2
Pale like death...
Night. The moonlight cast its pale glow over the whole city. It illuminated the courtyard of the Wyvern Castle, resting high atop the Xanatos Tower. If one were to stand in the center of that courtyard, an uninvited guest perhaps, then they would be immediately detected by any one of the dozens of motion detectors, security cameras, and other security apparatus all over the building. This would cause an almost instantaneous response that would leave such an intruder very unsatisfied.
But yet the figure that stalked across the battlements of the castle seemed to be having no such problem. He leapt into the air, somersaulting over the security apparatus' line of detection, landing gracefully on his feet before the large doorway that led into the interior of the castle and office building. He chuckled, and held up one long finger. It stiffened out, becoming solid as a tree branch. He stuck the pointed end of this finger into the automated lock, and began to fidget around.
David Xanatos smiled as he closed the door. His son was sleeping peacefully, tucked into his crib, clutching his favorite stuffed animal. It was a peaceful sight, and it warmed his heart to be a part of it.
He walked down the hall, hands in his pockets, heading for the bedroom he shared with his lovely bride. He found Fox laying under the blankets, reading a book. She looked up from it when he entered and smiled.
"Finally fell asleep, huh?"
"Took me a while, but I managed to wear him out." David said, chuckling softly. He prepared for bed, changing into his pajamas. He was just about to slide into bed when the sound of blaring alarms ripped the peace of the evening to shreds.
"What's that?" Fox shouted, leaping out of the bed.
"Someone's trying to break into the office!" Xanatos shouted as he tore the door to their bedroom open. He charged down the hallways, Fox racing behind him. "Of all times for Owen to take the night off" Xatanos growled to himself when he stopped in front of the door to his personal office. He grimaced at the destroyed locks, and then pushed the door open just a crack, trying to get a view inside.
Attempted break in's, corporate espionage, spies from rival companies, David Xanatos had dealt with all of these before. But the thief that was currently digging around in the safe at the far end of the office was unlike any he had ever seen before. He was inhumanly thin, his arms and legs measuring only a few inches around easily. His pinstripe suit covered most of his body, and the top of his head was hidden by a brimmed cap. Xatanos took a moment to calm himself, and then threw the door open.
The thief turned, and Xatanos' astonishment only grew. His face was almost totally featureless, save for a mouth with lip so red it looked grotesque. From below where his nose should have been, his face was pale white, giving him an almost clown-like appearance. He grinned a foul, death's head grin when he sax Xanatos.
"I don't know how you got in here, but I would advise you to step away from there, before I have you escorted out." David Xanatos knew he could be menacing, and he put on his best leer to try to scare his enemy.
"You must be the legendary David Xanatos" the stranger giggled, "Killing you should be a true delight!" Xanatos charged, ready to use his extensive martial arts training. The intruder simply chuckled as he moved to meet him. "You're simply a pathetic human without even a megadeus to protect you. What could you possibly do to me?"
Xanatos threw a series of well-aimed punches and kicks, but to his astonishment the intruder dodged each one with simply uncanny speed. But he took advantage of the last punch, grabbing Xanatos' wrist, yanking him into the air, and slamming him down onto his own desk. It collapsed under him, sending Xanatos crashing to the floor amidst a pile of broken wood.
"Strong for a scrawny guy, aren't you?" Xanatos muttered between the pain.
The intruder held one hand up. Xanatos watched in amazement as his fingers stiffened out into long spikes, and then his whole hand began to rotate at the wrist, turning into a large drill. He began to lower this strange weapon down toward Xanatos when Fox leapt into action, grabbing his drill-hand by the wrist and attempting to throw him across the room with it.
But, instead, he threw her. As he hauled her overhead, she took a slash across her thigh from the drill. She shrieked as she tumbled through the air, bashing against the wall and sliding down onto her back.
The intruder looked down at Xanatos, strill struggling to get back to his feet. He reached into his pocket and withdrew what he had taken from the safe; a single computer disk.
