League Wars 4, Akkadian Knights (4 parts)

A narrative description of the Akkadian Knights' League Wars 4 experience. It won me 100 MPs! :)

☩ŦΚЯ☩ Akkadian Knights /NA vs. No Mercy Death Squad ~nmds~ "∩"(-_-)"∩" 

Steve had been a prop plane pilot for 15 years. His current gig had him ferrying passengers around the Vegas landscape, viewing the sights from above. In all his years, he had never seen weather like this. Flying around Las Vegas in February was usually a little rough, but this weather was like nothing he had ever seen. As where the weather was usually cold and wet this time of year, this cloud cover offered no precipitation. It had the cloud to cloud lightning indicative of a heat storm, not a Blue Norther. 

As his plane descended through the clouds, visibility went to zero. He was only 10 miles out of Las Vegas International and would apparently have to rely on instruments. As he examined the gauges, wondering what he would expect when he breached the cloud ceiling, he heard and felt a thud. It wasn't a normal turbulence jolt. It was more specific.

Looking out the side window, he saw the shape of a man crouched on the wing. He recognized him as KZAZ, one of the No Mercy Death Squad. His eyes blazed red and his coat flapped wildly in the wind. Looking up in the air Steve followed his gaze to the form of a red and black hero flying alongside and a little above the plane. Steve recognized Vexator of the Akkadian Knights as well. Just as Steve was wondering what had the two world class heroes out here in the middle of nowhere, KZAZ reached down, grabbed the prop propeller by the shaft, and ripped it out of the engine! The engine immediately protested with a shower of sparks and flames! Steve grabbed the stick immediately, but knew the damage was done. His plane, and the 5 passengers onboard, were going down.

Outside, Vexator saw KZAZ rip the propeller off with his bare hand. He was just swift enough to dodge out of the way as it sailed past his neck with incredible force. Within moments, KZAZ was on top of him as the two powerful heroes attacked each other mid-air. Although Vex could fly, shield himself and boost his own agility at the same time, it taxed him to do so. Unlike most heroes, he could use any number of powers at one time, but grew weaker the farther he stretched himself. This was pushing him to his limit.

A bright green flash of light told Vex that Quantum Elemental was still hard at work taking down Rosalina and Holy Avenger. The two NMDS members had been the first to attack the Knights on their way into Las Vegas to check out the disturbance and were still giving them grief but had received a rude awakening when they ran into the senior Knight. The three were exchanging energy blasts that lit up the sky. Above them, Destiny was calling on the elements to do battle with F, a formidable opponent on the worst of days. Although she had no clear advantage, she was holding her own and at least occupying the hero until help could arrive.

Caledonia shot out of the clouds after the descending aircraft. About 900 feet off the ground, she managed to extend a force field over the plane. Using her formidable telekinesis, she began pulling up on it and slowing it's descent until it was nearly hovering in the air. Above her the ominous form of Group of Hero appeared. "The boss says no survivors... that means all of you!"Group of Hero called bolts of lightning out of the darkening sky on top of Caledonia. It was all she could do to maintain her grip on the plane as the electricity seared her form. From nowhere, Captain Stumpy slammed into Group of Hero in an effort to stop the assault, but only managed to get caught in his iron grip by the throat. Group of Hero merely turned his head as Captain Stumpy blasted the side of his face with Heat Vision and squeezed the junior Knight's throat even harder, cutting off the blood flow to his brain.

With the lightning assault momentarily abating, Caledonia resumed her efforts to lower the plane safely to the ground below. Seconds later, Captain Stumpy's limp, unconscious form went hurtling past her towards the earth below and with an evil grin Group of Hero resumed his assault. Calling down massive bolts of lightning, the power of Mother Nature itself, she lost her grip on the crippled plane and it fell towards the earth below once more.

