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The_Brony_Marek

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Registered: 2016-11-20

Posts: 212

Countdown #52: Decimation and Resurrection (OOC)

Note: This is the first chapter of a companion story to the 2 "Crisis" OOC TPs I'm working on which are mostly based loosely off of the DC comics animated film "Crisis on Two Earths" and the CW Television Special "Crisis on Infinite Earths" which are also loosely based off the DC Comics "Crisis on Earth-Three" and "Crisis on Infinite Earths" respectively along with a few references to other things I enjoy as well. When iniitally saving this log, I was unable to stop a black background from appearing around the text, if this is still in effect I apologize. There was nothing I could do it about it.

Now without further ado: Our Feature Presentation

Countdown to Crisis on Infinite Abbeys #52: Decimation and Resurrection

Earth-14: Ferravale

All is quiet is the bustling village of Ferravale; since the death of Ormaz there has been relative peace for many seasons. Though the life of Marek Redthorn is still well remembered and mourned, life goes on. Within the Redthorn Tavern, the fighting pits are somewhat quiet today, the tavern doesn't have as many patrons as one might expect and a small group of beasts sit quietly at the bar table, drinking to the past, the present and the future. In this tavern, in this village on this Earth is where our story begins.

 Patch is the owner of the tavern and checking on the daily amount of coins collected and looks up in time to see a bar fight between a rat and a weasel and sighs "Outside please...outside" 

The door of the tavern opens, and in walks Blisa, a smile on her face as she greets her citizens.  Ferdinand and Valerie walk in behind her. This Blisa is dressed in shades of green, her tunic unable to hide the bump of her pregnant belly.  She makes her way over to a booth, where a black-and-white male cat and 2 kittens, 1 a grey tabby and the other a Siamese, are sitting. After a moment of conversation, Blisa and the male cat, her husband, exchange a quick kiss, then the Chieftain moves over to the bar.  Ignoring the fighting vermin, she pleasantly asks, "Other than the current tiff, how are things going today, Patch?" There is no sign of insanity in her eyes, just calm, peace, happiness.

Also seated at the table are Mergleton and Brother Gorvenalus, no doubt negotiating an extension of the peace treaty between Redwall and Ferravale. Although the two seem rather content and show no signs of wanting to change anything.

"I say, Mr. Gorvenalus" Mergleton smiles. "I don't think this requires any new changes. Everything seems to be in order. When might the next feast be?" he chuckles. "I believe Mr. Zolomon will be greatly interested and Father Zork will enjoy the extra company"

 Patch nods "All is well today, we might need to order some more of that Fire and Ice ale....it seems some beasts like it"

 Gorvenalus nods. "Yes of course, child" he turns to greet Blisa and her family as they enter. "Ah, Ms. Chieftain. An honor to see you once again. I'm afraid Abbot Zork could not make it today, he doesn't move as fast as he once did" 

Nodding to the rat, Blisa says, "Whatever you see fit, Patch.  I'll have to try it, myself, after the baby is born." The kittens manage to scramble away from their father and grab hold of the Chieftain's paws.  "Mommy, Mommy!" Blisa tugs her paws free and hugs her children close, her face betraying her love for them. Turning to the beaver, she shrugs. "Oh, 'tisn't a bother.  We're planning on coming to the next feast, perhaps before. The roads have been so quiet lately, and my birds haven't spotted anything suspicious for quite a while, so I don't think we'd have anything to worry about."  Blisa's husband grabs the Siamese, who screams with laughter before his father gently hushes him, chuckling himself. Blisa shakes her head at them. "Castor, they'll stop screaming if you stop scaring them like that." Castor just grins at his wife.

Mergleton smiles at the children swarming in the tavern around him, though he is quick to observe their antics to make sure his robes are not damaged. "Greetings, Mrs. Chieftain. I was just speaking with Brother Gorvenalus and we have once again extended the peace treaty between Ferravale and Redwall. I am certain both you and Father Zork will be quite pleased" he frowns as the small stampede of children pound dirt into a stray bit of his robe but only smiles again. "Please do be careful, children. I have several more meetings today and I do not wish to *sigh* well, I suppose my appearance is not the primary factor of these meetings". 

