Kid Sidekick in..A fight to remember

In movies a fight scene is usually very epic and a unique part of the story. They are a colorful ballet designed to help the audience suspend disbelief.

In the real world of every day today, we might watch a boxing math or the MMA or even Professional wrestling and think, wow that was an amazing fight!

On the other hand, in a real fight. A street fight, when its You vs One (or more)opponents, all bets are off, there is no ballet to a street fight, no years of training. Its brutal,fast and dirty and you will use everything at your disposal to survive it. Screw the honer of Fisticuffs, hit the guy over the head with a brick if you have to!

In a stunt fight for a movie, there might be Ten guys whose job it is to keep the stunt man safe and to make sure the Fight goes off the way it's supposed to.

Again, in real life? Not so much!

Also it is surprisingly difficult to write down a fight scene on paper and make it read as interesting as it in fact was at the time. “He punched him in the chin!” just does not scream action now does it?

I only bring this all up as I was just in a fight and I want to get this all down before I forgot it. Normally I don't pay this much detail to my crime fighting escapades, but this time? Well this one was truly strange, even for me.

Like most of my Adventures as of late, today started quite innocently. I got to work at 5 AM and had the first round of baked goods on the shelf by 6:30 AM. My usual morning crowd came and went with bagels and Coffey in hand and by 8Am I was working on my big orders for the day. A Birthday cake and muffins for a party. Nothing out of the ordinary.

I shut the Bakery down at Three and was on my way to make the daily deposit at the bank when I saw him for the First time.

Even in Los Angeles, something about him stood out. He was dressed very dapper. Like someone from the 20's. Brown slacks, brown vest over a white shirt and then a dark brown jacket over that. Bowler hat and even a pocket watch. He had a certain pride about him as he walked, despite all the stares he was getting he walked with a purpose.

I lost sight of him as I continued my walk to the bank, but the memory stuck with me.

Then I saw him again walking towards the bank. I had only just lost sight of him going the other way and now he was ahead of me? That was weird?

He walked right past the Bank and kept going, I was just about to cross the street and enter the bank when I saw him again, walk out of the Bank?

There was no way he could have entered the bank when I just saw him walk away from the bank and I knew for a fact the Bank only had the One entrance for customers.

Ok my danger sens was tingling.

No, it was not several gentleman dressed the same, it was the same guy each time ! Even when dealing with Twins, there are specific things you can look for to help you know the difference. Each One of these guys not only looked the same, they were the same.

I walked into the Bank and there he was again, waiting in line?

I steeped back outside and saw him across the street walking the opposite way?

He was not doing anything that would make him seem dangerous, other then being in several locations at the same time. In the world I live in that is not as weird as you might think, I knew of several ways someone could pull of the trick. All of them involved Super Powers. Super Speed. Teleportation. Self Cloning. Shape Changing.

I was unaware of any Super powered beings currently operating in Los Angels who had any of the Powers and dressed like that.
Curiouser and Curiouser.

I shrugged and steeped back into the bank.

Only to find several of the Customers laying face down on the ground and One of the tellers yelling how the Bank had just been robbed?

By a Gentleman in a Bowler Hat?

There was only One public exit from the Bank and there was no way he could have walked past me. The Victims said he had left minutes ago but I had only steeped out for a Second or Two?

What the...?

what ever was going on with the man in the Bowler hat it had no just become officially a crime, a weird Crime but still a Crime. I might not understand what was going on yet, but Crime? That I understood.

“Not my bank you don't!”

I was running now, up the block to my Bakery. Drop the deposits back in the register and a quick change in the Storeroom .

The first thing you learn if your going to become a Costumed Crime Fighter was the quick change. From normal William Kids into Kid Sidekick in 75 seconds! Not my best time, I had once done it in under 30, but I had been prepared that time. The last thing I had planed on doing today was Crime fighting

“Oh well.”

I was on the roof and leaping across the street before the Door swung close behind me.

There is a fine art to roof top leaping and “free running” across the city skyline, it was amazing and beautiful and I never get tired of it. It also is exhausting and hurts like crap! No matter how well trained you are, the human body is just not designed for it.

Still , it got me where I needed to go and I had long grown used to it

The Police were already responding to the bank robbery and Bowler Hat was no where in sight . I perched my self on the top of a Billboard across from the bank and used my smart phone to listen in on the Police radio chatter (yeah there is an App for that). Thankfully no one was hurt and Bowler Hat had only escaped with the funds from the tellers windows. Maybe a few thousand at the most? No one robs a bank just to take the petty cash in the tellers box's.

The mystery of Bowler Hat continued to grow. I had a feeling that Bowler Hat was probably going to be a bit more then they bargained for today?

I had last seen Bowler Hat walking west of the bank so I stared my search there, but saw no sign of him? You would think that someone dressed like him would stand out? Attract attention? No such luck.

From my rooftop perch, with my hand held Binoculars I scanned the few blocks around the Bank but still could not find him. I jumped to the top of the 7/11, jumped to a power line and swung my self across to the roof of the Laundromat. From there I took a shortcut over the roof of a Real Estate Office and landed in the ally behind the Mexican Restaurant. From there it was a quick leap to the Fire Escape of the Hospital and then I could swing from that roof to my next target.

Half way across the Hospital roof I spotted a Brown Bowler Hat in the Parking Lot across the street.

“Got you!”

I took a running jump, hit the sky at a break neck speed, pulled my self in to a dive. Hit the pavement in front of him and came up swinging for his gut! Only to find the Parking Lot was empty, all I had done was frighten a few Pigeons.

“What the hell?”

How did he move so fast, was he a Teleporter as I had suspected? That would explain a lot? Still, something did not feel right.

I had met maybe Two people who could actually Telport during my Years as a Crime Fighter and there was a feel to the Air when they vanished. Like the sky just before a Thunderstorm breaks, that smell of Ozone was unmistakable. It was also missing from the Parking Lot? Whatever Mr Bowler Hat was, he was not a Telporter.
When in doubt, return to the scene of the Crime. I was up and leaping back to the bank before the Pigeons had time to return to there perch.

I spent about Fifteen minutes skulking around the bank looking for some clue as to Mr Hats motives and where he might have gone? Sadly I found nothing.

The story had not changed. He robed only the Tellers windows and then seemed to vanish. Each witness swore he had been there a few Minutes but it was only a few seconds when I stood at the Door and there was no way he could have made it past me.

All the evidence seemed to suggest someone able to move at Super Speed, a rare power in deed and it would explain everything, yet still it did not sit right in my Brain. There was something I was missing, but there was little else I could do at the moment but wait.

I returned to the Bakery and went about finishing my day. After working my way through the Police line I was able to make my deposit. I also did some snooping around the interior of the bank and make not of the placement of the Security Cameras. I hoped they had caught some forage of Mr Bowler hat that I could view to see if I was missing anything?

I took my lunch, set up the bakery for Tomorrow and returned home to consult the Web for any more information on the Case did several searches to see if there was any information on Mr Hat or if he had ever appeared before but came up blank.

He was it seemed an enigma, and I decided to call him Enigma because calling him Mr Bowler hat was a little silly.

I did my workout, took a shower and hit the bed for a power nap.

Around 7PM I was up and out and on my way back to the Bank to watch the Security feed. In the days before WI-FI, security cameras were pretty much just glorified VCR hookups. Now thanks to modern technology everything is kept on the computers, so the Security feed from the robbery can go to the Police,the Insurance Investigators and still be on the main frame back at the bank. Which allows someone like me, to hack into that feed and watch it from the Comfort of the Bank rooftop.

I watched the replays a few times and still could not make heads or tails over what I was seeing. What ever Enigmas powers were, it made the feed nothing more then a blur. I saw him enter, saw me at the door. Saw people in the Bank hit the floor but the actual act? That was just a Blur?

Weird.

Now normally when the evidence trail in a Crime runs dry you “round up the usual suspects” as they say, which is to say you consult with your local snitch maybe ruff a few thugs up to get some insight in to the workings of the Criminal Underworld this Month. While I was no stranger to strong arming a few snitches in my time, something about this told me I would be wasting my time.

