Legion World Forums LEGION OUTPOST Bits o' Legionnaire Business LMBP: Onevision (Tempest's Epilogue) Completed

These events of this take place immediately following her return from the LotO.

Chapter One

Tempest walked into her room at the Security Office, she walked up the mirror and looked at herself. She was as prim and proper as the day she left, she grinned. She then felt her index finger.

“My Guardian ring…”

She looked at the mirror and let her glamour fall, her hair was a mess, her skin bruised and cut, she fell on to the stool in front of the mirror.

I went with little and came back with nothing but a broken body! Mala! How’d the HELL SHE GET THOSE RINGS!!!

She put her hands into her face and just sat there, for hours, until she collapsed. Then a very attractive female secretary came into the room.

“I know you don’t like being disturbed and all, but you've been in here for three days.

Miss Tempest. Miss Tempest?”

The secretary nudged her with her foot.

“Are you ok?”

She looked around, and then kicked her. Her face was frightened, she ran out and screamed for help. Soon, Tempest’s body was moved to the nearest hospital, the doctors couldn't find a thing wrong with her. She was visited by fellow Legion Worlders, one more than most. Cobalt Kid sat in her room, her vitals beeped in the back, he held her hand, and stared at her silently. Then her body healed completely and she awoke immediately from her coma.

“Desmond!” She coughed, “What…? Did you hea—“

“I don’t know, I tried, I couldn't before. Maybe I did and wasn't aware—“

“Don’t be silly, boy!” A woman’s voice came from behind him and filled the room. When he looked he saw a tall woman with blue skin, blue robes, brown hair and icy eyes that peered at him, she was transparent and she continued, “She was healed by the grace of Avalon.”

“Avalon, like Viv's--” he said.

Tempest responded, “Yes, that Avalon was based off of the real Avalon. It’s where I grew up. It’s easiest to access it from Earth.”

“Which is why I am here in astral form and I am sorry for putting you in that coma, but you needed to heal.” The woman said.

“WHAT!?" Cobalt yelled, "What gives you the right—“

“Des.” Tempest calmly commanded.

“I should have her astral ass arrested or—“

“I think you owe her favor for dealing with Mala.” Tempest admitted.

“What? I thought you took care of her?” He looked at her puzzled.

Tempest and Lard Lad knew that Mala was killed by a third party, but for the sake of Tempest’s ego they agreed to keep it to themselves.

“She had weapons I couldn't handle on my own.”

Cobalt looked at the woman, “So why did you help? I've met Titania, the real Viviane and all those other women that helped her when she needed it, who are you?”

It dawned on Cobalt that this woman had many similar features as Titania.

“You look a little like Titania, pointed ears and all.”

The woman glared at Cobalt Kid, “A regular P.I.”

Tempest chimed in, “She’s Titania’s mother, and mine.”

Cobalt snapped back at Tempest. “Your mother, you’re the Fairy Queen’s sister? You’re a fairy; you’re a fairy god lady.” He twitched his brow as he realized that wasn't his smoothest moment.

“I am half Fay, and it makes a huge difference, I am pretty much like you, a human, but instead of magnetism I have magic as a power.”

“She is also long lived and her body is naturally prone to be peak human, inferior by Fay standards, but excellent by yours.” Her mother said.

“I am sorry—“ Cobalt started.

“Baroness Janiel. And it doesn't matter. I am here to tell you that we can’t help you. Your sister and I have taken our Lord to his wit’s end, we cannot help you as you continue forth. There are laws against our kind interfering in mortal matters. You’re mortal lineage allows you a fair amount leeway, but it does not extend to your kin.”

“The rings, mother!”

Janiel looked sullen. “I had them, their gone. A shadow took them.” Janiel faded.

Cobalt looked at Tempest as she stared at her bed sheets. “Temp.”

“I need to get those rings, I need to find out who is haunting me.”

“Let me help you.”

She looked at him and he knew she wanted him there.

“Tell me about the rings.”

“There are five. They are called the Guardian Rings of Gaea. Gaea trumps many gods you've met, she’s primal. She personally gives the rings to sorcerers that she considers worthy of being her avatars. I was one, I received the ring for the element of Air.. After I finished my training, I left and traveled the universe. Picking up new spells and knowledge along the way.” She looked uncomfortable at that statement.
“I was to help these people, they were living in a ship, it was being harassed by a force they couldn't see. I went to stop it for them-- when I went out into space-- all I saw was darkness approach me. That was the last time I had my ring and next time I opened my eyes, it was to come out of the cocoon.”

