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 Posted: Fri Mar 14, 2025 5:24 pm
Of all the time Surtur had spent on Earth, this was the most he wanted to be as far away as possible. Understandable, he knew, in the light of certain events. He could handle the horrific existence of the Negaverse and Chaos that walked through mirrors. He could accept no longer being praised as the savior of the planet -- a relief, if anything. No one but the children really looked up to him for wisdom or guidance, so his thoughts could be free and unburdened with the tragedy of the past.
The sky was dark, in an eerie purple that made his heart feel heavy. Lightning and energy seemed to crackle through the sky.
He’d gone out to try and observe anything of interest, and interest he found.
“My heart is heavy, but seeing you, my friend, makes the agony a little lighter. How despondent I am to warn-- you should not be here.”
Of all the people he expected to find while wandering the city, it had not been the handsome merchant, Almadel. If it weren’t for the dangers that awaited them, he would have been disappointed in himself for not having gifts ready to share.
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Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2025 12:10 pm
Almadel had been keeping busy the past few days, and it was not so often that he had been able to make trips to and from Earth. Necessity demanded it, and though he had gone through great efforts to be in and out, he paused when addressed. He had a list and a pen in hand, and he spun to face the Senshi. “Oh, Surtur. That’s almost a pleasant welcome. Yes, I know, I’ve heard Earth’s in a bit of a pickle, hm? I can’t help but notice that you’re still here. Well, everyone seems to be, so far as I can tell. Have you figured everything out, or…? No, you look too sad for that. What's the status of things?”
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Posted: Sun Mar 16, 2025 7:43 am
It was a small relief to see that Almadel was in relatively good spirits. Surtur doubted that the man would be lingering around Earth if there wasn’t a purpose for it. The list and pen in his hand was clue enough that he had a plan for something.
“We have figured out very little,” Surtur lamented as he approached the handsome merchant. Not to crowd him, but to make sure there were no sudden threats that appeared.
“You’ve spoken with others, it seems? I don’t suppose you have any advice, do you? I am here because I will help them prepare as long as possible. I dread the possibility of being alone on my world once more,” he confessed.
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Posted: Tue Mar 18, 2025 5:56 am
Surtur had a uniquely protective approach to him, and Almadel recognized it immediately so didn’t mind the closeness. It wasn’t as if Surtur had seemed much for inflicting bodily harm or acts of theft so this worked out well for Almadel anyway. Better safe than sorry, of course. “Oh, you’re a kind soul, Surtur. Very valiant of you to stay here and try to help. A handsome fellow like you, do you really think you’d be sent back to your world all alone? I’m sure you’d have plenty of people following even if this planet wasn’t on the menu. Well! Depending on how you look at it. Personally, I’ve got a lot of faith in this planet and its people. You’re all always doing something magical or powerful, I can’t imagine you don’t have some tricks up your sleeves. Although, I’ve been speaking to all sorts of people and everyone seems to be at the same sort of loss. A bit wild, don’t you think? It’s gotten me thinking, how has this planet survived for so long? It can’t possibly be luck, can it?” He pressed his lips together contemplatively. “No, it must be. I can’t imagine all my friends here would be keeping secrets from me.”
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Posted: Wed Mar 19, 2025 5:04 pm
“Secrets from someone as well traveled and knowledgeable as you, friend?” Surtur asked quietly with a small smile. There wasn’t much to smile about, but he was content for the time being. Good company often helped ease him, after all.
“No, I do not believe secrets are being kept, when the unknown is at our door. These strange storms are not unique to Earth, and I fear what I will find should I return to my world. There is chaos there too, unfortunately. I could not risk others while it still lingers. I have seen too many disappear into the mist,” he hummed thoughtfully, sadly. But after a moment, he drew his attention back to the handsome merchant.
“Be careful out here. There has been at least one report of lightning striking, causing strange serpent-like scars, although it appears to be temporary,” he shared, taking out his phone so he could show Almadel the picture.
“These storms must be connected to the calamity that comes for us. Although it’s strange that the strikes create marks like this. Perhaps it is not lightning in the traditional sense?” he wondered, eyeing Almadel curiously, interested in his opinions.
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Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2025 2:38 pm
Almdael leaned in to observe the strange markings, and he cupped his chin and pressed his lips together thoughtfully. “Oh, I see. That is strange.” He tapped his finger thoughtfully and then nodded. “I agree with your idea. I don’t think any of this is ‘the traditional sense’. Storms that come and go as they please? They act like bombs being set off, they come out of no where, and then they just collapse and vacuum themselves away? No, that’s not natural. I’ve seen a million storms and can say, with certainty, that I think these storms are a byproduct of something else.” Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth thoughtfully, Almadel tipped his head left and right a few times as he thought, as if by doing so he was able to sift through his thoughts. “I think, and I have no evidence to back this up, just good old fashioned intuition, but I think it’s trying to tear holes through the universe. Trying to make shortcuts. Something that big is going to generate a lot of energy while moving, and it doesn’t seem to be heading from point A to point B, it keeps popping around, doesn’t it?”
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Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2025 1:15 pm
“So we seal off the shortcuts,” Surtur frowned thoughtfully, trying to piece together everything Almadel shared with him. He didn’t bother asking him if he was sure when Almadel already said he was certain about the storms being a byproduct of something else.
The only other thing that would make sense would be the world-devourer itself.
