Fallout Chp5: "DUSK,King of the Damned" [Dusk]

"We are standing on the city limits of our nation's once great capitol! Only two months after our nation's great president was struck down in cold blood, our capitol is now off limits! Why you ask? We are receiving word that a man by the name of 'Meltdown' has seized control of Washington D.C." The slender newswoman brightly chirped, her blonde hair bouncing as she spoke.

"Authorities believe this 'Meltdown' as he is called, is the same man responsible for the death of Barrack Obama. As you can see behind me, our armed forces are all gathered here at the city limits. Army, Navy, Marines, they are all standing here awaiting the villain's next move!" She waved her arm back to emphasize the grand size of the forces.

It was a grand sight. Thousands of men all gathered around the city line, armed with scowls on their faces. Tanks and trucks scattered across the huge sea of men. Giant lights beamed across the shambles of the nation's capitol, revealing to televisions all across America the devastation that the nuclear devil had inflicted. Guns were aimed in the direction of the city, everyone shaking in anticipation of the villain's next move. The newswoman shivered in the fall air beneath her drenched umbrella.

"It has been months that these men have stood here biting their nails in eagerness to go into the field of battle against such an evil man. But we take you to General Meyers with the news as to why these men cannot make such a move!"

The lady bounced delightfully over to a men in a highly decorated vest. She seemed to be excited with the story of the lifetime, ignoring all feelings of guilt for feeling so happy for death and destruction. The general was old, wrinkled in every aspect. However, the numerous medals and colors upon his jacket showed that over his long years of service; he was definitely very accomplished. On this day, Meyers showed no face of pride in his accomplishments. There could only be a dark grimace where a proud smile should be. His voice came out hoarse and full of guilt,

"The situation seems to be that this 'Meltdown' character has got the whole city hostage until his captives in the Capitol Building can disband the United States of America. We'd simply go in and kill the sun uva bitch if it weren't fer the fact that the bastard is like a radioactive conduit. The whole damned place is a poisonous playground!" The General shouted, clearly upset, as many were that he was helpless to save the country. The wind seemed to pick up with his anger, taking vibrant red umbrella straight from the reporter's hands. She groaned as the rain beat down on her perfect hair. She scowled towards the camera, more upset with her hair becoming frizzed than the nation's soon to be demise.

"That's Katie Lainess, from our once proud, Washington D.C.!" She growled, telling her camera man to cut the tape before anyone saw her get wet and 'ugly'. General Meyers wiped his brow, trying to calm himself but finding no solace. He'd fought for the USA for thirty plus years. Now, he was watching as it destroyed itself. It was a heart wrenching sight to see everything he'd fought for fall to pieces just because of one super powered maniac. He wanted to stomp right down to the Capitol Building and put two in Meltdown's head. However, Meyers was smart enough to know that the radiation would surely kill him instantly. The General was sure that many of the men on the battlefield around him felt the exact same way. He had to remain calm so that the others would follow his example. But that didn't stop his mind from screaming at the top of its lungs with every profanity in the book.

"How's it going whelps?" Meltdown's bellowing voice called down from top of the capitol building. He'd since smashed a hole in it to place his Lincoln throne. There he sat, in his monarch glory, glaring down at the many Congressmen on the stone steps. It was ironic of the news crews and armed forces out at the limits because Meltdown had ensured that most of the city wasn't radioactive waste, but only excommunicated enough energy to create the illusion that the whole place was a Hiroshima hot bed. His green fog gave the impression, but no real nuclear power had been used. The Congressmen were scrambling and debating ways that they could disband the government while still maintaining some sort of order to things. The suited men never got far before the nuclear monster objected to their hopes of maintaining some order.

Meltdown didn't care for any sort of order; any order he didn't make or control that is. The Congress maintained their ideals of federalism and separation of powers, but could enact none of them. The Nuclear villain insured that he controlled every aspect of this new government. It slowly was looking to be a strict dictatorship under the rule of martial law.

