Volume 32 - Past Catching Up

== Chapter 373 - Return to Copernicus ==
It had been quite a while since they'd seen Copernicus, in fact, they hadn't seen him since the Socqreath War. The war that almost ended the world. And so, naturally, it was extremely uncomfortable to be returning to him, yet now, with Phantom hunting them, they needed refuge, and since they were Candice's friends, they hoped, dearly, that Copernicus would give them that refuge, at least for the time being.
If that failed, they'd go to Rosenstock, but Kiyomasu had suggested they come here, and so, they did. Maybe Copernicus could clear some things up about the Socqreath and their history. Jack hoped so at least, he wanted to know Andromeda's heritage.
When they entered, they were greeted with the interior, which was the same dull blue color as the outside, with the same yellow lights and ornate carvings. Socqreath staff walked past them to preform activities as the seven headed through the corridors, looking at paintings of famous Socqreath individuals who Jack hadn't the slightest clue of regarding their names or histories.
Then, they saw a door open, and Lynx walk out of it, before he sees them.
"Oh, you've come." Lynx remarks.
"Take us to my father, please." Candice asks, Lynx nodding as he leads them through the door into the elevator, which moved down into Copernicus' room, where he sat still.
"Dad...?" Candice asks nervously, as Copernicus looks up at them, slowly, and sighs.
"...Hello again, my daughter." Copernicus replies. "I already know why you are here..."
"We came to warn you about Phantom." Kiyomasu says.
"We know about his threat." Copernicus retorts.
"Did you know his dagger can absorb psychic weapons, Copie?" Falqo demands, as Copernicus looked briefly shocked, but soon regained his composure.
"...No...we did not..." Copernicus says slowly.
"Well, it can, and we need your help to protect my niece, your daughter, from that nutjob." Falqo continues.
"...Of course." Copernicus replies.
"I still don't forgive you for what happened at the castle, or for how you treated us when we first met." Andromeda says coldly, glaring at Copernicus.
"I don't forgive you for the events that transpired, either." He responds flatly, before turning towards Lynx. "Escort them out of the room, and to their own personal quarters. I wish only to speak to Falqo, no one else." Copernicus orders.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Lynx replies, leading everyone except Falqo out of the room, leaving the two to stare each other down.
"So...where to start." Falqo remarks.
== Chapter 374 - Shaky Reunion ==
"You have done a poor job in protecting my daughter, brother in law..." Copernicus says.
"Yeah, well it ain't my fault she was off fighting space dragons." Falqo retorts. "I'd love to see you protect her for once, instead of send your cronies ta do it."
Copernicus didn't respond for a moment, before he sighed.
"And the other one...you are certain of her heritage?" He asks.
"Yep. You must think you're so stupid for attackin' her." Falqo answers, Copernicus just giving him a cold glare.
"And about Phantom...who is he?" Copernicus asks.
"I don't fuckin' know." Falqo responds, shrugging as he did so, Copernicus looking irritated.
"Is Darkstar dealt with?" Copernicus demands.
"Yep, think they're all dead finally, but I could be wrong." Falqo replies. "Right now, our threats come from a different kind of within."
"I know of Phantom and of Robinson." Copernicus remarks. "They're constant meddling is only making all of this so much more difficult."
"Tell me about it." Falqo responds. "We're finally at peace with the Netraxians, which is a war plenty of us haven't lived before, and we're all still at each other's throats."
"Yes...a tragedy." Copernicus says. "If my daughter dies on your watch, and my bloodline ends, I will turn your brain to glass."
"Oh, I'm so scared." Falqo retorts. "You know, I sometimes wonder if it's you who killed Fiora and Frank."
"I wouldn't kill my source of heirs, nor someone I care nothing about." Copernicus responds, now sounding a bit angry.
"Source of heirs, yeah, that's all you saw my sister as, a princess factory!" Falqo shouts, sounding far more angry. "You're exactly the kind o' Socqreath Phantom is talkin' about. Your title as King doesn't even mean anything anymore, because 'Socqreath King' ain't an official title here!"
He then points his finger at Copernicus' face.
"You should consider yourself pretty damn lucky that Phil is such a nice guy to financially support you even during the war."
