Outer Realms

A collection of various unnamed realms and worlds near the Breach. Strange and sometimes fated occurrences happen here.

## Face of Darkness

On a secluded flagship in the cold reaches of space, a group of figures walk through a corridor and approach a door that opens into a throne room. Where a lone silhouette sits on top a throne. "Greetings, my lord."

The silhouette on the throne looked down at the group. "Ahh... What have you found?" the figure spoke.

A figure steps forward and holds up a hologram of Earth.

"We've found a habited planet with minor technology advancement. But it has some valuable specimens which interest me, I suggest we pay a visit and get a experience for ourselves."

The silhouette leaned forwards, interested. "Perfect. Assemble a squadron and set off for this planet at posthaste. I want this little planet to feel the full might of Phazon!"

"Do not worry, our leader has already sent three to collect samples of some of the strongest on the planet. Infact, two of them have recently returned."

The person clicks his fingers, and The Mask and The Blade steps into the room, both holding a capsule with a bit of energy within them. But before the silhouette can make a comment, another person steps in the room. Looking much differently than his workers...

"So, when is all said and done. This rock will become ours, isn't that right?" The figure looks at the silhouette. "A squadron has already been arranged. And this ship is heading towards the planet, we will be there soon. All that we require is a little penitence."

The silhouette lent back, light dimly befell onto his royal blue skin. "That little satellite of theirs. Be sure to put up one of the Planetary Shield Generators on it. This will stop their little ant-like race from escaping, if you see anybody highly suspicious, capture them. None shall challenge Phazon's power!"

The figure chuckles, as he turns back and walks away, with The Mask and The Blade following behind. "Done and done, goodbye, my lord." The three teleport away into a cockpit of a ship hiding among a galactic fleet, he activates the comms and speaks through it, a booming voice echoes throughout the fleet. "Set course to Earth! Glory to the Legion of Phazon!" The whole fleet then changes course and heads towards Earth.

## The Phazon Emperor

The mysterious emperor of these "Phazons" sat above his throne, looking out of the window at the Earth from his signature flagship. "Hmm... It looks like two of the Planetary Shield Generators are now complete." He began laughing under his breath. "Commander Yaridovich, begin preparations of our arrival on Earth!" He roared. A lone metallic figure nearby heard the command. "Yes sir!" He said, before running off.

## Silent Fang

Kalin slipped into the depths of space, exiting his gate into the cold void. Kalin used the surrounding darkness to allow him to walk normally. The only light came from a brown dwarf star, the pull of the star's gravity tugging Kalin towards it despite his reasonable distance from the celestial body.

"Well, that star is definitely going supernova. Guess I should get started..." Closing his eyes, Kalin focused on the flow of energy coming off of the dying star. Slowly, the waves of heat and dispersed matter began to encirlcle Kalin in a double helix around his body. As the star imploded, a large wave of corruptive energy shot directly into Kalin's chest. For a few moments, he felt a pain, as if his soul were being torn apart. After a few moments, however, the pain subsided, and all that remained of the star was a mass of dark energy-a black hole.

*"Hmm. I could draw that in..but..."*

But what?

Kalin turned to find another person standing beside him. This person looked no older than 16, and gave no indication of having any special abilities. despite that fact, Kalin preferred to err on the side of caution. "Um, who are you, exactly?"

"Oh, I'm no one special. I was just taking a walk, reading my book..." The boy said, waving a book in hand to confirm.

"I...see. You decided to take a walk *in space*. What, was the rest of...the place you came from too full?"

"Oh no, nothing like that. You could say it was a bit too busy for my taste." Anyways, why aren't you going to take out the black hole?"

"I don't know, Kid. I'm not really in the mood to take it in. It's a lot of focus and manipulation of energy...just explaining it wears me out."

"Maybe I could lend a hand." Kid said, opening his book, and beginning to flip through the pages, apparently looking for a specific section.

"Why, exactly, would you want to do something like that? I don't even know if I could trust you."

"Well, if I do this for you, I think that could be proof that I at least am not here to do you harm. And as to why I'm here...I wanted to give you advice. That's all."

"Well, I don't see how siphoning off dark matter from space is enough for me to trust you...but hey, I'm a crazy guy. I'll give you a chance. I'll also let you give me whatever advice you might have."

"Great." Kid said, stopping on a page in the book. "Here we go... *Mark!"* The stranger said, causing a seal to appear beneath Kalin. "*Thief."* As he spoke the word, schwarz left Kalin. In it's unformed state, it looked just like a miniature abyss.

"And for the finish...*Mark, Bind!"* The black hole in the distance of the void began to condense, taking on a similar form to Kalin's weapon. the mass of dark matter approached the Kid's hand, reacting with the orb floating aboove his hand, as the two slowly combine into a single sphere of darkness. After a few moments, Schwarz begins to react violently, various protrusions extending form its surface. "Well, this is definitely better than what you had before. Here." he said, tossing the sphere back to Kalin.

"Thanks...I guess." Kalin said, unsure of what had just occured. "So I guess now I get your helpful advice?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely, I guess I have no choice, huh? My advice is simple...Watch your head."

"...Yeah. that's really helpful. Thanks."

" I'm sorry. I've got rules to follow. I promise that it will make sense eventually...I just don't know when."

"Right...well, Kid. I'll be seeing you. thanks for the...help. I've got places to be, though. So I'll just duck out now. Wait, how have we been speaking this whole time?" Kalin said, turning around just as his gate had opened.

"Oh, it's no big deal. *Silence."* Kid continued to speak for a few moments afterwards, but the words could no longer be heard.With a nod, Kalin quickly ran off into his portal, the gate closing behind him.

## The Mystery of Eien

"Well, look at the big ballsy man coming to take on the mysterious hooded guy! Maybe he'll get lucky and get a treat for being *such a damn dumb dog!* Did I not tell you fool? A. You can't kill me. B. Did I not say that you could either give Nori the best few weeks of her life, or take away what time she has? ....I guess not. But it doesn't matter now. Little dragon kid here thinks he has the power to take me on and wave his little stick around like the dumb dog he is? Fine. Come re', I'll play with you a little bit, foolish little mutt! And then afterwards, when you're black and blue, I'll make a poem, about you!"

He chuckles. "Actually I'll show you just how ignorant you are since you seem to think you can change things. I'll show you the despair of the future."

The Yellow Cloaked figure is back, and they are standing adrift a sea of stars, nebulae, and galaxies.

"Isn't creation beautiful?" He cackles. "Come on then, let's see how big those little mutt balls of yours are!" He makes a 'come on!' motion with his hands, interestingly untouched by Drake's sword from earlier.

*Drake simply looks at the figure and growls, his wings stretching out as he adjusts his shirt. He raises into the air and flies towards the figure as fast as he can, just before he lands a punch he fades away in fire, confusing the figure for a brief moment before he is blasted away by an attack from behind him.* "Dragon or dog, make up your damn mind..."

He feels a tap on his shoulder. "Hey buddy. I'm over here." SMACK! Drake feels as though his face was caved in just from one punch, which sends him flying into a large meteorite.

"First step. Advanced Anticipation of Enemy's moves."

*Drake tenses his right arm and elbows the meteorite, shattering it to pieces, he then grabs some of the big chunks and throws them at the figure. He then grasps his two hands together then spreads them apart, creating a massive black fireball which is sent blasted towards the pile of rocks and the figure, creating a massive black explosion.*

The smoke clears, and he has only his index finger raised, the very tip lightly smoking.

"Easy. Try something else."

*Drake creates two rune circles on his hands as he flies towards the figure, planting his left hand on the figure's chest then kicking him away, Drake places his hands ontop of each other and moves them in different directions.* "Shadow Cast: Supaiku." *The figure feels a pain throughout his body as black thorny spikes emerge out of him, but without ripping anything, Drake then pulls his two hands away. Causing the spikes to become unstable, releasing a multitude of smaller spikes which impale and cut the figure.*

The figure tilts his hooded head to one side. "....Are you done?" He snaps his fingers, and the spikes disappear.

"Two strikes."

"..." *Drake fades away in black fire and appears infront of the figure and grabs his hood, swinging him around until Drake slams the figure to the ground, ripping off the hood. Drake then throws the figure into the air and slashes his chest with Kurai, finishing his attack by grabbing his neck and slamming him down onto a meteorite.*

As soon as he takes the hood off, Yellow Cloak seems to deflate and to Drake's surprise there wasn't a head at all, just air.

A beam like sword of light erupts from behind Drake and blows right through his right lung, both impaling and burning him.

"Strike three." The hooded figure says from behind him. "Now since you're impaled on my sword, why don't you calm down, little boy?"

"You talk too much..." *Drake impales himself and the figure with Kurai, a small snicker coming from Drake as he spits blood onto his free hand and throws it at the figure's eyes, blinding him for enough time for Drake to pull Kurai and escapes the figure's sword. He looks at his wound and laughs as his eyes dilute with a black energy as he gets coated in Cyanic tribal markings and runes, his eyes then begin to glow white as his wounds repair themselves, his wings becoming nothing but tribal markings but he still manages flight. Kurai gains a black aura around it as it hisses at the figure.* "Before I show you what I have to offer, how about you give me a name and pull down that hood of yours? Besides, you've been stalking me for all my time since my banishment, so come on then..."