"But you can't rule everything! You are ruining the social contract!" One was brave enough to shout out to the Congress men. Meltdown's half broken skull leaned up from his palm to give a bored stare down to the plump Congressman yelling at him. The career politician seemed to quiver slightly at the very gesture of an uninterested stare, but maintained his firm argument to defend his country's way of life.

Meltdown let a creepy smirk spread across his bone teeth. He sat up from his emancipated throne, showing his physical prowess. The gesture itself knocked the Republican to the ground. He stammered back and crawled down the stairs.

"No no no, I'm sorry sir! I'll get back to work I swear!" He pleaded for his life.

Meltdown gently floated from his throne and hovered down to the stairs. He landed, his feet cracking the stone steps around him. The rest of the legislators whimpered in his terrifying presence. The arguing politician raised his hand in protest to the nuclear monster.

"You know, I have a wife and kids... Do you know where they are...?"Meltdown's voice cooed with his hoarse voice. The Republican's eyes suddenly perked up in confusion. His skin was shaking so much he thought it'd fall off his body. Cold sweat drenched his terrorized skin. The politician took a deep gulp before he spoke.

"Uh..u-uh... Where s-sir...?"

Meltdown roared as his bone fingers jolted forward. Hundreds of electrical green sparks jolted down onto the career politician. He squealed as he felt every nerve of his body burn up. He screamed bloody murder as he felt his life being drained from him. His whole life was being drained from him through the radioactive electricity. It was like someone had set him on fire then beat him to death, but it just wouldn't end. Meltdown was making it drawn out and agonizing. The other Congress men screamed in fear as they watched their partner get brutally murdered before him.

After eight minutes of extraneous torture, the stairs around the man just exploded with nuclear energy, reducing the Republican to nothing more than an ashen skeleton. It stayed propped up in its protested position at first, but then crumbled down to the rubble and fell to pieces.

[color=green]"They are in the same place you are...," Meltdown spoke wickedly down to the skeletal remains. The demonic villain stood up with silent pride, knowing true power after seeing the fear in that man's eyes. He strode like a king of Hell back up the steps of the capitol building. The aura around him seemed to damn anyone who even knew that he existed. He was a monster in the purest sense of the word. Meltdown truly didn't care, as long as the country he ruled would never be subject to the evil that created him.

His head suddenly snapped at a ninety degree angle. The legislators jumped back and screamed. Many cried, others defecated. They toppled over each other and some fell down the stairs. The demon clenched his fists hard, letting his glowing green holes burrow deep into the souls of the men.

"Anyone else wish to defy me...? Is anyone else ready to stand up for the great lie that freedom is...? Anyone?! I mean your great Constitution was not even strong enough to defend your rights against one man! MUCH LESS RUIN ONE! You have all earned this... All of you... The very constitution you defend dares you NOT to use Congress as a career... Yet all of you slimy ingrates have made it as such... What is America besides a slimy cesspool of corruption and hate...? That is why I shall recreate... Cleanse the system...And exterminate all who have the ignorance to turn away the revolution....,"

Meltdown sped through the air back up to the top of the Capitol Building. He stood atop the high spike that was at the top of the building, balancing perfectly. He held his arms wide, as if the god of the entire universe. The nuclear tyrant roared down to his weak subjects as lightning bolted through the air.



"Then, WE SHALL HAVE PEACE!"

Newswoman Lanes was getting very frustrated on the outside. The rain was picking up and because of these damned army men there was no way she was going to get close enough to actually catch that infamous Meltdown on camera. She nibbled on a hang nail nervously, thinking hard in her ruthless reporter mindset on a way around the nation's armed forces. Her eyes emeralds scanned the fields around her, searching for any sort of inspiration.

That's when she got it.

"Hey James, can you get this story?" She barked, stepping up into the truck with her follow newscaster. The suave man accepted her offer without question, glad to cover the story of a century. Katie smiled wildly, knowing full well SHE would be the one getting the breaking news.

"Johnny, come with me dear!" She smiled seductively to her camera man. Johnny completely forgot his duty to record news and sheepishly followed the attractive anchor.
Her swaying hips carried her across the grounds. Soliders were standing about talking about how outraged they were with Meltdown. Many fantasized about them being the one to take him down. Lainess strode right through, the men keeping their focus on her rear as opposed to the fact that she was entering a military junction. Her ruby lips smiled as she knew her mission was soon to be accomplished. John didn't complain, since he was doing the same thing the soldier's were doing.