“These rings have a lot of power?”

“Yes, especially when combined, which is why five Guardians is selected and a ring can only be removed by the owner, Gaea or upon death. I haven’t been able to contact the other Guardians.”

“I want to help you, where do we begin?”

“With an old friend.”

Not the End

Chapter Two

Cobalt and Tempest had already left Legion World and had taken a small space cruiser big enough for just the two of them. They were in a part of space that Cobalt had never seen before; Tempest had navigated them to it. The stars in this section of space all shone gold and the blackness of space was softer and more welcoming than any other section he had seen.

“This is beautiful.” Cobalt said.

“Wait until you see its’ gardener.”

In the middle of the ship, gold light dripped in the air and formed into a winged woman.

“Whitelighter!” Cobalt exclaimed. “You live here? Are you coming along?”

She smiled, “I tend to the gold stars and no, I have found the rings, but I dare not travel to where they are? They are in a Hell realm.”

“How’d they get there?” Tempest yelled.

“By one of greater power than you two. Leave the rings, it is a trap.”

“We know, Raven.” Tempest said, “But I have a duty--”

“YOU HAVE VENGEANCE!” Whitelighter interrupted, “You seek to enact your anger on the one that bound you.”

Cobalt interjected, “Are you going to help us or not!?”

Whitelighter could see the determination on both of their faces.

“I can send you in a star, but then you are on your own. And Hell is no easy place to travel through.”

“Please” Cobalt started, “Time is important.”

“Very well.” Whitelighter disappeared as the entire ship was engulfed in a fiery golden light and hurled across the vastness of space. “Goddess speed, my friends.”

Not the End

Chapter Three

The two Legionnaires sped through space and time in their star coated craft. The interior seemed to glow white hot as their journey commenced.

“Temp, it’s getting a bit warm in here!”

She glanced over at him, to his surprise she just shrugged at him.

“What the Hell does that mean?”

“I can’t do anything about it! Just sit back.”

The light overwhelmed the two and lit up the darkness of space. When the light faded, the two were standing on a dark rocky ground. The land was vast and gray, the skies were dark and dingy with no clouds but no sun, moon or star light either, the best excuse for vegetation was rotted trees sprouting out of the ground, and there were dilapidated mountains all around.

“Where’s our ship?” Cobalt asked.

“I don’t know?”

“This is Hell, isn’t it?”

“A Hell, who’s is the question?”

“Going up against a Hell Lord?”

“Ohhh, I hope not. Kind of just did that, didn’t we?”

“Oh yeah.”

“A girl needs some variety in her villains.”

The two chuckle a little, until their surroundings sink back in.

“Where do we begin?” Cobalt looks as Tempest crosses her legs and ascends in the air.

“With meditation.”

Cobalt gathered pieces of the decayed wood as Tempest levitated for hours. As he walked with twigs in his arms he heard a noise. He turned around and saw nothing, he continued forward, and then he heard it again, more clearly this time.

“Sounds like wings” he thought, “Like wet wings?”

Cobalt looked up to the sky and noticed that it was black instead of gray; he peered harder and saw movement within the black mass. Then a dozen magpies swooped down to him and glided over his head pouring black tar-like liquid over him. The tar wrapped around his body until he was covered head to foot, he struggled to break free, releasing a pulse of magnetic energy, the tar splattered off of him and around the scenery. He looked back to the sky, the magpies gathered together as one and swarmed down on him. Cobalt flew back in the direction of Tempest; the swarm flew above him and dissipated into a tidal wave of tar that landed on top of him.
Cobalt fought, but this time the tar forced its way into his mouth, eyes and ears then quickly hardened. The pain was excruciating, he was unable to move and his healing powers were working to the max to keep the tar that was trying to pierce his brain from killing him, he began to lose consciousness as he became trapped in a lake of tar. Just as he felt himself slipping, he heared footsteps; they reminded him of high heels. He immediately thought of his traveling companion and her inappropriate footwear. He forced himself to stay awake and channeled all his energy into his magnetic powers. His body erupted with energy as he created a bubble of magnetic power around him. He extended the bubble as far as he could, the tar cracked, he forced his way upward until he could see light and Tempest. He fell to his knees and coughed up chunks of the tar like substance.

“Des!”

She ran to him and placed her hands on his back and kneeled next to him. He looked up to her, his wounds already healing, her eyes were filled with concern.

“I shouldn’t have brought you. This is my fight.”

He grinned, “I didn’t give you much of choice.”

“I knew better than to argue with you.”

