

With her story finished, silence hung over the ship. It made perfect sense to Thor, and he felt more respect for the bounty hunter than he had before. She was a warrior that knew what was right. There was nothing rarer in the galaxy. He should know, as one that all too often lost sight of just that.

"I just want you to know, you did the right thing," Quill tried to assure her.

"Ah, jeez," Rocket rolled his eyes.

"What you did took great courage, truly," Thor nodded. "I am glad to have a warrior of such honor fighting alongside me. Allfather knows I need some of that myself."

Before Hawk could respond to that, the ship alerted them that they had came to their destination. The five of them stood, and the girl they had saved emerged from the sleeping quarters, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

When they reached the bridge, Thor immediately knew something was wrong. The Realm of the Dwarves was famous for its intensely burning suns, where the great weapon smiths had created the legendary weapons of Asgard. But now there was nothing but darkness illuminated by light from the distant stars. In front of them stood the planet of the Dwarves, which was now coated in snow and ice.

"Prepare yourselves," Thor warned his comrades. "We have come to a planet of death. Who knows what waits for us below."