The determined woman strode right up to the chopper. Thankfully, the door was wide open. Treating it like it was her own house, Katie jumped right into the helicopter. The pilot turned around, confused and irate.

"Whaddyou think you're doin?" He barked in a serious tone. The two reporters stopped in their tracks, John only half into the plane. The poor camera man fell out into the mud. Lainess paid no notice to her 'friend', instead focusing on the angry aviator before her.

"Oh hey darling! Would you like to... Give me a ride?" Her smiling, perfect teeth beamed.

"Can't do that mam'. The city is off limits. Now get out." the pilot grumbled. A puppy eyed frown crossed Katie's face. She stepped over to the pilot in his seat, swaying her hips as she did. Her ruby colored nail scaled down his chest over to his name tag.

"Look, Barnes is it?" Lainess switched over to her seductive tone. The pilot looked up to her, catching her sweet scent. The goddess was mere inches from his face, her long blonde hair hanging against his chest. It was so soft... So sweet. The army was such a lonely place. It was almost entirely all men. And the women who did sign up were... Not exactly womanly. It was refreshing and heavenly for the single solider to dawn upon such a natural beauty on duty. Her ruby red lips brushed against his ears, reminded him of the many nights he'd spent fantasizing.

"...You give me a ride... And I'll give you one.," Her voice cooed in his ear. That was enough for Barnes to nod and start up the chopper.

"Y-yes m-mam!" his excited voice quivers as they slowly began to lift into the air and turning off his radio to avoid scolding. Many of his fellow men around him yelped in protest to his sudden departure. But the lustful solider didn't care as long as he finally had a woman after eight months of lonely... Lonely service. Poor Johnny hung for dear life onto the bar, trying to get up onto the plane without loosing his camera at the same time. He was screaming and wailing bloody murder. Katie knew without him, her story would be lost. She leaned down, making sure Barnes was staring when she bent over, and aided John up into the chopper. The skinny cameraman breathed hard, clicking his inhaler to remain in good composure.

"Jeez Johnny, do ya have to be such a dead weight?" Katie scolded. Johnny just wheezed in response, knowing all too well how hard it was for him to talk to women as it is, much less the soon to be famous Katie Lainess. She let out a loud 'humph' before sitting front seat with the excited Barnes.

"Towards the city!" She beamed, glad that her plan had worked just the way she'd imagined it.

Barnes zoomed towards the capitol. The whole city was blanketed in a lime green gas that hovered and engulfed all it touched. Lainess was worried that all she would catch was this eerie fog that everyone already knew about. Hopefully it'd clear up once they got closer. There was a black smoke that rose steadily between the lofts of green gas from the decimated buildings. The closer the trio got to the broken city, the lesser the gas became. The thickness slowly died with the shorter distance. Katie eyed the destruction. Buildings torn in half, but still standing. Roads carved to dust, but cars and people laid strewn about. There were fires spread about the grounds of the city. The strong reporter was even forced to cover her mouth in shock of the decapitated pieces of people laying around. Some cops, some citizens, some children.

"Johnny! Get your sorry ass ready!" She called out strongly, spinning and unbuckling from her seat. Her swaying hips strode over to the still wheezing camera man. She hoisted him up to his feet. He stumbled a bit at first, but somehow maintained his footing.

"Get ready! This is ground breaking stuff!"


With that, the proud woman threw open the door to the chopper. The helicopter was instantly filled with the loud whirring of the blades. The trio floated over the decimated city, a break in the fog being spotted.

"Take us over there!!" Katie shouted over the buzzing blades. Barnes nodded with joy again, turning the direction of the camouflaged chopper. The roared out towards the opening.

"Finally, a place where I can record!" Lainess grinned, knowing all too well that she would be immensely famous after capturing the 'Meltdown' character on camera. He had to be in this open space, where else would a cocky super-villain be besides in the open? She smiled with that.