"Thank you for these marvelous memories! I'm sure they will come in handy." He spun and charged out of the room, beating a hasty retreat.
As he came to the doorway that would lead him back out into the courtyard, he was met with something he hadn't expected. A large form lumbered into the doorway, and they collided head on. He quickly regained his footing with expert balance, and paused to examine whoever was blocking his way.
"Who're you?" Broadway asked. The intruder's jaw dropped, and he took a reflexive step back.
"What in the name of..."
"Stop that man!" Xanatos hollered as he came running down the hall.
Broadway did not need anymore than that. He leapt for the intruder, intending to tackle him and pin him down to the ground with his far greater bulk. But instead the intruder pulled a perfectly acrobatic display, leaping over Broadway's head and landing behind him.
"And what are you?" the intruder said as he reached into his suit. He withdrew a long, golden pistol. He pointed it at the three with a grin, his finger tightening on the trigger. A pair of powerful arms coiled around him from behind and hauled him off his feet.
"Who's this weirdo?" Brooklyn said as he tried to keep a hold of the intruder. But then, in an even more shocking move, the intruder's legs seemed to almost reverse their position on his waist. They snapped around Brooklyn, and the intruder launched himself backward, as if doing a hand spring. He hurdled Brooklyn away with his legs and then straightened back up.
"There was nothing in the memories about this!" he said, his shock registering in his previously maniacal voice.
"He's certainly unlike anyone I've ever seen" Lexington said as he floated down alongside his brothers. The intruder recovered from his surprise quickly and smiled that same evil smile.
"I would so love to stay and disembowel you all, but I am afraid I simply cannot miss my travel plans!" he held his metal hand up, and the tip of his index finger shot off from the rest of his hand, a long chord trailing behind it. It latched into the castle battlements, and yanked him up. He landed once again on his feet.
"You're going nowhere lad!" came a new voice. The intruder spun just in time to dodge the swing of Hudson's sword. He ducked and dodged several more blows before slamming his foot into Hudson's abdomen, throwing him back. He grimaced at the sight of the other three young gargoyles charging up the stairs. He made his escape by leaping over the side of the building.
"That fool!" Hudson shouted as he watched the intruder tumble through the air. But their immediate concerns were put to rest when once again he fired his chord. It wrapped around a flagpole sticking out from the side of the building, and he lowered himself gently to the ground.
No sooner had his feet touched down when the screech of tires and the glare of headlights overcame him.
"Hold it right there!" Elisa shouted from over her gun as she climbed out of her car. Matt Bluestone climbed out from the other door. They both approached him carefully.
"If those things up there couldn't stop me, you two certainly can't either." The stranger giggled. He held up his own gun, pointing it directly at the two. But then he turned it aside and fired off several shots into the people on the streets before he took off running away. Elisa and Matt both hesitated, taken totally by surprise.
"Matt, take care of the wounded people, I'll go after him!" Elisa shouted. Her partner nodded in agreement.
She chased the attacker for several blocks when finally he disappeared into an alley. She rounded the bend, and found him standing in the center of the alley, waiting for something. She leveled her weapon at him once again. "Okay buddy, just stay right where you are..."
"I would so love to oblige, but I am afraid I must be going." He cackled over his shoulder. The wind suddenly picked up, blowing pieces of trash and debris across the ground. The air seemed to grow thick, and static crackled along Elisa's clothes. She yelped when a spark leapt from her gun to her hand. Her eyes flicked around, trying to find the source of whatever was happening. But now small surges of electricity began to crackle in the air. And then, before Elisa's stunned eyes, a hole seemed to open in the very air itself, rippling with energy. The stranger started to step toward it.
"Hold it!" Elisa shouted. She tackled into him, the both of them landing inside the tunnel behind the hole.
"Get off! Get off me you little fool!" they struggled against each other. But before anything more could happen, the hole closed, leaving everything as it had been.
