Public Enemies: The 529 Chronicles RPG

During his short time in the land of the living, Cifer had heard many different opinions concerning the afterlife and what happens to the souls who venture there. None of these opinions came even close to describing the world Cifer had found himself in the seconds following his death.  
 
It was an endless forest of ancient multi-limbed trees connected by “bridges” of immense peacock feather-like glowing neon vines covered in blooming crystalline roses that twinkled like diamonds. Each tree was so massive in size that the Milky Way Galaxy alone would not be large enough to accommodate even one of them. 

 
The proportions were absurd, overwhelming and chaotic. If it were not for the “timely” arrival of an extremely violent, feral extradimensional humanoid, Cifer would have gone mad from merely staring at his surroundings.
 
The sound barrier-shattering howl of the mysterious entity echoed downward towards Cifer from a tree branch the appeared to be several hundred light-years above him. However, because the laws of time, space and physics did not exist in this place, leaping off of the branch and landing on the vine where Cifer stood was like taking one small step down a flight of stairs for the entity.
 
Cifer made a clicking noise with his throat as he examined the beast before him. It was a tall, muscular yet also rail-thin humanoid with the appearance of a shadowy silhouette surrounded entirely by a brightly glowing violet-hued aura. The creature had no visible face to speak other than a moveable jaw-joint with razor sharp teeth, a reptilian-like tongue that was stripped black and silver.
 
In addition the creature had two long, forward-pointing horns, retractable claws on its fingertips and toes, and a seven foot long claw-tipped tail which the creature was able to wag and flick about high in the air without losing its balance and accidentally falling off of the vine, no matter if the creature was standing up straight or kneeling down and walking on its forearms like a baboon.
 
Instinctively, Cifer reached down to unsheathe his katana but stopped after remembering that only his clothes had been allowed to venture with him to the afterlife, and that his sword had been completely annihilated when the rest of his body dispersed into pure energy upon the time of his death.
 
But Cifer was not completely defenseless as the creature quickly when Cifer decked it with a right cross and sent it tumbling backwards a few steps. Not wanting to give the creature any time to recover, Cifer rushed forward and began punching and kicking it with everything he could muster.
 
The creature, finally having had it with the punching and the kicking, clawed Cifer in the face and sent him reeling back in agony. The creature let out a hearty chortle as it watched Cifer stumbled about blindly and then using its tail to trip him it sent Cifer crashing to the ground.
 
Without a moments hesitation the creature leaped on top of Cifer, pinned him to the ground and despite the fact that that it had no nose to speak of, at least one that could not be seen by the naked eye due to the creatures outward appearance, it began to sniff his body starting from the area where it had slashed his face down and then moved down to his chest which was where it had sniffed out the location of what it had been searching for: the heart of Cifer’s soul.
 
The creature raised its right arm high into the air, obviously preparing to tear open Cifer’s chest and claw the heart of his soul out, and a sadistic grin crept up lipless mouth. But then from literally nowhere a blue-white blur blindsided the creature and dismembered its right arm from the rest of its body.
 
The creature let out another one of its high-pitched sound barrier-shattering howls as it reeled in agony from the dismemberment of its own right arm. Then the blue-white blur appeared once more, this time in the creature’s blind spot, and in a flash of silver the blue-white blur severed the creatures head from its shoulders.
 
Cifer, who had gone partially blind when the creature struck his face, struggled to get a good look at the blue-white blur once it had stopped moving at superhuman speeds so that it could carefully pry open the dead creature’s chest and remove the undamaged heart within, but with his vision having decreased so greatly in quality it was impossible to tell who or what his savior was.
 
“Nnghh…who…who are you?” Cifer asked the mysterious figure.
 
“That is not important right now. Open your mouth.” A feminine voice replied.
 
Cifer was somewhat dumbstruck by her odd request. “W-What?”
 
“Just do as I ask.” The woman demanded.
 
Being in no position to refuse anyone’s demands, Cifer struggled to open his mouth as widely as possible and then focused all of his willpower into keeping it open while the woman squeezed every single drop of the powerful liquid power-bestowing and life-restoring energies out of the deceased creature’s heart and dispensed it into Cifer’s mouth.
 
As he begun to swallow the liquid, which tasted like a cold blueberry-flavored Slurpee, he could feel himself becoming a little stronger and in addition, the gashes on his face were beginning to heal but, for reasons he could not yet identify, his eyesight was not. It was like the world around him had become a living Monet painting and with the brightly shining neon lights of the vines all around being so emphasized upon and accentuated alongside movement acting as a crucial factor in his perception of all things around him much in the same fashion as an actual Impressionist-era painting it was nearly impossible to see.
 