The open area where the green gas did not engulf seemed to be the courtyard and the Capitol Building. The whole area was broken to pieces. Car parts, people parts, and fire engulfed the area. Debris and rubble could be found at every corner of the once proud capitol of the United States of America. It was a terrifying and shameful sight. For a moment, Katie thought hard of the repercussions of what she was about to do. Imagine the idea of North Korea seeing a broken and shambled American capitol? Would that send the message that the country was weak? Would that send the signal that now was the time to attack the number one country in the world?

Katie didn't know, and she didn't care. This was her time and she CERTAINLY wasn't going to miss the story of the century!

Her emerald eyes studied the scene. There seemed to be tattered and bruised Congressmen huddled on the stairs with paper. They all seemed panicked and frightened. No wonder with all the death and destruction around them. Lainess looked up to the building itself. The capitol building was in shambles. The steps around the politicians were broken and full of holes. The structure had shown wear and tear, black smears and cracks were strewn about the building. The most notable of the damage was the giant gaping hole where the roof should have been. Inside this hole was some sort of giant stone chair. It was much too big for any normal person to use. Even basketball players wouldn't sit in that chair.

Kate then gasped, looking up the steeple to see a woman's decapitated head spiked onto it. Her eyes didn't stay there long however. What really caught the determined reporters eyes was a glowing figure perched atop the steeple. It seemed to be a man, about nine feet tall with a humongous build. He didn't seem to be a man though. His muscles were completely... See through. It reminded her of an x-ray with the way she could see his massive bone structure. The skull was the most disturbing. His skull seemed to be broken in half, with oozing green liquid pouring down the side. The glowing eyes seemed to dig deep into her soul. It was extremely creepy.

"That has to be him! Record Johnny Record! Put it on live too!" She demanded. The cameraman stumbled a bit, but ended up(after a struggle with his awkward self) turning on the light on his shoulder camera. He held up his hands counting down the...


3...2..1...


"Hello! This is Katherine Lainess! We are over the center of Washington D.C. And the infamous Meltdown has been spotted just behind me!" she chirped waving her hand towards the proud nuclear tyrant atop the capitol building.

"America can now know the face of its evil tyrant! Zoom in Johnny!" Katie demanded kindly for the faces of America. The disgruntled camera man shook his head, indicating that his camera couldn't get that close without the actual chopper being closer. She did her best not to scowl in front of all of America and called to Barnes.


"Take us in!" She shouted over the loud blades. Once again, the obedient slave nodded and zoomed towards the steeple. The pilot got much closer than the reporter had thought he would. The trio was less than five hundred feet from the glowing tyrant. He had definitely noticed them. His terrifying skull was eerily staring down the chopper. Katie shook her head to avoid being creeped out by the nuclear terror and smiled back to the camera.


"America! Look in the face of the man who's wronged you! It appears he is some sort of radioactive zombie! Zoom in on his face Johnny! What a terrible sight! What can our military do to stop such an evil man?!" Katie excitedly yelped, knowing her fame was being etched into the history books second by second.

The chopper was kicking up dust and debris all around the building. The dirty jackets of the Congressmen flapped in the wind as dirt and dust flowed across the building. They instantly leaped to their feet, thinking a chopper had come for them. The legislators shouted with glee and excitement of their saviors. They threw their hands up and ran towards the chopper.

"HALT!" Meltdown's voice roared. The men all felt their skeletons turn to ice as they slowly turned in response. He let out an wicked, amused smirk down to the congressmen.

"Listen to that voice! We heard it loud and clear here even over the chopper! It's incredible the power of this... Super villain if you will!" Katie beamed.

The Congressmen were locked tight by ten thousand pound weights of fear. Meltdown stared back up to the helicopter in the sky.

"Let us show them the power of the Revolution."



Katie screamed as the chopper's tail exploded. She instantly grabbed hard onto the open door of the helicopter. John yelped and grabbed a bench that was thankfully nailed down. Barnes yelled out to the victims.

"HOLD ON! WE ARE GOING DOWN!"

