Invasion

---

One in the morning in Kubrik: giant lights illuminate the Royal Palace in the Gamezohan capital. The Empress, May She Reign Forever, had retired to her private chambers for the evening. The large bedroom sports a decor reminiscent of the old Earth harems: silk drapery of varied colors hang from the vaulted ceiling, beautiful exotic plants sit in every corner and a seemingly infinite number of throw pillows and shag rugs cover the floor. It was all done by the finest decorators in the Empire as per Her Imperial Majesties' request.

Nike lay on a pile of soft, feathery pillows, crying silently to herself. Kylie had informed her earlier that day that Oscar Angeles had been successfully rescued from the uber sexy clutches of the Pink Lotus. The reports mentioned a vampire, the Scarborough Triplets running around terrified, general chaos amongst the clan and a certain trouble-causing demon.

She also told Her Majesty that Takako had been killed.

Nike now faced a great deal of emotional conflict. She was relieved that the sadistic leader of the Pink Lotus had been defeated, and that Oscar was now safe, but Takako? Dead? Impossible. They didn't call her the Laser Dodger for her looks--the assassin was near invincible. And given the opportunity, she would have tortured Nike and had her friends killed--that is, if the Empress hadn't killed her brother as a token of loyalty to her former mistress. Yeah, good riddance, bitch, glad to be done with ya...

Soul mate.

Despite all the nasty, depraved stuff Takako had done as long as Nike had known her, deep down, there had indeed been a connection between the two of them. They had shared something special, and now, memories of happier times came flooding back to Nike and she couldn't help but feel a great deal of sorrow for her lover. Why'd things have to be this way?

Damn him. He was the reason all this was screwed up. He was the one who came barreling into her life like a damn green fireball--overconfident, boisterous, didn't give a crap about what anyone had to say or think. He was dangerous--and that's what had made him so attractive at first. But she didn't realize HOW dangerous. First Katje, then Takako, nearly her brother and Wild Thing. The bastard teamed up with DAMOCLES. She was pregnant because of him. She wondered what she would do if he were to show up. How long would she relent before she just outright killed the son-of-a--

The bay window on the other side of the room shattered and Joel came flying through it, rolling like a rag doll across the room and coming to a rest among shards of broken glass, motionless.

---

 

Joel was mad. There were dozens of questions swarming around his head. Why did things have to be this way? How'd I get sick? What the hell's wrong with me? And most importantly, what the hell am I doing back on Gamezoha Prime?

 

As the demon continued to question himself, he was quietly sneaking through the shadows of the palace grounds as he made his way closer to the central tower. Being in empire territory alone was dangerous, but he was in the dead center of the anti-Joel Diablo zone now. Should a guard spot him, there would be no capture, no interrogation and no imprisonment; he would be shot on sight. There was a price on his head, too--should a Gamezohan citizen see him and feel brave enough (or stupid enough), they could legally kill him for a large reward.

 

Good to know you're worth something, eh?

 

And so Joel stuck to the shadows, staying out of sight, making his way steadily along until he found himself crouching in the shadow of the tower itself. He could remember the layout of the palace from his days as President of the Republic. Odds are, if Nike was around, she'd be in the private chambers alone--unless she had some sort of playmate or two to entertain her.

 

Feeling bold, Joel took a deep breath, made sure no one was nearby, then suddenly surged upwards into the air, straight up the side of the tower. He was halfway up the length of the structure when he suddenly felt very weak. He could feel the inside of his head grow dense, like all the liquid in his brain had suddenly solidified. His speed faltered and he brushed up against the tower wall. As his vision started to blur, he focused with all his might on the bright window just above him and put on a final burst of speed.

 

Maybe he could make it through the window in time. Maybe he wouldn't kill himself crashing through the glass. Maybe Nike wouldn't kill him right away; he could explain himself. Maybe this would be the last thing he'd ever see?

 

Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all...

 

---

 

BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG! BONG!

 

The bells of Castle Dirge rang out across the valley seven times. As the sound of the vibrating metal faded, one could almost hear the screams of the damned and desolate. The sun took its cue and slid down below the mountains, leaving the sky a dull orange.

 

Vasdhra looked down from the balcony to see a sleek, black stretch Corvette pull up to the castle doors at seven on the dot.

 

Mother had arrived.

 

Time to face the music, Vasdhra sighed. He moved to check himself in the nearby mirror one last time. Then he remembered his vampire traits prevented him from casting a reflection and he scoffed--how many more times would he attempt to view himself in a mirror before he got a clue? The Count exited the room and started down the hall to the grand staircase.

 

James' voice boomed in the grand foyer, reverberating off the walls and down the corridors. "Announcing her Grace, Madam Geraldine Wilhelmina von Sphexoren."

 

The lady Geraldine, in opulent black gown covered with azure jewels and shock white hair pulled tightly back, entered the foyer. She fanned herself with a snobbish air that only blue-blooded aristocracy could carry. Vasdhra descended the large stairs. He stopped before his mother and bowed deeply, "Welcome, mother. I hope your trip was a pleasant one."

 

Geraldine smiled, looking down her nose at her son, "Quite so." She made no move to embrace him, but reached forward and cupped his cheek in her hand. They were cold to the touch. Vasdhra had grown up acknowledging the bitter mixture of affection and scorn his mother had for him.

 

That was fine--the feeling was mutual.

 

"Now, where is that wonderful bride of yours?"

 

As if on cue, the large double doors to the sitting room opened noisily and the Duchess Salyra entered the grand foyer. She was wearing a form-fitting dress of a striking crimson and held in her hand a pair of leashes, each connected to a scantily clad bunnygirl/amazon hybrid.

 

Talk about your first impressions.

 

"Madam Wilhelmina," Salyra said with a remarkable air of grace, "It is indeed a sincere pleasure to finally meet you in person. Your son has told me much of you."

 

"He has, has he?" Geraldine glanced at Vasdhra for a brief moment, "I hope he didn't cause you to pass judgment on me before we were properly introduced in person."

 

"He actually had many kind words to say--it appears he loves his mother dearly. But enough of this idle chit-chat, if you would care to follow me, I have already prepared some drinks for us in anticipation of your arrival."

 

Holy crap, she's turned into a freakin' debutant, Vasdhra realized. For the first time since he read about Salyra, he suddenly had doubts, but no matter. He could smell blood and his hunger grew. He decided to bide his time and wait to see what his wife was scheming.

 

---

 

"Archduke!"

 

Gauss was walking through one of the massive halls in the Wendauerian grand palace when he heard Kylie call him by his title from the far end. He recognized the voice and kept walking, feigning obliviousness, but to no avail.

 

"Don't walk away from me when I'm trying to talk to you, Wernher, you've been avoiding me ever since you've returned."

 

"Can't get nothing past you Grammaton. Hey, maybe you should take a hint?"

 

"You're so immature."

 

Gauss turned around, "What the hell are you doing on Erendauer anyways? Isn't there someplace you need to be snooping around in--what does the Empire pay you for?"

 

Kylie had grown accustomed to Gauss' verbal abuse. Being a Sphexoren helped a great deal, "I regret to inform you that the Archduchess has gone missing--"

 

"Thanks for the bulletin."

 

Kylie sighed, "And I'd like to know the whereabouts of Dr. de Viaminima."

 

"Oscar? Why?" Gauss asked incredulously.

 

"Questioning regarding the Pink Lotus."

 

The archduke smirked, "You're lying."

 

Kylie rolled her jeweled eyes, "I think we both know, Archduke, that despite persistent claims, your ability to detect truth in certain individuals statements is rather--how shall I put this--derisory."

 

Gauss snorted, still smirking, "Well, you finished? You can probably find him in his room on the third floor, but I'm not his secretary--he could be anywhere."

 

Kylie immediately turned on her heel and left Gauss standing alone in the darkened hall, surrounding by the vicious-looking Wendauerian architecture. The dragon sighed and continued walking on his way, a little slower than before.

 

---

 

"How absolutely delightful!" Salyra laughed. She was lounging on the spiky-looking loveseat, practically draped over Vasdhra. The Count felt uncomfortable. While he did appreciate the touch of the duchess, she kept rubbing him in some rather inappropriate places, particularly when ones mother is also in the room. If Madam Geraldine had any objection, she didn't express it. At least they seemed to be getting along. Maybe mother would have pride in her son for choosing such a wonderful woman as his bride. Maybe...

 

The door to the lounge opened and James the Butler stepped in, "If you'll pardon my intrusion, your guest has arrived, Madam Salyra."

 

"Oh, show him in, show him in!" Salyra hopped up, smiling.

 

Vasdhra looked confused, "Dearest, who did you invite?"

 

"Oh, you're going to love this!" Salyra exclaimed gleefully, "I'm glad you're here also, Madam Mina, this pertains to you, as well." Madam Mina. She was calling mother by her nickname! And she didn't object! This was either very good or very--

 

"I told you about my plans for revenge against Saint Jon and his band of misfits--the king, the archduke and the angel--"

 

What about the archduke? Vasdhra thought.

 

"Well, I've recently made contact with a certain individual who is willing to extend his services to help aid in their capture!"

 

"Is he a mercenary?" Geraldine asked, "I do dislike mercenaries."

 

"Oh, this is no mercenary--he happens to be royalty!"

 

At that moment, James reentered the lounge, "May I present Baron Pyrite of Halak." The young fae entered the room. Although those present wouldn't notice, his physical appearance had suffered much over the past few months: his skin was very pale, his hair stringy, his eyes circled in darkness. It looked as if his anger had been eating away at him from the inside out. Even Vasdhra was surprised by his appearance. Salyra, on the other hand, behaved like a hyper schoolgirl as she crossed the room to great the baron.

 

"Pyrite, it is an absolute pleasure to meet you. This is my husband and rescuer, Count Vasdhra Sphexoren, and mother--Madam Geraldine--"

 

She was calling her mother now! What the deuce?!

 

Pyrite nodded solemnly, "I am honored to meet you all."

 

The Duchess continued, "Please, join us, we have wine or blood, whichever you may prefer." Geraldine smiled. Vasdhra rolled his eyes. Salyra offered a silken ottoman to the baron. He declined and pulled up a bare wooden chair to the group.

 

"Now, I'd rather not waste another moment. It's time to speak with you all on a matter of grave importance: vengeance!"

 

---

 

- Are you going back home, Ariston? David asked.

 

"Aye, I need to patch things up with Aria and Amaya. Prove my good intentions to them, y'know?"

 

- It be a problem if I go with?

 

Aris smiled, "No, Samsa, it wouldn't be a problem at all. 'The more folks on the journey, the more hands to carry stuff.' "

 

- Chapter 8, Verse 17, Book of Fred.

 

"Correct-amundo."

 

---

 

Gauss found Jon, Miriam, Assumpta, Vinny, Windsong and Jake sitting in one of the grand ballrooms of the Wendauer palace--the small group in a small corner of the massive room, their whispers echoing off the walls. The atmosphere of the scene before him reminded him of a classic Sphexoren masterpiece. It made him shudder inwardly.

 

"I remember this one barbeque place back in Chicago--Blackjack's." Vinny smiled, "They had the best pulled pork sandwiches I have ever had ANYwhere. Anywhere. Mom and I would go up there once a week and we'd sit up at the counter and eat our fried potatoes... an' mom would talk to Dr. Jack... don't know why they called him doctor, he was only the cook--but they'd talk about boring adult stuff--money, weather, what crazy Miz Gibbins from down the street was doing... I miss those days... I miss those sandwiches so much... now things are so much more complicated... there's no room in this universe for a pork combo anymore..."

 

Everyone was silent. Windsong held Vinny's hand tightly and Jake laid a large, furry paw on his son's shoulder.

 

"She was buried there," Vinny continued, "I mean, sure, she was already gone but, this just makes things worse... it's like DAMOCLES took her away from me again--the people I had known and loved. I... I don't think... I feel like I can't do anything about it all. Like I'm helpless."

 

Jon shook his head, "Dost thou forget so easily what happened in the Black Forest? The Schwarzwald? The blood of your veins runs with the strength of many kings--'tis your birthright to lead us against our enemies."

 

Gauss blinked at the words. The blood of many kings--it sounded familiar to him. Probably some royal gibberish his father had once spoken of years ago.

 

"You seem to be taking this all very well, Saint Krigsley," Jake noted.

 

Jon smiled sadly, "Do I appear so calm? In truth, my mind was in turmoil at the sight of Earth's destruction. I feared my faith would be lost--that the words of John the Revelator were false--that the Second Coming would never be. Yet the vision of our mothers have eased my mind. Regardless of our loss, we must bear the tribulation and focus on the trial," the knight looked up at the others, with a intense glowing in his eyes, "DAMOCLES and Moebius must be stopped and the universe must be restored. I choose to do so under the will of the Lord and the leadership of my King." Jon locked eyes with Vinny and nodded. It brought Vincit some comfort and some warmth returned to the room.

 

Jon noticed Gauss standing nearby. The others turned to look at the Archduke, who now stepped forward. Gauss said nothing at first, which prompted Jake to ask what was wrong.

 

Gauss shook his head, "Nicolette is missing."

 

"Do you want us to help search for her?" Vinny asked.

 

"I'm not even sure she wants to be found, Vin," Gauss sighed, sitting down on the edge of the table. He crossed his arms and studied the floor.

 

"We'll help you when you need us, Gauss," Windsong said quietly. Gauss didn't reply, but nodded gently in affirmation.

 

"In the meantime," Vinny sighed, "We have a war to fight. SURTR forces are likely on their way right now, so we need to be ready to greet them. Beats sitting around here moping about. I'm gonna need your help planning the welcoming party, Gauss. Jon, how soon can you all get on your way to see the Hikari-No?"

 

"Soon," the paladin replied, "But first, I think we need to help Oscar."

 

Vinny blinked, "I thought I told him to go to the doctor."

 

"Aye," Assumpta nodded, "And he refuses. He is... very different."

 

"It's the drug Nevin gave him," Miriam said, "His symptoms indicate it might be Aggregat Einundzwanzig."

 

"Agregory Whatsis?" Vinny blinked.

 

"The Chemical Soul Mirror," Gauss muttered, "I faintly recall the serum being destroyed. How'd that vampire get his grubby little mitts on it?"

 

"Pure conjecture," Miriam shrugged, "But it's bad news for Oscar--I think he may have thought it would help him rejoin with Joel to become Dr. de Viaminima again, but all it's doing is siphoning Joel's darker essence into him. And he can't control it, apparently."

 

"So, what do we do?" Windsong asked.

 

"Either we find some sort of antidote or Oscar's body fights the drug off itself. Otherwise... he might not live another week."

 

---

 

The Green-Haired Witch was admiring the extensive collection of books when Gerda the Lorekeeper entered the cozy cavern room with an ornate tray of an unidentifiable metal upon which rested an equally ornate tea kettle and a pair of smallish cups. She sat the tray on a short table and poured the tea, "It's a special organic mixture, my dear, especially formulated for dryads. I hardly ever get to use the recipe, as we hardly ever get any dryad visitors," Gerda finished with a chuckle.

 

"Thank you," Sylvia smiled, accepting the cup, "How are the boys?"

