***
Kel stood in the center of the stone circle, regarding the rest of the Adepts gathered around him. They looked at him expectantly. "What are we?" he asked, finally. "I'm sorry?" Darine asked. "What are we?" Kel repeated. "Are we an army? A law enforcement organization? A gang of vigilantes?" He sighed. "What are we?" "We're heroes," Jena said. Then, glancing around at the others, less certain, "...right?" "Really." Kel's tone was extremely dry. "Heroes." He was quiet a while, then said, "Did you see what we just did?" "Saved lives?" Darine offered. "We stopped a war," Kel said sternly. "Four of us stopped a war with barely any effort, then proceeded to act as sole arbiters of justice for an entire group of people." Jena put her hand up tentatively. "We turned most of them over to the Pacifica..." "And Mandhe shot one of them enough times to ruin her mind," Kel spat back. Mandhe scowled. "So this is all my fault?" "You were the one who said 'their kind' were no longer welcome on 'our world'," Davin pointed out. "That's my point!" Kel flung up his hands. Then, turning to Mandhe, he said, "I'm not saying this is your fault, or that anyone is actually at fault. I'm simply saying that your actions and my words set a precedent for continued irresponsible use of our powers. We've barely been a team for a week and we're already edging toward despotism." He paced a moment or two, then said, "If we were to decide to take control of Amorlia tomorrow, who could stop us?" No one answered, all lost in thought. Finally, Kai spoke. "You made your point, Kel," she said. "We're dangerous. It would seem you have some idea of how to deal with that. What would it be?" Kel was about to answer when Davin jumped to his feet. The Eye of the Panopticrown flared brightly. "Looks like theory will have to give way to practice," he said. "Trouble at the University." Jena created a portal. While she and Darine rushed through, Kel held Mandhe back a moment. "Mandhe," he said, his hand on her arm, "I wasn't trying to-" "I know," Mandhe smiled briefly. "But your point was a good one. That was excessively cruel, what I did. Though I insist she deserved it, I still shouldn't have..." she turned toward the portal. "Come on," she said. "We shouldn't-" Kel tightened his grip on her arm, turning her back around. "I miss you," he said. "I miss who you were, who we were." Mandhe nodded. "I do too. But we aren't those people any more. I know I'm better than I was just after Emfex, but..." she shook her head, "I'll never be the girl I used to be." Kel hung his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "If I hadn't brought you along-" "No," Mandhe insisted. "Don't you apologize to me. You did nothing. I chose to follow you, you did not bring me along. And when the opportunity presented itself, I chose to go with Mar." She punched his arm playfully, like she used to. "All the choices that led here were mine, Kel," she told him, "as were their consequences." She walked toward the portal. "Now lets go, before Jena and Darine finish this all themselves and you don't get to hit anything." The situation at the University was dire. Conte, Mandhe's old boss from Vega City, had taken to studying the Mad Wizard's old artifacts, shutting himself up in the lab for days. On the third day an explosion rocked the lab, taking out much of that part of the building. When faculty and students arrived on the scene, they saw Conte rise from the rubble, the artifacts melded to his body. He began referring to himself as the Mad Wizard and unleashed powers not seen on Amorlia in centuries. He summoned creatures most foul from thin air, lobbed bolts of lightning as though they were nothing and turned people's own thoughts against them. The battle with the Adepts was fierce. Darine cleared the area of people, with Jena porting the injured back to the Valley while Davin used the Eye to discover who and what they were dealing with. When Mandhe found out who they were facing, she tried to reason with him. It didn't work, as Conte had been driven completely insane by the artifacts melded with his body and did not recognize her. She was finally forced to shoot at him, yet her bullets, formidable though they were, did nothing to him. Darine used her powers to increase gravity's influence on him, but he simply rewrote the local laws of physics and gravity no longer affected him. Jena tried to burn him, but he turned her flames to ice with his mind. Eventually, Kel attacked with the sword, and some part of the new Mad Wizard knew fear. He knew what the sword was capable of, knew what it could cut out of him. Frantically, he sought escape, but he could feel the Eye of the Panopticrown on him. Almost on instinct, he fled to the one place he did not believe Davin Anul's Totem could follow, vowing revenge for his thwarted ambitions. When all were accounted for and the damage assessed, Kel inquired of Davin. The future, came the reply. "He escaped to the future?" Kel was dumbfounded. "He can do that?" Apparently, Davin thought to them. However, I cannot track his exact location along the timeline. The future shifts and changes so much, it's hard to pinpoint a single person in all the myriad potential timelines. Kel almost saw Davin's mental shrug. One can assume you'll see him again. "Wonderful," Kel rolled his eyes. "At least there isn't as much to-" "There you are!" The current Dean of the University rushed across the lawn to meet them, smiling wide. "Our heroes!" he beamed. "Come," he invited them inside. "You must dine with us tonight, so we might celebrate our salvation at the hands of... what do you call yourselves again?" "Call us Adepts," Mandhe said, stepping forward. "Delightful!" the Dean clapped his hands. Turning to students and faculty, he called out, "Join me now, my friends, in honoring these brave heroes." "Let us all honor this Legion of Adepts!"