Katie cried, as she felt her life's work go down the toilet. Maybe it wasn't the end. Perhaps this tragic story would live on in the annals of time. That wasn't good enough though. Katie wanted to live on in her fame. There was so much she hadn't done! Hell, she wasn't even married yet! Instead, she'd spent all her time being flirtatious and fleeting. She cursed herself as the chopper went into a tailspin. Lights flashed and machines beeped signifying that a crash was imminent.

Lainess closed her eyes, proud that her last story was one to remember. The first image of Meltdown would always be hers. She would always be the one who brought America the truth while what was left of the government hid it. She was a hero, and she was about to die a hero.

"At least we died heroes!!!" Katie screamed to her partners who so graciously helped her attain the ground breaking story.


Suddenly, the chopper jerked. Lainess blonde hair fell to her shoulders as she slammed to the ground. John and Barnes grunted as they slammed hard to the floor of the chopper. Her emeralds gazed out the still open helicopter door. They weren't falling anymore.

"Are you all right my dear?" Barnes instantly unbuckled and helped the poor woman up. John lay dizzy on the floor, no one coming to help him.

"No, I don't know what the hell happened!" She barked, tearing away from him and jumping out of the door. She landed on.. Gravel, like the kind that is on the top of buildings. Wait, she WAS on a rooftop. How the hell did they get there so calmly? She instantly raced to the edge of the roof and looked out towards were Meltdown was. It wasn't him. The damned maniac was still standing atop the steeple. Even he looked confused as to what had just happened.

Lainess looked around as she witnessed a strange phenomena. The eerie green fog was fading. It maintained its intensity, but it was changing. The fog was becoming an eerie light blue and it was growing. It soon reached the level of the rooftop she was on. Barnes and John leaped out onto the gravel of the building's roof.

"What the hell is going on?" Barnes questioned, noticing the erratic change in the gas. Meltdown's eyes were widening with confusion. All three gasped as they witnessed the rainfall suddenly begin to invert. Every individual water droplets were beginning to fly back up into the clouds from which they came. It was like reverse rain. Even the puddles and run off on the ground were forming rain and floating back up into the clouds.

The Congressmen were astonished at this phenomena, talking of how they'd never seen such a thing. The very rain off their jackets were being soaked out and flying back up into the sky. It gave them joy... And more importantly... A little bit of hope.

"What the hell is going on maggots?! TELL ME!"

"Turn it on Johnny... This is incredible...!" Katie asked, in such awe with the reverse rain that she wasn't mean to her partner. John did as he was told and began to record the strange rain on live television.

"I don't even know what we are witnessing here America...," Lainess spoke softly, not even looking towards the camera. Every last droplet sucked back up into the sky. Once the last droplet was into the sky, everything was silent. It was as if all sound had been simply muted by a greater power. Not even the fires nearby crackled, there was simply nothing to be heard. The captive citizens began to slowly emerge from the buildings, interesting in the odd phenomena. The Congress men stared blankly around them. Meltdown scowled, not liking that something was happening without his control.

The nuclear tyrant went to scream at the legislators before a sudden bolt of lightning cut across the dark clouds. Thunder came instantly with it. The speed of light and sound intertwining for a single moment, cutting off the roar of Meltdown. His eyes widened, the scientist deep down remembering that such was impossible. All the onlookers flinched when the noise suddenly returned.

Several more of the strange lightning bolts danced across the now swirling clouds. Katie gasped as she spotted that the lightning itself seemed to be made of some sort of blue fire. They snapped and crackled over the night sky, never touching the ground, only spreading across the clouds. The dark clouds themselves seemed to be spiraling inwards like a tornado was about to form, but it was stuck in that first formation. If a tornado would come out of the spiral, it would engulf the whole city with how huge the swirl was. The massive swirling cloud frightening many of the surviving citizens. The Congressmen were in awe, their ties being tossed around in the increasing winds. Papers and dust were tossed about wildly. All the fires in the city were instantly blown out as the intimidating lightning continued to roar.

Then it all stopped.


The fog, the lightning, the wind, it all stopped.


Light stopped.


The whole area was plunged into pure black darkness.

There was no sound, no smell, no sight.

All there was, was...

