\u201cWhere are my manners?\u201d chuckled the Romulan Borg. \u201cFeudal Nerd Society, meet the Lords\u2019 boss; Khan, the Author, better known as Kamen Rider Weaver!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVery good hype man work, Sonavok,\u201d praised the new Rider, Weaver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSonavok?!\u201d snarled Guard. \u201cAs in Baron Sonavok?! The one who sent schlock to MNN for me to read?! The same schlock I refused to read?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, that\u2019s why you weren\u2019t in your usual time slot,\u201d remarked the Romulan Borg, Sonavok. \u201cYou were fired. Personally, I would have preferred execution, but that\u2019s impossible for the inhabitants of this universe, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEnough,\u201d demanded Weaver. He turned his attention to Megumi. \u201cI would advise you to-\u201d He didn\u2019t get far as Kaitlyn, Kamen Rider Spark, leapt at him with her own sword drawn. He dodged the attack, then pulled out a book and wrote something in it. \u201c\u2018Once the book was closed,\u2019\u201d he read the passage aloud, \u201c\u2018one of the drones surrounding the place grabbed Spark by the throat and squeezed.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat?!\u201d yelped Kaede, Kamen Rider Shade. Once the book was closed, one of the drones surrounding the place grabbed Spark by the throat and squeezed. Spark gasped for air as the drone strangled her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSTOP!\u201d shouted Emily, Kamen Rider Touch\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCause and effect,\u201d replied Weaver. \u201cResistance begets violence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThen we won\u2019t resist!\u201d begged Royal. \u201cJust please! Let her go!\u201d Weaver nodded to the drone. The drone released Spark and her transformation was cancelled, leaving her to gasp for breath as Shade checked her over. Kaitlyn patted Shade\u2019s arm in assurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat are you doing here?!\u201d demanded Joshua, Emily\u2019s husband, Kamen Rider Outback. \u201cWhat do you want?!\u201d Weaver then pulled the handles behind his belt\u2019s spider out of their slots and changed into his normal persona of Khan, the Author, a young man wearing a brown coat, Panama hat, and aviator shades.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI seek the Sources of the Apocalypse, the Sources of Flourishment, and the 3V2R prizes of Megumi, Optimus, and Arsha,\u201d explained Khan. \u201cTheir collection will prevent evil from rising.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe\u2019re not exactly conquerors!\u201d snarled Touch\u00e9.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m aware,\u201d replied Khan. \u201cBut your actions have tempted evildoers to try. Besides, your many contradictions fascinate me. They will prove useful in creating the New Multiverse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t serve you!\u201d declared Royal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cServe? Unlike the petty despots infecting the multiverse, I don\u2019t require your survival to put my plans into motion! If anything, your presence will only encourage further resistance. There is no place for you in the New Multiverse. I only require pure heroes and pure villains. All other factions are remnants to be discarded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhy?!\u201d Khan smirked as he answered Royal\u2019s question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou lot value stability as I do, but you fail to permanently stop chaos in its tracks. I will see to it that the New Multiverse has heroes that know how to get the job done.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat, by killing?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf need be. You, of all people, should understand that killing a villain is necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAre you kidding?! I hated it when I hasten Death\u2019s domain! It makes me feel like I failed her!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd yet, if you didn\u2019t, Vortech would have made the multiverse his Lego set. Besides, did you not consider that, perhaps, Death\u2019s domain NEEDS to be hastened at points? To finally make justice, mercy, and duty the truth?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt already is!\u201d The Author scoffed at Megumi\u2019s insistence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou believe so?\u201d he asked. \u201cTake every single universe out there and grind them into the finest powder and sieve it through the finest sieve. Then show me one atom of justice! One molecule of mercy!\u201d Just then, a black mist erupted from the ground. The mist then formed into a Kamen Rider modeled after the Grim Reaper.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou pervert Sir Terry Pratchett\u2019s words as bad as an Evangelist perverts the Bible!\u201d hissed the Kamen Rider in a woman\u2019s voice. This was Death as Kamen Rider Death. She then summoned a black mist and surrounded the partiers. They all vanished, leaving Khan and his soldiers to their own devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNew Castle Nerd Skull is unimportant,\u201d remarked Khan. \u201cLet it exist as a monument to failure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAuthor,\u201d said Sonavok, \u201cI know you\u2019re connected to us, but I figured you could use a verbal report. The Juggernaut<\/em> reports that the city has been taken and Flora and her husband fled the Mayor\u2019s Mansion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThen Phase 2 is complete,\u201d declared Khan. \u201cBeyond City\u2019s defenses are irreversibly compromised. Begin Phase 3 and install our puppets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs you command.