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Within the Apple Ch14
🕑 Added 2023-09-23 16:12:27 +0000 UTCThis chapter has also been updated on t.evancurrie.ca along with the rest of the story to date.
Chapter 14
Hebert Home
Xander settled back and watched As Taylor Work her way through the first set of lessons he had set for her. He knew he was going to have to play it a little bit by ear when it came to the Lesson plan, since a full Hogwarts course load was not in the cards. Given the state of Brockton Bay as a city, he was going to start her off With a bit more of a tactical introduction.
So he put stunners right near the top, despite their being set later in the Hogwarts curriculum. He didn’t think it would be a problem for her, as Taylor’s magic level was clearly well into the top tiers just based on what he was seeing, plus she was a bit older than your normal starting student at Hogwarts.
Her magic potential should be more developed in some ways, but likely less in others.
For the moment, however, he had her casting reparo on basically everything broken in the house, which was leaving Danny in shock as his daughter became what was, in effect, the world’s greatest handyman in just a few moments of study.
Quite honestly, Xander found the look on Danny’s face the most hilarious part of the whole situation.
Hogwarts teachers should conduct some practical lessons in the presence of non-magiocals, He thought with that deep amusement, Magicals would never be able to take magic for granted ever again after seeing that.
She was a quick study too, he found, and possibly more importantly she knew how to learn.
This was a skill that many of the most brilliant people he’d known in his life never quite managed to acquire. Potter, for all his power and skill, actually had noreal compacity for learning. New ideas had to be beat into his head until they finally penetrated… granted, once they did, he took to them and mastered them in ways that whoever originated them likely couldn’t even dream of achieving, but it left Harry with a very small quiver of arrows that he knew intimately well.
For Harry, it made him a true master of what he knew… but a shockingly limited Wizard in many other senses, with huge holes in his knowledge.
Hermione and himself were two of the few people who could consistently beat Harry in duels, all due to two main factors. First, Harry was incredibly reluctant to go all out against either of them, and second… both Xander and Hermione had made a point of learning how to learn. They both were autodidacts, and could overwhelm Harry with such a variety of unexpected attacks that he lost to attrition despite having more power and endurance overall.
Taylor knew how to learn, and the moment Xander had passed her his spellphone and showed her how to connect to the database of spellbooks, had taken to them like Willow or Hermione, soaking up knowledge like a sponge that had been left in the sahara for a year and was only now exposed once more to water.
That could be a problem, Xander made a silent note for himself there.
Knowledge sponges and magic were a potentially volatile combination, he knew that too well.
In Sunnydale, he’d never have given her access to the books freely like that. That close to the hellmouth, there was basically no chance that she wouldn’t get corrupted by the pervasive influence of the demonic. Here, as dark as Brockton was, there was no hint of the demonic at least, so it should be relatively safe to let her push her way through the books at her own pace.
He wouldn’t leave the Spellphone with her unsupervised, however, or give her her own until she was further along.
No sense temping the Gods, given how whatever ones were overseeing this realm clearly had to be fucking insane.
“How long before you intend to bring her out?” Danny asked him quietly as they watched Taylor working on the Leviosa spell.
“I’m not sure, but there are some things to do before we get to that point anyway,” Xander answered. “Given your local cape culture, she’ll need a costume I suppose. I should be able to dig up some combat robes.”
“Robes?” Danny looked at him askance, “I was hoping for some armor.”
Xander chuckled, “Combat robes are heavily armored, with both magic and physical armor. I don’t have any Dragonskin or the like, but I picked up some items from other universes that I should be able to rig into something fitting and durable.”
“What about what you used against Hookwolf? Those seemed tough?”
Xander just shook his head, “Mostly just some slightly upcharmed mundane gear. Lightweight, more intended for comfort than fighting. I’ll make her some for everyday use, but when she’s going to be in a fight, we’ll want her more protected.”
“Can’t disagree with that,” Danny admitted.
