Tuning in (not closed)

[Nailah Weaver]

"Lets assume all that is left of the building is the foundation... And I suppose it's shadow at times."

[Narrator]

"...ah. Then you really don't... no, I suppose you wouldn't know about that."

[Victoria Valentine]

"For the sake of argument, let's assume that we have a high capacity for catching on to things," Victoria mused. "We might just surprise you and know something."

[Narrator]

"Simply surprised you didn't know that it isn't... well, above ground. At least most of them aren't."

"Not certain how much I ought to say, now."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Darling, really if it's something that could... Well, apparently have multiversal effects, telling us what we need to know to fix it shouldn't be against anyone's best interests."

[Narrator]

"I suppose it's still possible, as long as you've still got one."

[Victoria Valentine]

"I suppose that it's something that the Captain Britains would generally know about?"

[Narrator]

"Well I couldn't say. The Mastermind nodes are generally maintained by..."

He trailed off as a low droning noise struck up.

"Oh, bother. They've activated the Thirty-third Defense Apiary. You lot will have to be on your way, Her Majesty is in a mood."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Oh bloody hell," Victoria griped. "You two stay close, I'll pull us back through," she sighed, holding her hands out.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Well, we know a little more now." she says, taking a hold of Vickie's hand.

[Sean Hall]

Sean took Victoria's other hand and waited for their retreat to take place.

[Narrator]

As Victoria pulled them back, the world blurred again and the scenery around them became quite a bit more familiar.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Bloody hell. We were getting somewhere, too," she muttered, feeling out the ley lines. Even if she had to take the one she'd taken the previous time, she didn't want to give up just yet.

[Sean Hall]

"I don't think starting a fight with another world is a good idea," Sean said, "Especially one that seems to know how these mastermind nodes work. We could try another ley line and see if we could get a more...peaceful introduction. Or talk to our own Captain Britain."

[Victoria Valentine]

"Our Captain Britain fell into the job headfirst and I seriously doubt has gotten the full training course," Victoria said. "So before we stop here to go ask her, let's see if we can find a better world to try."

[Sean Hall]

Sean reached for the ley lines and tried to feel for the same energy as before. Maybe whatever had manipulated the world they'd just been to could them to another stable mastermind node.

"I suppose that bloody well simplifies things," Sean smirked.

[Narrator]

In fact, now that Sean had sensed it in a stronger form in Britannia Aeternus, he could detect a fainter form of it here in the destroyed lighthouse's foundation. Its path was faded, but he could feel it trending towards one of the ley lines.

[Sean Hall]

"I think I've found our starting point. I can feel something similar to Brittania Aeternus," Sean said before reaching for the ley line and chanting a spell to pull the two of them along it.

[Narrator]

The world around them blurred again and when their eyes refocused they were standing at the foot of a roughly-chiseled stone pillar, spiraling designs painted upon it and a green witchflame burning atop it.

In a ring around the lighthouse were crystals protruding from the ground. Their purpose became obvious enough when the group saw that they were projecting a barrier around it, which was being pounded against by invading forces. Immense tree-men hammered at the barrier, smaller, scurrying creatures swarming around them.

Floating in the air nearby was a woman with blonde hair, wearing a flowing robe striped with red and blue with a sword clasped in her hand.

"You can't keep this up, ma'am." Came a voice that seemed to be all around them. "Not even with my help." The crystals seemed to pulse with each word.

"I have to," the woman said as she gritted her teeth. "The Alba Stone must not fall. Not to her..."

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria glanced around as they appeared. "Well," she mused, "This certainly feels like a more magically welcome place, but I don't think much of the locals." She turned her attention from the invaders to the floating woman, waiting for the inevitable 'who goes there, I will blast you' speech.

[Nailah Weaver]

"This looks like we should lend a hand." Nailah says loud enough for this version of Captain Britain to hear her.

[Narrator]

"I'm afraid she's not going to be able to acknowledge you, presently."

Nearby, the air wavered like a heat mirage, and a figure of a man in a white tabard and golden greaves came into focus.

"This is rather taxing for both of us."

[Victoria Valentine]

"THen just say what needs to be done and we can be acknowledged later," Victoria said, glancing around. "Knowing what attacks might be sufficient."