Pitch black.

A bright flash of lightning tore through the blackness in middle of Washington D.C. It struck at the base of the steeple. Meltdown didn't even have time to blink as he crashed to what he thought was the pavement in the darkness. It cracked his jaw hard as he stood back up, but found nothing but black. This was complete darkness. The only light in this darkness seemed to be his own glowing green eyes. He scowled, his glow only reaching about an inch in front of his eye sockets.

He went to yell in anger when he spotted something that shook even his soul.


Two dark green, glowing eyes.

They were in the pitch black fabric of the sky.

Just sitting there, piercing into his very being.


Meltdown stood in complete and utter shock. They reminded him so much of his own. Yet... These eyes were much different. These eyes were inside him, scraping the deepest insecurities of his mind. They were traveling down his veins and making them burn. They were buried in his lungs, making them ache. These eyes were torturing him with their very presence. Cold sweat was covering his skeletal body. The nuclear was cowering in a fear he'd never experienced in his life. His muscle tone was crawling. His body felt like it was going to explode.

A sudden, piercing ringing came into his hearing. He clasped his head, feeling the immense stabbing pain. It felt like someone had plunged a sword into his skull. He let out a silent growl as he pressed down hard on his head pleading for it to stop. It was undermining his very being. He felt as if his mind was turning to the ooze that seeped from his head. He screamed in agony, only for no noise to be head by anyone.

Then, it ended. Meltdown looked up with caution, as if doing so what bring on the onslaught of the terrible ringing. His eyes looked back up to the glowing green in the blackness.


It came to him what he was dealing with.


Or WHOM... That is.








The darkness was suddenly thrown off the land like it was a blanket. All light was restored as lightening bolts, hundreds of them danced through the sky. The fog swirled up into the sky and swirled around a central point. The lightning struck down to the central point, but instead bolted around it. It was like witnessing a reverse tornado swirling around a mysterious source. Bolts of lightning continued to be sucked into the black-hole of fog.

It suddenly was expelled, fog and electricity being thrown every direction.

The trio on the roof ducked into the gravel. The survivors in the city hid behind cover. The Congressmen cowered in fear, covering their heads and falling to the ground.

Meltdown didn't react. He was frozen in place with awe.

He stared at what was left in place of the vortex.


Meltdown cried in fear.



The figures arms were held wide, spiked and gnarled. His claws were long and sharp. A long, dark navy, torn cape glided all around him. The cape came up to form two huge shoulder spikes that dwarfed the figure. The cape also formed a large color that surrounded the head. The figures physique was massive, being even larger than Meltdown's huge frame. He floated silently with arms wide like Meltdown had done so many times. Lightning danced around his long claws and down his humongous arms. The wind buffeted back his cape, revealing his sharp, gnarled spikes on his elbows and knees. Two jagged spokes also jutted from the mysterious figures teeth.

Two large horns flowed out from his head, aiming back behind him. Another pair jutted out from its cheeks following the same pattern. Black marks outlined the immensely powerful dark green eyes of the being. His head lowered, glaring at the pathetic nuclear being.


"DUSK, THE KING OF THE DAMNED HAS COME!" Meltdown shrieked.

Meltdown whimpered in unadulterated fear.

"No Dusk sire please don't! I thought you were a myth! Please do not slay me! PLEASE NO!"

"America! Look at what you are seeing! This so called Dusk, King of the Damned has arrived on the scene!" Katie chirped, seeing some sort of godly savior in this being. Johnny focused his camera solely on the otherworldly being. Barnes was caught in awe of its immense aura of power. The incredible being hovered slowly to the destroyed earth below him. Survivors looked on, knowing in their hearts of this being. They looked upon the mysterious being with more hope than they'd ever had the past few months. They smiled as the Dusk stood proudly with the glory of the whole world on his shoulders. His dark green eyes narrowed at the nuclear abomination that was Meltdown. An expression of joy spread across the Congressmen as they saw the fear that this mysterious being's very presence had on the once tyrant.

The being began to take slow strides towards the central building. A blue fire suddenly ignited on the chest of the cape, forming an all seeing eye. The wind gusted his cape, emulating his heroic glory as he marched with immense power towards the humbled Meltdown.