\u201d Sonavok vanished in a Borg transporter beam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The partiers and Death appeared in After Academy, the main school for Beyond City\u2019s universe. Everyone was in the main courtyard. The rest of the Horsemen of the Apocalypse and their heralds were there too. A blue-haired woman in a cloud dress and a rose in her hair was talking with a woman with raven hair and chalk-white skin. They saw the partiers. \u201cAh, good, you\u2019re here!\u201d sighed the raven-haired woman, Lacey Atmadja, the new Horseman of Chaos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on?\u201d asked Royal as she and the rest of her Riders powered down. \u201cOur party just got assaulted by Borg with emotions and individuality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve been doing some research on them when they drove me and Swalmu out of the Mayor\u2019s Mansion,\u201d replied the blue-haired woman, Flora Damfel, Lacey\u2019s herald and the Grand Mayor of Beyond City. \u201cThey call themselves the Lords. Their leader, the Author, appears to be in possession of a book that can make whatever is written in it come true.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Tome!\u201d whispered Death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know about this book?\u201d asked Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very dangerous book, believed to be a tool that can rewrite the multiverse! I thought it was guarded!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was,\u201d replied a new voice. A pale, blond man in a dress then arrived. His name was Jandro Dormu, a Vampire once from Arsha\u2019s world. \u201cBrendan and I did a bit more research. It turns out the Lords were taken from their universe and given a Unicomplex to surround the Tome, but they were severed from the Collective and they were directionless for a while until this Khan character took control and made them all into a new XB Collective.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cXB?\u201d asked Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cApparently, it\u2019s something former Borg are called. Khan is supposed to be a student of Anansi, whoever that is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Anansi?\u201d asked Death as her brow furrowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou know this person?\u201d asked Jandro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEvery Horseman has met him once or twice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t think I did,\u201d remarked Lacey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe\u2019s not someone we associate with. Last time we saw him was when your predecessor died at Vortech\u2019s hands. He\u2019s the Keeper of the Stories, a spider deity that\u2019s notorious for his trickery.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, you DO remember!\u201d cheered a voice. Everyone turned to see a man with eight black eyes, six arms, a spider\u2019s rear, and a wooden cane. \u201cI see not everyone knows me, though.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWait, you\u2019re the guy who tricked his boss into giving you a box,\u201d recalled Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh ah ah!\u201d corrected Anansi. \u201cI didn\u2019t trick Nyame, that\u2019s a death sentence. I simply used my wits to pay his price so I could have that box. Within that box were the stories, and I felt humans needed them. Good thing too, otherwise you humans would be bored. So, I believe the phrase is \u2018thank you\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, we\u2019re not subjecting ourselves to your rendition of You\u2019re Welcome<\/em>!\u201d hissed Death. \u201cWe had a deal, Anansi! You would stay out of our way, and we would stay out of yours!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs Jandro mentioned, Khan was a student of mine,\u201d replied Anansi with a slight edge to his voice. \u201cHis presence here means he seeks a way to Vorton and secure a path to Foundation Prime. He\u2019s my problem and I intend to deal with it, but it looks like I could do with your help.\u201d Death stared at him\u2026then laughed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTh-thi-i-hee-hee-hee! Thi-ha-ha-ha-ha! Oh, this is too rich!\u201d she guffawed. \u201cAnansi is asking for help!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cConsidering both mortal and immortal life is at risk, yes!\u201d hissed Anansi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPerhaps, if I could explain!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, perhaps you should!\u201d Anansi drew in a breath before beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBecause the Author intends to use Megumi, Optimus, and Arsha\u2019s 3V2R prizes to make a special clock that can send its maker anywhere they want. If he attaches it to the Tome, he can rewrite history for that universe alone. Worse still, if he gets the Sources of the Apocalypse and Flourishment, then he can rewrite all of creation all from the comfort of Foundation Prime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s why he attacked New Castle Nerd Skull,\u201d guessed Megumi. \u201cHe knows about the Gateway leading directly to Vorton. We gotta destroy it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can do it here, but the Lords are gonna see us!