Cruelty and History
7/11/1947, Blue Harbor, Maine
Zarda had been walking now and as she had done so, looking around at everything there before her and with her Howard when she saw that there was The members of The Peterson family and seeing them, she smiled and approached now, the group looked towards the couple now before they had noticed that Nay and Nammu were there, but there was something that made the woman pause.
“Hey there, where’s Namor?” she asked of them and hearing that, Nay had pouted towards them right now while the Atlantean sighed, “Sadly, he is not in Maine right now, he’s living in Hawaii.” she said towards them and hearing that, Zarda was confused, “Why’s he in Hawaii?” Howard had asked and hearing that, Zarda curious at that now as they had moved now.
As they did so, Randall had sighed, “Sadly, it seems that something called ‘Talokan Sharka’ were hunting him, so he went to go and hide with a friend of his.” he said and hearing that, the Utopian had been a bit surprised by that now as she went and started to follow them, “Does he need any help?” she asked, making Nammu shake her head, “Everything’s under control, but there is something I want to talk about…”
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7/16/1947, Fort Erskine, Teton Wilderness
The woman had showed them the report she had made thanks to the report from Nammu, “It looks like a Moloid warlord is moving to take The Spike.” she told them and hearing that, the group had looked towards each other when Joseph spoke, “How are we going to stop him?” he asked and hearing that, the woman had shaken her head, “I have no idea.” she told them, “But we need to set up more defenses.”
Hearing that, the General had sighed, “Head down there, take the lay of the land, and find out everything that you can find out so that we make sure that those monsters don’t come up here.” he said towards them now and hearing that, the others nodded, some of them didn’t like the wording of it, but they would follow through with the order but maybe at least keep the casualties to a minimum.
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7/16/1947, The Spike, Subterranea
The Squadron had come down The Spike and as they looked around at everything, the Squadron had al been geared up, looking around at it all now before they saw that there were Moloids who had been around The Spike now, all of them had some sort of horn like marking over their body now and as they started to walk now, looking towards everything, “So where’s this Warlord?” Robbie asked.
Hearing that, the others had nodded, curious by that as The Moloids had went and shown an image that had been painted on the stone there with ash and hopefully plant matter, but they were also repeating a word, “Kro.” “Kro.” “Kro.” “Kro.” “Kro.” “Kro.” “Kro.” was what they were saying and hearing that, they had started to get curious, “Who’s Kro?” Skymax said and hearing that, they were all curious.
“I believe that they’re talking about me.” a voice said, making them all turn towards a Moloid, or at least what looked like a Moloid but he was tall, the size of a man and hearing that, the group had all went on the offensive as Kro had smirked, “Wow, I haven’t seen you guys since The World War!” he said towards them.
Hearing that, the group had been confused, they had never heard of or seen him before, “Perhaps THIS will remind you?” hee asked of them now, his body starting to change and morph before he had appeared as a new man wearing a German uniform now, “Offizier Pluto, melde mich zum Dienst.(Officer Pluto, reporting for duty.)” he said before morphing back to his Moloid form.
“You?!” Joseph had asked, aiming the Prism towards the man, monster, whatever he was! “You should have stayed hidden!” he snarled now while the Moloids started to look towards him with some confusion and also some anger, while Kro had shrugged now, “I got bored, you will too when you get to be a couple of thousand of years old.” he told them which made the group surprised.
But he had simply started to ready to fight against him right about now before they started to see that there were ALOT more than they had originally thought, “I’m sorry, but it seems that we’ve got a bit of a stand off here.” he said with a smile now as the group saw that there were quite a large group that was there now, seeing them, the Squadron had glared.
“And you do realize that there’s a large bomb that’s a part of The Spike, if you use it, you’re going to die and the explosion will collapse the entrance.” she said and hearing that, the shapeshifter had paused now, “Well then, it seems that we’re in a bit of a standoff.” he said towards them and hearing that, the Squadron couldn’t argue as they had started to think of their options.