“I need a name too,” Taylor called from where she was levitating a schoolbook, showing that she’d been listening.
“You can pick a name when you earn your journeyman rating,” Xander countered, “and not until. Back to work, don’t get distracted.”
She pouted, but got back to the spells with a happy look on her face.
Danny sighed.
“What’s wrong?”
“I haven’t seen her that happy in a long time,” Danny admitted. “Since before her mother passed. I… I think I fucked up.”
“We all do,” Xander said with a shake of his head, “Remind me to tell you, another time, about when I walked into the International Council of Wizards… basically our top governing body, and told them all off to their face before… well, suffice to say, I kicked off quite a spat.”
“Spat?” Danny choked, “I can’t imagine the Secret Service would deal lightly with anyone who did that to the President.”
Xander laughed, “I took them all out before I even started. The two strongest wizards on the planet were members of the council when I threw down the gauntlet…”
He sighed sadly, “One of them was one of my best friends. We fought together in the war, along with other friends. Our enemies knew us as the Horsemen. He was Death, I was War. That day, we found ourselves on opposite sides. My… rage… made me put him in a position where he had to choose between his family or me. I knew he’d choose them, of course, but it still hurt.”
Danny stared at him nervously, “Not meaning any offense, but it sounds like you started a war with your county’s government.”
“Oh no. I started a war with my world’s government.” Xander said grimly. “I told them, if they wanted a Dark Lord so badly… I’d give them one.”
He was about to say something more, but he was interrupted by sirenssuddenly going off outside, as well as the TV abruptly shifting to an emergency announcement.
“Oh God,” Danny said bleakly as Taylor let her book fall and stared at the TV.
“What is it?” Xander asked intently.
“Endbringer,” Taylor answered bleakly. “They’ll tell us where and which one shortly…”
The sirens outside faded a moment later, causing Danny to sigh in relief while looking guilty for doing so.
“Not here,” He said. “Thank God.”
Xander silently watched the TV, until a talking head appeared and started filling people in on the limited information currently available.
“The Simurgh,” Danny said, paling.
Xander had read about that one, about all of them, but the Simurg was known as a mind twister. He nodded and got to his feet.
“Guess I get to test my shields against that bitch,” He said as he got his wand out.
“I’m coming with you!” Taylor jumped up.
“You are not,” Both Danny and Xander snapped, causing her to fall back into the chair.
“You’re my daughter, and I’m not letting you go anywhere near that bitch,” Danny snapped.
“And you’re my apprentice, and you’re not going into any fights until I say so… let alone with a city destroyer,” Xander said firmly as he snapped his wand out and shifted his gear to what he preferred for heavy fighting. “Now, where do I go to meet up with the others going?”
“Protectorate Headquarters here in the City is the meeting point,” Danny said as Taylor pouted.
Xander nodded, flicking his wand to summon the Spellphone, “Very well. I’ll see you when I get back. Taylor, keep practicing. Danny… Make sure she doesn’t knock the house down… or, at least make sure she puts it back up after.”
Danny’s panicked expression made him laugh as he headed for the door, quickly casting noticemenots and muggle repelling wards before opening the door.
Then he was gone, lifting off into the skies and vectoring toward the Protectorate building.
******
Protectorate Headquarters, Brockton Bay
Armsmaster cocked his head as he listened to the radio in his helmet before looking up to the sky and spotted the incoming contact.
“Console, Armsmaster,” He said in response. “Incoming contact appears to be the Parahuman known as Magus. I will intercept and direct him to the meeting location.”
“Console copies.”
He waved over a PRT agent and directed him to take over for the intake of volunteers, moving to meet the newcomer as he landed.
“Magus,” He said firmly. “Are you here to volunteer?”
Magus nodded, “City destroyers are not to be tolerated.”
