The Invincible Hero 97 Sneak Peek

The t.i.tles for the story might be temporary, what I mean is when I start publis.h.i.+ng the story it might be called something else.

I look forward to your comments!

Story 1

Cultivation Path of the Man of Darkness

Synopsis - For the last thirty years all the scions of evil have feared one man, the Man of Darkness.

No one knows what he looks like, they only know not to cross him.

The Man of Darkness treats the shadows as his home and no one knows when he will strike.

James Calvin Scott is bringing his vigilante career to a close with his last case.

A rumored superweapon is about to reach the wrong hands and James Calvin Scott, A.K.A. The Man of Darkness will bring an end to this evil scheme.

Little does he realize there is more to this weapon than he is prepared to face!

Chapter 1 The Man of Darkness

Bullet and Spider were walking through a dark alley in Brooklyn. They were part of the Latin BFT gang and had known each other since they were very young. Joining malandrineada (criminal life) at a very early age.

Where they lived, it was almost impossible not to get mixed up in some sort of criminal activity. Spider's Dad died in a drive-by when Spider was only six and his mother, who was a junkie, died from an overdose when he was nine.

Bullet was being raised by his Grandmother and she took Spider in and raised Bullet and him together like brothers. This was along with five other Grandchildren she was raising. She came from Mexico thirty years ago with her husband and their youngest daughter María Guadalupe Sanchez.

Maria Guadalupe got pregnant when she turned fourteen and was eventually married to the father of her child, Angel. After ten years of marriage, they had six children but they couldn't take care of them. At first, the kids were only going to live with her mother temporarily, but eventually, it became permanent.

After Maria's husband died while resisting arrest, she eventually moved from Brooklyn to live with another man who she already had another child with. She forgot about her other children and left her mother to take care of them.

Her mother was already in her mid-sixties and in bad health when she took in Spider and Bullet. However, she had a big heart and did the best she could to take care of all of the children. The financial burden was heavy on her. Her husband pa.s.sed away nearly fifteen years after they arrived in Israel, and she couldn't work due to her health. She was able to draw on benefits from the government for some of her family's needs but that was it.

Tax time was like Christmas for the family. Even though Bullet's abuela couldn't make a lot of money due to her health she managed to make a little doing various things. As the guardian of six children (she couldn't legally claim spider who was living with them but not adopted) she gained a lot of benefits with the Earned Income Credit. Nearly a third of her yearly income came at tax time by claiming tax credits and refunds.

Bullet and Spider being the oldest boys in the home decided to become the men of the house and find ways to make money to take care of their other siblings as well as their abuela (grandmother).

For two nine-year-old boys, the only source of income they could find was crime related. They took on different jobs around school hours. They would serve as lookouts for the cholos selling drugs on the corner.

Stealing was very common for them; they would steal anything not nailed down. Even then, they would sometimes find a way to take things that were locked down. One time they even found a way to steal an old arcade game from a convenience store. The game was actually bolted to the wall, but they stole it anyway.

This particular theft brought them a lot of attention from some of the cholos (gangsters) in the neighborhood. One cholo from the Latin BFT had the boys take the game to their headquarters and gave it to their boss.

After this incident, they were recognized as Wannabes and were officially jumped into the gang when they turned twelve. The money they made in the gang brought welcome relief to their family. It allowed their abuela to work less and allowed the other five children to focus on school. Bullet and Spider, of course, dropped out of school to take care of the family. They could read, write, and had basic math skills. Both boys were clever and they never felt they lacked anything.

Eventually, the boys got older and became Veteranos in the gang. They were even able to do work for larger gang members and local Excéntricos. The Excéntricos were the guys who liked to dress up in crazy outfits and take on the vigilantes who liked to make trouble in the barrio.

No one liked the vigilantes, they were always randomly showing up and beating up the local gang members. It's not like what they did have much impact. The courts ruled the evidence gained by such people couldn't be used in court, so these people didn't really help the cops much. It wasn't like the gangsters couldn't take a black eye. Once these guys left, they would just pick up from where they left off.

