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lunarsands · 11 months

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Empires SMP Fanfic: Thou, O Kings, Fair Be You All Pt 2

Afterlife SMP and Empires SMP S1 and S2 crossover super combo!!! (again noted here to save the title field, but Empires SMP S2 inspired the idea so I’m filing it under Empires)

Title: Thou, O Kings, Fair Be You All

Characters: MythicalSausage, Scott Smajor, Sausage Supreme, along with MythicalSausage, and MythicalSausage, featuring MythicalSausage, as well as MythicalSausage, plus MythicalSausage

Relationships: MythicalSausage/Scott Smajor

Tags: action, a bit of fluff WARNINGS: Violence, Injury, Death (of the villain), body horror

Summary: The Tyrant King arrives in Sanctuary, and another battle for the safety of the future begins. Sausage vows to stand his ground and do everything he can, which includes calling for aid from some very familiar faces...

Takes place after: Along the Roads to Sanctuary, Hellbent, The Future Foretold, and Who’s The Unfairest Of Us All and includes characters from Night of the Winter Stars

(Also available on Ao3!)

[ Part One ]

[A/N: True facts I actually had this written out shortly after Sausage’s S2 finale but I needed to finish setting it up in Along the Roads to Sanactuary, otherwise this might have been posted sooner. XD I was honestly going a little nuts having to sit on it, but the plot points were important for this one to make sense. As much sense as throwing a bunch of AU versions of the same character into one fic already makes, that is.]

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Part Two

The Seraph shot past Sausage Supreme to hover over the Protector, and called down, “We’re short one!”

“Huh?” The Protector looked up as he finished casting the spell Lord Sausage had requested.

“I had a vision shortly before I was teleported here! Are you sure you summoned everyone you wanted to be here to help??”

“I— Yeah? We don’t have time for that! Get ready! I have a plan!” The Protector raised the Staff of Mythland in one hand, and the Staff of Sanctuary in the other. “Grab ‘hero over there and get above him, then we can strike from the ground.”

Lord Sausage raised his sword and nodded.

The Seraph swooped around and scooped up the Superhero, leaving The Wither to finish steadying itself, then the two shot up high, angling directly into the sun to use it to force Sausage Supreme to have to squint to see them if he intended to track them. “Hit him with a blast of gravi when I call down some fire,” the Seraph instructed.

The Superhero nodded. “Got it. You can toss me up if you need a hand free – I can float for longer if I need to. On three…”

“One…”

“Two…”

“Three!”

Up went the Superhero. Down pointed the Seraph’s sword. Angling from the sky came a bolt of holy fire. It struck a new barrier that shimmered around Sausage Supreme, but as the flames scorched over it, the magic itself began to bubble and crack. The Superhero posed both palms downward as if pushing on something, and this time, Sausage Supreme dropped as the magical barrier shattered. With that job done, the holy fire dissipated.

Sausage Supreme created a new barrier beneath him to keep from being slammed into the ground, but then Lord Sausage leapt in to distract him from completing the full barrier bubble by engaging another swordfight. Sausage Supreme attempted to take advantage of the fact that he had a shield and the other didn’t, but Lord Sausage merely blocked with his right arm, letting the saber skim sparks off the metal.

fWhip would probably yell at him for using the prosthetic this way, but the spell was holding, preventing any damage – for now. He merely needed to buy time for the others. Unfortunately, this tactic also meant he would be in the way of the two with the aerial abilities. So, he just had to hold out until the Protector could cancel out the magic Sausage Supreme was able to access.

From the corner of his eye Lord Sausage saw the black-cloaked figure swing into an alley between the two closest buildings, then he caught the motion of a skeletal finger beckoning him. He doubled his efforts, hammering at Sausage Supreme’s shield to drive him in that direction. He blocked an answering strike with his arm, and then shoved hard. He flinched as the move caused a strain where the prosthetic was secured to the remainder of his upper arm, and he had to hop back a step.

It had been enough, however. The Wither lunged from the alleyway and wrapped its arms around Sausage Supreme in a macabre embrace, aligning one hand over the center of his chest.

He howled in rage but The Wither held tight even as he bucked his whole body to try to dislodge the specter. “Not this time, you ghoul! You won’t be having my soul! Take this instead!”

A tattered dark green and ashen gray orb was ejected from Sausage Supreme’s body into The Wither’s hand with enough force to bend its wrist backward. The Wither’s hand twitched as if it was struggling to contain the soul – or trying to stop it from escaping. “No! It must remain—!”

“This body is MINE now!” Sausage Supreme proclaimed. “Do your job, reaper, and ferry that one away!” He began to bunch up his muscles in preparation to throw The Wither off of him.

Lord Sausage took a gamble and slashed the tip of his sword across the villain’s face, drawing only a small line of blood but causing a distraction again. The Wither’s arms tightened with a creaking sound, both hands positioned to shove the orb back inside Sausage Supreme’s body. Red eyes bulged for a second, and the soul was returned where it belonged… but his was not displaced by it, and with an angry roar magic crackled over him again, bursting outward in a radius around him, loosening The Wither’s hold then sending both it and Lord Sausage to the ground in opposite directions.

The Superhero then landed with a surprisingly heavy thud onto the street, having been clinging to a roof after his previous boost had run out. He darted around throwing punches of gravi, knocking Sausage Supreme’s head back and forth with the barrage, although the villain was able to keep on his feet despite how he staggered.

A sudden smirk appeared and he dodged the next punch, then he whipped his arm out to slam the edge of his shield into the Superhero’s gut.

He was shocked to find that the move had no effect; rather than push the Superhero a step, or make him flinch or cough or groan, what it actually did was make Sausage Supreme feel like he had just tried to punch a giant boulder.

Meanwhile, the Superhero smirked right back – and then threw a punch directly at Sausage Supreme’s chest. Magic crackled and prevented the fist from connecting, but the gravi-blast itself sent him skidding into the wall behind him, resulting in a rain of dirt from the plant boxes overhead.

As the air cleared, Sausage Supreme chortled. He wiped at the cut on his cheek. “A few lucky hits! But I’m still standing, and you’re going to start running out of tricks! You’re all still just an army of one!”

“You’re only standing because of power you stole from others!” the Protector declared as he stepped forward, a shimmering green barrier of his own now around him. “You even had to steal from a demon! You were never that powerful on your own! And I would know best, because you’re still only just a piece of me!”

“What are you going to do from in there?” Sausage Supreme mocked, “Lecture me to death? You’re not going to get a chance to merge this piece of me! I’ve—!”

The Seraph brought his sword down from overhead as he abruptly landed in front of the villain. Sausage Supreme blocked with his saber and began to push back, his blade crackling with shielding magic again, but then the Seraph shot upward – and the Superhero darted in, a fistful of gravi leading. Sausage Supreme jerked his head to the side. The thrown fist ended up going straight into the wall.

The villain laughed as he danced aside, then he started to bring his broadsword down toward the Superhero’s unarmored head. Lord Sausage stepped in, taking the blow on his arm. There was a pop and a sizzle, but he stood his ground long enough for the Superhero to pull his hand out of the wall. Then the two split off from the fight as the Seraph swooped in a second time.

With the sound of blades clashing behind them and a need to press his prosthetic against his side, Lord Sausage fell back to where the Protector stood. “How’s that dissolution spell coming along?! We can swat at him all we want, but he’s too well-protected to actually bring him down!”

“Almost got it,” the Protector assured. “I’m just waiting to get a lock on his magical frequency. It has been altered by all the stuff he’s gotten into, so it’s not, um, like slightly to the left of mine anymore.” He placed the end of the Staff of Sanctuary on the ground, staring intently at Sausage Supreme as he did so, and tracked his movement as he battled the Seraph. The Protector then released it and it remained standing on its own. He then held the Staff of Mythland in both hands and lined it up with the middle of the Staff of Sanctuary’s crook.

“Magic of Sanctuary, hear me… We cannot return the magic to those who once held it, but it does not belong in this man’s hands. Help me to reclaim it from him and to disperse it back into the world.”

A brilliant glow engulfed the top of the Staff of Sanctuary, while a beam shot from the tip of the Staff of Mythland. It curved around to follow Sausage Supreme’s path until it could strike the barrier around his weapons, producing a new, greener glow.

“What?” Sausage Supreme stared at this change in the energy’s color. The Seraph broke away, then - when the glow and the barrier disappeared - he struck again, and soon the villain was facing him with only his own strength. His arms trembled with each following blow; a mere mortal was no match for an angel. He gritted his teeth and swung at a wing instead, taking the Seraph’s next strike on his shield, although the hit ended up denting the center of the shield.

The bracer he wore sparked again. Thin ropes of glowing magic flowed out along his limbs. He laughed and matched the Seraph’s next attack with double the strength of before, forcing him to give ground.

“What?” the Protector cried, “Why didn’t it work?!”

“Oh, it did,” Sausage Supreme threw the comment over his shoulder, “But that was only one sliver of the magic I now hold. I’ve absorbed hundreds of types of magic! You can’t just pull all of them out so easily!” His laughter grew louder and he raised the arm sporting the bracer. It gave off a glow brighter than the Staff of Sanctuary, and even the Seraph had to shade his eyes to make sure he kept the villain in sight.

There was a sting across one of his wings as a dark blade streaked past – along with a figure that mimicked his own silhouette. The blade cut through the glowing light—

Cut through the bracer—

There was a hiss like something dissolving in lava, then the bracer fell to the ground, its glow fading out. Sausage Supreme stared down at it in disbelief. “No! It was supposed to be indestructible!!” A black substance oozed over the bracer, causing the golden sheen to rapidly become dull then crumble. He whipped around, trying to find the culprit. “Which one of you managed to do that?! Curse you—!”

“Too late,” growled a voice from above. “I’m already cursed.”

All eyes went to a balcony where a second angel was perched, although his wings were jet black and he lacked any fancy armor, clothed instead in a sleeveless and dingy, tattered outfit. “Are you fools done yet? Or do you need me to finish him off?” Myth glowered down at the similar, if less scarred, faces that matched his own.

It was The Wither who responded, “That will not be necessary.” Sausage Supreme turned a defiant snarl toward it, but was instantly met by the bony hand thrusting into his chest and yanking out a pulsating red orb with yellow blotches and threads of magenta running throughout it. The Wither’s hand shook, but it dug the sharp tips of its fingers into the orb. “Not. This. Time,” it rasped. It then plunged its other hand into the villain’s chest and removed the second soul that had been shown off earlier. “And we will also not risk another corruption.”

There was a creak as its fingers tightened even more on the red orb. Eyes glittered then flashed inside the hood, then came an angry, strained inhaling noise. The others knew the sound of the specter’s namesake. The pulsating motion of the first orb increased, then the threads of magenta brightened. They disappeared in a small burst of matching-colored light, then the splotches of yellow seemed to writhe. The entire orb began to resemble what a frantically beating heart might look like. The Wither’s eyes flashed again. The colors peeled away from the orb like a rapidly blooming flower, only to shrivel, wilt, and be reabsorbed back into it.

To a one, all of the other Sausages suddenly gripped at their chests. The now-dull-and-gray orb clutched in The Wither’s merciless grasp collapsed in on itself until The Wither crushed whatever was left of it in its fist.

The Protector dropped the Staff of Mythland. The light atop the Staff of Sanctuary winked out, then it fell to the ground, too. He drew in one quick breath, staring down at them, then he looked toward The Wither again.

The specter of death pulled back its hood, confirming that it did, indeed, resemble the rest of them – minus the partially exposed blackened skull. Then it opened its mouth and started to consume the second soul.

The Seraph and the Superhero traded mortified, knowing looks. Lord Sausage went slightly pale. Myth gave an ugly frown. After completely swallowing the soul, The Wither glanced at the empty body beside it. With a tap of its hand, it let the body fall into the dirt. Then it pulled its hood back up over its head.

The Wither turned to the Protector. “So, this is where your quest led you to? I sense that much time has passed, yet this is our world – yours and mine, that is. I remember you looking more like…” It swung toward Lord Sausage. “…That. Except for the peculiar arm. And older, of course.” It turned back to the Protector. “Perhaps I should have known right away that this gathering was your doing; who else would be able to pull me from our pocket reality? And yet, these others...?”

The Protector smiled. “Call it a chain of connections that pulled in who we needed.”

The Seraph folded his injured wing forward to check the wound. As he had expected, the feathers around it were stained with ichor. “Yeah, about that…” He turned and pointed his sword up at Myth. “Why did you wait so long to step in?! If one swipe was all you needed to break the source of his power, why wait? Or were you sizing us up to see who to pick off next?! I knew you would be here, somewhere!”

“Don’t start with me, shiny knight!” Myth’s foot shifted on the edge of the railing.

“No, I will! Answer me! We all knew what we were here for the second we arrived! But you were off hiding!” The Seraph’s wings flared wide.

