Post by Stardrifter on Jun 25, 2014 22:41:03 GMT -5
by
Stardrifter
Last Time: The forces of Hell openly attacked a quiet Nevada town in an attempt to capture high school student Lori Zechlin. Dawn Granger, Jason Blood, and Madame Xanadu all arrived to protect her. Jason unleashed Etrigan to fight Hell's forces, only to be mistaken as an enemy by the arriving Captain Marvel.
#2 - Deadly Enemies
"If you're done harassing helpless young girls, Demon, why not face someone your own size?" the man asks with a wide grin on his face. "Like Captain Marvel!"
Etrigan looks up at the man floating above him. His smile is both innocent and smug at the same time. His attack did little to injure Etrigan, but the sheer insolence is enough to drive the demon's rage into a boil.
With a roar that would have brought the armies of Hell to a standstill, Etrigan leaps into the air and tackles Captain Marvel. The two crash into the pavement below, Etrigan on top. Fire bubbling out of his mouth, he leans in to bite his foe.
Just in time, Captain Marvel brings his left arm up. Etrigan's jaw latches onto his forearm. "Are you a demon or a rabid dog?" he asks, wincing in pain yet showing no signs of injury.
Kicking with both legs, Captain Marvel sends the demon flying back. While he's still hanging in midair, Captain Marvel flies upward with blinding speed, slamming fist first into Etrigan.
"Who the fuck was that?" Dawn asks as the trio of women watch the combatants soar away.
"Captain Marvel," Lori whispers, staring off into the sky. "I read online he showed up in Fawcett City a couple months ago."
"So what's he doing here?"
"Bloody super heroes," Xanadu mutters to herself. She grabs Lori's hand and starts to drag her along. "Well let's go."
"Go? Where?" Lori asks, confused.
"We have to keep moving," Dawn explains, falling in behind Lori. "More demons are probably coming."
"And we need to stop the men before they kill each other," Xanadu calls back.
***
Captain Marvel and Etrigan slam into the middle of a downtown street, leaving a crater in the pavement. Cars screech to a halt to avoid the damage. Curious motorists and pedestrians look over at the hole in the ground, only to scatter in fear when Etrigan is punched out of the hole and onto the street.
"You're one tough monster," Captain Marvel says as he rises into the air. "I'll give you that."
"You dare to insult the Etrigan? You shall not make that mistake again!"
Etrigan lets loose a stream of hellfire from his mouth. Captain Marvel floats aside with ease, though the bottom of his cape is singed. Etrigan continues the assault, firing blast after blast, but his opponent is too quick.
"I've had enough of this hothead!" Captain Marvel quips. He dodges another blast and then turns to point his hands at Etrigan. Lightning crackles along his arms and out from his hands, blasting the demon.
Etrigan cries in pain and falls to one knee. Fighting through the pain, he seizes the opportunity and conjures a molten hot chain into his hand. He whips the chain and ensnares his stationary foe.
The chain wraps around Captain Marvel's ankle, burning into his flesh. His lightning attack instantly ceases as he cries out. Etrigan quickly follows up with a second chain that wraps around Captain Marvel's torso. With a hard yank, Etrigan brings Captain Marvel crashing to the ground.
Leaping into the air, the demon lands feet first directly onto Captain Marvel's chest. He then proceeds to smash his meaty fists into the man's face, driving his head into the pavement. After a dozen blows, Etrigan squeezes his opponent's head between his hands and opens his mouth to let loose another blast of hellfire.
Reacting quickly, Captain Marvel shoves a hand into Etrigan's mouth. The demon's eyes go wide as a bolt of lightning erupts inside his throat. He jumps back, clutching at his neck, unable to gather the breath in order to scream.
Captain Marvel lifts himself up on his elbow and wipes the blood from his mouth. "You've bitten off more than you can chew!" He flies into the demon, ripping up pavement for two blocks before they come to a stop. He then lifts Etrigan over his head, floats ten feet into the air, and slams the demon back down. He follows with a punch, but Etrigan catches the fist in his hand.