"I do believe I mentioned I mentioned I'm immortal, right? Well let me repeat myself. I'm immortal. That won't work. Don't believe me? Look who's bleeding, and who's not." The figure looks completely unharmed, while Drake still has his sword wound from Kurai.

"I won't deny in most cases that would be a sneaky move if not a bit risky, but not only was that pointless, you've just weakened yourself unnecessarily. As for who I am.... it doesn't matter. I am known as a few things. The Observer of Fate is one. The Ultimate Storm... The Eternal Watcher... ...Eternal God of Lightning is another."

A bolt of red lightning shocks Drake, and he is instantly brought to his knees, drained massively of energy from just that one attack.

"Hmph... Bastard..." *Kurai hisses once more at Drake.* "Stop being brash! You WILL die!"

*'Listen to me Corruption, I have a plan, but I have no idea if it'll work or not... Regardless, I have a backup plan if this one fails, all I need is a opportunity, ok?'*

*'If you're planning what I think you're planning, then this figure is right about you, but nevertheless it's our only options... Fine, you have my trust in you Drake, don't mess it up.'*

"Immortal. Rip out my heart if you wish. Won't work. Believe me the Boss has tried. Including throwing it in the sun. Throwing ME in the sun. Still alive. Nothing short of a miracle is gonna put a dent in me." The hooded figure says with exasperation.

"I hope you understand that this isn't even 1% of my effort being thrown at you, you do know that, right?"

*To his surprise, Drake stands up and looks at Kurai, irritatingly sighing and tossing it at the figure.* "Ugh... Catch, it's a Ryunexo thing... Don't question it..."

".......Do you think I'm dumb? Fine then.... you've earned this."

The figure holds out his hand. "Restriction Code 460 Released. Releasing Restriction. Summoning."

In his hand appears a sheathed sword. "Why would I want to touch a weapon so meek and inferior?!" He draws his sword, and a massive wave of pure power ripples from the figure, as a violent multicolored light glows from the iridescent blade. Drake's first thought is Elementium, but that metal was nowhere near as charged as this substance, from just a quick glance it seems to have more power than even a single one of the Avatars of Yosai. The air rumbles with the intensity of its aura, and Kurai is blown away back into Drake's hands.

"Hmm... So from what I've gathered, and from what you told me... Yeah, that makes sense..." *A smirk grows on Drake's face as he takes a glance at Kurai.* "Slayers are interesting blades, aren't they? Able to manifest a godly entity or anything powerful enough to charge the Elementium for the blade to work at it's best... So by the power yours is giving out, it's safe to say that no-less a God occupies your Slayer, correct? If so, and only a Phoenix member can wield a true Slayer..." *Drake takes a look at the figure and chuckles, sheathing Kurai.* "You're a member of Phoenix, and from what you said to me on our first encounter... You're an old member, aren't you?"

The figure puts the blade out in front of him, holding the blade straight down. He lets go, and it hovers, and he suddenly raises his arms.

"You don't quite get the picture...." A brilliant white light forms between his outreached arms, and it begins to soar high into the endless space.

"Watch.... the difference between you and I....."

Suddenly the light begins to glow brilliantly, and billions of asteroids all begin to condense on its location, as the eight elements begin to form around the sphere, and the sphere begins to grow at an incomprehensible rate, and it only becomes apparent to what the figure is doing at the very end, when suddenly a great explosion of power blinds Drake for a moment, and when the light of the blast fades, the figure speaks.

"Behold.... the vast difference in power you and I have...."

Drake looks up to see a whole new entire world, with deep blue oceans and whirling white clouds, with landmasses and islands, with its very own sun. There is a majestic glow around the newborn pair.

*Drake claps and speaks, mockingly and sarcastically.* "Oh congratulations, you can make planets and suns, I'm *so* impressed, it's not like I've seen that been done before a thousand times over..." *He yawns.* "For someone who's followed me since I arrived on Earth, you don't seem to notice that I'm not impressed by cocky bastards who think themselves above everyone else... Hence why I don't brag, it just saddens me that for all that 'power' you have, you choose to be the way you are... But now that I think about it, I guess that you sitting on your ass all day is better than you actually doing anything productive with your immortal life..." *Drake just takes his spellbook and begins to read through it, occasionally looking up at the figure before shaking his head and glancing at the pages again.*

The next time he looks at the pages, he is suddenly face-stomped into an invisible ground and he feels his nose break instantly.

"Now that I have your attention again, it's time you understood something, brat."

He feels the figure's hand grab his forehead, and a strange sensation comes over him as he suddenly sees through the figure's eyes.

*Now watch.... this is the price you pay for your arrogance, Drake... ...behold the future. And what it will cost you.*

Suddenly he is walking with Noriko, when two blurred figures appear, and a fight occurs, the specifics unshown, but the result becomes horrifyingly clear to Drake: one of the figures picks up a unconscious, limp Noriko and drags her away, while another one prepares to execute a crippled Drake and Kanashimi. The scene flashes in the perspective of a guard in Yosai, as White walks up to a chained, stripped and humiliated Noriko... then the scene flickers once more, and only static filled brief images are the visions that Drake sees, for a moment he sees himself and a strange female being fighting, but it all fades to black as the figure removes his hand from Drake's forehead.

"Now do you understand? There is more, but it cannot be seen with your eyes. The power of Observing is too great for one like you. But the glimpse should suffice. You can leave her whenever you like, Drake. But I tell you that the day you leave, only three days later shall events take place and Noriko's fate will still be decided. Your presence alone gives her a maximum of five weeks before fate demands history to be decided. All of these things you have seen are real and will happen.

I can't believe I thought a coward like you could even be worthy of my warning. I wanted to give you and her the best last few weeks together, and already you want to selfishly throw them aside! Well congratulations, you damn insufferable fool, for you have disappointed me, Eien of the Eternal Observers! You don't deserve those five weeks she has left... go ahead, leave her behind you damn fool! Get out of my sight and weep at your ignorance! Your future has already been decided! When all comes to pass, you have no one to blame but yourself!" The figure growls, as Drake's being is dispelled back to Echo....

## Akuma's Arrival

A black magically inscribed circle with a red hue appears out of thin air, it begins to spin as a silhouette is seen in front of it, this continues until the silhouette becomes a woman, then the black circle dissipates into the air. The woman lands gracefully onto the grass and looks around. "This isn't what I was expecting, but I can make do." She whispers to herself before ripping off her own arm. Black blood begins to flow out of the wound onto the ground.

For a brief moment, she feels an odd twinge, somewhere around her chest, but just as it comes it is gone, and she notices a yellow cloaked man strolling through the plains ahead of her.

She gives the man a strange look, then licks her lips. "Hello there, How are you?" Some of the black blood begins moving across the ground towards the man.

"Oh I'm afraid I'm not for desert," The man says as he stops, not even looking at her, as a bolt of red lightning blasts the black blood, frying it instantly to dust.

She smiles. "Looks like your not so much of a low-life after all." She says, "Well where can I find the main then?" She sniggers at her remark. The black blood around Akuma begins to move behind her into a big lake of blood.

"Well it's not any fun if the predator gets an easy tip on the hunt... the hunt is much more exciting when the hunt is an unknown variable... don't you think so, Akuma Matata?" He says, turning toward her, the only part of his face seen is the lower half, and only the mouth is seen, a light smirk on his face.

"Feel free to set up your residence here, and have your fill... as long as you don't drive the inhabitants to extinction, it's not my concern." He says, before walking off again.

"Pah, the low-life ordering me around. How absurd." She thinks to herself, "I need to know more before I attack, or else I could lose this shell." The black blood begins to form walls and a door-way as Akuma walks into the dark interior of her palace.

After she withdraws into the palace, the figure looks back for a moment.

"Heh, low life eh? Life is gonna suuuuuck for this one. I'll let her have her daydreams of grandeur for a while. After all, it's not quite time to begin yet... I'll let the party over at Yosai kick into gear first. Then I can... *start the rehearsal.*"

The black blood begins to cover the planet, each cell replicating itself over and over again. As the black blood spreads the wildlife starts getting impaled and consumed by the blood, roughly 1/4 of their population was consumed before the black blood spread without harvesting the wildlife. It would take over the planet and then wait for Akuma to make her move.

## A Confrontation

Eien flies through the depths of space, the two enthralled Lambdas following close behind him. He eventually slows, then comes to a stop, standing there quietly.

"....Gurīn, D'Ranjo, move on ahead. ...I've got business to deal with," He says as he pulls his cloak on, placing the hood over his face once more, as the two Lambdas flies off ahead of him.

He silently waits, his senses tell him a high likely hood of a familiar and unwanted phenomenon approaching exists.

"Hm, quite fancy meeting you here," says the doctor, coming from a spacial distortion. His attire seems to have changed and he now carries a black sword by his side. Volmond gives Eien a neutral look.

"I'm going with my hunch and assuming that you're not here for tea and biscuits." Eien's head shifts as he looks in Volmond's direction, only his mouth is visible, in a tight frown.

"Not my beverage or food of choice," says the doctor. "Being grateful and caring are entirely different matters you know..."

Eien doesn't immediately respond. "I have things to do so... kindly leave me alone. Or are you going to 'insist' we have a 'chat'? Listen... the thing with Shinwa, there is nothing to discuss. It happened, it's history, and you shouldn't judge. Or have you conveniently forgotten about the angry goddess still tailing you?"

