Animosity Storyline

Voided Balance - Story Developed by Orion Pax, June 22nd, 2006. Last Revised last on June 27, 2006

The universe in and of itself constantly seeks to preserve balance. Good and evil, right and wrong, yin and yang. Universal balance is merely a simple mathematical equation where one side is essentially equal to the other. Yet there are those times when even the most calculated endeavor causes the unexpected to occur, forcing the delicate balance to tip precariously in the favor of the undesired. The creation of the evil that would later adopt the villainous name of Animosity is one of those occurrences. The Shadow Shard itself is one of the most intriguing facets of the known dimensions, simultaneously existing everywhere at once, and existing no where at all. The Shard also served as a dimensional spring board to other local galaxies, dimensions, and even the space time continuum itself. As the governments of the world learned more about the potential the Shadow Shard held, evil too turned its attention to this nexus of power, this dimension of change. It was reasoned that whomever could master control of the Shard would be able to write history, and perhaps time itself. For even if a global rewrite of history wasn't possible, influencing a few key battles might be all that was necessary to change the face of history forever. The creators of the Shadow Shard knew this all too well. Known only as the Voids, they controlled the all aspects of the portals and time distortions that naturally occurred in this realm. Voids were originally a benevolent species, not wishing to interact with those that came through their portals. They kept to themselves, isolated in their huge flying fortress far from wandering visitors. Although a few other species such as the Rikti had attempted to use the Shard, most had only used the Shard as a type of "warp gate" to quickly travel long distances. When the first Kheldians emerged from a dimensional gate, the Voids were highly intrigued by this species' semi-corporeal nature and unique bio-physiology.

Symbiosis

The Voids themselves were non-corporeal beings, though they had the ability to take a "solid" form when deemed necessary. While the Voids possessed a basic knowledge of the Kheldian life form, the Kheldians now before them had advanced beyond their corporeal limitation. This was the first time that such a trait had been observed in any species other than the Voids themselves. After careful observation of the injured and deceased Kheldians, one thing became clear: the Kheldians shared some key components of the Void physiology. These first Kheldians, later known as the "Peacebringers", were able to modulate space and matter such that they could temporarily fuse with each other, or shift their essence into another more powerful form. It was this key similarity that ultimately made the Voids choose to reveal their presence.

The Kheldian's plight against their scientifically modified brethren, the Nictus, paralleled an event in Void history several millenia ago. And while it violated the Void's "prime directive" to interact with the visitors of the Shard, the Void's were sympathetic to the "kindred" species the Kheldians represented. Careful study of the Kheldians revealed that not only could not they merge with each other, but if the proper host organism could be found, it would produce a perfect symbiotic relationship for both the host and its Kheldian symbiote. Records the Voids kept of the organisms that had visited the Shard revealed the human species to be the closest match for a Kheldian symbiote. After a tenuous debate, it was decided that the Voids would help the Kheldians in their conflict.

Two key Void figures made their presence known only to the three leaders of the "Peacebringer" Kheldians: SunStorm, ShadowStar, and SilverShade. That evening, a silent pact was formed between the three Kheldian leaders and the Prime Void Assembly (PVA): the meeting with the Voids (and the existence of such beings) was never to be discussed again, and in turn, any "Peacebringer" Kheldians would be "guided" to the planetary dimension and region of Paragon City, Earth. In only a small fraction of time, the first Kheldians arrived on Earth. Initially viewed as a threat, the heroes of Paragon City (thanks to the efforts of Freedom Phalanx and other super-powered hero associations such as Adversity) decided to welcome these Peacebringer Kheldians. A small project began to match injured Kheldians with potential hosts among both super-powered and non-powered humans. Research the Kheldians provided (augmented by results the Voids had provided the three Kheldian leaders) soon granted Paragon City with its own "Alien-Super-Powered" Heroes, jokingly referred to as "ASPs". Both the Kheldian Peacebringers and their new human allies looked upon this new era with hope and joy, both species now linked to cause of freedom and justice for both the planets of Earth and the Kheldian homeworld.