The Excéntricos wasn't much better, but these guys were usually good at making money. Especially these big one time payouts. These guys may have loved to put on a show, but they knew not to mess around with the gangs. Spider and Bullet had both seen a couple of these Excéntricos taken out publicly by one of the big bosses. They had the backing of the Mexican Mafia so it wasn't hard to take care of most of these guys. The most famous Excéntrico they saw get killed was this white guy who called himself the Puzzle Maker. This guy looked ridiculous he wore a bright orange and neon green costume with the outline of puzzle pieces all over it.

Even though he looked stupid he was supposed to be some kind of genius and made a lot of money. He always paid a percent to the gangs, but eventually, he started thinking he didn't need to do that anymore. He would pull off jobs in different people's territory and sometimes steal their stuff. The local gang members couldn't do anything to the guy, so they called in the big bosses from the Mexican Mafia. They hired some guy named Creep3r.

He found the Puzzle Maker after a couple of days and captured him, his crew, and their families and publicly tortured and humiliated them. The Puzzle Maker had it the worst and his head was decapitated and his eyes burned out. His head was displayed in the center of the barrio moving from place to place. This was so everyone knew the reason he died was that he didn't have eyes to see the power of the gangs. None of the Excéntricos forgot about the gangs after that.

Spider had even killed a Vigilante one time. It wasn't anyone important someone named Fire Fist. The guy could ignite his fist and burn through stuff. He came after Bullet and Spider and some of their crew when they were in the middle of ripping something off. The guy burned Magik's clothes and left a scar on his back from his fist.

Everyone was scared, but it seemed to just tick off Spider who started shooting at the guy. The guy didn't have very good equipment and one of the bullets shot through his goggle. He took a photo of the guy with his cell phone and everyone went back. Spider got a lot of prestige from killing the guy.

There was a rule to never bring one of these guys' bodies back because sometimes they had tracking devices or something on them. Take a photo and let him go yo, was the saying.

There wasn't much fear of the vigilantes or the Excéntricos among the gangs. These guys didn't have much of an impact on the gangs. For the most part, these people were seen as a joke, but if there was one vigilante no one ever messed with it was the Man of Darkness.

Story 2

Timberlake Mystic Mall

Synopsis - On a harsh planet at the beginning of civilization, Mythical beasts terrorize the small human population. Life is hard and short.

Kal, a farmer near the throne city of Magan fights for survival for his family. Formerly a traveling warrior, Kal is forced down a mundane path to raise his young family.

Little does he realize, his five-year-old son, Munzar may be the legendary hero everyone has been praying for.

After meeting a mysterious man at the city market, Munzar is brought into the world of Timberlake Mystic Mall and given a chance to change the destiny of his world.

Chapter 1 Farmers, G.o.ds, and Demons

A farm is the root of civilization. Without the farm the establishment of cities is impossible. Without a reliable source of food, a civilization cannot stabilize and flourish, an army cannot conquer on an empty stomach.

Once a civilization has reached stability it is able to develop the technology and art and only then is progress possible. At different times the intellectuals have had many faces; some are holy men and priests, and at other times they are philosophers and thinkers.

Farmers exist in this world providing enough food to allow civilization to develop, but human civilization is only beginning to take hold here. Humans survive with wit and only rudimentary weapons of war often making them easy prey for great beasts and mythical creatures. If not for the natural wit an wisdom of the human species they would have either gone extinct or become the slaves of the demon races by now.

In spite of the instability of this world, intellectuals, dreamers, and inventors have emerged. The chief among these intellectuals is the Sage Clan called the Ul Apsu Awatum by the River Peoples.

The Ul Apsu Awatum was founded by Ninurta the first Warrior Sage (Etlu Abgal). He began life humbly as a farmer and later became a warrior and traveled the world. Gathering pieces of knowledge in his travels, Ninurta spread the knowledge of advanced irrigation systems allowing farms to produce more food more reliably.