Patch watches the small children and just makes sure nothing is nearby to break as he checks on a few beasts in the room and takes some mugs to the back room before returning"I always liked the feasts, and Abbot Stripy is funny sometimes" 

Gorvenalus can't help but chuckle at the ambassador's misfortune but offers to help dust off the robe as best he can before Mergleton has to leave for other business ventures. "Such a pleasure to see your children and family once again, Blisa. I never met your father but I'm sure he would be proud of the way you have raised them" 

Standing a little straighter at the beaver's compliment, Blisa smiles and smoothes her tunic over her baby bump.  "Thank you, Gorvenalus. I hope so." Castor grabs both children and stands, settling them on his hips (even though the oldest, the tabby female, is almost too big).  "Oh, I'm sure he would be," he says, smiling down at his wife. Ferdinand and Valerie are playing with the children, which is making all 4 of them giggle and chuckle. The Chieftain turns to Mergleton.  "Aye, I am more than pleased to hear that. I would have sore words with you if you had told me anything different."

Mergleton nods a bit nervously, knowing the Chieftain is only half jesting. "Yes of course" he picks up a few papers and prepares to leave the room. "I must get these to Redwall within the night and then stop once more at the Dirt Road Markets before sundown. Being the ambassador is busy work, good day" he departs. 

Patch nods and sits down in a chair beside the chieftain "They should have a feast here one day, maybe the one after this one would be nice, I mean..why not, be different right,something new?" 

Gorvenalus removes a lunch that he had packed for the trip. "I'm sure the ambassador can make it safely back to Redwall on his own, now seems like a beautiful day to enjoy a meal with friends" 

A sound like hail can be heard, faintly at first, then growing steadily louder.  Shouts and screams can barely be heard from outside as the sound gets louder, ever louder.  The cat family all poufs up, and Ferdinand draws his sabre as a city guard bursts into the tavern.  "My lady! You need to see this!" Blisa hurries out of the tavern, her bodyguards on her heels, her husband close behind carrying their son and leading their daughter by the paw.

Blisa gasps with shock as she steps outside and sees the sun being blocked out of view as millions of birds fly over the village towards the south, plunging Mossflower into darkness.  Ferravalians rush out of the buildings and side streets, filling the main road, holding hurriedly lit torches, lamps, lanterns, and candles up against the darkness.

"SIR!"  The rest of the Chieftain's bodyguards rush up, surrounding the feline family as the kittens start to cry from fright.  "The sentries can't figure out what's going on, but we think we should try to get the Chietfain and her family to Redwall, stat!"  "NO!" Blisa shouts, turning to Waldo the weasel, who looks shocked. "I am not going to leave my citizens! Besides, inside a building is probably safer than the open road."  The guards nod, but Castor refuses to budge.

All around them, panic builds as the huge flock of birds now includes eagles, ospreys, hawks, and owls, many of whom look exhausted, as if they have traveled a huge distance.  But their obvious fear won't allow them to stop or slow down.

 Patch steps outside the tavern "What is going on, it's not another warlord is it? Please dont say its another warlord we don't need another one."He looks around and he frowns, a hint of panic starts "Ok..Ok..it's not like it's the end of the world, it's fine, everything is just fine...just crazy birds...right?" 

Mergleton runs back into view joining the group as the spectacle unfolds. "My-My lady it appears that something I-something is not right" his fears are proven true as a blinding flash of red light fills the horizon, followed slowly by a blank white wave coming ever closer. Faint outlines of beasts in the distance disappear, then closer outlines and it becomes very clear that whatever attack is going appears to be killing beasts outright. "Well, this is an unfo-this is a bad situation" Mergleton stammers, unable to maintain his sophisticated mannerisms. "Blisa, we have to get to Redwall, now" 

The birds who are not out of breath start screaming in their languages as the wave grows.  Blisa's green eyes are wide with fear, then determination and anger harden her face. "No, there's no time!  Quick," she motions to a nearby blackbird, one of the very few who didn't panic when the rest of the birds started flying overhead.  "Go to Redwall! Warn them! Stop for nothing, not even death!" The bird nods, obviously terrified, but loyal to the end. It flies off, faster than it ever has before.

