Mexico City, Mexico, September 1897
 
The group of five stood in a circle facing outwards. Their foes were just out of sight, regrouping outside of the two doors on either side.

“What’s the plan?” asked Zed.

Reed replied; “Personally, I’m getting sick of this country and being shot and kidnapped and taken away all the time. I say we enact a crime reduction policy through the happy medium of pellets.” He raised his shotgun and blasted a hole in the wall.

“Well apparently, the Mexicans build their walls out of titanium,” commented Adessi, as the pellets ricocheted around them. He pulled out his knife with a view of outflanking the enemy. He looked up to the opening; “Someone boost me up the-” He did not have time to finish his sentence. Him had picked him up by the scruff of the neck and thrown him out through the roof.

“You scare me, sometimes. Do you know that?” said Slade. With a chuckle, Him started to spin like a top, sinking into the ground. He burrowed deep before shouting “COME ! COME ! BOOOOOM”

“I think he wants us to follow him in and set off explosives,” said Zed.

“Well that could go terribly wrong in so many ways,” replied Adessi, whose head spoke down from above.

Shots sounded. The enemy was making its move.

Zed let out a howl of pain as a crimson spray erupted from his chest.

“He’s hit!” shouted Slade, who dived for cover, dragging the wounded man with him. As he hit the ground, he felt a pull behind his neck. “Have I been shot as well?”

But Slade was not the only one who felt the tug. The rest of the companions knew what it meant, and they braced for travel. A flashing light engulfed them and they flew, faster than time itself, crushed through black holes and stretched over aeons.  The rush of millions of years deafened them as they cut across lifespans and hurtled through matter. All turned dark.






 
Unknown location, Unknown time

“Arrgggggh, I will never get used to that,” groaned Adessi, getting up. He looked around. “Bloody hell, it’s hot here.”

The other companions seemed to have had sat up. “Jungle... great,” commented Slade. “The one place where being completely naked is the most dangerous. Mosquitoes, other insects, who knows what animals.”

Him proceeded to regurgitate his customary pair of shorts, which he donned, cheering.

“Who transported us?” asked Reed.

Before he could get a reply, Adessi gave a shout, pointing at the one companion who had not moved since arriving. Zed, his chest spurting jets of blood, was twitching on the ground.

“Someone do something!” cried the fallen companion feebly.

“It’s quite hard when we don’t have our equipment on us,” replied Adessi.

“Well we haven’t lost completely everything,” replied Slade, noticing Mr Jinx, the cat he had picked up in the train, sniffing around.

“I’ll put pressure on his wound,” shouted Reed, “There doesn’t seem to be an exit wound so at least it’s his only injury. Someone go try and find... something. Something to help ! If he keeps losing blood, he won’t last very long !”

Zed is shot. The companions transport to an unknown jungle in an unknown time.
Zed is rapidly losing blood as his fellow travellers struggle to keep him alive.

Enemy
Team Status

Slade Wilson - Reed - Him - Zed Williams - John Adessi -

Unknown location, Unknown time
 
The situation was dire. Zed’s face was turning ever whiter as his movements slowed. His gaze would fix Adessi before hazing off into an unknown distance.

Him ripped off his shorts, returning to the same vestimentary status as the others. He applied the fabric onto Zed’s wounds, somewhat stymieing the flow of blood. Zed squaked his disapproval as Him clambered on top of him, adding further pressure to the wound.

“I don’t think that’s the best of ideas,” said Reed, pushing the small man off. He reached down and grabbed the blood-soaked rags. Ripping them into ribbons, he twisted them around Zed, in the fashion of a tourniquet. “Let’s make sure he doesn’t lose a fatal amount of blood. Then we’ll concentrate on shelter and rest. No use worrying about where we are at the moment.”

“I’ll scout around... in case there’s anything that could help,” said Slade, as he hurried off.

Reed called after his companion. “I don’t think we should split up just yet, the jungle makes for terrible visibility.”

“We don’t have a choice!” replied Slade. “Either we find some civilisation to help us, or Zed is a gonner! We could always transport again...”

