Goodbye to Gravity, and to Death(IC)

[Ari]

GM

It took a minute for the redcaps to realize what was happening, but the flames soon drew their attention and anguished howls, the goblin-like Fey breaking ranks as they desperately sought to put out the blaze consuming their tents with whatever containers of water or smothering cloth they could lay hands on, their squat forms silhouetted eerily in the dancing firelight.

In the confusion, the few Fey still guarding the camp were wholly unprepared for the sudden attack of Parsinkle and his own soldiers, who suddenly leaped out from behind the trees lining the camp and quickly charging the scattered clumps of watchmen, knocking them down and binding them with long cords as they struggled and bit at their captors, but not managing to do any damage to the rapidly-moving band who kept a surprisingly low profile in the now-riotous clearing. That said, the guards were soon missed all the same, although the panicking redcaps that went searching for them did little good besides joining their comrades in captivity.

One of them, however, got the chance, space and breath to shout shrilly into the air, loudly enough that everyone could hear it "It's PARSINKLE! Save yourselves!"

[Supercape]

"Ze war has started!"

Rene stood up, creaking slightly as he did. It seemed pandemonium (possibly literally, in this dimension) had been set free to rampage and riot.

For the life of him, he did not know whose side he was fighting on. Parskinkle or the Redcaps. He trusted neither.

Fight on the same side as you always fight...he thought to himself.

"I think it is time to get out of here..." he muttered. In the chaos, he was not sure where Marceau was, or what he was doing. He dearly hoped that he wouldn't be putting his comrade in danger...although the likelihood was that was just what we was going to do.

However, the prisoners needed saving. Marceau could look after himself.

Pulling out his brush, he called forth the mystic ink that perfused the little wand, and with a flick of his wrist, sent it flying around them. The ink landed on him and the prisoners, and as it did so, they faded from view.

The invisible ink did its job, but the act had drawn out the facade that he had painted onto Marceau. As the magic ink evaporated from the King of Suits, he changed back from Redcap into costumed adventurer!

[Ari]

Marceau was dashing away from a new blaze when he felt the change begin. Before his horrified eyes the squat Redcap that he had been disguised as warped and lengthened into his far more familiar costume and body, a red and black beacon in the roaring fires that was unmistakable as anything but what he was. He glanced over at the cage, trying to see what was going on, even as he fumbled with the weapons at his sides. He could hear the shouts of Fey all around him, and knew he would soon be discovered.

'Rene, my friend' he thought as he donned the gauntlets 'Let's hope this works, and that this Prince is true to his word!'

[Ari]

GM

Several of the Redcaps were in the middle of dashing to and fro getting the more flammable weapons and supplies to safety. The transformation took mere moments, and the King of Suit's breastplate did its job of drawing attention to him perfectly. Ten Redcaps scurrying past with arms laden with their long pikes stopped dead in their tracks, their faces opening in low howls of anger as they realized the betrayal, and tossing most of their bundles aside charged towards him!

[Supercape]

"Calm down, calm down!" shouted Rene above the chaos outside. The prisoners were startled by their new invisible status, and were bumping into one another - a complication Rene had not forseen, and he now kicked himself for this undesirable status.

"I have a few tricks up ze sleeve, hehe!" he chuckled at them.

"The time has come to leave, before we are caught up in this!" he explained, before conjuring up a mystical blast from his hands - a stream of pure force, that hammered into the cage with powerful intent...

[Ari]

'Oh.'

With great speed the King of Suits assessed where the Redcaps were coming from, gauged how close they would get in the next few seconds(which was definitely not easy for him), and reached a decision. Grabbing a smoke grenade from his utility belt he pulled the pin, tossed it on the ground and adopted a dramatic pose as it curled around him, arms crossed across his narrow chest, which was puffed out to an imposing extent. "Come at me! With all your strength!" he shouted as the smoke swallowed him from view.

As he vanished, he quickly turned and dashed deeper into the smoke, sliding a gas mask over his mouth and preparing to fight, drawing out razor cards as he ran.

