"King Megabyte?" Bob asked, not believing his ears. "But how can that be?
He's supposed to be in the web!"
Al's Waiter just stared at him. Bob waited for a response, but the one he got caught him off guard. The bartender started chuckling.
"Hey Al," he called back to one of the workers, "this here drunk thinks all that talk about the web is for real."
"What!?"
Al's Waiter turned back to Bob, quietly chuckling to himself. Bob looked at him, confused.
"No, it's true," he urged, "the web is out there."
"Look mister, the web is only in fairy files told by little children. Everyone knows the web is nothing but a myth. Maybe you should lay off the booze for awhile, take back some energy drinks."
Bob shook his head, refusing to believe this. "Look, it's true! The web really does exist!"
His voice came out louder than he had wanted it to, and everyone in the bar turned to face him. Some of the gruffer looking binomes glared at him. Others looked at him like he was random.
Al's Waiter tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey listen," he said, "if you really want to embarrass yourself, continue on with whatever you're trying to prove. But if I were you, I'd be careful about what you say. Outspoken people like yourself always wind up in trouble."
Bob blinked, then turned away from the crowd. "Okay, then can you help me? When did Megabyte become ruler? Where is he right now?"
Al's Waiter didn't even bat an eye. He turned and reached down beneath the counter. Standing back up, he handed Bob a map.
"No, it's okay, I know my way around here-" Bob began, but then the bartender opened the map and what he saw was nothing like the Mainframe he once knew.
Every sector had been changed. Baudway, Level 31, all country flat lands. Floating Point Park had completely transformed into lush forest, so thick the map didn't even indicate any ground through the trees. He put his hand in that area. "The park." he murmured.
"You mean the forest. No one dares to go in there. Amazons live in there."
Bob looked up at him. "What do you mean Amazons?"
"The meanest women you'd ever met. Beautiful but dangerous. There's a constant war between them and the rest of the kingdom."
"Why is that?"
The binome shrugged. "I don't know. Goes back for generations. All I know is that the people here hate them. Anyway, Megabyte is right here." Al's Waiter moved his hand over to the center of Mainframe where the Principle Office was. However, instead of the PO there was a giant castle surrounded by a moat.
Bob was shocked, but didn't say anything. If the PO was still the way it should be, maybe there was a way he could go in and fix the computer clock back.
He frowned suddenly when he noticed Al's Waiter's arm covering gold lettering at the top of the map. Moving the binome's arm aside, he recognized the wording immediately.
Megaframe.
"I'm going to that castle," Bob said, decided. "Where are we now?"
"Right here," Al's Waiter pointed at where Level 31 used to be. "Why are you planning on going there?"
Bob straightened up. "Because Megabyte is bad. Very bad." He turned to leave, but Al's Waiter stopped him.
"Stop that man!" the bartender screamed at the rest of the bar diners, "He's plotting against the King! Stop him!"
Bob's eyes widened and turned back to Al's Waiter, who sat there, trembling. "Why you little-" he began, but everyone in the bar attacked him and held him down. There was no way the Guardian could fight his way out, and his enhanced powers were no longer with him.
"Get the Sir Matrix!" He heard someone yell, just before he blacked out.
When Bob woke up again he found himself still in the tavern, only this time his arms and legs were tied to a chair. He tried struggling but he couldn't get free. Looking up he saw a group of men dressed in armor. He recognized their leader, clothed in polished armor, a sword in his hand.
"Matrix," Bob said.
The knight tilted his head. "Who are you," he demanded.
"It's me," Bob explained, hoping that at least his friend would know what was going on. "It's me, Bob."
Matrix gave him a look of disgust. "I don't know who you are," he said. "We were called here because people overheard you plotting against the King."
"I wasn't plotting," Bob argued, "I just needed to go there and figure out what was going on with Mainframe."
"Don't you mean Megaframe?" Matrix corrected. "What, are you drunk?" He looked back at his men who were snickering amongst themselves and turned to leave. "This is a warning, Bob. Do it again and we'll have to arrest you."
Bob's eyes widened as the men walked forward to untie him. "No!" he shouted, "Matrix, you can't! Don't you remember who I am?"
Matrix growled under his breath and brought his sword up to just underneath Bob's chin. "Don't you try influencing me," he warned. "You're mad, that's what you are. And if there's one of you, then there's more. I said I'd give you a chance. Don't take advantage of it."
"Matrix, you have to listen to me," he pleaded. "What about the others? Enzo, AndrAIa, Dot-"
He was cut off when Matrix's eyes suddenly went wide with anger, digging the sword dangerously close to the guardian's neck.