“I don’t suppose you have anything big enough to create seals or shields of that size,” he wondered. “I heard there were Velencians who live on Earth now, but I have not had the pleasure of meeting them. Surtur’s technology was advanced where it mattered, but we prided ourselves on staying in touch with nature. Most of the world’s surface is mountainous, so large areas for factories and such were rare. Unless they were dug into the side of the mountains, or repurposed from mines. We had large generators that put up a barrier to keep intruders out.”
Unfortunately, it didn’t work so well on mist and fog.
“Perhaps if we had something to absorb the energy from the storms as they were being created, we could force something of a power vacuum. The creature tries generating energy, and we take it from them. Force it to leave Earth alone. It’s a shame it would likely go after another world, though.”
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2025 12:19 pm
“I wish. I have technology which protects my museum,” he said enthusiastically, “But a whole world? I don’t know if you’d have the energy to charge it. Mine is solar powered so I suppose– maybe–something like that could be repurposed to protect a whole world. But a planet this size? You’d need so many. Even if you could get the resources for that, you’d still need someone to assemble it. A planet this size–what, one, two? Hundred? Actually, I don’t know. Mine are small, and I have a lot of them. Not enough for Earth, and yours would have to be bigger. You’d need a whole army of people to be making them, much less deploy them in space? Oh, I don’t know. That sounds like a very big task.” Still, he watched Surtur curiously. “And there’s no guarantee it would even work. I mean, it might buy you a little time, but you’d have to program it to the specific energy it’s using. And chances are, they’d burn out within a few weeks, if not immediately after being attacked. You don’t have the means to maintain those things long-term here on Earth. And you don’t want them falling into the wrong hands. It’s a lot of effort for what might only be a very brief protection.”
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Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2025 5:58 am
Surtur sighed, because everything Almadel was saying was sounding more and more impossible given the state of things. If it had been in his world’s prime, he could have easily rallied up enough forces to place protections around a planet. Now? It was clear that with so many vying for control of something that didn’t even exist, what chance did they have to stop it?
“I loathe to say it, but I fear our best hope may be that of what the Negaverse and Velencians are able to fabricate. Their resources and technology combined is… unfortunately… incredibly more reliable than those of us Senshi and Knights.”
He paused, then flashed Almadel a smile. “Fear not. We will figure something out,” he nodded confidently.
“Although, should the worst come to pass, I do hope you have collected enough supplies to last,” he nodded to the list that Almadel held. “Do you need assistance with obtaining anything?”
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2025 7:57 pm
“Oh, you’re such a kind soul, Surtur.” He folded his list in his hand and it disappeared with a flick of his wrist. “Even now, you’re trying to look after me? I always need assistance with obtaining anything, but I suppose now isn’t the time to be greedy. Maybe one of these days you can accompany me on some of my escapades. But, I suppose you won’t be much in the mood for merrymaking and excitement if Earth gets eaten.” He cupped his chin and leaned back, as if to examine Surtur thoughtfully. “How many Mauvians did you say you have? Some of you must be tech savvy. Velencians and the Negaverse may have the upper hand but you must have connections. I’m not an expert, so for legal reasons I have to advise I am but a peddler of wares. I know my merchandise but that doesn’t mean I understand it. I don’t have any consultants on hand. If I were, hypothetically, able to get you a blueprint, of course, I would be repaid handsomely for my efforts if it were to come in handy. One might say, even, that I was owed a very great favor, if I can be of assistance, yes? Hypothetically, of course.”
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2025 8:02 pm
Surtur’s lip twitched into a grin that he wasn’t trying to hide, watching as Almadel’s list disappeared.
“We do have some connections, although our Mauvians are limited to what we’ve uncovered. You would hypothetically do that for us? Earth would be in your debt. But since I am the one speaking with you now, you would absolutely have access to whatever you wish on my world. I’m a bit of a collector, myself,” he admitted.
“I was going to offer to help you with whatever items you were trying to locate in exchange for a favor. We certainly don’t have time or resources for one or two hundred of those shields, but…”
He paused, pressing his lips together thoughtfully.
“If we could make just enough for where the serpent is trying to break through. At least for now… it could give us some time. Hypothetically, of course.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 11:57 am
Naturally, Almadel would be interested in a self-professed collector, and he saw the merit of making–and keeping–a good connection with him. And the rest of Earth. He drew in a deep breath, held it, and then nodded. After his contemplation, he smiled. “I suppose I like a good gamble. I’ll bet on Earth. Give me a little time, I need to dig it out of my records. Half a shield is better than no shield! Maybe your Mauvians can come up with something more efficient? I don’t know, I can only speculate. If you’re short on hands, would you trust the Negaverse to help? If Earth was at stake, do you think it’s worth the risk? Oh, you don’t have to answer me, I’m just thinking out loud. I’m sure you’ve got others better equipped to figure out such things. I’m a bit nosey. Very invested.” He didn’t seem to be thinking in hypotheticals anymore. “With all that in mind, I think I’ll head back to the museum soon and see if I’ve got anything useful lying around. Blueprints, maybe even a few components. We’ll see. But I suppose I’d better get a move on. I’d hate for something to happen to Earth because I dragged my feet! You won’t think me rude if I step away, will you? I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
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Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2025 6:36 pm
Would Surtur trust the Negaverse to help? No, he would not trust them. Would he use the information they had so they had a chance at survival? Absolutely. But he would not trust them. He knew they would just turn around and go back to trying to kill and corrupt them.
He laughed quietly but good naturedly with Almadel’s increasing enthusiasm. He nodded to him, and took one more step closer. A hand on Almadel’s shoulder and a kiss on his cheek.
“You would do right to bet on Earth. I have become very fond of it as well. Good luck in your search, friend. Thank you for your help. And for giving us hope.”
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