Again! That dream has been infecting my brain again! I was getting a little peeved. Richard\u2019s corpse had already grabbed me when I snarled at it. \u201cWhat, am I going to join you as the restless dead?\u201d I snarked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve failed us and will pay in eternal waking!\u201d accused the corpse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI failed no one!\u201d I snarled as the decay spread across my body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou claim that,\u201d continued the corpse, \u201cbut the power you\u2019ve encountered has rendered you as a child! Our power shall show you what we mean!\u201d That was when the light rapidly dimmed and brightened. It kind of hurt my eyes, but something about it reversed the decay on my person. The intelligent zombies of my friends, on the other hand, screamed in terror as a tall figure, about 8\u20195\u201d approached them. In the rare moments of good lighting, I saw the figure turn into the Grim Reaper as western civilization imagined it, a skeleton in a black cloak brandishing a scythe. The reaper spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have no power here, servant of evil!\u201d it bellowed in a female voice that rolled with thunder and power. The corpses tried to get away but were turning to dust with each step Death took. \u201cYou are powerless!\u201d she continued. \u201cFaceless and nameless to all but those that will stop you! Go back to the prison from whence you came!\u201d The bodies had all disappeared by the time Death approached me. Her features started changing, becoming less bony. The bottom of her cloak had gained more layers of skirts and the sleeves of the cloak had separated at the upper arm. The hood stayed on as white trim appeared at the hem, the waist, the chest area holding the dress up, and along both ends of the sleeves, which went over her hands as white flowers appeared around the circumference of the hand\u2019s opening and at the back of her waist. Her face fleshed out, literally and became covered in white make up with black lines giving the appearance of a skull. Her eyes opened to reveal black orbs with a tiny blue dot in the center. \u201cYou and your friends need to wake up, child,\u201d Death\u2019s new form whispered. \u201cYou have a long day ahead of you.\u201d She tapped my forehead. That was when I woke up. I heard chatter in the other rooms next to me. The pieces fell together. Someone is making us have a shared nightmare! The enemy, maybe? I had decided to talk to everyone about it before we departed. After my dress routine, I found everyone in the cafeteria. Bacon, eggs, and toast was the meal for the morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRough night?\u201d I asked everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat dream was too vivid for me to even get sleep,\u201d admitted Batman. \u201cOthers woke before and after me, giving the exact details of the dream I had.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe one where after your corpses accused me of failing and converting my currently annoyed form?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd where Death herself intervened?\u201d supplied the Brigadier, with his helmet off. That moustache of his seems odd on his aged face. I can\u2019t judge though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe must have had a forcibly shared nightmare,\u201d I guessed. \u201cThere\u2019s no way anyone can dream the same dream naturally and wake up at different times.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomeone\u2019s trying to divide us,\u201d observed Gandalf. \u201cThe enemy may have more elaborate means of getting past security.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy would Death want to help us?\u201d asked Wyldstyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo help us find Kamen Rider Apocalypse and Vortex,\u201d figured Tonje. \u201cIf the enemy feels it can do away with the whole concept of death, who\u2019s to say she doesn\u2019t have a stake in this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe other horsemen may be after the enemy\u2019s head too,\u201d I supplied. \u201cBesides, the Gateway Guardian said they were just really good at their jobs and are actually very nice ladies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen we just need to stabilize the portal with the last Keystone,\u201d resolved Haitao. \u201cSpeaking of which, who\u2019s got the Scale Keystone?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat would be me,\u201d called Hongo. He lifted his left arm. \u201cThat just leaves one of the F.N.S to use the last one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOnce we finish breakfast,\u201d I declared, \u201cwe meet in the Gateway room. Got it?\u201d Everyone nodded their approval. We had all finished and cleared away the dishes. We mounted our steeds and vehicles again. \u201cReady?\u201d I asked. I got confirmation from everyone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll systems fully operational!\u201d reported Rusty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLocators online,\u201d called the Brigadier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDimensional location set to D-C-C-0-M-1-C-5,\u201d relayed Elphaba.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCHARGE!\u201d I shouted. We pounded through the portal and ran through the rift. The Doctor had kept his word on us not encountering any rift loops.