I don't have any super powers, just Years of training that makes me One of the best in the World at what I do. When you live this life and you are not Bulletproof you develop other skills to compensate. One of them being a keen sense of perception and insight and right now my Sixth Sens was telling me that questioning the local Low Life about Mr Enigma would get me no closer to the truth. There was a sens of the dramatic about all this and almost a tangible sens of for lack of a better word Sadness? Mr Enigma would be just that, an Enigma and if I did not figure this out soon I suspected I would never know what happened today.

I still did not think he was able to Telport, but Super Speed was still on the list of possible explanations.

I took to the air again, leaping from Roof to Roof and swinging across the Skyline. I had One last hunch to look into before I called it a night and drowned my confusion in a turkey sandwich.

The One thing that stood out about Mr Enigma was of course the Hat, so my next stop was the only Hat Shop within a 5 Mile radius of the Bank. It was a wild guess that Enigma would be the kind of Man who only bought the best in Hats, but it was all I had.

Hey Kid Sidekick, world's greatest Detective. How do you spend your evenings?

Siting on top of a hat shop playing video games on my smart phone.

I sat at the hat shop for about an Hour,wracking up a new high score but other then that it seemed to be a waste of Time, I was just about to start my trip back home when I caught movement down the block from where I was sitting. Could have been nothing but I chose to leap over there and investigate anyway.

Sailing across the skyline with nothing between me and sidewalk doom but years of training and 100 feet of Swing Line. While I never get tired of that sensation, I thought to my self for about the 800^th time that I really should get my self a Motorcycle or some better forum of transportation. Sadly the Kid Sidekick Mobile just sounds silly! Still, I should get myself One.

I landed with ease on the roof of the hair cut place and looked to where I saw the movement and there he was, my bowler hat wearing Enigma. Even as I dived for him he vanished. I landed with ease, rolled and sprung up as he appeared across the street.

“Hey!” I yelled as I gave chase. He did not flee from me, just casually walked further away from me. He turned a corner and when I did, he of course was not there. Instead he was standing inside the hair cut place that I was only a moment ago standing on top of?

Was he taunting me? I looked right at him as he stood there in that building. His expression was not sarcastic or insulting, just sort of melancholy?

Even as I watched he seemed to vibrate for a second and then vanish.

This was not an example of Super Speed as I had first thought nor was he Teleporting. No, this was something else. Something I had read about but till now never seen.

When I was training under my former mentor The Hood, he would make me spend Hours studying the various members of our masked fraternity. Villains, Heroes, powered and not. Even the retired and dead one's! If the Hood had any information on them, he made me memorize it, just in case.

Within those Files was documentation on a mysterious individual who was active in the 80's and early 90's, whose appearance and powers were very similar to the individual I was now chasing.

That gave me an idea as to where I would find my bowler hat wearing culprit next.

I took a moment to catch my breath and chomp down on a Granola bar I had in my “Utility Belt.” Then I was off again,pondering the weird, wonderful and often annoying world that was being a Super Hero.

In China Town, Jack is told to “Follow the Money.” Which goes for my line of work as well, follow the Money. Or in this case, follow the trail back to the start. So that's what I did.

I returned to the very corner when I had seen my elusive pray the first time..

Sure enough, there he was. Across the street walking along as if he did not have a care in the world. I ran a few scenarios in my mind and came to a conclusion that I wanted to resolve this with as little violence as possible so I just yelled and waved at him. Hands up,showing no obvious signs of threat I walked towards him.

His expression was again just melancholy, world weary as they say. As if he had seen to much. I waited to see if he would vanish again and when he did not I got as close to him as I could and addressed him.

“Look, I don't know what why you robed that bank, I get the feeling you are in some kind of trouble? Maybe I can help you, just return the money and tell me whats going on.”

He looked at me, sadly. Then smiled and spoke. His voice was low,gravely and emotionless

“Help me? No it's far to soon for that.”And, then he vanished again!

“Oh come on!”

I kicked at a piece of junk on the sidewalk out of frustration and looked around for him. Wait, what had he said? To Soon for that? Not to late, but to soon?

Well that pretty much confirmed my hunch. He was not a Speedster or even a Telporter, no he was quite another rare forum of problem. He was a Time Traveler!

“Why cant it ever just be a guy robbing a 7/11? I miss that, I really miss that!”

I had a hunch where I would find him and I wanted this resolved soon,Time Travel never ends well for any one involved.

In the recorded history of super powered individuals, there are only four accounts of Time Travel. Cinder “Pandora” Elowie, who had the ability to open portals to different dimensions and times. She was over in Europe.
Archive, a robot from the year 2450 who was sent back to record events in our time. It self destructed at the end of it's mission over 11 years ago.
HG Wells who had not just written about time travel but invented it as well before retiring and living out his life back in his own time.
The fourth was an individual who had referred to himself as the Visitor and had meddled in super human affairs in the late 90's.

My time traveling bank robber sure looked a lot like the the description of the Visitor in the files.

I waited at the spot where I was pretty sure he would appear next, I had some time to think things through and equip my self with a few extra surprises for my Enigma.

I did not have long to wait. The air hissed and there he was. He smiled when he saw me and tipped his hat.

“I see what they say about you is True. You are quite the detective Kid Sidekick.”

“Thanks I guess. I still want this to end with out a fight sir! Just tell me what's going on and return the money. Please let me help you?”

“Oh the Mooney? It was never about the Money. You should have seen that by now? Am I to early?”

“What,no? What? “

He laughed, a low gravely sound.

“It was not about the Money Kid Sidekick. It was about being seen, being remembered When you are like me,unstuck in time. All that matters at the end is that History remembers you. Will you remember me William Kids?”

How the hell did he know my name?

“Remember you? You are hard to forget . I'm not sure what it is you are doing but you know I can't let you continue?”

“And why is that?”

“You robed a bank!”

“Did I? I am sure you will find all the Money is where it is supposed to be as if it never happened. Much like me.”

His Time Travel logic was giving me a Migraine.

“Fine, fine. This has all been about making people remember you. Making me remember you? Then help me understand? Help me to remember you! Do I need to take a picture of you or something?”

“If I have broken no laws then there is no need for us to have this conversation. While I appreciate you desire to be the hero in this encounter Kid Sidekick. I am afraid there is no room for William Kids in my story.”

He smiled again and took a step back.

I can not explain this to you any more then I already have,will have. Going to. I can tell you though that in a minuet you will be gone! Or will I?”

The air made a sound like a balloon pooping and he was gone?

The sound he made when he ripped his Time Travel hole in reality was becoming unmistakable, like white noise on a radio and then the pop of the air rushing back in to fill the void.

I pondered his implied threat that I would not be hear in a minuet?

Then the noise came, followed by the pop followed by a fist aimed at my chin.

Fortunately I was already moving a Second before he appeared and as he regained his balance I was rewarded with a momentary look of surprise on his face.

I did not give him a chance to recover as I tossed the first of the surprises I had packed just for him. Suddenly the air was alight with dozens of tinny sparks and then Multi collard ribbons and the smell of sulfate. A simple firecracker but it did have the added effect of distracting him. As he fought to rid his vision of the steamers, I went to work!

I palm slapped his Ears then followed with a pressure point strike to his Neck, then a Fist to the spot between his Eyes. All less then lethal moves designed to take a normal opponent out! Sadly he was no normal opponent and this fight was going to go the distance

Truly I did not want to hurt him, my plan was to render him immobile and unable to vanish. I still thought I could help him. He had other ideas.

While he displayed no actual knowledge of the Martial Arts, he was unbelievably fast and still able to shift in and out of Reality for a blink, Making him very hard to fight, but fight him I did.

“You can not help me Kid Sidekick! Just remember me!”

I remembered him bruising my Ribs or making my Nose bleed or the pain in my Leg! I remember punching him in the Stomach,slamming his Head in to the wall and spin kicking him into oblivion. He was fast,tough and driven but I, well I was Kid Sidekick!

Fist to Chin, Knee to Stomach. Elbow to right side of Face,Elbow to the left. Knee to Stomach. For every move he made, I countered He would Blink in and out and I would compensate, he gave as good as he got but after a Minuit or so it was obvious I was winning. He was staggered, stumbling, bleeding. Yet he would not step down, every One of his blows was made with furry and dedication. Every One of mine was delivered with Surgical precession for maximum effectiveness

“Stand down man! Stand down. It's over! I’ve won.”

Panting he looked at me with new found respect.

“How? How did you do that. How can you know what I am going to do?”

