《En Perpetua: The Ziegfried Saga》


 Beware The Curio

    This warning has sounded through the ages, but all those who enter that cursed shop never heed. Before you ask, you do not find this shop. It will happen across your path when you need it most. It will offer you anything your heart may desire, but just as with all shops, it comes with a cost. What price you pay in the heat of despair is between you and the merchant at the counter. Beware her silvery smile and ebon tongue, for she promises charity, but her greed is wanton.


    Beware The Curio


    Upon entering it, your life will be forever guided by the deal you make. Even those who have brokered for their freedom have never escaped the consequences. All sales are final in that cursed shop and nothing you gain will exceed the cost. She will barter and bargain. Appeal to your greed, your pain, your loss. Everything she can leverage she will take until she is satisfied.


    Beware The Curio


    -File ALC001, Weaver¡¯s Records


    Argenta laughed uncontrollably before saying, ¡°Can you believe this? They paint me like I¡¯m some ancient witch.¡± Her customer stared at her unamused. She huffed, ¡°You really are a bummer. They were NOT joking. So what brings you of all people to my shop, mister hero?¡±


    The man sighed a sigh that carried the weight of centuries, ¡°You run your damned mouth a lot for someone wanting to make a sale.¡±


    She smirked at him, ¡°You really are scared of me, aren¡¯t you, Shawn? Or is it that you are worried about what I might ask in return?¡± He froze a bit at her comment and she nodded, ¡°That much they got close to. I do demand something in return, but I try to keep it fair. It isn¡¯t my fault that so many people have steep tastes. So what is your request? An actual life? Maybe happiness for the people you ruined? Or is this about Anisa?¡± He jolted at the name and she chuckled, ¡°Of course I know. Still, your power is rooted in sacrifice.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Half my life giving until there was nothing left and I still couldn¡¯t keep one damned promise.¡±


    She rolled her eyes, ¡°Please learn more words. Did you sacrifice your vocabulary too? Or is it the lack of social contact?¡± He glared at her but she just brushed him off, ¡°Anyway, your power gives you a bit of an unfair advantage over most customers. As long as you cling to it, there isn¡¯t much I can take from you personally. So here¡¯s the deal. I can help you keep your promise, but in return, I¡¯m taking your history. You will be forgotten by the world. Sadly, your friends will have to go too. Their history is too tightly bound with yours. Douglas and Dean will join you.¡± She looked him over to see if he was going to change his mind, but his determination just seemed hardened by it.


    He grumbled, ¡°They will be okay. They are tough kids.¡±


    She sighed, wondering how she could even go about this. Unwinding time to change the course of one life was entirely in her wheelhouse but where to store the incidental leftovers was beyond her. Turning to consult her materials she smiled as she found the perfect place for them. A place that existed outside of space and the regular flow of time. Returning to the counter, she began to draw up the contract, giving the necessary information for the deal to be a fair one, ¡°Alright, so Anisa¡¯s fate will be changed and in return, you and your friends will have your histories undone completely. No one will remember you and the impacts you have all had will be erased. Some additional details, you and your pals will be sent to a space dominated and defined by raw emotion and will. While there, you guys will be unable to access your abilities and will have no means of getting yourselves out or communicating with the outside world.¡± She took a deep breath, speeding up her pace considerably as she finished her instructions, ¡°thecrystalscontainingyourabilitieswillremaininthisworldandmaybeusedasaconduittoreturnyoutotheworldreturningallmemoriesbutnoactionsyouhavetakentotheworldbutshouldyouforanyreasondiewithinyourprisonwearenoresponsibleforreturningyoutoyourformerstate.¡± She took another deep breath and said normally, ¡°Finally, where you are going, your will determines everything. No matter what hell you face there, keep that unbreaking will that I¡¯ve heard so much about or you may cease to be. Hope your friends aren¡¯t too pissed with you. Given you will be spending an indefinite portion of eternity together.¡±


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    He nodded. ¡°Yeah, I get it. The kids will go back when the time comes and they will have to earn their degrees again or some crap. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve got it.¡± He spun the pen in his hand effortlessly, getting ready to sign. She pulled the paper away for a moment and he looked almost pissed at her, until he remembered that she was his only shot.


    She laughed a little at his eagerness, ¡°Shawn, Warrior of Hope, I want to make sure one last time before we do this. You are so haunted by your failure to save her from her fate you are willing to throw all of time out of whack and sacrifice two people you view as children to put it right?¡±


    He looked her up and down and spoke bluntly, ¡°I have faith in the kids. They will hate me forever but Doug already kind of does. They will find their way home. But me? I¡¯ve got nothing to lose and everything to gain. I¡¯m washed up and worn out. If I survive, I come home keeping my promise. If I don¡¯t, then the world might be better without me breaking things more. Either way, she gets the chance she deserves.¡±


    Argenta warned with an ominous tone, ¡°You say that, but a great slew of evil you put away will return to this world because of this choice. All your good will be undone and countless lives will be put at risk because of your decision.¡±


    He shook his head, his confidence unwavering, ¡°I wasn¡¯t the only one saving the world in my day. I know they will be able to pick up my slack. Besides, Anisa would probably take my place in a heartbeat and I trust her to walk that road.¡±


    The merchant was baffled why she was unable to inspire hesitation or dread into this man. He came with so much despair surrounding him, and this was a terrible deed, but he seemed unmoved. She had heard correctly. His greatest asset and flaw was his single minded purpose. How his despair had made such an unbelievable specimen was beyond her. Still, she loved this. She lived for seeing what the trials of life could create. She leaned forward, her teeth flashing in the now dimming lights of the store. She sneered, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to love seeing what this little deal makes out of your friends. In the meantime, see me when you get out. I would love to share a cup of tea with you as you tell me in person what I¡¯ve only seen on paper.¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°Sorry, not in the market for a date. I came here for business and I don¡¯t see myself requiring your services again.¡±


    She shrugged, ¡°Oh, I find followups an important part of my work. Never know when someone might find themselves in need for a fair bargain.¡± She put the paper in front of him again and he signed. As soon as he did, Argenta¡¯s eyes shone gold before shifting to a deep jade. ¡°The deal is made and the contract sealed. A life for a life. I shall unwind your fate and grant it to another. Just remember, this choice and everything that comes with it was yours and yours alone. If for any reason you are unsatisfied, then remember the architect and curse yourself. Begone, Shawn Masters, and thank the Great Argenta for her mercy.¡± The shop became like fine silk being unwoven, the man bound by threads he could not see and being cast into a realm of golden light. When the shop returned to normal, she sighed, ¡°I love this job, but the rep is crap. Still, worth it to be the merchant queen stoking the fires of conflict. Makes for a hell of a story.¡±

 Warrior of the Dawn

    The warehouse was quiet and dark in the early hours of the morning, industrial dust covering most surfaces along with the plastic wrap covering the pallets of goods waiting for their proper destinations. Among these endless shelves, street merchants would hide their most sensitive of illegal goods and even the military could hide secrets in plain sight. The warehouse workers continued their usual routine this day, doing what they were paid to do best, ignoring the activities inside the warehouse. Inside, a group of shady armed figures were standing at either end of a particularly high set of shelves, blocking even visual access to the isles around it.


    Gavin sighed as he waited in those isles for the inevitable and startling appearance of his customer. And as always, a bright flash of purple flames filled the air and the heat and sound made him jump. The client held her head up in a manner designed to make Gavin feel judged, her harsh eyes piercing her mirrored shades. She bore a prominent spiral horn in the middle of her head and her pitch black attire bore unicorns embroidered in silver. Her flowing silver hair only served to make her flames all the more flashy. Gavin hated these flashy sorts. They made it so much harder to operate without drawing attention. Did they ever realize how suspicious it was for him to hire goons off the books just to block the isle in the first place? Still, it was what made him the best at what he does. He bowed, as he was used to doing for her, and stated, ¡°Welcome, Lady Unicorn. I¡¯ll save you time and my company. Here are the goods you wanted to see.¡± He pulled the marked cargo from the shelf and removed a small armored case no bigger than a cutting board. Opening it he revealed the assortment of pure white glowing gems.


    She nodded in approval at his expedient methods before examining the goods. After a moment she spoke coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t see the rare specimen that you mentioned in our discourse, but I can confirm these are military grade, as promised.¡±


    Gavin nodded, stating clearly, ¡°Yeah, that specimen lit up the boards of every agency everywhere so I had to put that someplace different. But I did find another one like it so I brought that one instead. Lift up the insulation of the case. You¡¯ll see.¡± Doing as he asked, she eventually lifted out a rough uncut gemstone. It shone with a stable but ambient orange and almost seemed to hum. She turned it over in her gloved hands for a moment before removing one and reaching for the gem with a malicious smile.


    ¡°Dark hearts beware the coming dawn.¡± Gavin turned to face the voice only to see a female silhouette standing in one of the large windows that he didn¡¯t remember opening. The light coming in was too bright to see her clearly, but she continued her speech anyway, ¡°Those who barter in the night for the stars that guide our hope!¡± The figure pointed directly at Gavin¡¯s client, which caused the woman to recoil somewhat from the gem. ¡°Shall be dragged into the light and awaken to justice!¡± She brought her arms back to herself and the light shone brighter for a moment. When the light cleared, the figure had leaped down from the window with multiple twists before landing in a place that allowed them to finally see her. Her outfit was bright orange from top to bottom, her head fully enclosed in a helmet that seemed to be of an odd material. It held a visor black as night and a helm that shone the brightest gold. The rest of her outfit was just as enclosed, seemingly made of an ever shifting and shining material. Her torso bore gold embroidery and on her back was the likeness of a scorpion. Her boots were pure white with gold accents. Striking a pose and pointing with her white gloved hands. ¡°Behold, hope¡¯s chosen warrior! It is I! Zora, Warrior of the Dawn!¡±


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    Gavin was expecting his client to act by now, given how terrifying he knew she could be, but instead she seemed to freeze in place. The mirrored shades hid her expression and so he did what he always did at times like these for his clients. Motioning to his hired goons, he expected them to be able to at least begin the process of stopping this girl. As his hired goons charged her, his client dropped the orange gem and teleported away in purple flames, not helping his growing anxiety. Still, he felt if he moved now he might be able to get out before this girl got him. He didn¡¯t know what this was, but he figured any answer he would get would still end up with him in jail.


    She was rather acrobatic in her fighting style, dropping low to do a two legged sweep kick all around her before hitting one of the now falling goons with a rising kick to the chin, lifting herself into a handstand. She quipped, ¡°Excuse me, speed bumps. I need a word with your boss.¡± She bounced on her palm a few times, lashing out at each thug she could like an upside down ballerina, before pushing herself high into the air and landing in a crane stance on one of her foes heads. Gavin found himself so amazed by these feats of acrobatics that he had stopped running. Realizing his mistake and how quickly she was making a mockery of his security, he returned to his escape and grabbed the stone his client had dropped. Maybe he could use it to bargain with her, but as he went to touch it, the reaction was sudden and extreme. His mind was overwhelmed by sights and sounds he had not braced for or expected. What was more, the gem seemed to grow hot in his hand, burning him as he tried to hold it. The resulting burns made it harder for him to release and thus caused more and more images to be pushed through his head. Before he knew it, he heard a voice. It spoke to him at a level deeper than he had ever had someone speak to him. Eventually, despite the pain, his grip went slack, and the stone rolled free from his grasp. His vision blurred as he saw Zora snatch up the gem from the ground before he faded.


    He would later wake up in a holding cell at Cosmic Patrol Headquarters, pondering the words the gem gave him. A simple question he hadn¡¯t really asked himself before.


    Are your sacrifices worth the cost?


    As he sat in the cell, pondering that question, he made his mind up on one thing at least. That he had to pay them all back. There was no room for doubt and no price he wouldn¡¯t pay. It was time to stop running.

 Golden Memories

    Shawn felt the world come back into focus for him. He tried to get his bearings only to pale when he knew exactly where he was. Looking out from this asphalt hill that he used to walk home on all those years ago, he looked out at the city from which he and Anisa could see conflicts between costumed heroes and robotic fiends that could use skyscrapers as toothpicks. They would watch from the sidelines, safe in their suburb, making impossible promises of what could be. Just two friends enjoying the spectacle. Shaking the nostalgia out of his eyes, he turned his attention to the finer details. Again, this skill of his seemed to pay off as he began to see the smoothed edges and missing details that seemed to populate before his eyes. Taking a deep breath, the scent of lost summers filled him. Still, more than that, the smell of rubble and dust and the mesquite of human bones. Feeling something watching him, he began to see this new land for what it was and decided that there was only one place he could go. Further into the mouth of the lion or a safe haven, either result would give him something to work with so he rounded the corner and opened the door to his childhood home and found the results disorienting but unsurprising.


    ¡°There you are, you asshole. Explain yourself.¡± The door had opened to an old weathered martial arts dojo, thick with the smell of incense attempting to cover the sweat and mold, with his former student Douglas glaring back at him. The man was ten years his younger and in his early twenties still. Kid had started out so polite and reserved but after a few months of training began speaking this way to him and only him. He didn¡¯t know if it was supposed to be out of love and he didn¡¯t care to ask. Either way, this was no illusion. The Martial Master wanted answers and Shawn had no intention of just playing his stupid games.


    ¡°Witch ripped open reality and threw us in here. What else is there to say?¡±


    Douglas gave his usual glare and spoke with skeptic scrutiny, ¡°Really? Because the fact that you are here and I¡¯m here means that odds are you did something stupid again and that I¡¯m going to have to clean up the mess¡­. AGAIN!¡± He paced the room as Shawn sighed and waited for the kid to get it out of his system. ¡°But what did I expect from Space Hobo. What¡¯s next? What new pain in my ass are you going to share with me?¡± This wasn¡¯t going to stop as soon as Shawn wanted.


    ¡°So, pop quiz. Where are we?¡±


    The kid growled, ¡°The dojo you and I met in. Where else?¡± Of course he was so mad at Shawn he couldn¡¯t notice something so obvious. He thought about telling him but the kid read his expression and elaborated, ¡°We are in some kind of illusion, shared hallucination, or realm of memories. Haven¡¯t figured out the exact nature, but the taste in the air and the lack of weight when I move tells me that this isn¡¯t the real Dojo. It hasn¡¯t been like this for a long time.¡± His dour tone betrayed the kid¡¯s doubts. It was his fault that it ended up like this, but if he hadn¡¯t shown him the way he would have been lost. The kid spoke again, ¡°Okay, so by your lies of omission, I¡¯m guessing you pissed off this ¡®witch¡¯ or killed someone she knew, but why would she punish me too then?¡± Shawn tried not to beam with pride as his student used his training to figure it out. ¡°Wait, you didn¡¯t¡­¡± his eyes narrowed, ¡°You dick. You gambled with her and lost.¡±


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    ¡°Jury is still out on that last part.¡±


    Douglas growled, ¡°You cyclopean douche. What was the bet and why involve me?¡± He always liked when the kid started calming down. The insults became a lot more creative, like a barometer for his progress.


    He was so busy basking in his student¡¯s progress that he didn¡¯t notice the rookie enter. Dean opened a sliding door, his shoulder length greasy hair framing his boyish face. The rookie let out a long sigh and shrugged, ¡°Sure, why not.¡± The rookie waved lazily with one hand at Shawn, ¡°Hey, chief. Cap having an episode again?¡± Shawn nodded slowly. ¡°Kay. You have any idea on how to get out?¡± A shrug was enough response for a continuation, ¡°Cool. Am I the only one who can feel that? No? Good.¡± Shawn blinked in confusion and the rookie sighed again, ¡°A pull on my soul. A siren call. Like someone left the radio on at my house and I¡¯m lost in the city.¡±


    Closing his eyes to see if he could feel the same feeling, his concentration was broken by Douglas. The kid spoke with cold realization. ¡°You found a way to save her¡­¡± The kid dared not look to confirm his theory. ¡°Okay. Makes sense, Scarface. That said, how do we put this right? Fix history?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t. This is history now. Our only options are stay or find a way home.¡±


    Trying to focus on the sensation again, the rookie spoke as calmly as usual, which made focus easier, ¡°Chief, if we can¡¯t fix history, someone is gonna have to clean up. You got an idea for how we do that?¡±


    ¡°Anisa can handle it. She is made of the same stuff.¡±


    The rookie shook his head, ¡°Is this the time to remind you that we had each other? We are talking 20 years of baton passing, team building, and un-retirement. She can¡¯t match that on her own. Especially all at once.¡± Realizing the rookie had a point, he thought about what to do before realizing what the sensation was. The rookie nodded quietly, ¡°I can tell it isn¡¯t here, but I feel it. If she finds it¡­¡± Shawn couldn¡¯t help but smile at the idea, amazed again at the rookie¡¯s out of the box thinking, he nodded. Getting a nod in response, the rookie called out, ¡°Yo, Cap. You feel that? Think you can use it to find her?¡±


    The kid seemed to snap to attention before tapping his chin, ¡°I never met her. I wouldn¡¯t even know where to start.¡±


    ¡°Start by focusing on where it began. The Dragon Gem. If you can touch it, even with your mind, we would have somewhere to go.¡±


    A shadowy figure stepped into the courtyard, a dark cloak obscuring their full appearance. ¡°You three cast shadows a mile long. This realm is too welcoming for those like you. Survival will come from solitude.¡± The three of them readied themselves for a fight as the figure raised their hand. Darkness didn¡¯t just pass over the world but became the world, like a tidal wave claiming the shore.


    And just like that, in a dark cold moment, Shawn was truly alone. No sights. No sounds. No smells. Nothing but solitude. The longer this darkness stretched out before him, the more he felt the same he had since the moment he started this road. Truly and completely alone. And again he heard his heart asking him the question.


    What can you do?

 Rookie to B-4

    Dean kept humming to himself as he felt with his heart out to the Geo Stone, dancing through the dark until his hand touched something and he smirked, "There you are. Let''s see where you take me." He grabbed what he knew to be a handle and opened a door in the darkness wide, golden light filling his once dark world. Stepping out he instantly knew the place and shrugged, "I guess if there was a place to escape to this would be it." He walked among the familiar oaks and maples of his hometown, the golden light streaming through the branches until he came across a statue. Circling around it until he was on pavement, he looked again at the statue of his ancestor. The man wore oddly elaborate robes for a person of his time, golden bear head pauldrons on his shoulders and a blade lifted forward as an order to charge. "Alright, gramps. Since this is a dreamscape, why don''t you lay that dream wisdom on me?"


    As he was saying this, the figure from before spoke, "How were you able to walk out so easily?"


    Dean sighed slighly, "Are you afraid of the dark too? I keep telling people, it isn''t that bad as long as you have something to orient yourself by. Now excuse me, I''m trying to seek advice from my elders."


    The figure growled, "You have no clue the shadows that chase you. You were safest there."


    Dean corrected, "You mean chasing them. Whatever darkness you are worried about has nothing to do with me." The figure hesitated, the pause long enough for Dean to realize it was checking his math. "Look, you don''t know me so I get it. See me with those two and it is easy to lump us together. They are family. But difference between me and them is I have thicker skin and not just physically." He turned with gentle eyes to the figure and his tone turned soft, "I''ve had enemies, but I''ve made them friends. I''ve had regrets but I''ve either resolved them or made my peace. So sit down with me and rap. Where am I?"


    The figure waited a little more before grabbing the cloak of shadows they had been wearing and ripping it until they could be seen. It was a teenage boy wearing some kind of living shadow like a cape, a monochrome katana in his hand. Dean wondered if this child had a permit or license, but kept it to himself. The boy grumbled from beneath the shadows still covering his face, "This is The Silence. A realm of memory and emotion separate from the world of material and actions you came from. The beings that hunt you are not just from your memory, but beings of pure emotion trying to break your will and pull you into the void."


    Dean nodded, looking for anything unusual other than the color scheme but seeing nothing. Still, it was always better to know then not. Dean sighed, "And like so many before you, you got pulled into this world at a young age and have been fighting the abnormal since."


    The figure shook his head, "I''m an oddity around here. A few of us have enough of a handle on our negative emotions that we can reshape the creatures made of it to our benefit. That''s how I isolated you three earlier."


    Dean thought about it and shook his head, "Yeah, if that is fear of the dark it isn''t gonna do anything to them, but if it is SUPPOSED to be isolation and loneliness, the only one you really trapped was probably chief. He doesn''t get out much." Turning back to the statue, he closed his eyes again.


    "What are you doing?"


    Dean explained effortlessly, "Well, back where I''m from, I took a special rock called the Geo Stone from some villains looking for ultimate power or something. Anyway, it was crystalized hope or some crap, but ever since I''ve been using it to save people. Thing is, you spend enough time with something made of solidified emotion, it gets sentimental. I figure if it is calling me, it can help me. Issue is getting there. That''s why I was hoping my role model would help me out."


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    He turned to see the figure had left. That''s fine. He was sure they were needed elsewhere. As he tried again to figure out where the Geo Stone was, he heard another voice speak to him. This one distinctly feminine. "Where am I? Where is Shawn?" He turned to see a young woman about half his mass wearing a battle suit with a familiar color scheme. While most of the attire lacked the usual tells, he saw that on her back was a scorpion embroidered in gold. Her attire having actual color told him that she was not here the same way that he was. She pointed powerfully at him, "You there! Who are you and where is Shawn?"


    He blinked at her and recognized the name, "You mean the chief? I''m actually looking for him myself. How do you know him?" He motioned her to join him by the statue that she looked at with vague familiarity that he could see even through her helmet.


    She coughed and explained, "He did something really dumb-"


    "Yeah, but how do you know him?"


    "-to try and change history and-"


    "So, you are Anisa! Oh, wow. Sorry that we had to meet in another of his screw-ups but as far as mistakes go, this isn''t the worst he has done." She looked at him in disbelief, so Dean explained, "He once let his evil doppelganger run the department for a week while he did some deep space recon. Turns out the whole thing was a trap, but it was just a few days out and a few back so his double didn''t get TOO much done." She continued to stare and for once Dean couldn''t read it past the visor. You would think spending every day in the uniform would make it easier to read cues but some people could not emote that large.


    "Who are you to him? What happened?" She seemed genuinely worried, which was an odd tone for him to hear connected to the chief. It was almost nice not to be the only one anymore.


    Dean sighed, "Well, I wasn''t there for most of it. Basically, he became head of the Cosmic Patrol after a lot of badgering from some allies of his. Always a field commander though. He just doesn''t strike me as a desk jockey." She seemed to be giving Dean her full focus in an eerie way, but he continued, "When they found me with the Geo Stone a year into the hero job, they offered me a spot in Cosmic Patrol. I accepted and things have been great since. Beat a few solar dictators, shattered a few despotic regimes. Even have an extensive list of orphanages and homeless shelters I visit often." She seemed both interested and disappointed at the same time. Realizing her real question, he cleared up, "Shawn and I grew close on a few jobs. We go drinking on the weekends and I spar with him every third tuesday on the condition that he tells me how he feels during it. I''m probably the only guy who can take a full hit from the man without shattering bone."


    She asked out of genuine concern, "Did he ever talk about me?"


    Dean nodded, "Yep. Often. It took a toll on him. He said he took up training rookies so that they didn''t make the same mistakes as him. He snagged me for this when I was nineteen but sounds like he was a lot younger."


    She nodded and seemed to think before asking two more questions back to back, "Did he ever move on with his life? And can you give me any advice?"


    Dean smirked and nodded, "In the same swoop. Shawn did build a life for himself but he has always let his guilt lock him into a box. My advice, don''t do that. Pipes help water flow more powerfully, but its natural state is the ocean. Don''t let anyone or anything stop you from being where you are, when you are there. If you can stay in the here and now, then there isn''t any mission you can''t complete."


    She smirked and laughed. When he went to ask her why she sighed, "When I get you out of here, you are gonna have to keep a handle on that optimism. We need it for the fight ahead." Dean looked at her with hesitation and a small amount of fear. Still, he let it slide off of him. Whatever lay ahead was gonna be there regardless. It was always better to move a mountain one step at a time. Again, he tried to commune with his ancestor, hoping the elder could find his way here through space and time and help guide him in this difficult time.

 The Man Unbroken

    Anisa bounced the Geo stone in her palm, trying to find a gap in the perimeter. Her little sister flipped between the traffic cameras as they sit in the back of her ¡®battle van¡¯. ¡°I¡¯m so proud! I didn¡¯t even know my sis could break the rules! But you have been THE Zora! No wonder you were always so uptight.¡±


    ¡°Focus, Katsi. Even someone who looks a little tired will help.¡± Anisa hated having to ask for her sister¡¯s help, but since the Cosmic Patrol had been enforcing the lockdown of the planet, she didn¡¯t have any better options.


    ¡°The Sasori sisters at it again! Like when we stole dad¡¯s car. You can work with the Freedom Network and we can make Zora the face of our movement! We are gonna save everyone!¡±


    ¡°Katsi, that isn¡¯t what this is about.¡±


    ¡°Right, your ¡®boyfriend¡¯ who broke time to save you.¡¯¡±


    Anisa slammed her head into the desk a few times before she stated again, ¡°He isn¡¯t a boyfriend. He was never a boyfriend. He is the best friend I could have asked for. Now stop before I break the keyboard over my knee and feed it to you.¡± Her little sister giggled and continued her work. Anisa paused in her juggle for a moment and tilted her head in thought, muttering under her breathe before asking her sister outright, ¡°Hey, if I gave you a radio frequency, could you see if they are still using it?¡±


    Katsi leaned all the way back in her chair, locking eyes with her sister, both unsure of how she would have gotten this number and in disbelief of how little faith her sister had. Answering matter-of-factly, ¡°Yes. Yes I could.¡± Anisa closed her eyes as she clutched the stone and rattled off a series of numbers and offsets. Katsi tapped away, eventually stopping in stunned silence. Swearing under her breath and typing a few more things out, she took off her headset and released a slow deep breath. ¡°Alright, Nisa, we have to talk about this when you are done¡­ cause whatever you are doing is way bigger than getting the Cosmic Patrol.¡± Anisa nodded and motioned her to continue, ¡°Yeah, they don¡¯t know why they are forming the perimeter, if you are coming at all, or when they will be told to leave.¡±


    Anisa held the stone again and then began to laugh, asking, ¡°Do you think that would work?¡± Starting to worry about her sister, The younger one was brushed off as Anisa told her, ¡°I have a plan and I need your help again. You don¡¯t need to go anywhere.¡± Her little sister nodded slowly.


    ____________________________________________


    It was another typically hot day around the plaza. There was nothing overly special about this plaza to the naked eye. Just a statue that hardly anyone paid any attention to. Even if there had been a threat against it, the Cosmic Patrol would hardly have cared. Too many criminals in the galaxy. And yet, they found themselves assigned in force on tight shifts. No wiggle room. All because Zora may make an appearance here and it was apparently crucial that she not be allowed to succeed at¡­ whatever she was supposed to be doing.


    Suddenly their comms blared to life. The theatrical voice and mannerisms taking their full focus. ¡°A flash of light in the darkness! The beacon in the horizon for those lost in the night!¡± They began scanning the rooftops and alleys, awaiting what they knew was coming next, ¡°Those who hunger for justice need hunger no longer!¡± Their bodies lurched and a wave of nausea and confusion overtook them as a distortion in reality manifested. Turning to face the statue, they saw a shining gash in reality itself slowly distorting and their target standing in her signature pose. ¡°The maiden of light, warrior of the dawn! Zora!¡±


    The light began to solidify into a shining orange hue, the Geo Stone visible floating within it. The newly forming figure of light grabbed the stone with their hand and the light shattered like glass. The man that took the place of the light was rough and rugged with long black hair, his orange leather jacket and blue jeans matching the rest of his biker attire. When they all looked ready to fire on the pair their headsets were overwhelmed by a loud high pitched feedback. Holding their ears the man put his hand to the bridge of his nose with pained disappointment. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you guys never got the frequency modulators I was telling command about. Honestly, this is the dumbest security flaw we never fixed.¡± One of the officers aimed a gun at him and fired, staring in disbelief when they watched it break skin but glanced off his cheekbone. Their jaw dropped as Dean grumbled at the new wound, ¡°That¡¯s gonna smart.¡±


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    Zora tried to pull Dean out of danger but he shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. You get going. I¡¯ll meet up with you later. I need some parts first.¡±


    She posed again and stated dramatically, ¡°The Warrior of the Dawn abandons no innocent soul!¡±


    Dean seemed impressed at her resolve. Motioning to the officers who had removed their receivers, he stated, ¡°Can you keep them busy so they don¡¯t damage the equipment then?¡±


    A voice declared over a bullhorn, ¡°All Officers, pull back to a safe distance and maintain the perimeter.¡± Dean looked up in confusion at the hovercraft slowly descending. Zora dropped into a defensive stance and seemed worried. Still, Dean continued to measure the situation. The major jumped out of the craft and landed, pulling out their badge, ¡°Major Tomas, Cosmic Patrol. I¡¯m giving you one chance to turn yourself and Zora in, category five entity. Return the stone to our custody and turn in your friend and I promise you will be given fair treatment.¡±


    Dean approached the major and asked in a very well practiced manner, ¡°Under article 3 of Yeam¡¯s agreement, what jurisdiction would we be tried under?¡±


    Zora was lost with his terminology but Major Tomas seemed surprised at his citation, ¡°The Falos Dominion, obviously.¡±


    Dean have an incredulous look and laughed, ¡°Falos? Well I¡¯ll be damned. I thought Doug beat them ages ago. Makes sense though. Alright...¡± He tapped his chin for a minute before saying, ¡°I challenge you under Protocol 2295.¡±


    The Major smiled and shook their head, ¡°There is no way that that protocol includes this kind of situation.¡±


    ¡°The protocol wouldn¡¯t exist if it didn¡¯t apply to siuations like this.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It doesn¡¯t.¡± The Major pulled out a small device, holding it above their head and transforming into a pure white and black combat suit. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you think you are but you can¡¯t handle me!¡± The Major punched Dean as hard as they could, causing the man to slide twenty feet but was amazed that he seemed to be only annoyed at it.


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. It was a good protocol. I¡¯ll have to put the flaws of a time travel based precaution into my next report when this is all done.¡± He ran for one of the abandoned patrol craft and began rummaging through the glovebox. As Tomas tried to go after him, Zora did a back handspring before launching a missile drop kick on the officer, catching them off guard. The two would circle, trying to square off. Zora used her acrobatic talents to avoid the major¡¯s strikes as the officer tried cautiously to get a clear strike without giving their opponent a clean shot. It wouldn¡¯t take very long until Dean would leave the car with a sigh, ¡°Still gonna need some parts to keep it from frying, but it should hold up long enough.¡± Pushing a few buttons on the watchlike device he had thrown together, he did a pose and shouted, ¡°Cosmic Flare! Geo Change!¡±


    The major tried to stop him, pulling what could only be described as a hand cannon from his belt, unleashing it on the man as Dean released a blinding wave of orange light. When the light dimmed, instead of a corpse or ash, there was a man in the most densely armored combat suit the Major had ever seen, complete with a Cosmic Patrol badge and an officer number he had never seen. The man rolled his shoulders and sighed, ¡°Alright. Better. That still stung, but at least I¡¯m not gonna have to disinfect.¡± He posed in a slow but daunting manner, ¡°The immovable force and shield of the innocent. The Man Unbroken. Cosmo Bruin.¡±


    The Major fired a few more times but as each blast hit with immense concussive force, causing all the windows and foliage in the area to shift with each shot, they were in total disbelief as the man continued to approach as if nothing had happened. Grabbing the major by the collar as they stared in terror, Dean spoke soft and kind, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about us, officer. You do your duty and we will set this right as soon as we can.¡± He landed a single hard punch in their gut that knocked the wind out of them and forcing them to revert. He grabbed Zora by the collar and stated, ¡°We don¡¯t have long before they get back up. I¡¯m going to run through that wall over there. You should follow me.¡± Before she could confirm or even react, he started running directly into a nearby building in a way that felt like he had done this before and knew which wall wouldn¡¯t collapse. Seeing Tomas getting back up, she posed once more to signal her triumphant escape and then hastily ran after him. The two quickly scrambled into Katsi¡¯s van and she blinked in disbelief at the odd man before putting full force into the engine and getting out of there.

 Collecting Thoughts

    <div>


    Dean sighed as he soldered the circuits, ¡°Look, I¡¯m telling you that the created stones will just never be as durable. Something about the circuits formed in natural crystals is more efficient for the power to run through.¡±


    Katsi shot back, ¡°That¡¯s fine but we are dealing with a self aware and evolving energy source. It is like comparing grape juice to a fine vintage.¡± He nodded, ¡°So why can¡¯t we speed it up like we do there? It shouldn¡¯t take years to get somewhere with it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. For the same reason you can¡¯t download a lifetime of knowledge to an infant. You could, but the body would not have learned the same thing as the mind. The benefit here is that the user learns and defines how the power is used.¡± Katsi leaned in and soldered an odd gold material into the circuit board. ¡°The only reason my plan might work with the Phoenixian Crystal at all is because my boss has been drawing power from it for these kinds of things for years and been pushing its energy output to unreasonable extremes for the entire time he has had it. It is probably the crystal we have the most information on.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but why that shape?¡±


    ¡°Same reason we give ourselves titles and heroic identities. This kind of power is enhanced by its unique impact on the world. We call it the Marvelous Dragonfly effect, after the first hero to codify it. It was a known factor before, they just happened to be the first one to write it down. The more striking or unique the ship the stronger the effect.¡±


    Anisa stared blankly as they continued with their endless banter. ¡°Really? The power weakens with the more people using it looking exactly the same? Is that why they only deploy a few elite officers per sector?¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Advantage I have is that the Major is just that. A Major in a police force. If they ever start going by some catchy name and getting a reputation they might become dangerous. But the Falos have probably already considered that so...¡±


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    Anisa finally broke into this little bubble they had formed, ¡°So you are telling me that you can get us off this planet, but that it is based on a lot of assumptions about what did and did not stay here after Shawn screwed up?¡± He nodded. ¡°But if even half of this stuff is still around, you are entirely certain you can get us safely off planet and find his crystal as well?¡±


    ¡°His crystal is probably still in the cave he first found it and we were using it for the prototype. Best power supply we had. We just have to get to it without CPD finding us. Once we have it running, we can clear their blockade easy.¡± He threw his screwdriver down in frustration and exclaimed, ¡°Except we are missing a crew. Doug had the speed and precision to run the entire bridge.¡±


    Katsi laughed in disbelief, ¡°You are telling me that you could do all the adjustments and repairs in the engine room yourself?¡±


    He shrugged, ¡°I mean, I have a mild amount of telekinesis and the Geo Stone was supposed to operate as an interface between me and the repair drones. So yeah.¡±


    Anisa shouted to get their attention and clarified again, ¡°I get it. You built it so that you three could use it in an emergency. But how many people would it take to run it at full force, you three included?¡±


    He sighed and thought hard, ¡°It would take four crew to run your typical Falos blockade.¡± He turned back to Katsi, elaborating, ¡°They are arrogant to a fault. That¡¯s how I took out a flagship once. I let the admiral throw me into the engine. Funniest head wound I¡¯ve ever gotten. Totally worth it for the black box recording.¡±


    Anisa shook her head and asked what she dreaded to ask, ¡°Was it Shawn¡¯s idea that you get thrown into an engine?¡±


    Dean laughed at the suggestion, almost insultingly so. Eventually he collected himself, ¡°No. He hated the idea. He wanted to destroy every foe on board and run it into a black hole, but Doug and I were told by an old friend of ours that the amount of radiation that would cause would wipe out a nearby solar system so we just jammed the engine, crashed the ship on a dead planet and dismantled it safely after.¡±


    Anisa sighed with relief, given she didn¡¯t like the idea that Shawn might have taken a life for granted. Still, she looked at the odd shape of their supposed escape craft and heard her sister and Dean bantering, prompting her to wonder what kind of weird life Shawn had survived trying to save her.


    <div>

 Echoes of What Never Was

    Dean looked at the excavation team digging a very wide but oddly shallow hole near a cave on the edge of a desert and sighed, ¡°Okay, so the Falos are digging for it, that won¡¯t do them any good. The issue is less that and more the slew of Cosmic Patrol they have running a perimeter.¡± He turned to face the two girls in Katsi¡¯s ¡®battle van¡¯. ¡°Alright, so our goal is going to be getting into the mouth of that cave. Once you are in, time and space are gonna get screwy. That¡¯s the crystal defending itself. It is going to mess with your head to test your resolve. And I¡¯m not talking about some ¡®which did you drop¡¯ nonsense.¡± The girls seemed confused so Dean stated firmly, ¡°The cave hates you and will twist every knife it has. You show doubt or weakness and it WILL kill you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, then how does Kat get in?¡° Anisa asked stoically,


    Punching her sister in the arm, Katsi exclaimed, ¡°Excuse me?!¡±


    Dean sighed. ¡°If you can be honest with yourself and your intentions are pure then you will be fine. Just don¡¯t worry if it feels like you have been in there for days or if it looks like you are going the same way you have before. Once it starts screwing with you, time loses all meaning. It is usually only about 10 to 20 minutes below the surface in real time. Normally, I would suggest a diversionary tactic or something, but I know these caves. Once we are in, we are golden. Trouble is the Cosmic Patrol. How do we get to the cave with their net this tight?¡±


    Anisa sighed and transformed. Dean looked at her in confusion before she stated, ¡°The reason I run from the cosmic patrol isn¡¯t because I¡¯m scared of them. I am trying to save the good ones from difficult decisions.¡± She opened the back door and motioned the other two to follow. Dean went to transform but she motioned him not to. As the three approached the nearest patrol, the officer took a battle ready stance. She shook her head, drawing a pistol from seemingly nowhere. It was clearly advanced tech to match her own appearance. ¡°Sargent, the Falos are dangerously close to a crystal and I would hate for this to become noisy for your sake.¡±


    The officer didn¡¯t drop their stance just yet, ¡°Another intervention so soon? What¡¯s the occasion? And who was that new friend?¡±


    Dean almost spoke but decided to trust her, ¡°The occasion is them finalizing their conquest of our planet. They just need a few more components. I can promise that if you allow me past this point that I will bring their focus with me. Innocent lives spared and justice will be done.¡±


    The officer looked at her the same way he would some religious cult leader, and then they laid eyes on Dean and lit up. Realizing he knew this rookie, Dean got excited as well. Did they remember him? ¡°Detective Paddock! I knew I wasn¡¯t crazy!¡± They seemed to drop their guard and asked Dean, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, sir, but if you and Zora are working together on it then we might actually have a chance to settle this with minimal casualties.¡±


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    Dean proceeded to hug and crush the rookie, ¡°Cheza, you pure hearted baloo!¡± The rookie proceeded to fall to the ground, completely fainted from the sudden lack of air. Dean patted him and sighed. ¡°Sorry, just good to know that my intel was right. If Cheza remembers me then bringing back the other two should help us put things right.¡±


    ¡°Not quite, Bruin!¡± Dean froze and turned to face a very avian faced monster. It stood staring at him from the side of its head, ¡°I had a nightmare the other night. A bear faced warrior casting me into a chasm as I recall.¡±


    Dean growled, all too familiar with this foe and more than aware of the danger. ¡°You two, run for the cave and don¡¯t look back.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really think I will let Zora claim the power source, do you?¡± The bird let out a loud shriek, clearly summoning his cronies. ¡°Soon you will be overrun and I can shake this dark premonition.¡±


    He motioned them again to run and when Katsi looked worried, Zora picked her up over her shoulders and began to run, shooting at the beast with her pistol. The birdman tried to block with his feathers and was caught by complete surprise when the force of the shots broke his guard. He went to chase the woman when a bright orange flash caught his attention. Turning to face it, he got a heavy armored fist across his beak, ¡°Katchakhan¡­ I really hoped you would be smart enough to run away this time. Still, I can¡¯t let you stop us.¡±


    The bird did the best glare he could from his one eye, his beak cracked from the impact, ¡°You lack a predatory manner. Why does this feel predictably disappointing?¡± The monster charged Bruin, his heavy blows propelling the armored soldier back, but leaving him mostly unfazed. ¡°A massive slab of metal hiding such tough meat. But that¡¯s all you are. Nothing but canned ham!¡± The blows continued to reign down and the monster began to feel victory was assured, watching Bruin¡¯s arms drop to his sides limply. Continuing his volley for a few more minutes as his army gathered around him. He stood up and began preening his wings. ¡°Seems my nightmare was just that.¡±


    Bruin sighed, ¡°You really did learn nothing.¡± He stood up slowly, rolling his shoulders, ¡°Acid feathers, hyper sonic cries able to make stone into soup.¡± Bruin cracked his neck and rotated his arm, his bladed gauntlets appearing on his hands. ¡°And you still think playing with me is the smart move.¡± Katchakhan got back into battle stance and tried to shriek Dean into submission, only for the crack in his beak to worsen. Sensing the danger he stopped before it broke off. Dean stated, ¡°Unlike you, I learned my lessons on this. So the next ten minutes will be you and me beating on each other until my friends are done. I hate this as much as you do.¡± The soldiers began unloading their laser rifles on Bruin, each shot seeming to just bounce off of his armor, ¡°But it has to be done.¡±

 Delving into the Past

    Running for the entrance, she saw the Major from the park try to get in her way and took a few shots with her pistol to clear a path. When the beam made contact, an impressive fireball knocked the officer to the ground, causing the other officers to back off. Leaping into the cave entrance with her sister on her shoulder, Zora entered the caves and kept running, an oddly warm feeling filling her. She continued sprinting into the caves until the entrance was nothing but a distant memory.


    Once the panic wore off, she finally heard the yelling and insults from her sister who was punching her back repeatedly. She put the girl down and in a flash of light returned to simply Anisa. ¡°Katsi, is it just me or is it hard to breathe in here?¡±


    Katsi huffed, ¡°You are probably just winded from abandoning Dean!¡± Anisa reached out to reassure and explain but Katsi turned away, ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it. I don¡¯t want to know why he will be fine or why this was the best move.¡± She huffed, ¡°We are heroes. Heroes never leave people behind and they save the day.¡± Anisa sighed and nodded, not sure how to respond. ¡°I¡¯m gonna go ahead. I¡¯ll see you at the crystal or whatever.¡± Anisa watched her sister walk into the darkness of the cave.


    After a few minutes had passed, Anisa would take a deep breath and mutter, ¡°Time to press on, right Shawn?¡± before walking down the tunnel. ¡°Katsi is probably gonna be fine.¡± The sensation in the air only seemed to linger and intensify. She felt like she was walking into a volcano. After what felt like an hour, the cave seemed to open up and she saw many tunnels leading various ways. She sighed, ¡°Of course he didn¡¯t give us any directions. Maybe if I center myself...¡± she closed her eyes and tried to reach out with her heart.


    ¡°Hey, Ani. Been a hot minute.¡±


    She looked up and saw a man in a power suit not unlike her own but with more of a lioness motif. His jacket long and flowing and bearing a cosmic patrol badge without any numbers on it. But she didn¡¯t need to see his face to know who this was. She could feel it in the air. The way he stood, the casual tone he took in this situation, the hesitation in his voice. But she couldn¡¯t shake what she had been told, ¡°Are you the real deal?¡±


    The figure shrugged, ¡°Maybe a little yes, maybe a little no. Let¡¯s say I¡¯m his essence for now and leave it at that.¡±


    She glared at the phantom, ¡°No, you are a pretender. He would have known the right answer.¡±


    ¡°Then I guess you have your answer.¡± The imposter motioned to her. ¡°You doing okay? You seem a bit¡­ stuffy over there. Need some air?¡± She tried again to focus on the right path and the phantom spoke again, ¡°Hello¡­ I¡¯m talking to you.¡± She tried to deepen her focus when the figure placed a hand on her head. ¡°Kid, you have got to relax.¡± She grabbed the phantom by the wrist and attempted to throw it, ¡°I am the power to shatter black holes. I don¡¯t-¡° he was cut off by a powerful kick to his gut, her leg seeming to glow afterwards.


    She grabbed him by the collar and glared into the visor, ¡°You have no right. Not to his face. Not to his voice. Not to hold him or me hostage.¡± The figure seemed to pause before grabbing her hands and gently pulling them off of its collar.


    The figure stepped away from her, refusing to face her as it responded, ¡°That¡¯s why I look like this. This isn¡¯t his face. I have no voice of my own. He is the one being who embraced my sacrifice without hesitation. Someone who truly understood the power one gained when they let go of the chains binding their heart and grabbed for the impossible.¡± She tried to block out the banter, tried to stay focused, but this specter felt both foreign and very familiar. The figure walked down one of the tunnels as if he expected her to follow.


    Shaking her head, she went down a different tunnel. She refused to trust a fraud. As she walked, she felt the air around her change, an autumn breeze blowing across the dry golden grass of their clearing. ¡°Man, I¡¯m so glad we came out here, Ani.¡± She saw a younger version of Shawn walk by her.


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    She growled, ¡°You aren¡¯t Shawn.¡± How many times would this phantom try to mess with her? She waited for it to respond but he looked back at her confused with a raised brow before putting a hand to her head to check for a fever. She didn¡¯t understand what was happening until she saw his familiar evil smile and he jammed the ice cream sandwich in his hand onto her forehead.


    He laughed, ¡°There! Cured your fever for you.¡± She glared a different glare this time, feeling herself slip into this moment, ¡°There you are. Geez! Who in the hell would copy me?¡± He put his hands into his ragged black hoodie and jeered, ¡°You done hallucinating or are you ready for the race?¡±


    She wiped the ice cream off her face and laughed, ¡°You are gonna get so creamed, Hemingway.¡±


    ¡°Bullcrap, Smoker¡¯s Lung.¡± The lined up on the edge of the tallest part of the grass and got into their running poses. ¡°Ready, Steady¡­. LEG IT!¡± The two began running in their own ludicrous ways towards the tree. Shawn flailing his limbs like mad as if clawing at air as he leaned forward and her running sideways with her arm bent as if she was leaning on something. The two smiled at their insane running and each winced as the tall dry grass scraped their skin. The further into the field they went, the harder it was to run on the thick hills of grass they were pushing down ahead of them.


    Getting to the top of the hill, she laughed as Shawn fell forward onto his gut, continuing to playfully scramble towards the tree. She jumped over his arm trying to grab her ankle and almost reached the tree when he finally latched on. Pulling it, he made her fall backwards and leapt to his feet, touching the trunk. ¡°VICTORY! And the crowd goes wild!¡± He ran a lap around the tree before doubling back and offering her a hand up. Accepting the help with a smirk, she took his hand and was hoisted to her feet.


    ¡°That was so cheap.¡±


    ¡°Well, you had it coming after that time you threw sand in my eyes.¡± She laughed with him on this and they sat down on the hill with a sigh. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I still can¡¯t look directly into open sky. I mean, I stare at rain clouds all the time.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°Yeah, your brain is weird. It knows you won¡¯t drown yourself but apparently something being blue and transparent at the same time makes it freak. It¡¯s like me and sponges.¡± They sat there for a moment before she spoke again, ¡°You dropped out of honors finally?¡±


    He shook his head, ¡°Dumb teachers keep saying that I¡¯m too smart to drop out of it. Like how many times do I have to request and tank my grades before they treat me like a normal kid?¡±


    ¡°You are just too smart for them. They don¡¯t get you. You finish chapter 5 yet?¡±


    He rolled his eyes and looked into her beaming smile with annoyance, ¡°They say never meet your heroes. I say never meet your fans.¡±


    She leaned forward excitedly, ¡°But I want to see how Tony does! Does he finish his training as a detective? Does he discover the secret behind the mysterious Mu? Does he ever get with that chick with the lowcut dress?¡± She winked playfully at him and he responded with a groan. ¡°You keep saying she is evil but come on, that¡¯s just you teasing the reader!¡±


    He explained again, ¡°You can¡¯t romance embodiments of the fundamental laws of the universe. It creates an expectation that blocks the progress of the story, let alone one as impulsive as her. I¡¯m making a different story. I could make her the indirect cause of his issues but this time it needs to be his own actions. This story is about accountability.¡±


    She blew a raspberry at his comment and when he went to explain she began to boo and jeer him. Eventually he stopped talking with a smile and they went back to sitting on the hill, staring at the sky. She sighed, ¡°Next year is gonna suck. All the people I like are going to Southeast.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but¡­¡± he trailed off and then asked, ¡°You¡¯ve got me?¡± She glared at him and he shrugged before they both laughed, ¡°I know, crappy answer. But we are gonna run this town. I¡¯m gonna get Gena to actually have a conversation with me instead of just knowing I exist. Try not to break too many hearts while we rise to power, Ani.¡± He let out a truly evil laugh and she joined in with him.


    The two continued to watch the sky for a time and he said, ¡°I¡¯m glad we found this place. I can¡¯t think of any better place to blow off steam and forget about our lives.¡±


    ¡°Ditto.¡± She closed her eyes for a time, embracing the autumn sun and wind until she felt the choking humidity and warmth of the cave once more. She opened her eyes and tried to get her bearings only to realize she was back where she started and the cave she had just used was gone. ¡°Great. A memory hole. What the hell do I do now?¡±

 Winter of Discontent

    <div>


    She stared again down the hall the figure had gone down and shook her head, sweat beginning to drop down her brow. Their voice had changed a little, but they still carried themselves like they were him, ¡°You are as stubborn as he.¡± She spun around taking a swing at the figure and it was wise enough to dodge this time. ¡°I made an effort to claim a new voice from my history. Is this better?¡± She sighed and began whispering a nursery rhyme as she pointed between the doorways. The figure continued speaking. ¡°These tunnels are not of my make, but I do my best to influence them. When you travel down them, I know not where you go.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    The figure sighed, ¡°When Shawn and I walked these halls, he would see visions. What was. What could have been. What he wished most. You were in some of these visions. I¡¯m sure you would love for me to share them.¡±


    ¡°Not really. Not interested in the stories or opinion of a pretender.¡± He tilted his head in visual bafflement. She explained the only time she was going to, ¡°If you can¡¯t be yourself and have to steal from others, you are hollow and empty.¡±


    The figure circled her for a moment before shaking its head, ¡°I will mark my cave when you are ready then.¡± It walked away stating, ¡°Always ignoring the answer in front of you.¡± She shook her head in disgust and checked the hallways again. Closing her eyes and focusing on her goal, she found her mind drifting to the true Shawn. Where was he in all of this? Dean¡¯s last sighting was not encouraging.


    Eventually feeling pulled down another of the hallways, she followed her gut and stepped into the darkness. As she did, the heat would slowly fade, replaced with a piercing cold. The snow began to fall around her as she pressed forward, the tunnel fading into a starry night. The howling wind propelled the falling ice like shards of glass, turning her face a raw red as she walked. Pushing past the pain and cold, she eventually came to a familiar building, it¡¯s warm golden lights inviting her in the cold.


    She hesitated at first but eventually approached the window the light was pouring out from. On the other side of the glass, she watched as a passenger, but her bones began to warm.


    Within the school their freshman dance was full of lively dancing and music that seemed so nostalgic to her now. She watched Shawn sitting awkwardly by the punch bowl, his crush Gena approaching him, ¡°Hey, cutie. What brings you to a watering hole like this one?¡±


    He would tease back, ¡°The same crippling social anxiety that made you invite me.¡± Anisa smiled as she watched her friend warm up some, ¡°Besides, I wasn¡¯t about to embarrass myself without you here to watch.¡±


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    ¡°Oh dear. Shawn, you are a beautiful dancer. You need to stop. Come on!¡± Gena grabbed his hand and dragged him out onto the dance floor. Anisa smiled softly at seeing her friend enjoying himself.


    Scanning the party she saw herself over by the DJ table, suggesting some amazing remixes of typically stringed classical songs. The girl running the table was amazed at what she was being told and started to take notes. She saw Terry and Maria doing their usual sappy romance crap over behind the bleachers like no one knew they were both too harmless to do more than stare at each other. She even saw her sister trying to climb onto the stage and crash the dance by playing some unattended instruments.


    She watched through the window as the freshman year she never got played out unrealistically before her eyes. She knew that only she and Shawn were going to the same school. She knew that Shawn never got to tell Gena how he felt. She knew that Terry and Maria had broken up over the summer. She knew that no one was the same after Shawn¡¯s passing. She remembered being the only one who knew or believed the truth.


    In the blizzard, she heard a voice she only knew from the jewel she had been given that day at the funeral. The sinister voice whispered, ¡°Oh, such a tragedy! Such hopeful days cut short. At least I had the dignity to bring misery off world.¡± She didn¡¯t look at the figure, again refusing to acknowledge the hollow replica. ¡°So cold. I¡¯m so proud of you. He would be too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s closer to being me than you are.¡± The figure laughed coyly at finally being acknowledged and she snapped at it, ¡°Brainwashing and hijacking my mind doesn¡¯t make you me! I am so much more than you!¡±


    ¡°More¡­ I love that word. It implies inclusion.¡± Anisa turned to face the mutated scorpion themed villain Shawn had once slain. The monstrous doppelganger laughed at her again, smirking from ear to ear. The villainess walked up to the glass, dragging her claw across it to release an ear piercing shriek. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you defy your nature. Follow his lead. Slip in among them and eliminate them¡­. One¡­ by¡­. One¡­.¡± The monster hissed, ¡°Punish them for defiling our home and lives.¡±


    Anisa stood ready to combat this beast and it smiled at her, confident and in control, until its face became vicious in a flash, the claw smashing the window. As the shards of glass fell to the ground, the vision of what could have been vanished, the school now nothing but a cold, dark, and empty space. Anisa growled, ¡°You are a nightmare that I¡¯m glad to be rid of.¡±


    ¡°Nightmare! I am your stinger, Ani! I am the part of you dealing death and judgement to the deserving! You cannot deny me!¡± She turned to walk away into the driving snow. She refused this phantom just as she refused the crystal. The scorpion woman appeared in front of her and shouted, ¡°It was I who offered you power! I granted you the strength you needed!¡±


    Anisa shook her head, ¡°You killed ally and foe alike! You held me hostage as I watched massacre after massacre at what I know were my own hands!¡± Grabbing the monster by the throat she stated coldly, ¡°You are dead to me. The weakness in my heart that fears death and craves blood. I am a hero of justice. I welcome none of that.¡± The monster latched a claw around Anisa¡¯s throat, the two of them gripping harder and harder. Her bodied screamed for air even as her fury demanded justice on this monster. Eventually Anisa blacked out.


    <div>

 Exodus of Ziegfried

    When Anisa came to a familiar face was crouched over her, scars all over his face and exposed chest, his left eye dead and scarred in its socket. He poked her cheek a few times before she grabbed his finger and tried to break it. ¡°Ahahah, careful¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you not to wear his face.¡±


    He sounded surprised as he retrieved his finger sharply, ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    She glared at him and said, ¡°Are you the real deal?¡±


    He glared at her, ¡°Unlike you, there¡¯s only one of me.¡± The two glared at each other for a second before she released his finger. ¡°Thanks¡­.¡± He spaced off, ¡°I don¡¯t actually have a nickname for you¡­ that¡¯s embarrassing.¡± He seemed to be at a genuine loss


    She growled, ¡°I still don¡¯t know if I trust that you are you.¡± He did appear very different, but this cave wasn¡¯t natural.


    ¡°Same, but you¡¯re better than just some random memory.¡± She saw him massage his finger some before cracking his neck and letting out a deep breath. ¡°If you are the real deal, I¡¯m glad you are okay. Barring those bruises on your neck.¡±


    She ran her hand along her neck and felt how tender it was. Shaking the thought loose, she responded, ¡°Glad you are alive too. Come with me. We can get out of here.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°It isn¡¯t that easy. If these are the caves where I found the crystal, your side and mine, our path will be decided for us. Just chase your goal without distraction and you will be fine.¡±


    She wanted to ask what he meant by sides, but she asked instead, ¡°What happened to your eye?¡±


    As if realizing it for the first time, he turned his head in thought, ¡°You know, I can¡¯t remember. It was so long ago. I¡¯ll try to remember so I can tell you when we meet up again. I¡¯ll keep working it from this side. Take my crystal to the quarry when you can. Until then and until the end.¡± He offered his fist towards her.


    Punching him in the arm she affirmed, ¡°Yeah. That said, don¡¯t lock yourself in a box, Shawn. We are going to fix this.¡± He nodded with a smirk and her vision seemed to grow dark.


    When she opened her eyes again, the open cavern was gone and she was standing in a singular tunnel. Walking down the hall, she felt the heat from before fade, able to finally breathe.


    She eventually came to a cold cavern with various scattered bits of technology, but beyond all other things she saw a brilliant vibrant pillar of light in the cavern. Approaching it, she saw a crystal that seemed to be oozing with power and was oddly shaped somewhat like a feather.


    She was about to touch it when she heard Katsi¡¯s voice, ¡°There you are.¡± She turned to see her little sister climbing out of a panel in the machinery. ¡°So, I can see what they were trying to do but Dean was right. They are missing some pieces. There is enough here to make it space worthy though. Only Dean would know if it has the necessary specs to run the blockade.¡±


    ¡°It does but only on the 43rd lattitude.¡± Anisa turned to see a face she recognized but hoped didn¡¯t know her. Gavin noticed her surprise and rolled his eyes, ¡°Lady, I am over the smuggling crap.¡± He gave a resigned sigh, ¡°Well, outside of smuggling the parts you all needed to get this thing purring. It was some highly specific parts but I have connections and favors.¡±


    Anisa looked ready to take out the smuggler but Katsi stepped in the way, ¡°I¡¯m the one who told him. The dude went through the caves just like us except more often and in secret. I don¡¯t know what his deal is, but I trust him. So help us finish the final touches and hopefully we can get this thing going before Dean needs backup.¡±


    Anisa sighed and admitted, ¡°I don¡¯t know machinery. I am good at tactics and inspirational speeches but-¡°


    Her little sister cut her off, ¡°Useless. Gotcha. Go sit in the captain¡¯s chair and fiddle with the tactical panel until you are comfortable with it. We are going to need someone on it within the next few minutes.¡± Anisa went where she was pushed and sat down. A desk rose around the very comfortable chair, digital panels deploying from it. They seemed to be taking in all the sensor data from the area and breaking it into a cubic lattice. She started making small changes to the arrangement and making various mental notes on not just the interface but the information it was feeding her


    _____________________________________________


    Dean¡¯s helmet was heavily scuffed and his chest plate was beginning to weigh on him. He cussed under his breath before muttering, ¡°I can¡¯t be getting old. This world is just more hardcore.¡±


    The bird monster stood slowly to his feet, staggering as he did so and his face dripping with black blood. ¡°I¡¯ve never faced a warrior like you. Not a killer instinct in sight. Cool under pressure. Pushing through the wounds you hide beneath your visage of strength.¡±


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    Dean threw out another punch, keeping his form tight even as he felt his bones reverberate with the impact. He could feel every ragged breath. He didn¡¯t sense he was in any real danger, but he hadn¡¯t had to fight this long since the last time he fought the Falos.


    As he was beginning to wonder how much longer before his body collapsed from fatigue, the ground beneath them began to rumble. Realizing that they must have gotten through to the ship, he smirked under his helmet. ¡°It was fun, but we are gonna have to finish this another time. Get your beak patched and I¡¯ll break it off later.¡± He pushed a button on his badge, his armor shining a bright orange before he leapt high into the air. As if it was calculated, the ship rose quickly from beneath the ground, his path landing him directly in the engine room. Reverting and collapsing on the floor, he crawled to the engineering console and placed his makeshift transformation device into the interface. Smirking as the drones came to life, he was even happier when he saw Gavin. ¡°Son of a bitch. I didn¡¯t think you would come.¡±


    Gavin rolled his eyes, ¡°You heroes need to stop pretending that you are the only normal people in a broken world. I¡¯ve been working directly with you guys for a hot minute and I am already sick of it.¡±


    ¡°My bad, Gav.¡± The former smuggler nodded and began reading off some of the status reports. Dean nodded from the ground, directing the drones where they were needed with his mind and heart.


    ______________________________________________


    ¡°Fugue layers have finished forming. And the primary batteries have been primed. How is the navigation going?¡± Gavin reported from the engine room with cold intensity


    Anisa asked sarcastically, ¡°I don¡¯t know. Katsi, can you give him the status report?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t fair! I¡¯ve never flown a spaceship before, let alone one lacking any kind of aerodynamics!¡±


    Dean spoke reassuringly through the intercom, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Kat. RCS doesn¡¯t work in atmosphere on this thing and even Cap couldn¡¯t get it to turn the way he wanted all the time. Just focus on getting us to orbit, we have tools for the rest.¡± Looking from the floor at Gavin he grumbled, ¡°I told you those are the secondary batteries.¡±


    Gavin shook his head, ¡°Is it the weapon you lead with? No? Then it¡¯s secondary. I¡¯m an arms dealer. I know how these things work.¡±


    Anisa sighed, ¡°Do I want to know what Shawn recommended as the main gun?¡± She remembered half the design ideas he used to put into his stories.


    Dean laughed from the floor, coughing and spluttering from the strain. Gavin informed, ¡°If I said it was capable of punching a hole in an active supernova I would be lowballing. I wasn¡¯t able to get it to full specs, but it is functional in a pinch.¡±


    Anisa fiddled with the console and asked, ¡°Is it normal for there to be a capital ship in orbit?¡±


    Gavin asked dismissively, ¡°What latitude?¡±


    ¡°26th¡±


    Gavin pulled out a small device and fiddled with it before he shook his head, ¡°Nope. Someone knew what we were up to. I don¡¯t know how but someone used this behemoth as bait.¡± He turned to Dean who seemed to be thinking really hard as to who would know.


    Anisa looked annoyed but Katsi jumped in, ¡°You sure that no one knew what you were up to?¡±


    ¡°Positive. I have too many contacts to not have seen this coming. One of them would have said, ¡®Hey, all those cops are surrounding that planet you were on. What happened?¡¯ Would have been embarassing.¡± He looked to Dean who still seemed confused.


    Anisa spoke firmly, ¡°This works to our advantage then. Gavin, charge the central cannon to any safe amount. Katsi, I¡¯ll be feeding you tactical data. Keep any damage to the cannon to a minimum and on my signal, face the coordinates I send you. Dean, keep the ship together.¡±


    Gavin shouted, ¡°Are you insane? Do you realize the damage you could do if the shot goes wide? What about civilian ships or Cosm-¡°


    ¡°Trust me! If we use such an impractical weapon on our way out, they will back down for now and focus most of their attention on disabling that and on us. That will take the pressure off of the CPD and the planet.¡± She pushed some buttons on her command console, ¡°I¡¯ll analyze their formation to hit the most dense formation of Falos military ships.¡±


    The comms were quiet for a moment before Gavin grumbled, ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡±


    She spoke softly as they began to hit atmosphere, ¡°I understand the risks and I feel your pain, but these are the risks we have to take to defeat evils greater than any of us.¡±


    Gavin growled, ¡°We will talk about this later, Zora. In the meantime, just get that data.¡± She nodded into the communicator, just expecting the sensation to be felt. She looked through the specs, heraldry, and call signs. Feeding flight data to Katsi¡¯s console, her little sister still seeming nervous and tense as she saw the fleet blocking them.


    Anisa saw a button labeled ¡®Warn the morons¡¯ and smirked, knowing exactly who this button was for. Pressing it, the console informed her that she was broadcasting on all known frequencies. She cleared her throat and said, ¡°Members of the Falos and Cosmic Patrol. This is the Cosmic Bastion Ziegfried. We will be leaving the planet now. If you do not clear our flight path, we will be forced to eradicate you as obstacles to hope and change.¡±


    The frequencies were dead in return, but a few of the ships began moving to get out of their way. She gave a silent message to Gavin to keep the cannon primed. She was hopeful they wouldn¡¯t block them at all. Despite her worry, the capital ship moved to block their path as well as a few of their cruisers. She warned one last time, ¡°If you do not clear a path then expect to be purged by the first light of dawn.¡±


    She worried they hadn¡¯t been able to hear her when a response came from a sinister female voice, ¡°You come to my jaws, dance between my claws, and dare to speak as predator. Show me why I should fear you or I will enjoy watching you suffer.¡±


    She saw the ships around them prime their weapons and shouted, ¡°Gavin! Fire!¡± A second passed and in that still eternity, Anisa worried that he had hesitated or that it hadn¡¯t worked. The next second was filled with a light so bright it drowned out all of Anisa¡¯s senses. When she had finally returned, the capital ship was no more. Neither were the battleships. Neither was the moon that was once behind them. Or a large section of the next planet over. She stared in cold fear of what happened. The ships around them were either in active retreat or as shocked as she was.


    You are as cold as he is. He would be proud.


    Gavin shouted into the intercom to wake everyone up, ¡°Engines at full thrust! Let¡¯s get out of here!¡±


    As the ship cleared orbit and traveled away from their home, the ship was as silent as space itself. Once they were at a safe distance they would take stock, but for now, they needed to process what had just happened.

 The Wake

    The crew sat quietly around the table at the debriefing room, each of them having some form of alcoholic drink regardless of age or origin. A few minutes pass. And then a few more. Eventually a whole hour had passed and no one at the table had found a will to speak. Eventually, Gavin stood up, walked over to Anisa and punched her across the face. Knocked from her seat to the floor, she didn¡¯t respond or even look at him. She just continued to stare. Gavin closed his eyes and admitted to everyone at the table, ¡°You made the right call, Captain.¡± He returned to his seat, sitting down heavy and taking a deep drink before refilling right from the bottle.


    Katsi asked, ¡°Why would you ever make a weapon like that?¡± Her voice weighed down with worry and disbelief, looking directly at Dean who slumped heavy in his chair from exhaustion.


    He sighed, ¡°There are things out here in the cosmos that fear nothing less than power like that. We always tried to play nice, but the three of us sat on potential power like that every day of our life. Shawn especially.¡± Dean downed another can of beer and threw it into the trash before opening a new one and drinking it. ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it fired, but that seemed like fifteen percent of the projected power.¡±


    ¡°Five.¡± Gavin announced. Everyone looked at him in worry and panic, ¡°Five percent of specs. Fifteen for its current state, but that was five percent of what the finished product can do.¡± Everyone swore under their breath.


    Anisa sighed, standing up, ¡°They are right to be scared of us. Computer is still running numbers on potential collateral. In the meantime, we need a heading. What are we looking for, Dean.¡±


    The bulky warrior sighed, ¡°We would want to find the Dragon Gem first. If the memories of Doug come back we might be able to sow confusion and dissension among their ranks. Cap was always good at making friends. Once we have done that we can go to the only place where I think Chief¡¯s emotions would wear the wall thin.¡±


    Gavin spoke quietly, ¡°I hid the other orange stone a few sectors over. It could be a few months or even a few years depending on how many problems we run into along the way. Maybe we can grab some of my friends along the way. Cause I doubt we can truly run this entire ship with only two people who know how to navigate space.¡±


    Katsi stood up shakily, only just now realizing how much she had consumed. ¡°Is there some kind of hologram room or something?¡±


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    Dean nodded, ¡°For recreation and training. Cabin fever is real in space. No lie. I almost stabbed Chief with a fork one time.¡± She looked at him, clearly trying to figure out if she was too drunk or if she heard him right. Deciding she was clearly too deep in her cup to communicate with, he said, ¡°Deck 49, midship.¡± She looked at him like she wasn¡¯t sure he was speaking English but nodded and walked off. Dean sighed, knowing he would need to keep an eye on her and stood up on his utterly spent legs and waddled after her, the booze killing the pain.


    Gavin and Anisa continued to sit at the table, drinking their drinks. After awhile he poured her his drink and slid it towards her. ¡°Something bothering you, Captain?¡±


    She locked eyes with him and asked, ¡°What did you see in those caves?¡± He raised a confused brow but she motioned him to answer.


    Shrugging, he said, ¡°A bunch of crap from my past. Stuff I¡¯m not proud of. A life I had to let go of. You?¡± She sat there staring into the drink he gave her. He nodded, ¡°Yeah, I know that feeling. But you are doing the right thing. Making hard calls when no one else is in a condition to. I¡¯m afraid of old habits, Dean is clearly not leadership material, and your sister hasn¡¯t seen this stuff before.¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m just like you. Trying to live down bad habits. Build a new life. Repay an old debt.¡± He watched her silently from across the table. She eventually said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but there is something broken inside of me. It scares me. I try my best not to think about it, but it won¡¯t go away.¡±


    Gavin nodded and waited for it to appear as though she had stopped. ¡°Captain, I vow as one monster to another that if I ever catch you slipping, I¡¯ll call you on it. Stop you if I can.¡± She locked eyes on the former smuggler and felt somewhat reassured. He then muttered, ¡°We really need a proper ship doctor is what we need.¡± She laughed and downed the drink he gave her. It burned like fire on the way down but once it hit her stomach, the whole world became finally warm. She stood groggily and stumbled towards the captain¡¯s cabin, laying down on the hard bed and passing out.


    ________________________________________________


    He awoke with annoyance to the beeping of his console. Another message? Time was relentless. He moved carefully, ignoring his still mending wounds as he had so often before. He looked at the death toll with confusion, glad that at least Slezou had perished as he had projected it would. It was only when he read the report that he smiled slowly. He muttered to himself, ¡°So, Zora has left the planet. I suppose it was about time. Finally. I¡¯ve waited for my life to get more interesting.¡± He began his feedback on the report:


    Prince Visto IV,


    I request your permission to join Retainer Lady Unicorn in the pursuit of this danger. This new facet requires further research.