There was an understatement if Armsmaster had ever heard one, but he just nodded. “Welcome, then. We’re arranging for transport as we speak… I believe that we’ll…”
He paused, and Magus turned to follow his gaze to where several new Parahumans had arrived, making a big show of things.
Magus stiffened, recognizing them… or at least some of their symbology.
Armsmaster put a hand on his shoulder, though, to keep him from doing anything.
“We have a truce in place during the Endbringer attacks,” He said when Magus glanced questioningly.
“Even for Nazis?”
“For everyone,” Armsmaster said through clenched teeth. “Violating the truce brings everyone down on your head. We need every hand we have for these fights.”
Magus tensed marginally, but nodded, “Understood. I don’t like it, but I understand. No Nazi hunting while we’re on the main quest, got it.”
“Thank you,” Armsmaster said firmly.
“I’m surprised they showed up, actually,” Magus admitted.
“Kaiser is nothing if not aware of optics,” Armsmaster said. “Showing up to Endbringer fights buys them a lot of leeway with the public and even the courts. Lung has been coasting on his last fight for years, people continue to hope he will be able to kill one of them eventually even though he hasn’t gone to another since.”
Magus nodded grimly.
“Strider’s here!”
They turned to see a new parahuman arrive, looking around at the group.
“Everyone who’s going, get closer,” He ordered.
“Teleporter?” Xander asked.
“Indeed. One of the most powerful,” Armsmaster said as he helped get everyone gathered. “He’ll take us directly to Canberra.”
“Canberra? Hmm, of Australia. Haven’t been there yet, so I guess I hitch a right,” Magus said casually.
Armsmaster glanced sharply at him, “You can teleport that far?”
“Technically, no, but I can make a portkey. I’ll show you later.”
“That would be appreciated,” Armsmaster said, as everyone got into a circle that had been hastily drawn on the floor. “Do you believe you can do anything against the Simurgh?”
“No idea, to be honest,” Magus admitted. “I don’t expect to do anything much beyond scanning this time around. Without intel, I really can’t say, so for this fight I’ll likely take scans and run search and rescue.”
Armsmaster nodded, “That is a more reasonable approach than most first time participants.”
“Everyone who’s going, get in close,” Strider called. “Next stop, Canberra!”
*****
The first thing Xander felt as they transited through the Parahuman’s power was that it had a different effect from either portkeys or apparition. He made a note to study it if he got a chance, but then the heat of the air in Canberra washed over him and he felt a deep thrum of power surging through him.
Xander instantly had his wand out and cast a wide area shield, his eyes widening as he felt the power resonate against the shield and threaten to shatter it.
“What did you just do?” Armsmaster asked, staring.
“Blocked a telekinetic attack,” Xander said. “Subtle, but it was there.”
Armsmaster immediately hit his com, “Dragon, Armsmaster. Parahuman known as Magus can block the Simurgh’s song.”
“You guys have weird definitions of music.”
By this point, Xander had noted that a lot of people were staring at him, but he didn’t have time to comment on it before a pair of flyers came over at high speed.
“Which one of you is Magus?” The woman in black and greys demanded.
“That would be me,” He shrugged.
The man landed not far from him, expression and demeanor far more pleasant than the stern woman who remained in the air.
“We were told that you can block the Simurgh’s telepathic attack.”
Xander shook his head, “I can block telepathic attacks, yes, but there was no telepathic component to what I stopped. It was pure TK, subtle and precise from the feel of it.”
“Of course it was telepathic. She can warp minds with it,” The woman snapped.
Xander rolled his eyes, “You can warp minds with the right application of drugs and electricity. A Telekinetic can push on your hormonal glands, even move atoms around if they’re precise enough. You don’t need telepathy to mind fuck someone, lady.”
He lifted up from the ground, turning slowly to get his bearings.
“The effect is powerful, but still just testing my barrier,” He said after a moment. “Don’t know if I can hold it once she decides to stop pussyfooting around and breaks out the battering ram.”