Eien turns around completely, his head lifting so that his face, except for his electric blue eyes, is obscure. "Looking at your past, reminds me a smidge of myself... interesting that is..."

"The same goddess who is currently in a position of noninterference... Oh, I got over that, now I'm just here to... shall we say blow off some steam." The doctor is completely aloof. "I'd rather not be compared to a person likely younger than me, especially after counting my years of time travel."

"...Now you really are just trying to waste my time... tch, this is annoying..." He mutters. "An unexpected development, perhaps you're slightly more mature than I gave you credit for when I met your brother..."

Eien looks to his side. "Are you in the mood to play?" He asks, as a black robed female figure appears next to Eien. Volmond can smell a thick aura of death emitting from her. The girl doesn't respond to Eien's question, her gaze seems to be on Volmond, though he can't see her face.

"Ange- Nanashi? Heh, he's a bit jaded since the laboratory incident," says the doctor as his coat and scarf begin to shift positions. His tone remains neutral as he hefts his sword, still in sheathe, over his shoulder while a tome float in front of him. "Ara, everything moves so slowly..."

Eien sighs. "Iffffff you want to, fine. But your work load triples tomorrow..."

The girl takes off her hood and shakes her head, revealing a face Volmond did not expect to see: Naki. Only, more how she looked as a human.

"..." The doctor sighs, "A clone or genetic, modified replica?"

"None of the above. The original. Body, at least. The soul is a cheap knock off. I was lazy making it." Eien says unconcerned. "Though I've made some alterations... ...for example she is Ikania Lambda 0. In other words, you can just call her 'Zero'."

"I see, well then if she stands in my way, I could afford a moment or two of play... I do not discriminate, even those resembling allies will face the sword if they oppose me."

"Oh she's always around... as insurance you could say. She was actually made the same day we acquired Naki... ...speaking of that, I wouldn't suggest killing her... not that she is actually your opponent. Wouldn't want you to break her after we spent so long rebuilding her... ....shouldn't you make sure those two get home safely or something...?" He says to Zero, who quietly nods and sprouts black wings and flies off.

Eien turns head and looks at Volmond. "I imagine you won't take no for an answer?" He says, as a katana appears strapped to his belt with it in its sheathe.

"Indeed." Pressure builds around the doctor as he shifts his sheathed weapon into an offensive position. A faint warping can be seen around him.

Eien makes only a slight change in his posture, and a faint crackling of static can now be heard.

The pressure around the doctor builds even higher, the space around him compressing as if it were a spring.

Eien's image crackles momentarily, before it disappears and reappears further away.

"I would wager you're already deploying one of your little gimmics with space distortion, either that or you make everything around you nauseous."

Eien remarks, as the static in the area turns red.

"Soul Rejection," he says, launching a swirling mass of energy in Eien's direction. The mass seems to draw the energy from everything it makes contact with into itself, growing larger and spinning faster as it does.

"Nebula Discharge," Eien intones, as he unsheathes his katana, which lets out a terrible howl as he slashes at the energy, which gets absorbed in the wave of multicolored energy, the wave blasting forth at Volmond at speeds almost exceeding the speed of light. Before he can get a clear look of the sword, Eien has already sheathed the blade, and is idly observing him, as the wave continues on to form a vast new nebula.

A gaping maw forms around the nebula, consuming it as Volmd grabs the tome in front of him? "Hm.... No, not that one or that one... Aha! Rend." The space around the doctor twists and tears, forming into a great gash in space.

Eien lets out a sigh. "This is getting annoying quickly..." He murmurs. "Let's try this..."

The area begins to shake and vibrate violently, as a light blue aura envelops Eien, and suddenly from his body many countless balls of energy with the same color appear.

"Ravaging Ghost Spiral!" Eien roars as the many wisps surge forth in massive spiraling streams, and cluster around Volmond, unleashing a massive detonation of spiritual energy akin to the force of a supernova, Eien drawing a pale blue sword from nowhere and stands his ground as the blast strikes his postion as well. When the explosion clears, a pale barrier fades from view, and he stows away the blade.

"Eh, I'll return that if you don't mind. Another Dimension Return!" A vortex opens in front of the doctor, releasing a drilling torrent of energy on par with the one Eien launched at the cloaked figure. "Rend: Distortion." The tear in space enlarges and begins to warp the dimension around both of them on a large scale.

Eien draws the same sword he took out. "Looks like I might need this again..." He thinks for a moment, eyeing the distortion critically.

After a moment, he stabs the blade forward, the blade extending out and growing larger, appearing to cleave the drilling energy in two and sending it sailing away from Eien, though the blade keeps plowing straight for Volmond.

"Another Dimension," recites the doctor, opening another vortex to intercept the blade, then yet another to return the blade. He then snaps his fingers and the space that had been warped shatters, creating a grey and black epty space around them, the tear in space shrinking considerably as a result.

Eien stands still for a moment, thinking. "Hmmm. I guess it can't be helped... Restriction 460... ...releasing... released... ok... ...now how about a little bit of this....?"

He suddenly straightens and claps his hands together, causing a pulse of energy to rush from him, and he draws his katana, which is made of iridescent light, crackling with the force of eight elements. He suddenly rushes Volmond and closes the distance with surprising speed, and slashes at Volmond.

The doctor blocks the slash with his sword then repels Eien with a pulse of sheer force originating from his sheathed weapon. He flips through his tome, finding a specific page.

"Revision: Aura. Wake of Destruction." A black, flickering aura forms around the doctor, adding to the already warping aura. Shortly afterwards, the aura gains a red tint and and solidifies partially behind him as a halo of sorts.

Eien waves his hand, ceasing his movement. He then discharges a series of symbols, and two gigantic planets barrel down on Volmond's location, while Eien creates a containment barrier around the site and watches the two planetary bodies collide with Volmond stuck between them.

"Dirge of Dissolution."

Before the planets reach Volmond, his halo expands and bisects them both and eats away at both of their remains. It continues to expand, cutting through the barrier as well, dissolving it as well.

Eien sighs. "You know, I really don't have time for this, Volmond. I've got things to do you know... and none of them have you in the schedule. You aren't the only one who's chasing revenge... or a goal."

He subtly clenches a fist.

"I'll admit, one of my goals is revenge, but that's been arranged to be handled already, though at the cost of a large amount of casualties. Still, I do not believe you are in such a position as to seek your revenge yet. Wait until your target gets sloppy and slips up before you strike, it's always worth it then..." The doctor's tone is uncaring and aloof, as if he lacks emotions.

Eien's fist clenches tighter, and a phoenix emblem suddenly blazes on his hand, before turning silver, and after a moment, a black and silver aura forms around Eien.

"Why don't you go do something else, other than say, bother me? Hmmm... have you checked in with Naki in a while?" He asks subtly.

"I have my eye on her," returns the doctor, shrinking his halo back to its orignal size.

"Hmm.... I wonder..." Eien says with a smirk. The aura grows stronger, and something familiar about it becomes apparent.

"Channeling Zero's power are you?" The sound of something shattering faintly echoes. "The cat should be arriving soon, if the machine proves to be ineffective..."

"Hmmm, yeaaaaa, that wasn't gonna work... speaking of Zero," Eien says, as a absolutely massive sphere of the silver aura grows in all directions, swirling with silver runes as it grows larger.

"...In other news, hypothesis correct, Zero and Naki have a life link, and anything significant happening to Zero happens to Naki... and vice versa... ....no wonder when I started fiddling with Zero's insignia, Naki reacted as well... ...that was puzzling for a while."

Volmond's clothes begin to flicker and shift into that of a monk. "Hmm, I'll try this mode out."

Eien gives Volmond a particular glare.

"I'm done humoring you..." Zero appears next to him. "Ah, you're here. I take it things went as expected?"

She nods.

"Don't worry, next time I won't hold you back."

She nods again.

He looks over at Volmond. "Sorry, but I'm no longer humoring you at this present time. I have better things to do than entertain you."

Zero disappears, and Eien's image begins to become static, as his presence begins to fade from observable time and space.

The doctor shrugs, allowing his clothes to return to normal.

"Whatever you say. Next time try to be more entertaining, you failed this time around." He vanishes without a trace of him even existing in the area.

## The Dark Flame

A large white dragon, known as The Wise One, lays atop a small grassy plain with a table and chair on the other side of it. There is a glass teapot in the center of the round tree stump table, and the white elegant-looking chair made of marble and white stained glass. Using telekinesis, the white dragon pulls a teacup to his giant lips, sipping very little of the hot tea. After setting it down the powerful dragon makes a mental connection to Tatsu, a fellow powerful entity. "Hello, Tatsu. I am Joseph, The Wise Dragon, or Wise One." he starts. "I have found a neutral place to meet and speak with you. Mostly of your husband, Noah. Some about Volmond Blatt as well. Would you like some tea?"

"I am not interested in such a beverage," speaks a voice from across the plain. "Severe the mental link and speak verbally."

"Ah, hello," Joseph replies without opening his mouth, yet the sound seems to come from that direction. "And how are you?" The Wise One's tail curls around and pucks up the teapot, refilling his glass and putting it down.

"Preoccupied," is the curt answer he receives.

