Desire for Dark Revengeance (Dragontithe)

Funerals were always sordid affairs, doubly so when the family in question were not very well off. The Darby family was not very well off, and only the ones who carried the name and a few family friends attended. It was late afternoon and the sun was no longer so harsh on the black attendants. The priest said his scripted eulogy for the deceased, mister Bryce Darby having lived such an agonizing last ten years of life.

An older man with graying hair was comforting a young teenager. The boy looked on as they lowered Bryce into the ground, and filled in the grave. "Uncle Bryan... Tell me again... how did dad...?"

"We were doing a job on a bank. We managed to get away with the money, but then Sun Queen showed up." Brian explained to his nephew in simple terms, patting his shoulder.

"And... Sun Queen... took his arms? why?" The boy asked, looking at his uncle and wanting to know more.

"He was covering our getaway, shooting at her. Decided he didn't need his arms anymore."

"Some hero. I wish she could see what she did to us. I wish she could..."

"That was a long time ago Dylan. You should let it go. Get on with your life. Try to make something with what he left you."

"Okay. I will, uncle. I will."

"Yeah Dylan. That's better."

= = = = = = = =

The Darby residence was a small place in the middle of the suburbs, one of countless identical homes. It was all quiet that night, as young Dylan Darby sat alone in his room, his mother out of the house 'working', and wouldn't be back again for a few days. He held his late father's mask, one piece of a whole armor he had so painstakingly reassembled over the years in secret.

His room was filled with newspaper clippings and printed articles, detailing Sun Queen's exploits and eventual retirement. He had spent his father's trust fund to buy expensive intelligence, uncovering Sun Queen's identity- a doctor at a local hospital. Tonight was the night.

Dylan opened the special wood cabinet and looked at the armor. He began to suit up.

The voices of the restless and vengeful boomed in a black nothingness. Muffled screams of a young girl pierced through the cloud of anger and hate. She was in an alley just outside of the coffee shop she worked at. The man about to assault her was her boss, a lowly man who had just been divorced and dumped by his girlfriend. You can guess why.

The man Stepped closer, "You look just like her.. you know that. Oh Diana my sweet, i never meant to hurt you." The man said, staring through the girl lustfully as he stumbled twords her.

The woman tried to scream, but the man's hand was on her face already, muffling her pleas. The man forced himself onto her.

The woman was frightened, angry, overwhelmed, but most importantly, she wanted the man to die. She begged god for help, but he didn't bat an eye. Allen however, did.

He opened his eyes and let the wave of fear and anger harden around him forming his armor, and the plume of purple flame filled with the souls of the ones he'd slain. perhaps not the whole soul, but echoes.

Allen zoomed to the spot of the disturbance and caught the man with his pants down, pun intended. The love drunk man looked up for just enough time to see Allen draw his pistols and fire. One bolt of ice ripped though his chest, another bullet encased in flames went right through his heart. The woman looked up and saw him, the spirit of vengeance. Revanent.

She looked at her dress. Perfectly fine even though she had been so close. She when to question the revanent, but before she could ask, he departed in a burst of purple smoke with the words "Guess you've been a good girl"

Dylan looked at himself in the mirror, adorned in the Tesla suit. It was a custom battle suit his father had bought from a Soviet-weapons armsdealer, and spiced up to be more mercenary. He might have been a villain, but he was an American villain- not a Commie!

Once prepared he went to his father's van and began riding for the Sun Queen's neighborhood, her very apartment. He stuck to side roads and drove properly, as to avoid any unnecessary attention.

The target building was in sight now, and he parked a block over in an empty parking lot. Street vagrants who saw him quickly made themselves scarce, the sight of a costumed figure with lighting crackling over his armor meant trouble. He prepares himself mentally, and begins walking to the Apartment of his nemesis.

A sudden rush of fear, anxiety, and doubt rushed into the powerful strain of vengeance being sot by a young man. The young man was strong, but not only that he was determined. Allen was intrigued, but that wasn't the only reason. He could tell that there had been a death in his family.. His father. He sought revenge for the person who killed his father.. Family. Allen had always had a weakness for things like this. Having seen his brothers murdered in front of him.. feeling their lives slipping away.