[Narrator]

"That I am afraid would be Morgan le Fay and nearly half the Unseelie Host."

The image flickered briefly.

[Victoria Valentine]

Victoria nodded. Ugh, that bitch... "Very well... let's see what we can do."

She didn't like doing this. She really didn't like doing this. But against something like this? She couldn't be at half power. If anyone observed back on her reality, her projection would be seen to disappear, whereas where she stood, a red glow surrounded her.

Unseelie fey. Formidable.
Not undefeatable. Or indestructable.
That may be the goal we do not wish to pursue. Driving them off would be the simpler task.
Yes. And providing safe ground.
One effort to reinforce the barriers.
Or give it time to reform.
Yes. And another effort to drive them away.

A glowing red figure appeared in the air in front of Victoria, moving to examine the magic of the crystals to see if she could reinforce it. Victoria herself turned her attention to the fey.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Not to sound defeatist, but this might be a little too much for us to handle..." Nailah points out, but she begins drawing together magic around her regardless as she takes to the air with beating wings.

[Victoria Valentine]

"I know what I would say if we were up against something like this and people stood by and watched," Victoria said, weaving a binding to hamper the front ranks of the fey.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Never said anything about standing by." she says, twirling in mid-air as she gathers up magic between her hands in elaborate gestures, conjuring up fire in trails before sending the flames towards one of the attacking trees.

[Sean Hall]

Sean stretch out a hand and chanted something a sword forming from flames in his hand.

"Omnipotent Oshtur," Sean said, "Gift me with the flames of Scorpius."

The blade itself seemed to catch fire as Sean pointed it towards the group of Fey that Victoria was hampering before he let loose a bluish white cone of flame.

[Victoria Valentine]

He has the right idea.
Fire, to burn the creatures of darkness.
Now, while his attack has them reeling.
A spell to defend and attack.
I always did like that spell.
Yes, I did.
Shall I?
Yes, I think I shall.

Victoria raised her hand, a gesture mirrored by her avatar. Her voice rang out, a voice with an odd double quality to it.

"From their bitter, blazing land,
May the Faltine raise their hand,
May their flames now rise with might,
Against these creatures of the Night!"

She cast the power to create a wall encircling the tower outside the crystal barrier to drive back and strike at the Unseelie fey, one half of herself guiding the spell while the other summoned and powered it. Eldritch flame danced about her knife and wand as she poured herself into the casting.

[Narrator]

The flames the three had summoned left the tree-men in chaos, flailing and knocking about the smaller creatures. They scurried to get out of the way, only for the tide to be driven back by the new barrier that was expanding.

[Nailah Weaver]

"Is that going to hold?" Nailah asks, looking back over her shoudler at Vickie.

[Victoria Valentine]

"For long enough, I believe. The better question is how long it NEEDS to hold," Victoria answered, not turning her focus from the flames she was maintaining.

[Sean Hall]

Sean dropped the fire spell his sword still glowing cherry red for a few moments afterward.

"Then we should probably be quick with educating ourselves," Sean said looking at the flickering image. "We came here seeking information."

[Narrator]

For their part, the army seemed to be reassessing things tactically. A long, baying horn sounded and signaled the forces' retreat for the moment.

"They'll be back," the floating woman said. "But thank you. We might hold out long enough for the Avenging Host to arrive, now."

"Yes, quite fortuitous," the flickering figure said.

[Victoria Valentine]

"Quite," Victoria agreed. "I hope that you won't be offended if I say that I hope our business here is concluded before she returns, though."

[Narrator]

"Aid is aid. I won't be so boorish as to demand more."

[Nailah Weaver]

"Actually, we were hoping you could be of assistance to us. The Lighthouse from our world was destroyed some time ago and we're trying to find out what it's purpose was."

[Narrator]

"The lighthouse?"

"Presumably their counterpart of the Alba Stone, Ma'am."

"Then I'll let you fill them in," she said restlessly as she clutched her sword and looked out beyond the barrier.

"Very well. I am the Mastermind node designated 'Falstaff,' roused to wakefulness on the 347th station of Merlyn the Wise's grand pilgrimage. You stand before the Alba Stone, a spoke on the great wheel that supports the Starlight Citadel."

[Nailah Weaver]

"What is it that you do? Why is the node important and how can we repair or awaken ours?"