Avenger Assembled

"Hey-zel," explained Heyzel, "but most people who use my name just make it one word." He smiled faintly. "Freedom Angel is what the newspapers called me, so people outside the church usually call me that." He walked with her down the dark corridor, out towards the sanctuary. "If you would like to come back, the church could always use more people in the soup kitchen. You wouldn't even need to worship in the sanctuary."

"You don't need to use words to pray," said Heyzel quietly. "You can do it with your deeds, and with your heart." He stood up as well, a look of apology on his face. "I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help to you," he added. "All I can tell you is there is justice in the world beyond. Just not in this one, not unless you fight for it." He walked with her to the door and said, "You've never told me your name, Wander."

"We defend our charges against the machinations of the Adversary, warring against the efforts of his princes to overtopple Heaven. We work to build a community of love and justice, where everyone can live in peace and harmony. We whisper to the world below, steering the path of righteousness as much as we can. And we welcome the souls of the righteous to our ranks." He fell silent, then said, "It wasn't enough for me. That's why I'm here."

"The Creator has not spoken to my people since the first day of February, five hundred years and thirty years after the Advent of the Creator," said Heyzel, giving Erin the honesty she deserved. "Perhaps it was the same on your world. I don't know. The other heavens that my people have encountered have been much the same as ours, with a few yet closed to us." He shook his head, despair briefly crossing his angelic face before he said "Those who spoke to Him while He walked among us, those who lead the Choir, have told the rest of us to trust in His wisdom and in his imminent return. And I do trust in His wisdom, but...I no longer believe we should leave the world alone." He stared at Erin, trying to make her understand. "But I'm alone in this."

Heyzel looked Erin in the eye, guilt burning hot on his face for a long moment. The secret of his mission, having pressed so hot in his mind for so long, suddenly came bursting out. When he spoke, that supernatural calm had cracked, but he was still in control. "I don't know," he admitted, pain in his voice. "The laws of the universe forbid the Choir of Angels from acting alone. When Omega invaded, we tried so very hard to...do something." He looked down at his hands. "All we could do was guide the souls of those who died to their destiny. That was the day I vowed that I would pass all the trials, and come to Earth, to do more than simply watch as my people had for a thousand years."

"Doing good is loving God," said Heyzel honestly. "Good works and deeds are what shows the love of God. There's no other way to put it." He thought carefully, trying to put ineffable concepts into words. "The Creator is not a petty tyrant to rage at his children when they call him by the wrong name, or speak to him of things not of his Word. Nor does he turn them away if they lived their lives without hearing the Words he spoke to Creation, or prefer the Words spoken in their language to their people, or those who died too young or too sick to follow His teachings. God is love, and peace, and justice. When you strive to better those things, you do His work, and pave your way for eternity."

"You go where you deserve to go," Heyzel repeated, looking apologetic. "I'm sorry, Wander, I can't be more specific than that. My people, we...cannot know the full wisdom of the Creator. Only He can. There are some who reincarnate a thousand times; there are those who gladly pass to the other world, and never even think about leaving the Hereafter." He studied her for a moment and said, "All I can tell you is to give your love, freely, and ask nothing in return. There is no better way to receive the eternal reward you deserve."

"Ooh, a clue," said Edge, leaning down and peering at the box. "Can I borrow that for a quick sec, Mr. Danger? I know a lot about opening things," he said guilelessly. "The other day, I opened a box Mr. Summers had on his desk. He was pretty mad, too. But that was okay, we managed to catch hope and put it back in."

"Well," said Heyzel, looking a little awkward, "there are many kinds of angels, just as there are many kinds of heaven. My father was among those Spoken into being by the Divine Logos at the beginning of Creation, while my mother was elevated into the ranks of the Angeloi after death. My own creation was..." He looked almost apologetic for a moment before adding, "I have no first-hand memories of it, of course."

"Souls pass to the reward they deserve," explained Heyzel, warming to his topic. "It's difficult to explain, but that's the best way I can put it. Even those who die in a deepest depression at the edge of Creation will pass to the plane they deserve, even if they think they've done nothing but earn hellfire. You may not believe that there is justice in Creation in the living, but there is justice there. No one suffers in the afterlife who doesn't deserve it, and no one suffers beyond what they've earned. Just as joy comes to those who deserve it, in proportion to their worth." He paused a moment, and went on, "When my mother died, she thought she'd been abandoned by her god and damned forever. But she passed to the Heaven she deserved, just as she should have if she'd died a million worlds away."

"There are legions of Heavens," Heyzel admitted. "All presided over by the agents of the Creator, just as all the Hells are ruled by agents of the Adversary. Some are for different planes of belief, as for those who worshipped entities like the Asgardians or the Heliopolitans. Others are for planes beyond this one; the many worlds of the Cosmic Coil."

Heyzel studied her for a moment, his open face lined with concern. "Come into the kitchen," he suggested. "The food should still be warm." He led Erin into the church's good-sized kitchen, folding his wings down against his back as he opened the oven to pull out blueberry muffins that were still just warm beneath their soft crust. "I've been baking a lot," he admitted, sitting down opposite Erin. "I'm not a very good cook, because I don't eat. But some people at the church say they like it." In the quiet privacy of the church kitchen, the two of them alone in the building, he folded his wings back and said mildly, "I'll answer any question you want to ask."

