Parallel Summaries (part 8)

Frederigo shakes his head, wondering what he was thinking, and comes to his senses. That is, kind of. 

Slowly, but with growing force he begins to.....giggle in delight as a warm, soft, wild and fey feeling invades his heart! It fills him, and for a brief mad/sane moment.....Fred's eyes are unbound and he sees through the absurdity of it all. 

He laughs and glares at the demoness....as the room shifts and changes back to the very place that he'd been. Astra is nowhere to be seen (yet a small part of Fred's benumbed mind and heart whispers that she's right here with him.....somehow). At the demoness' feet lays the charred and smoking corpse of the Mage/Scientist Vincent Priceless, as well as Bobo. Fred finds a small part of him is sorrowful that the befuddled man (though not the gorilla creation) is dead. As horrible as what Vincent had done in "repairing" Fred, the young knight knew within his heart of hearts that the eccentric old man meant well. Indeed, he'd even tried to undo the damage (only to die from whatever magical backlash that had done all this). The backlash had killed Vincent and Bobo. It had teleported Astra away to somewhere far away (but some part of her was right with him.....). It had also brought forth this very demoness, who'd found the unconscious (but restored) knight and had tried to trick Fred into damning himself with a pale imitation of Hell (Fred shudders at the thought of what the REAL thing must be like)! 

Fred does not know how he knows this, but he knows! 

For a brief moment in time, as Astra's heart reached out and ensared his, his human senses are augmented to rival that of an elf. 

Elves are more alert....more aware of the reality around them than their human brothers. Thus is why Fred is able to see the falsehood that the demoness (?) had tried to use in her attempt at getting Fred to damn his immortal soul! 

The apparent demoness pauses in consternation as she senses the ruse has been revealed. Her/his master will be less than pleased. RF isn't the most forgiving of demons..... 

The demoness drops her disguise, and a eerily familiar man appears before the laughing Frederigo. The man appears strong and solid, but shows signs of his skin being ravaged by some strange plague! As for the face.....that is hidden behind a leering brass mask! 

Despite the fact that Fred can't see the face, his eyes widen as he suddenly "sees" who this monster is. 

It is himself....but not himself. An evil, twisted version of himself! 

The Brazen Man quickly raises his hand to end this fools life and perhaps find something else to appease his master when Fred's sword seems to fly out of it's scabbard of it's own accord and slices through the protective magical shield.....and the demon's black heart! 

This Fred's sword is a magical sword made of a certain metal that only Allarians know how to make. This Fred himself had used his skills will apprenticed to a dragonsbane metal smith and had forged the sword with his own hands. Then he'd had his mage brother, Dredrick (who was skilled in magic....but a bit odd in a strange fascination with fire) enscroll the sword so it would slice through the spells and wards of dragons. The magical sword, combined with the quasi-mystical nature of the metal dragonsbane, is enough to slice through the twice dead man's spells......and end the fell creatures life! 

That is....with the help of an unexpected arrival..... 

A magical backlash travels up the sword and knocks Fred unconscious as the Brazen man falls to the ground. He feels himself dying and makes a fumbling attempt to heal himself before the wound catches up with him (while vaguely berating himself for being complacent with this toy). He might have been able to even save himself, if another swipe from behind hadn't finished the job started by Fred. 

The Brazen Man's mask leers up at the demon who's claws dispatched him from behind. The Demon (the form for today), licks his claws and savors the blood. 

"With just a hint of plague.....I like it," the Demon smiles at his sour looking comrades. 

"If it wasn't the fact that the Norms were making a bid for instituting her mythos onto the entire multiverse.....I'd go and lay in your department's corrections handling facility before I'd ever work with the likes of you!" The Elder Rule grinds out, disgusted with the Demon. 

The others look at him strangely. A Rule passionate about something? Showing feeling?! 

"OH, for crying out.....don't you people read the interoffice paper?" the Rules mutters before they disappear again.....with their trophies. 

Seconds later, as the ground begins to shudder as an earthquake of strange origin begins to shake the mage's tower.....Fred's unconscious body disappears.....and he awakens someplace else. 

