Ultimate Central TPB

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 19 (Sins Unforgiven)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


INTRODUCTION

A lone figure stares out the into the night sky, contemplating life and death. "How sad it is," he mused, "that people automatically assume that when there neighbour dies, he finds peace."

He knelt down and ran his hand along the dirt, "If only they knew the rage and loneliness that I now feel," he said as he clenched his fist, "soon they will all learn…"

"MASTER"

He turned towards the voice. It was his new general JTG3885. JTG was recently killed during his battle with the Avatars. They had taken his life and had just left him there, a pathetic skeleton wasting away. The rage and desire for revenge that JTG's spirit felt is what inspired his master to resurrect him as his second in command. When JTG returned to life, he brought a new kind of power with him: The touch of death itself! A mere touch of the skeleton and your skin would decay and your life would be ended.

JTG approached his master. He was wearing a hooded robe which flowed eerily behind him.

JTG: Master, our army has invaded Ultimate Central. Takeover is imminent. Soon it will be ours, and the death of the Avatars will soon follow.

JTG stared at his master as he stood there, going over his plans in his head.

"It is time to move onto phase 2," he said, "Go JTG! Go amongst the city and find all those who have taken lives, find them…..and make them feel your touch of death!"

JTG nodded, and then left to do his masters bidding…….


ULTIMATE CENTRAL #19: SINS UNFORGIVEN


In Ultimate Central, the Avatars had come face to face with UC members who had died and seemingly returned to life. LongShotJimLee, Irish_4204, Patriot, Thee Great One and The Captain.

RENE: What do you want!!!

LONGSHOTJIMLEE: All of you! DEAD!

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Why? We were your friends!

LONGSHOTJIMLEE: You let me DIE!!!

NURHACHI: I can take them! Let me at em!!!

Nurhachi was still very drunk as he and MWOF were drinking at a party just before the attack.

RENE: Nurhachi NO!

Nurhachi's mutated blood covered him, empowering him as he staggered towards the UC Corpses.

NURHACHI: Take this mother***ersssshhhh

Nurhachi swung at Patriot, twisted around and fell on his face; coma'd out while the corpses laughed at him.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Get out of our home!

MWOF shot a wide eye beam at the corpses, knocking them all down, but they all rose up, and started walking towards them.

IRISH_4202: Time for you to all die!

Irish opened his mouth and screamed, while Patriot lifted his arms, getting ready to shoot.

ICEMASTERTRON: STOP THIS!!!!

Icemastertron shot a beam of ice at Irish's mouth, stopping him from screaming, while using his other hand to form an ice shield, protecting the Avatars from Patriots line of fire.

IRISH_4204: MMMMmmmmmfffff

The Captain then flew at ice's shield, smashing it as ProjectX2 ran up and punched the Captain, who went flying back, but got straight back up.

Rene's skin turned green as he powered up into his goblin form. His hands glowed as fireballs appeared in each hand. He threw his fireballs at the corpses. One hit Longshot as he was leaping to attack Icemastertron, and the other hit Thee Great One as he was about to attack the fallen Nurhachi. Both just got straight back up and carried on the attack.

PROJECTX2: Rene! We have to get out of here!

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: No Way! Its our home!

RENE: No he's right MWOF! We can't defeat them! We can't even hurt them!

ICEMASTERTRON: And Nurhachi's in no condition to fight.

RENE: Ice! Shield us!

PX2 went to grab Nurhachi as MWOF and Rene blasted the corpses away. Icemastertron then created an ice wall that blocked off the corpses while the Avatars ran to the teleporting pad and teleported back to earth.

On Earth, the Avatars reverted back to there human forms. They had teleported into one of there safe houses: a cabin in the middle of the woods. When they got there, Rene was furious!

RENE: HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN!!! WE JUST LOST ULTIMATE CENTRAL!!!! WE'RE FINISHED!!!

NURHACHI: Ssshhhhheeeeeaaattt calm down dude……

RENE: YOU!!! WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DEFEND OUR HOME IF YOU HAD COME THROUGH FOR US YOUR DRUNK LOSER!!!!

PROJECTX2: Hey calm down dude!

RENE: Whatever! I'm gonna see if there's anything on the news.

Rene sat down and turned on the little TV while Project and MWOF went outside to explore their surroundings. Icemastertron helped Nurhachi into one of the rooms so he could lie down.

NURHACHI: Thank…you Ice dude…..

ICEMASTERTRON: No problem. Hey dude, this is the first time we've been able to talk since the whole Ultimate E fiasco. Y'know, me being mind controlled and all.

NURHACHI: Heeey how bout that!

ICEMASTERTRON: Yeah, I just wanna say sorry about that whole trying-to-imprison-you thing.

NURHACHI: Don't worry bout it Popsicle, everyone wants me in handcuffs…..

ICEMASTERTRON: No dude, that's not what I….

NURHACHI: Red….fluffy….handcuffs…..

ICEMASTERTRON: uh ok dude, I'm gonna go now k?

NURHACHI: night…night….don't let the demon babies bite…..

Ice walked into the TV room, where Rene was staring at the screen.

ICEMASTERTRON: What's up Rene?

Then Icemastertron saw the screen. There was a skeleton walking around in a large robe. He was roaming through the streets, screaming about how it was time to pay for old sins. In his hand he had the husk of what used to be a man.

ICEMASTERTRON: What's THAT?

RENE: That's JTG3885 brought back to life!!!!

ICEMASTERTRON: Holy crap!!!

RENE: We gonna need help! We can't do this by ourselves!

Meanwhile, outside the cabin…

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: This is a total mind**** man! I mean, Longshots back, but he's trying to kill me!

PROJECTX2: Yeah it must be hard, sorry bout that MWOF.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Why do we do that?

PROJECTX2: Do what?

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: We always call each other by our codenames. Call me Tombo.

PROJECTX2: Ok Tombo….

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: SIR Tombo!

PROJECTX2: Sir Tombo?

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Sir SAINT Tombo!

PROJECTX2: hmmmm nah sorry

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: So CRAIG! What do you recommend we do about all these dead dudes popping up?

RENE: I'll tell you what we're gonna do!

Rene and Icemastertron ran up to MWOF and PX2.

RENE: We're gonna split up into 3 groups.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Dude! There's only 4 of us active at the moment. You want us to split up?

RENE: Yes, we need 2 groups to try get backup, and 1 to confront JTG,

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Wait! JTG's back too?

ICEMASTERTRON: Yeah, cept now he's a walking skeleton with a death touch.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Sweet! He's mine!

PROJECTX2: What? Why?

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: He always used to try starting arguments with me on Ultimate Central. I hate the mother****er.

RENE: Ok, MWOF, you go after JTG. Ice, you and Project go try getting help from the E-Men!

ICEMASTERTRON: What? Are you mental!

RENE: We need all the help we can get Ice! Besides, these dead people are hunting them too. They have to help us.

PROJECTX2: And what are you gonna do oh fearless leader?

RENE: When Nurhachi wakes up, we're gonna go and try to get help from the Cabinet.

ICEMASTERTRON: The Cabinet too! Oh we're all gonna die…..

RENE: Ok guys! Lets get to it!


Meanwhile, in Ultimate Central:

Longshot opened the door to the mansion in the cyberspace platform known as Ultimate Central.

Longshot, Patriot, The Captain, Thee Great One and Irish_4204 all bowed as there leader walked in through the door. He wore a long black coat, his face covered in a white mask with red markings.

LONGSHOT: Welcome master! We have acquired Ultimate Central for you, just as you asked.

There master was pleased.

"Excellent," he said, "Soon, we will kill all the Avatars, as well as the E-Men and the Cabinet! Then with all the super powered super humans in my power, the living will all fear me……..They will all fear……SLIMJIM!!!!!"


TO BE CONTINUED…..

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 20 (Unlikely Allies)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


INTRODUCTION

Siberia, 11th July 2005

Two young teenage girls walked along a long dark path in the local park. They say the park used to be a burial ground, which made many urban legends and thrilling stories about the park. The girls giggled as they tried to scare each other with tales about how the park was cursed.

Suddenly, they heard a weird sound…a moaning noise. They went to investigate but could find nothing that would make that noise.

Feeling a little scared, they decided to go home, but as they went, one of the girls screamed. Something had grabbed her foot. Her friend screamed in horror as she saw an old bloodied rotten hand holding her friends ankle. She then saw something crawling out the ground. A dead person, his skin rotting and peeling off the bones, his eyes pure white, infested with maggots. The person crawled on top of the fallen girl and tore into her back, grabbing out chunks of meat and eating it savagely.

The other girl ran, tears streaming down her face as she could still hear her friends screams fill the night time air. She saw a man in the distance.

"HELP," She screamed, "HELP ME PLEASE!"

She then gasped in horror as the man turned around to reveal his dead green face. Her insides filled with dread as she was frozen stiff with fear.

The undead man started moving towards her, and she came to her senses and turned to run away, only to see 2 more zombies behind her.

Her heart felt heavy, as she knew that she would suffer the same fate as her friend. Tears streamed down her face as the terror gripped her.

All she could do was scream in hopelessness as the hands and teeth tore at her skin…

ULTIMATE CENTRAL #20: UNLIKELY ALLIES

TheManWithoutFear jumped across the rooftops, heading for mid-city. He had been keeping track of JTG from the news. His super enhanced hearing could hear news reports of a walking skeleton, going around killing various people. Finally MWOF reached mid-city. He jumped off the roof, swung on a pole, and landed on the ground below, where people were running, screaming. JTG was holding a middle aged cop by the throat. MWOF saw the cop's skin change into a lifeless husk as JTG looked into the sky, his fingers digging into the cop's neck as JTG absorbed his life.

MWOF approached JTG as he turned around…
JTG3885: Aaaah, my good friend, TheManWithoutBalls. You come for a fight?

His voice sounded raspy and croaky. JTG hissed as he walked up towards MWOF.

MWOF: Let's do this!

MWOF's eyes glowed as he cracked his knuckles and got ready for combat.

Meanwhile, ProjectX2 and Icemastertron are in there human forms, looking around what used to be the E-Men's hideout.

ICEMASTERTRON: Where are they? They couldn't have gotten far….

Suddenly, Icemastertron felt a tingling sensation in his brain, he knew this feeling from before, and he knew he only had a second to act.

ICEMASTERTRON: PROJECT POWER UP!!!

Instantly, Icemastertron lowered the temperature of the air around the area to freezing levels as Project powered up to avoid being frozen.

AAARGGGHHHH

The heard a scream close by.

ICEMASTERTRON: This way!

Icemastertron and PX2 went towards to sound to see Caduceus on his knees holding his head in pain as Ultimate Gambit was next to him, shivering.

CADUCEUS: D….Damn you're…..brain freezing ability….Icemaster…tron

PROJECTX2: We're not here to fight you E-Men.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: What the hell you here for then?

ICEMASTERTRON: Well, since we're both being attacked by our dead friends, I thought a team up may be in order?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Are you ****in serious?

PROJECTX2: Deadly

ICEMASTERTRON: They won't stop until all of us are killed and the dead rule the living.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: We can take care of ourselves!

CADUCEUS: No no Gambit, lets help our rivals.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: What? You serious?

Caduceus pulled Ultimate Gambit aside and whispered to him.

CADUCEUS: I don't think E would be happy to return if he came back to a world ruled by corpses….and besides, I have a plan that will be very beneficial for us.

Caduceus smiled as Ultimate Gambit nodded.

CADUCEUS: We're in Avatars!

Back in town:

JTG lunged at MWOF, but MWOF was easily able to dodge the blows. He knew, however, that he could not attack JTG back, since one touch of the skeleton would kill him, even through his costume.

JTG again lunged at MWOF, and this time MWOF leapt back a few feet and fired an optic blast at JTG. It seemed to have no effect.

JTG3885: Fool! What are you trying to accomplish? You can't hurt me! I have no nerves, I don't feel pain! And I am undead, you cannot kill or even injure me!

JTG laughed a high pitched, shrill, maniacal laugh.

JTG3885: No, you cannot touch me, and soon you will tire and slow down, and I will take your life and…..

MWOF: Take this!

TheManWithoutFear picked up a piece of debris off the ground and threw it hard towards JTG.

The piece of debris hit JTG hard right in the middle of his skull. MWOF looked in astonishment as JTG's skull shook a little, and then fell clean off his neck!!!

MWOF was then horrified as he saw JTG's body walk towards his skull, pick it up, and reconnect it onto his neck. He then glared and hissed at MWOF as he started to slowly stagger towards him.

MWOF: **** this!

MWOF turned to run away, but stopped when he heard JTG shriek.

JTG3885: Yessss Run MWOF. Leave all these helpless victims for me to devour.

MWOF hesitated, he couldn't let JTG kill more people, but he didn't know what he could do. JTG is unable to be hurt, injured or killed and if they fight, MWOF would die as soon as JTG touched him, and it was only a matter of time before he would tire. It was hopeless.

Then JTG saw something in a nearby shop, something that could maybe work against the horrific JTG.

MWOF walked up to the shop, and picked up a nice, heavy spade.

He smiled.

JTG3885: BWAHAHAHahaha, you think you can beat me with a spade? A SPADE?

MWOF then turned around and ran at JTG with the spade. JTG was very quick for a skeleton, unfortunately, and was able to block MWOF's strike with his hand. His hand, however, was knocked off and landed near a building.

JTG3885: You….you DARE!

JTG took a swing, trying to get MWOF with his death touch, but MWOF's incredible agility managed to avoid the attack. MWOF then hit JTG's other arm off with his spade.

JTG3885: NO!

JTG then turned to run but was not fast enough as MWOF hit JTG in the rib cage with the spade. JTG went down. As he started to pick himself up, MWOF swung his spade and hit JTG's skull clear off his body.

MWOF then smashed up JTG's skeletal body with the spade until it could not reattach itself and got the townspeople to bury them in different places while MWOF went to JTG's skull.

JTG3885: You have accomplished nothing fool! You are still nothing to the power of my master SlimJim!

MWOF: Shut the hell up before I smack your jaw off.

Elsewhere…..

The Avatars, Rene and Nurhachi, were looking for the Cabinet in a forest, near where there old hideout was.

RENE: So you feeling better Nurhachi?

NURHACHI: Mmmmyeah. Sorry bout this Rene.

RENE: Yeah now you know why I don't like you and MWOF drinking so much!

NURHACHI: Yeah but...

RENE: Shhhht… Did you hear that?

NURHACHI: Hear what?

Suddenly, squirrels surrounded them in all directions. Nurhachi screamed like a girl while Rene looked left and right, looking for the culprit. They both knew that this would be the work of the Cabinet member, Shihad, the Squirrel Master.

Suddenly, Shihad came out from behind some trees, followed by the other Cabinet members. Goodwill approached the 2 Avatars and spoke to them.

GOODWILL: You have 5 seconds to explain yourselves before we destroy you!

RENE: We need your help against the undead superhumans!

The Cabinet looked amused.

GOODWILL: Hehe, and what makes you think we would ever consider helping you?

NURHACHI: Dude, the corpses are coming after you as well!

DR. STRANGEFATE: Indeed, but we have the numbers and the power to protect ourselves from these monsters. We will be prepared for them. Thank you for you're…….concern.

GOODWILL: THANK you Strangefate. I got this.

Goodwill turned to the Avatars.

GOODWILL: You're request, although amusing, is denied, farewell Avatars, you are welcome to leave….if you can get past the squirrels that is! You're just lucky that the blast we were hit with left us ill prepared for a battle.

SHIHAD: Tear them to shreds my children!

As the squirrels leapt at Nurhachi and Rene, the Cabinet departed into the forest.


NURHACHI: I TOLD you this was a bad idea.

RENE: Come on, let's get out of here!

Rene threw fireballs at the squirrels while Nurhachi turned his hands into hammers and hit them out of the way as they ran out of the forest back towards their base.

Later….

Finally, Rene and Nurhachi had lost the squirrels and made it back to the base, where Icemastertron and PX2 were waiting with Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit of the E-Men.

RENE: Ah so you two decided to help us?

CADUCEUS: For now, Avatar! We need these corpses out of the way as much as you do!

Before Rene could reply, MWOF burst in the door. In his hand was a metal cage. Like a cage you would keep a puppy or kitten in. And in the metal cage was a skull. JTG's skull.

PROJECTX2: DUDE! What the hell you doing here with THAT!

NURHACHI: Are you INSANE!

MWOF walked into the cabin and slammed the cage down on the table.

MWOF: OK JTG, tell us what you're master is planning!

JTG3885: HAHAHAAAA, Why ask me? Turn on the TV, it should be on the news by now!

Rene turned on the TV, and on the TV was Slimjim, surrounded by dead people and a destroyed city.

SLIMJIM: Look world! Look at what I have done to this country in just 3 hours.

The camera zoomed out to show the city in ruins, dead bodies everywhere and zombies staggering around, feasting on them.

SLIMJIM: This is the country that used to be known as Siberia. All residents in this country are now dead or undead under my command. I claim it for my own.

The camera then zoomed in on Slimjim again.

SLIMJIM: And unless the United Nations surrenders full leadership of all their countries over to me in 3 days time….The world will share Siberia's fate!!!!


TO BE CONTINUED……

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 21 (Attack of the Dead)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


Last issue:

Slimjim has gained the ability to raise the dead. Since gaining this ability, he has taken over Ultimate Central and is determined to make the undead rule the world and gain revenge on the living beings that killed them.

TheManWithoutFear faced Slimjim's general JTG, who was on a killing spree, and managed to defeat him by attacking him with a spade. MWOF returned to the rest of the Avatars, as well as the E-Men who had joined the battle against Slimjim. He brought JTG's skull with him so the Avatars could get information out of it.

The Avatars and E-Men have just learned that Slimjim has killed everyone in Siberia as an example of what will happen to the world if the United Nations don't hand the world over to him in 3 days….

ULTIMATE CENTRAL #21: ATTACK OF THE DEAD

ICEMASTERTRON: Oh man guys, we are so royally screwed here!

JTG: Hahahahaaaaaaaa. You can't win Avatars. Surrender now, while you still have a chance.

MWOF: I've just about had enough of this dick!

JTG: At least I will be the dick left standing when the world falls under Lord Slimjim's rule.

MWOF then picked up his spade and opened JTG's cage.

JTG: What do you think you are gonna do with that little boy? Get it through your thick head that you cannot hurt me! I am JTG, and I am….

MWOF then raised the spade above his head and brought it down hard against JTG's jaw as his jawbone was broken off.

JTG: MWFFFF IGNNN KLLLOOOOOOOOOO

PROJECTX2: Here MWOF, gimme that.

Project took the spade from MWOF and used all his super strength as he stuck JTG right between the eyes. JTG screamed as his skull split in half. A dark mist emerged from his shattered skull and made a hissing noise before disappearing.

CADUCEUS: Ok guys, if you're done smiting a helpless skull, what's the plan?

RENE: We have no choice. We have to fight and defeat Slimjim! Failure is not an option.

The Avatars looked at the TV. It showed Slimjim live outside the UN building, along with his undead warriors, LongshotJimLee, Patriot, Irish_4204, Captain and Thee Great One. Slimjim was giving a speech, shrieking about how the world will be run once he has control over it.

NURHACHI: We better hurry guys.

RENE: Agreed. We need to bring down Slimjim fast before he can call on his undead to attack. We will have the element of surprise. We must stop him…

Rene hesitated, before saying "By any means necessary!!!"

CADUCEUS: Enough of this useless prattle! We must strike now while the timing is good!

The Avatars, alongside the E-Men then left there cabin to confront Slimjim and his minions. Luckily, Rene had installed a teleporter, similar to the one in Ultimate Central, but more primitive. They used the teleporter to transport them near to the United Nations building.

PROJECTX2: Slimjims going down!


Meanwhile: At the entrance of the UN building, Slimjim was hovering in the air. His 5 superhuman undead warriors around him, and many more undead soldiers around them.

SLIMJIM: THE LIVING HAVE CORRUPTED THIS WORLD ENOUGH! YOU HAVE ABUSED YOUR RIGHTS! ONCE THE DEAD RULE WE WILL……

Just then, a portal opened nearby, with Rene, Nurhachi, ProjectX2, Icemastertron, TheManWithoutFear, Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit coming out of it.

SLIMJIM: YOU! Stand down Avatars! Stand down now or the world will suffer the consequences!

MWOF: You're kidding right?

NURHACHI : Lets get this bastard!

SLIMJIM: I warned you!!! KILL THEM!!!!

Slimjim's undead army all turned towards the Avatars and E-Men. They began to stagger towards them.

RENE: Alright guys! Lets do this!

Rene's hands summoned fireballs as he lead the attack against the zombie army of Slimjim. He threw the fireballs at the zombies and then used his strength to smash them into the ground.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: They may be vicious! But they're slow!

Gambit grabbed a zombies head and used his power to make the head explode. He turned around and punched another zombie, exploding it. Next to him, Nurhachi, using his mutated blood costume, and Icemastertron, using weapons he made from ice, started to slice zombies left and right. Project X2 was surrounded by zombies trying to claw and bite into his rocky hide. He laughed as he picked them off and crushed there heads with his incredible strength. Unfortunately Caduceus's powers were not effective against the mindless undead, so MWOF had to begrudgingly protect him. He easily dodged the zombies with his agility, and then used his optic beams to blast the zombies to bits. The zombies were easily destroyed by the combined might of the Avatars and E-Men. Now it was time to face the big guns.

