Mist rose from the rivers of New York, encircling the island city in an opaque grey noose. Out on the Hudson the harbour patrol boats rocked as something massive rose from the water, fire burning on the braziers on deck. While it was a boat, its construction was strange, the wood cladding looked like grey scales and there was no motor or sail, rather it was propelled by a giant of a man with a single long oar, the strokes causing large waves to wash towards shore.
"Unidentified vessel you are approaching the harbour without a pilot or declaration of the goods you are carrying." A police officer on board the patrol boat called through a megaphone as the mysterious ship continued towards the dock. "Slow your speed and prepare for boarding and inspection." He ordered as the ferry failed to head the officers call.
"This guy is going to be trouble." One of the crewmen on the patrol boat sighed as the captain sped up to match the ferry's speed.
"Stow it Hopkins, we are not some raggedy skiff and her skeleton crew, we’re New York's finest." The officer with the megaphone called as two of his men prepared the boarding ramp, ready for boarding the errant ship's deck.
"Sir some SHIELD agent called Hain is on the phone, says he's with the Magical Artefact Containment and Evaluation branch and that he needs to talk to you." The boat's communication officer announced as one of the other patrol boats led a portable boon in front of the ferry, its sole crew member slowing to a stop.
"Tell them that the New York Harbour Patrol has it well in hand, and that we don't need any interference from SHIELD vultures." The leading officer announced as he boarded the ship followed by a whole TAC Team of cops, weapons drawn and at the ready.
Slipping back into the cabin of the patrol boat, Hopkins picked up the radio and shot one last look at his superior on the deck of the ferry before lifting the radio's receiver.
"Agent Hain, this is harbour patrol are you still there? Over."
"Hain here, what is your current status? Over." Hopkins was about to repeat his Captain's message, albeit in a politer manner, only for his attention to be drawn away by screams and gunshots. "Harbour Patrol what is happening?" The agent on the other end of the line asked.
"It's...it's killing them!" Hopkins yelled as the giant figure on the ferry swung out with his oar, knocking a police officer onto the patrol boat with enough force to crack his victim's spine. "He's killing them we need help now!" Hopkins called, proper radio protocol now long forgotten.
"Harbour patrol disengage and reduce to flank speed." The agent coolly instructed on the other end of the radio. "Please confirm."
His only response was a scream and a number of frenzied gunshots followed by one last, more controlled blast followed by the sound of a body collapsing to the deck before a scuffing, scuttling sound could be heard as Hopkins dead body pulled itself to its feet, ready to start its true final battle against the only foes who mattered.
"Unidentified vessel you are approaching the harbour without a pilot or declaration of the goods you are carrying." A police officer on board the patrol boat called through a megaphone as the mysterious ship continued towards the dock. "Slow your speed and prepare for boarding and inspection." He ordered as the ferry failed to head the officers call.
"This guy is going to be trouble." One of the crewmen on the patrol boat sighed as the captain sped up to match the ferry's speed.
"Stow it Hopkins, we are not some raggedy skiff and her skeleton crew, we’re New York's finest." The officer with the megaphone called as two of his men prepared the boarding ramp, ready for boarding the errant ship's deck.
"Sir some SHIELD agent called Hain is on the phone, says he's with the Magical Artefact Containment and Evaluation branch and that he needs to talk to you." The boat's communication officer announced as one of the other patrol boats led a portable boon in front of the ferry, its sole crew member slowing to a stop.
"Tell them that the New York Harbour Patrol has it well in hand, and that we don't need any interference from SHIELD vultures." The leading officer announced as he boarded the ship followed by a whole TAC Team of cops, weapons drawn and at the ready.
Slipping back into the cabin of the patrol boat, Hopkins picked up the radio and shot one last look at his superior on the deck of the ferry before lifting the radio's receiver.
"Agent Hain, this is harbour patrol are you still there? Over."
"Hain here, what is your current status? Over." Hopkins was about to repeat his Captain's message, albeit in a politer manner, only for his attention to be drawn away by screams and gunshots. "Harbour Patrol what is happening?" The agent on the other end of the line asked.
"It's...it's killing them!" Hopkins yelled as the giant figure on the ferry swung out with his oar, knocking a police officer onto the patrol boat with enough force to crack his victim's spine. "He's killing them we need help now!" Hopkins called, proper radio protocol now long forgotten.