 

"Dumla took them to the social hall. It's been many, many years, so I imagine they'll be there talking for quite a while. In the meantime, let's see if we can't take a look into your Pyramid problem," Gerda walked over to a wall made entirely of different drawers, opened the bottom-most drawer, and started rummaging through the contents. "Hmm, wrong one. You'd think after all these years I'd be able to keep track of everything," she said, closing the drawer and climbing a small stepladder to reach a higher drawer. She pulled out a green datacube, studied it briefly, replaced it and pulled out another cube. This time her face lit up, "Ah, HERE we are!" Sylvia watched as the Hikari-No slipped the cube into a nearby slot and the holographic information appeared in the center of the room.

 

"Amazing!" Sylvia exclaimed, "When you said you had authentic Dht'n'k'lz writings, I thought perhaps you only had but a volume or two, but an entire collection worth--"

 

"Only that which the Dht'n'k'lz preserved before they mysteriously disappeared."

 

"They were destroyed by their own weapons, were they not?"

 

Gerda laughed, "Heavens, no! The MPOITU were designed to SAVE the universe, not to destroy it. Although you could stand to argue that the MPOITU could destroy the universe, if they were to fall into the wrong hands..."

 

"The Avatar of Destruction," Sylvia nodded, reading the holographic writing. The implications were staggering. "So what do we know of the Pyramid?"

 

Gerda looked through the changing information, "Well, we know it's the Fourth Most Powerful Object In The Universe and also the last in physical form. It serves as a guidance system for the final three MPOITU: the avatars of destruction, order, and creation, otherwise referred to as the reindeer, the lobster, and the gosling. The three combine to form the--"

 

"The ROCKET!" Sylvia said, her eyes wide with surprise and fear.

 

Gerda blinked bemusedly, "Why didn't you tell me you could read Dht'n'k'lz?"

 

"I am not completely fluent, I only recognize a few words from their language, but this one in particular--" Sylvia pointed to the Dht'n'k'lz word SL'CXS, "I have come to know this word very intimately."

 

Gerda read the text, "So we can infer that you, Jorgan and Fendegist represent creation, or the gosling, and that this Moebius character represents destruction, or the reindeer... who represents order?"

 

Sylvia thought back to the words of M'Alphael in the woods on Erendauer, "I think he is referred to one known as Uziel, whomever he may be."

 

Gerda continued to read, "The writing says there are four other pieces to get the Pyramid to work other than the ROCKET. There's the King, whose job is to... um, it looks like to envision the new world, so he likely is used to determine what is destroyed and what is rebuilt. Then there's the Shaman, whose wisdom guides order. And then there's the Axis, a tool of balance that keeps the Pyramid stable--makes sense, as I imagine you'd need an individual to balance the three extreme elements out. And finally there's the Source that unlocks the Pyramid for its purpose."

 

"Now the Grillion Dollar Question," Sylvia mused, "WHERE is the Pyramid?"

 

Gerda smiled as she scrolled through the Dht'n'k'lz writing, "I haven't a clue."

 

---

 

Vinny tapped on the doorframe before entering the darkened room, "Hey, Osc?"

 

"Yeah," a voice mumbled from the far corner. Vincit could just barely make out the small figure hunched up against the wall, "I'm over here, what do you want?"

 

Vinny walked over to where Oscar was sitting. His eyes let him see Oscar in the dark better than an average humanoid, "Jon said you're very sick."

 

"I'm not sick."

 

"Not what I hear. Said you took something that made you sick."

 

"I'm supposed to get better."

 

Vinny paused, thinking, "And are you?" Oscar said nothing. "I saw your feathers; the way you acted back on the ship. I told you to see a doctor then--I'm telling you now, you need to see the royal physician."

 

"What I got, ain't no doctor can cure me of," Oscar coughed then spit something out on the floor next to him. It looked more like black phlegm. He frowned.

 

"When did that start?"

 

"Last night--listen, your questions are hurting my head, will you just leave me alone, please?"

 

"Oscar, you have to promise me you'll go see the doctor or I won't leave."

 

"... I'll think about it."

 

As much as he wanted to grab Oscar and shake him violently for being so stubborn, Vinny knew it was best to simply leave the angel alone--for now, at least. He could smell Oscar's defensiveness very strongly--and a hint of something else--something he couldn't quite place. It was a tangy, iron-like scent he caught in the back of his throat once in a rare while and somehow, he was reminded of Joel.

 

---

 

"Wake up."

 

Joel could hear the voice from the depths of his unconsciousness. He struggled against the darkness, grasping for awareness, and once his eyes finished straining into focus he groaned when he could finally make out the figure standing before him.

 

"Hey. Don't you fall back to sleep again, bastard, look at me!" Nike slapped him across the face, effectively bringing Joel to a full state of alertness. He glared at his captor.

 

"You got a lot of nerve to come back here--what's your game?"

 

Joel struggled against the metal restraints that held his wrists up above his head, "Hey, screw you, bitch, I go where I want when I want--I don't need excuses for the things I do."

 

Nike slapped Joel again and took the full pleasure of it, "I am the Empress! You will NOT talk to me that way, whore!"

 

"Whore?" Joel coughed, "YOU'RE calling ME a whore?!"

 

Nike slapped him again, harder than before. The sting made his eyes water up and a smile crept across Nike's face, "Ohhh, what's a-matter, baby? Did I hurt you? How does it feel--tell me, tell me how does it feeeel... hmpf... I know how it feels to be hurt. To have things taken from you--your life, your loved ones, a part of your soul!"

 

Joel snorted, "What the hell?"

 

Nike slammed both hands against the wall and got right up in Joel's face, "You KILLED my MISTRESS! You let Katje DIE! You've done nothing but SCREW with MY LIFE since the first day I met you!"

 

"What?! What?! You're still mad about Katje? Look, you THINK I wanted to send her to her death?! It was Consulary Ops--they sent her behind MY back!"

 

Nike scoffed, "You're a miserable liar."

 

"No, I'm the best damn liar there is--but as far as Katje is concerned, that's the truth. As for, what was her name again? I didn't kill her, either--hell, she nearly killed me--but apparently I'm too much of a smartass for her to handle. She had a stroke... then I set her hair on fire BUT THAT'S NOT THE POINT! She was already freakin' dead!"

 

"I don't believe you!"

 

"You don't have to!" Joel yelled. Suddenly, he felt his mind twist inside his head. His eyes widened and his face twitched. Nike noticed.

 

"What was that?"

 

"Nothing."

 

"No, your face just--"

 

"I said it was NOTHING!"

 

"QUIT YELLING AT ME!" Nike shouted. She threw a pillow at him and it bounced harmlessly off his chest. The two were quiet for a while. Then Joel spoke, "So, you gonna call your guards and have me dismembered in the town square?"

 

"Believe me, the thought had occurred, thanks for the reminder."

 

"How's the baby?"

 

The word seemed to click in the Empress' head and she looked dubiously at Joel, "What did you just say?"

 

"I'm asking about the baby, I wanna know..."

 

Nike marched back up to Joel again, "What, if I aborted it? You're so cold--"

 

"No, I just wanted to know if everything was alright."

 

"Me and the baby?"

 

The demon rolled his eyes, "No, Abbot and Costello--OF COURSE you and the baby, why the hell you think I'd come all the way back up here?!"

 

"I don't know," Nike growled, "I haven't figured out your ulterior motive yet. Moebius must've sent you."

 

"AAANT! Wrong. Moebius TRIED to get me to play his stupid game of chess, but I don't buy his bullshit for a minute. You know what he's going to do, don't ya?"

 

Nike spoke without looking at Joel, "Yeah, he's going to try to summon some god of doom by destroying Gamezoha."

 

"Really? Wow... he didn't tell me he was actually going to blow the planet up... he really is as big a bastard as I figured him for. Anyways, like I said, I don't play Moebius' games anymore--I don't like his plans. That's why I came back here... cause... *mumble, mumble*..."

 

"I'm sorry?"

 

"I SAID I was worried... about the baby... and you..."

 

Nike's jeweled eyes narrowed, "You really must be sick in the head or something--I've never known Joel Diablo to be worried about anything other than himself. Who are you?"

 

"What do I have to do to prove to you I'm legit?"

 

Nike thought for a moment, "Hang there and wait. I've got business matters to attend to... I'm sure I'll have figured out WHAT to do with you when I get back."

 

"Wha--what if the guards come in and find me?" Joel stammered, "There's a bounty on my head, y'know."

 

"Then you'd better keep quiet unless your usual ranting and raving brings some unwelcome guests," Nike sneered, walking up to her victim. She pinched his right cheek and slapped him once more, a little gentler than before, but no less painful. She then turned and left the room, locking the door behind her.

 

Joel sighed. Well that went as well as could've been expected, didn't it?

 

---

 

"Here's our current situation," Guideau said, gesturing to a map of the territories on the wall behind him, "Our own military commander, General Leefe, is returning to assist our kingdom in the battle. Intelligence reports from Gamezoha confirm enemy movement just beyond the Dewnhëem borders. Despite this, we have heard nothing from the Prinzip or his staff, which I admittedly find most troubling."

 

Gauss stood from his seat at the table, "Empress Nike has called together our armies to protect Gamezoha's territories, including the GSMC and the Silver Dragoon Guard. The Grammaton Novas, the Operators and the Blitz Knights have also joined our ranks. We do, of course, offer our assistance to Wendauer." He didn't mention the Terracotta Protocol. Although a tool for use in coups, a major attack by an alien race would certainly qualify as a call for Silver Berets, PSY-SQUAD and the Seventh Wing to lend support. Gamezoha's armed forces would equal that of Wendauer and Dewnhëem combined, but could they withstand the attack from SURTR and the Mi-Go?

 

Still pondering the complications, Gauss returned to his seat and Guideau continued. "Even with the Mi-Go forces moving against us, there's no sign of the SURTR-led armies anywhere. It's as if the ships completely disappeared. We have zero confirmation from both Gamezoha and Dewnhëem --even our spies are without explanation. We're hoping to have some help from SURTR defectors Delapore and Samsa once they return from attending to personal matters."

 

All eyes shifted to look at Vincit, who sighed uncomfortably before standing, "So this is it, eh? Jon: you, Miriam and Assumpta will take a ship and head for the Khenteles system to speak with the Hikari-No. We've got to find the Pyramid soon."

 

Guideau called the briefing to a close and everyone in the room started to shuffle about making preparations for the war to come. Jon walked over to speak with Vinny, but both were surprised to see Gauss join them.

 

"What is it?" Vinny asked.

 

Gauss looked troubled, "Chromelips has disappeared. Whutty wants to go out to find her, but I don't want him to go alone."

 

"I understand." Vincit nodded, "I want to help, but, well..."

 

"You have a great responsibility here, Vinny. As soon as we find her, I'll come right back to help you guys out."

 

"Thanks, Wernher."

 

"Is there anything I could do to help?" Jon asked tentatively.

 

"S'okay, Jon, just concentrate on getting to the Hikari-No. We'll all meet up again."

 

"Alright," the paladin nodded. Then he looked at Vincit, "What about Oscar?"

 

"I talked to Miriam earlier today. She's going to keep searching for information on the drug and possible antidotes, but I'm afraid that it's up to Oscar to save himself for now."

 

---

 

"What do you miss most about Earth?"

 

Oscar snorted and grabbed the bottle in front of him, "Can't rightly recall. Nearly all my memories of Earth involve me and Joel fighting. I remember some pretty places in my journeys, but they never stayed that way. The ol' demon would show up, start throwing fireballs and something would explode and we'd leave the place a lot worse off than when we arrived... the bastard."

 

"Wow."

 

Oscar sighed and downed a shot aggressively, slamming the glass back on the table when he had drained it, "Yeah, no. Won't even bother trying to remember. Too many bad memories... it's wrong that it's gone, but I'm not gonna cry over it..."

 

"That's kinda heartless, ain't it?"

 

Oscar looked up and glared fiercely at the random soldier, "It was my damn home planet too..." He stood up quick, knocking his chair over, and stormed out of the social room. He was still fuming as he turned the corner and bumped into Kylie.

 

"Hey! Watch it!"

 

Kylie started to get up, intending to teach the jerk a lesson in manners, but she froze when she saw who it was. At the same time, Oscar's ill temper subsided and he sighed, "Look, I'm sorry, let me help you up."

 

"Dr. Josephus..."

 

"Close, but no cigar. The name's Oscar," the angel said, pulling Kylie to her feet, "You are?"

 

"Ah, Grammaton Nova Kylie Sphexoren. Thank you--I'm sorry."

 

"About what?"

 

"Nothing. Nevermind," Kylie said, looking nervously at the angel.

 

"Right. Have a nice life," Oscar said, stepping around the apparently befuddled Kylie. She panicked, "Uh, are you okay?"

 

Oscar grunted and looked back at her, "Yah. I'd say. You're the one that got knocked on the ass, not me."

 

"Doctor--I mean, Oscar--that's not what I meant, I was referring to your other condition."

 

Oscar turned around and cocked his head to the side, "WHAT condition? No, wait, pick one: the fact that I'm NOT Dr. de Viaminima or the fact that I'm turning into some kind of monster, eh? I'm really screwed up mentally and morally right now."

 

"I mean to help you," she said, her confidence returning to her, "I heard about the drug the vampire gave you. And I know about your experiments."

 

The angel blinked, "What... how do you know about me?"

 

It was Kylie's turn to smile, "Let's just say... you write a good book."

 

"Alright. So, you wanna tell me what you know or do you want my side of the story?"

 

"Let's find someplace to sit down where we won't be interrupted, doctor--this is important."

 

---

 

Whutty was in the shipyard of the Wendauerian castle, double-checking the weapons systems on his Gamezohan fighter. Everything was in tip-top shape, of course, and had been for a long time. Messing with the ship was just something to do to occupy his time. He was eager to get back to Gamezohan territory whether Gauss was coming or not. He had studied the translations from the book he picked up weeks ago and was almost certain he had identified the party responsible for Chromelips disappearance. There would be hell to pay.

 

"Ready?" Gauss asked, walking up.

 

Whutty turned to look at his comrade and smiled, "I was beginning ta dhink you'd bailed out on meh."

 

"Hey, when have I ever let you down, Raketemensch?" Gauss said, tossing a flight helmet back and forth in his hands.

 

"Gimmie a little while, I can dhink of sometin'."

 

Gauss smiled, "We need to fly out now if we're gonna make it back home before the Mi-Go. Word is they're speeding up the invasion."

 

"Dere's no news like bad news."

 

The two friends smiled, then turned when they saw a figure appear around the ship and walk up to the pair.

 

"Fadher?"

 

Lysander nodded, "Son. Archduke. I hope it no trouble if I asked to tag along?"

 

Gauss blinked. Whutty grinned and nodded once.

 

"Wonderful," Lysander smiled warmly.

 

"I have no objection but can I ask why?" Gauss quietly queried.

 

Lysander nodded, "I'd like to go back home for good. Been a long time hiding and I'm eager to finally return to dhe capital, prepare for dhe invasion... have a chance ta fly with meh boy and dhe son of my late good friend."

