GZ Legends 29: The Scythe of Death

Thick gnarled fingers gripped a beer mug and brought it to a stout man’s thick lips. He tilted his head back and drained the whole thing with some sloshing down the front of him. He slammed the mug down hard, breaking the handle off.  He ran his hand over his bald head as he turned and surveyed the scene in the wrecked bar. They didn’t think of him as a loser now. Bodies of men and women were strewn throughout the dive biker bar. Tables were overturned and chairs lay in jagged pieces.

Ted turned around on his stool to admire the wreckage he created. He reached over and picked up the golden and ornate scythe leaning against the bar next to him. It was what made all this possible for Ted. The fancy man in the top hat said it would bring him great power over his laughing peers. Ted was skeptical only until he took the weapon in his hands and felt its surging power for himself.

“You all hear that?” Ted said as he stood up with the scythe. “That’s the sound of none of you ever laughing at me again! Oh yeah! You all laughed at big dumb Ted and his ideas! Well now look at ya! You’re dead all over the place and here I am! You all said that cockroaches wouldn’t let me in on their jobs! Well, now all the jobs are mine! I’m in charge here!”

Ted gazed lovingly at the long gleaming blade of the scythe. “I’m going to run all of Texas with you.”

As the first team of heroes were on their way to Chicago; a second team left, headed for a few miles south of Texarkana, Texas. While still in New York, Commander Larratus shook his head as he read over new reports. With the sun blocked out, crime was on the rise. Reports of robberies and looting were escalating at an alarming pace. The longer it took to get a grip on this situation and bring the sun back, the worse it was going to get. Commander Larratus looked to Traveler, who stayed behind to open the portals and bring the teams back.

“I hope we can trust this Doctor Vampire of yours, not to mention you.”

“I can only give you my word on that. You will have to see for yourself,” she responded gently.

Out in the dusty desert, in the parking lot of the bar called, Dirty Deeds, the second team stepped through a portal. Dr. Vampire, Sandstorm, Lonestar, Anubis, Kyte, and Nightfall observed the outside portion of the mess. Some motorcycles were knocked over and a few bodies lay on the outside ground.

“Are we too late?” Sandstorm asked.

“For them, yes,” Doctor Vampire responded, “I sense one life form inside and the scythe.”

“Interesting for a bladed weapon,” Sandstorm said, “I don’t see any blood.”

“That’s the danger we face, my friend. This blade doesn’t have to touch you to kill you. Everyone get ready.”

Kyte’s body covered with dark shadow and he flew up into the darkness where he couldn’t be seen. Sandstorm’s body dissolved into sand and dirt as he prepared to use surprise as well. Lonestar drew his sword and he sent his white falcon up into the air to watch over them.

“I’ll go in first,” and Anubis flew to the front door of the bar before anyone could stop him.

“Your friend is a true rookie,” Doctor Vampire said to Nightfall as he dropped intangibly into the ground.

Nightfall drew her blaster, “Then let’s keep him covered.” She ran to a front corner of the bar away from the door while Lonestar positioned on the opposite side.

The sight of far more bodies inside the bar, gave Anubis pause after he burst through the door. It reminded him of his fight with zealots that killed his first love. He wondered if what he did really looked as atrocious as this.

“Just what the hell are you?” Ted’s booming voice snapped Anubis out of it.

“Oh, hey! Props to you for not mentioning that I look like a dog. It seems like a real trend with bad guys I meet lately. I’m Anubis, Big Guy and you’re not supposed to have that. How about you return it?”

“I’m Ted and this is mine now, Dog-face!”

“Okay, I take it back. No Brownie button for you!”

“Shut up! No one laughs at me anymore!”

“You call me a dog again and I’ll bite you like one. Now give me the scythe. It’s not meant for you!”

“Well come on, Dog! Bite me!” Ted swung the scythe and a wave of force tore through the bar, launching Anubis through door and wall like a rocket. Anubis tumbled in the dirt across the parking lot. His lance stuck in the ground half way across.

Ted emerged from the giant hole he made. “No one is taking this from me! Not you! Not anybody! I killed them all and I’ll kill you too!”

“Anyone can abuse power like that,” Lonestar said to get his attention. “How about you try metal against metal instead?”

Lonestar lunged with his sword and Ted brought the scythe up quickly to block the attack. The two magical weapons clashed with resonance that broke nearby windows of building and car. The sword of a Starknight carries its own blessings, making it more than a match for any artifact or weapon. The two of them pressed together with the weapons for a moment before Ted lashed outward and tossed Lonestar backwards through the air. Holding the scythe made him stronger than any of the heroes expected. 

