Vol. 2 Iss. 16 - Journey to the Forge
General Summary
Metro Force set out on a journey to traverse the World Tree in their quest to reach Hephaestus’ Forge. Before departing, Danny took a moment to tend to various concerns around New York City, unsure if he would get another chance.
Afterward, the team teleported to Malcolm’s farm in Last Creek, where they met with Achilles and the Wardens. The Warden of Beasts seemed anxious about Metro Force leaving, although the Wardens of Pestilence and Spores appeared untroubled. Visibly exhausted, Achilles warned them to expect the unexpected. The World Tree, he explained, connects not only to the pocket dimension of Earth Zero, but also to remnants of realms lost since the multiverse collapsed. He added that, once they obtained new weapons, they would have to decide whether to return to New York and stop Balor from summoning Atum, or venture into the Unplanted Forest to face Atum directly—though he might draw upon even greater powers there.
The Rusted Archive
Venturing into the World Tree, the team first arrived at an ancient, rusted archive serving as a repository of long-forgotten culture. Robotic sentinels, tasked with guarding the artifacts, had gone mad over the ages as they deteriorated. Metro Force neutralized them, and a portal opened once the sentinels were defeated.
The Music Room
Next, the team found themselves in a music room filled with instruments that all had broken strings. This collection once belonged to a great musician but fell victim to an interdimensional vandal. Malcolm crafted new strings from plant matter, and by playing the restored instruments, Metro Force activated the next portal.
Vesta’s Hearth
They then entered Vesta’s Hearth, discovering that Vesta had stayed out of her relatives’ wars and downfalls. She had no interest beyond maintaining her cozy hearth and home. The door from her realm would only open for those who found genuine rest within it.
- Malcolm simply added decorations to the hearth and noticed the hidden door. Instead of leaving right away, he took some food from Vesta’s magic pot and happily ate his fill. The pot refilled itself with whatever meal brought the most comfort to each visitor.
- Danny struggled to be still, so Vesta advised him not to imitate others’ means of rest. He found his peace in helping his teammates, serving them food.
- Val prayed, discovering a sense of calm in her faith.
- Trent disliked the task. The pot offered him his late mother’s mac and cheese with hotdogs—an imperfect dish he’d tried to recreate for years. At Vesta’s suggestion of adding ranch and sweet relish, he realized the missing “ingredient” wasn’t so simple. He opened up about his mother’s passing and how it shaped his desire to perform without forming deep attachments.
- Ella faced difficulty relaxing, but her pot changed from the mac and cheese to a familiar soup from her favorite Thai restaurant. It reminded her of the faith Eric had always placed in her, both as a hero and as a person.
Once each hero found rest, Vesta’s door revealed itself.
The Theater of Ghosts
Continuing on, they encountered a theater brimming with ghostly actors who had trapped their souls in this pocket dimension to endlessly replay their story. Over countless performances, they forgot the proper order of the memorial story of Freyl, a legendary hero who saved his world from a villain named End. Metro Force observed the fragments of scenes the ghosts did recall and helped them reorganize the narrative into the correct sequence. By restoring their most vital myth, they freed the actors and opened another portal.
Aengus’ Lullaby Lakeside
The next dimension was Aengus’ Lullaby Lakeside, where a deceptively simple task awaited: walk around the lakeshore to reach the other side. Along the way, they were lulled into believing their heroic duty was done and that they deserved eternal rest. Val nearly succumbed to this enchantment, but her friends carried her, resisting the urge to sleep until they reached the far shore.
Arrival at the Forge
Finally, they arrived at Hephaestus’ Forge, where Ella got to work crafting suits and weapons for the impending battle against Atum. Having completed their preparations, the team chose to go straight into the Unplanted Forest and face Atum directly, aware that they had no way of knowing what awaited them there.
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