Traitor Game L: Existential Crisis

[Jeremi]

As everything went on, the Cyborg Sage would float silently in a spot. She needed to know more about where they were. Discreetly she'd slip out her cybernetic eye and let it float away, allowing her to see everything it was seeing.

Perhaps there was something of interest to be found?

[Anodyne]

"HALT!" exclaims the wizard, walking towards them. "I am uncertain of your intent. The future is clouded, as if some tremendous problem makes the future itself uncertain. You may be the cause, your quest may be the cause, or it may be something else. Nevertheless, since I cannot gleam your purpose, I have cast a spell upon my chambers. I shall guide ONE representative of your group there, and if the spell sees him as worthy, he will enter unharmed and may claim the items you seek. But no more and no less, dare you jeopardize my ability to defend this realm."

Dex-Starr pricked up his ears at the word "worthy." He was a cat, after all; who could be more worthy than that? And did a cat not go where he pleased, with or without permission? Whatever the two-legs decided, Dex-Starr was determined that he would get into the wizard's chambers.

[Indigo Al]

"I didn't want to mention it, either." Hummingbird said, taking the two aside so she could speak to them without Lancelot, the King, or anyone else overhearing. "I was hoping that the Lancelot situation wouldn't be repeating itself on this world. If we didn't have bigger things to worry about, I'd be trying to prevent it."

"Despite the grave consequences of the liaison to the kingdom of Camelot, it is not our place to interfere in personal matters of the heart, madam. With the stakes in this Crisis, a love affair is utterly inconsequential."

[Chris Lang]

"Despite the grave consequences of the liaison to the kingdom of Camelot, it is not our place to interfere in personal matters of the heart, madam. With the stakes in this Crisis, a love affair is utterly inconsequential."

"I know." Hummingbird replied. "Unless we stop the Anti-Monitor, none of that matters."

She sighed. "I wish we knew who was the one Merlin wanted, the one he considered worthy."

[Nschornhorst]

"Perhaps it would be wise to ask wise Merlin what qualities he deems 'worthy.' After all, I'm fairly certain all of us deem ourselves worthy of one thing or another. Worthy of wielding the sword and book? Worthy in terms of magic? Morals? Nobility? All of these? We do have gods among us. Such beings tend to view themselves as omniscient. Perhaps they can tell us if Merlin will not."

[Joe Acro]

As everything went on, the Cyborg Sage would float silently in a spot. She needed to know more about where they were. Discreetly she'd slip out her cybernetic eye and let it float away, allowing her to see everything it was seeing.

Perhaps there was something of interest to be found?

The eye floats around the city of Camelot, seeing its grand splendor, so grand that its beauty might reach what remains of Sage's humanity. The group is currently within Camelot's main building--The Great Castle that stands in the middle of the edge of the city, to the North, overlooking the entire area. As the swings around, it see Hippolyta giving a guard some instructions at an outlook station. It finds The Green Hood in the front gardens, training a group of youngsters how to fire arrows. As it swings to the backside of the castle, it sees that the castle is built atop and into a large seaside cliff. A waterfall pours into it, flowing from the river that runs through the city. Flying back into the city, the eye sees people in everyday routines--smiths working their crafts, vendors in markets selling their goods, and women washing clothes along the river. Camelot is surrounded by a large wall, with three large gates, all three of which are currently open. The great river flows westward, where beyond the walls farmland can be seen. To the East is the forest encountered earlier. To the South is nothing but hills and open land.

"I know." Hummingbird replied. "Unless we stop the Anti-Monitor, none of that matters."

She sighed. "I wish we knew who was the one Merlin wanted, the one he considered worthy."

"Perhaps it would be wise to ask wise Merlin what qualities he deems 'worthy.' After all, I'm fairly certain all of us deem ourselves worthy of one thing or another. Worthy of wielding the sword and book? Worthy in terms of magic? Morals? Nobility? All of these? We do have gods among us. Such beings tend to view themselves as omniscient. Perhaps they can tell us if Merlin will not."

"I cannot say who is worthy," Merlin reveals. "It is not for me to determine, but for the spell.

[Wolvie616]

Black Knight, or Adam as he was known to Lancelot, planted in the ground. The double of Clark that rushed up there stared curiously at Black Knight, then Lancelot. Lancelot outstretched his hand and shook his head.

"Our fight will not reignite. Adam is one who many would consider to 'strike first, ask questions later"

"I did ask first, Lancelot!" he shouted as his fellow knight pulled him up.

"I heard. It seems we have had a misunderstanding and these beings are not the threat promised to come to our kingdom by Xanadu. They are heroes looking to save countless worlds with the help of our king, Arthur. Now, we will guide them back to Camelot, friend Adam" Lancelot said, taking to the air. Adam looked back at them, huffed, then walked forward.