[Supercape]

As the cage door splintered under Rene's fercocious blast, he raised a hand, the splinters flying harmlessly at him.

"Quickly, my friends! To ze large tree just ahead! stay there, and I, or my friend, will come and collect you! for now, we need to stop this war! stay safe, stay hidden!" he commanded.

As the captives bumped into each other, falling once or twice, they made their way with increasing confidence and speed to the landmark.

Rene was first out of the cage, and looked around for Marceau...hopefully his comrade would have some more light to shed on the whole mess...

[Ari]

GM

The captured Freedonians quickly hustled into the dark embrace of the towering tree at the edge of the campsite, its shadow and low-hanging branches providing ample cover from the wild eyes currently rolling around the flaming tents, dashing bands of Redcaps colliding and struggling briefly with each other in a flail of hairy limbs, a clatter of pikestaves and short barked curses.

Parsinkle was cheerfully riding around the encampment, whirling a mass of coiled ropes around his head that he now and then loosed at small squabbles of the coarse dwarves, entangling them and lashing them to the cage with great laughs that rang horribly through the night air that glittered with a thousand fireflies and utterly random sparkles that made it hell to try and sleep in. "Come, my comrades!" he cried gaily "Let us bind these renegades, and show them what we do to traitors! There will be a fire like none that has been seen before in this Elfland!"

[Supercape]

Rene shuffled the remaining stragglers to the large tree, wondering for a moment if the tree was, indeed a tree. Given the recent encounter he had, he was inclined to have second thoughts about the landmark.

"Stay here! But...not too close..." he added, cautiously, eyeing up the large oak.

"Ze tree's have ears!" he explained.

And perhaps more! he added to himself.

Turning on his heel, he sped away to the ruckus, at no great speed it must be said. He could do a light jog at a push, but he was too old for sprinting.

He decided to stay under the cover of the invisible ink, for now. He tucked away his paint brush into his coat. He could not risk using any more ink...the Freedonians cloak of concealment needed to remain, whatever the cost.

[Ari]

Hearing the Redcaps stumble after him into the rolling smoke, the King of Suits managed a shaky smile. Things were not going nearly as well as he had hoped, but so far the pair had been doing better than he had thought they would. Now for the finish. Turning sharply he dashed out of the fog, tossing an explosive card after himself as he ran, hearing it detonate in the middle of the group of blundering Fey with a shockwave carrying enough force to nearly knock him off his feet as he ran. The dwarves had been thrown for several yards, their clothes smoking gently and the wearers quite insensible.

"Alright, now to make my escape," he said with a little more cheer, running full-tilt towards the edge of the clearing as Parsinkle and his soldiers mopped up the very confused and unprepared Redcaps with whoops of evil glee and clashes of arms. He raced past the cage and saw to his relief that Rene and the others were nowhere in sight, at last slowing to a halt a full ten metres from the edge of the camp, panting slightly from the sudden bursts of effort.

[Supercape]

He could do with some invisibility himself...thought Rene, seeing the King of Suits make his escape.

He stopped, partially because his aged limbs and lungs could not keep up the pace. But also, he told himself, to consider the situation...

The prisoners, the kidnapped Freedoniams were safe...if not out of this world.

But...where did Parsinkle and the Redcaps fit in? it was War...and he had precious little idea who or what it was about. What he did know was that every War, even the justifiable ones (a dangerous term), were bloody and horrible.

"Marceau!" he called out as loudly as his puffed lungs could manage. Perhaps not loudly enough over the sounds of war, he cursed to himself. He took a few steps nearer and called again.

"Marceau! over here! what is going on?"

