In ancient times before the mighty Walls of War sprouted from the ground in the City of Heroes, there was a great power known as Statesman, who had 5 children: enduring Tank, wise and noble Defender, cunning Controller, jovial Blaster, and vicious Scrapper. Each was gifted in his or her own way. Tank was capable of surviving any attack and drawing the ire of any foe with but a single glance. Defender was the weakest but made all around her more powerful than any of them alone. Controller could force her foes into impotent inaction. Blaster could destroy enemies from afar. Scrapper could destroy his enemies up close and survive to tell about it. Each of them had a number of children, some of who have stories already, and some of who have yet to have stories told yet, but this story is about the Children of Scrapper, proud and individual to a last.
Regen was the proudest of the children of Scrapper. His brother Invuln was nearly as tough as their cousin tank, but could be brought down by attacks of the mind. Essar was nearly impossible to hit, but was frail from never being hit and could be brought low by a lucky blow. Dhark would cloud himself in fear and pain, but the energies he controlled were tiring to maintain, and he needed rest often. Regen was proud because he could accept blows as nearly as fiercely as Invuln, would heal the occasional lucky blow a foe might land that would have brought humility to quick Essar, and never needed to halt and catch his breath as Dhark would.
But as is often the case, Regens pride preceded his fall.
The children of Scrapper were voyaging far from the land of the other Children of Statesman, confident in their ability to take alone what others thought needed all, when they came upon a great chasm and a bridge. A mighty beast with a great club studded with nails stood guard at the center, arms crossed in challenge.
As they approached and readied to cross, the beast cried out in a powerful voice.
I am the mighty Nur with my great weapon Fbhat which has lain low more than you may ever know! I guard this bridge to the lands beyond that you seek to cross! None may pass until I am defeated!
The Children of Scrapper decided then that they would challenge their foe in single combat, the truest form of Scrapping, and decided that each would take his turn.
Invuln was the first to set foot on the bridge and meet the beast Nur at the center. Without a word, Nur drew forth Fbhat and proceeded to lay into Invulns iron-tough hide. Invuln stood firm against each blow, a small amount of blood from each insignificant wound falling down into the chasm. But each blow seemed to hurt more than the last, his resistance slowly being chipped away, and after a full night and day of combat, Invuln finally succumbed.
With his bulging muscles flexing, the beast Nur picked up the Child of Scrapper and hurled him back to his worried siblings.
You need be faster than you sibling, young warriors! Each blow of my Fbhat shall weaken your strength! You cannot stand against me as a stone!
Essar, the quickest of mind, immediately saw a weakness of the beast: the Fbhat must hit in order weaken his foes. He could succeed where his brother had failed!
With knowledge of his sure victory, Essar sprinted onto the bridge to meet Nur and avenge his fallen brother. The battle was quick and spirited with the beast Nur screaming in fury as Essar ducked and tumbled, avoiding all of the beasts blows and laying into him with all of Essars own might. The beast Nur was starting to show signs of defeat, his swings slower and his screams less intense. Essar was assured of his victory! He would be the one to succeed where Invuln had fallen.
But Essars greatest weakness lies in eventuality. Though Nur was not battling as fiercely as he had in the beginning, his strength was still incredible, and when Essar could not dodge, the great club Fbhat connected with such strength that Essar was thrown back across the bridge to his brothers, blood pouring from the single gaping wound into the deep chasm below.
Regen and Dhark, untrained in the healing arts as their aunts and uncles, could do nothing to resuscitate their brothers, but were unafraid. Either could succeed where the others had failed! Essar and Invuln placed too much value on a single defense. Regen and Dhark were cunning enough to spread their defenses, each tougher than Essar and faster than Invuln, but also wise enough be able to bring themselves up from the brink of death!
Dhark and Regen looked at each other and Regen backed down. Dhark had always felt that he was the least loved by Scrapper and the other descendents of Statesman and had something to prove. Regen was confident in his own supremacy and decided to let Dhark prove himself.