As all appeared lost for the passengers of the plane another much larger craft descended silently from the cloud cover behind Group of Hero. The powerful NMDS member turned just in time to see the Defender, the Akkadian Knight’s spacecraft. Piloted by the leader of the Akkadian Knights, Eron, the craft shot 10 plasma bolts inrapid succession at him. Eron flipped a switch by the fire control and spoke into the intercom, "NOW Wrath". Wrathius, standing on top of the defender, wasted no time and jumped from the plane into the void of space and onto Group of Hero. His sharp talons tore into the strong warrior's armor and ripped his chestplate clean off. Wyldecard, exercising his own newly discovered flight ability, flew up and planted an Atomic Grasp on him. A shower of green energy coursed through the mighty hero and with a scream of both fury and anguish, his eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness. Wyldecard caught both him and Wrathius and set them down on the top of the hovering defender. 

With Group of Hero's attack ceasing, Caledonia re-intensified her force field and stopped the prop plane as it passed the tallest trees on it's way to the ground. With as much might as she could muster, she extended herself and caught Captain Stumpy mere inches from the ground. Caledonia set the crippled plane and unconscious hero down and began helping the thankful pilot and passengers to the ground. 

As the team descended to the earth below, Quantum Elemental appeared carrying the two beaten forms of Rosalina and Holy Avenger. Landing in a clearing 10 miles north of the Strip, the team met up with BatMAn who had already incapacitated to other NMDS team members, Keeshee and Elbizarro. Destiny made a rough landing near the ship, exhausted from the battle above. "He managed to get away..." she gasped. Wrath helped her to her feet gingerly, "don't worry. He'll turn up." Moments later, Vexator joined them looking rather pleased with himself. “KZAZ got away, but he had to run fast!”

Eron stepped form the Defender. "I'm not sure what's going on here, but I know these guys and they are stand up heroes. Whatever's done this is powerful and we're going into this alert from here on out. We're on foot guys."The team set a containment field around their friends, hoping it would hold long enough to figure out what had happened and to free them from whatever was obviously possessing them and started towards the Vegas Strip. This was going to be a long day indeed.

After the heroes had left, Steve looked back at his airplane wondering what had just happened and if it was wise to go back to Vegas right now. Picking his phone out of his pocket, he called a cab.

Congrats to the No Mercy Death Squad for a battle well fought! May you find success in the rest of the wars!

☩ŦΚЯ☩ Akkadian Knights /NA vs. Mutant X!

The explosion was deafening. Christy Finecy covered her ears as yet another blast hit the half wall behind which she was hidden. She had her hands cupped over her ears, and couldn’t stop shaking. She only moved her hand away for a moment to wipe the tears coming out of her eyes. It was then, when she held her hand in front of her face that she saw the blood smeared on it. She had a head wound and the moisture she felt on her cheek was more blood than tears.

Looking down on the floor in front of her, she saw the news camera. Her grip, the man holding her camera, was nowhere to be seen. He had run away several minutes ago and dropped the news station’s equipment as he did. Not at all manly of him.

Christy reached down and picked up the camera. It was still running. Looking around, she found her mic half buried under some drywall on the ground at her feet. She straightened her pantsuit and clipped the mic to her lapel. Her mom didn’t want her to take that assignment in Afghanistan. She didn’t want her to be a war correspondent. Setting the camera at an angle facing her, she used one hand to straighten her hair slightly and shakily spoke.

“This is Christy xx with Fox 7 news still live in Las Vegas.” The night sky lit up behind her as another explosion rocked the fallen coffee shop she was in. Dust settled all around her. She reached down to wipe the camera lens. 

“I don’t know if anyone is getting this, but the fighting in the center of Las Vegas is worse than anyone could imagine. Those who could flee have already done so. Many could not… the carnage is terrible…” She broke down crying. Yet another blast sent shards of rock flying into the shop. Luckily it missed her this time. Composing herself, she continued.

“On the street outside two mighty leagues of heroes are battling. The Akkadian Knights appeared over an hour ago and were helping several people to safety as the fighting erupted. They were assaulted by Mutant X not long after they arrived. Phorius unleashed a Neptune Assault that left several dead, including an emergency crew from LA General…” Christy turned to look out what remained of the large window, now merely broken shards hanging onto an old wooden frame. Picking up the camera with a groan, she pointed it out the window.