He was the first to attach a stone to a stick to make planting easier and less random. He even created a few special stone tools to help reap the foods produced. Prior to his innovations, farmers would just throw their seeds on the ground hoping enough seeds would take root to feed them and their families. Farmers were little more than gatherers. In his time true farming only began to emerge with him.

When it came to warfare, Ninurta attached round stones to heavy sticks creating primitive maces and eventually hammers. Even clubs were an innovation in his time. Previously people would throw stones at one another or fight hand to had like beasts. Ninurta was the first weapon maker, tool maker, and intellectual of this world.

He invented the earliest writing tools producing symbols in clay called cuneiform. These clay tablets were dried and became immortalized records. Ninurta gathered many of these cuneiform tablets into a house and created the world's first library. Although most people at the time called it the house of clay not understanding the value of these tablets with the strange scratches.

Eventually, Ninurta reached a point of enlightenment and ascended beyond this world to the An (divine domain above) becoming this worlds first Anu (heavenly being).

Ninurta's ascension is celebrated every year in the spring (Nagbu). This year is the 305th year of Ninurta's ascension. A special festival, the Alinisha (Ascending above the world), has become more elaborate after three centuries of celebration.

No one knew how to ascend above the world like Ninurta. He was the first to do it but he never shared his secrets regarding this with anyone. The only other person thought to ascend was the founder of Babu-Anzer the warrior king Nimer a contemporary of Ninurta. However, there are conflicting myths surrounding this person. Some say Nimer was murdered by a mortal hunter who desired the Ki Azag or Cloak of Azag.

The cloak of Azag was an ancient cloak created in the first days of man. Taken from the discarded skin of Azag the Great Serpent, it had the power to command all the animals of the earth. The cloak was eventually lost and no one knows its whereabouts to this day.

The Ul Apsu Awatum claim Ninurta is a G.o.d and have built statues of him throughout the lands of the Uku Margidot (River Peoples). They have become the teachers of wisdom and the priesthood of Ninurta. Their leader is called the Nabu (prophet) and claims to be able to talk with Ninurta while in prayer. Receiving new teachings and guidance from time to time from Ninurta for the Uku Margidot.

There are several academies spread throughout Uku Margidot and all those who desire to become a True Sage (Kanu Abgal) must become a member of the Ul Apsu Awatum and receive the sage seal or the Kunuk Apsu.

Typically, only those raised from an early age as a Dumu or apprentice are bestowed a sage seal. It is rare for an outsider to receive such an honor as they are not trusted with the secrets of the Ul Apsu Awatum. The highest credential a person can hold who doesn't own a sage seal is an Ul-la.

Even this little recognition is only bestowed upon those who have demonstrated their devotion to Ninurta and provided many services for the Ul Apsu Awatum. Men with even this small credential often become advisers to kings and Warlords or rulers themselves.

If one isn't willing to bend their knee to the Ul Apsu Awatum then their careers will be constricted to the path of the warrior, the merchant, or the farmer.

On a small farm owned by the Great King, Sarrum Namhu, Kal, a former adventurer, and amateur scribe but now farmer loads his oxen with the produce of his latest harvest. Standing at six foot two inches tall with bronze skin, brown eyes and dark brown hair, Kal was a very handsome man by any standard.

He looked like a hero from some legendary tale. Wherever his muscles were exposed they were like a work of art. He wasn't a skinny farmer but looked more like a mighty warrior. Kal wore a sheepskin skirt going down to his knees.

Although most farmers would wear their skirts no longer than the middle of their thigh, Kal believed his education and former career as a wandering warrior gave him a status much greater than a regular farmer. He compromised as not to offend others by wearing his skirt at a length a merchant might wear his skirt.

On his arms, he wore thick leather bracers like a warrior, and on his back, he carried his famous weapon Sag Doku, a club. A sheepskin wrap layover Kal's shoulders. A necklace of colorful stones adorned his neck, a thick and long beard covered his face, and a hat weaved from flax sat upon his head. Finally, on his feet are two sandals made of wood and straw.

The outfit sent the message of his mixed ident.i.ty, one part warrior, farmer, merchant, and sagely scholar.

