Author: Shocksman
All Hallows Eve – 20 years ago…
A woman in the final stages of pregnancy is tied naked, spread-eagle in the midst of an elaborately inscribed circle, under the open sky. The mother screams in agony as the contractions suddenly bear down open her, hurricanes of pain compared to the soft spring rains they had been before. The circle of robed figures stand around the curious circle, which is embedded into the very rock of the ground. As they watch impassively, preparing to execute the morbid sacrifice of mother and unborn child, a soft hiss of metal goes almost unnoticed. Suddenly the figures turn as two of them crumple to the ground. A figure in black, all but invisible in the night, moves quickly, two more robed figures falling. One of the final two begins an incantation in a harsh female voice, while the other moves to directly confront the shadow that has claimed the other four. The shadow dispatches the robe, moving to the final one, as there is a flash of power and the female voice calls out triumphantly. Her voice suddenly goes from the clear ringing tones of triumph to a dark gurgling as her head rolls from her shoulders and the figure moves to the stricken mother in the circle. He is too late to save the mother, but perhaps…. He cuts, praying, pulling a small, still figure forth. Frantically, he clears the birthing grime from the babe’s mouth and breathes for it, massaging the tiny heart frantically. Suddenly, a cry pierces the night, shrill, pure and clean, despite the foulness surrounding his birth….
All Hallows Eve – 7 years ago…
A boy is trick or treating with his father. With the costume, he looks to be like the thousands of other youngsters in Paragon City, revelling in the holiday and the madness of the season. His father looks on bemused a few steps behind as he is blind sided. Even with all of his experience, he is unprepared for the assault upon him and his adopted charge. The ruffians gather around him, larger kids with bats and knives, demanding their wallets. As two of them grab the child and pull his arms up behind him, another hits the father in the stomach with a bat, softening him up to ensure his cooperation. The child suddenly explodes in a violent burst of power, sending the 2 holding him out into the street on their backs, and stunning the others roughing up his father. One suddenly has enough voltage and amperage rocketing through him to stop his heart and the others cannot move. His father picks himself up in awe.
He whispers brokenly for the boy to help him, making a silent promise to reveal to the boy the truth of his birth…
Now…
He looks into the sky and sees the ships descending. He knows that he can’t help with those battles. He knows he isn’t ready for them, but decides that it doesn’t mean he can’t help at all. He says a silent thank you to his mentor, the man who trained him and prepared him for this day, wishing his father figure were here to see this moment. He steps out into the light, a lithe, muscular figure in black with yellow lightning bolts down the sides and on his chest. He knows that in order to do big things, you have to start small. The Hellions may be chump change in the city’s illicit cash register, but he is going to show them what it means to mess with Paragon City’s finest…
He is going to teach the underbelly of the city to fear…. The Shocksman!