Nightfall took a shot with her blaster, hitting Ted squarely in the back. It had no effect. Ted turned to swing at her, but a heavy boot dropped in from above and struck across his jaw. Kyte wasn’t one to ignore an opening.

“If you want a real fight, I’m glad to give you one!” Kyte shouted over the beating of his wings. As a master combatant, Kyte landed several punches and kicks before Ted could respond. While Ted’s response was slower, it was still stronger. Kyte was knocked backwards as well.

A pair of giant stone hands rose from the ground on either side of Ted and clapped together over his body with a crash. With a shrug of power, Ted shattered them and still stood there.

Doctor Vampire rose out of the ground in front of Ted in intangible form.

“Time to try something else, Ted. Look at me and pay attention,” Dr. Vampire took off his sunglasses, revealing piercing yellow eyes. “Time to rest, Ted. You’ve fought well and you’ve won. Time to rest.”

“NOOOO!” Ted lashed out with the power of the scythe and hurtled Dr. Vampire’s body across the parking lot. “No one messes with my head!”

Doctor Vampire landed next to Anubis who was just picking himself up.

“Hey, Doc?” Anbus went to him but there was no response. “Oh no, Doctor, are you okay?”

Doctor Vampire was dead.

GZ Legends 28: The Skull of Sphidra Pt 4

            Sphidra, the embodiment of a nightmare, loomed over the motley crew of heroes on the dark rooftop.

            “What funny little creatures to oppose the will of Sphidra!” its voice shrieked and cracked. “Why are you not already my servants?”

            “I sense two minds,” Nyhtwulf said as he worked on healing Dreamseer of spider venom.

            “Oh that’s great,” Agent Redeagle said. He stood near Nyhtwulf and Dreamseer with is dagger drawn to fend off attackers.

            “Answer me, fools, or face the wrath of Sphidra!” Its voice shrieked even worse. The heroes had to cover their ears.

            “Why would we serve you?” Electrode shouted.

            “All in this realm have been formed to serve!”

            “Oh, I get it,” Blacktide said, “We weren’t here when this idiot put the skull on his head.”

            “And everyone who was here got mutated into servants,” Atomizer said. “Oh my God! I could become a spider creature!”

            “Don’t make me shake you,” Blacktide grumbled, “Keep ahold of yourself.”

            “I’m trying, Man, I’m trying.”

            “You will all serve Sphidra!” Jets of webbing launched at them from its hind quarters.

            Blacktide put up a wide disintegration field to stop the webs from engulfing them. Electrode and Atomizer fell back from the heat of Blacktide’s energy power. Realizing he almost burned them, Blacktide nearly froze but shook it off.

            “Get further behind me!”

            “Impressive, insect, but you will still succumb to Sphidra!”

            “Oh come on! We don’t even know who Sphidra is!” Blacktide shouted, “We don’t know what Sphidra is! Why don’t you explain it to us? Or are you really just some moron who put a giant skull on his head?”

            Nyhtwulf worked feverishly to counter the venom in Dreamseer. He could tell Blacktide was trying to give him time. They needed Dreamseer, but would they have her soon enough?

            “Sphidra is not this curious fool! Sphidra is power and the god of all arachnid forms! Soon this puny being will be completely transformed and Sphidra will reign supreme! Cities will fall!”

            “You know, maybe you shouldn’t tick it off,” Atomizer said.

            Blacktide only shot him a half glare over a shoulder in response.

            “No, let him be, I know what he’s doing,” Electrode said.

            “Man I hope so,” Atomizer said.

            “Go on,” Electrode prompted Blacktide.

            “You aren’t a god! You’re a monster! We’ll never serve you! And I’ll tell you something else; referring to yourself in third person is really stupid!”

            All of the heroes suddenly clutched at their heads as the psychic shriek filled their minds. Nyhtwulf was more resistant to it and kept working. It looked like Dreamseer was finally waking up.

            “Ahh, I said not to tick it off!” Atomizer shouted, “Didn’t I say not to tick it off?”

            “Shut up!” Blacktide shouted back.

            Electrode launched a bolt of lightning in an almost automatic response. The shriek stopped as Sphidra was momentarily stunned.  Sphidra brought one pointed leg forward and nearly skewered Electrode with it. Instead, it only pierced the rooftop. Electrode dodged easily but staggered to his knees from the blinding pain in his skull.

