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Resurrection Man
Times Past, 1942
The Man Who Fell to Earthby paladinlgt
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 1
It all began for me when my arch enemy created a device to destroy my adopted home world. I grabbed the device, which burned my hands even through the protective aura my sword surrounded me with. One of my mystical teammates opened a gateway to the realm I called the hallway of doors. From there, I ran toward one of the doorways which led to a universe barren of all life, but the countdown ran out before I could make it. One of those moments happened where your life flashes past as you are certain death would claim you. I could feel my flesh sear and bubble as the device unleashed a fury of energy which surged up and down the hallway of doors.
The force of the explosion flung me through one of the doors and sent me spiraling downward. I was at best semi-conscious as I fell smashing through a roof, down through several wooden crates full of metal parts, to be stopped by the wooden floor of the warehouse. Why wasn't I dead if I had taken so much damage, first from the explosion, then the great fall is the question you would ask. Back when I was still young, our king was wounded in a battle with a Chaos Demon and lay close to death. Merlin, along with the Circle of Light put the king in a form of temporal status and sent us knights to recover an artifact called the Chalice of Life.
I was the one who found it, but on the voyage home I was attacked by a gang of outlaws. It was a fierce battle which I managed to win at a great cost. My wounds would soon cause my death if I didn't use the Chalice. No one mentioned the fact to us knights that the Chalice was supposed to be poured on the wounds instead of drinking from it. Fortunately my thoughts were completely unselfish when I drank, or else the power of the Chalice would have destroyed me. The power of the Chalice infused me with its energy, granting me several gifts. One was the ability to heal from injury.
That's why I wasn't dead from what I had suffered. I came back to consciousness in a few moments with only my sword, scabbard, and enchanted ring still intact. I focused my thoughts on the ring, which began to glow brightly before costuming me in a military-style white outfit with white half mask. One of the more useful trinkets that I have collected over the years. I looked around, trying to discover exactly where I was. One of the shattered crates was marked with the words Gotham City, which didn't tell me anything, truthfully.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 2
Meanwhile, my rather colorful entrance had attracted the attention of one this world's mystery-men. He was a wielder of a magic ring, known as Green Lantern. I was later to learn that he was on leave from his recently-acquired military position and was coming back to Gotham to meet up with another mystery man. He had spotted the flash of pure white and flew in to investigate. Our first meeting rather got off on the wrong foot. I had just tried to open the locked warehouse doors before kicking one open with a well-placed martial strike, when the Green Lantern landed.
He used his ring to grab me with a giant fist. I probably can't remember exactly the way our conversation went, but this is my best estimate:
"Who are you signaling? Where are your compatriots? Talk or do I have to put the squeeze on you?" He then started squeezing me with the fist.
"This is all a misunderstanding. Any damage I did was purely unintentional." I could see that what I was saying wasn't convincing him at all.
"Don't try your lies on me, Nazi. I'm turning you over to the local authorities." He then changed the fist to a coil of chains.
"I am sorry you feel that way then, Emerald Lamp, or whatever you call yourself, because nobody puts me in chains. Also, stop calling me a Nazi." The Green Lantern made the mistake of turning his back on me while searching for one of those emergency police call boxes. Over the years I had spent a lot of time learning ways to get my sword out of its sheath while being bound. As soon as my sword cleared its scabbard I summoned one of the powers that the blade gave me, and broke the chains.
The Green Lantern was shocked by that, but was very much ready to fight. "I don't care how strong you are, no Nazi can beat the spirit of a fighting American. Take this!" He concentrated and formed a large mace to smash me down.
I was just a bit too slow, as the mace slammed into me and flung me back into the warehouse. The sound of breaking ribs was clearly audible as I was smashed into another set of crates. I heal, but still injuries cause me as much pain as anybody else. I grabbed one of the pieces of the crate and flung it at Green Lantern, trying to buy seconds for my injuries to heal. Instead of blocking it with a ring creation, he flew up into the air to avoid it. I flew up into the air as well, only to find him gone.
"I have you now," the Green Lantern shouted as he became visible again. He summoned up a solid cage of amber, trapping me in it. Or that's what he thought he did as he landed with me in tow. "I'm concentrating now, and there's no way you can break out of that creation until I can get you into custody."