The Superhero patted his hands against the air in a placating gesture as he moved in front of the others, while The Wither drifted over to the Protector’s side. “Uh, guys? Can we not—”

Myth cut him off with an accusation thrown at the other angel. “So is this gathering also to eliminate any of us seen as undesirable? One down, I guess that leaves me to go! Just make sure you send soul-devourer over there to my world to finish off Smajor, when you’re done with me!”

The Seraph adjusted his grip on his sword, then braced his legs in preparation to launch himself upward. “It still didn’t have to be this way, but you just won’t let go of revenge!”

Myth’s mouth twisted into resentful rage, then he leapt downward, blade aimed at the other angel.

The others watched them clash, but neither of the ones capable of flight were inclined to get in the middle of all the wings and fury.

Lord Sausage sheathed his sword so he could cradle his prosthetic arm. “Wow, those two got some major beef, huh?”

“I… didn’t know about that…” the Protector said, chagrined. “Um, is your arm okay?” The Superhero and The Wither looked over at the other human, as well.

Lord Sausage smiled down ruefully. “Can’t open the fingers right now, I’ll have to wait to get home for a repair. But it held up pretty good, all things considered! I don’t do much battling anymore these days, other than training my eldest son in sword fighting.”

The Superhero ran his gaze over the metal limb again. “Wait… That’s not just armor?”

“Nope!” Lord Sausage chirped cheerfully. He shifted his shoulder then pulled the prosthetic off – since the redstone signals were only half-working anyway – and held it by the forearm section while raising his remaining stub. “Fake arm! I tell you, though, you can get so many jokes out of this thing! The kids love it.” He carefully slipped the prosthetic back on; removing it didn’t cause a reboot as he had half-hoped, so he held it against his side again. “My favorite is always joking about giving them ‘a hand’ with something, and then just putting this down on the table. My brother-in-law has the best puns about it, too. Always fun visiting him.”

“Brother-in-law?” the Protector questioned. He appeared thoughtful for a second, then said quietly, “So…not Pearl, then.” He smiled weakly. “You married Gem.”

“Gem? No! fWhip only created this. My brother-in-law is Xornoth, I married Scott!”

The blissful declaration drew the attention of the Superhero and the Seraph – although the latter immediately had to return his focus to Myth as the cursed angel took the opportunity to lash out with a kick, knocking the Seraph into the side of a balcony.

The Superhero shook his head. “Maybe now isn’t the time for comparing lives. We need to do something about them before this gets out of control. You two stay back, maybe I can do something to break this up.”

The Protector nodded and picked up the Staff of Sanctuary. “All right, I’ll try to give you a hand in a minute.”

Lord Sausage turned to pick up the Staff of Mythland and said deadpan, “Sorry, I can’t help you there, I’ve only got one left.” Disparaging looks were thrown his way. He grinned, then suggested, “Well, maybe just send them – and us – back where we came from before this does get messy. Uh, messier.”

The Protector leveled the Staff of Sanctuary and tried to point the tip toward the angels, but couldn’t get a bead on only one of them. “I could try, if they would stay still and separate for just one minute! I’m pretty sure I can just reverse what I did, but I don’t want to somehow accidentally send them to the same reality! I’m not sure I have it in me to go double-checking to make sure there’s only one Mythical J. Sausage per universe! Maybe with a little more boost of magic, I could definitely be sure, but I need a few more minutes to recharge after dispelling the other guy’s barrier…”

The superhero sighed and pulled his goggles down over his eyes. “Fine, I’ll buy you some time. Not entirely sure I wanted to do this, but if someone’s got to throw their weight around to stop a couple of angels who are that powerful, it’ll have to be me…”

In a mere blink he was suddenly level with the two angels—

Then between them.

Swords that were meant to strike each other landed to either side of the Superhero, but both were stopped cold as the edge of the blades seemed to just… get stuck against his exosuit. He twisted his arms around and grasped a blade in each hand. There was a rumble from up above, then a lightning bolt struck him – and while the electricity cascaded harmlessly over him, it flowed along the weapons to zap each angel in the hand, forcing them to let go of the swords. Then, with a rapid punch packed with more strength than only gravi would have allowed and dealt to one of them, then to the other, he sent both of them flying backward into the side of buildings with enough force to embed them into the walls. “Now, CUT IT OUT, you two!”

He dropped the weapons and appeared to hover in midair, almost as if he, too, was flapping a pair of wings to keep him aloft.

The Seraph hastily pried himself out of the indentation his impact had created. “What in the Nether… Hey! By any chance, did you get stuck in a limbo dimension and emerge with all your past powers?”

The Superhero glared at him sternly. “No. I’ve always had all of them.”

Myth growled as he levered himself out, leaving behind an imprint of his wings via splattered ichor. “I’m getting tired of hearing how I ended up with the shortest straw!” He launched forward again.

The Seraph followed suit to intercept him, bringing up his shield with the intention of ramming the cursed angel.

The Superhero hit them both with another powerful blast of gravi, slamming them right back into the buildings a second time. Bits of brick and terracotta rained down. “Sorry!” he called to the Protector. “I’ll fix those later!”

The Protector frowned and muttered, “Do I have to worry about all three of them wrecking the place? …With parallel versions like these, who needs enemies?”

“Unfortunately,” Lord Sausage commented, “I think those two were already enemies, or something. Maybe they’re just taking the whole ‘light vs dark’ thing too literally?”

The Superhero used reverse gravi to pull the angels away from the walls toward him, then froze the gravity around them, keeping a hand against each’s chest. “Whatever the argument is that you have with each other, you better stop it, now. We were brought here to help. Fighting with each other makes us no better than the guy we just defeated. We’re better than that. We were meant to overcome insidious impulses. That’s what we exist for.”

“Oh, shut up, hero,” Myth spat. “Just more high-and-mighty speeches! You’re just another one who managed to get lucky. Let’s see those wings of yours! I bet they’re all bright and shiny, just like our other overpowered counterpart over there!”

The Superhero lowered his head, then gritted his teeth. “I lost them.” He then looked up with an adamant scowl and flicked both wrists downward, flinging the angels to the ground. He followed afterward and landed with a resounding thud, creating a crater of his own while remaining on his feet.

The Seraph coughed but remained laying on the ground. “I’m getting a feeling that none of us are in any way normal… And we’ve got the baggage to go with it.”

Myth, meanwhile, was already attempting to get up. “Let me guess, hero… Did losing your wings have anything to do with a certain vampire?” He then started to look around for his sword.

The Superhero pointed at him in warning. “Don’t. Move.”

“Oh, calm down. I already got my backside handed to me by him when he got four powers at once. I’m not messing with someone with ten. …Gods, at least it’s not thirty. If you turn out to have the abilities of a blazeborn, I’m out.”

The Seraph lifted his head enough to look at the Superhero. “So… all ten at once? What does that even work out to?”

The Superhero began ticking the details off on his fingers. “Flight of an elytrian, decay of a wither, gravity manipulation of a gravital, lightning of a thunderborn, scale walls like a crawler, durability of a goolien, strength and weight of a giant, speed of an inchling, vision of an owl, and holy fire of an angel. I don’t always use all of them aggressively, it’s mentally exhausting. Gravital is kind of just best for containing some of the passively active ones – like balancing contradictions of really heavy giant and really light inchling and angel.”

Lord Sausage stepped forward, resting the head of the Staff of Mythland against his shoulder. “Powers this, powers that… I have the power of being an awesome dad. All my kids are very well-behaved, which is more than I can say for you guys. I can’t speak for what your realities are like, but I’m sure we’ve all had challenges, and some worse than others.” He placed the Staff under the elbow of his prosthetic, using it to lift it to make a point. “Mine cost me an arm, but it could have cost even more than that. It could have been the entire world. But I made a sacrifice, and it kept the world safe from… a monster. And I’d now like to get back to keeping it safe, without any more fights with myself.”

Myth stared hard at him for a moment, then sat back down and folded his wings in. “I need my sword before I go, if that’s okay with all of you.”

The Superhero went to get it for him from where it had landed earlier. He frowned as a touch to the hilt stung his hand, but then he remembered Lord Sausage’s words about making sacrifices, and he wondered what Myth might have sacrificed to end up in the condition he was in. He encased the sword in a bubble of gravi and floated it toward the cursed angel.

Meanwhile, The Wither drifted over to the Seraph as he finally sat up. It gingerly touched his wing where Myth had sliced into his feathers. The Seraph looked on in surprise as the ichor and damage from the unholy blade was drawn out, dissipating into smoke when it reached The Wither’s hand, leaving his feathers unblemished. His own healing ability kicked in to close the wound.

“Thank you,” he said, feeling slightly awkward. He wanted to ask about the void in its aura, but wondered if it was his place to do so. He was beginning to get the sense that this particular version had never been anything close to a mortal to begin with.

He stood up and tried to put the words for the question together in his mind. White eyes glittered inside the hood as The Wither gazed up at him, then it rasped, “It is comforting to see a version of me as an angel. Maybe being with my love would have been more acceptable if I looked like that, instead of this, but I, too, had a duty that needed to be performed. And, perhaps, being who I am brought the balance of judgement that was necessary.”

The Seraph gave a sympathetic look, knowing about that conflict of life and undeath, and of finding a time for love somewhere between the two. He then turned to retrieve his sword.

The Protector heaved a loud sigh. “Okay, I feel recharged enough. Who wants to go first?”

Myth said, “Me first.”

At the exact same time the Seraph demanded, “Him first”, while pointing at the cursed angel. They traded glares.

“Well, at least you’re in agreement,” the Protector said cheerfully.

Myth narrowed his eyes. “I have to get back to guarding a monster. Priorities. The rest of you seem like you have leisure time. Don’t ever disturb me again,” he warned.

“I’ll do my best not to,” the Protector assured him. He tapped the end of the Staff of Sanctuary on the ground. Myth disappeared without further comment.

The Wither briefly held up a hand. “I would appreciate if I could go next. My love will be worried, since we expected to never hear from you again.”

The Protector rubbed the back of his head. “Ah, yeah, we didn’t part on the best terms, did we?”

“You needed to follow your heart. That is not always something that can be reasoned with. Be well, Sausage of Sanctuary. Perhaps we may yet meet again.”

The Protector smiled, then nodded, and tapped the Staff again. After The Wither disappeared, he pointed from the Seraph to Lord Sausage. “I’d like a word with you two, so him next.” He pointed to the Superhero, who stepped forward, but then the Seraph put a hand on his shoulder for a moment.

“Don’t give up on Scott,” the angel advised. “Whatever he happens to be right now, there is a brighter light inside.”

The Superhero gave him half a smile. “I know. I’ll keep trying to draw it back out.”

The Protector tapped the Staff a third time. Then he looked at Lord Sausage. “I know you need to get back to yours kids, so just a quick question – have you had to deal with any rebellious teen phases yet? Or are they not old enough for that?”

“Well, I’ve got one that’s already a teen, and another who will be there soon, but they’re both gentle-hearted boys. My oldest girl, thought, she takes after me, and I don’t know if you remember what we were like when we hit ten years old – I mean, if elven ten-year-olds are the same as human ones – so that’s coming up. Now, on the other hand, I’ve got two five-year-old girls, so I might try to nip the rebelliousness in the bud, because two of them at the same time? Ohgod.”

The Protector laughed. “Yeah, you’ve got more than a handful there, huh? I really only asked because my oldest abruptly hit the teenage years and told me and his other dad that we were terrible parents, then flew off. I figured the only thing I could really do is give them space to think things through, and welcome him home with a hug if they wanted it.”

Lord Sausage grimaced. “You let him fly off??”

“He’s a demigod with the power of lightning, I couldn’t exactly stop them.”

“I’m just going to have to wish you luck with that. As far as I know, all of mine are either elven or human! So that one might be out of my league. Hey, so, what are your other two? You said one was a…?”

“A robot. The other is a goblin child. We’ve got all sorts here in Sanctuary! Everyone is welcome – as long as they keep it peaceful, that is.” The Protector winked, then tapped the Staff a fourth time. With only the Seraph left standing before him, he gave a tired smile. “My past caught up with me a second time. Thanks for helping again.”

“Please just tell me there aren’t any other pieces out there. I don’t know how many more – how should I put this – disagreeable versions of us I can deal with. That’s the third time I’ve encountered Myth. He and I both would prefer to never see each other again. As you could tell, we ended up on opposite sides of the scale. It… hurts to see that kind of outcome, but where I can help you, I can’t do anything for him at this point.”

“Well… since he doesn’t seem interested in disrupting reality like Sausage Supreme was doing, I think we just leave him alone. I probably shouldn’t try to explain the chain of connections I mentioned earlier. I’ll just say that I called in back up, and the magic called in even bigger back up.”