***
Miles away, on the grasslands between the cities of Vega and Drego, the air itself split apart with a resounding crack. A man sped from it, little more than a blur of color. When he stopped, the ground smoldered at his feet. He spoke into a device running from his ear to his mouth. "This is Thom Kenar, broadcasting via interdimensional transmitter. Does anyone read me?" He waited, with no response. "Come on now," he said. "This is hardly the first alternate I've visited, so I know the tech works. So, why so quiet all of a-" Then it hit him. There was only one reason the base in his home universe wouldn't answer. The base wasn't there anymore. His whole reality likely wasn't there anymore. Because It had finally come to them. Thom sped off toward the Valley of Mystery. He usually found them there, so it seemed the best place to look. If he was right, this was the Root World at last. And if It was coming here... Thom increased his speed. He had to find them. Had to warn them. The Worldbreaker was coming.
Crisis
Kel and Kai turned about the dance floor, looking into each other's eyes and smiling. They could feel everyone staring at them, knew that even their teammates were watching them, but the world had vanished beyond their shared vision. "We haven't done this in a while," Kai said. Kel smiled wider. "It was a state dinner, if I recall." Kai nodded, nuzzling into his chest. His arms tightened around her. "Too long ago," she sighed. Then, smiling, she said, "I remember it was shortly after we'd met. You still had your wings and you..." she looked down and giggled. She looked up at him as they spun lazily, their feet not touching the floor. "I see you remembered too," she whispered. Kel chuckled, then his face turned serious. He sighed. Kai made a face and pouted. "I know that look," she said. "You're about to blame yourself for something." Kel grinned ruefully and shook his head. Then he sighed. "It's just... all the time we've been apart, especially recently, everything that's happened and we..." Kai leaned up and kissed him lightly on the mouth. "And we're still dancing," she said. "I love you, darling. Nothing that happens to us will change that." Kel opened his mouth to respond when he felt Davin touch his thoughts. Terribly sorry to interrupt what is clearly a very pleasant shared moment, the telepath snarked in his mind, but there is a heavily armed battalion of Pacifica currently surrounding the ballroom. Kel lowered the two of them to the floor, scowling. "That can't be good," he muttered. Looking over at Kai, he saw that she was getting the same message. He scanned the crowd, picking out Darine, Jena and Mandhe. Each was the sun of their own little group of orbiting men. But all laughter stopped, all flirting ceased as Davin's voice cut across all their minds. "Any idea what they want?" Kel asked as the others joined him. Davin approached, eyes glowing. He'd not joined in the festivities, finding a quiet corner to meditate in when Kel h
ad made it clear he needed to stay. The Eye of the Panopticrown pulsed. "They're trying very hard to stop me from finding out. They have telepaths among them working feverishly to shield the minds of the officers." The dean of the University approached. "Is everything all right?" he asked. "I'm not entirely sure," Kel admitted. "I think it would be best if we left. We appreciate everything you've done here, but we might be putting everyone in-" "ATTENTION!" a loud voice called from outside. "ALL SUPERHUMANS INSIDE THE UNIVERSITY WILL EXIT THE PREMISES AND PRESENT THEMSELVES TO THE PACIFICA!" "It would seem," Davin remarked, "that you are not the only one concerned by our sudden increase in power and influence." He gestured over his shoulder. "They are under orders to bring us in if possible or kill us if not." "Do they have the means to do that?" Jena asked, skeptically. "They seem to think so." "This is outrageous!" the Dean railed. "They have exceeded their authority for the last time!" "Excuse me?" Kel raised an eyebrow. "The Pacifica," the Dean explained. "They restructured quickly after the riots, becoming more authoritarian and belligerent. In the absence of a central governing power, they have taken it upon themselves to become that power. The Council of Mayors are powerless to stop them, only Mar Dagnae refuses to allow them in her city and even she will be able to keep them out just so long. They've taken a serious dislike to superhumans along with anyone who speaks against them. They've threatened to shut us