"And what crawled up your attitude and made it bad?" He snaps back. His tone and face relax again. "I apologize. It's just I find your response quite rude. I guess it's my problem." He picks up the glass and begins to sip his tea, looking down towards Tatsu. "Ah, tea is very relaxing. Why I like it so much... Anyway, down to business. I have recently learned that I have a fix for Aeon's..... predicament... that may not give him all of his powers, but give him his old appearance. I will be meeting with Volmond when he is finished meditating and has some spare time about a permanent cure. But what I ask for is any and all information you have on the creature named White the Seventh, leader of the terrible organization known as Phoenix, originally made to combat the eight elemental Warlords."

"What you're asking of is impossible. You seem to believe that Volmond will humor your words and give you any answers on the subject. The machinations of Phoenix are not of my concern," replies the voice sternly, "My attitude is perfectly within it's normal range, I am simply preoccupied at this moment."

A large pillar forms, throwing Tatsu into the chair across from the ginormous being. "Do not be rude, child. It may be your business when your in-law brother goes to his doom and Aeon has to step in to save the entirety of the multiverse. This is a fight larger than at first appears. I have belief that the Void God is real and that his power will multiply with the pain and suffering this war will ultimately cause. He may yet break free of Non-existent barriers and trample you and me underfoot! Now you listening, child, to the important words I am saying to you?! Listen and learn. For in a short span of time White the Seventh will make her move to destroy Earth and all it's inhabitants using the Spear of God and her creations! Listen, for if that happens the Void God may be able to break free and reign Hell on High on all of us! Not you, nor Aeon, nor even the full extent of your in-law Chaos could beat this creature! We *must* stop it from winning!" He yells at her all of these words, while his mouth sips his tea and his body remains relaxed, tensing only at the mention of the Void God. "Do you understand my urgency now, child?"

"Who are you calling a child, dragon brat," growls the owner of the voice, cutting the pillar and chair apart. "As I stated, it is not my business to interfere, let alone intervene. You can ask Anira that as well, he would give you the same answer, as would Aeon and the short tempered Alexian. The fate of Earth is tiny, minuscule, comparable to a speck of dust in the grand scheme of things. It is not my business to interfere in such an affair when I have more important things to deal with. The weapon, creations and being you fear are but a toothpick compared to what I, my counterpart and Anira are keeping out of this universe with the aid of the Scion of Ragnarok by not throwing our weight around and intervening in matters whenever we see fit. If you so badly wish to stop this being, do it on your own time, I am preoccupied with my own affairs, ones that would make your spine turn to jelly and your words fail because of their magnitude. Try and force my hand if you like, I'll make you regret it more than you'll regret trying to reason with the man who fancies himself a doctor."

The dragon lets out a mighty roar, glares with silver eyes at the owner of the voice, and the scenery returns to what it was before the mighty dragon arrived.

"Hmph," the owner of the voice tuts, uncaring at the dragon's attitude.

## Enter Kenji

A large, blinding light illuminates the entirity of the Outer Realms, oringinating from a child-size white figure with only a smile on his face. "Hi there!" he says in a high-pitched voice to Aeon, of whom he stands beside.

"Go away," is the answer he receives, with no glance or shift in position to acknowledge him.

The boy sits behind Aeon, leaning on her back. "Wanna be friends?" he asks her, as he shifts his form to a young boy with blond hair and yellow eyes. He wears a yellow scarf over a black jacket with no hood and the collar proped up between his neck and scarf. "I'm Kenji, you're Aeon. Is this right?" Kenji's appearance shfts so he had blue jeans and Air Jordan's on. They are sky blue with neon green trim.

"Go away..." Aeon shifts away from him, leaving him to fall.

Kenji appears upside down with his eyes level with Aeon's, only about six inches away. Aeon feels no breath. "Why are you sad? Did someone be mean to friend Aeon?!"

"Go away, I have no reason to speak with one of the Disembodied," she grunts, turning away.

Aeon finds herself in a tight grip around her neck, blocking air she suddenly needs, and her powers seem unable to work for the time being. The boy appears as a man now, in the same clothing but with tan skin and red eyes. "YOU THINK I ASKED FOR THIS?!" he asks, "I DON'T WANT TO HAVE THIS POWER! I HATE IT! I WANT TO BE NORMAL, HAVE FRIENDS! BUT I DO NOT WANT THIS POWER! I don't..." he drops her and disappears for a minute, reappearing behind a nearby tree sobbing.

"Welcome to my world, Disembodied, where all but what you want to happen is the norm and nothing goes the way that would have the best results," she returns, "Thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands of cycles, each mirroring the other, barely any variation even with the divine working to correct the issues. Yet the cycles of a long defunct system continue to turn upon their crooked, rusted axis as if it were the perfect setting for the perfect system. It continues to turn, even as the axle erodes and the gears are stripped, even as the rust eats away at the spokes and the thin threads supporting it, even as hope wuthers and rots within the gnarled and twisted hands of fate... And I'm supposed to fix this, me and my many fragments scattered, each more broken and lost than the last, each with its own desires. None of us know if we're the real ------ ----- --------- -- ---- or if we're simply pieces of the puzzle that constitutes our true self, each of us meaningless in construction. Wanting, desiring, longing, none of that matters, not anymore..."

Kenji peers around the tree, tears still falling, except a confused look on his face. "What does that even mean?" his breaking voice asks.

"Nothing matters, none of the rules, regulations, hopes, aspirations, dreams. Nothing. With things as they are, allowing them to fall into chaos would have no true bearing on things as they are, minus a small bit of entertainment before Order and Balance attempted to right things while Stability kept some of the disarray in check... Yet, the idea is tantalizing and marvelously succulent..." The air around Aeon grows dangerous and eerie suddenly, as if a power beyond comprehension was about to be unleashed.

The eyes of the young boy close, and Aeon is suddenly calm, and the aura gone, as Kenji had taken some responsibility off of her burdened shoulders. "There ya go, miss. Feel better?" he questions as he walks back over to her. "You're really strange."

If anything the air becomes dangerous and less stable feeling.

"As if one could understand the musings of the origin," she says, her luminous hair darkening, some sections turning red, others gold and violet. "Go away Disembodied, it would be in your best interest to do so."

"I don't like that name..." he replies simply.

"Your preference is not cared for, leave."

"No." He sticks out his tounge and grins. "You can't make me."

Kenji finds himsef displaced by a mysterious power beyond comprehension and understanding, Aeon's presence gone completely from the area.

"Fine. Be a jerk if you want. I was only playing..." Kenji says as his figure disappears.

"Hm, seems like she's gone off the deep end again," notes a cloaked, smirking. "I wonder if she'll find the other one of us..." The being fades away.

## Entombed in Time

D'Ranjo finds himself on some kind of invisible floor, a vast swirling network of lights barely give definition to the large box like room they are in. There are no visible walls, except when the lights illuminate the edges. On the ground near him lies Gurin, who still slumbers on. She has reverted to her sealed state.

D'Ranjo: \*rubs the back of his neck\* I can't believe this...Why wouldn't he just keep me as a mindless slave? He's has nothing to worry about. \*gets up and looks around\* Where did he dump us?

D'Ranjo, to the best of his ability, cannot sense anything within the box or outside it, even Gurin, who is right next to him, he feels nothing.

D'Ranjo: Why are you keeping us here!? Surely you have something better for us to do than to wait it out in a light box.

He hears a distant, irregular laughing.

"Oh... So you're up...? Sit still little boy... I'll play with you two later..."

D'Ranjo: I am no toy! And I refuse to wait here until you either kill us or turn us into mindless dogs again!

"Awww that's cuuuuuuute, the dog is barking...~" Eien taunts. "And what are you going to do about it? Adamantly deny you're in my toybox?"

D'Ranjo: Just wait. We'll get out of here, and I will vaporize you into the next dimension!

"Ok then Fluffy. Keep barking, you're just so cute and adorable and fluffy..." There is another cackle, and then his voice disappears, and Gurin finally shows signs of waking.

D'Ranjo: I swear to Jehovah, he sounds like he's coming onto me. \*looks over at Gurin and walks over to her\*

After another minute, her soft red eyes open. "Emmmm?" She moans.

D'Ranjo: Glad you can join me in this boxed hell.

"Hell... ...such a strong word...." She groans, sitting up slowly.

D'Ranjo: No other word to call it that would be more suitable.

"At least we're still alive..."

D'Ranjo: I'd rather be dead than be another man's slave.

"Look, we can find a way out, eventually... ....I think...."

D'Ranjo: I trust nothing unless it's absolute.

"..." She closes her eyes, unsure of how to reassure him, or help him for that matter. She after a moment, timidly offers him a hug, not knowing what else to do.

D'Ranjo: \*is confused\* W-what are you doing?

She freezes, going ridged. "...I-I didn't know what else to do, I-I just wanted t-to calm you down but I didn't know h-how so I.. I... just wanted to give you a h-hug..." She stammers.

D'Ranjo: \*gives her an awkward look\* Are you...alright? You sound abit off.

"....I thought you were getting mad at me... I was always scolded when I was a girl..."

D'Ranjo: Really now?

"...Mother was always cross at me when I would hang out with the boys... ....she always called me naiive. ....Maybe she's right..." Her wings manifest and she wraps herself in them as she curls into a ball.

D'Ranjo: Why would you hang out with boys? You didn't have any female friends?

"...I was a strange, eccentric girl obsessed with flowers and animals, no one except my sisters and mother ever really paid me attention. ...The other girls called me weird."

D'Ranjo: That part I can relate to. My comrades on the field often said I was too focused. I was too busy looking out there in the horizons of battle, than the complicities of my surroundings.

