Galactic Nexus/Episode 3: Enigmatic Assault

**Enigmatic Assault** is the third episode of the first season of Galactic Nexus.

## Story so far

"As inscribed in the prophecy, a young man named Frisch Celerent walks on a path where the future of being the ruler of time and space, the Harvester, awaits him. After meeting new allies, he agreed to fight with them against the Serpenten Empire. Their first move was to raid on of their camps at Steel Works Zone and capture the field commander. They did succeed without much effort, thanks to the powers of Veisherald, the Herald of Thunderstorms. However, will it stay that way? An enigmatic figure is trying to assail the Harvester by—... Oh my, I almost said too much about the future. Anyway, such is the second page of the Harvester's history in a different realm." — Irissia

## Roleplay

Darkstorm debriefs Bakuu on the mission that had recently taken place while the defector looks at Frisch, "So what do you wish to know about my peoples crumbling Empire," the defector, Hish, says while his tongue flicks out.

"... My comrade Jack had a premonition of *energy portals*, which is similar to how your people got here in Mobius. But how exactly did they get here?"

Hish scratches his scaled chin before looking at Frisch, "Serpina's empire came through like the Apocalian's during the battle of the Apocalian Capital. A bright light engulfed both sides sending us here, I distinctly heard a woman's voice before my arrival and shortly before my capture."

"... A woman's voice...? Was it like ours?"

Hish shrugs his shoulders, "I only know as much as I heard at the time. if I heard the voice I will recognize it," Hish says as
Darkstorm walks out of the interrogation.

"... Very well," Frisch affirmed. "... You have our gratitude for the info."

*"And there I was hoping it might have been Cerelise... But probably not..."*

Patricia & Layla make sure that the prisoners are safe & sound, while Jack keeps a close eye on the Field Commander that they have captured recently.

Jack said to the Serpenten Field Commander. "Alright Mr. Field Commander. You don't like me & I don't like you after what you did to the prisoners & trying to invade our world. But right now, were gonna need a lot of information regarding the wormholes & Hollow Empress herself that Frisch mentioned. Now please tell us everything you need to know. No lies, only the truth. Do you understand?"

*"... First, energy portals... And now we have wormholes? What's he about to say next? Gateway? Rift?"* Frisch noted in his mind. *"... We'll never know until we meet the Hollow Empress..."*

"This is a lot harder without Kaiter here. Speaking of which, where is he?" Darkstorm asks as his voice sounds very frustrated.

Bakuu looks to Jack and whispers, "You don't think he went after my mother do you?"

Jack turn to Baku & whispers "Who knows. But it could be possible. Though we best prepare just in case."

Meanwhile, Shoko and Panchito were still searching for the green parrot. They did not notice Kaiter following them.

Kaiter stays close behind them having made a bow out of deer antlers and scavenged arrows.

Panchito looked at the ground, seeing a green feather. He picked it up, smiling. "Senora, I have found a clue! This is José's feather," he said.

"Alright," Shoko replied. "But we still haven't found him." Suddenly, someone tapped her shoulder. Shoko turned around and saw a green parrot in a suit.

"Excuse me," the parrot said in a Brazilian accent. "But I believe someone said my name. I am José Carioca."

"José, we finally found you!" Panchito exclaimed.

Kaiter sticks to cover readying his bow in case of attack.

"What, you two best friends or something?" Shoko asked.

José nodded. "And even more than that. We are part of the Three Caballeros."

"Well, where's the third? Don't tell me we have to look for him."

Kaiter rolls his eyes listening in on their conversation.

Panchito shrugged. "Hmm... senora, perhaps you could act as a temporary replacement. Even though you are not a bird..."

"I am OK with that," José said.

Kaiter soon see's movement in the shrubs nearby and draws an arrow.

Shoko's ears perked up. "Something is wrong."

Two conda serpentens attack from the underbrush hissing angrily at her, "Wonder if your husband will miss you once you are dead."

Panchito glared at them and drew out his two pistols.

the other conda slaps at his arms with his powerful tail before being shot in the shoulder by an arrow. Kaiter drops down and stands in front of Shoko, "Care to rethink your hatred for half-humans my lady?"

"Not all of them are half human," Shoko said. "Where's my son and husband?"

Kaiter looks to her, "I left them at base camp before I can assume they went to raid the serpentens base of operations, your daughter and son are somewhere on this planet."

"Thanks," Shoko headed off.