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 3
Another nifty trick my sword can do is absorb magic, which this was. I waited until he was close enough to reach, before absorbing all the magic energy that was in the amber cage. Then I hit him with a knock-out blow that put him into dreamland. I then checked to make sure that his vital symptoms were strong. I probably should have waited for the police and explained it all, but I thought I could get back home by finding the doorway. I flew into the sky after putting my defeated foe on the still-intact crates in the warehouse.
My search for the gateway was futile, so I landed back at the warehouse to grab the unconscious Green Lantern and take him to the closest police station. I suppose I did look rather threatening standing over Green Lantern with sword in hand as his friend arrived on the scene. Something slammed into me, knocking me away.
"It's time to put you down before you can hurt anyone else," said the Flash, another one of this world's mystery men. "But first I need to get Green Lantern to safety."
The Flash grabbed Green Lantern and raced off at an inhuman rate of speed as I climbed to my feet. "Come back here, Lightning Speed, or whatever you call yourself. This is all a terrible lack of communication." I went after him by flying up into the air until I could see the blur of red. When I saw it stop, I flew to that spot and landed.
It was the headquarters of the Gotham Police Department that the Flash had raced to. He was explaining the situation as a local nurse looked after the still unconscious Green Lantern. The police that were there started firing as soon as I flew down. The smell of cordite filled the air as the bullets raced toward me. One of the runes on my blade flared to life as a protective aura formed around me. The bullets hit and bounced to the ground.
The Flash shouted at the men, "Stop firing! The ricochets might hit some civilian. I will take care of this masked menace." He then raced at me, grabbing my enchanted blade away and tossing it aside as he ran by. Then he began to go around me in a circle, creating a vacuum of air in the space I was. I fell to the ground, pretending to be unconscious from the lack of oxygen.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 4
One of the reporters for the radio, hearing all the commotion, began to broadcast the reports of the battle on the air. "This is a special bulletin. Green Lantern has fallen to some new masked man. The scarlet speedster of Keystone City has arrived to do battle with this mysterious new menace. Can the Flash defeat this foe? Or will it take the might of the disbanded Justice Society of America? The citizens of Gotham are cheering for the Flash to win."
I could have let the Flash put me in custody, I suppose, as I pretended to be knocked out, but my temper got the better of me as he leaned in. I tried a nerve punch, but the Flash's reflexes let him avoid most of the blow. I jumped to my feet and ran toward my sword. The Flash came at me and hit me with several super speed punches before racing back out of reach. I would go for my sword, he would race in to punch me, then move back.
"Give up now, son. You can't win," the Flash spoke confidently as he dodged my blows.
I considered surrendering again. "If I let you take me in, will you give me a chance to explain what happened?" The Flash nodded his head, so I put my hands up. One of the local cops, seeing my ring glow slightly, fired his gun at me, hitting me in the shoulder. The gush of blood from the hole in my shoulder surprised the Flash. I used the impact to get me to my sword as my wound began to seal itself.
"I see now I will have to find someone who is prepared to understand this is all a mistake." I rose into the air.
The radio cast had reached another former member of the Justice Society, the naive Johnny Thunder, also on leave, except from the Navy. "Say, you would think that the guys would show up and help out the Flash." With a crackle of energy, the Thunderbolt grabbed up the former members of the JSA and transported them to Gotham.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 5
I could feel the others arrive. A winged hawk-face man, an electric, pink-colored, bolt-shaped creature with a slightly befuddled green suited man sitting on its back, a half-helm wearing man, a man with dark goggles on with a half moon as his symbol, a tacky gold and purple costumed man, and finally a rod wielding, fin-headed man.
I am a man without fear, but the tactical odds against me were too great. Fortunately, depending on your point of view, a real actual Nazi sympathizer was about to help me prove that I was a good guy. He was a dabbler in the arts of magic who had found an copy of an ancient manual of the mystic arts that was factual. He used it to summon a creature from another dimension, known as a fire elemental. He unleashed it on Gotham to test the creature's capability.
The battle between myself and the Justice Society was just about to begin, when a warehouse became engulfed in flames. The shambling mannish shape was seen hovering over the building, reveling in the flames. Hawkman began to give orders to the group. "Starman and I will deal with the creature while everyone else searches the warehouse for people."
I was sort of miffed about being ignored, but wisely choose not to say what came into my mind. "It's some sort of elemental. Definitely not natural."
They had already charged into battle while I was making observations. I can respect anyone who shows as much bravery as they did that night. Hawkman and Starman tried several approaches, while the others checked the building for people. All they really succeeded in doing was making the creature mad.
