Next Defenders/Crusaders Event: 'Destroyed'

Howdy all; As you might have noticed, we've got a new event planned for January 2015 at Marscon - Destroyed! Destroyed Blurb: As the world learns of a miraculous new power-source, old villains conspire to bring down the U.N.'s superhuman response team. Can an assortment of heroes from across different groups somehow stop the destruction? DESTROYED is a two-part adventure set in Mark Geary's Defenders International campaign! We're also celebrating the 29th anniversary of the DiVERSE! More shortly

Destroyed, Prelude #1

Xibola, City of Bone -

He could feel the movement of the air underneath of him as he fell towards earth. Reaching terminal velocity in seconds, he felt the freedom and exhilaration fill every part of his being, the way it always had on countless times before. It was the only part of the curse that was truly his, truly a blessing, and the one thing he missed.

He felt himself relax into the moment, realizing that it was Morpheus's visitation, a moment of pure peace before the dawn...a dream of demigods of flight, something that he missed despite the lifting of the curse. Below the land moved under the dark shadows of night, featureless amid the clouds and cool night air. For a moment, he was contented.

The sudden downdraft brought him to landfall, finding himself skipping for a moment on the eddied currents that gently deposited on the hillside. Something was different this time, something he could not quite put his fingers upon....the dream haze had him still, and yet, the lands were different, colder somehow....more ominous.

The sky erupted into light as Helios blazed above him. He instantly recognized the scene and saw the familiar faces he had come to know and call friends. All eyes were downcast, sullen, and filled with a great sadness, none speaking or making any sound. For a moment, he wondered if these dream-images were some ancient chorus, until he found himself drawn to the object of his gaze. As his eyes fell onto the sight, he felt a tightening of the muscles in his stomach...he knew instantly what the image meant, and felt the sluggishness of the waking world, pulling him backwards, back away from the moment into the cool darkness of the living world.

He felt himself fully alert and awake, rising quickly from bed, letting Eden rest nearby. The images still lingered in his mind, and he knew that such was no dream, but portent. Pulling a nearby toga on, he moved out of the bedroom and into the darkness, unable to sleep.

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Eden Raines had been many things in her life - Daredevil, Adventurer, Pilot, and now Queen. It had been nearly five years since she had married the love of her life, and despite all that she and Romulus had shared, there were moments that he truly puzzled her. Her hand moved absently across the bed, surprised in its near sleep to find him gone from her side. Slowly rousing herself to full consciousness, Eden allowed her green eyes to adjust to the darkness before calling out quietly,
'Romulus?'

Taking a deep breath, Eden slowly pulled herself out of bed, covering herself in a sheer silk robe that rested across the nearby divan. Steadying herself against the bed, Eden gained her bearings and began to move through the open-aired chamber, looking outwards to the balcony and the illuminated paleness of dawn. Romulus stood impassively on the balcony, his massively muscled arms folded behind him in the way he often had when deep in contemplation. Eden moved behind him, gently brushing the tips of her fingers against his arm, before moving beside him. For a long while husband and wife said nothing, standing and looking over the ancient city as it slowly roused from another night. In the dim haze of the morning, Romulus finally spoke, his voice low and haggard.

'I need to return' he said plainly, not facing his wife. It was the stoic and patrician look that Eden had grown to accept, a sign of Romulus's stubborness.

'The dream?' Eden asked, already knowing the answer.

'Yes...' Romulus nodded, 'Again...the same dream...'

There was a prolonged silence between them as both stared outwards. For a long while, neither moved or said anything, until Eden finally spoke.

'Well....I guess I'm ready to see how much the world has changed since 1936.'

'I have to go...you don't....it will be...dangerous...' Romulus began, turning to face his wife. Although he towered above her, there was a sense of physical equality that had always been an unspoken fact.

'You are my husband, and my friend. If this is important to you....' Eden began, looking Romulus up and down, 'Then I'm going....I've said my peace and counted to three'

Romulus stared at his wife, 'These men....the men we go to face...this aren't trogs or raiders...these men are dangerous...motivated...and strong. If something happened to you....'

Eden's fingertips moved up and brushed her husband's lips, 'Then we face them together....but why now? Why is now so important...'

Romulus said nothing at first, allowing the question to linger more out of summoning the strength to answer it, 'They will burn the world if what I have seen comes to pass....I cannot abandon my teammates...my friends...to what awaits'

'Then that is enough' Eden added, 'Let's find our way home, before it's too late...'



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Destroyed

January 16 - 18 2015