They've been scooped up by Rule 4 and company, initially because the Rules and Agents were responding to an apparent attempt to gain unauthorized access to on of their Champion's (E'ysha's) timeline. The three are placed in a detention center, soon are greeted by an angel and a Rule. 

The angel tells the mage that he'd been given the gift of seeing into the future to be able to change things and NOT to be anchored to a fated death. Furthermore, the angel said that now the mage must go out and help Charles D'Honaire slay the dragon.....and now use his gifts to help Allaria instead of hiding away! Questions as what this change in history would do to Fred and Astra gets.... 

"But....what of them," the mage finally manages to say in a quivering, fearful voice as he points to Astra and Fred, who look rather interested in what this change will do to THEM! 

"We will spare their lives and make them whole when the time line they are from changes....and time orphans them," the Angel says softly, "We have need of them. Now go." 

The mage disappears without even a noise, and the human and elf look fearfully up at the divine being before them. 

"What would you have of us?" Astra manages to say respectfully. Warrior princess she may be, there was no pulling rank on beings like heavenly hosts! 

"My part is done," the Angel says softly, "'Tis his turn, now." 

The Angel disappears from view and Rule 4 comes into view. 

Rule 4, needing to get two new Champions to balance out the Champions added when Agent 4 enlisted a dragon circle and yet another Fred and Astra couple, approaches the elfin lass and Fred with an offer at becoming a Champion. They jump at the chance, for Champions are well chronicles (and revered) in their homelands! Their Matrixes are altered to accommodate and protect them from the changes done to history when the mage set off to defeat the dragon and aid Charles D'Honaire....."time orphaning" them. 

That done, they are gifted with immortality and such. Rule 4 also offers Fred to be changed into an elf, to better match his now elfin love and to enjoy permanently enjoy those temporarily heightened senses he enjoyed when Astra's heart touched his. Fred accepts, and then there were two (elves) in the room. Spliting images of Gilmuriel and E'ysha. 

Finally, the new elves took the names of Kethiani for Astra and Feir-dalen for Fred. 

Lastly, the Rule tells them that their services aren't needed at the moment, but asks instead for a personal favor..... 

"Now," Rule 4 finishes, "This part is going to surprise you. While Rule and Agents always can use help in things.....I don't have any tasks for you except for something more of a personal favor." 

Both new elves quirk eyebrows in askance and then their hearts seem to melt as the Rule produces seemingly from the thin air a small bundle. A small, reedy cry comes from within the swaddled clothing, and Kethiani and Feir-dalan see the fussy elfin, silver haired, girl infant within. 

"Name her what you will....and raise her as your own," the Rule smiles at the adoring elves as they look at the elfin infant....who has stopped crying and suddenly breaks into a glowing infant smile as her little heart is soothed by the sight of what she somehow know will be her loving parents. Vague memories fade and terrible fears ease and go away....leaving an infant who is delighted at the sight of her new loving parents. 

"Her history is rather special," the Rule says, "She's very special....and needs love and care to help her get over a rough period that she and a few others will face come eight year from now." 

And may the deity you believe in bless you and your upcoming marriage and family, Rule 4 sighs as he sends them to a special place on Terra Prime......to meet those who will eventually welcome them within the loving clan of House D'Honaire..... 

"Go and learn from those special people on Terra Prime....and thus be truly prepared when you finally are called upon." Rule 4 smiled as he and the Angel left for their next assignment. "What I really like about all this is that we don't have to use our powers to muddle their minds to take the job." The gies that a certain Master would have gotten is a rare exception. "We both get what we need and are happy with the arrangement....eventually." 

The elves find themselves at a rather odd meeting place. Not the safest of places, but with all the possible guards, safer than what you'd think...... 

They appear on Terra Prime, and soon join other new analogous Freds and Astras in going to Terra Prime's Ethiopia to be guests at a wedding..... 

Fred, Astra, and a bunch of wolfriding elves..... 

Fred goes to the Southern Caves to slay a dragon. He kills Velus. He & Astra are sent to the a desert to die. What becomes apparent, however, at sunset and moonrise that this can't be the world they were born upon. Never where there two moons in the sky! 

