Chimera Synopsis

“I don’t know just how much you’ve already learned Gabe, so here are the headlines…” – Lukas Vaugn. Paris, France: 2022

There is a new drug about to hit the streets called Chimera. It’s highly addictive, extremely potent… and lethal. It actually allows you to experience Heaven. It is because of this drug that the suicide rate is on the increase.

Remy La Bouffe, head of one of the last, and strongest criminal families still in operation, and the mysterious Cifer are the key players in delivering Chimera to the masses. But there are those who are fighting back.

Priests Pierre and Lukas Vaugn have been commissioned by The Pope to investigate the drug and it’s connection with the growing suicide rate within The Straights – a high-tech shantytown located in what was formerly Le Champ de Mars in Paris.

Gabriel “Gabe” Vaugn and his fiancé, Clair Bobak (officers with InterPol) are drawn into the plot when Lukas (Gabe’s brother) becomes a victim of Chimera and takes his own life. There is the added discomfort of him having to see his father (Pierre) again after 12 years apart.

Gabe Vaugn, a man who has had more than his share of run-ins with the La Bouffe family, is quickly targeted when he returns to Paris. He takes up the mantel of his brother and continues to investigate Chimera with Clair and Pierre. But it is the twisted cat and mouse game with Cifer that will ultimately change his whole world forever.

21 Years previously…

At 08:46 on September 11th 2001, the world was stunned into silence as the largest single terrorist attack began. The world was on the brink of permanent changed on that day. That change was cemented on October 7th 2001 when the “War on Terrorism” officially began. Only time would tell which of these events would most effect the world…

The attacks of September 11th 2001 where a terrible tragedy, but the effects of the War on Terrorism would have graver, more dangerous and long-lasting repercussions.

On December 13th 2003, the US Government advertised, “The War on Terrorism has taken its first victim”. This was a lie, as with all wars, the first victims were innocence and public safety.

Since the attacks of “9/11” everyone was so fearful of more death and destruction that they were unaware of what else was happening. Their freedoms were being stripped away from them. As long as there were periodic “events” to focus on, no one would care; For example, a report coming to light that one of the Middle-East countries was developing a nuclear bomb.
After all, the Government is just trying to protect their people, right?

Every country saw a massive increase in CCTV and surveillance equipment sales, both in the public and private sectors. By 2007 a new kind of war was bubbling to the surface - Civil Cold War.

The Government had so successfully indoctrinated fear into our society that they no longer had to scrutinise our every move; the public were doing it for them. Civil trust was at an all-time low. Violence connected with race, colour and sex was on the decline but the feelings were still there, just under the surface. They were simply being masked with acceptance and tolerance in order to avoid trouble.

Fear amongst the people meant that in order to avoid any trouble and potential danger, they were slowly giving up the elements of their lives that made them unique. But deep down no one is even remotely similar and Human Nature cannot be stopped. The world’s people smiled through their teeth at one another, but their true emotions remained. Bu no one was willing to take the first step.

Until March 26th 2007, the people fought back, the first step was taken to reclaim what was lost…

Lead by John T Saunders, all across England the people systematically fought back – it was a revolution, and it was bloody. The actions of John T Saunders and his associates shocked the world; it was the wake-up call the people had seen waiting for.

The only blood drawn had been because of the British Army, but on July 6th 2007, when John T Saunders was making a speech to the masses (an event that was being published live over the Internet) regarding what they had lost, what we (the people) needed to do and what he felt it meant to be free and have freedom. His words sparked something else in the people… a thirst for revenge.

For the next 4 years the world seemed to stop spinning. Nothing had changed, but at the same time everything did. Every action could be followed through to a global event. The actions of one person finally really made a difference. The world’s Governments became very scared of this new power within the people. The threat of World War III was very real and imminent. In those four years, the world nearly tore itself apart with silence.

