Fortnights

Chapter 11 – Battle Pass Season 2

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An ancient temple…

Long ago...

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"I really hope you're right about this," said the helmeted woman in red armor, a blood red axe on her shoulder, a red shield with a dragon's crest in one hand. "Because if you aren't…"

"Then the guardians of this temple will destroy us," said the helmeted man in black armor, wielding a black shield and a blood red axe. "I KNOW. But the chance for power is too great."

The two of them slunk through the holy temple, weapons and shields at the ready. Intricate carvings showing mysterious things they didn't understand, vaguely resembling carts and llamas, adored the halls, which were lit only by glowing, mystical torches. The two knights, their helmets showing only glowing red eyes, moved with a purpose.

They knew they were defying their order for this. They knew that they were in extreme danger. But they had been denied for too long. The stone walls of the temple they lived in were too confining. They needed to be free of the Order of the Storm and they needed the power of the group's most sacred artifact to break down the walls.

"If this works…" the Black Knight said, "we shall be free at last…"

"For too long, we've let others decide our destiny…" the Red Knight said, clenching her fist.

"And with the power of the Axecaliburs, we shall be able to rid ourselves of the last bindings keeping us in this temple," Black Knight said, nodding.

Finally, they made it to the deepest part of the temple. Where the twin holy axes awaited the worthy. Both knew they were worthy. They had been given the enchanted helms by the rulers of their Order. Helms that allowed them to see the truth – that if they stayed here, they would be stuck in stagnation. They would never grow beyond the boundaries of the temple and the towns it protected.

They would get the power they deserved. And nothing would stop them.

"HOLD, VILLAINS!"

Except a pair of obnoxious heroes.

Standing ahead of them, wielding sword and a shield with the kingdom's llama-beast crest on it, were two of the Order's finest young recruits, although ones who had not advanced as far as Black Knight and Red Knight. One was a dark-skinned woman who was raised a slave, a bodyguard of a king before the Order liberated the kingdom. She had no other name other than Royal Knight, and was one of the finest warriors. The leaders of the Order wanted to give her a name, but she had declined politely. Black Knight found it ironic she had chosen the slavery of the Order after gaining her freedom. With her was her comrade, a blonde-haired, pale-skinned man dubbed the Blue Squire by many, due to his preference for the color and for his devotion to Royal Knight.

Both of them were standing before the Axecaliburs, ready to defend them.

"So… You stand between us and our freedom," Red Knight declared, brandishing her axe.

"I stand between you and blasphemy!" Royal Knight declared, pointing her sword at Red Knight.

"Blasphemy? Power is meant to be wielded," Black Knight said, sneering beneath his helmet. "Keeping the Axecaliburs contained is foolishness."

"They represent the power of the Order!" Blue Squire said in his slightly nasally voice. "To use them for any reason other than a dire threat is madness!"

"Madness is keeping the Order's power limited to just 'helping those in need,'" Black Knight said. "Madness is 'reaction' instead of 'prevention!'"

Red Knight nodded in agreement. "My beloved is correct. Once we have the Axecaliburs, we will form our own order! And we shall bring TRUE peace to this kingdom by conquering it!"

"Peace cannot come from conflict!" Royal Knight declared. "Nor from conquest!"

"You seek a reign of tyranny!" Blue Squire said, nodding! "And we will be the ones to stop you!"

Black Knight sneered. "Insects. The both of them," he said.

"Then let us swat these flies, beloved," Red Knight said.

"Indeed, my crimson-clad beauty," Black Knight said. "HAVE AT THEE!"

The two dark-clad knights charged their blue and silver armored counterparts, crimson axes at the ready. And while Royal Knight and Blue Squire fought most valiantly, it was over in far less time than it takes to tell.

Blue Squire charged Red Knight, thrusting for her midriff with his sword. She slammed her axe down, shattering the Squire's blade. As he stared in shock at the sword, Red Knight launched a powerful kick at his chest, sending him sprawling up against the dais the Axecaliburs rested on.

Royal Knight fared better against Black Knight, managing to parry his mighty axe strikes. But a blow from his shield staggered her, and a blow from his axe to her midsection, her chainmail just BARELY preventing her from being eviscerated, send her sprawling next to Blue Squire.

"Final warning," Black Knight said. "Back down. Our freedom will not be constrained by the Order. Not anymore."

Royal Knight looked to Blue Squire, the two of them looking back at the Axecalibers. The holy weapons of the Order. They then looked back to their opponents… and their expressions became resolute.

"...Wait," Red Knight said, realizing. "No… DON'T!"

Black Knight's eyes widened in fear as he reached the same realization. "There is a ritual, you fools! If you remove the Axecaliburs without performing it…"

Royal Knight and Blue Squire glared at the two villainous knights, deciding not to listen. They both laid their hands on the hilts of the sacred weapons, and yanked them free of the dais.