“In the distance you can see the MGM Grand in flames. I think that’s Phorius and Vexator above it, but it’s hard to see from this angle.” A flash of green light shot out of the sky and landed in the middle of the street in front of the coffee shop. Christy gasped as a hand appeared out of the crater in the earth. “I think that’s Quantum Elemental…” A stocky man with flowing dreadlocks rose from the crater. He turned around as a bright green mutant aura hit him in the chest and knocked him on his back. Christy turned the camera in the direction that the blast of green light originated. 

A gust of wind whipped up as a brightly colored superhero charged down the street in Twister Form. Quantum Elemental stood up in time to be hit by the other hero and they both went careening towards Christy. Terrified, she dropped the camera and tripped backwards over a chair. Quan and the other hero, who she could now identify as Madcap, came crashing into the coffee shop. Quan ended up on top as they came to a stop, his iron grip on Madcap’s throat. His hand was now glowing a bright green aura and the heat from the energy it emitted was intense. Christy shielded her face; sure this was her final moments.

Quan looked up and saw her huddled on the floor. Her black suit was ripped in multiple spots and her hair was matted with blood. She looked terrified and he realized that his attack might end the fight, but would surely end her life. He powered down.

Madcap had no such reservations. Whatever had a hold on his mind was driving his to battle and his eyes blazed an intense beam of white light. Using his Burrowing Vision, he blasted Quan back out of the shop and across the street into the brick wall of some abandoned business. The shockwave sent Christy across the room and an intense pain shot through her right ear.

Getting up, she ran for her life. Out of the coffee shop, she turned right into an alleyway. She saw a metal dumpster and hid behind it, hoping it would provide some cover. No sooner had she sat down than two massive men burst through the stone façade of the wall across the alleyway about 5 meters from her. Christy, already sobbing, couldn’t handle it anymore and screamed. 

One of the large men dropped the unconscious form of the other and turned towards her. She did the only thing left to do and pulled her rosary out of her pocket to pray once more. It was then that she heard his deep, rumbling voice. “Caledonia, we have another civilian.”

Moments later, a soft hand touched her arm. She recoiled out of fear as she looked back, wide eyed in terror. The sight she saw was the last thing she expected. A beautiful woman was before her, a soft aura about her. She looked bruised and battered, but had a warm glow in her eyes. Her voice was like a choir of angels. “What’s your name?”

Christy could hardly speak, but managed to stammer out her name. “Christy, I want you to think of someplace safe. I want you to think of family and friends far away from here. Where in the world do you feel at home? I want you to think about that and close your eyes.”

She closed her eyes. The ringing in her ears was drowning out the explosions and loud noises. The metallic smell of the blood in her nose was suffocating, but drove away the smells of the fires in the vicinity. She closed her eyes hard and thought about her grandmother. She thought about her townhome in New York, and the wonderful dinners she would host. She thought about the nights that she stayed there as a young girl and they stayed up late reading books. 

The hair on her neck stood up and she felt an electric tingle all over her body. Everything went silent and even the metal trash dumpster got softer. She cautiously opened her eyes and stared into the roaring fire of her grandmother’s living room.

“Christy, is that you?” Her grandmother’s voice was distant, drowned out by the ringing in her ears. Christy turned to see her grandmother and they embraced. 

Back in Las Vegas, Caledonia stood up where Christy had been a moment before, visibly drained. “Each one gets a little harder. Something is sapping my powers more quickly than normal, Eron.”

Eron had a troubled look on his brow. He looked down at the unconscious form of Phorius at his feet. “We have to leave. I know Wyldecard’s readings brought us here, but even Quan feels something is amiss. He seems to think something is wrong with the very fabric of time and space here. Since he’s the Elemental of Time, I’m inclined to trust him here.”

