\u201cMy, Lord Sauron,\u201d joked Lord Vortech. \u201cYou look a bit bent out of shape!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot my doing,\u201d replied Igura.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust what were you trying to pull here?!\u201d snapped Hiro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA stupid move, if you ask me,\u201d mused Ambassador Hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo one asked you!\u201d hissed Sauron. He limped off to reshape himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cServes you right,\u201d called Vortech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExcellent Nikujaga last night, Ambassador,\u201d lauded Igura. \u201cI had no idea you could cook.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI lived alone for a while,\u201d answered Ambassador Hell. \u201cNow, about the Riders\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes,\u201d agreed Vortech, \u201cit would seem the mice have escaped from my maze, and for some reason, I cannot locate them. So, Mr. Joker!\u201d The Joker\u2019s finger slipped on the trigger of the party gun he was pointing at Two-Face. \u201cWhat do we do if we can\u2019t find them?\u201d continued Vortech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe make THEM find US?\u201d asked the Joker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPrecisely!\u201d answered Vortech. \u201cHiro! Igura! With me! We\u2019re going to find the next Foundation Element ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTry not to destroy anything in our absence,\u201d called Hiro to their allies as he, Vortech, and Igura went to another dimension. The Joker felt a finger on his shoulder. He turned to the finger\u2019s owner and got a slap from Two-Face, still sore about the party gun to his face. The Joker then tackled Two-Face and started brawling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA pity they don\u2019t understand army discipline like we do, eh Lord Sauron?\u201d asked Saruman to the newly made Sauron. The Dark Lord then slapped the Wizard of Many Colors upside his head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t think I haven\u2019t found out about your army of Uruk-Hai,\u201d snarled Sauron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt least they understand teamwork, unlike your Orcs!\u201d argued Saruman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, feeling high and mighty, are we?!\u201d growled Sauron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMightier than you, perhaps!\u201d snapped Saruman. \u201cYou were beaten down by children and you had the One Ring!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI warn you,\u201d threatened Sauron, \u201cI\u2019m still the most powerful of us Maiar!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cConsidering a girl and a mortal man bested you in different ages,\u201d argued Saruman, \u201cthat claim is under suspicion!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it, COME HERE!\u201d Sauron tackled Saruman and they started brawling. Lex Luthor just sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While that went on, we tumbled through the gateway, landing on top of each other. We picked ourselves up and shook ourselves off. \u201cNow THAT!\u201d exclaimed the bus driver, \u201cwas AWESOME!\u201d Something then sparked in his brain. \u201cEverything is awesome!\u201d he sang, poorly. \u201cEverything is cool when you\u2019re part of\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNO!\u201d shouted Wyldstyle. \u201cNone of that! I hate that song!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell done, Wyldstyle,\u201d praised Gandalf. \u201cIt would have been a long way down had you not opened that rift.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYeah,\u201d agreed Batman, \u201cI get the feeling that Keystone\u2019s gonna come in handy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s find out how to use it properly then,\u201d suggested Wyldstyle. The Keystone then floated in the air.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis is the Locate Keystone,\u201d explained the voice as the Keystone attached to the gateway. \u201cNow you can help me find my car keys. I\u2019m just kidding, maybe later.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
+GATEWAY 100% STABILIZED+ announced my belt. +ALL SYSTEMS FULLY OPERATIONAL+ A portal opened for the bus driver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, I gotta go,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Missus hates it when I\u2019m late. Before I go, something for your trouble.\u201d He handed us a bag of, you guessed it, studs. He went through the portal and left us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
+TOTAL STUDS IN BAG EQUAL 125,000+ reported my belt. +CURRENT CUMULATIVE STUD TOTAL IS NOW 725,000+<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m surprised you haven\u2019t spent them,\u201d whispered a woman\u2019s voice. We whirled around to see Death herself sipping tea with the Brigadier and Elphaba. Rusty was serving them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWould you like some sugar?\u201d he asked Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTwo will suffice,\u201d whispered Death. Rusty spooned out two lumps. \u201cThank you,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re welcome!\u201d reciprocated Rusty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow did you get here?!\u201d I yelped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m Death,\u201d whispered the Grim Reaper. \u201cI go anywhere. I presume you\u2019ve heard of the two riders that can beat Vortech?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d I confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, we have our Kamen Rider Apocalypse being trained,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cHer name is Lacey and she came from Dimension T-H-3-5-1-M-P-5-0-N-5.