It was another cold and foggy night in New York, and Washington Square Park appeared to be deserted. Standing impassively, the Washington Square Arch loomed in the fog before them. Powerman, Iron Fist, Moon Knight, Daredevil, Black Widow, Misty Knight, and Johnny Bifrost had all come to the Arch to follow the good doctor's advice. However, dealing with a spirit could be a massive fiasco and so they attended in numbers.
In the distance, a clock tower tolled midnight.
Suddenly, billows of steam began to pour forth from beneath the arch. The heroes all took a defensive posture as they watched the Arch. The ground beneath the monument seemingly bursting into flames, and evaporating the dense moisture in the air. The flames menacingly swirled all beneath the arch. All in attendance stood in shock and awe of the strange occurrence. Only after regaining their collective confidence did they slowly approach the Arch. Moon Knight and Daredevil led the pack.
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As Moon Knight approached, the earth beneath the arch split. Within the dense vapor and smoke from the flames none of the heroes for hire could maintain much visibility. They quickly became lost and disconnected in the lack of vision. From the widening seam in the earth, a long blackened pillar thrust upwards into the night air. Fixed to the Obsidian pillar was a man wreathed in flame. He screamed hideously as the flames continued to devour him, the same way he had suffered for over 300 years. "Come to me!!" The eery pain-stricken voice of the man affixed to the pillar beckoned to Moon Knight.
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Blindly the other heroes stumbled beneath the arch. Besides the crackling of the heatless magical flames and the steam the only thing that could be heard was Moon Knight's voice. All the others could hear was an unintelligible conversation Moon Knight appeared to be having with himself. Misty's heart sank at the thought of Marc's sanity slipping further at such a crucial moment.
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Moon Knight looked onto the figure affixed to the pillar. As the flames continued to scorch and sear him, he writhed his blackened form into even more crooked positions of pain. Fragments of clothing from his colonial era had been melted into his flesh across his torso and legs. As the awful stench of singed hair carried to Moon Knight's nose, he boldly stood before the figure. From where it hung, chained to the pillar with impossibly thick chain of an unearthly metal, the form could slightly reach out and see Moon Knight. He looked into Moon Knight's eyes with anguish and suffering.
"My Book?! Bring me my book!" The raw and scratchy voice coughed out.
"Bartholomew Jacobs?!" Moon Knight called to the figure.
Quickly, the burning man's eyes latched onto Moon Knight. The man's expression altered from one of agony to one of morbid understanding. Then, he breathed deeply before responding. "Yay, i am he! Who has summoned me? Where is my book?!" The spirit of Bartholomew replied.
"It was the Necromancer Black Talon who had summoned you, Bartholomew Jacobs. None who are present have possession of your book, for we came to you seeking its whereabouts as well." Moon Knight clearly announced.
"it is near....I can sense it." Jacobs whispered softly, almost imperceptibly.
"Where?!" Moon Knight asked.
"Fool, i cannot simply tell you its location!" Jacobs barked as a tongue of flame licked his spine. "The book has been bound to my very spirit, it is more akin to the sense of bloodhound or intuition. I can feel it."
"You must help us."
"I cannot. My spirit is permanently bound to this realm of agony. There is only one way to circumvent this. For my spirit to be allowed to inhabit a mortal body."
"What?!" Moon Knight asked.
"A simple possession, my dear boy. I feel your energies and see your aura child, i know that Knoshu has chosen you. He has led you to me. I can aid you in his quest." Jacobs pleaded.
So, slowly Moon Knight held out his hand to the pillar. Then, laughing maniacally the spirit of Bartholomew Jacobs reached out and touched Moon Knight's extended hand. The transfer was instantaneous. Moon Knight felt his consciousness wane.
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In a blink of an eye the burning steam and flames quickly sank back into the seam in the earth, which vanished. The seven heroes stood scattered beneath the arch, after having been wandering in the fog for only a few long minutes. As the dog dissipated the heroes gazed at each other confusedly. Then, they approached Moon Knight who stood unnaturally still.
"Moon Knight? You ok?" Misty Knight asked.
Moon Knight visibly jumped and then took in his surroundings, as if for the first time. As Misty approached he changed from a defensive posture to a more relaxed one. Misty stepped beside him and gently placed her hand on his shoulder. She could feel shivers run through his body at her touch. "Marc?" Misty asked.
"Yeah? Yeah. I'm ok." Moon Knight softly told her.
"Did you see something?" Misty asked.
"I...i know where the book is." Moon Knight said and then rushed out from under the Arch.
Running out to the street, Moon Knight led his companions to a Sewer Grate and worked at using his truncheon to pry it open. Once he had the entrance to the sewers open he did not hesitate to jump into the depths beneath the city. Although all of them echoed a sentiment of hesitation and skepticism, the other heroes followed shortly behind Moon Knight.
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Marc Spector awoke, chained to a massive Obsidian pillar. He must've been suspended hundreds of feet high. The atmosphere all about him crackled with crimson sparks and gouts of blue flame. The tongues of flame occasionally spiraled up the stone column, their touch causing Marc to shudder in spiritual agony.
He was not alone in his misery.
Looking up and down the length of the pillar, he saw tens of thousands of others chained with him.
The anguished souls nearest to him seemed surprised by his appearance. Through clenched teeth, an elderly Chinese man in tattered robes spoke "It would seem Bartholomew's plan was successful, for you have taken the burden of his eternal suffering!"
"What?!" Marc cried in confusion.
"Where am i?!"
"Welcome to a dark domain, whose ruler draws his very power from the relentless suffering of the countless souls tormented here!" The ancient Oriental spirit announced as a blue flame wracked his body.
"Bartholomew Jacobs!!" Marc Spector screamed as he futilely struggled against his otherworldly bounds. "What was his plan?!"
Over the centuries, during his unnatural imprisonment, Bartholomew had discussed his background and his plans for escape with the spirits nearest him. The elderly Chinese spirit willingly divulged what he knew of Jacobs' logic with the suffering Marc. Having had Long since drawn his own mystical energy from this realm, as the fire consumed his body in 1692 Bartholomew made a pact with the lords of this realm. In exchange for the sorcerer's soul, they agreed the black magician to be allowed to seek vengeance upon any who employed his magical book. Thus, once the magic of the book had manifested Bartholomew was granted a temporary respite from his torture from after Midnight until sunrise wherever the power of the tome was unleashed. But, if he could reclaim his book and arcane power he intended to use it to permanently free himself from the pact and leave any spirit to suffer in his place.
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YOU ARE READING
Heroes For Hire: The Gang Wars Trilogy Book 1: After Midnight
ActionIn the best of times, the streets and structures of New York are filled with an eclectic mixture of people -- some very good, some very bad, most somewhere in between. These are not the best of times. Gang activity is on the increase; it looks like...