            “If you will not serve, you will die!” it screamed. Its voice was now as painful as the psychic attack.

            Blacktide clasped his hands into a double fist and lunged for the leg that almost hit Electrode. With a hard swing, a puff of smoke and a coughing sound, the leg had to leave its sharp tip in the roof. Sphidra screamed and the leg spewed liquid goo across the rooftop. Bits rained on all three of them.

            “Again?” Atomizer yelled. “I still don’t have the last spider’s guts off of me!”

            “Take it out on the damn spider, will ya!” Blacktide shouted.

            Atomizer concentrated on the concreted corner of the roof nearest Sphidra. His vision blurred from the pain of psychic attack. The stone of the corner shuddered as if it resisted him but then exploded outward. Shards of debris sprayed across Sphidra. The beast screamed in rage and pain, but still wasn’t defeated. Injuries to the spider were superficial at the most. Atomizer fell to his knees with a hand to his head. As he touched his forehead he felt something odd about his hand. Something poked at him. Atomizer looked at his hand and nearly fainted. Tiny black hairs were growing from his skin.

            Sphidra swung its other foreleg at Blacktide in rage, only to suffer the same fate as the previous leg. It screeched in rage and pain, using its psychic abilities to attack again. This time the heroes were thrown to the ground in agony. Blacktide’s power disintegrated through the roof and he fell through the hole. Electrode couldn’t move from where he lay, blinded by pain. Agent Redeagle couldn’t get up either. Colors flashed before all the heroes’ eyes and they thought their heads might explode.

            On the floor below the roof, Blacktide landed on someone’s queen sized bed, only slightly charring it before some control of his powers came back. He screamed and clutched at his head. He was unable to decipher any of his surroundings until the pain stopped suddenly.  In a half second the pain vanished totally. Blacktide jumped up and looked through the hole above. He noticed a slight hole in the upper corner from Atomizer’s previous attack attempt. Blacktide climbed and stood back on top of the bed and raised his hand towards that hole in the corner.

            On the roof, Dreamseer stood with Nyhtwulf. It was Dreamseer’s own psyhic abilities that stopped the pain her teammates suffered. Now she brought herself mind to mind with Sphidra. In a psychic form she could see the true spider that was Sphidra. It was terrible to behold. Sphidra had fangs larger than any man and eyes that glowed with psychic might. This vision of its body was coated in an exoskeleton of psychic armor. Dreamseer could tell that Sphidra had more than the power to convert a city. Given time, the beast could convert the world.

            “You cannot stop the will of Sphidra, little Elf,” its voice cracked in her head.

            “I don’t have to stop you, Sphidra, only engage you.”

            Nyhtwulf wasn’t seen leaving the rooftop. The lupine hero vanished into the shadows as Twilie demons are born to do. He flew through buildings and circled in behind his prey. When Nyhtwulf flew through the back of Sphidra’s body, it was taken completely by surprise. Nyhtwulf’s power to disrupt life force shook the great beast just as a beam of disintegration blasted through the abdomen. Blacktide, with mental direction form his partner, had focused his power through the upper corner he was staring at. Having a spiritual and psychic bond with Nythwulf was as good as having x-ray vision. A very large hole smouldered in the arachnid body. Sphidra screamed as Nyhtwulf reached the head. The shadowy wolf grasped at the head and skull of Sphidra while forcing his way forward. The skull became intangible along with Nyhtwulf and was wrenched free from Sphidra’s body.

            Nyhtwulf landed on the rooftop with the Skull of Sphidra in his clawed hands. Behind him, the great body shattered and fell to pieces. Some parts burst into flames, some turned to dust; the rest just fell to the streets below.

            Atomizer looked at his hands. The black hairs vanished. A spider came over the edge of the roof near him. Before he could react, it shrank before his eyes back to the average size of a spider.

            “Oh yeah,” Atomizer said as he brought his foot down on it.

            “Is everyone okay?” Agent Redeagle asked as he picked himself up.

            “Just fine now,” Electrode answered.

            Blacktide burst onto the scene from the rooftop door. He nodded to his partner, Nyhtwulf who held up the skull in triumph.

            “Good job, partner,” Blacktide said.

            “I guess now we can get out of here,” Atomizer said and he wanted to very badly.

            “Help me,” a voice came from the destroyed corner of the building, “Help me, please!”

