The courtroom in the middle of the ruined village slowly filled with more and more strange creatures.

Some came in disguises that ranged from simple cloaks and hoods to elaborate costumes.

Others appeared openly.

All were greeting old friends or carefully watching old enemies.

Leroy sat at his table, carefully filing his claws with a small manicure set.

He'd learned long ago that many small bits of information could be gained for free.

Odin might think the stupid pirate disguise would fool someone, but it didn't stop Leroy from finding out he was purchasing mortal-produced ale for the tables of Valhalla.

He could sell that tidbit to several large breweries.

The most interesting discussion though, was coming from the table where the butcher was sitting.

Several mortals had been holding a hushed discussion at the far end.

It seemed to have nothing much to do with the courtroom, and everything about gaining power.

"...why now?"… "…all these gods just sitting here"..."…book open, it's not.......storage with all I need........absorbs...magical energies......total game changer...lets him get the power he needs to defy..."..."thanks to Uncle Damien, we can do it, and do it now."Annoyingly, the lawyer came back from talking with someone, and the conversation ended with some nods and winks.

As the mortals moved away, a gleam of powerful magic caught Leroy's eye.

The mortal with the cursed god-blessed hat was wearing a ring.

A ring with the Franklin crest of arms on it.

Uncle Damien…? Damien Franklin! He took another look at the butcher.

A very hard look that burned quite a bit of mana and caught a few people’s attention.

The butcher felt the stare, but simply ignored him except for raising his middle finger.

Leroy kept staring, tallying up the special abilities he saw.

Sculpted, Might, Vigor, Tough, Dark Glory, and Monstrous.

Plus, some stuff he'd never heard of before.

What were Endure and Push Onward? Sleepless? And look at the stamina? How was that even possible? Things fell into place.

A farce of a trial set up to bring together a bunch of gods.

A mortal with a very specific build of limited skills and powerful perks.

Someone that could take a lot of damage.

Add that to someone acquiring Damien Franklin’s notes, and Leroy knew what was up: someone was building a god!Damien was known for a lot of things.

His method of problem solving always created more problems.

When farmers in the village of Folgrim were worried about potato blight spoiling the crops, he created super-potatoes that were blight resistant - also sentient and they hated being dug up.

Many a farmer had been chased out of his own fields.

The answer to that was mutant gophers with an addiction to potatoes.

To get rid of the gophers he created giant gopher-hunting pigs.

Potato farming was still a loser, but at least the bacon industry was booming in that area.

His most spectacular success was when the mad god Nixalten started a campaign to steal the power of mortal heroes to increase his own.

Not only was he able to stop Nix, but his machines sucked out the stolen power and returned it to the mortals.

Nix was sucked dry and the mortals saved.

The complication came up when Cluxulese, the last and least of the heroes got the last bit of power.

The machine had taken a lot of Nix's own power, and the lucky Cluxulese was the recipient.

He went from Tier 1 to Tier 4, and became a legend in his own time before dying to an annoyed dragon.Damien claimed it was a once-in-a-million fluke.

But a lot of questions got asked, and Damien quickly took a long vacation to parts unknown.

And now one of his family had his notes, a powerful butcher, and a gaggle of gods who didn't know what was about to be taken from them.

Hell, they might not even notice if the drain was subtle.

A little from each would add up to a hell of a lot.

Someone should really stop them from doing something like that! Or, at the very least, find a better use for that power.Frustratingly, he couldn't follow them.

The judges were coming back to their table.

Leroy was suddenly unconcerned about the ruling.

Mithras pounded his hammer on the table many times to get order.

The gavel was gone, and in its place was an iron hammer.

"A lot has been said, both in this court, and behind the scenes.

Enough carrier pigeons and cherubs were winging their way into our chambers that we eventually asked for two gods of the hunt to start shooting them down.""I'm certain a lot will be said about this case and its ramifications.

That's fine.

Talk all you like.

If you wish to appeal, follow the rules." "The five us are in agreement that the law must be the same for all beings, and not, as has been suggested, modified because of how things might have been done in the past.

If you write a contract recognized by the system, you are bound to those words.""In the case before us we find that the Fallen Angel, Lemechial, known otherwise as "Leroy," is in default on two contracts.

