Tag Archives: Martin Magnus

Arc 14.8.0: Singularity

Singularity: Part 16

4 Comments

Energy built and then spread outward in an explosion of power, but fortunately not a physical one. Well, sort of fortunately, in the sense that it was a lot of energy that I’d rather not be hit with. It was less fortunate in the sense that Power Burst, Jody, Amnesia Angel, Artemis, Scream Eagle, and maybe again Ray had absorbed a lot of energy and I had little doubt they intended to transfer it in my direction.

If I hadn’t been flying and aiming lasers at the Cabal, I might have tried to reach in and cut off Magnus’ power. That might end the fight, depending on how giving out powers worked. If empowering minions were more like lighting a candle than plugging in a radio, it would be harder. Continue reading Singularity: Part 16 →

Arc 14.8.0: Singularity

Singularity: Part 14

6 Comments

Magnus leaned forward and as he did, I could feel energy moving around him, and remembered being told that despite losing the ability to influence with his voice, he could still do it somehow.

He could. As he spoke, everyone within the shimmery glow responded. Some turned to watch, but other reactions were more subtle—a pause before the next step, a blink, an indrawn breath.

As he did though, I saw energy move from the spheres above into the throne and to him. In the same instant I realized something else—the throne wasn’t real. Continue reading Singularity: Part 14 →

Arc 14.8.0: Singularity

Singularity: Part 12

4 Comments

Ray kept on walking, never speeding up or slowing down. My guess was that he lived by the idea that if you looked like you belonged here, you belonged.

Of course, you could say that he did belong, having been empowered by Magnus and released to kill us. That didn’t change the fact that he was a man with no superpowers walking through the control center of an ancient, alien weapon.

Even if he couldn’t see all of it, the control center itself glowed with power. Though dim to my bots’ sight and my human senses, the hundreds of spheres floating in the air appeared different when I let my Artificer senses work. Continue reading Singularity: Part 12 →

Arc 1.4: In the Public Eye

In the Public Eye: Part 52

9 Comments

The beam struck the floor in front of us and the carpet caught fire. Water slid forward and became a puddle, smothering it. Then he reverted into human-shaped water.

“Come any closer to me or my family and I’ll blast you,” Bouman said.

“Oh come on,” Daniel said. “This has nothing to do with your family. That has got to be one of the stupidest rationalizations I have ever heard. You’ve been manipulating people for ages and now you’re afraid to face the music. That’s the only reason you’re holding the gun.”
Continue reading In the Public Eye: Part 52 →

Arc 1.4: In the Public Eye

In the Public Eye: Part 36

9 Comments

“Uh, hi?”

I stood on a corner a couple blocks from my house. The street was dark and music came from the house behind me. With all the windows shut, I couldn’t tell what kind except that it definitely included a bass drum. Cars lined the street in front of it. A man in a devil costume walked up to the front door and stepped inside.

I felt naked. My armor sat back in HQ and I wasn’t wearing the full stealth suit — just the part that could fit under clothes.
Continue reading In the Public Eye: Part 36 →

Arc 1.4: In the Public Eye

In the Public Eye: Part 35

8 Comments

“OK,” I said, “I’ll take a look at the recording tonight and put something together for the local news.”

“Thanks, Nick,” Travis said, “Once we get this asshole off our backs, we can get back to fighting crime instead of other heroes. Which reminds me, how did you end up fighting Tomahawk anyway?”

I told him.

“Red Lightning’s lair? That’s unbelievable. You’ve got to take me down there.” Travis put down the Denali book and not, I noticed, on the pile. It was placed diagonally next to the pile.

Fighting an urge to pick it up and put it back, I said, “No reason you can’t go. Just talk to Vaughn. He let me and Haley in.”
Continue reading In the Public Eye: Part 35 →

Arc 1.4: In the Public Eye

In the Public Eye: Part 17

6 Comments

Okay. It’s up.

And just for what it’s worth, I thought I’d point out that I’m using Twitter to let people know about update progress. That way I don’t have to continually write something like “not yet ready to post… Wait… It’s almost ready… Well it could be ready in minute… But it’s actually going to be ready tomorrow,” into posts that I then delete the next day anyway.

I can do that in Twitter instead and evidence of my inconsistency can be kept for the ages.

Continue reading In the Public Eye: Part 17 →