            Redeagle ran over and found a man, drenched in spidery goo, barely clutching the edge of the debris. He rescued the man easily and brought him onto the roof.

            “Who are you?” Redeagle asked.

            “I’m Professor Isaac Middleton,” the man tried to say with dignity that just wasn’t there.

            “You put on the skull,” Dreamseer said.

            “Yes, as your friend said; I’m the moron who put on the skull. It was sent to me in a package at the University with a note. The note said it was the helm of a an ancient warrior chief. When I touched it, I was strangely compelled to put it on.”

            “It does have a psychic pull,” Nyhtwulf said, “but it has little effect on me.”

            “So you weren’t so much of a moron after all,” Blacktide said, “I was just trying to distract Sphidra anyway. It wasn’t personal.”

            “So many people are dead now because of me,” the Professor said in anguish.

            “Well, now you can do something about that,” Dreamseer said soothingly, “I sense that the other human beings are changing back. They will need someone to help the city heal. You can do that, Professor.”

            “Yes. Yes. I suppose I owe that,” the Professor said as the psychic suggestion sank in.

            “Then we have to go now, the rest is up to you,” Dreamseer said.

            Practically on cue, a portal opened to take them back to New York. Dreamseer had mentally contacted Traveler with the news. They all went through the portal, leaving the Professor alone on the messy rooftop.

            The Professor looked over himself. His shirt was gone and his pants were in rags. He was covered in goop. He slowly walked to the rooftop door where he noticed the little spider on the door frame. Then he noticed another, and another. Soon there were hundreds around him. Curious, Professor Middleton held out a hand and several of them scampered onto his palm.

            “Oh my,” the Professor said quietly, “I think I see how this is going to start. I believe I shall have my own team of heroes to rebuild Chicago. Maybe it’s about time.”

            Back in New York, Doctor Vampire took the skull and locked it away in a special box.

            “Congratulations all of you,” said Dr. Vampire,” You wouldn’t believe how things went for use while you were gone.”

            “What happened?” Dreamseer asked.

            Doctor Vampire gazed at her with a solemn expression,“We died.”

GZ Legends27: The Skull of Sphidra Pt 3

            Nyhtwulf felt terrible. He hoped to lead his team past the hordes of the giant spiders and hybrids to their mission. They had made it to the 7^th floor when the monsters came out from apartments on all sides. With a savage roar, Nyhtwulf flew at them down one end of the hall. He phased his body through as many as he could. Bodies of human-spider hybrids fell convulsing to the floor. Nyhtwulf would not let his new friends in his new life fall to such despicable creatures.

            Electrode blasted into two doorways that opened on either side of the hall by him. Electric arcs destroyed spiders that were trying to come through those doors all at once. The hallway didn’t give him much room for his speed, but Electrode could fire arcs of lighting with deadly accuracy. It took a conscious effort to keep control without giving in to the terror around him. He let the fear fuel him for the mission. He forced the monsters back into those two rooms and the air smelled of charred flesh. The killing tore at his heart. He knew his team had no choice. The fiend behind all of this was the true murderer.

            Atomizer helped Blacktide at the back of the group.

            “Here!” Atomizer shouted and he gestured with both hands down the hall. Walls exploded from mental command, fragmenting arachnid bodies.

            Blacktide followed up with a wide disintegration blast that left little in its wake. A few more spiders came from the holes they made in the walls. Those were more easily dealt with as Blacktide used his new-found control for near pinpoint accuracy.

            Thanks to the powers of his friends, Agent Redeagle only had to keep couple of spiders away from Dreamseer. Once they regrouped and the tide of spiders had been forced back, he looked to Nyhtwulf.

            “This is nuts, can’t you just teleport us to the roof?”

            “I sense too many things in the way. To take all of you would be too dangerous,” Nyhtwulf said.

            “Take me up,” Electrode offered, “I’ll clear the roof once you’re clear and you can come back for the rest.”

            “Yes, I can do that and even better,” the lupine beings eyes lit up with a new idea, “Use your energy through me!”

            “Huh?” Electrode wasn’t expecting that.

            “You will not harm me. I channel energy and can enhance yours for maximum effect.”

            “Just believe him on that, okay?” Blacktide said, “More of these things are coming so let’s get this plan moving.”

            “Okay, take me!” Electrode said.

            Nyhtwulf grabbed onto Electrode’s shoulders and the two of them vanished. They appeared, slightly hovering over the rooftop. For a moment, Electrode gasped at the sight of swarming creatures, but Nyhtwulf snapped him out of it.