 

"I understand," Gauss said solemnly.

 

"Let's fly," Whutty said after a few seconds, "Dhe stars are calling out for us, and only we can heed dheir cries."

 

"Beautiful--where'd you hear that one?"

 

Whutty smirked as he closed up the hatch on the ship, "Actually, I just made it up myself."

 

---

 

On Xurmaith, Aris and David walked down the main street in the direction of Aria's apartment. It seemed that Ariston was making smaller and smaller strides in his step, so David had to set the pace for his friend, forcing him to keep moving forward. They weren't far from the flat when the emergency vehicle went roaring by the pair, sirens blaring.

 

- What the--?

 

Aris looked up and saw the black smoke rising into the air just beyond a row of buildings. The two started running in the direction of the blaze, and the closer they got, the more Aris got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. His fears were confirmed when they rounded the corner.

 

"N... NOOOO!" Aris screamed, running to the burning apartment. The fire raged wildly, flames dancing in the windows, licking the rooftop, taunting them. David grabbed his friend by the arm. Aris nearly wretched free of his grasp, "LEMME GO!"

 

- Stop it! David yelled, You can't go in there, you'll burn!

 

It took a pair of officers to help hold Ariston back while the firefighters battled the out of control blaze. Why did this happen--why now? This had to be foul play, but by whom? SURTR?

 

He suddenly caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of his eye. At first, he thought it was the light from the flames casting shadows on the walls of nearby buildings, his imagination playing tricks on him, but this shadow moved like a man. Then he noticed the black rose petals that drifted to the ground before dissolving. Feeling anger boil inside of him, Aris wretched free of his friend and ran across the street after the dark figure.

 

---

 

Klot was halfway down the alley when he heard Aris call out to him.

 

"Murderer!"

 

The black man stopped and paused before turning idly around to face his accuser. His head leaned to the side, almost lackadaisically, as if he wasn't entirely there at the moment. He grinned slightly, then chuckled, "You are a foolish man, Delapore, to have held company with SURTR and abetted me in my dark schemes."

 

"Why?" It was all Aris could say.

 

Klot was still smiling, "I care not for the forgiveness of God, nor do I fear the fires of Hell. My former life in the Order means nothing to me. I now serve DAMOCLES and Moebius. I live and yet I do not live, and my needs help the Prophet and his God."

 

At that moment, David appeared behind Aris, his twin blades in his hands.

 

- Is that... ?

 

"Klot," Aris gritted his teeth, "You'll pay for this."

 

The dark man took off his shades revealing his empty eye sockets. A darkness seemed to radiate from him, like tendrils, threatening to pull all the life around him into the oblivion. He whispered very lowly, but his voice slithered off the walls, and Aris and David heard his words as if the man stood right beside them, "Verbum dimissum custodiat Arcanum. Fortuna non omnibus aeque." Then he suddenly burst into flames--black flames.

 

The Black Fire.

 

In an instant, he was an ebony albatross, flying directly over the two men's heads before flapping up into the sky and out of sight. David looked after him, and turned back only when he heard his friend fall to the ground, sobbing, frustrated by the treachery and injustice. He would not rest until he had vengeance against Klot. DAMOCLES would be destroyed. And Moebius would feel his wraith before it was over.

 

He could almost hear the laughter of old wizard in his ears, taunting him.

 

---

 

"And that's all I know," Oscar said, shaking his head. He had just finished sharing his memories of the past decade with Kylie. The two were in a darkened corner of the Wendauerian palace library, both alone among the dusty shelves.

 

"You must have been rather close to a result to have pushed your work to the limit as you did," Kylie thought out loud.

 

"Well, that's your best guess," Oscar said, the corners of his mouth twisting slightly, a ghost of a frown flickering across his face. He looked over at the book he--Dr. de Viaminima--had once written.

 

"I imagine what we need to do now is to get you fixed up," Kylie sighed.

 

"What, to put us back together?"

 

"We'll get to that. I mean getting the Aggregat out of your system before you die. It was never intended to make you whole again."

 

Oscar snorted, "Damn vampire."

 

"Now, now," Kylie droned, "Not all vampires are bad news. But never mind that now, I think we need to get you to Gamezoha--"

 

"You out of your mind?" Oscar threw his hands up in the air and flopped down on the ground, his black wings ruffled, "Travel across the damn galaxy looking for an antidote that might not even exist--"

 

"Oh, it exists," Kylie interrupted, demonstrating a great deal of patience with Oscar, "The trick is finding it--but it sure isn't on THIS planet. Listen, if you want to beat this, you're going to have to trust me."

 

Oscar looked up to see Kylie extending a hand to him. He noticed the black nail polish and the ornate silver ring on her finger. He considered the goth dragon for a moment before placing his hand in hers and she immediately pulled him up and dragged him towards the exit.

 

"Where the hell--?"

 

"You've agreed. We've got to go now. No time to tell anybody where we're headed."

 

Oscar thought briefly before deciding he didn't care anymore about what the others had to say. "Not my problem. Where ARE we going?"

 

Kylie smirked slightly, "Wei Palace. To visit an old friend."

 

---

 

Jon was slightly aggravated. After his enlightenment through the teachings of T3h Budda, he had been constantly having eerie moments of clarity when the spirit of his avatar would graze past his mind and everything almost made sense, but would be just beyond his grasp. He was trying to focus his thoughts now, sitting quietly on his own while the silent hum of the J-Train's engines filled the room.

 

"Where are we?" Jon muttered, gazing out into the inky blackness of space.

 

"Ummm, methinks somewhere between here and there, but that matters not," the J-Train chirped, "I say we play a game to pass the time."

 

"We're close--approximately 26.25 hours away from the singularity... barring anymore side trips--"

 

"OHHH! Lookit THAT star! Ain't that a pretty one--let's get closer--"

 

"NO!" the three passengers yelled in unison.

 

"Fine," the ship sulked.

 

---

 

In the dark rafters of Moebius' deep, underground chamber, Azrael and Asariel sat watching the megalomaniac sitting in his chair, conversing quietly with his plush reindeer. Uriel silently appeared perched next to the two.

 

"How goes the watch, boys?"

 

"Diabolical, this one is," Azrael muttered, eyes still focused on the wizard, "I dare not look away for fear he will move in the brief moment my attention is led astray. Odd, how events continue to unfold despite the warlocks increasing lack of involvement."

 

Asariel nodded to Uriel, "What news of our brethren?"

 

"Uziel has left Dewnhëem in the care of its generals. It is invariable that many will die in the onslaught of the minions of DAMOCLES. He seeks to speak to the King, to offer guidance within the final hours."

 

"And the other?"

 

Uriel sighed, "You realize, Azrael, that he is not of the Spirit?"

 

"Of course," Azrael nodded, "But his soul is exceptional. Have you not also felt his mettle twist the fabric more than once?"

 

"I have, but I wonder if perhaps we are missing something important--"

 

"Shush!" Asariel hissed, "The wizard stirs."

 

From his darkened throne, Moebius stood and walked with a cautious air down steps and toward a long table on the far side of the room. He muttered as he walked, something about hourglasses and tea and a lady of a thousand sharp swords. When he had seated himself at the head of the table, a blackness darker than the shadows themselves seemed to curl up around the opposite end of the table and take on the form of a human.

 

"The Dark One," Asariel whispered, "He has returned victorious from his vile deed."

 

"Then the Unicorn has been captured and the Raven made to suffer, which means--"

 

"The Stag will be next," Uriel interrupted, "And if he fails, it leaves the Snake, Boar and Dove to protect the Wolf."

 

Azrael frowned, "The Stag will NOT fail. Uziel would agree."

 

"For all our sake," Uriel sighed, "I hope you are right."

 

Down on the floor of the chamber, Moebius was gloating at Klot's victory against Delapore and Amaya's capture, "You've done well, Klot, thanks to my direction, we have succeeded in two challenges at once--who would've thought them so easy to complete?"

 

"The next two will not be ours to achieve, Lord Moebius," Klot's low voice rumbled.

 

"Of course, but the angel is nearly out of the picture and as for the inadequate prince, well, his failure will be of his own making. Until then, there is a single important task we must tend to: collecting the axis for the Pyramid."

 

"He will willingly serve us. We have what he wants."

 

Moebius grinned, "It's times like this I could just sing..."

 

"Oh no," Asariel, the Angel of Neptune and ruler of all psychic powers moaned, "I should've seen this coming a mile away..."

 

MOEBIUS: I'm the greatest villain ever,

 

There's no match and there's no better,

 

And though it may be hard to understand,

 

I will soon destroy the king,

 

And will rule o'er everything,

 

For I'm the greatest villain in the land.

 

For a million years or so,

 

I have lived a life so long,

 

I've been plotting, planning, scheming for this day,

 

My vision realized,

 

Behind homicidal eyes,

 

And the ones that do oppose me they will pay.

 

My plan, just like a clock,

 

A grand timepiece of my mind

 

Has been ticking slowly to the final hour.

 

So that once the time's at hand,

 

And my might is recognized,

 

Then the universe shall witness my true power.

 

I'm the greatest villain ever,

 

There's no match and there's no better,

 

And when my plans have finally unfurled,

 

Then the angel, so distinguished,

 

Will soon have his life extinguished,

 

For I'm the greatest villain in the world.

 

AZRAEL: He's gone nuts, he's gone insane

 

ASARIEL: There's something wrong inside his brain

 

URIEL: And this song is such a pain so stop that rhyming.

 

KLOT: In the service of my lord,

 

DAMOCLES has brought me forth,

 

To aid the prophet Moebius,

 

And prove to him my own self worth--

 

MOEBIUS: I'm the greatest villain ever,

 

There's no match and there's no better,

 

And when the war has gone from bad to worse,

 

Then the saint will meet his end,

 

While his king he does defend,

 

For I'm the greatest villain in the universe.

 

I have read the ancient texts

 

And have studied olden tomes

 

For the secret which will give this power to me.

 

All the prophecies foretold

 

That the dragon race of old

 

Had the answers that no mere mortal could see.

 

By controlling time and space

 

I had journeyed to this place

 

Where the Draco think they rule with all their might.

 

But once the Pyramid's unlocked

 

And the Object has been armed

 

Then my rise to pow'r will truly be a sight.

 

I'm the greatest villain ever,

 

There's no match and there's no better,

 

Although my goal may be hard to foresee,

 

As hard as he may try,

 

The dragon prince will also die,

 

For I'm the greatest villain in the galaxy.

 

KLOT: If we all wish victory

 

Moebius, I must appease

 

So that the plan continues on

 

And all shall fall to DAMOCLES.

 

AZRAEL: He's gone crazy, he's gone mad

 

ASARIEL: How can one man be so bad?

 

AZRAEL: Was he beaten by his dad--

 

URIEL: WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP ALREADY?!

 

MOEBIUS: I'm the greatest villain ever,

 

There's no match and there's no better,

 

Although you may perceive my acts a crime,

 

You can never understand

 

Everything that I have planned

 

For I'm the greatest villain of all time!

 

"The others must be warned," Azrael said worriedly, "The balance is in peril."

 

---

 

When Nike reentered her private chambers around noon, she wasn't surprised to see that Joel had managed to escape from the shackles on the wall. She had expected it and was prepared for the inevitable attack. It wouldn't be the smartest thing for him to do--she was a ninja at heart, after all.

 

"Don't worry about me. I'm not trying to ambush you."

 

Hearing the familiar voice, Nike rounded the corner, her muscles tightened, ready to defend herself from whatever attack the demon might be planning to launch, but for all her preparation, what she saw caught her completely off guard.

 

There was Joel, sitting on one of the plush couches, munching on some of the exotic Gamezohan fruits from a crystal platter on the nearby table. He had bandages around both his wrists and the look in his usually fiery eyes appeared somewhat languish, but what looked really unusual about him was that his horns had changed from bright red to pitch black.

 

"What is wrong with you?" she asked, concern creeping ever-so-slightly into her voice.

 

"Something to do with Oscar, I imagine," Joel said softly, "Maybe he's finally found a way to be rid of me once and for all."

 

"You can't be serious," the Empress put her hands on her hips and waited for the demon's retort, but Joel only shook his head.

 

"Whoa, you ARE sick."

 

"I don't know, Nike," Joel responded lackadaisically, looking at the floor, "I just don't know. I feel alright, but every once in a while I just get this cold feeling in the back of my head and I feel really tired."

 

To Nike, it sounded like some kind of a poison, but despite all the possible toxins that would match Joel's symptoms, the fact that he was still alive made any of her choices invalid. This was something she had little experience with. She walked over to the couch. Joel seemed to be moving in slow motion, and regarded her with quiet interest as he munched on another piece of fruit. Joel Diablo eating fruit. So unusual. She reached out, grazing one of the horns on his forehead and noticed it was cold to the touch.

 

"You need a doctor," she finally said.

 

"What I got, ain't no doctor can cure me of."

 

"Stay here, I'll be right--"

 

"No, don't go," Joel grabbed her wrist, "They'll kill me."

 

Nike snorted, "They aren't gonna do anything to you I don't tell them to do."

 

"Just leave it alone, will ya? Why do you even care?"

 

Nike had to think for a moment, "Because I'm not done with you, you hear me? I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do with you, but I'm not going to let you get out of being reprimanded by becoming ill. Not that easily."

 

Joel sighed heavily and lay back, closing his eyes.

 

"You can complain all you want but that's not going to change anything... Joel? Joel, don't ignore me. Joel?" No response.

 

"Joel, don't play around. Stop it," Nike knelt at the side of the couch. She noticed the demon's breathing had become very shallow and it looked as if his eyes were twitching underneath his lids.

 

"What's wrong? Joel, what's wrong? You're scaring me..."

 

At that moment, it occurred to Nike that there existed a very distinct possibility that Joel's illness would kill him. She thought of the child in her womb and suddenly, she realized she wasn't ready for the bastard to die.

 

"No. NO! HELP! GUARDS! MEDIC! Don't you die on me, damnit, you're not allowed! I OWN YOU! JOEL!"

 

---

 

"War, man. Total chaos. Everyone is going to die."

 

"I'm sick of your bullshit conspiracy theories, man. DAMOCLES is connected to everything with you. Get a hobby or something--"

 

"This is REAL, mate!" the Gamezohan yelled at this friend, "Things are getting heavy at the Imperial palace; the Blitz Knights were called into the service of the Empress--my cousin said so--"

 

"Right, your cousin in the BK," the other humanoid dragon scoffed, taking a puff on some unidentifiable joint.

 

"I do TOO have a cousin in the BK! You met him!"

 

The other guy just smiled as his friend continued to yell at him. The two were in a darkened alley somewhere in the capital city on Gamezoha Secudus. Exactly where doesn't matter--at least it won't now.

 

"Hey, who's that?"

 

The yelling conspiracy theorist turned around to see who his drug-addict friend was nodding at. In the darkness of a nearby trash receptacle, the two could barely make out the figure of a young girl.

 

"Whoa... is that--"

 

"You okay?" the druggie offered. The girl didn't respond at first, then there was a faint whining sound--a sound that seemed to oscillate from the sound of sobs to the sound of scraping metal.