The Chieftain looks around her home, everything she has ever loved, her city.  "FERRAVALIANS! WHATEVER IS ATTACKING US, SHOW IT THAT WE ARE VERMIN! WE DO NOT GO QUIETLY INTO DEATH!  WE STAND STRONG, EVEN 'TIL THE END!!" Ferdinand lifts his sabre and roars at the oncoming tide of destruction, the rest of the bodyguards doing the same in a final act of defiance.

Blisa goes to clasp Mergleton's paw for a brief moment, then turns to her family.  Castor has already kneeled, resting their son on his knee. Kissing away her kitten's tears, Blisa wraps her arms around her family as the kittens cling to their parents, tears of fear wetting thier cheeks.  Blisa and Castor close their eyes as they share a final kiss. A tear trickles down the Chieftain's cheek as she feels her unborn baby move within her womb one last time.

In the light of the flames the Ferravalians are holding, they raise their weapons and roar in defiance, following the lead of their Chief and her bodyguards.  Those with families start to run towards them, their fellow citizens moving aside to let them pass. Those who make it together hold each other, sharing last passionate kisses.  Those who see they can't make it shout their love to each other. Be it in love, or hatred of the coming death, the villagers are defiant to the end.

Mergleton smiles weakly as the wave comes closer and closer, abandoning his vanity and trying his best to make certain as many citizens of Ferravale escape the unknown foe as quickly as possible, even if it is in vain. The wave is now dangerously close to the tavern and Gorvenalus finally steps out, having  stayed behind to make sure every beast in the tavern was evacuated. "Go, my friends!" he shouts as the wave approaches him, now faster than it was before. "Save yours-" in an instant, Brother Gorvenalus is gone as well and the wave continues to advance erasing one citizen and then the next as it began to close in on our heroes. 

 Patch backs up and panics a little, he can't help it as he then tries to stand tall, as the tavern disappears he drops to his knees "My tavern!!!!!' He yells out and  gulps as he stands and shakes his head"No no no..this isn't happening, it isn't happening...."Ok maybe he should just run, he is sorry ok he is a coward...ok 

The Ferravalians who are trying to escape are carrying children, but they see very quickly that the wall of Nothing is going to overtake them.  Blisa pulls away from the kiss long enough to whisper, "I love you. You all are my life." The kittens start to sob, and their parents hold them closer.  "Be brave. 'Tis not the end," whispers Castor. He and Blisa kiss again....just as the wave hits them. In one painless moment, the whole family is gone, followed by the bodyguards, who are still roaring in defiance.  The last thing to be seen of Valerie and Hank the foxes is of them holding paws.

Mergleton tries his best to guide the children of Ferravale away, but the wave is approaching too quickly. He sees Blisa's disappearance too late and his face turns to a mask of tears as he watches more of his home fade away. "It...it's pointless" he says out loud, then he clenches his fist in defiance. "No" he throws off his heavy robe leaving only plainclothes beneath and turns to Patch. "We must run!, there is no time!" noticing Patch's paralyzing fear he grabs the rat by the paw and bolts away from the quickly approaching wave, the two making it to the gates just as Ferravale is consumed and racing against futility to reach the Dirt Road, hoping against hope that they will make it to Redwall in time. 