Looking out into the courtyard, they saw Wrathius carrying Quan over his shoulders towards them. He gingerly set his friend down near the dumpster and looked at Eron. “There are too many civilians here. We are putting them in danger if we stay.”

Eron’s demeanor changed. With a determined expression, he touched the communicator on his throat, “Knights, fall back. We reconvene at the forward base we set up this morning.”

Turning back down the alleyway, the Akkadian Knights retreated from the field of battle.

Congratulations to Mutant X on a victory well earned.

☩ŦΚЯ☩ Akkadian Knights /NA is at war with †‡[Âŋā-ĉħÿ X™]‡†!

Quan pointed down from the top of the building at the square below. Eron and Caledonia followed his gaze. “Whatever it is, it’s localized at that juncture. It’s some kind of rift that’s forming and I don’t know what it is or why it’s there. I have to get a closer look.” Wyldecard looked up form the alien device he was holding, “He’s right. The source of the energy fluctuations we’ve been following for days now is located in that park somewhere.”

The team had been working towards this point in the city for four days. They had encountered several teams thus far, some disinterested in them while others sought open conflict. The confusing part was that every team was a league of extraordinary heroes in their own right. Where the Akkadian Knights had been able to fight through the first one, the second was too powerful and the heroes had been forced to seek an alternative route. 

Caledonia, with her exceptional connection to the emotional states of others, had sensed it first. It was a supernatural tug at the subconscious of one of the Mutant X heroes that cued her off that something was amiss two days ago. Some force was manipulating the minds of some of the heroes. It hadn’t affected the Knights, but as Wrathius had deftly pointed out it really didn’t need to affect everyone. If the goal was to promote conflict, few people had to be “nudged” in that direction. The rest would follow. Nobody could deny the logic in it.

After three days, the team was now in the heart of Las Vegas. Before them was an unassuming park, at it’s center a broken replica of the Eifel Tower. Built by a casino as a gimmick to attract business, it now housed the †‡[Âŋā-ĉħÿ X™]‡† team. Although none of the Knights had the ability to read minds, Destiny did sense that the team before them was laying in wait for the Knights. 

The team seemed to have no choice but to face them. Eron ordered a quick sweep of the area to ensure no civilians were anywhere around. This battle needed to be without reservations. The sweep found only a few squirrels. “At least they aren’t Apocalypse Squirrels…” joked Wyldecard. 

The attack was swift, with Quan leading the charge. Landing in the center of the square, he used a massive Relic Storm assault to scatter the Anarchy team. Vexator and Caledonia followed up immediately with an Energy Rain storm, further disorienting the team. Starlight and Dark Angel were the first two to counter-attack, engaging the Knights. The entire Knights team surrounded Quan as he began using his quantum powers to examine the rift forming in the park.

The battle was intense, both sides delivering devastating blows to each other. Captain Stumpy was encased in an Avalanche early in the battle and rendered ineffectual for the duration of the combat. Everyone else fought tooth and nail to secure an advantage. The sky lit up with massive fireballs and flame tongues. Wrathius summoned a Soul Sword and went toe to toe with Death Wish’s Ice Scythe while Wyldecard and B’Gmord traded blows.

Eron, Bat MAn and Vexator had the toughest job of all. They had to protect Quan while he worked. Dark Angel, Starlight and Angel of Light were lighting up the sky with bursts of energy that would level a building. The three Knights were having to revert to defensive measures, relying on Four Points energy and Ring Defenses to erect a perimeter around them. Bat MAn’s Dark Knight armor was the only thing that saved him from a well timed blow from Dark Angel. The battle raged for over 5 minutes before the defenses fell.

It was then that z____Huitzilopochtli____z arrived. Blasting through the defensive perimeter, he hit Quan with everything he had. The seasoned Knight was well prepared for the remainder of the Anarchy team, but not this beast. Huitzilopochtli was more than a match for the team. Quan then did something that would have ramifications yet to be seen. He summoned the Power of the Rift, drawing energy from the time dilation he had found in the park and driving Huitzilopochtli back. 