SLIMJIM: You've made a terrible mistake Avatars! You cannot win, you have just doomed you're world. Go my death knights. Whoever kills the most of them will become my new general.

Slimjim then levitated high, and teleported away back into Ultimate Central.

His team then prepared to attack the Avatars.

IRISH_4204: Let's do this boys!

Irish got ready to scream, but Icemastertron was able to freeze his mouth shut before he was able to. Patriot then opened fire and the Avatars scattered, and began to attack!

Caduceus, still powerless against the mindless undead, ran to a building to stay out of the battle. His team mate Ultimate Gambit ran up toward Patriot and grabbed his guns, exploding them. Patriot screamed before jumping out of the way and shot at Ultimate Gambit. Gambit winced as the bullet caught him in the arm. Patriot shot again but the bullets were stopped by an ice shield.

ICEMASTERTRON: Need some help UG?

While Icemastertron and UG faced Patriot, Irish_4204 managed to unfreeze his mouth by breaking the ice with a powerful scream. He then went after Nurhachi.

IRISH_4204: I recall you being pretty vulnerable to my supersonic scream Nurhachi!
Nurhachi leapt to attack him and stabbed him through the chest with a spear created by his blood. Irish laughed.

IRISH_4204: You're trying to kill an undead being by impaling him in the chest? Dick!

Irish then grabbed Nurhachi and flew high into the sky. He then screamed into Nurhachi's ear. Nurhachi's mutated blood went crazy as the supersonic sound from Irish_4204 hurt it beyond anything it had felt before. Nurhachi tried to calm his blood, but the pressure was too much and Nurhachi passed out from the strain. Irish laughed as dropped Nurhachi from the air.

Rene, who was busy trading blows with The Captain, saw Nurhachi falling and broke off his fight to leap high into the air and catch Nurhachi's limp body, saving his life. Unfortunately, this distracted him from the Captain, who shot a blast at Rene's head from behind. Rene went down hard.

Nearby, ProjectX2 was facing Thee Great One. Project picked up Thee Great One and threw him into a nearby building. Irish_4204 and the Captain saw this and flew to their team mates' aid. Captain punched PX2 down while Irish_4204 screamed at him. Project was on his knees, covering his bleeding ears. He was vulnerable as the mighty Captain pounded and pounded his head until he was unconscious. Thee Great One then started walking toward the building where Caduceus was trying to hide.

THEE GREAT ONE: You can't hide Caduceus, you're next!

Meanwhile, MWOF was facing LongshotJimLee. Longshot's invisibility was useless against MWOF as he used his heightened senses to keep track of Longshot's movements. Seeing Thee Great One approach Caduceus, he knew he had to end this quickly. MWOF shot a wide beam optic blast at Longshot and managed to hit him. Longshot went down as MWOF gathered all his power for one last, powerful, shot at Longshot's head. Longshot's head exploded as MWOF went after Thee Great One.

Patriot was loosing his fight against Icemastertron and Ultimate Gambit. He desperated shot at Icemastertron, but Ice just kept on blocking the bullets with shields. With one last desperate attempt, Patriot leapt to the side and fired. The bullet caught Ice right in the chest. Ice's ice body protected him from being killed, but he was winded. Patriot then hit Ice over the head with his gun, knocking him out. Before Patriot could finish him off, however, Ultimate Gambit came up from behind him and exploded his head. Ultimate Gambit then saw Thee Great One going after Caduceus, with MWOF chasing him. He ran after them to help his team mate.

Thee Great One entered the building where Caduceus was hiding, but was followed straight after by MWOF and Ultimate Gambit.

THEE GREAT ONE: Hahaha you dicks! You've just fallen into my trap! Have you forgotten what my power is?

Thee Great One glowed as he gathered all his power.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Oh no….

Thee Great One exploded. MWOF, Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit could not get out in time as the building collapsed on them.

Thee Great One reassembled his molecules by his team mates, Irish_4204 and The Captain.

THE CAPTAIN: Good work TGO! We might have lost Longshot and Patriot, but we have accomplished our mission and defeated our enemies. Slimjim will be pleased. Now gather the bodies of those who are still alive and let us get back to our leader.

Epilogue:

Icemastertron woke up, his body ached all over as he looked around. He was in a room filled with injured and dying people. Kind of like a low rent hospital. He turned as he heard a voice.

THEE GREAT ONE: Ah your finally awake.

ICEMASTERTRON: You….you bastard….what happened!

Thee Great One smiled.

THEE GREAT ONE: You have been asleep for 5 days.

Icemastertron gasped. 5 days? What happened with Slimjim? What happened to the world? Thee Great One saw the look on Ice's face and was filled with the satisfaction of being able to tell him the news.

THEE GREAT ONE: The world is ours now Icemastertron! You and you're fellow "Avatars" are currently in a human concentration camp where you will now be used as a slave or plaything. That collar around you're neck prevents you from using you're powers, so don't bother trying.

ICEMASTERTRON: You're lying! Earth would never have surrendered to Slimjim!

THEE GREAT ONE: They didn't have a choice you fool! Slimjim told you that there would be consequences if you attacked. You didn't listen and after you were defeated, our army killed everyone in the state you call Washington. After that, the United Nations had no choice but to hand over the world to us!

Icemastertron felt the tears fill his eyes. Everyone in Washington. Dead! And it's all there fault.

Slimjim had won. The world was his and now the Avatars, and all living beings everywhere, would spend there days serving the dead….

THE END?

Not yet! TO BE CONTINUED!!!

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 22 (Hopeless)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


Last issue:

The Avatars teamed up with the E-Men to attack Slimjim and his death knights. Although they managed to destroy LongShotJimLee and Patriot, they were defeated. In the battle TheManWithoutFear, Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit appeared to be destroyed when a building collapsed on them due to an explosion created by Thee Great One.
After the attack, Slimjim retaliated by leading an army of undead soldiers against Washington, killing everyone in the state. After the attack the United Nations had no choice but to hand the world over to Slimjim.

The Avatars wake up in a concentration camp…

ULTIMATE CENTRAL #22: HOPELESS


My name is Luis, but when I'm powered up they call me Icemastertron. 6 days ago I was met by Thee Great One who informed me that Slimjim had taken over the world. Thee Great One was the new general of Slimjims army, he says it's because he killed TheManWithoutFear, Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit in one blast. I find that hard to believe though, MWOF is a lot more resourceful then TGO gives him credit for. No way would he die by a collapsing building…

Maybe I can't believe it because I don't want to believe it…Maybe MWOF IS dead…

NO! He must be alive. He has to be. And he will come save us all and destroy Slimjim.

Aside from being the new general, Thee Great One is in charge of our camp. I hope Vaughn, Craig and Rene are here too. We need to find a way to escape! Although I have no idea how. I have a collar around my neck that stops me from using my ice powers, and the collar can explode if Thee Great One detonates it.

I walk throughout the camp, looking around. The amount of people here is way too much for the space we have. We're all assigned tasks during the day to keep these undead jerks happy. Every now and then the zombie guards will grab a few random people out of the crowd. We'd here screaming and can only imagine what is being done to them. My best guess would be that those unlucky people are being used as zombie food.

Everyday we get 2 meals. One in the morning and one at night. We have no idea what it is; it looks like a pale green mushy stew like substance. It tastes disgusting, but we no longer care about taste, all we care is that it stops the hunger.

I looked at the giant clock that sat up high on Thee Great Ones command tower, it was 11pm. Time for us to get our 7 hours of sleep. At 11:01pm the guards would come and punish anyone who wasn't in bed. I rushed to my tent, onto the hard floor and silently cried to myself.

"Please God," I prayed, "Please let MWOF be alive. Please save us from this nightmare. Save us from Slimjims evil rule."




Although I've already been here 13 days, my body is still aching from the beating I took at the hands of The Captain during our battle 2 weeks ago. 2 weeks? It seems so much longer then that…

My name is Craig, and I have the power to transform my body into a super strong, rocky…thing! Well, I did until they put this damn collar on me. It prevents me from accessing my powers, and worse, if I try doing anything that they don't want me doing, they can detonate it. So far I have been able to find Nurhachi, but haven't spotted Ice or Rene yet. I hope they're ok. We had already lost TheManWithoutFear in our last battle, along with our allies Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit. It was completely hopeless, Slimjim had beaten us and taken over the whole world.

I had hoped the Cabinet would be able to stop Slimjim, but I've seen a few Cabinet members around the camp so they must have all been caught by the death knights. They must have caught them by surprise, maybe using gas or attacking while they were sleeping. The death knights would never have been able to capture them otherwise.

I walked to nearby the command tower to meet up with Nurhachi. A lot of the time the zombies had no work for all of us, so we would just walk around doing nothing until we were asked to do something. I swear if I didn't have this damn collar on I'd rip them all apart.

I saw Vaughn waiting for me. We greeted each other and we did our usual ranting about the undead while looking for people we knew. I had found Vaughn only 3 days ago. We hadn't seen any sign of Icemastertron yet, we don't even know if he's in the same camp as us. We haven't seen Rene yet, but our camp commander, Thee Great One, told us he was put in solitary confinement because he attempted to escape and attacked the guards.

We have to get out of here, somehow, but there's no way…

It's hopeless…

We're going to be serving these zombies until we die….

Vaughn kept telling me that TheManWithoutFear would still be alive. That there is no way he would be killed by that collapsed building. That he would come save us.

He's a naïve idiot. MWOF is gone and we have no hope. Anger filled me as I thought of what the zombies had done…
And I was helpless to stop them…

All of a sudden, I spotted something that made me just a little bit happier. I prodded Vaughn and pointed….




My name is Vaughn, As Nurhachi; I'm with a super hero group called "The Avatars". I'm sure you all know the story by now, about the dead taking over the world. Well, we were stuck in a concentration camp, being used as slaves for these pricks!

I was walking throughout the camp with Craig; he was the only friend that I had found in this place. Ugh zombies, I used to love zombie stories but now that I'm in one, I'd be happy if I never saw another one again. They had taken over the whole world. How did we allow this to happen?

Im sure TheManWithoutFear, Tombo, will save us though. The idiots think he's dead, but I know he is still out there, and he will save us.

While walking through the camp, Craig got all excited and pointed something out to me, I looked what he was pointing at and gasped in surprise. It was Luis, our Avatar team mate who was also known as Icemastertron. We approached him excitedly and called out to him. He looked at us and gasped, and then ran and hugged us both, tears in his eyes.

"Oh man it's so good to see you guys", he said, "This is a nightmare!"

We talked to Luis for a while. He was very grateful to see us. He seemed so frightened and lost. He told us that he had been unconscious for the first 5 days of being here.

"We have to escape this place," he whispered, "We have to stop Slimjim. This is insane!"

"No we can't!" I told him, "Haven't you heard what happens when people try to escape?"

"What happens?" Ice asked.

'Well, the last time someone tried to escape they called for him to surrender over the loudspeaker," I told him, "If you surrender straight away, they kill you. But if you try to escape, they will not only capture and kill you, but they will kill 3 other people as well, as an example for others not too escape."

"That….that's horrible," he said, "how can they do that?"

"They're ****ed," Project said.

"Who tried to escape?" Ice asked.

I looked at Craig, and sighed as we told him.

"It was Rene…"




My name is Rene….

I have been trapped in this room for 7 days with nothing to do or no one to talk to.

6 days ago I led my team, The Avatars, and our allies the E-Men, against Slimjim and his Death Knights. We lost and Slimjim killed a whole state because of our attack, and the world soon surrendered to him afterward.

After we were defeated and captured, we were put in this hell hole of a camp. The zombies make us do everything for them. I would not cooperate with these bastards so I escaped the camp. I didn't get far before the guards came after me. They told me to surrender. I didn't listen.

With this collar on me I could not transform into my goblin form and was soon recaptured and put into solitary confinement, which I'm still in right now. Just a room with padded walls, nothing else.

3 people died because of my attack. 2 men and 1 little girl. She couldn't have been older then 9 or 10.

Guilt and anger build up inside me. I want to tear these undead scum apart! I scream and punch the walls as hard as I can, jumping around like a madman, attacking anything that is solid. My days usually consisted of either this or sitting alone with my thoughts.

Suddenly I here my door unlock. It opens slightly as light pours in. I squint, as it has been a long time since I have seen proper light. This room that they've been keeping me in is only very dimly lit.

Thee Great One walks in to greet me.

"I hope you've learned you're lesson Rene," he says. "No one else has to die here."

"No one except me, right?" I reply.

"Why Rene, we would much rather see you suffer and serve us," TGO laughed. "But know that if you ever try that again, we will torture you and kill your entire family!"

I glare at them, so fill of hate. So much rage was building up inside me, but there was nothing I can do, I have to follow him.

Once let outside with all the other prisoners, I keep my eye out for Nurhachi, Icemastertron or ProjectX2. Something must be done, but I have no idea what. We can't escape, there's no one to help us, we're all doomed.

It's hopeless…




My name is Thomas, but at the moment, I'm more commonly known as TheManWithoutFear. For the last 2 weeks, Slimjim has been ruling the world after we failed to defeat him. He currently thinks I'm dead, killed by a collapsed building, but thanks to the powers of me and Ultimate Gambit, we survived. Currently, Caduceus, Ultimate Gambit and I are hiding out from Slimjims zombies in an empty cave.

We don't sleep; we learnt that after Slimjims army captured the Cabinet in their sleep. We take turns watching out for zombies while the others are sleeping. Right now it's my turn.

In the last 2 weeks, we've been approached by zombies nearly every night, but they're easy to kill. Tonight seems like it's going to be a quiet one though, thankfully. Tomorrow we're planning to attack Slimjim at Ultimate Central and we're going to need as much sleep as we can get.

Slimjim has been on Earth for the last 2 weeks, overseeing things. Caduceus has been using his mind powers to read the minds of prisoners in Slimjims concentration camps, and we have learned that he will be returning to Ultimate Central tomorrow for a few days rest. That is when we will attack. I still have my wrist teleporter to get us there. I know that we are Earths last hope, and I will not fail! Tomorrow, Slimjim falls and this time, we won't fail!

I looked at my watch, 3am, time for Ultimate Gambit to take over the shift. I stepped down from my post and woke him up. He nodded and took his post and started keeping watch, while I went to my makeshift bed and attempted to go to sleep.

Tomorrow, we either save the world or die.

Kinda feels liberating…

Eventually, after hours of my mind racing with the thoughts on what tomorrow could bring, I drift off to sleep.

Tomorrow is when the war will finish. One way or another.

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 23 (Hope!)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


ProjectX2 walked outside to the guard tower. When there is no work to be done, this is where he usually meets up with Icemastertron, Nurhachi and Rene (who they only just found yesterday).
Icemastertron must have some kind of job to do because only Nurhachi and Rene were there when Project arrived. They seemed to be arguing.

PROJECTX2: Hey guys!

NURHACHI: Project! Talk some sense into Rene, he's…

RENE: No Vaughn, I can't take this anymore! Don't you see? I lead the Avatars; all these deaths are my fault. MWOF, The E-Men, Washington, that little girl… I can't serve this undead scum. I have to atone.

NURHACHI Rene don't! You heard what Thee Great One said! If you get out of line again he'll kill you AND your family.

RENE: I'll kill him first Nurhachi! Just you watch. I cannot just sit here and do nothing!

PROJECTX2: Rene, you're making a mistake man, don't do this!

RENE: I'm sorry.

"I'm sorry too!"

The three of them gasped as they turned around, too see that Thee Great One had been listening into their argument.

THEE GREAT ONE: Rene, come with me please.

Rene looked frightened, but strong.,,and angry.

RENE: You son of a *****!

Rene went to charge at TGO, but 2 zombies grabbed him. Without his powers active due to his inhibiter collar, Rene was helpless. TGO then summoned the zombies to bring Rene with him. Nurhachi and ProjectX2 were about to interfere, but TGO told them not to be stupid, their lives, and the lives of their loved ones were in the balance.

Thee Great One and the zombies then left, taking Rene with them.

ULTIMATE CENTRAL #23: HOPE

The 2 zombies shoved the helpless Rene into an empty room and locked the door. Rene sat there, in the room, he didn't know if it was minutes or hours he was waiting. It was all a blur, guilt and anger filled his soul. He wanted vengeance. Eventually the door opened again, and Thee Great One and Irish_4204 stood there in front of him.

THEE GREAT ONE: Good day Rene, you remember Irish_4204 don't you?

RENE: F*** off

Thee Great One laughed.

THEE GREAT ONE: [/B I'll leave you 2 alone.

TGO then left the room and closed the door, locking Rene and Irish_4204 inside.

IRISH_4204: Hello Rene

Rene just stared at him.

IRISH_4204: Oh okay that's how it's going to be? Well then let's get to it.

Irish_4204 walked around the room.

IRISH_4204: You see Rene, after your stubbornness and refusal to serve under the new world order; Lord Slimjim has given the word.

RENE: The word?

Irish smiled

IRISH_4204: Yes, you're disposable Rene, I personally asked to be your executor and the generous Lord Slimjim let it be.

RENE: You….

IRISH_4204: Shut up Rene. You know what this room is? These walls here are soundproof. You know why? It's because sometimes people who cannot be obedient are brought here, and I scream at them. I burst their eardrums, I scream until their eyes bust and they're insides explode.

RENE: I'll kill you first!

Rene pounced on Irish_4204 and pounded him in the face.

IRISH-4202: GET OFF ME!

Irish backhanded Rene off him. He then started to scream. Rene dropped to his knees and screamed as his ears began to bleed and he could feel the pressure building inside him…

Meanwhile, in exile in a forest cabin…

TheManWithoutFear took a deep breathe. Caduceus, Ultimate Gambit and himself were only moments away from going to Ultimate Central to attack Slimjim and his zombie army. If they succeeded, they would save the world, but if they failed…they would die and the last hope for the world will be destroyed. He looked into the distance to see Caduceus and Ultimate Gambit talking. He hopes he can trust them in this final battle.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: So this is it aye Cad. Who woulda thought we would end up being the heroes?

CADUCEUS: Yeah sure Gambit. Listen, I'm not gonna be in the fight right at the beginning…

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: WHAT? What do you mean? You're not gonna fight?

CADUCEUS: Shhhh no of course I am, but there's something that I will need to do first. Trust me, I have a plan.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: HEY GUYS!!!

Cad and UG walked up to MWOF.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Lets do this!

MWOF then pushed the button on his watch to open the portal to Ultimate Central.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Lets teach this guy what happens when you mess with us humans!

The three of them then entered the portal to Ultimate Central.

When they arrived at their former cyberspace headquarters, they saw it was completely different to how they left it. The space around the platform was all an evil red colour. The mansion itself was now a dark, tall, black castle. The undead were everywhere and immediately started attacking the three intruders. Since Caduceus's mind powers do not work on the near mindless undead, Ultimate Gambit and MWOF stood on either side of him and started fighting back. The zombies were no match for Ultimate Gambits exploding touch or MWOF's eye blasts and agility. Soon they had ploughed through the guards of the castle and entered the massive building.

When inside, they did not see any zombies, it seemed as though Slimjim had thought himself completely safe since he believed them dead.

But then the zombies came, dozens of them, forming a circle around them. Part of the circle parted as Slimjim approached, along with his generals Thee Great One, Irish_4204 and The Captain.

SLIMJIM: Ah MWOF, no wonder I wasn't able to contact your spirits. I must say I am impressed. I thought you were dead for sure. However you're stupidity precedes your survival ability. Sure, you 2 might be able to defeat my zombie minions, but your less then nothing against my death knights.

Wait? "You 2?"

MWOF looked around, where did Caduceus go? It was just him and Gambit here.

Ultimate Gambit saw MWOF's expression and faked a shrug.

SLIMJIM: Now I know my zombie peons are useless against you, so how about we make this a superhuman only battle, just because I'm so generous. You 2 versus the 5 of us.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Five of you? There's only you and you're three stooges. That makes four.

SLIMJIM: Oh? Did I forget to mention? I have a new Death Knight. You might know him. Show yourself……RENE!!!

MWOF and Ultimate Gambit gasped as the, now undead, Rene stood next to TGO, Irish and Captain.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Rene….no…..

Meanwhile….

Caduceus ran through the dreary, but astonishing, halls of the castle. There were no zombies in this part of Slimjim's castle; they were all watching the battle that his allies were fighting. If he could only find it what he's looking for…

He entered room after room, finally coming to what seemed like a laboratory. It could be in here…

He walked through the laboratory, all sorts of gadgets, tubes and gizmos were scattered around, and then he saw it! His heart raced as he walked towards his goal.

CADUCEUS: YES!!! This will surely help the E-Men in our goal…

Back at the battle…

Arrrgh

TheManWithoutFear cried out as the fists of The Captain pounded away at him. Even with his heightened senses he could not evade The Captains speed. It did last long however as Ultimate Gambit quickly grabbed The Captains head and caused it to explode.