Purple clouds immediately began billowing out, lightning, rain, and thunder filling the cavern as all four knights were enveloped.

"...then you've doomed us all," Black Knight said, his voice cracking his fear as he was engulfed by the Storm.

"THE DARK TEMPEST!" Red Knight screamed, her cry of fear turning into a cry of pain as the storm swallowed her.

And Blue Squire and Royal Knight could do nothing but wonder what happened before the pain engulfed her, their worlds vanishing as everything went purple. The entire Order was awoken by the agonized screams of the four as the Storm absorbed them. The two mighty leaders of the Order were the first to reach the chamber, just as the Storm faded. One was a hulking male in shining gold armor, wielding a massive warhammer, the other an Amazonian woman in silver armor, wielding a pair of ornately designed shortswords.

The Storm faded. And both knights and the Axecaliburs were gone.

"...Someone took the Axecaliburs," said the silver knight, her voice booming like thunder.

"Indeed, Eternal Knight," said the gold knight, his voice just as thundering. "Without performing the ritual of release…"

"The fools… They unleashed the Tempest, Ultima Knight. I can tell…" Eternal Knight said, clenching her fists around her swords. "We are lucky that their madness only consumed each other…"

Ultima Knight frowned, only his glowing red eyes visible beneath his helmet. "Did it?" he asked. "I wonder…"

Eternal Knight blinked. "What do you mean, Ultima?"

"If they were killed, there would be remains," Ultima Knight explained. "And yet there is no sign of ashes. The floor is clean. As if they were swept away."

Eternal Knight blinked, and looked again. Like Ultima Knight, only her glowing red eyes could be seen beneath her helmet. And when she noticed it, she gasped in shock. "Impossible…"

"You were always more sensitive to magic and spirits than I, my beloved Eternal. Seek them out with your power," Ultima Knight said. "Find where they have been taken."

Eternal Knight nodded. She sheathed her swords behind the shield mounted on her back and stretched out her arms, the color of her armor slowly inverting, starting from the red slash of paint across her breastplate as she drew upon her sacred might. She 'looked,' seeing in ways that she had never been able to explain to her husband. "Time… The Tempest took them forward in time…"

Ultima Knight frowned, folding his arms. "...Losing the Axecaliburs is a major blow. Just having them was a deterrence. It will get out eventually that we do not have them. Which is why we must retrieve our wayward traitors. And hopefully, get our sacred axes back intact…"

"But how?" Eternal Knight said, turning back to normal. "I am powerful in the ways of magic, but I am not a dedicated caster. Time travel is beyond me."

"There is a pair of wizards I know… An older man and his daughter, who is his apprentice…" Ultima Knight said thoughtfully. "It's not much, but its a start…"

"Any start is helpful," Eternal Knight said. "I only hope that the traitors are suffering for their crimes…"

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Wailing Woods…

Royale Island…

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Sparkle Specialist, as she danced among the trees, mused silently to herself that the island was truly peaceful when there was no Storm Instance closing in. She shivered, remembering the Storm Instance that forced her to come into Dr. Vinderman's care. Shaking off the fearful memories, she continued her dancing.

Normally, she would be broadcasted to the island, her real body inside a pod while a hologram did the fighting for her. But this was a calm period, so it was safe to go to Royal Island in her real form. Which was fine, as she loved the feel of the strange winds that permeated the island on her skin.

The woman's glittery, disco-ball styled shirt glittered in the sunset as she danced, music playing from a nearby boombox. "Gotta get my own style…" she said softly. "Gotta become my own woman…" She was grateful to the man who'd taken the call sign Funk Ops, who'd given her her start as a professional dancer. But she wanted to become her own star. To be more than a backup dancer for Funk Ops. Fortunately, her former employer respected her wishes, and said he'd support her in any way.

Dr. Vinderman, in an effort to make things comfortable for his trapped contestants, was willing to cater to almost any need. He'd offered Sparkle Specialist (she was starting to regret that codename) access to the finest dance instructors, but she wanted to learn on her own, develop her own signature style.

And the Royale Island, with its weird, warping surfaces that responded to being 'harvested' and regenerated after each battle, was the perfect inspiration. And now that it was safe, she felt confident that nothing would disturb her dancing.

She would later curse herself for jinxing it by thinking that.

A bubble of pure Storm energy formed nearby, Sparkle Specialist screaming in fear, falling to her back and scrambling backwards. But the energy faded as fast as it appeared, leaving four twitching, convulsing knights and a pair of glowing axes laying there, purple lightning dancing over all of the knights.

Sparkle Specialist blinked as the knights appeared. Her confusion was soon replaced by fear as she recognized the signs of Storm Sickness. "Oh shit…" she said, remembering her own first experience with the disease, which only affected survivors of a Storm Instance.