            “Now,” Nyhtwulf said.

            “You sure?”

            “Do it!” Nyhtwulf almost growled at him but caught himself, not wanting to show a mean side to his new friends.

            Electrode performed exactly like he had down in the street with a bright and powerful display. This time he felt no drain. Nyhtwulf channeled the nuclear electric assault and magnified it. Spider bodies flew away into the darkness, clearing the entire roof area instantly. Nyhtwulf set Electrode on the roof to keep any more from gathering before he could return. In moments, Nyhtwulf reappeared with the group. Dreamseer was unconscious.

            “She was bit,” Redeagle explained, “They came back in force. Nyhtwulf was just in time for us.

            “I must heal her, but it will take me a few minutes,” Nyhtwulf said, “More are coming up.”

            Electrode gazed out across the tops of the buildings. He could see the crisscross of webs reflecting the city lights. There were thousands of them. Distant shadows shifted as more spiders moved in on their prey. Without any more hesitation, Electrode started firing lightning out across the webs, sending more charred bodies on a long fall. Blacktide and Atomizer joined him. Destroying the web lines seemed like an easy idea, and it started out that way. Amazingly, new ones almost instantly took their place. As the beasts came near, the three pulled no punches and gave no quarter. While Redeagle stood guard over Nyhtwulf and Dreamseer, they made sure that not a single spider made it back onto that rooftop.

            For a brief moment, they thought all of the spiders were dead. They just weren’t coming any more.

            “What’s going on?” Blacktide asked, “Does anyone see them?”

            “Where’d they go?” Atomizer glanced around the roof edges, “No way we got them all.”

            Electrode surged lightning out across the webs, providing a momentary view. The spiders were falling back, almost like a strategic retreat. “Now why are they doing that?” Electrode asked.

            Web lines to the roof pulled taut as a greater shadow began to appear. This spider dwarfed all others and held the teams gaze in awe. Its leg span was easily 80 feet across and the legs were as thick as telephone poles. Those legs held up a massive arachnid body with a human male torso extending from the front. It had one humanoid arm for the right side. The left arm was in form of a mandible. It looked as though it were in the midst of a transformation. On the head of the humanoid extension was the very thing they were sent for. Whoever this was, he wore the Skull of Sphidra.

GZ Legends 26: The Skull of Sphidra Pt 2

            From the tops of the buildings, the spiders surged in teeming masses.

            “Everyone into a building!” Electrode ordered as his body arced brightly.

            “What are you going to do?” Blacktide asked.

            “Just get them inside. The world’s biggest spiders are about to meet the world’s biggest bug zapper.”

            “We need a path!” Redeagle had grabbed up a car fender for a weapon, having run out of ammunition. He swung back and forth hard, clearing spiders and spraying goo.

 Blacktide and Nyhtwulf ran to assist. An apartment building was the closest they could get to. Finding the door locked, Blacktide put his fist through the lock and latch. Nyhtwulf swept chasing spiders away as they dodged inside.

Electrode started to glow and strobe as he charged himself. The spiders were forced back, unable to come near him.

The rest of them rushed inside. They all dove for cover behind furniture and the large lobby counter.

            The air between the buildings became daylight as the powerful surge flew towards the sky. Electrode then broke into a staggering run for the doors as bodies of the giant spiders fell all around.

            “Are you okay?” Atomizer said as he ran to steady him.

            “Yeah, just a little drained. I’ll recharge in a few minutes.”

            “Let’s put a bunch of furniture against the door here to try and keep any more out,” Redeagle suggested.

            “Sorry, disintegration is my only lockpick,” Blacktide said.

            “No problem. We’re safe for now. Let’s just get this blocked.”

            They scrambled to stack furniture against the doors to the building. Redeagle even pushed and broke the lobby counter loose. Nyhtwulf helped him shove it, grinding into place.

            “Okay, so now how do we go about finding this artifact and putting a stop to the spider kingdom of Chicago?” Redeagle asked as he caught his breath.

            “I sense intense psychic energy and it seems to get stronger in that direction,” Dreamseer pointed upwards.

            “I too sense this. We must climb,” Nyhtwulf said.

            “Climb? Yeah, how about we just take an elevator?” Atomizer suggested.

            “You want to get stuck in an elevator with those things?” Redeagle pointed out.

            “Okay, stairs it is. But what are they doing up at the top of the buildings? Making webs?”

            “Isn’t that what typical spiders do?” Electrode asked.

