City of Heroes

Birth of the Brotherhood

Disclaimer: I don't own City of Heroes. Though I do own a few of the characters in this fic.

Sentry's Duty: 3 of 3

It is said there is no stronger force then a man's sheer determination to suceed, and it was being well proven as a martial artist with multiple broken ribs avoided the back handed swipe from a much larger foe before dropping his heel in a stomp into the side of Garm's knee. The big man was nearly brought down, but a snarl of rage transformed into the madman flooring Edward Taylor with a single punch that should have sent his head straight off his neck.

However, for some reason that went beyond common sense and the scope of the strength involved Bard merely felt a nasty bruise already forming as he lay there dazed. The leather clad hero winced as he felt that his ribs had not healed, it must have been the rush to protect Betty that got him to even continue fighting like he had. Well, whatever had kept him fighting came back full force and suddenly he found the needed strength to roll out from under an incoming stomp and leap up in an agile roundhouse that caused Garm to curse, Bard's heel aggravated the burnt flesh covering most of his face.

The mutant brought both of his fists up, meaning to crush the shorter man with a double clubbing blow. Just as his arms began to come down a pair of slender, armored arms wrapped around Garm's waist and picked him up with a slight bit of effort on Betty's part before she activated her jets on full burn. With a gasp both Garm and Betty rocketed upward into the sky at well over two hundred miles an hour, unfortunately for the tech student she hadn't predicted ever doing this little manuever and so left out a mask that allowed her to keep breathing despite the rush of air that came from a sudden burst of speed. The pair stopped at a backwards arch, thirty feet higher then Galaxy City's highest building and began to fall back to the earth in a head first spiraling fall.

Betty choked, trying to regain her breath while Garm started to try and wrestle himself free of her grip but it was a futile thing to do. No matter how strong or desperately he tried Betty had locked the Sentry's system, and with it enhancing her strength like it was Garm wouldn't get free in time to avoid being a living piledriver.

-----

The Bard had just steadied himself after throwing up enough blood that made him think the human body had far too much of the stuff when he experienced two things. First a pair of bodies were heard hitting the ground a split second before the massive impact sent out a literal ripple in the asphault that made Bard fall onto his side with a pained curse, followed by the ground breaking open under Garm and Betty before the two fell into the sewers below.

Bard turned weakly on the ground, coughing again and holding an arm gingerly across his ribs. He couldn't see what happened or if either had survived. Though he could hear movement, albeit weak and fatigued. Suddenly he could see the top of his sister's head peaking out of the hole... just before the unconscious girl was thrown out onto the street, following by Garm as he leapt out, falling to a knee upon landing. The Sentry armor was a mess, exposed circuits and destroyed metal and her visor had been removed by the crash.

Garm didn't look so hot either. The mutant stood on wobbly legs, clutching a freely bleeding wound at his temple. His boots and pants were just tatters now, barely holding together. Garm looked at Betty and smirked. "Wasn't so smart now was it you dumb broad? I'm tougher then you normal insects. It'll take alot more to stop me then a girl with a fascination for being the knight in shining armor and a loon in some leather outfit."

A small form slammed into Garm's shoulders from above, driving him down to one knee before the figure back flipped off of the mutant, giving a kick to the head as a last note on the suprise attack. Widow landed in a low, splay legged stance while a wispy giggle came from under the dirty strands of hair. Then she rushed forward, hopping onto Garm's hand when the mutant went to backhand her and then proceeded to run up his arm to deliver another kick to his cheek before leaping out of Garm's reach.

"For the love of.. where are all you annoyances coming from!" Garm roared as he started for Widow but it was a futile movement for about that time a bolt of electricity struck the wild man, causing him to stumble. Garm turned to level a death glare on Tempest as he went flying past so that he could come around again for another pass. Fortunately he caught a blur of movement from the corner of his eye and snapped a hand out to slap Widow to the ground. With that nuisance out of the way Garm snarled and leapt up onto a nearby roof so that he and Tempest were on eye level as the flier came to a hovering stop. "So you're still alive. I'm glad to tell you the truth... after all of your little buddies tried to nip at me I'm a little blood thirsty.."

Tempest clenched his fists and focused on bringing the electricity surging around his wings to a constant ripple. "You sure? Looks like the girl in the armor really gave you a hard run before we even got here."

Garm chuckled a little before launching himself towards the hero, narrowly missing Tempest as he shot upward and blasted Garm in the back, an attack that caused Garm to hit an open window and crash into a very unlucky lady's appartment. The woman in question screamed as her bath was interupted and started to hit Garm over the head with her back brush. The mutant ignored her and dove back out, scoring a solid punch that sent Tempest against a wall of an opposite building.

Tempest shook his head and watched Garm land, then used the ground as a springboard to come back up towards him. 'I have to think of something to put him down long enough for Eden to do her thing..' Quickly the electrical hero thrust his arms out and fired a dual blast of electricity out from both metallic wings, catching Garm in the stream and holding him in the air while raw voltage jerked his body this way and that. However almost right away Tempest could feel Garm starting to fight his way free. "Whatever it is you're doing Eden.. do it soon.."

-----

Eden Rolt, known on the surface world as Fallen Saint stood above Bard with her hands held over the injured man. Her lips were moving without a sound, forming the syllables for ancient words that held a great deal of power within them. Before she had arrived Eden had simply blocked off the man's sense of pain, since it was all she could do from a distance to allow him to battle Garm. Now that the Fallen one was in presence of that very man her healing powers went to work, closing up a ruptured lung, knitting several broken bones and removing any other injuries that Eden could detect. The process had produced a white glow over the two which faded now as the man sat up gingerly, still feeling the aches if not the actual pain anymore. "Who are you..?"