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In that universe, the Keystone was being surrounded by a crowd with cameras flashing, police keeping people away, and reporters trying to get a closer look. The last Keystone had a symbol shaped like a white compass in the center. Above it was a crescent shape connected with a blue dot and below it was an upside down four. The reporters were trying to get closer, some sneaking in camera shots, annoying the police. So involved were they in their work, they didn\u2019t see a giant of a man step towards them until he let his footsteps get heavier. He wore spikey armor, a tattered cape, and a helmet with a crown on top where you only had the eyeholes to indicate where he could see. He carried a large staff with a mace affixed to the top. One of the police saw the man. \u201cIt\u2019s not Halloween yet, is it?\u201d he asked<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019ll have to stay back, sir,\u201d his partner told the stranger. \u201cIt isn\u2019t safe here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou are right,\u201d confirmed the mystery man in a cold whisper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWow,\u201d praised the police officer, admiring the armor. \u201c\u2018A\u2019 for effort.\u201d The mystery man then swung his staff at the crowd! The police fired on the man, but he simply raised his hand and stopped the bullets. He then directed the rounds into the crowd! He spoke in a language that sounded evil!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shre nazg golugranu kilmi-nudu,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ombi kuzd-durbagu gundum-ishi,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nugu gurunkilu bard gurutu,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ash burz-durbagu burzum-ishi,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Daghburz-ishi makha gulshu darulu.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ash nazg durbatul\u00fbk, ash nazg gimbatul,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Ash nazg thrakatul\u00fbk, agh burzum-ishi krimpatul<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Daghburz-ishi makha gulshu darulu. <\/em>The crowd held their ears in pain. \u201cAw, is the Black Speech too hard on your ears?\u201d mocked the man. \u201cHere\u2019s a translation into the language of men!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness, bind them,<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho are you?!\u201d cried a bystander.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI am your new master,\u201d answered the mystery man as he held up his right hand which held a ring in the ring finger. Fiery words in an unknown script raced across the band of gold around his finger. \u201cI am Sauron, and you are now \u2018guests\u2019 of New Mordor!\u201d Morgoth\u2019s successor grabbed the Keystone and held it high. \u201cLocate help from M-1-D-D-L-3-3-A-R-T-H!\u201d Sauron\u2019s fortress of Barad-d\u00fbr came down from a portal in the sky. It leveled a rotating building shaped like three L\u2019s in a triangle. As the rubble fell from the building Barad-d\u00fbr sat on, Sauron brought over his Orc forces along with Turretorg, Discornia, the Vortexons, and the Combatmen of both Shocker branches. We had appeared as the crowds ran from the enemy. A newspaper guy ran by, dropping his load, but they weren\u2019t his main priority. Batman saw the title of the paper, The Daily Planet<\/em>. It had the headline INVASION with a picture of an Orc on the front.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is Metropolis,\u201d observed Batman. Then Metropolis\u2019 blue tights wearing protector zoomed by with that slicked back hairstyle with the curl in front, the red S on the front of the suit, and the red cape and boots. He saw us below and flashed a grin. I will admit, I swooned when he did that as did Xiomara and Emily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s Superman!\u201d called Wyldstyle. \u201cHe\u2019ll help us!\u201d He wanted to, I could tell, but a portal sucked him up, cutting that plan short. \u201cOoooooohhhh,\u201d groaned Wyldstyle in disappointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d grumbled the Dark Knight. \u201cLeave it to Batman. Again!\u201d Gandalf was distracted by the sight of Sauron\u2019s fortress in the distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBarad-d\u00fbr!\u201d he breathed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat is that thing, Gandalf?\u201d asked Wyldstyle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Dark Tower, where Sauron dwells,\u201d explained the wizard as he dropped to his knees and held his hat in his hands. \u201cIf he is here, all is lost! We cannot hope to defeat him without Frodo, without the One Ring.\u201d Batman had grappled to a roof ledge and used binoculars to get a feel of his surroundings. Energy shields with electrified webs blocked the streets of Metropolis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s why Frodo was taken,\u201d I surmised as I noticed the Dark Tower had no fiery eye on top. \u201cThe enemy needed Sauron\u2019s forces and figured that he would command them better if he were in complete form instead of an eye on a tower.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see him!\u201d called Batman. \u201cAnd the Keystone! Let\u2019s go!\u201d He spoke into a mike to inform someone of the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood idea,\u201d affirmed Wyldstyle as she punched her hand in readiness. \u201cI may not know who Sauron is, but he sounds like bad news!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe better transform,\u201d I declared. \u201cEnemy forces are swarming the streets, ready to fight at a moment\u2019s notice.