“We can’t transport so soon. These pendants seem to need to recharge,” said Adessi. “It makes every transport a gamble.”

“Fine,” said Reed. “Let’s split up. One group will remain here to keep an eye on Zed and make sure he doesn’t kick the bucket, the rest can go out and scout for anything that could be of use. I don’t know how safe this idea is, but try to send up a smoke signal every few hours to let us know where you are. We’ll try and see through the canopy. Him is an excellent tree climber in any case, so he can remain here. How about you, Adessi, go off with Slade.”

Him whistled and clapped his hands thrice before running off into the jungle.

“Well I suppose that settles the matter,” commented Adessi. “Slade and I will go off, Reed you remain here with Zed, and Him... Him is doing his own thing. We’ll just assume he knows what he’s doing.” Reed nodded. “But that said,” continued Adessi, “make sure your priority is taking care of Zed and building a shelter. Who knows how long we shall be here.”

Zed squeeked. The group hushed down and listened to their fallen comrade. “Tree sap? Plants? Bullet out?”

“He’s gone round the bend,” said Slade, sadly.

“No I haven’t,” wheezed Zed. “It... hurts to formulate proper sentences. Try finding tree sap or a plant to help my wound, and think about removing the bullet in me.”

“That may not do you any good, mate,” said Reed. “We don’t know what firearm was fired and what bullet is in you.”

“Hmmm... in any case, Adessi and I will head out. You stay safe and let us know somehow if there’s an issue.”

Slade and Adessi looked around, pondering which path to take. Mr Jinx stood by the pair, sniffing around. “I don’t suppose he has tracking capabilities...” commented Adessi.


Zed gurgled whilst Reed applied more pressure to the wound.

 
***


Unknown location, Unknown time


Chuckling to himself, Him scampered on. He had a good feeling about this direction. His legs told him so. The Andes were far, but in this direction for sure. A click and a whistle from his mouth let him know that he was getting hungry. Perhaps berries lurked around. With a cheer he imagined the succulent juices of raspberries, blackcurrants and pears. But was a pear verily a berry? It was juicy, that was for sure. What was also certain, was the fact that this place had many leaves. Not until he reached more barren steppes and altitudes would he arrive at his goal. Leaves were not tasty. They tended towards the acrid side of the flavour spectrum. Though some were excellent when wrapped around berries. Or pears. Definitely pears.

He hit something and bounced back onto the ground, his musings cut short.

“Well what do we have here,” said a voice above him.

“What a queer, squat man, Mr Cha,” replied another.

“Now, now Ludovico, let us not go about insulting a traveller by calling him squat.

Him peered up to see a wizened old man with a short, white, and unkempt beard talking to a younger and stockier man. The old man had darker skin than the other, and reminded Him of a past transportation when they had been chased off by Kachhi wartribes of the 76[sup]th[/sup] century. Wary, he back away to better look at the two men.

“Don’t be scared,” said the old man with a smile. “I am Chandragomin, and this is my good friend Ludovico.” The old man faltered, seeming to choke. “It can’t be... Finally? After all these years?”

Him gave a low, drawn-out whistle.

“Well, my friend,” said the old man to Him, “it would seem that I have been expecting you for all my life. In fact, my family has been expecting you for innumerable generations, though now it seems like the time has finally come. Welcome, traveller. It is an honour to be the one, after all these years, to meet the Yatri of the pavitra bhavisyavani.”

Zed continues to die. Adessi and Slade go off to find civilisation. Him galavants off on his own and meets an old man, and his friend, who claims that he has expected him.
Reed tries to stopper Zed's wound.

Enemy
Team Status

Slade Wilson - Reed - Him - Zed Williams - John Adessi - TEMPORARY PLAYERS
Chandragomin (controlled by BumbleBeeCody) Ludovico Erben (controlled by Berry)

Unknown location, Unknown time
 
Zed gurgled his thanks. Reed had stemmed the flow of blood. “Well at least that’s no longer a problem, though you’re not out of the woods yet. That much blood loss can easily be fatal.”

“Lovely,” replied Zed, meekly.