Eden smiled, or what passed for a one with the slightest upward curve of black lips. "A fallen child in this world simply.. one who has come to help you and bring you into something destined for you."

"Destined for me..? Lady, thanks for the repair job and all but I have a mutant to kill.." Bard stood up and ran after Garm just as the mutant and Tempest came back to street level to continue their odd game of cat and mouse.

The Fallen Saint watched him run off for a second before heading over to the battered girl in the armor. Once again ancient words were whispered, a white glow was emitted from the two, and then faded when Betty opened her eyes. When she inspected herself, in perfect health but armor still little more then scrap, Betty looked at her savior. "Thank you.. I heard you talking to my br...Bard... what did you mean by something he was destined for?"

Eden raised a thin brow but answered without hesitation. "I mean for him to become part of a new team. If you are aware.. Statesman and everyone with his degree of experience or power has vanished due to that giant mechanical threat that seems to have vanished as well. I have taken this as a sign a new group must step up."

"So.. you want Bard to be a part of this..?"

"You as well girl. This suit, it's brilliant. With your aid we can pick up the broken pieces of the taken heroes." Eden stated while hauling the girl to her feet. "Though now may not be the best time to discuss this.."

As if to prove the Fallen Saint right a sudden crack was heard and Widow, along with Tempest were sent flying past onto the ground while Garm continued to unsucessfully maul the Bard who was now using his smaller size and speed advantage to great effect. However as before, no matter how many times one of Bard's attacks connected it had little influence on Garm.

The mutant roared as he missed yet another swipe at Bard's head and was responded in kind with a side kick to his chin. Time seemed to slow down as Edward Taylor allowed himself to fall with his opposite side to fall towards the ground, pushing out a hand just in time to catch himself and then lash out with his other foot, striking Garm in the nose before handspringing away. Garm roared in agitation and ran after him before Widow appeared from a teleport and grabbed Bard in mind spring before porting out again, leaving the mutant alone in the street.

Well.. alone wasn't quite the way to put it. CHAAAKKK! A bolt of lightning arched out from above Garm, prompting him to roll out of the way just in time to watch Tempest charge up a basketball sized orb of electricity before sending it after Garm at an impressive rate. As before Garm impulsively backhanded it, though now it seemed to catch onto his fist and build it's voltage as it spread throughout his body. "ARRGGHH!" The mutant's body convulsed and staggered as the voltage built up to a breaking point and finally dispersed. Garm was still standing but now he was extremely weak at the knees and back... Perfect time for the Fallen Saint to strike.

Eden was teleported in by Widow, directly in front of the spent mutant with a reserved smirk. "Steven Dimitrov, for crimes against Paragon City under the name Garm you are to be sentenced to the mercy of a worm hole. Would you like to say anything in your defense?"

Tempest landed, wings retracting as he watched on in confusion. Garm looked Eden over in silence before cracking a pained grin. "Yeah.. you're dead the next time I see you."

With a casual wave of her hand a gaping wormhole opened up behind the man, pulling him in slowly. He was able to resist it slightly, had he been at full strength the pull wouldn't have been noticed but now it as it devoured the mutant Garm's eyes focused on Tempest.. in time to flip him off before the worm hole closed.

Tempest approached Eden, "What did you do to him?" He didn't know whether to feel confused about this turn of events or angry. If Eden had killed the man then she had just comitted one of the crimes that she wanted to assemble a team to stop.

"I just put him away to let him think about what he's done." She turned to face the hero with a raised brow. "I can bring him back when I need to, aside from being angry and crude Garm will be perfectly alright in that void." Eden turned away from Tempest and nodded to the Bard as he approached, rather reserved in his movements. She could knew what he was planning from months of studying the martial artist. He didn't like the fact that other heroes were in his district and was either going about how to best kill her, Widow, and Tempest or drive them off. Before he could get within range to decide Eden held up a hand, halting him. "Bard.. we have come today to ask you to join with us. To help forge a group that will try and fill the gap that was left when Statesman was taken. What say you?"

Bard stopped, fingers slightly curled into fists. "I say you're out of your mind if you believe I'm going to team up with anyone. Especially when it involves lightning boy right there, who I still have a score to settle with."

Tempest stepped forward, "Look we're both on the same side of the law. We shouldn't be fighting one another." He held out his hand, face hidden by the mirrored helm but one could tell the purple clad hero was hopeful that something could be said to persuade Bard into joining. "The Trolls are getting out of hand.. Skulls and Hellions are having more turf wars.. and some of the villians with powers are starting to surface again. Do you really want to be alone if Capain Mako or Ghost Widow is staring you down in some dark alley?"

The other man didn't look like he would agree to join, he was about to refuse again when Betty came forward, visor back on and stood directly in front of him. What had she been doing here anyway..? He would have to talk about her that when they could get a moment. Betty looked at Tempest, then Eden before speaking. "My name is... Sentry and I'll gladly join- whether he like it or not!" At the last part Betty was referring to Bard, who had just grabbed her shoulder. She turned to face him. "I know that you are very skilled.. but right now you're proving to be amazingly thick if you can't see the common sense in Tempest's words. So I'm joining as an official super hero now.."

Edward was taken back by his sister's equally flat footed stance and looked down toward her feet. What would happen if he let he just go off alone with these super powered freaks? She was all he had left.. so there was really no choice. With a growl Bard looked up and sent a glare that could have melted steel towards Eden. "Fine. So what do we call this merry band of freaks? The Fantastic Five? No wait.. the Super Friends!" Obviously his voice was dripping with sarcasm, though Eden didn't seem to notice.

Eden merely gave another nuetral smile as her eyes seemed to glow brighter for a moment. Then, in a quiet voice she spoke. Aware right then the impact they would have in the coming months. "We will be called.. the Brotherhood of Justice."