Then, when things had gotten about as bad as they could, the world’s leaders met on Monday 13th June 2011, - later named “The Day Of The Line”. Something happened that day which, even now remains a mystery. The world’s leaders had arranged to meet at the Geneva Convention Centre as a final attempt to stop World War III.

None of those in attendance have ever gone on record to explain what happened at that meeting, but when the leaders emerged from the closed session, the threat of World War III was no more. These leaders remained in office of their respective countries for the next 3 and 4 years; when the new leaders were elected and assumed control, they changed nothing from the previous administration. Precedence was in place over every countries politics.

Something incredible happened on 13th June 2011, “The Day Of The Line”, the most famous and important day in history. It was the day where every living soul on this planet could clearly see the future; it was filled with nothing but death… a future that did not come to pass. Everyone you ask about what happened that day would give you the same answer; “It was a miracle.”

Over the next 10 years, the world was reborn from the ashes of the old, and it thrived. Unified, global peace was finally achieved; but at a price no one had foreseen.

The world’s cities developed too quickly; the population doubled and continues to grow to this day. Take Paris for example, once a city of culture and grace, now condemned. Le Champ de Mars, a place renowned for its splendour and beauty has become a huge “high-tech” shantytown where the world’s poorest have congregated. Most of the largest cities in the world are suffering from the same problem and there seems to be no solution in sight.

“Freedom is the most precious and dangerous thing we possess. Take it away and we will react, as we do every day. But to have freedom requires intelligence and fortitude.
But we cannot have freedom without acceptance. We have to accept that my beliefs and opinions will not always be what you want to hear.
You may not feel the same way, but you have to accept that they are my thoughts and feelings.
In the end, they are nothing but words and unless they are truly great, they will not be remembered.”

The final words of John T Saunders - assassinated August 29th 2012.

Altered State I Synopsis


100 years after the events of September 11th, 2001 the Government are completely controlled by fear. Primarily the fear of the unexpected; this is why they have initiated the "Altered State" program.

“Altered State” is a Government funded strategy where a select SAS unit removes random civilians from their lives and are unknowingly entered into the “Altered State” virtual reality program. The program's primary function is to create logical and illogical phenomena and drop these random civilians into the scenario; and secondly assess how the random person will respond. Will they use their abilities to protect the Nation or use them and the situation to their own advantage?

For Example…

Douglas Jones is a 65-year-old man working in the mailroom of a very lucrative law firm in Re-London. His wife died 10 years ago while working at one of the largest hospitals in Re-London; she contracted radiation poisoning and died painfully. Douglas blamed the Government for this, they say it was an “industrial accident” but there was on proof either way.

Douglas was entered into the “Altered State” VR Program. He was one of the first people to be subjected to the Super-human trials. He was given enhanced strength, telekinesis and telepathy.


Every entrant into the “Altered State” program is then judged and sentenced according to their actions within the VR program. If, for example, a civilian displays exceptional intelligence and ingenuity they are quite frequently incorporated into the “Advanced Guard” – a team devoted to the pre-strike termination of any potential threats.

The “Altered State” program continues to remove random people from the populous and enter them into incredible scenarios. Few return to their original existence.

Meet Douglas Jones


I'd like you to meet Douglas Jones.

Doug is a relative newcomer to The Terraverse but quite likely to be the first to be brought to printed life.
I have teamed up with the ludicrously talented artist/illustrator, Nathan Kilburn; you can check out more of his artwork at www.freewebs.com/nathankilburn
We are working ourselves into an early grave, working on panel design, story edits and all that jazz. Our goal is to get the comic professionally printed into a 12-page booklet; armed with this killer comic I am going to invade the Bristol International Comics Expo in May.

Allow me to detail a little more about Douglas Jones...

Douglas Jones is the main character in a 9-page story set some time after 2101 - anyone following the time periods of The Terraverse will know this means that Doug's story takes place after Paperchaser.

