The Vanguard! Issue #4 - Knifes Edge...

Lionheart

Lionheart looked at Muller, he believe the man, but worst still he didn't like the idea that the creature before him had gotten its power by means of something new, did this mean the Lunarium would be useless. Only one way to find out. Lionheart speed forward, taking the Lunarium powder he rushed up to the creature, took a flying leap and blew it into his face. "Hey ugly, with a face like that this little beauty powder won't make much of a difference, but hey can you blame me for trying. Call me a good Samaritan - but I just hate to see you suffer any longer the burden of bearing such an ugly mug!"

Though no one could see him, his bravado covered Lionheart's weariness and despair.

Sj

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

Morgana listened, proving to be other than what the Vanguardians might expect given her legend and the evil she had done. She really had changed, and she gathered the cup up, cradling it in her hands. "The magic is gone from this land, or will be soon. I see around the life has gone too..." she looked at Frostbite, who turned away, and Putty, with his head in his hands, grief stricken. "I see... much. But I haven't lived to be centuries old and not be able to see beyond what my eyes behold. I sense great power about you, and great tragedy too. I think.. .I think your intentions were good, noble. You came to help. What happened was ... unforeseen? Nonetheless, you have woken me, and without magic, I will wither and die. So! Where to get the magic? The gates have been closed, including the great stone ring on the hills several miles distant."

She looked at the dagger cast aside on the floor. "My brothers' blade."

She waved a hand.

"Excalibur."



She looked across, at the bones and wispy hair on the skeleton clad in armour. "Arthur was a brute. He forced himself... no." she looked at Frostbite, before saying "I will not sully his memory. He is dead. In his way, he saved Britain of old, but the stories told of him in ages since know nothing of the shadows darkening his heart. No warrior is ever truly good. In order to slaughter their foes, they must call upon the baser instincts, and use them, or perish themselves by the blade." She looked about. "Mordred deserved his fate but... I'm not sure the price was worth paying."

With a sigh, she held out a hand, and Frostbite watched, then started forward, offering her his so the Queen could step down from the rubble. "I suggest we head to the stone circle. From what you speak of, the gate to your land may have been reopened by your friends. One can but hope. If that is the case, the magic will flow between the gates and replenish me. I will heal the land, and you may take the cup."

She glanced at the sword. "No weapon may pass between the gates however. I can... " she smiled. "Let's see if the gate is open first shall we?" The Queen looked to Putty, and knelt by his side. The pliable man shrank away from her gentle touch. "Hush." she whispered, and raised his oozing chin with a finger. Tears misted the Vanguardians eyes with grief, and Morgana looked deep into them. "Hush. I see you. You. Behind this flesh, your soul is good. Carry with you what you have done. Never forget, and it will make you a far better person. A far better hero. We fall so that we learn to pick ourselves up."

"I should know."

She gently leaned in and kissed Putty on the mouth, a gentle, tender gesture that shamed and cheered Putty in equal measure, then she helped him stand. Turning to Frostbite, she said "Let's get to the gate before I'm too old to walk..."

Her beauty was ageing before the pairs eyes! Liver spots marked her hands, and her hair was already laced with grey!

Using the last of her magic, the Queen waved her hands, chanting... and the trio floated, lighter than air! Hand in hand they flew from the ruins of the Castle, the Queen getting older with every moment as she held on to the Vanguardians on either side of her...

=========

Minutes later, the trio flew over the blackened landscape, finally seeing trees and grass, life, in the distance. Beyond that, forested hills, and on one of those, a ring of standing stones that looked like Stonehenge.

And around it, gathered in their hundreds, a mob, venting their rage and fury to the heavens!

As the trio flew closer, they saw the aged queen, now resembling a woman in her eighties, carried by Putty.

"The demons!" cried one man, a seer. His eyes had been blasted out as he looked upon the scene of the battle from afar, and the lightning had burnt his sight from him! "Kill them! Slay them!" said others.

The mood began to boil, and the Vanguardians looked at each other. Would they have to fight again? Frostbite feared Putty was in no fit shape for a battle right now...

"Silence!" croaked the old woman, held up by Puttys helpful arm. Instantly, those nearest the trio hushed, recognising the Queen, albeit one aged by decades since they'd seen her last! The murmur spread through the crowd, and the Queen, with Putty aiding, hobbled through the parting people who bowed at her passing, whilst shooting evil glances at the outlanders.