\u201d I blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Simpsons?\u201d I repeated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe\u2019s tried to keep the damage in Springfield down to a minimum,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cShe\u2019s a sweet Goth girl who wants to expand her multiversal understanding. She\u2019s doing very well in that regard at After Academy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat just leaves Kamen Rider Vortex,\u201d muttered Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd I believe that Rider to be one of you,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Lady,\u201d I quizzed, \u201care you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVery sure,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cYou have to admit, no one else would have the Vortex Drivers if they didn\u2019t have the courage to accept them.\u201d I considered Death\u2019s words. She was right, taking this mess on would scare the average person. Joshua nearly backed out but found courage when he remembered his father\u2026dear Lord, I forgot!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy Lady,\u201d I began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust call me Death,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cI consider you to be friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, Death,\u201d I continued, \u201cit\u2019s about the hostages in Vortech\u2019s domain.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour loved ones?\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes, the Mouth of Sauron said that they suffered before they died,\u201d I explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat is a lie, and I can prove it!\u201d whispered Death harshly. She handed me a book. \u201cThis is the Book of Fate, my cousin,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cI have it on loan from him. Inside it details the futures of everyone in the multiverse. Open it and speak the name of the person you want to know about.\u201d I was hesitant but opened it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHaruna Hishikawa,\u201d I requested. It started forming an image. It was from the view of another person. This person was shouting in Japanese at Vortexons and giving one of them bruises. The hand the person had was one I recognized. Mom was alive and giving her captors grief! I sighed in relief and showed it to Hiroki. He laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMom said she would give jailers grief!\u201d he cheered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe same is true for the other hostages,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cThey are ALL alive and well and causing stress for the enemy. Hence, their sloppiness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have no idea what weight has been lifted from our shoulders!\u201d exclaimed Xiomara.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow, the reason for my visit,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cIt\u2019s about the nightmare you\u2019ve all been having. Something is infecting your brains and is making you rather sloppy with lack of decent sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd you\u2019re here to cure it?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, sadly, I cannot,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cNot without the identity of the creature. All I did last night was banish it temporarily. The way to achieve a cure is for everyone to sleep close together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen we\u2019re gonna sleep in here,\u201d I affirmed, gesturing to the Gateway room at large. \u201cThis nightmare has been driving me berserk and I want it gone!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI would recommend getting a good dinner and a comfortable set of night clothes,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cThe wardrobe is over near your room, Your Highness.\u201d After dinner, Death led us to the wardrobe near my room. It was like the TARDIS in that it was bigger on the inside! It seemed to be an entire city devoted to clothes! Various outdoor stalls on many levels and paths going above and below us were displaying proudly on streets named Petticoat Lane, T-Shirt Avenue, Jean Street, and other various street names like that. \u201cThe nightclothes should be on Sleepwear Avenue, level 4 below you,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cWhen you\u2019re finished, just say that you want the path for the exit and the floor will show you the way. I must set up our bed. See you later.\u201d She left the room and shut the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026I guess we just grab our pj\u2019s,\u201d I muttered. We went down a couple of levels via an elevator and got our nightwear. I asked for the path back up and it flashed green. We followed it and made our way to the gateway room. It had a large bed to fit us all with a black and white color scheme, black being dominant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIs everyone ready?\u201d asked Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe are,\u201d I confirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen let\u2019s get some sleep,\u201d whispered Death. We all tucked in for the night and drifted off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dream was still the same one. \u201cThis is rather unpleasant looking,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy me though?\u201d I asked. \u201cWhy do they attack me?\u201d My answer wasn\u2019t gonna come as the bodies came up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFailure!\u201d accused Batman\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou let us down!