JBH #2, The Darkness Without Part 2

The planet Transvalonia is 1/16ths the size of Earth. Fifteen of its twenty-seven hours in a day are covered in night. That’s why it’s no surprise that it’s night right now.
The assembled heroes watch the ‘Feeding Camp’ from the naboring ring of trees. The camp is extremely large. There is a simple tall barbed wire fence around the whole corridor. Through the fence the heroes see, for the first time, the terrified, hopeless faces of the prisoners.
They can smell the stench of death in the air.
PhantomGhostGirl, Little Guy and Swift are taken back at all of this. Jackie knows she should be, but instead she’s too busy sensing the dark life forces of the few guards keeping watch.
The Countess is watching Jackie.
“They haven’t realized were here yet. We just might be able to do this!” Calven Rains whispers after returning from scouting the perimeter. When you’re invisible, it makes it easier to spy.
Brad Stroker once again takes command, “Alright. When Amazing Guy’s team gives the signal, then we know it’s time to attack. Remember your missions and stick to the plan.”
Wolfbite (the last member of this attack force) growls with excited anticipation.
Little Guy throws up with dreaded anticipation.

The dark, gloomy, imposing tower looms over Amazing Guy’s team. It stands majestically in the center of Transvalonia’s largest town, Fravairia (there are no cities on this planet, just old European looking towns).
Fravairia used to be full with happy chocolate eating clock making Bavarian looking people. Now it’s just filled with abandoned houses and shops and many, many shadows.
“This place gives me the creeps!” Kid Produce whispers.
“Don’t feel bad. I’ve lived here all my life and I’m getting the creeps too.” Henrey Starsmore responds as he sharpens his wooden steaks.
“I just don’t like it. I’ve been involved in many raids back in the forties with the LSJ and I can tell you, were walking into a trap!” the original Pigeonman warns.
“Calm down Carl, everyone knows that.” Pigeonwoman sooths.
“You fool! In the Thonggarian police we just charged in and taught malefactors the proper lessons they needed. Simple as that!” Car-Tar, the newer (and way more arrogant) Pigeonman replies.
“Well we’re not ON Thonggar, Car-Tar, but of course you know that, don’t you? Sence you REMIND us every chance you get!”
“Boys! Boys!” Pigeonwoman tries to interrupt.
As the feathers are once again beginning to get ruffled a spray of milk wets down both heroes.
“Come on children! Sometimes I think I’d be better off at home with the kids!” MacyMom retorts.
“Janeen’s right guys, come on. Lets do this!” AG enthuses.
MacyMom, Plantgirl, the three Pigeon heroes, Van Hellsing and Starsmore all tense up for what they know to be a tough battle but none of this team can match the tense feelings within Kid Produce.
“What am I doing here?” Jasper (Produce) wonders, “I’d rather be the only clerk on half price day with the store filled with angry house wives then charge into that tower! And as for my next feat, I’ve never tried this before! I know my vegetables and fruit are magical, but this?”
“Jasper? You ready?” AG asks.
“Uh..oh..ok.” Jasper weakly responds then reaches into his pouch and pulls out a melon.
“You’d better duck, cause you can’t elope!” he yells as he throws the strangely ticking cantaloupe at the tower wall.
SQUASH-KA-BOOOOOOOM!”
“It..it worked? My Melon-bomb worked!”
His excitement is quickly doused as an endless supply of living dead people stumble towards the heroes from the broken tower.
“Oh %^&*!!” expounds Plantgirl.
AG sends out a multi colored flare into the sky.