“It could be worse, I could be completely honest with you and tell you that without outside help, the blood you lost can only result in your death. We shall just have to hope that the others return with something good. For your sake. I am going to find some foliage and other resources to build us a shelter. You may as well die as comfortable as possible.” He started rummaging around. “How did they do things on Titan...” he muttered to himself. “Ah ! It seems to be morning, and dew is still on the leaves. At least we won’t have to rely on potentially polluted rivers to drink.”


 
***


Unknown location, Unknown time
 

“Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree. Tree.”

“Tree. Tree. Tree with moss. Tree.”

“Another tree. Tree. Tree.”

“This is useless. The only thing in this jungle are trees and some bushed and various bugs.”

Slade and Adessi were plunging deeper into the jungle, their lack of clothing proving to be a liability as lianas and spines made them flinch.

“That’s it,” said Adessi. “I shall climb this here tree so that we can have at least a wisp of inclination as to where we are going.”

“Can you climb trees?” replied Slade

“Not yet.” And with that, Adessi chose a tree with even branches and began to climb. Slade sat down and watched as his companion nimbly worked his way to the top.

“What do you see?” asked Slade, as Adessi’s head disappeared over the canopy.

“Trees. Countless, innumerable  and unquantifiable trees. As far as I can... Wait.”

“I can do little else,” called Slade, curious.

“I can see... as sort of tower. With a bulb on the top.”

“In which direction ?”

“The one in which we were going.”

“Well at least we have that going for us – we weren’t just going in a random direction.”

“No sign of Him, I’m afraid. He’s probably napping in some hollow tree.”
Adessi came back down from the canopy and froze.

“You... may want to slowly make your way towards the tree.”

Picking up on the sudden change of tone, and Mr Jinx's low hiss, Slade froze and attempted to widen his field of vision. Out of the very corner of his left eye, he could see movement. Something was skulking back out of his line of sight.

“Slowly... but sooner rather than later, mate,” said Adessi. From the safety of his perch, he observed as a tiger padded around Slade, his eyes not leaving the naked man.

“Only one thing for it,” called Slade, and he pressed down on his talisman. He scrunched his eyes up for the now-familiar rush of reality flying past him. But nothing came. Only a snarl.

“It’s still too soon to transport again. I’m afraid we’re on our own.”

 

***


Unknown location, Unknown time

 

Him had not quite understood what the bearded man was saying, but felt an unmistakable trust towards him. The other man, not so much.

The man calling himself Chandragomin turned, beckoning for Him to follow.

“Are you quite certain such an unusual fellow is no danger to us?” asked Erben.

“The Yatri are pure, the Yatri are demure.”

“Well I suppose he can come back to the farm,” conceded the younger man, grudgingly. “He looks like he could do with a hearty meal. Unfortunately for you, my friend,” he added, to Him, “There is no human meat. Though I suppose we could request a donation.” He eyed Him.

“I’m not sure our new friend knows your vein of humour,” said Chandragomin. “Now come, pure Yatri.”

Him did not move. He grabbed Chandragomin’s robe and pointed back towards where he knew his comanion lay dying. “Dead. Near dead!” he cried.

“There are more? Of course there are more ! There are five, and you are but one of them. Lead the way.”

“Chandragomin,” whispered Erben, out of Him’s earshot. “In all your tales about the Yatri, did you not say that when one dies, he who is closest inherits the power to travel time and space ?”

“Let us not dwell on what has not happened, young Erben,” admonished Chandragomin.

“Very well,” said Erben, deep in thought.
 

Zed continues to die. Reed manages to stop the flow of blood but tells Zed that without third-party help, he will die.
Adessi and Slade continue to scout. Adessi spots a tower in the distance after having climbed a tree. A tiger pads around Slade, who tries, and fails, to transport.
Him persuades Chandragomin and Erben to follow him. 

Enemy
Team Status

NB - Don't forget that you have a lot of freedom in your decisions ! For example, Adessi can choose to throw twigs at the tiger, or sing opera at it, or even attempt a sweet body slam. Don't hesitate to give details and do whatever you want to do !
Slade Wilson - Reed - Him - Zed Williams - John Adessi - TEMPORARY PLAYERS
Chandragomin (controlled by BumbleBeeCody) Ludovico Erben (controlled by Berry)

Unknown location. Unknown time.
 