Heyzel was working in the small office he'd screened off for himself when he heard the doors creak open, his sensitive ears pulling him away from the map of the world he'd spread out on the big table before him. Where more paranoid beings might have drawn their sword at this point, Heyzel instead took a few steps and flew up the corridor with swift strokes, coming up the vaulted stairs and out into the nave behind the pulpit. A few more steps took out of the sanctuary, where he saw Erin inside the door. He recognized her immediately, but greeted her without fear. The truth was, she wasn't the only person whose conversation with him had ended badly. "Hello," he said politely. "Is your friend with you today, or can we talk inside?"

"Noon it is," said Jack, reaching down to take Taylor's hand. Just at the door, before they left, he called back, "Just remember, Dr. Archevile...there are more things on Earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy." There, who said Jack couldn't quote Shakespeare? He was pretty sure that was Shakespeare, anyway. And with that, he and Taylor headed out of the lab, a look of profound relief on his face. "Thank God. That was...an unpleasant experience. You okay?" he asked her. "Now that we're out of all that?"

At Dr. Archeville's words, Freedom Angel bent down over the unconscious Johnny Speed, pulling back costumed sleeves to reveal arms full of track marks. Something like a frown crossed his angelic face. "I can see the marks on his body." A quick search of the wicked speedster's costume revealed several tubules of some thick, brown-colored liquid that the angel immediately confiscated. "If you are worried about subversion, I suggest we find the rest of the League. And soon. Monsters can easily wear the skin of righteousness."

If anyone else wants to do the same, feel free. I was trying to go for "instructive to the players, but the characters might need to roll to get it" with what Thunder spills. =)

So what's the box, boss? :)

"We're learning a lot of new things these days," said Jack reflectively. "New wards. New spells. New words." He bent down and kissed her. "Like Mom and Dad. I never...I've been watching those Discovery Channel shows on babies." He laid his hand on her heart, admitting, "That's about the best education I can get. Not a lot of people want me following their kids around."

Jack turned and clapped Ace on the shoulder. "Ace, will you take care of handling the cleanup here? I know there's no one who could do it better." He released the smaller man's shoulder and added to the others. "Today you all did something that the most powerful heroes on Earth have failed to do. Be proud of yourselves. And be careful."

Jack put his hand over his eyes for a moment, still holding Taylor's with the other. When he spoke, his voice was distinct and enunciated, as if he was pushing back a thousand emotions to say the things that needed said. "Thank you. All of you. You have no idea how much this means to me. To Taylor." He opened his eyes and looked at her. "This wasn't a hit squad. This was an attempt to handle things peacefully. They'll take time to recoup. The humans of the city are safe tonight." He leaned close and pressed cold lips against her forehead. "I love you. Let's get the hell out of here."

Eventually negotiations were made and plans laid out, a still-shell shocked Edge joining the White Lion in negotiating with the locals and the visitors. The proles had utterly no interest in returning to the Terminus, each unhesitatingly offering to die instead when the supposition was made. But the wars with the Lizard People had left the villagers in need of new manpower, and the survivors of the Terminus all had experience living in difficult conditions. With the deal made and the heroes assembled, they headed back together with their injured ally and battered leader in tow, making the short walk back to the Lost World portal before stepping through. On the other side was the UNISON team with congratulations for all, though hard questions remained for some.

"Arrgh!" Jack had thought he'd be able to take whatever she was doing, but not this! He gave a yell and tore off his mask, bizarre crimson shapes and patterns visibly playing out beneath his skin, crawling and spreading inside his face like a growing cancer. He gasped, and realized with a sudden, fierce shock that he was breathing, hot oxygen pouring into his lungs as they crinkled open wide, heart pounding in his chest as blood pounded through his body. He stifled a scream, not wanting to break Taylor's concentration, as he flexed his fingers wildly, digging them into his palms to distract from the terrific sensations of life pounding through every nerve.

Mark took Faith around and introduced her to his friends there like Edet Munroe and Hope Rogers, pointedly avoiding the people from the Next-Gen who'd given him so much grief over the years. When she'd had a chance to meet almost everyone, he put his arm around her waist and walked over to the edge of the pool. "Last one in's a rotten egg," he exclaimed with a laugh, stealing a kiss before he took a step back and dived neatly into the pool!

EDS's attack misses Jack. Jack spends an HP (the one gained from defending Taylor) to acquire a rank of Equipment. He puts it toward the apartment's defense systems. Using his newly gained 5 EP, he buys the following powers: 1. Snare 13 (PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2) 2. Drain 13 (all ability scores) (Extras: Ranged) (Flaw: Unreliable [5 uses]) (PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2) 3. Dazzle 13 (all senses) (Flaws: Full-Round Action, Unreliable [5 uses]) 4. Paralyze 13 (PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2) 5. Blast 13 (PFs: Affects Insubstantial 2) He activates the Dazzle. He hits. DC 23 Reflex save to retain senses for the remainder of the round; DC 23 Fort to have them back next round. Actually, I'll hold off on my OOC post. This is the action I'll take when we're in Init. I have a 19 on my Init

Jack frowned, his eyebrows furrowing. "Who were they going to tell?" he asked, not sounding terribly pleased at the prospect. Rising to his feet, he took a few moments to compose himself and said, "Actually, no. It's important to trust people, right? Yes. These are our friends. These are heroes." He took a step to the door and called out to Stesha, "Stesha, you and Derrick can tell people don't have anything to hide!" he said, putting his arm around Taylor. "We are what we are!"