"...Is that all you had to say, Falqo Distler?" Copernicus demands, anger rising in his voice.
"Yeah, it is. For now." Falqo retorts, glaring at Copernicus, who looked up to glare back at him.
"Then leave this room." He orders. "This discussion is over."
"I ain't one of your damn followers." Falqo responds coldly. "But I was just about ta leave anyway."
And at that, Falqo turns around, and walks into the elevator, which closed and shot upwards to a higher floor, leaving Copernicus alone to ponder all that Falqo had said, though he soon simply discarded it, after all, Copernicus thought, Falqo knew nothing of their culture.
He had no right to speak about it.
== Chapter 375 - Anxious Rest ==
"Where the Hell have you been all this time?!" Andromeda demands.
"Managing things at the Galactic Council." Kiyomasu answers. "I was trying to...keep Atlas away from it."
"Atlas...Sechsgrad..." Andromeda remarks. "You said he caused the destruction of my homeworld, but how far does this influence of him really extend? Who is he? Why does he seem so interested in me? Why were his allies working with the Netraxians? Did he build that thing the Netraxians were using?"
And then, she takes a deep breath, before letting it out as a sigh.
"...What are you not telling us? Just spit it out." She asks.
Kiyomasu just looked at them for a moment, before sighing as well. "...He's behind everything. Darkstar, the Socqreath War, Kazuyuki, just to name a few." He answers. "Kazuyuki..." Candice remarks. "...he was working with him?" "By proxy." Kiyomasu answers. "I'm sure you by now all know Saparbek." "We know he was running that creepy hotel." Jack responds. "But who is he?" Another pause from Kiyomasu, as he looked at them once again, before sighing once again, and looking down for a moment, and then looking back up, his eyes hidden beneath the shadow of his hat as he answered.
"Saparbek Sadulaev is a member of the Illuminati." Kiyomasu explains.
Silence. Everyone just looked at Kiyomasu in shock. Everyone except Andromeda, who raised an eyebrow. "The what?" She asks.
"The Illuminati were formed centuries ago by Adam Kresge, with the goal of controlling what they thought were corrupt governments. However, they soon began to enjoy their control, and influenced many things across history, most importantly the formation of the Homan Star Realm. Saparbek is one of their current members, more specifically their scientist and hacker who ensures that all online activity is monitored by them and that they always have the most cutting edge technology." Kiyomasu continues.
"...Okay...but what does that have to do with Atlas?" Jack asks.
"That's simple, really." Kiyomasu answers. "Just as the Illuminati is manipulating the course of the world, Atlas is using Saparbek to manipulate the Illuminati, and is using others across the galaxy to manipulate events transpiring all across it, towards a grand design I am...not yet fully sure of."
"...Saparbek is the one who broke Weepmire's weather control systems..." Jack realizes, his eyes widening as he did so.
"Yes, specifically so that Andromeda would eventually meet someone there who she might value over all else." Kiyomasu replies. "That ended up being you."
== Chapter 376 - Pieces Falling Together ==
"So...Kazuyuki was working with Saparbek..." Kasper remarks. "...Then why did he want to kill us?"
"He didn't want to kill you." Kiyomasu answers. "He wanted you to think you did, so you would be motivated to stop him, and step into the role of heroes. Cygnus was unknowingly used by Atlas to further that goal as well."
"How does Phantom fit into all this?" Jack asks. "Is he also meant to be a test of some sort?"
"Yes." Kiyomasu replies. "Of your integrity and your growth. But he doesn't know he is, and indeed, is just as much a danger to Atlas as he is to all of you."
Kiyomasu lowered his head as he explained all that.
Andromeda seemed to shift uncomfortably, as Jack kept asking questions.
"Integrity? Growth? What does all that mean?" He asks.
"...I'm not one hundred percent certain." Kiyomasu replies. "But I believe he is meant to test Andromeda, to test how much she has grown into the role of the hero since she first escaped Darkstar."
"Would you stop being cryptic and just tell us?!" Jack demands.
"I can't. Not right now. If too early, you could all fail..." Kiyomasu responds. "My plan includes Atlas'. Once I am completely certain of what it is, I will try to make it turn against him. So right now, I can't tell you directly what the test is."
"Then...tell us something different." Candice says.