With a fantastic display of action, the other team fights its way through the living dead regular citizens of
Transvalonia. The main base of operations for the Nosferatu, the Dark Tower, has its three lines of defense against such an attack. The first line is the many undead people left to guard the bottom floors.
At the lead of the heroes’ charge Amazing Guy uses his solid light quantum powers to slice, smash, and incapacitate the opposition. His friends notice how the quantum energy looks different. It’s a change that’s been happening gradually for a month now. The colored light objects (as well as his aura around his body whenever he uses his powers) seems to be getting darker and they could swear they see stars and galaxies through it.
He’s noticed the changes too. Super strength, speed and flight seem to come easier with his quantum effects, too. This however isn’t the time to muse on such things as he continues to mow down the coming undead.
Behind him Plantgirl and Flabluka Van Hellsing take out their fair share.
“I don’t get it lady.” Plantgirl says as she controls various vegetation into snapping the opposition in two, “If these guys were bit by vampires, then why are they more like weak zombies?”
“Well,” Van Hellsing replies as she shoots several with her crossbow, “these aren’t REAL vampires. Even the Nosferatu are just patterned after the real thing. Believe me, I should know. I’ve fought and hunted real vampires all my life; it’s my job! The Countess and I are bitter enemies, but sence the invasion we’ve been working together. She hates these buggers even more then I do. “
“So these things can only make cheap copies of undead servants?” the Golden age Pigeonman asks as he smashes through several with his mace. His wife is fighting side beside him.
Henrey Starsmore warns as he sets the last stragglers on fire with his flamethrower, “Exactly! That’s why they are so easy to take out. We should be coming up to the next defense soon though!”
That’s when it hits them.
BOOOOOOM!
A sonic clap knocks some of the heroes down. Twelve undead ‘heroes’ charging or flying down from the sixth story of the tower follow this.
Being within the Dark Tower, the heroes don’t have much room to maneuver. The undead hero responsible for the sonic attack sends out physical sound waves at the heroes. Another wolf creature, this one female, leaps at Plantgirl, knocking her down the stairs with it.
A big bruiser smashes into AG’s aura while AG faces off against some sort of female succubus. Starsmore blows the bruiser back through the wall with a small rocket launcher.
The succubus has latched onto AG’s aura and begins to suck it dry. As it absorbs the energy it screams, “TOOOO MUUCH POWWWERRR!!!!!”
Then it explodes, causing the aura to disappear.
“Well, we now know they talk…ohhh..soo cold!” AG shivers as a dark shadow zombie grabs him in its large blue cloak.
“SCOTT!” MacyMom (Janeen) screams as she watches her husband fall under the spell of the strange undead ‘hero’. She charges forth, spraying milk, forming cheese over the creature, everything she can muster. All of it has no effect.
Amazing Guy sits, slumped on the floor. The creature gets ready to smother him in night when a solid shield of cheddar comes between him and the creature.
“You will have to go through me first!” Janeen says.
“Fine! You will fall easily enough.” It charges her.
Time seems to slow down for Janeen, as her powers have no effect on it. The Pigeon couple are fighting of strange bat-like flying things. Kid Produce has his Celery Sword and is slicing at an elastic zombie. Starsmore’s head is held tight by the large right hand of the bruiser he blew away earlier. The brute left hand holds his legs. It rips him in two with a sickening sound. Its all Plantgirl can do to wrap the werewolf in vines as it heads for her throat. Van Hellsing and the second Pigeonman are back to back fighting of various super powered undead, slashing and hacking to keep alive.
Janeen realizes, at this moment, that her power is stupid and that for all the glory of the Moocow Mama, it’s not going to help her. She finally thinks of her kid’s faces and of how she’ll never see them again.
When the creature is five inches away from Janeen’s face, her eyes closed, she hears, “NNNNOOOOOOOOO!!!”
Scott Brunsen, devoted husband of Janeen, hero called Amazing Guy, screams.
He then does something no one expects.
The Tower explodes in such a wave of power that the effect can be seen in space.
All the undead creatures in a hundred-mile radius are vaporized. The heroes (including Janeen) are safely enveloped in starfield cocoons. They are shocked, as the energy form is not multi colored quantum light. No, it’s matured, evolved beyond that. The energy looks just like the universe, or Multiverse. Everyone can see millions upon millions of worlds through AG’s power.
The effect doesn’t last long however as he slumps to the ground exhausted.

Elsewhere/elsewhen:
The Hooded Hood watches through his Portal of Pretentiousness, “Interesting. He has finally emerged from his cocoon.”

The Heart of Souls, this dimensional crossroads between ALL universes was on fire with energy a moment ago.
The Omnisoul watched Amazing Guy slump to the ground; “It is time Eggo.”

At the Bar in the crossroads of the Parodyverse, The Paradox Stranger laughs.

The Celestian Space Robots become aware of….something.