"What did you just say?" He growled in a low voice.
Bob swallowed hard and didn't reply. This wasn't the Matrix he once knew.
Matrix stared fixedly on him for what seemed forever, then leaned back, the sword still in place. "AndrAIa is the Queen of the Amazons, our worst enemies. Are you working for them?"
"No."
"You are working for them. Only those that reside in the castle know her name and YOU know her name."
"I-"
"Take him to the dungeon," Matrix said, straightening up. He took his sword away from Bob and Bob heaved a sigh of somewhat relief. "He'll rot in there."
The guardian's eyes widened as he looked up at his once-friend. "No!" he shouted as the men pulled him to his feet and started dragging him to the door. He tried to grind his feet on the floor, tried to fight back, but he was no match against the knights. And he no longer had his powers in this strange world.
The knights dragged him outside, Matrix following behind, and Bob got to see for the first time what Mainframe really looked like. His eyes widened. For two whole sectors straight he saw straight grass and farmland. Binomes and a few sprites he hardly recognized walked the dirt streets, dressed in old-fashioned peasant clothes. On his left he could see what once was Floating Point Park, now a thick, impenetrable forest. On his far right and off in the distance he could see where a castle stood in what once was the Principle Office. A small town surrounded it.
Bob continued to struggle. Were they really going to drag him ALL the way to the castle? One knight pushed him in that direction. Guess so.
Peasants glanced at him, then quickly looked away as Matrix took the lead. Everyone seemed to be afraid of him. That wasn't much of a change, many binomes were afraid of the old Matrix as well.
Bob was beginning to feel quite helpless, when a sprite suddenly darted across the road, wearing royal clothes. He stopped when he saw Matrix and Bob gasped.
Ray!
"Sir Matrix," Ray said, breathless. "The Amazons have left the forest and are attacking the kingdom as we speak!"
"What!" Matrix yelled. He turned to the knights holding Bob. "Let's go, now!" He took off on a run toward the forest. All the knights except one released him and went after Matrix. Bob took that opportunity and gutted the knight in the stomach, then flipped him over his back. His heavy armor prevented him from getting up quickly.
Ray watched Bob, surprised. "What do you think you're doing?"
Bob ignored the question, holding his foot firmly down on top of the knight's neck to keep him from getting to his feet. "What are you?" he asked.
"I-I'm the royal King's messenger," he stuttered, "w-who are you, what do you think you're doing?"
Bob extended a hand and shook the bewildered surfer's hand. "Name's Bob, don't worry about this. Can you take me to the castle? I must speak with the King."
Ray nodded. "Sure I guess," he glanced at the knight on the ground. Bob sighed and released him, then took off toward the castle, not waiting for Ray to catch up.
AndrAIa looked around, watching has her fellow Amazon sisters burned the villages and ransacked the houses. They were doing well and no knights had come to stop them yet. She didn't care.
Peasants tried to run away and most of them succeeded. AndrAIa had made specific orders not to kill anyone, just to damage. She stood closest to the forest, watching on, waiting for any chances to come in and help out. So far she wasn't needed.
Cries for help were yelled, but so far no one had heeded their pleas. AndrAIa shook her head. Maybe they'd finally get their point across. The Amazon nation was not going to put up the division of the kingdom.
She looked up suddenly when she noticed several knights coming on horseback and cursed. Drawing her trident she stepped forward, yelling at her followers to watch out. The Knights were coming quickly and without mercy.
Suddenly they were on top of them. Right away several of her Amazons were cut off and left lying on the ground. Most of them stayed for a fight while the rest took off back to the forest.
One knight on horseback came to approach her and she immediately swung her trident, sending him to the ground, groaning in pain. She kicked him for good measure and hoped his armor would keep him grounded for awhile. More mounted knights came and she fought them off without ease, leaving most of them on the ground.
She hadn't expected two to come from behind. They each held out their shields and struck her in the back as they passed her by. She cried out and fell flat on her face, her trident flying away from her hands.
Groaning she struggled to get up. Her body really hurt now but she had no time to react. The horsemen came back, their sheilds held down. As they passed on either side of her she felt her whole body hit the shields and went down on her back, crying out in pain.
It took her a few moments to recover and while she did, she yelled out the Amazon cry for retreat. She tried to retreat as well, but a knight, his sword drawn, blocked her path.