"...Apparently that hasn't changed. A wierd freak that no one likes. Only my big sisters really care about me... ....keep telling me I'm naive..."

D'Ranjo: Atleast you still have them.

"...But do I? They are so far away... ...and we are stuck here... ....I'm sorry if you don't like me.... I'll leave you alone..."

D'Ranjo: We are friends, aren't we not? I would not be your friend if I did not find your company appeasing.

She hugs him again, this time excitedly. "Thank you so much, do you really mean that?!" She says happily.

D'Ranjo: Yes, I do. Your the only I have know in this new world.

She hugs him tighter, her face lighting up from its gloomy appearance just mere moments ago, he notices small vines start growing out of her and bursting into bloom, filling the air with a heavenly scent.

D'Ranjo: \*looks among the vines and only wonders\*

She remains holding him like that, unaware of the actions of her vines, which appear to be gently begining to wrap around him and her, but she suddenly opens her eyes when the vines touch his bare skin and she yanks away from him, sadness briefly in her eyes but she replaces it with a somewhat happy smile.

"...Yeah, we'll be ok..." She seems to be trying to reassure herself about something.

D'Ranjo: \*looks at Gurin\* *Strange, but sweet.*

Gurin remains quiet for a while, somewhat tense after she had torn away from him.

D'Ranjo: \*begins to do his one-armed push-ups\*

After a moment, he starts feeling soft plants touching his fingers, looking at the ground, he sees a large network of vines growing out from Gurin, creating a soft layer of greenery under them, replacing the cold hard ground with warm plantlife. A few minutes later, the vines all begin to sprout white flowers, creating a vast bed of soft white, a relief from the depressing darkness.

D'Ranjo: What is this for?

"The ground wasn't comfortable, I thought it would be helpful."

D'Ranjo: Oh. Okay then. \*continues to do his push ups\*

*Meanwhile*

Eien stares at a small crystalline orb. "Oh how I love finite infinite deminions. So fun. ...Now if only this show was more interesting..." He grumbles.

"You're betting on something natural, something that takes time. Which you'll need if you really want her to...." A female's voice pauses, uncomfortable with the subject left unspoken.

Eien turns. "Ah, Zero, didn't notice you. You alright?"

She nods quietly. The girl has blonde hair and green eyes, only slight sheens of iridescence indicate her affiliation as a Lambda.

"Want to say hi to your underlings?" He says with a smirk.

"Not particuarly."

Eien looks back down at the crystal. "It would be really nice if that girl wasn't so much of a socially awkward one..."

D'Ranjo: \*sits down  and begins to thinking\* *What else does he need from us? And why just stick us in a box and not just have under his control? He could be waiting for something.* *I don't like sitting around here, but there are no indications that I could get out of here....hmmm.*

"What was your tribe like?" Gurin asks.

D'Ranjo: Proud, Battle-ready, compliant, and honor bound. We all had one goal. To gain freedom for ourselves and others who found themselves under oppressive tyranny.

"I see..." She says, laying down amongst the flowers.

D'Ranjo: What was your family life like?

"Well... we lived on a small island town, in Fantasy. Daddy died after I was born, so it was just the four of us. Azula helped mom manage the finances, she worked with the carpenter a lot. She ended up running the carpenter business after a while. Abeni was our strong arm, she beat up anyone who made fun of me. ...I think you know that already though. She liked doing physical labor, she liked to work. She was working in the lumber yards, the farms, masonry... ...man she was talented... well, as for me, I worked at the herbal and flower gardens, I became an interior decorator too at one point.

We never had to leave the door locked, everyone knew each other, we mainly ate fish, cattle, and fruits and veggies. ....I didn't like fish too much."

D'Ranjo: We ate whatever we got our hands on, even if they were predators of the Great Savannah or most outsiders called it, Bare Eden.

"Ah... ...are you hungry?" She asks.

D'Ranjo: Sure. Nothing else for us to do.

Large growths come out of the ground, rising up into large trees bearing various fruits. One of the fruits drop down near Gurin, and she quietly eats.

D'Ranjo: \*takes a fruit from a vine and begins to eat of it\*

Gurin looks up at the sky of the prison. *I feel alone... ....like I always have... ...no one really shares my feelings... ...should I quit trying?*

D'Ranjo: *I don't understadn why I keep living...I should've died on multiple fronts but I still find myself alive....despite that I have never tasted victory....all my kind has died...and I am what's left....what legacy can I bring them if I am just as much of a ghost as they are...a ghost in an unfamiliar world...it's not fair that everyone else is dead and I am still here...* \*puts the fruit down\*

"...Are you alright?' Gurin asks.

D'Ranjo: I don't eat when I think.

Gurin lies down on the flowers, staring at her claws and talons.

D'Ranjo: *I don't like it....I don't like sitting...I don't like feeling...trapped...no...traps kill you....I'm caged....* \*starts to slowly moves his fingers\* *I don't understand...Jehovah...why do you insist that I live....Why won't can't I go to the Cloudscape with my tribe...What is it you want me to do...I am nothing here in this new world that I never stepped in...* \*begins to involuntarily move\*

She quietly closes her eyes, and curls up amongst the soft flowers.

D'Ranjo: \*begins to slowly rock back and forth, simply asking questions in his head while looking at his surroundings, becoming even more and more impatient\*

She quietly yawns, then opens her eyes at looks at him. "We might as well keep cool heads... we won't get out any sooner if we work ourselves to death over it..."

D'Ranjo: Then what else are we supposed to do?! Nothing?! I can't wait until that maniac comes and make us his slaves again!

"Not nothing. But blind rage will get you no where."

D'Ranjo: We're nowhere already!

She looks at him dully for a moment. "Ssssh... calm down please... you're agitating the plants. Besides, if you want to get out of nowhere, then you'll need an actual plan of attack won't you? We don't know anything about where we are or what this place even is, so we might as well take our time to study it. We're not going anywhere soon."

D'Ranjo: Study what? A blank void? Yea, we can definitely do that. By that time we might as well die of boredom.

"Do you have a better plan....?"

D'Ranjo: There is no better plan. \*he says coldly\*

"Yes there is. You asked to become one of us, yet you assume we don't have any possible way to deal with this and start throwing a fit. Maybe as big sis Abeni would say, 'Stop smelling the shit and pay attention.' "

D'Ranjo: I don't know what 'shit' is, but you heard him. He stronger than all us and even if we were to escape, we wouldn't get that far. Think about it, he wouldn't just put us here if we were able to get out of here somehow.

Gurin looks at him, and suddenly it occurs to him that she looks rather upset. The angry kind.

"Then if that's how you feel, sit down and *shut up*!" She snaps, vines whipping him away from her, and a large tree encases her.

D'Ranjo: Females.

A vine drops a coconut on his head.

D'Ranjo: \*looks at the coconut in confusion\* What is this? \*observes the coconut and tries to bite on it but can't\* Hrmmmmm...\*drops the coconut and stomps on it, he looks at the milk on his foot, uses his finger and dabs some on, then tastes it. His face twisted in more confusion. He takes another taste, then an other, trying to figure out if it's good or not\*

More vines begin dropping coconuts on him, until a whole swarm begin pelting him with the things.

D'Ranjo: \*covers his head\* What are these?!

The vines also start adding pineapples to the mix.

D'Ranjo: \*begins to get irritated more and more. He tries to move but he steps on a pineapple\* Argh! \*he then steps on a coconut, slips ans falls on some more of them.\* Rggghhh!

*"What is it D'Ranjo? Now fruits are proving their superiority over you?"*

D'Ranjo: RGGGGHHHHH!

*"I was right when I said our clan would benefit more from your absence."*

D'Ranjo: Thier all dead!

*"No. The weak are gone. But you are not. You will be soon. There is no room for weaklings in my new world.*"

D'Ranjo: I fought for Afrika...

*"You...were holding us back. You are just a slave."*

D'Ranjo: I am no slave!

*"All dogs are slaves, D'Ranjo. Either that or strays. You fit both. You were just the spoil triumph."*

D'Ranjo: I served loyally...everyday of my life...Your tribe was...my tribe

*"Yes, but you failed and your failure was costing us. You are just a shackle. One that must be broken along with the many others. Only without your failures could Afrika truly prosper. As for your tribe. Your tribe is no more. Soldiers like you wouldn't be remebered for what you do or for what you are. You will be as forgettable as the ashes that blow away into the wind. May Jehovah find mercy to accept you into the Cloudscape*"

*Then he hears a click and and 5 guns shots*

D'Ranjo: \*lets out a savage roar, his eyes buring red and his dragon wings sprout. The coconuts, pineapples, and even the vines and grass surrounding him are set ablaze. He begins to illuminate with a fiery demonic aura. His roar shakes the very box he's placed in\* SHA'TAAAAAAAAAAAAA! \*the name echoes throught their prison. He simply falls to his knees, surrounded by ashes, his eyes twisted with hurt and fury. His aura and wings suddenly disappears and he falls over tiredly. As he closes his eyes, he sees the ashes blows away and sees a pair of legs. Legs that belong to a woman\*

*"You will be as forgettable as the ashes that blow away into the wind....May Jehovah find mercy to accept you into the Cloudscape..."*

D'Ranjo: \*a singles tear drops from his eye and then they close\*

The blast appears to not have affected the tree or the plants in its vicinity.