Irish_4204 then flew towards MWOF and opened his mouth to scream, but MWOF used his eye beams to knock him down. Suddenly MWOF was attacked from behind by Slimjim's newest horseman, Rene. Rene slammed MWOF's face into the ground, picked him up, and again slammed him down.

Thee Great one, meanwhile, attacked Ultimate Gambit. Ultimate Gambit then used his exploding touch on TGO…but it didn't work. TGO laughed at him.

THEE GREAT ONE: Hahaha my armour is made of the same substance as your boots were made out of. The only thing that can make them explode is me!

However, instead of exploding, TGO kept on pounding his fists into Gambits face. Slimjim was pleased as his servants were severely beating his enemies.

Suddenly, the door to the main entrance slammed open as Caduceus walked into the room.

SLIMJIM: Ah Caduceus, how nice of you to join your allies in death.

CADUCEUS:Fool! Your undead minions might be immune to my mind powers, but you are not, since technically your not alive!

Caduceus stared at Slimjim as he attempted to use mind control on Slimjim. It did not work. There were too many undead minds INSIDE Slimjim. Slimjim laughed at his attempts, and was about to sick his undead army on Cad.

CADUCEUS: Ok so mind control doesn't work because your powers are too out of control…I guess I'll have to turn those powers OFF then!

SLIMJIM: Wha?

Slimjim looked confused as Caduceus placed mind blocks on Slimjim, preventing his power to control the undead.

Slowly, his undead army began to stir, their eyes turned towards their former master…and they began to stagger towards him…

SLIMJIM: no…NO!

The zombies, including Rene, Irish and TGO, began tearing at Slimjim's skin. He had no choice. He had to banish the undead, or they would kill him and create havoc.

SLIMJIM: Fine…I….I BANISH YOU ALL!!!

Luckily, that is one power that Cad had NOT placed a mind block on, as all the undead beings fell down, now truly dead once again. Caduceus then walked over to Slimjim and smacked him across the cheek, knocking him out cold. He then tied Slimjim up, keeping his mind blocks on him permanent. He wrote a note for the unconscious MWOF and walked over to Ultimate Gambit, picked him up, and walked over to the portal home. He had no need or desire for gratitude, nor did he want to make peace with the Avatars. He merely wanted to go home.

Besides…he wanted to get onto his next plan…


EPILOGUE 1:

Ultimate Gambit lay in bed, still unconscious from the beating inflicted on him by Thee Great One. He began to stir…slowly he opened his eyes.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: CADUCEUS!

Caduceus ran to his team mates room.

CADUCEUS: Gambit! Your awake!

Caduceus proceeded to tell Ultimate Gambit about how he defeated Slimjim, and how the world was saved.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Wow! That great Cad! Wait…what were you doing in the beginning of the fight? Why were you not there?

Caduceus smiled an excited smile.

CADUCEUS: You're gonna love this! Come with me.

Caduceus helped Ultimate Gambit to the next room, where on the table lay…

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Ultxon!

CADUCEUS: Yup.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: You stole the body of Ultxon? Why did you...

Ultimate Gambit suddenly had a shocked look on his face.
ULTIMATE GAMBIT: oh……

CADUCEUS: That right boy. Ultxon has an inter-dimensional portal built in him.

Caduceus leaned close…

CADUCEUS: It's time to bring our master back home!


EPILOGUE 2:

Weeks had passed, UC was back to normal and the population of Earth had been working overtime to re-bury the dead. Icemastertron, Nurhachi, ProjectX2 and TheManWithoutFear sat in silence as the funeral for there dead friend, Rene, finished up. He was a good leader, one who they had grown close too. Without him they were lost, they did not know what to do or where to go. All they knew was that they had to carry on fighting for those who couldn't…but how well will they do when they're leaderless?

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 24 (The Drunk Irish Bastard)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


His name was David, but his friends liked to call him the Drunk Irish Bastard, or DIrishB for short. He had just come back home from what he considered to be the worst party ever. There was no drinks, no chicks and no one was socialising, just sitting on the couch. He wouldn't have stayed so long if there wasn't anything else to do. He sighed as he went and sat down and turned on the television. Maybe if he's lucky there will be some decent porn on.

As he turned on the TV, he suddenly felt dizzy, lights blurred all around him as he started to black out.

DIRISHB: Wooaah man….

For some reason, he saw vines coming in through the windows and tree roots coming out the ground, they started wrapping around him. Lucky his constant dizziness fought off the fear of what was happening to him.

DIRISHB: Oh maaan, this is ****ed up.

He saw his skin changing texture into a rough, hard substance as he blacked out…

ULTIMATE CENTRAL #24: THE DRUNK IRISH BASTARD

Somewhere in the middle of a large forest, lay a hidden, black, menacing castle. What was more fearsome then the castle itself, were its inhabitants: The Cabinet!

In the main hall, the members of The Cabinet surrounded a big circular table. Goodwill sat there smuggly, with the miniature dragon, Aeroth sitting on his shoulder.

GOODWILL: Now that everyone's here, we can get this meeting started. First of all, let us give a huge thanks to Dr. Strangefate for magically summoning this castle for us as our new home and headquarters.

The cabinet applauded as Dr. Strangefate nodded slightly.

GOODWILL: Now, on to more important matters. Our surveillance equipment has found a superhuman in West Palm Beach, Florida. Odds look good that he would join our cause.

SHIHAD: Who is it sir?

GOODWILL: DIrishB

OURCHAIR: You…you mean the Drunk Irish Bastard?

GOODWILL: Indeed.

DR. STRANGEFATE: Are you serious Goodwill? He's not the type to join our cause.

GOODWILL: I disagree Strangefate. I think he's just the type to join our cause.

DR. STRANGEFATE: He's a drunken stoner. Why would he want to…

GOODWILL: Enough Strangefate, I'm in command here.

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: What powers does he have sir?

GOODWILL: Hmmm…it seems he has control over plants.

BAXTER: Plants? That's pretty useless isn't it?

GOODWILL: Not at all Baxter, think about it. He might become the most powerful of us yet. Now Shihad, you will lead Strangefate and Quicksilver to go recruit DIrishB.

DR. STRANGEFATE: WHAT?! What do you mean he's leading ME. I'm second in command here Goodwill, not the bloody squirrel master!

GOODWILL: Oh did I forget to mention? You've been demoted Strangefate.

Anger burned inside Dr. Strangefate as he instinctively turned into his steel form as he stormed off.

GOODWILL: Tsk tsk. And he wonders why he's been demoted. That boy needs to learn control.

Meanwhile in Ultimate Central, The Avatars had just handed Slimjim over to the authorities. They would have put him in the UC prison but Slimjim was now powerless and the citizens demanded proper justice. Also, there's also the fact that Moonmaster would maul anyone put into UC confinement.

They had also heard about DIrishB and his powers. It was decided that Nurhachi and Icemastertron would go confront him.

Meanwhile in an abandoned warehouse…

The E-Man had disassembled the robotic Ultxon so that they could control inter-dimensional portals. Caduceus was testing it out while Ultimate Gambit waited.

Ultimate Gambit got a shock when he saw a portal opening right next to him. Caduceus came out with 2 other figures.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: CAD! What are you doing with THEM?!?!

CADUCEUS: Gambit, I'd like to introduce you to our 2 newest E-Men, Moonmaster and Ultimate DJF.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Are you mad? They'll tear us apart!

CADUCEUS: Relax Gumbo, They were given hypnotic suggestions when I freed them, they are completely under my control. Ultimate E will already not be pleased with us when he returns. We've done nothing since his disappearance except lose Patriot. Not to mention we failed to protect him when he got tossed into another dimension.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: But that wasn't our fault….it…..

CADUCEUS: Nevertheless, I think our glorious master will be a lot more pleased with us with these 2 new powerful team mates.

Caduceus then turned on the portal device to create another portal.

CADUCEUS: Now let's say hello to our master, Ultimate E!

Suddenly, 2 figures flew out the portal, Ultimate E and the former Avatar, Eroz.

As soon as Eroz hit the ground, his hammer fell from his hands.

CADUCEUS: MOONMASTER, DJF QUICK!

The 2 beast grabbed Eroz, powerless without his hammer, and tossed him into an underground dungeon cell that the E-Men had made before.

ULTIMATE E: C….Cad…..

CADUCEUS: Welcome back master.

In Florida….

DIrishB stared at them. He knew something was up when his skin temporarily turned to bark and he could control plants, but now these 3 idiots want to recruit him to take over the world? Screw that! Why would he want to take over the world? Who cares?

DIRISHB: Sorry guys. Really not interested.

Dr. Strangefate grabbed DIrishB by the neck.

SHIHAD: We're not giving you a choice, since you don't want to join us, you must die!

DIrishB's skin started turning to bark again, as 2 huge tree roots spounted out the ground, knocked Strangefate and Shihad down. The 2 roots wrapped around them, capturing them. A third root sprouted to catch Ultimate Quicksilver, but he was too fast, he sprinted at super fast speed and punched DIrishB across the face as Shihads squired chewed through the roots that held the other 2 Cabinet members. Dr. Strangefate then picked up DIrishB, turned into his steel form, and pounded him into the ground. DIrishB commanded strong vines to swirl around Strangefates legs and tossed him away, as well as tripping up Ultimate Quicksilver. Suddenly he felt squirrels biting his legs.

DIRISHB: AAarghhh…

By this time, Strangefate and Quicksilver had recovered and were again ready to attack him, when a blast of cold hit as Icemastertron arrived on his ice slide, with Nurhachi following close behind.

DR. STRANGEFATE: No! The Avatars! We must not engage them now. We'll come back for you DIrishB! You haven't heard the last of us!

Strangefate swung his cape around as the 3 of them vanished with a puff of pink smoke.

Nurhachi and Icemastertron approached DIrishB.

NURHACHI: Are you okay man?

DIRISHB: Who are you guys?

ICEMASTERTRON: I'm Icemastertron and this is Nurhachi. We represent the Avatars. We had heard about you're new powers, and how you were using them.

DIrishB smiled. He had been using his plant powers to create a batch of undetectable, while very potent, marijuana.

DIRISHB: Yeah….you want to buy some right?

ICEMASTERTRON: NO! We're super heroes and what you are doing is against the law. You've been using you're powers irresponsibly so we're here to…

NURHACHI: Lighten up Ice, DIrishB, we would like to ask you to join the Avatars.

ICEMASTERTRON: Whaaaaat? NUR! We have to bring him in!

NURHACHI: Dude, seriously, lighten up, he can join us.

ICEMASTERTRON: He…he's a drug dealer!
DIRISHB: Err….weed is not a drug man!

ICEMASTERTRON: Err…Yes it IS man!

Nurhachi opened the portal to Ultimate Central.

NURHACHI: Come DIrishB, I'll show you to you're new home.

ICEMASTERTRON: Nur! NUR!

Nurhachi and DIrishB went through the portal, with Ice reluctantly following.

Meanwhile, in the Cabinets castle, the Cabinet were again sitting at the table.

DR. STRANGEFATE: See Goodwill! I TOLD you that he wouldn't join!

GOODWILL: Relax Doctor.

DR. STRANGEFATE: Shut up! You're turning this "Cabinet" into a joke! A JOKE!

GOODWILL: You're out of line Strangefate.

DR. STRANGEFATE: No! You're out of line! You know what? I haven't seen you use you're powers to summon any dragons since we escaped. I think you foolishly summoned all dragons available the first time you fought the Avatars and they were all killed during that cave in. (See UC #1) You don't even have powers anymore do you? DO YOU! How can we follow someone so foolish! I'm taking over this team!

GOODWILL: I don't think so you bastard!

DR. STRANGEFATE: Come on! Stop me then!

Strangefate turned into his steel form and approached Goodwill, before a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

BAXTER: He might not be able to, but we will!

DR. STRANGEFATE: Baxter?

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Stand down Strangefate, Goodwill freed us, we will follow HIM.

DR. STRANGEFATE: I…I….

Dr. Strangefate looked at Goodwill.

DR. STRANGEFATE: Forgive me….master.

Back in Ultimate Central…

ICEMASTERTRON: I can't believe this! How can you let a drug dealer on our team! Project, back me up here!

PROJECTX2: I dunno Ice, with Rene dead, and Ultxon missing, we need all the help we can get!

ICEMASTERTRON: MWOF?

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Ice, I REALLY don't care.

DIRISHB: Well from what you tell me Ice, we get everything we want here: free food, free housing, free everything, so I don't even need to sell weed anymore. I think it would be cool to be a hero. Come on Ice.

ICEMASTERTRON: Argh…Rene would not have allowed this…I need to get out of here and think on this. See you guys later.

Ice walked off and used the teleporter to leave UC.

NURHACHI: Don't mind him DIrishB, he's a bit wound up. Welcome to the team.

DIrishB shook Nurhachi's hand.

DIRISHB: Thanks; and call me David.

PROJECTX2: Welcome David.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: I'm thinking this calls for a party?

DIRISHB: MWOF, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Meanwhile: In the E-Men Warehouse, Caduceus was talking to Ultimate E.

ULTIMATE E: You disappoint me Cad. Not only did you fail me when I was tossed into that portal, but you've let this team go completely. You lost Patriot and hope to make up for it with these 2….animals?

CADUCEUS: B…but boss…..

ULTIMATE E: Because you did manage to free me, I will give you another chance. One more, fail me again and I will take you're life and soul.

While Cad was talking to Ultimate E, Ultimate Gambit was loitering around. He walked into Cad's room and looked out the window, thinking about recent events.

As he was about to leave, he saw a book next to Cad's bed. Curious, he looked at it.

"CAD'S JOURNAL", it said on the cover.

Ultimate Gambit slowly opened the book…and gasped in shock….

TO BE CONTINUED…..

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 25 (The Book of Caduceus)

WRITTEN BY: Nurhachi
COVER BY: Nurhachi


Anger seethed through Ultimate Gambit as he stormed out the room. Seconds ago he had found Caduceus's journal which he stupidly forgot to put in its hiding place. Curiosity demanded that Ultimate Gambit read this journal, and what he found there would change everything.

Months ago when Ultimate E ordered Caduceus to form a team, Caduceus did so by kidnapping and brainwashing himself and Patriot. Ultimate Gambit had no desire to join the E-Men until Caduceus had mind wiped him and implanted him with false memories. If that weren't bad enough when E would take over the planet, Cad planned to make Ultimate Gambit and Patriot kill themselves so he could rule second only to E himself.

Furious that he had been played like this, Ultimate Gambit strode towards Eroz's cell.

ULTIMATE CENTRAL #25: THE BOOK OF CADUCEUS

NURHACHI: OOOOH YEAH!

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Woooooo!

PROJECTX2: Dun dun dun dun duuuuun dun can't touch this!

The Avatars were taking some downtime from the recent stresses of saving the world. They recently defeated Slimjim and sent him to jail, as well as obtaining a new team mate, DIrishB, who has power over plants.

Currently, the Avatars were indulging in the art of alcohol drinkage and skanky visuals at a party that DIrishB had invited them too. Most of them were having a good time. Ice approached Nurhachi, MWOF and Project.

ICEMASTERTRON: Hey where's David?

David is DIrishB's real name. Icemastertron was against him joining since when he first got his powers, he used it to create and distribute cannabis. To DIrishB's annoyance, Icemastertron has kept a very close eye on him since.

PROJECTX2: Dammm man I dunno.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Seriously Ice, you need to (wait for it) Cool! Down! Ahahaha

NURHACHI: Hahaha

ICEMASTERTRON: Lame. I'm going to go look for him. Honestly you guys should be more responsible.

As Ice walked away, MWOF whispered to Project
THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: That boy needs to get laid.

PROJECTX2: Sorry MWOF, I don't think he'd be interested in you.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: What? No…I…..arrrgh you win this round Craig.

Icemastertron walked up a hallway and saw a whole bunch of people standing around a door talking. Ice went to the door and opened it. He saw a circle of people giggling away, and in the middle of them was a bong.

RANDOM PARTY GUEST: Heeey David man this stuff is maaad…

ICEMASTERTRON: What are you guys doing in here!

DIRISHB: Heyyyy Luis, you come to join us man.

Icemastertron stormed out and went outside, where MWOF, Project and Nurhachi were standing around talking to some randoms.

ICEMASTERTRON: Vaughn! Craig! Tombo, come here! I need to talk to you!

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: What now?

ICEMASTERTRON: It's DIrishB! He's…he's smoking and supplying pot with a whole lot of people in there!

NURHACHI: and….?

ICEMASTERTRON: AND we're supposed to be super heroes here! We shouldn't allow this!

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Unlax popsicle. You see, David there is actually supplying a special brand of weed that is actually good for you, not harmful. He's actually produced a harmless herbal supplement. I mean, officially it's not even weed.

ICEMASTERTRON: Oh…I didn't know that. I…I guess it's alright then. Sorry guys.

As Ice walked off Project whispered to MWOF.

PROJECTX2: Wow, did DIrishB really do that? I mean, is it even possible?

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: ****ed if I know, I just wanted him to relax.

PROJECTX2: Thought so.

Meanwhile, at the E-Men's hideout…

Ultimate Gambit approached Eroz's cell.

EROZ: What do YOU want?!?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Relax, I'm here to free you.

EROZ: What do you mean? What's going on here?

Ultimate Gambit told Eroz how he found out that he had been mind controlled by Caduceus all this time. Ultimate Gambit then exploded the lock and let Eroz out. The 2 of them then went into the room where Eroz's enchanted hammer was. It was still on the floor since Caduceus was not worthy enough to be able to pick it up.

As Eroz was about to pick up the hammer, Caduceus, Ultimate E, Moonmaster and UltimateDJF came into the room.

CADUCEUS: What the….

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: You shouldn't have messed with me Cad.

Ultimate Gambit touched the wall and exploded the hideout as Eroz teleported the 2 of them away and the hideout came crashing down on the rest of the E-Men.

As Ultimate E saw Eroz and Ultimate Gambit teleport away, he was furious. He went over to Caduceus and picked him up by the neck.

ULTIMATE E: YOU FOOL! YOU FAILED ME AGAIN!

Sensing their master's fear, Moonmaster and UltimateDJF approached Ultimate E ready to attack. Ultimate E also felt Caduceus trying to use his mind to try take control over him.

ULTIMATE E: You dare attack me! My mind is much too powerful to succumb so your powers. Treacherous dog!

Ultimate E then threw Caduceus down and flew into the air, dodging the attacks of Moonmaster and DJF.

ULTIMATE E: You're pathetic Caduceus, as punishment for your actions I will remove your powers!

As Ultimate E flew away, Caduceus let out a sigh of relief. He expected Ultimate E to kill him. He silently laughed to himself, but stopped when he heard a growl. He looked behind him to see Moonmaster and DJF glaring at him menacingly.

CADUCEUS: No…..he took away the mind blocks….I have no power over them….

Caduceus screamed as the monsters tore into his flesh.

Meanwhile in Ultimate Central:

ICEMASTERTRON: Wow you're back! You're really back!

DIRISHB: Umm...Fantastic, but who the hell is he?

NURHACHI: He used to be one of us, but he was thrown into a interdimentional portal!

PROJECTX2: Wow, this is great guys. Eroz is back!

EROZ: Yes I am. And I must say it feels great to be back.

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Wait! What's HE doing here?

Ultimate Gambit told them the story about how he'd been mind controlled and how he freed Eroz and escaped.

NURHACHI: Noooo! Don't tell me Ultimate E is back?

ICEMASTERTRON: Oh maaaan

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: ****

DIRISHB: Whos Ultimate E?

ICEMASTERTRON: The most powerful and evil being in existance!

DIRISHB: Great....

PROJECTX2: We're all gonna die.

ICEMASTERTRON: Umm….Well welcome to the team Ultimate Gambit.

NURHACHI: Hey yeah, we've been needing a leader…

EROZ: Woah wait a minute. Aren't we getting a bit carried away here?

PROJECTX2: No think about it. You've got the powers of a god. You're nearly omniscient. You'd be perfect.

EROZ: Hmmmmmmmmm…..Very well then, if everyone agrees, I accept!


Miles away at the Cabinets Castle….

GOODWILL: Okay Strangefate, I have come up with a suitable punishment for your disloyalty. You will be….

*CRASH*

Ultimate E burst through the roof of the Castle as the Cabinet looked up in surprise.

ULTIMATE E: Hear me Cabinet! Surrender to me now and become my new soldiers, and I will reward you with your own lands too rule when I take over the Earth.

GOODWILL: Begone! I'm the leader of this group and ONLY I will be supreme ruler of Earth.

Ultimate E glared at Goodwill, and shot a powerful optic blast that went straight through his chest. Goodwill fell to the ground, lifeless.

ULTIMATE E: Anyone else foolish enough to turn my offer down?

AEROTH: NOOO MUFFINS AND PORK! FATHERRRR COME FOR HUGS!

Aeroth, distraught over his masters death, flew up to attack Ultimate E but was instantly vaporized by Ultimate E's energy blasts.

ULTIMATE E: Animals? You have ANIMALS on this team?

Ultimate E looked at Compound, the crab, and his eyes glowed, ready for another attack.

BAXTER: NO!

ULTIMATE E: Who dares?

Baxter knelt down.

BAXTER: Please my lord, I apologize for my outburst, but please, let the crab live.