Shoko Indrani, Panchito Pistoles and José Carioca met up with Darkstorm and the others.

Darkstorm was talking to his men as he sees her and walks to her, "Shokes?" he reaches out a hand and strokes her cheek, "I thought I'd never see you again."

José looked slightly embarrassed. "*Meu Deus*, do you two need time alone?"

Bakuu picks José up and sniffs, "Interesting. are you an Avarian?"

José now looked confused. "Avarian? What is that? I am a parrot, *senhor*."

"What, you think I am an avarian too?" Panchito the rooster said.

Bakuu tilts his head, "Avarians are Bird-like Apocalians, a very rare type as there are only 3 in existence."

They looked even more confused. Shoko sighed.

"I'll explain everything later," Shoko said.

"Its nice to see you again mom. Have you seen Teni or Tosha? Perhaps Drakon," Bakuu asks hoping that his brothers and sister are safe and not in the hands of the Serpenten Empire or worse.

Shoko shook her head. "I haven't seen any of them, sorry."

Bakuu drops to his knees and slams his fists into the grown slowly turning into his vampire side in rage.

Panchito backed away a bit."Amigo, calm yourself. Tell us what is going on, here."

Darkstorm puts a hand on his sons back and looks to his wife, "I will handle things from here my love. Your gear is in my tent."

*"... More anthropomorphs? This is getting weirder..."* Frisch thought as he was noticing these new encounters.

"Seems like this Hollow Empress is trying to gather as many worlds as possible. This new world project of hers could be huge." Said Patricia, seeing that the situation gives her deep concern.

"... You seem to have experienced something like this before..." Frisch noted.

"Well... more or less since Jack, Layla & I & also Darkstorm may have crossed through the Ancient Dimension a couple times meeting Josh, Yuki, Rey & the others. But it was a long time ago, even more so with Bakugan, Knightmares, Kamen Rider suits & this EggRey character & other villains in their dimension in the past. Yet we still miss our Ancient Dimension friends, especially Yuki & we've grown more mature mentally thanks to their teachings." said Patricia when she can remember some of the Ancient Dimension a long time ago.

Frisch blinked twice.

"... That's a lot of stuff going on there... But I digress. Our next task is to investigate the anomaly."

Blaze the hedgecat rubs the back of her head as Patricia spoke, having no recollection of the events before turning to look at Hish. "Is something wrong?" she asks the Serpenten as he studies the Apocalian armor.

"Serpina will be ready for a frontal assault upon her next camp. She will try to ally with the power that brought her to this world and seeing how Darkstorm's daughter and two other sons are missing I fear that she may have them, prisoner," Hish says as his picks up a jagged black sword that the Apocalians called a Vengeance Blade.

Jack comforts Blaze the Hedgecat & said "It's ok, sweetie. It's a long story too. We can help out on investigating the anomaly, if you like, Blaze?"

*"... Ally with the power that brought her to this world...? If it were the Hollow Empress, they would be a serious threat... but everyone is a target of destruction for her. Though if it were someone else... We shall stop them as soon as possible."*

"Whoever brought the Serpentens here will share the same punishment for causing trouble," Seele noted. "If Serpina's really ready, I'd challenge her to bring it on."

Just as anyone was about to speak further, the sound of a considerably supernatural battle radiated from outside. Someone might be fighting the guards.

"..." Frisch's eyebrows arched furiously. "... Phage signatures."

"How did they...?!" Seele was about to ask but felt the necessity to investigate the attack first. "Tch. Anyway, let's go...!"

Jack, Patricia & Layla follow suite, while they get ready with Blaze THC & Darkstorm & the others, while Layla asked "What's going on out there?"

"... We have been attacked by a Phage," Frisch replied promptly. "... You'll see when we get there."

As soon as they arrive in the scene, they came across a masculine figure concealed in a sandy brown robe, fighting the guards all by his lonesome.

Jack, Patricia & Layla were a bit surprised to see a masculine figure having taken down the Guards & Jack said "I'm guessing that's him, right?"

"It could be possible. Stay alert." Said Patricia while she readies her purple magic, while Layla does the same with her dark & lunar magic.

"Forcing my hand like this..." the figure dusted off its robe. "My garment's not gonna clean itself, you know."

Seele's eyebrows raised a bit. "That voice..."

Frisch's arched furiously. "... Verzleinir. And just when I thought we have defeated you already."