The once nuclear ruler leaped from his knees and stumbled towards the super natural being. The fear of his existence soon forced him back down to all fours, whimpering like a child. The King of the Damned, as he was called, stopped as the frightening villain collapsed at his feet. Meltdown leaned up on his knees, pressing his skeletal hands together in a prayer fashion.

"Sire, please SPARE ME! Master never told me that you still existed! I only thought there was a boy who was mimicking you! If I'd known you still existed, I would never have fathomed doing what I have done sire, please do not strike me down!"[/color]

The Dusk stared forward, past the pathetic beggar at his feet.


His dark green illuminated eyes instead stared past at the broken steeple that laid on the ground. His eyes studied the decapitated head of the young Melissa Jane, her eyes blank and lifeless. The dark green eyes became slits as his brow lowered. The pleading of the nuclear whelp was suddenly cut short as a immensely strong palm clasped around his broken skull. His voice immediately cut off, the Dusk never taking his eyes off the deceased remains of Melissa.



"Vincent Morgona"

His voice echoed across the whole country, speaking as if millions of souls inhabited his body.



"No no no... Please!"




"Your Reign of Terror is Over"



"No sire please don't!" Meltdown screamed, pleading for his life to be spared.



"I, DUSK, KING OF THE DAMNED, BANISH YOU BACK TO THE PITS OF HELL THAT SPAWNED YOU!!!"


"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Thousands of glowing green ghosts erupted from the Dusk's other hand. He held it up high, extending his claws as the spirits flew free. The ghouls screamed and shouted. A massive flood of ghosts surrounded Meltdown as he began to scream bloody murder. Each spirit began tearing him apart. Pieces of the villain came off like fabric, seemingly tearing each piece of him from reality. The pieces instantly faded as each mad ghoul seized one. Meltdown wailed as the spirits tore his existence from this fabric of the realms.

Another massive wave of ghosts spread all across Washington D.C. Katie and her crew screamed and ducked as the swarm of dead souls flew over them. They gasped as they looked back and the spirits were flowing over the helicopter. To their surprise, the chopper was suddenly back in perfect shape. Lainess yelped and looked over the edge of the rooftop to witness millions of spirits sweeping across the city. Everything they touched returning to its original state. Cars were suddenly parked on the side of the street. Buildings were suddenly completely repaired as if it were four months ago. Most importantly, people began to stand back up. They were definitely dizzy, but the deceased were getting up. From corpses to people, they rose and laughed with glee. Excited survivors came out to meet their formerly dead family and friends. Tears of joy and happiness erupted all across the land.

Katie watched as the Capitol Building reformed itself as the Congressmen screamed with excitement. She instantly turned back to the camera with a smile in her heart.

"I cannot believe I am saying this America! But Meltdown is gone! You watched it here as the Dusk, King- I mean, the Protector saved us! Our Protector has restored the whole city! Our nation's dead have come back! We are a nation again!" Lainess yelped with pure happiness.
For the first time, Katie cried with joy.


Dusk, the Protector rose from his position, standing proudly over the reformed city. His spirits quickly swirled back around him. The sun slowly began to rise as the spirits took away the clouds and brought them to the Dusk. The shroud of darkness surrounded the mysterious hero, the millions of ghosts disappearing into the darkness of the ground level clouds. Lightning suddenly erupted from the middle of no where within the sky, shocking where the Protector was.

When the flash and ringing ended, Dusk, King of the Damned was gone.


Survivors rushed across the restored courtyard, hugging and greeting complete strangers in rejoice of their survival. A confused Melissa Jane sat up in front of the capitol building, wondering how she had got there, believing she was dead. Her weak feet propped her up, staring at the hundreds of people standing outside the capitol building expressing their love for each other, the one every person has for their neighbor deep down. Jane slowly stepped forward, her arms close to her. Her gentle hand covered her mouth as she looked to the morning sky. She had no idea how she'd gotten there, or why she was even alive.

But she knew one thing, perhaps the most important:

"Thank you Dusk... Thank you so much,"

She would smile that night as she watched the news that night.