 

"What the hell?"

 

Suddenly, the alleyway was filled with the horrendous sound of screeching metal against metal. The two men could only watch in terror as the figure stepped out of the shadows to reveal a woman--one who appeared somewhat fae in nature, except the texture of her body had an odd metallic look to it.

 

"Damn," the younger conspiracy theorist suddenly realized, "It's Her."

 

Despite the horror that enveloped both men, neither could move as their fear paralyzed them completely. The smoker watched with wide eyes as She Of A Thousand-Whirling Blades approached his friend and considered him, the screeching metal sounding as her head cocked to the side. Then she reached forward to touch his face...

 

... and her hand sliced effortlessly through his cheekbone. Some of his curly blond hair and part of his ear fell to the ground, splattered in blood. She pulled back, then placed her hand on his chest. It slid into the man again, cutting through his flesh, mutilating his chest, his lungs, his heart. His body fell backwards through her hand as if passing through vapor, ripping the remainder of his chest open. The blood on her hands dripped off her completely, onto the corpse. Then she turned to the smoking man.

 

He couldn't run, he couldn't scream, he couldn't even weep. The sound of the metal seemed to rang in his ears, and as long as he could hear its echoes, he was immobilized. The Tinfoil Lady approached him and he feared the inevitable. Yet just before her hand pierced his skin, he suddenly felt such a deep sorrow for her, as if her very aura was apologetic. Her grief was overwhelming, he could see it in her eerie eyes and it were as if she was immediately regretful for what she was about to do. He felt no pain as her hands, sharper than ever imagined, sliced cleanly through his body. It felt very cold and in the next instant, he was dead.

 

Halfway across the galaxy, Wernher started to cry.

 

"You okay," Whutty radioed from his fighter.

 

"I... I dunno..."

 

---

 

"Can I help you?"

 

"Grammaton Kyliereisonja von Sphexoren."

 

"Ah, Miss Sphexoren, lovely to see you again," the butler nodded.

 

Kylie allowed herself a small smile, "Likewise, JEEVES, although I daresay you've looked better."

 

The android AI which served all the functions of the enormous Wei Palace was wearing a slightly rumpled tuxedo, "I've been rather busy. Maintaining the safeguards on the planet's computer systems is no easy task, I'll have you know, especially in humanoid form. Now, this fellow looks a little familiar." Oscar gave JEEVES an appraising look before turning away. The butler frowned, "Although I do seem to recall him having some semblance of proper manners."

 

Kylie nodded slightly, "He hasn't been feeling very well--I'm sure you can relate. I need you to activate Code M576 Dash G."

 

JEEVES' expression didn't change, "I'm sorry?"

 

"M576 Dash G, as per Gamezohan/Grammaton Authorization."

 

"I'm quite sure I don't know what you're talking about, dear."

 

Kylie sighed and whispered quietly to the android. Oscar looked over, but before he got the urge to listen in JEEVES suddenly nodded and motioned, "Right this way."

 

"The heck was that about?" the angel muttered.

 

"Authorization code," Kylie droned wearily, "There's a specific protocol to be followed if you're going to abuse the Wei Palace system in this manner."

 

"Abuse the system?" Oscar echoed, savoring the phrase more than he probably should have.

 

"It takes a great deal of technology and magic to keep this planet running. You know how the place is built. The next palace room you walk into might take you thousands of kilometers away."

 

Oscar looked at Kylie incredulously, "You're telling me that there's a link somewhere in Wei Palace all the way to bloody--"

 

"Gamezoha Tetris. It's the shortcut to end all shortcuts."

 

"Geezus," Oscar shook his head.

 

The two followed JEEVES through a nondescript doorway into a small, darkened, dingy room and through a hidden door in a nearby wall. They suddenly found themselves outside the palace. Kylie shielded her eyes from the sun. Oscar squinted up into the tree canopy above, "What the hell? I thought it was nighttime!"

 

"It is," JEEVES said, "On the other side of the planet where the palace is."

 

Oscar and Kylie both looked around the small area. The three stood on a raised paved platform in the middle of a forest. Behind them the small door stood on its own, with nothing of description appearing behind it save for the trees. Ahead of them, cemented into the ground, was a large, oval-shaped metallic frame, turning slightly green from the vegetation that appeared to be growing on it.

 

The old butler stood proudly in the sunlight, turning to the black-winged angel and the pale goth dragon.

 

Oscar blinked, "We're going through THAT rickety hunk of junk?"

 

JEEVES frowned. Kylie suppressed a laugh.

 

"Best of luck on your travels, Grammaton Nova Sphexoren," JEEVES said, eyeing Oscar, "You'll need it." The android butler activated the gateway and a shimmering blue light appeared. Kylie walked into the vortex. Oscar followed, but paused long enough to flip off JEEVES before Kylie reached back through the gateway and yanked the angel unceremoniously through.

 

---

 

"How were you planning on splitting the forces?" Windsong asked, looking at a war plan for the Wendeaurian territory.

 

"Wish I knew," Vinny sighed, "Not many pre-made plans in your parents' records for setting up a defense against a huge invading horde of bug-like creatures and their paramilitary amigos."

 

"Did you talk to Gauss?"

 

Vincit shook his head, "Didn't have time. He left almost immediately. Whutty would've gone without him if he hadn't. I dunno. Where's Guideau?"

 

"War room, probably. I'll send for him."

 

Vinny looked over the territory chart, "Since the wealth of fighters are coming from beyond Gamezoha, maybe we should put a small group of our strongest forces along their border and split our smaller fighters around the planet to be dispatched depending upon how the Mi-Go attack. I need a smoke."

 

Vincit stood up from his chair and walked out onto the large balcony that looked down upon the palace grounds. He gazed out beyond the trees and walls, out into the capital city, it's bright lights shining in the night, a soft mist descending upon its inhabitants. He considered the scene for a little bit before pulling a cigarette from behind his ear and sticking it in his mouth. He patted his pockets, found his lighter, and lit the stick, inhaling deeply before blowing out into the cold night air, the smoke dispersing, becoming his own little contribution to the foggy Wendeaurian air.

 

"A rather unhealthy habit, my friend."

 

"Up yours, buddy," Vinny muttered. Suddenly realizing he was not alone, he whirled to look at the intruder. It was a tall man with a light-skinned complexion and long, flowing black hair.

 

"How... who... what--"

 

"How is not important. I am Viktor Uziel, acting Prinzip of Dewnhëem. I'm here because the universe is in grave danger. And you must save it."

 

Vinny leaned back against the balcony and took another drag from his cig, "You're late, buddy, get in line with the rest of the universe."

 

"You are the King."

 

Vinny nodded, "Astute observation."

 

The Prinzip shook his head, "No, you are THE King. The one who should help restore peace in the unharmonious galaxy. Too many have suffered under the machinations of the ill-intentioned. Moebius, DAMOCLES, the Mi-Go, the Eçaraia."

 

"Huh?"

 

"Nonexistence. Destruction. Oblivion. The opposite of being."

 

"Not being," Vinny drawled, seeming to hear and not listen at the same time, "Wait, did you say you were the Prinzip of Dewnhëem? Did you know your people are in trouble?"

 

"Yes, they need their King."

 

Vincit waited briefly, "And why aren't you there?"

 

"Because my responsibility is only to hold the place for the true King."

 

Vinny pointed to himself. Viktor nodded.

 

"Great. Just great. How can I be king of two places?"

 

Viktor looked at Vinny, "You're being sarcastic."

 

"Aye, how perceptive of you," Vincit looked down at the cigarette in his hand, watching the smoke curl up from the end. "Look, can't you just hold my spot a little longer? You've done a pretty decent job as far as I can tell. Hmm?" The man was gone.

 

"Dearest?" Wyn stepped out on the balcony, "Who was that you were talking to?"

 

"Huh? Oh, Prinzip Viktor. Apparently he thinks I'm supposed to be king of Dewnhëem."

 

Windsong blinked, "You're joking, right?"

 

"God, I wish I were."

 

---

 

The door slid opened at the end of the darkened hallway and two figures appeared in the light from the corridor outside. As she stepped inside, the intelligent lights activated, illuminating Kylie and Oscar.

 

"What now?" Oscar asked as he looked around the living area. Black leather sofa, black drapes, black dining table, black flowers: the only thing not black was the apartment itself: white tile, white walls, white carpeting. He noted the irony of duality.

 

"Now, you have a seat while I take care of some business," Kylie said barely out of earshot, "You want a drink?"

 

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Oscar mumbled. He could hear Kylie making noise in the kitchen area. She set a black mug (natch) on the nearby buffet counter then disappeared down an adjacent hall into what Oscar could only assume was her bedroom. Oscar picked up the mug, took a sip of the brew and sat down on the sofa, folding his wings upwards and out of the way. He studied his black feathers before noticing the remote on the nearby end table. He turned on the HD to see what was on: most of the stations were running bulletins on the upcoming Mi-Go invasion, notifying military personnel where to report to and advising viewers to remain calm and take plenty of Happy Happy Joy Joy.

 

News, news, TCN (Ticine Cable News, no different), news, Gamezohan History Channel, news, news, a porno starring six-breasted Playalien Bungren Zungwardelen (wow, that looks interesting), commercial for Le Róten Orànge, Classic Movie Channel (it's some House Sawarren action film), news, news, G-SPAN featuring political debates regarding the Republican Spasm (they're STILL talking about that crap), news, Foreign Interest Channel (playing old Marx Brothers flicks), news, Music Television Network (looks like a recording of Gauss and Chromedome during the Coronation Tour), news, Gamezohan History Channel, news, news, Gamezohan History Channel... wait a minute... Oscar shook his head and turned the HD off.

 

It was then he heard the sound of running water coming from somewhere in the back of the apartment. Feeling a little roguish, he quietly stood up from the couch and proceeded past the kitchen. The sound grew louder and he could see the light under a door to the right near the end of the hall. His attention, however, was drawn to the open door across the way. Peeking into the darkened room he could see a bed and surmised that this was where the Grammaton slept. Black bed sheets, black desk, black lamp, black lingerie...

 

Trying his hardest to ignore the silky garments tossed casually on the bed, Oscar started to nose around through the papers on Kylie's desk. He found some old CDs, a couple datacubes and another book by Dr. de Viaminima. Oscar flipped through the pages and, seeing no pictures, sat the book back on the desk. His hand bumped the keypad and the screen flickered to life on the computer, illuminating the room in a bluish glow. His curiosity peeked, he started to click through Kylie's files. Many were locked and required passwords. However, his attention was drawn to a folder labeled 'Josephus'. He clicked on the file. Thumbnail images of Dr. de Viaminima flashed onscreen.

 

"Damn, I must've been famous or something," Oscar muttered. One image showed a particularly young Josephus accepting the Heydon Award Prize for Excellence in Alchemic Studies. He looked so happy then.

 

"I wonder what happened to me..."

 

"You were lonely."

 

Oscar's head jerked up. Somehow, he had missed Kylie shutting off the water and exiting the shower. She stood in the doorway now, wearing only a towel (black, of course). Spooked by her presence, the angel stumbled backwards and fell onto the bed, bouncing once before landing hard on the floor.

 

"Shit--I mean, I'm sorry. Damn." Oscar scrambled up off the floor and, finding the only exit blocked, he stepped into the nearest corner of the bedroom, raising his wings to shield his peripheral vision, "I didn't mean to invade your privacy... well, I did, but I was just, I mean... owww, my ass."

 

Kylie chuckled softly, "You should really be more careful when you go snooping around. You get caught far too easily."

 

Oscar said nothing. He clasped his fingers, feeling nervous. He could hear her behind him, rustling with clothes.

 

"I first heard about you at the university," Kylie started to talk. "It was a Probability and Chance course--another four credits towards my degree. I had aspirations of being an Auroran, but I just couldn't achieve the craft. The professor had us read some chapters from one of your books."

 

"They had Gamezohan college students reading my books?"

 

"In some circles, doctor, you were considered a great intellectual--no small feat for a humanoid from a small, backwater planet--especially for someone of your age."

 

"So... what then?" Oscar pulled one of the wires from his wrist and played casually with it.

 

"Well, I started my Grammaton Nova certification. I had the training, the talent and the connections--it wasn't that difficult. I never forgot about you, though. I'm not sure what it was--maybe your intelligence or your gift. Maybe the way you wrote, how your personality shined through the words. May have been your smile."

 

Oscar sneered and rolled his eyes, "Isn't that a little weird?"

 

"I've always prided myself on being a little... abnormal."

 

You got that right, the angel thought to himself.

 

"Anyways, the first opportunity I had to see you in person was soon after you won the award. The GIU invited you as part of their lecture series. I think you were twenty-two at the time. It's a shame you can't remember that far back," Kylie muttered, and he could hear the smile in her voice, "You had groupies."

 

"Groupies? At a college seminar?"

 

"You obviously haven't been to a GIU lecture series. I never had a chance to talk to you then. I'd catch you on a televised broadcast or in pictures or interviews over the DAMOCLES internet, but my "crush" had to be put on hold when I started work. And then, you just disappeared."

 

Oscar felt Kylie put her hand on his shoulder and force him to turn around and face her, "But like I said before, I never forgot about you."

 

Oscar gazed into her bejeweled dragon eyes and sighed heavily, "I'm no good anymore, Kylie. I'm broken... possibly dying. Even if we managed to find the antidote, I still have no idea how to put myself back together again."

 

"We'll find a way. I can help."

 

"And barring that, I won't be the same person I am now--I'll be geeky old Dr. de Viaminihaha."

 

Kylie's eyes narrowed, "Don't be cute with me. You forget; it was the geeky old doctor I originally fell for."

 

Oscar thought about this. He thought about a lot of things. He thought about his black wings and the wires in his wrist and the drug and Joel. He thought about the hauntingly beautiful woman that stood before him. He thought about Vinny and Jon and Gauss and Wyn and Miriam and Assumpta--then he felt an aching sensation in his head, as if his brain had tightened up, and he felt sick in his stomach. He lay down on the bed, wincing.

 

"Oscar? Stay with me! Fight it! I'm here. I'm here..."

 

---

 

DOUBLETIME!!

 

"Problem, folks," the J-Train suddenly spoke up.

 

"What?" Jon asked, coming out of his meditation.

 

"Asteroids. Thousands of 'em. A whole field between here and the Khenteles system."

 

"Can't we pass through?" Assumpta asked from her seat in the cockpit of the ship.

 

Miriam shook her head as the J-Train spoke, "The odds of successfully navigating an asteroid field are three thousand seven hundred and twenty to one."

 

"Then let us plot a course around the obstacle," Jon replied.

 

"It'll take us longer to get there," the ship buzzed, "But seeing as we ain't got much of a choice otherwise, I'll go ahead and do that, m'kay?"

 

Miriam tapped some buttons on a nearby console. A nearby screen flickered on.

 

"Vinny? Wyn? Are you there?"

 

"Hello, Miriam!" Skysong exclaimed, her smiling face suddenly appearing onscreen.

 

"Hello, Skai," Miriam smiled in reply, "Is Vinny or your sister around?"