However, the warriors are well trained and know that they must concentrate at the task at hand (survival) instead of just being stunned by this revelation. 

After a series of strange dreams by both Astra and Fred (which will turn out to be prophetic), the two soon awaken and see a cloud of dust approaching. Hopefully, it is a caravan that the two heroes can get needed aid from. 

Oh, but while this a caravan of sorts, it is no ordinary caravan. 

It is what some would recognize as the Wolfriders from Warp Graphic's Elfquest (copyrighted). These elves, however, have had a strange encounter with a set of Scott Chens who'd aided one of their own (Redlance) and helped them escape from the fire.....even helped the elves get better prepared for the journey through this burning desert! As a parting gift, one of the Scotts had given a bunch of Elfquest graphic novels for Cutter, the leader of the Wolfriders. The novels were none other than the story of Elfquest! Basically, they had their possible future in their hands! Scott had told Cutter that though the elf may not be able to read (being the elves were illiterate), the pictures would provide clues that could be used to avoid tragedies and such in the future. 

The elves were majorly confused by the recent turn of events. While they were finally coming to grips with the idea of there perhaps being humans that weren't out to kill them....weren't bitter enemies.....some were still suspicious when they stumble across Fred and Astra. 

It could have turned ugly, folks, especially since neither elf nor human had a common tongue between them. 

But, the fun and games of a demon changed events uptime. A whispered encouragement brought about a time paradox that ripped all ashudder in that universe..... 

OUCH!! 

The Never Ending Quest - episode 8057

 Two world meet on the World of Two Moon..... 

Two races meet....and this is gonna HURT! 

The meeting has nothing to do what happens next, in as far as CAUSING it. It has nothing to do with the strange people the elves, the Wolfriders, met before meeting the sunburned humans, Astra and Fred, in as far as causing it. 

It has something to do....with the fallout from the Brazen Man (lines crossed....long story for later). 

A crash. 

A beautiful, highly radiant "Holt of Holts" merges with it's inbound counterpart....that holds the ancestors of the Wolfriders....of all the elves descended from the High Ones. Rayek had been trying to save the High Ones from the disaster that had marooned them on this world. However, unlike in the series, he was not swayed by the on looking Wolfriders....nor his friends Ekuar's calm....but heart wrenching words. He disregarded all, knowing that by doing this he would be erasing all those who were NOT within the safe confines of the Palace (dwelling of the High Ones). 

Two objects can NOT occupy the same space at the same time. Throw in the fact that the objects in question have a link in temporal matters. One word. 

BOOOOOOM!!! 

Time twists....bends....and snaps into smaller and smaller pieces as the paradox and explosion races up and down the time stream of this universe. 

It makes no human sense.... but then again this is in a Realm of math and science that won't be achieved by any mortal race.....ever. 

Before Rule 4564567 can even attempt to halt the cataclysm.....he and his Chaos counterpart are engulfed....and all scream as they drop into the primal soup that the universe came from. 

This is the first.....and LAST time such as this will happen. Because of Rayek's damn actions, only a handful of survivors from this disaster are alive. 

Fred and Astra are among them, for their "origin" does not trace itself to the Wolfrider's universe. The proximity of the elves to the humans serves as a strange.....inexplicable means of shielding the Wolfriders from the waves and waves of paradoxes. 

They arrive, unconscious and tattered on various disgruntled Rules desks. It's agreed that these elves are VERY lucky. But, the can't be allowed to continue as they are. They have no real origins. It was erased by the destruction wrought by Rayek. Rayek himself....and several time/space throw offs (shades of Dr. Who) died by the backlash from ONE of them being at "ground zero" when the explosion/paradox occurred. The nearest Rayek had been zapped....and the effect had migrated to his twins. 

Ah, but you are wondering about who exactly survived? Well, the Wolfriders did, naturally....but due to their association with other elfin tribes....via future encounters.....the Gliders, Sunfolk, and the Gobacks are also dragged into the fun......except for Winnowill. She was also just a touch to near ground zero, and also keeled over (her and her duplicates). 