"Oh, about my return..." the figure replied before taking his hood off, revealing a young man with messy indigo hair, paired with occasional cyan strands and a pair of eerie crimson eyes.

"It's a secret~"

"Anyways, what are you doing here? We're in a middle of a Hollow Empress-esque crisis here." asked Layla, wondering what the indigo haired young man is doing here.

Kaiter has his hand on his sword growling a warning as Hish slithers over to the Indigo hair man.

"Ah yes, the Hollow Empress: Reginull," Verzleinir uttered the name. "Not a crisis you can call an esque. It IS her doing that led us here."

*"But not the Serpentens... I don't think he knows this..."* Frisch thought.

"Regardless, this is good timing. I am ordered to kill the Harvester here and now. Dare interfere to share his fate. T'is only business."

"Joke's on you," Seele retorted. "He's not alone."

"So am I... Did you forget that I and the Harvester are alike? Shame~"

"... Speak for yourself," Frisch retaliated. "We shall defeat you again, no matter how much stronger you become."

Verzleinir snickered. "Come forth then..."

"... Reap the tares from my sight: Meisnetter," Frisch proclaimed.

"Correct the misguided lines, Atematheria!" Seele declared.

Upon their words, their raiments and armaments materialized from wispy turquoise energy swirling around them. Meisnetter was in the form of a glaive while Atematheria is in the form of a scepter.

"... The harvest will now begin," Frisch proclaimed.

"In other words, Get'em!" said Jack as he begins to cast a concerntrated & pressurised Water Beam at a hot temperature to blast it at Verzleinir's direction, while Patricia & Layla cast their magic orbs in a multiplying number to begin blasting them at the Indigo haired man with full force as well.

"Manifold magic attacks, huh..." Verzleinir muttered under his breath. His body transmuted into a dark gelatinous substance which split into four blobs that evaded the water jet's trajectory. As the magic orbs were blasted towards his direction, the blobs dashed forward like rivers and intercepted each other without merging back in an attempt to momentarily disorient his opponents. For some reason, one of them disappeared from behind the other blobs, leaving three remaining.

What just happened...?

Regardless, Frisch and Seele braced themselves. They know well what would happen next to the blobs as they have fought him before.

"... Elainne, back me up as soon as he draws close."

Seele quickly nodded once in confirmation as she slightly nudged a foot sidewards in preparation.

Hish watches them as Kaiter heads to Darkstorm to report on his whereabouts, "I have no regrets for my actions my lord. We needed Shoko and her scouts aid," Kaiter begins to say before being cut off by Darkstorm, "Next time inform me before you pull a stunt like that," Darkstorm says patting his shoulder, "Food for thought do not anger Shoko again Kaiter."

Jack tries spindashing at one of the three Verzleinir blobs at the back in high speeds, while Patricia tries blasting more magic orbs & magical Beams at the second blob & Layla begins tossing her explosive potions at the third blob, like tossing dynamite. "Fortunately, thanks to my Potion making hobby, I happen to make a couple potions in my spare time for different situations." said Layla, having packed a variety of potions for different situations in her spare time long ago.

Blaze flame spin-dashes one of the blobs saving Jack, "Watch your six Jackku."

Jack and Blaze spindashing gelatinous material was a blunder—the rotation did not deal any sort of harm on the blob. In fact, it increased its cohesiveness after separating into two in order to trap the two Mobians after an inelastic collision.

Meanwhile, the second blob swam in the air while evading unguided magic orbs but experienced some difficulty with the beams since they were faster. The third blob swam up in time to avoid the lobbed trajectory of the explosive potion before it erupts. As it dived towards Layla at high speeds, the second blob emitted an intense white glow in an attempt to temporarily blind them. The third blob reformed into a gelatinous humanoid which sent a flying giant densified fist at her upon its descent.

However, the light revealed what seemed to be a clear humanoid rushing from behind Patricia and Layla, delivering a forceful graze from its knife.

Fortunately, it was intercepted by Frisch as he blocked the blade with Meisnetter's shaft. He pushed the humanoid away with his armament and rushed for a quick attack.

"... Prism Shift..."

Seele snapped her fingers as an astral barrier blocked the fist and soaked the force evenly on its surface.

"... Reinflamme!"

Burning red rays emerged from his buckle, which scorched the humanoid and knocked it away from him. They then swirled around Frisch, engulfing him in a vortex of golden flames. It dissipated within seconds, revealing the Harvester with red lines instead of turquoise. The helmet lines formed what seemed to be a symbol resembling a phoenix.