\u201d We got our i.d tags out and struck our poses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRider\u2026\u201d began Hongo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHenshin!\u201d we shouted. We all transformed and started running through the streets, fighting Orcs as we approached one of those gates. The webs looked organic inside the field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOracle,\u201d requested Batman into a communicator in his suit, \u201cidentify the materials that make up the web.\u201d He activated external speakers and mikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVarious proteins are in the silk,\u201d reported a female voice, \u201csuggesting that the web is organic like a normal spider.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf it\u2019s one of the Great Spiders that plague Middle-Earth,\u201d mused Guard, \u201cI will be very unsurprised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are giant spiders running around,\u201d replied Oracle. \u201cOne of them, the apparent leader, is called Shelob by Sauron\u2019s forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Spawn of Ungoliant is here?\u201d yelped Gandalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy is one of their number purple?\u201d asked Zh\u00e0nsh\u00ec. I looked through the gate and saw a purple tarantula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy is he here?!\u201d I moaned, guessing that the purple spider was more than meets the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s find out,\u201d resolved Guard, making the same guess. \u201cI see something in that dark area that has the outline of a keystone transmitter. Now may be a good time to use the Scale Keystone.\u201d Gandalf lit the area up, confirming the object.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI see,\u201d I guessed. \u201cMake one of us small and the person can mess with the electronics of the gate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me do it,\u201d called Climb as she pointed to a vent. \u201cI AM called Kamen Rider Climb for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVery well,\u201d I agreed. \u201cIchig\u014d, if you please.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cScale Keystone, activate!\u201d ordered Ichig\u014d. \u201cLessen scale of Climb!\u201d Climb shrunk down and crawled into the vent. Orcs and Lex-bots arrived!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, that\u2019s just great!\u201d snapped Batman. \u201cGotta get these things out of the way!\u201d Gandalf then remembered he had Glamdring on his person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, yes!\u201d he exclaimed as he drew the Foe-hammer out. \u201cThis could be just the very thing that\u2019s needed.\u201d We then went on the assault while Climb messed with the circuitry keeping the electric part of the gate up. Soon it fizzled out, leaving only the web. The spiders on the other side soon realized what was going on and rushed to their colleagues\u2019 aid. The purple spider saw this and started scheming. While he schemed, Climb came back out of the vent. She had to dodge a bunch of feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIchig\u014d, a little help?!\u201d she asked in a tiny voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNormalize scale of Climb!\u201d called Ichig\u014d. She grew back to her normal size and joined in the fight. The enemy was surprised. She then stabbed with her stylized kinjal and stabbed a spider, right in its middle!<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOi!\u201d I said to the purple spider. \u201cPredacon! Help me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow do you know about the Predacons?!\u201d the spider spluttered. \u201cCybertron doesn\u2019t exist in this universe!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s not for you to know,\u201d I exclaimed. \u201cNow get over here!\u201d The spider shrugged his pedipalps and pounced on the other spiders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTraitor!\u201d shrieked one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDismantle it!\u201d spat a second. \u201cIt\u2019s a machine! I felt it! Save the squishy ones for our feast!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe fat one should have good meat and juices!\u201d hissed a third, referring to Touch\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re just jealous that I\u2019m loved and you\u2019re practically starving yourselves to gain attention,\u201d quipped Touch\u00e9. \u201cConsidering those spindles you walk on, I shouldn\u2019t be surprised you\u2019re hungry at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe meat insults us!\u201d shrieked a fourth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGet your minds off of food and fatties like her for once and kill\u2026!\u201d the Orc didn\u2019t get very far as Glamdring liberated the head from the neck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNone shall insult a lady of good repute,\u201d he hissed. We started chopping down the enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey sting! Sting!\u201d yelled a spider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry, we don\u2019t have Sting on us,\u201d joked Battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRetreat!\u201d droned a Lex-bot. \u201cWe\u2019re no match for them now!\u201d The enemy forces fled from the scene. The purple spider stayed behind and cackled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow,\u201d he giggled after he finished. He then tackled me. \u201cYou seem to know a thing or two about the Predacons!