"Follow us, strangers. You will have audience with the king it seems" Adam/Black Knight told them. Clark looked at his team, then the knights (and bugged out squire) ahead of them.

Thor retrieved Mjolnir, looking at Lancelot and Adam with the fierce look of a warrior not to be trifled with. "Very well. Lead the way."

"Th-thanks," Rogue managed to stammer, still uncomfortable, "You, uh, y'ain't so bad yourself with that mallet."

It must have been the adrenaline of a good fight that prevented her from freezing up as soon as Thor joined in. Rogue paused, thinking back to something he had said only a moment ago.

"Ah musta been hit a li'l too hard by th' Knight back there... did you really say 'fellow Avenger'?"

"...strikes me as a mite unlikely, multiverse or no."

Thor gave her a reassuring smile. "Perhaps. The circumstances behind your joining of our ranks were unfortunate. A war broke out between the noble X-Men and Avengers, and in the aftermath, the good Charles Xavier perished. The two of us became members of a team consisting of members from both our ranks to advance the cause of mutant equality. Indeed, in my world, you have become one of our greatest champions!"

√

"I do not doubt your deification. I merely have little use for gods and less reason to trust most of them. I am Queen Circe of Aeaea."

Thor gave her a courteous nod. "A pleasure, Queen Circe. I hope that through this journey, thou shall see the content of my character!"

Arriving at Camelot, Thor sat in contemplation as Arthur held Court

"HALT!" exclaims the wizard, walking towards them. "I am uncertain of your intent. The future is clouded, as if some tremendous problem makes the future itself uncertain. You may be the cause, your quest may be the cause, or it may be something else. Nevertheless, since I cannot gleam your purpose, I have cast a spell upon my chambers. I shall guide ONE representative of your group there, and if the spell sees him as worthy, he will enter unharmed and may claim the items you seek. But no more and no less, dare you jeopardize my ability to defend this realm."

"Maybe it's the Thunder God, Thor?" Clark posited to Linda on the "worthy" theory

Thor looked around.

"One may only wield Mjolnir is he has proven himself as worthy. If no one else would step forward, I shall answer the challenge of your spell, mage. Through the blessing of my father, I shall prove myself worthy once more!"

[Joe Acro]

"One may only wield Mjolnir is he has proven himself as worthy. If no one else would step forward, I shall answer the challenge of your spell, mage. Through the blessing of my father, I shall prove myself worthy once more!"

"Then follow me, and you may try," the Stranger says, and leads him away.

OOC: Up to you, wolvie, if Thor successfully retrieves the items.

[The Purple Skull]

"I cannot say who is worthy," Merlin reveals. "It is not for me to determine, but for the spell.

"If one's worth is determined through perseverance and the sheer will to survive, then I too will take up that challenge. I've been beaten, tortured, persecuted all my life. Yet, through my parents' guidance and the faith I have for the blessed saviors Katar & Chay-era, I've never given up and always pushed on. On the off chance the Thunderer fails, I stand ready."



OOC: Wait, I think I just turned Fel Andar into Thanagarian John Cena

[Deadpooligan]

Thor gave her a reassuring smile. "Perhaps. The circumstances behind your joining of our ranks were unfortunate. A war broke out between the noble X-Men and Avengers, and in the aftermath, the good Charles Xavier perished. The two of us became members of a team consisting of members from both our ranks to advance the cause of mutant equality. Indeed, in my world, you have become one of our greatest champions!"

The Death of Charles Xavier? The man who was willing to let the X-Men abandon him just to give Rogue a second chance? It was almost unthinkable. Sure, the Professor had been absent in a leadership role for some time, concerning himself in the ever-changing world of Shi'ar politics, but his vision was in the heart of every X-Legionnaire, such as they came to be known.

What shocked Ultra Rogue even more was a team of Avengers created to aid in Xavier's vision, one that she was even a part of. How could her home reality be so far gone from this-- a reality where mutants were forced into a fresh start, a new life, searching for a haven on any number of alien planets.

"Heck of a thing," she mused aloud, "that world you're from."

The group's arrival at Camelot was only met with more disappointment on Rogue's part. She'd nearly blundered their way from one castle to the next, picked a fight she didn't need to with the Black Knight, and now...?

The king, focused on Harbinger, replies, "Bold claims. The request is bolder still. But I shall not speak for Merlin. If you have need of objects in his possession, you must ask him."

"HALT!" exclaims the wizard, walking towards them. "I am uncertain of your intent. The future is clouded, as if some tremendous problem makes the future itself uncertain. You may be the cause, your quest may be the cause, or it may be something else. Nevertheless, since I cannot gleam your purpose, I have cast a spell upon my chambers. I shall guide ONE representative of your group there, and if the spell sees him as worthy, he will enter unharmed and may claim the items you seek. But no more and no less, dare you jeopardize my ability to defend this realm."