“Right,” The man said, also lifting up. “Everyone, get ready! We don’t have much time to plan, the Simurgh landed a couple minutes ago. If we can’t shake her loose fast, the whole city will have to be walled in!”
*****
Xander looked out over the city as he got enough altitude to see beyond the rooftops. Canberra was the capitol of Australia, but he was rather surprised by the small town feel it exuded compared to what he was expecting.
That had to be a thought for another time, however, as he could feel a deepwell of powerful magic growing not that far off.
“Fascinating,” He breathed out as he locked onto the source.
“Not the word I would use,” The man in blue said from beside him, looking off in the same direction. “She’s possibly the worst of the Endbringers. The worst and most malicious.”
“No…” Xander shook his head, “Not malicious. Apathetic.”
“What?”
Xander half tuned, looking at the man for a moment, “Magus. You are?”
“Legend.”
“Well, don’t you have an Ego?” Xander chuckled.
The affable man rolled his eyes, “Wasn’t my choice.”
“Good to know.”
“What did you mean, when you said apathetic?”
“There’s no emotional content to the power, she’s not angry, malicious, joyful… nothing. She doesn’t care,” Xander said, nodding off in the direction of the Angelic looking figure that was floating above the city center.
Legend nodded, “There are some theories that she, that all of the Endbringers, are robots or some kind of automatons.”
“Nope. She’s… maybe not alive, but sentient for sure. Conscious, aware.” Xander told him with certainty. “I’ve seen similar things before. In order to use magic, you need consciousness… that thing out there has that, but there’s something wrongwith it too.”
“That would be an understatement as far as most are concerned,” Legend said, giving him an amused glance despite the situation. “We are on a clock, however, so we had best get to work.”
“Got it,” Xander told him. “I’m going to run recon. Have fun with this clusterfuck, I’ll check in when I can.”
“Wait! You need an armband!” Legend called.
“A what? For what?”
Legend produced one from… somewhere, honestly, given the tight nature of his costume Xander wasn’t about to ask.
“it’s a communications system,” Legend said, handing it over, something in his tone causing Xander to look at him for a moment.
“And?” Xander drawled slowly as Legend had the decency to wince.
“And a micro-explosive to kill anyone who’s been under her effect long enough,” Legend admitted. “She’s a mind controller who likes to turn people into what we call ‘bombs’. They act normally for days, months, years… and then, maybe they snap and go postal, or maybe they just whisper the wrong thing to the wrong person at the worst possible time and…”
He trailed off, but Xander got the idea as he looked at the armband with visible distaste.
“And how do you know if someone has been ‘bombed’?” He asked.
“Eight minutes. If you’ve been under her effect for eight minutes, she’s had time to twist you,” Legend said firmly.
Whatever he was expecting in response to that, it clearly wasn’t Xander bursting out in uproarious laughter.
“What…”
“Eight minutes?” Xander shook his head, “I scanned her power, Legend. She can probably twist everyone in this city in eight seconds. Less if she’s got a plan. You people have no idea what you’re dealing with here, do you?”
Legend stared for a moment, visibly paling, “That’s not possible. Not even for her.”
“That thing out there,” Xander gestured casually, “Is not human. It’s almost certainly a construct, and a powerful one based on the energy it’s exuding. I can already scan the dimensional fracture centered around it, which tells me that we’re dealing with a Multi-dimensional creature here, what some people call a Cthuloid. You can’t understand them, you can’t imagine them, you can only see what they let you see.”
He paused, looking off to the Angelic construct in the distance.
“Don’t try to make them fit your human preconceptions… you’ll only go mad in the attempt.”
*****
Legend had been one of the Triumverate for a long time, since shortly after Hero’s death had irrevocably changed the nature of their group. In all those years, he’d gone to more endbringer fights than he wanted to remember.
Over those years and fights, he’d met a long of young hard chargers who talked a big game and were confident that they could be the ones who’d make a difference with one or another of the Endbringers.