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd Maximals, Autobots, and Decepticons,\u201d I replied. \u201cIn my world, Cybertron and its people were nothing more than a toy line with a story behind it. You\u2019re an agent of the Tripredacus Council, Tarantulas, am I right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou seem familiar with me,\u201d cackled the Predacon Mad Scientist, \u201cbut I don\u2019t recall meeting any fleshlings before I landed on Earth in its prehistory. Who are you?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s not your concern,\u201d I answered. I then tapped my blade under his abdomen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hardly think you\u2019re in a position to make demands,\u201d snickered Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, I think you underestimate me, Master Tarantulas,\u201d I argued. I grabbed his pedipalps roughly and shook him. He managed to get out of my grip and got into an attack position. I then swapped out my i.d tag. A dual image of Tarantulas\u2019 two heads he had in Beast Wars appeared. I chose the one with the tiny horns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTransmetal Tarantulas Steel!\u201d announced my belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy Transmetal mode?!\u201d spluttered the Tripredacus agent. \u201cHow did you get it?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have my ways,\u201d I answered cryptically as the wardrobe dissolved. The new steel had circular shoulder pads with green dots, a set of yellow spider spinnerets on the back with purple spider legs pointing up. My boots were yellow and my arms were purple with yellow claws. My helmet gained Tarantulas\u2019 mandibles and tiny horns. \u201cTarantulas, terrorize,\u201d I mocked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me show you how a Transformer does it!\u201d hissed Tarantulas. \u201cTarantulas, TERRORIZE!\u201d The front of the spider swung down with the fangs and pedipalps becoming two digited claws and swinging out on arms that had the spider legs. Legs and feet swung out from the spinnerets as the head popped out, complete with yellow visor that had machinery on the upper part of the optical array to show emotions. He cackled as he finished his transformation. \u201cNow then, fleshling,\u201d cackled the robot in disguise, \u201cyour pale imitation of my Transmetal mode against the real deal!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re not in your Transmetal mode,\u201d I reminded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUpgrades are a valuable thing, aren\u2019t they!\u201d cackled the spider bot. \u201cMETALIZE!\u201d A wave of light passed over Tarantulas as he turned into his Transmetal mode, complete with his three digited hands. \u201cYou will serve as a perfect meal after I finish playing!\u201d My friends then swapped their i.d tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTransmetal Tarantulas Steel!\u201d announced their belts. The wardrobes dissolved to reveal my friends in their new armor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGet him!\u201d I shouted. Tarantulas leaned forward and fired from the dots on his shoulder pads. Guard, I, and, surprisingly, Touch\u00e9, did the same. Tarantulas jumped out of the way but didn\u2019t look where he was landing. Arch, K\u00e4mpfer, Sengoku, and Climb fired from their versions of Tarantulas\u2019 wheel gun and fired on him. Tarantulas came to his knees, letting me grab his neck. He was surprised at my grip. \u201cNow,\u201d I said, \u201cI need all the information on Sauron\u2019s plans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can\u2019t tell you,\u201d smirked Tarantulas. I then commanded one of the spider legs on my back to bury itself into his shoulder. He squawked in pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe next one will be in your skull,\u201d I threatened. \u201cThen we can download the information into Oracle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t know! I don\u2019t know!\u201d yelped Tarantulas, deciding, wisely, not to call my bluff. \u201cWe don\u2019t know what the endgame is! Sauron won\u2019t risk a security breach! The only thing I know is that it involves an object that summons objects from other universes, but he keeps it with him in Barad-d\u00fbr!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen we need to get there,\u201d I resolved, making plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGood luck with that!\u201d cackled Tarantulas. \u201cHe\u2019s surrounded the fortress on all sides!\u201d I grinned under my helmet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGo into your beast\/vehicle mode,\u201d I ordered. \u201cYou\u2019re going to help us go through those gates while carrying me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWait, that\u2019s not\u2026!\u201d spluttered Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m going to take a page out of the Predacons\u2019 book and alter the deal,\u201d I hissed. \u201cPray I don\u2019t alter it any further.\u201d A few of my friends got the reference. Tarantulas spluttered for a while as he considered my offer. He fired his own wheel gun at the webbing still up on the gate, allowing us passage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBeast mode!\u201d he snarled. In his Transmetal mode, the front folded up to allow the feet to become the fangs of the spider mode. The rear split away to allow the arms to tuck in behind the main body and the head to sink into the body while the spider legs held him up. He then folded his spider legs up and popped out wheels in a motorcycle configuration. I then climbed aboard. \u201cYou\u2019ll pay for this, fleshling!\u201d threatened Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShut up and drive!