Time skipped a beat. Everyone felt it. The flow of time actually reversed for just the briefest of moments. The Anarchy team, sensing the massive energy draw, stopped their assault almost immediately. 

Caledonia, who had been in mortal combat with The Legendary Ice Storm, let her psychic dagger dissipate. She looked at her foe, who had also stopped his attack and was now staring at Quan and Huitz, who were staring at each other. There was silence in the park for the first time since before the battle began. 

Just like that, the close battle was over. Dark Angel, leader of the Anarchy team, walked over to Eron. Moments ago, they were exchanging electrified grasps. Now, they were looking at each other in confusion. Dark Angel broke the silence. 

“Deathwish received a communication from the other side that told us to stop you at all costs; that you would destroy the world.” Eron looked back at her in amazement. Deathwish was behind her, nodding in acknowledgement that her words were true. “I don’t know what’s happening here, but I felt the power surge like we all did. Whatever is going on, I can see it’s bigger than our two leagues.”

“We’ve been searching for this energy reading since we arrived in Las Vegas,” Eron explained, “and seem to have found its source. Quan?”

“I don’t know yet, Eron.” Quan looked troubled as he pawed the air in front of him. “It’s almost as if our conflict is somehow causing the rift to grow larger…”

Both teams remained in the park for a while longer, pondering what had happened. At last, Anarchy left, leaving the Akkadian Knights in the park to play out the final chapter of the mystery before them…

My final submission... They don't seem to be posting past the first one.

☩ŦΚЯ☩ Akkadian Knights /NA is at war with Code of the Shogun

The park was beautiful at one time, containing stone benches and cobblestone walkways winding thier way through fields of perenial flowers. A mock replica of the Eifel Tower, much smaller than the original, was the centerpiece of the park. Surrounding it was a beautiful fountain with colorful lights shooting up into the spray. One could hardly find a more beautyful city block in any city in America. A nest of swallows made this particular park thier home as they migrated South each winter and children with thier parents would play on the swingset set amongst the trees.

It looked nothing like it's post card picture now. The park was covered with debris and litter, the leftovers of thousands of normal citizens fleeing the center of Las Vegas. Many of the trees had been burned in the constant battles that had ravaged the city for the last week and the smells of fires permeated the air. Holes from energy blasts and explosions had torn up the cobblestone paths and the park's centerpiece, the mock Eifel Tower made of iron, had been melted halfway up it's length, looking much like a melted candle at this point. 

Close to the center of the park, near the broken pool that once housed a functional foutain, Quan pawed at the air trying to figure out what the disturbance was that drew the team to this point in the city and what it's connection was to the wars being fought all over the city. Being the Quantum Elemental, the Elemental of Time, he had the best shot at doing so. 

Many news reports Wyldcard had managed to pick up indicated that the world thought that this was nothing more than another League War gone too far. In many cases, the news media had totally ignored the human cost of this conflict, instead treating it like some kind of major sports event. Other news outlets focused entirely on the casualties as if it was a war. In many ways they were right. For the most part, the only reporters trying to get into the city, both normal people and superbeings, were merely trying to get interviews with the leagues as if it was a game. It might be best that they think that until the truth could be uncovered. The truth was too terrible for most people to handle. Something was driving one team to battle another and there was a pattern behind the madness. Quan was intent on cracking the mystery.

The reaminder of the Knights had formed a perimiter around the park just in case any more teams arrived to attempt to stop the research Quan was doing. Wyldecard and Wrathius were vigilent, but taking a little time to talk about baseball. Vexator and Destiny were floating over the remains of the Eifel Tower, studying the nearby rooftops. Captain Stumpy was watching the main enterance of the park while Eron stood stoicly by Quan, watching the MGM Grand burn in the distance like some enormous bonfire. Bat MAn was nowhere to be seen, although it was a given that he was nearby.