"H-Help us…" Blue Squire stammered, twitching with purple lightning as he collapsed.

Sparkle Specialist triggered her wrist-mounted communicator. "Doctor Vinderman! We've got people here on Royale Island! They appeared out of some kind of portal and are suffering from Storm Sickness! Please, get here quick!"

"Stay right there, Sparkle Specialist!" said Dr. Vinderman's voice. "We're on our way!"

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Later…

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Black Knight, Red Knight, Blue Squire, and Royal Knight all woke up inside pods, finding themselves looking out at an old man flanked by two soldiers, a Latino woman and a blonde-haired man.

"Well…" the old man, Dr. Vinderman, said. "You seem to be in a rather unpleasant situation."

"Where are we!?" Black Knight demanded. "Why are we imprisoned?!"

"Where are the Axecaliburs?" Royal Knight demanded. "They cannot be allowed to fall into their hands!"

"Let me explain," Dr. Vinderman said. "The year is 2017…" He explained that the four of them had moved forward in time. As proof, he activated treads on the Storm Pods they were in, and led them on a tour of the lab, telling them about the islands, Royale Island, Lobby Island, and Home Island, the Storm, and the Battle Royale which his contestants participated in to pass the time.

"So the Tempest said us forward in time…" Red Knight said, thoughtful.

"You're awfully accepting of the idea that you got thrown forward in time," said Ramirez, the Latino woman.

"The magic of Axecaliburs is mighty. The nature of the Tempest, or the Storm as you call it, is unknown. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that it would warp time," Black Knight said, also looking thoughtful.

Dr. Vinderman nodded. "As for the artifacts… I am sorry, but their energies made me nervous. I put them in a containment vault with other magical artifacts."

Royal Knight nodded. "As long as they are kept from Red Knight and Black Knight, then that's fine. Do you know how to send us back to our time?" she asked. "I'd like to return to the Order's side."

"I'm afraid not," Dr. Vinderman said. "I am brilliant, and have access to all the science in the world, but time travel is beyond me at the moment. On top of that, you've come down with a rather unpleasant disease called Storm Sickness. It's…"

"...We know of what you speak," Red Knight said, horrified looks in the eyes of Blue Squire and Royal Knight, resignation in Black Knight's. "A withering disease, where the energies of the dreaded Tempest destroy you from within."

"...We are to die, then," Black Knight said. "Our hubris condemns us…"

"Not necessarily," Dr. Vinderman said, smiling. "The pods you are in are designed to siphon off the energy buildup from the Storm that infects you. It powers the island in a safe, clean way. You'll have to spend a few hours each week inside the pod, but its safe, and it works. In the meantime, I'm prepared to offer you all lodging at the artificial island I've set up for others with Storm Sickness."

The knights all traded looks. "...You can save us?" Royal Knight asked softly.

"Sort of," Dr. Vinderman said. "I can keep you from dying horribly until I find a true cure, and I can make sure your stay in this time is an enjoyable on. So what do you say?"

The knights glared at each other, but had thoughtful expressions on their faces. "...Do we have to live with them?" Blue Squire asked.

"No, I can make sure your lodgings are on different parts of the island," Dr. Vinderman assured them.

"Then that's fine," Red Knight said. "We will stay."

"It should be interesting, adapting to the sorcery of this time," Black Knight said.

"What of the woman who found us?" Royal Knight asked. "I had a vague impression of a woman in silver chainmail of some kind near us when we arrived in this time."

"She goes by Sparkle Specialist. She's the one who alerted us that you had arrived. Honestly, most of the survivors participating in the Battle Royale go by their callsigns rather than their real names," Dr. Vinderman said. "It's a silly practice, in my view, but it makes the happy." He smiled. "If you want, I can let you know where she lives, so that you can thank her."

"Indeed," Black Knight said. "If she did save us, then that valor deserves to be appreciated."

"Not that you'd know anything of valor," Royal Knight muttered.

"Not that you'd know anything of freedom," Red Knight snarled.

"Children, please behave," Dr. Vinderman said, glaring back at the Storm Pods.

"Apologies, m'lord," Blue Squire said. "When we were pulled forward, they were attempting a rebellion against our Order."

"An order of reactionaries. Fools who met evil when it happened, instead of cutting it off at the source," Black Knight said. "Red Knight and I chose to face that evil, with the power of the artifacts that you have locked away. We would have conquered the land with its power, and brought TRUE PEACE to it!"

Dr. Vinderman hesitated. "...I cannot disagree with the logic," he said.

"WHAT?!" Royal Knight and Blue Squire said, shocked.