\u201d I ordered. I kept a tiny bit of doubt in my mind as we may be played for fools. We arrived at the next gate. I dismounted and Tarantulas transformed again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOi!\u201d called an Orc. \u201cI thought you were trustworthy! What are you doing?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHelping us,\u201d I replied for Tarantulas as I took out the Tarantulas i.d tag and put my own back in. I then converted my blade into rifle mode and unleashed hell on the enemy. \u201cIchig\u014d-san, now would be a good time to shrink someone!\u201d Part of a vent was dangling off the rest. Ichig\u014d got an idea<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cScale Keystone, activate!\u201d announced Ichig\u014d. \u201cLessen scale of Wyldstyle!\u201d Wyldstyle shrunk. Ichig\u014d then picked her up. \u201cI\u2019m going to place you under the dangling bit of vent,\u201d he told her. \u201cWhen you grow to a larger height, I need you to hold up the vent part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGot it!\u201d confirmed Wyldstyle in a tiny voice. Ichig\u014d then put her under the vent part while we kept the enemy off their backs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEnlarge scale of Wyldstyle!\u201d announced Ichig\u014d. Wyldstyle grew to a giant height and held the vent part in place. \u201cWho\u2019s willing to crawl into the vent?\u201d asked Ichig\u014d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me do it!\u201d I called.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLessen scale of Royal!\u201d ordered Ichig\u014d. I shrunk down and headed straight for the opening. I crawled through the place and saw some wires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThese look important,\u201d I mused. I converted my rifle back into sword mode and started cutting wires. The electricity started sparking everywhere. \u201cOn reflection, Megumi Hishikawa,\u201d I yelped to myself, \u201cthis probably wasn\u2019t your smartest plan!\u201d I managed to get out and land on a spider\u2019s butt. Ichig\u014d saw the tiny hole I made to make my escape and the electric part of the gate went down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNormalize scale of Royal!\u201d he called. I grew and stabbed my spider in the butt. It thrashed around before going still.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn all honesty,\u201d I chuckled, \u201chow many spiders can say their friend died of a butt stab?\u201d I didn\u2019t get enough time for an answer as an Orc was about chop my head off! As I ducked, another Orc launched a fire arrow at us. I then got an idea. \u201cHey, you!\u201d I taunted. \u201cYour aim is so bad; a normal man could hit the bullseye before you could! And that\u2019s when an Elf is thrown into the equation!\u201d That got the desired result as a fire arrow set the web part of the gate on fire.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOops,\u201d mumbled the Orc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYOU IDIOT!\u201d roared the Orc Captain. \u201cSAURON ORDERED US TO KEEP THE GATES UP AND YOU LET A TAUNT INFECT YOUR BRAIN!! WERE YOU DROPPED ON YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU CAME OUT OF YOUR MOTHER?!\u201d I was surprised by that comment but dropped it as a spider nearly jumped me. We managed to gain a little ground, but a rain of Orc arrows from another wall came down on us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe need to tear that wall down!\u201d called Arch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAllow me to handle this,\u201d assured Gandalf. He used magic to assemble a ramp out of a ruined car. He then mounted Shadowfax to charge over the gate and make the Orcs lean over their positions. The shift in balance made the wall topple, trapping the Orcs under the rubble. \u201cShall we press on?\u201d asked Gandalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI must learn how to do that!\u201d giggled Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMagic is the last thing a Predacon loony like you needs!\u201d argued Touch\u00e9. \u201cYou would dissect Gandalf and then eat his remains once your experiment was done. He doesn\u2019t even run on Energon! How much nutritional value is in blood?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy dear sister,\u201d muttered Guard, \u201cI thought you said you hated the Transformers<\/em> franchise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI lied!\u201d snapped Touch\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy filters would have adjusted,\u201d cackled Tarantulas. \u201cIt\u2019s the act I like more than the nourishment!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re a sick bug!\u201d I commented. I then heard whispering. \u201cShut up for a sec, you guys,\u201d I said. I stealthily followed the noise with my team following close behind. What I saw chilled me. There, around a fire, were nine beings cloaked in black. The hoods did not display their faces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are they?\u201d whispered Hunt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey were great kings of Men once,\u201d explained Gandalf. \u201cBut the nine rings that were granted to them had corrupted them, made them lust for power. Now, after their initial deaths, they serve Sauron as literal shadows of their former selves. They are the Nazg\u00fbl, Ringwraiths.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Nine,\u201d I whispered, remembering the shrieks Peter Jackson gave them. \u201cDo they have names?