"What do you want to know?" Kiyomasu asks. "My family tree." She answers. "I want to take this discussion...away from Atlas, and towards something better...I think, I hope. I want to know about Uncle Falqo's family."
Kiyomasu looks up at them, and smiled a bit.
"That's what Kazuyuki tried to keep from you...when he killed Frank Distler."
"Who was he?" Shunsuke asks.
"He was the brother of both Falqo and Fiora, and he was a rather xenophilic man, who loved exploring the stars as an adventurer, seeing all kinds of extraterrestrial sights." Kiyomasu answers.
"...Did...he have any daughters?" Candice asks.
Silence filled the room, as no one spoke for a while, before Kiyomasu smiled a bit, and nodded.
"Yes, he did." He answers. "He had been abducted by one of the Socqreath royal families, and been brought to...help the Queen produce an heir. He was ecstatic and agreed immediately, and wanted to stay for the birth of the child, but had to return home. And as he did, he heard the news that all the Shazarak Clans pillaged the planet, destroying large swathes of its surface...and killed many of the royal families, including the Queen, not long after she gave birth to the child, who was quickly sent off-world."
"...Who...who was the child?" Candice asks, as silence once more filled the room. Everyone seemed tense, curious, excited, nervous, scared, waiting longer and longer for Kiyomasu's answer, as then, finally, he decided to speak, to answer, and opened his mouth.
"Andromeda." He answers.
== Chapter 377 - Family Found ==
Andromeda sat there, her face one of both shock and relief. As Candice leaped over to her, hugging her tightly.
"I knew it!" Candice shouts happily. "I knew we had to be related! We just had to be!"
Andromeda slowly hugged back, trying to stop herself from crying, as Jack and Kasper decided to join in on the hug, Shunsuke and Kiyomasu looking on with a smile.
"I...I thought I had no family left..." Andromeda breathes, starting to cry. "Thank you...f-for telling us...Kiyomasu..."
"I saw no reason to withhold it." Kiyomasu responds. "Quite frankly, I would have told you at any time you asked."
Andromeda tried, and failed, to keep herself from crying harder, as she tried her best to hug all of them at the same time with just her two normal arms.
They all hugged back, as Andromeda felt herself feeling happier than almost any other time, or maybe...she thought this might be the happiest she ever felt, as she cried even harder.
"I love all of you so much..." She says, as Kiyomasu lowered his head.
She didn't see, but she did know he must be doing it, because she knew what could come so soon in the future, if Phantom...if Phantom was who she thought he was.
But she didn't want to dwell on that.
"Hey, so Copie was bein' a douchebag again, as usual." Falqo explains, opening the door, and seeing what was happening. Then, Andromeda hugged him tightly. "What's...this...for?"
Then, he turned to Kiyomasu.
"Did you...tell them this early?" He asks.
"Yes...we need them to pass this test, so this is necessary." Kiyomasu answers. "Plus I...just couldn't bear to see them all suffering like that any longer."
"Well, well, Mr. Hat and Clogs' heart grew three sizes, eh?" Falqo jokes, before looking around. "I'm gonna' need ta' talk to ya about somethin'."
Kiyomasu nods, and stands up to follow Falqo out of the room.
"I...I feel so happy..." Andromda remarks, smiling. "Something in me feels...fixed...something I never knew was broken..."
"Anne..." Jack starts, as she turns towards him. "You have changed. Long ago, I don't think you'd have sat in this room with anything but a scowl, you would probably have still attacked anything or anyone you didn't like, but...not anymore."
"Yeah." Candice responds. "Whatever this test is, I'm sure we've already passed it. You're so different than when we first met, you're...smiling."
"Thank...thank you...all of you..." Andromeda replies, crying again, as they once again hug.
== Chapter 378 - Preparations for Nothing ==
"We both know how dangerous Phantom is." Falqo remarks. "And settin' up shop here is such a shitty idea since everyone here relies on their Psychic Weapons, which I've seen him absorb. Hell, I've seen him walk on walls. He ain't human, even if he's tryin' to make everyone believe he is."
"...It's because Phantom will target here." Kiyomasu responds. "I need them to get a better grasp on his abilities."
"Then you'd better hope they ain't his first targets." Falqo retorts. "Cuz there's no way in Hell they're ready to take him on as he is now."