Eventually there was a bit of calm before Kro spoke, “How about this? I will go ahead and get myself back home to my homeland, you can keep your little Spike, and there’s something that you can do for me to get The Moloids away, really easy too.” he said towards them now as he went and revealed a scroll which made the group confused as they went to look at it.
“It’s nothing too serious, just a little artifact from the old days, something I had back when I was a child.” he said towards them and hearing that, the group had looked, “Either go through with my little demand, or I swear to Ziran that I will make the beasts below come upwards to make Earth Hell.” he said towards them now, making the Squadron get ready to fight now before Zarda spoke.
“What exactly is it that you want?” Zarda asked and hearing that, Kro smiled, “Just a little childhood artifact, something I wanted to give my children if I ever bothered to have any.” he asked and hearing that, the group had been confused, why would he have waited so long to have acquired something like that, taking a breath, they had all looked towards each other before Joseph nodded.
“Where is it?” he asked and hearing that, the shapeshifter smiled now before telling, “Babylon, in a temple to Ishtar, it’ll be the room that doesn’t belong.” he said towards the group before he turned to walk away and seeing that, they had been surprised by that, by such a simple request and they had no idea why something that should be so old could want something so petty.
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7/16/1947, Guardsmen Barracks, Attilan
Mesili and Auran had been going through their training right now and as they started to do so, Sterilon had approached them, “Mesili, Auran, I have a request of you.” he said and hearing that, they looked towards him with curiosity, “There seems to be a strange disturbance of energy near the ancient city of Babylon, I do not know what it is, but the energy coming from it… it reminds me of the ancient stories.” he said.
That made them both look towards him, they had heard of the Metal Gods who had come down to Earth, how they had created Angels, Demons, and gave humans power, and then how there was the Kree, their Blue Angels who had taken the Power and the blood of the Angels to create The Inhumans, “This must be from The Eternals… the Angels.” he told them.
That made them surprised by that now before Sterilon spoke, “With this, we should be able to make contact with them, to grow and create a rapport if they still exist.” he explained towards them now and hearing that, the two of them nodded, “I can go, but I don’t think that Mesili–” “You do recall what my terrigenesis gave me, correct?” she asked, making Auran start to feel fuzzy as he mind was played with.
She had scowled before they saw that Mesili had looked like any other person, “See? Now how are we going to get to Babylon?” she asked and hearing that, Auran had smiled, “Lucky for us, I happen to have a way to get there.” she told them now, going and starting to press in some buttons, “Now how about we head on over and find out whatever we can?” she told them.
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7/16/1947, Ishtar Temple, Babylon Ruins
The members of The Squadron had been surprised when the Deviant had given them some sort of creature that had eaten them all before dropping them in the ruins, “What the Hell was that?” Joseph had asked and none of them could answer that, each of them had been a bit confused and grossed out by what had happened and did NOT want to speak about it as they had started to walk through there.
As they did so, there was a man that had been walking the area as well, he had a large hunch and was not in any way of the word, handsome, as he walked though, there was a noise that seemed almost like a clicking coming around him right now as he noticed them, “من أنت؟ ماذا تفعل في بابل؟(Who are you? What are you doing in Babylon?)” he said towards them, all of them confused by that.
He had seemed almost monstrous, but he was wearing suit that was reeking of old money before he saw that they didn’t understand, “English?” he asked in what seemed like a Greek accent, making them all start to nod at that, “Good, then why are you here in Babylon?” he asked of them again, making the Squadron look at each other, “We’re looking for the Temple of Ishtar, someone had sent us here for The Room that doesn’t belong.” Robbie said.
That made the clicking intensify, at least until the man started to shush something, that made the clicking start to diminish at least before the man looked, “My master had told me of such a room, but no one has the key to open it, not my master, not his enemies, no one.” he said towards them and hearing that, the Squadron had been curios on how they would enter it.
