Battle at the Chamber of Doubt

### Result (Outcome)

Invictus manipulates Ash into believing Gary murdered Fox, greatly damaging her relationship with Gary and the Team Squad
Invictus leaves Bolo's mind
Bolo regains control of his mind

“*You will lose, The Gary. She belong to me now. You lost the moment you let her go.*”
―Invictus
The **Battle at the Chamber of Doubt** was a confrontation within Bolo's mind that pitted Invictus (using Fox as a vessel) against Gary Goodspeed.

The battle was orchestrated by Invictus in order to turn Ash Graven against the Team Squad. Its plan came to fruition as it was able to manipulate her into believing Gary had murdered Fox.

## Background

In "Change is Gonna Come", Ash goes to personally confront Invictus within its prison, in an attempt to rescue her brother, Fox. Unbeknownst to Ash, Fox was already dead as Invictus had consumed his soul. After bringing her into its prison, Invictus claimed to Ash that Gary would kill Fox, and joining it is the only way she will be able to save her brother from death. Invictus then gave Ash a decision; stay with Gary and let Fox die, or join it in its goal to destroy the universe and rebuild it. It then sent her out of its prison, giving her three days to decide.

In "The Chamber of Doubt", the infection within Bolo caused by Oreskis has worsened to where Bolo's mind is slowly being corrupted. The Gatekeeper enlists the help of the Team Squad to help drive away the corruption. When the Team Squad enter Bolo's mind, Ash is beamed away to a dark part of Bolo's mind, where she is consulted by a spectral figure who claims that he is the last spark of sanity within Bolo's mind. The Bolo guides Ash through the Chamber of Doubt, where she encounters "Fox", which unbeknownst to her was truly Invictus puppeteering Fox's body. In order to prove he is the real Fox, Invictus recounts Fox's backstory of how he lost his arm and was forced into the Tryvuulian military. Invictus, through Fox, says that it wants Ash to join "him" and Invictus, and reiterates its claim that Gary destroys everything he touches. Although Ash is reluctant at first, she gives in in order to be with her brother again. Ash and Invictus then embraced as Invictus smiled malevolently, knowing it had already won. Meanwhile, the real last spark of insanity within Bolo's mind meets up with the Team Squad, warning them that Ash has been lured to the Chamber of Doubt by Invictus. Reacting quick, the Team Squad use the Galaxy Two to quickly lightfold to Ash's location.

## Battle

After arriving to the Chamber of Doubt, Gary quickly jumped from the Galaxy Two and drew his blaster at Invictus, warning Ash that her brother was truly Invictus. However, Ash would not respond to Gary's pleas. Invictus smiled evilly, knowing it would win regardless. Tossing his blaster aside, Gary ran over to the two as Invictus shoved Ash aside, allowing Gary to tackle it. As Ash looked on in surprise, shouting at Gary to stop attacking her "brother", Invictus easily knocked Gary aside and pinned him to the ground. Invictus then proclaimed that Gary had lost, as it took possession of his robotic arm, forcing it to activate into a laser sword. Invictus told Gary that Ash belonged to it now, and that Gary lost her when he had left her at the black hole. As Ash looked on in horror, helpless to prevent the death of her "brother", Invictus forced Gary to plunge his laser sword into Fox's corpse, making it look like Gary had murdered Fox. Following this, Invictus used Fox's corpse to speak to Ash, claiming that Fox only wanted to be a family, falling over, supposedly dead at the hand of Gary. As Fox's corpse vanished into the Chamber of Doubt, Ash angrily confronted Gary on the death of her brother. However, before Ash could attack Gary, Bolo, having regained control of his mind as Invictus had left, forced Ash, Gary, and the Galaxy Two out of his mind, ending the conflict.

## Aftermath

Following the battle, the Team Squad is left reeling at Fox's death, especially Ash, who is devastated at the death of her brother. Bolo informed Ash that Fox was already dead and that Invictus was inhabiting his body, but Ash, still blaming Gary for Fox's death, recounts that Invictus also possessed Gary, Avocato, and Bolo himself, and they still lived. Bolo tried to explain, but Ash silenced him and asked for Fox's corpse. Bolo obliged and forced Fox's corpse out from his mind, allowing Ash to retrieve her brother's corpse.