I smiled

“When you shift, it makes a very specific sound. I just listened for it, once I learned your pattern I just moved out of the way.”

He laughed

“I knew it was you, someone had to remember me and I knew it was you.”

He looked at the night sky and smiled again.

“The problem with being unstuck in time Kid Sidekick is after a while, no one remembers you. Time does not like a abnormality like me, it rushes to fill the holes my condition creates. In the end, I will only be a whisper.”

He shifted again and I felt pain explode in the back of me head, where had he go that brick!

He pounded me again and again with the Brick, my Skull was rattling and I was almost blind from the blood in my Eyes.

Remember what I said, real fights are never as pretty or amazing as they appear on film.

I rammed a Elbow into his Chest, spun and delivered a hay maker to his Chin. Another Knee to the Stomach and another blow to the ears. He staggered, I flicked my wrist and the second surprise I had brought slipped in to my Hands. With all my might I swung the Taser Rod in to the side of his Head. It was like getting hit my an electrified baseball bat.

He was on his Knees after that, unable to move as the electricity did it's job.

He hung there panting,groaning and then laughing

“Now William kids, now is the Time.”

With that he vanished again.

I waited a minuet,5 minuets then 10 but he did not return to the fight.

I spent the rest of the night patrolling, looking for him, for some sign of my enigma? My Visitor? Nothing.
I got home around 3 AM and grabbed a shower and a Coffey I had to open the Bakery at 5 so I just chose to stay up and get this all down. Trying to remember every word, every movement but even as I spoke these words to the Talk to Text on my Computer my Mind was slowly going blank

I got to the Bakery and started up the ovens for the morning orders. I drank another Coffey and was glancing at the newspaper when I saw an article that intrigued me.

Today was the 10^th Anniversary of the Death of One Ron Lieberman I had no idea who Ron Lieberman was or why his Death was so important as to need an anniversary but as I looked at the picture of him. Bowler Hat and all , I realized that Ron Lieberman looked a lot like someone I had recently met, someone who was desperate to be remembered.

Ron Lieberman looked a lot like the Visitor, a lot like.......

Wait?

The Visitor?

Why am I thinking about him? I can't remember.

A Squishbunny story (unfinished)

The Howl from Beyond had been herd. The Army’s of the North rose up as One and marched against the great threat. They were met by legions of Giants, Orks and other creatures most foul. A call went out across the land for Heroes to stand against the oncoming hordes!

The Warlock Aurika Nobles (AKA Squishbunny) had herd the call,mumbled something about already having done her bit for King and Country and proceeded to march the opposite way. When she reached the first sand dune, she plopped her self down and there she chose to stay. Stay there she would have,content in her retirement ,but fate it seemed had other ideas for her.

The sun beat relentlessly down on the great Dessert, a lone Hawk soared about in the clear blue sky. Nothing else moved in the vast Wasteland other then the Wind gently whispering across the sand's.

Well, almost nothing.

A lone Female figure stood on top of a Dune surveying the endless landscape before her, at her side a large Four legged creature that could only be described as a “Dog?”waged it's tale and snuffled the sand.

She had stood there for over an Hour, waiting and watching until she saw it again. Sunlight glinting off something metallic on the horizon. She knew for a fact that there was nothing in that direction that the sun could reflect off of so it meant that someone or something was now moving across 'Her' Desert?

She sighed.

“Stupid miners!”

She considered her options, she could walk towards the disturbance and confirm her suspicion that it was in fact Miners, or she could walk the opposite direction back to her Home and ignore them.

She chose the second option.

The desolation stretched out before her long into the horizon Most saw this place as hostile and unforgiving, but not her. To her it was exactly where she wanted to be, to her it was Home.

Ages of History flowed through her hands with each grain of sand she scooped up. The wasteland was filled with wonders and horrors, ancient ruins and modern contraptions and all of it as far as she was concerned was hers!

Lost in her own thoughts, she did her best to avoid what ever it was that was going on behind her. Far to often the events that shaped the world had a habit of showing up on her door step, it was this reason amongst many that she chose the isolation of the Desert.

Sadly as it is often in these tales, that which she was choosing to ignore chose to drop it self at her feet. Quite literally as luck would have it.

The sand opened up underneath her with a sudden furry exposing the open maw and many teeth of a Great Sand Worm..

Cursing the God's for her Luck, she did her best to backpedal her way out of the Doom that was opining up in front of her. She would consider herself an expert at surviving in the Desert, knowing all the many ways it had tried to kill her over the Years. This on the other hand, was something quite new! Since arriving in the Waste she had only ever seen One of the Great Worms Once, and that was from a safe viewing point. They almost never came to the surface except when it rained.

She had no doubt what ever it was that she had seen in the distance was the cause of her rapidly becoming Worm food.

Lacking any obvious way to escape her fate, she chose another option. She cheated!

The words came off her tongue with practiced ease and the gestures were old habit, it took only a second to complete the Incarnation and with a yell of the name “Hesbah!” salvation was at hand.

The air above her ripped apart, exposing for a moment the great Nether and then hovering above her flapping it's Bat like Wings was the almost nude female forum of her “Companion”Hesbah. Who looked down upon her friends fate with disproving eye's.

“Really? Squish? A Giant Worm? Could you be any more cliche?”

“Less sass and more saving please Hesbah!”

“Fine but if I get sand in my wings again...”

Hesbah swopped down and garbed the body of her friend with ease, flapping those huge wings of hers they were soon safe upon a near by rock and able to watch the angry forum of the Great Worm as it leapt in to the air and then vanished once again into the sand.

“And just how did this happen ?”

“Why are you naked?”

“Squish we live in a Desert, I'm almost always Naked! As it happens I was swimming in that lovely underground lake near that statue when you called.”

“The Lion statue?”

“No the Hippo statue.”

“Isn't that the Haunted underground lake?”

“Stop changing the subject young lady, why did I just save you from becoming Squish tar-tar?”

As the Trickster Spirit known as Hesbah giggled at her own joke, Aurika pointed in the direction she had first seen the Glint.

“Hum , Miners?”

“That’s my guess.”

“Want to go kick there ass?”

“Now I do!”

Hesbah giggled again, Aurika grumbled and then snapped her fingers. Her “Dog” came bounding after them from wherever it had vanished to when the Worm showed up.

The two woman and the Dog started waliking. They fell into a familiar banter

“You know I don’t think it's a Hippo?”

“Hum, what?”

“The Statue? I don't think it's a Hippo.”

“Remember when we were in the Jungle?”

“Yup?”

“Remember that large brown thing that came out of the Swamp and tried to kill that nice Privet Samuelson?”

“I liked him. Yeah I remember it.”

“Hippo.”

“Oh? Then I guess it is a Hippo Statue”

“What did you think it was Hes?”

“A Horse.”

The banter continued as they marched on, within an hour they were at there destination and did not like what they saw.

Aurika “Squish Bunny” Nobles

Warlock,Engineer,Cook, Fisher.

While the rest of the world marched off to war, she marched off in the opposite direction. Plopped her self down on the first sand dune she found and called it a day.

While not the most powerful of wizards in the world ,she has manged to acquire a level of loyalty from her “pet's” that no other Warlock ever has. The secret of her bond with them is something she has never reviled. When asked she responds that she chose the path of the Warlock not for the power or the ability to summon powerful creatures from the nether but because she was far to lazy to study hard magic and summoning demons to do her work for her seemed fine with her.

In addition to a standard arsenal of offensive and defensive magic, her chief resource is her Companion/Pets. All of whom seem to posses some extra gift that other Warlocks “pet's” don’t? Again this has something to do with the friendship/loyalty she inspires in her summoned creatures. As a skilled engineer she has also cobbled together a few surprises over the years to enhance her magics and make day to day life easier.

Her menagerie of “companions” include a large blue creature named “Big Blue”, who provides brute strength and vast combat skills. A winged female humanoid named Hesabah who is a trickster and a thief. Her most constant companion's are, Pvpig who can best be described as her Dog? And a small dragon like creature named Garpad.

She spends most of her time as far away from the events of the world as she can. She can spend days wandering her beloved desert, alone save for her Dog(see above). She is the first to claim she is far to lazy to take part in any more adventures, and if pushed she will mumble something about already having done her part and then walk away.