Those were the ones who tended to die first.
He, like the others who’d been briefed on Magus, had originally written the young man off as either delusional or truly dedicated to his gimmick. Both were far from uncommon among parahumans, for good and ill, so it had been a safe bet.
It was a bet he was now thinking might have been the wrong one.
Legend had ignored the use of the word magic to describe the enbringer’s power with practiced ease. Dealing with Myrddin had long since inoculated him to that sort of thing, after all, and he didn’t care what people called their power so long as they didn’t abuse it.
Now, however, he was thinking that there was something more about this one.
He’s already predicted the existence of Scion and his partner, just from a glanceat the Simurgh. We need to know more about this Magus. Quickly.
That bit of prediction, or deduction perhaps, was making him rethink what Magus had said about the Simurgh herself.
Could she truly be sandbagging that much?
For a long time, the very top of the Protectorate and PRT… and beyond… had known that the enemy were holding back. Just how much, however, was what was more deeply contested. Most, like Eidolon, tended to think that they were only pulling their punches just slightly, for varying degrees of the meaning of the word.
He had been holding doubts about that conclusion ever since Newfoundland had been dragged below the seas.
The only thing that kept him from voicing his thoughts more vocally had been that he couldn’t understand why. Why hold back if they could just casually wipe out all the defenders? Why attack at all? What was there to gain?
Don’t try to make them fit your preconceptions… you’ll only go mad in the attempt.
Those words sent a shiver down his spine as he felt like he’d heard the unvarnished truthfor the first time in… decades.
*****
The Simurgh looked over the city with an impassive and nearly uninterested gaze. The plan was, as usual, proceeding apace and well within predicted variables.
There was, however, an unknown factor that she had previously missed and that managed to peak the combat engine’s interest and curiosity. A blank spot was within the city, two in fact, observable only in that they were the only places she could not observe and affect.
There were only a few known effects that could cause that, and she had carefully ensured that none of them would be nearing the host city during her operation.
One of the two sources was static, but the second was mobile. The static location was left for the moment, she assumed it was a constructed effect of some sort. She would take time to examine it closer when possible, with an eye to building a countermeasure, but the mobile source was the likely origin and that required a more immediate response.
The Simurgh turned.
*****
Xander almost missed the chunk of building that was sent his way, by which he meant that he couldn’t have missed it if he were half blind and deaf, but he made a show of barely dodging it all the same as the four or five top floors of an office building attempted to swat him from the sky on its way across the city.
The extra dimensional monstrosity he was scanning had barely twitched, which wasn’t giving him much of the warm feelies about the whole situation.
Telekinetic, high power, high precision… unknown range. Well, this isn’t looking good. Superman would probably have a fight on his hands here from what I’m seeing. Way the hell out of my weight class, no question.
Luckily, or otherwise, Xander was long used to fighting well out of his weight class. From Volienuts to the various villains and monsters he’d seen in the years since, most of the big names could squash him flat with barely a thought if given a sliver of a chance.
Not that he could see any chinks in the armor to exploit at the moment.
None of my conventional attacks will do jack shit, that much is clear. This thing is a magical construct on a level I’ve never even dreamed possible, He mused as he ducked another attack, this time a subtler launched and reinforced lightpole that would have put a hole in him he could have easily reached through. Part of his mind was noting that her other attacks appeared harder for the assembled warriors to dodge, many didn’t even seem to try and just tanked the hits instead. She’s not tracking me the same way as them… she’s…
His eyes widened as he got it.
Bitch is tracking my shield, not me, and it’s an area of effect.
He grinned, “Ok, you want to play? Let’s play!”
Two wands leapt into his hands as he rocketed forward, flicking them with casual expertise.
“Let’s see how you like this.”
*****
The Simurgh froze for a fraction of an instant of time, staring as the number of blank spots in her view began to multiply.