ULTIMATE E: Very well. I see fear and respect in your eyes. Your pet will be spared. Furthermore you will be in command of this group, second only to myself.

DR. STRANGEFATE: WHAT??

ULTIMATE E: Something wrong Strangefate?

DR. STRANGEFATE: I….no…nothing.

Ultimate E smiled

ULTIMATE E: This is a glorious day for the Cabinet.

EPILOGUE:

Slimjim sat down in prison, bored out of his mind when suddenly he started feeling a familiar sensation. It seemed Caduceus's mind blocks had been taken away. He smiled. He had his power back…

Soon he heard screams as the prison door burst open and there stood Irish_4204, Thee Great One, Rene, and the latest corpse, Goodwill, who could control skeletal dragons.

They were his Death Knights.

SLIMJIM: Come my Death Knights, we must go into hiding and plan for our next move against mankind.

EPILOGUE 2:

Eroz stood at the top of the Empire State building and looked into the distance. This world was now under the protection of him and his Avatars, and they will protect it with their life. Even now with the threats of Ultimate E and his Cabinet, as well as Slimjim and his Death Knights, the Avatars will be prepared.

THE END

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 26 (New Blood)

WRITTEN BY: Ultimate Houde
COVER BY: Icemastertron

Months Ago

Houde jumped on his computer in his study, quickly bringing up his e-mail. Looking through the usually stuff he happily deleted his spam.

HOUDE: Spam, spam, spam, spam…

Eventually he comes across an actually email.

HOUDE : Oh, I got an PM from Ultimate Central. Sweet…

Clicking on the link, he waits for the screen to load. It never does, and Houde hits the screen with his palm. Colored lights flow out, and engulf him, knocking him out.

The next morning he awoke with a slight headache, and incredibly thirsty. Looking at the computer, he shrugged.

HOUDE : Gotta stop eating food right before I fall asleep.

Unknowing he gained any superpowers, Houde went on with his life. Months passed, strange things happened all over the place, and somehow, Houde went through it all without realizing he had any powers whatsoever.

This was about to change.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Present

Ourchair floated above the ground, riding the magnetic fields. Next to him was Dr. Strangefate, who was also floating, but using magic instead to do it. The people below them scurried out of the way; the random screaming brought a smile to Ourchair's lips.

OURCHAIR: Now this is the respect we deserve.

DR. STRANGEFATE : Focus Ourchair, we need to find the new being that is emerging and have him join our cause.

OURCHAIR r: As long as we get to cause mayhem, I'm down with that.

The two superpowered beings looked at their target ahead of them. A large mall was sprawled out. Ourchair raised his hand, and ripped out the steel supports in the ceiling, creating a massive hole for him and Dr. Strangefate to use.

OURCHAIR : After you sir

DR. STRANGEFATE : What a gentlemen.

They descended into the building.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the mall

ROBBER Everyone, hands up now!

Houde, along with his girlfriend and several other humans raised their hands. He walked into the jewelry store to buy his girlfriend a new necklace, and then this guy had to show up and ruin the whole damn thing. Right now, for some odd reason, he was thinking of ways to take him out. Houde shook his head as he felt energy within him rise. The gun pressed into his back even further.

ROBBER 2: Gonna faint?

HOUDE : You wish.

Moving without thought, Houde turned around, grabbed the gun in the guy's hand, and snapped his wrist. Then he broke the man's elbow as he fell.

HOUDE : What the heck did I just do?

He looked over at his girlfriend, and she had an astonished look on her face.

HOUDE : I…I…have…no…idea….

The first robber screamed, and Houde, again acting without knowledge of what, or how, he was doing it; preformed a back somersault, and landed behind the robber. He went to punch the guy in the back, only the guy, unlike the last one, blocked it with his free hand.

ROBBER : Nice try loser. I have no clue how I knew he was going to do that…

HOUDE : Your about to get a hurting.

The two combatants went at each other. Houde twisted his hand to try and get a hold; the robber dropped, and went to sweep Houde's legs. Houde back flipped, rebounded off the wall, and tried to punch the man in the head. The man grabbed Houde's arm as he swung, and slammed him into the jewelry case, knocking the case over, and driving Houde into the ground. As he struggled to get back up, a voice rang out.

ROBBER : I RULE!

DR. STRANGEFATE : I see I have found you, time to awaken your powers further.

Magic coursed through Dr. Strangefate as he casted his spell on the robber. The robber screamed in agony, but only for a few moments, as Dr. Strangefate was hit from behind by an optic blast.

MWoF: Sorry, but we are kicking your asses, and then getting the new recruit.

NURHACHI : Damn straight.

Nurhachi's blood flowed over his body, encasing him in his protective shell: So you can back…

Before he could finish the sentence, he was hit by a bench that was thrown by Ourchair.

OURCHAIR : Let's go.

Houde manage to stand up, but to his dismay, he saw the robber grab his girlfriend, and run off

ROBBER : I want none of this, let's go sweetcheeks. If I can't have the money, I'll have you instead.

HOUDE : Get back here!

Houde ran across the lobby, chasing after his girlfriend, and the robber. Houde's girlfriend fought and bucked, slowing down the robber, as Houde came up from behind and tackled him, through a store window.

The store they landed into was a weapons store. The robber rolled, and grabbed a katana, a solid black one. Houde reached out randomly, and also grabbed a katana, but a polished metal one, not the black metal that the robber has. The lights in the store where knocked out, so the robber was shrouded in shadow. Houde's girlfriend yelled from behind him in fear.

HOUDE : Give her back!

The sword he held gleamed in the darkness, reflecting nonexistent light.

ROBBER : I think not.

His sword emitted a faint bluish glow. It slowly illuminated his face.

HOUDE : What have you become?

The robber was revealed to have grey fur covering his face. His body was covered in the same grey fur, his hair had grown longer, and a tail protruded from the back of his pants.

MARVELMAN: I have become a Ferret boy! A ninja ferret boy! Dr. Strangefate has released my powers, and they will destroy you!

HOUDE : You look nothing like a ferret though.

MARVELMAN : LIAR!

His sword left blue tracks in the darkness as he leapt for Houde.

Outside the store

ManWithoutFear had problems of his own. Dr. Strangefate had transformed into his metal form, and was now in the process of trying to pin him down and beat the nonexistent fear out of him.

MWoF: HELP!

NURHACHI : Having my own problems.

Nurhachi was stuck against a wall, unable to move as Ourchair affected the magnetic field around his body.

OURCHAIR : This is turning out to be a good day.

His victory was short lived as a blast of cold knocked him down.

OURCHAIR : No, Icemastertron.

Instead of seeing Icemastertron though, he saw Marvelman and Houde fighting, Marvelman having an upper hand with his magical sword. His sword was emitting intense cold, causing random blasts to fly out in every direction. Dr. Strangefate was hit by one, but it unaffected him in his metal form.

DR. STRANGEFATE : I believe this is our man.

OURCHAIR : Yes, let's bag him and go.

DR. STRANGEFATE : But who is this other man?

Houde dodged for all he was worth. His sword arm felt fatigued, a blow from Marvelman's sword had caused his arm to feel numb. Dragging the sword he acquired behind him, the man turned ninja jumped forward, and manage to land a blow against Marvelman, kicking him in the head. Marvelman staggered and laughed.

MARVELMAN : You are nothing to me!

Then he was blasted by MWoF, who decided to take advantage of the situation while Dr. Strangefate was watching the battle.

Marvelman staggered back, and reached out, grabbing Houde's girlfriend.

MARVELMAN: You want her? Come get her!

Slashing the sword into the air, he cut a hole in reality itself, jumping through it, and dragging Houde's girlfriend with him.

DR. STRANGEFATE: Ourchair! Follow him!

Ourchair flew forward, knocking Houde to the ground as he jumped through the portal. It closed behind them.

DR. STRANGEFATE : Well, this has been fun, hasn't it?

He then switched to his normal form, and disappeared, casting another spell.

MWoF: Well, that went completely unexpected, we were suppose to kick their butts. Who was that other guy?

NURHACHI : Hold it; the kid in the middle is not looking too well.

Houde stood in the middle of the mall, holding the sword in front of him. It started to glow, a white fire caressing the blade.

NURHACHI : Hey kid, what are you doing?

HOUDE : He stole my girlfriend, and for that, he is going to pay.

NURHACHI : Yea, how you going to follow him?

HOUDE : I'm not too sure yet.

Nurhachi walked forward, and placed one of his hands on Houde's shoulder.

NURHACHI: Listen, we have a teleporter. We can try to find him with the computer.

MWoF: I'm staying away from the guy with the fire sword.

He turns and sees a hot girl

MWoF:Yup; I'll stay over here.

He walks over to the hot girl.

MWoF: Hey baby, I have a scotch and sofa back at my place, you want some?

NURHACHI : Never mind him. What do you think?

HOUDE : I can follow him.

NURHACHI: Not too sure if you can. What if your powers aren't the same?

Houde drove his sword into the air, and cleaved open his own portal. A wicked smile crossed his face.

HOUDE: Oh, I think we do.

He jumped into the portal, and Nurhachi followed him. It closed behind them.

MWoF: Well, she only hit me after a few seconds. New record Nur. Nur? Nur?

He sees the portal close.

MWoF: Oh poop…Nur has the teleporter with him...

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 27 (...And New Fueds)

WRITTEN BY: Ultimate Houde
COVER BY: Nurhachi


In another place minutes before

A junk yard of a place, old cars, chairs, and other various metal trash litters the area for miles around. A smell permeates through the place, and general quietness exudes from it. Every now and then a seagull could be heard as it tried to eat the trash. Then, a fabric tear echoed through the area, the sound of reality ripping, and three people jumped through a purple portal.

Two of them, one looking like a grey furred human, and another dressed in a strange costume, recovered quickly, and faced off against each other.

MARVELMAN : BEWARE MY MIGHT!

OURCHAIR : Seriously, Dr. Strangefate needs to stop trying to awaken people's powers. Hello, whoever you are, I'm Ourchair and I suggest we join forces.

MARVELMAN : Marvelman, and if I say no?

OURCHAIR : Then you'll be placed in a prison.

MARVELMAN : So, my sword and I can break that prison.

OURCHAIR : It's digital you know.

MARVELMAN : Well that sucks, by the way do I look like a ferret to you?

OURCHAIR : Truthfully?......No

MARVELMAN : : Damn.

OURCHAIR : Let's get going, knowing the Avatars, they'll be on our trail quickly.

MARVELMAN : Avatars?

OURCHAIR : They're the bad guys. Well, the good guys really, but the bad guys to us….Yeah, they fight for the other team.

MARVELMAN : Oh….so they like to play by the rules and stuff?

OURCHAIR : Yup.

MARVELMAN : Then I'm with you.

OURCHAIR : Good, let's get in position.

A sound of ripping fabric greeted them.

OURCHAIR : ****, they're here.

He looks at all the discarded metal around him, and grins.
--

Houde lands neatly on his feet while Nurhachi lands awkwardly, and falls on his butt.

NURHACHI: Man, that ride hurts…

HOUDE : Enough, be quiet, I think they are waiting for us.

NURHACHI: Right then, and by the way, I know the drill. Been doing this for far more months than you there Homeboy.

Nurhachi powers up, letting his blood form over him in an exoskeleton. Houde holds his sword out next to him, and allows it to catch fire. The flames wrapped around the blade, flickering, casting shadows across the ground. Houde walks forward, on the balls of his feet, straining to hear any sounds.

HOUDE : I know they are here. Somewhere.

NURHACHI: This metal makes me nervous. Where are we, some sort of junkyard?

OURCHAIR : No, your funeral home!

Several cars lift up, and start to fly towards the duo. Houde leaps into the air, and starts to bounce off the cars, using them as platforms to reach Ourchair, who was floating in midair. Meanwhile, Nurhachi was too busy dodging the cars to watch the impressive feat. He soon had problems of his own as he was kicked by Marvelman.

MARVELMAN : What's the matter blood boy? Can't keep up?

Marvelman jumped out of the way of one of Nurhachi's axe hands, and then swiped his sword, which was glowing a dark blue. Nurhachi dodged, but he could feel the cold of the blade when it swiped near him.

NURHACHI: Get away from me with that.

Marvelman jumped away.

NURHACHI: You better run!

Then Nurhachi saw a big shadow heading towards him. It was one of the cars Ourchair was throwing around. After a long complicated swear word, Nurhachi managed to dodge it by throwing himself to the ground a distance away. He felt the extreme cold again as Marvelman neared him.

NURHACHI: Great, just great. Why can't I have a normal day?
--

Ourchair laughed as his car almost hit Nurhachi. Focusing on another, one he went to throw it at the prone Nurhachi, but felt extreme heat on his back. Turning around he swore as Houde jumped nearer and nearer to him off of the floating cars.

HOUDE : Where is my girl?

OURCHAIR : Don't really care dingleberry.

He threw the car at Houde instead of Nurhachi. Houde calmly leapt high in to the air, pointed his sword downwards, and watched as it cut the car in half, igniting the gasoline still in the tank, and causing an explosion. Ourchair laughed, but was rewarded with a rocketing Houde, not harmed in the slightest, heading straight towards him.

HOUDE : Time to care I think.

He hit the stunned Ourchair with his fist, sending both of them rocketing towards the ground.
--

The explosion in the air caused Marvelman to look upwards, and crack a grin.

MARVELMAN : At least he's done for. Now, time for ….

Before he could finish that statement, Nurhachi had gotten back up, and slammed him in the chest with a hammer hand. Marvelman flew backwards, and into a junk pile.

NURHACHI: Take that *****dick.

Marvelman stood up and grinned madly. His sword glowed an eerie blue.

MARVELMAN : Gladly.

Licking the blood that flowed from his mouth, the ninja's blade started to glow even brighter, absorbing the light near it.

MARVELMAN : Time to freeze you blood boy!

Marvelman let loose with a blast of intense cold, which caused Nurhachi pass out as it flowed over him. Marvelman laughed and quickly ran towards the area that Ourchair and Houde where about to fall into.
---

Houde kept Ourchair's concentration busy by continuously pummeling him with the hilt of his sword. They plummeted to the ground, and at the last second, Houde back flipped off of Ourchair, and landed neatly on his feet. Ourchair, using the last of his reserves, summoned a quick magnetic shield, and only hit the ground at a fraction of the speed he was plummeting. He struggled to gain his bearings. Houde jumped, bringing his sword down.

Only to have it blocked by Marvelman's.

Houde's sword glowed white, Marvelman's a dark blue. Both of them were sweating from the effort of keeping the swords locked.

HOUDE : Where is my girl?

MARVELMAN : Don't know, right before you showed up, I tossed her through a random portal. Have fun trying to find her buddy.

He laughed, kicking Houde in the stomach, and back flipping away from the return strike. The grey furred human took a defensive stance, holding out his black katana. Houde held his sword out in front of him, the sword gleaming in the setting sun. They stood their and stared at each other for a few minutes before they moved.

Marvelman moved first, lightning quick, heading towards Houde. Houde responded by bringing his sword up at an angle, causing Marvelman's to deflect up at the same angle. Houde then drove his elbow in Marvelman's gut, causing him to lose his breathe, and some more blood stream down his mouth.

HOUDE : You're going to die for what you did to her.

MARVELMAN : I don't think so.

Houde went to crack Marvelman in the head with the hilt of his sword, but Marvelman manage to bring his up in time, deflecting the blow. Marvelman spun, sweeping out Houde's feet, and kicked Houde as he was falling. Houde was then repulsed by a magnetic push, sending him backwards, into a junk pile, and metal rods wrapped around his arms holding him to the ground.

OURCHAIR: I think you should finish him Marvelman.

MARVELMAN : Yes, and then find his girlfriend, and make her my own.

Suddenly Ourchair was flying past Marvelman, and into a junkpile. Marvelman turned around, and let loose a blast of cold.

MARVELMAN : You have to be quicker than that Blood Boy!

As the frost cleared from Marvelman's blast, he heard Nurhachi call out.

NURHACHI: Who said it was just me?

In front of Marvelman stood Nurhachi, Icemastertron, DIrishB, and ProjectX2,.

PROJECTX2: I say you let me hit him like I did to Magnet boy over there.

ICEMASTERTRON: Considering around me, his cold powers are quite useless, do it up ProjectX2.

DIRISHB: It's a good thing ManWithoutFear told us you teleported away, and we were able to track you with the computer.

MARVELMAN : I'll take you all on!

PROJECTX2: Someone is asking for a beating!

A crackle of magic, and a portal opened up behind Marvelman, revealing Dr. Strangefate, and Ultimate Quicksilver.

DR. STRANGEFATE: I think it's time we leave, Ultimate Quicksilver, if you don't mind…

Ultimate Quicksilver moved faster than light itself, causing dirt and metal debris to kick up, covering the Cabinet's escape. When everything settled down, the Cabinet members where gone.

ProjectX2 walked over to Houde, and tore the metal bars off.

HOUDE: Thanks

NURHACHI: No problem, did we save the girl?

HOUDE:: No, the ferret looking kid threw her into a portal, or so he said.

NURHACHI: Ferret looking? He looked greyer furred to me.

ICEMASTERTRON: I can see how it looked ferrety

DIRISHB: Nah, grey furred.

ICEMASTERTRON: Why are you always disagreeing with me!

DIRISHB: Cause its fun

HOUDE: He's chaotic, that's all that matters. I need to find her.

NURHACHI: Take this.

Nurhachi hands Houde a communicator

NURHACHI: If you need help, call us, or if we need some more manpower, we will call you.

PROJECTX2: Hey, if you also want a place to rest…

ICEMASTERTRON: Or hang out

DIRISHB: Or get high in…

ICEMASTERTRON: Jeez man, don't tell him that! You can't do drugs in our building.

HOUDE : Thank you guys, um, you need a portal back?

NURHACHI: Nope, they got me covered. Good luck.

HOUDE : You too.
--

Epilogue 1

DR. STRANGEFATE: Welcome to the fold Marvelman

MARVELMAN : I'm glad to know your accepting me Strangey, but one question, when can we cause some real chaos here?

Dr. Strangefate looked over the people in this room, Ourchair, master of magnetism, Compund, the strange crab that just clicks all the time, and lastly the overlooked Ultimate Quicksilver, his court to face off against Ultimate E, should the need arise.

DR. STRANGEFATE: We will rise up when the time is right Marvelman, when the time is right…

Epilogue 2

Two hours later

MWOF: So, this guy was good?

NURHACHI: Should have seen him, hopping from car to car in the middle of the air, explosions, then I got knocked out

DIRISHB: He seemed a good fellow, hopes he finds what he's looking for.

MWOF: So that's why he ain't here with us?

NURHACHI: Yea, he's on an eternal quest to save his girlfriend.

MWOF: That sounds familiar…

BEEP BEEP BEEP

MWOF: What's that?

NURHACHI: The computer says there is a big problem downtown.

MWOF: What is it?

Nurhachi looked grim as he spoke

NURHACHI: Its Nigma…

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 28 (Enigma)

WRITTEN BY: Moonmaster
COVER BY: Nurhachi


1:00 AM

Nigma sat in front of his computer. He was bored out of his mind. He went to his favorite site, Ultimate Central, but no one was on and no one had posted in hours. He yawned gently and suddenly realized how tired he was. His eyes slowly closed themselves and his head fell to his desk.

His eyes opened suddenly and he groggily lifted his head and looked at the clock. He had slept for an hour. He looked up and realized that his computer screen had gone totally black.

NIGMA: Oh, what the...

A message typed itself across his screen.

HELLO, NIGMA

NIGMA: WHAT? WHO ARE YOU? DID YOU DO SOMETHING TO MY COMPUTER?

RELAX. I'M JUST A FRIEND WHO'D LIKE A WORD WITH YOU.

NIGMA: OH, I SEE WHAT'S GOING ON. LISTEN "TRIXIE69", I ALREADY TOLD YOU: I KNOW YOU'RE SOME 40 YEAR OLD DUDE, SO DON'T TRY TO TELL ME THAT YOU'RE "BARELY LEGAL AND WANT TO SHOW ME YOUR HOT ***!".

I'M NOT SOME CYBER PERV, NIGMA. I'M JUST HERE TO SHOW YOU THE TRUTH.

NIGMA: LET ME GUESS, "THE TRUTH ABOUT PENIS ENLARGEMENT!".

NO! IT'S ABOUT ULTIMATE CENTRAL.

NIGMA: WHAT ABOUT ULTIMATE CENTAL?

YOU'VE SEEN THE NEWS. THE INCREDIBLE EVENTS THAT HAVE HAPPENED. THE TRUTH IS THAT EVERY MEMBER OF ULTIMATE CENTRAL IS GETTING POWERS.
WHY AREN'T YOU?

NIGMA: I DON'T KNOW. I GUESS I HAVEN'T BEEN CHOSEN YET.

THE SITE DOESN'T "CHOOSE" ANYONE. THOSE BASTARDS ARE HORDING ITS POWERS! BUT I COULD GRANT YOU POWER.

NIGMA: POWER?

AND REVENGE

NIGMA: WHO ARE YOU?

A FRIEND. NOW BRACE YOURSELF.

Nigma sat back in his chair.