She looked around for her trident, but it was way out of reach. Reaching to the back of her belt she drew two small throwing stones. The knight advanced and she slowly backed up, winding up her arm.
The knight swung his sword and she ducked, hurtling the stone against his head. It bounced off the metal with a 'clang' and fell to the floor. AndrAIa turned to run in the other direction but a knight stood firmly in front of her, his sword against her throat. By then three other knights came up and held their swords against her. If she were to step anywhere she'd get cut.
She froze and turned around where she stood, searching for a way out. There was none. Finally she kicked and punched, sending two swords flying. She found an exit and took it. Unfortunately she was too slow.
One knight tripped her and she landed on her back. She made a move to stand up, but now a sword was held against her neck. She could feel the cold metal bite threateningly into her throat. She stopped and gave up.
Another knight walked up to the one holding her down. She could see his face and recognized him as Sir. Matrix. She narrowed her eyes at his smiling face.
"Okay, this is the castle," Ray said, stopping right between the townsquare and the castle moat. "I'll see if I can get you in."
Bob nodded. "Thanks. This is very much appreciated."
Ray smiled. "Hey, no problem, mate. I'm not one for starting fights, and I don't really like the way those knights handled you back there, especially Matrix. I figured I'd help you out a bit."
"What if you get caught?"
He shrugged. "Hopefully I won't."
"I see."
"Okay, I'll go talk to the King if he'd like to meet with you, then I'll call for you okay?" Ray made a move to walk the drawbridge, when a loud uproar caused him to start. Turning around, they both saw a crowd forming in the village townsquare streets. Villagers were yelling and chanting "Get the Amazon! Get the Amazon!", waving their pitchforks in the air.
Leading the crowd was Sir Matrix, holding AndrAIa by the arm.
Bob's eyes widened. "Oh no, AndrAIa!"
Ray peered at her as Sir Matrix got closer to them. "They're probably taking her to the dungeon."
"Oh no, I've got to stop this." Bob stepped forward, but Ray grabbed him and held him back.
"I wouldn't," the messenger warned, "if Sir Matrix saw you."
Bob understood, but he didn't like it. He stood there and watched as the crowd drew nearer. Matrix didn't even glance at him as they passed him by, dragging AndrAIa across the drawbridge. Bob stepped forward but stopped. The crowd stopped at the bridge but Matrix continued to push AndrAIa through until they vanished through the front gates.
Al's Waiter just stared at him. Bob waited for a response, but the one he got caught him off guard. The bartender started chuckling.
"Hey Al," he called back to one of the workers, "this here drunk thinks all that talk about the web is for real."
"What!?"
Al's Waiter turned back to Bob, quietly chuckling to himself. Bob looked at him, confused.
"No, it's true," he urged, "the web is out there."
"Look mister, the web is only in fairy files told by little children. Everyone knows the web is nothing but a myth. Maybe you should lay off the booze for awhile, take back some energy drinks."
Bob shook his head, refusing to believe this. "Look, it's true! The web really does exist!"
His voice came out louder than he had wanted it to, and everyone in the bar turned to face him. Some of the gruffer looking binomes glared at him. Others looked at him like he was random.
Al's Waiter tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey listen," he said, "if you really want to embarrass yourself, continue on with whatever you're trying to prove. But if I were you, I'd be careful about what you say. Outspoken people like yourself always wind up in trouble."
Bob blinked, then turned away from the crowd. "Okay, then can you help me? When did Megabyte become ruler? Where is he right now?"
Al's Waiter didn't even bat an eye. He turned and reached down beneath the counter. Standing back up, he handed Bob a map.
"No, it's okay, I know my way around here-" Bob began, but then the bartender opened the map and what he saw was nothing like the Mainframe he once knew.
Every sector had been changed. Baudway, Level 31, all country flat lands. Floating Point Park had completely transformed into lush forest, so thick the map didn't even indicate any ground through the trees. He put his hand in that area. "The park." he murmured.
"You mean the forest. No one dares to go in there. Amazons live in there."
Bob looked up at him. "What do you mean Amazons?"
"The meanest women you'd ever met. Beautiful but dangerous. There's a constant war between them and the rest of the kingdom."
"Why is that?"
The binome shrugged. "I don't know. Goes back for generations. All I know is that the people here hate them. Anyway, Megabyte is right here." Al's Waiter moved his hand over to the center of Mainframe where the Principle Office was. However, instead of the PO there was a giant castle surrounded by a moat.
Bob was shocked, but didn't say anything. If the PO was still the way it should be, maybe there was a way he could go in and fix the computer clock back.