 Patch whimpers, and something makes him go faster! He is not sure how but he manages to get that little bit of energy, of course his chest hurts but he runs on and past the gates and to the path and sort of cuts through the woods as its a short cut, hey he knows short cuts, he knows a freaking LOT of Mossflower 

Upon seeing their Chieftain vanish, the last remaining Ferravalians break and flee, screaming.  But they are too slow, for the wave catches up to them. The birds continue their flight south, and the messenger Blisa had sent to Redwall barely makes it in time.  As various creatures see how futile it is to flee, some turn to face it, returning to their defiance. Some lay down, giving up. A few charge at the wall, waving their weapons, striving to slow it down but only hastening their demise

Mergleton looks on in horror as he realizes that the wave refuses to stop at Ferravale, looking behind him he realizes that the River Moss and all of Northern Mossflower have also vanished and time is of the essence. "Quickly, we must make it to Redwall quickly!". As the rapidly approaching wave increases in velocity, Mergleton watches as Patch collapses unable to contain the rush of adrenaline. Realizing he is not far behind, Mergleton shoves Patch out of the waves wrath and is consumed himself. In one swift instant, Patch is the only survivor of Ferravale . 

Patch is knocked to the side and stumbles, he looks up as he sees the wave and gulps as he stands and bolts faster and faster till his legs hurt even more, he looks back and watches as Ferrvale is gone, some beasts leave the Black Gull and it soon disappears too but not before one drunk rat stabs another as if blaming them for the chaos,He looks ahead and sees the abbey, it's the abbey...yes but his legs hurt as he stumbles again and stands, he looks back and frowns "What de point..its not like something can stop it..." He stands and faces the wave and glares at it "I hate you, ya hear me ya strupid..what ever I hate ya!!!! Hate ya..HATE YA!!!!! YA FOUL BLOODY RED ..DOOM..TAKE ME ALREADY!"

Patch stood, his arms held out to his side. His eyes closed as he waited  for death! But death seemed to be taking it's sweet time and he refused to open his eyes and then he finally does and blinks a few times and lowers his arms as he looks around into..well a void of sorts and frowns"Am I..dead now? Is this wot death is?"He looks around and snorts "Tunnel of light? Gates...sunny  lands with grass...it was all a lie!!" 

It was true, Patch now stood in an empty black void, accompanied only by a lone circular platform that seemed to float in the endless blackness. Squinting to see, Patch did not notice any of the others from Ferravale in the void. He was indeed alone, or so it seemed but only for an instant. In a puff of black smoke the familiar visage of Ferravale's Undertaker formed before Patch although he was less corporal now and carried with him a large scythe: This was certainly the incarnation of Death Himself

Patch takes one look at the creepy rat and screams, he backs up and then eyes widen as he looks over the edge, yep that goes on forever and ever as he walks back to the one eyed rat "Markalaway...course ya here...well ya too late, that..red death  took everything..everyone..away. nothing ta bury nor a place ta..bury"He drops to his knees and shivers"Where Am I?" 

Markalaway stares blankly, his one good eye showing only cold resolve. "You are not dead, Patch. It is not my place to collect your soul. You are in a realm that exists outside of space and time  and you have been saved from your fate because a power greater than myself wishes to converse with you". In his true form the undertaker speaks with much more gravity. He says little but simply waves his paw causing a puff of white smoke to appear. 

From the white smoke appears the misty form of a tall jet black stoat in plain grey clothing. He bears a striking resemblance to Marek Redthorn, but far younger and with more pronounced silvery-white patches of fur. The youthful stoat examines his form as it slowly turns to flesh and fur and blood and seems dumbfounded at his appearance. "Where am I, Markalway? This is not the Dark Forest....." he locks eyes with Patch and seems shocked. "Patch? Are you dead? No this...something does feel right. You look somewhat different..."

Patch blinks as he walks closer and studies the stoat "Marek?" He reaches out to touch him with a shakie paw. )

Markalaway ignores Marek and Patch and simply waves his paw again, dissapearing as a puff of black smoke fills the area and the misty form of a cat begins to form

The smoke does form a cat indeed and then its clear its a jet black cat, with some areas of grey on his neck and ears, he has a nice silk tunic shirt,with fancy clip that hopes a cape in place. He looks like one who has a lot of coin as he steps forwards and looks left and right and  then to the two beasts "I ..demand to know where I am! This very instant...wait.."He seems to remember something "I died, did I not?"