It was odd, for reasons Cifer could not even begin to fathom, he felt a wave of nostalgia rushing over him. It felt like he had seen the world, no, a world in this manner before. Yet at the same time he knew that he had not. But before Cifer could go into a deeper train of thought concerning the matter of this nostalgic feeling, the mysterious woman who had saved him squeezed the last drop of the energies stored within the creatures heart into Cifer’s mouth and watched as the shriveled up heart turned to shimmering stardust in her hand.
 
Holding her hand outwards in a direction facing away from Cifer, the woman gently blew the stardust off her hand and looked on as a slight breeze picked the stardust up and dragged it along towards an unknown destination. She then turned her attention back to Cifer, who was having an incredibly hard time sitting up.
 
The woman grabbed a hold of Cifer’s hand and helped him sit up straight. “How are you feeling?”
 
“Like I just got mauled in the face by Edward Scissorhands. Nnggh…why…why is it that my eyesight has not returned to normal? Even though I still feel the throbbing and stinging pain emanating from where the wounds on my face used to be, I know that they all healed.”
 
“Yes, they did, but not entirely. The liquid energies within the heart I fed you that are specifically intended for healing wounds focused only on repairing the deep gashes on your face.” The woman stopped for just a moment to catch her breath. “However, the damage which has decimated your eyesight as well a great deal of facial scarring remains unhealed.”
 
Cifer slammed his fist onto the ground. “Damn it! I can’t continue onward like this! Not without my eyesight! What do I have to do in order to fully heal all of my injuries?”
 
The woman cast her eyes downward and slowly nodded her head. “Yes, there is…but in order to fully heal the injuries that have left you helpless and compromised you must continue consuming the hearts of the creatures that infest the forest and pray that the heart you consume will devote its healing energies specifically for the purpose of removing the facial scar tissue and restoring your decimated eyesight to normal.”
 
“You have to be joking. I am practically blind and my unarmed combat skills are insufficient when it comes to fighting those things. How am I supposed to gather more hearts in this condition?” Cifer asked, not even really caring that he was talking or even thinking about stealing and consuming the hearts of other sentient beings.
 
The woman did not reply, at least not in words. Instead, she used her powers to manifest two very special ancient artifacts out of thin air. The first of the two artifacts was a silver mask with two widened eye-holes, no mouth-hole and four thick black stripes that appear to emerge outwards from the widened eye-holes of the mask that either disappeared into both sides of the lower jaw or traveled past the very top of the mask itself.
 
The second artifact was more or less a standard-looking katana with a black handle, a black sheath with a silver-colored infinity loop symbol carved into it and a circular-shaped dark purple cross-guard. The woman immediately set the sword onto the ground and held up the mask to Cifer’s face.
 
“This is a Mask of Truth. It gives the wearer a power called “deeper vision” that allows them to see everything. To those whose eyes function perfectly, this mask is more of a burden than a blessing, as it can drive those with fully-functional eyes insane due to layering the power of deeper vision on top of standard vision.” She began. “This is primarily the reason why only the blind and those with severely decimated vision such as yourself are allowed to wear them. Here, allow me to place it upon your visage.”
 
Cifer remained completely still as he felt the mask being placed over his scarred face. A shiver ran down his spine as the woman let go of the mask, which instantly fused with his face and sent a powerful surge of energy rushing throughout his entire body. His eyes widened as his sclera turned completely black and his irises were drained of their natural brown color and began to glow white.
 
But that was not the only reason his eyes had widened, for now he could see once more, but this kind of sight, this “deeper vision” was unlike anything Cifer had ever experienced. It was a literally indescribable and near-overwhelmingly euphoric sensation that could only be understood by those who wore or had worn a Mask of Truth.
 
“I…I can see. I mean I can see EVERYTHING. I…I don’t exactly know how to describe it.” Cifer said as his eyes rested upon the woman who had saved him. She was young and beautiful with long silver hair with a pale blue tint, grayish-blue eyes and was wearing an ankle-length hooded white robe over a blue and white Furisode kimono. He then cast his eyes downward and stared at the katana. “A katana…”
 
“Yes…and no.”
 
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
 
“Let me just say for now that, in the days ahead, it will prove to be a very valuable asset. Now…I must bid you farewell. There are other souls here who are in need of my assistance.” And with that, the woman vanished, leaving Cifer to his own devices.
 
“Hey wait! I…ah Hell, it doesn’t matter…I’ve got more important things to worry about right now.” Grabbing a hold of the katana, Cifer jumped to his feet and tied the katana onto his hakama-himo sash. He took one last look at the beheaded corpse of his attacker and the continued on his way.