"I am aware of that, but soon, they will be." Kiyomasu responds. "He just cannot target them first."
"Thanks for the jinx." Falqo says, half-joking, half not, as they look around, discerning what looked like someone walking from the forest, that someone wearing his signature black suit, with a hood and gas mask obscuring his head, his dagger in his hand, and his eyes glaring up at them, before down at the Socqreath guards pointing their Psychic Weapons at him.
Phantom had arrived.
== Chapter 379 - Assault from the Shadows ==
"Stop!" The Socqreath guards shout, ready to rush at Phantom, who just calmly walks forwards, not saying a word.
The guards, shaking and sweating a bit, shout a battle cry, and rush at Phantom, who's dagger absorbs the Psychic Weapons as he then uses it to slit both the Socqreath's throats in one slashing motion, right as waves of electricity are sent through their bodies by said dagger.
Then, Phantom walks past the dead guards and kicks down the entrance, walking inside as he uses the lightning to disable power to the entire building.
"Well, would ya' look at that." Falqo remarks.
"All men, equip the spears and prepare for battle!" Lynx roars, as the Socqreath soldiers grab metal spears and shields and march in groups of four into the darkness.
"I get first dibs on that mask. I hear it looks cool as shit." One of the soldiers says.
"Don't give me hope." Another one of the soldiers says, as they hear footsteps and whirl around in the direction they heard them from.
Then, a slash from behind, and two of the soldiers were immediately dead.
The first two soldiers immediately turned around, as the first soldier who spoke thrusts his spear at Phantom, who grabbed it to pull it to the side.
Phantom immediately capitalized on his advantage, driving his dagger through the soldier's throat, killing him instantly as blood gurgled from his mouth.
The other soldier tries to stab Phantom in the back with his spear, but Phantom catches the spearhead with his dagger's guard, and twists his dagger to twist the spear out of the soldier's hand, before stabbing him in the heart with the dagger.
Phantom then walks away from the corpses, the lights flickering as he did so, having been so fast that the guards had no time to call for backup or signal that they had been attacked in the first place.
"Did you hear from Theta Squad yet?" A soldier in another group asks.
"I'll check." Another soldier replies, turning on his comm-link. "Theta Squad, what's your status?"
No response.
"Theta Squad, do you copy? What is your status?" The soldier demands, still getting no response. "THETA SQUAD, RESPOND!" He roars, yet still getting no response.
"The other squads aren't responding!" Another of the soldiers shouts. "They must have already been att--GAH!"
The soldier had been stabbed in the back before he could finish his sentence, by Phantom, as the one soldier who didn't speak just started running.
"COWARD! GET BACK HE--" The soldier was unable to finish his sentence either, as he is stabbed in the neck in such a way that the dagger pierced both that and the throat, the soldier dropping dead, as did the other, Phantom cutting his face open and delivering the electric shock.
The other soldier kept running, and stopped, panting, the lights flickering as, with each flicker, Phantom was closer and closer to him, from behind, and then, a scream, followed by silence.
== Chapter 380 - Hallways of Darkness ==
As Phantom continued to walk, he started to have flashbacks of a woman with reddish brown hair, and a boy with dark brown hair, both with slightly yellowish brown eyes.
As he walked, he remembered laying next to their remains, so badly mangled and sliced that they were essentially puddles of blood, he remembered the carnival music, the funnel cake, the pizza, the ice cream, the rides, they had done.
And he remembered that they were taken away.
Soon, he would have his revenge against all of them, that was certain in his mind, he would avenge and defend all at once, he would be a hero.
"Hello, Phantom." Lynx said from behind him.
"...You found me." Phantom remarks. "I followed the screams." Lynx retorts.
"...You know how I feel about Socqreath." Phantom says.
"Yes, and I know that I barely qualify as one." Lynx replies.
"Then we both know that these words are meaningless." Phantom states, turning around, his dagger crackling with electricity.
"Yes...we do." Lynx responds, as he then runs at Phantom, slashing at him with his longsword.
Phantom is quick to react, ducking beneath it as he preforms a reverse somersault to kick Lynx's sword out of his hand!