“Huh… Well, anyway, I was going to ask how Hermes was doing, but, um…”

“Yeah. They’ll come around. All his family is here, and giving them too many cookies wasn’t the worst thing we’d done.” The Protector grinned, since the Seraph also had a hand in that.

“Tell them his other dad said hi.” The Seraph gave a chuckle, then nodded as the Protector lifted the Staff a final time.

~*~

Afterlife, SL Variant

Myth threw his sword at the table as soon as he entered the chamber made from deepslate, netherbrick, and blackstone. It clattered loudly, then skittered off onto the floor due to the force of the bounce after it collided with the wall.

The sound drew the attention of his prisoner, who stuck his arms out through the bars of the window in the iron door of his cell and let them casually hang down. “And where have you been? I saw some bright light from out there—” Smajor gestured toward the far end of the chamber where Myth had just come in from. “—and thought we had visitors again. I yelled but you didn’t bother to answer. I didn’t hear anything else, so I figured you went for a walk instead of maybe getting attacked and eaten by something.”

“I was off helping to kill someone else for a change.”

“Helping? You?” Smajor leaned his face close to the bars and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t think you had a cooperative bone left in your body. Celestial realm still counting on you for something, huh? Wow, that would have been inconvenient if they snatched you while I was out. Who knows what I would have done if you weren’t back to watch over me!”

“It’s not likely to happen again, so don’t get your hopes up.”

“Ooh, maybe some grand force will snatch me away some day, so I get to play around again! …Or maybe just get some freakin’ fresh air,” Smajor complained through clenched teeth as he gripped the bars.

Myth threw him a warning glare. “It wasn’t some ‘grand force’ or anyone from the celestial realm. It was another version of me. He called on a bunch of us. So, you know, our goody-good shiny doubles aren’t the only ones out there.”

“Oh, great. Glowing purple me wasn’t there, was he?”

“No, no variants of you, thank the Nether. I didn’t need to see any other versions of me fawning over other versions of you. But at least one of them also had a fight going with you.” Myth frowned in thought. “There were two – well, I guess three – who didn’t have powers like us. They looked like ordinary humans, but had magic to fight with. It seemed really strange for them to be so different when, before, we met those two who were exactly like us. Aside from the not hating each other part.” He then went quiet and sat down to think to himself about everything that had occurred.

Smajor perked up and rested his hands on the inside ledge of the window. “That is a great story! Thanks for telling me! I’m so NETHER-BLASTED BORED, you know!”

“Quiet down. Maybe the rest of the universe will leave us alone after this.”

“I sure hope not!” Smajor replied sprightly, “Eternity down here is going to get tedious without these little interruptions!”

~*~

Mythland Adjacent, Unmasked Variant

The Angel stood numb beside the stream, his light faded to gray and his wings sagging. He hadn’t moved since The Wither had disappeared. His mind felt frozen. He didn’t know what he would do, trapped in a pocket reality for all eternity all alone. The only difference between this and the amber on the elven medallion was the breath of nature around him here, which he could hear and feel for himself, instead of through another’s senses.

But it was still a lonely cage that he couldn’t free himself from without the help of another.

The realization had come to him that the only person who could reach into this reality was Sausage. He didn’t know what the man would want with The Wither, or why even disturb them after all this time – The Angel wasn’t certain how much time had passed in the mortal world, but they had gone undisturbed for quite a while, as he reckoned. It wasn’t a construct that beings like himself needed to constantly measure, but at that moment he felt their weight. Now he wished he could know how many seconds, or minutes, or hours it had been that The Wither was missing.

Then, the same intruding feeling from earlier began to prickle at his awareness. He turned as The Wither rematerialized on the other side of the stream. The joy was palatable as The Wither reached toward him. They embraced, holding each other tightly.

“Where did you go? What did this?” The Angel asked if only to confirm. The golden color seeped back into his form.

“It was as we suspected. Old business needed to be completed. The evil soul was still out there, my love. Power like that could not simply be banished, or dispersed to repair reality. The root had to be destroyed in the end. There is… one less version now. I saw to it. He will not be disturbing the mortal world again. Peace comes instead.” There was a smile within the hood. “A thousand years have passed. I did not question how he was there or looked the same as he did when you and I first encountered him and Lord Scott, instead of as the aging man we last saw, but it was definitely his soul within. I was not the only one he called upon. Allow me to tell you of heroes and angels that are similar at heart to me…”

~*~

Afterlife, x10 Variant

Sausage sighed as he looked out over his home from atop the guardian tower. He had made his way there as soon as he had returned, needing somewhere up high to gain some perspective. His gaze danced over the buildings tucked here and there, each one planned out as a means of accommodating his individual powers. Something seemed to be lacking that could give them the unifying look of Sanctuary, but he couldn’t quite picture it yet.

He put a hand to his shoulder, close to his neck. Six wings had sure looked impressive. …But they might only get in the way of his exosuit.

However, the whole marrying Scott thing? He smiled in amusement. That seemed a bit of a stretch. But that was a completely different world, after all, that obviously went down a more mundane path. The magic seemed pretty cool, though.

~*~

Mythland, Champions Variant

Scott turned away from his watchful vigil on the spot where Sausage had last stood, gently rubbing Mariposa’s back as she leaned her head on his shoulder. She was currently the only one awake. The rest of the children – as he decided to doublecheck just that moment – were in a small, snoozing pile against one wall, in various stages of leaning on each other or on top of plush animals and dolls.

He had managed to explain the situation without inciting too much panic, and they had all insisted on keeping him company while he waited for Sausage to return. It was starting to get late, however, and he didn’t want them to spend the entire night on the floor.

Mariposa abruptly began to wiggle. Scott felt her moving her arms, then she let out a happy noise of, “Ba-ba-ba!” Scott turned just as a glow was fading out, leaving Sausage standing there looking a little roughed up but the Staff of Mythland still in hand – which the human quickly set down, then rushed to embrace Scott with his left arm. Mariposa babbled louder and gurgled. “Ee-hee!”

This caused the other children to start to awaken. Liana was first and sat bolt upright. “Papa’s back! Wake up, wake up! Papa’s back!!”

It didn’t take long for Sausage to be covered in hugs to the point where he almost fell over, a twin clinging to each leg. Azahar caught him by his right arm to try to help him stay up, but when the prosthetic came loose in his hands, the teen looked horrified.

“It’s okay,” Sausage assured him. “I had a little incident. We need to do some more training to get me into better shape! Now, why are all of you up past your bedtimes?” He had noticed the dark sky outside the window at the end of the hallway.

“They wanted to wait with me,” Scott explained. “I asked Gem to come try to trace the teleport spell, hoping you hadn’t gone far. She couldn’t tell where it went, but she said it wasn’t malignant and that it was a type that would bring you back to the exact same spot on return. So, we all agreed to be patient.”

The weariness in his face told Sausage that patience hadn’t come quite as easily as he made it sound. “Thank you for being good for Dad while I was away, kids. I’m pretty tired, so I think we’ll all go to bed for now. I just need to put one thing away first…” He glanced to where he had left the Staff, only to see Ilan picking it up. His breath tightened in his chest when he thought he saw the top of the Staff flicker brighter, but the child seemed unaffected.

“Here, Papa!”

“Th-Thanks, Ilan,” Sausage carefully took the Staff. “Azahar, go with Dad to put my arm away for me. I’ll send a message to Uncle fWhip in the morning.”

“Oooo,” Liana declared, “Papa’s gonna be in trouble with Uncle fWhip! And it wasn’t one of us who broke it this time!” That set off a round of giggles.

“Yes, yes, I’m in big trouble. You can all watch me get yelled at tomorrow. Off to bed!”

The children scattered, still giggling, off to their rooms. Scott remained to give Sausage a concerned look, to which the human mouthed in reply, ‘I��ll explain after—’ He lifted the Staff.

Scott nodded, then stepped closer to kiss him on the cheek. Mariposa put in her two cents by grabbing at Sausage’s shirt collar. Scott smiled and gently pried her fingers loose, getting her to hold onto his finger instead. He then followed after Azahar while Sausage went to the treasury to return the Staff to its case. He hoped it would be able to remain there unneeded for many years to come.

~*~

Afterlife, DFY Variant

Sausage found himself standing alone on the path between two fields. Well, Scott did say he would go find Pearl… And it was also nighttime now. If Scott decided there was nothing he could do from there, and couldn’t neglect his starborne duties, he might not be at home.

But then Sausage saw a streak of purple light approaching across the sky. He smiled and put away his sword and shield, then folded his arms over his chest as he waited, only to lower them a moment later.

Scott landed in a burst of violet sparkles. He flung his arms around Sausage and hugged him tightly. The seraph swept him up in a kiss, wrapping his wings around him.

“We saw some of what was going on,” Scott said when Sausage put him down. “All that inter-reality energy caused some static in the pool, but we managed to tell everyone apart. That was… um, interesting, seeing the wither and gravital versions…” A brief purple blush colored his cheeks, inevitably thinking back to when his own Sausage had been those types of beings.

“The whole thing was interesting. Uh. I’m fifty-fifty on whether I wanted to be right about Myth. But he did help turn the tide, so…Maybe I shouldn’t have been so quick to get into a fight with him.” Sausage rubbed the back of his neck at the confession.

“Hm, well, there was someone there to kick both your butts for once,” Scott said with a mild chuckle.

“Hey, if you wanted to, you could flatten us both with a meteor! It doesn’t just take some hyper-powered version of me! He wasn’t that impressive! Come on, now!”

Scott laughed louder. “Uh-oh, are you jealous? I know there are times where you miss some of your other abilities.”

“Being a gravital was really cool, okay?! I looked good as a superhero! Not sure I would want all of those powers at the same time, anyway. And I mean, none of those things were really me. This is.” Sausage smiled warmly.

Scott smiled back at him while at the same time remembering Pearl’s explanation for who his Sausage had once been.

~*~

Sanctuary, Prime Variant

Sausage sank to his knees, laying down the Staff of Sanctuary on the way. He took a moment to undo the clasps on his chestplate then set it aside and massaged a spot over his heart.

Bubbles ran over and licked his face.

“Ha-ha, thanks, girl. I’m glad you stayed away from that mess. I’m alright. It’s just, you know… not everyday that you get a stray piece of your soul obliterated by a grim reaper version of yourself. But it had to be done. I couldn’t merge with the piece that was entangled with someone else’s soul and a demon shard still in it, and we couldn’t leave him running around, either.”

Bubbles whined and nudged his hand with her nose.

“Yeah, I… I’m going to need time to make peace with the fact I sent him here and was the cause of the king… my father in this world… becoming greedy for magical power. But maybe… since he gave in to that greed… there was already a chance he would have become evil, even without the extra soul influencing him.”

He chuckled sadly. “No way to know now. All I can do is continue to keep Sanctuary a safe haven until the end of my days. I’ll do it right this time, Bubbles. No more desperate quests, no more poking holes in reality. We accept what has already been done, and we embrace the future for what it is.”

~The End~

---

Guide to the Sausage Variants:

The Protector is the Empires S1 Sausage from The Past Unmasked/Future Foretold Saga, and was the soul that co-inhabited a body with seraph!Sausage in Along the Roads to Sanctuary. I cannot begin to tell you how I had given up hope on an opportunity for a payoff to come from the idea I had for Sausage Supreme in that fic series, and then cc!Sausage himself provided the opening.

The Wither, also from The Past Unmasked/Future Foretold Saga, is a variant of Sausage’s soul thrown into the ancient past of Empires S1, where it was sort of an Afterlife situation but everyone got stuck with one origin. This is based on @killmebythebeach ’s proposal of Afterlife being the legends told in the S1 empires.

“DFY Variant” is the Soul Liminality 2: I Would Die For You series. “DFY” is the acronym Cynthrey and I use when discussing this AU, plus it could also read as “defy”, as in Sausage and Scott defying death to be together.

The “x10 Variant” is not an AU of ours that currently exists, just a little extra thing we came up with to explain gravital!Sausage’s presence without trying to figure out a way it could be a second DFY version.

“Champions Variant” is Empires S1 Sausage from a manga WIP Cynthrey is in the process of illustrating. The children featured here are from the sequel to that, which is a WIP I’m in the process of writing.

And, of course, good old Myth from the first Soul Liminality series (hence “SL Variant”). It’s still pretty wild that I went from a couple of fics playing in the Afterlife universe to an insane crossover that combined all of the AUs I ended up with over the course of a year. I’ve had an amazing time brainstorming all the extra ideas with Cynthrey, and I hope you all continue to be entertained by our future projects! Stay tuned!

