Crisis Of The Worlds: Eye Of The Storm!

Personal Requests

After being portaled off to Great Rupert's Palace, everyone on Team A looked at the castle. It was imposing and massive. There wasn't much beauty, but its presence was commanding. Twiz looked at Picky. "I hope your Earth's version of this castle looks better."

"I would not know. The climate is cold, and we will die of frostbite soon if we do not enter." Pickelhaube knocked on the massive door. A guard cracked open the door. "Who are you people? Why do you come to the door of the King?"

"We're here on important business to meet the King. There's a serious dispute, and he's the only impartial person we're not afraid to approach. We're trying to work out the veracity of the Athenasian Creed." Picky responded in a fluent British accent. Everyone else was left flabbergasted. The guard accepted the story. Pickelhaube was an impressive liar.

"The King's going to be uninterested, but he is unbiased. Nevertheless, come in." The guard opened the door enough for them and motioned for them to enter.

They entered, and followed the guard. He led them up a flight of stairs. They were met with the sight of a rook wearing a crown. He seemed sickly and you could see the age on his face. The walls were plastered with Christian iconography. Reglissina was reminded of Regnon. Rook reached out and shook Pickelhaube's hand.

"Hello. What brings you here?"

Pickelhaube almost dropped the fake British accent, but collected himself. "I see this great iconography, and I wish to ask how strong your faith is." Pickelhaube motioned for Reglissina to come over to him.

"That is not my place to judge, or yours." Rook said, nervous as to where this was going while shocked by the total lack of respect for his title.

"Your Majesty, could you find comfortable quarters for my other friends?" Pickelhaube asked. Rook looked into the sky, as if afraid of someone watching, but shoving the fear aside briefly. "Yes. Guard, take these good people somewhere comfortable." The guards nodded and escorted the others downstairs to the dining room lobby.

Pickelhaube looked to Reglissina before dropping the accent, reverting to his somewhat stiff German accent. "Explain to my pagan friend."

Rook looked at Reglissina before nervously explaining. "My religion preaches that Jesus, the virgin born son of God, died on the cross innocent of all charges laid against him and any sin. He rose three days later, and he did this in order that a sacrifice so great and pure could be made that could pay for the sins of humanity, and us by extension as sin is inherent to our nature. If not for this, we would all end up in hell.
The caveat is we must actively accept this offer through prayer and baptism, though. One has to use their free will to defy their nature and continue on this path to the light of God and actively resist temptation and keep their heart as clean as possible."

"I know another king who preaches the same message. He's using it to drive the use of magic extinct in his kingdom and re-employ those guilty of witchcraft in science and education upon their baptism. He's even immune to spells and curses. He's probably saved thousands of lives and led to the disenchantment of just as many." Reglissina said.

"So why haven't you professed?"

"I was possessed for centuries. This extremely powerful demon held my soul hostage until I was exorcised by accident. My hands have oceans of blood on them as a result. I don't think I can be forgiven."

"Perhaps that accident was a chance to make the right choice being offered to you. I see that you want to do right by the look in your eyes. I'm old enough where that skill starts getting less difficult. I don't see how this conversation reveals anything about me."

Pickelhaube spoke up. "It reveals the same personal failure in both of you, only the same is vastly stronger in you, sir." Rook looked at him, a flash of terror in his eyes before looking away.

"I...I don't understand." Rook said.
Pickelhaube laid it out, having found the nerve he was looking for.
"You fear Empress Liy and Book more than God. You've been lying to yourself about that for decades, but I see the truth in your eyes." Rook sighed, staring down at the floor. "Yes. I understand. But how can I not fear the Empress? Her power is like nothing I've ever seen..." He broke down in tears.

"I'm not asking you to not fear her. I'm asking you to have faith, and join me and my friends to do the right thing for once." Pickelhaube said. Rook looked up. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"Me and my friends actually come from different universes than yours. We need your help to save them from your Empress, and seeing as she wouldn't suspect you, we need you to actually help us stop her. She's been destroying universes left and right for decades from what I've been told, and you could be the one to help us." Pickelhaube said. Rook was taken aback completely. These people had just tricked him through his faith into opening up personally to them. And now this? It was inconceivable, but he really had no other choice seeing as Empress Liy was definitely evil and he certainly couldn't have a clear conscience as long as he served her. He sighed, reluctantly nodding.

"I will help you. Let me consult with my wife first." He walked downstairs with Pickelhaube and Reglissina in tow.
__________

After all of the others were seated, they were joined by an old lady followed by a jubilant yellow X. She was a gray pair of scissors wearing a crown and dress. "Hello." she said, tired and bored.

"It's no trouble, Your Majesty. It's honestly a unique experience to be here." Agate said.

"How's Four doing?" X asked. Agate was completely blindsided by the question. He didn't know who Four was, but the part he was playing required him to. He made up something. "Oh, Four's doing fine! He's staying out of trouble." Agate said, sheepishly grinning. He was making that up, but he had no real option. X accepted it at face value with a smile. "Great! I was starting to worry!"
__________

Meanwhile, the Cape was flying around in a makeshift spacesuit that was curled up in his earpiece. He traversed the planet's orbit trying to find the satellite. "Notecard, you said it'd be around here somewhere. Where is it?"

"It's probably in orbit of the moon." Notecard said.

"Wait, I found it. So you want me to put this metal hemisphere over the antenna of the satellite, correct?"

"Yes. Do that." The Cape reached for the box to open it only to find it was missing. He turned around.

"Looking for this, hero?" A large blue number four said upon the Cape seeing him holding the box. "Four!" the Cape shouted. Four laughed. The Cape weirdly could hear his words despite them being in space. "That's right, and you're getting poo-pooed!"

The Cape stayed calm. "What are you doing here, anyway?" He lunged at Four, who just dodged him, over and over.

"I do this." Four responded before reaching towards him with his free hand. The Cape moved instinctively. He flew as fast as he could around Four in circles, watching as the arm stretched and stretched after him. He managed to fool Four into tying his arm into a knot and hurrying at the other hand with the box, grabbing it and flying towards the satellite.

"Yikes, that was close." He opened the box and pressed the metal onto the antenna as hard as he could. He knew what cold welding was, and it needed only a little incentive. It took quickly, just in time for the Cape to turn and see Four coming right at him with an angry but really goofy cartoon frown.

The Cape waited for the right moment before flying upwards, causing Four to crash into the satellite. The Cape pressed his ear piece. "I attached the metal piece, Dagger! What do I do about Four, the insane number chasing me?!"

"Just try to dodge Four for the moment. He's a tough customer, but you should be able to defeat him if you multiply him by zero somehow." Notecard replied before cutting out.

Cape was dumbfounded as to how the hell Notecard expected him to do that.