NIGMA: Brace for wha-

A blinding light his his eyes and his ears were filled with sound. His body convulsed violently. When he opened his eyes, his house had been reduced to rubble and he felt ... different. He noticed a particularly bright star in the sky and felt an odd urge to go there. Before he knew it, he was rocketing into the heavens.

THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL MANSION:
Cyberspace Home of the World's Greatest Heroes, the Avatars

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Nigma? Where is he?

ICEMASTERTRON: Close. He's causing a lot of damage, too.

EROZ: Ice, scan the news networks. See if you can find any footage.

ICEMASTERTRON: Yes Sir!

EROZ: Shut up.

News footage splashed across one of the monitors above one of UC's computers.

DIRISHB: I must be high, cuz I don't see anything.

ICEMASTERTRON: I'm absolutely sure you are high, but I don't see anything either.

MWOF: He's moving very fast.

EROZ: Stop the footage there, Ice.

Eroz tapped on a blurry, silver streak that was shooting across the screen.

NURHACHI: So we know he's fast.

MWOF: And very powerful.

DIRISHB: And he's wrecking everything. But why?

EROZ: I don't know...

DIRISHB: Well, I say we go down and have a talk with him, shall we gentlemen?

ICEMASTERTRON: Ya know, I've got a bad feeling about this.

DIRISHB: Oh, you've got a bad feeling about everything, Grandma.

EROZ: You guys go without me. With the Cabinet running around, this place may not be as safe as we think.

DIRISHB: Aye, aye Captain!

EROZ: I hate you guys.


THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE CABINET:
NEMESES OF THE CABINET AND GENERAL EVILDOERS

Ultimate E thoughtfully stared at the television screen before him.

ULTIMATE E: So that's him, Nigma?

DR.STRANGEFATE: Yes, as far as we can discern.

ULTIMATE E: Well, obviously we'll be recruiting him.

DR.STRANGEFATE: Of course, I'll fetch the others-

ULTIMATE E: No, no. The Avatars will also be aiming for him. We must wait until they attack him. Then, once he has been soured against them, we will recruit him. That's the only intelligent plan, right Doctor?

DR.STRANGEFATE: ...Yes, Sir.

ULTIMATE E: And I've been meaning to tell you something.

DR.STRANGEFATE: What is it, Sir?

ULTIMATE E: Attempts at usurpation never end well.

DR.STRANGEFATE: What?

ULTIMATE E: You know exactly what I'm talking about.

E stared calmly at Dr. Strangefate until an anxious-looking Baxter came running into the room.

BAXTER: Sir, its the computers! There's some sort of transmission coming through. I don't know what it is. Its in some language I've never heard.

SHIHAD: It's Japanese!
Came a voice from the other room.

BAXTER: For the last time, jackass: it isn't Japanese!

ULTIMATE E: I will see for myself. And remember what I told you, Doctor.

Ultimate E left for the computer room.

BAXTER: And what exactly did he tell you?

DR.STRANGEFATE: Shouldn't you be licking E's boots clean or something?

OURCHAIR: Aw snap!

DR.STRANGEFATE: ...

BAXTER: ...

OURCHAIR: ...sorry.

BAXTER: You better start watching your back around here, Strangefate.

DR.STRANGEFATE: Well thanks for your advice. I'll do that.

Baxter glared at Strangefate for a second and stomped out of the room.

DR.STRANGEFATE: Dammit. They're on to us. We're going to lay low for a while. Very low.

Ultimate E sat in front of the computer. The screen was covered in static. Eventually, the vague features of a face could be made out.

ULTIMATE E: I know, I've seen it.

BOOMING VOICE: THEN YOU KNOW WHAT'S ABOUT TO HAPPEN. YOU HAVE GREATLY HELPED ME.

AND NOW, THE TIME HAS COME.

NEW YORK CITY

Energy shot from Nigma's finger and exploded a line of cars.

NIGMA: Beware! His arrival is imminent!

DIRISHB: And who would that be? Santa Claus? Cuz in that case, I think you're a little early.

Nigma turned to see the Avatars standing behind him, ready for battle.

NIGMA: I was told you would come. You will pay for your interference!

The Avatars scattered as Nigma shot a blast of energy at them. Ice was the first to move. He sent a column of ice at Nigma, firmly planting him to the ground. He shouted for TheManWithoutFear to hit him. He began to power up his optic blast, but Nigma turned the ice to vapor and flew at Ice on a silver board. He smashed Ice into a building and began pummeling him. Nigma suddenly felt a tree wrapping around his body.

DIRISHB: Why don't you pick on someone you're own size?

Nigma burst from the branches and spun around.

NIGMA: Trees? I'm severely disappointed.

He blasted DIrishB backwards through the air. Nigma stepped from the building and looked around.

NIGMA: Who's next?

PROJECTX2: Well, this car told me he was quite interested in killing you.

ProjectX2 held a car aloft over his head. Ultimate Gambit touched the car, charging it with kinetic energy. Project threw it at Nigma. It exploded upon impact and shook the ground.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Got hi-

The burnt out frame of the car came flying back at Ultimate Gambit from a heap of rubble, pinning him to the ground.

PROJECT: Ultimate Gambit!

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: I'm fine, keep fighting!

PROJECT: Fine, time for Plan B. You ready, Nur?

NURHACHI: Damn straight.

Project picked up Nurhachi and held him over his head. Nurhachi turned his arms into long blades and stretched them out before him. Project aimed towards Nigma, who was floating up from a crater.

PROJECT: Projectile Number 2, comin' up!

Nurhachi flew head first at Nigma. Nigma smacked Nurhachi back with lightning speed and rocketed towards the ground. Project ran at Nigma and grabbed him by the wrists.

PROJECT: ManWithoutFear, where the hell are you!?

MWOF: Just waiting for my cue!

The Man Without Fear pulled himself from a pile of rubble and began blasting Nigma. Nigma was in agony but somehow managed to throw Project forwards at The Man Without Fear.

NIGMA: He is coming, and there's nothing you can do to stop Him!

Nigma shot into the sky, leaving the team in ruins.

PROJECT: Well, that certainly went well.

BACK AT THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL MANSION:

The team teleported itself back into the mansion.

ICEMASTERTRON: I just can't believe how strong that guy......was......

Ice's words fell apart as he looked around. The Mansion had been trashed. Furniture was destroyed, computers had been smashed and the house was in general disarray.

NURHACHI: What the hell happened?!

MWOF: ...Eroz!

They suddenly heard a tired, frail voice from the corner of the room. They rushed to its source: A pile of debris. They pulled back the pieces of random wood and metal to find Eroz, severely beaten and bleeding in several places. His hammer lay just a few feet out of his reach.

ICEMASTERTRON: Oh my god! Eroz, what happened?

EROZ: They came,....I didn't have my hammer....I couldn't stop them....

DIRISHB: Who? The Cabinet?

EROZ: No,....they said they had been sent by....by Him.....

MWOF: Who is "Him"?

EROZ: ...His name.....His name....

MWOF: WHO!? WHO DID THIS TO YOU!?

Before he succumbed to his wounds, Eroz was able to utter six words.

EROZ: ....His name is...

...Bass Lak Tus.

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 29 (Catalyst)

WRITTEN BY: Moonmaster
COVER BY: Moonmaster

ULTIMATE CENTRAL MANSION:
Cyberspace home of the world's greatest heroes, The Avatars.

It had been an hour since Eroz gasped his last breath on the floor of the Ultimate Central computer room. After Eroz's body was taken away, the team began to clean up. No one speaking of his ominous last words. Finally, The Man Without Fear broke the silence.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Dammit! Why aren't we doing something?

NURHACHI: What can we do? We don't know where Bass is, we don't even know what he is!...

PROJECT X2: And we don't know who he sent either. I mean, Nigma was fighting us, and our computers didn't pick up anyone else with powers tonight.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: This sucks. We have to do something.

MWOF: You've been awfully quiet, Ice...

ICEMASTERTRON: Guys, I think I found something.

Icemastertron held up a brown hair pinched between his thumb and forefinger.

DIRISHB: Oh great! He found a pube! Thanks a lot Ice!

ICE: It's not a pube, idiot. It's an animal hair.

Ice put the hair in a small machine and turned it on.

ICE: .....holy crap, guys. It's Moonmaster.


A REMOTE FOREST IN ALASKA

Two figures trudged through the cold forest. One, a hulking monster, the other, a furry beast. Ultimate DJF and Moonmaster.

ULTIMATE DJF: Are you sure it's here?

MOONMASTER: Shut up. I'm trying to concentrate, here...

...Aaargh...I think we're gonna have to go farther north.

DJF: Told ya!

MOON: Oh, you don't know anyth-

Moonmaster was knocked down by a blast of red energy.

DJF: Wha?!

MOON: AVATARS!!!

The Avatars appeared suddenly out of the trees.

NURHACHI: Long time, no see. So, when did you guys get "un-retarded"?

MOON: The Great Bass Lak Tus has given us the power to take revenge on Ultimate Central. Soon, we will complete his mission: destroy UC and drain it of its precious powers!

DIRISHB: ...cuckoooo...

Moonmaster pulled out a black stick. A red bar of light shot from the stick. DJF clenched his massive fists. The two lunged at the Avatars. Project X2 and DJF began trading fists. Trees toppled as they smashed into them. DJF delivered a crashing blow that knocked him to the ground. Nurhachi, his hand shaped into a sword, battled Moonmaster. Moonmaster dispatched him with a sweeping blow. Icemastertron shot a column of ice at Moonmaster, but he simply sliced it to tiny pieces with his sword. Moonmaster brought his sword down on Icemastertron, but a blast from the Man Without Fear pushed him out of the way. In front of DJF, DIrishB layed his hands flat on the ground.

DIRISHB: Ya know, I really love nature.

A tree shot from the ground, entangling DJF and pushing him high into the sky.

DJF: Crap! These branches are strong!

Moonmaster ran up behind DIrish and slashed him across the back.

MOON: You're a total *****, DJF.

DJF:Hey, you're not the one stuck in the tree! Oh, behind you.

MOON: I've got it.

Ultimate Gambit tried to run up behind Moonmaster, but was simply grabbed by the shirt and launched head first into a tree. Moonmaster cut DJF from the tree.

MOON: I'm growing tired of this.

Moonmaster and DJF began walking away.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Almost forgot about me, huh?

MOON: Oh right, the "bad boy". Let's see just how "bad" you really are.

Moonmaster and MWOF began fighting. They threw punch after punch and kick after kick, blocking and countering with lightning speed. It was just as MWOF began to get the upper hand when Moonmaster pulled out his light saber and put its red blade to his neck.

MOON: You're good, but you're not good enough. UC will fall, and there's nothing you can do about it. Bass will annihilate your precious home. The names of his Heralds will be burnt across your flesh. Stop trying to be a hero, "Man Without Fear". Relax, and let us kill you.

In a flash of light, Moonmaster and DJF disappeared.

DIRISH: ....uhhhh....I'm really starting to get sick of this whole losing thing...


THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL MANSION

The Avatars returned home, defeated for the second time in a day. As the others tended to their wounds, MWOF broodingly sat at the computer. He quickly noticed a video that had been e-mailed to them. It was labeled "EXTINCTION".

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Hey, everybody get in here!

The team rushed in as the video began. The vague features of a face appeared through the static.

BASS LAK TUS: Are we on?....................Yes, the red light means its on!............God, I know I should've done this by myself........I'm on.....okay....

Hello Avatars! I am the great and might Bass Lak Tus, Destroyer of Worlds! You've no doubt met my Heralds, and I'm sure they've shown you a taste of my power. But there's a lot more where that came from. I'm also sure they've told you that I'm coming for UC.

That is, of course, a lie.

I actually plan to destroy Earth, but do you think they would've worked for me had they known that? The answer is no. You might wonder why I'm telling you all this.......actually, why am I telling you all this? Ummm....I guess to rub it in....Yes, to rub it in! You'll never stop me! NEVER!

That is all. Toodaloo!

MWOF: ...We've gotta stop that *******.

ICEMASTERTRON: We have to track the Heralds down again first...

Ice ran to a computer and began searching.

DIRISHB: And what will this accomplish?

ICE: Don't worry, I have a plan.

PROJECT: Hopefully it doesn't have anything to do with us getting our asses kicked again.

ICE: There, found them. They're in....ANTARCTICA!

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 30 (Permafrost)

WRITTEN BY: Moonmaster
COVER BY: Moonmaster

Ultimate Central Mansion:
Cyberspace Home of the World's Greatest Heroes, The Avatars.

The main hall of the Ultimate Central Mansion was suddenly filled with electric blue light and in an isntant, the Cabinet appeared, ready for battle.

ULTIMATE E: Avatars! Come out to plaaa-aaaay!

This was greeted with silence

ULTIMATE E: Oh, so its Hide-and-Seek you want to play, eh? Well I'm sure we can smoke you ou-

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: They aren't here.

ULTIMATE E: What?!

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: I just checked the whole place, they aren't here.

ULTIMATE E: What the hell! Not even the pothead? He only leaves the couch to get his bag of Funions! FUNIONS, I SAY! FUNIONS!

BAXTER: What should we do, Sir?

ULTIMATE E: Um, I don't know. Ah! The one day we decide to do this, and they aren't here. Do we have to start scheduling these things or what? This is totally unfair!

OURCHAIR: I say we trash the place.

SHIHAD: Yeeeeaaahhh, let's trash the place!

BAXTER: I vote trash the place.

ULTIMATE E: ....Ya know, that isn't a half bad idea. Yes! Let's totally trash the place! Ourchair, Shihad, begin breaking things. Baxter, defecate on one of their beds. Dr. Strangefate, magic up some spray paint and start writing obscene things on the walls!

DR. STRANGEFATE: First of all, I don't "magic up" things. I use a complicated series of incantations to draw out the mystica-

ULTIMATE E: That sounds like a great story, Doctor. Why don't you tell me about it later? Quicksilver, come with me.

Ultimate E and Quicksilver made their way to the computer room. E began searching through the main computer's files.

ULTIMATE E: Porn, porn, porn, porn, porn, porn, porn, kittens, porn, porn, porn, porn, porn, kitten porn, porn, porn, porn, porn. I'm surprised they don't all have carpel tunnel syndrome!...hm, what's this? "EXTINCTION"?

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: What was that, Sir?

ULTIMATE E: Nothing, nothing. Ah, here's what I was looking for, the records for their teleporter. They left earlier today for Antarctica. So that's where it is...

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Where what is?

ULTIMATE E: Nothing, nothing. Go tell the others that we're going to Antarctica.

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Why? The Avatars will ju-

ULTIMATE E: Just shut up and do it, idiot.

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Ya know what? I'm sick of this! I never get to say anything! Why don't you shut up!? I want a voice on this team and I don't think we should go to Antarctica! The Avatars are just going to find us and kick our asses. That's what happens every time. Why do you make us do this? Do you get some kind of sick pleasure. If we really want to defeat the Avatars we should do something unexpected instead of the same thing every ****ing time! I'm sick and tired of you and this whole goddamed team! I should've never joined. I should just quit and join the Avatars. You're insane and this team is full of idiots! SO WHY DON'T YOU SHUT UP! WHY DON'T YOU SHUT THE **** UP!

E smiled peacefully and stared at Quicksilver. His eyes began glowing red and got brighter and brighter. All of the sudden, the rest of the team appeared around Quicksilver and he smiled nervously.

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Did I ever tell you how much I love you, E?

SHIHAD: Gay.

ULTIMATE E: I didn't feel like killing you anyway, Quicksilver, and Shihad, don't be so crass. You ****ing retard.

DR. STRANGEFATE: Sooo, what are we doing now?

ULTIMATE E: We're going after the Avatars! They think they can hide! They think they can run! But we will find them! We will find them and destroy them! That is what we do, for we are the evil and mighty-...Okay, who farted?!


ANTARCTICA

In the middle of nowhere, six figures slowly walked through blinding snow and howling wind.

DIRISHB: "Don't worry guys, I have a plan! This'll be easy!"

ICEMASTERTRON: DIrish...

DIRISHB: "DIrish is a stupid pothead and I'm a friggin' genius! I'm gonna get us lost in the middle of ****ing nowhere because I have a plan!"

ICEMASTERTRON: SHUT UP!

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Both of you shut up!

NURHACHI: Hey guys, what's that?

Nurhachi pointed to a blinking red light, faintly shining through the whirling snow.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: I think that's our destination.

They walked through the flurry until they reached a small black building with a blinking red light on top of it. They entered the building through huge metal doors and looked around. In the center of the warehouse like building was an enormous, stationary drill above a fifteen foot hole, bored into the ice.

PROJECT X2: What are they doing?

All three Heralds jumped down from an upper platform.

MOONMASTER: Wouldn't you like to know?

ICEMASTERTRON: Listen, we don't want a fight.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: We don't?

ICEMASTERTRON: We want to help you guys. Bass has been lieing to you. He's not trying to destroy UC, he's trying to destroy the Earth. He's been using you.

ULTIMATE DJF: What?! He's gonna destroy the Earth?

NIGMA: That's not what he told us.

MOONMASTER: How do we know you're telling the truth?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: He told us himself.

MOONMASTER: He did?

PROJECT X2: Yeah, he isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

MOONMASTER: I see what you mean. The first time I met him he wouldn't stop talking about "That's So Raven!". It was kinda creepy.

NURHACHI: So you guys are on our side, now?

NIGMA: I guess so.

ICEMASTERTRON: Just curious, what are you guys doing here?

MOONMASTER: Well, he sent us here to dig something out of the ice.

ICEMASTERTRON: What?

MOONMASTER: The only thing that can stop Bass Lak Tus:

Moonmaster picked up a small metal cube and held it up.

MOONMASTER: The Ultimate Killifier!

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 31 (Revelations)

WRITTEN BY: Moonmaster

ANTARCTICA

ICEMASTERTRON: Um, what?

MOONMASTER: The Ultimate Killifier. It's the only type of weapon in existance that can kill Bass Lak Tus.

NIGMA: But it also kills whoever weilds it.

ULTIMATEDJF: We were sent to destroy it so it couldn't be used against our Master-I mean Bass.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: So, if we wanna get Bass, someone's gonna have to sacrifice their life.

MOONMASTER: Not exactly. We can just threaten him. He won't be able to tell if we're bluffing. Like I said, he isn't very smart.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: So we can get rid of him!

NURHACHI: When will he be hear?

Moonmaster looked down at his watch.

MOONMASTER: Less than an hour.

ICEMASTERTRON: Aw, crap.

NIGMA: Don't worry, we'll have plenty of time. He's going to come here first.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: And that's when we'll get him.

ULTIMATE E: Not if I have anything to say about it!

Ultimate E and the Cabinet strolled into the warehouse dramatically.

ULTIMATE E: Give me the Ultimate Killifier!

BAXTER: Yeah!....wait, the what?

ULTIMATE E: Give it to me or I'll destroy you all.

ICEMASTERTRON: How do you know what it is? What do you want with it?

ULTIMATE E: That is none of your business. Let me have it.

E outstretched his hand and Moonmaster felt the cube being pulled from his hand by an invisible force. He gripped it tighter.

MOONMASTER: No! Let go you Bendis-looking freak!

BAXTER: I'll get if for you, Sir.

Baxter multiplied in sized and walked up to Moonmaster.

BAXTER: Give the the thingy, Chaka!

They pulled back and forth on the fragile cube. Finally, Baxter yanked it from Moonmaster's hands.

BAXTER: Got it!

At that moment, Baxter forgot that his strength multiplied with his size and he felt his fingers pinch together. The cube made a horrible crunching noise and fell to the floor, nothing but broken scraps of metal.

BAXTER: Um,.....oops. Hahaha....ha...ha....

E and the Avatars stared at Baxter, their eyes filled with horror.

BAXTER: So, um, what was that thing anyway? It looked like that Hellraiser box, didn't it?

E ran at Baxter and grabbed him by the shirt, filled with murderous rage.

ULTIMATE E: YOU IDIOT! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?

BAXTER: What? What did I do? I was just trying to help...

ULTIMATE E: You want to know why I wanted it?! Do you?! I'll tell you all! It was a short time ago, just before that wretched Eroz banished me to limbo. I had learned in my travels of Bass Lak Tus, the Destroyer of Worlds. I had decided that one who could ward away such a being would be hailed as a god. So I found Bass. It was hard, but I found him. And I alerted him to the prescense of a small, blue planet full of life and precious energy: Earth. Now, I also happened to know that a race of protective beings related to my own, known as the Watchers, had armed endangered planets centuries in advance with copies of an incredible weapon. I knew that when Bass Lak Tus arrived, he himself would lead me to this weapon. I would use it to save the world and Earth would proclaim me its King! I would conquer the Earth by saving it! But you! YOU have smashed my chance at greatness and doomed mankind, all with one clumsy accident!!!

BAXTER: ****.

MOONMASTER: ****, indeed.

Moonmaster looked out the window.

MOONMASTER: He's here.


The Avatars, The Cabinet and the Heralds stood united in the freezing blizzard. Before them stood an enormous black sphere: The ship of Bass Lak Tus.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: What's the plan.

ICEMASTERTRON: We don't have a plan.

