Welcome to the Nightside

[Joe_Vargo]

Joe reached under his glasses to rub his eyes. He had been sitting in the book shop for three hours now. He sat in a large comfortable chair with an old book lying open in his lap. He slammed the book shut placed it on the table in front of him, and drooped his head and neck over the back chair. He sighed in exhaustion. A hunched over figure wearing a black robe and hood approached the chair.

Her voice was like the gear on an old clock. It squeacked out as if a she was cackaling at the young man resting in the chair. "Find what you were looking for sonny?" the hooded figure asked. The hooded woman held up a candle as she said this, revealing the withered countanance of her face. Looking at it, one would guess that she was at least one hundred years old. Her hair swayed little in the breeze from the old windows and rickety boarding, weighed down from dirt, oil, and dust. Her toothless grin was mocking, as if she knew the answer to every question in the world but would refuse to tell, her deep inset eyes only sought the reafirm this conclusion.

"No, not yet. I know the answer to my abilities lie somewhere in this accursed city. I just wish I knew where to look." Joe replied, sounding quite frustrated at his frantic yet unrequited search.

The old woman laughed a witchly cackle that sent a shiver down Joe's spine. "You have barely scratched the surface of the information my little shop can give you." She said smugly. "And thats just my shop alone. There are countless stores just like mine with more information a mortal man could possibly compile in several lifetimes."

Joe smirked. "I know, but so far, your tea is the best. Let me pay you for it." Joe reached for his wallet but the old crone waved him off.

"Your American dollars won't do. I do not have time to get them exchanged to British pounds. But..." Her eyes shifted back and forth as she reached into the sleave of her robe, withdrawing a piece of paper. "...if your looking to make some money, this might be right up your alley."

Joe took the paper and studied it. "Troll hunting season..." he read outloud. "I have been cooped up for a few days and could use the exercise. Where do I find trolls?"

The old woman took the paper back and stuffed it into her sleave. "Down the road is an entrace to the sewer, that is the breeding ground. But beware, trolls may not be smart, but they are extraordinarily powerfull."

Joe clucked his tongue as he stood up and made way for the door. "I think I can handle it. I'll see you next time."

[Joe_Vargo]

Joe dropped down the manhole. The water in the tunnel spread to allow for him to stand on dry concrete. He landed in a crouched position and his coat fell over his back. He stood up and drew a long breath...and gagged on the stench of the place. After recovering from the shock to the senses, he surveyed his surroundings. 'Sewer water. Gross, but usable, not even my old partner Josh and his electric powers could beat me with a nice supply of water. Large tunnels, perfect for moving around in. Wonder what a troll looks like?' He pondered this only a moment for he was about to get an answer...

Joe picked his head up. Down the tunnel he heard water sloshing, and the scrape of metal on concrete. Slowly the hulking brute come into the light provided by very old and barely functioning lamps. It was carrying a fiendish looking pipe, twisted and bent from thuroughly bashing things, its metalic shine was dulled and rusted by many red stains. The only thing more intimidating that the weapon, was the troll itself. Its long arms scraped its knuckles against the floor, the short stockly legs met a thick torso that looked like pure muscle. The torso ended in a round head, no neck, just a thick head, its mouth was like gash with no definable lips, and its teeth jutted out in random directions. The troll peered at Joe, and its pupils dialated as it decided that the young man standing before him was a threat. The troll let out a mighty bellow and drew back its cludgel.

Joe reached to his hips. He drew out his trusty batons and extended them. The lenghs of the weapons began to shimmer as water froze on the black metal to form blades of ice. Joe's right hand drew one ice blade behind his shoulder and down his back, his left brought the other blade to his hip. When he saw the massive beast prepare his weapon for a swing, he charged. He predicted perfectly the horizontal angle of the swing and ducked under the pipe. Two blurs came from Joe's right shoulder and hip, disembowling the creature and cutting a large gash through several major arteries underneath the armpit. Joe dashed a few yards away before turning to look at the foul beast. He saw the troll stagger, blood pouring from its armpit, and intestines spilling from its belly. It fell on its side and became motionless.

Joe sighed in relief. "That wasn't such a chore." he said to no one in particular. the ice blades shattered, and Joe collapsed his weapons, returning them to his hip. Joe approached his kill when a blur caught him off guard. He was struck by the troll's arm and thrown against the wall. He looked at the corpse and a look of shock and disgust spread over his face. The troll's guts were retracting into its body. "You gotta be kiddin me!" Joe exclaimed. He stood up and the surrounding water swirled around him. He drew out his batons and fromed his ice swords again.

The troll lept into action, swinging with the twisted piece of pipework. A column of water sprung up and froze to create a barrier and Joe put his weapons over his shoulder to block, but it was no use. The sheer force of the blow shattered the ice pillar and shattered Joe's attempt to block. Again, he was thrown to the wall dropping both of his blades. The troll lunged foreward, thrusting with the pipe. Joe rolled to the side narrowly avoiding being impaled. The pipe was now burried into the concrete, Joe saw and opening and sprung. Leaping straight up with an uppercut. The mighty blow struck the troll on the chin, its head moved back...slightly, almost unfazed. The troll, with the power of its head, forced Joe back to the ground. Abandoning its weapon, the troll brought its arms up in an overhead smash. The crushing swing was narrowly avoided by a dodge roll to the side. Joe recovered from his roll and collected a large mass of water in his hand, he built up the pressure, and released a might burst that had enough force level a building. The troll was hit by the stream of water and forced against the wall, its thick skin starting to peel back from the sheer force. Joe stopped the stream and watched as the peeled skin started to move back into place.

"NOT THIS TIME!" Joe yelled lunging straight for the monster. Water froze over his hand, turing chop into a slice. He lept, spun in midair, and decapitated the troll. He landed and turned to see the great brute drop and move no more. "Stupid witch." he cursed, panting, "If her damn tea wasn't so good." He sighed, collecting the troll's head in a bag and retrieving his batons.

Kills: 1