*"There will be no weaklings in my new world...."*

*D'Ranjo opens his to sees that he's laying in tall grass. He stands to his feet and he looks out into the barren savannah of his home. The scorched earth, the polluted sky, sparks of fires blowing with the wind and in front of him he sees Drekavas.*

D'Ranjo: Drekavas.

Drekavas: Yes. Not busy so that gives me time to atleast teach you a few things about your physiologys.

D'Ranjo: Forget that! You have to break us out!

Drekavas: How do you know you're not home? It surely looks like it.

D'Ranjo: It's not home. This is what I remember of it...\*looks down at the puddle in front of his feet\*

Drekavas: Brash but observant. Like any young soldier would be.

D'Ranjo: You have to free us.

Drekavas: I could...but I won't

D'Ranjo: Tch! Why not!?

Drekavas: You'll only get stronger you help yourself. You can't grow to dependent on others, for friends are not absolute. And as I recall, you mentioned that you don't trust *anything* that isn't absolute. The same can apply to *anyone*.

D'Ranjo: \*looks at the ground pondering about what he said\*

Drekavas: The only two things you can trust is yourself and...Him.

D'Ranjo: Jehovah

Drekavas: Yea him. Anyways, I'm going to teach you to use all of the powers embedded in you know to your advantage. But let me tell you know, we are doing this mentally. So, you training here will be knowing what you've learned, rather than you actually doing what I'm teaching you.

D'Ranjo: Understood.

D'Ranjo briefly can detect Gurin's mind's presence, but it abruptly cuts it off, but the sensation's after effect feels sour, bitter in his memory.

D'Ranjo: Errgghh...

Drekavas: It was here, wasn't it?

D'Ranjo: Yes...

Drekavas: She's upset at you.

D'Ranjo: Hm...she wouldn't be the first.

Drekavas: You might aswell be the most awkward child I have ever known. Well given the circumstances and conditions you were raised into.

D'Ranjo: You said it yourself. You won't become stronger if you don't solve your problems.

Drelavas: I know. I said that about two minutes ago. So let's started, shall we.

Gurin's tree outside meanwhile grows fiercely around her, the limbs that grow reflect her minds agitated state: twisting and agitated with emotion. Several branches could be interpreted as hands clawed in agony.

Drekavas: No for the first part, you are quite angry, if anything furious.

D'Ranjo:...

Drekavas: So what I'm going to say some hurtful things and your going to remember them, I want you let that fury course through your entire being. You start off. Remember something from the past that you hated.

D'Ranjo: So many things I can remember that haunt me...

Drekavas: Then it's going to name them. Remember when it started. With your family. Renumber how they we're taken away from you.

D'Ranjo: \*something clicks in his head and his fiery demonic aura begins to flare\*

Drekavas: Remember your tribe. Remember what they've said about you being a dog. How they looked at you as a simple tribe pet!

D'Ranjo: \*his aura grows begins and steam begins to arise from the ground\*

Drekavas: Remember what all you did for your home was looked down upon by your failures! Remember how you saw them die for Afrika but they are given no form of honor or respect they deserved! They live in an unmarked mass grave! Never to be remembered! Never to be commemorated!

D'Ranjo: ARRGGHHH! \*his our grows bigger and now there is a white flame entangled with his demonic aura\*

Drekavas: Remember your friends! How one burned along with your tribe! How the other took a bullet for you! And you of all people came back from the dead! For what?! To be a walking reminder of the failure of Tribal Afika?!

D'Ranjo: \*lets outs a raors as his dragon fetures begin to show and crcks begin to form in the earth\*

Drekavas: *He's close but he still isn't there yet. I need something that will take him to the first step.* Remember the past few weeks! How you were humiliated, helpless, insignificant! Doomed!

*D'Ranjo lets out a roar and his aura bursts, and the ground breaks apart and the tall grass burns. Now all their standing on is scorched earth.*

D'Ranjo: \*breathes heavily\*

Drekavas: \*notices the slight dragonic change in D'Ranjo's appearance\* Not the type of reaction I was going for, but it's something. \*feels a pang of pain in his head\* D'Ranjo, our training for today is over. Now it's time for you wake up.

D'Ranjo: \*abruptly wakes up\*

*Don't make it worse*

D'Ranjo: Make what worse?

The tree's contortions remain visible, though it has opened, showing a glimpse of Gurin sitting down inside, her forehead resting on her knees. She appears to be in her full form.

D'Ranjo: \*gets up and slowly walks over to her\* Gurin? What are you doing?

He hears a faint deep throated growl as he gets near.

D'Ranjo: \*kneels down in front of her\* Gurin?

Several tree roots erupt from the ground like spikes at him, as Gurin tenses and curls up into a ball, rocking back and forth.

D'Ranjo: \*backs up\* Gurin, what is the matter? You need to talk to me.

He starts hearing her muttering unintelligible things under her breath at a rapid pace.

D'Ranjo: I'm sorry for my earlier actions. I tend to get paranoid from here and there when it comes to things I can't solve. I don't like being helpless. I wasn't trained be like that. I did not mean to upset you.

She abruptly stops moving and muttering, and just sits there silently.

D'Ranjo: \*puts his hand on her shoulder\* Speak to me.

"*Don't touch me...*" *She says in a low voice.*

D'Ranjo: I understand. \*retracts his hand and sits down\*

Gurin doesn't appear to really move for a few hours afterwards.

D'Ranjo: \*grows wearil tired\* *I don't understand what's the matter with her. Was it something I did or something else.*

Out of nowhere, the ground begins to rumble and crack, and various saplings begin sprouting around Gurin rapidly.

D'Ranjo: \*immediately gets up at the sight\* Gurin! What is wrong with you?! Why are you so upset?!

She falls forward and collapses upon the ground, almost immediately afterwards the entire space begins to quake violently as she falls unconscious and the saplings begin to erupt into a forest in mere moments, as the flat ground begins to rip and split, rising higher and lower and expanding, the prison seemingly expanding to allow for the expanding area.

D'Ranjo: \*is suprised by the sudden change in enviroment\* Oh Dear Jehovah, what am I supposed to doooo!?

The force of a magnitude 8 earthquake goes off as a mountain begins to erupt forth beneath his feet.

D'Ranjo: \*sprouts his dragon wings and flies upward\* *Jehovah....why?....just...why?...*

He sees what can only be described as Nature completely losing its marbles as mountain ranges, oceans, hurricanes, lightning, many countless natural processes happen at once as what seems like a planet is being created.

D'Ranjo: \*is completley horrified by the sight of it\* No...No!...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! \*his aura flares up and he flies off over the seas. After a while he comes to a stop\* WHERE IS SHEEE!? GURIIIN! \*lets out a roar and simply breathes deeply\*

It is only after the violent quakes calm down that he can approach the planetoid's surface, though heavy rumbles are still common. He can feel a sensation similar to her aura throughout the whole of the world's energy.

D'Ranjo: Gurin...what the hell is wrong with you!

Eien appears, his hand in a 'ssssh' gesture. "Quiet now, she's taking a nap after that little tantrum."

D'Ranjo: AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!

"Oh? You aren't upset, are you lizardboy?"

D'Ranjo: Noooo. Otherwise I could spontaneously burst into a planet too.

"Oh? Seems like we all have something in common then," Eien says with equal amounts of disinterest in D'Ranjo's sarcasm.

D'Ranjo: A white man and a black man with something in common? How astonishing.

"Faceplant." Eien says without warning, then kicks D'Ranjo's head into the mud and disappears.

D'Ranjo: \* gets up and wipes the mud off his face\* One of these days...where is she?

"*Maybe if you dig, you might find something,"* Eien's voice taunts.

D'Ranjo: \*looks at the ground then flies upwards and his entire being turns into a bright light, then dives straight towards the ground and phases throught it\*

The ground make a loud rumbling in response.

D'Ranjo: \*continues to go deeper within the planet\*

There seems to be some sort of tension building in the rock as it becomes magma, which seems to be pressurizing as he tries to go through it.

D'Ranjo: \*stops for a moment and looks\* *What is that?*

His answer comes in the form of a volcanic eruption.

D'Ranjo: \*is blastes it out and  falls down the side of the volcano. One he reaches the bottom, he grovels in pain as he is covered in lava. He slowly get back on his feet and looks back at the volcano\*

After a while, he hears another different sort of rumble as a tree of megalithic proportions erupts into being out of the ground a great distance away, yet D'Ranjo can tell it is at least the size of a mountain.

D'Ranjo: \*simply breathes for a moment, then flies back up until he's above the tree and dives into it\*

The tree seems to be glowing with a incredibly powerful aura, which takes D'Ranjo a while to realize Gurin's, which is radiating enough energy to compare with a star, if not even more. The energy seems to be flowing in from the planet itself, up the tree and into its canopy, where a single large iridescent flower bud is growing.

D'Ranjo: \*lands on the branch\* Gurin! Where are you!? *She could be the tree itself, but...what should I do if she is?*

The green energy feels strongly like Gurin's, though it seems to be concentrated most strongly in the flower bud.

D'Ranjo: \*looks at the flower bud and flies to it\* Gurin? Can you hear me?

A strange melodic hum of energy in a specific sequence akin to speech can be heard from inside, and as energy continues condensing in the flower bud, it slowly enlargens and grows, slowly but steadily approaching bloom.