Behind her facade of laziness though there is a old sadness, some dark and tragic secret that is the real reason why she wont involve her self in the problems of the world any more.

As far as treasures and inventions go, she seems to not possess anything of any worth. A few toys, some gadgets to make life easier but no powerful artifacts or weapons of doom are in her possession, yet there are those who speak her name in awe and fear?

While there are hundreds of Wizards in the world and dozens of them practice the art of the Warlock, many of whom who are far more powerful then her, but in addition to the loyalty her pets show her there is One other thing. One lost ancient ritual passed down to her that no other Warlock knows at this time! For Aurika Nobles is the only person who can summon and control the most powerful of creatures from the Nether.

The great Infernal.

As for how she acquired her nickname “Squishbunny?”, that is a story for another time.

Aurika Nobles is a human female around 37 years old. She has long raven black hair and huge green eyes. She is in relatively good shape for someone her age who engages in very little physical activity other then walking or fishing. She is a skilled in the areas of Engineering,Fishing,Cooking,Mining,Smelting, First Aid and survival. She lives in a small shack deep in the desert and seldom is seen in public. She is the classic example of someone who will go out of there way to spend more energy avoiding doing something then the amount of energy it would have actually taken to do the job in the first place. She once climbed up and over a Mountain just to avoid using the mines to go through the mountain!

November Novel Month: page a day experimint

November novel month: Character building.

William Kids-Kid Sidekick.

The son of Jewish bakers,he began studying the martial Arts under the guidance of his Grandfather Sol Kids.

Sol Kids had been a Golden Glove boxer and Pro Wrestler in his youth and passed on that training to his grandson. At age Eight he started training in Akido and Judo.

From age 8 to 12 he conti7ued to train in the Fighting Arts while going to school and helping out at the bakery.

When he was 12 two tragedies shook Williams world. First his Grandfather passed away from Cancer and then his Father was mugged on his way home from the bakery. He never came out of the Coma and passed away a few day’s latter.

Driven by grief and guilt and inspired by the stories of the Costumed Crime fighters he spent much of the next year creating his masked persona,the Cowl.

On his first mission to avenged his father he confronted a group of Gang members and they proceed to beat him almost to death.

Despite his injury’s, William was out looking for his fathers killers as soon as the cast came off. He had some minor success before running in to a D list Super Villain who was acting as mussel on a jewelry robbery.

Though The Mammoth was not very powerful or intelligent, he was more then a match for Will aim and it looked like he was destined to have his short lived life as a masked vigilante come to a bloody end.

Then they herd the laughter!

William watched as the Vigilante known as the Hood dismantled the Mammoth and the gang in under a minuet.

This would be Williams first encounter with the Hood, but not his last. Over the next few weeks the Hood took William under his wing, he became the Hood's side kick so to speak.

Day after day William told his Mother he was going to Baseball practice, but in fact he was learning various martial Arts and crime Fighting skills from the Hood. One day it was “free running” and Rooftop leaping, another it was lock picking.

On there first mission together as a Team, William made a rookie mistake that almost cost both of them there lives.

Needles to say, the Hood was pissed and he made his anger known.

On there way out of the Crime Scene a reporter approached the Two of them and asked the Hood the name of his new sidekick.

With out bating an eye,the Hood responded “Oh, him? This is my Kid Sidekick!”

“Hood has new Kid Sidekick “was blasted all over the Internet and the tabloid news. No matter how hard William tried to be known as the Cowl, he was always refereed to as “The Kid Sidekick”

Eventually after a few weeks, the name grew on him and he began to wear it with Pride. There were Dozens of Heroes and Villains across the world named The Cowl or The Gauntlet. The Mask or The Cape. There was even a guy named The Vulture, but there was only One hero named Kid Sidekick!

So William Kids became Kid Sidekick, and he was proud of it.

Over the next Eight years, William and The Hood made an amazing Crime Fighting team. Kid Sidekick learned everything the Hood had to teach him, soon he was as good as The Hood, if not better?

Then came the day Two Years ago when all the Super Powered beings vanished from the face of the earth. Hero, Villain, those who like Paragon had powers and those like The Hood who did not. They all just,vanished?

Kid Sidekick and maybe a Dozen other Capes were left behind that day, to pick up the pieces and carry on.

After Two years Kid Sidekick, the Worlds greatest Detective is about to solve his greatest case!

William Kids =Kid Sidekick.

Age 22. Powers-None.

He is in exceptional physical health and conditioning, equal to or greater then any Olympic Athlete. He has trained since the age of Six in multiple Martial Arts. Under the Hood he learned Dozens of skills from various Fighting and Weapon styles to the fine art of Detective work. By the age of Twenty Two, Kid Sidekick could easily be called the Worlds Greatest Detective,Martial Artist, Escape Artist and Athlete.

He compliments his Skills and Combat style with a small arsenal of Weapons and Equipment.

(he's batman to put it in comic book general knowledge terms)

Melody Drac story:rewrite

* This is a new version of the previous story. input is appreciated*

Melody 2

The Air was Thick and Muggy. It had a sticky sweet smell to it.

Dawn was breaking but the Night clung to the Walls like a Lover.

Things with no name skittered away from the first rays of dawn, to spread there terror another time.

Somewhere a Dog barked, somewhere a Woman Screamed, somewhere something ancient stirred.

It was a normal Morning in the Town of Socket

Socket. It was a Town of last chances and lost souls. The final stop before the Wastelands.

No one came to Socket because they wanted to. They came because they had no where else to go. Some came to prove them selves, some to escape them selves. Some came to hide, others to seek. Some came because it was the last place on Earth any one would look for them.

Every Year they came to this harsh Town, some stayed, some kept going, many died.

This is the Story of One of those who chose to stay. Her name is Melody Drac.

To all appearances She was just a slip of a Girl, maybe Seven or Eight Years Old. Black Hair in Pigtails and a Dress more suited for Court life then the harsh environment of the Wasteland. It was when you looked in to her Deep Black eyes that you knew she was something else.

Ancient Prophesy’s spoke of a Time when the Dark Elder Gods would send forth their Chosen One to bring about the end of all things.
Melody Drac was that chosen One. She had been raised on an island by members of the Dark Gods Cult as they awaited the end of all Things
Yet when the Time of the Prophesy came, her Dark Elder God “Parents” changed their Minds. The World it seemed would go on.

Abandoned by her Cult and her Creators, the Child was left to fend for her self.
Immortal, trapped in the Body of a Child she had wandered the World since then. She had memories of Oceans, Boats, vast Forests and a terrible Green Fire.

Eventually she had come to Socket, seeking a purpose. A chance to do, well...

“Anything! Just give me something to do Mallik!”

“I have Dishes to be washed, a Floor to be swept and a Box of Horse Shoes to be taken to the Stables. You can do any of those Little Goddess.”

“Aug, that’s not what I meant old man. It's been so dull around hear lately and you always seem to have a bit of trouble that needs doing.”

“ I do not know what you mean, I am but a humble Blacksmith

She stamped her foot.

“Your no more Blacksmith then I am. I'm Bored!”

“Your always Bored Little Goddess, we had this same talk a Week ago.”

“Yes and you gave me something to do”

“If you mean the matter with the Hanged Man and the Missing River Pearls, I only suggested you might look in the hut of Ol' Mama Grim.”

“Yes, see that’s what I mean. That was exciting! I had to fight her pet Giant Snake, damn thing bit a hole in me the size of my Fist!”

“You seem fine to me?”

“I heal fast and bore quickly, I cant help it. Its how I was made. Come On Mallik, I know you have something. It's so bloody hot this season and no one wants to play with me.”

“Did you ever think maybe it's because they don't like the way you Play?”

“If you are referring to the Fire, it was put out. Eventually.”

“It burnt for Three days Melody!”

“I said eventually. Come on Blacksmith, I need something to do!”

“Fine, fine I did hear something just last Night.”

“Go on?”

“You know Qwelip?”

“That huge Guy who does some scavenging in the Waste? Yeah I know him?”

“He set out a Week ago to the Pale Temple on some Mission for Istavan.”

“So, seems like someone in this Town is always doing something for that Wizard.”
“That Wizard is One of the reason you have a place to sleep Girl and don't you forgot it! Anyway, Qwelip was supposed to be back Two days ago, but he's not.”