\u201d hissed Hongo\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m very disappointed, Ms. Hishikawa,\u201d snarled a broken Brigadier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExtermination is too good for you!\u201d droned a broken Rusty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI wasted a second chance at life for YOU?!\u201d shrieked Elphaba. \u201cI can\u2019t believe Death wanted to give me a chance!\u201d Death raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t tell her anything about her resurrection,\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnimportant!\u201d declared Richard\u2019s body. \u201cWhat IS important is that Megumi joins me as a restless beast, as she should have been!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBeast?\u201d I asked \u201cAs I should have been? \u2018Me\u2019?\u201d The clues then fell into place. I grinned. \u201cAll right, let\u2019s do it,\u201d I declared. \u201cConvert me.\u201d Richard\u2019s body raised an eyebrow. \u201cDidn\u2019t you hear me? Convert me! I order you, convert me!\u201d Richard stared, then all my friends shrugged. Richard\u2019s body grabbed my shoulder. I then grabbed the arm. \u201cNow,\u201d I snarled as I decayed, \u201cremove yourself from my friends, Hiro, or perish!\u201d The eyes of my friends goggled. \u201cThat\u2019s right,\u201d I hissed, \u201cI know who you are! You\u2019ve been trying to make me doubt the strength of my friends. You\u2019ve tried to undo the repairs to my psyche that my mother, Haruna, made after she adopted me! Now, get out of our minds!\u201d My friends\u2019 bodies stared, then, with a united voice, they started cackling. They spoke in Hiro\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou have no power here, failure!\u201d he declared in all my friend\u2019s mouths. \u201cI will not rest until I correct a mistake I made! You cannot beat me! I bested Death over there and I\u2019ll beat her and you!\u201d Then, as I decayed completely, Richard\u2019s body shook. \u201cWhat the?\u201d yelped Hiro\u2019s voice. Soon, all of my friends started shaking. A black ooze started coming out. Soon, Richard\u2019s arm grabbed the ooze and started pulling it! He was reasserting control, finally!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGET OUT OF OUR HEADS!\u201d he roared in his normal voice. All of those Hiro infected were doing the same. Soon, they all pulled the black stuff out of their bodies and threw it to the ground. It started moving towards them in patches. Even still decayed, we managed to escape the stuff, with Death\u2019s help, of course. Finally, the ooze patches came together and formed a humanoid shape. Then, like Venom\u2019s symbiote, it peeled away from Hiro\u2019s body and then formed the Rogue Driver, complete with guns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s it, taking the direct route!\u201d he declared as he loaded his i.d tag into his guns. \u201cHenshin!\u201d He formed the suit and became\u2026 \u201cKamen Rider Rogue! Stand and deliver!\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI won\u2019t be beaten by you again!\u201d whispered Death. She pulled out her own belt and put it on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re a Kamen Rider?\u201d asked Hongo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBecame one a few years ago,\u201d whispered Death. She then grabbed the skull on the front. \u201cHenshin!\u201d She rotated the skull right-side up and snapped the jaw shut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDeath!\u201d it announced. Her own suit formed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cKamen Rider Death!\u201d she announced. \u201cYou cannot delay your appointment with me!\u201d She drew her scythe and swung it at Rogue, who whirled away. He then pulled the handles on the guns down to make them straight. He then combined them to extend half of a blade from the barrels and uniting them to make a short sword. Both blades clashed and their owners struggled to get their respective weapons to hurt the other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe need to do something!\u201d I hissed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLike what?!\u201d asked Batman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know, but Death needs help!\u201d I observed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou see the kind of power Hiro\u2019s packing?!\u201d argued Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t care if he\u2019s a god!\u201d I countered. \u201cI will bring him down no matter what!\u201d Just then, a golden light flew towards me. It stopped and hovered for a second. I was compelled to touch it and let my hand go towards it. The instant I made contact, the light became a new device. It was cream colored with gold trim in a fire shape and a blue circle in the middle like my Vortex Driver. I examined the device and saw a slot on the top. It spat out an i.d tag, my own, in fact! \u201cA new Driver?\u201d I asked. \u201cOnly one thing to do!\u201d I put it on my waist as it formed a golden belt strap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt has the old Imperial Dalek colors!\u201d observed Rusty. Then, all at once, the decay we all suffered seemed to vanish! Flesh flowed back onto our bones! Metal came back together and polished itself on Rusty and the Brigadier!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHenshin!\u201d I announced. I inserted the i.d tag and ran through the circle. I appeared in my suit and drew my blade, the metal of it flashing as I swung at Rogue He managed to duck and give a sucker punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