            “Let’s make sure we have a good route then,” Blacktide said. “Nyhtwulf, can you sense a safe route?”

            “Nowhere is safe, even if it seems at any moment,” his partner responded.

            “That’s just great,” Atomizer said, “I hate spiders.”

            “Let’s find the stairs,” Red pressed and they moved across the lobby carefully.  Any movement out of the corner of the eye was held suspect. Atomizer couldn’t stop looking behind furniture or at the ceiling.

            They found a sign that said stairs and an open door across from it, blocked open by a human body.

            “Well, there’s a clue as to what happened to the people,” Atomizer said.

            A really large spider compared to the ones outside crawled out the door and blocked the hall. Nyhtwulf growled and flew forward to block its approach. It turned its head up toward him and seemed to answer with a chittering challenge of its own. Then, from under its body a pair of human arms reached down and pressed against the floor along with a pair of human legs. It rose up on those legs and folded back the arachnid ones, angling its head in a more humanoid fashion. This spider had once been a large man. Nyhtwulf was the only one not frozen in terror and shock from the sight. He lunged forward and the spider answered with the same. But it froze when the lupine hero phased his arm into its chest and disrupted its life force. He kept his arm within as the man-spider’s body shook with spasms. Nyhtwulf made sure it wasn’t going to be a threat again. Finally, he let its convulsing form fall to the floor.  He turned to his friends.

            “Dead,” he announced.

            Atomizer stumbled backward, “Are you kidding me? Aw man! I really hate spiders you guys! I had no idea it would be like this! One spider dude with a freaky helmet, and I thought, sure I can handle that, but this is way out there!”

            “Hey!” Redeagle shouted, “We need you to hold it together! Come on, you’re with us and you can do this.”

            Atomizer took a deep breath, took his hat off and ran his fingers through his hair. “Yeah, yeah, I know. But, man, my power doesn’t work on living tissue. I’m going to have to blow holes in the freaking walls and stuff. And, man, I’ve never seen such a monster.”

            As the group approached the stairway door, Atomizer clenched his fist and teeth. Nyhtwulf paused at the end of the stairs.

“We can move this way safely for now,” Nyhtwulf  said.

            “Keep us posted,” Blacktide said, “I’ll bring up the rear.”

            “I’ll be up front with Nyhtwulf,” Electrode said. The rest remained between them as they started up the stairs. Every shadow demanded their attention. Knowing that these spiders could be right on the underside of the stairs made them extra wary. The stairway had open space from top to bottom and no one wanted to stick a head out to look up or down. Electrode still needed to recharge but felt he could do a few strobe bursts if needed. He could carry a massive charge and even act as his own alternator and recharge himself when running at full speed. He feared leaving his friends even for a split second however.

They made it up six floors when Nyhtwulf stopped and pointed to the 7th floor door.

            “Go quickly.”

            Blacktide covered their exit from the stairwell as spiders skittered down from above. He pulled the door shut as they moved in and Electrode stepped up. He emitted a narrow arc from his fingers and welded the door shut.

            “That should hold even the humanoid ones.”

            “Guess we need to find another set of stairs,” Redeagle said, “Probably at the other end of this hall.”

            Nyhtwulf nodded and took the lead. He led his friends halfway down the hall and then stopped with a low growl.

            “What is it?” Blacktide asked.

            “Fight.”

            As Nyhtwulf said that word, spiders of both human-hybrid and monstrous size emerged from apartment doorways. They crawled to the ceiling and walls. The friends were completely surrounded.

GZ Legends 25: The Skull of Sphidra Pt 1

            Their rest period felt far too short. It seemed that Atomizer had only lowered the brim of his hat for a few minutes when the next perilous mission was upon them. Dr. Vampire addressed them.

            “Dreamseer is my team’s best chance against anyone wearing the Skull of Sphidra. After allowing my scanner to analyze your powers I think that Atomizer, Redeagle, Electrode, Blacktide, and Nyhtwulf should be the ones to back her up. She will need your protection while she concentrates on our foe.”

            “You scanned our powers?” Atomizer said, “You could just ask.”

            “I’m sorry, but we have little time and I needed to know as much as possible about all of you. This way I can advise the best course of action for each artifact we will face,” Dr. Vampire responded.

            “Don’t worry about it, partner,” Redeagle said, “Let’s just take care of this thing.”

            “Since you know so much about what these things do, I’m going to allow you to make those suggestions,” Commander Larratus growled, “But don’t you dare get any of my people killed.”