D'Ranjo: \*simply wait and watches the flower bud as it undergoes change\*

As the flower reaches maturity, from inside the flower's core, six wings comprised of pure natural energy, along with various other kinds appear from inside, each wing composed of tiny complex symbols, ranging from Aetheric, Etheric, and other strange languages and symbols. Then the glowing form of a woman begins to sprout forth after them, brimming with enough energy to put a star to shame, the figure's energy burns his retinas from its intensity. As the figure stands, it turns its head toward D'Ranjo, and it's then that he sees Gurin's face, her eyes glow white, but soon after looking at him, she looks away.

D'Ranjo: \*is surprised by her change\* Gurin...what happened to you?

Her first initial response is in some sort of language he doesn't quite understand, then she speaks as normal. "You didn't care before, why do you care now?"

D'Ranjo: What do you mean?

"You were always telling me to leave you alone. Like everyone else. No one ever wanted me around. They were always like that... it broke my heart so much, I began deluding myself. Again and again... it's why big sister always hates men who get near me... because I never learn that I'm not wanted." Without another word, she jumps down to a lower branch and perches there, silently looking out at the empty world around them.

"Now I don't want to be with anyone... big sister, why? Why didn't I listen...? You're right, now I do feel empty inside..." She mutters to herself.

D'Ranjo: You're putting your confidence in the wrong place. It's not in men, it's in yourself. If there's one thing everyone should know in life, there's only two people you can trust in your entire life. Yourself and Jehovah. Why do you even care what others see of you? Why not look at yourself at your own positive perspective instead of everyone elses negative perspective? You're putting yourself in a position of hurt, by wanting to feel like your something by the say so of other people. You encourage yourself. No one else. In all honesty...there are no such thing as friends...Friends...they turn into enemies....the bond of friendship....is not as strong as the bond of brotherhood. \*takes out the apple from his pocket and sets it by her side\* You are wanted, not by man, but someone greater who will fill the emptiness inside.

She swats the apple away. "You don't get it. I didn't want a friend. I wanted acceptance. I'm not a part of that one's creation anymore. I'm a corrupted existence manufactured to corrupt other's existences. Like yours is now. When you were temporarily merged with my cells and my life force as you evolved into a Lambda, you became one with me, not Jehovah. You're part of my... no... *his* creation now. We do have one thing in common, that is we exist in spite of him now. Detached and devoid of him, that is what the Yellow one desires. To make his own world where I am the centerpiece."

D'Ranjo: I understand. But I don't believe we are detached from Jehovah. We were his first. And we still are despite how we are now. The Yellow One should do what Yellow Bellies do best and cower.

Gurin ignores him. "You don't understand." She says quietly. "It's people like you who killed my heart." She flies away.

D'Ranjo: \*watches her fly off the, looks down at the apple. He picks it up and sticks it in his pocket\*

Gurin flies for a while, just numbly trying to focus on nothing but the flapping of her wings.

D'Ranjo: \*walks towards the sea and sits at it's shore\* Jehovah...please...make my re-existence have some purpose. And please...free us. All of us.

"You can't rely on wishes and dreams alone," Eien says from behind him. "Greater powers only lend their aid to those who are willing to carry out their goals by their own hand."

D'Ranjo: Dreams never die. And the power of prayer is all that is needed to bring about miracles. It is clear that I might not be able to do anything about this, nor anyone else. So when we can't achieve certain goals by our own hands, we leave the rest to Him.

"Ah, but you see, you do have the power to do something about it, the only fault is your own for not opening your eyes to recognize that power. And also for driving the girl crazy, that was allll you too."

D'Ranjo: I'm not denying that. \*gets up\* I'm getting quit used to this 'fact'.

"No but seriously, you haven't even tried to escape."

D'Ranjo: If I can't beat you, I can't escape from you.

"So narrow minded. Who said you had to fight me? There are easier ways of getting out of this prison." Eien shakes his head.

D'Ranjo: And there's the other thing. You *want* me to escape. Why?

"I never said I wanted that. However it's pretty much at the point where I'm probably going to end up kicking you out into some curb on the street. You're not really worth anything. Half the reason I brought you is because Gurin liked you. As for now..."

D'Ranjo: Sorry if I didn't meet your expectations, but I was told never give your enemy any satisfactory.

"Well, maybe you should change your priorities to caring more about the feelings of someone on verge of a complete collapse than your own selfish ego." Eien says cooly.

"Know how important that Jehovah is to you?"

D'Ranjo: No Jehovah, No existence.

"Well, that about sums up how Gurin feels. Let me tell you a story. So she was just an ordinary island girl, with two other sisters. Father left them at a young age. For a while, things were fine. Then she started wanting more in life than her garden and her little low class house. She wanted a friend. However, as you might recall, people didn't really like her. They used her like a joke girlfriend sometimes. Know what that is?"

D'Ranjo: Rejection.

"A bit worse. You see, they get these clueless and innocent girls to get all dressed up and feel special about themselves, then get invited to this really nice restaurant, and that's when they yank the floor out from the poor girl's feet and don't show at the date, leaving them dangling in the wind and feeling miserable. The bastards then have a royal time laughing their ass off at the girls while they walk home in humiliation. It's really ugly."

D'Ranjo: Sure sounds like it.

"That happened to Gurin about five times. You don't want to know what happened with the sixth boyfriend. But after that, Phoenix took her and her sisters, and started turning them into Chaos Engines. But did you know the process failed with Abeni and Gurin? The two were left looking like mangled corpses from the neck down, and were alive. In the same way you could say a zombie is 'alive'. Want to know how long she was stuck like that? Thirty years. Thirty years of being a hideous mutated mangled pile of trash, constant pain, not to mention: being alone. Thirty years of being held alive by nothing but pretty much a single thread thinner than spider silk."

D'Ranjo: Six times?

"Of all of what I just said, you comment on that? Really?"

D'Ranjo: No. I get that you've proven that she is *that* needy and *that* gullible in an attempt to tell me that her life is a tragedy, as if everyone elses lives are not that terrible. Sob-stories don't make people care, they give people a bad impression of you. Where were her sisters during all this? Why the hell would she fall for the same thing six times! One or two should already give a clear enough message all on its own! And that's coming from someone who doesn't know a thing about dating! Say what you want about me, do whatever, but you've already said enough about her.Her life may have been terrible, but it sounds more like she brought it on herself, cause I don't hear any of her sisters getting into that sort of mess and she's the only one as well as being so naive to put her love in the wrong places. The guys should definitely get hurt for sure, but if every guy you go out with constantly humiliates you, then what the heck? What excuse does she have for her life ending up like that? The lack of fatherly love? The lack of motherly or sisterly love? I was deprived of that in more brutal way! What about all the other Chaos Engine's, huh? What about there lives? What make her so special that her life is above everyone elses whoes lives we're probably *far* worst than hers? Is it because she can spawn an entire planet? \*sigh\* You know what...doesn't matter...say whatever you want to me...do whatever you want to me...This...this is just...too much...

Eien looks at him impartially. "I was hoping you could be someone to show her some empathy. I don't hold you or any of the Chaos Engines in some special regard. I use her because there are not that many Lambdas to begin with. A more stable one would be nice, but for what I need she is the only one that fits the role she needs to play. The point of that was to tell you why what happened today did, because she came to the realization that she was needy, gullible, unable to help herself. But she also came to the understanding that no matter how hard she tries, she is pretty much doomed to fail.

People with power should be willing to help others, not hoard it for themselves and leave others to suffer. You were given power to help others, but now you have that chance to help someone, and you waste it. The world needs more people to take action, not look down on others for their mistakes, but to save them from those mistakes. Think about that. I heard you wanted to free the others from their prison. The problem is... you're right. Some are even more damaged than you or Gurin. But what good is it for you to help them out of one cage, but leave them in another?" Eien turns his back to D'Ranjo.

"If you're really done here, I'll kick your sorry ass out at next dawn." Eien disappears.

D'Ranjo: Jehovah...why do you have to work in mysterious ways...

Gurin lands at a beach, and mellowly looks out at the waves.

D'Tanjo: \*is looking at the apple, then begins to fly off\*

Gurin looks at her altered form, quietly contemplating.

D'Ranjo: \*lands behind Gurin\* \*sigh\* Gurin...

Her head moves vaguely in his direction, but doesn't look directly at him. "...What do you want?" She says in a neutral tone.

D'Ranjo: I'm sorry...for not being there for you when you need me...You've done a lot for me these past several days, and I haven't shown any gratitude for it or for you.

"..." Gurin doesn't seem to know how to respond.

D'Ranjo: It's just that...I'm not the kind of man that puts himself around people. I knew when to work with other, but not actually fellowship with them, putting myself in a distant position from others. I just don't know to relate to anyone.

"...Comeradeship is made stronger if you know who you're fighting beside." Gurin remarks quietly.

D'Ranjo: I do. I fought beside my brother. He was with me by default be we were very close. He was the only person I could fellowship with, despite I don't do it as much as he does. The others I trust to, but I wouldn't socialize with them, any other time we were off the battlefield.

"...Life isn't about the battlefield. That isn't your life anymore. Don't be... like us."

D'Ranjo: My life *is* the battlefield. I spent my life there, and I will for the remainder of it. As for not being like you? Should've told me that before I did.

"...You don't have to pretend to care. I know you don't..."

