Africa, 1300s
The snow landed softly, blanketing the hard ground with white. A peaceful scene, had it not been for the huge, demonic shape leaping through the air. A lone figure stood in the demon's path, his stance one of readiness. A fire crackled in the background, shadowing the figure's face. The demon didn't care, for it wanted to rip the figure's face off, not study it.
"rishau an nove il an kut!" the figure yelled at the approaching beast. "I banish you, vile one, to the dark place! May your soul drift on the waters of Limbo!"
The beast faltered as the figure finished his enchantment. The air around the demon began to crackle with power, growing in strength and brilliance. A rip in the air formed, sucking the demon into its embrace.
As the supernatural light show faded, the figure removed the hood obscuring his face. A pair of strong eyes looked over the battlefield, a sigh escaping his lips. The figure stood at six feet, long black dreads hanging to the small of his back. His ebony skin was drenched with sweat, his face hanging in exhaustion. He wiped the sweat from his beard, hoping to whip away the aches in his bones as well.
"It will return." The figure spun slightly, startled by the voice. His eyes fell on a glow above the fire, a ball of brilliant blue that hung in the air. The ball shimmered slightly, and a face could be seen in the glow. An elderly woman peered at the figure, her image rippling slightly as the fire grew and faltered in intensity. The figure glanced at the image, then at some runes scattered near the fire.
"I know. Will I be called to stop it again?" the figure asked, already knowing the answer.
"I don't need to answer you; you already know your place in this. You are a guardian, Hondu. That is what destiny choose you to be, no matter what choice you had in it," the image replied. "Do not ask such trivial questions. You have fulfilled your needs at this time. You may go; enjoy what existence you call a life."
The ball flashed, then was gone. Hondu looked at the air where the image had rested. "Damn, remind me to never piss off the cosmic forces again," he muttered as he packed his few belongings. Looking westward, Hondu walked. To where, no one knew.
***********
BLUE DEVIL:DCF #1
Written By: Alex 'BioHaz' Cook
Edited By: Jason Tippitt
***********
New Orleans, 2112
"BEGIN."
The disembodied electronic voice filled the chamber. There was no questioning its intent; the battle was on.
Two figures approached the circle traced in the datastream that made up their arena. One was encased in a blue demonic visage, horns protruding from his head. A trident rested in his left hand, ready for the coming attack. The other stood a bit shorter and had goggles wrapped around his face, with lens of yellow and bands of red, his arms folded against his chest.
The blue demon crouched outside the circle. "Ready Mach3? Let's make this quick; I have a date with the championship."
Mach3 smirked, his wild hair floating in cyberspace. "Always making jokes, Blue Devil. One day your shit-talking will get the better of you."
"Do you think you're the one to prove that point to me? Please." As the words left Blue Devil's lips, his body jumped into action. The Trident in his left hand swung effortlessly through the air, connecting with Mach3's raised arm.
Deflecting the blow, Mach3 launched into his own attack, a flurry of punches landing on Blue Devil's rib cage. Blue Devil blocked most of the hits, but some still landed, bruising his virtual shell.
As Mach3 attempted to land his twelfth punch, Blue Devil jumped to the right, grabbing Mach3's fist as he moved. Twisting his wrist, Blue Devil used Mach3's momentum to flip the opponent over his back. Mach3 landed on the ground hard, an 'oomph' escaping from his lips. Quickly the fighter jumped to his feet and attacked the demon again.
Mach3 moved quickly, shortening the distance between himself and the blue monstrosity. His mind moved through multiple plans of attacks and counter-attacks, feeling he was ready for anything.
Energy swirled around Blue Devil's Trident, each of the three prongs arching with blue and red light. Weaving the Trident in front of him, a pattern of data formed in front of the Devil. Points connected to each other as they sparked into life. "Ryu-ji!!" Blue Devil screamed as the pattern in front of him exploded, birthing a flaming ball of datastream sent hurling towards Mach3.