"Enough!" Suddenly a blast of blue energy sends them flying apart. They look over to see Dawn, energy crackling in her hands. "You two have done enough damage already!"
"Ah so you have a witch on your side, demon!" Captain Marvel shouts, preparing to attack Dawn.
"She's not a witch," Xanadu interrupts, placing a hand on Captain Marvel's shoulder. "And Etrigan isn't your enemy."
"You won't confuse me, witch," he says, knocking her hand off his shoulder. "Demon's are evil."
"That's true, but this isn't your average demon. Watch."
They turn to see Etrigan struggling to move. He takes a step toward Captain Marvel, but moves as if walking through quicksand. Finally, through gritted teeth, he says, "Begone, begone, O' Etrigan! Rise again the form of man!"
Fire erupts around the demon. When it subsides, a distinguished man stands in his place. His hair is a tangled mess, his clothes tattered and burnt. Dawn rushes over and catches him before he can fall.
"What manner of evil is this?" Captain Marvel asks but gets no response.
"It's all right, Jason. I got you." Helping him to find his footing, she runs a hand over his injuries. A warm green glow emanates from her fingers and leaves a brief trail over each injury. When the lights disipate, his wounds are no more.
"Nimue?" Jason says through heavy breaths. "What are you doing here?"
"The same as you, it would seem." Xanadu ignores the use of her birth name. "Our old 'friend,' the Stranger, asked me to help protect this girl."
Jason finally notices Lori cowering behind Xanadu's back. "So far so good then." He looks over to Captain Marvel, noticing the distrustful stare. "Well met my..."
The earth below them begins to quake, knocking Jason off his feet. Lori stumbles as well, but Captain Marvel quickly catches her. He offers her a warm smile, but she pushes him away.
Twenty feet down the street, a fissure opens in the ground. Fire and molten lava erupts, followed by a half dozen demons.
"It seems the forces of evil have yet to give up this day." Captain Marvel turns and prepares to fight, but Dawn grabs his shoulder.
"We can't take them all. We need to get out of here."
He offers her a confused look. "We have to face this evil!"
"We can't!" Xanadu barks. "They'll just keep coming. We have to protect Lori!"
Looking back at Lori's scared face, Captain Marvel nods in agreement. He turns back toward the demons and raises his hands. Together with Dawn, they unleash a blast of magic and lightning, slowing their enemies as they turn to run.
"Give her to me and I can fly her away!" Captain Marvel shouts ahead.
"We need to stick together," Dawn disagrees. "We stand a better chance in a fight."
The group rushes down the street amongst the fleeing citizens. The people are in such a panic they don't even notice Captain Marvel's costume or Jason's disheveled appearance. Cars and shops are abandoned in the wake of the oncoming demon horde.
"Well we can't just keep running!" Captain Marvel shouts. "We're putting all these people in danger!"
Jason suddenly comes to a stop, grabbing Xanadu's hand to stop her as well. "He's right. We need somewhere to regroup." They share a look. A look that, after several lifetimes of experience, says more than words.
"Oblivion," Xanadu says, to which Jason nods. "This way."
The group heads off again, the others confused but with no choice but to follow. Xanadu leads them across the street, the demons now close on their tail. After another three blocks she leads them down an alley.
"What are you doing?" Lori screams when they reach the dead end. "We're trapped!"
"Trust," is all Xanadu says in response. She turns to Jason and steps aside. "You'll be faster."
Taking a deep breath, Jason closes his eyes and concentrates. Pointing a finger at the wall, he moves his hand in a large rectangle.
"Whatever you're doing," Captain Marvel says as he turns toward the demons barreling down the alley, "do it quickly."
After finishing the rectangle, Jason opens his hand and places his palm on the wall. Light begins to glow from within the wall, creating the outline of a door. The light quickly spreads within the rectangle, until it's one large pool of light.
"Go!" Jason steps back and shoos them all inside. Captain Marvel waits until they're all inside, then gently pushes Jason in first before stepping through just as the demons reach the dead end.
The light fades in the blink of an eye and the group steps through a wooden door. The sounds of merry making and music fills surround them. The air smells of hot food and smoke.
"Where are we?" Dawn asks, looking around in confusion.