“I bet Istavan is Mad? I bet Istavan would reward me if I found out what happened to Qwelip .”

“I never said that, I just said he was missing.”

“Thanks Old Man.”

She was off to satisfy her curiosity and boredom. First stop was Qwelip's home, like many of the buildings in Socket it was a mishmash of materiel scavenged over the years from the waste. Stone, wood, iron, bone all placed together to create a home.. Melody knocked on the Wood Door Three times before she broke in, lock picking being One of the many skills She had acquired in her travels.

The home was empty, she spent a few moments searching it but found nothing that could tell her what the scavengers mission was or why he would be missing.

She remembered that Qwelip would always visit Rodgers shop for supply’s and such before heading out on his trips. She went there next, hoping the owner would be willing to help her.

Rodger was a thin man with long stringy hair and an equally unattractive beard. He had come to Socket fleeing an unhappy family life or some such Drama?No one knew for sure and it never paid to be too curious about the pasts of the Towns residents. He made his trade supplying any one foolish enough to enter the Waste with Mules, Food and what ever else the needed. His Mules always came back eventually, but not always with the person they had been sold to.

Rodger, like most of the residents of Socket found Melody unsettling. It was something about the way she never blinked or ate or reminded him of his family. He answered her questions quickly in the hopes she would leave.

“Qwelip's never been late more then an Hour. Two days late? Something bad must have happened to him I guess? To bad, he was a good customer.”

“He went to the Pale Temple?”

“That’s what he said.”

“He do anything or say anything strange before he left, maybe ask you for some unusual supply? Anything that could give me an idea what he was up to?”

“Not that I see it's any of your concern Girl but he did take a few extra coils of rope with him this time. Oh, and some Slave chains. Not sure what he would want with those things?”

That brought a frown to her face. Having been created so to speak to be a slave to the doom cult and her “Parents” Prophesy. The idea of Slavery, of someone being forced to do something against there will was One of the few things she hated in the world! She did not have happy memories of her time with the Cult, or at least she believed them to be her memory’s. She could never truly be sure what parts of her past were real and what were part of her “Parents” design?

“Looks like I will have to just find him my self and ask him, wont I?”

“Wait, you can't go out there by your self! You will need supplies, a guide, weapons!”

“No, I don't need any of that.”

“What are you talking about, your just a child?”

She just grimaced at Rodger , turned and walked away.

Melody did not have a Home in Socket, she really had no need for such things. She kept her few belongings in a Chest hidden near Mallik's blacksmith shop and when she slept it was usually on a roof so she could see the stars.

She left Socket about a Half an Hour latter,. All she brought with her was a Lantern, a few Matches,a hooded cloak and a few rations. Although she had no real need to Eat, drink or even Sleep she was able to do all Three and had developed a fondness for hard boiled eggs and sour candy recently. Her body was able to repair itself from almost any type of damage so she needed no armor. As for Weapons, well her birthright took care of that, she seldom needed anything more then a Blade to defend herself.

Depending on the Weather she guessed the walk to the Pale Temple would take her almost a day. There were no roads in the vast desolation of the waste lands, just a few cobblestones hear and there to remind you that this place was once the home of some lost civilization.

The waste was ancient and full of mysteries, no Two stories about its past were the same but One thing was for sure. It was a harsh, unforgiving place full of the worst horrors the world could spit up. It certainly was no place for a little girl, yet any threat that sensed her chose to avoid her. Perhaps the recognized her as one of there own?

About an hour in to her walk the winds started up, and got worse as time progressed. She was soon being buffeted by winds powerful enough to knock down a tree and the constant assault of the wind born sand was like millions of tiny knifes ripping at her.

It seemed this was as far as she would get as night began to fall and she soon found herself lost and looking for shelter.

It took her a bit but she was able to find the skeleton of some ancient building to hunker down and wait out the storm. She lit her lantern, slid against the corner of a wall and waited.

Soon she sensed she was not alone, something else had sought shelter in the ruins. She waited and watched as the creature approached her, she recognized it as a “Hell Hound”, a Hyena like creature that scavenged the bones of the dead. It was small, maybe no more then a pup. It seemed more curious about her then anything else and she was soon attempting to befriend it.

Eventually she closed her eyes and just sat listening to the sounds of the wind and her companion chewing on bones. She did not sleep, but she could often lose her self in her memories.

A few hours before dawn the Hell Hound started growling at something. Her eyes flew open and she had her Blade in her hand. In the far end of the ruins a child like figure was slowly moving towards her camp. It had long finger nails and teeth and it rags were covered in dried blood.

“A ghoul!”

She moved quicker then someone of her size should, another gift of her origins. Within seconds she had relived the undead child of it's head.

Her canine companion was soon licking at the blood while she investigated the corpse. An undead in the waste was nothing new, but a child? That was interesting?

“Hum, I don’t recognize the child but the blue of it's shirt? I think I’ve seen that before? The tribes men at the White Palm oasis? I think, but that’s days from hear and in the opposite direction?”

The Hell Hound offered no opinion.

She took a hard boiled egg out of her pack and chewed on it as she awaited the dawn.

The weather was calm, almost nice. She could smell the crisp scents of Autumn on the wind,unfortunately winters in the waste were just as bad as summers.

Soon she and her new friend were in sight of the Pale Temple.

The stories go that the Pale Temple was once used as a base of operation's for a order of Holly Knights dedicated to fighting the evil in theses unhallowed lands, sadly like most things in the desolation that was just a story. No one actually knew what the Pale Temple was built for all those years ago? Now it was just another ruin in a land of ruins. An occasional place for Tomb Raiders to seek lost treasures and death.

The Pale Temple was shaped like a large white Dome with only One apparent entrance. The fact that it was still mostly intact was a credit to whoever had built it. As she grew closer Melody began to saw swarms of Fly's hovering over the entrance and within moments of steeping inside the Building the stench assaulted her nose. She was no stranger to things foul and dark but the stench was to much even for her. She backed up and attempted to exit when they fell on her.

Ghouls, dozens of them. Mostly children. Animated by dark magic these shambling undead were known for there speed,stench and there desire to feast on the flesh of the living. Within seconds Melody was bowled over by the mass of grabbing hands and chattering teeth, she herd the hell hound pup cry out and then nothing. Melody was far harder to harm then a normal human of her size but against so many foe's even she could not withstand the onslaught. Pain followed her in to oblivion.

She came to in darkness, pain flooded her awareness. She cried out! It took her a few moments after that for her to get over the sensation and take stock of her situation. She was laying on a stone slab, most likely a sarcophagus in a dark chamber that reeked of Death and Ghouls. Her clothing had been all but ripped from her body and she felt dozens of wounds on her small forum. She was pretty sure she was missing a finger or two and at least One Ear and she imagined she looked like so much carved meat. Thankfully she was a fast healer and even as she lay there she could sens her Body beginning to mend it self.

She cried out again as the pain rushed over her in waves. She took a deep foul smelling breath .

“Hello?”

In response she herd the chattering of Ghouls and the clanking of chains. Something moved in the darkness, something slow and heavy.

Foul stench assaulted her as a misshapen forum came in to view. He had once been huge, standing almost Seven feet tall and weighing at least 300 pounds. Now he was a shadow of his former self, folds of flesh hung from his corrupted body. Ugly in life he was far worse now in Un-Death. He smiled a fang filled smile, his breath was so foul she had to Vomit.

“Oh Qwelip, what have you done?”

“Done? What have I done Little girl? Why do you find my shape disturbing? Are you Scared!”

The thing that had once been Qwelip stuck it's face right in hers,she was not sure if she was in fact capable of feeling fear but the emotion that assaulted her at that moment was as close to Terror as she had ever been.
She knew that this thing could not truly harm her,that she would recover from any damage it caused her eventually yet having it this close to her did make her doubt. She knew she had to keep it distracted long enough for her to regain her strength.

“What are you?”

“What am I, not who? Interesting that you would Phrase it that way? Most would ask who. Very clever little girl.”

The thing paused, it gestured about the dark chamber to the many ghouls that now filled it.

“Do you not like my kingdom? Do you not marvel at my Army? Are you not impressed? Are you not Afraid? “

Grinning, it stuck it's face in hers. It's long claw tipped fingers tracing small wounds along her flesh. It peeled off a strip of her skin and swallowed it.