First another showed up, mobile again, then another… and another… dozens of them in short order. The entire city became filled with blank spots to her awareness, including several critical hosts that she had been pulling data from!
The situation had just gone from curious and potentially interesting to critical in a short fraction of time.
The possibility that the effect was contagious struck her with a frisson of terror, an emotion she had only rarely experienced in her existence, and not one she had any desire to re-experience. If the hosts had somehow created a means of blocking her awareness, then the entire plan was at risk!
That thought caused her to freeze in position, turning slowly to send her awareness around the curve of the planet, seeking the comfort of knowing that her pawn was still in play… only for her to shudder and stare in horror as she could not find the host she sought!
*****
“Something’s wrong with the Simurgh,” Eidolon called, “She’s never froze mid fight like this before!”
“Stop sounding like you’re complaining and hit her with everything we have while she’s holding still!” Legend snapped over the confusion, launching his own attack as he channeled his power and set an array of beams bouncing across the city before slamming them into the false angel with enough power to vaporize a small town.
The assembled, heroes and villains alike, followed suit. Attacks such that could have depopulated a reasonably sized country hammered into the monster, burning away her wings and limbs as she ignored them.
“We’ve never hurt her this bad,” Legend roared, “Keep it up! Hold nothingback!”
With the leader of the New York Protectorate rallying the attack, everyone present threw everything they had as the attack doubled, then redoubled, all the while the Simurgh just… took it. Her flesh, such as it was, burned and curled away layer by layer, pieces burning off and falling as she just stared out to the North East.
Finally, as everyone present began to falter, most down on the ground on the knees or backs, gasping for air as they tried to get back up for just one more shot… she moved again. Her broken and burned wings flexed, as though pushing against the air with feathers that no longer existed, and the Simurgh accelerated straight up with a blurring motion that left everyone stunned as the shockwave from the sonic boom rolled over them.
Long silence reigned as people stared at the sky, wondering what had just happened.
It was Dragon’s voice that broke the shocked silence.
“Six minutes. She was only on station for six minutes. Canberra won’t be domed.”
The roar that followed that easily masked the pensive confusion that reigned among a few of their number, Dragon herself included.
All of them were wondering just what the hell had just happened.
All but one.
*****
Xander eyed the trailed the departing ‘angel’ had left as she split the sky, a condensation trail to the stars… or the end of the lower to middle atmosphere at least.
The bitch is blind without her telekinesis. Interesting.
His action of casting individual shields on people had worked far above his expectations, but something else was in play… and it was gnawing at him.
What the hell was she looking at?
Xander looked off in the direction the Simurgh had been, but there was nothing there but ocean for as far as he could see. The problem was, without knowing her range, he had no idea just how far she could have been looking.
Into space? Or do her senses follow the curvature of gravity influenced space/time?
If the latter, she could have been observing a country, city… even a person. If the latter….
Best get something into orbit to watch for rocks, in case she’s a spiteful bitch…
Xander snorted in amusement.
If. Right.
“Something amusing?”
Xander glanced over to see the one called Legend approaching and shook his head, “Only in the morbid sense. I was just wondering what the spiteful turkey was looking at.”
Legend nodded somberly even as they could hear the cheers of celebration float up from below them, “You are not the only one asking that right now. This isn’t how these fights go… something distracted her.
“Part of that I can explain, but…” Xander shook his head.
Legend looked over sharply, “You can?”
“She was targeting the rough center of my defense, not me,” Xander said. “I don’t think she could see me, just my shield… So I started casting more of them, a lot more.”
Legend stared, “You blinded her.”
“Partially,” Xander nodded, but he frowned, “Her reaction, though? That wasn’t to anything I did. I have a bad feeling about this, if I’m being honest.”
“Endbringer battles are like that,” Legend said, “Thank you for the information. The Protectorate will be interested in speaking with you about this…?”
“Check with Armsmaster,” Xander said. “I’ll be around his city for a while.”
