Spectacular World

It Comes Knocking

"It's been a while since we've all been back here." Ocean Empress muttered. The woman had to crane her neck as far back as she could to gaze up at the large stone tower that resided within Rose City.

Rose City was sometimes called the city of the rich. It was placed inside a large glass bubble, one that stopped the outside world from reaching it, and only a select few were able to get in and out. Of course, some villains, such as the remnants of the Organization, were able to get in, but they only popped their heads up on a few occasions and were dealt with by the city's protector.

The city had been built as a last resort. A way to keep all of humankind safe should shit hit the fan, so to speak. The streets were primarily barren, with everyone at work or school. All the buildings were massive towers made by the late Sini and upgraded by Avalon. Well, all of them save for one.

Enforcer Tower stood out like a sore thumb. It was crafted from old stone covered in moss, an ancient monolith. So ancient, the words carved in the stone had been long forgotten. It was around before the city, and even should the world vanish, it would remain. They say it had been the home of the first four Lords. The tower they defended to the very end during their battle with the Shadow.

"Quit daydreaming." Ocean Empress jumped at the voice and was reminded of the fact her father was with her. Old Dog was seated in a wheelchair, dozens of machines hooked up to him. He didn't look thrilled to be here. Neither did Boy Genius, who stood next to the old man, unable to play any of his games.

"Your father is right. My guess is the others are already here. We shouldn't keep them waiting any longer." The child said, pushing his glasses further onto his face and messing with his suit.

"Yeah." Ocean Empress agreed, her dress flowing in a chaotic fashion. She grabbed her father's wheelchair and pushed him forward. "Let's get this over with."

Dust spilled out, and the ground rumbled as part of the tower rose up, forming a door. The inside was dark, and she had to do her best not to sneeze. Statues lined the walls. There were hundreds of them all scattered about. Some she knew, and others she didn't. She took a moment to look at the statues of Sini and Full Monarch, which stood side by side. Even in the stone, the hints of a smile still played out on Monarch's face.

Whenever a Lord would die, a new statue would be found the next day within this strange tower they called their base. No one really knew how this strange place operated. Even amongst Supers, this tower seemed to follow its own code and rules.

Behind the statues, a large stone ramp curved its way all around the building, heading to the top. This front room was scattered about with dozens of other things besides the stone men and women, namely things the Victorian had placed down at the foot of each statue to pay respect. This tower served as the closest thing the woman had to a home.

Going up the large stone ramps, the sides were covered in graffiti, some drawn by markers, some by spray paint. Some had been carved in by a knife. All of it, however, had been caused by Whisper. Ocean Empress often found herself disliking this tower. It was cramped and dusty, the noise from outside constantly bouncing around wildly. She sometimes wondered how the young girl hadn't gone insane, growing up alone in this tower, left by herself in the dark, while her mom and dad would be out fighting crime.

There were sections along the ramp where they could exit and find themselves in one of the dozens of rooms that would serve as a bedroom, a living room, a kitchen, or a bathroom, but their destination was all the way at the top. There were sections of the tower that had been torn down or tinkered with in a small attempt to give it power or air conditioning, and parts of it were successful, while other parts weren't. At the very top of the tower, after climbing up that damn ramp for nearly a minute straight, it opened up into an open space.