PROJECT X2: Maybe we can talk him out of it.

ULTIMATE E: Oh god, I'm about to die in the company of idiots.

Finally, a hatch opened on the ship. Through a blinding light, a massive figure stepped down. Bass Lak Tus' giant pronged helmet shone in the light.

BASS LAK TUS: ...Wait...what the hell are all of you doing here? How'd you all get here?

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: We've got a teleporter.

BASS LAK TUS: What?! You guys have a...I wish someone would've told me that! Dammit! Wait a second. Moonmaster, did you "estroyday the Timateultay Illifierkay?"

MOONMASTER: They did.

BASS LAK TUS: Oh. Ha! That's great! So I'm assuming you all know the truth by now. Sorry, its just business. So, you might want to get your final goodbyes outta the way, because I'm startin' the show!

Bass' chest slowly retracted, revealing a white light that enveloped everything. Everyone could feel loose particles around them being sucked into it. A screeching, howling wind whooshed across the landscape, obscuring all other sound.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Isn't there something we can do!

MOONMASTER: Nothing can stop him now!

DIRISH: But something has to happen! The bad guys never win! There's always a way out!

ULTIMATE E: Welcome to the real world, stoner! Evil always triumphs in the end!

NIGMA: We only have a few seconds left!

ICEMASTERTRON: I might be able to save us! Everybody huddle together! ONE! TWO! THR-

The planet was at once totally bathed in the light of a thousand suns, and everything seemed to turn into particles of light. They were all sucked into Bass' chest, as if he were a living nexus. When all of it was gone and empty black space hung where earth once sat, Bass' chest closed up and he let out a loud burp.

BASS LAK TUS: Mm. Tastes like chicken.

The Avatars had failed. The Earth had been destroyed.

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 32 (The End of The World)

WRITTEN BY: Moonmaster

THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL MANSION:
CYPERSPACE HOME OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST HEROES, THE AVATARS

Icemastertron fell on his knees and vomited on the floor.

ICEMASTERTRON: We made it,...but oh god....the Earth....oh god!
DIRISHB: Game over, man! Game over!
NURHACHI: We lost...
OURCHAIR: Oh, this is crap.
PROJECT X2: Our families, our friends. All dead.
MARVELMAN: You guys screwed up! Its your job to save the world and stuff!
DR. STRANGEFATE: No Marvelman, I think we all know whose fault this is...
ULTIMATE E: Um,...hey, did you notice that someone trashed your place?
BAXTER: Certainly wasn't us.
ULTIMATE GAMBIT: It says "CABINET RULEZ!" on the wall in spray paint.
BAXTER: Well we know they've got good taste...
ULTIMATE E: Hey who wrote "ULTIMATE E SUCKS BALLZ!"?
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: You bastard. This is your fault. AND YOU DON'T EVEN CARE!

The Man Without Fear lunged at E and began battering him. Icemasterton pulled him off.

ICEMASTERTON: C'mon! I'm pissed too but there's no point in this. I think we all need some time to calm down and figure out our next course of action. So lets all relax and keep our distance.

Ice tried to talk to the Man Without Fear, but he simply stomped off. He found a secluded room and sat alone.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: What the hell are we supposed to do now? We're done for. We need a miracle.
EROZ: A miracle huh?
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Shut up Eroz........

He spun around to see Eroz standing before him, bathed in light.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: ARE YOU A-
EROZ: A ghost? No this isn't an episode of Scooby Doo. I'm only sort of dead. Its a long story. I was sent by the Watchers to give you a second chance.
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: So, this is just a big Deus Ex Machina?
EROZ: Yeah, I know. Pretty annoying huh? If you like I could forget about it...
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: No!

ANTARCTICA
1 HOUR AGO

BAXTER: I'll get it for you, Sir!

Baxter multiplied in size and walked up to Moonmaster.

BAXTER: Give me the thingy, Chaka!

Baxter reached for the cube, but the room was suddenly filled with light. Icemastertron, The Man Without Fear, and Moonmaster appeared.

ICEMASTERTRON: I wouldn't do that, if I were you.
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Hi, we're from the future. Baxter is about to destroy that so you might wanna keep it away from him. You should also know that its E's fault that Bass is coming.
ICEMASTERTRON: And if anyone other than the Avatars or the Heralds uses it against Bass, the Earth is doomed, so don't try anything funny.
ICEMASTERTRON: Um, why should we believe you?
ICEMASTERTRON: Ya know that site you always visit? The one with the goats?...
ICEMASTERTRON: Alright, alright! We believe you! I mean we do right?

Icemastertron turned to the rest of the group. When he turned back, the Time Travellers were gone.

LATER

BASS LAK TUS: Hello! Hey how'd you all get here!?

The Man Without Fear pointed the Ultimate Killifier at Bass Lak Tus.

BASS LAK TUS: Damn....you wouldn't!
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Oh, I would.
BASS LAK TUS: ...But....I'm really hungry!
ICEMASTERTRON: Well ya can't have Earth.
BASS LAK TUS: Why does this always happen to me? My plans are so flawless!
PROJECT X2: Why don't you find some uninhabited planets?
BASS LAK TUS: But that would be haaaarrrd! I'd need a permanent Herald to help me scout out planets. Where am I gonna find one of those? Unless, one of my former Heralds?...
ULTIMATE DJF: **** NO!
DR. STRANGEFATE: Wait a second. I think I have a solution that would make everyone happy. Well, almost everyone.

1 HOUR LATER

Ultimate E's eyes opened and he was thoroughly confused. The last thing he could remember was being hit in the back of the head. Now, he could smell cookies baking and hear a loud voice humming. He suddenly realized the terrible truth.

BASS LAK TUS: Hey! How ya doin' in there!

Ultimate E realized that he was in a cage with bars made of energy. Bass Lak Tus strolled into the room wearing a "KISS THE COOK" apron.

BASS LAK TUS: How do you like the place?
ULTIMATE E: God no...
BASS LAK TUS: Yeah, it a bit of a mess right now but I'm not used to company. Oh this is going to be so much fun! It'll be like a sleepover every night. We're gonna make Jiffy Pop, and do each others hair, and watch "That's So Raven!". Have you seen it? Its this great show on the Disney Channel that has Raven Simone as a....
ULTIMATE E: Someday. Someday I'll get out of here and I'll get you! AAAAAVVVVAAAATTTTAAAARRRRSSSSS!!!!!!!!

EPILOGUE 1
THE HEADQUARTERS OF THE CABINET

DR. STRANGEFATE: Welcome, gentlemen, to the New Cabinet
MARVELMAN: Damn straight.
OURCHAIR: Who knew it would be this easy.
SHIHAD: Yeah, I was hoping we'd get to fight E...
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Don't be silly. A quiet revolution is still a revolution.
DR. STRANGEFATE: That's right, General Quicksilver. Isn't that right, Slave?

Baxter, wearing a full French maid's uniform, refilled Strangefate's glass of champagne.

BAXTER: Right, Sir.
DR. STRANGEFATE: Good, good. Why don't you start cooking dinner?

Baxter began to walk away.

BAXTER: ...*******...

Strangefate snapped his fingers and Baxter's hair started on fire. He began running around the room, screaming.

DR. STRANGEFATE: Hahaha!...I'll never get sick of that...

EPILOGUE 2
THE ULTIMATE CENTRAL MANSION

The Man Without Fear quietly cleared debris by himself. He turned around to see the rest of the Avatars, smiling at him.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Is this an intervention?
DIRISHB: God, no.
ICEMASTERTRON: We've got a proposition. Eroz is gone...and he isn't coming back...and we were-
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Don't say it. I can't do it. I can't fill Eroz's shoes. What about you Ice?
ICEMASTERTRON: We want you.
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: But I'm the Loner...
NURHACHI: What is this, a boy band?
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: You guys really want me to do this?...Fine. I'll do it.
ICEMASTERTRON: Eroz would be proud.

The Man Without Fear looke up.

THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR: Ya know, sometimes I get this feeling. He's still out there. Watching over all of us.

EPILOGUE 3

And so it was that Bass Lak Tus was driven away. Each team gained a new commander to lead them through more trials and tribulations. And in the farthes corners of the univere three lost souls, heavy with the guilt of their own dark deeds, searched for a place to call home.

THE END​

*fade to black*

*cue music: "Don't Stop Believin'"*

*roll credits*

STARRING IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE

NIGMA
BASS WAKIL
THE MAN WITHOUT FEAR
ICEMASTERTRON
EROZ
DIRISHB
NURHACHI
ULTIMATE E
DR. STRANGEFATE
BAXTER
SHIHAD
OURCHAIR
PROJECT X2
ULTIMATE GAMBIT
ULTIMATE DJF
MOONMASTER
ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER
MARVELMAN

WRITER: MOONMASTER

COVERS: MOONMASTER AND NURHACHI

RESEARCH CONSULTANT: NURHACHI

FOOD SERVICES: BURGER KING VIA DOC COMIC

A SPECIAL THANK TO THE CITY AND PEOPLE OF ONTARIO FOR THEIR HOSPITALITY!

AN ULTIMATE CENTRAL STUDIOS PRODUCTION[/QUOTE]

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 33 (His Dark Materials Part One: The Doctor Is In)

(Note: The cover says #32, which is an error)

WRITTEN BY: DR. STRANGEFATE
COVER BY: DR. STRANGEFATE

Outside of Existence.

In a growing fissure of reality sat a collage of sensationalized data; neither male nor female; neither man nor beast; neither sane nor insane. It was all of these things and more, and yet in one instant it was changed inexplicably, forever. It reached out its finger to touch the edge of the Universe, which bent peculiarly. The being had never experienced free will, never before had it been able to feel love or hate. Overwhelmed and unsatisfied with its surroundings, It decided/knew to love/hate the Universe, for it gave it meaning.

IT: [//activate//program/assimilate.exe]…[//program_activated/]…[//DataDrain_0.007%]

It began to laugh/cry hysterically, as it began to change the World, without the will or the power to stop.

On the other side of creation, a door opened before Doctor Strangefate where only moments earlier had been nothing. The door led to the land of Order and Chaos, a realm to which only he, the Sorcerer Supreme of this Earth, could gain access. The doctor knew what this meant, as it had happened a thousand times before. Something very bad was happening.

---
The Cyberspace Home to the Avatars, Ultimate Central

Icemastertron was troubled as he sat at the central database of Ultimate Central. He could see a pattern emerging in the daily news, television shows, movies, and most frighteningly to him, the Internet. These aspects of contemporary society were sliding down a slippery slope towards ignorance and stupidity… but far too quickly to be anything natural.

PROJECT X2: Um… Ice?

ICEMASTERTRON: Yes?

PROJECT X2: Well, the guys and I were talking, and we put together a list of supplies and things we need to stock the base here with… and we were wondering how we should… uh… you know. Pay for it.

ICEMASTERTRON: Don't you have money?

PROJECT X2: Well, yes, but we thought that since this was for the all of us…

ICEMASTERTRON: I guess I can fit it into our budget... although it would be nice if our "fearless leader" could take charge for once... Now what do we need?

PROJECT X2: Toilet Paper, Chips, Some copies of Ultimate Iron Man to burn for warmth, and…

MWOF: (shouting from the other room) … and Booze!!!

PROJECT X2: And booze…

ICEMASTERTRON: Please tell TheManWithoutFear that it is his fault and his alone that he spent all of that money on a complete set of Daredevil Comics!! His personal expenses are not going to be taken into the Ultimate Central budget.

PROJECT X2: Isn't he supposed to be in charge?

ICEMASTERTRON: I don't care! The second he realizes that he can charge each and every stupid thing to the UC Credit Card, he'll never be sober again!!

PROJECT X2: I dunno… I mean, you're right… but…

There was shouting from the other room.

MWOF: I… WANT… BEEEEEER!!!!!

NURHACHI: I don't have any beer, for god's sake! Leave me alone!!

MWOF: Beer… BEEEER!

NURHACHI: Go away!!!

Icemastertron sighed.

ICEMASTERTRON: Please tell me this is all a horrible horrible dream, and that we really didn't put him in charge.

PROJECT X2: Sorry Ice, its all true.

ICEMASTERTRON: I'm not charging his tab to our Card, and that's final. He may have put me in charge of our money because he had "better things to do," but I'm going to do my job properly. Here, send Ultimate Gambit, let's see how well we can trust that turncoat…

PROJECT X2: Erm… sorry, Ice, but Ultimate Gambit has that Doctor's thing…

ICEMASTERTRON: Damn, you're right… You go, then, I'm checking into something…

PROJECT X2: Sure thing, Ice. See ya!

Project X2 left the room, and Icemastertron turned back to the computer screen, watching the quality and intelligence of news report after news report crumble. He knew something was terribly terribly wrong. He had spent hours now examining everything he could think of, all to no avail. He didn't even know where to begin. Frustrated, he threw his books onto the floor and slumped back into his seat, unsure of what to do.

---
Back on Earth

Ultimate Gambit walked into the office at 3:02 in the afternoon that Monday. This was the fourth appointment he had scheduled this week, but the first he managed to convince himself to go to. He felt weak… stupid for needing to talk to someone, but the dreams had been getting worse and worse in the months since he broke away from Caduceus' control, and he couldn't let himself get any worse. He was already putting his team mates at risk.

He walked up to a young, attractive receptionist. Embarrassed, he looked down at his feet, unable, or at least unwilling, to meet her eyes.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Um… hey. I've got an appointment with Doctor Ratsengaf.

RECEPTIONIST: Hmm…? Oh, yes. He gave me a note just a few minutes ago. You should just go right down to his office; it's the third on the right. He's expecting you.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: …Thanks.

RECEPTIONIST: Not a problem.

She gave Ultimate Gambit a little wink as his eyes met hers, leaving him a little more uncomfortable. Was she being nice because she thought he was crazy? Or was she honestly just a nice person? He hated it when there wasn't a clear motivation, and lately had taken to assuming that the other Avatars were talking about him whenever he wasn't in the room. He approached the door, which read: "Doctor James E. Ratsengaf: Psychiatrist, PH. D." He sighed, then opened the door.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Hello?

DOC: Good Evening… Mister Gambit, I presume?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: It's not my real name… I'm going to need a certain level of Anonymity here.

DOC: I understand… I understand… Not to worry, Mister Gambit. I've (heh) treated many heroes in my day. Please sit down.

Ultimate Gambit did so.

DOC: So how can I be of service to you?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Well the thing is, Doctor Ratsengaf…

DOC: Call me Doc.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Wait… what?

DOC: I said you should call me Doc, it'll help keep things informal.

The Doctor gave what he must have thought to be an encouraging grin. Instead it gave Ultimate Gambit the impression of someone talking down to him. He got the feeling that Ratsengaf enjoyed telling people what to do. He decided to be cautious.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Right… Well, I've been having these strange dreams, and I don't know what to make of them, or how to make them go away.

DOC: Dreams?

Ultimate Gambit noticed Doctor Ratsengaf's eyes light up with an eerie red glow, but as it disappeared he decided it must have been a trick of the light.

DOC: Well, kid, you're in luck. Dreams are all about the subconscious, and digging into the subconscious happens to be one of my strong suits.

The Doctor began to pull something out from inside his jacket. It was a bright, golden Ankh.

DOC: Have you ever heard of Hypnotism?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Well… of course… but don't you want to hear what the dreams are about, first?

DOC: Don't be ridiculous. Why would I?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: … I'm not sure about this

A wicked grin splashed across the doctor's face.

DOC: Trust me, I'm a doctor... Now look directly into this…

He held up a small ankh, and suddenly the world around Ultimate Gambit disappeared in a bright, white light.

---
Sometime Later, in the impenetrable Tower of Strangefate

Doctor Strangefate sat at his desk in a thoughtful trance, his servant, Shade, standing to his side. He looked as though he were solving a particularly troubling problem.

STRANGEFATE: Shade, is Ultimate Gambit sleeping?

Shade nodded

STRANGEFATE: Good… good… hrm. If this entity is what I think it to be, I will be able to take the final steps towards my ultimate goal… Shade, bring me Ourchair and Ultimate Quicksilver, then make sure that our new… heh… guest down in the dungeons is still bound to the wood…

Shade nodded again, and became a part of the shadows, traveling away towards the Cabinet's headquarters in the blink of an eye. Strangefate lost himself in thought once again, and his eyes erupted in an eerie red glow. His face contorted into a manic smile, and he began to laugh. The laugh filled the castle, echoes carrying it on towards eternity. A knock at the door brought him to a stop.

STRANGEFATE: Enter.

Ultimate Quicksilver and Ourchair entered the room cautiously, unsure of their master's intentions.

OURCHAIR: Sire, you called for us?

STRANGEFATE: Yes… now come forward so I may see you properly…

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Is something the matter?

STRANGEFATE: Not exactly. I am about to embark on a rather dangerous mission, one which I am not entirely sure I will be able to survive. You two cannot come with me, I am afraid… but I do have some directions for the continuation of both your training, and the operation of The Cabinet. Ourchair, please turn this statue to my left into a ball.

With a gesture, the statue lifted off the ground, and crunched up into a ball. The Doctor held up a hand.

STRANGEFATE: No… that was too simplistic. You are not moving the metal itself, you are merely crushing it like a child would a soda can. In your mind the metal must be fluid, it must be separated from the rust and dirt. Do it again, with the other statue.

This time the shining liquid metal burst forward from the eyes of the statue and solidified in a seamless, round ball, which the Doctor levitated in the air, smiling.

STRANGEFATE: Ultimate Quicksilver, vibrate your body at super-speed.

The doctor threw the ball through the ethereal body of Ultimate Quicksilver moving through space at lightning speed, it passed through as if he was not there. The lieutenants looked at each other, amazed at their abilities.

STRANGEFATE: Fantastic… now, tell me… how is the recruiting process coming along?

---
A short while later, in the Sewers

SlimJim waited for his guest to arrive cautiously, positioning his Death Knights against the grimy walls so that they could blend into the shadows and be ready to intervene should the meeting turn sour. The murky water was relatively still, and SlimJim couldn't help thinking that this was a trap. At the same time, he was ready for a fight, he had waited far too long to strike against the world of the Living, instilling terror in those who dare face him.

Suddenly, the room was engulfed into shadow, and SlimJim readied himself to launch against his foe. But in the dark, he slipped, falling against the sewer wall. The blackness retreated, centralizing in the room to form a three dimensional figure wrapped in a giant cloak. A dashingly handsome dark haired man stepped out of the cloak onto thin air, walking as if there were an invisible platform. SlimJim was taken aback.

DR STRANGEFATE: New shoes, you know how it is… I'm terribly sorry if I startled you… My new servant, Shade, has made issues of transportation quite easy these days. He doesn't talk much… but I do. So it all works out beautifully in the end, doesn't it?

The Doctor's face contorted into a mad smile

SLIMJIM: This is not the matter you came to discuss.

STRANGEFATE: No, it isn't.

SLIMJIM: Then stop with all of this nonsense, and speak quickly before I –

The Doctor's smile fell into a scowl and his eyes flashed red.

STRANGEFATE: Before you what, exactly? Do not presume to threaten me, SlimJim, I do not take kindly to threats. And frankly, if you honestly thought that your dead friends could have overcome me, you would have made them do so the moment I entered this room.

SLIMJIM: True enough… so tell me, Doctor, what do you need me and my Death Knights for, aside from taunting?

He chuckled to himself briefly before answering.

STRANGEFATE: SlimJim… How would you like to Save the World?

---
On the edge of existence

It/he/she sat, absorbing information like it were oxygen, entrenching it/him/herself with pop culture information so quickly that it began to jumble itself further in a web of . But it/he/she was learning/growing, and it/he/she had formulated/developed/found a personality.

LIL KIS: [//program/DataDrain_0.032%] [//run/program/think.exe]…[//run/program/speak.exe]…helloh?... how is the peeples whear I love so much? I wanto huge the wirld! I'm think that your nto the ones i was tinking about… but wher are thay? I thingk ile chek 2 c if theyre in the pop-ups!

Lil Kis giggled/snarled/yawned, and continued to absorb the essence of society into it's being, slowly spiraling the world towards its own destruction.

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 34 (His Dark Materials Part Two: Secrets and Sorcerers)

(Note: The cover mistakingly says #33, this is in fact #34)

WRITTEN BY: DR. STRANGEFATE
COVER BY: DR. STRANGEFATE

Deep within the dungeons of Doctor Strangefate's Tower sits a room ensnared in the darkest, oldest magic, the likes of which would bring Satan himself to his knees. In the room is a man like creature struggling against his cold iron chains, feeling the wood he is stretched across burn and splinter into his back. A drop of golden blood falls to the floor, and the creature begins to cry. Never before has he felt this much pain. Never before has he felt so exposed. His beautiful wings, which he had thought to be lost forever, had been given back to him chained in a cruel trick of fate. He saw the face of Shade in the corner of his eye and spat at him with the little saliva he could muster, managing only to catch his own battered chest.

The angel wheezed a sigh of pain, and hatred for his captor…

THE ANGEL: Strangefate… *wheeze*… you'll pay for this… I promise you that… I promise you… that.

…and it passed out from exhaustion.