He paused, smiling, “Picked up an apprentice, after all.”
Legend coughed slightly, “You found someone with similar powers, or…?”
“Identical powers, you might say.”
“That… is unusual.”
“Not where I come from.”
Legend fixed him with a confused look as he sought to find the right words.
“Where are you from?”
*****
Herbert Home, Brockton Bay
Danny and Taylor stared at the TV as the announcer had tears welling in his eyes as he confirmed that the Simurgh had been driven from Canberra early enough that the city would not have to be sealed away for fear of allowing Mastered Victims out into the general population of the world.
It was the first time in many Simurgh battles that the city had been saved, most of the time the best that could be done was containment.
For the two Herberts, however, the bigger surprise came when the cameras shifted to a live feed and they recognized one of the figures on the screen.
“Magus!”
“Why is Legend talking to him?” Danny wondered.
“I don’t know, maybe he was able to do something?”
Danny shrugged, but couldn’t really imagine it. Against one of the Endbringers, especially the Hopekiller herself, there wasn’t much anyone could do as best he could tell. If Magus was that powerful…
Well, it horrified him, but also gave him hope, Danny supposed, uncertain which emotion was stronger.
Hope that Taylor would be strong enough to protect herself… but absolute gut wrenching horror that she might be called on to use that power against monsters like the Hopekiller.
*****
Xander smiled as he looked over to the man in the blue costume, “I’m not from around here, you might say.”
“Around here meaning… Australia?” Legend asked, clearly not believing that was the answer as he sighed when Xander shook his head. “Earth Bet then. Aleph?”
“No, different direction, best I can tell,” Xander said. “Aleph would be ‘sideways’ from here, but I’m originally from… call it downwards, though I was heading home when I dropped in, so I suppose I came from ‘up’ the dimensional gradient.”
Legend stared for a time before speaking again, “You’re from outside our reference frame… from outside their reference frame…”
“Possibly,” Xander said cautiously, “however that thing? It’s definitely multidimensional, the construction of it alone requires access to multiple dimensional axis.”
“Construction?” Legend jumped onto the word. “Someone built it? You’re certain?”
“As I can be,” Xander confirmed. “It’s a big multiverse, so there’s no guarantee that somewhere out there, things like that can evolve… but I’d bet the other way.”
“I suppose that’s not a surprise,” Legend said carefully as he looked Xander over with equal care, “How long are you planning on staying in our… dimension, then? I presume you have a way to leave?”
Xander shrugged, “You guys have a problem…”
“We somewhat realized that, yes.”
“I don’t think you do,” Xander said. “Legend, someone isolated an entire branchof creation. I was able to get in, but I can’t leave. Someone here, doesn’t want the outside multiverse to know what’s going on in here.”
Legend paled to an almost ashen grey.
“You’re…. sure?”
Xander just nodded, “This shit? Sending unbeatable monsters to wipe out cities on a schedule?That doesn’t fly. The Pantheons that oversee sections of the multiverse are all about testing people, sure, but a test is something you can pass. I don’t know what is going on here yet, but I promise you that if the outer dimensions knew what was going on, you’d have had visitors already.”
Legend slumped, “Somehow that makes too much sense.”
“Since I’m here, I figure I’ll do a little scouting. See if I can figure out what’s going on, pass on the word once I know,” Xander said. “I’m not on the power level needed to go toe to toe with something like that thing, but I know people.”
“You know people who could take on an Endbringer?” Legend asked skeptically.
“I know a man who could play pool with the planets, if he could find a stick big enough,” Xander chuckled. “the power levels being thrown around here are mostly fairly modest. Some dimensions are completely off their rocker, trust me.”
“That is not making me feel any better.”
“Welcome to the universe of the real,” Xander grinned as he looked around. “Look, I’ll see you later. Look for me in Brockton Bay.”
“Strider won’t be ready to leave for a while…”
“I don’t need a lift, thanks.”