“What is your name” a tall man asked. He was dressed in jeans pants with a black shirt and a leather jacket. He had a pair of sun glasses that dressed on his brown locks of hair. His brown eyes stared down at her awaiting a response but found none. Running his pail hands through his hair he removed his sunglasses and slid them on the color of his shirt with a grim look on his face. “Listen here girly I need to know who you are so I can help you…please all I want is to help you..” those words trailed off into the silence that soon embraced the two that remained in the steel cell. He had been here for over an hour and had gotten no answer from this juvenile that him and the team had found in a restricted area.

She appeared to be a mutant and by law all mutants where suppose to be equipped with a color around their neck as a way to identify them, for all mutants needed to be registered. And those who where not would get them after long extensive alteration. David Anderson was at his wits end with this one. She was found at a chemical power plants in sector 7-2-9 which was restricted to all mutants. Only those with special identification where permitted to access that plant. Yet when they found her she looked like hell. She was covered in blood and every one including the Head of the plant Michel Damon, his wife Jessica dead and his son missing along with older daughter.

What David had here was a mystery and his only witness and possibly the one responsible was here right before him and he could get nothing out of her. He had tried being good cop, he’ try the nice guy and nothing! Not even when he falsely bribed her not to mention any names she didn’t say any thing! So now he needed to go the extra mile. It didn’t matter that she was still a minor he was a part of the Z.C.P.F : Zenith Colony Protection Force, and he needed to do his job or else he would not get the dough at the end of the day.

Letting a sigh escape him he placed his hands on the table separating the two of them as he stood up. The light in the cell flickered slightly as he spoke “I’ve tried every thing kid…I just don’t know what else I can do. I want to help you I got nothing against you mutants some of my best friends are mutants but when it comes to my job I got to do it” With that he got to his feet and was about to leave. But before his hand could access the key pad that would open the door it opened form the outside. Taking a step back he soon stood in attention as  a member of the MCF , Mutant Containment Facility, entered the room.

“Sir, I was not expecting you arrival..I was..” but he was soon stopped as the man spoke. “This girl before you is charged with the murders of countless individuals we have been called in to deal with her as soon as possible” David stood slightly shocked at the harshness of his words. “Uh but sir we’re not fully sure..” “I will take it from her sergeant, leave the girl to me” And with that he motioned for the girl to walk grabbing the   chains that she had strapped around her wrist. They beams that held them together where energy constructs so she could not break free.

He grabbed the device that connected to the color around her neck. If she attempted to escape all he’d need to do was press a button and it would send a electrical shock stopping her instantly and wounding her. She complied and showed no sine of emotion to hesitation only following the man out of the cell. AS they began to walk to the exit he whispered over to her “You stupid little girl! Do you know how dangerous this situation was if I didn’t come!” All she did was look up at him with a innocent expression of curiosity. “What if I didn’t come? You could have exposed every thing!” With that he was silent and as he pushed the front door of the law enforcement facility she spoke “I did not fail” she eventually said,  he chuckled slightly   “No that’s for sure..” With that he escorted her to a black convertible, that was able to hover over land with a press of a button. Along with transforming into a two pilot air vessel.

As she slid into the car with him he soon deactivated the color around her neck, though first making sure no one was watching. “Thank you” she said as she pulled from the dash board a listening chip and inserted it into her ear along with   a pair of shades that acted as her local computer. As she sat there silent her partner leaned over and spoke as he started their transportation. “Don’t mention it girl..still I think you’re a little small for these types of missions..maybe..” but he soon noticed that she was not minding any thing that he was saying as she was receiving her new orders. Taking in a deep breath he sighed as he laid back against the seat awaiting her to remove the communication consol from her eyes.

Once her orders where received she removed the glasses and looked at him a moment. Noticing she was done he asked “What’s our mission?”   her emerald eyes raised slight in a dark glare as she whispered “They have informed me that your services are no longer required and I am to terminate you.” He stared at her knowing exactly what she meant and was quick to speak “Kid listen I…you cant do this! They’re using you! I’ve been your partner since you’ve come back for months …don’t!” He pleaded with her yet he didn’t just up and run. He’d worked with her since her return to the field which had been over four months ago in reality 529. He knew there’d be no point in running from her.

“I have my mission, it does not require you” with that she reached down at her feet as she pulled out a energy ray that on high would disintegrate flesh and leave no evidence, along with instantly erasing all information of that person making it like he or she never existed. As she aimed the weapon and it prepared to charge he stared at her. Thinking as fast as he could he eventually spoke “Sacquri!” on hearing that name she hesitated and stared at him oddly. “Yes, that’s your name…it’s better know to us humans as Laura…but don’t you get it! They’ve been using you!”