#alsmp #empiressmp #alsmp fanfic #empires smp fanfic #alsmp shipping #empiressmpshipping #mythicalsausage #scott smajor #sausage supreme #scosage #soul liminality 2 #the past unmasked saga #soul liminality #lunar yarns

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cynthrey · 1 year

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“What’s the matter? Too old and tired to keep up with me? People don’t age in a limbo reality. That’s what you tried to condemn me to. Forever alive, yet nothing to live for. But you opened the door once again. You poked holes in the fabric of existence. I was able to gather myself up again, after those wretched phantoms used me to fix your other mistake. So many mistakes, Mythical Sausage. They do add up, don’t they? Was I your first mistake? Who knows. I could just let you keep on making them, but then again, now that I have Xornoth’s soul in this world, I don’t think I’m going to let you go off and reset things again...”

Little request for my friend @lunarsands from the new chapter of xer fanfic The Future Foretold 😁

#empires smp #empires s1 #empires mythicalsausage #mythicalsausage #evil!mythicalsausage #my art #really love how this turned out #<3 #caption for lunar's fanfic. go read it #it got angst :3 who doesnt love angst? XD #The Past Unmasked/The Future Foretold Saga #art collab

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untoldreader · 5 months

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Masterlist Of Masterlists⚜️

Welcome to my Masterlist of Masterlists

Please give feedback

Marvel Universe

Kate Bishop

Falling For The Archer

≈========================≈

Wanda Maximoff

The Witch & Her Possession

≈========================≈

Natasha Romanoff

Shadows of Love: Natasha Romanoff and Y/N'S Destiny

≈========================≈

Yelena Belova

A Dark Love

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Maria Hill

Relentless Devotion

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Peggy Carter

The Forgotten Past

≈========================≈

Carol Danvers

Cosmic Connections: Carol Danvers Finds Love

≈========================≈

WandaNat

Threads Of Fate: Wanda, Natasha, and Y/N

The Miraculous Trio: A Journey of Love, Power, and Parenthood

≈========================≈

Bishova

Beneath the Veil: Love and Loyalty in the Underworld

≈========================≈

Blackhill

Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Eternal Flame: A Maria Hill, Natasha Romanoff, and Y/N Love Saga

Temporal Veil: Unmasking Hydra's Schemes

Daisy Johnson

^-updated Apr/?/24

Jemma Simmons

updated Apr/?/24

Melinda May

updated Apr/8/24

Bobbi Morse

updated Apr/?/24

DC Universe

Supergirl-

Kara Danvers

Lena Luther

Alex Danvers

Maggie sawyer

Arrow-

Sara Lance

Thea Queen

Laurel Lance

Felicity Smoak

Nyssa AL Ghul

The Flash-

Iris West

Caitlin Snow

Wonder Woman-

Diana Prince

Vampires Diaries Universe-

The Originals-

Rebekah Mikaelson

^- updated Mar/27/24

Hayley Marshall

Davina Claire

Freya Mikaelson

The Vampire Diaries-

Elena Gilbert

Caroline Forbes

Bonnie Bennett

Katherine Pierce

Legacies-

Hope Mikaelson

Josie Saltzman

Lizzie Saltzman

Penelope Park

Jade

Crime Shows-

Criminal minds-

Emily Prentiss

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samasmith23 · 1 year

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Doctor Octopus unmasking Spider-Man in Web of Death

So here’s something I always found fascinating about the brilliant Web of Death storyline from the otherwise infamous Spider-Man: Clone Saga!

This was actually the first time since the classic Stan Lee & Steve Ditko Amazing Spider-Man era where Doctor Octopus had unmasked Spider-Man, except Otto had completely different reactions when discovering it was Peter Parker underneath the mask.

In Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #12, Peter was forced to fight Doc Ock when the latter kidnapped Betty Brant, but his spider-powers were significantly weakened due to him coming down with the flu. Octavius was shocked that he had defeated Spidey so easily considering that the latter put up quite a challenge when they fought in the previous issue. So when Otto unmasked Spider-Man to only discover it was Peter underneath, he simply assumed Peter was a weakling imposter instead of the actual Spider-Man (a misunderstanding which also fooled Betty and even J. Jonah Jameson).

Conversely in Web of Death, Otto had taken notice of Spider-Man’s drastic change in behavior. He was deeply disturbed by Spidey's grim-&-gritty “I am the Spider” phase, reminiscing on the once good and noble adversary whom over the years Otto had built up a twisted level of respect towards.

So when Otto confirms that the rumors of Spidey dying of an incurable virus administered by the Vulture during the previous story arc Back From The Edge are indeed true, Octavius unmasks Spidey and takes him back to this lab in order to create an antidote that will save Peter’s life.

Only this time Otto actually believes that Peter and Spider-Man are one and the same person, even reflecting back on the time he previously unmasked Peter back in Amazing Spider-Man (1963) #12 and questioning to himself why he didn't believe he Peter was Spider-Man back then.

I really loved this clever nod to the Lee & Ditko era, as it felt like a perfect book-ending at the time to Peter & Otto’s rivalry at the time considering that Peter's clone Kaine would later snap Doctor Octopus’ neck at the very end of the arc.

While many people complained about Doctor Octopus’s death at the hands of Kaine in the Web of Death being too sudden and poorly thought out, I’ve personally always disagreed with that criticism. Not only because the writers J.M. DeMatteis & Tom DeFalco dedicated 4 entire issues to fleshing out Otto Octavius’ relationship and history with Spider-Man (i.e. having him save Peter from death, because in his own twisted way he believed that continuously fighting someone as noble as Spidey provided him a connection to his own past humanity), but also because from a thematic perspective the narrative repeatedly built up Kaine as this shadowy figure watching all the events from afar, acting like a stalking predator waiting for the opportune moment to strike its prey. In essence Web of Death frames Kaine as the looming shadow of death itself. This framing is further enhanced through Kaine’s inner monologues about wanting to preserve Peter & Mary Jane’s happiness whilst seeing Doctor Octopus and his lover Stunner as a threat to said-happiness.

So when Otto Octavius final does cure Peter of the virus that was killing him and announces his intentions to continue fighting Spidey in an endless loop (to satisfy his own warped vision of the connection that he and Peter now share) as he voluntarily allows himself to be arrested, it only makes sense thematically for Kaine to sweep in and finally eliminate the threat to Peter’s happiness.

And while I will concede that the brawl between Otto & Kaine is rather quick, I do honestly really love how their fight is contrasted with scenes of Peter & MJ constructing a crib for their soon-to-be-born child (Web of Death was the story that revealed MJ’s pregnancy), conveying that while Peter had escaped the clutches of death and was finally embracing life, Otto’s nihilistic obsession with continuously fighting Spidey resulted in his own demise.

Plus, having Kaine kill Doc Ock helps to further elevate his threat level as an antagonist to Peter Parker & Ben Reilly, since while the previous villain Kaine killed in the corresponding story Web of Life, the Grim Hunter (aka, the then-late Kraven the Hunter’s son, Vladimir Kravinoff), was a minor d-lister, Octavius was both a heavy-hitter and one of Spidey’s oldest and deadliest enemies!

Overall, Web of Death holds a special place in my heart since this 4-part storyline was actually the very first part of The Clone Saga I ever read in full due to the single issues being available and cheap at the time on ComiXology, and I had heard about Otto’s death in these issues as a little kid through my old Spider-Man character guidebooks and encyclopedias. And reading this arc not only gave me an even greater appreciation for Otto Octavius’s relationship with Spider-Man that I hadn’t experienced in the comics since Dan Slott’s run on Superior Spider-Man (I honestly can't help but wonder if Otto's characterization in Web of Death partially influenced Slott's later portrayal of the character) but the it was also my first official introduction to the writing of J.M. DeMatteis, who’s since become one of my top 5 all-time favorite comic authors!

#spider man #peter parker #doctor octopus #doc ock #otto octavius #kaine parker #clone saga #web of death #superior spider man #stan lee #steve ditko #jm dematteis #tom defalco #mark bagley #sal buscema #stunner #dan slott #90s comics #mini essay

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ethanreedbooks · 8 months

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Welcome back to Venture Onward, your ultimate destination for all things pop culture and comic book news. Step into a time capsule and journey back to the vibrant landscape of the 1990s, an era adorned with iconic heroes and enthralling storylines that enthralled the hearts of devoted comic book enthusiasts. Prepare to be captivated by Marvel, the unparalleled powerhouse of superhero narratives, as it unveils a resplendent new miniseries that pays homage to this unforgettable decade. Brace yourself for the enthralling narrative of "Daredevil: Black Armor," where the threads of nostalgia elegantly intertwine with contemporary storytelling, breathing renewed life into the past under the masterful quill of none other than D.G. Chichester, the visionary architect behind the saga of 90s Daredevil.

As the curtains rise on a fresh chapter in the chronicles of Daredevil, a character whose legacy has been indelibly etched in the hearts of devoted fans, the resounding announcement from Marvel reverberates through the hallowed halls of creativity. Even as the comic behemoth charges ahead with an invigorating new Daredevil series crafted by the ingenious minds of writer Saladin Ahmed and artist Aaron Kuder, it simultaneously casts a wistful gaze back to the illustrious tapestry of the 1990s. An epoch marked by the birth of myriad legendary tales, it's now the stage for "Daredevil: Black Armor," a four-issue miniseries painstakingly penned by the very hand that orchestrated the character's thrilling escapades during that era of exhilaration – D.G. Chichester. This venerable wordsmith, celebrated for his pivotal contributions to Daredevil's legacy, reclaims his rightful place in the artistic spotlight, poised to reignite the imaginations of fans anew.

Marvel's initial revelation of this audacious endeavor unfolded amidst the electrifying atmosphere of Comic-Con International in San Diego. Now, the narrative tapestry is drawn tauter, as supplementary details emerge, casting an alluring glimpse into the tapestry of what lies ahead. This miniseries takes root within the hallowed ground of the revered "Fall From Grace" storyline, a cornerstone of Daredevil's mythos birthed in 1993. With a virtuoso's touch, D.G. Chichester, the maestro behind this indelible tale, guides readers back to that epoch of shadows and intrigue. A juncture when Matt Murdock, the enigmatic man beneath the mask, embarked on a transformative odyssey that led him to embrace a striking black armored guise. Yet, the narrative's complexity deepens, its tendrils of uncertainty enveloping the reader in contemplation – will this series unfold within the tempestuous events of "Fall From Grace," or will it unfurl in the poignant aftermath of its riveting culmination?

At the heart of this enigmatic journey, the bustling expanse of New York City unfurls as a sinister tapestry, its urban sprawl serving as the backdrop for an insidious undercurrent. A realm where Daredevil, guided by Chichester's deft hand, once ventured with unwavering tenacity during his original narrative run. Now, an air of enigma cloaks the city's underbelly, as a perplexing phenomenon unfolds – civilians, heroes, and villains alike vanish into thin air, leaving behind only bewilderment and apprehension. Daredevil, the indomitable crusader, stands at the vanguard of this enigma, entrusted with the arduous task of unmasking the puppeteer who tugs the strings from the concealed recesses of shadow. Yet, the stage is far from devoid of companionship, as an eclectic ensemble of characters steps forth. The notorious Hobgoblin and the ferocious Sabretooth emerge as formidable adversaries, infusing layers of intricacy into an already richly woven tapestry.

Chichester's previous tenure as Daredevil's principal storyteller garnered acclaim for his seamless integration of the broader Marvel Universe. His canvas, an expansive landscape for diverse guest stars, became a vibrant symphony of interconnected narratives. Among these, the crossover with Nomad and Punisher stands out, a precursor to the monumental crescendo of the "Fall From Grace" saga.

Chichester's sentiments about his triumphant return to the realm of Daredevil echo across time. His voice, infused with a blend of exuberance and nostalgia, encapsulates the essence of a creator revisiting a cherished realm. "If someone told me earlier that I'd have another chance to don Daredevil's horns (let alone horns adorning a suit of black armor), I would've suspected they'd taken one blow too many from a billy club. But it seems my passport to Hell's Kitchen remains valid!" Chichester's words stand as a testament to the enduring allure of Daredevil's world – a domain where darkness and valor entwine in an eternal dance.

As the architect of Daredevil's narrative resurrection, Chichester further delves into the exhilarating challenges of crafting this series. "It's an unexpected (yet welcomed!) thrill to wander once more through Matt Murdock's neighborhood, collaborating with Marvel to journey back in time and unearth a new adventure for the man devoid of fear," he muses. The creative odyssey that beckons aren't a mere revisitation; it's a bold expedition that spotlights Chichester's mastery in conjuring heightened senses and dynamic action. Accompanied by the artistic brilliance of Netho Diaz and JP Mayer, the visual storytelling is poised to breathe life into Chichester's visionary tableau.

A date etched onto the calendar of every devoted comic enthusiast – November 22 – marks the arrival of "Daredevil: Black Armor" #1. Prepare to embark on a journey that defies temporal boundaries, melding the echoes of yesteryears with the resonance of the present, crafting a symphony of storytelling that pays homage to the unwavering spirit of Daredevil, the man without fear. With that, we conclude. Thank you for your attentive ears. Until next time, onward we venture.