D'Ranjo: If I didn't care, I wouldn't have stayed, I wouldn't have freed you, I wouldn't have tried to calm you down or try find you or tell you I was sorry.

"..." She looks at the water. "D'Ranjo... I want you to leave this place... and me behind. Live a better life than the one you left behind. It's time for you to be a new you. Eien doesn't care about you. It's me he needs. I'm never going to have a future, a future that I'll be happy with, I've accepted it. There are some foes you can't win against... ...mine is reality. The reality of loneliness."

She finally looks back at him, and there is a sad look on her face. "Thank you for your words... I know what you feel you must do, and I won't tell you to not pursue it. Just try for me and change yourself before you become broken like me."

D'Ranjo: Gurin...you can't ask me to do this...Not once have simply turned my back on someone in need...I wouldn't do so now...I have never felt guilty in a long time. I don't want to feel that way. Like I've made a wrong choice. My life...there is no other life for me. Somewhere...thre's a fight that must be fought...and I as a soldier, must be there...That...is the only life I know...and the only life I'm suited for...\*sigh\* \*holds her hand\* If you really want me to leave...then I will go next dawn...We come from seperate worlds. You from a social life and me from the fields of blood. In our lives...we are prepared for certain things. Broken or not, I will not stop fighting for what I believe in. And I believe in freedom.

His hand tingles as he touches her glowing body. Gurin's eyes widen up to a degree, then she looks down at the ground, but doesn't resist or pull away. After a moment though, she moves forward and comes to a rest against him, her head resting on his chest while silently crying, the glow of her pure green energy becomes subdued, and does little else save lie against him while she sobs, he can't tell if it is bitter or happy crying.

D'Ranjo: \*slowly and awkwardly wraps his arms around her in a hug\*

Gurin gradually calms down and simply lies there. "....Thank you..." She says very quietly.

D'Ranjo: Thank you too, Gurin...

Gurin drifts off to sleep silently, as she does so, her body composed of pure energy begins to crystalize, the crystal being so smooth it feels like he's almost touching something as fine as silk or even real skin.

D'Ranjo: Gurin? What are you-

No response, the only thing he can hear from her is a steady sort of heartbeat, caused by a condensed core of green light in her chest, and an ethereal breathing noise as she sleeps.

D'Ranjo: \*slowly sets her down and sits down next to her sleeping stasis. He then looks out at the shore quietly\*

Occasionally he sees a plume of energy come of her and distort and twist, becoming various animals or plants, this seems to happen every few minutes. As this happens, he notes her energy seems to actually be growing more and more, rather than shrinking.

D'Ranjo: \*looks in astonishment\*

Late into the night, he notices two more plumes form out of her, but these merely start to condense into tiny green spheres.

D'Ranjo: \*he continues to look on\* *I wonder whatever happened to home? I only hope that we achieved our goal in the end.*

The spheres appear to be getting larger, and are starting to take a vague... humanoid form.

D'Ranjo: \*gets up and and backs a few steps away\*

They continue forming, becoming slowly more defined, though they are taking a considerable amount of time to form compared to the other creations.

D'Ranjo: Life...I've never seen anything like it...Giving life...

The beings are eventually set down, one a young female, one a young male. They appear to be some sort of humanoid with goat legs, with a rather slender build in comparison to a human, they seem to have slightly larger eyes than humans as well. Both have light brown hair, and little tiny horns. When they see D'Ranjo, they seem timid.

D'Ranjo: \*is completely surprised at the sight of two living beings in front of him\*

The male looks at the female, then quietly stands in front of her, between her and D'Ranjo, as though considering D'Ranjo a threat.

D'Ranjo: It's okay...I don't want to inflict any harm. I'm sort of just as surprised as you are.

The two scamper off in fright into the woods.

D'Ranjo: Okay then...\*sits back down on the ground\*

Nothing else happens for the rest of the night, but he can hear faint cracking from the crystals as the sun rises that morning, the light touching the crystal seems to be waking Gurin up.

D'Ranjo: \*watches intently as he slowly rises to his feet\*

She slowly returns to her energy form state, unfreezing. After this happens, her body glows brightly again, and she slowly sits up.

"...Good morning...."

D'Ranjo: Morning. \*takes the apple out of his pocket and hands it to her\*

"I'm not hungry," She says quietly.

D'Ranjo: I didn't really expect you to eat it.

"Then why...?" She says, confused.

D'Ranjo: To remember me by. I leave today. I don't know when I'll be back, but just know I will return.

"I thought you were staying...?" She says, still sleepy.

D'Ranjo: I'm leaving because you want me to.

"...I..." She breaks off, looking away. "...I don't want to be alone."

D'Ranjo: Then I won't leave. \*sits down next to her\*

"...Thank you...."

D'Ranjo: \*nods then looks out into the rising sun\*

"What a romantic little scene we have here."

D'Ranjo: \*looks around to see who said that\*

Eien is standing behind them, the rising sun illuminating his usually his hidden face.

D'Rnajo: \*quickly stands to his feet\*

"So, what's your decision? You going to stay boy?"

D'Ranjo: I've decided to stay.

"Then you're going to work for it."

D'Ranjo: \*his face stays still as hed nods slowly\*

"I'll be brief and to the point. I'll let you two go free, but it's your job to protect Gurin, you will never leave her side. But until that point, you're going to learn how to be an actual Lambda, and not act like a chicken with his damn head cut off."

D'Ranjo: \*is confused\* A chicken...

"A bird, you twit."

D'Ranjo: Strange name...

"You're ignoring the point. Yes or no?"

D'Ranjo: Go ahead, I'm listening.

"Your job, as I said, is Gurin's protection. It will be your absolute. She is your only priority, and it will come before everything else. I will make you into the Guardian Lambda, and that will be the point of your existence here forth. Guardianship of all of your kind."

D'Ranjo: \*nods in understatement\*

"Before you do that exactly, you need some training... so to start, you get to explore nice little place I prepared for you."

D'Ranjo: \*slightly grunts\*

"Don't worry, it's only the Anti Logic Labyrinth. Totally safe."

D'Ranjo: I don't know what that is.

"Zap." D'Ranjo is shocked by a bolt of lightning, and disappears.

## Dead Men Walking

*A small ship begins flying through space.*

???: Grr... That bastard creature really did a number on me. If I had my armour I wouldn't have been taken out like that. Dracorex surely will pay for his sins against me.

???: Sir, you *were* acting rather bizarre before the battle against that beast creature, and when I found you on Earth.

???: I was under stress, Vexian Mania took over me. What is the current status of the Legion's leftovers?

???: It has been assimilated by the Great Dominion of the Hakaishin. Only the Vexians aboard this ship remain loyal to the former Legion.

???: Great Dominion, eh? Those bastards from Makai have been busy recently.

???: Our spies found that the Dominion planned to take over the Legion by invading Phazon, but the plan changed when the Emperor was reported dead.

???: That reminds me. What is the status of Equilatrium and Ryloth?

???: Equilatrium is dead. Ryloth's whereabouts are unknown.

???: Damn. Dracorex better prepare for hell, he has pissed me off to the extremes! I, Cato Legolias, will make sure he will suffer severly for his sins!!!

???: Sir, there is a good solution to this. The Dominion are already hunting for Dracorex's head. In time, they'll find and kill him, especially since one of their top dogs are stationed on Earth, in our former territory.

Cato: I see. Are our spies still active, Varkron?

Varkon: No, sir. They were all exposed, captured and killed off. They were pretty mad about it, and they're hunting us too, but its to a lesser extent than Dracorex.

Cato: Hmm. We should plan out what we do.

## The Drill

*Mareije and Geppro are summoned to a large chamber. A figure waits inside. They both kneel before it.*

Geppro: You ssummoned, Eritoshin?

???: Indeed. Please, refer to me by my name.

Geppro: Yes, Doriru, sir.

Mareije: What are your wishes, Doriru?

Doriru: The Hakaishin has requested you to sent a troupe of one thousand of the Gifters back to Earth, specifically in Antarctica. I want Tanaan and Magarth put in charge of them.

Mareije: Why?

Doriru: The Hakaishin wants them to monitor the activities on Earth, and to act as an info feed for our Insurgents. Mareije, if you please, give the order to them now.

Mareije: Yes sir.

*Mareije leaves.*

Geppro: You look cautious.

Doriru: Maybe so. Bayoll held back on Earth. Why is that?

Geppro: I believe it is because he relied too heavily on his special abilities.

Doriru: I see. Send Bayoll to the Drenar Pit.

Geppro: What do you have planned?

Doriru: If he wants to continue as a Gladiator, he must fight *without* his special powers. That is why I want you to send him the pit, with three thousand Gifters as his opponents.

Geppro: You can't be serious? He could get killed down there.

Doriru: I know. It's a test of his strength. The Drenar Pit's perplex ability of reducing one to just his physical strength, plus the equivalent of three Gladiators fighting against him, it's a perfect way of boosting his power. If he survives, then he is worthy of keeping his title. If he dies, he dies. The Hakaishin has no room for weaklings, especially Gladiators who are unable to live up to their names.

Geppro: Why are you giving me the order to send him down, anyways?

Doriru: **Because Lord Shen recognises you as the strongest of the Gladiators.**

Geppro: I see. I'll make sure his majesty's order is issued to Bayoll and his 3,000 opponents.

*Geppro soon leaves. Doriru looks out of a window to see several ships departing, each containing at least one hundred Gifters.*