Lynx leaps back, throwing his shield at Phantom to make it block a dagger throw, as the sword and dagger both stab into a wall, pinned by the shield, leaving both combatants unarmed.
Phantom runs at Lynx, putting his foot forward as his opponent steps back, giving Phantom the opening to sweep Lynx off his feet and kick at his face, Lynx rolling out of the way but being karate chopped in the side as he coughs up blood.
He then throws a punch at Phantom, who weaves to the side to avoid it before grabbing Lynx's arm and twirling him briefly through the air, slamming him to the ground.
"This...is the end." Phantom remarks, holding his arm out towards his dagger, as it rips through the shield and lands in his hand.
Phantom brings the dagger down on Lynx, who uses his arm to block as he throws his own dagger at Phantom, who tilts to dodge it and sends electricity through the Socqreath Knight's body.
"GRRRRRRRRUUUUUUHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Lynx roars, trying to grab Phantom's neck, but Phantom pulls the dagger out of Lynx' arm and slashes it across his chest, Lynx wheezing as his arm trembles for a bit before falling limply to the ground, twitching a bit.
== Chapter 381 - Cavalry too Late ==
Right then, Phantom quickly raises his forearm to block a kick from Qian, before leaping back and throwing his dagger at her, Qian catching it with two metal Sai and tossing it into another wall, immediately running at the intruder to throw said Sai at him, Phantom dodging them as he runs in to swing a kick at Qian's side, Qian blocking with her own forearm as she swings a karate chop at Phantom's neck, Phantom grabbing her forearm as he preforms a backflip to fling her into a wall, before she slumps to the ground, stunned for a moment, Phantom taking that moment to recall his dagger, glaring.
"You have come to kill me as well...and you, too, will fail." Phantom remarks.
"Not before I see my cousin again..." Qian remarks, as she runs at Phantom, dodging slashes and stabs from his dagger as she grabs the arm holding it and palms him in the chest, letting him go to let him stumble back, but he merely slides back, his other arm in front of him, as he runs at her again, running on the wall to confuse her as he swings a kick at her face.
Qian blocks with both of her forearms but is sent stumbling back, which Phantom takes to his advantage by sliding her off her feet, Qian retaliating by quickly preforming a spin kick to make Phantom back away.
"You think this will stop me...?" Phantom demands, throwing his dagger at Qian, who dodges it and grabs it by the hilt before running in to slash at Phantom with it, Phantom dodging each slash as he grabs the dagger between his fingers and punches Qian in the face, making her let go as she stumbles to her feet, Phantom immediately stabbing one of her knees.
"Guh..." Qian growls, as Phantom grabs her by the neck and throws her into another wall.
"You will all die the same." Phantom remarks, walking towards her to slash at her arm, which Qian lets happen so she can kick him in the stomach.
Phantom, however, doesn't waver, and stabs Qian in the femoral artery, causing her to shout in pain, before he stabs her in the stomach, and delivers the electric shock.
Qian tries to power through and deliver a nerve strike to Phantom, but he grabs her wrist and crushes it, his suit insulating against the electricity, as Qian soon went limp, twitching, just as Lynx did, and passed away just the same, Phantom standing up and turning around to see Jack, Andromeda, Candice, Kasper and Shunsuke all standing their, weapons present, in their fighting positions.
"You..." Phantom growls, glaring viciously at Andromeda.
== Chapter 382 - Face to Face ==
"...Please..." Andromeda suddenly pleads. "...We don't have to do this! We can stop this!"
Phantom's only response is to throw his dagger at her, Shunsuke grabbing the dagger and slamming it to the ground.
Jack immediately fires at Phantom, who dodges every single bullet, leaping over one to swing a kick at Jack, who preforms a roll to dodge but is kicked by Phantom's other leg right in the stomach, causing him to cough up a bit of blood as he is sent into a wall.
"JACK!" Andromeda screams, as Kasper tries to form hard light weapons against Phantom, but they were absorbed into the dagger. Phantom goes to throw a punch at Kasper, but is forced to slide beneath a punch from Shunsuke as he attempts to sweep him off his feet, but Shunsuke didn't much budge.
Then, Shunsuke throws another punch down at Phantom, who leaps back from it and calls his dagger back to slash at Shunsuke, who takes the slashes, grunting from each one, before grabbing Phantom's forearm and going for another punch.