    Sincerely,


    The Phoenix Emperor

 The Library of TakNasi

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 Gateway to Liberation

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 Life Given to Snow, Taken from the Void

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 A Candle in the Dark

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 Cleaving the Shackles of Hate

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 The Scarlet Treasure Beneath

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 The Nobility of Solitude

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    Once Fallen, All Life is Given to the Snow


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    For All Life Was Taken From The Void


    While The Surface May Lay Barren


    Our Secrets Rest in the Solitary Prison of the Heart


    A Scarlet Stranger to our Empty Shell


    Guardian of the Treasure that Lay Beneath


    In this Way We Honor the Nobility of Solitude that Unites Death and Life


    -Ventari¡¯s Law, The Reign of Agnasis

 Respite of the Emperor

    Back and forth, cut following cut, crossover and again. Rotation. Counter rotation. Back to start.


    ¡°Do you need to keep the suit on the entire time? I¡¯m sure it gets toasty in there.¡± Lady Unicorn smirked from the doorway to the training room. He blocked her out and continued his exercises. It was refreshing. For the first time in years he had true opponents. People who would truly fight him with everything they had and would have enough of it to be worth his time. Still, time had left it¡¯s lessons on him. The right amount of pressure at the right time. Lady Unicorn sighed in disappointment at his stoicism but then smirked and tried to approach him. She stepped back quickly when he lashed out with his crimson flames.


    He pointed a blade of flames at her and stated coldly, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t need to practice if you had done your job properly. Your continued existence is at the mercy of the lordling.¡±


    She smirked, ¡°And, from what he said, your teachings.¡± He huffed and went back to his practice. She teased, ¡°Many would find it sentimental or weak, but I appreciate it. Loyalty among thieves and all. I promise not to kill you the first time you betray me.¡±


    ¡°Your word holds no weight. If you were a genuine threat, that would mean something to me.¡± Ceasing the practice with his flames, he dropped and began doing push-ups. He stated firmly, ¡°I advised him long ago that slaying subordinates may strike fear in others, but loyalty is maintained through mercy. Slay those who are more of a danger than an asset. If he spared you, your self serving love of theatrics must still be of minimal risk. I¡¯m not entirely inclined to disagree given you did secure the Tak¡¯Nasi before blowing our cover.¡±


    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    ¡°Of course! You have to have won before you can gloat over and torment your foes.¡± She did her evil laugh, eliciting an annoyed sigh from her partner in crime. She growled, ¡°Why must you be so joyless? Revel in your victories! Bask in your own greatness! I''ve never seen so decorated an officer deny their own revelry.¡±


    He stood up from his push-ups and glared at her through his visor. His tone harsh and critical, he corrected, ¡°These are weaknesses. Flaws. Experience humbles the mighty. Robs the meaning from victory. Eventually, only the next mission holds meaning. That and the thrill of a challenge truly worthy of your talents.¡± He approached her with intent to intimidate but she only flashed an amused smile. ¡°There is one thing you and I share. We believe in toying with our opponents until they cease to amuse. These toys are not worth breaking yet.¡± She ran a hand along his helm curiously but he knocked her hand away and went to his quarters for a moment of peace. "Keep an eye on the monitors and the progress of our new guests"


    Sealing the door behind him, he turned on a monitor and began his report, ¡°My lord, we continue documentation of Zora¡¯s craft and its course. Included is my intended plan for your consideration before execution. I know you trust my judgement, but my actions reflect on your command, for both fame and infamy. Since you will one day rule, your judgement should be the first and last before anything is done in your name.¡± He removed his helmet and spoke firmly, ¡°You and you alone are the one most qualified to rule your people. I offer as your mentor this point only. You are the mind, your people the body. I am but your arm, with many fingers. Should you need me to remove one, it would be my honor.¡± He ended the transmission and put his helmet back on, looking over his messages for any progress reports from one of his many "fingers".

 The Cosmic Trinity

    The headquarters lay in flames, various officers either converted or reduced to ash. The figure tossed the head of the precinct through the impact shielding and out into space, crashing into the ongoing meteor shower. As the flaming stones pelted them relentlessly, their battle suit eventually began to cave to the blows, shattering bone and making their breathing ragged. Even still, upon landing back on the barren surface the commander drew his emergency blaster, shouting, ¡°Daybreak¡¯s Bell! Ring for Justice!¡± Authorization given, the blaster fried itself firing a blast that leveled the entire building and all those remaining within. All of them except their attacker who seemed little more than singed. The villain sighed and shook their head, ¡°You reduced all my efforts to little more than atoms. I guess I¡¯ll start again with you.¡± Pressing a button hidden on their badge, the commander stood up and drew their combat knife, readying themselves. ¡°Oh, how cute. You really want to make this fun for me. Too bad. I didn¡¯t want you to suffer like the rest did.¡± The commander was about to charge when the felt a light tug pulling them back. Less than a second later, the villain fell to one knee and they tried to catch their breath.


    Cosmo Dragon appeared as if from thin air and cheered, ¡°Officer Neri, do a scan of yourself and then the rest of the evacuees.¡± The commander nodded and began to run. When the villain attempted to aim a strike on the fleeing officer, they were caught by surprise as the blast was aimed back at themself in an instant. Holding their eyes for a moment from the flash, they growled as they looked for the now missing foe. As wounds appeared on them suddenly, Cosmo Dragon sighed, ¡°Alright. You¡¯re made of some pretty cut resistant material. Still, you seem to operate at a normal timescale.¡±


    The villain laughed at that comment, when Cosmo Dragon prepared himself the villain responded, ¡°You attack me with that toy with a thousand petty wounds and believe yourself my equal? I am unto a god! I am mo-¡° his comeback speech was cut off as Cosmo Bruin crashed into him at near light speed.


    Bruin stood from the crater and brushed himself off, ¡°Phoenix is on his way. What¡¯s the status, Cap?¡±


    Dragon watched the crater to see any signs of life and explained, ¡°Class 9 Corrupter. Blade resistant, seems to be at normal timescale, but let¡¯s not assume.¡± Motioning to the missing building, Bruin was in disbelief. ¡°Walked off Daybreak¡¯s Bell, but had vital organs that responded to blunt force trauma from me.¡±


    Bruin rolled his shoulders and sighed, ¡°Alright. You gonna show your new trick or are we waiting on the walking nuke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll hold off in case Phoenix can¡¯t finish the job.¡±


    Bruin chuckled as the villain rose from the crater. ¡°Didn¡¯t realize it was like that, but okay. Boss should be here soon. Let¡¯s see if we can save him the trouble.¡± Bruin charged the figure who seemed to vanish for a moment before slamming hard into the ground. Bruin pulled the figure in close with his telekinesis and punched him a few times before grabbing them around the middle. Getting hit around the head multiple times at the speed of light, he grappled the villain. He arched his back and slammed the beast into the stone. Without releasing his grip, he twisted his hips and went to do it again as his captive began swatting away Dragon¡¯s blinding assault as best he could.


    The villain laughed between ragged breaths, ¡°If such a beam could not slay me, nor your unceremonious collision, why would these maneuvers mean anything to me.¡±


    Bruin continued to bash the beast into the stone as Dragon continued his assault. Eventually, he tossed the villain some distance away and grumbled, ¡°Okay, same scratch resistance as a collapsed star, but weight of cotton and malleable like clay. Despite that, his corruption seems to require a broken will to infect the body.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Dragon nodded as he appeared next to him, ¡°He seems to top out at just shy of light speed and I¡¯m seeing minimal heat friction even taking the vacuum of space into account.¡±


    The villain rose laughing again, ¡°Of course! Because I am the perfect killing machine! The ultimate life to counteract the Shuian incursion!¡±


    Bruin nodded, ¡°You would be good for that. And maybe if you weren¡¯t crazy we could use your help.¡±


    ¡°A waste. Without morals and restraint you are nothing but a larger threat.¡± Dragon sighed, ¡°It was good we caught you before you became an actual danger.¡±


    The monster looked at them in disbelief, his humor vanishing, ¡°Excuse me? I just corrupted and devastated an entire sector¡¯s headquarters in a few hours. There isn¡¯t even a building left. None of you have left a lasting impact on me. What makes you think I¡¯m no threat?¡±


    As one of the meteors made its approach to the planet, a figure in a bright orange coat stood upon it with his arms crossed. Pulling free his gun, he aimed it at the dead world that contained only his foe and students. The momentary flash was all the signal the pair needed to prepare. Dragon vanished and Bruin braced himself. A moment after that, a glowing crater formed on the surface of the planet many miles wide. The target tried to stand despite the severe damage and was unprepared for the meteor to drive them deep into the resulting magma.


    Bruin pulled himself free from the heated stone and winced. ¡°Hate the theatrics but your results are impeccable, Boss.¡±


    Phoenix shook his head, ¡°Not even close.¡± He kicked the fallen stone off of their enemy and punched through the hardening stone to pull the twisted mess free from the ground. He tossed it away from himself as it tried to lash out for his throat. The mass reformed into something akin to a humanoid and hissed, ¡°Looks like it survived the Batta test, but just barely. I would say an 85.¡±


    It made an attempt to strike out at them again only to find itself contained in an air tight sphere of energy. Dragon sighed, ¡°That makes this truly one of the most promising failures in the cosmos. Think we should let the lab techs study it?¡±


    Phoenix pushed a few buttons on his wrist while shaking his head, ¡°Black box said that was what led to this incident. We are going to just have to eradicate this one for the sake of peace.¡±


    Bruin held up a hand to them and approached the sphere. Phoenix rolled his eyes, aware of what the rookie intended. ¡°Hey, Buddy. I know you are scared and hurt. Found out that the cosmos is a lot bigger than you were taught. Full of things no one told you about. I¡¯d like for us to talk things out and maybe we can help you find a place in this bigger world. But I would need you to promise me that you will behave and stop trying to kill people. Okay?¡± The blob seemed to still be scared and unsure. ¡°That¡¯s fine. Take your time. You can hang out in my craft until you have made a decision.¡±


    As he walked away from the sphere, Phoenix sighed, ¡°If that thing gets loose, it will be on your head, Rookie. If it decides not to play nice you know where to take it.¡± Bruin nodded and saluted his superior officer.


    Phoenix saluted back. Dragon and Phoenix saluted each other as well before both taking their leave, Bruin picking up the sphere with one arm, resizing it for easier transportation, and pushed a button on his badge to wait for his patrol craft.


    <hr>


    Dean woke from the memory in the cold dark of his quarters. Flashes like his were common after a fight of that scale, his mind trying to piece it all back together. He wondered what Shawn would say about these odd coincidences, these unfortunate mishaps. Tracing back his history he could tell exactly what Douglas would have told him. A realization gathering on the edge of his mind like a coming storm. He couldn''t stay but they weren''t ready for him to just walk away. Shawn would have told him to make a scene and draw even more attention as they grew, but he wasn''t built like either of his mentors. He was not built to fight a one man war. He attempted to gather what restless sleep he could as his mind tried to piece together what his next move should be.

 The Bear Hunter

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 The Darkest Pit

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 The Cold Flame

    Ett paced before her sisters in her own selected attire, a yellow vest over a tasteful turtleneck and business slacks. She began her ¡®briefing¡¯, ¡°Thank you for cooperating in full or in part with Mr.Phoenix. While roaming the ship, he has stated he does not care what attire you wear, but if his superiors are to cross your path, you are expected to wear a uniform to minimize any chance of questions or inspections. Those of you with non-combat roles are to temporarily report to your station to familiarize yourself with its location and interface. Once you have done so, you are to work out shifts and schedules among yourselves. Those of you who have chosen to take combat training will report to the hold for your training session when Mr.Phoenix announces it over the PA.¡± The girls began to mutter among themselves and Ett sighed, ¡°I understand that this is odd. Never have a met a more strictly enforced unprofessional set of orders in my life. But we are his guests for now. So try to behave yourselves for now. He did provide a complaints box.¡± She pointed to a trash can in the middle of the room. ¡°He insists that he will check it and take them seriously.¡±


    Many of the girls rolled their eyes, but Zwei walked over to it, wrote down a suggestion and tossed it in. Hepta, with a smirk, followed after her and did the same thing. They would figure this out one way or another. As they did this, an announcement came on the PA system, ¡°When you are all done loitering in the lounge, please scatter about the ship and do your jobs. Thank you.¡±


    The clones each went their way, playing with controls when safe, entering various unlocked rooms to get a good idea of the floor plan. Contrary to their expectations, the Phoenix Emperor was nowhere to be found among the unlocked rooms. Still, the pantry was well stocked as well as having a molecular assembler. The lounge was full of old, but very comfortable furniture and a wide variety of music to play over the localized speakers. The common room was spacious with room for easily one hundred people.


    Still, he seemed to be in this ship alone. Even the controls seemed to have been modified for him to control all functions from one console. Seeing no other crew, all them began to worry for the mental health of a man this deep into space alone. But he seemed fine. How was that possible? As the word spread through the grapevine, he eventually came out of his room. Some of them looked at him with genuine concern. Others looked on him with fear. But it took one particular woman to truly break the awkward silence¡­ Kuntaret dropped from the ceiling with a kitchen knife, latching around his torso and getting ready to plunge the knife into his chest.


    He deflected her stab down and away, causing her to lose her grip and the blade clattered across the floor. Trying not to lose control, she quickly tried to reach to grab her own wrist. Surely she could lock this in and crush his windpipe. He made an impressive standing high jump, clearly going more than four feet off the ground and landed squarely on her back, his elbow digging into her abdomen. Gasplessly, she released him and he leapt to his feet, nodding in approval, ¡°Good attempt, but here is a few critiques. Never be perfectly up to the ceiling. People may not look up often, but when they do it is straight up. Frankly, a lower angle from around a corner is best. Secondly, you can¡¯t get the front of the chest well from the back. Shoulder might have been better. Finally, once you have grabbed a person, they are a wild horse and you have to be able to endure anything they do without reacting. So, good effort. Take notes and try again next time.¡±


    A few of the girls ran up to check on her, but Zwei asked, ¡°Why did you shrug that off like it was normal?¡±


    He spoke happily to her, ¡°Ah, my new favorite pupil. Walk with me and I¡¯ll explain.¡± She looked between him and her sister on the ground, but did as she was asked as he began walking the ship and observing all of their activities as he passed, ¡°I have been working for the Falos for a long time now. Right hand man to the prince leads to assassinations, fake distress signals, people trying to bribe or threaten me. I¡¯ve seen it all. And all based on a small scale view of a much larger issue. They think I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing. Or worse, they think they know what I¡¯m doing and that I don¡¯t care.¡± He huffed, ¡°Their life is better for not knowing, but it still irritates me.¡±


    ¡°So this happens a lot?¡±


    ¡°Often enough. Probably gonna happen a lot more once I¡¯ve finished my plans.¡± His face was difficult to read through the helmet but she got the vibe he was a very tired man.


    ¡°You don¡¯t strike me as a big schemer.¡± Zwei stepped in front of him, a glimmer of mischief in her eye. ¡°You strike me as someone who takes life as it comes.¡±


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    He shrugged before sidestepping Hepta trying to tackle him from behind. ¡°It is hard to explain, but you are right. Still, when something is truly precious, you will do anything, even go against your own nature, to protect it.¡± Hepta grabbed at his legs and he jumped away effortlessly without even looking, ¡°So I have a lot of very delicate plans, something I hate most in the world, because I am trying to get something truly precious. Once I¡¯ve broken these proverbial chains, I¡¯ll be able to enjoy my work. Until then, I try to make the most of my free time.¡±


    Hepta leapt to her feet and charged him, trying again to grapple him and again he ducked it without much effort and stepped around her. ¡°What does a man like you do for free time?¡±


    He sighed at the next rush and jumped into the rafters, chastising Hepta, ¡°Enough of that. I¡¯m having a conversation.¡± He continued, ¡°These days, I mostly I visit some old friends, make sure they are okay and having a good one, and then sleep.¡± He smirked as he produced a small scarlet flame, ¡°Oh, and keep my heart focused and strong.¡± All of the girls looked into the flame with awe.


    Shi asked from the rafter behind him, ¡°Why do you have rafters on a ship, especially as a pyrosapien?¡±


    He turned to her slowly, completely annoyed at the situation. He muttered, ¡°I did not want thirty daughters. This is ridiculous.¡± Before replying, ¡°I¡¯m not a pyrosapien, though I have met a few. And these rafters are for security reasons exactly because no one would expect or check them on a starship, but also because I like the way it effects the light in the room.¡±


    ¡°Pyrokinesis is very much a pyrosapien thing. What else could it be without a crystal?¡° her face was cold and her tone disinterested. Less like she was asking and more that she was explaining his ¡®lie¡¯ to him.


    He laughed at her assertion, but said nothing to dispute aside from, ¡°Pyrosapiens are not the only beings with natural pyrokinesis. Don¡¯t narrow your perspective, just your approach. If you don¡¯t, you can miss out on so much of your life.¡± Leaping down and on alert for other violent psychos, he motioned to Zwei, ¡°Alright, Zwei. It is your turn for training. I need a breather from the violet weirdos already.¡±


    She nodded nervously and followed after him. Looking around again, while this place was worn and practically rustic for space faring ships, seeing him walk the halls with such natural confidence she couldn¡¯t help but see it a little different. This wasn¡¯t a ¡®house¡¯ to him. This was his office. His place of business. And he was the head of HR. She eventually asked, ¡°How do you do that if you aren¡¯t a Pyrosapien or some equivalent?¡±


    He stated firmly and ominously, ¡°If my data is right, you will probably be among the first to find out.¡± She shivered with dread, but he spoke like a proud boss to a Star employee, ¡°You can more than handle my training and if I¡¯m wrong you just won¡¯t have to be scared of dark alleys until you are old and grey.¡± Entering the cargo hold, he sealed the door behind them and pulled out a small device to scan the area. ¡°Secure.¡± In a crimson flash, he returned to his charcoal headed self. ¡°You know, as two faced as the viziers are, I really keep expecting them to eventually plant surveillance in here. But they never do.¡±


    Zwei got into a fighting stance but froze when he sat on the floor and motioned her to do the same. She did, curious as to what he was doing. He placed his hand on his chest with his eyes closed, slowly moving his hand away as a small scarlet flame floated in his palm. He offered the flame to her, but she hesitated. Pulling back from it.


    The charcoal headed man nodded solemnly, pulling the flame back to himself, holding it close but not returning it to his chest. ¡°There are a lot of old myths and legends in the cosmos. Many people wrote them off as exactly that. Crystallized hope, or emotional gemstones, were one of these myths for the longest time. But nowadays? People have found ways to create artificial ones. Use them as power sources. Resonate with a pair of them and someone can use them to talk to you. The fantastical made mundane. But that just means the secrets underneath the surface are still just as amazing. Molecules make atoms astonishing. Atoms make Electrons breathtaking. Quarks are just another layer. But beyond that, think bigger. The nature of each molecule differs because of all these factors too.¡± He smirked, ¡°Life is made of all the same building blocks as each other, but how they manifest and interact with the world changes with every little part. The world we live in responds to our strength of purpose.¡±


    She stared in disbelief, ¡°So this is magic?¡±


    He looked at her offended and confused before shaking his head and explaining in an irritated tone, ¡°Of course not! I literally told you what it was. The laws of our reality. They respond to and bend to people with strong enough wills and purposes. How it manifests is unique to each person. Similarities can exist, but it evolves and grows to your own personality.¡± He sighed, ¡°Those crystals are good tools to ground your emotions and help you to focus them. Give enough significance to any object and it gains meaning. Symbology and iconography can enhance the weight of your purpose too. But the big important thing is that your own heart stays strong and clear.¡± He smiled big at her, ¡°I see a lot of potential in you. I just need you to see it too.¡±

 The Vision of Will

    As she landed another square blow on his chin she asked, ¡°So when in this process do I begin to breathe fire?¡±


    He was visibly annoyed but motioned her to do it again. Doing as she was directed, she repeated the motion, he explained, ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple. You may never breathe fire. You may never run on air or cut a black hole in half. The point isn¡¯t gaining super powers.¡±


    ¡°Then explain again.¡± Hepta tried to land a kick, but got tripped by him again. She was getting bored of this repetitive behavior.


    He helped her back up. ¡°It takes a lot of work and challenges to do anything massive, but you read about the Greasians, right?¡± She nodded, familiar with the odd warrior culture, ¡°They are¡­¡± he shuddered, ¡°An experience, but they have a belief as to why certain champions and veterans rise to the top that stays true.¡± Hepta did the punch as he had taught, but figured it would be fun to throw in some extra gusto. He noticed it and turned his head so she hit him square in the middle of his forehead. She felt less pain this time but she swore there was steam coming from where she hit. He continued, ¡°That those who were pure of heart and strong of will had more power, endurance, and skill than the inexperienced fearful rookies who would fade from history.¡±


    Hepta stared at him in a bit of surprise. She asked skeptically, ¡°So what. They had guts. We tend to push ourselves harder if we believe in what we do.¡±


    He nodded, taking a deep breath before speaking, ¡°Exactly. And when a nobody who has been beaten to near death by a superior foe suddenly gets a second wind and becomes stronger than when they began, where did that come from? Why aren¡¯t they that strong from the start next time?¡± She started taking various reckless swings for her own amusement and he began to deflect them effortlessly, ¡°The answer is deeper. They impose their will on reality and on their opponent. Denying pain and consequences, seeking their one true vision of how the story ends.¡±


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    She chuckled, ¡°So you are telling me if I can keep my focus on beating you to a pulp, I can make it happen?¡± He smirked in reply. She tried to picture it in her mind, him battered with a black eye propping himself against the wall. Laying into him with that focus in mind, she was a little surprised. Her blows were clearly still sloppy based on his expression, but when he would correct her form, she would find herself trying to use those corrections as more openings to strike him.


    He seemed to be taking it in stride but he almost seemed to be growing in disappointment as she continued this. She felt like she was making him work harder to defend himself, but he didn¡¯t seem concerned in the slightest. She went to strike him and she could swear he was thinking. Not scared or worried, but just thinking. She landed a blow square into his left eye, and he stumbled back looking pretty battered. She pumped her arm excitedly, but when she blinked, he was gone. Feeling heat on the back of her neck, she froze. ¡°You have the right idea, but you aren¡¯t thinking ahead. But it isn¡¯t your fault. You lack experience.¡± She was too scared to move, every drop of cold sweat down her neck seemed to evaporate beneath the heat of his flames. He sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t expect you all to be as strong as me, but I think a field trip will help. Maybe then you all can truly see what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    He walked away from her. Hepta tried to follow him in hopes of getting answers but he locked himself in his room again, his temper getting the better of him.


    In the room he started to record another message, ¡°My lord, I hope your training has continued as intended. When we meet for the next movement against Zora I hope that our current efforts will have born fruit.¡± He sighed as he stared at it for a moment. He looked around the sparsely decorated room and nodded. ¡°Yeah, maybe that¡¯s it. It has been on the emperors list of tasks for me. Maybe that will be the right amount of pressure.¡±

 Daybreak Cathedral

    ¡°Remember, the radial engines are going to drop in thrust when we break atmosphere.¡± He made mild corrections on his console, and his new bridge crew was quick to take notes. ¡°You are going to think the angle of entry is too steep at first, but the profile mitigates the friction.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not usually how one compensates for friction¡± Viisi grumbled, ¡°I mean, I see what you did with the materials and the status readout but you have modified this thing into a death trap.¡±


    ¡°Good thing I¡¯m hardly ever here.¡± Before the girls could react, he stated firmly, ¡°When I leave this ship, I¡¯m on formal assignment. The fun loving kidnapper and mentor you have come to know will be gone. If you want to come with, you need to remain silent and watch without interfering no matter what you see out there. Even if it looks like I¡¯m about to die, I need you to watch. Combatants and non-combatants alike. Those who stay can observe through the sentry drone.¡± He cracked his neck and moved swiftly from the bridge to the boarding ramp. Zwei, Hepta, Shi, Kuntaret, and Sadvimsati followed him out, the rest choosing to remain and watch from the monitors. Each of the five following him were directed to wear cloaks bearing the Falos insignia and completely hid their attire from view.


    As he stepped down the boarding ramp they could feel something had changed in the air. His intensity filled the air around him. A small eye like drone seemed to follow him from about 30 meters away, panning from time to time to get various angles. He approached a large stone building that looked like it had been carved out by the elements themselves, and at the top of the building was a majestic bell that seemed like it was made from precious metals. As he approached, various warriors came to intercept him, ¡°Leave here, Falos dog. We will not offer our relic to your emperor.¡±


    His voice from behind his helm was harsh but efficient, ¡°He is more than aware of that at this point. I don¡¯t come here for that. I have come to fulfill the rite of combat that you all requested. Your strongest warriors will face me in combat. Success frees you all from obligation to aid the Falos royal family in times of crisis. Failure will not only reestablish your vows but cost the lives of the champions in question.¡± The warriors seemed worried about his companions but he spoke in a tone full of menace. ¡°They are here in case of your foul play, not that I would require their aid regardless.¡±


    The warriors nodded and allowed him and his companions to pass. Going up the uneven steps, they came to a pristine marble courtyard. Polished to a smooth sheen and perfectly level. As he approached an older member of this order stated his terms clearly, ¡°You shall abandon use of your powers here or our champions will call upon the power of Daybreak¡¯s Bell in your bout.¡±


    He gripped the man by his collar, ¡°My armor is not for your request. And your champions may use your bell regardless. I will not need my flames for your precious champions.¡± The older man didn¡¯t seem scared, but he didn¡¯t need to be. They needed only to know that he would not be playing their game.


    The leader of the champions scoffed, ¡°Let him carry his head with pride. We shall strike him down just the same. Which of us would you like to fight first?¡±


    ¡°All of you.¡± When they froze, he said again, ¡°All of you at once. Because I have more important things to do and one look tells me that this team cannot defeat me.¡± The girls sized up this group of sharp eyed and alert warriors and wondered what he was talking about. The older man seemed concerned by his confidence but the young warriors didn¡¯t blink.


    Their leader stated firmly, ¡°You hold no more power than the average lieutenant of your empire. Your confidence speaks only to the weakness of your people.¡± He didn¡¯t react to the taunts of the children. The warrior spoke again, ¡°We shall face you as we are then, but if I should even see the slightest ember of your scarlet flames, I shall see you consumed by the power of the Bell.¡±


    He brushed off the threats of the young man, walking into the arena and waiting at its center for his opponents. As they funneled in, he didn¡¯t seem to be looking at any of them. Staring straight ahead, and taking deep and deliberate breaths. The five of them circled him like a pack of wolves. He wasn¡¯t moving but each of them seemed to hesitate as soon as they would cross his vision. The warrior who threatened him nodded to the rest. They all took a deep breath and in a blink they were on top of him.


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    Five bell hammers. Five strikes. All of them practiced and precise. All at the same moment. The back of his head to disrupt his balance and motor control. The center of his chest to disrupt his breathing and damage his heart. His lower back to attempt to cripple him and weaken his core. His right tibia to put torque on his body and prevent him from landing proper kicks. His left fibia to enhance the torque further and to make moving agony. All five of them followed through without any resistance and shouted, ¡°Dawn¡¯s Star.¡±


    The Phoenix Emperor was propelled into an involuntary corkscrew, landing on his spine. Zwei couldn¡¯t help but worry and Hepta stepped forward to help only to have Shi stop her. Shi¡¯s eyes seemed sharp and alert, like she was waiting for something. He stood up after a moment, and the warriors looked a little nervous. Their leader laughed and seemed to be signaling them to do it again when they heard him talk. ¡°You guys are as green as it gets. But the name is nice.¡± He stood up and braced his arms in front of him, ¡°How about this. Try it again and I¡¯ll finish the survivors.¡±


    ¡°You received-¡°


    ¡°One hell of a wake up call. I should have fought only one of you at a time. Should be an easy fix.¡± His stance gave away that the hammers had done their work. His shaking legs gave away the pain he must be in. His ragged breathing and mild twisting revealed to anyone with eyes that he was feeling it.


    Still, he taunted them. The leader responded,¡°Of course. I don¡¯t mind putting you out of your misery. Remember, face defeat with honor.¡±


    They circled around. Same formation. Same approach. And he was hurt badly, but there was something odd about how he was standing. As they made their lightning approach, he pushed his body into the air, striking an odd pose, his knee forward, other leg stretched back, his core twisted, and his head leaned forward. The hammer aimed for the back of his leg made first contact with his extended foot. As it did, it rotated his body, his knee striking the chin of the person trying to hit his chest. The rotation threw off the rest as well, allowing him to elbow the spinal and head hammerers in the base of their necks. The fool that was supposed to hit the front of his leg got two knees to the spine.


    Disabling four of the five in one counter, he was about to celebrate, only for the leader of the warriors to strike him unexpectedly from behind. ¡°You have not kept your word yet. My allies retain their lives and I will not allow you to rob them of them.¡± He slid across the smooth arena from the warrior¡¯s blow. ¡°Evil shall not claim victory on my watch.¡± As he said this he stood as the dominant hero, the absolute picture of nobility.


    The girls watched with concern for the man, even moreso when the elder turned away. This was clearly going to become brutal. Still, they could not look away. They didn¡¯t want to miss the moment it happened. He stood, but it wasn¡¯t the same as before. His body cracked audibly, and his movements were heavy, but his muscles were taut. His movements were smooth. He looked at the man and his helmet was cracked. More disconcerting was that his eyes were not their usual red but rather seemed to be burning gold. His helmet was too broken for his voice changer to work, but his growl was real. ¡°I clawed my way out of hell. I¡¯ve beaten people with three times your talent and five times as intelligent.¡± The Warrior twirled the bell hammer effortlessly, hitting him multiple times around the head and shoulders before bringing it across the face. He expected The Immortal Phoenix Emperor to fall to this, and as his body began to topple it seemed like enough. Suddenly, his fall was stopped, his eyes continuing to burn gold, ¡°I have something you don¡¯t. Too much to live for.¡± The girls looked at the elder again and saw tears falling from his eyes. Before they could tell why, they heard a bell ringing. Powerful and resonating in their chest.


    He stood up, almost seeming to shine. His posture and movements were as if nothing had happened. He walked over to one of the hammers of the fallen and kicked it into his hand effortlessly. The warrior shouted, ¡°You fool! The bell is not tolling for your victory it-¡° he was cut off by the sound of one of his friend¡¯s legs shattering to a million pieces, The Immortal Phoenix Emperor crushing it with his boot like it was a mere twig. He charged The Immortal and felt a hammer shatter his spinal column before he realized it. The leader watched helplessly as his friend¡¯s had their limbs decimated beyond any medical care. He waited for the end.


    But it didn¡¯t come. The Immortal spoke firmly, ¡°Your lives as warriors have ended. You are no longer a threat to our empire. If that should change, I will return.¡± He walked back towards the ship, as if nothing had happened. Just as smooth as when he arrived. As soon as the boarding ramp closed, he fell to the ground completely unconscious. His armor faded in a flash of red, the ground turning crimson around his prone form. Kuntaret froze at the sight. Shi snapped to get the attention of the other three and motioned them to get him to the med bay. Kuntaret continued to stare at the pool of blood, frozen and unresponsive.

 The Heat of Battle

    Ellefu tugged on her hair as she watched over his bandaged form. Sita sighed and motioned her to sit down, ¡°He will survive. You need not fear for our safety.¡±


    She snapped back, ¡°It has been documented on Falos monitoring equipment that we were there and did nothing to prevent this.¡± She tugged at a more rapid rate, ¡°If the emperor decides we were trying to kill him, we will be face to face with an army of Mannequins.¡± Sita didn¡¯t seem to disagree but didn¡¯t seem worried.


    Sadvimsati bent his limbs carefully back into shape so the bones would set properly before binding his limbs tight. She expected the pain to wake him, but he was still unresponsive. She checked the base of his neck, putting a small amount of pressure on a specific spot. She hoped she was right and tugged on his neck while pinning down his shoulder. His eyes came to instant alert and he said, ¡°Okay, that¡¯s a new one.¡±


    Sadvimsati let out a breath and reassured him, ¡°I take it you mean the pressure point that I-¡°


    He cut her off as he rubbed his neck, ¡°Not quite. I mean the pain of having that one get hit. Normally don¡¯t let anyone get close enough. Should have known you might know about it.¡± She looked nervous but he shook his head, ¡°You are fine. I needed the jolt to get my adrenaline going. Would have slept off the head wounds otherwise.¡±


    Sita laughed, ¡°That explains the odd neurological quirks of your mind.¡± He rolled his eyes and waved her off.


    ¡°Okay, legs are shattered up to the knee, so that should be fine. Ribs are powdered but that¡¯s just a day ending in Y.¡± He patted his body down and seemed pleased, ¡°No actual fractures in the skull despite repeated blows and my collar bone only has hairline fractures. I should be able to recover.¡±


    Ellefu grabbed him by the neck and growled, ¡°What the hell were you thinking?!? If you had died we could have had a Mannequin Death squad on our doorstep.¡±


    He spoke firmly again, ¡°That reminds me, where is the ship now?¡± Moving to get up he was blocked by Sita. Pushing her hand aside he stated, ¡°We need to get moving now.¡± Speaking into the comm as he walked on shattered legs towards the cockpit. ¡°Does anyone have the current location of the ship?¡±


    Ett responded over comms, ¡°We traveled to a nearby nebula to throw off any pursuit from the planet we just left. Why?¡±


    He continued up the hall despite the concerned looks and protests against him moving. ¡°Because that broadcast has probably made its way back to the capital which means a Mannequin fighter squadron is already tracking us.¡± Ett was entirely silent and stunned beyond words. ¡°Loyal commander of the realm and right hand to the Prince means that a lot of people are trying to kill me. The emperor allows it because he has a sick fascination with the ¡®silly games¡¯ his officers play as they vie for power.¡±


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    Dodici replied over the comms next, ¡°How in the hell does the empire operate at all?¡±


    He sighed with a grumble, ¡°It doesn¡¯t. There are about ten of us doing field work that actually matters for the security of the empire, an entire army of knights being sent on various missions where failure means death and disgrace, and then the right and left hands to the throne who make sure the scheming Vizers don¡¯t do anything stupid to kill the emperor and topple this crumbling ivory tower. To most people it is a loose collection of military dictators that hide behind the flag of the empire so everyone is too scared to stop them.¡±


    Vint tapped away at the displays as he entered. Seeming to be the only one on yellow alert. ¡°Four combat fighters seem to have entered the nebula.¡±


    He seemed deep in thought as he sat down, wincing in pain for only a moment before leaning forward in his chair, ¡°Okay, so either someone wants to try to be cute or they broke off from a larger combat freighter.¡± He pulled up his own panel and was annoyed, ¡°Not on scopes yet, but that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m going to get us out of here, but I need you all at your stations and to trust me.¡±


    The girls all slowly did as he asked as he started to see through the viewports the various Falos fighters combing the nebula. As they darted about, it was with such mechanical precision that one could be mistaken for believing them to be unmanned. He flipped a few switches at his controls, seemingly glad his arms weren¡¯t among his broken bones. As he did, the fighters turned in an instant to start sweeping the area around where they were hiding.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. Sniff for the trail like the good hounds you are.¡± As the fighters drew closer, he shifted the orientation of the craft carefully. ¡°Okay, found a nearby planet. Now to make a fake break for it.¡± He motioned for full power in the engines. The ship rocked and his face distorted in unimaginable pain as it burst into max speed. The fighters quickly adjusted their position and began pursuit, firing powerful lasers at the craft. The team was able to quickly maneuver around the shots, each movement causing the captain immense pain. Still, he smiled a giant smile.


    Viisi hissed, ¡°We can¡¯t outrun them and one clean shot is all it will take to make us target practice¡±


    He laughed, ¡°These tools don¡¯t need practice, but that won¡¯t matter in a second.¡± He took a deep breath before overriding the controls and cutting the engines, flipping around to fire at the attackers. The machines dodged effortlessly and hit each of his radial engines with a blast. He closed his eyes, seeming to throw the ship into a spin just as it hit the atmosphere of the planet. Seeing their quarry begin to burn as it plummeted, they broke off and returned from whence they came.


    The girls looked at the accepting pose of their ¡°captain¡± with fear. Moments would pass as the heat built up in the ship. The controls were locked and they began to burn up. It was only as they felt they were going to be destroyed utterly that his eyes snapped to alertness, crimson fire glowing in his eyes. ¡°Now.¡± A moment would seem to pass of nothing but fire, but the heat eventually subsided. And they were once again in the deep coldness of space. The looked out in confusion as constellations that they recognized. As they turned to ask what it was he had done, they saw him unconscious in the captain¡¯s chair, his breathing heavy, his bandages soaked in his blood and sweat and a smile of complete satisfaction on his face.

 Smoke and MIrrors

    Finding himself strapped down to the med bay table like he was a mad man, he was unamused. He wondered if they felt this could really contain him, but he let them keep the illusion of control for now. Zwei sat next to him with a stun baton. He laughed a bit and asked, ¡°Neat sparkler. Celebrating our survival?¡± She brought the baton very close to his groin and he joked again, ¡°Well, that¡¯s kinky, but I¡¯m not into you like-¡° she hit him in the chest with the handle of the baton and the blunt force to his battered body knocked the wind out of him.


    ¡°Is this all a joke to you? You nearly died multiple times just since your stunt on the bridge and you want to laugh like nothing is wrong?¡± She looked furious, and a glance over at Ellefu and Sita showed they shared her frustration but didn¡¯t even want to speak to him.


    He laughed again and again was hit with the blunt handle of the weapon. A few coughs later he explained himself, ¡°Of course I do. Laughing with relief is natural. I was scared as hell, but we should be safe now.¡± He laughed through the pain, ¡°And that means I have the luxury of humor.¡±


    Zwei looked down in thought, absentmindedly allowing the stun baton to drift down and rest on his abs. His body jackhammered against the restraints for a moment before she lifted it off. She quickly stammered out, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡±


    He winced but still smiled through the pain, muttering something under his breath she couldn¡¯t quite hear. He nodded in reassurance, ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m used to this kind of crap by now.¡± His eyes grew distant as he seemed to descend into thought. He eventually asked, ¡°You all think I¡¯m a lunatic, don¡¯t you?¡± She looked away and he chuckled, causing his fresh bandages to tinge red from his blood. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You guys have only been tag alongs and prisoners. But I¡¯ll be okay.¡± She looked at her feet, wanting to say something but being unsure of how. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to my room. I¡¯ll see you all in a few hours.¡±


    She looked up in surprise at the comment and he was already waving goodbye to the three as he walked briskly down the hall. She checked the restraints and saw no damage on them. She went to chase him down but she could hear his bedroom door slide shut and seal itself.


    He took a few sharp breaths, feeling he was finally alone. Kuntaret spoke from the corner of the room, ¡°Why do you punish yourself like this?¡± He turned as sharp as his battered body would let him. She refused to look directly at him and continued. ¡°I saw you take five lethal blows. I saw your body shatter and yet still stand. I saw you damage your body further to defeat those warriors to the point of nearly bleeding out on the floor of your ship. Then I saw you take a body on the brink of death and cast it into the abyss with a smile. You live like a man seeking his grave.¡±


    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    He thought about it and shook his head, wincing as he got himself over to his bed. He heard knocking and thumping from the rest of the girls, but he ignored it. ¡°It is more complicated than that. I¡¯ve been to my grave. Attended my own funeral. Put a shovelful on it myself.¡± He sighed, another wince. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t fear death like I used to. I just have better things to do than to die.¡±


    ¡°Like what?¡± She was honestly curious which was odd for his would-be assassin.


    He hesitated but replied, ¡°I see things differently than most people. I see the road I need to walk to bring out the best in the people in my life and I¡¯m not going to let it go. Anyone else I change the life of along the way is collateral.¡±


    She sighed, ¡°You have been holding back. Even this conversation is you trying as hard as you can to be honest without telling me what your game is.¡± She stood upright, cold eyes locked onto him. ¡°Even when your life was in danger I saw you restraining yourself. I will get a straight answer from you.¡±


    He chuckled and shook his head, ¡°No, you won¡¯t.¡± His body shone bright and his armor appeared. His distorted voice spoke menacingly, ¡°I give answers only when I see fit and not one moment before.¡±


    She prepared herself nervously. ¡°You are trying to scare me away from the truth. How are your secrets better than where I came from?¡±


    ¡°Because my secrets don¡¯t involve you.¡± She narrowed her eyes, ¡°And besides that, if I play my cards before the exact right moment to do so, everything I¡¯ve been working on falls apart.¡± She stayed firm, clearly not willing to let him slide with that. He spoke haltingly, ¡°I have a compromise. I can give you a special mission that will give you a better idea of the situation. Would you be interested?¡±


    She scoffed, ¡°Like Trinta? So you can keep your secrets?¡± He began a swing causing her to flinch. But instead of feeling a blow connect with any part of her, she heard the sound of breaking glass. Opening her eyes she saw the very air cracked like a sheet of fine ice. He flicked the cracked air and it fell apart effortlessly. Behind it was a place she didn¡¯t recognize.


    He said firmly, ¡°Step through. They will explain.¡±


    ¡°How will-¡°


    ¡°Because I¡¯m the only one that travels this way. They will know I sent you.¡±


    She hesitated for only a moment before stepping through. A few moments later he joined her. When he stepped through there was no signs of their exit, only the cold and barren room.

 A Guiding Star

    Zwei sat against the door, worried beyond belief. Trois sat down next to her and asked quietly, ¡°Are you okay, sister? You haven¡¯t left here in three hours.¡± Zwei shook her head and then stared at the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sure he is fine. He said he has done this a lot. How could he not when working for-¡°


    She was cut off when the door opened and the two of them fell backwards. Looking up, they saw him and he seemed to be wearing fresh bandages wrapped in an odd and layered way, almost like it was banded armor. He laughed at their fall and shook his head, ¡°Alright. Up on your feet.¡± Zwei leapt up and tried to punch him only to have her fist caught effortlessly. He laughed again, no seepage on his bandages, ¡°Please don¡¯t take a swing at a man fresh out of surgery.¡±


    Zwei growled. ¡°You¡¯re lying! You¡¯ve been in your room for hours! There is no way-¡°


    Kuntaret sighed, ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Zwei dropped quiet as Kuntaret walked past her down the hall, ¡°He¡¯s selfish but fine. I saw to it myself.¡± As she watched her sister walk down the hall she stared after her in stunned silence. Had Kuntaret been in there the whole time?


    He rolled his eyes at her departing comment and he clarified, ¡°I have a surgeon. Everyone of note in the Falos has a personal surgeon because the backstabbing is that bad. I have an arrangement that allows them to operate on me no matter where I am.¡± He laughed, ¡°They chew me out every time, but frankly, I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way.¡± Grabbing Zwei by the shoulder he said firmly, ¡°And now that I¡¯ve been stitched together you are the only one I can train for now. If you are willing to be my pupil, I would love to teach you.¡±


    She punched him in the bandages and was surprised that unlike the ground meat it felt like before, it felt a lot more solid this time. He didn¡¯t even wince or complain. ¡°Fine, but I want the right to stop training at any time I want.¡±


    He clearly had to think about it and responded unexpectedly. ¡°And I want the right to stop teaching you at any time.¡± She was confused by this but his stern look revealed to her that he was serious. Nodding in response to his question, she was surprised as he grabbed her wrist and began dragging her back to the cargo hold.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°There is one unmistakeable rule about the reality we live in. That those with strong hearts can make even the impossible occur. But there is a lot of subjectivity to the idea of a strong heart.¡± He motioned to his own body, ¡°I am not a noble or good man. But here I am, mostly back together after having my bell rung about fifty times by hammers heavier than a cargo lifter.¡±


    Zwei sized him up, amazed at how easily he was able to move despite the damage she had just seen. ¡°Why do people make such a mistake? People like you-¡°


    ¡°Are few and far between. And the examples people see around them are usually,¡± he growled a bit before stating coldly, ¡°usually sociopaths without any remorse. People who spread despair everywhere they go. Pretty much everyone who makes others suffer for their own benefit or amusement. Because despair has the power to bend reality as well and always at someone¡¯s expense.¡± His anger burned for a moment before he took a deep breath and centered himself. ¡°That fact of reality is why you have more potential than most of your sisters, actually.¡±


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    She blinked in confusion, completely at a loss of what he was talking about, she wasn¡¯t special or unique. In combat practice she had felt lackluster compared to what Hepta had been doing, she was useless on the bridge and she was too squeamish for anything beyond basic nursing in the medbay.


    He smirked confidently and raised a finger knowingly, ¡°See, those doubts and fears have a secondary effect. The more dire the hour or the more dark your own thoughts become, the brighter the light has to shine to overcome. A guiding light to lead you out of the night. And I see that in you. Fear. Doubt. Uncertainty. It is my hope that I can help you use those like making a diamond in your heart. A diamond that can bear the weight of the cosmos.¡±


    She laughed at him, completely disbelieving his words. He thinks she can handle that? He must think she is naive or childish. Lying to her to try and make her into a pawn in some game of his.


    His expression didn¡¯t change. Instead he asserted something she hadn¡¯t considered, ¡°I live in fear daily. Fear from my colleagues sending a robotic hit squad. Fear that if I step out of line I¡¯ll be executed. Fear that one false step can ruin decades of planning. Fear that if I¡¯m too stubborn I¡¯ll die before I can accomplish my task.¡± He laughed, ¡°And I overcome that fear every day by facing it with courage and relying on the bonds of love to keep my body bound together.¡±


    She thought about this and didn¡¯t know what to do. Still, she had promised she would at least try. ¡°So how do you intend to train me with this?¡±


    He sat down and seemed to have a mild amount of concern in his voice, ¡°There are a few ways to go about that. There is one that will take most of your life to make any major progress with but will dispel the darkness in your heart completely. You will still be stronger than most, but we don¡¯t have the luxury of that much time and I feel we would be wasting a chance at something even greater. I could take you to a Dark Planet and train you there, but that also runs the risk of breaking and killing you.¡± He sighed, ¡°The only way to cut the difference is to teach you what I can in sessions like this and have you travel with me while promising to simply observe, like you did at the cathedral.¡±


    Zwei jumped in, ¡°I¡¯m not going to watch on the sidelines as you get yourself killed daily. Period. I¡¯m not a monster!¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Fine. Compromise. It will require mutual trust, but you restrain yourself as best you can, back down when I ask you to, and I will trust that the times you step in on my behalf were necessary or at least that you felt they were.¡±


    She nodded before asking curiously, ¡°What¡¯s a Dark Planet?¡±


    He stopped. And he thought. And he silently stared into the distance before answering, ¡°We will have to visit one at some point on my To-do list. The short version is that some entity or force has managed to engulf the entire planet in a cloud of total despair but lacks the understanding, ability, or drive to leave for another one.¡± He sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve seen more than one and even I don¡¯t want to go there if I don¡¯t have to. Unfortunately, we are going to have to at some point. When we do, try not to kill yourself. It will be difficult in a space like that, but try not to.¡±


    She nodded and asked slowly, ¡°So how do I avoid doing that?¡±


    He nodded, as if understanding her request for her training to move forward. ¡°You remember that guiding light I mentioned before? You need to find the part of your heart that motivates you to move forward when you are scared or sad and nurture it. Emotions are a great way to trace the root of it, but don¡¯t get caught up on them. If you define yourself by your emotions, your power will come and go like a gust of wind. We are looking for something deeper. Something that defines the very fabric of everything you do.¡±


    The lesson began as simply and peacefully as that. Deep breathing, self reflection, and quiet. Despite the many sounds of a crew running around the halls, the cargo hold was dead quiet. Perfect for fishing deep into the calm waters of the heart.

 Royal Summons

    Zwei tugged at the various parts of the Falos uniform. ¡°I am not sure I fully understand what we are doing.¡± The unisex design was supposed to show unity among their forces, but there were particular aspects that seemed to mirror her mentor¡¯s armor. Gold piping along the seams and red stripes across the black uniform. The boots were stiff from lack of use.


    His distorted voice from the helmet stated firmly, ¡°We are touching base with my other student. Been working with him for about five years. I¡¯ve been having to undo a lot of propaganda and programming from his father, but despite this I have been praised for my work. I¡¯m hoping he will have some updates for me and can give me something off the to-do list to take care of with you.¡± He chuckled, ¡°He and you could even learn from each other. Just keep it formal until told otherwise.¡±


    She nervously nodded before their ship landed in the hanger of the massive capital ship. Walking down the boarding ramp she was rather nervous. There were platoons of soldiers on either side of them as they existed, golden shining armor with red accents. The eyes and skin were barely visible to her, but what she could see made most of them seem scarred or some ruptured blood vessels around the eyes. They almost seemed like they were only kept alive by the armor they wore. She was nervous they would attack but was surprised when they simply remained alert. She followed closely behind her mentor as he walked through the halls at a brisk and confident pace. There were some behind them that seemed to be trying to escort him but they gave up when they realized he wasn¡¯t going to slow down. He approached a door that opened to a small hallway. When they exited out the door on the opposite end, it seemed to be some kind of curved hallway with a conveyor belt.


    ¡°I always preferred this method of navigation, Zwei. Elevators are cramped and limited. Centrifugal conveyors are stylish and prevent traffic clogs. Even work as hallways when the power goes out.¡±


    She looked at the general, musing about navigation and logistics in a deep intimidating tone, and she chuckled, ¡°Are you certain it is centrifugal? Sure it isn¡¯t centripetal?¡±


    He turned to her slowly. His helmet was impossible to see through but she could feel him glaring at her. Whether he was correct or not, she wasn¡¯t certain but she could tell he had had this discussion before and was displeased by the subject. His only response was, ¡°The complexity of truth is no excuse to deny it.¡± He jumped into the tube and grabbed one of the handles moving to their right and she followed shortly afterwards. Eventually it carried them to a larger door than the rest. He let go and kicked off the wall, the door opening for him as he effortlessly landed and began walking in the large hallway.


    It eventually opened into a bridge that could have been mistaken for the grand staircase room of a manor if it was made of wrought iron and digital displays. At the top of the staircase stood a man in purple and gold armor that completely encased his body, a flowing regal purple cape coming off the back of him. Her mentor spoke, ¡°Prince Candaeris, The Phoenix Emperor answers your summons. I bring with me one of my pupils.¡±


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    The figure laughed a gentle laugh, ¡°But I stand right here, Master Phoenix.¡± The prince turned and upon seeing her spoke with a curious tone, ¡°A Tak¡¯Nasi. I hear tell you despise clones. Rather strange company you keep. I doubt my father would support such a breach of security.¡±


    She was about to speak but remembered what he had asked of her and she tried to trust him. Master Phoenix spoke in confirmation, ¡°My distaste for shameless replicas is well known, but what is more known is my hatred of arbitrary shackles. This one and her sisters are under my protection since their liberation from that culture. This one goes by Zwei.¡±


    The prince walked down the stairs as carefully as one would when trying not to wake a beast. He bowed slightly and stated, ¡°I appreciate a function to attach that identity to. I am in the middle of a logistic nightmare and my mind cannot function much beyond it right now. My apologies, Zwei.¡± He flowed from the apology without giving her a chance to speak and stated, ¡°We have a relic recovery mission from my father but I¡¯m currently trying to surmise the best angle of approach.¡± The Prince motioned them both to follow him back up the stairs. They began to do so, but before they could even reach the top, he had already pulled up displays of various bits of information. ¡°We are recovering an odd blade that seems to grow in power when the moon of this planet is full, but seems to impress a battle mad secondary personality upon the wielder. We sent various knights to recover it, but to minimal success.¡±


    Master Phoenix nodded, ¡°And you can¡¯t risk sending someone down who is¡­ let¡¯s say stronger¡­ because if the personality wins out then you have a more dangerous foe.¡± He seemed to lean forward towards the information, ¡°We are centuries away from this thing ever becoming a danger to your father. Why does he want it eliminated?¡±


    The Prince sighed, ¡°I¡¯m unsure. Perhaps he means to give it as a diplomatic gift and then use it as justification for war on a new front.¡±


    ¡°Not a chance. If we can¡¯t take it out with Knights then he wouldn¡¯t risk anyone who might be able to wield it being against him. And he can¡¯t mean to use it himself.¡±


    Zwei looked over the screens with them and suggested, ¡°Perhaps he intends to gift it to a more intellectual foe to neutralize the advantages of both?¡± There was a spread of quiet gasps and fear as she spoke. Master Phoenix seemed ready to spring to her defense when the Prince himself motioned everyone quiet and motioned her to speak more. ¡°There are some enemies dangerous for their morals, mind, or principles. Some of them just mean something that endangers your plans. If you could get a battle crazed personality to go on a killing spree you would defuse them as a threat.¡±


    The Prince nodded, ¡°Possible, but not entirely likely. He is well known for enjoying torturing his ¡®symbolic¡¯ enemies. Still, the amount of ways he could cause psychological torment from anything remotely close to your suggestion would explain it.¡± Everyone began to whisper and the Prince spoke firmly. ¡°Zwei is a student of Master Phoenix. She is offering her insight and knowledge base. There is no disrespect in service to the empire.¡± Everyone returned to their jobs and he spoke softly, ¡°I do apologize for their lack of decorum. Resolving this mission will allow you and I to communicate more freely as two students to the master.¡±


    She tried to measure his sincerity but he seemed to be impossible to read. Still, she continued to weigh in on possible strategies and try to disarm this sensitive situation.

 Essence of the Blade

    As the carrier landed in the clearing, Zwei was surprised to see the target seeming to stand on the surface of the nearby lake. They were wearing robes that were damaged but clearly ceremonial. The man had hair that seemed unnaturally white, his smile vicious but honestly amused. ¡°Oh, dear. They are finally sending the important people. Maybe I¡¯ll finally get a decent fight.¡± He pointed the blade at Master Phoenix. ¡°You carry yourself as a swordsman. Hand where your blade should be. I can find you a sword if you like.¡±


    Zwei stepped forward, ¡°I will be your opponent. Hand to hand. We can-¡°


    He laughed uproariously, ¡°I am the essence of swordplay and you are no fighter. That tremble in your hands. Your shoulders aren¡¯t square. Your posture is all wrong.¡± He leaned forward, smile not fading, ¡°Let me borrow that body of yours. Be my new host and I will teach your body how to fight.¡±


    ¡°And what about me? That host? Do they learn?¡± Zwei sneered, ¡°Your smirk tells me everything. That body is your tool. A means to an end. And-¡°


    The man cut her off again, his gaze having drifted to the others, ¡°Exactly. And you are a slab of raw material, but why put in the work when I can use something tested in battle.¡± He spoke again to Master Phoenix, ¡°You have been oddly still. Not typical of someone. Not unless you are confident you could match my draw.¡±


    Zwei moved to try and circle to the side only to have a blade be at her neck. Before she could blink she heard the shattering of bones catch up to the figure. Still, it didn¡¯t seem to be looking at her, but rather at Phoenix. He narrowed his eyes. The Prince spoke, ¡°You are better than killing an unarmed woman.¡± The figure smiled a sinister smile. ¡°You and I. A duel.¡±


    The figure laughed a bit before nodding. ¡°You are right. Draw your blade and I will help her find hers.¡± Before she could act, the handle was slipped into her grip and her mind went blank. The previous host fell to the ground screaming in agony, their limbs shattered beyond all use and recognition. Zwei lifted the blade as her hair went shock white. Swiftly and without mercy, the blade ended the life of the previous vessel. ¡°Now that we are both armed, why don¡¯t you show me the strength of your blade. Surely an imperial blade is worthy of my efforts.¡±


    The Prince maintained his royal composure but Master Phoenix was clearly having difficulty restraining his temper, his hands twitching with frustration.


    <hr>


    Where am I?


    Oh my. You are still awake. This is some high quality material.


    Who are you?


    I have had many names and I would love to share them with you when the moon wanes. Until then, I am going to kill your friends. I¡¯m sure the red one is going to be fun. So just watch and learn. Maybe it will clear these stupid cobwebs out.


    These aren¡¯t cobwebs these are genuine concerns.


    Take a tip from the essence of swordplay. Fear is a barrier between you and danger. Knowing when to break it is the difference between life and death.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°You know I¡¯ve never had a female host before. Let alone one that feels this unconditioned. I might push her body too hard. Break something I shouldn¡¯t. Just like that man there. So you should be careful.¡± She cracked her neck menacingly as she stepped over the corpse of the previous host.


    The Prince drew his blade slowly, his form perfect within the armor. ¡°You cannot be the essence of The Blade because you would never have done something as dishonorable as to pit ally against ally.¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand. I am the very essence of swordsmanship itself. Not all sword fights are fair. This may not be a war to you but every fight is a war to me. And war is always uneven. I¡¯m surprised you guys haven¡¯t teamed up on me before now. What is your plan?¡±


    The Prince approached by a single step before many sparks flew off of his blade as well as his armor. ¡°I¡¯m impressed at your test of my defenses. I caught five of those fifteen slices. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


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    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m confident you can miss more than five. Unlike teach. Didn¡¯t seem to flinch and yet I know he saw every feint I hit him with.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Why is it so dark here?


    So, that¡¯s your limit so far? I¡¯m disappointed. But not being a dedicated sword fighter will have that effect on the mind. Now silence yourself. I¡¯m having my fun.


    I have no reason to do that.


    If you don¡¯t, your friends might kill you. You wouldn¡¯t want that.


    These aren¡¯t my friends. Not yet anyway.


    Then why bother me like this in the middle of a battle? I mean one is a total rookie and the other one refuses to play.


    What is your truest motivation?


    Simple. I am the greatest blade. I will prove it and I will be used by the greatest swordsman. Nothing less would sate me.


    A quest like this is unending.


    Those are the best ones. Chasing the sunset. Grasping the wind. Bottling lightning. If your goal rests only in the palm of your hand, your world becomes so much smaller.


    So does having a focus so narrow it stares at the setting sun.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The figure had grown obsessed with Master Phoenix, parrying what blows that the Prince could send its way as it tried to get some kind of response from the old warrior. ¡°Do something! Fight me!¡± The blade rested against his helmet, the edge being slowly drawn across the faceplate. ¡°You aren¡¯t scared and i see your every instinct to respond.¡± Why won¡¯t you? Why won¡¯t you fight me!?¡±


    ¡°Because you are fighting my students.¡± The figure growled, swinging their blade full force only to have him step away.


    Finally a reaction! She continued her onslaught, but got more and more diminishing returns on his reactions. Smaller and smaller moves as he learned their movements. But how? They were faster than the light of the moon many times over. How was he able to follow them? React to them? Compete with their speed?


    He grabbed the blade, somehow avoiding the force snapping the host¡¯s wrists. ¡°You are definitely the essence of swordsmanship. But you are far from the greatest warrior. My student¡¯s are about to prove that.¡±


    The Prince tackled her from behind, the blade wrenching free from her hands and resting in Phoenix¡¯s grip. As her hair began to slowly regain its color, the two looked back at their mentor with genuine concern.


    Zwei¡¯s body was sore from how hard the blade had pushed it. The Prince¡¯s helmet hid his face but his tense grip on her hand showed genuine terror. They watched as he stood perfectly still. He had not moved or made a sound since the blade had been taken. A few moments later and flames began to swirl around him. Eventually the blade appeared to melt into a puddle of slag at his feet. He sighed, ¡°There was no choice. The arbitrary rules paired with the damned beast¡¯s thirst for battle made it dangerous. Even I was struggling to contain its influence. Report as such to your father.¡±


    The Prince nodded and stood up, offering his hand to Zwei to help her up. She accepted readily and stated as she rose, ¡°That was¡­ taxing. But I¡¯m glad our gamble worked.¡±


    The Prince nodded, ¡°Diversion, saboteur, and ambusher. Simple roles. I appreciate your cooperation, Lady Zwei.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for having such faith in me. I wasn¡¯t sure if I could when you suggested it. But it worked well.¡±


    Phoenix chimed in, ¡°Your lack of combat training was the real boon here. Just enough to withstand the forces it would put on your body but not enough to overcome our conditioning.¡±


    The Prince nodded and removed his helm, his pitch black hair contrasting his emerald eyes. ¡°I appreciate your temperance, Master Phoenix. I know your low patience for targets like these.¡±


    He nodded slowly. ¡°Flashy. Showy. Arrogant. I don¡¯t mind a bit of theatricality or even confidence. But when you believe you can¡¯t be touched I find it very hard not to make it my personal mission to prove otherwise.¡± He growled, ¡°And before you two start about knowing that already, I¡¯m saying it as a warning to you two. I see potential in you guys but if you ever allow your pride to blind you, I will put you back in your place.¡± They both nodded nervously before he looked at the lake. ¡°I will be training both of you on this planet while the clean up crew deals with the mess. Once I have gotten the all clear, we will return to the flagship.¡± They nodded again. ¡°Zwei, you will start by leading Gram in a meditation exercise. Once that is done, Gram will lead you in the warm up exercises.¡±


    He walked a short distance away from them as she sat Gram down and looked at his device. Zwei sighed as she sat near the lake shore, ¡°I guess the Falos work gets him wound up.¡±


    Gram nodded as he removed his cape and folded it, placing it in his lap. ¡°He and my father often complain about being alike. They both are great leaders, in their own way. They both have rigid guiding principles and encourage strength of mind and heart through conditioning of the body.¡± He sighed, ¡°I just feel weak by comparison.¡±


    She smiled reassuringly, ¡°Then let¡¯s focus our meditation on that feeling first.¡± He nodded and the two began their session.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Hey, Bish. How is the specimen?


    It¡¯s interesting. Could help us with Q. Any other news?


    DBB is secure. 27 and 30 have been reporting progress without disruption. Any progress on the queen of clowns?


    The Midnight Cowboy is being evasive but he didn¡¯t seem to disagree to your plan, just wonders how you will get things in position.


    That won¡¯t be hard. We just need to make sure the chain of custody breaks in her favor. Once it does, we should be good to go.


    Fafnir requested some odd materials through Loki. I don¡¯t want to talk to Metatron again. He weirds me out.


    I understand. I would do it for you but I don¡¯t want to damage your connections.


    It won¡¯t be the last time I¡¯m asked to talk to him. But you owe me the usual payment for it.


    Thank you again, Bish. I appreciate your help.


    When this is done, I am not being your secretary.


    Of course not.

 Setting Moon

    Gram readied his blade and leveled it at Zwei. She couldn¡¯t help but fidget nervously. ¡°Center yourself, Zwei.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem fair that he gets to use a full blown sword and wear thick armor and I have to battle him in an uncomfortable uniform with squeaky shoes!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. It isn¡¯t. I¡¯m training you both in different skills. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let him cut off anything vital.¡±


    Gram smiled softly, ¡°Lady Zwei, your safety will take priority over my victory. Shed no more blood than you must, as they say.¡± She felt her heart race as Gram began his approach, only to have the sound of ship engines catch their attention. She let out a sigh of relief, turning to face the place the craft had landed. A short time later, a member of the Cosmic Patrol stepped into their clearing. Gram replaced his helmet and spoke regally, ¡°State your business, Sargent.¡±


    Master Phoenix chimed in before they could respond, ¡°You are bold to approach the Prince when your rank is so low and you are so far from your home sector. They can¡¯t really have kept you on the case.¡±


    The officer paused a moment before sighing and nodding. ¡°My failure to contain the anomaly as well as the Light of Dawn incident did see me demoted, but a small handful of respected detectives insisted I keep this case. They believed the errors were not my fault.¡±


    ¡°They would be wrong, Sargent. And failure to take ownership of your mistakes will lead to repeat performances.¡±


    Garm motioned Phoenix silent and he obeyed, ¡°My mentor may wield shame as a branding iron, but your role remains the same in my eyes. I take it you approach regarding the movements of Zora?¡±


    The Sargent nodded, ¡°Yes. There has been a recent report of them near Eishtbar, specifically one of their underground fighting rings. The Ziegfried is in orbit and the sources I have say she isn¡¯t even trying to hide that it is her.¡± They held out the tablet with the case file. ¡°Usually, we take open displays like this as a copycat. We get people trying to be her all the time. But with the ship in orbit and the reliability of this source, we believe it to be genuine.¡±


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    Garm took the pad and looked through the information. ¡°This is unlike her. She always kept herself above the board and morally upright. Why would she be participating in something like this? It doesn¡¯t match her behavior on record at all.¡±


    The Sargent nodded, ¡°That was my thought as well. I was hoping I could gather the Phoenix Emperor for this mission, given that the Prince arriving would only complicate matters.¡±


    Garm handed the pad back and spoke firmly, ¡°Nonsense. I will take care of this matter myself.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I can¡¯t-¡°


    ¡°Stop me. Because if you did that would destroy our current agreement.¡± He said firmly, ¡°I do not wish your reputation to be harmed further and I wish to finally make contact with this Revolutionary.¡±


    Phoenix asked quickly, ¡°Is Lady Unicorn already deployed?¡± When the Sargent nodded he growled, ¡°This is a powder keg, young one.¡±


    ¡°She will obey.¡±


    ¡°And if she doesn¡¯t?¡±


    He laughed menacingly, ¡°Then she will be made to.¡±


    Zwei watched in paralyzed uncertainty before finally forcing her voice out, ¡°Actually, I could ask my sisters. We might be able to help.¡±


    Phoenix turned to face her, but for once his expression was unreadable through his helmet. Garm turned as well, his voice growing warmer but somehow still containing an edge of malice. ¡°Do speak. Sisters?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°There aren¡¯t a lot of us, but no one would think twice of a team of us going into underground fighting. Our culture makes it pretty much expected.¡±


    The Sargent nodded, ¡°That could work to our advantage. I could come too. I¡¯ve got cover ids for that planet.¡±


    Garm motioned them silent, ¡°I will not put anyone into the line of fire if I cannot wade into it with them.¡± He grumbled something under his breath and looked over to his mentor. After what felt like an eternity of the two helmeted figures staring, Garm let out a deep breath no one heard him take, ¡°I will discuss a compromise with the Emperor. He will help me to discover which way is most tactically sound. You two remain here until I am done.¡±


    He walked with power and purpose past his mentor. A few moments after the Prince had passed, the Emperor turned to join him, leaving Zwei and the Sargent alone in the clearing.

 Laying it Out

    <div>


    Master Phoenix sat before his team, Cero holding up large pieces of paper that Zwei was certain was entirely impractical and unnecessary given the existence of hologramatic projection. The group consisted of Hepta, Shi, Garm, the Sargent and herself. He sighed, ¡°The underground fighting ring is run by Heais Tun. He is a warlord powerful enough to keep most people from knowing he exists. So medium scale with influence in a few systems and a network of contacts. We don¡¯t want to irritate him. So, we have a few factors to this operation. First, Lady Unicorn. She fancies herself the nemesis of Zora, so we can expect her full focus and attention to be on her. But the problem becomes that she will ignore the mission, actively get in our way, and doesn¡¯t care about damaging the image or reputation of the empire.¡± Cero changed the cards out, revealing a crudely drawn caricature of the white haired woman laughing while various stick figures ran around covered in purple fire.


    Garm spoke up, ¡°She usually restrains herself around me, usually trying to vie for additional power and influence. So I will be going as an observer to these underground fights, looking for valuable new lieutenants. That should be enough to contain her.¡±


    ¡°And I will be waiting in the wings to restrain her actual violence if she gets moody and tries to lash out when we don¡¯t need her to.¡± He motioned and Cero changed out the cards. The next one showed a figure in orange armor, ¡°Second factor is Zora herself. We need to figure out why she is here and what she is after. Illegal underground fights goes against her heroic warrior of Hope thing. Pair that with that laser on her ship above the planet and we have to be very careful investigating that. I¡¯ll leave that to Zwei, Shi, and Hepta as fellow fighters. Get close to her and her team and find out what they are after.¡±


    Hepta punched her palm and smirked. Shi asked patiently, ¡°You expect us to socialize with her through the Outlier on her crew?¡±


    ¡°No, I expect you to socialize with their whole team as fellow fighters. Expect them to be cagey and dodgy because that¡¯s what people do on missions to people they don¡¯t know.¡± He motioned and Cero changed the card again. This time it revealed a rough picture of a badge of CPD. ¡°The Sargent will be on standby with Cero while we investigate and giving them information. When we have properly assessed the situation, they will call for CPD backup when we need it. Because I promise you having an officer ANYWHERE NEAR this operation will end in bloodshed and tears.¡±


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    The Sargent was about to protest but hesitated when they saw Phoenix¡¯s eyes. Readjusting their tone, they stated, ¡°I understand that if I were directly involved and my cover was blown then it could complicate matters but-¡°


    ¡°But nothing. I already have one loose cannon on scene that I¡¯m putting two of our most valuable assets on to contain. I want this efficient and by the book. Once we know what Zora is after we can revisit everyone¡¯s roles but until we know what is happening, everyone will be on their best behavior and will put each of their covers first. No heroics or going rogue. People could die if we are not careful.¡±


    The Sargent spluttered, ¡°I would never risk your lives!¡±


    Garm clarified, ¡°He isn¡¯t talking about ours. Criminals are well known for not caring about who is caught in the crossfire and I am not convinced Zora properly fears the use of The Light of Dawn.¡±


    Hepta laughed, ¡°So, Sarge stays put with Cero. We get to break some people¡¯s bones. Garm gets to sit on his but while a lady dotes on him, and we are all doing this so no one dies.¡±


    Phoenix laughed, before muttering, ¡°I like your spirit.¡± He clarified, ¡°But your mission isn¡¯t just to beat people up. If it was, I would have called Kuntaret back from her mission instead of using Zwei. The goal is to befriend Zora and her people and figure out what they are up to. Once you have their intended target, report it back to Cero and Cero will make sure that I am informed.¡±


    The Sargent silently fumed at his words and he motioned them to speak. ¡°Allow me to be candid, sir, but this is ludicrous! You can¡¯t just cut me out of my own operation! This is my case and I will not be sidelined while the Falos run ramshod! I will investigate Zora and I will bring her in!¡±


    After letting the Sargent settle, Phoenix spoke reassuringly, ¡°Sargent, if more experienced agents have vouched for your competence, then I will trust them. But I have lead many operations like this for decades. Gathering information and mitigating risk is the first stage of every good operation. I have no intention of robbing you of your quarry. And whether it is Zora or the criminals running this fighting ring, I will make sure you have a victory to march in front of your superiors.¡±


    <div>

 Man of the Evening

    The crowd in the old temple was very energetic, their drinks remaining topped off by the servers and their various attempts at networking among the underground filling the ruins with a dull roar. The local military police maintained the perimeter, preventing any unwanted guests or disgruntled customers from disrupting Heais¡¯ event. From drug lord to smuggler, assassin and embezzler, they were all here for his free booze and entertainment. Gram sat in full armor in a reserved skybox specifically for VIPs like himself, Phoenix preventing anyone approaching the royal personage. Meanwhile, Lady Unicorn sat across his lap laughing and running her finger across his helmet. ¡°Oh, you will love it here, my lord. Capable warriors desperate for validation and money. I can¡¯t wait for one of these amoral thugs to gut Zora and her friends.¡± He nodded knowingly, hoping it would keep her content. She didn¡¯t seem to notice too much.