Jack quickly tries to cast boiling water to try & blast at the first blob from within to try & boil the first blob, hoping that Blaze THC can also help as well, while Patricia & Layla charge up their magic & blasts their purple & lunar Beams at the other two blobs & the humanoid blob. Patricia turn to Frisch & said "Thank you for the save. Jack & Blaze THC still need our help."

The surrounding material soaked the rotational forces down to a halt, as well as the non-arcane fire Blaze generated (assuming it is). Before Jack's spell would resolve, the two blobs suddenly dive-bombed onto the ground as it splashed a bit before suddenly transmuting into a pillar of ice.

Due to sudden exposure to subzero temperatures, water in their skin cells would flash-freeze. As such, if they were trying to break through their frozen prison, they would suffer from frostbite afterwards. Not only that, hypothermia is also an issue, especially if they lack resistance to low temperatures.

But it was no issue to Frisch as heard Patricia well before he turned to Jack and Blaze the hedgecat. Without further delay, he executed a command targeting the pillars and his allies separately. Golden rings of Prismion script manifested around his outstretched left arm for a split second. At the exact moment that golden Prismion command circles appeared from the pillars' wakes emerged a pillar of golden flames that quickly turned the ice into pure Prismions and healed both Jack and Blaze from their injuries.

Meanwhile, the clear humanoid turned invisible again as it evaded the magical beams undetected. The blob that emitted the intense glow was nowhere to be found. The gelatinous humanoid formed gaps on its body as a means for the beams to miss it. It then transmuted back into Verzleinir.

"Not bad... but thanks to the Harvester and his aide. Think you all can last long~?"

Blaze nods her head give a smile as she rubs Jacks cheek before rejoining the fight as Bakuu spots a Serpenten scout retreating from the battle.

Jack blush a bit from the cheek rub from her Hedgecat sweetheart, before he rejoins the battle by blasting another pressured boiling water beam at Verzleinir's face. "Anything it takes for our worlds, friends & family & all of it's inhabitants to survive." Said Jack, who is more than willing to help protect the world's with the group.

Verzleinir shrugged. "Predictable words, just like your attacks," he commented nonchalantly, quickly transmuting into a gelatinous material that shot off towards them in a chaotic trajectory.

Layla, who is blasting more lunar magic orbs at Verzleinir with Patricia's help of her purple variant of magic orbs, took notice of the Serpenten scout retreating & said "One of the Serpenten scouts is getting away."

"... Elainne," Frisch beckoned.

Seele raised an eyebrow once as she stretched forth her hand—a violent vortex of wind forming around the Serpenten scout.

"Thank you." said Layla while she quickly surprise sprays her Skunk gas at Verzleinir trying to blind him with Patricia's help.

Patricia keeps an eye for the chaotic trajectory pattern & begins to calculate as she quickly casts a magic barrier for a magical shield bash & a shield flare burst Combo at Verzleinir, trying to surprise him with a defensive strategy, trying to get him off guard & blinded.

Jack quickly dodges the best he can with his top super speed, leaving a trail of flames, hopefully that Blaze uses her flames at Verzleinir to try & trap him in rings of fire to try & suffocate the indigo haired man.

A distorted chuckle reverberated in the field as Verzleinir in his gelatinous form traveled towards the Mobians. Assuming the skunk spray is a jet of liquid secretion (not gaseous; "skunk gas" is colloquial), the slime simply swam up as it would not be able to reach it. He quickly descended in an arc towards the Mobians. When he met Patricia's magical barrier up close, he simply swerved away as a result of superb reflexes and gelatinous consistency.

Patricia quickly shines burning solar light Beams at the gelatinous forms & brain of Verzleinir to try & burn him. While Layla picks up & tosses freezing potions at the gelatinous forms, trying to freeze him if he ever tries to dodge them. Even Jack tries a surprise ice type attack, Freezer Burn, an icy blizzard blast at Verzleinir, due to his connections with the water element that are very close to the ice element.

*"... Is he holding back...?"* Frisch thought, noticing Verzleinir's passiveness in the skirmish. *"... Or is he trying to force them to exhaustion...?"*

"... Elainne, take care of the scout for me."

"Right," Seele affirmed. She proceeded towards the Serpenten scout.

*"They have strong long-range capability... Why not force them out of it?"* In order for the solar beams to miss him, he swooped due forward, plunged towards Patricia overhead, and split into four blobs again... Seems like he had regenerated material during that small talk with Jack. The other disappeared as the three plunged straight towards Jack, Patricia, and Layla.