Mach3 ran closer, heading straight for the flaming ball, sidestepping it at the final second. As his body spun to the left, Mach3 rolled on the ground, coming to rest on Blue Devil's unprotected left side. Scissoring his legs on the ground, Mach3 knocked Blue Devil's feet from under him, the demon falling to the ground hard. Continuing his motion, Mach3 brought his right leg back and dropped it hard on Devil's chest, forcing the wind out of him. Flipping back onto his hands, Mach3 launched into the air, distancing himself from his fallen opponent.
"Where's the sarcasm now, Big Blue?" Mach3 asked in a flat voice.
Blue Devil didn't respond, instead quickly getting to his feet. "Jokes only do so much damage," Blue Devil answered. The Devil's two hands grabbed the center of the Trident and began spinning it in front of him. Energy spiked and flashed, coming to rest with Blue Devil no where in sight.
Mach3 looked around the arena, wondering where the fighter would appear. Lights danced behind Mach3 as energy released, and Blue Devil appeared. Blue Devil raised his right foot and spun, delivering a roundhouse to the back of Mach3's head. Mach3 took the hit and staggered, turning to face the demon behind him.
Mach3 grimaced in pain as he closed both fists. His fists began shaking noticeably, energy pooling around his closed digits. "Shi-Su!" Mach3 yelled, clapping both hands together, releasing a stream of data at Blue Devil. Blue Devil jumped above the attack, landing a short distance away from Mach3. Mach3 launched himself in the air, sailing down towards Blue Devil with one foot stretched out.
Blue Devil was ready for just this move, and gripped his Trident in determination. As Mach3 approached, Blue Devil spun, bringing the flat end of his Trident against his opponent's legs. He moved the Trident in an upward motion, and Mach3's decent was changed, forcing him to land on his back.
Blue Devil didn't spare the fallen attacker a chance to raise again. Bringing the pointed end of his Trident down, Blue Devil ran the staff through Mach3's neck, severing his head. The head of Mach3 rolled to the edge of the circle, coming to stop a few inches past the line. Lips grimaced in pain, "Fuck" was all the head of Mach3 could say.
The arena rippled, then suddenly slipped away, as if a giant hand had ripped the interior apart. Replaced was the beeping light of a Virtual Reality Capsule (VRC). "WINNER: MIKE 'BLUE DEVIL' ASHTON," the electronic voice rang through the capsule, muffled by the thick shell. Cheers could be heard following the announcement.
Mike smiled to himself as he slipped off his VR-Goggles and eased out of the straps. Looking around, he saw Bradley "Mach3" Richards leaving his capsule, obviously upset. The string of curses leaving his mouth gave it away. 'oh well... brad always took the games too seriously.../ Mike absently thought as he walked out of the capsule.
Approaching the walkway, a mass could be heard outside the doors of the VRC arena, chanting Mike Ashton's callsign. "Blue Devil, Blue Devil, Blue Devil!!"
Mike had to laugh whenever he heard the callsign. Mike had taken the name after his Uncle Ruben had shown him some of his TwenCen holovids, one of which stared the Blue Devil of old. Mike's first thought was, "What a joke." He decided then and there to adopt the name, for the laughs of it alone. As soon as the VR-Game fans heard the name, it stuck, plastered across hundreds of fan-sites on the Net.
Mike was shaken from his train of thought as he opened the door to the VR-Games viewing area. Crowds rushed towards the balcony he stood upon, each screaming his name, asking for his autograph, or yelling lewd offers at him. "Thank you!!" was all Mike would say in response, long ago growing tired of the grandstanding many in the VR-Games did. Mike turned to the left, and followed a walkway down to the crowd. This was the part he loved, the party after the game. Mike wished to lose himself in it all.
***********
Bradley Richards slammed the door to his quarters shut, losing himself in anger. His face was locked in a grimace as he stalked about his room, kicking things here, throwing things there.