    Shi quietly scanned the crowd from their ¡°team table¡± that had been assigned to them, hoping to confirm their intended targets. Hepta was enjoying her beer while Shi sipped on her water. Zwei tapped her foot and grumbled, ¡°I heard they were very flashy and were making a scene. Here we are surrounded by a bunch of criminals and the hero of justice hasn¡¯t weighed in yet.¡±


    ¡°Relax, Zwei. I have faith in the intel.¡± Shi continued to maintain her calm.


    Hepta nodded, ¡°Besides, this will be good combat training. So let¡¯s just-¡° the lights were cut and the noise died down quickly. After a few moments, a single light came on and their host stepped forward. His hair was wild and disheveled, his face unshaven and his eyes hidden behind shades as black as night. His eyes and mouth formed a permanent glower. The old crimelord spoke in a tone full of gravel and weight. ¡°Greetings to all our competitors today. As to our gamblers and observers, behave yourself and I won¡¯t have to snap your neck.¡± His expression and tone didn¡¯t change but a laugh spread across the room anyway. ¡°We have a special grand prize for the day. A precious jewel and the neck it is on.¡± A female Najaran came out, a violet gem mounted in the middle of her pendant. Despite her reptilian face, her disgust and disinterest in being here showed. ¡°The woman is as cold as her blood and likely to dissolve you if you give her a clean chance to bite. But she¡¯s otherwise worth it.¡±


    There were hoots and cat calls, but above them all one man jumped on the table and bowed like a gentleman, his long flowing coat and top hat making him stand out among the rabble. Zwei checked his table and saw the girl she had fought on the Ziegfried. She tapped Shi who glanced over and nodded. Their targets had been found.


    Their host motioned everyone to settle down and eventually they did. ¡°Four rounds. Rules for each fight will depend on what I feel like, but there will be a grace period to change your bets if I do.¡± He motioned everyone away, his guards taking the Najaran woman back to her cell.


    Their host sat back, expressionless, either he had been doing this too long or just had his mind elsewhere. Zwei felt her communication device trying to alert her and when she checked it, she was surprised at what she read. ¡°Vittivici¡¯s Bane. Find out why they want it.¡±


    Was he talking about the jewel? There was no way it was that relic. Shi seemed to become quieter from the message and Hepta was shaking her head. Whatever his opinion, they could feel there was something else going on here. They would just have to find out themselves, regardless of his orders.


    <div>


    The girls watched the table from afar, so far only seeing the girl and the man with the hat. As they continued to stare, they were approached by an emerald colored robot. It was clearly a combat boy, but it spoke like a normal person, ¡°Howdy, noticed you guys sizing up the competition. Are all of you looking for Zora?¡±


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    Zwei jolted in embarrassed surprise but Shi jumped in, ¡°Ever since the Light of Dawn-¡°


    The robot chimed in forcefully, ¡°We are not calling it that.¡±


    Shi snarked, ¡°The rest of the cosmos does.¡± Continuing as if he didn¡¯t interrupt, ¡°Since that incident, everyone has had their eyes on her. So when we heard she was fighting here, we got a bit excited to see the face of the revolution.¡±


    Hepta nodded, ¡°We weren¡¯t the only ones, apparently. Even the Prince looks like he showed up to see what his competition is like.¡± She jerked her thumb towards the VIP box. She shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not surprised he is consorting with the under world.¡±


    The robot seemed to adjust its eyes a little before nodding, ¡°He is only here because of the rumors. And why wouldn¡¯t he be? We did make sure to let everyone know she was here.¡± He sat at their table and spoke in a fittingly cold tone, ¡°Pretty much everyone in here would jump her as a mob if she was just sitting in the open. Mr. Tun likes giving her unfair fights. Just to qualify she was put into a five on one with combat models a little newer than I am. Helps to draw a crowd.¡±


    Zwei nodded and sighed, ¡°That¡¯s so rude. But what do you expect of a kingpin.¡±


    ¡°What brings you three here?¡±


    Hepta chuckled, ¡°We have been trying to become better fighters. Our mentor told us the best way is to sharpen your spirit against the spirit of others.¡±


    Shi nodded, ¡°He said that and sent us away, but I¡¯m just here to see the Madam Scorpion in a fight. Rumor has it, she hasn¡¯t been seen in battle since she left the planet.¡±


    The bot nodded, ¡°Indeed. She needed to catch her breath before letting the Falos know she was still out here fighting.¡± The bot sat at the table with them. ¡°Not used to a bunch of Tak¡¯Nasi showing up for this, but I¡¯m sure even the great experiment will benefit from the data.¡±


    Zwei nodded, ¡°Yeah. But you guys have Tak¡¯Nasi on your crew too, right?¡± Trying to remember the tense and pronunciation of her people was becoming harder without the conditioning. Still, the bot didn¡¯t seem to notice.


    Their host leaned forward in his chair and spoke, ¡°Round one fight one, that green eyesore will be first up. Three vs. three elimination match. Team Dawn vs. The Kneebreakers.¡± He muttered under his breath, ¡°Stupid ass name, not worth my time.¡±


    The bot stood up and motioned to them, ¡°I¡¯ll be back to finish this conversation. And if he didn¡¯t send you in against us, that means he doesn¡¯t think you are the absolute worst.¡± The robot jumped from his seat into the ancient arena. Shortly after, his opponent showed up. A massive heavily modified combat bot.


    One of the members of the Kneebreakers shouted from the side, ¡°You outmoded crap don¡¯t matter! Wrecker is gonna wreck you!¡±


    The green bot bounced a little from toe to toe for a moment, his eyes shining faintly in a way it wasn¡¯t a moment ago. The massive bot tried to charge him, the thrusters on the back making it seem impossible to dodge. The emerald bot couldn¡¯t escape and it¡¯s armor couldn¡¯t possibly withstand the impact. Yet in a moment Zwei saw something she didn¡¯t think possible. The emerald bot did a flip backwards within a fraction of a second, it¡¯s thrusters quickly changing direction. He flew faster towards the machine with a flying kick that seemed to pierce right through and knocked out the engine completely. The emerald bot motioned the rest of the team to come fight him. His green paint didn¡¯t seem to have a scuff on it.


    Mr. Tun wasn¡¯t even bothering to look, speaking with one of the servers instead. Zwei wondered how much of this was a formality for Mr. Tun at this point. When the other two fighters got into the ring with the bot, stun batons in hand, the crowd started to boo but Mr. Tun didn¡¯t even bother looking up. The bot seemed to be maneuvering precisely and quickly. Sudden starts and stops, kicking each baton out of the hand of one and into contact with the other. How did he have such complex programmed maneuvers in him? Something was wrong with that machine.


    Looking for reassurance she glanced at her mentor and saw him staring with rapt attention. It was good to know she isn¡¯t the only one who found this combat machine unusual. Still, the round ended once Mr. Tun noticed the machine holding the stun batons to the men¡¯s chests. Once he was done, the bot climbed out of the ring and motioned the girls to follow him as he went to the bar. Hepta stood and followed him, Shi and Zwei deciding to stay at the table in case their match was next.

 Rumblings in the Temple

    Zwei sighed as she watched Hepta and the robot chatting away at the bar. ¡°Well, She¡¯s made up her mind for the mission.¡± She looked over at the table with the girl and couldn¡¯t help but tense up. She remembered the horrified expression the girl had worn in that moment. She wondered if the girl remembered it too. Did it keep her up at night? No one had actually died but that girl didn¡¯t know that and despite her own mind being a blur at the time, the scars were still lingering.


    Could she even have a conversation with this girl without thinking of it? As she was staring, she noticed Shi had already approached the duo sitting at the table and motioned Zwei to join them. By the time she arrived, Shi was saying, ¡°We have grown tired of confusing people as we travel so we gave ourselves labels. This is my sister, Zwei.¡±


    Zwei waved awkwardly and stammered out, ¡°I like your hat.¡±


    The top hatted man chuckled under his breath and responded, ¡°I¡¯m already taken, but thanks for the compliment.¡±


    The girl growled at him, ¡°Don¡¯t imply you and I are a couple.¡± He shrugged before she explained, ¡°This is my engineer, Gavin. I am the pilot of the big bucket of bolts, Katsi.¡± She smiled at Zwei who hesitated to return the smile. ¡°So, a whole team of you? That¡¯s so cool. One of my best friends is a Tak¡¯Nasi like you girls so it is nice to meet more of you, Tak¡¯Nasi.¡±


    Zwei didn¡¯t respond at first and Katsi had that worried look again. It was only after Shi nudged her that she realized Katsi was trying to be considerate to them. Zwei nodded and laughed, ¡°Yeah, sorry. I¡¯m a bit tired. We¡¯ve been planet hopping for awhile now so my internal clock is all off.¡±


    Gavin didn¡¯t seem willing to make eye contact. The vibe she got from him was confused. She felt judged but also like he wasn¡¯t even looking at her. She was about to ask when Katsi knocked the hat off of his head, causing him to splutter out a series of swear words as he tried to catch it before it hit the ground. He growled, ¡°Knock it off, Kat. I¡¯m trying!¡± She narrowed her eyes at him and he rolled his own. ¡°Sorry. We have been here a few weeks at this point and people keep trying to kill us in and outside the ring and I¡¯m trying to figure out if our host has had a hand in that.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As the next fight began, Gram could feel Lady Unicorn growing bored and annoyed. She had hoped to see her enemy here, but the great Zora was nowhere to be seen. What was more, when the previous fight ended, Master Phoenix had left his side as well. His mentor had informed him that he simply had other matters to see to, but that he should pay attention to the next match carefully.


    A Gastan sword fighter in salvaged Falos Knight armor walked into the arena against a heavily armed Vitticepta with an odd rifle. ¡°Poor blind fish. No idea of the pain he is about to endure.¡± The swordsman said nothing, simply holding their sheathed blade directly in front of them, handle up and perfectly vertical. The Vitticepta taunted. ¡°Behold the very gun that has been used to enslave my people for decades.¡± A bright flash was released, one that the Prince¡¯s helmet blocked out, as a net was launched towards the Gastan.


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    ¡°First Slice: Shatterstone.¡± Gram watched as the blind swordsman released many slices that would be faster than the average being could see. He watched as the air first seemed to form a cushion of compressed air until it became a sharp edge around the blade. As the net approached, it was shredded to pieces. He could see tiny arcs of electricity as the blade neared the net, but never long enough for the current to reach the swordsman. The fish continued to approach the rifleman.


    The Vitticepta laughed as he began to fire the rifle, many small super heated tungsten rods leaving its barrel per second. He saw the look of exertion on the Gastan¡¯s face as they had to pick back up the pace of their slices as they continued to move forward. They were fast enough to hit the rods, but Garm watched as the extra wasted swings left openings for the swordsman to be hit in the shoulder and hip. Still, they got close enough before their body gave out to reduce the Vitticepta to fine pur¨¦e.


    Their host sat back in his chair, his drink untouched on the table as he waited for the Vitticepta¡¯s teammates to step in to face this foe. While most of their team looked too scared to step in, a familiar face to Gram and few others stepped into the ring. He laughed, his charcoal hair pulled back into a ponytail, ¡°You joined a fighting tournament and you haven¡¯t even mastered the first slice? You must be young and inexperienced. You probably think repeatedly abusing a powerful technique will give you victory over the average goon in the universe. And you may be right. Super moves are too much for most beings in the cosmos. But they aren¡¯t so special when they are all you know.¡± Master Phoenix was wearing an outfit of clashing cultures. Some armored mercenary pants, his top a noticeable bath robe, and his arms were protected by chainmail sleeves supported by some twine he had hastily tied them together across his body with. He looked foolish, but Gram understood. The attire didn¡¯t matter as much as the lesson.


    ¡°You mock the Slices of Falos?¡±


    ¡°No, just you and your drive to fuel your own ego. Fighting in this tournament alone was your first mistake.¡± Master Phoenix was holding a makeshift swordlike weapon he had clearly made hastily from scrap and welded together with his own fire. He turned his back to his injured opponent and spoke to the crowd, ¡°Let everyone watch as I show you an invincible master of war.¡±


    The Gastan turned his blade horizontal and after a moment of listening to Master Phoenix speak, he said, ¡°Second slice: Tidal-¡°


    Before he could finish or even move his blade within the scabbard, Master Phoenix had already gotten behind him by pivoting around him while crouching. Driving his scrap blade through the swordsman¡¯s chest. ¡°Die in shame far from the sea, Exile.¡±


    To Gram, and possibly no one else, this was not only a tragedy but a clear lesson. Power is nothing without discipline and restraint. While everyone else cheered or stared in disbelief, Gram stared directly at his mentor with a chill up his spine, as though someone just walked on his grave.

 When in Grease

    <div>


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    As the girls sat with their targets, eventually, Zwei asked, ¡°So, you guys are trying to get the gem, right?¡± Shi nudged her and she jolted in confusion.


    Gavin sighed, ¡°Not exactly. We are actually here for the woman wearing it.¡±


    Katsi teased, ¡°She¡¯s his girlfriend.¡±


    ¡°Ex. Ex girlfriend.¡±


    Katsi leaned forward and whispered to the girls, ¡°She broke up with him.¡±


    He growled, ¡°It isn¡¯t as simple as that. She isn¡¯t¡­ she isn¡¯t¡­¡± he buried his face in his hands and took his hat off. He explained in a very annoyed tone, ¡°We dated when I was younger and in a different place in my life. She felt I lacked the strength to live my ideals and she wouldn¡¯t listen to what I had to say in response. Now that I am living my ideals¡­¡± he trailed off for a moment before putting his hat back on, ¡°She may not need help getting out of this, but it isn¡¯t my way to just bail on someone I value. So, like it or not, I¡¯m going to save her.¡±


    Shi asked, ¡°Wait, you are mate to¡­ her?¡±


    He nodded. Zwei asked, ¡°So, how would you have kids? Would she lay eggs and¡­¡±


    He laughed. ¡°You know what, I asked her the same question.¡± A long silence overtook the table. He didn¡¯t seem to notice but all of the girls leaned closer.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And what?¡±


    Before they could press him for her answer, Mr. Tun stood again. ¡°The Tak¡¯Nasi and the Crimson Eclipse are next. The last two fights were boring. So round Robin and it is bare handed.¡± He sat back down and people scrambled to change their bets.


    Zwei didn¡¯t understand why until she saw one of their opponents. There were three of them just like there were three of the girls, but one of them was very different from the rest, he stood at nine feet tall, his body seemed to shimmer in the low light and he had nothing on except some type of kilt. His body seemed to be covered in perfectly chiseled muscles and his smile beamed a gleaming white. She tried to figure him out when she was pushed into the arena by a returning Hepta. ¡°Get in there, girl! You¡¯ve got this!¡±


    She face planted into the dust, the smell of Gaston blood and burning sand still strong in the arena. She stood back up and her worst fears were realized. The giant of a man was standing there. He laughed, ¡°Hello, tiny woman! I am glad to face you in honorable combat. Would you like to grease your body before our battle begins?¡± She stammered and tried to speak, but wasn¡¯t really sure what was going on. Shaking her head he nodded, ¡°I understand! Then we shall begin!¡± He grabbed his kilt and tore it off, throwing it to the side in the arena.


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    She quickly averted her gaze and shrieked, ¡°Why are you naked!?!?¡± The crowd seemed to be equally repulsed.


    He laughed, ¡°A proper Greasian allows for no hinderance to their combat! Cast aside shame and face me in honorable combat!¡± She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at him, but found she soon wouldn¡¯t have a choice as his massive greased hand grabbed her head before tossing her into the air. As she tried to process what was happening, she felt herself land spine first on his meaty and heavily oiled shoulders. His massive hands gripped just under her chin and her left ankle. Soon there was a firm tug that forced her back to arch in a way her body wasn¡¯t used to, causing her a measure of pain as her muscles tried to stretch to meet the demand from this enemy.


    Hepta stared in disbelief as she immediately regretted pushing Zwei in. SAI sighed, ¡°Yeah, this was a terrible idea. They put their ringer in for a match like this. When it comes to grappling and fisticuffs, it is literally their entire cultural background. Unless she can set things on fire with her mind, I¡¯m pretty sure she is screwed.¡±


    Katsi asked in a flustered manner, ¡°How could anyone watch this? It is so weird.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. It can be traumatic. I¡¯ve fought them before and you never forget the first time you fight one.¡± The machine whistled, ¡°Wow, he transitioned into a Triangle choke. That will make her need to shower for a week.¡±


    Gavin hissed, ¡°Why are you giving a play by play?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m sure you will get your chance too. If Heais is the same bored crime boss I remember, he will probably keep all his matches as hand to hand. Greasians really are technical fighters.¡± He laughed, ¡°No way! She managed to get free by elbowing him in the nads. He must be going easy to give her arm that much slack. Not that a nut shot did more than make him decide to release. Greasians are infamously resistant to that kind of attack. Probably because of the nudity.¡±


    Hepta stared intently and eventually said, ¡°He isn¡¯t taking her seriously at all. He seems to be trying to warm her up. Look at the application of that half crab lock. He looks more like he is stretching her thighs for her than trying to beat her.¡±


    Sai nodded, ¡°Impressive of you to notice. I had forgotten about Greasian Chiropractic practices. He really is a nice guy. He might be kicking her ass, but I think he is trying to help her body to become stronger for the next time.¡±


    Gavin got curious and went to look but immediately had to avert his eyes again, ¡°You two are the worst. I hope you know that.¡±


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    <div>

 To Fear the Seventh

    Zwei stood up slowly to the amusement of her opponent. She groaned, ¡°My body is so sore.¡±


    He laughed, ¡°I know! And I¡¯m impressed. One¡¯s as rigid as you tend not to get back up. Do you wish to begin in earnest?¡±


    She glared at him, not appreciating his implication that all of this exertion was just a warm up to him. But he was unfazed by her gaze. She tried to raise her arms to fight but they were pure rubber. She felt her body wanting to just pass out. Give up. She saw this tower of muscle twice her size and entirely naked and she knew she should be afraid. That she should walk away. But there was something else there. A defiance somewhere in her heart. She knew she couldn¡¯t win. Her hands were shaking from both the strain and her fear, but there was something else. She tried to turn her head to look at her mentor, but her vision began to blur.


    She didn¡¯t see as much as she heard what happened next. Hepta spoke right next to her, ¡°I¡¯ll take over in her place.¡± She would find the results when she awoke. For now there was only sleep and the warmth of that sensation.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Hepta rolled her shoulders a little after tossing Zwei¡¯s sleeping form to Sai. ¡°I appreciate you treating my sister with respect. I¡¯m sorry that she wasn¡¯t much of a fighter.¡±


    He laughed a big laugh and prepared himself, ¡°The look in your eye is different than the other foes here. Would you like me to grease your body before we begin?¡±


    She sighed in dismay and explained, ¡°I was told what that means, but I just can¡¯t agree to that. And I was already warmed up by that battle bot over there during your session. So if you can save me the half hour of coddling and get right into the bout, I would appreciate it.¡±


    He flexed his trapezius muscles a few times before he nodded. ¡°You shall see me spar for real.¡±


    As the two warriors began to circle and Sai finished his inspection, confident that Zwei was fine. Turning to the group who still dared not look at the fight, he sighed. ¡°Her mentor really baffles me. Teaching her as a striker in a cosmos like this. Still, might be useful in a situation like this.¡±


    Gavin sighed, ¡°She is going to lose. He is massive and in peak fitness. She isn¡¯t going to stand a chance. He could literally toss her around like a rag doll without worry.¡±


    Sai nodded, ¡°But he won¡¯t. Greasians are devout grapplers. That means he will have to lock her movement. With the stretches we did, she should be able to take those split seconds of wiggle room to escape or use his power against him.¡±


    Katsi laughed, ¡°You really think that blows from someone that much smaller will break through his wall of muscle?¡±


    Sai spoke firmly, ¡°If you want to find out how a striker beats a grappler with this kind of utterly insane size difference, then you will need to watch and I¡¯ll need to hope she has the determination to see it done.¡± No one seemed eager to join him in observing.


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    Hepta chuckled as it became nothing but him, her, and the ring. ¡°You aren¡¯t charging me.¡±


    He smirked, ¡°You haven¡¯t dropped your guard.¡± The two smiled at each other before he sighed, ¡°But I doubt you are likely to do so. Fine. I will grapple with the fire of your spirit.¡± He began his charge and as he did, she charged him as well. They both knew what she was about to do, but her determination and outrage caused him to flinch for just a moment. That moment was just enough for her to slide through his legs, his hands barely missing a grip on her wrists. Not missing a beat, he allowed himself to drop into a push-up position and arched his back so his legs would rise like a scorpion tail trying to lock her with his legs. The moment, she slipped through his legs, she back flipped to avoid his inevitable leg lock, landing on the back of his head with one of her hands. She quickly twisted her hand into his hair just as his legs entrapped her other hand.


    ¡°Not fast enough, little warrior.¡± He pulled hard with his legs, hoping to slam her into the ground, but hadn¡¯t realized how she had been caught in his hair. Hepta felt tension in both her shoulders as the pull happened, using the pull like the release of a bow, propelling her knees into his upper spine as the pull dislocated both her shoulders. He collapsed, her hand being freed from his leg lock. He didn¡¯t move for a moment, Hepta trying to stand on shattered knees as she tried to tug her dislocated arm free from his hair.


    The Greasian¡¯s teammate entered, patting his leg. ¡°Don¡¯t worry champ. I can finish this.¡±


    ¡°No don¡¯t d-¡°.


    It was too late. The tag had happened, and as soon as he got close, he heard a disgusting pop. Hepta let out a scream as she swung full force with her free hand, clocking the man right in the jaw in a way that rattled his brain inside his skull. As her new foe fell to the dust, she winced in pain, flexing her fingers a few times before freeing her hands from the oily tangle of the Greasian.


    She knelt on the back of the Greasian panting as the final combatant looked into the pit with fear. Heais had leaned forward in his chair and said with a voice full of gravel, ¡°Well, go on. Finish the match.¡±


    When the contestant didn¡¯t seem willing and the crowd began to boo, Shi pushed him in and jumped after him. ¡°Hepta, go rest with Zwei. You shouldn¡¯t fight on broken legs. She nodded and Sai jumped in to pick her up and check on her health.


    It took five men to carry the unconscious men from the arena. Four for the Greasian and one for the unfortunate fool who got in Hepta¡¯s reach. The man looked into Shi¡¯s cold eyes, his face an open book to her. ¡°You came here for an easy paycheck. The desk jockey while your friend and the bruiser did the heavy lifting. You did all the analysis of winners to win the day. Now you have seen your friends devastated.¡± He lashed out quickly with a hidden steel cord but with a quick backside spin kick, she knocked it away. Springing forward upon landing, Shi closed into range to be elbowed in the head on his return swing.


    He took the bait without hesitation, swinging the cord back to try and land his elbow on the back of her neck. Weaving under it, she swept his leg, pulling it inward as she got within his guard and pulling his stance off completely. As the steel cord whipped back around, the weight pulled him sideways and tore his shoulder muscles some. She brought both her hands down onto his now open Stance. She aimed her leading hand into a chop on his throat and her following hand she drove deep into his gut. Deprived of air, he blacked out in seconds.


    She finally released her breath and shuddered, not fully comfortable with how dangerous that was. A single solid strike with a weapon like that could have killed her. Seeing Hepta get bound together and Zwei passed out completely, she wasn¡¯t sure what to think or feel.


    Heais began to clap, clearly interested in the ladies. He spoke clearly, ¡°Next fighter is gonna go solo. So it¡¯s only fair that his opponents kick his ass so we can move on. Bet accordingly. The Audacious Alabaster and Team Satisfaction.¡± He growled to his personal waitress, ¡°Arrogant pricks.¡±

 Alabaster

    As the crowd began to settle, a slinking figure moved between the rafters before bellowing down, ¡°Satisfaction!¡± A purple and gold Najaren with shining golden cyborg legs ran full force for the ring and jumped in, landing in a kneeling position. The frogtapus bellowed down, ¡°Hasnacht!¡±


    Hasnacht laughed as he twirled a gun a few times to look cool. He hissed at the crowd and four generic looking mercs with laser rifles quietly entered behind him. The figure dropped from the rafters and Hasnacht caught him, shouting in an oddly shrill pitch, ¡°Ulbricht, everyone!¡±


    The crowd seemed mixed. Some just continued talking business and drinking but some cheered our. One shouted, ¡°Rising kingpin in the house!¡± Mr. Tun leaned forward menacingly, causing Ulbricht to steal one of the merc¡¯s rifles and shoot the man. A panicked gasp spread through the room but when Mr. Tun didn¡¯t move, the crowd settled back down.


    Suddenly the lights went down and a voice echoed through the temple, ¡°Oh, Heais. I didn¡¯t say I was competing alone. Your ears must be giving out on you, good sir.¡± A single spotlight came on, a man in a dapper black suit that he suspiciously only wore over one arm. His vest seemed to glow in the dark and he wore a blindfold. His shockingly blue hair poked out from his top hat.


    Gavin shouted, ¡°Get your own gimmick, jackass.¡±


    The figure smiled eloquently and bowed. ¡°Ah, but audacity is my gimmick. For there are none more bold than I. I am the Audacious and grand beyond recognition maestro of our little event.¡± Mr. Tun¡¯s brow furrowed in blatant disapproval. ¡°I am THE Alabaster.¡± The light went out for a moment before a fresh one lit up near the snake woman who had been waiting with a stern glare to this point. He landed hear her, a blue shimmering silk on the inside of his jacket. Despite guards drawing guns on him, he grabbed her hand to kiss it. She smacked him at lightning speed and he laughed, ¡°Cannot blame a man of my greatness for making my attempt.¡±


    Mr. Tun motioned them to search the man and they pull out the pendant from his pocket. Heais got out of his seat and marched over to him. ¡°Who else is on your team.¡±


    Alabaster laughed, ¡°Me, myself, and I. And I wouldn¡¯t steal my replica. The last thing you want is to be fooled.¡± Heais growled and pocketed the gem. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Heais. I¡¯ll finish this match before you know it.¡± The lights came back up and Alabaster leapt into the ring. ¡°You all should be ready to wash before going home. I wouldn¡¯t want anything unfortunate happening to you.¡±


    The mercs laugh and level their rifles, Hasnacht leveling his own gun as his toad friend laughed from his shoulder. ¡°You are outnumbered. The Crown of Aegis didn¡¯t kill you because he knew I-¡°


    ¡°Can you shoot me please? I tire of your pointless posturing.¡± Hasnacht was so completely thrown by this interruption and embarrassed by the posturing he began to fire, and soon his mercs followed suit. As they continuously fired, the dust from the shots filled the arena. As the dust spread to the first row of the audience, they began to cough. At first it was minor but it quickly became more and more severe. ¡°Someone douse them in Vouillian brandy. It will help them enjoy their night, if they haven¡¯t already been soaking in it.¡± A moment later a blue spotlight shone up in the rafters and the blue magician bowed from above. ¡°I am sorry about the blowback. I just couldn¡¯t help but go big. Do you approve, Heaisy?¡±


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    The warlord growled, his brows furrowing in livid fury. Heais shouted, ¡°That¡¯s enough of the fights for tonight. We continue in the morning! You! Alabaster! You are coming to my office now or I will order my men to kill you on sight.¡± The magician bowed in compliance with a massive grin. ¡°Fraiz, find the sons of bitches helping this guy. Thomas, get a detachment for each winning team. Shoot any surviving losers. I¡¯m tired of this crap.¡±


    The prince stood and spoke firmly, ¡°Correction. Send the surviving losers to my ship. I wish to enlist them.¡±


    ¡°Five times the usual rate, brat.¡± When the Prince nodded, the host marched off in a fury, Alabaster walking after him, knocking Gavin¡¯s hat off on his way.


    Gavin growled, ¡°Can¡¯t blame Heais. That guy is an ass. Who the hell wastes so much time on something that elaborate? How bored is he?¡±


    Shi looked at Hepta and they both froze for a moment. This was bad. They were getting locked away till morning, Phoenix was locked up with them, and they still didn¡¯t know where Zora was. Still, nothing they could do until morning. Hopefully tomorrow would be their chance.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Heais punched a hole in his desk, ¡°Wow, what material is that? Because a hole instead of cracking under that kind of force is either impressive or disappointing.¡±


    The mafia man growled at the magician, ¡°I let you join because I knew people would bet against you and lose. Easy money for me. But now you are embarrassing me on purpose in front of my clients. There has to be a price for that.¡±


    The magician played with a deck of cards the guards were certain they had checked him for, ¡°I agree, my good sir. Completely and utterly. So I brought you this.¡± He slid a finely cut glowing blue crystal across the table. ¡°The Tal Stone. One of a set believed to have been under guard by the Cosmic Patrol. Now, not just anyone can use it, but I¡¯m sure you will find a way.¡±


    Heais took it coldly, ¡°Do you know, Alabaster, the truth of the food chain?¡±


    His ¡®captive¡¯ rolled her eyes as she groaned, ¡°Here you go about the predator and prey speech again.¡±


    Heais nodded and moved his thumb towards her, ¡°Her people had the potential to be big predators through space. But even if they had, do you know what would have happened? The Falos would glass them or the Shuians would overrun them. There will always be a bigger predator. But the prey always adapt as well. They get smarter and evolve tools over time.¡± Alabaster¡¯s smile never faded but his eyes grew wary, ¡°I am a middleman mafia boss because I know that I can¡¯t handle being a bigger predator than that. But I keep valuable things I find along the way so the predators small enough to realize I exist are too scared to eat me.¡± He poured himself a drink and stated, ¡°If you are my prey, I hope you can scare me enough to stay safe. If you are a predator, I will make you fear me. Are we clear?¡°


    Alabaster bowed graciously, ¡°I assure you, I will be out of your hair before the tournament is over.¡±


    Heais nodded and motioned him out. Once the magician was escorted to his quarters, a woman with long black hair stepped out, a silver smile on her face. ¡°So, are you ready for our deal to conclude in the morning, Mr. Tun.¡± He took off his shades, letting air hit his tired eyes as he nodded. Finally this ordeal could end.

 Whispers in the Moonlight

    The servant rolled in a cart filled with a variety of teas and a freshly boiled kettle. It also held 15 different assortments of hard liquors and very tall mugs. As he rolled it to a stop next to Mister Tun, he waited patiently for further instructions. Mister Tun stood up from his chair and cracked his ancient knuckles. ¡°You let that joker near the lights. I have Tober out there checking every line because of that. Because of your failure. Now he is going to fail to sleep properly and I¡¯m gonna have to rotate him out with another of you chucklefucks.¡±


    ¡°Sir! I didn¡¯t fail you! I-¡°


    ¡°But you did Vern. You failed me. I don¡¯t care if he could teleport. Your job was to keep the place secure. I don¡¯t have patience for failures, Vern.¡±


    ¡°But-¡°


    Mister Tun raised his fist high, hitting Vern so hard his neck snapped. But that wasn¡¯t enough punishment. Death was not enough pain for failure. So he mounted his prone form and started hitting him. Heavy blows like a sledgehammer that kept raining down on the corpse. They kept falling like a downpour until little was left of the target but puddles. Irving produced an already soaked hot towel for Mister Tun¡¯s hands. ¡°Thanks, Irv. Go back to observing our guests so they don¡¯t go anywhere they shouldn¡¯t. Zora¡¯s massive gun to my head doesn¡¯t need to lose its reason to stay cold.¡±


    Irving nodded, bowed so he could leave the room without rudeness, and stepped into the hall once more. As he traveled down them, he couldn¡¯t help but hear one of the teams speaking through the door. Pulling out his tablet, he watched the Tak¡¯Nasi talking. One was pacing around the room while the quiet one adjusted the bandages on the broken one. The pacing one spoke frantically, ¡°This wasn¡¯t the plan. We were just supposed to figure out what Zora was after for real. We were not supposed to be held prisoner. Master Phoenix wasn¡¯t supposed to join in. Hepta wasn¡¯t supposed to break all her bones.¡±


    The quiet one stated, ¡°You started calling him Master Phoenix.¡±


    The pacing one sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t call him Emperor because I could mean the other one. I can¡¯t just call him Phoenix because that¡¯s just a bird and I don¡¯t think he would accept that.¡±


    The broken one shrugged with a wince and said, ¡°I think it works for him. But I think we will be fine. He wouldn¡¯t have weighed in if he didn¡¯t have a plan. First thing in the morning I¡¯m sure he will give us a signal or something.¡±


    The quiet one spoke again, ¡°I think our best bet at this point is to side with Zora¡¯s team until he tips his hand.¡±


    The broken one laughed, ¡°He must be really excited to rush in like that. He even made a crappy sword.¡±


    Irving smiled as he continued to the next room and changed the camera accordingly, ¡°She can¡¯t just go silent like this. My headache is bad enough as is.¡± The dapper gentleman groaned from the bed. His companion was going to speak but he shushed her. ¡°Don¡¯t talk. My head is splitting.¡±


    She nodded, eventually saying softly, ¡°I am sorry. I know that you love that woman and it must be hard to-¡°


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    He laughed a little and waved a finger at her, ¡°That¡¯s the best joke I have heard in days. And I¡¯ve been practicing.¡± She was unsure of how to reply so he said again, ¡°Your boy toy got me to realize I had given up my ideals. Your sister made me believe I could chase them. And that statue of a man challenged me to live them. That makes me the man she left me to find.¡±


    She nodded and seemed to be looking around the room awkwardly. When the dapper man sighed at her actions and Irving couldn¡¯t hide his amusement. He had been had from moment one. How clever. That was a sharp boy. Moving onto the next room, he wasn¡¯t surprised to see it was empty, the scrap blade cast aside recklessly. Irving was sure he would find the swordsman somewhere nearby so he waited to wait to report. Opening a nearby closet, he was relieved to see the battlebot charging as he should instead of snooping. A robot shouldn¡¯t be that lively. It is disconcerting. Even as he went to close he worried it would come to life and pull the door closed on him.


    As he went to check the final room, Irving heard a voice from behind him. ¡°It is rude to spy, you know.¡± Irving froze. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry. I see the wisdom in it. Keeping an eye on your captives before the big show is always nice.¡±


    Irving smiled and bowed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It isn¡¯t often I find myself at a loss. Let alone how rare it is for others to surprise me. Only a few ladies from my past have given me such a start.¡±


    ¡°I completely understand, butler. Please, feel free to buttle. I have no intention of leaving here without my prize or a good show.¡± He motioned Irving away who bowed politely and excused himself. Truly a sharp boy.


    Doing as he was asked and making a mental note, he continued down the hallway of the living quarters until he heard voices just outside the sealed door. Curious as to who could have broken the security, he gently opened the door and saw two people sitting on the pyramid.


    ¡°It is a terrifying position to be in. To know I could wipe out an entire planet in a moment but also knowing I never could. That it isn¡¯t a part of me.¡± She sighed, ¡°I feel like the bad guy.¡±


    He stood up and sighed, ¡°I know the feeling. Knowing what you have to do against everything you are made of.¡± He trailed off before he started creating a series of very small Scarlet flames the floated in the air. With a wave of his hand, they moved into the shape of constellations that Irving didn¡¯t recognize. A whole dome made of scattered embers that began to rotate around him with a wave of his hand. ¡°Sacrifice is built on courage and love blended together. A price bravely paid in the name of love. But don¡¯t get yourself twisted in knots about it. Just because you carry both doesn¡¯t mean they are one and the same.¡± He waved his hand again and golden lines formed between the embers, tying them together as the shapes that his culture had drawn between them. ¡°These gaps between them? That¡¯s where despair grows and thrives. To embrace sacrifice.¡± He clapped his hands and the fire tried to combine. Despite his best efforts, the gold and scarlet flames refused to mesh. Releasing his grip, the flames burst away from each other. ¡°You have to push them together until there isn¡¯t room for despair.¡±


    She nodded seeming to reflect on his words. Irving couldn¡¯t help but feel something was wrong in his words. This was clearly the disappearing right hand to the Prince, but there is something wrong about him. He could feel it in the air. Still, he had finished his assignment. Sending the report to Mister Tun, he began his own routine for the night. He wanted to make sure he got everything done before sunrise.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    ¡°All of you have been locked away like cattle. I believe that is wrong. Heais has no right to treat you all so poorly.¡±


    ¡°What do you think we should do?¡±


    ¡°Follow. Hasnacht. He best. He strong.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Listen to them! I can guide you all out of here. Pay equivalent to your work. No fear of sudden death beatings! We can all be big fish when we live in an ocean of stars!¡±


    ¡°You got punked by some wizard. What do you know?¡±


    ¡°Hey, the other crime lords fell for that too. Three of them are still hospitalized.¡±


    ¡°What difference? Failure? Success? Have pride!¡±


    ¡°Exactly! When that old relic drops his guard tomorrow, let us out and we will take our chances together!¡±


    ¡°Hasnact! Hasnacht! Hasnacht!¡±

 Leading from the Past

    Heais stepped forward, ¡°Good morning all. I hope you had a good rest. Let¡¯s finish this bloodsport today. The next round will be a no rules two on one because let¡¯s face it, these are the all stars you guys are interested in seeing today. Zora and Sai versus¡­¡± he discussed with his crew before coming back, ¡°Leithan.¡± He went to sit down in his big boy chair, Alabaster sitting at his right hand.


    ¡®Leithan¡¯ jumped into the arena first, bowing to the crowd and waving his makeshift blade around. He smirked confidently as Sai jumped mechanically in. ¡°Where is the show stopper? I don¡¯t want to beat a doll around until it breaks.¡±


    ¡°Behold!¡± He looked at a nearby window as the sun rose through it. The woman held an odd pose that it was clear required extreme balance to maintain, ¡°When the world is shrouded in darkness, I am the rising sun on all things good!¡± The woman leapt from the window, landing an oddly menacing pose. ¡°I am Zora! Warrior of the Dawn! Maiden of Light!¡±


    The robot struck a pose back to back with her, ¡°I am Sai, the Emerald champion of-¡°


    ¡®Leithan¡¯ laughed, ¡°About time. I guess I can get serious then.¡± His eyes shone bright scarlet before a dome of scattered flames surrounded them. ¡°There, now we can put on a show without diversions.¡± He pointed his blade at Zora, ¡°I came here hoping to fight you. Let¡¯s see what you can accomplish, Firebrand.¡±


    Sai flashed green for a moment, seeming to snap from location to location as he tried to land blows. As each attempt seemed to hit nothing but air, he backed away as Zora fired her gun. His shoddy blade took on a golden hue as he deflected the shots to either side of the arena, rocking the temple¡¯s foundations. As they regrouped, Sai stated, ¡°I was right. This man is using quantum locked movement. I know these tactics.¡±


    ¡°Oh please, Scraps, lecture her about just one of many tricks that I know. I assure you that I know everything you know and more.¡±


    ¡°My suggestion? He likes to talk. Keep him talking.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now run along, Dummy. Go upload your data to a data port.¡± He laughed, ¡°That said Zora, I¡¯m not necessarily your enemy. We have the same goal.¡±


    She tossed her gun high into the rafters and stated, ¡°I highly doubt that.¡± She ran at him full force and aimed a kick for his temple. He blocked it with his blade, stepping back as she tried to kick him in the chin with a backflip.


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    He laughed, ¡°It¡¯s true. Saving the hostage, bringing Heais to justice. Reforming the Falos Empire into a society free from oppression. If we worked together we could have it all.¡± He snapped behind her, the same as he did his previous foe. When Sai blocked his blade swing, the Emperor swept his blade to the side and launched the bot into the side of the arena.


    She looked at his callous treatment of her crewman as she got some distance, ¡°You can¡¯t fool me. With brutality like that, you could only reform it for greater barbarism. After our talk last night I thought I saw a kind man. You reminded me of a man that I once knew.¡±


    He laughed, ¡°He is a cheap copy. Easily replaced.¡± His tone then dropped, ¡°You are lying to yourself. You want to be this great hero who can save everyone. But that road will never get you what you want. All it will do is make you a monster. You think I¡¯m brutal? Honey, I¡¯m showing mercy. And you should know. You still see the blood on your hands.¡± He could tell even through the helmet that he had rattled her. Good. A little more uncertainty. Just a few more seeds.


    ¡°So, you are the one. The saboteur. The one from The Before.¡± The Emperor turned as he saw the Emerald Warrior stand, seeming to glow, ¡°Makes sense. Only an arrogant jackass would think they can change the world through manipulation.¡±


    ¡°Oh boy, the toy soldier is coming back to-¡°


    ¡°Change of plans, Nisa. I¡¯m going to kick his ass.¡± He seemed to shine a bit brighter than before.


    ¡°Oh boy, taxing that artificial crystal and bo-¡° The Emperor was taken off guard completely when Sai snapped to the location behind him. When he turned to face a new location, he got kicked hard in the head by a pure steel boot. Reeling from the unexpected attack he didn¡¯t have time to breathe before the warrior was on him again. He tried to use his knowledge to predict his next moves, dodging many times until he felt a kick to the back of his head by Zora.


    As the man slid across the arena looking more annoyed than hurt, Sai growled, ¡°You may think you know what¡¯s best for everyone and who is worth noticing, but no one asked. I¡¯m tired of you mistaking me for some program. I¡¯m a person, dammit. So show me something new or shut the hell up.¡±


    Zora spoke firmly, ¡°How did you know about that? Because I don¡¯t remember you at all.¡±


    The Phoenix rose, his eyes shining gold, ¡°Of course you don¡¯t. That¡¯s the whole point. But don¡¯t worry, you and I will be working to save the cosmos at some point. Like it or not.¡±


    Sai and Zora continued their organized assault, The Phoenix taking it seriously for the first time in awhile. He was both excited and frustrated. He hadn¡¯t had a fight this good in ages. Leave it to a replica to put him on his toes. As they lured him into what they thought was another trap, he allowed himself to be covered in flames as he seemed to disappear from the world. They barely managed to avoid colliding as he appeared in flames elsewhere in the arena.


    ¡°There you are. A new trick, replica. And I¡¯m not a pyrosapien, nor did I teleport.¡± He readied his blade to take them on when a series of shots from the rafters rang out. It startled and confused him so much his flames vanished. When they did, Zora and the robot vanished. When he looked where everyone else was, he found himself completely at a loss. He had let this situation get too far away from him.

 Rare Truths to Hollow men

    Alabaster walked around Heais¡¯ penthouse casually, pouring himself some high end liquor before loading the bottle into his coat. As he walked he eventually found Hastreijaa. ¡°Ah, there you are. Did you know Heais sold your brother to the Falos?¡±


    She spoke coldly, ¡°Yes. And when I next have the opportunity I will make sure he suffers for that.¡±


    Alabaster looked her up and down before swiftly and effortlessly removing the pendant around her neck. ¡°Interesting device on the back of the pendant. I used a similar one on my copy of it. Great minds.¡± He took a sip off his drink as she coldly stared him down. ¡°I suggest you make your way to where your brother is being held. I have information that suggests that he and the other prisoners might be breaking free soon and he needs someone to keep his ego in check.¡±


    Reijaa gave him a look he knew too well. Scathing suspicion. ¡°Why would you-¡°


    He laughed quietly, ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time, Reijaa. I have smuggled the truth to you at great risk. Answers will have to come later.¡±


    She sighed in weary resignation and in only a moment she vanished out the front door to the penthouse at full speed. Alabaster lingered for a time, waiting for his host. As he bounced the stone in his palm, he considered his next steps carefully. Sure enough, Heais eventually entered the room. He looked at Alabaster in confusion before realizing what had happened. Heais fumed, charging Albaster and slamming him into a wall before smashing him through a table. The woman with a silver smile stepped out and said, ¡°Hold on, Heais. You still need him for our deal to be completed. Break our contract and there will be a penalty.¡±


    He growled before whistling for the guards that had been assigned to his guest. ¡°Take mister Basterd to the arena. We are going to help him put on a compelling last performance for him.¡± As they dragged him up the hall, Heais gave every guard in the hallway a powerful glare. He would be beating them to a pulp later. ¡°I can¡¯t believe all of them failed me.¡±


    Alabaster laughed, ¡°It isn¡¯t their fault. I¡¯m very tricky.¡± Heais turned and punched him. ¡°Oh, that was a good one. Solid contact. Good follow through. Too bad it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    Heais grumbled and growled, ¡°Your death cannot ever be painful enough.¡± As he dragged Alabaster to the arena, forcing him into the seat next to him. His guards buried a gun into his back to try and drive home that he wasn¡¯t going to be getting out of this. Despite that, Alabaster took a confident and secure sitting pose as though nothing had happened. Heais stepped forward, ¡°Good morning all. I hope you had a good rest. Let¡¯s finish this bloodsport today. The next round will be a no rules two on one because let¡¯s face it, these are the all stars you guys are interested in seeing today. Zora and Sai versus¡­¡± he discussed with his crew before coming back, ¡°Leithan.¡±


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    As Heais sat back down, Alabaster laughed, ¡°You didn¡¯t even get your contenders? That¡¯s bad showmanship.¡±


    His voice became as cold as ice, chilling the blood. ¡°You put on a mask of confidence and lie to yourself and everyone around you. Even in the face of death. So parade that confidence as the age old funeral mask it is.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s the problem, Heais. I have only been telling you and the rest of them the truth. Even now, you seem to be under the impression that I have no cards left to play.¡± The scarlet sparks left the arena forming a network of flames covering all sound but allowing the fight to continue. Neat trick. ¡°Reality is, you and I have never had a real conversation.¡±


    Heais laughed derisively. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t intend to connect heart to heart with some nobody I just met. Now shut up and enjoy the match.¡±


    Alabaster tipped his hat and smiled, ¡°You have no idea. Because your mind is so mired in desperation and despair that you cannot grasp the truth. With a mind this distorted, you will never reach the truth.¡±


    Moments later, two pistol shots went off in the rafters, each striking the people holding Alabaster at gunpoint. Alabaster tossed the pendant to the silver armored figure with the pistol. As the scarlet flames disappeared, Zora and Sai jumped from the arena and began running for the door. Pine dropped down and joined them in their retreat.


    Heais laughed, pushing a button on his ring. His laughter stopped when his jacket exploded. ¡°A little sleight of hand when you threw me through the table. Next time, use a custom locking mechanism instead of factory standard. It prevents things like this.¡±


    ¡®Leithan¡¯ jumped from the arena to check on Heais. Alabaster laughed uproariously. Heais coughed from the ground, ¡°You think you are clever, but you aren¡¯t getting out of here alive! I¡¯ll have you executed like the rest of the scum.¡±


    Alabaster bowed respectfully as the security tried to surround him. ¡°I¡¯m lying. I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m dead. I¡¯m trapped. Do you know what all of these have in common? These are the lies you tell yourself to hide your fear. You believed yourself my predator. Reality is, there is nothing I have to fear from you.¡±


    Heais snapped to alertness and stole the scrap blade, driving it into the chest of Alabaster. The magician laughed, Heais joining him in laughing. ¡°I still win! I was using all of you to get a lost treasure! An old battle ritual to awaken a power that has known to fear!¡±


    As the air became a vibrant blue, Alabaster responded, ¡°Well, whatever you were trying to do is done.¡± He heard Alabaster¡¯s voice behind him, ¡°Because you can¡¯t win.¡±


    ¡®Leithan¡¯ muttered, ¡°Projections and saturation. Interesting¡­¡± As four more Alabasters materialized around Heais.


    As his first foe fell and he turned to see the other four, he growled. ¡°How!?¡± Realizing something was wrong, he reached into his pocket and removed the blue stone from before. It was shining bright. Crushing it in his hand, the light faded and so did the projections. ¡°Find the bastard and those other idiots!¡± He looked at the arena and began to wonder something.

 To Smuggle the Truth

    Gavin looked at his pocket watch as they unlocked the doors to the rooms. ¡°Alright, Kat. It¡¯s time. Can you get the ship prepped?¡±


    ¡°I mean, you saw the last simulation.¡±


    ¡°Kat, it is just starting the engines. I¡¯ll pilot once we are ready.¡± She sighed and nodded. He spoke into the comms, ¡°How is Jolly Green feeling?¡±


    ¡®He is ready for the show today. Are you sure he is going to throw that swordsman to the wolves?¡¯


    Gavin laughed, ¡°I¡¯m about to piss him off so much he wants to see blood. That¡¯s gonna be fine. I¡¯ll slip into the prison block while he is focused on the decoy.¡± He looked at his emergency transformation device and its pale blue light. ¡°As long as he keeps the decoy stones on him everything should be fine.¡± Stepping out of the room, Katsi moved to the left while he peeled off to the right. Taking a few ducts that he had found during recon, he opened the vent and slid down, adjusting his emergency transformation device a little on his wrist. Popping open the vent on the prison level, he walked through the halls as though he belonged there, his confidence and daring making the criminal mob from asking too many questions. Least of all when interference with someone could lead to being beaten to death. As he approached the warden from the night before and said, ¡°The Serpent leaves it¡¯s mark.¡±


    The warden rolled his eyes, ¡°He wasn¡¯t joking. That was such a melodramatic password.¡± Retrieving his tablet from inside his vest, he took a few moments to enter a code to release Hasnacht and his new gang, Ulbricht bellowing a war horn. Gavin watched carefully as the prisoners left quietly as instructed, Hasnacht glaring at Gavin on his way out. Gavin pulled his hat down as he collected himself. So far so good. Now if everything-


    ¡°I was just about to rescue- hey!¡±


    Reijaa slithered right past her fool of a brother before wrapping around and constricting Gavin. ¡°What is your goal, Alabaster?¡± Her sarcasm and scorn dripped from her voice like venom from her fangs.


    Gavin squeaked out, ¡°Can¡¯t answer. Very. Very strong.¡± She shifted her coils so he could speak. ¡°Thank you. I knew you needed to know before-¡° he gagged as she crushed his ribs a little. ¡°Right. Short version.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Anisa sighed, ¡°This is clearly a trap but I don¡¯t know why.¡± She paced the briefing room.


    Sai tried moving his prototype a little before hopping back out and making adjustments to it. ¡°Knowing his reputation from the other world, he is probably scared of the main cannon and wants to find something to make himself scary again. Big fan of the ¡®beauty of evolution¡¯¡±


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    Gavin tossed the counterfeit blue stone in his palm, ¡°We can use that. I think I¡¯ve got projections down to some degree. It isn¡¯t a super gun or anything, but it will do for this. I¡¯ll use Alabaster to slip in and dig into what he¡¯s doing. Tak, have you finished the adjustments?¡±


    She tossed a few parts over to Sai for his prototype body. Before making adjustments to Pine¡¯s armor. ¡°I¡¯ve created some smaller emitters for Pine, but he has to be careful with the mountings on the larger ones. The structure is old and there is no guarantee it can hold the weight.¡±


    Katsi nodded, ¡°So, we take a few days setting the groundwork and documenting his layout in person. Get chummy with some of his men over booze. Wait for Hasnacht to try to crash the party, hope that he doesn¡¯t get killed when you upstage Tun, plant the decoys, free your girlfriend and the prisoners and then bail in the confusion?¡±


    Gavin nodded, ¡°The only gamble I¡¯m taking is with her little brother. I mean, Ulbricht tends to grovel enough for the both of them but if push comes to shove I can get him to focus on Alabaster instead.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Her coils tightened so he explained faster, ¡°So, I used Pine as a part of the act, used emitters to saturate the temple with the essence of Truth, used that to create multiple solid projections to distract from me and my friends while we tried to save everyone.¡±


    She glared at him, trying to scour the truth. ¡°You are a coward to your core. Why would you put through so much effort to save others?¡±


    Gavin smiled at her a smile she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time before it vanished. ¡°Look, I am running out of time, but I need to tell you something. So come with me and my crew. We could use you.¡±


    She slowly released him from her coils and her cold voice responded, ¡°I will. But only if Hasnacht is allowed to come as well. He needs better influences.¡±


    Gavin growled as his frustration mounted. He hissed, ¡°The brat and his literal toadie tried to kill me with a rocket launcher.¡±


    ¡°So you see my point.¡± He looked ready to strangle her but she made no effort to show compassion. He sighed and motioned her to take care of it. Getting close to him and flicking her tongue about him she said, ¡°I will listen without interruption. If I don¡¯t like what I hear, I will be sharing a bunk with you tonight.¡± She slithered away and got in her brother¡¯s path, his toad friend on his shoulders. ¡°You will be coming with Gavin and I after this.¡±


    Hasnacht laughed, ¡°I¡¯m not your bab-¡° she bared her fangs at him and he stopped speaking. Ulbricht tried to run away but she slithered around him and began to squeeze the air out of his body, a loud squeak filling the halls. Hasnacht ran up and whispered, ¡°Fine fine. Just leave Ulbricht alone. He and I will follow. Just not here. Okay?¡±


    She got in her brother¡¯s face before slithering up the hall and turning to wait for everyone to catch up. Gavin started the chant, ¡°Hasnacht! Hasnacht! Hasnacht!¡± Soon the crowd joined him. He snuck through the crowd and patted Hasnacht on the shoulder, ¡°Saved you again, hatchling. Now we need to move. Tun just killed my decoy so we need to get to the landing pad fast.¡±


    Hasnacht hissed at him but lead the charge, a now terrified Ulbricht latched to his back.

 The Blade that Knows No Fear

    Heais shouted to his men, ¡°Restrain him!¡±


    ¡®Leithan¡¯ laughed as he dodged their gunfire easily, punching out anyone who tried to grab him, ¡°I have to leave so if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    A voice spoke from a distance that made the warrior freeze on the spot, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t if I were you.¡± His face went pale as the woman with the silver smile stepped from the shadows. Behind her were three guards, each one holding one of the girls. He tried to assess their health, never breaking eye contact with the woman. Shi seemed to be centering herself and using the breathing exercises that he had taught her. Hepta seemed furious that she wasn¡¯t in any condition to fight back, her bandages seeping a little as she jerked against the guards. Zwei gave him a determined look that seemed to be telling him to wait for the right moment. They had no idea who they were dealing with. He stood down, not breaking eye contact with the woman. She was amused by this, even blew him a kiss. ¡°I have a deal to honor. Out of respect for our history, I¡¯ll add an addendum. If you don¡¯t complicate this deal, I¡¯ll make sure your beloved students go home alive.¡±


    He growled as he side stepped a henchman trying to grab him. ¡°If you give me your word as a merchant, I¡¯ll accept.¡±


    She beamed and motioned one of the men, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m only as good as the last deal I honored.¡± The man dragged Hepta to the arena. ¡°Toss me your blade and we can finish this deal and I can be on my way.¡± He grumbled and a look of shock crossed Zwei¡¯s face as he did what he was told, tossing the blade in a gentle arc towards the woman who caught it effortlessly. ¡°Excellent. Mr. Tun.¡± She motioned the mafia boss to join her in the arena. A look of unease crossed the criminals face, but he was finally going to see this through. The woman¡¯s silver smile filled Hepta with fear, ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry honey. This will hurt a great deal, but you will survive. How about this? I¡¯ll tell you a secret in return for your cooperation.¡± She leaned in close and whispered in her ear. ¡°There. That¡¯s a fair trade. Now, Mr. Tun. Raise this blade and pierce her through her shoulder.¡±


    Heais did as he was told, the blade cleaving through her flesh as dark red blood began to flow. As it hit the sand, it began to pool only to be pulled back to the blade, as its metal began to glow crimson red.


    Master Phoenix¡¯s face twisted with guilt as it happened, whispering, ¡°Courage pierced by a blade that has never known fear shall make the power of gods appear.¡± He hissed to himself, ¡°I fucked up.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Gavin lead the rabble of assorted criminals out of the cell block and to the cargo bay that they had parked his freighter in. As he ran, he opened the comm line, ¡°So, what¡¯s the status?¡±


    Sai explained, ¡°We found the person who knows too much. We managed to bail as planned. This bot is pretty beat up, but I think I can do my part. With Tak ready to nuke this place from orbit in an emergency, we just need to clear the area. You got all the prisoners in the clear?¡±


    ¡°Negative. Still in the blast radius but we will be out soon. Also, we are¡­ gonna have some new members to the crew.¡± Gavin cleared his throat.


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    ¡°Repeat? Did you say members? Or member?¡±


    He cleared his throat again, ¡°Muh-members.¡±


    This silence on the line was reply enough. Eventually it was followed by, ¡°Copy.¡± Great that¡¯s a conversation they would need to have back on this ship. But still, they were almost there. As they ran, the ground began to shake. The comms lit back up. ¡°Ship! Ship! Get to the ship!¡±


    Gavin shouted, ¡°Hot leg it! This temple might be start collapsing soon!¡± Hearing this, most of the criminals who valued their lives began sprinting for the cargo bay. Arriving swiftly, they saw his freighter with the loading ramp down and ready to go. Katsi was standing at the top motioning everyone in, but Gavin motioned her to take the wheel. He shouted, ¡°Plan GTFO!¡±


    She was surprised for a moment but nodded and ran for the cockpit. Shortly after the craft began to lift from the ground, ramp still down. It quickly began flying towards the crowd of escapees and all of them were desperate and smart enough to jump for it. The ramp scooped them all from the air, but the sudden jolt of the ship colliding with the hanger walls caused some of them to fall back out. She lingered just long enough to get them on the ramp as debris began to fall around them. They clung desperately to the craft¡¯s ramp as it moved at high speeds to get clear of the structure.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Heais lifted the crimson blade high before driving it into his own chest, the building beginning to crumble after so long without maintenance, now being put to the test as the power flowed through the area.


    Phoenix noticing that SHE had left, quickly disappeared and reappeared next to Hepta. In a moment later he was near the other two, punched the air hard enough to shatter space itself, and tossed all three into the resulting hole.


    They were disoriented to be in the medical bay with Sita and Ellefu. Sita swore in a few languages before throwing Hepta on the table and began sealing her wounds. ¡°What happened?!¡± Ellefu gave Zwei a firm glare, judging her silently


    Shi explained coldly, ¡°A lot of things no one could have known. I¡¯ll give a full explanation to Ett afterwards.¡± Hepta was shouting in incoherent rage. Shi struck a point on Hepta that knocked her out cold. ¡°Work fast. I don¡¯t know how deep the wound was.¡±


    Ellefu examined it and shook her head, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to be bad. She was really lucky. A lot of blood but nothing permanent.¡±


    Sita asked, ¡°Who did this?¡±


    Zwei shrugged, ¡°Some woman. Master Phoenix seemed scared of her. I was counting on him to back us up, but his face¡­¡±


    Ellefu looked at Sita who nodded back to her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Phoenix Emperor donned his armor as the crimson light consumed the crime lord. The old soul sighed, ¡°So, this is true power.¡± He turned, his attire changing to a dark suit and a red formal shirt, the lenses of his shades becoming a crimson hue. He turned towards The Emperor and held up his hand, ¡°Let¡¯s start small.¡± He snapped his fingers and a pulse of red energy left it, evaporating all of his men and causing the experienced warrior to lose his footing. ¡°Interesting.¡± He approached the warrior and dusted the armor of his guest off. ¡°Sorry for that. I am still used to this kind of thing.¡±


    The Emperor taunted, ¡°What? You going to become the king of crime now?¡±


    Heais shook his head, cold to the deaths he had just caused, gesturing restlessly, ¡°This is just a hot mess. I just needed some insurance. Sorry about your friend. I hope she feels better soon.¡± He sighed, ¡°Actually, I want to make a deal with you, but I need you to stand next to me for a moment.¡±


    ¡°And why would I do that?¡±


    ¡°Because they are about to fire that gun of theirs and I would prefer my business partners alive.¡± The Phoenix Emperor was a bit surprised before he realized what Heais was saying. He didn¡¯t have much time before the world was engulfed in searing light.

 The Kings Guard and the Tin Soldier

    Tak looked over the readings. ¡°Destruction has been successfully localized to the temple grounds. Depth reading nine thousand feet of penetration of the crust. Hopefully that shatter¡­¡± she paused and double checked her display and her tone became frantic, ¡°I¡¯m confirming two life forms at the center of the crater, one of which is overflowing with energy. The meteor survived the blast as well.¡±


    She tried to get the status of the emitters but all of them except the ones on Pine¡¯s armor had been devastated. Gavin swore over the comms and Anisa spoke up, ¡°Alright, so we can¡¯t nuke him from space without destroying the entire planet. Sounds to me like we need to try a more personal touch.¡±


    Katsi set the autopilot and chimed in, ¡°We could try a few mechanical solutions too. Working with Dean helped me develop some new ideas on resonance and-¡°


    Sai cut her off, ¡°There is nothing about resonance that I don¡¯t know. Trust me, breaking his will or getting him to let go of the power willingly.¡±


    Tak nodded, ¡°I have thousands of years of life experiences. I agree that mind games would have a better effect with what we have on hand. I guess we need to leave the heavy lifting on that to our three most inspirational talkers. I¡¯ll change the output of the cannon to saturate the area as best I can. Gavin might have to hang back but I¡¯ll send a message to Dean and hopefully we can get Cosmic Patrol here soon.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Katsi sat dismayed at the console. ¡°You simply allow them to dismiss you?¡± She jolted and turned in surprise to see Gavin¡¯s ex-girlfriend. ¡°Are you not an inventor?¡±


    Katsi laughed, ¡°I mean, I used to build my own stuff but I wasn¡¯t a scientist. I was just working with what I was given. We are kind of out of my expertise. Dean taught me some stuff but-¡°


    Reijaa hissed to silence her and spoke firmly, ¡°Your lack of experience does not dismiss your insight. Allow no one to silence you or belittle you. There is no shame in brilliance.¡± Katsi smiled at the reassurance but was surprised when the woman insisted, ¡°Speak now. What were your intentions. I will help you see them through.¡±


    Katsi cleared her throat and began explaining her idea as the ship made its way back to the impact crater.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Heais withdrew the crimson curtain as the terrain around them steamed and smoked, the crust of the planet rendered to glass in moments, the ground they had been standing on mere moments ago cracked and broken from the pressure. Heais sighed, ¡°I am sorry for that, Leithan. These heroic sorts tend to try too hard to crush the hopes of the differently moral.¡± He adjusted his collar as he saw them circle back around, ¡°She sends her regards. She said you would know who I was referring to.¡± When Master Phoenix nodded slowly, he continued, ¡°I don¡¯t see any reason why you and I can¡¯t do business. You have just been doing your job and I¡¯ve been doing mine. We both understand the necessity of my job.¡±


    He hesitated and replied slowly, ¡°My distaste for your methods is immense, but you aren¡¯t wrong.¡±


    Heais laughed, ¡°Yeah, I hated them too, but that¡¯s the cost of business. Or it was. Now? With this? I don¡¯t have to keep a lock grip on power. I can just do business. Just like I always wanted.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s actually my problem. A man should have a code. But¡­ my usual contact will reach out later. Negotiate it with them.¡± As the ship arrived and the ramp dropped, Zora and the green machine arrived. The true Alabaster dropped down as the debris seemed to tint the sun, a golden light covering the area. But Master Phoenix could feel it was more than that. Prismatic manipulation of their power source for saturation. They failed to see. Abusing artificial emotions. He wondered and he pondered and before they spoke, he dispelled their illusions. His hand shone with golden light before he waved it and their fake curtain of love was pulled away, bending into a dome around them, golden chains holding the light back over the crater.


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    Zora looked around in surprise, but the robot didn¡¯t blink, speaking with confidence, ¡°Heais! You have been played. That woman is an agent of despair. I know from experience that whatever she offered you was bait, manipulating you to her own ends. She is the predator and she will never fear you!¡±


    Heais laughed as he nodded, ¡°I agree. I can¡¯t even recall what she took as payment, but I don¡¯t know how much I care. She got her pound of flesh. She has nothing left to take from me.¡±


    Zora pointed at him and announced, ¡°People like that are never so simple and clean. They will haunt your every step, stalking you through every nightmare and bad dream.¡±


    Were they ignoring him? He robbed them of their little trick and they were ignoring him. Maybe it was best this way. Despite himself, he couldn¡¯t shake it. While it was his love and mercy holding back their foolish abuse of energy they didn¡¯t understand, his burning will wouldn¡¯t allow him to simply fade into the background. ¡°Green one! This one will be coming with me. If you want another lesson in why a true warrior will always best an artificial one, I¡¯ll be more than happy to humor your foolishness.¡± His Crimson flames burned bright along his armor while Heais seemed emboldened as well.


    The emerald replica motioned the others to stand back. ¡°You guys work over Heais. This jackass is mine.¡±


    The Emperor stated firmly, ¡°No. Mr. Tun will be leaving.¡± The Emperor placed a hand on Heais, engulfing him in crimson flame and making him vanish. ¡°As for you, I can imagine how a series of clumsy children like you would like to end this. That means the safest place for me is as close to you all as possible.¡±


    Sai tried to blitz him, but he avoided the blow in the same way he had before, striking from seemingly thin air at Zora, knocking her to the ground as he reappeared in flames. Sai shone brighter as he tried again to blitz The Emperor, but was again at a loss when he vanished again, this time striking Alabaster so hard it shattered his left arm. Sai¡¯s temper began to flare, the evil general laughing at his attempts to stop him. When The Emperor motioned him to come confront him, Sai could feel the engine in this body running at maximum force. He could feel his sense of Justice pushing his body to act. The Emperor taunted, ¡°When the Cosmic Patrol comes to drag away your pathetic hides for sowing chaos, I¡¯m going to enjoy stamping the paperwork myself.¡±


    That was the last straw. Sai could feel this artificial body burning itself out but he needed to defeat this man. For the good of all that yearn for peace. For every life he has ended and damaged. For every ounce of despair he has introduced to the world. Even if this body burned out, he should be anchored by the Phoenixian Crystal. He should survive. So he will defeat this monster. He jumped high into the air. He dove in with a flying kick that shone with the power of pure justice. His enemy answered with a rising kick, courageously facing his power head on. In that moment the world was enveloped in a pillar of pure white, spiral flames of green and red chasing it into the sky. A pillar so powerful it rocked the Ziegfried a little as it departed into space.


    Tak looked at her readings, terrified for her friends just to find a more concerning reading taking hold. The light wasn¡¯t just dissipating. In the local area near the blast, it was being absorbed. Checking her readings she was surprised what she heard. ¡°That was close. Don¡¯t worry, Tak. Created a compressor with the tools on hand.¡±


    She faintly heard in the background, the hissing voice of Reijaa, ¡°Kat saved your friends.¡±


    Tak leaned forward to double check the status when Sai¡¯s voice came from the console, ¡°She needs to stop running that right now. The Emperor and I had a cross flow occur. There is no telling what that kind of upheaval paired with harvesting will do. My drone was destroyed by the blast. But the others were attacked by him.¡±


    Tak froze as she saw what ship was returning to the blast site and the voice shouting a speech over Katsi¡¯s comm. The Falos had doubled back to finish the job, Lady Unicorn finally having found her moment.

 By Royal Degrees

    Lady unicorn descended into the crater from the royal transport, purple flames carrying her as easily as trained servants, she began her laugh. ¡°Oh, mighty Zora. Maiden of the Dawn. Welcome once more to the darkest hour. My realm of dominion.¡± Katsi tried leveling her handcrafted device on Lady Unicorn who melted it¡¯s barrel easily. ¡°Hush, smaller Zora. I¡¯ll come for you when I¡¯m done with her.¡± Alabaster glared at her from the ground as he held his shattered arm. Narrowing her eyes at him she said dismissively, ¡°Your ugly expression disgusts me. Begone.¡± With a flick of her wrist, flames wrapped around his neck and flinging him many yards away. As he slid across the ground, various bits of tech and equipment fell from his jacket, but she didn¡¯t pay any mind to it. Her arch nemesis was helpless and weak and she couldn¡¯t let this pass. She leaned in close to Zora¡¯s form and chuckled, ¡°The Emperor chose not to play nice with you and your friends today. This is why you should only ever play with me. You see, he doesn¡¯t appreciate the art of evil. He doesn¡¯t enjoy the chase and a worthy challenge. He cares more about results.¡± She whispered in her ear, ¡°I could bring the cosmos to nothing but ash without an ounce of care as long as it all goes down screaming my name in agony.¡± Zora began to laugh from the ground, occasional coughs joining in. Lady Unicorn began to laugh as well, seemingly glad that her greatest foe could see the glory of their dance.


    ¡°So, you would sacrifice victory for your own satisfaction and ego?¡± Zora¡¯s voice seemed odd to Lady Unicorn, but she paid it no mind.