“I'm afraid Qwelip is gone and I have taken it's place. I waited a long time for someone strong enough to contain my power and he was perfect. I know not what he sought to find in my realm,all he found was me!”

“He was sent to find something in this place by the Lord of our town and he will not be happy when Qwelip does not return!”

“What of you little girl? Will any one be upset when you don't come back. Will you be missed when you take your place in my army?”

“Army,there nothing but children! Where did you get them? What do you think these things will accomplish?”

“ Children? That's no way to talk about your new family. As for Where they came from? Some came from Socket, others from White Palm. Still more from Scion and Bradly. There are many pocket of life in this waste land if you know where to look. Did you not know that?”

As a matter of fact, she did not. She had been lead to believe that Socket was the only speck of civilization in the waste.

“Ah I see you did not, perhaps the people of Socket did not want you to know. Keep you to themselves yes. Greedy humans!”

The thing laughed, it was a noise like tumbling rocks! It made her shiver.

“As for what I plan to do with these children? You will soon know. Enough about me. What is a little girl doing in my kingdom by herself looking for this skin I wear? Who is he to you that you would risk your life in this place? A friend? A father? A Lover?”

“No, he was nothing. Just someone I knew. I was looking for him for the reward.”

“By yourself? A mere snip of a thing you are!”

“ism not so little There is more to me then you can know beast.”

“You certainly do not talk like a child. You held your self well against my children with nothing more then a knife, and even now I see your wounds are healing. Who are you, tell me before I kill you?”

Melody had wasted enough time,she felt her full strength return.

“Who I am is not the question you should be asking beast! You should be asking yourself the same question that I asked you. What am I?”

The beast drew a long blood covered blade from its sheathe and pointed it at her.

“Very well child, I'll play your game. What then are you?”

Melody smiled and closed her eyes. Reaching deep inside herself to the powers of her birthright.

“I am the great green fire!”

With that she let it go.
Birthed to bring about the end of the world,yet abandoned and forgotten by the powers that created her. She had been left with only a fraction of the destructive energies that were to be her weapon against all creation.
She had first discovered the great green fire that burnt inside her by accident. An accident that had burnt for Two days and left her fleeing the only home she had known.
In the years that followed she had mastered her birthright and now it responded to her like a well trained pet. Eager to do her biding,to bring about destruction. It was the power that caused city’s to burn.

The thing that had once been Qwelip had never stood a chance.

She watched as the Ghouls and there master burnt, screaming. They ran but the fire followed them,everything it touched turning to pale green ash in seconds. Wood,stone,iron, flesh! It all fell before the might of the green fire.
Melody stood up in the center of her creation and watched as it did it's work. She felt sorry for the children but then they had stopped being children when the spirit had changed them. She took no joy from the power, it was a tool nothing more.

She let it burn for a bit,assuring her self hat no aspect of the Ghoul army or it's dark master remained. Then she called it back to her and reabsorbed it.

Gingerly she walked out of the fallen temple and took stock of her situation. Over the years she had discovered other more practical uses for the fire besides destruction. With a wave of her hand's she replaced her tattered clothing with a new dress.

She was happy to see the hell hound pup was unharmed and was happily devouring the crispy corpses of the ghouls. She snapped her fingers and it came bouncing to her side. She smiled and petted it, a friend for her journey would be nice.
She pondered the dark specters words, that there were other pockets of civilization out here besides Socket? She wondered what they were like,where the old road beneath her feet would take her? To Scion? To Bradly or perhaps even to her beloved ocean? Oh to sail again she thought. To feel the see beneath her. She had no reason to return to Socket and the fact she had been misled did not sit comfortably with her.

“Time for something new” She said to her self and with smile began to walk.

They would speak of the fire at the pale temple for a day or Two and then forgot it. If any one ever wondered what became of Qwelip or the strange little girl who went to find him, they did nothing about it. It was just another story that haunted the nights in Socket.

A tale from Crossroads

The air tasted like despair,fear and Bacon.

Things with no name skittered and crawled about.

The night Clung to the sides of walls like a Lover.

Somewhere a dog barked, somewhere a Woman Screamed, somewhere something ancient stirred.

In other words it was a normal morning in CROSROADS.

Crossroads, if the World had a center, then this was the Town farthest from it. It was a town of last chances and lost souls. The final stop before the WASTELAND.

No one came to CROSRAODES because they wanted to, they came because they had no where else to go. Some came to prove them selves, some to escape them selves. Some came to hide, others to seek, and some came because they had herd the call of the Lost god demanding they come east. East, always east. They came to this place, some stayed, some kept going, many died.

It was the way of things.

She had come to CROSROADES because no place else would have her, the body of an Eight year old, the mind of a genius and the soul of, well that’s the thing isn’t it. If MELODY DRAC had a soul it was not wholly hers, she shared part of it with the Thing. She had not been born, more like made. An instrument to bring about the Apocalypse, destined for great and horrible things. Yet when the time came, the elder chaos that had molded her changed it's mine.

Basically immortal, forever trapped in the body of an eight Year old Girl. She had wandered the world, her moment of destiny long past and thus, she found her self just another inhabitant of Crossroads. No longer special, just there to spend the rest of her time on this world doing.....

“Anything, just give me something to do! Mallik.”

“What do you think I have for you to do Little God?”

“I don't know, just anything. It's been so dull around hear lately and you always seem to have a bit of trouble that needs doing.”

The burly blacksmith took a moment to glance at the Small Child standing in his Shack of a Shop. On the Surface she appeared to just be an Eight year old girl with Black Pigtails, pale skin in a cute dress. It was only when you looked in her Black Eyes that you saw a glimmer of the terror she almost was.

“I don't what you expect of me, I am just a Blacksmith.”

She stamped her foot.

“Your no more Blacksmith then I am a School Girl. I'm Bored!”

“Your always Bored Little god, we had this talk a week ago.”

“Yes and you gave me something to do”

“If you mean the matter with the Hanged man and the Missing River pearls, I only suggested you might look in the hut of Ol' Mama Grim.”

“Yes, see and that was exciting. I had to fight a Naga, it had huge teeth Bit a hole in me the Size of a human fist. Bleed for hours.”

“You seem fine to me.”

“I heal fast and bore quickly, I cant help it. Its how I was made. Come On Mallik, I know you have something. It's so bloody hot this season and no one wants to play with me.”

“Maybe they do not like the way you Play?”

“That was One time and the Goblins got the Green fire out, eventually”

“It burnt for Three days.”
“I said eventually Look, ill sweep up the shavings that’s how bored I am.”

She moved towards the Broom hanging from his wall, knowing full well that the Burly Blacksmith could not stand any one cleaning his Shop but him.

“Fine, fine. I did hear one thing.”

She almost quivered with anticipation, and to say the Blacksmith did not take some degree of pleasure in his ability to manipulate her would be a lie.

“You know Qwelip, the Ogre guide?”

“Of course I do.”

“He's late coming back from his last run.”

“How late?”

“Day, maybe to. Istavan is going to be angry.”

There are those who still believe that beyond the Waste was a Ancient land of great beauty and even greater Wealth .Year after Year a handful of Brave and often foolish Adventures would come to Crossroads seeking a way to reach that land so as to claim there share of its fabled Wonder.
Qwelip the Ogre was one of the few beings who “Claimed “ to know the way to this fabled land and would offer his Strength and Skill as Guide and Guard to any One willing to pay his Price. He had never failed to return from his Voyages, the same could not always be said about those he traveled with.

A few weeks Ago, Istavan had trusted Qwelip with a mission in to the Waste, what it was no one had dared to ask. There were several reason why this was Interesting to Melody Drac, first off anything powerful enough in the Waste to slow down or even-God's forbid-kill an Ogre was a threat not to be taken lightly, but far worse then that was if Qwelip was late, then Istavan would be mad. Istavan being mad was never a good thing, most if not all the Inhabitants of Crossroads avoided the Old Lich Istavan if they could out of Fear and respect. It was Istavan's power that often kept the City safe from the things in the Wasteland.

“So, if I could find out what happened to Qwelip, then Istavan would be in my debt?”

“I never said such a thing, simply told you what I herd.”

Melody Drac flashed a smile and went running off, the blacksmith went back to his work happy in the knowledge that he had once again manged to manipulate the her.