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnly titles,\u201d replied Gandalf. \u201cTheir Lord is the Witch-King of Angmar. His second in command is the Shadow of the East, and the others are the Dark Marshal, the Betrayer, the Shadow Lord, the Undying, the Dwimmerlaik, the Tainted, and the Knight of Umbar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s listen to what they have to say,\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShire\u2026\u201d whispered East. \u201cBaggins\u2026 The Hobbit then pointed me to Bag End, but Frodo wasn\u2019t there. So, my hunt went to the forest near a farmer. I could smell them near a tree, and one of them got the bright idea,\u201d he held up a bag and changed his tone to an angry one, \u201cTO THROW A BAG OF VEGETABLES TO DISTRACT ME!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou think you had it bad?\u201d whispered Dwimmerlaik. The tone was feminine, so it surprised me after Gandalf told us they were men. \u201cTainted, Betrayer, Undying, and I were in the hotel OPPOSITE of theirs, so our kill count was about\u2026four murdered bed pillows!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd that gate keeper,\u201d whispered Tainted, in a slight Scots accent. \u201cWhy\u2019d he have to die?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry,\u201d whispered Betrayer. \u201cThe journey to Bree made me wait for my horse\u2019s ferry. It just made me so angry!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026That made you angry?\u201d whispered Tainted. \u201cWe\u2019re bound to the fate of a piece of jewelry, we have no horses after that flood near Rivendell, we just got the sack from Sauron, and an inconvenience like not having your horse near you at all times makes you angry!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe sack?\u201d asked Gandalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFired,\u201d I explained. Gandalf didn\u2019t understand. \u201cEr, released from service,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDismissed?\u201d yelped Gandalf, a little louder than I would have liked. \u201cSauron released his lieutenants from service?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSSHH!\u201d I hissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTHEY WERE RIGHT THERE!\u201d shrieked East. \u201cTHEY WERE STARING ME IN THE FACE!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe we would have gotten the Ring,\u201d whispered Betrayer, \u201cif we didn\u2019t look so bloody ominous!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI told you,\u201d hissed Knight, \u201cblack is a very slimming color.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, even though we lost our jobs,\u201d whispered Dwimmerlaik, \u201cat least we look pretty!\u201d Sarcasm was heavy in her voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEnough!\u201d snarled Witch-King. \u201cIt\u2019s hardly our fault. Lord Vortech thought to give the Ring to Sauron. He needed control over our forces. With the Ring in his possession, Sauron believes himself invincible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd you know of a weakness?\u201d asked East.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t be absurd, Kham\u00fbl,\u201d whispered Witch-King. \u201cSauron wouldn\u2019t be stupid to reveal his weakness to anyone.\u201d I sighed inwardly, as I had hoped I would gain intel on that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAbsurd?\u201d hissed East. \u201cAbsurd?! That\u2019s it! I\u2019ve had it up to here with you! You constantly push us around and don\u2019t even give us thanks for it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerhaps we would have been given the reward we so richly deserve,\u201d hissed Witch-King, \u201cif you weren\u2019t distracted by a bag of carrots!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh yeah?!\u201d hissed East. \u201cI hope you turn to ash, you pathetic excuse of a King!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you have a problem?!\u201d hissed Witch-King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes!\u201d responded East. \u201cIt\u2019s 7\u20191\u201d and reeks of N\u00famenor!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, you\u2019re an overbearing failure that gets his directions from midgets!\u201d hissed Witch-King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re bossy,\u201d accused East, \u201cyou\u2019re rude, and you have no sense of hand to hand combat!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t know why Sauron gave you your ring in the first place!\u201d hissed Witch-King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat makes two of us!\u201d hissed East. \u201cI QUIT!\u201d He stormed off. We decided to slip past them. I really wish we could mask our smells, because Dwimmerlaik sniffed the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHang on,\u201d she whispered, \u201cI smell someone! Kham\u00fbl, come back! We need you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, we don\u2019t!\u201d hissed Witch-King. \u201cIf he wishes to abandon us, let him do so! Kh\u00f2rena, what do you smell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMen, women, and the metal spider!\u201d whispered Dwimmerlaik. \u201cKham\u00fbl, get over here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI said, leave him!\u201d hissed Witch-King.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t be stupid!\u201d hissed Dwimmerlaik. \u201cWe need him to beat these guys!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKh\u00f2rena, put him out of your mind!\u201d barked Witch-King. \u201cThat is an order!