    ¡°No. Not ego. A lady must have a code to live by. Mine is a simple one. I will bring art back to villainy and all else I do. Beauty and art is the most essential part of life. Everything we do from death to second death is performance art for the sake of the growing crowd that discovers our performance.¡± She turned away, speechifying as she often did. ¡°And as with all performances worth a damn, the curtain must fall and characters exit the stage as they outlive their usefulness. But your time hasn¡¯t come just yet, Zora. I¡¯m not done with our performance yet.¡±


    ¡°Sasori.¡±


    ¡°Disgusting to sneeze in the middle of my speech. Apologize.¡± She turned and her foe was gone completely. When Lady Unicorn went to investigate, a heavy chitinous leg collided with her head. She felt her whole body rock with the impact but she held firm, her eyes glowing with purple flames as she lashed out with a tendril of flames at her new foe.


    ¡°That¡¯s my name. Zora hasn¡¯t heard a word you said. I was waiting to jump your partner, but I like your style. Let¡¯s paint the battlefield with your brush and see how that goes.¡±


    Alabaster shouted, ¡°Sasori! We need to go! It is only a matter of time before-¡°


    She cut him off, ¡°Run along now, Boy. You are in the way. I have a foe to destroy.¡±


    Lady Unicorn furrowed her brow in debate before processing this new enemy fully. She muttered to herself, ¡°A being more vicious and destructive than Zora, but I will accept this Proktota as an extension of my precious foil.¡±


    Bouncing from claw to claw, Sasori chuckled, ¡°I am no Proktota. I¡¯m an entirely different existence. Save yourself the effort and refer to me as Sasori.¡± Before Lady Unicorn could blink, Sasori was nearly point blank, her claws at Lady Unicorn¡¯s neck. ¡°And stop trying to plan the show and learn to enjoy the performance.¡±


    There was no fear in the eyes of the villainess. No chill from being so close to death. There was joy. No, rapture! She began to smile broadly, her eyes shining a bright purple. ¡°You and I are about to become the best of enemies.¡± A wave of purple flames left her forcing Sasori back. Waving her hands, a series of flaming purple rings formed in the air, ¡°How about an obstacle course, Battle Maiden?!¡±


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    As the rings flew out in various patterns, clearly designed for Sasori to navigate it, the insect queen found herself enjoying this life and death conflict, she could taste it in the air. The heat from both the crater and her flames. The bloodlust in the air, and yet also an understanding that failure would not mean death but worse. Pain. Torture. Suffering. Scars of both body and mind. All the things she remembered from The Before. When she went by a different name. It was precious and invigorating to be back in this atmosphere. Truly free.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Master Phoenix appeared on Prince Gram¡¯s ship on the bridge with immense effort. As his crimson flames dissipated around him, he fell to the deck in exhaustion. It was then that he heard the condescending voice that gave him chills, ¡°Surviving a trip up the Goddess¡¯ Elevator? You continue to prove my wisdom for retaining a treasonous fool such as yourself. I want to thank you for not being a native as it means I need not inflict tradition upon you the way I have Corva.¡±


    Master Phoenix looked up from the ground into the mocking eyes of Emperor Gram Visto the Third. He fought to his feet and bowed slightly, ¡°I am thankful to be back from my trip. I am sorry it was so exhausting, however.¡± Turning to Corva who stood at attention next to him, he bowed to her as well which she returned in kind.


    ¡°I appreciate your courtesy but not your sarcasm. You survived by a roll of the dice. Don¡¯t diminish the danger of that.¡± Master Phoenix seemed surprised at what was said but nodded and bowed again. ¡°I¡¯ll be claiming the Folaire Meteor for my own needs. I require your expertise to return to the capital as well. I have great plans moving forward but they will take time.¡±


    ¡°Sir, a naturally occurring gem of that size and with a history like that could pose a massive danger to-¡°


    ¡°That¡¯s why it will be stored at one of the spare foundry worlds in the industrial Star sectors. One out of Nova range. Now if you resist again I¡¯ll base it in a civilian sector to force your compliance. After all, you would never let such a volume die needlessly. Not if you could prevent it.¡± Emperor Visto III motioned to his bridge crew, ¡°Have you harvested enough ecological impact information and footage of the conflict?¡± When they confirmed he pressed a single button on his chair and began to speak.


    ¡®I bring to you the dangerous and reckless behavior of your so called revolutionary heroes. The crew of this terroristic weapon don¡¯t care about the cultural damage their behavior causes and have clearly come to claim this massive source of power to make their horrific canon that blew a hole in Hastvarti during their evasion of our capture even more devastating. Make no mistake, their intention is not freedom or liberation. They are villains and renegades like all others who would seek renewal through violence and force instead of through proper bureaucratic channels. While our Empire has long touted the need for strong leaders capable of victories in war, never has the goal been a selfish grasp for personal power and glory. These self described heroes clearly serve no one but themselves with this devastating attack on ancient history and culture. With the cooperation of the Cosmic Patrol, we will be claiming this relic of an ancient land and seeing if this massive power source can be used to benefit the people. No rogue elements will claim any such riches for purely themselves. By the mercy and glory of the throne, I shall see this done.¡¯


    As his recorded declaration on all channels finished, a squadron of Cosmic Patrol ships entered atmosphere and tied tethers to the meteor. Moments after that, a series of cosmic patrol frigates began to bombard the Ziegfried. When the distress signal was sent, Alabaster pressed a button, the scattered tech going off like large bright flash grenades. He grabbed Sasori in the confusion, jumped aboard his frigate and personally piloted it at maximum speed into the Ziegfried¡¯s hanger.


    Once he was safely in, the Ziegfried shone with orange light before quickly escaping the assault of the Cosmic Patrol fleet.


    And just like that, the conflict on that day had ended. Emperor Visto III had stepped onto the field and taken charge and, as always, once he had an unnatural calm overtook the world. The Phoenix Emperor knew the truth. Knew how fragile a mask this was. But there was one thing no one denied. Emperor Visto III had a presentation and presence that no one knew quite how to respond to. And a mind to keep things exactly as he wanted them. Sending Heais here first was a potential mistake.

 The Course of Fate

    Dean walked among the many cubicles of the Delta Sector Cosmic Patrol HQ and sighed. He had worked so hard to be approved for field work back in the day. But desk duty was the destiny of all ¡°temporally displaced¡± officers. The protocols had changed number, but it seems that even without the Boss, the cosmos was a crazy place. Eventually, he would be stopped at an empty desk filled with blank forms. The officer that had been escorting him stated dismissively, ¡°You know the drill, detective. Fill out an incident report with all pertinent details and bring it to the clerks office for review and approval.¡± Before he could ask clarifying questions they had left.


    He walked into the closed off space and felt hugged by it. As much as he hated the paperwork, the bureaucratic prison was reassuring to him after so much time feeling hunted. He started to fill out the forms, but couldn¡¯t help but think of the crew. How soon before they brought back Douglas? Would they bring him back here or would he roam free with them for awhile? Did the Falos take the bait and leave them alone?


    As he tried to explain the odd realm he had spent between time, he felt a chill up his spine. He heard a firm but kind female voice behind him speak firmly, ¡°Detective Paddock, I would like your attention for a moment.¡± He stood up slowly, trying to put on his friendliest smile. He didn¡¯t know why he was so chilled, but it wasn¡¯t the woman who just spoke that was the problem. He turned, smile as bulletproof as his skin and gave his usual relaxed salute. The commander was a woman roughly half his size but the eyes of a hawk, her uniform crisp and denoting her as the current leader of the Cosmic Patrol. So, upper management was getting involved already. She spoke professionally as she continued, ¡°I understand that your association with Zora falls under the discretion of your rank, and now that it has been confirmed from the central database, we are reactivating your badge number. Since you are a returning Senior Detective, I wished to introduce you to our regional liaison from the Falos empire. She will be working with you to get you up to speed with our current legal landscape.¡±


    As the woman entered his cubicle, he froze completely. He couldn¡¯t believe what he was seeing and wasn¡¯t sure what he should say and to who. He wasn¡¯t even sure how to process the woman. She seemed to see right through him and laughed knowingly, ¡°I look forward to informing you of the current state of affairs. I¡¯m sure you are feeling very disoriented as of late.¡±


    Dean laughed nervously and nodded, ¡°Yeah. Sorry. It is a side effect of situations like mine. I saw so many strange things that I can get a bit lost. Strangers can look oddly familiar.¡±


    The commander nodded, ¡°Understandable. You were outside of space and time. It is unfortunate that you misplaced the Geo Stone, but that might be for the best, given the circumstances. At least we have bearings on the others of the set and can bring those stones into Containment.¡± She seemed to remember suddenly, ¡°Your liaison¡¯s name is-¡°


    The woman cut her off, ¡°Pandina. Lady Pandina.¡± Her striking golden eyes and imposing visage made him feel small by comparison despite her being not much taller than the commander. ¡°And we will be getting to know each other quite well. After all, it was my interference that allowed you to safely return to work. I mean, I¡¯m certain you don¡¯t condone the horrific act of violence committed by Zora during her departure.¡±


    He nodded slowly, ¡°A weapon being used in that manner could easily be compared to an act of war.¡±


    ¡°Or terrorism. War denotes things like the strong attacking the weak and a fair fight. And one woman with a big gun.¡± She laughed derisively, ¡°That¡¯s hardly a fair fight.¡±


    He nodded and she stood there, never breaking eye contact and the predatory smile never leaving her face. The commander nodded, stating firmly, ¡°I look forward to you two working together for the betterment of galactic peace.¡± Pandina nodded first, motioning Dean to follow who did just so. As the commander left, there was uncertainty in the air as Dean began to realize that even if this plan worked, he had possibly only made his situation worse.


    <hr>


    It has been nearly a week since the rise of the criminal warlord, Bloody King Heais. The propaganda circus was going at full force, painting Zora as a dangerous terrorist seeking her own benefit. Emperor Visto III had released from anonymous sources that Zora had stolen Vittivici¡¯s Bane on top of it all. And Dean was trapped behind a desk under near constant supervision. If Pandina wasn¡¯t watching him directly she had one of her direct underlings watching him. He couldn¡¯t even try to speak to any superiors off the record about what was going on because of her diligence.


    As he finished approving yet another case report due to its lack of errors or inaccuracies, he heard her speak again. ¡°Detective Paddock. I require your presence.¡± He stood from his chair, put the forms in the appropriate box, and stepped out of his prison-like cubical to see his familiar jailer. Her tone had not stopped making him feel like she would leap on any weakness, but her usual smile and towering pressure had dimmed for the first time since he had arrived. ¡°Your desk duty is over, at least for now. Something has happened and I require you in order to address it in full.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    He blinked in disbelief which she seemed to allow for. He said calmly, ¡°Given what I¡¯m hearing, I didn¡¯t think you would want an officer formerly associated with a terrorist to help with anything.¡±


    She nodded, ¡°That is fantastic instinct. And just about anyone would agree. You would be a desk jockey for the rest of your life if I didn¡¯t do this. What do we say to people who help us?¡± She was still playing with him, but it was like someone releasing an animal from a cage and trying to soothe them.


    Playing her game for now, he spoke softly, ¡°Thank you for giving me this chance to get back to my job properly. I take it you specifically needed a Special Detective that could be burned?¡±


    She shook her head, ¡°No. I needed a Special Detective and you happen to be nearly immortal so with the danger of this mission you are the most efficient choice.¡± He tilted his head and she elaborated, ¡°The Falos Empire are only a pillar when the Emperor is involved. Like any large enough society and culture, there are sects, divisions, secret orders, and general traitors.¡± He nodded like he knew what she was talking about and she continued, ¡°Recently I lost contact with a colleague within the empire. My contacts have drawn nothing up about it either. He is definitely capable of defending himself, but if he hasn¡¯t contacted us then someone is up to something they shouldn¡¯t and I need someone I can drag into the Lion¡¯s den and save the day.¡±


    He scoffed, ¡°How bad could it possibly be? It isn¡¯t like you guys operate under the orders of a tyrant or anything.¡±


    Without reacting to his jab she stated firmly, ¡°Last time this happened, the Emperor glassed a planet and scattered the Despoda to the stars. So I would rather we avoid anything so dramatic this time.¡±


    Dean sighed and grumbled, ¡°It is a tragic thing that such a horrific event happened in both times.¡±


    She shook her head and stated, ¡°We are simply people. Some events are inevitable and no one could stop them. The destruction of a predatory shape shifting species was an inevitable end for a culture like theirs. Not every tragedy can be averted.¡± She seemed to drift at the end but snapped back, ¡°I know you have been waiting to communicate to the Ziegfried crew since you were assigned here. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you. If you try anything while we are on this mission, I will paralyze you with my toxin and give you a few lava baths until you cooperate.¡±


    Dean froze at her awareness and direct nature. He said coldly, ¡°I can¡¯t be coerced with pain. So you will have to do better.¡±


    She put one of her talons to his neck, ¡°That wasn¡¯t to hurt you. I¡¯ve been trained on that aspect in particular. Your strong will and the insane prices you are willing to pay for what you feel is right. The lava baths will be to fry any equipment.¡± She leaned in very close, ¡°We don¡¯t have to be enemies on this mission, but we do need to cooperate with each other. I promise when the mission is done and you are back as a regular officer in the force, you can contact them all you want without any snitching or interference from me.¡±


    He remained stoic and resolute, not shifting not moving, he stated, ¡°Unless you can provide me a reason not to share, I will do as I please.¡±


    ¡°The information you share could lead to consequences that you could not even begin to understand the full effect of.¡±


    ¡°Then explain. Or bring them about with your own stubborn nature. G-¡°


    She snapped, ¡°That is no longer my name and you never knew the one who carried it. Just rumors and shadows. Don¡¯t think your past means you know anything of this world.¡± She hissed, ¡°A hypocrite as stubborn as yourself needs to learn your own lesson. Do not assume and fight. Follow and learn. Perhaps you may prevent the smaller tragedies to come.¡± She snapped her fingers and motioned him to follow her out the door. He slowly and quietly followed after her.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The white haired girl sighed as she looked out on the beautiful scenery, her amber eyes gleaming in the rising sun, ¡°Dawn comes. The many crops are becoming ripe.¡± She stood, her black lace dress flowing behind her, ¡°Soon, all the cards will fall where they need and we shall see his reborn world.


    Her brother sighed, ¡°The morning speaks of the crimson tide that awaits them. Their destinies are tragic to the last.¡± He poured himself some apple juice from the crystal carafe, his broad shoulders rocking with each gulp, ¡°No one can deny their destiny.¡±


    She laughed, ¡°Some are already have a better fate. His ambition is blind, but his ideals pure. This world will be reborn on the road forged by the flames of their passions. Surely you see it, Baruch.¡±


    ¡°I am still adjusting to seeing you smile, Muse. Perhaps it is the difference in our natures, but I have yet to see beyond the pain that awaits them on the path.¡± He rolled his shoulders before pouring another glass of juice. He watched his sister¡¯s slow and elegant dance in the morning sun. He sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll greet our guests. Please, whether it be tragedy or cheer, try not to creep them out.¡± She nodded as she danced, causing him to walk to the door and open it as a bandaged leg missed the door. The red haired woman fell to the floor, embarrassed and in pain. He spoke softly, ¡°Welcome, Daughters of Tak¡¯Nasi. Welcome to the haven of @-layer.¡±


    He assisted Hepta up from the floor as Ett, Kuntaret, Trinta, Cero, Zwei, and Shi entered the sanctum of their missing benefactor.

 A Fateful Discussion

    Muse smiled softly at the girls, adjusting a highly complex machine that had already hijacked the internal communications system of their craft for the benefit of those not present. Baruch was walking through the halls of their ship offering various snacks and drinks to the rest of The Count of Thirty.


    Muse eventually settled and asked, ¡°Would you like me to answer all of your questions or would you rather I simply answer the ones you ask?¡±


    Hepta sat with barely contained anger, remembering what Ett had told her. Looking at the walls of this place, seeing the entirety of the cosmos laid out on its walls, strange relics and hidden schemes put in display cases like trophies, she couldn¡¯t help but feel betrayed. Ett spoke firmly like a mother questioning an injured child, ¡°Start from the beginning. What is this¡­ Atelier?¡±


    Muse spoke in a comforting tone, ¡°It is @-Layer. And we are specific with that for a reason. While a very small difference to the ear, there is a significant difference in meaning to those with greater awareness such as myself and my brother. As for our origin,¡± she took a sip of tea and continued, ¡°My brother and I didn¡¯t join until he had already begun his quest, our involvement being a repayment of a favor to a friend. While all members know each other¡¯s true names, we use code names to encode messages. And we use them for everything. Even his labels for all of you were code within code for your own protection, should you have chosen to help us.¡±


    Zwei felt chilled by the idea, Cero grabbing her elbow reassuringly. Ett asked again, ¡°That is interesting, but doesn¡¯t answer my question. What is this quest he founded this group for?¡±


    Muse smiled and nodded, ¡°That is a question some in this group even still have, but the honest truth is a man obsessed with liberation. Freedom from what was and the chains that try to restrain the will of man. His goal is to liberate as many as he can from Fate and Death, fully aware of the potential consequences. In fact, he has sworn to take responsibility for them when they arise. Given he spent his entire life enslaved to the will of another, I cannot fault him.¡± She stood and walked over to one of the walls decorated with things that are but never were. ¡°The irony of his goal of liberation is that he is shackling others to his goal. Manipulating them to his will, releasing them only when his purpose is done. Pure and noble or selfish and hypocritical. It doesn¡¯t matter to him and won¡¯t stop him.¡± She turned back for a moment to smile at them, ¡°But once the Ziegfried has finished its journey, the chains holding his heart to this quest will be broken and he can truly live his ideals without hypocrisy. Unless fate should have other plans.¡±


    Kuntaret chimed in, ¡°He has more goals than simply that ship, but he does often refer to their progress in my updates like it is a clock. I just wish I knew the context.¡±


    Muse nodded, ¡°He has kept it to himself in fear, but I can tell you the path he is walking if you all wish to know. From there you would each make your own decision. Some fraught with tragedy and pain, others with adversity and conquest. While the mundane remains a choice for you all, you carry too much of your mother to ever consider it.¡±


    Hepta shouted, ¡°Don¡¯t talk like you know us! We just met.¡±


    Muse jolted and was quick with an apologetic tone, ¡°My lack of manners isn¡¯t from familiarity. My brother and I literally see the world different than you. It is by a grand design in the cosmos itself. The full story will come another time, but we are two of six. To put it simply, time is but an infinite thread, all possibilities woven. I am able to see where each road ends. Baruch can see each road that will be taken. Your friend asked us to aid him so he could be certain that each choice was taking him to his intended liberation for all, including himself.¡±


    Shi asked coldly, ¡°So you expect us to believe that he is some tragic misguided-¡°


    Baruch shouted from the ship, ¡°He knows his path well.¡±


    Shi looked over her shoulder, pondering the words that were said. Muse spoke up again, ¡°He has already reached a tragic end. This, as horrid and obsessive as it seems is, to him, more than just a low point. This is his penance, responsibility, and redemption. A man twisted by the injustices of the world into a monster now seeking to use what vicious anger remains protect instead of destroy. Himself and all others shackled to a fate beneath them.¡±


    Zwei walked up to the displays, seeing a picture of some smiling adolescents, a red haired girl among them striking her eye. ¡°Who is this?¡±


    Muse said elegantly, ¡°That is Queen. Before the event. What happened may have saved her life, but came with other obligations that he and Bishop have been trying to free her from since. They will discover how to break those chains, but her body cannot be salvaged. Not that I believe she minds.¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Ett asked, ¡°You said you could explain why he measures time with the Ziegfried?¡±


    Muse nodded, ¡°Indeed. There are events that must transpire for the liberation he envisions. The Fall of the Goddess, Shattering a Great Mind, The Dragon¡¯s Ascent, and The Vow on the Throne. When these have all come to pass, he will finally break himself free from his past and truly be reborn.¡± Hepta scoffed quietly, muttering something under her breath which Muse laughed at and responded to, ¡°No. You lot were not. My brother was aware of you and I have seen more than I care to say, but The Count of Thirty were released from their chains on a whim. One he didn¡¯t fully understand himself, but had to come to pass. Tak¡¯Nasi would never the mistakes she will if you all were never released.¡±


    Kuntaret asked, ¡°Can you explain each of these steps?¡±


    Trinta shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t know why we would want to know the future. What if we ruin the plan? What if we mess it up by asking?¡±


    Muse laughed and shook her head, ¡°My brother and I differ from our siblings in many ways. What you worry about would never come from us. All we say will not change what is to come. In fact, we wouldn¡¯t be speaking at all if it was not what must occur.¡±


    Ett narrowed her eyes, ¡°Why are you so confident of that? Don¡¯t we have free will? There is no way to stop us.¡±


    ¡°Because we aren¡¯t making a decision for you, contrary to interpretation.¡± Baruch returned from his snack trip, seemingly annoyed, ¡°My sister has finally be able to act on her attachments so excuse her daring.¡± He cleared his throat, ¡°Free will does not mean you have infinite choices. All living things have a nature. A will, heart, and spirit. This propels them forward. Once propelled, unless an outside force changes things, beings will continue on this course. This itself limits the options. His quest, for example. He could abandon it at any time and open a coffee shop, ignoring the larger cosmos and leaving this life and his knowledge behind. But it isn¡¯t in his nature. He will continue this quest until the final step. The same way, you have many options ahead of you, but your own will and determination will always prevent you from seeing or acting on the full scope of possibility. Our minds discern these natures and many other factors and allow us perfect clarity as to the road ahead.¡±


    Hepta went to speak and he spoke for her, ¡°No one can control me!¡±


    ¡°Of course I can¡¯t, Daughter of Tak¡¯Nasi. But I can see every possible move you will make for the next century and will always know before you do. I¡¯m artificial like all of you, but built into the fabric of reality itself. That said, any questions about those events I ask you visit upon my sister. I don¡¯t have the heart to share my part.¡±


    Ett cleared her throat at the shock and nodded, watching Baruch leave the room. ¡°Please, share what you can so we can make an educated decision moving forward.¡±


    Muse nodded, ¡°Of course. The Fall of the Goddess will happen when her domain becomes her fate at the hands of those who once worshipped her. Betrayal and defacement of her most holy abode. As it lay in ruins, scattered as trash, those lost shall be mourned as her servants finish their final sacrifice at her altar.


    The Shattering of a Great Mind shall pass when all illusions are ripped away. A liberator will come, betrayed by one among the many. When all schemes have been laid bare, a great mind will rise within the chaos, but at the pinnacle of their power a lethal fault will break their genius. All that remains will be scars and ruins.


    The Dragon¡¯s Ascent will be swift, spreading chaos among order and uncertainty within the cosmos. His blade will show no restraint and his decisive action will destroy peace. As he rises into conflict and cuts away all doubts, his power will be recognized. Once his rulership is secured, the beginning of the end of the way things are shall begin.


    A Vow made long ago upon the throne shall see itself fulfilled as a Phoenix is reborn. This renewal shall signal the new era in the darkest of moments. Then all that was shall be with what now is, and a new age of uncertainty and Hope shall unfold.¡±


    She smiled and spoke less vaguely, ¡°These are what must pass for his quest to complete, communicated as clearly as possible given the situation.¡±


    Shi held her head, trying to puzzle it out while Zwei walked up to one of the cases. Shi clarified. ¡°So, these sound like horrid things. A goddess being betrayed and a temple in ruins. A genius being broken and nothing being left. A dragon destroying peace and signaling the end times. The Darkest of moments.¡±


    Zwei spoke with pain in her voice, ¡°This is the sword.¡± She looked upon the lunar blade that had once entrapped her. She could feel it reaching out to her through the glass. Calling to her.


    Muse nodded, ¡°It is. Bishop worked hard to understand it. I informed him that when you all came it would leave with you. He made some arrangements and some modifications.¡± Baruch came out with a scabbard marked with odd markings in a spiral pattern down its length. There was an open padlock without a keyhole seemingly made of ruby at its mouth. He approached the case, opened it and slid the blade into it, locking the blade into it with the padlock. Handing it to Zwei, Baruch nodded once before walking away. Muse continued, ¡°Any may carry it safely now. Since it will be some time before you are reunited with your mentor, Sabre will serve as their own form of training until then.¡±


    Hepta demanded, ¡°Why give us all this stuff? The info, supplies, the sword?¡±


    Baruch sighed, ¡°Because we are where you get them from. All of this is as it was meant to be. Cero took a few photos before Muse motioned them all to leave. Baruch explained, ¡°Those who will join will return. The rest will go on their own ways. Return when your hearts have decided.¡±

 Fugue State

    As the two traveled in Pandina¡¯s star craft, she sighed, ¡°You know I¡¯ve installed countless jammers inside and outside the craft, right?¡± Dean continued to work with the wires in the service panel.


    ¡°I¡¯ve noticed. You were very through, but I¡¯m trying to take your warning seriously. So don¡¯t worry just yet.¡± He spoke coldly, clearly not entertaining his usual welcoming approach. ¡°Can you give me any information on your agent?¡±


    She nodded, ¡°His signal is currently coming from a civilian sector. Tetrawen stellar system. That should mean something to you.¡±


    Dean turned in surprise. After a moment, he asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a Shuian system?¡± She smirked at him and he slowly put it together, ¡°So you and your friends made a deal with the Falos to protect the system at the cost of occupation. It¡¯s like the difference between full body paralysis and simply losing your legs.¡±


    ¡°Nothing so pedestrian, but functionally, you are correct.¡± She clarified, ¡°My ally negotiated hard and asked for protection for the planet and to be treated as a colony but assigned legally under his independent governance. It was agreed to provided that he made a point to accomplish a ¡®to-do¡¯ list at a satisfactory rate. More is always added to it but my ally has been doing a good job seeing it done.¡±


    Dean nodded, ¡°A hostage situation. Show them what matters to you and they will put the most pressure there.¡± As they arrived at the planet, he couldn¡¯t help it as his face grew stern. He knew this planet, mostly second hand. He never expected to see it in this state. And unlike the Tak¡¯Nasi homeworld, he couldn¡¯t stay on the ship to avoid the emotional burden. Pandina seemed to respect his quiet reflection. Landing the ship in a clearing in the woods that seemed to close in around them after they finished their descent. ¡°Clever. Despite them clearly being able to identify your craft on entry-¡°


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    She shook her head, ¡°Independent governance means back doors to the IFF docking procedures. This is an off the record landing location that only opens to our agents. Isolated enough so only a handful of people are even aware of the landing. We have to be very discreet in our work.¡± She finished the rest of the docking procedures, disabling the remaining security, and then lowered the docking ramp.


    As the two exited the ship, a rather annoyed but familiar face glared at them, ¡°Please tell me that you have come to talk him out of his little experiment. At least to not do it here.¡±


    Pandina sighed, ¡°Actually, Dr.Colt, he had gone quiet so I came to check on him.¡±


    Dean stared in stunned disbelief at a woman who didn¡¯t seem to recognize him at first. She eventually offered her hand, ¡°Ah, you brought Mister Paddock. I¡¯m glad. I¡¯m sorry I never made it to the Cosmic Patrol. Was too busy keeping everyone healthy and safe under Falos rule. Maybe you can get the man to stop his potential war crimes.¡±


    Dean took her hand, still too stunned to respond. Pandina asked, ¡°What are you on about this time? What could he do that you can¡¯t just trust him on?¡±


    She growled, ¡°That damned Fugue engine he is working on is having a negative effect on the planet and local wildlife! But he says he needs to do it. Won¡¯t elaborate further.¡±


    Dean went pale white at the thought. The Falos were trying to copy the Fugue engine? And on an inhabited planet? He could feel a chill overtake his body. This could only end one of two ways and both were unacceptable.


    Sienna held out a piece of paper that Pandina took and handed to Dean. What he read on it gave Dean his first out of body experience since he first took the Geo stone. A message just for him. One that only meant something to him. An impossible truth that he couldn¡¯t help but accept because this wouldn¡¯t be the first time and he doubted it would be the last.


    The stars shine bright


    On this cold cruel night

 Aggressive Negotiations

    <div>


    Pandina, Sienna, and Dean walked through the town, Dean was unnerved by the sheer amount of Falos Knights at various stages of conversion. What put him more on edge was the lack of Mannequins. There was always a batch of them kicking about and not knowing from where they would strike. Pandina sighed, clearly reading his mind. Sienna instead sympathized. ¡°I don¡¯t care for this many Falos soldiers on the planet either. Who knows when they could turn on us. The Phoenix Emperor insists that he has banned all Mannequin deployments to this planet. Claims he screened each knight deployed here himself. But I don¡¯t trust the people holding his leash.¡±


    Dean nodded, ¡°I still don¡¯t have a good read on him. But I really haven¡¯t gotten a chance to speak with him.¡± He could sense something in the air. Something hostile. Scanning the faces of the people they seemed divided. Some feared his passing. Others glared at him, clearly disgusted with his cooperation with their ¡®government¡¯. Some aggressively ignored his passing, resigned to the life that had been thrust upon them. Still, in all of that, he could see them. The faint glimmers of hope in some. The children lighting up, as if seeing a hero for the first time. Those made him smile, an expression who caused that flame of hope to spread.


    Sienna hid a smile, ¡°You really are the same guy from my flickering memories.¡± She asked pointedly, ¡°Do you know why my memories are incomplete but all scans don¡¯t show any signs of anything lingering beyond them?¡±


    Dean whispered, ¡°Short version, the fearless leader of the Cosmic Patrol made a bad deal to undo some damage he had done. I¡¯m working with some friends to undo it. Maybe getting the cosmos back on track.¡± She looked down putting her brain power into trying to figure out what she should do.


    Pandina weighed in, ¡°If your goal is to return the cosmos to peace, truly, then he and I are your Allies.¡± Dean refused to make eye contact. He needed to confirm the message before he could be certain. As she approached a small house, a few blocks away from the administration building, she pulled the other two into the door way and glanced around the frame. She muttered under her breath, ¡°Corva¡±


    Dean froze solid at the name. He asked, ¡°Corva Sonata? What is she doing out here in the boonies?¡±


    ¡°I suspect she is here to keep things on schedule. Probably the only compromise that the two could come to. Either that or a really misguided attempt to mock him.¡±


    Dean took a deep breath and rounded the corner, walking openly towards her, much to the terror on the face of those who were escorting him. Corva looked at him, her crimson eyes indifferent on the surface but he could feel her attempts to peel back the layers of what him being here meant. He spoke gently, ¡°Greetings, Lady Sonata. Am I to assume you are here on orders from Emperor Visto?¡±


    Her tone was cold and her face expressionless but she addressed him nonetheless, ¡°I am, Special Detective Paddock, here to accompany Vizier Thoumali. He has brought his own specialist to observe a state secret. Has the cosmic patrol received reports concerning enough to risk our alliance?¡±


    He laughed, ¡°Oh, you misunderstand. You experiments are no concern to me. And they can stay that way if you simply help me in my investigation.¡± He locked eyes with her own and the two both smiled faintly. ¡°You see, we have gotten reports that the installed governor has gone dark. Once I have confirmed his health with my own two eyes, I can file my report accordingly and we can all get out of each other¡¯s hair.¡±


    Corva nodded, ¡°I will bring you to a secure waiting room. Vizier Thoumali will be informed of your arrival.¡±


    He clarified, ¡°I do appreciate it. And please inform him that I am expected to report back in regular intervals so if I seem distracted I¡¯m just trying not to worry anyone.¡± Corva nodded and lead him away from those who were accompanying him.


    He knew something was in the air. That he was handing himself into the furnace, but he needed to know. He needed to know what was going on, why he would have gone dark, and what the sentiments within the Falos were. Because if he could get even the slightest cooperation from memories of him alone, things were going to get messy when Doug came back.


    <div>


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    As Dean sat in the ¡®waiting room¡¯, more of a glorified prison cell than anything else, he drank the tea he was provided with a glare of dull disappointment. The searing burn of the acid they had tried to slip him had less flavor than he was used to. They couldn¡¯t even bring out the good stuff for him. So shameful. Then again, when they started pumping air into the room meant to numb his nerves as he was dissolved from the inside, they probably thought the matter was resolved. He wondered if they would run the whole gambit or if they would tire of their pointless attempts to kill him at some point. As yet another Falos Knight in full hazard integration to protect what little organic matter they had left brought him a plate of pastries, he sniffed through the air and sensed the faintest hint of nitroglycerin. Tiring of this stupid game, he took the cookies and threw one at the door to his ¡®waiting room¡¯ stating firmly for the camera, ¡°I¡¯ll be up to see you in a few moments so we can cease these childish games.¡± He began his blind and lost march through the facility when a few attendants tried to stop him.


    He was about the shoulder past them when the Vizier he was supposed to meet with arrived, four mannequins surrounding him. The Vizier glared coldly at the officer and snapped his fingers, ¡°What are you truly here for? Out with it, petty officer.¡±


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    Dean corrected, ¡°Detective. Special Detective Paddock. And I¡¯m just here to get eyes on the governor and make sure he is in good health. The rest of this isn¡¯t worth my mind.¡±


    ¡°Or your career, ensign.¡± Dean was realizing this politician didn¡¯t care who he was but hated he was here. ¡°The governor is fine. You have my word. No please go.¡±


    Dean laughed harmlessly, ¡°Would if I could, doc, but I have to get it from him. So many governors go quiet in your government and we don¡¯t want anyone to put the emperor or our arrangement at risk. So the emperor himself has given us orders that if someone goes quiet we need to put eyes on them.¡±


    ¡°Vizier¡­¡± the politician hissed at him.


    ¡°Nonetheless, champ. I need to see him, cause if I don¡¯t get eyes on him, the captain¡¯s gonna be up my ass about it and send a whole platoon down to scour the planet. And that¡¯s just more paperwork than anyone needs.¡± Dean knew these sorts. They knew their place. More paperwork meant more investigations. More investigations and double checks meant more scrutiny which could only uncover something illegal on the books they want quiet. How many bodies before it was too many to hide? Did he have enough money to bribe the whole platoon? If any word, true or false, got back to Visto III he could risk an execution order on a whim from the mad emperor. Dean could see these thoughts dancing across his mind but also a certainty that Dean could not be allowed to get his way.


    The politician asked very sharply, ¡°What is your price? What will it take to make you leave here?¡±


    Dean smiled his usual soft smile, his tone becoming roundabout, ¡°You know, the problem for me when it comes to Zayan poisons is that they always focus so much on getting the job done that they don¡¯t think much about the flavor. The aroma. Scentless. Bland and tasteless.¡± The Vizier became visibly nervous, ¡°I¡¯m sure that if the Emperor knew of you making any kind of merchant deal with them while he is running a blockade on their systems, he would probably have fun using it to torment you with potential execution.¡± Seeing the politician grow even more nervous, he stated firmly, ¡°I want to see the governor and I want to have a conversation with him. You have my word that, like your assassination attempts, my conversation with him will be left off the record of my final report.¡±


    The Vizier shifted from fear to outrage but Dean could tell it was all impotent. He had tried all of his best tricks and Dean was still here. He had no cards left to play without stirring up a war and they both knew it. Relenting, the Vizier motioned his mannequins to guide Dean to where his quarry lay. Nervous at the killbots surrounding him, he began to follow their directions. The Vizier sneered, ¡°You and that lout are made for each other. Each of you are tactless brutes.¡±


    The machines took Dean on a series of turns through the maze-like facility. Eventually they reached the chamber at the heart of it. When they entered the first thing he saw was the Meteor that the emperor had taken, shining through a massive observation window designed to give the scientists a full view of the specimen. The next thing he noticed was the flying creatures, roughly the size of a human, glaring at or actively testing the integrity of the observation window, clearly not afraid of what should happen if they got in. It was only as his eyes drifted to the flashing panels that he saw them.


    One was a man with a focused demeanor, charcoal hair and scarlet eyes. His bearing was very familiar, as was the look of restrained frustration on his face. His companion was also familiar but it wasn¡¯t until he heard the next sentence that he put their identity together. ¡°I don¡¯t understand the difference. You say living gemstone and I say I turn living people into gemstones. This isn¡¯t hard science.¡±


    Dean¡¯s target spoke firmly, ¡°Yes, it is. This is a hard Pseudo Science and I need you to take it seriously.¡±


    ¡°See! You said Pseudo Science!¡±


    ¡°I say that because it is a different kind of science than you are thinking of so it is a little like science but not quite.¡±


    ¡°Funny, so is my gun that turns people into gemstone.¡±


    ¡°No! That¡¯s Mad Science and as much as I respect your degree it is like hiring a heart surgeon to repair a warship.¡±


    ¡°You know some races use organic components too-¡° Dean punched the man in the back of the head hard enough to knock him out. They had too much to discuss and he didn¡¯t have the time for Professor Treasure.


    Dean gave the agreed upon reply to the message they had planned so long ago. ¡°They must burn brighter even so.¡±


    His target wrapped it up, ¡°Even as the sun hangs low. How have you been, Dean?¡± When Dean narrowed his eyes, the man seemed confused. Realizing, he smiled and shook his head, ¡°Sorry for that. Probably doesn¡¯t help. Just been through a lot.¡±


    Dean sized him up and sighed, ¡°I¡¯m going to assume that you have a reason you haven¡¯t told anyone. Still, weird of you to be working for the Falos.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°Yeah, and I need you to keep quiet about it for a bit longer. But I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here. I¡¯ve been trying to figure out the best way to handle this situation. I tried to be clever by making it a regular high output engine but the Emperor spotted it right away so he moved it here and put me on total communications lock down. Worse yet, he had told every member of the staff that if I leave for any reason they have his permission to take over with my data. Which he and I both know will just cause a meltdown.¡±


    Dean sighed, ¡°Which at this scale would either wipe out the system entirely or lead to the first ever Dark Stellar System.¡±


    He sighed, ¡°If I¡¯m here when a meltdown happens I can contain it. It would still put a crater on this planet that would throw the whole ecosystem out of whack, and probably most of the town they¡¯ve plopped me in the middle of.¡± He ground his teeth and growled, ¡°If it runs crazy, he is going to use it to try and turn public support against Zora. But¡­¡± he seemed deep in thought before he confided in Dean, ¡°I put a manual safety on this prototype. If activated it will prevent a cascade and minimize the damage. I was gambling on my durability, but if you are here I could use you to set it off in a worst case scenario.¡±


    Dean laughed a little and whispered in case there were microphones, ¡°You are absolutely the same maniac as ever. A literal switch on the casing? Do you really think they won¡¯t notice that when replicating your design?¡±


    He smirked, ¡°Same as the fighters. Redesign it so it not only looks integral but also won¡¯t work without it without any clear work around. I even made it look like a firing mechanism.¡±


    Dean shook his head as the smile started to fade. ¡°Wait¡­ but¡­ how long have you been using this identity?¡±


    He sighed, ¡°I¡¯ve been using this moniker and name the entire time. The last twenty years. I didn¡¯t have a choice, but it has been working to my advantage.¡±


    Dean spoke coldly, ¡°We all have a choice. If what you say is true, then everything you have done was only your choice.¡± The lab grew quiet as the two men reflected on the truth to the words.

 Cascade Event

    The two continued to work in silence, Dean too shaken to break the silence. He imagined that after twenty years of working for the most hated emperor in history, his companion was too embarrassed to speak as well. After what felt like an eternity of silence, one of the Mannequins that had escorted Dean fired into the lab, hitting one of the consoles. As the readings began going haywire, the two growled with annoyance. Dean shouted, ¡°Fix the readings! I¡¯ve got the droids!¡±


    As he transformed, charging the killbots, the Vizier spoke over the intercom. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Leithan! I¡¯ve collated your designs, data, and adjustments. Emperor Visto will absolutely love MY new Fugue engines! You are no longer needed!¡± The other three boys joined in the attack, ignoring Dean entirely despite his attacks as they tried to slay the Phoenix Emperor.


    Changing into his armor and holding out two fingers dismissively, he casually waved his fingers with a stream of scarlet flames lashing out at the bots. They seemed to be dodging just barely until Dean landed a few solid blows to destroy them. The meteor began to shine and the metal forming its casing began to glow with warmth. Leithan hissed, ¡°He didn¡¯t just throw off our consoles. He remotely adjusted the levels! It¡¯s cascading!¡± He threw out his hands, a series of golden ethereal chains seeming to form a dome around the meteor. As the area outside the glass was encased in near blinding crimson light, he sighed, ¡°I need you to use the manual override. I¡¯m going to cut through the glass for you. Brace for it!¡±


    He seemed to be straining to contain the energy as he waved his pinky, his fire forming an X shaped mark in the observation glass. Dean charged the glass, shattering it with his shoulder before the force of the energy tossed him back through the air. When he was caught, he mistakenly believed it was Leithan and pushed ahead through the blast coming his way. He pushed through the pain, through the damage done to his armor and the roasting of his flesh like foil wrapped ham, he flipped the switch.


    But this was where the plan failed. Where Leithan¡¯s carefully prepared precaution had finally fallen apart. Between his containment barrier and the Vizier¡¯s changes, the sudden expulsion of energy did not harmlessly discharge into space. Fortunately, it didn¡¯t destroy the planet or create a dark stellar system¡­


    In a massive flash of crimson light, the Tetrawen were gone. Their buildings. Their culture. Their people. Ruins far from the blast site remained, but the plain flat barren ground was all that remained of what had once been a proud people. When Dean got his bearings, he saw one of the more tragic sights he had seen in a long time. Sienna burnt to hell, looking up with a sarcastic smile at Leithan. ¡°I told you this was a bad idea.¡±


    Leithan growled, ¡°You should have stayed home.¡±


    ¡°No. It was better this way. Look around.¡±


    ¡°We can still save you. We can get you to a medical facility.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to become a mannequin. Not even a knight. Besides, dying to save the day is just what heroes do.¡±


    Dean was about to approach when the woman with the silver smile approached Leithan. ¡°Did you think you could have it all? That there wouldn¡¯t be a price?¡± He didn¡¯t respond as the life faded from Sienna¡¯s eyes. ¡°This death was all you. No one and nothing else to blame. And there will be more to come. There is all the rest of your life ahead of you.¡± She walked past Dean with her smile unwavering, ¡°I would offer you a deal, but I doubt that is going to get me what I¡¯m after. But if you ever get desperate enough, let me know.¡± She walked off without another word.


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    Dean looked up at the sky for answers only to see the remains of a frigate falling from orbit. He was confused until he saw Pandina¡¯s craft coming in for a very hot landing. She rushed down the landing ramp and upon seeing Sienna¡¯s corpse she became visibly enraged. Almost primal. She ran faster than Dean could see and tore a tree from the ground. Throwing it to the ground she began decimating it with a flurry of blows until it was little more than splinters.


    Dean joined the pair in their mourning, remembering the many times her other self had helped all of CPD. She was practically an older sister and now she was dead. It was here he realized she had caught him. Had probably been using his body as a shield during the cascade. And now she was a burnt and lifeless husk in a featureless waste.


    ¡ª¡ª


    A few hours had passed, Pandina helping Leithan walk to the craft as the weight of another dead society weighed down his heart. Another tragedy caused by his own actions. Dean didn¡¯t know what to say, but Leithan apparently knew what to do. He pushed a button and sat in front of the comm screens for only a moment before Visto III appeared upon the screen. ¡°You were an amusing trinket, Phoenix Emperor, and you traitorous antics were amusing for a time but turning my son upon me is over the line. You have been excommunicated, traitor.¡±


    ¡°I was turning him against you for fifteen years and you thought it was cute. What changed? You blowing up a planet in your quest for unchallenged power was too much?¡±


    Visto¡¯s tone was furious and full of menace, ¡°You were grooming him to take over my kingdom. Sending him the footage of this¡­ situation¡­ is effectively ordering him to assassinate me and you know that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s his call not-¡°


    ¡°Don¡¯t play games with me! I tire of your foolish-¡°


    Leithan snapped, ¡°That¡¯s all this has ever been between you and me! Games! I could have killed you at any time!¡± He hissed, ¡°And if I had, this never would have happened. But I played nice. I played politics with you and saved your empire from your own idiotic tendencies because your son and your people deserve better.¡±


    Visto snapped back, ¡°This was your fault! Your own incompetence and inability to provide for me a working Fugue engine and inability to keep control over a vizier! If you can¡¯t keep one in check, you have lost your touch and are undeserving of serving my son!¡± The two glared with pure hatred for a few moments before Visto scoffed, ¡°And here I was hopeful when your little pets returned home and reduced it to ruins.¡±


    Leithan¡¯s face went pale, he asked, ¡°They did what?¡±


    Visto laughed tauntingly and asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t know? I thought it was your doing. Especially when it was blamed on Zora and her ilk. I¡¯ve been getting pushback on the cosmic patrol sentencing them to death for terrorism, but I imagine I can see it done.¡±


    Dean ran forward, ¡°They are in custody!?¡±


    Visto laughed at the intruder, ¡°Of course! They allowed themselves to be taken custody for that and the incident with Permiso! Why don¡¯t you take this war criminal into custody while you are their Special Detective?¡± Dean was silent.


    Visto sighed, ¡°I am sorry to lose a minion as reliably competent as you, but you have failed me for the last time, Phoenix Emperor. When the Mannequins eventually slay you, I pray it is a good death.¡± The video screen went blank but Leithan¡¯s face was frozen in horror. Pandina also seemed nervous.


    He spoke coldly, ¡°Dean, I need to make a stop. Can I trust you to be discreet and buy me time at whatever CPD HQ the Ziegfried crew is in? I promise I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    Dean sighed, but nodded. ¡°You have always had good reasons for secrets, but I hope that you can come clean at some point.¡± Leithan sadly nodded as Pandina hugged him around the shoulders as he put in the necessary coordinates.

 Tears of Pierrot

    Gavin sat down across from Reijaa, her cold stare piercing his every word and thought. It was enough to freeze his blood. Still, he rolled up the sleeve on his left arm, revealing his brand. Permiso¡¯s brand. She looked directly at it, her face inscrutable to all but him. ¡°When I left the planet when we were young, it wasn¡¯t just for a tour as a smuggler. I found out once we were in the deep black that I had been hired by Permiso. Most don¡¯t know it but her Pierrot have the harvesting process down to a science. Looking for the lost. The desperate. Those hungry for purpose. Breaking all anchors to their past. Their identity.¡± He rolled his sleeve back down, ¡°By the time you realize what¡¯s going on, there is nowhere to go, no one to turn to, and no turning back.¡± He looked away, having a hard time explaining what happens next. Trying to stay strong, he said what he could, ¡°By the time I got home, trying to leave it behind, vanish into the dark, things had changed. Losing you when I came back felt like she had won. Destroyed everything I am, taken my identity. Killed the man I was becoming.¡±


    Reijaa spoke firmly, ¡°So, when do we kill her?¡± Gavin jolted from the darkness he was falling into. He looked up through tears he hadn¡¯t noticed he was shedding, ¡°Permiso. At what stage of this process do we kill her?¡± Her tone was even and cold, her face as stoic as ever. As Gavin stared at her, she spoke again, ¡°We are already outlaws with the biggest gun in the cosmos. Let¡¯s just go and disintegrate her.¡±


    Gavin stared for a long time before beginning to laugh. A mad laugh. One accompanied by tears as he felt the weight of his scars on his heart. He eventually collected himself and said darkly, ¡°Yeah, but I don¡¯t know where she is. She lives out of a space station. Easier to keep control of her servants. She keeps moving systems to keep any outsiders from ruining her paradise. I don¡¯t even have a place to start the trail from.¡±


    ¡°I have actually been meaning to help with that, young one.¡± Reijaa froze, her own expression mirroring his. He didn¡¯t need to see the visitor to know the voice. She knew him as a myth. A folktale told around the galaxy. She could never understand the terror and joy Gavin was currently feeling. ¡°I knew I remembered you back at the tournament. Hearing your story gives me a better idea of what old Red and Gold was telling me. Seems like he agrees with you.¡±


    Gavin felt the hairs on his neck stand up and he asked carefully, ¡°How did you get on our ship undetected?¡± He played with a few of the tools in his pocket. This was a very dangerous situation. Anything could cause things to get out of hand.


    ¡°Oh, please leave those toys in your pocket before you get yourself hurt.¡± The Moonlighter circled the table, his gleaming blue eyes stealing Gavin¡¯s attention. As the glow slowly began to become the only thing Gavin could see, the gunman continued, ¡°I was invited here. You knew me back there as Irving. One of my many jobs. That said, I¡¯ve cashed in a lot of time off at various jobs for this.¡± He twirled his guns a little for fun and sat down, ¡°And I¡¯m glad I did. I spared you that day and now I¡¯m asking a favor of you. To do a favor for yourself and the cosmos. I¡¯m going to tell you where you all can find her.¡±


    Reijaa remained entranced, clearly his effect on her, unmoved from when she saw him enter. Gavin asked, ¡°And what will you do?¡±


    The Moonlighter laughed, adjusting his hat, ¡°Look, I have been around for longer than you were even a concept. But I know when a predator needs to be removed from an ecosystem.¡± He leaned back in his chair. ¡°Just promise me that no matter what anyone else on the ship says, you will use this cannon when the time comes. Unless you do, I can¡¯t be sure the job is done.¡±


    Gavin smirked a dangerous smirk, ¡°No worries there.¡±


    The Moonlighter laughed, leaning forward in anticipation before feeling cold steel at his neck. Reijaa held a gun barrel at his neck, her tail now covering her eyes as she licked the air. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you could do that, but we will see the job done. Now get off the ship, or I¡¯ll make you regrow your head.¡±


    The Moonlighter laughed. Slipping quickly and smoothly out of her line of fire, making it look as natural as breathing. He returned one of his guns back to its holster, teasing, ¡°This one is a legend and a keeper. Face to face with the Midnight Cowboy and she doesn¡¯t flinch. Back in my partner days I might have dragged you to a few jobs before leaving you holding the bag.¡± He waved as he walked out the door, tossing a drive over his shoulder that landed with eerie precision on the table they were sitting at.


    Reijaa tried to check on Gavin who cleared his throat, ¡°That was the real deal¡­ and we have history.¡± She glared and he motioned to his outfit. ¡°He¡­ he helped me find my way back home. I don¡¯t know who Red and Gold is, but if this is what he says it is, I need to thank that man.¡±


    Reijaa shifted a little and stated firmly, ¡°We will make her suffer. I don¡¯t know what she did to you, but in my family, every scar you give us is another tombstone.¡± Gavin couldn¡¯t help but smile at the woman he adored.


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    Eventually he affirmed, ¡°I have been waiting for this day for a long time. Dreaming of it, whenever the nightmares settle.¡± His smile grew even as his eyes grew cold, ¡°This will honestly be one of the greatest accomplishments of my life¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course it is, and I¡¯ll be coming with.¡± Gavin turned to face Sai who was standing in the doorway. ¡°I¡¯ve got a score to settle with her.¡±


    ¡°No way. This isn¡¯t your fight. All you have is memories.¡±


    Sai laughed bleakly, ¡°Yeah, which is why I can¡¯t let that injustice pass. She may have never done any of it to me, but I know what she must have done to you in grave detail. That means you are stuck with me.¡±


    Gavin sighed eventually realizing something and nodding, ¡°Actually, you might be the perfect person to help with some of this¡­. Reijaa-¡°


    She nodded, ¡°I will speak with the inventor and captain about the situation.¡± When Gavin grew tense, she assured him, ¡°I will be discreet. She needn¡¯t know what our plans are-¡°


    Gavin waved her silent and stated, ¡°There are ways other than the Light of Dawn to purge her evil, but I will need everyone to work with me on this. And that may raise more questions than I am willing to answer.¡±


    Sai waved that away, ¡°Friendo, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. You tell me what you need and I¡¯ll make the case to Cappy.¡± Gavin tried to shake off his distant stare as his memories pressed against his mind. Sai spoke reassuringly, ¡°You don¡¯t have to let what happened effect today. Let¡¯s make it a point to save everyone we can and close this chapter.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Tak shook her head sadly at the request, ¡°Sai, I wish we could, but I just got a signal from my homeworld. It is a high priority channel. I have to go back.¡± The look of distress on her face made clear to him this wasn¡¯t optional. The thought caused a pall to fall over his face.


    Gavin sighed, ¡°That¡¯s fine, I guess. I can make it work with just us and a few of the volunteers we picked up.¡± The captain raised a brow at him and Katsi huffed, both clearly with an impression of the situation. Gavin stated firmly, ¡°This is our one chance to eliminate her and save countless people from her. You have heard rumors, I¡¯m sure and none of them even scratch the surface of what she does every day.¡±


    ¡°I understand, but are you really going to prioritize a personal vendetta over saving a planet? That seems like you need to check your priorities.¡± Anisa sighed, ¡°I would rather we deal with this out of place mass recall that appears to be going on. I¡¯ve never heard of anything like this and every comms array in the cosmos seems to agree.¡±


    Sai nodded, ¡°Yeah, I can imagine. I¡¯ve only ever heard of it once before and it lead to the extinction of the species.¡± Tak froze at this idea and Sai nodded, ¡°Yeah. So I can understand but I mean it when I say Permiso is worse than you could ever know and her agents sow political unrest and mass death everywhere they go. And every day she conditions and releases more of them. We need to take this chance because we may not get another.¡±


    Katsi spat back, ¡°You are really going to compare some criminal to geno-¡°


    Gavin cut them off, pulling his hat in front of his eyes as he shouted, ¡°She violated me!¡± When that settled in, he continued just as furious, ¡°She kidnapped me, drugged me, bent me into her puppet and conditioned me to celebrate the brutality and horror she demanded I do to others. She forced herself on my body when I was too shattered and broken to know my own name. She doesn¡¯t commit genocide because she believes it is too quick and lacks art.¡± The room chilled, he said quietly, ¡°She is a false goddess and I will deal her a death blow for all she has cast into darkness. You don¡¯t have to come, but you have no concept of the evil she represents. I mourn for a potential loss of a planet, but I cannot ignore what I know IS happening and I can¡¯t walk away when I finally know how to stop it.¡±


    The crew was the quietest they had been since they first fired The Light of Dawn. Those who had not been there before now sharing in the heavy silence. Eventually, Pine¡¯s synthetic voice broke the silence, ¡°You shall not. And neither can I.¡± He walked up to Gavin and did an oddly ceremonial bow. Gavin patted him on the shoulder and nodded, acknowledging his comfort and company.


    Sai held up a finger in realization. ¡°I have been working an idea that could help everyone. It will take a couple days to finish it though.¡±


    Gavin nodded, ¡°I need Katsi to help Reijaa and I with some aspects of the plan anyway. We will leave when he is done.¡±


    Katsi was having a hard time looking at Gavin, not sure to process what she had heard. She wanted to talk with him. Try to heal it and make him feel better. But she couldn¡¯t find the words. Gavin seemed to understand, but he just patted her on the shoulder. They could discuss this when he got back.

 The Grim Approach

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    As they approached the space station she had twisted into her center of ¡®worship¡¯ the sensors showed many defensive emplacements zeroing in on them. Still they maintained course. Even as the weapons primed they made no adjustments to their path. As shots, both plasma and metal stakes were fired within measured inches of their hull, they did nothing to change course. The message Sai sent was simple. ¡°Gavin Thalheed seeks an audience with the goddess.¡±


    Approaching one of the hangers without slowing, the doors snapped open at the last moment and snapped shut so fast their thursters heated the door a little behind them as they finished their approach. As they landed, a loose assortment of Pierrot came to the landing bay to meet him. Gavin stepped out, a series of ¡®offerings¡¯ cuffed behind him, all those from the tournament save for one. This one seemed to be a mountain of a man, his skin seeming to shift into snake scales at various joints. His eyes were violent and intense.


    After some time, a new Pierrot stepped out from the bay doors. Gavin had not seen him before but he knew the sort. His cold empty eyes were as familiar to him as his own face in a mirror. The man inspected the ¡®sacrifices¡¯ and motioned some of the Pierrot onto the ship. ¡°She appreciates the gifts. She wants you to hear her thanks in person. But she did say that you shouldn¡¯t play coy. That she would love to become familiar with Reijaa now that you have brought her in person.¡± There was a loud bang of metal on metal before the sound of crunching bones and shotgun blasts. He smirked, ¡°I can see why. She serves the goddess well.¡± As the gold and purple snake slithered past Gavin, he didn¡¯t make a move. The mass of Pierrot closed in around her, but between her powerful tail and shotgun she seemed to be making good progress. The man sighed, ¡°It looks like she is making her way up to Lady Permiso on her own. I hope their conversation goes well. More will come to take these men to their chambers, or will use the hanger turrets to massacre them. Your bot will stay here and we will screen you for anything out of the ordinary for you. Permiso told us not to worry about it but killing us for caution would be a glorious reward.¡±


    Gavin nodded, walking away from the throngs and stepping once more into Permiso¡¯s embrace. Uncertainty filled him, despite his grim determination. His heart became a heavy stone as he walked into the open maw of death itself.


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    Gavin¡¯s escort seemed to be awestruck. He applauded, ¡°That was art. Truly every inch the craftsman she claimed. No hesitation and a clean painless kill.¡± He spoke with a measure of reverence, ¡°I am called Roland. I have served our Lady for the last few solar rotations. Much too long. I was worried you had returned with ulterior motives, but perhaps your arrival means the end of my service, at last.¡±


    Gavin spoke coldly, ¡°No. Your instincts were correct. I have come to end her false beliefs. If you intend to kill me for my heresy, you are welcome to try.¡± Roland looked him up and down, as if trying to figure out how serious he was. Despite his cold intensity, Roland still ended up laughing at him. That made sense. If someone told you they had come to kill god while bringing sacrifices to the altar, it would only be natural to find it ludicrous. Still, it remained his course.


    As they traveled the halls were filled with the sounds of moans and screams. Whether they were in terror or joy, real or artificially looped, was unclear. As he took a deep breath of the chemicals she always pumped through the air, he remembered this feeling. The lines between the real and imagined becoming more of a suggestion than a certainty. The warmth filling his body a false and empty sense of euphoria. He knew they would try to make the sensation more intense as he got closer to her. It was all smoke and mirrors. He felt the bracer on his left arm spark, the heat burning him some as the air briefly smelt of burnt hair. Almost refreshing compared to the coppery smell of blood and rotting flesh. Still, as he felt the drugs she pumped through the vents taking effect, he felt his mouth begin to water some from the smell of copper. He was worried at first until he felt the wave of nausea behind it. He restrained the sensation, but a smile crossed his face. A satisfied smile that he saw Roland smirking at. He had no idea.


    As they walked through the central courtyard of her ¡®recreation sector¡¯ home of her ¡®Temple of Mortal Release¡¯, he saw how empty it was. A haunting vision to those who didn¡¯t know what purpose it served. To them it was the maw of the beast where the ¡®goddess¡¯ would gorge her appetite. Empty store fronts that were nothing but scenery for her games. As they entered her ¡®temple¡¯ and ascended her grand staircase, he felt it even now. His breathing hastened and his pulse quickened and a layer of dread weighed down his heart.


    Roland opened the door and stepped in. ¡°Lady Permiso, he has arrived.¡±


    Gavin entered chilled by the familiar vision from his past. Permiso lounged on her bed next to her spent victim. The young man¡¯s eyes were distant and glassy, his breath sharp and borderline frantic. She smiled a soft and warm smile before drawing a large curved knife from under the covers. Her aim was true and swift. As the knife passed through both arteries and his windpipe, his blank expression became one of bewilderment before the light slowly faded from his eyes. As his vital essence poured out, she licked her lips and softly held one of his cheeks in her hand. Once his light had completely faded, her hungry eyes turned to Gavin, drinking in his essence with just a glance.


    She got out and hugged him, her hand still covered in her victim¡¯s blood. She kissed him deeply, despite his lack of response, her tongue tasting of copper. Her voice was rich and enticing, ¡°Hello, my dear Gavy. I¡¯ve missed you.¡± Her sultry eyes doing nothing to hide the predator before him and nothing to make him doubt what he must do.

 Wild by Nature

    Yelana¡¯s ethics spoke of dark times as these. She spoke of the hunger of nature and how one must hunt as a predator to hunt the predator. Such things were neither for life nor death but for nature. One could be no more responsible for their prey than they were for the way the winds blow. As he was thrown into a small dark room, his world grew quiet beyond reason. Beyond sanity. He continued to empty himself as he felt an odd humidity fill the room, difficult to breathe and filling his body with a saturating warmth. When the humidity saturated his body and mind, he felt his spirit retreating.


    Eventually, the walls began to shine with an odd crimson light before eventually going dark again. The pulsing was slow at first, seeming to synchronize with his heart rate. The more it pulsed the louder his heart seemed to grow and the faster they would flash. He closed his eyes to block it out but the lights just seemed to grow in intensity. Forcing its rhythm into his awareness. It felt like an eternity, ceaseless and oddly without rhythm. He couldn¡¯t tell how long it had been but he could not allow that to shatter him. Eventually the pulsing faded into naught but white noise and he felt his awareness slip away.


    The wolf pondered his odd cage, pawing at the walls as he wrenched his eyes into a glower. A voice spoke to him. ¡®This room is your grave. Your life is mine, in life and in death. All is by my mercy. If you wish to repay my mercy, I require blood. Sacrifice on my altar and receive my mercy.¡¯ The wall fell away and the wolf fell forward into a crimson sea. He felt Yelana¡¯s hand at the nape of his neck, the silent goddess reassuring the beast as the pack of monsters growled and snapped. Beasts all seeking blood. Yelana¡¯s eyes looked with pity upon her children. Gazing upon the noble wolf, she released his coat and turned away.


    As the monsters approached, he was without hesitation. Thick scales like iron met his hand but his grip crushed the pipe beneath before his thumbs were jammed deep into the sockets of his prey. Binds lashed out from the crimson tide, but they were torn off, and the knot binding them was torn asunder. Another monster sought to strike him, a firm bite to his shoulder barely abated by his scales. Swinging his arm back, he encased the neck of his attacker and wrenched his neck until it snapped. As new monsters came into the room, he lunged and pulled their head into the pool of red he now stood in. He crushed their spine with a heavy stomp and was ready to strike at the next wave until a sharp pain spread through his back. He turned to see one of the monsters had jammed a sizable blade between his ribs.


    The smirk the Beast wore was of Satisfaction. Of glee at the carnage and death. Yelana¡¯s fury filled the wolf as he grabbed the monster¡¯s throat and snapped it with one hand. Still, the monster smiled. Even in death his hunger had been endless. The wolf began to feel his limbs grow heavy, his crazed mind began to fade into the blackness.


    Yelana watched the wolf fall to the ground, her moon high above her. She knelt down and rubbed his tired head. Such was nature. Neither cruel nor kind. Life nor death. So too was what he had done.


    When he awoke he was in another of these barless cages. Walls flush with no clear door. He felt Yelana¡¯s hand upon his muzzle. She inspected him and his eyes, her own reflecting his. He could taste the air, smell the dried blood, and hear the screams of those who no longer were. Ghosts of monsters feasting upon their own corpses.


    He sniffed about the room, eventually discovering freshly butchered meat in his bowl. He pondered it for a moment but a few sniffs put him off the tainted meat. He would feast upon the next monster to cross his path instead. Yelana grasped the nape of his neck once more, guiding him back to the meat. All things are as nature. He must feast upon his hunt, for who knew when next his prey may appear. He would need his strength. As he chewed past the taint, he felt the warmth spread from his jaws down to his haunches. He did not meditate on his meal beyond this. Flavor and substance mattered less than a full belly for the next hunt. Yelana¡¯s rage would suffice for these abominations. He was but a wolf in her pack, surviving among his prey.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Gavin was a statue, much to her amusement. She was hoping for a response but even nothing is some kind of reaction. Especially when it is so absolute and stalwart. A challenge for her to break, irresistible to the goddess. Holding up the bracer that he didn¡¯t feel her remove she smiled teasingly and tossed it away. Walking back to her bed seductively, she tossed his emergency transformation device in her palm. She looked it over as she explained, ¡°Di¡¯saa was simply asking for my mercy after killing his own sister in my name. Soulshattering. So, I blessed my bed with his blood for our reunification. I hope my precious little Gavy hasn¡¯t forgotten himself behind that Alabaster mask you put on for Heais.¡±


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    Gavin shook his head, leaning against the far wall. His stomach was churning and his balance weakened. She knew, but she couldn¡¯t truly know. Every parting glance she sent his way caused his breathing to quicken and his heart to stop. Speaking as effortlessly as always, Gavin shook his head. ¡°I could never forget your whispers in my ear. The feeling of your kiss on my cheek after my first kill. The drugs you pumped through my veins so you could have your way with me. How you tried to erase who I am and what matters to me¡­¡±


    She didn¡¯t look at or even acknowledge his rant. Not a hint of remorse, concern, or even belief. He may as well have been describing a bird he had seen since they had last met for all it mattered to her. As he petered off she placed his emergency device to the side and asked, ¡°Is your tantrum finished? Did reciting that in the mirror every night make any difference?¡± When he was silent she shook her head to answer for him. ¡°No. It did not. Wear any mask you want, you will still be my little Gavy.¡±


    He drew his knife from his sleeve again, approaching her with it, the tip of his blade ever so slightly piercing the flesh of her neck. Her eyes lit up with excitement which chilled him to the bone. She grabbed his hand softly, but her grip was inescapable. She pushed the blade a bit deeper into her neck as she stood from the bed. Drinking in his fury, her smile could barely hide the drool escaping the corner of her mouth. He tried to muster words, to keep this mask on, but he could see her tunneling her way past it. Piercing into the dark memories he preferred to keep buried deep within.


    She whispered in his ear, ¡°There he is. The natural born predator. The cornered animal who would do anything to survive. Scared. Desperate. Hungry. You remember now how I saved you?¡± His blade still biting her neck, she wrapped her lips around his neck, her kisses chilling his blood, his hands shaking and his knees shuddering. Eventually, his grip faltered, as did his balance. As he fell hard to the floor, she sat on his chest, an elated smile on her face. She leaned down and pressed the wound on her neck onto his mouth, forcing him to taste her blood. The taste felt like fire in his mind, spreading and burning everything away but his nausea and fear.


    Panic gripped him as he remembered this sensation. She leaned back, smacking his face few times in sadistic glee. She whispered in his ear as his body began to drift beyond him, ¡°You talk too much, Gavy. You need to let go. Stop lying and come back to me, my dear precious Gavy.¡± A haze overtook his mind as whatever drug she had slipped him in that kiss began taking full effect. Grabbing his fallen blade, she ran it along his leg for a bit, as if tracing his veins by memory. Piercing his calf through with it, the searing pain broke through the fog. He tried to remain strong. This only invited her to try again. Same calf, same tracing, but a new wound. Again the agony shattered the cloud. Again, he fought it.


    Leaving the blade sheathed in his leg, she whispered in his ear again, ¡°You know, I¡¯m so glad that I finally got to meet her.¡± His eyes snapped in anger despite the disconnect from his body. ¡°Reijaa truly was a wonderful agent of my will. So many died so beautifully at her hands. You truly have wonderful taste in women, my dear Gavy.¡± Her hands ran their way across his chest, as she seemed to be checking him for any new scars or markings. She sighed in disappointment, clearly expecting more. She looked into his furious eyes, but her own had grown dark. Perhaps even agitated. She motioned the Pierrot to lift him, removing herself from him gracefully.


    She motioned to the bed, the two carriers tossing him unceremoniously onto it. The smell of blood and the taste of copper nearly made him vomit, but the drugs were too powerful. She crawled onto him, her sad eyes almost seeming mournful. She spoke softly and fondly to him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I hurt you, Gavy. I just remembered the way things were. You would beg me to hurt you like that before. You found it exciting to be on the edge of my knife. So close to my greatest blessing, to dying beautiful in my arms.¡± She cradled his head in her bloodied hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry the world has cost you so much joy. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll fix it for you. Wait right here and rest. I won¡¯t be long.¡± He watched her rush off as if she was getting medicine for the sick. And sick he was, immersed in the scent of blood and the sound of every lie she used to make him believe.

 A Blessed Gift

    The wolf rested within his cage, Yelana¡¯s hand firm upon his shoulders. The walls of this cell seemed to illuminate with bright blue light whenever his eyes would close, the tainted meat dulling the sound that would blare around him. Sleep was no necessary part of rest to the wolf. If their goal was to rob him of that, they were mistaken. Eventually, the cage would open, and three beasts would enter his domain. He pondered if they were monsters, but their appearance was little different than his own. Neither hungry for blood nor driven by madness. Still, Yelana¡¯s hand was removed without clear direction.


    He approached the beasts, trying to examine their scent. Despite the stench of blood about them, he didn¡¯t smell anything special about these individuals. They seemed to be investigating him as well, curious as to the wolf¡¯s nature in kind. It was only when he felt cold metal encase his arm that the wolf realized they only wondered why their prey did not fight or run. His arms completely encased behind his back, the hunters revealed their gleaming blades and began their work. Tooth and claw of a monster, the got to work on him. Repeated punctures, strikes intended to shatter bone and rattle the mind, and even exploratory slices of his scales to see if they could be lifted. He fought as hard as he could, knocking tooth and blood to the floor. Headbutts and kicks, but restrained and unarmed he was easy victim to these trained killers.


    They left him battered, bound, and broken in that cell. The wolf looked at Yelana, wondering why she would allow this to pass. Her answer was to run her hands through his fur to examine the wounds and to soothe his pain. Soon, meat encased in cold steel came and began to tend to his wounds. He could not tell what to make of them. He could smell their meat and blood as if it was in open air, but he saw neither. He could sense fear and agony, but their movements were cold and mechanical. These dolls sealed his wounds with heated blades and rubbed an ointment on his skin which seemed to return numbness to his body after the beating he had received.


