A Game of Gods: A Multiversal Challenge

"No one ever accused me of being intelligent." He chuckled somewhat mirthlessly. "A few people have called me the second dumbest man in wrestling."

He glanced back up at Lambda. "So...I just don't know where to go..."

Easing back into life one step at a time

Finally Lux spoke, "I told you I was staying, remember? Maybe you can too? This place isn't normal, there's magic going on here, maybe we can learn about what we went through from outside it this time. And it certainly can be a home..."

How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?

What might have been a faint snort gusted from the argent deity's nostrils. "I cannot help you with that, alas; these particular portals are subtly different from those employed in the primary complex, and at present I can only open or close them—manipulation of where they would lead, alteration to their end destination, is beyond my abilities. Had this not been the case, you could have explored the multiverse to your heart's content; as it presently stands, you can either venture into the home universe of one of your fellow Champions...or you can remain here, in this interdimensional manse."

Lambda grunted with effort as he tried to sit up, but again his effort was unsuccessful; even with Isaac's healing spells, the argent deity was nowhere near any reasonable state of health or fitness, and after rising to a fifty-degree angle his back muscles gave out, bringing his torso crashing down onto the floor once more with a grimace.

"Don't stress yourself pointlessly, you idiot," Rho chided him, her voice completely devoid of the venom that might have accompanied that insult had she been someone else.

---

The shadow on the wall continued to observe these events, its smile broadening ever so slightly as it did so.

The Danse Macabre Codex

Lux turned back at that, she couldn't help but feel a little worried about Lambda's state, since he was offering to help. "Leave them open, then. I'd like the chance to study these worlds, and the magic employed here. It would be much more preferable to the endless fighting I'd be going back to... I can make sure nobody could find them but those who stay behind."

How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?

Rey glanced to Luxanna. "You're...going to stay?"

Easing back into life one step at a time

Iota summoned another hourglass, looked at it, looked over to where the shadow was, looked at the hourglass again, then dismissed it.

To be seen, stand up To be heard, speak up To be appreciated, shut up

Spriggan decided to speak his mind out.

"Normally I'd tell someone like that there's cruel and heartless."

He stared at Rey. "But considering the circumstances, I'm willing to help ya out. Even if it means going against my code."

"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"

Rey looked to Spriggan. "You want to help me?" He turned, taking the young man's shoulders, looking him in the eyes. "Go home. Live your life as best as you can, take care of the ones you love. Do the stuff I won't be able to do. That'll help me more than anything else you can do."

Easing back into life one step at a time

"Not like that."

Spriggan shook his head.

"I mean to drag ya home and reunite you with your family. That would usually be what my company does in the security specialist line of business. But if you want to stay here 'til you can figure things out, then I'll support ya all the way. Not by being here of course."

"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"

Rey shook his head. "My family will be fine. I left behind enough money that they'll never want for anything for the rest of their lives. And...the other wrestlers will take care of them. We might not get along, but we look out for our own. They'll make sure Angie and the kids are taken care of. My uncle and family will take care of them. They won't be alone."

Easing back into life one step at a time

The argent deity shifted his gaze to Lux, staring at her long and hard for a few moments. "...Very well," he said, "but make absolutely certain that these portals remain carefully hidden and undiscovered; without any sort of regulation on what can pass through in either direction, the potential for trans-universal contamination is higher than I would prefer."

Once again Lambda let out a groan as he tried to sit up...and this time, he succeeded, though from the way he was swaying back and forth it was clear that he was held up primarily by force of will rather than the strength of his back. "And before you tear into me for how hypocritical such a sentiment sounds coming from me, of all beings," he continued, levelling an accusatory finger at the two Champions, "recall that without exception, every portal that was used to send you into a universe during a challenge was strictly one-way only; the process of sending you out across the multiverse was tightly controlled and regulated, to prevent dangerous intersections and overlaps between multiversal threads which were never intended to meet with one another. As a whole the Nomads may have been blind and set in their ways, but we weren't idiots; we knew the dangers inherent in allowing creatures like the Bak'nalah to slip into a realm unfamiliar and unprepared to deal with them, and strict measures were taken to keep such a thing from happening—they may not have always been one-hundred percent successful, but in general they worked."

He collapsed a moment later, hissing faintly as the impact drove the breath from his lungs.

edited 23rd Jul '11 9:17:15 PM by SullenFrog

The Danse Macabre Codex

Iota looked over at the shadow again.

To be seen, stand up To be heard, speak up To be appreciated, shut up

Oh, Crap!, Narumi went through the portal and came back.

