Behind the Curtain

Behind the Curtain is the sixty-fifth episode of Cult of Squid. It released on July 17th, 2023 and was written by Locknloaded23 and Purple133.
==Plot==
The Cult and Snowflakes decide to hold a truce but they secretly spy on each other; Squidward has his first encounter with Azryth when he is pulled into Nix’s domain.
==Transcript==
(Episode begins where the last one left off; Squidward is sitting angrily on his throne, and we see Crayons and SpongeBob looking in) 
Crayons: Damn, the news really got to him. I haven’t seen him this upset in… Well, forever.
SpongeBob: I can’t believe Krabs betraying us made him snap. 
Crayons: It almost seen… Uncharacteristic. One tiny thing, sets him off…
SpongeBob: We should ask if he’s okay.
Crayons: Nah. Plankton and I tried. He’s too angry to talk to.
(SpongeBob looks at Crayons, then goes to open the door anyways)
Crayons: Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
(SpongeBob walks up to Squidward; Squidward just stares at SpongeBob; after a short while, Squidward breathes out his nose)
Squidward: What. what is it.
SpongeBob: I just came to see how you’re holding up.
Squidward: Well… given that we just got betrayed by Krabs, AGAIN, I’m not the happiest. We can’t afford to lose the manpower, not now. It’s so damn frustrating.
SpongeBob: “Again?” What’s the “again?”
Squidward: Oh right, you don’t remember that timeline. Well, it all started when-
(Suddenly, Squidward stops talking and begins violently shaking, before out of nowhere, he disappears in a loud flash of black-white lightning)
SpongeBob: WHAT? WHAT THE HELL JUST-
(Crayons bolts into the room)
Crayons: What happened?! WHAT DID YOU DO WITH SQUIDWARD?!
SpongeBob: I- I- I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING! HE JUST DISAPPEARED!
(The rest run into the room)
Plankton: We heard a loud noise in here! Is everything alright?
Crayons: Squidward is gone!
Plankton: WHAT?!
Crayons: HE JUST VANISHED!
(Cut to Squidward in a dark void)
Squidward: What the hell?! Where the hell am I? 
(Squidward takes several glances around)
Squidward: Hmm… there’s something strangely… familiar about this place. I feel I’ve been here before…
(A voice breaks through the darkness)
Voice: Long time, Squidward.
Squidward: Who’s there? (Under breath) Nix?
Nix: Hey Squidward!
(A shadow fills the darkness and a light shines on Squidward)
Squidward: Why did you bring me back here?
Nix: Well, Squidward, unfortunately, I didn’t really have a choice.
Squidward: What?
(Squidward notices odd symbols all across Nix’s arms)
Squidward: What’s going on?
(A tall, dark red creature with murky yellow eyes suddenly emerges from the dark)
Azryth: Hello, Brother Squidward. I’m the demon king Azryth, and I’m the one who brought you here. Let’s have a friendly chat now, shall we?
(Squidward has a worried face as it cuts back to the Cult, who are all in the Throne Room)
Crayons: I just don’t understand it! How could this happen?!
SpongeBob: Something, or someONE, must have snatched him!
Crayons: But, how?! He just vanished. You’d need some type of magic to-
(Crayons suddenly gasps heavily)
SpongeBob: Crayons? Crayons, what’s wrong?
(Crayons clenches his fist angrily)
SpongeBob: Crayons??
Crayons: LORD ROYAL HIGHNESS.
Security: Lord Royal Highness?! Are you serious?!
Plankton: Yeah, there’s no WAY he could’ve just SNATCHED Squidward out of nowhere! He isn’t some kind of magical being!
Crayons: No, don’t you remember? Lord Royal Highness was “Reborn!” He lost his soul in exchange for otherworldly, powerful abilities! We saw them during our battle against Project Phoenix - no matter how much we attacked him, he just wouldn’t die!
Security: Wait, you’re right! 
SpongeBob: For all we know, he could have more abilities we just don’t know about!
Crayons: But wait, if he had those abilities… Why didn’t he use it during our battle?
Plankton: Well… it’s possible he gained help? We certainly know Lord Royal Highness isn’t the only magical entity, or being with powerful abilities, in Bikini Bottom.
Security: But, who could have possibly helped them? Who had similar motives to him to want us destroyed?
Crayons: Wait- WAIT! IT WAS THOSE… THOSE SNOWFLAKES!