"Him?" Hummingbird asked, noting the pronoun that if taken literally would exclude herself, Circe, and Ultra Rogue. "But how will you know who is the right person to guide to your chamber?"

Ultra Rogue had heard enough out of Merlin to know her place. She casually pointed over her shoulder, back in the direction of the door.

"Ah don't know 'bout the rest a'you, but ah ain't stickin' around to solve this mystery. Doesn't take a regular Nancy Drew to figure ah already know th' answer."

"Yer highness," she said as she excused herself from Arthur's court with an unpracticed, ungraceful curtsy. She did it again, just as ungraceful, before Merlin as well."...yer... wizardness."

"Maybe it's the Thunder God, Thor?" Clark posited to Linda on the "worthy" theory

"One may only wield Mjolnir is he has proven himself as worthy. If no one else would step forward, I shall answer the challenge of your spell, mage. Through the blessing of my father, I shall prove myself worthy once more!"

She patted Thor on the back, smirking.

"Good luck, golden boy. Hope your old man's as good a judge a'character as he is a fan a' Medieval Times."

With a stretch and a wave, she ventured from the stone corridors of the castle into the sunlight.

"Probably be makin' myself 'useful' by choppin' firewood, if y'all need me."

[Froggy]

Clark, noticing her seemingly uneasy departure, left to talk with Ultra Rogue. What he heard at Xanadu's castle made him curious, but also worried.

"Would it be rude of me to ask what you meant at Castle Xanadu that I don't understand? Plus I noticed your, reactions to Thor in your expressions he asked her, looking at the sun.

"I take it something happened in your world with him?"

[Deadpooligan]

Clark, noticing her seemingly uneasy departure, left to talk with Ultra Rogue. What he heard at Xanadu's castle made him curious, but also worried.

"Would it be rude of me to ask what you meant at Castle Xanadu that I don't understand? Plus I noticed your, reactions to Thor in your expressions he asked her, looking at the sun.

"I take it something happened in your world with him?"

Clark found Ultra Rogue sitting on uprooted tree, carefully laid down along the shoreline and facing out to sea. The sun shined overhead. A slight breeze tousled her hair back, behind her shoulders. She rested her forearms on her knees, one hand idly hanging towards the ground, the other holding a meager amount of stones. Her head was lowered along with her posture, staring straight outward at the waves.

With a casual whisk of her arm, she skipped a rock along the water's surface, watching as it traveled with such speed, it vanished into the horizon. Rogue glanced up at Clark as he spoke, forcing half a smile as he sat down next to her.

"Guess that means Roy didn't go blabbin' about me to ya. Good. That man's done enough to work me up today."

The stones in her right hand were ground into powder, drifting away with the wind. Rogue's eyes, normally a stark and piercing green, were glazed over when an uncharacteristic dullness.

"...

...ah killed him, Clark."

Thinking about her confession, she paused. Time hasn't eased the weight of her guilt any.

"Ah've relived that day in my head more times'n I can count as it is. It ain't even the worst part of it, but today ah see Thor, walkin', talkin', callin' himself mah friend an' fellow Avenger for cryin' out loud.

Some things y'just can't run from, ah s'pose."

[Froggy]

Clark found Ultra Rogue sitting on uprooted tree, carefully laid down along the shoreline and facing out to sea. The sun shined overhead. A slight breeze tousled her hair back, behind her shoulders. She rested her forearms on her knees, one hand idly hanging towards the ground, the other holding a meager amount of stones. Her head was lowered along with her posture, staring straight outward at the waves.

With a casual whisk of her arm, she skipped a rock along the water's surface, watching as it traveled with such speed, it vanished into the horizon. Rogue glanced up at Clark as he spoke, forcing half a smile as he sat down next to her.

"Guess that means Roy didn't go blabbin' about me to ya. Good. That man's done enough to work me up today."

The stones in her right hand were ground into powder, drifting away with the wind. Rogue's eyes, normally a stark and piercing green, were glazed over when an uncharacteristic dullness.

"...

...ah killed him, Clark."

Thinking about her confession, she paused. Time hasn't eased the weight of her guilt any.

"Ah've relived that day in my head more times'n I can count as it is. It ain't even the worst part of it, but today ah see Thor, walkin', talkin', callin' himself mah friend an' fellow Avenger for cryin' out loud.

Some things y'just can't run from, ah s'pose."

