The Spiderwebbers all lounge around, doing whatever they want. Wise Man and Jumpin' Salmon are as high up as they can get, watching for Bomber and Lord Llama to reappear.

Spring: See? Isn't this much better than working?

Terror's Martyr: It still sucks.

Ben4808: I told you we should have gone to the RWG Forum to spam.

Terror's Martyr: That would suck even worse, you [censored] [censored]!

Ben4808: Hey! Don't call me that!

Mr. Bookworm looks up from the book he is reading, sighs, and resumes reading.

Terror's Martyr: I'll call you whatever I want. [Censored]!

Terror's Martyr shoves Ben4808.

Jewels: TM, no!

Ben4808 loses his balance, cracks his head against the wall, and falls unconscious to the ground.

Jewels: That wasn't nice. Now the thing will make him speak entirely in noob.

Alec: Don't be ridiculous. The thing can't attack in such a large gr...

Alec suddenly keels over.

Terror's Martyr: What the [cen...

Terror's Martyr, too, falls over unconscious. Sudden silence descends upon the forum as everyone turns to look.

Spring: But... but how?

Dareva: Does this mean the thing can strike from wherever it wants now?

Major: We're all going to die!

Major runs screaming for the exit out of the message boards, pushing people out of the way as he goes.

Delicious Vlish: Ow! You just stepped on one of my tentacles!

Major crashes into The Lurker, but keeps running.

The Lurker: Hey!

Major reaches to pull the door open, but the door is suddenly thrown wide open by someone from the other side. Major is pinned between the door and the wall. Robinator walks in boldly, followed by VCH and Meeshka.

Robinator: Hey, everyone. How's it going?

Imban: Not well.

Robinator: Has it been that boring without me? I will do my best to liven things up!

VCH: Yeah!

Imban: No, the boards are being attacked.

Robinator: And you're just standing around?! Come on, let's defend it!

Robinator picks up a sword and waves it in the air.

Robinator: Where's the attack coming from? I'll teach the thing not to attack us!

Lazarus: The thing can strike from anywhere.

Robinator: Anywhere? How can it strike from...

Robinator suddenly falls over unconscious, almost landing on his sword.

Meeshka: What just happened? Hey! There's something trying to bite my foot!

Almighty Do-er of Stuff: Oh, that's just a newly-hatched fluffy turtle. Inspector Walnut found it hiding in the fluffy turtle pit. It wants your sanity.

Meeshka: Am I supposed to give it some? Ow! That hurt!

Almighty Do-er of Stuff: Only if you want to keep that foot. Inspector Walnut! No! I'll take Robinator's sanity and give it to you. He needs his head still!

Meeshka and VCH give the baby fluffy turtle their sanities and the Almighty Do-er of Stuff gives Robinator's sanity to Inspector Walnut. Slartucker looks as though something is bothering him.

Arancaytar: What is it, Slartucker?

Slartucker: I'd like to speak with the Nine-Headed Cave Cow and get some advice. I can only do that when I am alone. But if I go anywhere alone, the thing will attack me, and then I will no longer be able to commoonicate with the Nine-Headed Cave Cow.

Arancaytar: So what are you going to do?

Slartucker: I will have to leave Spiderweb in order to speak with the Nine-Headed Cave Cow. I don't know when I'll be back. Good-bye.

Slartucker exits the message board. The door closes behind him, revealing a stunned-looking Major.

Major: Wghat ghappened? Everytghingh went black all of a sudden.

Jewels: You were hit by the door. And you must have been attacked by the thing as well.

Major: Ogh dangh.

Terror's Martyr and Alec both stand up.

Terror's Martyr: This trgmhjk sucks!

Alec opens his mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. He looks furious about it.

Nikki, Tyranicus, Stew Boy, and Sir David are walking through the forum.

Nikki: Drakefyre? Kelandon? Are you here?

The four Spiderwebbers pause and wait. There is no response.

Tyranicus: They're not here either.

Stew Boy: Then they must be in either the Richard White Games Forum or the SubTerra Forum. Wait... what was that?

Sir David: 17 (4|\/|3 |=50|\/| 0\/35 7|-|353

The four Spiderwebbers turn to look. Sir David and Tyranicus both have their weapons ready. GoldenKing stumbles into the forum. Tyranicus lowers his bow.

Tyranicus: Oh. It's just GoldenKing.

Stew Boy: Isn't this the Nethergate Forum, Tyranicus?

Tyranicus: Of course it is.

Stew Boy: Then why do you have that bow?

Tyranicus: The real Romans and Celts both used bows!

