Earth 1: The Legend of Number 99

The origin of the noble swamp being known as Number 99, a fabled warrior who died with the other Sentinels of Magic on Grim Island in 1948, has long been shrouded by mystery. Finally, here's a look at the fateful mission that led to that legend...

Today is Founders' Day, 1988, at the Grimoire Academy on Grimoire Island. See Adventure on Founders' Day for more details about this sacred ceremony. All of the residents have gathered for the morning's Founders' Day ceremony, led by Gareth Gallowglass, Headmaster of the Grimoire Academy and the sole survivor of the fateful 1948 battle between the Sentinels of Magic and the minions of Hell that had created the island. After the brief but solemn ceremony, Gareth again addressed those in attendance, and many perked up eagerly. Gareth was about to spin a story of heroism, and for many in the crowd, most of the students in particular, this was the most fascinating part of the ceremony. He'd conducted most of the ceremony from a short stage, in front of the gathered assembly; for the final remembrance, he left the stage and the crowd gathered more closely around him.

"Once again, my friends, thank you all for coming today. Today is a sad and solemn occasion, as we honor the valiant members of the Sentinels of Liberty, Harry Hutchinson, also known as Black Star, Hal King, wielder of the H-Dial, Roland DiGrasso, the Stainless Steel Cat, John Constantine, one of the most powerful mages of his generation, Mac Maine, inventor of the powerful Molecular Converter, Doc Yale, owner of the magical Book of Answers, and the mysterious plant elemental known only as Number 99.

"As is our tradition, today I'll tell you a bit of the history of one of the valiant heroes known as the Sentinels of Magic, the mysterious plant elemental known only as Number 99*. Number 99 was once a valiant air warrior in the United States Army Air Corp who perished during World War II, serving his country and protecting his friends, but so strong was his patriotism and devotion to his friends, his iron will, that it even transcended death. Here, my friends, is the story of Number 99.

Gareth opened the Book of Answers, turned the pages, and began his story. Though the Book was opened, Gareth did not read from the Book, he didn't even glance at it. He knew this story, as he knew the stories of all his former comrades, by heart...

The Legend of Number 99, Born of Sky and Swamp

The legend of Number 99 dates back to a fateful event that occurred in April, 1943. On a seemingly ordinary day, a brave pilot from the US Air Corps embarked with his squadron on a nighttime combat mission over the Okinawa Islands. Little did anyone know, this journey would mark his final one.

The pilot proudly noted his battle name 'Niner' painted on the side of his P40 Tomahawk as he made final preparations for the first combat mission to be flown from their new hidden 'Acorn' airfield. The island they were stationed on, deep within the Japanese naval perimeter, had been transformed from a quiet oasis to a small airfield. It had been a chore getting the base built - most of the construction had been done by hand, and all the construction materials had been ferried in by submarine, while the P40 Tomahawks the unit was flying had been carried as close as possible on a naval aircraft carrier and flown in at night. He would never forget how scary his first carrier landing had been! But finally, today had arrived - they night they put all their hard work to the test! Niner couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and excitement as he thought about the hard work that had gone into building this top secret base.

He carefully checked every inch of his Tomahawk, wishing for the arrival of the newer P51 Mustangs with their radio sets, longer range, and superior aerial capabilities. But for now, they would have to make do with what they had - and Niner knew they were up against formidable enemies. But at least, they had enough of the new, experimental fuel that was expected to double their flying range! Today's mission was to seek out and destroy Japanese air forces over Okinawa. As he climbed into the cockpit, Niner couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence and cockiness - they were better pilots than the enemy, after all. As long as they stayed sharp and worked together as a team, they could overcome any challenges thrown their way. With a deep breath, Niner revved up his engine and prepared to take off into the unknown night skies above.

The squad relied on their instruments to navigate to their target since it was after midnight. Despite many prior missions relying on instrument navigation, the pilots all breathed secret sighs of relief when they reached the shores. Perhaps because Okinawa was so far within the Japanese naval defensive perimeter, blackout regulations were not being strictly enforced, making it fairly easy for them to locate an airfield. The Japanese airmen were caught off guard when the Tomahawks flew low over the base, strafing the parked Zeroes and causing explosions and fires. Anti-aircraft guns eventually forced the attackers up and away while frantic pilots rushed to get the remaining planes into the air - but only two were still in flightworthy. They roared skyward, determined to get revenge for this sneak attack! The Tomahawk flight leader waggled his wings in the predetermined signal for his squad to vanish into the night and retreat back to their secret island base before the Zeros could pursue them.