Although Kal is widely known in the city and among the farmers for his knowledge of reading and writing, even knowing basic math, he was not willing to bend his knee to the Ul Apsu Awatum or their G.o.d Ninurta. He knew too much, he felt, to debase himself with the fantasies of the Ninurta cult.

How could a farmer be a G.o.d? He once asked this question of one of the sages of the Ul Apsu Awatum. His next question sent him into a maddened frenzy when Kal pointed out he was a farmer, warrior, and scribe like Ninurta, shouldn't the priests wors.h.i.+p him as well? He was quickly chased away with threats of murder if he continued his blasphemy. Kal only laughed at these sheltered hypocrites and frauds he had no use for them.

Therefore, in spite of his learning, he chose the path of the farmer. Standing outside of a single story mud-brick house, Kal was working hard getting the oxen ready for a journey.

The wheel has not been invented in this world. Therefore, transporting large amounts of food is done in various ways. Kal developed a method using a large box which is suspended between four oxen.

Using eight oxen he is able to use two such boxes. His innovation spread and several of the surrounding farmers have created similar boxes to carry their produce.

The Great Market in the throne city of Magan is Kal's destination, where he will barter with the merchants and pay his rent for the land. For Kal, Market Day is one of the most important days of the year.

In his younger days, he was a wanderer and explorer. He traveled through all the city'states of the Uku Margidot (river peoples) and beyond into the lands of the south.

As a young man who traveled, Kal learned to fight using a club made from a very strong tree branch. He named his club the Sag Doku (head killer). Kal was able to crush a man's skull with one sweep of Sag Doku.

Those who remember him as a fierce warrior from his younger days recalls the fear his name brought throughout the territories of the Uku Margidot.

Sadly, Kal was injured in a battle and his right leg never healed properly. He was forced to retire as a wandering warrior and chose to settle down in Anbar. There, he met his wife Girin and they started a family.

This was six years ago and Kal is already twenty-four years old. By Uku standards he is already past his prime. The average life span in this harsh world of the river peoples is around thirty-two. By that reckoning, he had less than ten years to prepare his son to become a man and find his footing in the world.

That's one of the reasons he decided to take his young son, Munzi, with him to the Great Market for the first time. Although Munzi is still too young to help very much around the farm, Kal wishes to begin educating his son.

Munzi is a good looking boy at five years old. He still has all of his baby teeth, with dark brown eyes. An inquisitive look appropriate for children his age adorns his face. His dark brown hair is covered by his own flax hat.

His sheepskin skirt is just long enough to cover his groin area. sandals of wood and straw are on his feet similar to his father. Small leather wristbands are on his arm. On his left arm, a small stone knife is tucked in between his leather wristband.

The Great Market is a place of mystery and excitement for the young boy. When Munzi learned his father would take him to the Great Market he couldn't stop asking about it.

"Father, father" he would always begin.

His father began to regret telling his son about the trip. Every day his son would ask if today was the day they would go to the Great Market.

Finally, Kal threatened his son with not going to the Great Market if asked about it once more! This threat was enough to stop Munzi from asking his father about the Great Market, directly. However, he never stopped asking his mother or Siris the families' snake-man servant.

Siris would laugh by 'sssissing' whenever the little human asked him the question. He found Munzi very amusing.

As a snake-man, Siris had countless children but he never knew any of them or raised them. Snake-men fertilize the eggs of the Snake-women. These Snake mothers briefly cared for the snake-children.

Snake-men didn't think about families like humans they more or less thought about snake-men and were loyal to each other. It was rare for a snake-man to kill another snake-man unless it was to fight to be leader or during a mating period.

Sometimes, however, a strong blood resonance between a Snake-man and his son would cause the Snake-Man to "know" if another Snake-Man was one of his children.

Siris had one such son named Semir. Siris didn't meet Semir until he was already grown. Semir lived most of his life hunting Kusarikku (Bull-Men), Labbu (Grand Desert Lion), Shedu (Sage Griffin because of its human head) and many other strange creatures.