 

Skai had an indignant look on her face, "Why is it nobody ever wants to talk to me anymore?"

 

Miriam's smile broadened and Assumpta giggled. "I'm sorry, dear, it's nothing personal, we just wanted to let them know where we are."

 

"I can do that," a second voice said off screen. Skai pulled back to let Emmanuel be seen.

 

"Ah, Em, would you mind? Just let them know we've been delayed by an asteroid field, it's going to take a little while longer than expected."

 

"Will do, ma'am," the black dragon nodded. "Take care out there."

 

"Of course," Miriam smiled and the screen flickered off.

 

"I could've done that," Skai grumbled as she marched for the exit, "I could've told Vinny and Wyn--why does everybody treat me like a little kid?"

 

"Well, you ARE a kid."

 

"Nooo! I'm a PRINCESS! There's a difference," Skai said, climbing onto the banister at the top of a flight of stairs and starting a slow slide down to the bottom.

 

"I never would've guessed," Emmanuel chuckled, rushing down the stairs to reach the bottom before Skai did to keep her from sliding into the spiky sculpture at the end. It proved unnecessary, as Skai jumped off at the last second and continued walking as if it were no big deal.

 

"I wish you wouldn't do that, Skai. Thora would have a fit."

 

"She won't know if you don't tell her," Skysong grinned over her shoulder as the two walked into a large room at the other end of the hall. The room was bustling with activity as Wendauearin soldiers and strategists ran about. De Sartoreus stood at the far end of the table, immersed in tactical strategies and information about the Wendauerian army's current status.

 

"Mister Guideau!" Skysong called, marching up.

 

The man sighed, but composed himself, "Yes, Your Majesty?"

 

"Have you seen Wyn or Vinny?"

 

"Not recently," de Sartoreus flipped through some papers, searching for the comlink built into the table.

 

"I'm supposed to tell them that Jon and Miriam and Assumpta ran into some asteroids and are going to be late."

 

Guideau turned and looked at Skysong, wide-eyed, but then noticed Emmanuel shaking his head, "They're going around."

 

"Oh, good... good. You might be able to find them down the hall in the room on the right--if they're not in their chambers."

 

"Thank you, sir!" Skai said cheerily as she turned and skipped out of the war room. Emmanuel followed, leaving Guideau to resume his data crunching.

 

"Sir!"

 

Guideau looked up again from his paperwork, but his annoyance was soon replaced with relief. He stood and extended his hand, "General Leefe"

 

"Guideau. You've started without me."

 

The head of security smiled, "I could hardly wait. Sorry to have to call you away from your business."

 

The Wendauerian war hero shook his head, "Quite necessary. The Mi-Go will invade regardless of where I am in the galaxy--I may as well be in the place I can do the most damage to them. I'm only disappointed I couldn't have been here to do war against Adamus, but I hear the daughter did quite a number."

 

"With the help of SURTRs forces. Now, we're going up against their might and the seemingly endless numbers of the Mi-Go. It promises to be a great challenge."

 

"I look forward to it, believe me. If you'll excuse me, Sartoreus, I need to stop by the barracks and make my presence known."

 

Sartoreus gave the general a courtesy salute as he left the war room accompanied by his aides. The head of security went back to the papers on the table. He finally found the comlink under a mug of cold brew and activated it.

 

"This is Guideau de Sartoreus of Wendauear calling for Archduke Wernher Gauss of Gamezoha."

 

"Gauss here," came the reply.

 

"Sorry to bother you, archduke, I was wondering if you could send me some details on the Blitz Knights."

 

"I've got some numbers I can send your way," Gauss said, typing some commands into his fighter's computer, "Anything else?"

 

"That'll do for now, sir, I'll likely be contacting you in another hour or so with yet another question."

 

"Hard work, eh?"

 

Guideau smiled, looking over the covered table and the busy room, "Truth be told, archduke, I live for this kind of stuff."

 

"Reminds me of some folks I knew in the Silver Berets. Don't work too hard, sir, you'll end up like them: living impaired."

 

"Duly noted. Be safe out there."

 

"Roger. Over and out." Gauss broke the comlink.

 

"What was dat?" Whutty radioed.

 

"What was what? Oh, living impaired," Gauss shook his head and smiled, "It was nothing, Raketemensch, pay attention to the road."

 

"Wha-huh?"

 

Gauss was still smiling when his comlink flashed and he flipped the switch, "What now, Guideau?"

 

"Not Guideau," Jacob Syne said, pointing to himself.

 

"Syne? How'd you get this frequency?"

 

"Lawyer," Syne simply said, pointing to himself again, "I can get a lot of things. You're on your way back to Gamezoha?"

 

"Yeah," Gauss replied, offering no more information than he felt comfortable volunteering.

 

"Just wanted to pass some classified information onto you."

 

"For a price, I'm sure."

 

Syne shook his head, "Just make sure the message gets back to Mr. Omnibus. The answer to all our problems might be over our heads."

 

"No kidding. So what is it?"

 

"That was it, actually, it's all I can divulge."

 

"You gotta be kidding me."

 

"Hardly. I have to go. Keep that under your hat, archduke. Syne out."

 

The lawyer turned off the comlink before Gauss could complain further, then leaned back in his chair and sighed, massaging the bridge of his nose. The past few weeks had been hell. DAMOCLES' destroying Earth, the Mi-Go invasion, telluric energy being passed under the table, just a whole mess of problems cropping up across the universe. Activity in both the underworld and the over world had picked up and it was becoming a bear to keep up with it all.

 

What was the universe coming to?

 

Jacob stood up from his chair, picking up the briefcase by his desk. The lamp on his desk turned off as he exited his office.

 

"Heading home for the evening, Mr. Syne?"

 

Jacob nodded to his receptionist, "Yes, Alice, I'm done here. Maybe you should think about going home yourself."

 

"I'll finish these reports first--oh yes, there's a message for you," the secretary said, handing Syne a small note.

 

"Thank you. Good night," Syne took the note and read it as he walked out of the waiting area and down the corridor to the elevators. By the looks of things, Riley had some questions, so Jacob would have to make plans to meet him that evening at Mitokana Plaza--the usual spot. Syne huffed as he stepped into the elevator. He had been looking forward to going home and having a nice, quiet evening for a change, but for a dragon in his position, it seemed that nice and quiet were two things he couldn't afford any longer.

 

Jacob's cell started to vibrate as he was entering his car.

 

"Syne."

 

"Jacob, it's Marcus."

 

Syne's face was expressionless as he navigated his vehicle out of the parking garage. He had known Davi Ardan was part of the Illuminati Prima for quite a while now, "What news, friend?"

 

"You need to watch your back, mon ami. Orcus has reported your dealings with the King to the Circle, and you are being held in great suspicion."

 

"I'm a lawyer, Marcus. If the Circle hadn't been suspicious of my motives before this all went down, I wouldn't be worthy of my law degree."

 

"Be cautious, Jacob. Zoroaster has been entirely unpredictable lately. He will not hesitate to destroy anyone who stands between him and his goal."

 

"Even if Moebius doesn't kill me," Syne said, dropping all pretenses about the dark wizard's connection to the Illuminati, "we're all going to be dead within a few weeks--maybe even a few days, if the Mi-Go are successful. I've played my part."

 

"Perhaps, oui, but stick around for the curtain call. Be careful, monsieur," Davi finished, shutting off his own cell phone as he crossed Mitokana Plaza. The restaurant owner swiped his new passcard through the slot by the lift doors and waited for the car to descend. Things were getting dangerous in the Circle. Lucilla, or more precisely, Nicolette Ticine, had vanished, thought to be in the company of that wayward space pirate, Vanadiel. Sylvia, of course, had been dealt with personally by Zoroaster. That had been a real shame. Davi had rather liked the Green-Haired Witch for her sincerity. When Moebius scrubbed her mind, that's when Davi himself started having second thoughts on the sanity of the leader. As for Orcus, well, Saint Matthias' Dance really said it all. Max was a loose cannon.

 

The elevator doors opened and Davi caught a brief glance of Grammaton Nova Kylie von Sphexoren as the two passed each other. The elevator even felt cold as the metal doors slid silently shut.

 

Kylie made her way down the steps and took a right to follow the palace courtyard, heading for the Imperial Library in Mitokana Plaza. She passed by Le Róten Orange and acknowledged the restaurant briefly before continuing on. She hadn't eaten out with anyone for quite some time. Perhaps Dr. de Viaminima, Oscar, whatever--whoever he was--would be interested--

 

Further thoughts were interrupted when Kylie spotted the Empress running towards her.

 

Now what?

 

"Kylie, good, I'm glad I caught you."

 

"No time, Imperatrix, currently involved in official GN business."

 

Nike's face betrayed her disbelief as she started to fall in step behind Kylie, "Did you just... blow me off?"

 

"It's strictly business, Nike, don't take it personal."

 

"I need a favor."

 

Kylie stopped and turned to face the Empress. "You've asked a LOT of favors of me recently."

 

Nike blinked, "What, you want something in return?" Then she smirked as she purred, "I can certainly make it worth your while."

 

Kylie rolled her eyes and started walking again, "You immature, little... you're just like your brother."

 

"And you're still the same prudish ice queen."

 

Kylie said nothing. Nike continued to follow, "Look, I'm sorry. Come on, babe, I need this assist."

 

"You're just going to have to go through the proper channels this time, 'babe,' " Kylie droned.

 

"Damnit, Kylie!" Nike fumed. She stomped her foot angrily, looking devastatingly sexy in the process. The Grammaton didn't notice, of course, she was in a hurry.

 

Nike was grumbling as she turned and entered one of the palace's many corridors. How was she supposed to heal Joel if she couldn't figure out what was wrong with him? The palace physician had expressed uncertainty. Surely Kylie would've known something about Diablo's aliments, but it appeared Nike had exhausted most of the Grammaton's benevolent nature. If only there were someone who knew Joel well enough, somebody who was connected to...

 

Then it clicked. Nike jogged down the hall and turned into a small meeting room. She pressed some buttons on a nearby com panel and accessed the long range palace communications.

 

"Omnibus here."

 

"Vinny--"

 

"Nike! Is everything alright?"

 

The Empress shook her head, "Vinny, I need your help. What's going on with Oscar?"

 

Vincit thought briefly, "Uh, I dunno, I actually haven't had a chance to check on him for the past couple of days. Miriam was supposed to get in touch with me if she found out anything, but I only just heard from Skai that the three of them are still heading towards the Khentles system. Why are you so worried about Oscar, anyways?"

 

Nike had to think. Should she tell him about Joel? What would he say?

 

"I've got Joel--as a prisoner."

 

"Do what? He didn't do anything stupid, did he?"

 

"Well, yeah," Nike grinned, "He came back here."

 

"Don't kill him, just keep him captive," Vinny said, "If he dies, Oscar dies."

 

"I'm trying, but I don't think he'll stay alive much longer--he's really ill."

 

"It's that stupid chemical soul mirror that Nevin gave Oscar, it's sucking Joel's evilness into him and making them both ill."

 

"Aggregat Einundzwanzig... I think I might know someone who knows something about that, I'll see what I can dig up."

 

"I'd greatly appreciate it, Nike," Vinny nodded, "Anything to save Osc."

 

"Talk to you later, Wild Thing," Nike grinned mischievously, deactivating that connection. Vinny sighed and walked back over to the table in the private chambers of the Wendaurian palace. Yog Sothoth's orb sat on the desk and Vinny regarded it for a moment. There was a knock at the door and Thora poked her head in, "Mr. Omnibus?"

 

"Hey, Thora," Vinny said, "Something wrong?"

 

"I'm concerned for young Skysong in this dire hour."

 

"No need to worry," Vinny said, leaning against the desk, "I'm making plans to have you and her and other important folks protected in the vaults underneath the palace. The only way the Mi-Go will have a chance to destroy you all is if they blow up the entire planet."

 

"And if they do?"

 

Vinny sighed again, "Then we probably deserved it for not fighting hard enough."

 

There was another knock at the door and Guideau entered, "Your Majesty, your presence is requested in the war room immediately."

 

"Fine, I'll be there in a second. Feel any better?" he asked the Hikari-no.

 

"Slightly comforted, though I daresay I have my worries."

 

"So do I," Vinny muttered. As the two left the royal bedchambers, the orb on the desk buzzed.

 

---

 

"Trust me, dearest," Salyra purred, "The Mi-Go will not be successful in their endeavor."

 

"But how can you be so confident? TCN reports are painting a pretty bleak picture for the entire universe."

 

"I told you, I have a seventh sense about these things, Vasdhra. For now, we must focus on the plan at hand. My bunnygirl/amazon hybrid bounty hunters are preparing for dispatch as we speak. We've four for each foul creature responsible for my death."

 

"What of the archduke?"

 

Salyra rolled her eyes and turned back to her spouse, "Why do you insist on trying my patience with this matter? If I've told you once I've told you a million times, let me handle the punishment as I see fit."

 

"Now, hold on a minute," Vasdhra grimaced, shaking a stern finger in the Countess' face, "Don't forget who brought you back to life. You owe me an insurmountable debt."

 

Salyra stood defiantly, tight-lipped.

 

"We have plans for four, I will concede, but the archduke will NOT be involved. Joel Diablo takes his place. I have my own score to settle with him--understood?"

 

The Countess stood defiant, but finally nodded curtly before turning and continuing to walk. This was becoming most troubling. As long as she was in the Count's debt, it would make the agreement with Pyrite Halak very difficult to fulfill. It was he, after all, who agreed to donate the necessary equipment to complete the infernal machine if and only if Wernher Gauss was included. If she could not convince Vasdhra to concede the capture, torture and death of his once prince, perhaps Madam Wilhelmina could guilt the Count into yielding to this part of the plan.

 

"What do we know about Vincit Omnibus, anyways?" Vasdhra continued as the two entered a darkened room.

 

"Who the hell wants to know about Omnibus?" a voice muttered in the darkness. The Count and Countess both turned to look behind them. Salyra smiled.

 

"Well, well, the toy is alive again! What fun, and I thought they only lived once. Have James bring the whip--"

 

"NO! Wait! I know Vinny! I can help you capture him!"

 

Salyra cocked her head to one side, "You know of Vincit Omnibus?"

 

The ichthyanthropoid sneered, "Try again, sister. I KNOW Vincit. Personally. More than I'd like to. The son-of-a-bitch and his dumbass friends have made my life a living hell. I want to make them pay dearly for what they've done to me."

 

Vasdhra blinked and looked at Salyra, who smiled broadly, "Tell me more, mister..."

 

"Mickey. Mickey the Cod."

 

---

 

The cold, dark room inside the Xurmaith police station could not precisely reflect the emotions Aris had dealt with over the past day or so. Anger, emptiness, heartache, pain, frustration, betrayal, shame. He was physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted.

 

- You feeling okay?

 

Aris looked up at David and sighed, "I'll manage."

 

- What do you want to do now?

 

"Kill Bill--I mean, Klot, of course, but that's kinda hard to do when the guy is a paranormal freak."

 

- Hey, you've dealt with paranormal freaks before? SURTR.

 

"Yeah," Aris muttered, "SURTR..."