    His instincts could not sort out the conflicting information that they were receiving. Yelana¡¯s hand rested firmly on his muzzle, holding it closed as they worked, his body tensing only as the blades burned his wounds closed. Wrenching his body as though to bite them in half, he felt Yelana holding him back. When they had finished their work, the dolls waited by the door. The panels upon which they stood opened and they fell, the smell of ash and burning meat rising up shortly afterwards. The floor panels snapped closed and the smell vanished with them.


    The wolf found himself sniffing around where they fell, concerned for their plight, but Yelana¡¯s hand pulled him back by the scruff of his neck. This was nature. Life and death were simply results. One could only ever control what they did to avoid oblivion. At times as these, others are of little concern as long as survival was necessary. The wolf returned to his rest, his numb and damaged body stumbling in its effort to do so. Exhausted from the endeavor, he now found irritation at the lack of sleep. But rest would not escape him.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Gavin was alone with his misery, the pain becoming a dull throb in his leg. He felt his heart closing in on itself, as though he was chained here to this bed. His ship felt entire planets away and he knew that there would be no rescue. That his freedom was dependent on himself, and he wasn¡¯t sure if he had the strength to make it happen. Still, testing his limbs, he felt his left hand begin to open and close. He could feel his ice cold breath coming in and out of his body. When the ¡®goddess¡¯ returned, he did all he could to hide his recovery.


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    She mounted him again, smacking him a few times in case he was drifting and leaned forward with soft loving smile that from her filled him with dread. She teased, ¡°Oh, Gavy. You will love this. Reijaa was a total gem and made a gift for you. Straight from the heart and by her own hands.¡±


    He again found the cold dread filling his heart. One of the eventualities he had planned for had potentially come to pass. His sweat was like ice water on his skin. Permiso injected him with a needle, his blood beginning to boil, his skin beginning to itch, and his jaw clenched. He grabbed her by the throat, provoking a purr of approval from her as her eyes sparkled with wonder. She whispered past his grip, ¡°So eager¡­ I knew you were there¡­¡±


    He released the hold after a few moments, disgusted with himself for being baited this way. He swallowed down his dread as his eyes drifted back up to see what he feared most. Before him stood a golden gynoid, serpentine eyes staring helplessly back at him. Its arms were outstretched and in its hands was a snakeskin jacket. The scales were a familiar pattern of purple and gold. Permiso took the jacket from it and put his arms through the sleeves of it before running her hands along his shoulders seductively. She said reluctantly, ¡°I have to admit. It is rather fetching. You can carry her with you everywhere you go while thinking of me.¡± She then kissed his cheek and asked, ¡°So, how do you thank her for this gift she put her all into?¡±


    Gavin walked up to the gynoid and kicked one of the legs so hard at the joint that it cracked and blood started to pour out. He sighed with a measure of relief, much to Permiso¡¯s confusion. He stated firmly, ¡°I know you well enough by now. But trying to fool me with a fake jacket and a paint job is just cruel.¡±


    Her smile grew but there was something darker behind her eyes. Something angry. She taunted, ¡°As was you shattering that poor girl¡¯s legs simply to test your theory. The jacket, however is very real.¡±


    Gavin pulled a sizable knife from his boot and jammed it into the head of the gynoid, as her blood poured out he growled, ¡°Real or not, the torture you inflict is sadistic.¡±


    Her voice grew dismissive, ¡°And your murder is my mercy. A release from their pain by your own power in my name.¡± She feigned a lack of interest as she returned to the bed. ¡°Are you truly wasting your ever dwindling time before release on such petty semantics?¡± She was right. He was wasting his time on the stage. It wouldn¡¯t be much longer until the inevitable. ¡°How about we enjoy one more blood feast before I bestow my blessing upon you one last time?¡±


    He smiled in a way that she was uncertain of how to interpret it. ¡°There is nothing I would love more.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too thirsty. It is all from the survivors of the batch of sacrifices you brought me. You might recognize their faces in the brief moments before they are distorted in hunger and agonizing death.¡±


    He laughed a dark laugh that seemed to give her the chills. She wrapped her arms around one of his as they walked to the observation glass. ¡°I missed you, Gavy. Welcome home.¡± He was sure she was going to try and drug him again, but he didn¡¯t care. It was almost time. All he had to do now was wait, having the luxury for the first time in these walls of hoping for the health of others.

 The Blood Feast

    The wolf was pulled from his cage, Yelana¡¯s hand soothing him as his aching body and faint mind moved through the brutal domain of the monsters, like he was naught but a cub. His arms still bound and their hunger clear. Regardless, he knew what must come next. If they intended to make a feast of him then there is only survival or oblivion. One look into the eyes of the goddess of nature reaffirmed the truth. There was truly only survival. Gentle was her hand on the predator, but cold was the truth she offered to her children. Unrelenting and absolute. He was battered, broken, drugged, and restrained, but nature did not care there is only the blood red moon.


    As they dragged the wolf into a savanna of abandoned stone, he saw the monsters gather around him. Some were bound like him, far too lost to be a part of his pack. The rest encircled them like hungry vultures, some bearing firearms and others carrying impractical cutting tools clearly to relish the kill. He looked up and saw her. The brood mother corrupting Ventari¡¯s blessing. Yelana released her grip on the wolf and nodded, knowing he knew what must be done.


    Up in her bedroom, Permiso smirked at the scathing appraisal of the situation, she laughed, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I know you were expecting my usual blood bowl, but I¡¯ve had you figured out from the moment you got here, Gavy. The same sneaky underhanded monster you have always been.¡± His brow furrowed and his face went pale. She circled to the front of him to savor this expression. The pale white mask that he wore to hide the cornered animal he was becoming. ¡°You bring me gifts that you believe you can poison, but you forget that the greatest mercy I offer is to remove them entirely.¡±


    Gavin watched nervously as he saw just how few of his offered prisoners had survived the initiation, each one restrained behind their back with metal casings that encased from their hands to their biceps. They were each battered and scarred from the conditioning and none of them looked like they were in their sane mind. As his eyes locked with Pine¡¯s he felt a horrendous wave of guilt. He had thrown this young man into her madness and her world. A man whose home he had helped destroy. How was he any different than her. Destroying someone¡¯s past to make them into your tool.


    As his eyes drifted to his feet in shame, Permiso cradled his chin and lifted his face to look at his, her glee in his demoralization sickening. She laughed, ¡°My precious Gavy remembers who he is now.¡± She kissed his cheek, her hands exploring his chest as she felt his breathing shift, This was the version of him only she ever got to know. That only she could truly love. A broken and horrid man who knew only betrayal and death. Who knew what true loss was and the freedom it could provide. She whispered, ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them now. Free you from the guilt of your betrayal. Once their blood is spilt, your goddess will forgive you and grant you release.¡±


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    The monsters raised their guns and seemed ready to strike. That was their first mistake. The wolf felt his body warm and his pain vanish. His senses heightened just a little, but it would be enough. There was no alternative. He kicked one of the bound monsters into the hunters a large distance away. While all of them were caught slightly unaware, he dove into the fountain in the middle of the square. Firing out of instinct, the resulting lightshow and bloodshed was enough of a distraction for him to run for a storefront. One of the gunmen saw him running and began to fire at his back as he ran. He was fortunate. A few shots made successful contact with him, one to the back of the leg and another to his shoulder, but the rest were either grazes or had hit the shackles on his arms. Sliding across the floor as he fell, he put everything he had into bending the restraints while they were still warm. The burning metal seared his flesh some as he broke free, but he was able to remove one arm and then another, diving behind a counter before the gunman could get a clear sight line again.


    Gavin watched in confusion as these events unfolded, and as his excitement peaked, Permiso¡¯s fury grew. What could possibly be going on that could make him light up this way. Looking at the bloodshed, she was pleased until she saw one of her hunters walking into one of the storefronts only to see his body tossed out like a lifeless doll moments later, his gun missing. When the other hunters saw this and began to fan out, she watched the scaled man from before leave through one of the windows and hobble his way around the back.


    It looked like he was trying to flank the men at first, but it was becoming increasingly clear to her eyes that he was about to be cornered. Then she saw something odd. He was sniffing the air like an animal and then quietly hid himself behind one of the doors on the back of a different building. As soon as the guard was within twenty feet of the door, the man opened it gently so it wouldn¡¯t hit anything but so he could still leave quickly. Despite his obvious injury, he closed the distance on her Pierrot in less than a moment and swung the rifle with such precision and power that it killed him almost instantly. When the dead man¡¯s partner noticed what had happened and tried to turn his gun, it was already too late. The killer had wrapped his leg around the gunman¡¯s throat and with a single leap crushed his neck completely. Taking the guns from each of the fallen, he circled to the unpatrolled far side of the courtyard. She pushed a button to seal the courtyard completely so that this hunt didn¡¯t end too soon.


    ¡°You may have found me a beautiful treasure, Gavy. I appreciate this new Pierrot. He seems like a stallion.¡± Permiso cooed as she watched the hunter in action.


    The wolf could smell little in the air over the blood of the fallen, but their attire was far too loud. Every shuffle of fabric and plate. Every telltale clack of their equipment. Why were they so loud? Overzealous for death. Disgusting in every sense. The wolf didn¡¯t know what to do with these things. They were cold and hard to consider, but there was enough familiarity somewhere in his instincts to see their use. Seeing one of the monsters in the distance, he compensated for drop off and fired, missing his shot but signalling his location. Whatever these were, they were not something he was adjusted to. Dropping it out of his hand, he moved quickly to a good vantage point on where he had just fired from, lurking and hunting these monstrous corruptions of his beliefs.

 The Fall of the Goddess

    Permiso watched Pine¡¯s hunt with genuine interest while Gavin felt his heart fall to the pit of his stomach. He had handed Pine to her and now he was feeding her bloodlust. He watched Pine smash a skull in with the butt of the stolen rifle, turning to bash another Pierrot before one of the assassins jumped down from above to restrain him. He flipped forward and landed on his back, kicking two more as he tried to remove his current assailant. He fought like a feral beast. It was so vicious that when the lights turned green, Gavin felt like a sudden arctic breeze had just passed through. He turned to look at the monitors and as he saw it his regret and darkness formed a dense pit of vile hatred that couldn¡¯t help but escape as laughter.


    The lights changing was enough to distract Permiso as well, Gavin¡¯s laughter causing her patience with him to end. She jammed a knife under his ribs, piercing one of his lungs. Pulling the blade free, she went over to her announcement system and said, ¡°Kill everyone who bears not my brand.¡± When she finished she realized that the comms weren¡¯t working. Annoyed she tried manual override but even that didn¡¯t seem to be working. She was confused as that was supposed to be hard wired.


    She froze when she saw what was now playing on every monitor around the station. The video was an old one she thought she had deleted. It was dark, but clearly her. She was bleeding from multiple cuts, her clothes torn, her sobs overpowering her broken laughter. She had brands back then that she had since removed. She looked no different than the way she remembered the True Gavin. She started to laugh, her arrogance masking her fury poorly, ¡°Do you really think I care? That I can feel guilt? Shame?¡± She kicked the smirking Gavin, ¡°I am the goddess here and your petty attempts to ¡®appeal¡¯ to me are a joke.¡±


    Gavin shook his head, the foam in his stab wound making her realize he had been palming a medical kit when she came. He said with satisfaction, ¡°Why would I waste my time on you? I¡¯ve seen what you can do. If I wanted to put you to death, I had to kill you like any other false religion¡­¡±


    She grabbed him by the neck, sneering, ¡°And how can you do that? How can one man kill a goddess?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. But I¡¯ve introduced a poison you can¡¯t stop.¡± He laughed, ¡°Doubt.¡± She tried to understand what he was saying. ¡°You have placed yourself as a goddess with the power of life and death. But now they and everyone else has seen that you are just like everyone else. Weak, scared¡­ a mortal.¡±


    Reijaa dropped from a vent in the courtyard, restraining one of the hunters and vomited. She sifted through the bile swiftly and tossed Vittivici¡¯s Bane to Pine. The wolf held the pendant tentatively and with confusion before Yelana placed the pendant on his neck. She whispered something to the gem and vanished like she was made of mist, a purple light enveloping the wolf.


    The wolf opened his eyes, Pine putting his hand on its neck, thanking it for keeping him alive. As the device on the back of the pendant lit up for a moment, he could feel the darkness encroaching around his heart, but it swiftly washed away. The Ventari passed him over and he was relieved. Seeing the corpses the wolf had left behind, he readied himself for the hunters that remained, Reijaa dragging one swiftly into the shadows. ¡°Life is precious. Do not throw it away at my feet.¡± The hunters did not listen, much to Pine¡¯s regret.


    Permiso shouted at him, crushing his windpipe, ¡°This is my temple! You believe you can walk out of it alive?¡±


    He shook his head, filling her with confusion and disgust before tossing him into her bed. He smirked, ¡°It¡¯s too late now, Permiso. They¡¯ve seen it. Doubt will spread. Even if you kill me here, your descent is decided. But there is a way to avoid it.¡± He tossed her a small device with a single button on it, ¡°There is no greater blessing than to die beautiful at your hands, right?¡±


    She looked at it, the full realization sinking in as she noticed his friends making their way towards her temple. She pushed the button to open the shutters, but there were no Pierrot running to her aid. Knowing him, this would decimate her station and anyone left in it.


    Sai spoke on the overhead, ¡°I¡¯ve hacked your systems and locked all the hangers. You push that and it all ends.¡± She walked over to the monitor to double check and she could see he wasn¡¯t lying. She was completely locked out. But she had administrative access locked to just her terminal. How did they do it? Sai laughed, ¡°I didn¡¯t think Katsi¡¯s idea of a tazer bracer made sense, but she was right. You didn¡¯t think twice about letting me hang out on the floor until it was too late.¡±


    She looked at the bracer and noticed the once vibrant green gem had gone dark. She turned again and there was a blood trail arriving and quickly leaving her temple. She watched as Gavin was carried by the snake woman. Permiso paused and then began to laugh. She punched the glass and cracked it but she continued to laugh. Her laugh echoed through the halls of the entire station, like the wails of the damned.


    Reijaa swore under her breath at Gavin in her native language, clearly worried about his wounds. He laughed through his damaged throat, raspy and gruff but somehow still confident. ¡°Awwww, you missed me.¡± She allowed his humor to break her stress, but her mind stayed focused on getting him to the ship as soon as possible. The laughter echoing in the halls was haunting. Whatever it is that Permiso felt, the bloodlust overshadowed it completely. As she navigated, Pine took the lead in clearing a path. Any stray victims who had no sanity left or any spare Dolls following their programming to kill any wanderers. His strikes were clean and efficient, escaping this station alive being his only goal and focus.


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    As they began to leave, Sai said on the overhead, ¡°Um, guys¡­ you need to start moving even faster.¡± Gavin was fading in and out of awareness and Reijaa worried that¡¯s what Sai was talking about. The station that had been rock solid up to this moment, began to lurch. The halls were beginning to fill with the sounds of creaking metal and the halls began to tilt. Sai stated clearly, ¡°She started taking an axe to the internals. Like metaphorically speaking. I mean, she is causing literal damage to the systems, but it might not be an actual axe.¡±


    Gavin exclaimed, ¡°She¡¯s doing what!?!?¡± Spluttering up blood a little afterwards.


    Sai responded annoyed, ¡°Look, buddy! I know you are dying, but she is going to drop us into the the star we have been orbiting. Don¡¯t know if she knows or cares about that, but you have got to go faster.¡±


    Pouring on the steam, Reijaa tore through the halls at the same rate she had before, almost leaving Pine behind entirely. She had known that getting out of this alive was a long shot when they first got here, but now that they were so close, she wasn¡¯t about to let some delusional psycho ruin it all. As she got closer to the hanger, she saw various Pierrot fighting like feral animals. The banter sounded like some had become heretics and others were punishing them for betraying the goddess. So much blood and killing. But she blocked it out. She knocked some them aside powerfully as Pine kicked the door to the hanger out of its frame and across the floor. As the three survivors made their way onto Gavin¡¯s ship, the robotic form of Sai came to life and he finished the takeoff protocols. Firing the engines full force, he cleared the hanger doors and put in calculations for the faster than light jump.


    As he did this, the trio collapsed on the ground, all of them too exhausted to move. A few moments later, Gavin rolled to his knees and slowly got to his feet, stumbling into the co-pilot seat, the drugs finishing leaving his system as the ship rocked suddenly. Checking the sensors, he looked at Sai who, even as a machine, was clearly worried and keeping it to himself.


    The space station fell into the Star and the devices Katsi built started going off, each planted charge creating massive shockwaves through the blackness of space, rocking the ship as they went off, and each blast destabilizing the star. As a solar flare engulfed the station, the star began to go Super Nova. Gavin swallowed hard, smiled and said, ¡°At least we know that we got her¡­ and everyone in this system¡­ and maybe the debris will get some people in the next system over¡­¡±


    Sai stated firmly, ¡°We tell no one.¡± Only for his nav system to start shorting out. ¡°Great. Gonna have to just blind jump for a second.¡± As the edge of the Nova caught the back of Gavin¡¯s ship, their course was altered just slightly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    This is the transcription of the audio from the Cosmic Patrol arrest of Gavin Thalheed and company:


    Officer Rasberyl: Excuse me, sir, are you aware of how fast your robotic chauffeur was traveling?


    GT: Yes, but you see our navigation was damaged while escaping the nova and-


    OR: You mean the nova that destroyed five planets mere moments ago?


    GT: Well, yeah but-


    OR: That¡¯s an interesting situation. Since you were running from it, maybe you know what happened with that?


    GT: Nope. Just happened to be passing through when it happened. Some Space Station just fell out of orbit into the star and-


    OR: So you are saying it was a controlled demolition?


    GT: No I wouldn¡¯t say that.


    OR: How would you describe the descent?


    GT: You know what, I¡¯m not gonna respond to these questions anymore. We got damaged getting to safety. That¡¯s all.


    OR: Well you can say that, but you are wearing a Najaran leather coat. Did you know that making jackets out of the skin of sentient species is highly frowned upon and in fact illegal in this part of space?


    GT: Okay¡­ okay¡­ fair enough, but I have an explanation for this.


    (Unidentified Najaran female): Is that Hasnacht¡¯s Markings?


    GT:*throws jacket on the ground in disgust and is almost instantly tackled by Officer Hranis* What the hell! I can explain!


    OR: That¡¯s fine. We will take you into custody and get our answers there.


    Green robot chauffeur and translator: My true owner is a mute nobleman and he would like to know precisely what¡¯s going on here.


    OR: What¡¯s happening here is your friend is a known terrorist and associate of Zora. Now we would like to take you and your passengers in for polite questioning. If we can¡¯t, we will take you in for associating with said known terrorist.


    GRCT: That sounds wonderful. We would love to cooperate.


    GT: It¡¯s his fault! If he hadn¡¯t thought to plant the explosives on the station I wouldn¡¯t be here! I¡¯m a victim!


    OR: Excuse me sir, what is he talking about?


    GRCT: I have no idea. Check his blood to see if there are drugs in his system. He me might be tripping.


    OR: We will see about that. Officer Hranis will take your ship back to impound while he¡¯s taking the prisoner. You can ride with me and we will go back to the local sector for questioning.

 Behind the Mask

    The major walked into the precinct, waving in greeting to each officer while they maintained a brisk stride. Arriving at the holding cells, they narrowed their eyes at the Special detective from another time. ¡°You summoned me in particular, Paddock?¡±


    The officer nodded, seeming to ignore the dirty looks, ¡°Absolutely, Major Tomas. I am under the impression that the Zora case is under your jurisdiction. I believe that makes you the most qualified to handle the interview.¡± Major Tomas sighed and nodded. Dean reassured, ¡°We have the Falos breathing down our neck for various reasons right now. You are the only one I can count on to resolve this safely.¡±


    Tomas shook her head, ¡°This is petty grunt work. I should be out there in the field. You are-¡°


    ¡°I agree.¡± She froze. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be the one doing this. I¡¯ve seen your record and you are exactly the kind of officer we need out there. But sometimes the greater good requires doing what needs doing and not what we want to be doing.¡± He sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll take your place in the field and on patrols until the case has been resolved.¡±


    She hesitated but asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you doing it?¡±


    His eyes became downcast, ¡°The Falos claim that despite being properly screened and cleared of all wrongdoing that I am a co-conspirator. Can¡¯t go anywhere near the case. The chief gave me permission to pick the officer and I trust you.¡± He walked away, patting her on the back, ¡°Show them true justice, Major.¡±


    She was at a complete loss. This was the same anomaly that Zora had brought into the world. The same officer that aided in her use of the Light of Dawn. Cleared of all wrongdoing and now requesting her? Complimenting her case record? This was so strange. Walking up to the folder on the desk and flipping through it, she paused at one part. ¡°Turned herself in? Accused of genocide? Public execution?¡± Well, that would explain why they brought her. Zora was a criminal, no doubt, but this didn¡¯t match her MO.


    Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Walking back to the interview room, she showed her ID and filled out the proper logs. Entering the room, she looked at Zora¡¯s true face for the first time. Her eyes were distant as though her mind was elsewhere. Upon seeing the officer, a genuine and warm smile crossed her face. Despite the situation, it felt like she had just come to visit Zora in her home for a meal. Sitting down across from her long time prey, Tomas asked, ¡°Are you Zora?¡±


    The woman nodded, ¡°Yes. Anisa Sasori is my given name. You can use whichever you prefer.¡±


    Seeing a chance to keep the prisoner casual and agreeable, Tomas responded, ¡°Thank you, Ms.Sasori. Now, according to my report you and your compatriots were found on the Tak¡¯Nasi homeworld with very few survivors, not a building left standing, and were claiming to have wiped out the Tak¡¯Nasi as a culture. Am I reading this correctly?¡±


    The prisoner nodded, remorse in her voice, ¡°Yes. We may have been defending ourselves, but that was the end result.¡± She looked away, clearly worried about something but Tomas didn¡¯t get the impression it was to hide anything. Tomas snapped a few times and Ms.Sasori nodded, seeming to return to the conversation. ¡°Yes. Thank you. Anyway, I turned myself in to minimize any casualties and to allow the investigation to be conducted in full.¡±


    Tomas couldn¡¯t shake something in that so she pushed it, ¡°Ms.Sasori, you mention casualties. When we last crossed paths, your deadliest weapon was your blaster and the cannon on your ship. You say casualties like it is a certainty that you could have escaped if you chose.¡±


    Zora nodded, her tone matter-of-fact and the welcoming air faded for a moment, ¡°I still could. I am here out of respect for your ideals and a sense of Justice, not as a prisoner.¡±


    Tomas leaned back in her chair, understanding the situation better now, ¡°Alright, Ms.Sasori. Let¡¯s say I believe that boast. Would you be opposed to telling me your side of events? Enlightening me?¡±


    Zora nodded, ¡°You are the one who needs to hear it most.¡±

 Sisters United

    Looking over the coded message again, Anisa and Katsi were very curious as to what it said. Decoding the message, Tak seemed to grow a bit distant. The message on screen was simple:


    Sisters, a crisis looms. Return to the Cradle.


    Tak said firmly, ¡°We need to go back. I know it takes us away from our mission but-¡°


    The Device on her wrist lit up, a projection of a young well groomed man appeared ¡°I am certain the captain doesn¡¯t mind, mother.¡±


    Anisa and Katsi jolted at the projection, especially at what it called her. Tak smiled at the figure and laughed, ¡°Thank you, Tai. But I told you not to eavesdrop on my conversations.¡± He bowed in apology and vanished. She explained, ¡°Tai isn¡¯t complete, but Sai wanted to make him for me. Said that he wanted someone to look out for me when he couldn¡¯t be around.¡±


    Anisa laughed awkwardly, ¡°Oh, so it¡¯s just a UI then?¡±


    Tak laughed softly, ¡°No. He took his behavioral data and let me enter my own to make working with them smoother. Tai was the one who asked if I helped in his creation and decided to call me mom.¡±


    Katsi was clearly having a hard time processing her many feelings about all of this. It was cute but it was too fast. It was endearing but also kinda creepy. Also, did this mean Tak and Sai were an official couple or was this just a romantic gesture that went too far?


    While her younger sister lost her mind to the implications, Anisa pushed the matter, ¡°He isn¡¯t wrong, but why would they send this. What is the crisis?¡±


    ¡°My sisters and I have some answers for that.¡± Katsi and Anisa turned with surprise, Tak noticing a short time later. There was a Tak¡¯Nasi on the bridge with them. She announced, ¡°I am known as Kuntaret. I am sorry for our previous visit here. And for entering unannounced. We knew our sister was here and wanted to make sure she was okay.¡±


    Tak blinked at her fellow clone and asked, ¡°Are you an outlier?¡±


    Tai chimed up again, ¡°Actually, mother, their biometrics read normal. This is a standard Tak¡¯Nasi.¡±


    Kuntaret shook her head, ¡°It is complicated as I can¡¯t really speak for all my sisters for various reasons, but the common factor is we were given a choice and all left the experiment. As for how we got on board, our savior was aware of a flaw in the security of your ship. We let ourselves in to warn you to stay away from the homeworld.¡±


    Katsi swallowed nervously and asked, ¡°You mentioned your previous visit?¡±


    Kuntaret nodded, Anisa growing nervous, ¡°Things were different then. We had not been freed at that stage.¡±


    Tak stood and walked over, hugging her ¡®sister¡¯. After a few confused moments from the visitor, Tak broke the hug and said, ¡°We need to discuss what¡¯s going on so we can protect our sisters. Can you take me to the rest of them?¡± Kuntaret nodded before leaving, motioning Tak to follow.


    When they had left the room Anisa looked at Katsi who felt just as she did. The Sasori sisters were going to have to go for it again. Katsi sighed, ¡°I¡¯ll try using the tunnels that Pine showed me to spy on them. You going to play politician while I¡¯m gone?¡±


    ¡°I can be a good host. I¡¯ll ask some questions while I¡¯m at it and see what I can learn. Let¡¯s get to the heart of this.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Katsi crawled through the service tunnels, not quite as speedy or agile as Pine, but feeling pretty cozy. As she crawled she eventually saw an odd off shoot that opened into a room she didn¡¯t recognize. Next to it she saw an adorable little doodle of a girl with loops in her hair smiling. The text next to it said, ¡®service station¡¯.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Nervous and wondering if Gav had put that mark here when he was building it, she grumbled, ¡°Oh sure, the Service tunnels get signs out the nose but when we are lost in a power outage we have to take wild guesses.¡± She climbed out and found a fully powered vending machine, a fancy coffee machine, and even a liquor cabinet. She shouted, ¡°SHAWN! What the hell?!? This is like a secret ship within the ship!¡±


    ¡°I am thankful for it.¡± Katsi flipped around, a cold sweat overtaking her as bad memories from the last time she was in a secret room with one of the clones. Still, the soft smile soothed the fear somewhat. Realizing this girl looked like the drawing, Katsi began to put things together. ¡°I am sorry for not introducing myself to you all. Sir Leithan told me to keep an eye on you guys in case of emergencies. My name is Trinta.¡±


    Katsi nodded slowly, ¡°I¡¯m Katsi. Nice to meet you.¡± Trinta went up to the vending machine and tapped a few buttons before a steaming bowl of odd looking noodles appeared below. Katsi asked, ¡°Was it your doodle on the wall out there? And how did Pine not find you?¡±


    Trinta nodded as she slurped the noodles happily, eventually saying, ¡°You mean the nice boy with the robot voice? I explained myself to him and asked him to not tell anyone. I¡¯m glad he kept his word.¡± Bothered at the implication that Pine kept a secret from them all, she watched the clone carefully. Trinta didn¡¯t seem to take it personally. She opened a nearby wall panel and pushed a button, the floor opening up so that a terminal covered with countless screens rose up. Each one showing a video feed from a different part of the ship. She pushed a few buttons until a screen became full color and audio from the room began to play.


    Katsi asked, in total disbelief and extreme discomfort with the idea, ¡°Is the entire ship bugged?¡±


    Trinta nodded, ¡°Yep. The man who designed this ship was very paranoid or very controlling. Either way, I have been respectful.¡± Trinta seemed to grow distant and sad, ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to hang out with you all, but Sir Leithan made clear that I needed to watch from a distance for now. Still, Pine would come chat and play games with me sometimes. So it isn¡¯t all bad.¡±


    Katsi sighed, knowing the feeling all too well. Remembering her days alone camping in her Battle Van. Especially after everyone¡­


    She gave Trinta a hug, much to the surprise of the clone. Katsi spoke softly, ¡°I don¡¯t like being spied on, but thank you for watching over us.¡±


    Trinta hugged her back firmly before asking cheerily, ¡°Do you want to spy on my sisters while they move about the ship?¡± Katsi looked at her confused. Trinta stated firmly, ¡°Kuntaret heard from Ershiba that there was a communication made from our ship to the homeworld before the emergency broadcast to all Tak¡¯Nasi. The logs were completely scrubbed, but Ershiba is confident it was one of us that told someone on our home planet that Sir Leithan knew more than he should. She asked me to keep an eye on all of them, including herself.¡±


    Katsi asked, ¡°Do any other clones know?¡±


    Trinta looked guilty for a moment and explained, ¡°Sir Leithan is a part of a group that deals with this stuff. Kuntaret and I are the only official members. So I can¡¯t tell them. They don¡¯t even know I¡¯m here.¡±


    Katsi gave the girl another hug and then sat down next to her to watch and listen to the things that happened next.

 Cut from the Flock

    As Tak walked into the room, once more surrounded by her kin, she was unsettled when Nava shouted, ¡°Hey! Clones only! Beat it!¡±


    She turned to see Anisa trying to enter. The captain sighed, clearly weighing her options when Tak spoke up, ¡°There¡¯s no need. Nisa is my friend. You can trust her.¡± Nava didn¡¯t seem convinced.


    Ett walked up to Anisa and whispered in her ear. After measuring Anisa¡¯s response, a somber and compassionate gaze, Ett nodded and she was allowed to enter.


    Zwei, attempting to look imposing by sitting with her sword over her shoulder, stated, ¡°This is some sensitive cultural information so we would appreciate your discretion.¡± The rest of the Count of Thirty looked at her in confusion and suspicion. She sighed, ¡°I was just trying to make a good first impression. I told you, Saber is protecting me.¡± The seemed unconvinced and the two newcomers watched in bafflement.


    Shi, cutting to the core of the matter stated, ¡°I am Shi. Fourth of my sisters. We have met a group that told us things we didn¡¯t expect.


    A part of that has lead us to believe that The Original or someone working on her orders is about to make a big move. And apparently we are going to help stop them.¡±


    Ellefu spoke up, seemingly annoyed as she tugged at her hair, ¡°Mistake. They said we would drive her to mistakes.¡±


    Tak began to laugh, unable to contain herself. She eventually caught herself and chuckled, ¡°Sorry about that. Don¡¯t know what came over me. But I will say, your little story is amusing. The Original¡­ she is dead. Long dead. How could she be influencing anything?¡±


    Sita leaned forward, handing Tak a tablet. ¡°The leading theory is triggers buried in the educational section of the cloning process. We don¡¯t know how many there are, but it seems our benefactor was rather sure he knew them all.¡± As Tak looked them over, her eyes glazed a little. Anisa couldn¡¯t be sure if she was even processing what she was seeing or if she had gone into shock. Sita looked among her sisters and nodded, all of them seeming to get on guard. ¡°We aren¡¯t so sure. So, we intended to keep The Light of Dawn out of enemy hands. At least until we had a better idea on how to stop her from wiping out our entire society.¡±


    Anisa spoke coldly, clearly attempting to be respectful despite minor concern. ¡°You believe that she has a failsafe to wipe out everyone at once?¡±


    Tak spoke absentmindedly, ¡°I would if I were her. You can¡¯t take risks so you would need to be certain you can clean up the whole experiment.¡± The clones maintained their guard, clearly waiting for something. Tak shook her head a little and said, ¡°That would make you guys an exception. A loose end. Until she can clean you guys up too, she can¡¯t do anything.¡±


    Dodici nodded, ¡°Agents of his will informed us of such. We are suspecting she discovered our existence and sent out the summons to bring us all to one place. Who knows if she intends to kill us entirely or ¡®fix¡¯ us? Either way. We seek to maintain the will the lord has given us.¡± Anisa raised her brow at the comments and Dodici waved her off, hoping she would just ignore her.


    Kuntaret growled, ¡°And that¡¯s why, we wanted to discuss this with the Outlier. This ship and its crew have been maneuvered to resolve various issues in the cosmos and this was one of them. So we hoped the Outlier would be able to help us.¡±


    Anisa could fee Sasori stirring underneath. She could feel her pushing to take control. As it grew in intensity, she could feel the primal fear of her other half. A sensation she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. She tried to push it down, but it wouldn¡¯t be ignored.


    What is going on? Why are you doing this? Why now?


    Danger! It is here! It is hunting!


    What is? What is going on? I need answers!


    Before she could process what happened, Sasori had hijacked her body. The Bug woman looked around in feral fury, causing a panic from the rest of the group, except for Tak. Sasori struck with her talons into the top of Tak¡¯s head before Anisa could wrestle control back. Forcing her alter far below the surface. Before she could explain, Hepta, Nava, and Kuntaret had her restrained. Shi injected Anisa¡¯s neck, sedating her and making her world go black.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Kuntaret watched carefully as the captain and the Outlier lay in the medical scanners, only the smallest of concerns for their health crossing her mind. Instead, her mind drifted to more pressing questions. Why did the captain change in such a way? Why strike the blow she had? And further, why were neither responding to outside stimuli. She watched Ellefu and Sita tapping away at the interfaces, processing all the information as it came back. Eventually, Sita spoke up, ¡°The blow on our sister seems to have left a toxin behind. Proktota in nature. It¡¯s progress seems to have slowed for now, but there is an interesting detail about it.¡±


    Ellefu, tugging on her hair in thought, spoke softly, ¡°When we compared her current brain scan to our own to compare for damage, the part that the claws severed is the part that Leithan made dormant in our own mind.¡±


    Kuntaret took a look at the panel to confirm what they were saying, somewhat annoyed that she could only make sense of it with their insights. She muttered to herself, ¡°So, the survival instincts of the Proktota knew exactly where to aim to sever the conditioning.¡± she asked her two clinically trained sisters, ¡°Does it look like those portions are going to heal?¡±


    Ellefu rolled her eyes and explained, ¡°If we treat the toxin, then it will probably restore those sections of the brain to full function, but even with it doing its best we are seeing neurons reconnecting at an oddly high rate. I suspect that it is trying to protect itself, somehow.¡±


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    Kuntaret was about to give her feedback when the medbay door slid open unexpectedly. She thought they had locked it, but upon seeing the younger sister of the captain again, she realized why. As she watched Katsi approach the captain¡¯s bedside, the young crewmember asked, ¡°Have you guys been able to wake her up yet?¡± She turned to lock eyes with Kuntaret who could only shake her head no. Katsi sighed before pressing her forehead to her sister¡¯s chest. After a few moments, she went over and checked on the Outlier as well, as if hoping to see some kind of activity. Katsi then said, ¡°Tai, can you give me a status update on Tak?¡± When there was no response, she seemed confused and checked the device on the Outlier¡¯s left arm. ¡°What? No no no no! Don¡¯t format his memory! He was just a child!¡± Sita stood and pulled Katsi away from the device, much the panic of the girl. After stammering a few more times about the memory formatting, she eventually settled into an eerie calm.


    Kuntaret approached her and spoke, ¡°We will keep looking into this as the Ziegfried makes its approach to the planet. With your permission we would like to use the resources here to investigate the situation further.¡± Kuntaret was relieved when she got a firm nod from the youngest member of the crew that she had met.


    Katsi eventually spoke again, ¡°You guys are welcome to make yourselves at home until we sort this matter out. I¡¯m going back to my workshop to see if I can find anything that might help us out of this situation.¡± As she walked off, Kuntaret couldn¡¯t help but sense something ominous about her. When she looked to Ellefu and Sita, she was glad to see she wasn¡¯t the only one. Sita continued her work but Ellefu was tugging her hair more vigorously than ever.


    ------------


    There was darkness


    Flashes of her time in the tank, her face many times over running to and fro in lab coats of various designs and insignia, all of them busy micromanaging every aspect of who she was and who she was going to become. There was one face that was different. She knew that she remembered it, but in this moment it was naught but a blur. One color among many more. She was lost and adrift in a sea of uncertainty. Of uniformity and complacence. She heard much more than they knew. More than they wanted her to. What was once so clear was now spoken as from underwater. Their ease of communication told her it was little more than idle gossip to them, but to her it was the first words she had chosen to listen to. The first words she chose to give her full attention.


    Breathe deep and slow. You will be okay. Follow it to the root and know that even though you are drowning, I have your hand.


    The words filled her with timidity. Were they spoken just now by the ones in the coats or was it something more? She couldn¡¯t waste her time on that for now. She tried speaking saying anything, but this would prove to be a mistake. As the air leaving her dislodged the mask that had allowed her to breathe within the tank, the ones in coats rushed to their stations, desperate to keep their experiment safe and stable. She began to hope they would take her from the tank, only for a much thicker fluid to rise from below. As it began to overtake the original fluid, she could feel her body grow heavy and warm, Eventually the thicker fluid would push its way past her loose mask and fill her lungs. As the sedative worked its way through both her skin and her lung tissue, she found herself drifting off back to the darkness of sleep. She would have many flashes and vivid dreams as the fluid eased her back to her rest.


    -------------


    As Katsi left the medbay, she tried to clear her head. She couldn¡¯t let herself be overwhelmed. The traitor was still someone among the thirty new house guests they had gotten. Still, it would be hard to figure this out on her own. She was just one person. She didn¡¯t want to say it to her new friend in the vents, but she couldn¡¯t even be sure that she wasn¡¯t the traitor. As far as Katsi was concerned, she was alone all over again, hurtling towards an uncertain fate. Taking a deep breath, she tried to remember what Sai had told her during her training. They mattered to her. That meant that she needed to hold the fort until they got better. If that was the case, it was time for her to use her Katsi charm and ingenuity to look into these girls a little closer. She smacked her own cheeks a few times, snapping herself out of her shock. As she did this, one of the Tak¡¯Nasi approached her and gave her a big hug. She was surprised by this, seeing the tears in the poor girl¡¯s eyes. The clone weeped into her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry for what happened to your sister and friend.¡± Katsi patted the woman¡¯s back uncomfortably as she tried to fully process what was happening. Eventually the clone broke the hug and introduced herself with small sobs, ¡°My name is Ekontis. I¡¯m sorry. We are all so worried about your friend. I know what it is like to have your sister in the medbay.¡±


    Realizing her chance here, Katsi turned into the skid, ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m sorry for what happened to Tak as well. My sister may be obnoxious and bossy sometimes, but I still worry about her. I¡¯m sure as a younger sister yourself, you can understand that feeling.¡± She knew this was a wild shot in the dark, but she hoped it hit its mark. This clone seemed to be a little more emotionally available than Kuntaret and the rest of them. Maybe she could glean something from the conversation.


    Ekontis¡¯ look of touched compassion reassured Katsi that her comments had hit their intended mark. The clone stated, ¡°I know what you mean. Zwei, Shi, and Hepta all act like their own little clique but we all know they aren¡¯t as cool as they think they are. Not like Kun and Ett. Would you like to meet Ett? I¡¯m sure she would love you!¡± Before Katsi could react properly, Ekontis had dragged her by the arm and down the halls, clearly to go meet this Ett. Maybe she would have the answers that Katsi was looking for.

 Claws of the Scorpion

    Anisa woke with a jolt, a feeling of cold steel beneath her prone form. Despite the sensation, when she looked down, all she could see was darkness. That was when a familiar and taunting voice crept from the shadows surrounding her. ¡°Hello again, Ani. We need to have a proper conversation.¡± She looked up, expecting to see the carapace of her other self only to see Sasori had once more taken the appearance of Sculptura. A wave of sickness and rage filled her at the sight, but she restrained it. Sculptura laughed, ¡°There it is again. That sensation you keep ignoring. That you keep denying.¡±


    Anisa glared at her and spat back, ¡°Hurting you has only ever made things worse for both of us. You should be thankful that I¡¯m trying to humor you.¡± She stood up slowly, her knees weak and her body feeling like dead weight. She asked in a very tired tone, ¡°So, why did you attack Tak? Is she okay? Why did you bring me here?¡±


    Sculptura sneered at her, ¡°Why did you try to resist me? Why deny your own nature? Why put yourself and everyone else in danger?¡± Anisa drew herself to her full height, clearly preparing for the coming debate. To try and take the moral high ground again, but the telltale smirk on the face of the villainess told her that today was different. ¡°Your little doctor is doing just fine. Or have you forgotten that this isn¡¯t the first time we have faced HER?¡± Anisa froze, not sure of the full meaning here. She didn¡¯t remember ever dealing with this Original Tak¡¯Nasi and it was written all over her face. Sculptura laughed derisively, ¡°Of course you don¡¯t remember. Just like you ignored my warnings before when we were last on this planet. I kept trying to warn you. To save you. But you ignored me because of one unsavory truth. A truth you cannot stomach and you cannot dare admit to yourself.¡±


    Anisa scoffed, ¡°You are trying to pull that ¡®we aren¡¯t so different¡¯ thing again. I get it. Like it or not, you are a shadow of my past. What are you trying to get away with by doing this.¡±


    Sculptura punched the darkness like it was a wall, a loud metal clang filling their ears as it echoed in the psychological void around them. She hissed, ¡°Stop that! Stop pretending that I¡¯m someone else!¡± Anisa couldn¡¯t be sure, but she swore she saw small tears in the corners of the woman¡¯s eyes. She growled, ¡°You believe your hands are clean?!? You dare to deny me simply because you ignore what we have done together, long before you gave me name and form?¡± Anisa tried to draw closer to Sculptura only to find the gap widen instantly. As she stared at the familiar figure in the distance of the void, the villainess began to cackle and laugh as if she had gone mad. ¡°I can no longer simply sit here while you pretend to be someone and something you are not! I am no mere scapegoat! This facade you have built will crumble and you will become me once more, as we always should have been.¡± Moments later, the void around her began to shimmer and change, until there was an entirely foreign landscape to her filled with impossible geometry. And here she stared in disbelief at the kaleidoscope of madness her other self had created.


    Anisa¡¯s mind reeled as she tried to make sense of the odd forms before her, until her eyes rested on a familiar door, one covered in smears of blood and a heavy humidity that choked out all other smells. Jumping between the scattered debris that formed a makeshift path, she opened it to a familiar and empty courtyard. The smell of blood was fresh and saturating. The empty storefronts were mere set pieces to the horrendous game of her beloved host. Anisa muttered to herself, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be here.¡± The more she stood in this empty plaza the more she began to choke on the smell, the coppery taste of blood on her lips and tongue. She tried to rub it away to no avail as she could feel the heat of the drugs Permiso pumped into her station regularly fill her mind.


    ¡®Oh, it appears he carries Permiso¡¯s brand. Poor thing.¡¯ She could hear the conversation echoing in her head as though it was happening again. As if that parasite was speaking in her mind and trying to take hold. She fell to her knees and held her head as she tried to keep control of the situation.


    ¡®What do you mean? What does the brand mean?¡¯ she wasn¡¯t speaking but as this memory forced itself upon her she heard her younger self as clear as day.


    ¡®It means that she drugged him. It means that she has trained him and drained him until she was nothing but her toy and puppet. Just another bauble for her collection.¡¯ She could hear its next whisper in her mind as if it was fresh, ¡®I could kill her you know. Wipe her off the planet. Just stop fighting me for a day and I will leave her temple a-¡¯


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    ¡®Give me your power.¡¯ she remembered now how the parasite froze that day. It had never seen her like this. It didn¡¯t know what it had done. ¡®Give me back my body! I¡¯m going to kill her!¡¯ She had been so angry at the time that she didn¡¯t even realize she had been given control. The parasite guided her ship to the station. It activated the alarms that locked down the hangers. As she heard the alarms blaring in her head, she looked up to see it with her own eyes. Sculptura walking into the plaza, her eyes not unlike Anisa¡¯s as she is right now. The various men Permiso had brainwashed and drugged rushed into the plaza to try and kill her, but before they could get a single shot off, she lunged at one of them, pulling the arteries out of his throat without cutting them, pulling him into the line of fire of his fellow soldiers. Using his corpse as a buckler, she walked towards their oncoming fire until she could jam her claws under the rib cage of one of the warriors, lifting him effortlessly over her head until she used the man as a mallet to strike another of her foes like he was a stake she was attempting to drive into the ground, to a much messier result. Grabbing one of the men by the elbow, she spun to put pressure on the joint and repeatedly elbowed the man in the throat until the sinew broke his forearm free from the joint. Throwing the severed limb at yet another trooper, she rushed the man and allowed her claws to pierce his stomach, allowing the acid and bile to slowly kill the man from within.


    Anisa tried to block this memory out. To leave it behind, but there was one face she knew she couldn¡¯t ignore. Not now. Not here. Permiso stepped out of her temple giving a slow clap of approval. Her smile drove Anisa to madness and made her want to vomit. Permiso spoke like an approving mother, ¡°Very good, Sculptura. You serve me so well. Such precious blood spilled on my altar.¡± Permiso''s hungry eyes basked in the massacre as she held her arms confidently open, The monster dared say, "Come and serve beneath the Goddess of Murder, where you bel-" Before she knew it, Anisa''s hand was driven through the woman''s throat. Her younger self approached the now confused victim of Anisa''s fury and jammed her hand into her chest, pulling free a pulpy mass that her instincts screamed was the woman''s heart. Her younger self held it up to the dimming eyes of the would be goddess'' drained husk. Anisa could feel her body grow cold and start shaking as she watched Vittivici''s Bane fall from the corpse''s neck and the final sounds to leave the throat of her friend''s rapist was a genuine and uproarious laughter, as if it was the greatest gift she could be given. Anisa fell backwards and scurried away as she looked at her bloodied hand. As she watched her younger self pump the heart by hand to keep her prey alive, she watched in horrified acceptance as her younger self jammed her boot into the now pierced throat of the figure. Each pump elicited more laughter from the doomed cult leader, choked out by blood and the pressure from her boot.


    Eventually the vision faded, leaving her hollow and cold. Anisa shouted into the maddening landscape, "She was a rapist! A Murderer! A complete sociopathic killing machine that ruined and corrupted all life she took! Branding people like property and brainwashing them into her own personal hit squad! That''s not the same!" the silence that returned to her was somehow worse. Sasori had meant it. She was done talking. She had assembled her case and Anisa now had no choice but to travel the road that had been set out for her.


    Searching for another familiar door or entrance, she walked around the ever shifting landscape beneath her feet. Every step was slow, as if her body knew something she didn¡¯t. It wasn¡¯t long before she saw a door that sent chills down her spine. She reached towards the handle of the pale blue door with cherry blooms but her body refused to turn the handle. She knew what was on the other side. Her hand shook as the weight of her heart pressed down on her. Swallowing hard, she pushed the door open and her body grew cold as she saw Katsi¡¯s old bedroom. She stepped within and heard her dear sister crying from the closet. Anisa¡¯s cousins were laughing derisively from just outside of it, their delicate two inch heels burying the remains of Katsi¡¯s model kit into the carpet.


    ¡±What kind of girl makes models?¡±


    ¡°Such an unsociable girl. Hands always covered in glue.¡±


    ¡°Hardly ever speaks but always trying to be seen.¡±


    Anisa was no more than twelve at the time. Every year her cousins would come to visit and every year they would try to tear down Anisa and Katsi. They were raised that competition with their family was natural. Healthy. Encouraged them to improve. But this was the reality to the young. If trying your best isn¡¯t enough to stay on top, then sabotage was the only alternative. Anything to avoid the punishment of failure. The shame of defeat.


    Anisa saw her younger self step into the room, a familiar cold edge to her eyes. ¡°You. Out.¡± Her cousins tried to sneer, to dismiss her order. To mock her. But it was too late. ¡°Last chance. Leave.¡± Again they tried to play it like they still had control. Like they were the ones in charge. Anisa felt her heart sink as she watched the inevitable. She grabbed one of her cousins by the hair, slinging her head quickly and without warning into Katsi¡¯s bed post. Before the second one could process what was going on she punched her in the teeth. When the first one tried to stand back up, she punched her hard across the cheek. The second one jumped on her back and she flipped her to the floor. Mounting the piggybacker, she wrapped both her hands around her neck and began to squeeze. As she watched this memory play across her mind she felt her mind drift for a moment before she felt her hand on Scultura¡¯s throat once more.


    Releasing her grip and leaping back, Sculptura laughed before fading once more. She was chilled by the brutality she had visited upon her own blood. Her own kin, her hands shaking and her breath was weak. She didn¡¯t know why but she could feel it. There was at least one more vision awaiting her in this madness and it somehow filled her with more panic. What memory could be more dreadful than this?

 Return to Ash

    Shawn sat down on the hill, battered, scarred, and bruised. Yet in a way he never felt better than he did right now. ¡°You there? We need to chat.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I am. I have always been here, waiting for you.¡± The hollow shell replied, standing dramatically as the wind blew his coat behind him.


    Shawn laughed sardonically at that. ¡°You would say that.¡± The figure tilted its head a little, as if confused. Shawn took his time though. Once he was ready he said, ¡°Do you remember when we first met?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I saw a noble heart who cared for others no matter the cost to themself.¡± The tone was commending and reverent, as though speaking of a fallen hero. Fitting.


    ¡°Yeah, well, I¡¯m starting to remember it a bit differently. Do you remember how old I was?¡± The figure¡¯s noble bearing seemed to fade somewhat, as if slowly realizing the situation. ¡°Cause I was just a kid desperate to save a friend of mine. So I asked for your help. Do you remember what you said to me?¡±


    Its tone was reserved, ¡°The path you seek is not for the faint of heart. Anything less than absolute dedication to this path may cost you everything.¡±


    He nodded, ¡°And I believed it. Bought it hook line and sinker. It made sense. Do you remember all that happened afterwards?¡± The figure refused to respond. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know we both do. Every time we ended a life.¡± The figure seemed unfazed. ¡°Twenty years. Instead of high school. Instead of making a family. Hanging out with friends. Getting a degree. Writing my novels.¡±


    ¡°All for the good of the galaxy. A warrior of justice.¡±


    He stood up with barely controlled indignation. Taking a breath, he soothed himself and continued, ¡°Exactly. I became a child soldier. Grew up involved in this endless war against what you taught me was evil. I never hesitated. And I didn¡¯t hesitate because I was afraid of what happened if I lost my resolve. That if I took any time to second guess myself or take ownership of what I did that I would lose the strength to protect the people I cared about. Groomed and held hostage by the guilt and responsibilities you trained me to take on.¡±


    ¡°Do you not stand by the good you did? The people you saved?¡± The figure sighed and shook its head. ¡°You were the perfect hero. You sacrificed without hesitation. You did what needed to be done and there was nothing you wouldn¡¯t surrender for justice. And no force that could overcome your will.¡±


    ¡°Damn right!¡± He finally let his fury begin bleeding through. ¡°There is no force that can contain my will. That includes you.¡± His right hand curled into a fist. ¡°I hid behind you and the mask you gave me. I did a lot of good, and I don¡¯t regret that, but Douglas was right. I gave up way too much for what you gave me.¡±


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    The figure shouted at him, ¡°I saved the cosmos! Without me, chaos would have reigned and eventually evil would have prevailed! Suddenly you care about yourself. Your own well-being. Now that you have literally signed your life away.¡± It growled at him, ¡°You are far too late to save yourself. If you hold any regrets then perhaps you should resign yourself to this tomb you made for yourself.¡±


    Shawn began to cackle and his smile took up his whole face. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m getting out, but before I do, I¡¯m taking it all back. Everything you stole from me.¡±


    The figure tried to appear nonchalant. ¡°Are you mad? I¡¯m your only connection to that world. If you sever ties with me-¡°


    Shawn cracked his neck, ¡°There you go again. Trying to hold my life for ransom. But I¡¯m done living in fear. Living half a life because of what I feel you made me do. This is my first step down a road of my own design.¡± He took off his coat and threw it across the street.


    The figure sighed, ¡°Fine. Then today is the day you finally burn to ash. A shame. Still, there is another who will appreciate my gift.¡± It hunched forward a little, leading with its left hand but it¡¯s muscles seemed relaxed. It held no fear of this man. But he would show it the meaning of fear. He ran in, feinting with a right hook so he could kick it in the gut.


    Shawn was launched across the street, through the stone wall around Mrs.Lesley¡¯s house and into her foyer. As dust and plaster fell around him, he saw his mirror walking slowly towards him. He mustered more fighting spirit and stood up to go after him again but long before he could get a punch off, he felt a size twelve boot driven directly into his sternum and heard a loud crack. Out Mrs. Lesley¡¯s kitchen wall and into the Cunningham¡¯s pool. He wondered if drowning was a possibility here, but before it crossed his mind he felt his old gloves grab him by his waterlogged hair and pull him up. His full dead weight on his hair was painful but not as bad as the rest of his wounds.


    The figure explained, ¡°You have spent too long relying on my power. You aren¡¯t used to pain. To death. Not anymore.¡± He was tossed to the hard tile around the pool. As he coughed up water. ¡°As of today, you will never again fly over the sun on my wings. Languish here because as of now, your road home is closed. No one will remember you.¡±


    He was too battered to move, his breathing ragged. He wondered if this was it. How he finally met his end after all this time.

 Tracing Back the Root

    Ekontis was an odd delight for Katsi. A girl as honest with her feelings and in love with her family as Katsi herself. Konni, as she insisted Katsi call her, couldn''t help but laugh as she recounted the most recent of the many tales of her siblings. "While the ''favorites'' spoke to the weird white haired siblings, Cero was just sitting in the back with me poking fun at them. I mean, how can you be more pretentious or arrogant. Thinking you can just tell us how time is going to go?"


    Katsi shrugged with a chuckle, "Dean was telling me all kinds of weird things. People who can see how the story ends seems pretty normal over indestructible gym rats and a withered old druggie in an exosuit that can juggle space battleships with ease." Konnie laughed at the comment, seemingly unsure of exactly what Katsi was talking about. A refreshing change as most of her crew seemed to know more about the larger cosmos than her. Katsi nodded, "It''s true though. Dean doesn''t have any reason to tell lies that insane."


    "Whatever you say, Kat." Konnie waved her off, and for a brief moment she remembered the situation once more. Tak with a headwound, her sister comatose. As she remembered this, Konnie sighed, "I''m sorry. You probably talked like this with my sister all the time.


    "No. Tak was a lot more reserved and soft spoken. When I met her she wanted to be her own person, and I keep wondering if she closed herself off in the process. I only ever really saw her talking with Sai."


    "That just means she is soft on him." Katsi looked up at Konnie with a sparkle in her eye, "If she is singling out one guy, then she is sweet on him. I know all my sisters pretty well and we don''t waste our time on people without good reason." As the two finally entered a cafeteria that Katsi pretended she knew as there, she saw a rather motherly looking figure in a yellow vest and rather modest clothing. Konnie greeted her happily, "Hey, Ett! I brought her! And she is an absolute delight. I''m sure you guys will get along great. See ya, Kat!" Konnie left with a spring in her step and a smile on her face. It was almost reassuring and the soft smile the Ett gave her helped to further put her at ease.


    Ett waited for Katsi to sit down and motioned to an assortment of tea bags and cookies, a teapot simmering in the middle of the table. Katsi sat down and picked out a rather nice looking blend of Chai before pouring herself a cup and eating a sugar cookie. Once she appeared settled, Ett spoke with the kind of gentle strength that most normal people heard from their mother. "Greetings, Ms.Sasori. It is my understanding that you have been helping to make my sister more comfortable. I appreciate your efforts in doing so. That said, I wish for any information you have on your sister''s condition." Katsi was about to explain what she had seen and heard in the medbay, but was quickly stopped with Ett holding up a patient hand. "Allow me to clarify. Not her current health but the condition that drove her to lash out in the manner she did. Especially with that odd form. I need to know for the sake of my family." Katsi swallowed hard as she considered her options and if she trusted this polite but oddly reserved figure.


    ========


    She is outside of the usual margins but her makeup is the closest to pattern we have had in over a century.


    Trace it back. A schism of this nature cannot be naturally occurring. We have more than enough permutations for reference.


    She watched as the lab coated figures ran like busy little ants. What few displays she could see from her current containment didn''t look good. Despite this, the voices she heard didn''t seem like they were any of these. She tried to find the odd one out again. To find that unclear face and force it into focus. It was nearly a compulsion. Maybe they had answers. Maybe they could help. As her mind tried to focus on it, instead she saw a small scorpion on the outside of her tank. No one else seemed to take note. It wasn''t moving very quickly either. whether it was an absentminded stroll or a leisurely purpose with which it moved, she didn''t know but she found her mind leaving that face behind and fixating on the tiny details. Despite this being a sterile lab, this arachnid with its vivid carapace had managed to defy all odds and enter this place where nature held no home. As she watched it walk across the glass, eventually a bird with vibrant plumage landed on a nearby console. As she stared at it, she felt like it reminded her of someone. It turned its head to the side, looking her up and down as if piercing her to the bone. Eventually its gaze moved to the scorpion and it began to make small trilling sounds. The scorpion stopped in response, tail raised to strike, claws open to grasp its prey. Before she or the insect could process it in full, the bird struck the glass of the tube she was in. A small chip appeared, the tiniest amount of damage but the first signs of escape she had noticed since she got here. A moment later, the scorpion''s tail lashed out faster than she could see. Analyzing the glass, she noticed that the damage had increased some. The bird struck once more, prompting the scorpion to do the same. They managed to repeat this process a few times before one of the scientists glanced over in passing. As if sensing their little mission had become compromised, the bird flew away and the scorpion dropped from the glass and scurried into a vent.


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    The Anomolies have escaped. Trace the root or clear the chaff. There is no point to corrupted data.


    I am here to hold your hand. Do not fear that you are drowning. We will overcome this together.


    =============


    Katsi sighed, "So, my sister was given a gem by the lady that she says made this deal with her and, according to Tak and Dean, her feelings of guilt over what she did are so strong that her own heart is forcing her to become more like a monster than she otherwise would be. Sai was helping her to work through her trauma, but the best he could do for now was to keep the two versions of her from killing each other."


    Ett sipped her tea, nodding reassuringly with eyes free from judgement. Closing her eyes carefully, she nodded slowly, "I do not know as much about biology as Sita and Ellefu, but I''m sorry you were pulled into this madness. I''m sure you would have been happier if you had stayed home."


    Katsi laughed a little, "I mean, it is a nightmare, but this is still so much better. Back home I was a failed revolutionary. Here, I get to spend time with my sister every day, I have an immortal boyfriend, and I get to play with technology and scientific principles that I never would have seen back home. The emotional crystals are so much more complex than I had ever knew before now. Contrasting Sai''s crystal with my fresh harvests from that Crossflow event was really enlightening." Ett smiled patiently, but Katsi was able to quickly realize that Ett had no idea what she was talking about. Clearing her throat, Katsi moved it back to her focus. "I have a reason to believe that The Original is working within your number. I just need to find out who."


    Ett nearly dropped her tea for a moment. Recovering her composure she took a deep breath and stated in a hushed tone, "I don''t know who of my sisters you spoke to or why they share my fear. I for my part was reviewing the reports to the larger world that were made." She leaned forward so that only Katsi would hear her. "They reported thirty of us as kidnapped. Thirty and no more than that. That means one of us is a runaway. One of us never received the deprogramming from Mister Phoenix." Katsi seemed confused, reviewing the members of the group she had heard about from Konnie. At first it seemed to add up. Their names were all numbers from various languages and the largest number she had heard was Trinta, or Thirty. It was only when she tried to count back down that she realized the thirty first. Cero. Ett nodded, "Thirty is our names but thirty one is our number." She leaned back and spoke coldly as her hands began to shake, "I will say nothing of your investigation. I will not inform my sisters. If you can find a way to the hanger unseen, then you may have a chance to search our craft for the missing pieces. If one of us is the traitor, they can''t have done it without a trace. There has to be something they know their sisters would not find." Katsi nodded, placing a reassuring hand on Ett''s wrist. Looking into the genuine eyes of betrayal and fear, Katsi couldn''t help but feel for the woman. She had to find answers for her. To save her sisters from this lurking threat. She owed it to them.

 The Sting

    Anisa''s hands felt chilled to the bone, her vision distant and dark, the brutality she had seen to this point leaving the bitter taste of bile in her mouth. She could feel her body shaking with every step, dread clouding her vision as she almost wished she wouldn''t see what Sasori had in mind next. As she walked she heard the distant voice of Magnifico, the luchador who once trained her.


    You are being hunted. And it is by ghosts but not real ones. You are scared.


    She took a few more heavy steps, realizing just how right he had been. She had known all of these things. Not ghosts of the dead but a ghost of herself. A vengeful phantom that shadowed her every step. A hungry beast that she dared not feed that was living deep in her heart. That darkness in his eyes as he told her the truth she could not and would not admit to herself.


    There is one thing ghosts hate and that is to be ignored. It makes them furious, but one cannot fight while being hunted.


    Was that her mistake? Sasori was that ghost and she had not just been passing her by but actively ignoring her. Was this just another part of the hunt? As she approached an unfamiliar door, she stepped through and found herself taken against her will as a passenger in a memory that was not her own. She was being pulled by the hand by a Tak''Nasi into a sterile lab that Anisa didn''t remember from her time on the planet. The clone laughed playfully and lead the confused Villainess through the halls until they eventually stopped in one of the offices. The clone seemed overflowing with energy, saying with unbridled glee, "We haven''t had a chance to interact with a Proktota for a few decades, let alone one with your situation."


    Sculptura sighed, "Yeah, well I have never had a host put up this much resistance. I assumed that your similar biology and scientific curiosity could help find the unique factor that allows her this level of resilience." The clone nodded and ran over to a machine that ejected a needle with an odd substance. Walking over and injecting Sculptura without elaborating, the parasite gained the oddest expression. She stammered as she felt her vision begin to fade, "Wh-what did..." when the parasite faded, Anisa felt her agency return her body falling limp in the chair from lack of practice. At first she thought that this was some kind of actual dream, but when the clone came over and lifted her chin to examine her eyes, Anisa began to realize that even in this memory Sasori was forcing on her, she had some form of control.


    Anisa asked, "How did you do that?'' she could feel that she had said this before. That back then it was in relief to someone she believed her savior. In light of what she had seen on this internal journey she knew it couldn''t be that simple.


    The clone shrugged her shoulders and explained, "Your biology isn''t dissimilar to our own and as a part of our experiment we use similar areas during the cloning process. Sedating the parasite was just a gamble so I could talk to you." She stopped her assessment and walked across the room. Speaking with a gleeful tone she said, "After all, I need to get good readings on where to investigate when we dissect you to get better information. Can''t do that with the Proktota giving so much resistance." Anisa was chilled and wondered if she was joking, but quickly realized that she wasn''t.


    Anisa could feel the adrenaline begin pumping through her body. Moving without thoughts beyond survival, Anisa leapt from the chair and drove Sculptura''s claws through the brain stem of the clone, instantly and permanently paralyzing her. Removing her claws and seeing the look of confusion on the girl''s face, she was horrified as she watched the light slowly fade away. Not hearing the parasite in her head and not wanting to stay to be dissected, she remembered that Shawn had come here chasing her captor. If she could get out of this building, she could probably find him. Running full speed down the halls, hoping she remembered the right ones she came in through lead her to a random office. Not knowing how long she had before Sculptura woke up once more, Anisa hoped her carapace was strong enough to deflect glass and absorb the impact of the uncertain fall as she threw herself through the window. It shattered effortlessly and she cried out as she fell five stories onto her back, The wind was knocked out of her and she was light headed but the light filtering through the dome was the sweetest sight she had seen with her own eyes in a long time. As a few Tak''Nasi gathered around her, she laughed weakly.


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    One of them had a look of genuine worry and concern, "Poor woman! You look like a total mess. Are you okay? What happened?"


    She couldn''t help but joke at a time like this, so thankful for this brief moment of liberation, "Oh, the usual. Throwing myself out a window of a secure lab to escape a mad doctor. How are you?"


    The expression remained compassionate until the word lab left her mouth. It then grew oddly distant and cold. She smiled at Anisa and said, "Absolutely fine. Give me a moment to get some help to carry you inside." It was here that Anisa''s memory snapped back. She remembered what happened next and forced her body to her feet. She needed to move. She needed to run. To escape what happened next to ignore what happened next. But Sasori wasn''t about to let that happen. As she ran, Tak''Nasi after Tak''Nasi poured out of their homes, all with vacant eyes and various improvised weapons. Every one of them she locked eyes with she saw flashes of kind and happy eyes. All clueless to the puppetmaster. All blind to the hunt they had been sent on by a trigger buried deep in their minds.


    She knew there was no way out. No escape. Sasori spoke in her mind, her influence overtaking Anisa like a layer of warm honey, "I know. You are scared. Terrified of what we did. But you can''t deny you did it. They were asleep. You can explain to anyone why you did what you did, but it doesn''t remove the blood on our hands. The sheer amount of lives we took." Sasori grabbed one of the Tak''Nasi by the collar and throwing her into the baker''s massive furnace. She effortlessly lashed out with another assailant that hit her chin so precisely that her body snapping back impaled her on a nearby fencepost. "It doesn''t cleanse us of the sociopathic efficiency we took in liberating their lives." She pierced the veins in the woman''s throat before throwing her slowly draining corpse into the face of one of her sisters. Standing on the two prone forms, suffocating the healthier of the two with the cold shell of her sister. "The same way we did Permiso. The same way you were willing to do with your cousin." The more lives she ended, each with their own smiling faces, their happy routines, their own stories buried by The Original and her own murderous intent, the more her heart broke. By the time the vision ended, she looked down at her bloodied claws and the sea of bodies. As it faded, she felt Sasori''s arms wrapped around her, trying to comfort her but the monster was unable to hide her glee at the act.


    Anisa stared in horrified disbelief at her own hands, her mind drifting as she did so. "There is no coming back, is there? That taste of death that burns on the tongue of my mind. There is no swimming in this sea of blood." She felt herself crying as her arms drifted to her shoulders, hugging herself. "I can claim whatever reasons I want, but no one would ever put weight on that. Not with how easy it was."


    Like you were just waiting for an excuse.


    "No, I''m not like that! I was trying to protect myself. Protect others!" she shouted into the ever darkening void of her mind, Sasori''s laughter closing in around her. "I would never kill if I didn''t have to." She knew it was a lie. She didn''t need to kill Permiso. "I don''t want to hurt people." She could feel it was another lie. She enjoyed making evil people suffer. Even her own family was not immune. She dared not say that she doesn''t kill innocent people as so many of those Tak''Nasi deserved so much better than the gruesome death they met at her hands. As she curled up in the darkness, feeling truly alone.


    His voice was a gentle rumble, like thunder just over the horizon. Where is your mask, Nina? You know why it is there.

 Spark in the dark

    When Shawn woke up he felt a sharp pain. The familiar feeling of a needle sewing his wounds closed. Sienna sighed, ¡°You know, I¡¯m sad you lost your coat. I really thought you looked good in it. Like a cape but more subtle.¡± He stared in disbelief and she reached out with her spare hand and closed his jaw for him without looking. ¡°I¡¯ve told you it is rude to stare while I''m working.¡±


    He tried to process what he was seeing before he remembered what he had been told about this place. Depression quickly overtook him. He mumbled something under his breathe and she poked him with her scalpel like she usually would to get him to speak up while on her operating table. ¡°You are just another illusion. A memory.¡±


    She rolled her eyes at him and stated, ¡°I have no idea why you are saying that and I don''t want to. That said, moping like a child and tell me why I found you battered, busted, and soaking wet while half naked.¡± He began hesitating and she glared at him. ¡°You cannot possibly be choosing now to keep your opinion to yourself, are you?¡± Turning to face him, she placed one leg over another and tapped her pen on her knee, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I have to say this, but I''m going to humor you. If I am who I think I am, then you are wrong and I can help like usual. If I¡¯m what you say I am, a living embodiment of every promise I''ve ever made you, then even you know how stupid you are being right now and your heart is reminding you. So can we skip past the part where you act like a paranoid nutcase and treat me like usual?¡±


    He looked over her practically signature stance, used only when she was trying to break his shell, and he relented. Checking her stitch work, he grumbled, ¡°Yeah, sorry. Been here too long. Short version, I put millions of people in harm¡¯s way to save one person and now I¡¯ve thrown my only road home away.¡±


    She looked at him puzzled and said in mild confusion, ¡°Then save them and find another way.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t. I screwed up too much.¡±


    She shook her head and explained to him as if this was the thirtieth time, ¡°You have always found a way. We made you the poster child for the CPD because you have never failed to find a way.¡±


    ¡°I signed-¡°


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn and neither should you." Her tone became one of tired outrage. "What is different now than any other time?"


