Post by wundagoreborn on Mar 6, 2013 9:55:23 GMT -5
So I'd been reading some fan fiction and started toying with the idea of trying it out. My first impulse was to write about Avengers but given my lack of experience I didn't think I'd be up to Earth's Mightiest right out of the box. So I wanted something Avengers related but not directly about the team.
Then I recently finished re-reading the second Eternals series and thought "Hey, here's an ensemble subject that is a near relation to our heroes!" I've cooked up an idea for a long story or novella about the Eternals that takes place after that second series. I'm into a first chapter and have a first draft of with the prologue, part of which is this...
“Olympia Interlude”
Scattered cumulus clouds decorated the sky over the plaza of Olympia, glowing hot white in the morning sun. The reflected light highlighted bright marble columns surrounding the carved bench where Ikaris sat, his mood no match for the weather. The Prime Eternal’s brooding cast a broader shadow on the paving stones than the broad shoulders of Karkas, who stood behind and beside him. Neither spoke.
The huge Deviant-turned-Olympian stretched out his hand, pointing to a snow-topped mountain in the middle distance. As Ikaris looked up, a red streak flashed down the mountainside. A moment later, it crossed the plaza. Makarri took a seat on the next bench and gave a worried look to Ikaris.
“Still no word or sign?”
“No sign,” Ikaris muttered. “But she gave clear word. Though the summons to court was urgent, our sister Sersi was no more silent than ever and you can imagine her response.”
“Not now, I have a party to attend to.”
“A sailing party. Or should I say, much sailing and many parties. Fine wine, long yachts and adoring mortals. Far more important than the affairs of the Eternals, to be sure.”
“It is ever a chore to part her from New York society.”
Ikaris rose, grasping his hair. Silent Karkas cast down his eyes.
“That is the insult, she is not even in New York. She is a moment’s flight away, wandering the Aegean seas and hopping on Greek isles as it suits her.”
“Then we are a moment from taking her in hand,” Makarri replied. “Her parties can not shield her.”
“Can anyone truly take Sersi in hand? Her moods are as shifting as her illusions. We must face what approaches without her. Have you given thought to my message?”
Suddenly, bright clouds darkened and rushed together, beginning to swirl in the center of the sky over the Eternals’ heads. Two bolts flashed across the face of the clouds, then just as the thunder struck a third bolt cut down and scorched the center of the plaza. As Makarri and Ikaris lept to their feet, they saw a caped figure sweep down and land hard on the mark of the lightning strike.
The figure shook back long blonde hair and raised a right arm that clutched a war hammer.
“Ho! Eternals! I come seeking battle. Who will dare engage me?”
The shock was plain on Ikaris’ face. “Thor?”
“You know me, son of Zuras. But that was not my question. Will you engage me?”
“Why would I or any Eternal fight you, Thor? You and your comrade Avengers have been allies to the Eternals for decades. One of your number, Eros of Titan, is an Eternal by blood. We have no quarrel with you.”
Makarris spoke up. “Indeed, Thor, we welcome you. Lower your hammer and take my hand, my friend.”
“I decide with whom I have quarrel. Stand to fight, or fall like cowards.”
Ikaris and Makarri exchanged blank looks. Makarri extended both hands, palms to the boiling sky.
“Friend Thor, we will not fight you.”
“No? Let us see how long you think so.”
Thor raised his hammer over his winged helmet and the lightning flashed down onto the uru head. Alarmed, Karkas stepped in front of his Eternal comrades, crouching his short legs so the granite-like block of his torso faced Thor.
With a look of recognition, then a roaring laugh, Thor brought down the hammer. Aiming its head at Karkas, he shot a bright bolt of white lightning straight into the chest of the Deviant. There was a flash of blinding light, but no part of Karkas moved.
“You stand!” Thor shouted. “Yes! A foe worthy of Asgard.”
Karkas said nothing. Instead he began a lumbering rush for Thor. Reaching him, he struck with his right fist and the blonde figure flew through the air, landing on the stones of the other side of the plaza.
Thor rose, shaking his hair from his face.
“You stand and you dare!” Thor shouted again, laughing. “And daring, you buy yourself another blow.”
He began to spin his hammer at his right side and the wind blew loose pebbles from the stone paving and buffeted the astonished faces of Ikaris and Makarri. Before even Makarri could move, Thor set his hammer on course for Karkas, flying behind it, cape snapping at the speed. The god and his weapon struck Karkas with a thunderstroke and the force of the blow tore a trench through the plaza and hid both Asgardian and Deviant from view.
In a red streak, Makarri vanished through the cloud of dust to assist. When Ikaris strode to the scene, he heard concern in Makarri’s voice.
“Karkas? Karkas, speak. Thor? Can either of you hear me?”
The thunder god was lying on Karkas chest and both seemed to be knocked cold from the impact. In a moment, Karkas’ broad head began to move and a low sound came from his mouth. At first it sounded like a groan, but soon took on a rumbling rhythm. At the same time, Thor began chuckling too, at first slowly then louder by the moment, until both figures were rocking in unison.
Then Ikaris and Makarri again traded glances. Thor’s laughter was rising in pitch. As the sound changed, his hair began to darken. His cape vanished. His breastplate turned green.
Rising to her feet, the beaming figure of Sersi bent down to extend her hand to Karkas. His laughter continued to rumble forth and she helped him back to his feet. Sersi waved a hand and all four rose into the air and the illusion of the battle scene resolved beneath them.