During their escape, Niner noticed his best friend in the squadron, Boomer, falling behind with smoke trailing from his plane. Without hesitation, Niner circled back to protect his friend. He spotted the two Zeros closing in on Boomer's plane and immediately engaged in a fierce dogfight with both of them. Though outnumbered and facing planes with superior aerial dogfighting capabilities, the Japanese pilots were not as skilled as Niner - their best pilots were on the front lines, not defending some base that had been rated (until now) as an extremely low probability target. Niner managed to take down one Zero and severely damage the other as his own plane became riddled with bullets and caught on fire.

Despite his wounds and the damage that had destroyed his plane, Niner had successfully saved his friend, but he couldn't save himself. His burning plane crashed into a murky swamp on the island below.

But even death could not stop this brave pilot from continuing on. His will to live was strong; his refusal to abandon his fellows transcended even death! His remains were absorbed by the surrounding vegetation, triggering a strange reaction. The plants mutated and fused with his former body, giving rise to a bizarre creature unlike anything ever seen before. Strange bilious eyes now peered out from under a mass of slimy moss, which had become its hair. It shambled awkwardly along the ground, its legs lost in the transformation process.

Despite its grotesque appearance, this creature possessed newfound abilities that both fascinated and intrigued it. One of its most notable skills was the ability to break apart upon impact and seamlessly reassemble itself afterwards - a useful trait when avoiding predators. But perhaps most astonishingly, Number 99 had developed an unexpected form of communication. Not only could it speak English haltingly, but it also had the ability to communicate with plant life and understand their language.

Standing an impressive nine feet tall, this creature was a true force to be reckoned with. Its arms resembled gnarled tree limbs and ended in blunt fists that could deliver devastating blows if provoked. Embedded within the tangled mess of vegetation where its neck should be are remnants of GI dog tags. Though most of the lettering has been corroded and rendered illegible, two digits stand out - number 9 repeated twice - as if trying to convey its identity in a world that had forgotten it.

****

Amidst the humid, dense jungles of Okinawa, a monstrous figure emerged from the murky swamp. Number 99 stood tall and powerful, his mossy hair gleaming dully in the brilliant sunlight. His eyes, deeply sunken behind the moss, scanned the area before he stumbled upon an unexpected sight - a Japanese airfield. A wave of memories flooded his mind as he approached the sleek fighter planes. Memories of when he had been a fighter pilot, soaring through the clouds with ease and grace. And in that moment, his love for flying reignited.

The Japanese forces were taken by surprise as they saw the enormous creature making its way towards them. In a panic, they fired relentless bullets at him, but it seemed like nothing could harm him. The swamp monster was immune to their weapons. In a last desperate attempt to stop him, some Japanese fighters abandoned their guns and charged at Number 99 with bare hands. But he effortlessly tossed them aside and made his way to one of the Zero fighter planes.

The sound of engines roared as he skillfully took to the air, shooting down any Japanese planes that tried to stop him. He began to hunt for other Zeroes, taking advantage of their confusion when being attacked by one of their own to shoot down Japanese planes left and right. But as he continued to wreak havoc on the unsuspecting enemy, they finally realized that one of their own planes had been stolen and flown by an unknown entity. In a frenzy, they fired at both the plane and its mysterious pilot until it finally crashed back into the island below. Instinctively he had flown in the direction of the Acorn air base; fortunately for the secrecy of that base, a second flight of Tomahawks had just taken to the air.

Unfortunately for the survivors of Number 99's attack, the flight of American Army Air Corps fighters witnessed the entire battle and quickly joined in to take down the remaining Japanese Zeros. When the American pilots landed, news of the strange encounter spread rapidly among the Allied forces at the Acorn base, and though they didn't know the monster's identity, this was the beginning of the rapidly-growing legend of Number 99.

"Of course, Number 99 was able to survive crashing into the ocean, and he soon made his way back to Acorn Island. Though his earliest appearance on the island inspired terror, after he helped repel an enemy landing on the small island, he was welcomed as an ally by all his former comrades, though none of them ever divined his true identity. It wasn't long before stories of his battle prowess reached the Unified High Command in Washington, and when President Roosevelt identified potential warriors for the Sentinels of Magic team, Number 99 was high on the list. He and the rest of the team served honorably and ably throughout the rest of the war, and continued to serve their country until their final battle in 1948..."

Gallowglass sadly closed the Book of Answers, and then made a visible effort to lift his mood. He looked up, stood up and announced loudly "The rest of the day is a Holiday! Go and enjoy yourselves!"

*With the Book of Answers, Gallowglass could undoubtedly have divined the former identity of his teammate Number 99 - but he chose not to.