The shadow looked back, still grinning. A faint twinkle of multihued light flickered into existence in the general area of its eyes for an instant.

The Danse Macabre Codex

Rey winced, moving closer and offering a hand to Lambda. "We'll...we'll be careful."

Easing back into life one step at a time

Iota equipted one of the scythe's as a subtle hint for the shadow not to try anything.

To be seen, stand up To be heard, speak up To be appreciated, shut up

Lux nodded solemnly. "You have my word. Invisible, and impassable, but to myself and those I would bring with me.

"Do not worry about intruders." came a voice without speech, something that registered in immediate memory instead of the ears, "I've hunted such entities and kept our halls clear of them for the longest time now anyway. I can watch this place as well."

A figure clad in brown from hat to boots appeared in the room, or more accurately, had been there for hours when just a second ago he hadn't been there at all. His position was conveniently directly between the shadow on the wall and the other occupants of the room, to whatever value of 'convenient' was possible with pre-planning. He was aware the shadow was mobile, but it was more to make a point. Unus was all about subtlety, until he had to fire His One Shot.

" You need a ride back?"

edited 23rd Jul '11 9:35:46 PM by SOCR

How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?

Lambda made no move to resist as Rey helped him into an upright position, accepting the hand without comment and allowing the luchadore to lift him up; at the same time, however, it was clear that he was not pleased at needing the man's assistance in the first place—although whether this displeasure was directed at Rey or himself, only the argent Nomad could say.

"I...appreciate the offer," he said to Unus, "but I will have to decline; between the two of us, Rho and I have enough power to get where we need."

Rho, for her part, nodded silently in accord with her husband's statement.

---

The shadow tilted its head slightly to one side in an almost sardonic fashion at the threatening gestures directed its way by Iota and Unus, then spread its arms and seemed to shrug. The grin had diminished into a smile, but it was still smiling nonetheless; clearly whatever manner of being this shade was, it was not intimidated by the two gods in the slightest. That said, it clearly did not intend to start anything, at least not proactively; what it might do in reaction to an attack from either of these two, none could say.

The Danse Macabre Codex

Rey smiled some. "Just consider this my revenge for you calling me worthless back on Reach, Lambda." He chuckled faintly, lightly patting the Nomad on the arm.

Easing back into life one step at a time

Iota looked at the shadow for a few more seconds before turning his attention back to the other two Nomads.

   I would perfer to do that myself Lambda. You and Rho will live a couple more days that way.   

He waved his hand, and a portal to a hill covered in green grass appeared. There was a tree sitting at the top.

   Go now, and live in peice. The portal will close once you have gone through.   

edited 23rd Jul '11 10:14:20 PM by Makuta9999

To be seen, stand up To be heard, speak up To be appreciated, shut up

"Hey Lux." Spriggan asked Lux. "Are you staying here alongside Rey?"

"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"

"Yes, I am," Lux turned to Spriggan. "I want to stay here, and study all the magic from these different universes. I was always much more interested in learning than fighting, but fighting is all I'll have if I go back home..."

How can you be in two places at once when you're not anywhere at all?

"I see..."

Spriggan told Lux after hearing her answer. "I guess you won't miss your family huh?"

He sighed. "I wish I'd get to know you a bit more from what we've went through with the others." Spriggan grinned under his balaclava. "I'm glad you're alright."

edited 23rd Jul '11 10:34:30 PM by Ominae

"Exit muna si Polgas. Ang kailangan dito ay si Dobermaxx!"

— Saren watched the portals without a word, then shook his head.

The Turian sat down on the floor, sprawled out, half studying, half glowering at Lambda. —

You closed all of the... "infected" portals, right?'

—The Fortress of Digamma now loomed over the ballroom, a silent, inactive hulk, the scorching light seemingly shut off for good.—

Proud member of the IAA What's the point of being grown up if you can't act childish?

Link stepped towards the portal, his stride even - never skipping a beat, until he was right in front of it. Grass. He could smell home.

He paused for a moment, as if considering something.

Your heart is iron, Link. Don't look back.

He was glad for Rey, glad for Lux and the rest of the champions. They would have a home. They would be happy.

Now, he had to return to his.

He smiled, and turned around.

"Remember." Remember the sacrifices, remember all the pain we have gone through. Remember the trials, the agony, the love -

Remember me.

And with that, the Hero of Time stepped through the portal. The last thing that Rey and the remaining others would see was the Hylian Shield on his back, the crest proud and strong.

He was going home.

'Being around you guys makes me go "wtf" instead of pondering the ever increasing dread of time' - EchoingSilence, 2023