In a moment, all four stood in a circle, under bright sun shining off the undamaged stones.
“My Lord Ikaris, you insisted so on my presence. You must have expected that I would only come for a bit of fun?”
Then I recently finished re-reading the second Eternals series and thought "Hey, here's an ensemble subject that is a near relation to our heroes!" I've cooked up an idea for a long story or novella about the Eternals that takes place after that second series. I'm into a first chapter and have a first draft of with the prologue, part of which is this...
“Olympia Interlude”
Scattered cumulus clouds decorated the sky over the plaza of Olympia, glowing hot white in the morning sun. The reflected light highlighted bright marble columns surrounding the carved bench where Ikaris sat, his mood no match for the weather. The Prime Eternal’s brooding cast a broader shadow on the paving stones than the broad shoulders of Karkas, who stood behind and beside him. Neither spoke.
The huge Deviant-turned-Olympian stretched out his hand, pointing to a snow-topped mountain in the middle distance. As Ikaris looked up, a red streak flashed down the mountainside. A moment later, it crossed the plaza. Makarri took a seat on the next bench and gave a worried look to Ikaris.
“Still no word or sign?”
“No sign,” Ikaris muttered. “But she gave clear word. Though the summons to court was urgent, our sister Sersi was no more silent than ever and you can imagine her response.”
“Not now, I have a party to attend to.”
“A sailing party. Or should I say, much sailing and many parties. Fine wine, long yachts and adoring mortals. Far more important than the affairs of the Eternals, to be sure.”
“It is ever a chore to part her from New York society.”
Ikaris rose, grasping his hair. Silent Karkas cast down his eyes.
“That is the insult, she is not even in New York. She is a moment’s flight away, wandering the Aegean seas and hopping on Greek isles as it suits her.”
“Then we are a moment from taking her in hand,” Makarri replied. “Her parties can not shield her.”
“Can anyone truly take Sersi in hand? Her moods are as shifting as her illusions. We must face what approaches without her. Have you given thought to my message?”
Suddenly, bright clouds darkened and rushed together, beginning to swirl in the center of the sky over the Eternals’ heads. Two bolts flashed across the face of the clouds, then just as the thunder struck a third bolt cut down and scorched the center of the plaza. As Makarri and Ikaris lept to their feet, they saw a caped figure sweep down and land hard on the mark of the lightning strike.
The figure shook back long blonde hair and raised a right arm that clutched a war hammer.
“Ho! Eternals! I come seeking battle. Who will dare engage me?”
The shock was plain on Ikaris’ face. “Thor?”
“You know me, son of Zuras. But that was not my question. Will you engage me?”
“Why would I or any Eternal fight you, Thor? You and your comrade Avengers have been allies to the Eternals for decades. One of your number, Eros of Titan, is an Eternal by blood. We have no quarrel with you.”
Makarris spoke up. “Indeed, Thor, we welcome you. Lower your hammer and take my hand, my friend.”
“I decide with whom I have quarrel. Stand to fight, or fall like cowards.”
Ikaris and Makarri exchanged blank looks. Makarri extended both hands, palms to the boiling sky.
“Friend Thor, we will not fight you.”
“No? Let us see how long you think so.”
Thor raised his hammer over his winged helmet and the lightning flashed down onto the uru head. Alarmed, Karkas stepped in front of his Eternal comrades, crouching his short legs so the granite-like block of his torso faced Thor.
With a look of recognition, then a roaring laugh, Thor brought down the hammer. Aiming its head at Karkas, he shot a bright bolt of white lightning straight into the chest of the Deviant. There was a flash of blinding light, but no part of Karkas moved.
“You stand!” Thor shouted. “Yes! A foe worthy of Asgard.”
Karkas said nothing. Instead he began a lumbering rush for Thor. Reaching him, he struck with his right fist and the blonde figure flew through the air, landing on the stones of the other side of the plaza.
Thor rose, shaking his hair from his face.
“You stand and you dare!” Thor shouted again, laughing. “And daring, you buy yourself another blow.”
He began to spin his hammer at his right side and the wind blew loose pebbles from the stone paving and buffeted the astonished faces of Ikaris and Makarri. Before even Makarri could move, Thor set his hammer on course for Karkas, flying behind it, cape snapping at the speed. The god and his weapon struck Karkas with a thunderstroke and the force of the blow tore a trench through the plaza and hid both Asgardian and Deviant from view.
In a red streak, Makarri vanished through the cloud of dust to assist. When Ikaris strode to the scene, he heard concern in Makarri’s voice.
“Karkas? Karkas, speak. Thor? Can either of you hear me?”
The thunder god was lying on Karkas chest and both seemed to be knocked cold from the impact. In a moment, Karkas’ broad head began to move and a low sound came from his mouth. At first it sounded like a groan, but soon took on a rumbling rhythm. At the same time, Thor began chuckling too, at first slowly then louder by the moment, until both figures were rocking in unison.
Then Ikaris and Makarri again traded glances. Thor’s laughter was rising in pitch. As the sound changed, his hair began to darken. His cape vanished. His breastplate turned green.
Rising to her feet, the beaming figure of Sersi bent down to extend her hand to Karkas. His laughter continued to rumble forth and she helped him back to his feet. Sersi waved a hand and all four rose into the air and the illusion of the battle scene resolved beneath them.
In a moment, all four stood in a circle, under bright sun shining off the undamaged stones.
“My Lord Ikaris, you insisted so on my presence. You must have expected that I would only come for a bit of fun?”