SpongeBob: Hey, YOU’RE RIGHT! THEY HAVE THE SAME MOTIVES OF DESTRUCTION AS HE DID! THEY COULD’VE TEAMED UP!
Plankton: Those DIRTY BASTARDS!
Security: WE GOTTA STORM OVER THERE AND TAKE HIM BACK!
Crayons: No, that’s too risky! If they’re teamed up, they could be more powerful than we can possibly imagined. 
SpongeBob: Well, how do we get Squidward back, then?
Crayons: We have to be discrete about it - sneak into their cabin, and TAKE HIM BACK OURSELVES!
Plankton: That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. I’m always down for a little espionage! 
Crayons: We’ll need to make sure they suspect absolutely nothing, though. You know, just to be totally safe. 
SpongeBob: Well… Why not, like, tell them we want to, like, have a temporary truce, or something?
Crayons: That’s actually not a bad idea. Security, why don’t you be the man to sneak in?
Security: But… Noseward..
Crayons: Security, he’ll be fine! There’s no way he will die with the life support system I hooked up to him.
Security: (Thinks for a short while, before sighing) Yeah, I suppose so. Let’s just have Brother Purple watch over Security in the meantime..
(Crayons, Plankton, SpongeBob, and Security sets off for the Snowflakes cabin on foot as Brother Purple walks towards the room with Noseward. Security stops in front of him)
Security: Listen, take good care of Noseward, Purple. 
(They all continue walking off; cut to them outside marching towards the Snowflake’s cabin)
Crayons: We’re almost there, boys.
Plankton: How can you tell?
Crayons: I recognize these parts of the mountains. 
Security: It’s foggy as Hell, the snow is falling, and the wind is howling. How can you recognize this part of the mountains??
Crayons: I have a knack for exploration. I can tell where I’m going just by-
(Suddenly, Crayons bumps into a figure wearing robes)
Crayons: Ow! Hey, watch where you’re going!
Figure: Imbecile! Doesn’t anyone pay attention any-
(Crayons and the figure both exchange glances, recognizing each other immediately)
Crayons: THE SNOWFLAKES?!
Fate: THE CULT?!
Both: WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!
Crayons: We were, uh, actually going to see you about something important…
Fate: How funny. We were just going to meet YOU about something important.
Security: Woah, freaky!
Crayons: Alright, you say your thing first.
Fate: No, not until we know you’re not gonna pull anything.
Crayons: Don’t worry, we aren’t even armed with any weapons.
Fate: I can tell. Say, where is Brother Squidward? 
Crayons: He, uh… he vanished.
Fate: Vanished?!
Plankton: Yup. He just disappeared. It was freaky.
Blue: Really? God, this whole thing is so freaky!
Crayons: What do you mean?
Fate: Well… Our leader, Jerry, also disappeared.
Crayons: What?!
Blue: Yeah, he just vanished out of nowhere! It was so damn scary! Saw the whole thing! He left no traces.
Crayons: So what’re you doing, looking for us? Are you trying to attack us?
Fate: No, no- we actually came over here to propose a temporary truce.
Crayons: A truce?
Fate: Yes. A truce. A truce while we look for our lost leader.
Crayons: we were… actually here to propose the same thing.
Fate: Really?
Crayons: Yes! This is a freaky, freaky coincidence.
Fate: It’s as if we were destined to meet here at this precise location.
Crayons: Yay verily. 
Fate: I accept your peace offering.
Crayons: And we accept yours.
(Fate and Crayons both shake hands with the Cult having uneasy looks on their faces)
Fate: Well, no use discussing our intentions here. Come with me- there’s an abandoned cabin around here we can use to have a discussion.
Crayons: Sounds good, Fate. Show us the way.
(Crayons turns intently to Security and gives him a thumbs up; Security salutes Crayons as he secretly slinks off; we then see Fate turn to Blue, giving him a thumbs up, as he too slinks off without anyone noticing; cut to Squidward in Nix’s domain with Azryth)
Azryth: Bit dark in here, don’t ya think?
(Azryth flicks his wrist and Nix flinches, then a throne room very similar to the Cult’s original one appears around the trio out of nowhere; Squidward is tied to a chair)
Squidward: What do you want? 
Azryth: Honestly? Just a friendly little chat between two new pals.
Squidward: Nix, how did he manage to bound you?
Nix: Primordial magic. The type of stuff only-
Azryth: That’s enough out of you, darling! 