He frowned suddenly when he noticed Al's Waiter's arm covering gold lettering at the top of the map. Moving the binome's arm aside, he recognized the wording immediately.
Megaframe.
"I'm going to that castle," Bob said, decided. "Where are we now?"
"Right here," Al's Waiter pointed at where Level 31 used to be. "Why are you planning on going there?"
Bob straightened up. "Because Megabyte is bad. Very bad." He turned to leave, but Al's Waiter stopped him.
"Stop that man!" the bartender screamed at the rest of the bar diners, "He's plotting against the King! Stop him!"
Bob's eyes widened and turned back to Al's Waiter, who sat there, trembling. "Why you little-" he began, but everyone in the bar attacked him and held him down. There was no way the Guardian could fight his way out, and his enhanced powers were no longer with him.
"Get the Sir Matrix!" He heard someone yell, just before he blacked out.
When Bob woke up again he found himself still in the tavern, only this time his arms and legs were tied to a chair. He tried struggling but he couldn't get free. Looking up he saw a group of men dressed in armor. He recognized their leader, clothed in polished armor, a sword in his hand.
"Matrix," Bob said.
The knight tilted his head. "Who are you," he demanded.
"It's me," Bob explained, hoping that at least his friend would know what was going on. "It's me, Bob."
Matrix gave him a look of disgust. "I don't know who you are," he said. "We were called here because people overheard you plotting against the King."
"I wasn't plotting," Bob argued, "I just needed to go there and figure out what was going on with Mainframe."
"Don't you mean Megaframe?" Matrix corrected. "What, are you drunk?" He looked back at his men who were snickering amongst themselves and turned to leave. "This is a warning, Bob. Do it again and we'll have to arrest you."
Bob's eyes widened as the men walked forward to untie him. "No!" he shouted, "Matrix, you can't! Don't you remember who I am?"
Matrix growled under his breath and brought his sword up to just underneath Bob's chin. "Don't you try influencing me," he warned. "You're mad, that's what you are. And if there's one of you, then there's more. I said I'd give you a chance. Don't take advantage of it."
"Matrix, you have to listen to me," he pleaded. "What about the others? Enzo, AndrAIa, Dot-"
He was cut off when Matrix's eyes suddenly went wide with anger, digging the sword dangerously close to the guardian's neck.
"What did you just say?" He growled in a low voice.
Bob swallowed hard and didn't reply. This wasn't the Matrix he once knew.
Matrix stared fixedly on him for what seemed forever, then leaned back, the sword still in place. "AndrAIa is the Queen of the Amazons, our worst enemies. Are you working for them?"
"No."
"You are working for them. Only those that reside in the castle know her name and YOU know her name."
"I-"
"Take him to the dungeon," Matrix said, straightening up. He took his sword away from Bob and Bob heaved a sigh of somewhat relief. "He'll rot in there."
The guardian's eyes widened as he looked up at his once-friend. "No!" he shouted as the men pulled him to his feet and started dragging him to the door. He tried to grind his feet on the floor, tried to fight back, but he was no match against the knights. And he no longer had his powers in this strange world.
The knights dragged him outside, Matrix following behind, and Bob got to see for the first time what Mainframe really looked like. His eyes widened. For two whole sectors straight he saw straight grass and farmland. Binomes and a few sprites he hardly recognized walked the dirt streets, dressed in old-fashioned peasant clothes. On his left he could see what once was Floating Point Park, now a thick, impenetrable forest. On his far right and off in the distance he could see where a castle stood in what once was the Principle Office. A small town surrounded it.
Bob continued to struggle. Were they really going to drag him ALL the way to the castle? One knight pushed him in that direction. Guess so.
Peasants glanced at him, then quickly looked away as Matrix took the lead. Everyone seemed to be afraid of him. That wasn't much of a change, many binomes were afraid of the old Matrix as well.
Bob was beginning to feel quite helpless, when a sprite suddenly darted across the road, wearing royal clothes. He stopped when he saw Matrix and Bob gasped.
Ray!
"Sir Matrix," Ray said, breathless. "The Amazons have left the forest and are attacking the kingdom as we speak!"
"What!" Matrix yelled. He turned to the knights holding Bob. "Let's go, now!" He took off on a run toward the forest. All the knights except one released him and went after Matrix. Bob took that opportunity and gutted the knight in the stomach, then flipped him over his back. His heavy armor prevented him from getting up quickly.
Ray watched Bob, surprised. "What do you think you're doing?"