Smoke and Mirrors

The Nictus were deviously clever in their deception of the Kheldian brethren. Thanks to their scientific experiments, they had used a new fledgling technology to mask the different energy signature they emit to match that of their Kheldian brothers. When the three leaders of the Peacebringer Kheldians met the Voids in the Shadow Shard, neither realized that all of their precautions were for nothing, for the very Nictus that sought to hide from were already present. The real Silver shade had been captured and tortured to death by the Nictus months earlier, a victim of a strategic plan to invade the Kheldians inner sanctum. Since SilverShade refused to reveal any pertinent information about the Kheldians' plans for relocation and eventual liberation of their homeworld, his death would certainly be noticed in the Kheldian hierarchy. The leader of the Nictus (who would later become known as the villainous Requiem) set a plan in motion. Using their new experimental energy masking technology, a special agent would have his energy signature and appearance altered to look like SilverShade, and would infiltrate the Peacebringer's inner sanctum, reporting back to Requiem with their secret plans. This agent, known as DarkStreak, had thus far performed his covert mission well.

When the Voids had revealed their presence to the Peacebringers, DarkStreak reveled in this momentous occasion. Not even Requiem himself knew of these Voids, and the power they possessed seemed fathomless. Cautious that the Voids would detect his deception, it appeared that their energy masking technology somehow escaped the Voids detection. DarkStreak had managed to perform some basic data analysis of the Voids themselves, and transmitted it back to Requiem. A cryptic reply was transmitted, "Strike force ready, your death is near." Thanks to the information the fake SilverShade had stolen from the Kheldians, Requiem now knew not only how to infiltrate and destroy the Peacebringers, but how to set forth his destiny as the supreme being in the Universe. All he needed now was a new suit.

Parasitic Rule

Requiem staged several Nictus attacks on the Kheldians stationed on Earth. The battles were strategically positioned to alienate the three Peacebringer leaders. In a valiant battle, the Kheldians known as SunStorm and ShadowStar were gravely injured, and SilverShade was destroyed. The Kheldian community, and the few symbiotic Peacebringers mourned this tragic loss of life. In order to save the lives of SunStorm and ShadowStar, Statesman himself conducted the search for compatible hosts. Despite their injuries, the merger was successful, and SunStorm and ShadowStar revived more powerful than ever. Still, the lost of their comrade echoed in their memories.

DarkStreak's time masquerading as SilverShade had indeed come to an end. The Peacebringers suspected nothing, and stage two of Requiem's plan went into action. The data DarkStreak had provided revealed one key factor the Voids had never considered. A diabolic plan sent DarkStreak, three commando Nictus troops, and Requiem himself into the heart of the Shadow Shard...the flying fortress of the Voids themselves. Masquerading as the Peacebringer leaders, the commando Nictus easily confined the Prime Void Assembly, thanks to the cunning engineering of Requiem. Dumbfounded at their captors, DarkStreak resumed SilverShade's appearance. Horrified, the PVA could do no more, for in a moment of sheer terror and agony, Requiem fused with the leader of the PVA, his lieutenant DarkStreak fusing with the other.

The primary level at which the Peacebringers resembled the Voids wouldn't permit fusion, but the Voids hadn't calculated for a few genome changes between Kheldians and the scientifically altered Nictus. With the data DarkStreak had gathered about Void and Kheldian physiology, Requiem had been able to alter the Nictus conversion process. Requiem and DarkStreak were now able to merge with the Void species, destroying the Void personality, and merging the inherent powers of both Voids and Nictus into a supreme being...the Void Hunters.

Within a month, half of the Void population was decimated. Requiem had only allowed a few more of his most trusted lieutenants to merge with Void hosts, and many of the Voids had been taken back to the Kheldian homeworld for experimentation. The flying fortress had become a prison for the remaining Voids. A desperate attempt was made to contact SunStorm using the Void's telepathic powers. The message was cryptically clear,"SilverShade Voided Balance."