---
Meanwhile, back at Ultimate Central

NURHACHI: Ice… Please, just pitch in a few dollars for a beer run.

ICEMASTERTRON: For the last time, no!

PROJECTX2: Oh, come on… why not?

ICEMASTERTRON: Last time he went on a drinking binge, he threw up all over my pants and shoes!

NURHACHI: I'm sure it was just an accident.

ICEMASTERTRON: He brought them with him to the bar!!

THEMANWITHOUTFEAR: Heh…

ICEMASTERTRON: See?! That's why I won't do it!

PROJECTX2: Come on… don't be such a prude.

ICEMASTERTRON: I'm not being a prude! I'm being an Adult!

DIRISHB: Pbbth… Prudey-head, Prudey-head!

ICEMASTERTRON: I am NOT a Prudey-Head!

MWOF: Good one, DIrishB

DIRISHB: Thanks, man.

ICEMASTERTRON: Argh! That wasn't a "good one!" What the hell is -wrong- with you people?

DIRISHB: Your Mom!!!

MWOF: Whoaaa!

They high fived each other.

ICEMASTERTRON: That's it! I'm going out to grab the things we need, and I'm NOT getting any beer!

Ice stormed out of the house, and the Avatars simply looked at each other and shrugged.

MWOF: Jerk… Whatever, the high lord and master of the Avatars demands we watch television!

Nurhachi grabbed the remote, and turned the TV on.

NEWSMAN A: …and now back to you in the studio!

NEWSMAN B: Thankoo Tom. Hee… Erm… In other noose… new… new-suh. Um… The gas money prices is like up from like a dollar to like a hundred dollars… isn't that… uh… weird?

CO-ANCHOR: ……yeaaaaah…

NEWSMAN B: Hehe… yeah. Wanna know what sounds like… really weird?

CO-ANCHOR: ……yeaaaaah…

NEWSMAN B: Woolooloolooloolooloo!!!! Woolooloolooloolooloo!!!! Woo--

Nurhachi turned off the TV.

PROJECTX2: Something's wrong…

DIRISHB: ……yeaaaaaaaaah…

---

In the Great Meeting Hall of Doctor Strangefate's Tower

SlimJim sat at one end of the table, his Death Knights standing frighteningly still. Amongst their ranks was the former leader of the Cabinet, Goodwill, who had garnered particular attention from Doctor Strangefate upon his arrival. The other prominent members amongst his ranks were his generals, Thee Great One, Irish4204, and Rene. But these super-powered beings were no longer the only Death Knights. In the night after meeting with the Good Doctor, he had visited graveyard after graveyard, calling the newly dead as his unwilling servants. His army was now well over a hundred.

SLIMJIM: Lord Strangefate, I've done as you suggested and gathered a mighty army which we may be able to overcome the… problem.

STRANGEFATE: Excellent work. Wouldn't you say so, Ultimate Gambit?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Yes, my Lord. Excellent.

Ultimate Gambit's eyes were hollow and unfocused, and as his comment he shifted back in his chair, facing straight forward. If his skin wasn't touched by a shade of pink in the cheeks, he would have been indistinguishable from SlimJim's hordes of the undead.

SLIMJIM: You know, Strangefate, I really can't help but comment on these… ahem. Decorations.

A hand gesture indicated the extraordinarily, almost impossibly detailed portraits of younger, shirtless, muscular men, each with a glowing purple ankh etched into their right breast. SlimJim had noticed them the moment he entered the room, and was unnerved by them. They gave him the distinct feeling of being watched, and every now and then he had seen the Doctor's eyes flicker to one, or another. Not in admiration, he observed, but as if to tell them to be still, and quiet.

The Good Doctor's face contorted once again into a wicked, playful grin.

STRANGEFATE: Now, now, Slim… These are from a lifetime ago, back when I was more of the partying type. I simply never had the heart to get rid of them, I suppose… You can't blame a man for being nostalgic, can you?

Strangefate's eyes burned red, and SlimJim felt an unnatural tension around his neck, like a noose being slowly tightened. He decided not to push the issue, but knew whole-heartedly that there was more to the pictures than he could see.

SLIMJIM: I suppose you are right, Lord Strangefate… Now, what of the plan?

STRANGEFATE: The Plan? Oh, yes, the Plan… Don't you worry your little head off… I'm getting to it.

---

Elsewhere

On the fringes of reality, the problem was growing, acquiring and simplifying information by the bundle. A great tremor shook the planes of existence as it yawned/cried/thought about the future/past/present.

LIL KIS: [//program/DataDrain_9.755%] Wit all dis info, i shood b able 2 undrastand all thins, but i stil dunno wats goin on N E mo! Wha's goin on, y'all, speek 2 mee!!1

It shook the world again with a great shout and began to yawn/cry/think about what to do next.

---

At the Extra-Planar doorway within the Tower of Strangefate

The Good Doctor marched his men to a great doorway situated on a pedestal in the middle of a circular room. He stood directly before the door, and took a deep breath.

STRANGEFATE: We March Willingly into oblivion. We accept the consequences of our actions. Gods of the Darkness, I DEMAND ENTRY!!!!

SLIMJIM: What are you…

STRANGEFATE: Silence!

A bright red gleam in his eyes, he shot an accusatory finger at SlimJim, who instantly found himself unable to speak.

STRANGEFATE: Lords of the Nine Circles! I am the Sorcerer Supreme of the Universe Three-Hundred and Twenty Three, Strangefate the Deceiver, I DEMAND ENTRY!!!!

At first nothing happened, then the doors shuddered as a great ancient voice filled the room with incomprehensible words. For a moment, the Good Doctor looked irritated, but then smiled as a purple glow engulfed him and lifted him up, off the ground.

STRANGEFATE: Well… I did ask nicely…SROOD NEPO!!!

A beam of purple-pink light shot from Strangefate's body and forced the doors open, creating a great vacuum that encaptured all of the army, and pulled them into oblivion. Strangefate found footing an a grandfather clock pulled with them into the nether-realms, but as the doors began to close, he realized that something must be done, or all would be lost.

STRANGEFATE: Sh-t… well, lets see… EMIT EZEERF!!!

And time froze around them. Doctor Strangefate was winded, blood running from his nose and mouth, but triumph gleamed red in his eyes.

SLIMJIM: Strangefate! Are you alright?!

Strangefate stood, a little unsteady, and spat the blood out into the ether. He was smiling madly.

STRANGEFATE: Are you kidding? I've never felt better in my life…

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 35 (His Dark Materials Part 3: The Kis of Death)

(Note: The cover mistakingly says #34, this issue is actually #35)

WRITTEN BY: DR. STRANGEFATE
COVER BY: DR. STRANGEFATE

On the edge of existence and non-existence

Doctor Strangefate stood, slowly, and wiped the blood from his mouth. The Death Knights were disoriented by their surroundings, stumbling on the absence of air. They could see the doorway, half-open into the Doctor's castle.

STRANGEFATE: Shade… Will you be able to get us back inside of the mansion as long as the doors stay open?

Shade nodded.

STRANGEFATE: Excellent. Shade and Gambit walk directly behind me and keep a watch out to your side. The Death Knights follow behind us.

SLIMJIM: How?

STRANGEFATE: Excuse me?

SLIMJIM: How do we follow you? There is nothing to stand on.

The Doctor took a step off of the grandfather clock and onto an invisible surface.

STRANGEFATE: If you believe it's there, it's there…. So follow me. And move quickly, we need to finish this before the being can finish absorbing everything. If my suspicions are correct, it will still be actively working, as the laws of space and time seem not to apply to it…. So if we fail here, we've just given reality its Death Sentence.

SLIMJIM: You're telling me that if reality is destroyed, it will be our faults?!

STRANGEFATE: No.

SLIMJIM: But you said if we fail--

STRANGEFATE: We won't fail.

SLIMJIM: But…

STRANGEFATE: I said we won't fail, SlimJim. Trust me. Now we must be quiet or it could--

Suddenly a great, terrible voice shook the air around them.

LIL KIS: helo poepel, howr u?? wat R u tring 2 doo 2 me? Whoo is this an the rest 2? Lemme C…

The nothingness around them contorted as windows flew open into their minds, and the defenders fell to their knees clutching their heads and screaming in pure, unadulterated agony.

Shade watched as a teenager ran through the woods, from a man with a laugh as chilling as ice. He was crying, his entire family was dead now because of him, because he wanted power. He had arrived home that day from work to find his parents covered in blood, with the laughing man standing over them with his twisted smile. While running he tripped, and the man caught him with one of his purplish-pink beams of power. The dark forest lurched out to him, the shadows eating him alive. The teenager tried to scream, but could not, he was no longer capable of making any noise. Shade broke away from the memory, hating his master and his past…

Ultimate Gambit watched his memories meaninglessly, through the scenes of Caduceus' control and the new influence of Doctor Strangefate. His mind had been programmed not to register scenes of pain, regardless of Lil Kis' intentions.

SlimJim and his Death Knights were entirely unaffected, although SlimJim was taken off guard by the figure shaking on his knees before him, the powerful Doctor Strangefate.

The Good Doctor watched a seven year old boy run in through the back door of a suburban home to find the bodies of his parents, shot dead by robbers….

He watched a ten year old boy walk into the apartment of the robbers with a butcher knife. The blood-stained boy was collected by the police four hours later, the men supposedly having committed suicide…

He watched a sixteen year old boy, enamored by a senior, drop three pills of concentrated cyanide into his boyfriend's Coca-Cola during lunch, having a lunch lady convicted for the crime…

He watched that sixteen year old boy's skin shift into organic metal, and he watched as the boy decided to rip his senior boyfriend apart with his bare, metal hands for the sheer thrill of it once he realized that while metal, he had no fingerprints…

He watched an eighteen year old make himself apprentice to the Universe's Sorcerer Supreme, only to damn him into the depths of Hell only two years into his training…

He watched as the twenty-three year old man carved a glowing purple ankh into the chest of one eighteen year old after another…

He watched as the twenty-five year old man stood before over a hundred of these men, and declared war on the non-loyal sorcerers of the world…

…and then the Good Doctor stood with a frighteningly cold look in his fiery red eyes.

STRANGEFATE: No… That's quite enough now… TEG TUO FO RUO SDEAH!!!

Lil Kis screamed/cried/ran as a bolt of purple-pink energy ripped through its shell of information and ideas.

STRANGEFATE: Ultimate Gambit… do you see it?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Yes… it's like a collage of faces and bodies and text and sound and color and light… it's the strangest, most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my life…

SLIMJIM: My God…

STRANGEFATE: That would be our target, gentlemen… SlimJim, prepare your Death Knights to attack the creature. We must break through the outer shell of information, but aim for anywhere you can see the energy flowing out of it… We need to destroy its core.

SlimJim was a little off from the shocking images of Strangefate's life, and the appearance of the terrible, magnificent Lil Kis. He didn't want to listen to the Doctor, but knew that he must. Frustrated, he took raised his arm.

SLIMJIM: Death Knights, attack!!

The Zombies marched forward towards the creature. Lil Kis noticed/hated/loved the zombies it saw coming, so it reached/jabbed/shot out its hand/sword/cannon to touch/love/destroy them.

LIL KIS: r u goin 2 b mah bets firendss 4ever???

The were not, so it simply wiped them from existence by the sheer power of its will. Kis was happy/annoyed/furious, so it decided/thought/danced to destroy/hug/own its enemies.

SLIMJIM: Lil Kis just blinked away half of my army!!!!

STRANGEFATE: Then get off your *** and try something else!!! Shade! Take it down!

The shadow-man known as shade transformed into a giant blanket of shadow to engulf the creature in, but Lil Kis shot out a beam of pure light, and Shade collapsed upon himself and fell. Strangefate entered the battle, levitating himself and shooting beams of purple-pink light at Lil Kis' shell of information. Holding back his chief general, to keep him from destruction, SlimJim begrudgingly sent forward Goodwill and Rene.

LIL KIS: Oooooh. Pretty lizard peeplels, i <3 pretty lizard peepel… maybe ill give tihs one a kis…

Lil Kis touched/grabbed/loved Goodwill's animated corpse and kissed it with one of its many mouths. A bolt of purple-pink energy struck the corpse while in contact with Kis' "body", knocking him to the ground. His lizard flesh sank away as new, human, pink skin skin replaced it, and his heart began beating again. The body stirred and jerked up, coughing furiously in attempt to fill his lungs.

GOODWILL: What-- where am i?! I don't--

STRANGEFATE: PEELS, LLIWDOOG

And Goodwill slept. Shade awoke near the former dragon-master, and took the two of them back to where the Good Doctor was holding his ground, and where Ultimate Gambit had been standing, quietly.

STRANGEFATE: Good, good, you're here. It's about time we put our back-up plan into action… Shade. Take Ultimate Gambit as close as you possibly can get to Lil Kis….

Shade nodded.

STRANGEFATE: Now, Ultimate Gambit… you're going to need to reach out and touch it, charge it up with all of your strength--

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: But my abilities don't work on living beings…

STRANGEFATE: Then it's your lucky day, because this guy ain't alive… Just do it quickly, and you'll have saved the entire Universe.

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Yes, Master.

Shade engulfed Ultimate Gambit and released him next to Lil Kis, who was distracted/aggravated/amused by Rene's blasts of Goblin Fire. Gambit laid his hand on the being and let all the energy he had flow into the beast. He began to shake, and passed out, releasing the time-bomb like tendencies of his power. Lil Kis glowed a bright purple…

LIL KIS: Awww… dammn man, y u have 2 do that? i mean, beeyotch, yoo dunno any ting bout Lil Kis! Come on guys… I--

And it exploded, leaving only a miniature sized sphere of glowing light.

SLIMJIM: Strangefate… what is it?

STRANGEFATE: Its core… if it is not destroyed, Lil Kis will be back soon enough… let me handle this…

The Good Doctor lay his hand on the sphere of light, and erupted in purple-pink flames. Enegy poured out of his eyes and mouth, his body extended in mid-air, and then it stopped. The sphere was gone, and once again Doctor Strangefate's nose was bleeding, and he began to laugh a cold, high-pitched, triumphant laugh.

STRANGEFATE: Shade, take us home… It's over.

---

Later, at the Ultimate Central Database

Icemastertron retreated to the Database, not only to escape another chorus of Woolooloolooloolooloo's from the rest of the Avatars, but also to see if he could discern what the problem was. An unnatural breeze passed through the room, and Ice felt like he could hear a man laughing under his breath.

ICEMASTERTRON: Hello? Is anybody there?

He turned to see a vase filled with dead roses sitting on the counter, complete with a note.

Dear Ice and Avatars,

There are far greater things in heaven and earth than you should ever care to know about. I took care of this one for you guys. You're welcome.

Love,
Dr. Strangefate

ICEMASTERTRON: Oh crap… I need to get the others…. Guys! GUYS!!!!

---

Somewhere dark and wet

Goodwill woke with a pounding headache in the darkness. He felt like his head had been dropped on a large rock, and feeling the lumpy granite floor beneath him, he realized that he probably had. The last thing he could remember was telling off UltimateE… and then suddenly waking up next to the inexplicable entity known as Lil Kis. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he realized he was in a cell.

GOODWILL: Hello? Is anybody there?? Where am I? Hello?!?!

A high pitched laugh echoed through the dungeons, and Goodwill realized where he was.

GOODWILL: Oh sh-t… No... No… No… No… No… No…. Oh sh-t, oh sh-t, oh sh-t… Anyone but him, let it be anyone but him…

The shadows stirred, and the face of Doctor Strangfate shone with a terrible grin, and then disappeared as quickly as it appeared.

Goodwill screamed into the echoing darkness, and prayed that his death might be quick and merciful.

To Be Continued​

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 36 (His Dark Materials Part 4: To Beat the Unbeatable Foe)

(Note: The cover mistakingly says #35, however, this is actually #36)

WRITTEN BY: DR. STRANGEFATE
COVER BY: DR. STRANGEFATE


In the City

As Ultimate Gambit walked the streets back towards an internet café which could provide him with a direct line to Ultimate Central and his fellow Avatars, he was glowing with self-confidence. He could no longer even remember what he had talked about with Doctor Ratsengaf, but he felt grateful all the same, he was on a high of achievement, like he had just helped to save the entire universe from it's imminent destruction by defeating some super-powerful being. But that was all simply the therapy's work, and as he passed a pay phone, he made up his mind, and pulled out the card from Ratsengaf's office. He dialed the number and waited.

STRANGEFATE: Hello?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Hi, this is… um… Ultimate Gambit.

STRANGEFATE: …

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: Doctor?

STRANGEFATE: Yes… Yes… I am simply surprised that you called back, and so promptly. Is anything the matter?

ULTIMATE GAMBIT: No! Not at all! Actually, since today's session went so well, I was thinking we could maybe make this a weekly thing…

STRANGEFATE: … (heh) Of course… Of course… Now dear, what time should I put you down for?

---

In the Suburbs

Widdle Wade sat in his bedroom, fiddling around on his computer. He was bidding on a Deadpool dual Alarm Clock/Semi-Automatic rifle on eBay when a voice clouded in mist whispered into his ear.

VOICE: Why not just become Deadpool? Wouldn't that be better than just getting all these useless trinkets?

WIDDLE WADE: Who are you? Where are you?! What's going on?

VOICE: Settle down now… I'm a friend, and I have a proposition to make. How would you like to become your idol? I mean fully, with all of his skills, complete with Healing Factor, and an arsenal of weaponry that would make the Army cringe.

This took Widdle Wade off guard, he didn't know if he could trust the voice, but he knew that he trusted his heart, and that he would do anything to be like his idol.

WIDDLE WADE: I… I would like that very much…

A man with jet black hair, and a large golden ankh strewn across his chest, placed a hand on Widdle Wade's shoulder. The boy stumbled, shocked to find a stranger in his bedroom.

WIDDLE WADE: How did you…

STRANGEFATE: That's not important. I'm here to help you achieve your greatest fantasy…

With a wicked smile and bright red eyes, The Good Doctor leaned forward to kiss the boy on the forehead. Pulling away to reveal a glowing purple lip-print on his forehead, which lifted Widdle Wade off his feet and spread to cover every inch of his body. He could feel himself changing, aging, developing muscles he didn't even know he had to develop in the first place. But then something went wrong, his skin started scarring and bubbling, breaking out in hives and lumps and sores. Widdle Wade shook with panic.

WIDDLE WADE: No… I take it back! I tack it back!! I don't want to be like Deadpool!!! Not like this!!! Not like this!!!

But the man with the dark hair had disappeared, and in his wake stood the dark Master of Magnetism, Ourchair, and the Silver Speedster, Ultimate Quicksilver.

OURCHAIR: Widdle Wade… Are you ready to embrace your destiny as one of the members of the Cabinet?

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Are you ready to wreak chaos against those who stand in our way, and take your rightful part in the domination of the Human Race and Planet Earth?

Scared silent by the hasty elevation of events around him, Widdle Wade nodded mindlessly, unable to comprehend what he was agreeing to and followed the men into the Darkness.

---

Meanwhile, in the sewers

SlimJim had led his Death Knights to an open cavern. He was still reeling from the shock of dealing with Doctor Strangefate, and seeing the horrible things that man had done had brought him to swear never to trust another living human being. He stood atop a particularly large pipe to overlook his army, and then began to speak.

SLIMJIM: Death Knights! We are at the dawning of a new era, where not only the super-powerful man shall be inducted into my army, but any dead creature. We will follow these pipes out of the city, and travel across the nation, across a host of nations, to call our brethren to action from their resting places beneath the earth, so that we may rise up above the common man, and make them subjects of my kingdom, with the dead ruling as they rightfully should!

The Death Knights cheered, save for one. Rene had been hit by a strand of debris as Lil Kis exploded. The debris had punctured his skin, and had begun the process of rejuvenation before the shard's power disappeared completely. He was now neither fully man, nor fully goblin; neither fully alive, nor fully dead. Frightened and alone, Rene slipped into the darkness, and away from the Knights.

---

The Tower of Strangefate

Goodwill sat alone in a dark wet cell in the cold recesses of an ancient tower. He might have been comfortable in such conditions while in his powerful dragon form, but all of that had been taken from him when a shard of pure reality altering thought passed through his corpse and woke him from his undead slavery under Slim Jim. The more the thought about it, the more he wished he was still dead.

There were rats in the prison with sharp teeth, who liked to bite Goodwill while he slept. So he tried not to, and had therefore not slept in almost two days. He was falling apart, the silence ripping through his eardrums like a rusted nail. So when the putter of tiny footsteps filled the dungeon walls, he perked up.

GIRL: Mister?

GOODWILL: Who--

GIRL: --Are you real? Or are you just another part of the castle…

GOODWILL: I think so… I mean, yes. Yes, I'm real.

GIRL: I'm so frightened mister, the Doctor doesn't know I'm here… But I've been wandering these halls for months, I don't even think this place has doorways leading out.... not unless he makes them… I'm just so tired of running, mister, I don't think I can do it much longer.

GOODWILL: Where are your parents?

GIRL: They…

Her voice broke.

GIRL: He took them…

GOODWILL: Oh, God…

GIRL: And… they're dead now, I think… there was lots of blood…

GOODWILL: How? Why?!