(Nix is suddenly cut off and can’t speak anymore)
Azryth: What my good friend Nix here is TRYING to say is that I went to the furthest, oldest, darkest corners of Hell to find spells capable of binding her. And as it turns out, there were spells hidden deep within Hell’s depths. Almost like God put in a failsafe or something in case the REALLY powerful beings got out of control. 
Squidward: God?
Azryth: Yeah, you ever heard of him?
Squidward: Even so, why did you bring me here?
Azryth: It’s simple, really. I’ve noticed that you and this big angry crab guy have been butting heads recently. I’ve also noticed that the energy coming off you two is crazy high, like BOOK OF THE DAMNED high. Ring any bells? 
Squidward: Yeah, it was stolen from us by a pretty dangerous guy. 
Azryth: (teleports next to Squidward) so you’re telling me that you DON’T have it?
Squidward: That’s what I’m saying.
Azryth: Well, hopefully my next guest does!
(Azryth snaps his fingers and Jerry appears tied to a chair next to Squidward)
Jerry: Squidward?! And - some type of red dude?
Azryth: Name’s Azryth, pleasure to meet you. Although, I’ve had an eye on you for a while, Jerry. 
Jerry: What do you want?
Azryth: Do YOU have the Book of the Damned?
Jerry: What if I did?
Azryth: [dolphin noises] man, I’d be one VERY happy demon. 
Squidward: Jerry listen, I know we’ve had our differences but you can’t give him what he wants-
Jerry: Let’s say I do have the book and I choose to give it to you. What do you plan to do with it? And what do I get out of it?
Azryth: Simple. When my demon army defeats the forces of Heaven in the war I’m waging, I’ll graciously grant you and your cultists ownership of all of the world’s oceans. I’m taking land, I hope you don’t mind. 
Jerry: Well, I do like the sound of that. Yeah, I have the book. 
Squidward: Jerry don’t do it, there’s nothing to be gained from that much control.
Jerry: That didn’t stop you from running everyone from their homes. Forcing me to move north, begin my own resistance group. When I was first told of YOUR arrival after YOU got run out of Bikini Bottom, I was ecstatic! 
Squidward: Jerry that was a long time ago! If you take his deal, you’re going to damn the world to full scale conflict between Heaven and Hell. Earth’s going to become some sort of no man’s land for a war beyond our comprehension!
Jerry: (to Azryth) you said me and my followers will be safe?
Azryth: (smirking) you have my word.
(Jerry goes to shake Azryth’s hand; cut to the cabin)
SpongeBob: What’s with the decor?
(A wide shot reveals the cabin is decorated in Boys Who Cry merchandise)
Fate: We found it like this. Anyways, let’s talk business. 
Crayons: We're interested. What do you propose?
Fate: Well, first we must look at the facts; this entire predicament is incredibly strange. 
Plankton: It doesn't take a genius to figure THAT out. 
Fate: We both must be under attack by an unknown third party. 
Crayons: You know, we thought that Squidward was stolen by…
Fate: By who?
Crayons: …Lord Royal Highness.
Fate: Wait, LRH? The leader of Phoenix?
Crayons: Precisely.
Fate: Hmmmm… No, no, I don't think think that could be the case.
Plankton: Why not? I thought this was an obvious answer. I mean, who else besides you guys would target Brother Squidward? The guy who ran us out of Bikini Bottom. 
Fate: I mean, it's certainly a possibility  - but one that I simply do not believe. As far as we're aware, LRH never had any true magic capability.
Security: But, he can't die. That's magic, right? 
Crayons: Don't you remember, Security? LRH was "reborn," so he lost his soul, making him invulnerable in battle.
Fate: We have been studying the strange properties of this mysterious "Rebirth."
Crayons: Oh, yeah? 
Fate: Yes. We actually managed to capture one of these "Reborn" citizens who was wandering around. Our studies, unfortunately, are inconclusive - we haven't been able to observe any significant differences between a normal specimen and a "Reborn" one.
Crayons: Well, that's a shame. We haven't had much luck learning about the "Rebirth" either. 
Fate: For now, it remains a mystery, one which, in all likelihood, may never be truly solved.
Plankton: Well, even if LRH doesn't have any magical abilities, he still could have used something else to give him magic powers.
Crayons: Hold on, Plankton may be on to something.
SpongeBob: But what could he have possibly used to orchestrate something like this? What could be powerful enough that it could work from miles and miles away?