In the first, he is in default for not performing the actions needed to repair and restore the village of Sedgewick.

He must accomplish this to the court's satisfaction in the next 24 hours."Leroy looked bored, "Yeah, I'll get my imp right on that.

Then when I appeal, I'm going ask for three times that much in damages."Mithras banged his hammer and continued, "In the second case, we find that Lemechial defaulted through his own actions after provoking and attacking the local citizens.

It was during this fight that he destroyed the charnel pit covered by the second contract.

He must restore the pit to its proper state, again, within the next 24 hours.""We are considering further punitive damages.

Court will recess for one hour during which the judges will take counsel from any god willing to give it.

Lemechial shall not leave this courtroom." He slammed his hammer down.Leroy held his anger down.

Not the time to go crazy or draw attention.

He put on his ‘I'm terribly disappointed in you, and so is everyone else’ face.

Then he turned to Ozzy.

"Say, sport, you seemed a bit unhappy about not getting to hit me earlier.

Feel like maybe settling this in trial by combat and telling all the gods to screw off? I'll make it worth your while.

I know mortals like treasure, and I've got a big bag full of some nice Legendary items.

I'll power down to your level, we go seven rounds, and if you can put a bruise on me, you can have the bag of loot, and enough gold to fix your stuff.

What do you say?"Ozzy instantly found he couldn't speak, with a leather muzzle tight around his face.

He lawyer stood on the table and addressed Leroy, "My client has nothing to say.

Nothing whatsoever.

He is a law-abiding citizen and would never dare even consider such a thing."Leroy just smiled for a moment, "Aw, don't get upset little man - just giving your boy some options.""And I'm not letting him ponder any of them.

Ozzy, I would appreciate you leaving the courtroom, since that's where Lemechial is going to be.

I have to go join a discussion on punitive damages."Ozzy nodded and left.

As soon as he was past the boundary of the courtyard the Muzzle Client spell wore off.

He wandered up the road a bit until he was out of sight, and then ran to join the others.

Billy and Layla were watching as Ben was assembling the final details of the plan, with Rolly acting as an enthusiastic assistant.

"Explain this to me a bit Ben.

Not that I mind trying anything at all to get this city opened up.

Lord knows we killed enough people when Vern was here.

But that's a lot of high tech and magic mumbo jumbo."It was indeed.

Ben had put Rolly to work digging out trenches, laying wire, and setting up the batteries.

Suzette was busy drawing some sort of arcane pattern on the stones that made up the road, according to the diagrams in Ben’s book.

Squirmie was up high, playing look-out.

"It's pretty simple in some ways.

The big stones are the weapon.

They focus arcane lightning on whatever attacks the barrier.

The little stones running around the outside absorb magical energy and store it.

Remember that one time you threw so many workers at the barrier that someone ran inside? You made it spend more than it had stored.

A lot of the lightning gets reabsorbed into the system; highly efficient.

I want to trigger the system and syphon energy out of it.""The other thing I learned is that the barrier can hurt itself.

When the lightning storm occurred out here, totally by accident, the standing stones were damaged.

One is still repairing.

I'm hoping that this set-up will also send lightning back at the barrier.

Between storing some energy and cycling more back, it should take enough of the juice off of Ozzy that he can last for a few cycles until the stones break.

Once that happens, you'll have time to get inside and claim the city while we try to break the stones even further."Ozzy came running up.

Suzette walked up to him and said in a sultry voice, "Take it all off, I need to oil you up good.""I'd rather you were saying that under much different circumstances.""Just get your clothes off.

I need to make sure this oil covers all of you.

Aliester says it should mitigate a large amount of electrical damage.

I've also got a potion for you to drink.

Just a standard resist potion, but every bit should help."Ozzy was soon standing in the middle of the apparatus, holding onto two tall copper rods that extended into the ground and up over his head.

"I still wonder if this is the right thing, or the right time."Rolly shrugged, "Billy needs the city open to remain in control, we need Billy to keep Vern away.

But now’s the best time.

Town can't be hurt worse, innocents out of the way, and a whole heap of powerful people to jump in if the world goes to hell.