[Ari]

Hearing the cry, the King of Suits spun around, seeing his friend with a cry of joy, running like a gazelle to the shelter of the tree, where he took the aged painter's hand and shook it vigorously before embracing him with a sudden movement "Excellent work, Rene, excellent!" he released the old man and glanced at the brutal combat going on just beyond, the thuds, crashes and howls ringing out strangely muted in the air. Uncertainly he answered the question "Parsinkle laid a trap. I was to draw the attention of the Redcaps who captured these people away from his assault on the opposite side of where he placed his flaming beacon, then he would strike them unawares. I saw no reason to take half measures, and decided to burn their tents, which were placed far enough away from the cage to prevent the prisoners from being harmed. I don't know what's going to happen now, though the Prince said these Fey were rebels and would be punished. So, I guess that means they'll be out to the sword. Possibly in view of his other subjects, do you think? From what I heard them say it seems that this was the beginning of a wider rebellion among the Redcaps against the elfin lords, but I have precious little notion what that means in this world" he confessed. Looking anxiously back to his friend he asked "What do you make of this, Rene?"

[Supercape]

"What do you make of this, Rene?"

Rene frowned deeply. This was all a little too convenient...

"I make of it that there is more to make of it than we have so far made of it..." he answered cryptically, caught up in Marceau's enthusiasm, but still pondering over his words.

"I dislike anybody being put to the sword, especially rebellions against Aristocrats..." he said, with a half smile. "As any Frenchman would!" he answered with a smile.

"Men shall only be free when the last king is strangled with the entrails of the last priest" he commented, wistfully. "A fine sentiment marred by being seeped in blood..."

He turned to Marceau fully. "What do you make of this, my friend? rebels fighting for liberty or a leader fighting for law?"

[Ari]

He didn't share that fervor(and he could never have guessed how deep it ran), and the sentiment was..slightly different from what he held, but he understood the need for all sapient beings to have freedom from oppression. He mulled over what he had heard from the two sides, and nodded suddenly "This is suspect. Why would they kidnap humans if they were just rebelling against the fairy nobles? Their revolt seems real enough besides that, they were going to be reinforced soon by other rebels. Parsinkle doesn't strike me as the sort of man..well, fairy, who would want to just enforce order, in all honesty I wonder if we did the right thing here. I was so focused on making a distraction I never thought about it, but he feels downright cruel to me somehow. In absence of other evidence, I say they must be fighting for their liberty from the likes of Parsinkle. Rene, I have the horrible feeling we've just helped him recapture some of his slaves.." he face had been gradually drawn downwards as he thought, looking back up with a look of quiet horror. He frowned "But why are the Redcaps with him loyal? In the presence of such a superior force they could have just dragged him from his horse and taken him a captive to their brothers. Are there factions of these creatures? I can't make sense of this" he muttered, scowling in frustration as the oddness of the situation struck him fully.

"You know far more about the Fey than I do, Rene. is this..normal for them?"

[Supercape]

"You know far more about the Fey than I do, Rene. is this..normal for them?"

Rene gave a subtle shrug. The King of Suits was sharp, clever...a keener mind than his, picking up things he would have missed. For his part, he had the benefit of two centuries of quite extraordinary living. Together, he felt, they could solve anything.

But they still had some unravelling to do.

"You are right to be cautious, my young friend. As for normal, in the land of fey, I am not sure that is a word of much gravity. It is mecurial, ephemral, and chaotic at the best of times. Cycles turn, and patterns form...but I doubt even Madam Tarot could predict where the dice will fall today..."

"We can trust noone. We were warned by the tree on our way here, and we should heed it. And yet...we are still in the dark, my friend. We need to get the captives back to Freedom City, and then find out exactly what is transpiring here!"

"I know a spell to break through the invisible walls and send them on their way..."

[Supercape]

Rene sat down, back against the tree.

"This will take some time..." he explained to Marceau. "I will need you to keep watch. If those Redcaps see us, they are unlikely to resist the temptation to make mischief. And of course, they may be most keen to recapture the prisoners. Although quite why they were taken in the first place is, to me, yet an enigma. You seem to have the knack for, as they say, detectivework..." he said with a smile as he closed his eyes.

"I am sure you can apply that brain of yours to the problem...in the mean time..."

His bretahing softened and shallowed, Rene focussed with acute attention on his surroundings. On the vision before him, and the vision that lay behind the facade of reality. Time and space contorted, and streamed in beautiful waves before his imagination. And through it he swam, looking for cracks, diversions, and splinters.