down again, calling us a danger to society." He smiled wanly, spreading his hands. "It's why we were so happy to see you when all that business with the Mad Wizard's artifacts happened. If anyone can stand against them-" The door to the ballroom crashed open and the Pacifica flooded in, guns drawn. They moved roughly through the crowd, making their way toward the Adepts. Jena ignited herself as Mandhe drew her guns and Darine floated up into the air. Davin turned toward the commander, reaching out to take control of the man's mind. "NO!" Kel's wings extended and he reached out to hold his teammates back. The Pacifica readied their weapons, drawing aim on the Adepts. Suddenly there was a wind and a blur of color and all the Pacifica were unarmed and unarmored. Jena's flame was doused by the vacuum created by the wind's passage. "This wastes time that none of you have," a voice chided them. All turned to see a young man standing in the center of the dance floor, piles of weapons and armor next to him. He wore boots identical to the ones on Darine's feet. "This conflict has happened countless time on countless worlds and every time it's the same. Whether the Pacifica or the Adepts win, the result is death. Widespread horrible death." Kel studied the speedster intently, seeming to recognize him. "Uncle Pym?" he asked, incredulous. The other man chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Kel, though there is a family resemblance. My name is Thom Kenar," he explained. "Pym was my grandfather." Kel's eyes widened. "That's impossible," he whispered. "Uncle Pym never had any children. There was talk of he and Uncle Deron trying an experimental new technique... my mother was willing to..." he shook his head. "But Uncle Deron died before they could..." his voice trailed off as Thom nodded. "Where I'm from," he said, "things happened a little differently." "Sounds like you've a story to tell," Mandhe said, stepping forward. Thom's head whipped around at the sound of her voice, anguish twisting his face. He rushed to her, and before anyone could react, took Mandhe in his arms and kissed her passionately. Finally, Kel pulled the stranger off his friend, tossing him back a few steps. "What in the Broken Hells are you playing at?" he demanded. Thom held up his hands. "I'm sorry," he said, tears in his eyes, "I'm sorry. She doesn't exist in many alternates I visit and whenever I find her..." He drew a shuddering breath, letting it out slowly. He looked pleadingly at Kel. "Please understand, I mean no harm. It's just that..." he gestured toward the stunned Gunfighter. "Mandhe Pacha is my wife." They had all returned to the Valley of Mystery, leaving the Pacifica to gather up their clothes and weapons at the University. They sat within the stone circle, the Sisters watching from the shadows. "Wait," Jena was saying, "explain this to me one more time. I still don't understand." She looked at Thom, who stood in the center, and asked him, "You're from another Amorlia?" "An alternate," the speedster explained. "An Amorlia very like this one, where one or two things happened differently." He held out one hand, illustrating a point. "Every choice," he said, holding out his other hand, "represents another choice: the choice not made." He pointed to himself. "My world came from a choice not made here." Jena nodded slowly. "Okay," she said with some hesitation. "I think I'm going to have to take your word for it, because I can't wrap my brain around that." An idea struck her. "Wait. Do you mean there are versions of us there?" she indicated herself and her companions. Thom nodded. "On my Amorlia," he said, "Kel Vega and I were the best of friends." "And I'm your wife," Mandhe said, eyes boring into him. "Right?" She raised an eyebrow. Thom looked with longing at the young woman, then lowered his head. "You were," he said softly. "At least, that version of you was." A look of sympathy flashed across Mandhe's face, but Thom was still looking away. "'Was'?" she asked, her voice small. "Aye," came the choked response. Then, "Can we not discuss that right now?" "Let's discuss why you're here," Kel said, standing. He approached Thom, hands folded behind his back, wings rustling. "I may be your best friend where you come from," he said, "but here you're just someone I met at dinner." He looked hard at their visitor. "So you'll forgive me if I don't trust you. Frankly, with the Pacifica breathing down our necks and creatures from the Wild Lands running riot, we really don't need trouble