They share a laugh in the midst of Hell. The both realize the irony that their entire past relationship was nothing more than an illusion and yet, for both of them, it felt vividly real. Cobalt rose to his feet and flew away from the harden tar and headed back to their small camp site, Tempest followed. When they landed Cobalt began, “Did you learn anything?”

“Yes,” Tempest looked uneasy, “nothing really good. Especially after you were attacked. This place it too calm, it’s not like any Hell I’ve ever heard of, there are no demons or rampart damned souls. The stench of evil is thick, yet tranquility is everywhere.”

“This is tranquil to you.”

“It’s not pretty, but it’s relatively serene.”

“The birds didn’t seem very serene.”

“No…at least not with you. This place, this Hell, is where the darkest of sinners go, it’s meant to harness the souls of the most powerful evils. Regular demons, damned souls, they’re too weak for this place.”

“Purgatory for the top ten of evil?”

“Essentially, and someone high on that list knows I was coming. But not you, the magpies were a test. Probably the person who has the rings.”

“The rings? Did you find them?”

“I can feel them calling me. I shouldn’t. Which means someone is making them call me.”

They stared at each other, he saw that she was scared, he wasn’t sure how to console her. She felt nervous and yet safe, because he was with her.”

“We should get moving than? Get you your rings back.” He gestured her to lead, she took it and they began their journey through Hell and what Tempest’s hoped was closure.

Not the End

Chapter Four

The two walked along the rocky, gray ground, neither knowing what lay ahead of them. Since the attack of the magpies their journey had been plagued with one daunting feeling: boredom. The two of them walked in silence, neither knew what to say to the other. The situation was at the very least, awkward. Cobalt Kid decided to break the silence.

“You haven’t said much about Dev since we got back.”

“No, I suppose I haven’t”

“You two seemed really close their for bit, I kind of thought you and he…”

“No. No, he is…was just a good friend. We just…felt very close for a time.”

“I see.”

“Realistically, I hardly knew him. We barely met and we just seemed to enjoy each other’s company, but soon everything started to turn to…, well hell. We didn’t have much time to develop a solid friendship. I suppose I haven’t developed any real friendships at all. I will miss him, though.”

“You can’t think that’s true.”

“What?”

“About the ‘friends’ thing, you’ve got friends.”

“How can you think that? Is it because you know me so well from the time we were married? Or is it all the trust I’ve fostered since I’ve returned. I am aware that all my past relationships are nothing more than fiction and I haven’t gone out of my way to make any real connections since I’ve emerged from the cocoon.”

“I can’t speak for everyone else, but—“

“Wait!” She raised her hand to silence him. “We’re close.”

Cobalt looked around at the vast nothingness they have traveled. “I don’t see anything.”

“Neither do I. But I know it. I can sense that this is it.”

Cobalt walked forward with his right hand extended out feeling in front of himself for anything, he looked back to Tempest. “There’s nothing here.”

“You’re not looking hard enough.” A voice came out of thin air, when Cobalt turned to look in front of him, a woman dressed in black, with a feathered collar and silver breast plate stood in front of him, her hair was long and black, her skin was pale and thin enough that her bones showed through it. Before either Legionnaire had a chance to react they were engulfed in a swirl of shadow.

"You weren't supposed to bring anyone, little one."

Cobalt began to use his powers. Then, in his mind he heared Tempest's voice.

No, she knows me. Let's see what she has to say.

Fine, for now.

"Oh, don't hold back on my account.” The woman grinned a wicked smile. “Thoughts are so hard to keep private here, if you don't know how. You want to know more, my dear. Is this part where I drone on with exposition because that's what all the villains do? Well, seeing as I have been trapped in this HELL FOR 11,000 YEARS! I'll tell you, but only because I'm bored and yours are the only set of ears here that aren't afraid to come near me.

I am Chiral. I was born from a void of pure darkness, daddy was never around so I had to find something to entertain myself. And I did, a little goddess, eons before she became an elder god. Little Gaea, at first I just pulled her pigtails, but as time went by and mortals came in existence, I found something more fun to torture her with. Our little battles were so fun, until she got pissy at me. All these children of hers were becoming gods, getting worshipped and I was STUCK IN THE DARK!! The only way to get them to notice me, would be to kill them all. Especially Earth Mama."

"The Great Shadow..." Tempest uttered.