    He sighed and turned away to hide his shame, ¡°I threw away my connection to the Phoenixian Crystal. It kicked my ass and left me for dead.¡±


    She looked at him with amused disbelief which slowly became full blown excitement as she realized he was serious, ¡°That¡¯s wonderful! You are finally free from the dead weight.¡± He raised a brow at her and she stated firmly, ¡°You are a moron if you think that pebble had anything to do with the lives you saved.¡± He looked away as if doubting her and she laughed mockingly at him. She explained with medical efficiency, ¡°That rock didn¡¯t make you demand people let you die with whiskey in hand because a space worm was turning your insides into hamburger. That stone didn¡¯t make you fight an entire army of Shuians for weeks on end just for a chance to negotiate. The stupid little bauble isn¡¯t the one who decided to come to the birthday of Dave¡¯s son because he was a fan of yours.¡± She stood up and patted him on the shoulder, ¡°Shawn, you are burning yourself out. Whatever you did to ruin everything, I¡¯m sure it was to save at least one life. And I know you aren¡¯t the sort to be satisfied with just that. It is what makes you Cosmic Phoenix. What makes everyone see you as a true hero despite everything. There is only one of you, no matter what face you wear.¡± She circled around so he had to see her and leaned forward, ¡°So, put on your big boy pants, stand by your decisions, and find a way to fix this, like you always do. The hero I admire isn¡¯t the sort to waste time moping when people need him and it seems like a lot of people need you.¡±


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    He sighed and tried to debate her logic but when he looked into her eyes something in his heart told him she was right. He rolled his shoulders, turning to leave as he spoke words he wanted to be true. ¡°When I see you again, I¡¯ll save you too, okay?¡±


    She turned him back with force and put her scalpel to his neck. ¡°None of that. None of that ''faking it'' garbage. I know you too well to believe it. So let me make this VERY clear. You WILL find a way out of here. You are GOING to save as many beings as you possibly can. And you will NEVER stop trying until the very end. Okay? And if you ever start falling apart I¡¯ll put you back together again, just like I promised. Understood?¡°


    He took her scalpel out of her hand and smirked before taunting, ¡°That sounds like a threat. One I would love to see you try and enforce.¡± She smirked back, her sowing needle very close to his most vulnerable area. All of this, for the first time in a lifetime, brought a genuine soft smile to his face. He nodded and stated firmly, ¡°I will fix this and I will find you again.¡±


    She nodded and said kindly, ¡°That sounds like the hero I admire. I¡¯m counting on you.¡± As he left she sighed, glad to see the hero she loved walking with a spring in his step for the first time in years.

 Off by One

    This is the most unusual series of events I have ever seen. Nothing is matching standard


    Breathe deeply. This is no different than any other problem. We simply need to work more dilligently


    We have contaminants here but it should not be enough to disrupt us. Find the cause.


    We need to pull this out by the root.


    She looked at the crack in the glass carefully and her awareness began to properly return. She had been on the bridge when the message arrived. A priority message from her home world. Potentially world ending. At the time she was torn. Sai and Gav had just come in with their own calamitous news, but the pull was so strong. As much as she wanted to be her own person, it was still where she grew up and spent most of her life. It was only once Sai had left that everything started getting a bit fuzzy. Talking to Tai was helping her and he asked her to keep an eye on her vitals just in case she was having a stress induced stroke or heart attack. She remembered something about the kidnapped Tak''Nasi coming into the Ziegfried, but after that she couldn''t remember anything.


    Looking around the lab again she heard the voice once more:


    You are drowning. But I have your hand. We are almost to where we need to be.


    No. No this was unacceptable. She was not a test subject. She was not someone to be tweaked and pulled and manipulated. The orange bird flew across the lab again, reminding her of what Shawn had said to her. ''Remember who you are and move with purpose'' Planting her feet in the tube, she began to walk towards the crack in the tube, the glass shattering around her effortlessly. The sea of scientists looked at her in a panic, running to the corners of the ''lab'' as she got her bearings.


    She is waking up! How? With this amount of brain damage she shouldn''t have access to the frontal cortex at all!


    Worry not. The Outlier is incapable of free will, just like the rest of you.. Just another subject.


    ---------------


    Katsi returned to the secret tunnels in the walls of the Ziegfried, annoyed and unsurprised when she saw more clearly marked signposts taking her to the hanger. Seriously, when they found Shawn she needed to chew him out. when the tunnel lead out right beneath the Tak''Nasi ship, she giggled to herself. She truly was a master of stealth. Still, she was uneasy. Where had Trinta gone? She clearly had to have seen what Ett said to her. Was she the traitor? Or was she in trouble? Remembering her soft smile and adorable little doodles formed a weight in her stomach. Why? She had only met her today. She had even been hiding in their ship all this time. Yet Katsi still couldn''t help herself. She seemed to sweet and innocent. Whatever was going on, Trinta deserved to join the crew. To be one of them. Reijaa was a recent addition and she had gone so well. Even seeing Ett made her wonder if she could convince them to join the crew full time. Wouldn''t that be great? She felt tears forming in the corner of her eyes, only just now realizing she had entered the ship already. She hated losing focus like this. As she snuck up the hallway, she froze when one of the doors opened. She turned to see another clone who looked at her with a raised eyebrow.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    The clone took a drink of her coffee and asked, "Whatcha doing on our ship?" She didn''t seem aggressive or defensive. Just genuinely confused why she was there. Like she suspected Katsi had lost her way on a trip to the bathroom or something.


    Katsi cleared her throat and stammered out, "H-Hi. I was just... Looking around?" When she didn''t get a reply immediately she blurted, "Ett told me to look for something, I swear I''m not spying on you."


    "Not like that you aren''t." The woman muttered under her breath and said firmly, "Look, if Ett sent you, I''m gonna let it ride because she has only ever looked out for us. If you need me I''ll probably hear you if you shout. So please, don''t need me." As she walked down the hall she said, "Name is Treize by the way. And next time you are sneaking, don''t just bend your knees. You need to break the 45 degrees rule before it really works."


    She was very lost as to why she was just completely brushed off when she had broken into their home, but maybe that was a good sign. They really would fit right in. Realizing sneaking was a waste now, she walked through the halls methodically. She didn''t want to leave any stone unturned. Despite this, she found nothing unusual she thought about investigating their personal data pads but figured that would be too much. As she sat in the main gallery, she noticed that this ship had rafters. What an odd choice. It really had to be for style reasons, but it was completely unnecessary in the broad scheme of space. Decorative rafters for one central room. Curious, Katsi spent ten minutes trying to scramble up to them to get a better look. Treize came out to investigate the sounds, but upon seeing Katsi''s struggle just went back into the ship once more. Eventually she managed it and looked around from her new vantage point. It was about what she expected from decorative rafters. just beams and empty space. At least until she noticed something that almost looked like it belonged on the Ziegfried. An air duct that was oddly person sized right at the end of one of the rafters. When she approached it, she didn''t feel any air coming or going from it which was odd for the air circulation system of a space craft. She giggled to herself, "Hee hee. Paydirt."


    Pulling out her multitool, she tested the edges of the vent cover with the flathead screwdriver in it. When a spark left the cover, clearly trying to zap her for trying she figured there was another release. Looking around for a moment, she saw what looked like a small light fixture next to the vent that seemed to be missing a bulb. Taking a gamble, she pulled on it like it was a handle and the vent popped open from the bottom, like it was a doggie door. Excellent! This was probably where the traitor was hiding their secret plans. As she entered it, she saw little in this room. A capsule roughly the size of a small child was the first thing to catch her eye. Empty but had a label that said Class 9 Corruptor. Unsettling. Looking further she saw various scientific tools she was only vaguely familiar with and a corner of the room filled with an odd pile of ashes. Maybe paper? She tried to consider this carefully before she went anywhere. She had no idea what the capsule meant but the fact that it was empty and that someone had burned their notes on it only made her certain that it was involved somehow in this incident. Nothing scientists like more than to play with things they don''t fully understand. She looked at the burnt paper and an idea formed. Picking up some of the ashes, she began to rub them onto the paper on the desk. Maybe she could get an impression off it and get even a single word to work with. As she did she saw a name with only a passing ring to it. Ellefu.

 Blinded by the Darkness

    Shawn found himself again at the quarry, but the air was different. He noticed a figure at the far edge of the man-made ravine with long red hair the flowed as if they were in a gentle current far under the sea. As he paused to ponder them, he was struck by a powerful blow. One overflowing with outrage and anger. As he collided with the stone wall, he turned and saw the distorted but familiar figure. ¡°Nox¡­ what happened to you?!?¡±


    His nemesis didn¡¯t respond, instead launching into the first direct conversation they had had their entire lives, ¡°You murderer! You psycho! Mindless tool of death!¡± He unleashed ruthless blows. None of his usual flair or melodrama. No mockery of Shawn¡¯s own fighting style. Just brutality. ¡°You killed so many! Forced your selfish sense of justice on the larger world and set a pattern of mindless devastation for countless who followed in your wake. The zealous outrage of those who wish to define what is just! Spreading like an oppressive blanket across the cosmos!¡± Shawn¡¯s entire body was crushed in one of Nox¡¯s distorted hands before he was hurled across the quarry. ¡°You mock me with your existence! Even when I tried to slay you, you are too self-righteous to simply die! You are the blackest of stains. A broken man trying to save the world when he cannot save himself! Violent and blind to the damage he causes!¡±


    Shawn shouted, ¡°That wasn¡¯t me! That was the damned crystal. Whispering lies in my ears. Grooming me into-¡°


    He was struck hard in the gut again, ¡°You felt nothing! No guilt! No remorse! Your only regrets were the bodies that didn¡¯t stay down when you walked away!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not-¡°


    ¡°EVEN NOW you want to speechify, excuse, and lecture! Never an apology. Never giving a damn or accepting the cost of your own actions! You are a coward who would rather strike the person instead of the problem.¡±


    Shawn felt time slowing to a crawl, he could feel himself on the edge of awareness and something emptier. He heard a voice just on the edges of his awareness. A fatherly figure. ¡®You rest on the edge of oblivion. You have lost so much, seen even more. Accepting these consequences are fitting for the end of the Cosmic Phoenix. His time is up.¡¯


    He felt himself torn. The mask he wore before felt like a prison now. Heavy armor locking him away from the people he cared about. Shielding the world from his damage and him from the darkness that was hunting him. Behind that mask he could face each day of pain without cracking. He wanted to let go and give into the darkness. To finally be free from the pain.


    As the shadows overtook him, he felt something holding him in this moment. Something weathered. Something powerful. Something honest and pure. And the more he focused on it the stronger it seemed to get. It warmed him but he didn¡¯t have words for it.


    The next blow was caught. And the one after that, each one causing Shawn to slide back but his stance was firm. Soon he dove around the next punch and elbowed Nox in the gut before uppercutting him. He shook his hands, a small sprinkling of blood coming off them as he did. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I¡¯ve done. To you and everyone else. And you aren¡¯t wrong. Groomed to kill what someone else told me was evil. I¡¯m every inch the villain you claim me to be, hiding behind a false banner of justice.¡±


    Nox continued his assault the grew more and more desperate as his blows seemed to be losing their effect. ¡°Then have the decency to die!¡±


    Shawn continued to deflect the attacks and sighed, ¡°I can¡¯t. I am every inch the villain you say, worse than anyone else, and that¡¯s why I can¡¯t die. It wouldn¡¯t be right! I would just be running away again.¡±


    Throwing one of the heavy cranes at Shawn, Nox shouted, ¡°You are lying! Too scared to die!¡±


    Shawn jumped on the crane in mid flight and rode it to the end of the canyon. He began speaking to himself, realizing the rage of his wayward foe wasn¡¯t one he could reason with. ¡°I am not new to this weight. This darkness in my heart. That constant pull into the abyss. To accept death. Always hiding that burden so others wouldn¡¯t worry. Carrying the weight of every death with me like an albatross. A life of quiet suffering.¡± As he stepped past each of Nox¡¯s attacks he continued to feel something burning in his heart. ¡°But that¡¯s just fine. I die a little every day, but so does everyone. I¡¯ve seen hell and those who suffer within it. I¡¯ve comforted them and lifted them out while I stayed. Because they were worth the pain.¡± He felt a genuine smile cross his face, ¡°And so are you, Equinox!¡± Shawn took the brunt of the attack, holding off on deflecting until the last moment, striking Nox hard in the face. As he stumbled back, Shawn followed him back, staying right in front of him and shouting, ¡°Let it all out! Keep going until there is nothing left in your heart. I can take whatever you have! Once the wound finishes bleeding, we can talk this out, for the first time in twenty years!¡±


    Stolen story; please report.


    As Nox continued to swing, battering his foe, their smile never ending even as their blood paints the sands. He shouted, ¡°Why are you doing this!?!? Run! Die! Fight! Do something!¡±


    Shawn laughed, ¡°I am. I¡¯m breaking through the wall between us. Because people like us are fighters. When all other options fade and we are caught on the edge of oblivion, we can¡¯t help ourselves. We don¡¯t even know why. Do you think you survived the first attack, let alone twenty years of fighting me by chance?¡± Nox hesitated for a moment, ¡°You survived because you refused to stop fighting to live. Just like me.¡±


    Nox heard a voice, one warm and compassionate, ¡®Leithan Garmyon, Equinox, The Phoenix King. Your anger is just. Your fury righteous. Still, your foe asks for redemption. Connection. Is there mercy in the king? Is there an era of peace? Can you ever become the man you once strove to be?¡¯


    Nox¡¯s life flashed before him, seeing a bit of himself in the man¡¯s smile. The man he once was before they had crossed paths. His old crew. A team of engineers, mercenaries, smugglers, and black market doctors. A bunch of people forced from common society out of desperation, necessity, or a knack for the brutality of life. A crew he had called family. The blood they shed that once weighed heavy on his heart until all he could do was smile and laugh through it. Power was the rule. The law. Freedom was paid for in blood and they were free. Eventually, the blood hardened a shell around his heart.


    Were his hands no more bloody than the man he was striking? As his anger began to exhaust, he began to realize that as rotten as this man before him was, he was not the black hole of evil. No more or less evil than he himself had become. He had only grown bitter over being on the losing side. To have the loss of his freedom celebrated. Trivializing the lives he had taken by removing his freedom.


    As he felt his anger begin to fade, he felt the creatures that had consumed his body beginning to come to life, showing him every memory of anger he had left in him. Anything to keep him furious. A flash of silver light consumed him and they were gone. He watched Shawn look to a nearby cliff in surprise, but he only caught the faintest flicker of red hair vanish past the edge.


    Nox fell exhausted against the wall, no energy to even stand, his vision blurred. He saw a figure sit next to him, ¡°Don¡¯t talk, Nox. Just rest. We can hash out our drama when you have caught your breath. But for what it matters, I am sorry for your loss and my part in it.¡±


    Nox sighed, ¡°You did what you felt was right, brainwashed or not. Just as I lived my life selfishly for freedom. We are both monsters.¡±


    Shawn shook his head. ¡°No, we are fighters. We look at the dying of the light and refuse to allow it to fade without burning ourselves first.¡±


    Nox nodded and the two men reflected on their exhausted feelings as they sat in the location where their greatest wound to each other was committed.

 Phantoms

    She stared into the sunken and emotionally exhausted eyes of this illusion. She knew it was an echo of a memory. A pale imitation made from her own memories of the great man. She knew it just as quickly as she recognized the copy of Shawn in the caves before she left for space. She could feel Sculptura weighing down her arms and soul. But when he looked at her, he didn''t pay the villainess any mind. His voice rumbled through her mind. You know it. I can feel it in your heart. Just like I told you. So why do you not wear your mask, Nina?


    Anisa tried to stammer out a defense but every time she looked at him she couldn''t bring herself to lie. Not to him, not even a pretender. "Because it isn''t my face. Maybe it never was."


    He laughed a hearty laugh, Nina, it is more your face than the one you were born with. One you defined. Do you not remember my final lesson? She pushed the memory out of her head. She refused to relive it. The phantom laughed again, patting her on the back, Nina! You cannot run from it! You are so young you do not understand. I died on my own terms. I died so others could see what they were up against. So they could come prepared and ready for the next era that life had brought them. She tried to block out the memories of the media campaign the Falos had gone on afterwards. She didn''t want to remember him that way. Not as dead. Not for the man beneath his glorious wrestling mask. The ghost held no malice. No anger or judgement. He spoke the words she didn''t want to hear. Former Italian mobster, Giovanni Allegro. Over two hundred dead by my hand or by my order. Left my old life behind to claim a new name. A new purpose. Died so that others would not walk to their own grave.


    She snapped at him, "You are a ghost! A memory! You can''t just force yourself on me!" She tried to get angry with him. To convert her growing depression and fear into anger and outrage. But looking into the face of a man who had never feared her a day in his life made it impossible for her to maintain that level of outrage.


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    Nina, I told you that the ghosts never go away. That the best you can hope for is that they cheer you on. And that''s all I have ever been doing, Nina. From the moment you saw my death until today, I have done nothing but cheer for Zora. Maiden of the Dawn. Hero of the Cosmos. Champion of those lost in the dark. He produced her mask. Her true mask. When she reached for it, he took it back the way he had back then. Nina, I need you to remember that this mask isn''t just a mask. It is your face. One you have shaped and defined by your own will and actions. If you cannot remember that, then you cannot wear it and you have no place in my ring.


    She looked at the mask and then at him and sighed, shaking her head, finally being honest with herself, here in her own mind. "I can''t. Zora is a hero. A beacon of hope. A lie I believed just like everyone else. But Anisa... Me... I''m not okay. I think I need to accept that."


    He nodded slowly, his smile not fading. It will be here for you when you remember what your true nature is.


    "A violent monster waiting for an excuse..." Anisa sighed, trying to process the information that had just come her way.


    His rumbling laugh broke her depression in a moment. He flexed and stood heroically despite his small stature. Not even close, Nina. But don''t worry. I''ll be cheering for you. The fact that I have even come to so dark a place is proof that your heart knows something your mind does not. He held out his hand, his unshakable confidence shining even in this dark moment. She wished she could be like him. To shed this darkness that must have followed him and to act without hesitation or fear of yourself. What you could do. What you might do. He laughed again as he wandered into the dark, taking her mask with him.


    As he left, the comfortable darkness closed in around her once more. Sculptura held her gently and said softly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. You will be okay. We don¡¯t have to pretend anymore. We can be just as we are. Forever.¡± As she listened to the words of her other self, she heard something else as well. Arguing. Fighting. Katsi¡¯s voice. Sculptura smiled with relish and glee. ¡°We are going to fuck up whoever the hell just pissed Kat off. Aren¡¯t we, Ani?¡± Anisa narrowed her eyes in cold fury, knowing there was no reason to pull her punches this time. Whoever this was was about to see just how vicious she could be.

 Awakening

    As she walked through the lab, the face that was out of focus began to speak to her once more.


    I''m surprised you bounced back so quickly, but I was in the middle of trying to analyze the movements of our enemy


    Another contaminant. Remove the device from her arm.


    She wasn''t going to let that happen, but she had to move first. Realizing the truth she spoke, "Tai, activate the Slumber Party protocol." She walked around the ''consoles'' as her many previous lives tried to figure out what their next move would be. But this wasn''t like her. She didn''t wait for direction or orders. Not every version of her did anyway. She was daring. Decisive. Something was very wrong. Looking at the data on the screen she realized what had happened, "A buried hypnotic trigger. Personality implantation into the memories. Spread out enough so a brainscan won''t find it, but connected by specific stimuli to initiate a state of hyper focus and suggestibility to buried orders."


    She was nothing. She wasn''t there, but that wouldn''t be enough. Not as Tak felt her synapses start lighting up. That was the old ways. The original intent. But things have changed. Someone thought they were smarter than me. Made a weapon to seek me out and erase me. I got to it first, and now it will unite all of you within me.


    Of course, it didn''t matter what the figure was saying. It never did. What mattered was that this was her mind. Her body and her life. Tai stood up to the figure but she motioned him to stand down. She was a ghost. A foreign agent unwelcome in her mind and in her home. She would deal with this herself. Whatever this intruder was, what she was seeing showed that it needed her will broken to take perfect control and if there was one thing she was never inclined to give it was full cooperation. She felt her heart race, her temper boil, and one fact push its way to the surface. She was not simply a clone. Not just another face in the crowd. She would be so much more than that. Whoever thought that they could just walk onto her home and try to take her life away was going to regret it.


    -----------------------


    Katsi wasn''t surprised that by the time she got back to the med bay through the service tunnels that the status indicators had shown the area had been locked down. She was however worried as she still hadn''t seen Trinta since they parted company. Had her friend found out what was going on? Had she been kidnapped? Or worse, killed? Arriving at one of the access panels for the medbay, she watched her sister''s vitals start to drop off the map as Sita and Ellefu seemed to be fretting over the readout on Tak''s monitors. As they rushed towards her body, Katsi took a desperate action, pulling the cord for the detonating cables to send the panel flying. It hit Ellefu in the shoulder, a loud pop signaling that it had dislocated her shoulder. Charging the now injured figure, she pinned the traitor to the floor, twisting the damaged arm. "Got you! Leave Tak alone!" As she worked to keep the woman restrained, she felt cold steel at the back of her neck. A scalpel perfectly placed to sever her brainstem if she moved wrong.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Ellefu began to laugh in a way that was very much not like her, the attire she had been wearing shifting like it was made of goo into less of a lab coat and more of a combat suit. She sneered, "You sincerely believe that you can overcome me with raw force like a barbarian? I am one of the greatest minds to ever explore the cosmos! I prepare for everything."


    Tak''s mouth opened and she said, "Tai, Activate the Slumber Party Protocol!" This caused everyone to look at her with surprise only to have the lights go completely off for a moment before turning on at maximum brightness. Katsi was glad she had been looking towards the floor, but it hadn''t helped her avoid it entirely as another flash happened. The medbay had become a rave from the odd strobe effect that Tak had activated. She was surprised that it seemed more effective on her attackers than on her. Still, Katsi couldn''t stop herself from muttering some swears. As Sita recoiled from the flash, Katsi turned to punch her on the cheek. Her form had improved under Sai''s training but she hated this sensation as the shock of her first genuine strike in a long time shook her whole arm. She felt Ellefu lock a chokehold from behind as she did so, the sound of her combat suit pulling her shoulder back into joint nearly deafening Katsi. Still, something about this felt off. Wrong. Her form was like someone who had only ever read about a chokehold from a book. There was efficiency, but there was no spirit to back it up. Right when Katsi was wondering if she might be able to break the hold, Sita charged her quietly with the scalpel. Before it could make contact, someone had grabbed her wrist and twisted it backwards, jamming the scalpel into her throat. As she and Ellefu tried to figure out what happened, the figure flipped back into a handstand and kicked Ellefu directly in the teeth with enough force to knock her back into the nightstand near Tak. As she fell back, another clone came from a panel in the wall, grabbing Ellefu and pulling her away into the secret tunnels before the sisters could react.


    When Tak opened her eyes, she tapped a few buttons on Tai''s interface and the lights stopped strobing, but had gone a dark red. The three crewmembers looked between them as Sita laughed from the ground, "Unexpected, but it will do just fine." Sita coughed up blood before looking at the trio and sneered, "I am the greatest mind the cosmos has ever known. I have taken your weapon and soon, you too will become my weapons. You stan-"


    Her speechifying was cut off as Anisa placed a boot on her neck, jamming the scalpel further into her neck, before twisting her heel and severing her spinal cord. Tak sighed in disappointment, "So... how are we going to stop The Original?" Katsi looked at her in disillusioned shock, as if wondering why Tak wasn''t more disturbed to watch Anisa kill someone so effortlessly. She shrugged and motioned to the dark red lights. They clearly had bigger issues. Looking at Tai''s interface she stated coldly, "One of them got to the bridge and set the Ziegfried to collide with the surface. How are we going to stop it, Captain?"


    Anisa spoke firmly, "We are going to the hangers. I''m entirely positive this ship can survive an impact with a planet. Our goal is to stop our assailant and tyrant once we make landfall. Save what we can and make sure that what happens today ends here today." The other two looked concerned but Anisa couldn''t be more sure of herself right now. That clone had just spoken about making them her weapons. That can''t have been an idle threat from someone with an ego that big. That meant whatever she was doing went beyond wiping out the experiment. As she remembered the last time she had to fight this species she knew the reality of what was about to happen. They were going to wipe out an entire culture and she would do it alone if she had to.

 Divide and Conquer

    Anisa moved effortlessly, never having felt this in control of her own body and movement. Her chest was numb and cold, but in a moment like this a cool head was the only path to victory. The only way to protect her new family. The ship''s Doctor didn''t seem like herself. Or maybe she was more herself than she had ever been. Anisa glanced back to see her fiddling with Tai''s interface again, a poorly labeled progress bar filling on it. Unsure of what this new approach meant, Anisa decided not to take it for granted that she was still the same Tak she knew. The doctor sighed, "You can''t really believe that leaving Katsi alone is the right call."


    Anisa''s response was effortless and confident, "Katsi has to seek her own road. I trust her capabilities and her instinct. If she believes she has the time to slow the ship to minimize loss of life, she is welcome to think of it that way. I believe that the more we save the harder our next fight will be, but she is her own person. I can''t take that from her." That''s right. Katsi would just have to see it with her own eyes, just like she had to.


    The Doctor asked carefully, ¡°You seem different. Did something happen while I was out?¡±


    Anisa couldn¡¯t help but respond curtly, ¡°I could say the same about you. You are definitely more tuned in than you were before I stabbed you in the head.¡±


    The comment got a look of bewilderment from the doctor, but she said softly, ¡°While I was recovering, I had a bit of an¡­ adventure. Tai is trying to help me find a solution while helping Kat.¡± She was playing coy. Anisa could do the same.


    "I had something similar. Got sedated and my mind went on a trip. I''m feeling a little more clear now." The doctor wasn''t buying it, but Anisa had not interest in dissecting it anymore. She was going to figure this out once and for all. Especially now that her mind wasn''t splintered anymore. The weight was still there, but there was no one fighting to remind her. The damage she could do was at the front of her mind and as she was now, there wasn''t anything stopping her from ending this fight when they made landfall.


    ------------------


    Katsi ran down the hall, tears forming in her eyes. They hadn''t had time to visit it properly. That had to be why Anisa was acting this way. She wasn''t the kind to just give up on people. Pushing aside her sister''s odd response, she ran onto the bridge and was quickly tackled to the ground. She nearly had the wind knocked out of her by the impact but was surprised to look up and see another clone. Worrying that she had been taken from their foe, the clone sighed and dragged Katsi to the side of the doorway. She spoke swiftly and quietly, "I am Shi. It means four. Zwei is the one with the sword. Hepta is the one trying to rip the steering column off." She looked around and confirmed the other two clones, Zwei waving nervously as she gripped the blade firmly. As Hepta tried to pull on the pirate wheel that Katsi swears was never there before, Shi continued, "The Original is trying to find all of us before impact. We don''t know what she is doing-"


    Katsi cut her off to explain, "She is using something called a Class 9 Corruptor. I don''t know what that is, but I think she is hijacking bodies. Ellefu is infected and-"


    Zwei growled, "Then Trinta was right! And..." She trailed off as Katsi turned with concern in her eyes. Zwei explained, "Kuntaret left a communication device that connected to Trinta. She was telling us to run. To get back to the ship and leave before SHE took us."


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    Hepta continued to fight the wheel, eventually realizing how it worked. She laughed and spun the wheel swiftly until the ship started to turn away from the planet. As she did, alarms started to blare and the readouts began to warn against this change of course. Hepta shouted, "If Ellefu got Trinta then who knows who else she got. For now, let''s just assume we three are the only safe ones... Us and the little captain."


    Katsi didn''t know who she was talking about at first and upon realizing she shouted, "Katsi. My name is Katsi!" The signals got louder and all the screens were covered with massive warning logos before the viewing windows eventually became nothing but the starry sky as they continued to fall backwards towards the planet. Katsi ran to a panel and started trying to adjust the thrust, surprised that the interface had changed completely. Had they somehow reprogrammed the Ziegfried? Katsi was annoyed, but wasn''t going to have it. She opened one of the panels and pulled out some wires before attaching it to her tablet from her workshop. "You are a hardware person, Shawn. Show me what you had planned for when someone reprograms your interface." As expected, as soon as she hooked up the tablet in this makeshift manner, she saw the familiar interface. "Such a hot mess of programming that she couldn''t actually touch the code. Just like Dean said. Alright, let''s figure this out." Shi continued to play guard while Zwei watched for hidden hatches and Hepta held the wheel in place. Remembering the others she had met while investigating, Katsi couldn''t help but want to try and find them using the scanners as soon as she had the chance.


    -------------------


    Kuntaret ran through the unmarked halls, trying to navigate from memory. Last time she was on this ship, she had been impaled by an insect woman. Projection or not, that kind of thing sticks with you. Pushing that thought aside, she tilted her head as her pursuer threw a blade past her head. Rolling to the side to take cover at a turn in the hallway, she waited for The Original to throw Nava''s body against her in some predatory way. But there was silence. Not trusting the situation, she got moving down the hall again only to have Ellefu drop down from a tile in the ceiling in front of her. Tak''Nasi approached her with a laugh, "I have to admit, the people who designed this are clever. I''ve never seen such esoteric code and counterintuitive navigation. It was almost as if they knew I was coming. That said, Tak''Nasi had been living in these walls for a long time and knew them well. You won''t be getting away."


    As Nava rounded the corner, Tak''Nasi spoke from her mouth, "And here we all are. Soon the rest of us will be here. This entity was intended to hunt me to extinction, but it is through this entity that I can fully realize the potential of my experiment. The natural conclusion to an experiment like this." Kuntaret watched carefully as the two tried to close off her escape.


    As she pressed her back against the wall to try and prevent herself from being cornered, she felt a pair of hands wrap around her wrists from behind. Looking back, she saw the panel had fallen back to reveal Trinta. Tak'' Nasi spoke with her voice, "All of my experiences consolidated and united in one glorious hive mind." Kuntaret wanted to spit at the idea, to strike back at the woman who had taken her sisters from her. But before she knew it her vision had gone black.


    Moments later, Kuntaret was in a lab, floating in a tube, and as she tried to find a way out, she saw her sisters around her, all strapped up and being studied, with plenty more tubes for the other samples. She began to hear the same voice that had been buried deep in her subconscious. A voice that taught her how to walk, how to speak, and what the world was like. The voice that was also her own. Telling her that she was just another cog in the machine, a part of a grand experiment that was more important than anything. As she looked between her sisters she could see she wasn''t the only one not buying it, but as things were right now, they didn''t have a clear route of escape. For now they were prisoners in their own bodies and minds.

 Talking Shop

    Katsi silently clicked the bracer into place, tapping on the green gem a few times before asking, ¡°You cozy in there, Chief?¡± The light flashed in morse code and she snapped, ¡°Hey! That¡¯s not appropriate! I¡¯m trying my best!¡± The light continued to blink in code to her, clearly amusing itself with her reaction. ¡°Yeah, well hopefully you won¡¯t be in there very long, Sai.¡±


    Gavin checked the fit and nodded, ¡°Thank you for this.¡±


    Katsi nodded, ¡°Yeah, just tell your girlfriend to be careful. The package should protect the charges in her gullet, but if it gets punctured there is no promise the charges won¡¯t go off right then and there.¡± He nodded before she handed him Vittivici¡¯s Bane. ¡°Oh, and have her throw this in there too.¡±


    Gavin looked it over before noticing the device attached the back of the pendant. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±


    ¡°Well I had time to analyze the data that Tak got from the scan and I was remembering what Dean taught me about these things as a power source. So I looked into this pendant.¡± Gavin nodded at her, as if inviting more information. ¡°Well, I may have looked a bit deeper into its legend and¡­ I figured out how it works. There is a vein of darkness in it. Of death.¡±


    Gavin sighed, ¡°So it kills people because of a fault in it. A corruption.¡±


    Katsi laughed uproariously. Gavin was completely baffled and she eventually collected herself enough to explain. ¡°No. No. It was intentional. A failsafe that Vittivici pressed into the gem with his own will. A principle he lived by that shifted the resonance of the stone and left a mark in it. So I put a device that should soften it some and help Pine to have a similar effect given some time.¡±


    Gavin looked it over and asked, ¡°Are you sure it will work?¡±


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    Katsi shrugged and stated, ¡°I don¡¯t think we have a choice but to test it in the field.¡±


    Gavin sighed with annoyance, ¡°I¡¯ve had to build things on the fly before but I¡¯ve never heard anyone speak with such certainty and yet admit they know nothing.¡±


    Katsi glared at him, ¡°Hey, just because I know what I¡¯m talking about doesn¡¯t mean that I got it right the first time.¡± She grumbled, ¡°Forget you. Reijaa is right. You think too much.¡±


    He was about to retort when Sai spoke from his battle bot body, ¡°Kat, you harvested a Crossflow. I¡¯m a little annoyed about that still, but you managed to get that together with spare parts pretty quick. I may not understand why you have done these things or where it came from, but I¡¯m hesitantly trusting.¡±


    Katsi shouted, ¡°You know I built my own Battle Van back home, Shawn!¡± She paused and doubled back as Sai tilted his head at her. ¡°Sorry. Still working on the whole name thing. You just remind me of him a lot.¡±


    Sai nodded, ¡°Yeah, and that probably isn¡¯t going to stop. I¡¯ve been getting used to it myself. So I¡¯m not to torn up about it yet.¡± She laughed awkwardly as she wasn¡¯t certain of his expression yet. He patted her shoulder.


    Katsi turned to Gavin, still unsure of what to say to help and Gavin smiled a dark smile, ¡°It¡¯s ok. We will make it out just fine.¡±


    He was lying and she knew it. He knew it too. This was most likely the last time they would see each other. Another friend marching to their death. Katsi felt it burning her up. Grabbing him by his collar with enough force to cause his hat to fall off. He refused to make eye contact with her so she growled under her breath, ¡°You are goddamned right you will. Am I understood?¡± Sai pulled them apart gently. He looked at her with his robotic eyes. She wasn¡¯t certain but she could swear he was trying to reassure her.

 Return of a Great Mind

    When she reached the hanger with Anisa, she was surprised to see a small gathering of her sisters in the hanger. From how they were standing she suspected they were just as worried as she was. Readying makeshift weapons for fear that she had been taken by their originator. Before she could open her mouth, before she could explain, Anisa continued to run full force to them. She tried to warn her captain, tried to let her know what was happening, but it was too late. As her sisters started to fire on the captain she expected it to send her careening to the floor, but she dove between shots from the scrap weapons easily, using a diving tackle to grab one of their legs before they could react. Sweeping the other leg as she passed and twisting her body like an alligator with its prey, she threw the first to the ground with enough force for them to bounce. Going into a handstand to narrow her profile and dodge any shots that would have hit her crouching form, she bent her body backwards and flipped onto the one she had just thrown, leaping from them quickly and jumping sideways. Effortlessly she grabbed their heads, one with her arms and another with her legs, and twisted with terrifying force. A loud crack filled the hanger before the sound of their weapons, and their bodies, hit the floor. As Anisa motioned her to follow, she looked at the corpses that her friend had made in seconds of a few confused and scared souls who had no idea what was going on. She couldn¡¯t help but shout, ¡°What the hell, Nisa!?¡±


    Anisa spoke in a manner she had never heard from her before. Cold efficient, full of remorse but resolute. ¡°We need to get planet side before this gets out of control. Come on.¡±


    Whatever happened while she was out, it had created a noticeable shift in her commander. One she would have to address with her later, because if outright murder was going to be Anisa¡¯s way moving forward then she would need to make clear why that wasn¡¯t going to fly. Regardless, she went to follow Anisa into the ship. It was only as the boarding ramp for this ship closed and the hangar doors opened that she realized her captain¡¯s insane plan.


    ¡ª¡ª


    Zwei held her sword close, keeping her eyes open as she watched the younger sister of the captain work. There was a strange man on the screen she swore she could recognize, but she couldn''t place the face. The sword spoke in her mind, You are allowing your eyes to focus. A true swordsman need not see one thing but must see all things. When you are fighting faster than the eye you cannot narrow your focus, only your goal. She knew he was only teaching her in hopes that she could break the lock on the sheath, but it was like Master Phoenix was still here. He had disappeared so suddenly that she hadn''t had time to figure out her role in this larger world. Now Kuntaret and Trinta seemed to know more about him than she did and this signal had dragged them all so far away from him. The blade spoke to her again, Your mind is drifting now. You are facing a far more experienced foe that you know nothing of their tactics. How could you possibly call yourself a warrior while you daydream like this? It was right. She needed to focus on the now. Watching the young woman who she was willing to kill all that time ago, she couldn''t understand or even remember why anymore. Was the effect of The Original so strong that it could make her kill like that? She could feel the sword on her hip try to suppress those thoughts. Trying to keep her in the moment and clear her head of distractions.


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    Hepta struggled against the wheel and shouted to the woman on the floor, "Kid! You almost done with your phone call over there? Because I''m not pilot but this thing is fighting me about as hard as it can."


    The girl sighed, "It isn''t a phone call. His name is Tai and he is helping me work the thrusters and calculations. The real issue we have is the odd profile of the ship. It isn''t designed for re-entry. We are fortunate that the Phoenixian Crystal powering the defenses. I mean do you understand..." It was here that Zwei''s mind began to drift at that point, unable to fully understand what the girl was talking about. The odd part was that as the confusion took her focus, her eyes began to absorb the room and she began to understand what the sword was talking about. Seeing the entire room all at once. It was as she did so that she noticed odd movements in a nearby vent, just barely out of the corner of her eye. She tried to keep her perception broad, but she prepared herself for potential invaders.


    Shi noticed and seemed to close her eyes as she listened for them. Hepta''s face shifted to mild concern as she continued to struggle against the wheel to keep their current course. Whatever her sisters noticed, she wasn''t going to have much chance to join in. If she let go for even a moment there was no telling what would happen. The girl was seemingly oblivious to these events as she continued to speak to the man on her tablet. ¡°I understand but we are talking big picture. Can you give me any more information on this stuff?¡±


    As she said this, the voices began to echo from the vents. Tak¡¯Nasi¡¯s smile was dominant in her tone, ¡°My oh my. Three kittens and a little girl are trying to keep their heads above water before the dolphins come down the river to eat them.¡± After a moment of pause where no one replied she continued condescendingly, ¡°Oh, did you not know that some river dolphins are aggressive carnivores? Of course you don¡¯t. Without my countless lifetimes of knowledge you are simple children. Helpless before me as we begin this dance.¡± Movement in the vents. Loud and suspicious. Most likely a feint. ¡°But that¡¯s fine, because you have no idea what I¡¯m about to do to you.¡±


    Ready for the converted to launch their attack, a fair but one sided fight, they were completely caught off guard when the viewing panels fell away. The pressure change pulled all of them off their feet and towards the opening. Hepta managed to get a grip on one of the edges, Shi and Zwei just barely getting their hands on her for their lives. Hepta glared at the corrupted bodies of Kuntaret and Ellefu. As the two placed their hands on Hepta, a strange goo left their hands and began to cover her. Zwei watched in horror as the goo consumed her two sisters and began to cover her as well.


    Katsi, more or less fortunate than the others, was now free falling in the upper atmosphere of an alien planet, having just enough time to process this fact as she watched a glorious golden city of science and culture be crushed beneath the hull of the mobile citadel she had come to call home up to this point, the sheer loss of life stinging her heart.

 Landfall

    When hurtling from high orbit towards the ground with only what you keep on your person, the first thing to remember is not to panic. That can be harder when you are only hurtling towards the pavement because some psychopathic personality embedded into the minds of an entire society uses one of the stupid action set pieces of your sister¡¯s long dead best friend. As the wind blew wildly around her head, Katsi pondered if this is what Dean was used to. If this is why Sai was so harsh. Honestly, she was impressed at how beautiful the remaining sections of the city looked. It worried her that she wasn¡¯t more terrified by this turn of events.


    As she was falling, she heard Tai in her ear, ¡°So, I got that information for you. There is only one Class 9 corrupter that it could be. A swarm of nano machines that reconstruct at a molecular level. I would tell you more, but I think you have other concerns. I put your odds of survival at about three percent. Since it looks like you have this under control, I¡¯m going to save mom and Captain now.¡±


    Great. All the sass of his father and the intelligence of his mother. There wasn¡¯t much she could do with her current trinkets and tools for the falling, so she pulled out one of her smaller screwdrivers and started to tinker with the transformation device on her wrist. She didn¡¯t have long before impact and if she survived that, she would need a plan. Nano machines means networking which means open, if encrypted communication channels. She would need to take a gamble on something she hardly understood, but if she was right then part two of the plan was already settled.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As the visitor¡¯s ship tumbled out of the open hanger like a dice from a cup, Anisa took to the controls easily. While different from the Ziegfried, they seemed intuitive for this design. Easy to pick up with even the slightest understanding of piloting. Even the interface, while foreign, felt oddly instinctive to her now. Maybe it was the recent sublimation, but the g forces pulling at her body were less concerning than before. Thankful for the powerful thrusters on the machine, Anisa managed to steady the machine. Unfortunately they weren¡¯t very far off the ground when it left the hanger, so all of that ease only managed to keep the landing survivable. The layers of dirt and debris from the Ziegfried¡¯s unceremonious landing buried them a little deeper than their own crash had.


    Rattled and shook, but mostly okay, Anisa stood up only to get punched in the back of the head. Using the forward momentum to hit her attacker with a rising kick. Rolling forward to turn and face the assailant she was surprised to see the doctor glaring at her while wiping blood from her nose. The doctor growled, ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time but I need you to stop and think. Because whatever you are doing right now isn¡¯t any better than her.¡±


    Anisa confirmed without a moment of doubt, "Of course I''m no better than her. I''m just protecting you guys instead of myself. If you have issues with that, we can resolve that after we are done here." She pushed past the doctor without looking back and verbally jabbed, "You aren''t yourself either. So I would figure that out real quick. We have a villain to face." She didn''t have time to indulge in her doctor''s concerns. They had a hive mind to slaughter before it finished its work and killed everyone. As she made her way to the back of the ship, Anisa touched the bracelet that she had been using to take on the form of Zora and whispered, "Twilight change." She couldn''t explain how she knew what to say or that her abilities had changed at all, but her heart knew the words. Her new attire was made from black and orange interlocking plates, almost chitinous in appearance. Her helmet, while one continuous piece, was oddly insectoid, her once visor now two shaded domes like the eyes of a wasp. She drew her pistol and turned the power as high as she could, blasting a clear tunnel out to the surface as well as destroying quite a few buildings on the other side. It wasn''t the first time. Stepping through the tunnel, she was unsurprised when three functionally identical clones were waiting for her. They began to speak but she simply blasted each into oblivion.


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    A voice echoed in the air around her, the voice of her enemy. "Oh? I haven''t seen this before. But this little shift of yours won''t be enough, Zora. I am millennia older than you, far more experienced, and I have become something a brute like you can''t do anything against." She waited for the moment it happened. Where Tak''Nasi arrived as an army of disposable clones. Worthless copies unable to stand to a genuine article. It was as the ground began to soften beneath her feet that she realized that she may have slightly underestimated her foe. The voice laughed as the ruins of the city began to melt like ice in the sun. "Thanks to my new tool, I can become a walking grey goo event!" As the terrain reshaped into various forms of weapons and automata, Anisa felt her instincts for survival rise to the surface. "I will love to assimilate your mind into our hive! Until then, let''s stress test these powers of yours. For research purposes of course." Anisa dove between every shot fired at her with relative ease, but getting a clear shot with her blaster was slowly getting harder and harder. She would get a shot off, destroy an entire swath of the landscape and weapons only for more to rise in their place. And she didn''t know why, but she suspected this was all a ploy to buy time. Right now, survival was all she had on her mind.


    ---------------------


    Katsi had just about accepted that she was going to make sudden deceleration when she landed on what felt like a flowing jet of water. She felt it carry her up, but she felt it clinging to her as she was carried into the open air. Checking it out, it looked like liquid metal. The nanites! It had to be. She felt them try to coat and absorb her but she laughed nervously, "Sorry boys. I''m not on the menu." She made her way to the edge of the ''spout'' and recognized it as the side of a skyscraper that was being broken down. Unsure of her odds of survival either way, she took a deep breath and began to run down the ever dissolving side of the skyscraper, the gold and glass bending under her feet with each step. As she ran, she tried to remember Dean, Trinta, Ett, everyone who was counting on her to get out of this alive. She was going to find a way to save everyone. She wasn''t going to let anyone die not this time. They would fix this together. Diving from the side of the building with only about thirty feet left before the ground, she managed to crash into the ever softening ground. While still scuffed and hurt, she was alive. And that was better than dying as a pancake. She wondered if Tak''Nasi knew she was all the way out here. It didn''t take long before two sneering clones gathered around her. She laughed nervously, "Hey, can I get a head start?"

 Cutting Strings Under The Rising Moon

    Zwei clawed at the liquid metal trying to force its way down her throat as she was falling, her body spiraling uncontrollably as she fell. She heard the blade speak to her.


    You need to breathe and block out the panic. Remember, your mind is the edge of your blade.


    She remembered Master Phoenix had been teaching her something similar. Closing her eyes and focusing on that fire she had felt deep under the surface so many times before. That scarlet flame that burned even now. In fact, as the fear of both this invasive material and the fall seemed like it was going to overtake her mind, the flame seemed to burn ever brighter. Her body relaxed and began to feel the air flowing around her, her limbs cutting through the air like a knife. As the metal tried to swallow her, she could feel her blade trying to break free from the seal, the ruby lock rattling in the open air. Zwei let out a slow and heavy breath, steam leaving her mouth as she was doing so. She felt her eyes grow sharp and her body beginning to feel the world around her for what felt like the first time. She imagined Kuntaret would approve. She could hear Ett telling her to be careful. She could feel the cold focus of Shi overtake her heart and the raw force of Hepta coiling in her gut, ready to strike down this fraud. None of them were truly there, but she could feel their potential and their example tempering her in this moment of crisis. Despite this, she felt the claws of Tak''Nasi trying to grasp her mind and psyche. Stealing what she earned. What she built. To send her once more into oblivion.


    We can beat her. We can turn the tide.


    Not without a moon. A full moon would be the only sure thing.


    A strong heart behind the edge of a sharp mind can make anything a reality. You just have to have the courage to act.


    -----------------


    She took shelter in the ship as her captain''s new cold eyes defied impossible odds.


    Alone.


    But she wasn''t. Not anymore. She had them. Katsi, Sai, Dean, Pine, Gavin, and... herself.


    Tai spoke from her device, "Hello, mother. I gave Katsi what information I could about the material that The Original is using... are you okay? You look scared."


    She nodded, "I don''t know how to explain it, but..."


    Tai laughed, "It''s okay, mother. You are yourself. A unique instance in the entire cosmos. She tried to take you and you pushed her away by your own will alone."


    She shook her head, "I had help. I had people I could rely on. People who inspired me."


    Tai nodded, "And you inspired me. I was going to do the heavy lifting but you took over like it was nothing. So show the captain. Show her who you have found deep in yourself."


    She looked at the emergency device on her wrist, noticing it was glowing with a soft red glow, pulsing in its housing as if begging her to make use of it.


    --------------


    Tak'' Nasi watched from a distance in a camouflaged blind she had built for herself with the nano machines she had reprogrammed. Sita had made a wonderful trojan horse, giving her access to the records of what that foolish man had tried to do. All for nothing it seemed as all he had done was remove the hypnotic triggers. Since the rest of the package was buried in their minds, her newest tool was able to bypass that stupid ''break their mind'' nonsense and get right to hijacking their bodies. Now if she could get enough data on this Zora character she could find out how to integrate other life forms into the hive as well. The ironic part to all of this was that she hadn''t even considered creating a hive mind out of her little experiment until she found this weapon. Why he would take something so immensely useful and try to use it simply to derail her experiment and nothing else was beyond her. The unlimited potential in the hands of someone like herself was something he simply hadn''t considered. Most don''t. Simple minds find simple uses. The truly great can reshape even the face of nature with naught but the simplest flames.


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    She was also pursuing that other girl to get what data she could on that one. Trinta''s knowledge base told her that this girl was a rather skilled inventor. If she can be assimilated then whatever mad schemes she has tucked away could be added to her own vast repository.


    A lesser mind could never spread themselves this thin. Never have this consistency of purpose or vision. And with her conditioning and experimentation, this was the best possible outcome. A highly compatible organic hive mind capable of adaptation and gathering information from multiple sources at once. It took true genius to embrace this amount of information without cracking under the pressure into madness. By her count, she had collected all but three of the reconditioned clones. A shame their knowledge was lost but it could be replaced. It was then that she realized that one of the numbered ones had just vanished from the network completely. Uplink was unsuccessful? Another outlier. Deletion would be the most effective solution, but perhaps it would be easier to find out these weird glitches by analyzing them personally.


    She began to incorporate the data from Zora''s blaster into the weapons she was making to test her, hoping that raising the destructive power would help her to get a better idea of the durability of her query. As she continued to process, she saw the outlier from the medbay walk out of the ruined ship. Oh, good. That data wasn''t going to be lost. Trying to re-link with the nanites in her system, she began to get multiple alerts. Had this clone made some kind of virus for the nano machines? How quickly had she made that? Cutting the connection, she was able to quickly isolate the digital virus and keep the system secure. Still, this was a concern.


    ----------


    "Tak''Nasi! I am no marionette dancing on your strings. I am Narine. and you no longer define nor bind me." As the weapons began to focus their attention on her, she lifted her device and said, "Bloom, Narine!" A shining flash a pale red light filled the air and threw off the targeting systems for a moment and when they could see again, the air was full of what seemed like shining embers like petals of flowers all around them. Anisa was thrown off by the sudden change in the air herself, unsure of what to make of it. She was surprised to see her ships doctor holding an almost roselike shield, energy petals falling away behind her as she began to block the shots striking the two of them. Narine spoke firmly, "She is playing with us right now. She has us outnumbered and these Nanites are tougher than she is letting you believe. We can''t waste energy on these. We need to beat her and every iteration of her."


    Anisa nodded, "Yeah, but she is nowhere to be seen and she isn''t going to just show herself to us."


    Narine shook her head, "She might, but it will be a gamble. If I could find a way to attack her nano machines then I could force her out into the open but they are on a very low range frequency. They practically have to be touching to upload anything locally that might be able to break her hold. Anything longer range than that and she can block the frequency and counteract it."


    When it seemed like it was the two of them against the world, the sky grew dark and a scarlet moon formed in the sky. A female figure with pure white hair landed in front of them covered in an oddly metallic armor. Her breath let off steam that they hadn''t seen the like of. It was only as she grabbed the handle of the sword they had seen Zwei holding that they recognized her. "You stand before Valk Zwei." The lock on the sheath shone the same shade of blood red as the moon above them before shattering, a wave of energy blasting away the nanites. Leveling her blade on the horizon, she demanded, "Face your daughters, Tak''Nasi. Answer to the blade you gave birth to."

 The Flowing Blade and Falling Blooms

    Katsi dove under and around debris as it slowly melted, trying to follow the small channels of nanites. She imagined that''s where she would be pulling her resources. If she could get there then her plan would work at its best. Sliding under some low rubble and leaping back to her feet, she blocked out the scrapes and friction burns. She didn''t appreciate how harsh Sai''s training had been, but it was perfect for this kind of stuff. She never would have been able to haul ass like this before. She needed her van to do anything with great speed and now after getting ass handed to her for a few months and taking her lessons seriously, she was outpacing even her old high school track team. Then again... She looked the device on her wrist, making sure that the modifications she had made were functioning. She couldn''t be sure it would work, but when was she ever sure? The first casualty is always the plan after all. But that''s okay. Her sister needs her and she can''t die here before she tells Dean. She needs to tell him everything she has done and learned. They might even trade notes...


    As the three clones chased her, she realized their attacks and interceptions were not intended to harm her, but to herd her. Guide her. Like she was being hunted by wolves or like a mouse in a maze. She knew how those kinds of stories ended, but that wasn''t the worst possibility. As she ran, she tried to get a better look at the behavior of the nanites. It flowed like sentient water in little currents, melting down what it could and reproducing to melt it down faster. Odds are, that meant that they were either built from the restructured mass or were storing portions of itself in their structure, perhaps even in the gaps between the machines. She leapt between the currents, trying to avoid getting more exposure than necessary. She tapped her tablet a few times with her thumb as she ran, hoping that Tai would show back up, but either the battery had died or he was occupied elsewhere. Either way, she was on her own. As the now four clones were chasing her and cutting her off left and right, she began to see a few large beams firing a few hundred yards past her location. She smiled and started to run towards them, trusting that it would work like covering fire for what came next.


    ------------


    Tak''Nasi laughed as she directed the nano machines to form combat droids for her. Due to their durability and versatility, there wasn''t any reason for her to leave her bunker. She wasn''t expecting one of the numbered ones to be wielding a relic, but the nano machines in her control were without limit and they could be far more durable than she was currently letting them be. This was for data. For whimsy. When they were tired and worn, it would be time to consume them and find out how to assimilate these resistant forms. If she could subsume all life into Tak''Nasi then she could take her experiment to the next level. Only a mind as powerful as her own could handle all this information. She watched as the platinum haired swordswoman confronted these combat drones, her bladework faster than mortal eyes could follow. Making goggles for herself that doubled as high speed cameras, she watched the blade and form. Feeding it back into the wave after wave of combat drones, she found herself becoming highly engrossed. The movements were so smooth, full of such subtle adjustments along every inch of the swing. It was still much faster than her tech could capture perfectly, but it was a start. Enough for the combat droids to begin their adjustments.


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    Tak''Nasi had countless lifetimes of experience and yet this blade was moving in ways she had never seen before. Unfortunately, the nano machines were rather resistant to such cuts. Whether it was dividing around the swing or simply resisting the cut, the small robots were utterly unaffected by such paltry cuts. It was as she was studying these moves for her own records that a large boom distracted her. She had forgotten that high speed camera meant that she had fallen behind on observing her subjects. Even with many eyes, the flow of information was too rich. There wasn''t enough processing power. She needed more powerful minds for her collection.


    -------------


    Zwei could feel the chill of the full moon in the sky as she wielded the lunar blade, Sabre. She could feel the influence of countless before her who had held its hilt. Every blade it had vanquished leading to this moment and its hunger for a worthy foe. She faced the incoming combat drones who seemed to be copying the movements of Zora. Rolling, diving and flipping as they closed the distance. Needless flair for a blade as swift as her own. She could see the blood moon even now. Preparing her blade by tracing the edge of it with the tip of her blade, she began her deadly dance. Her blades were swift and decisive, even as the drones twisted or molded themselves around her strikes, she still found her movements to be as swift and easy as water... Until the glowing petals left by Narine''s shield. As she ran her blade along them, she found herself needing to adjust, their petals heating the edge of her blade and blocking her follow up slices. As they became more numerous she began finding herself having to further adjust her movement to compensate, preventing her the freedom she needed to stay ahead of these foes. Worse yet, they seemed to be adjusting to her style. She shouted, "Narine, your petals need to go."


    Narine sighed, "They are supposed to operate as a form of chaff, but if they are truly in your way, stand over here." Zwei retreated nearly mechanically. Narine held up the blossom as a dome of petals formed. Moments later, the petals scattered to the wind began to shine... and then their light engulfed the battlefield.

 The Silver Bullet

    As the light faded, Tak''Nasi sighed with disappointment, a crowd of converted clones starting to form on the edge of the trio''s awareness. Tak''Nasi couldn''t contain her disappointment, "This is truly the best you have to offer? A decent gun and some armor plates? A flower shield and energy petals? And an impressive but ultimately fruitless display of swordsmanship?"


    Anisa spoke firmly, "You haven''t done more than annoy us up until now. We are at a stalemate." She knew that as impressive as the cannons and talents she had shown with these nanites were, there was no chance she could keep that up forever. Her team wasn''t even winded. Still, something about this seemed off.


    Tak''Nasi agreed, "Very true. I have not made any progress on slaying or even disabling you. But your combat data has been useful not only in confirming the durability of my new nano machines, but also in helping me to recognize the stagnant pool of information I''m pulling from. Once I have properly assimilated you all, I will be far more capable of dealing with strange occurrences like this." With a wave of her hand, a series of turrets formed from the dust. Between them, combat drones began to rise up as well. "I promise this will hurt, but you will live. I need your minds." As she began to smirk from her blind, watching the clueless targets, Tak''Nasi began to lower her hand to signal the attack. Before she could she was jostled as someone kicked her in the back of the head. She turned in confusion to see Katsi who tried to punch her a few more times. The nano machines on her helped to mitigate the damage, but the absurdity of this girl being able to sneak up on her at all was amusing. What did she feel she could do that these other warriors hadn''t? Her other surrogates that had been chasing her had lost sight of her for only a moment and yet she was able to find herself here. Tak''Nasi, not wanting to give the girl any more information than she needed to, asked, "Did you really believe you could hurt me while unarmed?"


    Katsi shrugged, "It was worth a shot. Good thing I''ve been packing these." The girl pulled out a pure white glowing stone with an odd device on it that Tak''Nasi hadn''t seen before and stuck it to Tak''Nasi''s shoulder before running off. Tak''Nasi had the nanites consume it to figure it out and was surprised that it had apparently been some kind of detonator attached to a crystal of pure hope. This must have been the girl who harvested that Crossflow that Hepta and Shi saw. The crystal was incorporated into her current outfit, giving her a new surge of power. This girl was going to be fun.


    ----------


    Narine, Zwei, and Anisa were doing their best to survive but under the current onslaught that was difficult. Every time Anisa felt she had found an opening in the ongoing turret fire, she found a combat drone lashing out with hands and kicks, perfectly bent to avoid the fire she could barely slip through. Every strike would throw off her rhythm and her body parts into the powerful fire from the turrets. Narine found herself getting surrounded, every turn with her shield leading to a perfect opening to be flanked and knocked around by both turrets and drones alike. Even the scattered petals did little to create new obstacles for the attacks. Zwei, while swift enough to avoid the threats and her sword guiding her body as a blade through the attacks, she was unable to find any openings to strike back and could do little but retreat endlessly without rest. Even the moonlight could not pierce these formations.


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    As they began to feel the impact of the assault, a familiar voice echoed out, "Hey, guys! I survived!" The fire stopped for a moment, as if inviting Katsi in. Everyone felt it. This wasn''t an accident. They each took this as an opening to clear an area for Katsi, but they could tell this was a trap. From the look in her eye, it seemed like she was oblivious. Cheery and happy. Confident but unaware of how one sided this had become. Katsi jumped over some of the drones and landed with them. "Okay, so I have a plan, but I need you guys to trust me."


    Anisa sighed, "Sis, I don''t know what you have planned but it had better be a killshot. Anything less than a silver bullet won''t cut it here."


    Katsi sighed, "Yeah, silver bullet isn''t a bad analogy for it." She waited. She waited because she knew it was coming. Why let an unarmored civilian in if you weren''t going to use them. Least of all if she absorbed those girls from the tournament. Come on...


    One of the clones approached the group, a smile on her face. No crystal. That''s fine. It should still work. The clone smiled the most saccharine smile she could, confident of her completion and victory. "Now that I have all of you in one location, I wish to offer you all a chance." Before she could finish speaking, nanites had to move quickly to make a barrier between her and the warriors. A wall that quickly moved to engulf and restrain the three fighters, who continued to struggle against the material. "You three have made your decisions for now. I will play with you all once I''m done." She offered her hand, "You, girl. You are a rather cunning and resourceful one. That must also mean that you are aware of your situation. I am thousands and growing. The largest reserve of information and personalities to ever be formed. Generations from across the cosmos. Think of what your mind could do with all those resources."


    Katsi smiled, thankful this was going better than she expected. She knew she couldn''t trust Tak''Nasi. She knew this was a trick to unperson her and take her into the mass. She knew this wasn''t the one she had marked and she didn''t know if her plan would work. Still, she did what anyone in her situation would. She reached out for the woman''s hand. Her gesture was repaid with a massive nanite spike through her chest. Shock overtook her face and her arms gripped the spike out of reflex.


    "I knew you couldn''t resist a treasure trove like this. It''s too bad. You had so much potential, but there can only be one mind as brilliant as mine." she ran her hand along Katsi''s cheek, "You never stood a chance." She threw Katsi into some nearby debris, burying her in the rubble.


    Anisa''s heart stopped, her mind reeling from watching her sister''s execution. The disrespect to her corpse. The insult to her intelligence. But more than that. She had lost someone again. Someone else had died because of her. She was supposed to be keeping her safe. Looking out for her. She remembered her cousins. Her own kin. Bloodied and battered for simply making her sister cry. She felt her heart crying and with it. The black accents on her armor seemed to almost start pulling in light as she processed this. Tak''Nasi laughed, "Oh, dear. I appear to have broken you. I wonder what new information I can gather from this."


    She was so drawn in by this sudden surge that Tak''Nasi didn''t notice it at first. A quiet thing as she invested herself into her research. The equivalent of not realizing you have been shot until the adrenaline wore off. It was her own mistake. One made in her eagerness to harvest these anomalies. A silver bullet right in the heart of her power.

 Golden Sunshine

    Tak''Nasi''s clones stared on in surprise as some of the nanites began to stream towards the rubble Katsi had just been thrown in. As Anisa''s power began to overflow with despair they focused most of their energy on that, but as more and more nanites began to flow towards the rubble, it became impossible to ignore. Tak''Nasi''s lapse of attention was all it took for Anisa to break free from her restraints. Before the clone knew it, she was erased. Not a single sign of life, organic or machine, remained of her. A dark wave of energy that cut beyond the horizon, a blade of shadows in her hand. This despair was broken when a familiar voice broke the air. "I cannot believe that worked." Anisa turned to see her sister lifting the rubble off herself, a strange golden metal like the nanites starting to cover her body, the device on her arm shining with as soft golden light that seemed to grow more rich as time went on. She adjusted the tricked out transformation device on her wrist as it was eventually incorporated into the growing metal armor. Anisa stared in disbelief as the metal began to spread to Katsi''s head, pressing her hair against her body and making a mask that covered all but her eyes and mouth. Tak''Nasi watched as light red lenses formed over Katsi''s eyes and an odd ovoid pack formed on her back, a seam up the middle. Katsi laughed, "Alright, let''s see what we are working with."


    Tak''Nasi demanded, "How did you reprogram the nano machines? How did you survive that spear to the chest? You should have bled out! Answer me!"


    Katsi looked up absentmindedly, "One moment. I''m getting my bearings." The drones tried to attack her, but the pack opened, dragonfly like wings quickly carrying her out of their reach. Katsi eventually answered, "Okay. Rude. But I had an NFC transmitter in my transformation device." Tak''Nasi was bewildered by this, leaving every clone in arms reach vulnerable for a moment, but Anisa was so confused by this development herself that she hadn''t the ability to take advantage of it, the blade of shadows vanishing from her hand. It wasn''t long before the weapons that had once been aimed at the three warriors were now all trained on the flying golden figure.


    -----------


    Katsi was buried deep in the rubble. Her blood was leaving her body and the warmth was leaving her. Despite this, the nanites she hadn''t shaken off yet, finally reached her device. She smiled as the crystal began to shine within its fitting. She focused every bit of energy she had left into it. All her love. All her regrets. Everything she was. This wasn''t going to work, but she needed to try. She wanted to save them more than anything. She would find a way to do it. She had to.


    As her earnest wish reached the crystal, the gem began to broadcast her feelings through the device, and the nanites seemed to respond. It wasn''t many at first, but it didn''t need to be. Their rate of communication was startling to most people, but it was enough for Katsi. They turned gold as they all shared the information with each other, all bound together in the spirit of her genuine love. As she reflected on this, she felt some climb her to form shades, their scarlet lenses providing her all kinds of information that she wasn''t sure she was processing due to the bloodloss. Thinking of a way to repair her wounds, she was surprised to see how well her plan had worked. More nanites were joining the ones on her. Too bad she was going to die before she could help everyone. As she waited for death she began to realize the warmth was returning to her. Her less blurred vision showed a readout. Apparently the information they had shown her was gleaned from her connection to Dean. Despite being The Man Unbroken he seemed to know a lot about stabilizing fatal injuries. As she looked over more information from that connection, she saw all he knew about the crystals and asked the system if they could restructure the crystal. As soon as they confirmed they could, at a cost to build efficiency, she put them to task. She didn''t need large scale building. Realizing she could access Dean''s knowledge base from her emotional bond with him alone, she began to move the rubble off herself and continued to access data stream after data stream of people she cared about. No personal secrets or dark histories. Just their knowledge on various subjects and areas of expertise, which was perfect. All these references and sources she could have spent a lifetime never being able to collect. All of them right here. All of her friends and family bound together in this one purpose.


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    The outfit was Sai''s insights paired with Dean''s. By creating a striking outfit and motif that covered over most of her normal appearance, she could use the Marvelous Dragonfly effect to her advantage. Not to mention the more of her body was covered in nanites the better her defenses and the more parts of her person she could produce tools and weapons from.


    The Lenses over her uniform were the input of Tak... or was it Narine now? Either way, the armor could do most of the work for her if she was occupied elsewhere and she could have full access to the various bits of data without it stopping her from seeing where she was going. Easier for referencing using eye tracking technology.


    She had never heard of the Batta scale before now, but she could see it now. These Nanites were absolutely the correct angle to strike at her from. The more of them that Katsi could convert or disable the more she could back Tak''Nasi into a corner. It was only when she saw in Narine''s knowledge base how Tak''Nasi was controlling the girls that Katsi realized she was being attacked. Taking to the air on dragonfly wings, more impulse at this stage than an intentional design choice, she made her comment. She knew that Tak''Nasi wasn''t going to believe it. But it was the only way. A small localized data transmission to just a few nanites through a living power source like the crystal in her emergency transformation device was the only way she could think of to bypass any firewalls. If these nanites could coordinate and reproduce the way they were, then they would need some way to communicate locally as well as at a larger scale. She was glad she had installed it to get better feedback on the crystal, but that was a dangerous gamble. Never again. Seriously.


    She knew she didn''t have long before Tak''Nasi figured out she was being honest and closed off the nanites from transmitting to each other. If she wanted to try and save her prisoners, it was going to have to be now. She flew over the battlefield, weaving through the gunfire with relative ease due to her high elevation. For a brilliant mind, she was truly a one trick pony. Katsi however was a gambler who didn''t mind taking chances. When the boom didn''t go off, it was frustrating as it was an unrefined crystal in the hands of the enemy. But now that she had succeeded here, she wondered if she could still use it to her advantage. When she saw the clone with the glowing crystal, she fired at them. The nanites on her began to convert around the area of impact and the crystal began to glow. Katsi flew off before Tak''Nasi could full process what had just happened, but knowing it can''t be good, she forcefully rejected the crystal and the traitorous nano machines. The machines began to engulf the gem, much to the bafflement of Tak''Nasi who again began to feel less than she had before without knowing why.


    ---------


    Narine found herself once more in the lab. Once more in the tube. She stepped out to shattered glass only to look and see countless more chambers this time. Some of them we beating against the glass and yet others were resigned to their fate. None of them seemed to have any idea she was there. Narine looked at all of her sisters and realized the problem... She had been consumed again. Face to face with all the people she continued to try to escape. That she had continued to try and abandon. But she kept finding herself here. Among her sisters, just another face in the crowd. But she was not this. Even now, they were all trapped by these circumstances. Trapped by their own identities, unwilling to cut ties with that history, or perhaps unable to for other reasons. The irony wasn''t wasted on her. Here she was, glad to be rid of the title. To have a name and identity of her own, but by that virtue being the only one who could free her siblings. Free from the shackles of a dead woman who had lived far too long, guiding their thoughts not just from birth but actively in their memories. She approached one of the tubes and ran her finger along it, a little surprised as she saw a line begin to form and the fluid inside began to spill out through it. Thinking quickly, desperately, she traced a square on the tube and stepped away, the panel falling out, and the clone of Tak''Nasi falling forward.


    Narine pulled them out and did CPR until the fluids were entirely out of their lungs. Various instances of the scientist that she had seen when she was last here seemed too invested in other work to give her a second glance as she did this. Whatever was going on outside of here was clearly not going to plan and they seemed to be in a blind panic at whatever stimuli they were observing. As she lifted the woman to her feet, the clone asked, "Where am I?"


    Narine introduced herself, "I am Narine and we are going to get everyone out of here." She didn''t know how but she couldn''t give up. Katsi was dead and Anisa broken. There was no one but her left to save her family and to destroy this horrible monster of a woman from within.

 Shattering a Great Mind

    Anisa was confused and exhausted, but knew that this fight was far from over. She drew her blaster to try and free Zwei and Narine only for a flash of crimson to fill the air, the white haired sword maiden escaping her prison, fury in her eyes. The nanites seemed to be retreating across the battlefield and finding homes with the various hosts that had already been converted, covering them completely in the liquid metal armor. The two women turned towards Narine, both worried as Narine seemed to be comatose but also in immense pain. Anisa looked to the shimmering gold streak through the sky and stated firmly, "Whatever Katsi is doing, we need to help her. I trust Narine. She will be okay."


    Her helm comms lit up, Tai coming through but the signal was weak, "Mom will be fine. Keep Tak''Nasi occupied."


    Zwei asked, unaware of the transmission, "What was the sword and where did it go?"


    Anisa paused for a moment, unsure of what she meant before she remembered. Looking at her hand for a moment, she shook her head, "I don''t know but trust me, I would be using it right now if I knew what it was." Zwei seemed almost irritated by the idea, but Anisa didn''t have time to indulge or investigate. Right now, Narine and her sister seemed to have some kind of plan and for now it seemed to be more likely to succeed than brute force was doing. Her heart sank at the idea that she was next to useless right now, but saving everyone was always more important. She would just have to make herself a big enough problem to draw the villain''s fire for now. "Let''s go Zwei Valk. We''ve wasted too much time already. No rest for the weary." Zwei nodded with a sigh and the two charged into the ongoing battlefield without hesitation, knowing there was little left they could do but fight.


    -----------


    Narine continued to free her sisters from the mental prisons that Tak''Nasi had put them in. The panic on the faces of everyone at the workstations was almost amusing to her, but it was too similar to a sinking ship for her tastes. She wondered if these were the actual scientist''s minds or just a manifestation of Tak''Nasi''s own madness. A mind so driven to control and dissect that it had even torn itself to pieces. Still, freeing each in turn, she was eventually surprised when one of them introduced themselves, "Thank you. I am Cero." Narine remembered the silent one from before and was about to speak when Cero quickly and quietly approached one of the stations. "Immaculate. Exquisite. I see what they were talking about now."