The tiger continued its pacing, eyes fixed on Slade’s bare flesh.

“I think you would do well to think up of an amazing idea,” called Adessi from the boughs above.

“Thanks. Very helpful,” replied Slade. Ever so slowly, he crouched down to whisper into Mr Jinx’s ear. “Speaking to a cat is fairly low in my list of ideas, but it is the best I have. Could you possibly interact with the tiger and tell it to leave us alone?”

Mr Jinx tilted his head and meowed. Fluffing up his fur, he approached the tiger. The beast stopped in its tracks, wary of this small creature approaching it. Seeming unsure, it gave a low, guttural growl. Mr Jinx, with pure impassiveness, ambled up to his larger cousin. Sitting before it, it gazed into the tiger’s eyes. It’s pupils contracted and it growled ever more menacingly. Mr Jinx looked back at Slade, and gave a small mew. He then booped the tiger on the nose and took off. Affronted, the tiger hurtled off after Mr Jinx, whose tail had disappeared into the foliage.

“Mr Jinx!” called Slade. “MR JINX!”

“I... think Mr Jinx just sacrificed himself for us,” said Adessi, coming down the tree trunk.

“No. He can’t have. Not Mr Jinx. He’s fast, nimble, agile. He’ll outrun that tiger.”

“Of course he will, mate,” replied Adessi, patting Slade on the shoulder. “Now let’s not let his actions be in vain – what’s our next move ? There’s that tower with the bulb, but to be honest I didn’t get a good look in all directions.”

“Which way is the camp?”

“I have no idea...”


 
***




Unknown location. Unknown time.
 
“I am still rather convinced that this little man wants us to follow him,” said Chandragomin. Him was pulling his to one direction, whilst also pointing down towards his loins.

“Or he... wants to show us his toilet?” suggested Erben. “In any case, I don’t trust him.”

“Oh neither do I, my dear Ludovico,” whispered Chandragomin, “But we must follow him, he is of the Yatri.”

“Friend deadening!” cried Him, the alacrity in his tone heightening once more. “Shorts! Shorts!” he continued, giggling.

“What are... shorts?” asked Erben. No sooner had he asked the question that Him commenced to wiggle. He wiggled up and down. He wiggled left and right. His manhood commenced to rotate faster and faster. 

“Avert your eyes!” shouted Erben, “this wizard is attempting to entrance us with his pagan loin-dance.”

“Take off your over-shirt, Ludovico,” said Chandragomin. “If we are to help this man, as me must as wardens of the Pavitra bhavisyavani, then at least I do not want to see this variety of display.”

“What if they are all like this?”

“Then I hope to all the Gods that the prophecy will hold true.”
Erben handed his over-shirt to an ecstatic Him. With a flip of the fabric, he slipped his legs in the arm holes and tore off back into the jungle.

“Follow him,” said Chandragomin to his friend. “I cannot keep pace. I will catch you up, just indicate on a tree if you change direction.

“Of course.” And with that, Erben ran after Him.


 
*** 



Unknown location. Unknown time.
 
“I’m going to try and light a fire,” announced Reed to the now unconscious Zed. He had dug a shallow hole, with leaves and fine twigs. Since Zed had gone under, he had also built a makeshift shelter out of vine foliage. “It won’t keep out the monsoon, but it’s something.”

Five minutes later, he had sharpened a stick. With his new spear, he scouted around not too far from the camp. A rustling noise made him stop. A grey ruminant was grazing some leaves not twenty paces away. Hiking up his spear, Reed took aim and let loose. The force of the throw pinned the animal’s neck to the tree behind.

Ten minutes later, Reed was spinning a skinned piece of meat over a crackling fire. The smell was inebriating his senses with memories of travels past. Lost in the fog of reminiscence, he did not hear a form enter the clearing where he sat. Neither did he take note of the hair rising on the back of his neck as the form crept towards him.