 

The two friends were silent for a moment. Then Aris suddenly stood up.

 

- Where are you going?

 

"Back to Wendauer," Aris said over his shoulder, "To help the King and Queen. You wanna come with?"

 

- Hell yeah.

 

The two SURTR soldiers left the police station and started heading for the Xurmaith airstrip. They had barely gotten down the empty street when there was a low hum and the wind started to pick up.

 

"What the hell?"

 

A small ship descended out of the sky, lights shining into the eyes of the two men below. It swung around rapidly and came down hard on the ground. A hatch opened on the side and a man jumped out and ran towards the two.

 

- Holy crap.

 

"Fancy seeing you two here!" the man said, running toward them.

 

"Gunther! Damn, it's good to see ya!" Aris said.

 

- What is that? Is that Blitz Knight gear? Really moving up in the world aren't ya?

 

"Yep-yep," Jurgen Kriegor said, puffing out his chest and turning to the side to show off the BK insignia, "Anywho, you two need a lift somewhere? Going to Wendauer, I hope?"

 

"How'd you know?"

 

"Lucky guess, I'll explain on the way. C'mon."

 

---

 

There are but a mere handful of people who would know how to reverse the effects of Aggregat Einundzwanzig. Dr. Franz Darian-Marik and his daughter, Sylvia, were both so well versed in Gamezohan studies that either would've known something about the chemical soul mirror, but the father is dead and the daughter is missing. Funny how the two of them happen to have some rumored connections to the Ancient Illuminated Seers of Bavaria.

 

Dr. Hilton would've had some familiarity of the top secret serum, but there's doubt his limited knowledge would've made a difference. Besides, Hilton's been dead for how long now? And who knows what he was working on prior to his sudden death. Wait a minute, there was...

 

No, no, he's no good at all. The man is a certified psycho and rumors abound he's responsible for the death of the Prinzip of Dewnhëem.

 

Perhaps the best bet would be to talk to a gentleman responsible for making the PSY-SQUAD what it is today: a man who worked closely with Dr. Hilton to develop an insanity-proof trance with which to face unimaginable horrors in battle. It's just not going to be easy getting to him: Gregaerios Zaratov has been living in quiet seclusion for the past thirty-some-odd years, the paranoid git.

 

---

 

"Nevin?"

 

The vampire was lounging in the chair, smiling cheerfully to himself. He opened one blue eye, "Aye?"

 

Kara shifted in her seat to get a better look at Nevin, "What are we going to do?"

 

"Whatever do you mean?"

 

"Are we going to do anything about the invasion?"

 

Nevin appeared to think about this for a moment, but he could very well have been listening to the voices on his shoulder, "No, I think we shall not. Methinks the Dragon has been wanting this for quite some time, now."

 

"You mean the Dragon wants to see a universe run by DAMOCLES and the Mi-Go?"

 

"I doubt it'll come to that, cariad. The King and his friends are far too resourceful for their own good."

 

Kara was quiet for a little bit, "Nevin?"

 

"Hmm?"

 

"... do you love me?"

 

"Of course I--what? Yes, I heard her... no she doesn't, shaddup," Nevin grimaced at his shoulder then sat up and looked directly at Kara, "Do you miss ya dad?"

 

Kara didn't answer right away. "I miss mom. In a way, he's my last connection to her. She made me promise to get back to him and I worked so hard... and I finally did... and he changed... damn DAMOCLES. And damn me for asking for it."

 

Nevin sniffed, "You want to go back to him?"

 

"I don't know... I don't know what I want to do."

 

Nevin regarded the girl for a moment, then he stood up from his chair, walked over, and knelt down beside her. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and started to cry.

 

"There, there," he patted her hair, "Shhh, it's alright... gonna be alright..."

 

---

 

The capital of Kubrik had always been an avid tourist destination for people all over the universe. The throne of the Gamezohan empire brought visitors far and wide to the splendid, beautiful city with its great centers of learning, its military institutions and gigantic and very influential corporations.

 

Oscar found himself roaming the streets now, taking in the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling utopia. Statues and visages of Wilhelm and the great dragons of the houses could be found throughout the city. A cultural that built its society solely on religious ideals was a dangerous thing to mess with.

 

There was another Arjuna, a two martial arts schools, side-by-side, a Hot Topic, some weird bar that served meat.

 

Oscar put his hand in his coat pocket and felt the crumpled up piece of paper in it. Kylie had left him a note, telling him not to leave the apartment, that she would return before the day was over.

 

But after three hours of HD and raiding the fridge and poking into places he didn't belong, Oscar was getting restless, so he decided to venture out into the city anyways. What was the worst she would do to him? Ground him?

 

---

 

Kylie stood in front of the run-down building in the industrial district that was the unlisted home of Doctor Gregaerios Zaratov. She had to hunt through the Grammaton database to uncover his whereabouts, but it had been a piece of cake to find him using their technology.

 

She walked across the abandoned lot and through the large, open bay doors into the dim, dank darkness of the warehouse. For all intents and purposes, it looked as if the building were completely uninhabited, left vacant for years since the Gamezohan corporation that used to own the lot had relocated to more hospitable surroundings. Still, the database had pointed out this specific location and the database was hardly ever wrong.

 

Old equipment. Broken work benches and chairs. Dust and dirt, water and mildew. It had to be a front--left as it were to throw off anybody who wanted to snoop around. Kylie hoped that Zaratov wouldn't go to any drastic measures to keep people away.

 

The door to the foreman's office was wide open, the windows dirty. Inside, more signs of vacancy. If I were some reclusive genius, where would I hide? On a whim, Kylie looked down to the floor and lifted the dirty rug with her foot.

 

Bingo.

 

The hidden door would be unnoticeable if one weren't looking for it, but the layout of the floorboards gave away the removable portion of the floor. Kylie managed to pry it open and descended down the ladder into the dimly lit stone room. The end of the corridor was sealed with a huge metal door, locked with some digital combination security device. The doctor would have to know she had gotten this far by now, so rather than continue trying to break through his devices and rousing his suspicion, she decided to make her presence known officially.

 

"Doctor Zaratov?" she asked, after knocking on the metallic door. No answer.

 

"Sir, I'm Kyliereisonja von Sphexoren. I understand and respect your right to privacy, but I am in need of your help."

 

"Go away!" a voice crackled over a hidden speaker.

 

"I wouldn't be here unless it were absolutely necessary. I just need a minute of your time."

 

"Leave or else," the voice said again.

 

"I need an antidote for Aggregat Einundzwanzig. If you can tell me where I can find it, I'll leave and never bother you again."

 

Silence. Then, "Aggregat Einundzwanzig was completely disposed of years ago. As there is no chemical, there is no antidote. Now SCRAM!"

 

"I'm not here to waste our time," Kylie muttered, getting impatient, "If you don't know anything about the syndrome, just tell me who I can talk to who would."

 

"Go bug Hilton," the voice said, "He loves being mobbed by people."

 

"Hilton's dead, don't you keep up with current events?"

 

Another pause. "Really? It's true then. And to think that..."

 

There was a moment of silence and then the door beeped and slid open. Kylie stepped tentatively inside, looking around the room. It was lit in a comfortable low light and was decorated in earthy tones, with shelves full of books, science diagrams tacked to the walls, and other interesting items situated around the room. From an open entryway on the far end of the room, an elderly gentleman entered. He wore a plaid housecoat and his hair was a shocking white which he had combed back and tied in a ponytail. He noticed Kylie the same moment the door clunked shut. His eyes narrowed as he walked up to her and looked intently at her face.

 

"You don't look like one of them... but it could be a trick... you're a Grammaton Nova, aren't you?"

 

"It's strictly personal business, sir."

 

"Hmm, yes," Zaratov muttered, still distrustful. He started to shuffle around her, "I guess if you were going to have me killed you would've done it already."

 

"Who would want to have you killed?" Kylie asked.

 

"Who else? The Gamezohan government? The monarchy? Consulary Ops--they kill whomever they damn well please, nowadays. I'm not paranoid, missy, everyone really is out to get me."

 

"What about DAMOCLES?"

 

"What about it?"

 

"You do know about the nanovirus, do you not?"

 

"Of course I know about DAMOCLES--that's why I still run a Dionysius Beta. It's an older program and not many people use it anymore--that's probably why I'm not as well informed as I should be, but at least I'm safe from infection. Now what is it you wanted again--why did I let you in?"

 

Kylie blinked, "The Chemical Soul Mirror."

 

"Ah, yes, it doesn't exist anymore, now shoo, scram, beat it--"

 

"A friend of mine has taken a sample and is very sick--he may die."

 

"Serves him right," Zaratov grumbled, "Taking things that he don't know what about. You need some sort of remedy or something?"

 

"Exactly."

 

Zaratov continued without missing a beat, "I don't remember if I have anything in storage or not--maybe I have some directions or formula or something, but I doubt I have a vial left over. What's the use other than reverse engineering it, eh? Heh, heh. Who's this friend of yours?"

 

"Dr. Josephus de Viaminima."

 

Zaratov turned and sputtered, "Viaminima? Via--now, where have I heard that name--oh, yeah, the Earthling Technoalchemist. I thought he would know better... oh, it makes sense now."

 

"Does it?"

 

"More than you know," Zaratov sputtered, rummaging through one of his cabinets, "Everywhere the human soul stands between a hemisphere of light and another of darkness; on the confines of two everlasting hostile empires, Necessity and Freewill. That's Carlyle for ya." He reemerged holding a small flask, "Here we are."

 

"That's it?"

 

"Heck no!" Zaratov scowled, uncorking the flask, "It's my medicine." He took a deep swig and shuddered, "Oh, that's good. Now what was I looking for--oh yes, chemical soul mirror. What--did that fool try to purge himself of impurities or something? He should've stuck to theory like the rest of them, but when you're a technomancer, you think you're invincible--"

 

"Dr. de Viaminima was on the verge of a scientific breakthrough," Kylie frowned, standing up for her favorite scientist, "He got careless."

 

"Darn skippy, he got careless," Zaratov grimaced, walking into the next room. Kylie followed. She entered just as Zaratov pulled a vial out of another cabinet and held it up, "We cannot change anything until we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses."

 

Kylie sniffed, "Jung."

 

"Ah, at least YOU know something. Your friend will need this--and if he is as I believe he is, the other is NOT to take this. Give it to he who first looked through The Mirror, because he is the one who broke it."

 

Kylie nodded, but before Zaratov could hand over the vial, he looked over Kylie's shoulder and gasped, "They found me. I don't know how but they found me."

 

"What?" Kylie spun around and came face-to-face with--

 

"Agent Maximille?!"

 

"Orders from the Triple Eye. We need to bring in the good doctor for questioning. And I'll take that vial."

 

"Get out!" Zaratov shrieked, backing away, "Get out, get out, get out! You don't belong here! Leave me alone!"

 

"You're interfering with official GN business," Kylie said sternly, glaring at Max.

 

"I've got the paperwork to override your authority here, Grammaton, now I suggest you step aside or I will use force if necessary."

 

"LEAVE, DAMNIT!" Zaratov jumped out around Kylie holding a strange looking gun in his hand. He immediately fired and the air appeared to ripple out towards Max and around him. He had a sudden glazed look in his eyes, but then shook his head, "Your insanity toys don't work on me, doctor--I'm already crazy."

 

Max started to advance, but Kylie pulled her weapon. Despite her reflexes, she wasn't quick enough to hit the agent, and he dodged her shots and took cover around the corner in the previous room.

 

"Everybody leave!" Zaratov yelled from behind a large chair. Kylie flipped backwards over a table and pushed it over, taking cover behind it. She and Max exchanged fire. She was swapping the clip out on her weapon when a small metallic sphere landing next to her.

 

"Shit," Kylie muttered, diving from the table over to Zaratov's chair. The explosion was small but strong and brought part of the ceiling down, filling the doctor's underground bunker with dust. As the air cleared, Kylie saw Max standing over them, his shadow in the sunlight that now poured in through the gaping hole in the basement ceiling.

 

"Ewige Blumenkraft," Maximille muttered, aiming his weapon at her.

 

BANG!

 

Kylie blinked. Max was holding his hand. The gun was on the other side of the room, a shuriken embedded in the barrel.

 

"What is it with boys and their toys? They just don't know how to play fair."

 

Max groaned and looked up through the hole in the ceiling, "You."

 

The Empress was dressed in her ninja finest, which left little to the imagination, of course.

 

"How did--?" Kylie stuttered.

 

"I've got my connections. Never thought we'd be looking for the same thing, though. You have something you want to tell me?"

 

"Maybe. Wait a minute. Doctor? Dr. Zaratov," Kylie looked behind her to where the doctor should have been sitting. She saw him slumped against the wall, holding his chest, a trail of crimson gushing forth over his hand.

 

"Oh no."

 

"Oh crap! I wasn't quick enough!"

 

"The gun was just off the mark--where's Max?" The agent had disappeared.

 

"Damnit! I swear I'm going to hang the son-of-a-bitch by his BALLS when I get a hold of him!"

 

Kylie crouched beside Zaratov, "Doctor?"

 

"No," Zaratov muttered, "No... don't worry about me. This is it..."

 

"Stop it. Paramedics are on the way, this is not going to kill you."

 

The doctor shook his head as he placed the vial in Kylie's hand. She looked at it, then at him and he smiled, the wrinkles showing on his aged face. He was old. Very old. Perhaps he felt this was his time, "Tell Dr. Josephus... striving to be better... oft we mar what's well..."

 

Kylie's face was expressionless, "Shakespeare."

 

He smiled again and nodded at her slightly, then, closing his eyes, he passed.

 

Kylie said nothing as she held the vial tightly in her hand. She felt Nike place a hand on her shoulder.

 

"I'm sorry, Kylie."

 

"It's alright," she said, standing. Being a Sphexoren, she had to admire the way he embraced his death. All he had wanted was to be left in his solitude. Perhaps now, he had truly been granted his eternal desire.

 

---

 

The Blitz Knights' craft was entering Wendauerian territory. Aris and David sat on the main deck with Gunter and Lieutenant Rodgers, going over battle plans.

 

"I mean it," Gunther said, "I'm so glad you guys cut free from those bastards."

 

"Well, SURTR had a great thing going," Aris said, "But they let themselves become corrupted."

 

"How the mighty have fallen," Rodgers said, looking up from a transparency. He had a cybernetic left eye, the result of an war accident during his years in the Silver Berets. "You two best be on your best behavior--I only agreed to bring you aboard because BK Gunther said you two would be trustworthy. Admittedly, your additional SURTR intelligence could help us face the enemy."

 

- Bit grumpy, innit he?

 

"Don't mind Rodgers, David," Gunther shook his head, "He's part of the old school soldiers. But enough of that. We've gotta--"

 

The ships computer buzzed, "Warning. Hostiles in area."

 

Rodgers head jerked upwards at the announcement, "Radar!"

 

"Scanning, lieutenant," one of the soldiers said, "We've got a handful of unidentified fighter ships closing in."

 

"Get a visual on the screen," Rodgers said, walking over to a command center. Aris, David and Gunther followed. When the ships came on screen, all three spoke: "It's Mi-Go."