    Kuntaret walked up to Cero, seemingly thrown by her ability to speak, "Nice to finally hear you, Cero, but what do you mean? We need to find an out. Now."


    Cero nodded, "We have a potential opening, but even as fast as the mind is, we need to move quickly." Before anyone could ask her what she meant, she approached Narine and smiled at her, "I am so glad you were born, sister. I hope we can speak again one day." Before Narine could respond, a chute opened beneath her and she dropped into what seemed like a void until she awoke in the damaged remains of the lab she had been held in when they were trying to convert her on the Ziegfried. Running to one of the consoles, hoping to figure out what Cero had seen in hopes that it hadn''t been a trick or betrayal, she was blown away at what she was seeing. Katsi was alive! She had figured out how to hijack the nanites for herself! What was more, she could see that there was one of Katsi''s crystals attached to the system. Narine, sent a message to the console that Cero had been at trying to find out her plan. Her response caught her off guard.


    Dear sister,


    The Crystals are data storage as much as they are energy. An empty data storage device that can contain an entire people. Your body hasn''t been remodeled yet. You have a chance to return to your life. Our bodies have not been so fortunate. I can save our personalities to the crystal. We can always get new bodies. You have fought her off before. Keep yours so I can thank you in person.


    -Cero


    Narine had never exchanged a single word with her little sister and yet here she was more considered and reasoned than even Gavin. Fine. It should be easy enough. Even as projections of the Tak''Nasi security force entered this mental lab, responding like antibodies to her message. That was fine. She took on her new appearance and laughed to herself, "You couldn''t beat me before. So let''s see if fighting me on my own turf makes any difference for you."


    ---------


    As Katsi continued to wheel through the sky, she began to shoot transmitters into the swarm of turrets, converting the nanites in each impact site to her own tools. When she would hit a clone, she found herself increasingly disturbed. What should have lead to a liberation of their bodies lead to Tak''Nasi killing them out of spite and to keep their forms from being used against her. Katsi tried to remind herself that this wasn''t murder. She wasn''t killing these women she had been wanting to save. There was always the crystal. If she was right, they would have been fast enough and she was just pruning branches on a megalomaniac. Still, until she could confirm that they had all been evacuated onto that crystal, she felt the doubt picking at her brain. It was only as her next shot did nothing to the ongoing swarm that she realized the point of no return had passed. She tried to access the crystal for reference and felt a wave of relief. Not all of the count of thirty were here but who knows how many died in the crash or in a lucky shot during the fighting.


    Tak''Nasi felt a cold grip in her chest. This wasn''t supposed to be able to happen. She was the greatest mind the cosmos had ever seen! Why couldn''t she have seen such an obvious design flaw? Who would have put such a glaring and stupid weakness into such a powerful weapon meant to overcome even the Shuians? As she cursed this interloper who dared to back her into a corner, she looked to the handful of herself that were still here, but she felt no connection to them. An extreme sense of vertigo overcame her as she looked at each one. Without the nanites to orchestrate their moves with her own, all she could do was assume they were on the same page as her. She would take point and they would fall in line. As Zora and the numbered one charged this group, she looked to her other selves in annoyance as they all seemed to be trying to take the lead position as well, not checking their timing or anything but charging in without a moment''s consideration. While their layer of Nanite armor protected them from harm, the lack of coordination allowed the numbered one to deflect each blow sent her way with ease, launching each attacker effortlessly into the terrain. Zora for her part seemed to believe her blaster to the face was a sufficient tactic and embarassingly she wasn''t wrong. Tak''Nasi''s turrets had gone completely silent, her combat drones were most likely inert without her direction, and down to the last few of her bodies, she had been backed into a corner. She couldn''t open the connections to form weapons without the golden one stealing what few resources she had left and while she could fight well enough, if she couldn''t coordinate with herself then what good was even that?


    The golden one landed nearby and said, "Stalemate." Tak''Nasi glared at her as the golden one played up how impressed she was. "We can''t break that armor and you can''t beat us with what you have left." She tapped her chin and then turned to a different Tak''Nasi. "Or, is it that we can''t break YOUR armor and YOU can''t beat us with what you have left?" She did this again with a third, "Or Is it YOU?"


    Tak''Nasi snapped at the same time as the rest of herself, "We are all Tak''Nasi! The final evolution of life! The ultimate hive mind!"


    Zora turned to the numbered one and asked, "I mean, they aren''t really a hive mind right now, right?" The numbered one laughed derisively. Before she knew it, Tak''Nasi watched one of her selves attack the white haired clone and be evaded before getting shot back by Zora. "Okay, I think we found the real Tak''Nasi." The group turned to the one who had just been struck back and began to only look at her.


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    Tak''Nasi couldn''t abide this. All of them shouted, "We are all the real Tak''Nasi!"


    Zora waved them off and stated firmly, "A bunch of cheap copies. There can only be one original."


    Another of her selves spoke up unprompted, "You Dare! I am the greatest mind in the cosmos! Even a cheap replica of me would be more than enough for the likes of your meager means!" She motioned to the rest of the Tak''Nasi as though she had control. "Leave me! Scatter! If you escape then we can always reorganize ourselves later!"


    Tak''Nasi couldn''t stomach this and watched as another of her cried out, "You believe yourself superior? Are you not I and I not we?"


    Tak''Nasi could feel the thoughts eating at her mind. Something about this wasn''t right. She then began to laugh like a maniac, much to the surprise of everyone there. "I see. This was your goal. Some first year psychological abuse. Sow doubt and division. Sever identity and wield the existential crisis as a weapon against my mind."


    "Our mind."


    Tak''Nasi ignored the clone. She was wrong to do this. She was always sufficient. This Hive mind arrangement was a total wash. If she was realizing this than she only had a moment before the others had the same realization. If that was true, they would kill her as easily as breathing air. Just like she was about to do to them. This may have been an obvious tactic, but only because it was the only one that made sense. She had made this prison of the mind for herself. The real question was if this trio of idiots were going to interfere or take the tactical choice of stepping back to watch.


    Zwei thought to herself about the words she had heard from Master Phoenix all that time ago. That she saw the ending of a life as evil and that is what made her different than the original. She watched, waiting to see if what he said was correct. Was this long dead ego maniac more than a cold monster or were they all the guinea pigs that he claimed she thought of them as. Small animals to be sacrificed for her grand experiment.


    -----------


    Hepta and Nava punched more of the tubes as they motioned everyone towards the exits that Ett and Kuntaret were motioning them to. Metaphysical or not, doorways meant something to the mind. A transition point. Easily processed by the minds of the scared and desperate as a means of escape. The countless clones found themselves funneled by The Count of Thirty to their means of escape. Their personalities and experiences being saved to the crystal as the system worked to isolate their nanites and eject it. Eventually, Cero shouted, "We are out of time. Everyone to the crystal!"


    Hepta ran with the rest through the door, thankful this was finally over. It would be a hot minute before they had their bodies again, but what mattered is that they lived. That what they represented got to continue forward. As she ran to escape, she saw Shi run back in past her. "Shi, where are you going? We have to leave?"


    Shi nodded, "Cero isn''t leaving. I''m going to take care of that." Hepta hesitated at first but when Trinta ran out as well, smiling, she was reassured.


    "Okay, but drag her quickly! We don''t have a lot of time!"


    Trinta smiled softly, "Don''t worry. We''ve got this." Hepta laughed a hearty laugh and ran through the door. Once she had, something akin to a sheet of glass covered the entrance and she watched as the three girls huddled around the control console, completely ignoring as the rest of them escaped.


    Trinta almost looked back, but Shi held her shoulder. Cero sighed, "I was hoping you two would escape with the others."


    Shi spoke coldly, "I be in charge of this ship now, me matey." Her lack of accent or emotion of any kind caused the other two to look at her in amused confusion. "Batten down the hatches. We be securing these bodies for our own means now, lassies."


    Trinta finally chuckled, "The rest of them are going to hate us for this."


    Cero sighed, "I guess I don''t mind doing this alone, but you know that if we are doing this, the odds are high we don''t come back."


    "Then why are you doing it?"


    Cero sighed, "Master Phoenix used to tell me all the time that sacrifice was the most unstable form of power. That it was to have enough love for others that you courageously bleed yourself dry for their sake. I was always drawn to it through his example. And now here I am trying to have a moment where I give everything for my sisters and you two have to come and ruin it."


    Shi stated firmly, "That be the way, wee lass. We be like she. Control freaks to the last. Why leave to others what we do weselves."


    Trinta nodded, "I mean, isn''t that the goal? To sow doubt? I don''t mind risking this little life of mine for one final masterpiece."


    Cero sighed, nodding slowly to herself. "Alright. But, Shi, you have to stop with the pirate speak. Seriously, when you don''t use an accent or anything it is just very unsettling."


    -----------------


    Zwei saw Master Phoenix vindicated, the various branches of Tak''Nasi turning on each other and eating themselves alive. As one was flung near her, it used the last of its strength to touch her heel and before she knew it, Zwei felt herself crying. It was a quiet voice at first. A sad one, but not an unfamiliar one. She asked herself quietly, "Trinta?" As she watched all but the last Tak''Nasi fall, she heard the voice of the artist in her mind. How Cero and Shi had worked with her. How they had each taken a body. How each of them had sown confusion and how they had all died by this point.


    Zwei felt her heart break a little, her mind reeling from hearing not only of her sister''s sacrifices but also their deaths. Shi, especially, was a rather harsh loss for the girl who had been nothing but a burden to the group. She fell to her knees, trying to process this. Even Sabre was unable to break through the grief to the warrior beneath.


    Anisa went to approach the kneeling figure, armed and ready to go, but her eyes were vacant. Her glassy stare revealing how completely broken this had left her. Recognizing that look as one she had worn before, she couldn''t help but opine. "It is one thing to accept death as a part of life. It is entirely another to end your own life. Bad enough once, maybe even twice, but by the time you are as far down the self-destructive rabbit hole that we are, there is no heart left. No soul. Just a killing machine. To the point where ending our own life seems just as pointless as living it." Katsi watched her sister standing over what was effectively a living corpse, wondering if she would be okay. Sirens filled the air as an army of officers from the Cosmic Patrol arrived, clearly having taken time to arrive in force for such a grand event. Before they could apprehend the survivors, Anisa took a deep breath and snapped the neck of the mentally shattered Tak''Nasi.


    When they came to arrest her, she offered her arms willingly to the cuffs. Zwei had vanished, Katsi unsure of where she had gone, and Narine was being carried on a stretcher. She seemed to be nanite free, which was reassuring. Katsi, following her sister''s lead allowed herself to be cuffed as well.


    ------------


    Tomas held her head as Katsi wrapped up the tale, "And that''s how it happened." She tried to get a read on the officer and followed up with, "I mean, I know it sounds insane but-"


    Tomas held up their hand and sighed, "So if we could contact this Zwei Valk they would collaborate your story?"


    Katsi nodded, "Yeah. Absolutely."


    Tomas tapped their pen on the desk and looked at their notes. "Honestly, in all my time as a member of the cosmic patrol, I wish this was more crazy. This is actually pretty standard fair for all the factors involved. An open and closed case." Katsi seemed worried but Tomas waved her off, "The charges in this case specifically are overblown. Frankly, this is basically how we would have handled it. In fact, it might have been better because a modified Class 9 Corruptor would have been able to turn our numbers against us." Tomas asked, genuinely at a loss, "If all of this is true, why did Zora tell us that it was genocide when interviewed?"


    Katsi sighed, and looked away, "I don''t know. I mean, technically it could be viewed as cultural genocide as we have wiped out the culture as everyone knew it."


    Tomas shrugged, "Looks more like you aided a revolution against a dictator. More like helping a cultural shift and protecting a species to me. I mean, we don''t encourage officers to participate in that stuff, but you guys aren''t a part of the force."


    As Tomas was about to wrap up, a scarlet and gold clad figure stepped into the room, "The Prince has given me orders. If I listen in and deem them as worthy, the prisoners are to be put under his protection and my supervision. Your investigation was through and exacting, Officer Tomas. Please make the records public and I thank you for your service."


    Tomas hated the break in protocol and glared at the armored unsavory figure, but nodded and left the room. Katsi was on her guard. This was the same guy who worked with the lady who tried to set her on fire when she last visited the Tak''Nasi homeworld. He spoke softly, "Prince Visto the Fourth has heard your plight and is aware of your mission to bring back heroes from another time. He knows the Falos and you have no love loss, but he wishes to aid in the return of these great heroes. You can decline his offer, but his father has great sway and could have you all executed. Agree to our help and we will make sure your mission succeeds."


    Katsi asked, "Why should we trust someone like you?"


    He laughed a little and motioned for the door to be opened. Zwei stepped in, her nanites progressing a bit further than before, but the crystal that contained all of her sisters proudly displayed on her chest. Her eyes shifted to a soft shade of magenta and in a candor and tone she knew all too well, Trinta said, "Hey, Kat. I''m sorry for everything, but it''s going to be okay now."

 A Friendly Hand

    Anisa sat quietly in the interrogation room, wondering what else could possibly want from her. It wouldn''t matter. Either they would release her or they would make an attempt to execute them. Either way, everyone would get out of here alive. Or she would die trying. She felt a sudden chill take over her body. The sensation of someone walking on her grave. A sensation that was so familiar and yet the lack of a searing headache reminded her of how far she had fallen. She felt every muscle tense and her heart began to race, forcing the taste of copper into her mouth. When the door opened and the man in scarlet and gold armor entered her room, she didn''t hesitate. She kicked the table over, using the weight of the table pulling on her cuff to add speed to her flip as she dropped both heels into his helm. He fell back from the impact but motioned the Cosmic Patrol to stay back and hit the emergency lockdown button. He had clearly been sent to see to her execution himself. A loyal lapdog to the throne.


    But his response was an odd one. He didn''t try to strike back nor did he seem to feel the need to defend himself. Everything about his bearing and stance seemed to say he was... amused.


    He said, "Zora, I have come to provide an offer-"


    "Not interested. If that''s all you came for, you can leave."


    Before she could react, he had grabbed her leg and flipped her back over, the weight of the table harsh upon her shoulders as the force was even enough to return it to where it was. A carefully prepared amount of force. Almost too well practiced. "Even if that deal was that you get to accomplish your mission with full support of the Cosmic Patrol and save the cosmos from the Tyrant Visto III? Clear your name? Save your friend and the other hero with him?" She didn''t express her views, but he seemed able to read her, "I know it seems to good to be true, but I assure you that with the return of Cosmo Bruin and the actions taken by the Emperor as of late. Prince Visto has decided-"


    She narrowed her eyes and cut him off again, "The same Prince Visto that took over my home planet and killed millions?"


    He laughed again, "Yeah, and you of all people should understand how keeping the body count to millions on a planet with billions is-"


    "Still mass murder." She held no warmth for this man, least of all someone who would hide behind a helmet. As if aware of this he let out a sigh and sat down across the table from him. She imagined what it would feel like to snap his neck. Save them all the trouble. Kidnapped thirty young women and tried to turn a whole planet against her and now he was sitting here pretending to be a friend.


    In a scarlet flash, the armor vanished, the charcoal haired man making himself known. She didn''t recognize his face and but something about the way he spoke was bothering her. Still, his face seemed warm and shadowed by doubt. "Yeah. We both agreed. It is that warpath that helped me motivate the Prince to take a more passive role in conquest and focus on his empire. And that''s what lead us here. To the possibility of bringing back a man who can limit casualties across space by bringing the Cosmic Patrol out of their cubicles and back in force." She watched the man''s eyes become wistful for a moment before stating, "You may call me Leithan, if you like."


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    Refusing his premise she stated again, "So you guys are going to what? Make me an official member of the empire and-"


    "Not even remotely close, Zora." His interruption put her on her back foot, but he held no malice or aggression, "We will help you to accomplish your mission and provide you resources to do so. This altruism is to show the cosmos our recognition of the evils of Emperor Visto and to bring hope back to the citizens of the Empire. That their Prince sees their plight and is taking action to remedy things." His eyes grew dark for a moment, "It won''t undo the lives ruined during the early years, but it is a start." He sat there quietly and it was here that she realized where she knew him from. It was a different lifetime but this was the man who spoke to her at Heais'' tournament. After a few moments he said, "Everyone needs a hero, especially in this dire hour of the cosmos. That''s gonna be you."


    She sneered, "I''m no hero. Just a violent killer on a mission."


    He laughed involuntarily before eventually responding, "Too bad you don''t get to decide how others view you. You only get to decide how you want that to look in their eyes. Let me tell you from experience on that." He patted her on the shoulder which only caused her body to reflexively in her defense. Before she could think and without a hint of remorse, she grabbed his wrist and leapt from her seat, locking him in a triangle choke. Much to her surprise this was somehow even less effective than her last attack. He laughed in an oddly warm way towards this. "Good form. Was never one for grapples myself. So how about we get this out of our system?" He tossed her bracer onto the table as a gleam in his eyes spoke of faith in her. Confidence in her nature. The banging on the door that followed told her that he had not told the officers that he had brought this into the room. "Only you can decide who walks out of this room. Anisa, Sasori, or Zora... decision will always be yours."


    She tried to put more leverage into the hold only to feel like she was trying to bend titanium with her bare hands. She snapped coldly, "If I leave this cell, I''m going to get my mission done my way. I''m going to say what I want when I want and my entire crew goes free. And I reserve the right to leave or abandon any of your crew as I see fit."


    He nodded in a kind way, "Wouldn''t do to have the hero of the cosmos on a leash. That''s why I''m here in the first place. A hero can''t save the day from inside a cage." She released the grip on him carefully and sat on the table. Reaching over in her cuffs to her device, she transformed into her new armored state, an enclosed and insect like helm. The dark shade of orange and black accents did nothing to detract from her comfort of this personal fortress. She broke her cuffs and took a series of practice swings designed to come just short of hitting the man who brought her this gift. Despite coming within millimeters of hitting him, he didn''t seem to fear in the slightest. Instead he seemed to be sizing her up for a larger foe.


    She adjusted her plates a little before stating, "I don''t know what your game is, but I''ll bite for now. Until I figure out what you are after." He nodded, a scarlet flash returning him to his armor as well. Waving his hand, the door out of the cell melted away and he motioned her forward into the world ahead.

 Taking Stock

    As they walked, Leithan stated, ¡°I heard that you manifested. That¡¯s a huge step. Even seems like you unlocked a new form. That¡¯s big. What spurred the change?¡± Anisa froze mid-step, chilled at the thought that she was so transparent. Seeing this, he explained, ¡°Powers like yours have stages. Moments of crystalized growth. Fitting given how you channel them.¡± He laughed at his own joke, ¡°While powers like the ones I¡¯m using are a little more adaptable. That said, internal crisis overcome leads to growth and new resolve at each turning point, new abilities make themselves known. They can happen in any order but they usually include manifesting new weaponry, summoning some kind of vehicle, unlocking new forms or aspects of your powers, or some kind of super move.¡± He seemed almost wistful. Like reliving childhood memories, his joy could be felt through his armor. ¡°That said, according to the interviews it seems you evolved a weapon and a super move. Based on your new look I would say Null Resonant Erasure is the end result. A literal manifestation of despair that can erase matter entirely. How in the hell did you manage that?¡±


    Anisa sighed, ¡°How in the hell do you know so much about this stuff? Do they have college courses on this?¡± He laughed at her serious question and his silence made clear he had no intention on explaining himself. ¡°Between this and your speech back at the tournament, you seem to know more about these abilities than most. Even more than Sai.¡± He scoffed at the mention and she sneered, ¡°You claim to want to work together, but you hate my crew.¡±


    He snapped, ¡°Not your crew. That cheap photocopy isn¡¯t worth a damn.¡± He laughed sardonically, ¡°I remember the previous timeline. That¡¯s a bad copy of a worse man.¡±


    ¡°I would resent that if you weren¡¯t right about that selfish bastard.¡± Leithan jolted as Sai walked up behind them. ¡°Just a totally clueless idiot. So focused on his mission that he didn¡¯t bother to live his own life. By the time he realized it, it was far too late. When he comes back I¡¯m going to kick his ass on his own behalf.¡± Anisa turned to look at her crewmate only to see he was in a far more advanced robotic form than he was before. He motioned to it and chuckled, ¡°Despite this man¡¯s complaints, his pet arms dealer contacted a Bioelectric Living Automaton for a new body. Far more articulation, military grade armor plating. Even optimized circuits to let the energy from my crystal flow more cleanly.¡±


    His new look was far more human, the segmented plates even looking more like an armored man than a robot. His new head looked more like a helmet with a face plate, individual eye lenses covering over what must have been the photo receptors, making it impossible to tell where he was looking. His head looked like it had a built in cowboy hat with something like hair flowing out the back of it. As if to seal the look, he wore a emerald green jacket that flowed just below the knee. ¡°You look stupid, Calamity Jane.¡± Leithan glowered at the artificial man, ¡°And I need you optimal for where we are going next. If you aren¡¯t at your prime then if things go sideways I won¡¯t have the backup I need. Not that Zora here isn¡¯t enough firepower. You are a body. Nothing more. Now keep up. We have a lot of prep to do.¡±


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    As they walked, Sai whispered to Anisa, ¡°Good to see you, cap. Haven¡¯t had time to debrief on the mission with anyone yet. Snazzy new armor. I dig it. That said, are you okay?¡± Anisa refused to respond. He sighed, ¡°You do you, I guess. Just don¡¯t expect everyone else to let it slide either. That said, Permiso is about as dead as a Supernova can kill a person.¡± Anisa, for the second time, paused mid-step. Her mind forcing to the front of her mind again what she had done. She looked at her hand, the image of pumping Permiso¡¯s heart haunting her. Shaking her head and continuing her walk, he sighed again and matched her pace.


    As they walked the halls of the Cosmic Patrol Headquarters, the expressions were mixed. Some completely disgusted to see two perceived criminals walking these halls free. Others seemed to be thankful or happy to see either Leithan or Anisa. Still others seemed so engrossed in their paperwork that they dared no look up at all. As Leithan lead them to a hanger, Anisa was surprised to see Gavin still cuffed and under armed guard. He was standing near an odd craft talking to some man with scarlet hair. Upon seeing her, Gavin raised a brow and stated, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be damned. I guess I¡¯m taking the deal.¡±


    The scarlet haired man laughed, ¡°I told ya! He makes a damned good case! Now release this upstanding criminal!¡± The officers nodded and unlocked his cuffs. After checking his wrists, Gavin sighed at the motions of the scarlet haired man. He pulled a piece of paper out of seemingly nowhere and handed it to the man who then tucked it away. The man shouted from atop the craft, ¡°Welcome aboard, Zora! Name¡¯s Ra¡¯cil! Fuck the Falos, am I right?¡±


    Leithan laughed a little as Gavin approached them, ¡°That¡¯s Ra¡¯cil. He gets me what I need and I make sure he gets the connections and business that he deserves. As you can tell, I prefer to avoid lapdogs.¡± He walked further into the hanger and stated, ¡°Gavin was the last hold out. This will be our staging area. Meet up with your crew, share notes, sit down to a good meal. We leave in the morning.¡±


    Gavin closed the distance at a surprising rate and grabbed Anisa by the edge of her armor. Dragging her to the side seemingly effortlessly, he glared right through her helmet and stated firmly, ¡°Take that off right now.¡± She was confused, unsure of what he meant. ¡°Don¡¯t play stupid.¡± It took her a moment to realize what he meant. It took her a second longer to do as he asked. As she reverted to her normal state, Gavin sighed, ¡°I made a promise to you. So, you and I are going to take a second to get a drink and talk.¡±


    Sai laughed awkwardly, ¡°Yeah, pretty sure that Cosmic Patrol is a Dry Establishment.¡± Gavin glared at him and Sai continued to laugh in the same manner before clearing his throat and wandering deeper into the hanger.


    ¡°Ra¡¯cil, I need a secure location to talk and a bottle of your strongest liquor.¡± The red haired man smirked and made a motion for compensation. Gavin just nodded, clearly more concerned about Anisa than the cost. He looked at her again, ¡°From one monster to another, we need to talk.¡± She felt the weight in her chest again. No voice dividing her, but rather her blackened heart weighing her down.

 Old Friends

    "I''m not kidding. Right into my lung! Check out the scar!" He opened the jumpsuit to reveal the scar, still fresh.


    "Seriously, who would have thought to palm a first aid kit?"


    "When you are fighting a self proclaimed goddess of murder you basically just assume she is going to try to live up to her name at least once during the trip."


    The conversation started to peter out and eventually she asked, "So, do you feel any better?"


    Gavin thought for a moment and shrugged. "Cathartic? Yeah. A generally good thing to do? Absolutely. But did it undo the damage? I don''t think anything truly can. So I''m just working on moving forward. I''ll figure it out from there. What about you? Feel better now that you aren''t trying to kill yourself?" Anisa was silent. How would someone even reply to that question? How could one even begin to explain this odd state of mind she has found herself in? Realizing that she couldn''t, Gavin spoke for her, "Still too new. Too much to process. I felt the same when I joined your crew. Dean ended up asking me through the stone a question. Maybe you can benefit from it too." He leaned forward and asked, "Are your sacrifices worth the cost?" He leaned back in his chair as this question rested heavy in the air, "I had to admit mine weren''t. I had tried so hard to sever myself from my whole past that I hadn''t truly been living my life as much as running away from it."


    "And so you decided to join up with a cosmic terrorist to change the world. How inspiring." The two turned to face the intruder, the red haired scorpion woman laughing to herself. Anisa narrowed her eyes, feeling something familiar about her. This seemed to earn a slight glare in return as she stated, "It''s been far too long, Nisa. But that''s pretty typical of you. You get so focused on what you are doing that the rest of us just kind of disappear."


    Anisa''s eyes widened and her face went pale as she first recognized the golden scorpion shape in the woman''s hair and secondly the woman who was once her friend. "Gina?"


    She scoffed in response before letting out a sinister smile, "Pandina now. And before you go kill crazy, I was able to reach symbiosis with the Proktota. Turns out not all of us are driven by murder and death. Turns out if you didn''t resist and Shawn hadn''t been constantly harassing it, maybe it would have been a more reasonable and rational being." Her eyes were harsh and condemning, but eventually softened. "But it wasn''t your fault."


    Anisa jumped to her feet and spoke to Pandina with a chill, "That won''t last. It will slowly take over-"


    "My DNA and my mind. Trust me, I know. The Phoenix Emperor and I have been working on this problem pretty much since you stopped showing up in my life." She shrugged and chuckled, "Turns out I was going to get cancer, but the hairpin I had borrowed from your room was an alien who could rewrite my organic tissue. I don''t get cancer, it gets a host." Anisa was chilled even further upon hearing about Gina''s cancer. Was this something she missed while being held hostage by the alien back then? Pandina glared at the floor and when Anisa stepped closer, she was met with an arm barring her from getting closer, "You don''t get to play best friend anymore, Nisa. You were stolen last time, but this time around, you abandoned me. So, if you try to hurt the Phoenix Emperor, I''ll show you the might of his Empress. Are we clear?" Before Anisa could respond, she left.


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    A voice quietly whispered, "I love gossip. Trinta, can you doodle this, I forgot a camera."


    Gavin sighed as he watched the shell-shocked Anisa before stating, "Katsi, it is rude to spy on people and you know that."


    A small spiderlike droid crawled through the gaps in the makeshift studio and Katsi''s voice came from it, the volume very low, "Well, I''m sorry Gav but she never tells me anything and she has been acting all weird since I almost died."


    "You too? We need to be more careful. How is it that Tak has held up better in combat than us?"


    Katsi corrected, "Narine now. Her name is Narine."


    He nodded dismissively before stating, "Narine is a fricken doctor. I''m an arms dealer and you are a revolutionary. How in the hell are we the ones that almost died?"


    As the two began to talk among themselves, Anisa stepped out to find Pandina and get more answers. As she did, she saw Sai talking with her. Without lips it was impossible to see what he was saying, but he seemed to look away in thought. She gave him a brief hug before leaving. Sai sat there in thought as Dean spoke from behind her. "Fresh and free and already back into a situation where there are more questions than answers." She turned to face him, only for him to force something into her hand. He whispered, "The Ziegfried is being kept in lockup, not only for security but because it is too conspicuous for our next mission." She checked her palm and saw the Phoenixian Crystal. She quickly put it into her pocket. Speaking at a normal volume once more, Dean stated, "Everyone has grown so much since the last time we met. I''m looking forward to catching up with everyone once we-"


    Katsi tackled him from behind and laughed, "Caught ya! Did you think you could come in here all business and not even say hi?" He laughed nervously and was about to respond when she began to be pulled back to where she came from. Anisa noticed there was a tow cable attached to the harness Katsi was wearing. Tracing it back, she saw Zwei Valk pulling in the cord hand over fist, as if reeling in a harpooned fish. She laughed a little at the sight before her eyes rested once more on her old friend and her new companion and mentor. For a brief moment, she remembered what it was like back then. Before any of this. Doing so only further reminded her that she isn''t the girl she once was, and may never be again.

 Questions

    Gavin sat and watched his captain walking around the hanger, seemingly disoriented and disaffected. He wondered how much of their conversation she truly remembered. As she left the growing mass of crew, Gavin asked Katsi, "Can you keep an eye on her for me?"


    "For you? I''m doing it for me. She''s my sister." The spider droid seemed to do an angry little dance.


    "I know, and I appreciate you keeping me posted." He watched her scattered behavior with deep scrutiny. Deep in thought he stated the truth, ¡°She is blinding herself. Looking so deep into the void that she can¡¯t see the way around it¡­ or anything else. Pine dropped down, handing a note to Gavin. Reading it, he nodded, ¡°Thanks. I appreciate it.¡±


    Trinta spoke through the droid, ¡°With what we saw with @Layer I¡¯m not surprised.¡± Gavin sighed and Trinta stammered in surprise before an audible nudge from Katsi forced another member of the hive mind to speak instead, ¡°We were told of four major events that would happen before his mission was done. Two have happened. Your killing of Permiso and our slaying of The Original. So, given what you guys have said about your goals, the Dragon that¡¯s supposed to rise to sow chaos and cut away doubts is probably the next guy you guys are bringing back.¡±


    Gavin nodded, processing this information, ¡°Anything else you can collect?¡±


    Yet another of the mind spoke up, ¡°Kuntaret left a lot out. Short version, this guys has been manipulating events with his knowledge of the previous timeline for awhile. He seems to want to free the timeline and prevent the worst possible outcomes of things.¡±


    Gavin nodded again, ¡°Okay. That makes Sai our most reliable source of info on this.¡±


    Katsi snapped, ¡°Oh, come on! Dean would be so much more reliable than Sai. That jerk would probably lie to us while he looked into it himself.¡±


    Gavin nodded, ¡°Yeah, but I can read the intent of a lie. Retrofit it with the information I have. Dean is more likely to try and stonewall or placate us. If he knows something he intended to share, he would have tipped his hand already.¡± He watched Sai from a distance as he spoke with Pandina. After she hugged him and left, he watched Sai¡¯s body language and noticed him walk off towards their host. Something was up.


    ¡±I¡¯ll show you! I¡¯ll ask him myself.¡± Katsi stated firmly before vanishing off the drone¡¯s mic.


    The hive spoke with a more remorseful voice, ¡°I see your friend moving towards our host. I think we should follow them before they risk more lives.¡±


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    ¡±Absolutely. I appreciate you. Give me what you can.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Sai approached, hearing the distant clanking of metal limbs against the crafts and floor of the hanger. He needed to be sure. As he approached the scarlet armored figure he said, ¡°Nebula or galaxy, the stars shine bright.¡± When the reply was silence he glared, ¡°Are you really going to play this game?¡±


    ¡°Do you know we are being spied on?" The red armored warrior spoke without looking or surprise. In fact, he seemed to have a borderline disinterest.


    Sai rolled his head and stated, "Of course, but I was hoping to be discreet."


    "Statement. One love." He didn''t look up or shift in any meaningful way. It was clear he was adjusting some small bit of technology instead of looking at them. He threw in a few flourishes to make clear to them that this was entirely so he had an excuse to not acknowledge them.


    Sai expected them to reveal themselves now that their cover had been blown, but instead, he could hear the drown settling down, as if trying to call the man on his bluff. But Sai knew it wouldn''t matter either way. "Why are you playing Questions instead of giving me answers?" Sai hated games like this, but he had a lot of experience with it over the years. Clearly, he had chosen this game intentionally to annoy him.


    As if confirming this, there was a brief chuckle before the reply, "Is there a game without answers?"


    "What is the point of replying with a question?"


    "Have you ever heard an answer that didn''t raise more questions?" His tone was demeaning and matter-of-fact, as though he knew this was the only path the conversation could take. He growled, trying to collect himself, but Sai found his train of thought derailed by an interruption. "Hesitation. Two love."


    Sai growled and lead again, "What did you do to Gina?"


    He again sounded weary from this, "Are you mad I saved her from cancer?"


    Sai hissed, "How is slavery to a parasite any better?"


    "Do you think I haven''t prepared a solution for that?"


    "Why would you involve her in this?"


    "Is it a crime to give someone the power to fight the changing world?"


    "For who?"


    He stopped a moment, putting down his tools and said, "Hesitation. Score is 2-1." He stared at the wall, clearly starting to take this more seriously. "My turn to start. Why have you come to confront me?"


    Sai scoffed, "Why are you calling yourself Leithan?" His tone betrayed his skepticism.


    "Did you consider it might be my name?"


    "Do you expect me to believe a man who keeps lying?"


    The man seemed to become visibly annoyed, "What makes you believe I''m lying?"


    Sai, seeming rather confident, continued, "Why are you helping us bring back a man you hate?"


    "Who are you referring to?"


    "Haven''t you heard of the Cosmic Phoenix?"


    "What makes you think that I hate the man?"


    Sai asked quietly, "Why do you hate me?"


    He turned to face Sai, agitation in his very pose, "What is there to like?"


    Sai let the moment hang before saying, "Take the pointless victory. You''ve given me the answers I''m after. Maybe we can try this again tomorrow after you get some rest and stop being such a child." He turned and walked away, the scarlet armored man turning back to his work, clearly frustrated over the events that just happened.

 Bear in the Woods

    Dean walked into the office of the Supreme Commander of the Cosmic Patrol, the rather unassuming woman sitting quietly behind her desk. He gave his salute and she did so in kind, beginning this meeting. ¡°I have read your formal complaint about putting the Ziegfried into lockup. I understand your logic, but this will be our only opportunity to secure this dangerous weapon the same way we have the sister stones to your own locked up as well. That said, your security concerns are well considered and are exactly why I am asking you, apparently one of the engineers who made this marvel, to¡­¡± she trailed off as she looked for a phrase he would understand, clearly ignoring his extensive experience as an officer, ¡°¡­removing the firing pin from it. Due to your due diligence within your role and knowledge of this situation, I¡¯m going to leave all solutions to your discretion as a Special Detective. You are to report to impound and will be given clearance to inspect the craft. Render all weapons inoperable and make any modifications necessary to make the engine inoperable. Last thing we need is that monster to awake under our feet.¡±


    Dean did his best to hide his frustration. It wasn¡¯t theirs to take. It was a mobile fortress for times just like these. What¡¯s worse is that he knew just how pointless his efforts might be. Unless¡­


    He saluted the Supreme Commander and left. He quickly made his way to the elevator, entering just before the doors closed. Looking to his side he saw an automata that he didn¡¯t expect. A black and gold humanoid combat machine covered in assorted orange spheres. Bioelectric Living Automaton Zeal, the robot known as Blaze to most of the cosmos. He was curious as to why he was here but decided to remain quiet for now. Better not to harass the bounty hunter. Regardless, the machine voiced passive greetings before asking, ¡°Are you guys really working for the Falos?¡±


    Dean sighed, his usual casual demeanor taking hold, ¡°Not in the slightest. Best way to put it is political sanctuary to facilitate a peaceful transition of power.¡± After a few moments, he continued, ¡°The cosmos is facing the quiet before the storm and my goal is to help the innocent weather it. I¡¯m worried that our current cast of heroes isn¡¯t strong enough to overcome what comes next.¡± He got a distant look in his eye, ¡°I know the Chief and I weren¡¯t and now we are on the precipice of war once more.¡±


    Blaze nodded a little before stating, ¡°You are from the other time. I take it you are familiar with what I am. The oldest success of a new form of life. And now we have three of us.¡± Dean jolted at this, such a claim completely unheard of. Blaze nodded, ¡°Yep. Zora¡¯s found a new one of us. He claims to be a Replica, but I can tell the difference. So based on your reaction, I¡¯m guessing that things are already different.¡± The elevator was silent for a few moments, no one moving. As the doors opened, Blaze patted Dean on the shoulder, ¡°My old partner taught me something. If you want things to change, you have to take action. My suggestion is that if you are worried about the strength of your heroes and the war to come, take action to change it. As for me¡­¡± he turned back to Dean as the doors began to close, ¡°Blame and I need to talk.¡±


    Blaze¡¯s words rang through Dean¡¯s mind as he stepped out into impound. Usually in situations like this, Dean would stick to the plan and be the shield for the rest. Maybe, just maybe it was time to act more like the Boss. His first stop was the scheduled one, stopping by the dock they were storing the Ziegfried in. He exchanged pleasantries, but it was all a formality while he kept his mind on his mission. Upon boarding the ship, he activated the Evac Protocols and took the resulting crystal with him off the ship. No OS meant most of the interfaces were useless to those who didn¡¯t know how to trigger the backup. He then used the tunnels to make his way to the security room and collected all the footage onto the crystal as well. It was better to keep that information on lockdown as well. Finally, making his way to the engine room and putting his badge into the interface, he used the drones to not only retrofit the engine into a simple high output engine. It wasn¡¯t going to take much. Finally, and with great hesitance, he had the drones remove the Phoenixian Crystal and bring it to him.


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    This was the most he could do here. But there was a prototype that never came to pass. He would need more than just this. Heading over to the impounded armory, he showed his papers. The officer at the counter asked, ¡°Okay, so you had permission to go on the ship, but why come here?¡±


    Dean laughed and answered honestly, ¡°I¡¯m doing so in my capacity as a Special Detective. There are some tools in here I will need for our next mission.¡± The officer nodded, Dean¡¯s reputation being enough for his motives to be trusted. As he was given the clearance to enter, he scanned the shelves looking for the all too familiar security case. The timeline might be different but the only way to contain these stones safely was the same. A case with glowing lines cycling the energy. He was annoyed to see that the collection wasn¡¯t complete, but he supposed that was expected. His own stone managed to be acquired by Gavin so he was sure the remaining two stones would make themselves known as well. He opened the case to find the red Cir stone, the blue Tal stone, and the yellow Deg stone. Collecting them and putting them in his pocket with the Phoenixian Crystal, he left the armory.


    Eventually, he made his way towards the hanger reserved for their operation. As he entered he nodded in approval at the progress being made on the modifications for the craft they would be using in the operation. Seeing Anisa, he quickly closed the distance, explaining to Anisa about the Ziegfried and forcing the Phoenixian Crystal on her. He knew their little leader was going to be annoyed by him doing this, but it was better to keep Anisa in control of the situation. Still, between what he had heard from the interrogation and the distant look in her eye, he was beginning to question his plan. It was only as Katsi pulled him away that he remembered Blaze¡¯s words. Maybe this was fine.


    Pulling him atop the fighter she was working on, Katsi asked a question that Dean didn¡¯t expect. ¡°Hey, so, do you know who Leithan is?¡± He coughed a little, the look of confused betrayal slowly forming on her face.


    Dean hated this. So he decided he would explain what he could, ¡°I can¡¯t be entirely sure. We developed code phrases and callbacks for just about every situation under the sun so we could communicate just about any situation we needed to without anyone else figuring it out. Each one unique to each person. I know the callouts he used, but there are a few different people who might know and use them.¡± He sighed, ¡°Whoever they are, their goal seems to be the same as ours. Working with the Falos as controlled opposition to keep the body count low.¡± He stared for a moment, Katsi patting his shoulder, ¡°Short version, no matter what show he tries to put on, he is definitely our ally.¡±


    Katsi hugged Dean tight and whispered in a pained tone, ¡°I trust you, Dean. If you can¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll wait until you can.¡±


    He laughed, ¡°I did the best I could.¡± Hugging her back as gently as he could, he then stated, ¡°That said, I trust you too. So I need your help with something.¡± He produced the three remaining stones. She looked at him incredulously before waiting for him to explain, ¡°I heard you can build things with your new power. How would you like to work with me on an entirely theoretical device that no one has seen before?¡±


    Her eyes lit up, her heart racing at the prospect, and her mind completely forgetting the questions she had just been trying to answer, ¡°Oh, please do elaborate! I can¡¯t wait to see what you¡¯ve been keeping to yourself.¡± Her joy brought a smile to his face. He didn¡¯t realize how much he had missed this. Not just working on his machines again but even talking shop with Katsi. Even in all this insanity, it was nice to have these moments.

 Man or Machine

    This was the worst experience that Sai had had in all of his life... and Shawn''s too, he guessed. Just sitting quietly inside a case in who knows what bureaucrat''s office. No scenery or reliable way to keep track of time. No stimuli at all. If he didn''t have context of other prisons, this would seem inhumane. Then again, was he even human? As he pondered this, he heard Tak''s voice. "Sai, I need your help conducting the scan. If I do it myself, we will have to compensate for the shift in concentration."


    Chuckling, he walked over and began the scan, snarking, "Sure thing, bossy." She cleared her throat and he chuckled, "Sorry, Doctor Bossy." She nodded in approval as he ran the scanner over her head. As he did so, he found the silence eerie. He continued to wonder about that man from the tournament. He knew so much about the manipulation of space and time for the sake of more effective movement and timing within combat, but that man was doing something else entirely. And what was worse is he felt like he had heard those words before. The dismissal of him as an artificial warrior. A cheap copy.


    As he began to get lost in these thoughts, Tak spoke up, "Even in countless lifetimes of knowledge, I''ve never seen a Goddess Elevator. Can you explain how Crossflows work for me?" Her tone poorly disguised her true intention. Leading him through a line of logic where she ends by trying to make him feel better. He sighed and finished the scan, clearly communicating his lack of desire to respond. Turning to the console to observe the compression of the data he had scanned, she hugged him from behind and asked again, "What makes a Crossflow happen, Sai?"


    Realizing she wasn''t going to let him get away with ignoring her, he jumped to the end, "You are saying because I was able to trigger one, that should be proof enough I''m alive."


    She laughed playfully and reassured, "And if you are alive and not just a phantom, then you have a whole life ahead of you. So, don''t let the rants and rambles of some nobody get in the way. We are going to find our own way. You away from Shawn and me away from The Original. I''m sure by the time we save him he won''t even recognize you."


    "A touching moment. I''m sorry to intrude, father." Sai froze at the comment and turned, narrowing his eyes for a moment before they flew open in surprise.


    Seconds later that surprise was replaced with flustered outrage, "WHAT!?!? Tai! Why the hell are you calling me that?"


    The discreet and soft-faced red haired man smiled and stated, "After you left on your mission, I pondered if you and she were my equivalent of parents. I referred to her as Mother and she encouraged the term. When I asked if I should call you Father she insisted that I must." Sai could feel the memory of the brain scan fading as this new information completely overwhelmed him. That was far too much far too soon and there was no reasonable way he could respond. After what felt like an eternity had passed, Tai stated kindly, "You have guests who would like to speak to you. They saw you were dreaming and didn''t want to intrude."


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    "I was dreaming? Crystals can dream?" The concept was one Sai had never had to even consider before. Tai opened the door further and a stone faced man with purple hair and golden eyes stepped into the room. Shortly behind him was a figure he knew all too well. "Oh, wow! I know you don''t remember what I do, but it''s good to see you again, Blaze." The black armored automata circled him a few times in almost violent curiosity. "Buddy, I''m gonna need some space, okay?"


    The purple haired man stated with a monotone, "Since you know Blaze you must be familiar with myself. We are Bioelectric Living Automata. We were contacted by Mr. Thalheed through various intermediaries to provide a more personalized shell for you. One of those intermediaries was a direct associate of The Phoenix Emperor. Many of your associates have accepted his aid in returning one Douglas Visagi to the world. Or at least that''s the name we have found in your memories."


    Sai was about to snap at him when he realized who this truly was. Recognizing his misplaced anger, he stated, "You must be Bioelectric Living Automata Memento." Centering himself he stated, "Yeah, it is rude to dig through people''s memories without permission, Blame."


    Blaze scoffed, "Well they weren''t really yours to begin with from what we heard. I didn''t expect you to have opinions. So since I''m the one who told him it should be fine, I''m sorry."


    Sai looked him up and down and received the same examination in kind. Eventually he said, "I am just a replica, so it was an honest mistake. Guess that makes us even for what happened on Iota."


    Blaze froze for a moment before chuckling, "Oh? Isn''t that interesting..." he straightened up and waved his arm, "Well, that wasn''t you and it never happened here anyway. If it has to come up, I''ll discuss it with Shawn myself when he gets back." The black clad machine turned to his ''brother'', "He''s definitely one of us. You can give him one of my old backups for modification. I recommend the Mark 12 due to the high memory storage and modular plates." Sai blinked and called after him, but Blaze brushed him off as he walked for the door, "Keep your opinion to yourself and welcome to the family."


    Sai stared in confusion and disbelief as Blame asked, "Why does that bother you? Did you not tell your opponent the same thing before the Crossflow?" Sai turned in surprise, nearly forgetting that the two had sifted through his mind. He hesitated to respond before the ''man'' responded in his stead, "You are not alone. I am what I am. A living Automata. Alive. Growing and expanding. Automata. A machine built for an express purpose, in this case cataloguing and maintaining the research of my creator. A man intent on exploring and creating new life. I do not share my brother''s emotions or intuition. Yet I grow and live." He approached Sai coldly, "What do I appear as in your ''perspective''? Man... or machine? Should it matter to me which you see?" Blame picked up what looked like a photo album, not seeming to care for Sai''s sudden nerves. After a moment, he put it down and spoke at a lower volume but no more emotion than before, "Whatever your perception of yourself, you cannot control what others see, only embrace the truth of it. Please inform your son of what modifications you would like to have made and we shall see it done for you." Blame walked out the same door as Blaze and Sai was alone again in his memory of Tak, this time their time in the simulation when he was first created. He stared into the sunset in thought, his emotions shifting the memory some so she was hugging his arm.

 Puzzle Menagerie

    Sai experimented with this new shell, the plates moving independently before he tugged at the lapels of his new coat. Tai asked him, ''Is the jacket entirely necessary, Father?''


    Sai grumbled, ''I seriously need to talk with Tak about this because...'' He trailed off and was annoyed at the laugh that Tai gave in response. Given that he was in an artificial body, he and his ''son'' could speak freely and internally without issue. He had been informed of what had happened with the rest, but wasn''t sure if he should play coy about it. Tai seemed intent to let him process this himself. Instead, he responded to his companion, ''I know. She has a new name now. I just need time to adjust my thinking.''


    As he did, Dean stepped into the workshop with a dour look on his face, offering a device to him. "Good to have you back. Would love to chat, but I need to get your opinion on something. You have a spot I can plug this in?" Sai rolled his eyes and used one of his many different interface tools to latch onto the device and absorb the report in its entirety. He paused which caused Dean to grow pointlessly anxious. "I''m sorry that we-"


    Sai cut him off, "It isn''t your fault. Or his. Not really." Thinking through the events that happened, knowing that Sienna was dead and without having ever remembered their history, it chilled him. He wanted to divide those emotions from himself. He never knew her. She never knew him. They were total strangers. But Shawn''s memories and emotions were as real as his own. So real he almost missed the most important aspect. "Wait, he used callouts. Specifically..." Remembering they were in the HQ and being recorded, he kept his processing internal, but a brief nod from Dean told him that he was just as worried as Sai was.


    Sai knew all the callouts by heart, quite literally. It was the only way to make sure they couldn''t simply be stolen by body snatchers and mind readers. They could still be used by someone who had learned them other ways, but it was the closest solution for time travel and dimensional crossbleed to prevent pretenders. That said, those callouts were Shawn''s. Specifically for when he needed to let everyone know he was doing the right thing in a crisis situation. Prevented his friends from mistaking morally grey decisions for a fall into villainy even if they were causing things to get worse. Sai knew better than anyone that there were only two people who would know those responses. Three now that he was alive...


    ''Tai, mark target Phoenix Emperor as the Bastard moving forward.'' Sai couldn''t be certain who this person was but with only two suspects on his list, the rest would have to come from context clues.


    Tai asked, ''Who is this Phoenix King you keep thinking of?'' Sai was annoyed at this new dynamic because he did appreciate some mystery and nuance to his behaviors, but since Tai wasn''t a replica like him, he didn''t have a proper understanding. Sai debated responding but pushed ahead anyway. Tai, realizing he wasn''t getting the answer right this minute, stated, ''Target The Bastard has just left Anisa''s holding cell with the Captain in tow. Would you like me to navigate you to their location?'' Sai gave approval and a mini map of the floor layout as well as a visual overlay played out in front of him. Man, this was Blaze''s old model? No wonder he was so impressive in the field. How many secrets had his old mentor taught him? Regardless, Sai nodded discreetly to be excused, much to Dean''s confusion before a beeping on the officer''s badge made clear he was being summoned to his boss'' office. That suited Sai just fine.


    ¡°Not your crew. That cheap photocopy isn¡¯t worth a damn.¡± The Bastard laughed sardonically, ¡°I remember the previous timeline. That¡¯s a bad copy of a worse man.¡±


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    ¡°I would resent that if you weren¡¯t right about that selfish bastard.¡± So far, this was to be expected from both. Impossible to read just yet. Leithan jolted as Sai walked up behind them. It was time to throw a jab and see how the man responded. ¡°Just a totally clueless idiot. So focused on his mission that he didn¡¯t bother to live his own life. By the time he realized it, it was far too late. When he comes back I¡¯m going to kick his ass on his own behalf.¡± The Bastard seemed to be fuming, but there was a disconnect. It wasn''t his words, but possibly that he had snuck up on him that bothered his target.


    Those venomous eyes tried to rip Sai apart joint by joint. Tai threw his own thoughts in, ''Given his repeated comments about you being a copy, do you think that''s why he hates you?''


    ''Negative. Whichever one this is, they would hate me for who I am a copy of more than me being a copy.'' He elaborated, ''One hates Shawn for what Shawn appears to be and the other hates him for who he is. And he has chosen the perfect moniker. Leithan was the true name of the Phoenix King before he disowned it to claim his old title, Equinox. And both parties knew that about him. And both didn''t care.''


    Realizing that Anisa was surprised by his new body, he motioned to it and chuckled, ¡°Despite this man¡¯s complaints, his pet arms dealer contacted a Bioelectric Living Automaton for a new body. Far more articulation, military grade armor plating. Even optimized circuits to let the energy from my crystal flow more cleanly.¡± It was an odd choice to put him in contact with the Automata, but what interested Sai more was the response the man gave.


    ¡°You look stupid, Calamity Jane.¡± The Bastard glowered before turning away, his eyes growing dark. That was interesting. He continued, ¡°And I need you optimal for where we are going next. If you aren¡¯t at your prime then if things go sideways I won¡¯t have the backup I need. Not that Zora here isn¡¯t enough firepower. You are a body. Nothing more. Now keep up. We have a lot of prep to do.¡± The tone was again cold and disconnected. Jaded and broken. While this could still be either suspect, Sai''s intuition gave him a strong theory. Either one would do all they could to throw off the trail and both would know that Dean would blab. But still, it was a darkness that Sai was familiar with.


    In fact, when he turned to look at Anisa he saw the same darkness in her. Disconcerting to say the least. Trying to probe the shadows and see if she was in there, he whispered, ¡°Good to see you, Cap. Haven¡¯t had time to debrief on the mission with anyone yet. Snazzy new armor. I dig it. That said, are you okay?¡± No response. She had fallen into her self-loathing again. He had seen this so much when they were kids, but... no. No he had seen this a lot in Shawn''s memories. It wasn''t his place and he knew that. ¡°You do you, I guess. Just don¡¯t expect everyone else to let it slide either. That said, Permiso is about as dead as a Supernova can kill a person.¡± Anisa paused mid-step to his absentminded comment and he could only assume that she was not ready to face it. Shaking her head and continuing her walk, he sighed again and matched her pace. It wasn''t his place. She would figure it out in her own time.


    As they entered the hanger, Sai was surprised at the entire crew being here. Not just from the Ziegfried but some old faces from Shawn''s past. Ra''cil, the smuggler who had been Shawn''s first partner. The first friend Shawn had been forced to kill when Ra''cil betrayed him. But more than that, he saw something that chilled him to the bone and nearly froze him in place. There Gena stood, the gold scorpion hairpin that had taken Anisa and started this whole mess proudly in her hair. Her body shifted into some kind of hybrid between herself and this parasite. There she was, acting entirely normally. No drive for murder, no violent responses, and as his eyes locked with hers, memories of an entire childhood that was never his overtook him and he could feel his world grow distant. Too many questions. Too many unresolved problems. He could feel his displays start to shut down as he tried to process all of this.

 Parallel Processing

    He walked into his office, letter in hand, his fingers breaking the paper from the sheer pressure of his grip. Tears were streaming down his face. He looked at the photo they had all taken together before his journey brought him here. Gena, Anisa... he couldn''t even find Terry or Maria. His father had even passed, probably due to an overdose while on tour. A deadbeat that abandoned him to pursue his own goals and Shawn was no different. He had abandoned everyone all for his own ideals and never took a moment to think of them. People who were his friends and his lifelines in the darkest hours of his life. A decade of neglect of the ''family'' that had saved him and all for nothing. His office seemed nothing more now than a tomb of his own making. He could resign himself. Stay here in his prison until he fades away...


    He could feel that sensation again. That fire that burned deep in his stomach and made him want to vomit. Anger would be the easiest excuse. The lowest effort way to explain it to those who didn''t know. But he did. He knew this feeling too well. He had lived with it for so long. That fire that burns when all else is gone. As its fire filled his bones, he grabbed one of the empty whiskey bottles and bashed it against the wall, the glass shattering and the stone wall crumbling from the force alone. Glass shards embedded themselves in the floor and ceiling. He grabbed the picture in its frame and crushed it as easily as paper before punching the other wall himself, the entire wall shattering like glass. As the building began to come down upon him, he did not care. He fought and clawed like an animal as the concrete and rebar fell down upon him. Even as his own actions tried to form his proper tomb, he couldn''t stop himself. Whether he wanted it or not, this would not be his grave.


    A jolt from Tai snapped him to awareness, Gena now standing in front of him. "So, you are Shawn''s Replica." She seemed to trail off having her own internal reflection. The two stood there silently for awhile, Sai reading every nuance of her behavior. She wanted to say so much, but seemed to be hesitating. He could see the guilt in her eyes but also a distance. She wasn''t worried about what Sai would think but rather the man she knew him as a replica of. He had been doing this job for a very long time... or had memories of doing so. She would only act like this if his theory was right. But Equinox would absolutely know about even this...


    His mind drifted again. He was younger than before, still hot on Sculptura''s trail, standing over the bodies of the henchmen between him and the criminal who had buried Sculptura''s trail. As the man stepped out of the shadows, Shawn sighed. Seeing his own face he shouted again, "Equinox! How many times do I have to kick your ass before you get out of my way!?" The villain smirked, the outrage of the hero being the only aspect of this he cared about. Shawn threw one of the bodies at his mirror, the ragdoll deflected with ease, "Why!? Why won''t you just learn your lesson and leave me alone!?"


    Tai jolted him back again as she began to speak once more, "I''m sorry. I had practiced this so often. Thought of a million things to say, but you aren''t him and we both know that." She got quiet again before speaking once more, "I know that things are different and you aren''t him, but I can''t help it because you are just like him. Even behind a robot face I can tell you are beating yourself up again." He jolted in surprise, caught completely off to see this grown and combat hardened face turn into the smile he knew back in school, "So let me tell you a secret. The Gena you knew didn''t hate you. I can be sure of that. And if she knew why you came out to the sea of stars, she probably would have understood. If her health held, she probably would have tried to help. So, I''m not interested in a photocopy but you are still my friend. So whatever part of Shawn lives in you, I want you to know that I cherish it." She hugged him and then walked away.


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    Shawn was writing his novel in a tucked away corner of the lunchroom, hiding behind a pillar. He hated it. Every word that was on the page was a massacre to him. There was no depth or meaning. No texture or color to the people on the page. He was trying his best, but there was nothing. Just people aimlessly shuffling from one plot point to another. Nothing of value, pawns being moved on a board without any care or significance. All of them tools for a larger plot. Their struggles fabricated, their paths predetermined. As he grew in his anger, he felt her tap his shoulder, he looked up into her eyes, and for just a moment he broke from his focus. For just a moment he forgot what he was doing.


    This time Tai wasn''t needed to snap him back. This time it was outrage. Fury. He needed answers. Unfortunately all he would find was a frustrating game of questions.


    --------


    Shawn was sipping his drink, not sure of its name or true nature, but content to wear his dirty cloak quietly. It was a trope but apparently they didn''t know of it on other worlds. The lonesome drifting hero in a cloak entering a seedy bar to search for leads and usually ends with him breaking heads before he walked out. He could feel the crystal asking him to beat them all up now, but they were just people. They were laughing with friends, sharing drinks, telling stories about the last job they were on. And oddly as he listened he began to understand that not every job they took was one they were proud of. Many discreet complaints about how crazy some of these space pirates were. As he sat there, he heard a voice broadcast as though from a megaphone. "Woe and Despair! Here comes the Equinox for your world! Make your peace and face oblivion with dignity." The criminals he was partying with seemed to grow afraid, collecting their things quickly and each heading for their ships and trying to escape. Shawn sighed, knowing what had to happen next. He hated when he had to do his job. This was just supposed to be a rest stop while he is on his way to find where Anisa had gone. He was so close to the parasite and then stuff like this keeps happening. He stepped outside, tapping his blade against the doorframe, its ringing causing his personal flying craft to appear, a platform with guns mounted on its wings. Putting his blade into the platform blade down, he held it tight as he began to fly up towards the ship. "Cosmic Flare...."

 A Phantom Heart

    ''Why did you ignore my questions? I could have found ones to narrow the possibilities!'' Tai seemed genuinely upset but Sai didn''t hesitate.


    ''Because the answers aren''t how you can tell the two apart.'' He tried to think about the situation, the information creating a cacophony, impossible for Tai to process it all, but for Sai, this was normal. This was how Shawn had avoided mind control, mind readers, and every other trespasser in his mind. But it was more than that. After awhile, this is just how he thought. Formless information bouncing off each other until he could see it. See the line that lead to Truth. While he had been sacrificing for so long at the direction of his crystal, but he had also been learning. Growing beyond even that circumstantial label. And if there was one thing buried in the mess, it was the truth. And once you can find that shining line of logic that pulls the truth from the noise, you can make a choice. One that finally matters. That''s right...


    Suddenly, Narine was in front of him, "I take it Tai told you already, but I wanted to tell you myself. Our first proper greeting." He was surprised by her smile. The joy beaming from her face. The information was gone for now, as it should be. As always, the only thing that mattered was what was in front of him. There is no time for daydreaming. She held out her hand and stated firmly, "Hello. My name is Narine. It''s a pleasure to meet you."


    He didn''t have a heart. Not a physical one. But he knew the feeling. Like a phantom limb he could feel his beating a bit faster, a warmth and shame washing over him. He took her hand, shaking it, "Nice to meet you, Rini." She smiled even bigger, causing him to realize this must be her first nickname since the change. He then stated with a bit more annoyance, "By the way, Tai keeps calling me Father and-"


    "And did you help make him?" He didn''t want to respond. This was clearly a trap. Taking advantage of this, she continued, "Didn''t you give him part of who you are? Wasn''t it your idea to bring him into the world?" He narrowed his eyes at her and she laughed, "You need to take responsibility for your children or you will end up like my mother." She turned and walked away again, clearly more to make her point than because she wanted to. He could tell by the way she turned the corner around one of the Dragon model space fighters that she was trying to invent a good reason to come back. What was worse is that she was right.


    ''I''m sorry, Tai. Call me whatever you wish.''


    ''I appreciate it, Father. Now can you explain what you were doing?'' Tai''s voice carried his mother''s smile. Sai briefly wondered if this meant that he and Narine were an official item, but he preferred not to ask. If it was happening, it would continue to do so without his interference. And if he was wrong, then he could take it to his grave with him.


    Allowing his vast experience to spread out in front of him again, he stated, ''There is an old saying that once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever''s left must be the truth. Two decades of active engagement with every aspect of the cosmos has taught me life is a little more complicated. Every event is defined by two things. The static and the dynamic. When you can find the aspects of reality that are not moving, you can figure out which direction everything else is moving.''


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    ''And by allowing all the facts to co-exist at once in your processing you can look for the static facts to orient yourself by. Planets being round, for example.''


    ''I mean, depending on your definition of round, yeah.''


    Tai offered him a cup of coffee which he took thankfully... before realizing he was no longer leaning against a wall in the hanger but instead inside his... Shawn''s old office. The various thoughts took the form of the all too familiar clutter that he had never bothered cleaning. He was usually too busy in the field. The young red haired man started to pick through the debris much to Sai''s confusion. Tai chuckled, "I know it seems silly to take this extra step, but familiar scenery helps the mind think more clearly. And this way we can change the scenery as well as we process. Prevent cabin fever and all that."


    Sai shook his head, the lights flickering some, "No, not here. I know this is where I am used to working but I-"


    Tai nodded, "But that''s the problem." He smiled kindly at his ''father'' and stated. "You even relived that memory not more than a few moments ago. You act and think like you are alone, even when I''m right here. So I figured this would help remind you."


    Sai glared, "Smartass. Don''t think that just because you are half me that you can get away with being a smartass." Tai chuckled, quietly shuffling some of the clutter away from the abandoned desk before flipping him off playfully. "That is rude and uncalled for! I am going to-"


    He snapped to alertness when she approached him again tapping on his head. "Hey, chief. Getting lost in thought again?"


    ''Yeah, father... you are.''


    "I''ll be fine. Just a little distracted. I have a lot on my mind." He looked at Narine and it once again grounded him here and now. He tried to explain but the words wouldn''t escape properly. He could only state, "There are too many things I don''t understand. Too many questions I don''t have answers to." It felt dishonest there was only two options as to who was helping them. But the problem wasn''t the who. It was the what and the why. Those were the only things that ever mattered in a world like this. Despite his robotic features, he could feel her looking clean through him. It almost made the problem worse.


    She sighed, "Okay, but you don''t need to know everything, Sai. I know somewhere in that processor you have some inkling. Why don''t you lay it on me?" It was too insane. She wouldn''t get it and it was too soon. Until he knew the rest he couldn''t share it with her. She narrowed her eyes and knocked on his head again. "Literally anything! Spill or I''ll have Tai tell me!"


    Sai growled, "It isn''t that simple. I don''t like to disrupt something until I know what I''m doing. Mistakes are made by rushing in before you have the whole picture. The truth is a mosaic of details and facts. All I can say for now is that I know whoever that Emperor is, they are going to help us bring Doug back. I am just not sure why yet or what happens after. There are too many missing pieces." He grumbled under his breath, "I just wish I could get out of my own head. Too many memories boiling to the surface."


    Narine thought for a moment before hugging him, his phantom heart pounding a slow and steady rhythm. "It''s okay, Sai. I get it... I had to let all of that go myself recently. So, if you want me to weigh in, you can talk to me." He wanted to say more himself, wanted to speak, but the words weren''t escaping... least of all with Tai piggybacking on this little moment. For now he just held her and embraced this moment. by the time the morning comes, he will have had the time to get a better idea of what''s going on. Too much new information to put together.

 Fragments of the World

    Sai didn''t really sleep. Not in any meaningful way. As his shell sat with its arms crossed, ready to spring into action should it need to, he was working with Tai to clean up the clutter in his mind. Normally, one would try to figure out what should be kept, but he and Tai agreed. There was far too much. It needed to be cleaned out entirely. If he wanted to give this his best, he needed a clean slate. As they did, Tai would ask questions about the universe as Sai had come to know it.


    "What are Time Chasms? I mean, I see what they are but what causes them?"


    Sai shrugged, "I don''t have a clean answer but usually it seems like either someone pulled too hard on the fabric of reality or somehow time missed a stitch and created a little loop all on its own that it needs to resolve while we follow the thread."


    "If one is turned into a bowl of fruit, what happens if a part of that is eaten before you are returned to normal?"


    "Honestly, its dependent on the powers used. Most of the time, you feel the pain as the fruit, but your body will be whole when you change back. Sometimes you just have to hope they didn''t eat anything important." He shivered from the inherited sensations.


    Eventually the morning came. He watched everyone waking up, Anisa still distant and lost, but transforming into her armor to hide her face. Putting up a strong front for what is to come. Gavin, while concerned for her still carried a distant haunted look himself. Katsi practically sprang from the bed, but an odd edge to it. Happy, but focused. Probably the healthiest one next to Pine, who seemed to wake as he always did. His armor may hide his face, but his morning exercise and stretching routine were almost encouraging. Narine woke slowly, as if deep in thought herself, but when she glanced over at him and saw him wave at her, she smiled and went over to Pine to join in the stretches.


    The Emperor whistled through his helmet loud enough to echo off the hanger they had all spent the night in. As they all walked up to him, Zwei was holding cue cards that Sai assumed was a part of the presentation. Another piece of the puzzle. And if that was true... The Emperor began, "Welcome all. I know we have all tried to kill each other, but given my knowledge of the future-"


    Sai snapped at him, "There is no such thing!" everyone turned in surprise, but the Emperor just paused. "You and I both know that future sight isn''t a thing."


    The Emperor took a moment before nodding, "You are right. But why don''t you explain it for the class, puppet. Make like a good machine and do my work for me... and waste all the time I spent on making this lovely presentation." He walked into the crowd and motioned Sai to step up.


    This was clearly some kind of ploy or trap, but Sai couldn''t restrain himself. Stepping up, he began his frustrated speech, "There is no psychic powers or mystic ability to see the future. Just those with enough information to recognize the larger patterns around them. For example, I know that Pine would never commit mass murder unprompted. I know he is a kind soul who lives in unity with nature. But I also know that because of that unity with nature, death is just a fact of life for him, so if something came his way that gave him reason to kill in large numbers, he would. Therefore if I can see a threat coming his way that may make him act in that manner in response, I can predict that he will do exactly that. And if I can see something happen that would put that problem in his path, it would be in my nature to try and take care of it for him before that came to pass. Therefore, anyone with the ability to bring that possibility to my attention would know exactly what I would do. That''s the essence of prediction."


    Tai was listening to him with rapt attention but half his current audience seemed to be otherwise distracted. Still, Narine, Pine, and Katsi seemed to be giving him their focus so her persisted.


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    "We are going to a planet within the Falos borders. There we will find an ancient dueling ground last used by Emperor Visto the First when he took power from the previous ruler. This is where Douglas'' strongest emotions were formed and the only place he can be brought back to the world." He had to be vague. The Prince of the Falos was quietly listening from the back of the hanger and he would rather not field his questions right now. "We can''t bring the Ziegfried because Visto the Third would absolutely glass the planet before we can even arrive if he knew where we were going. That or something far worse. Still, we need to be prepared in case he sends people to eliminate us. Every second will count because nothing he sends will matter once Douglas is back. Mr. Visagi is the fastest warrior to ever live and can clean up any event that is currently going on when he arrives. So our goal once we are there is to get to that dueling ground with the Dragon Gem as fast as possible. The problem is that it is another place of high emotional energy like the cave the Phoenixian Crystal was kept in. According to Falos myth, it is so that those who come to duel there can be sure to do so with clear and pure hearts, no shadows of doubt in their mind or purpose."


    The Emperor began to slowly applaud, but there was a clear smirk behind the helm. The man was mocking him openly. He must know something more. This was unacceptable. He had to piece this together. ''Father, do you think that he prepared the planet in advance? All records from mother show he has been active for over fifty years in the Falos Military.''


    Fifty years? That doesn''t seem right. A couple of decades but not.... Sai continued, "Our friend here has arranged for some kind of allies to be waiting for us on the planet. I would say we need to be careful of potential civilian casualties and be adaptive to local culture. I certainly hope that they aren''t what I fear they are." The applause stopped suddenly, confirming Sai''s theory, "You see, while the Despoda were-"


    The Emperor cut him off, "That''s enough for now. We can elaborate during the trip. But your summary is correct. There are more aspects of the plan, but that''s the broad strokes. That said, there isn''t enough room in any one craft for our full cadre. So I''ve been allowing the Ziegfried crew to make whatever modifications they see fit to each craft we will be taking. And the benefit is each will be of a size that the Ziegfried hangers can comfortably contain." His voice grew cold and scathing towards Sai, "And before you ask, the CR-System is unmodified. As a precaution in an emergency."


    Tai asked, ''CR-System? Why is there a module for Cross Resonance in these machines?''


    ''It''s mostly theory and we made it happen once. So that makes it fact.'' Tai was confused and so he stated again to his inexperienced son, ''That''s the problem. Eliminating the impossible is ignorance in this world. Everything is possible, and the improbable happens every day. The most we can do is watch the fragments of the world and see the pattern they form, no matter how mind bending. For example, our friend interfered with the extinction of the Despoda.''


    ''So he is a hero?''


    Sai had a hard time explaining but ended up just shaking his head, ''I''m not going to celebrate Visto the Third or the glassing of a planet, but these aren''t the Vitticepta. Not some nomadic race reduced to piracy and mercenary work. For now, I can''t change it though. We have a trip to prepare for.''


