Book III
Chapter V: No Good Deed
-~Phantoma Storm~-
No good deed goes unpunished, whispered Phantoma Storm, trapped inside an unbreakable, glass case.
The case was floating in a void of swirling dark colors.
No good deed goes unpunished, repeated Phantoma Storm. I just wanted to help, but now I am here too, trapped and lost.
Nobody could hear her and no one was around her. She was alone
again
I swear to you my innocence, your honor, pleaded Tabitha C. Salamanca.
Are you innocent then? asked the judge.
I am no witch, stated Tabitha firmly.
It was in England of 1962 when Tabitha C. Salamanca was taken to accused of witchcraft.
How can you deny these claims? asked the judge. People have seen you perform witchcraft!
Tabitha stomped her foot on the ground as the jury gasped in fear of a curse.
I am no witch, repeated Tabitha.
You burnt down your neighbors house with magic! shouted the judge.
I did no such thing, said Tabitha coldly. I spotted the house ablaze and rushed there to rescue those inside. Unfortunately, I was too late.
Lies! shouted a prosecutor. I saw you ignite the house!
I did not such thing! shouted Tabitha angrily.
The prosecutor sat down in panic, afraid that he has been cursed. The prosecutor clutched his heart in panic and fell to the ground in an epileptic fit.
Witchcraft! shouted the judge. You have just put our witness into an epilepsy!
Tabithas mouth dropped in fright of what will happen to her.
With the power invested in me, I hereby sentence you to be hanged! shouted the judge, smashing his gavel.
No! cried Tabitha, falling on her knees. No!
Tabitha stood up in anger.
Witchcraft? Ill show you witchcraft! shouted Tabitha at the jury.
Several jury members ran out of the courtroom, screaming in panic.
No good deed goes unpunished! shouted Tabitha, looking at remaining few who have stayed in the courtroom.
Tabitha quickly grabbed a knife from one of the guards in the courtroom. The guard was ready to retaliate, but was afraid to.
Tabitha used the blade and slit her arm, careful not to slit her veins. Her blood spilled to the ground.
No good deed goes unpunished, muttered Tabitha in pain.
Tabitha was confused and thought of what to say next.
Oh, dark lord, I give you my soul to do with as you please, said Tabitha holding the knife outward. Take my soul!
Tabitha stabbed herself in her chest and she fell over completely. She saw her soul become slowly removed from her body as she began to die.
For three hundred years, the soul of Tabitha C. Salamanca wandered the earth, searching for her body. Finally, she found it in Croatoa, an area in Paragon City.
Tabitha was able to resurrect herself. Tabitha emerged from her grave in Croatoa. Tabitha looked at her tombstones epitaph: No Good Deed.
Tabitha wandered around Croatoa and noticed something unusual. There were people wearing long, flowing capes flying in the air.
Halt! shouted Tabitha.
A man in the sky flew down to Tabitha.
How may I help you? asked the man.
Are you a witch or a warlock? asked Tabitha.
No, I am a hero, said the man, confused. And you are?
Tabitha C. Salamanca, said Tabitha.
What? You
you
died, said the hero. Run!
The hero quickly flew off as three women approached Tabitha.
Hello, said one of the women.
Tabitha C. Salamanca? asked another woman.
A witch, said the third woman.
I was wrongly prosecuted, said Tabitha.
You have a soul, said the first woman.
The dark lord wants it back, said the second.
We will have to take it from you, said the third.
Tabitha stared at the three women.
Are you witches? asked Tabitha.
We will take your soul without death, said the first.
Sounds scary, doesnt it? asked the second.
But we all have had our souls removed, said the third.
All three of you? asked Tabitha.
More than three, said the first.
Much more, said the second.
There are more of us, said the third.
Tabitha took a step back.
More witches? asked Tabitha.
We are more than witches, said the first.
We are the Cabal, said the second.
We are witches, united together, said the third.
Now, said the first witch.
We can take your soul the easy way, or the hard way, said the second.
Either way, we will get your soul, said the third.
The three witches called a bolt of lighting to strike Tabitha. Tabitha fell to the ground as the witches began to perform a ritual around her.
Tabitha was paralyzed and felt her body be lifted off the ground. She felt her soul become slowly removed from her body. Tabitha was then placed down onto the ground.
Tabitha moved her pointer finger. It moved normally, but felt as if something was missing. Her senses were stronger. She was able to feel the vibrations of sound and her eyesight was much stronger. Tabitha rubbed her hands together. She could feel the ridges in her fingertips and the temperature of her hands.