 

"Apparently," Rodgers muttered.

 

"Do we engage, sir?" one of the soldiers asked.

 

"That depends if we've got the firepower to take them on. We DO have that kind of firepower, don't we?"

 

Gunther nodded, "Shouldn't be a problem. Fighters aren't that much of a challenge. It's the drop ships you have to start worrying about."

 

"Fine, let's move--"

 

"Wait!" Aris said, moving closer to the screen, "Oh da--oh damn--DAMN!"

 

- Holy crap! Look at that!

 

"What? Look at what?" Rodgers examined the screen.

 

"It's hard to see the signatures--they play a trick on the eyes, but these ships aren't alone! There are hundreds of them--big daddy drop ships--all in cold cloak. You have a thermal imager?"

 

Rodgers flipped a few switches. Then gasped. The screen showed the bright red signatures of the exposed Mi-Go fighters, along with a number of large dark splotches that filled the entire area.

 

"Somebody get on the horn--warn Wendauer. The invaders are sneaking in."

 

---

 

"Invading now?" Windsong asked.

 

"Skai, Em, Thora and my father are with some of our dignitaries in the bunker below the palace.

 

"The Blitz Knights sent a communicae earlier," Guideau said as the group headed for the palace gates, "Mi-Go ships have been moving into kingdom territory using some cloaking system. Our space-borne fighters are already reporting signs of small fighters with unique thermal signatures. They took us completely by surprise."

 

"How long do we have?"

 

"Less than an hour."

 

"Shit. Somebody send word to Gamezoha--"

 

"Already have, Your Majesty," Guideau said. Something in his voice made Vinny pause.

 

"What is it?"

 

"They've already started attacking Gamezoha's borders."

 

---

 

Jon was attempting enlightenment yet again when the ship sirens started to go off, startling him from his concentration.

 

"Jesus wept!" Jon swore, "What goes on?"

 

"Arrrogah! Arrrogah! Unidentified hostiles at 9 o'clock!" the J-Train exclaimed.

 

Assumpta started pressing buttons on the control panel. Miriam entered the cockpit, "Can you identify them?"

 

"Never seen 'em before in my life," the J-Train buzzed. Sighing, Miriam sat down next to Assumpta and started a scan on the ships.

 

"They will not respond to our calls."

 

"Speeding up," the J-Train muttered, "They're speeding UP."

 

"Assumpta," Miriam nodded, "Better activate the cloak."

 

Jon glanced at one of the displays from the ship's portside view. He felt a flash in his mind and suddenly grasped the mental picture.

 

"They're Mi-Go!"

 

Almost immediately, the J-Train shook violently, tossing the paladin knight to the ground.

 

"Oh shits!" the ship exclaimed.

 

"What?" Jon asked.

 

"Direct hit on our cloaking device! How'd they know?! We can't disappear! Shields holding at seventy-five percent--" an explosion rocked the J-Train, "--sixty-eight percent--" another explosion, "--sixty--I'm dying here! SOS! SOS! Mayday, mayday, Labor Day, Boxing Day, Doris Day, ANYDAY! HELLLLP!!!"

 

Assumpta rocked back into Miriam, then steadied herself with the console, "We're slowing down?"

 

"I'm giving 'er all she's got, Cap'n! I don't have the power! I can't control it--GAH! YOU drive!"

 

Assumpta locked the ship into manual and grabbed the shaking controls. She jerked the throttle forward... nothing. She pulled the throttle all the way back and slammed it forward again. She could hear the InstaPulse engine growl from deep within the ship and the J-Train was suddenly off like a shot, zipping haphazardly through the void of space.

 

The ship pitched to the side. "The Mi-Go are still attacking!" the J-Train reported, "They're picking up the pace--we gotta get out of here!"

 

"Where?!" Assumpta jerked the train to the left to avoid a laser cannon blast.

 

"Into the field," Miriam blinked, "We have to lose them in the asteroids."

 

"ARE YOU MENTAL?!" the ship screeched.

 

"What art the chances we shall survive?" Assumpta interrupted.

 

"Oh geez, percentages? Why do you wanna know the percentages?! You don't wanna know the percentages... bloody hell... forty-two... *mumble, mumble* ... twenty-seven... carry the one... *mumble, mumble* ... what do you do with the denominator?"

 

Jon tried a different approach, "What are the odds we'll get away from the Mi-Go in one piece?"

 

"Oh, that's easy, I'd say about seventeen percent--" another Mi-Go laser hit the ship, "--er, twelve, no, eleven percent--" yet another explosion, "--forget you and your percentages--let's do this."

 

The J-Train shook from another laser blast. At the same time, the manual control switched itself off and the controls went dead in Assumpta's hands as the ship spun to the right and into the asteroids.

 

"Hold onto ya butts!"

 

---

 

Vinny sighed as he looked up into the darkening sky and whispered, "Here they come."

 

Through the black clouds appeared a large, archaic-looking ship. Then another. Then two more. Suddenly, dozens of ships started to appear in the sky, descending to the planet's surface. These were followed by smaller ships which zipped quickly past the larger craft to the ground--and these ships were suddenly joined by hundreds of others which came from both the sky and the interior of the larger craft. A low buzzing filled the air, the ominous sound vibrating in the ears of the thousands of Wendauerian ground forces. Vinny felt sick. He wondered if anyone else felt the same way.

 

Don't let me throw up. Please don't let me throw up.

 

The ships were close to the ground now, and as they moved, groups of Mi-Go soldiers exited the ship. It wasn't too long before the invaders were charging, on the ground and in the air. They weren't that far away. Six hundred, eight hundred yards? They could've been farther.

 

"Your Majesty, orders?" General Leefe asked, looking at Vinny.

 

Vincit looked at Windsong and Guideau before he spoke, "Prepare to attack."

 

Yog, Allah, God, Buddha, whomever... help us.

 

---

 

"What the... ?"

 

The city's power flickered as a large ship crashed through the dome and hundreds of Mi-Go ships started to pour in over the city.

 

"They came out of nowhere!" someone on the street yelled. The citizenry was in a panic, running for shelter, away from the invading forces.

 

Oscar ducked into an alley to avoid being trampled by the crowds as they ran past. He looked up to see the fungus-like creatures descending from the dropships like a plague.

 

"Geezus, it's already begun. Why weren't they ready? How'd they catch us off guard?"

 

Oscar noticed a little girl in the middle of the street, crying. Her mother was being swept away by the panicked crowd. Mad at the injustice, the angel rushed out, dodging civilians, and grabbed the girl, then elbowed his way through the sea of people to the mother.

 

"Take her! Take her and run!" Oscar yelled, turning against the fleeing masses. He could see some of the dragons emerge from their homes, partially armed or armored, running down the street towards the invading hoard. A spray of gunfire from the Mi-Go ships splattered a few of the civilians.

 

Furious, Oscar fought free from his coat and flapped his now dark wings, launching himself into the sky. He could feel the anger he had fought to hold back overflow inside of him, spreading throughout his body, and the energy grew strong in his fists until they exploded into green flames.

 

He angled himself downward towards one of the invaders and with a snarl, launched the fireball.

 

---

 

"NOW! ATTACK!" Vinny snarled.

 

At his command, thousands of Wendauerian soldiers let out a thunderous yell and started running towards the advancing enemy, weapons drawn. Guards in higher posts began firing the chain guns deep into the Mi-Go forces. Surface-to-air missiles spiraled into the air, slamming into the Mi-Go ships above. Thunderous explosions filled the air, shaking the ground more so than the pounding feet of soldiers and Mi-Go could alone.

 

As the men met the enemy, a dark shadow leapt into the air, claws glinting, eyes glowing red.

 

---

 

The J-Train was a bright red streak in the midst of the asteroid field, zipping with reckless abandon through the floating rocks. The Mi-Go ships were just as daring, zipping around the boulders and firing.

 

The red ship scraped passed a rock on the port side. Alarms went off and red lights flashed.

 

"Take it easy, you're doing fine!" Miriam yelled.

 

"Too many! There's too many!" the ship yelled back. The display showed a targeting system moving frantically over different gaps between asteroids. It kept flashing red.

 

"No... no... no, no, no, no, no, no, no, nononononono--YES!" The target flashed green and the J-Train lurched to the side, spinning through two massive rocks that were beginning to float towards each other. The bulkhead slipped past by mere millimeters. A pair of Mi-Go fighters weren't so lucky, and the asteroids exploded as the two ships crashed into the rocks.

 

Unlike Miriam, Assumpta was frozen with fear as the train dodged a second rock then took a downwards dip to avoid another Mi-Go laser.

 

---

 

The trio of Gamezohan fighters sped silently through the blackness of space. Whutty took point, with Gauss and Lysander on his flanks. The three were nearing visual of Gamezoha Secundus when Lysander's words roused Wernher awake.

 

"Are you seeing dhis?"

 

Gauss looked around the cockpit, "What'd I miss?"

 

"Dhermel signatures," Whutty said. Gauss flipped a switch on his radar panel and his gulped.

 

"My Imperator," Lysander muttered. Whutty could not speak. All three stared at the screens which indicated specifically shaped cold spots wavering within the radiation of the Gamezohan sun's rays. Ahead of them, however, there was nothing to see.

 

"They're already here," Gauss said, "We're too late. The invasion's begun."

 

As if on cue, the thousands of Mi-Go ships suddenly decloaked in front of them--and continued to reveal themselves until the spherical visage Gamezoha Secundus could no longer be seen.

 

"Well, it's your dream come true, Raketemensch: insurmountable odds. An assured death."

 

"Damn my luck," Whutty radioed back, "I can't die today."

 

---

 

Slice and dice. Dash and trash. The Claws of Fendegist make quick work of the Mi-Go forces and Vincit Omnibus was thrilling to every minute of it. Insect-like appendages and fungus fluids covered the ground, making it difficult to maneuver. If his men weren't fairing well in the battle, he didn't notice it, because he was having way too much fun.

 

One downward swipe, and the fungus let loose with a high-pitched buzz as its head was cleaved open. This was followed with an uppercut to the head, ripping it clean off, claws puncturing through the skull. Vinny whirled to face another opponent. The Mi-Go shrieked in his face. Vinny yelled back and punched it through the gut, ripping out bodily organs.

 

It reeked.

 

Meanwhile, Windsong was carving her own path through the carnage, casting elemental spells. Grilled, doused, fried, crushed, slammed and shattered. Wyn's ability to cast multiple spells devastated the enemy. But they kept coming.

 

"More," she grinned maliciously, "I want MORE!"

 

---

 

And more came still, flooding the dome, crashing through portions of the structure. Oscar was aflame with rage, barreling through the hoard. The green fireballs left his hands, only to be immediately replaced by another. And another. His ferocity knew no bounds.

 

It was then he noticed the SURTRites intermixed with the Mi-Go, and his anger multiplied as he zeroed in on the soldiers. They gasped with surprise at the sight of the dark angel bearing down on them, and were too late to react.

 

Gunfire ripped through the street, and a bullet caught Oscar in the leg, putting him on the ground. Immobilized, he continued to throw fireballs at the attackers, leaving the ground around him a circle of scorching green flames.

 

Another shot fired. This one hit the angel in the shoulder and laid him flat out on the ground. SURTR soldiers jumped through the dying flames to subdue the angel, holding him to the ground.

 

---

 

"What are their numbers now?"

 

"Can't tell," Miriam said, struggling to input commands into the computers.

 

The J-Train buzzed, "You keep doing that, you'll break my concentration! Oh crackers!"

 

The ship spiraled around three different asteroids and dipped under a fourth heading upwards.

 

"I don't even know the way out anymore," Jon muttered.

 

Suddenly, the J-Train pitched forward, jerking the passengers in their seats...

 

"HIT!"

 

... then shook violently...

 

"HIT AGAIN! Engine offline! Losing momentum! The system is down! The system is down!"

 

Miriam looked up at the others, "The engine's dead. We're losing speed."

 

"That's it man, game over man, GAME over..."

 

---

 

"Fall back!" General Leefe's voice could be heard echoing over the battlefield, "Fall back!"

 

"Fall back?" Vinny muttered, swiping through a Mi-Go and looking back towards the encampment, "Why the... oh damn..."

 

Three of the large Mi-Go ships were descending from the sky. On the underbelly of each were large, barrel-like devices that could only be cannons.

 

"FALL BACK!" Vinny yelled, elbowing a Mi-Go in the face before slicing its head off.

 

Wendauerian soldiers were starting to scurry back to the front line while their comrades provided cover. The other guns were trained directly on the three ships which had now become the greatest threats. They were heavily armored, and the shots poured off the hulls like water. They started to fire into the retreating crowd.

 

Guideau gasped from his position on the castle wall, looking through the pair of binoculars around his neck.

 

"The king!"

 

Without hesitation, the head of security launched himself over the wall and dropped thirty feet to the ground. With a bound, he was off like a shot across the field, skirting the edge of the city into the action.

 

"Damnit, Sartoreus, what the HELL are you thinking, running out onto the field?" Leefe thought aloud.

 

"WYN!" Vinny yelled, trying to wave down his wife. He had last seen her somewhere over there, where had she gotten to? The air seemed to grow heavy as the cannons started to power up. A ship was maneuvering to aim in Vincit's direction.

 

"Shit!" he started running towards the castle, still on the lookout for Windsong, "Wyn! Windsong!"

 

Vincit caught a blue flash out of the corner of his right eye and heard a familiar voice, "What is it?! I'm busy! C'mon! We're pulling back!"

 

"I was looking for you!" Vincit exclaimed, kicking a half-dead Mi-Go in the head as he ran, "Let's GO!"

 

"Your Majesties!"

 

Vinny and Windsong turned to look in the direction of the castle. Guideau gave a devastating spinning kick to a Mi-Go, splattering its remains along the ground. He was breathing heavily, "This way! Quickly!"

 

It wasn't quick enough. The cannons fired. Wendauerian soldiers flew up into the air in a mixture of earth and Mi-Go remains. Three separate blasts ripped the ground asunder.

 

Windsong dropped to the ground. Vinny was thrown across the field. When his vision cleared up enough for him to look, he couldn't see Wyn, but he could see Sartoreus' body in the distance, motionless.

 

Where was Wyn?

 

... the baby...

 

The worlds seemed to slow down. Vinny felt dizzy. The ships, the gunfire, the soldiers and fungus bugs--everything moved in slow motion. Vinny felt a warmth inside of him, felt his blood start to boil: the blood of kings. He could feel his body bulge and twist and expand. The noise around him faded and he could hear the howling of wolves. It seemed to take minutes, but it was but a mere matter of seconds.

 

The Wolfbear rose and started a low growl, which turned into a mighty roar that gained the attention of everyone in the vicinity.

 

"Holy Sol," the general whispered, gazing through his binocs.

 

Vinny bounded across the field into a group of Mi-Go and was upon them before they could react. He made quick work of the small group, ripping them to shreds before pouncing on a lone fungus. One of the ships started to fire its guns. Vinny responded by hefting up a small boulder and lobbing it at the flying vessel. The entire craft lurched to the side and started spinning to the ground.

