The laughter of children.

A time ago, a long time ago, it was not a sound unfamiliar to the city once called Calgary. But that was indeed a long time ago. Before the mutants. Before the cullings. Before the Onslaught...

Calgary was not what it once was. Once it had been a thriving city mixing the culture of the old frontier with the innovations of 20th century Canada. Now it was a safe haven for the fortunate few "normal" humans who had escaped the living Hell that rest of the former North America had become. The ultimate goal was to make it to Asia or Russia, to true safety; but until they could afford it, humans would find relative safety in Calgary, where the prelates would rarely come.

The laughter of children; for some reason, today it was heard.

A group of four boys, wearing little more than rags and looking as if they were little more than skin covering bone, scurried about, tossing between them the remnants of what was known in the old world as a "football."

Around them, the landscape was bleak. What had once been vibrant had become abandoned. When Calgary first became a safe haven, the multitude of humans set up a community in order to maintain their sense of hope. They used what materials they had to open stores, restaurants, and other places of business, simply in the hope that it would make this new place seem...normal.

It didn't. One by one the owners of the businesses and their families gathered enough money to leave, to get on the next ship to Asia and escape the Purgatory. Those who worked for them were left behind, their shops abandoned.

The laughter of children...

At first it was a little quiver; then more of a rumble; then reality itself seemed to have a hole torn in it for a mere moment before going back to normal; from the portal emerged five figures.

The first figure was the one responsible for the teleportation; Nemesis. One of Onslaught's most valued prelates for her teleportation powers in a world where the ability to get where one needed to go as quickly as possible was valued highly, she concealed herself completely in a skin-tight black body suit with full mask and only small, white circles where her eyes presumably were, making her appear as little more than a shadow. She turned to the blonde haired woman standing to her right.

"You have one hour before I'll be back to get you," said Nemesis, showing little to no emotion in her voice, "Don't screw around."

The beautiful woman known as Darkstar smiled. Her long blond hair ran down her back in a ponytail, her body covered by a similar bodysuit, but one that differed from Nemesis' in that it had a large yellow star emerging from the centre and running down her legs and up her arms.

"Don't worry my friend," replied Darkstar, "My Nasty Boys and I like to have a good time, but we also know when to get the job done."

Nemesis gave no response. She simply tipped her hand and was gone.

"Finally she's gone! Now it's time for the fun to start!"

The words came from the boorish Slab, a large, stocky man with a shaved head and a scar running down his face. He wore a leather jacket and torn jeans, making no attempt to fit in with the typical image of a prelate of Onslaught.

Next to him, the massive reptilian creature known as Carnivore hissed loudly, his red eyes flaring. Darkstar pet him gently.

"Settle down my dear boy," she smiled, "We'll find you a nice, filling dinner before long."

"C'mon baby, quit wasting your time with the freak dog," barked Slab, "Let's get to work so that maybe you and I can have a little play time later..."

Slab smirked at his own remarks, as Darkstar whipped around and scowled at him, before calmly rearranging her features back into a smile.

"Please Slab," said Darkstar, "I'd rather take my chances with Carnivore here than hop into bed with you."

Rage took hold of Slab, thoroughly embarrassed. In the background, the man known as Killjoy erupted in laughter. His face was fully concealed by a black mask with only eyeholes and a streak of yellow resembling a smile giving it any feature. His black bodysuit was accented by huge red blades on his arms and legs and yellow metal running up his front and back.

"What the hell are you laughing at joyboy?!" demanded an angry Slab.

"The same thing I'm always laughing at," replied Killjoy, "Everything!"

"Alright gentlemen," intervened Darkstar, "We've had our fun. Now it is indeed time to get to work..."

(Not to be confused with the High Prelate, Nemesis from The Warriors - Benn)

The chain link fence clanged shut as he pulled it together. "Another job, another closing" he thought desolately to himself.

This was Rich Rider.

"This is the one you spoke of?"

"Yes."

"But...but...look at him!"

"What?"

"He is nothing! He looks weak, pathetic, broken down. This is the boy that you boasted had the heart and will of a warrior?"

"He is tired. This is the fourth time in under a month his employer has left the country and he has lost his job."

"Well what makes him any different than any other Terran speck who is experiencing the same pathetic existence?"

"Because of his reasons."

"I do not understand."

"You will."

Though it had been nearly a year now, the memory was still fresh in his head as if it were yesterday. Sometimes when we are at our lowest point, memories of what we are struggling are all that keep us going. As the goal becomes seemingly further away, the memory seems to become clearer in a cruel, mocking cycle.

Rich remembered the wind.

It was very windy out the day he went to see his family off as they boarded the boat that would carry them to Asia; to safety.

He had worked hard to see this day, and despite the wind, he carried a smile on his face. He wore a torn shirt, a dusty old jacket, and jeans that had not been cleaned for as long as he could remember. He could have bought new clothes, he was a hard worker, but for every dollar he spent on something for himself, the longer it would have taken for this day to come.

He waved to his parents and brother as they climbed the rail to the ship. Suddenly, his father stopped and whispered something to his mother. His mother looked somewhat alarmed, but she hugged her husband tightly, kissed him on the forehead, and then proceeded into the ship with her youngest son. Rich's father walked back towards a puzzled Rich.

"Dad," exclaimed Rich, "What are you-"

"I can't go Rich," said Charles Rider, "It's not fair for you to have worked so hard and then be left alone. I'm staying with you..."

"No, Dad." ordered Rich, "You are not."

"Richard..." Charles began.