Doug is 65 years old and has spent the last 25 years stuck in the mailroom of a lucrative law firm.
He has lived alone since the death of his wife 10 years ago…
She contracted radiation poisoning.
She died painfully.
He blames the Government, they say it was an “industrial accident” but there’s no proof either way.
He about to bring new meaning to the phrase, "Going Postal"

Watch out for Douglas Jones.

The Story Thickens

Wow, there's been so much happening since I last posted!

I've now got a completed first draft of the Book 1 and Book 2 of the Paperchaser saga...

... I've also got a first draft of Chimera, an independant Origin story for Vaugn.

One thing I've learned, there's always another layer and Vaugn's layers are intense!!!!

I won't say any more now but I promise I will post the synopsis for this story very soon.

See you on the flip-side!

The expansion of the idea

Well this project has officially consumed my life and it has depths even I wasn't aware of...

This is officially the second time I have managed to break out of the "trance" that is Paperchaser. The first time I broke out and read what I had been writing I found that I'd practically re-written the Book of Genesis and the Book of Revelations. I think someone upstairs seems to want me to get it right... who knows.

Not only that, but I've managed to somehow re-design the origins of Vampires!

Where the hell has all this stuff come from?! I didn't plan on these revelations - but so what!

As soon as there is more to tell, I'll let you know.

For now I have to re-enter the trance.........

See you soon

Bob Character Description

BOB character description:

AGE:
28 to 32 years old

HEIGHT:
5' 11"

WEIGHT:
150 pounds

HAIR:
Dark Brown with some silvery grey. He has short'ish floppy hair.

M.A.D (Man/Angel/Demon):
Man and God

ABILITIES:
At a touch, Bob can see a persons sins.
Bob can see Angels and Demons in their true forms.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Bob is a former MI:5 agent who has gone to seed.
He's physically dominating but slightly over-weight.

HISTORY:
Before becoming the vessel for God, Bob was a member of MI:5. He was part of the team that was in control of security for Jesus and he failed to see plot to assassinate Jesus - this is why he was chosen by God - by way of redemption.

TRAITS:
Very impatient.
Confident.
Keeps adjusting his blind-fold.

Paperchaser: Issue One

ISSUE ONE

PAGE ONE (one panel)

Panel 1. It is the London skyline at noon (according to Big Ben), busy as always. A thick grey cloud hangs over-head. Sirens sound all over the city. An obscene amount of airplanes are hanging in the sky. The sun is blocked out

SFX:
HONK!

BEEP!

BANG!

SMASH!

CAP:
In the near future, Mankind has been at peace for thirty years. The first ten were peaceful, and then came "The Great Religious Surge" - Unified, peaceful religious activity centred around a single man. But no one saw it for what it was the quiet before the storm.

PAGE TWO (five panels)

Panel 1. A TV is showing a BBC News 24 report. It is showing a massive crowd running along either side of the street in Canary Wharf; the street is barricaded off.

Panel 2. A young black man with long brown hair and dressed in plain clothes is being lead down the street. He has a group of six police officers escorting him.

Panel 3. JESUS' head is thrown back. Blood is spraying from the back of his head.

SFX:
BANG!

Panel 4. A female newsreader with flame-red hair, large hoop earrings and far too much eye shadow on is sitting behind her desk delivering a report. The news screen shows the body of JESUS, blood still pouring from his head wound.

NEWS REPORTER:
Public opinion is split as to whether the stories surrounding the victim are true or not...

Panel 5. A family (mother, father, young daughter) are sitting silently in front of the TV watching BBC News 24, it is showing the same footage of the dead man in the street -- it is in Canada Square (Canary Wharf). Their home is clearly ex-council and has no sense of personality. It looks just like a page from the "Ikea - Good Homes" catalogue. The mother is jovially plump with short wavy brown hair: she is wearing a beige blouse with denim jeans under a rather dirty apron. The father is heavily over-weight, bald, wearing thick-rimmed glasses, a dirty white vest and suit-trousers being held up by braces. The daughter has wavy blonde hair, a black t-shirt under a thee-quarter length tweed skirt and black, baggy jeans; she is lying on the floor transfixed by the news report.

