Might and Magic (and Mirelurks)

by FantasticCheese

Samantha Brown is your typical Brockton Bay teenager; she listens to the newest pop songs, and hangs out with her friends down by the boardwalk. All that changes when the foundations of her world are shaken by an otherworldly revelation. With newfound powers and knowledge nobody else possesses, can she save her city, and the world, from annihilation?

2. Interlude One

Interlude One: The Shattering of Reality's Barriers Does Not Go Unnoticed

In a sealed room in an underground base on a far off planet, a woman frowned. The numerous Paths she maintained grew longer. Now it was not unexpected for the Paths to fluctuate on any given day. They could not predict the effects of trigger events any more than other precogs could, after all.

What was concerning was the sheer magnitude of the changes and how widespread they were. The number of steps had increased by at least 10% across the board. Every Path was now longer and more cumbersome. How? What happened?

Had there been an endbringer attack? It was a little early, and she was sure somebody would have told her something if that were the case.

Maybe David had done something terminally stupid? That was always an unfortunate possibility with blindspots.

Or perhaps Scion finally snapped and blew up a country.

Whatever the case, the Paths all agreed. She would have to call a meeting with the rest of Cauldron.

She felt a headache forming in the front of her skull. Today was going to be a long day.

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{Unit 3 Internal Update: Energy Expenditure Check = 910 EJ Detected Uptime=2959:03:59:56}

{WARNING: Energy Expenditure Outside Operational Parameters}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: Simulation Density Reduction Check = 80% Detected Uptime=2959:03:59:58}

{Outgoing Signal: Request DATA / Unit 1 & Unit 2 Uptime=2959:03:59:59}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: Local Reality Search Query = Inconclusive Uptime=2959:04:00:05}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: Extradimensional Search Query = Inconclusive Uptime=2959:05:55:16}

{Incoming Signals: Unit 1 \\ DATA Uptime=2959:04:21:40& Unit 2 \\ DATA Uptime=2959:04:23:11}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: DATA Collation = Inconclusive Uptime=2959:05:56:34}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: Initiate Local Space Simulation Search Grid Uptime=2959:05:56:35}

{WARNING: [LSSSG-PreFunction] Indicated Probability of Extreme Energy Expenditure; Expected Excess = 5 ZJ; Override Required #Y/N#}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: #Y# Uptime=2959:05:57:05}

…

{Unit 3 Internal Update: [LSSSG-Function] = Probable Anomaly Coordinates [42.2:42.9 ,-71.3:-70.8] ; Designations "Boston Metropolitan Area" & "Brockton Bay Metropolitan Area" Uptime=2962:23:09:12 & [LSSSG-AuxFunction] = N/A Uptime=2962:23:09:12}

{WARNING: [LSSSG-AuxFunction] Returned Value=N/A :: Indications for Out of Context Problem Possible :: Conservation Measures Necessary}

{Unit 3 Internal Update: Initiate Standby Mode Uptime=2962:23:09:42 & Initiate Simulation of Countermeasures Uptime=2962:23:09:43}

40,000 kilometers above the Earth Bet's surface, somewhere over the Southern Ocean, the third conflict engine entered geosynchronous orbit. Long range sensors alerted think tanks in the PRT and around the world to the development. Despite the efforts of numerous Thinkers and analysts, no conclusion was drawn from this new behavior. The panic passed, and operations returned to normal when it was evident that The Simurgh was not preparing to attack yet. Weeks passed with no observed changes. Image and other esoteric data feeds were maintained. Hopefully, the world would be ready for when the Killer of Hope left her standstill.