The Serpenten scout hisses in anger as he tries to escape only to exhaust himself further before blacking out.

Jack notices this in a panic & screamed "Yikes!" as he, Patricia & Layla tries to dodge barely, while getting sent skyward from the sudden high speed frontal assault. While the three mobians tries to blast more of their water, light & lunar Beams, only to be shown signs of fatique starting to take their toll but by bit. "Gah, now I know how Sonic feels when he faced Chaos 0 in the past." Jack thought.

"He's too fast & too agile in his gelatinous form & we can only freeze him in place" said Layla, showing signs of frustration & fatigue with the other two, of their new near unstoppable threat, they are facing.

"Frisch, Seele! We're getting pinned down & our energy is slowly draining!" Said Patricia, while trying to concerntrate with every ounce of power, she, Jack & Layla had left to try & hit at Verzleinir. Patricia thought about the situation they're in now. "I'm starting to think that he's a very extra powerful man, unlike anything we've seen before. We can't seem to shake him let alone get an advantage. Unless we find any weakness to his slime gelantious form, we're out of luck."

The blobs swerved away from them and converged into a single mass, reverting into Verzleinir... who seemed to be walking away from the battle with an indifferent look on his face.

"With all this dragging... I'm bored now. Frisch is not even fighting me seriously."

"... You're just gonna walk away empty-handed...?" Frisch asked. "... I thought you wanted to assassinate me."

"That time will surely come. But not now. Seeing how things turned out, I came here to assess your strength... especially your allies. They could not keep up. What if Reginull actually comes and attacks you all? What're you gonna do about it?"

"... I hate to say this but you have a point..."

"That I have. Remember, you cannot protect everyone at your current state... much less prevent me from taking your life.. next time."

And just like that, he walked away leaving a sly chuckle.

"... That was weird..." Frisch walked towards the Mobians. "... Apologies for my lack of support. In truth, I was observing how you fare against someone like Verzleinir. I can only prevent you from getting killed there. But for some reason, he went passive on you."

"At least he's kind enough to show mercy. Were lucky enough to survive." said Patricia while she coughs a bit, while slowly getting up with Jack & Layla.

"I can't feel my everything." said Jack while he is completely exhausted, wounded & very thirsty from their battle that drained their energy for a long while.

"Even we can't imagine what this guy can do when he's in full power." Said Layla, feeling concerned about what would happen if Verzleinir is at full power, meaning it could be extremely dangerous if not careful.

Meanwhile, Seele was carrying the unconscious Serpenten scout with large astral hands. "We've secured an important target!"

The Serpenten scout gasps for air as they take him prisoner.

"... We have more interrogation to carry out. Let's head back inside."

Seele nodded in affirmation as she does so.

Bakuu growls at the scout and looks to Frisch, "Give me five minutes with this snake. If he doesn't sing I will beat the information out of his scaly hide," he growls out clentching his fist.

Frisch nodded in affirmation. "... He's in your hands." He turned towards Seele. "... Follow Bakuu to the interrogation room."

"You got it, Frisch!" Seele perked up.

"I sense this is a personal vendetta, Bakuu. Tread carefully, we all want to find Teniahk, Tosha and Drakon as soon as possible but rushing without thinking will not be helpful," Darkstorm warns looking to his wife, "You are not the only one suffering from the tension."

As they head back inside the heart of the camp, something is happening in the distance—somewhere in the shadows of a well-known structure in the Republic of Acorn: the Freedom HQ. From the perspective of said structure, Darkstorm's camp could be seen at the outskirts of the Republic.

But enough of the sightseeing—something strange is happening inside the HQ.

One of the most peculiar you have ever seen. Who would have thought of this?

Indeed, something strange was indeed happening inside Freedom HQ. While the current attendants of the HQ were... doing whatever it was they were doing, they could possibly hear a loud noise.

*Thud- CHNK!*

From the sounds of it, it was like someone kicking down a door from its hinges and it collided with the floor... or a wall, it was hard to tell. But the odd thing is, it certainly didn't come from the entrance... it came from *within* the headquarters. What was odd about it? It's because nobody besides the current attendants were present. Someone else had gotten in somehow. But that only begs the question... how did they get in? And just who were they, and what was their intention?

One thing was certain though—this was certainly a security breach.

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To be continued in the next episode...

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