"It's a bar," Captain Marvel says matter of factly. "We're running from the relentless forces of evil and you've brought us to a bar."
"It's not just any bar," Xanadu smirks. "Look around."
Lori screams, backing toward the door. Xanadu grabs her arm and keeps her still. Many of the bar patrons turn to look but show little interest.
It's then that Dawn and Captain Marvel realize the reason for Lori's scream. The bar patrons are not all human. Demons, angels, elves, aliens, and all manner of beings sit amongst the countless tables and multiple bars, drinking and eating in peace.
"Let's find a seat and we'll explain." Jason motions them toward an empty table. "We're quite safe here."
The group walk slowly amongst the crowd and sit down at the table. There aren't enough chairs, so Captain Marvel politely asks a neighboring table for a vacant one. Once they're all sitting, Xanadu begins to explain.
"This place is called the Oblivion Bar. It exists in a separate dimension, as it were, from ours. From any dimension. It exists solely on it's own, yet is connected to almost everywhere else. Those who know how can access it from one of the infinite shifting gateways throughout existence."
"I've heard of this place," Captain Marvel muses as he looks around. "It's said that no violence can take place inside it."
"That's right," Jason confirms. "This is the one place where the forces of good and evil, chaos and order, Heaven and Hell, can all sit together in peace."
Xanadu continues, "As such, it's often used as a home for clandestine meetings." She leans in next to Jason. "Why don't you go get us some drinks?"
Jason offers no protest and gets up to leave. Dawn turns to Captain Marvel. "So what's your deal? You're a long way from Fawcett City."
"My Wizard told me I had to come. Said the forces of Hell were seeking a young girl and she needed to be protected."
Dawn raises an eyebrow. "Your Wizard?"
"Ah, you must be Shazam's latest champion," Xanadu says.
"Shazam?"
"Shazam was one of the first wizards ever on Earth," Jason answers as he walks up, his hands full of drinks. He walks around the table and places them down. "He eventually created the Rock of Eternity and became one of this realms greatest protectors. Over the centuries he has chosen champions that he bestows incredible powers to, so they might protect the Earth."
Captain Marvel nods to Jason as he sits down. "That about sums it up."
"Though I don't recall any of the previous champions calling themselves anything like Captain Marvel," Jason chuckles, taking a sip of his mead.
"We live in an Age of Heroes," Captain Marvel smiles before taking a sip from his tankard. He makes a disgusted face and places the beer back down. "It felt right."
Lori, having sunk as deep into her chair as possible, suddenly begins to cry. She covers her face with her hands and curls up. The table all turn to her and Dawn runs over to put her arms around the girl.
"It's all right," Dawn says reassuringly. "It's all right."
"All right?" Lori moans. "Nothing's all right! I just...my school was destroyed! They were all being killed! There's monsters and I don't know I...why is this happening to me?"
Dawn let's Lori cry into her shoulder as the group all share a look. They all realize none of them have an answer. When Lori's crying starts to die down, Dawn pushes her back and looks into her eyes.
"Now listen to me. Over a year ago I was a student at GCU. Just a normal girl like you. My friends and I thought we'd have some fun and played around with some Wiccan shit, just joking you know. None of us really believed it. Until we conjured a demon that possessed me.
"I know what it's like to have your world turned upside down like this. The demon used me to do horrible things. Not just kill, but torture. And I remember it all." She takes a moment to let it sink in for Lori, who stares at her, hanging on her every word.
"But Jason saved me," Dawn says while turning to look at him. "He took me under his wing and taught me about everything I never dared believe was true. That's what he does. He saves people. And that's what I do now too. So does Xanadu and Captain Marvel. And I swear to you, we will save you. We will get you through this."
"Don't be so sure."
The group all turn toward the intrusive voice. Standing beside the table, in plate armor as black as midnight, is a large man with long blonde hair. His face is masculine yet fair. Despite his smile, his dark eyes are filled with hate.
"Neron," Jason says, in shock.
"You may have thwarted me so far, but the girl is mine!"
-To Be Continued-
Next time, the truth about Lori revealed!