#Daredevil #Black Armor #Marvel Universe #Marvel

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icharchivist · 1 month

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Icha just knows all of the A3 songs

All of them

Do you have an all-time favorite though or do you love them in rotation?

DMKFJDMFLF WELL. WELL!!

i love so many a3 songs it's unreal, but i admit i didn't keep much up to date with the latest songs released

i do have some old time favorite though yes! thanks for asking!

for a certain explanation: A3 is about a theater troupes. Character Solo and Troupe Songs are all songs about the characters themselves, while the Duet are in-characters song from the plays they feature. However each play is meant to deepen the characterization of the lead actors playing the characters and reflect a bit on their arcs

youtube

Scarlet Game by Hisoka (Junta Terashima) and Chikage (Wataru Hatano)

this is one of my most listened song of all time lmao

A Sherlock Holmes/Moriarty play, where both of the main player are played by adopted brothers who used to be estranged because they lived in a very toxic environment that costed the life of their elder brother, after one of the two almost destroyed the life of the other out of grief before realizing he was betraying his only family left.

This song is so good and also they're two of my favorite characters ever.

youtube

Shoutai by Azuma (Tetsuya Kakihara) and Tasuku (Takuya Sato)

also one of my favorite.

A lonely vampire who was found by a regular salary man as he was weak, who ended up living with him and feeding on him, using him, only to realize that he was starting to feel affection for the man who wanted to help him out of this loneliness, begging him to turn him into a vampire to follow him in this lonely life, until the vampire decides it's time to walk away so his friend can actually live fully, while the human promises he'll find him back no matter what. Beautiful song, mirroring Azuma's fear of getting close to people while also being desperate to hold on to them even though he keeps self isolating, and Tasuku's desperate attempt at actually supporting Azuma while also helping him out of his episodes when he suddenly pushes everyone away.

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Unmask by Guy (Hino Satoshi) and Tsumugi (Tamaru Atsushi) 4th Winter Troupe Play

A Phantom of the Opera song, used mostly for Guy to reflect on the way he's been deshumanized to the point he fully shut himself off from emotions, and how his troupe reached back to him. Tsumugi also can relate to Christine but this is a deeper conversation to have ahah

youtube

The Contract by Taichi (Hama Kento) and Tsumugi (Tamaru Atsushi)

Selling your soul to the fallen angel Lucifer has never been hotter. A song reflecting on how those two characters were used and mentally manipulated in a very bad place by the leader of a troupe called the God troupe -- a troupe its formers members are described as "they were promised heaven but they only ended up in hell."

.... someone with knowledge of the saga will point out that those are all songs involving Winter Troupe members and listen. I can't help it. They fucking came to me.

but to be more fair with songs from other troupes:

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Just For Myself by Omi (Kentarou Kumagai) and Taichi (Kento Hama)

A lone wolf in the apocalypse ending up charged with protecting an optimist girl who escaped experiments made on her, slowly learning to accept others people in his life. Mirroring Omi's difficult past and difficulty letting go of things that had happened to him, and Taichi's boundless optimism despite having been used the way he's been before.

youtube

Usotsuki wa Mahou no Hajimari, by Chikage (Wataru Hatano) and Sakuya (Koudai Sakai)

A Wizard of Oz themed song. A swindler fooling the whole world he came to to use them until he could leave, only to realize he ended up carrying about the people he intended to leave behind, who would believe in him no matter what. Reflecting Chikage's original bad intentions for the company and Sakuya's boundless optimism for Chikage to feel like family to this troupe.

Other honorable mentions. -The Pride of the Knights, Arthurian Knights themed song with Itaru (Shintarou Asanuma) and Chikage (Wataru Hatano)

-Es No Yuutsu, a detective story featuring Homare (Toshiyuki Toyonaga) and Hisoka (Junta Terashima)

-STEP, a ballet inspired song featuring Tasuku (Takuya Sato) and Homare (Toshiyuki Toyonaga)

-Bouquet, flowershop AU featuring Hisoka (Junta Terashima) and Tsumugi (Tamaru Atsushi)

-Meteor Trail, aiming for the moon and find yourself on the way, featuring Chikage (Wataru Hatano) and Tsuzuru (Koutarou Nishiyama)

-Q to Ju, the second song from the Sherlock Holmes play, Watson vs Moran, played by two brothers, Kumon (Tasuku Hatanaka) and Juza (Shunsuke Takeuchi)

-RESPAWN, a zombie apocalypse, featuring Azami (Seiya Konishi) Banri (Chiharu Sawashiro)

-Ichiya Kagiri No Aibou, a Noir Mafia Buddy song featuring Banri (Chiharu Sawashiro) and Juza (Shunsuke Takeuchi)

-Susume Pirate, a lighthearted pirate story, featuring Misumi (Daisuke Hirose) and Muku (Yoshitaka Yamaya)

-Omoide no Nejimaki, a sad story of an alchemist and his creation as they learn humanity, friendship, and a tragic end with a promise of reunion one day, featuring Tsuzuru (Koutarou Nishiyama) and Citron (Masashi Igarashi)

-Exciting Charmer, a sport story about having the strength to go back to what you used to love and enjoy your youth, featuring Kumon (Tasuku Hatanaka) and Tenma (Eguchi Takuya)

-Continuation of the Grand Stay, which is one of the story i didn't actually read but the song slaps so hard, featuring Azuma (Tetsuya Kakihara) and Guy (Satoshi Hino)

-Yoi no Mikazuki, which i also didn't read the story of but i really like, featuring Citron (Masashi Igarashi) and Guy (Satoshi Hino)

-Professional, it's the second song for this specific play, specifically the song of the antagonists in a fashion show. Featuring Masumi (Shirai Yusuke) and Tenma (Eguchi Takuya)

ok the list got out of hands and i'm not done but this should be quicker

Troupe highlights:

youtube

ONE X ONE, Autumn Troupe's first act song

youtube

Home, Spring Troupe's anime song.

youtube

Thawing, Winter Troupe's anime song

and Solo songs

From Spring: -Real Luck, Itaru's second solo (Asanuma Shintaro), or when a geek finally feels like he belongs somewhere thanks to the luck of discovering a new family

-Storyteller , Tsuzuru's second solo (Koutaro Nishiyama), or when the writer of the company discovers more about himself

-Petenshi no Yuutsu, Chikage's first solo (Wataru Hatano), or when the liar who came to destroy them all as he lashes out from his trauma is finally reflecting on who he is...

-SEEDs, Chikage's second solo (Wataru Hatano), and how this same liar finally found his place in this family despite his sins

From Summer:

-Natsu no Dilemma, Tenma's first solo (Eguchi Takuya), or when the perfectionist wonders if he has lost a bit of himself along the way

-MINORITY, Yuki's first solo (Shunichi Toki), or when you're considered an outcast just for being who you wanted to be and that you just want to learn to love yourself

-Seiten no Sinker, Kumon's first solo (Tasuku Hatanaka), or when chronic illness makes everything you loved doing so far away

-Yuukei no Catchball, Kumon's second solo (Tasuku Hatanaka), and when you can overcome it with proper support and embrace what you love still

From Autumn:

-Super Ultra Easy Mode, Banri's first solo (Chiharu Sawashiro), or when everything comes so easy to you that why even bother?

-re:Portrait, Banri's second solo (Chiharu Sawashiro), and the realization that pure passion will give you actually something to look forward to in life

-Living the Dream, Taichi's first solo (Kento Hama), or when you sell your soul for a dream, only to finally find people who want to help you and not use you instead.

-Gaki Atsukai, Azami's first solo (Seiya Konishi), or trying to figure out your future between expectations and dreams and no longer wanting to be treated like a child.

From Winter:

-Keyword, Tsumugi's first solo (Tamaru Atsushi), or trying to find yourself back after you lost your way

-Cross Line, Tsumugi's second solo (Tamaru Atsushi), and managing to move forward with your passion after having been terrified to do so

-Beyond the Wall, Tasuku's first solo (Takuya Sato), a direct response to Keyword, and the promise to not let misunderstanding get in the way of the bonds that are important to you.

-Traumerei to Kuhaku, Hisoka's first solo (Junta Terashima), or the disconnect from the world or an amnesiac, seeing yourself in an haze, terrified to learn about the things you forgot, and wondering if you can allow yourself to accept the love you're being given

-Nachtmusik to Hakugetsu, Hisoka's second solo (Junta Terashima), and dealing with the aftermath of waking up and remembering, grieving, and what is now in front of you, and accepting this love

-Kiteretsu Poemer, Homare's first solo (Toshiyuki Tonoyaga), or the plea of a passionate poet, who wants to love and connect with others while feeling paralyzed by his lack of empathy and the fear of hurting instead of helping

-Emotion, Homare's second solo (Toshiyuki Tonoyaga), and realizing that you can actually experience all of those emotions and will have the support system you need and you don't need to "fix" yourself, you will just learn as you go, from the good and the bad

-DEFRAGMENTATION, Guy's first solo (Satoshi Hino) (translation here), or coping with the ultimate form of deshumanization....

-For Your Journey ~The Bar's Secret, Guy's second solo (Satoshi Hino) and reclaiming your own humanity and future, and setting yourself in this journey of personal growth

OTHERS MISC:

-Theater of Eternity, by Reni (Ryoutarou Okiayu), the main antagonist's song, which just slaps. listen. I don't have something clever to say about everyone.

-Nitou Joutou, by Haruto, (Mitsuhiro Ichiki), one of the first antagonist of the story, ex friend of Tasuku, always Number Two. Honestly mostly linking this one because its seiyuu is Icarus's va in Gbf, which you may also know as "the honorary skyfarer", aka the VA who was invited to every fest before he even played a role in GBF because he is one of the most dedicated fan and player of Granblue.

so yknow i started this ask thinking "i can keep it short i don't like THIS many songs) but then well. well. Things went out of my hands. I'm sorry. or not.

Honestly just go with the vibes of the descriptions for what you'd want to try out.

.... but maybe knowing Hisoka, Chikage and Azuma are my favorite characters would indicate a lot for you. And the Winter Troupe is my fav troupe.

Or looking for characters sharing seiyuu in a3, here's a good idea.

.... yeah i'm sorry, i swear it's not all the songs, but, you know,,,

THE MORE YOU KNOW thanks for letting me ramble.

#ichareply #anonymous #ichafantalks a3 #'im going to keep it short' and top ten lies i still try to tell myself

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sqinsights · 2 months

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Breathing Life into Market Trends: A Breath of Fresh Air in Manual Resuscitators

Welcome to the riveting world of manual resuscitators — those unsung heroes of emergency medical care that are quietly saving lives, one breath at a time. In this blog, we’ll take a journey through the ins and outs of the Global Manual Resuscitators Market, exploring the growth factors, market dynamics, and the breath of innovation that keeps this industry pumping.

Breathing New Life into Market Trends:

The Global Manual Resuscitators Market has been exhaling growth, reaching a size of USD 489.5 million in 2021 and showing no signs of running out of air. It’s like the superhero of the medical device world, with the self-inflating resuscitator taking the lead role and stealing the show with a 5.67% CAGR. Move over Marvel, we’ve got manual resuscitators on the scene!

Behind the Mask:

Unmasking the Market Insights Picture this: paramedics, first responders, and healthcare professionals wielding bag-valve-mask (BVM) resuscitators like medical wizards. These devices, the unsung knights of emergency care, are on a mission to provide manual air and positive pressure ventilation to patients gasping for breath. It’s a breath-taking saga, and the market is loving it.

Factors Fuelling the Respiratory Resurgence:

Why the sudden surge in the manual resuscitators market, you ask? Well, it’s not just a breath of fresh air; it’s a breath of necessity. The increasing incidence of respiratory conditions is putting these devices in the spotlight. Thanks to the growing awareness of the need for prompt resuscitation, these manual marvels are becoming the go-to solution for healthcare professionals.

Market Challenges:

A Few Hiccups in the Breath of Growth But, like any hero’s journey, there are challenges to face. The market must grapple with the time and expenses required for proper training — after all, being a manual resuscitator operator is no easy feat. And let’s not forget the competition from automated ventilation devices — the Darth Vaders of the resuscitation galaxy.

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/behavioral-mental-health-software-market

Market Snapshot:

A Glimpse into the Future Fast forward to 2030, and the market is projected to reach USD 804.11 million. The self-inflating resuscitator steals the show, growing faster than a speeding bullet at a 5.67% CAGR. North America takes the lead, with the United States flexing its healthcare infrastructure muscles.

Market Segmentation:

It’s All in the Breath The market is not a one-size-fits-all affair. It’s a diverse landscape, with types like self-inflating resuscitators, t-piece resuscitators, and flow-inflating resuscitators taking center stage. Modality adds another layer — disposable and reusable manual resuscitators each have their moment in the spotlight.