Which was when Mesili and Auran had arrived now with a crack of thunder, both of them feeling sick from that teleportation right now and as they started to look over everything and seeing the squadron that was there, “Well this is bad.” she said right now and hearing that, The Squadron had all went to attack them now and seeing that, the two Inhumans went to do the same.
Mesili had started to act up their minds, making them start to feel out of it and confused now when Auran had shifted, going to attack them now as she was in her full beast form, Zarda had raised her shield to block her while her sword went to go and slice off her right hand, Joseph blasting her back while Robbie went to attack Mesili right now, performing a barrage to punch her repeatedly.
But her body was tougher than his fists as she went to headbutt him now, knocking him back and feeling like she had given him a concussion now while Skymax had went to attack now, growing multiple tentacles now that he proceeded to wrap around her limbs, angering Mesili as she went to focus entirely on his mind only, making his limbs start to get unsteady before freeing her now.
She broke herself free while Auran who had been clawing at Zarda who was cutting her and Joseph trying to bubble the creature, but she already reattached her arm and was clawing and snarling towards her with a fury before the man had snarled, “Kyra!” the man had snapped now, making a strange creature leave his shadow now, garbed in clothes over it’s whole body.
The source of the clicking was obviously from now, “Restrain.” he said now, making their own shadows start to grow now and wrap around them now, that made them all confused now, “I am Ephialtes, and you will not destroy the City of Babylon.” he said towards them and hearing that, the group looked towards him, though there was recognition in her eyes.
“Like Ephialtes from the betrayal o f The Spartans?” Zarda asked and hearing that, he nodded, “The very same, me and my sister had given Xerxes the information that he needed to defeat them.” he said with a smile now and hearing that, the Squadron and two Inhumans had been on guard, “So tell me, why are you both looking for The Room that doesn’t belong?” he asked.
Hearing that, the two groups had looked towards him with some confusion before they had went to look towards the others that were there, “Why are you looking for The Room?” Robbie had asked of them, hearing that, the two had looked towards each other, “We had discovered a strange signal and… by any chance, were you a part of The Invaders?” Auran asked as Mesili watched the creature, Kyra.
“That is correct, why do you ask?” Zarda asked and hearing that, the two of them smiled at that, “We are from the same kingdom as Maximus, but tell me, why are YOU looking for the room?” Mesili had asked and hearing that, Joseph spoke, “We had been tasked to recover an item from the room, and that is all.” The Utopian had told him now and hearing that, they were surprised as well.
“Well, do you want to get this over with or do you all want to just lie around here?” the man said, clicking his tongue and making Kyra release her captors now and return to his shadow and he started to walk away from everything that was there as they started to walk now and as they had done so, the two groups looked to each other as he went and started to approach the area.
“You two, you have the necessary blood.” The man said towards them now, making the group look as both Auran and Mesili had approached the large circle of stone that was installed in the wall, “Just place your hands on the stone and that should do it.” he said towards them now, making the pair cautious at why he would be helping but they had done so and were amazed as the door opened before them.
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7/16/1947, The Room that Doesn’t Belong, Ishtar Temple
The group had entered now and as they looked at the room that was there, looking around and seeing that there was so much strange technology here, but it seemed untouched for millenia, how could that have been the truth? What could have caused all of this to be created? Who was responsible for all of this? As they looked it over, the man had seem that there was something.
It was what they assumed to be the artifact in question now, it looked like a little monster as a doll now, making the group go to collect the individual in question now and as they had started to grab it, the Inhumans had looked towards one of the machines that had looked towards it before Mesili had went to pick up the device and as she had done so, the Squadron were about to speak.
At least until they noticed that there was Ephialtes who had been looking like he had been hungry right now before the man that should have been dead had went and picked up a weapon now, he looked towards everything that was there before the man had started to look towards everything that was there before the man smiled towards them now as he went and picked it up.