(Fate ponders the question, then gasps)
Crayons: What is it, Fate? Did you think of something?
Fate: We have a common enemy up here.
Crayons: What? Who? 
Fate: Markers.
(The room goes dead silent once Fate mentions the name)
Crayons: Oh my god. You're right. IT WAS MARKERS! 
Security: You really think Markers could’ve done all this? 
Crayons: I mean he’s done crazier and worse, he’s ripped open holes to other universes for gods sakes.
Fate: Wait, there’s other universes out there?
Crayons: Yeah, they’re pretty weird. Some odd green fish came through the portal last time we used it but then we destroyed the portal to keep Markers locked away. 
Plankton: And don't forget - Markers still has the Book Of The Damned! He could have teamed up with LRH to capture both Squidward and Jerry!
Fate: But one question remains; what does LRH want with Jerry? We've never had any major run-ins with him or Phoenix, and he certainly doesn't hate us as much as you.
Crayons: Maybe Markers told him that there was another group out there who could have been out to destroy Phoenix? 
Fate: I suppose - but with Markers, it's impossible to say with 100% certainty.
Plankton: So, we gotta go down to Bikini Bottom and get them back ourselves!
Crayons: No, we can't. That's an absolute suicide mission - LRH would have us all killed. He can't be killed, has an army of thousands of Reborn citizens, and a better arsenal of weaponry.
Fate: Hmmm… that would put a wrench in our plans for sure. 
Crayons: We just don't have the proper weapons, and there's no way to get more. 
Plankton: No, wait! There is… Zomp! 
Fate: Zomp? Who's Zomp?
Crayons: You haven't encountered Zomp?
Fate: No, we haven't. 
Plankton: Zomp was my old business partner some 5 years ago. We ran an underground business, selling the best weapons ever produced in the entire ocean - there was nothing to compare them to, because they were just better in every way. But, Zomp and I split up soon before the Cult took over, and since then, we've had a few skirmishes. But if we contact Zomp, tell him our plans, hopefully get him on board, then we will have the cream of the crop of all weaponry, and those Phoenix folks won't stand a chance!
Fate: I like the way you think, small thing. It's settled; we find this "Zomp," and get him on board. Then we storm into Bikini Bottom, and destroy Phoenix in the process!
Crayons: That sounds perfect to us! So it's a deal!
(Fate and Crayons shake hands slowly)
Fate: So, how will we find this…"Zomp?’
(The screen fades to Nix's domain, Azryth snaps his fingers and changes the furnished cabin back to shadowy darkness)
Azryth: What fun we’ve had here today, wouldn’t you say, boys?
Squidward: You talk too much.
Azryth: Maybe so, but HE still agreed to a deal. 
(Squidward stares at Jerry with fury in his eyes)
Jerry: So, what now?
Azryth: Well, firstly, we’re gonna say bye bye to our buddy Squidward, and then I’m going to have a private meeting with you.
(Azryth looks back at Nix)
Azryth: Well, mostly private. Too-da-loo!
(Azryth snaps his fingers and then suddenly, Squidward finds himself back at the cult’s base in the north, sleeping on the throne he was sitting before he was captured)
Squidward: (Suddenly wakes up) WUZZAT?! WHAT HAPPENED?! 
(Squidward gets a grip on himself and reality as he looks around his empty throne room, then observes everyone else is gone)
Squidward: What the hell just happened…
(Fade to the cabin)
Fate: So, it’s settled; we find this “Zomp” character, then we charge to Phoenix Plaza and get our leaders back!
Crayons: Sounds good. We start tomorrow!
(Crayons motions for the cult to leave, as Fate stands up and watches them leave; cut to outside the Cult’s base, Blue walks up to the entrance and slowly walks in, wary of all his surroundings
Blue: This place is eerily quiet… I wonder if anyone is in here at all? Doesn’t seem like it…
(Blue continues tip-toeing around and peeks his head inside one of the rooms, seeing Noseward’s condition, with a visible look of shock on his face; Blue takes out a recording device in his robes and begins speaking into it)
Blue: Looks like I know where Noseward is now. Weird markings all over his body, but I can’t quite find out why do they look so…a familiar? Regardless, I’m sure he’ll be pleased.
(Cut to Squidward with his hand to his forehead as he walks out of his throne)
Squidward: God, I don’t know what the hell happened, but I have a nasty headache. I need some water.