Chiral's face hardened, "Now you see, she created these rings for me." She held up a small satchel. "Surprised that I have them, took me a lot of work to get them. Had to convince a lot of sorcerers to kill your fellow Guardians for me. Then I had to tell Mala which sorcerers to kill to get the rings. Then she'd kill you for me. But your mummy had to spoil everything and KILL THE OLD HAG."

Chiral composed herself before continued.

"It was Gaea's Guardians that led the charge of her offspring horde. Even then it wasn't enough, I had them all on their knees or splattered under my foot. Except for some freak event, the Guardians rings released a light that was so pure and bright I couldn't see, breath...that was the last memory I had alive. I've been here ever since, picking off any demon or sorcerer who dared to glance in my direction.

After I amassed enough power from the filth here, I began my plan. My essence is pure magic, therefore I would need a magic being to house me."

Tempest retorted, "You would burn out the body."

"Yes," Chiral cheered, "They taught you well, child. I would, but the more magical a body, the longer it would take, therefore I would need an Avalonian. But they're too strong to overtake from here, I would have to be on the same plane, that and they stay in their protected little island. But, then came you. So precious, especially once you left Earth and Gaea's mainstay. I merely had to trigger a few accidents in the more dank parts of the universe and there you were. I took your little ring and placed you in my cocoon, feeding you dark magic, withering away the good so my evil could enter. Your body wouldn't last long, but long enough for me to get to Avalon and take the one body that could hold me."

"Oberon." Tempest said.

"No, silly, he's strong, but that would only get me few centuries, a millennia maybe. No, I would need something more permanent, his mommy."

Tempest's eyes widened with terror. "No..."

"Well I am woman, I want all the right bits."

"She's mad!" Tempest cried.

"Mab? Oh she's certifiable, but after being here, I'm not exactly on the level either. Not that any of this should concern you, because I'm going to rip your soul from your body and leave it here. I tried to be more gentle, but you rejected that, so I am forced to this. Don't worry about your handsome friend, I won't let him die here. I'm going drain his healing factor from his form, put it in yours so that it won't burn out so fast. Then I'll kill him. Ha."

"You won't get away with this!" Cobalt cried.

"No? Because of your little Legion World? That'll be my second stop after Earth, so don't your worry, you'll be seeing them all real soon."

"You will never succeed, Shadow!" Tempest spat.

"The only thing you had to help you was your mother and Gaea, and neither are here to help you now. This place is free from the power of the Earth Mother."

"It was. Until you brought it here." Tempest closed her eyes. Chiral and Cobalt stared at her befuddled.

Come on, Terry. You can do this. She can do this. Right? What the Hell is she even doing?

Chiral chortled, "Think we're an earth mother, do we?"

Tempest opened her eyes, they glowed white with her power, "I'm not talking about me."

The satchel Chiral had glowed and floated into the air.

"The rings banished you here, now they shall keep you here. They'll block your access to the world of the living, you will never plague, humanity again. Or Gods, or Fae or anything. FOREVER!!!"

With Tempest's next few words, each ring glowed.

"EARTH" A ring glowed green.
"FIRE" A ring glowed red.
"WIND" A ring glowed white.
"WATER" A ring glowed blue.
"ETHER" A ring glowed pink.

The rings spun in a circle high above the three and created a brilliant multi-colored light.

Chiral's face turned into violent rage.

"YOU DAMN BITCH, I'LL KILL YOU, I'LL KILL YOU!!!!

Tempest looked at Cobalt and pleaded, "Des."

Cobalt flared with magnetic energy breaking himself free, waves of magnetism filled the space as far as the eye could see. He directed his fists at Chiral and released a beam of pure magnetic power, she dissipated, as did Tempest's confinement. Chiral's essence began to swirl and reform.

"WHITELIGHTER!"

A small shaft of gold light pierced the sky a small distance from them.

"We have to go!" Cobalt told Tempest as he grabbed her arm and flew into the sky.

The swirling shadow darted after them, inches from the shaft, Tempest turned and to see Chiral as she began to take form and reaching her skeletal hand after Tempest's ankle.

Tempest looked Chiral in her black eyes, "COMBINE!"

The rings formed a dome between Chiral's hand and Tempest's foot, Cobalt and Tempest made it to the shaft and disappeared. Chiral screamed as she is enclosed with in the dome, her essence smoked as it burned from the light, she screamed, she will continue to scream, until the end of time.

Not the End

Chapter Five

Whitelighter sat in the sector of space that Tempest was last seen before she was placed in the cocoon, she guarded and concentrated on a golden shaft of light that seemed to have no end. Cobalt, then Tempest emerged from the shaft and it immediately faded.