By the time he realized he had been moving while thinking, he was already outside the apartment building that the youth had entered. He strolled in, ignoring the people around him screaming bloody murder. Apparently not a lot of people are accustomed to seeing ghosts, funny in this day and age.

As Allen made his way inside, he saw a man in armour with small jolts of electricity arcing around it. He swallowed hard. This had to be him.

"Vengeance" Revanent started. "Its quite a thing. We all want it, but are never satisfied once the deed is done."

Young Dylan was mentally prepared for what he was about to do. He wasn't expecting people to already be screaming and running. It mattered little to him, these people were not part of his revenge.

Then he spied the incorporeal form that started the panic.

"Who...who are you?! what do you want?! Take one step closer and I'll blast you!" He said in alarm at the sight of the Revenant. He certainly did hold his ground, and aimed his suit's gauntlet at him. It crackled with electrical energy, ready to discharge should Allen not take the boy seriously.

= = = = =

Tonight was a chill night after long hospital duty for Shauna. She preferred reading, as paper and ink didn't give off any sort of electromagnetic signals. Her big old tabby cat, Walter, sat in her lap, purring. She opened a pint of Ben & Jerry's Chunky Monkey ice cream, Walter wanting a spoon.

"No, no people food for you." Shauna said, distracting the cat with a laser dot on the floor by using her powers. Walter, never realizing the trick his metahuman played on him, gives chase and tries to paw at the green laser dot, until it led to a bowl of catfood and water. With her cat occupied with proper food, Shauna returns to her book and ice cream.

"I go by many names, but the local populace has labeled me a suiting name. You may call me Revanent." The demonic figure continued forward. "I know why you are here young one. I know what you are prepared to do, but you know as well as me it is not enough." Allen sighed in his head. He had done this shpeal a thousand times, it got boring, but he was dedicated to the roll at this point. "I come to those seeking vengeance, and i offer my help, for a cost." Mans gotta make a living.

He looked the boy once over. The suit looked powerful, but the way he held himself and the way his arm shook a bit. Allen had trained recruits in the army, every one of them shot above their targets when on the field. This kid was no different. at least, that's what he thought.

GROUND FLOOR

Dylan didn't consider getting any help for his personal Vendetta. Still, an ally was welcome, and he didn't really think it through anyway.

"Fine. I've got money left in the bank. You can have it. As long as well kill the Sun Queen!" He said, marching into the lift that would take them upstairs.

= = = =

5th FLOOR

The lift ground to a halt once it reached the 5th floor, and Dylan marched his way to the last apartment in the hallway where Shauna resided. Only a few residents deigned to live on the same floor as a metahuman, and the few who did quickly went back to their apartments and locked the doors.

He reached his destination and noticed the numerous burn holes in the wall and door. He stands behind the wall instead, and knocked. He calmed himself down a bit, just to fake a voice. "Special delivery, Shauna Masters."

Inside the Apartment Shauna looked over to the door after hearing the knock. While famous for her laser eye beams, very few people knew, if any, about her advanced vision. She saw right through the wall and saw some kid in a tesla battle suit knocking.

"Just a minute, let me get dressed." She called out, heading to her special cabinet, rushing to get her power suit on.

well, that was easy. Allen thought maybe the man would attempt to dissuade him, or make an offer of money, but this kid just gives him the rest of his cash? Allen watched the kid climb the stairs, seeing a bit of himself as well. He followed up after him.

"Im used to people wanting my help, but shouldn't you save a bit for yourself?" That's when Allen noticed the burn marks. Considering there were no machines and the burns were quite large, Allen had to ask. "This person.. Wouldn't happen to be a meta.. would they?" Allen was nervous, but didn't let it show.

"Yeah. Sun Queen. A so called hero, given my life nothing but grief. She's the reason my dad died... And now I'm getting payback!" Dylan said with spite in his voice, looking at Revenant. It was clear the boy had alot of guts but a bit short on brains, not even giving the burn marks on the wall any thought.

A minute passed. Dylan was losing his patience. Why did he care if Sun Queen was dressed or not? She could die in her undies for all he cared. He charges up his gauntlets and discharges it on the door knob, blowing it clear off. He enters the apartment in force.