"This will take quite some time...Avalon...is complex..." he explained as he focussed on the problem.

The hours passed, for him barely noticeable, as his mind was on different planes and levels of consciousness. But eventually he found the road that needed to be travelled, and opened his eyes.

He took up a branch and started carefully inscribing some weaving forms in the dirt beneath him. They seemed almost, but not quite formless, but if one stopped thinking about them to closely, they did leave some kind of impression - like the sea, or a river, and of swimmers in the water.

And then, with a mumbling in a language of another universe, the 'captives' faded, and swam along the streams of reality back to Freedom City.

[Ari]

GM

The ritual to cross the boundaries of the Omniverse was time-consuming as always, but the power wielded by the ancient artist sent the captured humans sailing across the Cosmic Coil without difficulty when the spell was laid. They vanished into the rippling form of a vaguely-beheld Freedom City, sliding into the other world and into the arms of shouting police officers, EMTs and sundry Freedonians almost unable to believe their eyes as someone they knew reappeared in front of them.

The battle was soon over, Parsinkle's smaller force having managed to corral the renegades and close them in the cage that had been used by them to hold the humans, tied to each other and the bars with the ropes that had once held up their now gently-smoking tents. A Redcap with a bandage over half of its head stumped up to the two Frenchmen, gesturing to the top of the cage where the Prince was lounging, drinking long draughts from a brass pot "His Lordship will see you. He wishes to give you a reward."

Message delivered, he stumped back to the small group of soldiers playing with knucklebones beside a pile of dead warboars.

The air still glittered like gems.

[Ari]

Marceau had been seated cross-legged on the grass facing the camp, mulling over the problem facing the pair. So far the whole thing seemed incomplete, the evidence was contradictory and the motives of all the parties involved was a mystery to him. He had made up his mind to try and get answers out of Parsinkle long before the Redcap wandered over to he and Rene. "We'll see him as soon as we are able" he answered a little distantly, staring up at the hill that loomed over the small clearing.

He had watched Rene's dimension-warping magic with no little awe, the world of Avalon streaming away like rippling water around the captives before they sank beneath the Coil's waves, the strained rays of Earthly light a powerful counter to the blank sunlight of the fairy world.

To Rene he said in a softer voice <"We need to at least see what Parsinkle's full side of the story is. Then we have something to work with, even if it is a sack of lies.">

[Supercape]

<"We need to at least see what Parsinkle's full side of the story is. Then we have something to work with, even if it is a sack of lies.">

"I think so, yes" agreed Rene with no shortage of reluctance.

"As for our reward, I am disinclined to receive any gift. I fear a poisoned chalice, or even more subtle device. Parsinkle seems to be enjoying himself to much for my liking. It is the nature of the fey to revel, sometimes for joy, sometimes for cruelty. They are two faced beasts, make no mistake. Delight and terror are their meats..."

He sighed.

"Onwards then, and remain on your guard. Let us see what the King wants, and what he does..."

[Ari]

GM

The two halted at the base of the cage, through its bars peered the renegade Redcaps with hatred at anything outside, not a single sound coming from them. Parsinkle was busy emptying the last of whatever was in the pot down his throat, abruptly swallowing whatever it was and throwing the vessel at the feet of the human pair. Leaping to the cage's edge he called down merrily "Ah, well done! You have my deepest thanks and gratitude for your help in capturing these rebels. I will have them bound in chains and taken to my castle, paraded through the streets so that all my subjects shall know the penalty of disobedience to their master before I put them back to work in the mines. A few will be executed, of course. As more concrete evidence of my esteem, you shall accompany me to my palace, I shall fete you both with the finest meats and drinks I can find in my small empire, and you may each carry back to your terrestrial sphere as much wealth from my storehouse as you can carry when the festivities end." He smiled broadly, the curls of his dark beard glinting in ever-cheery light, and the red robes he wore seeming to radiate light of their own "What say you?"

[Supercape]

Rene bowed deeply for diplomacies sake. Parsinkle was a despot, it was clear. How benign or malign his dictatorship was the question.