He was speechless, the extent of Doctor Strangefate's insanity had never been so clear to him. Never before had he realized what sort of threat he had provoked time after time after time.

GIRL: My older brother… he wanted to become a sorcerer. He came to the Doctor and asked to be his apprentice, and the Doctor took him… and for a long time we thought we might never see him again. But then one day he came home. I think he must have thought himself to be in love… he gave us over as a sacrifice to the Doctor, and gave up his name to be one of his soldiers.

GOODWILL: His soldiers? You mean the Cabinet?

GIRL: No! Don't you realize what's going on here?! This is about something bigger than all of that. It isn't about any of the petty thievery or politics your pitiful followers have tried to achieve. He's building up to take the ultimate prize! He's building an army of sorcerers to… I've said too much… he'll know I've been here… oh, God, how could I have been so stupid?!

GOODWILL: No! Wait!!

But she was already gone as Goodwill's tired, aching arm reached out to her. He winced as he leaned back against the hard stone wall, still unfamiliar with the soft pink flesh that had once been scales. He heard a short, cold laugh from the darkest corner of the cell, and looked up.

STRANGEFATE: Well, would you look at that, Goodwill has found himself a little friend.

The Doctor was adorned in a red silk evening robe, hanging open to reveal his bare chest. Goodwill could see the Pentagram scarred into the Doctor's right breast. It glowed with a soft purple that flickered like a weak campfire. He wore a dark smile upon his face, which in conjunction to the red glow from his eyes, twisted the Doctor into something demonic. Goodwill shuddered and wondered if he would kill the girl.

STRANGEFATE: Not Yet.

GOODWILL: Whuh?

DR. STRANGEFATE: This is my home, your thoughts are not your own as long as you remain my guest.

GOODWILL: Your guest?!

STRANGEFATE: You are getting food. You have a place to sleep. Believe me, there are far more terrible things I could have submitted you to; the Labyrinth, for example.

GOODWILL: Enough, Doctor.

Strangefate frowned and the red in his eyes flared up. Goodwill felt his heart contort itself as if it were being squeezed tightly within his chest. It stopped, and he collapsed onto the floor, panting and sweating, attempting to catch his breath.

STRANGEFATE: It is not proper etiquette to instruct a man to do anything in his own home. You wished to speak?

GOODWILL: The girl… said her brother… army of sorcerers…

STRANGEFATE: Yes?

GOODWILL: Is it true?

STRANGEFATE: Perhaps, Perhaps not. It doesn't really matter to you, now, does it? But the girl is an interesting development… albeit, a useful one. Goodwill, in the weeks and months that follow, you are going to do whatever I tell you to do without question or complaint.

GOODWILL: Like He--

STRANGEFATE: If not, I will force you to rip your little friend apart with your bare hands, and proceed to eat her. This would be while she is still alive, of course.

GOODWILL: You couldn't do something…

A flick of Strangefate's hand brought Goodwill onto his feet, and another made him start a violent waltz around the room with an invisible partner. Strangefate released his control and Goodwill collapsed at his feet, looking up at his captor in terror.

GOODWILL: Y-You wouldn't…

STRANGEFATE: Wouldn't I?

He grinned.

GOODWILL: You're a monster.

STRANGEFATE: And you are my slave. You won't be served your dinner as a punishment for talking back to your master. If you need something, the rat will do. We'll be seeing each other again soon… Do try to get some sleep now…

Laughing, the Doctor vanished into the shadows. Frightened and alone, save for the rats and the breeze, Goodwill curled up against the cold stone walls, and began to cry.

To Be Continued​

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 37 (His Dark Materials Part 5: Angels and Demons)

(Note: It says #36 but its actually #37)

WRITTEN BY: DR. STRANGEFATE
COVER BY: DR. STRANGEFATE

Deep in the bowels of Doctor Strangefate's Tower

The Angel writhed in pain as another line of splinters broke into his nigh impenetrable skin. He tried to hold himself so that he could not move, letting his head fall back against the headpiece of his restraints. In the dim light of the enchantments that surrounded the room, he could make out a placard hung above him, with a few words written in an ancient language. It took a second for his strained, bloodshot eyes to focus, but when they did, he broke out in a cold sweat.

THE ANGEL: …Aramaic…

Suddenly he knew the cross upon which he had been tied, and why it had the strength to break his inhuman skin…

Hope fleeting, the Angel closed his eyes and damned his captor with a fiery conviction he had reserved for only the most despicable of beings.

The Cabinet Headquarters

Ourchair led Widdle Wade into the main control room of the Cabinet. Widdle Wade stumbled behind the Master of Magnetism, still taken aback by the suddenness of his alteration into a blistered inhuman monster (as he now thought himself to be). He played with the trigger of a pistol nervously.

OURCHAIR: Okay… so you've already met Ultimate Quicksilver…

The two exchanged a nod of recognition.

OURCHAIR: This here is Shihad, he and his team of squirrels run just about everything here at The Cabinet HQ… Shihad, this is Widdle Wade.

SHIHAD: How's it going, newbie? Heeey… I'm getting the feeling somebody's a Deadpool fan.

WIDDLE WADE: Well, yeah… who isn't?

BAXTER: Hah! Wow! You even designed your costume off of his!

WIDDLE WADE: Hey… Shut up.

MARVELMAN: Hey kid, calm down. He didn't mean anything by it…

WIDDLE WADE: I SAID, SHUT UP!!!

His guns were pulled out to point at Baxter and Marvelman before they could have blinked.

WIDDLE WADE: You know what? This whole little party you guys have got going on is real nice and all, but I don't really give a damn… I want out. And most of all, I want to see the dark-haired guy who did this to me…

Ourchair and Ultimate Quicksilver exchanged a serious look.

OURCHAIR: We… cannot see him unannounced.

WIDDLE WADE: Screw that…

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: He means that literally. Strangefate's Castle only opens into Headquarters when he wants it to. When he's not expecting anyone, the door will not even exist.

WIDDLE WADE: That's crap! I need to get back to normal, I had a life, God D-mnit, but now…

He pulled his cowl off to reveal his twisted, mangled flesh.

BAXTER: Man… you took your obsession way too far.

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Baxter, who the hell let you out of the kitchens in the first place?

BAXTER: Um… Doctor Strangefate?

Compound clicked in disbelief.

OURCHAIR: Nice try, now get out of here and make us some dinner! And I swear, if this turkey isn't plump and juicy, there will be HELL to pay!!!

Baxter scampered off to Ourchair's fist shaking.

OURCHAIR: Anyways… Wade, I'm sorry, the best I can tell you to do is to talk to Strangefate when you get the chance…

Widdle Wade slowly lowered his weapons and slumped back up against the wall.

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Shihad, how is the search for other men and women touched by Ultimate Central going? The Good Doctor would like us to expand our ranks soon...

SHIHAD: The Squirrels tell me of one such man… An archer…

Suddenly the room darkened and cooled, and the booming voice of Doctor Strangefate engulfed the Cabinet.

STRANGEFATE: I would like all members of the Cabinet to report to my office immediately.

SHIHAD: Well, I guess Hawkeye101 will just have to wait…

Meanwhile, in Ultimate Central

Icemastertron, having broken into the database of The Cabinet, found the image of the young Hawkeye101 splashed across his screen. He pulled the intercom to him and shouted.

ICEMASTERTRON: AVATARS ASSEMBLE!!! We've got a potential UC Metahuman, and the Cabinet is on their trail!

A voice came groggily from the other room.

MANWITHOUTFEAR: God damn it, Ice. I'm the leader!!!

ICEMASTERTRON: Then lead us for once!!

MANWITHOUTFEAR: Stop Yelling into the intercom! I've got a bad enough headache as it is!

Ice sighed.

ICEMASTERTRON: All Avatars report immediately to the Ultimate Central Transportation Station, we--

NURHACHI: A Transportation Station? Really?

ICEMASTERTRON: Yeah, it's new.

NURHACHI: Don't you think we could… well… call it something else?

ICEMASTERTRON: What's wrong with Transportation Station?

NURHACHI: …It rhymes.

Ice sighed again.

ICEMASTERTRON: Just shut the hell up, alright?

In the Office of the Good Doctor

The Cabinet walked cautiously into Strangefate's magnificent office, eying the mystical objects lining the walls. It was dark enough to accentuate the eerie mysticism the castle exuded, and perhaps that was the point. Doctor Strangefate sat patiently in a large chair, wearing a red silk evening robe. As they approached him, he lifted his half-moon spectacles from his desk and placed them on his nose.

STRANGEFATE: Welcome, Gentlemen, how are we this evening?

They had no time to answer before Widdle Wade rose his gun and shot it directly at Strangefate's head. The Good Doctor's eyes flashed with a fiery red, and the bullet swerved off course before shifting into a moth and fluttered up to the lights. With a gesture the gun turned into a banana, and then, the Doctor seemingly having a better idea, the banana elongated, encircling Wade as it became a mighty Boa constrictor.

BAXTER: How did you…?! I mean, I had no idea that you had that sort of power…

STRANGEFATE: I've recently come into possession of some highly useful reality warping abilities… I absorbed the soul of some renegade reality altering program named Lil Kis… think of it as God's personal Photoshop, if you will… and… hrm. It's all rather complicated, so perhaps it's better for you to know less about it.

WIDDLE WADE: Ahhhh!! Get it off! Get it off!

ULTIMATE QUICKSILVER: Aww… Is the big bad Wadey poo afraid of the widdle snakey?

WIDDLE WADE: ITS NOT A "Widdle" SNAKE, YOU DUMBASS!!! It's a Boa Constrictor!!! As in it's CRUSHING MY RIBS!!! ARRRHGGHH!

OURCHAIR: Um… Doc, this is the first recruit we've found in a long while, perhaps you shouldn't kill him…

SHIHAD: Uh… yeah, maybe we should lose the Boa…

STRANGEFATE: Oh, heavens no… that's no Boa. –That- is a boa.

With another gesture, the snake coiling itself around Widdle Wade fell limp and burst out into colorful feathers. Strangefate laughed, but the Cabinet shifted uneasily at the new power of their master.

STRANGEFATE: Now, now, Widdle Wade, we don't want to be causing so much trouble… The more you act against me, the less likely I am to give you what you want, and I –know- you want something… So be good.

The room grew silent.

OURCHAIR: Master, we would like to know why you have called on us tonight…

STRANGEFATE: Yes, yes… Of course. Well, my friends, it is time for me to tell you that my days as primary leaders of this Brotherhood are over…

COMPOUND: Clk… Clik! Clik Clikk??

STRANGEFATE: Yes, Compound, I must be leaving, and yes, we are truly a Brotherhood… We should no longer hold ourselves in the shadows of the despicable, inferior being called Goodwill. The Cabinet was his team, and it was built to serve him. Here we are all brothers, under my great power and wisdom… We are not merely soldiers in one madman's dastardly doings. From henceforth this society shall be known as the Brotherhood. And your new primary leaders will be Ultimate Quicksilver and Ourchair, who will report directly to me regularly to receive instructions on what to do with the team

MARVELMAN: But where will you go?

STRANGEFATE: In light of recent events and…heh… acquisitions, I am ready to begin working towards my ultimate goal at a faster pace than I had previously expected.

OURCHAIR: Ultimate goal?

STRANGEFATE: Never you mind… It is the business of Strangefate and Strangefate alone. Now, leave me to my work… and do your best to expand your numbers and develop your abilities… When the time comes for my ascension to… power, you will need to keep the Avatars busy… Have I made myself clear? Good. Now, Shade, you will go with these men and listen to the orders of Ultimate Quicksilver and Ourchair, but remember that I still own you through these men… Do you understand?

Shade nodded.

STRANGEFATE: Then leave me, I have many things to attend to…

The Brotherhood filed out of the office, and the door shut off to their headquarters completely. Strangefate stood, letting his silk robe hang open to reveal the glowing pentagram etched across his chest. He walked down a back stairwell towards the deepest caverns of the Tower, the dungeons which occasionally gave the good doctor himself a chill. Walking towards a doorway, he let the silk robe fall off his shoulders, and he drew a knife from his belt. He approached the crooked figure of an Angel, covered with bites and scratches, yet still beautiful in a beautifully innocent way. Broken bloody winds hung, twitching at his back, tensing as the Angel detected his visitor. He raised his head to see the Doctor better, and spat at his feet.

The Doctor smiled, his eyes flaring up with the most demonic shade of bright crimson imaginable.

STRANGEFATE: Hello, Caduceus… How are we doing this evening?

-To Be Concluded-​

 

[Nurhachi]

Chapter 38 (His Dark Materials Part Six: The Beginning)

(Note: Cover says #37 but it really is #38)

WRITTEN BY: DR. STRANGEFATE
COVER BY: DR. STRANGEFATE

A Teenage Bedroom, Outside the City

Hawkeye101 sat at home reading his comic books. He had recently taken up an interest in archery, and was getting pretty good at it, but it was still nothing like losing himself in a weekly comic book. As a kid he imagined that one-day he would have cybernetic implants, or become a mutant, but he had always been just an ordinary kid, posting online here and now. A funny thing happened once when on this one message board named Ultimate Central, he imagined that a beam of light came out of his computer and changed him somehow. He woke up the next morning sad to realize that he had merely fallen asleep… His hopes had been raised for that one fleeting moment, and now he didn't even ever think about it, it was too depressing… But he did like his comics…

HAWKEYE101: Oh, Orson Scott Card, you are the master!

Suddenly the room turned dark and two men and an odd looking crustacean appeared from the shadows, which shifted into the form of a fourth man.

HAWKEYE101: Who are you?!

OURCHAIR: My name is Ourchair, Master of Magnetism, and I am here to offer you membership in our Brotherhood.

HAWKEYE101: Golly, are you guys real live Super-Villains?!

MARVELMAN: Yeah… I guess.

HAWKEYE101: And so you're going to kidnap me?

MARVELMAN: Wait… What?! No! We wanted to know if you wanted to join us!

COMPOUND: Clik Clik Clikikk!!

HAWKEYE101: Wowie… I'm being captured by real live Super-Villains! I can't wait to tell Ma and Pa!

Marvelman hid his laughter with an unconvincing cough. Ourchair sighed.

OURCHAIR: Kid… You are -not- being kidnapped. If you were a threat to us, you'd be dead, and if we needed you dead, you'd be dead… We do not, in any circumstances, kidnap people! It's too… well… Cliché.

HAWKEYE101: Come on, you guys! Super-Villains need to be cliché! It's what makes them Super-Villains!

MARVELMAN: You know what? F-ck this, man. We don't need him.

OURCHAIR: Yeah…

Ourchair pressed the side of his helmet, opening radio-communication with the Brotherhood HQ.

OURCHAIR: Shihad, this is Ourchair. We're coming in without the target.

A high pitched squeek came over the intercom.

OURCHAIR: …and for the last time, KEEP YOUR SQUIRRELS AWAY FROM THE RADIO TRANSMITTER!!!!!

SHIHAD: Sure thing, boss. We're ready for you guys any time now.

Hawkeye101 was busily packing his belongings to go off with the strange men who no longer wanted him, when an optic blast ripped through the wall of the bedroom.

MANWITHOUTFEAR: Cabinet! You're not getting your hands on this one…

OURCHAIR: No, we're not.

MANWITHOUTFEAR: Oh no you're-- what?? What do you mean?

MARVELMAN: Take him yourselves, we don't want him.

COMPOUND: Clik Clik Clikikikk!

ICEMASTERTRON: Wait a second…

OURCHAIR: Oh, and by the way, We're the Brotherhood from this point on… Shade, take us away…

The shadows engulfed the brotherhood and dissipated. As the room lightened, the Brotherhood was gone.

HAWKEYE101: Gee! You guys are Superheroes, aren't you??

NURHACHI: I… guess…

HAWKEYE101: Can I be one too?!

Icemastertron and the Manwithoutfear exchanged an uneasy glance, and sighed.

In the darkest dungeon of Doctor Strangefate's Tower

CADUCEUS: You monster…

STRANGEFATE: Sticks and Stones, my friend… Sticks and Stones. So, tell me, Caduceus, how does it feel to be back in your true form?

CADUCEUS: It feels like sh*t, as you know d*mn well…

STRANGEFATE: Now, now… there's no reason to get feisty.

CADUCEUS: You forced me out of the shape I was condemned to when I first fell from heaven!! You have defied the will of God himself!!! You evil sack of--

The Good Doctor's eyes glowed red with a hunger, as he cut Caduceus off mid-sentence.

STRANGEFATE: So there is a Heaven? There is a God?

Caduceus' face fell, and the sweat on his back grew cold in terror, as he realized what he had done, and what the Doctor could do with this information. Strangefate's face contorted into a manic grin.

STRANGEFATE: Excellent… All of my work has not been done for naught. Heh. Oh… and you will only keep that form as long as you hang on that cross and remain in this room. It's the True Cross, from Golgotha, collected and reassembled from the hundreds of shards… It took years to build it… But then again, it took years to find a being such as you to test it on… Angelic magic is all theoretical, because you folk don't interact with us as much… But still, it's impressive, no?

CADUCEUS: You are the devil himself…

STRANGEFATE: Oh, please, don't be melodramatic. You of all people should know that is not the case. Hold still a moment, would you?

Caduceus, chained tightly to the cross, could do little but hold still. The Good Doctor smiled his wicked smile, and ran his knife over the palm of his hand, releasing his blood onto the ground with an uneasy sigh. He, in turn, sliced brutally into Caduceus' thigh, letting his thick, golden, Angel blood run. Caduceus screamed as the doctor pressed his bleeding hand to the open wound and let the Angel's blood flow into his body.

CADUCEUS: W-What are you doing?!!

STRANGEFATE: Tasting Immortality… Oh God... It burns! The blood, it's… it's burning from the inside-- OH! GAAAAAAHHD!!!

CADUCEUS: Let go of me!!

The Doctor glared with a flash of red light bursting from his eyes, and the Angel felt invisible hands crushing his larynx.

STRANGEFATE: NO!!! NEVER!!!!

The Good Doctor's skin glowed golden-yellow, and the power of Caduceus' blood pushed him onto his knees, spitting out the inferior human blood that was now being rejected from his body, and screaming in agony. Yet his grip never faltered… and quickly the changes to the Doctor became evident. His skin darkened from pale white to shining bronze. His muscles grew and firmed his body into perfection. He was instantaneously a man in his prime, and then, with a hearty scream, large white wings burst from his back as pure light, before softening into elegant feathers. The change completed, and with his lips and chest stained with red blood, Strangefate stood, releasing Caduceus, whose wound healed instantly…

Conjuring a mirror, The Doctor stood in awe of himself.

STRANGEFATE: It worked… heh… hehehe… hahahaha… Hahahahahahaha!!!!

The Doctor's shrill laugh filled the dungeon. Caduceus was broken… drained of his energy and yet burning with fear and anger.

CADUCEUS: What… what did you do?!

STRANGEFATE: I am like you now… Except for one thing… The creator, having created us in his image, seems to have a few of our flaws as well. He created a system of highly powerful programs built to ease the process of editing the universe, placing a small piece of his own power in each program, allowing simple processes like the weather or how the planets orbit the sun to go on without his conscious action. That's my theory, anyways, and it proved relatively true. One such program broke down a short while ago, and I managed to merge its central power into my own soul. I am now more powerful than any other being on this plane of existence, and soon, every plane of existence.

What little color remained in Caduceus' face disappeared.

CADUCEUS: What do you mean??

STRANGEFATE: Isn't it obvious?

The Doctor's eyes sparked with red energy, jittering away in contrast to the most frightening, bloodstained grins Caduceus had ever seen in his life.

STRANGEFATE: I am going to be God… Not a God, mind you, -the- God. The big guy. The lord of the Cosmos. The creator… I am going to hold the universe in my hand and make it over in my image… I'm going to sit on the throne and be the one true ruler of existence.

The Good Doctor stared into the distance, glorying in achievements, his new wings stretching out as far as they could. Caduceus couldn't even bring himself to speak, cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he realized that there was nothing he could do to stop Strangefate.

STRANGEFATE: I must make a plan. Good evening, Caduceus. If you somehow managed to break free of your chains, I will personally remove all of your skin, and douse you in salt, so that even when your skin grows back, all you will know will be pain. Heh… I'll be seeing you.

And with that, the Dark Lord vanished.

Epilogue I: Elsewhere in the Dungeons

Goodwill hadn't slept in four days. He hadn't eaten in two, or at least what felt like two. His stomach was screaming for sustenance, his head pounding with a migraine that could take down an elephant. He wasn't even sure of time anymore… So, using the remnants of some molding bread on what had been his shirt, he caught the rat that had been plagueing his cell, and ate the meat raw, savoring the warm blood of the rat against his cheeks and fingers.

His head still pulsating with pain, Goodwill fell on his side and into a deep sleep.

Epilogue II: The Room of the Cross

Caduceus began to shake involuntarily… he knew what he must do, as it was the only thing he could do at this point. He lowered his head.

CADUCEUS: God… I know we haven't been on the best of terms lately, but we need to talk… You're going to make me say it, aren't you? Damn you…

He sighed, and losing his last drop of dignity, he straightened himself in reverence and began to sing.

CADUCEUS: Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name…

-The Beginning-​