He paced for a few hours before calming enough to fix the mess he made. As Bradley fixed the books on the shelf, his finger came to rest on an ancient looking tome. 'Corruption' was all that could be read on the cracked and worn spine. Bradley smiled to himself as he pulled the book from the shelf.
***********
Fixing the goggles to his face, Bradley jumped into VR. Once sitting cross-legged in his meager room, he now appeared in a gothic cathedral, surrounded by 12 avatars, each wrapped in robes hiding their faces. But in a realm where one decided exactly what they looked like on an atomic level, why would one need to hide their face?
"3, thank you for coming," one avatar to Bradley's left said in whispered tones. Bradley glanced in the direction of the voice, eyes coming to rest on 7, the leader of their group.
"The 13 called, so I came," was Bradley's simple response. He so hated this part of their dealings, the hiding of their identities. Anonymity and all that noise, Bradley thought.
"Then you know why you were called, as well," 7 continued, slightly annoyed by 3's simple response.
"Yes, and I have been studying," 3 simply said. Bradley had practiced long and hard to keep emotions from creeping into his voice, a skill that had benefited him on more then one occasion.
"Then let us begin. Preparations for the summoning we wish to cast are long and hard, and something each of us needs to take a part in," 7 briskly said, turning on her foot and walking toward an unseen passageway.
***********
Ether swirled around the shadow as it gained substance. Standing before the 13, the spirit oozed corruption, violence, and hate as sweat, on many occasions frightening those too weak to face the fear the spirit caused. The 13 stood their ground.
"The time grows near. How go the preparations?" the spirit asked the assembled avatars, the 's' rolling off its forked tongue.
7 stepped forward, assuming a role not many in the group cared to have. That of leader. "We have completed the first steps of the summoning. All we need to finish is a soul to Corrupt," 7 said.
The spirit smiled, the shadows making up its face crinkling in an odd fashion. Its obsidian eyeballs rolled to the ground. A crack in the datastream grew, as shadows boiled and splashed to the surface. The bubbling increased, vapors and smoke rising in the air. Once the ooze subsided, a round form lay on the ground, stringy hair atop his head, his round, blue-toned naked body shaking. 7 crouched to examine the body, running her hand over the man, feeling his aura for power.
"He is strong. Where did you find him, Ss'ha?" 7 asked the spirit.
Ss'Ha smiled even more, if that could be done. "Pfaltz was a pawn that needed to be removed," was all the shadow said as his form rippled and disappeared, seeping into the ground.
4 walked towards the new arrival, waving his hand and muttering. Datastream tendrils grew from the surrounding floor, wrapping around Pfaltz's hands and legs. "Let us begin," the avatar said, obviously reveling in the idea of what was to come.
"You all will be judged. That I promise you," was all Pfaltz said in his defense as he was dragged out of the room.
7 stayed in the room, looking off in the distance through one of the virtual cathedral stained-glass windows. Bradley approached 7, saying, "Why are you still here, 7? You're a crucial part of the summoning."
"Do not remind me of my place, dog. Until the day you challenge me for the role of leader, you will be only here to offer answers, not questions," 7 replied in a cool air, doing nothing to hide the anger 3 had caused.
Bradley bit his tongue, forcing the remark involving leadership staying in his mind.
7 looked down at the avatar, thinking to herself why this whelp was part of the coven. It was as Ss'Ha wanted, was the only answer she could think of. "To answer your question, however, I'm wondering who our 'prisoner' fits into the greater scheme. He is not a human, not in the least. A wildcard has entered the game. Be gone; I must meditate before the summoning." 3 turned on his heel, exiting as asked.
***********
Mike thrashed around in his apartment in downtown New Orleans. The after-party had been loud and insane. Mike had consumed enough synthol by that time to not hear it all, and just zone into the music. Dancing with anyone and everyone there, Mike partied longer then most. Finally calling it a night, a hovertaxi whisked him home. Fast enough so Mike could pay his praise to the porcelain god the rest of the evening.