"The many worlds bear witness to your generosity, Sir!" he started, truthfully.

"But I need not wealth, no not gold, nor gems or metals however finely wrought. In honesty, your wines and meats suffer temptation for my palate, but no, I have another boon to ask!" he proclaimed, his nose and tounge protesting at this possible deprivation of savoury and sweet delights.

"To know the worlds, that is a gift to treasure for life. So tell me, dear King, what ails the Redcaps so that they might rebel against your magnanimous rule?" he asked, deliberately spiking his words that nestled in the compliment.

[Ari]

The elfin prince preened himself elegantly at Rene's compliments, seeming quite pleased at the words of praise. "I will at least insist that you see some small part of my realm! This wasteland is no place to entertain friends of Parsinkle. My castle is barely a half-day's march from here, and I can cut that time short by several hours. These ingrates," he said, gesturing to the Redcaps below him in the cage "have become convinced that some sort of deliverer has arisen, who will rescue them from their servitude to Fey lords such as I. As you have seen yourself, these renegades have not a righteous bone in their stocky bodies, else why would they have stolen your people to feed their gluttonous bellies? No, no, they just wish to be free to commit whatever atrocities they want, free from the civilization we higher Fey have brought them, free from the order we enforce on their scurrilous race!"

[Supercape]

With a sideways glance at Marceau, Rene cautiously replied.

"My curiosity is inflamed, oh generous King! your castle would, I am sure, be quite a sight. I can imagine it now, the height of its magnificent towers, the glint of its marble, and the sway of mighty flags in gentle breezes!"

Perhaps he was laying it on a bit thick, but Parsinkle seemed to be oblivious to praise.

People believe what they want to believe. It held as true for Fey as for humans.

"Lead on then. And regale us with tales of your scurrilous servants!"

[Ari]

GM

Parsinkle practically glowed "A king I am not, but a king I shall soon be. Come along, my soldiers, let us depart, and show these visitors my generosity!" he called over to the sullen squad, who reluctantly parted from their game and set to work, binding the rebels together as they got ready to march. Parsinkle had gotten two more horses for his guests, who were perfectly pliable to the humans. The trip through the peaceful green woods took barely enough time for the sun to dip into the sky before a massive red castle, on which a hundred bright flags waved from a hundred parapets, appeared around the bend of the appearing and disappearing road, gleaming in the sunlight like a red pyramid.

It was set partially in the cliffs overlooking a river that had somehow sprung into existence nearby, a small town clustered around the mighty stone edifice like barnacles on an aging fishing boat. Dramatic lances of sunlight stabbed through the light clouds, illuminating it and the small valley around it with a gilded glow. The town was well-stocked with people, and joyous song erupted from the crowded streets as Parsinkle, the prisoners and the guests came through the arching copper gate, the elfin subjects and wandering gangs of Redcaps lining the streets and saluting their ruler upon his triumphant return. Passing grandly though the cobbled streets and waving to his gathered subjects, up the long slope into the castle, which was richly furnished to a nearly modern level of comfort. Even the stone walls were almost warm to the touch, and the water that passed in streams through some of the rooms was beautifully heated, and all of the towering hallways carried the sound of soft, gentle music.

Apartments were provided for the humans, Parsinkle granting them rooms at the summit of towers, which gave them a truly spectacular view of wooded hills without a mountain in sight, and a river that could not have possibly existed on Earth.

[Supercape]

"Well my friend" said Rene to Marceau "I feel almost 200 again!" he said, gazing out at the panoramic view from their appartment.

"This realm is full of vigour. Mercurial and ephemeral. That is not always a good thing, however. Youth has its attractions, but it fades like all things...."

"And seductive, too. One could get lost here. Full of the joys, and then the horrors". He sighed deeply thinking of lost loves and old flames.

"But now, let us not be caught up with splendour and mirage. So, Parsinkle is not yet a king, but schemes to be. The plot thickens! And I think we should go exploring!"

With that, he whipped out his paintbrush and showered the pair of them with his invisible ink until they faded from view.