from alternate universes." He growled softly, "I've had my fill of alternate universes." "Oh no, Kel," Thom whispered, shaking his head. "Oh no you haven't." "What is that supposed to mean?" Kel asked sharply. "It means unless you heed my warning, you'll have every alternate universe off this Root World crashing down around your ears," Thom shot back. He turned slowly around the circle, his eyes taking everyone in. "It is coming." "What?" Mandhe asked. "The Worldbreaker," Thom said, voice cold with fear. "Ender of Life, Devourer of Realities. It is coming here to unmake everything." "How do you know?" Kel asked, still skeptical. "I go where it goes," Thom said wearily. "That is my task and my doom, to always stay one step ahead of the Worldbreaker, warning each Amorlia I visit of its impending arrival." "Did it destroy your world?" Kai asked. "Not at first," Thom said. "We believed we were among the first alternate it had attacked. It was smaller then and less powerful, easier for our Legion of Adepts to force back into the void between worlds. It was during that effort that I lost-" he broke off, wiping his arm across his eyes. "That is," he stammered, "we lost... the-the team lost..." He heaved a shuddering sigh. "That's when I lost my wife." He looked up, rubbed his eyes again and said simply, "I've been running ever since." "And you're sure this thing is coming here," Kel said again, not wanting to believe. "You've already seen the first sign," Thom explained. "The failing wards of the Wild Lands. Reality warps in its presence and old magics twist and fail, unleashing horrors unimaginable across Amorlia. Millions will die." He shivered, whispering, "And that isn't even the worst it will get." "Have your warnings ever helped?" Darine asked suddenly. "Have any other universes fought this thing off thanks to you?" Thom regarded her silently a moment. Then, "No." "But your people did," Kai said, hopeful. "Once," Thom reminded her. "I received compelling evidence on my arrival here that my universe has already fallen." "Fallen?" Mandhe stood, her eyes wet and a look of horror on her face. "Your entire world, everyone on it... everyone you knew..." "Dead," Thom nodded slowly. "I'm the only one..." Realization dawned on him. "I'm the only one left," he whispered. "I..." Without a word, Mandhe crossed to him and took him in her arms. It was a tender embrace, and the weary traveler let his head fall to her shoulder as the tears came. Mandhe held him, crooning soothing words softly in his ear. They never noticed when the others had gone.
***
The town of Mirlun was under attack. Terror beasts, enraged golem and a dragon were tearing up the streets, demolishing buildings and slaughtering people by the hundreds. Airships and aircars were flung down to the ground and through buildings, the grand Mirlun Bridge was ripped from its moorings and hurled a
cross town, flattening several rows of buildings as it went. The monsters were cutting a gouge through the small metropolis and even the significant number of Pacifica troops were unable to check them. A young officer fired wildly at the golem's giant leg, diving for cover when it responded by trying to step on him. He tumbled down some broken stairs to a cellar, where he found a captain crouched and alert. "How many?" she asked him curtly as he sat up. "Oh, fine, thank you, ma'am," he grimaced, rubbing his head, "just a few bumps and bruises is all." "How many golem are in the vicinity?" she snapped, unamused. He blanched under her fierce stare. He could see now the filthy rag wound tight at the end of the torn and blackened stump that was once her left arm and recoiled from the mad gleam in her eyes. "Uhhh... t- two, I think, Captain." "Close together?" She struggled with her one arm to maneuver a shoulder mounted siege gun into place. The younger officer rushed to assist, remembering to answer her as he did so. "Yes, ma'am," he stammered, arranging the weapon on her shoulder. "Excellent," she grinned wildly. "This should punch a hole clear through one and make a sizable dent in the other." She took aim at the two as they lumbered around the corner, antagonizing glyphs shining red on their stone skin. The younger man stood beside her, steadying the siege gun. The stone foot of a third golem came down on them, crushing them absently beneath the rubble of the cellar. A hail of bullets from scores of machine rifles strafed the golem's chest as it continued through the razed neighborhoods of a once- thriving riverfront town. The