PAGE THREE (four panels)

Panel 1. People are rushing about Piccadilly Circus. There is panic everywhere. There is a single policeman being shoved to and fro. The roads are completely jammed, cars are trying to drive on the pavements but there are too many people. It is chaos. If people are not dragging suitcases and bags behind them, they are looting the shops. Dead cats and dogs lay everywhere, along with abandoned dead newborn babies.

CAP/NEWS REPORTER:
Widespread panic has gripped the nation as the first murder in twenty years is broadcast to the world

Panel 2. A small group of people are parading through the streets preaching passages from The Bible.

CROWD:
...And the seas boiled and the sky fell...

A hairy religious nut dressed in Preacher’s clothes. He is screaming at people through a megaphone.

RELIGIOUS NUT:
The Wrath of God is nigh! The Armageddon is coming! Repent! Salvation lies with The Lord!

Panel 3. Extreme close-up on the RELIGIOUS NUT.

RELIGIOUS NUT:
The wicked shall be punished!

Panel 4. A bus is trying to get through the street; it is half on the road and half on the pavement. The bus honks its horn and revs it's engine. From one of the drain covers there is a strange goo oozing up from the sewers onto the street. Frogs and flies swarm around the goo.

SFX:
HONK!

PAGE FOUR (four panels)

Panel 1. The bus driver (55 years old and weather-worn) screams at the pedestrians.

BUS DRIVER:
GET OUTTA THA FUCKIN' WAY!

Panel 2. The bus driver hits the horn. Chaos can be seen through the bus windshield.

SFX:
HONK!

Panel 3. One of the passengers runs up to the driver; she is in her 30's, looking angry, wearing her hair in a bun and a pin-stripe suit.

PASSENGER:
JUST DRIVE THROUGH THEM!

BUS DRIVER:
Why don'cha shut up!

Panel 4. The PASSENGER pulls out her wallet.

PASSENGER:
I'll give you a grand if you get us to Waterloo now!

PAGE FIVE (one panel)

Panel 1. The bus continues moving. Pedestrians get knocked out of the way and a woman carrying a baby in her arms gets knocked to the ground. People are screaming and yelling. The strange goo continues to rise to the street.

PAGE SIX (three panels)

Panel 1. The apartment is elegantly furnished but most of it is blocking the front door. A man dressed in a black suit (AGENT WILLIAMS) is kneeling down on the floor in front of a large TV. A busy, crazy street can be seen out of the window. BBC News 24 is playing the same footage of JESUS lying dead in the street.

NEWS REPORTER:
Such unified mourning and sorrow have not gripped the nation since the death of Lady Diana.

Panel 2. AGENT WILLIAMS is crying.

Panel 3. AGENT WILLIAMS has tears rolling down his face.

AGENT WILLIAMS:
Oh God... What have I done?

SFX:
Knock! Knock! Knock!

PAGE SEVEN (three panels)

Panel 1. The front door is being smashed in from the outside. AGENT WILLIAMS can be seen in the background.

MAN AT DOOR: (OP)
Open this door, you fuckin' traitor!

Panel 2. AGENT WILLIAMS pulls a black gun from his pocket.

CAP/NEWS REPORTER:
So far there has been no word as to who the assailant is and no information has been released regarding what funeral arrangements will be made

SFX:
Knock! Knock!

Panel 3. AGENT WILLIAMS aims at his right temple

SFX:
Knock!

AGENT WILLIAMS:
Forgive me

PAGE EIGHT (one panel)

SFX:
BOOM!

PAGE NINE (one panel)

Panel 1. AGENT WILLIAMS is lying on the floor with blood pours from his head. The news report continues. The front door has been smashed through. A man's face is peering through.

CAP/NEWS REPORTER:
London is in turmoil. Chaos rules the streets with the public doing anything they can to escape of the city. Tube and bus services are over-run.

MI:5 AGENT:
Fuck!