Bob ignored the question, holding his foot firmly down on top of the knight's neck to keep him from getting to his feet. "What are you?" he asked.
"I-I'm the royal King's messenger," he stuttered, "w-who are you, what do you think you're doing?"
Bob extended a hand and shook the bewildered surfer's hand. "Name's Bob, don't worry about this. Can you take me to the castle? I must speak with the King."
Ray nodded. "Sure I guess," he glanced at the knight on the ground. Bob sighed and released him, then took off toward the castle, not waiting for Ray to catch up.
AndrAIa looked around, watching has her fellow Amazon sisters burned the villages and ransacked the houses. They were doing well and no knights had come to stop them yet. She didn't care.
Peasants tried to run away and most of them succeeded. AndrAIa had made specific orders not to kill anyone, just to damage. She stood closest to the forest, watching on, waiting for any chances to come in and help out. So far she wasn't needed.
Cries for help were yelled, but so far no one had heeded their pleas. AndrAIa shook her head. Maybe they'd finally get their point across. The Amazon nation was not going to put up the division of the kingdom.
She looked up suddenly when she noticed several knights coming on horseback and cursed. Drawing her trident she stepped forward, yelling at her followers to watch out. The Knights were coming quickly and without mercy.
Suddenly they were on top of them. Right away several of her Amazons were cut off and left lying on the ground. Most of them stayed for a fight while the rest took off back to the forest.
One knight on horseback came to approach her and she immediately swung her trident, sending him to the ground, groaning in pain. She kicked him for good measure and hoped his armor would keep him grounded for awhile. More mounted knights came and she fought them off without ease, leaving most of them on the ground.
She hadn't expected two to come from behind. They each held out their shields and struck her in the back as they passed her by. She cried out and fell flat on her face, her trident flying away from her hands.
Groaning she struggled to get up. Her body really hurt now but she had no time to react. The horsemen came back, their sheilds held down. As they passed on either side of her she felt her whole body hit the shields and went down on her back, crying out in pain.
It took her a few moments to recover and while she did, she yelled out the Amazon cry for retreat. She tried to retreat as well, but a knight, his sword drawn, blocked her path.
She looked around for her trident, but it was way out of reach. Reaching to the back of her belt she drew two small throwing stones. The knight advanced and she slowly backed up, winding up her arm.
The knight swung his sword and she ducked, hurtling the stone against his head. It bounced off the metal with a 'clang' and fell to the floor. AndrAIa turned to run in the other direction but a knight stood firmly in front of her, his sword against her throat. By then three other knights came up and held their swords against her. If she were to step anywhere she'd get cut.
She froze and turned around where she stood, searching for a way out. There was none. Finally she kicked and punched, sending two swords flying. She found an exit and took it. Unfortunately she was too slow.
One knight tripped her and she landed on her back. She made a move to stand up, but now a sword was held against her neck. She could feel the cold metal bite threateningly into her throat. She stopped and gave up.
Another knight walked up to the one holding her down. She could see his face and recognized him as Sir. Matrix. She narrowed her eyes at his smiling face.
"Okay, this is the castle," Ray said, stopping right between the townsquare and the castle moat. "I'll see if I can get you in."
Bob nodded. "Thanks. This is very much appreciated."
Ray smiled. "Hey, no problem, mate. I'm not one for starting fights, and I don't really like the way those knights handled you back there, especially Matrix. I figured I'd help you out a bit."
"What if you get caught?"
He shrugged. "Hopefully I won't."
"I see."
"Okay, I'll go talk to the King if he'd like to meet with you, then I'll call for you okay?" Ray made a move to walk the drawbridge, when a loud uproar caused him to start. Turning around, they both saw a crowd forming in the village townsquare streets. Villagers were yelling and chanting "Get the Amazon! Get the Amazon!", waving their pitchforks in the air.
Leading the crowd was Sir Matrix, holding AndrAIa by the arm.
Bob's eyes widened. "Oh no, AndrAIa!"
Ray peered at her as Sir Matrix got closer to them. "They're probably taking her to the dungeon."
"Oh no, I've got to stop this." Bob stepped forward, but Ray grabbed him and held him back.
"I wouldn't," the messenger warned, "if Sir Matrix saw you."
Bob understood, but he didn't like it. He stood there and watched as the crowd drew nearer. Matrix didn't even glance at him as they passed him by, dragging AndrAIa across the drawbridge. Bob stepped forward but stopped. The crowd stopped at the bridge but Matrix continued to push AndrAIa through until they vanished through the front gates.