"These men... these gods, among men, have freed me, and the land, from a great evil. It has not been without cost, and one that these two shall evermore carry. But I say to you this! They have given me the means to restore this land! To restore peace, to quash evil, to restore justice, and the means to call each creature, high or low born, brother and sister! From the ashes of tragedy shall our land rise! Behold!"

Stood in the stone circle with the Vanguardians beside her, Morgana raised the grail high. It shone like the sun, drawing gasps from the crowd, and sparkled with energy as glowing light poured from above into the cup, sploshing over the edges and onto the ground. Where the energy landed, flowers sprouted instantly! The Queen raised the cup and drank, sighing as her body removed the years, once more becoming youthful and beautiful! The gasps grew anew, and thousands of people gathered on the hill bowed knelt as one! Somewhere, heavenly music seemed to play, and the sun shone down on the scene. Whether blinded by Morganas' beauty or the energy in the circle, it was hard to say, but Putty and Frostbite felt a weight lifted from them when the Queen smiled. She touched each Vanguardian lightly on the cheek, and looked at the cup. "Heal your world." she said simply "As I will heal mine."

"Anáil nathrach, ortha bhas betha, do cheol déanta"

The Queen chanted the charm of making, and the stones glowed bright, like silver! She paced to the edge of the stones and looked back at the pair, as her people stood, lit by the glow of the now silver stones. "I shall send you... to ..." she smiled. "Honour a debt first. The sword..." she glanced at Excalibur by her feet on the grass. "The sword I shall take to a pool of still water." she said, smiling. "Fare thee well, warriors of the shadow. I, and the land, thank you."

There was a blinding flash of light!

And then everything went dark for the Vanguardians...

=========

Earth. London. A cave under the ruins of Buckingham palace, and a mans fading hope...

James Peterson was tired beyond knowing. He looked up. The air was still, silent, as it had been for days. Hope had faded. The Queen had said the Nazis were building to some big event, and the resistance had finally been crushed. It was the end. Soon they would come. He would force his aged body to fight, and he would die. His Queen? She might be kept as a momento, a curiosity, or thawed out and killed. He dreaded to think what else the Nazis might do, and a tear misted his eye.

Just then, a flaring light appeared in the chamber, and he shielded his eyes, fumbling for his gun! Blinking,he looked into the darkness, and his eyes adjusted!

"We're back" said Frostbite, simply.

In his hands he held a glowing cup.

The holy grail.

=========

Nowhere Man looked at the rock. Adjutant had burned away the encrusted muck around it, and he'd hoped to see a stone set in the stone. There was a hole where the sword might have been, but nothing else.

"You may as well take me in. Or kill me." said Nowhere Man. "My powers haven't returned fully yet. You have me. I'm done running." behind him, Adjutant pondered. The pair stood on the edge of an underground lake. It's inky black waters glittered near the shore thanks to Adjutant willing a light effect to form around him. With a sigh, he knew he would have to do his duty.

=========

In the land of Myth the Queen waved away all questions, striding down a hillside towards a lake, sword in hand. Her puzzled subjects followed, murmuring and wondering what the Queen would do next. She had spoken again, saying that she would raise an army of the light to destroy the forces of darkness, Mordreds' forces still presenting a threat to the realm, even without their leader. Despite the battles to come, the people knew their Queen would prevail. Their love would empower her, and hers in return would bring peace to the land at last.

Reaching the edge of the water, the Queen knelt. She thrust the sword, along with her arm, dress and all, deep into the calm clear water and smiled, looking down.

=========

An underground cavern in Wales...

Adjutant looked up. "What the...?" Nowhere Man turned, saw Adjutants gaze, and looked out across the water. A short distance out, a glowing figure lay under the water, and a sword was thrust from its robed hand!

"Don't just stand there!" muttered Adjutant. "Go!"

Nowhere Man strode out into the lake, and reached for the sword. He glanced at the woman. She was beautiful, but there was sadness touching her face. As Nowhere Man closed his hand around the hilt her hand released from the blade, and the resurrected hero raised the shining blade aloft! The glowing woman faded from view...

He strode from the lake, looking at the sword, then up at Adjutant. "I need to get to London in a hurry." he said.

There was silence as the enemies stared at each other, then Adjutant smiled "Why not? It wouldn't be the strangest thing I've done or seen this day."

=========

The Enchanted land...