Finally sleeping, Mike still can't find any rest. Jerking his appendages in a fitful sleep, his mind played a scene over and over again. Repetition...
Flashing of data, energy spilling from an awesome rip in the air. A scale-covered reptilian face poking out, binary lines circling around him, creating its first avatar. Fear and determination cross the lower visible half of thirteen assembled avatars. Claws lashing out, killing the nearest avatars, scattering the others. Most popped out of VR then, horrified at what they had unleashed. Scene change. Hands reaching, following a silver trail, almost as if it were a rope leading the hands. An iconic representation of a massive brain, some three stories high, loomed in front of the hands, until the hands touched the mind. Then the pain began, and two faces merged in Mike's mindeye. His and that of a tribal-painted warrior.
Mike sat upright in his bed, looking around the dark room disoriented. "Lights," the startled man said to the air. Light filled the room, reflecting off the sweat beading on Mikes ebony skin. His brow furrowed in worry, the dream repeating in his head. Something was coming, and Mike knew his life was about to change.
***********
Runes adorned the cathedral floor. The 13 gathered around the rune-inscripted surface, chants murmuring past their lips. Each's words were different, but together they sounded as a symphony would, cascading together in harmony. Shadows splashed against their hooded faces, odd silhouettes illuminating the avatars' digital skin. Their volume increased, their chanting gaining in power. Lights began to flash and sparkle in the dark around the 13. Energy rippled and peaked, dancing around the columns supporting the virtual house of worship.
Arches of power, datastream infused with magical energy traveled between the 13 as they formed a circle. Each came to stand on a specific rune, a rune of meaning known only to them, their focus of power in this summoning.
The lighting began arching between each rune as well as the 13, forming a web of magic, binding them and their power together. The magics they called on were powerful, but they had an added difficulty, a hurdle not many in the mystical world would attempt. They were summoning a demon into a new dimension, a dimension not of flesh but of imagination. They were bridging the gap between the digital and the real, giving 'life' to the beast they called. Not one of the group could falter in his or her casting.
The runes began to light on the ground, energy exploding in chaotic patterns, announcing their birth. Dancing in odd patterns, the runes illuminated the room further, adding their power to that of the web. The spell was complete; now the price was to be paid.
In another chamber of the digital cathedral, Pfaltz was screaming. The round judge was being was ripped apart, Corruption destroying his very soul bit by bit. He felt the magics tear the pieces of his soul away, agonizingly aware of each as pain blossomed in his skull. Pfaltz felt that this was his judgment.
The web began to grow in intensity as the Corruption of Pfaltz added to the spell. Magics danced around the walls and statues, arching about in a frenzy of raw power. 7 walked forward, the remaining 12 closing the circle around her as she reached the center. The largest rune was drawn at the center, pulsating with energy. 7 brought her hand up and slammed it into the rune, shattering the floor it was fused on. Magic exploded around her, as a rip in the dimensional walls created a hole in the air above 7.
"Ek'Ting, we gathered call you! Your hunger will be sated, and your power will be returned! We call on you, Eaters of Dragons!" 7 screamed into the vortex above her. Something answered.
***********
Floating...
Gliding...
Falling...
The command was given, and a soul was ripped from Limbo, its eternal peace vanishing. This soul was used to such manipulations, although it still was shocking to it.
'Ek'Ting Rises'
The soul shook itself to consciousness, coming awake on Earth, floating above a city of ancient heritage and new technology. In his mind eye, the soul saw a blinking light in the darkness. Power emanated from the pulsating light, a power the soul knew well. A soul powerful enough to handle cohabitation. The psyche was a mysterious and powerful thing, but it still had its limits.
Moving towards its host, a silver thread appeared in front of the soul. The thread confused the soul. Something was missing, and it couldn't not remember what. Reaching hand over hand in a climbing motion, the soul thought more on his growing discontent and confusion at the current situation.