Stew Boy: But not the ones in Nethergate.

The bow vanishes out of Tyranicus's hands.

Tyranicus: Oh, great. Thanks a lot.

Nikki: What are you doing here, GoldenKing?

GoldenKing says nothing. Instead, he wanders over until he is standing right in front of Nikki.

Nikki: Hey! There's something funny about your eyes.

GoldenKing: Xmjjnmk!

Nikki falls over unconscious. Stew Boy sways a little, but remains standing.

Stew Boy: GoldenKing's been possessed by the thing!

In response, GoldenKing casts aura of flames. Sir David is far enough away to avoid the spell. Tyranicus is able to dodge the flames easily.

Tyranicus: Working with Aran on the portal came in useful after all.

Stew Boy throws himself on the ground, barely managing to avoid the flames. GoldenKing hurries forward and places a foot on Stew Boy's back, trapping him on the ground.

Stew Boy: Somebody do something!

Sir David starts to run forward with the flaming sword held ready, but halts as GoldenKing casts aura of flames again.

Tyranicus: I would, except that now that I need it, I no longer have a weapon! And it's your fault, too. Wait a second... aura of flames doesn't exist in Nethergate either!

The flames surrounding GoldenKing suddenly die out. Both Sir David and Tyranicus rush forward.

GoldenKing: Zhphwq!

Tyranicus: Argh!

Tyranicus and Sir David stumble back with their hands over their ears. Stew Boy passes out.

Sir David: 1372 637 0|_|7 0|= |-|353!!1!

Tyranicus: Good idea.

Sir David and Tyranicus exit.

Meanwhile, Drakefyre, Kelandon, Marlenny, Lord Grimm, and the Silent Assassin are exploring the SubTerra Forum.

Kelandon: We've searched every forum, and the thing hasn't made a reappearance. Where could it have gone?

The Silent Assassin points to a huge rip in the forum. After several moments go by without anyone noticing, he taps Marlenny on the shoulder. She turns and sees the rip as well.

Marlenny: What is that?

Everyone else turns and looks.

Drakefyre: That must be how the ur-noob and the noob army got in. It will have to be fixed as soon as possible.

Sir David and Tyranicus enter, both out of breath.

Kelandon: What are you two doing here?

Tyranicus: GoldenKing's been possessed by the thing!

Drakefyre: What? How?

Tyranicus: I don't know how. But I do know that he speaks like the thing, he knocked Nikki and Stew Boy unconscious, and he tried to cast aura of flames on us!

Drakefyre: Kelandon, Marlenny, go through that rip and see where it leads. Silent Assassin, Lord Grimm, follow me. I'll see what I can do about GoldenKing.

Tyranicus: He's in the Nethergate Forum.

Drakefyre, Lord Grimm, the Silent Assassin, Sir David, and Tyranicus exit. Kelandon and Marlenny look at the rip.

Marlenny: Where do you think it leads?

Kelandon: Let's find out.

Marlenny and Kelandon exit through the rip.

Nikki is standing along in the forum with a blank look on his face. Drakefyre, Tyranicus, Lord Grimm, Sir David, and the Silent Assassin enter.

Nikki: Hey! You... um... oh, I can't remember your names. In fact, I'm not sure we've ever met before.

Drakefyre: Nikki! Where are GoldenKing and Stew Boy?

Nikki: Who? I don't remember ever knowing those people.

Tyranicus: Huh? Why can't you remember?

Nikki: Because I... I... I don't know.

Drakefyre: It looks like the thing wrecked Nikki's memory instead of his speech.

Nikki: Thing? What thing?

Tyranicus: The thing that's been attacking everyone!

Nikki: Wow. Really? I don't remember any attacks.

Tyranicus: Of course not. You don't even remember my name.

Nikki: It's... it's T... T... You're right. I don't remember. What is it, again?

Tyranicus: Tyranicus!

Nikki: Oh, right.

Drakefyre: We're wasting time. If GoldenKing's been possessed by the thing, we need to find him immediately.

Nikki: What should I do?

Drakefyre: Just follow us and stay out of the way.

Nikki: Oh, okay. Um, where are you all going?

Drakefyre: I just said that we're going to look for GoldenKing.

Nikki: Who's GoldenKing?

Drakefyre sighs.

Drakefyre: Never mind.

Drakefyre, Tyranicus, and Sir David exit. Nikki hesitates.

Nikki: What was I supposed to be doing again?

The Silent Assassin shakes his head in despair. Lord Grimm and the Silent Assassin grab Nikki and drag him out of the forum.