Regional Rendezvous:

North America Takes the Breath Away North America stands tall as the largest region, with the United States playing the lead role. Europe follows suit, with Germany stepping into the spotlight. It’s like a blockbuster movie, with healthcare infrastructure and medical device quality as the star-studded cast.

Breathing Dynamics:

Drivers and Restraints The plot thickens with drivers like the increased focus on emergency care and the rising incidence of respiratory disorders pushing the narrative forward. But, beware of the antagonists — inadequate training and cross-contamination concerns threaten to add plot twists.

Competitive Landscape:

Heroes and Villains of the Market In this market saga, we have a mix of established players and innovative startups. Ambu A/S, Medline Industries, Inc., and Laerdal Medical are the superheroes, with Fisher & Paykel Healthcare introducing a portable manual resuscitator that’s lighter than a feather.

Market Trends:

Technological Advancements and Global Focus The market is not stuck in the past. It’s embracing technological advancements, with ergonomic designs and integrated monitoring stealing the show. There’s a global focus on improved emergency care, with patients and medical practitioners demanding advanced manual resuscitators.

Conclusion:

A Breath-Taking Finale And there you have it — the saga of the Global Manual Resuscitators Market. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about the breath-taking journey of these life-saving devices. As the market continues to grow, manual resuscitators remain at the forefront of emergency medical care, ready to breathe life into critical situations.

So, the next time you see a manual resuscitator, remember — it’s not just a device; it’s a breath of fresh air in the world of healthcare. Stay breathing, stay alive!

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Group is a Global Market Intelligence, Innovation Management & Commercialization organization that connects innovation to new markets, networks & collaborators for achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- [email protected]

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com

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market-spy · 2 months

Text

Breathing Life into Market Trends: A Breath of Fresh Air in Manual Resuscitators

Breathing New Life into Market Trends:

Behind the Mask:

Factors Fuelling the Respiratory Resurgence:

Market Challenges:

For More Information: https://www.skyquestt.com/report/behavioral-mental-health-software-market

Market Snapshot:

Market Segmentation:

Regional Rendezvous:

Breathing Dynamics:

Competitive Landscape:

Market Trends:

Conclusion:

So, the next time you see a manual resuscitator, remember — it’s not just a device; it’s a breath of fresh air in the world of healthcare. Stay breathing, stay alive!

About Us-

SkyQuest Technology Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

1 Apache Way,

Westford,

Massachusetts 01886

USA (+1) 617–230–0741

Email- [email protected]

Website: https://www.skyquestt.com

0 notes

maniuscript2 · 4 months

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Unveiling the Magic of South Indian Cinema on Epic On - Your Best OTT Platform for Movies

In the vast world of Indian cinema, the Southern part of the country has always stood out as a beacon of storytelling brilliance, weaving tales that resonate with audiences far and wide. At Epic On, we take pride in curating an exquisite collection of South Indian cinematic gems, ensuring that our platform stands as the Best OTT Platform for Movies. As you step into the realm of Epic On, get ready to be captivated by the richness of narratives, the intensity of emotions, and the sheer thrill of storytelling that defines the essence of South Indian cinema. Below are some of our personal recommendations that you shouldn't miss out on!

"Mein hoon Lucky The Racer":

Within the tapestry of Epic On's offerings lies a gripping saga of two brothers, bound by blood but driven apart by destiny. As they find themselves entangled in the web of a ruthless gangster turned politician, the brothers forge an unbreakable bond to challenge the nefarious antagonist. Join us on Epic On to Watch Short Clip Online, movies, TV shows, and more as we unfold the layers of this cinematic masterpiece, showcasing the resilience of family ties and the triumph of the human spirit.

"Lucifer":

When a political Godfather breathes his last, a vacuum is created, and a procession of thieves disguised as politicians seeks to fill the void. The quest for a worthy successor reveals a compelling narrative, featuring names that echo through the corridors of power, including that of God's most beloved angel, Lucifer. Epic On - the Best OTT Platform for Movies invites you to delve into the political intrigue and witness Lucifer's journey to maintain order in the heavens.

"Ek ka Dum":

Immerse yourself in the riveting tale of a rock star battling a haunted past and a crippling mental disorder. Convinced that his parents fell victim to a heinous crime, he joins forces with a relentless journalist to unmask the three evildoers responsible. This cinematic masterpiece is a symphony of suspense, offering a unique blend of music, mystery, and mental fortitude that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

"No Parking":

Love, deception, and an innocuous act of parking in a forbidden zone set the stage for Arun's roller coaster ride. As an architect enamored with his co-worker, Arun's life takes unexpected turns after a seemingly minor parking mistake. On Epic On, witness this tale of lies and deceit unfold, urging you to ponder the unpredictable consequences of seemingly inconsequential actions.

Epic On is not merely an OTT platform; it is a gateway to a world where every click opens the door to a new adventure. Our commitment goes beyond just providing a platform for South Indian movies; it extends to offering a holistic entertainment experience. From captivating TV series to live TV, podcasts, to watch short clip online, and online games for kids, Epic On is a treasure trove of entertainment waiting to be explored.

So, why settle for the ordinary when you can experience the extraordinary on the best OTT platform for movies – Epic On. As you explore our vast library, don't forget to watch short clips online and immerse yourself in a world where storytelling knows no bounds. Welcome to Epic On, where cinematic magic awaits at every click.

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signalsfrommars · 5 months

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#DondeLeaumont #FourTripsAhead #GailWorley #GhostCultMagazine #HardRock #IYieldMyTime #Keefy #KenPierce #KenPierceMedia #Kiss #MarkMorris #Mark'sMetalMinute #MusicDiscussion #NikCameron #PeterWilson #PiercingMetal #SoutheastOfHeaven #TheGlaciallyMusicalPouredcast

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lunarsands · 11 months

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Empires SMP Fanfic: Thou, O Kings, Fair Be You All Pt 1

Afterlife SMP and Empires SMP S1 and S2 crossover super combo!!! (again noted here to save the title field, but Empires SMP S2 inspired the idea so I’m filing it under Empires)

Characters: MythicalSausage, Scott Smajor, Sausage Supreme, along with MythicalSausage, and MythicalSausage, featuring MythicalSausage, as well as MythicalSausage, plus MythicalSausage

Relationships: MythicalSausage/Scott Smajor

Tags: action, a bit of fluff WARNINGS: Violence, Injury, Death (of the villain), body horror

Takes place after: Along the Roads to Sanctuary, Hellbent, The Future Foretold, and Who’s The Unfairest Of Us All, and includes characters from Night of the Winter Stars.

(Also available on Ao3!)

[A/N: @cynthrey and I took one look at Sausage’s Empires SMP S2 season finale and heard the question: how many AUs can you fit into one fic? Us: Yes

If it wasn’t obvious by the character list, there are multiple versions of MythicalSausage in this, so get ready for a lot of epithets in order to tell them apart! Full guide available in the end notes, although it does contain a spoiler!| Look, if CC!Sausage himself is going to keep handing me openings for a fic idea, I'm gonna run with it! XD]

---

Part One

Afterlife, DFY Variant

The vision gripped Sausage the Seraph like none before – save for one, and this time the dire feeling that came with it was as strong as that one had been. He was in Sanctuary again, and an evil presence was riling all of his instincts. He put out his hand and summoned his flaming sword, then sought for the source of the presence.

He didn’t stop to think why it was that sword, and not the broadsword he had wielded while he had lived the life of Sausage of Sanctuary. It seemed like some time had passed since he was last there, but the streets were still familiar. He hurried along. The terrible aura wasn’t moving away. The fear that he hadn’t done enough to ensure this world’s future sat in the pit of his stomach.

He heard a call that compelled him to move faster; it wasn’t Pearl’s voice, but it tugged at his very soul. With a beat of his wings he launched up over the rooftops. He could find it faster this way…

The call that compelled him was in the same direction. Perhaps it was the version of him that he had shared a body with, and that’s why there was such a strong connection, much like with Pearl. Perhaps the danger was just that great, and had given the other him the power to summon an angel. He swooped around a tall tree and scanned the street below.

He pulled up short and hovered in the air. A miasma of sickly yellow that gave off an air of envious greed blocked part of the road, while the pale blue sphere of the soul belonging to his double in this world floated on one side.

On the other side were three other soul orbs: one was red with ropes of yellow filigree around it; another was black as pitch with only faint traces of yellow at the edges; and the third constantly vacillated between ten different colors, but seemed to have a blue center. Sausage rubbed his eyes. Why was he seeing souls instead of the actual figures? And why was there a cloud instead of a soul where the apparent enemy was?

Well, it was still the enemy, he was certain. Maybe there just needed to be a little holy fire to burn it away and reveal the target. He pulled in his wings and dived downward, sword leading. Maybe this is what he had been needed for. He could aid Sanctuary one more time.

As his sword cut through the middle of the miasma, he turned his head to smile at the three others, intending to give a nod in thanks for them also coming to help. He ended up gasping instead.

The center of all of them was also pale blue – and in the shape of sunrays.

“Sausage! Wake up!”

…That was Scott’s voice. “Huh? Hm – wha? What do you mean, wake up? I don’t—”

“You fell asleep!” The starborne was staring down at him, violet eyes wide. “We were talking, and then you practically keeled over! What happened??”

Sausage tried to get his bearings. Scott was holding onto him, but he was also seated on the ground and leaning against the wall of the farmhouse beside the garden. “Asleep? I don’t sleep…” He tried to puzzle it out. “Why would I…” He suddenly grabbed Scott’s arm. “Sleep! Dream! That was a— dream vision! I was back in Sanctuary! There’s – There’s something evil there! They needed me! The… other mes needed me!”

“The other… you?”

“There was more than one!”

“Okay, that was definitely just a dream, then, because how would more than only the one who belongs there even be there? That would have to break some rules, wouldn’t it?”

“No, no, I think it was just that bad.” Sausage stared at the ground in worry.

“But… what are we supposed to do about it? If it was real and you were needed, wouldn’t that higher deity person put you there again?” Scott squeezed the seraph’s arm, not keen on the idea of Sausage being whisked away to another world yet again.

“I don’t know, but… I saw all of their souls. They were different, like – well, remember that time I pulled Myth’s soul out? Like that, but they were all the exact same at the core.” He pointed to the center of his chest with his thumb. “Like mine.”

“Do you want to go ask Pearl?” Scott asked reluctantly. He helped the seraph get back on his feet.

“Maybe,” Sausage said, his tone a bit numb. “I’m not sure if I really want to know how many other versions of me she knows of…”

“Better we find out from her about what might be going on, than some deity we’ve never heard of before.”

~*~

Mythland, Champions Variant

“Papa! Falling asleep in the middle of the day is for babies!”

Lord Sausage of Mythland lifted his head to see a pair of indigo eyes gazing at him. Despite the teasing tone, there was something akin to concern within the young elven face. “I guess I got tired from all the running around, Liana. You kids have more energy than me.” He reached out with his prosthetic right hand to lightly pat her on the head.

“Yeah, well, I only seen Mariposa fall asleep that fast before. But somebody’s always holding her, so she doesn’t land in the bushes!”

That was when Sausage realized he was seated amongst some now slightly-mangled flowering hedges. The metal of his right arm had prevented a scratch from one of the branches that was now close to his face as he shifted to start getting up. “I think… you might have a point. Let’s go find Dad so he can take over playing and I’ll lay down in the crib – I mean, my bed.” He smiled as she giggled at his joke.

However, as he watched her skip ahead of him into the castle, he frowned in thought. Something strange had just happened, but he couldn’t put a finger on it…

He still had a troubled look when he absently followed Liana into the dining room, where Scott was attempting to feed Mariposa at least one spoonful of mashed carrots as the human infant sat in her highchair. The elf turned with a weary expression. “Perfect timing. Maybe you can get little miss fussy over here to eat something? She didn’t want a bottle so I thought maybe something different would work.”

“I can try, but…” Sausage lowered his voice as he stepped close to begin reaching for the spoon. “I’ve got something that might be a little more worrying…” Then he turned to smile at their other daughter. “Liana, could you go see if you can find one of your big brothers? Mariposa always cooperates for them.”

“Okay! Cop’erate, Mariposa! You need to eat and get big so you can play with us!” Liana waved a finger at the baby, then skipped out of the room.

Sausage waited half a second, then set the spoon down in the small bowl. Mariposa babbled and made grabby hands at it as if she intended to feed herself. Knowing that would only end in a mess, Sausage lifted her out of the highchair and gently cradled her – out of reach of the bowl. She emitted a giggle and patted her hands against his beard instead.

He smiled down at her and kissed her little fingers, then sighed. “Something just happened in the garden. Liana claims I fell asleep, but I don’t think it was that I actually dozed off. One second we were playing catch, then the next I was sitting in the hedges. I think I might have blacked out for just that second… but I don’t know what would have caused it.”