Dark Thugos rips a solar system to sheds in his anger, “BAH! He wasn’t supposed to learn! AAARRRGGH!”
Thugos, the current Destroyer of Stories, continues to scream in protest.
The Shaper of Worlds giggles at the effect its having on Thugos.
“Jury, laugh as you will, but the new rise in power, the evolving of Amazing Guy into his true form, will not be met very well.” The Chronicler of Stories explains.

The informant finishes explaining to the shadowy personage, his master. Then he switches off.
The shadowy figure simply says, “No matter. This will not stop the ManManHunters!”

The planet Makluos, where the intelligent race of Dragons flourish.
He has been watching the planet from a hilltop. He was just about to call his master when the strange power surge caught his attention.
“That was enough energy to not just feed the master, but possibly cure him! To me my bicycle!”
And with that the red bike of the current Herald of Galactivac glides under his shiny bum.
The Crimson Cyclist takes to space, not looking back on that world.
Thus a planet is saved from destruction, and the future will never know the hero known as Fin Fang Foom.

Back on Transvalonia, the Night Feeder is kicking the crap out of Stroker’s team.
“Nothings working!” Swift exclaims just before getting thrown into a wall.
“Keep at it!” Stroker commands while filling the creature with holy water sprayed from his water gun, “Our anti-Vampire weapons are slowing him down!”
Wolfbite leaps on the creature’s back, but is thrown into the trees.
Little Guy, standing on a rock, just freezes in fear.
The Feeder in one hand holds Jackie’s throat. It’s trying to crush her.
The Countess jumps over PhantomGhostGirl’s stunned body and races to help Jackie but the Lady Lupine uses strength she was not even aware she possessed to open the hand and jump to safety.
Countess Elizibeth Dracu stands before the awesomely huge shape of the single Night Feeder, “IMPOSTER! You have come to my adopted home and taken it over. You have killed or enslaved its population. But what I cannot allow is the constant defaming of MY people!”
John, Tom, Tonya and Jackie finally realize what Wolfbite and Stroker already knew.
Wind blows through Elizibeth Dracu’s hair. Her eyes turn blood red. Her fangs are clear for all (including Jackie) to see.
“My beloved son, remember me!” she speaks to no one there. She grabs the vials of holy water, bites off the caps, which cause her mouth to burn, and charges the Feeder.
“You believe you are like me? THEN DIE LIKE ME!!!!”
She jumps into the Feeder’s misty form, pouring the water through out the creature.
The mind is a strange device. You believe something strong enough, it can be true.
The Night Feeder, like the rest of it’s Nosferatu brothers, BELEAVES it’s a vampire.
The creature explodes along with Elizibeth.

---
After the smoke and mist has cleared Jackie runs to the mangled, burnt, dissolving form of her new friend, “Miss Dracu! It’s ok…” Jackie’s crying, “we’ll get you to safety! You’ll be alright..”
“N..No my child…. I’m done. Y..ou have m…met my son…”
“Your son? No..I don’t know what..”
“Y..Yes y..you have. Please…..tell him his m..mother always loved ………him.”
Her last act is to place a very old broach in Jackie’s hand. She then disappears into ash. Gone.
Jackie sobs.
Little Guy watches.