            “Understood, and I assure you, I will share an equal risk at all times,” Dr. Vampire said, “Now Traveler will open a portal to Chicago. She will try to land you as close to the artifact as possible. Dreamseer will be able to sense it from there. Good luck and be careful.”

            With a wave of her hand, Traveler summoned a portal of bright light. The friends stepped through with confidence, even though they had no idea where they would appear.

            The Chicago city street they stepped onto was drowning in silence. In the eerie glow of the street lights, no one could be seen. Cars cluttered the streets at odd angles. Even stranger was the sight of women’s purses or men’s briefcases lying scattered on the street. Sacks of groceries lay abandoned. It was as if everyone simply dropped all they were carrying and vanished.

            “Everyone stay put,” Electrode said, “I’m running a recon.”

            Electrode vanished for only a second or two before reappearing with a grim expression.

            “Every street in the downtown area looks just like this one, guys.”

            “I guess this means our artifact is active, but this doesn’t make sense,” Atomizer said.

            “Yeah, I thought Dr. Vampire said it gives the wearer psychic powers. Even if that person is controlling every person in Chicago, how would you hide them all? I don’t even see anyone in windows anywhere,” Redeagle said.

            “Unfortunately, there may be more to the skull than we know,” Dreamseer explained. “We know it can possess the wearer. We know it can control the minds of others. That’s all we know about it.”

            “Great,” Blacktide said, “So, no one knows how it makes a whole city of people go missing.”

            “Not missing,” Nyhtwulf said, “I can sense them. I sense life all around us.”

            “Actually, I sense it too,” Dreamseer said. “The people of Chicago are definitely here, but something is wrong with their thought patterns.”

            “Suddenly this is going into bad news land, I can feel it,” Atomizer said. “I don’t see anyone anywhere.”

            “I hear something, a tapping sound,” Redeagle said. “It seems familiar somehow but I can’t place it. It’s getting louder though.”

            “I agree,” Nyhtwulf said. “They are coming closer from all sides.”

            “I don’t see anyone,” Blacktide said, keeping his aura active around his body and stepping away from his friends. He wouldn’t want to accidently hurt any of them with his disintegrative energy.

            “Yeah guys, I don’t see anyone either. What’s…” Atomizer stopped short on the sight of Redeagle’s pistol, seeming aimed for his head. “Hey!”

            “Duck!” Redeagle shouted and fired his weapon with an echoing shout. The bullet sped past his partner’s head and splattered into its target.

click on image for larger view

            The spider stood two feet off the top of the car roof it crawled over. It’s leg span could challenge Redeagle’s 7 foot height easily. It was about to sink its six inch fangs into Atomizers shoulder. The bullet splatted the spider’s head in all directions, and coated Atomizers right sleeve.

            “AHHH! Geez!” Atomizer ripped off his jacket and threw it on the ground. He wiped some goo from the side of his face and jumped around in a panic, “Cripes! Freaking criminy gawd! Are you kidding me! Spiders? Really? I hate spiders!”

            Redeagle’s pistol thundered again, destroying another spider from the top of a nearby truck.

            “Get it together, partner, there’s more!” Redeagle shouted.

            The men made a circle of defense around Dreamseer as the horde closed in. Electrode launched bursts of lightning that danced between cars and lampposts. The air immediately reeked of burnt spider flesh. Nyhtwulf savaged an approaching group with a roar. He shredded them with claws and smashed them against walls and cars. Blacktide pushed his aura outward, disintegrating any that came near. They were quick to learn not to approach him, however and worked to get around him. Blacktide struggled to make that very difficult. Atomizer saw more coming over the car he had been standing near.

            “Oh no you don’t!”

            He concentrated on the opposite doors of the car. When the doors exploded they destroyed all the spiders on that side of the vehicle.

            “Die, spiders, die!”

            “Electrode!” Redeagle shouted as he kept shooting, “I thought all the streets were clear!”

            “They were! I don’t know where these things are coming from!”

            “Oh no,” Dreamseer said in realizing horror.

            “What is it?” Blacktide asked.

            “We have to run. We need to get inside a building, right now.” Dreamseer looked upward toward the darkness, past the shine of the streetlights. She could see them, hundreds of them. Spiders were lowering themselves on their silken threads, eager for a meal below.

Artist(s) wanted for Galaxy Zento project

I've got the writing so who has the art?