Legend expression was one of surprise, quickly turning to shock, when Xander vanished in a puff of collapsing black mist.
*****
The Library of Alexandria watched as Legend returned from speaking with the new hero who’d had some ability to affect the Simurgh’s song, her eyes and Parahuman enhanced brain easily reading his body language as the man who was one of her oldest friends landed next to her.
“You look like you were just struck by a metaphorical two by four,” She said simply.
“More like someone threw a planet at me, I’d say,” Legend confirmed. “He knows.”
That caused her to stiffen sharply, “Knows?”
“Damn near everything of import,” Legend said. “He doesn’t know the names of things, yet, but just a glance at the Simurgh was enough for him to extrapolate the existence of Scion and Eve.”
“That’s impossible, even for a thinker,” Eidolon interjected into the conversation while looking around to ensure that they were isolated enough for this conversation.
“I don’t think he’s a thinker,” Legend said.
“Magus, PRT ENE have been trying to create a threat profile for him, but apparently he’s hard to get a bead on,” Alexandria said, bringing up the man’s file in her eidetic memory. “He’s got ratings all across the field, is on the record calling himself a Shaker/Blaster primary with subratings down the scale as a result of manipulating his primary power.”
“Impressive.” Legend said, “Here’s something that’s not in his file, I’ll bet. He claims to be extra-dimensional.”
“Earth Aleph?” Eidolon asked sharply.
“Different direction, according to him. I’m going to visit Brockton, have a chat with Armsmaster,” Legend said. “Then see if I can get more information from him. Some of what he told me…”
The head of the New York Protectorate shook his head, “I’ll write it up, but I’m going to have a lot more questions for him before we even want to think about filing it… even at top security clearances.”
*****
Brockton Bay
Xander reappeared with a soft crack, floating over the abandoned supertanker where he’d made his temporary home. Landing quickly, he walked into the control room, leaving the door open behind him as he didn’t slow his pace, merely walking calmly and confidently right into the blank wall… and then through it.
Stepping out into the room he’d expanded beyond, Xander cast off his combat gear and slumped into a chair.
“Myx.”
“Heya McGurk,” The Imp said, popping into place beside him. “Have a ball?”
“Got scans of one of the endbringers,” Xander said. “I’m assuming you know what I found?”
“Got an idea, but haven’t gone looking myself yet. Don’t want to alert them.”
“Multidimensional construction, definitely based in Magic… but again, stripped of emotion.” Xander frowned. “I’m half leaning to Clarketech instead of pure magic, but it’s doesn’t quite fit.”
“Six of one, half dozen of the other, McGurk,” Myxlptlk said with a shrug. “Located one of the sources.”
Xander looked over sharply, “What happened to not wanting to alert them?”
“Not a problem, this one was dead. Locals managed it, somehow,” The Imp seemed actually impressed. “No idea how. Killing something that doesn’t even technically exist in your reality is always a trick and half for three dimensional creatures like yourself.”
Xander nodded, “What is it?”
“Not a clue, McGurk,” Myx admitted. “but it’s trouble. We need to bring in help.”
“Can we get out?”
The Imp winced, “Working on it.”
“Keep on that.”
“You’ve got it, McGurk. Meanwhile, look after that little firecracker you’ve taken on,” Myx advised. “Trust me, that girl has a future.”
Xander turned sharply, but the Imp was already gone.
What the hell does that mean?
*****
Comments
Tim
"Oh no. I started a war with my world's government." Xander said grimly. "I told them, if they wanted a Dark Lord so badly… I'd give them one.".... You have no idea how many questions this raises in me, or how badly I want to see the context surrounding it. It's almost as bad as a cliffhanger.
Cleigh Currie
No changers of note, just the chapter in one section rather than hunting for it.
iTEX
Can you explain if anything changed? Rereading it just looks like you combined several of the existing posts. Also the chapter numbering/lettering of things seems a bit confused.