PAGE TEN/ELEVEN (two panels)

Panel 1. Thousands of people are cuing up to get into Heathrow Airport. The roads are totally blocked up. People are cutting through the perimeter fence. The Police and Army have set up blockades but they are over-run. Some people have been trampled to death and they are just being squashed into the ground under the crowds.

CAP/NEWS REPORTER:
Thousands of people are fleeing the country, citing that "religious terrorism will strike soon".

Panel 2. A nearby church is totally packed out. People are desperately trying to get into the grounds, they're on every piece of ground surrounding the church, many of them are preying.

CAP/NEWS ANNOUNCER:
Others have reportedly taken refuge in religious buildings and grounds.

PAGE TWELVE (one panel)

Panel 1. It is a large church and completely full. There are people standing along the sides and at the back of the church, most of the people have luggage with them. The Reverend is standing in front of the congregation leading them in The Lord's Prayer.

ALL:
... And lead us not into temptation, and deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, the Power and the Glory, forever and ever, Amen.

PAGE THIRTEEN (three panels)

Panel 1. BOB is about 30 years old with short black hair. He looks in good shape and wears a white shirt with black suit trousers. He is packing a bag at his table while the TV is showing the news of the dead man. People are milling around outside BOB'S front window. There is a half-empty bottle and a tumbler of whiskey next to BOB. A black gun lies on the table next to an ID tag. The room is bare and there are packing boxes everywhere.

CAP/NEWS REPORTER:
Others are simply going about their business.

CAP/PEDESTRIAN:
Everyone gone crazy! It'll all blow over!

CAP/ANOTHER PEDESTRIAN:
I ain't religious. Don't botha me none.

Panel 2. BOB spits out a mouthful of blood. The whiskey tumbler is stained with blood.

CAP/NEWS REPORTER:
Elsewhere, the Cold War seems to have begun again on a truly global level. Trust is at an all-time low. Many countries have closed their borders and there is rumour-

Panel 3. The TV is switched off. BOB'S reflection can been seen in the screen.

SFX:
CRACK!

CAP:
To be continued

Vaugn Character Description

VAUGH character description:

AGE:
38 years old.

HEIGHT:
6' 3"

WEIGHT:
165 pounds

HAIR:
Scruffy black hair.

M.A.D (Man/Angel/Demon):
Man

ABILITIES:
Has a great ability to see beyond the mundane.
Is highly intellegent.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
A very strong man but has no visible muscle.
A lanky frame constantly shrouded in a Chayanne-style duster coat.
Physically similar to Bigby Wolf from Fables.

HISTORY:
Vaugn was a member of Internal Affairs for the French police for two years before he was framed for the murder of the Chief of Police.
He went on the run to clear his name and transferred to InterPol where he has had great success, including his famous battle with the LeBouff family.

TRAITS:
Smokes like a chimney - cigars.
Considered eccentric.
Doesn't care what people think of him.
Slight womaniser.

Loki Character Description

LOKI character description.

AGE:
Unknown.
Inhabiting a 30-year-old male skin.

HEIGHT:
5' 11"

WEIGHT:
150 pounds.

HAIR:
White and long.

M.A.D (Man/Angel/Demon):
Angel and emotional receiver for God.

ABILITIES:
Has a flaming sword it summons by clapping its hands together; wheb it pulls its hands apart, the sword is pulled out of its arms.
Has the power of God to manipulate the world, as long as it is what God wants.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:


HISTORY:
After Jesus is killed once again by Man, God's rage and hatred of Man is transferred to Loki. Loki wants vengeance but God would not let it happen. Loki goes to Lucifer with a proposition, he will leave the Gates of Heaven open for Lucifer if Lucifer distracts God enough for Loki to exact its revenge.

Lucifer agrees to the terms, but double-crosses Loki just as England is destroyed.

TRAITS:
Emotionally unstable.
Nervous.
Paranoid.

Lucifer Character Description

LUCIFER character description:

AGE:
Unknown.