Frowning, Dr. Vinderman turned towards them. "My world was run by several hundred corrupt governments. In America alone, the leadership was a joke… so I used my fortune to slowly subvert control of every country in the world, until everyone answered to me. The only real threat now is the Storm and the Husks."

"Husks…" Red Knight said softly. "A good name for the beasts…"

"You understand how power is necessary," Black Knight said in approval. "You have nothing to fear from us, m'lord."

Blue Squire and Royal Knight gave Dr. Vinderman a wary look as he came up to them. "I realize this is hard to swallow, considering your beliefs, but in my case, it truly was necessary. I do not ask you to like me. Just to trust me, and know that I have the best interests of the world at heart."

"...We are not in a position to argue," Royal Knight said, her frown visible beneath her helmet. "But we do not have to like it."

"Fair enough," Dr. Vinderman said. "Let's get you set up with places to live, and set up yoru Storm Pods in them."

"Indeed," Black Knight said. "And after that, you will tell us how we can compete in the Battle Royale."

The other knights chuckled at this, as Dr. Vinderman gave them an amused look. "You're interested, then."

Red Knight grinned beneath her helmet, her red eyes flashing. "We have heard tales of what vikings call Heaven. A palace of eternal battle, where dying is merely an inconvenience."

"The way you've described the Battle Royale, the worst that will happen to us if we are slain is that we will wake up in the 'broadcast pods' you described," Royal Knight said. "And we can simply go back into the fray whenever we want. If that is not Valhalla, then what is?"

Dr. Vinderman grinned. "I must say, that's the best reaction to the Battle Royale I've gotten so far. You're more than welcome to participate. I'll fill you in on the details as we get your temporary homes set up."

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Later…

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Sparkle Specialist watched in amusement as the two sets of knights, each sitting on opposite sides of the Battle Bus, watched as they sailed through the sky.

"Incredible…" Royal Knight said.

"Yeah. Amazing what technology can do, ain't it?" Sparkle Specialist said.

"We've been finding new wonders every moment since we've been here," Black Knight said, idly fingering the trigger for his glider. "Thank you against for bringing us to safety."

Sparkle Specialist shrugged. "Eh. I've got Storm Sickness m'self. I know how much it sucks… Anyway. I'm gonna drop in on Weeping Woods, where I found you guys," she said, smiling and getting up. "Royal Knight. You gonna be okay? When I saw you last night, you were crying pretty hard…"

"...I miss my kingdom," Royal Knight admitted. "I miss Ultima Knight and Eternal Knight. But I know they would want me to be strong." She smiled. "So I will be strong for them, and pray that we might return someday."

Sparkle Specialist grinned, patting her on the shoulder. "Atta girl," she said. Red Knight and Black Knight just rolled their eyes.

"Although there's one more thing," Royal Knight said, grinning. "As a way of acclimating to our temporary new home, I've decided to take on a new name – Royale Knight."

There was a loud clank as both Black Knight and Red Knight facepalmed at once. Sparkle Specialist ignored them. "Nice," she said. "Anyway, I'm out. You coming with?"

"I think I shall. Blue Squire?" Royale Knight asked.

"Aye," Blue Squire said. "T'would be best, I think, to stick with one who knows what they are doing for now."

Sparkle Specialist chuckled. "Then follow me, and let's drop in! Remember, your glider will deploy automatically once you reach a certain height, but you can pop it early to get more airtime." She turned to the bus driver, who was blocked off by an armored door. "Thanks for the lift!" she called out, running towards the exit door, Blue Squire and Royale Knight following her and jumping out.

Black Knight and Red Knight traded looks. "A strange world we've arrived in…" Red Knight said.

"Indeed," Black Knight said. "But one not without advantages." He chuckled. "Come. Let us join the conflict."

"Aye," Red Knight said, grinning beneath her helmet. "For what is a knight without a battlefield!? HUZZAH!"

Black Knight and Red Knight leaped out of the Battle Bus, diving towards the ground, the thrill of freefall and imminent battle filling them. It was a strange adjustment, this life they were living.

But it would be a good one.

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Elsewhere…

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"There…" said the first. "That is the Nexus."

"Strange… They do not even realize how off things are for them…" said the sixth.

"Fools. All of them fools. To believe such a deception…" said the fourth.

"It's not their fault," said the fifth. "We all know what the Entity can do."

"And Vinderman's not helping them," said the second.

"He has to be controlled," said the third.

"I agree. But we have to do this carefully. I'm going to make some arrangements and pay them a visit," said the seventh. "I'll report back my findings and we can proceed from there."

"Be careful," said the fifth. "We don't know what that world will do to you."

"Which is why I'm taking the time to set up a way to get into the Nexus first," the seventh said. "Hopefully, I can settle this in a couple months once I get there. If not…"

"Then we'll have to intervene directly," the first said. "And that won't go well for anyone."

TO BE CONTINUED...