With a guffawing yell, the form leapt onto Reed, toppling him to the side. “Help!” he cried. A familiar whistle and chirp from the weight pinning him down made him come to his senses.

“Is this some form of religious garb, or do you all just walk around naked?” said an unknown man who had just come into view. 

Mr Jinx leads the tiger away from his new friends, which makes Slade sad, but saves he and Adessi.
Him does the helicopter in front of Chandragomin and Erben. Chandragomin tells Erben to give Him some clothes to hide this display. Him then runs off, followed closely by Erben, and Chandragomin some way behind.
Zed is now unconscious. Reed builds a fire, a makeshift tent and a spear, and successfully hunts and starts cooking a ruminant. He gets bowled over by Him who arrives back with Erben.

Enemy
Team Status

Slade Wilson - Reed - Him (temporarily controlled by SERIOUSLY THOUGH)- Zed Williams - John Adessi - TEMPORARY PLAYERS
Chandragomin (controlled by BumbleBeeCody) Ludovico Erben (controlled by Berry)

Unknown location. Unknown time.
  
Reed jumped to his feet, wielding the skewer of meat. “Get back, Him!” he shouted. “You were followed. In any case... what year are we? What is a blood type, eh? Is there civilisation nearby? Have you seen the others?”

“Calm it down!” the stranger shouted back. “Now I do not know where you are from, but I take affront with your slander. Blood type indeed. Well you are a bile type! Melancholy is your name.”

Him dived in front of the sharp stick, and engulfed it with a gulp.

“There goes dinner,” croaked Zed.

“And this is the dying man, I assume,” said the stranger. “There is no need to be violent,” he added as Reed made to start towards him. “I am Erben, and my mentor and friend, Chandragomin will soon be here. We knew you were coming. Well... he knew you were coming, but I am not so sure you are who you claim to be.”

The two men looked at each other, distrust emanating from both sides. Erben moved towards Zed. Crouching down, he poked the fallen traveller’s wound. Zed yelped his protest. “Some great bunch of Yatri you are. One queer little man who spends most of his time making strange noises, a dead-man-” “I’m not dead yet!” said Zed.

“One... nearly dead man, and-” “Dead?” squaked Him. “All dead?” He burst into tears and began farting a distinct melody.

“Is that... What Becomes of the Broken Hearted?” asked Reed. Him clapped and cheered as the final, shrill notes echoed around the clearing.

“You are all quite insane,” commented Erben. “I think I will retreat for now and wait for my friend.” He eyed Zed with a keen hunger in his eyes. Zed felt a pang of fear briefly wash over the extant pain he felt.

 

***



Unknown location. Unknown time. 

Slade shuffled off towards the distant tower. He did not actually care which path they were following. All he felt was the torment of anger, the anguish of yet another loss in his life. Once again he had allowed himself to get attached to something, only to have it ripped away from him. Another wound in his heart. Mr Jinx... He was supposed to be a salve to mend his broken insides. But the salve had become another dagger ripping away at the frail rope he was climbing towards the light of hope.

His thoughts returned to his lover, but as always, his mind merely distorted the image. He could no longer see his love as she had appeared before the incident. Now... Those eyes, pleading to remain alive as her hands pawed at his face. The distant lights of the fleeing band of murderers catching on her tears that carried the last of her life. They were going to settle down. They were going to spend fifty... no, sixty years together up in the house upon the hill. The sigh that marked the end of her life whisked away Slade’s aspirations, his dreams of a tranquil life. All that he loved no longer was. There was no going back, no way of possibly getting back what the only thing that was important to him. Impossible.

“Hey.” ... “HEY!” Slade looked around. Adessi adressed him again. “Are you dreaming?”

“Hm.”

“That tower should take a few hours to reach I think. Hopefully we will not meet anything untoward on the way. We should be ready to fight at any time.”

“Let’s just focus on the goal, shall we?”

The two men fell into a disquieting silence. A rustle not too far away brought them to a halt. An old man was shuffling through the leaves, his age betrayed by his irregular gait.


 
***


Unknown location. Unknown time.

