Righteous Lad
Comic-verse #0 Without concern of being discreet, Konnence descends via flight to the one home he's always felt was his absolute sanctuary. With just two minutes to spare before 6PM hits, to boot. Though, after such drastic events and changes in his life, it appears more like a haunting shell holding memories of the better days of his adolescence. Without his key on hand, he decides to enter through one of the second floor windows - particularly the one that leads inside his old bedroom. As he ducks and steps onto his bed inside, he notes the room is dingy, but clear enough only because sunlight is shining its way inside. Instinctively, he moves toward the door and flips the light switch near it. Nothing.
"...I guess it would be silly to pay a bill for a home you don't live in anymore." He comments, thinking on how the man that adopted him since when he was a mere baby must be handling the tragedies that's taken place over the last three years.
Konnence sighs and momentarily heads downstairs, eventually returning with nearly a doze small candles in his cradling arms. He sets them up all around the room and when he's done, he goes to them one by one. Touching each with his right point finger and giving life to Niflheim flames that burn with a gentle greenish-cyan radiance. When that's done, he retrieves a gym bag from his closet and begins gathering clothing to pack inside. Soon, he finally pays enough mind to the interior space and notices familiar boxes on the shelf above his hanging clothes. Carefully, he pulls down two of those rectangle boxes and proceeds to take a seat on his bed while setting the boxes beside him. He opens one of them and inside is a neat line of comic books held in individual sheaths of plastic of their own. He pulls out one at random and finds himself laying eyes on Rebirth Justice League, issue #1.
"Man… I didn't get to read this yet. I was already kinda' behind, but I bet I'm waaaay out of the loop by this point. Barely feels like it's been three years since the day I died." Konnence comments and goes on to pull the comic out of its plastic. Meanwhile, he's oblivious to someone - to a calculated something observing him from outside. It's none other than Malware.
"Ehh. I should probably finish reading these later. It's not like I can get comfortable and start living here again." The young man reasons with himself and puts the comic away properly. He leaves the boxes on the mattress and resumes to retrieve more clothes to take back with him. A deed that doesn't take much longer at all. Just as he zips the bag shut and grabs it by a handle strap, an intrusive noise draws his attention from behind. Standing and turning, he comes face to face with his oldest rival. A slight frown takes form upon Konnence's face.
"...I guess I shouldn't be surprised you found this place, but there's no way you could have known I was here suddenly. What do you even want?"
"No way? Come now, I am a connoisseur in tech and technical evolution. I planted hidden motion sensors and cameras here. I was expecting that peculiar man to return, but I found myself surprised with the visual of you." Malware informs, then proceeds to turn his back on the hero. Simply to examine Konnence's collection of comics on the bed.
"As for what I want… Well, that still remains the same as it's always been. Your demise."
"Well, that window of opportunity has passed. I've become twice as strong than I was before. And be careful with those… I still haven't gotten around to finish reading through them." Konnence responds.
"I'm very willing to take your word for that claim. Admittedly, I've made no true progress in finding a way to significantly hinder you. As it's as if adrenaline and willpower gives you an edge that I cannot provide counter measures for. My only logical solution is to quadruple my efforts." Malware explains, now plucking the same Justice League comic out of its plastic to give it a read through.
"And you needn't worry one little bit about me damaging your books. Quite frankly, I think they're highly valuable and full of boundless possibilities." The android adds.
"Yeeeeeaah… as cool as your power is to bring fictional characters and objects to literal li–" Konnence tries to convey a thought.
"What say we both expand our horizon, young Luthur?" Malware chimes in with a rhetorical question that takes the young man by surprise. Then, he makes use of that pause and hesitation. He shuts the book and casually tosses it atop of the open box. He turns his body sideways and stares at the hero, pointing a finger that's accumulating a radiant energy source at the boxes. Just as Konnence comes back to his senses and is about to make a move of his own, it's too late.
SSSKRRROOOOOSH!
With the abundance of source material as a target, Malware fires his portal projector and opens a swirling white rift into the 'fictional' world and immediately enters. Konnence isn't so willing, but a sudden powerful vacuum begins pulling at his body with a magnetic-like force equivalent to a blackhole. Everything in front of that rift that isn't nailed down gets sucked inside, candles, dresser, mirror, study desk, clothes, other long boxes of comics, and even dust.
However, the descendant of divine lineage hailing from Mount Olympus and Asgard, fights against such an imposing pull. With gritting teeth and clenching fists, Konnence turns and begins gradually making distance between himself and the rift. Marching with firm steps as he makes his way toward the exit door.
"You… GOT… to be kiddin'.. Meeeee!" Konnece utters behind snarling lips as he extends his free hand out for the door knob. Before he can make contact with it however, all too familiar metallic tendrils protrude from the rift and coil around his body and pull him in by the waist, arms, and legs into that portal.
"This is so NOT RIGHTEOOOOUS!!!" His exclaiming echoes throughout the house just as he and that hole in thin air vanish without a trace. Silence and darkness reclaims the former Luthur Household.
As if thrown back outside into broad daylight and open sky, Konnence finds himself soaring and flipping involuntarily through the air. Just until he forcefully stops himself. Even so, there was no time to think just yet–
"LOOK OUT!!"
"AA-HOOOF!!?" A voice shouts from nearby, but there's a hard collision that causes them to tumble through the air for a moment. Once they recover and get a look at each other, Konnence's eyes go wide in disbelief.
"Rogue!?"
"The one n' only, fella. You oughta' be more careful when u a flyin' about, though. Didn't even see ya headin' my way."
"S-sorry… I.. I'll be more careful next time, ma'am."
"That's all I could ask of ya, sugah. You take care now, ya hear?" And with that, the X-Men member waves him good and carries on with her flight destination.
"Wow… she's actually prettier in person… And THAT'S what her voice sounds like? Kinda' interesting." Konnence comments to himself as he waves her off in turn.
"Good. Find as many incentives you need. Get comfortable before I bring discomfort upon you." Malware suddenly makes his presence known, floating to the side of the hero at a fair distance.
"What do you think you're doing? Why bring me here?"
"Isolation. I want no disturbances on my campaign to terminate you. I also want you to drink in the predicament that I've placed you in. This time, I'm not leaving until I find a way to rid you from the plaine of the living. That you're never leaving this place. EVER." The android answers.
"So, what? You're going to just keep throwing stuff at the wall until an idea sticks the landing? We're going to continue this tiresome dance until the end of time? Because you're NEVER beating me." Konnence rebuttals.
"This will be a new series of trial and error. There are things and beings here that can actually hurt you significantly, if not outright kill you. We'll see how long you last." Malware concludes before retreating into a portal that abruptly appears behind him. It goes just as quickly as it came, leaving the stranded hero alone.
"Man… I just got back from Asgard, too. Now what?"