The Queen strode back to the ruins of her castle. She frowned, and knelt. The ash covered landscape was broken, by a single tiny green bud, which, before the Queens eyes, struggled to break through the ash layer. With a whispered spell, she watched as the bud sprouted, becoming green and vibrant. The ground rumbled and she stepped back as a tree burst from the ground, growing all the while. It rose up, up... and white blossoms coated the branches.

Walking slowly around it in wonder, the Queen paused. From the trunk, a wooden hand emerged, then an arm, and a torso. Finally, a figure dropped to the floor, naked and with every passing heartbeat lightening in colour, the wood becoming like flesh. It was a young maiden, Elvish.

Elesieth looked up into the eyes of her Queen, and tears rolled down her face with joy. "We did it!" she cried!

OOC Frostbite and Putty can post again in here, any dialogue as required, and we'll be moving to issue #5 tomorrow night...

Frostbite

OOC: Not to sound like a complete suck up, but when I played other PBEM, its good to know that narratively its time to move on and set the scene. I think this post and several before hand have done that. What often makes PBEM tedious is that it takes so long to feel like you're getting anyway, the change of pace where you'e written out what you've put here really offsets that and besides which I loved the connections, Nowhere Man getting the sword and Elesieth coming back. FB certainly has a soft spot for her and I think her for him.

I'm going to take things up from reappearing in the Queen's chamber with Peterson etc.



IC:
Frostbite looked about, somehow she'd done it. Did that mean the stones were functioning properly? The grail had been replenished. Hopefully it wouldn't be beyond them that they might yet be able to get the grail back to aid Morganna's forces of light.

Seeing Peterson, weary but still vigilant, Frostbite strode forward. Weary not of body but of the burden that they'd had thrust upon them. "Peterson, you look tired." Frostbite knew he wasn't one to talk, but still held up the cup for Peterson to see.

Then after satisfying his curiosity, Frostbite lead the way to the Queen, first bowing before her majesty before again holding up the Grail. "Mam, thanks to your help we were successful. Behold the lost Grail, recovered one last time at mankind's darkening hour."

Sj

PUTTY


Putty follows behind, his shoulders more bent than usual with a deeply lined face that makes him somehow look decades older than the young man he once was.

The Vanguard - Putty and Frostbite

Petersen stared at the cup, then glanced at the queen, frozen in ice. "Ma'am..." he said, turning back to stare at the cup.

"You have exceeded our wildest hopes. You have the gratitude of a nation imperilled, one conquered, but not defeated. Never cowed whilst men and women like you and your friends are there to shine a light against the darkness. Now... Now we can rest. Finally."

The voice was heard in the head of those gathered, and Peterson nodded. "Ma'am, surely you wish to wait, to see this through? To see the land freed, to..."

"We were custodian of the Chalice, and saw it stolen whilst it was our responsibility. In lieu of surviving royal heirs, these two and their companions will be the custodians of the Grail. Godspeed, gentlemen. Peterson, more than any other, you have been a dear and loyal servant to the crown. You are now freed from all obligations. Seek the life we took from you. None has earnt a rest more than thee."

And that was it. The machines monitoring the Queens' life signs suddenly winked off. Peterson ran over to the machines, frantically trying to turn them back on.

To no avail.

The light shining down on the former Queen of England blinked off, and only the blue chestplate of Frostbite illuminated the room. Sir James Peterson sighed, then turned to the pair of you. "Gentlemen." he said, trying to maintain his composure. "A nation implores you to set events right. We will not meet in this life again, but I trust you will seek me out in the next. Ever will you have a friend in me, and the crown."

He stood to attention, hand placed over heart. "Remember these words... nos es eternus miles militis of regnum... If you should need access to the Knights of the Crown say those words. They translate, roughly, as 'We are Eternal Knights of the Realm'. Guard the words with your life, gentlemen, for they unlock doors no key ever could."

He turned, heaving a backpack to his shoulder. With a grin, the years fell away from the man. "I never doubted you'd succeed, and neither did she. Though at one point... " he grinned again. "Fare thee well brothers." and with a pat on each of your shoulders, the man walked from the room he'd lived most of his adult life in. He paused, several steps out and looked over his shoulder.

"Turn the lights off and lock up on your way out..."

OOC END OF ISSUE #4

Frostbite

OOC: Very apt and poignant end to issue 4.

Sj