Melody began her quest at the Home of Qwelip in an attempt to search for Clues to where the Ogre had gone and what the mission had been.

Home is not quite the right word for it, it was more like it was a Large box made out of Iron, Spikes and the Skulls of slain enemies The Iron Hut of Qwelip One of the few buildings in Crossroads Melody had yet to sneak in to, so she took double joy in ransacking the Home, and if a few of the Ogres possessions fell in to her Pockets? Well it was his fault for not guarding them better.

Ten Minutes latter, she surveyed the devastation she had caused to the interior of the iron hut and stamped her foot in frustration.

“Nothing, not a darn clue.”

She was down but not out, she knew that the Ogre always got his provisions for his Journey from Rodger, one of the Towns resident Traders.

Slamming the door behind her she walked to the Shop, as she did she sniffed the air. It smelled the way it always did, of Misery and Death.

Sometimes she missed the Tropical Breezes and Sunlight of the place she had been “born”. Sadly she could never return to that place, they still had not forgiven her for the “Green Fire Incident.”

Rodger was a Muleskinner by Trade. He was one of the only places to acquire Beasts of Burden this far north and somehow always had a healthy stock of Donkeys and Mules on hand. Like all of the other Buildings in Crossroads his Stable was a cobbled together structure made out of whatever materials the builders could find at the time. The stench of hay and Animals assaulted her nose as she stepped under the awning to speak to Rodger.

Rodger was a thin, dark skinned human with long stringy hair and beard. Rumor had it that his reasons for coming to Crossroads had something to do with an unhappy marriage ? It did not pay to ask people there past's in this Forsaken place and Melody frankly did not care.

“Qwelip is missing, I need to find him! Where did he go?”

“Hello to you to, you strange Little girl. Tell me, how is it you always have the same dress on and it is never dirty?”

“I don't ask you your secrets, you don't ask mine! The Ogre, where did he go?”

“Why would I know?”

“Qwelip always got his supply’s and Donkeys from you before he set out, so you must have an idea?”

“Well I assume he went the same way he always goes. Taking the old Spice road north to the Pale temple , then east to Volsak and across the Mountains”

“He's never been late before, he should have been back two days ago? You must have some idea what was different this time?”

The thin man rubbed his beard and thought

“Well come to think of it,he did take an extra donkey and two coils of Rope instead of one. “

“And?”

“Oh, and Three pairs of Slave Chains, Weird thing to ask for.”

“No, I can think of a lot of reasons to ask for Slave chains. Holding someone against there will being Number one.”

“Well that’s all I know, try the old Spice road. If there are signs of him anywhere, it would be there”

“I'll give it a look. Thanks.”

“Will you be wanting a Mule then, traveling Supply’s, food?”

“Nope.”

“It takes 2 days to get to the Pale Temple, three if the Fog is in. You just a Little whip of a thing! You will need supply’s”

A look of anger came across her face.

“No, no I wont.”

She turned and walked out.

As it turned out, despite looking like a Child, Melody was not in any way shape or forum a Human child. Her Aberrant origins granted her many strange Blessings, such as not needing to eat or drink. She could consume food and had quite a fondness for Limes, but she did not need to. Also she hardly ever slept, she could go days with out needing to rest. Walking from Crossroads to the Pale Temple was no more a burden to her then walking down the Block was.

The wasteland was the home of a multitude of Beasts both Fantastic and Horrid, any one foolish enough to travel this Nightmare realm would do so With good Armor and a sharp Blade.

Melody Drac took nothing with her but for the cloths on her back, a lantern for when it got dark, SA few bits of food in a basket and a Knife. Many a Savage eye watched her as she walked down the Old Spice Road but none chose to attack the child. Perhaps the sensed the Dark malevolence that lived within her?

The Old Spice Road was nothing but a few cobblestones lain into the Harsh Desert Sand, perhaps once they stretched across this place like a Shining path leading to the fabled Exotic Ports far to the North, who knew. Now they were just another strange sight in the Wasteland.

Harsh winds and biting sand waged a war with the small frame of the child as she trudged across the land, driven by her restless boredom she kept going where a wiser soul might seek shelter.

Eventually as the Afternoon became dusk, Melody had to admit it might be good to did in and wait out the wind. It's not like she was expected anywhere.

Seeking shelter she left the road and found the Shelton of what might have been a Dwelling of some type, 2 Bare stone walls and the remains of a roof were enough for her. She hunkered down in the Safety of the Corner, threw a hood over her head and waited.

As night fell and the Wind showed no sign of Stopping, she lit her lantern. Took a Lime out of her basket and began to snack on the Sour Fruit. It reminded her of Home, that strange island where she had been born. The Fated Chosen on to bring about the end of all things. She had been a princes then, worship by those who would see the end of all things. Madness was her plaything, then when the appointed time came and went and the realization that her Creator, apparently had Changed it's mind.

There was Little use for a Avatar when the God fails to show and her followers quickly fled, seeking new evils to worship.

Alone, she wandered the Streets of that town, wallowing in all it had to offer. She loved the Ocean and the salty air, the firelight, the laughter. The Boats, gods how she loved the Boats. She was alone and alive, the child of Chaos surrounded by Infinite Chaotic Possibility

Then she had to go get involved with the Goblins and the Whole Green fire thing.

She missed the Ocean, but somehow she had found a new home in Crossroads, the place where you go when you have no place else to go. She had found employment of a sort, letting her eternal curiosity and boredom drive her to one strange Adventure after another. It was a purpose of sorts. Perhaps someday, maybe in a Decade or Two she would find her way Back to that island but for now.

So lost she was in her Memories of her past, she did not hear the thing till it wandered in to the flickering of her lamp.

It appeared to be a Child, smaller then her. Nothing but Rags hanging off its thin forum, but its Evil toothless Grim and foul smell told her it was no child.

“Ghoul! Get they gone. You will find no sustenance here this night!”

The Undead child thing just moved towards her, drooling with hunger. It was fast and stronger then it's small frame should be and the stench was foul enough to render a normal human week with nausea.

Melody Drac, was of course no ordinary Human.

In a split second she was on one end of the Ruin, the Ghoul the other. Then in a Blink of an eye, she was behind the Undead Abomination, holding it's decapitated head.

Dark Goo dripped off her Knife, the corpse fell and she tossed the Head in to the Night.

She flicked her knife clean and walked over to the remains. Kicking them with her feet.

“Hum, these rags look familiar?”I know I have seen that blue before?”

She spoke to no one but herself and the wind, but sometimes it was ok to think out loud yes?

The rest of the Night passed uneventfully and She huddled in her corner and fell into what passed for Sleep for her, random images flashed before her minds eye. Sometime during her “rest” a small Hell Hound came in to the ruin seeking shelter and sustenance, she paid the Dog Like thing no mind as it devoured the corpse of the Undead Child.

Dim light woke her and she stretched, devoured a Hard boiled egg from her basket and began her Quest anew. Perhaps sensing a free meal and a fellow lost soul, the Hell Hound bounced along behind her. To anyone seeing this, the Image of 8 Year old Girl and her Puppy walking along in the Wasteland might seem ridicules.

What was known of the Pale Temple was part rumor , part tall tale and part history. The Bone White Ruin now acted as a land mark to those walking the Waste, and story’s of Treasure still locked away inside its Shape occasionally led to an Tomb Robber to explore it.

The Story goes that it was Once a True Holly place, a bastion of Light and Hope where mighty Paladins and Knights camped before taking there Holly Quest into the Waste to battle the Evil there.

Perhaps that was true, if so it was long ago. Now it was just another haunted ruin in the Waste.

Melody and her new companion arrived at the Pale Temple around 10 AM. She stood on a Dune watching it while the Hell Hound playfully chased Scorpions. She saw no signs of habitation?

“Hum?”

Strangely enough she had yet to visit the Pale Temple so she was enjoying the new Sights and Smells of the ruins. Her Black Eyes scanned the area, but still she saw no signs of any one passing this way.

An Ogre would leave a trail, they were just to large not to. Even One as familiar with the Waste as her Quarry,. There should be some sign, smoke, the smell of cooked meat. Anything?

There was nothing.

She steeped into the Shadow of the Pale Temple and the Smell hit her like a hammer!

Its Foulness, its wrongness assaulted her and she felt dizzy for a second, it was a sensation she had not felt in quite a while. She did not like it.

