I.
The Hall of Justice
A cadre of muscled men, in glad-colored garments and
gay, twice-steeple-crowned hoods intermixed with women,
one wearing a tiara the other bareheaded, was assembled
in the Hall of Justice.
The founders of a new society, whatever Utopia of
human virtue and justice they might originally project,
have invariably recognized it among their earliest
practical necessities to appoint guardians of such
justice. Guardians blest with the steadfast principles
of unflinching courage. These gathered then, were
those same. A Kryptonian, a Martian, an Amazonian,
a noirish songbird, a dark knight and the Scarlet
Speedster.
The clarion of chaos had sounded and as was their
appointed mission they assembled to answer its call.
The dark knight said little but only scowled beneath
his jet cowl. So that other detective John Jones –
a deformed figure, with an emerald face that haunted
men’s memories longer than they liked –
took the floor.
“This very hall has been surrounded by walls
of every stripe that neither bend nor break nor offer
any apparent egress. Kal-El, thou lookest far into
eternity, tell me what thou seest?”
“I see many paths that all turn back and bite
their tails.”
The wearer of the scarlet leotard made haste away
and returned before any could blink an eye. “Tis
true our Hall is surrounded by walls of iron, flame,
hedge and some black augury. They bar all passage
even at my most high speed.” The speedster must
have undertaken great toil for his bosom heaved and
on it the embroidered red hot brand heaved too. The
lightning rod stitched in gold upon a field of scarlet,
was the symbol of his honor. In the central city citizens
would spy him and say to strangers “Do you see
that man with the embroidered badge? That is our Flash
– the town’s own Flash, -- who is so kind
to the crime victim, so helpful to the troubled.”
II. The Elf-child and the Martian
A great light filled the chamber and with a clap of
thunder both women therein disappeared. Gone were
the canary and the woman of wonder.
As if to replace them came a demon visage, a spectral
form floating above the floor.
“I am the Minotress, mistress of the maze,
I have secreted your women to the center of my labyrinth
where they await as your prize should you survive.”
Her hell spawned form resembled not that of the famed
maze monster of Crete but rather an elf-child.
The man of steel flew to capture her. His arms did
pass through her spectral form and like a candle flame
doused, she was no more.
“Deduction dictates that we must attempt each
path through the maze til we have reached its center.”
Spoke the darkest of knights.
III. The Flash
“None here can more speedily dispatch this task
than I.” Said a blur that was left in the place
of the scarlet speedster.
“Thus we leave it to the Scarlet Speedster
and his skill. If he can not avenge us, we can do
no more.” Intoned the mighty Martian.
“We canst not allow the Scarlet Speedster to
alone shoulder the mighty trouble which has befallen
each of us equally. Though our skills in this affair
match not his we will split each to his own direction
and do our share.” Answered the last son of
Krypton.
And each did away. John Jones went easterly, and
the Kryptonian went northerly, leaving the cowled
crusader to follow the path west, as the trail south
still rippled with the wake of winds from the passing
of the Scarlet Speedster.
Soon the man of steel found all avenues through the
labyrinth brought him only to that devil-rock Kryptonite
that sapped his strength of will and corpus. The dark
knight was likewise tormented by the gloomy maze of
evil. For even his deductive mind could not discern
the way. He searched but found no clew. “There
is no path to guides out of this dismal maze.”
He breathed to no one’s ear.
IV. The Martian in a Maze.
But the manhunter from Mars faced the greatest duress,
for each turn he took found him confronted by a wall
of flame. Fire was his most especial weakness and
it repelled him again and again. One enfeebled, one
befuddled, the third afeared of unearthly flames,
fate had never brought them a gloomier hour.
The Scarlet Speedster ran to them one upon the next.
He gathered up the fallen man of steel and carried
him to refuge. And likewise the guardian of Gotham
and the emerald alien. For the moment all were safe
in the center of the maze.
Then a new horror! Peals of hell-sent laughter as
the Minotress satiated her dark passion. But her laughter
was ill-founded. In propinquity the canary and the
Amazon princess forced the elf-child back as if against
a wall of her maze. This final wall lacking a visible
state, eminated from a riverlet.
“Flash, she avoids the water above all else.”
Sang the canary.
“Is she indeed an elfish spirit, who, as legends
of our childhood taught us, is forbidden to cross
a running stream?” queried the cowled crusader.
“No, dark friend, I read her thoughts she is
mortal with once a human heart but has become a fiend
through torment.” Answered the Martian.
“Her torment has nigh begun lest she repent!”
Cried the Amazon.
“Of penance I’ve had enough. Of penitence
there has been none!” Declared the Minotress.
V. The Revelation of the Scarlet Speedster
“Woman your triumphant ignominy dies now!”
Cried the speedster and in blur of scarlet he did
excavate a moat round the Minotress. The stream flowed
round about her and she stood trapped.And thus was
it the Scarlet Speedster delivered them from the labyrinth.
It was as ever his pledge that despite great human
joy or sorrow, he would for ever do battle with the
evil of this world in the continually recurring trials
of wounded, wasted, wronged, misplaced, or erring
and sinful passion. His gold and scarlet emblem was
looked upon with awe and with reverence too.
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