Adverse Loss

Thanks to the telepathic message, SunStorm was quickly able to decipher what had happened. Kheldian strike teams had failed to penetrate the Flying Fortress, for the Void Hunters weaponry and energy attacks were debilitating to the Kheldians and Peacebringers alike. Contacting Statesman for help, strike teams assembled from Paragon City's numerous supergroups. Adversity was chosen as the third and final strike team.

Mr. Burke, Rochan Anaan, Ebon Ghost, Robin Ambrai, Mr. Durden, Blizzaria, Merger, Aurelia, and Orion Pax infiltrated the Shadow Shard, though at great costs. Arriving at the heart of the flying fortress, Mr. Burke instantly recognized the twisted figure of Requiem. Though the Void hunters weaponry was superior, they hadn't counted on interference from the forcefields that Orion Pax provided. The brute strength and dedication of these valiant heroes decimated Requiem's Nictus and Hunter troops, including DarkStreak himself.

Infuriated at this turn of fate, Requiem single handedly destroyed each of the emergency teleportation beacons for the Adversity strike force, preventing a saving blow from death. The healing provided by Aurelia made her Requiem's first target, and he mercilessly incapacitated her. Orion Pax's forcefields made him the next target. Bit by bit, he tore into Pax's armor, rendering Pax's powers weaker with each blow. Mr. Burke knew that Requiem must be stopped, no matter the cost. Desperate to stop Void Hunter, Burke regrouped his team for a final Alpha Strike.

Rochan revived Aurelia, and would hold Requiem as best he could with his mastery of Gravity, while the brute force of Durden and Ebon Ghost would keep Requiem at bay. Blizzaria, Robin Ambrai, Merger, and Burke would concentrate their fire power into a devastating Alpha Strike. Aurelia would use her powers to keep the group focused and healed. Pax used most of his remaining power to shield the team from death. Against his will, Burke had Rochan teleport Pax out of the flying fortress, and sent him on a frantic run for reinforcements from Adversity Headquarters.

Requiem dispatched his few remaining Void Hunters and Nictus to prevent their guest from leaving the Shadow Shard. They mercilessly attacked Pax, easily overcoming his damaged armor. Left to die buried under a pile of rubble, they didn't detect the faint forcefield Pax cast before he passed out, his armor ravaged and out of power. Burke synchronized their final attacks with Aurelia's most powerful healing wave. In a blinding flash of heroic might, the founding members of Adversity fell to the ground, bringing Requiem with them.

Dark Repercussion

Adversity's founders had not perished, thanks to the brilliant strategy of Mr. Burke. With the help of Rochan, Aurelia's final healing wave shielded their minds from death, and Rochan's magic temporarily placed their unconscious, non-corporeal spirits and their lifeless bodies into an alternate dimension, safe from harm. Burke had reasoned that once their minds and bodies had recovered from their cataclysmic battle, mind and spirit would again become one, and thanks a temporal anchor created by Rochan's magic, their bodies would reappear at Adversity Headquarters.

However, Burke's theory suffered a few flaws that he could have never foreseen. The resulting stress from the battle, and the time their minds spent separated from their physical bodies caused a deep amnesia of the events that took place in the Shadow Shard. He was also unaware that Requiem would send his few remaining troops out to gun down Pax, ensuring he never made it out of the Shadow Shard. And the very act that saved the founding members lives had prevented Requiem's death!

The hunters that gunned down Orion Pax returned to find their master defeated, his humanoid form devoid of life. Careful inspection of the body indicated baseline Nictus/Void energy signatures still existed. Requiem's carcass was placed in a Nictus regeneration chamber. Hours later, the humanoid shell had dissolved, revealing their battered, and near death leader. Requiem had absorbed just enough healing energy through his humanoid form that it prevented his semi-corporeal Void Hunter form from certain death. The gravely weakened form of Requiem was now bound to his regeneration tank until his injuries healed, something he knew would require months to restore his full powers. Furious at his defeat, and his debilitated condition, Requiem vowed vengeance and merciless death to all members of Adversity. He began creating more Void Hunters, and sent them destroy Adversity and its operations.