"Dad," interrupted Rich, "You've taught me a lot of things. About responsibility and about what's really important. It's dangerous here. We've survived up until this point, but you never know when the next prelate attack will come and where we'll run to; it's no way to live. In a perfect world, yeah, I'd be going with you to Asia, and someday I will, but in case you haven't noticed..." Rich managed a slight smirk, "...this world is a little far from perfect. Look, call me stupid, you certainly wouldn't be the first, but I think I'm...well, I'm doing the right thing. You and Mom, you've paved the way for me. Robbie, he's got a great future ahead of him, he's a smart kid, and there's no future for him here like there will be there. Me, I work hard, but that's about it. I just gotta believe that one of these days I'll get what's coming to me. For now, sending you guys off, all of you, is the smallest bit of that I can get." He paused and stared at his father for a moment. "So...do you think I'm dumb?"

Father and son stood staring each other in the eye for a full minute. Then, Charles smiled.

"In a lot of ways, yeah..." smirked Charles, "But you're also something else. You're a man. I'm proud of you son."

"Gee, make sure to keep the insult-compliment ratio balanced right up until the end pops," Rich smiled back. Then, his face grew more serious, "I love you Dad. Thank you."

"Richard," Charles fought back the tears, "Thank you. And know that no matter where we are in the world, me, your mother, Robbie...we love you more than anything."

"Ok, I'll give you a hug, but not too long, there's chicks around..."

Charles gave his son a joking shove, and then they embraced, holding each other tight.

"I'll see you soon Rich," Charles said as he walked away.

"Yeah, seeya soon, Dad."

And what a year it had been. Rich had been everything from a mechanic to the guy flipping burgers. Somewhere along the way, the hope had waned significantly, but deep down, it was still there somewhere; otherwise, he would just curl up somewhere and starve to death, it wouldn't be much different than what he was doing now. But the small glimmer of hope kept him going towards that goal that seemed both closer in memory, but further away in practicality each and every day.

Then he heard it.

The laughter of children.

It was a sound he had not heard since his brother had been in Calgary. When they used to play tag, and inevitably he'd let Robbie win, and they'd smile and laugh together. The foreign but familiar melody brought a smile to his face. As he turned the corner, he saw the children playing football.

He contemplated asking them if he could play, but then thought better of it; partly because he was exhausted, partly because he knew his battered ego couldn't handle being potentially outplayed by a group of thirteen year olds.

As he contemplated Rich felt a rumbling beneath his feet; he had heard it before.

He looked into the distance and saw his worst fears confirmed. Prelates.

He could make out five of them. He looked back at the kids who continued playing and laughing obliviously. He thought for a moment what kind of butchers would slaughter helpless children...then remembered the world he lived in.

"So what will this 'warrior' do now? Turn and run away?"

"Just watch..."

As one little boy ran to catch a pass, he instead ran into what he at first thought was a brick wall. He then looked up to see Slab's sadistic grin looking down at him.

The other children screamed and ran at the mere sight of Carnivore and Killjoy; Darkstar simply hovered in the background and smiled. Slab bore down on the child and...stopped. Why? Because he got hit in the head with a rock.

"What the...?"

Slab turned around to face his tormentor and found a decisively unimposing Rich Rider standing facing him.

"Hey tough guy," said Rich, "Why don't you pick on somebody your own si...well, somebody bigger than a little kid!"

Slab smirked.

In the confusion, the little boy ran away as fast as he could. Noticing the commotion, Carnivore and Killjoy ceased their pursuit of the children. They went to join Slab, but Darkstar motioned them back.

"Let him build his ego up a bit more," grinned Darkstar, "After what I said to him earlier, he could use it. Besides, this shouldn't take more than a second."

'Nice going. The kids're safe, but you're dead!' Rich thought to himself as he saw that the children had indeed gotten away, 'Good going Rider!'.

Slab calmly walked up to Rich. Rich had to stare up to even get a glimpse of the head of the massive figure towering over him.

"You're...kidding, right?" questioned Slab with a puzzled look on is face.

Rich racked his brain for a clever retort.

"Nope."

"Good one Rich," he thought to himself, "That's right up there with 'my way or the highway'."

This inner dialogue quickly ceased as Rich's head came into direct contact with Slab's fist.

"Well, well, it appears the little warrior does exist. Shame he'll be dead in a minute or so."

"Not if we help him."

"What? You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious."

"But...he hasn't even been properly tested!"

"Believe me, he's about to be..."

Rich's face was beginning to resemble hamburger as Slab continued to hammer away.

"How am I not dead yet?" Rich thought to himself.

"C'mon Slab, finish him off, we don't have time for this," bellowed Darkstar.

"No freakin' way," Slab yelled back, "I could have finished this little runt off with one punch, but I've been purposely holding back, I wanna see him suffer!"

"Thanks," Rich smirked, though bloodied lips, "Wouldn't want me to have that last remaining shread of dignity as I die, would you!?"

Slab turned his attention back to Rich. "Sorry kid, it's been real...!"

Rich closed his eyes, bracing for the impact...but then a funny thing happened. He couldn't close his eyes...because they were glowing.

"What the...?" muttered Slab.

Before he could finish his sentence, he was blasted back by a massive burst of energy and landed at Darkstar's feet. A massive dust-cloud arose from where Rich had been lying.

"What the hell was that?" asked Darkstar.

"I-I dunno," answered Slab.

"Well, regardless, onto the next..."

Darkstar was not given a chance to complete her order. All four prelates heads jerked toward the dust-cloud as a figure emerged. He wore a blue and yellow costume that looked like something out of seventies sci-fi, right down to the yellow bucket shaped helmet with the red starburst that cover his head.

Rich took one look at what he had become and uttered two words, "Blue Blazes."