Her expression after what he said had not changed she only let a sigh escape her before saying “I must complete my mission” with that she raised the gun and before he could say any more to try and per sway her he fired. In mille seconds his body turned to dust and at the same time all files of his history and information of him was gone as well making it like he never existed. With that she dusted away the ash as she placed the weapon away and spoke through her communicator. “Mission complete, will be returning to base in the nest half and hour.”

With that she activated her teleportation device and was gone in a flash. Instantly she appeared in an alley in the down tow section of the Zenith Colony. Brushing aside her black locks of hair she began to walk out in the open. She had half an hour. Half an hour of free time, but she had a specific objective she needed to complete.   AS she walked down by the many complexes that this city contained she continuously followed a single scent. That of her partner’s family. It might have erased all knowledge of him from the computer’s but his family and friends where those who needed to disappear also.

But this time she would use a more personal approach other than a gun. Approaching the right apartment she took in a deep breath as she unsheathed, her weapon from her side.   The blade glimmered in the moonlight as she swiftly kicked the door down. This was a bad part of town and robbing and murders where many at this time of night. So a more outward approach was acceptable. As se dust settled it was reveled that a woman along with older man and a little girl sat at the dinner table, they had just began eating.

“Forgive me but you must be terminated.” With that she raised the weapon and shut her eyes for a few moments as she began to mutter something under her breath. And for a moment the was icy silence. As a darkness ascended upon the area. Soon the weapon that had now been distinguished as a sword began to glow slightly, a dim crimson color. “Belatrix” she whispered at with that a bright flash blinded every thing for a few moments. As the light softened she opened her eyes and before her was she ash of the family that had only moments ago seated before her.

At that moment a devilish smirk appeared on the girls face as she clasped the blade tightly in her hands. For a moment she had felt emotions, just for a second. It was satisfaction, but soon the emotion withered away and was replaced with the cold steel of her personality. Staggering to the wall she pulled out her communicator as she lowered her arm that clutched the sword “Sir…mission…complete”: she said trying to regain her breath “Family murdered….sword…The…the sword summoned…” taking in another deep breath she finished “I..I have the sword…it..it…Belatrix..Gemini..I .have…complete my….mission..”

With that her voice trailed off as her body collapsed on the floor exhausted. In her collapsing she had lost her tight grasp on the sword and it now laid a few feet away from her. Gathering her strength she reached over it in attempt to grab a hold of it. As the tips of her fingers grazed the weapon instantly pain struck through her body as she tried to pull back but could not. As the pain continued she began to whimper as her body under goad a burning sensation. Her eyes remained fixed on the weapon as she hilt of it grew back and over lapped the silver. The blade shone with the same crimson light excepts this time but more powerful.

Laying there immobilized she heard a voice almost like a whisper “Zenith Andolen Gemini Belatrix” was all she could make out, the rest of the words where gibberish to her “ Ξύπνιοι Κόρη του Σκότους και Rise Κάντε δύναμη σας μεγαλώνει, ξύπνιοι Δαίμονας του Σκότους και συσσωρεύουν μαζί του τις δυνάμεις, Ξύπνα παιδί μου και κάνω προσφορά μου.”As she words spoke they spoke in many voice, all at once all in perfect unison. The voice then died down and all that was left was the burning sensation that ran through her body like it was trying to kill her. With the little strength that she possessed she filled herself on her back and was able to remove her hand. Taking in a deep breath she stared up at the roof as light began to encompass her and in a sudden blur of motion she was gone.

Location outer realm of Zenith

Two men stood in a large room filled with computers along with many other types of technology. One of them Dr Adams stood before one of his computers watching the scene before him with a smug grin on his face. “She’s evolving well…once the transfer in complete we would have awoken part of the weapon’s power” Across from him stood a nerve wrecked Jason Tyler who was tapping his fingers against the steel desk below him. “Sir…I don’t think we should be doing this so fast…I mean we’ve only got her a moth ago..and since then you’ve been pushing her too much I think…I think, we should pull back!” The doctor looked over at him with an annoyed expression as he spoke in a low dark tone.

“I have spent the past quarter of a year working to get this far, and now at the panicle of our achievement…when the weapon is there and the power partly awoken you want us to pull back!” Jason stood there a moment and lowered his head shaking it no. not paying any more attention to him Adams looked toward the screen intently as he stared at what was happening to her. He watched as she let out screams of pain and as she did he placed the palm of his hand on the screen “Yes my dear scream all you want..maybe some one will hear you..” With that he soon left the room followed by Jason. “Mr Tyler from now on do not interrupt my moments of victory” Jason nodded but remained silent.