As Clark took a seat next to Ultra Rogue, he turned his gaze upon her.
"Done enough to work me up today" she said, and Clark found himself agreeing. He looked at her and noticed the lack of liveliness, bravado in her voice. What happened with Thor that caused her to act this wa-oh. Well that explains it right there. Yes, that would screw with anyone's head. Anyone. Especially a person who hadn't traveled to as many worlds as he had. When this first started Clark got freaked out a bit, but now it was minimal, so he didn't expect everybody to be prepared because how could
they? Really?. Clark let the silence hang for a moment. She was right, he didn't understand, he had never killed someone, his parents had instilled into him that life was sacred, valued no matter the foe. He had great power and to play judge, jury and executioner was a path toward destruction, but others didn't have two parents who were great heroes to guide them, two people with life lessons on heroics they could learn from. Rogue was one of them, and the guilt of the moment weighed heavily on her. He reached out and grabbed one of her hands in his, feeling the electrical impulses in her body race around, and took a deep breath.

"You were right, I have never killed anyone, but I've seen someone go through what you did, her name was Jenny Sparks, or 'mum' to me. I was eight years old and this madman named the Ultra-Humanite had me kidnapped because he wanted to possess my body. He distracted my father with disasters so my mom was left to fight with the Justice League and she happened upon me strapped on the table with this monster about to saw my head off and she, she just fried him without a second thought. I was thankful but when the rest of the League came in, everybody was mad at her and I didn't understand why. They were mad, she got mad and they argued until dad came. He was happy to see I was okay but then he gave mom this look, like she should know better, like he was admonishing her. We went home and once we got there, I heard mom and dad arguing. Dad told her she could've done better, been smarter about it and well, mom didn't argue, which she always kinda did so that was weird. Then she started crying and dad comforted her. Things were better in the morning but that look you had, the way you said you relived that day? I could tell she did. Every day as I got older my mom did more and more amazing things, but that kill always stuck with her, even 'til her death. I saw that in your face and, and..

"Of all the things I have seen in my time doing this, I dont want to see it again. You're too brave and lively to think of yourself that way. You dont seem like the type to run from anything" he said, gripping her hand

[Deadpooligan]

"You were right, I have never killed anyone, but I've seen someone go through what you did, her name was Jenny Sparks, or 'mum' to me. I was eight years old and this madman named the Ultra-Humanite had me kidnapped because he wanted to possess my body. He distracted my father with disasters so my mom was left to fight with the Justice League and she happened upon me strapped on the table with this monster about to saw my head off and she, she just fried him without a second thought. I was thankful but when the rest of the League came in, everybody was mad at her and I didn't understand why. They were mad, she got mad and they argued until dad came. He was happy to see I was okay but then he gave mom this look, like she should know better, like he was admonishing her. We went home and once we got there, I heard mom and dad arguing. Dad told her she could've done better, been smarter about it and well, mom didn't argue, which she always kinda did so that was weird. Then she started crying and dad comforted her. Things were better in the morning but that look you had, the way you said you relived that day? I could tell she did. Every day as I got older my mom did more and more amazing things, but that kill always stuck with her, even 'til her death. I saw that in your face and, and..

"Of all the things I have seen in my time doing this, I dont want to see it again. You're too brave and lively to think of yourself that way. You dont seem like the type to run from anything" he said, gripping her hand

Clark's story about his own mother was truly moving. The tingling sensation of his energies, just by touch, even through fabric, was comforting to Rogue.

"Ah've done my fair share'a runnin'-- ah've gone to most lengths humanly possible, some that ain't, and today shows it still ain't enough. Nowadays ah'm grateful not t'have Hyperion in my head anymore, but a good man is dead 'cause ah made a mistake and couldn't control th' power."

The more she spoke, the more her grief transformed into a rage she'd buried deep in her psyche. Ultra Rogue abruptly tore her hand away from Clark's and stood up, shaking.

"Xavier showed me people could forgive, Logan understood, ah thought ah'd come t'terms with it with their help, but just seein'... him... tears it open like a fresh wound. Ah'm that same twisted teenager, a thief an' murderer just tryin' at bein' a hero. When ah look at me-- when ah look in a mirror-- that's still what ah see.

An' no amount of savin' worlds is gonna change that."

Her eyes glistened as tears welled up, and Hyper-Invulnerability couldn't nearly withstand what came next.

[Mighty Roman]

"I know." Hummingbird replied. "Unless we stop the Anti-Monitor, none of that matters."

She sighed. "I wish we knew who was the one Merlin wanted, the one he considered worthy."

Lobo looked up at this. 'Look, I don't know much 'bout bloody Wizards, but I'll tell ya' they're always looking for pure hearts. Y'Know, the peace, love 'n happiness, all o' that hippy stuff in one guy. So if anyone's worthy, it'll be Super-Captain whatever of this world. The bright, blue boy scout.'