“Ghouls, a lot of them!”

Her lantern exposed the interior of the Pale Temple. Ghouls, at least a dozen. Perhaps more? Most of them, Children. It would seem that whenever evil was afoot, Children were always the first to Suffer.

She noticed in the Flickering light of the lantern, that at least Four of the Ghouls wore Slave Chains. She did not have to take long to figure out where they came from.

“Oh Qwelip what have you done?”

She had no more time for idle speculation, the Ghouls sensing a Fresh Meal fell upon her. Within Seconds she was bombarded by Clawed fingers and sharp teeth. Tearing at her clothing, her hair, her flesh. Pain was no stranger to her, and she had always counted on her ability to recover quickly from any wound. One or even two opponents she could deal with, but a dozen ?

The ripping, the tearing, the screaming. It was to much, even for he, Blackness took her finally after One of the Ghouls ripped off her arm.

She came to in darkness, the stench was that of a slaughterhouse. Pain still wreaked her body and fear, something she was a stranger to. She was used to causing fear, but feeling it. Did she in fact, fear for her life? Was there some spark of Humanity in her after all?

The slab she lay on was cold, the room was dark. Not that she needed light, as she expected she was bound to the top of a Sarcophagus. Ghouls moved about her field of Vision.

She herd the rattling of Slave Chains and the unmistakable sound of a Blade being drawn across a Sharpening Stone. A Dry chuckling echoed about the pale tomb.

Most of the damage the Ghouls had caused had already begun to heal, the missing arm might take a bit though. She marshaled what strength she had and waited for her “host” to appear.

She did not wait long.

In Life Qwelip the Ogre had stood Eight foot tall and was at least Three Hundred pounds of Mussel and Gristle, in death? He was a gaunt figure, with folds of flesh hanging off of him like Melted wax. His hair had grown long and Stringy, his nails had become Claws and his teeth, already designed to fit the mouth of an Apex Predator were now even more so, but it was the Stench that came off the Ogre that convinced Melody that the Ogre she had Known back at crossroads was no more.

“Oh pretty, pretty girl. You came looking for Qwelip but Qwelip found you instead.”

The voice was coarse and Sing Song, not at all like the Brutish Ogre

“Your not Qwelip, I don't know what you are but your no Ogre?”

“No Ogre, do I not were this shape well. Am I not tall, am I not Strong, am I not Scary!”

His foul face was suddenly inches from hers and the stench was so powerful that for the First time in her life she had to vomit.

With she did in a very unladylike like fashion over the Side of her Prison.

“What are you, not a Ghoul? Some type of Ghoul King?”

“Very good Girl. I was just a empty spirit trapped in this Pale temple. A memory of what once was, until this body. This Ogre came by. Oh I had seen him before, he had passed by this place many time. Then for some reason he entered the Pale temple, searching for something? He came in to my domain and I claimed him as my Own!”

“Once his Spirit was drained from this Fleshy vessel, it was easy for me to take it's place! The body of an Ogre and the spirit of a WARGHOUL!”

“What do you want from me, and these children? Where did you find them all?”

“Here, there. Your pathetic Little Crossroads is not the Only oasis of life in this Barren Wasteland, did you not know that?”

“Er , no I did not?”

“Humph! Well then you have been lied to by the Lords of Crossroads, because I assure you there are plenty of other tasty Fleshy bodies out ether!”

“News to me! You haven’t answered me. Why children? What do you want?”

“Children are easy to corrupt and there souls are the most powerful! I will raise my Army of Ghouls and March on the Citizens of Crossroads, White Palm, Socket and the other Bastions of Life and feast!”

“As for you, your diffient? You should be Dead, yet hear you lay. Asking questions, barley scratched after my Servants attacked you! How is this so Little girl?”

Melody took a breath, trying not to gag on the stench. She looked about her prison, the huddled bodies of the Children. Ripped away from there Families and turned in to this Foul conglomeration of Flesh and Death. Something deep in her stirred, some aspect of the Child she might have been had Fate not chosen her Dark Destiny. Some Spark of Empathy perhaps, she did not know? All she knew was she felt sadness for them. She felt a Longing for her Island Birthplace that she may never see again. She felt for all the individuals she had met at Crossroads, not friends because no one in that place had friends, but still they were something to her. Most of all she felt Disgust and Anger for this thing, this Warghoul.

What was she?

Perhaps it was time to show him, time to remind them all as to what in fact she was.

“You want to know what I am? You mean you don't know?”

“Tell me so that I may enjoy your suffering even more!”

“My name is Melody Drac, I am the last of the Drac family line. Heir to the Fortune of Xavier Gordon. I am the only Survivor of the fall of the Ivory Throne, the Sinking of Richter. Now I am just a runaway living in Crossroads, but before all that. I am something else. Want to know what?”

“Stop your prattling Girl, my Hordes hunger! How is it you lie there healing when you should be Dieing?”

“That’s easy. I am the Great Green Fire!”

They still talk about the Great Green Fire back on that Island, how it Burnt for Three days! They still talk about it, those who survived the Burning of Richter. The Great Green Fire, her “Birth right”. Deep in her, in the part of her that was not Human. That part of her that had been forged to be the instrument of the undoing of the World, the Green fire Awoke!

It moved like something alive!. It gave off no heat but everything it touched burnt. It clung to things like Glue and anything it burnt turned into small green ash! It could be shaken off like droplets of oil, but any where even a spark fell burnt. Burnt in the way nothing ever forged should burn, it was the power of the Thing that had First called to her at the moment of her Birth, crafted her to be the instrument of its wrath and then left her behind when it Changed its mind.

Melody Drac was the Goddess of Green Fire and around her the Pale Temple burnt. The Warghoul, it's Minions and 150 years of History screamed out as everything her gaze fell upon became nothing but Green Ash.

Those who saw it would talk about it, but in a few days it became just another tale of the Waste

Melody awoke to the sound of Water and the Smell of Mold and Ash. She opened her eyes to see that she had fallen through the Floor of the Temple and into a small Cavern by a slow moving Underground Stream. Perhaps the Water source for the Temples Wells?

Around her danced small Green motes of light that looked like Fire Fly’s. Patches of Yellow Mold clung to the walls of the Cavern and seemed to pulsate at her presence?

She smiled.

In all things a Balance her Mentor had told her after she had let the Fire lose that first time. A simple thing like Yellow Mold, it fed of Heat, the greater the heat the more it spread. It was one of the few things her Power could not touch and while the Fire brought Death to so many, to this small thing it brought life.

In all things a balance?

She ran her hand along the mold and giggled as it responded to her.

Then she frowned as she beheld her damaged and nude forum.

“Every time, every damned time!”

It took an Hour for her Arm to finish regrowing and all her wounds to heal, but only a few seconds for her to create a new Dress for herself out of the Green Energy. Over the Years She had found many other uses for her Green Fire besides just destruction.

It took her another half an Hour to follow the Stream to a Well and climb out. She sat in the Shadow of the Well House as the last of her Fire burnt the remains of the Pale Temple and it's secrets away.

She felt bad for the Children, for Qwelip. She felt a pang of Hunger, a hint of excitement but mostly...

“Bored now!”

She stood up and started Walking, the Warghoul had mentioned other places where people lived in the Waste besides Crossroads? An oasis he called them! A bastion of life!

She had no reason to go back to Crossroads, the idea of informing them that Qwelip was dead, sort of at her hands did not fill her with Joy. Perhaps she would seek out these other places, or perhaps she would follow the Spice Road and see if the tales of the great Trade Ports to the North were true.

It had been a long time since she had seen the Ocean after all.

She picked at Random direction, smiled as the Hell Hound pup appeared over the Rim of the ruins and then she started Walking.

She had a sudden craving for Toast.

PERSONA

Melody Drac- The Goddess of Green Fire, the last living member of the Drac family. She was "born" to bring about the end of the world, but when the time came the Ancient evil that had created her-Changed its mind.

 

Mallik- Manipulative Blacksmith

Mama Grim- Alchemist

The Hanged Man-A ghost

Qwelip- Ogre guide

Istavan- The master of Crossroads

Rodger-trader, stable owner and muleskinner.

Warghoul, Evil spirits that can possess the living and create Ghouls

Ghouls-Flesh eating Undead.