Plus, not our fault."Ozzy looked skeptical, "How is it not our fault?"Rolly rolled his eyes, "Easy - we blame Billy; he's in charge - we're just poor workers following orders."Billy nodded, "That's exactly what it is.

Now let's do this before something happens."Squirmie landed and made bug noises at Rolly, "Squirmie says something happened, there's people running around outside the courthouse and heading this way."Everyone but Ozzy ran for the little bunker.

It was just a wall of wood and stone at the edge of the crater, but it would give them some cover.

Hopefully.

Ozzy yelled, "Has to be Leroy.

He's run off to avoid his spanking.

Ben, I start this up with the button on the right-hand side?"There were some cries of pain from the bunker.

Ozzy saw Leroy walk out holding Suzette and Layla by their necks.

"Spanking? You just have a way of pissing me off, don't you butcher? But as to a little spanking, I think maybe you better bend over.

Or I kill these two.

And when I kill something, I can send their soul to places you'll never find them.

It costs me a lot, but I'll do it if you so much as budge."Ozzy thought for only a second, "Right.

I give.

Do whatever you want with me.

Just let them go.""Good boy.

Nice to know you can figure out when you're beat.

Now step back from that contraption, take your two bits of fluff, and stay out of my way."Ozzy did as he was told, and watched Leroy stand in his place.

"I've got to admit.

When I figured out your scheme to steal power for yourself, I was impressed.

Most mortals don't think long term like this.

Or have the balls to attract all those gods.

Good plan.

Maybe I'll keep you around; we can do some great things together.""Sure thing boss," Ozzy picked up the unconscious women and ran behind the barrier.

Everyone else was alive, if bruised.Leroy smiled, grasped the copper rods of Damien Franklin's Power Syphon and pressed the button.

A small arcane battery in the handle sent a bit of current down the rods, and into the buried cables in the ground, hitting both of the large standing stones.

They replied with bolts of arcane lightning directed at Leroy, but intercepted by the two lightning rods.

Most of the power was then absorbed by the 37 arcane batteries of assorted sizes buried in the ground beneath Leroy.

Some of the charge ran back down the wires to the monoliths to start the next cycle."Arghh!! Damn thing runs a little rough at first, doesn't it?"The barrier had been created by the High Druids to keep bad things inside, and keep worse things from breaking them out.

An angel would have been singed by the lightning bolts; humans fried and dead.

But Leroy had long ago accumulated so much corruption that any remaining radiance was swept away.

The arcane bolts hurt him far worse than they would have hurt Ozzy.

And worse was coming.

The defenses now recognized what they were fighting and the power of each bolt intensified.Time and again, twin bolts of arcane lightning thundered down upon Leroy.

The power was building, and so was the damage, but he held on.

He'd talked with people after the first time Damien had used his device, and knew it wasn't gentle.

That this wasn't a device to steal power never entered his mind.

And then he quit thinking about anything at all.He couldn't let go, and he couldn't leave.

He just had to stand there and take it.

In Sedgewick, dozens of mortals and gods saw the glow and heard the thunder.

Hermes turned to Hades, "I think we found Leroy.

Race? I've got my running shoes on.""When has Death lost to a flower delivery man?"Themis drew her sword and addressed the gods and other beings in the crowd, "We don't know what's happening, but I strongly suggest we get ready.

I want a double line across that road.

You know what you can do, sort yourselves out."Several people hesitated, but when Odin yelled, "Yoho! Shiver me Timbers! Do what the lass says or I smite you all," they all got moving into position at the edge of town.

Chunks of rock were flying off the monoliths now, the injured one nearly two-thirds gone, the other faring much better at about three-fourths and still standing.

The lightning got stronger.

Leroy was starting to burn.

And that's when the batteries reached capacity.

Ben had never thought they could pull off that much power.

Ozzy was basically a fuse that would have burnt out long before this.

The plan had been for Ben and Rolly to heal him as he took damage, and then drag him away with a rope when he got low.

Leroy had interrupted the last bits of preparation.

And now all the miraculous, high-capacity, mana batteries had reached 100% and were still being forced to absorb more.

Damien would have known to have a switch that disconnected each battery as it filled.