"Harbour patrol disengage and reduce to flank speed." The agent coolly instructed on the other end of the radio. "Please confirm."
His only response was a scream and a number of frenzied gunshots followed by one last, more controlled blast followed by the sound of a body collapsing to the deck before a scuffing, scuttling sound could be heard as Hopkins dead body pulled itself to its feet, ready to start its true final battle against the only foes who mattered.
Issue #3 (July 2018)
Written by John Cheese Featuring: The Enforcer
Zombie Master
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THE LANTERN OF HYRM - PART THREEEdging past the horde of zombies now standing stock still, Mike looked at Sarah, the figurehead clenched tightly in her hands.
"Sarah you still here?" He asked cautiously as he tapped the magical theorist on the shoulder. "With this I'm Hela incarnate," Sarah whispered as she turned to Mike and looked at him, orange energy radiating from her eyes, "Sarah Hannigan is gone, shucked like the skin of a caterpillar to reveal the beautiful moth, but I am no moth, I am the goddess of death!" She yelled, her undead legions screaming in support of their new mistress. "Jeez give them a tiny amount of power and they become hammy." Mike sighed as he walked to the back of the truck, careful not to step on the horde of the undead slithering out from underneath it and pulled out a rune covered piece of paper from an ornate box. "Hey goddess of death, take this!" He yelled as he stuck the parchment on Sarah’s forehead. "You hit me!" Sarah snapped in her own voice, as she kicked her well-meaning assailant in the shins. "Spell tag worked though, you have control again." Mike grunted as he pulled Sarah by the arm to his truck. "Come on we still need to get rid of that thing." He added as Sarah climbed in, the runes on the spell tag glowing a cool blue as they fought to keep the malignant force of the figurehead at bay. "Where did it come from, I mean I read about spell tags but I also read that no one has created one for over five hundred years." Sarah gasped, her intrigue eclipsing her annoyance at being both cursed and struck. "I have a contact in Hong Kong, a forger at least he was when he met." Mike explained as he carefully turned the truck round so they could drive north out of the park. "His family hired me to slay the Jiangshi that was menacing them." "You fought a hopping vampire?!" Sarah asked, a modicum of disbelief in her voice. "Not quite, we kept the Jiangshi immobilised with a mocked-up tag displaying the marks of Bagua long enough for the sun to come up and seal her fate." Mike explained as the Toyota skidded back onto the road, heading north towards Broadway. "That's not very heroic." Sarah stated as she rested her head against the figurehead, the energy drained from her voice. "You want heroics huh?" Mike asked as he watched the shambling trail of the undead tailing the car. "Well one time I teamed up with the Red Wolf to protect a town from an entire warband of Teihiihan." He added as he reached the barricade and the police officers manning it. "Really mean little gits too." He added as he looked over at Sarah, her skin pallid and in some parts looking as if it was in the process of mummification. "I'm dying aren't I." Sarah stated sadly. Mike's first answer was to place his open palm on the steering wheel, a glowing mystical circle forming on the leather. "I'm not going to let that happen." Mike answered softly as he put his foot down on the accelerator and gunned the Toyota towards the barricade, a sheath of blue flame engulfing the vehicle. Blaring the horn, Mike closed his eyes as the Toyota Hilux smashed through the barricade and down Broadway. After thirty seconds there was a clunk as the driver's door was ripped off by the force of the spell surrounding the truck. Keeping his foot down, his eyes now open Mike heard various parts of the Toyota's chassis fly off or vaporise until with a loud bang the vehicle came to a skidding stop. "If you survive you owe me a new truck." Mike groaned as he rolled out of the driver's seat onto the road, the tarmac hot under hand and foot from the mystical ignition that had turned the Toyota into a multi-ton rusting bullet. "Come on the water is right there." He added as Sarah lifelessly dropped out of the vehicle before weakly forcing herself onto her feet. "Death walks to the sea, and I am death." Sarah stated as she held her neck at an angle that would be impossible if the vertebrae hadn't been fractured. Striding slowly forward Sarah was slowly decaying the closer she got to the port, thick mist raising up to meet her. Knowing that this had to be done was the only thing that kept Mike at her side, that and the fact that he was responsible for everything that had happened since Paul had activated the artefact. The actual harbour was in shambles, and Mike was