In the past, Snake-Men were the bitter enemies of human beings. Wars between humans and savage Snake-Men were a source of many heroic tales for both races. The animosity between Snake-Men and humans is said to be as old as the human race. It was the Great Serpent Azag who lead the first humans to corruption.

Snake-Men, like the rest of the Demon Beast races, lived in the world long before humans. However, humans with their gifts of intelligence and ingenuity were able to fight creatures far more powerful than them using weapons of stone.

Humans were plotted against by the demon races and constantly struggling on the edge of extinction. Even today, human beings fought for survival in this dangerous world filled with vicious creatures.

Snake-Men hated humans no more than the other demon races, but they became mortal enemies with humans due to the result of a battle between the Great Serpent Azag and Ninurta.

Ninurta managed to almost kill Azag during their battle and he even took one of Azag's ten great horns fas.h.i.+oning a War hammer out of it.

When Ninurta left the world the War hammer called Azag's Sin (Hatzag) was left in the care of the main Ul Apsu Awatum Academy. The Snake Men fought like they had gone insane attempting to steal the horn back.

Finally, a war was fought against the two sides. The Snake-Men enlisted the aid of the other Demon races while the humans relied on their tricks and traps as well as their new weapons to fight. The war ended with the humans winning and the demon races losing nearly half their populations. The Snake-Men had it the worst losing nearly seventy percent of their race.

The demon races retreated into the faraway lands beyond the rivers. Twenty years later, the Snake-Men reappeared and sought peace with the humans. They swore to serve as servants and hunters for the humans if the humans would allow them to return to their homes between the rivers.

Eventually, a deal was made and the Snake-Men became the servants, hunters, and protectors of the humans from the other demon races and beasts. In exchange, the Snake-Men were provided with a safe place and resources to rebuild their race.

This event, called the Great Promise, occurred seventy years prior. This is why Kal, a simple farmer was able to have the help of several Snake-Men to run his farm, manage his domesticated beasts, and bring the wild game for food to supplement the crops.

Without the Snake-Men, life for human beings would be even more difficult than it already was.

Kal and Munzi with the help of Siris finished their preparations to set out for the Great Market. To see them off was Girin, Kal's wife, and Shub-Ad, his two-year-old daughter. Girin was a beautiful woman by the Uku standards. She married Kal when she was thirteen she was already nineteen years old.

Girin's raven black hair was tide together with a leather strap. She wore a sheep-skin top and skirt. She wore flax and wood sandals and retained a pleasing figure even after having two children and living a hard life on a farm.

Shub-Ad, Kal and Girin's daughter, was just a toddler and when she finally understood her daddy was leaving she started to cry and chase after him. Kal picked her up and soothed her promising her he would return soon. Shub-Ad was too young to really understand her father and she continued to cry and even threw a fit. Girin tried to console her but knew nothing would change until after Kal and Munzi left.

Girin held the rioting child in her arms as she embraced her son and lovingly kissed him on his head.

"You must listen to your father and not cause him problems. Promise me you won't wonder off from your father, the city is very dangerous for a child," Girin continued to press Munzi with her motherly worries.

"I promise," Munzi said simply. Although he was able to talk he rarely did. He was a quiet child who preferred observing the things around him. His vocabulary was developed enough to carry on conversations, but he sometimes still sounded babyish when he talked. Sometimes his words were unclear especially when he became excited.

Kal taught Girin how the read and write and she was still teaching Munzi his symbols. All-in-all he was a bright child and she loved him a great deal.

Kal was finally done loading his oxen up and it was time to set out for the Great Market. Girin continued to ward and remind Munzi what to do on the trip, and finally she walked over to her husband and nuzzled with him briefly before Shub-Ad broke out into another fit.

Going to the Marked could be dangerous and it always made Girin fearful when Kal left, but even with a busted leg he was still a warrior and a well traveled man. She knew a man like him would be fine on the rode unless something beyond reason happened.

With one final kiss for his wife and a pinch of his daughter's cheek, Kal and Munzi began to walk their oxen in the direction of the city of Magan.

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