Ben hadn't gotten to that part of the book yet and hadn't had the time to experiment.

At 150% capacity the batteries glowed and became hot.

At 200% they started to melt.

A little over that and the first one exploded, causing a chain reaction that sent all of the batteries to follow the littlest one into oblivion.

A massive surge of energy exploded under Leroy's feet, knocking him up into the air.

He landed hard with no control of his twitching body over 70 feet down the road towards Sedgewick.

He glowed with absorbed power that continued to burn him.

Power surged up the wires and into the monoliths.

The smaller one exploded into smithereens.

A large chunk hit Leroy on his left knee and the rock exploded upon contact with the Fallen, shattering bones that hadn't been broken since he was created.Only two beings saw the ending.

One of them was Hermes who had thrown a Hermetic Circle of Protection around the mortals cowering in the crater.

The other was Hades.

He shrugged and watched.

It wasn't in his nature to save anyone from death.Ozzy stood up, wondering how the hell they were alive.

He didn't see either god - just Leroy smoking in the road.

While saving a favorite follower from death wasn't unheard of, both Hades and Hermes were of the opinion it was better to not get caught.

Let them think the barrier held, or they'd gotten lucky.

Ozzy grabbed Billy and Layla, "Gates open! we did our job - time to do yours." He helped them up and walked them through the gate.

Nothing at all happened, and they ran faster down the road to the center of the ruined city.

Ozzy turned to the last standing stone.

Even half destroyed the thing was going to weigh a lot.

The huge dolmen was twelve foot tall, with another two feet still in the earth.

Layers of stone had been blasted off it, but it was still two feet thick at its base.

It weighed in at a little over 12 tons.

Ozzy grabbed hold of the huge stone and lifted.

It grudgingly came out of the ground.

He burned stamina to use push onward and it got easier to move.

At 22 STR Ozzy could lift 5750 lbs.

With the 6x bonus he received from Haul 4 he could lift and move nearly 17 tons.

He got the rock out of the ground and set it down.

Shifting his grip, he managed to get his hands entirely under it, and lift it up.

Now where the hell to put it? Ben and Suzette had said to move it as far from the gate as he could.

He started walking towards Sedgewick.

Leroy was in the middle of the road.

He didn't look good, but he wasn't dead.

Even as Ozzy walked up, he was struggling to lift a hand.

Ozzy thought about that hand holding Suzette.

"You know Leroy, I think I'll take you up on that challenge to a trial by combat.

All I need is someone to say 1,2,3 go."And someone did.

"1,2,3, go." Ozzy lifted the enchanted monolith that had stood for centuries in front of Gadobhra high above his head.

He would lift and drop it as many times as it took.

It only took one.

The impact of the stone wasn't enough to kill Leroy.

But the explosion that occurred as the still active runes contacted the fallen did.

The rock was shattered and scattered over several acres.

Leroy’s head exploded like a ripe pumpkin, followed by the rest of his body turning to dust.Ozzy simply disappeared.

Hermes was hard pressed to survive and spent most of his power on a hastily erected barrier.

Hades didn't feel like protecting anyone and simply let the blast pass through him - and waited.

A being of light and shadow coalesced above where Leroy had lain.

Broken wings held it in the air.

One side of its face was beatific, the other a melted ruin.

The hands were clawed and its skin alternated between burned and smooth white.

Lemechial in spirit - his body of primordial stone destroyed forever.

"Come to gloat, Hades? Or just ready for when I kill those mortals? I have enough power left for that."Hades laughed, "Sorry, I don't get involved with that.

I'm here about another matter.

It seems that you owe some taxes.

A lot of taxes.

So much that it might take a few decades just to figure out how much.

I can't even estimate what the fines and jail time will come to.

But you aren't going anywhere for a long, long time."Hades snapped his fingers.

Black chains erupted from the ground and restrained the Fallen Angel's spirit.

Lemechial screamed as he was dragged down to Hades’ realms.

Through guile and brute force, the crafty minions of ACME corporation have unsealed one of the Ancient Cities of the Dark.Gadobhra is back in business.

Speak to Baron William Horvacs, Northern Region Manager of ACME, for details on exciting business opportunities.