HEIGHT:
Varies.

WEIGHT:
Varies.

HAIR:
Varies.

M.A.D (Man/Angel/Demon):
Lucifer

ABILITIES:
Anything imaginable.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION:
Varies.
In true form it is neither male nor female; it is a void which sucks everything into it; reality bends into its form.

HISTORY:
Lucifer is one of the oldest angels and the only one to be able to go against God's will. For this it and its actions in the Garden of Eden, it was cast down and became the entity known by so many names.

TRAITS.
Erratic emotions.
Loves film, TV and music.
Loves teasing Bob.
Does not get on well with the Anti-christ ("I'm older than you and better too" - the father is out-done by the son syndrome).
Does not allow any Demon possess extra powers because it is mildly paranoid about mutiny.

Paperchaser: Synopsis

Welcome to the age of science. An age where religion is used more as an effective publicity stunt for actors and an efficient excuse for invading another country rather than a viable personal belief. People are enjoying the freedom of choosing the elements they like from any religions and fashioning their own system to live by. Lucifer is aware of this and so has taken steps. Lucifer has set in motion a plot filled with red herrings and subterfuge to re-awaken true belief, not to mention destroy the Kingdom of Heaven and maybe, just maybe kill God... And it looks like he may actually succeed.

In the near future, Mankind has been at peace for thirty years. The first ten years saw war and feuding stop; murder became a thing of the past. Then came "The Great Religious Surge" - Unified, peaceful religious activity centred around a single man. But no-one saw it for what it was... The quiet before the storm.

A young man appeared and many people believed him to be the Son of God. Some people saw him as nothing more than a magician, a trickster. Others couldn't explain him; and there was a stigma about the fact he was Black. Because of the peace on Earth, God delivered his son to Mankind believing that Man was ready for true peace. Little did God know that the peace was made by Lucifer as bait and Lucifer had other plans...

While travelling, learning about a world he had not been a part of for over two thousand years, the Son of God is assassinated by MI:5 Agent Williams in London, England. Williams is a man trapped in the vice-like grip of Elizabeth, one of Lucifer's Acolytes. Agent Williams was not the only puppet being controlled by Lucifer. Andrè, the Swiss Ambassador assigned to the Genéve Convention Centre. He was also the one who set Elizabeth up with Agent Williams for the assassination of the Son of God - it was part of a debt he owed Lucifer from years ago. The rest of the debt was paid when he assassinated the French Ambassador at the Convention Centre and pinned it on the German Ambassador.

With the death of the Son of God once again by Man's hands, Heaven enters The Great Wake. Gabriel is sent to Earth with a legion of Angels to prepare for any violent uprising. There is a bitter feud between Loki and God; Loki is not simple God's wrath but the emotional receiver for all God's emotions.

Loki wants revenge for the death but God will not let him exact it. So, in a desperate bid to release the rage within him, Loki goes to Lucifer with a proposition. With the knowledge of the fading religious "power-base", Lucifer decided that it was better to suffer the void of nothingness rather than become a useless memory; nothing more than an "ordinary person". This is the reason why when Loki comes the Luficer, Luficer agrees to the plan.

Loki offers to leave the Gates of Heaven open for Lucifer if he, Lucifer, can keep God blind to Loki's actions. Loki believes that he is setting Lucifer up for the greatest fall, he believes that God will never be beaten by Lucifer, particularly in his own Kingdom. Lucifer has other ideas however...

Lucifer keeps God distracted as Loki revenges himself against England, but at the very moment of destruction Lucifer flees. God finally becomes aware of Lucifer's plan. He sees that it was Lucifer who caused the death of the Son of God, he sees Loki's betrayal. God betrayed himself; Loki made the deal with Lucifer, but he was acting on God's emotions.

Knowing this, God suffers, for the first time, full emotion. He feels the loss of his son, he feels the rage at Man, the rage at Lucifer. He feels the agony of his own betrayal and he feels the pain and torment of knowing that he killed millions of people. God suffers emotional overload and his mind shuts down... God goes AWOL.