+NEW FUNCTION+ \u201cavailable\u201d said my belt. I didn\u2019t register that it changed tones. An H.U.D flashed up in my helmet, detailing poses and what I need to say to activate and an image of the final result. I then pressed my hands as if in prayer, then crossed them so my hands touched my shoulders, then held my hands up and formed an energy ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSUPER CHARGE!\u201d I shouted. A bolt of yellow lightning struck me but didn\u2019t hurt me. All of a sudden, a surge of power ran through me. I felt my suit change somehow, but I couldn\u2019t place what changed. Everyone gawked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHer colors match the new belt!\u201d yelled Rusty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHer suit\u2019s as bulky as mine!\u201d called Hongo. My sword materialized. It had gotten longer and wider and gained a hand guard. The guard seemed to have a rail that the main golden blade would travel on to fold onto the outside of my arm. It had a split to account for left handers. A hole was at the front of the guard, just under the rail\u2019s split, leading me to believe that the rail was part of a firearm mode for my blade. I charged at Rogue and managed to knock him down with my blade. He picked himself up, trying to comprehend what was going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMid-season upgrade!\u201d observed Hiroki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the end for you,\u201d I declared to Rogue. \u201cFrom what the H.U.D in my helmet\u2019s telling me, you now face Kamen Rider Proto-Vortex!\u201d It was then that I realized how stupid the name was but didn\u2019t say anything. I moved the blade down the right-side branch of the rail and folded it back against my arm. I then took out my i.d tag and put it into a slot on the hand guard\u2019s rear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cFinal Attack!\u201d announced my weapon. I then pointed my weapon at Rogue, Death got out of the way. The whole weapon glowed gold and made a yellow energy ball.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRider Proto Blast!\u201d I called. I pressed a button concealed in the handle and unleashed the energy ball. It grew as it travelled towards Rogue. It knocked him down. When he picked himself up, he started going into spasms and sparked everywhere. A classic trope for most Japanese villains and monsters. When defeated, they spark and spasm for a while and say something before exploding. I turned around to face my audience. Death looked at me oddly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEr, why\u2026?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHeroes don\u2019t look at explosions,\u201d I explained. Death looked back and forth between me and Rogue, then turned around fully and made an awkward attempt to strike a dynamic pose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSO BE IT!\u201d declared Rogue. \u201cYOU\u2019VE WON THE BATTLE, BUT NOT THE WAR! I WILL BE VICTORIOUS!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t hold your breath,\u201d I quipped. Then, BOOM! The backwash of heat came over me. As it did, the dream faded and we woke up. It wasn\u2019t in a cold sweat this time. A brief intake of air and we rubbed our eyes, getting out of bed. Death stretched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat was exciting!\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, no more of Hiro attacking us in our dreams?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo more of Hiro attacking you in your dreams,\u201d confirmed Death. \u201cAnd gaining the Proto Supreme Vortex Driver to boot, I\u2019m amazed!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cToo bad it\u2019s a dream,\u201d I sighed. \u201cThat kind of power was awesome!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA dream?\u201d asked Death. \u201cCheck your Driver again.\u201d I blinked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut it was just a\u2026\u201d I began. I had grabbed my Driver at that time and felt something different. I looked to see that I held the same belt as in my dream. \u201cWhat the?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Proto Supreme Vortex Driver,\u201d whispered Death, \u201cis a test to see if the user is truly the one to be Kamen Rider Vortex. For now, you are Kamen Rider Proto-Vortex.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCan I still call myself Kamen Rider Royal?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUsername accepted,\u201d answered my belt in a woman\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the?\u201d I yelped again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour belt\u2019s A.I,\u201d whispered Death, confused, \u201chas changed as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been some time, old friend,\u201d sighed my belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re someone I took in,\u201d whispered Death, \u201cyou\u2019re going to have to be more specific.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell,\u201d mused my belt, \u201cwe did take in tea for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDoesn\u2019t exactly narrow things down,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe founded a school together with War, Pestilence, and Famine,\u201d continued my belt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow THAT narrows it down to three,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe school would train those that have potential to become Apocalypse,\u201d finished my belt. Death\u2019s eyes went wide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cQueen Vortoranii?!\u201d she yelped. \u201cGood lord, what happened?! You disappeared from my realm a while ago!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI had pressing business, such as watching Vortech,\u201d explained Vortoranii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow I get it!\u201d I declared. \u201cYou buried your soul deep into the Vortex Driver\u2019s code so it could pick its host carefully!