 

Vinny roared and knocked three of the fungoid creatures sprawling with one paw swipe.

 

---

 

"What do you want with me?!" Oscar yelled, struggling against the restraining hands of the soldiers. Why didn't they just try to kill him?

 

His question was soon answered, as a Mi-Go carrying a severe-looking scythe started to slither up to the group.

 

Oscar shook his head, "Not cool. Not cool at all."

 

---

 

"You got one on your six, Gauss," Lysander said, as he did a roll past a squadron of SURTR fighters.

 

"I know, he's sticky," the dragon said, trying to lose the fighter by flying erratically.

 

"Remember Seldavich," Whutty radioed. It took Gauss a second to recall the battle, and he immediately banked sharp to the right, airbraked, then pitched downwards, then accelerated to the left. The maneuver put the enemy dead in his sights.

 

"Boom," Gauss said as he blew up the fighter, spiraling through the wreckage, "Thanks, Raketmensch."

 

Whutty didn't respond. He was in the middle of a Dual Draco Dash with his father. Both ships whizzed past each other dangerously close multiple times, creating a dangerous sphere of outgoing laser fire. A good deal of enemy ships were destroyed in the process, but more were coming.

 

"We need to take out some of dose larger ships," Lysander said.

 

"On it," Gauss replied, strafing one of the Mi-Go battle cruisers. He was forced to dodge a combination of Mi-Go and SURTR ships in the process that seemed to pour forth from the docking bay. A buzzer went off in Gauss' cockpit.

 

"Damn, another tail."

 

"I've got him," Whutty radioed. The pilot spiraled past Gauss and blasted the enemy ship to pieces.

 

"Nice one!" Lysander exclaimed.

 

Whutty was smiling, but a buzzer suddenly went off on his display, and before he could react, his ship had been hit.

 

"WHUTTY!" Gauss screamed.

 

"Navigation dead, life support failing, targeting offline," Whutty flipped switches as his fighter spun helplessly out of control, "I'm going down... dhis is it."

 

"NO!" Wernher steered his ship around and in the direction of Whutty's fighter. It was heading directly towards a group of SURTR vessels. Gauss yelled as he blasted the fighters, clearing the path of hsi friend's failing ship.

 

"Whutty?!"

 

"Can... hea... ou... muni... ion... dow... spond... ver?"

 

"Raketmensch?! WHUTTY?! WHUTTY, NOOOOO!"

 

---

 

The J-Train floated helpless in space, small asteroids bouncing off the hull. From the cockpit, Miriam, Assumpta and Jon could see the Mi-Go circle the craft, weapons trained on the ship.

 

"We're dead... we're all dead..." the J-Train muttered nervously.

 

"Brother Jon?" Assumpta had a pleading look in her eyes as she turned to the paladin. Jon's face betrayed nothing of his feelings. They were in a really bad position. Unless Miriam could figure out how to fix the J-Train's com system to teleport the trio out, they really were at the end of the road. All they could do was pray for a miracle.

 

---

 

The Mi-Go were multiplying, it seemed. They were attempting to overwhelm the were beast with sheer numbers, regardless of their own safety, climbing up onto the beast as quickly as he could throw them off. Vinny's strength was starting to fail him.

 

The cannons fired upon the Wendauerian soldier again. The first blast sent rock and bodies flying up into the castle wall. The second destroyed the highest tower on the palace and sent the debris falling to the ground, crushing a handful of soldiers in the process. The third hit the forecourt wall, shaking the palace to its very foundation.

 

In the royal bedchambers, the small black orb rattled and fell off the desk, rolling along the ground to the now open balcony. From here, Yog Sothoth the Unholy One could see the carnage caused by his chosen people and he felt sorrow for their misguidance and anger for their betrayal. They followed DAMOCLES, and they would pay for their treachery.

 

"There will be an Accounting," the god spoke, "Right now."

 

The orb started to vibrate violently. It hovered off the ground and rose into the air until it was suspended over the balcony's edge. It began to pulse a yellowish light which seemed to emanate deep from within the sphere. There was a low rumble and a flash as the yellow light suddenly expanded, dashing with incredible speed out beyond the palace, over the battlefield, through the city, into the sky, through the vacuum of space, across great distances, emanating outwards across the galaxy and the universe.

 

All over, the Mi-Go froze in their places and buzzed vociferously, straining against the overwhelming power of their god. And then, they vanished, dissolving into the air as if burned at a high temperature. Unarmed weapons fell to the ground and ceased firing. Unmanned ships dropped out of the sky or floated harmlessly in space. The universe became silent.

 

---

 

When the Mi-Go carrying the scythe, along with his friends, disappeared, the SURTR soldiers were stunned briefly enough for Oscar to ignite his hands and burn them off him. A few well placed fireballs had the SURTRites burned to a crisp. The other soldiers were now retreating, pushed back by the swelling force of the Gamezohan military.

 

Oscar struggled to his side, then to one knee. He held his shoulder in his hand and winced, limping out of the street. He collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily, then passed out.

 

---

 

"Imperatrix!" a Gamezohan colonel exclaimed, "The Mi-Go are gone!"

 

"Gone? What do you mean by gone?"

 

"I mean they just vanished, like something flash-fried them out of existence. They are no more."

 

Nike look confused, "Weird. Find out what happened. Get in touch with Wendauer."

 

---

 

"What happened?" the J-Train fretted, "What happened--are we dead? Are we dead?"

 

"No," Miriam said, reading the ship's scanners, "But they are. No life signs reported on the Mi-Go ships."

 

"What was that strange light?" Assumpta asked, looking at Jon.

 

"Perhaps... a miracle."

 

"Look, can somebody get into the engine room and gimme a hand with repairs--I REALLY want to get the hell out of this godforsaken place before we're all crushed," the ship whined.

 

---

 

A human Vinny was breathing hard, both claws dripping with blood. There was a stinging feeling on the back of his right leg he could feel, but he didn't dare look at it--it might look worse than it actually was. Instead, he looked with concern at Windsong,. She saw Vincit looking at her and walked over to him.

 

"Thank God you're alright," he said, embracing her in a fierce bearhug.

 

"Easy there, sweetheart," she said, grinning, "You're liable to crush me."

 

"You took me rather by surprise," Vinny said.

 

Wyn chuckled, "Well, sweetheart, it's the monster you married. Forget so soon?" How could he? Vinny remember the first time he met Windsong like it was yesterday--Wyn jumping out of nowhere, knocking him to the ground, screaming like a psychopath...

 

That was last night, wasn't it? No, wait, BEFORE they were married...

 

"Are you okay? Is the baby okay?"

 

"I think so," Wyn said, placing a hand on her stomach.

 

"You better check with the palace doctor, just to be safe."

 

"You're such a worrywart."

 

Vinny sighed, then his head snapped back up, "Oh geez, Guideau!"

 

Vincit and Wyn both scrambled over the war-torn battlefield to de Sartoreus. They stopped short.

 

"Oh, Guideau, no..."

 

The head of security was still alive, barely conscious, but both of his legs had been torn off at the knee. Both king and queen knelt down beside their fallen friend.

 

"Guideau..."

 

The Wendauerian looked up at Vinny, "I'm sorry... I got myself into this mess..."

 

"You hang in there," Vinny said, hefting up the wounded man, "We're gonna get you taken care of."

 

---

 

Gauss and Lysander exited their ships having docked with the GENS Nova.

 

"Sky Marshall Lysander," a low-level CO stammered, "It's indeed a pleasure to welcome you aboard sir--you as well, Archduke."

 

"I need a new ship, immediately," Gauss ordered.

 

"Yessir, right away."

 

"Wernher," Lysander started, placing a hand on Gauss' shoulder, "You need to rest."

 

"Have you LOST your MIND?!" the dragon yelled, "WHUTTY needs help! YOUR SON! Probably crash-landed on Secundus--we need to get planet side NOW and track down the pod!"

 

"Ricardus is going nowhere. We have a tracking beacon for his ship, and rescue crews are already en route to collect him."

 

"How can you be so calm?!"

 

"Because my SON is a grown MAN and can take care of himself! If anybody could survive that crash, he could, and I'd appreciate if you'd show a little faith in him!"

 

Gauss gaped, "I just want to help my friend."

 

"How can you help your friends if you cannot help yourself?"

 

Silence.

 

"Come on. Let's get to the debriefing room and figure out what happened. Don't worry, son, it's gonna be alright."

 

---

 

"Get up."

 

Whutty shook his head clear and sat up on the cold floor. He was in a darkened room. A single light illuminated a chair. Was this it? Was this... death? It didn't feel like death. He felt rather disappointed.

 

"You're awake. Good."

 

"Where am I?" Whutty murmured, standing up.

 

"That's not important," the voice rumbled, "What's important is that you are here to serve us now."

 

"I'm not dead, am I?"

 

"Not yet," a new voice said. Moebius stepped into the light, carrying his staff in his hand. Too-Too rested on his shoulder.

 

Whutty shook his head, "I knew you had something ta do with it."

 

"Very astute of you, Mr. Sphexoren. I'm surprised you were able to deduce so easily--do you already know your role in my grand scheme?"

 

"Where is she?"

 

Moebius laughed softly, "You're so impatient, Ricardus. She's fine. For now."

 

"And if you want her to stay that way," Klot said, stepping into the light, "You'll do as Lord Moebius commands of you."

 

Whutty looked warily at the two. Had it been his own life, there'd be no question--he would have died trying to kill the two men. But with Chromelips life in their hands, he knew he had no choice but to obey.

 

"What do ya need me for?" he asked.

 

Moebius grinned malevolently, "For reasons you can only begin to imagine..."

 

---

 

"So the invasion has been postponed," Vasdhra muttered, looking at the holographic monitor on the wall.

 

Salyra smirked, "As I predicted. I admit I didn't expect them to attack so soon, but somebody obviously found a way to buy us some time."

 

Salyra turned around to face the four bunnygirl/amazon hybrid bounty hunters , "You have your orders. Now get to work. We rendezvous on Halak."

 

---

 

"Bed," Vinny grumbled, "Need sleep."

 

"I think we all do," Wyn nodded in agreement, "How's Guideau?"

 

"He's in stable condition," Vinny said, taking off his shirt and stretching, "The doctors are going to craft some replacement legs for him, but I don't know if he'll ever feel the same. I hope he'll understand."

 

"Any insight as to what made the Mi-Go disappear? Everyone's asking."

 

"I know, and I have an idea, but I doubt anyone would believe me."

 

Wyn looked at Vinny, "Really, what?"

 

"I think Yog may have had something to do with it. I found his sphere sitting on the balcony earlier--I hadn't put it there."

 

"Odd," Wyn commented, "Did you ask it?"

 

Vinny shrugged, "It won't talk to me. It's weird. I dunno." He checked in a coat pocket and found his pack of cigarettes. One left.

 

"Come to bed, dear," Wyn said.

 

"In a moment," Vinny said, "It's the last one... I think I've deserved it."

 

As Windsong fluffed her pillows, Vinny walked out onto the balcony and looked out onto the city. He could see the remains of the beautiful field off to the west. Straight ahead, parts of the city were already bring repaired.

 

"Vincit Omnibus?" a voice said.

 

"Damnit, now what? Can't a guy just have a smoke in peace--" the world suddenly seemed to go out of focus and everything went dark. Behind Vinny, one of Salyra's bounty hunters bent down and rolled him over.

 

"Mission accomplished. Flashpoint," the bunnygirl/amazon hybrid said before suddenly disappearing off the balcony with Vincit.

 

---

 

Asteroid 13778. The J-Train had just puttered into the repair station and Jon was on the hunt for a public communication device when he heard a voice say his name. He turned to face a tall woman, rabbit ears on her head, wearing a rather revealing commando outfit.

 

"Can I help thee?" Jon asked, looking skeptical.

 

The woman smiled and her hand moved suddenly. Jon felt very dizzy and started to stumble. Her turned to run back towards the repair bay and call for help, but he collapsed before he could. The bounty hunter's face was expressionless as she knelt beside her victim, "Mission accomplished. Flashpoint." The two disappeared in a bright light.

 

---

 

Wernher Gauss was in his old room in the grand Gamezohan palace. He had not been back for many months now, and it was unsettling. Word from the rescue crew was the Whutty's ship had been found, but the eject pod had been damaged and his whereabouts were unknown.

 

Gauss was forced to take a break. His sister was supposed to call for him within the hour to take part in the round table debriefing. He lay back on the large, four-poster bed and closed his eyes.

 

"Wernher Gauss?" a voice asked.

 

"Who wants to know?" Gauss replied, opening his eyes. He saw a face he didn't recognize. Before he could respond, though, he felt something on his shoulder, then he felt very weak and the world around him grew very dark. Before passing out, he heard the voice again, "Mission accomplished..."

 

---

 

Oscar was lying half-asleep in a medical tent. Gamezohan soldiers had gathered him up from his spot on the street and brought him to the temporary clinic where the nurses had treated his wounds. Without proper identification, the angel was classified as a missing person and he was placed in the ward to recover. The battle had weakend him incredibly, and the drug in his system made things even worse.

 

He could barely hear the woman's voice before slipping completely into a deep sleep.

 

---

 

"God, I'm so excited!" Salyra exclaimed, giggling like a little schoolgirl. She, Vasdhra, Pyrite, Madam Geraldine and Mickey the Cod were walking a corridor to the large banquet room in Pyrite's palace on Halak. Everything had fallen into dark disrepair. The garden never bloomed, overrun with weeds and vines. For Pyrite, it was just another reminder of that which had been taken from him.

 

"Just make sure Omnibus' restraints are really tight," Mickey muttered, "The last thing I want is to have him break free... cause I'll be the first one he kills."

 

"Don't be silly, Mr. the Cod," Salyra said, "Our 'friends' won't be escaping anytime soon--not what I've cooked up for them."

 

"What about Wernher?" Pyrite asked.

 

Vasdhra blinked.

 

"Don't worry, Pyrite, we've got everything under control--"

 

"What about Wernher? Salyra, I thought I said--"

 

"Look," the Countess sighed, "Vasdhra, I was hoping this wouldn't become an issue, especially not in the house of our guest. Pyrite has every bit of right to revenge as you do--"

 

"The Archduke is Gamezohan royalty! Our family has been loyal to his linage for centuries!"

 

"Oh, grow up," Geraldine snipped, "You've always been so worried about playing everything by the rules that you never have become flexible enough to enjoy other things."

 

"Mother--"

 

"Don't mother me. No son of mine is ungrateful to his guests."

 

Defeated, the Count fell silent as the others continued walking on. Salyra smiled to herself. Vasdhra's plan to overwhelm his mother with an equally dominating woman had backfired beautifully, and now he was weak and powerless to do anything against them.

 

She wondered how much it would kill the Count to know that Joel Diablo hadn't been captured for him to enact his own revenge. Try as they might, the bounty hunters could pull no trace on the demon.

 

"So what kind of crazy torturous contraption have you cooked up for Omnibus and his crew?" Mickey asked as the five neared the large double doors at the end of the hall.

 

"Oh, you're going to LOVE this. It's to die for... and more than likely, THEY will."

---

 

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