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGo drown yourself,\u201d hissed Marshal. \u201cKham\u00fbl\u2019s been carrying us more than you have. Kh\u00f2rena, since you were third in command, what are your orders?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNever mind the humans,\u201d whispered Dwimmerlaik, \u201cwe need Kham\u00fbl more than Angmar here!\u201d The remaining Nazg\u00fbl split into two sides, Witch-King and the rest. Dwimmerlaik and her company mounted their horses and rode off after East, leaving Witch-King to fight us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTRAITORS!\u201d shrieked Witch-King. \u201cDECEIVERS! TWO FACED DOLTS! I\u2019LL HAVE YOUR HEADS!\u201d He was in such a rage that he gave the signature Nazg\u00fbl shriek. He then turned to us. \u201cFine,\u201d he hissed as he grabbed a helmet that gave off an image of a crown of thorns, \u201cI\u2019ll deal with these creatures myself!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cScram!\u201d I snapped as he looked at me. \u201cWe\u2019ve got a mission and an undead king isn\u2019t gonna stop us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome not between the Nazg\u00fbl and his prey!\u201d warned the former Nazg\u00fbl leader. He swung his mace at us, nearly knocking the wind out of us. As we ducked, my face was too near his sword\u2019s point. I spun away, making him focus on me. As he raised his weapons, the Nazg\u00fbl lord was struck across the back by Touch\u00e9\u2019s foil. He dropped his weapons as he cried out in pain. I then plunged my sword into his arm, making him clutch the wound as I pulled my blade out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCease battle!\u201d I shouted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you out of your mind?!\u201d called Guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRoyal is right,\u201d remarked Gandalf as he sheathed Glamdring. \u201cWithout Sauron to answer to, the Witch-King of Angmar is nothing more than a ghost. He cannot hope to continue without the power of the Ring or his former servants.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe proceed to the last gate,\u201d I affirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo living man can hinder the Nazg\u00fbl lord,\u201d argued Battle. \u201cA good chunk of us are women! We need him gone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo!\u201d I said with finality in my voice. \u201cIf any of the ladies kill him now, rest assured, I will see to it that you have your membership in the Feudal Nerd Society revoked!\u201d Harsh, I admit, but I was not about to kill a creature that needed pity more than death. Everyone considered, then sheathed their weapons. \u201cI thought so,\u201d I commented. We pressed on when something dark gripped us. An evil voice spoke, belonging to the Dark Lord of Mordor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou cannot hide,\u201d he hissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNot even trying to,\u201d I responded. Sauron laughed and faded. We ploughed our way through and made it to the final gate. \u201cEr, where\u2019s the transmitter?\u201d I gulped. \u201cSpread out!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBit of a problem,\u201d replied K\u00e4mpfer, \u201ca security door is closing whenever we approach it and Combatmen from inside are laughing at us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOn top of that,\u201d continued Hongo, \u201cVortexons are near that locker inside.\u201d The aforementioned minions were laughing and miming that they can\u2019t open the locker. I got an idea and swapped the Tarantulas i.d tag for the Batman one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBatman Steel!\u201d announced my belt. I got the armor on straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTaunt them back,\u201d I directed. \u201cI have a plan.\u201d The Vortex Riders did, admittedly, childish things to taunt them, by anyone\u2019s standards. The enemy then went into a taunt war with my friends while I slipped in and fiddled with the controls, i.e. I cut a few wires to make it spark. When it did, a Shocker Combatman tried to make the doors close. When he failed, that\u2019s when I made myself visible. The enemy turned, then smiled nervously as they waved. I gave the Queen wave before I grabbed a Vortexon and spun around, knocking everyone out. Gandalf got in after the enemy fell and jimmied the lock on the locker. A transmitter fell out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s exactly what we need!\u201d called Hongo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI saw an air vent with a dangling part above the building\u2019s awning,\u201d revealed Wyldstyle. \u201cIf you could accompany me up, Hongo?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGladly!\u201d cheered Ichig\u014d. They jumped up and landed perfectly up top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow THAT is impressive jumping power!\u201d cackled Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt should be,\u201d I replied. \u201cOn top of cybernetics, he\u2019s been blended with the DNA of a grasshopper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou mean, he\u2019s a genetically altered cyborg?\u201d gagged Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne of Shocker\u2019s greatest successes and failures,\u201d I mused. Tarantulas made a disgusted noise. \u201cYou were gonna dissect him and eat him, weren\u2019t you!\u201d I yelped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI WAS,\u201d muttered Tarantulas, \u201cbut genetically altered people don\u2019t taste well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI was right! You\u2019re SICK!