“Now” Adams began as he stopped and looked back “Now...once the light shows is over and the power returns, bring the girl to me there a few tests that need to be run..on her and the weapon…”

Cifer sat atop one of the immense crystalline roses looking out onto the unnatural scenery. In his hand he held the heart of another one of the creatures that inhabited the forest. Opening his mouth, Cifer squeezed the liquid contents of the heart into his mouth and drank until nothing of the heart's power remained. As the heart began to crumble to stardust in his hand, Cifer silently sat and waited, hoping that this time the hearts energy would restore his sight. But after a couple moments had passed Cifer realized that the only thing that had changed was his level of strength which had been slowly climbing back up to the level it had been when he was still alive. 
 
Sighing heavily, Cifer grabbed The Mask of Truth and placed it over his face so that he could see again. He then leaped off of the immense crystalline rose and landed on top of a mountain of corpses. Cifer had invested a great deal of time into obtaining the hearts of the creatures that inhabited the forest. He had built up many mountains of creature corpses such as this one. In all, Cifer had slaughtered and consumed the hearts of over 33,650 creatures and still did his facial scars and blindness remain.  
 
He sighed again and looked upward towards the "sky" and noticed something in the far-off distance glimmering like the crystalline roses on the vines. At first, he dismissed it as being another rose but as he continued to examine it he knew that it was no rose. It was something else. It was something he had to see. So up, up and away he went, soaring like everyone's favorite "Man of Steel" but at speeds beyond even his comprehension. It was one of the many perks of being dead; you weren't limited by petty things such as time and space or the laws of physics. This meant that you could pretty much do whatever you wanted to.
 
Moments passed and the object began to grow and grow and grow until finally Cifer found himself soaring high above a solar system-sized fortress with a Gothic-style citadel resting on the top, all of which had been forged out of the same compound as the crystalline roses. Cifer shook his head in disbelief as he began to feel an immense surge of temporal energy emanate from the citadel, a surge so powerful that Cifer wondered why he was unable to sense it before. 
 
"Cifer Arokine..." a vaguely familiar feminine voice whispered into his mind, sending a series of chills running down Cifer's spine. 
 
Sensing a presence behind him, Cifer whirled around only to find that everything around him had changed. He was no longer in the forest or flying high above an immense crystalline fortress. No, he was standing in the middle of a shop filled with all sorts of unique technological and mystical trinkets. 
 
"...I humbly welcome you to my shop." the voice said, but not in Cifer's mind, but rather from the next room over. "Please, would come over here and join me?" 
 
Though he was initially hesitant to do so, Cifer eventually gave in and walked through the door of multi-colored beads into a backroom where surprisingly enough he found the woman who had saved him from the first creature he had fought back in the forest sitting before him at a large round oak table. 
 
"You...you're the woman who saved me in the forest!" Cifer pointed out.
 
The woman smiled at him and closed her eyes. "Yes I am but at the same time I am not." 
 
"What is that supposed to mean?" 
 
"The woman you encountered was more or less another version of me from a parallel universe. She is me but at the same time she is another person entirely. We both have led different lives and have walked down two different paths. The path I chose to walk resulted in me becoming The Dimensional Sorceress of this Universe. The path she chose to walk obviously led to her death." The Dimensional Sorceress stopped for a moment to catch her breath and then after a couple moments continued. “However…it is not I who we are both here to talk about. It is you. I know why it is that you have been sent to me. I know what it is that your subconscious is wishing for.”
 
“I…I don’t…”
 
“You want to be brought back to life so that you can save your friend and eradicate The CORE once and for all, am I right?”
 
“Yes…but how…”
 
“I can see the past, the present and all possible futures. I know what will happen, what has happened and what will never happen. I know all and I see all and I am willing to grant your wish…for a price.”
 
“What price?”
 
“Unlike Dimensional Witches, who require the one thing that is most precious to you in order to grant a wish and keep the Universe balanced, Dimensional Sorceress’ such as myself require the one thing that is least precious to you.” She explained.
 
“So all I have to do in order to return to the world of the living is to give you the one thing that is least precious to me? All right then…take my heart.”
 
The Dimensional Sorceress arched an eyebrow at him. “Your heart?”
 
“Yes, my heart is the one thing that is least precious to me. The heart is a burden and I want to be rid of it.”
 
“You do realize that there are many consequences which could come from casting aside your one and only heart.”
 
Cifer glared at The Dimensional Sorceress. “When the time comes, I will face those consequences head on and turn them into something which I can use to my advantage.”
 