“Is everyone ok?” Asks Pigeonman 1.
Everyone nods to the affirmative. Plantgirl, however, hides a tear on her arm. Showing through the rip is machinery and wires.
“Oh darling, what you did?!” Janeen says while crouching over Scott. He’s totally wiped.
“I..I know hon. It feels like a part of me that’s been locked away has finally been set free. And remember when I told you about that cosmic sence I felt with DK on the moon? Well its back, I can feel it.”
“Well I’ll tell you what I feel. After we get home, I’m having some words with Macy, that cow that gave me these powers? I’m telling her to take them back! All I want to be is a mom. No more of this hero stuff. My true purpose is with the kids.”
“That great Hon, I agr..wait!” AG’s eyes turn to swirling galaxies, “Carl! You’re in charge! The third defense is here! The Hero Feeders!”
The Golden Age Pigeonman replies, “Heads up everyone!”
They swish on wings of night. Their form lacks true substance. Their big, their small, no one can tell as the Night Feeders shift. It’s difficult to tell how many, as they are linked in every way, blending into each other and separating as they do. Clearly the Nosferatu are hungry as well. Their dark red eyes pierce into the heroes’ souls.
AG is too exhausted to fight, “Janeen, lift me up. If I’m going to die, I’ll go down fighting! Everyone, the Feeders are all here. I can sence it!”
“And we can sence you, four course meal! That little stunt you pulled must’ve worn you out. Still new at your powers? It has been a long time sence we have tasted your kind. You of Lytlsmlvl! You roamers have eluded us far to long!”
A silver bullet, dipped in garlic and holy water rips through a Feeder’s eye. He screams.
“Talking in riddles now, Nosferatu?” Brad Stroker questions as he, Swift, Wolfbite, PhantomGhostGirl, and a strangely silent Little Guy and Jackie Rabbit join the scene.
“Where’s the Countess and Rains?” Flabluka Van Hellsing asks while aiming her crossbow at the Feeders.
“Dead.” Wolfbite growls, “Starsmore?”
“Same.” She replies while giving the Feeders a crusty look.
Pigeonman 1 faces up to the Nosferatu, which have completely surrounded the fourteen heroes, “It’s over monsters. Leave this planet or we’ll force you out!”
Before the Night Feeders can react, Stroker blasts at them unceasingly, “$%^&$ THAT! DIE YOU BA$T#%$!!”
The Feeders scream in rage and pain, closing in fast. Superspeed punches, milk, Spank Ray, rabbit claws, vines, razor sharp carrots and Celery Swords and werewolf claws and fangs do nothing.
Wooden steaks, holy water, garlic and religious symbols do damage, but not enough.
“The Countess died proving that they believe their real vampires. She poured holy water inside it and it exploded.” Stoker explained while dodging a Feeder.
“Yes, but anyone who got inside would die!” the second Pigeonman shouted while stabbing a Feeder with a steak.
All are busy. All are fighting for their lives. All but one. He’s hiding, again. This time though he’s not shivering with fear. He’s listening.
Ever fell so embarrassed, so afraid of a situation that you thought you could just shrink down and run away?
That has been Tom Pymer’s life. The grandson of the GAMS member Dolly, Tom thought he could become a hero, just like Grand Dad. He has done nothing of the sort. Now he realizes its time to be a man.
He takes a deep breath, jumps and flies towards Van Hellsing’s storage tank of holy water. Grabs it and takes it towards the lead Feeder, despite the protests and colorful language of its owner.
Everyone, especially his friends are shocked as Tom flies right into the Feeder’s mouth.
Within he opens it and pours it through the Feeder, all the while he starts to dissolve.
“I could escape by shrinking through the Feeder’s molecules, but I’ve never done that before. Well, can’t turn back now Tom!”
He shrinks at an incredible rate, faster and faster.
Smaller and smaller he gets. Soon he’s looking up as the molecules, then the very atoms are getting larger. “Can’t…can’t stop…. Hope I made you proud Grandpa…..”
The water drives the lead Feeder mad with pain as it dissolves from the inside. Through their link, the other Nosferatu scream in maddening pain.
They flee as a group mindlessly. Swift takes after them while the others follow.
The chase leads to the Hooded Hood’s portal.
“Brothers! We’re dieing! Can you feel the call? That’s the heroes’ home! Let’s flee there to rest and feed!”
They enter the portal as AG (now feeling more revived, but pissed) and the rest arrive behind Swift.
There’s a flash of magma as the Nosferatu die instantly in the molten magma core of the Earth, 180,000BC.
The portal is gone, being used.
“The portal…did you see?” Pigeonwoman asked.
“The Hood tricked us. That could’ve been us.” AG responds while looking at the stars with his universe eyes.
“So we’re trapped here?” Swift says with anger.
AG announces, “ Also, I can feel it. This isn’t our time. It’s the mid-Cretaceous prehistoric period back on Earth right now. Spacewarped’s fault.”

Everyone looks up when a giant presence looms over them. A shiny man on a shiny ten speed bike says, “Prepare! My master Galactivac has come to feed!”

To be continued!

Next time: To battle Galactivac! We loose another member of the team! A new headquarters is found! Over half the team makes tough, fateful decisions! All in the conclusion that will change the JBH forever!