Adversity's Shadow: Animosity - Newly Edited on Tuesday June 23, 2006 @11:57AM EST

The Void Hunters sent to toy with Adversity were simply distractions to hide Requiem's real agenda. Requiem sought to create a new breed of evil, one that Paragon City, and the heroes of Adversity would never forget! The obvious choice was to recruit from the hive of villainy that the Rogue Isles embodied. And while Requiem didn't share Lord Recluse's vision for Paragon City, it would be most beneficial to have a group of lieutenants entrenched into the fabric of Recluse's plans. It didn't take long for Requiem's elite Void Hunters to track down some of the most evil beings in the Rogue Isles.

While several villains were auditioned, none of them matched the cold, calculating, and merciless evil that Requiem desired. An odd report by a Void Hunter patrol in the seemingly weak sector of the Rogue Isles known as Mercy Island caught Requiem's attention. The report indicated that a small group of villains were terrorizing not only Mercy Island's residents, but the other villains who frequented the area. While villains of this type might not prove trust worthy, their dedication to evil was surely the kind Requiem sought. He arranged a personal meeting with them via a holographic projector, and sent three of his elite Void Hunter troops to enter negotiation with his six prodigies.

Terraist was a master strategist who controlled plant material, able to capture and attack with any type of vegetation imaginable. Terror Tiger was a fearsome, feral predator with a lust for killing. Flibustier Fantome issued a supreme command over darkness and fear. QwizatzHaderach was nearly indestructible, possessing unlimited strength and martial arts ability. Unrequited's capacity for mind control was refreshingly strong and impossible to ignore. And Mon Ark's mechanical synapses were so maniacally evil, it warmed Requiem's heart.

While the six villains were unsure of their imposing host, they agreed to hear Requiem's proposition: "They must swear allegiance to Requiem, and dedicate themselves to the capture of Paragon City, the invasion of the inner sanctum of Lord Recluse and his generals, and above all else, the utter destruction of the heroes of Adversity at all costs!"

Terraist, who seemed to function as leader for the group, conferred with his team. Intrigued by this proposition, the group eagerly accepted the offer the holographic image offered. To prove themselves loyal, Requiem ordered his new lieutenants to dispatch his negotiation squad. With brutal efficiency, this new foundation of evil eliminated the elite Void Hunter troops. Pleased with his new regime, Requiem teleported his new lieutenants to a secret base, the location known only to himself, and reachable via strategically placed portals that were channeled through the realm of the Shadow Shard.

To celebrate the formation of this league of evil, Requiem named the group Animosity, a symbol of the hatred that radiated in the group's core. And in a twisted tribute to Adversity, Requiem adopted their motto of "Strength Through Diversity." Numerous covert strikes were launched against Adversity, taking out their already depleted member base one by one. Soon, Adversity was left in shambles, its public face vanished from Paragon City. It was during this moment of triumph that the unexpected happened: Adversity reformed under new leadership, and worst of all, Orion Pax had survived!

The new leadership of Doctor Future, Magia, and the Pumpkin-King didn't follow the tactics the original Adversity had followed. Indeed, they had become quite good at fending off the Void Hunter strike teams. Requiem scoffed at this setback. Undaunted by this problem, Requiem's efforts continued, until a reconnaissance report from QwizatzHaderach set Requiem forth on a new plan of action. It would seem that during his mission, QwizatzHaderach had discovered his failed prototype in Steel Canyon, working for Adversity. A deep maniacal laugh echoed from Requiem's regeneration chamber. Like two sides of a coin, the two Qwizats were nearly identical. And who would be better to take a hero down, than their opposite side!

Research began on the various strength and weaknesses of Adversity's new leadership: Pumpkin-King, Doctor Future, and Magia. Their strengths and weaknesses calculated, Requiem began looking for three new generals that could counter each leader's attributes, and would share his hatred of Adversity.