Quan's eyes burned to life and he turned to Eron, "I know what's going on now and we have to leave. It's not safe here..." He was cut short. Using a boom tube, Code of the Shogun teleported directly to the center of the park mere feet away from the two heroes. With a coordinated attack, the honed warriors attacked Eron and Quan at once with a combined attack. Eron was knocked on his back by the assault and Pressure jumped on top of him, intent on taking out the Akkadian Knights' leader in the blitzkreig. What he didn't anticipate was Quan. Drawing directly on the Power of the Rift, Quan grabbed Pressure's arm and threw him backwards into Flame. The force of the assault sent both of them reeling into the trees on the other side of the park and drove them into the ground. Using a Relic Storm, he blasted G I Jew and Violeta Direwolf away from Eron. Meijjo, quicker than his counterparts, dived to the side and came back to plant a well aimed round-house kick on Quan's chin. The hero went down.

The remainder of the Knights took no time arriving and joining the fray. Each, familiar now with the Power of the Rift, drew more energy from it and hit the Code of the Shogun team with an assault that scattered them. Captain Stumpy felt the power coursing through his system for the first time and tore into G I Jew and Violeta Direwolf. The two junior warriors had little chance and both were out cold within seconds. 

Eron faced off with Meijjo. Eron shot a plasma bolt at Meijjo, who drew his sword, sidestepped, and attacked Eron directly. Had Eron not been invulnerable, the battle would have been over quickly. As it was, he was spared as the blade drew only the tiniest trickle of blood from his neck. He drew his own sword and the two faced off. Ms. Marvel stealthily snuck up behind Eron, intent on taking him out with a psychic blade when Bat MAn swooped in and pile drove her into the ground. The poor thing never knew what hit her. 

Both teams rabidly tore into each other. As they did, more and more power was drawn directly from the rift. Quan turned to look in it's direction and, to his horror, actually saw visible manifestations of the phenomenon. While Pressure and Vexator attacked each other and drew more power nearby, Quan could see the rift ripple and tear. In wild-eyed panic, he turned to the combined teams and attempted to get their attention. He used a Sonic Scream and shot quantum bolts into the air. Of course, nobody was even remotely paying attention.

He turned back to the gate and saw it pulse every time a hero around him drew upon it's power and knew he had to stop the fighting at all costs. Out of options, he used his direct feed to the Quantum Filed to create an expanding bubble of energy around himself. The bubble grew larger very quickly, until it had encompassed the entire battlefield. Once past the outskirts of the city block, he let it dissipate. As it hit each participant, the wave of energy knocked them flat on their backs. Caledonia and Bat MAn were the sole exception. She managed to erect a force barrier in time to protect them. The sonic boom it eminated shattered every window in a 3 block radius.

Every hero in the park, or what was left of it, sat up shakily where they could. A few did not get up immediately. Quan was physically exhausted from the attack and was literally smoking, but managed to point at the rift breathlessly. "We... have... to get out... of here..."

Every hero in the battle looked at what Quan was pointing at. Each one, in thier own way, came to the realization that something big was happening. Eron turned to Meijjo, "you heard the man, we have to leave. You can preserve your honor by ending this conflict with me now."

Meijjo thought for a second and sheathed his katana. Bowing to Eron, he called his team together. "It's obvious that our information about you was wrong. Whatever is happening here is larger than us both. Do what you have to do to save us." With that, their boom tube activated and the entire Code of the Shogun team left the field.

Eron walked over to Quan, still breathless. "What is that thing?"

"It's a rift of some sort. It's a rift in time or space... maybe both. I don't know what's coming through it, but the source of all of this conflict eminates from it." He started walking towards the edge of the park. The rest of the team followed him. "Every time a hero in this city draws on the rift for power, it actually tears reality a little more. Something is using the conflict to gain access to this world. There's no way we can stop the wars by ourselves. We have to warn everyone else..."

With that, there was a horrible noise, like the sound of glass breaking. The rift behind them began to tear wide open.

Caledonia looked at the widening rift. Across the city, other pinpoints of light began to appear. "It's too late."

To be continued in the KN storyline...