The voice spoke to the soul, as if answering its mental questions. Faster the soul traveled the silver thread, hoping to find himself with answers at its end. The soul began to focus on the surroundings speeding past him. New Orleans leapt to its mind. Home followed fast behind, shocking the soul. Looking forward, determination glinted in its eyes, it continued to climb the rope, faster still. Soon the soul found its target.
The soul phased into an apartment, looking around quickly. It walked through the walls, searching for its host. 'There,' it finally thought.
Thrashing in his sleep, the soul's host lay. The host's arms and legs flayed about, until he jerked upright, sitting panting on his bed. "Lights," the black teen said, sweating after his traumatic vision.
The soul acted. It reached out and touched the host, its fingers passing through the host's head. Pain flashed in the host and soul. The soul was pulled into the host, its form spiraling around the host, its being entering through the host's nose, eyes, and screaming mouth. the merging was under way.
***********
Claws reached past the vortex, binary circling around them, coding the being's first avatar. More of its form pasted the hole in space, a scaled and scarred leg attached to the claws, which were now scrapping against the floor. An arm and clawed hands passed next, pushing the rip farther apart to allow it easier entrance. A reptilian head ushered forth next, scales grimaced in a look of hatred. Rows of digital teeth lined the monster's mouth, each glistening in the supernatural light show surrounding his arrival. Its neck attached the gruesome head to its massive body, which now passed through the hole.
Finishing its entrance, Ek'Ting bellowed its greeting, getting used to its new surroundings. Data sparkled around his newly formed avatar, binary dancing around certain sections still creating the virtual shell. Power emanated from him.
"I call on the spirits of our Masters, and bind you to our service, Ek'Ting!! Heed our commands and none others, demon!" 7 screamed at the large monstrosity in front of her.
Eyes filled with fire looked at the female avatar, feeling the spell take hold of him. Rage swelled in the beast as the spell continued to fasten him to the 13's word. Ek'Ting's forked tongue lashed in the air as a simple phrase was uttered by his new vocal chords, "No." And Hell came to the digital world.
Ek'Ting lashed about, his arms slashing at the avatars closets to him. Blood spilled as the demon attacked without remorse, lashing at any and all close enough to feel his talons. Two groups of the remaining avatars broke off, running to opposite ends of the room.
One group contained Bradley, 3 to the assembled, and the only one currently with enough power to hold the demon at bay. Spells' mystical words flew past Bradley's lips, prayers playing upon his mind.
Attacks came in a flurry, huge spheres of datastream exploding against Ek'Ting's scaled hide. The Eater staggered a bit, but contained his deadly assault on the groups. Fire raged from 3's hands, searing Ek'Ting enough to cause him to stagger.
The second group had run long ago, leaving only five avatars and one demon of great power in the digital chapel. Each combatant volleyed for position, running to hide behind columns and below pews, spells of offenses being cast as they hurried.
As if they had worked such an attack out, the five remaining avatars began popping out of their new hiding place firing whatever spell they had available at the demon. Two from the far sides of the cathedral would jump into view, firing the spell one after each other, then duck back to safety. Then the middle avatar would stand from behind a row of pews and fire his spell, ducking as the remaining two stood quickly after him. As each avatar completed its mystical volley, they would run or crawl or climb to new positions, repeating the order of their attack.
Ek'Ting watched the would-be wizards like a demented child would an insect, waiting for the perfect moment to rip its legs off. The moment came.
The two attacks from the far sides came, but the left one was too close to Ek'Ting, who lashed with his tail impaling the avatar. Ek'Ting's tailed whipped around, flicking in a way causing the impaled member to fly towards the right side attacking. The two body contacted, with the recently cast spell caught in the middle. Their steaming carcasses were all that remained.
As Ek'Ting's tail flicked the avatar away, he leapt towards the middle attacker, grabbing her with both hands and biting her head and torso off in one clean bite. Ek'Ting's eyes flashed as he ingested the avatar, feeling the information the soul had flood his system. The demon learned of VR then, and the possibilities flourished in his head.