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cExactly!\u201d confirmed Vortoranii. \u201cAnd the prototype Driver, the Rogue Driver of Vortech\u2019s design, chose its host before I found one for me. When it started moving, I followed it and copied my soul into sixteen equal clones, each holding a fragment of the map to find the Kamen Riders, Apocalypse and Vortex.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd so, you built drivers to counter Hiro\u2019s!\u201d guessed Emmanuel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRight again!\u201d confirmed Vortoranii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, I can\u2019t wait to use this in real life!\u201d I giggled. \u201cMy\u2026Precious!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHey, Gollum,\u201d quipped Richard, \u201cif you could put it down, we still have questions to ask Her Majesty, like why Vortech\u2019s gathering Foundation Elements and enslaved the Tarlaxians.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s WHAT?!\u201d yelped Vortoranii. \u201cOh, sweet Lord, NO! Why would he do that?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell?\u201d I asked. \u201cCan you offer any explanation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSadly, no,\u201d sighed Vortoranii. \u201cThe only one who could offer an explanation would be my spy, X-PO, but I have no idea where he followed Vortech.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe better find X-PO soon,\u201d whispered Death as she made the bed disappear. \u201cVortech found Foundation Prime and has a few Foundation Elements in his possession.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhere are YOU going?\u201d I asked Death as she made a portal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTo the previous dimension you were in,\u201d she whispered in reply. \u201cQuite a few people died there and I need to get a few of them to rest easy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, yeah,\u201d I said, remembering the Orc prison in front of Barad-d\u00fbr. Death had a job to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSee you later,\u201d whispered Death. \u201cHopefully, I won\u2019t have to do my job with you any time soon.\u201d She departed. I then noticed I was still tired.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat time is it?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMidnight,\u201d reported Vortoranii.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe better head to our rooms and go to sleep,\u201d I mused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYour Highness,\u201d asked Emily, \u201cdo you mind if Richard and I have a sleepover with you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSure,\u201d I agreed. We headed to our rooms, with Richard and Emily following me, and climbed into bed. Our sleep was a lot more restful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Death arrived in the DC comics world. She swung her scythe at a woman\u2019s body. \u201cMay I give you a hand?\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSure, thanks,\u201d replied the woman in a Cockney accent. \u201cHere, your hands\u2019re freezing, miss!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSorry,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGrief, how am I gonna explain this whole thing to my boss?\u201d asked the woman. \u201cI missed me flight, and he\u2019s going to be footing the bill. That\u2019s the last thing he does for me before giving me the sack!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAh,\u201d whispered Death, \u201cwell, there, I have good news for you, Ms. Katrina Tyler. Er, then again, I have some bad news as well.\u201d She gestured to Katrina\u2019s body. Her soul looked at it and made the connection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, you\u2019re\u2026\u201d she gulped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes,\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSo, do I have to\u2026go through a door\u2026or some such thing?\u201d asked Katrina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThrough a door?\u201d asked Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just that,\u201d explained Katrina, \u201cback home, the priest said that we always approach Death\u2019s door, and then you decide where we go, and\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe decision of Heaven or Hell is out of my hands,\u201d explained Death. \u201cAs for a door, I expect it depends in the direction you\u2019re walking in.\u201d She led Katrina off and faded with her.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cMy, Lord Sauron,\u201d joked Lord Vortech. \u201cYou look a bit bent out of shape!\u201d \u201cNot my doing,\u201d replied Igura. \u201cJust what were you trying to pull here?!\u201d snapped Hiro. \u201cA stupid move, if you ask me,\u201d mused Ambassador Hell. \u201cNo one asked you!\u201d hissed Sauron. He limped off to reshape himself. \u201cServes you right,\u201d called […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":129,"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":[14,26,16,13,9,17,28,12,47,15],"class_list":["post-125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kamen-rider-vortex","category-kamen-rider-vortex-chapters","tag-batman","tag-death","tag-gandalf","tag-hiro-adachi","tag-kamen-rider","tag-kamen-rider-ichigo","tag-lord-vortech","tag-megumi-hishikawa","tag-upgrade","tag-wyldstyle"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125","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=125"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1073,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/125\/revisions\/1073"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=125"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=125"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}