"So what you're saying is some guy just came down from the heaven's and saved us all?!" The irate anchor, James Stone, barking at his partner on live television.

"Yes James, That is EXACTLY what I am saying." Katie beamed, staring towards the camera, "You watched it live America... You saw the Dusk, the Protector descend from the skies and wipe that creep Meltdown from our lives!"

"But doesn't that scare you Katherine? That some supernatural being can just descend from the skies and kill us? Without due process or even a simple trial? Its a violation of our most basic of rights!" The jealous anchor snapped.

Katie smiled warmly, never taking her eyes off the people watching in their homes.

"Look, I know that James... But there are people sitting at home who wouldn't be there if it weren't for the Dusk. He gave our innocents back to us! He saved us all! Now if there are stuck up Congress men who can get elected into office and act on their own intuition and destroy us, then I'd be glad to have a hero who chose us and keeps us safe...,"

Terry gasped for breath as he suddenly was pulled from the red pool of water. He coughed wildly as he stumbled onto the black marble floor. The Dusk strode past him and stood by the water's side.

"What did you do?!" Graves gasped as soon as he had enough air to sustain himself. The King of the Damned never tore his gaze away from the pool.

"I used your body and transformed it into mine. With my body, I was able to use my full power and defeat Meltdown. I restored the innocents claimed by him as well. All except for your best friend, I couldn't find the Lantern's soul when I was returning them home...,"

Terry frowned at the thought of Carter. Why out of all people did he have to stay dead?

"I have to go back, give him a proper burial...," Terry sighed, knowing he was dealing with higher powers and there probably wasn't much The Dusk could do at this point. However, the mysterious being's head snapped over to him across the pool.

"You cannot,"

Terry's eyes widened with hurt and confusion.

"What? Why?! he snapped, barking at the humongous being before him. The Dusk returned his piercing gaze to the rose colored water.

"Because your body is dead. Your soul is locked here within the Dusk suit like mine is now. The suit ceases to exist if it doesn't have a host."

Terry's expression faded, his heart falling into his throat. It was like the Dusk had pummeled him in the gut. He fell to the edge of the pool, the dread of being at life's end setting in. Everything he'd ever stood for in his life was over.

"...I...I can't believe it... My life .. Its all over...?" He stammered, the loss and confusion prevalent in his voice. The Dusk spoke softly, strange since his very presence was frightening to one's soul.

"Not yet its not... Your body did not lose its soul... It has not yet truly vanished from existence... It will slowly replenish itself after a few years... You must be patient until then...,"

Terry's heart lifted at the sound of that. He smiled warmly at the mysterious King of the Damned.

"Why are you doing this?" the young man beamed. The Dusk turned his head, almost in shame. Terry awaited for the answer from this mysterious being, but after what seemed like eons, the being had no answer for him. His head snapped quickly back to Graves, startling the poor man.

"I have but one more thing for you Terrance... It will help ease the wear and tear of time...," The Dusk beckoned Terry over to his side. He slowly moved his way over through the freezing cold of the dark palace to the edge of the red well.Graves smiled again, staring down at the image of his perfect love in all her glory.

"Step onto the edge of the well Terry"

He nodded, although confused, and stepped up onto the ashen brick.

"Spread your arms... Close your eyes...,"

Terry obeyed like he'd known this being since birth. The rose water of the pool splashed and waved with his presence.

"Now...Lean forward...

Terry gently leaned, but gasped as the brick came loose and he toppled into the pool. He went to gasp for air, drowning, but he had none of that. Instead he was in free fall. Terry yelped as he slammed hard into a pile of flowers. His forearms got the worst of it. The young man grumbled as he sat up, bewildered from the fall.

The bewilderment ended quickly though, as he looked beside him. Laying in the flowers beside him, was the most perfect being he'd ever laid his eyes on. She stared at her shining cherry hair, her glistening emerald eyes, and her delicate little freckles.

The angel smiled warmly.

"I've missed you Terry" Amy spoke with grace.


Terry cried as his embraced his lost love, sealing her with a kiss.