“Ah, my master was looking for this.” he told them, “He’s always looking for new materials for his claws.” he said now and hearing that, the group had been a bit surprised by that, “Wait, so you–?” he started to click again, “My master always prefers more skulls for his trophy case, and I believe that he will enjoy it after his current situation, raising a child.” he said as their shadows had started to attack them.
Hearing that, the group started to move now, Mesili had started to invade the mind of Kyra, as she did so, there was a pause now before Auran had looked towards the Doctor Spectrum, “Light this place up! No shadows!” she shouted now and hearing that, the man did as much, releasing a blow that had made the creature shriek now, getting weaker it seemed now.
Seeing this, Ephialtes had went to shield the creature, their robes starting to be shaken off to reveal a pale creature, beautiful as a corpse with pale skin, iris as red as blood with midnight sclera fangs, “I am here, Kyra, I am here.” Ephialtes had said now, seeming scared and concerned for her now as they had surrounded the pair now, “Don’t hurt her, anyone but her.” he said towards them.
That made the group look now, a bit surprised and confused by that before they had heard a chuckle now, “Well then, hello there, Udu.” a voice said, a voice that put them all on edge and terrified now, they had turned towards the source of the noise and saw that there was a giant who was behind them now and swaddled in cloths was a baby that almost looked identical to Kyra.
“Ephialtes, you have always prepared such delicious meals, but I am to busy today.” he said towards them now and hearing that, that, the squad and the Inhumans had went to attack but he only clapped his hands, making the baby giggle while they were all thrown into the walls, making the squad get a bit annoyed by that before they saw that there was the purple man picking the two up, “Child, home.” he said.
Hearing that, the infant giggled before the four of them had vanished with the material in question, seeing them all disappear, the Squadron were confused at why that had happened, but at least they had acquired the materials in question now and seeing that they had acquired what they needed, both groups had decided to think on it more, “I can’t believe that Crule was here.” Joseph said.
Hearing that, the Inhumans had looked, they had heard of him but never thought that there was a giant like that, and the fact that he had a child on his person not to mention those two had made things complicated and a lot more dangerous for them all if that had been only the tip of his spear and not instead the end of it while all three had brought their prizes back home.
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7/16/1947, The Royal Palace, Attilan
The Inhumans had returned, throwing up now from the teleportation as they had given the device back to the people here now with Sterilon approaching, looking it over, “This is interesting.” the man said, “It appears almost like the communicators that we utilize.” he said towards the two of them as Auran had went to look at the information that she had written down about Crule and those three there.
“The creature that Maximus had told us about, Crule, has three associates, “Ephialtes, who was alive when the Spartans had face off against The Persians with only 300 warriors.” she said, wishing she had a history buff, “A creature names Kyra that seemed to be able to control people’s personal shadows and hide in Ephialtes.” she said which made Sterilon curious by that.
“And finally an infant who seemed to be able to teleport to anything it seemed.” she continued which made Sterilon curious, “How is that possible? They shouldn’t be Inhumans… there is only Attilan.” she said towards them and hearing that, this Crule had made them all the more curious by everything right now and as they had started to head back towards their Barracks now to warn the others.
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7/16/1947, The Spike, Subterranea
The Squadron had returned to him now as Kro had been sitting in a chair and as he looked towards them with a cup of tea, “I have to admit, I was surprised that you had all returned.” he said with a grin now and hearing that, they had glared before offering the item in question towards the man who had looked at the doll with a smile now, looking towards it all before he picked it up.
“Thank you, this has been missing for quite a long time.” he explained now and hearing that, the others had looked towards him with a glare and caution while he went and stood up, “Thank you, I will be heading home now, I hope that you all have pleasant lives.” he said with a grin now which made the Squadron a little curious before he turned and started to walk away now.
Seeing that, the Squadron had started to head back to the lift now and as they did so, the group wondered where the man had acquired those three, most likely the child was from Kyra, but the fact that Ephialtes was so old made the group start to think that Crule had been planning something more serious was going on now as they went to tell everyone every thing they could.