gunfire staggered it back a step and it howled angrily down at the retreating Pacifica. It lurched toward them, great arms of stone and wood extended, when lightning exploded in its forehead, hurling it up and back where a second explosion in its chest knocked it over. Mandhe stood atop one of the few remaining towers in the city, barrels of both guns smoking. She kept them trained on the golem, not foolish enough to believe that was all it would take. On the ground, behind a massive barricade, Kel Vega had an unpleasant conversation with the Pacifica Commander. "...don't need your help, do not want it and flatly refuse it," the Commander was ranting. He pointed at Mandhe's position as the Gunfighter began firing repeatedly into the struggling body of the wounded golem. "She will cease and desist as of now or she will be taken into our custody along with the rest of your ilk." Kel raised an eyebrow. "My 'ilk'?" "Don't get flip with me, Vega," the Commander shoved his finger in Kel's face. The Champion resisted the urge to snap it backward at the middle knuckle. The Commander pointed away from Kel toward the carnage beyond the barricade. "We're in the middle of a dire situation here," he growled. "A situation we can help you with. One which, respectfully, we are more equipped to handle." He hoped that sounded brave and confident, because he wasn't quite sure his team would fare any better than the Pacifica. The Commander laughed derisively. "Of course," he said. "Of course you are. So you'll handle it and save anyone who's left to save and everyone will love you for it." He glared up at the blue-winged strongman and asked quietly, "And how long will it be until you decide you're more 'equipped' to rule the lot of us?" "What?" Kel was taken aback. "Oh please," the Commander snorted. "As though we don't have some god-like being attempting to take over Amorlia every time we turn around. All the despotic lunatics who develop a taste for conquest have one thing in common." His gaze bore holes through Kel's eyes. "They're all superhuman." He waved his hand and turned away. "Go live in the Wild Lands with the other monsters, 'Champion'. We're tired of cleaning up after you." Kel was silent a moment and the Commander moved to leave. "So, you've no objection to killing every man, woman, child and Pacifica in this town," Kel said. "How dare you..." the Commander turned, enraged. "No, how dare YOU?!" Kel pointed an accusing finger. "How dare you risk all those lives on your own fear?" He stared hard at the Commander and admitted, "You may be right about us. One or all of us may someday decide to take all of Amorlia for ourselves. And, should that day come, you'd be no more capable of stopping us than you are these creatures." He stepped closer, towering over the other man. "But you would wager all the lives that will be lost to this very real threat happening right now against the possible threat we might become in the future?" Both men were silent then, each intent on staring the other down. Finally, the Pacifica Commander broke the silence. "After all this is over, boy, we're going to have words," he growled. "And aren't I just so looking forward to that," Kel snarled back. "Do what you need to, then get the hell out of my-" The rest of the Commander's words were cut short as Kel shot up into the sky, the force of his leap knocking the grizzled old soldier to the ground. Once aloft, Kel wasted no time giving orders to his team via Davin's open mind. Mandhe, stay on the golem. Your guns seem to have an effect. Darine, crowd control, including the Pacifica. Get everyone out then find me for further orders. Jena, set up a portal back to the Valley then get after that dragon. I'll handle the terror beasts. Thom, you can- I don't recall agreeing to take your orders, came the young speedster's reply. You're on my world, you're on my team and that means you won't just take my orders, you carry them out right damn now, Kel barked into the extra-dimensional traveler's mind. Understand? Aye, was the chastened reply. Good. You'll join Darine on crowd control. Get to it. Kel was about to launch himself toward the rampaging monsters when a voice from the past spoke behind him. "And what orders do you have for me?" Kel turned sharply, gasping at the man floating in the air before him, sunlight glinting off red wings and shining on blue skin. Kel's own wings beat a little faster, in time with his racing heart, as he gaped at the newcomer in shock. "Da?"
Amorlia: Age of Wonder Page 19
