Phoenix League Duels, Round 4, May, 2012

An explosion rocked a gasket making factory three blocks from the main Superhero City arena.  Two blocks closer to the impressive structure, a firestorm was threatening to overtake the SHCFD.  Fortunately, The Gallifreyan from NMDS was nearby and assisting with the blaze.  

The arena itself was blackened and several holes had been blasted in its side.  As Rory and Carol ran away from their townhome seven blocks away, a loud blast could be heard.  Looking back, they saw that a good chunk of the exterior had been blasted out and upwards by what appeared to be a Neptune Assault.  The two took shelter in a nearby storefront, the front shattered display case window allowing them easy entry to escape the falling debris.  

They huddled down behind the counter and were amazed to find the owner of the shop, an older hispanic gentleman covering his two grandaughters' heads, had taken cover there aS well.  A bright blast of white energy shot down the street past them and they hunkered down.  There would be no more running.

Off to one side, an old cathode ray tube TV was flickering on and off.  SHC News was reporting live from the scene and everyone behind the counter paid rapt attention.  

"This is Tracy Spiddock with Superhero City News filling in for Captain Avenger with a news alert for all residents of the lower east side of Superhero City.

Local authorities are issuing a general evacuation of the Arena District, within 10 blocks of the original Superhero City Arena seen behind me.  All citizens are advised to take appropriate measures to evacuate or bunker down until the current crisis is over.

Details are sketchy at the moment, but from what we can tell there has been a major malfunction in the equipment inside the arena where the title bout for Division 3 between Phoenix Omega and The New Revengers is taking place.

I have with me Professor Fritzinger with the SHC Foundry, designers of the current Arena equipment.  Dr, can you explain to us exactly what is happening?"

"Of course, Tracy.  First off, I wish to reiterate the general alert.  If you can hear this broadcast and evacuate the area, please do so.

The equipment that makes the arena operate takes on three forms.  The first is a series of reality projectors developed by Shadow Knight.  These tools enable arena officials to change the conditions of each battle for various reasons.  They are the reason why heroes always seem to be battling in a different locale for every event when the battles actually take place in the arena.  The second is a set of 200 force field projectors.  Not only do they reinforce the reality projector objects, providing needed tangibility, but they also create a barrier around the arena preventing errent flying objects and blasts of energy from endangering the surrounding city.  THe third component is a special lining on the arena walls that enables the space inside the arena to wrap around itself, creating the illusion that it is much bigger than it is.  We also have sophisticated camera equipment in there lining the arena, which is how everyone sees the bouts.

One of the three components has failed.  The force field barriers have been deactivated.  From what we can tell, the intensity of the match was phenominal.  We're not sure if it was FullySick or Captain Atom, but one of them let off an Electromagnetic Pulse on the order of 15 giga-jueles.  Our equipment is only rated at 13 giga-jueles.  The blast shut down the force field barrier."

"Professor Fritzinger, wouldn't the blast have shut down the rest of the equipment too?"

"That's a good question.  From all we can ascertain, the rest of the equipment was fused in the 'on' position, for lack of a better analogy.  We cannot turn it off.  Given the fact that each arena has a self contained power source, we have no way of doing so right now.  To the heroes in the arena, nothing is wrong.  Without a means to communicate with them, and without a means to turn the equipment off, we simply have to wait out the match."

"Thank you professor.  As you can see behind me, the Akkadian Knights and Extreme Justice are attempting to set up mobile force field generators around the arena to minimize the damage to the surrounding city, but so far have not been able to get them into position.  The area is simply too dangerous.  Several =][G][= GODS teams are en route and will be rendering assistance.  

We'll bring you more live footage as the day progresses."

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The battle inside the arena could only be described as that of a struggle between the gods themselves.  Even the fabrictated reality created by the reality projectors was scorched and charred, as if they were incapable of repairing the damage inflicted by the embattled teams.  In truth, they were not, but neither team knew this.  An early EMP blast ensured that.

The two teams started off hitting very hard.  Both sending in their most powerful warriors in waves.  The New Revengers, following FullySick's lead, had systematically attacked one Phoenix at a time, working in perfect unison.  Area 51 began picking apart each Phoenix hero, utilizing their weaknesses to defeat them. The plan was working flawlessly until Kienzen, sensing the tactic, altered the Phoenix plan of attack mid-stream.  Using Captain Atom, X-Minion and Bollock as bait, he peeled the powerful New Revengers members away from the main team. 

The strategy worked and Phoenix managed to disrupt the best of plans.  From then on out, it became a battle of the titans.  Each hero levied his strengths and weaknesses against the other as efficiently as he knew how.  The problem for The New Revengers was that they were not used to creating tactical alterations on the fly when the battles were anything other than a mass action.  One-on-one, they began to buckle and fall.  

Sothios attempted to lead the Area 51 team in a rally towards the end of the conflict, but even his might was too little too late.  Seeing his opponents blink, Kienzen seized the opportunity and sent in the remainder of his forces. Iceena and JUGRNAWT charged in and levied a withering barrage of elemental attacks and brute force.  Shooting off in the air, Neo-Avalon and Final Judgement went up in high arcs towards the center of The New Revengers, landing like bombs. The remainder of the team took a frontal assault, each blasting away with everything they had.  The coordinated attack literally shook the arena to it's foundation.

When the dust settled, it was obvious that the Area 51 team was done.  The Grimm Reaper nodded his head and held up one hand, as if to say, "enough is enough".  Walking towards each other, Kienzen and The Grimm Reaper shook hands.  It was an affirmation of each team's might and the respect of each leader was evident in the move.  

It was at that moment that the reality projectors finally failed. The arena blinked out of existence and all the assembled heroes looked around at the broken remains of the SHC Arena.  Holes were blasted in the walls and large cracks ran along the length of the foundation.  As they watched, one of the reality projectors simply fell off the wall, smashing as it hit the floor some 60 feet below, and a small fire burned from one of the electrical outlets.  Sparks rained from several of the TV cameras positioned along the top of the arena wall and one of the skyboxes was sitting in the center of the arena floor.

The two leaders looked at each other.  They were really hoping that nobody was in that skybox when it fell.

The Grim Reaper smiled from ear to ear and put his hands in the air, "I believe the prize money will go to good use renovating the stadium, don't you agree?"  

Kienzen lifted one eyebrow.  

Doh.

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Our heartfelt congrats to a well fought war and a fitting end to this League Duels. Area 51 really made a strong showing and we pity the fools that .  

As for the victors... PHOENIX ONCE AGAIN REIGNS!