The Dimensional Sorceress sighed as she stood onto her feet and walked over to Cifer. “All right then…the heart it is.” She said as she reached into Cifer’s chest and removed his heart. Seconds later Cifer could feel a large hole begin to form where his heart had once been, but it did not seem to bother Cifer at all, neither had the process of actually removing his heart.
 
“It is done. Now I shall grant your wish. There is something you need to know however before I begin. Because the eyes of your soul have been severely damaged you will be blind when you return to the world of the living. However…I believe that your blindness is only temporary. In a few months you should be able to see again without having to rely on either The Mask of Truth or your ability to sense the energy signatures of everything around you in order to see.” The Dimensional Sorceress said as he placed her hands on both sides of Cifer’s head. “Now…please close your eyes, clear your mind of all thought and prepare yourself for what is to come next. This will not be a pleasant experience.”
 
Cifer did as The Dimensional Sorceress commanded and allowed her to perform the resurrection ritual.
 
Earth-529 

The Soul Hunter Body Banks had erupted into a column of fire and debris. Several low-ranking Soul Hunters had been sent in to investigate but the moment they arrived communication was cut off. This loss of communication alone confirmed that The CORE was under attack. But whoever was behind the attack had yet to be identified.
 
Melony Valentine, the Director of Earth-616’s version of The CORE, stood before her enigmatic Earth-529 superiors reviewing the footage of the destruction of The Body Banks.
 
“As of now we are considering the possibility that the destruction of the Soul Hunter Body Banks was not caused by The Mutants. Recent scans of the area show that there is some sort of massive extradimensional energy field making its way through the compound.” Melony announced to her Masters.
 
“And what is the source of this energy? Is it a living organism or something else entirely?”
 
“We don’t know. The scans say that there is nothing generating the energy field, however as you can see on the charts there is a point of origin and generation for this massive output of energy.”
 
“What about the allegedly non-existent point of origin? Did you happen to scan it and get any information at all?”
 
“We tried to get a definitive power level reading from the source to see what its upper limit is.”
 
“Well…?”
 
“We are still waiting for its power levels to stop rising. If they ever do I will bring you the data.”  
 
One of the enigmatic Councilmen stood up and revealed himself to Melony. She gulped down a lump in her throat as his eyes locked onto hers; shivers ran up her spine as he removed his black square-rimmed glasses and swept his hair back allowing only a single bang to remain hanging in his face.
 
“My fellow colleagues…I know that none of us ever thought we would live to see this day come to pass but it has and thus we have no other choice but to call in a Code: Black and recall all high-ranking Soul Hunters and have them come back here to Earth in order to deal with this new threat as quickly as possible. Those who are in agreement raise your hand.”
 
“That Councilman…h-he looks just like…like Cifer Arokine.” Melony was shocked and taken aback by this revelation. She knew that parallel universes and alternate realities were supposed to contain counterparts of those who lived on Earth-616 but as far as she knew the Cifer Arokine of Earth-529 was supposed to be dead.
 
“Ms. Valentine! Call in a Code: Black immediately and tell all of your subordinates to prepare for an all-out war. There is no doubt in my mind that our other adversaries will try to take advantage of the situation once they realize what has happened.” Councilman Arokine said.
 
“Y-Yes sir!”
 
“Oh, and there is one more thing we need you to do; call Doctor Adams and tell him to work faster. I want X-23 ready for action by the time Divisions One through Five have all arrived at Luna Base. Do you understand?” The Councilman asked.
 
“I understand.” Melony replied.
 
Satisfied with her answer, Councilman Arokine sat back down and watched intently as Melony exited The Council Chambers. “What a strange woman.” He whispered to himself as he poured a glass of hot chocolate.

 Jason Tyler quickly made his way to the teleportation chamber  where in time he’d soon get his hands on X and on that mystical Weapon. Jason Tyler had recently joined the CORE, a few months ago. He was enlisted to aid Dr Adams in any thing, and since most people who worked along side the doctor most of the time where killed for strange reasons he was lucky to be alive for this long. His time here had gotten him up to the ladder of success, thinking back he remembered how it all began. He had recently joined the CORE, and only a week latter he underwent the toughest time of his life..
 

5 Months Ago..

Laura stood at the gate, her mind made up, her desires clear. She had to leave this word, in hopes to save every one! Her lips where dry as sweat poured down her face. Her emerald eyes remained locked on the portal before her. Her hands formed fists as she clenched them so tight she punctured her skin. As the crimson liquid dripped onto the steel floor forming a small pool she let a sigh escape her pastel lips. Was this the right thing to do? Maybe there was another way, maybe she could get out of here and same her father? No! She could not do this, she needed to go through it would save every one and stop her from doing more damage…would it?