In all, the timeline for these elves has fractured and splintered into eight (natch....considering they have EIGHT fingers and even count in base eight....really). They break up into duplicates of varying ages.....analogous to the times and situations that one would find in the graphic novels the other author (Elfquest) is so gung ho about : - ). 

So, some elves have up to EIGHT duplicates running around (those who lives up to the eighth novel)! 

This shan't have an effect on the time orphaned elves until their....you guessed it!....their eighth birthday! See, the Rules have put each and every elf into the re-incarnation pool, and they have all been reborn as Terra Prime elves (males to male bodies....and females to females)! On their eighth birthday, they blow out their candles on their cake and are getting presents....and the memories of their prior lives....back. Should prove interesting and amusing all around, eh? Especially considering the fact that they'll be born on all the same day, eh? 

As for Astra and Fred, they wake up outside the gates of Fred's castle.....none the worse for wear (and fully healed and equipped). They have NO idea how they got their. 

As the fallout of this disaster.....steps are taken. The skeins of reality are tightened and strengthened a thousand fold. Net effect is that while dimensional/time hopping groups will still be hopping about.....disastrous encounters wlll no longer be taking place. This is because for now on, as far as the Terra Prime sector of the multiverse is concerned, the buck stops here. No more hostile encounters with different dimensional hopping cultures/races. The Enemy/Alliance war has put enough of a strain on things, as it stands. The Rules want no more of this stuff, so no more slobber knocking wars from stuff like that. The strain put on the skeins had been terrible....and if yet another war broke out.....the Rules had NO idea what the outcome would be. As for time travel, if a traveler so much as TRIED to do the same type of stunt as Rayek tried.....they'd find themselves reincarnated and in diapers....... 

1."No more. This far and NO MORE!" As Picard would say. 

It's not fair..... 

The Never Ending Quest - episode 8059

 As for Astra and Fred, they wake up outside the gates of Fred's castle.....none the worse for wear (and fully healed and equipped). They have NO idea how they got there. 

Fred has questions about much....especially those odd elves.....however..... 

Fred cries out in joy at seeing his ancestral home and gives Astra a quick kiss out of sheer joy....and then looks abash at being so forward. Astra stares at him for a second and then smiles. 

"Do that again," the warrior princess says softly as she embraces Fred. 

Astra is now intrigued even MORE intrigued by this noble night, for due to this slight gaff in ettiquete, Astra has seen there is INDEED a man inside this handsome figure before her. 

Mayhap even somebody worthy of her? 

Guards start to cry out greetings and the porticlis is raised as the two young warrior embrace, only to disappear in a puff of smoke and a fading laugh......that sound's just like Fred's voice.....but somehow VERY evil...... 

The kissing couple comes up for air (after having been frozen in stasis for months) and glance around in befuddlement as the find themselves in the middle of a forest. A male gasp draws their attention to behind them and they see a.....disturbingly familiar looking man distractedly feeling his body (his back especially). Something is strange about the coloration on the back of his neck.....the skin there is pale compared to that of the rest of the rather tanned face and neck....and there is s marked line between tan and pale. Most startling is the fact that Fred recognizes the man's face.....as the one he sees in the mirror upon waking in the morning...... 

"This is just like the tale of Nine Man Moris," the other Fred gasp finally as he notices the couple in front of him. "Ast....Astra.....my duplicate hasn't tried anything with you....has he? After that.....event in the swamp......" 

"I don't know what you are talking about," Astra begins.....at a loss. 

Fred, knowing the legend of dopplegangers.....evil and benign like those found in his homeland's favorite children's tale, makes a decision. He explains the myth and legends of dopplegangers, and gauges the reaction from both Astra and this twin of his. 

Astra looks skeptical while the other Fred looks......relieved that Fred isn't attacking with his sword (the other is unarmed). 

Astra is about to ask what the meaning of what this doppleganger was speaking of to her in the beginning when she hears a crying child. 

They, all noble at heart, go rushing off to see what the matter is.....for it could very well be a child in danger....... 

That's where they find the other teleport victims of RF and the Brazen Man (and then get captured by Orcs on Terra Prime)! 

1. That's where they find the other teleport victims of RF and the Brazen Man 

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