Week Three

[David]

[David]

DC2 Challenge

[/I]
Week 3: “Fighting for Balance”
Written by: Brian Burchette
Cover by: Craig Cermak
Edited by” David Charlton[/center]

[David]

Somerset England[/u]

The villagers of the small town of Dunster watched the coming storm in both awe and fear, for they had never seen such a storm in all their lives. The lightning blazed across the sky in hues of red and orange, punctuated by the sound of thunder that shook the ground itself.

Living on the Bristol Channel, the populace of Dunster, equaling near a thousand, had seen many storms roll in, but this one was different, and they all knew it. The air itself felt charged with electricity as it came over land.

It was, however, when it was nearly on top of them, that they saw what would make this a storm like none other they would ever see again… those who survived. In the middle of the wind, rain, and lightning, a tall woman, clad in a dark robe and a gold mask, glided through the air, serene in the center of the tempest. Her head was raised up and she seemed to be laughing, a deep haunting laugh.

Some in the town began to scream as lightening struck near them, blackening the ground and causing the earth to explode in grass and dirt.

One young woman turned to run, but was stopped suddenly as she nearly stepped on an orange cat. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught movement. She turned slowly, the hairs on the back of her neck standing straight up, only to be standing face to face with a young boy… a young, blue skinned boy.

“Do you like my kitty?” he asked, his eye’s so black that they practically sparkled.

She couldn’t respond, her voice, like her body, was locked in fear. A small squeak was the only thing that she could produce.

The young man named Klarion raised his hand and took hers into his. “Don’t be afraid. You’re pretty. Maybe my mother will allow you to live.”

The woman began to see lights in front of her, and then there was a moment of light-headedness, before she passed out.

The orange cat licked at her face, and then began to nibble on her cheek a bit.

“Now, now. We’ll get you food, soon.”

The orange cat huffed as it walked away.

From inside their homes, the villagers watched as the woman in the sky destroyed places of business and vehicles on her way to her destination. It was obvious, in mere moments that she was headed towards the steep hill where Dunster Castle stood.

Later, when people talked, they would all agree on one thing. As she passed the village, causing destruction along the way, she was humming a tune that nobody recognized, but all agreed sounded ancient.

[David]

The mustang convertible roared with power as it took the turns of California Route 1 with precarious precision. The brother behind the wheel laughed as the car momentarily lost traction, but quickly regained it. The younger brother in the passenger seat turned a shade of green and clung to the bucket seat for all his life.

“Slow down now!”

“Oh come on, Don! Live a little,” Hank Hall shouted at his brother, still laughing, but letting up on the gas.

“I want to live a lot,” his brother shouted as he relaxed just a bit. “But it isn’t going to happen if you drive us off a cliff.”

“What, you don’t trust me? I’d never do anything to harm you. You’re my little bro, and it’s my duty to look after you.”

“Doing a bang-up job,” Don said with more then a note of sarcasm in his voice.

“Oh quit your griping. You’ve been in a piss-poor mood since we left San Francisco. Our annual weekend away, and you were worse then a woman.”

“I don’t have to be trashed and hire hookers to have a good… What is that?” Don shouted over the wind as he pointed out towards the ocean. A storm had popped up suddenly, clouds black as obsidian, and was coming there way.

“Better put the top up,” Hank called back as he flipped a switch and the top began to rise. He slowed down to a near stop, starting to pull over, when there was a large honking from behind him and a car flew past them so fast, Hank nearly lost control of the car.

“That son of a…”

Don shrugged, “Just pull over so we can get the top up. That thing is moving fast.”

Instead, the mustang tore off in pursuit of the car.

“What are you doing?”

“He’s not getting away with that,” Hank said through clenched teeth as the rain and wind hit the vehicle with full force.

Don resumed his position of grabbing the bottom of his bucket seat. “Hank, slow down. You’re ripping the top apart, and your going to…”

It was the last thing he said as the car blew a tire and went careening over the edge of a cliff.

Although both men had been belted in, they suddenly found themselves hanging in mid-air as they watched their car explode into a ball of flames, plummeting towards the coastline.

Don Hall felt a powerful energy course through him--- and then came the whispering. It spoke to him in his mind, and told him that he was destined for greater things. That the time was coming, that a balance would have to be met. Then he found himself lying back on the side of the road.

He stood up and saw that his brother was still hovering above him, but not in the same white light that he had been in. It seemed to Don that his brother was being pulled apart my two different lights. One that was pure white and the other was dark, nearly pitch black.

Hank Hall let out a scream of pain as his brother watched him change. Where once was jeans and a button down shirt, was now a red and white costume. Then suddenly it changed again, into a dark red and black costume with a royal purple cape. Another brilliant flash of light blinded Don, and when he looked again, his brother was standing next to him, back in the red and white costume.

“Hank?” Don inquired, reaching out to him. He realized then that he, too, was wearing a costume. His was blue and white.

His brother looked at him for a moment, seemingly disoriented, and then spoke with assurance. “Hawk. I’m to be called Hawk.”

Don heard the whispering in his mind again and nodded, “And I’m Dove. We’re here to help keep the balance…”

Hawk nodded in agreement. “A dark time is coming, the balance could be tipped.”

The two brothers stared at each other; both knew their world had changed forever.

[David]

They were dressed in all black and running down the alley, somewhere in Star City. The man they were after was not that far a head of him.

The men in pursuit were dressed in black, and hooded as well. The man who was running from them was also in dark colors, his hair not only pulled back but pointed on either end of his head… and he was carrying a bow. He stumbled and fell, rolling and coming up firing two arrows. One hit its mark; the other did not.

He ran again, and leapt onto the end of a fire escape, climbing up as quickly as he could. Two of the black-clothed men grabbed at his legs, but he kicked them both off, continuing to climb to the very top.

When he got to the roof, he stopped short. Several more of the men were standing, waiting for him. In front of them was another blond-haired man. He had a sneer planted across his face.

“How many times must we tell you, Merlyn, there is no leaving the League of Assassins.”

A crack of thunder from the sky and a downpour of rain greeted them all. The one called Merlyn backed away as the other’s advanced.

Then, without warning, a shard of black crystal, fell into his arm, embedding itself into his skin. There was a flash of pain, and in that instant, the assassins were upon him.

He could not fight the pain and the assassins both, and was overwhelmed for a moment.

“Get. Off. Of. Me.” He screamed through gritted teeth.

Merlyn gave a great push and five of the assassins flew into the air and over the side of the building. Merlyn reacted quickly and fired two more arrows, wishing that they were lit on fire, so he could watch them burn in hell.

As if the arrows read his mind, the tips began to blaze a black and dark blue flame. He grinned as he fired several more arrows. The assassins that were hit, let out a shriek of pain as their bodies began to burn, the flames ignoring the downpour of rain that was washing over it.

The blond haired man backed away as Merlyn, a wicked grin on his face, headed towards them.

“This isn’t over. Nobody leaves.”

“Boo!” Merlyn whispered, firing more burning arrows. The assassins jumped out of the way and all disappeared over the edge of the building.

Standing in the rain, on the top of a building in Star City, the archer called Merlyn began to laugh. This had turned out to be the best day of his life…

[David]

To Be Continued!

[mockingbird]

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