Night. The moonlight cast its pale glow over the whole city. It illuminated the courtyard of the Wyvern Castle, resting high atop the Xanatos Tower. If one were to stand in the center of that courtyard, an uninvited guest perhaps, then they would be immediately detected by any one of the dozens of motion detectors, security cameras, and other security apparatus all over the building. This would cause an almost instantaneous response that would leave such an intruder very unsatisfied.
But yet the figure that stalked across the battlements of the castle seemed to be having no such problem. He leapt into the air, somersaulting over the security apparatus' line of detection, landing gracefully on his feet before the large doorway that led into the interior of the castle and office building. He chuckled, and held up one long finger. It stiffened out, becoming solid as a tree branch. He stuck the pointed end of this finger into the automated lock, and began to fidget around.
David Xanatos smiled as he closed the door. His son was sleeping peacefully, tucked into his crib, clutching his favorite stuffed animal. It was a peaceful sight, and it warmed his heart to be a part of it.
He walked down the hall, hands in his pockets, heading for the bedroom he shared with his lovely bride. He found Fox laying under the blankets, reading a book. She looked up from it when he entered and smiled.
"Finally fell asleep, huh?"
"Took me a while, but I managed to wear him out." David said, chuckling softly. He prepared for bed, changing into his pajamas. He was just about to slide into bed when the sound of blaring alarms ripped the peace of the evening to shreds.
"What's that?" Fox shouted, leaping out of the bed.
"Someone's trying to break into the office!" Xanatos shouted as he tore the door to their bedroom open. He charged down the hallways, Fox racing behind him. "Of all times for Owen to take the night off" Xatanos growled to himself when he stopped in front of the door to his personal office. He grimaced at the destroyed locks, and then pushed the door open just a crack, trying to get a view inside.
Attempted break in's, corporate espionage, spies from rival companies, David Xanatos had dealt with all of these before. But the thief that was currently digging around in the safe at the far end of the office was unlike any he had ever seen before. He was inhumanly thin, his arms and legs measuring only a few inches around easily. His pinstripe suit covered most of his body, and the top of his head was hidden by a brimmed cap. Xatanos took a moment to calm himself, and then threw the door open.
The thief turned, and Xatanos' astonishment only grew. His face was almost totally featureless, save for a mouth with lip so red it looked grotesque. From below where his nose should have been, his face was pale white, giving him an almost clown-like appearance. He grinned a foul, death's head grin when he sax Xanatos.
"I don't know how you got in here, but I would advise you to step away from there, before I have you escorted out." David Xanatos knew he could be menacing, and he put on his best leer to try to scare his enemy.
"You must be the legendary David Xanatos" the stranger giggled, "Killing you should be a true delight!" Xanatos charged, ready to use his extensive martial arts training. The intruder simply chuckled as he moved to meet him. "You're simply a pathetic human without even a megadeus to protect you. What could you possibly do to me?"
Xanatos threw a series of well-aimed punches and kicks, but to his astonishment the intruder dodged each one with simply uncanny speed. But he took advantage of the last punch, grabbing Xanatos' wrist, yanking him into the air, and slamming him down onto his own desk. It collapsed under him, sending Xanatos crashing to the floor amidst a pile of broken wood.
"Strong for a scrawny guy, aren't you?" Xanatos muttered between the pain.
The intruder held one hand up. Xanatos watched in amazement as his fingers stiffened out into long spikes, and then his whole hand began to rotate at the wrist, turning into a large drill. He began to lower this strange weapon down toward Xanatos when Fox leapt into action, grabbing his drill-hand by the wrist and attempting to throw him across the room with it.
But, instead, he threw her. As he hauled her overhead, she took a slash across her thigh from the drill. She shrieked as she tumbled through the air, bashing against the wall and sliding down onto her back.
The intruder looked down at Xanatos, strill struggling to get back to his feet. He reached into his pocket and withdrew what he had taken from the safe; a single computer disk.