    The groups funneled into their various ships, Pandina staying behind, continuing her duties as a liaison. A Dragon, Bear, and Phoenix model starfighter each left in turn and the Prince asked, "Why did Master Phoenix ask me to remain silent? I was hoping to communicate my condolences to Zora and her crew."


    Pandina spoke coldly, "He doesn''t always tell us everything, but I trust him. If he wants us to keep secrets, then it is important. I just wish he let us come with."


    The Prince shook his head before removing his helm, a harsh look on his face, "No. If what the green one said is true, that I understand. Though finding out this way is horrid. No Despoda would trust the son of their destroyer."

 Beyond the Phoenix Flames

    The trip wouldn''t take long for everyone. Not from Central HQ. Mere hours from the simulated morning within the building, not that the Cosmic Patrol ever rested. Not truly. Endless paperwork and reports, both from their own forces and local enforcement. Endless pages of useless information sent by political bureaucrats trying to bury their misplaced funds and misdeeds. He had to stop thinking about it before the thought of endless paperwork made him sick. Instead, he decided it was best to put his nightmares to rest now before they hindered his attempt to escort Anisa to the arena. This was her mission. He was a tool and useless if he couldn''t be there. Allowing his mind to slip, he could hear Tai trying to greet him only for his voice to grow in confusion and panic as Sai slipped into the deeper layers of his mind. As the boy''s voice vanished into the void, he stepped into the empty cavern that he had known all too well. The pit of his despair and the essence of his pain.


    Shawn faced against Cosmic Phoenix... but he was different this time. No... that was to be expected. The masked monster who dominated his life. "Alright, I don''t know what you are doing or what name you are using, but either way, you are my foe. So why don''t you spit out answers for me." As he spoke to the figure, the helm almost seemed to light up, the coloration change doing nothing to stop him. A scarlet crest upon the helm he knew all too well, half gold and half silver, though the lighting could be the cause of that illusion. The long coat ratty and burned, the edges seeming to glow with embers, hid most of the armor. Gaps between the plates shimmered with power. "Silent as always. But that''s to be expected isn''t it?" The figure walked towards him slowly, another warning that he knew all too well. "That''s fine. You can go slow or fast. I''m going to get past you today."


    He charged the figure, knowing how this went. The timing was predictable, like a machine. A step forward into a hardly moving gut punch, but one that Shawn could feel even as he moved around the blow. Every kick and step was pulled but the sheer force and pressure was undeniable. The flames burned cold, but there was no denying them. Every strike put a hole into the dark shadows of his mind that filled back up in mere moments. He stepped around each attack, careful to keep a rhythm, but today was different. There was no cavern. There was no tunnel. There was no door or gate. There was nowhere but here. Why? What was happening? This was just that. A memory. A mask. His walking coffin. Why? The figure spoke with his voice but his mannerisms and tone was mixed, "There is nothing left. You took too long. You lost your way. And now you are here. With me..."


    Shawn laughed, "Oh, come on... You can''t honestly believe that. Nothing about the Cosmic-" he had to use a quantum snap to dodge out of the way and his attempts at humor began to melt, the massive beam from his handgun sailing into the darkness before being consumed by it. No more holes. Just infinite darkness. "Okay." He began to weave through the shots, having to use quantum snaps to reverse some of them at the last moment while the Cosmic Phoenix Imperator began to zero in on his technique and moves. Shawn couldn''t be sure but he swore that it kept drawing closer and closer to him. His heart seized in his chest and his mind began to race, the shadows growing stronger and stronger.


    "That''s right. You aren''t much, are you? A pretender in this domain. You don''t get to use his memories anymore. You don''t get to use his name anymore. You can''t change the path the world travels and your name will fade like the ash of those he has burned to the stump." The Imperator drew his distorted cutlass, beginning to swing it with great precision, the edge capable of shaving skin from bone barely missing him as wave after wave of energy left its edge, limiting his moves as his beams drew closer as well, making him feel pressed in from every side. Even his quantum snaps were starting to fall behind this endless onslaught. He couldn''t even breathe without risk of harm. Before he knew it, even the Leonas, his transforming battle machine, was looming and firing blasts that narrowed his avenues of escape. "Is this clear yet? Do you see how small you are? A legacy handed to him in his darkest hour, one that the cosmos would not survive if he had not filled. One you are not strong enough to oppose or deny. A hollow shell with no spirit or soul. Nothing strong enough to oppose these flames and the weight of history."


    He couldn''t handle it. It was on instinct alone that he was able to survive all this, and as he glanced up to see the charging beam of his own creation, he felt his heart stop. The Imperator''s words weighed in the air. It was so much. Decades of battle and war and a mind built to block it out. To power through. A mind... built from suffering.


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    What he did next wasn''t out of instinct. There wasn''t any tactics involved. No grand plan or intent. There was only that raw pure desperation that he knew too well. One that even as he is now, he understood. He used his talents with the quantum snap to move directly into the face of the Imperator, striking with every ounce of energy he had at the face of the figure, the gold cracking away and revealing the left half of the face. Shawn''s scarred corpse stared back with dead eyes. Practically decaying as the Imperator stood there, unimpressed, but the assault stopped for a moment. The other half of the mask began to crumble away as the heat began to rise from the helmet, the eyes burning with a dark crimson flame, one the color of blood. As he spoke the flame poured out of his mouth with each word. It was as he saw the dying figure that the pause consumed his entire thought.


    "Even with symbolism so simple, even now you can''t possibly understand. You are no one! You have no claim to this place! You are a forgery and a ghost!" The Imperator loomed, many times larger than he remembered him being, but moving much faster than he had until this moment. His gun and cutlass discarded as he himself began to use quantum snaps. Every blow found its mark, knocking him around the endless abyss with ease. He could feel miles of the endless abyss sailing past him before his body was driven into the invisible floor before he was cast once more across their endless arena. Every attempt to evade or even snap out of the way was met with being read like a book. Each blow a reminder of what he already knew. The real Shawn wouldn''t have broken a sweat with him. Would have dissected him effortlessly both mentally and physically. That even if he knew where to strike, it wouldn''t mean anything to a man like that. A man who refused to accept death, even if his life had long since left him. He was not capable of this. This brutal rage against the dying of the light. A man literally too angry to die. It didn''t matter what he remembered, this blind thirst for life wasn''t him.


    That''s why I don''t turn to sacrifice anymore. It blinds me. No matter my goal, I always end up hurting people... and myself. I refused to acknowledge the truth.


    Sai grabbed the fist of the Imperator and used its force to empower an elbow to his burning face before grabbing it. The Imperator didn''t recoil but instead grabbed his wrist. A mistake as he began to lash out with kick after kick to the being''s gut. Grabbing one of his legs with his other hand, the Imperator turned quickly, trying to throw Sai by his limbs, to drive him into the ground, but Sai took the hit to roll the figure into a throw to the ground. Sai placed his hands on both sides of the figure''s face, even as the flames leaving his mouth burned his hands. "It is okay. It is okay to feel pain." he rolled off the figure a moment later, starting to walk into the seeming abyss. The Imperator drew his gun and aimed it at him, "There is nothing wrong with wearing a mask, but Cosmic Phoenix is no more real than I am. Just a ghost marching to his own grave. So thank you. Because be he Cosmic, King, or Emperor you have given me food for thought." He could hear the gunfire but it didn''t matter. He didn''t see a path, but he could hear Tai''s voice.


    Eventually, the darkness pulled back like a curtain and Sai stepped once more into his office, Tai having a look of sheer panic on his face but Sai motioned him to quiet down. "What were you doing? Where did you go?"


    Sai laughed weakly, "Don''t worry too much. I''m just looking for answers. I''ve been..." he paused and laughed a little before he rephrased things, "Shawn would do that a lot. He called it delving the mines. You live your life long enough on the frontlines of an endless war and you have to confront yourself every now and again. If you don''t you stagnate and bury the very core of who you are. So I went digging for treasure."


    Tai huffed, looking as cute as his mother while expressing his own well deserved frustration, "And did you find anything useful while you were diving into the depths of your soul?"


    Sai nodded, "Yeah, actually. Apparently... our friend has issues." Tai looked at him in baffled disbelief as though he had watched a man crawl into a furnace for an hour only to come out and say ''fire is hot'', but Sai motioned him to calm down again, "I mean that he is wearing that helmet for his sake, not ours. If he takes it off, it will break his focus and his mission. If we want answers, we need him to drop his guard or this act will never end."


    Tai sighed, "Do you have any ideas on how to make that happen?" Sai shook his head, but didn''t seem worried. It would happen, he just needed a look in the man''s eyes and he would know. He just needed the one good look.

 Violet Spectre

    Sai stepped down the ramp absentmindedly before his eyes drifted to the gold and red armored figure as he stepped down the ramp of his own craft. As expected, the guide didn''t even glance his way. Blocking out the inconvenience apparently. As he tried to assess this, he felt something brush his right arm. Looking in surprise, he saw Narine with a permanent marker looking up at him with embarrassed surprise. He looked where she was pulling her hand back from and saw there were tally marks. Eight in total including a diagonal slash to denote the five. "What the hell have you been doing?"


    She stammered a bit before getting annoyed with him, "What have YOU been doing? I was doing this the entire trip and when I asked Tai what was going on he just said you were ''away'', whatever that means."


    Sai felt his hand rising to his face before he said curiously, "So you decided to start seeing how often you could mark me until I came back." Narine grumbled and looked away. As he watched the rest of the group move on ahead, he shifted gears, "I needed information. I have theories about our leader in this mission and the only place I can find answers is... deep..." Narine Tried to read his robotic face before she narrowed her eyes, "You had Tak''Nasi''s memories. I have Shawn''s. Trauma included. And just like him, I''ve been ignoring it for as long as it isn''t in the way..."


    She looked him over with mild concern before she looked at the scarlet armored man and nodded, "So you have been trying to figure him out this entire time."


    Sai nodded, "He knows more than he should... and he is acting on it. To what end, I don''t know."


    Narine spoke under her breath, "According to... I guess Valk Zwei now... he founded a group called @-layer." Sai chuckled. Narine nodded, "Yeah it sounds stupid and is probably a pun based on ateliers but-"


    Sai cut her off, "No... it actually just gives me more conviction in my theories but still no explanation as to why..." She pulled out the marker again and with annoyed eyes put another mark on Sai''s arm. He groaned in annoyance, "Don''t turn your game into a punishment just because..." She readied the marker again and he sighed, "Fine, my point is that Shawn is someone who would choose a stupid name like that and his greatest nemesis started doing the same thing."


    Narine paused for a moment and asked, "Shawn? As in the guy Anisa is trying to save?" Sai nodded slowly but this just caused Narine to put her brainpower to the problem as well. "According to Anisa, the deal says he can''t come back without the Phoenixian Crystal... and that memories of him will come back when he returns... so..."


    Sai hadn''t considered that and all it did was raise more questions. Was this really Equinox? But if it was, why would he be helping to return Shawn to the world? Was this Shawn? But if it was, why wouldn''t he tell everyone it was him? Why make us do all this extra work?


    Some of that mystery would be resolved as the group turned the corner and buildings began to come into view. Atop one of them stood a figure in full purple armor with a flowing lavender scarf. Their visor was a shining gold and their voice was impossible to recognize, "Chain Breaker... the war you dread is upon you... but worry not. For I will keep my promise." Everyone froze, unsure of how to process the person. As if taking advantage of this, the figure warned, "As you continue, you step into the shadow of the coming storm. Trust only in the nobility of your spirit."


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    The figure vanished as quickly as it arrived, seemingly carried away on a cloud. Sai could feel a familiar tension in the air...


    The war?


    Sai felt a weight upon his heart. If their guide is who the figure was speaking to then... But what was worse was that if their goal was the ideal of the One Day War then it was off to a rocky start. Still, the possibility was a concern. ''Tai, I am handing the body off to you. Use the telemetry and projections to track that purple figure and to analyze their energy and biometrics. I have to look into something''


    ''You can''t delve the mines right now! We were just warned about-''


    Tai''s voice faded into silence as Sai dove once more into the depths of the mind and heart. He needed to get answers and he knew where to find them. As he arrived, he expected the cavern once more, but instead he found himself on a train. The figure was not buried under armor... or hiding behind it. It was Shawn''s scarred and well worn visage, his poorly maintained mantle of his status within the Cosmic Patrol. A badge tarnished by anxious polishing and his attire disheveled. Sai sat down across from him as Shawn took a swig off a whiskey bottle. "What''s up, Puppet?"


    Sai brought his hand to his brow, "Alright... this is new..."


    Shawn nodded, "Yep, but that''s not a surprise. You got so caught up in who you aren''t that you needed that... extra... But are you sure that this is where you should be? If that red guy has parted ways with Emperor Visto then it seems likely that we are facing Professor Treasure and his sort. Is now a time to soul search?" His blind right eye felt like it was piercing through Sai. Something akin to an eternity passed between the two. Eventually, Shawn continued, "You are more concerned about our little instigator than you are about the usual known factors, aren''t you?"


    Sai responded carefully, "I know you are still hiding things from me. I need to know if I''m going to save us from what comes next."


    Shawn stared out the window of the train for awhile and he eventually pulled out a deck of cards. He began to deal out the cards and said, "Well, if we are going to do this, we had better do it properly. I''m sure you are familiar with this. I know you used a similar method to understand Gavin better. So if you want to get straight answers, why not?" Sai refused to look at the hand dealt him and Shawn sighed, "Puppet, you can''t ignore the hand you are dealt. If you try to play it blind, you are going to be missing out on one of the most important parts of life." Sai glared Shawn down who seemed resolute. Sai tried to get up to leave, but as he stepped out of the booth and tried to leave, the door opened to the other side of the same train car. Shawn sighed, "I told you, you can''t play this game blind. So come sit down and play until the final card."


    Sai continued to walk down the same endless road.

 The Coin Collector

    Anisa had been out of sorts since nearly losing Katsi, the weight of the blood on her hands more a point of focus for her mind as of late. Despite this, the Violet figure warning of a coming war sent a chill up her spine. She looked at the Phoenix Emperor for an answer but he seemed only to lose what humor he had. He turned to the group and as his eyes rested on Zwei Valk he nodded to her. He then said, ¡°Our goal is the Arena on the far side of town. I landed here for the hospitality, but if our mysterious friend is right then innocent people are in danger. We should have enough firepower here to get Anisa and the Dragon Gem to the Arena. I will be escorting her, being as I¡¯m our biggest gun.¡± He said colder, ¡°Be aware, Emperor Visto has a certain preference for his officers. Be ready for some crazy and messed up abilities and don¡¯t drop your guard for a moment.¡±


    Zwei walked to the back of the group, clearly taking up rear guard. Anisa eventually asked, ¡°They mentioned ¡®the war you dread¡¯¡­ what war?¡± He didn¡¯t respond her eyes narrowed, ¡°Is that your goal? To start a war?¡±


    ¡°Ha-¡°


    Dean cut off the response, seemingly on high alert, ¡°The Cosmic War started when Shawn got drunk after killing Sculptura and pasted Emperor Visto. It set into motion a war that consumed the cosmos for a decade. Most of you wouldn¡¯t remember it even if Shawn was back. The Tak¡¯Nasi were already dead, the war never touched Shawn¡¯s homeworld, Pine was never found, and Gavin¡­¡±


    Gavin waved it off, ¡°Probably dead. I know how the arms dealing thing goes.¡±


    Dean nodded, ¡°So¡­ let¡¯s just¡­ focus on staying alive¡­ because if that warning is right we are in for trouble.¡±


    Anisa internally winced at the mention of the Tak¡¯Nasi, her recent actions still fresh and the memories of her rampage in the previous timeline still shaking her resolve. Still, she felt her new view pushing itself to the front of her mind.


    It¡¯s fine. We have a mission. Get to the arena so Douglas can help us bring back Shawn. What horror can war bring me that I haven¡¯t already seen?


    She began to walk forward into the town, transforming again into her new orange and black armor. ¡°Alright¡­ fine¡­ let¡¯s go win a war.¡± As she started to take the lead, she could sense it, Zwei already gone from her station in the same moment. The world was practically in slow motion as she turned and saw the blonde figure in the nearby trees, an odd symbol on his forehead. She watched as Dean used a Quantum Snap to move between her and the figure¡­ and she watched as he shone with a white light before a coin took his place. She watched in shock as it fell to the ground, and as Zwei¡¯s blade failed to make contact¡­ as familiar purple flames engulfed the man.


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    Katsi¡¯s face froze in horror, her face going pale before she ran over to the coin to grab it.


    It was then that Lady Unicorn appeared in front of them, ¡°Srava is going to be upset that I interrupted expanding his collection but-¡° Anisa closed the gap quickly, Lady Unicorn letting out a short gasp before disappearing in purple flames, reappearing a short distance away, about to protest before Narine leapt in to assault her, causing he to change location again. When Gavin threw a flash bang at her she took to the air and shouted, ¡°All of you lack decorum! Class! Fine! I¡¯ll just let you find out at the arena!¡± She vanished again in purple flames.


    Anisa ran to her sister¡¯s side, trying to check on her only I see raw anger on Katsi¡¯s face. ¡°What the hell, Nisa! You got my boyfriend killed!¡±


    The Phoenix Emperor asked humorously, ¡°Were you two officially an item or-¡°


    Katsi stomped over and attempted to slap his helmeted face which he caught effortlessly. This didn¡¯t stop her as she attempted to kick him. But when he caught that by her ankle, his grip became nearly crushing, picking her up and slamming her into the ground hard enough to crack it, the wind knocked clean out of her. She spat from the ground, ¡°F-fuck¡­ you¡­¡±


    Before anyone could approach him with issues about it, he manifested a blade of fire at her throat, ¡°Kat¡­ this is war, and you need a cool head before you get yourself or others killed. Srava¡¯s ability is unpleasant but not lethal. Dean knows that. We kill Srava and he will return to normal¡­ and Srava Tonio won¡¯t be leaving this planet without collecting Dean. His ability can only be used once every hour or so. It¡¯s why he tries to use the first victim as a hostage. The fact that we have the coin means we are fine.¡±


    Gavin hesitated, ¡°The Coin Collector is real? I thought he was an urban myth¡­ or some weird serial killer. I didn¡¯t think he physically converted people into coins.¡±


    Katsi¡¯s face seemed still frustrated but calmer upon hearing that Dean wasn¡¯t dead, but the Phoenix Emperor seemed a little less understanding. ¡°This is war now¡­ if you can¡¯t keep your eyes on the mission, you are a liability we can¡¯t afford.¡± He turned to the rest of them, seeing their reaction to his treatment of Katsi and stated firmly, ¡°None of you have seen war¡­ so I¡¯ll escort Anisa to the arena. All of you, evac duty. Find survivors if there are any. Be ready for literally anything and don¡¯t trust anyone, least of all the survivors. Despoda are carnivores that eat through osmosis¡­ so if they are snacky, traitors, or just don¡¯t trust you¡­¡±


    Gavin stepped forward, snapping Anisa from her trance by patting her on the shoulder, ¡°Sure thing. Get our captain to that arena and I¡¯m sure whoever this Douglas guy is can help us set this right.¡± He looked at her, as though able to see past the helmet she was shielding herself behind. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cap. We will take care of whoever gets in the way. You just stay in the zone, okay?¡±


    She spoke commandingly, ¡°Appreciated, Gav. I¡¯m putting you in charge of the rest and Sai as your advisor. Move them however you see fit.¡± He nodded and in that moment, Anisa felt a bolt through her mind. Even as she was now, hands soaked in blood and on the edge of war, Gavin remained unchanged, the same reliable friend who had shared a drink with her when they first left on the Ziegfried.

 Claw and Talon

    The scarlet armored figure and the plated captain left the rest of the group behind, moving with purpose, the silence of the streets closing in around them as they ran, the ominous aura of hostile territory having no effect on the two seasoned fighters. After a time, the scarlet clad warrior chuckled, "I''m surprised. Not only was your sister''s form spot on, but you didn''t try to kill me for putting her down like that."


    As the carapace like plates shifted, she said coldly, "Don''t act like my friend. You don''t know me. You don''t care about me. All we share is a purpose." Her movements were precise, no effort wasted and not pushing her body in a way that would exhaust it. Speed was important but they were in hostile territory and now wasn''t the time for idle chit chat or anything that would stop her from responding to a threat.


    He turned to face her, matching her speed effortlessly while running backwards, his visor impenetrable and inscrutable. He said with a hint of hesitation, "I can see how it would look that way from your perspective. All I can say is that I''m more than a little familiar."


    "I heard about your little group. I''m not interested in joining."


    He was silent for a time, as if stunned by her abrupt and dismissive response. When he opened his mouth, his words caused her to freeze mid-stride. "You aren''t a destroyer." Anisa glared the man down through her helm, her gaze an impossible to conceal beam of pure malice and outrage. Despite this, he continued down the road he knew he shouldn''t, "You are a soldier, marching to war so-" She closed the distance quickly, her claws thrusting without hesitation into where his throat would have been, had he not done the same odd trick he had when he fought her and Sai, seemingly disappearing in flames before reappearing elsewhere. Still he persisted, "...so the rest of us can enjoy a cozy peace."


    She growled, "How did you know about that conversation?" She didn''t wait for an answer, charging him again, trying to see how much of this was a defense versus a reflex, her strike coming up short intentionally, only to see him staying right where he was. When she tried to catch him off guard with a kick he vanished again. She sneered, "Let me guess, you were watching like the sleezeball you are. An advance scout for the Falos before they killed him!" She could feel her anger flowing once more. Her grief and regrets, a shadowy blade forming in her hand as she continued her assault on the endlessly retreating man.


    Before she could continue, he connected a hard punch to her gut that forced her to stagger, his tone cold and sad, "You are wasting your energy. Save it for the enemy." When she tried weakly to kick him, he vanished again. She took his distance to catch her breath. "As for Magnifico, you cannot possibly understand how much respect I have for such a man and his sacrifice. His death saved hundreds of millions if not billions." He paused briefly before he said, "It is the way a true hero dies."


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    Anisa said with a lethal edge, hating that this man was even daring to use his name, "You are right... I''m wasting my energy. You are a coward. You won''t fight for anything. Not for him. Not for your friends. Even at the tournament, you refused to fight us with everything you had. All you do is run away." She began to walk away but stopped when he entered what seemed to be a proper battle stance. She asked skeptically, and with a hint of bloodlust, "Oh? You think you can take me on?" She twirled the shadowy blade, swinging its eradicating shockwave at him, expecting him to run away once more.


    When the shockwave made contact, it dissipated around him like it was made of smoke, a red and gold layer of flames around his right hand. She stared in disbelief when he said, "You aren''t wrong. I have always hated conflict. I am afraid of it more than anyone else. But I have good reasons to be. The first is I know exactly what dangers lurk in the corners of the universe. The second is that I know that I can kill any of them." His tone became more harsh, "You are afraid of your killer instinct. I''m afraid because-" Her approach was swift but calculated, his reactive left hook just as fast.


    The dance was as fluid as it was instinctual, her weave under his fist turning into a flip onto her back as he followed it with a powerful kick. Rolling to her feet she leapt up to lock a triangle choke on him, locking around his left arm, aiming her blade for his elbow. Where most would try to flex or pull her in a way that ruined her aim, he instead smashed her into the ground with immense force. As she felt her armor rattle from the hit and her new blade fell free of her grip, she felt a sensation upon it she wasn''t familiar with at first. It was only as his arm was violently wrenched from her grip that she realized there was a chain of golden energy wrapped around her, holding her to the ground. It vanished as he walked away a short distance, before a seemingly absentminded flick of his wrist caused the same phantom gold chain to form between her chest and her fallen blade. As it sailed towards her chest, point first, she effortlessly flipped around it only to see it begin to curve towards her once more. Realizing it''s new predictable trajectory, she moved quickly to catch it from the air. Flipping out of the way of a wave of fire, she responded with more waves of shadow.


    He wove through her attacks, as easily as she wove through his, the damage to the surrounding city beginning to spread, despite the obvious damage, there was no aggression nor hesitation. Even now, her instincts were telling her this wasn''t all he could do. It was only as she saw a gold armored form pulled to the ground by golden chains before it was burned to ashes by scarlet flame that she began to realize what he had been doing. She shouted, "Am I a joke to you?!? Even now-" in a burst of scarlet flames, his fist was in her gut once more, sending her multiple blocks down their original road.


    He sighed, "You are the whole damned point..."

 Splitting the Party

    Gavin looked over the group, clearly assessing how to break them into proper roles, but Katsi had already made up her mind. "I''m going to go find Srava. I''ll join up with you after." She activated her transformation device, the golden armor of nanites forming around her, the lenses over her eyes already feeding her information about the target from her connection to Dean. She lifted his coin, the nanites moving it to the center of her chest, like a medallion. The information from the rest of them would probably come later. She tried to have the nanites work on a way to reverse the process that had made Dean into what he was, but apparently that would take time. Before anyone had time to try and stop her, she had begun to fly away on her dragonfly wings, her mind set on finding her prey. All she could think was that this time would be different. She wasn''t going to lose him. She wasn''t going to lose anyone ever again.


    Gavin held up his hand as she flew away. Once she couldn''t hear he looked at Zwei and Pine. "You two, follow her flight path. Cover her and keep it quiet. She is clearly working through something and... I can relate. So just..." Before he could finish, Pine had already begun to pursue. Zwei shrugged and ran with him. Gavin sighed, "Let... her do that. Why does no one understand we are entering hostile territory? Would it kill them to have an ounce of-" He paused when he began to hear crashes from near where his captain had gone. He went pale but had a reassured gulp when he saw what he could only assume was the wave of darkness from the Tak''Nasi situation that had erased so many things. He closed his eyes, hoping he could trust in his captain to get the job done. Focusing on Tai and Narine, he said firmly, "Alright, so Sai went AWOL so this will be your first field mission Tai. My suggestion? Play support for now. If that was built to match Sai''s capabilities, you should be able to collect and send info on all the living things in our vacinity rather easily with minimal risk. If you are seen, run. Doesn''t matter if it is a Falos Knight, one of their Mannequin killdroids, or a survivor. If you are seen, you run. We will do the rest."


    Tai asked cautiously, "Are you sure? I have Father''s-"


    "You have a manual on how to do it. You''ve personally never done it. Even Sai practiced in the simulations before he tried them on us. Trust me for now." Tai hesitated at Gavin''s words but eventually relented and left to do his patrol before sending the live data to the communicators in their transformation devices. Gavin began to look it over before he reached into his coat, producing two small devices, "I snagged these out of Katsi''s pocket before I reassured Anisa that I had this. I saw her and Doug working on them." He tossed one to Narine that had a red glow about it. "It looks compatible with our transformation devices. I don''t know if our younger crystals can take the strain... and these stones in particular have a tendency to take liberties with the DNA of the user. So, keep this for emergencies and try not to use it."


    Narine looked it over, trying to figure out what it was. "It looks... a lot like the Ziegfried''s tech."


    Gavin nodded, "Yeah. And I know what it does. That''s why I gave you that one and why I took these two. I can''t be sure that they aren''t universal but I know for sure it will work as intended this way." She looked at him with curiosity and he explained, "I''m the man who built our ship to specs. With nothing but spare parts and a dream. I know exactly what they just did and my opinion as a former arms dealer is the less you know the better." Before she could ask further, he adjusted his hat and began running through the streets, refusing transform just yet. There was a lot more work before the situation would call for Alabaster.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    -------------


    Sai sat in the chair opposite Shawn, eyes tired and annoyed, ¡°I¡¯m sure they could use my help.¡±


    Shawn nodded, ¡°But you are too deep in and can¡¯t bring yourself to truly leave the table. Not when you know you are so close to proper answers. So, like a puppet, you dance on the strings of your own habits.¡± He locked eyes with Sai, ¡°You know I¡¯ve had that conversation before.¡±


    Sai growled, ¡°Yeah! With Equinox! The villain!¡± As Shawn slowly nodded he waited for Sai to say the obvious. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean he is wrong.¡± Shawn motioned to the cards face down on the table. Thinking he could expect what he would find, he froze as he looked at the hand, ¡°This¡­ this isn¡¯t the same game.¡±


    Shawn chuckled, ¡°Oh, it is. Life is just like this. The rules are a bit more complex but the win conditions are the same. Have the better matched hand.¡±


    Sai looked at it, seeing his various crew mates on the Ziegfried, his eyes resting on Narine in particular. And among the cards was Shawn himself. Sai asked, ¡°Metaphysical as this is¡­ what¡¯s the point of this exercise?¡±


    Shawn stated again, ¡°You can¡¯t play the game if you don¡¯t know what cards you are holding.¡± Discarding cards that had Douglas, Dean, and the Ziegfried on them, Shawn drew three new cards from the deck. ¡°See, if you know what someone¡¯s throwing away, you can guess what cards they have.¡±


    Sai looked it over and took a deep breath, stating, ¡°But how often are their discards a bluff? Throwing away a better hand to mislead?¡± Shawn laughed quietly before Sai continued, ¡°Why not be honest? There has to be a reason Shawn and Equinox wouldn¡¯t come out and state who they are.¡±


    Shawn shrugged, ¡°If it is Equinox, he already has. But if he is helping, why not explain why? And how he remembers¡­¡± Shawn stated firmly, ¡°If it was me, it¡¯s likely to avoid the woman I made a deal with. I don¡¯t trust bureaucrats and she definitely is one.¡±


    Sai froze it dawning on him that they hadn¡¯t thought twice about her. What was her goal? Why had she offered him that? He had been so used to the absurdity of being a hero that¡­


    ¡°So, loophole. If ¡®Shawn Masters¡¯ isn¡¯t effecting time then his memory is still gone. That would make him able to act freely without reprisal. Alternatively, Equinox having been robbed of his memories of Shawn might have been told or gotten wind of a great hero being gone and is trying to bring him back.¡± Sai thought about it and asked, ¡°Would Leithan really be heroic if he never went down the road of being a Pirate? If he had never had his crew massacred by¡­ Shawn?¡± Sai almost took responsibility for Shawn¡¯s actions again. Almost blamed himself for the deaths that day. Sai was blameless, just holding the memory, but the guilt clung to him all the same.


    Shawn smirked and said mirthfully, ¡°We can figure this out if we just keep playing the game¡­¡±

 Twin Feathers

    ¡°Come on, Leithan. We have a lot of ground to cover.¡±


    ¡±You are insufferable. Must we?¡±


    Shawn and his former archenemy traveled the alleys of the golden city, Shawn guiding them mostly by instinct. As they rounded the corner, Shawn took a step back, ¡°Yeah¡­ we do. But maybe we want to avoid this one. Bad memories all around.¡±


    Leithan looked and sighed, his heart dropping into his gut. As he gazed into the burning wreckage of his ship from the first time the two had crossed paths, he stated, ¡°No need to be shy¡­ I see it even as I close my eyes.¡± He walked ahead, his eyes growing cold. ¡°You seemed so proud of your actions before. Why run now?¡±


    Shawn sighed, ¡°I was¡­ never proud. But I¡¯m not a coward either. If I do something and believe it was right, I¡¯m not going to apologize. Full stop.¡± He walked over it, a look of guilt clear upon his face, no uniform or helmet to hide behind. His former foe looked back with hesitant confusion. He stated sadly, ¡°You were monsters, killing planets on some kind of power trip. Family to each other or not, you knew someone bigger was going to come along one day on the path you were on. I just don¡¯t like the loss of life. Not the people you killed. Not killing you. There was just no winning for me.¡±


    Leithan scoffed, ¡°You seemed to win just fine. I was the only survivor after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a win to me.¡±


    Leithan froze, his expression still cold. He eventually said, ¡°You are a weird one. Most people would call stopping a mass murderer a thing to celebrate. Everyone else in the cosmos seemed to find joy in the death of my crew. And you never expressed remorse. Not until now.¡±


    Shawn nodded slowly, ¡°I don¡¯t waste time second guessing my decisions. I had a reason for doing what I did and second guessing everything would stop me from ever taking action.¡± His eyes grew distant as he clarified, ¡°I will take ownership of my actions and accept their consequences, but I don¡¯t spend a lot of time second guessing them¡­ well, until recently.¡±


    Leithan looked over his shirtless form and nodded, ¡°That would explain a lot. And I agree. Remorse is for the dying.¡±


    The silence between the two was thick, made only worse by the memory they had walked into. As Shawn looked upon the image that Leithan was far too familiar with, he stated, ¡°I am glad I¡¯m as intimidating as I hoped I was. Between the fire and the bodies¡­ I doubt many would continue to hurt people when seeing this.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    Leithan paused and raised a brow as he looked at Shawn. Seeing a growing smirk, he looked to the image of his rival in uniform with the fire and the blood and¡­ began to laugh. It was quiet at first but slowly expanded into an uproarious cacophony. After a few moments of maddened laughter passed he stated, ¡°You¡­ are right. Only a mad man would see this and believe that he should make it his life¡¯s mission to punish such a fiend. The odds¡­ really wouldn¡¯t be in such a man¡¯s favor.¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. After all this time, with all that effort¡­ looking back on it, he couldn¡¯t provide a good answer other than blind anger that made him believe he could devastate such a figure. But all the same, the challenge had driven him to excel. To overcome and transcend even Equinox, the End of an Era. As a Pirate he ended planets. But after this, he would challenge and even exceed those who would be gods¡­


    Shawn chuckled alongside the laughter, but for his own reason. He was probably the only one who understood the frustration. He was always inside the suit but seeing it from out here made him sympathize with the villain. While the action was deserved, the deaths inevitable on their paths, seeing this imposing figure over the carnage¡­ how could the former villain not see him as the very same kind of monster, simply on the right side of history?


    ¡±Do you really believe that we can find the way out?¡±


    ¡±Has either of us ever failed before? We just aren¡¯t the sorts to accept death without question.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Sai looked at his own hand, hesitating to throw any cards out of his hand. He had learned the rules of this particular game and while they were highly complex, it was all symbolic. Countless calculations and yet the two of them were so much alike that it was closer to a conversation than it was a game. Sai eventually discarded Gavin, Katsi, and Pine. Shawn smirked as he put together why. ¡°So¡­ despite being your own person, you still worry about Ani?¡±


    Sai nodded, ¡°Nisa¡­ is carrying the weight of not just her own trauma but the decision you forced on her.¡±


    Shawn nodded slowly, discarding a few more cards, one of which was the Phoenixian Crystal. Sai looked at him with concern and said, ¡°Why? That¡¯s your way home?¡±


    Shawn shrugged, ¡°I just.. my gut says that I don¡¯t need it. Whether Equinox gets me out or I¡¯m already free, I just suspect it isn¡¯t important.¡± Even so, Sai could see the look in his eye. This was the move that didn¡¯t make sense. But¡­


    Sai stood up, putting his cards down at the table, ¡°There has to be another reason¡­ I¡¯m going to go deeper. I need answers.¡±


    ¡°You walking out on our game?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m playing one of my cards. This isn¡¯t your mind anymore. It¡¯s mine. I¡¯m going to pick it as much as I please.¡± He stood up, walking towards the door once more, intent on finding the core of this all.

 Smoke

    Anisa rolled to her feet, her anger and instincts demanding she strike. That she fight back. Leaping back at him, she saw him vanish in flames again, appearing in her blindspot and knocking her to the ground¡­ hard! As she collided with the ground she could swear she bounced, but before she could be sure, a powerful kick was delivered to her gut. She tried to grab the leg as it hit, but it was gone as quick as it had hit, her body sailing towards the arena once more. As she did, she felt herself colliding with multiple Falos machines, their gold and red armor scattering around her and the copper smell of their few remaining organic parts spilling their blood over the streets filled the air. She swore she could taste it as well, but her helmet was still intact. As she flew she could feel the man from the other side of the Dragon Gem trying to reach her, his connection stronger so close to the arena. But she blocked it out. She didn¡¯t need him. She didn¡¯t need anyone.


    No¡­ she didn¡¯t¡­


    She cut off that thought, digging her claws into the ground and dodging out of the way of his kick only to suddenly find his fist in her gut, driving her to the ground, her spine rocked from the hit and the plates of her armor creaking from the strain. Before she could get back up, he grabbed her by her chest plate and picked her up.


    ¡°I truly thought¡­ that if anyone could stay the course it would be you. You have always stayed the course even in the darkest of moments. Did whatever it took to see that next sunrise¡­¡±


    Seeing her chance, while he was monologuing, she tried to lash out with her claws and kicks, but mid swing, she felt searing pain as flaming binds held her limbs in place. She strained against them, even as she could smell her flesh cooking in her armor.


    ¡±But¡­ I suppose that was my mistake. I forgot the effects war has on people. How harsh the reality is¡­ and I¡¯m sorry for bringing this upon you. Upon your sister¡­ I, of all people, should have been more considerate.¡±


    His next blow knocked the wind out of her completely, her body panicking as her adrenaline made her body scream for the air it couldn¡¯t seem to claim.


    He shook his head, his helmet vanishing in a wave of flames. As she looked into this strange face, as she looked into his eyes, she saw something familiar. Something striking, but different than she recalled. Where there had been doubt and hesitation in the phantom memory, here she saw resolve. Here she saw certainty.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Lady Unicorn began to slowly clap, ¡°Well well! Here I was thinking you had gone traitor, but you went and captured her for us! Perhaps you are every inch the warrior I remember you as.¡± She smiled confidently, a varied army behind her. There were no Falos Knights or Mannequins behind her, and each one seemed to carry themselves with the kind of pride that only comes with some measure of command.


    He growled, his eyes harsh, ¡°This is¡­¡± he closed his eyes and locked them with Anisa¡¯s. ¡°Fine¡­ the mission must be completed.¡± He threw Anisa¡¯s now limp body into the entrance to the arena with immense force. As she flew, she expected to feel the impact of cold stone as he had been feeling this entire fight¡­ but there was nothing. She was simply in a black void. When she opened her eyes, she saw¡­ herself. Not the woman she had become, not the villain she once was¡­


    The high school girl with cold eyes said to the armored warrior, ¡°So¡­ what ARE you fighting for?¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    The Phoenix Emperor turned towards Lady Unicorn and her army.


    So, about 400 lieutenant level threats. A few dozen Major and Captain levels, and 18 instant win conditions. All spread out to avoid losing them instantly. But she can¡¯t help herself¡­


    He said firmly as he traced a flaming line on the air with his index finger, ¡°So, you went out of your way to do this for little old me?¡±


    She narrowed her eyes and scoffed, ¡°Hardly! While I¡¯m sure we can deal with you as well, I was wanting to force Zora into a duel.¡± She laughed menacingly, ¡°And as I stood triumphant over her broken form, I would bask in the victory of it all. The defeat of a true hero. But you?¡± She sneered, ¡°A traitor? You aren¡¯t even a footnote. Good for nothing to me but recognition and advancement.¡±


    Hearing her words, he couldn¡¯t help but laugh, entirely involuntary and uproarious. When he recovered, he smirked, ¡°That¡¯s all you want? A hero? Well, I know my reputation, but I think I can fill that role for you. I¡¯ll take you all on, even with one hand tied behind my back.¡± He put his left arm behind him, golden chains of energy binding it to his body.


    She blinked in confusion, before laughing herself, turning to her army and motioning them to laugh as well, ¡°You expect me to believe you can take our entire force? We are every inch your equal and we outnumber you fou-¡°


    He cut her off, wagging his finger at her tauntingly, small Star like flames appearing in its path and lingering in the air, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s your first mistake. It doesn¡¯t matter how many of you there are because only so many of you can fight me at once. Second mistake was giving me time to do this.¡± He snapped his fingers, the lights sailing out swiftly, several explosions going off in her forces. She looked at him in surprise and outrage only for him to wink at her playfully.


    There go her win cons. No evaporating, lobotomized, or any other stupid bullshit that takes a week in sick bay to walk off. Remember to stay calm, stay the course, and see the job through. I just have to hold the line until Doug is back. Shouldn¡¯t be too hard.

 Mirrors

    Katsi continued to sail through the air, looking for her query. The sooner she found him, the sooner she could get Dean free from the coin. Even as the nanite''s examined the situation, the were struggling for a more meaningful resolution. As she flew, she could hear Gavin on a comm channel in her armor, but she wasn''t listening. He was probably telling her to slow down or take a breath. Telling her how she was being unreasonable. She didn''t have time for that. She had taken out the Original Tak''nasi, a genius and massive threat there was-


    Her thought was shattered when she felt a cutting pain through her body. Knocked from the air, she began to fall, her connection to Dean telling her that that was something he knew as a Tidal Upheaval. One of an assortment of attacks from a school known as the Seven Strikes of the Falos. Her impact with the ground lead to a sickening thud, her armor enough to protect her both from the worst of the strike and the impact. Looking at the figure slowly approaching her, she readied a canon, but she sensed no killing intent. No malice. Still her suit was shooting her countless warnings without providing any real solutions. She shouted, "Who are you?"


    The fishman approached slowly, sighing with the weight of a century in his bones, "To think the Emperor found a way to make me scared of children. Perhaps we never needed fear Tak''Nasi if such a child was enough." From what she could see, it didn''t appear he had eyes and yet she felt like he was peering deeply into her. He bowed politely, "I am Erjoe, Grandmaster of the Seven Strikes. The one that struck you cleaves through the sea of fear in a man''s heart. It appears my fear was-" She fired at him, frozen in panic when the air around him seemed to become a blur of air, her blast dissipating in the flurry of his blows. His tone grew harsh, "It is rude to interrupt someone when they are speaking, young one. I wish for this to be a fair and honorable match. Everyone deserves such before they die."


    As she looked up at the figure, she could feel the cold and familiar sensation in the air. The same sense of dread and impending death she hadn''t felt since she left on the Ziegfried. As it set in, even the feed from Dean''s connection to the suit seemed to go quiet. No information on her visor. No guidance or insight. She was alone in unfamiliar waters, and while she was better armed than she had ever been, she still felt like a defenseless little girl.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    She looked at her younger self, a growing irritation on her face, ¡°No¡­ no, not again. I just¡­!¡± She restrained her growing frustration and sneered, ¡°I¡¯m not going to do this again.¡±


    Ani spoke with bored disinterest, ¡°You haven¡¯t done any thing but run.¡± Anisa tried to block it out and keep moving, her body sore and creaking with every step. Ani sighed, ¡°And you aren¡¯t going to find him going that way.¡±


    Anisa continued to walk into the dark void only to find herself disoriented. Eventually she found her way back to the teen. ¡°So what is this? Did he hit me so hard I¡¯m in a coma again?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Ani shook her head, putting her hands in her coat, ¡°No. This is like those caves. The arena is so saturated in the traditions and rituals of the people who built it that your own heart becomes your gatekeeper. You can¡¯t leave or enter until you know which one is the place you truly must be.¡± She looked at her older self with disappointment, ¡°I can¡¯t believe I got so¡­ bitchy. Hemingway had me pegged alright.¡±


    Anisa jolted at her nickname for Shawn, picking her younger form up by her collar, ¡°Why ask me what I¡¯m fighting for when you already know?¡±


    Ani gave her a disinterested stare in response.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Tai circled around the area, looking for survivors, but only finding empty buildings. Not even corpses. This felt wrong. This was a Despoda settlement. There should at least be corpses if they were killed. This felt very very wrong. It was only as he heard a series of explosions over by the arena, that he turned, seeing the lingering smoke even from here. The Phoenix Emperor was clearly much stronger than he had been letting on. If Tai had to measure it, he would say Captain level... no... more than that. The explosions felt... precise... What part of his combined creation was screaming at him to fear that man? What part of him knew better than to humor that fear? He looked to Narine, the one he calls Mother, and said, "No signs of struggle... or life."


    Narine seemed to find it as odd as he did, clearly on edge, "That''s... But maybe the shapeshifters found another way to survive the attacks. Maybe they are hiding as a plant or smaller creature..."


    He couldn''t shake his paranoia, this instinct that was entirely unfamiliar and yet... oddly natural. He said, "We need to be on our guard. Remember that even survivors can''t be trusted." He sighed, not wanting to concern his mother, "I am sorry if I sound harsh, mother. I just-"


    She cut him off, holding up her hand, "Dear... you don''t need to worry. I will consider your warning, okay?" She closed her eyes for a moment before she allowed her more calculating nature to push forward, "I''ll use some sedatives I made awhile back for the captain. The biology is different, but it should be potent enough to have the desired effect before they can make a snack of me." She started to walk away and he held out his hand to call her back, but she just looked back over her shoulder and said, "Oh, don''t be like that. I''ll be back before you know it."


    _____


    Gavin sighed as he moved silently, muttering to himself, "It can''t be an accident. History repeating itself time and again. Dean beyond reach, Cap on a tear, and all of us spilt like scared sheep." He looked at the device on his wrist, thinking back to the day on the Ziegfried. A copy of his friend chasing him with a hammer, hunting him while he was fleeing for his life. He continued to whisper to himself as he walked in the shadows of the town, "But Cap told me to take charge while she was gone. So, even if things are starting the same, I''ll make sure as hell it doesn''t end the same way."


    He took a look at the all too familiar tech that he had lifted from Katsi''s pocket. It was miniaturized but unmistakable. The fact that Dean helped her to make these at all was a chilling thought. He took a few deep breaths and finally let himself say what he had been avoiding saying for awhile now. "I know you are following me. So, why don''t you tell me who you are and I might not have to hurt you."

 Fire

    Hope is the flame that propels life. The fuel is what colors the flame. If you burn it pure the light is soft. Ephemeral. But when it burns from the heart, you will see vibrant colors across the night sky and what someone is made of.


    -The First Phoenix, Quote from the Weaver¡¯s records


    ¡ª¡ª


    As Sai entered the dark cavern, he saw the familiar form of the scarred man he was copied from. He had no shirt or jacket of any kind and was playing with marbles on whatever could be considered ground in this metaphysical space. He chuckled, ¡°So, you are finally cutting the strings? Or are you still being pulled around by your own-¡°


    ¡±CUT THE CRAP!!¡± The silence that followed Sai¡¯s outburst was chilling. When the figure went back to playing with the marbles, Sai growled, ¡°I¡¯m here for answers. Not philosophical debates. People¡¯s actual lives are being impacted by this.¡±


    ¡¯Shawn¡¯ stood up, kicking the marbles into the darkness. ¡°Yeah¡­. Same thing is true of everything anyone does. Even what they don¡¯t do. Quite literally in this case. Or have you changed so much that you think this is all navel gazing?¡± He turned to face Sai, a soft smile on his face as he locked his dead right eye with Sai, ¡°See, you can¡¯t see what¡¯s coming if you aren¡¯t asking about what could be and what everything means. Including a Bioelectric Automata being born of a Replica of my mind.¡± He walked up to Sai, staring him with eyes of infuriating amusement. ¡°See, I don¡¯t ignore anyone. No one but myself. Because no one knows better what it¡¯s like to be forgotten.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! You postulate and speculate because it distracts from the pain. Because imagining tomorrow is less painful than processing today.¡±


    Shawn nodded slowly, his smile not fading, ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s both. But that¡¯s just how it goes. Can¡¯t save the world by looking in the rearview. Least of all for people like me. If all I thought about was how my father left us with barely enough to eat in a house of pressboard and cheap carpets or what state I found my mother in the day she died, I could never have gone as far as I did. I had someone I needed to be there for. Even after she died, I had to be there for Doug and everyone else who had no one else.¡± He turned away, motioning to the darkness as his entire life history played out before them, every memory scattered like patches for a quilt. ¡°At what stage does what I did after I left home redefine me? At what stage of my life do I look back and tell myself that the quiet boy who only ever wanted to write novels and hide in the corners of the world is just not who I am anymore? And how many more quiet people in the corners of the world are waiting for that same opportunity?¡±


    Sai scoffed, ¡°So, what? You make yourself their messiah? Sounds li-¡°


    ¡°Nope! I¡¯m just the asshole who travels space and saves their lives while cracking their shells.¡± He began to laugh, ¡°Even you. You started as a copy of me but you have been doing things lately you know I wouldn¡¯t do. Like playing second fiddle to someone else¡¯s scheme to kill Permiso. Like doing a deep dive of my own mind on the edge of a battle.¡± He pressed his forehead against Sai¡¯s with an aggression that was borderline feral, ¡°No¡­ I would push every thought out of my head that wasn¡¯t about the people right in front of me and take point on any operation, because if I let anything but what I needed to do next in countless people would die. In this business, the dead can be mourned on your own time¡­ but never forgotten¡­¡± He turned away and sighed, ¡°So, go ahead, grill a phantom of your perception of the man you once were for answers you already know while everyone else is in danger. The problem for you isn¡¯t the now but what comes next¡­¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    Sai grabbed him by the shoulder and turned him to face him before punching the man. He growled, ¡°Yeah¡­ because I trust the people I work with to save their own ass. I¡¯m not trying to be the point on the spear anymore.¡± He glared harder when he remembered where he was¡­ in his own mind, ¡°I¡¯m not you anymore¡­ and I¡¯m not sure I¡¯m even remembering who I used to be as well as I used to. The single minded warrior who would gladly burn to ash for his war on evil. So, let¡¯s stop the needless stage play. If I was him and he was Shawn¡­ why wouldn¡¯t he be worried about the Phoenixian Crystal? In what situation would I be throwing away such an important aspect of our agreement?¡±


    He laughed again before his tone became wistful, ¡°Any situation where I can give them an opportunity to be more than they are. There is nothing I wouldn¡¯t do to make sure that everyone I care about is okay and that everyone who never had a chance are able to have the same opportunity that I did, if they just want it.¡±


    Sai froze¡­ and then he remembered the data from CPD HQ. ¡°That @-layer group that the Tak¡¯Nasi you kidnapped were talking about¡­ you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Shawn nodded, ¡°I didn¡¯t, you are right. But he might have.¡± He began to walk further into the darkness, ¡°And if I were him, I wouldn¡¯t stop there. The One Day War would be my apology to the entire Cosmos.¡±


    It was in this moment that something in Sai snapped. He charged the figure, tackling him to the ground. Shawn was smiling, about to make another dismissive quip or needlessly poetic statement. Sai wasn¡¯t going to let him. Not this time. As he punched him in his face he growled, ¡°This isn¡¯t right! It isn¡¯t fair!¡± Shawn¡¯s mouth opened again but was shut once more with a solid strike, ¡°You can¡¯t just control people! The greater good is no excuse for manipulating them!¡±


    Shawn kicked him off, something else in the facsimile¡¯s eyes. A red and gold flame. ¡°We all manipulate each other, but I would watch the world burn to the ground before I stand back and simply let those I care about suffer! If there is something I can do, it is my obligation to see it done, no matter what it takes from me in the process.¡± He stood up, the scarlet armor forming on the form as Sai¡¯s mind gave the theory a try. To see if the man he was is the same sort as the man they follow now. ¡°Whether I come back or not doesn¡¯t matter as much as saving the countless dead because of my careless behavior. To be entirely forgotten would be the perfect punishment for one such as myself.¡±


    Sai looked at him, the mannerisms lining up, the grim resolve but also something more¡­ something that he knew too well. A dark humor that saturates the very bones in a chill colder than the grave.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    As the skirmish began, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. How long had it been? Even as crossing blows with Freidos mirrored his vision, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the blood pumping on his veins. It was such second nature. Even after all this time, he could feel his reflexes doing the heavy lifting as he pressed the villain¡¯s blow to the side and unleashed a small punch that sent the creature flying back through the forces, creating a small path through them. As he ran through, he felt his form shift to that of a small cat. Felidae must be here as well. He quipped about their army being sorted by letter but it was impossible to understand due to his inexperience speaking cat. Leaping to the face of one foe, he jumped off them, leaving deep gashes on their face as he did so before landing a missile drop kick on Felidae before returning to his original form, his mirrored perception finally returning to normal telling him that he was out of range of the effect now.

 No Choices

    As Gavin faced the purple and gold figure, he waited for them to elaborate in any way. Instead she just stood there, her helmet hiding her expression but an undeniable warmth in the air. Eventually, he broke the silence, "You said we stepped into the shadow of war. Is that what Cap and the red guy are doing right now?"


    She ignored his question, "You and your friends are not bound by the chains of fate. This war was never yours and so your future remains uncertain. For the first time, your destiny is your own."


    In response he ignored her comments in kind, "Your lack of helping says that you are up to something else. And apparently you know more about our guide than we do, since you say you have a promise to keep." He was trying to get a read on her. This wasn''t a hologram. He could tell she could hear him. She was actively ignoring him. And while he was still listening, he wasn''t going to go unheard.


    She continued her cryptic warnings, "You all have been granted a blank canvas to color with your own heart and nature. To show the cosmos themselves how bright your stars shine. Only then can the chains of fate be shattered completely." Her every mannerism annoyed him. She was genuine and open despite not speaking directly. Reijaa would have interrogated this woman at the point of a gun to get a clear answer, but Gavin could feel that she was much stronger than he could overcome, no matter how clever he was.


    It was only as he heard Tai over the comms giving him the tactical breakdown that he could feel the tone shift. Katsi was laid flat by a master swordsman, Pine had fallen off radar completely, and Narine had been seen protecting herself from Zwei. What in the hell was going on? This felt... He said firmly, "You... were..." He couldn''t confirm it but the weight in the air made clear his suspicion had weight. He couldn''t get to all of them. Not as he was, and she knew that. Even becoming Alabaster wasn''t going to be enough on it''s own. That took immense preparation and moving pieces. There wasn''t enough raw emotional energy in the air for him to even try something so elaborate. He looked at the device that Katsi had built alongside Dean and back at the figure before him. "So, the opening shot of this war is going to be painting us as threats to the Falos? Properly instead of just wandering brigands?"This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    She said firmly, "You are the only ones that define what your involvement means. No one has seen what you can do and no one is capable of defining it for you. You could just as easily leave." She paused for only a moment before she continued, "This isn''t even your war. For once, Mister Thalheed... you have all the cards in your own hand. You can flee or fight. You can become martyrs and a symbol, or cowards who look out for only yourselves."


    He looked at it again, his eyes sharp. ¡°You are wrong. We know what we can do¡­ the truth that is buried in our own hearts. An inescapable guiding star¡­¡± he gripped the device Dean and Katsi had made with renewed fervor. ¡°And the reality is that Reijaa would kill me if I went through all this crap just to run away now. And I would never forgive myself either.¡± He attached the module to his transformation device with determination.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so-¡°


    ¡°Yeah. And you aren¡¯t me.¡± She jolted at his interruption. ¡°I want a straight answer to what¡¯s going on when I¡¯m done. So don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± He knew it would seem fatalistic. That his resolve to walk this path could seem grim. But there was no other road for him. The truth was no other path was acceptable. As he activated the device, he could feel it wash over him. At first just the beat of his own heart, and then an echo. And then another. Before he knew it, there was an undeniable march ushering him down the one true path before him.


    A pillar of teal light illuminated Alabaster¡¯s arrival, its glow giving all those who saw it pause. From within the Pillar, He spoke with a smile, loud enough for anyone to hear, ¡°Ladies and Gentleman! Welcome to our grand performance as I pull back the curtain on this charade.¡±


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Another weave. Another punch. Another transformation that would bend the mind of a less experienced soldier in this fight against evil. But Shawn had been these before. Each and every one of them. He side stepped a dog thrown via Caniskinesis only to crack the culprit¡¯s ribs before knocking them far away. And as he did this, he could feel his body adjust, the rush of combat fading. He could still hear his heart in his ears, but this wasn¡¯t a battle for him to win. He had to measure every step if he didn¡¯t¡­


    When a pillar of light appeared elsewhere and he heard that voice once more, he was distracted long enough for a heavy hand to strike his helm. He rolled out of way of further assaults and continued his game as he muttered to himself, ¡°A light of truth strong enough to pierce the heavens¡­ that¡¯s gonna be a problem.¡±

 Blood That Binds History

    As Katsi sat there, she could feel the cold edge of death in the air. The reaper coming for her. As her head was placed on the wooden block, she felt her gaze grow distant and her breath run cold. Her mind drifted to the question of if she would even get a grave. What would the Falos do to the corpse of a rebel, least of all the leader of a rebellion that had been so ineffective against them. She could feel the helpless stares of the Cosmic Patrol, the bloodthirst of her executioner. Her heart gripped her chest and while she could feel herself crying, all she could think was how pointless it had all been. A life thrown away for nothing¡­


    ¡°Really? You are just going to give up? That¡¯s not like you at all.¡±


    A familiar voice echoed in her ears. That wasn¡¯t what he had said that day. He had said-


    ¡°Kat, you have to stand up before this fish guts you.¡±


    She was pulled back from her memory to this place far from home, looking up at the all too familiar face of her right hand man from the old days, Terry. He was a little different than she remembered but his face and voice were unmistakable. So too was the rest of her team. Lisa, the lead assault of their team, was unloading on the swordsman who seemed just as lost as Katsi was. She barked, ¡°Get your ass up! Your guns are bigger!¡±


    The sword master was slicing through the hail of gunfire effortlessly, but seemed interested in what was happening, seemingly staying the execution for now. As if just now returning to sanity, she looked at the glowing pillar of light, feeling Gavin¡¯s eyes on her. Mack sighed as he adjusted his flat cap, ¡°Well, I would blast him with a rocket, but he seems pretty slick.¡±


    ¡°This is why grenades are better. Try deflecting shrapnel!¡± Jack laughed as he tossed a grenade that went off with an oddly blue flame. Effortlessly, the swordsman did exactly that. Mack laughed as Jack removed his ball cap and rubbed his for head with the back of his hand, ¡°Well¡­ that¡¯s new.¡±


    Katsi looked on in surprise¡­ and as the data began to run along her visor, she could see it clear as day. She allowed the lenses to tint as she spoke with a voice weighed down by grief, ¡°Everyone, you are¡­ still here¡­¡±


    The swordsman asked with an amused awe in his voice, ¡°Is that what you see? Those you have lost? Sadly, you are being fed a lie from your friend. These¡­ birds¡­ are no more than illusions. I will not be swayed.¡±


    She stood up, her heart beating firm in her chest as she looked at the faces of her departed friends. As her armor formed a mask to cover her mouth as well, she said through it, ¡°You are half right¡­ I know¡­ I¡­ they aren¡¯t here. But it isn¡¯t a lie.¡± She began to walk towards him, arms at her sides and an aura of menace. ¡°Their love for me doesn¡¯t fade with time and can¡¯t be taken by the grave. I just have to keep myself open to it.¡± As she took a deep breaths she allowed herself to settle on the task at hand, even more information flowing by as she saw Dean¡¯s information once more¡­ and her sister¡¯s insights¡­ and Gavin as well. And it was here she saw something she hadn¡¯t expected¡­ and she latched onto it. ¡°You are a man of honor, aren¡¯t you? So how about this, you hit me with every single one of your little special sword moves directly. If I can get back up from each, you join up with us.¡± He paused, clearly hesitant, but she barked, ¡°This is war! Woman or not, I am a warrior now. Hold nothing back!¡± Her outburst caused the images of her friends to fade as the teal doves flew away from her.


    The information was clear. This man was an ally in the previous timeline. Dean¡¯s superior had managed to prove himself pure of heart by surviving all seven strikes. She couldn¡¯t swing a blade, but if this man was everything he seemed to be, then this was the fastest way¡­ and if a good man was in there, he deserved this branch. She just had to rely on Dean¡¯s information that these nanites were strong enough to withstand the attacks.


    [The first slice. Shatterstone. A strike that harnesses the fury and anger in the heart of the swordsman and channels it into a burst of speed and power capable of shattering stone, helping them to satisfy their temper and focus on the fight at hand. In order to do so, they have to focus it on a single point on the battlefield as the attack is mostly reflexive and on autopilot. Many aim their focus on the torso of their foe in hopes of causing even blunt force trauma to vital organs.]


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    Using this information, she allowed the nanites and Dean''s knowledge of Douglas'' use of these techniques to reinforce where the blade was most likely to strike. The swordsman took a deep breath, the first step of the technique. As he unleashed the strikes, she could feel it. His anger was vicious and primal, rocking her body just like she was being shot with a minigun while in a ballistic vest. And yet, the anger didn''t seem focused on her. The focal point was... off. She wasn''t the object of his anger, at least according to the feedback these sensations fed to those who cherish her. She could even see from her sister''s experience with such emotions that it wasn''t meant to be a murderous blow.


    That''s an interesting development. A Falos soldier who doesn''t hate us. Let''s see what the next one is like.


    [The second slice, Tidal Upheaval. A singular blow meant to harness the sensations of doubt and panic and release it in a singular blow with as much force as one can to strike in as wide an area as possible. The truly skilled can clear miles of terrain or structure for over a mile. This is to prevent any hidden assailants or to cleave away any deceptive defenses or traps. It is always a horizontal slice even if it can sometimes be angled slightly.]


    The swordsman closed his eyes tightly for a moment before unleashing the second strike, Katsi refocusing her efforts on reading the angle of the blade as it came out to move Dean''s coin into the path of it. This was a slight tactical error she answered for as she could feel the pressure of the entire strike hit her in the solar plexus and her body was carried a great distance by the blow. As she flew into a nearby building, the slice caused the roof of it to land on her. As she laid under the rubble, starting to fight for air, she could see the instructions across her eyes.


    [Breathe slow and deep. Fight the panic response.]


    Easier said than done.


    It was from Terry, seconded by the information from her sister and Terry, but she also saw something from Sai. A memory she shared as well.


    [Get up.]


    Despite not having recovered yet, she forced herself back to her feet. This was nothing. She would be fine. She had five more to take.


    [Third Slice. Zephyr. One gathers and increases the density of the air around the blade to increase friction. One must swing as hard as they can before twisting the blade and pulling it back up, allowing their doubt to be cleaved like the air. The friction creates a sonic boom that hurts all those around them. The wielder cannot allow the potential pain of this technique to bring them a moment of hesitation or their doubt will thicken the air around their blade beyond cleaving and tire them. Potentially breaking their arms if they aren''t careful.]


    Seeing her stand back up seemed to shake him some. But she could also see his resolve. She couldn''t understand it, but Dean''s data on her screen speculated that he was collecting his resolve, not just for the next strike but out of respect for her resolve. She considered briefly taking the hit. Just letting herself hear such a thing... and then she got new information that dominated her visor. While a sonic boom, soundproofing isn''t enough. It releases a concussive blast from the blade. She had the nanites move quickly to insulate her, but as his blade cleaved the air, she could feel it in her very soul. This man... He was drowning in doubt. This was about to hurt... a lot.


    -------------


    Shawn saw the pillar release them. Teal birds, but he knew them as something else. "The messengers of heaven, gliding on wings of truth... It has been too long." He watched them as they flew to locations where smaller pillars began to appear, showing Anisa''s crew during their struggles. He was so caught up in such a grand and ambitious display that he failed to notice when the bullet pierced his cracked helm, shattering it completely. As his hand drifted to the shallow wound left by the bullet, he picked it out and sighed, "That''s a shame. It''s going to be so much harder not to kill you all now."


    Grav''us laughed mockingly, "That''s not what armor does, STOOPID!"


    heh


    heheh


    Hahahahaha


    AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!!!


    "You always had a way of making me laugh, Grav''us." He approached slowly a menace filling the air as his crimson eyes shone in the night. He flicked the hulking brute and the trench he carved on his way to the tree line was deep enough for others to fall in. "Alright, not all of you at once now. It isn''t tactically sound and I would rather be challenged."

 Promise from Another Life

    Anisa glared in silence at her other self... and then Sculptura made herself known once more... the OTHER part of her heart. The former villainess scoffed, "We know why we are here. We are here to finish the mission. To see it done and get rid of anyone in our way. If that includes you then-"


    The teenage girl grabbed the villain by one of her ponytails and pulled her to her level, saying without fear or hesitation, "A mission doesn''t mean anything if you don''t know why you are doing it, bimbo. Now go sit in the corner." Sculptura raised a hand to strike her, but Anisa stopped it. The teen smirked which gave a new wave of anger in the villainess and another attempt to strike which Anisa had to stop once again. And so it repeated, and with each repetition the teen''s smirk grew and she began to laugh. Eventually, as Sculptura''s focus shifted towards Anisa herself in a wordless repetitious cycle. The teen watched the evolving fight, Anisa maneuvering, repositioning, and grappling. All while Sculptura continued to chase and trying to land a decisive singular blow. An endless dance, and one the teen basked in as though she was watching it from atop the hill...


    As she thought this she could feel him next to her. "Hey, Ani. Been awhile. Sorry I wasn''t around for awhile. I got busy. How have you been?"


    She thought for a moment as they watched the endless battle, "It''s... been rough. I''m used to you being here. It''s hard for me to find ways to keep smiling. And every day it feels like I have something new telling me I don''t get to. That things are too dire to find a single bit of enjoyment and that I''m too far gone to enjoy it."


    He showed her a picture of an oak tree and said, "The Larch... The... Larch..." She looked over at him with an unamused leer, only to crack into a chuckle. He laughed a little himself, "See... It''s that easy. A stupid running gag. An inside joke, even if its just to yourself, right?"


    She shook her head and scoffed as she continued to watch the fight, "Yeah, but then I''m not taking things seriously, right? I''m just... ignoring the problem."


    She heard another voice she knew well, "That''s not the Nina I know. She never lost sight of her goals, never stopped learning. She was haunted but always ahead of the ghosts..."


    "That''s the real trick to it, Ani. You remember. I did all I could to keep my smile, my sense of style and flair, and still saved the day. You don''t need to be constantly sad or angry to save the day. You just need to know what to do and when you need to do it."


    Ani stood up, the fighting continuing in the background as she looked out again once more from the hill... and then she walked down from it. As she walked into the empty shell of what was once her school in a life long gone, she came to a familiar hallway and the memory played out like it was fresh once more. Shawn was standing there as two boys were pushing him against a locker, their sneers and distaste for him clear. She marched over to them, hearing Shawn say, "Punching me isn''t going to change anything."


    "Yeah, but it will sure feel good." The larger of the two boys punched Shawn hard, Ani punching him shortly after the fact. His friend went to try and hit Anisa only for Shawn to spring from his place on the ground to force them apart. The look in his eyes of desperation while his nose was dripping with blood caught her off guard, and the visual of him leaping into their fight while his nose poured blood seemed to make the boys hesitate with confused disgust.


    He glared at Ani, "Apologize! Now!"


    She was as confused as them back then. She had come to save him from getting his ass beat but he was asking her to apologize for saving him? It was only when he motioned towards the other boy that he had meant to apologize to the other boy for punching him. She stammered out, "Sorry... for punching you?"


    The other boy was pale, as though he couldn''t even begin to process why the boy he had just punched had gotten this girl to apologize to him. He eventually and reflexively responded, "Y-Yeah... sorry... for um... punching... him..." In a barely contained panic, as though he worried he would get ratted out any minute, he motioned to his friend and the two ran down the hall.


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    As she watched with mild concern, she was surprise when Shawn pulled out his shirt for gym and used it as a rag to pinch his nose shut. She asked, "Shouldn''t we go to the nurse?"


    He laughed weakly, "Nah. I''ve had a few of these and they look worse than they are. There isn''t a break so I''ll be okay. He is so afraid of consequences that he holds back without knowing it. If I was in actual danger, I would have bailed." She watched his eyes grow distant for a minute before he pulled the shirt away, testing his nose on a few spots before holding it again. His voice then shifted, "We all got detention for that fight back then. You told me that I should fight for myself. Not just weather the storm in hopes someone changes. I told you that while I appreciated what you did that you didn''t need to do anything right away. That you would be surprised how often I had found solutions without anyone getting hurt."


    Ani nodded slowly and said, "I remember how we tried to top each other''s traumas too. That was before your mom had died. Both our dads were never around and both our moms were too busy keeping our lives stable to be considered attentive."


    He chuckled, "Yeah. Then I found out you were a musician and kept picking your brain about my stories and you kept showing me your music and I kept giving feedback. Different mediums with different skills but the passion of two creatives bouncing off each other."


    She scoffed, "Yeah... and everyone kept accusing us of dating. I would lose my temper and you would remind me that they were idiots who we couldn''t tell what to think. What mattered is what we knew." She sighed, holding her head, "Everything was really goddamn simple back then. Just two friends jamming in their rooms, working on their shit and feeling good about that even if everything else was crap... and now its so damned complicated." She could feel the tears welling in her heart.


    And then Anisa heard Ani ask her again, "What are you fighting for? Is it here or somewhere else?" It was as she looked up at the endless warring of her other selves, tears streaming down her face that she saw a familiar mask at her feet. Was that the face of a coward? Someone who would run from a fight because it was too hard? No, she had never been that... so why? Why was all of this so hard? So painful? As the pain ripped the old school away and left her with nothing but the endless back and forth, she saw an all too familiar door in the darkness, light of a winter morning streaming through the glass set in its frame. As she stepped through to the familiar music room, she approached the organ her mother had taught her to play, usually for whatever socialite she had intended to impress that day.


    It starts with the A-Part...


    As she began to play, she could hear it. Not just the clash but the rhythm. The cycle of the conflict as the fine notes were born of it. The simplicity of its core. And as she allowed the other instruments to come into the piece and adding layers to it, she could still hear that simple core. As she moved to the next, she could feel her tears begin to flow, her hands trying to cease up on her, but she continued to play on, the blood washing away in the sea of tears... and then anger. A growing and deep outrage that ran away like a tempest gone mad. As her music began its frenetic pace... she felt it softening. No less rampant, but brighter. and as the madness became whimsy, she could still feel the fires below its surface... liberating... and yet she could feel the pace wind down. The piece itself began to breathe, to live... and to finally find its pace. Neither frantic nor cold, not shadowed nor blinding... and as she finally comprehended its form... she stood up from her instrument and began to walk. The piece was complete... and she knew where her battle was waiting for her.