As many of you know I just got back from the New Orleans Comicon. The prime mission of the trip was to take my son to meet his celebrity hero Stan Lee. Many people donated to that cause and it happened. I'm forever grateful. My son has a wonderful memory that may shape his future.

Since we achieved that mission on the first night of the convention, that left all day Saturday to just fun around. Well, we had lots of fun but there was quite a bit more than that. I scouted an article for HCRealms on HeroClix. After that, I went networking.

My third mission at the con was to meet artists. I can't tell you how many of you wonderful people, including a couple of agents, have mentioned that my stories should be graphic novels. I agree!

I'm looking to form a partnership that will bring GZ to life. I'm looking for someone I can work with for these projects.

I know what some of you are thinking. "Dave, you're a pretty good artist, why don't you do it?"

I have to be honest, there are some skills that I lack and small details with my hands are virtually impossible. Having MS has made it so that I have to literally use both hands to do any small details. My hands shake so badly, that my only hope is digital. Even then, I have problems with some forms. I've gotten better at drawing women over the years, but I'm not good enough at it that I want it in a graphic novel. I'm better as the writer (not that I'll give up drawing).

So what do I want from an artist?

If you are one of the awesome artists I met at the convention (or you just came across this out of curiosity); the first thing I want you to do is take a look through my universe. Check out the characters and see if they appeal to you. Do they look like characters you can really get into? Check out the stories. GZ Legends is actually taken from my novel, Chaos Rising and it could make a good graphic novel. The short stories could make for a compilation piece. I would like to have someone who can really become a part of the GZ universe.

Also I would like someone to bring more than just drawing and coloring to the table. Experience is nice. I would like to take our work to agents or publishers and get GZ out there and mainstream. What ideas and experiences can you bring to the table?

Approaching other artists is fairly new to me. I have quite a few questions that I will be asking soon. But if you are reading this and you like what you see of GZ, talk to me.

I also still accept guest artists. If you want to do a picture for the blog (for GZ Legends) let me know because I will promote you as an artist!

GZ Legends number 1

The Showcase short stories

What is the plan for Galaxy Zento?

After all, to try and take it all in, Galaxy Zento is huge. So I want to take a little time out of the schedule to address my plans and goals. I post this especially for anyone who may want to join the Galaxy Zento project. If that pertains to you or you are an agent I recently contacted; THANK YOU for visiting!

Goal #1: Publish a book. Yep, just one book to get started. I'm sending my novel, The Chessmen out to agents for this purpose. If any agent sees this, I want them to know that I don't expect them to try and take on all of Galaxy Zento in a big fell swoop. Let's publish a book to light the fuse and then see what comes next.

Of course, I can't just sit here on  my hands while I wait for an agent or publisher to answer me. Consider this, dear readers; I just sent out an exclusive (means not under anyone else's consideration at this time) to an agent who's website tells me it make take a month to respond. These guys are busy and I'm trying to be the beacon that stands out in an ocean of paper. In the meantime, I have to keep building and working.

Goal #2: Catch up and keep posting the online story of GZ Legends. The first installment promises to be long with lots of action. I need to not only write but do the illustrations. Right now, I'm a one man band. My hands can't do the panels for full comic book style, but I can still provide some entertaining pictures. I promise you, that is coming!

Goal #3: Even more illustrations! I actually have a list of character and alien race illustrations to do so that Galaxy Zento is as complete in its online form as possible.

Goal #4: Short Stories. I've been looking at doing a compilation of short stories. I already have quite a few. One of them even won honorable mention in a writing contest! I don't know if it will hurt me with agents if I do a compilation and put it on say... Amazon? More homework needs to be done here.

Goal #5: Be ready to rip into writing Chessmen 2. I'll still be working on it between all else and I'm 10,000 words in. But if the first book takes off, I gotta be ready to deliver on part 2!

At the end of it, I want to revise the role playing game and develop the card game, but these things are admittedly on the back burner and as time allows. The possibility of graphic novels is always on the table for discussion too!

Remember folks, you are on board with the growth of a new universe. I told you it would keep growing and you can see all the evidence of that on the Facebook Page. If you really like the artwork and would like to support GZ in some way, most art is available for purchase in one way or another at DeviantArt, CafePress, and Zazzle, all under the Galazy Zento name. Feel free to browse and see what all is available and and what prices. Each site carries some things that the others don't. For example, a while back, I bought myself some King Falcon postage stamps from Zazzle. How awesome of a marketing tool is that?

Okay, time to get back to creating!

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