Tabitha felt the wind blow past her body. She was able to feel the rain that was a mile away. She saw lightning before it happened and knew the direction of the wind.
What happened to me? asked Tabitha.
You are one of us now, said the first witch.
You are a Cabal, said the second witch.
Now, for the test, said the third witch, pointing to the graveyard.
Tabitha turned to the graveyard. She was able to see the ghosts of the people who have died, hovering over their tombstones with chains holding them down.
Why are they chained down? asked Tabitha.
They still have a soul that is bound to their body, said the first witch.
When you give up your soul, you free it from its bond to your body, said the second witch.
It no longer has to serve and fill your body, said the third witch.
Tabitha turned back to the witches.
What will happen to me when I die? asked Tabitha.
You may be brought back to life, said the first witch.
There are two ways to be brought back, said the second witch.
One way is if your soul is returned to you, said the third witch.
The second is if someone gives you a soul, said the first witch.
However, if someone give you a soul, said the second witch.
You will begin to change, said the third witch.
The hero and a group of other heroes returned to Tabitha and the three witches.
Intimidating, said the first witch.
Very, said the second witch, laughing.
Lets go, said the third.
The witches performed spells and summoned storms to battle off the heroes. The heroes quickly defeated the three witches and then surrounded Tabitha.
One of the heroes grabbed on to Tabitha and held on tightly.
Let me go! yelled Tabitha, kicking and screaming.
Tabitha thought about how to escape as the heroes began to crowd around her more closely. She felt pressure coming towards her. She quickly released the pressure as a strong gust of wind, knocking some heroes back.
She then summoned a cloud of lighting to strike the other heroes. The group of heroes was quickly defeated. However, she did not know how to get rid of the lightning cloud.
The lightning cloud began to strike the cemetery, with lightning bolts blasting at the tombstones. As they struck, the chains on the souls were freed.
The souls approached Tabitha and bowed down to her, calling her their master.
She then realized that with the power to control souls and storms, she can be the strongest witch of the Cabal.
After four years with the Cabal, Tabitha became one of the leading ranks in the Cabal and was named Phantoma Storm, after her ability to control phantoms and weather. She was a feared and powerful witch, always followed by her army of souls.
Phantoma had learned many witchcraft spells that other Cabal members did not even dream of mastering. Phantoma was able to summon terrifying ghosts, she could make her self appear to be invisible, blind her foes and play with her enemies minds.
There was only one spell Phantoma had yet to master; she could not recall her own soul. However, after months of practice, she finally successfully called forth her soul.
Phantoma Storm became the leading rank of the Cabal until the dreadful day when she got in a battle with the most powerful hero, Statesman.
Statesman easily defeated her, and accidentally killed her. Luckily, the next day, a hero Numina brought Phantoma Storm back to life. Unfortunately, she was given a new soul.
While Phantoma had all the same abilities, she saw the world in a different way. She opposed the Cabal and became a hero.
After years of heroism, Phantoma Storm was killed once again by a villain named Radevil; and once again, was brought back to life by Numina
Let me out of here! cried Phantoma Storm, still locked inside the glass case after hours and hours of waiting.
-~Netherflare~-
Netherflare arrived in a mysterious place. Around her were humanoid voids.
Where am I? asked Netherflare.
Die hero, said a void, pointing a strange gun at Netherflare.
Who are you? asked Netherflare.
We are the Nictus, said the void.
Listen, all I want is my friends back, said Netheflare.
Please leave, said the void.
Netherflare smiled and was ready to summon her fire imps. However, they did not come.
My powers dont work here, said Netherflare.
How unfortunate, said the void. Lock her up.
Netherflare took a step back.
I think Ill just leave, said Netherflare.
We offered you a chance before we knew you were a hero, said the void. Now we know. Lock her up.
The group of voids walked to Netherflare and quickly teleported her away, into a glass case.
-~Radevil~-
Its done, said Ghost Widow.
Radevil stood up and looked into a mirror. The body suit was finished and fit her well.
Now, I do have a favor to ask of you, said Ghost Widow.
Anything, said Radevil.
Portal Corps has been causing problems for us, said Lord Recluse.
They are trying to create a portal that leads to the Rogue Isles, said Ghost Widow.
So, what is it that you want me to do? asked Radevil.
We want you to shut Portal Corps down, said Ghost Widow.
For good, said Lord Recluse.
---Next Chapter: An army of villains is formed as Netherflare and Phantoma Storm try to escape the Nictus.---
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