"By the Eternal Glow, you are both safe." Whitelighter exclaimed in the relief. "I was so worried, the Great Shadow is a power beyond my abilities."

Cobalt Kid looked at Whitelighter, "You knew who it was?"

"I had my hunches, but nothing was for certain until I sent you through, that level of darkness...well there are not many who possess it. How did you kill her?"

"We didn't," Tempest explained, "She's lost her mind, she brought in the light Gaea created to kill her into her own realm, I sacrificed the rings to cage her."

"Sounds like ironic justice, to me." Cobalt smiled.

"I prefer to think it as revenge." Tempest smirked.

"Of course," Cobalt continued, "I should recognize a woman scorned by now."

"You'd think." Both women said.

Their banter continued into the endless night.

The End

All done. This is a truncated version of what I would have normally done, but it gets the job done. Feel free to comment or ask questions or what have you.

That's a nice story, Tempest. Answers a lot of questions about what happened to the rings, and what will happen.

Really excited to see what will happen with Tempest next. She's one of my favorite LMB characters.

I'm one of your favorite characters? That's so nice! Thanks for giving this quicky a once over.

Very nice.

I'd give any quicky from you a once over Seriously though, I've always loved your Tempest character. So strong and regal despite being totally aware of her shortcomings (but not letting htem stop her, oh no!)

Wow, I loved this! I love that you presented a great Cobie / Temp story that focused on their relationship with all the history and awkwardness in full view, and all the while showed the two of them caring for each other--possibly loving each other--and just having each others back. It's super nuanced and subtle, hinting at so much, but never offering any easy answers or resolution.

From a character perspective, this is my favorite story you've done Temp, though of course I'm biased.

I see Cobie as truly seeing Temp as his ex-wife, who he once loved and still does. Yet he's used to complete weirdness by now and has gotten used to feeling complex things he can't understand...so for now, he's just happy to have a friend relationship with her again. This little adventure was much needed for them both.

I'd really like to see more Temp interaction with Cobie, Dev's characters, Lardy, Ibby and Peebz going forward. Something else else about Tempest makes everyone uber-emotional but in a hard to define, complex way.

Thank you. I really wanted to get some foundation stuff out of the way. Now, I feel like I can jump in and do some stuff with everyone when I can, there is nothing holding me back now.

When thinking of doing this story, I wanted to include several characters, but I rethought that and wanted only Cobalt. I relate to a lot of what Tempest goes through, mainly because much of my interactions happen in RP situations (personal relationships that I have formed usually occur in PM for me). With that thought, Cobalt has probably RP with every little thing I've done, going forward with him is going to be the biggest factor for Temp.

I liked what you did in this story, Temp.

One thing that stuck out was how the recently-wrapped relationship with Lardy is apparently such a non-factor. The manner in which it was ended certainly lends itself to this because all of the emotion was artificially sucked out of what they had. It makes me wonder, though, what the two of them interacting again would be like. Would it be cold? Awkward? Indifferent? Casual?

It's a fascinating thing to consider, really. I mean, I wrote it so they'd remember everything, even what their future would have been like together. They remember every single detail, except that they just don't feel what they felt or remember what they felt at all.

There's the rub, if you see it, but don't have any feeling for it, then you just have a memory that you really aren't attached to anymore. If the feeling is gone, I can't write an emotional response for her, because, evidently, she has none for that future. That's why I wanted to do this, I wanted to get her to go on next step in her life.

I think looking back on her and Lardy wouldn't do anything, that was the price, nothing is there. Ultimately, she probably has to start all over just building a friendship because all of that is empathically empty as well.

And I completely understand that. Lardy hasn't spent any time ruminating on Temp either since he established the Academy. I think he does however still feel a sense of loss, or more exactly, an emptiness. In his case he knows that this must come from what he lost with Temp, though he doesn't feel anything. Plus, Lardy's a kind of guy who really needs someone because of an inherent deep-seated loneliness in his psyche. Temp strikes me as more independent and wouldn't linger on such feelings of loneliness, whether or not she has them.

I also think that it is more prudent that Lardy has that, essentially, it was his decision and if there is pain to go with that cost, I feel like it (typoed 'tit' there) was written for him to be the one to carry that burden.

Although they don't always hang out, this group certainly has a strong connection because of the LOTO events. The Hive Five especially, as they went through quite a bit together (although IB, then Peebz, left before the final stages). Makes sense that these 5 would sort of keep in touch.

Sorry it took me so long to catch up... love the story so far. I really need to get to some writing for my girls.