"Thank you for these marvelous memories! I'm sure they will come in handy." He spun and charged out of the room, beating a hasty retreat.
As he came to the doorway that would lead him back out into the courtyard, he was met with something he hadn't expected. A large form lumbered into the doorway, and they collided head on. He quickly regained his footing with expert balance, and paused to examine whoever was blocking his way.
"Who're you?" Broadway asked. The intruder's jaw dropped, and he took a reflexive step back.
"What in the name of..."
"Stop that man!" Xanatos hollered as he came running down the hall.
Broadway did not need anymore than that. He leapt for the intruder, intending to tackle him and pin him down to the ground with his far greater bulk. But instead the intruder pulled a perfectly acrobatic display, leaping over Broadway's head and landing behind him.
"And what are you?" the intruder said as he reached into his suit. He withdrew a long, golden pistol. He pointed it at the three with a grin, his finger tightening on the trigger. A pair of powerful arms coiled around him from behind and hauled him off his feet.
"Who's this weirdo?" Brooklyn said as he tried to keep a hold of the intruder. But then, in an even more shocking move, the intruder's legs seemed to almost reverse their position on his waist. They snapped around Brooklyn, and the intruder launched himself backward, as if doing a hand spring. He hurdled Brooklyn away with his legs and then straightened back up.
"There was nothing in the memories about this!" he said, his shock registering in his previously maniacal voice.
"He's certainly unlike anyone I've ever seen" Lexington said as he floated down alongside his brothers. The intruder recovered from his surprise quickly and smiled that same evil smile.
"I would so love to stay and disembowel you all, but I am afraid I simply cannot miss my travel plans!" he held his metal hand up, and the tip of his index finger shot off from the rest of his hand, a long chord trailing behind it. It latched into the castle battlements, and yanked him up. He landed once again on his feet.
"You're going nowhere lad!" came a new voice. The intruder spun just in time to dodge the swing of Hudson's sword. He ducked and dodged several more blows before slamming his foot into Hudson's abdomen, throwing him back. He grimaced at the sight of the other three young gargoyles charging up the stairs. He made his escape by leaping over the side of the building.
"That fool!" Hudson shouted as he watched the intruder tumble through the air. But their immediate concerns were put to rest when once again he fired his chord. It wrapped around a flagpole sticking out from the side of the building, and he lowered himself gently to the ground.
No sooner had his feet touched down when the screech of tires and the glare of headlights overcame him.
"Hold it right there!" Elisa shouted from over her gun as she climbed out of her car. Matt Bluestone climbed out from the other door. They both approached him carefully.
"If those things up there couldn't stop me, you two certainly can't either." The stranger giggled. He held up his own gun, pointing it directly at the two. But then he turned it aside and fired off several shots into the people on the streets before he took off running away. Elisa and Matt both hesitated, taken totally by surprise.
"Matt, take care of the wounded people, I'll go after him!" Elisa shouted. Her partner nodded in agreement.
She chased the attacker for several blocks when finally he disappeared into an alley. She rounded the bend, and found him standing in the center of the alley, waiting for something. She leveled her weapon at him once again. "Okay buddy, just stay right where you are..."
"I would so love to oblige, but I am afraid I must be going." He cackled over his shoulder. The wind suddenly picked up, blowing pieces of trash and debris across the ground. The air seemed to grow thick, and static crackled along Elisa's clothes. She yelped when a spark leapt from her gun to her hand. Her eyes flicked around, trying to find the source of whatever was happening. But now small surges of electricity began to crackle in the air. And then, before Elisa's stunned eyes, a hole seemed to open in the very air itself, rippling with energy. The stranger started to step toward it.
"Hold it!" Elisa shouted. She tackled into him, the both of them landing inside the tunnel behind the hole.
"Get off! Get off me you little fool!" they struggled against each other. But before anything more could happen, the hole closed, leaving everything as it had been.
