Intrinity is a state of
enlightenment that can only be achieved by a true hero. Only through extreme
acts of Patriotism,
Selflessness and Kindness can one achieve Intrinity.
The concept of Intrinity was
discovered by Spiritess (Marianne Fairfax) when she was almost taken
over by demon possession during a Circle of Thorns ritual. At the exact
point of total possession she was rescued and her own spirit drawn back
to her body. This moment of transference opened up her astral mind to
all the wonders of the universe. For that precise moment Spiritess knew
and understood everything the universe could offer but lost almost all
knowledge as soon as she re-entered her body (see story below).
Regaining consciousness all she
could recall were the most basic principles of achieving Intrinity but
could still feel the fulfillment that reaching such a state of
enlightenment would produce. With this knowledge and the new found
powers of mind, space and time that seem to have come back from the void
with her spirit she now desperately seeks to achieve this form of
enlightenment and the universal peace she knows will accompany it.
The concept of Intrinity is
infectious and Spiritess has found that as she speaks of it to fellow
heroes in Paragon City it triggers a kind of “race memory” within them
and they too wish to follow the path that Spiritess walks.
Marianne Fairfax was a quiet
soul. Never late for work, always remembers colleagues birthdays, living
alone in one of the many apartment blocks located in Steel Canyon.
The day started just like any other Monday. Marianne navigated through
the bustling crowds of commuters as usual, inwardly laughing at the
tourists goggling at the costumed heroes flying and bouncing across the
landscape.
Work turned into the usual dance of smiling politely at the students of
the University whilst simultaneously biting her tongue not to say what
was really on her mind. “After all” she had been told time and again
from her supervisor “these bright young students will be our future!”
Our future! God help us all. Maybe the rumors she heard about the Rogue
Isles have the right idea.
The day finished with Marianne tired and drained as usual, not looking
forward to the trek home. The lunchtime news report stated her usual
route had been closed due to a swarm of the strange Clockwork tearing up
the road gathering parts for whatever their hidden agenda is. The
resultant battle between the clockwork and the latest hero team fad,
according to the newscaster, had caused some considerable damage to the
surrounding area. “Sometimes I wonder if these heroes are really worth
all the trouble that’s caused.”
Marianne had to take a route she was not familiar with. Head down to
avoid making contact with the eyes of the crowded streets as much to
avoid the early evening raid. Unfortunately for Marianne this act of
isolation would be the cause of a bigger problem than just facing the
fight home for yet another wet Monday.
Without really knowing the layout of the streets she now followed it was
inevitable for her to take a wrong turn - straight into the path of a
group of brightly coloured robed men. At first Marianne thought she had
stumbled into yet another team of costume clad vigilantes. Making her
mumbled apologies she turned to leave. She did not get very far.
“This one has the power inside her!” hissed one of the men, grabbing her
by the shoulders and pulling her back round.
“I feel it too!” croaked another.
Now that Marianne had become fully aware of her surroundings she
realised what she had stumbled across. These robed figures had appeared
on television and in the press many, many times over the years. Known as
the Circle of Thorns, a cult of demon worshipers, they act on pure evil
and show now mercy to those that they seek. Marianne felt completely
helpless as one of the figures, obviously a cult leader from the
intricate gold details of his robes, rose up before her the palms of his
hands held out and a green flame burning in his eyes. It was all she
could do just to stay conscious as she was carted away by the leader’s
guards to some secret location.
Everything around her was a blur of colours, unable to make out any
familiar shapes she allowed herself to be taken away. She could hear
sounds – voices, the guards and their leader discussing what was to
become of her? Maybe, but there were other sounds too, voices of a
different kind fighting amongst themselves in some distant far away
place, looking to be the chosen for this body.
When Marianne gathered some clarity of her surround again she realised
her feet were no longer touching the ground, but nothing was physically
holding her either. Everything seemed to be tinged green and it wasn’t
until a few moments had passed that she realised she was being held
aloft in a green fire. The word ‘fire’ crossed though her mind and
caused her to panic. “I’M ON FIRE!” she screamed. After a few moments of
struggling to break free of the flames she realised she didn’t actually
feel at all hot. In fact the fire was cold, as of a winter night. Then
the voices started again. First a chant was raised from the blurred
figures she could see through the flames. In return this was taken up
with the distant voices. Hundreds - deep, distant, cold.
Within the cold of the flame she could feel something else, something
touching the back of her consciousness feeling for a way through.
Something ancient from before the dawn of mankind.
Then, like a bolt of pure brilliant light, the groping evil found its
entrance. Searing through Marianne’s mind like a comet it looked for
something. With each pass it made within her sub-conscious Marianne
could feel her conscious grip slipping away. The very essence that was
her drifted further and further back through the void.
It felt like Marianne had been in this void for an eternity. The real
world no longer held any meaning. New insights and truths were being
made available to her. It all made so much sense now. The wars and
disasters. The rise of super powered individuals. Life. Everything was
made so plain and simple to her now. With this knowledge at her disposal
she could become so much more.
Then she could sense something else, a shining beacon of selfless honor.
It pierced through the shroud that now enveloped her. Concentrating on
this point of purity she began to block out all other influences trying
to clear her mind and focus in on what was happening. She sped through
the endless depths of this new found knowledge towards this point.
Faster than light. Faster than time. Faster than thought. “I must know
what this is!” “Why do I not know anything about it, when I know all
that there is to know here?”
As she moved closer her conscious self became more prominent,
strengthening her grasp on returning to reality and losing the addictive
hold of the black. An unearthly scream shot past her returning back into
the depths of the void. The eon long frustration and anger it released
tearing at her very mind.
Then a feeling hit her, something tangible. It seemed like an eternity
had passed since she last had solid contact. “What is that?” Marianne
racked her memory, “So familiar; strong, grasping … A HAND! IT’S
SOMEONE'S HAND!” With that sudden realisation came a brilliant flash of
green light then darkness. A comforting dark without the watch of
invisible eyes.
“Sounds … I can her things again! Birds, people, a voice close to me …”
“You’re safe now miss. You’ve just been rescued from a Circle of Thorns
ritual, just in time by the look of things. I’ll get you to a trauma
team right away. Hold tight!”
