The Quest for

THE ETHEREAL SHARD

A Star Ocean / DOOM 'Storyplay' crossover

By Chris 'Shades' Oliveri

PROLOGUE

The large, chiseled Rune stone glowed as he approached, symbols pulsating in green matrimony. He wore a dark visor over his face, where his eyes should have been – which also possessed the same greenish glow. This 'Ethereal Shard' he wore looked like a pair of sunglasses, perhaps – but far more advanced. He may be confused for a Kronos Agent where he was headed, actually; however, his Space Date of choice for entering the Eternal Sphere – the great Star Ocean – would be something other.

And even if he was confused for one, still – so what? The Shadesman had his own plans there for staving off the invasion. The demons of doom and despair knew no bounds, and were just as he was – from what the Star Ocean's inhabitants 'in the know' termed "4D," or "The Outer Worlds." His Visor would in fact be an OPA – "Out of Place Artifact." And Argent D'Nur, perhaps, was outside even his dimension.

The Shadesman would follow in the footsteps of Welch and Ivlish – hopping through time, gathering heroes, and determining just WHO was the 'Slayer' as prophesied. The real world and The Star Ocean overlapped in ways even Luther hadn't realized, and it was now high time to use his Ethereal Shard to find The Doomslayer in his infancy, merge his consciousness and fulfill The Purpose.

SHADES: Plus I'll get to meet freakin' ASHTON! Ashton, people! I'm gonna have *fun* with my time here!

And so, The Shadesman finished his incantation upon the stone and was whisked somehow, somewhere, sometime into the Great Star Ocean….

CHAPTER 1 – EXPELLED

With a flash of light, Shades found himself in none other than The Sacred Forest. The very place where Claude Kenny first met Rena Lanford. Claude was mistaken for the 'Hero of Light' after all, and as such averted doom to the Universe from the Ten Wise Men. Arguably, Rena too could be considered 'The Hero of Light' – unnatural healing abilities to the denizens of Expel, but in fact common amongst the Morphus. The Nedians. And so, Shades would seek them out first and put them each to the test. Claude was a man of prophecy – but what he THE man of prophecy? And besides – Shades was most familiar with this campaign of the Eternal Sphere, anyway.

If the Rune Stone worked correctly, the timing should be just after the Ten Wisemen's defeat on Morphus and Expel's subsequent resurrection – Space Date 366. He scanned to the left, and to the right using his trusty visor – no humans in sight, but certainly a lot of life forms.

?: Turn around, fool!

What was this? Shades whisked around to see a tall, thin figure with a large Katana pointed at him as well as mechanical gauntlet where his left arm should have been. His form was draped in robes and armor, and he was phasing in and out of existence, it seemed – *something* has gone terribly, terribly wrong upon arriving here! The Eternal Sphere itself has become unstable – but why?

SHADES: Albel Nox! Here on Expel?

ALBEL: Hmph, so you know of me? But what's an Expel?

Oooh, boy...

SHADES: I mean, the planet we're on.

ALBEL: Wrong, maggot. This is planet Roak. Thought I landed on Elicoor after the rendezvous at Moonbase, but now I'm stranded here. With you.

Moonbase? It was all starting to make sense. Samuel Hayden – the man who now runs The Sphere corporation back in the 4th Dimension – also projects himself into the Star Ocean as a human who manages the largest Terran hub in existence. Befitting, really – but why would he screw so directly with the Eternal Sphere's stability? During a real-world emergence? He'd better not be another Luther, not now!

SHADES: Let's cut to the chase, Albel. I'm from the 4th Dimension – the outer worlds beyond the Star Ocean. Like the guy Luther you beat.

ALBEL: The only person who 'cuts to the chase' here is ME, maggot.

SHADES: Semantics. Anywho, Samuel Hayden is ALSO from 4D space. And we're here – well, I'm here at least – because my own home turf is under threat from something beyond even OUR plane. This is Planet Expel – well it SHOULD be, anyway – and it was Prophesied that the Legendary 'Warrior of Light' would save them. Does the name 'Claude Kenny' ring a bell to you? Because he's that man!

ALBEL: Not 'Claude' but 'Kenny' sure does. Listen, fool – you may want to follow me. There's a... shall we say, 'disturbance' over that ridge.

Shades and Albel traversed the Sacred Forest a bit deeper, until reaching a clearing. The soft, mossy ground gave way to longer grass thanks to the lack of a tree canopy. And off in the distance, over the cliff – Shades' worst fears were confirmed true.

SHADES: It's a fissure! I don't know WHAT happened, but this isn't Expel, this isn't Elicoor and this isn't Roak – it's a bit of... everything!

ALBEL: A smorgasbord of delight, full of fright.

SHADES: … Albel? Did you just crack a joke?

ALBEL: I know what you're thinking. No worries, fool – I've trained myself to loosen up just a BIT. Gotta become strong AND great to survive. This planet might be in pieces, but I'm me – of that I am certain.

SHADES: Still, though!

ALBEL: Just forget it! Now, do you wager we explore that mess over there or look for The Kenny?

SHADES: Well, to be honest – there's this one kid, Ashton-

ALBEL: Shut your trap. To the fissure!

Shades and Albel slid down the cliff slowly, deliberately. Up ahead, purplish tears in the fabrics of Space and Time were evident – and within the clearing, Shades spied bits and pieces of what he recognized as the Entrance to the Demon World – realm of Asmodeus, Dark Lord of the 4th Age. Anything was possible at this point. The two of them would explore the perimeter and entrance proper, then backtrack to look for Claude and whoever else they could before going deeper.