(Squidward soon hears faint talking in the other room)
Squidward: (Quiet) What the Hell…
(Cut back to Blue in the other room)
Blue: I didn’t find anything else that could be of particular use, but I’m satisfied with what I’ve found. I have to return to Snowflakes’ lodge, and-
Squidward: (Other room, shouting) HEY, WHO’S THERE?!
(Blue is startled by this as he drops his recorder on the floor; in the next room, Squidward hears the sound of it hitting the floor, as he grabs a gun from the wall, and runs out of the room, as we see him burst into the room Blue is in)
Squidward: WHO THE HELL IS THERE?! SHOW YOURSELF!
(Squidward surveys the room as he realizes that no one is there, then it’s revealed Blue is hiding under Noseward’s bed)
Squidward: I guess it was just my imagination…
(As Squidward turns to exit the room, he is audibly heard stepping on something as he glances down to see Blue’s tape recorder)
Squidward: What the hell is this?
(Squidward picks up the recorder, examines it, then stares at it a bit before he is about to press play, but before he can, Blue runs out from under the bed and steals the recorder back as he pushes Squidward to the ground and rushes out the room)
Squidward: WHAT THE [dolphin chirp]?!
(Squidward gets up quickly as he picks up his gun and runs after Blue, firing shots in his direction, but is unable to hit him before he successfully escapes. Squidward walks outside, looking to the distance, breathing heavily. It then fades to Nix’s domain where Azryth and Jerry are just standing)
Jerry: So what exactly is that shadow creature?
Azryth: Some type of primordial beast, you know the drill. She’s pretty protective of all this empty crap here.
Jerry: (with a thick Russian accent) this doesn’t seem all too bad, comrade Azryth. 
Azryth: Oh, there’s more of you in there. Hi, nice to meet you. Name’s Az-
Jerry: (still with accent) I know who you are, demon. I want to destroy that Squid, as I’m sure you do too.
Azryth: Well, killing him is sort of unimportant to me. But hey, to each his own I guess. 
Jerry: Do you know how I can destroy him and his entire cult?
Azryth: Da. 
Jerry: Tell me then.
Azryth: What the hell, why don’t I throw you a bone? It’s the least I can do for all the help you’re about to do for me.
Jerry: So what are ya going to give me?
Azryth: Hmm… I got it. How about a force from the North that guarantees the destruction of your enemies and the safety of your men? A primordial beast, sealed in your very mountain, more powerful than anything you or those Cult freaks have ever encountered before. 
Jerry: You’ve got me interested. Tell me more
(Azryth grins menacingly as it fades to Security inside the Snowflakes’ lodge)
Security: Alright, so I suppose I’m looking for Squidward. Doesn’t seem they’re here, so… I don’t have to be too careful, right?
(Security investigates the room he is in)
Security: Hmm… Doesn’t seem like anything’s here.
(Security continues looking as he notices opens a door in front of him)
Security: Hmm.. I wonder what’s in there.
(Security rattles the door open as he slowly steps in; he looks around the room a bit before he gasps at something in the room)
Security: Woah, no way! Is that what I think it is?
(Security enters the room slowly as he walks to a glass casing with the content inside not shown onscreen)
Security: I had no idea they had this. This could be huge! 
(It’s revealed that the object he is looking at inside the glass is the Book of the Damned; Security removes the glass casing as he holds the book in his hands and opens it, flipping through it a bit; it then cuts to Fate walking through the snow, approaching his cabin, and jiggling the handle, to which we then see Security back inside, hearing the door handle of the other room jiggle)
Security: (Quietly) Oh crap, crap, CRAP! I gotta run!
(We see Security panic slightly as it shows Fate opening the door to their lodge, walking to the door of the room Security is in, slowly shaking the handle to that door, and when he opens it we see him step inside slowly, with Security nowhere to be seen at all, and the book back inside its glass casing)
Fate: Hmmmm…
(Fate slowly walks to the Book, removes its casing, and looks inside it, flipping through slowly before he suddenly slams the book shut)
Fate: That son of a BITCH… He was here, snooping around…
(Fate puts the glass case back on the book as he looks around the room, then he observes the closed window next to him as he walks to it, looks outside, and sees footprints in the snow outside; Fate chuckles to himself quietly)
Fate: So that’s how he wants it to be… So be it.
(The shot cuts to outside the lodge, looking into the window, as we see Fate looking outside at the harsh snow, then walking off shortly after, turning off the light to the room making it completely dark as the episode cuts to black)
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