Patch had just reached out to touch Marek"It IS you..I think....but your..younger..."He looks at the cat and tilts his head.He walks over, around the cat and mutters "Fancy clothing...cat...bossy.."He never meet the cat but heard Marek speak of his often, he steps back "Quickclaw?..No way!..Your a ghost...ya dead, then again so is Marek and..maybe me, or maybe I drank some VERY VERY bad ale" 

Marek steps back when Quickclaw appears, aghast at the slaver cat's sudden appearance and though neither of them are carrying any weapons, the stoat remains on guard. "Quickclaw" he growls and narrows his eyes, considering an attack on the cat but stops himself. "No" he whispers to himself before addressing both Patch and Quickclaw. "Clearly none of us know where we are, but we appear to have been taken from the Dark Forest and brought here against our will. I should like to know what transpires here as well" he begins searching the area for any sort of clues but finds only empty tiles. "This is beyond anything I have seen before"

Quickclaw just smirks, "Then again Mr. Marek, it's not like I had anything to do with this either."He chuckles "I wonder how the Blackrose has been doing, if it still strikes fear in the hearts of all, my son Blackfur is likely making me proud"

Before Marek can correct the slaver, a large cloud of black and white mist fills the area and a massive ten foot tall cloaked figure appears, towering over the three figures, his voice echoing through the void. "Marek Redthorn of Earth-1, Quickclaw of Earth-1, Patch of Earth-14. Welcome to my realm" he waves a clawed paw and three perfectly sized chairs appear in the void alongside a sizable table. "Please, have a seat"

Patch jaw drops as he looks ready to have a heart attack, was that even possible?.."I am not sure I even...died....."He gulps at the large monitor "Yet...ohhh it's here ta eat us...sit?" He seems unsure and walks forwards "Earth 14?...I am from Ferravale not..what ever village Earth is" 

Marek hesitantly takes a seat, seeing no other strategy. "Earth? 1? 14? I'm afraid I do not understand. Why are we here? If you expect me to work with Quickclaw you will sorely disappointed"

Quickclaw looks at the chair and pulls a clean rag from his pocket before cleaning off the chair and then sits down slowly, folds his arms over his chest"What is this...a game of?"He looks at Marek and sneers "I hate you as well, have no fear of that, Marek"

The cloaked figure removes his hood revealing the towering form of a monitor lizard with a silver aura around him. "This is no game, Quickclaw but a crisis of infinite measure. A crisis which effects not only your own world but all worlds" he waves his hand and spherical images of thousands of globes appear before the eyes of the three beasts, each pointed to show the appearance of the land mass they are most familiar with: Mossflower, Salamandastron, Ferravale, Redwall and more. Occasionally a globe is consumed by white light and vanishes from view, leaving a hauntingly open space. "The worlds from which you came are not alone. There are multiple worlds, and a great malignant force threatens to erase them from existence. I have returned you to your mortal form, Quickclaw and you as well, Marek so that you may help me combat the growing threat" he turns to Patch. "Many worlds have already suffered this tragedy, a fate worse than death. I regret to inform that your home, the 14th universe has recently joined their number. You are the only survivor"

Patch listens to this and looks at the floating globes."Huh..de world is..all roundish?" He frowns as a light  engulfs one and an eye twitches "Only..s...survivor of that...red death..light...thing?" He still doesn't understand it and it's hard to explain it to the others as he stands and just stares at the lizard"Why me..why?! Why not..not also chiefie and her family..or..or de abbey or..or..."He looks for a weapon, yeah let's stab the monitor or maybe try and choak him as he seems to get towards the edge of going insane . 

Marek listens in shock. "Multiple...worlds?" he turns to Patch. "I...I am sorry for your loss, Mr. Patch. You may not be the Patch I am familiar with, but no beast deserves this fate" he sighs and stands calmly. "Very well, I will aid you as best I can. What do you require of me?" 

Quickclaw looks at his extended claws and back to Marek, then the monitor"So you need..me huh, and Marek? Well, well well this must be pretty bad if you need me and Marek Redthorn to work together, I am not sure..whats in it..for me?"