However, Phantom then adjusts the dagger with his fingers to stab it into Shunsuke's arm and deliver an electric shock to him! "GRAAAAH!!!!!" Shunsuke roars, before collapsing.
"NO!" Candice screams, as Phantom slashes at her with the dagger, forcing her to frantically dodge as she panicked more and more.
Jack had gotten up by now, and points his gun at Phantom with his shaking hands. Phantom takes notice, and throws the dagger at Jack, who narrowly dodges but is kicked in the face, causing blood to spurt from his nose and a bruise to form.
Phantom then turned his sights towards Andromeda again, but had to dodge Lynx's sword being thrown at him, as they all turn to see Copernicus standing there, glaring directly at Phantom, who glared back, Kiyomasu and Falqo standing on either side of the Socqreath King.
== Chapter 383 - Confrontation of the Classes ==
"Come with us!" Falqo shouts, as Kiyomasu sends his cane over, the cane turning into a stretcher to hold Shunsuke before rushing back to Kiyomasu' side. Jack, Andromeda, Candice and Kasper run towards them, as Copernicus steps forwards, still glaring at Phantom, who continued to glare back.
As the seven left the area, the two continued to stare each other down, before finally speaking to each other.
"You...command the Socqreath...aiming to replace us." Phantom remarks.
"I couldn't care less about your species. This is merely crushing an ant." Copernicus replies coldly.
"You can't touch me with your Psychic Weapons." Phantom growls.
"I don't need to." Copernicus retorts, telekinetically lifting the bodies of Lynx and Qian to send at Phantom as projectiles!
Phantom is quick to act, dodging the bodies as he throws his dagger at Copernicus, who quickly rips a part of the wall out to throw at it before it got in range, making it fly back at Phantom from the force.
Phantom dodges out of the way of the wall chunk, taking his dagger out of it, and rushes at Copernicus, who starts bending part of the floor up and raising spikes from it to send at the intruder, who rushes at it, the floor ceasing to move the moment he got into range, before he runs up the wall onto the ceiling to leap down and stab at Copernicus, who dodges the stab and the subsequent slash.
Phantom slashes again, Copernicus, picking up a broken piece of the wall to block with, as he glares more viciously into Phantom's eyes.
"Killing an entire species because one member killed those you loved...you sound no different than your target once was." Copernicus remarks.
"Do not lecture me..." Phantom growls, kicking Copernicus' knee backwards and slashing him across the chest, before electrifying his dagger, ready to deliver the killing stab to his opponent, right as Copernicus grabs a body to take the stab, and leaps back, holding his bleeding chest in pain as he breathed heavily, similar to Phantom's own breathing.
Phantom keeps slashing, over and over, as Copernicus kept dodging, but was being slashed more and more, and eventually, he faltered, and was kicked in the chest, sent into a wall, slumping to the ground as his own blood was starting to pool beneath him.
Phantom slowly walked towards him, raising his dagger over the Socqreath King, glaring down at him with hatred in his eyes.
"...My daughter...will carry on...our legacy..." Copernicus declares weakly.
"No...she won't." Phantom retorts, driving the dagger through Copernicus' skull and delivering the electric shock, Copernicus falling to the ground, dead.
== Chapter 384 - Awakening ==
The wind was howling loud, the rain was falling hard, the trees were swaying so much that they looked as though they could snap any moment.
The storm raged strong over the massive graveyard, which must have been a mile in size. Lightning was so far only crashing in the sky, creating booming thunder as it did so.
Right now, no one was present inside, the storm had made it so that no one wanted to work right now, and no one was made to work.
Walking away from the cemetery was Saparbek, wearing a black raincoat with a large collar, as well as holding a black umbrella and black and gold briefcase.
Then, lightning struck a grave with a gravestone that read 'HERE LIES ARTHUR GRANT, 2189 - 2219', more specifically, it struck a lightning rod connected to the grave, and soon enough, the lightning rod started to wobble, and was blown over.
A few moments passed, nothing, but then, right as more lightning crashed in the sky, Arthur's hand burst out of the ground!
The veins were visible, and black with glowing purple bubbles seen inside them, the skin paler with a purplish hue, and seemingly intact despite being in a grave for a while now.