The dread that filled Scott’s face made Sausage regret his wording. The elf put both hands on his prosthetic arm. Sausage quickly shook his head. “Nothing like that, don’t worry. I’m pretty sure that is something I would recognize. This was… I don’t know. Maybe I was meant to have a dream vision right that second? But I wasn’t asleep long enough.”

“So, do you think you should go lay down, and see if a dream comes to you? I would prefer we put mystical portends behind us…” Scott looked at Mariposa, the other unspoken worry now showing on his face.

“Well, maybe. It still could be nothing. I haven’t touched any magic in all this time, I mean aside from—” He nodded toward his prosthetic. “But, like, that thing has never acted up before, so I doubt it’s that.”

“Or maybe it was?” Scott suggested. “Honestly, I would feel better if it was just a little fluke of a magic surge. Take it off for a while, and have a nap, and see if you feel anything strange later.”

“All right, I’ll try it.” Sausage gave a small smile, then held Mariposa up and tickled her with his beard before peppering her with tiny kisses. She squealed and giggled again. “Not so fussy now, are you? You just wanted kisses from Papa, didn’t you? But you should be nice to Dad and eat for him, okay?” He lowered her back into the highchair, where she promptly slapped a hand down into the bowl and sent mashed carrots flying everywhere.

Her two adoptive parents could only laughed helplessly.

~*~

Afterlife, x10 Variant

“Get back here, vampire! I’ll see you brought to justice yet!” Sausage the Gravital bounded after Scott, knowing he had enough gravi in reserve to keep up, even if the vampire could leap higher.

“Keep talking, superhero. I’ll keep proving you wrong,” came the amused response. Red eyes glanced back at him, a smirk on the pale face. Scott angled toward the top of a tree and leapt again – then his eyes flashed.

Sausage uttered a frustrated noise as the edges of his vision went red, then suddenly he was the one sailing over that particular tree while Scott was behind now, laughing before turning into a bat and flying away in the opposite direction. He couldn’t disorient Sausage to make him fall from on high after a swap, but he could re-orient him, and make him have to adjust his own altered gravity at the last second to avoid crashing into a tree trunk, or cliff face, or the side of a building.

Sausage would end up harmlessly bouncing off each of the obstacles, but in the meantime Scott would make his escape.

And meanwhile, the gravital was hesitant to try to bring a permanent stop to the vampire’s threat. Scott’s good side still had to be there; he merely needed to choose to come back to the light. Yet, for some reason – one that Sausage had been unable to find – Scott chose the darkness.

As he directed a cushion of gravi downward so he could return to solid ground, Sausage sighed. This chase was starting to seem pointless… But maybe he just needed to think of some other way to reach the person who had once been his friend…

His legs unexpectedly buckled the moment he dismissed the pocket of gravi. Then his head spun as well, and he grasped for the nearest tree to steady himself. For half a second the image of a building seen through a stand of bamboo swam before his eyes, then he blinked and his vision cleared.

Well, that was incredibly odd. Was this some new trick of Scott’s, projecting an image of where he might swap places, stranding Sausage in a random, unfamiliar place? He wouldn’t put it past him. Of course, such an attempt wouldn’t actually be very effective. The gravital’s senses extended to the magnetic poles and ley lines of the planet, so he would be able to figure out which direction to go with minimal trouble. Maybe some minor inconvenience, though, in the form of time lost while travelling.

When nothing else occurred, he tested his step to make sure his legs would no longer wobble. He decided against bouncing his way home and settled for a small boost to make his stride faster.

~*~

Mythland Adjacent, Unmasked Variant

The Angel of Aeor looked up as something prickled at his senses. The forest was peaceful as always, with sunlight filtering through the leaves and birds chirping just out of sight. The animals of this world didn’t fear the two specters that were the only humanoid life forms around, regardless of how one was an indistinct figure made of a glowing golden light with the shape of two wings behind it, while the other was a somber figure hidden by a black cloak.

The Angel then glanced at The Wither of Mythland, who drifted in a sudden unsteady lurch over the stream they had been following on their daily walk. He saw a bony hand raise to touch the side of its head. “Is everything well, my love? Are you also sensing something strange?”

“I… think I am,” The Wither rasped in reply. “Something is… pulling on the threads of reality.”

“Not that misguided fool Sausage again,” The Angel said with dismay, leaving off the usual honorific out of spite.

“No, not… quite? I believe it is something more powerful.”

“Who else but the guardian of realities could be doing so? …A deity, perhaps?” There was a frown in The Angel’s voice. “We know no such deity. And I refuse to accept the merest suggestion that he might have ascended.”

The Wither chuckled dryly. “I believe you should have no fears of that occurring. However, that is still the type of energy that I am…” it trailed off. Its hood turned as it looked aside into the forest.

“That is not all, is it?” The Angel asked. He could now sense The Wither’s troubled air.

“It is pulling on the threads of souls, but from beyond realities…”

“My love, should you even be sensing that type of energy from here? We are cut off from any mortal souls, as well as the realm where those souls end up at rest.”

The Wither brought a hand up in front of its chest. Nothing materialized, but it seemed to be looking down in concern. “My love, I can feel it pulling on me…”

Glittering white eyes gazed out from under the hood at The Angel; he saw worry within them.

~*~

Sanctuary, Prime Variant

Sausage the Protector gripped the hilt of his broadsword as he searched through the streets of Sanctuary. The warning had come, and all his magical senses were alert. The Tyrant King had finally found him, and would likely be seeking out the best place to drain the magic from both him and the land around them.

Not this time, Sausage promised. Today, it would end. Today, he would stand, and no longer run. And he would use everything at his disposal to make sure of it.

Bubbles trotted at his side, sniffing the air. She let out a bark the same moment Sausage paused and asked, “Do you feel that…?”

It was as if Sanctuary itself was balking at the intrusion of such evil. He hurried toward the next street – and saw the shrouded figure stalking toward him.

“I’ve been searching a long time for you…” came the gravelly voice.

“I know,” Sausage replied, keeping his head held high. “I couldn’t miss the assassins. But they missed me. As you can see, I’ve had plenty of time to build up something that you couldn’t destroy even if you wanted to.”

“Right into the bravado, I see.” The Tyrant King turned his head back and forth as if taking in the detail of the buildings around them. “I did not come to destroy anything. I came to speak. The reason I had you chased – not by assassins, mere trackers – was to bring you back so we could have this very conversation. About the truth!”

Sausage kept his broadsword at the ready. “I would prefer if you just leave, but let’s hear this supposed ‘truth’ of yours.” He shifted on his feet, anticipating a trick – he could see the golden bracer on the King’s arm, almost hidden by his gray sleeve, but Sausage knew he would not have left it behind even if this talk was genuine. His own sense for magic told him the bracer was still quite full of the power the King had taken from others. Who knew how much more he had wrung out of the people he had caught during the passing years.

The King proceeded to spin a tale that sent ice through Sausage’s heart. He claimed it was the truth, but the Protector of Sanctuary heard layers of lies. And then came the enticement of offered power, which made Sausage smirk to himself. Oh, the King knew nothing of real power.

The King did not know of the reincarnated soul that had come to reside in his son upon birth, a soul with more power than what this world alone would have granted the child.

Sausage feigned interest, then smirked outwardly. “Hmm, no, that old trick isn’t going to work. Been there, done that, becoming a warlock ended up being my downfall.”

“What are you talking about? You successfully contracted with demons?!”

“Just one in particular. It became this big thing where I banished part of myself to a pocket dimension, he broke out of it later, he ended up coming here, I had a big fight with him, and he lost pretty badly because I have the power of love on my side! I reabsorbed that guy about a week and a half ago, so technically I have all of my power and his in one place.”

The King scoffed. “How fanciful. If other such dimensions existed, I would have gained access to them by now. Yet, perhaps, if what you say is true, then we should ally ourselves. If you are as powerful as you claim, then why settle for this tiny spit of land, when you could hold sway over an even bigger empire!”

“Because I have absolutely no interest in anything like that. I just want a nice home where my friends and my people can feel safe, and Sanctuary is perfect for us.”

“So, do you feel that you have such an untapped wellspring of magic that you could defeat even me?”

Sausage smiled wryly. “There it is. Testing the waters now, are you? You’re not here to just talk, and you’re not here to win me over. You’re here to see what you can take – what’s available to take. Sorry, Sanctuary isn’t giving anything up to you.”

“We’ll see about that…” The King’s tone darkened. He raised his arm, letting the bracer glint in the sunlight. “I can either summon my army and capture all of your dear friends, then bring this whole place down, or you and I can battle here and now, and then I will claim every drop of magic in this pitiful ‘sanctuary’ of yours!”

The bracer sparked and crackled. Sausage frowned. He could sense the magic within it was protesting being used by someone who lacked the natural aptitude for it. He wondered if the King had actually mastered any of the abilities he just claimed to have, or if he could only twist them through the device. This might not be a very controlled battle. Sausage looked down at his broadsword and then grinned nervously. He wouldn’t yet risk taking out the Staff of Sanctuary, in case the King could steal the magic out of it, too.

“You wish to duel with mundane weapons instead?” the King taunted. “Very well.” He placed his other hand against the bracer and pulled a sword made of crackling yellow light out of it; the light faded to reveal a curved saber. Then a blank shield of burnt metal formed over the bracer itself.

Oh… So he had learned a few things…

Sausage leapt forward to do a quick test of the king’s reflexes, jabbing the blade of his broadsword between the shield and his opponent’s side. The crackling sword angled down to block, then the King parried. Sausage hopped backward and took his own shield from pocketspace.

“Not exactly a fair fight,” the King mocked, “But let’s see what you’ve got, son.”

Whether he struck sword or shield, Sausage soon found there was an extra barrier around both of the King’s weapons that prevented him from doing enough damage. He was certain that he was physically stronger, but he would have to dispel the magic to gain any ground. In the back of his mind he was remembering what Bubbles had told him to do. He was still reluctant; he didn’t want to cause any other fractures in reality, and didn’t want to weaken himself if he should happen to need his own magical strength when physical strength failed.

However, he couldn’t risk losing Sanctuary now, either. He didn’t have Hermes as back up this time… but he knew who he could count on for help. All he needed to do was trigger his own innate ability that ran soul-deep.

He caught the King’s saber on his shield then shoved him a step back – unable to do much more to deter the magically-reinforced weapon. Sausage then laughed.

“It’s not a stalemate yet, you fool! I am far from done with you! You are stubborn, but you will lose in the end! You are wasting your time!”

“No, I’m just laughing at your futility. You’ve got all the magic of the kingdom that you stole, but I’ve got all the power of the multiverse! And I don’t even need some fancy bracelet to use it!”

~*~

Afterlife, DFY Variant

Sausage shrugged all six of his wings in exasperation. “Why is it so easy for Pearl to keep track of me, but when I need her, she manages to be busy somewhere?” He and Scott had been walking along the path from their house to the center of the realm, but had yet to find the goddess along the way.

“Why don’t you fly ahead? I’ll catch up.” Scott smiled with a bit of a tired look. Daytime occasionally took some energy out of him since the sun overrode the rest of the stars, and today happened to be one of them, so they couldn’t both take to the air to search faster.

“Well, I kind of want you to be there, in case she’s like, ‘No time to explain, off you go!’ like last time.”

Scott chuckled weakly. He reached out to squeeze Sausage’s hand. “If there is danger in Sanctuary, I could come help, too.”

“You weren’t in my vision, though,” Sausage pouted sullenly. “It was whatever the presence was, and more than one of me. Well, and Bubbles. She must have been there.” He then stopped and put a finger to his chin. “I wonder where those other versions of me even came from. The only other one we know is Myth, and… Ohgod.”

“What?”

“Um… he might… have been there, too. There was a black soul with yellow in it. His was gray the last time I saw it, but with the shape he’s in now, I wouldn’t be surprised it changed. I mean, ours changed, as we went along, but the core usually stays the same, as I remember things.” He laughed awkwardly. “I mean, it’s been a long time since I was a wither.”

Scott clasped his chin in thought. “Well, if you saw his soul separate from that presence, at least it means you weren’t there to fight him.”

“I hope that doesn’t mean it would have devolved into a fight to see who was the One True Sausage, oh no.”

“They probably all have different responsibilities to go home to, anyway.” Scott tried to offer a smile, since both of them knew what type of responsibility Myth had. Then dismay crossed his face. “Um, Sausage…” He pointed at the seraph, who looked down at himself to see a glow surrounding his body. “I’ll tell Pearl,” the starborne said solemnly. “We’ll find you.”

Sausage nodded, then drew his flaming sword from thin air, followed by his shield. He might as well be prepared ahead of time, since he already knew he was heading into a potential fight.