Dhark cloaked himself in remembered pain, darkest emotion, and raw fury and stepped forth to challenge Nur on the bridge. Nur stood aback and was surprised by the very wrath and hate that Dhark embraced. Dhark struck first and cunningly, landing a blow that would have made Scrapper proud and the children of Stalker jealous, but Nur was only surprised for the first blow. Immediately, Nur countered returning blow for blow Dharks attack. After two or three, Dhark felt his blood start to pour down and called forth the spirits of wrath to pull his wounds back together and take the pain away from him. Still he tired, not able to maintain his wind, and when Dharks concentration lapsed, Nur struck hard. Dhark stumbled backwards and dropped to the ground beside his brothers.
Regen scowled in fury at the beast Nur, which had laid his mighty brothers low. Dhark, began to move again, the spirits around him instilling him with health from beyond.
Take care, brother Regen. The beast is powerful beyond belief and preys upon your pride. I have lived without the sustaining pride of father Scrapper for long enough to have not been taken down for long. I hope that fathers pride was well placed in you, Regen, for, unless you defeat him, you are less than any of your kin.
Regen stood up tall and proud, refusing to back down from this call to arms. He was father Scrappers favorite child, and he would not let him down!
Regen sat for a few seconds in silent meditation, integrating his mind with his body and forcing all pain from his consciousness. He then marched to meet Nur at the center of the bridge.
Nur was smiling when Regen met him and swung the great club with all of his might. Regen stood still and accepted the blow completely. Blood flowed freely from the gaping wound in Regens side, but it was ignored as Regen ducked low and attacked Nur with vengeance on his mind.
The combat was met in full: Nur beating upon Regen with all his strength, but Regen ignored all pretense of defense. Almost as fast as the blow as struck, Regens wounds healed. Untiring, Regen fought Nur, fearless of the blows that landed. With one, Regen could only manage maintain his ability to heal his wounds in an instant for short durations. With others, Regens wounds would heal slower, but still Regen refused to back down.
The two fought on the bridge for many days and nights, Regen accepting more blows than any of his brothers from the weakening Fbhat that Nur wielded. Pride was all that kept Regen from falling, especially when Invuln and Essar had finally woken up, clutching their sides and nursing their wounded pride.
On the 7th day, Regen let forth a mighty cry from deep within his bones, channeling the pride of his father Scrapper into a single Glorious Moment. He abandoned all pretense of health and brought forth into himself the toughness of Invuln, the speed of Essar, and the wrath of Dhark. Nurs blows could only rarely touch this angered essence of Scrapper, and even then did almost nothing, but the wrath of Dhark made Regens blows all the more vicious, and, after only a minute, Nur was defeated, dispersing into the mist from which all monsters are made.
But channeling so much of the pure essence of Scrapper took its toll on Regen and he fell, defeated but victorious. Dhark, Invuln, and Essar, witnessing the end of their foe and the fall of their brother, walked to their fallen brother and picked him up, the four of them crossing as one.
As they rested on the other side of the chasm, they slowly realized that each of them had been changed by their fight. Invuln could no longer stand against foes as stubbornly as Uncle Tanker. The one hit the Fbhat had landed on Essar had render an end to his eternal dodging, increasing the likelihood of a lucky blow arriving. Dhark felt his own pride swell as the Fbhat had taken almost nothing from him, but had allowed him to show his brothers that he was mightier than they originally thought. Regen was brought the lowest though. The many blows of the Fbhat had forced him to focus upon his own healing, no longer able to attack with as much abandon, rendering him more vulnerable to combat by attrition.
And this where the tale shall end for now. Some may ask what will happen to the children of Scrapper? What foes they shall face? What challenges they shall meet? Some may even wonder what lies at the bottom of the chasm that now contained the blood of Scrappers Children?
These questions and more shall have to wait for a time until the story shows itself. For there are many answers and only so many words for them to be found in.
--Umbral, who is trying to become to Scrappers what Jock Tamson is to Defenders