“Well. We shall be here for a while whilst we wait for my companion, so let us talk!” Erben had sat down against a tree and seemed in a better disposition.

“Start by telling us where we are,” replied Reed.

“You are near Karnasubarna, capital of the new Anga Kingdom.”

“The name means nothing to me, but guessing from your clothes, we are far from any industrialised civilisation.”

“Industrialised?”

“That confirms it...”

“In any case, once you are fit to travel, we shall take you to the Shri Raktamrittika Mahavihara.”

“And why, pray tell, would we event envisage following you?”

“I’ll let my friend tell you, I am just parroting the little he told me about you all.”

“He knows us?”

“He knows of you. The Yatri, or something to that effect. A prophecy. The world. I do not quite follow it all.”

“Then perhaps we shall simply wait for him.”

Him laughed and clapped as Zed sneezed.

Slade is sad to have lost Mr Jinx, like he once lost his lover to a band of murderers. Adessi suggests they be wary of attack. They see an old man shuffling along not too far away.
Reed weilds his meat skewer at Erben who tells him to calm down. The latter prods Zed who is none too happy about it. Him eats the meat. Erben then explains more about the situation as they wait for Chandragomin.
Zed sneezes.

Enemy
Team Status

Slade Wilson - Reed - Him (controlled by SERIOUSLY THOUGH if regular player is unavailable)- Zed Williams - John Adessi - TEMPORARY PLAYERS
Chandragomin (controlled by BumbleBeeCody) Ludovico Erben (controlled by Berry)

Unknown Location, Unknown Time
 
Reed and his travelling companion looked through the boughs of a bush, and weighed the man.

"Does not seem like much of a threat," he whispered to Slade.

"Why should he be a threat? He is an old man."

"I don't trust anything, or anyone..."

"Perhaps you should leave some space in your heart for trust and love," hissed Slade.

"Are you still on about that bloody cat? Just another ephemera in your life and you look like you could jump off a cliff."

"Cats, like all creatures of this earth, are sacred and must be loved like one loves a mother."

Slade and Reed started. Above them was the old man, whose shuffling footsteps had not been heard over the conversation.
 

***
 

Anga Kingdom, Unknown Time
 

Reed still did not fully trust the new interlocutor. Though he seemed to have a simple mind compared to they, borne from his coming from a past age. An idea sprung into Reeds mind.

"We are indeed the Yatri that you seek!" he exclaimed, "Take us to your leader and we shall share knowledge that will make your mind meet the cosmos."

"Cos...mos?" replied Erben. "I don't buy it. You all seem far too normal and mortal to be of any deity. Under whose authority do you travel as the Yatri?"

Him scampered off up a tree as Reed boomed, "BY THE POWER OF THE 1.21 GIGAWATTS ILLUMINTAI, NOW 1V1 ME SCRUB OR SWEAR DOWN I'LL NOSCOPE YOUR NAN."

Erben cowered under such apparent words of eldritch origin and mystical power. "I understand, I understand," he said.

From the tree above them, a ball of leaves fell, followed by Him, chattering merrily and wielding his new creation.

"That looks like Mr Jinx," said Zed, who looked healthier than he had for a while.

"Jiiiinx ! Old man !" replied Him, and he scuttled off in the direction Reed and Slade had taken.

"Now onto more questions, mortal!" boomed Reed anew. "Where can we get water? Will we have to wait for the monsoon, or drill down to an aquifer, or will you start treating the Yatri with the dignity they have come to deserve, having travelled far beyond the scope of moons and galaxies to reach you."

"There's a stream five minutes away in that direction," said Erben, pointing towards some trees. "You should go off to get some for your dying friend here. Do not fret, I will ensure he is safe."

Slade and Reed are beset by an old man.
Reed convinces Erben that they are the Yatri. Him runs off in search of the old man after having crafted a Mr Jinx made of leaves. Erben suggests Reed goes to get water whilst he remains and takes care of Zed.

Enemy
Team Status

Slade Wilson - Reed - Him - Zed Williams - John Adessi - TEMPORARY PLAYERS
Chandragomin (controlled by BumbleBeeCody) Ludovico Erben (controlled by Berry)