not surprised to see more of the living dead lumbering towards a massive vessel formed of a rotting grey wood, not wood Mike thought, if the Ragnarok Codices were correct, this was the Ship of Fingernails. "Both of you stand down now!" Mike was shocked as figures clad in white armour complete with a chain motif walked out of the gloom, followed by a hulking suit of Mandroid armour painted with the same colour scheme. "Listen I need to get her to the ship!" Mike snapped as the troopers aimed their weapons at him. "The Lantern of Hyrm is the property of the Magical Artefact Containment and Evaluation division of SHIELD!" The lead agent, a pale faced man with a mess of greasy black hair. "Step away from the corpse and surrender your weapons, we'll deal with the situation from here." "You can save her?" Mark asked as he silently calculated his odds. "A final death is the only saving she'll get." The agent stated as he turned to the Mandroid. "Kill the corpse and reclaim the stolen artefact, we'll capture her accomplice." "Accomplice, you don't know who I am do you?" Mike asked as he slid the face mask down and removed the spell tag attached to Sarah’s forehead, the parchment burning as it flew away. "The Enforcer!" One of the agent's gasped as the Mandroid charged forward only for the chest cavity to cave in the pilot inside crushed by an invisible force acting on him. "You fear the wrong person." Sarah hissed as she pulled her hand face, the reanimated and thrashing corpse of the pilot slithering out onto the deck. "I am death, I am the Zombie Master!" As the words left her lips the undead shuddered and as one swarmed the MACE agents, gunfire cutting down the leading edge of an ever-swelling horde. "Hey Zombie Master don't you have a ship to catch?" Mike asked as he grabbed Sarah by the hand and ran towards the Ship of Fingernails. Climbing up the immense boarding ramp of rotting skeletal hands, Mike and Sarah came to a stop as they reached to the top deck. Standing there was a massive blue skinned rotting corpse, puffs of cold smoke leaking out of the wounds on his body. "Hyrm I presume." Mike hissed as Hyrm took a step towards them. "The living have no business on this ship, and yet this day I am graced by two shadows caught at death's door." Hyrm boomed in a voice that caused icicles to grow and jut out of the ship's foul timbers. "I don't care, take your figurehead, take the dead, fix her and get out of here!" Mike yelled as Sarah got on her knees, the figurehead held aloft for Hyrm to see. "No mortal commands me, lest of all a man of foul intent such as you!" Hyrm hissed as he reached out his hand and one of the oars flew to his hand, complete with the emaciated body of 'Dead' Paul melded into the wood. "This one presumed he could do the same and gambled all to try and make me his vassal." "Then I will do the same, my life to you if I lose, Sarah's restoration if I win.!" Mike suggested. Hyrm looked amused before clicking his finger, the sound causing Sarah to shuffle off to where the massive anchor chain was tied. "I accept your challenge mortal." Hyrm announced as he slammed his oar down into the ship and fog billowed onto the deck. Tensing himself for an attack, Mike was surprised once more to see two massive mammoth bone dice appear on the deck between him and Hyrm. "Did you expect combat?" Hyrm mocked. "I am no troll, no brash Aseir Odinson, I am Jotun and we will play a civilised game. Whoever rolls the bones highest wins." Hyrm added as he picked up both dice with some effort and threw them, the upward faces reading five and two." Looking at the dice Mike knew he would struggle to lift one let alone two, Hyrm had won before he'd even thrown. Pausing for a moment Mike fired a pair of shots into the six face before holstering his weapon and picking up the altered dice. With a great amount of effort, he threw the dice, the one side facing upwards. "Too bad, your ingenuity was inspired." Hyrm stated, a modicum of respect on his voice. "Place the figurehead and get ready for departure." He ordered Sarah, the corpse like woman staggering to the prow of the ship. "What happens know?" Mike asked. "Now the pair of you depart." Hyrm stated. "Even though you lost, you played not for yourself but for another. Nobility aside, we Jotun have great foresight, and the world of Midgard will need the Zombie Master and her Enforcer." He added as Paul wrenched himself off the oar and ran as fast as his decaying legs could carry him, his decaying fingers wrapping round Sarah's neck. "You grant them life!?" Paul snapped, his decaying hands looking foul against Sarah’s healing skin. "I will not be left to rot while a murderer runs free!" "Let her go Paul!" Mike ordered. "Why, I have powers like her, I am as much a Necromancer as her!" Paul roared as Sarah began to wheeze, her restoration now complete. "You...are a...Necromaniac!" Sarah