"Paperchaser" begins with the destruction of most of England, London being ground zero. There is one survivor, Bob; a man who's eyes have been burnt out, suffering from amnesia and is plagued by images of people and places. Bob was a member of MI:5. He was part of the team that was in control of security for the Son of God and he failed to see the plot to assassinate the Son of God - this is why he was chosen by God - by way of redemption.

Bob soon stumbles across Lucifer who takes great interest in him. Lucifer cannot touch Bob without suffering sever burns which, Lucifer believes, means that Bob has been touched by God. Curious to learn more about Bob, along with the tempting notion that he could use Bob in his plans, Lucifer decides to help Bob find out who he is.

Following them across the world is Vaugn, an agent of InterPol. He is drawn into the investigation following the brutal murder of an entire French Squadron at the Channel Tunnel and then another murder at a McDonalds outside Dijon, his only clue is sketchy details about a black and silver Ford Mustang heading to Switzerland.

Vaugn slowly pieces together clues and rumours about the assailants as he blindly follows the path of death. Until the day his path crosses with that of The Four, Loki and The Secret Wish where he is thrust into the incredible world these creatures inhabit and an unlikely teaming with The Secret Wish.

Over the next three months, Bob and Lucifer travel through Europe, China, Russia and Siberia. They are chasing the visions in Bob's head. They become friends and continually defend and aid each other. Before they even reach Genéve, Lucifer kills a Warlock named Grey when he tries to kill Bob.

During this time, the Earth is nearly ripping itself apart. War threatens on every front. A young French soldier named Leonidas witnesses the French Army round up British refugees. The same refugees who fled England now wandering the land looking for a new home. But they are treated like lepers, welcomed no-where, helped no-where. Leonidas, along with a small group of her platoon help to evacuate as many of them as possible. They are directed through Germany and up into Syberia. Many of them do not make it however as the assassination of the French Ambassador seemingly by a German acts as the straw that broke the donkey's back. France invades Germany.

Then of course there's Loki, disgraced and ashamed; he wanders the world looking for salvation and a way to repay his grosse mistake. His path continually crosses with Bob and Lucifer; sometimes they are after the same thing, other times, he is fighting against them. Loki and Lucifer begin to see a connection, the though grows in their heads, could Bob be God?

Finally, that question is answered. One night, while Bob is asleep, something happens that leaves no doubt in Lucifer's mind that Bob is God. With this knowledge, Lucifer is stuck with a difficult choice... Kill him now? ...Don't tell him and use God for his own ends? ... Tell him?

Having lived with Bob for so long, Lucifer decides that telling Bob he is God would be the most advantageous move... Lucifer is right. Bob responds exactly as Lucifer suspected, he shrank further from the truth. Bob demands they keep searching. All the while Loki has also found out that Bob is God and so he confronts Bob once more.

During this time, all peaceful communication stops between the world nations. World War Three is declared. Leonidas is moved to the front-lines where she is quickly promoted to Sergeant and is responsible for some very successful missions into Germany. But she is given a near-impossible task of securing Berlin, where entrenched German forces are willing to sacrifice it all to ensure that France does not claim their capital.

When Loki tells Bob that he is God, Bob gets angry, which means that Loki gets angry and they continually feed off each others anger until they fight. The fight is brutal but neither is seriously injured. While Loki and Bob fight, Lucifer return to Hell where he marshals his Demon forces and leads them through the "Celetial Planes" to the Gates of Heaven.

With the shifting moods of religion and more people choosing to create their own ideas of Heaven and Hell, the Celestial Planes become the birthplace of the New After-life. More and more people go there after death and essentually become trapped by their own conscience - they judge themselves and create their own personal After-life; some make Hell, some Heaven. Lucifer's forces suffer great losses as members of It's Legion are lost on the Plains but finally they make it through and continue on to the Gates of Heaven.