~*~

Mythland, Champions Variant

The nap hadn’t brought any insight, and as Sausage reattached his prosthetic, he could still feel a sense of uneasiness inside. As the redstone signals activated, he curled the fingers of the hand, then reached for his sword belt. There were plenty of guards around the castle, and even his eldest son, Azahar, was being trained to use a blade, so no one would go unprotected, but the uncertainty of what might be coming was eating at him.

He drew in a breath then headed for the treasury. Scott and their other son, Elowen, had ice magic for defense. Then there was Ilan, who had a promising grasp of beginner magic, but was still too young, and Sausage wouldn’t want them to have to stand between danger and their even-younger sisters. He tried to distract himself with the amusing thought of Liana – half a year older than Ilan, as she would insist – defeating foes with the sheer power of sass, but it didn’t alleviate his worry for long.

He threw open the doors to the treasury and strode directly over to a glass case high on the wall, which held the Staff of Mythland. He was surprised that Bubbles hadn’t already appeared to dissuade him; then he wondered if that was another sign. He removed the Staff and held it gingerly as he left. He would speak to Scott before beginning any kind of patrol, even though he could guess what the elf’s reaction would be.

That reaction came in the form of books hitting the floor as Scott was about to enter the library, probably intending to set some of them aside for the children’s lessons, except he had seen what Sausage held.

The human quickly cradled the Staff with his left hand and raised his right to stop an expected protest. “I don’t really want to use it, I’ve just still got a feeling – I don’t know how to explain it, but—”

Scott reached to try to take the Staff from him. “Sausage… I’m sorry, I can’t let you use this.”

“Please, Scott… I would only use it in an emergency – to protect the children! No offensive spells, just – just a shielding spell. Please. I know we’re safe, I know we have your magic. But I can’t shake the thought that I need to be prepared for something—”

At that moment a glow surrounded both him and the Staff. Sausage looked at Scott in panic. “Teleport spell… I didn’t activate it!! I swear!”

“I believe you.” Scott kept his hands held out toward him, his expression one of open fear. “Sausage… Hold onto it. Be safe. I’ll find you!”

~*~

Afterlife, x10 Variant

The world abruptly spun, and Sausage felt a tug on his personal wavelength of gravi. There was no red tinge to his vision, so this had nothing to do with Scott… Unless he had enlisted another gravital to mess with him.

Sausage wasn’t sensing anyone else, though. He would have felt the disruption they caused in the ambient gravity. But there was definitely something strange happening.

He uttered an angry noise as a glow sprung up around his body. Well, gravitals definitely couldn’t do that. He tried to think of someone who might be able to, as he turned left and right in an effort to spot them. “Show yourself! I’m in no mood to mess around right now!”

He felt the pull again, and realized it was a teleport – though still not the same as the vampire’s swap ability.

~*~

Mythland Adjacent, Unmasked Variant

The Angel whipped around as he heard the sound of a breath drawn through a straining windpipe. He hadn’t heard The Wither make that noise since the time when they first walked the mortal world. He saw a glowing light surrounding the former reaper. “Impossible,” he murmured. “Nothing can breach this reality, except for…”

Then he lunged as the cloaked form began to turn translucent. His attempt to grasp hold of even one of The Wither’s hands was met with empty air. “No!! Do not leave me!!”

~*~

Sanctuary, Prime Variant

“And what is that supposed to mean? ‘Multiverse’? Is this some more nonsense about other dimensions—” The King was then stunned to silence as someone in gleaming silver armor with gold trim appeared to his right – someone with six silvery-white wings, a flaming sword and shield in his hands, and a face that looked exactly like that of the Protector of Sanctuary – although with a stony, determined expression.

Then, to his left, a figure in royal robes with a bright red and gold crown on his head appeared. He had a scepter of some sort in his hands, and his right arm looked like it was covered by golden-hued armor. He was startled… and his face matched with those of the angel and the Protector.

Behind the King a third figure materialized; he was covered head to toe in blue and gray armor, with what looked like a bright green jewel in the center of his chest. He appeared angry, while sharing the same face as the others.

In front of the King, a specter of death appeared, with a skeletal visage just barely visible within the hood. The eyes went from glittering white to the same shade of blue as all the other faces around him – and as the group began to exchange glances with each other, they could all hazard a guess as to what the specter might have looked like in life.

The Protector joined this circle around the King. “Say hello to my army – the Seraph, the Lord of Mythland, the Superhero, and The Wither. And these are not the only ones out there, but we’re enough to put a stop to you once and for all!”

The King began to chuckle. His tone was now completely different from the doubtful mockery of a moment ago as he replied, “Now that happens to be a fact I know all too well.”

The Protector tilted his head slightly. “Didn’t you… say you didn’t believe other dimensions existed? So, how would you even know—”

“I lied,” the King gloated. “I have lied about a great many things, and that includes this life of mine, as well!” He laughed loudly, and his voice started to take on a strange resonance.

Three out of the five recognized the sound from recent memory. “No!” cried the Protector and the Seraph at the same time.

“We already defeated you!” the latter protested. “How could—”

“Impossible!” The Wither rasped with rage, interrupting. It pointed a bony finger at the King. “You should no longer exist!”

The King’s voice continued to shift until it came to sound just like the rest of them – minus The Wither – while retaining the resonance. “That’s right, you wretch. Your golden other half saw that coward gut me with the Rune Blade and try to banish my soul again! But the fool didn’t realize I’m forever anchored to him. Parts of my soul were still scattered throughout reality, but only that banished piece was ‘reborn’ in this magic-deadzone of a body, sharing it with some other imbecile king. I awoke in him a hunger for power, and after he had stolen enough, the demon I had consumed – along with my own power – emerged once again. Thanks to you.” He turned to point his sword at the Protector. “When you absorbed that other piece of me, it gave me a beacon to follow and finally find you. So, thank you. …Even though you were the one to cause the entire mess in the first place!”

“Um…hey, guys?” the Superhero attempted to interject. “Um…” The four-way staring contest continued, however.

Lord Sausage sidled over to him and whispered, “You think he’s monologuing too, huh?”

“Yeah, classic villain stuff. Do you think we should...?” The gravital glanced him over, trying to figure out what was so special about him when all he appeared to be was some ordinary medieval ruler with a paltry amount of armor. Why wear plate only on one arm?

“We should take advantage of the distraction,” Lord Sausage said quietly as he drew his sword with his left hand. “Wish I had somewhere else to put this thing, though…” He looked down at the Staff of Mythland. “Can’t be helped. You ready?” He glanced at the Superhero. “You, uh, got any weapons there?”

“Don’t need them.” The gravital grinned. “I’ve got an idea, Your Highness – you go in and pretend to strike, then I’ll yeet him to the other end of the road. Maybe that will get our other counterparts to pay attention.”

Lord Sausage nodded. “Not sure what ‘yeet’ means, but let’s go for it!” He held the sword in position for a cross slash, keeping his right arm nearly behind him as if to hide the Staff. Then he rushed forward with a resolute smirk.

Of course he remembered his warlock self during another timeline of his own, but he knew that self didn’t exist for him this time around, so the one standing before them belonged to someone else.

Without a word he swung his sword – but then danced back a step, the blade neatly missing the shrouded King’s body. Then there was a sort of tug upon the air. The feeling only grazed Lord Sausage, but the King was yanked off his feet. He flew backward over the ground, sailing past the Superhero, who had his hands posed as if he had been pulling on a rope. His expression was smug – but then it turned troubled as the King simply landed right back on his feet, seeming unbothered, in the exact spot the gravital had intended to yeet him to, except he had been expecting the King to be staggering around in confusion.

“It will take more than that, hero.” Now all of them had their attention drawn by the surge of magical energy that appeared around the King. It took the form of crackling yellow light, which then shifted in hue to red, and it seemed a wind had arisen with it, tossing his shroud aside to reveal blue eyes the same as theirs – passed from father to son, but not quite the same face – yet then they turned red as small cracks glowing with purple and magenta formed at the corners of his eyes. He bared fangs in a grin. “Since you’re so fond of titles, you can call me Sausage Supreme!!”

The Protector froze, struck by a long-buried memory that had not been among those that resurfaced when he and the Seraph had gone their separate ways.

The Superhero snorted. “Oh, like you’re the One True Mythical Sausage, or something? Get off your high horse. You sound like just another bad guy to me!” He flung his hands upward, fingers curled.

The entire section of the street beneath Sausage Supreme broke off from the ground and rapidly lifted up, hurling him into the air along with it. However, he looked nonplussed, and as the bits of brick began to fall back to earth, he halted his own momentum. “You’re not going to be able to throw me very far that way. And now look what you’ve done – I’m out of reach of half of you!”

The Seraph beat his wings then took off like a streak toward Sausage Supreme. “Then let’s even the playing field!” He struck out with his sword, clashing with the sparking saber. The Superhero bounded across the distance then ricocheted off the nearby buildings to gain enough height to boost himself above the villain. Then he released a blast of gravi downward just as the Seraph was pulling back, intending to knock Sausage Supreme back toward the ground where the others could actually reach him.

The bracer sparked, and corrupted magic counteracted the gravi, stopping him from dropping too far. Now with a red, crackling sphere around him, Sausage Supreme was able to block both the flaming sword and any further attempts to yeet him. The Superhero boosted himself toward the nearest balcony to reconsider his strategy.

The Wither uttered a determined sound, then flew upward and grasped the bottom of the sphere with both hands. The color drained out of the sphere, then the energy began to fork off in ever-weakening strands of unraveling magic. The Seraph dived back in. He exchanged blows with sword and shield for several minutes; however, his flames were deterred by little bursts of the magic still shielding Sausage Supreme’s weapons.

Lord Sausage sheathed his sword and went over to the Protector, trying to read into his haunted look. “Hey, um… Maybe you should snap out of it? What’s the big idea, bringing us here like this? I mean, those guys all have pretty cool things going on, so that makes sense, but why me? I know about other realities so this isn’t a shock or anything, but I don’t do magic anymore. I want nothing to do with that guy. I got a second chance, and I’m not messing with anything that powerful ever again. Hey, are you listening to me?”

The Protector turned a horrified look toward him. “I… I sent this piece of him here. I caused the King to go on a purge of everyone who had magic in them…”

“Oh boy. Um. Okay, listen to me.” Lord Sausage placed his right hand on the Protector’s shoulder. “We take responsibility for our actions, and we can hang onto the guilt if we need to, but we can’t let that stop us from protecting the people still with us. We make amends by making sure the future is safe for them. For the next generation. And we do what we can when our head is finally clear.” He lightly squeezed the other’s shoulder.

The Protector looked at the hand on his shoulder and noticed that the details were too intricate to be mere armor, then he followed the line of the entire metal arm, seeing where it was connected halfway below his shoulder. Lord Sausage gave him a solemn smile. “The cost of getting my head clear. But it was worth it. I have a family to get home to, so let’s get in there and stop this guy. How are you with magic? I might be able to lend you something to help out.” He now smiled ruefully and nodded to the Staff of Mythland in his other hand.

The Protector looked at it as well. “I haven’t seen that thing in centuries…” He chuckled wryly. “And the last time I did was right after I broke it in half.”

“I’m going to be honest, that sounds like a terrible idea. Please don’t break mine.”

“Sorry. I was on a desperate quest to save someone. I needed all the magic I could get. I promise I’ll give this back.” The Protector grinned. “Sounds like you have someone special to look out for, too.”

“Eight someones, and thanks.”

“Eight…?”

Lord Sausage flashed the wedding ring on his left hand. “We’ve got seven kids.”

“Seven?? I only have three, and technically one is a robot…”

“Let’s discuss that later. Bigger concerns here. One question, real quick – can you place a barrier around this, like the one that guy’s using?” Lord Sausage held out his right arm.

Their attention was pulled upward and further along the road as Sausage Supreme released an energy burst that propelled his current two assailants away from him, both giving frustrated cries. Even the Superhero had to cover his face to block the malignant gust, but he quickly leapt from the railing of the balcony when it looked like The Wither wasn’t going to avoid a hard collision with the ground.

In barely the blink of an eye, the gravital leveled himself horizontal with the cloaked figure then boosted forward with surprising speed to catch it and get it out of range of the downward pressure from the energy burst. The Superhero was startled at how lightweight The Wither’s body felt, as if there wasn’t really a body there at all.

The Seraph beat his wings to stop his backward movement. With a need to adjust his plan of attack, he took a moment to assess everyone present. One of them must be able to cancel out this insane level of magic… He also tried to get a read on their auras to compare them to what he had seen in his dream. The Protector was obvious. The yellow filigree seemed fitting for a royal lord… The ten colors reminded him of his own time cycling through different powers, which could be a match for what the Superhero had and would experience over time. So, it seemed he had been wrong about Myth. The black orb, then, obviously was a match with—

But, no.

When he focused in on it, he saw that the hooded figure didn’t… have a black aura.

It had a void where one should have been.

[To Be Continued in Part Two]

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