"SUN QUEEN!" Dylan shouted, only to find himself in a darkened apartment.

"A Hero?" The door slammed open into what appeared to be an empty room. "Now may be a bad time to mention it, but my weapon only effects those with corrupted souls. Those with ill intent. Do you think this "Hero" matches that description?"

Allen Peered into the darkness, his purple flames dimly lighting the room.

Dylan didn't hear Allen's question. He barely took two steps when Shauna, hiding just behind the door, jumps out and springs her ambush. She kicks Dylan behind the knee, sending him kneeling. "Wha?!" Dylan didn't know what was happening, save for a hand pulling his head back, making it difficult to react.

Shauna throws a switch on the Tesla Suit's back, turning it off. She then uses a *kitchen knife* to cut the cables that powered his gauntlets. Dylan's vengeful heart had words, but struggled to escape this basic hold. "NO! NO! NO! REVENANT HELP ME!" He struggled, trying to throw a punch... somewhere. It was clear Dylan was planning to have a shootout with his Tesla gauntlets. He didn't have the experience to deal with a military-style ambush and take down.

"Alright buddy, back off and no one will get hurt!" Shauna maintained her grip on the boy, while turning to face Allen, who seemed a bit more dangerous. Shauna's green eyes began to glow brightly, giving Allen a fair warning. She also managed to put on her suit's chestpiece and a sleeker, high tech gauntlet of her own.

Allen quickly drew out his sword and held it firmly in his hands. "I hear you're a hero, a hero that kills." He smiled. Revanent walked a little closer, careful not to come too close. " Understand i have not intention to kill anyone of pure heart, in fact i'm incapable, but just for fun, lets see if you bleed." Before he even finished the sentence the emerald sword had vanished and two colts, one white, one black were nestled firmly in his grasp.

The first shot went off, aimed at the leg of the hero, a bullet of pure ice and sheer cold.

Shauna did not like the situation. One of the attackers got a hold of one of her old villains' armor and managed to track her civilian identity down, while the other fellow didn't know a thing about her. "You don't know half of it, pendejo. I put down a lot of bad people in the ground, doesn't mean I wanted to."

She then saw Revenant pull a gun on her. Wearing her suit's chest piece, she didn't even flinch.

"Don't do it." Shauna warned Revenant, but he already pulled the trigger. Sensing the projectile, Shauna's deflection field activated, a brief shimmer of green energy the only indication of the device. The bullet was deflected wildly and hit Shauna's wall mounted medal case, spilling her USAF decorations, broken wood and glass onto the ground.

Poor Dylan only just figured out to pry Shauna's hands off his neck, rolling away. He gets up and throws a punch but Shauna weaves with it, and trips him again. Dylan fell flat on his face, making him clutch his nose in pain.

Shauna looked at her memorabilia damaged by the bullet, her years of service scattered on the ground. "Fine. let's do it your way." She makes eye contact with Allen and her eyes glowed instantly, a flash of sun-bright light that lit up the dark room and could easily blind or disorient most enemies. This was was one her non-lethal attack.

"Oh shit". Allen locked eyes with the woman he presumed the boy and him were after. The woman would have been just his type, if he hadn't been on a kill job. When her eyes began to glow Allen quickly got behind the now transformed Aegis, blocking whatever was coming and holding his eyes closed, braced for impact.

When no impact arrived Allen swapped to Sword mode and made a rush attack at Shauna. Something had deflected his bullet and it certainly wasn't her. He presumed whatever it was didn't block partly meta-physical blades and went for a piercing shot aimed at the leg.

Having no desire to set things on fire, Shauna realized how the attack was dire. Allen came at her low, to deliver a blow, but there were things about her he just didn't know. The lady sprung blades from her wrists, and with a slight twist, the edge did alight with emerald green energy.

"If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!" Said the lady to the enemy she just met, countered the attack with a side-step to parry and began swinging her dual blades of lasers to harry the unwelcome visitors. Needless to say, she still didn't strike to kill as the thought of murder didn't thrill, the heroine, instead going to disarm him, striking at his wrists so with elegance he'd understand the risk of fighting to win regardless of his wish for vengeance.