Not even wasting his time with the remaining two attackers, Ek'Ting leapt to the right and crashed through a stain-glass window, escaping. Landing on the binary floor, Ek'Ting smirked and flashed, his mind now traveling the web. At the speed of data, the demon was gone.
One avatar watched, hands gripping the destroyed wall, pangs racking his body. Bradley gasped as the demon vanished, scared Ek'Ting knew how to travel the 'net. Fear crept further into his mind as he felt the arrival of Ss'Ha.
"Where isss he, Bradley?" the snake sounding demon asked.
3 turned in shock, horrified the demon had used his real name. "He escaped, Ss'Ha. He was far too powerful for 7 to bind. He lashed out and killed two of us straight out. We split up and attacked, and he killed three of us, leaving me and 4 alive. The others vanished," the mage said in disgust.
Ss'Ha's eyes flashed, and Bradley dropped to the ground, pain racking his body. "You sssssstill bear my mark, 3. Do not ssspeak to the one who ownss your ssoul in ssuch a way again."
"Find the Eater. I will deal with him onccce found," Ss'Ha said, as his form rippled and faded from the destroyed cathedral. None of the remaining avatars had the strength to repair it now.
***********
Pain bounced around Mike Ashton's brain. Spasming in fear of what was happening, Mike lay in a pool of his own sweat on the bed. In his mind, something was happening far beyond his comprehension.
Images of tribal cave paintings flashing with power played Mike's mind. Bones. Casting circles. Painting runes on young boy's faces. Battle, horrendous magical wars killing tribes and families with no remorse. Deals struck, barters made. Double-crossing, a knife lodging in one's back. More deals, but this time to a grander power. Rebirth. Co-Habitation. Hunting. Killing. Death. Rest. Repeating this cycle of return over and over again.
'Ek'Ting is free,' a voice echoed in Ashton's brain. It sounded as if that simple sentence would answer all of Mike's questions. Confused, Mike's mind attempted to rationalize what it was going through. A duty to hunt something was all Mike could understand. A repeating quest, to hunt something that had caused great pain to the hunter.
Some of the images that Mike had seen started to fit into this equation, but so much still made no sense. Mike stood up out of his bed, walking, no, more stumbling around his still-lit apartment. Finally he collapsed in a chair on the far side of the room, catching his breath.
Standing again, Mike slowly inched towards a mirror hanging on the wall to the right of him. As he got closer, he could see the image the mirror was reflecting, and it was not his own. A strong black face stared back at Mike, eyes holding power deep in them. Dreads of black hair hung down past the face, past the mirror figure's shoulders. Mike's mouth dropped, as did the mirror image's. Surprised, Mike began making a few more facial gestures, which were mimicked without error.
"Enough games; the Hunt is on," the mirror image finally said.
Mike jumped back slightly, as did the mirror image. Inching forward a bit more, Mike's face grimaced in confusion, eyes obviously not understanding what they were seeing. There was so little of what had happened tonight the Mike understood.
A smile graced the mirror image's face. "I'm you, Mike," the tall black man in the mirror said, and Mike's mind finally fell under the waves of unconsciousness.
***********
DIGITAL DREAMS
***********
Welcome all to the BLUE DEVIL:DCF One-Shot, and my first big leap into fanfiction.
BLUE DEVIL:DCF is my attempt to describe an under used subject in the DCF, Virtual Reality. However, I went out on a tangent, pulled a few stray ideas together, and what you see before you is the result. This one-shot was written so I could gel a lot of my ideas together in my head, in hopes of planning the future for Mike and Hondu. What a future it is going to be. Their future depends on what people think of this book, however. Send any and all comments to biohaz@slayerfanfic.com, and let me know if you want to see Blue Devil return. Thanx for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!
For more information on the DCF, visit http://www.slayerfanfic.com/dcf
-ALEX
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