wheezed as she elbowed Paul in the face before pulling away, his rotting fingers flying across the deck. Darting to one side she watched as Mike fired a shot with his pistol the round coring through Paul's skull and sending him flapping back into the anchor chain. "I don't belong on this ship!" Paul hissed as he got to his feet, the bone link chains clinking as he advanced towards Mike. "If you won't stay on deck," Hyrm sighed as he thudded the oar against the deck, the anchor chain glowing purple as it was drawn back to reveal what passed for an anchor on this foul vessel. Snarling and spitting the anchor consisted of a giant rib cage complete with two skeletal hands and a sabre-toothed skull. Screaming in fear Paul was grabbed by one of the hands, as he was drawn into the cage, “then you will be cast below.” Hyrm finished. "Nero please help me, I'll give the Owl anything he..." Before he could finish he was locked away and submerged beneath the waves. "Mike let's get out of here." Sarah whispered as she took Mike's hand and headed to the gang plank. Following her, the pair reached the dock and turned to look at the Ship of Fingernails only to see wisps of mist and an empty berth where she had been docked. "Are you okay?" Mike asked awkwardly as the pair of them walked back along the deck towards the destroyed pick-up truck. "I was attacked by zombies, lost a priceless book, became Queen of the Dead and saw a man get dragged into the abyss by...well I don't even know what that was." Sarah answered as she stopped and looked at Mike. "Mask." "Oh right!" Mark gasped as he removed his Enforcer mask. "You were saying." "I have these new powers." Sarah continued as she ran across her forehead, feeling a bump shaped like an ancient Chinese symbol pressed there by the Spell Tag. "I'm not okay, but I've been worse." "Well maybe you can tell me about that some other time." Mike stated as he looked at his busted car. "There isn't going to be a next time." Sarah stated. "I never want to see you again!" "Then you'd better get that answer I owe you." Mike replied, his feelings hurt slightly. "You could have left me on the ship, not gambled your life. Why did you choose to save me?" Sarah asked softly. "Because you jumped in to help me so readily, because you were kind, and that's something worth preserving in this cruel world." Mike answered. "There was something about you that made me feel I needed to look out for you, like it was my job to keep you safe." "Well that makes me kind of like you." Sarah sighed as she looked down the street. "I'll see you around maybe." She added as she walked away. Walking to the passenger side of his truck Mike folded up the body bag in the footwell and suddenly stopped as he saw a lime piece of plastic on the floor. He recognised it as Sarah’s iPod, dropped during the commotion earlier that day. "Hey you dropped your..." Mike stopped, Sarah was gone. "Be seeing you 'Zombie Master'." He whispered as he fished out a burner phone from the glove box and prayed that recovery would catch up with him before the police did. Agent Hain strode into his home office and sat down at his desk. His men had been decimated and then reanimated as Helbound, leaving him the only survivor. "Bring up the feed from the MACE Paragon gallery." Hain ordered the computer, the machine obliging as an image of a Japanese woodcut panel appeared featuring a man with a facemask and clad in armour and a woman dressed in robes standing on a mound of demonic looking creatures, their katanas raised. "The Death Mistress and her Ronin, 15th century Japan." The computer stated flatly as Hain moved to the next feed showing a carved stone monument showing a man clad in a jaguar pelt, its skull and upper jaw acting as a mask and a woman with scale armour and long plumes running from her head, standing as the fangs for the massive stone viper whose mouth they stood in. "The Gatekeepers of Xibalba, Olmec Carving 8th Century." The computer droned as the next piece, a stone head wearing a mask phased into the back of a woman's skull, the Greek symbols Κυρία του θανάτου carved into her cheeks. "Janus Primus, excavated in Marseille in 2004, dated to 120BC." Hain sighed as he picked up a comic book titled 'Miss Hellfire and the Enforcer' the cover showing a man dressed identical to Mike Nero standing defiant with a woman dressed similarly but with the silver of her mask replaced with gold. "Atlas Comics 'Miss Hellfire and the Enforcer' #1 April 30th 1945. "Only four of these were printed but it lists the characters as Sarah Hannigan and Mike Nero." announced. "There images are scattered through time," He added as he turned to face the painting of a man dressed in a trench coat, a purple cape slung over his shoulder and a wide brimmed hat on his head, the artist's signature reading Van Vile 1922 in the bottom left corner. "It's time we found out why." |