Meanwhile, Bob and Loki have agreed to separate and fight. Loki is charged with the defense of Heaven, while Bob will petition the world leaders to stop the imminent holocaust. The reason why God can't just make everything better is because of the now non-existant religious "power-base".

Both fail in their tasks. After a bloody and brutal battle, Lucifer defeats the forces of Heaven; Loki is given no choice but to send the surviving Angels to join Gabriel's forces on Earth. Plan B is released... The Secret Wish AKA: Hope.

Hope is the most powerful, and dangerous force in all creation. All fear it and since the inception of Mankind, God has had Hope imprisoned because it was playing for both sides, Good and Evil. Loki releases Hope to fight for Good. It is the only weapon against The Four and the many, many years it has been kept in total isolation have not been kind. Hope has gone "a little crazy".

The Secret Wish, along with Vaugn end up traveling into the very substance of the universe, Energy, where their only chance of defeating The Four rests.

Bob fails to stop the war as it explodes with utter disregard for innocence all over the globe. With the advent of the Third World War come The Four; Famine, Death, Pestilance and the Anti-christ who has some very complicated issues of nature Vs nurture when his father arrives. The Earth becomes not only the host for Man's war, but also for the war between Angels and Demons.

There is also a third party fighting Man... The Risen Dead.

When Lucifer razes Heaven to the ground, the dead have no way of being judged and therefore can't enter Heaven nor be condemned to Hell. So they return to Earth as The Risen Dead. Under the guidance of Loki and Gabriel, The Risen Dead congregate at the Earth front-lines and begin to fight both sides.

Loki returns to Bob's side in New York, but they are re-united for only moments because Lucifer is closing in and Loki is captured by The Four.

After a week of torture by The Four, Loki is finally killed and with it comes "The Day The Earth Stood Still". The very core of reality quakes... God suffers full emotion.

The events that happen in the following days near-literally rip North American in two; the God-fearing verses the Non-believers. The second American Civil War begins.

Things go from bad to worse as The President of The United States sacrifices her life for God and her country. The Civil War soon ends after The President's death, but the Third World War escalates. The Four wreck havoc across the globe as Hope and Vaugn hatch their plan to bring them down and Washington DC will never be the same again after the carnage of The Four. After their mission in The Energy is accomplished, Hope remains, but Vaugn returns to reality an altered man.

In the meantime, Lucifer hunts God down for the final battle. Gabriel and The Risen Dead hold the worlds fighting at bay. Their primary issue is the continual fighting in occupied Germany. Sergeant Leonidas has grown and become a Colonel Kurtz-style officer and, for the greater good, must silenced. This mission falls to Gabriel and a small group of willing Angels and Risen Dead.

God finally conpletes It's plan and sets up for the final battle. The location is the Genéve Convention Centre. The prize? If Lucifer wins, God dies, the world ends, everyone suffers the void of nothingness; if God wins, Lucifer and he must lay down their remaining powers and allow Man to be completely in control of their lives. When they start the fight, it is in their true omnipotent forms, but as they tire and it becomes more personal and emotional, they slowly change into Human form and it becomes the dirtiest fight ever.

Finally the truth is revealed. God and Lucifer are nothing more than hollow shells, they have no real power any more. Man has become master of it's own destiny. God and Lucifer are of the lost age of Faith and now are capable of nothing but light shows and parlour tricks. They command pointless armies of Angels and Demons and it is only because of the briefly-lived "Great Religious Surge" that they are given any power; most of which is used up with the destruction of England. After all, the Great Religious Surge was based on attrition; they had faith, not based on love of God, but on the fear of Lucifer and Hell.

The Path ends with God and Lucifer continuing their friendship, but as Men, not Gods. God believes that their time may come again. To this Lucifer replies with the final words of "Paperchaser"...

LUCIFER:
Ever the brightest light casts a shadow, That is where my soul shall dwell. You will always be able to find me for I do not change... Only my methods.