The Monitor  shows no emotion as he watches the beasts bicker, simply putting up a barrier to prevent any attacks from Patch. "You have been rewarded enough with your resurrection, Quickclaw. Do not seek to negotiate further. Should everything be erased, you shall meet the same fate as everything else. Is this not a satisfactory answer for you?" as if knowing what the slaver will say before he even opens his mouth he responds again. "The three of you have been brought here because you serve a greater purpose in ending this Crisis. If we are victorious then what you choose to do with your new lives is none of my concern. Though the worlds that are lost shall be lost forever and such, time is of the essence" he turns to Patch and Quickclaw. "Will you cooperate, or shall I return you to your fate? The choice is yours, I cannot burden you against your free will. But know that you will be dooming everything should you refuse, choose wisely"

Patch  sits back down and frowns, his tail curls around the chair as he seems to twitch and twitch again "I..I..." He is gonna have nightmares  the rest of what ever life he has, a deep breath and another as he rather face this that that ..Red Death as he has name it"I..I will..h..help....how?..Where?" 

Marek  puts a paw on Patch's shoulder and sighs. "I know not where the three of us must go, Mr. Patch. But you must try to find your inner strength" a tear falls down his cheek. "I cannot imagine the pain of losing your entire world, but I will not allow the same fate to befall my own. We cannot save your home, but perhaps we can prevent the same thing from happening everywhere else as well" he holds out a paw to the scared tavern owner. "What will *you* stand for?"

Quickclaw just smirks as he leans back "Well I suppose we can't let this..force take away worlds after all" If he has a chance to take over again, he is not letting anything prevent it, "So when do we start helping?"

The Montior calmly awaits the response of the three beasts. "Your missions shall begin at once" he waves his paw and Marek and Patch are cloaked in white mist. "The two of you shall return to the mortal realm, near what you know as Redwall Abbey on Earth-86. Somewhere in Mossflower is a powerful gem that once belonged to Martin the Warrior. You must find it and return to me". The two soon vanish only to reappear in a wooded clearing with the familiar visage of Redwall Abbey in the distance, but it becomes very clear to the two that this world is very different. Within the confines of the belltower, only a single bell can be heard chiming throughout the lands: On this world, the Joseph Bell still stands strong.

Patch  blinks and looks around, he glaces at Marek"Powerful Gem?" He seems confushed "He never had a gem...a sword yeah.."He can see the tower and hmms"Well one bell, not two..thats different or least ..to me, maybe not you..who knows maybe your abbey has 3 bells"

Marek shakes his head. "My abbey has two bells as well, Mr. Patch" he starts walking in the direction of the abbey. "And it would seems the legends of this world are different than ours .Come, Mr. Patch. Perhaps the Abbey has has the answers we seek" 

Quickclaw watches as the two disappear and  looks to the monitor "So they get to go off..what of me? Or afraid I will slay the wrong beasts, hmmms?" He chuckles as he stays seated"Or is there a task thats better suited to my....ways, my smarts?"

The Monitor  nods. "Indeed" he touches Quickclaw's forehead and a golden glow emits from his claw. "You have now been given the knowledge of events as they have transpired on Earth-1 since your passing. I shall soon you return you to your universe and you shall  use them as you see fit to prepare yourself for the coming crisis. Use your skills and intelligence to work in the shadows and ensure that both those you deem ally and those you deem foe shall be prepared as well. To combat the forces of my foe we shall need a great army of both good and evil". He conjures a chess board on the table before him. "In the meantime, patience is a virtue. For if we make our move at the wrong moment, all will be lost"

Quickclaw  looks at the chessboard and chuckles "Like a game of chess then."He sits to think on the knowledge he has given and snorts "My son, nor his daughter seems to have given the Blackrose the honor it deserved, no matter...maybe it just needs me to fix it, in the meantime as you say let the pieces fall into the correct places and then...I shall join the game"

Last edited by The_Brony_Marek (2020-01-15 06:51:30 PM)