\u201d I accused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFlattery will get you nowhere,\u201d countered Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cScale Keystone, activate!\u201d announced Ichig\u014d. \u201cLessen scale of Wyldstyle!\u201d Wyldstyle shrunk and went under the dangling part of the vent. \u201cEnlarge scale of Wyldstyle!\u201d Wyldstyle grew, holding the vent part in its place. \u201cLessen scale of Ichig\u014d!\u201d Ichig\u014d shrunk and crawled into the vent. Sadly, enemy forces were trying to get up the awning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh, not again!\u201d moaned Batman. He turned up. \u201cHongo! You gotta deactivate the gateway!\u201d No sooner had he asked than the electricity surrounding the web part of the gate shut off. Ichig\u014d then leapt out and landed on Wyldstyle\u2019s shoulder as she let the vent part drop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNormalize scale of Wyldstyle and Ichig\u014d!\u201d called Ichig\u014d. Not a bright move as when their mass and size changed, they toppled onto each other. They disentangled themselves soon enough and joined us. Spiders then approached us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTough and thick, your skins must be,\u201d one hissed at us, \u201cbut I\u2019ll wager that there\u2019s good juices inside!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAye, they\u2019ll make fine feasting when they\u2019ve hung a bit!\u201d remarked another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOnly a few are well fed,\u201d observed a third as it looked at Touch\u00e9. \u201cDon\u2019t hang \u2018em too long!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat is it, Make Fun of Fat Women Day?\u201d snapped Touch\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou should be honored!\u201d said a fourth to her. \u201cWith one of your girth, you could feed us for months!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFeast! Feast! Feast!\u201d chanted the spiders. I was still in Batman Steel, so I activated my stealth functions. Batman did the same. My friends then swapped out their i.d tags for the Batman one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBatman Steel!\u201d their belts announced. After the wardrobe disappeared, they activated their stealth functions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTHE MEAT\u2019S DISAPPEARED!\u201d shouted the first spider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEasy fix,\u201d assured the fourth spider. It turned around rapidly and started firing web balls at us. Long story short, we got webbed. \u201cThere we are! Right\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhere I want you!\u201d called Tarantulas. I got web over my eyes, so I couldn\u2019t see. All I heard were the screams and death rattles of the spiders. Once the screams died down, I heard a hissing noise. As it progressed, the web around me got brittle. I moved my head, making the web crack all around me. I got up and witnessed my friends doing the same and Tarantulas was kicking off the web on the gate. The spiders laid dead with cracked exoskeletons and puncture points.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEr\u2026what did\u2026?\u201d I asked Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCrystalocution is a martial art that focuses on attacking the enemy\u2019s fracture points,\u201d explained Tarantulas. \u201cGranted, it\u2019s never been done on an organic, but I needed to test a theory. If one were to use that martial art on an organic with an exoskeleton, the results would be similar, not exact, to using in on a metal enemy. Those three Orcs over there,\u201d he pointed to the messy remains of Orcs that I will NOT describe here because it was gory, \u201cserved as the control group. As you can see, my theory was proven correct. The results are similar, but not exactly like attacking a Cybertronian. Now, all that\u2019s left is to find out if the results are the same for ALL organics with natural armor.\u201d The web was cleared away. \u201cShall we go?\u201d asked Tarantulas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, good!\u201d cheered Gandalf, welcoming the change in topic. \u201cOnwards! Onwards!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy do I get the feeling that the worst is still to come?\u201d asked Wyldstyle. The question repeated in all of our heads as we pressed on.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Again! That dream has been infecting my brain again! I was getting a little peeved. Richard\u2019s corpse had already grabbed me when I snarled at it. \u201cWhat, am I going to join you as the restless dead?\u201d I snarked. \u201cYou\u2019ve failed us and will pay in eternal waking!\u201d accused the corpse. \u201cI failed no one!\u201d […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,8],"tags":[14,44,16,9,17,12,45,42,43,15],"class_list":["post-119","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kamen-rider-vortex","category-kamen-rider-vortex-chapters","tag-batman","tag-dc-comics","tag-gandalf","tag-kamen-rider","tag-kamen-rider-ichigo","tag-megumi-hishikawa","tag-mordor-forces","tag-sauron","tag-tarantulas","tag-wyldstyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=119"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1071,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/119\/revisions\/1071"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/120"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=119"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=119"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=119"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}