I flew in and knocked the Hawkman out of the way of a fiery fist, only to be engulfed in it myself. The smell of burning flesh is not a pleasant scent, especially when it's your own. I screamed in agony, but in the language of the Dragon race. The fire elemental released me and began to speak in the same language.
"Summoned by weak one. Bound in chains. Wish to go to own realm where it's warm, not this cold hell. Free me!"
I agreed to the terms, and used my enchanted blade to absorb the magic bondage holding the creature against his/her will. The creature disappeared, leaving only the smouldering remains of the warehouse. The feedback from the disruption of the spell destroyed the book, robbing the foul little Nazi man of any power.
This time I was believed when I explained about the incidents. Unfortunately, the only people that could help me were Dr. Fate and this ghost known as the Spectre. The Spectre was missing, while Dr. Fate didn't have his full powers anymore.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 6
The disbanded Justice Society of America had just defeated a strange fire creature, with the aid of a mysterious stranger who had been battling both Green Lantern and the Flash. The stranger explained what led up to the fight before reluctantly introducing himself.
"My name is Paladin of Light, and I come from another world much like this one. I only wish your aid to return to my proper place." The man in white looked hopefully at the assembled mystery-men.
"Perhaps Johnny can get his Thunderbolt to send you back, but first I need to be returned before Myra misses me," said Dr. Mid-Nite.
"I agree with Doc. I don't want to be classified as AWOL after all the hard work I put in," said the Atom.
"All of us could be in trouble if we do not get returned to our proper places." Hawkman looked at the green-suited Johnny Thunder.
"Say, you guys really need to get back then, before anyone notices that you are gone," said the naive Johnny Thunder before his thunderbolt whisked everyone back to their proper places. "Hey, where did they all disappear to?"
"Your Thunderbolt took them back to where they belong, Johnny," said the Flash with a grin on his face, before turning to the white-clad Paladin of Light. "Sorry about the misunderstanding. It looked like you were one of the bad guys from my perspective. I hope I didn't hurt you too badly."
The Flash stuck out his hand, which the Paladin of Light shook.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH: Part 7
"No problem. I just hope you can convince the other guy before he grabs me again with another one of his ring creations. Do you think that this Johnny can get me back to where I belong?" The Paladin looked somewhat doubtfully at the green-suited Johnny.
"Johnny may not be the brightest bulb, but his heart is always in the right place. If his Thunderbolt can get you back to where you belong, it will. I had better go explain to Green Lantern why he shouldn't squish you like toothpaste." The Flash raced off to see if Green Lantern had recovered consciousness.
The pink Thunderbolt reappeared and asked Johnny Thunder, "Master John, what do you want me to do next?"
Johnny Thunder smiled somewhat nervously at the white-clad Paladin of Light. "Take this man back to his proper place."
The Thunderbolt tried to use his powerful magic to send the stranger back to where he belonged, but failed. "I apologize, Master John. Something about the stranger defies my attempt to send him back to his proper place."
Johnny Thunder shrugged self-consciously. "I'm sorry, Mister Paladin. My Thunderbolt can't seem to send you back to where you belong. But I'm on leave, so I can show you around. Thunderbolt, take us on a tour of the sites."
The Thunderbolt grabbed the two and took off on a whirlwind tour of the United States. The Flash came back and wondered. "I guess Johnny sent that stranger back to where he belongs. I'll go see if Green Lantern wants to get some coffee and some aspirin."
After the time limit expired on Johnny Thunder's control of the Thunderbolt, Paladin of Light found himself in Washington, DC. "Thank you, Mr. Thunder, for your attempt to aid me, but I prefer to be alone for a while."
Johnny Thunder smiled at the stranger before walking off. "I hope you had a good time. Maybe somebody else can get you home." Johnny looked around after realizing he didn't have enough money to get a taxi back to Gotham. "Darn it. I should have thought of that before the Thunderbolt left."
The man from another world spent several hours walking around the city, lost in deep thought. Several would-be muggers took one look at the expression in Paladin of Light's eyes and face and decided to find someone else less dangerous to tackle.
Then, using the magic of his enchanted blade, the man from another world flew to the top of the Washington Monument to watch the slow rise of the sun. A reluctant smile flowed onto his face as he watched the sun. "I've got no choice but to accept being here for a time, so I might as well arrange a new identity. But I have to remember to keep secret the knowledge I have." With those words to himself, the man in white swooped down to the ground, ready to begin his next adventure in this world he had landed in.