\u201d warned Lacey as she and Flora sat at a pair of computers. They logged into the private network of the F.N.S\u2019 base of operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGo to the file called \u2018Batcave\u2019, located in the \u2018Wayne Foundation\u2019 folder,\u201d directed Megumi. \u201cThere should be a program called Knightfall in there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI found it!\u201d called Flora. \u201cProblem is, so did the Lords!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll keep them off you!\u201d replied Lacey. Flora opened the program and her screen changed to two microphones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s got two vocal passwords!\u201d growled Flora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRichard, that\u2019s our que!\u201d called Megumi. She clicked on the record button. \u201cThis is Megumi Hishikawa, Feudal Nerd Society Queen. Engage Knightfall Program. Execution code 1. Vocal Password: Travelling Queen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cFirst Password: accepted,\u201d reported the program. Richard then clicked on the second record button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is Richard Saunders, Feudal Nerd Society King. Engage Knightfall Program. Execution cod 2. Vocal Password: Hank Aaron.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSecond Password: accepted,\u201d replied the program. \u201cKnightfall Program is in effect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019ll keep the Lords off the program\u2019s back!\u201d said Flora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAuthor!\u201d called a Lord drone. \u201cThey\u2019ve engaged the Knightfall Program and another user is joining the effort to keep us from executing it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll handle that,\u201d replied Khan. He wrote something in the Tome. \u201c\u2018At the sound of the Tome snapping shut, the-\u2019\u201d He didn\u2019t get very far as an explosion rocked the base. \u201cDAMMIT!\u201d swore the Author. \u201cIt\u2019s too far along! Evacuate!\u201d He and the Lords then vanished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKnightfall Program: complete,\u201d reported the program. Everyone sighed in relief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s Vorton cut off from them,\u201d said Megumi. \u201cThank you, Batman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd we\u2019re without allies,\u201d remarked Richard. \u201cWithout a way to Vorton, we can\u2019t accurately raise our friends like Chizara.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOr the Realms,\u201d reminded Jandro.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOr the Autobots,\u201d supplied Lacey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026You know, having Optimus AND Arsha would help,\u201d mused Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, they both have the technology,\u201d said Death. \u201cI mean, the Realms are sub-dimensions that run together, and people cross the barriers between them freely. And with Sonic around, the Autobots have a concept of how to cross into parallel universes, so we might get help anyways.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can\u2019t just wait for them to save us at the last second!\u201d argued Richard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUnfortunately, that\u2019s the only option available to us,\u201d replied Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can\u2019t be serious!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith Flora\u2019s home compromised and us having initiated Knightfall, we can\u2019t get help. The only choice we have is to wait out the Lords\u2019 occupation of Beyond City and fight them at every turn until help from Vorton arrives, either by the Vorton Team\u2019s call or by them stumbling onto Vorton. Either way, we can\u2019t call for help. We\u2019ll have to go with guerrilla warfare in order to free Beyond City. We strike from the shadows.\u201d Richard couldn\u2019t really argue with Megumi\u2019s logic at the moment. It didn\u2019t mean he liked it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cWhere are my manners?\u201d chuckled the Romulan Borg. \u201cFeudal Nerd Society, meet the Lords\u2019 boss; Khan, the Author, better known as Kamen Rider Weaver!\u201d \u201cVery good hype man work, Sonavok,\u201d praised the new Rider, Weaver. \u201cSonavok?!\u201d snarled Guard. \u201cAs in Baron Sonavok?! The one who sent schlock to MNN for me to read?! The same […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6220,"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":[754,880],"tags":[9],"class_list":["post-6223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journey-through-wonder","category-story-journey-through-wonder","tag-kamen-rider"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6223","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=6223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6224,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6223\/revisions\/6224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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