Turning her head over her shoulder she glanced one last time. The last time, once she stepped through it be all over. Taking in a deep breath and stepped through with seemingly no hesitation.

It was strange how fast it all happened. One second she was in earth 616 part of Wolf Pack, she was Talon, the daughter of William Greystoke, in a relationship with her team mate Ronnin, to: X-23 of the CORE. As her feet touched the cold ground of earth 529 instantly agents where on her. Their weapons aimed directly at her their ammo, silver. The two men that stepped through the portal soon appeared behind her. Laura remained motionless for a few moments. Her finger tips patting against her denim jagged jeans.   It was silent until the sound of dripping blood resonated as it hit the cold floor.

Drip..drip…drip…echoed in the room until finally the men that where circling her saw it. The two men behind her, there was a line of blood around their necks, encompassing the whole neck. And slowly the heads began to slide off of both men. And as it did the body collapse opposite to one another. Them the agents eyes where diverted to the unleashed claws of Talon, that where dripping with blood. Instantly they fired but by then she was gone. They began fumbling their weapons looking every where and panic arose. “I see you…” a female voice echoed in the darkness as the light suddenly went off.

Screams arose as like lightning a figure moved in the darkness. A demonic chuckle arose, as there was a loud shrike. And eventually as the lights came back on only five of the once fifteen men remained standing. They where back to back staring in horror at the bodies of their dead comrades. And the thing that scared the most that it all happened in less than what seemed a heart beat. Shaking in their boots they soon where able to see emerging from the darkness what use to be Talon. A sly smile formed on her face as she lifted her claws to her mouth and began to lick the crimson blood from it. The liquid was also laced on her face along with her clothes being drenched in it.

“Sir….we..we have a prob AHH!!” Before the man could finish his sentence he laid dead along side him four comrades drenched in their own blood. Slowly she moved from the body’s down the main hall. Licking the blood from her lips she trodden like death itself.  

“And that’s when I met her, my name is Jason Tyler of the sixth division, no where near getting promoted. I was sent to evaluate and not get killed. I didn’t want to go but I had my orders so I went. At first there was nothing but silence in the halls I was unsure if I’d made a wrong turn but that was until I saw her. My eyes instantly locked onto the flying angle that was hoisted before me. Her claws sung through the air as is unleashed death upon the agents that where running past me in fear. I was motionless. Looking at her gazing with all passion I could not move. And then she locked eyes with me. A sudden fear ran through me and I thought I’d die right there and then….but I didn’t”

As her eyes loomed at the before he she could not help but pause. He was young in age and quite slick. He seemed petrified by her presence. Her emerald eyes gazed at him a moment as she took a few steps toward him nonchalantly. As more agents came from behind her she ignored them as she bullets singed her skin she took no mind to it. Until she stood before him outstretching her hand on his shoulder and for a moment time seemed to stand still.

“who are you” he said eventually looking her in the eyes. As she stared at her he could see something berried deep down. He could see the inner struggle with in this girl. The one standing before her. Noticing a tear fall from her eyes he was about to speak before she placed her finger on his lips and whispered “kill me!”

“For a moment I didn’t understand what she meant. I was immobilized by her deadly beauty by her swift movements. But she didn’t kill me. I would have asked her why, but then I felt my hands where wet. Looking down I gasped in horror as a blade entered her chest with me grasping the hilt. My eyes looked back up to her. I was horrified at what had happened. I came here with no weapon! That blade was not mine! But some how it was in my hands and stabbed her. “

Feeling the instant pain of silver entering through her flesh she cringed slightly. Gathering her strength she looked into the young man’s eyes with a fading smile as she whispered through her pail lips “thank you…” with that the pain became too much as she fell to the ground unconscious forming a pool of her own blood. Everything around her began to fade yet her smile still remained Her emerald eyes stared up at the while lights above her as she heard on coming agents approaching. But the young man stayed, he didn’t run he knelt down over her his hands drenched with blood.

“As I kneeled beside her with my blood soaked hand I pressed them on the wound. She stared up at me, no doubt hating me! I removed my white shirt and placed it over the wound to avoid the bleeding in hopes that maybe it would stop…but it did not. Tears began to fill up in my eyes as I began desperate. And as agents surrounded me I shouted for them to get back, using whatever power of telepathy that I contained to make us invisible. I’m a level 12 telepath, I’m strong but I can’t control my abilities there for they were not dependable but I had to try. More blood kept pouring out I was at my witts end but as I looked at her face, she was not afraid. There was something, a sense of peace on it and that smile, that smile of an angle.”

She looked at him even after all she had done he was trying to keep her blood in her. She could see the desperation on his face. Obviously he had no intentions to kill her and was probably trying to undo wha the had done. But she was not in pain, the pain she was able to block out. All that remained was hope, as she looked back to her life. Her life with wolf pack her life with her father, her team Sylver, Ronnin all of them .She looked back and strangly she had no regrets nothing. Moving her blood splattered hand she moved it to the young man’s pushing it away from her wound.

“she didn’t want to be healed I could see it. That much happiness in her eyes despite the pain she wanted this to happen! But why did it have to be me! Dear Lord why! As she pushed my hand away I felt the instant pain of my telepathic strain I had placed upon myself. Eventually I could no longer take it and gave in the my exhaustion, exposing my blood covered body and that of the girls. Instantly the soldiers where upon us I was grabbed by the wrist and dragged away, but I fought! I fought as hard as I could to break free, as I watch them man handle her. Even in her dying state they aimed their weapons and two men dragged her off some one, that was the last time I saw her….until now….”

Present. Location CORE

Jason Tyler recalled his experience as he walked toward the teleportation chamber. It had been five month since he’d seen her and now once again he had her thruster upon him. Walking through the large metallic doors he nonchalantly stepped onto the pad as he slid on a bracelet that would enable him to teleport back her once he got the girl. He wasted no time and was briskly teleported to the down town location of the Zenith Colonies. These Colonies where filled with renegade, unregistered mutants that had some hoe escaped earth in time. And with their population growing it was up to the CORE to eradicate them. And for that they needed the humans along with other non earth terrestrials to gain a hating for them.

Present, Location: Zenith outer Colonies.

As the pain emoted through her body she was plagued by moments, memories incidents that she never thought existed. Like fast forwarding memories everything was going fast. She was hearing voices seeing faces, images feeling things that she never thought possible. She screamed but when she opened her mouth no sound came out. She was forced to watch, forced to feel and forced to endure. Eventually everything slowed down. Until she found herself in an opened battle field. Smoke rose up all around her.

Looking right and left she could see nothing that she remembered until her ears where able to pick up something. It sounded like weeping. Slowly she made her way to the sound of the commotion until she saw it. She was frozen in her own fright. Before her she saw herself, kneeling over the body of some boy. He was no doubt close in age, but was wounded badly. Had had lost a lot of blood and would no doubt be dead soon. Taking a few steps closer she was able to see the boys face as a name came into her head.

For a few moment she had no Idea what was happening. But like a storm the memories of this lunged upon her. Pain, emotional pain ran through her body like a shock. This was his death, the death of her brother. Michel Dawn also know as Weapon X Lethal she just called him XL though. This was the one moment in time where she forsook every thing. This moment in time was where he died, because of her, making her realize there was no point any more, no point in any thing. “Brother” she whispered as her voice was carried over the wind. She wanted to look away she wanted to run but she could not. He was going to die! Why did she have to see this! Why! Living through it was bad enough but again! The torture, why the hell!

“No...badum..badum..badum…..no……badum……..badum…..please lord no…..badum…….. ……dadu…no….”   and with that final heart beat he died, again. And again she had been the one too kill him. He’d be here if not for her! It was her fault. And in that moment her darkest moment she anger over came her. A Sudden rage came to her one like no other. The emerald eyes where replaced with crimson rage! As she clenched her fist one word escaped her lips, one single word, and that word was “…………Gemini!” Instantly the world faded away as she returned to the burning house on the Zenith Colony.

Her eyes shot open as flames burst forth from her hands. Standing to her feet she held out her hand toward the weapon as it moved toward her. Her crimson eyes burned with rage, anger hatred and power. As the weapon came in contact with her hand she tightened her hand around it   tightly not moving her eyes away from the sword. The blade grew black in an instant as the fire changed also. And the rays of heat darkened to midnight in color.

Tyler soon appeared a distance away from all the commotion. His eyes where soon drawn to the pillar of fire that was set not to far from him. Quickly he dashed toward it. Praying he was not too late, hoping that maybe he could stop what Dr Adams the CORE every one was doing. He didn’t know why but this girl, he knew her! Eventually staggering he took in a deep breath but soon let it out as he gasped in fright. Standing before her was a woman dressed in black, sliding across her body like silk. All around her was black fire that almost appeared to be dressed on her arms and legs. Her crimson red eyes stared at him a moment as she poke.

“You shall return me to the CORE Facilities and inform Dr Adems…I have completed my mission”